For Mo Fan, time passed quickly. It had already been two months since his awakening.
In that time, he had done only one thing—sit beneath a tree every day and meditate.
On the first day of class, homeroom teacher Xue Musheng had taught the students one crucial lesson: the Activation of Magic.
There were three basic steps:
Meditation
Control
Activation
Meditation, as the name suggested, required full mental concentration. Normally, when someone closed their eyes, their mind would wander aimlessly through thoughts and memories. But in true meditation, one had to quiet their thoughts and enter a still, undisturbed state—creating a vast, empty mental space.
After awakening, a Star Cluster representing the awakened Element would emerge in this space.
After two months of consistent meditation, Mo Fan noticed that the stardust of his Fire Element had grown considerably in size. Even more surprising was the fact that he could meditate for twice as long as others without fatigue.
After careful consideration, Mo Fan decided it was best to cultivate the Fire Element first—the one he had shown to others.
"I don't know what the original Mo Fan was thinking, focusing on the Lightning Element first and letting people mock him. Maybe it was just for face-slapping later. But seriously—not controlling even a single star for six months and suddenly casting a spell? That's just begging for suspicion."
Having built a solid foundation through meditation, Mo Fan now turned to the second step: Control.
Control meant guiding the stars with one's thoughts, making them pause, and arranging them in sequence to form a Star Path.
Once a Star Path was complete, magic would flow through it, activating the spell.
As Mo Fan focused on the Fire Element stars, he expected them to drift and resist. But instead, they stayed perfectly still and responded immediately to his will. With surprising ease, the stars connected one by one until a brilliant red Star Path formed before him.
"Fire Burst: Scorch!"
A fiery ball ignited in his hand. Staring at the flame, Mo Fan felt his heart race.
"So this is magic… It feels so surreal."
He quickly canceled the spell—after all, he was still in his dorm room.
Then, out of curiosity, he tried again. With just a thought, the stars reconnected, and the fireball reappeared in his palm.
"Damn… It looks like I have another talent. The stars connected with a single thought. That's something only Intermediate Magicians can normally do. This talent will save me at least half a year of control practice!"
Now that he could cast magic, Mo Fan began thinking about his next step. Advancing to Novice Level 2 without a Stardust Magic Tool would take around eight months—far too long. That would erase the edge he currently had.
"Maybe I should reveal this talent to the Principal. The school has been struggling to win the battle for the Underground Holy Spring for years. If I offer him this talent, maybe he'll support me with a magic tool. Even if not, it'll at least justify my rapid progress and prevent suspicion."
With that decision, he drifted off to sleep.
The next day, after school, Mo Fan approached his homeroom teacher.
"Teacher Xue, can I speak with you in private?" he asked.
"Of course, Mo Fan. Let's go to the staff room," Xue Musheng said.
Once inside, the teacher turned to him. "So, what is it?"
"Teacher, this might surprise you, but… I can already release magic."
Xue Musheng's eyes widened. After a brief silence, he asked, "Mo Fan… have you come into contact with anything suspicious?"
"Do you mean the Black Vatican?"
"Yes."
"No, nothing like that. Yesterday, while practicing star control, I discovered I could directly connect the stars."
"It sounds like an innate talent," Teacher Xue muttered. "Let's go see the Principal. He might have some advice for you."
They went to the Principal's office, and Mo Fan explained what had happened.
"You can release magic with just a thought?" the Principal asked, intrigued.
"Yes," Mo Fan replied.
"Can you show us?"
Mo Fan nodded. With a single thought, the red Star Path appeared, and a fireball burst into life in his hand.
The Principal stared at it, deep in thought. "This is indeed an innate talent… and a very useful one. Instant casting at the Novice level is rare."
He looked at Mo Fan seriously. "Even with this talent, it will still take time to reach Level 2. But we can help with that."
"What do you mean, Principal?"
"We can provide you with a Stardust Magic Tool."
Mo Fan raised an eyebrow. "I assume it's not for free?"
The Principal smiled. "Of course not. You'll fight a duel… for the school."
"A duel?"
The Principal explained the school's ongoing struggle to claim the Underground Holy Spring and how the duel played a key role in the competition.
"Alright," Mo Fan said without hesitation. "I'll fight."
"Teacher Xue, bring the tool."
"Yes, Principal."
A short while later, Teacher Xue returned with a small box. Inside was a bracelet.
"This is a Mortal-Grade Stardust Magic Tool," Xue explained. "It increases your cultivation speed by about 20%."
"Thank you," Mo Fan said sincerely.
That night, back in his dorm, Mo Fan looked at the pendant on his neck before putting on the bracelet.
"Don't try to swallow this one. It belongs to the school. If it's damaged, they'll make me compensate. I'll give you a spirit later, alright?"
The pendant trembled faintly, as if nodding in understanding.
Putting on the bracelet, Mo Fan resumed cultivation.
"The tool's effect is pretty good… At this rate, I'll reach Level 2 in just six months."
Smiling to himself, Mo Fan closed his eyes and returned to meditation.