Moria Academy

Sunset City.

Moria Magic Academy.

It was just past noon.

Sunlight filtered through the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows of the Picture Gallery, dust motes drifting in the beams.

Lian Qiu closed the heavy copy of Analysis of Water Elemental Spell Illusions in her hands and rubbed her brow wearily.

In a few years, she would have to take over as the family head.

Ever since Father had gone out to travel, he had not returned home for over a year.

Although Father Barte Lei had never said much, Lian Qiu could tell that Father was getting old.

She had to become stronger.

Only by becoming powerful enough could she support the future of the Barte Lei family.

"Lian Qiu."

"This part about magical power pathways is so difficult. I still don't understand it..."

A short girl with a round face beside her slumped over, her face full of misery.

She was Lian Qiu's roommate, Mi Wan.

Lian Qiu smiled and was about to explain.

"Tap, tap, tap..."

A string of hurried footsteps shattered the silence in the Picture Gallery.

The students dressed in academy robes looked up in surprise.

A tall blond young man in an exquisitely tailored magic robe strode in, his hair slicked back until it gleamed.

He held a large bouquet of purple flowers still beaded with dew.

He had come to see someone.

The smile on Lian Qiu's face vanished instantly.

It was replaced by undisguised disgust.

Him again.

Moen.

The spoiled young master of Sunset City's wealthy Moen family, a fourth-rank magic apprentice.

Five years ago.

The moment he saw Lian Qiu, he had clung to her like a fly to honey.

Originally.

After Lei Wen beat him up once.

Moen had restrained himself considerably.

But in the past two years, Lei Wen had vanished without a trace.

That had allowed Moen's thoughts to come alive again.

"Lian Qiu!"

"There's an auction in the city tonight."

"I heard a century-old purple crystal magic staff excavated from the Deep Sea will be there. I think it suits you perfectly."

"I've reserved a private room. Let's go take a look together."

Moen walked up to the desk.

He struck a pose he considered dashing and placed one hand on the tabletop.

Whispers immediately rose around them.

Some were envious, some watched with amusement.

After all, Moen's family was rich and powerful, and his own talent was fairly decent among ordinary people.

At twenty, he was already a fourth-rank magic apprentice. He would not be without prospects in the future as a magic device enchanter.

"I don't have time."

"I need to cultivate."

Lian Qiu did not even raise her eyes.

She reopened her book, her voice as cold as winter ice.

"You need to balance work and rest while cultivating."

"Besides, with that crystal magic staff, your casting speed can improve by at least twenty percent."

"I specifically kept an eye out for it for you..."

The smile on Moen's face stiffened for a moment, but he quickly resumed his affectionate expression.

"Lian Qiu."

"I told you, I don't have time."

"Also, please don't come bother me again."

"Your behavior has already seriously affected my studies."

Lian Qiu snapped her book shut and spoke in a cold voice.

Her amber eyes radiated a chill that made people afraid to meet her gaze.

Moen's expression completely darkened.

Being publicly humiliated by a girl—anyone would have some anger.

Especially since he had liked this girl since childhood.

"Lian Qiu, I truly like you."

"What is there about me that isn't good enough for you?"

"Speaking of family background, my family is far stronger than your declining Barte Lei family."

"Speaking of talent, I'm a fourth-rank magic apprentice while you're third-rank. There isn't much difference between us..."

Moen lowered his voice, a trace of anger appearing on his face.

"Not much difference?"

"Moen, do you have some misunderstanding about the world of magic apprentices?"

"Fourth-rank and third-rank are separated by a chasm."

"Besides, I'm eighteen this year."

"How old are you?"

"With your meager magical power, you can't even break through my shield."

"I want a strong companion so we can progress together, not a broken oil bottle."

Lian Qiu was almost laughing.

Looking at the self-satisfied fool before her, she truly did not want to give him any more face.

Those words were spoken mercilessly.

They were practically dragging Moen down from his pedestal and stomping on him a few times.

The Picture Gallery instantly became so quiet it was frightening.

Even a needle dropping to the floor could be heard.

"You... you..."

Moen's face flushed liver-colored, the veins on his forehead throbbing wildly.

He glared at Lian Qiu, his lips trembling as he failed to form a complete sentence for a long while.

Humiliation.

Embarrassment.

Those emotions gnawed at his heart like venomous snakes.

Just as Moen was about to turn his humiliation into rage and teach Lian Qiu a lesson—

Suddenly.

A terrifying chill in the shape of a magic formation abruptly enveloped the entire Moria Academy.

The bright sunlight was instantly blocked out.

The sky darkened.

The temperature in the air plummeted, and a thin layer of Ice Mist even formed on the windows.

Immediately after.

A vast, mountain-heavy pressure descended from the sky.

Thud!

Every student in the Picture Gallery felt as if a massive boulder had been pressed onto their chests.

"Cough!"

"Cough!"

The weaker lower-rank students buckled at the knees and collapsed to the floor.

Even the slightly stronger ones could only cling to their desks, gasping heavily, their faces pale as paper.

Moen was the first to suffer.

He had just been preparing to mobilize his magic power when the pressure bore down on him. The magic power he had gathered instantly scattered.

"Puh!"

He spat out a mouthful of blood.

His entire body collapsed to the floor like a dead dog, convulsing violently, his fingers clawing at the ground as hoarse, strange gasps escaped his throat.

Terror.

An instinctive fear.

What was that?

A ninth-rank powerhouse?

No... impossible!

Even the academy headmaster, a ninth-rank Great Magister, did not possess such a terrifying aura.

It felt like... a god had descended upon the world.

"Roar!"

A deafening dragon roar resounded through the clouds.

The dragon's might contained within it made everyone's souls tremble uncontrollably.

Deep within Moria Academy.

Three streams of light shot into the sky.

They were the academy headmaster and two vice headmasters, all ninth-rank elemental Great Magisters.

But at this moment.

These three lofty figures did not even dare to breathe too loudly.

They stared fixedly at the colossal figure in the sky.

A Giant Dragon covered in silver-white scales, each one as translucent as ice crystals.

Over a hundred meters long!

With its wings spread, it blotted out the sky and sun!

Its pair of dark blue vertical pupils looked coldly down upon the ants below.

"Saint... Saint Domain Giant Dragon?!"

The headmaster's voice trembled sharply, and cold sweat instantly soaked his back.

A being of that rank could erase the entire Moria Academy from the map with a single dragon breath.

Why had it appeared here?

Could it be that the academy had hidden some peerless treasure and drawn the attention of this Giant Dragon?

It was over.

They were all finished.

Just as everyone waited in despair for the end to descend—

A clear young voice drifted down from the dragon's back.

"Where is Lian Qiu?"

The voice was not loud.

Yet it clearly reached every person's ears.

There was someone on the back of that terrifying Saint Domain Giant Dragon?!