Mystic Artificer Appointment! The Rope's Transformation!

Su Chen's heart shook as he looked at the enormous shadow in the sky. He could even faintly hear a rumbling sound.

The shadow looked irregular, as if it had been split in two down the middle.

"Why does it look like a pair of... wings?" Su Chen swallowed. The feeling did not last long before the shadow gradually vanished.

Around him, the students who had collapsed to the ground also got back up. Rather than looking embarrassed, they excitedly discussed what they had seen.

"What rank of professional do you think that was? Such a huge shadow—it must have been a powerful physical-class professional."

"It looked like wings. I heard that some powerful professionals undergo physical mutations as well."

"The last time a powerful professional passed through here seemed to be five years ago. Thank you..."

Quite a few students bowed toward the direction in which the shadow had disappeared, expressing their gratitude.

Cities were not absolutely safe either. The dangers within the fog sometimes attacked cities as well.

When a powerful professional passed through, they could strongly deter certain things and even eliminate danger.

"Can truly powerful professionals cross the fog?" Su Chen murmured. His predecessor's memories spanned more than a decade, and without environmental triggers, many of them were difficult for him to recall.

Experiencing it firsthand was far more vivid than anything in his memories.

"Of course. What many powerful professionals can do is beyond imagination." A voice suddenly came from behind him. Su Chen jumped and spun around, only to find a broad-faced middle-aged man.

"Uh..." Su Chen studied him. The man felt unfamiliar; he had made a point of memorizing the faces of the school's main leaders.

"This year's key training class has a pretty solid foundation." Yuan Chenyang, disguised, looked at the youth before him with appreciation in his eyes.

Even when casually released, the majesty of a high-level professional's life force was not something ordinary people could endure.

The vast majority of the students had fallen, yet this one had remained standing perfectly straight.

Class was over?

Su Chen looked at the group emerging from the building. They should have been from the mental training class.

Did this guy think I was from the mental training class too?

But where was Old Bai?

Su Chen looked around and noticed that the bald man beside him was also scanning the area, likely searching for someone as well.

He opened his spirit communicator and found that Bai Fengxi had replied at some point.

"Keep it with you for now. I have something to deal with these next few days."

With Old Bai absent, Su Chen felt mentally exhausted and simply went back to sleep.

"Little Bai didn't come?" Yuan Chenyang's thick brows twitched, and his expression changed slightly. "I've been so focused on investigating that thief that I nearly lost track of the time. Little Bai is probably about to take up her profession."

"It should have already begun. There's no use going now." Yuan Chenyang shook his head helplessly, then turned and realized that the youth from earlier had vanished.

"He left?"

He had intended to ask the nearby students about the youth, only to find them staring at him warily.

Only then did Yuan Chenyang realize that he had been moving about in disguise these past few days in order to find the thief.

If he revealed his distinctive bald head and these students came crowding around him with reverent faces, calling him Principal, that would be rather awkward.

"He won't get away anyway."

Having discovered a promising talent, Yuan Chenyang's mood, which had been soured by the thief these past few days, improved considerably.

"Hmm..." Then he remembered Su Chen, whom he had arranged to enter the training class, and his face darkened.

"Forget it. What if he's promising too? I'll go take a look."

Yuan Chenyang made his way to another teaching building and called out Instructor Zheng, who was in the middle of teaching.

"Minister Yuan?" Instructor Zheng said in surprise, unconsciously straightening up.

Yuan Chenyang had already returned to his true appearance. Without saying much else, he simply said, "Call out that Su Chen."

"Su Chen?" Instructor Zheng's gaze shifted uneasily.

"What is it?" Yuan Chenyang frowned.

"He... didn't come," Instructor Zheng said helplessly.

"He didn't come today?" Yuan Chenyang's expression turned unpleasant.

"He's never come. Ever since he chose a profession in the first class, he hasn't attended again." Instructor Zheng glanced at Yuan Chenyang.

"What?!" Yuan Chenyang flew into a rage and rebuked him, "You didn't do anything about a student like that?"

Instructor Zheng hesitated. He had wanted to intervene, but after contacting Wei Zhigao, he had learned that Su Chen had gotten in through Minister Yuan's connections.

He had originally come from the Inspection Department, so after thinking it over, he had decided to leave it alone.

Yuan Chenyang realized this as well. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he suppressed his anger and asked, "What profession did he choose?"

"Gale Walker."

"A first-rank upper-tier?" Yuan Chenyang's face sank. He instantly realized something. Could that kid be planning to resell the profession information?

"Get him..." Yuan Chenyang had not expected him to deceive Little Bai with such a scheme.

Information on a first-rank upper-tier profession could fetch a decent price on the black market.

He had wanted to expel the other party immediately, but then thought better of it. He had personally arranged for the boy to enter, and expelling him only a few days later would be rather embarrassing.

"Fine. When his review period arrives, target him with the strictest standards possible!" he ordered.

Instructor Zheng froze slightly, unsure whether he meant it sarcastically or not.

"Don't overthink it. Do exactly as I tell you," Yuan Chenyang added.

"Yes." Instructor Zheng responded solemnly.

Yuan Chenyang left in displeasure. He brushed his arm ring and pulled up a virtual screen, sending a message. "Keep an eye on the black markets in the city. If Gale Walker profession information is put up for sale, tell me immediately."

"Yes!"

Yuan Chenyang had thought of a better way to handle things. He sighed. "I'll use you to teach Little Bai a lesson. She's just too kind—she can't see the dangers of the world clearly."

He did not devote much attention to the matter. His main task was still to catch the thief.

In the late afternoon of the following day, Su Chen, seated cross-legged on his bed, suddenly shuddered. It felt as though his forehead had been smeared with mint, and everything around him became clearer than ever before.

Vaguely, he seemed able to see the outline of the room through his eyelids.

"Hm?" Su Chen opened his eyes, and the panel appeared.

[Candle Flame—Master]

[Characteristic obtained—Spiritual Vision: Can use spiritual power to vaguely sense the surrounding area.]

With two information points, his proficiency seemed only able to rise to the Master level.

Moreover, reaching the Master level granted a characteristic.

Su Chen thought of the [Basic Fighting] that [Strongman] had swallowed.

"Spiritual Vision—not bad..." Su Chen closed his eyes and experienced the wondrous sensation. He did not know whether it was unique to the panel, or whether others who trained [Candle Flame] to its peak would gain the same ability.

"That means there's only one final step before I can become a Mystic Artificer... the Whispering Trial." Su Chen could not help feeling somewhat uneasy.

Until now, although his appointment requirements had been varied, none had involved facing danger so directly.

The Whispering Trial carried the risk of losing control. In severe cases, one might even become insane.

But if he wanted to become a Mystic Artificer, he had no choice but to go through it.

[Candle Flame] had just risen to the Master level, leaving him mentally invigorated. He did not hesitate for long and immediately began preparing.

He tightly sealed the curtains, the gaps around the door, and every other opening, leaving the entire room in absolute silence.

He had originally wanted to hang a "Do Not Disturb" sign outside the door, but decided against it.

He did not know many people to begin with, and under normal circumstances, no one would seek him out for a day or two. But if he hung up a sign, someone might deliberately knock on his door.

Once everything was ready, Su Chen took a deep breath, stripped bare from the waist up, cut open his palm, and used his blood to draw an inverted cross on his chest.

The process was not difficult. Su Chen even felt skeptical about it. Drawing an inverted cross on his chest would let him hear whispers? In his previous life, that would definitely have been branded a cult ritual.

Yet the moment he finished drawing it, before he had even lowered his finger, a rustling sound abruptly came from beside his ear, like the sound of rats scurrying about.

Su Chen's entire body went numb. He hurriedly held his breath and focused, gaining a more direct understanding of how dangerous this world truly was.

In the darkness, time seemed to pass slowly. The rustling at his ear gradually became a low, chaotic murmur, as though many people were whispering something beside him.

He instinctively tried to make out the words, but could not hear them clearly no matter what. Instead, he began to feel dizzy and nauseated.

The dizziness grew heavier and heavier. Whether his eyes were open or closed, the darkness before him seemed exactly the same.

The world spun around Su Chen. The sounds beside his ears grew louder and louder, and his head began to ache violently, yet he still could not make out what they were saying.

Flames seemed to burn before his eyes, and the entire world trembled. He vaguely saw something burning in the sky—a hanging, inverted cross.

Suddenly, his body turned cold, as if some viscous liquid had wrapped around him.

At that very instant, he opened his eyes, following his instincts.

At nearly his fastest speed, he slammed into the window. The wall thudded. Ignoring everything else, he violently tore down the curtains. With a ripping sound, dim light streamed in.

Su Chen panted heavily, leaning against the window. His entire body was drenched in sweat, and his heart pounded wildly.

"Fuck..."

He had a feeling that if he had remained immersed in that cold sensation for even a little longer, he would not have come back. Thankfully, the panel had appeared in time.

It had not merely been the sensation of facing death, but an indescribable terror.

"That was fucking eerie..." Su Chen cursed under his breath, venting his emotions as he opened the panel to shift his attention.

Two golden words had appeared after [Mystic Artificer]—Appointment.

All his hardship had been for this moment. Su Chen chose to take up the profession without hesitation.

In an instant, his body stiffened and his pupils dilated. It felt as though ice water had been poured into his mind as his spiritual power rapidly expanded. The scraps of curtain he had just torn down began to tremble, even though the windows were tightly shut and there was not the slightest breeze in the room.

[Mystic Artificer appointment successful.]

[Profession ability obtained—Mystic Art Control: Control selected special items.]

[Profession ability obtained—Spirit Spike: Can launch spiritual attacks against targets.]

A long while later, the transformation ended. Su Chen struggled to adapt to the feeling. Everything before him was clearer than ever.

Previously, he could only focus his attention on one or two places. Now, it seemed as though he could spread his spiritual power throughout the entire room. Along with it came a swelling ache in his head.

Even with his eyes closed, the sensation remained.

Because his spiritual power had surged, everything observed through [Spiritual Vision] became clearer as well.

At short distances, it was almost no different from having his eyes open. He would likely need some time to adapt.

At the same time, the panel appeared again—

[Additional reward triggered. Controlled mystic item Blue-veined Hemp Rope upgraded to second rank—Blue-Iron Lock Cable.]

This was what he had gained when the Arcane Apprentice had retreated behind him.

The hemp rope hidden beneath his bed was pulled by an invisible force and suddenly shot out. The tangled blue-veined strands gradually began to unravel, turning into thin fibers that coiled through the air.

Then, as though soaked in some sort of force, their essence transformed. A cold, hard sheen seeped out from deep within the fibers, rapidly spreading before settling into place.

The soft texture of hemp rope gradually became metallic threads that gave off a metallic luster. They then intertwined again, forming an alloy cable no thicker than a little finger.

"It actually transformed into a second-rank item." Su Chen's heart stirred as he looked at the dense, cold bundle of alloy gleaming with a dark metallic light. A realization came to him.

"Mystic Art Control seems to be more than simply making it fly..."