At night, Evony sat quietly in the practice room. She knelt on the floor, a magic array glowing faintly beneath her. Its intricate patterns, filled with mysterious symbols, shimmered faintly. A closer look would reveal the outlines of four distinct creatures within the array.
The Wildflame Four-Beast Ritual Array [Outstanding Gold Tier] was a specialized formation belonging to the Red-Clad Reaper Sect. Engraved on the array were depictions of the Three-Headed Serpent, Maimed Hyena, Crimson Salamander, and Scorched-Tail Scorpion. This array amplified mastery over flame-related abilities. Constructing such an array required four unique potions and incense to awaken its power.
While the array could be reused once drawn, the special incense consumed in the process was costly. The incense sold by the Red-Clad Reaper Sect to outsiders cost at least tens of thousands of Federation credits per jar, making it an extravagant training aid.
Yet, it came with significant benefits. With this ritual array, a transcendent could enhance their flame mastery by 30–50%. (This effect, however, diminished for individuals beyond Sequence 5; for Sequence 6, the boost was negligible.)
As the curling smoke from the incense rose, Evony opened her eyes. An orange flame emerged in her palm, floating gently before her.
The flame, though small, carried an extraordinary concentration of refined magic, embodying the concept of flame. Just a tiny spark was enough to evaporate all the water in the room.
Under her careful control, the flame began to twist and transform. Threads of pale gold magic emerged from within, gradually weaving intricate markings essential for her advancement.
Initially, the process went smoothly. But as the markings grew more complex and the interlocking points increased, beads of sweat formed on Evony’s forehead.
By all accounts, with her Flowing Return Flame talent rated as [Perfect Grade], advancing in flame-related concepts should have been effortless. But Evony set exceedingly high standards for herself, unwilling to settle for simpler and lower-ranked extraordinary professions.
Only pathways rated as Perfect Gold Grade were worth her effort. In truth, she aspired to a Legendary Gold Grade profession. She knew, better than most, that to go further in the future, her pathway model at lower ranks had to be optimized to its pinnacle.
This drive for perfection and pride kept her stuck at Sequence 3, refusing to settle for an ordinary transcendent pathway.
As the flame’s marking neared completion, Evony felt a flicker of hope. But just as she prepared to finalize the process, a wave of exhaustion swept through her body. Her focused willpower dissipated, and the flame, no longer constrained, began to waver. Its intricate structure unraveled, clashing internally.
In a split-second decision, Evony flung the unstable flame away, where it exploded violently in the distance.
The fiery blast sent a wave of heat through the room. She instinctively shielded her face with her arm. As the light faded, she collapsed to the ground, her body drenched in sweat.
Failed again…
Lying on the floor, Evony stared blankly at the ceiling, her heart hollow with despair.
Am I not a genius after all?
Am I just someone who got lucky—nothing more? Not truly intelligent, incapable of comparing to those real geniuses?
These thoughts began to eat away at her, a strange and painful doubt coiling in the hidden recesses of her mind like a venomous snake, biting incessantly.
For some reason, she blinked rapidly, trying to keep the warm tears from spilling out.
Propping herself up from the floor, her once-lustrous golden hair now clung limply to her sweat-drenched cheeks, making her appear particularly disheveled.
Her hands pressed against the ground as she stared at the dark gray floor beneath her. Large droplets of water fell between her hands, some landing on the backs of her hands before sliding off.
This wasn’t the first time. If it had been only once or twice, she could have comforted herself with excuses of insufficient preparation or bad luck. But this was the fourth time.
It’s so painful. Why does it have to be like this…
Her confidence in advancing to the transcendent pathway she hoped for was utterly shattered. She didn’t want to try anymore. She didn’t want to feel this kind of pain again.
Maybe I should just choose an easier transcendent pathway. It doesn’t have to be Perfect Gold Grade—even Rare Gold Grade would do. Even if people mock me, it’s better than being stuck at this stage forever.
But, but…
Advancement isn’t just this once. If I settle for Rare Gold Grade at Sequence 4, wouldn’t I have to settle for Outstanding Pearl Grade at Sequence 5, and then Excellent Crystal Grade at Sequence 6? By Sequence 7, I might not even be able to reach Standard Epic Grade. These thoughts filled her with newfound despair.
For most people, reaching Sequence 6 would already place them among the elite of society—a pinnacle of achievement for ordinary individuals. Sequence 7 transcendents were so rare that many people would never meet one in person, only glimpsing them through videos or images.
But she wasn’t ordinary. Not only was her father a high-ranking official in the Star Region government, granting her access to society’s elite, but her [Perfect Grade] talent had earned her special attention. She had even met two extraordinary masters from different factions at a young age.
One of them was Godmother Giancaforni, the head of the Red-Clad Reaper Sect. This Sequence 7 master had visited the Four-Leaf Crystal Star Region two years ago specifically to meet her, promising to personally mentor her once she graduated from high school and reached Sequence 5, making her a core member of the sect.
Such an honor was exceedingly rare. Ordinary faction members typically spent over a decade proving their worth through contributions and missions before being considered for core membership.
I’m probably going to disappoint those powerful figures. The thought lingered as she lay there, unmoving, until the water stains on the floor dried. Only then did she lift her head.
Standing up, she walked to a corner of the practice room and swiped her card to summon the cleaning unit to erase the scorch marks and tidy the floor. She headed to the washroom, stripping off her sweat-soaked clothes and stepping into the shower.
Minutes later, she emerged, putting on freshly cleaned and dried clothes, and left the room.
Walking through the corridor, she entered the elevator and soon reached the ground level of the academy. By now, it was already 10 PM. The campus was silent, save for the chirping of summer insects and the dim glow of streetlights dotting the night.
Time to go home. Maybe it’s time to face reality.
Evony, you’re not as talented as you imagined. In the end, you’re just a lucky vase.