Free Web NovelChapter 33: Chapter 32: Basic Meditation Technique
Another two seconds passed.
Two voices rang out at the same time.
"Your Excellency, it should be Thorny Plum!"
"Your Excellency, the answer is Thorny Plum!"
The first was a girl’s voice, crystal clear and tinged with a unique softness.
Mo Ning followed the sound with his gaze and immediately identified the newcomer—serial number 238, Anya.
Like him, she also hailed from the Holy Spear Kingdom.
But unlike him, the son of a fur merchant, Anya came from a viscount’s family. She carried an air of poise and pride ingrained in her since childhood.
A small, vermilion mole adorned the girl’s fair left earlobe, making her difficult to forget after a single glance.
The second voice belonged to a young man.
Mo Ning’s gaze shifted to the other side—serial number 156, Remi.
On the way to the academy, he had unintentionally overheard some information about Remi—his father was a scholar from the Black Stone Kingdom.
Mo Ning raised an eyebrow slightly.
’So two people knew the answer.’
’It seems there are quite a few hidden talents among the newcomers.’
Lv Mei immediately made a judgment: "Anya was first. The reward is 1 Black Tower Point."
A delighted smile instantly appeared on Anya’s face.
The smile was brief. It had just begun to bloom at the corners of her lips before she quickly suppressed it.
Remi, on the other hand, remained calm-faced.
Not a hint of annoyance could be seen on his youthful face.
Many of the newcomers wore envious expressions.
The Lecture Hall was full of "paupers"; no one would turn their nose up at a single Black Tower Point.
Besides, it was a reward from a First Level Wizard, something that could be a bragging right in the future.
Lv Mei surveyed the hall and, at the opportune moment, announced a piece of good news. "I will be asking at least 100 questions this class. You will have plenty of opportunities."
The rookies immediately grew excited, their young faces filled with eager anticipation.
Many of the newcomers’ gazes toward the Wizard became much warmer.
In their minds, Lv Mei was now clearly equated with being a "good person" and "kind."
Mo Ning, however, was lost in thought.
’All actions have a deeper motive.’
’Back at Lakefront Manor, he’d never heard of such a good thing as getting Black Tower Points for answering questions in class.’
’So the question is, why is Lv Mei doing this?’
Mo Ning looked at the Tree Spirit with plum blossoms on its head, and another figure emerged in his mind—Goblin Fodder.
’Both are non-humans, both live in the academy, and both face overt and covert ostracism.’
Fodder chose to endure it.
He suppressed his emotions, and his mind gradually became twisted by that endurance, which is why he took pleasure in making things difficult for newcomers.
Lv Mei, on the other hand, had chosen to teach by handing out rewards.
They were winning goodwill through a series of questions and a steady supply of Black Tower Points.
The latter was obviously the smarter one.
And so the smart person—no, the smart Tree Spirit—ultimately became a Wizard.
The Wizard cut the digression short at just the right moment. "Alright. Let’s begin the lecture."
They immediately added a reminder:
"According to the academy’s requirements, and to ensure you get your Black Tower Points’ worth, the lecture must have a sufficiently high density of information."
"This class will last for three hours. I suggest you all take good notes."
The moment their voice fell.
HUMMM—
The entire mountain peak began to vibrate slightly.
Countless tiny, glowing runes lit up along the edges of the stone steps, as if a slumbering behemoth had opened its eyes.
The next second.
Round stone platforms rose rapidly from the wide steps.
They were uniform in size, just large enough for one person to lean over and write.
The tops of the platforms were not flat, but slanted at an angle of about twenty degrees—the most comfortable position for writing for long periods, requiring no need to lower one’s head or bend one’s back, and allowing one’s arms to rest on them naturally.
The newcomers were surprised for a moment, but then quickly reacted.
They swiftly pulled out paper and pens from their pockets, spreading the scale pattern paper on the stone platforms and gripping their Ink Tube Pens in their right hands.
But there were some—five newcomers, to be precise—who froze awkwardly in place.
Due to carelessness, or perhaps other reasons, they hadn’t brought any paper or pens.
They were like students from another time and place who had forgotten their textbooks or homework—utterly at a loss, wishing the ground would swallow them whole.
In the gazes that drifted over them, there was no sympathy, no mockery, only a cold, matter-of-fact acceptance.
Mo Ning stood at the back, taking in the entire scene.
’For him, bringing a pen and paper was more for show anyway.’
’One of the basic functions of the [Insightful Secret Eye] is recording.’
’By consuming just a small amount of Spiritual Power, he could record the entire three-hour lecture perfectly.’
’It was like an ultra-high-definition recording; every word, every movement, every detail, captured without the slightest error.’
’In the future, whenever he needed to, he could review any moment of the class at will.’
’This ability was far more useful than any pen and paper.’
Just then, the green light in Lv Mei’s wooden pupils flickered slightly, and they suddenly revealed a ruthless side.
"Some people have forgotten to bring even a pen and paper to their very first class at the academy."
Their voice was still pleasant, but the earlier warmth was gone, replaced by a cold, judgmental chill.
"From you, I see no reverence for knowledge, nor do I see any thirst for it."
Every word from Lv Mei was like a piercing ice pick. "You must pay the price for your foolishness."
They began to rapidly call out names:
"Serial number 184, Joel; serial number 193, Nathan; serial number 228, Marine; serial number 249, Nicole; serial number 266, Colin."
The newcomers whose names were called lowered their heads, not daring to speak.
The Tree Spirit Wizard’s sentence came: "Deduct 5 Black Tower Points."
The five newcomers’ faces turned deathly pale.
The others were scared into silence.
Just moments ago, the rookies had found the Wizard to be gentle and approachable. Now they understood a profound truth—a Wizard was a Wizard, and their lofty authority was not to be trifled with.
