Supreme Talent in Three Elements

Fenlai City was one of the most prosperous cities on the Yulan Continent.

Its towering walls were built from enormous bluish-gray stones and stood a full thirty meters high.

People thronged the city gates, with caravans and travelers jostling shoulder to shoulder.

Nobles in splendid robes rode past with their noses in the air, followed by deferential servants.

Street vendors shouted their wares, and the aroma of roasted meat mingled with the scent of spices in the air.

Haoyue sat in a shabby carriage, peering through a gap at everything outside, his eyes full of curiosity.

This was Fenlai City.

It was the seat of the Radiant Church and the center of its faith on the Yulan Continent.

It was also home to the best magic academy on the entire continent-the Ernst Institute.

"Child," Martha's voice sounded beside him, "don't be nervous when we get to the testing hall. Mommy knows you can do it."

Haoyue turned to meet his mother's bloodshot eyes.

Over the past few days, Martha had sold everything she could to scrape together the fare to Fenlai City and the testing fee, and had borrowed quite a bit from their neighbors. Before they left, she had even pawned the family's old house for over fifty gold coins.

For their impoverished family, over fifty gold coins was an enormous sum.

But it might only just cover the magic test and the cost of living in Fenlai City.

"Mom," Haoyue said softly, "don't worry."

Martha looked at his young face, her heart filled with both comfort and sorrow.

After her husband died, she had sworn to raise their son. No matter how hard things got, she would see him make something of himself.

Testing his magical aptitude was the only way forward she could think of.

If Haoyue had any magical aptitude, even a little, she would sell everything she owned to send him to school. If he didn't...

Martha didn't dare think any further.

The carriage stopped outside the testing hall.

It was an imposing white building, with the Magus Guild's emblem hanging above the entrance-a snake coiled around a scepter, with two rubies set in its eyes.

Haoyue helped his mother down from the carriage and took a deep breath as he looked at the building before him.

It had come. The moment that would truly decide his fate had arrived.

Inside the testing hall, people crowded together.

As one of the most authoritative magic testing institutions on the Yulan Continent, the Fenlai Branch's testing hall received nearly a thousand boys and girls who came to be tested at this time every year.

At the center of the testing area was a circle about ten meters across. Inside it stood the testing tools: a crystal-clear crystal ball and a hexagonal magic array etched with intricate patterns.

"First," an elderly man with thinning hair said expressionlessly, pointing at the crystal ball, "put your hand on the crystal ball. We'll test your elemental affinity first."

Haoyue stood in line, watching the children ahead of him step onto the testing platform one after another, then come back down.

Some looked delighted, clearly having shown good aptitude.

Others were dejected, their aptitude too ordinary for them to become mages.

Some even burst into tears on the spot and were hurried away by their parents.

"Next!"

Hearing the tester's voice, Haoyue looked up and found that no one was left in front of him.

"Haoyue Bolei?" The tester flipped through the list.

Martha gave Haoyue's hand a nervous squeeze and pushed him toward the testing platform.

Haoyue walked onto the platform alone and looked at the crystal ball floating in the air before him.

"Put your hand on it," said the tester, a middle-aged man in a grayish-white robe. His face was expressionless. "Then relax. Don't be nervous."

Haoyue took a deep breath, stepped forward, and placed his hand on the crystal ball.

In an instant, the crystal ball blazed like a burning sun, suddenly erupting with dazzling light. Blue, red, and brown lit up at once, the three lights intertwining in a brilliant display.

The glare made everyone nearby squint involuntarily, and the entire hall was lit up.

"This... this is..."

The old man's eyes widened. With trembling hands, he checked the record sheet he held, where the information clearly stated: eight years old.

"Age eight. Elemental affinity: Water Element, supreme; Fire Element, supreme; Earth Element, supreme!"

Before he had finished speaking, the entire hall erupted. Supreme talent in three elements was a gift rarely seen on the continent even once in a century.

The old man swallowed, forced down his shock, and pointed to the hexagonal magic array nearby. "Now enter the magic array to test your spiritual power. Stand straight. Don't kneel or fall, and hold out for as long as you can."

Haoyue walked into the magic array and stood still.

A white light suddenly emerged from the old man and poured into the magic array-Light Element magic, Intimidation!

In an instant, a vast wave of spiritual pressure bore down on Haoyue.

The boy gritted his teeth and held on. The foreign spiritual pressure seemed capable of crushing a person, and countless test subjects had fallen within a few breaths.

As time passed, the magic array shone brighter and brighter, and the Intimidation grew stronger. Everyone in the hall held their breath.

Haoyue struggled to hold on. He knew that the longer he lasted, the stronger his spiritual power would be shown to be, and the greater his talent. Only then could he receive better treatment.

But after a while, he really couldn't withstand it anymore. He dropped to one knee, bracing both hands against the ground.

The old man then announced, "Spiritual power: nineteen times that of his peers. High-grade spiritual power."

In the assessment of spiritual power, thirty times that of one's peers qualified as supreme, while anything above fifteen times qualified as high-grade.

The hall fell deathly silent for a moment, then erupted in a deafening uproar.

"Heavens, supreme in three elements! His spiritual power is high-grade too."

"Whose child is this? The Bolei Family? How come I've never heard of them?"

"This is crazy, absolutely crazy! I-I've worked here for thirty years, and I've never seen anything like this!"

A staff member plopped down on the floor, sweat covering his head, his hands shaking too badly to hold his pen.

The surrounding crowd surged forward frantically, surrounding the testing platform so tightly that not even a drop of water could have gotten through.

"This child is a genius! An unparalleled genius!"

"I'm a teacher from Weilin Magic Academy. This child must come to our academy!"

"Get lost! I'm from Josephine Magic Academy. We're taking this child, and we'll waive all his tuition and accommodation fees!"

"Make way, make way! I'm from Land Magic Academy. Besides waiving tuition and accommodation, we'll give him a scholarship of a hundred gold coins every year!"

For a time, the situation spiraled out of control.

Haoyue stood on the testing platform, looking at the red-eyed "teachers" below, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly.

Was this the power of supreme talent in three elements?

Martha, standing behind him, was completely stunned.

Her mouth hung open and tears streamed silently down her face, but she couldn't say a word.

Nineteen times the spiritual power.

Supreme talent in three elements.

She didn't understand what those numbers meant. All she knew was-

Her son had to be a genius! There was hope for the family's revival.

Haoyue turned around and met his mother's tear-filled eyes.

He nodded gently.

Martha finally couldn't hold back any longer. She covered her face and burst into tears.

The crowd had been in an uproar for quite a while when a calm voice suddenly came from the edge of the crowd:

"Please make way."

A middle-aged man in a gray robe passed through the crowd and stepped onto the testing platform. A badge was pinned to his chest, engraved with an open magic book and six stars floating above its pages-the emblem of the Ernst Institute.

Someone recognized him and cried out, "He's from the Ernst Institute!"

Ignoring the commotion around him, the gray-robed man walked straight up to Haoyue.

"Child, I'm Rex, an admissions instructor from the Ernst Institute." He paused. "Your talent is the most outstanding I've seen in nearly thirty years."

He took out a red envelope embossed with gold and held it out to Haoyue.

The Ernst Institute was the continent's foremost magic academy. Each year, it admitted only one hundred students from the entire Yulan Continent. After graduation, even the most ordinary student could be granted the title of earl in a kingdom.

He looked Haoyue straight in the eye.

"On behalf of the institute, I formally invite you to join us."

Haoyue accepted the envelope without hesitation.

"I accept."

Rex was briefly taken aback, then smiled and patted Haoyue on the shoulder. "Good! In three months, bring this letter and report to the institute outside Fenlai City. Someone will be there to receive you. I'll report your identity to the institute right away. When the time comes, just bring proof of identity and take the test again."

He turned and nodded slightly to Martha, who was still in a daze. "Madam, congratulations. Your son's future is boundless."

With that, the gray-robed man turned and left, his figure soon disappearing into the crowd.

The teachers around them exchanged looks. They wanted to keep competing for him, but none dared challenge the Ernst Institute.

That was the Ernst Institute-the best magic academy on the entire continent. Although the Yulan Empire's Yulan Magic Academy had the High Priest behind it, when it came to teaching, the Ernst Institute was still the one to look to.

Holding the gold-embossed envelope, Haoyue said to his mother beside him, "Let's go."

He took Martha's hand, pushed through the crowd, and headed for the door without looking back.

Behind them, the discussion continued all around:

"That child has reached the heavens in a single step."

"With supreme talent in three elements, it would be strange if he didn't go to the Ernst Institute."

"The Bolei Family... remember that surname. I'm afraid it's bound to become very famous."

Haoyue kept walking, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.