Volume 2: Shenzhou Academy & The Battle of Venice
Chapter 111
Moving Out of the Dorm, Golden Eagle Villa
Morning dawn filtered through the fourth-floor window, slanting pale-gold beams of sunlight across the worn ironwood floorboards of Room 402.
Lin Feng sat cross-legged on his solitary mattress, his eyes half-closed in meditative focus. He guided a circuit of Fire-element mana through his meridians, purging every trace of lingering exhaustion from yesterday’s grueling battle. Deep within his sea of consciousness, the blazing crimson Fire nebula and vivid violet Lightning nebula drifted serenely, shining noticeably brighter and more vibrant than usual. The harrowing trial of facing two hundred consecutive challengers had not only forged his practical combat instincts into razor-sharp reflexes, but had also loosened his mana bottlenecks by another decisive degree.
On the small study desk beside his headboard, the ancient white jade chest emitted a gentle, five-colored mist that carried a cool, soothing chill.
The Spirit-Condensing Essence Nectar!
A priceless treasure personally bestowed by Headmaster Gu Tianya before the rapt gaze of ten thousand spectators across Shenzhou Archmage Academy. With just the lid cracked open a sliver, the immaculate medicinal fragrance distilled from the tears of the Celestial Spirit Tree and the millennia-old bone marrow of thunder beasts had set the Primordial Dragon Pendant resting against Lin Feng’s chest blazing with heat, throbbing erratically like a ravenous beast catching the scent of prey.
Beside the jade chest lay a student identification badge carved from pitch-black mana stone. The numbers gleaming across the face of the token were enough to turn anyone green with envy: ten thousand primary mana stones, and one thousand exclusive cultivation hours inside the core level of the Spirit Gathering Tower! The entire resource allocation originally meant to sustain all five thousand freshmen of this year’s batch had officially tumbled straight into Lin Feng’s pockets.
Yet, the price of monopolizing the entire bounty arrived far swifter than he had anticipated.
“BANG! BANG! BANG!”
Violent pounding hammered against the door, accompanied by shrill, furious shrieks echoing down the corridor:
“Lin Feng! You scoundrel from Bo’an City, open the damn door right now!”
“Hand back our Wind School’s quota for the Spirit Gathering Tower! Without mana stones, how the hell is our entire batch supposed to break through to the Intermediate level?!”
“If you’ve got the guts, get your ass back onto the dueling stage! I only missed the fights yesterday because I had an upset stomach, you cheating coward relying on your contract beast!”
“Open up! If you don’t unlock this door, we’re dumping enchanted chili powder through the ventilation vents!”
The iron-reinforced oak door rattled and buckled under a barrage of ruthless kicks.
On the opposite bunk bed, Xie Zhaoyuan—who had been buried tightly beneath his quilts—jolted in terror, kicking off the blankets and shooting upright. With a messy crow’s nest of hair and dark purple circles under his eyes like a panda starved of sleep for three days, he clutched his head and wailed in utter despair:
“Again! It’s barely six-thirty in the morning! Don’t these lunatics eat breakfast?! Don’t they brush their teeth or wash their faces?!”
Lin Feng slowly opened his eyes, letting out a quiet sigh with a wry shake of his head. With a subtle flick of his fingers, a miniature whirlwind of Wind mana swept across the threshold, intercepting several flaming-crimson challenge letters that had just been shoved through the crack beneath the door.
Xie Zhaoyuan dragged his slippers noisily across the floor, scooped up the scattered sheets of paper, and threw them into the corner of the room—where a mountainous pile of multicolored envelopes was already towering:
“Challenge letters from the Lightning School, bed-burning threats from the Fire School, hair-loss curses from the Ice School... Boss Lin, oh Great Master Lin! Knocking two hundred people flying yesterday was definitely the thrill of a lifetime, but now you’re public enemy number one to five thousand vengeful students! Room 402 is about to be turned into an alchemical furnace!”
Xie Zhaoyuan grabbed Lin Feng by the collar, his face crumpling in sheer agony:
“Look at my face! Ever since last night, every time I close my eyes for ten minutes, someone pounds on that door demanding blood debts! This morning I snuck down to the communal washroom at the end of the hall. The second I unzipped my trousers, five hulking guys from the Fire School were already standing behind me in a neat row, glaring murderously at my... my private parts, as if waiting to incinerate them to ash! I was so terrified everything shriveled right back inside! I couldn’t even take a piss!”
Lin Feng couldn’t help but chuckle, patting his roommate on the shoulder:
“Who told you to jump up and down and shout the loudest from the grandstands yesterday? You were even daring the noble clans to come and steal the Summoning School’s resources.”
“Well, I was riding the adrenaline of the moment!” Xie Zhaoyuan pouted, before his voice dropped into grave seriousness. “Jokes aside, Lin Feng, we really can’t stay here anymore. You’re the eye of the hurricane, and the dormitory guards can’t hold back crowds lurking in the shadows all night long. Besides...”
He cast a cautious glance toward the corner of the room, swallowing hard:
“... That precious darling of yours—this room can’t contain it anymore.”
As if hearing itself mentioned, a faint, silvery spatial rift gently peeled open in the middle of the cramped dorm room.
“Grrr...”
A massive, pitch-black lupine head steadily emerged from the spatial fissure. The sharp obsidian horn on its brow sparked with vivid violet lightning-flames, its burning amber eyes locking directly onto Xie Zhaoyuan’s quilted comforter.
The Abyssal Thunder Wolf had depleted tremendous vitality and energy during yesterday’s protracted war of attrition. With the awakening of its primordial bloodline, its physique had expanded yet another size. Measuring over four meters in length, with dense, rippling muscles forged like cast steel, its tail—bristling with sharp thunder-scaled spines—swished ever so slightly, instantly swatting a wooden chair across the room and slamming it into the wall with a sharp clack.
“Zzzzt!”
Tiny arcs of violet electricity crackled along the giant wolf’s spine, sending a plume of acrid, singed smoke rising from the edge of the window curtain.
“Mother of mercy! See that?!” Xie Zhaoyuan scrambled onto the upper bunk in a panic, clinging tightly to the iron railing. “It just exhaled once and the room’s temperature shot up ten degrees! Big Brother Wolf, spare this humble dorm room, please! I’m not ready to be electrocuted into a lump of charcoal!”
Lin Feng reached out, gently stroking the bridge of the Abyssal Thunder Wolf’s broad snout. The ferocious beast instantly softened, baring its teeth in contentment as it nuzzled its massive head into its master’s palm, letting out an affectionate, low rumble like an oversized hound.
Nonetheless, Lin Feng knew Xie Zhaoyuan’s words held absolute truth.
The Abyssal Thunder Wolf stood at a critical juncture in its evolution. It required expansive outdoor grounds to temper its lightning-scales, absorb natural thunder from the open sky, and devour massive quantities of fresh beast flesh every single day. Confining it indefinitely inside the contract space would inevitably dull its primal ferocity, whereas letting it loose within the dormitory would reduce the entire residential complex to rubble in short order. Lin Feng himself also urgently needed an undisturbed sanctuary shielded by robust defensive barriers to enter secluded cultivation and thoroughly refine the Spirit-Condensing Essence Nectar without risking exposure of his dual elements.
“Knock, knock.”
This time, the knocks were light, rhythmic, and discreet. Lin Feng stepped over and cracked the door open. A slender figure swiftly slipped inside, clutching a steaming bundle wrapped in oilpaper.
“Zhang Meng?”
Breathing heavily, the slender youth hastily slid the deadbolt into place and leaned his back against the wooden door:
“Thank goodness... I didn’t run into anyone from the Lightning School. Here, Lin Feng, Xie Zhaoyuan, eat quickly. Demon-ox meat buns and fresh hot soybean milk. I had to take a massive detour through the botanical gardens just to sneak these up.”
Xie Zhaoyuan slid down from the bunk, snatched a bun, and sank his teeth into it ravenously, mumbling through a full mouth:
“A true savior! You have no idea—this morning felt like we were trapped in a fortress under siege.”
Zhang Meng looked at Lin Feng, his expression heavy with apprehension:
“The situation outside is volatile. Even though the professors officially validated the tournament outcome, the freshmen from the other elemental schools are seething with indignation. They’ve formed an alliance to boycott our Summoning School, staking out every path connecting the dorms to the dining halls. Dean Xiao Zhenshan sent word telling you to skip theoretical lectures for the time being and remain in the room to cultivate, just to avoid any confrontations.”
Lin Feng took a sip of the warm soybean milk, his lips curling into a tranquil smile:
“There’s no need to hide away. I’ve already made up my mind—I’m moving out today to rent a private villa.”
Both Xie Zhaoyuan and Zhang Meng froze in sheer disbelief.
“Moving out?” Zhang Meng blinked, taken aback. “But rent in the districts surrounding Shenzhou Academy is exorbitantly expensive, especially properties equipped with protective magical barriers.”
“Money is the least of my concerns.” Lin Feng gave a faint smirk, lightly twirling the black mana stone card between his fingers. “With ten thousand primary mana stones in my balance, converting even a fraction to gold coins could buy half a street. Besides, the Black Wolf needs open terrain to train, and I need absolute privacy.”
Xie Zhaoyuan gulped down his mouthful of meat bun and slapped his thigh with a resounding smack:
“Spot on! Pack up and move out this instant, Brother Lin! Once you’re gone, this room might finally see some peace! Just remember to invite me over for roasted beast steaks whenever you have free time!”
Half an hour later.
With Xie Zhaoyuan and Zhang Meng providing cover by staging a noisy commotion down the eastern wing, Lin Feng donned a dark windbreaker and pulled his cap low over his brow. Channeling Shadow Slip from his Shadow element, he melted weightlessly into the cool shade cast by the red maple trees, slipping smoothly out of Dormitory Block A without alerting a soul.
He soon arrived at the Jinghai Magical Real Estate Center, located at a bustling crossroads just beyond the academy’s western gates.
Inside the sprawling transaction hall, luminescent crystal orbs hovered gracefully in midair, projecting detailed three-dimensional holograms of hundreds of residential estates, high-rise apartments, and secluded manors scattered across the Magic Capital.
The agent assigned to receive Lin Feng was a plump, middle-aged broker named Qian Defu. When he listened to Lin Feng’s list of requirements—expansive layout, private open-air lawn, independent soundproofing and shock-dampening magical barriers, and no more than a twenty-minute walk from the academy campus—the professional smile on Qian Defu’s face stiffened noticeably:
“Young brother, every inch of land around Shenzhou Academy is worth its weight in gold. Properties with private courtyards are as rare as phoenix feathers, let alone ones equipped with independent magical barriers—those are luxury villas. The monthly rent for such an estate... starts at a minimum of one hundred and fifty mana stones or thirty thousand gold coins, with an entire year’s deposit paid upfront.”
Without a word of debate, Lin Feng unhurriedly drew out the black mana stone identification card of Shenzhou Academy and laid it flat atop the glass desk.
A subtle shimmer of arcane light flared across the surface, briefly revealing the colossal balance of resources credited to the account. Qian Defu’s eyes widened into saucer-like saucers, his fleshy double chin trembling violently. In an instant, his posture collapsed into an obsequious, respectful bow:
“Aiya! To think you are one of the elite prodigies of Shenzhou Academy! Forgive my blind eyes! Since you possess such formidable capital, I happen to have an extraordinary villa on our listings that matches every single one of your criteria to perfection!”
Qian Defu hurriedly tapped on the hovering crystal orb. A verdant beam of emerald light shot forth, projecting a miniature topographical hologram of an exquisite ecological residential haven:
“This is the Golden Eagle Villa District, nestled right against the lush hillside directly behind the academy. Walking from the academy’s rear gate along the stone path through the bamboo grove takes barely fifteen minutes. This district was originally established as a private retreat for senior professors and high-tier hunter squads; the security measures are extraordinarily stringent.”
The holographic projection enlarged, revealing an elegant, three-story Western European-style manor constructed from ash-gray granite, its slate roof draped in cascading vines of purple bellflowers. Before the main entrance lay a sprawling manicured lawn spanning nearly two hundred square meters, enclosed by an ornate wrought-iron perimeter fence.
“This Villa Number 16 features a pre-inscribed Grade-Two Composite Barrier, combining Earth-element Shock Dampening and Wind-element Acoustic Absorption, laid down by a certified Formation Master. Even if an Intermediate-tier spell detonates inside the courtyard, anyone standing on the street outside will hear nothing more than a gentle rustle of leaves.”
Lin Feng observed the vast green lawn, thoroughly pleased. The grounds were more than ample for the Black Wolf to stretch its massive limbs, sprint at full speed, and feast on raw beast carcasses without drawing unwanted eyes.
“What is the rent?” Lin Feng inquired.
Qian Defu squinted his eyes into merry crescents, smiling broadly:
“Now, that is the most remarkable part! Normally, renting this entire villa would cost no less than two hundred mana stones a month. But right now, you only need to pay sixty mana stones per month!”
Lin Feng raised an eyebrow, his gaze turning razor-sharp:
“That cheap? Is there something wrong with the estate?”
“Not at all! Absolutely not!” Qian Defu waved his hands vigorously in denial. “The owner is an honored Academy Elder who departed on a long-term expedition into the distant forbidden zones. The reason the price is so favorable is... the upper levels already have two tenants.”
“A shared lease?” Lin Feng narrowed his eyes.
“Indeed, a shared arrangement,” Qian Defu explained. “The second and third floors were leased out at the beginning of the semester by two female students from Shenzhou Academy. They only require the upper quarters, but because the monthly upkeep fee for the defensive barrier is exceptionally steep, they agreed to sublet the ground floor and the entire garden courtyard to offset the costs.”
Leaning in closer, Qian Defu lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper:
“Those two young mistresses established rather strict conditions: The ground-floor tenant must be an officially enrolled student of the academy with an immaculate record, cannot bring noisy companions over for rowdy drinking parties, and must never set foot on the second-floor staircase without prior permission. The ground floor includes a grand reception hall, a private kitchen, and an expansive master bedroom with a dedicated entrance opening straight onto the garden, completely detached from the upper living quarters. What do you think?”
Lin Feng pondered the proposal for a brief moment. Who shared the residence mattered little to him; he had zero inclination to meddle in other people’s affairs. His sole priorities were a tranquil sanctuary to assimilate the Spirit-Condensing Essence Nectar and an open lawn where the Black Wolf could temper its lightning-scales undisturbed. Sixty mana stones a month was negligible pocket change compared to his ten-thousand-stone fortune.
“Very well. Draw up the contract. I’ll lease it for a full year.”
“A straightforward man!” Qian Defu beamed with delight, promptly retrieving a magical parchment lease to process the registration.
After Lin Feng dripped a bead of fresh blood onto the parchment to trigger the binding arcane seal, he settled the entire year’s rent and security deposit in one decisive transaction. Qian Defu respectfully presented him with an antique brass key inlaid with deep-green jade, forged specifically to disengage the perimeter wards at the front gate.
By late afternoon, the setting sun sank toward the western horizon, painting the drifting clouds atop the peaks behind the academy in rich, burning hues of crimson and gold.
Back in Room 402, packing up took Lin Feng barely any time at all. His entire worldly belongings amounted to a few spare outfits, several vials of restorative potions, and the ancient white jade box housing the Spirit-Condensing Essence Nectar, all neatly stowed inside his travel rucksack.
Xie Zhaoyuan stood leaning against the doorframe, gazing at the emptied bunk with an unmistakable hint of melancholy:
“It suddenly feels so quiet in here. With you gone, I wonder if anyone will still come pounding on our door tonight.”
“In a bit, just paste a giant notice on the door: ‘Lin Feng has moved out; anyone who knocks will be struck by lightning.’ I guarantee you won’t hear a peep all night,” Lin Feng quipped with a light laugh, tossing his roommate a small silk pouch containing fifty primary mana stones. “Take these and focus on your cultivation. Don’t go getting yourself expelled from the Summoning School next month.”
Xie Zhaoyuan’s hands trembled as he caught the pouch, sensing the radiant pulse of mana stones within. He clutched it against his chest and nodded with fierce determination:
“Thank you, brother! I swear I won’t let you down!”
Zhang Meng offered a warm smile, raising a hand in farewell: “Lin Feng, I wish you a swift and successful breakthrough!”
Lin Feng nodded in acknowledgment, slinging his rucksack over his shoulder. With a slight shift of his intent, the hulking presence of the Abyssal Thunder Wolf dissolved back into the mystical contract space anchored deep within his chest. He strode out of Dormitory Block A, seamlessly blending into the sparse evening foot traffic.
The cobblestone path leading toward the Golden Eagle Villa District wound beneath lush emerald bamboo groves that rustled softly in the twilight breeze. In sharp contrast to the suffocating, hostile atmosphere of the freshman dormitories, the atmosphere here was profoundly peaceful and pristine. The earthy aroma of damp soil and sweet grass lingering after an early shower brought a wave of refreshing clarity, sweeping away the mental fatigue accumulated from yesterday’s battles.
Fifteen minutes later, Lin Feng came to a halt before a fork paved in clean white river pebbles.
Villa Number 16 loomed into view.
The three-story ash-gray stone manor radiated an air of dignified antiquity and refined elegance. A sweeping carpet of emerald lawn stretched across the front grounds, where clusters of enchanted roses bloomed radiantly against the twilight, exuding a subtle, sweet perfume. A gossamer barrier of magical energy, thin as a cicada’s wing, rippled softly along the ornate perimeter fence, sealing away all mundane noise from the outside world.
“A truly splendid sanctuary,” Lin Feng murmured, a look of genuine satisfaction gracing his features.
He stepped up to the wrought-iron gates, pulling out the jade-inlaid brass key to deactivate the ward lock embedded within the stone pillar.
Yet, just as his fingertips grazed the front gate bell, rapid footsteps accompanied by a cascade of clear, melodious laughter—ringing like silver windchimes—drifted down from the second-floor balcony draped in gossamer white silk and the inner courtyard:
“Hurry up, Miss Ye! If you don’t lend me that Fire Silkworm Cloak, I’m going to summon my Frost Crystal Butterfly to freeze your entire vanity of cosmetics solid!”
“In your dreams, Eldest Miss Mu! That cloak was a birthday gift from my elder brother. If you wear it and snag a single thread, how could you ever hope to compensate me?!”
One voice was crisp, proud, and playfully imperious; the other was soft, refined, and flowing like a tranquil mountain stream.
The instant those two names and their distinct cadences struck his ears, Lin Feng’s arm holding the key froze dead in midair.
His pupils shrank slightly, and the easy smile on his lips locked completely rigid.
Eldest Miss Mu? Miss Ye?
Could it be that the two mysterious female roommates residing upstairs... were the two notoriously proud, peerless young mistresses of Shenzhou Archmage Academy, whom thousands of prestigious noble scions worshiped from afar yet never dared approach?!