Chapter 22: A Successful Second Advancement! Unveiling New Ice Skills!
Canglan City, just outside its formidable gates.
Lin Yi, his heart pounding with a mix of anticipation and adrenaline, found a secluded spot to land. The towering walls of Canglan City loomed ahead, imposing and unyielding, a testament to the city's impregnable defenses. In Daxia, airspace around major base cities was strictly controlled, and only those with special permissions could navigate the skies freely. Earlier, in a moment of reckless urgency, Lin Yi had taken off directly from Wuhu, disregarding the curious and startled gazes of the onlookers. Now, as he prepared to enter the city, he didn't want to attract any unnecessary attention.
As he touched down, the quiet of the moment was shattered by the sudden appearance of two brilliant streams of light in the sky—one a vibrant red, the other a serene green. These streaks cut through the heavens like shooting stars, their blazing trails heading straight into Canglan City with breathtaking speed.
Lin Yi blinked in disbelief. "What the…? How are they allowed to fly like that?"
In the sky above, Qi Guoguang, a distinguished figure of immense power, suddenly paused in his flight. His sharp senses tingled, instinctively drawing his gaze downward. As his eyes swept the landscape below, they settled on a figure standing near the city gate, partially hidden in the shadows.
Magic surged within Qi Guoguang's eyes, enhancing his vision as he scrutinized the young man beneath him. There was something familiar about this person, something that stirred a distant memory, but he couldn't immediately place it. He hesitated for a heartbeat, then continued his journey into the city, dismissing the thought.
Just before he turned away, a flicker of recognition crossed his mind. The faint magical aura surrounding the young man… it was oddly similar—70-80% similar, in fact—to the magical brand he had sensed earlier at the site of the great battle in the Land of Death. Qi Guoguang slowed his pace, curiosity piqued. He performed a swift identification spell, his senses honing in on the young man's details.
The results surprised him. "Level 30… not even a second advancement…" he murmured to himself, shaking his head. The identification revealed the young man to be a mage, but one who was clearly far too weak to have conjured a seventh-level spell, let alone survived such a battle. "I must be overthinking this," Qi Guoguang concluded, quickening his pace again and leaving Lin Yi far behind in both distance and thought.
For Lin Yi, the entire exchange passed unnoticed. The power gap between him and Qi Guoguang was too vast, the latter's level and attributes so overwhelming that Lin Yi hadn't even sensed the magical probe.
***
Inside Canglan City, the Professionals Alliance Conference Hall was a scene of unexpected reverence. The air was thick with tension as the hall's occupants, all high-ranking officials of Canglan City, suddenly fell to their knees with a resounding thud. The sound echoed through the grand chamber—*Plop! Plop!*—as their knees struck the cold marble floor, a collective act of profound gratitude.
Chen Feng and Qi Guoguang stood at the head of the hall, clearly taken aback by this display. They exchanged a bewildered glance, unsure of how to respond to such a dramatic gesture. The city's officials, led by Hu Weizhen, the president of the Canglan City Professionals Association, continued to express their heartfelt thanks.
"President Hu, what's the meaning of this?" Chen Feng asked, his voice tinged with discomfort as he moved forward to help Hu Weizhen to his feet. After all, Chen Feng had been the one officially sent to address the crisis.
Hu Weizhen, still overwhelmed with emotion, resisted Chen Feng's attempt to lift him. "I… I don't know how else to thank you both," he stammered, his voice thick with sincerity. "I can only kowtow to you on behalf of the millions of lives in Canglan City that you have saved!"
He made another attempt to bow, but Chen Feng, deeply uncomfortable with the situation, caught his arm. "President Hu, please… stand up. You're mistaken." He hesitated, knowing the truth of the situation would be hard for them to grasp. "Mr. Qi and I rushed here as fast as we could, but by the time we arrived, it was all over. The alienated undead knight, the world boss—it wasn't us who defeated it. An unknown master had already slain it before we got there."
The room fell into a stunned silence. The gathered officials, who had been ready to lavish praise and gratitude upon their supposed saviors, froze, their minds struggling to process this new information. Qi Guoguang, who had remained silent up until now, nodded slightly, confirming Chen Feng's words. His status was such that his silent affirmation was more than enough for them to believe the truth.
As the realization dawned, Hu Weizhen and the others felt their thoughts collide in confusion. "Then… who?" someone finally blurted out. "Who could have done it? Canglan doesn't have anyone of that caliber… do we?"
Meanwhile, Lin Yi had just re-entered Canglan City, showing his student ID card at the gate. As he passed through, he noticed a strange atmosphere in the city. The loudspeakers were blaring an alarm, but instead of fear, there was relief in the air. Smiles crept across the faces of armored military professionals patrolling the streets, and civilians clung to each other, some openly weeping with joy.
"What on earth…?" Lin Yi muttered to himself, confused by the rapid change in the city's mood. Less than half an hour ago, everything had been calm and peaceful, but now, something had clearly happened.
He shook his head, pushing the questions aside as he headed directly for the teleportation hall. There was no time to get involved in whatever had just occurred; he needed to return to Jiangcheng and complete his mission. Pulling out his phone, Lin Yi quickly booked a first-class teleportation ticket. This time, he was going to do things the right way.
The mission was done, and it was time to move on.
As he made his way to the teleportation hall, he briefly considered completing his second job transfer in Canglan City. But as he passed by the job transfer sanctuary, he saw that it was currently being used as a makeshift air defense shelter, packed with civilians and professionals alike. The place was chaotic, filled with the noise of people seeking refuge, and it would take some time before the sanctuary could resume its normal operations.
Deciding to put off his advancement until he reached Jiangcheng, Lin Yi entered the distinguished first-class teleportation hall. The magic array flared to life, surrounding him in a soft glow. Moments later, his figure vanished from Canglan City.
The teleportation was smooth, the sensation of spinning reduced to a gentle swirl. Unlike his previous experiences, there was no violent lurching, and the discomfort was minimal. As the scenery around him shifted, Lin Yi could see the faces of the others teleporting with him—calm, relieved, a far cry from the pale, sickened expressions he had seen before.
In less than half a minute, Lin Yi's feet touched solid ground again. He blinked, adjusting to his surroundings, and found himself back in the familiar confines of the Jiangcheng teleportation hall. The sense of normalcy was almost surreal after the chaos of Canglan City.
Without missing a beat, Lin Yi made his way to the job transfer sanctuary. He was eager to complete his second transfer, the anticipation building within him.
***
Li Yiyi, a clerk at the sanctuary, yawned widely as she glanced at the clock. It was already half-past eleven in the morning. "Just half an hour left till I'm off," she mused, stretching her tired limbs. Today had been an easy shift—a bit of paperwork, a quick chat with a rather handsome young man, and plenty of time to relax. All in all, not a bad way to spend the morning.
As she adjusted her glasses, the door to the sanctuary swung open, and to her surprise, that same handsome face appeared before her once more.
"I'm here to submit my task," Lin Yi said, his tone brisk and businesslike.
Li Yiyi's eyes widened in shock. "W-what? But we only met like an hour and a half ago!" she thought incredulously. How could he have completed a job transfer mission so quickly?
Despite her astonishment, she quickly regained her composure. "Right… right! Please, follow me!"
She led Lin Yi into a room where the spiritual crystals used for job transfers were housed. The air was thick with magical energy, the crystals pulsating softly with power. Lin Yi approached one of them, placing his hands on its cool, smooth surface.
Almost immediately, a system notification flashed in his mind.
[Ding! You have completed the job transfer mission. Do you wish to submit?]
Lin Yi didn't hesitate. He selected "Submit," and as soon as he did, a magic circle flared to life beneath his feet. Light swirled around him, bathing him in a brilliant white glow.
[Congratulations! Your job transfer was successful!]
[You have advanced to: Intermediate Mage (Second Level)!]
[New skills acquired: Ice Arrow, Mana Shield!]
[Your mental attribute value and attribute point gain have increased!]
As the light dimmed, Lin Yi felt a surge of power coursing through his veins. His advancement was complete, and with it came new abilities—tools he could use