Year 9999 of the Divine Era, autumn. East Sea, Qingzhou City.
Qingzhou Academy— a sacred ground for cultivators, producing more than half of Qingzhou City's strongest figures. Every disciple here trained diligently—except for one.
Inside the lecture hall, a young man lay sprawled across his desk, sound asleep.
At the podium, a young woman in a flowing blue dress gazed at him coldly before stepping forward.
Ellie, seventeen years old, an official disciple of Qingzhou Academy and an outer sect instructor. She was immensely talented and breathtakingly beautiful. Many in the hall followed her movements with admiration and envy. After all, sleeping in her class was an unforgivable offense.
Her steps were silent, her gaze growing colder as she approached the sleeping boy.
"Dominic."
The voice was soft but did not belong to Ellie. It came from a girl sitting behind him.
Dominic frowned slightly, as if hearing his name in a dream. He drowsily opened his eyes, only to be greeted by an astonishing curve.
"…So big…" he murmured instinctively.
Though his voice was barely audible, in the quiet lecture hall, it sounded deafeningly clear.
The air froze.
Then—
"Did he just insult Ellie?"
"This bastard has a death wish!"
Countless furious gazes shot toward Dominic like daggers, making him shiver. Sensing something was off, his gaze trailed upward along that alluring curve, finally landing on a stunning yet ice-cold face.
Crap. Ellie?!
He turned his head in horror. Sure enough, the fifteen-year-old girl behind him was glaring at him furiously.
Dominic cursed inwardly. He was set up! No wonder something had felt off.
"Ellie, I—" He tried to explain.
"What is the historical background of Qingzhou Academy's founding?" Ellie cut him off, her voice frosty as if deliberately avoiding the previous topic.
Dominic sat up straight and replied casually, "Three hundred years ago, the Eastern Emperor unified the Eastern Divine Continent and ordered the local lords to establish academies to cultivate powerful figures. Qingzhou Academy was born from this decree."
Ellie nodded slightly and continued, "What are the main paths of cultivation?"
Without hesitation, Dominic answered, "Cultivation is divided into martial arts and spell arts. Martial arts include swordsmen, knights, and warriors, while spell arts include mages, alchemists, and artifact refiners. Some practitioners cultivate both."
"You missed one category," Ellie said solemnly.
A slight smirk played at Dominic's lips as he responded confidently, "The most revered profession in all of the Divine Continent—Fateborn Sorcerers. Those gifted by destiny, capable of cultivating both martial and spell arts, often possessing unique abilities such as summoning, beast mastery, or star magic."
The room fell silent for a moment. Many students' expressions were filled with longing. Fateborn Sorcerers—legendary existences blessed by the heavens, unmatched in talent.
Ellie stared at him deeply. "It seems you know your studies well."
Dominic replied seriously, "Of course. After all, I am a Fateborn Sorcerer."
A dead silence followed.
Then—
"Pfft!" Someone in the corner choked on their water, coughing violently.
All eyes turned to Dominic in disbelief.
Everyone knew that three years ago, he had been hailed as a prodigy. Yet for the past three years, he had remained stuck at the first level of Awakening Realm, showing no progress. And now, he dared to claim he was a Fateborn Sorcerer?
Ridiculous!
Ellie's chest rose and fell slightly as if restraining her anger. "If that's true, then your Soul of Fate should have awakened. Show it to us."
Dominic shook his head. "My Fate Soul is still dormant and hasn't manifested. The reason I fall asleep in class is due to its influence."
"Dominic!" Ellie's voice grew sharp with disappointment. "Three years ago, you entered Qingzhou Academy with a Heaven-tier Spirit Sense, shocking everyone. The instructors held high expectations for you. But for three years, you've remained stagnant, neglecting training, and even skipped multiple academy assessments, ranking dead last! And now, you're using your Fate Soul as an excuse?"
The hall was silent as everyone watched Dominic, waiting for his response.
He simply looked at Ellie and murmured, "Three years… already?"
Time had passed so quickly.
Yet, the existence sleeping within his Fate Palace remained motionless.
Ellie took a deep breath, her voice steady but heavy. "In one month, the Autumn Examinations will begin. If you skip them again or fail the test, the academy will no longer keep you."
Many students' expressions shifted. Clearly, the academy had run out of patience.
"If he leaves, I leave too."
A deep voice broke the silence.
All eyes turned toward the speaker—a tall, broad-shouldered youth with an imposing aura.
Rek, an outer sect disciple, immensely talented. With a Heaven-tier Metal Spirit Sense, he cultivated both martial and spell arts, surpassing even some instructors in combat prowess.
Despite that, he had remained by Dominic's side, never leaving.
Ellie sighed. "The academy has already made arrangements, Rek. You no longer need to take next year's Spring Exams. You're free to enter the Battle Hall, the Knights' Order, or the Spell Arts Palace. Your future shouldn't be held back by him."
Dominic chuckled faintly, an unclear emotion in his smile. "Holding him back?"
"Shut up!" Rek cut in harshly, his gaze like a blade piercing toward Ellie.
"Sit down," Dominic said calmly.
Rek hesitated for a moment, then, after a long glance at Dominic's back, silently took his seat.
Slowly, Dominic stood up, a roguish smile tugging at his lips. "I've decided—I'll take this year's Autumn Examination."
Rek's eyes flashed with a sharp glint.
Three years.
Was he finally serious?
Ellie frowned. "But you're still at the first level of Awakening Realm. Even if you participate, how will you pass?"
Dominic remained confident. "And if I do?"
Ellie scoffed. "If you pass, then from now on, you can do whatever you want in my class."
Dominic's gaze flickered slightly as he studied Ellie's graceful figure. His eyes instinctively drifted downward before he weakly asked, "Anything I want?"
The air froze again.
Then—
"Where the hell is he looking?"
"This bastard is disrespecting Ellie again!"
Ellie, realizing Dominic's gaze, darkened instantly. Any hint of pity she had for him vanished, replaced by burning fury. Gritting her teeth, she spat, "Do whatever you want!"