"Whether it's perfecting a divine art or creating one from scratch, the foundation is the same—you must first reach the realm of a Seven-Star Apprentice. And if I had even a few tempering pills..."
Ye Wei muttered under his breath, then stepped out of his quiet, elegant courtyard, shutting the wooden door behind him with a gentle click.
Outside, a cobblestone path led from the small building to the gates of Qingyi Courtyard. Towering trees lined the trail, their leaves filtering the waning sunlight into shimmering patches on the stone path. As Ye Wei walked through the shifting light and shadow, his thoughts churned.
Although he'd inherited arcane knowledge from his mysterious dream of the Sacred Mountain, although he could now decipher the secrets of divine patterns and techniques—none of that could change one thing: his innate soul sea remained at the lowest red level, and he was still a lowly One-Star Apprentice.
Perfecting divine arts or creating his own was a goal for the future. For now, what mattered most was cultivation. Only by reaching the realm of the Seven-Star Apprentice could he gather the strength to even use a divine art.
And only by using a perfected or self-created technique would the mysterious "Heavenly Power" descend—cleansing his soul sea and potentially transforming his talent altogether.
But with weak aptitude, the only path forward was through resources.
And he had none.
"The most urgent thing is to break through to Two-Star Apprentice. That's the first hurdle," Ye Wei said, clenching his fist. "Just half a step forward... and everything changes."
His eyes hardened with resolve.
"My cousin Ye Zhong, a pillar of our family, brought honor to his parents. I've only ever dreamed of doing the same. But now... now that I carry the knowledge of divine glyphs, it's not a dream anymore—it's possible!"
He drew a slow, deep breath. For the first time, true confidence filled his heart like a flame in the dark.
"To break into the Two-Star realm, physical strength is key," he reasoned. "Nourishing the body slowly through vitality is the safest method—but my sea's absorption rate is pitiful. At this rate, it'll take half a year just to break through…"
A flicker of ambition crossed his face.
"But if I had tempering pills—enough of them—I could do it in half a month."
The Ye Clan had limited resources, and they were given only to those with real potential. Ye Wei, with his so-called "trash" talent, was at the bottom of the list.
He didn't resent them. He understood.
But he also understood something else: if he wanted to climb higher, he would have to do it alone.
By the time he reached the gates of Qingyi Courtyard, the sun was already descending behind the horizon, painting the western sky in crimson and gold. Around him, students were returning to their dorms. His presence, a lone boy walking out of the prestigious female dormitory, caught many eyes.
Whispers broke out like ripples across water.
"Who's that guy? He doesn't look like he's from Qianlong Courtyard… is he chasing one of the girls here?"
"Another wannabe dragon hoping to mate with a phoenix. So sad."
"Doesn't he know the girls living here are all elites? He's way out of his league."
Their chuckles and sideways glances reached Ye Wei's ears, but his face remained impassive.
He had heard worse. Endured worse.
In fact, those scornful voices only fueled the fire within him.
Suddenly, a familiar voice pierced the air, stopping Ye Wei mid-step.
"Ye Wei? Why are you here again?"
His body stiffened. The color drained slightly from his face as he turned.
A girl stood before him—red leather skirt, silver-white boots, short jet-black hair, and eyes filled with scorn. Qiao Yin'er. She was surrounded by a group of giggling, mocking girls.
Ye Wei forced a breath. "I'm here waiting for a friend. I'm not looking for you," he said coldly, masking the sting in his heart.
Qiao Yin'er raised an eyebrow, a sneer playing on her lips.
"You? Waiting for someone outside Qingyi Courtyard? That's rich."
She knew him well. They grew up together, practically siblings. When they were young, Ye Wei looked after her, protected her like a brother. And she, in turn, had once looked at him with something close to admiration.
But that was before the entrance exams.
Before Ye Wei was declared the lowest-ranked student of his year.
Before Qiao Yin'er began her meteoric rise—now already a Six-Star Apprentice and close to breaking through to Seven.
Ye Wei remembered helping her move into Qingyi Courtyard six months ago, only for her to publicly humiliate him in front of the other girls.
"Dragons don't live with snakes," she had said back then.
And today, she was just as cruel.
"You really need to stop dreaming," one of the girls around her said, laughing mockingly. "Yin'er is practically a warrior. You're still a One-Star joke."
"Exactly. This is Qingyi Courtyard—you don't belong here!"
"You should go back to wherever the other trash lives."
Their laughter was harsh and hollow. But Ye Wei said nothing. He simply looked at them with eyes colder than ice.
His hands were clenched so tightly, his knuckles turned bone-white.
He looked past the crowd and directly into Qiao Yin'er's eyes. There had once been warmth there. Kindness. But now there was only arrogance.
And suddenly, Ye Wei felt nothing.
Nothing but clarity.
He turned without a word and began to walk away.
Behind him, Qiao Yin'er's voice rang out, sharp and prideful.
"Ye Wei, don't come here again. We're not from the same world! I made that clear last time. Dragons do not dwell with snakes!"
Ye Wei didn't look back.
He didn't need to.
He had heard her loud and clear.
And one day, she would hear him.