Garen hurried to the back mountain and soon spotted George and Reynolds. Bebe stood on the snowy ground not far away, and Linley stood motionless in the snow.
George and Reynolds both looked worried, while Linley stood motionless in front of a huge boulder.
Garen didn't say anything. He walked over, greeted George and Reynolds, then quietly asked,
"What's going on?"
George briefly explained that Linley had been rejected, then turned his anxious gaze back to Linley.
"I'm fine. He must have entered a state akin to an epiphany, something every mage dreams of. This is a good thing, so there's no need to worry."
The three of them stood there, watching Linley.
Half a day later, Linley moved.
The Flat Blade flashed in his hand, leaving a blur of afterimages. Huge chunks of rock fell away, gradually taking on a human shape.
Days passed. Yale came by, too, and ordered his men to set up a tent on the spot. The group planned to take turns keeping an eye on Linley. Garen stayed in the tent with them, chatting and cultivating at night.
They all knew that Garen's Magic Level was high and the academy had little left to teach him, so they went to class as usual and only stopped by occasionally to check on Linley.
Ten days and ten nights.
Just as Linley was about to finish the sculpture, Yale and the others arrived with food and wine.
Five sculptures that looked like real people stood before them, each capturing a different mood: one looked delicate, one adorable, one shy, one smitten, and one heartless.
Linley's sculptures made it clear that Alice was quite beautiful. No wonder he'd fallen so deeply for her.
"Boss Yale, Third Bro finished the sculptures. Why is he still standing there without moving?"
Reynolds asked worriedly.
"I don't know, but this piece of work from Third Bro could absolutely rival the masterpieces at Brooks Hall."
Yale exclaimed in amazement.
After finishing the sculptures, Linley stood there for a while. Then he saw Yale, Garen, and the others and walked straight over.
"Boss Yale, George, Reynolds, and Garen! When did you get back from the Magical Beast Mountain Range?"
"I got back when you were standing in front of that boulder. I watched you sculpt for ten days. You're incredible."
Garen said with a smile.
"Linley, you stood there sculpting for eleven days without eating or drinking. We were worried sick."
Reynolds said.
"Now that you mention it, I really am hungry."
Linley said with a smile.
"You're hungry? Good. At least you can tell."
After George said that, they all burst into laughter.
"Come on. I've already had food and wine prepared. Let's have a proper drink."
Yale said.
The group ate and drank amid the snowy wilderness of the mountains, their laughter and cheerful chatter carrying on without end.
Bebe sensed that Linley was back to his old self and eagerly joined in, eating and drinking.
After the meal, Linley asked Yale to look after the Dream Awakening Sculpture for him, then prepared to head to the Magical Beast Mountain Range.
"Linley, I just got back, and now you're leaving. I won't go with you this time. Be careful on your own. I'm going to apply for graduation and then head home."
Garen said.
"What? Garen, you're applying for graduation already?"
The others hadn't had time to process it. They hadn't expected to part ways so soon.
Although Garen hadn't shared a dorm with them, they often ate, drank, and had fun together, and they'd grown close.
The sudden farewell left them feeling a little sad.
"Come on, I'm only applying for graduation. There's still a long road ahead. As long as you guys don't forget me, we'll have plenty of chances to meet again."
"Yale, George, Reynolds, there's something I'll tell you now. I'm actually a Tiger-Striped Warrior, one of the Four Ultimate Warriors. I can transform into a Tiger-Striped Warrior, and reaching the Saint Realm will be easy for me. You may be comfortable at Ernst Institute, but I still hope you'll cultivate seriously. I want all of us brothers to live forever. I don't want Linley and me to reach the Saint Realm while you grow old and die."
Garen said.
"You two are monsters. You level up way too fast. The Saint Realm feels impossibly far away."
Yale, George, and Reynolds looked dejected, but Garen's words made them yearn for it all the same. Who wouldn't want to reach the Saint Realm?
The three of them silently resolved to take their cultivation seriously from then on.
Linley walked over, patted them on the shoulders, and said,
"Brothers, I'm off. Take care."
With that, Linley took Bebe, slung on his backpack, and trudged away through the thick snow.
They watched Linley's figure grow smaller and smaller until he disappeared into the snow-white world.
The next day, Garen applied for graduation. In front of several teachers and the vice dean, he successfully cast the Level Six Fire-style magic, Flame Slash.
He graduated successfully.
After saying goodbye to Yale, George, and Reynolds, he left the academy.
As he set off for home, Garen decided to take a straight route, crossing the Magical Beast Mountain Range to reach the Yulan Empire, then continuing on to the Rhine Empire. That would shorten the journey considerably.
He could also head through the Magical Beast Mountain Range and hunt any powerful magical beasts he came across for experience. He might even gain insight into the Laws and Mysteries.
After Garen reached Level Eight, the System Map could display an area two kilometers around him.
The bandits on the outskirts of the Magical Beast Mountain Range were in for a rough time. Garen didn't kill low-level magical beasts, but he killed every bandit he came across. It had become a habit.
Two months later, high above the center of the Magical Beast Mountain Range, a Golden Sun Eagle seven or eight meters long, its body gleaming gold and its wings spanning more than ten meters, had a tiger-like humanoid creature on its back.
The tiger-like humanoid was Garen. One of his tiger claws was dug deep into the Golden Sun Eagle's flesh, gripping it tightly, while his other claw repeatedly smacked its head.
The Golden Sun Eagle was covered in blood and looked utterly battered.
Still, it kept flying through the sky, sometimes making sharp turns, sometimes crashing toward rocks on the cliffs in an attempt to throw Garen off its back.
But it couldn't shake him.
After smacking it twice more,
"Do you surrender?"
"Caw!"
The Golden Sun Eagle let out a mournful cry. Garen couldn't understand it, but it was clearly refusing to submit.
"Fine. You brought this on yourself. Don't blame me. I don't have that much patience. I'll just turn you into experience."
Garen drew the God-Slaying Blade, and the baleful aura surrounding it made the Golden Sun Eagle shudder.
The God-Slaying Blade had killed so many magical beasts that it was now steeped in a heavy aura of slaughter.
The Golden Sun Eagle instantly felt death looming.
"Caw!"
The Golden Sun Eagle lowered its head.
"Good. At least you know what's good for you. Fly over to that tree."
Garen ordered the Golden Sun Eagle to fly to a huge ancient tree.
A mysterious Magic Array appeared. It was the Soul Contract Magic Array.
The Soul Contract Magic Array wasn't magic, but only a Level Seven Mage could use it. The academy library had instructions on how to perform it.
The Golden Sun Eagle obediently stood inside the array, and Garen dripped a drop of blood onto its head.
In an instant, a mysterious connection formed between Garen and the Golden Sun Eagle.
Ding! You have subdued the Golden Sun Eagle. Pet System activated.
Garen ignored the system notification.
"What's your name?"
Garen asked.
Powerful magical beasts were generally very intelligent, and they had names of their own.
"Master, my name is Palston."
"Good. From now on, I'll call you Xiao Pa. Haha! Go heal your wounds."
After saying that, Garen sat down nearby and kept watch over Xiao Pa.
Before you continue