Technically, all mages are required to answer to the Magic Association. To join the ranks of the Association, one needs to possess truly exceptional competence. Ordinary mages can only take orders from the Association, and only powerhouses are qualified to command other mages.
Things are somewhat different in Dongxia, however, where the Magic Association coexists with the Adjudication Tribunal.
The Tribunal should naturally be subordinate to the Magic Association, but circumstances vary from country to country. In Dongxia, the Tribunal operates almost independently of the Magic Association, with the two institutions keeping each other in check and mutually managed—a system with a very distinct character of its own.
Of course, Fang Zhou had no interest in joining either the Magic Association or the Adjudication Tribunal.
Upon arriving at the nation's most renowned Magic Association headquarters, he found a bustling crowd of mages coming and going, many exuding presences that Fang Zhou could not even fathom. Advanced Mages could be found everywhere here, and Super-tier Powerhouses were by no means few.
Yet the most formidable person of all was, undoubtedly, the hidden heavy hitter right by Fang Zhou's side.
Having lived in seclusion with Fang Zhou for so long, Ding Yumian was venturing out to see so many people for the very first time. She inevitably felt a bit nervous, worried that she might suddenly lose control, and kept a tight grip on the corner of Fang Zhou's shirt with her small hand.
Knowing her well, Fang Zhou turned his hand over and gently grasped her delicate, boneless hand.
"With me here, everything is fine."
Fang Zhou's words brought peace to Ding Yumian's heart. Her tension gradually melted away, and a pair of exceptionally pretty eyes began to look around like a curious baby's, though her gaze lingered most of all on Fang Zhou himself.
Dean Xiao paid no mind to the intimate interaction between the young man and woman; he neither could nor would interfere. He led the two of them through the mages' passageway straight up to a height of a hundred meters.
Stepping out of the elevator, they were met with the sight of a magnificent, resplendent hall.
Neither Fang Zhou nor Ding Yumian had ever laid eyes on a structure adorned with curved domes and magical frescoes before, and they were instantly struck by the rich, mystical, and dazzling heritage of magic that permeated the air.
"Is there anything I can help you with, esteemed mages?" asked a young woman dressed in a flowing white *qipao*, a pleasant smile gracing her face.
Fang Zhou's eyes lit up. *Whoa, a qipao-wearing miss!*
Immediately afterward, the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as the Power of Purification flashed for a fraction of a second, releasing him from a spell of mental control.
With some stiffness, Fang Zhou turned his head and shot a glance at Ding Yumian, only to find her smiling sweetly back at him, looking as innocent as could be—*as if!* That was definitely your doing just then! That mental manipulation force was one Fang Zhou was far too familiar with.
*Wait a minute, nobody else was manipulated, and the purification only freed me. Was that aimed specifically at me alone?!*
Fang Zhou's pupils constricted. What was going on with his childhood sweetheart? She always managed to awaken new attributes in the strangest places. Was this really how magical control was trained?
So Yumian's leveling up relied entirely on stimulating me?
"We are here for an Intermediate-level magic awakening. We made an appointment yesterday," Dean Xiao said.
"May I ask what your name is..." The young woman in the *qipao* looked at Dean Xiao. One glance told her that his aura was extraordinary; even if he wasn't just some formidable elderly mage, he certainly was no ordinary person.
"I made the reservation under his name. Check it—it's Fang Zhou," Dean Xiao said indifferently.
Fang Zhou: "..."
Just as the young woman in the *qipao* was about to ask whether they would like to wander around and take a look or head straight to the awakening room to wait, she felt a gust of wind sweep past her. Looking closely, she saw that it was none other than Mr. Guo Liyu, the nation's vastly renowned awakening master.
Yet this very awakening master was actually striding forward, a beaming smile on his face as he hurried to greet the elderly gentleman.
"Dean Xiao, what brings you here without a word of notice? What are you up to?" Guo Liyu was a middle-aged man who evidently recognized Dean Xiao.
In fact, he was also an alumnus of the Pearl Institute, though not one of Dean Xiao's students. Today had been a slightly slow day for awakenings, and he had just been out for a stroll when he spotted this figure amidst the crowd.
As one of the deans of the Pearl Institute, not only was the baseline requirement for the position a Super-tier Mage, but the role also carried unparalleled social standing. Anyone recognized outside would be a heavyweight figure, and Guo Liyu naturally dared not show any negligence.
"I brought two kids here to awaken their magic. Just booked a random slot yesterday," Dean Xiao said.
There was more than one awakening room in the Pearl Magic Tower, and Dean Xiao hadn't gone out of his way to look for anyone specific; he had simply registered with the Magic Association, and even he didn't know which specific room it would be.
"Come awaken in my studio! I'll guide their awakening personally—just tell me what elements you want!" Guo Liyu thumped his chest and pulled Fang Zhou along as he walked.
At the same time, he cast a sideways glance at the young woman in the *qipao*, signaling her to cancel Dean Xiao's previous appointment.
If he could get on the good side of a person like this, he'd gladly take a financial loss just to subsidize the awakening fees! Besides, if Dean Xiao were to be in a good mood and casually drop a good word about his awakening studio over at the Pearl Institute, just how many Pearl students would flock to his place for their awakenings? He would make a fortune!
Moreover, any youngster personally brought along by Dean Xiao must be exceptionally close to him.
Fang Zhou and Ding Yumian were led into a room filled with countless perfect spheres, the dense array of awakening orbs dazzling to behold.
"Seeing how young you both are, this must be your first awakening. Actually, awakening a magic element can be guided to a certain extent. The awakening stones in schools are usually of mediocre quality, mixed with all sorts of chaotic energies, which is why people awaken such a motley variety of elements. But if you use a pure, single-attribute awakening stone, supplemented by a corresponding high-purity guiding stone, the probability of awakening a specific element increases drastically. If not one hundred percent, it's as good as settled."
Noticing that Fang Zhou and Ding Yumian appeared to be relatives of Dean Xiao, Guo Liyu generously shared quite a few insider secrets of the trade.
He had already decided to guide the two of them free of charge. After all, Initial Level guiding stones were just scraps left over from high-grade awakening stones anyway, nothing to treasure too dearly. Furthermore, these items could be reused—it was just that their first use yielded the best results. As a collector of guiding stones, the concept of a net loss simply didn't exist for him; everything he had was his own.
Awakening stones were contraband items whose every use required real-name registration, and they were basically monopolized by the Magic Association. Guiding stones, however, were much more expensive and could be freely bought and sold.
"Mister, this isn't my first awakening. I'm already an Intermediate Mage, alright!" Fang Zhou said, curling his lip.
Magical cultivation realms were impossible to conceal, and since Dean Xiao had brought them out for this awakening in the first place, he hadn't intended to hide anything.
"A secondary awakening?!" Guo Liyu was startled. No matter how he looked at it, these two kids seemed like they had just entered magic high school; how could they possibly be Intermediate Mages already?
They looked so terribly young?!
"What magic elements do you two want to awaken?" Guo Liyu didn't press them on their ages, merely sighing inwardly at how wonderful youth was—they still looked as though they hadn't even started university.