Chapter 1 Apprentices of Sael ：The Surgeon

"Apprentice! Arrange the specimens and materials properly; the experiment is over."

It was a dimly lit basement, illuminated not by the light of conventional magic but by the eerie glow of a rune-marked bald head at the door. A cold, indifferent voice emanated from the bald head, followed by the soft click of a closing door, and the crimson robe disappeared from the view of the black-haired youth inside the room.

The youth adjusted his black robe and began to tidy up the room. Due to the rarity of sunlight, his skin appeared slightly pale, yet his delicate features gave him an air of refinement. Although his somewhat flat and featureless face did not entirely conform to the aesthetic standards of Faerun, it could still be considered attractive. Perhaps with a smile, he might even exude a hint of a sunny disposition. However, the chores in his: hands greatly diminished the charm of this youthful face. The remnants of bloodstains on the experimental table, reflected in the pale light, added an eerie touch to the scene.

In this eerie light, one could see the inscription on the plaque on his robe—"Panni Xian." In this Red Robe Mage Academy located by the shores of the Saelan Lake, this specially patterned plaque could to some extent ensure his safety—though only to a certain extent.

The youth emerged from the cramped and strangely scented laboratory. Countless hurried and gloomy-faced apprentice mages passed by him, most of them around the age of ten, much younger than the youth. Their contemptuous and jealous gazes frequently glanced at the youth, as if resenting why this fourteen-year-old waste, who couldn't even touch the inner layers of the magic web, was so favored by the mentors.

It should be noted that in this academy, if one had not obtained the qualification of a wizard by the age of twelve, they would be "demoted" or "promoted" to experimental materials. Although this academy belonged to the School of Enchantment among the eight major schools, the experiments were not as terrifying as those in the schools of Necromancy or Enchantment, but there were still many experiments with names that were chilling to the bone.

Therefore, all apprentices who entered the academy at the age of six put forth their utmost efforts, devoting every ounce of their energy to the study of the magic web, just to escape such a fate.

But Panni Xian could escape this fate by some strange means, such as being able to dissect any creature perfectly with his eyes closed.

Having such an ability, let's start with Panni Xian's journey before crossing over. It turned out that being a surgeon was indeed prestigious wherever one went. Not only could they sit in the celestial hospital and receive red envelopes, but there were also additional specialties when traveling to other realms, which were quite practical.

In this world called Faerun, such a feat was evidently difficult even for many high-level mages who had touched the 5th or 6th layers of the magic web. So he became the favorite experimental assistant of many mentors—these mages who delved deeply into the arcane were usually lazy, especially when dealing with some strange creatures.

Therefore, he was favored by many high-level mentors—at least superficially. In their eyes, having such a talented apprentice not in the Necromancy that complemented this talent but in their Enchantment department was truly wonderful.

This undoubtedly made many apprentices angry and jealous. In their eyes, if they could become assistants to mentors, flatter them well, they might have a chance to obtain more powerful spell records or casting techniques. But this golden opportunity was repeatedly wasted by Panni, who had encountered multiple ambushes, traps, conspiracies, and even assassinations over the past two years.

However, for Panni, who had lived for nearly forty years in total—counting his past life—and had a very sharp mind, these amateurish tricks of much younger and relatively simple-minded kids were naturally no match for him. In this lower-tier academy, he was effortlessly adept at handling them.

This was the northeastern part of Faerun, the mountainous and plateau regions west of the Endless Wilderness, the descendants of the ancient Imaskari Empire, and the Sael ruled by the Red Robes Mages.

Having lived here for fourteen years, combined with his past experience, Panni had a deep understanding of the rules of survival here.

Conspiracy, deceit, lack of trust, and cruelty—this was the world of the Red Robe Mages.

Here, being too stupid was of no use; experimental materials and cannon fodder were the best destinations for fools.

Similarly, being too clever is also detrimental, for excessive excellence not only makes it easier to seize opportunities for advancement, but also exponentially increases the likelihood of jealousy from peers of the same echelon. Many outstanding apprentices, for such reasons, predictably met "accidental" deaths in their beds, at the dining table, in the restroom, gutters, or gardens...

Perhaps there exists an extreme level of excellence, where both proficiency in arcane studies and mastery of intrigues reach unparalleled heights. They seem to be tantalizingly close to a promising future, but Panni knew that reality was far from such fantasies.

Two years ago, there was such a figure. All apprentices of the same year were overwhelmed by his cunning and genius. Even Panni thought the guy was an extraordinary existence, often suspecting if he had also traversed through time. However, that person ultimately met his downfall—during a class, he became the material for a living transmutation experiment conducted by the teaching mentor.

The deformed corpse resulting from the experiments was dissected by Panni's own hands.

This incident told Panni that in an institution where coup d'états and violent usurpations were as common as everyday occurrences, where murdering colleagues or even being encouraged by unspoken rules seemed to be the core philosophy, most Red Robes who preferred to control their subordinates through terror and intimidation would not tolerate exceptionally talented individuals challenging their authority, even if it was just a negligible sign.

Therefore, Panni obediently kept a low profile, using his unique skill to maintain this delicate position. For the mentors above, this experimental assistant was very useful and certainly not to be wasted as experimental material. As for the apprentices below, due to the vast age and intellectual gap, although they disliked him, they were simply not his match.

Panni had no great ambitions; he was indifferent to fame and fortune even in his past life. Exhausted by the hospital atmosphere every day, his greatest pleasure after work was a cup of instant coffee, listening to music and reading novels on his computer, occasionally watching soap operas. For him, after reincarnating and having enough money to spend, loafing around, dating a few girls, and enjoying a peaceful life were the right paths.

Coming to this perilous place was not his choice, but he had no say in the matter.

Knowing nothing about this world, he grew up in a wealthy merchant's home until the age of six. He had been enjoying a comfortable and carefree life, thinking it would continue like that in the future. However, all of that was shattered one morning when two Red Robe guards suddenly took him from his home to the local Red Robe Mage Guild. After undergoing a series of tests, initially Panni was delighted to discover his magical aptitude, thinking he could become a YY novel protagonist, cultivate both martial and magical arts, ignite divine fire, become the new generation god of war, and marry countless sisters as wives. However, upon learning more about the situation, he found himself in a place that was ninety percent like a cult, eerie and dark, where his life could be forfeited at any moment. He had no choice but to survive first and foremost.