The Runemaster''s rules stated that 50% + 1 of the runes in an enchanted item ranked the enchanted artifact.


    Not every enchanted item had to be filled with runes of the same rank as the item. Sometimes, the effects of moremon runes, such as the one behind atmospheric mana absorption, were sufficient for items of a higher quality than the rune.


    It was only when the general characteristics of the item were too different from the rune in question that it became impossible to ce the rune in a higher-quality enchantment.


    For example, it was always possible to ce a rune of a lower ss into an enchantment. Runes of two sses lower than it rarely worked, and those of three sses lower had no chance of existing in the enchantment''s structure.


    Because of this, not everyone who could create Second ss enchantments was a Second ss Runemaster. To be it, one had to create an artifact containing only Second ss runes—those with at least 6 charactersbined.


    When Liam sat down on a cushion with his brush, ink, and Second ss artifact to begin his incantation, he didn''t start with a Second ss rune, but with a First ss one. Starting with what he had already mastered was the right way to go.


    But even as he inscribed the first few characters of a First ss rune, Ann realized he wasn''t just going to do a First ss incantation. Since he was using a Second ss brush and ink, his goal was obvious to the red-haired woman.


    ''Do you feel ready for this?'' She momentarily forgot about the possibility that he was already a third realm cultivator.


    Right now, all she could think about was the fact that he had aplished an impressive feat, threatening to enter the Second ss with less than 7 weeks of studying the art of Runemasters!


    Liam nned an incantation with 7 runes, 3 First ss and 4 Second ss runes.


    In just 11 minutes, hepleted the 3 First ss runes, drawing Ann''s attention to his rapid progress.


    ''He''s almost as fast as me!'' She opened her mouth as she stood up and approached the ss wall of Liam''s cabin.


    Although her cultivation was lower than his at the moment—9-Star of the Spirit Lord Realm—Ann had studied the profession for much longer than Liam. She had more knowledge than him, but also more training. She was used to making Second ss enchantments, so what Liam had just finished was easy for her, and it would only take her 8 minutes to inscribe 3 First ss runes.


    But it was when Liam inscribed the first 6-character rune that the red-haired woman became most interested, watching him closely and cheering his sess.


    For the first time doing it, Liam felt some initial difficulty inbining these characters, 2 of which he had never used before, despite all his advantages.


    However, as a Spirit Earth cultivator, his senses were sound, and his mana was robust. With over 85% of his mana at his disposal when he inscribed the fourth character of this rune, he saw where he could go wrong and skillfully avoided a slip in the middle of the rune formation.


    Already sweating profusely, he felt time pass differently, more slowly, as if the gravity of his surroundings were stronger for him.


    But he finished the fourth rune and continued with the fifth, another 6-character rune; all four of the Second ss runes he nned to inscribe had the same number of characters.


    By the time he finished the fifth rune, his mana had reached 50%. At that moment, his three opponents finally realized what he was trying to do.


    "Second ss runes?" Giles opened his mouth in shock, being the weakest of the group at the moment, with a 3-Star cultivation.


    He had been studying for months under Ann''s supervision, but he still had not managed to form a Second ss enchantment. So far, he had only created an item with three First ss runes and two Second ss runes. Such an enchantment was ssified as Super First ss, while something with three First ss and three Second ss runes was ssified as Quasi-Second ss.


    Only Virginia and Fred could already create true Second ss items, but neither of them had yet created something made entirely of Second ss runes.


    Fred was closer to seeding, so he felt less pressure than Virginia. For this woman, seeing Liam challenge Second ss after only a few weeks of study was a humiliation, a great defeat that made her turn pale.


    ''He managed to create the third Second ss Rune!'' She clenched her fists as she realized he was about to catch up with her.


    She didn''t know how close Fred was to aplishing the feat necessary to receive the badge of a Second ss Runemaster. But she believed she could vie with Fred. However, as she watched Liam inscribe the seventh and final rune of the Second ss enchantment, she realized her chances of receiving her Runemasters'' Association certificate this month were nil.


    Liam''s cultivation was much higher than hers, so he certainly wouldn''t stop progressing where he was, which was a bad sign for all of them!


    With this in mind, before Liam had even finished, Fred turned and left, not even bothering to talk to Ann since there were only two minutes left until their time was up today.


    With an angry look on his face, he walked through the exit door, feeling that he had to do something.


    ''It will not end like this. I will not ept losing my position to you so easily!''


    As Fred left the Runes Hall, Liam was in the dark about what hispetitors were thinking. All he could think about was that his mana was currently below 25% and he still had 2 more characters to write into the seventh rune of the enchantment.


    Feeling his mana drain increase as he moved his brush, he ignored his aching muscles and did what he could to control the trembling in his hands.


    Even his vision became blurred, something that hadn''t happened the first time he created an incantation.


    Luckily, he had already read about the signs that could appear during the first inscription of runes of a higher ss than his own. Others in his position would have fainted or given up long before reaching the fourth Second ss rune. But with his third realm cultivation and his will, he pushed on to the end, finishing the fifth character and reaching the sixth and final one.


    As he forced himself to write thest character, he reached 10% of his mana reserves and felt a faint taste of blood in his mouth. Gritting his teeth for the entire creation of this enchantment wasn''t good, and he felt it as he finished his work and copsed to the ground.


    Ignoring the glowing rune that was solidifying, he took a deep breath as he put his brush aside, sessfully creating his first Second ss enchanted item!


    The staff in front of him glowed as it absorbed the surrounding mana and floated in the air as a sign of Liam''s sess.


    ''Yes!'' Ann vibrated silently from where she stood, hiding her feelings from the two pessimistic disciples next to her.