C3 Comprehending the Divine Script!

The vast plaza fell silent; no one could muster a word.

A super Divine Script hovered before their very eyes.

To perceive its essence was to gain extraordinary powers.

To ascend to the revered rank of a Divine Script Master.

Eyes fixed on the script floating above, everyone pondered deeply.

They quietly tried various pronunciations, hoping to resonate with the Divine Script.

Ye Kong's heart swelled with amazement, the world seeming to brighten around him.

He could hardly believe that the storied Divine Script was, in fact, a Chinese character.

The greatest challenge with Divine Script was mastering its pronunciation and esoteric meanings.

But wasn't this just Mandarin and the significance of the characters?

What was so challenging about that?

I've been speaking since I was one, writing since I was three.

As he gazed at the character "幻" (Huan) in the sky, his background in Chinese language studies kicked in.

The various meanings of "幻" (Huan) swiftly came to mind:

1. Empty, unreal.

2. Bizarrely transformative.

While he sifted through his memories, laughter suddenly erupted.

"Hahaha, I've got it!"

The black-clothed knight was bathed in a shimmering green light, clearly having grasped the Divine Script of the green starlight.

Then, a plump man leaped up, his excitement palpable.

"I've grasped the Divine Script! I am now a Divine Script Master, a credit to my father!"

He was aglow with a yellow light, having perceived the Divine Script of the yellow starlight.

Witnessing two individuals achieve understanding, the old drunkard's face split into a wide grin.

"Excellent, truly excellent. I didn't expect two successes this time."

He turned a cold gaze to the rest, "You have fifteen more minutes. Fail to comprehend, and I reclaim the master Divine Script."

As time slipped away, Ye Kong's mind displayed an array of "幻" characters: Simplified, Traditional, Regular Script, Clerical Script, Small Seal Script, Bronze Inscriptions, Oracle Bone Script...

And two scripts he did not recognize.

When all the scripts merged into a single golden Divine Script,

He whispered, "Huan."

In a flash, the character "幻" in the sky blazed with golden light.

Then, with a swift whoosh, it vanished.

Everyone was dumbfounded.

The old drunkard's wine jug hit the ground with a thud.

"Where has my Divine Script gone?"

As he spoke, the room erupted into chaos.

Everyone had assumed the old drunk had prematurely pocketed the Divine Script.

But it wasn't him—so what was happening?

The old drunk's face turned grave. Could there be an old ghost lurking among these fellows?

Someone here just to steal my Divine Script?

Just then, a brilliant golden light burst forth from Ye Kong, who was sitting at the back.

The old drunk stared, mouth agape as if he could swallow an egg whole.

A mutated Divine Script? Now that's intriguing.

The others couldn't help but turn their gaze toward the spectacle.

Ye Kong's eyes snapped open, and the golden light vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

"Kid, what are you up to?" someone demanded.

"Nothing," Ye Kong replied, offering no further explanation.

"Damn, we thought you'd grasped the Divine Script."

A chorus of jeers followed.

"As if a worthless Martial Cultivator could grasp the Divine Script."

The man shot Ye Kong a venomous look. "Listen here, punk. Stir up any more trouble, and I'll make sure you won't walk again."

Ye Kong paid him no mind, yet he made a mental note of the man, particularly the grotesque scar on his forehead.

Keep strutting around—we'll see who ends up on top.

The old drunk cleared his throat with a couple of coughs. "Well, it seems my Divine Script has come back on its own. You lot must be too weak for it to bother with you."

The crowd's mood soured at his words. What a concept.

Pleased with himself, the old drunk scoffed, "Comprehending the Divine Script is all about destiny. Don't lose heart if you haven't got it yet. Maybe next time you'll succeed. Now, let me share some news from the Northern Kingdom."

The Northern Kingdom.

A vast expanse, eternally encased in ice.

Home to the Darkling Spectres—tall, gaunt figures with pallid skin and eyes of the deepest, icy blue.

Their armor shifted hues with their movements, their weapons forged from the coldest ice.

They slaughtered all in sight, granting them a mysterious power with each kill.

Their victims, whether man or beast, were transformed into ghouls.

These ghouls, with their chilling blue eyes, were bound to the will of the Darkling Spectres, existing solely to kill.

In the frigid expanse of the Northern Kingdom, survival hinged on steering clear of the Darkling Spectres at all costs.

In the dire event of an encounter, one's only recourse was to wield the issued short knife, aiming for the heart or severing the head.

The blade, coated with obsidian and Valyrian steel, was the Darkling Spectres' Achilles' heel.

The seasoned drunkard then shared with the crowd where to unearth obsidian and Valyrian steel, along with essential survival tips for the harsh northern clime.

His lecture spanned the afternoon, culminating in a dismissive order that sent the audience on their way.

As the throng dispersed, the old drunkard gestured, "You three, stay behind."

The chosen trio included the black-clothed knight, the hefty man, and Ye Kong.

The first two, recognized as Divine Script Masters, made sense to the crowd.

But why Ye Kong?

Among those not versed in the martial arts, he was the least formidable.

Had he, too, mastered the Divine Script?

That seemed far-fetched.

The Divine Script shimmered in seven hues, gold not among them.

The recent glint of gold on Ye Kong was surely not the mark of Divine Script mastery.

The man with the scarred face scoffed, "That kid was a nuisance during the master's talk. Was he going to get away without a good scolding?"

His sly grin said it all.

The old drunkard was far from benevolent.

The golden glow that enveloped Ye Kong likely signified a valuable treasure.

The drunkard's intentions for keeping him behind were transparent.

The onlookers smirked at Ye Kong, anticipating the misfortune that awaited him.

"Get out, all of you! Or do you fancy staying here indefinitely?"

The old drunkard's temper flared, prompting a hasty exodus.

The portly man was first summoned to a separate room, only to emerge half an hour later, his face etched with gloom.

Next was the black-clothed knight, who spent a full hour with the old drunkard before departing, visibly pleased.

On his way out, he addressed Ye Kong, "Beyond the Great Wall, consider me your liege. You'll be under my protection."

Before Ye Kong could respond, a young boy approached.

The black-clad knight's face was etched with panic upon spotting the boy. In a clumsy scramble, he tumbled away.

"Come with me," the boy instructed, guiding Ye Kong to a dimly lit room.

There, an old drunkard lounged on a recliner, taking his ease. Noticing Ye Kong's arrival, he murmured, "Take a seat."

A chair slid behind Ye Kong as if by magic. No sooner had he settled into it than the old drunkard huffed, "Where is my Divine Script?"

"I've absorbed it," Ye Kong replied.

"Absorbed? You think I'm a fool?" The old man's disbelief was palpable.

Divine Scripts were finite. Once someone grasped the essence of the Purple Starlight Divine Script, it would be absorbed by them, ensuring no second Purple Glow Divine Script could exist in the world. Such was the singularity of high-level Divine Scripts.

Yet here was Ye Kong, no Martial Cultivator, claiming he'd absorbed a Divine Script. The idea was ludicrous. Had it been true, he'd have burst from the force. But the young man was very much alive and kicking, showing no signs of imminent combustion.

Fixing Ye Kong with a piercing gaze, the old man pressed, "I know you've unlocked the golden starlight, likely a mutated Divine Script. Return the primary Divine Script to me, and I'll let this slide."

Ye Kong was torn between amusement and frustration. The golden Divine Script was serenely nestled within his sea of consciousness. How could he possibly return it? It's not as if he could allow his brain to be dissected and refined!

"The Divine Script has indeed been absorbed by me. If you don't believe me, just watch."

With that, Ye Kong's presence surged with the power of a Martial Cultivator in the Middle Period.

"Damn, what's going on?"