Chapter 14 Mass Production and Private Customization

Yin Fu is quite good. Li Sitan knew that she had already shown remarkable talent in runes when she was with the Eight Tribes. That's why she was admitted as a special student to Rose Academy for rune studies. Although her rune education was limited by the crude methods of the Eight Tribes and her own racial conditions, she has still made considerable progress and cannot be considered a complete novice.

Staring at runes for hours on end must be something she's used to by now. She has been focused all morning, and although her eyes show a hint of confusion, there are occasional flashes of insight. Clearly, she has begun to grasp some concepts and ideas. For a student who hasn't received formal rune training, this is quite impressive.

Mo Tong, on the other hand, is clearly struggling. His eyes are filled with bloodshot veins and confusion rather than flashes of insight. However, his earnest attitude is commendable, and Li Sitan respects anyone who shows dedication and effort.

As for Little Brother Wang Feng... he has closed his eyes and entered a meditative state, indicating he has finished observing the runes.

For a rune master, passion and enthusiasm aren't enough; one must also be able to calm their mind at any moment. This is an essential quality. Compared to Mo Tong's perseverance, Li Sitan actually admires Wang Feng's talent more. Indeed, he is a promising student favored by Master Hawkland.

"Ahem." Li Sitan cleared his throat gently, interrupting their concentration.

"Have you gained any insights? After a morning of careful observation, how many different runes do you think there are?" He asked with a smile, "Little Brother Mo Tong?"

Mo Tong rubbed his red eyes and hesitated before tentatively saying, "Thirty-nine? No, wait..."

"It's thirty-eight!" He confirmed, giving himself a pat on the back for recognizing the runes among those that looked almost identical. "I'm sure it's close to that number!"

At this moment, Mo Tong regained confidence. He is, after all, the pride of Mahoraga's younger generation, the smartest among them.

Li Sitan smiled and turned his gaze to Yin Fu.

"Senior Brother," Yin Fu said with more certainty than Mo Tong: "I think there are five, but there's something strange blocking my understanding."

Mo Tong's face darkened, sensing trouble...

Li Sitan nodded approvingly at Yin Fu and then turned to Wang Feng with a hint of anticipation, "Little Brother Wang Feng, what do you think?"

"Hmm..."

"Little Brother Wang Feng?" Yin Fu nudged Wang Feng gently.

"Huh? What's up?" Old Wang opened his eyes, wiping away drool, only to find three pairs of eyes staring at him. Thankfully, he hadn't shouted for the bill earlier; he still had half a bottle of beer left.

Mo Tong felt a sudden sense of relief. No wonder humans say there's no harm without comparison. Get ready for a scolding.

But Li Sitan didn't seem to mind. He pointed to the floating runes and asked gently, "Little Brother, how many runes do you see here?"

Geniuses often have quirks, which is understandable since Li Sitan himself is one.

"Oh, this?" Old Wang finally glanced at the runes and casually said, "One. They're all 'Knight Spirit,' just with variations in shape and adaptability. But Senior Brother, you've been cheating; half of them are duplicates."

"Hahaha!" Mo Tong couldn't help laughing. "Wang Feng, are you joking? Are you awake? You slept through the whole morning, Senior Brother Li Sitan!"

Mo Tong laughed heartily, exposing Wang Feng's laziness. He was supposed to help this human improve.

"Little Brother Mo Tong, I was in deep meditation," Old Wang said lazily. This kid always provokes him; he needs another lesson. Mo Tong was about to point out the drool at the corner of Wang Feng's mouth when Li Sitan shook his head, "Little Brother, your keen eye. I knew I couldn't fool you. How did you figure it out?"

Old Wang looked at the curious Li Sitan, "Well, isn't it obvious?"

Li Sitan snapped his fingers, "Exactly! My teacher said the same thing. Geniuses like you see things instantly. It took me three days and nights to figure it out. Little Brother, you truly live up to the expectations of Principal Karida!"

Mo Tong's jaw dropped. Is this old man crazy? He was clearly sleeping. Could it be cheating? A human conspiracy?

He refused to believe it!

Yin Fu glanced at Wang Feng and then back at the runes. Suddenly, the confusing variations became clear, and the hundreds of runes merged into one.

Yin Fu stood up and bowed respectfully, "Thank you, Senior Brother Li Sitan and Senior Brother Wang Feng. I understand now. By eliminating the unnecessary, I can grasp the essence of the runes."

"Sister, no need to be so formal. Your insight is excellent too. Little Brother Mo Tong, do you feel it?" Old Wang teased.

Mo Tong looked at the runes, then at Wang Feng... everything seemed even more chaotic.

"Little Brother, don't worry. Diligence compensates for lack of talent. I'll help you," Wang Feng said.

Mo Tong gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.

Li Sitan nodded, "Wang Feng, help your siblings more. The first-order runes can now be mass-produced, leading outsiders to think they are fixed. As rune masters, we can tailor them to achieve better results. A slight change in curvature or soul force ratio may look different but only alters the rune's power. That's what I want you to understand from these Knight Spirits!"

In short, custom-made runes are superior to mass-produced ones.

"Let's test your skills and adjust our lessons accordingly," Li Sitan said, looking energized. He wanted to see how far Little Brother Wang Feng had progressed.

"The same rune recognition exercise, but this time, we'll increase the difficulty. Identify the six basic first-order runes from these hundreds of runes." Li Sitan waved his hand, and hundreds of runes appeared again. "Little Brother Wang Feng, you don't need to wait for your siblings or for me to finish drawing. If you recognize them, speak up immediately."

This was clearly a test specifically for Wang Feng. Even Li Sitan showed a bit of childishness.