Magical awakening
...
The awakening process was conducted simultaneously for several classes.
Mo Fan was number 48, and he would be the last one in his class to undergo the Awakening Ritual.
The class teacher, also known as their Magic Instructor, Xue Musheng, was already standing at the front of the class. The Awakening Ritual would be conducted in front of everyone. Students were to walk up when called by name, place their hands on the Awakening Stone in front of the Magic Instructor, and quietly sense the magic.
"I, a backdoor student, won't you fail the Awakening Ritual? I've heard that some really incompetent people do fail. With your kind of mediocrity, I think you shouldn't waste the precious energy of the Awakening Stone." Said Zhao Kunsan, an old classmate of Mo Fan's, who was Mu Bai's lackey.
Mu Bai felt that it was beneath his dignity to go after Mo Fan himself, so he often sent Zhao Kunsan to do the dirty work.
Mo Fan was indeed worried about failing the Awakening Ritual. Strictly speaking, he was... erm, sort of transported here from another world, so if his physical constitution was different from the people here, it could be a big problem!
"Mo Fan, ignore that idiot. Show him what you're made of by awakening a Fire Element and let him know what it means to look down on others!" Said Zhang Hou, a classmate nicknamed "Muddy Monkey" who was also in the same class as Mo Fan.
Mo Fan didn't reply. If it were the old him, he would definitely have used his eloquent yet sarcastic tongue to lambast Zhao Kunsan, but today he wasn't in the mood. On one hand, he was indeed very nervous, and on the other hand, he didn't know why the black pendant he was wearing around his neck had been vibrating strangely.
This black pendant was a keepsake from the old gatekeeper at the back entrance of his junior high school, Mr. Ying. Mo Fan suspected that this pendant might have something to do with the drastic changes in the world. That day, Mo Fan had fallen asleep at the back of the school with this pendant around his neck.
This morning, the pendant had been vibrating like it was possessed, making Mo Fan's hand shake uncontrollably.
Dammit, why are you vibrating so much? You're just a pendant, can't you just behave properly and be a pendant?
"Mu Bai!" The class teacher, Xue Musheng, called out.
"Oh, that's Mu Bai! He's so handsome, and he's also the top student in our grade."
"Yes, yes, I saw him early this morning. I really like him. I don't know what element he'll awaken, but I hope it's not something like Water or Light, which are considered weak in the early stages."
As soon as Mu Bai stepped out, several girls in the class started chattering excitedly, attracting the frequent glances of some花痴 (obsessed fans) from other classes.
Mu Bai appeared indifferent, but his eyes seemed to enjoy being talked about. He walked up to the class teacher, wearing a humble and confident smile.
"Mu Bai, you're from the famous Ice Clan Mu family, aren't you?" Asked Xue Musheng with a smile.
"That's right."
"Good. If you awaken the Ice Element, you'll have a significant advantage over others, but don't forget to work hard. Talent doesn't determine everything." Said Xue Musheng.
Mu Bai nodded, but in his heart, he thought, "Yes, talent doesn't determine everything, but without talent and family background, one will always live at the bottom of society!"
With the teacher's permission, Mu Bai slowly placed his hands on the hovering Awakening Stone.
The Awakening Stone resembled a thick astrolabe, with a distinct palm print. Mu Bai placed his hand on the stone with a calm exterior but a nervous heart...
With his bloodline, the likelihood of awakening the Ice Element was the highest, but there could be some special cases. If he awakened the River Water Element or the Holy Light Element, the Mu family might no longer value him as much, as they wouldn't waste their resources on finding specialized elements for him.
As he placed his right hand on the stone...
Suddenly, the Awakening Stone emitted a starry glow. These rays of light connected into streaks like special veins and crawled up Mu Bai's right hand.
Everyone was witnessing the awakening for the first time, and the students stood on tiptoes to watch Mu Bai.
Mu Bai stood there motionless, feeling as if he was being enlightened, his head slightly raised...
"Crack, crack, crack"
Suddenly, a chill frosty air hovered around the Awakening Stone.
The frost was so intense that it gradually froze the edges of the Awakening Stone, forming a layer of ice!
"Ice Element! It's really the Ice Element!!!"
Suddenly, someone shouted loudly behind them, accompanied by the screams of some girls.
Mu Bai had already heard the commotion and opened his eyes with joy!
It was indeed the Ice Element. Possessing the Mu family's original element meant he would be more easily accepted into the Mu family. His days of prosperity were not far off. Dealing with scum like Mo Fan would be like crushing an ant... Wait, no, with the awakening of the Ice Element, he was now considered a legitimate disciple of the Mu Clan. Why would he even bother with such a nobody?
One's vision should be broad. Yes, he should have a broader vision. There was even a chance to train with Mu Ningxue!
"Excellent, it's a very pure Ice Element. I believe a star constellation of Ice has already appeared in your spiritual world. Practice more to make it stronger!" Teacher Xue Musheng's eyes were filled with praise.
Being able to freeze the Awakening Stone during the awakening process indicated that this Ice Element power surpassed ordinary people, making him a very talented Ice Element apprentice. This young man would definitely have a promising future!
"Next, Qiu Yueying!"
As soon as the teacher finished speaking, a girl with a hint of heroism on her face stepped out.
"Good, Earth Element. Your star constellation has a solid foundation, which is undoubtedly related to your previous efforts!"
"Next, Xu Qinglin!"
"Also Ice Element."
At this moment, Mo Fan stood on tiptoes to take a look. He noticed that although both were Ice Element awakenings, the guy named Xu Qinglin only produced a faint mist of frost during his awakening, without freezing the Awakening Stone into ice.
This showed that Xu Qinglin's talent and cultivation were far inferior to Mu Bai's, both in terms of Ice Element power.
"Next, Lu Bin."
"Um, Water Element!"
"Oh my god, how could I be Water Element? I should have been Fire Element!" Immediately, the student named Lu Bin shouted loudly, his voice audible within a radius of over 100 meters.
"Don't be discouraged. No matter what element you awaken, as long as you can reach the level of Intermediate Magician, you will gain more advantages." Teacher Xue Musheng looked sympathetic but comforted him with a reassuring tone.
Lu Bin had no other choice but to return to his seat, dejected.
In fact, the initial awakening was crucial. If it was Fire Element, one would have a certain level of combat ability as a Beginner Magician and might gain an advantage in future cultivation.
However, for Water Element, the Beginner skill is Water Defense, which is not as strong as Rock Defense. Without refined cultivation, its effect is not very significant, especially for Beginner Magicians.