The Urban Cultivation Grandmaster

Chapter 16: Daowen Reaches Divinity!

While Mu Tian was causing a stir at his residence, it wasn’t just the students who’d sent drones to spy on him who were shocked—the leadership of Tianjiang Cultivator Academy was also left speechless. They hadn’t been specifically watching Mu Tian, but the commotion he caused was simply too great—it immediately alerted the high-ranking officials at Tianjiang Cultivator Academy. Mayor Li was the first to learn the full story. “Old Wang, your judgment is indeed spot-on. Although I don’t know much about the path of cultivation, such feats are surely beyond the capabilities of an ordinary person,” Mayor Li said with a smile, sitting in his office chair and addressing Wang Jian, who was seated across from him. Wang Jian’s stern expression softened slightly as he offered a wry smile. “Mayor Li, this is indeed no small feat. Such miraculous feats aren’t a matter of cultivation level—they stem from one’s realm and understanding of the ‘Dao’ and the ‘Divine.’ For instance, my cultivation is several minor tiers higher than Mu Tian’s, yet I couldn’t achieve anything quite so… earth-shattering.” Mayor Li’s interest was instantly piqued. “Oh? So Mu Tian really is extraordinary. But why is his cultivation level so low? That doesn’t make sense. As one of the first prodigies selected for the Tianhai Cultivator Academy, his innate talent for cultivation couldn’t possibly be lacking. Is there some mystery behind this?” It must be said that Mayor Li was a formidable individual. Though not a powerhouse in the cultivation world, he often cut straight to the heart of the matter and grasped the crux of the issue. Wang Jian nodded emphatically: “Mayor Li, you’re absolutely right. There’s a clear contradiction here, and that was exactly what puzzled me the most. But after today, I finally understand.” Seeing that Mayor Li remained silent, waiting for him to continue, Wang Jian naturally dared not hide his insights: “A few days ago, during the incident where a pet cat went on a rampage in Xishi Residential Complex, Mu Tian displayed extraordinary prowess. He used the *Ancient Wild Ox Visualization Diagram*, but today he switched to a different cultivation technique. If I’m not mistaken, that technique is called the *Thousand Tides and Ten Thousand Waves Art*—both are techniques passed down by the Tianhai Cultivator Academy.” Mayor Li was instantly stunned into silence: “Are you saying that Mu Tian practices multiple cultivation techniques simultaneously, and that’s what’s affecting his cultivation level?” Wang Jian nodded. Mayor Li continued, “There’s a major taboo in cultivation—trying to do too much at once leads to failure. Mu Tian surely understands that, doesn’t he? He…” Wang Jian gave a weary, wry smile: “Comparing people to one another is enough to drive a person mad. Judging by the strength he’s demonstrated so far, it’s clear he has a very deep understanding of each cultivation method. He’s still in the accumulation phase; once he begins to unleash his full potential—after building up his strength over time—I’m afraid the entire cultivation world will be shaken to its core.” Mayor Li wasn’t particularly interested in cultivation matters, but upon hearing Wang Jian’s words, a spark of excitement flashed in his eyes, along with that unique ambition characteristic of politicians. The next day, Mu Tian was full of energy. He meditated and cultivated his qi in the evening and practiced his fist forms at dawn, further advancing his cultivation. After breakfast, Mu Tian went to the grand hall to begin his first official class. Originally, the Daowen Class at Tianjiang Cultivator Academy had a mere fifty students, but ever since Mu Tian’s first lecture, the class had begun to expand rapidly, becoming so overcrowded that the academy eventually stopped accepting applications for transfers into the class. There was no helping it—everyone wanted to attend Teacher Mu’s classes, not just the students but even the faculty. Faced with such advanced knowledge, anyone with even a shred of ambition would not want to miss it—let alone those who were so eager to learn. Reluctantly, the academy’s leadership approached Mu Tian to ask if he could teach a larger group at once and move the classes to the Grand Auditorium. Mu Tian naturally agreed to this request with pleasure, thinking to himself, “You didn’t even have to ask—I was about to suggest it myself.” After all, teaching is teaching—why not teach several thousand people at once and let the radiance of the Star Sea surge? What’s there not to like? The college leadership was deeply moved and thoroughly impressed by Mu Tian’s spirit. All along the way, they kept addressing him as “Master Mu” this and “Master Mu” that, which made Mu Tian feel quite uneasy. Tianjiang Cultivator Academy Grand Auditorium Mu Tian stood on the podium once again. Looking up, he saw a hall filled with students whose eyes sparkled with eagerness and whose faces radiated excitement. Suddenly, a wave of emotion washed over him. His original motivation for coming to teach had been pure, yet highly purposeful—to earn the “Glow of the Starry Sea.” But now, Mu Tian felt a very strong sense of mission—to teach them well and guide them onto the path of cultivation. Mu Tian stood there in silence, and the audience below was equally silent, not daring to breathe a word. Everyone’s hearts were pounding, fearing that their earlier commotion had displeased Teacher Mu and caused his silence. You could hear a pin drop; the atmosphere suddenly became somewhat eerie. A gathering of thousands, all maintaining complete silence—what a magnificent sight. Especially since these were young men known for their exuberance; such self-discipline and adherence to rules was truly rare. The veteran teachers present couldn’t help but sigh with admiration—why hadn’t they ever seen such well-behaved students in their own classes? When Mu Tian snapped back to reality and realized the audience was completely silent and solemn, he found it amusing and said, “Huh, am I already standing at the lectern?” The students didn’t quite understand what he meant, but they still found it amusing and let out soft chuckles. Mu Tian continued, “A couple of days ago, the topic of me and our college’s first class of the semester went viral online. We’ve not only become famous across the country, but our reputation has even spread overseas—the whole world is talking about it. I’ve clearly become the most badass internet celebrity of this century!” The next moment, a goofy student clapped in admiration, and immediately others followed suit, filling the room with thunderous applause. Mu Tian gave a wry smile and waved his hand. “No, I’m not here to brag today. As the story continues to unfold, opinions on my first class of the semester have been mixed, and there have even been quite a few voices of skepticism…” As Mu Tian spoke these words, the students in the audience grew excited. Was he about to go on the offensive? Wow, they couldn’t wait! “In fact, I’m probably the last person to find out that I’ve gone viral online—and even that was only because my family and friends told me. Throughout this whole incident, the most common criticism has been about the authenticity of the ‘Daowen’ story. At the time, my family and friends were furious; the insults from those online trolls were truly vile—accusing me of seeking fame, putting on airs, and spouting nonsense...” The entire room erupted in laughter, and a strange sense of dissonance washed over everyone. Here was a teacher who had been conducting a serious class, and suddenly she dropped a line about “nonsense” and the like—it was just too much. “Faced with that overwhelming wave of skepticism, I chose to remain silent—not because I backed down, but because I saw no need to. I have no interest in proving anything to those trolls. However, today, standing here before you—my Daowen students—I feel it is necessary to demonstrate to you what it truly means to be ‘Daowen Tong Shen’!” As he spoke, Mu Tian’s previous easygoing demeanor vanished, replaced by an expression of utmost solemnity. The students below immediately began breathing heavily, their hearts screaming with excitement, unable to contain their anticipation. Under the intense, eager gaze of everyone present, Mu Tian parted his lips slightly and softly uttered a single word: “Fire!” That single word resonated like the voice of the Great Dao, imbued with an ancient and majestic power, as if echoing through the ages. The moment the sound faded, a sudden transformation occurred: a blazing ball of flame erupted above the grand auditorium, with fiery serpents dancing wildly, filling the hall with brilliant light!