Chapter 36: The Eye of Frost

Evening self-study came in two forms.

The first was academic study. As a provincial key high school, Pingli Middle School boasted the finest faculty in the province, with nearly two hundred renowned teachers occupying two hundred classrooms. From seventh grade through twelfth, from languages, mathematics, and foreign studies to physics, chemistry, history, and geography—every grade, every subject—there were instructors lecturing and explaining, so whatever you wished to learn, you could find it here.

The second was combat training. The gymnasium housed over a hundred training rooms, including specialized areas for physical conditioning, hand-to-hand combat, taekwondo, karate, and traditional Chinese martial arts. As long as you were willing to work hard and learn, there was nothing you couldn't master here.

Chen Mo felt the daytime hours devoted to combat training were already sufficient—there was no need to continue practicing into the night; otherwise, one would become nothing but a fighting machine. Therefore, he chose academic study for his evening self-study.

Ning Xuan also opted for academic study. Smart and quick-witted since childhood, Ning Xuan excelled at everything she learned and ranked among the top students at No. 14 Middle School. Compared to combat, she preferred the pursuit of knowledge.

Chen Mo made his way to the Chinese literature classroom, where the class was taught by Xu Jingrong, a national special-grade teacher. Her lectures were remarkable—clear yet profound, filled with references and quotations, her words flowing with eloquence. Listening to her was pure enjoyment. With his spiritual strength at an impressive 100, Chen Mo was highly focused. As he listened to her expound on "The Six States," he felt as if he had been transported to the Warring States era, witnessing the grand spectacle of a million soldiers battling across seven kingdoms.

[Meditation +1]

Ding! Suddenly, a string of data flashed through his mind, pulling Chen Mo back from the ancient battlefield to reality.

What the—?!

He discovered his meditation attribute had risen from 60 to 61, and his overall spiritual strength had increased from 100 to 101!

Good heavens, his scalp tingled. This was almost unbelievable—he had simply attended one evening’s literature class, and his meditation attribute had increased by a whole point. Considering that a single attribute point was worth ten thousand credits, this was an incredible gain!

Ding-ling-ling~ Ding-ling-ling~~

The bell signaling the end of evening self-study rang. Xu Jingrong looked around the empty classroom—only a single student remained. She couldn't help but sigh. When she taught outside, parents would fight tooth and nail just for their children to attend her class, yet here, no one seemed to care.

"Teacher! Thank you so much! Your lesson was wonderful—I'm truly grateful!"

Just as Xu Jingrong was about to pack up, she was surprised to see her only student looking at her with deep gratitude. That expression was unmistakable—genuine, heartfelt appreciation. In all her years of teaching, it was the first time she had encountered such sincere thanks.

"Good child, good child! No need to thank me. If my teaching helps you learn, that's the greatest reward a teacher could ask for!"

The student, of course, was Chen Mo. "Your class was fantastic, Teacher. I gained so much from it. From now on, I'll attend your lectures every day!"

Xu Jingrong was quite moved. "Good, good. Even if there’s only one student, I will come and teach. By the way, what's your name?"

"Chen Mo."

"Silent? What an interesting name. I’ll remember you. All right, self-study is over—go home and rest early!"

"Thank you, Teacher. See you tomorrow!"

Waving goodbye, Chen Mo hurried to the middle school classrooms and found Ning Xuan, who had just finished her lesson as well.

The moment Ning Xuan saw him, excitement lit up her face. "Brother, I'm so happy! The teacher was amazing—she started with a tiny diamond, explained the carbon structure in chemistry, then moved to topological molecules in mathematics, and even talked about optical reflection. I felt like I was swimming in a vast ocean of knowledge—I didn’t want to leave!"

Chen Mo rolled his eyes. "Look how excited you are. Did you even understand any of that?"

Ning Xuan lifted her chin. "Of course I did! I’ve already taught myself all the high school material!"

Chen Mo wanted to ask if she had gained any attribute points, but Ning Xuan was always the center of attention—many people were watching. So he took her hand and led her out of the teaching building, heading to a secluded pavilion on the lake.

The moon hung low in the sky, its reflection shimmering across the water.

Ning Xuan exclaimed, "Wow, it’s so beautiful here! This place is amazing—you can eat anything you want for free, learn anything you like, and every teacher is so talented. I absolutely love it!"

Watching her innocent, pure smile, Chen Mo couldn’t bear to dampen her spirits. There’s no such thing as a free lunch in this world. The better the current benefits, the greater the risks ahead. The Evolution Sphere was life-threatening; so were the missions. All these privileges would ultimately be paid for with their lives.

Gently stroking her jet-black hair, Chen Mo said with affection, "I’m glad you like it. But Xuanxuan, you’re ranked number one in the whole school now—a lot of people have their eyes on you. You mustn't let your guard down or trust others too easily."

"I know! I’m not stupid. Your little sister is really clever. Those people are just jealous of my beauty and charm. Hmph, if anyone tries to bully me, I'll freeze them!"

Chen Mo connected with his neural AI, opened his storage space, and retrieved the Frost Eye.

Instantly, a necklace strung with snow-white beads appeared in his palm, and the air around the pavilion turned icy. Fortunately, it was already late and there were no bystanders—otherwise, anyone witnessing this might have had a heart attack.

"Wow! Brother, what’s this?" Ning Xuan’s eyes widened with curiosity, sparkling with excitement.

"This necklace is called the Frost Eye. I found it in a treasure chest during a dungeon run. It’s perfect for you—here, it’s yours!"

To his surprise, her eyes brimmed with tears.

"You silly girl, why are you crying?"

Ning Xuan sobbed and laughed at the same time. "This is the first piece of jewelry you’ve ever given me, Brother. I’m just so happy!"

Chen Mo gave a wry smile. Only now did he realize—in nearly ten years of relying on each other, he had never once given his sister jewelry. In the past, they had struggled just to eat; who would have thought about such things?

"Come, let me put it on you. I’m sure it will look beautiful!" He opened the clasp and fastened the necklace around her neck.

Bling~bling~~

A pure white light emanated from Ning Xuan’s collar. The Frost Eye looked quite ordinary, but only those who wore it knew its true value.

The moment Ning Xuan put on the Frost Eye, data appeared before her eyes. Her mouth fell open, big enough to fit an apple.

"Brother! Brother! This is… this is… a B-grade rare artifact! My goodness, it’s so precious—I can’t accept it. You should keep it!"

At present, the most coveted item on the Evolution Forum’s trading board was only a D-grade vampire staff. One could imagine how priceless a B-grade necklace was—absolutely beyond compare.

Chen Mo pinched her delicate nose. "Silly girl, the Frost Eye is only useful for frost magic. Your brother doesn’t know any frost spells. Besides, it’s just a B-grade item. One day, I’ll be decked out in A-grade gear—or better yet, all SS-grade!"

"Thank you, Brother! You’re the best brother in the world!" she exclaimed, jumping up to kiss his cheek.