Time washes everything away. Over a hundred years had passed, and very few wizards still remembered the might Leilin once wielded.
This was only because wizards lived such long lives. Otherwise, the situation would have been far worse — Xiling might have been driven from the Dean's position long ago.
But by now, things were already dire enough.
Among all the wizards in the Dark Polar Region, Banc was the only Third-rank, and his prestige had grown enormously. He even harbored the audacious ambition to follow in Leilin's footsteps and crown himself the Holy Light Guardian — or even the Emperor of all humanity!
Xiling could clearly see that ambition burning in his eyes, but she was powerless to stop it.
Many academies from the other regions had already pledged themselves to his cause.
Using the pretext of the Joint Academy Exchange and the need to form an allied army, he was certain to pressure Xiling this time.
"How am I supposed to get through this?" Xiling truly had no answers. The measures Leilin had left behind for her were designed to deal with Second-rank wizards at most. A Third-rank existence was clearly beyond their limits.
The mere proof that Leilin still existed was not enough to restrain the greed and ambition of wizards.
Xiling knew this all too well.
Bang! The office door suddenly burst open, and a young wizard strode in.
He had wine-red eyes, and his long blue hair hung loose over his shoulders. A terrifying aura radiated from his body.
"L-Lord Banc!" The female wizard from before quickly bowed.
"Dean! I have good news. The Duoluo Snail Academy and the Light Speed Academy have also agreed to my terms. They accept that our Nature Alliance should lead, and that the allied army commander will be selected during the exchange!"
Banc gazed at Xiling's figure with a hint of greed.
Xiling frowned. "Banc! Do you not know that you're supposed to knock before entering my office? Or have you forgotten even the most basic manners?"
"It won't be your office for much longer anyway!" Banc replied with brazen confidence.
"So, have you reconsidered my earlier proposal?"
"Out of the question! Don't you forget — I am Leilin's wife!" Xiling's face flushed red.
"Yes, a woman abandoned in the Dark Polar Region for over a hundred years..." Banc shrugged. He glanced at the obsidian statue in the plaza, particularly the light emanating from it, and a trace of wariness flickered in his eyes.
"The day I become the allied army's leader, this statue will be destroyed. Only a statue of me, Banc, will be worthy of standing here! These next few days are your last chance — think carefully!"
Banc walked out, his voice still echoing in the room.
Xiling was not just a woman of great renown. The wizards controlled by the soul essence Leilin had left behind also wielded considerable influence. More importantly, Leilin himself still existed — his location unknown, but alive nonetheless.
Banc still harbored wariness toward his predecessor. Had it not been for these concerns, he would have seized power by force long ago.
But even so, Banc's patience was nearly exhausted.
"What should we do, Dean?" The female wizard's voice carried a hint of tears.
"Let me think!" Xiling gazed at Leilin's statue in the plaza with a face full of worry. It must have been an illusion, but when she looked back, it seemed as though the light on the statue... had grown a little brighter?
……
As the date drew near, waves of wizards poured into the Northern Region. With the righteous cause of standing against the alien races as their banner, this Joint Academy Conference had become more important than ever.
Yet beneath the surface, turbulent undercurrents never ceased. It was not merely human wizards who were scheming — even the alien races played a crucial role in the unfolding machinations.
In the solemn and expansive conference hall, numerous academy deans sat around a circular table, all unable to resist casting their gazes toward the central seat of honor.
The golden chair was adorned with an abundance of gemstones, dazzling in its splendor. The seat was currently empty, but it was easy to imagine that only today's victor would have the right to sit there and command.
"Dean Xiling and Chief Professor Banc of the Nature Alliance have arrived!" The sudden announcement drew the eyes of all the deans toward the entrance.
There, Xiling entered in a formal gown, accompanied by Banc.
In fact, Banc walked a half-step ahead of her.
"This is outrageous! He's not even the Dean!" In the spectator seats, Will clenched his fist in silent fury.
Seeing the dean he had always admired being cornered filled him with rage. But as nothing more than a Full Wizard, he had absolutely no way to oppose a Third-rank wizard. It was a lesson written in blood and tears.
"Dean Xiling!" "Dean Xiling!" "Dean Xiling!"
Several familiar wizards greeted her, but the majority flocked to Banc's side, like stars crowding around the moon.
"These people!" Xiling seethed inwardly. The wizards now fawning over Banc had once, during Leilin's era, been eager to kneel at her feet and pledge their loyalty. Yet now they had sold her out without a moment's hesitation.
Even though she had long known that the law of wizards was survival of the fittest, Xiling couldn't help but feel a twinge of discouragement.
Just as she was making her way toward the central seat, another wizard blocked her path. "Wait!"