Chapter 72: Chicken Soup Needs Some New Ideas
The Divine Summer Empire team returned cheerfully.
"Those Cherry Blossom Country guys were so funny, they actually got scared away."
"Seeing them run with their tails between their legs was hilarious."
"So many career professionals, scared off by a few skeletons. What a bunch of weaklings."
"They can clear Nightmare dungeons. If they really fought, those Cherry Blossom Country people would be toast. Of course they had to run, or they’d be dead."
As many people spoke, they glanced at Lin Moyu.
The constantly silent Lin Moyu seemed very mysterious in their eyes.
Many whispered, speculating about Lin Moyu’s background.
"Where did he come from?"
"Could he be from a top academy?"
"Doesn’t seem like it. Why would someone from a top academy come here?"
"Besides, people from those top academies are busy leveling up and running high-level dungeons. Who has time for trials?"
"It’s strange, where did this expert come from?"
"He rarely speaks."
"Fierce but quiet. His method of killing those shikigami was ruthless."
On the way back, everyone was relaxed.
Though they hadn’t completed the trial mission, today’s experience left them satisfied.
Driving away the Cherry Blossom Country people was satisfying enough.
The trial mission became secondary.
Only Ling Zhen’s eyes held displeasure.
He occasionally looked at Lin Moyu with hatred, but also regret.
If he hadn’t pressured Jiang Taotao then, he would have been part of completing the trial.
But now...
"We’re not finished," Ling Zhen’s heart was filled with hatred.
The group left the light barrier, returning to the starting point.
Jiang Taotao took out the mission stone and Mermaid’s Tear, "Submitting the mission!"
The mission stone and Mermaid’s Tear slowly rose into the air.
A shadowy image of the Divine Summer Tower appeared in the sky.
A beam of light shot from the tower, falling on Jiang Taotao’s mission stone and Mermaid’s Tear.
Seconds later, an authoritative voice sounded from the sky.
"Trial mission complete. Begin return!"
The Divine Summer Tower image shone brightly, illuminating everyone.
Everyone was quickly teleported back.
In about ten seconds, they were back at Hidden Dragon Academy.
"We’re back."
"The trial is over."
"Phew, good thing we all made it back alive."
"Nonsense, how could it be that dangerous? Each year there are over a hundred trials across all academies. When have you ever heard of deaths?"
"Low-level trials don’t have deaths. Those top academies, with career professionals over level 30, lose batches of people every year."
"Of course. For them, our trials are just child’s play."
Hidden Dragon Academy was very lively, everyone discussing this trial.
Lin Moyu was the most talked about.
If not for Lin Moyu, they’d probably still be in a standoff with the Cherry Blossom Country people.
It would have been hard to say if they could snatch the dungeon from them in the end.
After all, the other side had a high-level Onmyoji.
Ning Yiyi’s face turned pale again, the long-distance teleportation making her very uncomfortable.
"Next time we must find a closer place for trials."
"This young lady isn’t going anywhere too far again."
Ning Yiyi lay on the table, limp as a dead fish.
Jiang Taotao smiled, relaxing now that they were back.
"Thank you."
"This trial was very important to me."
She sincerely thanked Lin Moyu.
Lin Moyu shook his head, indicating no thanks were needed.
Ning Yiyi finally caught her breath, "Sister Tao, no need to be so polite with Moyu. He doesn’t talk much, but he’s a really good person."
Ning Yiyi hadn’t actually known Lin Moyu for long.
But strangely, she completely trusted Lin Moyu.
"Silence!"
A low shout came from above.
Everyone looked up.
A person stood in mid-air.
Standing on thin air, level 70, third-transition career professional.
Lin Moyu felt deep respect.
After reaching level 70 and completing the third transition, career professionals could stand on air and fly.
This was true for any career.
Even life-class career professionals were the same.
Of course, some rare career professionals gained flight ability early on.
Like Onmyoji, who could fly using shikigami.
That was different.
"This is our academy principal, Principal Hong Shan," Ning Yiyi whispered to Lin Moyu.
Lin Moyu nodded slightly, his eyes showing admiration.
Any career professional who completed the third transition deserved respect.
High school textbooks said the third transition was extremely difficult.
Less than 1% of career professionals could complete it.
Such figures naturally deserved respect.
As for figures like the White God, they were even rarer.
The whole country only had a few.
Principal Hong Shan’s gaze swept over everyone, looking very satisfied.
"This trial has ended. The process and results are being analyzed."
"Final scores will be sent to your communicators later."
"Remember, the most important part of a trial is not the result, but the process."
"Enjoy the process, eliminate fear, maintain faith in victory - this is the purpose of trials."
"Completing the trial safely without casualties is more important than anything."
"I hear you encountered Cherry Blossom Country career professionals in this trial."
"We will analyze the specific situation."
"Those who performed well will naturally have a chance to enter top academies."
"Now, rest well."
After speaking, Principal Hong Shan turned and left.
Ning Yiyi let out a long sigh, "Always the same old chicken soup, every time. Can’t there be some new ideas?"
Jiang Taotao smiled, as if coaxing a child, "Just listen. It’s meant to be encouraging."
Ning Yiyi snorted, "I don’t need encouragement. Always using top academies as bait, what’s so great about that?"
Jiang Taotao smiled even more happily, "It may not be a big deal for you, but it’s different for us."
Ning Yiyi fell silent, knowing Jiang Taotao really wanted to enter a top academy.
Even within Summer Capital University, there were big differences between ordinary students, academy students, and top academy students.
Both ordinary and academy students saw joining a top academy as an honor.
Jiang Taotao divided up the dungeon rewards.
Lin Moyu also brought out what he obtained later.
Though he and Ning Yiyi cleared the dungeon alone the last two times,
He insisted they were one team, so the rewards must be shared equally.
After dividing the spoils, Ning Yiyi and Lin Moyu went to the Imperial Exchange together.
Lin Moyu had no use for these items and planned to sell them for gold coins.
Ning Yiyi cared even less about money, giving her share to Lin Moyu too.
Her reason was that her storage space had no room.
No one would believe that excuse.
Storage spaces weren’t small, how could there be no room?
Lin Moyu didn’t refuse her kindness and accepted it all.
After this experience, the relationship between them seemed to change slightly. Some things didn’t need to be fussed over.
At the Imperial Exchange, they sold all the unused silver equipment.
This dungeon run dropped a silver-grade Mermaid Queen’s Dagger.
Lin Moyu had originally wanted to give the dagger to Ning Yiyi.
But Ning Yiyi took out an even better dagger, waving it in front of Lin Moyu.
Also silver-grade, but with stronger attributes.
Iron-grade corresponded to below level 10.
Bronze was for levels 10-20.
After level 20, stronger silver-grade equipment could be used.
Even among silver equipment, the gap between best and worst was significant.
The Mermaid Queen was a level 24 boss, but only a level 20 dungeon.
The silver weapons it dropped were only average in attributes.
The only advantage was that the Mermaid Queen’s weapons looked pretty.
Silver weapons at the Imperial Exchange were priced between 50,000 to 200,000.
The Mermaid Queen’s weapons were priced around 70,000.
Lin Moyu sold the two Mermaid Queen weapons, plus the materials obtained this time, exchanging for 180,000 gold coins.
"Don’t you need weapons?" Ning Yiyi saw Lin Moyu empty-handed.
He originally had a spellbook, but Lin Moyu found it troublesome and sold it too.
Lin Moyu shook his head, "They’re useless to me."
His career was Necromancer. Though it had "mage" in the name, the skill boost attributes in staffs or spellbooks were ineffective for him.
Lin Moyu felt his career might have its own specialized equipment.
The small spirit boost wasn’t very useful.
Ning Yiyi said "Oh" and continued, "You should save up money and buy more junior skill scrolls."
"Before your second transition, you should learn all your junior career skills."
Lin Moyu listened carefully. He didn’t know this information, Ning Yiyi knew more than him.
Ning Yiyi became Teacher Ning, earnestly instructing:
"If you don’t learn all junior skills, after your second transition you can only use intermediate skill scrolls."
"If you awaken a junior skill then, you’ll have wasted an intermediate skill scroll."
After Ning Yiyi’s explanation, Lin Moyu understood.
Intermediate skill scrolls could also awaken junior skills.
The price difference was a hundredfold. Using an intermediate scroll to awaken a junior skill would be a huge waste.
Suddenly, Lin Moyu’s communicator rang.
After answering, an authoritative voice came through:
"Lin Moyu, come to the Academic Affairs Office."