Nuwa, the goddess of immortality, said that cultivating immortality does not require spiritual energ

After witnessing the horrific scenes of the front-line battlefield, the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden led her students to the Heavenly Court in the rear.

Unlike the front lines, there was no fighting and bloodshed in the rear, yet this gave these young people a different kind of shock—

Everyone is working incredibly hard.

Alchemists tended their furnaces, their hands moving swiftly, producing batches of pills like an assembly line; the sounds of weapon refiners hammering echoed endlessly, their furnaces glowing red across half the workshop; talisman masters' brushes moved with the grace of dragons and snakes, their calligraphy flowing with spiritual light; array masters concentrated intently on their calculations, array flags forming neat rows…

Not a single person sat idly, and there was not a trace of pleasure. All the gods, celestial generals, and auxiliary cultivators were dedicating themselves to the front-line battle to the utmost.

The current state of the celestial realm planted different seeds in the hearts of each student—some were filled with enthusiasm, eager to ascend as soon as possible and become a part of protecting the three realms; others showed fear and had thoughts of retreating.

These subtle expressions were all observed by the heavenly soldiers leading them.

It was already evening when they returned to the mortal realm.

The students left the alliance with different thoughts in mind, and dispersed in twos and threes.

Qin Le, Chen Yun, and Chu Xiaonan found a hot pot restaurant together to welcome them back – after all, they had set off in the morning and returned in the evening, making it an incredibly eventful day.

"I never expected... the situation in the Heavenly Realm to be so tense." Chen Yun said with a sigh as he cooked a slice of fatty beef.

"Yes," Chu Xiaonan picked up a piece of tofu, "but I don't quite understand—why is the atmosphere in the mortal realm so... relaxed?"

Qin Le swallowed the piece of meat in his mouth and smiled, "Because that high-pressure environment is not conducive to our cultivation."

Chen Yun and Chu Xiaonan were taken aback, then suddenly realized.

Cultivation is also about cultivating the mind. If these young people are placed under the high pressure of a life-or-death battlefield before they have fully formed their minds, probably 99% of them will have their Dao hearts collapse.

Even if only a very few manage to withstand the test, their future achievements are limitless.

But how many of those survivors are there?

One in a million?

One in ten thousand?

No one can give an exact number.

From the perspective of training efficiency, the Celestial Realm's maintenance of a progressively advanced cultivation environment in the mortal realm can actually cultivate more qualified grassroots combat forces—after all, with the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden's military strategy, even ordinary cultivators can play a valuable role on the battlefield.

As for those geniuses who can rise under pressure... they would still emerge even without such an environment.

such as--

At this moment, Qin Le was sitting opposite Chen Yun and Chu Xiaonan, calmly eating tripe.

After finishing their hotpot, the three went home. Chen Yun and Chu Xiaonan, having both broken through to the late stage of Refining Spirit and Returning to Emptiness due to the sage's sermon, needed to return to consolidate their realms.

Qin Le went back to his room to continue kneading the clay—he didn't want to be constantly criticized for being ugly by Mother Nuwa.

He at least... has some sense of shame.

Before we knew it, the first day of university had arrived.

Qin Le stuffed the luggage he had packed the night before into his storage ring, said goodbye to his mother who was still busy in the alchemy room, and then headed out to the academy.

Unlike high school, university students are required to live on campus. Except for holidays, they are not allowed to leave campus except in special circumstances. Therefore, Qin Le gave Qing Yan ten strands of the Great Dao of Creation in advance, as a prepayment of the monthly fee.

A registration point for new students had been set up at the college entrance. Qin Le approached and was surprised to find a familiar face in charge—

Lin Yan, a senior a year ahead of him, often sought his advice in high school, and even after entering university, he would try to sneak back to audit classes.

At this moment, Lin Yan, sporting a pair of snow-white rabbit ears and neat white hair, was smiling at him.

"I've been waiting for you!" Lin Yan said with a bright smile.

To Lin Yan, Qin Le was like a walking cultivation cheat code. Even though he had already received guidance from a divine soul fragment, he still felt that Qin Le's guidance was more down-to-earth.

"Senior, let's get the formalities done first."

Qin Le smiled and placed a metal token on the table—it was a certificate for admission to a higher education institution.

However, his was quite special; it was the only special recruitment order.

"Look at me, I was so happy I almost forgot the important thing!" Lin Yan slapped his forehead and quickly completed the formalities.

He wasn't surprised at all that Qin Le had been specially recruited—it would have been strange if Qin Le hadn't been.

"Alright, the dorm is in Building 3, Room 333. Go get ready."

Lin Yan handed over a disc-shaped magical artifact, which was the dormitory array key—each dormitory was equipped with an isolation array that could be opened and closed at will.

"Thanks, senior."

Qin Le entered the college and followed the signs to the dormitory building. Just as she approached the third floor, she heard a familiar voice coming from room 332—

Chu Xiaonan: "I wonder which room Qin Le is staying in..."

Chen Yun: "Don't worry, it's definitely nearby."

Qin Le: "..."

He walked silently to the door of room 332 and, sure enough, saw two people chatting, one sitting on a chair and the other on a bed. University dormitories are single rooms—monks always need private space.

"Look, here it comes." Chen Yun gestured towards the door.

"Qin Le, what number do you live in?" Chu Xiaonan asked.

"333".

"Not bad, she's right between us." Chen Yun laughed: "Chu Xiaonan is 334."

Qin Le nodded, turned around, and opened door number 333. The room layout was the same as Chen Yun's: a single bed, a desk, a wardrobe, a balcony, and a private bathroom. Although it was said that one could abstain from grains after refining Qi into spirit, the desire for food and drink was also a pleasure of cultivation, hence the complete furnishings.

After quickly tidying up, Qin Le returned to room 332. The three chatted for about half an hour before the academy's public address system announced—

"All freshmen, assemble on the playground."

The three of them went downstairs with the crowd and followed their teacher to the playground.

After the students lined up, a dazzling light gate with a diameter of 100 meters suddenly unfolded in the sky.

Three hundred figures flew out from within—all were demon race members who had retained their original forms. Tigers, leopards, eagles, foxes, deer, pythons… a diverse array of races, almost none of them repeating.

As soon as they passed through the portal, their eyes were immediately fixed on Qin Le in the crowd.

There was no way around it—the Daoist aura naturally emanating from Qin Le had an almost instinctive attraction for them.

The human students also curiously observed these living demons—for most of them, this was the first time they had ever seen them in person.

A woman with black hair, dragon horns, and golden armor appeared; it was Ye Li. Her gaze swept across the three hundred demons, who immediately lined up obediently. Then, in a flash, she appeared on the platform, standing shoulder to shoulder with the Jade Emperor.

The Jade Emperor smiled and said, "First of all, welcome to all new students. May you all diligently cultivate yourselves and encourage one another during your university years..."

After a standard opening speech, he subtly changed the subject:

"Next, please welcome the Demon Lord, Fellow Daoist Ye Li, to say a few words."

He stepped aside to make room for him.

Ye Li didn't stand on ceremony. She looked down at the three hundred demons, her voice cold and clear:

"You bunch of guys—don't cause me any trouble, you hear me?"

"yes--!"

The three hundred demons responded in unison, their voices echoing across the training ground.

Before they arrived, they had already received special instructions from Ye Li.

After Ye Li finished speaking, she took half a step back. The Jade Emperor stepped forward again, his gaze sweeping across the entire hall, and suddenly smiled:

"There is something I need to explain to everyone—one of the important reasons why the demon clan fellow Daoists came here for this exchange is Qin Le."

All eyes in the room instantly became focused.

"In the future, fellow cultivators of the demon race may become closer to Qin Le. This is normal, and I hope you will not take it to heart."

Many students looked curiously in the direction where Qin Le was.

Chen Yun nudged Qin Le with his elbow and whispered, "What's going on?"

Qin Le sighed and replied in a low voice, "Because I... comprehended the Dao of Immortality."

Chen Yun was taken aback, then suddenly realized—that's right, Qin Le is a human-shaped enlightenment stone!

No wonder the demons were so enthusiastic towards him.

On the platform, the Jade Emperor smiled slightly and said no more.

My first day of university began in this somewhat dramatic way.