Returning to the Academy

The morning sun spilled over Ernst Academy's white-stone walls, bathing the ancient magical institution in a warm golden glow.

Lin Yun stood outside the academy gates, looking at the familiar crescent-shaped entrance. A feeling of indescribable warmth welled up inside him. After nearly two months of training in the Magic Beast Mountain Range and countless battles fought on the brink of death, he had almost forgotten what life at the academy was like—quiet and peaceful, with no need to constantly watch for Corpse Demons bursting out of the shadows.

Bebe crouched on his shoulder, its little head swiveling this way and that. It chirped twice, clearly excited.

"Come on, Bebe. We're home." Lin Yun smiled and stepped into the academy.

After passing through the gates, he followed the broad stone-paved path. The neatly trimmed lawns on either side shimmered emerald in the morning dew. A few younger students walked past, giving him curious glances before hurrying off to class.

Lin Yun pushed open the courtyard gate of Dormitory No. 1987.

In the courtyard, Linley sat cross-legged beneath an unfamiliar tree, meditating with his eyes closed. Morning light filtered through the leaves and fell across him, the dappled shadows shifting gently in the breeze. He had grown a little taller over the past two months, and his shoulders had broadened. Much of the childishness had faded from his face, replaced by a more mature air.

Bebe leaped off Lin Yun's shoulder and turned into a gray bolt of lightning, pouncing straight onto Linley's face.

"Chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp!"

"Ah—what is it?" Linley's eyes flew open. He flailed at his face and caught Bebe in his hands. He froze for a moment, then his eyes widened. "Bebe?!"

"Chirp!" Bebe rolled around in his palm, rubbing its little head vigorously against his fingers.

Linley suddenly looked up and saw Lin Yun standing at the courtyard gate.

"Lin Yun!" He sprang to his feet and rushed over in three quick strides, grabbing Lin Yun by the shoulders. "You're back! You're finally back!"

Lin Yun was startled by his reaction, then smiled. "I'm back."

"Why were you gone so long? Didn't you say one month? It's been almost two!" Linley looked him up and down, his eyes filled with worry and delight. "You've lost weight, and you're darker... Were you hurt?"

He had spotted the faint scars on Lin Yun's chest. Though healed, the marks of three claw wounds were still clearly visible.

"It's nothing. I healed ages ago." Lin Yun patted his hand. "Let me sit down first. I've been on the road for two months—my legs are killing me."

Only then did Linley realize he was still blocking the entrance. He quickly stepped aside and headed inside, calling toward the dormitory, "Yale! Reynolds! Lin Yun's back!"

The dormitory door burst open with a bang. Reynolds was the first to rush out, barefoot and with his hair a mess, clearly just woken up. When he saw Lin Yun, he froze for a moment, then grinned. "Well, look who it is! Our busy man finally decided to come back?"

Yale came out behind him, wearing his trademark blue robe and holding his exercise equipment. He looked Lin Yun up and down, then gave a slight nod. "You've lost quite a bit of weight, but you look well. Seems like you gained a lot."

"Not bad," Lin Yun said with a smile.

George, from Dormitory No. 1988 next door, came over at the commotion and smiled warmly. "Lin Yun, welcome back."

The group gathered around Lin Yun at the stone table in the courtyard. Reynolds ran to the kitchen and brought out a pot of hot tea, while Yale somehow produced a few pastries and set them on the table.

"So, tell us—what have you been up to these past two months?" Reynolds asked as he poured the tea, curiosity plain in his eyes. "You said you were going to train in the Magic Beast Mountain Range, and we were worried sick. Going alone to a place like that? Were you trying to get yourself killed?"

Lin Yun picked up his teacup and took a sip. The warmth of the tea flowed down his throat, and he finally began to relax.

"Just training. Fighting magical beasts and working on my magic." He didn't go into too much detail, afraid he might scare them. "I ran into a few Fifth- and Sixth-Level Magical Beasts and fought dozens of battles. It was a great experience."

"Fifth- and Sixth-Level Magical Beasts?" Reynolds' eyes widened. "By yourself?"

"Yeah."

Reynolds opened his mouth, then closed it. He looked at Linley, then at Yale, and finally managed to say, "You're really... a monster."

Lin Yun smiled but didn't respond. He didn't want to say more on the subject, so he turned to Linley. "What about you? How have you been these past two months?"

Linley's eyes lit up. "I broke through to Level Five last month!"

"Level Five?" Lin Yun was a little surprised. Linley had reached Level Four at eleven and a half, and he was now nearly thirteen. Reaching Level Five in a year and a half was even faster than in the original story.

"After you left, I did nothing but attend classes and cultivate every day." Linley scratched his head, a little embarrassed. "Grandpa Doehring said I've made great progress!"

Lin Yun nodded. He knew Linley's progress came not only from talent and hard work, but also from treating his younger brother as a measuring stick—the faster Lin Yun ran, the harder Linley chased after him.

"You two brothers are something else..." Reynolds sighed and leaned back in his chair. "One more abnormal than the other. I'm still stuck in third year, while one of you is Level Five and the other Level Six. How's anyone supposed to keep up?" They didn't know Lin Yun had already reached Level Seven. If they had, they would have been even more shocked.

Yale patted his shoulder and laughed. "You'll get used to it. Monsters and geniuses are just built different!"

They chatted for a while. Reynolds and George still had classes to attend, so they left first. As Yale was leaving, he patted Lin Yun on the shoulder and said quietly, "Let's have dinner together tonight. My treat."

"Sounds good." Lin Yun nodded.

Only Linley and Lin Yun remained in the courtyard. Bebe sat on the stone table, holding a pastry in its tiny paws and nibbling away happily.

Linley looked at Lin Yun, his expression turning serious. "Grandpa Doehring wants to see you."

Lin Yun nodded. "I know. Tonight, somewhere private."

"Okay."

That night, when the moon was high overhead, the brothers went to the small grove behind the hill.

It was just as they remembered: dense trees, soft grass, and the occasional chirp of insects. Lin Yun had spent countless mornings and evenings here, practicing magic, learning stone carving, and asking Doehring about the mysteries of Earth Element magic. Now that he was back, nothing had changed.

Doehring drifted out of the Coiling Dragon Ring and hovered before them. His hazy white form looked ethereal in the moonlight, but his gaze remained sharp and penetrating.

Linley was about to relay Doehring's words as usual, but Lin Yun raised a hand to stop him.

"Big Brother, wait." Lin Yun stared at Doehring and ventured, "Grandpa Doehring, can you hear me?"

Doehring's body trembled slightly. His eyes widened as he stared at Lin Yun in disbelief.

"You... can you see me? Can you hear me?" Doehring's voice trembled.

"Yes." Lin Yun nodded. "Loud and clear."

Linley froze. "What's going on? Lin Yun, you can talk to Grandpa Doehring directly now?"

Lin Yun thought for a moment before answering. "I may have been hit by a Soul Attack once. The Small Cauldron blocked it, and instead of being damaged, my soul became more condensed. Maybe that's when I began sensing the existence of spirits."

Doehring fell silent for a long time. Then he spoke slowly, his voice tinged with amazement. "Soul Mutation... In my five thousand years of life, I've only heard of this phenomenon. I've never witnessed it myself. Your soul was struck by an outside force, but instead of collapsing, it underwent a transformation and gained a new ability. That requires an exceptionally unusual foundation for the soul, as well as a precisely timed external stimulus. A little more, and you would have died; a little less, and nothing would have happened. You... are truly lucky."

Lin Yun smiled. "Luck is part of strength, too."

Doehring nodded. "From now on, you won't need Linley to relay our conversations. We can speak directly. That will make many things much easier."

Linley rubbed his nose, looking a little put out. "What about me? Am I just a third wheel now?"

Doehring glanced at him. "You're the owner of the ring, and I reside in your ring. That won't change. Lin Yun can talk to me because of his special ability. It has nothing to do with you."

Linley thought it over, decided that made sense, and dropped the matter.

Doehring studied Lin Yun for a while, then said, "Tell me, what happened over the past two months? Don't leave anything out. I can sense traces of undead energy on you. Did you encounter a Necromancer?"

Lin Yun took a deep breath and began recounting his experiences over the past two months.

He started with his journey into the Magic Beast Mountain Range, then described his battles with Third-, Fourth-, and Fifth-Level Magical Beasts, the opportunity that had led him to break through to Level Seven and the process itself, and his narrow victory over a Level Seven Black-Striped Leopard. He told them about being attacked by a Corpse Demon on the way back, discovering the Necromancer's cave, tracking the Corpse Demon, enduring days of harassment and attrition, and finally facing Morton—and the Soul Attack Morton unleashed just before he died.

When Lin Yun explained that the Small Cauldron had blocked the Soul Attack, Doehring's brows furrowed.

"That Small Cauldron you carry?" Doehring's voice turned grave. "It can withstand a Level Eight Necromancer's Soul Attack?"

Lin Yun touched the Small Bronze Tripod on his chest and nodded. "It saved my life."

Doehring fell silent for a long time. He stared at the Small Cauldron on Lin Yun's chest, his gaze full of curiosity and puzzlement.

"I've lived on this continent for five thousand years and seen countless wondrous magical items," Doehring said slowly. "But I've never seen anything like that Small Cauldron you carry. It doesn't seem to come from this world."

Lin Yun's heart stirred. It doesn't seem to come from this world—Doehring was right. The Small Cauldron didn't belong to this world. It had come from Earth, carried him across two worlds, and built a bridge at their intersection.

"I don't know what it is either," Lin Yun said, "but it's always protected me."

Doehring nodded and didn't press further. Everyone had their secrets, and he respected that.

"What about the Necromancer's belongings?" Doehring asked. "You said you found his Space Ring?"

Lin Yun removed the Space Ring from his finger and handed it to Doehring. Though Doehring was only a spirit and couldn't touch physical objects, he could examine them with Spiritual Energy. He fell quiet for a moment, and then his voice held a note of surprise.

"An enormous amount of gold, Crystal Cores, magic books... and..." He suddenly stopped. "A Necromancy Inheritance Stele?"

"Yes," Lin Yun said.

Doehring withdrew his Spiritual Energy and fell silent for a long time.

"Do you know what Necromancy is?" His voice was very serious.

"One of the three supreme forms of magic," Lin Yun said. "Only those with exceptionally pure souls can practice it."

Doehring nodded. "Necromancy is different from Elemental Magic. Elemental Magic cultivates laws, while Necromancy cultivates rules. Laws can be comprehended, but rules... must be understood. They are more profound and far harder to master, but once you do, their power far exceeds that of Elemental Magic."

He paused, his gaze settling on Lin Yun. "Do you want to practice Necromancy?"

Lin Yun didn't hide it. He nodded. "I want to try."

Doehring didn't answer immediately. He looked at Lin Yun, a complicated emotion flickering in his eyes.

"Your soul is indeed special," Doehring said slowly. "It's much stronger and purer than an ordinary person's. If you're willing to practice Necromancy, you may truly be able to master it. But think carefully: Necromancy is the sworn enemy of the Radiant Church. If word gets out that you're practicing it, the Radiant Church will stop at nothing to hunt you down."

"I know," Lin Yun said.

"Aren't you afraid?"

"I am," Lin Yun admitted calmly. "But does being afraid mean I shouldn't do it? Necromancy is one of the three supreme forms of magic. If I let fear stop me from learning it, what's the point of cultivating? What's the point of getting stronger?"

Doehring stared at him for a long time, then smiled.

"Good," he said. "If you're determined, I won't stop you. But there's one condition: until you're strong enough to protect yourself, you must never let anyone find out you're practicing Necromancy."

Linley listened beside them, his expression complicated. He knew what Necromancy meant and understood how risky his younger brother's decision was. But he didn't try to stop him. He knew Lin Yun—once he made up his mind, not even nine dragons could drag him back.

"I'll help you keep it secret," Linley said.

Doehring nodded, then turned back to Lin Yun. "You can start by reading the Necromancy theories in those magic books, but don't rush into practicing them. Learning Necromancy requires the utmost caution. If you make a mistake, the power of death will eat away at your soul and turn you into a mindless undead creature. Once you've mastered the basic theories, I'll help you plan out the steps."

"Understood," Lin Yun replied.

"One more thing," Doehring continued. "The incantations for the other elements that you got from the Necromancer are important to you as well. The Level Seven and Eight incantations for Wind, Thunder, and Light, and the complete set of Dark Element incantations from Level Six through Level Nine—these are things you can't learn at the academy. From now on, you need to master all of them and complete your magic system."

Lin Yun nodded.

He had spent nearly two months in the Magic Beast Mountain Range, reached Level Seven, obtained a Necromancy inheritance, and gained a wealth of magic books and resources. Now he needed time to absorb what he had gained—learn new magical incantations, consolidate his Level Seven cultivation, and study the fundamentals of Necromancy.

Moonlight streamed through the leaves and fell across Lin Yun's face. A look of determination shone in his eyes—the kind of light that only appeared in the eyes of someone who had found his path.

"By the way," Doehring asked suddenly, "you said you encountered a Level Seven Black-Striped Leopard and beat it?"

"Yeah." Lin Yun nodded.

"How?"

Lin Yun described the battle in detail: how fast the Black-Striped Leopard had been, how close he had come to having his defenses torn apart, and how he had restricted its movements with Earth Element magic, stayed mobile with Wind Element magic, used Water Element magic for support, and attacked mainly with Thunder and Light magic until he finally won by the skin of his teeth.

Doehring listened, fell silent for a moment, then said, "A Level Six at the peak beating a Level Seven Black-Striped Leopard is no easy feat. But if you have enough magic power, you can handle it more safely. You could use an earthen wall to restrict its movement, then wear it down from a distance with a Spear of Light. You won, but luck played a large part."

Lin Yun nodded humbly. "I know. That fight was dangerous. I almost died."

"That's how you build combat experience," Doehring said. "You only truly grow by going through life-and-death struggles. Your combat instincts are much better now than before you left. That's the greatest thing the Magic Beast Mountain Range gave you."

Lin Yun wholeheartedly agreed.

"What are you planning to do next?" Doehring asked.

Lin Yun thought for a moment. "First, I'll master the magical incantations I got from the Necromancer, especially the Light and Wind ones. Light magic is especially effective against undead creatures, and Wind magic can improve my mobility. Then I'll study the fundamentals of Necromancy and see whether I can master it."

"How will you organize your time?" Doehring asked.

"I'll attend classes as usual during the day. At night, I'll learn the new incantations and study Necromancy," Lin Yun said. "I can't neglect stone carving, either. It's the best way to hone my Spiritual Energy."

Doehring nodded in satisfaction. "That's a sensible plan. Since you know what you need to do, I won't say much more. Remember, cultivation doesn't happen overnight. You need patience."

"I know," Lin Yun said.

The night breeze stirred the leaves with a soft rustle. Bebe was asleep on Linley's shoulder, its little head bobbing gently.

Linley looked at his younger brother, a complicated feeling rising in his heart. After two months apart, Lin Yun had become more composed, his gaze deeper. The training in the Magic Beast Mountain Range had left an indelible mark on him—not just the scars on his chest, but a change in his entire bearing.

"Come on, let's go back to bed." Linley patted his younger brother on the shoulder. "We have class tomorrow."

Lin Yun smiled, stood up, and brushed the grass off his clothes.

"Good night, Grandpa Doehring."

Doehring nodded, turned into a streak of white light, and sank into the Coiling Dragon Ring.

The brothers followed the path they had taken to return to the dormitory. Moonlight fell over them, stretching their shadows long across the ground.

As Lin Yun opened the dormitory door, he heard Reynolds' steady snoring and the occasional rustle of Yale turning over. Everything was so familiar, so peaceful.

He lay down and closed his eyes, but he didn't fall asleep.

Inside the Space Ring, the Necromancy Inheritance Stele glowed faintly in the darkness.

It was the call of the Law of Death, another road leading to the peak.

Lin Yun took a deep breath and slowly entered meditation.

Tomorrow, a new journey would begin.