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Chapter 96: Apprentice Ladder Knights' Origins Examination
Chapter 96: Apprentice Ladder Knights' Origins Examination
At the Black Mist Jungle’s early morning hour, thin mist still cloaked the area, yet Luo En had already arrived at the School Library, his spirit thoroughly invigorated.
This wasn’t his first visit to the library, but today’s atmosphere felt entirely different. Last time, he’d barely entered as an Elementary Apprentice, requiring repeated security checks just to access the foundational reading zones. Now, as a newly certified Potion Master, he couldn’t wait to leverage his elevated status to delve into advanced arcane knowledge.
The library occupied a weathered stone tower—unassuming from the outside, yet every apprentice knew this was second only to paid courses in value for self-improvement.
The entrance guard had changed since his last visit. A gray-robed elder now stood watch, his face lined with age.
“A Potion Master badge?” the old man asked, surprise flickering in his eyes. “You can’t be more than sixteen or seventeen.”
Luo En nodded with a smile. “Luo Enlalf, recently certified. Master Magnus himself administered the exam.”
The guard examined the badge carefully before nodding. “The insignia can’t be forged—you truly are a prodigy.” He stepped aside. “As a Profession Potion Master, you have Secondary Privileges. You may access most general archives and some advanced materials.”
“Thank you,” Luo En replied politely, stepping into the sacred hall of knowledge.
The library’s interior defied expectations—vastly larger than its exterior suggested, obviously enhanced by spatial expansion magic. Towering shelves spiraled toward the ceiling, forming a labyrinthine ocean of knowledge.
At the central hall’s heart stood a waist-high, dark brown crystal pillar etched with intricate runes. This was the Guidance Stone—responding to users’ queries, it illuminated pathways to corresponding sections.
Approaching the stone, Luo En placed his palm on its surface and mentally focused on his search keywords: Intermediate Apprentice, spell mastery, advancement requirements.
The runes glowed blue, then a trail of light materialized midair, directing him toward a distant shelf cluster.
Following the path, he arrived at an area dedicated to apprentice advancement materials. His eyes were immediately drawn to a thick, brown leather-bound tome titled Apprentice Ladder in gold lettering.
Seating himself at a nearby oak table, Luo En carefully opened the yellowed pages. The bolded title read: Intermediate Apprentice—The Second Tier of the Apprentice Path.
He read intently, jotting notes into his leather-bound journal:
“…Unlike the Elementary Apprentice stage, where raw spiritual energy accumulation dominates, an Intermediate Apprentice’s core task revolves around deepening control over spiritual energy, particularly through spell construction…”
“…A qualified Intermediate Apprentice must master at least three zero-ring spells to the point of effortless execution. This requirement stems from established brain development science…”
Luo En’s brow furrowed slightly at this crucial point.
The text elaborated:
“…Creating spell models involves forging specific ‘neural circuits’ within the spirit sea. Each mastered spell builds corresponding neural pathways in the brain. When three or more spells are learned, these pathways intertwine into a ‘thought network,’ significantly enhancing spiritual energy’s flexibility and expansiveness…”
“…More importantly, once formed, this thought network becomes the foundation for learning higher-tier spells. Without this base, even immense spiritual power cannot sustain the complex models required for advanced magic…”
Realization dawned. “No wonder Ai Li Ke and Li Ya emphasized spell mastery—this is fundamental to brain development!”
Turning pages, he read about High Apprentice requirements:
“…High Apprentice status signifies both reaching a spiritual energy threshold and personalizing at least one spell to one’s unique understanding, making it distinct…”
“…Personalized spells are the gateway to Full Magehood. Every Full Mage possesses at least one entirely original spell system—a testament to individual insight and creativity…”
“…Apprentices lacking creativity will never breakthrough the High Apprentice limit, no matter their spiritual energy reserves…”
To become a true mage required more than power—it demanded unique perspective and innovation. This resonated perfectly with Luo En’s vision of magehood.
As he prepared to explore Full Mage ascension details, he encountered a heavily redacted page. Only the title Full Mage Ascension Details and a bold note remained: Restricted to Backup Mage Sequence Members.
His spiritual energy probe rebounded violently—an undeniable sign of powerful safeguards.
“I’ll need higher privileges,” he murmured, disappointment tempered by determination.
Returning the book, he approached the Guidance Stone again, this time seeking materials on knight professions. The stone illuminated a new path.
This section’s archives appeared ancient—faded covers, worn edges. Carefully selecting a tome titled Knights' Origins Examination, Luo En began reading.
The detailed records of Bloodline Knights and Demon Hunters fascinated him:
“…Demon Hunter origins trace to the early Second Era, following the ‘Great Mutation.’ Early mages attempted grafting magical beast organs onto humans to obtain bloodline abilities…”
Luo En frowned—the next line was scratched out. Continuing:
“…Early experiments mostly failed—most subjects died or mutated violently from biological rejection. Success rates improved only after Adrian Morel of the Black Raven School developed a ‘stabilizer’…”
Luo En’s attention sharpened—so Demon Hunters were indeed experimental creations!
Further reading revealed Bloodline Knight origins:
“…As Demon Hunter experiments improved, mages realized organ grafts provided rapid power but never eliminated biological rejection and mutation risks. Thus, Elwin Oswyn of the Arcane School proposed the ‘bloodline activation’ theory…”
“…Elwin theorized that ancient creature bloodline fragments already existed within humans. Through specific rituals, these dormant genes could awaken—providing power without rejection since the bloodlines were native…”
“…This theory quickly proved viable, becoming the foundation of today’s Bloodline Knight system. Compared to Demon Hunters, Bloodline Knights sacrificed explosive power gains for greatly increased stability and a seventy percent reduction in mutation risks…”
Understanding dawned. “So that’s why Andie said most Falu Ke Kingdom nobles awaken fire lizard bloodlines—those are ancestral traits.”
Turning to advancement potential sections, he found troubling details:
“…As a product of magical research, knight progression follows a ‘limited development’ model. Both Demon Hunters and Bloodline Knights experience rapid physical enhancement post-ritual, but growth curves plummet afterward…”
“…This stagnation occurs because advancement methods only exhaust existing potential rather than creating new growth pathways. Once genetic potential depletes, conventional physical training becomes ineffective…”
“…Further enhancement requires deeper bloodline excavation or stronger organ grafts—both exponentially increasing mutation risks…”
In other words, the Bloodline Knight path topped out at formal Knight status—no higher tiers existed.
(End of Chapter)
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