TRWSB – Chapter 57 The Principal’s Tricks

As soon as Qi Shaorong entered the academy, a student hurried over and grabbed his sleeve, as though afraid he might run away. “Qi, the headmaster wants to see you.”

Qi Shaorong noticed the strange expression on the student’s face. The look in their eyes carried a deep and deliberate consideration.

Following the student toward the headmaster’s office, Qi Shaorong saw the student repeatedly glance back at him, as though wanting to say something but ultimately swallowing their words each time.

Seeing the student’s hesitant and conflicted expression, Qi Shaorong couldn’t help but feel a bit sympathetic, but he remained silent.

When they arrived at the door of the headmaster’s office, the student finally couldn’t hold back and spoke.

“Qi, the Hundred Academy Battle is extremely dangerous. For your sake, and for the academy’s, it’s better if you don’t get involved.”

Qi Shaorong: “…” Watching the student hurriedly flee after delivering their warning, Qi Shaorong smiled faintly, as though the fact he was one of the academy’s pre-selected candidates had been exposed.

Hu Feng emerged and said, “You’re here. Come with me.”

Qi Shaorong nodded. “Alright.”

Looking at Hu Feng, Qi Shaorong said, “Headmaster, has the news about me being a pre-determined candidate for the Hundred Academy Battle been leaked?”

Hu Feng nodded. “I released some ambiguous information to prepare the academy’s mentors mentally. Otherwise, they might have been too shocked.”

“Headmaster, you’re truly considerate. Unfortunately, the academy’s mentors might not appreciate your kind intentions.”

“Indeed,” Hu Feng said with a sigh. “After the news got out, several of them came to confront me. I had to send them all away.”

“You’ve worked hard, Headmaster.”

Hu Feng waved his hand with a righteous expression. “It’s part of my duty. I strive for the academy’s best interests, but those people just don’t understand.”

“The muddled minds of the academy’s mentors can’t compare to your clarity and foresight. It’s only natural they wouldn’t see things as you do,” Qi Shaorong flattered.

“I heard you recently purchased a lot of magic scrolls,” Hu Feng said, his eyes narrowing.

Qi Shaorong nodded. “I did.”

Hu Feng gave him a measuring look. “It seems your resources are more abundant than I expected.”

Qi Shaorong crossed his arms. “Just scraping by, enough to get through.”

“Come with me,” Hu Feng said.

Qi Shaorong followed him into a training room. Hu Feng glanced at him and asked, “Qi, what’s your current magic level?”

“Sixth level,” Qi Shaorong replied.

Hu Feng was inwardly shocked, though he didn’t show it. “Not bad.”

The foremost among the Imperial Capital’s Seven Elites, Zhuang Hao, was a dual practitioner of magic and martial arts—a rare genius. With exceptional family resources and training, Zhuang Hao had reached the seventh level in both magic and battle aura, solidifying his position as the leader of the Seven Elites.

Beneath him, the Second Prince Tang Tianfeng, the Fourth Prince Tang Tianying, and Qi Shaokang were all at the sixth level. Yi Huo, Yi Bing, and Shen Yuan were only at the fifth level.

For Hu Feng, Qi Shaorong’s youth was remarkable, especially given that unlike others with family support, Qi Shaorong had achieved his level entirely on his own.

With a smile, Qi Shaorong said, “Of course. I’ve always been exceptional.”

Hu Feng: “…”

Frowning, Hu Feng admonished, “You’re too arrogant, young man. It’s not a good trait. I’ll suppress my power to the sixth level. Attack me with everything you’ve got. Let me test your abilities and see your true level.”

Qi Shaorong hesitated, looking troubled. “Headmaster, should I really go all out?”

Hu Feng nodded sternly. “Of course. In battle, you must give it your all. A lion fights with all its strength, even against a rabbit. Underestimating your opponent is a path to destruction.”

“What if I accidentally hurt you?” Qi Shaorong tilted his head.

Hu Feng snorted confidently. “Don’t worry. This headmaster is not so fragile.”

Qi Shaorong’s smile brightened. “If that’s the case, I won’t hold back.”

Hu Feng raised a brow. “What are you worried about?”

As Hu Feng suppressed his power to the sixth level, Qi Shaorong didn’t wait for instructions. Without warning, he drew his staff and launched an attack.

Caught off guard, Hu Feng was met with a barrage of dark magic.

Forced to respond hastily, Hu Feng scrambled to counter the rapid, relentless assaults. Qi Shaorong’s extraordinary spiritual power allowed him to cast spells with remarkable speed.

Dark Gravity, Dark Quagmire, and Dark Shroud struck Hu Feng in quick succession, leaving him no room to breathe.

Hu Feng felt a pang of regret for trying to look impressive and ending up in this situation.

After a long struggle, Hu Feng finally regained the upper hand and counterattacked with wind magic. Qi Shaorong calmly responded to the headmaster’s assault.

Even though Hu Feng’s magic level was suppressed to the sixth level, his extensive experience and magical accumulation surpassed Qi Shaorong’s. Nonetheless, he found himself struggling against Qi Shaorong’s unyielding onslaught.

Dark magic was the rarest and most mysterious of all magical attributes, often associated with sinister practices, which led to its poor reputation.

Many aptitude-testing devices didn’t even include dark magic, leading those with such talent to remain undiscovered. As a result, dark magic practitioners became even rarer.

This was Hu Feng’s first time dueling a dark magic practitioner. Despite their equivalent power levels, Qi Shaorong’s strong spiritual force allowed him to cast spells faster, leaving Hu Feng unable to gain an advantage.

What began as an attempt to intimidate Qi Shaorong turned into an exhausting defense. Though Hu Feng’s mind was tense, he dared not show it outwardly.

Finally, after a barrage of high-intensity spells, Qi Shaorong’s casting speed slowed. Hu Feng secretly sighed in relief, thinking, Now’s my chance to counterattack. This brat needs to learn the importance of pacing oneself.

But just as Hu Feng prepared to launch a powerful spell, Qi Shaorong quickly retrieved several scrolls from his spatial ring and hurled them at him. The resulting explosions disrupted Hu Feng’s magic.

Looking at the ash-covered headmaster, Qi Shaorong cautiously approached, his face full of concern. “Headmaster, are you alright?”

Hu Feng felt deeply embarrassed, gritting his teeth. This was no accident—Qi Shaorong must have done it on purpose.

“I’m fine. A ninth-level magician like me isn’t so easily injured.”

Qi Shaorong nodded. “I thought so. When I ran out of magic, I panicked and used the scrolls instinctively. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Of course not,” Hu Feng replied stiffly. “The best hunter uses any means necessary to win. That said, magic scrolls are finite resources. Use them sparingly.”

Qi Shaorong waved dismissively. “That’s not an issue. I bought several cartloads of scrolls.”

Hu Feng: “…”

Returning to the courtyard, Qi Heng greeted him at the door.

“Young Master, why are you back so late? You look exhausted. Are you alright?” Qi Heng asked worriedly.

“I’m fine. That old rascal Hu Feng promised to fight me at the sixth level, but he must have secretly used seventh-level power,” Qi Shaorong grumbled.

Qi Heng hesitated. “Young Master, didn’t you… hit the headmaster first?”

Qi Shaorong nodded. “I took the opportunity to teach him a little lesson while he wasn’t prepared.”

Qi Heng: “…”

Qi Heng looked at Qi Shaorong and said, “Young Master, you are too…”

Qi Shaorong looked at Qi Heng and said unhappily, “I am too… too much. What’s the matter? That damn old man stole so many gold coins from me. I have to teach him a lesson.”

Qi Heng: “…” Who is teaching whom a lesson?

Qi Shaorong moved his body, and bits of light magic elements emerged from his body, quickly repairing his injuries.

“Young Master, have you only exposed dark magic?” Qi Heng asked.

Qi Shaorong nodded and said, “Yes.”

The one who can use light magic is the evil doctor, and the one who can use dark magic is Qi Shaorong.

Qi Shaorong checked and found that there had been magicians in history who possessed dual attributes of opposing elements. Either their magical power stagnated or their bodies exploded while they were practicing.

When Qi Shaorong was practicing light magic and dark magic, he also encountered the phenomenon of the two magical forces colliding with each other in his body. Qi Shaorong applied the principles of Tai Chi to allow the two magical forces to form a circulation in his body and maintain the balance of the two magical forces.

“Young Master, will you take a rest tomorrow?” Qi Heng asked.

Qi Shaorong turned over and said with some regret: “No, the principal asked me to report tomorrow, saying that the training time is short and it’s not good to fish for three days and dry the net for two days.”

Qi Heng: “…”

“No matter what, it’s a rare opportunity to have a ninth-level magician as a sparring partner. You must cherish it, young master!” Qi Heng said.

Qi Shaorong snorted lightly and said nothing. He thought to himself: Although Hu Feng is a bit annoying, he is still quite capable. After fighting with Hu Feng, Qi Shaorong felt that his magic power seemed to have improved a bit.