The Inn Shakes, Breakthrough to Intermediate Level

Posthouse Small Stockade.

"Oi, have you heard? The Ghost Wolf Beast that Bai Yang Hua spent two months taming got killed by a student."

"Wote, do you even know what you're saying? Bai Yang's Ghost Wolf Beast... that thing's combat power is scarier than a whole squad!"

"It's true. That Ghost Wolf Beast of Bai Yang's was cut clean in half by the student using a Spirit-level Demon Slaying Tool. The way it died was absolutely miserable!"

"Holy Saogang, a Spirit-level Demon Slaying Tool. Which rich young master's kid is this out sightseeing?"

"..."

When Qin Yuan and his group returned to the Posthouse Small Stockade, the news of the Ghost Wolf Beast being cut in half spread at lightning speed.

At first, some of the old hunters didn't quite believe it.

It wasn't until shortly after, when a few hunters who had a good relationship with Luo Yunbo went and checked things out, that the fact was confirmed.

The Ghost Wolf Beast really had been cut in half!

In an instant, the entire Posthouse Small Stockade erupted into a frenzy. 'Qin Yuan' became the topic of everyone's conversation.

At the small stockade's central plaza.

Zhan Kong swept his gaze over the crowd below and said, "There's still over a month left in the Wilderness Training. To make sure you all fully understand just how capable you really are—"

"Except for Qin Yuan, I'm going to prepare another test for you. Of course, you can also choose not to participate and just coast into the academy with your S-rank results."

"Now, tell me your answer!"

"We'll participate!"

The members of the Elite Class answered in unison.

It wasn't just because of the encouragement from Qin Yuan's magic tools. A big part of it was that Zhan Kong was a High-level Mage. His guidance was something you couldn't buy even for ten thousand gold.

"Good. You didn't disappoint me."

Zhan Kong smiled happily.

Whether these 'rookies' had improved in strength or not was one thing—at least their guts had grown a bit. That counted as a good thing.

"Looks like there's nothing for me to do here."

Not far away, Qin Yuan watched the scene with little interest.

To let the others get their training, Zhan Kong had given Qin Yuan a little 'special privilege'—free rein to move around the open areas of the Posthouse Small Stockade.

"With your strength, this Wilderness Training is like playing house to you."

Sister Tang Yue came over to Qin Yuan's side and sat down.

"It really is like playing house..."

Qin Yuan glanced outside the stockade, his eyes flickering as he thought to himself, "But out there, it's different."

With just over a month left, he could sneak out and properly hone his strength.

As for how to sneak out, that wasn't a problem for Qin Yuan.

He had plenty of magic tools, including two that carried the Shadow Element skill 'Shadow Escape'.

"Little Yuan, you'd better tell me—mmph."

Before Tang Yue could finish her sentence, a piece of jerky was stuffed into her mouth.

"Sister Tang Yue, be good now."

Taking advantage of the fact that no one was around, Qin Yuan gave Tang Yue's cheek a firm pinch, then placed several packs of Golden Boar Jerky into her arms.

"If you've got nothing to do, just chew on some jerky. It tastes pretty good."

Qin Yuan chuckled lightly and continued, "If you're still curious about other things, I'll really have to show you what the true 'Little Yuan' means."

With that, Qin Yuan dashed off in a flash, leaving behind a dumbfounded Tang Yue.

After a long silence.

Tang Yue finally realized what Qin Yuan meant.

Her face flushed bright red, and she growled fiercely, "You little brat. One of these days, I'll teach you a good lesson!"

With that thought.

Tang Yue put away the jerky, leaving one pack out to savor slowly.

Golden Boar jerky—she hadn't had it in a long time either.

"Guess you do have a conscience..."

Tang Yue muttered to herself.

Half a month later.

Nighttime. Inside a certain tent at the Posthouse Small Stockade.

"Buzz, buzz, buzz..."

A faint hum seemed to sound as the surrounding temperature continued to drop. Ice-blue cold air overflowed, drifting a few meters before dissipating into the air.

Qin Yuan sat cross-legged on the ground, the energy on his body growing increasingly restless.

Within his mental world, the ice-blue Star Dust had reached saturation. A layer of film as thin as a cicada's wing covered it, appearing fragile yet possessing great resilience.

"Boom, boom, boom."

Magic energy crashed violently against this film. The Star Dust began to change, expanding bit by bit, restructuring, condensing, and gradually forming a Star Cloud.

A moment later.

"Crack, crack~"

The film emitted a series of strange sounds. Under the impact of the magic energy, a tiny fissure had already appeared. This crack continued to widen, spreading like a spiderweb.

Finally.

"Crack!"

It shattered completely, dissolving into nothingness.

The Star Dust was fully released. In an instant, it formed an ice-blue Star Cloud, within which 42 new brilliant Star Seeds appeared, totaling 49 Star Seeds.

Comparing the Ice Element Star Cloud to the Lightning Element Star Dust beside it, the difference in level was clear.

Ice Element, Intermediate!

The amplification multiplier of the Extreme Cold Spirit Seed had also grown to three times.

Qin Yuan opened his eyes, a glint of ice flashing through them.

"Breaking through was smoother than expected." A smile tugged at the corner of Qin Yuan's mouth, his inner joy impossible to suppress.

Two years. He had taken only two years to break through to an Intermediate Mage.

Qin Yuan was very satisfied with this result.

"System, check-in."

Qin Yuan glanced at the time. It had passed midnight, and a new day had refreshed.

[Ding, detected host has checked in for seven consecutive days. Triggering Weekly Check-in.]

[Ding, congratulations host for obtaining the Ice Element Star Scar.]

"Star Scar. Just what I needed, like a pillow when I'm drowsy."

Qin Yuan looked at the item in his hand, resembling a Magic Scroll, and felt a surge of delight.

A mage who had just stepped into the Intermediate level urgently needed a Star Scar to guide and standardize their magic; otherwise, the star pattern they ultimately drew would be unable to release any spell.

The price of a Star Scar wasn't too high either, averaging around fifty thousand Huaxia Coins each.

"Now that I've broken through to Intermediate, I'll find time to undergo a Magic Awakening when I get back."

"Then it's the three steps: Meditate Magic Energy, control the Star Seeds, and release the spell. After all, a mage who can use Intermediate magic and one who can't are two completely different things."

"Once I've mastered the Intermediate Ice Lock, I'll also train the Lightning Element to Intermediate, giving me more offensive options."

Qin Yuan thought to himself.

His general magic training plan now was to focus on the Ice Element as his main, with the Lightning Element as a supplement, achieving dual control without lacking damage output.

"There's still time. I'll go out for a stroll."

Qin Yuan stood up and left the tent. After looking around, he found a spot with no people and no surveillance.

"Shadow Boots."

With a thought, a pair of boots materialized from his knees down to his soles. They were entirely black, adorned with gold patterns, and had a rich texture.

This was one of the many Spirit-level Magic Tools Qin Yuer had given him back then, a Boot Magic Tool.

Shadow Boots, as the name implied, could use the Shadow Element's beginner skill Shadow Escape three times. The number of uses required active recharging.

Besides the Shadow Boots, Qin Yuan also had another Spirit-level Boot Magic Tool in his System Space, obtained from a check-in, called the Swift Shadow Boots. It could use the Wind Element's Wind Track skill three times.

"Hum..."

The darkness rippled. Qin Yuan's figure merged into it, becoming one with the shadows.

Not long after Qin Yuan left, Tang Yue arrived nearby, her face full of confusion.

"Strange. I clearly sensed the fluctuation of Shadow Magic just now." Tang Yue muttered to herself.

She hadn't been far away, and since she possessed the Shadow Element herself, her perception of Shadow Magic was stronger than Others.

After looking around and seeing nothing unusual, Tang Yue left again.