Tacit Understanding

The Sima Family's Oath of the Luo River was nothing more than a minor interlude, and Zhou Yao had successfully sorted out the information he wanted from Liu Wenjun's words.

The teacher was still explaining exercises from previous days in class, but Zhou Yao's thoughts had long since drifted into the world of Mythic Walkers.

Based on what Liu Wenjun had said, advancing into a Mythic Walker was an exceedingly complex process. The key was making oneself capable of containing Mythic Traits.

Throughout this process, whether Mythic Factors strengthened the body, Mythic Lore reduced rejection reactions, or the Ascension Ritual accommodated Traits, the essence was all the same: bringing the body to a state where it could contain Mythic Traits.

Only after figuring this out did Zhou Yao realize just how extraordinary the Avatar Creation ability he possessed truly was.

Ordinary people made themselves more compatible with Mythic Traits, whereas creating an avatar took a different path entirely, directly using Mythic Factors to create a body that was perfectly compatible with Mythic Traits.

That was precisely why the Yellow Wind Little Sage could so easily wield the Inner Threefold Meditation Talent, and why his command of the Flying Sand and Rolling Stones Wind Art had reached an almost perfect level. It was an immense advantage that no Mythic Walker could match.

Of course, this method only applied to avatars. Zhou Yao himself would not receive such treatment when accommodating Mythic Traits.

Whether it was strengthening his body with Mythic Factors, selecting Mythic Traits, mastering Mythic Lore, or completing an Ascension Ritual, he had to proceed step by step.

However, with the Yellow Wind Little Sage avatar's help, Mythic Factors could be gathered through the Yin Mountain Realm.

He could see through the essence of mythical creations, so finding mythical materials suited to himself would not be difficult.

As for Mythic Lore, that was even less of a problem. Zhou Yao possessed memories from his previous life, and the mythological knowledge he commanded absolutely surpassed that of the vast majority of Mythic Walkers in the world.

The only crucial issue was the Ascension Ritual. According to Liu Wenjun, different Mythic Traits often required different Ascension Rituals.

Those major powers that controlled advancement channels had often accumulated vast numbers of Trait and ritual diagrams. After thousands upon thousands of experiments, they could draw out a Mythic Walker's potential to its utmost limit.

Recklessly pairing Mythic Traits and Ascension Rituals at random would damage a Mythic Walker's potential even if one was lucky enough to advance successfully.

Liu Wenjun had also mentioned that everything about a Mythic Walker's advancement served Mythic Traits. Mythic Traits determined the abilities a Mythic Walker would gain after advancing, as well as their future potential.

Weak Mythic Traits were only barely beyond ordinary humans, while powerful Mythic Traits could grant Mythic Walkers strength comparable to Gods and Devils.

At the first rank of Mythic Walkers, Scavengers pursued the control and accommodation of more Mythic Traits.

Mythic Walkers explored the Celestial Circuit Realm, picking up lost Mythic Traits from the mythical wilderness and merging them into themselves. Only when all five Mythic Traits were complete would they have a chance to advance to the next rank.

Although a great deal of information about Mythic Walkers circulated online, truth and falsehood were mixed together. Important information concerning advancement in particular would never be spread around casually.

Having obtained so much important information from the young lady encyclopedia, even Zhou Yao needed quite some time to digest it all.

For nearly the entire morning, Zhou Yao sat at his desk considering how to choose his future Mythic Traits and where to search for Ascension Rituals.

Naturally, the exchange between Zhou Yao and Liu Wenjun drew the attention of some people in the class.

Especially when the two discussed secrets concerning Mythic Walkers, they deliberately lowered their voices to keep others from hearing. To outsiders, this made their relationship seem even more intimate.

The students who whispered among themselves from time to time had gossip gleaming in their eyes. Sometimes they turned to look at Zhou Yao and Liu Wenjun; sometimes they huddled together to discuss them in low voices.

As soon as lunch break began and Liu Wenjun left, quite a few rumors spread through the classroom.

"I never thought Zhou Yao could really cling to Young Miss Liu's black-stockinged thigh." A boy lowered his voice and nudged the companion beside him with his elbow.

"You really can't judge a person by appearances." Another voice spoke up, carrying a hint of envy. "Wasn't he pretty withdrawn before? How long has it been, and he can already hit it off so well with Liu Wenjun?"

"What do you mean, can't judge by appearances? I think Zhou Yao seems a little different today." A girl joined in, her gaze falling on Zhou Yao.

"Especially those strands of hair lifted by the breeze—they seem to carry some indescribably bewitching air. If Young Miss Liu hadn't already claimed him, I'd be ready to chase after him myself." Her tone carried both regret and teasing.

"Oh, give it a rest." A boy beside her laughed and shook his head. "Relying on a face to make a living is useless in the end. Young Miss Liu has a chance of getting into one of the Five Great Academies. Once she gets in, she'll soar to the heavens in a single step and become a Mythic Walker. Then she and Zhou Yao will be people from two different worlds."

"That's true. Once she enters one of the Five Great Academies, what kind of handsome guys couldn't she find? I heard the Five Great Academies even have special mythic diagrams, something called the Wheel-Turning King Lao Ai. It supposedly has bonuses especially effective against women. Isn't that far better than an ordinary person?" The girl's voice carried a trace of amusement.

"Zhou Yao's grades are decent enough, but getting into even a first-rate university would be difficult for him, let alone one of the Five Great Academies."

Listening to the rumors carried to his ears by the breeze, Zhou Yao felt speechless. Even the Yellow Wind Little Sage, perched on his shoulder and curling up a breeze that stirred his hair, could not help scratching his head before changing positions and continuing to squat there.

He also knew that the boys and girls in the class bore no ill intent. They had simply been stifled by studying day after day for too long, so the slightest stir could become fodder for gossip, chatter, and boasting.

Liu Wenjun had spent three years in the class without even a normal friend. Zhou Yao, the only person who could be considered close to her, naturally could not avoid being secretly talked about.

There had even previously been brainless rich second-generation villain types who cornered Zhou Yao against a wall after school, trying to force him to explain why he could be close to Liu Wenjun.

At the time, Zhou Yao had been troubled by the mythic invasion behind the Yin Mountain Metro. Faced with the rich kid's questioning, he had directly fobbed him off with the Yin Mountain Metro.

When the rich kid's memories and subconscious perceptions also became confused because of the Yin Mountain Metro, Zhou Yao took the opportunity to slip away.

But unexpectedly, after his memories were corrected, the rich kid blocked Zhou Yao again the next day.

After several times in a row, even someone as mild-tempered as Zhou Yao could not endure it any longer. So one day on the way to school, Zhou Yao casually mentioned that rich kid to Liu Wenjun again.

Liu Wenjun showed no reaction at the time. She merely pushed up her glasses and nodded in acknowledgment.

After that, Zhou Yao never saw that rich second-generation villain again. According to other classmates, his family business had been investigated, leaving them with enormous debts, and he had ultimately been forced to transfer to another school.

Zhou Yao naturally knew that Liu Wenjun had made her move, but he had never taken the initiative to mention the matter before her.

Liu Wenjun never brought it up either, and the two of them maintained this subtle, unspoken understanding.