782 Hitting the Nail on the Head

There was a world of difference between Solomon and the other newcomers who were not even qualified to join his team missions. This news also made Solomon, who had had been laying low recently because of joining missions, the hot topic. It was as though he had suddenly swept the entire Holy City newcomers' circles and even the entire Dimensional Hostel with an imposing sovereignty. Compared to Carolyn, who had gained recognition based on gossip, this achievement was obviously more impactful; so much so, that Solomon had now settled into the position of being the number one newcomer of the Holy City.

Other than that, the only topic that never died down among the newcomers was the Apprentice Battle. Now, there were only two or three months left. Everyone could challenge those apprentices who currently had privileges and be promoted to Holy Disciples if they passed the tests. In other words, the novice protection period was over, and it was time to see what everyone was worth!

Once a person was defeated, one's apprenticeship rank and welfare would be taken over by the victor. No doubt, most people were eyeing Wang Zhong's position. He was like a piece of fatty meat. However, obviously that piece of meat was too small to be shared by so many people. As such, other second and even first-class apprentices would become targets. Currently, the majority of the first and second-class apprentices were actively preparing and gearing up for battle. At the same time, there were many people discussing whether it would be easier to deal with Grai, or Napier, or the Holy City's native, Hyde Alexander. Even Scarlet — who hadn't shown up in the Holy City ever since she went on an expedition with her teacher — was about to become the target of countless people.

Only Carolyn and Solomon were the exceptions. When newcomers talked about these two, they were mostly looking up to them or in a state of being in awe of them. It was conceivable that in the upcoming fierce ranking competition, it would be almost impossible for anyone to defeat these two.

Wang Zhong was, obviously, totally unaware of this. His only concern was how the first step of practicing Cellular Cosmology had already completely stumped him.

Everything was easier said than done. In fact, Wang Zhong already had a rather good grasp on the first step in the theory of meditation. He had also gotten a preliminary impression of the microscopic world through the Micro Mirror; thus, he only needed to spread out his Soul Power to the maximum possible state, then he would be able to experience the microscopic world through his consciousness.

However, to attain the maximum possible state was really no easy feat.

Wang Zhong always had a lot of confidence in his Soul Sea. With the help of the Fate Stone, it seemed to be endless, but it still wasn't enough to fill this almost-bottomless pit of energy consumption. The larger the area for Soul Power to be spread over, the higher the requirements for the Soul Power. Not only a large amount was required, a combination of other things were also required. Some examples would be Soul Power's quality and control over Soul Power, etc.

After practicing for a week, he could feel that the extreme peak of his Soul Power had grown to become more stable after constantly pushing his limits. His manipulation of Soul Power had also reached a more meticulous degree, and he could feel the more subtle changes in his Soul Power.

However, Wang Zhong still felt that his ability fell short of his wishes for this first stage, and he could clearly feel that the gap between his current stage and success was not just a tiny bit. How could it be possible that the difficulty of mastering the first stage of the Tyrants' divine book, aka the trap book, was at such an impossible level?

For the first time, Wang Zhong was beginning to have doubts. Of course, he was not doubting what he had firmly believed in, nor was he doubting the operability of Cellular Cosmology. He was doubting himself. Was his method wrong? Or maybe he had overlooked something important?

This idea was getting stronger and stronger in Wang Zhong's mind. When faced with difficulties, some people might face them bravely and head-on. Even though such people were admirable, their chances of success might not be very high. However, there was another kind of person who would neither give up nor persevere mindlessly when one encountered difficulties. Instead, one would look for one's own mistakes and find a more correct way. That would be the true definition of a brave, wise man.

A whole week of intensive meditation exhausted his mind beyond any ordinary person's imagination. Even Wang Zhong nearly could not handle it. This was not the same as ordinary laborious trainings. Although his body did not move, he was much more tired as compared to any other form of cultivation.

When Wang Zhong got up from the meditation posture, he actually felt so dizzy that he thought he was going to faint. He felt a shock and immediately tried to calm his Soul Sea. At the same time, he rubbed his forehead for a long time before he felt better. He eventually decided to give himself a day off and look for Uncle Zhang at the lake. He intended to fish for some Hinami to replenish his body and then go home to have a good sleep.

However, just as he was about to step out of his room, his Skylink rang. As he opened it casually, a woman's voice resonated so loudly that it almost deafened him. "Where the hell are you, kiddo? Get your ass over here, now!"

It was Teacher Lan Daier. She sounded pretty pissed off and was already on the verge of exploding.

Wang Zhong checked the previous records and realized that there were actually four or five unopened messages from Lan Daier within the past three or four days.

Her reaction instantly became understandable. For any employer, if his employee were to disappear without warning, he would definitely be furious. According to what Wang Zhong knew of Lan Daier's temper, it was already considered polite that she only screamed at him once.

Wang Zhong was not sure whether to laugh or cry. It seemed that he was a little too enchanted and engrossed in his training for the past few days. It was so much so that he hadn't taken any time to check his Skylink. If he had just checked and replied to apply for leave, there wouldn't have been any problems.

Well, there was no way he could go fishing now. Wang Zhong hastily replied the message, took a bath, changed his sweaty clothes and hurriedly rushed over.

Wang Zhong had been to the Teachers' District many times. Compared to the Holy Disciples' District, the biggest differences were probably the tranquility and the amount of privacy one could get here. The scenery in the Holy Disciples' District was also a far cry from this area.

The teachers were probably the most special group in the Holy City. They were neither the ruling class nor the class being ruled, they were just in between. They had yet to break through to the Heavenly Soul Stage, but their strength was not to be underestimated. Among the top devourers in the Dimensional Hostel's circle, around five or six of them were currently teachers. This group of talents was the true backbone and future of the Holy City. Almost all those who would be promoted to teacher were geniuses with a certainty of breaking through to the Heavenly Soul Stage. Most of them were also tough, with various kinds of power and special skills.

Everyone here had their own pursuit and goal, and all of them were working hard toward their goals. They would not waste a single minute or second, and they knew how to make the most of their time and energy. In comparison to those in the Holy Disciples' District who were not motivated, wallowed in degeneration or had already lost their will to fight, there was definitely a world of difference. It was like a comparison between childish people and mature people.

In fact, Wang Zhong really liked the vibes of the Teachers' District as it could rouse the fighting will of people. Everyone believed in the saying that one was marked by the company one kept. Frankly speaking, Wang Zhong couldn't care less about the income of a few hundred Holy Coins from being a first or second-class apprentice. However, if he had the opportunity to be promoted to teacher, Wang Zhong himself felt that he would be a tad more interested in that.

Every time Wang Zhong saw Lan Daier, he would get a different feeling. This was a woman of substance. Although she appeared very young, she was completely different from Scarlet and Laura, who could be considered pure and naive girls. Her life experiences gifted her with wit and graceful bearing. Time was fleeting like a river stream, washing away the bright light and dust in her life, leaving nothing but composure and intelligence after gaining an insight of the world. Even though she was only casually dressed, all her actions inadvertently radiated a sensuality and fragrance unique to mature women, a fragrance that was emitted from within.

She shot Wang Zhong an ambiguous smile, making him feel her dissatisfaction, yet not flaring up at the same time. "I can't believe you ignored my calls. You've got a lot of nerve. Are you getting big-headed?"

"It's nothing like that." In the face of Lan Daier's reaction, Wang Zhong had no choice but to speak the truth. If he had tried to brush it off, she would definitely see through him. "I was busy training, and I got too engrossed. I really did not pay attention to my Skylink."

"Oh," said Lan Daier as she rolled her eyes. "I don't think you've made any progress. Also, you look really pale, as though you are malnourished. What kind of isolated training have you gone into? Come in."

The living room exuded an attractive scent. Wang Zhong, who was already familiar with these scents, could already tell that it was a bug feast just by his nose. The gourmets in the Holy City seemed to have a special preference for bugs. "Small things contain the best essence." This was not the first time that Wang Zhong had heard Lan Daier say that.

After entering the living room and sitting on the sofa, Lan Daier was not in a hurry to start work. Instead, she said, "Let's put work aside first. Look at you. You look like you haven't woken up. How many days have you gone without sleep? Something might go wrong if you taste-test. What are you practicing exactly?"

"Cellular Cosmology." Wang Zhong had no intention of hiding it. This was not a secret at all. There were many Holy Disciples who knew about it.

He originally thought that Lan Daier would mock him a little, but she unexpectedly frowned instead.

The delicacies on the table had already turned cold, but Lan Daier did not even care to take a look at them. She could feel the plight of Wang Zhong's cultivation from his words. Lan Daier wiped the casual expression she had on her face and enquired about the general direction of his way of cultivation carefully. It could be seen that she truly wanted to help.

As Wang Zhong spoke, Lan Daier remained silent most of the time. There were certain things which she could understand, but there were also some things that she was unfamiliar with.

Frankly speaking, Lan Daier knew about the book Cellular Cosmology. After all, this 'divine trap' was really well-known in the Holy City. However, she would never taunt Wang Zhong like everyone else. In fact, most of the people laughing at Wang Zhong were only Holy Disciples. Anyone who could publish a book in the Holy City — what's more, whose book was included in the library — would at least not have theoretical errors and problems. Lan Daier was a person who maintained a rigorous attitude towards academics. She would never judge or deny anything she wasn't familiar with arbitrarily.

She didn't know much about Cellular Cosmology. In essence, she wouldn't recommend practicing it, but it was not a bad thing to try to understand Cellular Cosmology at Wang Zhong's current stage. However, one thing was certain. She knew the Heroic Soul Stage well.

"Your rhythm is wrong."

With a focused expression, Lan Daier revealed a kind of random and completely different lingering charm than usual, but Wang Zhong was not in the mood to appreciate it. With a few simple words, Lan Daier had resolved his current dilemma.

"I have also experienced the cultivation practices of Earth," said Lan Daier. "I fully understand the Federation practitioners' mindsets and their way of cultivation during the Casted Soul Stage. They do not pay attention to the increase of Soul Power. They even carry out various deliberate suppressions in order to have a better Dharma Idol and foundation when they break through to the Heroic Soul Stage. This is actually understandable as people also do it in the Holy City, but the Heroic Soul Stage and the Casted Soul Stage are completely different.

"The most important thing about the Heroic Soul Stage is actually reaching the peak within the shortest time. Only by reaching the limit of the human soul and reaching 10,000 Grassos, then can we uncover some of the mysteries of the body. Only at this stage, can you really understand how to use power and how to feel the world at this stage. It's because 10,000 Grassos and 1,000 Grassos are two completely different concepts. They are not only reflected in the difference in strength, but also in other aspects. A child cannot understand the feelings of adults."

Wang Zhong was stunned for a moment and was suddenly enlightened. He realized that he still had the rhythm of the Casted Soul Stage, which he instinctively substituted into the Heroic Soul Stage. He did not focus his energy on the improvement of Soul Power.

The Casted Soul Stage placed focus on the refinement of skills, while people at the Heroic Soul Stage needed to learn the method of perception. With this, the strength of their Soul Power would inevitably affect their perception. Children and adults obviously had different views.

"Yes, the breakthrough to the Heavenly Soul Stage also requires some accumulation. It is a little similar to the breakthrough to the Heroic Soul Stage. The more Dharma Idols one has, the more powerful one will be when breaking through to the Heavenly Soul Stage. But don't worry, the breakthrough to the Heavenly Soul Stage does not solely rely on Soul Power. You don't have to worry about accidentally breaking through to the Heavenly Soul Stage without any preparation after you enter the peak of the Heroic Soul Stage. That is simply impossible, even for so-called geniuses. Many geniuses actually stay at this stage until they die. If you can 'accidentally' enter the Heavenly Soul Stage when you reach the peak, then congratulations, you will be the first person in history to do so." Lan Daier obviously felt the change in Wang Zhong and couldn't help but laugh.

It was okay to take a detour, but it was not okay to take an unnecessary one. Wang Zhong was a very interesting person, but this was an obvious mistake.

"You don't usually attend the Tyrants' lectures, right? Although the things taught by the three supreme forces may not be suitable for everyone, most of them are actually rather useful. You should attend more of them." Lan Daier's words did not carry any mockery. It was merely a very detailed explanation of the truth. "I heard that many of your batch's newcomers have already made breakthroughs to the middle phase, and some have even reached the peak. They must have received the guidance of their teachers or family. In fact, the best of the newcomers each year will complete the leap from the initial phase to the peak in one or two years, and the longest will not exceed three or four years. During this period, strengthening their Soul Power is their only way of practicing. If it isn't absolutely necessary, they would never focus on their side job, combat techniques or any other unrelated things. Once they have reached the peak, they would come back to these things. Then, it would no longer just be getting twofold results with half the effort. The whole process of making up for everything would be a piece of cake."

Wang Zhong's mind was processing Lan Daier's words over and over again. Come to think of it, some seniors had gotten it right. Brushing up on one's side job would be good for one's future, but all choices differed from person to person. For those who had no strong foundations, it would definitely be good to take it step by step. Although Wang Zhong had no background, ordinary people could never compare to him in terms of potential and power. For him, he could choose the most direct way.

"I don't know much about Cellular Cosmology," continued Lan Daier, "or the theories inside, but in general, you have obviously yet to escape Earth's inertial thinking, which is wrong. You are also stuck in the dead-end of which you are holding on to a Casted Soul's understanding of spiritual practice. This may be the reason why you encountered a bottleneck. Tell me a little bit about what you think. You should just get to know Cellular Cosmology, but don't take it too seriously."

Lan Daier was very detailed in her explanation, and Wang Zhong also listened very carefully. Her words instantly made him see the light.