Zhang Li's words brought smiles to many faces around the classroom. They'd spent plenty of time and effort trying to break through over the past two days.
Li Yu had been right to tell them not to fixate on martial arts. Thanks to that, the students who'd found themselves unable to make a breakthrough over the weekend had instead stayed home and meditated.
They'd also learned a few spells from their books. As a result, they'd advanced faster in magic than in martial arts, and that was why they could all stand here together today.
Otherwise, they'd probably have been sent back to train as soon as they arrived. Zhang Li had already made it clear that no one below the third tier would be allowed into the Dungeon.
"This time, I'll be leading you to the Dungeon along with a few other teachers. We won't step in unless absolutely necessary, so once we're inside, you'll have to rely on yourselves." Zhang Li laid out the details for everyone.
The school wanted them to gain experience, while the teachers would only protect them from the shadows. They weren't there to babysit.
As long as no one was in danger, the teachers wouldn't intervene. They would watch from the sidelines, stepping in only when someone was truly at risk to make sure no one died!
But remember, we're only making sure you don't die. The teachers won't help if you get injured or anything. If you can't handle even that little hardship, you might as well drop out now!
Zhang Li had made herself perfectly clear, and everyone listened intently. Looking at the young faces below, she finally added, "If anyone wants to withdraw now, you can come to me and apply!"
The students glanced at one another, but not a single person stepped forward. Back out? How could they? They'd been looking forward to exploring the Dungeon for ages.
"Good. Looks like no one wants to back out. Now, let's go!" With that, Zhang Li headed outside the school, and the class hurried after her.
Li Yu walked with Asuna and the others. Looking at Teacher Zhang Li up ahead, Asuna couldn't help asking, "Is this a group activity?"
Weren't they supposed to work in teams? Or would the whole class be going together? If so, they wouldn't get much real training, would they?
"No idea. I guess she has something else planned. We'll just follow along." Li Yu shook his head. Who knew what the teacher had in mind?
By the time they left the school gates, several buses were already parked along the road. Hiratsuka Shizuka and Teacher Li, who taught Li Yu's class, were waiting there too.
"Pick a bus and get on!" Zhang Li called out as she reached the buses, telling the students to board wherever they liked.
Without a moment's hesitation, Li Yu headed straight for Teacher Li's bus. Seeing this, Asuna and the others blinked, then followed after him.
When they reached Teacher Li, Li Yu smiled brightly. "Teacher, could you explain some Intermediate Magic to me on the bus?"
That was exactly why Li Yu had sought him out: he wanted to learn some Intermediate Magic. Now that he'd reached the fourth tier, he was finally eligible.
At Li Yu's words, Teacher Li pushed up his glasses and stared at him. "Honestly, I've never seen a student as ridiculous as you. In just a few days, you've covered ground that takes most people years!"
Feeling the aura around Li Yu, he was startled. It was absurd—had he really reached the fourth tier already?
"That's because I'm a true genius. Other geniuses are only just reaching my doorstep!" Li Yu said with a straight face. He wasn't exactly wrong.
Teacher Li rolled his eyes, clearly unwilling to humor him. Instead, he said, "Get on the bus and sit near the front. I'll tell you about some Intermediate Magic in a bit."
He didn't refuse Li Yu's request. Now that Li Yu was at the fourth tier, he could learn Intermediate Magic, and teaching him more would help him in the Dungeon.
Besides, given Li Yu's talent, he'd probably pick up whatever he was taught in no time. The drive from the school to the Dungeon would take about half an hour, which was plenty of time to teach him.
"Sure!" Li Yu had no objections. He boarded the bus and found a seat near the front. Asuna and the others tactfully left the seat next to him open.
Quite a few classmates had heard Li Yu's conversation with Teacher Li, so they were happy to cooperate. They left the seat open for Teacher Li.
A few minutes later, the bus was full, and Teacher Li boarded. Seeing the empty seat beside Li Yu, he went straight over and sat down.
Once the bus started moving, Teacher Li began explaining Intermediate Magic to Li Yu. There wasn't much he could teach him on the bus, since he couldn't demonstrate any spells.
So he just explained a few ways to enhance Beginner Magic once someone reached the fourth tier.
Li Yu nodded as he listened. He already had a general idea, and he understood everything Teacher Li had said.
"There aren't many Intermediate Magic spells I can teach you. According to the rules, you'll have to wait until college to learn those. But there's one spell I can teach you, and you should be able to learn it." Teacher Li looked at Li Yu, then at the weapon in his arms. He decided to teach him a spell for storing weapons.
At that, Li Yu perked up. He stared intently at Teacher Li, eager to learn this new spell.
"This spell is for storing weapons. You've probably noticed that we teachers rarely carry weapons around, but that doesn't mean we don't have any!" As he spoke, Teacher Li raised a hand, and a purple Magic Array appeared.
It was more complicated and intricate than the arrays used for Beginner Magic. As it activated, Teacher Li drew a wand from within it.
"This is Weapon Storage, a spell that involves space. It's very difficult to learn, but it shouldn't be a problem for you." Gripping the wand, Teacher Li explained the spell to Li Yu with a serious expression.
The moment he saw the spell, Li Yu's eyes lit up. This was incredibly useful, and it was space magic, too! Excited, Li Yu asked, "Can this spell only store weapons?"
Or was it a spell that opened up a space where weapons could be placed? If it could open up a space, could it store other things as well?
The moment Li Yu saw Teacher Li cast the spell, he'd already grasped it. But he needed to ask the teacher for the details.
"I know what you're thinking. When I first started learning this spell, I probably had the same thought as you. You're wondering whether you can store other things in it, right? The answer is no!"
Just one look at Li Yu was enough for Teacher Li to figure out what he was thinking. Anyone who learned this spell had the same question, and he'd been no exception!
Before you continue