“Grandpa Larson, look at me—I’m so impoverished that I can’t even pay the tuition. Since you’re an expert, could you lend me twenty thousand gold coins? I promise I’ll repay you when I’m older,” Dick implored, gazing at Larson with hopeful eyes. After all, Larson was the only relatively kind senior he knew.

With two semesters remaining, totaling twenty thousand gold coins in tuition fees, it was a significant burden for his father and Taita, who were only level-four warriors. Given that his father had lost an arm and injured his internal organs, the financial strain could potentially be life-threatening.

“Haha...” Larson’s laughter was a bit bemused, encountering this cunning little fellow.

“Dick, don’t speak nonsense,” Taita said, visibly anxious. As a pinnacle level-six warrior, he knew that crossing him would be unwise.

“Very well! I’ll lend you the twenty thousand gold coins. Remember, it’s not a gift—you’ll owe me a favor if you ever become a level-seven warrior,” Larson agreed, pulling out two magical gold cards and handing them to Dick.

“Rest assured, Grandpa Larson, I guarantee that your investment will not go to waste. You will receive substantial returns in the future,” Dick accepted the cards without hesitation. After all, it was merely a matter of owing a favor, not servitude or loyalty.

“Investment? That’s quite an apt term. Kid, you’d better work hard; don’t let such a significant investment go to waste,” Larson affectionately ruffled Dick’s hair.

“Grandpa Larson, there’s no one to guide me in qi training at the academy. If it’s convenient, may I seek your guidance from time to time?” Since Larson had already invested, Dick felt free to ask. Whether it was magic or qi training, guidance from a senior was indispensable compared to fumbling through on his own.

“There’s no need for that. We’ll discuss it once you advance to a mid-level warrior. Your Uncle Taita’s guidance should suffice for now.”

Indeed, Larson’s level was too high; mentoring a novice like him was akin to using a cannon to shoot at a fly.

“Though qi training methods vary, the principles remain the same, leading to the same end.”

“Understood!” Dick would not press further and looked toward Uncle Taita.

“I have no particular matters, and staying in the capital suits me well,” Taita nodded. Being the child of his own lord, he would certainly devote himself to teaching. For Taita, returning to the York Territory would be even more troublesome, as he was essentially considered dead.

After giving Dick some final advice, Larson and Alina took their leave.

“Uncle Taita, the cost of living in the capital is quite high, and you…”

“Don’t worry about me. As a mid-level warrior, I’m not going to starve,” Taita chuckled. Since Dick no longer had to worry about the twenty thousand gold coins for tuition, finding a job in the capital would be relatively easier. “Rest assured, once I’ve settled in the capital, I’ll come find you.”

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Taita then departed.

Dick, having lived two lives, was unperturbed by staying alone at the academy.

The cost of magical training was indeed exorbitant. Dick observed that many magic students expended magical crystals and gold. Although the academy provided numerous small and large magical arrays to aid training, consuming magical crystals and gold was inevitable.

While tuition and accommodation were free, resources for personal magical training were not covered.

Given his poverty, Dick had no choice but to make do with his limited resources. Fortunately, he wasn’t the only one struggling. With less than a hundred noble children able to afford magical crystals and gold, most of the several hundred commoner students, like Dick, had nothing and relied solely on basic meditation.

Alina had offered to sponsor Dick, but he refused. Even though Dick had a thick skin, he could not bear to take advantage of the young lady. Even the lowest-grade magical crystals cost hundreds of gold coins, and each magical array required several of them.

Magical training is a long-term endeavor, and Alina’s resources were limited. It was impractical to expect her to support Dick indefinitely. If Dick took her magical crystals and gold, it would hinder her own training.

Dick maintained his principles. Although Alina had been kind to him, he would not truly exploit her generosity.

Whether in qi or magical training, with proper techniques, guidance from mentors and Taita, the remaining time depended largely on the student’s own effort.

The training systems for third-level mages and warriors were relatively straightforward, without much complexity.

It proved that Dick had a natural talent for advanced qi training. Qi training required minimal resources and relied mainly on personal accumulation.

After six months, Dick’s qi training had been relatively smooth, reaching the level of a first-level warrior. Theoretically, the training speed for warriors was indeed faster than for mages.

However, magical training was much more challenging. With Dick’s mental strength only at ‘Low A’, supporting magical training was arduous. Even so, through diligent effort, Dick managed to advance to the level of a first-level mage by the end of the first year.

The lower the level of magic, the easier the training. Borg, whose magical aptitude was lower than Dick’s, advanced to first-level mage in just half a year, illustrating the critical importance of training resources for mages.

Despite everything, Dick was now a first-level mage, and he was not plagued by self-doubt. Having learned the fireball spell from the magic instructor, Dick’s aptitude for spellcasting was commendable. After a month of hard work, he could finally cast a few small fireballs.

Well, no need for a lighter for nighttime survival, hehe!

Water magic also showed promise. Through rigorous training, Dick could now penetrate a one-inch thick wooden board with his water sword technique. This first-level water sword could inflict significant damage if used against a person.

Lacking resources, the magical energy of a first-level mage could only sustain a few spells (having a magic staff would change that), requiring frequent meditation to restore magical power. The poverty was indeed a challenge!

Dick took out the jade pendant he had carried for a year, which he had been unable to open using either qi or magic. Given that he was now a first-level mage and warrior, he decided to try again.

No success with qi or magic. Damn it! What kind of treasure is this if it doesn’t open?

It shouldn’t be the case. His mother had sacrificed her life for this pendant.

The multicolored jade pendant—perhaps the colors corresponded to something?

Magic?

Each magical element Dick knew seemed to correspond to a color: fire magic was red, earth magic was brown... His magic was dual-elemental fire and water, so...

Dick concentrated and simultaneously cast a miniature fireball and a miniature level-one water sword spell, targeting the red and blue areas of the pendant.

What the—! Dick’s head buzzed, and the pendant opened?

Could it be a spatial artifact?