Rui Hang’s gaze was fixed intently on the southwestern sky.
There was a legend in Parnaki that the Demon Clan was born from Magic Power, for otherwise it would be impossible to explain their immense and unfathomable Magic Power reserves.
Whether the legend was true or false remained undecided, but when it came to sensitivity toward Magic Power and the Divine Prophecy, Rui Hang was indeed far superior to any student in the class.
Compared to the excitement brought by the resurgence of Magic Power, Rui Hang harbored a faint worry deep in his heart.
When he was in Parnaki, he had tried to find a way back to Earth, and thus came into contact with the thick Divine Prophecy between the two worlds.
Earth and Parnaki had never interfered with each other since ancient times, and this Divine Prophecy was crucial.
It blocked the transmission of Magic Power and allowed the two planets, with similar lifespans, to follow vastly different development paths.
Since discovering the Divine Prophecy, Rui Hang had a premonition: one day, they would return to Earth once more to face a certain special moment.
Therefore, he was the quickest among everyone to accept returning to Earth and was the first to complete the transition— though the timing of the crossing was somewhat peculiar.
The collision between these two worlds was inevitable, but just as he had told his students before, the problems brought by such contact were far beyond estimation.
Magic Power was like an energy with a soul, able to merge with all things and produce myriad strange existences.
Including but not limited to human thoughts, lingering post-mortem consciousness, and even souls from life.
For Earth, it was feared that for a long time there would be various rumors related to “ghosts.”
At present, the Magic Power concentration was like a single drop of fresh water falling into the vast ocean— causing no change at all.
How long it would take for gaps in the Divine Prophecy to let Magic Power change from a drop into a trickling stream or even raging waves was something Rui Hang could not know.
Just take it as it comes.
Rui Hang let out a barely audible sigh, temporarily putting the matter aside, while quietly preparing himself: he would use this opportunity to quickly restore his strength so that if anything happened, he would not be caught off guard.
Looking back at his classmates, due to the sudden shift in Magic Power, none of them could focus on anything else. Some were excited, others anxiously watching Rui Hang’s direction.
“Rui Teacher…”
Su Mingya’s lips moved, wanting to say something.
“Don’t rush.” Rui Hang pressed his palm downward and made a calming gesture. “Now is not the time to talk about this.”
“……”
Su Mingya pursed her lips and nodded, retracting her gaze from Rui Hang while forcibly calming her emotions.
She signaled with her eyes for everyone else not to panic, and the group endured their slightly restless feelings to finish the last part of their performance, so much so that their final class chant lacked energy.
Fortunately, their performance successfully ignited the entire audience. No one cared about this minor flaw—they were all immersed in the shock and atmosphere brought by the show.
“Ninth Class—”
“Awesome!!!”
“Lin Lang, I love you—”
Some daring soul took advantage of the crowd’s excitement and shouted out during the cheers. The bold voice briefly silenced the stadium, only to trigger an even louder roar of applause.
Shouts and jeers rose up incessantly. Lin Lang lightly tucked the strands of hair behind her ear and gracefully waved toward the loudest cheers, showing not a hint of the awkwardness or shyness expected from a student receiving such attention.
Lin Shen’s eyes brightened from the stands.
As a seasoned Film Emperor, he could see more than ordinary people—the difficulty behind this performance.
Costumes were secondary; this world lacked neither good clothes nor good design. The students’ outfits were not about fashion but close to their daily habits.
Compared to the dazzling haute couture on the annual fashion weeks, these styles were impressive but not excessive to him.
However, wearing a garment beautifully was far more difficult—it required temperament, poise, and absolute confidence in every gesture.
The entire performance by Ninth Class focused on Su Mu’s singing as the “Mermaid” and Lin Lang’s final solo flourish. The rest was just students walking from one side of the field to the other in gorgeous clothes.
Yet those few steps, carried by their own charisma, managed to evoke an epic feeling like a medieval film within a modern, vibrant school stadium.
Achieving this was already very rare and required strong conviction.
Not to mention the stunning singing and dancing, which could only be described as “art.”
Lin Shen had long ago established his own studio and had sporadically signed a few artists over the years. His studio was known for being “demanding.”
In the entertainment circle, top stars all vied to work with him, but in Lin Shen’s eyes, these prized talents were like wildflowers unworthy of the stage.
This arrogance earned him many complaints, but none could deny that every artist signed by Lin Shen shook off their “popularity” label, earning both acclaim and steady standing at the top tier.
Thus, despite repeated rejections, many entertainers flocked to Lin Shen’s studio.
This outstanding record was proof of Lin Shen’s sharp eye.
Seeing Ninth Class’s performance, he could say without hesitation that if Su Mu and Lin Lang entered the entertainment industry, they would quickly spark a revolution in the circle and very likely break into the international market.
Especially Lin Lang. Not only for her stunning dance moves and alluring gaze but also her extraordinary composure and grace when faced with the students’ teasing— all qualities befitting a mature artist.
What he did not know was that in another world, as the leading actress and founder of Parnaki’s largest troupe “Phantom,” Lin Lang was already accustomed to such scenes.
He was simply amazed by her talent as an artist and silently resolved: he must sign them!
At this moment, Lin Shen was no longer concerned about attending the school event as a parent and sitting on the stage.
His eyes were fixed on Ninth Class, and his mind had already crafted a complete training and management plan, fully immersed in work mode.
What other students performed afterward or what the school leaders said was all unknown to him.
So when the Principal suddenly patted his shoulder and loudly announced with a tone half of pride and half boasting, “Finally, let me introduce the special guest of this opening ceremony— the Film Emperor, Mr. Lin Shen!” Lin Shen still felt a bit dizzy.
He reflexively stood up, took off his glasses and mask, gently waved to the students below, and revealed a charming smile.
The tsunami of screams finally snapped him out of his work mode.
Lin Shen regretted having been distracted and missing the opportunity to coordinate with the Principal on when and how to announce his identity.
At the same time, he subconsciously scanned the dense crowd below, searching for his brother’s class.
But all he could see were countless raised hands and flashing lights— nothing else.
He could only patiently adopt his interview stance, soothing the crowd while answering question after question from the Principal.
The unexpected appearance of the Film Emperor grabbed everyone’s attention, and for a while, no one recalled the stunning performance just given by Class 9, Grade 11.
Nor did anyone notice that while the whole school was going crazy over Lin Shen’s arrival, a class of twenty-four quietly slipped back into the school building.
……
Bai Luo slumped in his chair and let out a long breath.
“Where’s Rui Teacher?” He looked around but saw no sign of Rui Hang.
“All the teachers stayed on the field.” Lin Yuan poured himself a glass of water, gulped it down, then said with a long sigh, “Helping maintain order.”
At the thought of the field resembling a zombie apocalypse, Bai Luo shuddered, “Your brother’s popularity is really something else.”
“This kind of scene is nothing.” Lin Yuan took on the experienced tone of a veteran. “When my brother held idol concerts before, those fans were truly insane.”
“But thanks to your brother attracting attention, we could get out.” Su Mu patted her chest with relief. “Otherwise, it might have been us surrounded like that.”
“So what are you planning to do?” Lin Yuan turned his head to look at her. “Interested in the entertainment world now?”
“I’m a bit scared of dealing with those scenes, but I haven’t decided yet. Being an artist does pay well.” Su Mu was honest. “My family’s a bit poor.”
“Don’t mermaids sing in front of people all the time? You’re scared of this?” Bai Luo asked casually.
Su Mu shrugged. “Our singing isn’t just for singing. It’s for hunting! Have you seen any mermaids prance around in front of humans? There’s always a storm blocking the view.”
Bai Luo waved his hand, wearing a painful expression. “Can’t you try to maintain the dreamy image of mermaids for outsiders?”
Thinking about all the gossip Su Mu had shared about mermaid habits, Bai Luo felt a tightness in his chest.
If this kept up, his filters about mermaids would be completely broken.
Su Mu looked like she didn’t care to argue further and ignored Bai Luo.
Compared to Su Mu, Lin Lang was much more decisive. “I decided to be an artist a long time ago. It’s my old trade, and it pays well. Maybe I can even take on some special jobs—how fun would that be?”
Lin Yuan: “……”
Lin Lang slapped Lin Yuan’s head. “What are you thinking? I mean gathering intelligence, undercover work. Like how I manage the troupe in Parnaki and provide you guys with intel— everyone cooperating for mutual benefit.”
After a few more casual exchanges, Su Mingya, who had been quietly listening amid the banter, brought up the key point: “By the way, what exactly is this Divine Prophecy?”
She looked toward Shen Qiting sitting nearby. “Have you felt anything?”
Shen Qiting hummed, bowed her head to think for a moment, then shook it slightly. “Not yet… but I think we could try Meditation.”
The suggestion was met with unanimous approval from the class.
Meditation was the best method to cultivate and perceive Magic Power, and Ninth Class students were already very familiar with it.
In fact, after returning to Earth, every night they would set aside time to meditate. Unfortunately, in this Magic Power–less world, no matter how much they cultivated, they could not extract any energy.
—Of course, it was also possible the power they concentrated was too small, and after only half a month, the effects were not yet visible.
However, this theory no longer required a precise answer. Now that Magic Power had reappeared, it was only a matter of time before it was sufficient for cultivation again.
As for whether their bodies still qualified for cultivation— Magic Power was closely linked to the soul, not the physical body.
Since they could detect changes in the Divine Prophecy, it naturally meant they still possessed cultivation potential.
Once the chaos on the field subsided, the competition was about to officially begin.
Time was short, so everyone returned to their seats, sat cross-legged, formed different hand seals according to their cultivation methods, exhaled, closed their eyes, and focused intently on sensing the changes in Magic Power.
Until an unexpected knock on the door interrupted everyone’s meditation.
“Teacher Li has been looking for you all over! The competition is about to start—why are you all still in the classroom…”
A student from Class Eight, a member of the student council responsible for notifying Ninth Class, hurried into the room and froze in confusion.
Outside the classroom, the atmosphere was lively; inside, it was peaceful.
The twenty-four students all sat cross-legged in their cramped chairs, wobbling but stubbornly maintaining their posture.
Su Mingya, having absorbed Rui Hang’s teachings deeply, opened her eyes calmly and said, “We’re doing yoga to adjust our physical condition before the competition.”
Class Eight students: “……”