Posthouse Small Stockade.
"Oi, have you heard? The Ghost Wolf Beast Bai Yang Hua took two months to tame was killed by a student."
"Wote, do you know what you're talking about? Bai Yang's Ghost Wolf Beast... that thing was more terrifying in combat than an entire squad!"
"It's true. Bai Yang's Ghost Wolf Beast was cut clean in half by that student using a Spirit-level Demon Slaying Tool. Its death was absolutely miserable!"
"Holy Saogang, a Spirit-level Demon Slaying Tool? Which rich young master came out here for a stroll?"
"..."
When Qin Yuan and his group returned to the Posthouse Small Stockade, news of the Ghost Wolf Beast being cut in half spread at astonishing speed.
At first, some veteran hunters did not really believe it.
It was not until several hunters close to Luo Yunbo investigated that the fact was confirmed.
The Ghost Wolf Beast had really been cut in half!
In an instant, the entire Posthouse Small Stockade erupted. "Qin Yuan" became the topic of everyone's discussion.
The small stockade's central square.
Zhan Kong swept his gaze across the people below and said, "There's still over a month left of wilderness training. In order to give everyone a proper understanding of their own capabilities..."
"Other than Qin Yuan, I'll prepare another test for all of you. Of course, you can choose not to participate and secure your admission with an S grade."
"Now, tell me your answer!"
"We'll participate!"
Everyone from the Elite Class answered in unison.
It was not only because Qin Yuan had used magic tools as encouragement. A large part of the reason was that Zhan Kong was a High-level Mage. His guidance was something money could not buy.
"Very good. You didn't disappoint me."
Zhan Kong smiled happily.
Whether these "rookies" had improved in strength could wait. At the very least, they had gained some courage, which was a good thing.
"Looks like I have nothing to do."
Not far away, Qin Yuan watched the scene with little interest.
In order to let the others receive proper training, Zhan Kong had specially given Qin Yuan a little "privilege," allowing him to move freely through the open areas of the Posthouse Small Stockade.
"With your strength, wilderness training is no different from child's play."
Tang Yue came to Qin Yuan's side and sat down.
"It really is no different from child's play..."
Qin Yuan glanced beyond the waystation, his eyes flickering as he thought, But things are different outside.
With over a month left, he could sneak out and properly temper his strength.
As for how to sneak out, that was no challenge for Qin Yuan.
He had quite a few magic tools. Among them, he had two that possessed the Shadow Element's Shadow Escape skill.
"Little Yuan, you should still tell me... Mmph."
Before Tang Yue could finish speaking, a piece of jerky was stuffed into her mouth.
"Sister Tang Yue, be good."
Taking advantage of the fact that no one was around, Qin Yuan gave Tang Yue's cheek a firm squeeze, then placed several packs of Golden Boar Jerky in her arms.
"If you've got nothing to do, chew on some jerky. It tastes pretty good."
Qin Yuan chuckled and continued, "If you get curious about anything else, I'll really have to let you see what the real 'Little Yuan' is."
With that, Qin Yuan ran off in a flash, leaving Tang Yue standing there in confusion.
After a long silence.
Tang Yue finally realized what Qin Yuan meant.
Her face flushed red as she said viciously, "You little brat, one day I'll teach you a proper lesson!"
After thinking that.
Tang Yue put away the jerky, keeping one pack to slowly savor.
It had also been a long time since she had eaten Golden Boar meat.
"At least you have a conscience..."
Tang Yue muttered.
Half a month later.
At night, inside one of the Posthouse Small Stockade's tents.
"Bzzzz..."
A faint buzzing sound seemed to rise. The surrounding temperature steadily dropped as ice blue cold air overflowed, dispersing several meters before vanishing in the air.
Qin Yuan sat cross-legged on the ground, the energy around him growing increasingly violent.
Within his spiritual world, the ice blue Star Dust had reached saturation. A cicada-wing-thin membrane covered it. It looked fragile, yet it was extremely resilient.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Magic energy wildly slammed into the membrane, and the Star Dust began to change as well, gradually expanding, reorganizing, and solidifying into a Star Cloud.
A moment later.
"Crack, crack~"
The membrane emitted a series of strange sounds. Under the impact of the magic energy, a tiny crack had appeared. It continuously widened, spreading like a spiderweb.
Finally.
"Crack!"
It shattered completely and vanished into nothingness.
The Star Dust was completely released, instantly forming an ice blue Star Cloud. Within it were 42 additional dazzling Star Seeds, for a total of 49 Star Seeds.
The difference between the Ice Element Star Cloud and the Lightning Element Star Dust beside it was immediately apparent.
Ice Element, Intermediate Level!
The amplification multiplier of the Extreme Cold Spirit Seed had also grown to three times.
Qin Yuan opened his eyes, and a trace of Ice Glint seemed to flash through them.
"The breakthrough went even more smoothly than expected." Qin Yuan smiled, unable to suppress the joy in his heart.
In two years, he had broken through to become an Intermediate Level Mage.
Qin Yuan was very satisfied with this result.
"System, check in."
Qin Yuan checked the time. It was already past midnight, and a new day had refreshed.
[Ding, detected that the host has checked in for seven days straight. Weekly Check-in triggered.] [Ding, congratulations to the host for obtaining an Ice Element Star Scar.]
"Star Scar. Just what I needed."
Qin Yuan looked at the object in his hand, which resembled a Magic Scroll, and felt delighted.
Mages who had just entered the Intermediate Level desperately needed a Star Scar for guidance and standardization. Otherwise, the final star pattern they drew would be unable to release magic.
A Star Scar was not expensive either, with one costing around fifty thousand Huaxia Coin on average.
"Now that I've broken through to the Intermediate Level, I'll find time to undergo Magic Awakening after I return."
"Then there are the three steps of Meditate Magic Energy, controlling Star Seeds, and releasing magic. After all, a mage who can use Intermediate Level magic and one who cannot are two entirely different concepts."
"Once I've mastered Intermediate Ice Lock, I'll raise the Lightning Element to the Intermediate Level as well, giving myself more offensive options."
Qin Yuan thought to himself.
His general cultivation plan now was to focus on the Ice Element and supplement it with the Lightning Element—dual control without lacking damage.
"There's still plenty of time. I'll go out for a walk."
Qin Yuan got up and left the tent. After looking around, he found a place with neither people nor surveillance.
"Shadow Boots."
With a thought, a pair of entirely black boots with golden patterns and a refined texture quickly appeared from his knees down to his feet.
This was one of the many Spirit-level Magic Tools Qin Yuer had given him back then—a Boot Magic Tool.
As its name implied, Shadow Boots could use the Shadow Element's beginner-level Shadow Escape skill three times. Its uses had to be actively recharged.
Besides the Shadow Boots, Qin Yuan also had a Spirit-level Boot Magic Tool called Swift Shadow Boots in his System Space, obtained through a check-in. It could use the Wind Element's Wind Track skill three times.
"Buzz..."
The darkness rippled, and Qin Yuan's figure sank into it, merging with the shadows.
Not long after Qin Yuan left, Tang Yue arrived nearby with a puzzled expression.
"Strange. I clearly sensed fluctuations from Shadow Element magic just now." Tang Yue muttered.
She had not been far from here to begin with, and she possessed the Shadow Element, so her perception of some Shadow Magic was stronger than that of others.
After looking around and finding nothing unusual, Tang Yue left as well.
Before you continue