"Miss Zi Yan is angry!"
"He fell asleep in Miss Zi Yan's class and even shouted—how could she not be furious?"
"Miss Zi Yan is a goddess of the Minnan Star Court. If her admirer learns about this, they might drown Ye Wei in rage!"
Snide grins and glimmering eyes sparkled across the classroom, everyone gloating as they imagined the miserable fate awaiting Ye Wei.
"Hah! You're dead meat, no one can save you now," Xiao Qi sneered with a mocking curl of his lips.
"Ye Wei, have you heard the tale of the Emperor Chen Feng?"
Lin Zi Yan looked calmly at Ye Wei, her voice clear and elegant, carrying a sense of long-lasting wisdom. Though Ye Wei's talent was laughably poor, leaving him with little hope of ever becoming a true warrior, he was still her student. As a teacher, she bore the responsibility to guide him.
"Chen Feng, the Emperor of Earth, was once a young man whose Sea of Consciousness was only of red-grade talent. But he did not give up on himself. He never blamed others. Instead, he devoted himself to the study of divine runes, perfecting powers like the Aoki Divine Art, the Bull Divine Fist, and the Fire Butterfly Spell. By age thirty, he became a continent-shaking Divine Master—creating divine techniques that pushed his red talent to blue, and eventually, he stood as a sovereign among emperors."
"The grade of your Sea of Consciousness is not fixed. Perfecting or even creating new divine techniques resonates with the heavens and grants heavenly blessings—this power can purify your Sea of Consciousness and elevate your talent!"
That all sounded inspiring—but the reality was sobering. Perfecting or creating divine techniques was the realm of only the most revered profession: the Divine Master. An elite role beyond the reach of ordinary warriors.
Divine Masters were experts in divine rune knowledge—able not only to perfect existing spells but also to invent new ones. These masters were eagerly sought after by all factions and held immense prestige.
Even at the renowned Nanxing Academy, there was only one Divine Master. Neither the Dean nor the Vice-Dean held that title.
Becoming a Divine Master was no easy task. It required mastery of 360,000 basic divine rune lines—each intricate and unique in attribute. Without outstanding talent, mastering them all in a lifetime was near impossible.
And that was merely the foundation.
The true barrier was soul sensitivity. Only with an extraordinarily perceptive soul could one detect flaws in divine techniques. Given the absurdly high standards, Divine Masters were as rare as stars at dawn. Their elite status was well earned—so much so that many of them held special, almost deified status within society.
"Chen Feng, the Earth Emperor…" Ye Wei slowly nodded, warmth spreading through his chest. Even though he had fallen asleep and caused a ruckus, Miss Zi Yan didn't punish him. Instead, she inspired him—with the story of someone who defied destiny.
"There is a path up every mountain—one only needs the will to climb." Miss Zi Yan turned around and gracefully pointed to the three divine rune lines written on the blackboard. Her slender fingers traced the air, her white gauze skirt swirling lightly. Her delicate collarbone peeked into view beneath the fabric, her long hair cascading over her shoulders. The curve of her waist and the tight fit of her dress outlined her graceful figure.
"When Miss Zi Yan was explaining those three runes, Ye Wei was literally snoring. How would he even know what they are?"
"Ye Wei's a complete idiot. He wouldn't recognize divine runes even if they bit him," snickered several students.
Beneath them, Xiao Qi smirked with satisfaction.
He and Ye Wei had always been at odds. Ye Wei was only a one-star apprentice, while Xiao Qi had already reached five stars. The difference in power was like heaven and earth—the conclusion of any confrontation was obvious.
Would he let a worm like Ye Wei climb over his head?
Never!
Ye Wei took a deep breath, lifted his gaze toward the three basic rune lines on the blackboard… and suddenly, his heart trembled.
These runes—somehow, they felt familiar.
As if etched into his blood.
Without thinking, Ye Wei blurted out, "These three divine runes are part of the seventy-two water-type runes within the 'Flowstop Set.' They're all water-attributed. Techniques like the low-level Spirit Art 'Triple Wave Palm,' 'Twin Surge Fists,' 'Water Severance,' and 'Condensation Palm' all require these three runes."
"In fact, the most common application of these runes would be in the mid-tier Spirit Art known as 'Ice Mirror.'"
As Ye Wei spoke, even he was stunned. How do I know this? A strange shimmer flickered deep within his Sea of Consciousness.
The class was silent. Eyes widened. Mouths hung open in disbelief.
He was… correct!
"How… how is this possible?" Xiao Qi looked like he'd seen a ghost. Ye Wei had been asleep! How could he possibly identify those divine runes?
"Was Ye Wei really just pretending to sleep?"
"Well said," Miss Zi Yan smiled gently at Ye Wei. Maybe he hadn't completely dozed off—maybe, just maybe, he had actually absorbed something.
Her acknowledgment stunned Ye Wei. He realized that the mysterious divine rune knowledge he'd seen in his dreams… was real. It might even be linked to that strange ancient book. After he'd awakened, the book had vanished without a trace.
Within his Sea of Consciousness, countless divine rune lines sparkled with golden light, weaving together in mysterious harmony.
"Hmph! Divine rune knowledge isn't that easy," Xiao Qi muttered, glaring at Miss Zi Yan. Ask something deeper! he silently urged. Expose Ye Wei for the fraud he is!
As if hearing his plea, Miss Zi Yan's eyes shimmered with curiosity. She smiled and asked, "Then, tell me—how many types of divine runes are used in the spell 'Crashing Wave Fist'? That was discussed in today's lecture."
"Sixteen types," Ye Wei replied calmly.
"And in the spell 'Tidal Surge'?"
"Twenty-one."
Ye Wei answered each question with confidence.
The entire class exchanged stunned glances. Did he really learn this while asleep?
Of course, they couldn't believe that. Most assumed Ye Wei had studied beforehand and just pretended to sleep.
But they were wrong.
Ye Wei had learned it in his sleep—and he'd learned far more than any of them could imagine.
Miss Zi Yan watched the composed boy with renewed interest. Curious, she asked again, "Then tell me—how many divine techniques use these three runes?"
All eyes turned to Ye Wei again. This question went far beyond the lesson's scope. Even the most attentive students would struggle with this.
Xiao Qi stepped up confidently. "Miss Zi Yan, I believe no one else here knows the answer except me."
He stood proudly, sweeping a smug glance across the classroom. If Ye Wei faltered, he would take the spotlight and bask in Miss Zi Yan's approval.
Xiao Qi's parents were advanced instructors at the academy. Among junior students, his divine rune knowledge was unmatched.
Ye Wei, however, didn't flinch. Meeting Miss Zi Yan's gaze, he answered calmly, "There are thirty-eight low-tier techniques, twelve mid-tier spirit arts, and six high-tier ones that use these three runes."
"Ridiculous!" Xiao Qi snapped. "If you don't know, don't make things up! Don't mislead others!"
He was fuming, unable to contain his scorn. Ye Wei's calm demeanor only enraged him more.
"What nonsense."
"I actually thought he knew something!"
"Ye Wei's just making things up as usual," more students mocked.
Xiao Qi raised his chin. "Let me tell you the correct numbers: thirty-six low-tier techniques, ten mid-tier spirit arts, and five high-tier ones!"
The class nodded. Xiao Qi was their top student. If he said Ye Wei was wrong, he had to be.
But to everyone's shock, Miss Zi Yan looked at Ye Wei with newfound intrigue. Her usually serene eyes sparkled with an uncharacteristic intensity.
"Xiao Qi's answer," she began, "is correct."
Xiao Qi grinned, basking in the glory.
"But…" she continued, "Ye Wei's answer is also correct."
Gasps rippled through the room. How can both be right?
Miss Zi Yan's gaze deepened. "Some divine arts are considered forbidden due to their complexity or dangerous side effects. These are recorded in the academy's Forbidden Arts Pavilion. Ye Wei included those in his count. His answer is valid."
The class sat in stunned silence.
Ye Wei… knew about forbidden techniques?
But forbidden arts were sealed away, accessible only to warriors. How in the world had Ye Wei—a lowly one-star apprentice—ever come across them?