Release Training

On Monday, Mo Xie rode his bike to take Ye Xinxia to school, then rode back home.

The school had granted Mo Xie a few privileges. He didn't have to attend classes regularly and only needed to show up for certain important exams.

His grades spoke for themselves, and he was the pride of Bo City. A few special privileges were only natural.

Mo Fan had no such luck. He walked to school alone.

He had a bicycle, of course, but he'd been in such a rush to get home a few days ago that he'd left it at school.

They had moved, so the trip was a little longer now, but the route to school was still the same.

Mo Fan quickened his pace and made it through the school gates just in time, avoiding a lecture from the teachers.

By the time he reached the classroom, his classmates had begun morning reading. He sat down, joined them, and opened his book.

That perfectly ordinary act left Mu Bai, Zhang Xiaohou, and Zhao Kunsan staring in disbelief.

"Brother Fan... he's reading."

Zhang Xiaohou sounded uncertain.

"I don't believe it. I must be dreaming. Someone slap me awake?"

Zhao Kunsan was convinced he was still dreaming. A slap landed on his head, and the pain told him otherwise.

"Damn it, you actually hit me!" Zhao Kunsan glared at Zhang Xiaohou.

"Hehe. Didn't you ask someone to slap you awake?" Zhang Xiaohou said with an innocent smile.

Zhao Kunsan eyed him suspiciously. He was certain Zhang Xiaohou had done it on purpose.

Mu Bai gazed solemnly out the window and said slowly, "Mo Fan has started studying. The end of the world can't be far off."

Zhang Xiaohou and Zhao Kunsan nodded repeatedly, agreeing with him.

"Anyway, Brother Fan studying again is a good sign, no matter how you look at it," Zhang Xiaohou said excitedly.

As soon as morning reading ended, Zhang Xiaohou hurried over to Mo Fan and declared with heartfelt enthusiasm, "That's the spirit, Brother Fan! Get back to the top!"

"Looks like Mo Xie managed to bring you around. He deserves thanks for the effort."

Mu Bai naturally gave Mo Xie the credit.

"Hey, hey! I decided to study on my own, all right?"

Mo Fan was annoyed.

"Isn't it too late to start now? The high school entrance exam isn't far away," Zhao Kunsan said, pouring cold water on the moment.

Zhang Xiaohou shot him a glare. "Brother Fan, don't listen to him. I believe in you."

"Second Brother Zhao, there's no need to mock Brother Mo. Your grades aren't great either. If you don't work harder, getting into a magic high school will be a long shot for you too," Mu Bai scolded Zhao Kunsan. "There's still time to study. If you run into anything you don't understand at school, ask me."

Mu Bai had faith in Mo Fan. He believed Mo Fan could get in if he worked hard, and he was willing to help.

"Thanks."

Mo Fan nodded gratefully.

Mo Fan was now confident he could get into a magic high school. After two days of Mo Xie's explanations, he understood most of what had once baffled him.

He was overjoyed. At this rate, I'll be awakening my magic before I know it.

The pitch-black basement was silent—so silent that a heartbeat could be heard.

Click.

A faint sound came from somewhere, like a wheel rolling.

After the first roll came another, then more in quick succession.

The once-silent basement grew noisy. Sounds came from every direction, making their sources impossible to pinpoint.

Before long, several flashes of violet light burst forth. Accompanied by Thunder, they shot toward their targets like arrows loosed from a bow.

Thunder struck the targets, its violet glow outlining what looked like human figures.

When Thunder faded, the rolling stopped and the basement lit up again.

"Zero, report."

Four human-shaped wooden targets. Five Thunder Seals cast. Three hits.

"Tch. Missed again?"

Mo Xie looked across the training ground at three piles of charred black powder and the one human-shaped wooden target still standing, then clicked his tongue.

That's already an improvement. You only hit one when you started.

"Yeah, I know." Mo Xie sighed. "Open my Personal Panel."

A virtual information panel appeared before Mo Xie, looking thoroughly high-tech.

[Host]: Mo Xie

[Talents]: Innate Triple Elements (Advanced Level One Three-Element Awakening), Super Intuition, Peerless Beauty, God-Tier Musical Talent

[Elements]: Lightning Element (Basic Level One), Fire Element (Basic Level One), Ice Element (Basic Level One)

[Skills]: One-Tomoe Sharingan, Basic Swordsmanship

[Spatial Inventory]: Qilin Pendant (Mortal-grade), Mana-Congealing Necklace, Tang Dao, Spatial Ring (5 × 5 × 5 cubic meters)

The Personal Panel was bare-bones. Mo Xie had complained about it more than once.

Ever since he had awakened his magic on his own, Mo Xie had trained every day without fail.

He had three elements to cultivate, which took far more time and energy than it did for most people.

After successfully connecting his Star Path, he had needed to put extra effort into mastering and reliably casting his magic.

Though the Qilin Pendant was only a Mortal-grade Stardust Magic Tool, the boost it provided to his cultivation speed was undeniably substantial.

If Mo Xie hadn't had three elements to tend to, he might already have reached Basic Level Two by focusing on just one.

Reaching Basic Level Two in a little over half a year—how terrifying would that talent be?

Mo Xie had once fed the Qilin Pendant a Servant-level Spirit Essence, but nothing had happened, so he had given up.

Perhaps it needed some special opportunity. Mo Xie figured he could let things take their course.

The work's nowhere near done. I'll have to keep at it.

Mo Xie couldn't help reflecting on that.

A diamond-shaped, blood-red necklace hung against his chest, gleaming with an alluring light.

Mo Xie pulled it out and gazed quietly at it.

At first, he hadn't known what the necklace Ye Chang had given him was for. Only after Zero was activated had he learned that it was a Mana-Congealing Necklace.

As its name suggested, the Mana-Congealing Necklace was a magic tool that restored Magic Energy.

But this magic tool was different. It could restore all of his Magic Energy at once, then replenish its own reserves after some time had passed.

He could also use Magic Stones and the like to refill the Mana-Congealing Necklace's Magic Energy reserves.

In short, the Mana-Congealing Necklace was so precious that no one would put one up for sale.

Mo Xie's feelings were complicated. He didn't know what to do.

"Aunt Ye..."

He shook his head hard, driving the thoughts away.

Mo Xie sat cross-legged, relaxed his mind, and entered a meditative state.

After awakening his magic on his own, Mo Xie had come to understand one thing: no matter how extraordinary someone's talent for cultivation was, they would never get far on the path of magic without putting in the work.

Mo Xie didn't consider himself a great man, nor did he harbor grand ambitions.

He wanted to grow stronger simply because he wanted to protect his family.

He had never forgotten his mother's request: look after Dad and protect his younger brother. Now he had a younger sister to protect too.

In his previous life, he had lacked both the ability and the chance. This life was different. Given another chance, Mo Xie would never let it slip away again.

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