Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Meng Lei considered his own magic talent excellent. With three superior-grade elemental affinities—thunder, fire, and wood—and a high-grade earth-elemental affinity, while it might not be the best in the world, few could compare.
Yet someone even more outstanding than him had emerged before him.
Superior-grade for all ten elemental affinities.
“How can anyone possibly have such crazy magic talent?” asked Meng Lei, who found it absolutely unbelievable.
“That’s why Adolf is hailed as the most talented person in the academy’s history. Even as of now, there’s no one that can surpass him.”
With a soft sigh, Ol’ Amos said, “It’s exactly because he had an incomparable magic talent that Adolf’s speed of cultivation was extremely fast.
“He broke through to Sixth-Grade Magician and applied for graduation in just a year after he enrolled in the academy. Then, he wandered about the continent by himself and embarked on an even more glorious and stunning life.
“He became an Eighth-Grade Great Magician at 17 years old, a Ninth-Grade Great Magician at 25, and successfully broke through to Saint Domain at 38!”
Ol’ Amos said softly, “During those times, Adolf was like the blazing sun high up in the sky that lit up the entire era. It’s no exaggeration to say that it was the misery of all geniuses and monsters to be born in the same era as Adolf. He crushed everyone so badly that none of them could even raise their heads.”
“That’s so impressive!”
Meng Lei couldn’t help but be astounded, too. However, what was more puzzling to him was that Ol’ Amos’ tone didn’t sound quite right. Was that self-mockery? And a bitter smile?
He voiced the question in his mind. “Shouldn’t you be very proud to have such a disciple, Ol’ President?”
“If what came after hadn’t happened, I would indeed have been very proud. And in truth, before that incident, Adolf had always been my pride and joy, and I was very proud of him.”
Ol’ Amos let out a sigh, a wry smile all over his face.
A bewildered Meng Lei asked, “That incident?”
“In the 148th year after Adolf attained the Saint Domain realm, tens of thousands of Abyss Demons suddenly appeared in Heaven’s Vault Continent.” Ol’ Amos’ voice was full of grief as he went on. “Bloodthirsty and savage, Abyss Demons are innately cruel and brutal and live by slaughtering and massacring others. They are the very embodiment of death and evil themselves.”
“Abyss Demons?” A huge jolt went through Meng Lei!
“Nobody knows where the Abyss Demons came from, but they started a huge massacre after they showed up.
“Countless lives died in misery! Innumerable races were wiped out! And even the four great empires were under threat! Thus, a war that engulfed the whole continent and all the races on it broke out.
“After a long period of strife, we finally came close to achieving victory in the war. However, just as it reached the most critical final showdown in the war, Adolf... He betrayed us!”
A look of affliction surfaced on Ol’ Amos’ face as he said, “He ignited and blew up 1,358 mage towers, killing close to 1,000 Saint Domain Magicians and destroying the joint army’s line of defense. This caused the final showdown to ultimately end as a failure.”
“Why did that happen?” Meng Lei was in disbelief. “Why did Adolf betray you? What good did it do him to do that?”
“I couldn’t understand why in the beginning, either.” Ol’ Amos shook his head, “It was only after we defeated the Abyss Demons later on and captured Adolf that we learned the reason for his actions.”
“Why did he do that?” asked Meng Lei.
“Because Adolf himself was a devil!” Ol’ Amos shut his eyes and explained, “As it turned out, he was a spy that the Abyss had sent to Heaven’s Vault Continent. He had lurked for a long time in Heaven’s Vault Continent in order to make preparations for invading our world.”
“A devil...”
Meng Lei was stunned. His eyes involuntarily fell onto the statue of Adolf, which looked dignified and solemn, awe-inspiring and holy.
A person like that was actually a devil? How unbelievable!
“Although we triumphed over the Abyss Demons and drove them out of Heaven’s Vault Continent forever in the end, we also paid a heavy price in return. I blamed myself heavily for this.”
Ol’ Amos let out a sigh and said, “After that incident, I resigned from my position as academy president and left the academy. I began to wander about the continent, never concerning myself with the world’s affairs ever since. I didn’t return to the academy even until I was trapped in the underground.”
“It has nothing to do with you, Ol’ President.” Meng Lei shook his head and said, “One can only blame Adolf for hiding his intentions too well.”
Ol’ Amos shook his head. “You needn’t console me. It has already been so many years since the incident, and I had already gotten over it a long time ago. I was just suddenly overcome with emotion when I saw Adolf’s statue out of the blue, that’s all.”
As he spoke, he left Adolf’s statue and walked over to the second last statue. Then, he began to inspect it.
“Amos Kroc, the second president of Fire Dragon Magic Academy...” Ol’ Amos had a strange look on his face. “It feels rather odd, staring at a statue of myself.”
“Haha! Look at how you’re reacting looking at yourself...”
The two of them continued to stroll about in the academy after they left the Saint Dragon Square.
Ol’ Amos gesticulated and pointed here and there as he reminisced about the past, while Meng Lei listened as he picked up various stat attributes that had dropped.
They strolled about leisurely, free and unfettered.
“Hey, isn’t that Meng Lei?”
“What the heck? It really is that mutant! He’s probably back here to apply for graduation?
“That’s very likely. He’s already so strong, so there’s no point in him staying in the academy anymore anyway. If I were him, I would apply for graduation, too.”
“Apply for graduation? Isn’t Meng Lei a first-year freshman? What’s there for him to graduate from?!”
“Don’t you know?”
“Know what?”
“You actually don’t know when the news is already all over the academy? You’re really so ill-informed and out of the loop. I look down on you!”
“So what exactly has happened?”
“Meng Lei is already a Ninth-Grade Great Magician now. I’m guessing that he’s likely going to apply for graduation after coming back this time.”
“A Ninth-Grade Great Magician? Him? Are you kidding me?”
“Would I lie to you? I heard that when the ant tide broke out a while ago, Meng Lei showed up at the North River Pass and repelled the ant tide all by himself, and exhibited incomparably terrifying might...”
“Really? That’s just hearsay, isn’t it?”
“What hearsay? It has spread throughout the whole academy. Ask around if you don’t believe me...”
Just how sharp were Meng Lei’s ears? The other students’ comments naturally couldn’t escape his ears.
Apply for graduation?
Meng Lei wanted to laugh. He was certainly a Ninth-Grade Great Magician now, but he didn’t have any intentions of applying for graduation just yet.
How was he supposed to graduate when he hadn’t learned his thunder-elemental, earth-elemental, and wood-elemental Dragon-Language Magic spells yet, not to mention the Titan Holy Thunder?
Meng Lei’s magic communication device suddenly rang at this point. He picked up the call and a big, chubby face popped up—it was Fatty Hart.
“Old bro, you’re back?”
Meng Lei raised an eyebrow and replied, “You’re pretty up to date with the news. I’ve only just returned, yet you’re already aware.”
“Haha! I’ve set up a lot of spies in the academy, so I’ll know right away the moment you return.” Fatty Hart let out a laugh and said, “You’ve only just returned to the academy, so I’ll make this short. There are two things in total!”
“Okay!” Meng Lei nodded.
“The first is that news of your performance when you were fighting against the ant tide has already reached the royal palace. I heard from my old man that the king intends to host a celebratory banquet to reward you.” Hart laughed and said, “Tsk, tsk. Given your speed of cultivation and your performance at North River Pass, you’ll at least be conferred the life peerage title of an Earl! A life peerage Earl, you know! I’m still just a Viscount even now!”
“A life peerage Earl?”
Meng Lei quirked an eyebrow. He didn’t care about an empty title like an Earl and whatnot; so what even if they bestowed upon him the title of a Marquis or a Duke?
However, the title of nobility wasn’t just an empty one. It brought a lot of practical benefits, such as special privileges and... territory!
What Meng Lei valued, however, was the territory.
In this world completely controlled by the nobility, there were a lot of benefits to owning a plot of land that solely belonged to oneself and was one’s private property.
In that territory, the owner was the local emperor there. They could do whatever they wanted!
“What about the second issue?” asked Meng Lei.
“I’ve already contacted the three largest trade associations in the capital and 13 magic core acquisition companies. You can meet with them anytime when you’re back!”