Imprisoned for a Trillion Years, I Was Worshipped by All Gods!-Chapter 499 - 55-Did I Allow You to Speak?

Sirius Academy?

Alan gazed at the desiccated mummies hanging beneath Sky Ladder, feeling a surge of emotion.

Indeed, where there were people, there would always be conflict.

Be it the Northern District or the Imperial Capital, people would stop at nothing to secure their interests.

Looking at the countless mummified corpses, Alan could only imagine how brutal the rivalry between the two great academies must have been back in the day.

Just then, Harris seemed to recall something and pointed toward a high platform in the distance.

"Alan, do you know what that place is?"

Alan followed his gaze.

The platform stood prominently on the edge of a cliff. Atop it were four elemental constructs, sculpted from four different colored clays: earth, fire, wind, and water.

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Pure and sharp elemental fluctuations radiated from these constructs, making the platform feel like a deadly arena of life and death.

Alan's eyes flashed with amazement. "Such pure elemental energy… What is this place used for? Does it have something to do with magi?"

Harris nodded. "Alan, your intuition is sharp. This is the Fourfold Elemental Array, an ancient formation present in every Lioncrest Academy. It is said to have been created by the first Headmaster of the academy, who left behind a rule: If anyone under the age of eighteen can pass through this magic array, no matter their background, the headmaster of that Lioncrest Academy must personally take them in as a disciple."

As he finished, Harris sighed. "But this array has existed for an incredibly long time, and to this day, no one has ever successfully passed it."

Fourfold Elemental Array?

Alan felt that this magic array was deeply tied to magi.

After all, only magi, with their formidable souls, could fully control the four fundamental elements. Regular mages would never be able to achieve such a feat.

"Have any mages ever attempted it?" Alan asked curiously.

For many, simply becoming a Lioncrest Academy student was already a dream come true.

To be accepted as a mentor's personal disciple—let alone the headmaster's—was a privilege beyond imagination.

Harris nodded. "Many have tried in the past, including Tier-Gold mages, but none have lasted more than a dozen moves before suffering severe injuries. If they hadn't prepared escape measures beforehand, they would have ended up like the others—dead within the array."

Alan's expression turned serious.

A Tier-Gold mage under the age of twenty was an exceedingly rare existence, even in the Imperial Capital, where geniuses gathered.

And yet, even such prodigies had failed to conquer this array.

"Due to its extreme danger, no one dares to challenge the array anymore. However, I heard that Lioncrest Academy is considering inviting Duke Alice to attempt breaking it, though there hasn't been any progress on that front."

Harris continued speaking.

Just as Alan was about to respond, Hivrael's hoarse voice suddenly echoed across the mountainside.

"Now—everyone participating in the entrance exam, climb the mountain!"

At his command, countless young figures surged forward, racing toward the Sky Ladder.

Alan turned to Isabella. "Head, I'll have to trouble you to look after my sister."

Harris smiled. "Go take your test. Leave your sister to me."

Isabella gave Alan a supportive hug. "Brother, you can do this!"

Alan returned her smile before blending into the crowd and rushing toward Sky Ladder.

Not long after Alan left, Isabella's mind power fluctuations suddenly became unstable again.

"Isabella, what's happening to you?"

Harris' heart tightened. Even he was feeling uncomfortable from the mind power emanating from her. His chest felt heavy.

Isabella clenched the essence stone in her arms tightly, her twisted, pained expression gradually easing. "It's just my old illness acting up. I just need a moment to recover."

Harris shook his head. "Your mental state is deteriorating. You need to see an apothecary immediately."

Saying this, he prepared to take Isabella to the nearest healing clinic.

But Isabella was stubborn. "Harris, this is nothing new. I'm fine. I want to see my brother pass the entrance exam with my own eyes."

Seeing her determination, Harris turned to Carter and urged, "Go buy some elixirs to stabilize her mind immediately!"

Carter nodded hastily before dashing off.

Meanwhile, Alan had already joined the throng of young aspirants, his heart racing with excitement.

The path to Lioncrest Academy lay ahead. As long as he passed this trial, he would become a student.

And most importantly—Isabella's illness could finally be properly treated!

With renewed resolve, Alan looked up at the towering peak above him, his expression growing even more determined.

"Let's go, Alan!"

Encouraging himself, he increased his pace, ascending Sky Ladder with speed.

At the start, most examinees moved swiftly, leaping up the steps like nimble monkeys.

However, as they reached the halfway point, their pace slowed significantly.

It was as if an invisible pressure bore down on them, growing stronger with every step.

Their legs felt heavier and heavier, sweat poured from their foreheads, and even though the summit was in sight, they found themselves unable to move forward.

Many were already eliminated.

Yet, at the very front, three individuals stood out—they seemed unaffected by the pressure, moving at full speed.

Compared to the weaker aspirants, these three emitted deep and refined elemental energy, heavy like mercury and lead—an overwhelming presence.

Alan, however, maintained a steady pace.

Unlike others who pushed recklessly at the start, he climbed without pausing, preserving his strength to reach the summit in one go.

His body had already broken through the Tier-Iron level 10 limit, and the oppressive force of Sky Ladder was meaningless to him.

Even Tier-Gold mages paled in comparison to his physical and spiritual endurance.

As the number of competitors dwindled, only about sixty remained near the summit.

At the very front was a golden-haired noble youth, moving with ease.

From the beginning, he had led the charge and still showed no signs of slowing down—on the contrary, he was getting faster.

This shocked many.

The closer they got to the top, the more terrifying the pressure became!

Most had slowed to a crawl, yet this golden-haired youth was accelerating.

Monstrous.

Behind him, two others kept up, unwilling to be left too far behind.

One wielded a black longblade, his expression cold and sharp.

The other had a multi-colored gem embedded in his forehead, giving off an illusory aura.

As Alan approached the summit, his eyes caught a gruesome sight—a headless body nailed to the cliffside.

The corpse had once belonged to a strong and noble youth, but his severed limbs and head were pinned separately to the rock face.

On his chest was an emblem—a howling moon wolf.

A Sirius Academy student.

Unlike the desiccated corpses below, this one was fresh, as if he had only died recently.

Alan, though accustomed to bloodshed, couldn't help but feel disturbed.

Just how deep was the grudge between Sirius Academy and Lioncrest Academy?

Shaking his head, Alan finally reached the summit.

Not long after, Hivrael arrived on his one-horned steed, scanning the crowd.

When his sharp gaze fell on Alan, a cold hostility flickered in his eyes.

"You. Yes, you." He pointed at Alan. "Step forward."

Alan frowned but complied.

"You should know Lioncrest Academy's admission rules. Without Tier-Bronze, you're unqualified to be here."

Gasps filled the air.

Alan's expression darkened. "Hivrael mentor, I may not have reached Tier-Bronze, but I—"

"A weakling like you? Wasting our academy's resources? Get out. And leave behind an arm as punishment."

A hush fell over the summit.

Alan narrowed his eyes.

Why was Hivrael targeting him?

Although Alan had yet to reach Tier-Bronze, that hardly justified stripping him of his qualification—let alone demanding that he leave behind an arm as punishment.

Hivrael let out a cold laugh. "Weren't you quite arrogant last night? Show me that arrogance now!"

Alan's mind raced, and in an instant, he pieced it together—Wilson, from the second prince's banquet!

It seemed that Wilson had already gained the favor of a mentor at Lioncrest Academy.

And that mentor… was none other than Hivrael!

Just as Alan was about to speak, a burly young man stepped forward from the crowd, staring at him coldly.

"It's over. Stop struggling."

Alan recognized him immediately.

At the banquet, he had been the first to provoke Alan—Caesar.

Seeing Alan in trouble, Caesar was clearly enjoying the moment. His expression was smug as he sneered, "Don't think that just because Duke Alice favors you, you can look down on the rest of us geniuses. No matter how strong the outsider, they can't overpower the locals. Who do you think you are?"

A few of Audrey's lackeys, who had also attended the banquet, stepped forward with mocking smiles.

"Hivrael mentor, this guy violated the rules! Please punish him severely!"

Hivrael nodded. "Indeed. The dignity of Lioncrest Academy must not be challenged! Someone—dismember him and nail his corpse here as a warning!"

At his command, two Tier-Gold disciples lunged at Alan, murderous intent flashing in their eyes.

But Alan moved before they could reach him—his hand slipped into his robe, and he raised a ring high into the air.

"This is the token personally given to me by Duke Alice as proof of my admission to Lioncrest Academy!"

A shocked silence fell over the crowd.

Everyone's gaze locked onto the ring in Alan's hand.

No one had expected Duke Alice to hold Alan in such high regard.

In the Plantagenet Kingdom, Duke Alice was a living legend.

She was a figure of immense prestige and power, someone far beyond their reach.

All those who had been egging Hivrael on immediately fell silent.

Who dared to challenge Duke Alice's authority?

Even Hivrael's expression flickered with hesitation.

Caesar's face twisted with rage and disbelief.

"Impossible! The Duke would never give you her ring! You must have forged it!"

Before he could finish speaking, Alan vanished from his spot—

And in the blink of an eye, he reappeared right in front of Caesar.

Caesar barely had time to widen his eyes in shock before—

SMACK!

A resounding slap cracked across his face, sending him flying backward.

The crowd froze in stunned silence.

Alan withdrew his hand and coldly spat out:

"You just love running your mouth, don't you? Did I allow you to speak?"