The Divine Dragon Empire team returned, chatting and laughing.
"Those Sakura Nation guys were hilarious, actually getting scared off."
"Seeing them flee in panic was just too funny."
"So many Professionals, actually scared off by a few skeletons.
Trash."
"If he can even clear Nightmare dungeons, if they really fought, those Sakura Nation people would be cannon fodder.
Of course they had to run, or they'd lose their lives."
As many spoke, their gazes drifted towards Morintis.
The always silent Morintis seemed extremely mysterious in their eyes.
Many whispered among themselves, guessing Morintis's background.
"Where did he come from?"
"He's not from a top-tier college, is he?"
"Doesn't seem like it.
Why would someone from a top-tier college come to our local area?"
"Besides, people from those top-tier colleges are busy leveling and running high-level dungeons.
No time for trials."
"Really strange.
Which great deity is this?"
"He seems to speak very little."
"Fierce but few words.
The way he killed those Shikigami earlier was sharp and ruthless."
On the way back, everyone was relaxed.
Although they hadn't completed the trial mission, today's experience left them satisfied.
Just driving off the Sakura Nation people was satisfying enough.
The trial mission itself was secondary.
Only Ethan's eyes held displeasure.
He glanced at Morintis from time to time, with hatred and also regret.
If he hadn't pressured Peach back then, he would have been part of completing the trial this time.
But now...
"This isn't over."
Ethan's heart burned with hatred.
The group passed through the light curtain and returned to the departure point.
Peach took out the Mission Stone and the Mermaid's Tear.
"Submit the mission!"
The Mission Stone and Mermaid's Tear slowly rose into the air.
Simultaneously, the phantom of the Divine Dragon Tower appeared in the sky.
A beam of light shot from the tower, falling onto Peach's Mission Stone and the Mermaid's Tear.
A few seconds later, a majestic voice echoed from the sky.
"The trial mission has concluded.
Prepare for return!"
The phantom of the Divine Dragon Tower blazed with light, shining upon everyone.
Each person was swiftly teleported back.
Within over ten seconds, they had returned to Latent Dragon College.
"We're back."
"The trial's over."
"Why, good thing everyone came back alive."
"Obviously, it's not that easy for something to happen.
The various colleges have at least a hundred trials combined every year.
When have you ever heard of deaths?"
"Low-level trials don't have deaths.
But those top-tier colleges, with Professionals above Level 30, lose a batch of people every year."
"Of course.
For them, our trials are just child's play, fooling around."
Latent Dragon College was very lively.
Everyone kept discussing the trial.
The most talked about topic was Morintis.
If not for Morintis this time, they'd probably still be in a standoff with the Sakura Nation people.
Whether they could ultimately snatch the dungeon from the opponent was hard to say,
especially since the other side had a high-level Onmyoji.
Isla Ning's small face turned pale again; the long-distance teleportation made her very uncomfortable.
"Future trials must be somewhere closer."
"This young lady isn't going to faraway places anymore."
Isla Ning lay lying on the table, listless, like a dead fish.
Peach wore a smile; she had relaxed after returning.
"Thank you."
"This trial was very important to me."
She thanked Morintis sincerely.
Morintis shook his head, indicating it was unnecessary.
Isla Ning finally caught her breath.
"Sister Peach, no need to be polite with Morintis.
He doesn't talk much, but he's a good person."
Isla Ning hadn't actually known Morintis for long.
But strangely, Isla Ning completely trusted Morintis.
"Silence!"
A low shout came from the air.
Everyone looked up.
A man stood in the void.
Treading on empty air—Level 70, a third-tier Professional.
Morintis felt a surge of respect.
When Professionals reach Level 70 and complete their third tier change, they can tread the void and possess flight capability.
This applied to any Professional.
Even life-type Professionals were the same.
Of course, there were some individual Professionals who gained flight ability early,
like the Onmyoji who could fly using Shikigami.
That was a different matter.
"That's our Dean, Dean Hongshan," Isla Ning whispered in Morintis's ear.
Morintis nodded slightly, his gaze filled with respect.
Any Professional who completed the third tier change deserved respect.
High school textbooks said the third tier change was extremely difficult.
Less than one percent of Professionals who attempted it succeeded.
Such individuals naturally commanded respect.
As for figures like the White God, they were even rarer.
The whole nation produced only a handful.
Dean Hongshan's gaze swept over everyone, looking quite satisfied.
"This trial has concluded.
The process and results are being analyzed."
"Final grades will be sent to your communicators later."
"Remember, the most important part of a trial is not the result, but the process."
"Enjoy the process, eliminate fear, retain the faith of certain victory—that is the purpose of the trial."
"Completing the trial without casualties and returning safely is more important than anything."
"I heard you encountered Professionals from the Sakura Nation during this trial."
"We will analyze the specific situation."
"Those who performed well will naturally have a chance to enter top-tier colleges."
"Now, rest well."
After speaking, Dean Hongshan turned and left.
Isla Ning let out a long sigh.
"Pumping us with motivational speeches every time, always the same old routine.
Can't they be a bit more novel?"
Peach smiled, coaxing her like a child.
"Just listen.
Consider it encouragement."
Isla Ning snorted.
"Don't need encouragement.
Always tempting people with top-tier colleges.
What's so great about them?"
Peach smiled even more happily.
"It might not be a big deal to you, but it's different for us."
Isla Ning fell silent.
She knew Peach really wanted to enter a top-tier college.
Even within Xiajing Academy, there was a big difference between ordinary students, college students, and top-tier college students.
Both ordinary students and college students took pride in joining a top-tier college.
Peach distributed the loot from the dungeon.
Morintis also brought out the items he obtained later.
Even though the last two runs were done by him and Isla Ning alone,
he insisted they were one team and the gains must be split equally.
After dividing the spoils, Isla Ning and Morintis went together to the Empire Exchange.
Morintis had no use for these things and planned to sell them for gold coins.
Isla Ning cared even less about money; she even stuffed her share over to Morintis.
Her reason was that her storage space had no room.
That was a reason only a ghost would believe.
Storage space wasn't small; how could there be no room?
Morintis didn't refuse her kindness and accepted it all.
After this experience, the relationship between the two seemed to have changed slightly; some things didn't need to be fussy.
At the Empire Exchange, they sold all the unused Silver-grade equipment.
This dungeon run had yielded a Silver-grade Mermaid Queen's Dagger.
Morintis originally intended to give the dagger to Isla Ning.
But Isla Ning took out an even better dagger, waving it in front of Morintis.
Also Silver-grade, but with better attributes.
Black Iron grade corresponded to below Level 10.
Bronze was for equipment used between Levels 10-20.
After Level 20, one could switch to stronger Silver-grade equipment.
Even among Silver equipment, the attributes of the best and the worst differed significantly.
The Mermaid Queen was a Level 24 BOSS, but the dungeon level was only Level 20.
The Silver-grade weapons she dropped could only be considered average.
The only advantage was that the Mermaid Queen's weapons had a prettier appearance.
Silver-grade weapons were priced between 50,000 and 200,000 gold coins at the Empire Exchange.
The Mermaid Queen's weapons were basically priced around 70,000.
Morintis sold the two Mermaid Queen weapons, plus the materials obtained this time, for 180,000 gold coins.
"You don't need a weapon?"
Isla Ning asked, seeing Morintis empty-handed.
There had been a spellbook, but Morintis found it troublesome and sold it too.
Morintis shook his head.
"Useless for me."
His class was Necromancer.
Although it contained the word 'Mage', the skill bonus attributes on staves or spellbooks were ineffective for him.
Morintis felt that perhaps his class had its own specialized equipment.
The small Spirit bonus was truly not very useful.
Isla Ning said, "Oh.
You need to save more money and buy more Low-Grade Skill Scrolls."
"Before your second tier change, you need to learn all your basic class skills."
Morintis listened carefully.
He didn't know this knowledge; Isla Ning was clearer than him.
Isla Ning transformed into Professor Ning, earnestly instructing him.
"If you don't learn all your basic skills before the second tier change, you can only use Mid-Grade Skill Scrolls afterward."
"Then if you awaken a basic skill, it would waste a Mid-Grade Skill Scroll."
After listening to Isla Ning's explanation, Morintis understood.
Mid-Grade Skill Scrolls could also awaken basic skills.
The price difference was a hundredfold.
Using a Mid-Grade Skill Scroll to awaken a basic skill would be a true unjust death.
Morintis's communicator suddenly rang.
After answering, a majestic voice came through.
"Morintis, come to the Academic Affairs Office."