There was a stark divide between the lower-year students and the seniors at River City Immortal Alliance Middle School.
Freshmen and sophomores had only recently undergone their Spiritual Root awakening. For them, cultivation was a novel, grueling chore. Their schedules were a relentless grind, packed with theory and physical conditioning from 7 AM to 7 PM, with a solitary hour at noon to catch their breath.
By the third year, however, everything changed. Almost every student had successfully synchronized with the Cave Abode World and secured their own personal Cave Dwelling. They were no longer tethered to the school’s shared cultivation chambers or rigid schedules; they could enter their private sanctuary to refine Qi anytime, anywhere.
With the Immortal Path Grand Examination looming only a year away, the curriculum shifted. To give students maximum time to polish their cultivation bases within their Cave Dwellings, senior classes ran only from 9 AM to 5 PM, featuring a generous two-hour midday break.
In fact, students who felt they had mastered the academic material were encouraged to take long-term leaves of absence to focus entirely on their internal energy. The truly wealthy didn't bother with middle school at all, opting for private Immortal tutors and appearing only when it was time to sit for the Grand Examination.
At noon, Xu Mu and Cheng Hongbo headed to the cafeteria.
"I’m planning to take a month’s leave after school today," Cheng Hongbo said between bites. "I need to go into seclusion."
It was a common strategy. Most students spent the initial Novice Protection Period hunkered down in their Cave Dwellings. Once that month of safety expired, they would evaluate their progress: either remain in full-time seclusion or return to the hybrid schedule of classes by day and cultivation by night.
"Yeah, I’m planning to take leave too," Xu Mu replied.
For the past two years, Xu Mu had been a ghost in the system—no resources, no talent, and a cultivation base that lagged at the very bottom. But now, with his unique "cheat" in hand, he needed every second of privacy to close the gap.
To have even a prayer of entering an Immortal Dao Academy, a student needed a cultivation base at the Qi Refining Mid-Stage. A Qi Refining Fourth Layer was the bare minimum for an application, but to be safe, one really needed to reach the Fifth or Sixth Layer.
Currently, both Xu Mu and Cheng Hongbo were nowhere near that mark.
As they found a seat with their trays, a group of students strolled into the cafeteria, their laughter echoing with a confidence that only comes from security.
Cheng Hongbo watched them, a flicker of envy crossing his face. "Those guys are from the advanced classes. Half of them are probably already at the Qi Refining Mid-Stage."
In this world, the grade of one's Spiritual Root was everything. It dictated the speed of Qi absorption, the efficiency of Qi-Gathering Pills, the difficulty of breaking through bottlenecks, and the ultimate ceiling of one's power. The gap between grades was a chasm.
Statistically, only one in a hundred people possessed a Spiritual Root, and the vast majority of those were Low-Grade. A Medium-Grade Spiritual Root appeared only once for every hundred Low-Grade holders.
The River City Immortal Alliance Middle School’s advanced class was composed entirely of Medium-Grade talents. Because of their potential, external corporations and sects sponsored them heavily. It was a cold-blooded investment; the organizations provided the resources now, expecting a massive return once the students became powerful cultivators.
With talent and backing, their path to an Immortal Dao Academy was practically guaranteed. They looked carefree because, for them, the "game" was already half-won. In contrast, the regular students always looked like they were sprinting toward a cliff.
"The game isn't over yet," Xu Mu said, his voice steady. "We are all dark horses."
Cheng Hongbo blinked, startled by the conviction in Xu Mu's tone. A moment later, his expression hardened with newfound resolve.
"You’re right, Brother Mu. They say the Principal of Cloud Forest Academy started with a Low-Grade Spiritual Root too, and he fought his way up to become one of the strongest experts on Zenith Star."
He slammed his fist onto the table. "There's still a year left! I’m going to work until I drop! I will get into River-Side Academy!"
Zenith Star was defined by its thirty-five major Spiritual Veins, each supporting a primary metropolis. Across the five continents of the Cloud Continent, these thirty-five cities served as the hubs for civilization. Small, remote towns were relegated to ordinary humans due to thin Spiritual Qi, while medium-sized cities like River City were the frontiers for aspiring cultivators.
Each major city hosted one Immortal Dao Academy. The Cloud Continent had seven such cities. While River-Side Academy was the closest to home, the prestigious Cloud Forest Academy remained the ultimate prize—the pinnacle of the continent's education.
"Look! It's Kou Ying!" Cheng Hongbo hissed, his eyes widening.
Xu Mu looked toward the entrance. A tall, athletic girl had just walked in. She wore a cyan and white tracksuit that did little to hide her height or her perfectly proportioned, long legs. Her black hair was pulled into a high, sharp ponytail, radiating an aura of disciplined vitality.
She was the only High-Grade Spiritual Root in River City's current year.
Between her elite talent, her wealthy family, and her striking looks, she was the undisputed "School Belle." Someone like Kou Ying didn't even need to take the Grand Examination; she had a standing invitation to Cloud Forest Academy. She only remained at the middle school because the foundational teachings here were considered superior for beginners before the specialized training of the Academies began.
For a High-Grade talent, resources were never an issue—corporations practically begged her to take their money.
"Envy is a waste of time," Xu Mu said casually. "If we can farm enough Azure Moon Stones, we can upgrade our own Spiritual Roots to High-Grade."
In the Cave Abode World, the threats were collective: Demonic Beasts and the Demon Race. Killing them yielded rewards. Demonic Beasts dropped Ordinary Treasure Chests, but only the Demon Race—the sentient, more dangerous foes—dropped Rare Treasure Chests.
Azure Moon Stones were the crown jewels of the Cave Abode World. Found only in Rare Treasure Chests, they possessed the miraculous power to evolve a cultivator's innate talent. This was why the "game" was so addictive—it offered the one thing the natural world denied: a chance to change one's fate.
Cheng Hongbo sighed, waving a hand dismissively. "I wasn't envious of her talent, Xu Mu."
Xu Mu paused, staring at his friend. "I thought you were lamenting our lack of potential. Turns out you're just staring at her legs."
"I was appreciating aesthetic excellence," Cheng Hongbo chuckled, though his face quickly turned serious again. "But seriously, Brother Mu, you're dreaming too big. Once the Novice Protection Period ends, we'll be lucky if our Cave Dwellings aren't discovered and sacked by monsters."
He shook his head. "Hunting Demonic Beasts is dangerous enough, but the Demon Race? They're terrifying. You’d need to be at the Qi Refining Mid-Stage just to survive a scrap with one of their weakest scouts. Azure Moon Stones are a pipe dream for people like us."
The Cave Abode World was a realm of equal opportunity and lethal crisis. Once the protection expired, a Cave Dwelling became a beacon of Spiritual Qi. Without a powerful Concealment Formation, every monster in the vicinity would be drawn to it like moths to a flame.
A standard First Rank Low-Grade defensive array might hold off a few weak beasts, but it was a stalling tactic at best. If the walls were breached and the Cave Dwelling lost, the cultivator would be permanently severed from the Cave Abode World. Their path to immortality would effectively end then and there.
There were only two ways to survive: become strong enough to slaughter anything that knocked, or spend a fortune on high-end Formation Plates to turn the home into a fortress.
Finishing their meal, the two split up. Cheng Hongbo headed back to prepare for his leave, while Xu Mu made his way to the school Library.
The library was a treasure trove of the Hundred Arts of Cultivation—alchemy, array-making, smithing, and more. While it only held First Rank legacies, they were free for students. It was one of the few perks of the Immortal Alliance education system. Once they graduated—or failed out—even these basic Jade Slips would cost a small fortune in Spirit Stones.