22 Chapter 22

Throughout the night, Cai Wen dedicated himself to his cultivation, channeling his spiritual energy and diligently practicing his Resonance Heart Technique. He continued this until the soft rays of dawn replaced the moon's glow. As the first light of the morning filtered into his chamber, he rose from his meditation, feeling the residual warmth of the spirit power coursing through his body.

Taking a few minutes to cleanse his body in his bathroom, Cai Wen savored the refreshing sensation of the water droplets trickling down his skin, awakening his senses. He carefully selected his attire for the day, opting for his usual black outfit adorned with gold linings.

Having completed his morning preparation, Cai Wen contemplated the day ahead. The academy's schedule consisted of five consecutive days of classes, followed by two days for personal pursuits. Today was one of those free days, so he considered his options. He found himself drawn to the idea of visiting his senior sister, Hu Liena.

As he navigated the regal corridors of the palace, Cai Wen's footsteps echoed softly against the polished marble floors.

"Sir Cai Wen, please wait a moment," a voice called from behind him.

Turning around, he found a servant approaching him with respect. The servant bowed before informing him of an audience with Bibi Dong in one of the palace gardens. Intrigued, Cai Wen followed the servant.

Upon arriving at the designated garden within the vast premises of the Supreme Pontiff Palace, Cai Wen's eyes widened at the sight before him. The garden sprawled majestically, adorned with vibrant blooms and lush foliage.

'I should really find some time to explore this place. It's too beautiful not to take a moment to relax. I might have been a bit too preoccupied since the day of awakening,' Cai Wen thought while enjoying the scenery.

Nestled within this natural splendor, a quaint cottage stood, its rustic charm contrasting beautifully with the grandeur of the surroundings.

There, engaged in conversation, were his teacher, Bibi Dong, and his beloved senior sister, Hu Liena. However, alongside them was another figure who, at first glance, appeared to be a woman. But with his superior eyesight, Cai Wen could discern subtle clues that this was, in fact, a man.

"You've arrived, Cai Wen. Please, take a seat," Bibi Dong said, gesturing gracefully towards an empty chair.

"Cai Wen, come sit over here," Hu Liena called, patting the spot beside her.

"Thank you, senior sister," Cai Wen replied, expressing his gratitude before taking a seat.

"Good morning, teacher. Good morning, senior sister Nana. And good morning... uh...?" Cai Wen greeted them, pausing as he didn't know the name of the third person.

"Fufufu, my name is Yue Guan, also known as Chrysanthemums Douluo. You may call me Elder Yue or Elder Chrysanthemum, Xiao Wen," the stranger said, eyeing Cai Wen in a way that made him somewhat uncomfortable.

"You're causing my disciple discomfort, Chrysanthemum," Bibi Dong interjected, her stoic features unchanged, a look Cai Wen had already got used to.

"Please forgive me, your eminence," Yue Guan replied, "It's just that Xiao Wen's presence seems to resonate with my martial spirit."

"Resonate? Are you suggesting that you could potentially fuse your martial spirit with Cai Wen's?" Bibi Dong asked, turning her inquisitive gaze towards Yue Guan.

"No, unfortunately not. The energy he exudes doesn't seem to stem from his martial spirit, but rather from his very being. As you're aware, my spirit is the Chrysanthemum, a plant-type spirit. For some reason, it feels drawn to him," Yue Guan explained, casting an odd look at Cai Wen. "Not only my spirit, but I can also sense that most of the plants in this garden seem more vibrant and seem to flourish in his presence."

Upon hearing this, Cai Wen's mind darted to his Resonance Heart Technique. After successfully obtaining a spirit ring, his technique had advanced to the second stage, aligning his spirit energy more closely with the energy of the natural world.

Bibi Dong studied Cai Wen for a moment, then asked, "Do you understand why this is happening, Cai Wen?"

Cai Wen pondered her question, then shook his head, doing his best to project an air of innocent bewilderment.

"Could it be due to my martial spirit?" he suggested.

"Elder Chrysanthemum has already stated it isn't because of your martial spirit," Hu Liena pointed out, leading Cai Wen to the unusual urge to spank her little ass.

"True, but I have read that some spirits bestow unique constitutions or physical attributes upon their owners. Perhaps when my martial spirit awakened, it granted me this ability," he proposed, attempting to craft a plausible explanation. His words were not entirely false; he had indeed read a book that documented various martial spirits throughout the continent.

"That's possible," Bibi Dong conceded, studying him thoughtfully. "I didn't expect you to be so well-informed."

"I've spent a significant amount of time in the library, teacher," Cai Wen confessed.

Intrigued, Bibi Dong asked, "What have you been reading, and how many books have you finished?"

"I've explored several categories…" Cai Wen began, detailing the topics he'd delved into, then concluded, "As for the number of books I've read, I estimate it's around a hundred."

The moment he mentioned this number, the three present gave him looks of shock. Bibi Dong's surprise was barely noticeable before she regained her composure. "Are you bragging or lying to me?" she asked in a cold tone.

Hu Liena eyed her junior brother skeptically. It usually took her about an hour to finish a single book, sometimes even longer depending on the thickness of the book.

Cai Wen hadn't anticipated her reaction and promptly shook his head. "No teacher, I truly have read approximately that many books," he asserted. Thanks to his exceptional memory, he could glance at a page for a mere second before moving to the next. To an observer, it might seem like he was merely skimming, but in reality, he was memorizing everything. By taking advantage of this ability, he had managed to read around a hundred books by now.

"Oh? Then tell me all the names of the books you've read," Bibi Dong challenged, her tone mocking. She was ready to reprimand her student for making empty boasts but was taken aback by his response.

"Yes, teacher. I've read 'Spirit Master Guidelines', 'History...'." Cai Wen continued to list the names of the books he had read. As Bibi Dong, Hu Liena, and Yue Guan listened, their initial doubts began to waver.

"...And the last one that I read is '100 Mysterious Wonders of the World'," Cai Wen concluded.

'Did he really read all of these? No, he probably just memorized the titles,' Bibi Dong thought, starting to doubt whether he had genuinely read them. Some of the mentioned books were so thick that a day wouldn't be enough to get through them entirely.

"Since you claim to have read so much, let's test you. Answer some of my questions," Bibi Dong proposed, a cold smile playing on her lips.

Cai Wen could see that she still had doubts. He knew that if he answered incorrectly, she would undoubtedly reprimand him or even possibly receive some punishment

"Yes, teacher," he replied, determined not to fail.

"So the first question is..." Bibi Dong began.

"The answer is..." Cai Wen responded immediately once she had finished her question.

Bibi Dong was taken aback, but she continued to ask more questions. To her surprise, Cai Wen answered all of them correctly, even offering some of his personal insights.

Bibi Dong, Hu Liena, and Yue Guan were truly flabbergasted this time. 'Heavens, how did he manage to absorb all that information!?' they wondered.

Finally, Bibi Dong posed a question with an almost unreadable expression. She herself wasn't sure why she asked it. "Since you've read 'Ten Core Competencies of Martial Spirit', tell me your thoughts about it."