Patterns and World Traits

Li Qianjun said to Zhang Zhi with a serious expression, "This isn't something to joke about. If you're unwilling to act as bait, I'll find a way to turn them down. At Seven Dragons Academy, I still have some influence."

Zhang Zhi nodded again and said firmly, "This is such an important matter. I definitely wouldn't joke about it."

Li Qianjun pressed him, "How will you prove it?"

"Hm?" Zhang Zhi suddenly froze when he heard that. That's right. How was he supposed to prove it? This wasn't a game, where a row of glaring words would appear above his head.

He immediately thought of one of the achievement's effects and said, "Oh, I have a way. If someone personally achieves that achievement, the Trial Tower's cooldown is halved. I'll be able to enter the Trial Tower again in half a month. Would that count as proof?"

When he heard that Zhang Zhi could provide proof, Li Qianjun's expression relaxed. "It's good that you can prove it. By the way, don't tell anyone about the effect that halves the achievement's cooldown."

After seeing Zhang Zhi nod, Li Qianjun breathed a sigh of relief. "That takes care of this matter."

He sized up Zhang Zhi before him. The more he looked at him, the more pleasing he found him, so he said, "Since we have nothing else to do, if you've run into any problems with your cultivation or your Small World lately, you can ask me."

Zhang Zhi was delighted when he heard that. "I really have quite a few questions lately."

"In the Trial Tower, I discovered that many, many humans aren't Realm Lords. At the same time, I also discovered that there are many foreign races."

"What's going on?"

Li Qianjun found this somewhat strange. "These are all common knowledge about the Trial Tower. You should be able to find some related books in the library."

Zhang Zhi found that even stranger. "I looked in the library, but I didn't find any books like that."

Li Qianjun pondered for a moment, then nodded. "I roughly know what's going on."

Seeing Zhang Zhi looking at him with curiosity, he said, "Those books were probably checked out."

"Checked out?"

"That's right, checked out. Go take a look at the Student Activity Center when you have time, and you'll understand."

"There are a great many clubs recruiting new members there. Almost all the books on general knowledge, especially those related to the Trial Tower, have been checked out by those clubs."

"If you want to obtain those books, you either have to join one of their clubs or pay a certain price to get them from the clubs."

Zhang Zhi still asked somewhat strangely, "Don't they have to return the books? Won't the club members tell other people this information? How can the academy allow them to do this?"

Li Qianjun let out a soft sigh. "The various clubs actually have countless ties to the various families. Those with connections can make arrangements within the library. Before a book is even returned, it has already been lent to the next person in the club."

"As for leaking information, you should know a little about contracts and the like. How could that information possibly be leaked?"

Zhang Zhi was somewhat astonished. "Contracts are necessary even for this common knowledge?"

Li Qianjun shook his head. "Not exactly. This common knowledge is only part of it. The materials also contain many experiences and secrets that the club members have summarized over generations, so naturally, those materials require contracts."

"But as for which of those materials are useful and which are no longer useful, you'll have to judge for yourself."

Zhang Zhi understood. For Commoner World Masters who had just entered the academy, these materials were simply priceless. Thus, Realm Lords who couldn't afford the price could naturally join those so-called clubs and become tools in the hands of the families.

He was silent for a while before asking, "Are all schools like this?"

Li Qianjun shook his head. "No. The closer they are to the center of the Main World, the less common this situation is."

Hearing this, Zhang Zhi said quietly, "I see. The emperor is far away, after all. No wonder some people collude with foreign races. Wherever there is oppression, there will be resistance."

Li Qianjun seemed somewhat ashamed to discuss this matter. "A younger member of my family also established a club in the academy. Tomorrow, I'll have someone deliver those materials to you."

Zhang Zhi hurriedly bowed and thanked him.

After thanking him, Zhang Zhi considered that he should already have the persona of a genius in Li Qianjun's eyes. So acting a little more like a genius shouldn't be a problem, right? He steeled himself and asked directly:

"Your Excellency Li Qianjun, when I was in the Trial Secret Realm, I heard another Realm Lord mention that some people's World Beads have patterns on them. What are those patterns? Why don't I have any?"

Li Qianjun had originally been lowering his head to drink tea. When he heard Zhang Zhi's question, he suddenly looked up at him with an indescribable gaze before answering, "Some people's World Beads indeed have patterns on them. However, those patterns are rewards granted by the Multiverse after one achieves a Thousand World."

"That pattern is called a Multiverse Rune. It can grant a Small World all kinds of miraculous effects. We call these effects World Traits."

"For example, after I achieved a Lesser Thousand World, the trait I obtained was Wisdom. Its effect is that all living beings in my Small World become exceptionally wise. This is also what I rely on to advance toward a Middle Thousand World."

"This is despite the fact that my Small World's trait doesn't particularly match my Small World's Path."

"If a World Bead following the demon race or Beastman Path possessed this trait, it would basically be equivalent to a Middle Thousand World already."

"Do you understand the effect of this World Trait now?"

The question of what the patterns on World Beads were had troubled Zhang Zhi for a long time. At last, he had found someone who could answer it.

He slowly nodded. "From what you just said, does that mean that only Thousand Worlds can have these patterns and possess World Traits?"

Li Qianjun slowly set down the teacup in his hand. "As far as I know, yes!"

Seeing the thoughtful look on Zhang Zhi's face, he continued, "If you're interested in this, there should be corresponding materials in the library. You can look for them. They contain information on the Multiverse Runes corresponding to the vast majority of World Traits."

Zhang Zhi said helplessly, "I looked in the library before, but I couldn't find any related materials."

Li Qianjun was slightly taken aback. "That shouldn't be possible. These materials are all about Thousand Worlds. Who would dare check them out and not return them?"

Hearing this, Zhang Zhi asked in a small voice, "Materials about Thousand Worlds? Shouldn't they be materials related to World Beads?"

When Li Qianjun heard this, he understood. "The books you looked for before were probably related to World Beads, weren't they? You searched in the wrong category. You should look for materials related to Thousand Worlds. Books of this kind generally aren't checked out and kept indefinitely."

Zhang Zhi suddenly understood. No wonder I couldn't find them. It turns out I was looking in the wrong category.