Chapter 23

"Surveyors" or "Temporal Explorers" are not special professions at St. Baryons Comprehensive College. Core spirit runes related to the concept of [Time], or those who have obtained [Time]-related spirit runes, can travel through time using the [Time Key], a relic that fluctuates in power from Poet level (Level 5) to Angel level (Level 1).

The [Time Key] is a one-time-use relic, and different keys open different eras. All [Time Keys] are associated with the fallen Old God, the [Father of Infinite Trees].

This was an extremely powerful Old God, belonging to the benevolent deity faction. Contacting knowledge and traces related to this Old God has a chance to grant the golden [Miracle] spirit rune. According to legends and some ancient stone inscriptions, the [Father of Infinite Trees] fell during the Chaotic Era of the Fourth Epoch, but He integrated His body into the continuous infinite time-space using the concept of "infinity," thereby connecting the past and the future.

The [Time Key] is a relic left behind by this fallen Old God. Because the fallen Old God exists in continuous time-space, the time jumps enabled by His relics are not limited to the time points before the Fourth Epoch when the [Father of Infinite Trees] fell.

However, for some reason, no [Time Key] that can return to the past time points of the Sixth Epoch has been discovered so far, which is also an important research topic for ring mages.

In summary, the doctor asked Shade to draw the two spirit runes. While conveying the message about Shade's core spirit rune to the college, the doctor briefly introduced him to the relevant common knowledge.

Spirit runes belong to the language of the past and are basically non-repetitive. Unless one has seen a spirit rune with the same meaning, it is impossible to fabricate one, so this can be used to prove that one is not lying.

But before Shade could ask questions like "What about time stability?" or "Will there be time paradoxes?" the college's response had already come back:

"If Shade Suren Hamilton is willing to join the History College, the History College is willing to list him as a key cultivation target and provide him with a Keeper-level relic for protection after he joins the college."

"What does that mean?"

Shade looked at the doctor.

"The college values your talent but still maintains your status as a correspondence ring mage. Being a key cultivation target means you don't need to complete more mandatory practical credit tasks, and you can buy books at a discount in St. Baryons. As for the Keeper-level (Level 3) relic, it means what it says."

The doctor shrugged:

"They always do this, being generous with talented people but never breaking the rules."

"Should I accept?"

"Unless you have a reason to refuse."

The writer answered simply, flicking a strand of blonde hair from her temple:

"Every year, there are always some key cultivation targets, but I don't think it will do you any harm."

Thus, Shade successfully became a first-year correspondence ring mage at the History College of St. Baryons Comprehensive College.

To become a ring mage, one must come into contact with the four elements, and the advancement of ring mages also requires the four elements.

Each ring must have at least one golden [Miracle], silver [Profanity], brass [Inspiration], and black iron [Whisper] spirit rune engraved above the life ring to accumulate enough spirit to complete the ring's sublimation.

There is an upper limit to the accumulation of spirit at each ring, so engraving four spirit runes is no different from engraving four hundred spirit runes before sublimation. Engraving too many spirit runes can even be detrimental because the spirit runes required for each ring's advancement must be engraved during that ring.

Under normal circumstances, engraving spirit runes is not a simple matter, and correctly balancing the number of spirit runes with one's magic and spell research is also very important.

Ring mages from the first to the fourth ring are called low-ring mages, from the fifth to the eighth ring are mid-ring mages, and above the ninth ring are high-ring mages.

This classification is not due to the numbers but because, during the sublimation at the fourth and eighth rings, in addition to the four required spirit runes, all sixteen spirit runes of the current stage must form a connected meaning with the ring mage's core rune, known as the "Sublimation Word."

In Dr. Schneider's team, only the doctor himself, at the fifth ring, has completed four sublimations.

When he advanced from the fourth to the fifth ring, he used the black iron [Whisper] - [Running] from the first ring, the silver [Profanity] - [Malice] from the second ring, the brass [Inspiration] - [Hound] from the third ring, and the golden [Miracle] - [Light] from the fourth ring, along with his core rune [Dream], to construct the sublimation word for advancing from low to mid-ring:

"The hound of light runs in the dream of malice."

The types of runes in the sublimation word are not restricted, and the doctor just happened to meet the four types.

If the conditions for the sublimation word are not met, one can never advance from the fourth to the fifth ring or from the eighth to the ninth ring. And because the four spirit runes used must come from different rings, there is no chance to make up for it.

The choice of the sublimation word can be based on past examples, which form the [Sublimation Codex] with thousands of records. Ring mages look up examples based on their core runes and prepare from the beginning of each stage, so each faction treats their [Sublimation Codex] as their most important secret.

In the low, mid, and high-ring stages, the same core spirit rune can be used to connect the sublimation word. Therefore, having more core spirit runes only means more options, with little impact on the difficulty of advancement.

If one does not want to rely on past "sublimation words" or if the core spirit rune is rare and there are no examples to refer to, one can only try on their own. With enough luck, the conditions for sublimation can eventually be met.

However, Shade will only be eligible to view St. Baryons' [Sublimation Codex] and determine the most important spirit rune for his first ring in six months. The college is also concerned about the reliability of correspondence ring mages and wants to ensure that correspondence students who become supernaturals do not change their minds. Moreover, the advancement of ring mages is inherently difficult, so six months is not considered a significant delay.

Although there is no limit to the number of spirit runes at each ring, obtaining spirit runes is quite difficult. For grade advancement at the college, in addition to the required credits from exams and practical credits from college tasks, one's grade must correspond to their ring.

Therefore, it is quite normal to spend two or three years in a grade. If one cannot find the spirit runes for the planned sublimation word at the fourth ring, even if the conditions for the four types of spirit runes are met, people will still delay their advancement.

Of course, regarding textbooks, basic ring mage courses, the Keeper-level relic promised by the History College, and the surveyor tasks of the History College, these will be discussed three days later, after the college has organized Shade's textbooks.

At that time, not only will the college provide a teaching outline and cultivation plan, but all four members of the team will also be present to give Shade advice.

After confirming his joining of the History College, Dr. Schneider announced that Shade could leave.

"Leave now?"

Shade, who had just been memorizing these common knowledge points, asked in surprise.

"Do you have anything else?"

The doctor also asked in surprise.

"I mean, now that I've joined the college, there's nothing else—"

Miss Louise, being a woman, understood his meaning:

"Mr. Hamilton, the enrollment process is indeed just these steps. Let me repeat what the doctor said: remember, we are correspondence ring mages, and our connection with the college is not tight. We cultivate ourselves, obtain knowledge from the college, and complete practical tasks to meet the credit requirements. We are just correspondence students."

"Alright then."

Shade, who had been sitting for almost the entire afternoon, stood up, and the doctor and the writer also stood to see him off. The latter had something to discuss with the doctor today, so she could not leave yet.

Just as Shade was about to leave the room with the two of them, the doctor suddenly said:

"Also, there are two taboos you need to remember. St. Laurent Comprehensive College stipulates that all ring mages of this college are forbidden to set foot on the New Continent, which is a college taboo. The general taboo for ring mages is that ring mages are forbidden to commit suicide.

Setting foot on the New Continent will be considered an automatic abandonment of student status by the college, and a ring mage's suicide will at least cause a crisis no less severe than the失控 of a Keeper-level relic."

"The 'New Continent' refers to the geographical discovery fifty years ago, the land discovered outside the current 'Old Continent,' similar to the geographical discoveries of the old world. But the New Continent has no humans, and its resources are extremely rich."

"Why?"

Shade asked in confusion.

"We don't understand the college's regulations, and as for the prohibition on suicide—"

Miss Louise looked at the doctor:

"The doctor thinks it might be related to 'another self.' If we commit suicide, the other self might do something."

The doctor shrugged:

"For now, that's all we know. We haven't encountered a ring mage who committed suicide.

Shade, three days from now, on Wednesday at 10 AM, remember to come. At that time, besides college matters, the regular study sessions within the team and our fixed annual tasks will also need your attention. Oh, by the way, you can study your spirit runes on your own these few days. Here, take this notebook."

He then went to the desk, took out a black-covered notebook from a locked drawer, and handed it to Shade. It looked quite old:

"Regarding the development of magic with spirit runes, you can try it yourself, but it might not go smoothly since you just obtained your power. Your most important task these three days is to rest. The inauguration of a ring mage is harmful to the soul and body. Use the three days in bed to read the notebook. You'll probably sleep until noon tomorrow. See you in three days, and remember to return 10 pounds within a month."

The farewell was a bit sudden, but Shade knew he had been there for too long, so he整理了一下混乱的思绪，认真地说：

"三天后见，施耐德医生，露薏莎小姐，谢谢。"

"不必谢我，我今天只是过来做见证的。"

作家小姐说道，但看上去心情很好。

"也不必谢我，我说过，我只是想为小组找到第五名环术士而已。"

蓝眼睛的医生看着夏德，非常轻声地回答道。

---

Translation:

Shade整理了一下混乱的思绪，认真地说：

"See you in three days, Dr. Schneider, Miss Louise, thank you."

"You don't need to thank me, I was just here to witness it today."

The writer said, but she looked very pleased.

"You don't need to thank me either. I said I just wanted to find a fifth ring mage for the team."

The blue-eyed doctor looked at Shade and answered very softly.