Chapter 7: Innate Talent
Time flew by.
A year quietly passed.
During this year, Tang Yue went to Bo City a few months earlier than in her previous life.
Qingtian Hunter Agency and Lingyin Tribunal also seemed to be constantly in motion.
Xu Shen was worried about getting into trouble, so after Lingling "reported" her progress to him a few times, he very simply transferred 1 million directly into their account and patted his chest, indicating that there was no need to contact him again before the results were out; they should just go for it.
In short, everything was going well.
It was another autumn evening, and the lazy sunlight streamed in.
Xu Shen stretched lazily in the library and casually asked, "What time is it?"
"It's almost 5 o'clock."
"Time for dinner, together?"
"Mm-hmm," Ding Yu Mian nodded, closing her book.
Xu Shen took the book from Ding Yu Mian's hand and put his own back on the shelf.
He had been eyeing this girl a year ago. In his mind, a handsome young man with the soul of a weathered old uncle inside him should have no trouble handling a high school student.
The result was that he had been careless and underestimated her.
This girl had a quiet disposition, yet possessed a detached indifference that kept others at a distance.
Xu Shen could feel that the only reason she accepted his presence there was because having only one fly around was certainly better than a swarm of flies.
Moreover, this fly was quiet, not noisy, and even a bit handsome, so he was barely acceptable.
Given this, Xu Shen's intentions faded quite a bit. He wasn't a sycophant; there were countless beautiful women in the world, and he wasn't going to hang himself on one tree.
The library of Mingzhu Affiliated High School was filled with books, many of which were rare and unique outside.
Most students, guarding this treasure trove, didn't know how to cherish it. Little did they know that once they entered society, the school library would no longer be open to them, and they would have to pay money and resources to acquire this valuable knowledge.
How could Xu Shen, who loved to freeload, miss out? With the attitude of "since I'm already here," he actually got into the habit of coming to the library to read every day.
As a result, their relationship became much closer, somewhat like the feeling of a gentleman's friendship being as pure as water.
Walking out of the library, the fragrance of osmanthus filled the campus. Xu Shen took a deep breath, intoxicated by it.
"Every time the Star Sense Stone test, you are first, so why can't you release it?" Ding Yu Mian was extremely puzzled by this. Seeing Xu Shen remain silent, she asked, "Are you still unable to control your seventh Star Particle?"
After every Mage awakens their Star Dust, as they meditate and control it, and their magic power increases, their Star Particles and Star Dust will also become brighter and brighter.
The Star Sense Stone can reflect the brightness of a Mage's Star Dust, making it the most common way to test a Mage's cultivation progress.
Xu Shen possessed nine Star Particles, naturally giving him an advantage in this regard. Moreover, with the assistance of a Spirit-grade Star Dust Magic Tool and continuous daily cultivation, it was only right that he was at the top of the list.
But control, that was truly impossible.
He had also considered whether controlling only seven Star Particles would work.
But the reality was cruel; he had tried it that way in his previous life, and the result was that it didn't work.
Every Star Particle in Star Dust is free. When no one controls them, they are like perpetual motion machines, eternally performing Brownian motion (i.e., irregular movement).
When he arranged seven Star Particles neatly, there would always be disruptive Star Particles approaching. At this point, the mutually attracting magic power would cause the Star Orbit to instantly collapse.
A year had passed, and that last Star Particle was like Ding Yu Mian, who was now distant yet close; getting too close would be disrespectful, and staying too far would cause resentment.
Xu Shen looked at the bright girl beside him with a hint of melancholy.
Only Star Particles and Yu Mian are difficult to nurture!
Now, he was the only one in the entire class who still couldn't completely release magic, truly becoming the tail-ender.
Adding to that, his frequent appearances with a stunning beauty like Ding Yu Mian meant it would be strange if he wasn't envied.
Recently, rumors had gradually started circulating in the class.
Perhaps one day, if he wasn't careful, he would be dragged into the restroom for a beating.
Campus violence, especially at this age, among young people with surging hormones, was all too common.
But Xu Shen wasn't worried; armed to the teeth with magic equipment, who was afraid of whom?
"According to the requirements of Mingzhu Affiliated High School, if you cannot complete magic release within one academic year, you will be advised to withdraw..." Ding Yu Mian's tone was calm, but Xu Shen still caught a hint of worry in her eyes.
"Because your Star Sense Stone test has always been first in the grade, the school has not yet issued a warning notice to you. I heard Teacher Gu say that he suspects you might have an innate mental power deficiency. He will find someone to test your mental power. If your mental power is too much lower than normal people, you might not be exempted by the school system."
"So, it's still advised withdrawal, then?"
"Mm-hmm, Teacher Gu asked me to tell you to wait in his office tomorrow; he will find someone to test you."
Xu Shen nodded and said, "Got it."
Ding Yu Mian looked at Xu Shen in surprise: "You're not worried?"
"What's there to worry about?" Xu Shen smiled lightly, placed his hands on Ding Yu Mian's shoulders, forcing her to stop and face him, and said, "Before, I kept thinking whether I should hide it. But I thought about it, playing the pig to eat the tiger, one wrong move and I might really live like a pig. Little girl, I'm laying my cards on the table, I'm a genius, I'm not pretending anymore!"
After speaking, Xu Shen clasped his hands behind his head, hummed a tune, and walked briskly towards the cafeteria.
Ding Yu Mian wrinkled her pretty nose and whispered, "You're the little girl."
Then, she quickened her steps to catch up: "You also have an Innate Talent?"
"Guess?"
"Wait, why 'also'?"
"You guess."
...
The next day.
When Xu Shen knocked on Old Gu's office door, he was sitting and drinking tea with an ordinary-looking, even somewhat balding, middle-aged man.
"Xiao Xu, you're here. Let me introduce you; this is Jiang Yunming, the Head of the Summoning Department at Mingzhu Academy."
Xu Shen was startled. To be a Department Head, one had to be at least a Super Order Mage, right? How could a small fry like him alarm such a venerable figure?
"Teacher Jiang, hello," Xu Shen bowed cautiously.
In his two lives, he had rarely seen anyone of this caliber.
Seemingly noticing Xu Shen's restraint, Jiang Yunming chuckled, "Old Gu was also my former teacher, so we're like fellow disciples."
"Oh, oh."
Xu Shen nodded.
He didn't know that the Summoning Department of Mingzhu Academy was almost without successors. Jiang Yunming had to come here several times a year just to find a few good prospects, but unfortunately, most were only passable.
This time, being roped in by Old Gu to help check Xu Shen's mental power was just a side trip.
"Come closer," Jiang Yunming beckoned Xu Shen over.
The great figure's time was precious, and he didn't waste much time, getting straight to the point.
He placed his hand on Xu Shen's forehead, a faint silver glow emanating from his palm.
This was the radiance of Dimensional Magic.
"Eh?!"
Jiang Yunming's expression was surprised and doubtful. It was the first time he had seen a rookie who couldn't even release magic, yet whose mental power cultivation had already reached the mid-to-late stage of the first realm.
Unlike Mage cultivation, which since the birth of magic has only evolved into five major realms: Elementary Order, Intermediate Order, High Order, Super Order, and Forbidden Spell.
Mental power cultivation has three major realms: Minor, Intermediate, and Major, further subdivided into nine levels, with the 1st to 3rd realms being Minor, the 4th to 6th realms being Intermediate, and the 7th to 9th realms being Major.
Most Mages, when their cultivation reaches High Order, their mental power cultivation may still be lingering in the Minor Realm.
For typical Elementary Order rookies, it was already rare for their mental power to enter a realm; as far as Jiang Yunming knew, there wasn't a single one who had reached Xu Shen's level.
"What's wrong? Is there a problem?"
Seeing Jiang Yunming's expression, Old Gu also became a little worried.
Jiang Yunming pondered for a moment and asked, "Do you have some Innate Talent?"
Xu Shen scratched his head and smiled shyly, "Does me awakening nine Star Particles count?"