The cold, light-blocking ribbon wrapped around Yun Meng's wrist once more, its dark fabric contrasting sharply with her flushed cheeks. Her eyes – still glistening with unshed tears – held Bai Hao's gaze for a long, deep moment before she turned and fled toward the far end of the playground, disappearing into the distance without looking back. Only the faint, refreshing scent of her perfume lingered in the air, soft and ephemeral like morning dew on grass.
Bai Hao rubbed the back of his head, wincing slightly as he touched the tender spot where he'd hit the ground. The ghost of her gentle touch still seemed to linger on his skin, but there was no time to dwell on the memory. A profound stirring deep within his soul pulled at him with instinctual force, driving him forward as if guided by an unseen hand.
He suddenly closed his eyes, held his breath, and focused every ounce of his concentration inward, sinking into the depths of his spiritual sea. When his mind cleared and settled into that familiar space between reality and consciousness, the horrific sight he'd witnessed earlier flooded back with overwhelming intensity!
What in the world is that thing?
It was a monster of such colossal scale that words alone could never hope to describe it. It seemed not to be made of flesh and blood, but forged from the twisted, solidified essence of the most primitive, cruel, and turbulent chaos in existence. Even at the level of pure consciousness, the terrifying pressure it exuded – ancient, indifferent, and absolute – bore down on him like a mountain, threatening to crush both his mind and soul into dust.
Just as his consciousness was about to shatter under the weight of this chaotic force, a gentle yet impossibly firm light pierced through the endless darkness at the very core of his being!
Light?!
In the depths of this chaotic sea of consciousness – a place he'd always believed to be empty and barren – there was light! Bai Hao's conscious form was drawn toward it as if by a magnet, pulled through the swirling darkness with increasing speed. The light was dazzling, but not in the way of fire or sun – its flowing, shifting patterns held a mysterious complexity, as if they contained some indescribable universal law or cosmic charm.
This shape… it looks so familiar!
As he drew closer, he realized the light's form was nearly identical to the sacred mark on the back of his hand – as if both had been carved from the same celestial mold. An indescribable longing welled up from the deepest recesses of his soul, so powerful it felt like a physical ache. His conscious form extended a "finger," trembling with a mixture of incredible hope and profound anxiety, and gently touched the point of light…
"Buzzing—!"
It wasn't a sound that reached his ears, but rather a direct explosion of information that flooded his entire being. Countless fragments of light and shadow, intricate mysterious runes, and rhythmic energy trajectories surged through him like a tidal wave! A powerful surge of energy washed over his consciousness, as if an ancient repository of inherited knowledge had been unlocked and downloaded into his mind in an instant.
In that single moment, Bai Hao understood every detail of Yun Meng's [Projection] ability – not just how to use it, but its fundamental principles, limits, and hidden potential. The sheer volume of information left his mind reeling, completely overwhelmed by this sudden "inheritance." When he finally emerged from his spiritual sea and his consciousness returned to his physical body, a wave of intense dizziness washed over him, nearly sending him stumbling to the ground.
He gripped the rough bark of a nearby tree trunk for support, breathing heavily as cold sweat drenched his back and soaked through his shirt. How is this possible?! he thought frantically. The source of a Spirit Master's power – their unique innate ability – why was it appearing in his consciousness, the mind of a Spirit Envoy?
A wild conjecture began to take shape in his mind, slithering into his thoughts like a venomous snake – beautiful yet deadly, threatening to shatter everything he'd ever known about the psionic world. This needs to be verified!
With great effort, he staggered to his feet, a complex glint of determination and disbelief shining in his eyes. He extended his right hand toward the open space in front of him, his arm moving with sudden purpose as he whispered the word under his breath: "Projection."
Shriek—!
The air itself let out a piercing, sharp cry as light began to condense in his clenched palm. The projection patterns that formed were far denser than anything Yun Meng had ever created, materializing at a speed visible to the naked eye. Out of thin air appeared a longsword – its entire body glowing with a brilliant cold blue light, unlike the ordinary steel blades Yun Meng typically summoned.
As the sword took shape, its sharpness was almost tangible – slicing through the air with a low hiss that sent shivers down his spine. Its lines were flawlessly smooth, its texture possessing the hardness and translucent beauty of the finest jade. A shimmering blue halo flowed along the blade's edge, radiating both intense cold and astonishing sharpness. In every way, its material quality and cutting power surpassed Yun Meng's projections by several orders of magnitude – it could easily be called a divine weapon!
"How could this happen!" Bai Hao's pupils dilated with shock as he stared at the sword floating in his grasp. A Spirit Envoy… can actually use a Spirit Master's innate ability on their own?! If word of this ever got out, it would send shockwaves across the entire planet! It was enough to destroy the entire contract system that had governed human society for tens of thousands of years – a system built and refined by countless extraordinary individuals throughout history.
For millennia, it had been the limited abilities of Spirit Envoys and their unchangeable fate that had solidified the supreme status of female Spirit Masters in society. Even the strongest male superhumans were destined to serve, their lives defined by humility and submission to their female contractors. But now… he had broken this unshakable rule! If men could wield the abilities that were supposed to belong exclusively to women, the line between master and servant would blur into nothingness.
Could this be my true innate ability? he wondered. The power to acquire – and even enhance – a contractor's innate abilities? Judging by the results, not only could he use Yun Meng's power, but he could also improve upon it significantly.
"If that's really the case, then this talent is truly extraordinary!" he murmured to himself, his voice filled with excitement he could barely contain. "I'd be grateful even if it were only Yellow-level, let alone Profound-level!"
His mind raced with possibilities. If he could truly acquire abilities from other Spirit Masters, then his own potential would be limitless – he could evolve and grow stronger without end by forming contracts with multiple partners. Throughout history, others had tried to do exactly this, but most had met tragic ends. The relationship between Spirit Masters and Spirit Envoys was built on trust and exclusivity; few Masters were willing to share their Envoys with others. Even in cooperative arrangements, an Envoy's loyalty was considered the ultimate measure of their worth.
In a way, Spirit Envoys served as protectors of their Masters – their sensitive and special status meant they could not serve multiple partners at once. Because of this, about three hundred years ago, after the establishment of the New Spirit Calendar, the entire planet adopted a strict system: one Spirit Envoy could only form a contract with one Spirit Master, while Masters faced no such restrictions. Many powerful and influential female Spirit Masters maintained contracts with multiple Envoys simultaneously – a practice that, while controversial, was perfectly legal.
Now that I have this ability to acquire others' talents, I have to try forming contracts with multiple Spirit Masters – even if it means going against the entire world! Bai Hao resolved firmly. But he also knew he had to be careful in choosing his partners; a poor choice could become a burden rather than a source of strength. Each additional contract would increase the spiritual stress and resource costs he faced – most Envoys only attempted multiple contracts after reaching advanced cultivation levels.
With only twenty days left until the college entrance exam, time was running out. He had to be fully prepared before then. In this world, the exam was divided into two parts: written tests and martial trials – also known as the Academic Assessment and the Combat Assessment.
The Academic Assessment consisted of traditional written exams, and while it could grant entry to some psionic universities, the majors available were limited, and future development potential was restricted. The Combat Assessment, however, was the path most students in the Xia Kingdom aspired to take. Only a handful of truly exceptional talents – like Yun Meng and Mu Wanqiu, with their Saint-level abilities – were admitted directly without taking the exams at all. For everyone else, the Combat Assessment was the only way to gain entry into top-tier psionic institutions, provided their scores in both assessments met the required standards.
But the Combat Assessment in this world of extraordinary powers was also among the most dangerous tests imaginable. Every year, a significant number of students lost their lives during the trials – in the most difficult secret realm stages, the mortality rate exceeded 50%. This was despite the constant protection and supervision of proctors, who were trained to intervene immediately if a student was overwhelmed or chose to surrender, extracting them from the exam area to safety. Even with these safeguards, the death toll remained high – a testament to the incredible dangers involved.
Yet the high mortality rate did nothing to dampen students' determination to challenge their fates through the Combat Assessment. Year after year, thousands of young aspirants stepped forward, willing to risk everything for a chance at a better future. Where Bai Hao had felt hopeless and frustrated about his prospects just yesterday, today he was filled with energy and renewed hope. If he could form a second spiritual contract before the exam and acquire another Master's abilities, his chances of passing would increase dramatically.
As he walked across the empty playground, the afternoon sun casting long shadows across the grass, he began to calculate his resources. He currently held 100,000 yuan in cash from Yun Meng's contract payment, and with the savings in his bank account, he had about 110,000 yuan total. Every penny had been earned through part-time work and diligent studying; he'd never dared to spend recklessly, knowing that mismanagement could leave him homeless. But with the exam approaching, he knew he had to invest every resource into strengthening himself.
If he could raise his cultivation level to become a true [Spiritualist] before the exam, his chances of surviving the Combat Assessment would improve exponentially. Right now, he was no different from an ordinary person – completely unprepared to face the strange and dangerous creatures that would appear in the trial realms. The only path forward was through relentless practice, mastering his abilities and pushing his limits until he was strong enough to stand his ground.
Realm Classification (General):
Spirit Apprentice → Spirit Master → Great Spiritual Wizard → Holy Spirit → Spirit Emperor (National Authority Level) → Spirit God (Law Domain) → Supreme (Great Dao, Creation Realm)