Chapter 181: Dust Settles

Li Liya tidied her apprentice robe, ensuring every wrinkle was flat and orderly.

"Teacher's commission must be completed well..." the girl whispered to herself in the mirror.

Luo En had already instructed her the day before, asking her to complete the important appointment with Lady Ailan on his behalf.

He himself was busy attending the quarterly meeting of the candidate wizard sequence and had no time to go in person.

Li Liya put the specially made box containing precious materials into her storage bag, and after confirming that the list was correct, she left the workshop.

The early morning light penetrated the mist that never dissipated in the Black Mist Jungle all year round, plating the path with a hazy silver edge.

She tidied her collar again, took a deep breath, and stepped toward Lady Ailan's potion shop.

This was the first time she had gone alone since becoming Luo En's apprentice. Although she was very familiar with this route, she was still a bit nervous.

The road to Lady Ailan's herb shop was not far, but it had to pass through the candidate apprentice area.

This was where Li Liya had lived for a short time, and it was also the starting point of her escape from the intermediate apprentice who coveted her.

When she walked quickly through the main road of the candidate apprentice area, several familiar faces attracted her attention.

Those were several candidate apprentices who were once in the same period as her, and they were gathering together to talk in low voices.

After seeing Li Liya, their eyes were immediately attracted by the shining primary apprentice badge on her chest.

"That is... Li Liya?" a tall, thin boy whispered in surprise, "She has actually become a primary apprentice?"

"I heard that she is now working in the workshop of that genius higher apprentice Luo En Ralf and is his personal assistant."

Another girl bit her lip, a flash of envy in her eyes.

Their whispers were not deliberately hidden, and Li Liya could clearly hear every word.

This was in stark contrast to the contemptuous and suspicious gazes she received when she first arrived in the candidate area a few months ago.

When she approached, these candidate apprentices suddenly became unusually respectful, and even moved to both sides in unison, making a path for her to pass.

"Good... good morning, Senior Li Liya."

A noble lady who once ignored her even greeted her cautiously, her voice full of restraint.

Li Liya nodded slightly in greeting, complex emotions rising in her heart.

She was never a person who would be complacent because of an increase in status, but at this moment she had to admit that the strong contrast brought about by the rise in status would indeed make people feel satisfied.

"Is this the benefit of attaching oneself to the strong?"

She asked herself in her heart, and then shook her head to deny this idea:

"No, my current status was won by my own efforts. Teacher has already said that he only gave me an opportunity, not charity."

Passing through the candidate dormitory area, she soon arrived at Lady Ailan's herb shop.

The familiar storefront still emitted that unique herbal fragrance, and the wind chime at the door swayed with the wind, making a crisp sound.

The moment she pushed the door open, Li Liya's mood was a bit uneasy.

To her, Lady Ailan was both a mentor and the first person to give her shelter.

"Come in, don't stand at the door."

A familiar hoarse voice came from inside the shop.

Lady Ailan was sitting behind the counter, tinkering with some herbs, her emerald eyes still as sharp as ever.

"Good day, Madam." Li Liya greeted softly and walked to the counter.

"It seems that the stinky boy has no time to see me, so he sent you little girl."

Lady Ailan put down the pestle in her hand and scrutinized the girl in front of her: "I have to say, you have changed a lot since following him."

Li Liya felt that those eyes seemed to be able to see through her soul, and she couldn't help but lower her head slightly, avoiding direct eye contact.

"Carrying Luo En's magic power traces on her body."

The old woman sniffed: "It seems that the boy really taught you a lot. Primary apprentice badge, how long has it been? Three months? Four months?"

"Four months and seven days, Madam." Li Liya answered softly.

"Alright, don't put on an act for me."

Lady Ailan waved her hand impatiently, but a trace of softness flashed in her eyes: "Sit down, the tea is in the old place, go pour it yourself."

Li Liya skillfully walked to the tea table in the corner and poured a cup of hot tea for herself and Lady Ailan.

This was a habit she formed when she worked here. Whenever Lady Ailan was tired from reading or making medicine, she would always prepare a cup of warm tea.

"Teacher asked me to bring all the materials you need."

Li Liya sat down opposite Lady Ailan and took out the carefully packaged box:

"And his greetings and gratitude."

Lady Ailan ignored the second half of the sentence, just raised her eyebrows: "All of them? He has already collected them?"

Li Liya nodded and carefully opened the box.

Inside were the remaining three rare materials neatly arranged, each sealed in a special container, maintaining the best state.

"Night Talk Pollen"—a powder produced by flowers that only bloom on the night of the full moon, presenting a faint silver light, said to allow the dead to briefly open their mouths to tell the last memories of their lives.

"Dream-Eating Spider Eye Fluid"—a translucent milky white liquid, from a special spider breed on the second layer of the abyss, capable of allowing the user to see scenes in others' dreams.

And the last one, also the most precious and rare: "Phantom Song Bird Throat Bone."

This bird species, which was on the verge of extinction, had throat bones capable of imitating any sound and could also convert sound waves into special spiritual fluctuations.

When Lady Ailan saw the last material, obvious surprise appeared in her eyes:

"Phantom Song Bird Throat Bone? This kind of thing is almost extinct in the Black Mist Jungle region. Where did he get it?"

"It should be through the connections of Master Magnus and the Potion Master Association."

Li Liya answered softly: "Teacher has been collecting these materials through various channels during this period."

Lady Ailan snorted from her nose, but a trace of satisfaction flashed in her emerald eyes:

"This boy, he has never disappointed me."

Her voice was so low that only she could hear it, and then she looked up at Li Liya:

"How are you doing over there? Have you achieved your expected goal?"

Li Liya was stunned, not sure what Lady Ailan was referring to.

Did it refer to her getting rid of the predicament of Keynes? Or did it refer to the possible relationship between her and Luo En?

She remembered that she had never clearly expressed her "purpose" to Lady Ailan at the beginning.

"I... I think I have basically achieved it."

Thinking of this, she lowered her head and muttered:

"Teacher is very good to me, gave me the opportunity to learn, and also gave me a safe and comfortable living environment."

Lady Ailan looked at her meaningfully, as if she heard more meaning from her words, but did not continue to pursue it.

Li Liya looked around and suddenly realized that the familiar shop had changed:

"Madam, where is Fina? Why don't I see her?"

"Oh, that girl, I have already sent her away."

Lady Ailan waved her hand casually:

"I threw her to the branch of the Potion Master Association of the school, and now she is responsible for some basic potion refining work there."

"You mean she was... dismissed from here." Li Liya was a bit surprised, and then cautiously used a neutral term.

"Heh, she was simply eliminated by me. Not everyone is suitable to stay here with me."

Lady Ailan stood up with a cane, her voice becoming a bit cold:

"Her talent in potion science is okay, and there is no problem with the accumulation of technology, but she lacks the necessary determination and adaptability."

Li Liya couldn't help but think of Fina's always cautious personality, and Lady Ailan's evaluation didn't seem wrong.

"Eliminated..." she whispered in her heart.

Fina's talent was clearly enough to support her to become a professional potion master in the future, which was also the reason why she tried hard to please the other party at that time.

People like this were eliminated, so how high was Lady Ailan's standard?

Thinking of this, she suddenly realized one thing...

"Um, Lady Ailan." Li Liya gathered her courage and asked: "Is Teacher... the only student you recognize?"

Lady Ailan glanced at her, and her sharp gaze like a hawk made Li Liya feel nervous.

"That boy, he does have many unusual places."

The old woman curled her lips and said slowly: "But nothing is absolute. Perhaps one day, I will meet a student better than him, who knows?"

Her words sounded a bit perfunctory, and Li Liya keenly noticed a trace of pride in Lady Ailan's eyes when she said this.

"Don't think so much." Lady Ailan seemed to see through her thoughts:

"This world has never been equal. Some people are suitable for reaching the top, while others are more suitable for doing basic work. Fina is also doing well in the association, at least much better than staying here and always being scolded."

"Alright, finish the old business and do the real business."

She said, taking two things out of a drawer:

An exquisite black sealing box, and a letter shimmering with faint silver light.

The sealing box was engraved with complex protective runes, each line was exquisite, forming a perfect locking array;

And the letter was shrouded in a layer of magic barrier, with runes flowing faintly on the surface.

That was a self-destruct mechanism. Once someone tried to force it open, the content would immediately turn to ashes.

"I have accepted the materials, now you give these to him."

Lady Ailan handed the two items to Li Liya:

"Tell him, the final stage of 'Babble of the Star Eater' is extremely dangerous, do not try it easily without enough preparation."

Li Liya carefully took these two precious items, feeling a heavy sense of responsibility:

"I will definitely hand them to Teacher intact."

"And..." Lady Ailan hesitated, showing a rare uncertain expression:

"Tell him, the road I couldn't finish back then, I hope he can successfully reach the end."

Li Liya nodded and agreed, although she didn't quite understand the meaning of this sentence, she could feel the strong regret contained in it.

The old woman suddenly stretched out her calloused hand and gently brushed Li Liya's cheek:

"You girl is also not bad. Compared to Fina, who already had good talent, your growth makes me more gratified."

This sudden gentleness made Li Liya stand there, not knowing how to react for a while.

Saying that, Lady Ailan took out another parchment scroll. The seal of this scroll was far less tight than that box:

"You should not have any meditation method other than the basic meditation method, right? This is a set of gem-level meditation methods I used when I was an apprentice. Although the effect is not as strong as the set I gave that boy, it is stable."

Gem-level meditation method?

Li Liya had indeed been worried about this before. She and Luo En had agreed to find an opportunity to buy a meditation method from other mentors, only for use at the apprentice stage.

Currently, Li Liya was still raising funds. Luo En had been paying her a salary as an assistant.

She already had a small treasury of more than 100 magic stone fragments in her hand, but she was still far from the most basic advanced meditation method.

But she didn't expect that Lady Ailan would help her solve it directly now?

"Alright, don't stand there like a fool."

The old woman restored her usual sharp tone:

"Hurry up and take the things back to that stinky boy. Remember, don't let anyone see that box, and don't let anyone touch it."

"Yes, Madam."

Li Liya bowed deeply and carefully put several items into her bag: "Thank you for all your help to me."

When leaving the herb shop, the girl's mood was complex and heavy.

Dark clouds gathered in the sky, and it seemed to be raining again.

Li Liya quickened her pace. The rain in the Black Mist Jungle always carried a strange smell, and skin would itch after contact for a long time.

Passing through the market, she habitually looked around.

Now that she was carrying such important items, she had to be extra careful.

Just as she was about to leave the market area, a figure suddenly broke into her line of sight.

That was Ogre Keynes, an intermediate apprentice who once had bad intentions toward her, and he was talking and laughing with several companions on the side of the road.

Li Liya instinctively wanted to avoid it, but then calmed down and walked past them with a blank face.

She was no longer the isolated candidate apprentice she once was.

Keynes noticed her, and a flash of surprise crossed his eyes.

But he soon returned to normal, and even nodded to her, his eyes seeming to carry a trace of... awe?

Of course, the other party was not afraid of her, but of Luo En standing behind her.

A higher apprentice who rose rapidly and had already received widespread attention from the upper echelons of the school, a genius who had dazzling achievements in many fields.

The dark clouds in the sky became thicker and thicker, and thunder could be heard in the distance.

"Teacher will be very happy to receive these."

She whispered to herself, her fingers brushing over the wooden box she kept close to her body, and a smile appeared on the corner of her mouth.

The girl quickened her pace on the way back, with only one thought in her heart—return to the workshop as soon as possible, return to the place that had become her true belonging.

………………

Black Mist School Central Tower, today's meeting hall was particularly solemn.

Under the high dome, the circular long table was arranged in sequence, and a nameplate with a number was placed in front of each seat.

In the center of the meeting hall, a huge three-dimensional projection rotated slowly, showing a complex pyramid-shaped building—a three-dimensional model of the Bloodline Altar.

Luo En wore a neat apprentice robe, with the dual badges of higher apprentice and professional potion master on his chest.

He arrived at the meeting place early this time and sat quietly in his seat.

The 14th seat, this was his position after the last evaluation meeting.

Although it was already a quite good ranking, the distance from those higher seats in front of the meeting hall was still obvious.

People arrived one after another, and the chief, Holt, was as calm and steady as ever, nodding to Luo En after arriving.

Other sequence members also arrived one after another, each with varying degrees of expectation or tension on their faces.

After the specified time, the voice of Vice Dean Hayek echoed in the hall:

"Since everyone has arrived, let's start the evaluation meeting."

He wore a dark purple robe, with a complex duty badge on his chest, and his face was majestic and unapproachable.

"First, let's confirm the two main topics of this meeting: the allocation of spots for the Bloodline Altar that will open in a month, and the filling of vacant seats after the defection of Oliver and Cynthia."

The whispers in the meeting hall immediately quieted down.

The Bloodline Altar and seat promotion/demotion, these two topics were enough to make any sequence member hold their breath.

"About the Bloodline Altar." Hayek continued:

"According to the official notice of the Crystal Spire, this time we have five spots as usual. Considering the characteristics and risks of the altar, participants must have sufficient strength and adaptability."

His gaze swept over every sequence member present, and he stayed a little longer on some people.

His gaze swept over everyone present, as if evaluating something.

"First, let's deal with some necessary procedural issues.

Regarding the defection of Oliver West and Cynthia Novik, the school has established a special investigation team and now formally announces their removal from the candidate wizard sequence."

A low discussion sounded in the hall, and then quickly returned to calm.

Hayek continued: "The vacant sequence seats will be supplemented according to the latest assessment. Now, let's get to the point—the adjustment of the sequence ranking."

He signaled, and the crystal ball in the center of the hall emitted a soft light, projecting a transparent ranking list.

The list showed each member's name, current ranking, and various assessment indicators.

"According to the comprehensive performance of this quarter, the top five of the sequence remain unchanged:

Holt Erwin continues to maintain the top spot, Herbert Levin and Caitlin Gardner maintain the second and third spots respectively."

This result was within expectations. Holt's strength had always been far ahead in the entire sequence, and no one questioned his chief position.

However, the subsequent ranking adjustment attracted the attention of the whole audience.

"In view of recent performance and achievements, Luo En Ralf will be promoted from the 14th to the 6th, directly replacing the original seat of the defector Oliver."

This decision was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, immediately causing waves.

A low whisper sounded in the hall, and many people's eyes focused on Luo En.

An eight-level leap! This was almost unseen in the history of the school.

Hayek seemed to have expected this reaction, and he added:

"This decision is based on multiple objective indicators, including but not limited to:

Outstanding performance in the recent Bloody Gladiatorial Contest, formal acquisition of the bloodline modulator qualification certificate, and successful passing of the higher apprentice certification.

In addition, both Mentor Suo Lun and Mentor Youni provided strong recommendations."

Luo En's expression was calm, and he felt a little joy in his heart.

This big leap in the sequence was not only recognition of his efforts but also a key step toward entering the Bloodline Altar.

"In addition." Hayek continued to announce: "Trish Lind is promoted from the 10th to the 7th, following Apprentice Ralf."

Although Trish's promotion range was not as amazing as Luo En's, it was still quite considerable.

Luo En looked at the brown-haired girl and met her gaze with complex emotions.

There was joy, admiration, and a trace of not-so-obvious competitive spirit.

Hayek also announced several ranking adjustments, mostly small increases or decreases, which did not cause much waves.

"The above are the main changes in the sequence ranking this quarter."

Hayek finally said: "Please adjust your seats according to the new ranking."

Luo En stood up and walked toward the seat representing the 6th place—Oliver's former position.

When he sat down, he could feel the eyes cast from all directions.

But he was already used to this gaze.

From the day he became a primary apprentice, every step of his progress had been accompanied by various speculations and discussions.

These outside voices could no longer shake him.

After everyone was seated according to the new ranking, Hayek entered the second topic of the meeting—the allocation of spots for the Bloodline Altar.

"A month later, the Bloodline Altar will open again. This is a rare opportunity that allows participants to deeply understand and improve their bloodline potential."

Hayek's voice became more solemn:

"According to the agreement between the school and the Crystal Spire, we have obtained five participation spots this time.

Considering various factors, the school decided to allocate these five spots as follows:

Holt Erwin, Herbert Levin, and Caitlin Gardner in the top three each occupy one spot, and the other two spots are allocated to Luo En Ralf and Trish Lind."

This allocation plan immediately caused some dissatisfaction.

Especially the two higher apprentices ranked fourth and fifth who were directly skipped, their expressions obviously darkened.

But, since it was the decision of many mentors and the Vice Dean, these apprentices naturally dared not have any complaints.

The status gap between apprentices and formal wizards was absolutely distinct.

No one dared to jump out and oppose at this time. People who could sit in this meeting hall could not be such fools.

"Alright, the spot allocation has been determined."

Seeing that everything had settled, Hayek looked around the audience:

"The five apprentices who obtained the spots, please stay after the meeting, we need to provide you with some important information and preparation guidance about the Bloodline Altar."

The meeting then discussed some internal school affairs and external threats, mainly about the latest intelligence and preventive measures regarding the Abyss Eye organization.

After the quarterly meeting officially ended, other apprentices left one after another, leaving only the five people who obtained the Bloodline Altar spots and several mentors.

"Congratulations on obtaining this rare opportunity."

Hayek walked to the five people, his voice carrying a trace of rare gentleness:

"The Bloodline Altar is not only an opportunity to improve yourself but also an important investment by the school in you."

Suo Lun stepped forward and added:

"Although the Bloodline Altar is full of opportunities, it also carries risks. Historically, many apprentices have encountered accidents in it, and even lost their lives. Therefore, full preparation and a cautious attitude are extremely important."

His gaze stayed on Luo En for a moment, revealing complex emotions that were hard to fathom:

"Especially Apprentice Ralf, as a bloodline modulator, your professional knowledge will be an important pillar of the team."

Luo En nodded to show understanding: "I will do my best to ensure the safety and success of the team."

After the meeting, when others had dispersed, Hayek suddenly called Luo En:

"Apprentice Ralf, come with me."

Luo En was a bit puzzled, but soon followed Hayek's footsteps.

Hayek took Luo En to a quiet small room, and only after ensuring no one was disturbed did he speak:

"I have been paying attention to your progress, Apprentice Ralf. Your growth speed is quite amazing, and you are also developing in multiple fields, which is very rare."

Luo En responded cautiously: "This is all thanks to the excellent environment provided by the school and the guidance of all mentors."

Hayek smiled slightly: "Hypocritical modesty has no meaning to me. You and I both know that your achievements mainly stem from your own talent and effort."

He took out a recording crystal ball from the inside of his robe, on which a complex spell model emerged:

"I have a spell model here, perhaps it is suitable for you now."

Luo En took the crystal ball and felt the precise structure of the spell recorded in it.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 182 =====