From Wizard Apprentice to Conqueror of Myriad Worlds

Previously, Reina had been quite worried that her teammates might lack wilderness survival experience.

Especially Mr. Mo Ning. She’d heard that he was just a merchant’s son before his Spiritual Talent was discovered. After that, he had spent a long time in the library and had never been on any wilderness adventures. She was extremely concerned he would be completely helpless in the wild.

So she had secretly resolved to do everything in her power to protect Mr. Mo Ning and get him through this assessment.

Just then, the Dazed Girl suddenly realized, ’I think I was overthinking things! How can I judge a genius like Mr. Mo Ning by ordinary standards?’

1—

The final tick of the countdown echoed through the white mist of the Secret Hall like the tolling bell of judgment day.

Mo Ning immediately executed a series of movements, his speed so fast it was as if he had rehearsed them a thousand times before.

In fact, he had indeed trained them a thousand times over in the Simulation Space, honing the entire sequence to perfection and compressing the time it took to the absolute minimum.

First, he cast [Quick Pick Up]. His Spiritual Power extended like a thread into his Casting Belt, precisely locking onto a small cube.

The small cube was pulled by Magic Power through his blue robe, instantly appearing above his head. Another wisp of Spiritual Power was injected into it, activating the framework of Spiritual Materials within.

POP!

A soft sound, like the crisp pop of a champagne cork.

The small cube exploded outward and expanded in an instant, forming a complete rain hood that settled perfectly onto his head.

His entire head was enclosed within, so he didn’t have to worry about rain splashing on his face, let alone seeping into his collar.

The front of the hood was made of a transparent, flexible material, as thin as a cicada’s wing yet tough enough to resist scratches from thorns. He could see his surroundings clearly through it.

The fabric on the back automatically changed color to match his blue robe, shifting from pitch-black to the exact same deep blue, effectively eliminating the risk of his head being targeted from behind.

The interior was fitted with a flexible clasp that rested gently against his neck and shoulders, preventing the hood from slipping off.

The hood’s material was surprisingly soft and had another commendable feature—raindrops made no sound at all when they hit it, thus preventing any interference in situations that required focused listening.

This item didn’t just protect against rain; it also blocked the wind, keeping the biting cold out. It was an absolute must-have for the wilderness.

Of course, it wasn’t cheap either—5 Black Tower Points.

As for waterproofing his body, he didn’t need to do anything special, as the blue robe itself was highly water-resistant.

Reina, standing beside him, only saw a blur of motion before the hood was already covering Mo Ning’s head.

The girl glanced at Mo Ning, a flash of admiration in her beautiful eyes.

Making the hood unfold and land perfectly on one’s head in the same instant required a certain degree of skill—the angle had to be precise, and the activation with Spiritual Power had to be just right.

When an inexperienced person activated the hood, it would often unfold too early or expand and smack into their head, sending it flying.

She never would have imagined that Mr. Mo Ning could be so practiced at putting on the hood. The entire sequence was as smooth and fluid as her teacher Buck’s.

Second, Mo Ning cast another Trick, pulling three pairs of small, dark objects from his belt—anti-slip clay.

Without even looking, he tossed them at his own feet and those of the two girls.

As if they had a mind of their own, the lumps of clay automatically flowed and spread out, clinging tightly to the bottom of their Sheepskin Boots and forming a thin yet exceptionally sturdy anti-slip layer on the soles.

The function of the anti-slip clay was clear from its name—it guaranteed you wouldn’t slip while walking on wet, muddy paths.

Given how wealthy Mo Ning was, he naturally didn’t care about such a small expense.

After noticing the change at her feet, Reina immediately tried taking a step. There was no resistance when she lifted her foot, just like a normal boot, but when she set it down, she could clearly feel the boot sticking firmly to the ground.

The Dazed Girl couldn’t help but mutter enviously in her heart, ’Mr. Mo Ning is so rich!’

She used to frequently follow her teacher on wilderness expeditions and knew all sorts of survival items like the back of her hand.

She knew very well that the anti-slip clay was a disposable item. Its effect lasted for two days, and it sold for 2 Black Tower Points per pair in the novice shop.

On her budget, she could never dream of buying it.

Third, Mo Ning pinched a bit of grayish-white powder from his belt and used the [Scatter] Trick to evenly coat the surface of all three of their blue robes.

This was Deodorizing Powder, which could eliminate body odor and effectively prevent any lingering scents.

In the wilderness, scent was the easiest trail to track. Many creatures had a sense of smell a hundred times more sensitive than a hound’s, and a single whiff of sweat was enough to attract a deadly predator.

Deodorizing Powder contained trace amounts of Spiritual Power, which allowed it to adhere firmly to surfaces. Not even a torrential downpour could wash it away.

Fourth, Mo Ning cast a Trick yet again, retrieving two items from a pocket inside his blue robe.

The first item was a Wristband Crossbow.

The device was smaller than an adult’s palm and exquisitely designed. It was secured to his left wrist with a soft strap and hidden beneath his robe’s sleeve, making it almost impossible to spot without looking closely.

It could be fired using Spiritual Power, requiring no hand to pull a trigger. With just a thought, a Crossbow Arrow would shoot out.

This design had a huge advantage—it didn’t hinder his left hand from holding other things.

The second item was a Multi-functional Staff.

It wasn’t just Mo Ning; Anya and Reina also took out Multi-functional Staffs.

The difference was that Mo Ning had purchased a high-end model from [Dawa’s Grocery List], which cost 35 Black Tower Points and had over thirty different functions.

The two girls watched in astonishment as Mo Ning, at a dazzling speed, went from "unarmed" to "fully equipped" in just a few seconds.

Then.

A final message flooded into everyone’s minds:

[You have entered the assessment area "Mist Valley." Please be careful! You can check the remaining assessment time at any moment via your Guiding Ring. We wish you the resolute courage to overcome the various difficulties of the wilderness and successfully complete the assessment!]

The vast white mist within the Secret Hall receded at an astonishing speed, and the world was instantly turned upside down.

The stone slabs underfoot turned into muddy ground, the dome overhead became a lead-gray sky, and the distant Secluded Forest transformed into a chaotic thicket overgrown with wild grass.

At the same time.

Countless sounds erupted at once.

SPLASH—!

A downpour cascaded from the sky like a waterfall.

WHOOSH—!

A howling wind swept up raindrops, flinging them about wildly as it assaulted them from all directions.

CRACK-BOOM—!

A clap of thunder ripped through the sky. Several bolts of lightning slashed down from the dim heavens at once, the flash momentarily illuminating the entire world in a deathly white.

The crowd descended into utter chaos.

"AH—"

A scream cut through the curtain of rain as a scrawny novice was knocked to the ground by the fierce wind, his blue robe instantly covered in black mud.

Elsewhere, a young man with an Adventurer’s backpack slipped and fell bottom-first into the sludge, drenched so heavily by the downpour that he couldn’t even lift his head.

"The rain is too heavy!"

"Quick, put on your rain hoods!"

"Hurry, find somewhere to take shelter!"

"There’s a forest over there! Let’s go into the forest!"

A clamor of voices rose and fell, mixed with screams, complaints, and curses, like a bubbling pot of porridge.

Mo Ning’s group of three stood quietly in place. They held their Multi-functional Staffs, bracing themselves firmly against the ground. No matter how the wind tore at them or how the rain poured down, they remained perfectly still.

The rain hoods silently shed the water, the anti-slip clay kept their boot soles glued to the mud, and all their careful preparations paid off in this moment.

The contrast between their elegance and the disarray of the crowd was stark.

CRACK-BOOM—!

Another clap of thunder.

The lightning looked like a giant, inverted tree, its branches spreading from the horizon down to the airspace just above the ground.

The lightning forked an astonishing number of times. There were at least several thousand streaks of light, densely covering half the sky and etching themselves deep into Mo Ning’s pupils.

This was lightning the likes of which had never existed in his previous life.

Amid his shock, he also felt a faint sense of pleasure.

Perhaps it was due to the Phantom Carved Divine Statue in his Spiritual World, but he didn’t find the downpour and lightning unpleasant. Instead, he felt a faint sense of kinship with it.

It was as if... he was born to belong to this deep, thunderous, lightning-filled sky.