"Did you hear? After our quarter of cultivation time has ended, we'll begin the Magician's Practical Experience."
"What is the Magician's Practical Experience?"
"Basically, we're going to the areas outside the city."
"No way! Ever since I was a child, I've heard those areas have Magical Beasts that eat people. I'm not going."
"You have to go. This Practical Experience is tied to university admissions. It's considered a core requirement now."
"It's just fieldwork. What's there to be afraid of? We're Magicians. If we run into a Magical Beast, we can just use Ice Spread to freeze it into an ice statue."
"Still, I've heard Magical Beasts are insanely strong. Didn't the Magical Beast teacher always warn us to never face one alone?"
Just as Mrs. Tangyue had explained, after the end of their quarter of cultivation, the students of Tian Lan Magic High were immediately ushered into their first major field trial—a brutal Practical Experience. If everything went according to plan, this would be their first time encountering a real Magical Beast face-to-face.
There had always been lectures about Magical Beasts, drills, and theoretical strategies in class. Teachers had spent years talking about them. Still, not one student had ever fought one in the wild. Even when they secretly watched videos online, it felt no different from watching a CGI monster in a Godzilla film.
This time was different.
This time, the students would be standing in front of actual Magical Beasts.
The news spread like wildfire through the campus. Excitement and dread battled in everyone's hearts.
Whispers turned to debates. Some students couldn't sleep, while others trained until midnight, trying to perfect their star paths. The corridors buzzed with speculation—how many beasts would they see? Would someone get hurt? Would someone… die?
The Practical Experience was scheduled to begin with the Elite Class.
These students were among the most advanced in the school. After last year's annual examination, all of them had successfully connected the seven stars of their awakened element. Now, over six months had passed. Most had polished their control, and many could cast elemental skills swiftly, even under pressure.
The school permitted only those who had grasped the full Star Path of their magic to attend. If a civilian were to encounter a Magical Beast, they would be powerless, doomed. Even an untrained Mage would barely stand a chance.
Now it was six months after the exams. Mo Fan had reached Level 2 in his Lightning Element two months prior. Today marked the beginning of his Practical Experience.
During these six months, Mo Fan had grown rapidly. Through a mix of solo and team demon hunts, he'd pushed his limits again and again. His combat experience far surpassed that of a typical student. His bank account was now nearing 10 million yuan. He needed just 5 million more to purchase the Nebula Vein—a critical resource that would allow him to break through to the mid-tier.
His goal was clear: reach mid-tier in his Fire Element by the end of second year—or at least by the start of the final year. If he could manage that, he'd finally catch up with the so-called "geniuses" from ancient families.
The Elite Class consisted of 100 students. They were split into five groups, each with around twenty members.
Each group was assigned a teacher and two military instructors.
Every group had its own dedicated bus. Early that morning, five long, steel-framed school buses rolled out of the city, each one filled with robed young Magicians holding grim determination in their eyes.
Their destination: Snowy Peak Mountain Station.
Snowy Peak Mountain was more than just a landmark—it was a vital military stronghold and trading post operated jointly by the Hunter's Union and the city of Bo. Nestled deep within a valley, the station stood like a bastion between the human world and the wilderness beyond.
Zhang Jianguo, the stern-faced Magical Beast teacher, stood at the front of the first bus and addressed the students.
"Do you remember what I told you about the safe zones? The stations surrounding Bo City mark the boundaries of civilization. Beyond that line… Magical Beasts rule," he said, his voice grim. "If you don't have the strength to face a Magical Beast, stay inside the safe area—or you'll become nothing more than bones under the trees."
His words silenced even the boldest of students.
"That's right," added Luo Yunbo, captain of the Third Hunter Group. He stood beside Zhang, arms folded, exuding the calm confidence of a seasoned warrior. "Inside the station zones, we—along with the Hunter's Union, the Magic Association, and the Ancient Families—run daily patrols and magical barriers. Beasts don't usually intrude into residential zones."
He paused before adding, "However, our power is limited. Outside the stations, you're on your own. Even the strongest Magicians can't clean out the twisted caves, underground rivers, and dense forests where Magical Beasts thrive."
Luo Yunbo was tanned, tall, and almost unfairly handsome. The moment the girls on the bus laid eyes on him, they whispered, giggled, and swooned like they were seeing a movie star in real life.
Some of the boys rolled their eyes, but even they couldn't deny the aura of strength Luo Yunbo carried.
Assisting him was Pan Lijun, a woman who radiated competence and authority. She was bronzed by the sun, lean from years in the field, and clearly not someone to mess with. She stood in stark contrast to the campus' typical image of female Magicians.
As the buses rolled farther away from the city, the roads turned to gravel and eventually disappeared into wild grass and roots.
The barren land of the city's outer rim soon gave way to thick forests and jagged mountain ridges.
Dense vegetation stretched as far as the eye could see. The trees were old and massive, their twisted roots breaking through the earth like ancient veins. Vines draped over mossy trunks. Somewhere in the distance, a creature howled.
The wind turned colder.
Mo Fan gazed out of the bus window at the familiar mountain range where he had fought tooth and nail just to survive.
"It's really easy for the children of aristocratic families," he thought bitterly. "They get the resources they need without ever risking their lives. Meanwhile, people like me crawl through the mud just to afford a breakthrough."
He shook the thought from his mind and resumed his meditation. He needed to stay sharp.
After what felt like hours, the buses finally arrived at the Snowy Peak Mountain Station.
Though they called it a "small stronghold," it was far from primitive. The station used the jagged cliffs on either side as natural defense walls. Each cliff was over a hundred meters tall—you had to crane your neck just to see the sky between them.
The front and back entrances were sealed with enormous stone gates embedded with enchantments. The entire station resembled a fortress carved into the valley floor.
The buses unloaded, and one hundred elite students from Tian Lan Magic High assembled beneath the imposing stone gates.
Two sentries stood watch on either side of the gate. One was a plain-clothed Battlemage who wasn't wearing a uniform. He sat on a rock, lazily playing with a flame in his hand.
The small flame danced through his fingers like a trained pet. Occasionally, it circled his body in lazy loops before returning to his palm. The control was effortless—almost beautiful.
Mo Fan's eyes narrowed.
"This man... he's strong."
The way he controlled the fire—its weight, its motion, its shape—spoke volumes. It wasn't just casting a skill. It was artistry. It was mastery.
"This level of control… he must be at least a high-tier Mage. Maybe even stronger."
He thought back to the city's roster of elites. "Only one person fits this level of mastery. This must be Zhan Kong aka Zu Xingyi. Who would've thought a young master from an internationally renowned family would be here in such a small city?"
Then another thought crossed his mind.
"Love really does have its consequences. I should try to stay on his good side… After all, he'll become the future Ancient Emperor. Though, to be honest, I doubt he'll get the chance this time. The world is changing."
Mo Fan turned his gaze toward the station entrance. .
This was just the beginning.
Somewhere beyond those cliffs, in the shadowy forests and craggy ravines, real danger waited.
Mo Fan's expression turned sharp.
He wasn't just here for experience.
He was here to grow.
He was here to dominate.