In the first month, he attends classes, spends time in the library, and returns to his room, following this routine every day without change, and he does not try to make friends with anyone in his class.
There is only one exception, a girl named Olivia Kong.
She is not from his class, yet she always comes to sit with him during lunch, and most of the talking is done by her, while he mostly listens, and through her, he learns that the meditation being taught is a new method called the Origin Meditation Technique.
Before, people used to visualise different elements and celestial phenomena drawn with runes, but now the foundation begins with visualising Origin Runes.
During the first month, he studies and draws the Origin Runes on paper, trying to understand their structure and meaning.
In the second month, he begins to visualise the Origin Runes while maintaining the same routine, and as the month comes to an end, he hears that Olivia has successfully visualised the nine runes required and opened her spirit space, becoming the first student in their batch to become a Wizard.
This draws attention toward him, but most of it is negative.
In the third month, he continues his routine and finally solidifies the first Origin Rune, but during that same period, three other students open their spirit space, moving ahead of him, and a few days before the end of the month, he manages to solidify the second Origin Rune in his Sea of Consciousness.
In the fourth month, he continues as before, but a week into the month, he is surrounded by several boys who threaten him to stay away from Olivia, and when he refuses, they mention the address of his home, causing fear to grip his heart, and he reluctantly agrees not to speak with her anymore.
The next day, instead of going to the dining hall, he goes to the library during lunch, and from that day onward, he spends all his lunch time there.
A few days later, when he leaves class, he hears Olivia call out to him and sees her waving, walking toward him, but feeling the gaze of the boys on him, he turns and runs in the opposite direction.
For two weeks, Olivia tries to meet him, but eventually, she stops.
Wang Hui feels sad, yet also relieved, and that day he makes a vow that this will never happen again, that no one will threaten him again.
He begins to devote himself even more to meditation and study, leaving himself no free time.
A week before the end of the fourth month, he completes the solidification of the third Origin Rune, and the three Origin Runes resonate together, increasing the activity of his spirit power until it can leave his Sea of Consciousness and flow through his body, allowing him to influence ordinary people with his mental power.
Before the fourth month ends, he draws the first two Stability Runes, and two days into the fifth month, he solidifies the third Stability Rune, and as the three Stability Runes merge with the Origin Runes, a wave spreads through his Sea of Consciousness, making it stable and calming his emotions.
During this time in the library, he comes across a technique from the past warrior profession, and although he does not practice it, he studies and comprehends it, and afterwards continues to study other Warrior Cultivation Techniques.
Before the fifth month ends, he completes drawing all nine runes and successfully opens his spirit space.
During the sixth month, he changes nothing in his routine and continues his disciplined life of study and meditation, rarely stepping outside except when the examination date finally arrives.
He takes both tests quietly, without drawing attention, and returns to his room afterwards, waiting for the result like everyone else.
The next day, a crow taps at his window.
He opens it, and the crow hops inside, carrying an envelope in its beak.
He takes the envelope gently, places a few snacks on the table for the crow, and watches as it eats before flying away, leaving the room silent again.
The envelope rests on the table.
He does not open it immediately.
Instead, he takes a deep breath, steadying his emotions, as a faint sense of trepidation rises within him.
Finally, he reaches out and opens it.
Inside are two cards.
On the first card, it is written that he has received an excellent result in the tests, and as a reward, he is granted further study in the subjects of Elements and Runes.
In addition, he is allowed to choose between one extra elective subject for the next six months or one hundred magic stones, which he can claim from the administrative office.
He is also rewarded with four tricks or one Zero Tier spell.
The second card is a verification card for the spell library, where he can collect his reward.
He stares at the cards for a moment, letting the meaning settle in, before carefully placing them back into the envelope.
Then he leaves his room.
In the corridor of the dormitory, students stand at their doorways or gather in small groups, discussing their results with excitement or disappointment.
As he walks, some of them ask about his result.
He answers honestly and politely, and in return, asks about theirs, keeping his tone calm and respectful.
After about half an hour, he reaches the administrative hallway, where a long line has already formed outside the office.
He joins the line and waits patiently.
Minutes pass.
Then he hears a familiar voice behind him.
He glances back.
Olivia stands there, accompanied by two new female friends.
For a moment, their eyes meet.
Then she looks away, acting as if she does not know him.
Hui feels a sharp pang in his chest.
Sadness rises.
But he does not blame her.
He knows this is the result of his own actions.
The consequence he chose.
He turns forward again.
His hands tighten into fists.
Silently, he makes a vow.
One day, he will explain everything to her.
Why did he act the way he did?
Why did he choose to avoid her?
But not now.
Not until he has enough strength to protect his family.
The line moves slowly.
Olivia's voice drifts from behind him, and though he does not turn again, every word reaches him clearly, stirring something in his heart.
Without realising it, he reaches the front of the line.
A sharp snapping sound breaks his thoughts.
The senior wizard apprentice in charge clicks her fingers.
"Junior, why are you daydreaming?"
Hui comes back to his senses immediately.
"Senior, sorry," he says quickly.
"I want to select a new elective."
The senior apprentice looks at him.
"What is your name?"
"Wang Hui," he replies.
She inputs his name into the differentiation machine.
Moments later, she glances up and gestures toward a list on the table.
"Look at the list," she says.
"Then tell me which elective you want to choose."
Hui does not look at the list.
He has already made his decision.
"Blood Refining," he says.
The senior types again.
"Done. You can leave."
Hui bows slightly.
"Thank you."
He turns and steps away from the line.
As he passes by Olivia, he glances at her from the corner of his eye.
But he does not stop.
He continues walking.
Toward the spell library, he walks with steady steps.
Stepping inside, he suddenly finds himself standing beneath a vast starry night sky, as if he has entered another world entirely, and for a moment, he feels weightless, as though he is floating in space rather than standing on solid ground.
He pauses, confused, unsure of what to do, since this is his first time entering the spell library, and nothing here resembles what he had imagined.
He looks around carefully.
The stars shimmer softly, spreading in all directions, endless and silent.
Then, with a soft pop, a small fairy appears before him, her delicate wings fluttering gently as they release sparkling dust that drifts through the air like faint starlight.
The fairy tilts her head slightly and asks in a clear voice, "Wizard, what can I do for you?"
Hui takes out the verification card and shows it to her.
"I came for my reward," he says.
The fairy glances at the card, then looks back at him.
"What reward did you choose?" she asks.
"Four Trick Spells or one Zero-Tier Spell?"
Hui's face tightens slightly as he hesitates.
"Can I check the Zero-Tier spells first?" he asks.
The fairy nods.
With a gentle wave of her hand, the stars above begin to move.
Miniature stars descend slowly, surrounding him as they float and circle around his body like a quiet galaxy.
"This," the fairy says, "contains all the Zero-Tier spells."
"You can check them by focusing your thoughts on a star, and the information will appear in your mind."
Hui nods and looks at one of the stars.
He focuses on it.
Immediately, information appears in his mind.
Mana Blade: Condense mana into a blade.
He turns to another star.
Wind Claws: Form a claw using the Wind Element.
Another.
Fire Darts: Launch darts formed from the Fire Element.
Another.
Liberation: Temporarily unlock physical limits.
Another.
Dark Curtain: Create a curtain of darkness around the target.
He continues checking.
More and more spells appear.
Hundreds.
Thousands.
Each one is different.
Each one tempting.
His thoughts begin to tangle.
"What should I choose…" he murmurs inwardly.
There are too many options.
Too broad.
Each spell seems useful in its own way.
He repeats the question in his mind again and again, trying to decide, trying to find clarity among the overwhelming choices.
After a long moment of thinking, he finally comes to a decision.
He withdraws his attention from the stars.
The floating lights rise back into the sky.
The fairy watches him calmly.
Hui makes his choice.
Instead of selecting a single Zero-Tier spell, he chooses four Trick spells.
The selection completes instantly.
Information flows into his mind.
The spells.
Their structures.
Their runes.
Everything is inscribed within his consciousness.
Without lingering, he leaves the spell library.
The starry sky fades behind him.
He walks back toward his room.
The four Trick spells he chose are simple.
Rudimentary.
They are incomplete forms of true spells, each containing fewer than ten runes.
Their power is limited.
So limited that they cannot directly harm an ordinary person.
But they are stable.
Easy to understand.
A foundation.
He enters his room.
Sits down.
Closes his eyes.
And begins to meditate.
In his mind, he reviews the four Trick spells carefully, studying their runes and structures, preparing himself for what comes next.