“Teacher Xiu, how could my level be compared the kingdom’s most talented people with such weak magic?” I immediately tried to shirk this.
“Who said your magic is weak; you’re the most remarkable student I’ve ever taught. How would you know if you have never tested yourself?” This is the first time I heard Teacher Xiu praise me, but I didn’t feel even the slightest bit of happiness.
“Then I’ll go home and discuss this with my mother and father and give you a reply tomorrow.”
“No need. I’ll go with you today to visit your family. Then I can discuss with them and they will surely agree.”
No way. The always calm Teacher Xiu is so impatient today. Well, there’s nothing I can do about it then. Once mother and father find out then I’m going to the capital for certain.
True to my expectations, once Teacher Xiu talked with mother and father, they were really excited for me. After all, when your own child has the prospective of entering the kingdom’s best academy, then how could you not be happy?”
“But Teacher Xiu, to enter the Royal Intermediate Magic Academy, a lord’s recommendation is required. We’re commoners, would they even let him take the test?” Father asked about a crucial issue.
“You don’t have to worry about this issue. I have already resolved it since I have a good friend who is a viscount. I asked him to recommend Zhang Gong.
Mother suddenly gave father a push and quietly whispered to father: “The Royal Intermediate Magic Academy’s tuition fee is really high though. We…..”
“I’m willing to sacrifice everything I have and throw caution to the wind in order to let my son go. How could we bury our son’s talents?” Hearing my father’s inspirational words, I felt that mother and father’s expectations of me are unexpectedly high.
“Father, mother, be at ease, I will surely pass the entrance exam.” I emotionally said. Shortly after saying this, I regretted it.
“Zhang Gong truly is well-behaved.” Father patted my head.
“Mr. Wei, actually you two don’t have to worry about these issues. Zhang Gong’s tuition is already covered.” Seeing the three gaping mouths of the family, Teacher Xiu said: “I extremely adore magic, but my magic aptitude is too meager. After investing 10 times the efforts of others, I am only a Great Mage. Even if I put in great effort, I would only be able to become a Magic Scholar in my lifetime. But Zhang Gong is different. I discovered that he has an unusual gift for light magic, so I hope my student can surpass me and reach the rank of Magister, and even more so to reach the realm of Grand Magister. Zhang Gong, you must not disappoint Teacher.”
Hearing Teacher Xiu’s words, it was only natural that mother and father thanked him ten thousand times for his thousand kindnesses. Since all the issues have been settled, what else did I have to say? I could only prepare to set off.
12
Volume 2: Chapter 1 – Arriving in the Capital
“Zhang Gong, you need to listen to Teacher Xiu, carefully take the test and strive to pass the exam to win honor for our family. If you truly are unable to pass the exam, then come home immediately. Don’t let mother and father feel anxious. Teacher Xiu, please take care of Zhang Gong.” Mother hugged me and cried for nearly half the day.
“Well then, don’t cry anymore mother of the child. It’s not like Zhang Gong isn’t coming back. Let’s stop delaying them and let them be on their way.”
After saying goodbye to mother, father, the academy’s teachers, and classmates (of course that fellow Ao De told me to learn magic well then come back and cover him), me and Teacher Xiu set foot on the road towards the capital.
“Teacher Xiu, how far are we from the capital?”
“We’re still very far. We need to pass through a province on a road roughly a thousand kilometers long.”
“That’s so far, ah.”
……
During the journey we typically traveled forty-five kilometers in eight hours, taking us over twenty days of endless trekking to finally reach the capital. Me and Teacher Xiu couldn’t use magic to fly, since only advanced wind mages are able to use wind soaring technique, Flight. The flight distance is naturally based on magic power. Originally I wanted to use teleportation, because one teleportation can move five hundred meters after all. But Teacher Xiu wouldn’t let me use it. During the whole journey he taught me a lot of exam tricks as well as some magic applications.
Because of mother, father and Teacher Xiu’s hopes, and of course, for filling up my wallet in the future, I put in an unusually great effort throughout the journey. This astonished Teacher Xiu greatly, to the point where he believed I had a change of character.
With these twenty some days of great effort in addition to the two months of meditation while Teacher Xiu was gone, right now my whole body is brimming with magic power. Teacher Xiu said that my magic power right now is at the very brink of a advanced mage’s.
Since my attack magic is awfully weak, Teacher Xiu taught me two more light spells during the journey. One of them is the Radiant Bind spell. This spell is mainly used for trapping the main enemy. It’s classified as an intermediate class magic. (Intermediate class light spells only have one attack spell.) There’s also the advanced class spell, Light Severing Sword. With my current magic power, I can only use this spell once. Teacher Xiu forbid me from using it before obtaining a significantly large amount of magic power, after all I can still just run away.
The capital truly is a great city, ah. The city walls are so tall and thick. Then there’s the city gate; it’s really wide with an endless stream of pedestrians entering and exiting. A merchant’s wagon speedily passed by. The sound of wheels never stops. There’s also a luxurious carriage with delicate engravings on it. (There should be a noble sitting within the carriage.) The carriage driver crossed between us. This truly deserves to be called the capital of my homeland, Aixia City.
Me and Teacher Xiu wandered within the city. Compared to Senke City, Aixia City is much bigger. On the side of the road there are many stores of various sorts and varieties. I really want to go looking for what kinds of new toys there are, but Teacher Xiu wouldn’t permit it. While pulling me like a lightweight carriage on a familiar road, we arrived at the Royal Intermediate Magic Academy which is located on the east side of the city.
“Zhang Gong, look at that grand building over there. That’s the Royal Intermediate Magic Academy. In three days it will begin it’s entrance exams. For now, let’s look for a place to rest.”
We found an inexpensive inn to stay at. Originally Teacher Xiu wanted to bring me to a better inn but the high class inns in the vicinity were all taken by the nobility who came from various regions of the country. So there was no alternative but to stay here. (Of course the nobility wishes for their children to be able to pass the entrance exam and enter the Royal Intermediate Magic Academy.)
“If it weren’t for us arriving early, I fear we wouldn’t have been able to stay here either.”
“That’s right. Nevertheless, teacher is wise. I only now comprehend why Teacher Xiu didn’t let me delay during our journey by wandering aimlessly.
“Zhang Gong, we’re going out. I’ll bring you out for a stroll.”