《Global Superpower: Getting Stronger through Reading》 Chapter 1 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios In 2023, on the Aquamarine Planet. The blood-red setting sun shone on Orlando City, and strange colors were reflected by the colorful glass. There was a dilapidated college at the end of the dirty Meteor Street. There was a crooked plaque hanging on the entrance of the college. It was Sorcha College! [In the future, we will eventually become Hunters!] [We will protect Orlando from the attacks of the monsters!] [The Class Awakening will take place today!] In the classroom, Lin Bai looked at the promotional slogans around him with a blank expression. He¡­ Where had he transmigrated to? What was a Hunter? What was the Class Awakening? There were also¡­ monsters? There was too much information. He had to sort this out first¡­ Right at this moment, countless unfamiliar and familiar memories appeared in his mind. Then, Lin Bai understood everything. He had transmigrated to a parallel universe. It was a planet that was recovering from its magical era! Danger lurked everywhere in this world. Countless magical beasts and precious beasts emerged from the underground, forming demon realms and mystic realms. However, there were also unlimited opportunities in this crisis. Meanwhile, most ordinary people called the people who hunted for these opportunities¡­ Hunters! A Hunter was not so much a profession as a general term for a privileged group. Amongst these people were martial artists, swordsmen, archers, medics, mages, summoners, and others who had special abilities. Everyone had a dream from the moment they were born ¡ª to become a true Hunter! After all, Hunters were the most respected group in this world. Not only could they obtain a considerable amount of gold coins at the Adventurer¡¯s Guild every month, they also had privileges that ordinary people could never reach. After seeing the words ¡°we will definitely become Hunters!¡±, Lin Bai could not help but curse in his heart. It had been 30 years since a Hunter appeared in this school that he was in. In fact, no one had even come close! Just the thought of becoming a Hunter was not enough. This was just like back on Earth, where everyone wanted to become the richest person in the world. However, only one person could be the richest! It was well-known that Sorcha College was ranked last place in the whole of Orlando City. Only the students with the worst college entrance exam results in Orlando were worthy of coming to this college. After counting the results of the last test, Lin Bai was almost in despair! Meanwhile, when anyone from the neighboring Tos Academy stood in front of the Awakening Stone, they would be a Warrior or a Swordsman! At the very least, they would be a Strong Man! Even though the Strong Man was an existence that was like a laborer among the Hunters, at least they were a Hunter! As for Sorcha College¡­ Forget it. He couldn¡¯t continue looking at it! ¡°Everyone, calm down!¡± Professor Cage pushed his glasses and knocked on the blackboard. The few boys who were discussing monsters finally quietened down. ¡°The Awakening is imminent. Have you remembered the things you have to take note of? Whether you succeed or fail in the future will depend on today!¡± ¡°Lin Bai!¡± As the professor roared, a piece of chalk accurately smashed into Lin Bai, who was in a daze. That was right, it smashed into Lin Bai! This feeling was as if someone had thrown a pebble at Lin Bai and hit him in the head. Damn it! What a waste of his strength as a teacher! Ten thousand curses flashed through Lin Bai¡¯s heart. However, he rubbed the huge bump on his forehead and dismissed all his thoughts. ¡°You¡¯re still slacking at a time like this. Do you want to be Chefs and Cleaners for life?¡± Professor Cage paced back and forth on the podium with his hands behind his back. Then, he pointed at the students below the stage and said, ¡°I know that this is the worst university in Orlando. Furthermore, you guys are in the worst class in this school!¡± ¡°Although there¡¯s still less than five minutes before the Awakening that will decide the direction of your life, starting to prepare at the last moment will be beneficial! At the very least, you can become Truck Drivers!¡± Damn! There were only five minutes left. Starting to prepare at the last minute? Even an 80-year-old bachelor would not have such speed! Thus, Lin Bai rolled his eyes. Just as the professor was speaking, a bell suddenly sounded. Clang! Clang! Clang! The professor looked at his watch and pointed to the door. ¡°Everyone, gather at the field. Prepare to go to the Awakening Stone and welcome your future!¡± Damn it! Were the last five minutes that he had mentioned taken up by his speech just like that?! Lin Bai helplessly followed the other students in the class to the school field and prepared for the Awakening. A boy who was favored by the school walked towards the Awakening Stone and waited for his fate with his eyes closed. Ding! A crisp sound was produced as a row of large words lit up on the display panel beside him. [D-Grade Class: Repairman!] The surrounding people immediately sighed. As more and more D-Class Classes appeared, the sighs grew louder. It was not until a girl in a white T-shirt with exquisite facial features and an impressive figure stood before the Awakening Stone that everyone stopped sighing. She was like a goddess that had been frozen in an iceberg for a thousand years. [SS-Grade Class: Assassin!] The appearance of an SS-Grade Class immediately caused an uproar. All the teachers and students of Sorcha College almost instantly surrounded the cold beauty. ¡°Su Ya, you¡­ you¡¯ve surprised us too much! Our¡­ our school has finally produced someone of the SS-Grade Class!¡± The principal wiped the tears from his eyes and spoke emotionally. ¡°Su Ya¡­¡± ¡°Stay away from me!¡± The girl¡¯s cold eyes swept across everyone¡¯s faces. Then, two terrifying and cold gazes shot out from her eyes, instantly scaring everyone away. Glancing at the excited crowd, Lin Bai sighed silently. He ignored the crowd and walked onto the Awakening Stone alone. Du! What was this sound? Was this thing broken?! Lin Bai cursed silently. However, when he turned to look at the display, his heart almost jumped out of his chest. [SSS-Grade Class: Reader!] Reader? What Class was this? Why was it an SSS-Grade Class? Lin Bai was confused. Just as he was about to turn around and ask Professor Cage about this, he turned around and saw Professor Cage smiling at Su Ya. Forget it. He couldn¡¯t be bothered to ask¡­ Lin Bai spread his hands. He felt that it was useless to ask such a professor. Thus, he silently hid the information from the Awakening Stone. He was about to go to the library to see if he could find information about the Reader Class. At this moment, Professor Cage walked over with a long face. ¡°Lin Bai, what Class have you awakened?¡± ¡°The Reader Class.¡± Cage immediately had a headache. ¡°Lin Bai! I told you to work hard! Look! The Reader Class? What kind of Class is this? It¡¯s worse than a cleaner! Tell me, is it worthy of the college¡¯s nurturing over the past year? Is it¡­ is it worthy of yourself?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go to the Hunter Elementary Test. Stay here until you graduate, lest you lose your life!¡± Upon hearing this, Lin Bai was immediately unhappy. What gave Professor Cage the right to say so! He was of the SSS-Grade Class! Chapter 2 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The Hunter Elementary Test was compulsory to become a qualified hunter. As long as one was studying at a university, they were qualified to sign up, regardless of their grades. However, if he could not pass the Hunter Elementary Test before graduation, he could only become an ordinary person. ¡°Professor, everyone can participate in the Hunter Elementary Test after their Awakening, so why can¡¯t I?¡± Lin Bai retorted rather gloomily. Professor Cage sighed helplessly and said, ¡°Lin Bai, I can understand how you feel. However, even the danger at the Elementary Test is beyond your imagination. I can¡¯t watch you die!¡± Even if Lin Bai was his worst student that no one else could compare to, as a professor, he could not watch helplessly as Lin Bai went to die in the Hunter training field! ¡°I haven¡¯t gone yet. How do you know that I¡¯ll definitely die?!¡± Lin Bai cursed silently. However, he still nodded and responded to Professor Cage. Even then, he was thinking about whether he should check the library to see if there were any records about the Reader Class. ¡°In the Hunter Elementary Test, not only do you have to face the attacks of giant magical beasts that are three to four meters tall, but you also have to face the attacks of participants from other colleges. Your Class¡­ really doesn¡¯t have much offensive power. Joining the Hunter Elementary Test will only cost you your life!¡± Professor Cage saw Lin Bai¡¯s blank expression and couldn¡¯t help but shake his head and sigh. Seeing that his student was hopefully apathetic, as a professor, Cage felt even worse. ¡°Lin Bai, actually other than becoming a Hunter, the lives of ordinary people are also filled with joy¡­¡± Lin Bai glanced at Professor Cage, who was still talking non-stop, and said rather impatiently, ¡°Professor, I appreciate your kindness. Um, I have something urgent to attend to. I¡¯ll get going first!¡± Then, he abandoned Professor Cage, who was confused, and ran to the library. Experience from his previous life told Lin Bai that if he were to reply to Professor Cage while Professor Cage was nagging, there would be no end to it. Only by slipping away could he escape this disaster! Seeing Lin Bai suddenly turn around and run, Professor Cage¡¯s heart skipped a beat. A few years ago, a student like Lin Bai had chosen to commit suicide because he couldn¡¯t withstand this heavy blow! Could it be that Lin Bai wanted to kill himself too? ¡°Lin Bai! Stop right there!¡± Professor Cage shouted and quickly followed after him. Sensing that Professor Cage was getting closer and closer, Lin Bai simply sped up and left Professor Cage a distance away. ¡°Lin Bai! Listen to me. A person only has one life. Don¡¯t do anything stupid!¡± Professor Cage shouted at Lin Bai as he chased after him. Professor Cage¡¯s shout attracted the attention of Su Ya, who was surrounded by the crowd. She glanced at Lin Bai and pondered for a moment. Then, she pushed away the surrounding crowd and gave Professor Cage a sly smile. ¡°Professor, I¡¯ll help you get him back!¡± Then, she chased after Lin Bai. ¡°Su Ya, you¡­¡± Professor Cage raised his hand and was about to call Su Ya, the new star of the college, back. However, in the blink of an eye, the two of them disappeared from his sight. Professor Cage shook his head helplessly and walked back to the field to continue arranging for the Awakening of the remaining students. What if¡­ another genius like Su Ya appeared? ¡­ Lin Bai arrived in front of the library of Sorcha College. A white statue stood out from the two-story building behind it, which was wrapped in creepers and had mottled walls. Logically speaking, there had not been a single Hunter in the last-place universities like Sorcha College over the past few decades. Thus, the school was even more cash-strapped and could not even provide the funds to repair the library. However, this statue seemed to have just been painted. ¡°Orlando Merlin?!¡± Lin Bai whispered the words below the statue. The Great Mage Merlin was the father of Orlando City?! ¡°Oh! No wonder the four-eyed Cage always talks about the existence of a saint in Sorcha College. I thought he was bragging, but there really have been important people in the college!¡± It was said that there was no such thing as the worst college, only the worst students. This was completely right! Lin Bai walked through the weed-filled front yard and pushed open the creaking wooden door. Then, a strong rotting smell rushed into his nostrils. Even his lungs felt the smell of decay. Lin Bai pinched his nose as he walked into the library. Other than an old man guarding the door, the huge library was empty. The noon sun shone through the window and into the library, but it produced a strong sense of decay. ¡°The first three shelves contain books on the old cities and colleges in Orlando. Meanwhile, the shelves behind contain tool books, as well as information on monsters and mystic realms collected by the past principals. As for the last shelves, it contains random books. Do whatever you want!¡± The librarian wore a thick pair of reading glasses. After observing Lin Bai from his head to his toes, he waved his hand. Lin Bai was the only student who had walked into the library in the past 20 years. After all, Mechanics, Drivers, and Cleaners were better off not studying. Thus, not much could be asked of them. Lin Bai swept away the thick spider webs on the bookshelf and picked up an old book made of cowhide paper. Then, he flicked off the dust that was thicker than copper coins on it. ¡°Merlin¡¯s Autobiography¡±?! He glanced at the title of the book and its simple binding. It was a thread-bound manuscript, and he could tell from the unblemished pages that no one had touched the book since it had arrived at the library. ¡°Heh, this is a new book!¡± Lin Bai opened the first few pages, which were filled with Merlin¡¯s childhood memories. However, Lin Bai was not interested in Merlin¡¯s memories of his peaceful squabbles and catching earthworms, so he simply skipped this section. On the 28th page, a sentence that instantly drew Lin Bai¡¯s attention appeared. ¡°I, Merlin, am not a Mage! My real Class is that of a Reader!¡± Boom! Lin Bai¡¯s eyes widened. He stared at these words for a full five seconds as his mind went blank! The great mage who had single-handedly built Orlando City on a mystic realm and was rumored to have lived for thousands of years was actually¡­ also a Reader?! According to Merlin¡¯s own description, as long as a Reader read books, they would be able to obtain the items and skills recorded in the books. They could even instantly master extremely difficult spells! ¡°However, there is only one Reader in the world. Once a Reader dies, a new Reader will only appear a few years after their death! The Reader is a godly Class that has surpassed the SSS-Grade Class!¡± When he saw these words, Lin Bai gasped in shock and subconsciously tucked the book into his bosom. This secret could not be known to outsiders. After all, growing ruthlessly was the way to go! Then, he quickly walked to the last row of bookshelves. As he irreversibly destroyed the old books, Lin Bai stole a glance at the old librarian and accidentally discovered that there was a book called ¡°Magical Youth and the Demon King¡± on the bookshelf! ¡°Oh? This is a famous children¡¯s book!¡± Lin Bai secretly threw the torn pieces of paper in a corner and casually picked up the copy of ¡°Magical Youth and the Demon King¡±, pretending to read it. At that moment, a voice suddenly sounded in Lin Bai¡¯s ear. ¡°The invincible Elder Wand is made of elderflower wood and the tail feathers of the Thestrals¡­¡± As this voice sounded, Lin Bai¡¯s palm suddenly became warm. ¡°Hiss!¡± Lin Bai hurriedly put down the book and scratched his palm. Something unexpected had happened! A magic wand had actually appeared in his palm! ¡°Oh? What is this? Why does it look familiar?!¡± Lin Bai looked at the magic wand in his hand. Could it be that¡­ this was the strongest magic wand that belonged to the President of the Magic College in the book?! Lin Bai¡¯s mind immediately went blank. Then, he looked at the wand in his hand in disbelief and said softly, ¡°Wingardium Leviosa!¡± A book immediately floated in front of him! ¡°It really is the Elder Wand!¡± Chapter 3 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Aiyo! This old man Merlin was really a trustworthy person! Lin Bai held the Elder Wand in one hand and casually threw the incomplete ¡°Merlin¡¯s Autobiography¡± back to its original place with the other. When he arrived at the entrance of the library, he wanted to greet the old librarian, but after coughing thrice, the old man still didn¡¯t wake up. Lin Bai smiled embarrassedly. The librarian probably didn¡¯t hear Lin Bai secretly tearing books in front of him, right? As Lin Bai thought about this, he pushed open the wooden door of the library and bumped into a pair of large white buns. Aiyo, f*ck! This elasticity simply provided a perfect facial care service! ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going!¡± A graceful voice that was like the sound of nature sounded. However, it also carried a hint of coldness. ¡°Shh, the old man is sleeping!¡± Lin Bai pointed at the librarian and lowered his head, avoiding Su Ya¡¯s murderous gaze with a flushed face. Taking small steps, Lin Bai recalled the scene as he walked. ¡°Yeah, those were perfect!¡± ¡°You rogue!¡± Su Ya gritted her teeth and glared at Lin Bai until his figure disappeared from her sight! Su Ya wrapped her arms around her shoulders as she entered the library and looked down at the blurry footprints under her feet. She followed Lin Bai¡¯s footsteps and arrived at the first row of bookshelves. Then, her beautiful eyes swept over the bookshelf in front of her. In the next second, she accurately picked up ¡°Merlin¡¯s Autobiography¡± and casually flipped through it, flipping to the few pages that Lin Bai had torn off. Hm?! Following her professional instincts, Su Ya turned her head slightly and followed Lin Bai¡¯s footprints to the last row of bookshelves. Then, she instantly put together the pieces of paper on the ground! ¡°Merlin wasn¡¯t a Mage?!¡± Su Ya stared at the incomplete words on the paper with shock. [Reader]! Was¡­ Lin Bai also a Reader?! After casually throwing the scraps of paper into the furnace not far from the door, Su Ya¡¯s gaze landed on the old librarian for a moment before she chased after Lin Bai. At this moment, Lin Bai was currently humming a tune and waving the Elder Wand in his hand. ¡°Legend has it that this thing can use any kind of magic! I wonder if it really has such power. Actual practice will show me the truth!¡± After making up his mind, Lin Bai turned a corner and walked straight towards the training field. Although Sorcha College was poor, it had a good foundation. After all, it was founded by the archmage, Merlin. Thus, it was the only university in Orlando that had a training field on its campus! The training field was surrounded by mountains on all sides. Only in the middle was there a basin the size of a football field. As there were layers of mountains blocking the way, the outside world would not be affected by the release of magic or even summoning spells here. This was Lin Bai¡¯s first time coming to the training field. After all, he was a weak player who would pant from fatigue after carrying 25 kilograms of rice to the third floor. Thus, his best sport was locking himself in a small, dark room and sowing seeds there. ¡°Oh?!¡± As soon as he arrived at the training field, a huge black rock that was more than ten meters tall came into view. ¡°This damned thing is towering! Eh? There are words on it!¡± Lin Bai held the magic wand and walked towards the stone. ¡°Tiny Hunters!¡± Tiny?! Hmm, indeed, the living environment of the Hunters was harsh, and the condition of their bodies were not too good! Next, Lin Bai saw Merlin¡¯s signature again. Furthermore, there were three lightning marks beside his signature! Lin Bai touched the three lightning marks. He could still feel the tremendous heavenly might that was enough to shock the world. He looked around and saw countless short swords and bent metal rods on the ground. Was this a touchstone to test one¡¯s standards? These words immediately appeared in Lin Bai¡¯s mind! He looked down at the Elder Want in his hand. Although he had only obtained three forbidden spells from ¡°Magical Youth and the Demon King¡±, these three should be enough! ¡°Reducto!¡± Lin Bai slowly raised his Elder Wand sternly and pointed it at the nearby rock. At that moment, boundless power seemed to surge from Lin Bai¡¯s body towards the wand. Then, the power smashed heavily against the black rock. Boom! Lin Bai simply felt his arm tremble slightly. In an instant, the huge rock in the training field that had experienced countless magical attacks and blades instantly collapsed and shattered into countless pieces. ¡°Scourgify!¡± With a low howl from Lin Bai, a powerful force blew the shattered rock away. In an instant, sand and rocks flew everywhere. Even the trees within a ten-meter radius were cut in half! At the same time, a huge golden circle of light spread out from the huge rock. ¡°Hu!¡± The powerful aftershock stirred up a violent wind with the huge rock at the center. Even the duck egg-sized pieces of rock were blown into the air by the violent wind. Upon seeing this scene, even Lin Bai was shocked by this attack. He had never dreamed that his very casual magic would be so powerful. Lin Bai furrowed his brows and thought of the last spell. Avada Kedavra¡­ However, this thought only flashed through his mind, but Lin Bai did not chant the spell. Just then, there was a rustling sound behind him. Lin Bai instantly turned his head to look at the mountains behind him and said coldly, ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°Your hearing is still very sharp!¡± As a heavenly voice sounded, a pair of snow-white ¡°rabbits¡± appeared in front of his eyes. Only after Su Ya stood up did Lin Bai let out a long sigh. ¡°Do you want to practice with me? Or do you want to go somewhere else and have a good ¡®practice¡¯ with me?¡± Lin Bai had a harmless smile on his face, but his hand that was holding his magic wand tightened. ¡°You¡¯re really not bad! I¡¯ve underestimated you!¡± However, Su Ya¡¯s random words dumbfounded Lin Bai. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that!¡± Su Ya glared at Lin Bai. ¡°Eh¡­ Actually, I was looking at a rabbit behind you. Um¡­ your chest blocked my vision!¡± Lin Bai walked towards Su Ya with a smile. ¡°Stop!¡± Su Ya took a step back and stared vigilantly at Lin Bai. This was because Su Ya could see killing intent from his smile! ¡°Didn¡¯t you chase me because you wanted to get close to me?¡± Lin Bai did not stop walking. Instead, he was getting closer and closer to Su Ya. ¡°No! I¡¯m looking for a partner!¡± Su Ya was clearly flustered as her usually cold face was slightly moved. ¡°A partner?!¡± Lin Bai instantly held back his smile and stopped walking as he stared at Su Ya. ¡°That¡¯s right. We both need the best partner to pass the Hunter Elementary Test with!¡± Su Ya said nervously. ¡°I¡­¡± Lin Bai hesitated for a moment, then said with a smile, ¡°don¡¯t need that!¡± ¡°For a first-year student to successfully pass the Hunter Elementary Test, the secret that you want to hide the most will be exposed!¡± Su Ya gulped. ¡°My presence can help you hide the secret of your identity as a Reader!¡± At that moment, Su Ya¡¯s assassin instincts told her that as long as Lin Bai casually attacked her, her life would end. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect a cold beauty like you to be so considerate!¡± Lin Bai smiled. Under Su Ya¡¯s shocked gaze, the magic wand that frightened her disappeared from Lin Bai¡¯s palm. ¡°It¡¯s a deal!¡± Lin Bai dug his ears and smiled extremely brightly.. Chapter 4 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Do you¡­ really agree?¡± Su Ya suspiciously pulled away from Lin Bai. Lin Bai scratched his head and said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m not the only one with secrets. You¡¯re also very problematic to be able to follow me here! The prerequisite for being partners is to trust each other!¡± Only after confirming that Lin Bai had set aside his killing intent did Su Ya let out a long breath. ¡°You¡¯ll be the captain and I¡¯ll be your support!¡± Su Ya regained her cold and arrogant tone. ¡°There¡¯s no rush. Um¡­ What¡¯s the registration process?¡± Lin Bai asked embarrassedly. It was impossible for him to register with Cage. Thus, he had to find another way. ¡°We need to fill in the application form from the professors or the Adventurer¡¯s Guild Office and insert it into the application box.¡± As expected of someone from an assassin family, Su Ya was familiar with this process. ¡°How much does it cost?¡± According to Lin Bai¡¯s experience, all kinds of public exam papers had a fee, let alone such an important application form. ¡°One Gold Coin!¡± Su Ya expressionlessly looked at Lin Bai¡¯s outstretched hand. She furrowed her eyebrows until there was a small bump on her skin. ¡°We¡¯re partners after all. We have to help each other!¡± Lin Bai took out the few Copper Coins he had in his pocket and weighed them in his hand. Pa! With an ugly expression, Su Ya took out a Gold Coin and slapped it into Lin Bai¡¯s hand. Then, she turned and left. ¡°Eh? That¡­ I can provide you with a little special service. Just¡­ just pretend that I didn¡¯t say anything!¡± Before she could finish speaking, Su Ya¡¯s figure had already disappeared into the forest. Lin Bai¡¯s gaze instantly turned cold as he stared at the Gold Coin in his hand. Partner? Hmph! Lin Bai¡¯s instincts told him that this woman was definitely not that simple! But who cared about her? He had to pass the Hunter Elementary Test first! Thus, Lin Bai walked towards his home in a great mood. The next morning, under Su Ya¡¯s lead, Lin Bai arrived at the office set up by the Adventurer¡¯s Guild in Sorcha College. Two beauties in lacy dresses received Lin Bai and Su Ya extremely warmly. ¡°Sir, may I know your Class?¡± A young beauty asked him with a smile. ¡°Um¡­ Reader!¡± Lin Bai scratched his head. ¡°A¡­ Reader? Are you sure you want to participate in the Elementary Test?¡± The little beauty instinctively glanced at Su Ya. A person with a weak Class that she had never heard of was actually here to apply for the Elementary Test? The problem must be with this big-busted sister! ¡°Sir, you only have one life. Actually, you¡¯re not bad looking either. I guarantee that you can get a wife!¡± The little beauty persuaded him earnestly. ¡°Ahem!¡± Lin Bai coughed violently and smacked his lips. ¡°I love my life more than you do. Don¡¯t worry, just help me fill out the form. After all, I¡¯ve already spent the money, so it¡¯s a little inappropriate to leave like this!¡± The little beauty filled in the forms for Lin Bai and Su Ya with a strange expression. Then, she warned Lin Bai, ¡°Sir, you really have to think this through. Once you put the form into the registration box, you won¡¯t be able to take it out!¡± ¡°Alright. Thank you for your concern. You¡¯re so beautiful!¡± Lin Bai received the application form with a smile. The pretty girl blushed from Lin Bai¡¯s praise. The class bell had rung for five minutes before Lin Bai and Su Ya walked into the classroom one after another. ¡°Damn, what¡¯s going on? The goddess is following Lin Bai¡­¡± ¡°F*ck, could it be true? I don¡¯t want to live anymore!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a coincidence. It must be a coincidence!¡± A commotion immediately sounded in the classroom. ¡°Quiet!¡± Cage knocked hard on the blackboard. The students discussed for a long while before falling silent again. However, countless cold eyes were still fixed on Lin Bai. ¡°Since everyone is here, let me announce the requirements for this year¡¯s Elementary Test!¡± Cage cleared his throat forcefully. Although most people in the class were not qualified to participate, it was his duty to announce the rules of the test. ¡°This year¡¯s requirements are very simple. Find and arrive at the testing location, the Gloomy Forest!¡± As soon as Cage finished speaking, despairing sighs immediately erupted in the classroom. ¡°Professor, will our college hire Hunters to escort us?¡± A boy sitting in front of Lin Bai stood up and asked. ¡°We don¡¯t have the money for that!¡± Cage replied to him simply. When the boy heard this, he said with a look of despair, ¡°Professor, we don¡¯t even know where the Gloomy Forest is. Furthermore we have to pass through so many dangerous mystic realms. It doesn¡¯t make sense that the college doesn¡¯t hire Hunters to escort us!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If there¡¯s no one to escort me, I¡¯ll drop out of school! Since I can¡¯t participate in the test, I can save some money to buy food for my family!¡± ¡°Professor, I don¡¯t have a chance in this lifetime. I¡¯ll fill in the withdrawal application form now. Please be magnanimous and approve of it!¡± Glancing at his students, Cage sighed helplessly and cheered them on. ¡°Don¡¯t be discouraged. There has never been a first-year student who participated in the test. As long as you complete the test before graduation, you have a chance to become a Hunter!¡± ¡°There are still two to three years. Everyone, work hard. I believe that you all are not inferior to others!¡± However, even Cage said this without confidence. ¡°Professor!¡± At this moment, Lin Bai also stood up and took out a form. ¡°Lin Bai, if you want to drop out, the school can consider it seriously!¡± Cage smiled like a father. ¡°Um¡­ I would like to request to participate in this year¡¯s Elementary Test with Su Ya!¡± Lin Bai raised the form in his hand and said sternly. ¡°What?! You¡¯re participating in this year¡¯s Elementary Test?¡± Cage¡¯s gaze instantly landed on Su Ya. ¡°Su Ya, did Lin Bai say something to you? This year¡¯s Elementary Test has the highest risk factor in years!¡± ¡°You¡¯re different from Lin Bai. You still have a great life! You¡¯re our academy¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Professor, please respect our decision!¡± Su Ya said coldly. ¡°You¡­¡± Seeing that Su Ya had turned her head away, Cage opened his mouth but eventually swallowed his words. ¡°Lin Bai! I know that the Class Awakening yesterday was a huge blow to you, but you can¡¯t give up on yourself! Also, you¡¯ll implicate the other students. This¡­ This is inhumane!¡± Cage said with a frown. ¡°That¡¯s right, Su Ya. You must not allow yourself to be deceived by that brat¡¯s honest appearance. He definitely has ill intentions!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. He¡¯s a Reader, so why does he have to team up with you? Isn¡¯t he clearly trying to take advantage of you?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t team up with him. At the very least, I¡¯m still a Repairman!¡± The earth-shattering pressure of public opinion attacked the classroom once again. Lin Bai sighed and walked towards the registration box. ¡°Lin Bai! What are you doing? If you put the form in, you won¡¯t be able to take it out!¡± Cage hurriedly took a step forward and wanted to stop Lin Bai, but Lin Bai cleverly brushed past him and threw the form into the registration box. ¡°Lin Bai, do you know what you¡¯re doing? I¡¯m thinking about your safety!¡± Cage was so anxious that cold sweat appeared on his forehead.. Chapter 5 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Um¡­ an ancient person once said that as long as you can do it, you can do it. If you can¡¯t, you can still do it! That¡¯s why I think I can do it!¡± Lin Bai said indifferently. ¡°Which ancient person said that?!¡± Cage frowned. ¡°My mom!¡± Lin Bai replied casually! Cage¡¯s face turned red. He took a deep breath and said, ¡°Lin Bai, do you know that the first test you have to pass on your way to the Gloomy Forest is the Death Swamp? You can¡¯t even leave Orlando City!¡± Orlando City was different from other large cities. In the beginning, it was a new city that had been established by Merlin in the Death Mystic Realm. Although the monsters in the Land of Death had been eliminated by Merlin¡¯s powerful magic, they were still surrounded by the Death Swamp. Even if the members of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild wanted to enter and leave Orlando, they had to team up with more than ten experienced Hunters. Ordinary people could forget about leaving this place for the rest of their lives. Thus, Orlando was also jokingly called the Cage of Peace. Those who wanted to live here were exiled for generations. It was very difficult for them to see the outside world. ¡°Then how did they get out?¡± Lin Bai pointed to the office of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. Cage was so angry that he almost had a heart attack. He slapped the table and said, ¡°They¡¯re protected by groups of Hunters! What about you? Do you two new students know how long the Death Swamp is? It¡¯s more than a hundred kilometers long!¡± Ordinary people would take two days to pass through the tunnel at their fastest speed. However, during these two days, they would definitely encounter terrifying monsters like giant swamp snakes and wild scorpions. They might even encounter the Master of the Swamp! It was a terrifying existence. It was said that this monster was invulnerable to swords and spears. Only a team of at least four Mages could kill it. As for Lin Bai and Su Ya, they were a Reader and an Assassin respectively. They were not participating in the Elementary Test. They were simply delivery men! ¡°Oh, 100 kilometers. It¡¯ll take about two days. It¡¯s fine as my body is great. Look at my long legs. I was born good at running!¡± Lin Bai said casually. ¡°Lin Bai, oh Lin Bai! Why are you unrepentant!¡± Cage thought for a moment and said quickly, ¡°It¡¯s fine if you insist on going. Bring back the Master of the Swamp in two days. I have no objections as long as you kill it yourself, regardless of whether its dead or alive!¡± ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯d rather quit as a professor than allow you to joke around with your lives!¡± Cage¡¯s teaching standards were indeed very ordinary, but his heart touched Lin Bai. If a university professor lost his job, he would be worse than a cleaner. Due to the characteristics of his Class, no other place could take him in. In other words, Cage was saving the lives of two students in exchange for his own life. ¡°Professor. I¡¯ll definitely bring back the Master of the Swamp for you to see in two days! Um¡­ I want to go to the library to check on some information first!¡± Just by hearing this name, the Master of the Swamp was the most terrifying existence in the Death Swamp. Lin Bai also did not dare to be careless. As the saying went, know yourself and your enemy, and you would never be defeated in a hundred battles! There was no mistake in understanding the strengths and weaknesses of his opponent. ¡°I¡¯m going too!¡± Su Ya suddenly stood up and said sternly. Hunting the Master of the Swamp was extremely risky. Two Su Family assassins had both died at the hands of the Master of the Swamp. However, Su Ya also wanted to experience what it was like to face such a terrifying creature. ¡°Su Ya! Sit down!¡± Cage said with a frown. He mainly wanted Lin Bai to back off, not to let the two of them risk their lives in the Death Swamp. ¡°It¡¯s better if I go by myself. Otherwise, your chest will block my vision!¡± Lin Bai picked up his bag and rolled his eyes at Su Ya as he quickly walked towards the library. The entire class of over 40 boys stared at Lin Bai in unison. The entire classroom was silent. ¡°How dare you say that about my goddess! That brat Lin Bai!¡± ¡°Watch how I deal with him!¡± ¡°Is it really blocking our view?¡± ¡°Damn! Do you want to die! Hit him!¡± Hearing the curses from the classroom behind him, Lin Bai smiled. This time, when facing the Master of the Swamp, Lin Bai naturally would not bring Su Ya along. On the one hand, this woman would only be a hindrance. On the other hand, Lin Bai also wanted to know exactly how his current strength was. Smashing that huge rock couldn¡¯t prove anything. After all, it was an inanimate object. However, the Master of the Swamp was different. At the very least, it was a terrifying existence in the Death Swamp. Although there were existences even more terrifying than the Master of the Swamp, none of that was important. After coming to the library, this time, Lin Bai went straight to the fifth row bookshelves. He found a book introducing the Death Swamp and read it seriously. According to the introduction from his predecessors, the terrifying thing about the Master of the Swamp was that its entire body was covered in scales that were as hard as steel. Ordinary physical attacks were almost useless against it. Even a Mage¡¯s lightning attack could only delay its speed. Thus far, the largest such creature in the records was over 40 meters long and over two meters tall. It had the head of a crocodile, the body of a lizard, and eight legs. It was extremely agile both on land and underwater. However, it was not without its weaknesses. Its weakness was on its soft belly, but it was almost impossible to get close to its soft belly! After putting down the book in his hand, Lin Bai took a deep breath and quickly left the library. Less than twenty kilometers after leaving Orlando City, the surrounding trees became more sparse. When Lin Bai entered the periphery of the Death Swamp, he saw a pile of white bones by the side of the road. The skeleton of an unknown animal was blown to the ground by a cold wind. Lin Bai subconsciously raised his guard. ¡°Gulp!¡± Not too far away, a huge figure that was as thick as a water bucket entered the swamp. A crow standing on a branch let out an extremely miserable cry as it stared fixedly at Lin Bai. It was as if the crow were waiting for him to die miserably in this swamp and turn him into its dinner. Then, an extremely unpleasant smell entered Lin Bai¡¯s nostrils. Lin Bai forced himself to stay awake and advanced another ten kilometers. Suddenly, the nearby mud moved slightly. Lin Bai looked over and saw a huge body that was 17 or 18 meters long slowly crawl out of the mud. When it climbed to the shore, its two rows of incomparably sharp teeth were like swords that clashed with one another, causing one to feel fear at the sight of them. With the afterglow of the setting sun, one could clearly see countless scales shining with green light that covered the entire body of this monster. Then, a pair of cold beast eyes slowly opened! ¡°The Master of the Swamp!¡± Lin Bai subconsciously took a step back. Pa da! The sound of Lin Bai stepping on the water quickly attracted the attention of the Master of the Swamp. As its huge body slowly turned, its cold eyes suddenly opened, staring fixedly at Lin Bai, who was not far away. Roar! As the Master of the Swamp let out a furious roar, Lin Bai¡¯s heart sank. Then, he took out his magic wand.. Chapter 6 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Lin Bai gripped his wand tightly as nervousness appeared on his face. Although he was full of confidence in his newly learned magic, this was after all his first time fighting such a magical creature. Thus, he was still afraid. Fortunately, no matter how powerful the Master of the Swamp was, he was only a magical creature without any intelligence. After all, intelligent people had a certain advantage when facing unintelligent creatures. Hearing the furious roar of the Master of the Swamp, a sense of pressure spread out like ripples, causing Lin Bai¡¯s scalp to turn numb. Lin Bai swallowed his saliva and calmed down. Then, his gaze became calm. His eyes were as deep as water as he stared coldly at the Master of the Swamp. ¡°You¡¯re just a monster. I¡¯ll use you to prove myself!¡± With that, Lin Bai shot out, pointing at the Master of the Swamp¡¯s body that was covered in mud. The Master of the Swamp¡¯s body was huge. Furthermore, the sludge on its body was heavy. Thus, logically speaking, its speed would be relatively slow. However, it was extremely fast. However, when faced with Lin Bai¡¯s punch, it did not dodge and forcefully endured it. After all, the Master of the Swamp¡¯s skin was covered in thick green scales that were abnormally hard. Thus, when Lin Bai¡¯s punch landed, the scales showed no reaction. Instead, they remained firm. Instead, it was Lin Bai¡¯s fist that was affected¡­ The pain made Lin Bai gasp. ¡°Gasp¡­ Damn it.¡± Lin Bai winced in pain. He shook his right hand and looked at the seemingly invincible Master of the Swamp. ¡°No wonder it didn¡¯t dodge. It turns out that there was no need to dodge¡­¡± If melee combat was useless, then he would use magic! After all, he now held the Elder Wand and mastered three spells. The reason why he had made a move earlier was simply to test how powerful this big fellow was. After testing its strength, he had already suffered. It would be silly if he did not use his magic under such circumstances. As he thought about the magic he had learned from the book, Lin Bai could not help but tighten his grip on the magic wand in his hand. At the same time, the Master of the Swamp had been attacked by Lin Bai. Although it was unharmed, it became furious. With a furious roar, it swung its huge hand at Lin Bai without sparing any effort! Lin Bai¡¯s heart tightened. If he were to take a blow from this huge creature, he would definitely be smashed into pieces! ¡°Reducto!¡± Lin Bai shouted a spell, and the magic wand instantly emitted a faint yellow light. It condensed into a beam of light that shot out and struck the giant hand! Bang! A beam of light that contained the power of magic hit the Master of the Swamp¡¯s huge hand and instantly exploded. The indestructible hand was actually torn into pieces and fell into the swamp. Roar! The Master of the Swamp had lost an arm, so it was naturally in unbearable pain. Immediately, its pained cries sounded throughout the world. Lin Bai rejoiced inside. This spell actually had such a great effect. He could see the effects of the ¡°Reducto¡± spell. It was to tear the target to pieces. Then, the Master of the Swamp instinctively counterattacked. It actually seemed to be willing to risk its life. It let out a low groan. Then, the mud in the swamp actually slowly gathered together, forming a huge mudball the size of a meteorite! Lin Bai also broke out in a cold sweat as he stared at the mudball that gave off the threat of death. Meanwhile, the shape of the mudball slowly changed and gradually took the shape of a giant dragon! This kind of attack method was something Lin Bai had seen when reading through the books. It was the Master of the Swamp¡¯s trump card. ¡°It¡¯s the Sludge Dragon!¡± Creatures with no intelligence often attacked madly without regard for their own safety. Furthermore, even if it was a creature with no intelligence, it was not easy to get it to use its trump card. This was unless¡­ it sensed danger. It seemed like the previous attack was indeed extraordinary. A smile appeared on Lin Bai¡¯s lips. He did not panic much when he saw that the ¡°Sludge Dragon¡± had formed. Although this ¡°Sludge Dragon¡± was extremely powerful, it was a pity that the Master of the Swamp had encountered him. It just so happened that he had a countermeasure against this Sludge Dragon. ¡°Scourgify!¡± After testing the effects of this spell just now, Lin Bai already had an understanding of it. It could push away objects that approached it like a shock wave. As a result, all enemies or enemy attacks that tried to get close to the user would be pushed ten meters away, causing the enemy to be injured by the shock wave. As soon as Lin Bai finished chanting the spell, the wand produced a silvery-white light. It flickered at the tip of the wand. Then, it suddenly exploded. A shock wave that was visible to the naked eye instantly spread out. The Sludge Dragon that flew towards Lin Bai basically had no room to resist. The instant it touched the shock wave, it was pushed several meters away. Boom! Thereafter, the shock wave exploded. The Sludge Dragon was unable to withstand the impact and collapsed. The Master of the Swamp clearly never expected that its trump card would be destroyed so easily. It was somewhat at a loss. Lin Bai¡¯s eyes focused. He saw a flaw in the Master of the Swamp¡¯s panic. Due to its panic and fear, it didn¡¯t have the time to hide or protect its soft belly. Thus, its soft belly was completely exposed! ¡°Die!¡± Lin Bai stared at its exposed soft belly and shot out. With a flash, he approached the Master of the Swamp¡¯s body. The Master of the Swamp smelled danger in the air as its eight legs paddled with all its might, wanting to dodge as quickly as possible. ¡°It¡¯s too late.¡± Lin Bai sneered, and the magic wand in his hand began to move. ¡°Avada Kedavra!¡± The tip of the wand was aimed at the soft abdomen of the Master of the Swamp. Then, a black light shot out from the wand. The black light seemed to carry a demonic aura, as if it was a judgment from hell. Without any hesitation, the black light stabbed straight at the soft abdomen of the Master of the Swamp. Bang! A huge sound shook the entire world. The eyes of the Master of the Swamp were filled with disbelief. It could never have imagined that this puny human would actually take its life. The incredulous look in the Master of the Swamp¡¯s eyes lingered for a moment, then dissipated, leaving only the whites of its dead eyes. Boom! Just like that, the Master of the Swamp fell straight to the ground, causing massive waves of mud to surge. Lin Bai smiled and walked towards the remains of the Master of the Swamp. The Spirit Crystal of the Master of the Swamp floated above its remains. Spirit crystals were treasures produced after a magical beast died. They could be said to have many uses. Lin Bai had obtained the Spirit Crystal of the Master of the Swamp. This Spirit Crystal was enough to prove his strength to Cage. At this thought, Lin Bai turned around and walked. Just as he was about to return to Orlando, a rustling sound came from the grass beside him. ¡°Eh?¡± Lin Bai looked over curiously. It was¡­ a bear with a fox¡¯s head?! Chapter 7 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios It was¡­ a bear with a fox¡¯s head?! For a moment, Lin Bai wondered if he had mistaken the creature for something else. He quickly rubbed his eyes, then discovered that the creature standing in front of him was indeed such a strange creature. ¡°Damn, I can really see all kinds of things after living for so long!¡± Lin Bai and the strange bear with the fox head stared at each other. Afterwards, a thought appeared in Lin Bai¡¯s mind. Then, he slowly stretched out a finger on his right hand and poked the furry body of the unknown creature. It was soft and definitely comfortable to touch and hug! However, Lin Bai felt that something was wrong. The abnormality seemed to come from above him. Lin Bai was stunned as he raised his head and stared at the creature. The fox-headed bear was staring straight at him, its eyes surging with anger. Lin Bai could feel its anger from its hurried breathing. Lin Bai was still wondering how he had provoked this guy just by poking its soft body. However, the fox bear¡¯s huge paw was already attacking him. Lin Bai shuddered and subconsciously dodged. ¡°Hey, hey, hey. Don¡¯t get physical without a word!¡± At this moment, Lin Bai already vaguely remembered the origins of this strange creature in front of him. Since it had the head of a fox and the body of a bear, it was given the name Fox Bear. As the fox bear was also an animal that moved about in the swamps and the shore, it happened to be on the same page as the Master of the Swamp in the picture book that Lin Bai had read. However, the fox bear occupied far fewer pages than the ferocious Master of the Swamp. Even then, every single keyword in the description of the fox bear made Lin Bai rather jumpy. Fox Bears were Elementary-Grade magical creatures. They had preliminary intelligence and astonishing arm strength. Furthermore, their biting abilities were extremely strong, allowing them to bite through trees. Their sense of smell was also very strong. Usually, they would use pheromones with certain scents to communicate. Its characteristic was that it had magic resistance. These words appeared in Lin Bai¡¯s mind, but he still cared most about the last phrase ¡ª magic resistance. Lin Bai had not undergone systematic Hunter training before, so he was not particularly familiar with technical terms like this. However, he could roughly guess what it meant. ¡°Is my magic useless against this guy?¡± Lin Bai raised his eyebrows. At first glance, this guy looked cute and adorable. He didn¡¯t expect him to be a creature not to be trifled with! However, Lin Bai did not believe this. After all, a big guy like the Master of the Swamp had been knocked out by three spells from him! The Master of the Swamp was an Elementary-Grade magical creature after all, which was the same as the fox bear. ¡°If I lose to you, my name will be written backwards!¡± After saying this in an imposing manner, Lin Bai even muttered softly, ¡°Anyway, the name Bai Lin seems to be quite nice¡­¡± At this moment, Lin Bai felt that something was wrong. Why wasn¡¯t this fox bear attacking yet? He had been thinking so much just now, but this fox bear had actually stood rooted to the ground in a daze. Had its anger dissipated? With a fearless attitude, Lin Bai slowly approached the dazed fox bear. This guy was indeed ugly and cute up close. No! After Lin Bai approached the fox bear, he smelled a hint of discord. Previously, he was too far away from the fox bear. Thus, this overly weak scent had already spread before reaching his nostrils. However, he couldn¡¯t smell anything as humans couldn¡¯t smell this substance This was the fox bear releasing pheromones to send a message to its companions! Its fox bear companions had definitely received the message it wanted to send. Although he did not know what the contents of the message were¡­ Lin Bai believed that his guess was probably correct. ¡°Damn, are you playing dirty? Are you calling people over just because you can¡¯t win?!¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be easy to deal with your 18 generations of ancestors after today!¡± Lin Bai gritted his teeth. He had truly never thought that the fox bear, who seemed obedient, would secretly play such a trick. A beast could not be judged by its appearance! At this moment, a flurry of footsteps could be heard near the forest where Lin Bai was. This must be the army of fox bears. ¡°Let¡¯s finish this quickly!¡± Lin Bai currently had an extremely bad impression of this fox bear. After all, he was a magical creature with intelligence, right? Why was this intelligence used for such dirty tricks? Did it know that the many magical creatures that were stronger than it had no intelligence? At the thought of this, Lin Bai took out his Elder Wand. ¡°I¡¯ll just treat this as getting rid of evil for the people.¡± ¡°Avada Kedavra!¡± Lin Bai used his strongest move right from the start. After all, this Avada Kedavra had defeated the terrifying Master of the Swamp in one strike. It should be more than enough to deal with this little fox bear, right? The magic wand emitted the same black light as the last time and smashed into the body of the fox bear with all its might. Roar! The fox bear let out a furious roar. However, to Lin Bai, it was not a howl of pain at all¡­ Instead, it was a howl of anger from being attacked. Upon closer inspection, it seemed to be mixed with mockery and contempt. Lin Bai was also shocked. After all, Avada Kedavra was the most powerful spell he had mastered! ¡°What? Could its magic resistance mean that it¡¯s 100% immune to magic attacks? That¡¯s simply against the rules!¡± Lin Bai shouted. Wasn¡¯t it said that fox bears were Elementary-Grade magical creatures? No matter how powerful a Mage was, they would be helpless in front of this fox bear! Moreover¡­ In the grass behind the fox bear, several fox bears scurried out. They stood behind the first fox bear and stared at Lin Bai like a tiger watching its prey. ¡°Big brothers, can you not stare at me like that? I was just poking your little brother in the stomach. There¡¯s no need to make a scene, right!¡± At that moment, Lin Bai was at his wit¡¯s end. He was currently surrounded by this army of fox bears. The only solution he could think of was to reason with them. When the fox bear at the front gave a roar, the army of fox bears behind immediately responded. They roared together and their roars overlapped with each other. The resulting sound shook the leaves of the forest. That was clearly the signal to attack. Afterwards, the army of fox bears surged towards Lin Bai like a tide. They were full of killing intent. When Lin Bai thought about how their teeth could tear through tree trunks, he felt rather frightened. Even if he was made of steel, he could not withstand so many fox bears attacking together! The best strategy was to leave! Run, run! At this moment, Lin Bai could no longer care about his reputation. It was never too late to take revenge, but his life was more important now. Thus, a thrilling chase between a young man and a group of ferocious fox bears unfolded comically in the woods around the Death Swamp. At this moment, Lin Bai was like an outlaw, running for his life in the forest. Meanwhile, the army of fox bears behind them was still chasing him relentlessly. Furthermore, they showed no signs of fatigue.. Chapter 8 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Meanwhile, Lin Bai was already nearing the limits of his body. All he could do now was silently pray that these fox bears would be kind enough to leave him with an intact corpse. He hoped that after Professor Cage found his body, he would bury him under the scholar tree at the entrance of his house and urinate there often for a sense of familiarity¡­ There were also more than 20 Silver Coins hidden under his bed. They were some of his private savings that he had scraped together. They could be taken as his inheritance he had left behind for his mother¡­ As Lin Bai ran for his life, he thought about these useless things. His mind was in a mess, and all sorts of messy thoughts appeared in his mind. That¡­ What was that saying? Death was inevitable, but one¡¯s death could either be insignificant or mighty. Lin Bai had killed the Master of the Swamp before he died. This could be considered as getting rid of evil for the people. In order words¡­ this could be considered a partially mighty death! Seeing that the fox bears were infinitely close to him, Lin Bai simply stopped running. Lin Bai closed his eyes and waited for the pain of their teeth sinking into his flesh. However, it did not happen after a long time. Instead, he heard the fox bears howl. Afterwards, the howl of the fox bears reached Lin Bai¡¯s ears in an overwhelming fashion. Lin Bai felt that this was strange. Thus, he opened his eyes and saw that the fox bears had already fallen to the ground. Blood was everywhere, while flesh and blood were mixed together. The feeling of joy from escaping death suddenly appeared in Lin Bai¡¯s heart. However, it quickly disappeared, replaced by surprise and curiosity. What had these fox bears experienced? At this moment, a figure suddenly flashed in front of Lin Bai. Lin Bai was shocked. The figure was a white-haired old man with wrinkles all over his face. Only his blue eyes were as deep as the sea, allowing one to imagine how he looked when he was young. ¡°Old man, it¡¯s dangerous here!¡± Lin Bai saw an old man appear here alone and was rather worried. Although the first group of fox bears had somehow been wiped out, there was still a continuous stream of fox bears coming from behind. Without explaining further, Lin Bai pulled the old man up and continued running. The old man was dumbfounded. He was pulled along for a few steps before shouting, ¡°Stop! Stop!¡± Lin Bai was frightened by the old man¡¯s cry and immediately stopped. ¡°Why are you running? I was the one who knocked down the fox bears just now.¡± Lin Bai was shocked. Was this old man, who seemed to have one foot in the grave, actually so powerful? ¡°Then you are¡­?¡± Lin Bai asked respectfully. The old man was somewhat surprised. ¡°Destin.¡± When Lin Bai heard Destin¡¯s name, he simply felt that it was unfamiliar. ¡°Thank you for saving my life, Mr. Destin.¡± Although he did not know him, Lin Bai still thanked him. Destin smiled and waved his hand. ¡°It¡¯s what I should do. On the other hand, how dare you provoke a fox bear?¡± ¡°I read that it¡¯s just an Elementary-Grade magical creature.¡± Destin facepalmed. Ordinary people nowadays were not very capable, but they were getting bolder. After all, the label of Elementary-Grade magical creatures was for the reference of Hunters. A group of Elementary-Grade magical creatures was comparable to a Grade-Five Hunter. If Hunters from Grade-One to Grade-Four were only physically stronger than an ordinary person, then a Grade-Five Hunter was already a superhuman existence. Destin instantly felt a little disappointed at Lin Bai¡¯s failure to meet his expectations. However, when he thought of how an ordinary person actually knew that a fox bear was an Elementary-Grade magical creature, he felt somewhat gratified. ¡°Indeed, fox bears are Elementary-Grade monsters. Where did you see this?¡± Destin asked. Lin Bai thought for a moment, and then quickly remembered the name of the book. He said, ¡°I read it in ¡®Initial Introduction to the Death Swamp¡¯.¡± Destin pressed on. ¡°In that case, why didn¡¯t you finish reading the section about fox bears? The book clearly says that fox bears like to attack their prey in groups. How dare you provoke a fox bear?¡± Lin Bai was stunned. ¡°That wasn¡¯t written in the book.¡± ¡°What you read¡­ couldn¡¯t be a pirated version of the book, right?¡± Destin asked suspiciously. ¡°How can that be? I borrowed it from the school¡¯s library. It¡¯s an authentic copy, right? That fox bear was recorded on the same page as the Master of the Swamp. Did I remember correctly?¡± ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re indeed on the same page.¡± ¡°But there was clearly no such record.¡± ¡°Did you turn the page?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lin Bai almost swore. Could the writer be an idiot? Why would they arrange such an important piece of information on another page of the book? He thought that the records regarding the fox bear would end on that page! Why was there more information on the next page! He had almost died because of this! At the same time, Lin Bai felt that something was wrong. Then, asked carefully, ¡°Mr. Destin, how do you know so many details? You even know which page the fox bear is on!¡± Destin smiled. ¡°That¡¯s because I wrote the book.¡± So he was that idiot! Lin Bai came to a realization and secretly swore. ¡°Let¡¯s go. This place is not somewhere ordinary people should be,¡± advised Destin kindly. A new wave of fox bears was gathering. Thus, Destin¡¯s expression became slightly more serious. Lin Bai scratched his head. ¡°But I¡¯m not an ordinary person.¡± This time, it was Destin¡¯s turn to be shocked. ¡°Could it be that you¡¯re a Hunter?¡± Lin Bai nodded gently. Destin understood a little. He suddenly remembered that fox bears had magic resistance. Since this young man was forced into such a sorry state by the fox bear, it seemed that his awakened Class was that of a Mage. ¡°You¡¯re a Mage, right?¡± Destin voiced his guess. Lin Bai continued to nod gently. After all, he did not want to expose his identity as a ¡°Reader¡± yet. If his identity as an SSS-Grade was exposed too early, it would become a big problem. Lin Bai naturally knew this logic. At this moment, Destin moved. Almost instantly, he disappeared beside Lin Bai and appeared again in the distance. He charged left and right, suddenly entering the center of the army. Then, he raised his hand and swung his blade! He simply captured and killed the leader of the fox bears to defeat them! The fox bears instantly fled in all directions. After obtaining victory, Destin looked into the distance and narrowed his eyes. Then, he moved his body and slowly turned to look at Lin Bai. However, his eyes were filled with shock. This was because he saw the corpse of the Master of the Swamp. Destin instantly linked the corpse of the Master of the Swamp to the young man in front of him. What was even more terrifying was that from the aura of magic that surged through the area, he could determine the magic that had killed the Master of the Swamp. ¡°Avada Kedavra.¡± Destin swallowed his saliva. ¡°Did you do that to the Master of the Marsh?¡± Lin Bai still continued to nod gently. Destin instantly looked at the young man in a new light. However, he was still somewhat worried. ¡°Did you use the Avada Kedavra spell?¡± Destin asked. ¡°Yeah, is there a problem?¡± Destin paused. ¡°There is a branch of this kind in the domain of the Mages. It is a kind of black magic derived from ordinary magic by some evil dark Mages. Excessive use of it will cause a backlash to the soul and cause the soul to degenerate into a demon without a mind.¡± ¡°The power of the backlash from black magic is beyond your imagination. Some Angels couldn¡¯t resist the temptation of the powerful strength of black magic and used black magic for a long time. In the end, they became Fallen Angels and walked on the edge of hell, becoming walking corpses.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, you¡¯ve probably sensed it¡­¡± ¡°Avada Kedavra is a type of black magic!¡± Chapter 9 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Lin Bai was basically stunned by what he heard. This magic was actually black magic?! Furthermore, the backlash from the black magic was actually so terrifying! God had opened a door for him, but this old man called Destin had closed it again! Upon seeing the comical expression of shock and dismay on Lin Bai¡¯s face, Destin couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Actually, there is a solution.¡± Lin Bai¡¯s eyes immediately shone with anticipation. It was so intense that it was almost visible to the naked eye. Destin chuckled at Lin Bai¡¯s violent reaction. Then, he reached into his robes and took out an emerald crystal. Lin Bai suspected that if this crystal was carried by this old man every day, there would probably be some¡­ strange smell or something¡­ In the beginning, he did not want to take it, but in the end, he reluctantly took it. However, after receiving the crystal, Lin Bai discovered in surprise that the crystal actually flickered with a green light. It gave off a faint mint smell, which actually refreshed his mind. ¡°What is this?¡± At that moment, Lin Bai could not help but feel curious about this crystal. ¡°It¡¯s a Purification Crystal,¡± said Destin. ¡°Purification?¡± Lin Bai was still rather confused when he heard this. Destin patiently explained, ¡°The so-called Purification Crystal has the wondrous effect of purifying the user. It can effectively cleanse the devilish and baleful aura of the black magic, causing the backlash from the black magic to decrease infinitely.¡± The more Lin Bai listened to Destin, the more confused he became. ¡°Is it that simple? Then how did those angels degenerate?¡± If a crystal could solve this problem, how were those Angels stupid enough to turn into Fallen Angels by the backlash of the black magic for no reason? ¡°Of course it¡¯s not that simple,¡± said Destin. ¡°There are also requirements to activate this Purification Crystal. The most important requirement is the supplement.¡± ¡°The supplement?¡± ¡°It¡¯s similar to a medicinal catalyst,¡± Destin explained. ¡°The catalyst needed to activate the Purification Crystal is a Witch-Hunting Vine from the depths of the Kobur Forest.¡± ¡°The Kobur Forest? A Witch-Hunting Vine?¡± Lin Bai felt as if Destin was speaking Greek. ¡°Those are just some nouns. Remember these names in your heart. You will encounter them if you are fated. If you are not fated to find them, remember not to use your black magic again!¡± Destin issued his final warning. Lin Bai nodded. Even without Destin¡¯s repeated reminders, he was already on guard. Lin Bai understood how severe the consequences of a soul backlash were. He did not dare to risk his intelligence. ¡°After obtaining the Witch-Hunting Vine, place it in a mortar and add three drops of Magic Spirit Fluid. Then, grind it into a liquid and soak the Purification Crystal in the liquid to complete the awakening.¡± Finally, Destin didn¡¯t forget to add, ¡°By the way, Witch-Hunting Vines are relatively rare. They grow once every 500 years. Good luck.¡± Lin Bai was dumbfounded. He called this ¡°relatively¡± rare?! The Witch-Hunting Vine grew once every 500 years. Even his entire life didn¡¯t last for that long! Lin Bai was so angry that he was rather dazed. Destin patted Lin Bai¡¯s shoulder and said earnestly, ¡°Although Avada Kedavra is a type of black magic, it is very complicated. For you to be able to master it at such a young age, it means that you are very talented. If you are interested in the future, you can consider participating in the Hunter¡¯s Association.¡± Lin Bai agreed politely. How could Destin know that he was not a Mage at all! For a SSS-Grade like the Reader, wanting to master such a complicated black magic spell was as easy as asking for it. Lin Bai was secretly delighted. The SSS-Grade had not lied to him! Destin simply said goodbye and teleported away. After seeing Destin leave, Lin Bai carefully placed the Spirit Crystal from the Master of the Swamp in his backpack. Then, he walked closer to the corpse of the fox bear leader. He secretly picked up something from beside it and put it in his bag before jogging out of the Death Swamp. ¡­ At Sorcha College. The students were gathering in the square and preparing to send off the elite students who were about to participate in the Hunter Elementary Test. Many people were discussing among themselves. The topic of their discussion was naturally the high-spirited elite students on the platform. Of course, there was also the incident involving Lin Bai that had shocked the entire campus yesterday! Was Lin Bai going to hunt the Master of the Swamp?! This was the funniest joke they had heard this year. Furthermore, the Class that Lin Bai had awakened was a rare Class called the Reader. However, from the name, it seemed to be so rare because it was too trashy. In a sense, it could be considered as reaching the top from the opposite direction. ¡°By the way, Lin Bai hasn¡¯t returned yet. Could something have happened to him?¡± ¡°That¡¯s possible. After all, the Master of the Swamp is not a kind creature. With a trash Class the Reader, Lin Bai definitely can¡¯t handle it¡­ Perhaps, he couldn¡¯t escape¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a loss to lose such a trashy profession like the Reader,¡± said someone in an exaggerated fashion. ¡°¡­¡± Cage stood on the platform and was also somewhat worried. Only Su Ya knew best that if Lin Bai really faced off against the Master of the Swamp, the one who really had a chance of dying was the Master of the Swamp. At this moment, a figure slowly walked to the square from a distance. When Su Ya saw that familiar figure, she was elated. It was Lin Bai! Many people in the square also recognized Lin Bai, and the crowd immediately exploded. ¡°Lin Bai has returned alive!¡± ¡°It can be considered a miracle for him to escape unscathed from the hands of the Master of the Swamp!¡± The topic of discussion in the crowd had already turned to Lin Bai, who had suddenly returned. When Cage saw Lin Bai, the weight in his heart was finally lifted. Cage rushed to Lin Bai. The first thing he did was check if Lin Bai was injured. After confirming that there were no wounds on Lin Bai¡¯s body, Cage let out a long breath and said, ¡°Don¡¯t do such a stupid thing next time, okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve seen it this time. Even ordinary Hunters have to be wary of a magical creature of that level, let alone a mere Reader like you.¡± Lin Bai opened his mouth, wanting to say something. However, he then swallowed the words he was about to say. After all, when Cage was nagging, Lin Bai simply had no time to interrupt. ¡°Since you awakened the class of the Reader, accept your fate. The path of being a Hunter is not the only thing in life¡­¡± Cage was still talking non-stop, and Lin Bai had a splitting headache from listening to him. ¡°Professor Cage, please wait.¡± Lin Bai hesitated for a long time. However, in the end, he could not hold it in anymore and interrupted Cage¡¯s eloquent explanation. After Lin Bai finished his sentence, he reached into his bag that he brought with him and fumbled for something. At this moment, the attention of the entire square was attracted to Lin Bai. Everyone wanted to know what Lin Bai would take out from his bag. Thus, under everyone¡¯s gazes, Lin Bai took out¡­ The Spirit Crystal of the Master of the Swamp from his bag.. Chapter 10 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios When Lin Bai took out the Spirit Crystal of the Master of the Swamp from his bag, everyone in the square, regardless of whether they were ordinary students, elite students, or even instructors, was silent. After all, that was the Spirit Crystal of the Master of the Swamp! Those who had previously made some malicious jokes about Lin Bai also tactfully shut their mouths at this moment. Cage looked at the Spirit Crystal in Lin Bai¡¯s hand and was in a daze. He simply could not believe that the crystal in Lin Bai¡¯s hand was real. After all, the Master of the Swamp was a high-leveled magical creature! Upon seeing Cage¡¯s surprised expression, Lin Bai secretly chuckled and said, ¡°Professor Cage, I should be qualified to participate in the Elementary Test, right?¡± Cage was still in a daze and didn¡¯t answer immediately. However, someone in the square raised an objection and questioned sharply, ¡°How can it be so easy to obtain the Spirit Crystal of the Master of the Swamp? I think you ran around the Death Swamp and ran into some good luck. You must have taken advantage of the situation then!¡± When these words were spoken, many students who had been shocked also echoed after this person. ¡°That¡¯s right. The Master of the Swamp can¡¯t even be underestimated by real Hunters. How can a mere Lin Bai obtain its Spirit Crystal?¡± ¡°He must have cheated!¡± ¡°¡­¡± There was a flurry of discussion below the platform. They absolutely did not believe that Lin Bai could produce the Spirit Crystal of the Master of the Swamp. To be honest, Cage also did not dare to believe that Lin Bai had such strength. It seemed that Lin Bai had obtained the Spirit Crystal purely by luck. Doubts flooded towards Lin Bai. Meanwhile, Lin Bai looked at the clamoring crowd in the square as if he was looking at clowns jumping up and down. ¡°I risked my life to get this Spirit Crystal. Do you know that I almost lost my life in the hands of the fox bears?!¡± Lin Bai secretly retorted. He naturally felt rather unhappy. At this moment, Lin Bai turned to look at someone who was exceptionally eye-catching. That person seemed to be riding on someone else¡¯s shoulder. Thus, he was a lot taller than the crowd, making him extremely eye-catching. His mouth constantly moved, probably cursing as he looked at Lin Bai with contempt. What made Lin Bai even angrier was that he pointed his middle finger at Lin Bai. At that moment, Lin Bai wanted nothing more than to slap him. It was not that he did not know this person. His name was Long Mu, an arrogant and domineering person in the college. He went around forming factions and gathering underlings. Meanwhile, he was constantly at ease as the Eldest Brother of the factions. Thus, no one in the school could do anything to him. The teachers in the college were not blind either. However, even if they saw Long Mu¡¯s tricks, they could only turn a blind eye to them. After all, Long Mu¡¯s father was the Deputy City Lord of Orlando City! Long Mu usually idled about. Although there were law-enforcement officers from the World Government to keep an eye on him when he was choosing schools, it was hard for Long Mu¡¯s father to give his son any special privileges. Thus, he could only allow him to enter the worst Sorcha College¡­ However, after entering Sorcha College, there was nothing that could stop him. Thus, everyone distanced themselves from Long Mu. They were furious, but did not dare to voice their anger. Most importantly, this prodigal had actually awakened the Swordsman Class! The Swordsman Class was just an ordinary A-Grade Class. However, the problem was that this was Sorcha College! In other academies, A-Grade powerhouses were everywhere. How could a mere Swordsman have the right to speak? However, in Sorcha College, an A-Grade was already very powerful! Originally, Long Mu was completely qualified to participate in the Hunter Elementary Test. However¡­ he felt that it was too tiring. Lin Bai rolled his eyes at the arrogant Long Mu and said, ¡°Long Mu, if you doubt the origins of my Spirit Crystal, why don¡¯t you come and spar with me?¡± When Long Mu heard what Lin Bai said, for a moment, he thought he had misheard him. Spar with him?! Was there something wrong with Lin Bai¡¯s head? After all, the Swordsman was an A-Grade Class! But what about the Reader? Was it a D-Grade Class¡­ or an E-Grade Class? It was not important. After all, there was no need to differentiate between trash. Seeing that Long Mu showed no reaction, Lin Bai continued, ¡°Let¡¯s make a bet.¡± Lin Bai was familiar with Long Mu and knew that Long Mu usually had many bad habits. Gambling was one of them. As expected, Long Mu was immediately interested when he heard about the bet. He asked, ¡°How do you plan to bet?¡± Lin Bai smiled and said, ¡°Fight me one on one. If I win, I¡¯ll give you the Spirit Crystal. You should know how much the Spirit Crystal of the Master of the Swamp can be sold on the market, right?¡± When Long Mu heard about the Spirit Crystal of the Master of the Swamp, he couldn¡¯t help but swallow his saliva. He would be able to make big money if he sold the Spirit Crystal of a high-leveled magical creature on the market. ¡°Alright, I accept this bet.¡± Long Mu responded readily. ¡°I haven¡¯t mentioned what will happen if I win.¡± Lin Bai was rather speechless at Long Mu¡¯s impatient nature. Long Mu pursed his lips. Did this guy really think that he could win? Many people in the plaza snickered as well. ¡°Lin Bai¡¯s brain must have been damaged by the Master of the Swamp.¡± ¡°No, no, that¡¯s not right. He only picked up the Spirit Crystal of the Master of the Swamp. He might not have fought with that monster at all!¡± When Lin Bai heard this mockery, he gritted his teeth hatefully. After all, when he killed the Master of the Swamp, all of them were still obediently attending lessons in the classroom! ¡°If I win, I will have unrestricted access to Orlando¡¯s libraries for a day,¡± said Lin Bai. When Long Mu heard Lin Bai¡¯s bet, he also wanted to laugh. As the son of Deputy City Lord of Orlando, he still had the authority to allow Lin Bai to enter the library freely for a day. However, why did he make this request? ¡°It seems that you didn¡¯t think that you would win either. That¡¯s why you suggested this insignificant bargaining chip,¡± said Long Mu. In his opinion, Lin Bai did not think he could win either, which was why he had randomly made a request. ¡°Then come!¡± Long Mu¡¯s figure shot out towards Lin Bai. At the same time, he drew his sword from his waist and condensed a preliminary Sword Qi. Lin Bai¡¯s eyes darkened. Although this Long Mu was not a good person, his talent was indeed extraordinary. He could actually easily condense Sword Qi now. However, he was a Reader! Lin Bai grinned. With a flip of his hand, he drew his magic wand. Previously, he had asked President Destin about the black magic. President Destin had told him that he could only use black magic once more. If he used it again, his soul would be attacked. ¡°Redocto!¡± The magic wand shot out a beam of light that charged towards the metal sword in Long Mu¡¯s hand. Long Mu did not dodge either. Instead, he simply swung his metal sword at the beam of light, intending to clash head-on with it! Boom! A loud sound filled the entire square as smoke covered the entire square. Everyone was waiting for the smoke to dissipate. After the smoke dissipated, everyone first saw shattered fragments on the ground. What was that? Everyone focused their attention. By the time the students reacted, the square was filled with surprised cries. Those were fragments of the Long Mu¡¯s metal sword! ¡°If a Swordsman loses his sword, there¡¯s no need to continue competing,¡± said Lin Bai indifferently after walking out from the smoke. However, that calm tone raised a storm in everyone¡¯s hearts! Chapter 11 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios However, that calm tone raised a storm in everyone¡¯s hearts! Long Mu looked at his shattered metal sword on the floor and his jaw almost fell to the ground. This¡­ was it?! He simply could not believe it. However, Lin Bai remained calm and collected. He said, ¡°You¡¯ve already lost your sword. There¡¯s no need for us to fight after this, right?¡± Long Mu¡¯s lips quivered. He wanted to argue further, but Cage saw everything and declared, ¡°Lin Bai wins!¡± Although Cage did not like Long Mu¡¯s character and style, his judgment this time was absolutely fair. After all, for Swordsmen, their sword was their second life. Long Mu had failed to even protect his own sword. This was already a huge failure. Moreover, he had actually chosen to use his sword to forcefully resist Lin Bai¡¯s spell. It should be known that among the Swordsmen, using one¡¯s sword to directly withstand the attacks of the opponent was absolutely prohibited. It was a blasphemy against the sword. Long Mu indeed lacked mastery. ¡°Thank you. I, Lin Bai, will not refuse access to the library for a day.¡± Lin Bai stuck out his tongue and spoke with a smile. Meanwhile, Long Mu lowered his head. He could be said to have lost all face today. How could he have any more face to speak of? At that moment, he wished there was a hole in the ground that he could crawl into. At the same time, he gnashed his teeth and said softly and viciously, ¡°Lin Bai¡­ I¡¯ll remember what happened today¡­ In the future, I¡¯ll definitely pay everything back!¡± Meanwhile, Cage walked closer to Lin Bai. His gaze had already changed from concern and worry to surprise. ¡°What did you just do?¡± Cage asked. Everything had happened too quickly. In that split second, he did not see how Lin Bai had shattered Long Mu¡¯s metal sword. He only saw Lin Bai take out a magic wand. ¡°Eh¡­ Am I not a Reader¡­ Actually, my ability is to read the souls of all creatures and resonate with all things. I just resonated with his metal sword and persuaded it to¡­ shatter¡­¡± Lin Bai was confused as he said some irrelevant words. Even he did not believe these bullshit words! Meanwhile, Cage was speechless. This brat was simply playing with him like a monkey. He could read the souls of all creatures and resonate with all things? What the heck was this! ¡°It¡¯s fine. If you don¡¯t want to say it, I won¡¯t force you to. After all, everyone more or less has some secrets,¡± said Cage as he patted Lin Bai¡¯s shoulder. From Cage¡¯s tone, Lin Bai could tell that Cage believed that he had relied on the power of some external object to shatter Long Mu¡¯s sword. His prejudice was showing. Even the kind and charitable Cage was no exception. Thus, Lin Bai could only nod helplessly. ¡°However, you¡¯d better go for the Hunter Elementary Test. I¡¯ll keep my word,¡± Cage added at last. ¡°Thank you, Professor. I¡¯ll definitely do my best!¡± After obtaining Cage¡¯s approval, Lin Bai thanked him excitedly. Cage smiled and said, ¡°Be careful.¡± Lin Bai nodded. Then, under everyone¡¯s gazes, he stood on the platform in the square alongside the elite students. Lin Bai naturally intentionally chose a spot and stood on Su Ya¡¯s left. Su Ya pouted her red lips and smiled. ¡°Well done.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve disliked him for a long time.¡± Lin Bai curled his lips. ¡°I hope that you will show the same performance during the Hunter Elementary Test,¡± said Su Ya harshly. However, she was filled with confidence in the young man in front of her. ¡­ In front of the Death Swamp. Standing in front of a group of elite students, Cage held his head high and looked very solemn. After all, Sorcha College could be considered to have gained some confidence in this Hunter Elementary Test. That was because of Su Ya¡¯s presence. She was an SS-Grade Assassin! This was something that had never happened in Sorcha College for the past few years. ¡°Let me explain the rules for this Hunter Elementary Test,¡± said Cage in a loud voice. ¡°Before the Hunter Elementary Test, each of you will have different team missions.¡± ¡°Only by passing the team mission will you be able to obtain the location of the actual Hunter Elementary Test.¡± ¡°Next, I¡¯ll distribute the team missions for each group.¡± After he finished speaking, Cage walked towards the team and gave each team a piece of parchment. Su Ya took the parchment from Cage and slowly opened it. At this moment, Lin Bai also looked over. ¡°Your Team Mission: Escort the Ice Cabin!¡± A steamboat called the Ice Cabin was transporting a batch of important goods from the Eastern Empire to the Northern Empire. According to a credible source of information, a group of pirates planned to intercept the cargo when the Ice Cabin passed through the sea. The college that had received this mission needed to board the Ice Cabin and defeat the pirates to escort the Ice Camp to the Northern Empire! Lin Bai could not help but gulp. This mission was not simple. After all, their opponents were pirates. Speaking of pirates, Lin Bai thought of a series of adjectives including viciousness, murder, and so on that made his scalp tingle. ¡°This is not simple.¡± Su Ya also commented on the mission. Lin Bai looked at the cold beauty, whose lips were parted slightly, and his heart actually surged slightly. Lin Bai immediately shook his head. His current mission was extremely dangerous, so how could he have the time to think about this? ¡°Let¡¯s go. This parchment also has a map. Let¡¯s look for the harbor where the Ice Cabin is parked,¡± said Su Ya. Lin Bai nodded and followed Su Ya towards the Death Swamp. They had to pass through the Death Swamp, reach the location of the team mission, and obtain the location for the actual Hunter Elementary Test! These were the three missions that Su Ya and Lin Bai were facing. However, crossing the Death Swamp was simply a piece of cake for the two of them. The two of them walked through the Death Swamp as if it was a flat land with no one around. Soon, they passed through this barren land. Fortunately, they did not encounter any troublesome monsters like the Master of the Swamp along the way. On the way, Su Ya was the one attacking creatures. As for Lin Bai, he was afraid of the backlash from the black magic, so he remained indifferent as much as he could. ¡°Why have you not been attacking?¡± Su Ya furrowed her eyebrows. ¡°That¡­ I need to conserve my strength.¡± Lin Bai casually replied. Su Ya angrily rolled her eyes at Lin Bai. Then, she continued dealing with the surrounding magical creatures. After passing through the Death Swamp, Lin Bai and Su Ya ran towards the designated port. ¡°Look! It¡¯s the Ice Cabin!¡± Su Ya pointed at a pure white ship not too far away and shouted excitedly. Lin Bai smiled and said, ¡°Let¡¯s board it together.¡± Su Ya nodded her head happily. The Ice Cabin stood in the sea. From afar, it looked magnificent, making it seem like those exciting and romantic scenes from a fairy tale. Lin Bai looked at Su Ya, who was excited by the large ship, and a thought could not help but sprout in his heart. Pirates? Whoever dared to destroy this romantic setting was his enemy. Then, Lin Bai boarded the ship with firm steps.. Chapter 12 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Su Ya and Lin Bai stepped onto the deck of the Ice Cabin. When the Captain, who was dressed in a sailor suit, saw the two of them board the ship, he immediately came to welcome them. ¡°You must be the students who have come to participate in this team mission. I¡¯m Captain Sol of the Ice Cabin,¡± said Captain Sol warmly. At the same time, Sol secretly glanced at the two of them. Su Ya was undoubtedly eye-catching. Her looks were extremely exquisite, and she was tall with fair skin. She could be considered a first-class beauty. At the same time, Lin Bai was extremely handsome. The two of them possessed impressive appearances. They were a good-looking couple. This was Sol¡¯s first impression of Lin Bai and Su Ya. ¡°We¡¯ll set sail at 9pm. There are still three hours before we set off, so you can take a walk around the ship. The First Mate, Dave, will be your guide.¡± Sol continued, ¡°Is there anywhere you want to visit?¡± ¡°The library!¡± Lin Bai raised his hand. Sol was shocked. With a beautiful woman accompanying him, shouldn¡¯t ordinary youths go to romantic places like the side of the ship to enjoy themselves? However, this young man actually wanted to go to the library immediately after coming and ignored this beauty?! What kind of awareness was this! Sol was instantly filled with respect. ¡°The library isn¡¯t far from here. Let me show you,¡± said Sol. At this moment, Lin Bai, who was only thinking about using his Reader skills to master more skills, naturally did not know what Sol was thinking. In reality, he also wanted to master some offensive skills to protect the girl beside him! Thus, Lin Bai followed Sol all the way to the library of the Ice Cabin. Lin Bai walked into the library. Then, he immediately felt rather disappointed. ¡°This¡­ is the library?!¡± Lin Bai was stunned. Sol scratched his head awkwardly and stammered, ¡°We¡¯re sailors after all. We¡¯re busy with sailing and other stuff every day¡­ We don¡¯t have time to study, so¡­¡± Sol looked at the empty library. He really couldn¡¯t bear the shame of seeing the miserable state of the few books. Lin Bai sighed gently. It seemed like he could only make do with this. Thus, after Sol went out and closed the door, Lin Bai casually took out a book. ¡°The Secrets of Nature¡±. When Lin Bai saw the name of the book, he immediately felt that it was especially classy. ¡°This is it!¡± Lin Bai made up his mind and plunged into the sea of books. [Reader Skill activated!] [After reading for three hours, you will receive book-related skills!] Lin Bai was overjoyed. Three hours was just enough time before the Ice Cabin set off. Thus, Lin Bai carefully flipped through the pages. Three hours passed very quickly. [Ding!] [Congratulations on obtaining the skill ¡°Spirit of Nature¡±!] [Effect: Communicate with nature.] Was that it? Lin Bai could not help but purse his lips. Wasn¡¯t this skill too useless? Recalling the three hours he had spent on this, Lin Bai more or less felt that it was not worth it. Communicating with nature¡­ This skill did not sound like it could chase away pirates! Lin Bai shrugged his shoulders. Just as he was about to continue to see if there were any more books worth reading, the ship shook at this moment. Then, an ear-piercing whistle sounded. ¡°Are they setting off?¡± Lin Bai was shocked. It seemed like he could not continue staying in the library. After all, he did not come here to nurture his Reader skills. Instead, he was here to carry out his escort mission. Thus, Lin Bai walked out of the library and arrived on the deck. Coincidentally, Su Ya was also on the deck, leaning against the guardrail and looking into the distance to see if there were any traces of pirate ships. Lin Bai walked towards Su Ya and stood on her left. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You also know the characteristics of my Reader Class, which is why I left you behind and went to the library as soon as I got here.¡± Su Ya bent her head slightly and smiled. ¡°I know. Fortunately, the restaurant on the ship is not bad. I filled my stomach and took my time. Three hours passed very quickly.¡± Lin Bai nodded. Just as he smiled, his gaze turned serious again. ¡°That¡¯s not right.¡± ¡°What¡¯s not right?¡± Su Ya was somewhat stunned. The change in Lin Bai¡¯s emotions was truly confusing. ¡°The sea breeze is not right. This is a sign of a storm.¡± ¡°Furthermore, it¡¯s going to be a huge storm!¡± Lin Bai¡¯s face was pale. If this storm struck, the consequences would be no joke! Even if it was a Royal Caribbean ship, and even if the ship had arranged for the best sailors in the world, they would simply be overturned in the face of a storm that was this strong! ¡°We need to return to the port! Call Captain Sol! We have to return. We can¡¯t go forward!¡± Lin Bai roared. In such a crisis, Lin Bai could not care about his dignity. Sol heard the news in the Captain¡¯s room and immediately ran up to the deck in a hurry to find Lin Bai. ¡°Do you think there will be a huge storm?¡± Sol confirmed. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Are you a meteorologist?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then are you a fortune-teller?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then what Class are you?¡± ¡°The Reader Class.¡± ¡°¡­¡± After this conversation, Sol was speechless. What was a Reader¡­? It didn¡¯t sound like a profession that could predict the weather. Furthermore, it sounded so weak. Could it be that he was afraid and wanted to trick the Ice Cabin into returning to escape this mission? ¡°Little Brother, I¡¯m a relatively experienced Captain, so I know a little about navigation. However, I think the sea is calm. It doesn¡¯t seem like there will be a storm.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s take a step back. Even if there¡¯s a storm, our Ice Cabin is fully equipped and the sailors are all experienced. I think we can withstand the greatest storm.¡± Sol tried to explain to Lin Bai, but Lin Bai did not listen at all. He didn¡¯t know anything about navigation, but he could communicate with nature! Wasn¡¯t this much more reliable than some navigation knowledge?! ¡°Trust me!¡± Lin Bai shouted. Although he was very certain about the arrival of the storm, he could not explain it. Thus, he could not convince Sol to believe him. He could only¡­ use his emotions to influence him¡­ Sol shook his head. It seemed like this brat only had good appearances. When faced with major matters, he would simply escape in the face of danger. At this moment, some of the crew members were alarmed as well. They arrived on the deck. As soon as they arrived, they saw Lin Bai arguing helplessly. ¡°What? A brat actually dares to show off in front of a group of professional sailors!¡± A crew member said with a smile. Su Ya looked at the crew members with a strange expression. Then, as if she was certain of something, she slowly walked towards that crew member. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, little beauty? Are you angry at me for scolding your boyfriend?¡± The crew member was still smiling cheekily. Su Ya fell silent and drew her knife from her waist. ¡°Swish!¡± The crew member¡¯s head fell to the ground! Chapter 13 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios A head had fallen to the ground. Everyone present looked at this beautiful yet swift woman in surprise. Even Lin Bai was a little confused. What was she doing? Lin Bai was filled with questions. Could it be that she was really helping him to seek justice? After Captain Sol reacted, he glared at Su Ya with wide eyes. ¡°Killing someone on my ship? Aren¡¯t you being a bit too presumptuous?¡± Meanwhile, some of the crew members present had complicated emotions. The crew member who was killed merely offended Lin Bai and ended up like this. Who would have thought that this beauty would be so vicious? Moreover, she was actually protecting this young man called Lin Bai¡­ These crew members could not help but feel envious. However, she couldn¡¯t kill the innocent for her lover either! Was this the male version of a femme fatale? The crew members had already come up with a drama in their minds. ¡°Men, throw them into the sea!¡± ¡°The Ice Cabin is not a place for young people like you to behave atrociously.¡± Upon hearing Captain Sol¡¯s order, the crew members finally snapped out of their fantasies and slowly began to surround Lin Bai and Su Ya. These crew members were all seasoned veterans and had gone through countless trials and tribulations. Thus, they were strong and could not be underestimated. Meanwhile, Lin Bai was rather nervous right now. These crew members were not some small fry to begin with. Coupled with the absolute advantage in numbers, he did not know if they could deal with it. Just as Lin Bai was about to attack, Su Ya moved before him. With a dagger in hand, Su Ya charged straight into the crowd of crew members. However, the crew members were well-trained. Coupled with the fact that Su Ya was outnumbered, she was soon thrown into disarray and could only defend herself pathetically. Lin Bai was furious. Were these crew members actually bullying a girl in front of him?! Thus, Lin Bai exerted force in his legs and charged into the crowd. He pulled Su Ya out, then stood in front of her to protect her. Upon seeing this, a crew member could not help but mock, ¡°What? Aren¡¯t you a pretty boy who only knows how to hide behind women? Are you acting like a hero saving a beautiful woman now?¡± Lin Bai ignored him. Instead, he secretly activated the Spirit of Nature. [Spirit of Nature: Weather Control!] Lin Bai waved his hand. Then, a gust of wind blew over, blowing towards the gathered crew members. The crew members instantly lost their balance and fell to the ground, looking extremely miserable. ¡°Are you playing dirty?!¡± A crew member stumbled to his feet. He stared viciously at Lin Bai, preparing to counterattack. Meanwhile, Lin Bai looked back at the crew member indifferently and said, ¡°If you move again, I will have lightning strike down on you.¡± ¡°Hahahahahaha!¡± The crew member couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Who do you think you are? How can lightning strike so easily?!¡± Lin Bai did not comment. Instead, he gently pointed at the sky. The crew members looked up in the direction Lin Bai pointed. A large dark cloud was hovering over the Ice Cabin. A storm was coming. ¡°Do you think that the wind just now was just to blow you all down?¡± Lin Bai laughed. The crew member trembled. He naturally understood the hidden meaning behind Lin Bai¡¯s words. The strong wind just now had blown the dark clouds in the distance to above the ship! The crew members could not help but feel a chill run down their spines. The seemingly harmless youth in front of them was actually able to send chills down their spines. ¡°Calm down. I believe Su Ya won¡¯t kill for no reason,¡± said Lin Bai. Then, he cast his gaze towards Su Ya behind him. Su Ya stretched out her hand and pointed at the waist of the dead crew member. There was a gray cloth bag there. Sol was the first to sense this. He was about to remove the cloth bag and investigate. ¡°Be careful.¡± Su Ya reminded him coldly. Sol nodded and carefully opened the sack. Inside the cloth bag were a few transparent glass bottles filled with a sticky liquid. The liquid was dark green in color and gave off an ominous feeling. ¡°Is this the Mandara Poison?!¡± Sol¡¯s entire body trembled. He had never thought that the cloth bag would contain such a dangerous item. Furthermore, there were three bottles of the poison! Once these three bottles of Mandara Poison were used, the entire Ice Cabin would become a living hell. Even a Grade-Five Hunter would be unable to escape! This kind of poison was extracted from the Mandara Snake¡¯s Spirit Crystal. The Mandara Snake was definitely not inferior to the Master of the Swamp! Furthermore, the refinement of the poison was definitely not simple. An Alchemist had to personally take action in order to successfully refine it. As for Alchemists, they were an SS-Grade Class, like the Assassins. Besides the three bottles of Mandara Poison, there were also a few letters! The letters contained the records of crew members and pirates! Lin stood aside, taking in the entire contents of the letters. Then, he chuckled at Sol¡¯s shocked expression. ¡°When did this crew member get on board?¡± Sol thought about this for a moment, then answered. ¡°It¡¯s been nearly two years. He¡¯s a veteran sailor on the Ice Cabin.¡± ¡°The records of his dealings with pirates¡­ He actually swaggered around with such confidential documents!¡± ¡°He has already betrayed us. He was prepared to cooperate with the pirates today to release the poison and take down the Ice Cabin!¡± Lin Bai stared coldly at Sol and said, ¡°Do you really trust these crew members that much? As the saying goes, you have to be wary of your own problems. You were lucky to have met us today, but what about in the future? What will you do in the future?¡± Sol blushed with guilt at his words. Now that the crisis was over, Sol couldn¡¯t help but feel a little guilty for his initial misunderstanding of Su Ya. ¡°Thank you, Miss Su Ya,¡± he said sincerely. ¡°Is there anything else we can do?¡± Lin Bai pondered for a moment, then said, ¡°Turn back the ship.¡± Sol was puzzled. ¡°We just destroyed the pirates¡¯s plan. Why are we returning now?¡± Lin Bai was rather speechless when he saw how stunned Sol was. What a blockhead. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you just now? There will be a huge storm in this sea! The dark clouds that the wind blew over just now are evidence!¡± Seeing that Sol showed no signs of wavering, Lin Bai continued to persuade Sol and said, ¡°Captain Sol, if we return now, it¡¯s not too late.¡± Sol hesitated for a moment before finally saying, ¡°We¡¯ve actually traveled nearly half the distance now. Whether we return or not doesn¡¯t really make much of a difference¡­¡± Lin Bai was rather speechless. Forget it, it wasn¡¯t a big problem. At most, when the storm really came, he would use the Spirit of Nature to protect the ship and everything would be fine. Thus, Lin Bai waved his hand and said, ¡°That¡¯s fine as well. Just speed up a little and try not to run into any storms.¡± Sol nodded heavily. Then, he returned to his post with the rest of the crew. Very soon, only Su Ya and Lin Bai were left on the deck. ¡°Don¡¯t you find it strange?¡± Lin Bai suddenly asked. ¡°What?¡± Su Ya was confused. ¡°I don¡¯t think that the Mandara Poison is something a bunch of pirates can produce.¡± ¡°Then, you¡¯re saying that¡­?¡± Su Ya asked. ¡°Whatever, it¡¯s not important.¡± Lin Bai waved his hand and replied.. Chapter 14 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The Ice Cabin sailed smoothly on the sea, continuing its mission to transport goods to the Northern Empire. The sea was still calm and showed no signs of a storm. Sol spat harshly. This time, an outsider had discovered a mole on the ship. It was a huge loss of face for him, the captain. Then, Sol lit a cigar and came to the deck to relax. A few seagulls flew up from the sea, causing ripples like circles of smoke. ¡°It¡¯s coming.¡± Sol did not know when Lin Bai had appeared beside him. He leaned against the railing and looked at the distant sea clouds. ¡°Do you mean that the storm is coming?¡± Sol asked while blowing out a cloud of smoke. Lin Bai nodded slightly, triggering Sol¡¯s barely audible laugh of derision. ¡°I can talk to nature. You should trust me,¡± said Lin Bai. ¡°Talk to¡­ nature?¡± Sol was shocked. Why did those words¡­ sound so familiar? Oh right, he remembered now! Thirty years ago, there was a young man on Ice Cabin who had said the exact same thing to him! At that time, the sea was just as calm, but in the end, there was a strange and huge storm. If that young man hadn¡¯t insisted on returning, the Ice Cabin would have drowned and would no longer exist. In Sol¡¯s eyes, the figures of Lin Bai and that young man gradually merged together. ¡°Where are you from?¡± Sol deliberately asked. He still vaguely remembered the college that the young man had attended. ¡°Sorcha College,¡± replied Lin Bai casually. However, these four simple words caused a huge wave in Sol¡¯s heart! Sorcha College?! That young man was also from Sorcha College! The young man¡­ seemed to be called Merlin. Sol slowly digested this huge amount of information in his heart. In the end, he decided to keep his mouth shut. It was just a coincidence. There was nothing to be surprised about. Suddenly, a strong sea breeze blew over, causing the ship to shake. ¡°Quick! Return to the cabin!¡± Lin Bai suddenly became nervous and called out to Sol. Sol¡¯s face turned pale. The sea was as calm as a mirror a second ago. Why had the weather changed now?! This was a sign that a storm was coming! The current surface of the sea was completely different from the calm surface from before! ¡°Put away the sails!¡± ¡°Sailors in position!¡± ¡°Helmsman, watch your balance!¡± Sol immediately left the deck and used the broadcast system in the captain¡¯s cabin to give instructions. At this moment, Lin Bai witnessed his boldness, execution, and leadership as a captain. Lin Bai inadvertently turned his head. Then, he saw a crew member standing by the mast, preparing to put away the sail. [Spirit of Nature: Activated!] The Spirit of Nature suddenly activated automatically, and a large amount of information poured into Lin Bai¡¯s head. ¡°Not good. Lightning is about to strike!¡± Lin Bai cried out in alarm. From his conversation with nature, he could tell that a large thunderbolt was about to strike the mast. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Lin Bai shouted, but his voice was completely drowned out by the howling of the storm. The crew member did not hear him at all and continued to keep the sails. Lin Bai could not care less anymore. He instantly exerted force in his legs and spared no effort in running towards the crew member, pushing him away. Sol¡¯s gaze was drawn away by Lin Bai¡¯s sudden outburst, just in time to witness the scene of Lin Bai saving the crew member. At that moment, a sliver of light flashed through Sol¡¯s eyes before it dimmed. Afterwards, he looked at Lin Bai with a different gaze. Bang! As the thunderbolt struck, the mast was instantly reduced to dust! The confused crew member who was suddenly pushed aside saw this scene and was even more dumbfounded. Then, tears flowed down his face. ¡°Brother!¡± The crew member looked at Lin Bai, who had saved his life, and hugged him with tearful eyes, as if he was holding onto his last hope. ¡°How should I thank you?!¡± The crew member looked at Lin Bai gratefully as he sobbed. Lin Bai was sweating. He thought, ¡°You can thank me in any way that you want, but please don¡¯t say that you want to marry me!¡± The small disturbance passed very quickly. Afterwards, Lin Bai expanded the Spirit of Nature skill and read the information about the various storms. Then, he planned a safe route for the Ice Cabin. This continued for more than twenty minutes before the Ice Cabin finally left the storm-covered area and entered a relatively safe sea area. ¡°Fortunately, I have you. Otherwise, I really might not have been able to hold on.¡± Sol wiped away his sweat, feeling like he had just escaped death. At the same time, he looked at Lin Bai gratefully. Along the way, Lin Bai predicted where lightning would strike, as well as the direction of the waves. Thus, in the eyes of the crew, Lin Bai was like a God. Who would have thought that this young man who happened to board this ship had saved them so many times¡­ Sol looked at Lin Bai and Su Ya gratefully, especially Lin Bai. The moment Lin Bai sacrificed himself to save the crew member was simply too shocking. He had been floating on the sea all day long and had seen the ways of the world. There was mutual deception, betrayal, scheming, and flattery¡­ In this era, the noble character of a young person was too rare and precious. At this moment, a crew member standing high above suddenly shouted, ¡°A pirate ship has appeared at four o¡¯ clock ahead!¡± These words caused the entire Icy Cabin to stir restlessly. Even Lin Bai and Su Ya¡¯s complexions were somewhat ugly. After all, they had just escaped death and avoided the storm. They had never expected that misfortune would strike again. A group of pirates with ill intentions followed closely behind the storm. ¡°Shall we prepare for a battle?¡± Lin Bai muttered to himself. The pirate ships in the distance had already begun to fire their cannons to demonstrate their might. Three loud explosions sounded on the surface of the sea. As a result, the agitated waves pushed against the Ice Cabin, causing the ship to sway left and right. At the bow of the pirate ship stood a middle-aged man with a monocle in his hand. He was observing every movement of the Ice Cabin. Behind the middle-aged man, a crew member bowed and reported respectfully, ¡°Captain Ruth, the Ice Cabin has discovered us and is mobilizing its troops to deal with our attack.¡± The middle-aged man turned back and gave the crew member a cold look. ¡°Of course I know about this sort of thing,¡± said the man with a look of disappointment. ¡°However, they have just passed through the storm. They must be heavily wounded now. We can take advantage of their weakness and take them down easily.¡± ¡°Besides, after the demonstration just now, John must have received the signal and released the Mandara Poison. Right now, there are probably less than five people on the Ice Cabin who still have the strength to stand up.¡± Then, Ruth put down the telescope. He could imagine the scene after the Mandara Poison was released. There would be howls, screams, and chaos. It would be hell on earth. ¡°Prepare to board the ship and seize the goods,¡± Ruth ordered. This time, he was determined to win! Chapter 15 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios In the combat room of the Ice Cabin. Sol was busy deploying matters related to the battle. Meanwhile, Lin Bai and Su Ya stood to the side, listening quietly. After all, the outcome of this battle was closely related to their fate. At this moment, the pirate ship was already infinitely close to the Ice Cabin. The distance between railings of the two ships was only the length of a hull. Ruth stood on the right of the pirate ship with his head held high, hoping to create some momentum for himself. He swept his gaze across the deck of the Ice Cabin and was delighted when he realized that he could no longer see anyone. The effects of the Mandara Poison were real! After all, he had spent so much money to hire an Alchemist to board the ship. Furthermore, he had spent so much money to buy the materials needed to create the Mandara Poison. From the looks of it, the Ice Cabin seemed to have been paralyzed. The money was well spent. ¡°Those who are still alive on the Ice Cabin, listen up. Surrender now and hand over all the goods on the ship obediently. We can give you the antidote!¡± This was the mercy he left for the weak. However, no one answered. Ruth¡¯s heart sank. The Alchemist did say that the Mandara Poison was highly toxic. Could it be that the entire crew of the Ice Cabin had been poisoned?! It looked like he had to personally board the ship and transport the goods¡­ Ruth gritted his teeth. He hated physical labor the most. At this moment, a figure finally appeared on the Ice Cabin. It was Lin Bai. Ruth looked closer and saw that it was a young man who probably was not even twenty years old. He was surprised. He was able to resist the Mandala Poison at such a young age?! Ruth took a deep breath and calmed himself down a little. Then, he looked at Lin Bai coldly and said condescendingly, ¡°Send me all the goods that your Ice Cabin is transporting, and I can spare your life. Otherwise, even though you were lucky enough to escape the invasion of the Mandara Poison, I will personally deal with you.¡± Lin Bai raised his eyebrows. ¡°Hand over the goods?¡± ¡°In your dreams.¡± Ruth clenched his teeth. He had never thought that an immature and inexperienced kid would talk back to him like that! ¡°John!¡± Ruth called out to the mole he had planted on the Ice Cabin. After releasing the Mandara Poison, John must have gone into hiding. Now, it was time for him to show himself. ¡°John, come out and catch this kid on the ship. I want to teach him what manners are!¡± Lin Bai smiled and fumbled for something in his backpack behind him. As he did so, he said to Ruth, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but John may never be able to answer you.¡± For a moment, Ruth did not understand what Lin Bai meant. However, he could vaguely foresee some ominous signs. Then, Lin Bai gently swung his right hand and tossed out a head. ¡°Your John can no longer speak.¡± Ruth¡¯s eyes widened, and he looked at Lin Bai in disbelief. ¡°You killed John?!¡± Lin Bai smiled, but did not comment. ¡°Fine, fine, I will personally deal with you!¡± Ruth said through gritted teeth. ¡°However, I really didn¡¯t expect John to fall into your hands after releasing the Mandara Poison.¡± Lin Bai looked at Ruth with interest and smiled. ¡°Who told you that he successfully released the Mandara Poison?¡± ¡°Hahaha, stop bluffing me!¡± ¡°Are you trying to scare me?¡± Lin Bai looked at the stubborn Ruth and snapped his fingers. Sol reorganized the crew that had been deployed and appeared neatly on deck. The entire Ice Cabin instantly became more imposing. ¡°Do you still think I¡¯m bluffing you?¡± Ruth¡¯s legs gave way and he almost collapsed to the floor. Thankfully, he leaned against the railing in time to get his balance. Thus, he didn¡¯t fall to the floor and embarrass himself. ¡°You¡­ you didn¡¯t die?!¡± Ruth¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°It¡¯s all wishful thinking on your part.¡± Lin Bai exposed Ruth without any mercy. ¡°I never said that our Ice Cabin suffered from Mandara Poison.¡± ¡°Now, you deserve it.¡± Lin Bai waved his right hand, and three bottles of Mandara Poison flew out, accurately landing on the pirate ship. The glass bottles exploded the moment they touched the ground. Then, the Mandara Poison started to spread like a plague. The entire pirate ship instantly panicked. Ruth was also at a loss as to what to do. He looked at the crew members running all over the place. Under such circumstances, he and Sol were both captains, but the gap between them had already been revealed. ¡°Antidote! Antidote! Go get the antidote!¡± Ruth shouted behind him. However, no one cared about his orders at all. All the crew members ran away like rats, wanting to be alone. Then, a young man in a long robe walked out and stood beside Ruth. He was holding several bottles filled with a transparent liquid. After that, he gently crushed the glass bottle in his hand. When the transparent liquid came into contact with the air, it instantly evaporated. The green smoke caused by the Mandara Poison seemed to be slowly being absorbed by the transparent liquid. On the ship, the twisted human bodies that were affected by the Mandara Poison gradually calmed down. They panted heavily with relief on their faces. ¡°You¡¯re still reliable, Master Ghost.¡± The young man called Master Ghost smiled, revealing a face as pale as paper beneath his robe. However, his lips were as red as blood. ¡°Who is that?!¡± When Sol saw the face of the so-called Ghost Master, he cried out in surprise, ¡°Are you the Ghost Priest?!¡± ¡°The Ghost Priest?¡± After all, Lin Bai was not like Sol, who was experienced and knowledgeable. Thus, this name was rather unfamiliar to him. ¡°He¡¯s a Pharmacist who makes everyone in the sea region shiver upon hearing his name!¡± Sol explained. Alchemists and Pharmacists seemed similar, but the difference between them was like heaven and earth! The pills concocted by Alchemists could be said to be an existence that all Hunters would flock to. The status of Alchemists was incomparably noble and was enough for one to obtain an extremely high position in any guild. On the other hand, Pharmacists were existences that people stayed a respectful distance from and despised. That was because the pills produced by the Pharmacists were all extremely dark and dangerous. Furthermore, most of them had great side effects. ¡°What¡¯s a Pharmacist?¡± Lin Bai coldly looked at the dark robed figure and asked emotionlessly. The Ghost Priest did not show any sign of weakness either. Instead, he looked up and met Lin Bai¡¯s gaze. ¡°How dare an inexperienced and immature brat look at me with such defiance?¡± When Lin Bai heard the Ghost Priest¡¯s words of humiliation, his gaze became even sharper. Naturally, the Spirit of Nature was ready to strike. Was a Pharmacist very powerful? Then let us¡­ find out! Chapter 16 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Lin Bai and the Ghost Priest¡¯s gazes collided. They were both rather aggressive. However, after looking Lin Bai up and down, the Ghost Priest snorted in disdain. ¡°How can you be someone who can¡¯t even be considered a Hunter?! I thought you were some kind of ruthless character. You actually dared to challenge me, the Ghost Priest?!¡± The Ghost Priest shifted his gaze away, unwilling to waste any more time on this seemingly powerless brat. ¡°It seems that I¡¯m destined to be the one to take down the Ice Cabin today!¡± Lin Bai¡¯s eyes sank. He had also been hot-blooded just now, and had shouted at the Ghost Priest emotionally for a while, wanting to use this opportunity to awaken the morale of the sailors behind him. Unexpectedly, not only did the morale of the sailors fail to rise, they were also completely looked down upon by the Ghost Priest! However, then again, if he looked at the situation rationally, he was really afraid of the Ghost Priest. After all, the Ghost Priest was a vicious pirate who licked the blood of others! As for himself, he was like a greenhouse flower born in an ivory tower¡­ When he thought about this, Lin Bai could not help but turn his head and look over at the Ice Cabin. He vaguely remembered that there should be a group of students who had come to complete the mission on this ship. Lin Bai quickly found the two familiar figures in the crowd. Just like Lin Bai and Su Ya, they were also a team consisting of a man and a woman. Upon sensing Lin Bai¡¯s probing gaze, the man also returned a sharp gaze. Afterwards, the man, who was probably also feeling hot-blooded, also took a step forward and walked out of the group. He protected the girl behind him, standing shoulder to shoulder with Lin Bai. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Lin Bai asked softly. The man pouted and ignored Lin Bai. After a while, he answered reluctantly, ¡°Xue Xiao.¡± ¡°If we work together, we should be able to fight the Ghost Priest.¡± Although Lin Bai could tell that Xue Xiao did not like him, he still voiced his thoughts. In his view, this was the safest way to break out of this situation. The Ghost Priest heard Lin Bai¡¯s secret plan, as if he had seen the lamb¡¯s final struggle. ¡°Then you can join forces. If you can defeat me, we will return the ship unconditionally!¡± The Ghost Priest agreed. However, his agreement was filled with mockery. ¡°No thanks,¡± Xue Xiao replied firmly. ¡°Eh?¡± Lin Bai was stunned by Xue Xiao¡¯s words. No?? Lin Bai thought, ¡°Brother, what are you doing at this critical moment?¡± Was his trying to throw a tantrum? Xue Xiao rolled his eyes at Lin Bai and said, ¡°I can do it myself. It doesn¡¯t matter if there is a Reader present or not. They might even drag me down.¡± Lin Bai¡¯s mind was filled with thoughts. Could it be that the news that he was a Reader had spread to other schools? He had really made a name for himself¡­ Unfortunately, this kind of fame did not seem to be based on a positive image¡­ ¡°A Reader?¡± The Ghost Priest raised his eyebrows in surprise when he heard this occupation. As for the pirates behind him, they did not hold back at all and burst into laughter without any qualms. Lin Bai¡¯s mouth twitched slightly. Hey, hey, don¡¯t go too far¡­ Xue Xiao took a step forward and pressed on Lin Bai¡¯s trembling shoulders. ¡°Don¡¯t be angry. The truth won¡¯t change because of your emotions. The weak are the weak, so there¡¯s no need to argue.¡± Lin Bai no longer wanted to retort. Fine, fine, do whatever you want. ¡°So, are you going to be my opponent?¡± The Ghost Priest raised his head and looked down at Xue Xiao. Xue Xiao did not say a word as he charged at The Ghost Priest. It happened in an instant. Before most of the people present could react, Xue Xiao had already arrived in front of the Ghost Priest. ¡°An Assassin?¡± The Ghost Priest¡¯s eyes flashed. He was also shocked by this astonishing speed. However, he shook his head and denied himself, ¡°You don¡¯t seem to have a weapon on your waist. Are you a Pugilist?¡± Xue Xiao looked at the Ghost Priest warily. This person had actually determined his Class with just a few simple movements! He was definitely not simple! Furthermore, he had deliberately increased his speed to the maximum, hoping to confuse the Ghost Priest and make him think that he was an Assassin. However, he never expected that he would be exposed in an instant. Initially, he wanted to use the Assassin¡¯s SS-Grade Class to intimidate the Ghost Priest¡­ After all, the difference between an A-Grade Pugilist and an SS-rank Assassin was not small. ¡°I was wondering what Class you were, but you¡¯re just an A-Grade Hunter, so get lost.¡± The Ghost Priest¡¯s tone was calm as he pushed Xue Xiao away. Xue Xiao staggered and fell backward onto the deck of the Ice Cabin. ¡°Ruth, take your men and attack together!¡± Then, the Ghost Priest turned around and shouted, ¡°I¡¯m too lazy to fight these small fries one on one. Take them down in one fell swoop.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Ruth replied. After that, with a command from Ruth, all the pirates behind him rushed onto the deck of the Ice Cabin like thousands of arrows. Upon seeing this, Sol also commanded the sailors of the Ice Cabin to calmly face the battle. Upon seeing the Ice Cabin¡¯s army, the Ghost Priest¡¯s expression remained calm. He secretly threw two bottles of transparent liquid onto the deck of the Ice Cabin. The liquid fell on everyone, and the sailors instantly felt their bodies go limp. ¡°This is¡­ the Weakening Spirit Essence?!¡± An experienced and knowledgeable sailor was the first to notice something. This Weakening Spirit Essence was not something that could be casually produced. After all, it was a priceless treasure! For example, in a war between two countries, once one side took out this kind of essence, it was practically a sure victory! It was a waste for the Ghost Priest to use this essence under such circumstances. The Ghost Priest smiled and said, ¡°After weakening the opponent, no matter how strong the army is, they¡¯re just like a bunch of loose sand. I¡¯ve already given the antidote to the pirates on our side. Wouldn¡¯t it be easy for us to defeat the weak guys when we¡¯re at full strength?!¡± The current situation was already one-sided. Meanwhile, Lin Bai watched calmly from the side. The Weakening Spiritual Essence had also landed on his body earlier, but it did not seem to have any effect. Was it because of the Spirit of Nature? Furthermore, something seemed to have changed in his body. It was a completely new feeling. ¡°Could it be¡­¡± Lin Bai¡¯s heart trembled. ¡°Hey!¡± Lin Bai yelled at the experienced sailor, ¡°Do you know what this liquid is made of?¡± The sailor was taken aback. He wondered what the boy was planning by asking such a question. ¡°If I remember correctly, it should be¡­ the juice of the Witch-Hunting Vine!¡± The Witch-Hunting Vine?! Lin Bai was shocked as he recalled what Destin had said in the forest. Could it be¡­ A smile appeared on Lin Bai¡¯s lips. ¡°It¡¯s really¡­ exactly what I want!¡± Chapter 17 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios A smile appeared on Lin Bai¡¯s lips. So that was how it was! The Ghost Priest¡¯s strongest trump card had now become a gift for Lin Bai. After all, the juice of the Witch-Hunter Vine was exactly what he had dreamed of! [Spirit of Nature: Activated!] Lin Bai activated the Spirit of Nature. Immediately, the entire nature resonated with him. He used this to sense the surrounding Weakening Spirit Essence and absorbed it bit by bit. It had to be said that this seemingly useless Spirit of Nature could play a certain role in any situation. Every time Lin Bai needed something, it would help Lin Bai like a panacea. Just like this, the Weakening Spirit Essence in this area was actually cleaned up by him. The sailor on the Ice Cabin was dumbfounded and had no idea what was going on. He only felt that the powerlessness from the Weakening Spirit Essence seemed to be slowly dissipating. The other sailors also looked at one another. Could it be that the Weakening Spirit Essence was ineffective when diluted with water? The Ghost Priest also sensed that something was wrong. Why did the originally unsteady sailors suddenly become energetic? This time, both sides were kept completely in the dark. Only Lin Bai was secretly delighted as he knew what was happening. He was just short of thanking the Ghost Priest for the Weakening Spirit Essence. Meanwhile, the Ghost Priest was a smart person and quickly saw through the reason for this. ¡°I¡¯ve underestimated you.¡± The Ghost Priest stared at Lin Bai eerily, roughly guessing what he was up to. He could sense a powerful ripple from the liquid within Lin Bai. Lin Bai¡¯s expression was rather complicated. On the one hand, he had unsealed his black magic. Thus, he now had another trump card to use against the Ghost Priest. However, on the other hand, even so, he was not confident when fighting the Ghost Priest head-on. ¡°I, the Ghost Priest, have a habit of removing the thorn in my side first,¡± said the Ghost Priest. Then, he took out a small porcelain bottle from the right sleeve of his robe and gently opened the stopper. A foul smell filled the air. ¡°That¡¯s why I decided to get rid of you first in case something happens.¡± ¡°This is my trump card, the Six-Eyed Spider Venom.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already communicated with it through my consciousness. I can control its form and movements.¡± As Gui Mu spoke, he poured out a black viscous liquid. Then, with a flip of his palm, the viscous object floated in the air before slowly transforming into the appearance of a spider. The spider actually moved like a living creature. ¡°Go on,¡± said the Ghost Priest softly. His voice was strange and terrifying. At this moment, Xue Xiao had already lost his ability to speak. The threatening feeling that the venomous spider gave off had already made him lose his mind. As for Su Ya, she also looked nervously at Lin Bai, wondering if he could successfully deal with this situation. The venomous spider pounced at Lin Bai and bit into his chest! ¡°Ah!¡± Lin Bai¡¯s heart immediately felt a violent pain. [Spirit of Nature, open your domain!] Lin Bai propped himself up and basically used up all his vitality, expanding the Spirit of Nature to the limit of his abilities! However, the Spirit of Nature could only exist at its fullest potential for five seconds. Lin Bai wanted to use these five seconds to disperse the venom! After all, venom was considered a natural attribute. Since it was a natural attribute, he could more or less control it. However, expelling the venom in five seconds would undoubtedly determine the difference between life and death. ¡°One, two, three, four, five¡­¡± Lin Bai thought to himself. At the same time, he frantically chased the spider venom out of his body. Everyone watched Lin Bai with bated breath. From the fact that the Ghost Priest was willing to attack Lin Bai, they knew that Lin Bai was not that simple¡­ He might even be the savior of everyone present! This was on the premise that he could survive this attack¡­ Just as everyone waited anxiously, Lin Bai opened his eyes under the Ghost Priest¡¯s cold gaze. ¡°Is this¡­ your trump card?¡± Lin Bai exhaled and looked at the Ghost Priest provocatively. The veins on the Ghost Priest¡¯s forehead twitched. ¡°You only know how to neutralize poison and defend yourself, but don¡¯t know how to attack. How can you defeat me?¡± The Ghost Priest still stubbornly belittled Lin Bai. ¡°When did I tell you that I don¡¯t know how to attack?¡± Lin Bai asked frivolously. ¡°Avada Kedavra!¡± Almost in an instant, Lin Bai drew his wand. The tip of the wand shook, and a black light shot out. The Ghost Priest¡¯s pupils dilated with fear. He smelled absolute danger. It was the threat of death. Boom! The black light directly penetrated the Ghost Priest¡¯s chest. Then, the Ghost Priest immediately fell back like a marionette with its strings cut. His eyes no longer had any color. ¡°?!¡± Everyone was stunned. Was the Ghost Priest¡­ dead? Was he¡­ killed by a newcomer who had not passed the Hunter Elementary Test? All of this was like an irrelevant, strange dream. Xue Xiao looked at Lin Bai¡¯s back and was extremely stunned. Wasn¡¯t his Class only at the C-Grade?! Xue Xiao had completely forgotten that the so-called C-Grade Class was just his guess. As for Su Ya, the stone in her heart fell. As expected, he had never disappointed her. Meanwhile, everyone present had different emotions. Since the pirates had lost their leader, the sailors of the Ice Cabin quickly regrouped and killed the pirates. This extermination had completely erupted with the death of the Ghost Priest as the fuse. The pirates were completely wiped out, while the Ice Cabin ship did not suffer any casualties. After the annihilation ended, Sol looked for Lin Bai and called him into the captain¡¯s room. As soon as Sol spoke, he thanked Lin Bai profusely, causing Lin Bai to blush in embarrassment. After almost five minutes of thanking Lin Bai, Sol cut to the chase. ¡°Not only did you complete this mission, you also completed it too beautifully!¡± ¡°According to the original rules, I should give you the real location of the Hunter Elementary Test¡­¡± Lin Bai felt that there was something wrong with Sol¡¯s words and began to feel uneasy. What did he mean by that?! Did he mean that Sol would not give him the real location?! ¡°¡­But now, I¡¯ve decided to pilot the Ice Cabin and personally send you to the location of the Hunter Elementary Test.¡± !! Lin Bai was stunned. What right did he have to allow the entire Ice Cabin to send him off! ¡°However, you still have the escort mission. I¡¯m afraid¡­¡± Sol waved his hand and interrupted Lin Bai, ¡°At most, we can just speed up in the future. However, we can¡¯t return this favor. This is the only way we can think of to thank you, Mr. Lin.¡± He even changed how he addressed Lin Bai to a respectful address like Mr. Lin. Lin Bai no longer declined. He would do as he was told. How grand! Lin Bai began to feel some joy. How flashy would it be for the entire Ice Cabin to escort him and Su Ya to the location of the Hunter Elementary Test? As a result, he was looking forward to it. He was looking forward to the arrival of tomorrow! Chapter 18 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After Sol took the initiative to send Lin Bai and Su Ya off, the Ice Cabin also changed its direction. They had originally headed north, but they now turned west. In the captain¡¯s cabin. Sol leaned against the window and blew out a smoke ring as he looked at the endless sea. Meanwhile, Lin Bai and Su Ya sat on the sofa in the captain¡¯s cabin, sitting up straight and feeling a little uncomfortable. They were only here to complete a mission. At most, they were just workers. However¡­ Why did it seem like they had become the hosts? ¡°Captain Sol, where exactly is our Hunter Elementary Test?¡± Lin Bai raised his hand, wanting to resolve some of the awkwardness. Sol turned around and looked at Lin Bai. Then, he put out the cigar. ¡°Do you know Xi Xuan?¡± Lin Bai searched through his mind. He had no impression of this name. Seeing Lin Bai shake his head, Sol continued to explain, ¡°Xi Xuan is a large city in the Western Empire of the continent. The location of this Hunter Elementary Test requires you to pass through a small town located in Xi Xuan.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what will happen next either. This is all the information I have. When you guys arrive there, there should be someone to guide you.¡± Then, Sol handed Lin Bai a map. ¡°This map will lead you to that town.¡± Lin Bai nodded slightly and secretly memorized what Sol had said. Then, he carefully folded the map and put it in his pocket. ¡­ Outside the captain¡¯s cabin. A figure secretly stuck his ear to the door and carefully eavesdropped on the conversation in the captain¡¯s cabin. ¡°I see. A small town in Xi Xuan?¡± The figure grinned meaningfully and looked west. At this moment, rustling footsteps were heard. Someone was approaching the captain¡¯s cabin. The figure was startled and flashed to hide in the blind spot of the newcomer. Then, he safely avoided the approaching sailor. The sailor completely didn¡¯t notice the figure hiding in the shadows as he knocked on the wooden door of the captain¡¯s cabin. After a while, the door opened. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± It was Sol who opened the door. ¡°Captain, the Ice Cabin is ready to dock.¡± The sailor bowed and reported loudly. Sol nodded. This trip had been faster than he had expected. Then, Sol turned to inform Lin Bai and Su Ya to pack their luggage and prepare to disembark. ¡­ Meanwhile, somewhere else¡­ In a certain dazzling hall, many people in gorgeous clothes were sitting neatly around a round sandalwood table. In the center of the round table were real-time videos of the various teams. Furthermore, these people were the upper echelons of the Hunter¡¯s Association, as well as the people in charge of presiding over this Hunter Elementary Test. They would observe and record the performance of all the teams in this Elementary Test. This would be an important reference for the evaluation results later. An old man in a white robe yawned. ¡°Have we seen all the teams?¡± Opposite him, a strong, golden-haired middle-aged man smiled and said, ¡°There are too many teams. We¡¯ve only pay attention to some powerful teams. As for some unknown teams, there¡¯s no need to observe them too much.¡± The white-robed old man nodded in agreement. Then, as if he had suddenly remembered something, he said, ¡°Why do I remember that there¡¯s a troublesome mission to escort the Ice Cabin among the team missions?¡± The blond middle-aged man seemed to wake up from a dream after being reminded by the old man. ¡°This mission is indeed troublesome. Originally, it was the highlight of our observation. However, the team that selected this mission seems to be from Sorcha College¡­¡± Sorcha College¡­?! All the elders present were slightly disappointed. In the past, the top missions usually drew some seeded teams. This also brought about many points of interest for observation each time. However, in Orlando, who did not know the name of Sorcha College? It produced trash and specialized in selling weak chickens! ¡°What level are the two people in that team from Soka College?¡± Someone asked. ¡°Let me glance through the information.¡± The blond middle-aged man took out a thick book and flipped to the middle. ¡°Oh¡­ One of them is called Su Ya. She¡¯s an Assassin.¡± ¡°Oh my, there¡¯s actually an SS-Grade Class in Sorcha College? This is really like smoke rising from the grave of our ancestors!¡± Someone mocked sarcastically. ¡°What about the other person?¡± The white-robed elder asked. ¡°Uh, Lin Bai, his Class is¡­ a Reader¡­?¡± The blond middle-aged man¡¯s statement finally turned into a question. This was because this Class was indeed confusing. ¡°Hahahahahaha!¡± Everyone roared with laughter. Not only was this Class unheard of, just this name alone was enough to make people laugh! A Reader? Even a Driver, a Security Guard, or a Management Auntie was better! ¡°Let¡¯s see their actual situation. We can treat it as a joke.¡± The white-robed elder smiled. The blond middle-aged man nodded. With a wave of his hand, the scene of a deserted town immediately appeared on the screen. ¡°They¡¯ve actually reached Gu Luo Town?!¡± Someone exclaimed. How could they not recognize this town? It was the door that led to the true location of the Hunter Elementary Test, Gu Luo Town. ¡°That¡¯s strange,¡± said the blond middle-aged man in a low voice. ¡°The mission of the Ice Cabin is to deliver goods to the Northern Empire. After Lin Bai and the others arrive in the Northern Empire, it will take at least two days for them to return to Xi Xuan. Isn¡¯t this¡­ too early?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I think there¡¯s something wrong with this video. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have arrived so early. Besides, we didn¡¯t see their figures in the video either!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. Even if there is an SS-Grade Assassin around, Lin Bai will only drag her down! They might not even be able to complete the mission!¡± The blond middle-aged man looked at the screen without saying a word. This was because a huge shadow suddenly appeared on the screen. Was that¡­ the Ice Cabin?! The white-robed old man trembled violently. Meanwhile, everyone present was silent. Could it be that the reason why they arrived so early was that the Ice Cabin had given up on the transport mission and personally escorted them to Gu Luo Town?! Why?! ¡­ Lin Bai walked down the stairs. However, the town that entered his field of vision stunned him. The huge Ice Cabin stopped at a quaint harbor. The luxury of the ship and the simplicity of the town formed a comical contrast. Was this¡­ the location of the Elementary Test?? Why did it look like it had been abandoned since the last century? Logically speaking, the port was one of the most prosperous areas in the city. However, the port here was actually deserted and there were no signs of humans appearing. ¡°How strange.¡± Su Ya whispered. Lin Bai secretly nodded. This town did indeed give off an indescribable sense of pressure. The two of them walked nervously into the town. Then, Lin Bai¡¯s Spirit of Nature quietly activated. ¡°Be careful,¡± Lin Bai reminded Su Ya. ¡°There are people around.¡± Su Ya was startled. There was actually someone else hiding in this empty town? As soon as Lin Bai finished speaking, a group of masked, mysterious figures appeared from a nearby alley and blocked their path.. Chapter 19 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios A dense crowd emerged from the alley. They were all dressed in black robes and looked extremely dangerous. Lin Bai took a step forward, protecting Su Ya behind him as he observed the situation. As for Su Ya, she couldn¡¯t help but stare at the black crowd. She didn¡¯t know why they had come. However, she had already grasped her Assassin¡¯s short sword in her right hand at some point of time. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Lin Bai pressed down Su Ya¡¯s right hand that was about to attack. ¡°They don¡¯t seem to have any malicious intentions.¡± Su Ya looked over again and finally saw the faces of these mysterious people hidden beneath the black robes. They were all elderly and children! ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Su Ya was stumped, not knowing what was going on. Meanwhile, Lin Bai said nothing, looking at the black-robed figure at the center of the crowd. It was an old woman with a hunched back. She looked like she was on the verge of death. However, from her position, she was the leader of this group. Lin Bai was waiting for the old woman in the center to speak. Based on his instincts, he guessed that this group of people would be connected to the mission for the Hunter Elementary Test. As expected, the elder¡¯s lips quivered as she said, ¡°I have a question. You can only pass if you answer it correctly.¡± Lin Bai looked at the elder, his eyes solemn. If his guess was correct, this question should be a test of his character and principles as a Hunter. He had already expected such a question when he was on the Ice Cabin. Furthermore, he had already prepared a perfect answer that would be enough to show his integrity and professionalism as a Hunter. As Lin Bai silently recalled his answer, the elder spoke. ¡°If your wife and mother fell into the river at the same time, who would you choose to save?¡± ¡°???¡± Lin Bai was stunned. He looked at the elder. The atmosphere became awkward. Behind him, Su Ya was also dumbfounded. Her mouth was wide open but she couldn¡¯t say anything. They were definitely not this shocked when they faced the Ghost Priest! What kind of question was that? Shouldn¡¯t the questions in such an official Hunter Elementary Test be very professional? ¡°As a Hunter, what do you know about magical beasts?¡± ¡°What do you understand about the relationship between humans and magical beasts?¡± ¡°As a Hunter, you bear the responsibility of fighting against magical beasts. How much awareness of this do you have?¡± These were the normal questions! How did this elder calmly ask such a clich¨¦ question?! Was she trying to go back to the Renaissance period? Lin Bai did not understand this question. He was extremely confused. At this moment, Lin Bai and Su Ya clearly felt a powerful magical wave coming from behind them. When they turned around, they saw a man walking straight towards them. ¡°He looks familiar,¡± Su Ya remarked after taking a good look at the newcomer. Meanwhile, Lin Bai¡¯s eyes narrowed as he recognized this person. ¡°You are¡­ a crew member of the Ice Cabin?!¡± The man smiled. ¡°Mr. Lin has a good memory.¡± ¡°Why did you follow me?¡± For some reason, Lin Bai could feel that this person did not come with good intentions. ¡°I have to thank all of you for that. I heard everything clearly when all of you were discussing the location of the Elementary Test in the captain¡¯s room.¡± The man smiled. ¡°You followed us?!¡± ¡°How else would I be able to find this place? After all, although I know the location of the Elementary Test is in Xi Xuan, the exact map is still in your hands.¡± Lin Bai looked at the man and gritted his teeth. He never thought that there would be such a scheming person on the Ice Cabin! As the saying went, the greatest danger was right beside him. It seemed like this old saying was true. Lin Bai¡¯s magic power silently circulated within his body, as if he was ready to attack at any moment. ¡°Then what do you want to do?¡± The man cocked his head to the side. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not going to do anything to you. I¡¯m just here to get a spot in the Elementary Test.¡± ¡°A spot in the Elementary Test? Don¡¯t tell me you still want to participate in the Hunter Elementary Test?¡± Lin Bai was confused. ¡°Hehe, looks like you don¡¯t know much about the gray areas of the Hunter¡¯s world¡­¡± The man smiled.¡± Forget it, I have plenty of time anyway. I can explain it to you. ¡± ¡°The Hunter Elementary Test is a very important event in the world of Hunters. It means that there will be a lot of fresh blood flowing in. At the same time, there will naturally be more people who don¡¯t meet the requirements and will be eliminated mercilessly.¡± ¡°Amongst these people that have been eliminated, there¡¯s no lack of sons of reputable families. Do you think those families will just watch as their sons are eliminated?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± replied Lin Bai. After all, having a Hunter in the family was an unparalleled glory. Those prestigious families would definitely nurture an outstanding Hunter regardless of the money or time needed. However, what if they were eliminated? Would they really allow their own children to be rejected and their families to lose face? Lin Bai had truly never thought about it. The man continued, ¡°At this time, I will need to take the stage. I will use my connections to gather as much information as possible regarding the Elementary Test. I will also steal information and find the location of the Elementary Test, just like what I¡¯m doing now.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need to complete any missions. I just need to make use of the Ice Cabin to obtain information about the location of the Elementary Test. Then, I¡¯ll get a spot in the Elementary Test and sell the spot to these prestigious families at a high price. After that, I¡¯ll retreat and make a killing!¡± ¡°What dirty business!¡± Su Ya frowned upon hearing this. The fairness of the Hunter¡¯s world had been stirred up by these rats. The man immediately retracted his smile and glared at Su Ya fiercely. He was clearly enraged by her earlier insult. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re still not used to the darkness of the Hunter¡¯s world¡­ That makes sense. Once you students from the ivory tower enter the real hunter¡¯s world, you¡¯ll usually die miserably,¡± threatened the man in a cold tone. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± Lin Bai glared at the man and said, ¡°We don¡¯t need to adapt to the darkness¡­¡± ¡°Because we will defeat it!¡± The man laughed out loud. ¡°This youth¡¯s spirit is not bad! Then, we¡¯ll see when the time comes!¡± The man smiled. Then, he pushed Lin Bai and Su Ya aside before arriving in front of the elder. ¡°I¡¯ll save my mother.¡± ¡°Why?¡± The elder asked. ¡°It¡¯s because my mother gave birth to me and raised me. She has suffered hardships, so I am indebted to her. Meanwhile, I can find a wife anytime.¡± The man replied firmly. The elder said nothing and stepped aside. Su Ya¡¯s face was filled with indignation at this scene. ¡°What the hell? What kind of answer is that! What do you mean by you can find another wife? There¡¯s something wrong with this answer!¡± Lin Bai was also confused. He did not believe that this was the correct answer. Looking at the arrogant man, Lin Bai suppressed his urge to hit him and went deep into thought.. Chapter 20 - The Right Answer Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Looking at the man who passed through the crowd with a smug expression, Su Ya¡¯s heart was filled with turmoil. ¡°What gives him the right to pass through? The reason he said just now wasn¡¯t valid at all!¡± Su Ya rebutted the elder. When Su Ya reprimanded the elder, the elder was as calm as a still lake. Then, the crowd that had opened up a path quickly gathered again, blocking the path. Su Ya looked at Lin Bai pleadingly and said, ¡°What should we do? There is no correct answer to this question!¡± Lin Bai suddenly had a flash of inspiration. Could this be¡­ the case? At this moment, Su Ya was already starting to panic. She pulled out the Assassin¡¯s knife once more, preparing to use violence to solve the problem. Lin Bai was shocked and quickly controlled Su Ya. Oh my god, we can¡¯t fight now! These people had been assigned by the Hunter¡¯s Association. If Lin Bai and Su Ya attacked them, they would no longer be able to remain in the Hunter¡¯s world! ¡°Don¡¯t move. I might know the correct answer¡­¡± Lin Bai whispered in Su Ya¡¯s ear. Su Ya calmed down and listened, but before Lin Bai could continue, the elder interrupted their whispering. ¡°Answer my question within ten seconds. No discussion is allowed, or it will be deemed a failure.¡± Su Ya was completely speechless. Lin Bai grabbed Su Ya¡¯s right hand, indicating that she should not do anything. However, Su Ya was confused and wanted to break free from Lin Bai¡¯s hands. If he did not answer, all his previous efforts, including risking his life to fight the Ghost Priest, would go down the drain! ¡°Ten, nine, eight¡­¡± The elder started counting down. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± Su Ya became somewhat impatient. She looked at Lin Bai, who was as still as a mountain, and was clearly confused. ¡°Seven, six, five¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to lose!¡± Su Ya had no idea what Lin Bai was planning. ¡°Even if you want to give up on yourself, you should at least come up with some answer!¡± ¡°Four, three, two, one!¡± After the elder finished counting down, Su Ya felt as if the world had turned dark. It was over, it was over. They had gone through so much trouble, but who would have thought that it was all for nothing. Furthermore, they had lost to such a brainless question! Su Ya was indignant. At this moment, the elder spoke again, as if she was announcing her final judgment. Su Ya closed her eyes in despair. In any case, she simply had to work hard and rebuild herself. In the end, it was still a failure. Lin Bai patted Su Ya¡¯s back as if to comfort her. ¡°Congratulations on passing,¡± announced the elder casually. For a moment, Lin Bai wondered if he had heard the elder wrongly. They had passed? That was not right. They clearly didn¡¯t do anything! Then, Lin Bai smiled and looked at the stupefied Su Ya. He flashed a mischievous expression and said, ¡°It seems I made the right bet.¡± Meanwhile, Su Ya still hadn¡¯t recovered from her shock. She had no idea what had happened and how she had somehow managed to pass this test. ¡°Didn¡¯t you suspect that there was no correct answer to this question?¡± Lin Bai helped Su Ya recall. Su Ya recalled for a moment before nodding her head as though she had just woken up from a dream. ¡°I did say that. Could it be¡­?¡± Lin Bai smiled, ¡°I think there really isn¡¯t a correct answer to this idiotic question. Only silence is the best response.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± Su Ya was still confused. Since there was no correct answer, why would the elder come up with such meaningless questions? The elder saw the confusion in Suya¡¯s eyes and explained, ¡°If the so-called Hunters really encounter a similar dilemma, how should they make their decision?¡± Su Ya was stunned. She truly had not expected that such a simple question would represent a series of situations she would often encounter in her life as a Hunter ¡ª a dilemma. When faced with two equally important choices, if she could only choose one and sacrifice the other, how should she choose? Seeing that Su Ya was slowly beginning to understand, the elder explained, ¡°As Hunters, we cannot be biased in the face of such a question. In this dilemma, all the seemingly accurate answers are nonsense.¡± ¡°Not giving an answer represents the bloodthirstiness and humanity that a true Hunter should have.¡± ¡°Just like what that person had said, he chose to save his mother as he could find another wife. Do you really approve of this reason?¡± Su Ya and Lin Bai both shook their heads. ¡°But¡­ why did you still let him pass?¡± Su Ya asked curiously. ¡°Oh¡­ that¡¯s a dead end,¡± said the elder calmly. Afterwards, an earth-shattering cry rang out. It was so heart-wrenching that Lin Bai and Su Ya almost could not tell that the owner of the voice was the crew member who had been following them. ¡°Now, he should have been killed by a magical beast.¡± The elder¡¯s expression was still indifferent and terrifyingly calm. ¡°That was why you just silently made way for him when he went over just now. However, you did not announce that he passed.¡± ¡°He was the one who believed he had passed, which was why he suffered the consequences,¡± replied Lin Bai. The elder looked at Lin Bai with appreciation. The young man before her had quite keen observation skills. ¡°However, we won¡¯t kill real students. At most, we¡¯ll announce our failure and send them back. It¡¯s that person¡¯s fault.¡± ¡°Then, how should we travel to pass through this place?¡± Although they had passed the test, Lin Bai was still concerned about the location of the Elementary Test and asked the elder. The elder turned around and raised her right hand to form the shape of an eagle claw. Then, her hand gesture quickly changed into some kind of seal. Then, the high walls on the two sides of the originally narrow alley were suddenly pushed several meters to the sides, causing the alley to become more spacious. Then, an entrance to an underground tunnel appeared in the ground a few meters ahead. ¡°Are you a Mechanic?¡± Su Ya looked at the elder in surprise. The elder turned back and smiled at Su Ya. ¡°This girl has a sharp eye. My Class is not common.¡± Su Ya pursed her lips slightly and smiled, thanking the elder. Then, she followed Lin Bai into the bottomless dark tunnel. After Lin Bai and Su Ya took a few steps, rumbling sounds rang out again. Then, the entrance to the secret tunnel had already closed, leaving only Lin Bai and Su Ya groping their way forward in the pitch-black environment. Outside the entrance, the elder took off her long robe and looked at the entrance of the underground tunnel with deep eyes. ¡°That young man¡­ Is his name Lin Bai?¡± ¡°I seem to recall the last team that passed through this place¡­ It was a few years ago¡­¡± Chapter 21 In the pitch-black tunnel where they could not even see their own hands, Su Ya and Lin Bai slowly groped their way forward. After a long descent, the tunnel finally showed signs of moving upwards. This meant that the two of them were gradually returning to the surface. ¡°We¡¯re about to go out.¡± Lin Bai felt the end of the tunnel, so he stopped and kindly reminded Su Ya. ¡°Close your eyes, or you won¡¯t be used to the sunlight outside.¡± Nodding her head, Su Ya closed her eyes obediently. Creak. Creak. Lin Bai pushed open an extremely heavy door with great difficulty. As the sound of the door opening rang out, intense sunlight shot over mercilessly. The two of them, who had been trekking through the dark tunnel for a long time, felt a piercing pain in their eyes. After a few minutes, when the stabbing pain gradually subsided, Lin Bai opened his eyes tentatively and observed his surroundings. ¡°This is¡­ a mountain?¡± Lin Bai looked around and sighed in amazement. What Lin Bai saw was a winding path that seemed to lead straight to the top of the mountain. Furthermore, at the edge of the path was a bottomless valley. Falling from here was enough to crush a person to pieces. ¡°We seem to be halfway up the mountain.¡± Su Ya opened her eyes and regained her vision. Then, she estimated the distance between the foot and the peak of the mountain. ¡°Let¡¯s go up,¡± said Lin Bai. Compared to the foot of the mountain, it was more natural for the venue of the Elementary Test to be set at the top of the mountain. Just like that, the two of them began to walk along this path with difficulty. The path was steep. Lin Bai had not even walked far before he began to pant. ¡°Is this a test of our stamina?¡± Lin Bai could not help but grumble. If this continued, they would probably collapse from exhaustion before they reached the top of the mountain. The Hunter Elementary Test had been filled with all sorts of abnormalities since the beginning. About halfway through the journey, Lin Bai and Su Ya decided to stop and rest for a bit. Otherwise, they would truly be exhausted. The two of them sat on a large rock and stretched their muscles. After regaining his energy, Lin Bai looked around and found a wooden sign on the right side of the road. ¡°Magical beasts are wandering about at the top of the mountain. Be careful!¡± ¡°Magical beasts?¡± Lin Bai licked his lips as complicated emotions appeared in his gaze. Su Ya had also noticed the wooden sign and exchanged worried glances with Lin Bai. The moment he met Su Ya¡¯s gaze, Lin Bai¡¯s originally complicated gaze immediately became firm. Then, he gave Suya an encouraging look. Since they had already come this far, they had to grit his teeth and persevere. So what if they faced magical beasts? A giant like the Master of the Swamp had collapsed under his hands. Thus, there was nothing to fear about a mere magical beast. ¡°Let¡¯s continue walking. There¡¯s no need to be afraid. As Hunters, isn¡¯t our mission to face magical beasts?¡± Lin Bai looked at Su Ya and said with certainty. Su Ya nodded her head and followed Lin Bai closely. Then, they continued towards the peak. ¡­ In the hall. The upper echelons of the Hunter¡¯s Association were still seated around the round table as they continued to observe the process of the Elementary Test. However, everyone was in a trance. This was because they simply could not figure out how these two people from Sorcha College could be escorted by the Ice Cabin. After all, the captain of the Ice Cabin, Sol, was not a promiscuous man. ¡°Come to think of it, the Lord of Gu Luo Town isn¡¯t a pushover either.¡± The white-robed old man was close to his prime, so he knew a lot about the Hunter Elementary Test. The blond middle-aged man was enlightened by the white-robed elder. ¡°Do you mean Old Crane? Ever since I joined the Hunter¡¯s Association, I don¡¯t recall anyone being able to pass through her trial.¡± ¡°There are even rumors that Old Crane has single-handedly lowered the passing rate of the Hunter Elementary Test. Right now, the Hunter¡¯s Association seems to be considering replacing her with a simpler test.¡± The white-robed old man coughed and laughed a few times. ¡°Hahaha, that question of hers was never orthodox. The last time a Hunter passed her test was a few years ago.¡± ¡°No matter what, although I don¡¯t know how this kid tricked Sol into escorting them¡­ Their glory should end here.¡± The white-robed old man¡¯s tone was still full of contempt. In his heart, he did not believe that Lin Bai and Su Ya had relied on their own abilities to reach this stage. ¡°Let¡¯s see how they are going to suffer under Old Crane¡¯s hands.¡± The blond middle-aged man said with a smile. Lin Bai and Su Ya¡¯s performance in front of the black-robed elder was witnessed by everyone present. ¡°Congratulations on passing,¡± announced Old Crane casually. However, this caused a huge wave in everyone¡¯s hearts. ¡°?!¡± The white-robed elder, the blond middle-aged man, as well as all the high-leveled figures present were shocked speechless. To exaggerate, they had witnessed history today! After a few years, there was once again a Hunter¡¯s team that managed to pass through Old Crane¡¯s test! The blond middle-aged man¡¯s face was in so much pain that he couldn¡¯t say anything. Instead, his cheeks were burning hot. Just now, he had spouted nonsense and mocked Lin Bai and Su Ya¡¯s team. The more he had mocked them, the more awkward he felt. ¡°Let¡¯s continue watching¡­ That was just a verbal answer. I want to see if they can still laugh so happily in the real battle.¡± The blond middle-aged man naturally didn¡¯t want to admit that there was a problem with his judgment. He could only continue to stubbornly insist on his opinion. ¡°Then let¡¯s wait and see. To put it simply, the passing rate of the next test is quite high. However, there is a hidden test that no one has passed in the past 30 years.¡± The white-robed old man said with a smile. Now that it had come to this, he had some interest in this team of black horses. ¡­ ¡°We¡¯ve reached the peak.¡± Lin Bai took the final step before letting out a long breath. The steep path had finally come to an end. ¡°There¡¯s a cabin up ahead.¡± Su Ya pointed at the forest at the top of the mountain and exclaimed. ¡°Is there someone living on this mountain?¡± Lin Bai was confused. He was already exhausted from climbing halfway up the mountain. If someone really lived at the top of the mountain, wouldn¡¯t they lose half of their lifespan when they went down the mountain? Going back and forth¡­ This was something he didn¡¯t even dare to imagine. This person lived in seclusion here. Could they be some otherworldly expert? As the two of them approached the wooden cabin, they could faintly hear a strange sound coming from within. ¡°Is this the cultivation of an otherworldly expert?¡± Lin Bai thought to himself. Then, a figure emerged from the wooden cabin. When they saw the figure clearly, the two of them were dumbstruck. That was¡­ A magical beast?? Had a magical beast run out from the wooden cabin? What was going on? Also, why did that magical beast seem to have a person in its mouth? Was the magical beast taking away the otherworldly expert? What sort of development was this! Lin Bai¡¯s brain worked quickly. Then, he immediately commanded, ¡°I¡¯ll go chase that magical beast. You go check out the situation in the wooden cabin!¡± Su Ya nodded and the two of them split up. Su Ya pushed open the door and rushed in, only to see a pool of blood. Lying in a pool of blood was a woman. Su Ya did not know whether she was dead or alive.. Chapter 22 After several hours of climbing the mountain, Lin Bai was already completely exhausted. Currently, he was advancing at full speed. He was basically pushing himself to his limits. After all, there was a human in the mouth of that magical beast. No matter what, he could not ignore this situation. ¡°Stop!¡± Lin Bai roared at the top of his lungs as he chased after the magical beast with all his strength. Just like that, the man and the beast started a chase down the mountain¡­ ¡­ Inside the wooden cabin. Looking at the woman lying in a pool of blood, Su Ya¡¯s face was filled with shock as she hurried over and squatted down to check her breathing. ¡°She¡¯s alright. She¡¯s still breathing.¡± Su Ya felt as though a heavy stone had been lifted off her chest. She did not want a living person to die in front of her. Su Ya could no longer care about the bloodstains on the ground dirtying her clothes as she decisively knelt down to check on the woman¡¯s injuries. There was a shocking wound on the woman¡¯s waist. It had clearly been caused by the sharp claws of a magical beast. Su Ya gulped. This sort of wound made her feel somewhat uncomfortable. However, no matter what, she could not sit by and do nothing. Su Ya took out the emergency gauze in her bag and began wrapping the woman¡¯s wounds carefully. Suddenly, the scent of a magical beast wafted into Su Ya¡¯s nose, stunning her. She instinctively looked out of the door. Could it be that the magical beast had returned? But what about Lin Bai? Didn¡¯t he go after that magical beast? However, there was no one outside. Su Ya suddenly came to a realization. With a flash, she took a few steps back. Then, her right hand moved and she tightly gripped the knife at her waist in her hand. Then, without any hesitation, she used the advantage of her speed as an Assassin to quickly suppress the woman, who was prepared to take action. Her short knife stabbed directly into the woman¡¯s chest! The woman¡¯s body was already in a half-sitting position. The knife in her chest made her spit out a mouthful of blood. Then, her human form disappeared, revealing the true appearance of a magical beast! It was a snake-shaped magical beast! ¡°You were actually able to see through my transformation technique. You truly have some skill.¡± The snake-shaped magical beast swayed its body as it glared at Su Ya¡¯s every move. Su Ya¡¯s heart skipped a beat. This magical beast could actually understand human language! Even a creature as powerful as the Master of the Swamp didn¡¯t have the intelligence to speak. A magical beast that could speak human language was definitely not simple. The magical beasts that Su Ya knew were only limited to the range of some low-leveled magical beasts. However, this snake-shaped magical beast had clearly surpassed the range of her knowledge. ¡°You are¡­?¡± Su Ya asked. After asking this question, she realized how stupid her question was. How could a magical beast who stood opposite her be so free as to help her explain this problem? The snake-shaped magical beast did not hide its ridicule at all. Its burning gaze caused Suya¡¯s cheeks to flush red. ¡°There¡¯s no harm in telling you. My name is Fantasy Serpent, and I¡¯m a snake-type magical beast. This entire mountain is my territory. How dare you mere humans barge in?¡± When faced with the Fantasy Serpent¡¯s question, Su Ya could only shrug helplessly. After all, she didn¡¯t break into its territory on purpose! The Hunter Elementary Test had chosen this damned place! Wait¡­ They had started off halfway up the mountain, but they had walked to the peak of the mountain without thinking¡­ Could the real location of the Elementary Test be at the foot of the mountain?! At the thought of this, Su Ya could not help but feel frustrated. No matter what, she could only fight to her death! Thus, Su Ya put down all the pressure she felt and began to fight against the Fantasy Serpent. Both of them excelled in speed and everything happened in a split second. When others observed this battle with their naked eyes, they had no idea what happened in those few minutes. Soon, the Fantasy Serpent was defeated. Su Ya was also in a somewhat sorry state, but compared to the Fantasy Serpent, her condition was much better. Seeing that it was no match for Su Ya, the Fantasy Serpent turned around and fled. ¡°Halt!¡± Su Ya wasn¡¯t willing to let go of this magical beast. She left the wooden cabin as she shouted at the Fantasy Serpent. ¡­ On the other side. Lin Bai finally caught up to the magical beast and began fighting it. His opponent was a snake-shaped magical beast. For someone like Lin Bai who was innately afraid of snakes, it could be said to be extremely troublesome. ¡°Hey, hey, don¡¯t touch me. It¡¯s so disgusting.¡± Lin Bai searched for an opportunity to attack while dodging the Fantasy Serpent¡¯s swift attacks. Needless to say, its attacks were definitely venomous. The Fantasy Serpent¡¯s speed was so fast that it dazzled Lin Bai¡¯s eyes. For the time being, Lin Bai could only instinctively block its attacks. However, he was unable to find any chance to counterattack. Suddenly, it spat out a large mouthful of venom. The bright green, sticky liquid adhered to Lin Bai¡¯s arm. No matter how Lin Bai tried to shake it off, he could not shake it off. ¡°Give up. This venom is enough to kill a small Hunter like you!¡± The Fantasy Serpent stuck out its tongue and smiled slyly. ¡°Ah? But¡­ I don¡¯t feel anything?¡± Lin Bai looked at the venom on his arm, then at the Fantasy Serpent. He blinked his eyes and said innocently. The Fantasy Serpent¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Why did this happen?¡± Lin Bai smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s probably because of my antibodies. The Ghost Priest¡¯s poison is much stronger than yours. I¡¯ve already endured that poison, so there should be some antibodies left in my body.¡± Lin Bai no longer cared about the disgusting venom on his hands. Instead, he took advantage of the opportunity while the Fantasy Serpent was stunned and began to counterattack! ¡°Reducto!¡± As matters stood, Lin Bai¡¯s magic had already reached the point of perfection, to the point where he could even cast spells without the wand. The explosive curse landed heavily on the Fantasy Serpent¡¯s body, causing it to be covered in wounds. Its bloody appearance was very different from its previous arrogance. The Fantasy Serpent glared fiercely at Lin Bai. Then, it fled in panic! The offensive and defensive positions between the man and the beast had changed instantly! Lin Bai did not hesitate at all. He also instantly chased after the Fantasy Serpent like an arrow that had left a bow. Very soon, he forced the Fantasy Serpent to the edge of the cliff. ¡°You have nowhere else to go. You should just surrender.¡± Lin Bai threatened. The best solution was to fight without any bloodshed. Suddenly, an extremely strange smile flashed past the corners of the Fantasy Serpent¡¯s mouth. After that, its entire body fell backward and it simply fell off the cliff. Lin Bai was very shocked. This cliff was extremely high. Thus, even a flexible creature like the Fantasy Serpent would meet a tragic end. He stared blankly at the bottomless cliff and was momentarily dazed. Suddenly, a familiar aura came from behind him. Before Lin Bai could turn around, the Fantasy Serpent pounced at him again! ¡°Hahaha, I will definitely take revenge for the blood feud just now!¡± The Fantasy Serpent shouted as it forced Lin Bai towards the cliff. Lin Bai resisted with all his might. However, half of his foot was already off the cliff. Suddenly, he stopped all his actions. ¡°Let¡¯s end this. Stop acting.¡± Lin Bai laughed mockingly beside the Fantasy Serpent¡¯s ear.. Chapter 23 At this critical moment, Lin Bai suddenly stopped resisting. It was as if he was resigned to fate. However, he whispered something meaningful in the Fantasy Serpent¡¯s ear. ¡°Let¡¯s end this. Stop acting.¡± His soft voice stopped the Fantasy Serpent¡¯s attack. The edge of the cliff suddenly fell silent. Only the violent wind raged. ¡°What do you mean?¡± The Fantasy Serpent asked. ¡°You are not the Fantasy Serpent that I fought with just now.¡± Lin Bai simply exposed the Fantasy Serpent. The Fantasy Serpent looked at Lin Bai¡¯s eyes with surprise. ¡°How can you tell? Aren¡¯t humans only able to differentiate between different types of magical beasts? How did you differentiate between individual magical beasts?!¡± Lin Bai made a ¡°shh¡± gesture with his hand, indicating that it was a secret. In reality, he had only borrowed the effects of the Spirit of Nature. With the senses of humans, it was naturally very difficult to differentiate the different individuals of the same type of magical beast. However, in these aspects, the Spirit of Nature was an absolute expert! With the effects of the Spirit of Nature, the minute differences between the individual Fantasy Serpents had been magnified infinitely. It could be said that as long as one had eyes, they could tell the difference. The Fantasy Serpent laughed. ¡°Honey, come out. I found someone very interesting.¡± Just as it finished speaking, another Fantasy Serpent suddenly jumped out from a small nook on the cliff. At this moment, Lin Bai saw the suction cups under the Fantasy Serpent. It turned out that the Fantasy Serpent had relied on these hidden suction cups to attach itself to the cliff and hide in Lin Bai¡¯s blind spot. This gave him the illusion that the Fantasy Serpent had fallen off the cliff. The male Fantasy Serpent approached Lin Bai and sized him up. Then, it smiled and said, ¡°Congratulations on passing our test.¡± Lin Bai did not show much surprise. After all, after realizing that the Fantasy Serpent had swapped places, he had more or less guessed that all of this was just a test. At this moment, Su Ya rushed over. Just as she stopped while panting, she saw two Fantasy Serpents, as well as Lin Bai, who was surrounded by them. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous!¡± Su Ya cried out in alarm. She subconsciously charged towards one of the Fantasy Serpent, wanting to help Lin Bai share the burden of the attack. However, just as she rushed to one of the Fantasy Serpent, not only did the Fantasy Serpent not dodge, it also took out a pass from somewhere. Su Ya was stunned. However, she did not stop in time and crashed into the Fantasy Serpent due to inertia. When Su Ya struggled to get up and looked up again, she realized that the two Fantasy Serpents had turned back into humans. The Fantasy Serpent that Su Ya had knocked into earlier on transformed into a man and handed the pass to Su Ya. ¡°Actually, we are the final examiners of this Elementary Test. Your performance just now has granted you a pass.¡± Su Ya continued to be stunned. ¡°We are magical beasts that can transform into humans. We have also established a peace treaty with the Hunter¡¯s Association to work for humans. We are pacifists of the magical beast world.¡± ¡°Are there still pacifists in the magical beast world?¡± Lin Bai asked. ¡°Of course. Not all magical beasts are bloodthirsty by nature. For example, we are willing to cooperate with humans and nurture outstanding Hunters together to contribute to the peace and stability of the world,¡± replied the man. Lin Bai nodded thoughtfully. This world was truly filled with wonders. ¡°Actually, when this lady recognized that the woman on the ground was a magical beast, you guys had already passed the test. Everything that happened after that was just an additional question.¡± ¡°An additional question?¡± Lin Bai and Su Ya asked in unison. ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s an additional question that no one has answered correctly in 30 years.¡± The woman emphasized. ¡°That¡¯s right. You were able to remain calm in an emergency when your life is at stake. Furthermore, you could tell the difference between the two Fantasy Serpents with your sharp observational skills.¡± The man explained further. The woman also nodded. She stared fixedly at Lin Bai, full of admiration for this young man. ¡°Your Hunter Elementary Test will end here. This means that you have obtained your true identity as a Hunter.¡± The man smiled when he saw the excitement in their eyes. ¡°By the way,¡± Su Ya gently poked Lin Bai¡¯s shoulder and asked, ¡°How exactly did you tell them apart?¡± Lin Bai smiled and blinked. ¡°It¡¯s a secret.¡± Su Ya¡¯s expression darkened as she looked helplessly at Lin Bai. Then, she shrugged her shoulders and arrogantly turned her head away, ignoring him. Lin Bai laughed bitterly. The fewer people who knew the secrets of the Spirit of Nature, the better. Otherwise, his uniqueness as a Reader would probably be exposed as well. After that, the four of them chatted for a while. Then, they parted ways. Lin Bai and Su Ya began to travel down the long mountain path again¡­ ¡­ In the hall. It was an absolute hubbub. All the upper echelons were in an uproar. No one could imagine how Lin Bai had seen the difference between the two Fantasy Serpents. The blond middle-aged man at the table had already turned deathly pale. He was now beginning to regret why he had retorted back then. Now, he simply couldn¡¯t find a way out. Not only had this team from Sorcha College completed the mission, they had also done it extremely well. No one had passed that hidden mission in 30 years! How did Lin Bai do it with a calm expression?! Even some of the elders present did not have absolute confidence that they would be able to pass the test when they watched it through the screen. They could not guarantee that they would be able to discover such a minute difference in such a situation. The strong ability to differentiate between magical beasts was a skill that all Hunters yearned for. As for Lin Bai¡­ he seemed to be born with it¡­ He was strong without knowing it. He was simply showing off too much! ¡°Let¡¯s give them a grade.¡± The white-robed old man took a sip of tea from the table and reminded everyone. They had the responsibility to give an objective evaluation to all the teams that had passed the Elementary Test based on their previous observations. ¡°I¡¯ll give them an A-Grade.¡± The blond middle-aged man simply gave his evaluation. The white-robed elder gave the middle-aged man a strange look. This evaluation undoubtedly included his own subjective opinion. It was simply a form of revenge. It was revenge for slapping him in the face. An elder at the table looked around and pondered for a moment. Then, he said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll give it¡­ an SS-Grade.¡± The middle-aged man¡¯s expression became ugly. The other party was undoubtedly destroying his reputation by doing this. ¡°I¡¯ll give them an SS-Grade too.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give them an S-Grade.¡± There was a tide of praises. As a result, the middle-aged man¡¯s expression turned livid. He had no place to put his pride. He just wanted to find a hole to hide in now. After everyone had given their marks, the white-robed old man gave his final evaluation. He stroked his beard and muttered, as if he was thinking about something. Then, he finally gave his answer. ¡°I¡¯ll give them¡­ an SSS-Grade..¡± Chapter 24 Lin Bai and Su Ya finally embarked on their return journey as they held the hard-earned pass tightly in their hands. Thinking back on their journey here, their journey in the Hunter Elementary Test had been filled with twists and turns. From the beginning of the journey, where they crossed the Death Swamp, to the battle between Ice Cabin and the Ghost Priest, to the fatal questions from the elder in black, and finally the final test of the Fantasy Serpent couple¡­ At that time, Lin Bai, who had just walked out of the gate of Sorcha Academy, had never thought that his experience in the Hunter Elementary Test would be so full of trouble. He had also never expected his growth to be so fast. If they returned with this pass, they would become the only team in the past few years that had passed the Hunter Elementary Test in Sorcha College! ¡°I can¡¯t wait any longer.¡± Su Ya rubbed her palms together excitedly. ¡°That¡¯s right. This pass is enough to make the eyes of those stubborn old fellows in Sorcha College pop out,¡± said Lin Bai with a smile. The previous obstruction they had faced would be a stark contrast to their triumphant return. Just the thought of it made him feel extremely satisfied. After a long journey, the two of them had already returned to the Death Swamp. They quickly passed through the dense forest in the swamp. The appearance of the swamp was no different from when they had left. Occasionally, they could even hear the low roar of the Master of the Swamp. However, it actually sounded rather friendly to Lin Bai. If others knew about this thought, they might think that Lin Bai was a fool. Ordinary people would avoid a god of death like the Master of the Swamp. However, Lin Bai actually felt that it was friendly! However, even so, Lin Bai still activated the Spirit of Nature throughout the journey and avoided the various magical beasts so as to prevent any accidents from happening. Especially¡­ the fox bear. ¡°Look, Sorcha College is ahead!¡± Su Ya exclaimed and pointed at the outline of the building ahead. From the majestic building that towered into the clouds, one could tell that Sorcha College was staring at them in the distance. He also recognized the familiar silhouette of the college. Looking from afar, Lin Bai realized that the buildings of Sorcha College, which people called the laughing stock of Orlando, were also so majestic. The buildings of the college were glorious. Unfortunately¡­ The college had fallen¡­ ¡­ At Sorcha College. ¡°Today is the end of the Hunter Elementary Test. The students should be arriving at the college soon.¡± Cage stood at the entrance of the campus with his hands behind his back and looked into the distance. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? I¡¯ve never seen you so anxious before,¡± said Charlotte, who was also a professor at the college. ¡°The Hunter Elementary Test is just a formality. Our school is destined to be separated from the Hunters.¡± Cage glared at Charlotte. ¡°We have the SS-Grade Su Ya in this Elementary Test!¡± Not to be outdone, Charlotte glared back. ¡°But her partner is a burden. His Class is simply a joke!¡± Cage¡¯s aura immediately disappeared. He really couldn¡¯t refute Charlotte. Why did the once-in-a-lifetime genius of Sorcha College have to team up a rare piece of trash? This was crazy. This world was crazy. ¡°I say, as their teacher, you should take care of your students. If it were me, I definitely wouldn¡¯t let Su Ya and Lin Bai team up.¡± At this moment, Charlotte provided some hindsight. Cage rolled his eyes angrily. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want to. It was just that he had lost the bet! Who would have thought that Lin Bai would really be able to produce the Spirit Crystal of the Master of the Swamp? In any case, no one present had expected this. Charlotte continued to chatter non-stop. ¡°Su Ya is the only hope of Sorcha College. In the end, you allowed Lin Bai and Su Ya to team up. Wouldn¡¯t the spark of hope be immediately extinguished by the cold water that is Lin Bai?¡± ¡°Furthermore, the spark of hope will be completely destroyed. It will not be revived!¡± Cage now understood the power of curses. All he wanted now was for Charlotte to shut up. Then, he would be thankful. ¡°Stop talking. Someone¡¯s here,¡± said Cage excitedly when he saw figures flashing in front of him, as if he had grabbed at his last hope. In the distant forest, the trees swayed from the wind. However, blurry figures could be seen flickering in the forest, as if they were heading in the direction of Sorcha College. ¡°It¡¯s Lin Bai and Su Ya!¡± Cage exclaimed. At this moment, Lin Bai and Su Ya were rather exhausted after a long journey. Charlotte smiled at their sorry state. ¡°From the looks of it, they must have failed.¡± Cage gulped and ignored Charlotte. Lin Bai and Su Ya quickly arrived at the school gate. When they saw Cage, they greeted him politely. As for Charlotte, Lin Bai really did not recognize her as a teacher in the school. ¡°It¡¯s been hard on you. Let¡¯s go back and rest.¡± Cage looked relieved. ¡°Yes, yes. It¡¯s fine that you didn¡¯t pass the Elementary Test. After all¡­ we didn¡¯t have much hope anyway.¡± Charlotte¡¯s words of comfort sounded more like mockery. Lin Bai gave Charlotte a puzzled look. What was this old woman talking about? Who are you? Meanwhile, Su Ya was unhappy to hear this and simply slapped two pieces of paper on Charlotte¡¯s face! ¡°What kind of trash is this? How dare it dirty my face?!¡± Charlotte was flustered and exasperated. She grabbed the pieces of paper on her face and prepared to knead it into a ball. ¡°Hey, hey, Teacher Charlotte, don¡¯t panic¡­ This seems to be¡­¡± Cage widened his eyes and snatched the piece of paper from Charlotte¡¯s hand. Just like that, the word ¡°Pass¡± entered their field of vision. ¡°??!!¡± Charlotte and Cage¡¯s eyes almost popped out! What did they see?! Were they seeing a pass? Was it that¡­ thing that they had only seen once in Sorcha College 30 years ago?! Charlotte and Cage looked at each other. Cage cleared his throat and said, ¡°In that case, uh¡­ I mean, if that¡¯s really the case, I¡¯ll inform the principal now¡­ Then, that class will also be arranged¡­ I mean, arranged as soon as possible¡­¡± Lin Bai was speechless. There was no need to be so excited that Cage was talking nonsense! ¡°However, I think Lin Bai only took advantage of Su Ya. After all, the Reader class is useless. He¡¯ll just be a burden if he becomes a Hunter.¡± ¡°Do we really have to waste our qualifications on such a person?¡± Charlotte questioned. Lin Bai wanted to refute, but Cage spoke first. ¡°As long as one passes the Elementary Test, we should treat everyone equally. Don¡¯t force your thoughts on us. Since you¡¯ve passed the Elementary Test, you can study in the Hunter course. This is the rule.¡± After retorting to Charlotte, Cage patted Lin Bai on the back. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Tomorrow, your training timetable will be in your hands. You guys should rest for a day.¡± ¡°By the way, since you¡¯ve become a Hunter, you have to bear a certain amount of pain and responsibility. The training schedule is packed, so you¡¯d better be mentally prepared.¡± Lin Bai blinked and looked at Cage, not knowing what to do. The training schedule was packed? How was he supposed to be able to read then! Chapter 25 In the end, the training timetable was ruthlessly issued. Chapter 1: Hunter Basic Combat Techniques Chapter 2: Hunter Theory Chapter 3: ¡­ ¡­ The long training schedule made Lin Bai¡¯s scalp tingle. With every line he read, the corner of Lin Bai¡¯s mouth twitched once. This was because this meant that his reading time had been infinitely reduced¡­ These cultivation courses were useless to him! Had they not considered establishing some reading courses? Just as Lin Bai was complaining, Charlotte piled the thick mountain of teaching materials in front of Lin Bai with a bang. Lin Bai smiled bitterly. ¡°Teacher Charlotte, am¡­ I allowed to request for leave in this course?¡± Charlotte rolled her eyes at him as if he were useless. ¡°Logically, yes.¡± Lin Bai¡¯s eyes lit up. In that case, could he apply for leave to go to the library? ¡°However¡­¡± Lin Bai¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Something bad was about to happen! ¡°But?¡± When this word was said, he would either die or be injured! ¡°However, your teacher is Garth¡­ Requesting for leave from him? It¡¯s harder than winning the lottery,¡± said Charlotte. Lin Bai was extremely dejected. He no longer had the power to complain. However, Charlotte did not forget to add insult to injury and said condescendingly, ¡°It¡¯s best if you are aware of your current situation. You¡¯re just a piece of trash who got lucky and obtained a pass thanks to Su Ya.¡± ¡°You still want to ask for leave? We¡¯re giving you a chance to become a phoenix, but it looks like you don¡¯t want to grab it! As they say, you cannot carve rotten wood!¡± Lin Bai gnashed his teeth in hatred. What the hell do you know? Who killed the Ghost Priest? Who answered the question correctly? Who told the Fantasy Serpents apart? Meanwhile, all Charlotte did was nag all day. However, due to her status as a teacher, it was not good for Lin Bai to disobey her in person. He felt aggrieved! Charlotte threw Lin Bai a complacent look and slammed the door. Before Lin Bai could open the packaging of the teaching materials, the door opened again. The person who entered was a complete stranger. Judging from his attire, he was also a teacher from Sorcha College. ¡°Are you Lin Bai?¡± Lin Bai was stunned, then nodded. ¡°That¡¯s good. I¡¯m your teacher, Garth. Class starts this afternoon. Don¡¯t be late.¡± Garth spoke very briefly. It seemed as if he was a man of few words. Lin Bai hesitated for a moment, but still decided to take the risk. He politely called out to Garth and smiled embarrassedly. Then, he asked tentatively, ¡°Teacher Garth, if I want to request for leave¡­ May I know what the rules are?¡± Garth glanced at Lin Bai questioningly. This person had just arrived and was asking for leave? ¡°If your or your family¡¯s lives are not in danger, you¡¯re not allowed to take leave.¡± The corners of Lin Bai¡¯s mouth twitched. He really had to use his life to apply for leave! Oh no, oh no. This Garth was a tough nut to crack! ¡­ In the afternoon. The vast training ground was packed with people. There was no roof over the training ground, so the hot sunlight poured all the heat down mercilessly and burned the ground. Thus, the entire training ground was like a furnace. The helpless Lin Bai could only drag his reluctant body to the training ground and mix with the other students. At the same time, he found a relatively inconspicuous spot for himself. Then, Garth walked into the training ground as the bell rung. Lin Bai discovered that Garth¡¯s eyes were scanning the college, as if he was looking for him. Only after meeting his gaze did Garth look away. Lin Bai was speechless. There¡¯s no need to be so concerned about him, right? Why was he specifically checking if he skipped class? ¡°Hello everyone, I¡¯m Garth. I¡¯ll be your mentor from now on.¡± ¡°Everyone should know that one of us is a Hunter.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s invite him up and tell him about his experience in the Elementary Test.¡± Lin Bai had completely given up on his beautiful fantasies about this teacher. Why was he treating him as a target the moment he got straight to the point? Looking at Lin Bai¡¯s position, he just wanted to be an unknown nobody! Thus, Lin Bai raised his hand. ¡°Teacher¡­ I have a question¡­¡± Garth raised his eyebrows. ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°I want to use the bathroom.¡± ¡°¡­¡± This time, it was Garth¡¯s turn to be speechless. ¡°I told you, if it isn¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t go to the washroom, my life will be in danger! Isn¡¯t this a simple principle!¡± Lin Bai beat him to it, blocking Garth¡¯s words. Garth was speechless. ¡°Then go ahead.¡± Garth actually showed a temporary weakness. Lin Bai chuckled. His scheme had succeeded. On the way to the toilet, he comforted himself. He was not slacking off. This was a white lie for the sake of cultivation! As long as he went to the toilet, he could secretly hide in the toilet and find an opportunity to sneak into the library! It was impossible for Garth to keep an eye on him. After all, he had to teach other students. As long as Lin Bai moved his attention away, that would be Lin Bai¡¯s chance! Lin Bai stayed in the toilet and stood on the toilet bowl. Then, he quietly observed the situation outside through the vent in the toilet. However, all he saw was a bald head. Lin Bai suddenly felt a sense of guilt. He was just pretending that he urgently needed the toilet. Thus, he couldn¡¯t stop someone who really needed the toilet! Lin Bai quickly pushed open the door and wanted to offer the toilet to the bald man. ¡°Are you done?¡± The bald man asked. Lin Bai scratched his head, not understanding the situation. Why did this bald man seem so familiar? ¡°I¡¯m your homeroom teacher, Betta,¡± said the bald man. ¡°Go back quickly after you¡¯re done.¡± Lin Bai¡¯s face twisted. He was simply going to the toilet. Was there a need to monitor him like this? Did he seem so unreliable? ¡°Eh¡­ My stomach hurts again. I have to squat for a while more.¡± Lin Bai pretended to be in pain and slowly retreated, returning to the toilet and closing the door heavily. Since he couldn¡¯t use this method¡­ he would have to find another way. Lin Bai¡¯s gaze locked on the window on the wall of the toilet. With great difficulty, Lin Bai stood on his toes on the toilet bowl and barely reached the window sill. Then, he exerted strength in his hands and lifted himself up. He climbed onto the window sill and prepared to leave the toilet. Just as Lin Bai¡¯s head reached out of the window, his eyes met Garth¡¯s. ¡°Hello, Teacher.¡± Lin Bai awkwardly and politely greeted him. ¡°Is this what you meant by going to the toilet?¡± Garth asked with a stern expression as he stared at Lin Bai. Lin Bai could not say anything. Could it be that everyone in this college was a stalker? Why were all of them staring at him as he went to the toilet? Lin Bai immediately moved back his head. Then, he sat on the toilet and began to think about life. The current situation was truly one where he was surrounded by enemies! Even the Ghost Priest was not that troublesome! After a difficult internal struggle, Lin Bai fully realized that he was at his wits¡¯ end and opened the door to the toilet. Waiting for him were Garth and Betta, who were standing side by side. ¡°Run ten rounds around the training ground. I don¡¯t have to tell you the reason, right?¡± Garth¡¯s eyes were burning. Lin Bai lowered his head miserably. He really did not dare to talk back.. Chapter 26 After ten rounds, Lin Bai felt a little exhausted. However, compared to the fatigue he had endured during the Hunter Elementary Test, it was still child¡¯s play. Thus, when he finished his run and looked for Garth to report to, Garth looked surprised. The training ground was very large. Thus, running ten rounds around this place was not a short distance. However, why did Lin Bai¡¯s current state seem rather relaxed? ¡°Return to the team and continue training.¡± There was still no expression on Garth¡¯s face. He only nodded gently, indicating for Lin Bai to stand with the team. At this moment, even if Lin Bai was extremely unwilling, he did not dare to play any tricks. Wasn¡¯t this guard too strict! Thus, Lin Bai, who wanted to enter the library, could only be trapped in the training ground and start the miserable training for the entire afternoon. ¡­ At night¡­ Lin Bai returned to the dormitory and fell onto the bed. He just wanted to sink into the warm and fluffy bed like this. He had already run ten rounds, and then underwent an afternoon of inhuman and demonic training. Now, Lin Bai felt like his bones were about to collapse. ¡°No, I have to find a way to go to the library tomorrow,¡± said Lin Bai to himself as he buried his head in the pillow. Since the path of taking leave was no longer feasible, he could only adopt an even more extreme method! That was¡­ to skip class! However, he didn¡¯t even dare to go to the library of Sorcha College, afraid that someone there would report him if they recognized him. At that time, he would be asked to run laps again. He might even have to run more than ten rounds. If Garth only doubled the number of rounds he had to run, it would already be considered merciful. ¡°It¡¯s too difficult for me¡­¡± Lin Bai cried as he wrapped himself in the blanket. Suddenly, he remembered something. That¡¯s right, he still remembered fighting Long Mu before the Elementary Test began. At that time, they seemed to have made a bet. The bet was¡­ he would be allowed to enter and leave the city library at will for a day! This included the secrets that ordinary people were forbidden from reading. However, he could read them freely! After defeating Long Mu, this privilege would also be his. Since there might be spies everywhere in Sorcha College¡­ It wouldn¡¯t be risky to go to the city library, right? Lin Bai smiled proudly. Since that was the case, he would wake up early tomorrow. Then, he would think of a way to sneak out of Sorcha College and go to the city library to cultivate! ¡­ The next day¡­ A brand new day had arrived. The sun was still high in the sky outside the window, so the afternoon temperature was naturally predictable. Lin Bai got up from the bed and stretched. No matter how high the temperature was, it could not stop him! This was because he had decided to skip class today and go straight to the city library. He would no longer waste his time in the training ground! Lin Bai excitedly pushed open the door. Outside the door was a familiar figure. It was Garth. Lin Bai¡¯s mouth twitched slightly, and his expression instantly froze. ¡°Teacher¡­ Hello.¡± When Lin Bai said this, he seemed to have used all his strength. Garth nodded and said, ¡°Class is starting. Hurry to the classroom. We won¡¯t be going to the training ground this morning.¡± Was he not going to the training ground in the morning? In that case, would they go to the training ground in the afternoon instead? How cunning was this Garth! He stayed in the classroom in the morning, but in the afternoon, he dragged the students to the outdoor training ground to endure the high temperature! Most importantly, this person was blocking the door! He was blocking Lin Bai¡¯s door! This¡­ Lin Bai couldn¡¯t even skip class! Lin Bai wanted to cry. ¡°Teacher, I¡¯ve left my teaching materials at the training ground. I¡¯ll go get them first. I¡¯ll be there soon.¡± Lin Bai¡¯s eyes rolled, and he immediately thought of a way to escape. Garth waved his hand. ¡°I¡¯ve already prepared it for you. You just have to go to the classroom. You don¡¯t have to bring anything.¡± Lin Bai opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but found that he could not say anything. He thought that he was better than everyone else. However, he did not expect that there was someone much better than him. What should he do? Lin Bai had no choice but to brace himself and follow Garth in the direction of the classroom. ¡°Just a minute, Garth.¡± Someone called out Garth¡¯s name, and Garth stopped. It was Betta. ¡°I suddenly remembered that this kid¡¯s Class is that of a Reader. However, there are no records of such a Class with no substantial functions. Therefore, I want to discuss with this kid about which course to assign him to,¡± said Teacher Betta. Garth nodded, then glanced at Lin Bai strangely. He had not known that Lin Bai actually had such a useless Class. He had thought that Lin Bai was just rather mischievous and lazy¡­ ¡°So?¡± Betta asked Lin Bai, ¡°What course do you think you¡¯re suitable for?¡± Lin Bai stuttered, not knowing what to say. He couldn¡¯t possibly say that he didn¡¯t need to go to any course and only wanted to stay in the library for a while! At this moment, Su Ya walked over. Seeing Lin Bai and the other two standing together, she also came over curiously. When Betta saw Su Ya, some hope lit up in his heart. ¡°Xiao Ya, you came just in time. We were discussing what course Lin Bai is suitable for!¡± Su Ya nodded. ¡°You were with Lin Bai during the Elementary Test. What course do you think is more suitable for him?¡± Betta started to direct the question to Su Ya. ¡°What courses do we have?¡± Su Ya blinked and asked. She really didn¡¯t know what other courses there were besides the combat course she was in. Betta held his forehead. ¡°Sorcha College is divided into three courses. Other than the magic course with the highest requirements, there are also the combat and support courses. Do you think Lin Bai is more suitable for combat, or for support?¡± Betta asked. From his words, he had tacitly agreed that it was impossible for Lin Bai to enter the magic course. The requirements for the magic course were very high. Only those with magic-related Classes could enter the magic course. This was unlike other courses, where students could go through transdisciplinary training. Su Ya thought for a moment. ¡°I think the magic course is the most suitable for him.¡± Betta¡¯s expression froze for a moment. ¡°Su Ya, get this straight. Not every Class can enter the magic course. Even if you¡¯re an SS-rank Assassin, you have no right to enter if you have nothing to do with magic.¡± ¡°Furthermore, Lin Bai is only a Reader!¡± Su Ya nodded even more firmly. ¡°That¡¯s right, he¡¯s suitable for the magic course! I saw him use magic with my own eyes!¡± Betta was completely shocked. Use magic? That was the specialty of Mages! The Mage Class was an SS-Class! Betta looked at Lin Bai suspiciously. He did not dare to continue questioning Su Ya¡¯s words. After all, she was one of the only two Hunters in the past 30 years. Thus, her status in school was not low. Forget it. If he left Lin Bai in the magic course, Lin Bai would expose himself! ¡°That¡¯s good.. Lin Bai, report to the magic course today!¡± Chapter 27 Lin Bai stood in front of the door of the magic course and quickly felt that this course was different from the other course. Previously, Lin Bai had been thrown into the combat course by Cage for no reason. Thus, he had some understanding of the environment there. However, now that he looked at it, the difference between the magic course and the combat course was like night and day! The golden and dazzling door was already very extravagant. Meanwhile, the relief sculpture on the door was even more delicate and exquisite. With one look, one could tell that it was carved by an old Daoist. Its aura was extraordinary. After pushing open the door and entering, it was as if Lin Bai was no longer in Sorcha College. Instead, he felt like he was in a medieval castle. ¡°This is actually the work of Sorcha College¡­¡± Lin Bai could not help but sigh emotionally. It seemed that Sorcha College had indeed had a glorious period more than 30 years ago. ¡°The classroom, the classroom¡­¡± Lin Bai mumbled, not forgetting his original goal of coming here. He was here for class. After being humiliated by Garth several times, Lin Bai no longer dared to do whatever he wanted. After all, it was still unknown what kind of temper his magic teacher had. After finding the classroom, Lin Bai carefully opened the door and peeked inside. The classroom was already filled with people. Everyone had their heads lowered as they looked at the materials seriously. No one was talking to each other. This atmosphere made Lin Bai feel a little oppressed. ¡°You¡¯re the newcomer today, right? Garth told me everything.¡± A voice sounded from behind Lin Bai. Lin Bai suddenly turned around and realized that a middle-aged man had unknowingly stood behind him. Furthermore, he was extremely familiar with this middle-aged man. ¡°I¡¯m your teacher in the magic course, Charlotte.¡± Charlotte tilted her head and gave Lin Bai a smile. It was actually this fellow! Lin Bai felt a little nauseous. ¡°Hello, Teacher,¡± Lin Bai replied expressionlessly. He really didn¡¯t like Charlotte. After all, she was just an unknown person who made assumptions. ¡°Your experience in playing truant¡­ I¡¯ve heard about it too. However, now that you¡¯re in my hands, I¡¯ll only be stricter than Garth. You¡¯d better not think about how to fool me.¡± The signature fake smile on Charlotte¡¯s face still made Lin Bai feel uncomfortable. ¡°Thank you.¡± Lin Bai politely responded, wanting to quickly dodge this trouble. ¡°It¡¯s time for class. Stop looking at the door. Hurry up and go in.¡± Then, Charlotte pushed open the door of the classroom. In order to make way for Charlotte, Lin Bai, who was standing in front of Charlotte, could not help but walk into the classroom. The creaking sound of the door opening attracted the attention of everyone in the classroom. Everyone¡¯s gazes immediately gathered on Lin Bai, who was a new face. This made Lin Bai feel uneasy, and he quickly found an empty spot to slip in. Oh, right. Teaching materials were also books. If he flipped through the teaching materials, wouldn¡¯t he be able to master all the knowledge in the books? This way, he could finish the courses that others took a year to complete in a day! Lin Bai, who was overjoyed, quickly took out the magic materials and flipped through them page by page. The various spells dazzled Lin Bai. Very soon, he saw a spell called Telekinesis. ¡°Telekinesis: Within the range of the magical power, the caster can control lifeless objects according to their will.¡± Yes, it sounded good! Lin Bai began to read each word excitedly. He memorized all the techniques and descriptions regarding Telekinesis. However, why didn¡¯t he feel the familiar feeling when he activated his Reader skill? Lin Bai frowned strangely. While Charlotte was in the middle of her class, he secretly extended his wand and cast a Telekinesis spell on the chalk on the podium. The chalk¡­ did not move. Lin Bai was secretly speechless. No way, no way. Could this Reader skill be ineffective when faced with the teaching materials?! After trying a few more times, Lin Bai finally gave up struggling. Alright, he understood now. This skill to become stronger from reading books was simply useless when faced with the teaching materials! Lin Bai wanted to cry. ¡°Lin Bai, don¡¯t be distracted!¡± Charlotte noticed the uncertainty in Lin Bai¡¯s eyes. A piece of chalk drew a parabola in the air and landed accurately on Lin Bai¡¯s head. Was throwing chalk a unique skill of Sorcha College? It was bad enough that Cage was so accurate, but why was Charlotte so accurate as well?! Lin Bai gritted his teeth angrily and leaned his chin on the table as if he had nothing to live for. ¡°Let¡¯s continue.¡± Charlotte knocked on the blackboard. ¡°Speaking of Mage Merlin, everyone knows that he is a legend in the magic world. Not only did he defeat a world-destroying magical beast alone and turn the tide, he also created many spells and passed them down.¡± ¡°Of course, no one is perfect. Furthermore, Merlin is not absolutely outstanding.¡± At this moment, Charlotte did not forget to step on Merlin¡¯s foot, as if she would feel uncomfortable if she did not belittle him. ¡°He has also created some useless magic. The Tumbler Spell is one of them.¡± Lin Bai¡¯s heart skipped a beat as he felt something in his body react. ¡°The effect of the Tumbler Spell is also relatively simple. It can ensure that the caster doesn¡¯t fall for a day.¡± The classroom roared with laughter at Charlotte¡¯s words. What was this! Not falling for a day? Why was there such a useless spell?! ¡°Actually, Merlin¡¯s intention was not like that. In the beginning, he was preparing to create a fainting spell to knock his opponent to the ground¡­¡± ¡°In the end, he made a mistake and made himself the target of the spell.¡± ¡°He also reversed the effects of his magic. The magic that could have caused a person to faint instead prevented them from falling for a day!¡± ¡°However, if you¡¯re so bored that you want to learn this spell¡­ I can only tell you that it¡¯s very difficult to master this spell!¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I said that it¡¯s useless!¡± The students in the classroom were laughing so hard that they almost couldn¡¯t breathe. Only Lin Bai was serious. This was because he really felt that something in his body seemed to resonate with Charlotte¡¯s story. This was¡­ the feeling of activating his Reader skill! He seemed to have learned the Tumbler Spell! Lin Bai was stunned. He couldn¡¯t learn magic from reading the teaching materials, but he could learn magic from listening to stories? Lin Bai pondered in doubt and could not help but forget that he was in class. In Charlotte¡¯s eyes, Lin Bai¡¯s current state was no different from being in a daze. ¡°Lin Bai, how many times have I reminded you! Pay attention in class. Don¡¯t always be in a daze!¡± Charlotte used her terrifyingly accurate chalk attack again and reprimanded him. ¡°Seriously, just criticizing you will cause me to waste a lot of time in this class.¡± When Charlotte said this, Lin Bai felt the malicious gazes around him. The top students in the class looked at him strangely, their eyes filled with blame.. Chapter 28 ¡°Just criticizing you will waste everyone¡¯s time!¡± Charlotte reprimanded Lin Bai loudly. The geniuses in the class looked at Lin Bai with all sorts of blaming gazes. ¡°Hey, hey, what has this got to do with me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m also studying seriously, alright!¡± ¡°All of you laughed when you heard the Tumbler Spell. In the end, wasn¡¯t I the only one who learned it?¡± ¡°In fact, I thought your laughter had interrupted me!¡± ¡°I was in a daze. I didn¡¯t disturb the order in the classroom!¡± Lin Bai ridiculed endlessly in his heart, but he could only hold it in. If he really said these words in his heart, he would instantly become the target of everyone. Regarding this, Lin Bai could only pretend to be harmless and scratch his head to bluff his way through. In the end, Charlotte only shook her head in disappointment, then ignored Lin Bai. ¡°I think everyone should remember that at the end of this month, it will be our annual Arena Match.¡± After reprimanding Lin Bai, Charlotte turned to continue speaking to her students. When the topic of the Arena Match was mentioned, the gazes of some people in the class began to grow passionate. Lin Bai could even feel the air in the classroom boiling. This annual Arena Match was a gathering that countless magic students were waiting for! In this competition, countless dark horses would emerge every year. Some gifted students would also fade into the masses. The hierarchy of the magic students would definitely be overturned in this competition overnight! For the students with mediocre qualifications, the Arena Match was also an exciting and splendid banquet. When gorgeous magic confronted and intersected with each other in the arena, it was just as brilliant as a meticulously rehearsed performance. As a result, when Lin Bai heard this news, his blood began to boil as he became excited. He had heard about the Arena Match when he was under Cage. At that time, he was also tempted. ¡°The Arena Match requires all of our students to make preparations with all their might. We cannot slack off at all.¡± At this point, Charlotte glanced at Lin Bai, intentionally or otherwise. ¡°In particular, behaviours like daydreaming in class are absolutely not allowed!¡± Charlotte was clearly implying something. Laughter erupted in the class again. Those with discerning eyes knew that the latter half of Charlotte¡¯s words were aimed at Lin Bai in an eccentric manner. Lin Bai shrugged. There was no need for him to care about such a person. His current focus was actually more on the Arena Match that Charlotte had mentioned previously. Since that was the case, making a trip to the library was an even more urgent matter. ¡°It¡¯s a rest day tomorrow, but I hope everyone doesn¡¯t relax. Take this time to revise the magic you¡¯ve learned.¡± After Charlotte finished speaking, she waved her hand to indicate that class was over. Lin Bai immediately beamed. A day off meant that he could finally go to the library to openly learn new skills! ¡­ The next day was a rest day. For the first time, Lin Bai woke up early. As soon as the sun appeared, he charged straight towards the city library. The city library was also a luxurious building, making up almost the entire facade of Orlando City. The wall was made entirely of marble. Together with the tall spires, it made the entire library look Gothic. Lin Bai did not hesitate at all. As soon as he entered, he went directly to the fifth floor. In the entire Orlando City, only a few people had the authority to enter the fifth floor of the library. Thus, the books collected on the fifth floor were destined to be extraordinary. Frankly speaking, they were all forbidden books. There were some spells that were too powerful, as well as some physical skills that would cause great side effects when used. They were all stored on the fifth floor to prevent them from falling into the hands of the criminals and being used by others to poison the world. However, Lin Bai did not have any bad intentions. He just wanted to find a spell that was adequate for the Arena Match. Even though some of those overly ordinary spells were powerful, others had summarised these spells and came up with directed countermeasures against them. Thus, it was very difficult not to fail miserably in the Arena Match with such spells. When he arrived at the room of forbidden books, the fifth floor was dim. It was completely unlike the previously brightly lit and dazzling floors. There were only a few small oil lamps that gave off a gloomy and mysterious feeling. As soon as Lin Bai approached the room, the security guard outside the door rushed forward and stopped him. ¡°No unauthorized personnel allowed!¡± The guard observed Lin Bai and found that he was only an ordinary youth. He could not help but scoff slightly as he looked at Lin Bai with a slightly teasing gaze. Those who had the authority to enter this place were all powerful figures. How could a young brat have the authority to do so? He really did not know his limits. Then, the security guard¡¯s eyes flashed. He discovered the school badge of Sorcha College on the collar of Lin Bai¡¯s coat, and his mocking smile deepened. ¡°Sorcha College?¡± The security guard¡¯s tone was clearly filled with mockery. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that the elders in your school don¡¯t have the authority to enter this place. Even the principal of Sorcha College can¡¯t enter as he wishes. He has to apply to our curator in advance!¡± ¡°As for you, a small student, it¡¯s better not to cause trouble for yourself.¡± After clearly rejecting Lin Bai, the security guard sat back down and no longer looked up at him. Lin Bai¡¯s heart did not fluctuate much. Instead, he asked politely, ¡°If I have the authority, how should I enter?¡± The guard glanced at Lin Bai as if he was looking at an idiot. ¡°We will record all those with the authority to enter. As long as you place your palm on this stone pillar, the door will naturally open.¡± The security guard pointed at the stone pillar in front of the door. Lin Bai was just about to place his hand on it when the security guard stopped him again. ¡°Move your dirty hands away from the pillar,¡± said the security guard disdainfully. ¡°Is this stone pillar something that anyone can touch? If those big shots find out that a kid touched this stone pillar, they¡¯ll simply think that you¡¯ve tarnished it!¡± In the eyes of the guard, the stone pillar was extremely sacred. Only the important figures in Orlando City had the qualifications to use it. As for a nobody like Lin Bai, he did not even have the qualifications to touch it! ¡°I¡¯ll return these words to you!¡± Lin Bai was angered and shook off the guard¡¯s hand. ¡°Move your hand away!¡± After he finished speaking, Lin Bai simply and roughly took a step forward, covering the stone pillar with his palm without any explanation. On the other side, the security guard was ready to gather the other security guards through the voice transmission stone and forcibly kick out the uninvited guest, Lin Bai. However, a loud announcement spread through the entire fifth floor, causing the security guard to freeze. ¡°Lin Bai, you are allowed to enter the fifth floor.¡± A resounding announcement reverberated throughout the entire fifth floor.. Chapter 29 The guard instantly froze. Lin Bai smiled and waved at the stunned guard. Then, he strode into the room of forbidden books, leaving the guard at a loss. The guard¡¯s mind was now a complete mess. Did he just¡­ offend a big shot? But¡­ How could a teenager have such high authority? If Lin Bai was the son of some important person, it would be impossible for the security guards, who knew the art of flattery, to not recognize him. Could it be that there really was such a terrifying genius in this world who could occupy such a high position at such a young age by relying on his strength? He simply felt a chill run down his spine. He really couldn¡¯t figure out how all of this happened, but one thing was certain¡­ This person was not simple. ¡­ In the room of forbidden books. Lin Bai made his way through the bookshelves. The entire room did not have any windows, so the entire space was extremely dark. Only a few small lamps were dimly lit, giving off a dim orange glow. The room seemed extremely mysterious. Lin Bai activated his Reader skill and sensed the elements in the surrounding space. This was a method that he had figured out himself. He would use the resonance between the spiritual energy in the books and his spiritual energy as a Reader. This would allow his Reader nature to automatically find a suitable skill to learn. Very quickly, he felt the resonance of spiritual energy. He looked in the direction of the resonance. It was a long, dark corridor without any light. Even the lamps that illuminated the room were sparsely scattered on both sides of the corridor, as if they were deliberately creating darkness. Lin Bai carefully walked over. The walls on both sides of the long corridor were narrow, and the echoes were obvious. This caused his own breathing to constantly collide with the walls and form echoes. In the dark corridor, the echoes were constantly amplified, making the room seem extremely strange. ¡°Who allowed you to come here?¡± An old voice suddenly rang out. Lin Bai¡¯s hair stood on end, and the aura in his lower body became chaotic. ¡°Who is that!?¡± Lin Bai asked with a trembling voice. How could there still be people in this place where there was no sunlight? ¡°I want to ask who you are, little child.¡± The person who spoke finally revealed himself. It was an old man in white. From the magic power circulating around him, it seemed like he was quite powerful. As Lin Bai pondered why the old man was here, he answered his question. ¡°I am a student of Sorcha College, Lin Bai. May I know your name, sir?¡± The old man nodded and said, ¡°Just call me Old Bai.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, little kid, this isn¡¯t a place you should be at. These are all high-level books, and most of them are forbidden books that can¡¯t be read at will. The books on the first floor are enough to satisfy any of your needs.¡± ¡°Furthermore, how did you obtain the qualifications to enter this place?¡± For some reason, Lin Bai had an indescribably good impression of the old man. He could not help but let down his guard and tell the old man everything that had happened. After Old Bai heard this, he pondered for a moment and said, ¡°To be able to defeat Long Mu, you do have some ability.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that the magic recorded in the forbidden books here is still too distant for you.¡± Lin Bai smiled slightly and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Old Bai. I, Lin Bai, have always acted according to my abilities. I won¡¯t act recklessly¡­ As for why I¡¯ve come here, I have reasons I can¡¯t tell you about¡­¡± Old Bai nodded and stopped asking Lin Bai. Lin Bai bid farewell to Old Bai. Then, he continued to search for the source of the resonance before he finally found it. It was a magic book with a black cover. After Lin Bai opened the book, he discovered that there were actually some black magic spells recorded within. Furthermore, these black magic spells were much stronger than the spells he had already mastered. ¡°Black magic?¡± Old Bai had appeared behind Lin Bai at some point in time and saw the contents of the book. ¡°Do you not want to live anymore? The backlash from these black magic spells is no joke!¡± Lin Bai scratched his head. He could only explain the whole story of the Purification Crystal to Old Bai. ¡°So it was Destin who helped you¡­¡± Old Bai stroked his beard.¡± However, it¡¯s rare for you to learn the three types of black magic spells yourself¡­¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Old Bai suddenly became excited. ¡°Does this mean that you can use black magic at will without any side effects?!¡± Lin Bai nodded. Old Bai looked at the youth in front of him and was filled with emotions. His lips quivered, as though he wanted to say something. Afterwards, he approached Lin Bai. Then, he gripped Lin Bai¡¯s hands tightly as an unconcealable excitement appeared in his eyes. Meanwhile, Lin Bai was truly confused. Seeing how eager the strange old man was, he was at a loss at that moment. ¡°Little child. The younger generation will truly surpass us in time!¡± Old Bai sighed. ¡°I have a request. I wonder if you can agree to it¡­¡± Lin Bai came to a sudden realization. It turned out that the old man had deliberately switched to a low profile because he needed a favor. Although he did not know where this old man came from, Lin Bai could sense from the ripples in his lower body that Old Bai¡¯s strength was definitely extraordinary. But why would such an expert need his help? ¡°Old Bai, please speak. I¡¯m all ears.¡± Old Bai looked at Lin Bai gratefully. Then, he spoke tirelessly. ¡°Little child, do you know why I, this old bag of bones, am living in seclusion in this dark forbidden room?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because¡­ there are no windows here. The sunlight can¡¯t shine in. That¡¯s why I¡¯m able to survive here.¡± Lin Bai immediately began to tremble. He truly did feel that it was strange for someone to live in the dark environment of this room. However, the series of actions that Old Bai displayed next gradually dispelled Lin Bai¡¯s doubt. Lin Bai did not expect that there would be a hidden story here. ¡°Are you saying that you found this place to live long-term so as to avoid the sunlight?¡± Old Bai shook his head thoughtfully. ¡°Rather than saying that I found this place, it would be more accurate to say that the windowless structure of this room was designed for me!¡± Lin Bai was even more shocked. Just what kind of person was able to have an entire room of forbidden books made for him? ¡°My name is Bai Yin, and I have some connections with Sorcha College.¡± Bai Yin¡¯s words were like a sudden clap of thunder. Lin Bai¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Do you know about the demon realm?¡± Bai Yin asked. Lin Bai shook his head, looking at Bai Yin with curiosity and confusion. ¡°The places you¡¯ve been to before should only be some mystic realms. There are even more dangerous demon realms above these mystic realms. The magical beasts inside are all extremely dangerous.¡± ¡°Mystic realms and demon realms?¡± Lin Bai was very interested in this new concept. Then, he obediently listened to what Old Bai said next. ¡°When I was exploring the demon realms, I encountered powerful magical beasts. When I fought them, I was at a disadvantage, and my soul was scattered. Old Bai spoke as if nothing had happened to him. However, Lin Bai was already extremely shocked. How would it feel to have one¡¯s soul scatter?! Chapter 30 Old Bai¡¯s soul had scattered. Lin Bai felt an indescribable fear. Just hearing these words made him shudder, as if a cold wind was blowing against his back. ¡°Old Bai, may I ask, what level were you at?¡± Lin Bai asked tentatively. ¡°I was a Heaven-Rank Hunter,¡± said Old Bai casually. Lin Bai gasped in shock. Hunters were divided into three ranks: the Ordinary-Rank, the Earth-Rank, and the Heaven-Rank. Each rank was further divided into ten levels. The strength of a Heaven-Rank Hunter was probably an entire level higher than the Dean of the Sorcha College. In fact, they were countless times more powerful than the Dean. It turned out that there was a hidden expert in this room of forbidden books. ¡°So you know how powerful that magical beast was back then, right?¡± ¡°What¡¯s even more terrifying is that under the influence of the terrible and dangerous environment in the demon realm, the magical beasts have developed countless ruthless methods and spells that ordinary human experts cannot defend against.¡± ¡°As for me, I was struck by the Soul Stealing Technique and my soul left my body. Luckily, I was saved in time and consumed a Soul Returning Pill. Only then was I barely able to preserve my life, but I could not see the sunlight again for the rest of my life. Otherwise, my soul would directly evaporate and I would become a walking corpse.¡± Lin Bai swallowed a mouthful of saliva as he listened to Old Bai. A Heaven-Ranked Hunter, an expert who could summon wind and rain in the world, had actually fallen into the hands of a magical beast. How regretful. ¡°But, what can I do to help you?¡± Lin Bai asked this as he thought about how Old Bai had said all of this because he wanted Lin Bai to agree to his request. Lin Bai had just entered the threshold of an Ordinary-Rank Hunter. Thus, how could he help a Heaven-Rank Hunter? Old Bai pondered for a moment before taking out a green copper piece from his chest pocket and handing it to Lin Bai. ¡°At the time, after I took the Soul Return Pill, although my soul returned to its original position, some remnant fragments of my soul had yet to settle. Thus, I needed a container to temporarily store these fragments.¡± ¡°This green token is the vessel.¡± At this point, Old Bai looked a little embarrassed and said, ¡°I only know how to contain souls, but I don¡¯t know how to liberate souls.¡± Lin Bai was speechless. Did this mean that his soul could not be removed after being stored in the container?! Old Bai scratched his head in embarrassment and said, ¡°I begged a wise person for help and finally learned the method to liberate my soul. That method is to fight poison with poison. By gathering the extremely pure power of black magic into the container and forcing out the imprisoned soul, I can recover my true body and walk under the sunlight. Then, I can become a real person.¡± ¡°However, those who know black magic have already lost their minds. Who else can help me?¡± Lin Bai nodded secretly. If that was the case, his ability to use black magic without suffering any backlash was indeed something many people dreamed of. Lin Bai held the green token and seemed to be deep in thought. He attempted to pour his black magic spells into it, but the badge did not react at all. ¡°You currently don¡¯t have enough strength. After all, that magical beast is comparable to a Heaven-Rank Hunter. A mere Ordinary-Rank Hunter is naturally like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.¡± Lin Bai nodded. He put away the token and said, ¡°Old Bai, don¡¯t worry. I will take good care of this token. When I have enough strength in the future, I will use my black magic powers to help you save your soul.¡± Old Bai was moved as he looked at Lin Bai. He was somewhat tearful. Lin Bai could not stand this emotional scene. He pulled his thoughts away from Old Bai¡¯s story, but he suddenly thought of something even worse. ¡°Crap! I still have to look for magic spells that I want to learn!¡± Old Bai laughed in a hoarse voice. ¡°I remember that there¡¯s a black magic spell that would suit you.¡± ¡°After all, you won¡¯t be able to withstand spells that are too strong, and you won¡¯t look upon spells that are too weak. However, this magic spell should be just right.¡± Lin Bai¡¯s eyes lit up. One could imagine the strength of a magic spell that was recommended by a Heaven-Rank Hunter. Lin Bai could not help but feel some anticipation. Old Bai turned around and walked towards a bookshelf in the corner. After rummaging through it for a while, he stirred up a cloud of dust. Lin Bai was speechless. How long had it been since someone had flipped through this bookshelf? After a long time, Old Bai finally finished the long process of rummaging through the bookshelf and emerged again with a yellowed book in his hand. The cover of the ancient book was badly damaged, but a few large words could still be seen. ¡°The Nine-Colored Yanluo Seal!¡± Lin Bai looked at the name of the spell. An invisible pressure could be seen from the name. This spell had been sealed for a long time. However, just its name that was recorded on a page of a book could make people feel a sense of suffocation. What would it look like when it was truly manifested?! Old Bai patted Lin Bai¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°The new generation surpasses the old. The Nine-Colored Yanluo Seal will live up to its ferocious name in your hands!¡± He looked at Lin Bai as if he treasured talent. This was a Hunter who could use black magic at will. The upper limit of such a Hunter¡¯s abilities was beyond his reach. ¡°Its ferocious name?¡± Lin Bai frowned. He was rather interested in what the old man had just said. ¡°Black magic is extremely fierce and dangerous. The Nine-Colored Yanluo Seal is the same. The seal is divided into nine colors, with white representing the beginning and black representing the end. The power of each subsequent seal is multiplied. Those who cultivate the Nine-Colored Yanluo Seal can shatter mountains and raise seas.¡± ¡°Shatter mountains and raise seas?¡± Lin Bai was rather surprised. ¡°What rank is the Nine-Colored Yanluo Seal at?¡± Old Bai thought for a while and then answered, ¡°Since this spell is divided into nine seals, it is also divided into different ranks. The first seal is an ordinary magic spell. However, if all nine seals are released together, its power will probably be comparable to a peak Earth-Rank magic spell.¡± ¡°A peak Earth-Rank magic spell?!¡± When Lin Bai heard this, he was quite surprised. If he directly used the ¡°Reader¡± skill and mastered the nine seals in one go¡­ Wouldn¡¯t he be invincible? Although he had never seen an Earth-Rank magic spell before, he had heard of its power. It was said that an ordinary Earth-Rank magic spell could allow a Hunter to fight against an ordinary army by themselves. In that case, it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that a peak Earth-Rank magic spell could shatter mountains and raise seas. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect such a powerful spell!¡± Lin Bai was secretly delighted. In Old Bai¡¯s eyes, it would take a very long time for Lin Bai to cultivate from the first seal to the ninth seal. However, with the support of Lin Bai¡¯s Reader skills, it was extremely easy for him to completely grasp these nine seals. ¡°Oh right, since I have a favor to ask of you, I¡¯ll give you a gift as well. It can be considered a token of appreciation from a senior like me.¡± Old Bai looked at Lin Bai and suddenly thought of something. Then, he suddenly mentioned this. Lin Bai¡¯s eyes immediately lit up. A gift from a Heaven-Rank Hunter? He could not imagine what a gift from such an expert would look like. He would simply be embarrassed if he didn¡¯t enjoy this gift for free¡­ This situation¡­ was truly one where¡­ it would be impolite for him to refuse! Chapter 31 ¡°It would be impolite for me to refuse this gift.¡± Lin Bai clasped his hands and bowed. He was already overjoyed inside. Old Bai nodded. He was very satisfied with Lin Bai¡¯s personality and said, ¡°The first gift is a gift from me, a Heaven-Rank Hunter.¡± Lin Bai was stunned. Even if he couldn¡¯t understand just how powerful a Heaven-Rank Hunter was, he could at least understand how difficult it was to obtain this gift. In fact, it was something that could only be chanced upon by luck. However, Lin Bai still had some questions. Thus, he asked, ¡°But senior, your soul is damaged, so you can¡¯t leave this place. How¡­¡± Old Bai laughed out loud. ¡°Even so, you¡¯re underestimating me too much.¡± He took out a black seal and placed it in Lin Bai¡¯s hand. Then, he said, ¡°This is my personal seal. I¡¯ve already hired someone to embed a teleportation formation into it. When you need it, you just need to pour your magic power into it. Then, I¡¯ll receive the signal and immediately teleport to your location.¡± ¡°Although my soul is damaged, it¡¯s not a problem for me to stay outside for an hour or so. You don¡¯t think that you can create a huge problem that even a Heaven-Rank Hunter can¡¯t solve before you complete my request, right?¡± Lin Bai said half-jokingly, ¡°Who knows.¡± Old Bai flashed a refreshing smile and said, ¡°Then I¡¯m looking forward to where you will use this!¡± Then, he retracted his smile and said, ¡°This second gift is a weapon.¡± ¡°A weapon!?¡± Lin Bai was shocked. Weapons were external objects that Hunters relied on the most. In battle, they would often be able to grasp the initiative and turn the situation around with weapons. The grades of weapons were simply divided into the Low-, Mid-, and High-Grades. ¡°This is a magical artifact that I collected many years ago. However, it is of the darkness attribute, so it cannot be used by me. Today, I met you, so I¡¯m giving it to you.¡± ¡°This saber is known as the Demon Blade. I believe you¡¯ve heard of its creator. Its creator is the God¡¯s Forger, Xiao Chen.¡± ¡°The Demon Blade? Xiao Chen?¡± Lin Bai repeated in shock. It was not that he had never heard of these names before, but it was precisely because they were too well-known that he could not react in time. Xiao Chen¡¯s name was known by everyone in the world. The weapons he produced had already surpassed the three weapon grades. Instead, he had developed a new level ¡ª divine weapons. Later on, there were also descendants who created magical artifacts that reached the realm of divine artifacts. However, as the founder, Xiao Chen was remembered by the world. ¡°This saber was forged when I visited Xiao Chen¡¯s disciple, Luo Yu, to befriend him. He then gave it to me. It was made when Xiao Chen was young. Therefore, its level is not high and it is only a Middle-Grade weapon.¡± ¡°However, Xiao Chen creatively added a strand of his soul into this blade, allowing it to possess a trace of intelligence. When it drinks blood from a hundred people, it will awaken and its grade will increase. At the same time, because of its bloodthirsty nature, it is also known as the Demon Blade.¡± ¡°Something worthy of mentioning is that this Demon Blade is made of two parts, the Yin and the Yang. I only obtained one of them. I¡¯ve heard that when the two parts fuse into one, its strength will increase by another level.¡± Lin Bai was rather speechless when he heard this. He had never thought that there would be such a profound mystery behind the Demon Blade. He tried his best to hide the ecstasy in his heart. Then, he asked respectfully and humbly, ¡°May I know what the two parts of the Demon Blade are called?¡± ¡°The Demon Blade is made up of two parts, the Yin and the Yang. This blade makes up the Yin and is called Kakura. Meanwhile, the Yang is called Shakya. Whether or not you can obtain it will depend on your luck and destiny.¡± Lin Bai nodded and accepted the blade from old Bai. This was the Demon Blade, Kakura. Its entire body was bronze in color and it gave off a sense of vicissitudes of time. It also exuded a cold and sinister aura. Just touching it made one shudder. Lin Bai held the heavy Kakura in his hand and felt rather excited inside. He had never thought that his trip to the city library would bring him so many unexpected gains. Old Bai stood up and dusted off the dust on his body. Meanwhile, Lin Bai stood up and stretched his tense muscles. ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, this must have been a rewarding journey for you.¡± Old Bai smiled and said, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, then go back. I want to rest.¡± Lin Bai bowed gratefully and left. Although he did not know Bai Yin¡¯s identity, Lin Bai did not ask. After all, Lin Bai did not want to get too involved with his sad past. It was not his style to expose people¡¯s scars. ¡­ Outside the main entrance. The guard was still trembling in fear as he thought about how he should clean up the mess when the young man came out. After hesitating for a while, he used the voice transmission stone to contact the curator of the city library, Apollo. Apollo was in disbelief when he heard that a young man had entered the room of forbidden books. In his mind, only the mayor of Orlando City had the right to give anyone access to the room. Moreover, the mayor¡¯s disappointing son seemed to have similar rights. However, he could authorize personnel to enter the city library for only a day. No matter how he thought about it, these three people did not seem like people who would give such important authority to a young person. Thus, Apollo could only suspect that this young man had used some underhanded means to deceive everyone. Apollo rushed to the fifth floor in a hurry. When he saw the terrified security guard, he consoled him before opening the door to enter the room of forbidden books. However, the moment Apollo placed his hand on the stone pillar, the door to the room opened with a loud bang. The person who had come out was Lin Bai. He was even equipped with an old-looking blade. What was even stranger was that weapons were prohibited in the room of forbidden books. Thus, Apollo shot a strange look at the guard. The security guard quickly waved his hands and shirked the responsibility. ¡°When he just entered, he definitely didn¡¯t have such a blade!¡± Now, the pressure was on Lin Bai. He wasn¡¯t sure if it would be appropriate for him to speak of this matter in public. Lin Bai stuttered, not knowing how to explain himself. ¡°Did you steal this from the room of forbidden books?¡± Apollo looked at Lin Bai suspiciously, his voice filled with distrust.¡± I remember that the room of forbidden books does have some antique weapons. They¡¯re quite similar to this blade.¡± Lin Bai was rather helpless when faced with this sudden slander. According to Apollo, Lin Bai seemed to have become a thief who had broken into the room of forbidden books. At that moment, Old Bai¡¯s voice echoed through the entire fifth level. It was loud and powerful, giving off a sense of power. ¡°This blade is a gift from me to this young man. There¡¯s no problem with it. Just let him pass and don¡¯t make things difficult for him.¡± Upon hearing the voice coming from the room of forbidden books, the security guard was naturally dumbfounded. However, Apollo¡¯s expression changed instantly and turned pale. He naturally knew that Old Bai was living in seclusion in the room of forbidden books¡­ Chapter 32 However¡­ How could someone of that level be willing to give such a precious gift to a kid?! Furthermore¡­ Based on his tone, he was obviously based towards this young man. Apollo looked at Lin Bai with a complicated gaze. After obtaining the Demon Blade Kakura and the Nine-Colored Yanluo Seal, Lin Bai successfully avoided Apollo¡¯s obstruction under the protection of Old Bai and left the room of forbidden books. After returning to his dorm in Sorcha College, the first thing Lin Bai did was take out the magic book and start studying it page by page. His ¡°Reader¡± skill was naturally activated. The knowledge in the book slowly flowed into Lin Bai¡¯s mind like water and was slowly internalized by him. However, after only reading a few pages, Lin Bai actually felt a little dizzy. This was something that had never happened before! ¡°It¡¯s probably because I¡¯ve experienced too many things today.¡± Lin Bai thought about it and came up with this reason. Lin Bai shook his head to clear his mind before continuing to read. There were some detailed records covering the first to the ninth seal of the Nine-Colored Yanluo Seal in the book. Lin Bai eagerly flipped through the book as the information entered his mind bit by bit. ¡°I¡¯m at the fifth seal¡­¡± Lin Bai murmured. It was already halfway through the night, and Lin Bai had already read up to the fourth seal. If he continued to read at this speed, he only needed to stay up all night to completely master this spell! However, just as he finished reading about the fifth seal, Lin Bai suddenly felt dizzy. Then, he fell onto the bed, unconscious. When he woke up, it was already morning. After getting up, Lin Bai hurriedly sensed his lower body. Then, he attempted to form the seals. Without much effort, the first five seals of the Nine-Colored Yanluo Seal were summoned by Lin Bai. The pressure in the room suddenly increased. Even Lin Bai felt an ominous sense of fear. ¡°This is the Nine-Colored Yanluo Seal¡­¡± Lin Bai happily murmured to himself. This was still the incomplete form of this spell. If there really came a day when all nine seals were manifested, its power would be unimaginable! But¡­ Why did he suddenly faint yesterday? Lin Bai was deep in thought. ¡°Could it be that¡­ This spell is too complicated and has exceeded the tolerance of my Reader skill?¡± This was the only reasonable explanation that Lin Bai could think of. In other words¡­ His Reader skills were still limited at this stage. Some spells that were too powerful were difficult to learn if they exceeded the tolerance of his Reader skill. ¡°But, how do I increase my Reader abilities?¡± As Lin Bai pondered, he suddenly thought of ¡°Merlin¡¯s Autobiography¡±. Merin, the great and unprecedented Mage, was also a Reader! His autobiography definitely contained a lot of useful information related to Readers. Lin Bai immediately rushed into the Sorcha College library and found ¡°Merlin¡¯s Autobiography¡± in the same place. Lin Bai began to carefully read ¡°Merlin¡¯s Autobiography¡± as he sat cross-legged on the floor of the library. Soon, he found the answer he needed. ¡°The innate skills of the Reader Class will continue to grow with the strength of the Hunter. The higher the rank of the Hunter, the stronger their learning abilities will be.¡± ¡°If a Reader reads a skill that exceeds their learning ability, the Hunter will faint because they can¡¯t withstand the pressure. In serious cases, he will die. Remember this!¡± Lin Bai gulped. He could not help but secretly rejoice. Fortunately, the Nine-Colored Yanluo Seal was not too powerful¡­ Otherwise, he would have died without knowing why. ¡°Looks like I need to think of a way to raise my Hunter rank.¡± Lin Bai muttered to himself, suddenly realizing the importance of the Hunter rank. However, for the upcoming Arena Match, the first five seals of the Nine-Colored Yanluo Seals should be enough. ¡­ Time flew. Soon, it was the end of the month, and the annual Arena Match began as scheduled. The square was bustling with noise. On the central platform sat the professors and elders of Sorcha College. Charlotte, Garth, Cage, and a group of other professors were sitting on the platform, waiting for the opening of the magic event. ¡°Charlotte, do you think there¡¯s anything to look forward to in this Arena Match?¡± Garth asked. Charlotte stroked her chin and pondered for a while. Then, she said, ¡°The first and second place in the magic department seemed to have been matched against each other in the lottery before the match.¡± ¡°Han Bin and Locke, huh? That¡¯s really a fierce battle.¡± When Garth heard this news, he couldn¡¯t help but look forward to it. ¡°Right, there¡¯s also Lin Bai. I¡¯d like to see his performance.¡± Cage interjected. ¡°Lin Bai? The one who followed Su Ya and almost became the laughing stock of the entire college?¡± Garth asked. Cage nodded, but he begged to differ. After all, the scene of Lin Bai taking out the Spirit Crystal of the Master of the Swamp was still vivid in Cage¡¯s mind. He had always felt that Lin Bai was not as simple as he had imagined. Charlotte changed her posture and continued to sit. ¡°I taught him a lesson too. That Lin Bai is always in a daze in class. I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s doing. Anyway, I don¡¯t really think highly of his performance in the Arena Match.¡± Cage smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see.¡± ¡­ In the square. It was crowded. The referee stood in the center of the arena and announced the matches in the first group. ¡°First group, Han Bin versus Locke!¡± With this announcement, the square immediately became much noisier. ¡°It can¡¯t be, right? Are the first and second place students in the magic course fighting each other immediately?¡± ¡°Han Bin should still be number one in the magic course.¡± ¡°I also feel that Han Bin¡¯s victory over Locke should not be too surprising.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The audience was talking at once. However, before they could say much, Han Bin had already finished his battle. Before Locke could react, he was sent flying out of the boundary by Han Bin. There was such a gap between the first and second place students. ¡°Han Bin wins!¡± The referee announced. The elders and professors on stage couldn¡¯t react either. After a year of hard work, Han Bin was actually so far ahead of the second place student! Below the stage, a group of girls heard about Han Bin¡¯s victory and started screaming. ¡°Han Bin is as popular as ever,¡± said Cage with a smile. The battles on the square were still going on nervously. As more and more people were thrown out of bounds, it was time for the thirteenth round of the Arena Match. ¡°The thirteenth match, Lin Bai versus Kristen!¡± As soon as the two parties in this match were announced, the crowd below the arena started to discuss as well. ¡°Is Lin Bai one of the two students from Sorcha College who obtained a place as a Hunter after 30 years? He doesn¡¯t look very impressive..¡± Chapter 33 ¡°Oh right, Kristen is one of the three Aristocrats in Orlando. His family background is not to be underestimated.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Lin Bai is in trouble now. How weak can the children raised by such a family be?¡± ¡°¡­¡± In the arena. Kristen and Lin Bai both stepped onto the arena, silently confronting each other. Lin Bai stared coldly at his opponent. He was secretly rather excited. Just how powerful was this Nine-Colored Yanluo Seal? He would use Kristen as a touchstone! The atmosphere in the arena was tense, and the battle was about to begin. Just like that, Lin Bai and Kristen stood facing each other, their eyes brimming with battle intent. From Kristen¡¯s point of view, Lin Bai was just a lucky bastard. He had clearly relied on a woman to get a place as a Hunter, yet he could live so peacefully. The Hunter¡¯s Association was really blind this time. Kristen was dressed in a bright gold windbreaker that cost a bomb. He was eye-catching and attracted everyone¡¯s attention. In comparison, Lin Bai¡¯s clothes seemed rather plain. ¡°Are you here for a competition¡­ or for a fashion show?¡± Lin Bai could not help but mock Kristen when he saw Kristen¡¯s exaggerated attire. ¡°I¡¯m preparing to end this battle gracefully. Your violent tendencies are nothing compared to my combat aesthetic,¡± said Kristen with a fake smile. Lin Bai was speechless. At this moment, the referee finally blew the whistle. Then, the two of them instantly moved, charging straight at each other. Kristen began to sway strangely. With a sway, he arrived before Lin Bai. ¡°What speed!¡± Lin Bai was shocked. At the same time, Lin Bai mobilized all the energy in his body and entered a vigilant state. After all, it was very difficult to take the initiative to attack such a fast Mage. He would only be able to counterattack when they were engaged in close combat. ¡°Wind Dragon Tornado!¡± Kristen formed a seal with both hands and the air in the arena began to churn, gradually forming a raging tornado. ¡°So he¡¯s a wind-type Mage. It¡¯s no wonder he has such speed.¡± Lin Bai narrowed his eyes as he secretly analyzed his opponent. When faced with such a straightforward attack, Lin Bai did not hold back either. He formed a seal with both hands, and a white seal appeared before the tornado. ¡°The Nine-Colored Yanluo Seal!¡± The white seal flew over and collided with the tornado. The two attacks were in a stalemate for a while. However, after a long stalemate, both sides¡¯ attacks were neutralized. Neither side had the upper hand. ¡°Interesting, little kid.¡± A hint of surprise flashed past Kristen¡¯s eyes. He had never thought that his tornado would be so easily destroyed by Lin Bai. Lin Bai was also surprised. The reason he had only utilized the first seal earlier was because he was afraid that the strength of the Nine-Colored Yanluo Seal was too formidable. As a result, it might lose its sense of propriety in battle and harm the lives of others. However, from the looks of it now, the power of the first seal was still somewhat unsatisfactory. ¡°Take this again!¡± The magic power around Kristen changed, gradually turning into the shape of an eagle. ¡°Fierce Wind Eagle!¡± The eagle that was formed from magic power howled as it charged towards Lin Bai. However, Lin Bai, who was at the side, did not move at all. He only smiled as he looked at the ferocious eagle. ¡°Have you given up?¡± Kristen scoffed. However, the corners of Lin Bai¡¯s lips curled up slightly. At the same time, another seal formed before him. ¡°Is this the only attack you know? Are you doing the same thing again?¡± Kristen could not hide his disdain and mockery. ¡°No.¡± Charlotte, who was sitting on the spectator stands, noticed something. ¡°This time, the color of the seal seems to be deeper than the first one. It seems to be gray in colour!¡± ¡°Furthermore, the cold aura from that seal is stronger too,¡± Garth added. ¡°Kristen doesn¡¯t seem to notice anything unusual. He seems to be losing.¡± Cage concluded. He knew that Lin Bai was not as simple as he seemed. Back at the arenam the moment the gray seal and the Fierce Wind Eagle collided, the Fierce Wind Eagle showed signs of being shaken. In the blink of an eye, the Fierce Wind Eagle was easily destroyed. Lin Bai smiled imperceptibly. He was very satisfied with the power of the second seal. When he formed the seals just now, he had actually formed two seals. However, he had hidden the second gray seal, which did not take form and was left behind as a backup. Meanwhile, as the grey seal flew towards Kristen at full force, Kristen could not dodge in time. He could only use all of her energy to block the attack! Kristen took several steps back from the heavy injuries. He only managed to stop after using all his strength. Then, he stared at Lin Bai in shock. ¡°Do you still want to continue?¡± Lin Bai asked. Kristen gave a chilling smile and charged towards Lin Bai without another word. Lin Bai¡¯s eyes narrowed. He could smell a hint of killing intent that was close to that of a wild beast from Kristen, who had suddenly become violent. Thus, Lin Bai charged over with fury and determination. ¡°Stop him!¡± Cage suddenly stood up from his seat and gripped the armrests on both sides of the seat. He was so nervous that he roared subconsciously, ¡°He wants to kill you!¡± Of course, the referee could tell that something was wrong with Kristen. He was about to stop him, but Kristen¡¯s figure was strange. Coupled with the speed of the wind magic, the judge could only react when Kristen approached Lin Bai and condensed a few wind blades in his hands. Lin Bai¡¯s face was still as calm as ever as he activated all his magic! At the same time, he quickly pulled out the sword at his waist with his right hand. Then, he firmly held the Demon Blade Kakura. In an instant, Lin Bai instinctively dodged Kristen by an inch. Then, he took advantage of the time he had gained from dodging and placed the Demon Blade Kakura on Kristen¡¯s neck. Lin Bai stared at Kristen coldly. The bloodthirsty killing intent in Kristen¡¯s eyes suddenly dimmed as horror filled his eyes. ¡°Admit defeat now. Then, get lost,¡± said Lin Bai indifferently. The cold verdict made him completely different from the harmless-looking teenager from before! Kristen had completely lost his will to fight. Thus, he withdrew his energy and shouted, ¡°I surrender!¡± The judge who couldn¡¯t save Lin Bai let out a long sigh of relief and announced, ¡°Lin Bai wins!¡± On the spectator stands, Charlotte narrowed her eyes and looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar figure below with an indescribable surprise. ¡°Why? How did he trigger such a killing intent in such a short amount of time? He even overshadowed Kristen¡¯s killing intent and caused him to lose his will to fight!¡± Chapter 34 ¡°I think it¡¯s because of the blade in his hand.¡± Garth was a relatively experienced professor, so his gaze was naturally ruthless. ¡°That blade in his hand doesn¡¯t seem to be simple. There¡¯s a faint, cold killing intent. Why does it make my heart palpitate?¡± Garth muttered to himself. ¡°Also, I have an inexplicable sense of familiarity with this blade.¡± ¡°Have I seen someone use it before? But¡­ Who was it?¡± ¡­ In the arena. Kristen¡¯s outfit was already filthy and he looked extremely disheveled. He stared viciously at Lin Bai. Thus, Lin Bai naturally returned the greeting without any fear. ¡°Lin Bai, just you wait. As long as you dare to go to Constantine College, my brother will definitely beat you up badly!¡± Kristen threatened and even mentioned his brother. As for the Constantine College that he had mentioned, it was one of the top colleges in Orlando. It was ranked among the top colleges in the entire Eastern Empire. With Lin Bai¡¯s strength, Sorcha College would definitely not keep him here for long. He would definitely go to Constantine College. When the time came, he would just beat up Kristen¡¯s brother. Meanwhile, when the audience sitting around the arena heard Kristen¡¯s threatening words, they became restless. Kristen¡¯s brother was no small fry. He seemed to be a prominent figure in Constantine College. He seemed to be called¡­ Morrison. His strength was at least at the terrifying level of a Grade-Five Hunter. When faced with a newbie like Lin Bai, who had just entered the ranks of the Hunters, defeating Lin Bai was even easier than squashing a mosquito! Lin Bai seemed to have caused some trouble for himself! At the very least, even if he did enter Constantine College, his life would not be easy. ¡­ The 100 preliminary rounds of the Arena Match passed very quickly. According to the rules, the 100 contestants who advanced would have to compete again today. They would fight in pairs to determine the 50 contestants that would enter the semi-finals next week. In the matches to determine the top 50 contestants, Lin Bai¡¯s opponent, Jack, made him feel somewhat relieved. Through his intelligence, he found out that Jack was slightly weaker than Kristen. In other words, the match this time was basically as easy as taking something out of a bag. After over a dozen matches, it was very quickly Lin Bai¡¯s turn to go up again. The second time he stood in the arena, there was much less gossip from the audience. After all, Kristen was a well-known expert in the entire Sorcha College. Thus, Lin Bai¡¯s victory over Kristen naturally threatened the people who looked down on Lin Bai. Thus, they had no choice but to treat him differently. Lin Bai stood in the arena and simply wanted to end the battle quickly. Moreover, looking at Jack¡¯s appearance, Jack did not have much battle intent. ¡°It¡¯s settled now.¡± Lin Bai rejoiced inside. As if it had been foreseen, in a flash, Lin Bai quickly finished the battle. He did not even take out the Demon Blade Kakura before Jack was thrown out of the boundaries. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± Lin Bai exhaled. In the end, the first stage of the Arena Match had peacefully come to an end. Lin Bai sat on his seat and began to relax while he watched the following matches with interest. The 50 matches lasted from the afternoon to midnight. Furthermore, in the final match, the heaven-defyingly strong Han Bin still defeated his opponent with one strike. He did not move much and ended the battle simply with a raise of his hand. Such strength was too terrifying. Lin Bai simply felt that it was a little ridiculous. Thus, he began to secretly become nervous. ¡°I hope I don¡¯t meet him too early.¡± Lin Bai prayed silently. After all, he would be able to hide the Nine-Colored Yanluo Seal in that case. No matter what the situation, this was an absolutely powerful trump card that could turn the tide of the battle. Thus, he did not want to reveal all five seals in the Arena Match. At this time, the dean of the magic course finally showed his face. He stood on the high platform while the other professors and elders stood on both sides. ¡°The first stage of the Arena Match has finally ended after nearly a day of fighting.¡± Dean Caesar¡¯s voice was particularly rough. He didn¡¯t use any loudspeaker equipment, but his voice spread throughout the entire arena. ¡°Next, I¡¯ll announce the rules for the second round.¡± ¡°The rules of the second round are different from previous years¡¯ competitions. This year, we will adopt the form of a battle royale. The 50 people who have advanced will each form their own camps.¡± When Caesar said this, the audience immediately exploded. A battle royale? Were the 50 students who had advanced going to fight one another?! Such a system undoubtedly added many uncertainties to the entire Arena Match. The relatively weaker contestants could form groups and rely on the strength of their groups to go beyond their individual strength. Meanwhile, the seeded contestants would not be able to sit still. They had to be on guard against sneak attacks from small groups. Thus, the entire battle instantly became unstable. Lin Bai gulped. In such a situation, he did not dare to say that he could definitely secure victory. A battle royale among the 50 contestants who had advanced¡­ Perhaps the winner would be a dark horse that no one had expected. At this moment, Caesar coughed and hinted for the crowd to quiet down. The entire square fell silent. ¡°I haven¡¯t finished speaking yet¡­ The judging criteria for this battle royale is also different from the previous ones. Those who go out of bounds will not be the only ones who will lose.¡± ¡°As long as you fall to the ground, you will be eliminated.¡± This time, even experts like Locke and Han Bin could no longer hold back. What kind of rules were these? Even someone as strong as Han Bin would fall to the ground if dozens of people pounced at him at the same time! This kind of battle royale essentially stopped their thoughts of fighting alone. These lone wolves also began to secretly search for a comrade. In the entire square, only Lin Bai was wild with joy. Did this mean that he could win as long as he didn¡¯t fall? What a waste! Not only was Lin Bai secretly delighted, he almost laughed out loud. This rule was simply perfect for him! As long as he did not fall, he would not be eliminated. He was dying from laughter. After all, he had just mastered the Tumbler Spell a few days ago, but never thought that it would come in handy so soon. He wanted to see who would still dare to say that the Tumbler Spell was useless in the future! Thinking of this, Lin Bai glanced at Charlotte, who was in the spectator stands. At that time, Charlotte¡¯s expression would probably be very interesting. After the competition ended. Lin Bai quickly returned to his room and fell onto his bed.. Chapter 35 After pondering for a while on the bed, Lin Bai suddenly realized a serious problem. The Tumbler Spell could only ensure that he did not fall. However, it could not strike down others. In other words, no matter how everyone fought in the arena, there would always be another person left behind. It would be best if that person wasn¡¯t Han Bin. After all, that person¡­ was really too abnormal. Lin Bai secretly prayed in his heart that the person he would fight in the end was someone who could take advantage of the situation. This way¡­ It was also easier for Lin Bai to find loopholes. ¡­ The next day¡­ Many students had already gathered in the plaza in the morning. Everyone was waiting for today¡¯s battle royale to begin. Such a large-scale battle among the top 50 was unprecedented in Sorcha College. Thus, for the magic students who wanted to watch experts fight, it was simply a feast for the eyes. Even some students who did not show up yesterday rushed over excitedly after hearing the news and quietly waited for the start of the battle royale. About half an hour later, the voices of the professors and elders of Sorcha College appeared on the stage one after another. Then, Dean Caesar appeared. However, he did not sit in the centermost seat. Instead, he chose a seat slightly to the right. The seat in the middle was still empty. ¡°Is someone more powerful than Caesar going to show up?¡± A student noticed this detail and asked. In Sorcha College, the only person who held a higher position than the dean was the principal. However, it had been almost two years since the mysterious principal had gone missing. Thus, the principal, who had never shown his face, was suspected to be dead. As the student finished his question, a familiar figure appeared on the stage. The moment he appeared, Lin Bai suddenly froze. That person was Destin, whom he had met once in the Death Swamp! Lin Bai looked at Destin. Then, his head suddenly buzzed. What¡­ was his identity?! At first, Lin Bai thought Destin was just a slightly more powerful old man. However, it seemed like that was not the case. ¡°Who is that old man?¡± Lin Bai poked the person next to him. From his expression, he seemed to know Destin¡¯s identity. That person looked at Lin Bai strangely and said, ¡°You don¡¯t even know Destin? He¡¯s the President of the Hunter¡¯s Association!¡± Lin Bai was stunned. Destin¡­ was actually the President of the Hunter Association?! Lin Bai had thought that Destin¡¯s status should be rather high¡­ However, he had never thought that it would be so high. ¡°Mr. Destin is actually willing to attend this Arena Match. Sorcha College is truly honored to have you.¡± Charlotte walked to Destin¡¯s side and greeted him politely. Destin waved his hand and smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t praise me. I just heard about the rules of the battle royale and was attracted here.¡± ¡°I wonder if Mr. Destin has a suitable champion candidate in mind.¡± Destin looked at the crowd below the stage and fell into deep thought. Then, he asked, ¡°Professor Charlotte, who do you think will win in the end?¡± ¡°In my opinion, the strongest among these students is undoubtedly Han Bin, so I think his chances of winning are the highest.¡± Destin nodded. ¡°Han Bin? I can tell that he is very strong.¡± ¡°However, the one I think the best of is probably Lin Bai.¡± Everyone on the platform was stunned upon hearing Destin¡¯s words. Why did he choose Lin Bai?! Destin saw the shock on everyone¡¯s faces and laughed, ¡°Do you really think that Lin Bai became a Hunter because of Su Ya¡¯s help?¡± ¡°What other reasons could there be?¡± Charlotte muttered in her heart, but she did not really say it out loud. ¡°I asked the higher-ups responsible for observing the situation in the Hunter Elementary Test. Only then did I learn that the one who played a major role in the Hunter Elementary Test was not Su Ya, but Lin Bai!¡± Everyone on the stage was instantly speechless. In that case, not only did Lin Bai not receive Su Ya¡¯s help, he even helped Su Ya along the way?! How could that kid be so strong? What was even more terrifying was that they did not realize it at all! Destin turned away and said nothing more. He narrowed his eyes and began to carefully observe the upcoming battle royale. ¡­ Lin Bai stepped onto the huge arena in a relaxed manner. Along with him were the other 49 competitors. Before Lin Bai could adjust his state, the judge had already announced the start of the battle royale without any warning. With a shiver, Lin Bai immediately occupied the center of the entire ring. This was the spot where it would be hardest for him to go out of bounds. As long as he did not fall out of bounds, no one could eliminate him! He had already casted the Tumbler Spell on himself in the morning. Thus, for the next 24 hours, he did not have to worry about being eliminated because he fell! Thus, Lin Bai crossed his arms in front of his chest and made a nonchalant posture. He looked coldly at the other students who had already started fighting, but did not move. ¡°What, are you scared silly?¡± A voice rang out behind Lin Bai. Lin Bai turned his head to look. The source of the voice was a big, fierce-looking man. Bang! The burly man was rather straightforward. Without saying anything, he charged towards Lin Bai. Lin Bai felt pain. Good lord, with such weight, who wouldn¡¯t fall to the ground! Bro, you¡¯re invincible! Lin Bai¡¯s center of gravity became unstable for a moment, but he immediately recovered. His body that was about to fall miraculously regained its balance. On the platform, Charlotte happened to catch this scene, and a strange look flashed across her eyes. Was that the Tumbler Spell? Did she just witness the Tumbler Spell? Didn¡¯t she simply mention it jokingly in class? Did Lin Bai learn it? ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Charlotte dismissed her thoughts and shook her head. However, what happened next made her doubt herself. This was because no matter who it was that fought Lin Bai, Lin Bai never took action. He only focused on defense and almost fell several times. However, Lin Bai maintained his balance with an almost bizarre movement technique. Like a tumbler toy that would never fall, he remained completely composed in the arena. Charlotte¡¯s face had gone pale. Now, she had no choice but to believe that Lin Bai had indeed learned the Tumbler Spell. Could it be that Lin Bai was really a hidden genius?! In the arena. The number of people who were still standing in the arena was decreasing. Among the people who remained in the arena, other than some of the elites whom the crowd had expected to see, there were also some small groups who stayed together.. Chapter 36 In the arena. The number of people who were still standing in the arena was decreasing. Among the people who remained in the arena, other than some of the elites whom the crowd had expected to see, there were also some small groups who stayed together. When the group of students who stayed together looked around, their gazes locked onto Lin Bai. ¡°Attack together!¡± The leader gave the order. Then, the group of students swarmed forward like hungry tigers pouncing on food as they charged towards Lin Bai. Lin Bai did not dodge them. Instead, they allowed them to push him. ¡°Why isn¡¯t he falling?!¡± The students widened their eyes in disbelief. Was he still human? Lin Bai grinned, ¡°Could it be that you¡¯re planning on treating me as a pushover?¡± However, he might be the toughest person in the entire arena. ¡°Nine-Colored Yanluo Seal, Second Seal!¡± Lin Bai¡¯s hands quickly formed a seal. Very quickly, two seals appeared in the sky. One of the seals was white, while the other was grey. They radiated with a threatening sense of pressure that was enough to make people shiver. The leader of the group gulped. He had a feeling that if the two seals attacked them at the same time, none of them would be able to resist the attack. Previously, when he saw Kristen being defeated from the spectator stands, he did not think that this seal skill was that impressive. However, after personally experiencing this attack, he realized that this seal actually faintly emitted the aura of hell. It made people feel as if their souls had left their bodies. ¡°I¡¯m starting to think that your title as a Hunter isn¡¯t that bad anymore,¡± said the leader with a bitter smile. He was clearly admitting defeat. ¡°You discovered it too late.¡± Lin Bai smiled. Then, he raised his index finger gently, and two seals shot out at the same time, attacking the group of people. Bang! The loud noise was deafening, and the arena shook with smoke. When the smoke dissipated, the group of students had all fallen to the ground. Some had even lost the strength to get up. ¡°Nicely done.¡± A voice rang out. Lin Bai looked towards the voice and saw that it was Han Bin. Han Bin¡¯s surroundings were filled with students who had been eliminated. The moment Lin Bai defeated his opponents, Han Bin had also determined the victor among them at an extremely fast speed. Han Bin brushed off the dust on his body, then looked up at Lin Bai. ¡°So, only the two of us are left, right?¡± ¡°This outcome is truly unexpected.¡± Lin Bai tilted his head and smiled back. ¡°From the looks of it, you were able to last until now by relying on the Tumbler Spell¡­ However, don¡¯t forget that not only will you be eliminated if you fall down, you will also be eliminated if you are out of bounds.¡± Han Bin smiled. He had actually seen through Lin Bai¡¯s trick with a single glance. ¡°So do you want to push me out of bounds?¡± Lin Bai understood the meaning behind Han Bin¡¯s words. ¡°However, you won¡¯t have such an opportunity.¡± ¡­ Meanwhile, the professors and elders who were watching the match from above had not expected this outcome. The two remaining students were actually Han Bin and Lin Bai! In any case, the former was a seeded player that most people thought highly of, but what about the latter? Although Lin Bai had obtained a spot as a Hunter, there were only a few people in the entire college who acknowledged his strength. After all, they had seen the word ¡°Reader¡± when he first awakened his Class. That was a low-end Class that was not recorded in any books! Charlotte and Garth looked at each other, completely at a loss as to how to end this. As for Cage, although he knew that Lin Bai was not that simple¡­ He did not expect Lin Bai to be able to reach this stage. In the entire arena, the only person who did not seem surprised was Destin. Destin narrowed his eyes. There was a smile on his face as he watched the two remaining people in the arena. A tit-for-tat battle was about to begin. All of a sudden, without any warning, Han Bin moved. A green flame rose from his back and burned fiercely. ¡°Is that a green flame?!¡± Someone in the crowd exclaimed in disbelief. ¡°Han Bin actually revealed his trump card!¡± For fire-type mages, the color of the fire could be used as a standard to judge the strength of their flame. In order of ascending strength, there was the most common red flame, the less common green flame, the tyrannical purple flame, and the rare white flame. It was said that a wisp of white flame could burn a mountain to ashes. Furthermore, the green flame that Han Bin had summoned was considered extremely rare among Ordinary-Rank Hunters. ¡°Is that a green flame? You really think highly of me,¡± said Lin Bai softly. It looked like Han Bin had no intention of underestimating his opponent. Such an opponent was the most troublesome. Lin Bai did not act perfunctorily either. With a wave of his hand, two seals immediately appeared. Afterwards, the seals on Lin Bai¡¯s hands changed once again. The third seal slowly took shape as well! This seal was completely green, but it wasn¡¯t a bright green. Instead, it was a strange and deep green seal. Han Bin¡¯s pupils were constricted. This third seal was much stronger than the first two seals! However, his green flame might not be at a disadvantage! ¡°Come!¡± Han Bin roared. Then, the green flames flew out, clashing head-on with the three seals! The shockwave from the collision caused dust to rise from the ground. Garth had a complex expression on his face. Was this really a battle that the students of Sorcha College could unleash? In the arena, the green flames and the seals were already worn down in an endless deadlock. In the first exchange of attacks, Lin Bai and Han Bin were evenly matched! Han Bin flicked his wrist and stretched his muscles. He could not accept this result. ¡°Again!¡± He shouted angrily. The green flames rose again, but this time, it did not seem to be just flames. Instead, the flames condensed and formed the shape of a fierce tiger. This was similar to Kristen¡¯s Fierce Wind Eagle attack. However, the pressure the tiger showed was clearly much stronger than Kristen¡¯s Fierce Wind Eagle. ¡°This should be Han Bin¡¯s trump card.¡± Destin commented. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is. He has mastered elemental manifestation.¡± Lin Bai muttered to himself. Lin Bai¡¯s Spirit of Nature allowed him to easily destroy such a beast. Hence, he snapped his fingers. [Spirit of Nature: Activated!] Whoosh! A sound that sounded like a gust of wind could be heard. Then, the ferocious fire tiger gradually dispersed and lost its shape, as if it had been cut by an invisible blade. The newly formed fire tiger was instantly defeated! There was no bloodshed at all! Han Bin widened his eyes. He simply couldn¡¯t tell what had happened. Everyone present also began to wonder if they had seen wrongly. Had Han Bin¡¯s strongest trump card been easily broken through by Lin Bai?! ¡°Alright, let me end the show now,¡± said Lin Bai softly with an expressionless face. Everyone instantly fell silent! Chapter 37 Han Bin¡¯s final attack was easily resolved with a flick of Lin Bai¡¯s finger. No one present could tell what he had done in that instant. Meanwhile, Destin narrowed his eyes. He could feel some changes in the natural elements from the moment Lin Bai attacked. Could it be that¡­ Lin Bai could control natural elements? Lin Bai looked at Han Bin, who was already out of strength, and was in no hurry to attack. This was because he could not tell from Han Bin¡¯s expression that he was at the end of his rope. On the contrary, Lin Bai had a feeling that Han Bin still had some hidden trump card. As a result, Han Bin¡¯s expression was rather skillful at this moment. As expected, Han Bin quickly returned to his normal state. The panicked gaze he had used to look at Lin Bai also became calm. ¡°You really surprised me.¡± Han Bin praised Lin Bai. However, it was hard to tell if he was speaking the truth or not. ¡°I thought that one fire tiger would be enough to end the battle, but it seems like it¡¯s not enough.¡± Lin Bai¡¯s eyes narrowed as he nervously placed all his attention on Han Bin. After all, his opponent was the top Mage. Thus, Lin Bai did not dare to underestimate his opponent. Suddenly, the magical elements around Han Bin began to revolve crazily. Under Han Bin¡¯s manipulation, the originally invisible elements became faintly visible. It was a sign that the elements were being mobilized to the extreme! Following that, a fire tiger took shape once more. However, its high degree of completion made it so vivid and lifelike that it could not be compared to the previous one. ¡°What is this?!¡± On the high platform, Caesar slammed the table and stood up. In this public place, he was so shocked that he actually lost his composure. ¡°Such strength is actually comparable to an Ordinary Level-Two Hunter!¡± Destin was also a little shocked. The Hunter¡¯s Association had actually missed such a genius. Under normal circumstances, this kind of strength definitely reached the level of a Hunter. ¡°Why didn¡¯t Han Bin pass the Hunter Elementary Test back then?¡± Destin turned his head and asked Caesar, who was sitting on his right. Caesar scratched his head awkwardly. ¡°According to him, he seemed to have met a strange old woman as his examiner and was eliminated by her.¡± Destin thought for a moment and immediately knew who the examiner Caesar was referring to was. ¡°Was it Old Crane?¡± Destin smiled and said, ¡°Meeting her can only be considered a matter of luck. With his strength, he would definitely pass the Hunter Elementary Test.¡± Meanwhile, in the arena, Lin Bai was also shocked. He did not expect Han Bin to have hidden his strength for so long. ¡°Are you a Level-2 Hunter?¡± Lin Bai felt Han Bin¡¯s sudden increase in strength and could not react in time. Han Bin grinned and said, ¡°I really did not think that I would be forced to this extent in the mere Arena Match. However, Lin Bai, at this point, it is already an honor for you to be defeated by me!¡± ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± Charlotte saw Han Bin reveal his final trump card. Thus, in her eyes, the current Lin Bai had no chance of turning the tables. However, to be able to perform to this extent, Lin Bai truly did make Charlotte¡¯s jaw drop. However, what Lin Bai wanted to do was far more than just this. ¡°Nine-Colored Yanluo Seal, Third Seal!¡± White, gray, and green seals appeared once again, creating a spectacular sight. However, Han Bin was fearless this time. ¡°Do you only know how to use the same trick¡­?¡± Han Bin raised his head and looked at the three seals. A trace of confidence flashed across his eyes, and he looked like he already had a plan up his sleeve. ¡°I won¡¯t use the same trick twice in front of the same opponent,¡± said Lin Bai nonchalantly. Afterwards, he changed the method he used to form seals once again, and another seal suddenly appeared in the air. The temperature in the entire arena instantly dropped, as if Yanluo Wang[1] had descended. Destin¡¯s gaze grew solemn. ¡°What a heavy aura of black magic.¡± Could it be that this kid had learned a new black magic spell after obtaining the Cleansing Crystal? When the green seal floated into the air, Han Bin¡¯s face immediately darkened. Although he could withstand the first three seals, this fourth seal surpassed the combined might of the first three seals! If all four seals were used at the same time¡­ He believed that he had no chance of winning. ¡°I¡­ admit defeat.¡± Han Bin gritted his teeth and could only say this. When faced with an opponent that he knew was impossible to defeat, there were times when retreating was the wisest choice. Everyone fell silent. All the students in the audience were stunned. Had Han Bin¡­ admitted defeat? Moreover, his opponent was Lin Bai ¡ª the publicly acknowledged piece of trash. Seeing that the situation was settled, Caesar pulled himself out of his shock and surprise. Then, he announced, ¡°The champion of this year¡¯s Arena Match is Lin Bai!¡± The verdict was final. Upon hearing his name ring out in the square, Lin Bai¡¯s heart unexpectedly did not waver much. He still remembered the last time his name was heard in public by so many people. It was on the day he awakened his Class. That day, his Reader Class was treated as a joke by everyone. And now, he had used his own strength to prove that the Reader Class was a Class with infinite possibilities! After Caesar announced the results of the Arena Match, Destin stood up. He coughed a few times and cleared his throat. Then, the whole square became quiet again. ¡°I suppose everyone knows me.¡± Destin began to speak. All the students nodded their heads slightly. However, only Lin Bai felt slightly unconfident. After all, he really did not know that the president of the Hunter¡¯s Association was Destin, whom he had met in the Death Swamp! ¡°Many people will wonder why I¡¯m here.¡± Destin continued. ¡°Actually, it has something to do with the rewards that the winners of this competition will receive.¡± ¡°Rewards?¡± Lin Bai was surprised. ¡°I¡¯ll now announce the usual rewards for this year¡¯s Arena Match. These are also the rewards that Sorcha College will award according to tradition every year.¡± ¡°The Champion, Lin Bai, will obtain 10,000 Gold Coins, as well as a custom-made magic wand.¡± ¡°The runner-up, Han Bin, will receive 5,000 Gold Coins, as well as a high-end magic wand.¡± ¡°The second runner-up, Locke, will receive 3,000 gold coins, as well as a middle-grade magic wand.¡± When Lin Bai heard this, the first thing he noticed was the 10,000 Gold Coins. Ah. He seemed to have accidentally become rich! As for the magic wand¡­ It was priceless! However, Destin showed no signs of stopping. Instead, he continued, ¡°Since there are regular rewards this year, naturally, there will also be something different.¡± Upon hearing Destin¡¯s words, everyone waited quietly and listened to what Destin was about to say. ¡°The top three contestants in the Arena Match will be eligible to enter Constantine College. They will enter the school in a week.¡± This time, even Lin Bai could not control himself. They were eligible to enter Constantine College! Compared to this, the mere 10,000 Gold Coins was nothing! [1] one of the judges of the underworld in Chinese religion and Taoism Chapter 38 The day after the Arena Match, Cage looked for Lin Bai and called him to his office. Lin Bai cried out on the inside. He had been too high-profile in the Arena Match, so Cage would definitely question him. When Lin Bai was hesitating whether or not he should reveal the secret of his Reader Class, Cage spoke first. ¡°On the day the Arena Match ended, I searched through the entire library to find information about the Reader Class.¡± Cage got straight to the point. Lin Bai¡¯s heart thumped violently. From Cage¡¯s tone, he seemed to have found something in the library. ¡°I searched the entire library but couldn¡¯t find any clues, until I opened the book titled ¡®Merlin¡¯s Autobiography¡¯.¡± As soon as Cage said this, Lin Bai knew that Cage already knew the truth. ¡°So you already know¡­¡± Lin Bai said softly. Although he didn¡¯t mean to hide it, he had never been honest with his mentor, so he still felt a bit guilty. ¡°It¡¯s an SSS-Grade Class¡­ Kid, you really hid it well!¡± Cage looked at Lin Bai and evaluated him with a tone that was both teasing and praising. ¡°Actually¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to be secretive. However, I was afraid that if my reputation of having an SSS-Grade Class was too great, it would attract some people with evil intentions¡­¡± Upon seeing how nervous Lin Bai was, Cage laughed aloud. Shortly afterwards, he patted Lin Bai¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. A man¡¯s wealth is his own ruin. I understand this principle. I will naturally follow your wishes and protect your secret.¡± Lin Bai was overjoyed and immediately bowed. ¡°Thank you, Teacher Cage!¡± Cage waved his hand and immediately got rid of the mushy atmosphere before he moved on to the next topic. ¡°By the way, there are still seven days before you enter Constantine College. Have you thought about going home?¡± This question stunned Lin Bai. Even though he was a transmigrator, in another parallel space-time dimension, he had his own hometown, friends, and parents. After transmigrating, he still retained his memories from that world. However, his previous memories from this world seemed to be slowly seeping into his mind. As a result, he had the memories of two lifetimes. Although he had yet to meet his parents in this world, the memories that appeared in his mind strangely caused him to develop feelings for them. After hearing Cage¡¯s words, he realized that he should personally visit his parents in this world. In his memories of his childhood, he had always been accompanied by his father and mother day and night. He lived happily and contentedly. Although his parents were just ordinary people, they were extremely important to him. ¡°It¡¯s time to go back,¡± Lin Bai murmured. ¡°Think about how to end your time here in Sorcha College.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because once you¡¯ve done well, you can set off tomorrow. You caused such an earth-shattering commotion yesterday. If you stay in Sorcha College, there will definitely be many people eyeing you. You won¡¯t be able to live comfortably either.¡± Lin Bai nodded. Cage¡¯s words had indeed touched his heart. With the things that had happened before the Arena Match, there would definitely be people who would suspect that he had some hidden tricks up his sleeve. There would also definitely be people who would interrogate him and investigate him. As a result, he would not be able to rest in peace. In contrast, Constantine College was a relatively safe haven. Furthermore, Lin Bai just happened to not want to stay in Sorcha College and hear others gossip about him over the next seven days. ¡°Then¡­ Let¡¯s set off tomorrow.¡± Lin Bai thought about it, and quickly set a date. ¡­ The next day¡­ Lin Bai rode on a rented flying beast and quickly arrived at his destination. This was his hometown in this world, Maple Bridge Town. This town was located in the Eastern Empire, south of Orlando City. The weather was pleasant and the four seasons were distinct. The commoners lived comfortably and peacefully here. Not only was it far away from the conflicts of power in the central capital, but it also avoided the conflicts between countries that towns along the border experienced. Thus, it was a suitable place to live. Lin Bai landed on the plaza in the center of Maple Bridge Town and simply surveyed his surroundings. Everything was the same. Nothing much had changed. In such a small town, time seemed to have stopped. Rows upon rows of residential houses made of green tiles and red bricks were situated in the small town. Meanwhile, the people on the streets were leisurely strolling around. Everything was so quiet and beautiful. Someone recognized Lin Bai and greeted him. However, his expression was a little complicated. Just as Lin Bai was feeling strange about this, more people saw him. However, they only greeted him, as if they were hiding something. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with everyone?¡± Lin Bai was confused. In his memory, the people in the town were very harmonious. They would not be as distant as they were now. Suddenly, Lin Bai saw a familiar face. It was his childhood playmate, Wang Hu. Lin Bai charged over with a single step and asked directly, ¡°Did something happen in this town? Why does everyone seem to be avoiding me?¡± When Wang Hu saw Lin Bai, he twitched in shock and stuttered. Now, Lin Bai was completely certain. Something he didn¡¯t know had already happened. ¡°What exactly happened?¡± Lin Bai continued to ask. His tone was forceful and urgent. ¡°A¡­ A few days ago, two men who no one had seen before came to Maple Bridge Town and asked where the Lin family was¡­¡± ¡°After receiving the answer, they went to the Lin family¡­ and then, and then¡­¡± Wang Hu¡¯s voice gradually weakened. ¡°And then what?!¡± Lin Bai shouted angrily. ¡°Then, your parents were¡­ were¡­¡± Lin Bai¡¯s heart sank. ¡°You don¡¯t have to continue. I understand.¡± This was bad news. Without any forewarning or forewarning, bad news had suddenly descended upon Lin Bai. ¡°Who are those two men? Where are they now?!¡± ¡°They have been staying in the Lin family¡¯s house for the past two days¡­ They seem to be¡­ searching for something. As for who they are, I really don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Searching for something?¡± Lin Bai was so angry that he had lost his mind. He never remembered that the Lin family had any treasures that were targeted by others! Although the Lin family¡¯s family background was relatively ordinary, Lin Bai¡¯s father, Lin Yuan, was skilled in martial arts. Thus, ordinary people could not defeat him. Could it be that the people who attacked them were Hunters?! But¡­ What exactly was the Lin family hiding? Was it so valuable that two Hunters would attack them?! Lin Bai figured out the directions before heading straight for the Lin family home. ¡°Father, Mother, wait for me¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care who those two men are.. I, Lin Bai, will tear them into pieces!¡± Chapter 39 Along the way, many people in Maple Bridge Town noticed Lin Bai¡¯s appearance. They all began to talk about the young man who had not appeared for a long time. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Lin Bai? Why is he back at this time? The Lin family home is currently occupied by those people!¡± ¡°Wait, look where he¡¯s going. He seems to be heading in the direction of the Lin family home!¡± ¡°Those two Hunters are still there. If Lin Bai barges in like this, nothing will happen, right?¡± ¡°Report this to the mayor!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lin Bai heard some of the chatter, but he ignored them. No matter who those two uninvited guests were, they would die if they dared to touch his family! Right now, he simply wanted to see the situation in the Lin family home. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the piece of trash from the Lin family?¡± Suddenly, a person in front of him spoke with an extremely mocking tone. Lin Bai focused his gaze. The person who came was the leader of the gangsters in Maple Bridge Town, Zhang Long. ¡°Don¡¯t block the way.¡± Lin Bai tried his best to control his anger. After all, he did not want to vent his anger on others. Even though Zhang Long was ignorant for blocking Lin Bai and finding trouble with him, Lin Bai could only bear with it. After all, he wanted to return to the Lin family house as soon as possible. Zhang Long noticed that the veins on Lin Bai¡¯s forehead were twitching. Thus, he became even fiercer and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to block your way today. Can you stop me?¡± Zhang Long was able to dominate the gangsters in Maple Bridge Town because he had some capabilities. It was naturally not a problem for Lin Bai to deal with him. However, he did not have that much time to waste. ¡°Let¡¯s finish this quickly,¡± said Lin Bai softly, circulating his energy at a high speed! Suddenly, a wooden arrow flew out from behind Lin Bai and shot straight at Zhang Long¡¯s shoulder. Zhang Long didn¡¯t react in time and suffered heavily from the attack. He looked a little pathetic. ¡°Brother Lin Bai, leave this to me. The Lin family is in trouble. I know you¡¯re impatient, so go first.¡± Lin Bai turned his head and saw that it was Wang Hu. He secretly remembered this favor. Some of the friends he had made during his naive childhood had now become his strongest support. Even though Wang Hu hadn¡¯t become a Hunter, he was still an archer with a high rating. His strength was already comparable to Zhang Long. Lin Bai thanked him. Then, he turned around and ran towards the Lin family. ¡­ At the Lin family home. Two men in black were rummaging through the Lin family house like crazy. The entire house was in chaos. Even the Lin family¡¯s backyard had been dug up by them. Meanwhile, Lin Bai¡¯s parents had collapsed in a corner of the room, covered in blood. They could not move, but they were still alive. One of the men was called Zhu Ni, while the other was Leo. Zhu Ni had already occupied the Lin family home and treated the Lin family home as his temporary stronghold. However, after days and nights of searching, they still could not find what they wanted. Thus, Zhu Ni could not help but wonder if the information they had obtained was wrong. After all, from the very beginning, he did not think that such a treasure would be hidden in this seemingly ordinary Lin family. It was a secret treasure that was rumored to be able to allow an Ordinary Level-9 Hunter to directly ascend to an Earth-Rank Hunter. Now, as Zhu Ni leaned against the windowsill, he keenly sensed an unusual elemental fluctuation in the east. He used his spiritual power to probe around and quickly guessed the identity of the newcomer from the chaotic elemental fluctuation. ¡°He¡­ Why would he appear here at this time¡­?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect him to come knocking on my door!¡± Zhu Ni left the windowsill and woke Leo up. ¡°Lin Bai is here,¡± said Zhu Ni. Leo was shocked. ¡°Isn¡¯t he in Sorcha College? Why did he suddenly¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. We¡¯ll capture him alive and interrogate him. Maybe he knows some clues about the secret treasure.¡± Zhu Ni glanced at the two dying people in the corner. ¡°At most, we¡¯ll use their son to pry open their mouths.¡± When two Level-9 Hunters worked together, they did not believe that Lin Bai could still escape. Furthermore, they were all highly-rated Mages who were the cream of the crop! It was simply impossible to escape from them. The two figures used their magic power to fly into the air. Then, they charged towards the street where Lin Bai was at an extremely great speed. ¡­ Upon sensing an extremely powerful magical wave in front of him, Lin Bai stopped and stared ahead. From very far away, Lin Bai discovered that it was from two figures, who were both wearing black robes. Lin Bai¡¯s eyes narrowed. He had some memories of that attire! It was the attire of the Netherworld Palace! Fear appeared in Lin Bai¡¯s eyes as his pupils dilated. The Netherworld Palace was a terrorist organization that shocked the entire Eastern Empire and even the entire continent. It committed all kinds of crimes, but the intention and purpose of its establishment was still unknown. Lin Bai instantly realized that he was in danger. Moreover, this was a situation of certain death. There was no doubt that the first five seals of the Nine-Colored Yanluo Seal would simply feel like gua sha[1] to the Level-9 Hunters. It would not cause any pain to them. Furthermore, when two Level-9 Hunters worked together, he had no chance of even fighting back. At the same time, the faces of Lin Bai¡¯s parents flashed through his mind. Was there no way to take revenge? Even if he became a ghost in Hell, he would climb up¡­ and drag them down! At this point, Lin Bai was already not afraid of death. ¡­ No! How could he have forgotten! He still had a trump card! Suddenly, a smile appeared on Lin Bai¡¯s lips. With a flip of his right hand, a black tile appeared. Meanwhile, Zhu Ni and Leo landed on the ground. Then, they looked at Lin Bai coldly. ¡°I¡¯m sure you know what happened to your family.¡± Zhu Ni¡¯s tone was filled with hatred. Beside him, Leo was smiling like a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing. ¡°If you surrender, your fate won¡¯t be too sad. We don¡¯t want your life. We just want some information.¡± Unexpectedly, Lin Bai shrugged his shoulders in a relaxed manner. ¡°I¡¯ll be a bit more efficient, so that you guys won¡¯t feel anything when you go to hell.¡± ¡°How stubborn,¡± said Leo, humiliated. Then, he instantly stopped smiling. At the same time, purple flames rose from Zhu Ni¡¯s palm. His killing intent surged as he flew towards Lin Bai. Its ferocity was on a completely different level from Han Bin¡¯s green flames. ¡°You¡¯re playing dirty tricks. I really don¡¯t know how these stinky lackeys of the Netherworld Palace managed to survive until now.¡± Lin Bai shook his head. Then, Zhu Ni snapped his fingers. The flames struck Lin Bai, but they did not hit him. Instead, they struck a figure that had appeared out of nowhere. The figure took the blow, but did not react. Zhu Ni and Leo¡¯s eyes narrowed. They could feel a terrifying pressure coming from that figure. ¡°Are Level-9 Hunters¡­ very powerful?¡± ¡°When you play with fire¡­ This is how it should be!¡± With that said, a red flame rose from behind the figure. Zhu Ni¡¯s eyes were filled with fear. As a fire-type mage, he was naturally an expert in playing with fire. Therefore, the moment he saw this flame, he lost all his fighting spirit. This red flame looked like the most ordinary flame on the surface. It was even inferior to the slightly higher-leveled blue flame. However¡­ that aura¡­ there was no mistaking it. That was the Origin Fire. [1] a traditional Chinese medicine practice Chapter 40 The Origin Fire was an ultimate flame that was even more powerful than white flames. It was a flame that a Heaven-Rank Hunter could only possess after extracting a trace of their soul. If one were to come into contact with it, they would definitely die. Who was this person!? What kind of monster did Lin Bai summon?! ¡­ As he hid behind the figure, Lin Bai stared coldly at the two panicked people and said softly, ¡°Old Bai, let them live.¡± Old Bai turned around and flashed a confident smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Although I don¡¯t know how you provoked two Level-9 Hunters¡­¡± ¡°However, I will leave them with a breath for you to deliver¡­ the final blow!¡± ¡°No.¡± Lin Bai shook his head. Old Bai was a little surprised. Just as he was about to ask why, Lin Bai continued, ¡°I need to personally kill at least one person. Hmm¡­ I¡¯ll deal with the guy on the left.¡± ¡°Personally? He¡¯s a Level-9 Hunter. Even if he doesn¡¯t move, you might not be able to harm him at all. How can you talk about killing him?¡± Old Bai was a bit surprised. Lin Bai smiled indifferently. ¡°Previously, in Teacher Garth¡¯s class, he mentioned that expert Mages at the Heaven-Rank can use their magic energy to construct a magic pipe and temporarily transfer their magic power to others¡­¡± ¡°I saw Old Bai¡¯s flames just now. I guess Old Bai is also a Mage.¡± ¡°I want to rely on your magic power to do this.¡± ¡°I must kill these people myself!¡± Old Bai nodded helplessly and looked at the two people who did not dare to move. At this moment, his magic energy had already begun to circulate soundlessly. A stream of magic energy condensed from his left hand, while his right hand extended towards Lin Bai¡¯s side. Then, a magical power pipe slowly formed. ¡°Go on.¡± Old Bai said softly as his magic power instantly shot towards Leo. As for Leo, he had long since made preparations. He took advantage of the time when Bai Yin and Lin Bai were talking to cast the strongest defensive spell he had. ¡°Lightning Barrier!¡± Old Bai¡¯s magic power slammed into the Lightning Barrier, and a loud sound shook the heavens and earth. Then, a crack appeared on Leo¡¯s defensive spell. ¡°This barrier is quite interesting. However, you should have used up all your tricks.¡± Old Bai looked at Leo with contempt. He had casually summoned this magic power, but had expected it to be enough to break through this barrier. However, only a few cracks were formed. Meanwhile, when Leo saw this, he shot back and was ready to run. Seeing that Bai Yin had forced Leo into such a sorry state, Zhu Ni could only follow Leo and prepare to escape. The two of them came to Maple Bridge Town with confidence. Thus, they did not bring anything that could save their lives. But now, it was too late for regrets. Who would have thought that Lin Bai would summon such a monster? At this moment, the magic transmission pipe in Old Bai¡¯s right hand was completed as well. Lin Bai immediately felt an abundant amount of energy. ¡°I can only give you this much for now. If I continue, your body will explode and you will die.¡± Old Bai looked at the fleeing Leo. ¡°However, you should be comparable to a Level-9 Hunter now.¡± Lin Bai nodded. Currently, the energy within his body had indeed reached a certain peak, and his body was like a balloon that had been inflated. If he continued to forcefully transmit magic power into his body, the balloon might explode. ¡°That¡¯s enough. Thank you, Old Bai.¡± Lin Bai thanked him. Then, he immediately disappeared. ¡°With the magic power of a Level-9 Hunter, the speed I can reach is actually so astonishing.¡± Lin Bai sighed with emotion as he charged towards Zhu Ni. On the other side, Old Bai had also condensed out a waterfall of magic power that surged towards Leo. Leo couldn¡¯t outrun the raging tide of magic power. The waterfall smashed the Lightning Barrier as if it were nothing. Then, it slammed into his back. ¡°Pfft!¡± With a muffled sound, large mouthfuls of blood gushed out from Leo¡¯s mouth. Meanwhile, Zhu Ni¡¯s eyes were filled with shock. He clearly sensed the threat of death from Leo¡¯s direction. What was even more frightening was that the tide of magic power behind Leo was attacking him in waves. Bai Yin seemed to be generating countless waves that all attacked Leo. Zhu Ni immediately turned around, unable to bear to watch any longer. Even someone as cold as him could not bear to see his good friend die so tragically. ¡°What are you looking at? It¡¯s your turn,¡± said Lin Bai coldly. Zhu Ni¡¯s eyebrows twitched as he clearly felt Lin Bai¡¯s increase in strength. Suddenly, Bai Yin teleported to Zhu Ni¡¯s left and said softly, ¡°Lin Bai wants to end your life himself, so I won¡¯t do it this time.¡± Zhu Ni gulped nervously. If this old man did not go back on his words, the situation would be much clearer. After all, Lin Bai currently possessed power that was difficult for a normal body to bear. Furthermore, Lin Bai was not particularly familiar with this power. Therefore, he was somewhat relieved to be able to fight Lin Bai one-on-one. However, Lin Bai did not hold back. ¡°Nine-Colored Yanluo Seal, all nine seals!¡± ¡°Go!¡± Nine colored seals appeared at the same time. They were brilliant yet sinister, as if a flower of death was blossoming. ¡°He summoned all nine seals¡­ How powerful can they be?¡± Bai Yin knew that the Nine-Colored Yanluo Seal was extraordinary. However, since it was a black magic spell, he had never had a chance to see how extraordinary it was. However, he could now bear witness to its strength. When the nine seals appeared, the sky changed color! If Zhu Ni had felt the threat of death when Leo had been killed, then he now felt that this was a declaration. It was a declaration of death. His death had been determined! Cold energy invaded Zhu Ni¡¯s lungs, making him unable to move. Even Bai Yin, who was standing at the side, had to use his magic energy to protect himself. Only then was he able to withstand the devastating attacks of this sinister aura. The nine seals gradually struck Zhu Ni¡¯s body, each seal stronger than the last. The first seal was easily blocked by Zhu Ni. The magic energy barrier did not waver at all. Then, the second seal attacked, before the third seal struck¡­ It wasn¡¯t until the fifth seal that the barrier began to fluctuate and dissipate. ¡°Damn it!¡± Zhu Ni roared as he immediately cast a defensive spell that he had prepared beforehand. ¡°Divine Flame Soul Driving!¡± Flames rose and took the form of a giant, blocking Zhu Ni. Then, Zhu Ni took this chance to escape. However, the sixth and seventh seals flew out at the same time, blasting the flaming giant apart without any suspense. Zhu Ni was very shocked. The Divine Flame Soul Driving Technique was his strongest defensive technique. It was even more powerful than Leo¡¯s Lightning Barrier. It was something that he had encountered by chance during a mission and obtained by luck. Meanwhile, Lin Bai was also in disbelief. The power of these nine seals had actually reached such an extent, to the point that a Level-9 Hunter who was on the same level as him had been suppressed to the point of being unable to move! When Lin Bai thought of this, he turned cruel again. ¡°Eighth seal, go!¡± The fear in Zhu Ni¡¯s eyes was magnified endlessly as purple flames rose up and clashed with the eighth seal. ¡°The ninth seal!¡± Lin Bai was worried that the eighth seal would not be able to suppress the purple flame. Thus, to be safe, he even used the last seal. However, the moment he activated the ninth seal, he realized how terrifying it was..