Just as everyone’s attention was focused on Lin Jiaxin.
A man in a dark green camouflage uniform and matching cap pushed through the crowd and stood before the students.
“Ahem, ahem, ahem—”
He cleared his throat, looked at the noisy students, and suddenly spoke up:
“Students from the Magic Cultivation Department, I’m your instructor. Everyone quiet down. We’re about to assemble and line up.”
Seeing the instructor had arrived, most of the students obediently shut their mouths. Still, there was a low buzz of scattered chatter among the crowd.
The formation had already been arranged by Wu Jing earlier, so the other students just needed to find their spots based on the people around them.
The instructor was quite satisfied with their self-discipline.
The plan he had originally prepared—first wielding the stick, then offering the carrot—had now turned into only offering the carrot.
He wasn’t a formal teacher, but who didn’t like well-behaved kids?
As for Wu Jing, because he wasn’t very tall and had his own little scheme when arranging positions, he ended up standing in the very front row.
Once most of the students had taken their places, Wu Jing suddenly stepped forward, raised his hand in a salute to the instructor, and reported loudly:
“Reporting, Instructor! Wu Jing, class monitor of Magic Cultivation Department, Class Two, reporting! The formation is complete. Please give your orders, Instructor!”
His voice was a bit hoarse, even slightly shrill, kind of like the voice of a eunuch delivering messages in ancient times. But his articulation was still clear.
It seemed the word “acting” in front of “class monitor” had been accidentally forgotten…
“…Good! Not bad! Very spirited!”
Although the instructor was startled by Wu Jing’s wide, bulging eyes that looked like they might pop out, he quickly composed himself and generously praised him: “This is my first time leading students. I didn’t expect to encounter such self-disciplined students on my first try. It’s my honor.”
He actually didn’t like students who were too overly eager to please—too much of a performative personality. But since this was just a student, not a soldier under his command, he couldn’t criticize. He simply decided to ignore it.
“Hello, students! I’m your instructor. My surname is Zheng. I hope that over this next month…”
Instructor Zheng wanted to say some polished pleasantries, but the corner of his eye suddenly caught sight of Lin Jiaxin standing alone beside the formation.
There was no way around it—all the surrounding teams were already properly lined up, and she was the only one standing there. It was impossible not to notice!
Instructor Zheng looked at Lin Jiaxin, frowned, and quickly walked up to her. Puzzled, he asked:
“Excuse me, are you a student from the Magic Cultivation Department?”
Lin Jiaxin didn’t answer immediately upon hearing this. Instead, she slowly exhaled a mouthful of turbid air before opening her eyes.
She realized that without the standard meditation posture, it was impossible to complete a full circulation cycle. It seemed she couldn’t secretly put in extra effort.
But this experiment wasn’t entirely without gain.
Because Lin Jiaxin discovered that by circulating the technique while standing, she could condense and refine the spiritual energy absorbed into her body. This was much faster than relying on the body to refine it slowly on its own.
But even with this new discovery, she didn’t show any joy.
Facing the instructor’s inquiry, Lin Jiaxin only nodded calmly and replied, “Hello, Instructor. I am from the Magic Cultivation Department.”
“Did you not hear me when I said to assemble and line up?”
Instructor Zheng’s tone carried a certain displeasure.
He had just said he was lucky to have such self-disciplined, trouble-free students, and now he was being proven wrong.
“I heard you.” Lin Jiaxin nodded.
“Then why didn’t you move?”
“Reporting, Instructor. I was condensing spiritual energy… Maybe it’s because I’m more diligent than my peers. Ah, well, some people are just naturally hardworking.”
After saying this, Lin Jiaxin spread her hands helplessly, then tilted her head to look at the sky, her eyes filled with the melancholy of self-appreciation.
“Condensing spiritual energy?”
Not only were the surrounding students stunned by Lin Jiaxin’s calm humblebrag, the instructor was also taken aback.
Unlike the students’ confusion, he was more puzzled.
Instructor Zheng was assigned from the military. He was also a college graduate, not the kind of rough instructor who just barked orders.
He knew very well that these freshmen had just obtained their own techniques from the Scripture Depository. Except for the exceptionally gifted, they were only beginners, most of whom had yet to start actual cultivation.
And you, in the same amount of time, are already able to condense while standing?
He looked Lin Jiaxin up and down suspiciously. Aside from the overconfident look on her cute, baby-faced features, he couldn’t tell anything.
Instructor Zheng frowned. He suddenly raised his hand, then seemed to think of something, hesitated, and turned his hand over, placing the back of his hand on Lin Jiaxin’s shoulder.
He wanted to test if the girl was boasting.
But the moment his hand touched her, he felt a clear fluctuation of spiritual energy. Although this level of energy fluctuation was very weak, it was definitely not the level of a beginner.
To achieve this through her own insight without systematic learning—even at a top institution like United University, this was extremely rare.
It seemed this girl was a genius!
Instructor Zheng’s expression gradually softened, and his tone became much gentler: “Since you’re done now, go ahead and join the formation. Everyone is waiting for you.”
Although he wasn’t a teacher, most people tend to be more lenient towards geniuses. After all, who doesn’t like a smart kid? Even if the kid’s tone was a bit smug…
But Lin Jiaxin hadn’t just delayed joining the formation. It wasn’t a major offense like being a troublemaker during formal training, so it wasn’t a big deal…
“Reporting, Instructor. Before I join the formation, there’s one more thing.”
Lin Jiaxin wasn’t really a troublemaker. She just wanted to attract some attention and earn some true qi through manifesting sainthood before others, so she cooperated with Instructor Zheng.
But there were still some things that needed to be brought up…
The latter was taken aback and instinctively asked: “What else?”
Lin Jiaxin’s lips curled slightly, and she said calmly: “Reporting, Instructor. I request an additional twenty kilograms of weight during training.”
“…What?”
Instructor Zheng was dumbfounded.
Whether during his own school days or later when he joined the military, he had never heard such an absurd request!
What in the world? You’re a freshman. Isn’t the military training load already enough for you? Now you want to add extra weight, and twenty kilograms at once?!
Little girl, you’re not that big, but you sure talk big!
Even if you’ve already stepped onto the path of cultivation, you’ve only been at it for such a short time. At best, you’re still a rookie who just started. You’re not much different from an ordinary person!
You’ve cultivated a bit of spiritual energy and think you’re a high-level cultivator now? What a load of crap!
Instructor Zheng’s mouth twitched uncontrollably.
He was already starting to reconsider his earlier assessment.
A person who doesn’t understand their own strength? Some genius!
“Reporting, Instructor! She also said earlier that during high school, she once ran home with her best friend in a category eight typhoon. She’s worried this training load isn’t enough, so she needs extra weight!”
Wu Jing suddenly spoke up, faithfully repeating Lin Jiaxin’s earlier words to the instructor.
His voice was steady, even carrying a tone of sincerity “for everyone’s good.”
But after he finished, his Adam’s apple involuntarily bobbed, and his eyes flickered toward the instructor before darting away.
If not for the fact that Lin Jiaxin had said it in front of everyone, and the people around would expose him, he would have spiced it up a bit.
Wu Jing was actually seething with hatred for Lin Jiaxin right now!
In his eyes, if she had just listened to him and gotten into formation quickly, his first impression on the instructor would have been even better. Instead, he didn’t even get a single separate compliment!