Zhao Mu lived a life of strict discipline.
Every hour of his day had a purpose. Every action contributed to his growth.
After a long period of deliberate and focused training, he had finally pushed one of his most fundamental life skills—Sleep—to its absolute limit.
Proficiency: 100.
And with that, the skill evolved into its second stage—
Deep Sleep.
This transformation brought with it a remarkable effect.
Zhao Mu could now fall asleep anytime, anywhere, and instantly enter a state of deep, restorative rest.
The most important benefit?
He only needed one and a half hours of sleep per day.
For most people, such a schedule would be impossible.
For Zhao Mu—
It was an opportunity.
Time.
More time than anyone else.
And Zhao Mu did not waste it.
A Disciplined Routine
Every morning, just before dawn, Zhao Mu would wake up and begin his day with a long-distance run.
Twenty kilometers.
No shortcuts.
No excuses.
During this run, he practiced his Light and Agile Steps, refining both speed and endurance.
Each step was deliberate.
Each breath controlled.
By the time the sun rose, his body was already fully awakened, his blood circulating like a surging river.
During the day, he attended formal training sessions.
Under structured guidance, he steadily improved several key abilities:
Strength
Spiritual Power Control
Spiritual Energy Rotation
These were foundational skills.
Without a solid base, no amount of talent could carry him forward.
Then came the evening.
Unlike others who chose to rest or socialize, Zhao Mu moved to the Engineering Department.
For two hours, he focused solely on one task:
Drawing Spirit Pattern Diagrams.
Line after line.
Stroke after stroke.
Every curve had to be precise.
Every connection flawless.
Afterward, he would head to the Training Hall.
There, he practiced:
Introductory Halberd Technique
Seven Kills Battle Method
At the same time, he worked on synchronizing with his first-grade Jinhai—
The Silver Sword.
Ten Days of Growth
Ten days passed.
To others, it might have felt repetitive.
Monotonous.
But to Zhao Mu—
It was fulfilling.
Every day, he could feel himself improving.
And the results spoke for themselves.
He had successfully mastered sixteen first-grade Spirit Rune Diagram Paths.
Not just memorized—
Mastered.
Each one could be drawn with precision and stability.
Satisfied with his progress, Zhao Mu made a decision.
It was time to move on.
A New Challenge
He found his instructor—
Liang Gongchi.
"I want to start learning Spirit Pattern Engraving," Zhao Mu said calmly.
Liang Gongchi froze.
For a moment, she simply stared at him.
"Are you already proficient in drawing?" she asked seriously.
"Don't rush things. You need to take it step by step. Remember—haste makes waste."
Zhao Mu nodded.
"I've mastered sixteen first-grade Spirit Rune Diagram Paths. I'll continue learning the rest gradually."
He paused.
"But I want to understand the entire Jinhai manufacturing process as soon as possible. Only then can I see what I lack."
Silence.
Liang Gongchi stood still.
Her expression darkened slightly.
Inside, however—
She was shaken.
Ten days.
Sixteen diagram paths.
Was that even possible?
She had spent years reaching that level.
And now—
This boy stood before her, speaking as if it were nothing.
For a brief moment, she even questioned her own abilities.
"…Is he some kind of reincarnated master?" she muttered inwardly.
"Teacher?"
Zhao Mu's voice snapped her back to reality.
She took a deep breath and turned away, walking toward a large drawer in the workshop.
"Well… you've done reasonably well," she said, trying to maintain composure.
"But don't get arrogant. Drawing is only the beginning."
She pulled open the drawer.
Inside were various metal plates.
After a moment of consideration, she picked up a small one—about the size of a palm—and tossed it to Zhao Mu.
"This is your next step."
The Art of Engraving
"Spirit Pattern Engraving," Liang Gongchi said seriously, "means carving the diagram into material using specialized tools."
Her tone grew more solemn.
"This is far more difficult than drawing."
She gestured toward the plate.
"In three-dimensional space, depth matters."
"Every line must be within a precise tolerance."
"Too shallow—ineffective."
"Too deep—ruined."
"There is no room for error."
Zhao Mu examined the plate.
It was made of a strange alloy.
Softer than steel.
Ideal for carving.
"How do you turn something this thick into something like a ring?" he asked curiously.
Liang Gongchi's expression twitched.
For a moment, she wanted to grab him and shake him violently.
He hadn't even started—
And he was already thinking about the final product.
When she had learned this craft, it had taken her a full year just to carve a complete diagram on a small surface.
And now—
This boy was skipping ahead.
"…This is practice material," she said, forcing herself to stay calm.
"Start with palm-sized pieces."
"If you make a mistake, grind it down and try again."
She continued:
"Gradually move to smaller sizes."
"When you can carve a complete diagram on something as small as a fingernail…"
"Only then can you say you've mastered this stage."
Zhao Mu nodded.
"I see."
Learning Through Practice
He sat down and began watching the instructional recording.
It was made by Liang Gongchi herself.
The video introduced the tools:
Engraving knives
Diamond-tipped needles
Then demonstrated techniques step by step.
The most critical part—
Micro-control.
Once the blade touched the surface, there was no going back.
One mistake—
And the entire piece was ruined.
The engraving needle itself was incredibly fine.
As thin as a strand of hair.
Made of diamond.
Sharp.
Unforgiving.
Understanding the Essence
After watching the tutorial, Zhao Mu closed his eyes briefly.
He began to think.
Spirit Pattern Engraving…
What was it, fundamentally?
Then—
He understood.
"It's like carving a network of rivers," he murmured.
"The spirit rune paths are riverbeds."
"Spiritual power flows through them like water."
"The smoother the riverbed…"
"The faster the flow."
"And the stronger the effect."
His eyes opened.
Clear.
Focused.
He picked up the metal plate.
And the engraving knife.
First Steps
"Spirit Pattern Engraving: Proficiency 0."
He didn't rush.
Instead, he started with the basics.
Straight lines.
Consistent depth.
Controlled length.
This was far harder than drawing.
Paper offered no resistance.
Metal did.
To carve properly, he needed:
Steady hands
Precise force
Absolute concentration
Zhao Mu infused a thin layer of spiritual power into the tip of the blade.
The resistance lessened.
The carving became smoother.
Slowly—
Line by line—
He practiced.
Hours passed.
Unnoticed.
By evening—
He had achieved something remarkable.
Proficiency: 100.
Every line he carved was:
Perfectly straight
Uniform in depth
Flawless in execution
The Price of Focus
But the cost—
Was immense.
His mind was exhausted.
More than after an entire day of combat training.
When he finally returned to his dormitory, he collapsed onto his bed like a lifeless body.
Meng Qiuqiu leaned over, grinning.
Meng Qiuqiu chuckled.
"Brother Zhao, back so early today?"
Zhao Mu exhaled heavily.
"Don't even ask."
"I was learning engraving."
He shook his head.
"That thing is exhausting."
"At this rate… it'll probably take me months just to become a First-Level Jinhai Master."
He paused.
"…I don't even know how long it'll take to reach Divine Domain level."
Silence.
Then—
"Cough—!"
Meng Qiuqiu suddenly started coughing violently.
His face turned red.
After a moment, he gave Zhao Mu a thumbs-up.
"…You really know how to brag."
His tone was half-joking.
Half-serious.
After all—
Many Jinhai Masters spent their entire lives stuck at the first level.
Even then—
They were respected.
And Zhao Mu?
He spoke as if it were just a matter of time.
"…Is that even something a human would say?"
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)