Zhao Mu followed Liang Gongchi into the inner room.
The space was quieter than the main workshop, filled with neatly arranged instruments, strange materials, and faint traces of lingering spiritual energy. The air itself seemed heavier, as though saturated with power invisible to the naked eye.
Liang Gongchi walked straight to her workbench and sat down casually, crossing one leg over the other. She rested her chin lightly on her hand and stared at Zhao Mu with a thoughtful expression.
"Did Bu Yanhuan ever tell you," she began slowly, "how troublesome an E-rank Spiritual Energy Talent really is?"
Zhao Mu touched his nose, a faint smile appearing on his lips.
"She mentioned it… briefly."
"Briefly?" Liang Gongchi let out a soft snort. "Then she didn't tell you enough."
Her gaze sharpened.
"Between humans, aside from superficial appearance, once you consider Spirit Power and Spiritual Energy Talent… they are essentially different species."
Zhao Mu didn't interrupt.
He simply listened.
"Right now, your Spirit Power rank is still low," she continued. "So you can't truly feel the gap yet."
She leaned back slightly, her tone becoming more vivid.
"Let me put it in a way you'll understand."
"You are all like newborn cubs."
"Some are lions and tigers."
"Others… are cats and dogs."
Zhao Mu raised an eyebrow slightly.
"At this stage," Liang Gongchi went on, "the difference isn't obvious. A kitten can still scratch a lion cub. A puppy might even fight back."
"But give it time…"
Her voice turned colder.
"The gap will widen—until it becomes absolute."
"Those with higher talent ranks will grow faster, awaken stronger abilities, and advance their combat levels at a speed you cannot match."
"And you—"
She pointed at Zhao Mu.
"Will be left behind."
Zhao Mu crossed his arms.
"Is there truly no hope at all?"
He paused briefly, then added:
"I heard that Marquis Changfeng, one of the Four Pillars of the Xuanfeng Empire… also has an E-rank talent."
Liang Gongchi sneered.
"Marquis Changfeng?"
Her tone carried a hint of disdain.
"In a thousand years of the Xuanfeng Empire, only one such figure has appeared."
She leaned forward slightly.
"Do you know how many people live in this Empire?"
Zhao Mu didn't answer.
"Hundreds of billions," she said coldly. "And among them… only one Marquis Changfeng."
She paused.
"And you think that gives you hope?"
Zhao Mu fell silent.
He understood her meaning clearly.
His current progress was indeed slow.
He was only at Combat Level 2.
Meanwhile, prodigies like Mo Guanguan and Lu Yan had already reached Combat Level 10 or higher.
The difference was obvious.
However—
Zhao Mu wasn't entirely discouraged.
Thanks to the ability of the Demon Clown, his total Spirit Power far exceeded that of others at the same level.
At present, his overall Spirit Power was comparable to that of a Combat Level 4 trainee.
Even so…
It wasn't enough.
He looked at Liang Gongchi seriously.
"Teacher Liang," he said, "since you called me here… you must have a solution, right?"
Liang Gongchi smiled faintly.
"Of course there is."
She stood up and turned toward the workbench behind her.
"But—"
She glanced over her shoulder.
"You'll have to work far harder than those with high-grade talent."
As she spoke, she picked up a small square metal box engraved with intricate spiritual patterns.
Without hesitation, she tossed it toward Zhao Mu.
"Catch."
Zhao Mu raised his hand and caught it steadily.
The box felt heavy.
Cold.
And faintly… dangerous.
He examined it briefly.
"What is this?"
Liang Gongchi crossed her arms.
"This is the only way for you to narrow the gap between yourself and others."
"It's called a Spirit Source."
Zhao Mu's expression grew serious.
"A Spirit Source?"
"All living beings in this world that possess Spirit Power," Liang Gongchi explained, "will eventually condense it into a core form."
She raised a finger, listing them one by one.
"For mutated beasts—it's the heart."
"For the Dark Race—it's the crystal."
"For humans—it's the spiritual sea spring."
Her gaze locked onto Zhao Mu.
"To increase your combat level, meditation is the safest method."
She paused briefly.
"But it's not the fastest."
Her voice dropped.
"The fastest method… is plunder."
Zhao Mu's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Kill powerful mutated beasts."
"Kill members of the Dark Race."
"Or even…"
She didn't hesitate.
"Kill other humans."
"Take the accumulation of decades… even centuries… and make it your own."
The room fell silent.
Liang Gongchi continued calmly:
"But remember this."
"This method is like walking on a razor's edge."
"One mistake…"
"And you become someone else's stepping stone."
Zhao Mu didn't respond immediately.
Instead, he lowered his gaze and opened the metal box.
Inside—
Was a piece of translucent amber.
Sealed within it was a beating, crimson heart.
Even through the amber, a powerful wave of Spirit Power radiated outward.
It was dense.
Violent.
Alive.
Zhao Mu could feel it clearly.
And along with that power—
A faint sense of danger.
Liang Gongchi spoke again:
"Only beings above Rank 2 Private can condense a Spirit Source."
She gestured toward the heart.
"This one comes from a mutated beast at Combat Level 39."
Zhao Mu's pupils contracted slightly.
Combat Level 39…
That was far beyond his current level.
"With your current control over Spirit Power," Liang Gongchi said, "you can attempt to absorb it."
She leaned against the workbench.
"The process is slow… and difficult."
"But—"
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"With your Demon Clown's ability to accumulate proficiency rapidly…"
"This should suit you perfectly."
Zhao Mu closed the box gently.
Then bowed deeply.
"Thank you, Teacher."
Liang Gongchi waved her hand dismissively.
"Don't thank me yet."
Her tone turned serious again.
"I just want you to become a Jinhai Master as soon as possible."
"Even in our line of work, strength matters."
"You can exchange academic credits with Qingfeng Camp by creating ember remains."
"And with those credits—"
"You can obtain more Spirit Sources."
"This is your path forward."
Zhao Mu nodded.
Then, after a brief pause, he said:
"Teacher… I want to try absorbing it now."
"Can you watch over me?"
Liang Gongchi nodded immediately.
"That was my intention."
"If you tried this alone, you might fail… or worse."
Zhao Mu walked to the side of the room and sat down cross-legged on a sofa.
He took a deep breath.
Then carefully removed the Spirit Source from the box.
Liang Gongchi stood nearby, arms crossed, watching intently.
"Enter a meditative state," she instructed.
"But don't lose awareness."
"You must sense the Spirit Source… and guide its power into your body."
She added:
"How much you absorb depends entirely on your control."
"For a first attempt…"
"Even twenty percent would be considered excellent."
Zhao Mu nodded slightly.
But internally—
He felt confident.
His control over Spirit Power had already reached 70% proficiency.
Far beyond what Liang Gongchi expected.
He closed his eyes.
The Turtle Breathing Technique activated.
His breathing slowed.
His heartbeat steadied.
His mind entered a tranquil, almost ethereal state.
Then—
He extended a thread of Spirit Power.
It touched the Spirit Source.
Instantly—
A surge of scorching energy exploded outward!
It was like a dam breaking.
A torrent of power rushed into his body through his palm.
Liang Gongchi's eyes sharpened.
This was the most dangerous moment.
If Zhao Mu lost control—
The backlash could severely injure him.
But then—
Something unexpected happened.
The raging torrent slowed.
The violent river became a steady stream.
It flowed smoothly.
Controlled.
Guided.
Liang Gongchi's eyes widened in shock.
"This…"
"He awakened only ten days ago…"
"And his control is already at this level?!"
She couldn't believe it.
"Did Bu Yanhuan teach him?"
She shook her head immediately.
"No… impossible."
"She's skilled in combat… not teaching."
Meanwhile—
Zhao Mu was completely immersed in the process.
The Spirit Power from the mutated beast was incredibly pure.
Refined.
Powerful.
As it entered his body, it circulated through the meridians in his arm.
Then—
Under the effect of Spiritual Energy Rotation—
It was guided upward.
Toward his spiritual sea.
The power accumulated.
Expanded.
Strengthened.
Zhao Mu's Spirit Power began to surge rapidly.
This—
Was far faster than meditation.
Dozens of times faster.
The energy coursed through his body like a river in flood, washing through his meridians and widening them.
Strengthening them.
Refining them.
His total Spirit Power—
Was increasing at an astonishing rate.
And for Zhao Mu—
This was only the beginning.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)