Bai Shi and the others returned to Stormveil.
After sitting down to catch his breath, Bai Shi sent someone to find Sorcerer Thops, preparing to invite him over.
Meanwhile, within Stormveil Castle.
A building had been specifically set aside, containing small rooms with a bed and a set of a table and chairs, similar to private apartments.
These were the quarters Bai Shi had prepared for the sorcerers who had come to seek refuge.
Besides Sorcerer Thops, several other sorcerers had also come to join him.
They had all either been driven out when the Academy was sealed or had already left the Academy to study on their own.
They had once studied in various classrooms, but without exception, none of them were qualified to be granted a crown.
A few of the sorcerers who had arrived in the preceding days were conversing with their peers in the building's main hall.
Although sorcerers were generally aloof, each engrossed in their own studies, this kind of interaction with peers was incredibly precious for these formerly solitary mages.After all, they had all struggled to get by in the Lands Between, so there was no room for anyone to look down on another.
It could even be said that for this group of sorcerers, their progress in the study of magic had come to a complete halt.
Exchanging knowledge might allow for a tiny bit of improvement, which was better than nothing. At the very least, seeing others in the same situation brought a sliver of comfort to their hearts.
After registering, Thops wandered around the castle for a bit before following the information he was given to the sorcerers' residence.
From a distance, Thops saw the group of sorcerers gathered and talking in the hall.
It was hard to miss them; the blue robes were a classic and conspicuous sight.
A couple of beads of cold sweat trickled down Thops's forehead. In the face of his peers, his own meager skills felt rather embarrassing.
In reality, however, the sorcerers across from him were more or less the same, some even less accomplished than Thops.
Seeing Thops arrive, the few in the hall stopped what they were doing and went up to welcome him. Since they would likely be companions serving Stormveil together in the future, it was best to get acquainted.
"Welcome. If all goes as expected, we'll all be companions living here in Stormveil from now on. I hope we can exchange magical knowledge."
"After all, for those of us far from the Academy, there's no other way to advance our studies."
Thops gave a couple of awkward laughs.
"Oh, of course. But it's a pity; the magic I know is all rather unpresentable. I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you."
The other sorcerers didn't mind. They were all people who hadn't been granted a crown, so they had a good idea of each other's skill level.
"It doesn't matter. What's important is the exchange."
"Why don't you go put your things in your room first and get some rest?"
"Do you need us to show you the way?"
Thops quickly waved his hands and declined, not wanting to trouble them. He went to find his room by himself.
After he left, one of the sorcerers spoke to the others:
"I think I recognize that man. His bald head is quite conspicuous. I remember he was called the Wastrel at the Academy."
"Like us, he had no great achievements in magic, but he wanted to research some strange things on his own. He ended up getting a bit of a name for himself at the Academy. He was probably cast out just like us."
"I wonder how his research is going now."
The other sorcerers glanced at each other and shook their heads.
As low-ranking sorcerers themselves, they naturally knew that with their level of ability, it was extremely difficult to achieve any research breakthroughs.
"It seems he probably hasn't figured it out yet, otherwise he likely wouldn't have come to Stormveil like us."
"But as long as he's not of poor character like that disgusting lot from the Academy, it'll be fine."
"I really don't want to fight alongside those who collude with the Cuckoo Knights."
Thops had intended to come back and ask about the rules here, but he unintentionally overheard their conversation in the corridor and remained silent.
Thops was frustrated that he hadn't completed his research.
He felt like he was just one step away, but while out exploring, he had unexpectedly missed the time when the Academy sealed its gates and was locked out.
But frustration was useless; the fact was that he had not produced any results.
He himself knew how arduous this path was.
Especially for someone like him, who lacked talent, to be the one exploring it.
Back at the Academy, he hadn't even been granted a Glintstone Crown, which was proof of his lack of magical prowess.
Worse yet, because of his ideals, he was mockingly called the Wastrel by the people at the Academy of Magic.
The people in the Academy now were all despicable fellows who sided with the Cuckoos. Thops loathed them.
But even so, Thops still wanted to go back, to return to that hall of magic.
Thops sighed. The sorcerers outside had been quite friendly. Perhaps it was out of pity for a fellow sufferer that they hadn't ridiculed him. That was already quite good.
Returning to his room, Thops sat on his bed, silently continuing his research in his mind.
One concept after another surfaced in his thoughts, only to be quickly overturned.
Before long, a Storm Knight arrived at the sorcerers' building.
"Which one of you is Sorcerer Thops?"
"The Storm King has summoned you."
All the sorcerers were greatly astonished.
Thops was summoned by the Storm King? What was going on?
Could it be that he was to be expelled for being too weak? If so, they were in danger too.
They had heard that Stormveil welcomed all races to come and settle, which was why they had come here.
If there was a requirement for strength, it was likely that not a single one of them here would pass.
"One moment, we'll go find him."
The group of sorcerers went in from the entrance and found Thops.
"Thops, the Storm King wishes to see you."
"Do you know what this is about?"
Thops grew nervous.
He had long since heard of the Storm King's name—a man so powerful he could even defeat a demigod.
Could it be because he was an unremarkable sorcerer, the king felt he wasn't worthy of staying in the castle?
With a heart full of unease, Thops walked out of the building.
Upon seeing Thops, the Storm Knight confirmed his identity, respectfully asked him to follow, and then turned to lead the way.
Thops found the Storm Knight's respectful attitude a bit strange, but he simply assumed it was a routine courtesy.
Thops gradually moved away under the watchful eyes of the other sorcerers.
Along the way, Thops was uneasy and wanted to strike up a conversation with the Storm Knight to ask about the situation.
But looking at the back of the knight's stern, cold armor, he ultimately gave up.
He would just have to leave it to fate. Whatever the Storm King decided, it was not something he could resist or interfere with.
The Storm Knight led Thops all the way to the plaza next to Bai Shi's throne.
"The Storm King is waiting for you ahead. Please go on."
After speaking respectfully, the Storm Knight turned and left.
"Oh, oh, thank you."
Thops swallowed hard and walked into the plaza.
As soon as he entered, Thops was startled.
On one of the walls of the plaza hung a massive dragon head. It stared fiercely at Thops, seemingly still holding the unwillingness it felt before death.
The dragon's head was as large as a moving carriage; Thops suspected it could swallow a horse in one gulp.
This was, of course, Bai Shi's trophy from his dragon-slaying: Agheel's head.
It had been made lifelike by craftsmen, and Bai Shi was very fond of it.
None of the other rooms were suitable for displaying it, and this was the only place where it could also serve to make an impression.
It had to be said, a dragon head this big was far more impressive than the small wyvern corpse that was here in the game.
"It's magnificent, isn't it?"
Bai Shi had been waiting on his throne for some time. Seeing Thops enter the plaza, he walked down to greet him.
To avoid being too shocking, he hadn't gone to find him directly, so he had to have his teacher brought here instead.
Coming down to greet him personally was not a breach of etiquette.
Thops looked at the young Tarnished before him and guessed his identity: the Lord of Stormveil, the Storm King.
Thops was at a loss, unsure how to act in front of a person of such status. So he could only bow his head and go along with what Bai Shi was saying.
"Yes, it is indeed... very, very magnificent."
"I was just wondering why you have summoned me?"
Seeing Thops's cautious demeanor, Bai Shi blinked.
"I've sought you out because I wish to learn magic from you."
Thops looked up, an expression of disbelief on his face.
"Me? From me?"
"Are you sure you haven't got the wrong person? I am just a very ordinary, no, I am a rather weak sorcerer. I don't even have a Glintstone Crown."
"At the Academy, I was even called a Wastrel and mocked. Now I can't even go back."
Thops really didn't know what quality he possessed that Bai Shi would value. Rather than let Bai Shi get angry after discovering he was just a third-rate sorcerer, it was better to be clear from the start.
Bai Shi stared intently at Thops's face and nodded with conviction, replying:
"Yes, the person I'm looking for is you."
Although Thops called himself a third-rate sorcerer, Bai Shi knew that he was, in fact, a great one.
He wasn't a wastrel, but a genuine gem.
The sorcery he had devoted his life to discovering could even bend the power of a god with the will of a mortal.
Future generations would surely understand that the theory once ridiculed was in fact a discovery worthy of establishing a new school of thought.
It was just a pity that a barrier that not even the gods could cross was broken by mediocre men jealous of his talent, leading to Thops's eventual inexplicable death within the Academy.
The Academy of Magic was already rotten to the core.
Thops still couldn't believe it.
"There are many sorcerers in Stormveil. Among them are some who are stronger than me and more proficient in the study of magic."
"Choosing a teacher is a grave matter. I urge you to think it over carefully."
Thops didn't consider himself qualified to teach magic, afraid of leading a student astray.
Sure enough, approaching him directly was a bit strange. Bai Shi considered what to say.
"I've heard that you are different from other sorcerers. Though you do not possess great power, you still remember a sorcerer's mission to explore."
"Those sorcerers who have abandoned exploration, no matter how powerful, have already descended into mediocrity. I cannot bear to learn from people like them."
"Only someone who still cherishes the desire for exploration is worthy of being a king's teacher."
"Regardless of the strength of one's power, as long as one has that heart for exploration, then he is the most excellent and most qualified sorcerer."
"Those sorcerers in the academy now are self-satisfied fools, obsessed only with power and material wealth, who have betrayed the royal family. They have forgotten the ancient ideal of exploring the cosmos and no longer deserve to be called sorcerers. I look down on them from the bottom of my heart."
Bai Shi paused, then continued:
"Of course, it's not just about learning magic. I also hope to see the results of your research. So if you need support and assistance, I will do my utmost to provide it."
If Thops, with his support, could develop Thops's Barrier without having to return to the Academy, that would naturally be a good thing.
Thops swallowed. He hadn't expected the Storm King before him to say such things.
He couldn't believe that someone who knew so much about the Academy wanted to take him as a teacher.
Besides his shock, a wave of emotion washed over him.
He never thought there was still someone in the world willing to strive for the ancient ideal of exploring magical truths and the cosmos.
Thops felt inspired, as if he finally had someone on his journey who could understand him.
In that case, he couldn't possibly refuse Bai Shi's request to become his student.
Thops made his decision. He would give his all to teach Bai Shi, even if he was just a low-ranking, third-rate sorcerer.
"I never thought you saw things this way..."
"Since you have such conviction, I will certainly do my best to teach you magic."
"However, I can only teach you some basic sorceries. For more advanced ones, you will have to seek them out and learn them yourself. I am truly powerless in that regard."
Bai Shi breathed a sigh of relief. He had managed to muddle through.
"In that case, let's go somewhere else. This isn't a suitable place to study."
Thops nodded.
Indeed, although this plaza was large, learning magic required a classroom setting.
Bai Shi led Thops to a room. It was quite spacious, with only tables, chairs, and practice dummies.
The two sat across from each other at a table.
Thops picked up the parchment and pen that Bai Shi had already prepared and began to record everything he had ever learned in detail on the scroll.
While writing and drawing, Thops didn't forget to explain everything in detail to Bai Shi.
Although Thops had not researched profound magic, his grasp of the most basic sorceries and the principles and logic of magic was extremely solid, along with the insights from his ongoing research.
In addition to the in-game spells of Glintstone Pebble, Glintstone Arc, and Starlight, he also knew basic spells like Swift Glintstone Shard and Great Glintstone Shard.
These spells were the terminus for most untalented sorcerers. Those who couldn't be granted a Glintstone Crown would often stop here, concluding their brief journey at the Academy.
Bai Shi's intelligence was already quite considerable.
With the blessing of the Great Rune, it had reached 37 points.
Since Bai Shi didn't have a staff at the moment, Thops temporarily lent his own to him.
After the classroom portion of the lesson concluded, Thops first cast the spell himself, then handed the staff to Bai Shi, carefully explaining the key points of casting before letting him try.
At first, Bai Shi had no idea what to do and failed after many attempts.
But as he kept trying, Bai Shi constantly connected his practical experience with the magical principles and logic he had just learned, and finally, he cast his first Glintstone Pebble.
This also signified that Bai Shi had officially entered the realm of magic, even if he was like an infant who had just learned to crawl.
After that, Bai Shi ravenously learned the other basic sorceries, enjoying the feeling of his mind being filled with knowledge.
With these very basic spells, Bai Shi only needed a few attempts under guidance before they were seared into his mind.
Although there were still occasional mistakes, he had grasped them.
It would probably take no more than a few days for him to be able to cast these spells perfectly.
Thops was full of praise for Bai Shi's intelligence.
"Bai Shi, you are far better than me."
"It even makes me wonder if you've studied magic before."
"You have a talent for magic. I fear that even the profound spells that only the true elites of the Academy can learn would not be difficult for you."
"It's just a pity..."
A look of regret appeared on Thops's face.
"I am truly powerless when it comes to those advanced sorceries. I have never learned them myself."
Bai Shi shook his head, not feeling disappointed.
"No, I know full well that one cannot advance by aiming too high. A true master should always possess the heart of an apprentice."
"I don't have the ability to handle those advanced spells yet, but I thank you for your affirmation, teacher."
Thops looked at Bai Shi, deeply moved.
It was wonderful to have a student like Bai Shi.
Despite his noble status and the vast difference between them, he was not ashamed to learn from him.
And that heart of exploration—that was what a sorcerer should be.
"Knock, knock."
A knock sounded at the door.
"Come in."
Bai Shi spoke, and the door was opened by a Storm Knight.
"My king, the person you contacted has arrived."
Bai Shi was a little surprised. He hadn't expected them to move so quickly.
Bai Shi turned and looked apologetically at Teacher Thops.
"I'm sorry, it seems today's lesson can only go this far. I was very happy to learn from you."
"If you are willing, please move into the room I've arranged for you."
Thops repeatedly waved his hands; he was fine staying with the other sorcerers.
Bai Shi didn't insist. After watching Thops leave, he also left the classroom.
War Counselor Iji had arrived at Stormveil. His equipment was here.