"By the way, Senior, what exactly is the purpose of the Insightful Heart I just comprehended?"
Suddenly, Alan turned to the black-robed woman, actively seeking her guidance.
The woman looked at him gravely, surprised by his remarkable perception.
"The Insightful Heart is essentially a tier of a magus's mental prowess. Once it reaches a certain level, it makes controlling and transforming elements easier, and it allows multitasking."
"Normally, you're still far from reaching such a special tier, but since you've grasped it, you'll practically have no bottlenecks until you reach the advanced mage level!"
Alan felt a moment of clarity, recalling the scenes from when the black-robed woman made her moves earlier.
For him, the prospect of overcoming challenges without bottlenecks was an incredible blessing, as many magi could spend their entire lives stuck at one.
However, what Alan truly found impactful about the Insightful Heart was his enhanced sensitivity and control over elements.
With this unique tier, recalling each of the woman's moves provided him with new insights.
It felt as if the elements in his hands had become more agile; with a mere thought, they moved effortlessly, without the awkwardness he had previously felt.
To confirm his hunch, Alan sparred once again with the tier-gold stone golem conjured by the woman.
Although there were still some restrictions on the golem, Alan handled the fight much more smoothly this time.
His speed in commanding elements, predicting his opponent's moves, and sensing elemental flows had all strengthened multiple times over.
It felt as if his opponent was completely exposed before him.
After sparring for several hours, Alan wiped the sweat from his forehead, feeling as though he was the master of the elements. His heart swelled with excitement.
"Senior, when can I be as powerful as you?" Alan suddenly asked.
Although he wasn't sure of her exact level, he sensed she was beyond the rank of King Magus—her power seemed unfathomable.
"Focus on your cultivation," the woman replied calmly. "If you're truly a genius, you might see my shadow in your lifetime."
Alan swallowed hard. Wasn't that a bit arrogant?
But considering her methods and the aura of superiority she exuded, it was likely a fact.
Seeing his slight disappointment, she added,
"Magi who can see my shadow are world-renowned prodigies. You're doing well."
Alan: "…"
With her encouragement, Alan entered the Soul Grindstone once more, undergoing soul refinement before finally leaving Hell.
After this intense training, he decided to relax and spend some time with his sister.
By the time Alan returned to his room, it was already morning.
Isabella was still peacefully asleep in bed.
Although the Bone Cleansing Potion hadn't affected her soul, her arm and abdominal injuries had fully healed.
Her skin was now more delicate and healthy, with a soft rosy glow.
Compared to her previous frail appearance, she looked significantly healthier.
Under Alan's gaze, Isabella's snow-white eyelashes quivered slightly, and she opened her sapphire-blue eyes.
"Brother!"
Seeing Alan, Isabella immediately leaped up happily.
"Let's go have breakfast and take a stroll," Alan said with a lighthearted laugh.
After a quick wash, he took Isabella out of the room.
As they left, many mages around them looked on with curiosity and awe.
They had all inquired about the previous day's events on the train's upper deck but hadn't received any definitive information, as the church members were tight-lipped.
However, one thing was certain—despite Alan's blatant disregard for the church's authority and his insistence on killing, he was unharmed!
This was something none of them had ever dared to imagine!
Naturally, various speculations and rumors spread across the train.
"I heard they were going to chop Alan into pieces, but the train conductor, Annie, took a liking to that pretty face of his and let him off!"
"That can't be true. If that were the case, he'd be in the conductor's quarters, not here, right?"
"They probably didn't want the bad publicity…"
Alan initially ignored the rumors, but hearing them talk about a scandalous affair with Annie made him marvel at the imaginations of these mages.
Fabricating stories was something they excelled at.
He hurriedly led Isabella away from the area.
"Alan's hasty departure only confirms the rumor!"
"Now that you mention it, Alan does look more and more like a pretty boy."
The gossip only grew louder after Alan left.
"Alan, is the rumor true? Did the conductor really come to your room last night?"
They hadn't gone far when Carter appeared with a grin, his expression full of admiration.
Alan didn't bother explaining; with people like Carter, explanations only seemed to make things more complicated.
"Why aren't you up on the deck? Why are you down here?" Alan asked, changing the subject.
Carter rubbed his hands together. "Alan, you're on your way to take the entrance exam for Lioncrest Academy, right?"
Alan nodded. With Lioncrest Academy's semester approaching, many people were headed there to take the exam.
Then he remembered that Carter had introduced himself as a "prospective Lioncrest Academy student." Although Carter's talent and power seemed average, he was the son of the Head of the Light Guild, so it was possible.
After all, while Lioncrest Academy forbade backdoor entries, personal connections couldn't be entirely avoided.
Carter was obviously one of those with such connections.
"Since you're a prospective student, you must know a bit about Lioncrest Academy?" Alan looked at him.
Carter nodded, eyes filled with eager anticipation as he shared his knowledge of the academy.
Alan listened quietly.
Although Lioncrest Academy was well-known throughout the Plantagenet Kingdom, his understanding of it was superficial.
Only wealthy young people like Carter had access to insider information.
After listening to Carter's excited monologue, Alan had a much deeper understanding of Lioncrest Academy.
Due to the increasing number of applicants each year, the academy's admission standards continued to rise.
Now, the requirement of tier-iron level 8 had been raised to tier-iron level 9!
There were also some other changes in the details, which Alan hadn't been aware of before.
"Anyway, you'll find out once you're at the imperial capital. With your talent and power, getting into Lioncrest Academy should be a breeze, even with many applicants!"
Having witnessed Alan's battle skills firsthand, Carter was confident that Alan would have no problem entering Lioncrest Academy.
Then he looked toward an ancient city looming in the distance, his expression growing serious.
"We're about to reach Ironblood City, at the border with Barton Kingdom. Be careful there and stick close to me—it's not a peaceful place!"
Alan looked toward Ironblood City as well.
Even in the remote Northern District, he had heard of it.
Over the years, as the Plantagenet Kingdom weakened, much of its borderlands had been encroached upon.
Ironblood City, once deep within Plantagenet Kingdom territory, was nearly claimed by Barton Kingdom.
If not for its strategic importance, Plantagenet Kingdom would have lost control over Ironblood City entirely, leaving its railway network fragmented and the imperial capital greatly threatened.
According to what Alan had heard, although Ironblood City had been saved, the terms of the treaty were rather humiliating.
Alan didn't ask much more, figuring they'd only stop for half a day before moving on, and as long as they were cautious, it would be fine.
He had heard the scenery within Ironblood City was beautiful, but if it wasn't safe, he'd have to abandon his plan to take his sister sightseeing for the day.