Family Cultivation: Rise of the Wilderness

Chapter 9 Teaching
"It has great potential; if properly studied, it could be a killer move."

Li Xiangcheng's magic incorporates elements of illusion, and he creates a powerful initial impression, blending reality and illusion to easily catch people off guard.

"But my thirteenth uncle forbids me from practicing martial arts, saying it's just fancy footwork."

Li Xiangcheng said aggrievedly.

"Haha, Uncle Thirteen is doing this for your own good. You're still young, and your cultivation level is only at the fourth level of Qi Refining, right?"

"Yes."

"Your magical power is limited. This spell has a very high concept. To achieve the desired effect, I estimate that you need to reach at least the late stage of Qi Refining cultivation. You are still far from that level!"

"Your thirteenth uncle doesn't want you to practice, not because he's advising you to give up, but because he hopes you'll focus your time on breathing exercises. For us cultivators, cultivation level is fundamental."

What's the use of mastering spells if your cultivation level can't keep up?

Is it still not enough to unleash magic even though it's different?

Li Xiangcheng understood his elder brother's meaning, and a conflicted expression appeared on his face.

"But I don't want to give up. I finally came up with this method to make the Benlang Fist more powerful."

The Raging Wave Fist?
Li Xiangming was surprised. This was a low-level water-based spell collected by the Li family. He had studied it for a few days but eventually gave up because of its limited attack methods.

"You mean your spell is an improvement on the Surging Wave Fist?"

"Yes, I practiced the Running Wave Fist for six years before I came up with this method."

Upon hearing this, Li Xiangming couldn't help but re-examine the child in front of him. Although the spell he had just used was flashy but impractical and was shattered with a single blow, in his eyes it had potential and was completely different from the Benlang Fist.

The "unlikeness" here does not refer to appearance, but to the core of the spell.

In other words, Li Xiang was only fifteen years old when he came of age, and he created a new kind of magic.

He had never heard of such a thing in Green Cloud Cave, so he couldn't help but ask, "Xiangcheng, you are very talented. Do you usually study this magic by yourself?"

"No, when I first had this idea, I didn't know how to implement it. It was Brother Thirteen who helped me and gave me a lot of advice, which enabled me to get to where I am today."

I named this spell 'Phantom Tidal Wave.' It will only be considered a success if it produces ten waves, all of which are unpredictable and elusive.

Phantom Waves?

Li Xiangming nodded to himself, finding it quite apt. However, to achieve Li Xiangcheng's ultimate goal, a late-stage Qi Refining cultivation level was probably far from sufficient; at the very least, one would need to reach the Foundation Establishment stage, or even the level of the black-robed man who controlled the snake demon.

Thinking of this, Li Xiangming's gaze turned appreciative; his cousin was a genius.

However, Li Chengsi's concerns are not unreasonable. If one focuses solely on studying magic and neglects the accumulation of magical power, one will suffer the consequences. Should he help Li Xiangcheng?

Looking at Li Xiangcheng's expectant eyes, Li Xiangming thought it over and decided to help.

He knew that young people needed a sense of pride the most, and Li Xiangcheng must be very excited and eager for recognition. He couldn't discourage the boy.

As for what Uncle Thirteen said, let's put it aside for now.

Putting yourself in his shoes, if he had created a spell when he was fifteen, he would certainly have hoped that someone would help him improve it, rather than forbidding him from practicing it.

But before that, he needed to ask clearly: "You said that Thirteenth Brother had always helped you before, so why did you suddenly come to me this time?"

Thirteenth Brother refers to Li Xianghua, who was famous for his intelligence among the Xiang generation and was also said to be a formation master.

"Thirteenth Brother has entered the police station and has no time to care for me. I heard that Nineteenth Brother, you come from Green Cloud Cave, so I thought of..."

Li Xiangcheng was still a little embarrassed.

Police station?
Li Xiangming heard the words that caught his attention. He had never heard of the Li family having a police department. For the past two years, the Li family's security had been handled by the Demon Extermination Department. Could it be a newly established organization?
As he pondered this, Li Xiangcheng's gaze shifted from urgency to disappointment. Li Xiangming couldn't help but pat his head and chuckle, "Alright, I promise you, you can come find me when you have time."

"That's great." Time flies. Li Xiangming has been staying at Tailai Peak for ten days, and every day has been fulfilling.

In particular, helping Li Xiangcheng cultivate 'Phantom Waves' recently has given me a new understanding of magic.

Finally, Li Qianxiong's appointment arrived, and Li Qianyuan was responsible for informing Li Xiangming.

"You want me to be an instructor at the Seedling Academy?"

Li Xiangming was genuinely surprised. Qingmiao Academy was a place for nurturing young cultivators of the Li family. He himself had even become a disciple of Fairy Green Cloud, and was only eighteen years old. How could he be qualified to guide others in cultivation?
"I don't know what the head of the family was thinking. The instructors in the Green Seedling Academy are either in their seventies or eighty. They are mostly old men who are idle at home and can't sit still. You probably don't have much to talk about with them."

Li Qianyuan shrugged, indicating that he couldn't help.

"Does the patriarch have anything else to say to me?" Li Xiangming couldn't help but ask.

"No, you can do whatever you want."

Upon hearing this, Li Xiangming couldn't help but mutter to himself, "Isn't Li Qianxiong afraid of setting a bad example for the children?"

Helplessly, the patriarch's orders were absolute, so Li Xiangming had no choice but to obey. He packed his things and went to Qingmiao Academy to report for duty.

The Green Seedling Courtyard is located in the outer courtyard, but it is not in the front mountain, but in the back mountain.

The back mountain is secluded and has plenty of open space. Qingmiao Courtyard is actually a solitary courtyard, but it is much larger than the place where Li Xiangming lives.

The person who received Li Xiangming was indeed an old man with a white beard. According to him, he was Li Chengqi from the eldest branch of the family, with a cultivation level of the eighth level of Qi Refining, and was also the dean of Qingmiao Academy.

"I received a message from the head of the family. You must be Xiangming?"

"It is indeed you, young man."

Li Chengqi looked much older than his age, with a face full of wrinkles and droopy eyelids that obscured his eyes, revealing only a trace of cloudiness. He was the complete opposite of the energetic Li Chenglu.

Fortunately, he was clear-headed and explained things clearly to Li Xiangming.

As arranged, Li Xiangming was to guide six children. The teaching system of the Li Family Seedling Academy was mainly divided into two parts. The first part was the elementary school system, where classes were arranged uniformly to teach the children to read and recognize characters, which generally lasted for about two years.

Two years later, a class system was implemented, where one instructor would guide several children in their training until graduation.

There are also regulations regarding graduation time. For example, a child from the Li family, whose spiritual root was detected at the age of seven, was sent to the Qingmiao Academy for two years of elementary education. At the age of nine, he was assigned a tutor to guide his cultivation, and he graduated at the age of fifteen.

In other words, the normal school system is eight years.

After graduation, one cannot stay at the Green Seedling Academy. Of course, the Li family will not immediately arrange a job for one. There will be at least five years for self-study or to learn a skill from a member of the clan until the age of twenty, when one will officially begin to work for the family.

However, the Li family is currently in a special situation, and cultivators over the age of fifteen are required to take up official positions.

After learning about the basic system of Qingmiao Academy, Li Xiangming changed into a teacher's clothes and, led by Li Chengqi, went to a side room in the academy. The side room had been converted into a school, and there were already six children inside, five boys and one girl.

Li Chengqi got straight to the point: "Your instructor has been transferred elsewhere, and from now on, your nineteenth brother will be teaching you."

At this point, Li Chengqi turned to look at Li Xiangming: "Your nineteenth brother is so young, yet he has already reached the sixth level of Qi Refining. He must be very diligent in his cultivation. Don't even think about slacking off under his tutelage."

Li Chengqi's words had a double meaning, both urging the children on and spurring Li Xiangming on. He probably couldn't understand why the head of the family would send such a young boy over.

Soon, Li Chengqi left, leaving only Li Xiangming and the children in the school.

The children were visibly nervous in front of their new teacher and behaved very obediently, except for one who stared at Li Xiangming with curiosity.

Li Xiangming noticed the gaze and looked back. Judging from the seating arrangement, the children were roughly divided into three groups: a girl on the left, four little boys in the middle, and a slightly older boy on the right, who had been the one secretly glancing at Li Xiangming earlier.

Seeing this, Li Xiangming smiled slightly, trying his best to leave a good impression.

"My name is Li Xiangming, the nineteenth in the Xiang generation, so I'm your elder brother. Don't be nervous. Please introduce yourself first. What are your names?"

(End of this chapter)