Volume 1: Bo'an Awakening & The Calamity Storm
Chapter 12
Azure Frost Glare, Ling Bai Scores an A
The central stadium of Fenglan Magic High School this morning was so suffocatingly tense that it felt as if a single stray spark could ignite the entire atmosphere into an inferno.
Beneath the pale gray canopy of the sky overlooking the outskirts of Cang Lei Ridge, over fifteen hundred twelfth-grade students and the entire faculty had gathered in dense throngs around ten glossy black-granite examination stages. Line upon line of students stood assembled by class, their hushed whispers and ragged breaths blending into a low, droning hum of nervous agitation that weighed heavily upon the field.
The midterm examination was far more than a routine evaluation of magical aptitude; it was the most ruthless guillotine across all three years of magic high school. The edicts of Fenglan were unforgiving: anyone scoring a D would face immediate expulsion, stripped of their apprentice mage credentials; a C meant banishment from the elite key classes, demoting them straight to the penal labor division behind the mountain; only those securing a B or higher were permitted to remain in the standard academic lecture halls. And most coveted of all, only the single top-ranking student in the entire grade who clinched an A grade would earn the dream prize: a full month of unrestricted cultivation inside the school’s Subterranean Meditation Chamber—a sanctuary boasting elemental mana concentrations triple the normal ambient density!
“Stage Three: Student Li Liang, Light Element! Magic Stone luminescence at Grade C-Minus; Star Core control: zero stars tamed! Final evaluation: Fail!”
The metallic blare of the loudspeaker crackled from Stage Three, dry, hollow, and chilling as the strike of an executioner’s gavel. Atop the stone platform, a gaunt boy let his arms fall limp, his face as pale as parchment. Covering his face as ragged sobs broke from his chest, he stumbled down the stairs under a barrage of sympathetic glances laced with cold derision from his peers. Near the periphery of the grounds, his laborer father clung desperately to the iron fence, eyes rimmed with bloodshot tears, his battered, threadbare work cap crumpled into a mangled knot within trembling fists.
Such was the brutal reality of the magical world. Without background resources or innate genius, ruthless elimination struck as swift and unforgiving as a bolt of lightning.
“See that, Lin Feng? That’s the inevitable fate of commoner trash who don’t know their place.”
Roughly five meters from Lin Feng, Li Peng stood with his arms crossed over his chest, his shrill, mocking sneer cutting through the buzz of the crowd. Clad in an expensive, brand-new uniform adorned with the polished silver crest of Experimental Class 1, his eyes darted sidelong at Lin Feng’s faded jacket and gray woolen scarf with unvarnished disgust.
“So what if you got lucky and awakened the Fire Element? Without Magic Crystals backing you over the past six months, your Sea of Consciousness is probably still nothing more than a puddle of stagnant mud. Just wait until you step onto Stage One. When that testing stone stays pitch-black, don’t you dare go clutching Teacher Kang’s pant legs, bawling your eyes out!”
Beside Lin Feng, Chubby Hu’s face flushed an enraged purple, his hulking shoulders quivering with fury. Grinding his molars until they creaked, he lurched forward half a step, ready to seize Li Peng by the collar.
“You sycophantic lapdog of the Zhao clan, what garbage is spewing out of your snout? Say another word and I’ll knock every tooth down your throat right here and now!”
“Chubby, stand down.”
A steady, firm hand rested gently on Chubby Hu’s shoulder. Lin Feng’s gesture was light, yet it carried an immovable, anchored force that brought the hefty youth’s charging momentum to an immediate halt.
Lin Feng stood tall, his hands casually tucked into the pockets of his jacket. The woolen scarf concealed his lower chin, leaving only a pair of pitch-black eyes as placid and unfathomable as an ancient, undisturbed well. He didn’t spare Li Peng so much as half a glance, his tranquil gaze directed straight toward the central stage.
To Lin Feng, bickering with a roadside hound would only soil his own breath. He knew precisely where his true strength lay. Against his chest, nestled warmly against his skin beneath his garments, the Primordial Dragon Pendant pulsed faintly. Since last night, both of his Stardust domains—Fire and Lightning—had already aligned into full, operational Star Paths. In terms of sheer attainment, he had already left every shivering adolescent in this courtyard miles behind in the dust.
Right at that moment, the high-output public address system perched before Stage One—the premier dais where the highest-ranking evaluators and Principal Qin presided in person—crackled to life with a booming announcement:
“Next examinee for Stage One: Experimental Class 1... Ling Bai! Please step up to the examination platform!”
The instant the name “Ling Bai” rang out, the clamorous stadium fell dead silent for a split second, only to erupt into thunderous applause and frantic cheers.
“Young Master Ling is going up!”
“Heavens, the Ice Element genius of the noble Ling Clan!”
“Word is that the Ling Clan bestowed private Low-Grade Magic Crystals upon him three months ago. He’s guaranteed to smash the grade-wide score record today!”
Female students in neighboring classes craned their necks, their eyes swimming with infatuation and adoration. Amidst the rising tide of accolades, a figure parted leisurely from the ranks of Experimental Class 1, striding gracefully toward Stage One.
Ling Bai was dressed today in a bespoke academy uniform crafted from pale-blue silk, its lapels lavishly embroidered in shimmering silver thread with the six-pointed snowflake crest of the Ling Clan. His hair was impeccably coiffed, framing a handsome countenance graced with the refined, courteous smile expected of an aristocrat from an illustrious lineage. His pace was unhurried, each step radiating supreme poise and confidence—a stark contrast to the trembling wrecks who had staggered down the steps before him.
Passing the ranks of the standard classes, Ling Bai’s eyes swept cursorily over Lin Feng. The gentlemanly smirk on his lips never wavered, but deep within his gaze flickered an arrogant, mocking glint, akin to a prince peering down at filthy beggars huddled beneath the fortress ramparts.
“Student Ling Bai, there is no need for tension. Simply display everything you have comprehended over these past six months.”
Seated at the presiding table, Principal Qin offered a warm, encouraging smile and gestured gently. Beside him, the Twelfth-Grade Dean and the evaluators dispatched from the Bian’an Magic Association sat bolt upright, their undivided attention locked onto the Ling Clan scion.
“Thank you, Principal Qin. This student shall not disappoint the school’s expectations.”
Ling Bai executed a flawless, textbook bow of deference before pivoting to face the examination altar.
Before him rested the renowned Star-Sensing Stone. Sized like a human skull, the spherical, polished orb had been hewn from primeval raw ore extracted from the deepest bowels of Cang Lei Ridge. In its dormant state, the stone was wholly translucent, pristine as a flawless crystal orb. Yet the moment a mage laid hands upon it, the mineral would resonate instantaneously with their Sea of Consciousness, faithfully projecting the purity of their mana and the exact count of mastered Star Cores.
Ling Bai drew in a measured breath. He slowly raised his right hand. Upon his index finger sat an ornate silver ring set with an azure jade stone that radiated a faint, wispy frost.
Clink...
Ling Bai pressed his palm firmly against the chilled surface of the Star-Sensing Stone.
In a flash, his eyes snapped shut. Channeling his mental focus to its absolute zenith, he established a direct communion with the vibrant blue Stardust residing within his Sea of Consciousness!
Whoosh——!
A bone-piercing chill whipped across Stage One!
The ambient air enveloping the stone dais plummeted below freezing in the blink of an eye. Fine, glistening rime visible to the naked eye crystallized along the black granite, creeping outward like sprawling frost-brambles that coiled tightly around the altar’s base!
Simultaneously, from the deepest heart of the Star-Sensing Stone, a tempest of icy azure radiance erupted in brilliant fury!
“It’s glowing! Heavens, look at that luminosity!”
Gasps of astonishment rippled through the spectators below. Unlike the dim, flickering flickers produced by prior examinees, this azure radiance was incomparably pure, sharp, and incandescent—like an enormous glacial diamond ignited beneath the midday sun. The vibrant blue glow bathed Ling Bai’s handsome features, painting the entire platform in an ethereal, freezing aura.
Yet what caused the esteemed evaluators to exchange stunned glances was the revelation manifesting within the crystal orb.
By virtue of the stone’s spiritual resonance, everyone watching could distinctly discern the internal architecture reflected inside the sphere of light:
Seven tiny azure Star Cores drifted amid a swirling sea of frost mist. Among them, the first, second, and third stars hovered motionless at three vertices of a near-perfect equilateral triangle. Shining with steady, resolute brilliance, they were entirely subdued and locked beneath Ling Bai’s mental dominion!
And that wasn’t all! The fourth Star Core was trembling incessantly, wrapped in a gossamer thread of azure spiritual force projected from Ling Bai’s will, which steadily dragged it toward its designated celestial trajectory inch by inch!
“Good heavens! Three Star Cores fully tamed!”
“And the fourth... the fourth is already halfway anchored!”
The instructors flanking the dais couldn’t hold back their gasps of admiration. Even Teacher Kang Mu—renowned for his stern demeanor and uncompromising neutrality—nodded approvingly in quiet commendation.
“A mere six months of cultivation to master three stars and begin tethering the fourth... In all of Bian’an City, such progression is extraordinarily rare.”
At the presiding table, Principal Qin stroked his silver beard, his lined face beaming with undisguised delight.
“Splendid! Truly splendid! The Stardust is densely coalesced, spiritual energy is abundant and robust, without the slightest instability that comes from abusing medicinal stimulants. Ling Bai, you have truly lived up to your reputation as the premier seed of the Ling Clan!”
The chief evaluator from the Magic Association dipped his quill into vibrant red ink, decisively scrawling an enormous letter onto the score ledger before announcing through the microphone:
“Ling Bai, Experimental Class 1! Star-Sensing Stone score: Grade A! Comprehensive Evaluation: Grade A!”
Rumble——!
The moment that “Grade A” was declared, the surrounding pavilion erupted like a stirred hornet’s nest. Thunderous applause and deafening cheers resounded across every corner of the grounds. Across hundreds of examinees tested since morning, those attaining a B grade could be counted on one hand. But an A? He was the very first—and the only one so far!
Ling Bai slowly withdrew his hand. The biting frost and azure luminescence within the orb gradually subsided. Opening his eyes, his breathing was slightly hurried from the spiritual exertion, yet his visage was bathed in the triumphant arrogance of a champion atop the podium.
Lightly dusting his silk lapels, he offered a polished bow to the evaluators and descended the stone steps amidst a tempest of adulation.
“Brother Ling is invincible! Brother Ling reigns supreme!”
Li Peng had long been waiting at the base of the stairs. Beaming obsequiously, he scurried forward like a hound welcoming its master, deliberately braying at the top of his lungs for everyone in earshot:
“Grade A! An absolute Grade A! Did you all see that?! Who in the entire twelfth grade can hold a candle to Brother Ling? The cultivation slot in the school’s Subterranean Meditation Chamber is already one hundred percent in his pocket!”
The sycophants trailing behind chimed in with unabashed flattery:
“Exactly! Unlike those beggars from the standard classes who lucked into the Fire Element, only to remain useless rotten kindling that can’t even spark a fire!”
“Brother Ling is the true chosen genius! He is destined to become the first Intermediate Mage of this generation in Bian’an City!”
Drinking in the adulation, the corners of Ling Bai’s lips curled into a smirk of sublime satisfaction. Crossing his arms, he strutted directly toward the ranks of the standard classes, coming to an abrupt halt barely three paces from Lin Feng.
The surrounding atmosphere instantly chilled. Students from both flanks prudently backed away, clearing a ring for the brewing confrontation.
Ling Bai tilted his chin up, casting a downward glance brimming with contempt at Lin Feng. Lowering his voice, every syllable dripped with venom aimed straight at Lin Feng’s humble origins:
“Lin Feng, did you see clearly?”
Lin Feng remained planted where he stood, hands still tucked inside his jacket pockets, meeting Ling Bai’s gaze with tranquil silence.
Ling Bai let out a derisive scoff, shaking his head in feigned pity.
“In this world of magic, advancing far demands family background, abundant resources, and Magic Crystals to fuel cultivation. Without the wealth to purchase Magic Crystals, even a heaven-sent Fire Element leaves you nothing more than a pathetic wretch rotting away at the bottom of the heap. My three tamed Star Cores? The pauper son of a destitute truck driver like you... could never hope to touch such heights in your entire miserable lifetime.”
Leaning in half an inch closer, his voice dropped to a sinister, venomous whisper:
“When you step up to Stage One shortly, you’d better have your withdrawal papers signed and ready. Don’t go forcing your pathetic father to grovel at Uncle Zhuoyun’s feet a second time... It really was too humiliating to watch.”
“What did you just say?!”
Chubby Hu roared in fury, his eyes bloodshot with rage as he cocked a boulder-like fist, ready to shatter Ling Bai’s smug jaw. Other underprivileged youths within earshot who heard the vicious barb directed at Lin Feng’s father clenched their teeth in indignation, but cowed by the formidable clout of the Ling Clan, none dared speak up.
“Chubby, step back.”
Lin Feng once again extended an arm, his grip clamping like an iron vise around Chubby Hu’s bicep.
The sixteen-year-old youth’s face remained as placid as a fathomless mountain mere. Yet deep within his obsidian pupils, an unseen flame seemed to gather silently in the dark, coalescing into the keenest of razor-sharp blades.
Lin Feng met Ling Bai’s gaze squarely. The corners of his mouth twitched upward, carving out a faint smile so detached it bordered on cold apathy.
“Ling Bai... are you really that proud of three measly stars?”
Ling Bai froze for a heartbeat, caught off guard by Lin Feng’s eerie composure. His brows furrowed sharply, a spike of irritation flaring within him when he failed to find the slightest trace of despair, humiliation, or outrage upon the youth’s face.
“Talk big all you want, pauper! If you have the guts, try making the stone glow half as brightly as mine before you flap your gums!” Ling Bai scoffed coldly, flicking his silk sleeves as he wheeled around.
Li Peng spat a wad of phlegm onto the pavers, sneering nastily:
“Ignorant toad who doesn’t know the height of the heavens! Let’s see if you can still smile when you’re expelled and thrown into the street!”
Lin Feng didn’t bother to reply. He simply stood in silence, his fingertips in his pockets lightly brushing against the soothing warmth of the Primordial Dragon Pendant at his chest.
Three Star Cores?
A toddler barely learning to crawl dare strut so arrogantly before someone who has already mastered two entire Star Paths of apocalyptic destruction?
If Ling Bai knew that just last night, Lin Feng had completed the alignment of all seven Star Cores for both his Fire and Lightning elements, successfully casting complete Basic Magic spells... one could only wonder how grotesquely warped this pampered young master’s face would become.
Time ticked by, second by agonizing second within the stifling atmosphere.
Following Ling Bai’s stellar performance, every subsequent examinee who took the stage was entirely overshadowed. The highest among them merely scraped a B-minus, the faint glow of the testing stone flickering like a frail firefly in the dark, serving only to further elevate Ling Bai’s solitary supremacy at Grade A. Encircled by his fawning sycophants, the Ling Clan scion stood with arms folded, soaking in the reverent gazes of the entire school, the smirk on his face growing wider with every passing moment.
All of a sudden...
Skrrr... Skrrr...
A shrill burst of static screeched from the iron-mounted loudspeaker on Stage One, cutting cleanly through the ambient murmur across the field.
The evaluator holding the candidate roster adjusted his reading spectacles, cleared his throat with a cough, and bellowed sonorously into the microphone:
“Next examinee for Stage One: Class 12A7... Lin Feng!”
“Repeating: Student Lin Feng, proceed to the examination platform immediately!”
The announcement boomed through the loudspeakers, reverberating into every corner of the Fenglan High School stadium.
In that singular breath, the entire world seemed to freeze.
Hundreds of pairs of eyes from the twelfth-grade student body, the sharp stares of homeroom teachers, and the discerning gazes of the high evaluators seated atop the grandstand... all spun around in unison, zeroing in upon the quiet corner where the youth in the gray woolen scarf stood in silence!
“Look, it’s Lin Feng!”
“Isn’t that the dirt-poor beggar who shocked the entire school by awakening the Fire Element half a year ago?”
“Word is his family is so broke his father had to borrow every copper just to cover tuition. Where would he get the money for Magic Crystals to cultivate?”
“Haha! Ling Bai just walked away with an A, and now this pauper’s taking the stand... This is going to be the biggest laughingstock of the year!”
Whispers, jeers, doubts, and cynical anticipation surged through the crowd like rising waves.
From a distance, Ling Bai stood with arms crossed, a frigid sneer curving his lips as he waited to witness his enemy’s utter disgrace. Li Peng let out an audible chortle, his eyes brimming with venomous schadenfreude.
Amidst the thousands of piercing gazes aimed at him like barbed arrows, Lin Feng did not flinch in the slightest. Turning slightly, he gave a reassuring pat to Chubby Hu’s rigid shoulder, tossing out a calm, nonchalant sentence:
“Chubby, wait here a moment. I’ll go grab my score and come right back.”
With that, Lin Feng unwound the gray woolen scarf, folded it neatly, and handed it to his best friend for safekeeping. Straightening the collar of his modest school uniform, he raised his head high and strode forward with steady, resolute steps straight toward Examination Stage One beneath the blazing sun.
The glossy black-granite dais awaited.
The translucent Star-Sensing Stone rested in profound silence.
And the violent, slumbering inferno sealed within the youth’s chest... had finally arrived at the hour to awaken and incinerate every blind eye in this world!