Sean toyed with a ring in his hand, a slight smile appearing on his face.
This ring was the spoils he won from the Hall of Scholars.
Despite Sean's somewhat arrogant attitude, he had the upper hand in the argument, and the three old scholars had no way to criticize him.
As a result, they felt disgusted, as if they had swallowed a fly. However, to maintain the dignity of the Temple of Wisdom, the stubborn old scholars had to slightly distort the process within reasonable limits.
Thus, the central old scholar proposed that if Sean could name the creature in the cage, he would give Sean the ring his mentor had given him in his early years.
The other two scholars were astounded by this outcome.
From the expressions on their faces, Sean could already tell that the ring must be something valuable. Naturally, he had no objections to the proposal.
And as expected, the cheater, Sean, emerged victorious.
He only uttered five words.
Shadow Demon Eye Leopard.
...
The rear hall of the Temple of Wisdom was a place forbidden to outsiders.
Many believed that wherever a temple or sanctuary prohibited access, there must be the most precious treasures hidden within.
This law applied to the Temple of Wisdom as well, although the rear hall was simply a larger library than the front hall.
Of course, the books inside were not accessible to the public for teaching or reading, hence the rule prohibiting entry for outsiders and scholars without permission.
In fact, Sean knew that beneath every Temple of Wisdom, there was a research institute.
This institute researched various aspects of the Miracle Continent, from plants to creatures, magical beasts to divine beasts, and even humans.
The widely held belief that "undead creatures are products of necromancers" is actually incorrect. The first true undead creature on the Miracle Continent was born in the research institute of the Temple of Wisdom.
Later, due to various "fortuitous circumstances," the profession of necromancer emerged in the world.
Of course, since then, no more magicians have been born in the Temple of Wisdom, and even the position within the priest system is one level lower than that of a scholar.
All kinds of magic disappeared from the Temple of Wisdom.
However, as a result, the Magic Association emerged on the Miracle Continent, and with the gradual development of history, the Magi Empire finally appeared, followed by the first magical revolution.
During that revolution, various magical wonders were finally categorized: Soul Magic, Life Magic, Elemental Magic, and Arcane Magic.
Likewise, precise classifications of magical proficiency and various professions emerged, acknowledging the true status of necromancers.
If we trace the origin of all this, it is deeply connected to the underground research institute of the Temple of Wisdom.
The Temple of Wisdom, regardless of the country, has gained clear recognition primarily because the temple does not need to compete for the power of faith. Anyone knowledgeable is a source of belief in the God of Wisdom.
In the underground research institute of the Temple of Wisdom, an elderly man in a white robe finally closed a book in his hand.
Around him were over thirty books placed on desks of various sizes, with yellowed pages and a scent of ink.
However, regardless of their size, age, or condition, all these books had one thing in common—they were open to a specific page and fixed in place.
It was clear that some kind of experiment was underway.
"The young man, does he know his identity?" The white-robed elder, the same scholar who was in the center earlier, appeared spirited and devoid of any signs of old age.
"A young man of such talent would not have remained unknown. Although the Shadow Demon Eye Leopard is a seventh-grade magical beast, its four limbs are no different from many other leopard-like magical beasts. However, that young man could recognize it with just a glance, proving that our previous research on the Shadow Demon Eye Leopard had major errors!"
"Professor, are you suggesting...?" The person standing next to the white-robed elder was the female priest who had left a bad impression on Sean. But at this moment, her face showed extreme astonishment.
"Yes, send him an invitation letter," the white-robed elder said excitedly. "Anyone who can take the Thinker from my hands is no ordinary person."
At this point, the professor was so happy that he resembled a child. He even eagerly observed the severely weakened Shadow Demon Eye Leopard before him, trying to discover something he had previously overlooked.
In contrast to the professor's excitement, the priestess Lena felt somewhat lost.
The young warrior she had looked down upon turned out to be so formidable that he could take the Thinker, treasured by the professor?
She remembered that the professor attached great importance to that plain ring, which was said to be a gift from his mentor when he was still a scholar.
However, now Lena suddenly found herself jealous of the young warrior named Sean.
Nevertheless, even if she felt jealous, she still needed to prepare the invitation letter from the Temple of Wisdom's research institute.
...
It must be said that the Temple of Wisdom's efficiency is indeed very fast.
In just one afternoon, they had thoroughly investigated Sean's place of residence.
Although they remained curious about his background, the Temple of Wisdom did not care about anyone's lineage.
Therefore, that evening, Sean received the invitation letter from the Temple of Wisdom.
It was the letter from Helsen.
"I sometimes really doubt if you are even human." Cecilia looked at Sean in astonishment, but most of her attention was on the invitation letter in Sean's hand. "You actually received a letter from Helsen."
"It's just a research invitation from the Temple of Wisdom's underground research institute," Sean shrugged and casually tossed the letter aside.
But in reality, Sean's heart was far from calm at the moment.
For scholars of the Temple of Wisdom, the Helsen Research Institute underground was as significant as the Inquisition of the God of Light was to its fanatical followers.
However, the Helsen Research Institute operated in secrecy and discretion.
Apart from a select few in positions of power, no one knew of its existence, not even the scholars and priests within the Temple of Wisdom.
The legends surrounding the Helsen Research Institute were an inspiration to many, especially scholars.
To them, being able to participate in any research conducted at the Helsen Research Institute and achieving success would guarantee a future of prosperity, fame, and fortune. Thus, countless individuals on the continent yearned for the coveted "Letter from Helsen," representing the highest accolade from the Temple of Knowledge.
But Sean knew far more than just that.
The Helsen Research Institute was not as straightforward as it seemed on the surface. When players in the game had first come into contact with it, the entire population was already at the fourth tier.
Moreover, the level of secrecy surrounding the Helsen Research Institute exceeded all players' expectations.
A player who had participated in one of the institute's projects once boasted about it on a forum, only to be expelled from the institute the same day.
The reason given was that the God of Wisdom had issued an oracle stating that he had broken his promise.
Of course, players knew it was the doing of the game master (GM).
However, regardless of the circumstances, for Sean, that was a distant matter.
After all, his current class was only at the second tier.
But after a brief moment of contemplation, Sean immediately understood. It must be because of his exceptional performance during the assessment in the Scholar's Hall, combined with his ability to identify the Shadow Demon Eye Leopard solely based on its limbs, that the scholars held him in high regard.
Realizing this, Sean looked at the ring in his hand and no longer felt the same excitement as before.
[Thinker: Legendary, Intelligence +5, Willpower +5, Eternal Effect "Focus": It's challenging for anything to distract your attention (difficult to interrupt casting); Eternal Effect "Wisdom": Abundant knowledge and life experience make you very wise (bonus when analyzing problems). Special: You have gained Boni White's recognition.]
[Item Description: This ring appears plain but holds great significance as a gift from Professor Boni White's mentor.]
This is a legendary ring, although its attribute enhancement may not surpass Cecilia's Bloodline Hexagonal Ring.
However, Sean's excitement upon obtaining this ring far surpasses that of the enchanted ring. He is well aware that not every legendary or higher-grade equipment comes with significant attribute bonuses.
In the game "Miracle," the most apparent distinction between legendary and enchanted equipment was the inclusion of special effects with legendary-grade items.
Just like the "Focus" and "Wisdom" bestowed upon the "Thinker" ring, these are abilities that ordinary enchanted equipment cannot possess.
At this moment, whether due to the effect of "Wisdom" or not, Sean easily recognizes the significance of the "Special" attribute displayed on the ring.
Finally, he understands the meaning behind the words "You have gained Boni White's recognition."
Going a step further, Sean also grasps the reason why the professor came to him, which must be related to the Shadow Demon Eye Leopard.
If an ordinary person were to receive this invitation letter, they would undoubtedly be elated to attend.
But Sean is different because his understanding of many things in this world surpasses that of anyone else.
Especially regarding the incident concerning the Helsen Research Institute on the game forum, Sean possesses a unique awareness: it represents not only the highest accolade from the Temple of Knowledge but also shackles and surveillance on personal freedom.
It is these latter two limitations that instinctively repel Sean.
As his index finger lightly taps the table, Sean unknowingly falls into contemplation.
His brain begins to rapidly spin, and the two eternal effects of the legendary Thinker ring unexpectedly produce unforeseen results.
Without the ring's influence, Sean would not have delved into such deep-level questions.
After a moment, a newfound radiance shines in Sean's eyes.
With his current strength, he is not yet capable of completely ignoring the Helsen Research Institute. However, he knows why Professor Boni White has approached him, and that becomes a leverage point he can utilize.
Understanding this, Sean takes up his pen and quickly writes.
He summarizes his understanding of the Shadow Demon Eye Leopard, including its unique features and habits, in the reply letter.
He expresses his deep regret and anguish over being unable to personally participate in the research work at the Helsen Research Institute due to mundane matters.
He hopes that his knowledge can be of assistance to Professor Boni's research and asks for the professor's understanding and forgiveness.
In no time, the reply letter is finished. As Sean sets down his pen, he sighs softly, "Roen, Roen, please don't let me down."