The Moon's Shadow, Ying Yue's Promise!

In Tianlan High School's second-year advanced class, the students were chatting idly.

"Brother Fan, Brother Jiang, that Stardust Magic Tool is really useful!"

Zhang Xiaolong excitedly shared his experience of using the Stardust Magic Tool with the people around him.

He ranked sixty-second in the advanced class, and being able to use a Stardust Magic Tool was already something from the second semester of his second year.

"Yeah..."

Mo Fan nodded somewhat guiltily. Whenever the Stardust Magic Tool was mentioned, he could not help feeling uneasy.

The Little Loach Pendant around his neck had actually absorbed the Stardust Magic Tool.

Fortunately, after some candid explanation, the school said it was a normal occurrence. Stardust Magic Tools had lifespans too.

Afterward, he spent a long time searching through information and discovered that the Little Loach Pendant he wore was actually a growth-type magic tool.

Jiang Yu, meanwhile, was lost in thought.

Hearing Zhang Xiaolong call out to him, he finally let out a breath and said, "Indeed. For a mage waiting to break through into Intermediate Demonic Law, a Stardust Magic Tool is far too important."

He could not help touching the cool jade-like necklace on his chest. It was the Stardust Magic Tool Mu Bai had given him.

Stardust Magic Tool + Ice Element innate talent + Tianlan High School's powerful spiritual energy—Jiang Yu's cultivation speed had long since taken off!

In less than two years, his Ice Element was only one step away from the first tier of Intermediate level, while his Fire Element had also reached the second tier.

At the same time, the strongest among them, Mo Fan, had only just fumbled his way into the first tier of Intermediate level...

"Sigh, I only have one month to use it. It would be nice if I could get another one."

Zhang Xiaolong imagined how wonderful it would be to have a Stardust Magic Tool of his own.

Jiang Yu seemed to have sensed Zhang Xiaolong's regret and patted him on the shoulder.

"You'll have one someday."

Just as Jiang Yu finished comforting Zhang Xiaolong—

"Ahem, I have something to announce."

Their advanced class's homeroom teacher, Xue Musheng, slowly walked in. Standing on the podium, he looked at the students and said, "After you finish lunch today, Director Chen, Teacher Tang Yue, and I will take you to experience some extracurricular training."

"This trip will definitely greatly improve your practical combat abilities! Your results will count toward your admission to the Magic University!"

Mu Bai, seated in the front row, gripped his pen tightly and looked provocatively at Jiang Yu and Mo Fan.

No matter what, he had ranked third in the entire school during the last annual assessment!

This was an enormous privilege!

"Alright, I'll announce the group assignments now."

"Jiang Yu, Mo Fan, Mu Bai, Xu Zhao, and the other two of you—form a team."

"For the team leader..."

For a moment, most of the students looked toward Jiang Yu.

With a thigh like his backing them, their results would at least be guaranteed.

Once the assignments were complete, Jiang Yu looked over his team's composition and could only feel rather speechless.

Apart from himself, there were five Light Element mages in the group! The teacher was really looking out for him.

"Ahem, let's set off."

Peak Mountain Horse Station was located outside Bo City and was an important barrier against the invasion of demons beyond the city.

Along the way, they encountered many different kinds of magic practitioners.

"Those magic practitioners seem about the same as us, don't they?"

Jiang Yu asked Zhang Xiaolong beside him in confusion.

Xue Musheng happened to overhear them and said with a smile, "Breaking through to Intermediate Demonic Law isn't that easy. In Bo City, every Intermediate mage is a famous and influential figure!"

"And don't call them little kids. Their experience in fighting demons is probably enough to give you all a good lesson."

After hearing this explanation, Zhang Xiaolong clearly looked somewhat unconvinced.

"Alright, this is your training ground."

Several mages in dark green uniforms stood upright ahead of them.

Leading them was a stern-looking middle-aged man with a beard.

He casually glanced over the female students among them, a hint of lewdness rising in his eyes.

"Another bunch of tender little brats, huh."

"Let me introduce myself. I'm the person in charge here. You can call me Instructor Axe Sky."

Once Axe Sky had finished introducing himself, Xue Musheng stepped forward to negotiate.

"You're a teacher, aren't you?"

"What teacher? How come I didn't know that?"

Axe Sky replied with a laugh.

"The academy specially asked me to make some adjustments, but it's about the same."

Hearing this, Xue Musheng and Director Chen both relaxed.

"This year's test is..."

"Complete a demon-hunting mission!"

The moment those words were spoken, the entire place fell silent.

Before the students could react, the magic formation beneath their feet suddenly activated.

"Instructor Axe Sky, you're not seriously planning to have a group of students hunt demons, are you?!"

"Isn't that sending them to their deaths?!"

Xue Musheng hurried forward to negotiate.

"Instructor Axe Sky, aren't you going too far? This mission's difficulty has already exceeded the academy's requirements, hasn't it?"

However, Axe Sky ignored Xue Musheng. With a stern expression, he said, "With me around, there's no such thing as muddling through!"

"As long as the mission isn't completed, every one of you will be unqualified!"

As soon as those ruthless words fell, the students were struck dumb, frozen where they stood.

"You must be kidding, demons?"

"I've only just learned offensive magic!"

One had to know that even the weakest demons required a properly organized magic formation to defeat.

As for these students, who were still awkwardly fumbling through basic magic, they probably would not even be able to break through a demon's defenses!

Seeing the students' terrified reactions, Axe Sky was quite satisfied. He added, "Of course, as long as any of you complete this mission, your overall grade will be an A!"

"And I will personally award the mission completer a Demon Artifact!"

The students had never seen a Demon Artifact before, let alone one worth an enormous fortune. More importantly, they needed to stay alive to claim it.

"Alright, set off immediately!"

Ignoring the teachers' objections, Axe Sky announced the start of the assessment.

Five teams departed from different exits, heading toward the demon cave.

What the students did not know was that

several pairs of eyes were following them from behind.

"Ha, I'll just play along with you."

Xue Musheng was nowhere near as worried as he appeared. He laughed heartily as he spoke.

Director Chen could not help sighing.

"Using illusion magic to conduct an assessment really is a clever method."

Axe Sky looked pleased with himself. All he needed to do was properly temper these greenhouse flowers.

Meanwhile, Ying Yue watched Jiang Yu's fading figure and asked doubtfully, "I heard one of the students mastered illusion magic?"

The moment she said that, Axe Sky immediately denied it.

"Impossible. Even if there were another hundred students, it would still be impossible."

"Mastering illusion magic as a freshman? Even an old demon would find that hard to pull off!"

Xue Musheng echoed him.

"Exactly. Teacher Ying Yue, that's simply impossible."

Ying Yue did not continue arguing. She merely watched Jiang Yu's figure.

Jiang Yu's fire magic had already reached the second stage of the Barrier.

She finally remembered that this young man had visited her before.

Meanwhile, the journey toward the demon cave was not entirely peaceful.

They encountered several collapses along the way. Fortunately, Zhang Xiaolong used Earth Escape to get through, while the vine-like monsters before them were swiftly dealt with by Zhou Min.

Jiang Yu, who was following at the back, showed little reaction. He seemed to be waiting for something.