Chapter 6

In the year 9993 of Yunluo Li, June.

Ernst Institute welcomed its annual year-end test.

Morning sunlight streamed through the window into Dormitory; I opened my eyes just as I met Beibei's glossy black eyes. The little creature had somehow crawled over from Linlei's bed and was crouched beside my pillow, tilting its head to stare at me.

"Good morning." I reached out to pat it.

Beibei shot away with a whoosh, scrambled back into Linlei's blankets in three quick bounds, leaving only its small head exposed as it kept watching me.

"It's been running over to your side a lot lately," Linlei's voice came from beside me; he was already sitting up. "Don't know why."

"Maybe I just attract rats better." I said casually.

Linlei glanced at me, his lips twitched, but said nothing.

A loud shout came from Yelu's bed: "Get up, all of you! Today's test day! Don't dawdle!"

Leinuo sat up groggily: "What time is it..."

"Half past six!"

"So early..."

"Early? If you sleep more, you'll be late!"

After a flurry of chaos, the five of us finally got ready and headed for the test grounds.

The year-end test at Ernst Institute was a major event. Though you could slack off during regular classes, the test results directly determined whether you could advance to the next grade. Two consecutive failures meant expulsion.

The fire-element test ground was on an open patch of land east of the teaching area. When I arrived, several people were already lining up.

"Aikesi!"

Someone called my name. I turned and saw a few first-year fire-element classmates waving at me; I nodded back.

The test was simple: cast your most skilled spell within the Magic Array, and the testing instructor would grade you on power, precision, and control.

When it was my turn, the testing instructor was an old man with white hair; gold threads embroidered on his cuffs marked him as a Sixth-Level Mage.

"Aikesi Yan," he said, glancing at his roster. "Fire-element, first-year. Ready?"

"Ready."

"Begin."

I took a deep breath and raised my right hand.

The Fallen Heart Flame within me trembled slightly; the Five Spirit Wheel spun in unison, and fire elements around me surged instantly. I deliberately held back some power—no need to reveal my full strength during a test.

A fire snake shot out from my palm.

Second-level spell: Fire Snake Technique.

The fire snake coiled once through the air, striking the test target thirty meters away with perfect accuracy. Boom—it exploded, flames spraying outward.

The Magic Array's sensor on the target lit up a number: Temperature—1180 degrees.

The testing instructor blinked, stared at the number, then looked at me again.

"What was your name again?"

"Aikesi Yan."

He scribbled a few characters on the roster, then looked up and said: "Power exceeds expectations, precision excellent, control excellent. Overall rating: Excellent."

"Thank you, instructor."

I turned and walked away.

Just outside the test zone, I heard murmurs behind me.

"1180 degrees? A second-level Fire Snake Technique normally only hits 800!"

"Nearly 40% higher—who is this guy?"

"First-year fire-element. Heard he's always been quiet."

"Quiet? This is quiet?"

I didn't turn back; I headed straight for Dormitory.

At noon, the five of us met at the cafeteria.

"Third brother, you're insane!" Leinuo blurted the moment he sat down. "1180 degrees! I heard—it's all over the fire-element side!"

"It's fine." I said.

"Fine?" Leinuo widened his eyes. "That's fine? Do you know how many degrees my Wind Blade hits? 380! That's normal!"

Qiaozhi chuckled in: "Wind Blade isn't measured by temperature, but by sharpness and speed. Your speed is a bit slow."

Leinuo pouted and fell silent.

Yelu slammed his hand on the table: "Who cares about the degrees? As long as all of us in Dormitory 1987 pass this year, that's enough! Today's my treat, Huadeli!"

"Again Huadeli?" Qiaozhi sighed.

"What, too expensive? Then pick somewhere cheaper."

"It's not about the price—it's that we go to the same place every time. Don't you get tired of it?"

"Then where do you suggest?"

The two began debating where to eat tonight, Leinuo chiming in. I turned to look at Linlei; he was eating slowly, utterly detached from the conversation.

"How was your test?" I asked.

Linlei swallowed his food and said: "Passed earth and wind elements. Wind Blade speed was acceptable."

"Rating?"

"Two Excellent."

I nodded. Linlei's talent was top-tier, and with Grandpa Delin's guidance, an Excellent rating was no surprise.

In the afternoon, everyone gathered in the auditorium for the annual summary assembly.

The dean spoke for half an hour, essentially saying: You are the finest magical talents on the continent; cherish your time, train diligently, and don't let the Institute down. Then each department head spoke, followed by awards for outstanding students.

My name is on the list of outstanding Fire Element students.

Linlei's name appears on both the Earth Element and Wind Element lists.

Dixie's name appears in all three elements—this guy is dual-element, but he also cultivated the Thunder Element, and he got outstanding marks in all of them.

"The Three Heroes are indeed the Three Heroes," Yale whispered, sitting beside me.

"What Three Heroes?" I asked.

"You don't know? The whole academy calls us that now—Dixie, Linlei, you. The Three Heroes."

"..." I was speechless.

Such a nickname sounds like something the students came up with.

After the summary meeting ended, the five of us went to Huadeli Hotel as planned. Yale waved his hand and ordered a table full of dishes.

"Come, let's celebrate our full success!" He raised his wine glass.

The five glasses clinked together.

After three rounds of wine, the floodgates opened.

"What are your plans for summer break?" George asked.

"I'm going home," Reynolds said. "My father said I must return for the summer; there's something urgent."

"I'm staying at the academy," Linlei said.

"I'm staying at the academy too," I said.

Yale looked at the two of us: "You two are really... cultivation maniacs. It's hard to get a break, why not go out and play?"

"We can play anytime," I said. "Cultivation cannot stop."

Linlei nodded, unusually agreeing: "Mm."

Yale shook his head and sighed: "Fine, fine. You cultivate your way. I'm going home to have a good time."

George also said: "I'm returning to the Yulan Empire too; there are some family matters to handle."

"Then we'll see each other when school starts," Reynolds raised his glass. "Wishing you smooth cultivation in advance!"

"Cheers!"

That night, back in the dormitory, the five of us, unusually, didn't go to sleep immediately but sat in the courtyard chatting.

The summer night breeze was comfortable, cool against the face. The sky was dotted with stars, and occasionally a meteor streaked across.

After a while, Beibei crawled out from Linlei's arms, ran over, and lay down by my feet. I looked down at it, and it looked up at me, its pair of glossy eyes shimmering with faint light in the night.

"It really likes you," Linlei said.

"Maybe because I've roasted meat for it a few times," I said.

"Just because of that?"

"What else?"

Linlei thought for a moment, then nodded: "True, that's just what it responds to."

Both of us laughed.

In the distance came the noise of Yale and Reynolds arguing—they were debating what to eat for breakfast tomorrow. George was trying to mediate nearby, his voice slow and mild.

I leaned back in my chair, looking at the night sky, and suddenly felt that days like this were quite good.

No scheming, no life-or-death crises, just five youths together, cultivating, eating, chatting, arguing, and making up.

Simple, but real.

"Third Brother," Linlei spoke again.

"Mm?"

"What do you think we'll become in the future?"

I turned to look at him. In the moonlight, the youth's face carried a hint of confusion—sixteen-year-old Linlei had not yet experienced the events that would come later, and did not yet know what awaited him.

"We will become stronger," I said. "We will become very strong."

Linlei was silent for a moment, then nodded gently: "Mm."

"Fourth Brother," I stood up and patted his shoulder. "No matter what happens in the future, remember the five of us."

Linlei looked up at me, a trace of complexity flashing in his eyes.

"Mm."

He responded with a sound.

Early the next morning, Reynolds left first. A carriage waited at the academy gate; before getting in, he turned back and waved to us: "See you when school starts!"

Then it was George. His convoy was more magnificent, after all, he was from a great family in the Yulan Empire. Before leaving, he unusually spoke a bit more: "You two, don't push yourselves too hard; remember to rest."

Yale left in the afternoon; before going, he put his arms around the two of us and said: "If you're short on money, write to me, and I'll have someone send it over. Don't be polite with me."

Finally, only Linlei and I remained.

The academy was very quiet during the summer break. The cafeteria opened only one window, and occasionally a few students staying at the academy could be seen. Linlei and I cultivated separately, but every evening we went to the cafeteria together to eat and chat about the day's progress.

During this time, Beibei grew closer and closer to me. Sometimes, when Linlei was meditating, it would run to me and nap beside me. When I was cultivating, it didn't make a fuss, just watched quietly.

"Has Beibei recognized you as a second master?" Linlei asked one day.

"Maybe," I said, smiling as I stroked Beibei's head; the little creature comfortably squinted its eyes.

One day in late July, while I was cultivating at Hou Shan, I suddenly sensed the Heart-Flame of Falling Stars tremble slightly.

It was hungry.

To be precise, it sensed a trace of Fire Element aura—deeper within Hou Shan, there was a natural convergence point of the Fire Element.

I did not hesitate and followed the sensation.

After walking for more than an hour, passing through a dense forest, the view suddenly opened up.

This was a mountain hollow, the ground exposed with dark red rocks, and the air was filled with a sulfurous smell. In the center of the hollow was a crack, from which a faint red light faintly emanated.

Earth Fire Fissure.

I approached the crack and looked down. About ten-plus meters deep, with magma flowing at the bottom. The concentration of Fire Element around it was five or six times that of the outside world.

"A good place." I secretly rejoiced in my heart.

I sat cross-legged and began to cultivate.

The Fallen Heart Flame and the Five Spirit Wheel rotated simultaneously; Fire Elements from the surroundings rushed madly into my body. That feeling... was like parched land finally waiting for sweet rain, utterly refreshing.

I sat there for three days.

During those three days, I hardly moved. When hungry, I ate the dried rations I brought; when thirsty, I drank mountain spring water; when sleepy, I closed my eyes and slept a while; when awake, I continued cultivating.

On the fourth morning, I opened my eyes.

The Magic within my body was far more substantial than three days ago; I was only one final step away from becoming a Four-level Mage.

"Almost there." I stood up and stretched my stiff body.

Back in the dormitory, Linlei was eating breakfast in the yard. Seeing me return, he paused for a moment: "You haven't been back for three days; I thought something happened to you."

"Found a good place to cultivate in Hou Shan." I sat down and picked up a piece of bread.

Linlei nodded and asked no more.

That was just how he was. No matter what I did, he would never pry into the details; he would only silently trust.

This tacit understanding was stronger than any explanation.

【Ding—Detected host's first long-term secluded cultivation.】

【Hidden condition triggered? Sign in?】

The system's voice suddenly rang out.

I paused for a moment and silently thought in my heart: Sign in.

【Sign-in successful.】

【Reward obtained: Aizesilasi·Fountain of Mana (Fragment) — Mana recovery speed permanently increased by 20%.】

A warm current surged into my body, lingered for a moment in my chest, then spread throughout my whole body. I could clearly feel that the consumed Magic was recovering at a faster speed.

"Something good." I secretly rejoiced in my heart.

An increase in mana recovery speed meant stronger endurance in prolonged battles, and also meant cultivation speed would take another step forward.

"Third brother?" Linlei's voice came, "What are you smiling at?"

"Nothing." I came to my senses, "Just thought of something good."