SAINTESS [Chapter 72: He also became a Warlock?]

The grueling study period was finally over. This week had been nothing short of exhausting for Winnie, constantly absorbing new lessons, receiving remedial tutoring from Isatia to catch up on the knowledge he'd missed, and frantically making up all the homework he hadn't done. It had been absolutely miserable.

In short, Winnie had been living like neither man nor ghost. The fact that he hadn't even had time to play cards proved just how bad it was.

Normally, a good morning sets the tone for the day, after a full night's rest, one should feel most affected in the morning.

Yet this week, Winnie still looked half-asleep every morning, forcing himself to drag to the academy and endure classes filled with incomprehensible gibberish.

Thanks to Isatia's exceptional teaching skills, Winnie quickly grasped the essentials.

Combined with the teachers' patience, he gradually caught up with the class guidance pace and began making real progress.

Winnie had spent the entire week furiously making up assignments, to the point that dark circles had formed under his eyes. Luckily, it was only for one week, otherwise, Winnie felt his mind would've completely snapped.

If he had to endure this every day for an entire semester, he'd rather go back to the Mars dungeon and fight Mars King three hundred rounds.

For Winnie, this terrible, devilish week had finally ended. He'd caught up with the class, and now he was looking forward to sleeping in for a full day before heading out in the afternoon with his card case to play with his card buddies, when suddenly, one crisis barely resolved, another storm arose.

The academy was holding a monster hunting competition, and all students were required to participate. The results will be counted toward their final semester grades.

This time, there were no separate divisions, students from all grades would compete together in the same zone. The rules were simple: inside the dungeon, the more monsters you killed, the higher your score.

Normally, it was expected that lower-grade students, whose practical skills and cultivation levels were generally lower, wouldn't be able to score very high.

But this time, the team formation was unusual. Previously, teams had been randomly assigned, or grouped using an ELO-like system based on strength. This time, however, teams were formed by dormitory.

In a way, it was still a form of ELO, since the top-ranked students in the grade all lived alone with no roommates, they had no teammates.

Meanwhile, lower-ranked students had roommates. Those within the top fifty had two roommates.

As for those ranked even lower, students living in single dorm rooms, they were grouped with two neighboring students from adjacent rooms, forming teams of three. This was actually a privilege granted to them.

Before this, Carillian Academy had also organized the semester's cultivation level test, a mandatory event at the beginning of every semester, used to assess and record each student's current cultivation stage, helping to form teams for future practical training.

Just as Winnie finished the devil week, the next week brought even more chaos and responsibilities. He was utterly frustrated, especially since today was the weekend!

This was supposed to be his time to sleep in! The academy really knew how to pick its moments, never cutting into regular class time, yet deliberately choosing students' rest days for these tests.

Other students might not care about losing one day, but Winnie was different!!

Does anyone know just how tough his week has been?? Not sleeping properly for seven straight days, waking up to study, opening his eyes to memorize, then staying up late to finish assignments, leaving him no time to even catch his breath??

And just when he'd finally cleared his backlog and felt free again, his precious weekend rest had to be snatched away for this pointless cultivation test.

Damn it, what's the point of testing? Doesn't he already know his own cultivation level??

Winnie stood ahead of Shikondell, arms crossed, clearly angered, yawning repeatedly.

“Winnie, did you not sleep well last night?” Shikondell asked from behind.

"Not sleeping well? Who'd complain about sleeping too little?" Winnie grimaced. “It's like money, does anyone ever say they have too much?”

If it wasn't for this stupid test, he'd happily sleep until afternoon, making up for all the sleep he'd lost this week.

“By the way, Winnie, what cultivation level are you at?” Shikondell asked curiously.

“There's nothing curious about it, you'll see soon enough.” Winnie looked at the line ahead inside the hall, eager only to finish quickly and return to bed.

Who needs to queue up early in the morning just to take a test? What a waste of time!

The testing method was simple, step onto the magic array ahead. Beneath the array were eight symbols, each representing one of eight cultivation stages. The number of glowing runes indicates your stage, and the color at the array's center revealed which tier within that stage you were at.

Winnie glanced at the students being tested ahead. This was the testing site for first-years, so as for cultivation levels...

Perhaps Winnie had set his expectations too high for first-years from the start.

“Leo, Beginner Artisan.”

“Filo, Intermediate Artisan.”

“Clande, Advanced Apprentice.”

Wait, there were still apprentices attending Carillian Academy??

That truly surprised Winnie.

Could it be that because he'd only been playing at the highest levels, his standards for cultivation levels had become too strict??

Listening on, Winnie noticed most first-year students were stuck at the Artisan stage, with a few Advanced Apprentices mixed in. An Intermediate Artisan was already considered outstanding.

If Winnie remembered correctly, Carillian Academy didn't have a cultivation requirement for first-years, just making the top five hundred was enough. But for second-years, the minimum standard is Beginner Artisan.

In other words, getting into Carillian Academy didn't mean you were safe. Those students who hadn't broken through to Artisan yet had to hurry, if they didn't reach Artisan level this semester, they'd lose their hard-earned admission next semester and be expelled.

No wonder so many students walked off the testing platform with worried expressions after learning their results.

If they were expelled from Carillian, they wouldn't even know how to face their families back home.

Soon, Winnie spotted a familiar figure stepping onto the magic array ahead, instinctively covering Shikondell's eyes.

“Eh? Winnie, what are you doing?!” Shikondell asked, confused.

“Major flexing session ahead, kids should look away if they can.” Winnie said seriously.

The silver-clad figure stepping onto the testing platform was none other than Aesphyra.

Aesphyra immediately drew everyone's attention as she ascended the stage, not just because of her beauty, but because everyone was eager to know what level she'd reached on the path of Soul Armament cultivation. As the undisputed top student, this true genius girl's progress was of immense interest.

Even the normally relaxed instructors straightened in their seats as Aesphyra stepped up.

This one, he really had to sit up and watch.

He stared intently at the magic array beneath Aesphyra's feet and called out “Begin!”

As the magic array lit up with radiance and color, the runes beneath Aesphyra's feet activate one by one, finally, easily surpassing the threshold for the Warlock stage.

“Shhhh!” Onlookers gasped in shock, unable to suppress their astonishment.

Instructors at the tables stroked their beards, nodding repeatedly, eyes filled with admiration. Truly worthy of being the heaven-bestowed prodigy with exceptional talent in all elements and brisk potential in fire.

In fact, Carillian Academy had already designated Aesphyra as a key cultivation target. They believed that with her talent, her future achievements would be extraordinary, perhaps even peerless. Even in the entire history of Carillian Academy, she might be unmatched before or after.

Looking at the array's color, they realized Aesphyra wasn't just an ordinary Warlock.

The glow was golden, indicating the highest tier.

“Advanced Warlock!” The instructor responsible for recording the results exclaimed in awe.

“She's already an Advanced Warlock after only half a semester?!” Not only the instructors but also the students below were stunned.

They knew there was a gap between themselves and Aesphyra, but they never imagined it could be this vast.

Advanced Warlock, many upper-year seniors hadn't even reached this stage! Some were stuck at Beginner Warlock level.

Graduation from Carillian Academy required reaching Advanced Warlock. In other words, Aesphyra had already completed a journey that would take others years, or perhaps never completed at all.

The students were utterly shocked. Winnie, however, stood below, clicking his tongue in amazement.

This wasn't even Aesphyra's limit.

Winnie suspected Aesphyra was holding back, perhaps she was already on the verge of Master stage, but deliberately suppressing her level to appear as an Advanced Warlock for the sake of humility.

And Winnie's guess wasn't far off. Several sharp-eyed, experienced instructors noticed this too, but chose not to expose her, their admiration for Aesphyra rising even higher.

Impressive, she doesn't boast, stays grounded. If a student like her can't reach the peak of Soul Armament cultivation, then who could?

Aesphyra stepped down from the platform. The test was over, she could leave.

Ignoring the various gazes from fellow students, she walked in the opposite direction of the crowd.

And, as expected, stopped right beside Winnie.

“Winnie, are you awake yet?~” Aesphyra tilted her head with a smile.

What kind of nonsense was that?

Winnie immediately wanted to argue with her, but given the crowd around, he didn't bother.

“I'm not awake, so who are you talking to right now??” Winnie said.

“Pfft, maybe Winnie's brain is just harder to fill than others?” Aesphyra teased.

“Fill your head! Finish your test and scram, don't block the way! What are you doing coming over here? Want me to praise you again?” Winnie glared at Aesphyra.

“Well then, will Winnie praise me a little?~”

“No way! Now you're getting cocky??” Winnie shot a glance at Aesphyra's black-stockinged legs.

“Scram! You're annoying just looking at you!” Winnie pushed forward, trying to ignore her. But the male student ahead clearly didn't want to stand so close to him, everyone's attention was on Aesphyra. Suddenly seeing her stop to talk to some guy, naturally everything that guy said or did was wrong.

Hopeless fanboys.

Winnie inwardly sneered.

Yet Aesphyra showed no sign of leaving. She randomly found a spot nearby, crossed her legs, and sat with folded arms, watching Winnie intently.

Seriously, why wasn't she leaving? Was she planning to stay and watch him make a fool of himself?

Hmph. If that's what she wanted, she'd be disappointed.

After Aesphyra, the next student stepping onto the testing platform was in an awkward position. The previous result was Advanced Warlock, what if he stepped up and tested as an Advanced Apprentice? That'd be extremely embarrassing.

Even if no one compared him to Aesphyra directly.

Soon, Winnie saw another familiar face step up, Isatia.

Her result was also Advanced Warlock.

Hmm, another wave of gasps from the audience, especially from their class. Who would've thought their small class would have two Advanced Warlocks?

Although, thinking about it, it makes sense. These two occupied the top two spots in the entire grade.

After Isatia stepped down, she glanced at Winnie, then at Aesphyra, who was still sitting there.

Then came another familiar face.

Yes, none other than that golden-haired elven brat, Milian.

Her result was Advanced Artisan.

This was already an exceptionally high level for a first-year student.

However,

As Milian passed by, she made her usual silly face at him. He simply gasped in response.

Milian glared with her gem-like eyes, pouting, clearly.

Soon, nearly everyone ahead of him had finished testing. It was his turn.

“Next, Winnie Varelis.”

Hearing his name called, Winnie walked up calmly and stood at the center of the testing magic array.

Many were curious about Winnie's cultivation level. Before, they hadn't cared. But after witnessing his overwhelming combat strength, they were now extremely curious about his current stage.

The runes of the magic array lit up one by one, finally stopping at the Artisan stage. Yet, the array lights didn't dim. Instead, they continued to blaze brilliantly.

“Also a Warlock??” Both instructors and students below stared in disbelief.

“Beginner Warlock??” The instructor murmured. “That's three now.”

Isatia and Aesphyra hadn't left. They both noticed Winnie's result, but showed no surprise.

Only Milian, the golden-haired brat, looked like her jaw was about to hit the floor.

That annoying blue-haired human had actually reached Warlock??

'Virtue + 70.'

'Current Virtue: 4754.'

'Virtue + 30.'

'Current Virtue: 4784.'

It was just a shame others' emotional fluctuations couldn't grant Winnie Virtue points, otherwise, he'd have profited massively from this moment.

“That Winnie, he's actually a Warlock too?!”

“No way?! Then does that mean we're...??.....”