The next day was the first time the new disciples would listen to the teachings of the Elder who imparts teachings.

Lin Changsheng got up early.

He changed into a clean disciple uniform, tidied himself up neatly, and then disguised himself with the faint aura of a first-level Qi Refining cultivator as he headed towards the Hall of Instruction.

On the way, he encountered Zhang Yang again, the same person from yesterday.

Zhang Yang's face looked grim, and he was walking with a slight limp.

It seemed that yesterday's fall was not a light one.

Seeing Lin Changsheng, a flash of resentment and suspicion crossed Zhang Yang's eyes.

He couldn't figure out why he had fallen yesterday.

But subconsciously, he felt that this matter was definitely related to Lin Changsheng.

However, he didn't come up to provoke him again.

On one hand, his butt still hurt.

On the other hand, the faint spiritual power fluctuation from Lin Changsheng made him a bit apprehensive.

"This guy... has actually achieved Qi Induction?"

Zhang Yang was shocked.

He clearly remembered that just the day before yesterday, Lin Changsheng was a useless person who couldn't even sense Qi.

How did he catch up to his progress in just one day?

Could it be sheer luck?

It must be.

Zhang Yang comforted himself in his heart.

Lin Changsheng ignored his complex gaze and walked past him without a glance.

Just a minor character, not worth his time.

The Hall of Instruction was set up on a spacious square.

In the center of the square was a three-foot-high stone platform.

At this moment, several hundred new disciples were already scattered across the square.

Lin Changsheng found an inconspicuous corner, sat cross-legged, and waited quietly.

As time passed, more and more disciples arrived.

Soon, over a thousand new disciples filled the venue to the brim.

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Lin Changsheng scanned the crowd.

He found that among the more than a thousand people, fewer than a hundred had any spiritual power fluctuation.

In other words, in three days, less than ten percent had successfully achieved Qi Induction.

The path of cultivation was indeed like a single-log bridge crossed by a thousand troops.

At this moment, a figure in blue gracefully landed on the stone platform.

The newcomer was an elderly man with white hair and beard, his face lean and sharp.

He wore the attire of a Qingyun Sect elder, exuding an aura of profound depth.

"Silence."

The elder spoke softly, his voice not loud, yet it reached everyone's ears clearly.

The previously noisy square instantly quieted down.

"I am Elder Sun, the Outer Sect's Elder who imparts teachings. Today, I will explain the basics of cultivation to you."

Elder Sun's gaze swept across the crowd as he spoke slowly.

"The beginning of cultivation lies in Qi Refining. Only by drawing the Spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth into your body can you become a cultivator. Those who haven't achieved Qi Induction, don't be discouraged; diligence can make up for lack of talent. Those who have, must avoid arrogance and impatience; the path of immortality is long, and this is just the beginning.

Today, I will demonstrate the first technique of a Qi Refinement cultivator—the Object Manipulation Technique."

As he finished speaking, Elder Sun pointed with his fingers like a sword at a fist-sized stone not far away.

"Rise!"

The stone trembled slightly, then wobbled into the air, hovering mid-air.

The square erupted with exclamations.

"Oh my, the stone is flying!"

"Is this the means of the immortals? It's amazing!"

Many disciples who hadn't yet started their cultivation stared wide-eyed, their faces full of envy and longing.

Even those who had reached the first level of Qi Refining looked on with yearning.

Lin Changsheng watched the stone, which seemed like it could fall at any moment, and couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth.

Is this it?

After all that effort, it just made a small stone fly, shaking like it had Parkinson's.

And they call this a technique?

He recalled how he had used his mind power to manipulate a teacup yesterday.

It was smooth, it was seamless.

If it were him, not to mention a small stone, even the fake mountain beside it, he could make it dance a breakdance.

On the platform, Elder Sun seemed very satisfied with the disciples' reactions, a slight smile appearing on his face.

"The Object Manipulation Technique is the most basic spell for Qi Refinement cultivators. It allows you to retrieve objects from a distance and control dharma artifacts to harm opponents.

However, the Object Manipulation Technique requires a high level of spiritual power consumption and control. Typically, a disciple at the third level of Qi Refining can barely control a flying needle. A disciple at the sixth level can wield a flying sword.

As for someone like me, effortlessly manipulating a stone requires at least a late stage of Qi Refining."

As Elder Sun spoke, he continued to effortlessly control the stone, making it flip up and down in the air.

His words carried a hint of pride.

He was already at the eighth level of Qi Refining, making him one of the top elders in the Outer Sect.

This stone manipulation skill was enough to impress these inexperienced new disciples.

However, he didn't notice.

In the corner, Lin Changsheng looked at him as if watching a monkey show.

"Late stage of Qi Refining, and this is all you've got?"

Lin Changsheng mentally ridiculed.

If Elder Sun knew that a mere "first-level Qi Refining" disciple like him could use mind power to fling a cow into the sky, who knows what he would think.

After Elder Sun finished his demonstration, he began explaining the methods and techniques of the Object Manipulation Technique.

Lin Changsheng listened, feeling drowsy.

These so-called methods seemed cumbersome and inefficient to him.

One had to first mobilize the spiritual power from the Dantian, then circulate it along specific meridians, and finally release it through the fingertips to establish a weak connection with the target object before it could be manipulated.

Too troublesome!

How could it compare to the simplicity and directness of his mind power?

With a mere thought, everything followed his will.

This was the true manifestation of words.

He even had an absurd thought.

Could it be that the cultivators of this world were on the wrong path?

They went to great lengths to sense and manipulate so-called "spiritual power."

And this "spiritual power," in Lin Changsheng's view, was just a more active form of energy in the universe.

His mind power, in essence, was a form of spiritual strength that could directly interfere with matter.

The two were not even on the same level.

"Alright, today's lecture ends here. You may practice on your own. Remember, nothing can be achieved overnight."

After Elder Sun finished speaking, his figure flickered and disappeared from the stone platform.

The disciples in the square immediately burst into excitement, gathering in groups to discuss enthusiastically.

Many couldn't wait to find small stones or leaves to start practicing clumsily.

"Rise! Rise! Get up for me!"

A disciple gritted his teeth at a leaf in front of him, his face turning red, but the leaf remained motionless.

"Haha, Wang Er, with your level that's not even entry-level, you still want to learn the Object Manipulation Technique?"

Someone nearby mocked mercilessly.

Lin Changsheng shook his head and got up to leave.

He felt as if he lived in a different world from these people.

Just as he turned around.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a massive bronze incense burner at the edge of the square.

The incense burner weighed at least a thousand pounds and was a ceremonial vessel used by the sect for sacrifices.

A thought suddenly flashed through his mind.

His lips curled into a playful smile.

He quietly attached a wisp of mind power to the massive incense burner.

Then, imitating Elder Sun's gesture, he extended his finger and pointed at the incense burner from a distance.

"Rise."

He softly uttered a word that only he could hear.

The next second.

Under the shocked gazes of countless disciples.

The thousand-pound bronze incense burner emitted a deep "buzz."

Then, it wobbled and rose from the ground!

---

Proofreader & Editor: Peter Pan