Volume 1: Bo'an Awakening & The Calamity Storm
Chapter 10
Crimson Flame Awakens!
Clang——!
A crisp, resonant chime—reminiscent of an ancient bronze bell tolling across the ages—suddenly resonated from the deepest recesses of Lin Feng’s soul!
That final, hair-thin gap was obliterated at last!
Under the relentless magnetic pull of the preceding six stars and the supreme sovereign suppression of the Primordial Dragon Pendant, the seventh Star Core of the Fire Element locked firmly and unconditionally into the final empty constellation slot!
One! Two! Three! Four! Five! Six! Seven!
All seven crimson Star Cores, blazing like incandescent fire rubies, erupted in unison with blinding luminescence!
And then, a breathtaking spectacle unfurled within his Sea of Consciousness.
From the first Star Core, a streak of brilliant crimson radiance—pure as spun threads of primordial flame—shot forth. It pierced through the second... the third... the fourth... the fifth... the sixth... and latched securely onto the seventh!
A complete, unbroken circuit of light—dazzling, pristine, and magnificent—slashed across his inner void like a streak of a fiery comet blazing through the midnight sky!
The Fire Star Path!
This was the Star Path—the sacred bridge bridging mortal will and the primordial elemental magic of heaven and earth!
Boom!
The very instant the Star Path snapped into place, a torrential surge of tyrannical magical energy erupted from his Sea of Consciousness, scouring through every meridian and channel across Lin Feng’s entire body. His pores opened wide; every single cell within him seemed to dance and rejoice in a warm, invigorating ocean of fire. His spiritual perception rippled outward. Within a ten-meter radius of the cramped attic room, he could distinctly sense every stray mote of Fire mana drifting through the ambient air—flocking to him eagerly, affectionately, like children gathering to welcome their beloved father home!
Lin Feng slowly opened his eyes.
In the obsidian depths of his pupils, twin embers of crimson fire flickered brilliantly against the pitch-black shadows.
He drew a deep breath and slowly raised his right hand into the air, spreading his five fingers wide.
“Star Path... Align!”
Lin Feng commanded inwardly.
Within his Sea of Consciousness, the seven Star Cores answered his summons without a heartbeat of delay. The thread of fire blazed across its charted trajectory with flawless precision, devoid of the slightest deviation! The entire sequence unfolded in under a single second!
Fwoosh——!
The temperature inside the attic room surged in a sudden, blistering swelter!
Right atop Lin Feng’s right palm, a vibrant crimson flame ignited with an explosive roar! The plume of fire surged half a meter into the air. It required no dry timber or kerosene to feed upon, consuming nothing but the pure, condensed mana radiating directly from his flesh!
The fiery brilliance swayed obediently to every subtle flex of his fingers—curling into a compact orb of flame one moment, stretching into a razor-sharp blazing blade the next. Waves of scalding heat rippled outward, singeing floating specks of dust until they hissed into wisps of smoke. Yet against Lin Feng’s palm, there was not the faintest trace of a burn; on the contrary, it felt incomparably warm, comforting, and natural!
Basic Fire Magic — 1st Tier: Fire Burst: Crimson Sparks!
He had done it!
Barely four months had elapsed since the Awakening Ceremony. Without ever consuming a single expensive Magic Crystal, he had officially crossed the threshold of a mere apprentice to become a true Mage—one capable of unleashing genuine, destructive elemental magic!
If word of this achievement ever reached the ears of Principal Qin or the elders of Bian’an City, an earth-shattering tempest would undoubtedly tear through the entire region. Throughout the centennial history of Fenglan High School, even the most celebrated prodigies had required at least a full year just to complete their first Star Path!
Yet the astonishment was far from over!
Just as the crimson flame blazed in Lin Feng’s hand, deep within his Sea of Consciousness...
Rumble!
A deafening peal of thunder detonated from the Lightning Stardust domain on his right!
Spurred by the completion of the Fire Star Path and the boundless torrent of pure spiritual energy pouring from the Primordial Dragon Pendant, the seven violet-black Star Cores of the Lightning Element refused to be outdone!
The seventh Lightning Star Core roared into motion, hurtling of its own accord into the trajectory traced by the six violet stars!
A streak of dark violet lightning, carrying the ferocious, destructive aura of an ancient primordial dragon, tore across the celestial void with a piercing shriek, binding all seven Star Cores together in an iron grip!
The Lightning Star Path... had simultaneously taken shape!
Bzzzt... Crackle!
Upon the tip of Lin Feng’s left index finger, microscopic arcs of violet-black lightning snapped and crackled frantically. The air warped under the intense electrical ionization, releasing the pungent, sharp tang of ozone!
Right hand: Blazing crimson flame!
Left hand: Roaring violet thunder!
Dual-Element Star Paths, fully activated!
The two most violent and destructive basic magic disciplines in the world now rested entirely within the grasp of a sixteen-year-old youth!
Lin Feng slowly curled his hands closed. The crimson flames and violet sparks recoiled instantly back into his frame, returning the dusty attic room to its serene, quiet stillness.
He rose to his feet and walked over to the attic window.
Beyond the eastern horizon, the pale rose glow of dawn had begun cleaving through the dense mist enveloping Mount Canglei. Gentle morning rays spilled over the sloping red-tiled roofs of Bian’an City.
Dong... Dong... Dong...
The heavy bronze bell atop the bell tower of Fenglan Magic High School pealed in measured, rhythmic resonance, echoing far across the city to announce the dawn of a new day.
Today... was the Midterm Annual Examination!
The day of reckoning for all students of the twelfth grade!
Lin Feng leaned down to pick up the grey woolen scarf that Xiaomo had stayed up late into the night knitting for him, wrapping it gently around his neck. He straightened the collar of his school uniform, his gaze sharpening like a honed blade toward the imposing silhouette of the high school standing proudly in the city center.
The corner of the youth’s lips curled into a smirk of fearless arrogance:
“Ling Bai... Li Peng... Experimental Class 1...”
“Your little circus act... it’s about time to draw the curtain!”