I Pick up a Lost Godhood

Chapter 302 - 291: Condescension

The battle between the Holy Hall and the Ten Thousand Demons Sect had subsided for now, serving as a wake-up call for the disciples. However, this was just a minor interlude. The most important thing remained the competition for survival within the Cultivation Academy.

"Master" was quite active in the Battle Space, scoring victory after victory in a series of consecutive fights. This naturally drew a lot of attention. Winning battles below the Thirtieth Layer was nothing special, but the truly astonishing thing about this "Master" was that he always maintained his Elemental Power at the level of Twenty Layers. No matter how strong his opponent, he would only ever use the power of Twenty Layers to fight. He had already achieved a magnificent ten-win streak, catching the eye of many.

However, the event that would truly make "Master" famous soon occurred.

Ge Mang of the Empress Faction publicly challenged "Master." He stated his willingness to fight "Master" in the Battle Space, voluntarily lowering his own Elemental Power to below the Thirtieth Layer for the match. If "Master" accepted, Ge Mang would pay him one thousand Top-Grade Spirit Stones, win or lose. Moreover, "Master" could challenge him at any time, and if he preferred to fight within the academy grounds, Ge Mang would gladly oblige.

Ge Mang was a truly influential figure in the Cultivation Academy. With Elemental Power above the Thirtieth Layer, he was a mainstay for the Empress Faction in the thirty-to-forty-layer bracket. And yet, he had challenged such an opponent.

This immediately caused an uproar throughout the Cultivation Academy. Even if Ge Mang suppressed his Elemental Power to below the Thirtieth Layer, his cultivation realm and insight would remain intact. He was in a completely different league than opponents who were genuinely below the Thirtieth Layer.

Besides, who was Ge Mang? A Five-Star Monarch!

The Empress’s subordinates were all battle-hardened warriors, and Ge Mang in particular had a terrifying combat record. Someone he was interested in?

Even a nobody would become famous overnight.

The question was, would this "Master" accept?

"A thousand Spirit Stones? Moo Wuzheng, isn’t that a little stingy? You should have at least offered a decent Magical Artifact. What if he looks down on the offer, or even sees it as an insult?"

Ge Mang said.

Moo Wuzheng shrugged helplessly. "Come on, Ge, use your head. Do you think that’s just a thousand ordinary rocks? I’ve analyzed this ’Master,’ and he probably doesn’t come from a wealthy family. Offering too much might actually be a bad thing. We’ll know soon enough if we just wait."

Ge Mang was indeed very eager. It was rare to encounter a good opponent, and he was extremely interested. Watching "Master’s" fights gave him a burning feeling of excitement, which was exactly what he loved.

"Heh, Mingyue, when you have time, you should have a good talk with Ma Tian’Er. I heard the girl got hit by a Wood-Eroding Needle in battle. That’s just too careless!"

Moo Wuzheng said to Mingyue.

Mingyue gave Moo Wuzheng a cool glance. "Experience is the best teacher. She took a Wood-Eroding Needle and survived; she should have learned her lesson."

Moo Wuzheng was speechless. ’How have I put up with these people for so many years?’ Ma Tian’Er was another oddball. To be careless enough to get hit by a vicious Hidden Weapon like the Wood-Eroding Needle... and then to survive it.

As for Wang Meng? ’Damn, a thousand Spirit Stones! Only an idiot would turn that down.’

Wang Meng had been wrestling with the problem of his Pill Furnace. ’It’s obvious my Divine Sense is what’s causing them to explode. I need a better furnace.’ But even then, there was no guarantee it could withstand his Divine Sense. The Alchemy Institute’s furnaces were definitely off-limits now. If he blew up another one, Dean Mi Dao would have his hide and make him pay for everything until he was broke, interest included.

’But with a thousand Top-Grade Spirit Stones, that’s a whole different story. I could definitely buy a really good Pill Furnace. Then I can blow up my own stuff and not have to worry about it.’

’Rich kids like Ge Mang would never understand the value of this.’

Wang Meng sent the challenge invitation in the Battle Space. All he had to do was wait for Ge Mang’s response. ’The Empress Faction?’

’They’re supposed to be strong, which is perfect. A sparring partner who pays me for the privilege? If only there were more deals like this in the world, how wonderful life would be.’

"Master’s" response immediately set off a wave of excitement in the Cultivation Academy. It wasn’t just those who followed the Empress Faction; people from other factions were paying attention too, especially Ge Mang’s rivals—those who had lost to him before.

As one of the Five-Star Monarchs, Ge Mang had a win rate of over eighty percent. In the thirty-to-forty-layer bracket, he was an absolute tyrant who moved unopposed.

For him to condescend to challenge a nobody was one thing, but for that nobody to have the gall to actually accept was another.

Many people grew curious. What was so special about this "Master" that he could attract Ge Mang’s attention?

Things like a ten-win streak were meaningless. At Ge Mang’s level, who would care about that? Everyone knew Ge Mang was warlike, but he was also extremely picky about his opponents, holding them to impossibly high standards. Very few people ever caught his eye. Yet here was this secretive, Twenty-Layer cultivator, and Ge Mang was going to all this trouble for him. In a place like the Cultivation Academy, it was difficult not to be intrigued by this "Master."

But after looking into him, everyone was left speechless. The guy was a total piece of trash.

He had lost dozens, even hundreds of matches over the past year. Who knows how he suddenly had a breakthrough recently, but after winning a few fights, he seemed to be getting cocky. A bum like this could attract Ge Mang’s attention?

"Has that Ge Mang kid gone crazy? Fighting someone like this is beneath him."

"Heh heh, Ge Mang is one of the Empress’s great generals. If he wants to embarrass himself like this, we’ll just enjoy the show."

"This is a rare opportunity. It’s embarrassing for him even if he wins. But if he loses... haha."

"There’s not much chance of him losing, right? You know how strong Ge Mang is."

The major factions were all abuzz with discussion. What was once a subtle undercurrent had been shamelessly dragged into the open by Ge Mang, so now no one else felt the need to be discreet.

Wang Meng, on the other hand, was busy with his own Cultivation. After finishing his own tasks, he found it quite interesting to discuss Talisman Cultivator Magic with Ma Tian’Er.

"Senior Brother Wang... how could you possibly think of it that way?" Ma Tian’Er was dumbfounded by Wang Meng’s understanding of Array Technique.

"Ah? Is it not possible?"

"Of course not! A Talisman Cultivator is a Talisman Cultivator. You can’t use a Talisman like a Sword Cultivator uses Sword Qi. They’re two completely different concepts!"

Ma Tian’Er said. The young girl was surprisingly serious about it. Since Wang Meng was interested in discussing Talisman Cultivator Magic with her, Ma Tian’Er was of course delighted, as it meant they could spend more time together.

Over on the side, Li Tianyi and Mingren were sparring. "That kid Wang Meng is slacking off again."

Mingren said, shaking his head.

"It’s not the first time he’s been slacking off."

"Leave him be. Wang Meng has his own plans!"

Ning Zhiquan said with a smile. Everyone had high expectations for Wang Meng now. Although the Ten Thousand Demons Sect had dealt the Holy Hall a heavy blow, it had also ignited everyone’s fighting spirit. Especially in a place like the Cultivation Academy, they needed to be more united and become stronger.

Wang Meng and Ma Tian’Er were in the middle of a heated discussion. Wang Meng’s grasp of Technique Cultivation was still in a purely instinctual phase, stemming from the innate understanding of all Magic granted by his Godhood. This was quite different from the orthodox combat methods of a Talisman Cultivator. For instance, Talisman Cultivators had a complete and established system for the sequence and rhythm of combining Life Marks, whereas for Wang Meng, if it worked, it was good enough.

Wang Meng was in a very strange state. Most people first learned the methods and then gradually came to understand Talismans and Arrays. But thanks to his Godhood, Wang Meng had understood the essence of Talismans and Arrays from the very beginning; it was his methods that were all wrong.

Back at the Holy Hall, he could use simple Magic freely, but the more advanced the techniques became, the more his incorrect methods became a hindrance. It wouldn’t matter if Wang Meng didn’t care, but he wanted to become the strongest, which meant he needed a proper understanding of all branches of Magic.

Ma Tian’Er earnestly explained her understanding of Talisman Cultivator Magic to Wang Meng. It had to be said that Wang Meng had formed habits that were quite difficult to correct. But Ma Tian’Er had plenty of patience, and whenever Wang Meng saw her smile, his own impatience and fiery temper would simply vanish.

The differences between Talisman Cultivators, Sword Cultivators, and Body Cultivators were vast. Body Cultivation was more suited for those who disliked thinking, while Talisman Cultivation was perfect for meticulous and patient people. Sword Cultivators and Bow Cultivators fell somewhere in between.

Wang Meng was a thinker, but he could never be as patient as Ma Tian’Er, who could spend months meticulously contemplating a single array to understand it. As for Wang Meng, he’d rather be instantly defeated every day for a month than spend a month staring at a pile of symbols. That would definitely make him puke.

Wang Meng was gradually beginning to understand that Wangtian’s talent was the real deal. After all, Ma Tian’Er was lecturing him like he was a little kid who’d made a mistake.

After the training session ended, Hex Zui gathered everyone.

"Junior Brothers and Sisters, the Main Hall expresses its highest praise for your bravery. However, once the Ten Thousand Demons Sect makes a move, they won’t simply stop here. We cannot just sit and wait for death. If they fail to get us in the open, they will likely try from the shadows. So be careful when you go out. Also, fight more battles to improve yourselves. We have no path of retreat!"

Hex Zui said.

It had to be said that Hex Zui’s words made perfect sense. It was just that he himself lacked a domineering aura. Perhaps it was a habit from years of living under a disguise, but such inspiring words came out of his mouth sounding strained.

But Ning Zhiquan and the others were also well aware that the problem now wasn’t whether they could meet the conditions to continue surviving in the Cultivation Academy, but whether they could withstand the attacks of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect.

Everyone dispersed. Li Tianyi was naturally fearless; he was like a fish in water here and couldn’t wait for the Ten Thousand Demons Sect to cause trouble. His injuries had already healed, and he definitely wouldn’t miss another opportunity like that. Mingren was still smiling, as if nothing could ever surprise him. Ning Zhiquan, on the other hand, was weighed down by pressure. Sometimes, being too mature wasn’t a good thing.

Wang Meng returned to his quarters and took a shower to clear his head. He spent some time organizing what he had learned that day.

This was a habit Wang Meng had developed. Every day, he would set aside a specific amount of time to think, whether it was about Sword Technique, Magic, or Alchemy Technique. Sometimes he would even just observe the Heaven and Earth Spirit Locking Array, not expecting any immediate epiphanies, but just watching.

Regarding the matter of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect, he couldn’t always be on the defensive. Wang Meng was considering how to strike back, but to do so, he really needed someone who understood such things.

’Every rule has a loophole. Even Hex Zui has a limited strategic perspective. He’s just focused on defending, day in and day out. How long can that possibly last?’

Wang Meng thought of his soul mentor, Shan Lin. Perhaps he could provide an answer!

With that thought, Wang Meng stopped letting his mind wander and entered the Battle Space to continue the routine of climbing out of the pit he’d dug for himself.

His win rate was gradually starting to look better, but his opponents were too weak to be of any real help to his progress. Ge Mang’s challenge was very much to his liking.