Translator: AnubisTL
Finally, Jieming picked up the mobile rune-imbued magical artifact.
For this application, he had crafted it into a belt shape, allowing it to be directly fastened around his waist.
As he channeled his mental power into it, a gentle yet powerful energy field lifted him into the air.
Jieming hovered steadily at the center of the training ground, controlling the wizardry to gradually accelerate his body within the arena.
Whoosh!
Jieming's figure gradually transformed into a blur, streaking across the training ground at speeds far exceeding what he could achieve by simply constructing flight runes using the Wizard Meditation Technique.
He nimbly weaved through obstacles, executing sharp turns, sudden stops, ascents, and dives with fluid, rapid movements.
The enhanced agility granted by the Immortal's Light Body Technique allowed him to move through the air as freely as a fish in water.
Within minutes, Jieming had thoroughly explored the training ground, utterly satisfied with the speed and maneuverability provided by the mobile talisman seal.
He halted mid-air, idly twirling the prototype rune-imbued magical artifacts in his hand.
The training ground's energy absorption system swiftly dissipated the energy fluctuations caused by his experiments, leaving behind a faint burnt smell and lingering traces of elemental energy.
After repeated testing and fine-tuning, Jieming felt genuinely satisfied with the performance and potential of his three rune-imbued magical artifacts.
They had completely met his initial design goals, and in terms of power, speed, and versatility, they clearly surpassed the capabilities of wizards at the same level.
While Jieming focused on research, development, and repeated testing of these prototypes in the training grounds, news of the upcoming trials had already caused a massive uproar throughout the academy.
It wasn't until he emerged from his laboratory that he realized the trials were no longer just rumors Amy had brought, but an official academy announcement. A massive rune projection broadcast the news to every corner of Noren Academy.
The apprentices reacted in various ways.
Some apprentices, their faces tense, clutched thick books as they frantically shuttled between the library and classrooms, cramming every bit of knowledge that might be relevant to the trials.
Others stood tall, their eyes burning with battle intent. They gathered in the training grounds, testing their wizardry and magic tools, brimming with confidence that this was the perfect opportunity to showcase their innate talent and earn the favor of the academy's higher-ups.
Still others remained remarkably calm, continuing their studies and daily routines at their own pace, seemingly indifferent to the outcome of the trials.
Even more striking was the sight of apprentices with lower innate talent ratings, who were usually overlooked, now rubbing their hands together, their eyes gleaming with a mixture of resentment and ambition.
They knew that in the wild planes, innate talent wasn't everything. Tactics, intelligence, and thorough preparation were equally crucial.
They saw this trial as an opportunity to prove they were no less capable than the so-called "geniuses."
Fueled by this news, the prices of practical wizardry artifacts and potions within the academy began to skyrocket, particularly combat consumables like instant-cast artifacts, emergency potions, and simple scrolls, reaching several times their usual prices.
This windfall allowed the Logistics Department apprentices, who had previously struggled near the poverty line, to earn a small fortune.
However, none of this mattered much to Jieming.
He gazed at the rune-imbued magical artifact in his hand, its surface shimmering faintly, and sensed the power contained within.
This was the culmination of his efforts—a crystallization of blood, sweat, and tears—refined through multiple tests and countless revisions.
"I still have other ideas I want to test, but time is running out... It seems I'll have to settle for evaluating the practical applications of these three rune-imbued magical artifact prototypes during the trial."
He stowed the artifact away, his eyes burning with anticipation.
A complex and intense aura permeated the air above the massive teleportation array plaza.
Thousands of Noren Academy wizard apprentices from the same cohort had gathered here, their faces etched with excitement, tension, worry, eagerness, and unease.
A cacophony of whispers and the clatter of equipment blended into a roaring torrent of noise.
At the center of the plaza, the colossal teleportation array pulsed with a deep blue light, radiating spatial fluctuations that sent shivers down one's spine.
Jieming stood near the edge of the crowd, outwardly calm as he surveyed his surroundings.
His hands hung naturally at his sides, but beneath his robe, his fingertips subtly rubbed against the metal pendants hanging from his waist—the disguised rune-imbued magical artifacts.
He observed the academy's renowned geniuses.
Most had formed small teams of two or three, clad in wizard's robes or light armor that they had clearly refined themselves, radiating powerful energy fluctuations. They wielded wands or energy conduits of various designs.
Their aura distinctly set them apart from the ordinary apprentices, exuding the arrogance and confidence of the strong.
"Jieming!"
A vibrant voice interrupted his observation.
Amy, dressed in a lightweight apprentice robe adorned with protective runes, hurried over to him, carrying a seemingly valuable magical potion pouch.
"You don't seem nervous at all," Amy said with a hint of admiration. "Typical of you."
Jieming smiled. "I've been studying for so long. I can handle this kind of situation."
Amy covered her mouth to stifle a laugh, then lowered her voice, a hint of smugness in her tone. "Speaking of which, thanks to your tip last time!"
"Oh? What tip?" Jieming asked.
"You know, after your conversation with Mentor Clark, you told me the specifics of the academy's trial, allowing me to prepare early!" Amy's eyes sparkled. "You mentioned the trial would likely involve a new plane and allow us to bring our own apprentice-level equipment and potions... Thanks to that information, I made a fortune!"
"That's all your own skill," Jieming said, shaking his head. "I just passed on the information."
Amy wasn't being modest. Leveraging her extraordinary social skills, she had immediately sought out apprentice friends from the alchemy and potions departments after receiving the news.
Together, they stockpiled essential raw materials and rushed to produce a batch of apprentice-level wizardry artifacts and potions.
When the trial announcement became official, Amy seized the opportunity to profit handsomely from the soaring prices of materials and consumables.
Ordinary students without Amy's connections, even if they had obtained the information, lacked the initial capital to capitalize on it and earned little.
"Besides, you gave me a share of the profits, didn't you?"
"Hey, those merit points were nothing. It was all thanks to your help." Amy waved her hand dismissively, but her brow furrowed again. "Still, this trial is going to be incredibly dangerous. People are bound to die... Don't let your guard down."
"Don't worry," Jieming replied calmly. "I'm prepared."
Just then, a booming, authoritative voice echoed across the central plaza.
"Silence!"
(End of the Chapter)
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