Still charging? The students felt disappointed—free access was humanity's ultimate joy, and the Prime Immortal had taken that joy away. "Core information requires purchase, and essential knowledge demands payment—this is quite reasonable," smiled the senior dean. "Outside, no matter how much you spend, you may still fail to uncover information about unsolved mysteries." Since the Wàn Bǎo Wū refined its divine artifacts, the tools he once held had nearly been cleared out. And without selling tools or materials, Zhang Yuancheng found that money was truly hard to earn. This explains why most spiritual realm travelers—especially the wild ones—struggle financially, rarely choosing to sell their tools unless they're close to starving. In contrast, scholars and musicians are the most profitable. The former possess skills and knowledge, allowing them to take on freelance work, while the latter, earning a living through performances, also manage to thrive financially. On the other hand, some combat-specialized professions, constrained by their moral standards, lack solid revenue streams. Satisfied, he folded the documents neatly and tucked them into his pocket. "Good, thank you all for coming," Zhang Yuancheng said, leaving his seat and walking to the podium, glancing at the dean, Li Yanxi. The elderly dean, with his gray hair, paused momentarily, then silently rose and stood aside. Zhang Yuanqing took his seat gracefully, looking at the eager expressions of the trainees below, and said: "According to overseas scholars of the spiritual realms, the third region corresponds to the Norse mythology. There are two pieces of evidence supporting this claim. First, spiritual travelers abroad have collected a small number of professional items that do not belong to the first or second regions. After analyzing the attributes of these items, they have been found to correspond to certain deities in the Norse mythology. Second, the conclusion of the Norse mythology—the Twilight of the Gods. In this narrative, all the gods perish due to mutual warfare, leading to a great extinction, after which the myth enters a period of stillness, awaiting the beginning of the next cycle. The third region is currently in that state of waiting." So the third region indeed corresponds to the Norse mythology—supported by tangible item attributes, this interpretation is surely accurate... Xia Hou Aotian and the others nodded in agreement. Still too forced! Zhao Fei suddenly spoke up, drawing the attention of the other trainees. He said: "The Third Region might correspond to the Norse mythology, but how do you know the reason for its unopened state is the Twilight of the Gods? Has the Twilight of the Gods actually occurred—this remains to be confirmed." At his words, the trainees fell into thoughtful silence and turned to the dean, eager to hear his opinion. Li Yanxi remained silent, as if waiting for Yuan Shiyi to continue. "Indeed, the Twilight of the Gods has occurred," said Zhang Yuanqing calmly, addressing the concerns. "We all know that mythological tales form another chapter of the history of the spiritual realm. Have we ever considered—why do so many myths contain accounts of world-ending catastrophes? Is this merely a coincidence?" Zhao Fei furrowed his brows, acknowledging Yuan Shiyi's hypothesis as a scholar. "What then, regarding the decline of spiritual energy?" excitedly raised her hand, the young fairy from Niulanshan. "What was the outcome of the Twilight of the Gods?" Zhang Yuanqing asked in return. "Since the divine beings have vanished, the Third Major Region has remained sealed," Sun Miao Miao interjected. "Could it be that the decline of spiritual energy was caused by a great catastrophe?" Zhang Yuanqing spoke with confidence: "After the great disaster, ancient cultivators perished in large numbers, leading to a cultural rupture. Only myths were passed down orally. Centuries later, new cultivators emerged—what we now call ancient cultivators. However, due to irreversible impacts from the disaster, the spiritual energy gradually declined until the Ming Dynasty, when cultivators finally stepped out of history." The students listened intently. "Logically, it makes sense," said Tian Xia Gui Huo, a paying user who actively defended his interests and raised a question, "but what is the concrete evidence supporting your theory?" Although Yuan Shi Tian Zun's explanation was brilliant—so vivid that even as a narrative it was refreshing— Was the decline of spiritual energy indeed rooted in a distant ancient catastrophe? "A very compelling starting point, yet it contains too many speculative elements to be developed into a proper thesis," Xiahou Aotian shook his head with regret. Zhang Yuanqing spoke solemnly: "I can only prove that the disaster indeed exists, and that it will occur again." The moment he said this, the faces of the attendees turned pale, even the senior dean expressed astonishment and gravity. "Nonsense!" Zhu Mingxu exclaimed loudly. "You're claiming that a disaster akin to the mythical 'Dawn of the Gods' will unfold in the future? You're simply trying to dazzle us!" No one believed in Yuanshǐ Tianzun, nor did they find his remarks fantastical or merely intended to impress. Only Xiahou Aotian caught a fleeting thought: had the protagonist finally found his opportunity to save the world? Dean Li Yanxi pondered: "Yuanshǐ Tianzun, what makes you believe this?" Zhang Yuanqing replied with a clear voice: "Twenty years ago, a significant event took place—the mysterious treasure, the Disk of Radiant Light, came into existence. The disk foretold that a severe disaster would soon return." "Once the prophecy was revealed, it sent shockwaves through the senior leadership of all major organizations. Half-gods from around the world actively participated in the competition to claim the Compass. The first Marshal of the White Tiger Army fell in that battle. While ordinary students might not be aware of this, those from noble families of the Spirit Realm have likely heard it from their elders." Liu Yushu, Zhao Feiwen, Zhu Mingxu, and others exchanged puzzled glances. Yes, they had heard of it. Yet they only knew it existed—they were unaware of the specific content of the prophecy. Even their elders were ignorant of the details, except for the ancient patriarchs of each family. The students immediately understood the expressions on the noble youths' faces. "What exactly does the prophecy say?" Liu Yushu asked solemnly. The students instantly became alert. Zhang Yuanqing chuckled, "This isn't just a matter of one million anymore. If you want to know the details, you'll have to buy a copy from me—for five hundred million." "...Why didn't you go after it yourself?" Liu Yushu protested. Zhang Yuanqing ignored his complaints and concluded: "Based on the above, I believe the cause of the depletion of spiritual energy is a terrifying cataclysmic disaster. The same applies to the reason for the third region's isolation. As for when it will reopen, I'm not sure. The final mystery remains the origin of the Spiritual Realm. I'm sorry, I don't know the answer, but I can offer a few ideas. First, the establishment of realms is not unique to the Spiritual Realm—half-divine-level Spiritual Realm travelers are also capable of creating them. Second, ancient cultivators were not bound by the Spiritual Realm, yet they emerged as a group after the great disaster. Given their inertia in thinking, it's possible that their very existence is the anomaly—perhaps the Spiritual Realm travelers are the true norm. According to the prophecy of the Light Compass, the disaster appears to recur, occurring periodically after long spans of time. Following this logic, I propose a bold hypothesis: after each disaster, the Spiritual Realm ceases operation and enters a state of dormancy, which is why ancient cultivators came into being. "With that," he stood up, "I've said everything—I'm only offering my thoughts for reference." The classroom fell silent, and everyone was lost in deep reflection. ... Since Red Chicken Brother had reached an agreement with the chefs through force of will, the midday canteen now offers only one dish: Moonlight Fish Hot Rice Porridge. Though the menu is simple, the porridge is excellent, and Zhang Yuanqing had three full bowls.