Ye Xinxia sat on the swing, her long, straight hair swaying gently in the breeze. Her clear, beautiful eyes made her seem delicate and serene, almost unreal in her calmness.
Song Jie recognized her instantly — one of the two heroines of Versatile Mage.
Ye Xinxia, the future successor of the Holy Temple... and the eventual Pope of the Black Vatican.
Knowing that, Song Jie decided it was best to keep some distance. That girl's future was surrounded by too many whirlwinds of fate — better not to get involved too early.
Still, looking at her now, sitting quietly with no strength in her legs, she seemed less like a saint and more like a fragile girl who needed help.
"Shall I carry you back to your wheelchair?" he asked softly.
Ye Xinxia blinked, hesitated for a moment, then nodded lightly.
Just as Song Jie was about to help her—
"What are you doing!"
A sharp voice interrupted him.
The tone was familiar. Song Jie turned to see Mo Fan striding toward them, his face tense.
"Brother Mo Fan!" Ye Xinxia called out in surprise.
Mo Fan reached them quickly. "Xinxia, why are you sitting here alone?"
"It's not what you think…" Ye Xinxia quickly explained what had happened, deliberately skipping over Song Jie's use of Light magic.
"I see." Mo Fan nodded, glancing at Song Jie. "Thanks for helping her."
Song Jie waved a hand. "It's nothing."
Since Mo Fan was here, there was no need for him to stay longer — and his stomach was still growling.
Ye Xinxia watched him leave, then turned to Mo Fan. "Brother Mo Fan, you know him?"
"He's my dorm mate. Zhang Xiaohou mentioned he's an orphan," Mo Fan said casually. "Why? Interested?"
Ye Xinxia smiled faintly. "He helped me, that's all. I just wanted to know his name."
Mo Fan didn't press further. He pushed Ye Xinxia's wheelchair and the two left together.
After eating his fill, Song Jie returned to his dorm. He sat on his bed, turning the old bronze bracelet on his wrist.
"This thing… could it be a cultivation artifact?" he murmured.
That would explain how he could meditate longer than others, and why his progress was absurdly fast.
Ordinary mages could only meditate about five hours a day before mental fatigue set in. But a cultivation artifact reduced fatigue, allowing longer and deeper meditation — a priceless treasure for any mage.
That must be why he had been able to cast Light magic after just half a semester.
"Alright," he muttered. "Time to keep pushing. The faster I reach Intermediate level, the better."
Time passed quickly.
A full year of cultivation flew by like a dream.
The school's first-year magic assessment was finally here!
At this point, Song Jie's Light-element cultivation had reached the second level, allowing him to cast second-stage elementary spells!
And his two Light magic skills… had been strengthened beyond all reason.
The once-basic Light Burst · Great Explosion had gone through a chain of outrageous transformations:
Light Burst · Great Explosion → Double Explosion → Consecutive Explosion → Enhanced Great Explosion → Ultimate Great Explosion!
When he saw the words Light Burst · Ultimate Great Explosion, even he was dumbfounded.
An elementary spell… with power comparable to a first-tier high-level Fire spell?!
Too outrageous!
And the best part? The mana cost was barely higher than a normal first-level spell.
He finally understood — this system wasn't just called "Outrageous" for fun.
Even his second-level Light spell had been strengthened six times!
It was almost ridiculous.
"If I show this during the assessment," Song Jie thought, "I'll blind everyone… literally."
Still, he decided against revealing everything. A power like this would attract too much attention — maybe even danger. Better to hide it as his trump card.
"Hey, look! Isn't that Mu Ningxue from Bo City?" someone shouted.
The crowd immediately turned toward the stage.
A girl in a white dress stood there, her snow-like hair fluttering gently in the wind. Her expression was icy, her beauty untouchable.
"The Ice Goddess…" someone whispered in awe.
"I heard she mastered elementary Ice magic in just eight months!"
"Not only that, she got accepted into the Imperial Capital Academy early — she's already a university student!"
The crowd buzzed with admiration.
Song Jie looked at her too. "She really is beautiful," he murmured.
As the principal and teachers took the stage, the assessment officially began.
"Brother Fan, how's your Fire-element cultivation?" Zhang Xiaohou whispered nervously.
"Relax," Mo Fan said, patting his shoulder. "I've already mastered first-level Fire release."
"Brother Jie, what about you?" Zhang Xiaohou turned to Song Jie.
"Not bad," Song Jie replied modestly.
Zhao Kunsan, who had been eavesdropping nearby, snorted. "You guys can brag all you want, but the top spot will still belong to Mu Bai!"
Zhang Xiaohou glared. "Zhao Kunsan, can you shut up for once?"
Mo Fan stopped him. "Forget it, Monkey. Don't waste your breath on a barking dog."
"Who are you calling a dog?!" Zhao Kunsan roared.
But before he could continue, the principal's voice echoed across the field.
"The Tianlan Magic High School Annual Magic Assessment… officially begins!"
Zhao Kunsan sneered. "Hmph, Mo Fan, if you fail the first test, don't embarrass yourself!"
Mo Fan ignored him. Song Jie too was focused — this was their first assessment, and everyone was nervous.
The test had two parts: cultivation measurement and magic release.
In front of each student stood a Star Perception Stone, glowing faintly.
By placing one's hand on it, the stone would display the brightness of their stardust, indicating their cultivation level.
Song Jie smiled faintly.
His Light element had already reached Level Two — far beyond the average student.
And his casting speed? Lightning-fast.
The top spot of this year's assessment… wouldn't belong to Mu Bai, nor to Mo Fan.
It would belong to him — Song Jie.