On a sunny day with a gentle breeze at Icerite Academy.
Many areas of the campus were equipped with magic screens like those in commercial streets.
These screens not only provided real-time information, notices, and academic activities for students and staff, but also displayed various interesting short videos and live broadcasts of major events on campus.
Therefore, these screens sometimes became the focus of people's attention and discussion during their breaks at the academy.
For instance, at this moment.
The annual entrance examination broadcast, which was quite interesting for many senior students, was being shown.
Many people simply wanted to see new students suffer or make fools of themselves, while some senior students wanted to identify potential newcomers in advance and recruit them to join their teams.
On the screen.
Howling wind and snow, a vast expanse of white.
While other candidates were still struggling in the icy world, Lanqi had already achieved the clearance conditions on his end.
He was sitting in a warm room, baking pastries by the fireplace.
His skillful and comfortable demeanor showed no tension of challenging the Shadow World at all, as if he was filming a new advertisement for Holy Kingdom-style desserts.
Next, he just needed to wait for the artificial Shadow World time limit to end and for the terminal to complete his score calculation.
Even though not many students had paid attention to Lanqi's operation earlier.
But after a few exclamations.
Students quickly began to discuss and spread the news.
"Do you know what this guy just did!?"
"What?"
"He's such a jerk! He directly went to arrest that family!"
"Is this also considered letting them spend a warm winter?"
"Just tell me, did he complete the requirements or not? He actually did."
"Hahaha! What a logic genius!"
On the terrace of the Learning and Education Building.
People resting and waiting there, either sitting or standing, had already formed a lively small circle around the suspended screen.
Many people began to discuss what kind of rising star this young man called "Lanqi Wilford" was.
However, no one present had known this name before.
Only one student wearing the Alchemy Department's accessory mentioned that he had heard of a company called "Wilford Trading Company", and it was said that the chairman had a prodigal son.
But he had never heard of a young talent named Lanqi.
"..."
Talia listened to the students gradually focusing their discussion on Lanqi.
Sitting on the edge of the terrace, on an outdoor wooden chair waiting, she silently lowered her head and moved her gaze away from the magic screen.
Although she had been observing Lanqi's movements in the corner of the split screen earlier.
But when she truly understood Lanqi's actions and heard the exclamations from the people around her.
She just wanted to flee from this place, as far away as possible.
Because she began to hear people discussing: "This guy called Lanqi's behavior pattern doesn't seem very human-like, could he be a spy from the demon race?"
This sent chills down her spine.
Talia absolutely did not want to be mistaken as a dangerous person who needed to be closely watched because of her close association with Lanqi.
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These weren't things she had taught him...
Actually, during the three months of interaction with Lanqi, she had gradually discovered that this young man's thinking and personality were somewhat unusual.
But it wasn't until this moment that she finally confirmed.
This guy was somewhat sick in the head!
It was impossible not to be noticed while staying by his side.
However.
According to their agreement.
She must protect Lanqi, and continue to serve as Lanqi's teacher.
Just thinking about having to leave the academy with Lanqi later, and having to stay with Lanqi in this royal capital for at least some time in the future.
She felt like she was being roasted on a fire.
If her long-suppressed dream of restoring her country was ultimately exposed and failed because of this human.
She would only want to perish together with Lanqi.
Now she both hoped that Lanqi would quickly come out of the exam site and leave this place with her.
And also hoped that Lanqi would never come out, as she didn't want people to see them together.
"Lan...qi..."
Talia gritted her teeth and murmured.
She clenched her fists tightly, feeling that every second from now on would be like sitting on pins and needles.
In the decades since the destruction of the demon country, when she had been wandering alone.
This was the first time a human had made her feel such pain.
...
The seventh floor atrium of the Learning and Education Building, integrating modern design with natural elements, had a quiet and elegant atmosphere.
The skylight allowed daylight to fill the entire space, creating alternating patterns of light and shadow. Indoor plants surrounded the atrium, and beside it, there were some art installations and sculptures, adding a touch of soft humanistic atmosphere to the atrium.
Standing in this atrium was the chief examiner, Dean Loren of the Sage Academy, who was now clenching his fists.
The exam question this time was personally selected by him.
According to historians' analysis, this first-level Shadow World [Hidden Flame in the Cold Winter] was originally a predicament encountered by the last Holy Emperor, known for his benevolence and righteousness, in his early years in the ancient civilization of this world tens of thousands of years ago.
The legendary figure Loren admired most had always been this benevolent and righteous Holy Emperor.
Every deed of the Holy Emperor filled Loren with admiration.
In fact, for this exam, Loren not only wanted to test the new students' "wisdom and temperament".
He also hoped to let them understand the circumstances and state of mind in which the Holy Emperor helped the villagers back then.
And the helplessness and sadness the Holy Emperor felt after discovering the truth.
Yet he was still able to continue to carry out his benevolent heart without wavering, with firm faith.
"Damn it..."
However, this kid called Lanqi Wilford.
His operation.
It seemed to make the Holy Emperor look stupid.
Is it also acceptable to directly sacrifice the benevolent heart in exchange for demonic power?
Just like this, waiting for the exam time to end.
Loren looked up, staring at Lanqi leisurely baking sweets on the huge magic screen in the atrium.
He felt a fire burning in his heart.
If he could enter the Shadow World, he really wanted to kick that damn stove flying!
"This guy's magic power is so weak, why is he a candidate for our academy?"
Loren finally calmed down and muttered to himself in confusion.
From the moment he arrived at the exam site, he had sensed the magic power of all candidates.
He remembered that Lanqi's magic power strength was undoubtedly in the lowest tier among all present, even inferior to many physical system candidates from the Knight Academy.
If he hadn't noticed Lanqi on the magic screen, Loren would have almost mistaken Lanqi for a Knight Academy candidate at first.
"If he could pass the first round of attribute testing during the application for admission, it can only be said that his mental attributes would be very high, making up for the total evaluation after weighting..."
"But how can he pass the practical exam..."
The third round of assessment is different from the first two rounds. Apart from using one's own hard strength, there is no way to take shortcuts.
Loren was very sure that Lanqi was not a clergy member.
He couldn't feel any aura of divine protection on him.
So naturally, Lanqi couldn't use the "influence healing amount with mental strength" clerical magic cards.
...
The angle of light passing through the glass dome in the atrium gradually changed, like the hands of a clock, recording the passage of each moment.
The exam was finally coming to an end.
The candidates were sent out one by one from that huge vortex-like void gate in the order they entered.
Until all the participants had left the artificial Shadow World, Loren gently touched the secret key on the terminal and closed the void gate.
Then, the artificial Shadow World terminal began the final calculation of the exam results.
Loren stood on the high platform and looked around. He saw many qualified candidates who had not yet left the exam site scattered in the atrium, some unable to hide their joy, some with calm expressions.
Although it was impossible to know the Shadow World conquest status of other candidates during the exam.
But obviously there were quite a few confident candidates who were very sure that their scores for this Shadow World would definitely be among the top.