Although Ye Wei's voice wasn't loud, every student in the classroom heard it clearly. After a brief moment of stunned silence, mocking laughter echoed once again throughout the room.
"Hahaha! Who does Ye Wei think he is? That was Miss Zi Yan's 'Triple Tidal Palms'—he, a mere one-star apprentice, the most useless student in the entire class, dares to claim there's a flaw in her supernatural technique?"
"He's completely ignorant of his place!"
"Miss Zi Yan encourages him a little, and now he thinks he can touch the heavens?" the students sneered mercilessly.
"Even if he's skimmed a few old texts, there's a limit to how much one can pretend to know," Xiao Qi added with a scornful snort. His gaze swept over Ye Wei with utter contempt. A mocking smirk played on his lips, his heart seething with satisfaction. How could Miss Zi Yan's supernatural technique possibly be flawed?
Even if—just taking the farthest step back—her technique did contain a flaw, Ye Wei had the gall to point it out in front of the entire class? Wasn't that the same as publicly embarrassing Miss Zi Yan? She might be graceful and kind, but even she couldn't tolerate that, could she?
Xiao Qi leaned back smugly, already anticipating Ye Wei's downfall. Surely, this time, he'd offended Miss Zi Yan beyond forgiveness.
But to everyone's surprise—including Xiao Qi—the unexpected happened.
"Well said!" Miss Zi Yan's eyes widened for a breath before she smiled warmly, her praise sincere and without hesitation. Her gaze toward Ye Wei was filled with wonder, as if she were beholding an unpolished gem of immense value.
Angry? How could she be angry?
Zi Yan had intentionally embedded a flaw in the technique precisely to test Ye Wei's soul perception—and he had found it! Rather than frustration, she was delighted beyond words. A one-star apprentice with such acute perception... Ye Wei's talent was far greater than she had expected. With proper guidance and cultivation, his potential was boundless. Even if he never stepped into the realm of martial strength, he could still become a master of divine patterns.
In Qingyue City, perhaps one in ten people could be trained as a martial artist. But among thousands, there might not be one who could become a master of divine patterns. In the entire city, only three individuals could claim such a title.
Masters of the divine were not just creators of supernatural techniques; they could also perceive flaws in existing powers and help others perfect them—a rare and invaluable ability. As such, they were frequently sought after and honored by powerful clans.
Suppressing the excitement rising in her chest, Lin Ziyan composed herself. Her gaze burned with renewed intensity as she looked toward Ye Wei.
"How do you think this flaw should be corrected?"
The implication in her words was clear: Ye Wei had not only noticed the flaw—he might even have the insight to perfect the technique. That alone marked him as someone far beyond his peers.
But Ye Wei hesitated.
He did know how to fix it. But if he explained it aloud, wouldn't it seem... too unbelievable?
Looking at the shocked expressions on his classmates' faces, Ye Wei's mind stirred with unease. The miraculous insights he had gained in his dreams—he had never told a soul. He wanted only to quietly digest that knowledge, not draw attention.
"Miss Zi Yan must have intentionally left that flaw..." whispered some of the students, their previous mockery now replaced with awe.
Even if they were only in the junior class of Nanxing College, they understood the significance of Ye Wei's action. To identify a flaw in a supernatural power required extraordinary soul perception—something only those with true talent for the divine path could possess.
Xiao Qi clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white, his eyes bloodshot. He tried to convince himself—Ye Wei must have guessed by luck! But even so, the fury in his heart could no longer be suppressed.
"No... Impossible! Ye Wei doesn't have the talent to become a master of divine patterns!" he growled silently, barely able to contain his anger. "It was luck! Just dumb luck! Like a blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse! That garbage... that trash of Nanxing College—how could he possibly have such talent?"
Xiao Qi understood all too well what it meant to be a master of divine patterns. Even if Ye Wei's Soul Sea was the weakest red rank, as long as he attained mastery, the vice presidents and deans of the college would show him utmost respect! The divine path offered a route to surpass even the limits of one's innate talent.
The thought of a "useless" classmate suddenly rising above him, standing tall in a realm Xiao Qi could never reach—it was a blow too heavy to bear.
"Ye Wei... has the talent to become a divine master... I'm finished!" muttered a tall student in a panic. He recalled how he had bullied Ye Wei alongside Xiao Qi. "He won't hold a grudge, will he?" Regret washed over him like a cold tide. He was already planning to apologize after class.
The wrath of a future divine master... even my family wouldn't be able to protect me!
"I was a fool to listen to Xiao Qi! If not for him, how would I have offended Ye Wei?" another student murmured gloomily.
After Ye Wei revealed his keen soul perception, the atmosphere in the classroom shifted dramatically. In the eyes of the students, he had already surpassed Xiao Qi.
So what if Xiao Qi was in the primary class of the advanced division? So what if he was a five-star apprentice or the son of a high-ranking instructor? All of that was nothing compared to a potential divine master!
Even the female students, who had never given Ye Wei a second glance before, suddenly found him strikingly handsome. A faint blush rose on their cheeks as they exchanged shy glances.
Though Ye Wei's family wasn't noble, all that could change. Now that his talent was evident, it wouldn't be long before a divine master took him as a disciple. Even as a disciple, his status would become unshakable.
Standing at the front of the classroom, Ye Wei felt all those burning gazes upon him. His mouth curved into a faint, self-mocking smile, and he shook his head slightly.
So this is how quickly people change...
Though some of the girls now looked at him with newfound admiration, Ye Wei felt no joy. He had long grown used to the cold and snobbish faces around him. Among the entire class, he could count the number of true friends on a single hand.
His father's words echoed in his mind: "When you're wealthy, those around you might be false. When you suffer, only the genuine ones remain."
A real friend is one who does not abandon you when you fall.
Miss Zi Yan noticed Ye Wei's silence and sighed softly in her heart. Perhaps she had expected too much. After all, perfecting a supernatural power—even a flawed one—was no easy feat, especially for a mere one-star apprentice.
Still, Ye Wei had shown extraordinary soul perception. That alone was proof of his potential. Whether he could truly walk the path of a divine master remained to be seen.
If Ye Wei could eventually learn to perfect supernatural powers based on his perceptions, then his future would be limitless.
Understanding the divine and detecting flaws was only the foundation. The mission of a true divine master was to refine techniques—and ultimately, to create their own.
And if Ye Wei could reach that point...
Then perhaps one day, he wouldn't just be called a genius—he would be called a master.