Graduation · A New Journey

Time passed, and graduation season arrived at Ernst Institute.

For Lin Qin, his years at the institute had been a golden period for building a solid foundation and gathering strength. Now, he was a Seventh-Level Warrior, and his Water Element magic had stabilized at Level Four. With strength like his, he would be considered a capable fighter anywhere on the Yulan Continent. More importantly, the foundation he had forged through countless trials with Heaven Rewards Diligence, and his understanding of the nature of power—far beyond that of others at his level—were his greatest assets.

The graduation assessment posed no challenge for him, and he passed with ease. He politely declined the offers extended by several major powers, including the enthusiastic invitation from the Dawson Chamber of Commerce. He knew that joining an organization and following its rules would limit the pace of his growth. He needed a freer, more dangerous environment to temper himself.

Aileen successfully advanced to become a Level Four Water Element Mage. She accepted a research position at the Magic Guild in Fenlai City. It offered relative stability and would allow her to continue her studies. It was a wise choice.

The two walked side by side along the lakeside on campus.

"Have you decided where you're going?" Aileen asked softly. Her eyes held some reluctance, but more than that, understanding and support.

"I'll head into the depths of the Magic Beast Mountain Range first," Lin Qin replied, gazing toward the mountains stretching into the distance. "The challenges there suit me better right now. After that, I might travel north to the O'Brien Empire or south to the Yulan Empire."

He paused and looked at Aileen. "You made a good choice. The Magic Guild can provide you with a stable environment. Get settled there first and focus on getting stronger."

Aileen nodded. She knew Lin Qin's path was bound to be a lonely and dangerous pursuit. She couldn't—and didn't want to—become a burden to him. She stopped and turned to face him, then took a talisman embroidered with a simple Water Element magic array from her breast pocket and handed it to him. "This is for you. I made it myself. It can help you calm your mind a little. When you're out there... be careful."

Lin Qin took the talisman, still warm from the girl's body, and carefully put it away. He wasn't good at expressing himself. He simply looked at Aileen and said earnestly, "You too. Take care of yourself. When I'm strong enough, I'll come back for you."

It wasn't a vow of eternal love, but it reassured Aileen more than any sweet words could. She believed every promise this man made. "Okay. I'll wait for you." She gave him a gentle but resolute smile.

They didn't linger over their farewell. It was simple, yet solemn. They both knew that this brief separation was for the sake of standing side by side for much longer in the future.

After the graduation ceremony, Lin Qin went to see Linley. Linley had also turned down offers from the major powers and seemed to have a clear goal of his own. The two met in the clearing behind the mountain where they often spent time.

"Getting ready to leave?" Linley asked. He could sense the resolve in Lin Qin, the determination of someone about to set off on a long journey.

"Yeah. I leave tomorrow," Lin Qin said with a nod. "What about you?"

"Soon." Linley's gaze seemed distant as his fingers unconsciously rubbed the Coiling Dragon Ring. "There are some things I have to do."

Lin Qin didn't press him for details. He only said, "Take care. If you need me, you know where to find me." He meant the Mercenary Guild, where registered mercenaries could be contacted through special channels.

Linley smiled and patted Lin Qin on the shoulder. "You too. Take care. I hope we'll both be stronger the next time we meet."

"Definitely," Lin Qin said with certainty. With his Heaven Rewards Diligence talent, getting stronger was inevitable.

The two young men who had left Wushan Town now bid farewell, setting out on their own unknown but extraordinary paths.

The next morning, Lin Qin left Ernst Institute alone, carrying his pack. His greatsword was still carefully wrapped in cloth strips. He left without alerting anyone and first headed to the Mercenary Guild in Fenlai City.

He was now a Silver Mercenary, qualified to take on more difficult missions. He skipped the C- and D-rank jobs and turned his attention to B-rank tasks and even a handful of A-rank ones.

[Mission Rank: A-]

[Details: Investigate the cause of the recent abnormal energy fluctuations in "Mist Canyon," in the core region of the Magic Beast Mountain Range. High-level magical beast activity or the emergence of a rare natural treasure is suspected. Warning: The danger level is extremely high. Multiple scouting teams have been confirmed missing.]

[Requirements: It is recommended that teams consist of Seventh-Level Warriors, Magisters, or higher.]

[Reward: Based on the findings. Minimum of five thousand gold coins, with no upper limit.]

The mission caught Lin Qin's attention. Mist Canyon lay deep in the Magic Beast Mountain Range, a place fraught with danger but also rich in opportunity. Abnormal energy fluctuations often meant that something had changed. It could be a danger, or it could be an opportunity. Most importantly, an environment like that could put him under tremendous pressure and help him grow quickly.

Without hesitation, he accepted the A-rank mission. Then he spent most of his savings on high-quality antidotes, healing potions, stamina-recovery potions, a more detailed map of the core region of the Magic Beast Mountain Range, and some essential survival supplies.

A raw, intense wilderness atmosphere swept over him. Towering ancient trees blocked out the sky, and the air carried a mixture of soil, rotting leaves, and the faint stench of magical beasts. The magical elements here were far more turbulent and concentrated than those outside.

Lin Qin took a deep breath, feeling the faint excitement of his Battle Qi and mental strength within him in this environment. He knew this was where his true stage lay.

Following the map, he began trekking toward Mist Canyon. He moved with caution, spreading his mental strength around him like a web to sense the slightest disturbance.

After only half a day, he encountered a Seventh-Level Magical Beast, a Shadow Leopard. It was as swift as a ghost and excelled at ambushes. Lin Qin sensed it in advance thanks to his keen perception, and a fierce battle broke out.

The Shadow Leopard's claws tore through the air with a shrill whistle. Lin Qin steadily blocked them with his greatsword, his Battle Qi surging as metal clanged against metal. He no longer confined himself to defense. His swordplay unfolded, at times as weighty as a mountain, exerting immense pressure, and at others as sinuous as a snake, striking at vital points. He worked his understanding of "force" into his swordplay, imbuing every strike with the solid weight of the earth and greatly limiting the Shadow Leopard's advantage in speed.

At the same time, the Earth Spike Spears he cast instantly and the Gravity Technique he occasionally used disrupted the Shadow Leopard's attack rhythm at just the right moments. This battle was more dangerous and intense than any he had fought at the institute or on the edges of the mountain range.

In the end, Lin Qin seized an opening when the Shadow Leopard lunged too far. He poured his full strength into his greatsword and drove it straight through the beast's heart with a swift, simple thrust.

Looking at the massive magical beast lying on the ground, Lin Qin caught his breath. He had gained a few shallow cuts, but began processing the materials with practiced ease. A Seventh-Level Magical Beast's Magic Crystal Core and pelt were worth a great deal.

This was only the beginning. The closer he got to Mist Canyon, the stronger and stranger the magical beasts became. There was the Bewitching Demon Fox, skilled in mental attacks; the Thorn Demon Vine, capable of controlling plants; and packs of Blood-Tooth Wild Boars, Sixth-Level Magical Beasts that fought to the death.

Lin Qin brought everything he had learned to bear in battle after battle. His Battle Qi grew more refined through life-and-death struggles, and his use of magic became more flexible and varied. He began experimenting with combining the properties of Earth Battle Qi with Earth Element magic more deeply. For instance, when casting an Earth Spike Spear, he infused it with a trace of Battle Qi's piercing force; when maintaining an Earth Wall Technique, he used Battle Qi to reinforce its core structure.

His Heaven Rewards Diligence talent became increasingly effective in this high-intensity combat environment. Each time he recovered from an injury, his physique grew a little stronger. Each time he meditated after exhausting his magic power, his mental strength became a little more solid. And each insight he gained at the brink of death deepened his understanding of power.

A month later, after enduring countless hardships, Lin Qin finally reached the outskirts of Mist Canyon. Before him lay the entrance to an enormous canyon shrouded in gray-white mist. Even from outside, he could feel the heart-stirring energy fluctuations within, along with the thick, suffocating aura of death—the despair left behind by the explorers who had gone missing.

He wasn't the only one at the entrance. Three other groups had also stopped there, evidently having accepted the mission or come after hearing the news.

One group consisted of five burly men in matching armor. They looked fierce and disciplined, like the private army of a great family or an elite squad from a large mercenary corps. Their leader was an Eighth-level Warrior whose aura was no weaker than Lin Qin's.

Another group was made up of three mages. Two wore fiery red robes, while the third wore an ocher-yellow robe. Judging by the magic fluctuations emanating from them, they were at least Level Six Mages. The red-haired elder leading them was likely a Level Seven Magister.

The last group had only two members. One was shrouded in a black cloak, face hidden and aura cold. The other was a tall woman with a longbow on her back and eyes sharp as an eagle's. She was clearly a formidable archer.

The groups kept a wary distance from one another. When they saw Lin Qin arrive alone, they watched him for a moment. After gauging the fluctuations of a Seventh-Level Warrior and his steady bearing, they paid him no further attention, but they didn't look down on him either. Anyone who could make it here alone was no ordinary person.

Lin Qin wasn't in the habit of striking up conversations with people, so he found a spot some distance from the others and sat down. As he rested and recovered his strength, he carefully observed the entrance to Mist Canyon and the groups who might be his "temporary neighbors." He knew that the coming exploration would require him not only to face the unknown dangers within the canyon, but also to be wary of these "companions," who had come for their own gain.