In the classroom, Yuan Fei continued the topic he had left unfinished from the previous lesson. He used his own spatial folding ability as an example, explaining how an awakened individual could determine the direction of their power’s development.
Over the course of two weeks, he meticulously detailed his journey of ability development, from the Mercury Rank all the way to the Star Brocade Rank.
Only after hearing all of it did Huang Xiu truly grasp the terrifying extent of Yuan Fei’s current strength. To call it ‘terrifying beyond measure’ would not be an exaggeration.
To use his own words, he had once declared:
“At our Star Brocade Rank, we are already nearing the divine beings and immortals of myths and legends. Of course, some also call us land deities… or mobile nuclear deterrents.”
Gods, immortals, land deities, mobile nuclear deterrents—what immense praise and honor… and what terrifying power to inspire such awe!
Huang Xiu felt her blood surge with exhilaration!
The reason the Star Brocade Rank garnered such lofty titles was clear.
Awakened individuals at this level had largely begun to delve into the development of more abstract concepts. A prime example was the folding of ‘space,’ an otherwise intangible void.
According to Yuan Fei’s own account, after five years of dedicated effort, he could now perform simple spatial folds to achieve displacement. Huang Xiu had witnessed his flickering movements several times before, all a result of this very development.
He had named this technique the ‘Folding Step.’ Through the ‘simple’ act of folding two points in space, he achieved an effect akin to instantaneous teleportation.
“Five years, and I’m still only at a minor mastery,” Yuan Fei stated, raising his right hand, palm open, to address the class. “My next step, within a year, will be to develop it to the point where I can cross obstacles.”
At that moment, even Huang Xiu was captivated by Yuan Fei’s commanding presence, instinctively breaking into applause. They say a confident man is the most handsome.
However, a man who possessed both confidence and an unbridled swagger was, without a doubt, overflowing with charisma.
‘One day, I, too, shall be able to show off so brazenly in public, just like Teacher Yuan Fei,’ Huang Xiu thought, making a silent vow of ambition.
****
Tuesday morning’s combat class resumed, with Teacher Yuan still seemingly covering for Yuan Fei without compensation.
The class began with the usual foundational training.
Yet, after approximately two hours, Teacher Yuan suddenly gathered everyone together.
“While a week of basic training isn’t quite enough, it’s almost time for you to start encountering something new,” Teacher Yuan declared, his muscles so thick they threatened to burst through his training uniform.
He waved his hand casually forward. Approximately eighteen different types of weapons, spanning ten meters in length, ascended from beneath the ground.
“Each of you will select one weapon from these. This weapon will serve as the evaluation standard for your final exam’s combat portion, and it may even become your assigned weapon in the future.”
Unarmed combat and weapon fighting… Huang Xiu recalled Teacher Yuan’s earlier words that they must master one of each. She curiously surveyed the weapons on the rack: sabers, spears, swords, halberds, staffs, nunchaku, and even seven-section whips.
Huang Xiu recognized only a fraction of them. The display featured not only ancient Chinese weapons but also modern developments, and even some foreign armaments were included.
‘So many different types of weapons… Does Teacher Yuan Zheng know how to use all of them?’ a thought bloomed in Huang Xiu’s mind, one she herself found rather unrealistic. If anyone could master all these weapons, they would surely be hailed as a god of weaponry.
“For the remainder of this lesson, you are to choose a weapon and train on your own,” Teacher Yuan stated calmly.
Upon hearing this, the students felt an unusual sense of relief.
They were happy, not only because they could finally choose a weapon, but also because it meant a break from the monotonous basic training. There was no denying it: combat class training was grueling.
Stances alone required an hour of unwavering focus, and sparring left them bruised and battered almost immediately. Every student had endured, gritting their teeth through the pain.
“Xiu-Xiu, what are you planning to choose?” Jia Qianrou asked, having arrived at the weapon rack and gently poked a pair of pumpkin-shaped iron hammers.
“I’m not sure, I’ll try them out first, but I think a sword looks good.” Huang Xiu drew a long sword from the rack, found an empty spot, and began to practice her swings.
Though these weapons were for training, they were primarily made of iron, considering the physical prowess of Awakened individuals, and were not sharpened. The iron long sword felt quite comfortable in her hand, whistling through the air with each swing.
Huang Xiu imitated the heroes she had seen in television dramas, holding the sword level before her and forming a sword-finger with her left hand. She nodded in satisfaction.
“Excellent, using a sword has more flair.”
She rested the long sword on her shoulder and glanced at a few acquaintances nearby, curious about their choices. In a corner of the training room, Liu Lu gripped a massive two-handed hammer that looked heavy even to the naked eye. She swung it repeatedly, nodding vigorously, seemingly quite pleased with her weapon.
Ying Zhiyu, after much deliberation, likely considering the insufficient destructive power of her own ability, reluctantly put down a long staff and opted for a long saber instead.
Bu Chenghua, however, had a clear objective. He chose a long spear and showed no inclination to change it. Given that his ability provided defensive effects, a longer attack range might indeed be more advantageous for him.
Huang Xiu then observed her other classmates.
Unsurprisingly, swords and sabers were the most popular choices, with the remaining students largely selecting spears, staffs, and similar items. Weapons like daggers and nunchaku were untouched, and the more peculiar weapons naturally drew even less attention.
Everyone understood the adage that the stranger the weapon, the quicker one met their end. However, looking cooler, having more flair, and possessing greater practicality were the primary criteria for most.
‘Come to think of it, a long sword might not actually be very compatible with my fighting style,’ Huang Xiu mused, stroking her chin. She preferred to stay as far from the battlefield as possible.
However, if forced into close-quarters combat, maintaining distance and being ready to use her ability or retreat was crucial. ‘An inch longer, an inch stronger; an inch shorter, an inch more dangerous.’
According to this ancient theory, a long sword might not be the most suitable weapon for her. ‘A long spear, or perhaps a halberd like Lu Bu’s, might suit me better,’ Huang Xiu thought, looking at the long spear in Bu Chenghua’s hand and recalling her own developed technique, the Senluo Tree Spear.
She suddenly realized that a spear was indeed an excellent choice. ‘Moreover, the spear is the king of all weapons; its prestige is no less than that of a sword.’
Huang Xiu walked to the weapon rack, drew a red-tasseled spear, and tried wielding it. To her surprise, the spear felt much more natural and comfortable to use than the long sword.
Not making a hasty decision, she then tried out other weapons, including shorter submachine gun-like options, without pause. Finally, she picked up the spear again and tested it twice more.
A plan slowly solidified in her mind. Later that evening, when the class representative collected their weapon choices, Huang Xiu unhesitatingly selected the long spear.
“‘A white robe, a long spear.’ Brother Zhao Yun, you are my role model from now on!”
Huang Xiu closed the chat window with the class representative, only to find a new message had popped up on her Void Web app. She opened it to find a course notification from the school.
[Hello, Student Huang Xiu. Based on your individual circumstances, the school has specially arranged an elective course for you. The grade for this course will not be included in your final exam assessment, but credit rewards will be settled normally.]
[Please arrive promptly at 7 PM tomorrow evening at the small conference room on the third floor of Ducheng Building for your elective course. Your teacher, Nanmen Xiu, awaits you there.]
“What is this? An elective course arranged based on my individual circumstances?” Huang Xiu’s face was filled with curiosity. She quickly asked her two roommates, only to find neither of them had received such a notification.
She then inquired among her friends. Finally, Huang Xiu confirmed that she was likely the only one among her friends to have received this elective course invitation. Perhaps a few others had also been invited, but it would only be a very small number.
This was also evident from the class being held in a small conference room. Huang Xiu twirled a strand of hair, a guess forming in her mind. ‘Could this be an exclusive, personalized lesson only for top students, for the NO.1s?’
This was the only explanation she could think of. Otherwise, she didn’t believe she possessed anything particularly special compared to others. “Heh, I never thought I’d have a day where I received special, personalized tutoring,” she grinned.
Was this what it felt like to be a top student, a straight-A student? To be valued by the school, respected by teachers, and admired by classmates—this feeling was truly wonderful!
Filled with anticipation for the elective course, time seemed to drag on, inching minute by minute into the next day. During the introductory Hammer Forging Method class that morning, Wen Zhidie handed out envelopes containing each student’s lineage test results.
“Based on the lineage test results, we are about to begin practicing the Hammer Forging Method. The specific method each person can cultivate varies according to their lineage, but the underlying principles are universal.”
In the tiered classroom, Wen Zhidie paused, then continued, “Alright, everyone, please take a look at your lineage test results. Be careful not to whisper amongst yourselves.”
She said not to whisper, but if students truly obeyed, teachers wouldn’t need to manage classroom discipline. Almost as soon as Wen Zhidie finished speaking and closed her mouth, whispers erupted from below the stage.
Ying Zhiyu had just torn open her envelope and, noticing Huang Xiu sitting idly in her chair, asked curiously, “Hey, Xiu-Xiu, why aren’t you looking at your test results?”
“Heh-heh,” Huang Xiu’s lips twitched twice. She couldn’t very well say that something unexpected had happened during her lineage test, and she already knew the results, could she?
“I zoned out, I’m looking now.” With that, she tore open the seal of her envelope, though her gaze drifted to Ying Zhiyu’s envelope on her right.
‘It’s just the White Tower lineage anyway; what’s the point of looking again?’ she thought. Compared to her own, she was more curious about the lineages of her friends.
“It really is this…” Ying Zhiyu seemed to have anticipated her own lineage. She merely glanced at the paper, then put it down with a sigh.
“What is it? What is it?” Huang Xiu, a curious baby who hadn’t seen the specific contents of the paper, immediately leaned over to ask.
“Nah-nah-nah, I won’t tell you.” Ying Zhiyu pressed down on her paper. She seemed reluctant for others to see what her lineage was.
“Okay,” Huang Xiu nodded, looking expectant. She could understand Ying Zhiyu; in some ways, one’s lineage was like a mirror reflecting an Awakened individual’s inner personality.
Before she was identified with the White Tower lineage, she had never realized how deeply she yearned for family and friendship within herself.
‘Wait, if I’m supposed to bind my mental flaw, then according to the principle of indulgence and defiance, wouldn’t I need to actively distance myself from friends, and then actively approach them again?’ Huang Xiu fell into deep thought. ‘Distancing myself from friends? I really can’t do that!’
She was someone who absolutely detested loneliness. After pondering for a while and failing to come up with any other solutions, Huang Xiu ultimately decided to simply take it as it came for now.
“A’Rou, what’s your lineage?” she asked Jia Qianrou.
“It’s The Sun,” Jia Qianrou replied without hesitation, seemingly quite pleased with her lineage. The Sun and The Warm Moon were apparently the only two ‘positive’ lineages among the five major ones.
However, Huang Xiu had already learned from Teacher Wen Zhidie that a positive lineage didn’t necessarily mean it was a good thing. Mental flaws had no inherent superiority or inferiority.
After some thought, Huang Xiu ultimately decided not to tell Jia Qianrou about this. Since she had also learned it from a teacher, if this matter were truly important, Wen Zhidie would surely have emphasized it in class.
But if it hadn’t been mentioned, telling Jia Qianrou now would only add unnecessary pressure. Huang Xiu had just turned to look at Bu Chenghua when he immediately waved his hand, his expression one of prior expectation.
“You don’t need to ask. I’ll tell you: I’m of The Fearful Skeleton lineage.” Bu Chenghua’s tone was dry. “Didn’t expect that, did you?”
“Hahaha, I didn’t even expect it myself!”
“You’ve asked everyone, A’Xiu. What lineage are you, then?” Jia Qianrou turned to ask.
“Ahem, I am, of course…” Huang Xiu covered her mouth and coughed twice, brainstorming for two seconds before finally deciding to tell the truth. “The White Tower lineage!”
There was no need for her to hide this. After all, each lineage had many interpretations; as long as she didn’t reveal her specific yearning, it was fine.
‘Wait, I’m White Tower, Jia Qianrou is The Sun, Bu Chenghua is The Fearful Skeleton… Could Ying Zhiyu coincidentally be The Abyss?’ Huang Xiu thought. If that were the case, it would be too much of a coincidence.
Out of the five major lineages, gathering four of them among her immediate friends was truly something else. Once the students had all finished looking at their lineage results, Wen Zhidie clapped the podium, resuming her lecture.
“Now that everyone has seen their lineage test results, we will officially begin the practice of the Silver Plating Method.” With that, she took out her phone and operated it.
Immediately, a screen descended, and a projector, located somewhere unseen, cast an image onto it. The photo showed a stone slab, intricately carved with patterns resembling lotus flowers. Upon closer inspection, amidst the floral designs, numerous fine, crack-like, strangely twisted characters were visible. They looked like writing, yet also like some abstract artwork.