Furnace Mountains

"Thoughts on Bubble Art?"

For the next few days, Reilo diligently studied the Basic Poison Formula, absorbing fundamental knowledge about poisons. However, he couldn't help but recall the feeling of ignorance and helplessness when facing the stern, plump instructor during the elite ranking assessment.

"If I consider Bubble Art my first academic pursuit, what does its future hold?"

As a child, Reilo had once fantasized about becoming an omnipotent Archmage, commanding the elements, dominating the world, punishing evil, upholding justice, and traveling the continent. He had scarcely imagined that his very first academic skill would be this ability to blow bubbles!

Senior Bailing had also said that an excellent scholar researching the Profound Meaning of Evolution not only possesses the talent to replicate biological specimens but must also evolve beyond them. Through wisdom, they must surpass the specimens on the laboratory table and master the academic itself, becoming far more powerful than the specimens.

His thoughts were a tangled mess.

Reilo lost the will to continue studying the Basic Poison Formula. Disturbed, he casually cast Bubble Art and then poked at it.

Pop!

The Bubble Art exploded. Reilo felt the sharp pain in his palm as if he were numb. He looked at the site of the pain, his arm showing slight bruising and swelling, as if he'd been whipped with willow branches.

But that was all!

"It's just a basic academic, after all."

Now, Reilo finally began to understand why Orn, who had mastered Fireball Art, had been so nervous when facing the Black Demon Wolf Mercenary Group on the way to Saint Grand Fort.

Similar to Bubble Art, Fireball Art was also a Level 0 basic academic, its status as awkward as Reilo's Bubble Art was now.

Using Level 0 Fireball Art in actual combat would likely only cause minor burns. The Black Demon Wolf Mercenary Group had retreated more out of an instinctive fear of "mages" than anything else.

Even among Enlightenment Scholars, their strength varied greatly due to differences in the time spent researching academics and the depth of their academic knowledge.

The weak, like Reilo now, who only mastered a single basic academic, were easily defeated. Powerful Enlightenment Scholars, on the other hand, had completed Level 1 academics, or even evolved, and combined with certain precious magic tools, their strength was unimaginable.

According to his plan, Reilo was supposed to begin his poison research. This was because both evolving Bubble Art and attempting to research the Self-Control left by Star Core required poison research as a foundational step. However, Reilo now felt he had to define the future of Bubble Art.

With this thought, Reilo checked the time, rubbed the dark circles under his eyes, which had appeared from days of worry, and ended his morning study, heading towards Class 11.

Ring ring!

The class bell rang, and Xiao Kang entered the classroom just as it did. He scanned the room, saw Reilo, and cheerfully sat down beside him.

"What's got you so happy?"

Reilo asked casually. Xiao Kang replied, "Heh heh, I got news yesterday that my maternal grandfather passed away."

"Ah?"

Reilo turned in surprise. Seeing Xiao Kang's excited expression, he asked, "Your grandfather passed away? Aren't you sad?"

"It's a good thing! Although my grandfather had many children, thankfully his fief was large enough. He profited quite a bit over the years, and the inheritance he left me is quite substantial."

Seeing Reilo's stunned look, Xiao Kang understood his thoughts and chuckled, "Haha, don't worry. My grandfather was a devout follower of the God of Light. He donated a lot of gold to the Church over the years, and his soul is now enjoying eternal bliss in heaven. Who knows, maybe when I get there later, I'll inherit another fortune."

Reilo's forehead broke out in dark lines.

If he had said such a thing, Instructor Gubo would surely have crippled him personally.

Soon, Instructor Jenny entered the classroom and began the day's lessons.

As usual, she recounted her adventuring experiences from her youth, captivating the students.

While listening to Instructor Jenny's stories, Reilo quietly asked Xiao Kang, "Are you interested in going out to collect specimens with me? We could earn contribution points for the elite ranking."

"Uh... not interested."

Xiao Kang pouted. "Look over there. Bai Xing isn't in class today. She's probably teamed up with others to collect specimens!"

Reilo glanced over. The already sparse number of students in the classroom had decreased further today. He couldn't help but ask, "Did she go to Demon Eagle Forest?"

"How is that possible!"

Xiao Kang exclaimed. " Demon Eagle Forest? That's a place only third-year students are qualified to adventure in. With her strength, going to Demon Eagle Forest would be like feeding the magical beasts there! She must have gone to Furnace Mountains."

Furnace Mountains?

Reilo had heard of Furnace Mountains. It was a mountain range near Saint Grand Fort, bordering the Xilan Duchy.

Legend had it that in ancient times, Furnace Mountains was likely a vast sea. Later, due to geological changes and volcanic eruptions, it formed a continuous mountain range.

Scholars had unearthed large quantities of saline-alkali ore and fossilized marine life specimens from the mountains. On the border between the Grand Duchy and Xilan Duchy, there was also an inland salt sea, inhabited by strange mutated creatures. It was an important specimen collection site for new students at the Grand Natural Academy.

Hearing that someone in the class had already started going to Furnace Mountains to collect natural specimens, Reilo could no longer suppress his inner urge. He said in a low voice, "I want to go collect specimens too. Are you really not interested? We can form a team!"

"Ah?"

Xiao Kang grumbled, "Forget it. I don't want to go on adventures. I'm not planning to compete for the elite ranking anyway. I'll just buy some mutated specimens from merchants or senior students and hand them in to get some points. Hehehe, I recently discovered that the arena is quite profitable, and I plan to invest!"

"The arena?"

Similar to the Natural Academy and the Mercenary Association, the arenas in the various Duchies were independent forces.

Reilo was surprised. "You... investing in the arena?"

Xiao Kang rolled his eyes. "I'm thinking about my future too. If I can never defeat that girl in my life, and my old man gets angry and really disowns me, I can always offer a noble title to the Church or even establish a new family myself."

After class, Reilo waited outside the door of Class 1, Grade 1.

"Orn!"

Orn, dressed in a black academic gown, was laughing and walking out of the classroom with a few friends when he suddenly heard someone call his name. He turned his head and saw Reilo, whom he hadn't seen in days. Orn's eyes lit up.

"Orn, your friend?"

A female student with short, wavy red hair looked towards Reilo in the classroom hallway and asked.

"Yeah, just a moment."

Orn walked up to Reilo and complained, "Where have you been these days? Ever since the academy discovered the remnants of the wizards, the Church has taken over security, and everyone is panicking. I saw fighting happening near your place, so I went to check, but you were nowhere to be found. I thought you were dead!"

Reilo looked quite embarrassed and apologized, "Something unexpected did happen that day. I was seriously injured, but luckily, a mentor saved me."

"Ah!"

Orn looked Reilo up and down in shock. "Did I hear that right? You actually encountered that terrifying wizard and survived? The academy is saying that the wizard who infiltrated the academy might be a Great Wizard King! Hiss, tell me quickly, what did the wizard look like?"

"How would I know? I just saw a black shadow. I was so scared to death at the time. When I woke up, I was at my mentor's house. I don't even know how I survived."

Reilo felt a lingering fear.

He recalled the brief exchange between his mentor and the wizard. The wizard could easily destroy large sections of the bluestone pavement with a single move, and the shockwaves from their clash cracked the houses on both sides of the road. This was merely a tentative contact between the two. If they had truly fought without holding back, the consequences would have been unimaginable!

The academy was still under martial law by the Church, and it was not appropriate to discuss many things in detail.

Orn glanced at his classmates waiting for him not far away, then at the Paladins patrolling the distant streets. He stopped discussing sensitive matters about wizards, patted Reilo's shoulder, and said, "Haha, so what did you come to find me for?"

"I'm temporarily staying at my mentor's house, so it's inconvenient to meet outsiders. If you have something, you can find me in Class 11! I came to ask for your advice about the contribution points on the Elite Ranking. I want to go to the Furnace Mountains to collect specimens before the end of the quarter. Want to go together?"

Reilo asked with anticipation.

"Class 11?"

Orn looked at Reilo in surprise.

"If you were in another class, it would be fine. But now, our Class 4 and your Class 11 are competing fiercely. I heard that the two students with the most contribution points are both in your class. If our mentor wants to be promoted to Head of Grade in the academy three years from now, they desperately need this qualification."

With a look of difficulty, Orn pursed his lips and said in a low voice, "That red-haired girl over there, Angelina, we all call her the Fire Phoenix. She currently has eighty-eight contribution points. Our class is ranked first, and her mentor is our counselor. We've already agreed to go out together in a few days..."

Orn didn't say the rest, but Reilo understood his meaning.

Without blaming him, Reilo sighed slightly, exchanged a few brief academic questions with Orn, and left the entrance of Class 4.