Sorcerer’s Handbook

“Good morning, Sonya.”

Sonya turned her head and saw Sylvia emerging from the Meditation Tower, her eyebrows lifting slightly in response.

Despite her reluctance to get involved with Felix, it was difficult for Sonya to avoid him, as he was also a student of Professor Trozan.

Only a swordsmanship prodigy could catch the eye of the Hidden Hand Sword Saint.

The more Sonya interacted with Felix, the more she got to know Sylvia. Just a few encounters were enough for Sonya to recognize that Sylvia was cut from the same cloth: a woman hunter who would stop at nothing to climb to the top.

Thus, Sylvia naturally harbored animosity towards Sonya. After all, Felix was her prey, and Sonya’s arrival was like finally trapping a rare animal, only to find a fully equipped pet training master appearing next to your trap—vigilance was the natural reaction.

Although Sonya verbally dismissed Felix, if the young master of the Vlozrada Family was willing to be her lapdog, she wasn’t opposed to giving him a chance. So she was somewhat indecisive, planning to ‘feed the fish’ and see how things developed.

Sylvia gave Sonya a once-over and took a half step back while covering her nose, “You seem quite excited about your first foray into the Virtual Realm.”

Are you serious about that half-step back?

Sonya had trained the night before and, although she hadn’t bathed, she had wiped down with a towel and changed clothes—she couldn’t possibly smell. But having just come out of the Meditation Room, unwashed and unmade-up, she looked disheveled compared to Sylvia’s ‘fully armed’ natural state, like a street dog by comparison.

One glance told Sonya that Sylvia’s ‘natural face’ would have taken no less than an hour to perfect.

“Sylvia,” Sonya nodded slightly, “Are you here to use the restroom in the Meditation Tower?”

Sonya wasn’t one to take a hit without hitting back. Her insinuation that Sylvia was there not for meditation but for makeup was flawlessly sarcastic, a way to insult without using profanity.

“I’m naturally here to meditate and enter the Virtual Realm,” Sylvia forced a smile and extended her hand, “This is the Inheritance spirit I found last night. What do you think?”

A young boy spirit holding a sheath materialized above Sylvia’s palm. Sonya glanced at it, her eyebrows rising instantly as she recalled information about this spirit.

‘Sheath’

‘One Wing spirit’

‘Restriction: The Sorcerer must wield a sword’

‘Basic Effect: When used in tandem with other Swordcerer spirits, the first activation every ten seconds produces 150% effect.’

For a Swordcerer, the Sheath was an extremely practical spirit, even capable of evolving into a specialty branch of swordsmanship: the Assassin Swordcerer.

With Explosive Miracles like ‘Sheath’s Gathered Light,’ ‘Primed for the Strike,’ and ‘Piercing Sword Qi,’ a Swordcerer could unleash a singular, defense-shattering Sword Qi attack that could penetrate all defenses at the same rank, ensuring supremacy over all other Faction Sorcerers, with fatal consequences for the target.

For a moment, Sonya even considered offering her Rapids spirit to exchange with Sylvia.

Although the Rapids spirit is more expensive than the Sheath spirit on the trading platform, spirits are mostly priceless, and a suitable Swordsmanship spirit is very hard to come by. Even if you find one, you might not be able to secure it.

But when Sonya saw Sylvia’s mocking gaze, she understood everything—the lady was showing off on purpose.

“Well, do you think Felix would like it?”

Suddenly, Sonya felt a twinge of guilt—her appearance in the dormitory last night must have been as punch-worthy as Sylvia’s expression right now. She was indeed thankful for her roommates’ grace in not slaughtering her.

“I’m really envious of your boyfriend,” Sonya managed a grimace of a smile: “For a Swordcerer, that’s a very precious spirit.”

“Is that so? Since you said so, I’ll believe it.”

Sylvia chuckled behind her hand, still on guard.

After the Swordplay Competition the night before, Sylvia had thought Felix might abandon her to pursue Sonya, but to her surprise, Felix didn’t seem interested. He was still good to her, only wishing to have another match with Sonya.

Sylvia didn’t think Felix was the type to play two ends against the middle; he wasn’t one to hide his emotions. If he wanted to cheat, he would just break up, not string Sylvia along. Therefore, Sylvia believed that Felix truly had no interest in Sonya, it was just an obsession with winning and losing.

But even so, Sonya was still a formidable rival in Sylvia’s heart. After all, sparks between men and women are often struck through friction. Right now, Felix might not have any ideas, but what about the next second? Tomorrow? Next week?

As long as Felix breathes, there’s a possibility he might change his heart.

Thus, Sylvia could only keep a tight watch on her boyfriend, preventing him from having private contact with Sonya, like now.

Moreover, she had to increase her own stakes, trying to intimidate Sonya into submission to prevent future issues.

“You have to work hard too,” Sylvia encouraged: “I heard your family isn’t well-off. Compared to us locals from Gales, your ability to get into Swordflower College through the national exam shows you are much stronger than us. In the future, you’ll surely be able to stay in Gales and bring your family to live in the big city.”

There it was, the disdain and motivation filled with a sense of superiority that the wealthy had towards the poor… Sonya smiled kindly: “Thanks for your concern.”

“Ah, you were a bird that could have soared higher, but your family held you back.”

Sylvia’s words were half-feigned, half-genuine; she did feel a bit of pity for Sonya. If Sonya had been born into a Noble family, or even a middle-class family in Gales, she would have had much better prospects. Unfortunately, she was just a rustic girl from a poor agricultural town on the border.

She didn’t notice that Sonya’s expression had changed.

“You’re right.”

Sonya paused for a moment, her smile tinged with helplessness: “Often, where someone starts in life also determines where they end up. Birth is our first lottery ticket, and I just drew a consolation prize.”

Sylvia wondered if she had been too harsh, almost breaking Sonya’s defenses, and thought about what to say to offer some comfort.

“I guess as someone from a poor area, I can’t ever really change my commonness. See, after talking to you for so long, I forgot I hadn’t even washed my face. Chatting with you with this untidy appearance, I’m truly being impolite.”

“There’s no need to be so hard on yourself…”

Just as Sylvia was about to offer Sonya some comforting words, she saw Sonya summon a spirit and a burst of water emerged in her hand, splashing directly onto her face.

“Washing my face, I feel much fresher now.”

Sylvia stared at the spirit in Sonya’s hand: “That is…”

“Ah?” Sonya looked slightly startled, her eyes wandering as she stuttered: “This, this is the Adventure I encountered last night in the Virtual Realm! Yes, this is the Rapids spirit I got from Adventure Island! You see I’m quite lucky, right?”

Sylvia just ‘oh’-ed, with three big words written on her forehead: I! Don’t! Believe!

How could someone encounter Adventure Island on their first day in the Virtual Realm?

And to even obtain one of the most precious spirits of the Water Art Faction, the Rapids spirit!?

Are you treating me like a fool to deceive?

Could she have bought it? But how could a rustic girl afford such a precious spirit, and besides, the Rapids spirit is priceless, Sylvia had been wanting to buy one for a long time and couldn’t find a seller!

If it wasn’t bought, then it must have been given to her.

At Swordflower College, there aren’t many who could casually hand out a Rapids spirit…

Sylvia managed to compose her facial expression and forced a smile, “That’s a very important spirit in the Water Art Faction, junior. Are you thinking about switching to the Water Art Faction?”

“Um, although I have a talent for Swordsmanship, I’m also interested in the Water Art Faction…” Sonya saw Felix coming out of the Meditation Tower and quickly waved goodbye: “I have something else to do, see you later!”

Sylvia was puzzled by Sonya’s haste when she turned her head and saw Felix just leaving the tower.

“Are you waiting for me?” Felix smiled: “The Virtual Realm is really an interesting place… I want to go to the library and read more about the Virtual Realm, do you want to come with me?”

Sylvia glanced in the direction where Sonya had left, then back at Felix, feeling as if she had understood something, her jealousy making her teeth itch.

But a thousand words rushed to her throat, only turning into a sweet response.

“Sure.” She smiled and reached out her hand: “This is the Sheath spirit I got from the Virtual Realm last night, but I don’t study Swordsmanship… What do you think I should do with this spirit?”