Chapter 6: Applying for Graduation
Inside a private room at the Hua Deli Hotel.
Lin Lei, Yeru, George, and Rein sat casually on either side of a long rectangular table. A dozen or so exquisite dishes were arranged in pairs along the table, with plenty of fruit wine and strong liquor placed beside them. The four brothers were sipping fruit wine and discussing recent events.
"Lin Lei, you should have gone to the
Lin Lei took a sip of fruit wine and smiled faintly.
Sixth-grade mage?
Ever since entering that rare state and carving the work 'Dream Awakening', ten days and nights of mental power growth had caused Lin Lei's spiritual strength to increase tenfold. This allowed Lin Lei to jump directly from a sixth-grade mage to a seventh-grade mage.
If calculating mental strength alone, Lin Lei's spiritual power should still be in the upper tier among seventh-grade mages.
"Fourth, you know how Third is. He doesn't care about such things at all. If he did, he wouldn't skip the Grade Competition every year," Yeru said with a laugh. "Oh, right, Third, when the semester just started, your Uncle
Lin Lei paused and looked at Yeru, immediately asking, "Uncle Hillman? Did something happen?"
In the past, Lin Lei would go home every year for the New Year, but this was the only time he had spent the transition from winter to spring in the Magic Beast Mountain Range.
"Nothing serious, really. He was probably worried something happened to you since you didn't come home for the New Year," Yeru said casually, then continued, "Oh, there's something I must tell you. On the same day your Uncle Hillman came, the head curator from Pruxus Hall also visited, all because of your stone sculpture 'Dream Awakening'."
Lin Lei let out a surprised sound. "The head curator? How did he know about my sculpture 'Dream Awakening'?"
At this point, Rein said sheepishly, "That's my fault. When Yeru sent people to bring your sculpture back from the back mountain, I thought no one else knew how valuable it was, so I just kept it in our dormitory. We could admire it from time to time. But unexpectedly, that Ostoney came looking for you and went straight to our dorm, where he saw your sculpture 'Dream Awakening'. Later, he was the one who told that Curator Maier about it."
Lin Lei nodded slightly.
"Lin Lei, that head curator wants you to auction off this sculpture 'Dream Awakening'! Or, even if you don't auction it, he wants to put 'Dream Awakening' on display at Pruxus Hall. Will you agree?" Yeru looked at Lin Lei.
Lin Lei shook his head without any hesitation.
"I don't want to make 'Dream Awakening' public for now, and I don't need money."
For Lin Lei, 'Dream Awakening' represented a part of his past emotions. Of course, after carving 'Dream Awakening', Lin Lei's state of mind had also changed.
Especially after experiencing the encirclement by numerous dragons in the Misty Valley in the Magic Beast Mountain Range, witnessing two super beasts fighting each other underground, almost dying, and even sucking dragon blood to successfully become a Dragon Blood Warrior.
Having experienced all of this, the memories of Alice seemed very distant to Lin Lei.
He also understood that cherishing the present was what truly mattered.
"If Father knew I could undergo 'Dragon Transformation', he would be very happy," Lin Lei thought of his father.
If Hogg learned this news—that both his sons could become Dragon Blood Warriors—he would surely be extremely excited and proud.
Lin Lei could also guess the value of the stone sculpture 'Dream Awakening'. He understood that if such a large sculpture were kept in
For the massive Dawson Trading Company, this was effortless.
Leaving the hotel, the four of them walked along a tree-lined road.
"Boss Yeru, Second, Fourth, there's something I must tell you," Lin Lei said after a moment's deliberation.
Seeing Lin Lei look so serious, Yeru, George, and Rein all focused their attention.
"I plan to apply for graduation in the coming days," Lin Lei said with difficulty.
Graduation meant leaving
Lin Lei couldn't bear to part with his brothers.
But in life, one had to accomplish something. Once he graduated, noble titles, fiefs, and armies would all come his way. That would be the time to stride forward boldly.
"Graduation?"
Yeru, George, and Rein were all stunned. Yeru was the first to react, saying, "Third, why are you in such a hurry to graduate? What's so great about graduating from Ernst Academy? Isn't it good for us four brothers to stay together? And Ernst Academy is much more peaceful than the outside world."
George and Rein quickly chimed in with persuasion.
Lin Lei shook his head. "No, we can't hide in Ernst Academy forever without interacting with the outside world."
"Third, you're only a sixth-grade mage right now. While a sixth-grade mage is considered an expert outside, there are still many stronger than you. Why don't you... train to become a seventh-grade mage first, and then graduate?" George suggested.
In the eyes of George and the others, a mage's cultivation had two major hurdles. The biggest was going from a ninth-grade mage to the Saint Realm, and the second major hurdle was going from a sixth-grade mage to a seventh-grade mage.
Going from a ninth-grade mage to the Saint Realm, even with sufficient mental strength, powerful magic power, and enduring many years, it was still very difficult to break through. It required an opportunity—a moment of sudden enlightenment.
And going from a sixth-grade mage to a seventh-grade mage, even for a genius, usually required over ten years of effort.
"I've already reached the seventh-grade mage level," Lin Lei said directly.