Lilith Academy

Matthew thought for a moment, quickly making up his mind.

He slowly stepped out from behind the wall and stopped a few paces away from the youth, nodding slightly.

“Sir.”

His eyes continuously scanned the youth, ensuring he wouldn't be caught off guard if the other party decided to launch a sneak attack.

This was not because Matthew was truly willing to submit to another.

He chose to temporarily avoid a direct confrontation because the youth's Spirit not only completely overwhelmed his in strength, but also possessed an incredibly precise detection capability—it could clearly perceive life signatures, energy levels, and even the subtlest of mental fluctuations.

Under such pervasive scrutiny, his hiding spot and actual strength were stripped of any secrecy.

Of course, this absolute perception was only possible because Matthew's Spirit was far weaker than the youth's...

In the face of such absolute suppression, any rash move would be nothing short of suicide.

Compared to survival, something as trivial as pride was as light as dust.

He would rather swallow his pride and bow his head than place himself in irreversible danger over a moment of stubbornness.

To his surprise, the youth simply waved his hand upon hearing this, his tone carrying the flat camaraderie of fellow survivors in a disaster.

“There is no need for that. Under these circumstances, with the dark wizards attacking, who isn't struggling to survive? Meeting here is a stroke of fate. Besides, I am merely a Third-Grade Apprentice, not that much higher than you.”

As he spoke, his gaze rested calmly on Matthew, as if he had long since seen through him, or perhaps he had drawn a conclusion through some common wizardly perception. He then added in a conversational tone:

“I see that your... Spirit is condensed and stable, and your perception of energy has already reached the Novice level. I assume you aren't far from becoming a Second-Grade Apprentice, are you?”

Matthew felt a slight chill in his heart upon hearing this, though he was not entirely surprised that his level had been seen through.

Still, he could not fathom why the other party's attitude was so remarkably friendly.

With the situation still unclear and the other's intentions hard to read, rashly denying it or explaining in detail would only invite unnecessary complications.

In a flash, he suppressed his churning thoughts, took the cue, and replied with a tone that was both frank and cautious:

“Yes, it was a blessing in disguise. I've had some minor insights recently, and feel as though I am... a bit closer to the threshold of the Second Grade.”

His answer did not outright claim he had reached the Second Grade, yet it cleverly positioned him as “close to it.” This aligned with what the youth had “observed” while leaving Matthew some wiggle room.

“I see,” the youth said with a nod. His expression remained placid, showing no surprise at Matthew's impending breakthrough, as if it merely confirmed his own observation.

Instead of pressing for details about the breakthrough, he shifted the conversation to a far more critical question of identity:

“Which academy are you from?”

Matthew's mind spun rapidly.

He knew of very few wizard organizations. One was the Fire Vortex Tower, sporadically mentioned on the title page of the 《Elemental Meditation Method》, which seemed to be associated with elemental factions.

The other was the Circle of Secrecy, which he had vaguely sensed from the “Oath Ring”, though he knew absolutely nothing about its actual background.

These two names were his only options to try and bluff his way through.

In a split second, he made his choice.

“The Fire Vortex Tower.”

As for why he chose this one...

First, the fact that information about the Fire Vortex Tower could reach the remote Kingdom of Cher, and that its 《Elemental Meditation Method》 could be obtained by a low-level struggler like Matthew, suggested the organization was active in this region. With a relatively clear path of transmission and local presence, claiming it as his origin was far more credible.

Second, the foundation of Spirit cultivation and the scattered magical knowledge Matthew had acquired so far did indeed originate from that copy of the 《Elemental Meditation Method》, which explicitly pointed to the Fire Vortex Tower on its title page.

Therefore, in terms of his actual inheritance of knowledge, claiming to be from the tower was logically sound and less likely to be exposed upon closer questioning.

As for the Circle of Secrecy, he only knew the name because of the “Oath Ring” he had looted from the goat demon.

The goat demon itself was of unknown origin, making any associated organization seem incredibly distant and elusive.

Rashly claiming a connection to such a mysterious entity would not only fail to inspire trust, but might also invite deeper scrutiny and suspicion. The risk was simply too high.

The youth merely nodded upon hearing this. There was no hint of suspicion in his pale green, single eye, as if the answer “Fire Vortex Tower” was entirely expected—or perhaps he simply did not care.

“The Fire Vortex Tower... It is indeed an ancient institution,” he remarked neutrally, neither praising nor disparaging it, as if merely stating a simple fact.

Then, after a brief pause, his gaze rested on Matthew as he calmly revealed his own background:

“I am from Lilith Academy.”

“Lilith Academy?” Matthew repeated, offering a carefully measured look of mild shock and realization, while committing the name to memory.

His reaction was not entirely feigned. The youth's casual disclosure of his academy's name carried an undeniable, quiet confidence.

Unless he was foolishly arrogant, it meant his background was so formidable that he had no need for secrecy.

Clearly, the youth belonged to the latter.

...