Ernst Institute, the dean's office.
Soft magical lamplight illuminated the room, and the scent of old books and fine ink filled the air. The dean, a white-haired, white-bearded elder in plain gray mage robes-Saint-level Magus Harrington-was listening to Mage Elwin's detailed report. The vice dean, a capable-looking middle-aged female mage, sat nearby, her expression grave.
"...That is the situation, Dean, Vice Dean." Mage Elwin's voice carried an excitement he could barely contain. "Linley Baruch has superb affinity in two elements. He cast a spell in combat and wounded a second-rank magical beast, displaying excellent character and courage. He is already a once-in-a-century genius. But his elder brother, Lin Yinuo..."
He paused, seemingly gathering his words, before finally saying in a low voice, "What he cast was not any known first- or second-level Fire Element spell. That Flame Ray concentrated its energy to the utmost, with astonishing penetrating power and not a trace of waste. His control...far surpassed that of an ordinary sixth-level mage. It even touched upon a hint of...the Laws."
"The Laws?" the vice dean exclaimed softly, her face full of disbelief. The threshold of the Saint level was a preliminary understanding of one of the Profound Mysteries of the Laws. A four-year-old child had touched upon a hint of the Laws? It sounded utterly fantastical!
A gleam flashed through Dean Harrington's clouded eyes. He slowly set down the crystal paperweight he had been toying with, his voice calm yet carrying unquestionable authority. "Elvin, are you certain?"
Elvin nodded firmly. "I saw it with my own eyes. There is no falsehood in my words. Moreover, this child is exceptionally composed, neither arrogant nor impatient, as though everything is within his grasp. I believe his assessment must be raised to the highest level."
A brief silence fell over the office.
Only after a long while did Dean Harrington slowly speak. "Superb affinity in all elements, suspected of touching upon the Profound Mysteries of the Laws...There has never been such a precedent in the recorded history of the Yulan Continent. This child must harbor an earth-shattering secret, or...an unimaginably great opportunity."
He turned to the vice dean. "Pass down the order. All information concerning Lin Yinuo is to be classified as the institute's highest secret, known only to the three of us. Grant him Class A Resource Access for his training, but impose no compulsory requirements. Give him the greatest possible freedom of choice. Observe him discreetly, and do not interfere unless necessary."
"What about Linley?" the vice dean asked.
"Grant him Class A Resource Access as well. These brothers...the Baruch Clan may well be about to produce a pair of True Dragons." Dean Harrington's gaze was deep. "Protect them, especially Lin Yinuo. I am very curious to see how far he can go."
Unseen attention and preferential resources began flowing like an undercurrent toward the small building where the Baruch Brothers lived.
Lin Yinuo was not entirely unaware of this. He could sense that the areas he could access in the library seemed to have expanded recently, and some books that had originally required high clearance were now open to him. When he collected his Meditation Aid Potions, their quantity and quality were also clearly above the standard. But he said nothing, simply accepting it calmly and using most of those resources to solidify his foundations and comprehend the Laws.
Late that night, the dormitory building was utterly quiet.
Lin Yinuo sat cross-legged on his bed. Rather than meditating, he immersed his mind completely in contemplating the [Incomplete Fire Elemental Law Fragment]. Within his sea of consciousness, countless tiny flame runes flickered into and out of existence, demonstrating the mysteries of burning, bursting, destruction, and the nurturing of new life. His understanding of "fire" was deepening at a slow but steady pace.
Fire is not merely violent. Ultimate concentration is another form of eruption. If I can comprehend the profound mystery of the Fire Body Technique and turn my body into elemental form, or the Profound Mystery of Explosion and imbue my attacks with the power of internal explosions...The road ahead is long, but this fragment undoubtedly points to a shortcut.
Just then-
"Argh!"
A stifled, pained groan came from the bed beside him!
Lin Yinuo instantly snapped out of his contemplation and whipped his head around.
Linley was curled up on his bed, his small body trembling slightly. Fine beads of cold sweat covered his forehead. His face was flushed, but he had bitten his lips white, seemingly enduring tremendous pain. Beneath the skin of his arms exposed outside his pajamas, an extremely faint, almost imperceptible blue-green glow was circulating rapidly, carrying an ancient and overbearing aura.
Bebe, who had been sleeping beside Linley's pillow, also stood up anxiously, gently pushing Linley's face with his little paws and squeaking, full of unease.
This is...the Dragonblood Warrior bloodline?! Why is it reacting ahead of time? Is it because his strength has increased, or...has it been imperceptibly affected by those several bloodline purifications within my body?
According to the original story, Linley had first stirred his bloodline several years later, amid grief and fury after a devastating upheaval in his family. This was far too early!
Lin Yinuo was at Linley's bedside in an instant, laying his fingers on his wrist. A gentle strand of spiritual energy carefully probed inside.
He clearly "saw" a faint but exceptionally pure, peculiar energy carrying draconic might stirring deep within Linley's blood vessels. It was attempting to break through some invisible restraint, yet seemed firmly suppressed by insufficient energy or the lack of a crucial catalyst. This conflict placed a tremendous burden on Linley's body.
I cannot forcibly suppress it, nor can I leave it alone. It needs guidance and soothing.
Without hesitation, through the wrist he was touching, he fed wisps of his own gentler, purer bloodline aura into Linley's body-an aura that had undergone several rounds of [Dragonblood Warrior bloodline purification] and likewise originated from the Baruch ancestors.
At the same time, his low, clear voice rang out beside Linley's ear, carrying the power to soothe his mind. "Linley, steady your mind! Feel the power in your blood! It is part of you, the glory of the Baruch Clan! Do not resist it. Try to understand it and guide it!"
Half-conscious, Linley felt as though he had heard a guiding light in the darkness. His brother's familiar, reassuring aura flowed into his body, faintly resonating with that restless ancient power and greatly easing the tearing pain. Instinctively following his brother's guidance, he stopped fighting it on reflex and instead tried to touch and sense the scorching power hidden deep within his bloodline.
Gradually, Linley's trembling subsided, and his flushed face slowly returned to normal. The faint blue-green glow beneath the skin of his arms no longer circulated wildly. Instead, like a gentle stream, it slowly merged into his flesh and blood and disappeared.
His tightly knitted brows relaxed. His breathing grew steady and deep, and he fell into a sound sleep.
Bebe also seemed to sense that his master was out of danger. He lay down quietly, though his little eyes still watched their surroundings warily.
Lin Yinuo withdrew his hand and looked at his sleeping younger brother, his brows slightly furrowed.
Signs of the Dragonblood Warrior bloodline awakening early...It seems the butterfly effect I have brought has already begun to manifest. I must pick up the pace. The "Dragonblood Warrior Secrets" in Father's possession need to be "found" as soon as possible. The plan to revive the clan will have to be brought forward.
He returned to his own bed but did not go to sleep immediately. Moonlight shone through the window onto his composed profile.
Attention from the higher-ups, unusual stirrings in the bloodline, a commercial framework beginning to take shape...Undercurrents from all sides had begun converging around him and Linley.
The wind filled the tower before the mountain storm.
And Lin Yinuo knew that before this tempest truly arrived, he had to possess enough power to keep everything under his control.
Before you continue