Luciel Lanster, after clearing the ninth floor of the Knight Tower, earned an unprecedented perfect evaluation badge in the tower.
It is highly likely that he will be accepted as a closed disciple by the vice-president.
Students who are familiar with the Knight Tower's perfect evaluation badge certainly understand what it represents.
Not only would being accepted as a closed disciple by the vice-president be an incredible honor, but it is also said that even the dean, who has been faceless for many years, might take Luciel as a disciple, a mysterious and unpredictable figure in his own right.
Rumors say that the clearance evaluation badge of the Knight Tower is personally issued by the dean himself.
Whether this is true or not is unknown.
If it is true, does it not mean that Luciel's talent has already been recognized by the dean?
That's quite astonishing.
However, there's more to come.
The previous news was based on speculation, but the second piece of information was personally confirmed by someone important.
Lord Giles, the vice-dean of the Magic Academy, announced to the Knight Academy, "Luciel Lanster has unparalleled talent in magic pharmacy and will become my second disciple."
The reaction? Shock.
Not only the people from the Knight Academy, but even the students of the Orland Magic Academy were taken aback.
Luciel, who was known as the greatest genius of the Knight Academy in a hundred years, is now also recognized as a genius in magic pharmacy?
And it was Lord Giles, the vice-president, who said it himself. Could it be a joke?
But how does the Knight Academy, known for swordsmanship, also connect with magic pharmacy?
News soon spread that the new low-level power potions sold by the Shelley Chamber of Commerce were crafted by Luciel himself.
Only a few dozen bottles of this medicine were released, and not many people had the chance to use it.
Those who were fortunate enough to try it immediately praised the medicinal effects as extraordinary.
As a result, Luciel's image grew more mysterious and elevated in everyone's mind.
It also provided an explanation for Luciel's three years of relative obscurity.
He had been quietly honing his skills, deeply immersed in the study of magic potions, and only when he achieved certain breakthroughs, did he choose to reveal his work, making a remarkable splash.
This is the true embodiment of persistence and resilience, characteristics central to the knightly code.
Many instructors began to praise him, saying, "Luciel Lanster is someone who truly understands and embodies the knight's way. It is rare to see such individuals among the younger generation."
Luciel's reputation soared to new heights.
He quickly became an idol to many noble girls, admired and revered.
Luciel, once a frequent visitor to the academy library, was now the focus of countless girls hoping to catch a glimpse of him. The library became crowded daily with students eager to meet Luciel.
Luciel had become a role model, adored by many and admired for his perseverance and strength.
His reputation among the nobility was also solid, for Luciel was most skilled in court swordsmanship.
Few could win the favor of both commoners and nobles, but Luciel had managed to do just that.
The name Luciel Lanster spread beyond the academy and into the upper echelons of Baifeng City.
Many aristocrats had heard of him and urged their younger generations to find ways to contact Luciel, even sending gifts to the academy in hopes of gaining his favor.
Being chosen as a disciple by Vice President Giles, combined with his remarkable talent in knightly skills, made Luciel a rising star who would soon dominate Baifeng City's social scene.
The mere association with Giles raised Luciel's profile immensely, and it was clear that his future was exceptionally bright.
However, the subject of this whirlwind of rumors, Luciel, was nowhere to be found. He seemed to have vanished from public sight entirely.
---
Luciel, meanwhile, was diligently practicing the Huazhe Cross Swordsmanship, but what he held in his hand wasn't a sword. Instead, it was a slender wooden stick, no thicker than a little finger.
Despite its frailty, Luciel wielded the stick with more force than a real long sword.
There was a sharp "whooshing" sound in the air, and the thin wooden stick struck a stone the size of a head, shattering it into countless pieces.
If anyone were to witness this scene, they would be left utterly stunned.
How could such a thin wooden stick break a hard rock?
While this could be possible if one were using aura or energy, the stick emitted no visible aura. How could this feat have been accomplished?
"Fourth Realm!" Luciel exclaimed, putting the wooden stick down, his eyes alight with joy.
"The fourth stage of swordsmanship, where light and heavy are interchangeable. I didn't expect the breakthrough to come so easily!"
Luciel had been incorporating mental stimulation training, aided by various materials, significantly improving his attributes.
[Attributes:]
[Strength: 5.1]
[Speed: 5.1]
[Constitution: 5.5]
[Will: 5.1]
All of his attributes, even his will, were more than five times greater than that of an ordinary person, placing him at a true knightly level.
Now, Luciel could complete a mental stimulation session in just over 40 minutes.
Although he had yet to fully awaken his fighting energy, his physical attributes had greatly improved, even without taking additional materials.
This progress had far surpassed the effects of the knight's breathing techniques that Julian had taught him.
His training was bearing fruit. Furthermore, any residual impurities or potential hidden issues in his body had been cleared.
Now, Luciel felt stronger than ever—physically and mentally refreshed, in the best shape of his life.
With his improved willpower, Luciel's understanding of swordsmanship had also grown dramatically.
Swordsmanship was advancing rapidly, and today, he had naturally comprehended the fourth realm!
"If you can lift a heavy weight with ease, you can concentrate all your strength at a single point, making the weight seem almost nonexistent and allowing you to release ten, or even a hundred, times the power."
"Mastering light and heavy means extending one's strength to the point where your weapon feels like a part of your body, like an extension of your arm. At this stage, even wielding a simple branch can feel as effective as using an iron rod."
"My mental strength is now on par with that of a real magician."
"If I continue practicing mental stimulation techniques a few more times, I should be able to fully awaken my fighting energy."
"Considering the time, the exchange competition between the two colleges is approaching..."
Suddenly, Luciel's thoughts shifted.
In his intense focus on training, he had neglected Julian's earlier advice.
Julian had promised to teach him skills to fight against magicians and had also mentioned teaching him some low-level footwork.
He wondered if it was too late to learn these skills. He hoped he wouldn't face any consequences for forgetting...
Luciel smiled wryly and quickly left his practice space, hoping he hadn't missed his chance.