Chapter 56: Spark Theories [1]

Adam arrived at his room with no load in his hand. He had everything stored in his system storage for ease and convenience, allowing him to take confident strides without any questioning gazes following his every move.

There were only a few hours until sunset.

With the day almost over, Adam decided to take a quick bath after setting all the books at the side of his study desk. The note containing the cultivation technique went on the desk, as it was a special book.

’I should also get something to eat.’

He only remembered after his stomach grumbled at him. After a couple of humming and singing minutes in the bathroom, Adam stepped out refreshed and prepared. He slipped into his favourite combination of sweatpants and T-shirt whenever he had no plans of going out.

Picking up his new phone, he ordered a bit of food, something he had come to realise could be done if one wished for it.

’No wonder the elites rarely visit the cafeteria within the dormitory. They might even be receiving special treatment from the academy.’ He reasoned without any basis for truth. ’Well, whatever...’

Once he placed the order, he tossed the phone aside and picked up the cultivation manual. He first flipped through the pages to get a feel for the volume and content.

’It’s handwritten?’

Adam realised, raising his brows curiously. But as he thought about it, it made sense. His master wouldn’t want his insights leaking online for whatever reason. Writing it by hand was the most secure way to protect the manual.

’And his penmanship is... wow.’

He had no words to describe the beauty of the vice-principal’s writing. It was just that good. Putting that observation aside, he focused on the flying pages, his eyes widening as they did. The note contained a lot more than he had initially imagined.

When his master said the note contained his personal technique and insights into cultivation, he had thought that was only it. But that was far from the truth.

’Forget about creating my own technique! I haven’t even cleared the basics yet!’

The small note contained knowledge about Spark he had just begun understanding. Theories about Spark that were freely available to the general public and so much more. They were things he was supposed to learn about in class tomorrow.

’Wait...’ A sudden thought hit him. ’Does that mean most elites already know this?’

That certainly changed a lot if that were the case. But Adam was more inclined to believe that was the case. Perhaps the entire course was simply a big farce to give the impression that they would all be learning the same stuff, when in actuality, more than half the class would already be aware.

’No wonder they are always ahead of the rest of us!’

For some reason, the discovery stung him. It felt like the world was split into several levels, where climbing up would unlock one benefit at a time. It wasn’t fair, but that was the reality of the world.

Adam’s jaws worked as he continued flipping the pages.

After the theories and discoveries came the generic method of cultivation available to everyone. It described how ambient Spark was drawn into the body and circulated through the Spark channels, gradually nourishing and evolving the body towards higher realms.

But the details did not get far... and that was where the problem lay.

The limitations of the system-provided cultivation method only existed to serve as a guide. But that hint was lost on the majority of people, as the method in and of itself had no faults.

However, anyone with a good enough understanding of what Spark truly was would be able to develop a method most suitable for their affinity and bloodline. It was the entire foundation upon which the elite and powerful families built their power and status.

"I see... So the problem isn’t as simple as the elites keeping the discovery to themselves." Adam nodded as he reasoned. "Every method is uniquely tuned for a specific affinity."

The discovery was enlightening.

Even as he casually flipped through the pages to get a general feel, he felt his understanding of Energy as a whole increase in real-time. However, before he could dive in deep, a knock at his door disrupted his immersion.

His food had arrived.

"Coming!"

Adam grabbed his wallet, took out his card, and rushed for the door. Before him stood a young man dressed in delivery clothes with his helmet still on. The man stared at him for a moment too long before calling out his name.

"A-Adam Highstein?"

"That would be me." Adam nodded with a forced smile. He could more or less guess what the man was thinking.

"Your-Your food."

The man stuttered as he passed the food to Adam, surprised that his customer was the infamous Adam Highstein, the very student who was still trending on the news.

Adam accepted the package and swiped his card across the payment terminal. Without even taking his receipt, he closed the door in the young man’s face. Adam let out a tired sigh as he made his way back to his desk.

"This is getting annoying."

He glanced at the window to notice there was still an hour or so until sunset. Reclining in his desk chair, he unpacked the food and got to eating, his mind drifting back to the stuff he had perused earlier.

’I wonder what April would say if I asked her about my suspicions,’ he thought curiously. Were the heirs under oath to keep what they learned from their families a secret, or were they allowed to share when asked? ’But does it even matter?’

His gaze fell on the note on his desk.

Since cultivation techniques varied depending on the affinity, there should be no problems if everyone was made aware. But would he take the risk and earn the ire of those people?

The answer was obvious; for his current level, at least.

’But this begs another question...’ Before the thought could even take hold, he brushed it off. ’What am I even thinking? The system’s method is already serving that purpose. My goal is to focus on myself first.’