Classes at each tier were further divided by strength into lower, mid, upper, and pinnacle grades.
Lower and mid-grade classes were the most common. Upper-grade ones were considerably rarer, and pinnacle-grade classes were something you could only stumble upon through sheer luck.
As for class advancement, beyond acquiring the information for the higher-tier class and fulfilling its advancement requirements, one also needed to develop their current class to a certain degree.
'Development progress...' Su Chen mused. 'Jiang He is so formidable — it's probably not just because of the Mystic Apprentice class. Her class development must be quite high too.'
Beyond those three main categories, the book also vaguely alluded to a special circumstance.
Special classes without a tier designation, possessing extraordinarily unique abilities.
The book didn't elaborate much, but it directly listed one such class.
[Special class discovered — Scholar. Complete the initiation requirements to take this class.]
[Scholar Initiation Requirement 1: Twelve years of diligent study.]
[Scholar Initiation Requirement 2: Study at least twelve different fields of knowledge, with no less than one year spent on each.]
[Scholar Initiation Requirement 3: Master the information of one pinnacle-grade class.]
Given the reality that class information was kept almost entirely secret, the fact that this special class was openly displayed in the library was quite remarkable.
On one hand, the Scholar was considered a purely support-type class.
On the other hand, the requirements were extremely demanding — perhaps it was also a way of flaunting one's depth of resources.
From what he understood, due to physical development, most people couldn't begin the various training exercises required for class initiation until they were nearly adults.
Nanfeng City's education system was rather rudimentary — children didn't start school until their teens, learning only basic general knowledge.
But everyone dreamed of becoming a professional. Who would possibly sit still and study all that seemingly useless knowledge?
After becoming a professional, the priority naturally shifted to increasing class development. Twelve years of diligent study was virtually impossible to complete.
Not to mention the requirement of studying twelve different fields of knowledge, plus mastering the information of a pinnacle-grade class.
'However...' Su Chen's expression turned rather peculiar as he gazed at the panel.
[Scholar Initiation Requirement 1: Twelve years of diligent study (9 years completed)]
[Scholar Initiation Requirement 2: Master twelve different fields of knowledge, with at least one year spent on each (Completed)]
[Scholar Initiation Requirement 3: Master the information of one pinnacle-grade class (Completed)]
Two requirements were already fulfilled, and the first was nine years along.
'Could it be because of my past life...'
Su Chen muttered to himself. In his previous life, he'd at least graduated from university — elementary school, middle school, high school, plus college. The variety of subjects had been staggering, and his years of education were anything but short.
Yet even so, only nine years had been credited to him — probably because for a few of those years, he'd admittedly been having way too much fun.
'Still, three more years of diligent study is too long...' Su Chen shook his head. This kind of rigid time requirement was really asking a lot.
'Why does it have to be so long? Give me a shorter requirement, shorter...' Su Chen concentrated hard, trying to coax some reaction out of the Scholar class, but the panel remained cold and indifferent.
'Fine...' Su Chen gave up. He had no idea how to trigger a more responsive interaction with the class.
As for another point he was quite curious about — how many classes a single person could hold simultaneously.
The book's answer was refreshingly blunt: theoretically unlimited.
This wasn't some game world where everyone had class slots on their character.
In theory, as long as the body didn't reject them, you could keep stacking classes indefinitely. But in practice, rejection happened frequently.
Every class had different initiation requirements, and higher-tier classes even more so. Conflicts could be fatal.
Human energy was also finite. Rather than hoarding more classes, it was better to pursue higher-tier ones. Stacking ten first-tier classes might not even match the power of a single second-tier class.
"Grrr..."
His stomach lodged a protest. Su Chen sighed helplessly — hungry again.
His metabolism was absurdly fast. The canned food he'd eaten that morning was completely useless; it had been almost fully digested before he'd even reached Nanfeng City.
And now, the hunger was becoming unbearable.
'Let me check out the cafeteria. There should be something with higher nutritional value...' Su Chen headed downstairs and retrieved the student ID he'd left as collateral.
By the time he left the library, it was already getting dark outside. He flagged down a friendly-looking classmate and asked for directions to the cafeteria.
Just as he'd guessed, the cafeteria didn't accept cash — transactions were made using student IDs.
But his student ID had no balance.
"Well... I just won't eat, then." Su Chen walked away from the counter with a casual air, while the cafeteria worker nearly opened her mouth to say something, and the students in line behind him exchanged bewildered glances.
'A single coin can stump even a hero.' Su Chen grew hungrier by the minute. He mulled over whether he should go mooch a meal off Jiang He.
'If it comes down to it, I'll just grab somebody's meal right here. Jiang He can handle the aftermath.'
Swiping one meal wasn't exactly a big deal. He figured there wouldn't be any real consequences, and was about to get back in line.
His steps faltered. From the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a very familiar figure descending from the second floor.
He'd asked around — the second floor was where the privileged kids ate. Prices there weren't exactly cheap.
While Nanfeng Academy was a training ground for professionals, the vast majority of students studied miscellaneous vocational classes — the kind that just put food on the table. Students from wealthy families weren't actually that common.
The more powerful physical and mental classes demanded resources far beyond what most could afford.
Without a solid foundation, three short years could easily yield nothing at all — or even cost you your life.
He watched the figure — slender and graceful, hair cascading to her shoulders, a delicate profile. Someone he knew.
Though he'd never actually seen her cleaned up before. The only reason he recognized her was because Little Pigeon had secretly shown him a photo once.
"Bai Fengxi..."
Hearing someone call her name, she paused mid-step. The group of boys and girls beside her stopped too, turning their heads with curiosity.
"Another confession? Bai is really popular, huh."
"Look — she became a professional in barely three months. With talent like that, her future's limitless..."
"This guy's pretty handsome, though. How come I don't recognize him? I should've remembered a face like that..."
The murmurs were quiet, gazes crossing, all carrying a spectator's amusement.
"I'm sorry, but right now I only want to focus on studying. I'm not interested in anything else." Bai Fengxi furrowed her brows slightly, her expression cool and detached.
Su Chen was speechless. "Uh, it's me. Su Chen."
"Su... Chen?" Bai Fengxi froze. Her eyes widened — a mix of embarrassment and astonishment — as she looked him up and down. "You... Su Chen?"
"Yeah, it's me." Su Chen nodded.
Bai Fengxi studied him carefully. The brows, the eyes — there was a resemblance, now that she looked. So this was what the guy looked like when he was actually clean. Not bad at all.
"Ahem..." She cleared her throat to mask her awkwardness, said a quick word to the people beside her, then walked up and murmured, "Sorry about that. Force of habit."
The two of them had crossed paths more than a few times, though not excessively either — they'd been scraping by in the same area, after all.
That said, she quickly noticed the student ID hanging from his chest, and her surprise deepened. "You're... also a student at Nanfeng Academy?"
"How did you get in?"
"Long story. But right now, there's something I need..." Su Chen hedged. "Got any money? Can I borrow a little?"
Wariness visibly crept into Bai Fengxi's eyes.
Su Chen felt helpless. "Not much — just enough for one meal. I just got here today and didn't come prepared."
He elaborated further, trying to dissolve her guard.
"One meal, huh..." Bai Fengxi fell silent for a moment, then fished a slender glass vial from her pocket. Inside was a cloudy, milky-white liquid. "This is concentrated nutrient fluid. Dissolve it in water and it should last you a few days."
The corner of Su Chen's mouth twitched. He'd asked to borrow enough for one meal, and she'd given him literally one meal.
Was this stuff even going to taste decent?
"Honestly, things are pretty tight for me too," Bai Fengxi explained in a low voice.
What a familiar excuse.
Su Chen sighed. Before Bai Fengxi could even hand it over, he plucked the vial of concentrated nutrient fluid right out of her hand. "Thanks."
Not far away, Bai Fengxi's companions were exchanging intrigued glances. "What's going on? Su Chen? Someone she knows?"
"Isn't Bai a friend of Vice-Principal Yuan's acquaintance? If she knows this guy, he's probably not just anybody."
"Zhou Zong, looks like you've got competition." A baby-faced girl nudged the man standing rigidly beside her, a mischievous glint in her eye.
Zhou Zong stared at Su Chen, brows furrowed tightly. "Why do I feel like I've seen him somewhere before?"
As they chatted, Bai Fengxi had already returned. The baby-faced girl leaned in with a sly grin. "So, Bai — who was that?"
"An old friend." Bai Fengxi's cool composure had returned. Zhou Zong's brow smoothed out, and he remarked with feigned nonchalance:
"Oh, now I remember. This afternoon, your friend came back from outside campus with Teacher Jiang He."
"Jiang He?" The baby-faced girl gasped. "You mean the Violet? No way..."
Jiang He's reputation was well-known throughout the academy. Everyone's imagination ran wild, and their gazes drifted toward Bai Fengxi.
Bai Fengxi's steps faltered. Zhou Zong watched her intently, hoping to catch a flash of shock, disappointment, or something similar on her face.
"Impressive..." Bai Fengxi uttered just two syllables, as if genuinely moved. Everyone blinked, confused.
Impressive?
Zhou Zong looked completely lost.
Yes, impressive. A refugee who'd managed to climb into the bed of a Nanfeng Academy teacher — wasn't that impressive?
Bai Fengxi walked on, lost in her own thoughts.