Volume One, Chapter Three: The Day of Awakening

In the evening, Chen Guozhong, with a simple and honest face full of smiles, walked in cheerfully. As soon as he entered the room, he loudly exclaimed, “Son! Your old man is still impressive. I found an old friend… Hey! Look at this—he’s currently the vice principal at Cloud Heights High School. He told me that if you’re willing to train diligently, he can make an exception and give you a chance to enter Cloud Heights High.”

“So this time, you really have to work hard, understand?” Despite having drunk quite a bit, the hand he placed steadily on Chen Tianming’s shoulder was firm.

Chen Tianming looked at his father’s joyful smile and felt a twinge of bitterness deep within. He forced a smile.

“Really? Dad, you’re amazing. There’s nothing you can’t do in this world. You’re my superhero.”

“Of course, who else would I be but your old man?” Chen Guozhong seemed to enjoy the flattery, his smile growing wider, even smoothing out the deep wrinkles on his face.

The two sat at the table, sharing a few drinks. Between sips, Chen Guozhong lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and in the quiet room, the crackling of the flame and burning tobacco could be heard. Then, slowly blowing out a smoke ring, he joked, “Tianming, when the time comes, why don’t you just live at the school? I’m thinking of renting out our house. That way, life will be a bit easier for you.”

At that moment, Chen Tianming suddenly recalled a conversation from his childhood with his father.

“Dad, why do you smoke?”

His father smiled and replied, “Because adults have many worries, so they smoke to ease them.”

“But why don’t children smoke?” Young Chen Tianming tilted his head, puzzled.

“That’s because children don’t have worries!”

Chen Tianming knew that this house was practically sold to the Li family. The house itself wasn’t worth much—the land was the true treasure. Though this was a slum, it was the closest neighborhood to the estate, and its future commercial value was immeasurable.

For this awakening opportunity, their family had practically sold everything they owned. It was a total all-in.

“Alright, studies come first after all,” Chen Tianming feigned ignorance and nodded. “But what about Yuqing?”

“Yuqing’s staying with your aunt. Honestly, the two of us men aren’t great at taking care of her, but luckily, she’s sensible and doesn’t give us too much trouble,” Chen Guozhong said slowly.

“That means when you go to school, you have to study hard. It’s said that enduring hardship is the path to greatness.” His father patted Chen Tianming’s shoulder, then downed the last of the white liquor in his cup and sighed softly. “That’s settled then. I’m tired—going to bed now. You start studying tomorrow.”

Then, swaying with a trembling body, he returned to his room. Chen Tianming keenly noticed his father’s suddenly reddened eyes.

Watching his father’s retreating figure, a passage he once read flashed through his mind.

That was the only time he ever saw his father like this. Their family had weathered storms and hardships, but his father had never shed a tear in front of him.

“To become a great man?” He unclenched his tightly gripped fists. “But nowadays, enduring hardship alone won’t make you great. Only by consuming others can you rise… Father!”

In a world where Gu magic reigned supreme, he resolved to become a Gu master.

Time without warmth was like a falling feather, drifting weightlessly. In the blink of an eye, summer break quietly ended.

These two months had been fruitful for Chen Tianming. The Cloud Heights Gu Master High School library had every kind of book, and he immersed himself in a sea of knowledge, making up for what he had missed with time and effort.

The day of the new semester arrived—a day sacred and important to every student.

It wasn’t just about whether they could step through the gates of the Gu Master world; it would determine their future paths.

Chen Tianming was assigned to Class 6, Grade 1, with student number 50, the very last.

There was no other way. Everyone else had entered through merit; he had slipped in through connections, so he had to be at the very bottom.

He had successfully inherited the title of class tail-ender from middle school to high school.

Lower student numbers meant higher scores on entrance exams. Unfortunately, the person who disliked him most was Li Chengying, Class 6’s number one.

Li Chengying was also a member of the Li family, albeit from a collateral branch. But even a collateral branch was not something ordinary people like Chen Tianming could provoke.

Moreover, Li Chengying was an excellent student, possessing comprehensive theoretical knowledge of Gu. If he awakened a fire-type Gu, the Li family would likely pour more cultivation resources into him, accelerating his progress like a rocket.

Thus, the class divide began to take concrete form.

The reason Li Chengying disliked Chen Tianming so much was because he had been very close to the Li family’s “little angel” in childhood, a fact that fueled his jealousy. Throughout middle school, he often opposed Chen Tianming.

Of course, these conflicts were never as cruel or bloody as those among adults.

“Students, welcome to Cloud Heights Gu Academy. I imagine many of you have been eagerly awaiting this exciting moment.”

On the academy’s sports field, over a thousand freshmen stood neatly in formation, exuding a sense of grandeur.

“Before the awakening ceremony begins, I want to ask: do you all know why you must become qualified Gu masters?”

“Whether you awaken as combat-type or support-type Gu masters today, I hope you remember your mission.”

“To protect all living beings in the world, to never commit acts of disloyalty or betrayal against humanity.”

“Know this: the comfort you feel participating in today’s ceremony is earned through the sacrifices and blood of countless predecessors.”

The principal’s stirring speech concluded, and at last, the students heard the words they had been longing for.

“Now, the awakening ceremony officially begins. I hope each of you will become pillars of our Dragon Kingdom, the future backbone of our nation.”

With the principal’s words, the students’ excitement was nearly uncontrollable.

Which youth does not dream of wielding the power to cleave mountains and seas? Who does not wish to command the winds and storms, becoming a master of his own destiny?

Countless novels, short videos, films, and dramas portrayed such heroes as their idols. Today marked their first lesson as Gu masters. Success promised a bright future.

Whether roaming freely under the heavens or reigning at the pinnacle of power, all things await realization.

…