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Chapter 92: Reward

The Grand Archmage’s gaze was more than most people could bear, carrying an immense psychic pressure.

Fortunately, Ashura had thick skin; he forced a strained smile and said, “Respected Archmage Aiwei, I am Instructor Ella’s student; earlier I fell here together with Instructor Ella, and thanks to a gentle slope we survived, so may I also ride your mount?”

Before Grand Archmage Aiwei could reply, the Tier-7 beast beneath him, the Flame-Phoenix, screeched disdainfully and beat its wings to send a gale toward Ashura clinging to the cliff.

Ashura cursed inwardly and immediately hooked his hands into the rock so he would not be blown off the precipice.

Luckily, Ella hurried to stop the Flame-Phoenix and looked back apologetically at Ashura, who was gripping the cliff for dear life.

Archmage Aiwei gave the young male student another long look; to withstand both his and the Flame-Phoenix’s combined pressure yet, though disheveled, remain unflustered and speak coherently was something even few of the academy’s top graduating students could manage.

Moreover, his proud granddaughter was looking at the boy in a very unusual way; had nothing happened during the days they spent alone together?

At that thought, Aiwei decided he had to look into this kid.

He then said flatly, “Jump down,” and shifted his gaze away.

Hearing this, Ashura breathed a silent sigh of relief, pushed off with both legs, and stretched his body as he leapt onto the Flame-Phoenix’s back.

Riding a flying beast for the first time… and a Tier-7 Flame-Phoenix at that… Ashura was thrilled; recalling the phoenix’s earlier hostility, he secretly ground his foot against its back a few times.

Ella, beside him, quietly laughed at the little gesture, while the Flame-Phoenix screeched in greater displeasure; a Tier-7 beast was highly intelligent, and only its master’s presence stopped it from flipping over and throwing the black-haired brat off.

Grand Archmage Aiwei examined Ashura once more; he had heard of no first-year magic student at the academy who truly stood out, as the gap between prodigies had yet to widen.

Yet this youth looked far better than his granddaughter, who was at Magic Scholar Stage 2; Ella had shown the joy of someone who escaped death, but the boy remained astonishingly calm, as though everything were under his control.

With that in mind, Archmage Aiwei said, “Your name is Ashura? I do not recall hearing it on the freshmen ranking of strong students, yet the reports say it was you who first spotted the danger and warned the team; you did well.”

Faced with this half-question, half-praise, Ashura feigned flattered surprise and explained, “It is an honor to receive your praise; I am just an ordinary magic student, but I also train in martial techniques, so I am better suited than most mages to fight beasts.”

“And because I like to read miscellaneous books, I learned the habits of the Red-Lotus Serpent, which happened to let me give the team a warning.”

Aiwei nodded, thinking, So the kid also cultivates martial techniques; no wonder I sensed only around Grand Magician Stage 1 from him… his warrior level might actually be higher, but then why did he enroll in the Magic School?

Filled with questions, Aiwei was about to direct the Flame-Phoenix out of the ravine when Ashura said, “Respected Grand Archmage Aiwei, whether it was my warning to the team or my desperate rescue of Instructor Ella, you really do not need to thank me too much!”

Aiwei and Ella both wore puzzled looks at this baffling statement; what was the fellow trying to say?

Seeing that Archmage Aiwei had not caught his meaning, Ashura forced a grin and said, “Is the academy not going to give me some sort of reward through you? As Instructor Ella’s own grandfather, will you not show some personal appreciation?”

At that moment Ella wished she could crawl into a hole and kick her young boyfriend twice; on his first meeting with her grandfather he was not trying to make a good impression but asking for a reward…

Grand Archmage Aiwei also stared in shock at the obsequious boy; after all, he was known throughout the academy for his bad temper, and fire-element magicians rarely had gentle dispositions.

Even outstanding near-graduation students treated him with extreme respect, fearing to displease him, yet this kid was actually asking him for benefits; it truly opened his eyes.

Aiwei seemed amused and irritated at the same time; he laughed and asked, “A reward? I have no idea what the academy will give you, but personally, on account of your protecting Ella, I can grant you something. What do you want?”

Hearing that, Ashura instantly felt delighted, his eyes darting as he calculated what he should ask for.

Yet Ella kept signaling frantically to him; she knew her grandfather was not so easy-going and feared Ashura would ask for the moon and anger him.

After rolling his eyes for a long while, Ashura seemed to make up his mind and grinned even more obsequiously: “I have never seen any great treasures; you are the Grand Archmage, so whatever reward you think suitable, I will gladly accept.”

That answer made Aiwei narrow his eyes repeatedly; he wanted to flare up but had no handle, and Ashura had boxed him in… if he gave something good he would begrudge it, if he gave something poor it would not match his status.

After taking several deep breaths, Aiwei said with some reluctance under Ashura’s expectant gaze, “In light of your protecting Ella, I will personally give you a Yellow-Tier martial technique manual as a reward.”

“I won it years ago in a wager and have left it unused on my shelf; since you train in martial techniques, I will give it to you. Remember to come fetch it from me when we return to the academy.”

After a moment of stunned surprise, Ashura burst with joy and showered Grand Archmage Aiwei with flowery praise, declaring his admiration until the old man’s face reddened and he coughed twice to ease the embarrassment.

Ashura was ecstatic inside; his best martial art was only the near-Yellow-Tier Tower Ascension Sword Art, and with a genuine Yellow-Tier technique he felt he could fight the blind Red-Lotus Serpent King to the death, since beasts above Tier 6 always yielded a core.

Ella, at his side, was happy for Ashura, her beautiful face glowing with delight, utterly unconcerned that her grandfather was giving fine things to her little boyfriend; this made Archmage Aiwei frown deeply.

Archmage Aiwei then said, “I have already sent word to the other search teams; we will fly to a safe sector to rendezvous with them. Stand firm; if you really cannot take it, lie flat on the Flame-Phoenix’s back.”

With that he stepped in front of Ella and gave the Flame-Phoenix an order; Little Lie let out a resonant cry and shot straight up, flying toward the top of the ravine.

Ella had Grand Archmage Aiwei in front of her to block the raging wind of high-speed flight, but Ashura had to balance himself unaided.

At first he crouched halfway, yet within the time it takes to drink a cup of tea he stood upright, fully acclimated to riding the beast.

This greatly surprised Grand Archmage Aiwei, who was secretly observing him with his spirit; it was the first time he had seen a young student adapt so quickly to flying on a Tier-7 beast.

He found the black-haired boy more and more unfathomable.

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