Wang Lan could understand Sun Li's feelings; after all, just moments ago, he had felt the same eagerness to give Jiang Xinyu everything he possibly could. Therefore, Wang Lan was now filled with gratitude towards Sun Li.

"Don't look at me like that. If you really want to thank me, then make it back alive. There are still tens of thousands of Star Martial Toxins in the school's inventory waiting for you to develop vaccines."

"Please rest assured, Teacher. I won't die content until I've developed vaccines for all the Star Martial Toxins in the school's inventory," Wang Lan said earnestly.

Ever since Jiang Xinyu had obtained the two Star Martial Skills from Wang Lan, she had gone into closed-door training. She wasn't like Wang Lan, who worked sporadically; hence, she had already completed the first semester of Nine Subjects Science on her own. The school always facilitated students who wanted to engage in closed-door training for researching Star Martial Skills.

There were three days left until the opening of the Nine-layer Pagoda. In three days, anyone could, at best, adjust their state of mind. Enhancing one's strength was out of the question. But for Wang Lan, three days were enough to accomplish a lot. With over sixteen hundred Academic Credits on his student card, Wang Lan decided to visit the Star Martial Skill Collection Museum.

Although he had guessed four months ago that he possessed all attributes, he had never had the opportunity to learn all-attribute Star Martial Skills. Now, it was time. He had previously felt it unnecessary to learn too many attributes; Lightning and Fire Attributes were already enough for him. But "enough" merely meant compensating for the vulnerability of being countered by other attributes.

Now that he had reached the Star Cloud Stage, and with the Solar Seal capable of storing Star Power, Wang Lan's Star Power reserves had become quite vast—though not as abnormal as those with extraordinary Star Power.

To truly become versatile, he had to master all attributes. He didn't need many Star Martial Skills of each attribute, but he had to have some.

Eighty percent of the Star Martial Skills in the collection museum were provided by the nation, with only a small part developed by the academy itself. As for many secret techniques and forbidden arts, they weren't available for exchange even if one had the Academic Credits. One had to apply to the school and get approval to learn them.

The Star Martial Skill Collection Museum was the soul of Modu City Star Martial Academy and a Holy Land in the hearts of all students. Many students, even without enough Academic Credits, would visit the museum just to feast their eyes on those Star Martial Skills.

The collection museum was laid out like a typical museum, categorized by attribute, with specialized areas for each. Next to each Star Martial Skill, LCD screens continuously played footage of its activation, even including its use on the battlefield.

Written introductions coupled with video commentary relentlessly enticed the visiting students. From this, Wang Lan thought he understood the school's nefarious intentions. I just love seeing the look on your faces when you're drooling with envy but can't have what I have. Truly wicked.

Upon entering the collection museum, the first area was the Water Attribute section. Water is the source of all things, and similarly, the Water Attribute is the most versatile. Water can be used for Elemental Attacks as well as physical attacks; it can provide offensive damage and also serve as a defense; it can change terrain and adapt to land, sea, and air.

Water in its mist form can be used for sensing, scouting, and confusing. In its liquid form, it's used for cutting, impacting, compressing, and defending. In its solid form, it allows for freezing, shield bashing, cutting, and sealing. According to the introduction, mastering the Water Attribute could make one invincible...

The majority of Water Attribute Star Martial Skills were C-rank or B-rank; even A-rank and above were scarce, with the only one being the Water Severing Knife. Created with a high-pressure water jet to form a blade, it could cut through anything within a thirty-meter radius, including earth and rock, which normally countered water.

Wang Lan liked this Star Martial Skill very much. The Water Severing Knife not only possessed powerful cutting force but also terrifying impact force. Without much hesitation, Wang Lan snapped his fingers. "Senior Sister, I would like the Water Severing Knife Star Martial Skill."

"Junior Brother, give me your student card."

The moment Wang Lan spoke, several girls nearby, who had been drooling over the Star Martial Skills, immediately turned to look at him. Their expressions made Wang Lan quite pleased.

"Junior Brother, are you a freshman?" the Senior Sister asked as she took Wang Lan's student card. "Junior Brother, Star Martial Skills can't be bought with money, only with Academic Credits. You've just started your first year; your Academic Credits certainly won't be enough."

"You should check my Academic Credits... I think they're enough."

"Heh heh heh..." The Senior Sister chuckled softly. "School only started two months ago. The most Academic Credits you could have saved in two months would only buy a C-rank Star Martial Skill, and that's if you seized every opportunity to earn Academic Credits since the first day. Even without looking..."

As she spoke, the Senior Sister had already placed Wang Lan's student card on the Magnetic Induction Table.

"BEEP BEEP BEEP—"

The Senior Sister's voice stopped abruptly. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the number on the card reader's display, then back at Wang Lan.

"These Academic Credits... did you steal them?"

"Senior Sister? Can Academic Credits be stolen within the school?"

"No!... But isn't this too much? Junior Brother, listen to me. This Water Severing Knife is just an A-rank Star Martial Skill. I have an S-rank Star Martial Skill here, Giant Eating Silkworm. Once it captures an enemy, it will devour any number of people completely. Wouldn't you consider this Star Martial Skill?"

"No, thank you."

"Then, take a look at this one. How about the S-rank Star Martial Skill, Imitation Crystal? This is the ultimate version of the Extreme Wall of Water, hailed as the absolute defense among Water Attribute Star Martial Skills. A Crystal Wall before you, and even a Demon God would be helpless. Any attack will be negated or even reflected by the Crystal Wall."

"Is this evolved from the Extreme Wall of Water?"

"It should be... So, why not buy this one?" the Senior Sister asked, her eyes shining.

"How much is your commission?"

"One percent!" In her haste, the Senior Sister let it slip. As soon as the words escaped her, a blush crept onto her cheeks. "Junior Brother, you're really cunning."

"Forget it, I'll look elsewhere."

"Junior Brother, reconsider. Water Attribute Star Martial Skills are all-purpose; there's always one that suits you…"

Wang Lan left without looking back.

Although the Imitation Crystal was indeed very powerful, and Wang Lan did need such a Star Martial Skill, since it evolved from the Extreme Wall of Water, he could obtain the Extreme Wall of Water from Jiang Xinyu and then upgrade it to Imitation Crystal. Moreover, Wang Lan had never believed in so-called absolute defenses.

A so-called absolute defense simply means the attack power hasn't reached its tolerance limit yet.

"Senior Sister, Senior Sister, how many Academic Credits did that freshman have?" The girls who had been watching nearby crowded around and asked after Wang Lan left.

"One thousand seven hundred. An A-rank Star Martial Skill is only one hundred Academic Credits; he could buy nearly twenty A-rank Star Martial Skills with that amount!"

"HISS—"

"A freshman can earn that many Academic Credits?"

"Generally speaking, it's impossible. Many seniors, even by their fourth year, might not accumulate five hundred Academic Credits in total. I really don't know how he managed to get so many."

"Could he have bought them with money?"

"Impossible. Academic Credits are personal and non-transferable. How could they be bought or sold?"

"Wow, I suddenly realize that guy from earlier was really handsome…" one girl sighed, covering her cheeks.

"Do you think he's handsome? You're just drooling over his Academic Credits!"

After passing the Water Attribute Star Martial Skills, Wang Lan arrived at the Wood Attribute section. He had once considered Wood Attribute Star Martial Skills, like Water Attribute ones, to be among the weakest. But as he matured in this world, he gradually realized how significant his cognitive bias had been.

Wood Attribute Star Martial Warriors were rare, but they had forged many mythically powerful existences.

Not to mention others, the Eastern Azure Emperor himself, aside from his powerful Azure Dragon Skill, was most proficient in Wood Attribute Star Martial Skills. His signature secret technique, Life Firmament, could instantly create a defensive expanse capable of withstanding cataclysmic attacks.

The special property of Wood Attribute Star Martial Skills is Star Power absorption. However, not everyone can comprehend the Law of Star Power absorption. This is similar to the Earth Attribute: an Earth Attribute Warrior who cannot master the Law of Gravity is merely a durable punching bag, but once the Law of Gravity is mastered, their power becomes world-shattering.

Wood Attribute Star Martial Skills were the same; if one could not comprehend Star Power absorption, their attack power was merely for show. Duanmu Yi had previously comprehended Star Power absorption, but unfortunately, he encountered an anomaly like Wang Lan. Objectively speaking, Duanmu Yi was considered one of the more formidable experts at Modu City Star Martial Academy.

Wood Attribute Star Martial Skills are mostly control-type skills, an attribute that grows stronger against tougher opponents and excels in the late game.

"Junior Brother, looking for a Star Martial Skill?" an unsavory voice inquired. A middle-aged man with a conspicuously full beard approached Wang Lan.

"Junior Brother, Wood Attribute Star Martial Warriors are quite rare. How come I've never seen you?"

"I'm a freshman. It's normal for an uncle like you to not have seen me," Wang Lan said, his eyes fixed on the S-rank Wood Attribute Star Martial Skill at the very top, not wavering in the slightest.

Uncle? The temperature seemed to drop several degrees instantly, and Wang Lan snapped back to alertness.

"I'm only twenty-two! You called me uncle?"

"Ah? Sorry, I didn't mean to."

The man gently stroked his impressive beard. "You think this is a beard? Wrong. This is my fetal hair. How can today's junior brothers be so unobservant? Well, what do you want?"

"Sentient Beings!"

"COUGH COUGH COUGH—" The man coughed forcefully a few times. "What did you say? Sentient Beings? That's an S-rank Star Martial Skill, you know! Don't even think about it without five hundred Academic Credits. Sentient Beings is an area-of-effect Star Martial Skill with a three-hundred-meter range."

"Yes, I know. I'll buy this one," Wang Lan said, holding out his student card.

"Are you messing with me? You, a freshman... Big Boss!"

When Wang Lan's student card was placed on the sensor, the man was nearly scared silly. One thousand six hundred Academic Credits! Did you hack into the academy's Academic Credit database or something? But this cynical thought could only remain a thought; it was fundamentally impossible for anyone to hack into the Academic Credit database. After all, Academic Credits weren't just exchanged by the system; there were also manual operations. Even if you controlled the academy's system, you couldn't transfer so many credits into your card.

Sentient Beings was somewhat similar to Deep Forest Emergence from Fire Shadow. However, Deep Forest Emergence spanned several kilometers, even tens of kilometers, while Sentient Beings only covered a few hundred meters.

Their natures were also fundamentally different. Sentient Beings spread vines outward from the Caster, which grew thicker and larger, eventually engulfing a three-hundred-meter radius. This process consumed a vast amount of the Caster's Star Power.

Once the technique took shape, it no longer consumed Star Power, and the entire network of vines became an extension of the Caster's body. Any creature entering the area would be sensed by the Caster and attacked.

Furthermore, if the Caster had comprehended the Law of Star Power absorption, they could use this Star Martial Skill to hunt and restore their Star Power. Additionally, any attacks maintained by Star Power could be absorbed.

Combining offense and defense with a large area of effect, it was the most balanced Star Martial Skill in the Wood Attribute.

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