Apprenticeship

Melina did not resist either, allowing Lin Luo to hold her hand, though the faint blush on her face showed that her heart was far from calm.

Lin Luo chuckled and lightly waved his staff with his left hand.

"Starlight..."

A wisp of blue starlight appeared, slowly drifting above Lin Luo's head. The tiny stars trembled gently, giving off a soft glow.

"It's quite beautiful..."

Melina offered a small compliment as well.

"A truly remarkable sorcerer taught me this too."

Lin Luo smiled proudly.

"Was he your teacher?"

"Not exactly... no, I suppose he was..."

Lin Luo smiled. "A man named Topos taught me."

"Mm... he was a remarkable sorcerer..."

Lin Luo considered it for a moment, then added another sentence.

"Then he must have been very powerful..."

Melina nodded.

"Perhaps..." Lin Luo nodded and stopped walking, recalling those words...

Topos, known as the Dullstone,

A spell discovered through a lifelong pursuit.

It could form a magical force field, deflecting sorceries and incantations.

While continuously cast, it would form force fields one after another.

People of later generations would surely understand—

That mocked theory

Was, in truth, a discovery enough to establish a new school.

Perhaps even he had never imagined that, in the near future, his sorcery could even knock away General Radahn's gravity meteors.

Sorcery came from the Stars, incantations came from the gods, while Topos's sorcery came from his own persistence and resolve...

As the two talked and walked, they had already reached the end of the cave.

The cave appeared very cramped, yet in the middle of that narrow space lay a Pumpkin Head Soldier.

However, this Pumpkin Head Soldier was different from the others.

It was larger than usual, and Lin Luo could not tell whether it had been tainted by the Frenzied Flame or some other strange magic. It also gripped a broken spiked club in its hand.

Lin Luo drew Corpse Mountain Blood Sea as well. Though he was already strong enough, using countermeasures tailored to an enemy was the truly smart choice.

"This might delay us by half a minute..."

Lin Luo smiled at Melina. Half a minute was already giving the Pumpkin Head Soldier plenty of credit.

Just as Lin Luo was about to walk over and backstab it, the Pumpkin Head Soldier woke up.

Still groggy, it sensed the light. Having remained in darkness for so long, it was extremely sensitive to it.

Good grief. The moment it opened its eyes and peered through the slits in its pumpkin head, it saw a sneaky Tarnished creeping toward it with a blade...

"Roar!"

The Pumpkin Head Soldier was instantly enraged. What did this lowly insect think it was doing to the noble pumpkin-headed race?!

Lin Luo stared in surprise at the Pumpkin Head Soldier flailing about. Naturally, he had no idea it had such rich inner thoughts. Good grief, he had already walked right up to it, and it was still dancing ballet in place?

Shouldn't it smash me first? Damn it, was this some kind of illusion?

Lin Luo sighed. It seemed this pumpkin head was not very bright.

While the pumpkin head was still roaring, Lin Luo slashed with his blade and drove it straight into the Pumpkin Head Soldier's kidney.

"Not very smart, are you..."

The pumpkin head stared at Lin Luo in shock. Only when pain shot through its waist did it realize that this lowly Tarnished had actually stabbed it.

But Lin Luo would not give it another chance. He immediately unleashed the Combat Art, Corpse Strewn Across the Field, stacking the bleed effect to the limit.

"Splat..."

Before the pumpkin head could even swing its club, it collapsed to the ground. Before dying, all it saw was blood spurting madly from its waist...

"Damn... cowardly Tarnished..."

That was the last thought that passed through the pumpkin head's mind before its massive body crashed to the ground.

"This..."

Lin Luo looked disgusted as he swatted away the runes flying toward him.

"What is it?"

Melina was naturally puzzled by Lin Luo refusing the incoming runes.

"Uh... this pumpkin head wasn't very smart. I'm afraid taking them might lower my IQ..."

Lin Luo said solemnly.

"Pfft..."

Melina could not help laughing. She found the thought rather unusual. Her golden eyes glowed like gentle flames, and two adorable dimples appeared on her cheeks.

The sight left Lin Luo staring blankly. Good grief, after looking at her for so many years, he still could not get enough of her...

Melina noticed Lin Luo's gaze as well and quickly turned her head away.

"We're practically an old married couple already. What are you shy about?"

Lin Luo teased, pulling Melina into his arms.

"Let... let go."

Melina broke free and murmured softly, "Who's an old married couple with you..."

"Ha ha."

Lin Luo laughed and did not argue. It seemed Melina had not yet adjusted to the memories she had received, but he was not in a hurry. Things would fall into place naturally eventually...

"I'll stop teasing you... Let's go find Teacher Sellen first."

Melina nodded lightly, and her figure faded away. She felt it would be better not to involve herself in this scene.

For some reason, the pumpkin head's corpse did not fade away and merge into the Erdtree. Perhaps it had come into contact with something forbidden and was not accepted by the Erdtree. In Lin Luo's opinion, perhaps even the Erdtree was afraid of having its intelligence affected...

Lin Luo did not dwell on the matter. He stepped around the Pumpkin Head Soldier's corpse and came before a sealed iron door in the depths of the basement.

He lifted the iron door and pulled it upward with force.

"Oh?"

A pleasant voice sounded beside Lin Luo's ear.

"A Tarnished... what a rare guest."

Before him stood a woman wearing a Glintstone Hood and a heavy black sorcerer's robe.

"You must be Sorcerer Sellen..."

Lin Luo bowed slightly. He had always held enough respect for Sellen.

"A Tarnished? You know me?"

Sellen seemed somewhat surprised. She was not particularly famous. If she was known at all, it was probably for infamy.

"Yes! I came here this time to ask you to become my teacher."

Lin Luo raised his head and looked at Sellen, determination gleaming in his eyes.

"?"

Sellen looked puzzled, then gave a self-mocking smile. "Since you know me, you must know that I was expelled from Raya Lucaria Academy and am a Heretical Witch whom everyone avoids?"

"Why would you choose me, of all people, as your teacher?"

"Because it was meant to be..."

Lin Luo did not answer directly, only offering those words.

"Interesting..."

Sellen smiled. "You truly are a special person."

"Forget it... it does not matter. I do not know what your purpose is, but I doubt I possess anything worth coveting..."

Sellen said, "Very well, then."

"Since you have chosen me as your teacher, I can teach you sorcery. But as a teacher, I am very strict!"

"Of course..."

Lin Luo smiled, a smile from the bottom of his heart.

Teacher Sellen was still the same. No matter what someone was like, she would always accept them with her best side.

Perhaps when Teacher Sellen had been driven from the academy as a Heretical Witch, she had deeply felt what it was like to go unrecognized.

Lin Luo did not believe Sellen could not sense the powerful magical aura around him, yet she had still accepted him. Perhaps she had sensed Lin Luo's sincere goodwill as well...

The phrase "teaching without discrimination" was embodied perfectly in Sellen.

"So, what would you like to learn?"

Sellen brought over several books: Glintstone Pebble, Magic Armament...

Sellen smiled at Lin Luo, a hint of teasing on her face.

"There is no need, Teacher..."

Lin Luo smiled and cupped his hands.

"Now that I am your disciple, that is already my greatest gain..."