[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-above-the-mage":3,"chapter-above-the-mage-above-the-mage-chapter-122":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Above the Mage!",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2257126,4404,"Chapter 122: Credit Points","above-the-mage-chapter-122",122,"\u003Cp>Gao De quickly took the spell formula and magic potion from Master Lar and carefully stored it against his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then let’s go to the Committee right away to formalize the ownership of your ‘Water of Ascending Spirit.’” After the deal was sealed, Master Lar feared delays and immediately urged Gao De toward the Committee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But once we get there, you must say you’re transferring the ‘Water of Ascending Spirit’ to me. Our private transaction should remain unmentioned.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“At this academy, there is no such thing as temporarily borrowing the ‘Water of Ascending Spirit,’” Master Lar added solemnly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I understand, Commissioner Lar. Please rest assured,” Gao De agreed without objection—he had already accepted the benefit and had no grounds to refuse; he could only cooperate fully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether it was called a “borrow” or a “transfer” ultimately depended on his future performance at the academy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not on what he said at the Committee, nor on Master Lar’s verbal promises.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De understood this perfectly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Lar was a man of impulsive temperament.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason he said so was that, right after leaving the Guest Pavilion, Master Lar had lightly touched Gao De.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately, Gao De felt his body grow light, his steps swift and agile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now each step he took covered four or five times the distance before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“First-circle spell [Rapid Stride], one of the most common first-circle spells—you’ll definitely learn it once you advance to first-circle mage.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sensing Gao De’s surprise, Master Lar spoke up voluntarily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They left the Guest Pavilion and entered the official grounds of the Ceres Spell Academy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after stepping onto academy soil did Gao De feel the grandeur and majesty of the institution nestled among the mountains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most of Ceres Academy’s territory lay across a broad slope and flatland on the mountain’s midsection, its architecture classical and refined, harmonized with the terrain into an extraordinary landscape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In good spirits from the deal, Master Lar even offered brief explanations as they passed certain special buildings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s our library—swipe your identity plaque to enter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“With your access level, most books are free for you, though mostly general texts or past scholars’ theories.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Spell formulas and magical skill knowledge still require payment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s the Cultivation Hall—it has mana nodes; all students may use the basic cultivation rooms for free.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But higher-level rooms require payment and credit points—you can’t just buy your way in.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are credit points?” Gao De caught the key term.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They’re the most important thing for students here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Think of them as your grades—or points. Earn enough, and you level up. Many facilities require credit points to use.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Credit points also function as currency here—you can buy things gold can’t get you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Including, after you advance to first-circle mage, the guiding methods and meditation techniques you obtain from the academy must be purchased with credit points.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Most importantly, the academy requires every student to earn at least ten credit points per academic year.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fail to meet the requirement once, and you’re placed on probation—all annual student benefits, including free lodging and free cultivation rooms, are revoked.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fail for two consecutive years, and you’re expelled outright.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How to earn credit points? Many ways—the simplest and most direct is advancing your mage rank.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As a mage apprentice: first-rank apprentice earns 1 point, second-rank earns 2, third-rank earns 3.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry you advanced too early and lost points—you’ll get a one-time settlement upon formal enrollment based on your current rank.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For example, you’re now a second-rank apprentice; upon enrollment, you’ll receive 1 point for advancing from first-rank and 2 points for advancing from second-rank—totaling 3 points.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Completing and passing corresponding courses also grants credit points—this is the main source for students.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Meeting certain academy-set standards also earns rewards.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For instance, advancing to first-circle mage before age twenty earns 3 points; each year earlier adds 1 more. Or crafting a first-tier potion grants 5 points—only once, of course.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There are many such standards, but none are easy for you to meet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Finally, completing assigned academy tasks also grants credit points—but such opportunities are rare.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Advancing your mage rank and taking courses are your most practical ways to earn credit points.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your enrollment task is the first credit-point task available to every new student—and it’s worth 2 points, a welcome gift. With your 3 points from second-rank apprentice status and 2 from the enrollment task, you only need 5 more to qualify. So don’t worry much your first year—just adapt to academy life.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But you should be more concerned about the enrollment task,” Master Lar said with a smile, yet he didn’t elaborate further, changing the topic instead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along the way, Master Lar told Gao De only basic academy knowledge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But to Gao De, a newcomer, these details were utterly fresh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he listened intently, gradually gaining some understanding of Ceres Spell Academy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along the way, they encountered many senior students.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Ceres Spell Academy, every student seemed to have urgent business—each hurried along, pressed for time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, unless they met a familiar instructor, they didn’t stop to greet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though Master Lar was a senior academy official, no one approached him to greet, nor did they react to the two’s unusually swift movement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Simply the course selection and credit point systems made Ceres Spell Academy nearly identical to a university.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At university, failing to earn enough credits means you can’t graduate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In conversation, the two arrived at their destination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A standalone, elegant little villa nestled among lush trees and vibrant flowers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Purple wisteria climbed its walls, making it look from afar like a garden cottage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two stepped onto a path of small pebbles and reached the villa’s front door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Above the doorway hung a plaque engraved with the words: “Ceres Spell Academy Committee.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Lar stepped forward, pulled out an object similar to Gao De’s identity plaque, and with a swipe, the door rippled open automatically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A magical access system? Gao De speculated silently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Following Master Lar, Gao De reached the Deputy Chairperson’s office on the third floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After three knocks, a commanding voice replied, “Enter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Lar pushed the door open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, on his first day of enrollment, Gao De met the academy’s Deputy Chairperson:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silver and white hair intertwined, deep eyes with faint blue light swirling in the pupils, a straight nose, thin lips pressed tight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A classic mage’s appearance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Chairperson Martin,” Master Lar bowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De quickly followed suit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No need for formalities,” Martin nodded slightly. “You’re the new student who came with Dean Jia Wen’s recommendation letter?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, he is,” Master Lar, as always impatient, answered before Gao De could speak. “Chairperson Martin, I’ve already discussed it with Gao De—he’s willing to transfer this year’s allocation of ‘Water of Ascending Spirit’ to me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is that true?” Martin didn’t waste words, turning directly to Gao De.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. I’m only a second-rank mage apprentice—I don’t need the ‘Water of Ascending Spirit’ yet. Better to let someone who needs it more have it,” Gao De immediately adopted a respectful, obedient expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good. Since you have such awareness, I’ll honor your wish,” Martin nodded, producing a document and placing it before them. “This is the transfer agreement. Sign your names.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The transfer document had already been prepared—it wasn’t merely Master Lar’s personal idea; several senior academy officials knew of this arrangement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were certain Gao De couldn’t refuse Master Lar’s request.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Think about it—if academy leadership hadn’t tacitly approved, how would Master Lar dare privately trade with a student?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If anyone could do this freely, academy order would collapse…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thoughts flashed through Gao De’s mind, yet his face showed full cooperation as he signed his name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After both signed, Martin said, “Then the ‘Water of Ascending Spirit’ matter is settled.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the matter concluded, Master Lar beamed with delight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1294,"2026-06-19T14:28:48.629Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","9cc582d34438d3c425625266e416918211dd52fc0db23bccc35ad4e484ebd3dc","above-the-mage-chapter-123","above-the-mage-chapter-121",529,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fabove-the-mage-cover.jpg"]