"Bring the backup awakening device! Hurry!"
The principal of Suzhou-Hangzhou No. 1 High School roared almost uncontrollably across the vast playground, his voice carrying over the sea of students with urgent crisis laced in every syllable. The light radiating from the Awakening Stone beneath Bai Hao's hands was so breathtakingly intense it felt like a psychic storm surging through everyone's consciousness—leaving even the most seasoned teachers dizzy with awe!
If a legendary genius truly emerged from this modest school, tucked away in the heart of Jiangnan province…
The news would shake the entire Xia Kingdom to its foundations and even ripple through the delicate global order of Spirit Masters! Nations would scramble to recruit him, ancient clans would vie for his allegiance, and the balance of power that had held steady for centuries might shift overnight.
At the thought, a wave of scorching heat rushed to the principal's head. His face flushed crimson as if he'd downed three full cups of fine rice wine, and his lips curled upward involuntarily into a grin so wide—if not for the limits of human anatomy—they might have stretched clear around to the back of his skull! Wrinkles he'd earned from decades of administrative stress seemed to smooth out as visions of glory danced before his eyes.
He could already picture the glorious entry on his resume, framed in gold letters:
If this comes to pass, this will be my final year as principal of Suzhou-Hangzhou No. 1 High School—and the launchpad to catapult me to the peak of my career! A position on the National Spiritual Education Committee awaits, perhaps even a seat in the Imperial Advisory Council itself!
Even the usually calm and unflappable dignitaries on the main podium couldn't stay seated. The rustle of wind against silk and wool filled the air as figures stirred into action—some leaping gracefully over the rows of students, others gliding forward on cushions of condensed air, a few even vanishing and reappearing in flashes of light. In the blink of an eye, these esteemed individuals—including district education officials, senior Spirit Masters from the local guild, and even a representative from the prestigious Qingbei Sacred Academy—used their respective abilities to reach the core of the circular Awakening Platform, forming a tight circle around Bai Hao at its center.
"Bai Hao, don't rush—just hold on a moment," the principal struggled to rein in his overeager tone, forcing what he hoped was a warm, grandfatherly smile as he stepped forward to place a steadying hand on the young man's shoulder. "Once we install the new assessment tool—imported directly from the capital's Spiritual Research Institute—we'll re-evaluate your talent immediately! This is truly a historic moment for our school… for the entire region!"
From the crowd of officials stepped a middle-aged man in a perfectly tailored black felt jacket, his silver hair combed back neatly and his movements carrying the quiet confidence of someone accustomed to authority. His demeanor was calm as he approached with a broad, genuine grin, extending his hand with both palms open in a gesture of respect. "Hello, Bai Hao! I'm Cen Tianrui from the Suzhou-Hangzhou Education Bureau—Head of the Special Talents Division, in fact. Truly, heroes rise from the youth! I've been in this position for fifteen years, and I've never seen anything like what you've just displayed. I guarantee your future achievements will be limitless!"
"Hello, sir."
Bai Hao maintained the poise of a proper young man, straightening his back as he shook the official's hand. His own palm was slightly damp with nervous sweat, but he kept his grip firm and steady. Just seeing these influential figures gathered around him—their eyes shining with excitement and calculation—seemed to excite him more than his own awakening had. Though he didn't know the details yet, the weight of opportunity hung heavy in the air, and it was clear his path forward was about to open wider than he'd ever dared to dream.
...
With the principal personally overseeing operations, efficiency soared to unprecedented levels. The complex equipment replacement that usually took half a day to complete—requiring careful disassembly, calibration, and spiritual energy alignment—was finished and fully tested in mere minutes. A team of technicians in white uniforms moved with practiced precision, their hands glowing with faint blue light as they worked to install the new Awakening Stone—a massive crystal imported from the frozen peaks of the Northern Mountains, said to be able to measure talent up to the highest Imperial ranks.
Thanks to this swift work, Bai Hao finally slipped free from the encirclement of middle-aged men who'd been peppering him with questions and promises. He stepped away from the platform, patting his pocket and feeling the crisp edges of several glossy business cards printed with impressive titles and golden seals. Director of the Jiangnan Spirit Manufacturing Consortium… Dean of Admissions at Wuhan Spiritual University… Chairman of the Suzhou-Hangzhou Spirit Merchants Guild… It had to be said—having talent was a massive advantage; even before he'd begun training, even before his talent had been properly assessed, people were scrambling to leave their contacts and curry favor. From this angle, wouldn't life be smooth sailing from here on out?
"Bai Hao, please try again!"
The teacher in charge of the awakening ceremony—a woman named Ms. Liu who'd been with the school for twenty years—displayed an almost overly humble attitude, a flawless professional smile on her face as she made a deep, respectful gesture of invitation toward the new crystal. Her usual strict demeanor had vanished completely, replaced by the kind of deference one would show to a visiting noble. There was no denying it—in this world, talent meant you could do as you pleased.
Bai Hao took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the morning air that still carried the scent of jasmine from the school gardens, tamping down the surge of excitement that threatened to make his hands shake. He squared his shoulders and firmly placed his palm on the cool, smooth surface of the new Awakening Stone. The moment his skin made contact, he felt as if his chest had been struck by a heavy hammer—an intense jolt that sent pain radiating through his entire body. It was as if something deep within him, something ancient and powerful, was rejecting the device, expressing quiet but unmistakable dissatisfaction.
The halo of light blazed to life once more, wrapping around Bai Hao's hand in a spiral of energy. Yet this time, where the first stone had burst with blinding brilliance, its vibrant aura seemed somewhat… dim? The colored lights on the surrounding assessment device began to pulse again in their familiar sequence, but their hue was distinctly off—duller, almost washed out compared to the vivid colors he'd seen moments before.
Yellow! – The light glowed warm and steady, like a candle flame in a draftless room.
Profound! – After considerable effort, the color deepened to a rich blue, though it lacked the crackling intensity usually associated with this rank.
…And stopped cold.
Just then, a piercing chill surged from the depths of Bai Hao's soul without warning—as if he'd plunged into an endless ice cave where the temperature dropped below anything humanly bearable! His body stiffened instantly, every muscle locking into place as goosebumps rose across his skin despite the warm morning sun.
Deep within his consciousness, in a space that existed beyond time and matter, a majestic and awe-inspiring presence seemed to stir slightly—like a giant awakening from a slumber that had lasted millennia. It roused by the faint call of the Awakening Stone's power, and though it made no sound, Bai Hao could feel its immense weight pressing down on him like mountains stacked upon mountains! The sensation lasted no more than a split second, yet it drained every last ounce of strength from his body, leaving him swaying on his feet.
Bai Hao trembled and glanced up sharply, his heart sinking as he saw the pillar of light hovering motionless above the stone—stuck fast at the Profound rank!
"Profound… Low Profound rank?!"
Total silence!
Absolute stillness fell over the entire playground, so complete that you could hear the buzz of a single fly passing overhead. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath.
This sudden turn left everyone present speechless. The expressions of the important figures who'd been mapping out grand plans—scholarships, special training programs, even marriage alliances with powerful clans—froze instantly, their eyes wide with disbelief and shock. It was a truly staggering sight to see men and women who'd faced down rampaging spirit beasts and political coups rendered completely immobile by surprise.
What had happened to that incredible phenomenon just moments ago? The light that had reached beyond Imperial rank, that had shattered a stone built to withstand even the most powerful awakenings? Where had that divine brilliance vanished to? Could the broken machine have cruelly tricked them all, creating an illusion of greatness only to dash their hopes? Was this nothing more than… an emotional waste?!
"Impossible!"
The principal nearly blurted it out without thinking, his face going pale before darkening with frustration. His voice trembled slightly as he took a step toward the assessment device, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. His gaze was fixed on the glowing words "Profound Rank" displayed in cold blue light, and his gleaming vision of the future seemed to crumble piece by piece like a sandcastle washed away by high tide! He simply couldn't accept this—couldn't bear the thought that his chance at glory had vanished so quickly.
"This new device must be faulty too! I demand a full inspection! Bai Hao! Test again! Try right now!"
His unwilling roar echoed across the playground, laced with desperation and a final flicker of hope that somehow, some way, the mistake could be corrected.
Bai Hao himself refused to believe it. The memory of that overwhelming power still lingered in his bones, a warmth that contrasted sharply with the cold emptiness he felt now. Gritting his teeth against the unexplainable weakness that had settled in his limbs and the racing heartbeat that threatened to burst from his chest, he raised his hand again—his arm shaking slightly—and pressed it firmly against the Awakening Stone, pouring every ounce of willpower he possessed into the attempt!
The ring of light…
It sputtered to life, but it was as fragile as a candle flame flickering in a gale-force wind. The glow was dim, barely illuminating Bai Hao's hand as it climbed laboriously and unsteadily through the ranks. Yellow came quickly enough, but the climb to Profound was slow and painful, as if the stone itself was resisting his touch. After brushing the lowest threshold of the Profound rank by the merest fraction, it couldn't advance another inch! The light wavered, growing so faint it seemed ready to snuff out at any moment, like a dying ember in wet ash.
The more tests performed, the weaker it became? This made no sense at all! Every textbook on spiritual awakening stated that a person's talent rank was fixed at the moment of awakening—unchanging no matter how many times you tested it. Yet here stood Bai Hao, defying all known rules of spirit cultivation. It was an unprecedented phenomenon, one that would have sent shockwaves through the academic community if anyone had been able to explain it.
The principal's spirit deflated instantly, his shoulders slumping forward as all the color drained from his face, leaving it darkening like a burnt clay pot. He didn't even bother maintaining formality or thanking the officials who'd gathered to witness the event—he simply turned and strode away without a word, his heavy footsteps kicking up small clouds of dust as he went. He left only a back view heavy with disappointment, his once-straight posture now bent as if carrying a great weight.
The atmosphere on the Awakening Platform grew so awkward it was almost tangible, like a thick fog settling over the stone. The Awakening Teacher's smile vanished without a trace, replaced by rigid stillness and a sense of absurdity that made her want to shake her head in disbelief. She glanced at the dull, lifeless stone that had cost the school a small fortune to import, then at the glaring "Profound Rank" display that mocked them all, before finally clearing her throat and announcing in a heavy, flat voice that carried no emotion at all: "Student Bai Hao… after repeated assessments, his talent is officially recorded as… Low Profound Rank."
"Whispering—"
"Hush! Do you want to get in trouble?"
"What is going on here… did we all imagine that light earlier?"
"Maybe he tricked us somehow? Used some kind of spirit artifact?"
In an instant, all the hopeful gazes in the crowd evaporated like morning dew under the midday sun, and jeers erupted across the field—sharp, cruel sounds that cut through the air like broken glass. From witnessing history in the making to watching a farce had taken only minutes, and the shift in mood was as dramatic as it was sudden. The excitement and enthusiasm of moments before had curdled into disgust and disappointment, with students pointing fingers and laughing at the boy who'd briefly been hailed as a once-in-a-millennium genius.
A mythic talent that surpassed even the highest Imperial rank? The result was… mere Profound level? They'd thought Bai Hao would become a legendary figure, someone whose name would be written in the annals of spirit cultivation, with talent exceeding even the greatest emperors of the past! Instead, it was a complete mess—nothing more than ordinary Profound-rank talent, the kind you'd find in any decent school across the kingdom.
In the Xia Kingdom, talent like this wasn't considered low or inferior—Profound rank meant you could become a useful member of society, perhaps even a mid-level Spirit Master with enough training. But its numbers were staggering—hundreds of millions strong across the nation's fifteen provinces. In an era filled with extraordinary individuals who could move mountains and part seas, he belonged to the largest group of unremarkable, average people—the kind who would spend their lives working in spiritual resource depots, teaching at small schools, or serving as low-level guards for merchant caravans. Talent like this was utterly common, so ordinary it barely warranted a second glance.
"…"
Bai Hao stood alone where he was, a faint flush of embarrassment crossing his cheeks as he felt hundreds of eyes on him—some mocking, some pitying, most simply indifferent. Had he soared to great heights? Well, he had risen—but not fully. At least before the second test, he'd briefly touched something extraordinary, something that had made the world itself hold its breath. Before they could even glimpse the view from above the clouds, they'd tumbled back to the starting point… The contrast was stark indeed, like flying in a palace made of stars only to wake up in a mud hut.
Yet compared to the disappointment and embarrassment of his Profound-rank assessment, he was more concerned about the strange sensation he'd felt within his body—the presence that had stirred in his soul, ancient and vast beyond comprehension. Even now, he could feel it lying dormant deep within him, like a giant sleeping at the bottom of the ocean, its breathing sending ripples through his entire being.
The teacher, still maintaining professional composure despite the chaos around them, walked to Bai Hao's side. Her expression was a mix of barely concealed disappointment and routine concern as she gently patted his shoulder, her touch light and impersonal. "Hey, Bai Hao—don't be too discouraged. Profound rank… isn't completely hopeless. There are many successful Spirit Masters who started at this level, though it will take more effort on your part. The road ahead is still long. Prepare well for the National College Entrance Examination (Gaokao) in three months. If you score top marks in the written test, you'll still have a shot at prestigious universities—some even offer special programs for hardworking students with lower talent ranks. Talent… isn't everything."
Her voice was flat, and her comforting words rang hollow and ineffective, like trying to warm someone with a picture of a fire. Everyone knew that in the world of spirit cultivation, talent was almost everything—hard work could only take you so far when faced with someone who could advance ten times faster with half the effort.
Bai Hao lowered his head, his expression peculiar as he stared at his hands—they looked no different than they had this morning, yet he knew something had changed deep within. A faint glint of doubt and contemplation, nearly imperceptible to others, flickered in his dark eyes. Based on what he'd learned from books and lectures over the past few days, during awakening, one's spirit would descend into the soul realm—a personal space unique to every individual—and clearly "see" the form of their talent or sense its characteristics: a sword for combat talents, a seed for healing abilities, a compass for divination skills.
Yet...
When he'd closed his eyes and focused during his awakening, all he'd seen was endless chaos swallowing everything in its path! It was a vast expanse of swirling darkness and light, where shapes formed and dissolved in an instant, where nothing stayed the same for more than a heartbeat. It was silence and an eternal abyss—no light, no sound, nothing solid at all. The elders in the textbooks called this the Chaotic Sea of Consciousness, a mythical realm said to exist only in the oldest legends, associated with powers beyond mortal comprehension.
Combined with the almost absurd difference between the two tests, a bold thought quietly took root in his mind—one that even surprised him with its audacity. His talent… might be incredibly special! The strange reaction that had shattered the first device might not have been an illusion at all! After all, even when the highly anticipated Mu Wanqiu—the school's beauty and top student—had awakened her Saint-rank talent just minutes before, the stone hadn't reacted with such overwhelming power. It had glowed brightly, yes, but it hadn't cracked, let alone exploded into thousands of pieces. At the very least, the brilliant light that had first burst forth from his touch was probably real—a sign that whatever lay within him was far more than what the assessment devices could measure.
Bai Hao didn't linger on the platform or waste time wallowing in disappointment. Instead, amid the crowd's sighs and mutters, he turned and walked steadily back toward his class formation, his head held high despite the laughter that followed him. The most urgent task wasn't determining his talent rank—it was figuring out what his talent actually was! If you didn't know what your ability was, you couldn't train it properly, couldn't use it to fight, couldn't hope to advance. Usually, when a Spirit Master sought to form a contract with a powerful spirit partner, the first step was to reveal their own talent and abilities to assess compatibility—without knowing his own power, he'd be like a warrior going into battle without knowing what weapon he carried.
His thoughts were interrupted by loud voices from nearby, where a crowd had gathered around the school's most famous student.
"Mu Wanqiu, will you sign a contract with me? I'm a low-rank Spirit Envoy specializing in speed enhancement. Even though I'm nowhere near your