The announcement echoed through the gathering crowd, "Bai Chun, with a perfect score of 100 points, has secured the top position!"
A wave of mixed emotions washed over Bai Chun. Relief flooded him – he had proven his abilities and earned his place in the magic school. Yet, a nagging suspicion lingered. This "perfect score" felt preordained, almost too easy. The monsters he encountered within the plane seemed like mere training dummies compared to the relentless battles he'd faced in the dark abyss.
During the tour, a magnificent structure unlike anything he'd ever seen came into view. Its spires scraped the sky, each adorned with intricate carvings that pulsed with a faint magical aura. This was the magic school, his new home.
Inside, he was assigned a dorm room, a far cry from the makeshift shelters he'd built in the abyss. But luxury held little appeal. His mind was fixated on unraveling the mysteries surrounding his arrival.
As he unpacked his meager belongings, a knock on the door startled him. It was a fellow student, a girl with fiery red hair that mirrored the instructor from the test. Her name was Xiulan, and her smile was as warm as the fire magic she wielded.
"Congratulations on topping the exams," Xiulan said, her voice bubbly. "I'm your neighbor. Let's explore the school together tomorrow!"
Bai Chun hesitated. He wasn't sure if he could trust anyone yet. However, Xiulan's genuine enthusiasm was hard to resist. Perhaps, he thought, she could offer some insight into this world and the magic school's true purpose.
"Sure," he finally replied, a flicker of hope igniting within him. "Maybe you can answer some questions I have about this place."
Xiulan's eyes widened. "Questions? About the school? Fire away!"
Bai Chun decided to start simple. "Why were the monsters in the test so weak? I expected a tougher challenge from a magic school."
Xiulan tilted her head, a thoughtful expression replacing her smile. "The entrance exam is designed to assess potential, not raw power. The instructors can sense your magical core, and yours seems… unusual."
"Unusual?" Bai Chun raised an eyebrow.
"Let's just say," Xiulan leaned in conspiratorially, "there's a reason they call this place the Fostering Grounds for Greats. They cultivate exceptional talent, and yours is definitely exceptional."
Her words sparked a spark of curiosity within Bai Chun. Exceptional? Compared to what? The monsters he'd battled in the abyss were on a whole other level. He yearned to learn more about the magic system here, the potential it held, and how it compared to his own hard-earned strength.
"Tell me more about the magic you practice here," he pressed.
Xiulan's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Oh, we have all sorts of magic! Fire, water, earth, wind, light, darkness… there's even a rare few who can manipulate time and space!"
Bai Chun's breath hitched. Time and space manipulation? Perhaps, he thought, there might be something here that could rival his own abilities after all.
As Xiulan launched into an enthusiastic explanation of the different magic disciplines, a sliver of hope blossomed in Bai Chun's chest. Maybe, just maybe, this magic school held the key to unlocking his true potential, a potential forged in the fires of the dark abyss.