Several days later, at Ernst Academy.
After eating breakfast in the morning, Lin Lei set off for the mountains behind the academy to begin his training.
As he walked along the paths within the academy, the little Shadow Mouse sat on his shoulder, gazing around in every direction. Quite a few people at Ernst Academy had magical beasts, so nobody paid any attention to Lin Lei having a Shadow Mouse. Just at that moment —
"That's Lin Lei, the real number-one mage of our first year," came a clear voice from not far ahead.
Lin Lei couldn't help but look toward the source of the voice. Two cute girls were whispering to each other, glancing his way from time to time. When Lin Lei looked back at them, the two girls giggled behind their hands.
"I've become famous," Lin Lei mocked himself inwardly.
Over the past few days, whenever he ran into people, he'd often overhear them talking about him. Having defeated Land, the top-ranked fighter in the Grade Competition, Lin Lei had quietly come to be regarded as the strongest first-year student.
"Huh, who's that up ahead?" Lin Lei's gaze suddenly locked onto a thin figure in the distance.
Short golden hair, a slight build comparable to Rein's, an整个人 radiating coldness — he walked along the path with an icy demeanor.
"Dikexi?" Lin Lei's pupils contracted involuntarily.
Dikexi was also nine years old now. If you counted by months, he was actually a month younger than Lin Lei. Yet this nine-year-old child was already a third-level mage. Although magic became harder to cultivate the higher one climbed, reaching third level at the age of nine was still astonishing.
"That's Dikexi! I heard from yesterday's year-end assessment results — Dikexi has already reached the fourth level," some seventeen- or eighteen-year-old girls nearby chattered among themselves.
The third-year students were mostly over sixteen. Only Dikexi, that supreme genius, was the exception.
"Fourth-level mage!"
Lin Lei felt his heart clench sharply. Both of them were nine, and Dikexi was even a month younger — yet Dikexi was already a fourth-level mage, while he himself was only at the second level.
Dikexi's expression remained cold as he walked past Lin Lei.
The peerless genius "Dikexi" — among his peers, there was simply no one who could compare.
A streak of light flew from the Coiling Dragon Ring, and Derinkoort appeared beside Lin Lei with a chuckle. "Lin Lei, the gap between you two isn't as big as you think. When Dikexi first enrolled, his mental power was sixty-eight times that of an ordinary person his age. That means, even before he started training, his mental power had already entered the third-level range. So during his first year at Ernst Academy, he simply accumulated enough magic power to reach the third level. Now he's been enrolled for nearly two years, and reaching the fourth level is perfectly normal."
Lin Lei understood this in his heart.
Dikexi's talent was simply too extraordinary — born with such powerful mental power, and with superlative element affinity on top of that, his accumulation of magic power was naturally swift.
"He's training fast now, but going from fourth level to fifth level, I'd estimate he'll need three or four years. And from fifth to sixth level, probably four or five years."
"You're currently a second-level mage, and he's a fourth-level mage. But I'm confident I can have you catch up to him within ten years," Derinkoort said with conviction.
Lin Lei wasn't entirely convinced.
"Grandpa Derin, the greater the talent, the faster the training progresses. His talent far surpasses mine, and he's already a full two levels ahead of me. How could I possibly catch up within just ten years?" Lin Lei wasn't stupid — his studies at Ernst Academy had made him keenly aware of how difficult it was to advance even a single level as a mage.
In the past, Derinkoort had said he could make Lin Lei a sixth-level mage within ten years, but even so, Lin Lei harbored some doubts deep down. After all, he could see his own current rate of progress.
While they were talking, Lin Lei had already passed through the academy's rear gate and entered the back mountains. He darted swiftly through the forest when Derinkoort suddenly spoke. "Lin Lei, find a spot near a cliff face."
"A cliff face?" Lin Lei was somewhat puzzled.
"Don't ask so many questions. Once we get there, I'll explain," Derinkoort said with a smile.
The back mountains were mostly covered with wild grass and vegetation, with all manner of towering trees growing throughout. After searching for a while, Lin Lei found a place that matched Derinkoort's requirements — a protruding peak several hundred meters tall. Lin Lei came to a stop at its base.
"Grandpa Derin, why did you bring me here?" Lin Lei asked, confused.
Derinkoort smiled. "Lin Lei, you don't believe I can have you catch up to him in just ten years, do you? Haha... Lin Lei, I, Derinkoort, being a Holy Domain Grand Mage, actually have a method to enhance one's mental power."
"A method to enhance mental power? Doesn't meditation training do that?" Lin Lei looked at Derinkoort with puzzlement.
Derinkoort said with a mild smile, "Lin Lei, I'll admit that meditation training is quite effective, but afterward, a person feels utterly exhausted."
"Of course it's exhausting. Meditation training is constantly using your mental power, draining it to a baseline, and then letting it recover on its own. It'd be strange if you didn't feel tired." Lin Lei furrowed his brow.
Derinkoort replied proudly, "My method is completely different. It doesn't drain your mental power at all — it's more like a recreational activity."
"A recreational activity?" Lin Lei was somewhat dazed.