A few minutes later, the hall was empty save for Leilin and Biji.
Leilin and Biji sat facing each other with a small white round table between them, laden with assorted pastries and fragrant flower tea.
Biji held a piece of sweet pudding cake in her hand, but she had no appetite whatsoever.
"Is that so? You've actually advanced to full
Biji's face still held a dazed look as she picked up a cup of steaming flower tea and took a sip.
"Congratulations, Leilin! And thank you for coming to save me!"
"It's nothing. After all, you're my friend!" Leilin said with a smile.
"Yes! Good friends!" Biji repeated unconsciously, a somewhat vacant look in her eyes.
"What will you do now?" Leilin asked with some concern, watching her like this.
"Now?" Biji lowered her head and thought for a moment. "I don't plan to go back to the Academy. I want to travel for a while. Maybe someday I'll return to the family..."
Then she looked at Leilin with a hint of expectation. "Could I become your follower?"
After becoming a full Wizard, it was customary to take on a few followers. After signing a Soul Contract, followers pledged undying loyalty to their master. In return, the master was expected to provide the knowledge and resources necessary for their followers to advance, within their ability.
In the outside world, followers could even represent their master to some extent.
"I'm afraid that won't work!" After a moment's thought, Leilin declined Biji's request.
"I already have a great deal of trouble on my shoulders, and besides..."
Though Leilin left the rest unsaid, Biji understood — followers needed a certain level of strength to be of any use to their master.
Leilin was already a First-level Wizard, and with his talent, this was certainly not his ceiling.
For that very reason, Leilin's followers would need to be of exceptional quality — otherwise, investing in them would be pointless.
Biji's soul aptitude was mediocre. She was still only a Second-rank Apprentice, and Leilin estimated that barring any extraordinary circumstances, she would cap out at Third-rank Apprentice in her lifetime — of no help to him whatsoever.
"I see... I was just saying..." Biji forced a smile.
Seeing her like this, Leilin felt a sudden headache coming on. "That man!
"Him..." Biji fell silent for a moment.
After a long pause, she spoke in a quiet voice. "He joined the Amethyst Flower Family, and with the Green Spirit Water and
"When the time is right — I'll make him pay!"
After some thought, Leilin gave Biji a measure of hope and assurance.
Of course, the timing and method would be his to decide. Leilin had no intention of getting himself into trouble over killing one person.
Even if Feile had advanced, he was still a greenhorn Wizard — no match for Leilin at all.
Moreover, among the dozen or so First-level Spells recorded in the Book of the Great Serpent, there were several that could kill without leaving a trace. No outsider would ever connect it to Leilin.
Biji's eyes reddened, and tears the size of beans rolled down her cheeks.
"Thank you! Thank you, Leilin..."
She threw herself into Leilin's arms, weeping. Leilin's expression softened. His left arm wrapped around Biji while his right hand gently patted her back.
Then, while Biji was unaware, Leilin's right hand made a strange gesture.
A wisp of grey-black gas was extracted from Biji's back, and Leilin caught it directly in his hand.
Several hours later, declining Yoseina's fervent pleas to stay, Leilin departed Trell Castle alone.
Before leaving, he kept his promise and left behind the Green Spirit Water as compensation for the Trell Family.
In return, Yoseina publicly pardoned Biji before the entire clan and even seemed to harbor intentions of naming her as the successor.
Leilin had walked a considerable distance. Looking back at Trell Castle, with his keen eyesight, he could still make out a solitary white figure standing before the castle, maintaining the posture of farewell.
"I hope the potions I left will be of use to her!"
Before departing, Leilin had also left Biji several bottles of his newly developed
Although with his current strength as a First-level Wizard, he could easily protect an improved formula, he still preferred to avoid trouble.
To him, Biji and his current life as a student at Black Bone Forest Academy were nothing more than a small scenic spot along his path to the summit.
He might pause briefly to take in this scenery, but he would not remain here permanently.
He intended to keep climbing, to see ever more vistas along the way.
Or perhaps, once he had truly reached the very peak, he would look back fondly on the beauty of the journey and descend once more.
But until that day — he had no regrets!
"Everything's mostly settled. Perhaps it's time I left the Marsh Duchy and traveled along the South Coast?"
The Lilitel Family was, after all, a major family with formidable strength. The Trell Family couldn't even compare to a single finger of theirs.
Leilin did not believe that after advancing to First-level Wizard, he could take this family on head-on.
Moreover, in the end, the Dean of Black Bone Forest Academy, Slye, would surely be drawn into the conflict. This was a Second-level Wizard — an existence Leilin currently could not hope to match in direct combat!
As the representative of the family factions within Black Bone Forest, Slye would certainly take action!
After weighing his options, Leilin concluded that defecting from the Academy was the only viable path.
As for whether his mentors and friends would be implicated?
Whether it was Mentor Guofate, the Trell Family, or Nisi and the other apprentices — they were all part of Black Bone Forest Academy.
As one of the three great families of Black Bone Forest, the Lilitel Family had to abide by the rules and maintain their noble bearing.
This sort of thing was nothing new to Leilin, who himself hailed from a mortal noble family.
And even if the Lilitel Family ultimately threw all decorum to the wind and used others to threaten Leilin — so what?
Did they think Leilin would be foolish enough to walk right into their trap?
As for Biji and the others, Leilin would help when he could — but only on the condition that it was within his power and wouldn't bring trouble upon himself.
Once that line was crossed, Leilin would become utterly cold-blooded.
In other words, even if the Lilitel Family tracked him down to the Keli Archipelago and used the Farell Family to threaten him, Leilin wouldn't take it seriously.
At most, once his strength had grown, he would return to wipe out the Lilitel Family entirely and avenge the Farell Family — nothing more.
As Leilin pondered his future course of action, he urged his horse into a full gallop down the road.
Clip-clop!!
The steed's hooves beat a lively rhythm as it carried him past a stretch of woodland.
Leilin's eyes, half-closed until now, snapped open, and a hint of an amused smile crossed his face.
Whoosh!
Just as the horse was about to clear the trees, several arc-shaped beams of light shot out from the forest.
Crack!
With a thunderous sound, the horse was torn apart, spilling blood and ruptured organs everywhere.
The instant the beams struck the horse, Leilin's palm flipped against the saddle, and he grabbed his bundle and leaped clear.
When his feet touched the ground, he found himself surrounded by a group of dark-robed figures.
All of them radiated the energy fluctuations of Third-rank Apprentices. The leaders among them also bore the aura of Magical Items. The one at the very center even had energy fluctuations reaching the level of a full Wizard!
On the collars of their dark robes was an emblem of black night crows, edged with a thin border of gold embroidery.
"The Academy's enforcement squad?"
Leilin had already guessed what was happening, and his expression grew calm.
"Leilin! You are accused of murdering four Third-rank Apprentices of the Academy — Bosain, Jiamen, Shaya, and Ross! Come with us to stand trial!"
The leader bore a scar across his face and made no effort to conceal the killing intent in his eyes.
Leilin understood immediately — it seemed the Lilitel Family had finally investigated the matter from back then and pinned the deaths of the other three apprentices on him as well.
"And if I say I won't go back?"
Surrounding Leilin were not only Third-rank Apprentices but also a full Wizard. This lineup would have left him no chance of escape before his advancement. But now, Leilin felt a surge of eagerness rising within him.
"Resisting the enforcement squad! Kill on sight!!!"
The scarred Wizard's killing intent surged, and he waved his hand without hesitation.
Chanting erupted on all sides as various mixed energy fluctuations radiated outward.
Blinding fireballs! Jade-green corrosive acid! Purple flying daggers! And several attacks from Magical Items — all appeared directly above Leilin's head.
BOOM!!!
A massive crater appeared where Leilin had been standing, its edges still burning with flames, surrounded by scattered limbs and debris.
"Did we get him?" an apprentice behind the scarred man whispered.
Bang!
His head exploded instantly, white brain matter and crimson blood splattering across the ground.
"Doze?!"
His teammate behind him screamed, his face full of disbelief.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Arrow after arrow flew out in rapid succession, blasting apart the heads of the Third-rank Apprentices behind the Wizard!
"Is this — an illusion?" the scarred Wizard shouted, then began chanting a syllable.
Zzzzt!!!
The piercing, shrill syllable echoed again and again, and the surrounding air rippled like water.
The void tore open like a curtain. The scarred Wizard looked around — every Third-rank Apprentice behind him had collapsed on the ground, eyes shut tight, their condition unknown.
But the Wizard paid them no attention whatsoever.
"You... you've advanced?" The scarred Wizard's face was filled with shock. "To think... to think you've advanced to full Wizard at only eighteen!"
"What truly astonishing talent! What a pity — you've offended the Lilitel Family, and you're destined to die here!"
The scarred man licked his lips, a bloodthirsty gleam in his eyes. "Allow me to introduce myself — I am Quiret, Quiret of House Lilitel!"