18 Examination

Ash Expanse, Jade Wood City, Jade Inn A man was sitting on the bed of an Inn. He seemed to be deep in thought of his closed eyes were to indicate something. However, the blue-colored energy being circulated in his body showed otherwise. The man was not thinking or training. He was meditating on his energy, trying to find ways to enhance his control over it better. Furthermore, the energy was condensing every second, showing how his control is advancing by the second.

"Didn't you say that you are supposed to have shit control over energy?" Lu Yao, who was standing by the side watching with wide eyes, asked.

Calming the energy around him down and returning it to his body, Xue Mo looked at her with a deadpan expression.

"You said this is training?" Xue Mo's assertion seemed more of a question than a statement.

"Well, isn't it?" She retorted. "Aren't you improving your Mana control? That's how everyone does it."

"These are crude methods, though."

"Crude? Well...technically, from a cultivation world's point of view, it is. However, unlike you, we don't just use it internally. We use it externally as well."

Xue Mo couldn't retort after that. As he found out, because Mana, as he suspected, couldn't be cultivated internally like Arch energy, instead habitants of this world thanks to the system's help were able to develop what he called external cultivation.

Internal allows the cultivator to train their energies inside their bodies and, with the help of elements, even make attacks. External, on the other hand, depends on the control affinity or the property that the cultivator possesses.

Thanks to this information, Xue Mo created a basic technique that depends on control to further the path of external cultivation. More so, he found out that both internal and external cultivation could supplement and support each other.

While internal can be used to temper the energy inside, outer could help in understanding the element better. Mana and Arch energy seemed to be compatible but also had differences.

For example, internal cultivators depend on their cultivation and energy to fuel their attacks. When they use their elements even if their control is superb, their understanding of the element hinders their path and vice versa. Although there were those exceptions who could do both, these people were rare. Generally, cultivators don't have enough time to focus on one thing to focus on the other, making it harder to spot these people. Fortunately, Xue Mo was one such person.

His experience helped him refining his Mana control, with Lu Yao's 'crude' method as a helper, he was able to enhance his Mana control. Xue Mo also found that Players don't only use the system for skills and stats, but even their Mana is gotten through it.

However, he didn't want to depend on the system that much. He was even trying to find a way to remove it from him, at least he wouldn't end up like how Lu Yao did that way.

Other than training with the method that Lu Yao gave him, he had also started to study it and Mana itself thoroughly. He saw a need to improve this method. Xue Mo might even be able to give it a distinctive characteristic. But before he could go further in his plans, he would first need to: attune himself with Mana and second, break it method down to its basics. Only then could he be confident in creating a viable external cultivation method.

To tell the truth, what he was doing is something never done before. Creating a new technique could only be thought of but never succeed in. The only reason he had confidence in succeeding is his race, experience in handling energy, and, most importantly, his previous cultivation base.

Lu Yao stared at Xue Mo and thought, 'If it's him, he could do it!' It was more of a declaration than anything. She was confident in him. After spending so much time with him, she had started learning about him, and one of the things she knew was that he wouldn't try anything without having assurance to do it.

Just like that, Xue Mo and Lu Yao spent the remaining days in their room.

"Today is the day." Opening her eyes, Lu Yao said.

For the last five days, they had been training their Mana control to improve and create a new cultivation method. This was something tedious with specific requirements to follow. Although Xue Mo had created techniques before, he had never done that with energies other than Arch. This is also why he was immersing himself in trying to comprehend and analyze Mana.

"According to the plan we made, we should use Mana only. Some skills if things get a little complicated, but that's it. And... you will have to talk again." Lu Yao said with a chuckle. Her white fur was glistening while her mouth was curved as a bright and cute smile was.

Xue Mo decided to ignore her as he learned to do whenever she started teasing him.

***

Walking through the streets of Jade Wood City, they were able to see how the orcs and nagas were happily discussing today's event.

After leaving the library that day, Xue Mo and Lu Yao learned that there are only three races in this world. They were humans, orcs, and kobolds. The place they were in Jade Wood City is a city under the territory of an empire made of both kobolds and orcs called the Trazar empire.

Kobolds were humanoid creatures with scales all over their bodies, with some small in size. They were good at mining, making traps, and their skills lied in exploring and magic.

Orcs, on the other hand, were large greenish humanoid creatures. Their powers lied in their physiques while some of them were able to use magic but mostly used Mana on their weapons and bodies to enhance them.

Although there are other countries in this world, the library only mentioned the countries superficially showing how little knowledge it has and why Xue Mo wasn't satisfied with what he learned.

However, they were able to learn that the Battle Mage Academy is one of the four superpowers of the world, with no one daring to go against it.

Other than the Trazar empire and the Battle Mage Academy, there existed a human kingdom termed Udanem and another Orc nation named Upreba. When he tried searching for more info, Xue Mo couldn't find any books regarding details of these powers and only their names and what their races were.

Seemingly having read his expression Lu Yao looked at Xue Mo and asked: "Are you still pissed?" Seeing that Lu Yao had read his mind, his face didn't change as he answered, "I am not."

Knowing that he had been exposed, Xue Mo lied through his teeth, but it was Lu Yao who he was talking to. She had lived with him long enough to know when he was lying.

"It seems that we were lucky not to have to meet humans here. Nevertheless, this will change once we enter the Battle Mage Academy." Lu Yao said.

It wasn't that they were afraid of humans or won't talk to them if they didn't have a choice, but they prefer not to. Although they hate humans and don't want to associate themselves with them, it's inevitable to meet them. After all, from what Lu Yao knew, humans are such a massive race in every world. Although other worlds had other races, there was bound to be humans in more worlds than not.

In contrast to this city where they were in, there are humans in the Battle Mage Academy, which is the reason for Lu Yao's words.

"Mhm," Xue Mo was in a bad mood but still answered her.

***

Making their way to the specified meeting point, people were flocking towards the city lords' mansion. Not all these people were there to participate in the test to join the Battle Mage Academy. Some of these people were just curious about how someone from the Battle Mage Academy would look like, so they were there to see.

Most of these people were like that. After all, to join the Battle Mage Academy, there have to be certain criteria with a limited amount of places to boot.

Xue Mo had also learned this information from the people, and what he found as a solution is to show his power. If he went and displayed strength way above the other contestants, he would be able to enter the test that they gave with no problem.

When they arrived at the city lord mansion, a middle-aged man with scales all over his body showed what race he belonged to was standing on a podium.

"My good citizens, as you all know, today, we have an important guest." The City Lord started. "He came all way from the famous Battle Mage Academy. Let's give a big welcome to Sir Dio."

The city lord tried to get straight to the point without beating around the bush. This was not to delay the event any further, and also because everyone was already excited.

After he said that, a seemingly young man got up from the seat next to the podium. He took the city lord's place and nodded at him, showing him respect. Although, the man didn't have to do that as someone from the Battle Mage Academy. Nevertheless, he did that raising his status in the audience and the city lord's mind.

"Hello. As the City Lord had already said, my name is Dio. I am a teacher at the battle Mage Academy. Although you all have heard of the Battle Mage Academy, you don't know anything about it, so let me give a small summary." Dio said, before taking a breather from talking too much.

"Once you have joined the Battle Mage Academy, you will go through a grueling experience and training. Some of you will drop, and some of you will stay. I can't tell you who will do what, but I can tell you with certainty, once you have finished the four-year course of the Academy, you will walk out as a changed Player." Stopping to take another breath, Dio continued.

"I won't specify what will happen to you as most of you here will probably not join, but anyway, let's start." Some of the Players around didn't like Dio's tone, but they knew that he was right, and that's why they didn't complain.

"The ten contestants that were chosen step forward." Once Dio said that ten people walked out of the crowd.

However, out of everyone's expectations, a black-robed man with an ordinary-looking face walked out. The man looked so ordinary people thought that they could forget his face if they didn't see it again.

Dio didn't frown or complain, but the city lord seemed a little displeased as he asked: "What's the meaning of this?"

Xue Mo didn't pay him any attention, he looked at the young man with green skin and announced with a cold and emotionless voice,

"I wish to take the examination.

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