He continued,"In addition to those advancing through the free-for-all, any apprentice who demonstrates exceptional talent and is recognized by a Mentor may also be accepted directly, entering the academy by special exception."

  "The trials must be conducted with restraint. Deliberately taking lives is strictly prohibited. However, swords and blades are merciless; if accidental injury or disability occurs, the Sword Mage Academy assumes no responsibility."

  The middle-aged man paused and added,"However, all apprentices who successfully advance and enroll may submit applications to the academy for reimbursement of magical healing potions required for subsequent recovery."

  Finally, he raised his right hand, and a diamond-shaped crystal radiating brilliant light hovered above his palm, immediately drawing the attention of everyone present.

  "The apprentice who ranks first in this trial will receive a high-grade crystal imbued with sword intent. Second and third place will each receive a medium-grade crystal containing sword intent."

  The crowd erupted in deafening cheers. Crystals imbued with sword intent are treasures that every sword mage dreams of.

  The pure sword intent contained within not only accelerates the learning of sword techniques but also aids in breaking through cultivation barriers, making them rare and valuable resources across the entire magical continent.

  Ryan's eyes lit up, and his fingers subconsciously traced the hilt of his sword at his waist.

  Until now, he hadn't planned to participate in the trial, but the sight of the rewards suddenly made him consider joining.

  He looked up toward the distant platform, his gaze settling on the elder whose presence was the most overwhelming.

  The elder's magical energy had already condensed into a visible form, creating a faint halo an unmistakable sign of an Arcane Mage.

  Ryan's heart skipped a beat."An Arcane Mage… this Sword Mage Academy must be a branch of the Sanctum of the Sacred Sword!"

  Ever since he first heard the name Sword Mage Academy, he had associated it with the Sanctum of the Sacred Sword, a magical power with a legacy spanning hundreds of thousands of years.

  It was even older than the Glacial Arcana Academy where Evelyn studied, and it controlled the continent's most prestigious sword magic traditions.

  Now, seeing powerful figures overseeing the trials, sword intent crystals as prizes, and recalling that Journeyman Mages guarded the Sword Viewing Terrace, Ryan was fully convinced.

  Moreover, he had noticed during his visit that most of the academy's apprentices were Seventh-tier Adept Mage or above, and all referees were Journeyman Mages.

  Such a foundation could only belong to a branch of the Sanctum of the Sacred Sword.

  "I'm participating too!" Ryan decided firmly.

  The Grimoire in his possession could perfectly conceal his true magical level.

  As long as he maintained his aura at Ninth-tier Adept Mage, no one would see through it.

  Once he obtained a sword intent crystal, he could decline enrollment on the grounds that he did not wish to be bound by the academy.

  The academy has always respected personal choice and would not force him to stay.

  Furthermore, he could even use the academy's teleportation array to travel to the Central Continent, saving him the trouble of a long journey.

  Back in his eighth life, when he roamed the continent as a Grand Magus, he had already visited the Sanctum of the Sacred Sword.

  Even among the common folk, the Sanctum of the Sacred Sword held great prestige. Its doctrine, with the sword at the heart and magic as its wings, inspired awe in countless sword mages.

  "After all, every bit of foundation adds a bit more hope of accumulating enough Magic Origin Value."

  This Grimoire, accompanying him through nine lives, was both his support and his only hope for survival. He needed enough Magic Origin Value to buy another full life.

  The voice of the Grimoire seemed to echo in his ears again:

  【Resurrect with Defects: Ten million Magic Origin Value, 37% chance of accompanying mental impairment, memory gaps, physical injuries, or loss of magical talent】

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  【Perfect Resurrection: One hundred million Magic Origin Value, consistent with the resurrection mechanism of the previous eight lives】

  This is also why he was so obsessed with crystals containing sword intent.

  Such items not only enhanced his power but could, at critical moments, convert into life-saving Magic Origin Value.

  However, unless necessary, he would never lightly consume his reserves.

  In the past few days traveling with Derrick, he had roughly grasped the current situation of the Esoth Continent:

  It was divided into five regions: Eastern Wasteland, Southern Domain, Western Desert, Northern Border, and the core Central Continent.

  The real reason he insisted on going to the Central Continent was that, before dying in his eighth life, he had buried a crucial item there.

  That item could never be placed in the Grimoire's storage space.

  He had verified countless times that whenever he died, all items in the storage space would automatically convert into Magic Origin Value, supporting his basic resurrection.

  Ordinary magical tools could be discarded, but that item could not.

  It provided no combat benefit, yet it was an obsession he had acquired by chance in his seventh life, accompanying him across two cycles of reincarnation.

  During the decisive battle with Evelyn, he deliberately left it in a safe place to prevent it from falling into her hands.

  "Most of the ruins from ten thousand years ago are probably buried under sand by now, or perhaps have become the territory of some new magical sect," Ryan thought, when suddenly the Grimoire's prompt sounded in his mind.

  【Quest Triggered: Seek the item buried ten thousand years ago】

  【Quest Objective: Find the item the host buried in the Central Continent during the eighth life】

  【Quest Reward: One hundred thousand Magic Origin Value】

  Ryan almost couldn't control his expression. He quickly gathered his focus."I didn't expect the Grimoire to assign me a task like this and actively give Magic Origin Value."

  【The host must first confirm whether they can complete the quest. The reward of one hundred thousand Magic Origin Value hints at the difficulty of locating the target item.】

  【Tip: Spend two hundred thousand Magic Origin Value to unlock precise positioning, instantly revealing the current coordinates of the target item.】

  "You really know how to do business, Grimoire," Ryan muttered with a twitch of his lips.

  In his eighth life, he had also relied on the Grimoire's positioning to find that item, though the quest had not triggered then.

  Although it would cost an extra one hundred thousand Magic Origin Value now, without positioning, finding it in the Central Continent after ten thousand years of changes would be like searching for a needle in the ocean, possibly exhausting his entire lifespan in this life without success.

  He had no concern about the item being damaged. Its material was impervious even to a Grand Magus. Buried underground for ten thousand years, it would remain intact.

  The real challenge lay in the dramatic changes to the terrain of the Central Continent over millennia and the potentially powerful magical creatures or hostile forces that might inhabit the area.

  "Quiet!" The middle-aged man on the distant platform suddenly raised his hand, and a magical barrier instantly spread, enveloping the noisy crowd.

  Those still making a commotion suddenly felt pressure on their chests, their faces turning pale.

  This was the suppressive force released by the magical barrier, designed to maintain order. The crowd quickly quieted down, all eyes focused on the middle-aged man.

  "Now! The Sword Mage Academy entrance trials officially begin!"

  Hundreds of magical displacement lights of various colors suddenly lit up. Some used wind-based quickening magic to become streaks of afterimages.

  Some summoned earthen rock spikes to bounce themselves, while others rode miniature magical flying beasts straight to the arenas.

  For a moment, the sky above the plaza was crisscrossed with light and shadow, like a display of magical fireworks.

  Ryan, however, leisurely pulled a pack of caramel sunflower seeds from the Grimoire's storage space.

  These were snack items that had appeared in the Grimoire's marketplace a few days ago. He had exchanged dozens of packs on the spot, waiting to enjoy them during the trials.

  "Here, take two packs." Ryan handed two packs of seeds to Derrick, his gaze sweeping over the chaotic arena area.

  "We're in no hurry. Let's first see how good these people are. Once this batch of Ninth-tier Adept Mages finishes, the later rounds will be easier."

  Derrick accepted the seeds, munching and nodding. He also felt there was no need to rush in the first round of free-for-all, especially since he was only a First-tier Adept Mage.

  Obviously, many others shared the same idea. The previously crowded rush toward the arenas was now gradually thinning out.

  Ryan scanned nearly a hundred arenas and noticed that most had only one or two strong students standing on them, clearly Ninth-tier Adept Mages, while most other arena slots remained empty.

  "Arena 17 is missing three participants!" a judge in uniform shouted. The counting crystal in his hand flashed blue, displaying the current number of students.

  "Arena 32 is missing one!"

  "Arena 59 is missing two!"

  The calls echoed across the plaza. The judges' counting crystals kept flashing but could not fill all the empty slots.

  Everyone wanted to wait for the first round of free-for-all to eliminate the strongest, rather than confront them head-on at the start.

  At that moment, the white-haired elder on the distant platform spoke, his voice carried by soundwave magic throughout the arena:

  "Reminder to all: the nameless-entry trials are limited to today only! After the midnight bell, regardless of strength, anyone who has not entered an arena to participate will be considered to have voluntarily forfeited and must wait for the next entrance trials!"

  This statement instantly shattered the crowd's sense of luck. The next trial would not occur for three years, and no one wanted to waste that much time.

  The previously hesitant crowd could no longer hold back. Countless magical displacement lights lit up again, surging toward each arena.

  The heavy magical bell rang again, this time signaling the start of the trials.

  "First round of free-for-all, begin!"

  As the judges shouted in unison, intense magical clashes erupted across the arenas. Red fireballs, yellow earthen shields, and green wind blades intertwined in the air.

  Occasionally, someone was hit by magic, slamming into the protective barrier, sending ripples across the surface.

  "Move aside!" A sudden voice rang out.