On one side of the field, Mo Guanguan and Shao Han had already organized their teams into several smaller groups, each assigned a specific role. Their coordination was efficient, almost mechanical, as they began working in shifts.
The strategy they employed was straightforward and practical.
Those with stronger Spiritual Ability took the lead in breaking the ground. Their enhanced physical strength and control over Spiritual Energy allowed them to act as the primary labor force, carving into the hardened earth with forceful, repeated strikes.
Meanwhile, those with weaker abilities handled the supporting tasks—transporting soil, clearing debris, and maintaining a steady workflow. Though less glamorous, their role was just as essential in ensuring that the excavation proceeded smoothly.
It was a classic division of labor.
Efficient.
Reliable.
And most importantly—proven.
However, even as they worked, their attention was not solely on their own progress.
From time to time, they glanced toward the other groups, trying to gauge their competitors' strategies and pace.
And that was when they noticed something… strange.
Zhao Mu's group—
Wasn't moving at all.
Suspicion and Confidence
Mo Guanguan blinked in confusion, brushing a strand of hair from her face as she squinted toward Zhao Mu's side.
"…What is he doing?"
There was a hint of disbelief in her tone.
"Is he planning another trick?"
Beside her, Shao Han paused mid-action, his brow furrowing slightly as he observed the stillness of Zhao Mu's team.
He watched for several seconds, his gaze sharp and calculating.
Then, slowly, a sneer formed on his lips.
"Let him try whatever he wants," Shao Han said dismissively.
"They're not allowed to use tools. Everything must be done with their own strength."
He scoffed.
"No matter how clever his ideas are, without sufficient power, they're useless."
He drove his hardened, ice-covered hand into the ground once more, shattering a chunk of soil with brute force.
"In the end," he added coldly, "Spirit Power Users compete with Spiritual Energy."
"Nothing else matters."
Zhao Mu's Decision
Meanwhile, on the opposite side, Zhao Mu stood quietly among his teammates, engaged in a final discussion.
The atmosphere around him was markedly different.
Where the other groups radiated confidence and momentum, Zhao Mu's group was filled with uncertainty.
Many of his teammates exchanged doubtful glances.
Some frowned.
Others hesitated.
The plan Zhao Mu had proposed was… unconventional, to say the least.
Risky.
Unproven.
And completely different from the straightforward excavation methods being used by the other teams.
After a long silence, Zhao Mu finally spoke.
"In terms of raw strength, we're at a disadvantage," he said calmly.
"No matter how we approach this using conventional methods… we will lose."
The words were blunt.
Uncomfortable.
But undeniably true.
He looked at each of them in turn.
"But if we follow my plan…"
His tone sharpened slightly.
"…we will win."
The confidence in his voice was absolute.
Unshakable.
"We have no other choice," he continued. "If we want to win, we must take a different path."
"We have to try."
Though his words sounded like a suggestion, there was a quiet authority behind them.
This was not merely a discussion.
It was a decision.
Absolute Confidence
Zhu Meng stepped forward, his gaze fixed on Zhao Mu.
"How confident are you?" he asked in a low voice.
Zhao Mu didn't hesitate.
"Not much," he replied calmly.
Then—
"Just one hundred percent."
The response stunned everyone.
Zhu Meng: "…"
The others: "…"
For a moment, no one spoke.
The statement sounded absurd.
Arrogant.
Even reckless.
But Zhao Mu's expression didn't change.
Because to him—
It wasn't arrogance.
It was certainty.
His mastery over Spirit Pattern Engraving had already reached perfection.
There would be no mistakes.
Not a single one.
After a brief pause, Zhu Meng let out a breath and nodded.
"…Alright."
"We trust you."
One by one, the others followed.
Doubt still lingered—
But they chose to believe.
The Beginning of the Engraving
The group stepped back, clearing the area.
Zhao Mu moved to the center.
He raised his hand, extending two fingers.
His fingers were strong—far stronger than ordinary flesh.
Years of practicing the Eagle Claw Technique had hardened them to the point where they resembled steel.
He crouched down.
Then—
With a smooth, controlled motion—
He began to draw.
Precision Beyond Measure
A square.
Ten meters by ten meters.
He traced its outline directly onto the ground, using nothing but his fingers.
No ruler.
No measuring tools.
No guidelines.
Yet—
Every line was straight.
Every angle was precise.
If one were to measure it afterward, there would not be even the slightest deviation.
The surrounding teammates watched in silence.
The skepticism in their eyes began to fade.
"I heard… Zhao Mu joined the Engineering Department recently…"
"And became a student of a Jinhai Master…"
"But hasn't it only been a few weeks?"
"…Then how is his technique this refined?"
Whispers spread quietly among the crowd.
The Spirit Rune Diagram Path
Zhao Mu ignored everything.
The murmurs.
The gazes.
The growing crowd.
None of it mattered.
Right now—
His focus was absolute.
What he was creating was not simply a drawing.
It was a Spirit Rune Diagram Path.
A pathway through which Spiritual Energy would circulate.
Complex.
Precise.
Fundamental.
This was the core of Array Formation.
A field mastered only by true experts.
Jinhai Masters.
Array Masters.
To engrave such a diagram onto a tiny piece of mithril was already considered extremely difficult.
But here—
Zhao Mu was engraving it across an entire ten-meter field.
The diagram he was creating had a name.
Primordial Chaos.
Lines of Power
His fingers moved swiftly.
Sharp.
Accurate.
Controlled.
Screech—
The sound of stone being carved echoed faintly as his fingers cut into the hardened ground.
A straight line appeared.
Then it bent.
Twisted.
Split into branching paths.
Each line connected to another, forming a growing network of intricate patterns.
At first, the shape seemed meaningless.
Random.
Abstract.
But gradually—
A structure emerged.
A rhythm.
A logic.
The Crowd Gathers
The surrounding trainees slowly stopped what they were doing.
One by one, they gathered around Zhao Mu's work.
Curiosity replaced competition.
Even those from other groups couldn't resist.
"What is that…?"
"I've never seen anything like it…"
Soon—
Even the instructors noticed.
Zhang Biao frowned as he approached.
"What's going on here?"
"This isn't a sightseeing event."
But when he pushed through the crowd—
He froze.
"…That's…"
Beside him, Bai Meimei's eyes widened.
"A Spirit Rune Diagram Path?!"
Shock and Recognition
For experienced instructors, the significance of what they were seeing was unmistakable.
This was no simple trick.
This was advanced craftsmanship.
Even Liang Gongchi—one of the most skilled Jinhai Masters in Lujiang City—would have found this impressive.
Yet Zhao Mu—
Had only been studying for less than a month.
The realization was staggering.
To ordinary trainees, this might look like an impressive display of skill.
But to experts—
It was terrifying.
A monster-level talent.
A Decision Takes Shape
Instructor Xie Yingxue narrowed her eyes, watching Zhao Mu carefully.
After a moment, she spoke quietly.
"If this formation succeeds…"
"I will personally recommend him to the principal."
"He deserves special resource allocation."
Zhang Biao and Xu Zhixiong exchanged a glance.
Then nodded.
No objections.
Even if Zhao Mu's Spiritual Energy talent was limited—
If he could become a Jinhai Master—
His value would be immense.
Absolute Focus
Zhao Mu continued working.
Uninterrupted.
Unshaken.
His breathing remained steady, guided by the rhythm of the Turtle Breathing Technique.
Each movement was deliberate.
Each stroke flawless.
The lines he carved were so precise that even a ruler could not improve them.
Time passed.
Fifteen minutes.
Finally—
The last line was completed.
Completion
Zhao Mu lifted his hand slowly.
Before him—
A massive, intricate Spirit Rune Diagram Path lay etched into the ground.
Perfect.
Complete.
He stepped back.
Positioning himself at the lower-left corner of the formation.
Around him—
Silence.
No one spoke.
Because everyone understood—
Something extraordinary had just been created.
And this—
Was only the beginning.
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