"A sixth-level warrior? Then what about my father? How strong is he? Is he level fifteen?"
Leilin's manner was perfectly innocent, and flawless at that — after all, in a child's mind, parents were always invincible.
"Level fifteen?! Cough—cough..." Jacob nearly choked on his own saliva.
"Young master! Any professional above level five is enough to earn the attention of the nobility, and those above level fifteen — even at the very top of the Kingdom, they command widespread respect. There are hardly any in the entire continent..."
"I see!"
Leilin stroked his chin. This terminology was something he had heard during his last Soul Seed incarnation. It seemed that after borrowing a medium, the power of his original Soul Seed was quite impressive in this world as well.
Of course, no matter how powerful, foreign power was still foreign — under the radiance of the
"Then,
Leilin put on the air of a perfectly curious little boy.
"After level fifteen... ah..." Jacob's eyes grew distant. "Then there are only Legends! Legendary-rank powerhouses — they're strong enough to make entire kingdoms give way. The greatest force on the entire continent..."
"Legends... are there?" A sharp glint flashed through Leilin's eyes.
"Alright! Let's start today's training — long-distance run first!" At this point, Jacob realized Leilin had led him off topic, and his face immediately darkened.
"Yes, yes..." Leilin cheerfully set off running, moving like a powerful little leopard. The fluid grace of his motion made Jacob's eyes light up.
……
Late that night, in the Baron's study.
"You're saying... Leilin's physical aptitude is exceptional? That if he pursues warrior training, he has great potential?"
Jonas sat behind his desk, fingers interlaced, eyes filled with a contemplative look.
"Yes, my lord! Young master Leilin's energy channels are extremely smooth, and combined with his exceptional innate physique — if he persists in warrior training, I'm confident that within ten years, he will produce Combat Aura and break through to the fifth-level warrior rank!"
Jacob stood before Jonas, speaking gravely.
"I understand. You may leave." Jonas waved his hand wearily.
After Jacob bowed and departed, a bitter smile spread across Jonas's face.
"Outstanding intellectual talent and astonishing physical ability! Leilin, you truly are a gift bestowed upon me by the Gods!"
Jonas clutched his hair in distress.
Every parent wished for their child to be a genius. But when Leilin excelled remarkably in both areas, Jonas found himself troubled over how best to raise him.
"Daily academic lessons will of course continue, but warrior training..."
Jonas knew Jacob's capabilities well enough. If Leilin truly had exceptional talent, training under him would be a waste.
Moreover, the warrior profession generally held a lower status in the
"My friend! Whatever is troubling you?"
At that moment, a gentle voice sounded in the study, making Jonas's eyes light up.
"
Jonas rose to his feet, a warm smile spreading across his face, as a figure slowly emerged from the shadows.
The man had long, flowing silver hair, and eyes brimming with wisdom. Though his face was quite youthful, his bearing carried a sense of weathered age.
He wore a smooth robe similar to a scholar's attire, adorned with a peculiar golden emblem on his chest.
Powerful magical energy swirled around him, giving off an extremely dangerous impression. Clearly, this Ernest was a formidable spellcaster.
A Mage — the arcane profession of the World of Gods, one who commanded powerful spellcasting abilities and could wield the forces of natural elements through their own power.
More importantly, every Mage was also a great polymath. Their command of knowledge even surpassed that of many renowned scholars.
Of course, the enormous cost and lengthy time required to become a Mage made it a "noble profession." Ordinary commoners could never afford the expenses of a Mage's training and other experiments.
"Good to see you again, Jonas!" Ernest smiled and gave Jonas a warm embrace.
"I'm sorry I couldn't make it when your child was born — the Abyss exploration experiment was simply too intricate and time-consuming..." A hint of apology appeared on Ernest's face.
"Consider this Light Ring my belated gift!"
Ernest held out a gleaming silver ring: "It only stores three charges of the Light spell, but it makes a wonderful toy for a child..."
"Thank you so much!"
Jonas carefully accepted the ring. With his eye for such things, he knew perfectly well that even a temporarily enchanted item like this could sell for over ten gold coins.
That was how expensive magical items were — and they were often priceless even at that.
"Leilin and I thank you for this!" Jonas said with some emotion.
Originally, with the Faolan Family's resources, the best they could manage was forming connections with useless
Their acquaintance had been entirely due to a chance encounter. Of course, once Jonas discovered Ernest's true identity, he had invested considerable effort in cultivating a deep friendship.
After sitting down, Ernest returned to his earlier question: "Jonas! My friend! What has you so troubled?"
"Well, you see..."
Looking at the powerful spellcaster, a glint flickered in Jonas's eyes and was quickly masked. He wore a bitter smile: "You know, my child — Leilin! He's five years old now, and the talent he's shown worries me greatly. I worry that without proper guidance, he might go astray and fail to fully realize his exceptional potential..."
Jonas gave a rather detailed account of Leilin's accomplishments.
It had to be said that even with much concealed, Leilin's talent was absolutely on par with the native-born geniuses.
As Jonas spoke, Ernest's eyes gradually brightened. "Tomorrow! I'd like to meet the child in person tomorrow. If he has talent, I may consider taking him as an apprentice!"
"Thank you so much!" Jonas stood up in delighted surprise.
"It's nothing!" Ernest smiled faintly. He could see through Jonas's intentions, but it didn't bother him — after all, he had already accepted substantial funding from the man previously. As a return gesture, taking one of his children as an apprentice was a small matter. Of course, the prerequisite was that the child had magical aptitude, even if only at the most basic level.
The next day, Leilin was informed that all his lessons were postponed — he was to meet an important person.
"Leilin! My son!" Jonas stood before Leilin, his expression more serious than Leilin had ever seen.
"Next, I'm going to take you to meet a powerful Mage. Even across the entire continent, he is a remarkable powerhouse. You must maintain a respectful attitude — do you understand?"
"Yes, Father!" Young Leilin nodded vigorously, a slight anticipation stirring within him.
"A Mage? A spellcaster of this world? Finally, I can walk the path of the elements..."
Whether or not he had magical talent, Leilin knew better than anyone. Moreover, having been given a second life, he had no intention of choosing another profession.
He had been a Wizard to begin with — walking the arcane path would clearly be the easier route to the peak.
Bloodline sorcerers and the like were entirely out of the question. After all, breaking through the bloodline barrier had been difficult enough the first time around — Leilin certainly didn't want to go through that again.
Therefore, choosing the Mage profession was currently Leilin's best option.
"I hope you can become a powerful Mage. If that happens, our Faolan Family..." Jonas's tone carried hope and anticipation as he ruffled Leilin's hair, then led him into the living room.
There, a Mage with long, flowing silver hair swept his gaze over them like lightning, raising goosebumps on Leilin's skin.
"Oh!" A soft exclamation escaped the Mage's lips.
"Come, Leilin — this is your Uncle Ernest!" Though puzzled by the Mage's reaction, Jonas immediately gestured for Leilin to bow.
"Good day, Uncle Ernest!" Leilin bowed respectfully, his bright eyes brimming with curiosity.
"Good boy, come here!"
Ernest's eyes shone with excitement, his suppressed emotion so evident that even Jonas could read it.
"Take this!" Another silver ring appeared in Ernest's hand. Unlike yesterday's, this one was exquisitely crafted like a work of art, set with a glittering gemstone.
Jonas recognized it at a glance — it was a permanently enchanted item. Compared to yesterday's ring, which could only be used three times before becoming worthless, this one was worth at least ten times as much.
"Thank you, Uncle!" Leilin accepted the ring politely, though inwardly he was somewhat dismissive.
"Magic items that can only be used once spiritual power reaches a certain level? What a primitive method of assessment..."
The moment the ring touched his hand, its energy circuits and structure were almost entirely laid bare to Leilin's perception.
"Well then, I might as well show a little of what I can do."