"Here, take this. Angel feels indebted to you because of Frank’s affairs. This should clear things up," Angel’s elder said. "The state of one's mind is crucial for practitioners; no lingering regrets should remain."

"Alright... I suppose I have to accept it." When a senior speaks, declining the gift might adversely affect Angel’s future magical pursuits, a burden too great to bear.

The elder finished speaking, and suddenly, a first-level half-crescent crane appeared. Dick had seen such domesticated spirit beasts before. The half-crescent crane carried Angel and her companion aloft.

"This is splendid! I won’t need to constantly rely on Alina’s space pouch anymore. How fortunate!" Dick mused.

"Indeed, the world of magicians is affluent," Taita remarked.

"Is Angel’s elder a magician?" Dick inquired.

"Indeed. At the very least, a fifth-level magician. I’d have to keep my distance. In the wild, warriors approaching magicians is akin to provocation," Taita explained. The advantage of a magician lies in long-range attacks; if a warrior of comparable strength gets close, even the most formidable magical shield is no match for a similarly-ranked warrior’s powerful strikes.

Thus, many formidable magicians are accompanied by knightly retainers or powerful spirit beasts for protection. However, Dick had seen little of such powerful spirit beasts, only first-level ones.

Only intermediate and higher-level magicians possess the ability to form soul contracts with magical beasts. Dick had never encountered such intermediate spirit beasts. The revered Master Buck and Angel’s elder didn’t seem to have any impressive contracted spirit beasts with them.

Perhaps they were hidden in spirit beast pouches? The flying spirit beast of Angel’s elder had been retrieved from such a pouch.

This journey through the Beast Mountains would not involve encounters with bandits, likely due to the orderly nature of the outer regions. Powerful intermediate warrior hunting teams wouldn’t bother with first or second-level magical beasts, which held little value for them.

When Taita Uncle used to hunt first and second-level magical beasts alone, it was primarily for Dick. Now, with the hunting teams, Taita Uncle’s targets were mostly third-level magical beasts.

Regardless, this training was highly successful. Dick had been truly tested between life and death, gained substantial rewards, and had the good fortune to advance to a second-level magician.

"Dick, you’ve truly grown up. From now on, your path must be walked on your own," Taita commented, recognizing that Dick would no longer need his guidance in future expeditions to the Beast Mountains.

"Be careful yourself, Taita Uncle."

After bidding farewell to Taita Uncle, Dick returned to the magic academy. The tranquility and peace of the academy were a welcome change from the constant tension of the Beast Mountains.

"Dick, you’ve made it back alive, haha!"

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"Fatty, missing me? Let’s go for some second-level magical beast barbecue."

Dick returned and greeted Alina and Li Cong. The meat of second-level magical beasts wasn’t particularly savory, but the company was lively. They were eager to hear about Dick’s firsthand battle experiences in the Beast Mountains.

Young people often yearn for the thrill of heated combat.

Despite the grueling encounters Dick had faced in the Beast Mountains, breaking through to second-level magician was an enviable achievement for the three of them. They had been stuck at a bottleneck, with only six months remaining until the deadline. Their magical talents were promising, but their progress had plateaued at the first-level magic.

To overcome this bottleneck, they had toiled extensively in the trial grounds. However, Dick described those battles as somewhat trivial, lacking the life-threatening danger that provided the three with some enlightenment.

By the next day, when Dick sought them out again, they had all disappeared. Apparently, they had taken leave from the academy. Could it be that first-level magicians were now venturing into the Beast Mountains for training?

Well, whether nobles or wealthy merchants, each family had formidable predecessors or protectors. It was unlikely they faced real danger.

Dick reported his advancement to second-level magician at the academy and received new fire and water magic spells from his mentor. He immersed himself in a new round of training.

Once a magician reached second level, the distinction of year groups ceased, and Dick no longer needed to stay in the dormitory area. He could now reside in more robust accommodations akin to caves on the rear mountain, where he could freely practice spells and combat skills. The cave’s walls were so sturdy that neither his aura nor magic could affect them.

This arrangement was excellent, eliminating the need for frequent visits to the training grounds.

Dick’s space pouch was filled with magical beast flesh, beneficial for physical enhancement. Conveniently, he also found himself disinclined to frequent the cafeteria.

Immersed in the practice of spells and combat skills, Dick found himself ensconced in his cave for a month. How could he, as a mere second-level practitioner, confine himself for an entire month?

Indeed, as a newly advanced second-level magician, mastering second-level spells promptly was essential.

"Are you a magician?" Even in the free cafeteria, the circles of second-level magicians were distinct from those of earlier levels, though not far from Dick’s cave.

"Does it seem otherwise?"

"Your physique is rather imposing, haha!"

"I practice both magic and aura."

"That explains it."

"I recognize you now, Dick." The speakers were two sisters, suggesting that Dick’s reputation was notable. After all, dual practitioners of magic and martial arts were exceedingly rare. Frank, who advanced to second-level magician under special circumstances, hadn’t yet been assigned a cave due to his unstable realm.

"Indeed, ladies, do I not exude a certain manliness?"

"Cut it out!"

Both were second-level magicians and dressed modestly, hailing from common backgrounds. No one should look down on anyone else. Dick’s witty banter soon won over the sisters, Anna and Annie.

Anna, nineteen, and Annie, eighteen, had been at the magic academy for several years, likely approaching the peak of second-level magician status, with far more accumulated experience than Dick. Even among second-level magicians, the disparity in skill accumulation was vast.

"May I inquire where you obtain your training resources? Surely not always from the Beast Mountains?" Dick asked.

"We prefer not to serve as subordinates to noble youths, so we work as practice partners for the Zhao family in the capital," Annie explained. The capital was home to many nobles, and both magical and martial practitioners required combat training, providing opportunities for academy students to earn money.

"Is the remuneration for practice partners substantial?"

"Decent enough. After all, we are magicians." Indeed, the fees for magicians of the same level were higher than for warriors. For wealthy noble families, paying well for skilled commoner magicians was not a significant expense.

"My sister is more talented than I and will soon be a third-level magician," Annie, the livelier sister, mentioned.

"Really? The bottleneck is quite challenging to overcome."