The testing began (part two)

Inside the grand, pristine white cathedral hall, crystal magic lamps cast a cool glow over the marble floor and the two clearly separated long lines upon it. Hundreds of boys and girls of various ages had gathered here. The oldest were only seventeen or eighteen, while the youngest looked barely six or seven, and most wore expressions of nervous anticipation. At the front of the lines, several priests meticulously collected the steep testing fee of ten gold coins.

In the circular testing area at the center of the hall, a balding old man presided with an indifferent expression. The testing equipment was simple and ancient: a transparent crystal ball and a hexagonal magic array.

"First!"

The testing proceeded mechanically and swiftly. Elemental affinity came first: the boy placed his hand on the crystal ball, and the color and intensity of its light determined his elements and their grades. Next came the Spiritual Force test. The candidate stepped into the magic array and endured the pressure of the "Intimidation" spell. The longer he lasted, the higher his Spiritual Force rating.

One boy after another stepped forward, only to withdraw dejectedly.

"Spiritual Force, approximately twice that of his peers. No possibility of becoming a mage."

"Elemental affinity, low-grade water. Insufficient Spiritual Force. No possibility."

"Spiritual Force meets the requirement. Insufficient elemental affinity. No possibility."

The balding old man's verdicts fell like cold iron hammers, shattering dreams again and again. Whispers from the nobles' section mingled with stifled sighs from the commoners' section. Standing in line, Linley and Loa silently watched, keenly feeling the cruelty of the barrier imposed by talent. On the path of magic, even the starting point was reserved for one in ten thousand.

Only when a girl lasted a considerable time in the magic array did a trace of satisfaction cross the old man's eyes. "Spiritual Force, eight times that of her peers, meeting the minimum requirement. Mid-grade elemental affinity. She can become a mage!" The girl's father cried out in excitement, and a priest then led him toward the recruitment desks of the various magic academies at the rear. She was the first successful candidate since testing began.

The line slowly advanced. Finally-

"Next."

Linley took a deep breath, stepped forward, and calmly pressed his right hand against the crystal ball.

In an instant!

It was like a small sun suddenly erupting! The entire crystal ball blazed with dazzling light. Earthen yellow and cyan shone together in a brilliant display, with a few faint threads of fiery red interspersed among them. The intense light made those nearby involuntarily narrow their eyes.

The entire hall instantly fell so silent that a pin dropping could have been heard.

The balding old man's hand trembled. He drew a deep breath, his voice quivering slightly with excitement.

"Elemental affinity, Earth Element and Wind Element—supreme grade! Fire Element, mid-grade!"

"Supreme grade? And in two elements?!"

"Whose child is this...?"

"God of Light above..."

Cries of astonishment, sharp intakes of breath, and incredulous murmurs erupted like a surging tide. The reserve and quiet maintained earlier vanished completely. Supreme-grade elemental affinity was already exceedingly rare, and supreme-grade affinity in two elements was unheard of! This meant that Linley would refine magical power far more efficiently than ordinary people in the future.

The balding old man's attitude changed completely, his tone taking on a rare note of respect. "Please step into the magic array." He had even used the word "please."

Linley entered the magic array. The pressure of the "Intimidation" spell descended like an invisible mountain. Compared with the black dragon's overwhelming presence he had once experienced in Wushan Town, however, this pressure seemed much gentler. He stood steadily within it, his expression calm.

Time passed. The pressure continued to rise, and Linley's breathing gradually grew heavier. Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, but his body remained upright. When the pressure reached a critical point, he finally could endure no longer and dropped to one knee, bracing both hands against the ground.

The magic array's light went out.

His face flushed with excitement, the balding old man announced loudly, "Spiritual Force, eighteen times that of his peers! Rating: high-grade!"

Supreme-grade affinity in two elements, and high-grade Spiritual Force!

"Linley, the Violet Kite Magic Academy sincerely invites you..."

"Linley, the Fenlai Royal Magic Academy is willing to offer you a full scholarship and..."

"We..."

At the recruitment desks in the rear, representatives from almost every academy stood up, scrambling to offer generous terms. For a moment, the scene became somewhat chaotic.

Just then, a calm yet clear voice cut through the clamor and rang throughout the hall.

"Linley, we at the Ernst Institute sincerely invite you to become one of our students."

The entire hall instantly fell silent again. Every gaze turned toward the source of the voice-a refined middle-aged man in a simple white robe. Merely standing there, he possessed a composed bearing that inspired confidence.

The Ernst Institute! The foremost magic academy on the Yulan Continent! Each year, it admitted barely a hundred students across the Holy Union! Every person selected was either a genius or someone wealthy or noble.

Hillman rushed excitedly to Linley's side, his hands trembling slightly. Linley's heart surged, but he struggled to maintain a calm exterior. He knew this was not merely a ticket to the pinnacle of magic, but also the hope of his family's revival.

"Sir, I would be honored to become a student of the Ernst Institute." Linley bowed respectfully, his voice clear.

A trace of approval flashed in the white-robed middle-aged man's eyes. Smiling, he nodded and took out a red admission letter that had already been prepared. "Classes will not begin until after the New Year. I look forward to seeing you at the institute next February."

Taking the weighty red letter, Linley stepped aside with Hillman, a great weight lifted from his heart as wild joy surged within him. But he did not leave immediately. His gaze turned toward the line-Loa was still there.

Soon, it was Loa's turn.

He placed his palm over the crystal ball.

"Humm-!"

Light erupted again, in no way inferior to that of Linley's test and even purer and more dazzling! Cyan and violet radiance intertwined and rose, as brilliant as a dreamlike river of stars, instantly engulfing the crystal ball itself!

"A-again? Supreme grade again?!"

"Two elements! Wind Element and... lightning?!"

"What kind of day is this?!"

The entire hall erupted, even more stirred than before! Two prodigies with supreme-grade affinity in two elements appearing one after another? The odds were even slimmer than those of a miracle descending upon them!

Even the wrinkles on the balding old man's face smoothed with his intense excitement, and his voice tightened. "Elemental affinity, Wind Element and lightning—supreme grade!" His fervent gaze turned toward Loa, his tone gentler than ever. "Please enter the magic array to test your Spiritual Force!"

To everyone's surprise, Loa withdrew his hand, took half a step back, and cupped his hands in salute to the old man. "Thank you, sir. But I will not be testing my Spiritual Force. This is not the path I aspire to follow. I came today only to learn about my elemental affinities."

The old man froze, thinking he had misheard. "You will not test it? Child, do you know what this means? With your talent, as long as your Spiritual Force meets the requirement, admission to the Ernst Institute is practically certain! The path of magic offers boundless prospects and may not conflict with whatever other path you pursue. Why not..."

Loa shook his head, his eyes calm and firm. "Thank you for your kindness. But a person's energy is limited, and the value of a path lies in focused, pure dedication. Magic is not what my heart seeks. The warrior's path is where I belong."

"Pure..." the old man repeated under his breath. Looking into the boy's eyes, far too composed for an eleven-year-old, he was shaken. He had seen countless youths rejoice wildly over their talents or weep bitterly over their rejection, but never had he seen someone so clearheadedly abandon the highest starting point, one within easy reach that countless people dreamed of.

"What is your name?"

"Loa."

"...Loa. Good, I will remember that name. I hope that in the future, I will hear of your renown at greater heights."

"I will not disappoint you."

The old man had not expected that the next time he heard that name would be when Loa and Linley fought their way into the Radiant Church's headquarters.

During their brief exchange, the entire hall had shifted from shock to a confused uproar over why the testing was not continuing.

Loa said no more. He nodded to the old man, then turned and walked quickly toward Linley and Hillman, saying quietly, "Let's go."

Before everyone had fully recovered, the three swiftly passed through the crowd and left the testing hall, leaving all the astonishment, regret, and clamor behind them.

When the representatives came to their senses and could find no trace of Loa, they hurriedly asked the balding old man why he had not continued the test. Whatever the old man told them, every representative wore an expression of regret.

Outside the cathedral, the autumn sunshine was just right.

Linley still found it hard to understand and deeply regrettable. "Loa, why? Supreme-grade affinity in two elements! You clearly could have..."

Loa patted his shoulder, his smile easy and untroubled. "Linley, you have your road, and I have my bridge. Magic is your sea of stars, while my battlefield lies wherever the blade in my hand points. We have simply chosen different peaks to climb, but in the end, we will both stand at our own heights. Congratulations, truly."

Looking at the unwavering resolve in his friend's eyes, without a trace of uncertainty, Linley let all his words turn into a soft sigh and firmly clasped Loa's hand. Hillman watched Loa with a complicated look, but in the end, he merely gave his arm a heavy pat. Everything went unspoken.

Eager to return home, Linley and Hillman needed to get back to Wushan Town as soon as possible to tell Hogg the tremendous news. Loa escorted them to the city gates.

"See you in the Royal Capital next year!" Linley called back from his horse.

"Absolutely. Take care!" Standing beneath the city gate, Loa waved goodbye.

After watching their figures disappear at the end of the main road, Loa turned and looked toward the depths of Fenlai City.

He held no red letter in his hands, but carried an unprecedentedly clear understanding of his own path.

Supreme-grade affinity in wind and lightning... perhaps, in the future, this would bring unexpected changes to my Weapon Combat Battle-qi?

He smiled and strode forward, his figure disappearing once more into the bustle of the city.

His trials had never lain within that crystal ball or magic array, but in every bout of hammering and quenching, in every battle to the death, and along that self-discovered path of "weapon combat," full of unknowns and possibilities.

The autumn wind swept past, stirring fallen leaves and carrying away a legendary day destined to enter the academies' history. Meanwhile, new stories were already quietly taking shape in different corners.