Volume 1: Bo'an Awakening & The Calamity Storm
Chapter 98
Lei Zhen's Letter of Recommendation
The blood-crimson twilight gradually faded behind the ancient, gnarled pine ridges of Cang Lei Peak, yielding to the serene hush of night as darkness descended over the field refugee camp of Feng Lan Magic High School.
Lin Feng slowly reined in the surging mana that had just undergone its sublime metamorphosis, guiding every thread of resonant energy deep into the recesses of his soul. The raging Fire Nebula with its forty-nine golden-rimmed stars, the roaring violet Lightning Nebula crackling with ancient draconic thunder, and the two newly unlocked celestial expanses—the enigmatic Shadow Stardust and the mystical Summoning Stardust—all settled into obedient tranquility. All that catastrophic power withdrew beneath the calm, lean, and unassuming exterior of an eighteen-year-old youth.
He lightly brushed away the layer of pulverized stone dust clinging to his frayed uniform trousers, then set off down the gentle hillside behind the school grounds with measured, steady strides.
As he turned onto the packed-dirt pathway leading toward the military canvas tents designated for the families of meritorious servicemen and fallen defenders, Lin Feng’s footsteps halted slightly.
Beneath the flickering, amber glow of a mana storm lantern suspended from the wooden post of Tent Number 12—where his father, Lin Hai, and his younger sister, Xiaomo, were resting—a tall, broad-shouldered figure stood motionless. Draped in a moss-green field cloak with his hands clasped behind his back, the man was gazing quietly at the faint tendrils of blue evening smoke curling up from the smoldering ruins of the devastated city below. Between his lips, a polished sandalwood pipe flared with tiny red embers, releasing familiar wreaths of aromatic smoke that carried the dry, earthy fragrance of wild mountain tobacco.
Commander Lei Zhen.
Hearing the faintest scuff of footsteps pressing against the soft dirt, Lei Zhen slowly turned his head.
The moment the battle-hardened colonel’s sharp, hawkish eyes met Lin Feng’s gaze, the pipe between his lips abruptly ceased releasing smoke.
As an Advanced-tier magic powerhouse who had clawed his way through hundreds of life-and-death bloodbaths on the frontier, Lei Zhen’s sensory instincts were sharper than anyone’s. In that single instant, he detected an earth-shattering transformation radiating from within the youth standing before him!
Only that morning, Lin Feng’s magical aura had resembled a sharp, blazing torch—a fierce, incisive brilliance characteristic of the absolute pinnacle of the Primary tier. But now? Standing before him, the boy felt like an unfathomable, bottomless lake! A profound, immense, and terrifyingly concentrated fluctuation of mana emanated from his core, so dense that the ambient air around his slender frame warped almost imperceptibly with every breath he took!
A violent jolt went through Lei Zhen’s chest. Yet upon his weathered, battle-scarred countenance, not a single flicker of astonishment was permitted to show. He tapped the bowl of his pipe lightly against the wooden tent post, knocking loose a sprinkle of gray ash, and burst into a hearty, full-throated laugh:
“You little brat... Outstanding! Truly, my eyes did not deceive me!”
Lei Zhen did not ask how Lin Feng had managed to obliterate the formidable Intermediate bottleneck in the span of a single afternoon. In the boundless expanse of the magical world, every genuine prodigy carried their own unique encounters, their own closely guarded destinies and fortunes. Prying into the foundational secrets of a fellow mage was an absolute taboo among practitioners—and a rugged, magnanimous soldier like Lei Zhen would never deign to cross that line.
Lin Feng stepped forward, coming to attention and bowing his head in a crisp, respectful military salute:
“Commander, were you waiting for me? Is there something you need?”
“Indeed there is,” Lei Zhen replied, his jovial grin fading into an expression of profound, solemn gravity. “And it is the most critical matter of your entire life.”
Lei Zhen reached inside the breast pocket of his crisp military uniform. With deliberate, reverent care, he drew out a thick, heavy envelope crafted from top-grade sheepskin parchment. The envelope was sealed with a medallion of deep crimson wax stamped with the coiled emblem of the Azure Dragon—the official insignia of the Southern Military Region—and flanking it was a signature written in gleaming, resonant mana ink, personally inscribed by Lei Zhen himself.
He extended the envelope forward, holding it out toward Lin Feng’s chest.
“Take it.”
Lin Feng received the envelope with both hands. Though the parchment itself weighed scarcely a few ounces, the moment his fingertips brushed the cool, smooth texture of the sheepskin, it felt as though he were lifting a mountain of a thousand tons.
Inscribed across the face of the envelope in vigorous, imposing calligraphy were lines of formal characters:
’To: The Admissions Council of Shenzhou Magic University – Whale Ocean Magic Capital’
’Recommending Officer: Colonel Lei Zhen – Commander of Cang Lei Ridge Military Outpost’
’Special Admission Candidate: LIN FENG’
Shenzhou Magic University!
Those four words struck Lin Feng’s consciousness like a sudden bolt of heavenly thunder!
Across the vast, sprawling domain of Shenzhou that spanned tens of thousands of miles, thousands of magical universities and academies existed. Yet Shenzhou Magic University in the Whale Ocean Magic Capital—the fabled Jinghai metropolis—stood as the supreme, holy sanctuary above them all! It was the cradle that had nurtured more than half of the nation’s Forbidden Curse Archmages, Presiding Inquisitors of the Magic Tribunal, and Grand Generals of the armed forces!
Every year, millions of high school graduates across the entire country engaged in brutal, cutthroat competition through the National College Magic Examination, desperately clawing for a handful of scarce admission slots.
And this envelope in his hands... was a letter of SPECIAL RECOMMENDATION—granting absolute exemption from all written theory exams, preliminary assessments, and screening trials, allowing him to step directly into the core ranks of the university!
“Commander... this favor of yours...” Lin Feng’s voice caught in his throat, a surge of emotion constricting his chest.
Lei Zhen waved his broad, calloused hand dismissively. He drew a long, slow draft from his pipe, his gaze drifting past the tent ropes toward the southern horizon, where the distant sky blended into dark sapphire:
“Save your thanks. Bo’an City is far too small. This barren frontier wasteland is nothing more than a shallow puddle—how could it ever provide enough room for a leviathan like you to breach the surface and thrash the waves? The Whale Ocean Magic Capital is the true, boundless ocean spanning thousands of leagues. That is where you belong. That is where you can spread your wings and soar into the heavens!”
The veteran commander’s voice deepened, freighted with the heartfelt, uncompromising wisdom of a predecessor who had witnessed the world’s blood and treachery:
“However, Lin Feng, you must carve this into your bones: the deeper the ocean, the more savage the waves. Jinghai Magic Capital is breathtakingly magnificent, overflowing with resources, opportunities, and ancient legacies beyond your imagination. But gathered there are ancient noble clans whose cruelty and ruthless cunning dwarf that of the petty Ling Clan of Bo’an a hundredfold!
“And above all... after their catastrophic failure here in Bo’an, the Nether Cult will never quietly swallow this defeat. Their venomous eyes are already locked onto you, and the shadows of their heresy linger directly beneath the most lavish, towering skyscrapers of the Magic Capital!”
“Once you arrive, hide your claws and sheath your fangs. Before your wings are fully fledged, never indulge in reckless, arrogant ostentation. Devour every resource Shenzhou Magic University has to offer, and temper yourself into a true sovereign of magic! Do you understand?!”
“I understand completely, Commander!”
Lin Feng tightened his grip on the parchment envelope, a fierce, blazing resolve igniting in the depths of his eyes. Every single word of Lei Zhen’s counsel carved itself indelibly into his heart. He understood with crystalline clarity: setting foot in Jinghai Magic Capital was not an excursion to bask in the comfortable accolades of a small-town hero. It was stepping onto an entirely new battlefield—one ten thousand times more ruthless, cutthroat, and unforgiving!
“Good! Get some rest early. At the break of dawn, Evacuation Train Number 1 will roll out.” Lei Zhen brought his heavy hand down onto Lin Feng’s shoulder with a firm, resounding slap, then pivoted on his heel and strode resolutely into the thickening darkness.
“I shall remain here in Bo’an alongside the soldiers to scour the ruins, honor the dead, and rebuild our forward outpost. Brat... don’t you dare bring shame to the name of Lei Zhen in the Magic Capital!”
Lin Feng stood in quiet stillness, watching the stalwart, towering silhouette of the commander gradually dissolve into the shadows of the night.
He carefully slipped the precious recommendation letter deep into the inner pocket of his coat, resting it right beside the sweltering warmth of the Primordial Dragon Pendant against his chest.
Peering through the tent flap of Number 12, he saw the peaceful, rhythmic breathing of his father and his little sister, resting safe after the harrowing calamity. A profound warmth and protective resolve welled within him.
The final night in Bo’an City drifted by in rare, tranquil silence. In the far distance, the mournful, resonant whistle of a magic-powered locomotive echoed intermittently from the emergency rail depot, heralding the dawn of a historic new epoch that was about to unfold before the young mage!