High-level, the Stage of the World Competition

Chen Lang greeted them, then walked out barefoot. The moment his foot landed on the rock, rings of thunder patterns rippled outward from where his sole met the ground.

"Just broke through, still a bit hard to control..."

Looking at the lightning power continuously radiating from him, Chen Lang said with slight helplessness.

"What?!"

Chen Ming, who had originally wanted to come over and ask Chen Lang where he'd been for the past half year, froze on the spot when he heard the words "broke through" and saw the lightning swirling around him.

Then he exclaimed, "You didn't... break through to High-level, did you!?"

"Mm."

Chen Lang nodded.

Because the energy he required was so immense, the moment he burst through the nebula, it had caused such violent commotion.

Of course, he himself wasn't aware of that.

At High-level, magic was no longer completely bound to the fixed forms of star charts and star trails. A mage could freely alter it with their will, though this skill still needed plenty of practice.

This was the control of a High-level mage.

The moment he broke through, Chen Lang had already grasped how to operate this skill. It was just that... because he had just broken through, he still couldn't control it freely.

"God!!!"

Chen Ming was completely losing it!

Three years. Chen Lang had only used a little over three years to reach High-level!

To think, many mages his age would be smug just for breaking through to Mid-level!

Chen Ming's voice wasn't quiet. Almost everyone present heard it clearly.

Most of the people there were Chen Lang's peers—some older, some younger. But at this moment, every single one of them stared at him like he was a monster.

It was simply unbelievable!

This youth, only eighteen years old, had already become an expert in the magic world!

News of Chen Lang's breakthrough quickly reached Chen Jin's ears back in the imperial capital.

Even Chen Jin, the moment he learned of it, couldn't stop smiling!

The Chen family hadn't just produced a fine steed—they had clearly bred a black dragon!

In his excitement, Chen Jin thought of the World Academy Competition currently underway. Compared to the present academies, without a doubt, this grand event was far more suitable for Chen Lang's training!

Although the students had already finished their training and were just waiting for this grand competition to begin, and it would be somewhat irregular for the Chen family to insert someone in at this point...

Still, as the saying went, bringing honor to the nation was everyone's duty!

Chen Jin turned to Li Yan beside him: "Xiao Li, go contact Shao Zheng. My Chen family is recommending a junior to bring glory to the nation!"

Li Yan was stunned at first, because in this round of the academy competition, all of the Chen family's outstanding juniors had already been eliminated...

But soon, he thought of something and asked in disbelief, "Master wants Young Master Chen Lang to participate in the World Academy Competition?"

Chen Jin nodded. "Naturally. What, should I rely on those useless ones instead?"

Speaking of this, Chen Jin felt somewhat angry.

A clan as large as the Chen family could actually have a generational gap in talent!

Among the new generation, there was hardly one worth presenting.

Fortunately... Heaven blessed the Chen family!

From the moment Chen Lang awakened his magic, Chen Jin had seen something different in him. That was precisely why Chen Jin paid more attention to Chen Lang.

Yes, compared to anything else, this was the most important point!

And recalling what had happened in the Element Sanctuary, along with Chen Lang's current promotion to High-level, it all proved his extraordinariness!

"Master..." Li Yan hesitated.

"Say what you have to say. What's with all the hemming and hawing?"

"Master, Young Master Chen Lang is only eighteen now. Even four years from now, he could still participate in the next competition..."

Before Li Yan could finish, Chen Jin said, "Xiao Li, I understand what you mean. That's precisely why I want him to gain experience on the stage of the World Academy Competition."

He naturally had his own reasoning.

The current small-scale academies could no longer contain a talent like Chen Lang!

He didn't need Chen Lang to perform exceptionally in this competition, but he wanted him to compete against the geniuses of his generation from around the world!

Of course, based on what Chen Jin knew of Chen Lang, making it through the elimination rounds wouldn't be a problem.

"Go make the arrangements." Chen Jin didn't give Li Yan another chance to waste words, speaking again.

"Yes."

Chen Lang might be at a disadvantage as a newly promoted High-level, but if the software wasn't enough, the hardware could make up for it...

Bashu.

Chen Lang, who had just broken through, naturally made eating and drinking his first priority.

No matter what kind of mage, no matter how powerful, they still needed rest and food like any normal person.

A mage might go a long time without proper rest, but they couldn't go a single day without eating.

During these six months of cultivation, Chen Lang had finished all the compressed biscuits in his portable space... It was easy to imagine how bland his diet had been!

Now that he was out of seclusion, food was naturally the top priority!

After eating and drinking his fill, he tidied himself up.

To grow stronger, he had truly lived like a savage, immersing himself in solitude for half a year!

If not for the fact that the Magic Power he could absorb after reaching High-level was no longer as abundant, Chen Lang felt he could have continued meditating.

Because during cultivation, he had long lost all sense of time...

Chen Lang had originally planned to laze around comfortably for a few days, but unexpectedly, Li Yan came personally the next day to take him back to the imperial capital.

He knew that breaking through to High-level would inevitably attract the attention of the family's higher-ups, but he hadn't expected them to be so eager to call him back!

Though he grumbled inwardly, he still followed and returned to the clan.

In the words of his past life, this might be called being in the world, with no control over one's own fate...

"Old man, calling me back in such a hurry—is there something urgent?"

Although Chen Lang wore a smile, the old man could clearly hear the hint of complaint in his tone.

Chen Jin didn't mind and said patiently, "You brat... The reason I'm rushing you back is because there's good news."

Chen Lang looked at him, a hint of curiosity in his heart.

"Follow me. Now that you're High-level, it's time to replace your magic tools and magic artifacts."

Hearing this, Chen Lang's resentment faded considerably. After all, there was no reason to be upset about getting new equipment.

The two walked one after the other and soon arrived at the clan's Treasure Artifact Hall.

"Patriarch."

When they reached the entrance, a figure materialized on a chair. The man hadn't expected Chen Jin to come here and looked somewhat surprised.

Chen Jin glanced at him and then said, "Open the gate. I'm taking Xiaolang to pick out some equipment."

The old man guarding this place swept his eyes over Chen Lang, but didn't linger long before turning to manipulate the formation here...

PS: I hope readers can be patient. When I write about his abundant energy, it's not to suppress his cultivation. Three years at High-level—can that really be called suppressing cultivation?