Dark Wizard: Rise! My undead army!

When the deep tolling of the bell in the tomb, symbolizing the passing of time for the assessment, heralds the arrival of the final half of the hourglass.

Lynn had to halt his hunt.

At this moment, he fed Gu Erdan more than twenty Tears of Mourning in succession, and the intensity of Gu Erdan's soul fire increased significantly, and his strength reached the peak of level 2.

He swept away almost all the vengeful spirits in the middle area, obtaining a large amount of [Vengeful Spirit Dust].

"That's about it."

Lynn glanced longingly into the deeper parts of the dark tomb, where the aura emanating from it made his heart pound; it was not something he could explore at the moment.

He decisively turned around and led his formidable undead squad back along the same route.

Half an hourglass was barely enough time to get back to the cave entrance; there was no time to waste any more.

When Lynn stepped out of the Eternal Tomb and saw once again the ever-present dark purple light in the Bone Square, a considerable number of apprentices had already gathered outside.

Most of them looked exhausted, had injuries, and some even seemed somewhat dazed.

The constant "whispers of pain" inside taught them a harsh lesson.

When Lynn came out, many of the apprentices showed resentment.

This child is utterly inhuman!

With such formidable strength, they still dared to steal their tokens! They weren't even giving them a way out!

Not long after, the sinister mentor riding a three-headed chimera reappeared, his cold gaze sweeping across the entire area.

"The second stage, 'Whispers of the Dead', has ended. Those who possess 'Tears of Mourning' or a sufficient amount of 'Grave Moss' should go to the deacon on the left for verification."

"Those who pass, gather here tomorrow morning for the final test—'The Game of the Ghost Market'."

"Remember, at that time, you are not allowed to carry any additional resources except for the nameplate and robe issued by the academy."

"How to survive and how to obtain the 'Blood Pact Certificate' are the only questions you need to consider."

The mentor's words sparked a murmur among the apprentices.

The third challenge tests one's ability to survive and plunder in absolute poverty, making it quite difficult.

And this, perhaps, is the true essence of the Black Wizard Academy.

Once the mentor rode away on his three-headed chimera, the oppressive atmosphere at the entrance to the Eternal Tomb eased, and then a commotion erupted.

Many apprentices failed to collect all three required types of "grave-guarding moss".

They were tormented by the cold, negative energy and the "whispers of the dead" in the tomb, to the point of mental collapse, or they encountered undead spirits that were difficult to overcome, and had to leave early, often with only one or two kinds of moss, or even nothing at all.

However, this does not mean that the assessment has completely failed.

After all... the assessment here isn't actually that strict.

The academy rules did not completely block any avenues for survival; the very act of "collecting" the tokens tacitly permitted a certain degree of exchange and circulation.

"Two portions of Water Moss! In exchange for one portion of Bloodstained Moss! Does anyone have any? Urgent!"

"Contribute points to buy Shadow Moss! Price negotiable!"

"Exchange potions or materials to replenish mental energy for Weeping Moss! Let me know if you have any!"

"Does anyone have extra Shadow Moss? We're just one type short! I'll trade this enchanted bone dagger for it!"

...

Shouts and haggling filled the air as a temporary, small trading circle quickly formed.

Desperation breeds demand, and greed drives transactions.

Some apprentices who were lucky enough to collect extra moss became highly sought after, and they tried to exchange their "hard currency" for contribution points and materials.

After observing for a moment, Lynn had an idea.

He had quite a bit of moss on hand, and keeping it would be a waste; he might as well exchange it.

He walked to a relatively conspicuous spot and raised his voice to shout:

"Excess Tricolor Moss can be exchanged for Tears of Mourning. I will compensate you with an additional ten contribution points for each Tear of Mourning."

Upon hearing this, the surrounding noise immediately quieted down for a moment, and many apprentices turned their gazes toward him.

Exchange one token for another?

And they even give you contribution points?

This deal sounds like a great deal!

After all, the two tokens have the same effect with the steward. They can be exchanged for moss to complete the task and also get ten contribution points for free. Why not?

"Hey bro! I have Bloodlust and Shadow, can I trade them for Water Ripple?" Someone immediately chimed in.

"I only want the Tears of Mourning, in exchange for a complete set of Tricolor Moss." Lynn shook his head; he had no use for the moss anyway.

"I have tears of sorrow!"

A surprised voice rang out.

It was a small team of five first-class apprentices, and their breathing was somewhat unstable, clearly indicating that they had experienced a major battle.

They were one of the few teams to successfully kill the vengeful spirit in the middle level area.

After paying a considerable price, they killed two level 1 peak vengeful spirits, obtained two Tears of Mourning, and harvested some moss.

"We have tears of mourning; we can exchange them with you!"

Lynn checked it over and found no problems, so he quickly completed the transaction.

Lynn traded two sets of Tricolor Moss and twenty contribution points for two pure Azure Crystals.

The team members were also overjoyed, having gained twenty contribution points for free, which was equivalent to two magic stones!

Then, he took the exchanged moss to the deacon's office to submit the task.

Two other teams also acquired [Tears of Mourning] and made a trade with Lynn.

The other apprentices could only watch with envy.

Most of their apprentices dared not provoke a powerful vengeful spirit with at least level 1 peak strength and a group of bound spirit minions.

Alphonse stood quietly at the edge of the crowd, holding two equally luminous Tears of Mourning in his hands, clearly the result of slaying a vengeful spirit.

He heard Lynn's terms of exchange, and a thoughtful look flashed in the prince's deep eyes.

"He went to such great lengths to collect this item, even willing to pay a price to obtain it after completing the mission... This 'Tears of Mourning' must have some other use besides completing the mission."

Alphonse did not step forward to exchange the tears, but quietly put them away, deciding to study them carefully when he got back.

On the other side, the apprentices who had successfully collected the tokens began to walk toward the entrance, where several old deacons with numb eyes stood.

These deacons have all reached the level of third-class apprentices, but their potential has been exhausted, and they have no hope of becoming full-fledged wizards in this lifetime.

They could only serve as deacons within the academy, performing simple tasks in exchange for resources to make a living.

Some apprentices with limited lifespans choose to become test subjects, attempting to transform into undead creatures in order to prolong their lives.

Some apprentices, who have no hope of advancement and are unwilling to become undead, will choose to leave the academy after paying a certain price and travel the wizarding continent to see if they can obtain opportunities.

As for returning to the secular world?

That is the path that only apprentices who have completely given up their obsessions and are ready to enjoy the pleasures of family life and worldly riches will choose.

After all, the wizarding world is extremely far from the secular world, and most apprentices wouldn't go to such lengths to return to the energy-scarce secular world.

...