Chapter 214: Return to the Academy

The next day, Lei En woke up early.

He went through his usual meditation, training, and meals, then attended to official duties, patiently waiting in the castle for Master Anxiwodasi's notice.

Just after half past morning, Fabi An burst in with a beaming face and shouted, "Congratulations, Lord."

Lei En closed the documents in his hand and asked, "What news have you heard?"

"Your wisdom is evident, my lord; I didn't even have to tell you." Fabi An habitually flattered first, then continued, "Weizelan has announced that Master Anxiwodasi is holding a ceremony today to take the lord as a disciple, and now everyone in Mo Du has heard."

As soon as he finished speaking, Ai Mi Li Si and Pan Xi Er entered the study, offering congratulations together.

"Congratulations, Your Excellency the Earl." Pan Xi Er bowed in salute.

"Lei En, from now on you will be a student of the Holy Soul Wizard!" Ai Mi Li Si's excitement overflowed.

Lei En rose, nodded, and replied, "Thank you, ladies."

Ai Mi Li Si saw Lei En still looking serene and shook her head in envy.

If she could also take Master Anxiwodasi as her teacher, leaning against this towering mountain, even the toughest tasks would become easy.

For example, reclaiming the throne that belongs to her!

She changed her mind: since she couldn't attach herself to the Holy Soul Wizard directly, clinging to his student seemed a decent alternative.

Lei En's strength, status, and wealth combined are unmatched by almost anyone in the Empire; even though he's as ugly as a goblin, countless women would surrender themselves, vying for the title of Countess of the Earl of Glamorgan.

Moreover, Lei En's looks are outstanding; he is the most handsome man she has ever seen!

If Lei En could help restore her nation, pledging herself to him would be certainly worthwhile.

At that thought, Ai Mi Li Si's face flushed slightly; she hurried to suppress the tempting notion, yet no matter how she tried, the idea lingered like a ghost haunting her mind.

Lei En noticed a shift in Ai Mi Li Si's soul color, but couldn't discern what she was thinking, merely smiled faintly to himself and paid it no mind.

He chatted idly with everyone in the study while the castle outside bustled.

Every few minutes, a congratulatory letter arrived at the castle, all from the distinguished circles of Mo Du.

Fabi An casually opened a few, read them aloud; the language was fervent and the tone humble, even more polished than the letters received when Lei En officially became the Earl of Glamorgan.

"Fabi An, no need to read."

The content of a letter gave Lei En goosebumps, and he sarcastically said, "Everyone says Mo Du people are xenophobic; I don't think so—it's just that they're overly enthusiastic."

"Haha, my lord will probably never experience the feeling of being rejected again."

Fabi An tucked away the envelopes, while flattering with his words, he meticulously sorted them according to the senders' ranks and statuses.

Ai Mi Li Si and Pan Xi Er both laughed along.

Lei En was about to respond when a servant knocked and entered, exclaiming excitedly, "My lord, there is a Wizard outside who claims to have come down from Fu Kong Cheng."

"Hmm, I'll go meet him."

Lei En went down to the reception hall, saw a middle‑aged Wizard, and a cold sneer rose in his mind.

He recognized the Wizard as the staff member he had dealt with last time at the Weizelan Academy when receiving recommendation letters and personal data; back then the man's attitude toward him was far from friendly—indeed, quite arrogant.

But at this moment, the man rose respectfully, beaming, and called, "Earl."

"I am Pei Li of the Weizelan Academy, my lord; do you remember?"

"Of course, please sit."

Not wanting to strike a smiling face and having no real grudge, Lei En didn't wish to argue and asked, "Did the teacher send you?"

Pei Li was about to sit when he heard Lei En mention Anxiwodasi, and he straightened immediately, saying earnestly, "Yes, GrandSpeaker has sent me to inform you: at noon, precisely twelve, attend the academy's grand hall for the apprenticeship ceremony."

"What are the particulars of this apprenticeship ceremony? Tell me." Lei En glanced at the time, still early, and asked casually.

Pei Li gave a detailed explanation.

The formal apprenticeship ceremony is an Empire tradition; not only in Weizelan's Fu Kong Cheng, any academy or Wizard with a long lineage holds a simple yet solemn ceremony when taking on students.

Fu Kong Cheng holds several such ceremonies each year.

Every Wizard who enters the tower district of Weizelan Academy and apprentices under a legendary Wizard must undergo this ceremony.

The ceremony's procedure is uncomplicated and brief, but it summons other Wizards from Fu Kong Cheng to witness it.

Pei Li recounted the entire procedure, and Lei En felt reassured after listening.

It is far simpler than a title conferment.

After all, a Wizard taking a disciple isn't so elaborate; as long as the intent is clear, it suffices.

Approaching noon, Lei En set out half an hour early, taking no one with him, traveling alone.

Ai Mi Li Si wanted to attend the ceremony, but was denied.

The Weizelan Academy forbids outsiders; even if she reaches Fu Kong Cheng, she cannot enter the grand hall.

Pei Li took out the magical emblem representing Weizelan in the castle's courtyard, cast a spell, and opened a portal.

Lei En stepped through the portal and emerged outside the gates of the Weizelan Academy.

Pei Li said respectfully, "My lord, please follow me."

Upon entering the academy, it being near lunch, the young apprentices had dismissed class; the academy bustled, and soon some apprentices recognized Pei Li and the Lei En beside him.

"Look, it's the Earl of Glamorgan."

"Wow, the Earl is so handsome!"

"He's about to become GrandSpeaker's student; when will it be my turn?"

"Dream on!"

"Hmph, sooner or later I'll enter the tower district; just you wait and see."

The passing apprentices regarded Lei En as if viewing a rare magical soul, casting frequent glances of curiosity and admiration.

Lei En, without the Voice of All Things, could still hear the apprentices' chatter about him.

Especially when he heard the girls proclaim his handsomeness, he let out a few self‑admiring chuckles.

Last night, while testing metal activation, he deliberately tweaked his appearance, erasing the minor flaws that had existed before; the change was subtle yet yielded a stunning effect—majestic, flawless.

Now it seems, the effect is outstanding!

Under the apprentices' gaze, Lei En followed Perry into the academy's Great Hall.

The Great Hall stands at the foot of the Weizelan Tower, its shape like a massive bowl inverted onto the ground. Entering through the main gate, passing a wide corridor, one immediately sees the interior space of the hall.

The circular interior of the hall is completely open, seamless as one.

In the lower center lies a platform bearing six tall seats; surrounding rows of seats fan outward, each row higher than the one before, so from any spot one can see the platform below clearly.

Behind the platform stands a statue of the God of Magic, over twenty meters tall, overlooking the entire hall.

Entering through the hall's main doors, one faces the statue directly.

Lei En bows to the statue, silently recites a prayer, then turns his head and only then notices that half the seats in the Great Hall are already occupied.

"So many Wizards!"

Lei En inhales silently; this is his first time seeing so many Wizards gathered together, at least two hundred.

Every Wizard here is an elite transcendent; there are already fifty or sixty High‑rank Wizards, and even three or four Legendary Wizards!

They are seated according to strength.

Legendary Wizards sit in the front row, closest to the platform; behind them are the High‑rank Wizards, and so on; the weakest Novice Wizards sit in the high rear rows, farthest away.

At this moment, the entire hall falls silent.

All the Wizards' gazes fall on Lei En, scrutinizing him.

Even though Lei En has true Willpower and strong mental composure, being stared at by so many Wizards still makes him feel a bit nervous, his scalp tingling.

However, on the surface, Lei En appears calm and composed, showing no lapse.

Oxi Liya, seated in the front row, gives a slight nod; Lei En walks over, sits beside her, and whispers, "Liya."

"Hmm, you're here," Oxi Liya replies, then says nothing further.

The hall's atmosphere is solemn, awaiting the arrival of the Speakers, only murmurs drifting. Lei En uses the moment to open his Soul Eye, silently observing the souls of the Wizards present.

His gaze sweeps quickly, eliminating them one by one.

Almost all the Wizards worship the God of Magic, but most are shallow believers; only a few are devout, and fanatics are few enough to count on the fingers.

Some Wizards are generic believers, worshipping multiple deities—such as the God of Justice and the Mother Earth, or a lesser god like the God of Wealth and the Goddess of Fate, and even one who follows the Longhaired Lady.

This situation is similar to Viola's, and is not regarded as abnormal.

"None?"

Lei En spends a few minutes scanning all the Wizards and finds no one who is a Fallen, having pledged to the Lord of the Dead.

This surprises him a bit, but also reassures him; at least Fu Kong Cheng is safe.

Of course, the Wizards in the Great Hall are not all the Wizards of Fu Kong Cheng; only about half, many being away or occupied, and thus not present for the ceremony.

However, one phenomenon is abnormal.

Lei En discovers that nearly a quarter of the Wizards hold hostility toward him!

He knows that killing Maytil, a student of Speaker Modra, would certainly offend a group of Wizards, but he did not expect so many.

Maytil's students, plus his close friends from life, and the Wizards of Speaker Modra's line together would not exceed thirty people.

Yet the Wizards hostile to him number over fifty at a glance, which is incomprehensible.

"Could it be related to Mo Du nobles?"

"Or perhaps they all participated in the Shield Island plot?"

Lei En guesses silently, startled by the speculation.

If that's true, the traitors inside Fu Kong Cheng are too many—indeed a quarter of the Wizards have sided with the Mo Du nobles!

Whether or not these Wizards know the Shield Island's inner affairs, this shows that the Mo Du nobles' influence over Fu Kong Cheng is far greater than imagined.

"Whoa, this is turning into an internal conflict!"

Lei En does not forget to take photos, capturing the appearances of these people for records.

(End of Chapter)