Forced Interruption

If the person who had entered this time had not been him, a holder of a growth-type talent, but some other adult who had already awakened, no one would have been able to withstand that enormous energy. In the end, their Chakra would have shattered, their dantian destroyed, and they would have died.

Yet Zhou Yi seemed never to have worried about such an outcome. He had simply placed his life on the gambling table and ended up making a fortune.

Once all the red energy had been completely absorbed into Zhou Yi's Chakra, his star power surged severalfold. It changed from its original silver-white to a pale pink glow, then returned from pale pink to an even brighter white.

The dantian gradually quieted down, but Zhou Yi did not stop silently reciting the Star Gathering Technique.

What had just happened made him fully realize that, in a sense, this Awakening Test machine was actually an energy chamber. For a growth-type star mark bearer like him, it was the best possible training ground and a rare, massive tonic.

Though he had absorbed most of the energy, a small amount still remained within the pod.

Since he had traded his life for it, he naturally had to squeeze out every last bit of value.

Zhou Yi guided his star power through the meridians throughout his body. With every circuit, he could feel his body growing a little stronger.

With the cultivation method of the Star Gathering Technique assisting him over the past six months, Zhou Yi's physique had already become as sturdy as that of boys his age.

Now, as his star power strengthened his meridians, Zhou Yi's physical strength had reached the level of a strong adult in the prime of life.

Before he knew it, the star mark on the back of Zhou Yi's neck changed.

A third star point appeared.

While Zhou Yi happily enjoyed his "takeout," he had no idea that the people outside the Awakening Pod were nearly frantic with worry.

"Principal, Zhou Yi has been inside for so long. Why is there still no response from the Awakening Pod?"

Normally, a person would be inside for no more than three minutes before their talent grade appeared, and the Awakening Pod would automatically open.

But Zhou Yi had been inside for over ten minutes, and the machine remained completely still. There was nothing displayed on the screen either.

Teacher Wu Feng was getting anxious. Zhou Yi had been his student for several years.

Although Teacher Wu also knew Zhou Yi's family background and knew that, barring any surprises, his talent should be at the Stars level, he could not help being the first to panic when his beloved student was in danger.

"Th-this machine has been borrowed for so many years, and this is the first time something like this has happened!"

The principal was pacing anxiously in circles. Though he borrowed the machine every year, this was also his first time encountering such a situation.

The principal turned his gaze toward the researcher who had arrived with the machine.

"Our Awakening Pods have never had an incident like this. I can only determine what the problem is after it opens."

It was the researcher's first time seeing something like this as well. With a child trapped inside, he was at a loss.

The students standing below the platform had fear mixed into their previously expectant gazes. No one had expected that awakening could involve such danger.

Time passed bit by bit. Soon, Zhou Yi had been inside for half an hour, yet the Awakening Pod still showed no sign of movement.

"Hurry up and smash that damned machine open! Saving him is what matters!"

Qin An was frantic below the platform. He practically wanted to grab a sledgehammer and smash it open himself.

"Principal, this is a matter of life and death."

Teacher Wu Feng looked at the principal, wearing such a grave expression for the first time.

"Wait a little longer. Just a little longer."

The principal could not stop wiping away the sweat that was about to drip from his forehead.

The pressure on him was immense. Setting aside whether they could even break open something from a high-grade Star Block, if they smashed it open and damaged it, how much would they have to pay in compensation?

The low-grade Star Blocks were all poor, and the school could hardly earn any money. It was practically no different from compulsory education.

If the school had money, it would not be renting the machine every year and only for one day at that. He could not afford to compensate for it.

Just as the principal's face flushed red with anxiety and he had no idea what to do, the Awakening Pod slowly opened.

Zhou Yi, equally drenched in sweat and red-faced, slowly sat up inside the Awakening Pod.

"Zhou Yi, are you all right?"

Teacher Wu Feng hurried forward and helped Zhou Yi out.

"I'm fine, Teacher. I'm just a little hot."

Zhou Yi's clothes were soaked through. Beneath them was filth that had seeped out of his body, sticking to his skin together with his clammy sweat.

Zhou Yi felt as though his entire body was overflowing with strength, but he had no mood to be excited right now. He just wanted to take a bath.

"Zhou Yi, you're not dead, are you?"

Seeing Zhou Yi being helped out, Qin An leaped onto the platform in just a few strides and hurried over to support him.

"Ugh, what is that smell?"

Before Qin An could shed tears of joy, the stench drove him back.

"You were only in there for half an hour. How did you already go rotten?"

"I fermented, all right?"

Zhou Yi rolled his eyes at Qin An, and his desire for a bath grew even stronger.

The others, however, did not think there was anything improper about Zhou Yi's filthy, disheveled state. A little boy trapped in such a sealed environment for over half an hour would be the strange one if he came out rosy-cheeked, clean, and refreshed.

"The machine's energy core has been depleted. I brought a spare, and I can replace it this afternoon."

The researcher quickly found the source of the problem.

The Awakening Pod's energy core had run out, which was why it could neither conduct the test nor open.

But...

What the researcher could not understand was that energy cores normally depleted extremely slowly. He had carefully checked it before coming, and it had contained plenty of energy. How had this happened?

Upon hearing the researcher's explanation, the principal finally let out the breath he had been holding.

So the energy had simply run out. It was not something they had broken, so he would not have to pay compensation. What a relief.

"Then since the delay was caused by your insufficient energy..."

Replacing the energy core that afternoon meant the machine could not be used, and the remaining children would have to awaken tomorrow.

An extra day's fee was not cheap either!

The principal's heart started aching again.

"I'll call the base and apply for a free one-day extension for you."

Only A-class Star Blocks and S-class Star Blocks had fully equipped research institutes capable of manufacturing Awakening Pods.

Waiving one day's rental fee was not a major issue for an A-class Star Block. With the researcher's authority, he could certainly get the approval.

This time, the principal was completely at ease. He called over several teachers and had them send the children home first, telling them to return tomorrow.

"Zhou Yi, Qin An, you two wait for me here."

After Teacher Wu said that, he went with several other teachers to discuss the arrangements for tomorrow.

"Zhou Yi, are you really all right? You scared me to death."

Qin An asked while pinching his nose.

"I'm fine. Congratulations, though. You got the best Sun Star Weave. After this, you can apply to attend a mech academy on an S-class Star Block."

Zhou Yi sincerely congratulated Qin An.

"Thanks. I just wonder what talent you awakened? Once the results come out tomorrow, maybe we can attend school together!"

Mech academies did not admit students entirely based on talent grade. After all, there were not that many Sun star marks. Some students with ordinary Moon and Stars star marks also had excellent learning ability and extremely rapid growth in star power.

But people with Sun star marks could obviously choose whichever mech academy they wanted to attend.

"There's no need to wait until tomorrow. I already know my star mark grade."

Zhou Yi said this while touching the third star point that had just appeared on the back of his neck.