As night deepened, the dormitory area of Azure Breeze Magic Academy fell into silence, broken only by the occasional footsteps of patrolling tutors passing by the stone houses. Lynn lay on his bed, and by the moonlight filtering through the window, his fingertips gently brushed the black patterns on the Forbidden Codex. Since absorbing the energy from that black book in the library that afternoon, the parchment had been vibrating faintly, as if guiding him toward a certain place.
Andy, sleeping soundly beside him, let out soft snores. Lynn quietly got up, tucked the Forbidden Codex close to his body, changed into light clothes, grabbed his wooden short staff, gently pushed open the dorm door, and vanished into the night. He didn't know where the Forbidden Codex was leading him, but his intuition told him this might be a crucial chance to boost his strength—and even a key clue to unlocking the secrets of his origins and Ashen Magic.
The academy was extraordinarily quiet at night. The bluestone paths were empty, with only the "rustle" of wind blowing through the cyan trees. Following the direction of the Forbidden Codex's vibration, Lynn walked all the way to the academy's后山—a restricted trial area, said to be filled with low-level magic traps and inhabited by some magical beasts, where few students dared to venture on usual days.
The closer he got to the后山, the stronger the Forbidden Codex vibrated. Its black patterns glowed faintly in the night, like a small lamp guiding the way. Lynn carefully pushed through the dense woods, avoiding vines and protruding rocks on the ground, and soon reached an open space deep in the后山.
In the center of the open space stood a huge black stone stele, its surface covered with black patterns similar to those on the Forbidden Codex—but more complex and ancient. Thick black mist lingered around the stele, and faint energy fluctuations could be seen in the mist, as if countless eyes were watching him from the shadows.
Lynn's heart raced uncontrollably. He could clearly sense an enormous surge of energy contained in the stele—purer and more overwhelming than the energy in the black book from the library. The Forbidden Codex trembled violently in his arms; its black patterns lit up instantly, and a powerful suction force extended from the parchment toward the black stele.
"What place is this? And what kind of energy is in the stele?" Lynn murmured, filled with doubt yet unable to contain his excitement. If he could absorb the energy in the stele, his Ashen Spark would definitely grow significantly, and he might even unlock more Ashen Magic abilities.
He took a deep breath, stepped quickly toward the black stele, and reached out to gently touch the patterns on its surface. The moment his fingertips made contact, a massive wave of energy—like a breached flood—rushed madly into his body. Lynn could clearly feel the Ashen Spark in his body light up instantly, like a blazing sun, devouring the surging energy greedily.
Black patterns spread up his arm, resonating with those on the Forbidden Codex to form a complete energy cycle. Lynn closed his eyes, immersed in the thrill of growing power—the Ashen Spark, once the size of a grain of rice, swelled to the size of a soybean. The patterns on its surface became clearer, and he could even faintly see the black energy flowing inside.
Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps suddenly came from the woods, accompanied by a low shout: "Who's there? How dare you break into the restricted trial area!"
Lynn's eyes snapped open. He immediately suppressed his internal energy, clutched the Forbidden Codex tightly to his chest, and looked warily toward the source of the sound. Three figures in black cloaks stepped quickly out of the woods, silver masks covering their faces, and short staves engraved with the Holy Light Council's emblem tucked at their waists—they were Council spies!
"It's you! The handyman from Fallen Dust Town!" The leader of the spies recognized Lynn, his voice tinged with surprise before turning cold. "Gray was right after all—there is abnormal energy fluctuation on you. And you're sneaking here to absorb forbidden energy. It seems you're inseparable from forbidden magic!"
Lynn's heart sank. Gray must have told Mage Colin about his whereabouts, and Colin had sent spies to capture him! He gripped his wooden short staff tightly, circulating his ashen energy rapidly in preparation for battle.
"What do you want? This is the trial area of Azure Breeze Magic Academy—not a place for the Holy Light Council to run amok!" Lynn forced down his nervousness and shouted, trying to buy time to find an escape route.
"What do we want? To capture you, of course, and bring you back to the Council for interrogation!" The lead spy sneered, raising his staff toward Lynn. "Holy Light Bind!"
A golden rope of light shot from the tip of the staff, carrying a strong purifying aura as it coiled toward Lynn. Lynn's pupils contracted; he rolled sideways to dodge the light rope, and at the same time, condensed a gray fireball at his fingertip and hurled it at the spy—it was his first time using an Ashen Fireball in actual combat, and he wasn't fully confident.
The gray fireball, trailing faint black smoke, arced through the air and hit the lead spy's staff dead-on. Instead of the expected explosion, there was a hissing sound—the golden light on the staff dimmed instantly, and part of the Holy Light energy inside was devoured by the Ashen Fireball!
"What kind of magic is this? It can even absorb Holy Light energy!" The lead spy's face paled, his eyes filled with shock and fear. "You are practicing forbidden magic! Brothers, attack together—don't let him escape!"
The other two spies responded immediately, swinging their staves. Two orange Fireballs and a cyan Wind Blade shot toward Lynn at the same time. The fireballs carried searing heat, and the wind blade whistled sharply through the air, almost blocking all Lynn's escape routes.
Lynn's heart plummeted. With his current strength, he could barely handle one spy—against three well-trained ones, he stood no chance! At this critical moment, a blue water shield suddenly flew out of the nearby woods, positioning itself firmly in front of him.
"Boom! Boom!"
The fireballs and wind blade crashed into the water shield, instantly devoured, leaving only ripples in their wake. Lynn turned in surprise to see Senior Eve stepping out of the woods. She held her staff, her eyes cold as she stared at the three spies, blue water-element energy swirling around her like an invisible armor.
"This is the academy's forbidden area—how dare you Holy Light Council spies run wild here?" Eve's voice was tinged with anger. She took two steps forward, positioning herself in front of Lynn. "Leave at once, or don't blame me for being ruthless!"
The three spies' faces darkened. The lead spy ground his teeth and said, "We're sent by the Holy Light Council to hunt down forbidden magic users. This has nothing to do with you. Step aside if you know what's good for you, or we'll arrest you too!"
"With just the three of you?" Eve scoffed, raising her staff. "Water Dragon Shots!"
Three blue water arrows shot from the tip of her staff, as fast as lightning, toward the spies. The spies hastily cast defensive magic—golden Holy Light Shields and orange Fireball Barriers flared to life, trying to block the water arrows.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The water arrows hit the shields and barriers, exploding instantly. The powerful impact sent the three spies staggering back, blood trickling from the corners of their mouths. They knew they were no match for Eve; continuing to fight would only lead to more losses. The lead spy glared fiercely at Lynn, grinding his teeth: "We're leaving! This isn't over!" With that, he led the other two spies in a hasty retreat from the open space.
Only when the spies' figures disappeared into the woods did Lynn relax. He walked up to Eve and bowed deeply in gratitude: "Thank you for saving me again, Senior. I can't repay this kindness. But… why did you help me? It seems you knew I'd be here all along?"
Eve didn't answer immediately. Instead, she turned to look at the black stele, her eyes filled with complex emotions—sorrow, anger, and a hint of barely perceptible fear. After a long moment, she spoke, her voice hoarse: "I not only knew you'd be here, but I also know the parchment you're hiding in your arms is called the Forbidden Codex. And I know you're practicing Ashen Magic."
Lynn's pupils dilated in shock. How could Eve know so much? He instinctively clutched the Forbidden Codex tighter, watching her warily: "Senior, who are you really? How do you know all this?"
Eve turned to face Lynn, her eyes glistening with tears: "Because my family was once the guardian of the Forbidden Codex. And this black stele is the 'Source of Ashes' that my family has guarded for generations—it contains the purest source of power for Ashen Magic."
Lynn was stunned. He had never imagined Eve had such a connection to the Forbidden Codex. Before he could ask more, Eve sighed and continued: "Twenty years ago, the Holy Light Council suddenly attacked my family, claiming we were practicing forbidden magic, and trying to seize the Forbidden Codex and the Source of Ashes. My parents fought desperately to protect me and the Codex, but they were finally killed by the Council's men. I escaped with the Codex, wandering through many places before finally coming to Azure Breeze Magic Academy, hiding my identity, waiting for a chance to avenge them."
"I've been looking for someone who can inherit the Forbidden Codex—until I saw you cast that 'Wind Blade' during the assessment. It wasn't wind-element magic at all; it was simulated with ashen energy, exactly like the magic my parents used back then. Later, when I saw you absorb the energy from that black book in the library, I was even more certain—you're the one who can inherit the Codex."
Eve's voice trembled with sobs. She wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, her gaze hardening with resolve: "Lynn, the Holy Light Council won't let this go. Now that they've sent spies, they'll definitely take bigger actions. You must strengthen yourself as soon as possible, master more Ashen Magic, to stand against their pursuit. Starting tomorrow, I'll teach you how to wield ashen energy, how to interpret the patterns on the Forbidden Codex, and how to absorb energy from the Source of Ashes."
Lynn looked at Eve's determined eyes, his heart a whirlwind of emotions. He had never expected to be drawn into such a tangled web of enmity, nor that Eve would share such an important secret with him. He took a deep breath and said solemnly: "Senior, thank you for telling me all this. From now on, your enemies are my enemies. I'll stand with you, fight against the Holy Light Council, and avenge your parents!"
Eve nodded, a faint relieved smile appearing on her face. She walked to the black stele, reaching out to gently touch its surface patterns. The stele lit up with a faint glow, and the black mist around it gradually dissipated, revealing clearer patterns beneath.
"The Source of Ashes energy in this stele is too overwhelming. With your current strength, you can't absorb too much directly," Eve turned to Lynn and said. "I have a copy of The Fundamental Compendium of Ashen Magic left by my parents. It records how to absorb and wield ashen energy step by step. Take it and read it first. We'll come back here tomorrow night, and I'll teach you the specific cultivation methods."
Lynn took the yellowed book Eve handed him, his heart filled with gratitude. He glanced down at the Forbidden Codex in his arms, then at the black stele and Eve in front of him. Suddenly, he no longer felt alone—in this dangerous, challenging magical world, he finally had a trustworthy ally and a clear direction to move forward.
The night grew darker as Lynn and Eve quietly left the open space in the后山, heading back to the dormitory area. Moonlight spilled over them, stretching their shadows long across the ground. Lynn knew that from this moment on, his fate was tightly bound to the Forbidden Codex, to Eve, and to the mission of opposing the Holy Light Council. Though the road ahead was fraught with danger, he no longer felt fear—for he knew he was no longer the bullied "magic good-for-nothing," but an Ashen Mage on the verge of rising.
When he returned to the dorm, Andy was still fast asleep. Lynn lay down gently on his bed, and by the moonlight, opened The Fundamental Compendium of Ashen Magic. Though the text was ancient, it clearly recorded the cultivation methods and application techniques of Ashen Magic. As he read, he thought silently to himself—tomorrow, he would not only learn Ashen Magic from Eve, but also stay alert to Gray and the Holy Light Council spies, and make good use of the academy's resources to strengthen himself.
The moonlight outside the window gradually faded, and the sky turned pale with the first light of dawn. Lynn closed the book, tucking it close to his body along with the Forbidden Codex. He closed his eyes, replaying the key points of his cultivation in his mind. He knew a new day was about to begin—and greater challenges awaited him.