"Cultivation! We all know that in our world, everyone dreams of becoming a cultivator. In a world where the strong rule over the weak, strong cultivation provides security for one's life.
"But most people never get the chance to become cultivators. Since many factors are taken into consideration before a person can cultivate, only a very small number succeed. For the majority, cultivation always remains an unreachable dream due to their lowly family backgrounds.
"Let us assume cultivation is within everyone's reach. Let us assume that every single person in the world has the chance to cultivate. Then what? If you truly became cultivators, what exactly would you gain?
"If my guess is right, for most people, cultivation is nothing more than a tool to show off. Once they achieve a little success and gain the power to rule even a small piece of land, they become satisfied.
"If that is the case, then such people are the greatest disappointment in the cultivation world. They are narrow-minded. Cultivation is not an easy task. One must restrain oneself, adjust one's mindset, and walk the correct path. But most importantly, a cultivator must possess determination.
"So, from everything I've said so far, an important question arises—one that everyone must ask themselves. And that question is… why did you decide to become a cultivator?
"If you want to cultivate just to look cool, then you are mistaken. If you harbor such thoughts, you are unfit to walk the path of cultivation. You might as well stop wasting time chasing a foolish dream.
"To become a cultivator, one must possess an unmovable heart. No matter what difficulties you face, your ultimate goal as a cultivator must never change. This is also the reason why so many people are stuck at the initial stages and fail to advance further."
Ethan continued practicing his lecture earnestly. When the time came, he didn't want to mess up. So he imagined the surrounding trees as his students and lectured sincerely.
It might sound absurd—but this was how Ethan had always been, often doing foolish things that made little sense. This very trait was the reason Shirley used to call him "Fool" for fun.
Ethan kept delivering his imaginary lecture with sincerity. Though he looked ridiculous, he was giving it his all.
What he didn't know was that his lecture was actually benefiting something greatly.
All the trees within the forest were cultivating under his tutelage.
Trees, too, are living beings. They possess feelings. Even though they cannot express emotions the way humans do, that fact does not change.
Scientists on Earth once concluded that when a tree is about to be chopped down, it sends warning signals to nearby trees, urging them to move away and protect themselves. But since trees cannot move, all they can do is remain rooted in place and await their fate.
Trees also possess senses. However, they cannot understand human language. They communicate with each other through their own unique means. But due to the Eyes of Immersion skill from Ethan's Teacher profession, the concentration of his "disciples" increased by 5%.
Unknowingly, this skill increased the concentration of all the trees by 5%.
And because of that, they were able to cultivate.
Ethan remained absorbed in his lecture, completely unaware that the trees around him were cultivating with excitement. Their innate senses told them their strength was increasing. Even though the improvement was minuscule, it filled them with immense joy.
Ethan had no idea what kind of impact his lecture was causing. In his mind, he was merely practicing how to teach effectively. He didn't realize that the trees were genuinely benefiting from his words.
What he also didn't know was that the tree he was leaning against was on the verge of a breakthrough. Being the closest to him, it benefited the most among all the trees.
After two hours, Ethan finally finished his lecture practice.
He was surprised by how much he had improved.
He used to forget things quickly. His poor memory had always troubled him, and back on Earth, he had cursed his fate countless times.
But now, things had changed.
His memorization ability had improved drastically. At first, he thought it was due to his cultivation base. But since he was only at the Elementary Stage—which mainly strengthened the body and internal organs—he knew that couldn't be the reason.
That left only one explanation.
His upgraded talent pool.
Previously, his talent pool had been at Mortal Grade. But after upgrading it using Golden Points, it had reached a much higher level—especially his Spirit.
A strong Spirit was the key to fast learning and comprehension. Without a strong talent pool, how could anyone successfully take disciples?
After being excited for a while, Ethan calmed down. Understanding the importance of talent, he resolved to prioritize it in the future.
It was already evening.
He hadn't realized how much time he'd spent practicing. Since it was late, he decided to rest under the tree for the night and continue his journey the next day.
Grrrww!
His stomach growled loudly.
He hadn't gone to the dining hall the previous night, nor had he eaten anything all day. Hunger hit him full force.
Ethan sighed. This was entirely his fault. He should have brought food before embarking on a long journey. But regret was useless now. Instead, he needed to find something to eat.
And then there was another problem—money.
He had none.
He couldn't ask anyone from the academy for help. Jake was the only person he knew well, but Ethan's sudden transformation and cultivation level would surely arouse suspicion.
Wasn't that the very reason he left the academy quietly in the first place?