Setting Off! (Seeking follow-up reads, seeking collections)

Lan Yu sat in the spectator stands, flanked by Zhao Manyan, whose incessant voice was filled with envy, jealousy, and spite.

"You beast! You absolute beast!"

"How is it that your summoned beast is a tiger of this caliber? The heavens are truly unfair!"

"You thief Lan Yu! You dog Lan Yu! I curse your future children to never awaken magic!"

"Hey, hey, Zhao Manyan, do you want to see if I feed you to my summoned beast right now?"

"Oh, I'm so shy, Brother Lan, I was wrong." Zhao Manyan immediately folded.

Since the scolding was done and the itch for trash-talking had been scratched, he felt satisfied.

"..."

Lan Yu rolled his eyes at this dog of a man.

As expected, the second match between Pearl Academy and Imperial Capital Academy ended in another victory for Pearl Academy.

When the results were announced, almost everyone in the arena found it hard to believe.

Everyone had assumed that Imperial Capital Academy would pull back a win in the second round, yet they had lost to Pearl Academy once again.

No one expected that, besides Lan Yu, Mo Fan would also prove to be so extraordinary.

He turned out to be a natural dual-element mage, possessing Summoning, Lightning, and Fire, and both his Lightning and Fire elements utilized dual spirit seeds.

Even the trump card of Imperial Capital Academy, Mu Ningxue, was no match for him.

"Damn it, I'll make sure that brat pays!" Lu Zhenghe glared at Mo Fan from the sidelines, his face twisted with resentment.

Lu Yiming sighed, "To think they lost both matches to Pearl Academy. It seems this year's Pearl Academy is truly hiding some crouching tigers and hidden dragons!"

"Hmph!" Lu Zhenghe snorted coldly, "I don't think they're anything special."

"Heh, if being a natural dual-element mage isn't special, then you're certainly much worse than those who rely on beasts to make a living, just like that guy from Pearl!" Liao Mingxuan never missed an opportunity to mock Lu Zhenghe.

"You!!"

"Enough." Lu Yiming raised a hand to stop them. "Victory and defeat are common occurrences in battle. Besides, this exchange was meant for mutual learning; the most important part is the upcoming field training."

Magic students mostly cultivate within the confines of schools, and even when they have practical training, it is usually just dueling other mages. Ultimately, there are many shortcomings, so field training that involves facing magical beasts directly is indispensable.

University-level field training is not the trivial affair it was in high school. Students are sent beyond the Safe Zone without teachers or hunter protection; they must rely on themselves to overcome various difficulties and face magical beasts.

Casualties are inevitable in such training, but as a mage, one should have been prepared for this since the moment they first awakened their magic!

Otherwise, they might as well abandon magic early and live as an ordinary person, content with a wife, children, and a warm hearth.

The news of Imperial Capital Academy's two consecutive defeats spread like wildfire across the land.

The school leaders of Pearl Academy, in particular, were beaming with pride after hearing Gu Han's detailed report.

Meanwhile, Mo Fan's reputation as a natural dual-element mage spread through every university in the country.

He already held the title of "Great Demon King" of Pearl Academy and was a prominent figure, but with the revelation of his natural dual-element talent, the buzz surrounding him remained at an all-time high.

Naturally, those bored university students compiled a "Talent Ranking," collecting all the students who had displayed special abilities and updating it in real-time.

Both Mo Fan and Mu Ningxue made the list, with the former's natural dual-element talent ranked fifth, and the latter's natural ice spirit seed ranked ninth.

However, having talent is one thing; whether one can fully realize that potential is another.

"Next, you will be heading beyond the Safe Zone for field training. There are no protective measures for this; even if you encounter life-threatening danger, no one will save you."

Teacher Li Jing, who had arrived at Imperial Capital Academy ahead of the students to prepare for the various arrangements, said in a deep voice.

"Really, none at all?"

"We will issue you a light magic signal flare. If you are trapped somewhere, we will dispatch a rescue team... but you must be able to hold out until they arrive."

"This..."

Hearing this, the expressions of the students stiffened.

"In previous years, there have been deaths and injuries during university field training. In short, the moment you step outside the Safe Zone, you must maintain extreme vigilance. A single moment of carelessness can cost you your life!" Gu Han said with a grave expression.

"You have all taken magical beast courses, and teachers have shared information about what lies beyond the Safe Zone. In truth, most of the teachers who taught you have never stepped outside the Safe Zone themselves; they are mostly talking on paper. So, take what you heard in class with a grain of salt—it might not be applicable out there... In any case, be careful. I want all ten of you who go out to come back," Qiu Yuhua warned with great seriousness.

Only now did everyone realize that the upcoming training was no child's play. One wrong step, and they would be buried in the wilderness.

"We have a general direction for this training, and we will notify you when the time comes. During this period, you can visit the Imperial Capital's auction houses and magic markets. If you have some savings, buy a good piece of defensive magic equipment; it could save your life at a critical moment."

The students capable of being exchange students, aside from their own raw strength, generally had decent family backgrounds—with the exception of one or two.

There were five days left before the training began, and during this time, the wealthier students could purchase suitable life-saving magic equipment.

If it weren't for the cooldown period, Lan Yu would have already slipped away to the Douluo Continent, burrowed into the deepest part of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, collected the remains of the Water and Fire Dragon Kings, and awakened his martial soul while he was at it.

It seems he would have to find an opportunity to slip away during the field training.

After all, he still had one mandatory contract imprint left to use.

As for whether to target the Silver Dragon King healing in the core of the Star Dou Forest or the Snow Empress in the Far North, that was something Lan Yu would have to think about carefully.

Five days passed in the blink of an eye.

After a long-winded lecture from Song He, the Supreme Elder of the Holy City, the trainees from Pearl Academy and the Imperial Capital Academy set off on their journey toward Jinlin Desolate City.

The group traveled by plane, arriving at Kangning City, the closest city to Jinlin City, before the eighteen of them proceeded on foot toward Jinlin Desolate City.

Along the way, Jingjing, the top student, naturally began to explain the concept of demon tribes.

Luo Song, who did not get along with Mo Fan, naturally used the disaster at Bo City as an excuse to mock him.

Of course, this behavior from Luo Song drew an angry glare from Mu Ningxue, causing the former to shrink his neck and dare not utter another word.

It was unclear what the other students from the Imperial Capital were thinking, but the students from Pearl Academy had certainly developed a sense of disgust toward Luo Song.

If not for Mo Fan's "good temper," the rotund Luo Song would have easily become a snack for the Swift Star Wolf.

"Let's get this straight: I have always served as the commander in my teams. Since Dean Song He requires us to cooperate to complete this training mission, the eighteen of us must have some rules."

"As for the command, I will take it. You can offer opinions or suggestions, but I will decide the general direction. How we move, what to do when we encounter demons, when to rest... all of this will be decided by me."