Chapter 54: The Lifelike Statue
It was the final week. Xiao Hei, having played the role of the newcomer for so many days, no longer called for votes, instead burying himself in writing and plotting the story. These days, the brothers supporting Xiao Hei had clearly grown in number, and he could feel it, grateful for their backing. He hoped that those who enjoyed his book would continue to shower it with their support as always.
Obediently, Xu Wen walked up together with Xie Zhan. Surrounded by countless astonished and envious gazes, they foolishly accepted a form from the examiner, filled in their details, and then a middle-aged teacher pointed toward the unadorned gate of the Azure Cloud Academy not far away: “Once inside, someone will receive you. And you… If you don’t go in now, I’ll take back the forms in your hands.” He glanced at Jin Yu and the other three girls, who stood holding their forms, stunned.
Only then did the five young men and women snap out of their reverie, dashing toward the gate in a blur, their backs watched by innumerable surprised and envious eyes. None of them knew why Xu Wen and Xie Zhan had been granted entry to Azure Cloud Academy without having to take the entrance exam.
“Why did you get the forms directly?” Xiang Nan’s face was full of curiosity as he asked.
“If you’re under fifteen and have reached Star Level Two, Stage Seven, you’re exempt from the entrance exam. Didn’t you know?” A voice came from behind. Turning around, they saw Irene, the genius girl from Slan Academy, standing with another girl. Irene kept her eyes fixed on Xu Wen, while the other girl watched Xie Zhan—it was an old friend of Xie Zhan.
Xu Wen immediately showed a look of realization.
He had other thoughts, though. There were noticeably fewer young candidates at the exam, likely because Azure Cloud Academy had relaxed its requirements for examinees under fifteen, allowing direct admission if one reached Star Level Two, Stage Seven. Of course, achieving that level of cultivation under fifteen was rare enough; Xie Zhan and the others had begun training even before entering the boot camp.
As for Irene and her companion, Lofi, one was a rare genius girl magic warrior, the other a young Star Level Two intermediate light mage. Their entry was hardly surprising.
Using their forms, the seven entered the academy grounds and were immediately overwhelmed by the scene before them…
A vast plaza, surrounded by dozens of lifelike giant statues of figures!
It was like a solemn temple, the statues imposing and majestic, each occupying its own space, coexisting in a subtle balance that enveloped the entire plaza.
At first glance, Xu Wen and his companions were utterly captivated by the statues, immersed in these masterpieces of dazzling artistry, unable to tear themselves away. Each statue stood at a different distance, yet each radiated a powerful aura impossible to ignore, sinking deep into the hearts of the group, until the strange sense of being lost began to fade…
Among them, six statues were especially unforgettable:
The first, a young swordmaster holding his blade aloft toward the heavens, wild and unrestrained, his confidence and arrogance laid bare. Yet the faint melancholy between his brows brought this prodigy closer to ordinary people, making one realize that even the most brilliant and powerful have their own worries.
The second statue…
A fierce and imposing battlemaster, both palms raised, ten strong fingers splayed skillfully, giving the impression that he might shatter the very sky. His eyes blazed like thunder, murderous intent palpable; at first sight, Xu Wen felt as if the statue might suddenly move, hands raised overhead to summon the power of heaven and earth, overwhelming everything—cold sweat instantly soaked his back.
The third was more conventional.
This statue, in fact, had three figures: a languid young summoner astride a white tiger, their presence exuding a steady aura of dragon and tiger. On his shoulder, an eagle poised to take flight cried out, evoking a sense that when he moved, he would soar straight to the skies.
The fourth depicted a young woman, hands crossed over her chest, eyes closed in contemplation, her face veiled by a black scarf. Her curves were gentle, her figure slender, like a hidden sage, peaceful and calm. Yet after gazing for a while, Xu Wen felt a piercing chill from her half-closed eyes, as if something cold silently crept up his neck…
The fifth, an elderly archer, robes billowing, full of vigor, standing astride north and south. His full moon bow and focused gaze pointed east, his pose strong and forceful, embodying the heroic spirit of shooting the sun.
The last statue was the one that absorbed Xu Wen’s attention the longest…
Magical flames spun in rings around a serene mage, who stood amid them as calm as a mountain forest, radiating an ineffable, mysterious aura in quietude. The dynamic trajectory of the swirling magic stirred something powerful within Xu Wen. Immersed in the moment, the fire elements clinging to his body began to circulate instinctively…
He did not need to chant a spell.
The fire elements began to gather furiously around Xu Wen!
The fire ring of elements he had once attempted appeared clearly for the first time, solidifying around him.
Xu Wen’s mind was completely absorbed in the magical patterns surrounding the mage statue, oblivious to the changes occurring around him. Only when the magic finally took shape, guided by some invisible force along a specific trajectory, did those walking ahead notice something amiss with Xu Wen.
“Brother Xu?”
Xie Zhan and the others, though similarly awed by the statues in the plaza, did not experience the same overwhelming feeling and remained aware of their surroundings. Seeing Xu Wen rooted in place, brows tightly knit as he stared ahead, flames swirling about him like nimble serpents, seemingly beyond his own control, they grew anxious…
“Don’t touch him.”
A sharp voice rang out from the entrance of the academy, halting Xie Zhan and the others’ next move.
A middle-aged teacher in a six-star mage robe swept over to Xu Wen, light on his feet, not sparing Xie Zhan and the others a glance, half amazed, half delighted as he fixed his gaze on the blazing fire ring surrounding Xu Wen. His face was filled with indescribable shock.
“Teacher?”
“Is Senior Xu all right?”
The sudden appearance of a six-star mage brought some relief to the young men and women, but they still asked cautiously in hushed tones.
The six-star wind mage quickly made a gesture for silence, waving the group back a few steps. He continued to observe Xu Wen’s spellbound eyes and the increasingly nimble fire ring encircling him, a strong trace of envy flashing in his own eyes.
A full two minutes passed…
Xu Wen showed no sign of awakening, and now even the six-star fire mage looked surprised.
With the mental strength and magical knowledge of this young fire mage at Star Level Two, Stage Nine, sustaining and learning a pure Star Level Three Earth Sovereign intermediate spell granted by a statue should last only a minute or so before his mana was exhausted and he snapped out of it, but he would gain much from the experience.
Yet this boy managed to persist so long?
Seeing no danger, the six-star wind mage suppressed his astonishment and continued to observe…
After more than three minutes, at last he saw beads of cold sweat appear on Xu Wen’s brow… Xu Wen blinked, forcibly breaking free from the trance. The ring of fire dissipated beautifully in the air.
Xu Wen seemed to awaken from a dream.
He moved instinctively, but a simple step felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, as familiar weakness and mental exhaustion swept over him. Darkness swallowed his vision, and he collapsed headlong to the ground.