One month later,
As summer unfurls its vibrant tapestry across the realm, the castle stands majestic amidst the season's flourish. Its ancient stones, once cold and forbidding in the grip of winter, now bask in the golden warmth of the sun, their gray hues softened by the light. The castle, a formidable structure with towers reaching towards the azure sky, reflects the summer's brightness, its presence a constant through the changing seasons.
Surrounding the castle, the gardens come alive with an explosion of colors. Flowers bloom in profusion, their petals a mosaic of hues, from the deep reds of roses to the delicate blues of forget-me-nots, all swaying gently in the soft summer breeze. The air is filled with their fragrant perfume, a natural allure that draws inhabitants alike to wander the paths and lose themselves in the beauty.
The once barren courtyards are now teeming with life. Vines climb the walls, their green tendrils embracing stone and wood, while in the courtyards, the fountains, silent throughout the cold months, now sing with cascading water, a refreshing sound that cools the air and delights the senses.
The castle's inhabitants move with a leisurely grace, their steps lighter, their laughter more frequent under the sun's benevolent gaze. Windows and doors, long shut against the cold, stand open, allowing the summer air to circulate through the spacious halls and chambers. Tapestries and silks, depicting scenes of harvest and hunt, flutter gently in the breeze, their colors vibrant against the stone.
Outside the castle walls, the fields stretch out like a green sea, the crops growing tall under the careful tending of the farmers. The surrounding forest, a dense mass of darkness in the winter, now invites exploration with its dappled light and the promise of adventure beneath its leafy canopy.
Summer in the castle is a time of beauty and abundance, of light and life. It stands as a beacon of strength and continuity, its walls and towers a reminder of the past and a promise for the future, all wrapped in the embrace of the season's warmth.
Inside the academy, the elder was lecturing: "In the blink of an eye, you've all reached the Mid-level of the Novice Tier Ascender, and you've all acquired the second Essencial Conduit. Over the past six months, you've studied diligently and now have a certain foundation. It's time for some wilderness training. Real battles aren't with dry targets like straw or wooden puppets." "Next is the announcement for the mid-year assessment. In three days, we'll hold the mid-year assessment, and all students must participate! The assessment will involve hunting the wild wolves roaming the forest outside the castle. The number of wolf fangs collected will determine your score, and the more fangs collected, the better your score. After the assessment, each wolf fang can be exchanged for ten Essence Gems. Additionally, team hunting is allowed."
With the elder's announcement, the entire academy erupted into a buzz.
"Finally, it's time for the mid-year assessment!"
"Every year, each cohort of students undergoes a mid-year assessment and a year-end assessment. Considering the time, it's indeed time for the mid-year assessment."
"The content of each assessment varies. I didn't expect that our mid-year assessment would involve hunting for wolf fangs."
"What will we do? My aptitude is only Glowing, and my Essencial Conduit is supportive without any attack capability. How can I hunt wild boars?"
"Didn't you hear? The elder said team hunting is allowed. Those of us with inadequate aptitude or Essencial Conduits without attack capabilities can help each other and cooperate! We can share the boar fangs we collect."
"Each wolf fang can be exchanged for ten Essence Gems; this is the academy's encouragement for us to hunt more wolves and set up rewards."
The students showed various expressions—some were excited, some worried, and others were gathering their friends. Only Aidan remained remarkably calm.
"Is it really wolf hunting again? It's just like my previous life. The Wolf tide is approaching, and more and more wolves are roaming the forest outside the castle. However, these are just ordinary wolves, no extraordinary ones. These ordinary wolves are just victims for the wolf tide to find the direction of the castle."
Since his rebirth, Aidan had made many changes. His current situation was different from his previous life. In his previous life, he had long been surpassed by Ewan and others, but in this life, he stubbornly stood in the first position among the students.
Aidan appeared calm on the surface, but his mind was constantly pondering.
"Each fang can be exchanged for ten Essence Gems; the price is indeed high. However, Essence Gems are not important. Perhaps I can take this opportunity to further enhance my image." Aidan's eyes flashed with determination at the thought.
The secret of Malagor's inheritance remained unsolved, and since advancing to the mid-level, he had attracted too much attention. He knew someone must be investigating him in secret, and even his movements were being tracked. It had been a month since he last visited that cave.
Moreover, his current situation was somewhat awkward.
He stood opposed to all his classmates, yet he remained outside the system. In the minds of the higher-ups, he was a rebellious, dissatisfied, and cold-minded youth.
This impression wasn't good; it was akin to being labeled as disloyal. However, loyalty was needed by the castle, and indeed, any organization required loyalty.
In any world, loyalty was one of the values widely propagated. Loyalty to the family, loyalty to the country, loyalty to the leadership, loyalty to love, loyalty to friendship, and so on.
As Aidan's cultivation progressed, the higher-ups would pay more attention, and when necessary, the family would take firm measures against him. By then, Aidan would truly be passive.
Aidan didn't like being passive; he liked to have control over everything in his hands.
Because of his poor talent, he had to choose to rob to maintain his Leveling speed.
Now that self-preservation was no longer a problem, Aidan needed self-improvement!
So, he needed to change this impression, making the higher-ups believe he had already yielded, joining the castle's system. However, this change couldn't be too abrupt, lest it raise suspicions among the higher-ups.
More importantly, joining the system was only superficial; Aidan couldn't truly join and be manipulated and restricted by others. He had too many secrets.
He needed a lot of freedom, so in reality, he remained a lone wolf.
And now, the mid-year assessment was an opportunity.
"It seems I need to do some maneuvering. First, it starts with the extortion and robbery later." Aidan's eyes narrowed; everything was in his plan.
...
...
...
"You're saying that Aidan, despite defeating Tristan and Ewan in the extortion, spared Tristan and didn't take his Essence Gems?" Upon hearing the report from the guard, the elder of the academy showed a slightly puzzled expression.
"Not only did he spare Tristan, but he also didn't take the Essence Gems from Isolde and Emeric, who have always cooperated with him?" The guard kneeling on the ground immediately responded.
"He only took the Essence Gems from Ewan and the other students as usual."
"Hmm." The elder of the academy neither confirmed nor denied, waving his hand. "I understand this matter. You may leave."
"The subordinate takes leave."
As the guard departed, theelder of the academy fell into contemplation.
Isolde, Tristan, and Emeric represented the three major forces of the castle. Aidan's decision to spare them had obvious significance—it was an active gesture of goodwill towards these three major forces. This could also be interpreted as a signal of Aidan's psychological shift, indicating his willingness to bow to the castle's system.
"It's understandable. With continuous cultivation, Aidan should be able to recognize the inadequacy of his aptitude more clearly. After causing several disturbances previously and venting much of his dissatisfaction, he probably now feels a lot of frustration and depression."
"Aidan is only a sixteen-year-old boy; how could he challenge the entire castle's system? He has now begun to accept reality, and when he finds his own place, integrating into the castle is inevitable."
With these thoughts, the elder of the academy breathed a sigh of relief, and his mood couldn't help but become pleasant.
So, he called for the guards again and instructed them not to continue tracking and monitoring Aidan for the time being.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
Soon, the mid-year assessment arrived.