Merging them together formed the eight-colored longsword from earlier.
However, after his attempts, the seven-colored longsword was the most stable after removing the light-attribute.
Once the light-attribute was added, the stability of the longsword began to decline, and the same applied to the other seven star sword techniques.
Jiang Lin speculated that a dark-attribute might be needed to neutralize it.
However, he didn't know if the creator of the seven star sword techniques hadn't developed it or if the school simply hadn't collected it, but Jiang Lin couldn't find a seven star sword technique corresponding to the dark-attribute.
So, for the time being, he could only make do with this unstable version.
At the same time, having tasted the benefits of merging seven-system skills, Jiang Lin found a multi-attribute homologous shield skill in the library.
Jiang Lin asked a teacher if this skill could be merged, and after receiving an affirmative answer, he ran to the library to borrow them one by one and mastered them.
However, the creator of this shield-type skill did not include the four attributes of wind, lightning, light, and darkness.
It only had the five elements attributes: gold, wood, water, fire, and earth.
It was possible that shield-type skills needed to prioritize stability.
And since the five elements attributes reinforce and counteract each other, they formed a perfect cycle.
Therefore, they could provide a more stable and higher-strength shield.
Now, Jiang Lin simply referred to this martial soul fusion technique of five shield skills as the 【Five Elements Shield】.
Jiang Lin roughly estimated that the strength of the shield formed by merging these five skills should be able to rival a super-tier skill.
However, learning high-tier skills was the limit for rank-0, and he was currently unable to learn super-tier skills.
Following that, there were a few more assessments, all of which Jiang Lin passed with fairly good results.
The only thing he wasn't quite sure about was probably his theory classes scores.
Since he hadn't taken an exam before, Jiang Lin didn't have a clear concept of which level his own proficiency belonged to in the class.
But since the exams were over, it was all in the hands of fate now.
It just so happened that today was the last day; the theory classes papers had been graded, and the score ranking list was sent out.
Jiang Lin returned to the class and went to the ranking list, hurriedly looking for his name starting from the very bottom.
Last place... wait, that's not right!
He actually made it into the top thirty!
He looked at his score and ranking with some surprise.
"Name: Jiang Lin"
"Ranking: 24"
"Total Score: 578"
He actually wasn't in last place?!
So, he looked toward the person in last place.
Then, his eyes widened.
Because the person in last place was none other than his cold cat-girl desk mate:
"Name: Nora Grant"
"Ranking: 34"
"Total Score: 45"
45 points?
You wouldn't even get such a low score if you wrote with your feet, would you?
With a look of confusion and doubt, Jiang Lin looked at this desk mate of his who hadn't said more than ten sentences to him from start to finish.
Jiang Lin saw that she usually didn't listen during class and just studied on her own. He had thought she was like him back in Boulder City—not listening because the teacher's lecture was too elementary and couldn't keep up with her progress.
As it turned out, she was actually just like his current self—she didn't listen because she couldn't understand!
So, Jiang Lin directly asked:
"Are you unable to learn it? Why did you only get such a low score?"
However, the other party turned her head and stared at Jiang Lin with those amber-colored vertical pupils:
"Are these useful for combat?"
Hearing this, Jiang Lin said as a matter of course:
"Of course they're useful. These are all common knowledge in magic. You might not use them, but you can't not know them."
However, Nora shook her head:
"I am different from you all."
Then, she returned to her seat and looked at the book in her hand.
Jiang Lin was completely bewildered by her words.
Of course you're different; we aren't even creatures of the same race.
Then he walked over and asked:
"Aren't you reading a book right now? Why would you say something like that?"
Hearing Jiang Lin's words, she held up the book in her hand to show him:
"Oh, I'm illiterate. I'm still learning the script of your human race."
In her hand was a childhood education book titled 《Literacy Primer》.
Seeing this, Jiang Lin's eyes widened.
Ah? Illiterate?
Then it wasn't surprising.
To be able to score 45 points while being illiterate, she was actually quite capable.
By the way, can you even enter our Saint Brilliance Magic Academy if you're illiterate?!
Countless doubts immediately rose in Jiang Lin's heart.
But this did make him curious about Nora's background.
He had heard Neil and the others say before that Nora, like him, had entered Saint Brilliance Magic Academy through a special assessment later on.
It was just that when she first arrived, she didn't say a word. When others tried to talk to her, she would only give a faint nod or shake of her head. She isolated herself from the whole class, so very soon, no one went to talk to her anymore.
From Jiang Lin's current perspective, was it possible that she wasn't very proficient in the human language back then, which was why she didn't say anything?
Now she had finally learned it with great difficulty, but no one talked to her anymore.
So, no one even knew that she was illiterate?!
Looking at it this way, she was actually quite pitiful.
Maybe she had traveled ten thousand miles from home, carrying the hopes of her entire village, to come to a human city to study and learn human magic.
But because of the language barrier, she was given the cold shoulder and excluded.
"Are you planning to go home for the summer break?"
Jiang Lin asked.
The other party shook her head:
"I don't have a home anymore."
Jiang Lin didn't quite react to those words at first.
But he heard her continue:
"My clansmen were all killed by demons."
Hearing this, Jiang Lin seemed to understand a bit why she was so cold.
It turned out she was carrying a deep blood feud.
So he said:
"Sorry for bringing up your painful memories."
Nora shook her head:
"It's fine."
Jiang Lin scratched the back of his head and comforted her:
"Actually, I don't have a home either. Though no one believes me when I say it, I really am an orphan."
Hearing this, Nora put down the literacy book and looked at Jiang Lin quietly, remaining silent.
It was as if she were saying:
Do I look like a fool to you?
However, after a pause, she still said very seriously:
"If you can use your family's power to help me take revenge, I can agree to any request. My life will be yours from now on."
Jiang Lin sighed.
Why is it that no one believes him when he tells the truth?
"I really am an orphan. There's no family power to speak of."
Nora continued to look at Jiang Lin silently, the expression on her face speaking for itself.
Jiang Lin felt uneasy being watched like that, so he asked:
"So, what's the level of your enemy? If they aren't that strong, and what they did was indeed contemptible, then one day when I can shatter the void and hold the power of laws in my hand, I might be able to help you get revenge in passing."
Hearing Jiang Lin's somewhat unreliable words, Nora was silent for a while before answering:
"The strongest is at the seventh rank."
"Ahaha, the weather is quite nice today..."
Jiang Lin realized that her path to revenge might indeed be quite long.
So, he decided not to disturb her further.
Nora wasn't too surprised by this.
After all, she was facing a seventh-rank powerhouse. Who would offend a seventh-rank powerhouse for a complete stranger?
She remained in the classroom reading her book, while Jiang Lin packed up his seat and left the classroom.
Leaving the school, Jiang Lin ran to a magic potion shop outside and spent fifty gold coins to buy fifty bottles of second-rank healing potions, fifty bottles of second-rank mana recovery potions, ten bottles of second-rank berserk potions, and then ten bottles each of a large number of anti-growth magic potions and various other potions with miscellaneous effects.
Through his repeated attempts in the dormitory, anti-growth magic potions had an inhibitory effect on a blood demon's recovery function.
Although he didn't know if his spatial ring could be opened in the 【Blood Realm】, it certainly wouldn't hurt to make these preparations in advance.
Although the limit a rank-0 adventurer could withstand was first-rank potions, Jiang Lin's physical attributes were already at the peak of an ordinary 1st-rank adventurer. Thus, through his experiments, it was fine for him to use second-rank potions.
As for third-rank potions, he had tried them as well, and with his current physical state, he indeed couldn't absorb them; it was better to just use second-rank potions.
As for weapons and gear, first, he didn't have enough money to buy a full set, and second, his 【Five Elements Shield】 and seven-colored blade were already several times more powerful than most gear he could buy.
So, after finishing the potion purchases, Jiang Lin returned to his dormitory and looked at the campus scenery outside the window.
Since the mid-term exams were over, the students were welcoming a two-month summer break, so many students chose to return to their hometowns.
However, many students also chose to stay at school.
Normally, staying at school required an extra fee.
However, Jiang Lin's special scholarship already included various expenses during the holidays.
This part was quite good.
Now, the students were packing their luggage, and either parents or family servants were coming to the school to pick up their children.
However, the current scene didn't involve carrying large and small bags of luggage like in his previous life.
After all, most students possessed a spatial ring.
Jiang Lin called Little Black over:
"Little Black..."
Little Black had a look of confusion, not knowing what this guy wanted to do.
Jiang Lin wanted to give some instructions, like if he met with an accident, Little Black should just release itself back into nature.
However, the words had just left his mouth when they stopped at his lips.
No, now was not the time to set a flag!
So, the words he was about to say turned into:
"Little Black, you've gotten fat."
"Meow!"
Little Black hissed.
Jiang Lin skillfully rubbed Little Black's chin.
Little Black hissed plus.
Jiang Lin glanced at the system's quest:
【Trial of Blood (I)】
【Requirement: Go to the Blood Realm · Trial Ground and defeat a rank-0 peak blood demon (This quest is highly difficult, please consider carefully)】
【Reward: Passing the Trial of Blood will remove the current stage's life shackles, making your status independent and unrestricted by gods】
【Note: If you wish to start this quest, you can use the system directly for teleportation. If you break through the life shackles on your own, you will lose the qualification for teleportation】
Following that, he also checked the holy light mark planted in his body by the divine statue.
Taking a deep breath, Jiang Lin began to adjust his state.
Time gradually passed. Jiang Lin drew the curtains tight and started the teleportation for the 【Trial of Blood (I)】.
The next moment, a prompt came from the system.
【Quest: Trial of Blood (I)】
【Opening soon】
【Defeat the rank-0 peak blood demon—Shadow of Blood—to obtain the system reward and be teleported out of the Blood Realm】
【During the challenge, it is forbidden to use any external power】
【Equipment such as spatial rings are all locked and forbidden for use】
【Failure will result in the immediate death of the host】
【Resurrection methods will be suppressed and rendered useless in the Blood Realm, please be aware, host】
【Opening the passage to the Blood Realm】
Hum—!
Like a stone thrown into a deep pool, a terrifyingly intense blood qi suddenly appeared in the originally calm room.
A cold, tyrannical, and destructive torrent instantly swept through all of Jiang Lin's perceptions.
The world before his eyes gradually turned blood-red until he could no longer see anything around him.
A bout of dizziness, similar to taking a long-distance teleportation array, washed over him.
Then, the blood-red filling his vision gradually receded, allowing him to see the scene before him.
The world in front of him was still a wash of blood.
A thick, almost tangible scent of blood poured into his nostrils. In the distance, he could see a chaotic, suffocating crimson veil.
As for where he stood, it seemed to be a gladiator arena suspended in the void.
When he stepped on the dark red floor tiles, there was a sensation like treading on countless layers of coagulated blood and decayed flesh.
The edge of the arena was a rugged and towering circular barrier, densely covered with huge, twisted scars and claw marks, as if telling the past of the countless tragic battles that had taken place here.
Jiang Lin still kept 【Super-speed Thinking】 active, observing the surroundings and environment, ready to respond to any sudden changes at any time.
The tens of thousands of crimson claw-wings he had seen when summoning one before were not here; there was only dead silence and tranquility.
Jiang Lin swallowed hard and checked the holy light mark inside his body again, finding that it seemed to still work here.
Thus, he felt relieved, thinking that this could still serve as a life-saving measure.
At this moment, as if sensing his arrival, a circular spatial phantom appeared on the other side of the arena.
Jiang Lin looked into it and saw an extremely shocking scene.
That side was a territory where tens of thousands of crimson claw-wings resided.
And in the center of the territory stood a throne composed of flesh and withered bones.
On the throne sat a tiny but terrifying figure.
Its body size was about that of a normal human, so in front of the massive and terrifying number of blood demons, it looked exceptionally small.
But it just sat there casually and carelessly, and those countless cruel and tyrannical crimson claw-wings didn't dare to step forward at all; their bodies would even tremble if they got close to the range where it was, as if they feared a god.
And when the figure saw the opening of the teleportation gate, it also lifted its head. A pair of crimson eyes stared at Jiang Lin across the spatial gate, and Jiang Lin felt a pressure like an overwhelming wave.
Its body was somewhat blurred, but overall, it should be considered to have the appearance of a humanoid creature.
But it gave off more of a feeling that it was just a mass of blood mist floating in the air.
It stepped down from the towering throne of flesh and walked toward Jiang Lin step by step.
As it moved, the surrounding crimson claw-wings all hissed and screamed in terror as they fled.
It stepped down one pace at a time, as if every step were treading on the beat of Jiang Lin's heart.
Then, it walked out of the teleportation gate and stood on the arena, facing Jiang Lin.
Looking at Jiang Lin's figure, a sinister and raspy cackle came from the blood mist.
In the next moment, its figure suddenly solidified, and the blood mist floating around its body gathered together. Then, it actually transformed into Jiang Lin's appearance!!
【Trial of Blood (I)】
【Officially started】!
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