Chapter 9: nian stone
Saturday, Mingzhu Academy, Summoning Department.
"What happened to your head?"
Jiang Yunming looked at Xu Shen in surprise.
"It's nothing, I fell because I wasn't paying attention while walking."
Xu Shen rubbed his still somewhat swollen forehead. That girl was really petty; he had only pinched her face.
Jiang Yunming's expression turned grim: "Who dares to bully my student? Xu kid, don't be afraid, just tell me."
He had investigated this kid's background over the past two days; his family history was very clean.
If he hadn't won a few million in the lottery a year ago, he wouldn't have appeared at Mingzhu Affiliated High School at all.
Here, he was like an ascetic, never offending anyone.
If he was bullied, it could only be because of that overly beautiful female student.
Love rivalries were unavoidable for people his age, let alone teenagers who were experiencing a surge of hormones.
"It's really nothing," Xu Shen shook his head with a bitter smile. How could he have known that girl was so petty?
"Forget it, it's fine if you don't say. If you're bullied, just fight back."
Jiang Yunming was prejudiced and didn't believe what Xu Shen said, but since he wouldn't speak, as a dignified Super Order Mage, it wasn't good to press further on such a trivial matter.
He led Xu Shen into the meditation room and solemnly took out a lead box from the safe.
Opening the box, it contained a stone.
It was entirely translucent silver, adorned with patterns like swirling nebulae, appearing extraordinarily unusual at first glance.
This is… a nian stone!
nian stones are extremely rare treasures that can assist in spiritual cultivation.
About 30 years ago, due to the discovery of a nian stone mine in Iceland, the scarcity of this item slightly decreased. This also led to the emergence of many excellent Mind System, Space System, and other Mages who heavily relied on spiritual realm during that era.
However, since the Icelandic mine dried up, many old hunters searched the world but could no longer find nian stone mines. The scarcity of this item increased year by year, and now, in terms of value, it is only higher, not lower, than natural soul seeds, which are priceless.
Xu Shen's heart was greatly shaken.
In his previous life, he was constrained by his spiritual realm. Although he found scattered information about nian stones by searching the world, they were either held by magical families or priced extremely high, making them unaffordable. He searched tirelessly but never even saw a nian stone.
Now, seeing it so easily, he felt an unreal sensation, as if he were dreaming.
"Do you recognize it?"
Seeing Xu Shen nod, Jiang Yunming was somewhat surprised. This item was quite rare nowadays, and it was truly unexpected for a 17-year-old kid to recognize it.
Xu Shen explained: "I was born with 9 star points and have been unable to complete magic release for a long time. I vaguely felt it was a problem of insufficient spiritual power, so I have also been looking for ways to improve my spiritual power. Mingzhu Affiliated High School has many books, and the introduction to nian stones is very detailed."
Jiang Yunming was even happier after hearing this. This kid had great comprehension.
To be able to understand his own problem so soon after embarking on the path of magic, ordinary Mages wouldn't have this kind of insight.
"Since you recognize it, I won't waste my breath. nian stones are not like Star Dust magic artifacts; this item is a consumable. Its energy decreases with use, and when it is depleted, it will completely turn into a useless stone.
Over the years, our Summoning Department only has this one left. Within my authority, I can at most guarantee you two days of use per week, but for an elementary Mage, two days is enough; you won't be able to digest more. I suggest you come to me to cultivate with the nian stone every Wednesday and Sunday."
Xu Shen cautiously took the nian stone. Watching this peerless treasure, worth at least over a billion, flicker with dim silver light in his hand, he felt a heavy weight in his heart.
Jiang Yunming smiled at Xu Shen and took out an agreement: "This item isn't for your free use. Take a look at this agreement, and if there are no problems, sign it."
Is it a contract of servitude?
Xu Shen felt bitter. He knew it; how could such a treasure be given to him for free?
He took the agreement and read it from beginning to end, his expression growing more surprised with each line.
This agreement was overly friendly to him.
Schools were inherently more open and free than general magic organizations. This agreement clearly stated that Mingzhu Academy would provide him with nian stone cultivation until he graduated from university. Of course, the premise was that his cultivation at each stage could meet the predetermined goals in the agreement.
As for what he needed to contribute, it only required him to agree to stay at Mingzhu Academy if they requested him to do so upon university graduation, which meant there was almost no restriction on his personal freedom.
As for joining other magic organizations, as long as they weren't evil cults, they generally wouldn't be hindered.
In other words, he could even earn two salaries.
Mingzhu Academy, as one of the top two universities in the country, was a place many people wanted to stay but couldn't. If he thought about refusing, it would be a bit ungrateful.
Xu Shen did not hesitate and signed the agreement very quickly.
Cultivating with a nian stone was extremely simple. When placed nearby during meditation, it would naturally emit a luster similar to soul-cultivating magic artifacts, nourishing the soul power to rapidly increase.
After all, with his cultivation experience from his previous life as a foundation, Xu Shen's cultivation speed advanced by leaps and bounds since he had the nian stone.
In just a few months, his spiritual cultivation entered the late stage of the first realm. The nine star points in his Star Dust completely settled down and had fully taken on Xu Shen's appearance.
Xu Shen spread his palm, and a warm ball of light flickered on and off.
"You can already cast magic?"
Jiang Yunming was somewhat surprised; this was much earlier than he had anticipated.
Xu Shen nodded and smiled: "Thanks to the nian stone given by teacher."
"Come, let's test the power of the Star Orbit formed by nine star points."
Old Jiang, with great interest, brought out a humanoid dummy, but Xu Shen's mouth twitched slightly: "Teacher, did you forget? I'm of the Light System."
"You try it first."
Jiang Yunming chuckled as he positioned the dummy.
Xu Shen had only heard of destructive magic being tested with dummies before and had never expected that a mere Light System elementary magic, Radiance, could receive such treatment.
He fully activated the star points, and the ball of light in his hand instantly became blindingly bright. In terms of brightness, it was almost comparable to Light Radiance · Flash, a Light System elementary second-level magic, so much so that Old Jiang instinctively turned his head away.
With a palm strike, the dummy did not remain motionless as Xu Shen had expected; instead, it slowly melted away like mud dissolving in water.
"This is…"
"Good magical power," Jiang Yunming smiled and nodded: "Light System elementary magic generally can only act as a light bulb, but Xu Shen, do you remember the historical period when Light System magic appeared?"
Xu Shen nodded and said: "I vaguely remember it was about a hundred years ago, when a great figure named Edison invented Light System magic."
"To be precise, it was 184 years ago. At that time, because of the emergence and growth of Light System magic, dark Mages were no longer completely categorized as 'heretics.' Do you know why?"
Seeing Xu Shen's confusion, Jiang Yunming smiled: "Let me give you a hint: the first magic of the Light System was called Light Radiance · Purification."