As I stepped onto the reinforced training floor, the rhythmic chanting of the Primary mages didn't falter, but Su Yun's eyes locked onto mine immediately. She moved with the fluid, predatory grace of someone who had mastered High level magic.
With a crisp click of her heels, she bowed—not out of obligation, but with the genuine reverence of a soldier for her sovereign.
"Master Yuzi," Su Yun's voice was calm, yet it carried through the hum of the training hall. "I didn't expect you until the final inspection before the Shanghai departure."
"Plans change, Su Yun," I replied, my gaze sweeping over the rows of mages. "Grandma Zhang is coming with us. I've decided to move her awakening up to tomorrow."
"It's time," Su Yun said, her gaze sweeping over the thirty Intermediate Mages gathered before us. "A large portion of the mages here are being reassigned. They're needed back at the Shanghai base immediately."
I raised an eyebrow, processing the numbers. "Does that mean more of the Basic Mages have finally broken through?"
When we first established this base, we set a strict cap: the number of Intermediate Mages would not exceed fifty to maintain our resource balance. If thirty were being rotated back to the main city, there was only one logical explanation—new power had risen to take their place.
"Exactly," Su Yun replied, a flicker of pride softening her sharp features. "Two days ago, twenty-one people successfully broke through to the Intermediate level, and several more are on the verge of a breakthrough as we speak."
She had every right to be proud. Aside from foundational resources like Stardust Magic Tools, these mages had hunted and earned every bit of their progression under her direct guidance. They weren't just mages; they were battle-hardened.
"Good, then we will leave tomorrow early morning," I said, leaning back and finding a quiet spot to sit
I stepped away, finding a quiet corner to sit and settle my thoughts. Now that my magic was finally unsealed, it was time to test the System's evolved functions. The new 'System Space' was a game-changer for logistics, but the second upgrade was what truly interested me.
Information Oversight.
I looked toward the crowd. Now, I didn't just see mages—I saw their potential. I could see their current stats, their hidden innate talents, and even the seeds of Magic Elements that hadn't yet been awakened.
As Su Yun turned back to her duties, I took a breath and focused. My magic was unsealed, and it was time to see exactly what this System upgrade could do. System, scan Su Yun.
A crisp, blue window materialized in my field of vision, hovering over her like a ghostly parchment.
[Target: Su Yun
Cultivation: > * Wind: High Level
Lightning: High Level
Innate Talent: Mutated Fire Stars (Dormant)
Effect: Upon awakening the Fire Element, the user can manifest Level 4 and Level 5 stars naturally without the use of Soul Essences.
Current Status: Fire Element not yet awakened.]
I looked at the readout, then back at Su Yun. It was a gold mine waiting to be tapped. Right now, she was a standard—albeit powerful—High-level mage. But she was sitting on a talent that mirrored Dongfang Lie's. Once she awakened that third element, her Fire wouldn't just be an "addition" to her arsenal; it would immediately become her most lethal weapon, bypassing the massive resource wall that usually stops mages from reaching Level 4.
"Is there something else?" Su Yun asked, noticing me staring. She crossed her arms, her Wind-element aura flickering slightly from the movement.
"I'm just looking at your potential," I said, the System panel still glowing in my eyes. "Your Wind and Lightning are solid, Su Yun. But there's a mutation in your soul—Fire stars. They're dormant, just waiting for an awakening."
She paused, her sharp expression softening into genuine confusion. "Fire? I've always focused on my speed and crowd control. I never thought I had an affinity for Fire, let alone a mutation."
"It's there," I replied, closing the System panel with a flick of my mind. "And it's not just any Fire. When you awaken it, those stars will reach Level 4 on their own. You won't need a single Soul Essence to make it happen."
Su Yun stood frozen for a second, her eyes widening. As a High-level mage, she knew exactly how much a Level 4 spell cost in resources—billions of Renminbi. To have that naturally?
"I am right," I said, standing up. "You continue, I heading back home."
....
Next day/ Bo City train station
The transition at the station was efficient, handled with the discretion expected of Li Yuzi's private forces. The twenty-one mages who had just reached the Intermediate level remained behind at our local holding; their job was to maintain our interests here. Meanwhile, the thirty veteran Intermediate mages—the core of our mobile strength—boarded the maglev train destined for Shanghai.
As the train hummed to life, I took my seat across from Su Yun, Grandma Zhang sitting beside me. I let my focus shift, activating the Information Oversight. A clean, blue System window materialized in my vision, hovering over her.
[Target: Su Yun]
Affiliation: Li Yuzi (Private Force)
Cultivation: High Level (Wind, Lightning)
Innate Talent: Mutated Fire Stars (Dormant)
Effect: Upon awakening Fire, stars naturally reach Level 4without Soul Essences.
Status: Awaiting Third Awakening.
I watched the data flicker. It was one thing to know she was a powerhouse; it was another to see the mechanical proof of her talent. Once we reached Shanghai, we wouldn't be scouring back alleys for stones. We were going straight to the Oriental Pearl Tower.
The maglev train pulled into the Shanghai station with a hiss of pressurized air, the city's massive protective barrier shimmering faintly in the distance. Unlike the rugged atmosphere of the frontier, Shanghai was a sprawling forest of skyscrapers and magical arrays, radiating the kind of wealth and power only a Tier-1 city could possess.
The thirty veteran mages disembarked in silence, moving with the disciplined coordination characteristic of Li Yuzi's private forces. We didn't linger at the station; three black SUVs were already waiting in the specialized transport lane to take us to the family's base of operations.
The Li family base was situated in a high-end district, masked by the facade of a private corporate estate. As the gates slid open, the veterans immediately dispersed to their assigned barracks for debriefing, leaving Su Yun, Grandma Zhang and me to walk toward the main hall.
As we entered the main hall, we found it completely deserted. The silence was heavy, broken only by the echo of our own footsteps.
"Why is there no one here?" I asked, a hint of confusion creeping into my voice.
"Oh, about that," Su Yun replied, her tone smooth and composed. She had clearly memorized every detail of the base's logistics before we left Bo City. "Most members are out on a hunting mission, and the rest are at the training grounds. Your brothers, meanwhile, are still deep in their cultivation."
"That's fine," I said, though my gaze lingered on the empty hall. "Grandma, you should take the petal now. Once you're finished, we'll head to the Pearl Tower to awaken yours and Sister Yun's magic."
To Be Continue....
Sorry this chapter is 15 hours late my phone got damaged. But here is the chapter, there will be one more on usual time.
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