Part 1: The Grand Mirage of the Royal Magic Academy
Concluding his mysterious conversation with the Dark Lord in that secluded, shadowy alley, Relin immediately set off toward the northern district of the Royal City. His destination was none other than The Royal Magic Academy—the pinnacle of pride and glory in the entire empire. Before he could ever hope to confront the treacherous conspirators of the Lin family, Relin desperately needed a safe sanctuary, a place to lay low while he deciphered the true nature of his newly awakened Ashen Devouring Qi.
When the colossal boundary walls of the academy finally loomed into view from a distance, Relin stood frozen in sheer awe. This was no mere educational institution; it was an entire magical metropolis. Towering Gothic Spires pierced the heavens, surrounded by perpetually swirling vortices of multicolored spiritual and magical energy that crackled against the sky.
The grand main gates were forged from an ancient Mystic Alloy, their surface deeply etched with thousands of glowing, defensive Runes. Standing like monolithic stone statues on either side of the entrance were two formidable elders of the Outer Academy—Elder Stone and Elder Iron. The suffocating pressure of the Earth and Metal Qi radiating from their bodies was enough to keep ordinary mortals from even daring to approach.
Stepping through the threshold, Relin was greeted by an unbelievable spectacle. The vast landscape was dotted with rolling hills, crystalline artificial lakes, and expansive Training Grounds carved between them. The air itself vibrated with the low hum of ancient incantations, punctuated by the sharp, whistling swooshes of swords cutting through the wind. Further in the distance lay the heavily guarded boundary of the Inner Court, shrouded in a dense, fog-like Energy Barrier. Legend had it that those who cultivated within the Inner Court were destined to become the future lords of the land—a sacred domain that ordinary students could only dream of entering.
Part 2: The Return of Instructor Kai
As Relin navigated through the bustling crowds, heading straight toward the administrative heart of the campus—The Grand Mage Tower—a familiar silhouette suddenly stepped out to block his path. Wearing a long, flowing silk robe with a slender, sheathed sword strapped to his back, it was none other than Instructor Kai.
The moment Relin's eyes fell upon him, a flood of memories rushed back. This was the very man who had once arrived at the Lin Family Estate to personally deliver the academy's official invitation. Back then, Relin was hailed as the number one genius of the empire. What a cruel twist of fate; today, that very same genius stood before the academy gates like a destitute vagrant, his cultivation completely ruined.
Instructor Kai stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes momentarily widening before filling with a profound sense of guilt and sorrow. He approached Relin, his voice dropping to a somber whisper. "Relin... you actually made it to the Royal City? After I heard about what happened at the Lin family estate—how your Immortal Grade Cultivation Root was completely incinerated... I couldn't forgive myself. I tried to reason with the Dean, but against the sheer political weight of the Lin family and the rigid laws of the academy, I was utterly powerless."
Relin offered a faint, melancholy smile. There was no resentment in his eyes. "Instructor Kai, you are not to blame. The poison that destroyed me was fed to me by my own flesh and blood. You were merely a teacher passing through."
Kai let out a heavy sigh, his expression hardening with resolve. "I will personally escort you to the Dean, Relin. But brace yourself. The academy will no longer roll out the red carpet for you. You must stay strong."
Part 3: The Audience with Head Dean Albert
With Instructor Kai personally leading the way, the Outer Court guards did not dare block their path. They ascended straight to the topmost chamber of the tower, where an elderly man stood looking out the massive windows, his back turned to the room. This was the supreme authority of the academy—Head Dean Albert. Beneath his calm, weathered exterior lay a magical prowess as vast and unfathomable as the deep ocean.
Relin stepped forward, bowing respectfully. "Greetings, Dean Albert."
Dean Albert turned around slowly. Instructor Kai stepped forward and placed a dusty, weathered Mystic Token—given to Relin by his late mother—firmly onto the Dean's desk. As the Dean's gaze shifted from the token to Relin, his powerful Divine Sense swept over the boy. In an instant, he perceived the tragic truth: Relin's world-renowned cultivation root had been utterly reduced to ashes.
Letting out a deep, heavy sigh, Dean Albert spoke in a solemn voice. "So, you are Relin... the legendary genius of the Lin family? Your mother's token is incredibly sacred to me. But tell me, child, how did you fall into such a tragic state?"
Relin could no longer hold back the burning bitterness locked inside his chest. He laid bare every single agonizing detail before the Dean—the grand betrayal during the family celebration, the sadistic torture inflicted by Hao-Lin and Shu-Lin, the agonizing pain of the Root-Corroding Poison forced down his throat, and the dark, hopeless days spent rotting in the Lin family dungeon. He did not even spare his own father, describing the man's absolute and chilling indifference.
Part 4: The Cold Rules and the Labor Token
Upon hearing this brutal tale of cruelty, Dean Albert's serene face hardened into a mask of righteous fury. Beside them, Instructor Kai's hand gripped the hilt of his sword so tightly his knuckles turned white. The fact that such a foul conspiracy could breed within a prestigious clan like the Lin family was sickening. A deep wave of pity and sorrow washed over the Dean for the brilliant star that had been so viciously snuffed out.
Yet, despite his anger and sympathy, Dean Albert was the head of a massive institution, bound tightly by the chains of regulations.
He looked at Relin, his voice tinged with deep regret. "Relin, what was done to you is an absolute atrocity. The cruelty of the Lin family is beyond condemnation. But... I am deeply sorry to say that I cannot alter the Core Rules of this academy. To join the Royal Magic Academy as an official student, an individual must possess a minimum strength of the Qi Condensation realm. With your meridians shattered and your root completely destroyed, I cannot admit you as a regular student. The Council of Elders would never allow it."
Instructor Kai tried to interject, "But Dean, his mother's token—"
The Dean raised a hand, gently silencing Kai.
Reaching into his desk drawer, Dean Albert pulled out a dull, blackened iron token. He continued, "However, I have not forgotten the immense debt of gratitude I owe your mother. To keep you safe from your family's prying eyes and give you a place to stay, I can offer you a single alternative. This is a Labor Student Identity Token. You will reside here as a common laborer, handling tasks like cleaning the vast libraries or managing logistics. No one will care to investigate the identity of a mere laborer, and you will find safety within these walls."
Relin stepped forward and grasped the cold iron token. To anyone else, this would be an ultimate humiliation, but to Relin, it was the first stepping stone toward his resurrection. He bowed his head low. "Thank you, Dean. This is more than enough for me."
Part 5: The Outcast's Sanctuary
Dean Albert then summoned the logistics elder of the Outer Court, Elder Silas, into the chamber. Elder Silas was a stern, unyielding man with a harsh countenance, responsible for managing the academy's vast workforce and daily chores.
Dean Albert commanded, "Silas, arrange for this boy to stay in the labor quarters of the Outer Zone starting today. Appoint him his duties, and ensure that no unnecessary hardships or cruelties are inflicted upon him."
Elder Silas cast a gaze of pure disdain toward Relin. His eyes made it blatantly clear that he viewed a powerless boy as nothing more than useless garbage. However, he dared not question the supreme order of the Head Dean. He simply nodded curtly. "As you command, Head Dean."
As they prepared to leave the room, Instructor Kai placed a heavy, reassuring hand on Relin's shoulder. Though his eyes blazed with suppressed fury, his voice remained steady and low. "Relin, do not lose hope. I am stationed in the Outer Court. The moment I find an opportunity, I will come looking for you." Relin nodded silently in gratitude.
Elder Silas led Relin out of the grand tower, walking him toward the absolute edge of the academy grounds, miles away from the opulence of the main campus. The moment they crossed the threshold into the outer perimeter, the environment degraded drastically.
The structures here were not made of grand stone, but rather constructed from rotting timber and dried mud. The air hung thick with neglect, and all around them were the exhausted, defeated faces of other laborers—those who had failed in the brutal world of cultivation and were left to rot in this purgatory.
Elder Silas stopped in front of a dilapidated, damp shack. He spoke in a dangerously rough, commanding tone. "This is your hovel from now on. Tomorrow at dawn, report to the Outer Court's Spiritual Garden for clearing duties. Remember this well: slack off, and you won't be fed. Cause trouble, and you will be kicked out of the academy like a stray dog."
With those parting words, Elder Silas turned on his heel and walked away.
Relin stepped into the dark, filthy shack. Looking around at the squalor and the shadows, a strange, sinister smile slowly crept onto the corners of his lips. The Lin family believed he had died and rotted away in their dungeon, and the academy viewed him as a powerless beggar. None of them had any idea that within the pitch-black depths of these forgotten labor quarters, a true monster was about to be born.
He pulled the blackened iron token from his pocket. In his other hand, the forbidden, dark embers of the Ashen Devouring Qi suddenly ignited, dancing silently in the dark. He whispered fiercely to himself:
"Hao-Lin, Shu-Lin... enjoy your celebration at the peak of your palace for now. For it is from the absolute filth of this gutter that I will dismantle the very foundations of your empire."
As total darkness blanketed the land, standing in stark contrast to the brilliant, glowing lights of the grand academy campus, Relin began his secret, perilous, and terrifying new path of cultivation in the shadows of the labor quarters.
[ See you in next chapter ]