Water and Milk Blend

The apprentice testing and sacrifices in Shadow Valley lasted a total of four days.

Over those four days, not only the Low-Level Apprentices and Entry-Level Apprentices suffered terribly—even Intermediate Apprentices like Saine found it grueling.

Fortunately, after four days had passed, a Formal Black Wizard appeared in person and stated that the danger of the Time-Space Rift ahead would be greatly reduced.

Otherwise, one had to wonder whether such torment would drive people to collapse.

Worth mentioning was that a small incident occurred during those four days.

On the third night, a Low-Level Apprentice named Tian Di somehow learned the location of Saine's tent and came seeking his protection.

In truth, even by the end of the fourth day, the more than four hundred Entry-Level Apprentices had not been entirely used up. There were still around thirty or forty left.

It was still far from the point of having to expend Low-Level Apprentices.

Saine had not dealt much with Tian Di over the past few years.

The main reason was that this woman had always wanted to latch onto him, to the point that Saine somewhat regretted why he had gone out of his way for her in Master Ke Suo Long's anatomy class back then.

Whether she had advanced to a Low-Level Apprentice last year or the year before, it showed that Tian Di possessed some aptitude and potential.

But no matter how decent her aptitude and potential were, she was still only a Low-Level Apprentice.

In Shadow Valley's precarious environment, with no mentor and no other powerful figure to shelter her, she could only steel herself and seek out Saine.

In fact, during the past two or three years at the Black Wizard Academy, Tian Di had indeed used Saine's name to avoid plenty of trouble and prying eyes.

That was also an important reason she had been able to seize the opportunity and swiftly advance to Low-Level Apprentice.

Unfortunately, this time, Tian Di did not even get to see Saine before she was nearly injured by the Fire Chain Blade released by his Senior Sister, Fei'er.

A lock of singed hair was Fei'er's warning to Tian Di.

Every apprentice in Shadow Valley was a precious resource, so the Black Magicians strictly forbade fighting that resulted in death or injury—unless the other party was trying to escape Shadow Valley.

After hitting a wall with Saine, Tian Di finally stopped coming to bother him.

This showed that when dealing with women, women were best suited for the task.

On the fifth day after Saine and the others arrived in Shadow Valley, after the last batch of Entry-Level Apprentices had been thrown into the Magic Altar for testing, Vice Dean Dadalong finally announced that the Quasi-Magicians would be next.

Senior Brother Zorro had made quite a few preparations during this time. Since he also possessed Space Equipment—and his was far larger than Saine's—Saine had even seen him take out a portable miniature alchemy bench.

Several disposable magical arrows were Senior Brother Zorro's achievements during this period.

As his Junior Apprentice and Junior Sister, Saine and Fei'er were fortunate enough to receive one each.

"Unfortunately, there wasn't enough time, and the alchemical conditions here are too crude. Otherwise, I could certainly have made magical arrows of a higher grade," Zorro sighed.

Every magical arrow Zorro created contained an intermediate spell.

Combined with the Sharpness Spell, Acceleration Spell, wound-rending, toxin invasion, and other related Magic Inscriptions inherent to the arrows themselves, although they were disposable items, they were unquestionably fine specimens among intermediate magic equipment.

Under the dual pressure of survival and the will to live, Senior Brother Zorro seemed to have achieved a new breakthrough in alchemy as well.

After finishing those disposable magical arrows, Senior Brother Zorro entered the Magic Altar on the sixth day and never came back out.

Saine had tried to contact him with the Crystal Ball, but it showed no reaction from beginning to end.

Since Senior Brother Zorro was among the last batch of Quasi-Magicians to enter the Magic Altar, Vice Dean Dadalong announced that same night that Advanced Apprentices would be the next to enter the Magic Altar.

The order in which apprentices entered, from high to low rank, indicated that the danger of this Magic Altar had indeed diminished considerably.

Otherwise, the academy would never squander those scarce, top-tier apprentices.

Needless to say, nearly all of these apprentices were disciples of Formal Black Wizards.

That same night, Senior Sister Fei'er burst into Saine's tent.

"Th-this, Senior Sister, you—" Saine had been meditating when he was suddenly interrupted by his Senior Sister's flaming red lips, catching him completely off guard.

"No one knows what lies on the other side of the Time-Space Rift. We know even less whether we'll be able to return alive."

"Today may be the last time. You have to satisfy me!" Fei'er said to Saine.

His Senior Sister's words lessened Saine's resistance, but he still reminded her, "Baus is still near the tent."

"I told him to get lost. At least tonight, that fatty won't come ruin our fun."

"Hurry up. Your little girlfriend is probably getting impatient too." Fei'er gave a soft laugh.

This battle between Saine and his Senior Sister was thoroughly exhilarating. It went on for a full two hours before she finally left, satisfied.

The moment Senior Sister Fei'er stepped out of the tent, Saine's official girlfriend, Lina, stepped inside.

The air in Saine's tent was somewhat murky at the moment.

As Lina entered, her delicate little face could not help but crease in a frown.

Unlike Senior Sister Fei'er, Lina was not insatiable. She had not planned to do anything with Saine tonight.

In fact, she was also somewhat worried about whether Saine's body could take it.

After all, the sounds just now had been so loud that she had vaguely heard them even from another tent.

Even when she and Saine were together in bed, it seemed they had never gone on as long as Fei'er did.

Saine was also quite exhausted at the moment. Satisfying his Senior Sister every time was a physically demanding task.

It was nothing like when he was with his girlfriend Lina. The two of them were more like water and milk blending together, a collision of emotions and a meeting of minds.

Unlike with his Senior Sister, where it was merely stimulation of the body and senses.

If he had to choose, Saine would naturally rather stay with Lina.

Though Lina looked younger than Saine, there were times when Saine would instead curl up like a child in her arms.

This Intermediate Apprentice, who had already basically adapted to the cruel life of the Black Wizard Academy, was, in truth, still only a Big Boy.

Holding Lina in his arms, Saine did nothing with her that night and barely spoke a word.

Listening to each other's heartbeats, they seemed able to feel each other's unspoken feelings.

They simply leaned against one another in silence until the next day was about to arrive.

When Shadow Valley's magical bell rang and Lina was about to leave the tent, Saine caught her hand and pressed a short wand into it.

This was one of the five pieces of magic equipment Mentor Moxidu had given Saine. It could instantly release an advanced spell—Storm Arrow.

Lina was about to refuse when Saine stepped forward and kissed her, stopping the words she had yet to say.

"We must live to see each other again someday, understand?" Saine said to Lina with deep affection.

Lina also roughly knew how many magical items Saine had received from his mentor, Moxidu.

Thus, faced with Saine's affection and gift, she ultimately nodded and accepted it.