Less than twenty minutes later, the glow of the spirit source in Zhao Mu's palm gradually dimmed.
The once vibrant, pulsating energy had been completely drained.
Only when he could no longer draw even a trace of Spiritual Power did Zhao Mu slowly open his eyes.
The moment he did—
A surge of exhilaration filled his entire body.
It was as if he had just soaked in a hot spring for hours, every pore relaxed, every muscle refreshed. His mind was clear, his senses sharp, and his body felt lighter than ever before.
An indescribable comfort spread through him.
At that exact moment, the familiar voice of the demon clown echoed in his mind.
[Combat Rank 2 → Combat Rank 3]
Zhao Mu froze for a split second.
Then—
"I broke through… already?"
His eyes widened in disbelief.
Clenching his fist tightly, he felt the power coursing through his body, far stronger and more stable than before.
A wave of excitement surged through him.
"If I had relied on normal meditation… this would have taken at least one or two months."
Yet now—
It had taken less than half an hour.
He lowered his gaze toward the spirit source in his hand.
What had once been filled with rich, condensed Spiritual Power was now nothing more than a shriveled, lifeless husk.
Not a single trace of energy remained.
Zhao Mu couldn't help but sigh.
"Spirit sources… are truly incredible."
Standing nearby, Liang Gongchi watched everything in stunned silence.
Her expectations had already been shattered.
Initially, she had estimated that Zhao Mu would be able to utilize perhaps twenty percent of the spirit source's energy.
That alone would have been impressive for a beginner.
But what she had just witnessed—
Was something entirely different.
Zhao Mu had absorbed at least eighty percent.
Eighty percent!
This level of efficiency was something even experienced Spirit Power Users struggled to achieve.
It meant one thing—
Zhao Mu's control over Spiritual Power had already reached an astonishing level.
Perhaps even…
Comparable to those who had trained for many years.
Even Liang Gongchi herself wasn't certain she could surpass him in that regard.
Her gaze deepened slightly as she looked at him.
An ability that continuously increases proficiency…
Even if his Spiritual Power Rank rises slowly…
He can make up for years—no, decades—of training in terms of skill mastery.
Is this… the true power of the "demon clown"?
Her thoughts churned, but none of it showed on her face.
Instead, she spoke calmly.
"For now, this is your best path forward."
"Study diligently. Earn more academic credits."
"Use them to obtain more spirit sources."
Zhao Mu nodded, but his expression soon grew serious.
He had already realized something important.
Students like Shao Han, Mo Guanguan, and Shen Moran—
They came from powerful families.
They had access to far more resources than him.
Spirit sources.
Guidance.
Opportunities.
If he didn't work hard—
He would inevitably fall behind in terms of Combat Rank.
What Zhao Mu didn't know, however, was this:
Although those prodigies had more resources, their absorption efficiency was far inferior to his.
Due to poor conversion rates, they often needed three or four spirit sources to achieve what Zhao Mu could with just one.
But even without knowing that—
Zhao Mu had already found his direction.
"I understand," he said firmly.
Without wasting another second, Zhao Mu left the Engineering Department and headed straight for the Training Hall.
His schedule was packed tightly.
There was no room for laziness.
No room for wasted time.
Even the journey itself became part of his training.
The distance between the Engineering Department and the Training Hall was roughly two kilometers.
For most people, it was nothing more than a short walk.
But for Zhao Mu—
It was an opportunity.
"Activate: Light and Agile Steps."
As he moved, he consciously applied the technique, steadily increasing its proficiency.
Every step.
Every movement.
Every breath.
All contributed to his growth.
While moving, Zhao Mu activated his electronic wristband and opened the group chat for Dormitory 207.
Zhao Mu: Brothers, I'm heading to the Training Hall. Anyone coming?
Replies came quickly.
Meng Qiuqiu: What? Are you serious? I'm lying on my bed like a dead dog right now… too tired to move. And you're still training?!
Zhuo Yun: My stomach's still a bit off. I'll come later.
Lu Yan: Same here.
Zhao Mu chuckled softly.
I can't push them too hard.
After all, not everyone had gone through Bu Yanhuan's brutal training.
Zhao Mu: Alright, I'll go ahead and save you guys a spot.
After a brief pause, he sent another message.
Zhao Mu: @Meng Qiuqiu — your family deals in spirit sources, right? What's the price range for a Private Rank spirit source?
Inside Dormitory 207, Meng Qiuqiu lay sprawled on his bed like a starfish, his round belly rising and falling rhythmically.
He looked like a very content, very tired… frog.
Seeing Zhao Mu's message, he blinked in confusion.
"Why is Xiao Mu asking about spirit sources now?"
Generally speaking, before a Spirit Power User reached a certain level of control, using spirit sources was considered wasteful.
If one couldn't even manage their own Spiritual Power properly—
How could they hope to absorb external energy efficiently?
Most trainees had conversion rates in the single digits.
Even talented individuals like Shao Han or Shen Moran might reach ten or twenty percent.
But Zhao Mu…
He was already at seventy-two percent proficiency in Spiritual Power control.
A completely different level.
Although puzzled, Meng Qiuqiu still replied.
Meng Qiuqiu: Private Rank spirit sources usually range from 100,000 to 5 million Xuanfeng coins, depending on quality.
Zhao Mu calculated quickly.
He still had the one million coins Meng Qiuqiu had given him earlier.
At the moment, there was nothing else he urgently needed to spend on.
But increasing his Combat Rank—
That was critical.
He needed to close the gap between himself and those so-called geniuses.
As quickly as possible.
Because sooner or later—
He would face Shao Han.
Their conflicts weren't over.
They had only been postponed due to the training camp's restrictions.
Zhao Mu typed again.
Zhao Mu: Use that one million to help me buy spirit sources.
The reply came instantly.
Meng Qiuqiu: No problem. I'll contact my family right away.
By the time Zhao Mu arrived at the Training Hall, his mind was already focused.
He found an open space and stood still.
Then—
"Demon clown, switch skill to Seven Kills Battle Method."
The progress bar appeared in his vision.
Proficiency: 178 / 1000
The Seven Kills Battle Method was no ordinary technique.
It was a self-created combat method.
Its future development depended entirely on Zhao Mu's own understanding.
Because of this, it had not yet entered its second phase.
Zhao Mu began practicing.
Step.
Strike.
Turn.
Every movement was precise.
Every action carried intent.
As he trained, he felt it again—
That subtle, indescribable change within his body.
It was as if something was building.
Accumulating.
Waiting.
Like a threshold that had yet to be crossed.
A qualitative change…
Once I reach that point… everything will be different.
But there was a problem.
The rate of proficiency growth was slowing down.
No matter how much he practiced, the increase had plateaued.
He had hit a bottleneck.
After completing another cycle, Zhao Mu stopped.
He sat down at the edge of the training field, frowning slightly.
What am I missing?
How do I break through this point?
Unbeknownst to him—
He was being observed.
From a distance, Jiang Jiu, the Training Hall administrator, watched quietly.
Since yesterday, Zhao Mu had already left a strong impression on him.
And today—
That impression only deepened.
Jiang Jiu wasn't just responsible for managing the facility.
He also guided students when needed.
Seeing Zhao Mu deep in thought, he walked over.
"You look troubled," Jiang Jiu said with a faint smile.
"Have you hit a bottleneck?"
Zhao Mu immediately stood up.
"Instructor Jiang."
He nodded.
"Yes… I've encountered a problem."
He hesitated slightly.
"I just don't know how to explain it."
After all, the Seven Kills Battle Method was unique.
There was no reference.
No standard.
Only his own understanding.
Jiang Jiu chuckled softly.
"I've been watching your training."
"What you're practicing… isn't a conventional combat technique."
"You're building your foundation."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"Why not try starting with a specific combat method?"
Zhao Mu froze.
A new idea—
Was beginning to take shape.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)