27: Jordan's life journey

“Let me use myself as an example…”

“Let me tell you the story of my youth.”

“Dry, by-the-book lectures might not touch your hearts, and you won't feel much.”

“Naturally, you won't attach much importance to them…”

“With my vivid, bloody examples before you…”

“Mentor Jordan hopes you can avoid some detours…”

Mentor Jordan smiled warmly, his indifferent expression completely genuine.

It was the nonchalance of one who had seen through life's storms, the wisdom of one who had understood life's truths, the fulfillment of one who had let go of everything… At this moment, Mentor Jordan was like an old man who had experienced many hardships and returned to simplicity, recounting his tumultuous stories to his juniors.

Few people are willing to expose their less glorious side to outsiders, but Mentor Jordan's sincerity won the profound respect of Green and Adler.

The two sat upright, their eyes fixed.

They stared intently at Mentor Jordan, even though Adler had heard it once before… Mentor Jordan gathered his thoughts, then recounted a series of old events:

“I was born into a knightly family…”

“From a young age, I greatly admired my father.”

“He was a brave knight and a very good father.”

“My childhood dream was to become a valiant knight like my father, galloping across vast plains, charging into battle, and igniting the passion in my chest with the heads of my enemies.”

“Then, when I was twelve…”

“A Wizard Apprentice from the Academy came to our family's castle, and I was tested and found to possess wizardry aptitude.”

“Although it was the lowest, fifth-grade wizardry aptitude…”

“Then, I came to Plant Heart Wizard Academy.”

...“My aptitude was low…”

“I also had little interest in learning those complex wizardry runes and elemental exploration.”

“So I didn't pass the second five-year grand examination.”

“In those ten years, I clearly understood my own shortcomings. I wasn't cut out for studying, so I couldn't rely on wizardry to follow the traditional wizard's path of elemental combat.”

“Later, I chose my childhood dream — to be a knight.”

“In battle after battle…”

“Against demonized beasts, other Wizard Apprentices, and other knights, I progressed rapidly…”

“It was as if I was a born knight.”

“During one mission, our squad fell into a trap and was surrounded by enemies.”

“Half of our teammates were dead or injured, and the enemy's offensive was fierce…”

“In despair, I was unwilling to sit idly by, so I launched a desperate charge.”

“To break through from the front and help my teammates open a gap…”

“That time, I was severely wounded, hit head-on by five low-level wizardry spells — Fireball, which are five fireballs the size of your head, Green.”

...“When my teammates carried me back to the Academy…”

“I was almost a charred mess.”

“To save me, who still had a breath of life…”

“My teammates knelt on the ground, praying for a glimmer of hope.”

“At this moment, the kind Mentor Serena heard of my heroic deeds, was moved, and extended a helping hand to me.”

“I lay in Mentor Serena's life pod, which was modified from a biological cultivation tank, for two whole months…”

...“After I woke up, I awakened my bloodline.”

“To repay Mentor Serena's life-saving grace, I swore allegiance to her, joined her combat team, and would fight for Mentor Serena for the rest of my life.”

“Since awakening my bloodline, my strength greatly increased.”

“I became an Advanced Knight in one year…”

“I broke through to Grand Knight in three years…”

“At that time, I was full of vigor and became the youngest Grand Knight in the Academy, and also the most promising Wizard Apprentice.”

“Everyone believed that, given time, I would surely become a Peak Wizard Apprentice, and even have a chance to explore the realm of a Formal Wizard.”

...“To repay Mentor Serena, and also to earn resources to support my wizard's path.”

“I frantically took on various high-risk, high-reward missions…”

“Without anyone to guide me, I recklessly squandered the power of my bloodline.”

“Again and again, I enjoyed the allure of extreme combat…”

...“Mentor Serena had also warned me: Any gift of fate comes with a price.”

“But at that time, I was immersed in the powerful strength of my bloodline and didn't take it to heart.”

“With the resources I earned, I quickly broke through to Intermediate Wizard Apprentice, and my Spiritual Power meditation also advanced by leaps and bounds with the accumulation of a large amount of resources; Advanced Wizard Apprentice was beckoning to me.”

“But just then…”

“In the Mist Islands, I encountered an Advanced Black Wizard Apprentice.”

“He was extremely powerful, not only had he transplanted the bloodline of some extraordinary sea beast, but he had also become a Grand Knight.”

“Furthermore, he was proficient in various offensive wizardry spells. Later, I heard from others that he had a record of slaying two Advanced Wizard Apprentices and was striving to become a Peak Wizard Apprentice.”

“But at that time, I was completely unaware. He kept his face covered the whole time, so who knew who he was? As a newborn calf not afraid of a tiger, I naturally clashed with him.”

“To compete for a precious magical item, I engaged in a life-and-death duel with him.”

...“At that time, I…”

“Was only wearing an enhanced version of a medium-grade demonized battle armor.”

“With my bloodline ability activated, I endured his Advanced Wizardry — Corrupting Poison Mist — and engaged him in close combat.”

“That battle…”

“Lasted for over half an hour, far exceeding the ten-minute limit of my bloodline ability's normal activation.”

“As my body neared collapse…”

“My bloodline boiled, my killing intent sublimated, and I comprehended a Spiritual Power secret technique — Bloodkill Demon Eye.”

“I used the secret technique…”

“Then, I cut off the head of that Advanced Black Wizard Apprentice head-on.”

“I became famous in that battle, and the title ‘Devil Jordan’ came from that fight.”

...“But I also suffered heavy losses…”

“My Spiritual Power, the power of my bloodline, and my killing intent combined to form the Spiritual Power secret technique I comprehended.”

“In short…”

“My Spiritual Power mutated.”

“From then on, I could no longer increase my Spiritual Power through meditation. The Spiritual Power runes in my mind had already mutated and intertwined into a blood-red, irregular eyeball…”

“Which means, my wizard's path.”

“Was severed from then on…”

“Physical deficiencies are easy to replenish, but spiritual changes are forever irreversible.”

Green and Adler listened, remaining silent for a long time…