Ol’ Amos explained, “I had participated in the empire’s war with the Titan Empire back then, and had a taste of the Titan Holy Thunder’s might. The memory is still fresh in my mind even now.”
“Several times, even up to dozens of times...”
A huge jolt went through Meng Lei.
Ol’ Amos said with a smile, “Brat, you have thunder-elemental magic talent. If you wish to learn thunder-elemental Dragon-Language Magic and Titan Holy Thunder, the current academy president is probably someone pretty good to learn from.”
“I’ll try my best.”
Despite looking thoughtful, Meng Lei wasn’t very confident about it.
The academy president had always been someone elusive and hard to track down. He was rarely in the academy; Meng Lei had only seen him once during the opening ceremony, and never again ever since.
Learn from him? Where was he supposed to even find him?
“Don’t worry, there’s Fire Dragon blood in you, so you can also be considered part of royalty. This little fellow named Fred Flit is evidently also a member of the royal family. I should think that he wouldn’t reject your request to learn from him,” Ol’ Amos said with a smile as he twisted his beard.
“A member of the royal family?” An unusual gleam flashed across the depth of Meng Lei’s eyes.
“Let’s go and look at the other statues.”
A look of curiosity appeared in Ol’ Amos’ eyes. “I’m very curious to know what kind of fine juniors the academy has produced during the last 20,000 years...
“Dexter Drinkwater, the 319th academy president. A noble earth-elemental Saint Domain Great Magician. He created a total of 82 types of first-class spells...
“Augustus Flit...”
Ol’ Amos looked at the statues leisurely, nodding and giving praise sometimes, reserving his comments sometimes, shaking his head and sighing sometimes, not leaving out any of them. Just like that, an hour went by.
At last, Ol’ Amos finally came to the third last statue. His expression changed at once, becoming one that was extremely complex, furious, indignant, regretful, disappointed...
This was the first time Ol’ Amos had ever shown an expression like that. Meng Lei couldn’t help but become rather puzzled. Did he know the owner of that statue?
“Adolf Holman, the student with the strongest magic talent, shortest duration of study, and the youngest to graduate from the academy in all of Fire Dragon Magic Academy’s history. He is also the youngest Eighth-Grade Great Magician, Ninth-Grade Great Magician, and Saint Domain Great Magician in all of Dragon God Empire’s history. He was only 38 years old when he broke through to Saint Domain...”
Meng Lei had read Adolf Holman’s deeds and achievements before. However, at that time, he’d only taken them as a forefather’s glorious achievements. Apart from astonishment and admiration, he didn’t have any other thoughts about it.
However, he found them rather unfathomable now.
Not only did he create three records in the academy, but he also created another three records in the empire!
Not only did he create three records in the academy, but he also created another three records in the empire.
Now, that was impressive.
He’d actually created so many records!
Moreover, judging from the statue’s location, Adolf Holman was probably someone from 20,000 years ago and belonged to the same era as Ol’ Amos. This meant that those records he’d created had been maintained all this time over the last 20,000 years with no one breaking them.
What was the meaning of ‘unprecedented’? This was it!
Meng Lei developed a strong interest in such an amazing figure at once. He asked, “Ol’ President, do you know this person named Adolf Holman?”
“He’s my disciple!” Ol’ Amos replied, “My only disciple!”
“So, he’s your disciple!”
Ol’ Amos had been the academy president back then. Since Adolf had such wonderful talent, it was very normal that Ol’ Amos would take him in as his disciple.
Ol’ Amos sighed as he said, “Adolf was only 9 years old when he enrolled in the academy, but he possessed all-elemental superior-grade affinities, which was the first of its kind in history. This could be said to be a record never before seen in history and never to appear again!”
“All-elemental superior-grade affinities?”
Meng Lei was taken aback. “What kind of body constitution is that?”
“You know the ten elements of magic, right? All-elemental means that he possesses elemental affinity for all ten magic elements. In addition, all ten of his elemental affinities were... superior-grade!” replied Ol’ Amos slowly in a deep, low voice.
“S-superior-grade for... T-ten elements?”
Meng Lei jerked fiercely, almost wetting himself in trepidation.
Oh my goodness!
Earth, water, wind, fire, wood, metal, thunder, light, dark, and ice!
Superior-grade for all of them!?
Hiss!
He was actually that scary!?
Chapter 119: Abyss Demons, Private Territory
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Meng Lei considered his own magic talent excellent. With three superior-grade elemental affinities—thunder, fire, and wood—and a high-grade earth-elemental affinity, while it might not be the best in the world, few could compare.
Yet someone even more outstanding than him had emerged before him.
Superior-grade for all ten elemental affinities.
“How can anyone possibly have such crazy magic talent?” asked Meng Lei, who found it absolutely unbelievable.
“That’s why Adolf is hailed as the most talented person in the academy’s history. Even as of now, there’s no one that can surpass him.”
With a soft sigh, Ol’ Amos said, “It’s exactly because he had an incomparable magic talent that Adolf’s speed of cultivation was extremely fast.
“He broke through to Sixth-Grade Magician and applied for graduation in just a year after he enrolled in the academy. Then, he wandered about the continent by himself and embarked on an even more glorious and stunning life.
“He became an Eighth-Grade Great Magician at 17 years old, a Ninth-Grade Great Magician at 25, and successfully broke through to Saint Domain at 38!”
Ol’ Amos said softly, “During those times, Adolf was like the blazing sun high up in the sky that lit up the entire era. It’s no exaggeration to say that it was the misery of all geniuses and monsters to be born in the same era as Adolf. He crushed everyone so badly that none of them could even raise their heads.”
“That’s so impressive!”
Meng Lei couldn’t help but be astounded, too. However, what was more puzzling to him was that Ol’ Amos’ tone didn’t sound quite right. Was that self-mockery? And a bitter smile?
He voiced the question in his mind. “Shouldn’t you be very proud to have such a disciple, Ol’ President?”
“If what came after hadn’t happened, I would indeed have been very proud. And in truth, before that incident, Adolf had always been my pride and joy, and I was very proud of him.”
Ol’ Amos let out a sigh, a wry smile all over his face.
A bewildered Meng Lei asked, “That incident?”
“In the 148th year after Adolf attained the Saint Domain realm, tens of thousands of Abyss Demons suddenly appeared in Heaven’s Vault Continent.” Ol’ Amos’ voice was full of grief as he went on. “Bloodthirsty and savage, Abyss Demons are innately cruel and brutal and live by slaughtering and massacring others. They are the very embodiment of death and evil themselves.”
“Abyss Demons?” A huge jolt went through Meng Lei!
“Nobody knows where the Abyss Demons came from, but they started a huge massacre after they showed up.
“Countless lives died in misery! Innumerable races were wiped out! And even the four great empires were under threat! Thus, a war that engulfed the whole continent and all
the races on it broke out.
“After a long period of strife, we finally came close to achieving victory in the war. However, just as it reached the most critical final showdown in the war, Adolf... He betrayed us!”
A look of affliction surfaced on Ol’ Amos’ face as he said, “He ignited and blew up 1,358 mage towers, killing close to 1,000 Saint Domain Magicians and destroying the joint army’s line of defense. This caused the final showdown to ultimately end as a failure.”
“Why did that happen?” Meng Lei was in disbelief. “Why did Adolf betray you? What good did it do him to do that?”
“I couldn’t understand why in the beginning, either.” Ol’ Amos shook his head, “It was only after we defeated the Abyss Demons later on and captured Adolf that we learned the reason for his actions.”
“Why did he do that?” asked Meng Lei.
“Because Adolf himself was a devil!” Ol’ Amos shut his eyes and explained, “As it turned out, he was a spy that the Abyss had sent to Heaven’s Vault Continent. He had lurked for a long time in Heaven’s Vault Continent in order to make preparations for invading our world.”
“A devil...”
Meng Lei was stunned. His eyes involuntarily fell onto the statue of Adolf, which looked dignified and solemn, awe-inspiring and holy.
A person like that was actually a devil? How unbelievable!
“Although we triumphed over the Abyss Demons and drove them out of Heaven’s Vault Continent forever in the end, we also paid a heavy price in return. I blamed myself heavily for this.”
Ol’ Amos let out a sigh and said, “After that incident, I resigned from my position as academy president and left the academy. I began to wander about the continent, never concerning myself with the world’s affairs ever since. I didn’t return to the academy even until I was trapped in the underground.”
“It has nothing to do with you, Ol’ President.” Meng Lei shook his head and said, “One can only blame Adolf for hiding his intentions too well.”
Ol’ Amos shook his head. “You needn’t console me. It has already been so many years since the incident, and I had already gotten over it a long time ago. I was just suddenly overcome with emotion when I saw Adolf’s statue out of the blue, that’s all.”
As he spoke, he left Adolf’s statue and walked over to the second last statue. Then, he began to inspect it.
“Amos Kroc, the second president of Fire Dragon Magic Academy...” Ol’ Amos had a strange look on his face. “It feels rather odd, staring at a statue of myself.”
“Haha! Look at how you’re reacting looking at yourself...”
The two of them continued to stroll about in the academy after they left the Saint Dragon Square.
Ol’ Amos gesticulated and pointed here and there as he reminisced about the past, while Meng Lei listened as he picked up various stat attributes that had dropped.
They strolled about leisurely, free and unfettered.
“Hey, isn’t that Meng Lei?”
“What the heck? It really is that mutant! He’s probably back here to apply for graduation?
“That’s very likely. He’s already so strong, so there’s no point in him staying in the academy anymore anyway. If I were him, I would apply for graduation, too.”
“Apply for graduation? Isn’t Meng Lei a first-year freshman? What’s there for him to graduate from?!”
“Don’t you know?”
“Know what?”
“You actually don’t know when the news is already all over the academy? You’re really so ill-informed and out of the loop. I look down on you!”
“So what exactly has happened?”
“Meng Lei is already a Ninth-Grade Great Magician now. I’m guessing that he’s likely going to apply for graduation after coming back this time.”
“A Ninth-Grade Great Magician? Him? Are you kidding me?”
“Would I lie to you? I heard that when the ant tide broke out a while ago, Meng Lei showed up at the North River Pass and repelled the ant tide all by himself, and exhibited incomparably terrifying might...”
“Really? That’s just hearsay, isn’t it?”
“What hearsay? It has spread throughout the whole academy. Ask around if you don’t believe me...”
Just how sharp were Meng Lei’s ears? The other students’ comments naturally couldn’t escape his ears.
Apply for graduation?
Meng Lei wanted to laugh. He was certainly a Ninth-Grade Great Magician now, but he didn’t have any intentions of applying for graduation just yet.
How was he supposed to graduate when he hadn’t learned his thunder-elemental, earth-elemental, and wood-elemental Dragon-Language Magic spells yet, not to mention the Titan Holy Thunder?
Meng Lei’s magic communication device suddenly rang at this point. He picked up the call and a big, chubby face popped up—it was Fatty Hart.
“Old bro, you’re back?”
Meng Lei raised an eyebrow and replied, “You’re pretty up to date with the news. I’ve only just returned, yet you’re already aware.”
“Haha! I’ve set up a lot of spies in the academy, so I’ll know right away the moment you return.” Fatty Hart let out a laugh and said, “You’ve only just returned to the academy, so I’ll make this short. There are two things in total!”
“Okay!” Meng Lei nodded.
“The first is that news of your performance when you were fighting against the ant tide has already reached the royal palace. I heard from my old man that the king intends to host a celebratory banquet to reward you.” Hart laughed and said, “Tsk, tsk. Given your speed of cultivation and your performance at North River Pass, you’ll at least be conferred the life peerage title of an Earl! A life peerage Earl, you know! I’m still just a Viscount even now!”
“A life peerage Earl?”
Meng Lei quirked an eyebrow. He didn’t care about an empty title like an Earl and whatnot; so what even if they bestowed upon him the title of a Marquis or a Duke?
However, the title of nobility wasn’t just an empty one. It brought a lot of practical benefits, such as special privileges and... territory!
What Meng Lei valued, however, was the territory.
In this world completely controlled by the nobility, there were a lot of benefits to owning a plot of land that solely belonged to oneself and was one’s private property.
In that territory, the owner was the local emperor there. They could do whatever they wanted!
“What about the second issue?” asked Meng Lei.
“I’ve already contacted the three largest trade associations in the capital and 13 magic core acquisition companies. You can meet with them anytime when you’re back!”
Chapter 120: Meeting The Academy President, I Have An Ancestor
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Meng Lei hung up, secretly thrilled.
During this period of time in the Magical Beast Forest, he had accumulated quite a good number of magic cores. They would definitely sell for a hefty sum of money.
Cashing out the magic cores! An explosive increase in his wealth!
Tonight was the night! Meng Lei couldn’t wait!
Beep, beep, beep!
The magic communication device rang again at this point. Meng Lei took a look at it—it was his head teacher, Dirk Norway.
“Meng Lei, you’re back?”
“Yes, I am, Mr. Dirk.”
“Good to know that you’re back.” Dirk Norway heaved a sigh of relief. “Where are you at the moment? Come to my office if you’re free. Someone wants to meet you.”
“Coming right over.”
After Meng Lei hung up, he said apologetically, “I’m really sorry, Ol’ President. I can’t continue the stroll with you anymore.”
“Go ahead.” Ol’ Amos waved him off. “You can also ask about the Dragon-Language Magic along the way.”
“Got it.” Meng Lei nodded.
Then, he walked toward the faculty building. Half an
hour later, he reached the front of the building.
“Eh?”
At this point, the countenance of Ol’ Amos, who had been floating about beside him the whole time, suddenly changed a little, and he returned to the spatial ring right away.
“What’s the matter, Ol’ President?” asked Meng Lei, who looked startled.
“There’s the presence of Saint Domains in there.” Ol’ Amos replied via spiritual telepathy.
“Saint Domains!”
Mildly alarmed, Meng Lei didn’t ask any further. Ol’ Amos was in spiritual form, so most people couldn’t see him. However, a Saint Domain expert could.
Should a Saint Domain expert discover him, things would become very troublesome. If mishandled, his life might even come under threat!
I didn’t expect there to be Saint Domains in the faculty building.
Meng Lei looked at the building in front of him.
I wonder who it is? The academy president? Or the few vice-presidents?
Mr. Dirk’s office came into view while he was immersed in his thoughts. Meng Lei knocked on the door.
The door opened, and Mr. Dirk came out to receive him. He looked Meng Lei up and down with joy in his eyes and said cheerfully, “You’re finally back, boy. Here, c’mon in!”
The office was as quiet as usual. Bookshelves and magic-related books occupied a large half of the space, making the place rather cramped and messy. Meng Lei’s eyes swept across the bookshelves, his thoughts flashing across his mind at high speed.
Mr. Dirk has such a vast collection of books. I wonder if there are any books on Dragon-Language Magic among them?
Just as he was thinking about that, Mr. Dirk’s voice rang out. “Meng Lei, let me introduce someone to you.”
“Eh?”
Meng Lei was taken aback for a moment there.
There’s someone else in here?
Meng Lei followed Mr. Dirk’s line of sight and noticed an ordinary-looking red-haired elderly man with a short and round stature. His dressing was very ordinary, and so were his looks. He didn’t exhibit any sort of aura and seemed down-to-earth and unadorned. Plain and unremarkable, he was the kind of person that one would lose sight of the moment he was thrown into the crowd.
Picking Up Attributes From Today c1-406 Page 64