Volume One, Chapter Five: The Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches

When Sinan Xi arrived at the Spirit Appraisal Institute, time was already tight. Still, he was sternly stopped outside the Stone Drum Tower by members of the institute’s inspection committee, who insisted that every disciple must wear the institute’s robe to enter.

In the wasteland behind the Stone Drum Tower, Sinan Xi hastily pulled on the institute’s robes one after another, muttering curses under his breath.

“Damn it, were these robes designed with children’s proportions? I clearly filled in normal sizes. Why do they fit so tight?”

Looking down at the robes wrinkled all over his body, Sinan Xi couldn’t help but find it a little amusing. After tidying up the heap of clothes at his feet, he was about to rush back to class when voices from a distance caught his attention, making him instinctively alert.

“Listen carefully. This observation class is specially arranged for you. I have only one requirement: make Yan Jin that arrogant girl lose face in front of everyone! Understood?”

“Teacher, I understand, I understand.”

“How many times have I told you? Always address me by my title outside! Use my title!”

“Alright, Deputy Director Xing.”

“Has your head been kicked by a donkey? The directorship of the Spirit Appraisal Institute will be mine eventually! You can drop that ‘Deputy’ from your title from now on.”

The man behind Deputy Director Xing kept bowing and flattering him nonstop.

“Yan Shenxing, that old fossil, actually dares to compete with me for the directorship. Hmph, just wait until your daughter’s disgrace is exposed!”

It was a stroke of luck that Sinan Xi unexpectedly overheard this sordid conspiracy between Deputy Director Xing of the Spirit Appraisal Institute and Master Song from the neighboring class while in the backyard.

Although Sinan Xi held no special fondness for Yan Jin, he recalled how, in another world, he had suffered academic injustice and had his rightful research stolen maliciously.

What he could not tolerate was unscrupulous teachers scheming in places meant for teaching and nurturing students. He was determined to see what tricks these two old fossils would play during the upcoming observation class.

This spring, the Spirit Appraisal Institute had just filled its two beginner classes. Sinan Xi’s class had thirty-one students and was overseen by Yan Jin’s class, the Earth Branch. The other class, the Celestial Stem Branch, was under Song Han’s charge.

Although Sinan Xi rarely taught, he could vaguely sense that beneath the calm surface of these two classes, there was friction and competition.

“Sinan Xi! What are you dazing at? Hurry up! The observation class will be attended by every master in the institute, including the director. If you dare cause trouble, I won’t let you off!”

This was Yan Jin’s first time holding a full-institute observation class, so she was naturally nervous. Seeing Sinan Xi wandering off in thought, her tone grew stern.

“Don’t worry, I keep my word. What I promised you that day, I’ll definitely do.”

“You’re not so bad after all, brat. Come on, let’s get inside.” Yan Jin smiled faintly, pushing Sinan Xi toward the Stone Drum Tower without stopping.

After hesitating for a long while, Sinan Xi swallowed the words he had heard in the backyard. Yan Jin appeared proud, but at heart she was still innocent. From her earnest advice to study hard, it was clear she imagined everyone to be good, as if genuine villains did not exist in this world.

If he were to rashly tell her that someone in the institute wanted to use this opportunity to disgrace her, she might accuse him of stirring trouble and maliciously sowing discord among colleagues. Thinking this over, he held his tongue.

---

The three-fast-one-slow bell rang, and the usually sparse classroom quickly filled with students from two beginner classes and masters from across the institute.

Sinan Xi sat in his usual spot in the back corner, boredly surveying everything.

“Students, colleagues, before we begin the observation class, a brief introduction. I am Xing, responsible for all academic courses and discipline within the Spirit Appraisal Institute. New students, if you have any questions, feel free to find me… Oh, there’s an older student at the back as well.”

Xing Zhen glanced around and spotted Sinan Xi in the corner.

Sinan Xi was used to this scene by now; every new master or teacher visiting over the past month had made a similar announcement.

He raised his hand slightly, signaling he was paying attention.

“Enough chatter. Let’s begin. The next segment is handed over to our institute’s most popular Master Song and the newly admitted Master Yan.”

During the next half-hour of teaching demonstrations, the contrast between Song and Yan quickly became clear.

Every word from Song Han was met with perfect responses from his students; not once was there a lull. The masters observing from behind nodded in approval.

To Sinan Xi, the cooperation between Master Song and his students seemed almost too perfect. The observation class had been arranged only two days prior, and the teaching content was selected at the last minute. Without prior access and rehearsal, such flawless coordination was impossible.

Sinan Xi, having experienced such schemes extensively in another world, immediately saw through the trickery.

Whether Yan Jin was unprepared or intimidated by the situation, she stumbled awkwardly. The randomly assigned teaching content was obscure, leaving most students utterly confused. They neither raised their hands nor interacted properly.

Yan Jin, being a newcomer, was overwhelmed. The more embarrassing the situation became, the more nervous she grew, to the point where she probably forgot what she was teaching halfway through.

The row of masters behind her shook their heads repeatedly but, out of respect for Deputy Director Yan sitting up front, only muttered quietly without correcting her outright.

The second segment was spirit appraisal, where Yan and Song were divided into two teams. Each master drew a scroll from a wooden box bearing brief descriptions of various training methods from the Wildlands. Students from each class had to guess the name, traits, and countermeasures of the technique.

Whoever answered correctly first earned one point, recorded by the observation clerk. The other side could add supplementary details. A complete and comprehensive answer earned three points. The time limit was one incense stick.

Spirit appraisal was the institute’s core subject. Few had innate spiritual talents in the Wildlands, and most cultivators remained stuck in the early stages, unable to break through for life.

Being able to understand the various training methods and discover their weaknesses was one of the few goals ordinary people could strive for.

Sinan Xi glanced secretly at Yan Jin. The composed demeanor she once had was nowhere to be seen; only confusion and stage fright remained.

After a brief break, Song Han stepped up, drew a scroll, glanced at it confidently, and set it aside.

“This technique leaves burn marks on the body; muscles and skin are scorched and ulcerated. It requires at least the fifth stage of the spiritual realm to activate.”

The first question was not difficult; it was one of the key fire-element spiritual techniques in the early chapters of the appraisal text. Sinan Xi thought for a moment and recognized it as the “Blazing Sun Palm,” and some younger disciples in his class hesitated before raising their hands.

---

The moment Song Han finished speaking, several young boys and girls from the Celestial Stem class in the middle row raised their hands simultaneously. Their reaction speed put even Sinan Xi, a seasoned frontline cultivator with decades of experience, to shame.

“Good, Xiao Luo, you raised your hand first. Go ahead.”

The selected boy confidently looked around and cupped his fists.

“Thank you. The technique Master Song described is called ‘Blazing Sun Palm.’ Its key characteristic is extreme hardness and heat. Those struck by it have swollen, reddened skin, as if burned by fire. It was created three hundred years ago by a saintly monk named Gang Yangzi.”

A chorus of applause immediately followed. The boy smugly glanced at Sinan Xi’s side and taunted.

“Spirit appraisal isn’t about speed but about comprehensive knowledge. I’ll hand over the chance to explain the countermeasures of the Blazing Sun Palm to the Earth Branch.”

“Ha ha ha ha ha…”

“Exactly…”

“Even if we give it to them, they won’t get it right.”

Though both classes were newly recruited this spring, a glance revealed that the Celestial Stem class students were superior in age, height, and appearance compared to Sinan Xi’s junior disciples.

It was clear that those from wealthier backgrounds, older and better-prepared, had been quietly assigned by Xing Zhen to Song Han’s class, monopolizing the best talent.

Countermeasures against cultivation techniques were advanced material; there was no way these beginners would know the answers offhand. Watching their arrogance, Sinan Xi grew even more certain of a leak.

The boy named Luo Yang, seeing no one in the Earth Branch daring to answer, stood up again, flicked dust from his robe, snorted coldly, and answered.

“Yin and Yang counteract. To defend against the Blazing Sun Palm, one should gather spiritual energy along the Taiyin Lung Meridian, Jueyin Pericardium Meridian, and Shaoyin Heart Meridian at the moment the enemy strikes, transforming the energy into cold force to protect the skin and resist the palm’s burning.”

“Good!”

“That’s our Brother Luo, truly talented!”

Cheers erupted below. Some masters observing began to clap softly. Even the director sitting in the center smiled, clearly satisfied with the Celestial Stem class’s quality.

Sinan Xi narrowed his eyes at Yan Jin, who had now buried her head deeply, avoiding everyone’s gaze.

He muttered quietly, “Pathetic, already scared out of confidence.”