"Becoming a formal spirit nurturer requires passing an assessment, which can be broadly divided into a written test and a practical exam..."
The written test was a standard exam.
The practical exam... reportedly involved the examiner randomly setting questions, using real spirits as case studies.
Getting the spirit nurturer certification wasn't a sudden whim for Su Hao.
It had been on his mind for a while.
About three days, probably.
It wasn't just for the money.
With the spirit nurturer certification, Su Hao could purchase many restricted items.
He could also freely access the Spirit Nurturer Association's library, browsing those knowledge-packed books, and watching his intelligence value soar was no longer a distant dream.
The only catch was that the assessment was supposedly extremely tough.
"The information I unlocked with intelligence points is directly implanted into my mind. Though it's only training plans centered around the silkworm, spirit training should be transferable, right?"
He wasn't lacking in knowledge.
Even a basic training plan had dozens of options.
Because he was broke, Su Hao had chosen the cheapest plan, but that didn't mean he didn't understand the others.
Each plan came with its own set of supporting knowledge.
Su Hao's confidence +10.
Even though he hadn't read many specialized books due to the short time, he should... be at an average level, right?
"Forget it, I'll just sign up. The registration fee isn't expensive anyway... What if I pass?"
Sometimes, when he looked at those elegant spirits, he would unconsciously analyze their condition and simulate a suitable training plan.
He just lacked practical experience.
No basis for comparison.
He didn't know how big the gap was between him and a real spirit nurturer.
...
There was a spirit nurturer assessment in half a month.
After signing up, Su Hao seized the time to flip through relevant books.
His daily training routine didn't slack off either.
Under Instructor Bear's rigorous drills, he gradually developed abs.
Tuesday, combat class.
The silkworm, Little Spring Spirit, and the other companions engaged in their usual chaotic battles.
Their movements were very sluggish, each step requiring immense effort.
Little Wind Horse couldn't even take off on the wind, getting sent flying far away by a headbutt from the silkworm.
In an instant, the Kung Fu Dog attacked from behind, its palm forming a blade to strike at the silkworm.
"Guno!"
The silkworm charged, then turned back abruptly, sending the Kung Fu Dog flying with a thud.
Just then, a tongue of flame shot over. The silkworm's body glowed with green light as it burst out of the flames with a bang.
Nearby the spirits sat a massive Tyrant Bear, radiating an invisible force that constantly enveloped the field.
Move: Gravity!
Under the gravity move, every training session showed visible improvement in the spirits.
It was also Instructor Bear's signature training method.
Whether the Tyrant Bear's gravity move was strong against enemies was debatable, but for training, it was exceptionally effective.
This special treatment wasn't something all spirits could enjoy.
Only the four strongest spirits had this privilege.
The silkworm, Kung Fu Dog, and Little Spring Spirit easily secured the top three spots, while Liu Ren, relying on his "pay-to-win power," helped the Charcoal Ember Turtle surpass the others to claim the last spot.
Together with Little Wind Horse, five spirits battled under the gravity move.
Within the gravity field, the scene was chaotic.
Following Instructor Bear's creed, the five spirits showed no mercy.
Those defeated or injured and unable to fight were sprayed with spirit healing medicine—provided free by the school.
In the monthly exam battles, the top ten were still rewarded with spirit jade powder.
Su Hao no longer needed it.
He sold it to other classmates at an 80% discount.
Earning a bit of pocket money to supplement his household.
He was quite satisfied.
The silkworm was exhausted.
Instructor Bear nodded slightly, somewhat surprised. "Your silkworm is improving quickly, especially in energy control."
With his keen eye, he could tell that the silkworm's "multi-stage charge" wasn't just about executing the move more skillfully or having improved it; rather, the spirit had significantly enhanced its energy manipulation and increased its spiritual power reserves.
A boost in hard conditions.
"It's because I've focused on spiritual power training for the silkworm recently." Su Hao didn't elaborate.
Instructor Bear didn't pry.
Everyone had their secrets.
But he wanted to test Su Hao.
"Your silkworm has a solid foundation, but even with the improved charge move, its combat style is still quite limited. What are your thoughts on its future development?"
Su Hao had already considered this question and answered without hesitation:
"The silkworm's main issue is its lack of ranged attack options. Facing a flying spirit with ranged abilities, it's just a target.
"Also, while the improved charge move can serve as a dodge, it consumes too much energy. The silkworm needs some more conventional techniques."
Instructor Bear didn't object.
Su Hao continued, "My plan is to teach the silkworm three moves: Rice Pellet Machine Gun, Energy Ball, and Silk Spinning."
"Why not learn some basics, like Quick Move, Dash, or Jump Strike? Energy Ball and Silk Spinning are notoriously hard to learn."
The silkworm was just a spirit with "silkworm" in its name.
It wasn't a real silkworm.
And it couldn't spin silk.
The Silk Spinning move was a unique technique created by a spirit master who observed insects spinning silk for years.
It involved condensing spiritual power into threads with adhesive properties.
This touched on advanced topics like spiritual power shaping and property transformation.
Energy Ball was relatively easier.
But it required the spirit to learn to balance spiritual power, a hurdle many couldn't clear.
Only Rice Pellet Machine Gun was truly suitable for beginner spirits.
"My reasoning is that moves like Quick Move overlap with Charge, but Silk Spinning is different. Even during a charge, the silkworm can spin silk. This move suits it better."
To be fair, Silk Spinning was indeed a good fit.
Instructor Bear didn't deny it.
But it still had to be learned.
For an apprentice spirit master to teach this move to a spirit was still too ambitious.
Settling for simpler moves to maximize combat effectiveness was the more efficient choice.
But Instructor Bear didn't advise against it.
Young people these days were stubborn.
They had to hit a wall to learn regret.
"Remember, if there's no progress in a month, I suggest you give up, or it'll delay your college entrance exam progress.
"Still... given your silkworm's current spiritual power control level, you could try Energy Ball."
He shared some training insights on Energy Ball and Rice Pellet Machine Gun.
He just hoped Su Hao, a student he thought highly of, wouldn't waste too much time on Silk Spinning.
He'd seen too many brilliant students fade into mediocrity by obsessing over a move they couldn't master.
Hopefully, Su Hao wouldn't be the next.
...
"Silkworm, have you finished reading the Energy Ball learning method?"
At the back hill of East Lake,
Su Hao had meticulously recorded the learning methods for the three moves in his notebook.
There were three types of Energy Ball.
Earth-type, Metal-type, and Wood-type.
The Earth-type Energy Ball was heavy and oppressive.
The Metal-type Energy Ball had fragmentation damage upon explosion.
The Wood-type Energy Ball's characteristic was... no characteristic, or rather, purity, but Wood-type spirits had better endurance.
What Su Hao unlocked was naturally the Wood-type Energy Ball, costing 4 points.
The Wood-type move Rice Pellet Machine Gun, costing 2 points.
And the Universal-type Silk Spinning, costing 5 points.
Su Hao pushed the notebook in front of the silkworm.
"Guno?"
"You're already a cultured spirit. You should learn moves on your own. Ask me if there's anything you don't understand."
"Guno (*?′╰╯`?)"
The silkworm was delighted by the praise.
A moment later, it realized something was off, but Su Hao had already walked away.
Frustrated, the silkworm carefully studied the descriptions of the three moves.
It skimmed over Energy Ball and Rice Pellet Machine Gun, but when its gaze landed on the Silk Spinning explanation, its big, watery eyes suddenly lit up with a strong desire to learn.