Chapter 309: They're All Blockheads!

Chapter 309: They're All Blockheads!

"This is why Ai Lun has remained in a semi-invalid state for decades."

Valen added, his voice heavy with deep remorse,

"Beyond the physical body's near-irreparable damage, any intense usage of spiritual energy activates wounds buried deep within her soul, causing her rationality to collapse. But me..."

He paused for a long time.

"Through a family arranged marriage, I gained enough resources to repair the soul trauma. That ancient mage family spared no expense to provide me with top-tier treatment simply to obtain a Dusk Sun Rank mage."

Silence fell over the room as everyone digested this story.

"There's one more thing you must know", Uther's voice broke the silence.

"Sarina never truly died. Her soul was taken by that Abyss entity. After nearly a century of modification, she's become a true Apostle."

This news sent a chill through the three silently listening.

"She's now known as 'Sweet Nightmare,' specializing in luring young mages obsessed with knowledge."

Uther continued, "In a way, she's still fulfilling the work she did over a century ago - spreading the Abyss's 'blessings,' though now on a larger scale and through more subtle methods."

Valen slowly rose, walking toward a vault deep within the study.

It was a cube forged from special alloy, its surface engraved with protective runes.

His hands trembled as he entered the password, retrieving a deep red memory crystal.

"This is a preserved record", he said, handing the crystal to Uther.

"Though I chose cowardice at the critical moment, at least I recorded how we were seduced. Perhaps... perhaps this record of failure holds greater educational value."

Uther accepted the crystal, the Phantom Husk's glow fluctuating slightly.

"Thank you, Valen. I understand what this means for you."

"Also..." Valen hesitated, "My wife Elena passed away thirteen years ago. She never broke through to become a Full Mage, and her health remained poor despite my best efforts..."

His voice quivered.

"We had no children. Elena's body couldn't withstand the burden of pregnancy. Perhaps this is my deserved punishment - eternal loneliness."

"The past cannot be changed", Uther's voice carried comforting warmth.

"But you still have opportunities to contribute to the future. Helping the younger generation avoid repeating our mistakes is the best redemption for the past."

Luo En listened quietly, gaining deeper understanding of the upcoming historical peering.

This wasn't merely a skill training session, but a brutal lesson about desire, betrayal, and consequences.

"When can I begin this historical peering?" he asked. "Are there any special preparations required?"

"After you break through to Moonlight Rank", Uther replied firmly.

"A Dawn Star Rank mage's Spiritual Energy Intensity cannot safely withstand such intense historical impact."

The Phantom Husk began fading.

"I'll properly store these records and arrange this special historical journey when the time comes. But remember one thing..."

His voice turned abnormally serious.

"No matter what you witness in history, never attempt to change anything. You're an observer, not a participant. Any intervention, though unable to truly alter history, will certainly provoke violent disturbances in the Time River, drawing the Time Hounds."

As Uther's Phantom Husk dissolved, the room's atmosphere gradually normalized.

On his way back to the workshop, Luo En was lost in deep contemplation.

The information overload today required careful digestion and analysis.

Valen's weakness, Madame Ellen's suffering, Sarina's corruption... every detail revealed the essence of the magical world.

In this power-driven world, friendship and trust were often the greatest luxuries.

Back at the workshop, Ai Lan approached.

"Master, you look weary. Was today's meeting smooth?"

"Enlightening, yet burdensome", Luo En replied briefly.

"I need time to organize my thoughts."

In his private study, he began attempting to use his breakthrough-enhanced "Sensory Perception" trait.

This ability allowed him to perceive historical traces on objects, recreating specific time-point scenes.

Since the skill's breakthrough, he'd felt a subtle pull - an elusive sense of something missing.

Today, after hearing discussions about memory erasure, this pull intensified.

Closing his eyes, Luo En let "Sensory Perception" guide his focus.

Soon, his attention was drawn to a corner cabinet holding various items from the black mist School - mostly souvenirs or low-utilization trinkets.

Guided by Sensory Perception, he opened a long-unopened wooden box.

Inside lay a pair of delicate mana crystal orbs, their pale blue surfaces shimmering with faint mana patterns.

As Luo En's spiritual energy touched them, a powerful sense of déjà vu surged.

Fragments of memories began piecing together...

A brown-haired girl, a bet, a farewell...

Carefully activating one orb, Luo En saw a faint, hazy image form -

A completely void-like space with no orientation, only endless mist slowly flowing.

Deep within the mist, he saw a familiar figure.

Cui Xi, but in an extremely dire state.

Her entire form flickered semi-transparently, fluctuating between solidity and nothingness, as if about to vanish completely.

She seemed to sense the observer, turning toward Luo En's direction.

Those once-vibrant eyes now held only profound despair and silent pleas.

Her lips moved repeatedly, trying to say something, but no sound came through.

Luo En attempted enhancing the orb's mana output for a stable connection.

But the image quickly shattered like paper torn by invisible hands, ultimately vanishing into nothingness.

The orb's glow dimmed, returning to stillness.

"They're still alive... in a certain sense."

Luo En analyzed calmly, staring at the orb.

"But trapped in some space, facing imminent complete dissipation."

He tried tracking the pocket dimension's location through the orb, but information remained severely limited.

With his current strength, rescue was impossible.

Even Moonlight Rank mages could barely flee from Forgotten Places.

Effectively combating "existence erasure" power required at least Dusk Sun Rank or Archmage strength, specialized protections, and extensive preparation.

Staring at the orb, Luo En conducted a precise cost-benefit analysis.

From pure rationality, Cui Xi and Kelinna's survival held limited importance to him.

Though they maintained decent relations during the black mist School period, it hadn't reached life-or-death bonds.

Risking significant danger for them wouldn't maximize benefits.

Even with reckless attempts, success probabilities remained negligible.

Forgotten Places terrified even experienced Archmages.

Reckless actions would only trap himself similarly.

Yet, Cui Xi had been one of his few friends at the black mist School.

Though not deeply bonded, at least a memory worth cherishing.

Rescue might be feasible if conditions allowed.

The key phrase: "if conditions allowed."

"Once I gain sufficient strength, I'll consider rescue possibilities."

Luo En made his decision, carefully returning the orb to its protective case.

"Until then, they must continue waiting. If they completely dissipate during this time... that'll be fate's arrangement."

This calculation might seem cruel, but it reflected Luo En's consistent decision-making style.

He never made irrational choices driven by emotional impulses.

Every decision required objective risk assessment and benefit analysis.

He clearly understood - only by becoming sufficiently powerful could he truly protect those worth protecting.

Blind sacrifices and impulsive actions would only perpetuate tragedies.

After sealing the orb away, Luo En devoted himself entirely to his growth.

Only by becoming stronger could he face future challenges.

Whether confronting Conquerors' threats, resisting Abyss temptations, or aiding waiting old friends...

Everything required greater power as foundation.

In Crystal Spire's east wing Enchantment classroom, the last wisp of sunset filtered through stained glass windows onto the stone podium.

Fredric Levin slowly put away his teaching rune pen, scanning the empty classroom.

Seats once filled with students now held only scattered apprentices packing notes and equipment. Most had already departed.

As a seasoned Enchanter with decades of teaching experience, Fulaidelike was long accustomed to this phenomenon.

Enchantment had never been a popular course.

Compared to alchemy's practicality and intuitive nature, Enchantment required extreme spiritual energy control precision and deep rune system understanding.

Most apprentices abandoned it after months of slow progress.

"Still the same..."

Fulaidelike sighed inwardly, sensing the minuscule Boon feedback from his body.

A month of intensive teaching, fifteen meticulously prepared academic hours, yielded such meager returns.

Among these students, probably less than one-tenth truly grasped his core teachings.

He could feel the feedback from students - confusion, frustration, annoyance, and complaints about the course's difficulty.

The negative emotions pierced his heart like needles, a painful reminder of his less-than-stellar teaching results.

"A bunch of blockheads! A whole bunch of blockheads!"

Fulaidelike shook his head with a bitter smile, signaling his Magic Automaton attendants to tidy the disarrayed teaching tools on the podium.

Those meticulously crafted rune models, the demonstration props he'd painstakingly prepared – to his students, they all seemed like dull, lifeless decorations.

Yet he couldn't really blame them.

Enchantment was indeed one of the most challenging disciplines in magecraft.

Its complexity far surpassed alchemy and transmutation, demanding mastery over multiple fields simultaneously – rune theory, mana conduction principles, and material sciences.

The innate talent requirements for Enchantment were far stricter than either of the other two mainstream magecrafts.

Without sufficient spiritual energy control precision, even the most fundamental stable rune formations would fail.

And the ability to control spiritual energy was largely innate – something that training couldn't significantly improve post-birth.

"But precisely because of its difficulty, the resulting boon effect would be stronger... if one could encounter a truly gifted apprentice."

Fulaidelike recalled his chance encounter months ago – that black-haired young associate professor, Luo En Lalf.

The man had merely attended one lecture, yet displayed astonishing comprehension.

What was rarer still, he'd asked questions full of profound insight, demonstrating deep contemplation on the essence of enchantments.

"If he truly chose to delve deeper into Enchantment..."

The thought made Fulaidelike shake his head with a bitter chuckle.

Given Luo En's current status and achievements, why would he invest effort into such an arduous field?

Over the past few months, this young "treasure-grade genius" had dominated the Central Lands.

Not only had he claimed victory in the Rainbow Ring competition during the Lance Anniversary, but he'd also earned over a thousand contribution points through his original theoretical work.

What made his peers most envious, though, was his remarkable success in teaching.

Rumors claimed his courses were so popular that enrollment often exceeded classroom capacity.

Students who graduated from his classes spoke of him with nothing but admiration.

And this recognition and respect would transform into a steady stream of high-quality boons.

"I've heard he's already discovered several apprentices with exceptional innate talents."

Fulaidelike's hands slowed as he organized his teaching tools, his eyes betraying clear envy.

"Even one who's already entered the School's elite talent pool, marked as a future seed candidate."

Such achievements were the ultimate honor for any educator.

Discovering and cultivating true genius brought not just abundant boon energy, but also the strongest testament to one's academic standing.

In contrast, though Fulaidelike had nurtured several qualified enchanters over the years, those he could truly call geniuses were few and far between.

This was precisely why he'd remained just an ordinary lecturer, unable to enter the core academic circle.

As these complex emotions consumed him, a heavier topic surfaced in his mind.

The Cassandra Tower Lord's imminent return.

This was no longer a secret within the Crystal Spire, with various rumors and speculations already circulating in hushed tones.

As a seasoned academic with decades of experience at the School, Fulaidelike had learned through his information channels about some troubling intelligence.

The reforms the Conquerors planned to implement would likely overhaul the Crystal Spire's existing management system.

The traditional contribution point system would run parallel to the new "merit system", with major adjustments to academic evaluation standards.

More concerning still, mages who were both aging and failing to produce sufficient academic achievements would face difficult choices.

"External assignment to frontier academies..."

Fulaidelike repeated the phrase that had kept countless colleagues awake at night.

On the surface, it was described as strengthening educational support in frontier regions, but in reality, it was a form of exile.

Those sent to these distant institutions were nominally fulfilling the noble duty of "knowledge dissemination", cultivating potential seeds for the Crystal Spire.

But everyone understood the unspoken truth – such assignments often meant the effective end of one's academic career.

The frontier academies were woefully under-equipped, with scarce resources that couldn't support high-level research.

For mages sent there, it meant spending the twilight of their professional lives in obscurity, gradually forgotten by the mainstream academic community.

Fulaidelike thought of his own friends and distant relatives.

Many were already lamenting the impending changes.

Some were frantically writing papers, hoping to boost their academic reputation before reforms launched.

Others desperately sought connections and protection to avoid being exiled.

A few simply considered early retirement to preserve what dignity remained.

Yet no matter what strategies they employed, against the Conquerors' overwhelming influence, these struggles seemed futile.

Cassandra Eve, the legendary Archmage and current matriarch of the Crown Clan.

She represented not just personal will, but a profound transformation in the entire mage civilization's direction.

Shifting from the conservative, steady traditional path to an aggressive expansionist conquest strategy.

This transformation's impact would be far-reaching, with no mage in Crystal Spire able to remain unaffected.

"Perhaps... Enchantment's status might become even higher than now."

Fulaidelike tried to find some comfort in this gloomy outlook.

Conquering other worlds would require vast quantities of enchanted equipment and artifacts – precisely where enchanters excelled.

From this perspective, Enchantment's importance wouldn't decline but might receive unprecedented emphasis.

Mages mastering advanced enchantment techniques could become core personnel in the new system.

"But only if one could produce tangible results..."

He shook his head with a bitter smile. Reality was always crueler than fantasy.

Merely possessing theoretical knowledge was far from enough – one had to create genuinely valuable achievements to stand firm during this transformation.

As Fulaidelike was caught in these anxious thoughts, a sudden, massive shockwave struck without warning.

It was a pure, overwhelming surge of boon energy, reaching him from a relatively nearby distance with unprecedented intensity and concentration.

The sensation was like a desert traveler suddenly encountering sweet rain, or a nearly dried-up river suddenly merging with a mighty tributary.

Fulaidelike's body trembled violently, nearly losing control to the intense pleasure.

He had to grip the podium's edge tightly, forcing himself to maintain surface-level composure.

Yet the shock was so intense that his legs began to weaken, sweat beading on his forehead.

"Whose boon is this...?"

Fulaidelike exclaimed inwardly, desperately analyzing the boon's origin and characteristics.

As an experienced educator, he had a keen perception of various boon qualities.

Ordinary apprentices' boons were typically weak and brief, like drizzle – prolonged but lacking in strength.

Students with exceptional innate talents produced purer, longer-lasting boons, like spring sunshine that felt pleasant.

But the scale and quality of this boon had completely surpassed all his previous experiences.

"This purity... it can only come from a treasure-grade genius."

Shock flashed in his eyes as he began searching his mind for possible sources.

Within the Crystal Spire, those young mages rated as Treasure Grade were few in number, most with clear mentor relationships.

The only person who could possibly generate such intense boon feedback at this time and location was likely just one...

"Luo En Lalf?"

Fulaidelike's eyes widened, this guess sending both excitement and confusion through him.

This level of boon feedback typically occurred only when students achieved major breakthroughs or profound realizations.

A bold idea surfaced in Fulaidelike's mind.

That pure mana was slowly nourishing his spirit core, cleansing the minute impurities accumulated over years, even sharpening his thoughts.

This effect went beyond mere boon energy – it resembled a miraculous spiritual purification.

"I must find a way to seize this opportunity."

An intense impulse rose in Fulaidelike's chest. Rationality told him to remain calm, but the inner longing burned like wildfire.

As an academic who'd devoted his life to enchantment, he understood this opportunity's rarity too well.

If he could continue guiding this genius, he would surely gain an endless stream of powerful boon feedback.

Moreover, in the upcoming reforms, mentors with treasure-grade students would undoubtedly receive higher status and better treatment.

"But... I heard he's already gained Professor Eutel's favor..."

Reality's coldness quickly doused Fulaidelike's rising hope.

Setting aside how to teach him, Luo En's study of enchantment might be merely out of interest rather than professional necessity.

"Still... there might be a chance."

Fulaidelike recalled their brief previous encounter – that young man's humble, focused demeanor.

Unlike some arrogant geniuses, Luo En gave the impression of genuine sincerity and thirst for knowledge.

Someone like that might truly value deep academic exchange.

"I should be more proactive."

With this thought, Fulaidelike began formulating a plan in his mind.

He believed that with his decades of accumulated expertise in the enchantment field, he could certainly offer something of interest to the other.

"At the very least, I must try..."

Fulaidelike took a deep breath, feeling the warming power of the boon coursing through him.

This sensation was like long-awaited rain after a drought, reigniting his passion for teaching and academia.

Perhaps Fate herself was opening a new door for him, giving him the chance to achieve genuine breakthroughs and accomplishments in the twilight of his career.

And the key to this new opportunity was that young genius named Luo En Lalf.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end