The Urban Cultivation Grandmaster

Chapter 1: Returning to My Hometown to Teach as a Volunteer

On a high-speed train traveling from the "Magic Capital" to Tianjiang City in Ganpo Province Mu Tian’s expression was as calm as still water. Tilting his head slightly, he quietly gazed out the window at the passing scenery. As the train passed through cities lined with skyscrapers and traversed mountains and fields, the entire landscape of Jiangnan swept past his eyes like a movie. Thanks to the rapid development of Huaxia’s high-speed rail network, what used to take Mu Tian nearly ten hours to return to his hometown now takes only five or six hours; he’ll be home after a brief nap in his seat. Of course, there are even faster modes of transportation—such as airplanes—but those are a thing of the past. Three years ago, human aircraft still crisscrossed the sky and soared through the heavens, but today, the skies have become a forbidden zone. All these changes stem from the unprecedented upheaval that occurred three years ago—a cataclysmic shift in the cosmos that unleashed surges of spiritual energy. The skies and oceans, which humanity had once conquered, have once again become mysterious, unfathomable, and impassable forbidden zones. Ten thousand meters above the earth, gale-force winds howled with a divine might that swept away everything in its path; whether civilian airliners or military fighter jets, any craft that dared to take to the skies met a fate of being torn to pieces. Mu Tian continued to gaze quietly out the window at the scenery rushing by, his eyes—bright as stars—half-closed, as if he were sensing something, comprehending something. Most people in this state would be admiring the scenery, taking in the magnificent mountains and rivers along the route to pass the time during the journey. Mu Tian had heard of a more sophisticated example: a high-speed rail engineer who, when the train crossed a bridge during testing, would quietly observe its reaction to assess the train’s performance. Mu Tian certainly wasn’t that knowledgeable about high-speed rail, but at that moment, he was every bit as absorbed. Throughout the journey, Mu Tian hadn’t rested for a moment; he had been quietly listening every second, sensing the flow of the “breath” of heaven and earth. Starting from the “Magic Capital,” a faint, damp mist had permeated the air, subtly nourishing all things. Gradually, this “qi” grew somewhat thinner; in some places, it was almost imperceptibly faint, while in others, it became more complex and dense. As the train raced forward, these sensations shifted with increasing frequency—now dense, now faint; now pure, now impure. If one were to plot this on a graph, the resulting wavy line would be quite fascinating. Of course, the most fascinating aspect is that whenever the train passes through a tunnel and travels through the mountains, the “qi” between heaven and earth becomes purer, carrying a sharp, austere intensity amidst its richness; whenever it passes through forests and mountains, that vibrant, solemn energy relaxes the entire body; and whenever it crosses great rivers and lakes, the moist, refreshing sensation brings a cool, soothing comfort to the whole body. Over the course of this journey spanning hundreds of kilometers, Mu Tian gained a great deal from his experiences and reaped many rewards. “Hmm, compared to three years ago, the spiritual energy in the world is indeed much more abundant. It’s present in nearly every inch of land and every corner. Spiritual energy nurtures all things—the sky, the sea, the mountains and rivers, the plants and trees, and humanity—and many changes are bound to occur. I really have no idea what the Earth will look like in the future,” Mu Tian murmured silently to himself. The once-thriving urban technological civilization had, in the blink of an eye, transformed into a fantastical world. Even though Mu Tian was one of the witnesses to this once-in-a-millennium upheaval, he still found it somewhat hard to accept at that moment. Three years ago, after his first love had ended, Mu Tian went out alone to clear his head and ended up witnessing this massive upheaval. At high noon, daylight instantly turned to night, and the starry sky sparkled. It was at that very moment that meteors rained down from the heavens, along with stone steles one after another... Just as Mu Tian was reminiscing about the past, a large group of people took the seats next to him, which had previously been empty. Since Mu Tian wasn’t one to splurge, he hadn’t bought a first-class seat but had settled for a second-class one—four seats to a row. The new arrivals were clearly acquaintances; they swiveled their seats to face each other, and the seven of them immediately filled the previously empty space. The group consisted of three women and four men, all around Mu Tian’s age—roughly twenty—and they looked like college students. Perhaps because Mu Tian had a delicate, handsome appearance and was around the same age as them, they soon struck up a conversation with him on their own. After chatting for a while, Mu Tian learned that this group of young men and women were indeed students—students from out of town pursuing their studies. By a remarkable coincidence, their final destination turned out to be the same: Tianjiang City. “Did you also return to your hometown to study and pursue the Dao after hearing that the Tianjiang City Cultivator Academy was recruiting students?” The one who asked Mu Tian was a good-looking girl with a very ample bust. Mu Tian knew her name—Lu Yue. He’d remembered it after hearing it just once. Don’t ask why; Mu Tian would certainly never admit it was her sizzling figure that had caught his attention. “More or less, I guess,” Mu Tian replied. He wasn’t lying—he had indeed returned to his hometown because of the Tianjiang Cultivator Academy. However, his purpose wasn’t to study and seek enlightenment, but to teach and nurture students, spreading the flame of the Xuan Realm’s civilization. Simply put, if the people standing before him were admitted to the Cultivator Academy, Mu Tian might become their teacher. “What do you mean, ‘sort of’? Everyone’s in the same boat—don’t be shy! We can go together when the time comes. Even if we don’t get accepted, there’s no shame in that. Tianjiang has plenty of martial arts schools and temples; if we can’t get into Tianjiang, we’ll have other options~.” The speaker was an average-looking girl with a charming smile. On the other side, a young man seemed amused by the cheerful girl’s innocent words and burst out laughing: ““Xiaoping, stop joking around, okay? Taoist temples and other sects have been booming in recent years—they’ve practically become sacred places for cultivation. But due to government restrictions and a lack of resources, they’re generally small in scale and follow an elite recruitment system. Getting into one of these sects is far harder than getting into the Cultivator Academy.” “Exactly. Martial arts schools are even less reliable—they’re a mixed bag, and we won’t get any proper training there.” “Sigh, it’s tough for us ordinary people. We’re witnessing massive changes in the world—spiritual energy surging across the land, countless great opportunities waiting for us—yet we have no path to cultivation. Back in the Age of Decline, that was one thing, but now that flying through the skies, teleporting, and even using our physical bodies to withstand cannon fire have become reality, it would be such a shame to go through life without achieving anything.” “That’s right. I heard that the veteran superstar Xu Ting’er obtained an orthodox cultivation technique from the Xuan Realm, and she’s undergone an incredible transformation. At fifty, she’s regained her youth—her skin is as dewy as that of an eighteen-year-old girl. I’m so envious.” Soon, everyone was chatting animatedly, though Mu Tian mostly listened quietly, only speaking up occasionally. “Hey, have you guys heard? Rumor has it that a volunteer teacher is coming to Tianjiang Academy—a graduate from the very first class of Tianhai Academy, a true elite of the nation.” “That’s right. Tianhai Academy is one of the first three Cultivator Academies established in Huaxia. The state advocates that a select few become cultivators first, ultimately inspiring everyone to follow suit—to extend their lifespans and strengthen the nation’s overall national power. People who come from places like that are truly extraordinary.” In the past, before the Xuan Realm civilization arrived on Earth, educational resources in Huaxia were unevenly distributed. Some underdeveloped and remote regions lacked access to quality education, so the government supported “teaching aid” programs to improve educational conditions in impoverished areas. Nowadays, “cultivator volunteer teaching” has replaced the previous volunteer teaching programs. There is no one in the world who does not dream of becoming a “cultivator”—possessing a myriad of miraculous abilities bordering on myth, enjoying an extremely long lifespan, and commanding a position of high esteem... In the early stages of the Xuan Realm civilization, spreading knowledge of the Xuan Realm was extremely difficult. Only a select few could become cultivators—a number that was incredibly, incredibly small—and educational resources were virtually nonexistent. The government called for a small number of people to become Cultivators first, establishing pilot Cultivator universities in several prosperous, developed, and densely populated regions across the country to train the nation’s first batch of Cultivators, while other areas were not so fortunate. At this point, it seemed to strike a chord with everyone, instantly igniting their enthusiasm. Lu Yue, with her sizzling figure, said with a beaming smile, “I bet that volunteer teacher is a total hunk. When the time comes, I’m definitely going to go all out to win him over and make him fall head over heels for me. Then you guys will get to ride my coattails too.” “Hahaha, Yueyue, go for it! We’ll be counting on you then.” “Go for it, Yueyue! We’re counting on you.” Everyone cheered her on, but Mu Tian felt extremely awkward—weren’t they talking about him? He turned his head away, pulled out his phone, and, under the pretext of checking the time, took a good look at his own good looks in the mirror-like screen. Wow, what a handsome, delicate-featured young man—definitely a total heartthrob. Instantly, Mu Tian felt reassured. Without realizing it, Mu Tian began to harbor a different kind of anticipation for his volunteer teaching assignment back in his hometown. Perhaps this would become a turning point in his life, and the world would change because of it.