“Why is he still meditating?” Ramyas asked.

  “You might know this already,” Robert said. “Till now many students have used a top?grade spirit stone to break through to the Communication Realm, and all of them tried to absorb as much as possible from the stone. The most anyone has ever absorbed from a top?grade spirit stone is seven?tenths, and that record was made three hundred and thirty years back. So I think he is trying to do the same thing…”

  “Yes, I do know that, Sir Robert,” Ramyas said, “but what I don’t understand is—when he started to breakthrough, I sensed double the energy of someone from the Communication Realm. But now I’m not even sensing a bit of energy. Are you guys sensing anything from him?”

  “You are not the only one who is not able to sense anything from him,” Kaigal said. “Even I am also not able to sense anything…”

  “You have to follow Instructor Evan to actually sense anything from Winay,” Rainor said.

  Robert laughed. “Haha, Evan, you are as smart as ever. Looks like you are not neglecting to train yourself.”

  “I have to keep up with everyone, right? So…” Evan said with a serious face, then remained silent.

  (You are still not getting over it, huh? Well, you will understand your brother when the time comes…) Robert thought, a little regretful but also proud, using a frequent whispering technique so only Evan could hear.

  Ramyas glanced at Evan. “Ohh, this smarty?pants is not bad after all, huh.”

  “If you call me with those rubbish names once again, you will lose your tongue,” Evan said, releasing a slight trace of sword energy.

  “Oh, you want to try then?” Ramyas replied. “Before your sword reaches me, you will be paralyzed under my lightning.” A thin line of lightning energy flickered around her.

  “Okay, okay, you both should calm down,” Rainor said.

  Even without releasing any soul energy, his words became a little heavy. Both of them felt the pressure for a second.

  Ramyas exhaled, calmed down, and started to follow Evan’s method.

  Evan was using the Eye of Spirit, which awakened when one reached the Integration Realm. This eye increased the focus in one’s vision, allowing them to see things that could not be seen with naked eyes.

  “Do you see anything now?” Robert asked.

  “Yes,” Ramyas said slowly. “What I’m seeing is… the space around him is locked for some reason, and not even the Eye of Spirit is useful here, I think.”

  “Yes, we are also seeing the same thing,” Robert said. “Without disturbing his meditation, it is not possible to understand the things happening inside the space around him.”

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  “I think it is related to his awakened soul,” Rainor said. “He might have already understood the basic principles of his awakened soul.”

  “Yes, there is a chance,” Robert agreed.

  This made all three instructors’ thoughts change. Each of them was now curious and secretly thinking about how to get Winay to join their academy, even if only as a secondary student.

  At the same time, inside Winay’s consciousness—

  “When I was in the Trial Grounds,” Wini thought, “I felt like I was wasting a lot of spirit energy whenever I activated the Void Eye. I thought this would be resolved when I reached the Communication Realm and my spirit energy became more condensed. But the problem is, the more condensed the energy is, the more energy it requires. So if I don’t use a top?grade spirit stone, I might miss the opportunity to increase the core size while building the foundation for true cultivation…”

  “Till now I have absorbed eight?tenths of the spirit energy from the spirit stone,” he continued, “but I still don’t feel full. I think I can take in the remaining true energy from the stone as well. Let’s absorb the remaining energy at once.”

  Winay absorbed all the remaining energy from the spirit stone in a single breath.

  “Ha… not good,” he thought. “The sudden increase is making the core unstable. Let’s stabilize the core by releasing some soul energy.”

  The moment Winay released his soul energy outward a little, the pressure inside his core eased. He immediately connected the energy inside the core with the energy he had already distributed across his body.

  The moment his energy pathways connected completely, energy flowed throughout his body, cleansing the impurities from his flesh and bones. This process released a purplish light outside his body, which surprised all the instructors.

  “Looks like he absorbed more than seven?tenths of the energy from the top?grade spirit stone,” Evan said.

  “Wait, he successfully broke through to the Communication Realm now?” Kaigal said. “I thought he already broke through earlier and was stabilizing his spirit energy. How much energy did he absorb to be able to cause this much fluctuation just from a small advancement in his cultivation?”

  “Actually, he absorbed more than eight?tenths of the energy from that top?grade spirit stone,” Robert said. “No… it looks more like nine?tenths.”

  (But no one thought that Wini had absorbed all of the energy from the spirit stone.)

  “What an achievement,” Rainor said. “This is the first time someone could absorb this much energy from a top?grade spirit stone.” He let out a small, gentle laugh. “His achievement might even surpass that person from three hundred and thirty years ago.”

  “You are correct, Rainor,” Robert said. “If he cultivates properly with guidance, he can surpass that person. But don’t forget, this student’s soul is a unique soul which is even more unique than other unique?grade souls. That person also had a unique soul, but it was recorded that he was able to achieve that greatness only after he stumbled upon a treasure left behind by someone who had awakened the same soul as him. And don’t forget that person also had a Herald?rank blessing from the Goddess of Creation Temple, unlike us who have only mortal? or votary?rank blessings. Herald rank is the second highest blessing.”

  Robert paused, then added, “But let’s not think about that and let’s not compare, since everyone has their own paths.”

  “Rainor,” Kaigal said, “when you said ‘that person’, did you mean the seventh head of Infinite Academy?”

  “Yes, you are correct,” Rainor replied. “The seventh head of Infinite Academy from three hundred and thirty years back…”

  “Look,” Ramyas said, “he finished his breakthrough.”

  “Okay,” Rainor said. “Everyone, let’s not just focus on one person. Don’t forget we still have two hundred and eleven geniuses who completed their breakthrough in one night after the Trial.”

  “Actually, Headmaster,” Mirai said, “the count has increased to two hundred and nineteen.”

  “It feels like this time we are having a lot of surprises,” Rainor said. “Miss Mirai, did you send the option?entry message to the students who have reached the Communication Realm?”

  “No, Headmaster,” Mirai replied, “I will send the message now.”

  “Okay. Send the message and inform them to reach the central hall by eleven in the morning.”

  “Okay, Headmaster,” Mirai said.

  The Communication Realm marks the true beginning of cultivation, and not all breakthroughs are created equal.