A few days later, Lin Chen finally reached the western border of the Violet Empire.
His first stop was a border town called Bu'er.
The Violet Empire was the most powerful country on the continent, with the largest territory and a highly prosperous civilization.
Naturally, the most representative way to understand the outside world was through this powerful country.
Even in this remote border town of Bu'er, one could still see four or five-story buildings.
"Amazing!"
Indeed, during the time Lin Chen spent in seclusion with his older sister Lovia, the outside world had undergone earth-shattering changes.
Humans no longer used the spiritual energy like him, but rather magic.
People had established a new civilization using Alchemy Puppets.
Puppets possessed stronger physical attributes than humans and had a higher affinity for magic. They surpassed humans in every aspect.
Therefore, in this Violet Empire, the "Puppet Masters" were undoubtedly the strongest, controlling more powerful Puppet battles than humans.
Since Puppets were stronger than humans, the strongest Puppet must be stronger than Lovia back in the day!
As long as he obtained the strongest Puppet and became the strongest Puppet Master, he could defeat his older sister Lovia!
Lin Chen thought excitedly.
That's why he was here now.
This is a branch set up by the Empire Puppet Academy in the town of Bu'er, dedicated to cultivating excellent Puppet Masters and supplying talents to the Empire.
When Lin Chen arrived in town, he happened to catch the day of enrollment for the Puppet Academy.
He blended in with the surging crowd, dressed as an ordinary traveler to keep a low profile.
Lovia had told him to be low-key, and Lin Chen naturally remembered that well.
After all, he was really weak, always referred to as a super waste by his sister. He had promised that he must not get hurt, so he absolutely couldn't attract attention. If he was bullied, he probably wouldn't even have the opportunity to fight back.
"Um, my name is Kate. Are you here to sign up too?" A boy's voice came from behind.
Lin Chen turned around and saw an extremely ordinary-looking boy, standing in line behind him.
He seemed to be of similar age, with a slightly delicate face. He had blond hair, big blue eyes, long eyelashes, and if he were in women's clothing... that wasn't the point.
What should I do... Could it be that someone has already set their sights on me?
No, I have to stay calm, I mustn't panic.
"Uh." Lin Chen's heart pounded as he forced himself to nod. "I'm Lin Chen."
"I just reached the apprentice level. I don't know... what level have you reached now... you must be amazing, right?" He seemed quite nervous, clutching a slightly damaged bag with both hands.
"Apprentice level?" Lin Chen asked curiously.
"Yes... the apprentice level. Don't you know... it's when you just opened a magic rune. You can barely... barely control the Puppet to a certain extent. What about you?"
Kate seemed a bit shy, but at least it put Lin Chen's mind at ease. It seemed like he wasn't intentionally looking for trouble.
"Magic rune? I..." Lin Chen scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "I'm not sure either..."
Indeed, he was too weak. How did one train in this power called magic?
"Huh? Don't tell me you don't even have a magic rune?" Kate looked at Lin Chen as if he was an alien.
Lin Chen nodded helplessly.
In his own understanding, he was a super waste.
Lin Chen had long accepted this despairing fact.
Kate freed one hand and placed the back of it toward Lin Chen.
With a thought, a red curve immediately lit up on the back of his hand.
"This is a magic rune. Once a magic rune is condensed, one can reach the apprentice level. Above that, there are the initial stage, intermediate stage, advanced stage, master, legend, and the highest level, saint stage." Kate demonstrated it to Lin Chen, and the magic rune dimmed again."How amazing!" Lin Chen said with an envious expression.
"It's not amazing at all..." Kate said, feeling very frustrated. "I opened my first magic rune when I was sixteen... I'm already a complete loser..."
Lin Chen thought to himself, if you're a complete loser, then I'm beyond salvation.
"But it doesn't matter!"
Kate tightly held onto the bag she had been holding in front of her, as if grasping onto hope.
"Even if we're losers like us, as long as we draw a powerful Puppet later, we can enter the academy and be nurtured by them!"
She pointed at the huge alchemical mechanized device on the high platform in front of the academy's gates.
In front of the academy's gates, there was a makeshift high platform.
On the platform, the academy's staff were dressed in intricately patterned robes, exuding an imposing aura. They were busy around the gigantic alchemical mechanized device, and the brilliance of the magic array lit up.
It looked like a gate, with two towering stone columns adorned with mysterious patterns, topped with an arch.
"That's the Gate of the Gods! By paying a thousand gold coins, you can draw once, and a random Puppet will appear from the gate," Kate said.
"As long as we draw a good Puppet, even losers like us will be nurtured with all their resources! It doesn't matter if you haven't manifested any magic runes!"
Kate's words were filled with a determination to change their fates.
"Oh!"
Lin Chen was also inspired by this confidence.
As long as his luck is good enough, he can become a Puppet Master!
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