Chapter 2

Chapter 2

In the southwestern region stood Almont, the largest and most renowned magic academy of the West, where the crème de la crème of elemental mages, both instructors and students, devoted themselves to the study of magic.

Moreover, it was one of the most extensive academies, encompassing a wide range of elemental magic, from flames to water, plants, earth, and spirits. Each elemental faculty was adorned with distinct architectural styles, creating a striking contrast yet a harmonious coexistence that captivated onlookers. Despite their individual characteristics, the academy as a whole exuded an allure of prosperity and unity.

Admittance into Almont was exclusive to nobles and those with exceptional talent. The third and scarce opportunity for enrollment was through the annual exchange student program.

Today marked the first day of the new academic year at Almont, and the entrance was already bustling with elegantly uniformed figures processing the applications of incoming freshmen.

The sky above Almont College was filled with students swooping on brooms, except for the freshmen who had yet to learn magic and were walking on foot. Among them, a few early arrivals had already begun to register, cautiously presenting their admission certificates to the stern-looking student council members at the entrance.

After checking a group of new students, one of the long-haired girls in the student council, whose demeanor was slightly softer, lifted her head, glanced at the sky, then turned to her companion and said,

"I've heard there's an exchange student from the East this year. That's quite unusual."

Her short-haired companion nodded in response, "Yes, I've only seen exchange students from other magic academies before. But the headmaster showed me his profile yesterday, and it says he won't arrive for another three days."

At this, the short-haired girl, seemingly bored, fiddled with the water by her side. As a senior student specializing in Water Elemental magic, she could summon water at will.

The girl spoke with a composed tone, "So there's been nothing out of the ordinary these past two days; it's just routine scrutiny. No wonder Elizabeth didn't want to come today and chose to appear only on the third day."

The long-haired maiden smiled gently in response, "She has always been drawn to things that pique her interest. That's probably why she chose to be on duty on the day the Eastern exchange student arrived."

Upon finishing her words, the long-haired girl seemed to recall something and suddenly turned to look at the silent figure beside her. "Speaking of which, I suppose you're also quite curious about that Eastern exchange student, aren't you, First Chair?"

"There's nothing worth paying attention to," the questioned youth responded with a rather indifferent tone, seemingly genuinely uninterested in the matter being discussed by the two girls.

As the long-haired maiden was about to speak further, an eerie and inescapably immense noise suddenly echoed from mid-air.

Both girls were taken aback. The previously bored short-haired girl couldn't help but glance astonished towards the sky.

"What's going on?"

The blonde youth, who had just been aloof, almost instantly sprang into action with flight magic upon registering the peculiar sound. The other members of the student council swiftly followed suit, hurrying toward the source of the noise.

At this moment, a considerable commotion was indeed unfolding not too far off in the sky.

The oriental exchange students, who were initially expected to arrive in three days, were unexpectedly about to reach the school gates right now.

Before he arrived, Li Qingzhi's striking posture of riding the sword in midair had already caught the attention of countless students soaring on brooms across the sky.

Primarily, Chengying Sword was incredibly swift, and Qingzhi, being playful by nature, didn't hold back after obtaining such a divine blade. Most people might exercise restraint with such a weapon, but he found joy in flying at maximum velocity.

Over the past two days, Li Qingzhi had gradually become attuned to Chengying Sword's characteristics during their journey. He knew that his sword possessed a spirit, automatically navigating around aerial obstacles, no matter how fast they traveled. Thus, there was no danger of colliding with anything.

At this breakneck speed, the sword's energy-laden body left a brilliant trail in the sky, resembling a shooting star. It was impossible for other flyers not to notice.

However, despite their keen observation, the fleeting figure was too swift for them to discern. All they could catch was a fleeting shadow and the lingering glow of the trail, which left everyone marveling at the scene.

Could this be some high-ranking Mage? To actually dare fly at such speed right in front of the school gates.

And he seems to be flying upright.

He even has a glowing broomstick!

As the students in midair were captivated by this figure, some halting their flight to gaze curiously, the once orderly skies above the academy suddenly turned chaotic.

The culprit behind this commotion, the young Daoist Li Qingzhi, was at that moment sitting on Chengying Sword with a silly grin on his face, bags of luggage strapped to his back. He still wore that dark-blue Daoist robe, but the small cap on his head had been replaced by a bizarre flaming plant: Yes, Li Qingzhi had brought his beloved "Flaming Silver Blossoms" from Three Silent Mountains along with him.

As his senior, Qing Xuan, had hinted, he had practically moved the Three Silent Mountains here, judging from the multitude of bags behind Li Qingzhi. It was evident that he had indeed brought many "good things" to Elmont.

At this moment, Li Qingzhi's small braid hanging by his ear swayed playfully with the oscillating air currents, lending a touch of whimsy to the scene. The boy's unusually fair ears and the tip of his nose had also taken on a slight flush, the reason for which—whether from excitement or some other emotion—remained unknown.

As Li Qingzhi's gaze fell upon the entrance of Albertus Academy within his sight, he glanced down at the map in his hand, which had been distorted by the wind. After confirming that he had arrived at his destination, he finally slowed his pace.

The light emanating from the Chengying Sword had dimmed slightly, no longer as blinding as before, but it still stood in stark contrast to the others' golden-brown brooms.

As the pace slowed down, the figure of Li Qingzhi gradually became distinct in mid-air. It was then that everyone finally realized that the person standing on the glowing broomstick was not an elderly high-ranking sorcerer, but a young man who appeared to be around the same age as them.

Unaware that he had already attracted attention even before arriving at school, Li Qingzhi was still engrossed in planning his landing trajectory. A daring young man, mustering his courage, had taken to the skies on his broomstick, flying near Li Qingzhi.

After cautiously approaching, the lanky, brown-haired boy mustered up his courage to look at Li Qingzhi, and then couldn't help but curiously examine the peculiar black-haired youth before him.

After observing him for a moment, the brunet boy couldn't help but find the man truly peculiar. He was covered in wraps from head to toe, and on his head perched a bizarrely shaped flowerpot. Most strikingly, his mode of flight was unlike anything he had ever seen - standing not on a broomstick, but something else entirely!

Focusing on studying the map, Li Qingzhi, in his leisure, also noticed the brown-haired boy who was observing him nearby. Sensing the gaze, Qingzhi lifted his head. Upon seeing the boy's inquisitive expression, he instinctively offered a smile before attempting to speak his first foreign phrase.

"Hello?"

Li Qingzhi glanced at the exchange student orientation handbook in his hand as he spoke, inwardly wondering if this was the correct way to greet someone...?

The brown-haired boy was clearly taken aback, following which he looked at Li Qingzhi with a hint of bewilderment. Receiving no response, Li Qingzhi ceased his efforts and instead reached into his backpack to retrieve a language charm. After igniting the talisman in mid-air and watching it burn away, he turned back to the brown-haired youth and tentatively asked, "Would you like to come along?"

The language charm Elder Ling Shen bestowed upon him allowed the boy to understand his words, and likewise, it enabled him to comprehend the Western boy's language.

This time, the blond boy finally understood Li Qingzhi's words. Although he was indeed curious to try such a stylish method of flight, he ultimately shook his head subconsciously.

Yet, after shaking his head, he hesitated and, unable to resist his curiosity, continued to inquire of Li Qingzhi.

"Are you a new student?" The boy's attention was caught by Li Qingzhi's act of burning the talisman. He couldn't understand why he suddenly could comprehend the peculiar language Li Qingzhi spoke. Could this be some form of linguistic magic?

Unaware of the boy's thoughts, Li Qingzhi nodded at him. "Yes, I am. I'm an exchange student from the Three Silent Mountains. My name is Li Qingzhi. What about you?"

Seeing that Li Qingzhi seemed approachable, the brown-haired boy continued the conversation. "I'm Bruce. I'm also a freshman this year."

After a moment's pause, Bruce muttered, "So you're an exchange student. No wonder you have so much luggage. But where is Three Silent Mountains? I've never heard of it. And why are you flying while standing? Aren't you afraid of falling?"

As Li Qingzhi and Bruce talked, more and more people unknowingly gathered around them. Many were secretly observing the pair, maintaining a respectful distance but keeping their eyes fixed on the two.

Until the emergence of several other figures.

The onlookers, as if sensing something, suddenly dispersed in all directions, gradually resuming their flight, seemingly fearful of something.

Following the apprehensive gazes of the crowd, one could see the elegantly dressed student council members had arrived, with the blond-haired leader at the forefront. As he flew towards Li Qingzhi, he emanated an icy aura that warned others to keep their distance, his brow slightly furrowed. In his hand was a stack of red warning letters, their recipients' names yet to be filled in.

Ludwig lowered his eyes indifferently, his mind originally occupied with contemplating the specifics of the punishment. However, upon glancing at the black-haired youth not far away who had sparked the chaos, he involuntarily paused for a moment.

The handsome black-haired youth, at this moment, was smiling brightly at the person beside him, his eyes curved into gentle arcs. Though burdened with a pile of belongings on his back, he showed no trace of dishevelment one would expect from a traveler in haste; instead, he appeared vibrantly energetic. Dressed in a rare dark blue attire, and hovering in mid-air, he exuded an air of mystery and uniqueness. Yet, his bright, deer-like eyes filled with mirth, alongside the faint flush on his ear tips, softened his enigmatic aura, making him seem extraordinarily affable and approachable.

That smile seemed to radiate brightness into others' hearts, vibrant with contagious energy and vitality.

Observing the handsome smile in the eyes of the black-haired teenager at that moment, Ludwig paused for a moment, then continued to fly towards the front of the teenager, intending to intercept the person who had caused the chaos.

At this moment, Li Qingzhi was engaged in a delightful conversation with Bruce. As it was his first encounter with a foreign classmate, his focus was on acquainting Bruce with the wonders of the Three Silent Mountains. In turn, Bruce seemed to hold a great curiosity about Li Qingzhi and his background.

As Li Qingzhi gazed in Bruce's direction, flying forward on his sword while earnestly recounting the wonders of Three Silent Mountains, he failed to notice that Bruce's expression had suddenly shifted. Just as he was about to inquire what was amiss, while still in mid-air on his sword, he abruptly collided with something that was neither soft nor hard to describe.

Li Qingzhi was startled, unable to fathom why his sword had suddenly lost control and collided with something.

Just as he cried out in dismay and attempted to change direction, a force suddenly landed upon him: a pair of hands gripped his shoulders, and a subtle, elegant scent of iris began to diffuse around his nostrils.

Feeling something, Li Qingzhi realized that he had collided with someone! And he'd ended up in their embrace!

In that realization, Qingzhi hurriedly lifted his head to apologize, only to freeze in place just moments before speaking.

As he looked up, his gaze met a pair of profound and exquisite ice-blue eyes, which held an enigmatic emotion that was hard to decipher.

Continuing to raise his eyes, Li Qingzhi noticed that the other person not only possessed smooth, attractive golden hair but also had light golden eyelashes. Despite their strikingly handsome features, their beautiful ice-blue irises softened their appearance, creating an indistinct allure that invited proximity.

Li Qingzhi, locking eyes with those blue orbs, involuntarily felt a stir in his heart, subtly becoming flustered without realizing it.

"I'm sorry, I accidentally bumped into you," he apologized.

Upon his apology, the other person remained silent, still gazing at him calmly.

Looking up, Li Qingzhi noticed that they were right in front of the school gate. Had he not collided with this person, he would have likely crashed into the entrance itself.

At this thought, Li Qingzhi couldn't help but express his gratitude.

"Thank you, Senior. I wasn't watching where I was going just now."

As Li Qingzhi spoke, he inwardly mused: She looks older than me, so calling her Senior should be right, according to the manual.

Moreover, his master's words proved true once again – Westerners' noses and bone structures are different from ours. This girl is tall and has features so sharp and handsome, almost like a male's, yet she's undeniably beautiful.

However, as Li Qingzhi finished his gratitude and began to ponder, he suddenly noticed an eerie silence in his surroundings.

The deafening "Sister" that escaped from Li Qingzhi's Language Charm had left every member of the student council standing frozen in their tracks.

Moments later, an unknown girl from the student council burst into a suppressed giggle, "Pfft...hah!"

"President, this freshman just called you 'Sister!' Hahahaha!"

The tone was comically amusing, yet it only added to the awkwardness. From the corner of his eye, Li Qingzhi saw Bruce, the new student, frantically shaking his head at him and making a zipping motion across his lips, as if trying to convey something.

Confused by these reactions, Li Qingzhi looked questioningly at the person in front of him. The "senior" before him struggled to maintain a composed expression, her face slightly altering. Her eyes, filled with surging emotions, seemed to be holding back something extraordinary.

After a few seconds, the beautiful "senior" managed to speak with some restraint:

"{...I'm male.}"

Having just praised the "pretty Western girl" in his heart, Li Qingzhi was momentarily taken aback by his senior's words:

"AH?"

Bruce, who was already aware of Ludwig's identity despite not yet being enrolled, watched the unsuspecting Eastern exchange student with growing anxiety. He didn't know how to intervene:

Ludwig hailed from the prominent noble Leo family and was the academy's top genius Fire Elemental Mage. In terms of status and prestige, both within and beyond the academy, he was not someone to be trifled with! No need for prior investigation - this knowledge had already reached the ears of every incoming student. After all, the tales of the Leo family's prodigious young mage were hard to ignore.

Though the Bruce family held a modest reputation of their own, Bruce had only caught a distant glimpse of Ludwig at a gathering. It was widely acknowledged that this prodigious youth possessed a cool and detached demeanor, making him difficult to approach. Rumors also had it that, since assuming the presidency of the student council, he had become notoriously ruthless, holding a particular disdain for chaos and disorder. He was known to mete out stern punishments to mischievous students who erred, thus becoming a figure of both admiration and fear among the general student body.

If I don't remind Li Qingzhi now, this exchange student will undoubtedly find themselves in a dire situation!

In the end, thinking of this, Bruce mustered his courage and hurriedly pulled Li Qingzhi back, so he wouldn't remain in the ridiculous and terrifying position of being embedded in Ludwig's embrace.

Yet, just as Bruce was about to introduce Li Qingzhi to the esteemed figure as the Academy's and Students' Chief, Li Qingzhi's voice, tinged with confusion, unexpectedly rang out again:

"Not at all, it doesn't seem like it."

As Li Qingzhi's voice echoed, the giggling student council girl couldn't hold back another chuckle, but she quickly suppressed it, perhaps out of fear, turning her pretty face slightly flushed from the effort.

Bruce, upon hearing Li Qingzhi's words, felt his vision darken. He couldn't understand why this unlucky transfer student had provoked the one person in the academy no one dared to cross, Ludwig, on his very first day:

To openly say that the top student looked like a woman on the first day of school – it was hard to believe it wasn't intentional provocation!

Seeing that Li Qingzhi was about to speak again, Bruce's heart pounding, he quickly covered Li Qingzhi's mouth and tried to pull him away, hoping to avoid Ludwig's severe punishment on the first day of school or, worse, incur the wrath of this untouchable figure.

"Ugh!" Li Qingzhi, caught off guard by Bruce's sudden action, instinctively gasped. Blinking, he looked at Ludwig with a confused and innocent expression.

And that seemingly innocent gaze, in Ludwig's eyes at this moment, was the most, most, most provoking act.

Thus, as Li Qingzhi was being gently pulled away by Bruce, his fair wrist, exposed outside his sleeve, was suddenly grasped with force.

Li Qingzhi looked up in surprise to find Ludwig gripping his wrist.

The golden-haired youth, whose looks were as striking as those of the sun god, wore a countenance now obscured by dark clouds.

"What is your name?"