Solution Found Out

Tao Xue jumped up, and got ready. He had finally understood what he had to do, in order to pass this level.

After getting up, he lathered himself in armor of the energy of the Heaven and Earth, but not his arms, this time, he used it on both of his legs.

He then jumped up high in the air, and started swinging his legs rapidly, kicking the boulder madly, again and again.

1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10...11...12...13...14...15!

15 kicks did the job all right. He broke the huge boulder down, it crashed onto the ground and crumbled into tiny pieces and fragments.

After that, he took a small piece of the rock, and laid it in an empty area. He then put all of the energy armor on his right hand, and smashed the rock, after which, it disappeared.

He had finally found out how to go around the rules.

The rules had never prohibited the use of legs, and also, it had never stated that breaking the rock meant to break the whole of it. Breaking a part of the rock would also be considered breaking it. This was a test of one's wits, and that was what Tao Xue was able to find out after all that thinking. If one doesn't have that much of strength, as much as he has wits, he can still easily pass this challenge. This challenge boosted Tao Xue's basic thinking ability, and with his Mind Cultivation boost, this power of his will be even more useful.

He had now completed the third level, and went on to the pedestal to receive his rewards. Once he reached there, the voice again spoke.

It said, "The rewards for the third round are here."

Firstly, Tao Xue got another crystal, but this was a level 2 crystal. He had assumed that he would be able to each level two with the two of the previous crystals, and this was for Cultivating after reaching the first level.

He was a bit shocked himself, because if he already reached level two this early, (the time inside the pocket dimension doesn't count outside, so even if he spent days or weeks Cultivating, it would still be the same time outside) the people at the Academy would surely notice, and other than the Principal, who knew about the Master, it would be way surprising for other people to believe that he had got such a terrifyingly fast speed of Cultivation.

He didn't take the crystals with much importance, but other people would treat them like treasures. If somebody even had a single crystal, it would be worth a few days of Cultivation to them. However, Tao Xue had excess of them, so he had actually thought of disposing of them. This was the case because of Tao Xue's ability. His ability had made him acquainted with the energy of the Heaven and Earth, and it was way more familiar to him, that to others.

The energy itself came to him, not the other way round. The other people had to absorb a completely foreign energy, but the energy sticks to Tao Xue's body, and it becomes more familiar to him, so in a sense, he is absorbing his own energy, which is more easier.

As the case of the crystals stands, they are filled to the brim with energy, and when the user absorbs energy from the crystals, it comes out from a limited energy source, and it is trapped inside an object, and doesn't get utilized, which is why the energy would want to come outside, even if that means getting absorbed by a person. Even if that is the case, it will still be utilized.

For Tao Xue, both of the cases are practically the same, as he can absorb the energy directly, with the same ease as the normal people get from absorbing it from a crystal.

The next item was a bit suspicious. It was a red colored pill, and the red resembled blood, which made Tao Xue a bit nauseous, but he found out that it wasn't a blood pill, rather, it was something totally unexpected to him.

The little pill was a Blood Refinement Pill, which was used to improve the quality and the speed of the blood moving in one's body, and it also purifies it. This greatly boosts one's physical strength, which was something that Tao Xue was in dire need of, because neither his ability, nor Mind Cultivation, none of them gave him any physical bonuses.

His body was still weak, and that too as weak as that of a normal human being. Improving the general condition of his body was something that Tao Xue really needed. He was very pleased with the rewards, but he was still a little doubtful about the level 2 crystal, and if he should rapidly increase his Cultivation, or not.

The excuse he had given everyone was that he had obtained some insights on Cultivation from an elder of a very high rank. This had the benefit of explaining his crazy speed, but this kind of speed was too fast for even a person with the insights of the pinnacle of the Human Realm. He had only one choice left, which was to consult his master regarding this problem.

He turned around, and looked at his master, who was hovering in front of him, smiling, with a rather unpleasant look on his face.

Tao Xue immediately understood that this was another one of those trials that he had to overcome by himself. He wasn't happy, but he still was a bit excited. It was going to be a tough decision to think of either increasing your own Cultivation and do your good, or be at the same pace with your classmates so that you don't stand out.

One would benefit himself, while the other would stop incoming trouble from various kinds of people coming for him from all sides.

He couldn't quit the Academy, because if he did that, he'd have to be a lone wolf, with no companions, and other than that, his friends would chew his ears off.

He had to quickly make a decision. He was finding this really difficult to do, so he again looked at his Master, this time with a pitiful face, but he still didn't budge.

Tao Xue was having a really hard time thinking this out. It was as if the choice was too difficult to make, because both of the options had their own good and bad sides. He had no certain way to think of choosing between the two.

He had to think of this fast, because he wanted to intake the Blood Refinement Pill, which would be very advantageous to him as quickly as possible.

Finally, he had no other choice than to ask his master. He was literally begging to him, but the master just kept hovering in the air, not helping his beloved disciple. It was a trial Tao Xue had to overcome, but he wasn't ready yet, because this wouldn't be a one-time decision, but it would affect him for a lot of time.

If he wanted to keep his pace of Cultivation roughly as near as that of his classmates, it would be valid for the whole time he spends in the Academy, for the very least. He would keep on acquiring new resources, but he could only use a small amount of them.

If he chose to use up his resources, and leave the Academy, he'd have to be a lone wolf for the whole time, which wouldn't be a whole lot of fun, and that would also mean missing out on teamwork skills, which he wouldn't have a slightest amount of, if he left the Academy.

He had to put the enhanced ability of thinking of his which he gained as a perk for practicing Mind Cultivation to use in this kind of a situation. It would be way more difficult with a normal brain.He wanted to combine the both of the other options and create a combined third option, which would serve the purpose of including the good points of both the first and the second options.

He used all his brain to think of any possible way of mixing the two of them into a perfect blend, nor could be actually leave behind any of them to be lost inside. He had to stress himself to the point of getting almost unconscious due to the stress invoked on him. He had no choice but to rest for now.

He got out of the pocket dimension, following his master, and was now back in his room. Apparently, all of his stress, fatigue, and tirelessness had totally calmed down. His body was as perfect as ever. He had now found out that whatever state or condition he is in the pocket dimension, he will be able to instantly become back to normal whenever he gets back to the normal world.

He was very happy that he was in good shape, and then he saw something that flashed in his eyes, which was the crystal, apparently, there were three crystals, two scrolls and one pill. All the rewards that he acquired had been transported here.

He took he Blood Refinement Pill in his hand, and looked at it, a bright smile coming up on his face.

He said, "It's chow time!"