From Wizard Apprentice to Conqueror of Myriad Worlds

How could she not guess what her master was about to go through today?

Mo Ning didn’t hesitate. He immediately activated the brooch with his Spiritual Power.

The Cabin in the Woods instantly blurred. The walls, bookshelves, Magic Energy Lamps, carpets—everything began to spin, distort, and fade.

When his surroundings came back into focus, he was already standing on the floor of apartment 804.

BUZZ—

The Secret Technique Whisper immediately vibrated.

He raised his left hand and brushed his fingertips over the face of the ring. Anya’s message flowed into his mind like a stream of water:

"Breakfast is ready! Oh, and Reina specially prepared a local delicacy from her hometown, Black Mountain City."

This was an "offline" message.

The Noble Lady had sent it at five in the morning sharp, but since Mo Ning wasn’t in his dorm, the message had been stored in the ring.

The moment he stepped into the apartment, the ring sensed that the recipient was "online" and delivered the message immediately.

Mo Ning walked to the door and reached out to touch the brass wall lamp next to the frame.

The lamp absorbed a sliver of his Spiritual Power and emitted a faint white light, illuminating the adjacent wall. A pure white mailbox space materialized from within the glow.

Inside the space lay a food container. Its lid was tied with a thin red ribbon, which had been deliberately fashioned into a beautiful bow.

Mo Ning opened the container, and the first thing he saw was the "Black Mountain City specialty" the Noble Lady had mentioned.

A rich, meaty aroma, so potent it seemed to overflow the entire room, wafted over him, making his mouth water instantly.

It was a large bowl of meat broth. The soup was remarkably clear, with specks of fat floating on the surface.

Large chunks of meat floated in the broth, their edges stewed until slightly tender and falling apart. Mixed in were milky-white tubers that glistened invitingly.

"Mutton?"

Mo Ning guessed in a low voice.

He picked up a silver fork, speared a piece of mutton, and brought it to his mouth.

The meat was springy to the bite, yet still soft. The moment his teeth sank in, savory juices burst from the meat fibers and exploded on the tip of his tongue.

There were no superfluous seasonings or complex cooking techniques, yet the natural umami of the mutton itself sent wave after wave of flavor crashing over his taste buds.

Mo Ning then used a silver spoon to scoop up some of the mutton broth. He took a small sip and narrowed his eyes in pleasure. "This really is excellent!"

Being able to learn so much interesting new knowledge every day, and also enjoy different kinds of delicious food—it made him feel, for the first time since he’d transmigrated, that life was truly wonderful.

BUZZ—

Anya’s second message arrived.

This time, it was a real-time message.

Mo Ning’s fingertips lightly touched the face of the ring, and a message descended into his mind:

"Last night, I ran into Princess Phoebe at Bright Mirror Lake. We chatted for a while as we walked along the shore. I told her the inside story of the battle that took place in the Steel Bamboo Forest."

"I revealed some of the truth but concealed some key information. I told Princess Phoebe that you were the one who discovered the Forbidden Sect’s Holy Emblem on Kanda’s wrist, but that I was the one who made all the decisions."

She first recounted the contents of their conversation truthfully before expressing her personal thoughts:

"Although Princess Phoebe was just probing for information, I got the feeling that she seemed a little worried."

Mo Ning’s motion of drinking the soup froze mid-air.

He focused his thoughts for a moment and quickly retrieved a clear line of logic from the Noble Lady’s message:

’Among the three recognized as the strongest squad, the one who’s truly worried is most likely Sitt. Princess Phoebe’s anxiety must be influenced by her teammate; she probably caught it from Sitt.’

’Sitt, relying on some ability—perhaps a bloodline power, or maybe some unknown talent—has faintly sniffed out an approaching crisis from the battle in the Steel Bamboo Forest.’

Previously, during the Secluded Forest assessment, Mo Ning had already sensed that there seemed to be a hidden undercurrent moving within the academy.

Now that Sitt had a similar feeling, it meant his own intuition wasn’t baseless.

Mo Ning took another sip of mutton broth, his thoughts continuing to spread like vines:

’Remi was widely regarded as the smartest newcomer, yet he ended up dead in the Steel Bamboo Forest. As the leader of the Battle Group, Sitt likely considered Remi his strategist.’

’Hmm, perhaps in Sitt’s eyes, Remi’s death wasn’t necessarily an accident, but a conspiracy. The mastermind behind it wants to cut off Sitt’s arms, leaving him isolated and alone.’

’That’s why Sitt has become even more anxious.’

Mo Ning unhurriedly finished the mutton, then dipped a piece of bread in the savory broth and ate it.

Throughout this process, his gaze was somewhat unfocused as a fierce debate raged in the depths of his consciousness.

He drank half the bowl of broth until he couldn’t drink any more, then finally set the bowl down.

Mo Ning stared at the clear mutton broth in the bowl, a decision forming in his mind. ’Sitt isn’t an enemy. Perhaps I can give him a warning.’

He set down the exquisite porcelain bowl, collected his thoughts for a moment, and began to reply to Anya:

"Go tell Princess Phoebe that you have a vague spiritual premonition. Say that a viper might be lurking within the academy, targeting Sitt, and that he must be careful."

The "viper" in this sentence was, of course, a metaphor.

Considering it sounded like a threat, Sitt might not take it seriously.

So, he had to reveal some explosive information as "supporting evidence" to make the statement more convincing.

*****

「In apartment 722, just a street away.」

Anya was dressed in a pair of extremely elastic tights, the fabric clinging to her delicate body and outlining her perfect curves to stunning effect.

The graceful curve of her shoulders and neck, the slender arc of her waist, and the full, smooth lines that extended down from her hips.