Chapter 631: Did Mr. Yan Go Crazy from Cultivation?

Jiang Man shook his head. “There really isn’t. It’s said that not sleeping is fundamentally about locking down one’s Heart Spirit. Even the Evil God himself couldn’t lock mine down.”

“Mr. Jiang, why aren’t you affected?” Qing Dai asked curiously.

Jiang Man glanced at her and said calmly, “It is dictated by my Talent.”

Qing Dai froze, feeling a bit amused. It had been years since anyone had spoken to her about something being dictated by Talent. In the past, she had always been the one saying such things.

However, she couldn’t refute Mr. Jiang. She was merely curious if his Talent could truly be stronger than her young lady’s. In theory, it was impossible. People like that were far too rare.

Later, Jiang Man and Ji Meng headed to the small courtyard together.

Mr. Yan was the one who came to the courtyard again. She looked even more haggard, her dark circles much more pronounced, showing just how diligent she had been over the past two years.

It wasn’t just Mr. Yan; the rest of the people below were in a similar state. Zhuo Bufan and the others all sported dark circles under their eyes.

“Were they really this diligent while I was away?” Jiang Man sighed in amazement. ℯ𝕝.

Ji Meng smiled. “Perhaps their classes are just more fulfilling. Mr. Ji and Mr. Tantai have rather high expectations.”

When everyone had arrived, Mr. Yan looked at the crowd below and sighed with deep emotion. “It’s our third year. I imagine you’re all feeling quite nostalgic.

“It is truly a matter of fate that I could guide you all.

“The teaching experience over these past two years has been the most fulfilling four years of my life so far. When I think back on these seven years in my free time, I feel that these ten years have been the most worthwhile fifteen years of my Cultivation career.”

Jiang Man looked at Ji Meng in astonishment, leaning in to whisper, “Has it really been fifteen years?”

Ji Meng also leaned in and whispered back, “It’s possible Mr. Yan is Cultivating to the point of losing her mind. She’s been singled out by Mr. Ji every single day lately, and Mr. Tantai chimes in often too. It might have given her the illusion that every day drags on like a year.”

Jiang Man was stunned. Mr. Yan had it too hard. She was supposed to be the Instructor, so why did it seem like she was the Student Cultivator?

Both Mr. Ji and Mr. Tantai insisted on teaching. Since both of them were exceptional prodigies and favored children of heaven with exceedingly high standards, Mr. Yan’s suffering was inevitable.

However, Jiang Man noticed that the Golden Core Cultivators strongly agreed with Mr. Yan’s sentiments. It seemed they had been having a tough time as well. In that case, Jiang Man felt it was all for the best.

Mr. Yan took a deep breath. “This is our third year. Those who need to take their third mission must hurry. Some missions take a whole year to complete. If you don’t act quickly, the assessments might be over by the time you return.”

As she spoke, Mr. Yan looked at Jiang Man. Every time he took a mission, it lasted for a long time, causing him to miss the assessment period. Having been in the Inner Sect for two years, he hadn’t participated in a single assessment. Who knew how many Spiritual Sources he had lost out on.

Ji Shoumo and the others remained silent. They had also spent a considerable amount of time, so they needed to take a mission and leave as soon as possible, then rush back in time for the assessment. If they failed to secure a spot in the top three, reaching the Returning Void stage would be troublesome.

Afterward, Mr. Yan addressed the people in the front rows. “If any of you want to take on a mission, let me know. I’ll talk to the people at the Law Enforcement Hall and see if they can arrange some with shorter time limits for you.”

Hearing this, the crowd was surprised. Miao Yulin, in particular, smiled and asked, “Mr. Yan, you have connections in the Law Enforcement Hall?”

Mr. Yan smiled awkwardly. “Just a little. Whether it’ll actually work is hard to say.”

No one had the slightest intention of refusing. Mr. Yan’s help was a good thing for them. If it worked, it would save them a massive amount of time.

Just like before, with the exceptions of Qi Xi, Xiaoqing, and Ji Meng, everyone else signed up.

Looking at the list, Mr. Yan turned to Jiang Man. “You don’t need one?”

Jiang Man shook his head. “I’m not taking a mission this year.”

This left Mr. Yan stunned. She wondered if he had changed his ways. That was impossible. Was he planning to stab someone in the back?

She didn’t dwell on it. A person like Jiang Man always had a reason for whatever he did; all she had to do was go along with it. This was something she had learned from years of experience. His actions had never once aligned with what ordinary people might predict.

The others assumed that Jiang Man wasn’t going to fight for the top three this year. This was perfectly normal. Even though his Nine Stars had reached Great Success, that was merely a Cultivation Skill, not Cultivation itself. Cultivation couldn’t be increased overnight.

Ji Meng, who was sitting to the side, felt curious. Jiang Man’s Cultivation should be at the Late Stage. Even if he didn’t advance, a Late Stage Cultivator with Nine Stars Great Success was more than qualified to fight for a Returning Void spot. Why wasn’t he taking a mission?

She didn’t overthink it, she was just curious, so she planned to ask him about it later.

In the Outer Sect.

Luo Jian led Luo Huaili along the stone path of the Sect’s Outer Sect. The autumn wind blew through the old trees lining the path with a RUSTLE, and a few scattered leaves spiraled down to land at their feet.

“It’s been a while since you’ve been here, hasn’t it, Huaili?” Luo Jian said as he watched the Cultivators passing by.

The people here were all at either the Qi Refining or Foundation Establishment stages. As a Primordial Spirit Cultivator walking among them, it felt like a lifetime had passed. Back in the day, he too had fought his way out from this very place.

Luo Huaili shook his head slightly and offered a helpless smile. “I’m not like you. My aptitude is mediocre, and I don’t have the potential to pursue anything more.”

“It’s a pity it took me so long to reach the Primordial Spirit stage. Otherwise, you might have been able to take another step forward,” Luo Jian said regretfully.

If he had reached the Primordial Spirit stage twenty years ago and stayed in the Lingyue Sect, Luo Huaili would have had more hope. Unfortunately, too much time had passed. It was a bit too late now.

“It’s not that bad,” Luo Huaili said with a smile. “I think things are fine the way they are.”

He was content enough and didn’t dare to ask for too much. He didn’t have much ambition. Perhaps it was because of his poor aptitude that such ambition simply couldn’t take root.

“What kind of choice do you think Luo Xuan will make?” Luo Jian turned his head, his gaze falling upon the mountain peak where the shop was located.