The classroom was circular, with seats arranged in ascending levels.
Ren found himself in the same group as the tiger boy Jin and his friends, who shot threatening glances at him from a distance.
Fortunately Taro, one of his roommates, was also there, though he had arrived late and sat on the other side of the classroom as there was no other place.
Luna was there too, her shadow wolf barely visible as an ethereal silhouette beside her.
“In this first semester,” announced Professor Wei, a robust man with a Silver rank 2 manticore manifesting in silver patterns across his skin, “student groups are random. Afterward, you’ll be reorganized according to your performance, so pay attention if you don’t want to lose your place… I’ll begin the class.”
Ren observed the patterns on the professor’s skin. The manticore had been cultivated primarily with random daylight, there were details suggesting other unused techniques.
Wei began drawing a diagram on the board.
“The basic principles of cultivation have been studied for hundreds of years,” Professor Wei began. “Every successful method follows three fundamental phases and has a proven maximum duration.”
He drew three circles on the board.
“First, mana absorption. The beast must receive energy appropriate to its nature. Second, processing, how that energy is transformed in the crystal so the mana is suitable. And finally, fixation, how that power is stabilized and made permanent.”
Wei made a significant pause.
“Something crucial you must understand: no effective cultivation method lasts more than six months. This is a fact proven through countless studies. The most common methods last 150 days, and although some charlatans propose longer processes, the evidence is clear, after six months, any cultivation attempt becomes inefficient or downright useless.”
Ren shifted uneasily in his seat. He knew why this perception was also wrong, all methods without exception were 100 days, but…
“Luna Starweaver,” Wei pointed. “Could you explain how these phases apply in practice?”
“In practice,” Luna stood, her shadow wolf manifesting in her like a dark silhouette with its own life, “first we must obtain the appropriate mana crystals. These are processed, in the case of shadow beasts like mine, under moonlight. Then they’re sealed with specific techniques before the beast can absorb them.”
“Correct,” Wei nodded. “The type of crystal, the processing method, in your case moonlight, and the sealing determine the final effectiveness when the beast absorbs it and lead it to the correct path of its potential.”
“Excuse me, professor,” Ren couldn’t contain himself. “But that’s not entirely accurate. About crystal processing…”
Silence fell like a slab. Even the tiger boy seemed to forget his hostility, too surprised by the ‘Rotting Boy’s’ audacity.
“Oh?” Wei turned slowly and looked at him with evident annoyance. “The student with the spore has something to contribute about cultivation?”
Contained laughter.
“Mana crystals must be processed differently than broad cases like ‘moonlight’, they need to be more specific. For example, Luna’s wolf crystals shouldn’t just be at night, but on a night with 7 moons. Another example would be your manticore, which could have benefited from crystals processed under the first light of dawn, it would have reached Silver 3 instead of…”
“Enough,” Wei cut him off. “I see we have another ‘expert’ who thinks he knows more than generations of research. Young man, I studied for thirty years before cultivating this manticore. We reached Silver rank 2 following methods proven by generations. To suggest that…”
Wei straightened, his golden patterns glowing with irritation.
“Five points less for the student… what’s your name?”
“Ren Patinder, sir.”
More laughter, now open.
“Not that it matters much,” Wei smiled maliciously. “I doubt a spore will obtain many resources from the Academy anyway.”
“But…”
“Enough,” Wei cut him off again. “I understand some students try to compensate for their… limitations with extravagant theories. But in this class, we’ll stick to proven methods…”
“The texts have been proven by generations,” Wei frowned. “To suggest they’re wrong based on… what exactly? Readings in a story?”
Laughter filled the classroom. The tiger boy and his friends practically glowed with satisfaction.
Luna, however, watched the scene with intense interest.
Ren clenched his fists under his desk. Not only had he lost points he didn’t even have yet, he could lose the opportunity to gain the support he so desperately needed.
Reaching 100 points in this class by the end of the semester would now be a bit more difficult.
I need a way to prove I’m right, he thought while the mushrooms in his hair pulsed softly. Something irrefutable. Something not even Professor Wei can deny.
The answer had to be somewhere. And he had to find it before his opportunity to obtain resources vanished completely.
Ren sank in his seat. He hadn’t expected wrong knowledge to be so deeply rooted. How could he prove he was right when everything they knew contradicted the truth?
“Let’s continue,” Wei returned to the board. “As I was saying, basic cultivation follows simple rules…”
This was going to be harder than Ren thought.
The rest of the class was torture. Every time Wei asked a question, he deliberately ignored Ren’s raised hand. When he finally did call on him, it was only to say:
“See, this is how you answer, with established facts, not absurd theories.”
♢♢♢♢
“As we can see in historical records,” Wei continued, pointing to Taro, “the digger beetle is a classic example of a beast with mediocre natural limits. None has surpassed Bronze rank in the more than 500 years we have of species documentation.”
Ren saw how Taro’s shoulders slumped. His roommate had a ton of books, he seemed to have been studying cultivation methods at home, hoping to find some exception.
He had thought about telling him what he knew but decided to wait until he knew him better. However, now…
Ren straightened in his seat. This was his opportunity.