Wizard: You can become stronger by living life to the fullest.

Chapter 74, Part 022: Genius!

Ok?

Luo Xi raised an eyebrow. How did this guy find out so quickly? The raven that had been reported should still be on its way, right?

Joshua said, "Stop pretending. You killed that giant boar, didn't you?"

Uh... so that's where the problem was. Even the best-laid plans can go wrong. I should have just thrown that thing into the lake. I'll have to be more careful next time.

After silently reminding himself of this, Luo Xi nodded and readily admitted, "Yes, I just advanced not long ago."

Not long ago, he had already announced to the Elemental Castle in his regular reports of his strength that he had advanced to the rank of advanced apprentice, so there was no point in hiding it from Joshua anymore.

The main reason is that the commotion caused in Northwind City before was hard to cover up, and it might arouse suspicion from the castle authorities, so it's better to confess some things in advance.

At this moment, it has been less than three and a half years since he entered the wizarding world. Advancing to the rank of advanced apprentice in such a short time is actually a bit too fast for someone with his third-class talent, but it is still within a reasonable range.

Nicole scoffed and added, "What makes you think you're so great? The world is so big, there are tons of people more capable than you, you arrogant fool!"

"Oh!"

Joshua chuckled lightly, a sound that was hard to decipher—whether it was contempt or admiration, or perhaps both.

He nodded and said to Luo Xi, "Not bad, as expected of the only apprentice who could achieve the same results as me three years ago. You are indeed slightly better than the other idiots, but still just a little bit better."

He paused for a moment, then took out a potion bottle and tossed it to Rosie. Rosie caught it and was taken aback when she looked at it.

This is clearly meditation water prepared by the castle, which has a very strong effect on promoting meditation. It is worth as much as 100 magic stones per bottle and is only awarded to the most outstanding apprentices. Rosie has not received it many times in the three years she has been in the castle.

Joshua continued, "To repay the favor from last time, and to tell you the truth, 7 runes was just a number I randomly filled in when reporting to Elemental Castle. I'm currently condensing not seven, but eight runes, and I'll be condensing the ninth in at the latest within two months!"

He gave a smug, arrogant smile: "If you're going to be complacent because of your little achievement, then you're making a huge mistake."

"Keep up the good work. You've already surpassed most people by seeing the back of a genius. I hope you can keep going and not disappear so soon. The road to invincibility is lonely, and it's no fun to be alone so early."

After expressing his feelings, without waiting for Luo Xi's reply, he swaggered away.

Luo Xi was at a loss for words.

Is this guy out of his mind or what? He's probably 17 or 8 years old. Even on Earth, young lads of that age would be working in factories tightening screws by now. Why does this guy still look like he's in the second year of junior high?

It's really...

You're out of your mind!

Elemental Castle, Inner Castle.

Today is the day the new apprentice ranking list is released. Early in the morning, the apprentices checked the rankings through the apprentice bulletin board, the Magic Times they subscribed to, and other channels.

The rankings for this round immediately caused a huge uproar among the apprentices.

"Advanced Apprentice! Someone has been promoted to Advanced Apprentice!"

"My God, how could it be that kid Rosie? Shouldn't Jeffrey or Sophia have been the first among us to advance? I could even understand if it was Luze. This is just too outrageous."

"Wow. He's usually behind me in line. I feel like I could do it too."

Although Luo Xi's ranking among his peers is high, it is not outstanding. He usually hovers between 3rd and 5th place, and occasionally even falls out of the top 5. Although he is excellent, there is still a considerable gap between him and the top level.

Take the previous list as an example. Jeffrey, who ranked first, has already condensed six runes and has a mental strength of 6.8. He is just one step away from the seventh rune. On the contrary, Rosie reported that she has only condensed five runes and has a mental strength of 5.3, ranking seventh.

It seems strange that he suddenly surpassed the top six and even overtook Jeffrey, who had consistently held the number one spot, to advance to the advanced apprentice level.

"Could this kid have had some kind of miraculous encounter, or maybe he just succeeded in condensing runes on his first try!"

"Hehe, maybe. This guy has always been lucky. He encountered a dark wizard on his first mission and managed to kill him."

"And the Magic Mirror too, last time, an apprentice actually managed to get into the Magic Mirror, tsk tsk."

Standing in front of the castle bulletin board, Jeffrey frowned involuntarily as he looked at the prominent name at the top of the list.

Since entering the castle, his cultivation progress has always been the best among his peers, so it's quite unusual for someone to suddenly surpass him.

After thinking about it for a moment, Jeffrey quickly felt relieved, and his brows gradually relaxed.

He was unlucky; he failed several times in a row to condense his seventh rune, which prevented him from advancing. Once he crosses this threshold, his cultivation progress will quickly return to where it originally belonged.

His target was never the ordinary apprentices around him; his focus was always on purebloods like himself, and on the genius Joshua with his fourth-class talent.

"That guy should be close to condensing eight runes by now!"

This is the goal he should truly pursue!

Jeffrey clenched his fist, turned around, and left the bulletin board.

On the other side, in Catherine the Witch's office.

In the office, the witch Catherine was sitting at her desk organizing today's lesson plans and manuscripts, while her black cat clone lay lazily basking in the afternoon sun in a flower basket on the terrace.

Suddenly, the black cat seemed to sense something. With its eyes half-closed, it abruptly raised its head, then swiftly left the flower basket and disappeared into the inner room.

"Um?"

Catherine the witch put down her quill and left her desk to go into the inner room.

At the far end of the room was a large cabinet, and the black cat stopped beside it. The witch Catherine went over and opened the cabinet, inside which was an oval-shaped dressing mirror.

At that moment, a rune lit up in the center of the mirror. The witch Catherine took out her wand and gently tapped the rune. Ripples spread across the mirror's surface, and soon after, an old man appeared in the mirror.

The old man wore a greyish-white cloak, on the chest of which was an image of a magic wand suspended above a six-pointed star.

The emblem of the man holding a staff.

This is a magical emblem known to everyone in the entire Southern Coast Witch Domain, because the meaning behind this emblem is one of the rulers of this Witch Domain, the Grey-Robed Staff-Wielder.

Catherine bowed and said, "Uncle Yellen."

The gray-robed elder nodded amiably, then cut to the chase, asking, "Catherine, did you know that Elemental Castle recently produced a remarkable apprentice who, in just three and a half years, meditated on seven runes to advance to the rank of advanced apprentice?"

(End of this chapter)