A layer of fluorescent light erupted directly from the badge on Leilin's chest.
Leilin's entire body was enveloped in a layer of light, hovering in midair, and he began to involuntarily rise toward the sky.
Through the light enveloping his body, Leilin could still see the other apprentices not far away, also floating within orbs of light, ascending like stars.
"What a beautiful sight!"
Leilin couldn't help but marvel as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of badges. "Without the pulling force, it seems only living apprentices are drawn by their badges. In that case!"
With a flick of his hand, Leilin tossed two badges representing third-tier apprentices straight out of the orb of light.
These two badges had belonged to Silver Claw Soren and that blonde female apprentice. Since Leilin had already collected enough badges, there was no point in keeping them.
"And this!" Leilin flicked his wrist again, and half a chain crackling with sparks was flung out as well.
After repeated scans by the Chip, it had detected a hidden mental fluctuation on this damaged Magical Item — one that seemed to carry a tracking effect. If Leilin dared to take it out with him, the instructors from the rival academy would immediately know he was the one who had killed Tolezas.
As for the half-dagger and the mangled hand he had taken from the other two apprentices, those posed no problem. Leilin had stowed them carefully in his pack.
"The final step!"
Leilin smiled faintly and dismissed the Mimicry Spell.
The muscles on his face squirmed, and his body steadily grew taller. In moments, Leilin had reverted from his disguised appearance back to his original look.
"Inside the secret realm, I operated under this disguise the entire time — not a single person saw my true face!"
"I imagine once we're out, the rival academy will frantically search for that nonexistent apprentice." Leilin imagined the scene and couldn't help but let a faint smile cross his face.
"Right now, I am Leilin Farell — just an ordinary Apothecary apprentice!"
Gazing at the secret realm's entrance shimmering with iridescent light, the smile on Leilin's face deepened further…
A sensation of the world spinning wildly washed over him. Leilin forced himself to hold it down, barely managing not to vomit on the spot.
"Passing through a secret realm — what an awful sensation!"
"Get out of the way, don't block the path!" A cold snort rang directly in Leilin's ear.
Leilin quickly bowed his head and hurried away from there.
Only then did he have the presence of mind to glance around.
Outside the entrance to the secret realm, just as before, the instructors from the three academies had split into three groups and were standing off against each other. The Gothic Sage's Cottage and White Tree Castle were positioned slightly closer together, and both were united in their hostility toward the instructors of Black Bone Forest Academy.
One by one, apprentices were filing out of the secret realm's entrance, returning to stand behind their respective instructors.
"Who is that person?"
Leilin noticed a figure in black robes standing before the three deans, and a trace of puzzlement rose in his mind.
Whoosh! Just at that moment, the black-robed figure he had been staring at seemed to sense Leilin's gaze and turned around directly.
The next instant, Leilin found himself staring into a pair of emerald-green eyes.
The world around him seemed to freeze in an instant — everything was bathed in green.
The instructors and apprentices around Leilin had all transformed into jade-green statues, showing not a single sign of being alive.
Leilin strained to open his mouth, only to discover he couldn't make a sound.
"Leilin!" "Leilin!" "Leilin!"
The green statues surrounding him suddenly spoke, calling out his name.
"What the hell is going on?!" Leilin screamed internally, but not a single word escaped his lips.
Thump! Thump! The emerald-green statues began to move, shedding green powder from their bodies as their eyes turned red, as though set with rubies.
Countless green statues surged directly toward Leilin, engulfing him completely…
"Ahh!" Leilin suddenly jolted awake, gasping heavily.
"Just now — what was that?" The apprentices around him were perfectly fine, but Leilin no longer dared to look in the direction of the deans.
"Relax, child!" A pair of hands smelling faintly of medicinal herbs settled directly onto Leilin's head, emanating a soft, hazy white light.
"Master Guofate!" Leilin bowed deeply. Under the coverage of the white light, he felt much better.
"Was it you who saved me?"
"Not 'saved' — just gave you a slight pull!" Guofate smiled, guiding Leilin back to his own academy area.
"Every formal Wizard is surrounded by a defensive field, and most of them are permanent or instantly activated. As for the more advanced Wizards, a powerful field constantly envelops their bodies — ordinary apprentices can't even get close to them!"
Guofate explained to Leilin.
"That Lord from the Dark Night Lighthouse earlier didn't do it on purpose — he simply glanced this way, and many apprentices fell straight into illusions. If I hadn't been here as a mentor, there likely would have been a whole batch of deaths..."
Guofate's expression gradually turned serious. "Leilin, before you become a formal Wizard, remember — stay far away from any advanced Wizard! Otherwise, I can't even imagine what would become of you..."