"Thump! Thump!"
"Receive blessings from heaven, protect and preserve their lives!"
After Professor Charles raised his wand and finished the last two lines, the dozens of Great Drums surrounding First Plaza boomed twice in unison. At the same time, the black-robed and Gray Robed Wizards standing behind the professor also raised their spellbooks or wands and recited words of blessing:
"Receive blessings from heaven, protect and preserve their lives!"
Golden spell-light drifted down from the sky alongside the sunlight, making it impossible to tell which was sunlight and which was spell-light. But the excitement and courage rising from the depths of their hearts were undeniably real.
Feeling that encouragement, Jiuyou Academy's students bowed in salute, Alpha's students applauded in unison, the blue-robed students of Starry Sky Academy stomped their feet wildly, while Atlas's cultivators lowered their heads and prayed together with the professors onstage.
As Zheng Qing lowered his head in salute, he heard students whispering not far away.
"So what exactly are we supposed to do in the trial?"
"Sounds pretty much like hunting..."
"I heard from my brother that their old trials were basically wilderness survival... Back then, they were thrown Deep within the Silent Forest. The wood there was like it had been soaked in water; even a Flowing Fire Incantation couldn't light it. They had to eat raw food for a whole week, and when they came back, the School Hospital found their bellies full of Parasitic Worms."
"That's awful... I wonder what our trial will be like after this reform."
"Don't worry. I brought Fire Oil this time. I could set even water on fire with it!"
"Is Fire Oil contraband?"
"I checked with that big parrot. It isn't..."
Zheng Qing couldn't help tilting his head, wanting to see who was speaking. But as far