Chapter 8, Detection

Then there is the intense pain, which tests Richard's capacity to withstand elemental destruction, and it is also the most fundamental component of magical resistance. After a moment, the voice announces the favorable result of elemental resistance once again

Subsequently, there were detailed tests regarding various bodily functions. What Richard was unaware of was that the professional mages had even assessed his male attributes, concluding that they were readily usable and possessed exceptional potential, which was even rated higher than his magical talent. The testing lasted a full three hours, ultimately resulting in a report that was over twenty pages thick.

A mage approached and held a flask under Richard's nose, urging him to inhale all the mist that floated within. Moments later, Richard's consciousness began to fade, yet he retained a thread of awareness, faintly perceiving what was happening around him

Suddenly, Richard felt as if a needle had pierced his consciousness, and the excruciating pain directly affected his soul. Despite being in a state of unconsciousness, Richard could not help but convulse, yet his body was firmly bound, leaving him utterly powerless to escape

The excellent evaluation brought great joy to Richard. After relaxing his mind, he felt utterly exhausted from the prolonged testing and could barely stand, so he was taken down to rest. Beyond excellent, there is probably just one more level of evaluation, Richard reasoned based on the knowledge he had gained over the past few days. Moreover, that genius level is not always available; it is only conferred under certain circumstances.

The brainwashing of the Sanhe Library still has a significant effect. At least now, when Richard sees Su Helen, he will no longer regard her as an innocent and naive young girl, nor will he feel any impulse to take a bite. A woman whom even the gray dwarfs and the ice ocean beasts fear, it would not be an exaggeration to describe her terror.

The location of Deep Blue is of great importance; it is well-connected by transportation and guards one of the three main passages leading south from the Ice Ocean Continent. The fierce polar gray dwarves and beasts can only choose to detour through the Sunset Canyon to the east, a route that adds over 1,000 kilometers to their journey and requires them to confront the Thunder Fortress of the Holy Alliance Empire directly. However, after several major battles following the establishment of Deep Blue, the polar gray dwarves would rather assault the Thunder Fortress than attempt the methods of Su Helen again. This woman has already been equated with the most terrifying evil gods in the legends of many polar gray dwarf tribes. When she officially broke through the level 20 barrier and advanced to become a legendary mage, Deep Blue was completely transformed into a land of peace

Certainly, this outcome is certainly not the original intention of the old master, but he would not know. In the eyes of most people, Richard is a quiet child, so quiet that he rarely shows any extraneous expressions. They have never seen him smile happily, nor have they seen him cry after being scolded or bullied. He immediately does whatever he is asked to do, and he completes it meticulously, with precision that is beyond reproach, completely unlike a child of merely ten years old.

Richard's status differs from that of other magic apprentices and books; he is a disciple personally recruited by Su Helen. Therefore, the ordinary apprentice's one-day history study has transformed into three days. To lecture on the history of deep blue for three days indeed tests the old master's level of expertise

Ultimately, when Richard awoke, he was informed that his overall evaluation of magical talent was excellent, with no specific inclination. He also possessed adequate martial combat talent, and if he wished to pursue a career in fighting, he might be able to reach levels eleven or twelve in his lifetime

For the circulation of goods, Deep Blue, situated by the mountains and facing the sea, possesses a deep-water port. Several berths capable of accommodating giant ocean-going vessels have been carved out of the hard reef rock through magic. On land, three main highways connect Deep Blue from three directions, with at least five or six towns along the routes thriving due to trade.

During this period, Su Helen read a total of 2 notebooks, experimented with a new magical concept, and consumed 10 pounds of fruit. However, she never left her position under surveillance

The history spoken of by the old master naturally omits many details and deliberately overlooks numerous key elements. However, official histories always involve some selection; what can be said and what must be forgotten are both matters of scholarship. The ability to piece together a relatively complete picture in one's mind demonstrates that Richard has fully realized his wisdom and innate talent for truth.

The Deep Blue Main Tower is not constructed using conventional methods typical of magical towers. In addition to being three times taller than an ordinary magical tower and its library, it also has a diameter that exceeds that of ordinary towers by more than one time. This means that the total area of Deep Blue is more than ten times that of a standard magical tower, not including the vast complex of auxiliary buildings. The cost of constructing such a magical tower is truly unimaginable, with over 10,000 people living directly and indirectly around Deep Blue, which is essentially the scale of a small city. However, Deep Blue resembles a gigantic beast, consuming and producing resources ten times that of a city of comparable size. With such immense scale, the architecture of Deep Blue itself is already an extraordinary work of art

The narrator of this history is an almost one-hundred-year-old old mage, whose magical power is not particularly strong, with a level of eight being among the most mediocre Richard has encountered in Deep Blue. However, the old mage has an excellent appearance and a voice that rises and falls with rhythm, possessing a mastery of Deep Blue's history second only to Su Helen. His duty is quite simple: to explain the history to the visitors who come to Deep Blue. For a new apprentice like Richard, learning about the glorious and illustrious past of Deep Blue is the first lesson of his magical career, its importance even surpassing that of magical power and talent assessment. The latter determines how far a mage can go on which path in the complex magical world, while the former, Richard would understand much later, is what decides whether a certain magical apprentice can embark on the path of magic.

What Richard did not know was that behind the one-sided transparent magical wall, Su Helen was comfortably leaning on the sofa, paying close attention to everything happening during the detection ritual. Although she was engrossed in reading the notes of a legendary mage from the previous generation, continuously grabbing fruit snacks to eat, the methods of a legendary mage were not something an ordinary person could fathom. Even without using her eyes or ears, she had hundreds of ways to monitor everything happening around her. Under Su Helen's gaze, all the mages were exerting their utmost effort.

Strange sensations began to arise throughout the body. After a moment, a vague voice could be faintly heard saying: "Element affinity is high, with a slight strength in fire, shadow, and holy aspects. Talent element: none"

Deep Blue is located at the apex of the Ice Floe Bay in the northwest of the continent, serving as the estuary for two major rivers. The area of Ice Floe Bay is vast, essentially resembling an ocean, with a straight-line distance exceeding 1,500 kilometers from the southern Xinghui Peninsula to the northern Hengdong Mountain Range. Each winter, Ice Floe Bay enters a freezing period, during which only the southernmost coastline remains navigable. The port of Deep Blue is situated at the terminus of the warm current, classifying it as an ice-free port. Each winter, Ice Floe Bay enters a freezing period, during which only the southernmost coastline remains navigable. The port of Deep Blue is situated at the terminus of the warm current, classifying it as an ice-free port

There is absolutely no sunlight on Richard

Three days of history classes have passed, and now comes the magical talent assessment. Richard was brought into a special hall, where the numerous alchemical instruments dazzled him. There were more than twenty busy mages in the hall, and the one presiding over the assessment was a grand mage. When Richard used his "True" ability, he saw not a mage, but a blazing ball of magical fire! This was at least a level seventeen grand mage, capable of serving as a court mage in any empire, yet he was assigned to conduct Richard's talent assessment. There were more than twenty busy mages in the hall, and the one presiding over the assessment was a grand mage. When Richard used his "True" ability, he saw not a mage, but a blazing ball of magical fire! This was at least a level seventeen grand mage, capable of serving as a court mage in any empire, yet he was assigned to conduct Richard's talent assessment

Deep Blue has only one master, and that is Su Helen. Apart from her, everyone else is a servant. As long as they can make her happy, the treatment of the mages is likely to increase by fifty percent immediately

Even the gray dwarves, known for their ferocity and formidable combat strength, are unwilling to disrupt the peace here any longer. Gradually, the area surrounding Deep Blue transformed into a beautiful and prosperous land

"Exceptional mental strength, close to genius." Upon hearing this evaluation, Richard finally relaxed, realizing that he was still in the midst of a test. Moreover, the feedback he received seemed quite positive

However, the young man did not know that the grading system of his evaluation form was different; above excellent, there were five additional evaluation levels, namely Genius, Outstanding, Legendary, Unique, and Su Helen

This is the history of Deep Blue

Richard was stripped of all his clothes, pressed onto a cold metal chair, and bound with various straps. Subsequently, the Grand Sorcerer personally and carefully inserted several crystal needles into Richard's body. The entire process was painful, yet Richard silently gritted his teeth and endured it. Just by observing the setup, it was clear that the assessment was of great significance; he had never heard of a talent assessment being conducted with such fanfare. For ordinary apprentices, the assessment typically involved casting a level 0 spell at a crystal ball. However, these sorcerers treated the ordinary assessment ritual as if it were the most significant magical experiment, each one serious and focused, their movements precise and efficient, showcasing the full caliber of high-level sorcerers.