Chapter 32
Linda locked eyes with Claudio, unflinching. No dodging, Just a direct stare.
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Their gazes clashed in midair, one serene and composed, the other piercing and probing. Still, Linda couldn’t figure out if he held any memories from his previous life.
She wondered, ‘Why else would he be heading straight for me?‘
Claudio’s move drew a lot of curious glances.
Matthew and Marietta shot over surprised looks, focusing on his trajectory.
But he just kept walking until he reached Linda’s group, then plopped down at the empty table right next to them.
A ripple of awkward chuckles spread through the room. They thought, ‘Ah, so he is just claiming a seat.
Made sense. The hall was packed wall–to–wall with students, the best spots already snatched by the early arrivals from various sects. If you needed a free one, the corners were your best bet.
Meanwhile, Rafael, Laura, and Craig stared at Linda, wondering, ‘Since when has Linda put on a veil?‘
She offered them a subtle smile. “Have some coffee.”
After a year of traveling together, they all knew each other’s habits. Linda never did anything without good
reason.
So, they kept their cool, acting like nothing was amiss.
Still, Rafael cast a discreet glance toward the High Sanctum of Archmagi folks. He thought, ‘Ah, them.”‘
Craig and Laura got it immediately. They thought, ‘Yeah, those guys. The former sect that treated Linda like dirt.‘
Robin and the others hadn’t paid Linda much attention earlier. Even with her changed appearance now, they probably wouldn’t recognize her, and even if they did, they had no reason to care.
After all, there were way bigger issues at hand.
An Abyssal Coven elder turning city residents into puppets? That was massive. If the elders were up to no good like that, what did it mean for the upcoming Veil?
Was it safe, or some kind of disaster waiting to happen? Could they risk entering at all? Might it be booby- trapped?
That was the pressing concern.
Right away, everyone started contacting their own sect elders, recounting what had gone down and seeking advice on the next steps.
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Meanwhile, Marietta, the one who’d exposed the whole puppet mess, basked in widespread praise and admiration from the group.
Her sharp observations and clever timing in revealing the truth left a strong impression on plenty of people.
“Isn’t she that youngest Condensation of the Primal Core cultivator from the High Sanctum of Archmagi? Top–tier Sovereign Core, formed her core at sixteen, and a direct heir to the Barber family, a real prodigy straight from the heavens.”
“For sure. Celestial Affinities are ridiculously rare, like one in a million. You could sift through ten thousand cultivators and still not find a top–grade one. Marietta nailed it so young. Her future’s boundless. Who knows, maybe the High Sanctum of Archmagi’s about to produce another record–setter for the youngest Mana Transcendence.”
The previous record–breaker for youngest Mana Transcendence had been Coleman. And the next could very well be Coleman’s own apprentice.
Jealousy hung thick in the air. They thought, ‘What a powerhouse of a sect.‘
Marietta brushed it off modestly. “Coleman’s genius is on another level. As his student, I’d be thrilled to have even a fraction of his talent. How could I possibly compare?”
Her humble demeanor only made her more endearing to the crowd.
Toney beamed with pride. He thought, ‘This is Marietta, not like that silent type, Linda, who can barely string a sentence together half the time. So annoying.
Rafael snorted twice. “A Celestial Affinity? Big whoop. Our junior’s packing five! Five, you hear?”
Craig huffed in agreement. “Exactly.”
It was long held as truth that only a single, unblemished affinity could claim the title of Celestial Affinity. Anyone burdened with multiple affinities, however, was pitied or scorned. The mingling of elements introduced impurities.
Mack had pointed it out long ago: all five of her affinities were Celestial in quality. Folks just got hung up on the count and overlooked their purity.
If she sealed away four, the remaining one would be a genuine Celestial Affinity, no question.
Five Celestial Affinities? Forget one in ten thousand. You’d be lucky to find that in a million. But… cultivating with them was no walk in the park.
Sure, it looked like Linda had formed her core in just a year, but everyone knew Mack had rigged up a level- seven Mana–Focusing Circle in the Frost–Crowned Highlands.
The resources quietly poured into it, not to mention the daily Arcane Produce for her, all on Mack’s dime. Of course, Mack hadn’t breathed a word of it to her. And she seemed none the wiser.
Linda stifled a laugh at Rafael’s childish boast. “More cores aren’t always a plus, Rafael.”
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Chapter 32
Rafael said, “Who cares? Ours still blows hers out of the water.”
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He thought, ‘Most folks form one core at a time. Linda knocked out five in a single shot. If that’s not impressive, what is?‘
Matthew steered clear of the excitement swirling around Marietta and Toney, looking totally out of place.
He simply tied up Gustavo with a Spell–Binder Cord, then fired off a signal flare to summon reinforcements from the High Sanctum of Archmagi.
Linda wanted nothing to do with the High Sanctum of Archmagi crowd, so she ducked out of the hall the first chance she got.
Rafael and Craig stayed behind, eager to see how it all played out.
It was evening by the time Rafael came rushing back with Craig. He burst in, gasping for a drink. “Coffee, coffee, hand me some coffee, I’m parched!”
Linda passed him a cup.
Rafael took a swig and blinked. “Is this Enchanted Brew?”
Linda grinned. “Not a fan, Rafael?”
“Extravagant as ever, Linda.” Rafael smacked his lips, then jumped right in. “After you and Laura took off, the Abyssal Coven folks showed up, along with the nearest group from Azure–Cloud Chapter.”
Linda arched an eyebrow. “And? How’d it unfold?”
“Total shouting match.”
Rafael’s eyes lit up with glee. “You wouldn’t believe it. These elders squabbling like back–alley brawlers.”
Laura cocked his head. “Brawlers?”
“Yeah, they were one step away from pulling hair.” Rafael chugged more tea. “Turns out that Abyssal Coven elder was this close to sacrificing all the incoming students‘ life force for his twisted plans. The sect swears it wasn’t on purpose, but if no one had caught it in time, who knows how bad it could’ve gotten.
“A bunch of other sect elders piled on Abyssal Coven. They knew they were guilty as sin, so they didn’t fight back much, just offered apologies.”
“Empty words? I bet that didn’t cut it.”
Rafael flashed a sly grin. “Nailed it, Linda. The elders weren’t buying the lip service. Anyone can apologize. They demanded proof of sincerity.”
Linda caught on right away. “How much did they cough up?”
“Every student heading into the Veil gets ten thousand Luster Shards. Injured ones score thirty thousand, plus a level–three beast core. And whatever you find inside? All yours, no forking over thirty percent to Abyssal
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Coven like before”
Linda raised her brows slightly. “Ouch, that’s gotta sting their pockets?
Every time the Dream–Weaver Fens opens, Abyssal Coven banked half a year’s resources from that thiny. percent take. But now? They were handing it all back. And throwing in extras to boot,
“No joke, the Abyssal Coven elders looked like they were about to puke. If the crowd hadn’t been so big, 1 swear lists would’ve flown”
Craig, who’d just walked in and overheard, rolled his eyes. “As if everyone’s a hothead like you, always itching for a fight.
“These guys? They talk tough, but they don’t scrap.
“Abyssal Coven’s paying to make it go away. They got off light, if you ask me.”
Linda was just about to ask why Craig hadn’t returned with Rafael when that comment caught her ear.
Craig chuckled. “Guess who’s here?”
He stepped aside, revealing Byron standing next to an older man. Linda had never met Laurence, but the elder’s blue robe, simple wooden hairpin, sage–like presence, and subtle scent of fresh herbs gave him away. “Laurence,”
AD
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
