I was standing at the assembly again. Today was the exam for the first-year students of Tian Lan Magic High School. For this occasion, the head of the Mu Clan arrived with his brother and daughter, along with the head of the Magic Association, the head of the Hunter's Union, and the commander of the local military garrison.
As for one of the main heroines and Mo Fan's future girlfriend, Mu Ningxue: I didn't see anything extraordinary. She was quite pretty with silver hair, looking at everyone as if they were dust under her feet. As far as I recall, she suffers constant pain due to an innate soul seed, which will only pass once she breaks through to the Advanced level. I feel sorry for the girl; she was used as a surrogate mother to nurture an Ice artifact since childhood, and later they'll want to rip it out along with her cultivation. Another reminder that you shouldn't stand out with strength; if a clan doesn't spare its own members, even from a branch family, heaven knows what they could do to some random kid. It's terrifying to imagine.
But I digress. The exam proceeded calmly. Mu Bai performed, receiving an S for magic power and a B for release. Mo Fan went after him.
Initially, he couldn't do it, but after a while, the orb lit up. They wanted to give him an A, but Tang Yue insisted on a re-test. The guy shone then, receiving an S.
As if that wasn't enough, he decided to take the release exam, where he received an A. What a commotion followed! Everyone was gasping, some congratulating, others cursing. Then the Mu Clan took the stage.
Mu Zhuoyun invited Mo Fan to join his family, but Mo Fan literally trashed him and told him where to go. A whole brawl started, everyone screaming and accusing each other. They decided that when Mo Fan turns eighteen, there will be a duel between him and the heir of the Mu family.
Finally, the circus ended, and the exam continued. Soon it was my turn.
I stepped onto the stage and placed my hand on the orb, trying to limit my magic. As soon as the orb glowed enough, I stopped channeling spiritual energy.
"Grade A. Do you want to take the release exam?"
"Of course."
"Begin!"
I formed the Shadow star map and sank into my own shadow, moved behind the target, and emerged from there.
"Release grade: B!" the announcer shouted loudly.
Everyone started clapping, and I went back to my seat. The guys standing near me began to congratulate me. The head of the association, the head of the hunter league, and the military commander were whispering with the principal, occasionally looking at me. They're probably finding out who I am to recruit me in the future. Good luck to them; maybe they'll toss me some interesting resources.
After the exam, I gathered with my roommates and girlfriend at a nearby cafe. We had a good time discussing studies and which universities we planned to attend.
"Brother, you'll definitely get into the Imperial University. You'll study with our Ice Princess and become a big shot in some magic association! Don't forget your old friends who supported you from the start!"
"No, Bai Qi. I'm thinking of applying to Mingzhu University in Shanghai. The influence of clans is too great at Imperial; a person from the common folk will either be crushed or forced to join someone's entourage. You can't climb high after that."
"You're so smart, brother. I'm sure you'll succeed. If you ever need our help, you can always count on us!"
"Thanks for the support, friends!"
"Alright, boys, I have a gift for Li Kai, we're leaving," Le Ri said.
"Take another hour before coming back," I added.
"Sure thing, brother," the guys replied.
Le Ri and I went to our room. We had our intimacy in my dormitory room. There wasn't any serious checkpoint there, so girls could easily visit, and making the guys leave was no problem at all. They just gave us suggestive smiles and watched us leave with envious eyes. The girl turned out to be quite convenient; once I told her I was busy, she'd back off immediately. She didn't nag, wasn't difficult, and was always ready—likely afraid of losing a good match for the future. I could stay with her until the end of school; besides, I taught her a lot, so the girl is quite experienced now.
Entering the room, Le Ri knelt down and tied her hair in a ponytail.
Time to enjoy youth.