Jiang Jie's heart was heavy.
Two mountains weighed down on him.
First, in a few months, Arthas would become a Death Knight and lead the Undead Scourge to destroy Lordaeron. When that happened, virtually no one who remained in Lordaeron would have any chance of survival;
Second, a noble of Lordaeron, and even the vast Cult of the Damned, wanted him dead!
Arthas becoming a Death Knight would directly expose the entire world to the threat of the Undead Scourge. Nowhere would be safe. Besides, the fires of war raged throughout Azeroth, with fighting everywhere. Anyone without strength would struggle to survive.
So leaving Lordaeron before he had gained a certain level of strength was unrealistic-he could not forget that the noble might already have sent people to watch him, ready to kill him at any moment!
Arthas had already left for Hearthglen, and Jaina had gone with him. There was no one to protect Jiang Jie, and his current situation was extremely dangerous!
Gaining the strength to control his own fate would take time, even with the gaming pod and the cultivation-assistance game system. Right now, he had to find another way to stay alive!
As long as he gained a certain amount of social standing and personal strength, he could spend a few more peaceful months in Lordaeron, then leave before Arthas returned to destroy the kingdom.
Jiang Jie quickly asked the royal guards on patrol, then made his way to the trial grounds.
This world had commoners and nobles, but in terms of personal strength, people were essentially divided into five tiers:
Ordinary people, ordinary martial practitioners who knew some combat techniques, class holders who had learned to wield various energies and possessed skills, legendary powerhouses of whom there were only a handful in all of Lordaeron, and gods who existed only in legends.
Although ordinary class holders ranked below nobles, they still possessed a certain amount of social standing. Even a baron of noble birth would not dare openly move against a class holder without considering the consequences-
Yes, if you were not even a class holder, they really would dare do it openly. So what if they simply killed you?
This was a world ruled by nobles!
A world where commoners were treated like dogs!
The first day of every month was the class qualification trial day in Lordaeron, and today was the first.
The trial grounds stood not far from the great hall of Lordaeron's royal palace, as a sign of respect for class holders.
"Huh, isn't that the boy Prince Arthas rescued, the one who survived that disaster?"
"I heard he contracted the plague, but actually survived. Why is he running around instead of recuperating in bed?"
"Don't tell me he's here for the qualification trials too? He wants to become a class holder? He's so weak right now. Surely he can't pass the Warrior trial?"
"Look how skinny and frail he is. Maybe he could become a rogue! Or perhaps his faith is strong enough for some Priest to take a liking to him and make him a novice Priest?"
"I think he'll take the mage trial. Mages have the lowest physical requirements, don't they?"
Discussion buzzed all around.
Jiang Jie arrived at the trial grounds and took a look. Without question, the Warrior trial had the most participants, all broad-shouldered and thick-waisted. The preliminary test actually required them to carry a millstone-sized boulder ten meters away. Was this really the damn entrance trial for Warrior apprentices?
What left Jiang Jie even more speechless was that the candidates thought nothing of it. Every one of them strode along effortlessly with a boulder in their arms. It made him wonder whether this really was the World of Warcraft he knew from the game.
Wasn't something wrong here?
Far fewer people participated in the hunter and rogue trials, because the requirements were higher. Hitting a willow leaf from a hundred paces was already an incredible feat on Earth, yet here it was merely the entrance requirement for the hunter trial? And what were those rogues doing? Demonstrating how to run on water? Did it have to be this ridiculous?
There were even fewer candidates for the Paladin and Priest trials, because those involved faith and sensitivity to the Holy Light. A fully qualified Priest simply stood in front of you and sensed it. If he thought you lacked aptitude, then you lacked aptitude. Object? Sorry, a fully qualified Priest's standing rivaled that of nobles and mage lords,
You couldn't afford to cross him! What left Jiang Jie even more speechless was that the number of mage candidates was actually second only to the Warriors!
There was no helping it. Not all class holders were equal. Mage lords enjoyed far higher standing than Warriors, hunters, and rogues, and the very name sounded impressive. Hardly anyone did not want to become a mage. Those who had not come to take the trial were not unwilling; they had already been tested and found to have no talent!
Yes, talent.
Becoming a mage came with requirements for intelligence, mental strength, and even personality. They simply gave you a crystal ball containing a sealed spell of the lowest level and had you touch it. First, you had to sense the spell model inside the crystal ball. Then you had to successfully sense arcane energy. Finally, you had to guide that arcane energy with your mental strength, completing the spell model bit by bit, before you could successfully cast the spell and pass the trial.
Virtually no one succeeded on their first attempt. Who knew how many times those who succeeded had practiced at home!
At any rate, Jiang Jie watched for quite a while. At least forty or fifty people tried, and not a single one succeeded!
"Make way, make way! Baron Soroson has brought Young Master Dudley to take the trial! Get out of the way, you damned commoners!"
A carriage raced down the street. Several guards in full armor drove people aside with longswords in hand, while the coachman's whip occasionally landed on commoners or slaves who failed to move in time. The speed and force of that swinging whip...
Actually sent a burly Warrior candidate flying!
"It's Baron Soroson of the Dursley Family! He's the commander of Lordaeron's security forces! Get out of the way! Otherwise, no one will care even if they beat us to death!"
The carriage soon came to a steady stop in front of the mage recruitment station. A nobleman in his thirties stepped out, holding the hand of a boy of fifteen or sixteen.
The boy held his head high, his nose in the air. With his rather long neck and spotless white noble attire, he looked just like an arrogant white goose.
As for that baron named Soroson...
Jiang Jie's eyes narrowed, and he instantly wanted to turn and leave!
Because Baron Soroson was actually the noble who had spread the plague in Andorhal and killed him!
Jiang Jie instantly felt an immense weight pressing down on him and hurriedly turned away.
Just then, he heard an utterly arrogant voice. "You, slave! Get over here!"
Jiang Jie had no choice but to turn back, because a guard had instantly rushed in front of him. His cold, merciless poker face plainly said: Get back there!
Trouble!
Jiang Jie could only turn back, where he saw Baron Soroson's face, filled with surprise and mockery.
"Slave, what's your name?" Baron Soroson touched the sword at his waist and walked up to Jiang Jie, looking down on him like a superior regarding a slave.
There was no avoiding this!
Jiang Jie drew a deep breath, then let it out. He looked up at Baron Soroson, neither servile nor overbearing. "My name is Nicholas Jiang! Also, I am not a slave. I am a commoner from Andorhal!"
Baron Soroson snorted and said disdainfully, "A commoner? No different from a slave in my eyes! Enough. My son is about to become a mage apprentice, and he needs to recruit a few followers. You look decent enough. From now on, you'll follow Dudley."