(Classroom – Morning)
Three elderly men appeared inside the back of the class.
Their robes were simple but dignified, their auras restrained to the point of near invisibility. One had brows like silver blades, another carried himself with rigid discipline, while the third wore a faint, unreadable smile.
They took seats at the back of the classroom.
Beginner class seats are really small…
One of them thought
No one noticed anything unusual—only that the room felt… crowded.
Lu Piao leaned forward and whispered to Nie Li, eyes darting.
"Is it another method they cooked up to trick us?"
Before Nie Li could answer, Du Zhe nearby shook his head vigorously.
"No! You're the only one who thinks like that!"
Karma, slouched in his seat beside Nie Li, glanced back lazily.
"…Did the room always feel this tight," he muttered, rubbing his shoulder.
"Or did I suddenly grow?"
Nie Li didn't answer.
At the front of the class, Instructor Shen Xiu stepped onto the platform, her expression composed and confident. She tapped the podium lightly, and the classroom quieted at once.
"Today," she announced, "we will discuss inscriptions."
She turned, writing as she spoke.
"Whether one is a demon spiritualist or an ordinary practitioner, inscriptions are extremely important. They are divided into two major categories—device inscriptions and battle inscriptions."
"Device inscriptions," Shen Xiu continued, "are embedded into equipment and greatly enhance strength, durability, and usage. Especially for demon spiritualists—inscription-embedded armor and weaponry allow one to surpass their natural limitations."
Karma whistled softly.
"….cheat codes."
"Battle inscriptions," Shen Xiu said, "are inscribed onto scrolls for casting."
"By utilizing spirit soul power to activate an inscription scroll," Shen Xiu said, "one can unleash tremendous destructive force."
She paused, letting the scene sink in.
"Inscriptions are the culmination of our ancestors' wisdom. They were perfected over countless generations, refined through blood, failure, and sacrifice."
Her voice hardened slightly.
"However, during the Dark Age, countless inscription techniques were lost due to catastrophe—hunting of demonic beasts, internal collapse, and war."
"Inscriptions are classified into three types," Shen Xiu said.
"Snow Wind Inscriptions, Scarlet Flame Inscriptions, and Battle Edge Inscriptions."
"Their differences lie in elemental nature—wind-snow, fire, or non-elemental."
Shen Xiu's heels clicked softly against the wooden floor as she turned from the illustrations, her fingers lifting with practiced elegance.
"We will first talk about device inscriptions," she said.
At the back of the classroom—unseen—one of the elderly men stroked his beard lightly.
"Descendants from the Sacred Family possess quite profound knowledge," he said quietly. "This explanation is more than adequate." he was the vice-principal of the holy orchid institute Ye Sheng.
Lu Ye vice-instructor nodded, his eyes sharp.
"There are a few students in this class worth observing. Especially Ye Ziyun, Xiao Ning'er, Shen Yue and Uzumaki Karma."
The third elder remained silent, gaze drifting downward. He's eyes on karma.
The third elder finally spoke—his voice calm, assessing.
"…This boy."
"…So that is Karma Uzumaki."
No awe colored the thought.
Only certainty.
"Indigo Soul Realm. Stable. Exceptionally refined."
"He isn't circulating soul force unconsciously. That means absolute internal balance."
"Arthur's son… as expected."
At the front, Shen Xiu raised her hand again.
"We'll start with the Sacred Fire Inscription."
On the platform, Shen Xiu continued unbothered.
"In Sacred Fire Inscription research, the Sacred Family is widely recognized as the leader."
Shen xiu drew lines of complex, interwoven runes on the blackboard.
"It has a total of sixty-six basic inscriptions," Shen Xiu said. "We'll take this one as an example."
"Scarlet Flame Explosion Inscription."
Her voice carried faint pride.
"This inscription is the creation of the first generation of the Sacred Family. It is the most powerful Green-Bronze rank inscription."
She turned slightly, gesturing toward the diagram.
"It is formulated from thirty-six basic foundation inscriptions and is the most complex among Green-Bronze inscriptions. Next, we will discuss those thirty-six foundation inscriptions in detail."
A soft sigh drifted from Nie Li's direction.
"…The Sacred Fire inscription has over six hundred types…" he murmured sleepily.
In his previous life, Nie Li had wandered continents, mastered seven languages, and accumulated centuries of inscription knowledge through practice, research, and near-fatal experimentation.
What Shen Xiu explained now was nothing more than surface-level theory to him.
Nie Li's head tilted slightly to the side.
His chin sank into his palm.
His eyes closed.
Karma, sitting beside him, noticed instantly.
"…He's out," Karma muttered, glancing sideways. "Impressive timing."
Lu Piao peeked over. "He just fell asleep?!"
Du Zhe frowned from behind. "Isn't this the most important part?"
At that moment, Vice principal Ye Sheng finally noticed.
His eyes narrowed.
"This boy," he thought coldly, "daring to sleep just after class begins… He is embarrassing the Holy Orchid Institute."
he lifted her chin slightly.
"Luckily," he added inwardly, "this gentlemen have not commented."
At the back of the classroom, the invisible observers watched quietly.
"This is an apprentice introductory class," the stocky elder said in a low voice. "It's inevitable that there will be a mix of talents and delinquents. I'll teach this student a lesson after I return. They've paid too much to attend this institute to be sleeping in class."
Beside him, the thin, sharp-eyed elder nodded once.
At the front of the room, Shen Xiu's expression darkened.
Her gaze locked onto the orange-haired boy slumped over his desk.
Shen Xiu's eyes burned.
Nie Li, you again! Totally disregarding me! I have a VIP sitting here and you actually dare to sleep during class?!
"NIE LI," she snapped.
Nie Li didn't move.
A thin line of drool slid dangerously close to the edge of his sleeve.
Karma leaned closer to Nie Li and whispered,
"Hey. You're drooling on ancient knowledge."
Nie Li finally stirred.
His eyes opened halfway, unfocused.
"What do you want?" he muttered lazily.
Around the room, students leaned forward eagerly.
"Haha! Nie Li is doomed this time!"
"He's done for."
A vein throbbed at Shen Xiu's temple.
Shen Xiu's voice sharpened further.
"DARING to sleep in my class! You understand everything already?!"
"Yes" Nie Li said still half asleep.
Shen Xiu inhaled sharply.
"Fine!" she said coldly, spinning toward the board. "Then tell me—explain the inscription up here!"
Nie Li squinted at the diagram.
"This," he said flatly, "is a low-level Fire-Class inscription that can reluctantly be counted as Green-Bronze Rank. It's formed from the thirty-six methods foundation."
He paused.
"Its power is low. But it can still be used to boil water."
Silence.
Then—
HAHAHAHA!
The classroom exploded with laughter.
"So hilarious! He didn't listen at all!"
"To say the Sacred Family's passed-down Green-Bronze inscription is used to boil water?!"
"The Scarlet Flame Explosion Inscription is used to boil water! Hahaha!"
She Yue angrily thinking.
Idiot. To say that my clan passed down inscription is used to boil water?
Xiao Ninger blinked, her brows knitting slightly.
…Nie Li is actually very talented, Why does he hide it and act dumb?
Behind the scenes, the elders exchanged glances.
The vice-instructor laughed heartily.
"Ha! So funny!"
The vice-principal, however, frowned.
"It's not funny," he said quietly.
"The Red Blaze Scorching Explosion Inscription stems from the thirty-six methods foundation inscription. However, referencing his understanding of the inscription—to say it is thirty-six methods—is not wrong."
Shen Xiu forced a smile, sweat forming at her brow—trying to calm the crowd.
"Trying to please them"
Behind the class, unseen, the third elder's eyes sharpened.