In Shixi City, within a classroom of Shixi No. 3 High School, by the window sat a slightly tanned teenager.


    Propping his chin with one hand, he was Kael Vorn, currently looking at the chaotic classroom in sheer boredom.


    It was already the third year of senior high school.


    The students who had just returned to school were still in the throes of vacation syndrome, completely oblivious to the fact that the semester had already commenced.


    "Hey, what on earth did you do during the vacation? You''ve gotten so much darker," his deskmate asked in astonishment after fooling around with other classmates for a while and then plopping back into his seat to eye Kael Vornup and down.


    "I went to work on a construction site..."


    Kael Vorn''s family was in a tight financial spot.


    His parents were both ordinary factory workers, and with two younger brothers in the family, his parents'' meager salaries struggled to make ends meet for the family of five.


    During the vacation, Kael Vorn, who was now in his senior year, found a job as a handyman at a construction site to earn some extra money for the family.


    "Seriously? Construction work?!"


    "Yeah, otherwise, look at my muscles. All that labor paid off," Kael Vornsaid, pulling up his sleeve and flexing his arm, revealing the well - developed muscles that had taken shape during his month - long stint at the construction site. The muscles bulged prominently as he exerted himself.


    "Wow, that''s amazing!"


    The deskmate reached out and touched Kael Vorn''s muscles, clearly envious.


    "Know where I was during the vacation?" the deskmate then whispered conspiratorially.


    "What did you do?"


    Kael Vornleaned back against the table behind him, relaxing his body. Squinting his eyes slightly, he asked in a lazy drawl.


    He knew his deskmate well enough to anticipate his every move. It was as clear as day that his deskmate was about to show off.


    If he didn''t listen, this guy would be as fidgety as someone with a three - day constipation.


    "My dad signed me up for a wilderness survival class. I trained there for a month, and now I feel like I''m super strong!" The deskmate grinned from ear to ear, his words oozing with pride.


    "Sounds like you''re gearing up to head to the Spirit Realm," Kael Vornquipped, shifting his position to lean against the wall, propping his head with one hand.


    "Absolutely! Once I succeed in Awakening my Spirit, I''ll be your big brother from then on. I''ll definitely look out for you!" The deskmate waved his hand grandly, full of bravado.


    "Alright, I''m looking forward to it..."


    "What about you? This semester, it''s time to prepare for Spirit Awakening. Wanna do it together?" the deskmate inquired.


    "Me? I''ll see how things go..."


    Kael Vornreplied off - handedly, closing his eyes. As his eyes shut, his thoughts began to wander.


    Spirit Awakening was a new concept that had emerged on Blue Star in the past three hundred years.


    Over three hundred years ago, the world was a barren wasteland devoid of the extraordinary, often referred to as the world of the end of the Dharma, where great powers were concentrated within groups.


    However, with an unexpected event, the world underwent a drastic transformation.


    Blue Star was ensnared by the Spirit Realm!


    The Spirit Realm was an incredibly vast world where the extraordinary was manifest.


    As Blue Star drew nearer to the Spirit Realm, the extraordinary elements within the Spirit Realm started flowing towards Blue Star, much like water naturally seeking lower ground.


    A continuous influx of these elements flooded into Blue Star.


    Moreover, from time to time, spatial rifts and planar passages would form, providing pathways for humans to reach the Spirit Realm.


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    Similarly, creatures from the Spirit Realm could also enter Blue Star.


    This was both a revolution and a calamity for Blue Star.


    The creatures in the Spirit Realm included many extraordinary beings, and it was extremely challenging for the mortal forces on Blue Star to resist them.


    Fortunately, the great will of the Spirit Realm harbored goodwill towards the arrival of a new world.


    Along with this, various extraordinary inheritances present in the Spirit Realm also made their way into Blue Star.


    Thus, with the aid of technology and the gradually emerging extraordinary powers, the people of Blue Star managed to defend their homeland and began to explore the Spirit Realm.


    Spirit Awakening was invented by the sages during this period. Blue Star, once a desolate land in terms of the extraordinary, was filled with mundane beings.


    Although the extraordinary factors from the Spirit Realm had seeped in, fully transforming Blue Star would still require a significant amount of time.


    Some people discovered that by venturing deep into the Spirit Realm, capturing and compressing the Spirit Realm''s aura, and then bringing it back to Blue Star and releasing it, they could accelerate the infection of humans by these extraordinary factors.


    Once the extraordinary factors within a human body reached a certain level, the Spirit Realm would actively capture that person and teleport them into the Spirit Realm.


    Upon entering the Spirit Realm, some fortunate individuals, with the assistance of the rich magic power there, would successfully awaken their Spirit.


    Their physiques would transform from mundane to extraordinary, enabling them to engage in cultivation.


    Only those actively captured by the Spirit Realm could experience this transformation of their physique.


    Those who entered the Spirit Realm through other portals would forever lose the chance to transform their physical nature.


    This step was like a fish leaping over the Dragon''s Gate. Once crossed, one could ascend to a higher status. The extraordinary could enhance their abilities through cultivation.


    There were warriors, knights, sorcerers, mages, wizards, and dozens, even hundreds, of inheritances available for selection and cultivation.


    The extraordinary world was a realm that inspired longing and an enviable class.


    As a result, the world was divided into two distinct worlds: the extraordinary world and the mundane world.


    In the mundane world, the class structure was nearly rigid. As long as one did not achieve the extraordinary, the lower - class people in the mundane world could do little more than work hard to scrape by.


    They strived to raise children, hoping that their offspring would succeed in Spirit Awakening and become extraordinary.


    ...


    Suddenly, the classroom fell silent. Kael Vornlooked up to see the head teacher standing on the podium.


    The head teacher surveyed the students, taking in their spirits, and nodded in satisfaction.


    "Classmates, we''ve been together for three years, and now it''s time for us to part ways. This semester... is a crucial turning point in your lives."


    "Monitor, come and distribute this form," the head teacher said, looking around at the young faces in the classroom.


    The monitor dutifully distributed a paper form row by row.


    Kael Vorntook a look and saw: Shixi No. 3 High School Spirit Awakening Application Form!


    "Classmates, take this form home. After discussing it with your parents, if you''re willing to participate in Spirit Awakening, fill it out and hand it in to me tomorrow."


    Spirit Awakening was not without risks, and not everyone who attempted it would succeed. Therefore, the state did not mandate that every child participate.


    The extraordinary had been present for over three hundred years, and Blue Star had long passed its most perilous stage.


    Now, the people of Daxia had ventured beyond Blue Star, with many entering the Spirit Realm for development and exploitation.


    Ordinary people who wished to partake in this lucrative journey, similar to the Age of Discovery, or those aiming to leap across class boundaries would choose to participate in Spirit Awakening.


    For the Daxia state, it did not arrange for the majority of commoner children to learn about the Spirit Realm from an early age.


    On one hand, educational resources were limited. On the other hand, the upper echelons of society were already crowded, and there was no need for a large influx of new entrants.


    Both educational and extraordinary resources were scarce.


    What Daxia needed now was a continuous supply of potential extraordinary individuals, so to speak.


    Hence, Spirit Awakening was scheduled for the second semester of senior year.


    If you were willing to take a risk, you could study the knowledge related to the Spirit Realm and ultimately participate in a high - stakes game.


    If not, you could focus on ordinary studies and become an ordinary cog in the wheel of Blue Star, such as a factory worker, a service industry employee, or someone in the entertainment field.


    For those with power and influence, their children usually did not need to take such risks.


    They had access to better education, resources, and equipment, and even had a higher probability of successful Spirit Awakening.


    Everything seemed predetermined from the moment of birth.


    So... would you take the gamble?


    Kael Vorntightly clutched the application form in his hand. He knew he had to take the plunge.


    Even if it meant putting his life on the line, he had to seize this one and only opportunity.


    Otherwise, his future would be no different from that of his parents...


    ...


    "Alright, you''ve all worked hard cleaning the classroom today. School''s over. Go home early."


    As the bell rang from the tallest building on campus, the head teacher promptly announced the end of the school day.


    All the students immediately rushed out in a hurry.


    Kael Vornwas no exception. He grabbed his schoolbag, climbed out of the nearby window, and sprinted towards the school gate.


    Despite the start of the school semester, he still had a part - time job. He worked as a waiter in a restaurant near his home.


    Being a waiter in such a restaurant was extremely arduous, especially for a part - timer.


    He not only had to serve dishes and clear tables but also had to help with dish - washing at times.


    What? You think dish - washing is too dirty and tiring and don''t want to do it? Well, if you don''t, you''re out of a job...


    Kael Vornworked part - time here from six o''clock to eleven o''clock every day, earning twenty yuan a day. It wasn''t a large sum, but considering the circumstances, it wasn''t bad either.


    Especially now that school had started, suitable part - time jobs were scarce.


    At least this restaurant provided a meal, which was a plus.


    Dashing into the restaurant, Kael Vornquickly changed into his work clothes and got down to his work for the day.