BTTH: Auto Cultivation System

“Jia Nan Academy is a prestigious Dou Qi Academy on the mainland, renowned for its strength beyond ordinary imagination. To qualify as a teacher here, one must be at least at the Dou Grandmaster Realm,” Ling Ying explained about the Jia Nan Academy.

“Hm? Old Ling, is there a difference between an Academy and a Sect?” Gu Xun Er asked, having only stayed within the Gu Clan until now and thus unfamiliar with the distinctions between these institutions.

“There is a difference. In the Dou Qi mainland, Sects impose certain restrictions on their disciples and elders, as their actions affect the Sect’s reputation. A bad reputation can make it difficult to recruit new members. Academies, however, do not have such constraints.”

“After graduation, all ties with the Academy are severed. Yet, while students are at the Academy, they form strong bonds with both the institution and their peers. Even after graduating, they continue to support the Academy to the best of their ability.”

“Jia Nan Academy has an enrollment period each year and sends out students and teachers to recruit new students. However, the criteria for admission are quite strict; one must reach the 9th Dou Disciple level.”

Ling Ying shared this information with Xiao Hua and Gu Xun Er, who found it very interesting and were grateful, especially Xiao Hua. Given that “Battle Through the Heavens” has over 1,000 chapters, having someone remind him about the novel's details was quite helpful. However, one thing puzzled Xiao Hua.

“By the way, why did you recommend Jia Nan Academy? Didn’t you mention Yun Lan Sect (Misty Cloud Sect) earlier?” Xiao Hua asked, curious.

Xiao Hua was interested in Ling Ying’s opinion but had no intention of going to Yun Lan Sect. He viewed it as risky, especially given their secret relationship with the Hall of Souls.

‘No way I’d go there with my current strength, especially with the Hun Clan and Hall of Souls actively searching for and stealing the ‘Key’ — the Jade of the Ancient God Tuo She, even to the point of attacking the other Eight Ancient Clans.’

Unaware of Xiao Hua’s thoughts, Ling Ying stroked his chin thoughtfully and responded indifferently.

“It’s simple. Jia Nan Academy is stronger than Yun Lan Sect (Misty Cloud Sect). Qi Methods, Dou Techniques, and Alchemy Pills are the most sought-after in the Dou Qi Mainland. Jia Nan Academy excels in Qi Methods and Dou Techniques. Even though Yun Lan Sect has Pill King Gu He, Jia Nan Academy is not lacking in ingredients, pills, or alchemists.”

Xiao Hua nodded in agreement. Additionally, Jia Nan Academy possessed a Heavenly Flame, the Fallen Heart Flame, which ranked 14th in the Heavenly Flame Ranking. This flame was sealed within the tower known as the ‘Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower’ or ‘Heavenly Immolation Qi Refinement Tower’. It was crucial for Inner Academy Students to rapidly increase their strength.

Successfully refining the ‘Fallen Heart Flame’ would create a ‘Heart Flame’ that would burn from within unless dispelled. Consequently, seniors judged new students’ potential based on their endurance with the ‘Heart Flame’.

Ling Ying continued, “Moreover, every student who graduates from Jia Nan Academy is highly sought after by many powerful factions, and most of them head to the Central Plains to further enhance their strength.”

“Central Plains, huh?” Xiao Hua murmured.

“I’ll explain more about the Central Plains once you’re stronger. For now, you need to focus on getting stronger first,” Ling Ying advised.

“Then when should we go there, Brother Hua?” Gu Xun’er asked with a bright smile. Ling Ying and Xiao Hua, who had been discussing seriously, glanced at her and smiled wryly.

Xiao Hua thought for a moment before replying, “How about in two years? After all, a four-year-old Dou Practitioner would attract unwanted attention.”

“Indeed. It’s also wise to hide your bloodline from your family, not only because of its destructive power but because people often envy geniuses,” Ling Ying agreed. Talents have often led to the downfall of many geniuses.

Xiao Hua nodded in agreement. He had read about that so many times now, which was the main reason he was more cautious around people than Magical Beasts. Remembering something, he said, "By the way, Elder Ling—"

"You may just call me Old Ling. I am merely a servant, so there's no need for such formality. Please, continue," Ling Ying interrupted before Xiao Hua could proceed.

"Then, Old Ling, could you help me gain fighting experience?" Xiao Hua asked.

"Hm? Ah, indeed. One cannot solely rely on talent; combat experience is essential, no matter how gifted one is. I don't mind helping, as long as the Young Lady approves," Ling Ying replied, glancing at Gu Xun Er.

"Naturally, I don’t mind. In fact, considering Brother Xiao Hua’s talent, gaining experience fighting against people is very much needed. So, please come to my courtyard once Brother Xiao Hua has finished cultivating in the morning," Gu Xun Er approved immediately with a bright smile.

Xiao Hua nodded in response. Both he and Ling Ying knew the truth but didn’t say anything. Naturally, Gu Xun Er wouldn’t mind, as it meant Xiao Hua would come to her courtyard every day to train with Ling Ying.

'Really, what should I do with this girl...?'

After some discussion, Xiao Hua left Xun’er’s courtyard through the backdoor to avoid being seen and continued his training at the back of the mountain.

As night fell, Xiao Hua decided to upgrade the Auto-Cultivation feature, which now yielded 5 ACP per hour. However, he was dismayed to find the next upgrade cost a hefty 3,600 ACP, and a new restriction had been imposed on extra ACP storage. Previously unlimited, it was now capped at 4,000 ACP.

It seemed the Auto-Cultivation System had set this limit to prevent Xiao Hua from delaying upgrades and accumulating extra ACP over time.

‘Tch! What a clever and annoying system,’ Xiao Hua thought, clicking his tongue in frustration before going to sleep, his mood soured by the System.

 

---

 

In the past few days, Xiao Hua had broken through to become a 2-Star Dou Practitioner. Despite his rapid progress, he realized he lacked real battle experience.

To remedy this, he quietly ventured into the forest to fight magical beasts and gain more experience. Today, however, was different. In front of him stood a huge tiger, comparable to a 2-Star Dou Master.

"Looks like killing a bunch of magical beasts attracted the attention of the king, huh?" Xiao Hua muttered nervously under his breath, a grin spreading across his face.

This tiger, the Dark-Striped Tiger, was considered the lord of the mountain, the strongest magical beast in the area. It emitted a powerful aura and intense killing intent towards Xiao Hua, angered by his actions over the past few days.

Xiao Hua had slain various magical beasts—a snake, an eagle, and even a pack of wolves. It wasn’t surprising that he had drawn the ire of the mountain’s ruler by killing so many of its subjects.

The Dark-Striped Tiger was massive, cloaked in orange and red fur with black stripes. Its body bore numerous scars from battles with other magical beasts. A particularly prominent scar ran from its forehead down to its cheeks. It growled, revealing sharp fangs and claws capable of tearing apart trees, let alone Xiao Hua.

Despite this, Xiao Hua remained calm. He had learned over the past few days that fear and anxiety would only hinder him. He took a deep breath and carefully observed the massive magical beast before him.

Retreat was not an option. Xiao Hua knew that if he backed down now, he would never be able to face the people and beasts hundreds of times stronger than this mountain lord.

Glaring at the tiger, Xiao Hua took a fighting stance, determined to defeat and kill the beast. Provoked by Xiao Hua’s glare, the Dark-Striped Tiger roared and charged at him with its massive body.

Xiao Hua dodged to the side and struck the tiger on its right side. Although he felt some impact, it was like punching a wall.

‘Damn, that stings like hell.’

Xiao Hua felt a sharp pain in his hand but ignored it, knowing it was nothing compared to being struck by Heavenly Lightning. He watched as the Dark-Striped Tiger continued to growl.

The trees behind him, where he had just dodged, were easily split in two by the tiger’s claws. Xiao Hua and the Dark-Striped Tiger clashed repeatedly.

Xiao Hua fought not just with strength but with wit. Using the trees as cover, he lured the tiger into destroying them and struck its face and sides. Occasionally, he threw rocks and mud to blind it temporarily.

Despite his efforts, the tiger continued to pounce and charge, trying to bite and claw at Xiao Hua, showcasing its durability and might. Xiao Hua did not escape unscathed. His body was covered in scratches, and a shallow bite mark near his stomach attested to the tiger's ferocity.

Having had enough of Xiao Hua’s swift movements, the Dark-Striped Tiger let out a massive roar, shattering rocks and sending debris and trees flying. Its red and orange fur lit up as it unleashed a huge fire breath aimed directly at Xiao Hua.

'Tch! Dark-Striped Tiger's Rage Breath! This guy is really pissed off, huh...'

Thrown off balance by the roar, Xiao Hua was sent flying. Unable to dodge in time, he was hit directly by the fire breath, causing a massive explosion.

Sure of its victory, the Dark-Striped Tiger snorted and turned away. It was about to leave when it heard sparking sounds.

Zzzzzt! Zzzzzt! Zzzzzt!

"Don't think the fight is over yet, king of the mountain."

Hearing the voice, the Dark-Striped Tiger turned back and saw, emerging from the residual smoke, a child shrouded in golden lightning with mysterious red patterns. These patterns emitted a powerful aura, causing the child’s strength to grow until it surpassed the tiger’s own.

"Now, this is where the real fight begins."

In an instant, Xiao Hua charged forward and appeared before the Dark-Striped Tiger. Unable to react, the tiger took a heavy punch from Xiao Hua that sent it crashing into a huge boulder.

Boom!

Struggling to stand, the tiger raised its head and glared fiercely at Xiao Hua. After a moment, its body turned into pure red flames, with its black stripes glowing brightly. This transformation indicated that the tiger was circulating poison throughout its body, making its fangs, claws, and breath lethally toxic. This fire poison could scorch and kill within two hours if left untreated.

In this state, the Dark-Striped Tiger's strength increased exponentially, elevating it to a high Rank 3 Magical Beast, equivalent to a Dou Grandmaster. It had now deemed Xiao Hua a true enemy.

"I take it back, King of the Mountain. THIS is where the fight truly begins!"

Roar—!

The tiger let out a fiery roar and rushed at Xiao Hua, swinging its right claw downwards, aiming to kill or at least inflict its fire poison.

Naturally, Xiao Hua didn't sit still. He responded with a destructive punch filled with Heavenly Lightning Tribulation, aimed directly at the incoming claw.

Their clash sent a huge shockwave through the forest, sending trees and debris flying. Both combatants were pushed back but didn't stop, immediately charging at each other again.

If anyone were near the clash, they would see a beautiful display of blazing red and radiant gold colliding, but they wouldn’t dare approach due to the violent roars and powerful explosions. Most would run away as soon as they saw it, regardless of its beauty, valuing their lives more.

"Haa... Haa... Your damn skin is tough, but I guess it has its limits, huh?" Xiao Hua said, breathing heavily.

Xiao Hua looked at the magical beast still standing despite its heavy injuries. The tiger hadn’t dodged his attacks, and neither had Xiao Hua dodged its own. However, unlike the tiger, Xiao Hua could inflict heavy injuries thanks to the red patterns and golden lightning protecting him. The tiger’s claws were too weak to inflict any serious injuries and only leaves countless of small injuries and scratches.

Despite its injuries, the tiger was unwilling to fall. It raised its head and let out a huge, loud roar that shook the forest. From its mouth, it unleashed a powerful, blazing breath capable of incinerating Dou Grandmasters and even harming Low-Level Dou Spirit cultivators.

"Now's the time!" Xiao Hua shouted, his Dou Qi surging explosively. The crimson glow on his body brightened, and the golden lightning sparked even more powerfully.

He stomped the ground, causing it to cave in before charging with explosive speed toward the breath. With his agility and durability, he was able to resist the flames and unleash a devastating blow to the beast's head, ending its life.

"Haa... Haa... That was a close one. If I hadn't fought the other magical beasts in the forest and learned to control and understand Dou Qi, I would have been in huge trouble," Xiao Hua said with some difficulty.

Xiao Hua was relieved that he finished the fight before the breath attack ended. The reason the tiger hadn’t unleashed its breath earlier was because it left the beast at its weakest moment afterward, making it a perfect opportunity for Xiao Hua to deliver a fatal blow.

However, even in its death throes, the beast wasn’t defenseless. The poison coursing through its body would infect anyone who came into contact with it. While a long-range attack might have worked, Xiao Hua didn’t have any, or rather, he hadn’t trained in them enough. So, he had no choice but to charge through the flames, as this was the perfect timing to deliver the final blow before the poison fully coursed through the tiger’s body.

Naturally, he wouldn't let that chance slip by. He poured all his Dou Qi into his body, making it tougher and able to resist the flames just enough to avoid getting burned. Fortunately, his gamble paid off, and he was able to finish off the Dark-Striped Tiger.

Afterward, Xiao Hua went to a cave to recuperate from his injuries until he was completely healed. He had found this cave while exploring the forest in search of magical beasts.