Spellcasting Gods

The instant their fingers touched their clothes, their bodies suddenly began to contort, as if forcibly flattened by an invisible force and shoved into a narrow passage...

Chapter 0026 Dalaran, the City of Magic

Darkness, starlight, multicolored vortexes...

In fact, Zhang Cheng wasn't quite sure what he saw in those few seconds, but it was undoubtedly bizarre, so much so that he didn't even realize when the teleportation was completed.

"Alright, young man, stop daydreaming and catch up. We still have a lot to do today." Ansrem Ruinvivor urged as he walked straight through the mirror-like archway and vanished without a trace.

"Interesting, so this is magic teleportation..." Zhang Cheng muttered to himself, then quickly followed and passed through the archway.

Just a second later, he found himself standing on top of a tower more than 30 meters above the ground, with a panoramic view of the surrounding area for several kilometers.

Hundreds of towering earth elementals, under the command of a small number of mages, methodically piled up stones engraved with magical runes, forming a massive ring-shaped foundation.

On the foundation, towering mage towers rose from the ground. Although most of them were far from finished, their sheer number indicated how many mages would live here in the future.

"How about it? Isn't it spectacular? You know, not long ago, this place was still a wasteland, but thanks to our efforts, it will soon be presented to the world in a brand new form," the Grand Master said proudly.

Of course, he had every reason to be proud. When the entire Alliance had abandoned the old Dalaran site, it was he who led more than three thousand survivors to rebuild it from scratch. He even sent a small army to stop the Forsaken from expanding their power.

Gazing at the massive construction site, Zhang Cheng nodded slightly and exclaimed, "Yes, it's magnificent; even calling it a miracle wouldn't be an exaggeration. But I'm curious, how did you come up with the idea of ​​building a floating city?"

He knew very well that the true purpose of those stones engraved with magical runes was to counteract gravity. Each stone required precious arcane crystals to create. Once all the stones were stacked up, the rebuilt Dalaran would rise from the ground and become a perfect fortress that could never be conquered.

“Oh? You know?” Ansrem Ruinvivor was clearly surprised that a young mage could see through the plan he had personally devised.

“Well, I’ve heard a little about it. Perhaps you don’t know, but the mentor who guided me onto the path of magic is named Risen. He was a member of the Kirin Tor Council and told me many stories about the magical city, so even though this is my first time here, I don’t feel like a stranger at all,” Zhang Cheng explained, half-jokingly.

“Rison? Wait, I think I’ve heard that name before.” The archmage stroked his thick, long beard, and after a while, he suddenly realized and said, “Ah, I remember now. Rison, the youngest son of Earl Ambrose of the Kingdom of Lordaeron, Jaina Proudmoore’s classmate, a fairly outstanding young mage. I didn’t expect him to still be alive, and even have a disciple.”

“Ever since Prince Arthas’s fall, my mentor lost all hope in life. He locked himself in his room, cutting off almost all contact with the outside world, until he died of grief not long ago. The reason I came to Dalaran is to inform the council of his passing and to return the precious books and scrolls he took with him when the disaster struck.” As he spoke, Zhang Cheng opened his backpack and took out the items he had prepared beforehand, handing them to the other party.

Ansrem Ruinvivor took the documents and glanced at them briefly, then muttered to himself, "The Shaping Techniques of Arcane Energy, The Connection Between Holy Light and Shadow, On the Afterlife, How to Make Your Casting Speed ​​Faster... Yes, these are all valuable documents lost from the library. By the way, what happened to Risen's death? If I remember correctly, he was only about thirty years old this year, how could he be dead?"

Zhang Cheng shrugged helplessly and carefully pulled the ridiculous suicide note out of his pocket: "I don't want to comment too much on my mentor, but you should understand after reading his suicide note."

"A suicide note? He foresaw his own death?" Ansrem Ruinvivor frowned, pulled out the slightly crumpled letter, and began to read it word by word.

Before he could even finish reading half of it, he couldn't help but burst into laughter, commenting as he laughed: "Hahaha! Another pathetic guy who secretly loves Jaina but doesn't dare to confess. Well, I think I know why he died. A person who is constantly immersed in regret is destined not to live long."

Having said that, the archmage casually handed the will back to Zhang Cheng, a hint of disdain on his face, and then asked, "So what are your plans, young man? Do you want to join the Kirin Tor Council, or go south to serve the Stormwind Kingdom?"

“Joining the Kirin Tor Council is the natural choice. I’m not interested in politics, nor do I want to get involved in the power struggles of big shots. I just want a quiet place to study and do research.” Zhang Cheng made his choice without hesitation.

If he remembered correctly, there was a terrifying figure in Stormwind City who was trying to overthrow the monarchy. She was Onyxia, the famous black dragon sister and the biological daughter of Deathwing.

Unless you're tired of living, you wouldn't have time to hang around in front of this big shot...

“A wise choice!” Ansrem Ruinvivor nodded in satisfaction. “Although you are Risen’s disciple, you still need to go through some procedures and take a few small tests to join the Kirin Tor Council. However, I believe that with your strength and skills, you should be able to pass them easily. Come, let me take you to complete these simple tests first, and then I will take you to meet your friends.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly spread his arms and jumped off the balcony.

Just as my body was about to collide with the ground, an invisible force suddenly slowed my descent, and I landed slowly on the steps below, like a leaf.

"Oh my God, this is fucking insane." Zhang Cheng's lips twitched involuntarily a few times. He gritted his teeth, stomped his foot, made a tough decision, closed his eyes, and jumped down.

With the whistling wind in his ears, he felt as if his body had suddenly fallen into water and been lifted up by a buoyant force. When he opened his eyes, his feet were firmly on the ground, though his legs were trembling slightly and not quite under his control...

Chapter 0027's first item is a written test?!

"How was it? Wasn't it exciting? You know, this is one of my favorite designs. Every time I jump down from here, it makes me feel like I'm young again. Of course, if you don't like it, you can just use the portal next to it. There's no need to jump with me." Ansrem Ruinvivor straightened his wind-blown robes, an undisguised mockery on his face. There was no doubt that he was doing it on purpose.

Zhang Cheng looked like he'd been screwed over, wanting to punch the other man in the face, but considering the huge difference in strength between them, he decided to swallow his anger and calmly replied, "It's okay, this little bit of a shock is nothing to me."

"Really? The little guy who jumped down with me last time was so scared he peed his pants."

The high priest glanced meaningfully between his legs, confirming there were no traces of water, before shaking his head with regret and turning to walk forward along the marble-paved road.

"Okay, now I finally know why your daughter ran away from home to become a pirate..." Zhang Cheng muttered to himself in a voice only he could hear.

He would never forget that in the game, in Treasure Bay, at the southernmost tip of the Eastern Continent, there was a quest called "Handsome Young Duncan," which was given out by Anslem Ruinvivor's daughter, "Blade" Caitlin.

The young woman claimed that she enjoyed seeking thrills and didn't want to spend all her time facing moldy books and dull, boring old mages, so she secretly slipped out of Dalaran.

Zhang Cheng initially thought this was just another rebellious story of children failing to understand their parents' good intentions, but now his opinion has changed. He believes this is not some kind of bullshit rebellion at all, but rather a family trait!

"Blade" Caitlin definitely inherited her father's genes, which is why she is so passionate about adventure.

Just as he was secretly criticizing the bizarre father and daughter, the two had unknowingly entered a domed hall. Upon seeing them, an old monk who was busy at work immediately put down his work, stood up, and bowed: "Good afternoon, Your Excellency, what important matter brings you here so suddenly?"

“No, Charles, it’s nothing important. I just brought the young man behind me to do a test, and to let you know that you can change Risen’s status on the list from missing to dead.” Ansrem Ruinvivor stated his purpose directly.

The white-haired old man, referred to as Charles, adjusted his glasses, looked Zhang Cheng up and down, and after a long while, nodded slightly: "I understand, he is Risen's apprentice, right?"

“That’s right. He not only brought news of Risen’s death, but also returned a lot of valuable documents that had been lost from the library. By the way, how did you figure that out?” the archmage asked curiously.

“It’s simple. He was wearing Risen’s Violet Ring. I crafted it myself; how could I not recognize it?” With that, Charles sighed softly, seemingly lamenting the death of yet another young mage.

“I see…” Ansrem Ruinvivor then noticed that Zhang Cheng was wearing a ring on each of his index fingers, symbolizing his status as a member of the Kirin Tor Council. He immediately said, “Come, child, take off your rings and let me see them.”

"As you wish." Zhang Cheng knew he had no right to refuse, so he quickly took off the ring and placed it in the other person's palm.

The high priest lowered his head, carefully examining the inner wall of the ring, as if searching for something.

After about half a minute, he finally found a few tiny words in an inconspicuous spot: "Ah, found it. Just as you said, one belongs to Risen, but the owner of the other one is quite interesting. Tell me, young man, where did you get this ring?"

“I don’t know the specifics, but the militiaman who gave it to me said it was a trophy he got from accidentally killing a heavily skilled necromancer,” Zhang Cheng replied without hesitation.

"Hahaha! How ironic! Who would have thought that the traitor Damian would end up dying at the hands of the militia he despised the most? Excellent, this is the best news I've heard in months." Ansrem Ruinvivor laughed heartily.

"Traitor?" Zhang Cheng was undoubtedly hearing this name for the first time, and he looked at the old mage beside him with a puzzled expression.

The latter lowered his voice and explained, "Since Dalaran was destroyed, a small group of mages who lost their relatives and friends have been seeking revenge. So they have been secretly conducting research that is strictly prohibited. Damian is one of the best among them. He even went so far as to abandon his status as a living person and take a large number of valuable research results to join the undead. Before leaving, he even caused a magical accident that killed three of his apprentices on the spot."

“Enough, Charles! You don’t need to tell these tragedies to a young man who has just embarked on the path of magic. Hurry up and conduct the test; I’m eagerly awaiting his results. Perhaps you don’t know, but he just defeated a Forsaken mage far stronger than himself in a one-on-one arcane duel. Although it might seem a bit like cheating, it’s enough to prove his intelligence and adaptability.” Ansrem Ruinvivor said, finding a chair to sit down, a hint of anticipation in his eyes.

"Oh? Is that so? Now that you mention it, I'm starting to look forward to it a little." Charles smirked and pulled a stack of notebooks bound with silk thread from the table behind him, which was cluttered with tools and books. "Here you go. First, there's a test of theoretical knowledge. If you can answer more than 30% of the questions here correctly, you'll pass."

Staring at the heavy book, which was almost as thick as an adult man's fist, Zhang Cheng suddenly felt the same despair and collapse he had felt when he first received the "Five-Year College Entrance Examination and Three-Year Simulation" textbook during his student days.

Who the hell would have thought that the Kirin Tor sorcerers, known for their mystery, arrogance, and power, would have such an outrageous written test for their entry into the ranks...

But despair is despair, collapse is collapse, what needs to be done still needs to be done.

After borrowing a quill pen from the old monk, he quickly calmed down and began to answer the strange questions in the notebook based on the knowledge that had been forcibly instilled in his mind.

To his surprise, the notebook would automatically determine whether a question was right or wrong immediately after he answered it. This meant that he had no chance to check or make corrections; right was right and wrong was wrong.

Clearly, this notebook is an interesting magical item. The questions might even be random, requiring test takers to have a substantial amount of theoretical knowledge. It's absolutely impossible to pass the test by using any "special techniques" such as highlighting key points.

As for cheating...

Zhang Cheng didn't believe anyone could cheat without being detected under the 360-degree surveillance of two archmages and the Eye of Magic.

Chapter 0028 The Archmage's Suspicion

One hour...

Two hours...

Three hours...

It wasn't until the sun was almost setting that Zhang Cheng finally finished the marathon-like written test. Exhausted, he pushed the heavy notebook forward and let out a long sigh: "Phew—finally done!"

He could hardly believe that he would have the chance to relive this nightmarish scene after leaving school.

“Hehe, young man, don’t relax yet. Let me see your results.” With that, Charles extended his right index finger and gently touched the Violet Eye logo on the cover.

Instantly, the mark emitted a blinding light, and within a few seconds, it took shape into the image of an aged human mage.

The mage first bowed with one hand on his chest, then calmly began to speak: "This test consisted of 436 questions in total: 200 on arcane magic, 100 on fire magic, 70 on frost magic, and the remainder on application skills. The participants answered 307 of them correctly, far exceeding the 30% passing mark, and even surpassing the excellent level. In my records, only twelve people in the Kirin Tor Council have scored higher than him, the most recent being Jaina Proudmoore."

As the last word fell, he quickly became transparent and finally vanished completely into the air.

"The thirteenth in history? That's truly astonishing!" The old mage's eyes widened, his face showing disbelief.

After all, although the questions in the book are only basic theoretical knowledge, the scope is all-encompassing. Even a great mage cannot guarantee that he can answer all the questions correctly. Therefore, for a young mage who has just been promoted from apprentice, being able to answer 30% correctly is already a remarkable achievement.

Only a very few outstanding young mages can barely achieve a 50% accuracy rate, and those who exceed 50% are extremely rare throughout the entire history of Dalaran.

He wasn't quite sure if the young man in front of him, who had never received a systematic education in Dalaran, was a rare genius.

Ansrem Ruinvivor was also sizing up Zhang Cheng, his eyes wide as if he had discovered some rare and exotic animal. After a long while, he smiled and asked, "Can you tell me how you did that?"

"what?"

Zhang Cheng suddenly realized he had made a mistake: he shouldn't have answered all the questions he knew correctly, so he decided to play dumb.

Otherwise, he would have no way of explaining where the vast amount of knowledge and memories that had been instilled in his mind came from.

“You should understand what I mean. As a young mage, you have performed far too well. First, you defeated an opponent far stronger than yourself in a one-on-one duel, and now you have demonstrated theoretical knowledge that is beyond the ordinary. With Risen’s teaching level, it is absolutely impossible for him to produce such an outstanding disciple. So I think you must be hiding something, right?”

Having said that, Ansrem Ruinvivor stood up from his chair, radiating a breathtaking magical aura.

As the administrator of the Council of Six, although he is not as famous as the others, his strength is by no means to be underestimated. Otherwise, the Dark Queen would not have allowed Dalaran to be rebuilt under her nose.

Suppressing his inner fear, Zhang Cheng took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "Okay, I admit I've been hiding some secrets, but I can swear to you that Ruisen is truly my mentor. All the power and knowledge I possess come from him. Besides, do you think I would be so high-profile if I were a spy or had ulterior motives?"

“The truth is, this young man is not lying.” Charles looked up and glanced at the colors of the Arcane Eyes around him, quickly making his judgment.

Zhang Cheng certainly didn't lie; he simply told some truths skillfully and selectively.

Without a doubt, whether it's the castrated mage class template or the complex knowledge that ordinary people simply cannot understand, it all originated from the deceased Risen. Calling him a mentor is absolutely not an exaggeration.

"Strange, could my intuition be wrong?"

Upon learning that Zhang Cheng had not lied about his identity, Ansrem Ruinvivor quickly withdrew his magic, sat down again, and lowered his head, seemingly lost in thought.

Charles shrugged, ignoring him, and said directly to Zhang Cheng, "Alright, don't worry about it. His Excellency the Archmage has been busy dealing with the Forsaken's harassment lately, so it's understandable that he's a bit stressed. Now, let's move on to the second test: the number of spells you know. Now, cast all the spells you know in front of me, and I will give you a score based on the number, power, and casting speed. Don't underestimate this; it determines your status after entering the Council."

"Understood!" Zhang Cheng nodded slightly and, without saying a word, immediately began casting the fireball spell.

After a few hours of rest, his magic had recovered to about 70-80%, so in the blink of an eye, he slammed the scorching fireball hard into the old mage's chest.

Unfortunately, just like when the Flame Impact hit the Forsaken elites before, nothing happened after a flash of red light.

"Hmm, not bad power, much stronger than many low-level mages. It seems you've long since surpassed the apprentice level. Perhaps in a few years, the council will have another young archmage. Keep going, and don't stop," Charles casually remarked.

It was as if the fireball had nothing to do with him, like a mosquito bite.

At this moment, Zhang Cheng realized that the fleeting red light was likely a protective fire barrier or a fire-resistant potion.