Academy Daily Life

Ernst Institute, first-year classroom of the Earth Element Magic Class.

On the podium, a middle-aged mage was explaining the incantations and elemental arrangement structure for the Level 1 earth spell, Earth Spike. Lin Qin sat by the window, listening intently. Spread out before him was his magic notebook, filled with neat handwriting and simple diagrams of elemental structures.

His elemental affinity was top-tier, and while his speed at absorbing magic elements wasn't particularly fast, his superior mental strength provided a distinct advantage. He could perceive the presence of magic elements more clearly and control their arrangement and combination with greater precision.

"...Therefore, the key to Earth Spike lies in instantaneous explosive power. You must compress the earth elements within an extremely short timeframe, shape them, and then thrust them violently from the ground..." the instructor explained.

After class, most of the students left in groups, discussing lunch or afternoon leisure activities. Lin Qin, however, walked straight toward the woods behind the institute, which was his chosen training ground.

He found an open space, set down his backpack, and began his physical training. Push-ups, squats, weighted jumps... after the full routine, sweat had already soaked his training gear. After a brief rest, he drew the broadsword from his back.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

The familiar sound of the blade cutting through the air rang out once more. Compared to his time in Wushan Town, his movements were more concise, and his force exertion was more efficient. The Battle Qi of a Level 3 Warrior flowed through his body; with every swing of the sword, his Battle Qi was naturally tempered, growing slowly but steadily.

After completing one thousand basic sword swings, he did not stop, instead beginning his practice of the Earth Spike technique.

He whispered the incantation, his mental strength guiding the surrounding earth elements. On his first attempt, a crooked, less than half-a-meter-tall earth spike emerged from the ground, the magical fluctuations chaotic.

He did not lose heart; he dispersed the magic and started again.

On the second attempt, the earth spike was slightly straighter.

On the third, the height approached the standard.

By the tenth attempt, he could stably summon the Earth Spike instantaneously, with a height of nearly one meter.

By the fiftieth attempt, he felt the consumption of his magic power decrease slightly, and his casting speed had increased by a fraction.

By the hundredth attempt, he no longer needed the full incantation; a few key syllables were enough to guide the elements into shape.

He immersed himself in the repetition. When his mental strength was exhausted, he would meditate on the spot to recover. When his magic power ran dry, he would practice his Battle Qi. He cycled through these tasks, tireless.

In the evening, he finished his training and returned to the dormitory. His room was a standard four-person unit; his three roommates were all commoners with average talent. They were already accustomed to seeing Lin Qin return covered in sweat, exhausted from his training.

"Lin Qin, you went to the back woods again?" one roommate asked.

"Yeah." Lin Qin nodded, picking up his washbasin to head to the washroom.

"You really are a glutton for punishment. We were exhausted after practicing the content from today's magic practical class just a few times. You must have practiced hundreds of times, right?"

"Just about." Lin Qin didn't elaborate.

The roommates looked at each other and shrugged. They admired Lin Qin's perseverance, but they also felt this method of training was too dull and too grueling. They preferred to follow the curriculum, complete their assignments, and relax occasionally.

After washing up, Lin Qin sat at his desk. By the light of the magic lamp, he opened his magic notebook again, reviewing what the instructor had taught that day and adding new annotations based on his own insights from the afternoon's practice.

"Earth Spike, instantaneous burst... compress... shape..." he muttered to himself, his fingers unconsciously tracing patterns on the desk, simulating the arrangement of elements.

He knew his talent was insufficient, so he could only compensate with time and sweat. If others practiced ten times, he would practice one hundred, one thousand times. Under such terrifying repetition, any technique would become proficient, and any understanding would deepen.

The next day, during the magic practical class.

The instructor required the students to cast Earth Spike one by one to assess their mastery.

Most students cast their Earth Spike in a standard, unremarkable fashion, meeting the requirements for a Level 1 spell. When it was Lin Qin's turn, he stepped forward. He didn't strike a formal pose like the others; he simply raised his hand, his lips moving slightly.

"Pop!"

A sharp, dense, almost stone-like Earth Spike instantly erupted from the ground at his designated spot. The speed was astonishing; the magic was completed almost the moment the thought arose.

A flash of surprise crossed the instructor's eyes. The completion of this Earth Spike was excellent, especially the casting speed, which far exceeded that of an average Level 1 mage, nearly touching the threshold of instantaneous casting. Furthermore, he could sense that the magic power contained within the spike was highly condensed, and its power was likely a cut above the standard version.

"Very good, Lin Qin. Your casting speed is fast, and the magic completion is high. How did you practice this?" the instructor asked.

"Reporting to the instructor, I just practiced a few more times after class," Lin Qin replied calmly.

Practiced a few more times? The instructor looked at Lin Qin's calm, unruffled eyes and the composed temperament that belied his age. He found it hard to believe, but he didn't press further, simply nodding. "Not bad, keep it up."

The surrounding students cast looks of surprise and slight envy his way. Lin Qin's expression remained unchanged as he walked back to the queue.

He didn't care about the opinions of others. His goal was not in the classroom, nor in comparisons with his peers. His gaze remained fixed on something higher and further away—the mysteries regarding the essence of power that lay hidden behind countless swings of the sword and castings of spells.

In the afternoon, at the training grounds of the Warrior Division. As a student of the Magic Department, he was also permitted to use the basic warrior training facilities.

He did not choose flashy combat techniques, sticking instead to the most basic weighted training, running, and sword swinging. With the aid of professional weighted equipment, his training intensity was even higher.

Sweat dripped onto the soil of the training ground, quickly evaporating. His breathing was long and steady, and the sound of his broadsword cutting through the air carried a unique rhythm.

There were other students on the training ground practicing Battle Qi. They watched this boy from the Magic Department who trained even harder than most of the students in the Warrior Division, their eyes filled with varying emotions—bewilderment, disdain, and a hint of admiration.

Lin Qin ignored all their gazes. In his world, there was only the soreness of his muscles, the circulation of his Battle Qi, and the thrill of breaking through his own limits time and time again.

This was Lin Qin's daily life at the Ernst Institute. Simple, dull, yet incredibly fulfilling. Like a sponge, he frantically absorbed all the knowledge and tempering that could help him grow, then used the chisel of "diligence" to carve himself into an increasingly sharp blade.