"If it weren't for the magical energy, I wouldn't have bothered coming out."
Long Zhanye's voice rang out in Lu Ling's mind, a clear female voice. Indeed, this imposing, domineering white dragon even had an utterly wild name!
A dragon battling in the wilds-Long Zhanye!
It was hard to imagine that this was actually a female dragon...
"Don't worry, don't worry. I've got all the magical energy you need," Lu Ling said with a placating smile.
"Hmph!" Long Zhanye patted her claws together and gave a petulant snort.
"...Is this a lesser dragon, Lu Ling?" a teacher asked, his voice trembling. He actually had another answer in mind, but he simply dared not believe it.
How could anyone possibly command such a being!? Even the internationally renowned dragon-taming clans had never managed to fully tame lesser dragons!
Dean Xiao, who sat in the middle of the examiners, rose to his feet and said in a steady voice:
"From what I can sense, its aura is so powerful that it seems to have already reached Warrior Level, and its size rivals certain Commander Level Demon Beasts. I think... this must be more than a mere lesser dragon, wouldn't you say, Lu Ling?"
"That's right. She's a Heavenly Star White Dragon, a true dragon." At first, Lu Ling had also thought Long Zhanye was merely a lesser dragon with a relatively pure bloodline... Who could have imagined...
He had no idea what kind of luck had allowed him to form a contract with her.
"Pureblood?" Dean Xiao looked up and sighed in wonder. "You're the first person on record to have formed a contract with a pureblood dragon!"
Before this, someone else had also shared a close relationship with pureblood dragons, but they had never formed a contract.
The Holy Son, Wen Tai...
Dean Xiao recalled the execution that had shaken the world more than ten years ago.
Unfortunately, this world was not as pure as magic. There were many things they wished to change but could do nothing about.
"Both your Fire Element and Summoning System are at the Intermediate Level. Since you applied for the Summoning System, you'll enter the Summoning College."
"Thank you."
"Dean Xiao, there are actually a few more things I'd like to discuss with you in detail."
A short while later, Lu Ling and Dean Xiao appeared in the latter's office.
"What would you like to discuss?"
"I'd like to cultivate in the Three-Step Tower."
"It seems you did your homework before choosing our Pearl Academy." Hearing Lu Ling's frank words, Dean Xiao stroked his beard with a smile.
"But you should understand that the cultivation slots for the Three-Step Tower are strictly controlled each month. They can't be handed out casually. Only the top students in the Main Campus have a chance to cultivate there."
Whether they came from ordinary families or magical clans, Pearl Academy treated everyone equally. As such, cultivation slots for the Three-Step Tower had never been sold. Instead, students were left to compete for them themselves.
Resources favored the strong. The stronger one was, the more resources one received.
"I understand. But I've heard that our academy's educational mission is to nurture mages capable of changing the world. Sometimes, breaking convention for someone with extraordinary talent wouldn't hurt," Lu Ling said with a smile.
At the same time, he slowly traced a Space Element Star Map. Deep silver light twisted the space around him. And he did not stop there; he continued his demonstration. After the Space Element came the Chaos Element.
"Hmm?"
Dean Xiao's gaze sharpened. With a casual wave of his hand, a powerful spatial ripple swept through the entire room. Beneath that spatial haze, the whole office seemed to gradually become reinforced with a firmly secured shackle.
"The Space Element, Chaos Element, Summoning System... and your mental strength is actually at the fifth realm!"
To have mastered so many elements at seventeen-could this boy actually be a Super Level mage?
Impossible... Dean Xiao carefully sensed the energy within Lu Ling. It was vast, but it had not exceeded the scope of a nebula. He was still a genuine Intermediate Mage.
"Lu Ling, do you know about Calamity Bringers?" Dean Xiao asked gravely, his expression serious.
"Yes. Someone suspected me before, but after observing me for a long time, they found nothing unusual. I've cultivated for years without ever affecting the environment. My Magic Awakening just caused a rather big commotion, that's all." Lu Ling had his explanation ready.
"It seems someone discovered you first... Still, your current mental strength already rivals a Soul Seed, and you've awakened so many branches of the Dimensional Element. It's very easy for me to associate that with a dimensional calamity."
"Don't worry, I'm very stable. Also, this is my innate talent. I awaken just a tiny billion more elements than other people."
"Is that why you need the Three-Step Tower?"
"Yes, Dean Xiao."
With so many elements, cultivating several at once certainly could not be done by following an ordinary person's routine. It required resources-an enormous amount of resources.
"I understand. To have cultivated three elements to the Intermediate Level without other resources, you truly are extraordinarily gifted. But you've only just arrived. I can't give you a slot in the Three-Step Tower outright," Dean Xiao said.
Pearl Academy was not currently a place where Dean Xiao's word alone ruled. Without revealing Lu Ling's talent, he could not casually arrange for him to cultivate in the Three-Step Tower.
"I understand. But I heard there's a special event exclusively for the Summoning System at the freshman assembly. If I defeat everyone from all the other departments in the Beast Fighting Competition... then all the departments' resources should rightfully go to me alone!" Lu Ling said.
"Well... where on earth did you hear about that rule? It's practically died out at Pearl Academy," Dean Xiao said with an involuntary laugh.
Lu Ling's words once again drew him into his memories. He had indeed established this rule, but even at Pearl Academy, no incoming Summoning System class had ever met that standard.
"If you really can do it, I'll try to secure half a month of cultivation time for you then. And you won't need to defeat every freshman in the academy. You only need to hold off two hundred."
"Good! I'll definitely do it. There's no difference between two hundred people and all the freshmen." Lu Ling gave an easy smile, as though victory was already in his grasp.
The Heavenly Star White Dragon's combat strength was at least that of a Great General. Even the Main Campus's Summoning System mages or the high-ranking mages on the other rankings might not be her match. Holding off these freshmen, who were like newborn babies, could hardly be easier!
"Here, take this."
Dean Xiao took a necklace from his desk drawer and gently pushed it toward Lu Ling.
"This is..."
"A mind-steadying magic artifact. A personal gift from me." Lu Ling was surprised. He had not expected Dean Xiao to be so generous.
This was clearly their first meeting, yet he was willing to give away such a valuable magic artifact. An artifact capable of blocking one mental attack was no small asset in actual combat.
Although he had the Psychic Element himself, how could someone who constantly walked by the river never get their shoes wet? An extra layer of protection could never hurt.
"Thank you, Dean Xiao! If you ever need my help, I certainly won't refuse."
"Heh, the magic college entrance exams haven't even started yet. The freshman assembly is in two months. Just focus on cultivating until then." Dean Xiao waved a hand.
"Dean Xiao, actually... there's one more little favor I'd like to ask!"
"What else?" Dean Xiao raised an eyebrow, not having expected there to be more.
He had just accepted a gift from him, and now he wanted a favor on top of that. This boy's skin was thicker than thick.
"Do you know Old Man Bao from the Azure Sky Hunter Agency?"