Doehring wanted some peace and quiet.
In the space of a few breaths, one person had gone from being a Level 2 mage to a Level 4 mage.
Could this really happen?
If it really could, then what had all those years he'd spent working hard to cultivate amounted to?
He'd thought he could be Linley's guide on the path of cultivation, that he could help Linley grow stronger.
But what had he actually done?
Nothing.
Linley already had his elders. That was enough.
He was nothing more than a damaged soul who could survive only by relying on the Coiling Dragon Ring.
"Grandpa Doehring." Linley looked excitedly at Doehring. "Look, I've learned all the Level 1 Earth Element spells."
As he spoke, Linley pointed ahead. The ground in front of him shuddered violently.
Then seven or eight earth spikes, each over a meter long, shot up from the ground.
Next, more than a dozen stones the size of human heads took shape and flew forward.
Earth-Shaking Technique, Earth Spike, Shattering Stone.
Level 1 Earth Element magic.
Linley had mastered them all.
But for a Level 4 mage, that didn't seem like anything worth bragging about.
"Not bad." Doehring had already set aside his disappointment. After all, Linley did call him Grandpa Doehring, didn't he?
"But it's not enough." Doehring's smile faded. "Your spiritual force has reached the level of a Level 5 mage. Next, I'll teach you Level 2 through Level 4 Earth Element spells."
"That's great, Grandpa Doehring!" Linley wasn't the least bit reluctant. In fact, he was exceptionally excited. "Then let's start right now!"
Linley's cheerful expression made Doehring smile, too.
After all, Linley was still only an eight-year-old child.
"Bebe, stop them!"
After undergoing Dragon Transformation, Linley flew through the air with the Black Iron Heavy Sword in hand.
Ahead of him, a group of Lion-Tiger Beasts fled in a panic.
At their head were two Rank 8 Lion-Tiger Beasts. The rest consisted of six Seventh-Level Magical Beasts and three five-level cubs.
Just ahead of the fleeing Lion-Tiger Beasts, a dark blur flashed past.
"Whoosh!"
Blood sprayed as the blur landed on the head of the leading Rank 8 Lion-Tiger Beast. Its two little claws sank into the beast's neck.
It was the God-Eater Rat, Bebe.
Bebe was now far faster than a Seventh-Level Magical Beast, and nearly as fast as a Rank 8 Magical Beast.
However, both his attack and defense were still somewhat lacking.
So despite the blood flying everywhere, the Lion-Tiger Beast leader wasn't seriously injured.
But that was enough.
"Die!"
Linley gripped the Black Iron Heavy Sword and plunged down from the sky.
"Whoosh!"
The Black Iron Heavy Sword split the Lion-Tiger Beast in two.
[Congratulations on killing a Rank 8 Magical Beast. Green Energy Points +10,000]
"Roar!"
Seeing their leader die, the remaining Lion-Tiger Beasts stopped fleeing and surrounded Linley.
Still.
Against Linley, who had undergone Dragon Transformation and grasped a trace of the Wind Element Laws, they were only a minor nuisance.
And Bebe was there to back him up, too.
In just a short while, the group of Lion-Tiger Beasts had fallen beneath Linley's sword, contributing a substantial number of Energy Points.
"Linley." The battle over, Doehring appeared from the Coiling Dragon Ring. "You've killed more than ten thousand Rank 8 Magical Beasts in nearly five months. The interior of the Magical Beast Mountain Range probably isn't safe anymore."
Doehring looked worried.
"It's all right, Grandpa Doehring." Linley crouched down and began removing the Magic Cores one by one. "The Magic Test is in two days. I should head back."
As he spoke, Linley put away the Magic Cores and ended his Dragon Transformation.
He stood there completely naked.
At first, Linley had exchanged points for a set of clothes every time he ended his Dragon Transformation.
But as time went on, he gave up.
After all, he had to fight from time to time in the interior of the Magical Beast Mountain Range.
A set of clothes only cost one White Energy Point.
But Linley had gotten used to saving. Since no one was around to see him, he simply went without.
After Linley ended his Dragon Transformation, though, a scar across his abdomen looked especially savage.
Even without Dragon Transformation, Linley now stood over 1.7 meters tall, but his face was still far too young.
After all, he was only an eight-year-old boy.
So, less than a month after entering the Magical Beast Mountain Range, Linley paid the price for his kindness.
It was a father and son, both adventurers.
The father had been injured by a Magical Beast, and Linley had kindly saved them.
But that night, the father and son ambushed Linley.
Unlike in the original story, Bebe's overall strength was only at the Seventh-Level Magical Beast level, and he was still young. He hadn't reacted in time.
Doehring, however, had.
Or rather, Doehring had been keeping an eye on the father and son from the start.
Ever since he'd seen the Laws and Profound Mysteries last time, Doehring had come to understand the path ahead in cultivation.
So the instant the father and son attacked Linley, Doehring made his move.
He'd used only the simplest application of the earth element.
But it was more than enough to deal with two Level 5 warriors.
Even so, Doehring had chosen to let Linley get hurt before stepping in.
After all, when Linley first encountered the father and son, Doehring hadn't warned him.
Sometimes, no matter how many times someone was warned, nothing left as deep an impression as experiencing it firsthand.
Doehring wasn't the only one who'd kept quiet. Lin Ke had also chosen not to warn Linley.
The schemes and intrigues of people in the Magical Beast Mountain Range were only petty tricks.
Linley's journey would one day take him to the Higher Plane. His opponents would be Asuras, Paragon High-Gods, and even Chief Sovereigns.
Lin Ke didn't want the Linley he was raising to fall short of the Linley from the original story.
"Has it really been two days until the Magic Test?" Doehring said, sounding a little dazed. "Linley, given your abilities now, do you still need to go to the academy?"
"I don't think I need to, either." Linley scratched his head. "But my elder said I need friends, and... and love."
As he said this, Linley's face flushed.
"Love?" Doehring paused, then burst out laughing. "That's right, Linley. You do need love. Your Baruch Clan has so few people. You need to carry on the family line!"
Doehring's laughter left Linley even more embarrassed.
So Linley opened the System Panel and ignored Doehring.
Name: Linley Baruch Age: 8 Energy Points: 130 million Green, 17 White Constitution: 70,000 (49.99 million) Spiritual Force: 30,000 Battle Qi: 10,000 Mana: 30,000 Elemental Affinities: Earth Element (Superb), Wind Element (Superb), Destruction (High), Fire Element (Average), Water Element (Superb, Hidden) Laws Comprehension: Wind Element (Slow, 0.001%) Battle Qi Manual: Dragonblood Secret Manual Meditation Method: Pu'ang Royal Meditation Method
Since entering the Magical Beast Mountain Range, Linley had been cultivating, too. But his human form was holding him back, so even after Dragon Transformation, he remained at the peak of the Seventh Level.
As for the Dragonblood Secret Manual, Linley had already looked through it after testing his bloodline, so it wasn't unfamiliar to him.
And after consuming Dragon Blood, Linley had also gained the ability to cultivate the Dragonblood Secret Manual. Over these five months, his Battle Qi had naturally grown stronger.
Unfortunately, Battle Qi cultivation wasn't as fast as magic cultivation. It required a long, gradual process, much like the spiritual force of a mage.
Over the past five months, Linley hadn't exchanged any of his Energy Points for items. He'd saved them all up.
The main reason, of course, was that he still didn't have enough Energy Points to bring about a qualitative change in his strength.
For example, he could reach Level 9 in his human form and become a Saint-level powerhouse after Dragon Transformation.
But now, with only two days until the Magic Test, Linley was getting ready to leave.
"Lin Ke, help me exchange for Purple Light Dew." Linley opened the Mall Panel. "Exchange all 130 million for 13,000 portions of Purple Light Dew."
Before you continue