"This time, the test is being conducted by a white-robed priest. It seems that's all because of you."
Yale looked at the many members of the Radiant Church emerging from the church building, his voice tinged with emotion.
Linley looked at Yale, puzzled. "Is there something special about having a white-robed priest conduct the test?"
" I know, I know!" Alice quickly chimed in beside them. "In the Radiant Church, white-robed priests are at least Level Seven Mages."
At the mention of the Radiant Church, Alice's eyes burned with fervor.
Linley, who had previously had a favorable impression of Alice, frowned slightly.
However, Linley wasn't one to talk much, so he said nothing.
Instead, in the System Space, Lin Ke watched the scene, deep in thought.
"In the original story, Hongmeng said Linley was a Person of Uncertain Fate. But even though my existence has changed so much about Linley's life, he still met Yale and got to know Alice and Kalan. Could it be that this so-called uncertain fate is actually a certainty at a higher level?"
Lin Ke's thoughts raced as he tried to find the answer. But when he saw the astronomical number of Energy Points it would take, he abandoned the idea.
"I'll go pay the fee first."
Outside, Linley said goodbye to Yale and Alice, then went inside the Radiant Church Building.
Everyone else was lining up to pay, but when they saw Linley approach, they all made way for him.
Linley hesitated at first, but when the people from the Radiant Church didn't object, he went straight to the front of the line.
"Name, and where are you from?"
The white-robed priest was a middle-aged man with short hair and a friendly smile.
"Linley Baruch, from Wushan Town."
"Very good. Go wait over there."
The white-robed priest recorded Linley's information, then pointed to a church official nearby. A crystal ball sat beside the official.
In less than half an hour, registration was over. The white-robed priest looked toward Linley. "First up, Linley Baruch."
At the sound of Linley's name, Hogg and the nobles around him all looked his way.
Thanks to the system, Linley had known his elemental affinities for a long time, so he felt no particular tension about the test.
"Don't be nervous," the church official said with a smile. "Just put your hand on the crystal ball, close your eyes, and focus."
Linley nodded and placed his hand on the crystal ball.
Everyone's eyes turned to it.
After three or five breaths,
"Hmm~"
The crystal ball hummed as countless yellow-brown and green specks of light gathered and swirled inside it, mixed with a few fiery red ones.
The church official quickly announced Linley's affinities. "Linley Baruch: magic affinity, Earth Element and Wind Element—superior; Fire Element—intermediate."
"Superior, superior in two elements!"
"No wonder a Ninth-rank Mage took him on as a disciple!"
"Linley will be at least a Level Seven Mage someday."
"I don't think that's all!"
"They say Linley's teacher is already preparing to break through to Saint-level."
"..."
The surrounding chatter erupted. The nobles around Hogg smiled and congratulated him.
Hogg wore a reserved smile and didn't seem particularly excited.
After all, his son was destined to become a Saint-level powerhouse.
And he would definitely reach Saint-level before Hogg did.
What difference did it make if his talent as a mage was a little better or worse?
"Linley, you have talent in Wind Element and Fire Element too." Doehring's voice rang out in Linley's mind. "It seems your elders were right. I can only teach you Earth Element magic. You'll have to study Wind Element and Fire Element at the academy."
Hearing Doehring, Linley glanced at the Wind Element and Fire Element magic on the Mall Panel and smiled without replying.
But Linley was curious. "Grandpa Doehring, why aren't you coming out?"
"There's a Saint-level powerhouse concealed inside this church," Doehring replied solemnly. "If I show myself, he'll definitely notice me."
"Saint-level?" Linley raised his brows. "The Radiant Church really is powerful."
Still, Linley wasn't too worried.
After all, it wasn't as if he'd never killed a Saint-level powerhouse.
That Spiked Back Iron Armored Dragon had only just broken through, but it had still been a genuine Saint-level creature. And hadn't Linley killed it in the end?
"Now we'll test your spiritual force." The church official smiled at Linley. "Enter the magic array and hold on for as long as you can."
Linley looked where the church official pointed. A hexagonal magic array stood there.
Radiant magic, intimidation!
"Grandpa Doehring," Linley said as he walked toward the array and spoke to Doehring, "remind me to stop once my spiritual force reaches sixty-nine times that of someone my age."
"No problem." Doehring's voice sounded in his mind. "But Linley, why does it have to be sixty-nine times?"
Doehring sounded puzzled.
After all, he could understand aiming for sixty or seventy times to conceal one's true strength.
But why exactly sixty-nine times?
"I don't know either." Linley looked equally confused. "But my elder told me it has to be sixty-nine times, not a bit more."
Their exchange made Lin Ke chuckle in the System Space.
"In the original story, Linley was held back by his brother-in-law for several years." Lin Ke toyed with the two Sovereign Sparks he had created. "But now, Linley's spiritual force is exactly one point higher than his brother-in-law's. I wonder how his brother-in-law will react."
Linley didn't hear Lin Ke's words.
By then, Linley had already stepped into the center of the magic array.
The next moment, warm white light shone, and a gentle breeze seemed to brush against Linley's soul.
Time passed, but Linley's expression never changed.
"A genius—a true genius!"
"His spiritual force is already thirty times that of someone his age, and he's still holding on."
"Linley will be at least an Eighth-rank Mage someday, maybe even a Ninth-rank Mage!"
"No wonder a Ninth-rank Mage took him on as a disciple. He really is extraordinary!"
"..."
The noisy discussion around him didn't affect Linley.
"Linley, get ready." Doehring's voice sounded again. "You're already past fifty times. You need to look like you're about to give out."
At Doehring's words, Linley began to bend slightly, making himself look as if he were struggling.
"Sixty-nine times. That's enough!"
The instant Doehring spoke, Linley dropped to one knee and gasped for breath.
At the same time, the magic array stopped.
"Spiritual force is sixty-nine times that of someone his age—superior!"
The church official's voice rang out, and the entire church fell silent for a moment.
Outside, the admissions instructors from the various magic academies exchanged glances. In the end, they all looked toward a middle-aged man in a white robe.
Superior affinity for Earth Element and Wind Element, intermediate affinity for Fire Element, and spiritual force sixty-nine times that of someone his age.
For a genius among geniuses like this, no magic academy besides Ernst Magic Institute could hope to recruit him.
The next moment, the middle-aged man approached Linley. "Superior affinity for two elements and superior spiritual force. Linley, would you be willing to join Ernst Magic Institute?"
Before you continue