"Then I will not recycle these items for now. I will only recycle low-tier magic tools and ordinary magic crystals in the future." Ryan deliberately teased the Grimoire.

  【I was wrong. I was only joking just now.】 The Grimoire's voice instantly turned fawning.

  【It was just a tiny joke. How could someone as handsome and powerful as my host take it seriously?】

  Ryan was left speechless by how quickly the Grimoire could change its attitude.

  Even so, he did not actually intend to stop recycling entirely. At his current stage, he still desperately needed Origin Value to improve his strength.

  This Grimoire had an unusual obsession with high-grade magic resources. Perhaps it had something like performance evaluations as well? Ryan secretly guessed.

  He then sorted the items inside the storage ring, dividing them into commonly used, high-value, and temporarily unnecessary categories, and transferred everything into the Grimoire's internal storage space.

  Using the Grimoire's space as a medium, he activated the recycling function, reclaiming all the low-grade weapons, ordinary magic crystals, and useless magic scrolls one by one.

  After the recycling was completed, only Mana Essence, the Stellar Sword, several rare-grade weapons, and dozens of magic potions with different effects remained inside the storage space.

  Ryan had barely touched the potions. In this magical continent, magic potions were a hard currency. Whether it was enhancing cultivation, healing injuries, or temporarily boosting magic power, they were extremely useful. At critical moments, they could even be exchanged for rare resources.

  Once everything was organized, Ryan willed open the Grimoire's status panel:

  【Name: Ryan】

  【Magic Rank: Sixth-tier Journeyman Mage】

  【Mastered Spell: Chaosforge Arcana,…】

  【Arcane Arts: Magic Sword Domain Inheritance】

  【Held Items: Stellar Sword, Card of Supreme Luck, Soulweaver's Pendant, Random Magic Weapon Borrowing Card…】

  【Origin Value: 4667523】

  Especially under the Magic Rank section, it was clear the Grimoire was about to lose its mind. Ryan clearly had enough accumulated power but kept holding back from advancing.

  But upon seeing nearly 4.7 million Origin Value, Ryan could not help but marvel at how much importance Evelyn placed on him.

  And this was without recycling the Stellar Sword, the rare-grade weapons, or the Mana Essence. If he recycled everything, his Origin Value would definitely exceed ten million.

  Now that the storage ring Evelyn gifted him was empty, Ryan simply stored all his important items in the Grimoire's storage space instead.

  Not only was the space protected by time-stasis magic, but more importantly, if he ever encountered a fatal situation, he could use the Grimoire's power to convert everything inside into Origin Value for resurrection.

  Ryan made a rough estimate: if all items were converted, he would have about ten million Origin Value.

  But he knew very well that trying to resurrect with only ten million Origin Value would likely come with severe side effects.

  Such as crippled limbs, depleted magic power, or even damaged cognition turning him into a fool. A resurrection like that would be meaningless.

  So he needed to accumulate at least fifty million Origin Value. After all, only by reaching one hundred million Origin Value could he trigger the Grimoire's complete resurrection mechanism and return to life without any side effects.

  Once everything was arranged, Ryan hesitated no longer. He reached into the Grimoire's storage space and selected a small crystal vial embedded with a deep blue magic crystal.

  Inside was a Rank Advancement Elixir, a supreme treasure for breaking through bottlenecks, refined from many high-grade materials.

  He lifted the vial and gently shook it. The liquid inside shimmered with tiny specks of starlight. Bringing it close to his nose, he noticed it did not have the strong medicinal scent of ordinary magic potions.

  Instead, it carried a refreshing coolness that seemed to soothe the mind, and when he touched the surface, he could almost feel pure magic flowing across his fingertips.

  "Grimoire, activate the magic shielding formation to conceal my breakthrough fluctuations," Ryan ordered the presence in his mind. He had no intention of letting anyone notice the commotion from his advancement.

  【Activation of the advanced magic shielding formation requires five thousand Origin Value. No negotiation.】

  The Grimoire's voice held a tone of smug delight, completely unlike its earlier fawning demeanor.

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  "You just finished eating the resources and now you are showing attitude. Feeling bold, are you?" Ryan snapped back, irritated. The Grimoire really was the type to flip its attitude the moment it benefited, a typical case of acting high and mighty once its pockets were full.

  But the Grimoire did not respond. Clearly, it could not be bothered to argue, presenting an aloof air as if the transaction spoke for itself.

  "Fine, have it your way." Ryan sighed helplessly and reluctantly deducted the five thousand Origin Value.

  He understood well that if the magic fluctuations during his breakthrough leaked out, the three Elders of Glacial Arcana Academy would sense them immediately. Who knew what kind of trouble would follow then.

  【I will now activate the full range magic shielding formation. Coverage is one hundred meters. Absolutely no one will notice anything. Please feel free to break through, my dear host.】

  The Grimoire's tone instantly shifted back to shameless flattery, the speed of its mood changes making Ryan speechless.

  Ignoring the Grimoire's inconsistency, Ryan raised the vial and prepared to drink the advancement potion.

  "Awake?"

  A cold, crisp voice sounded from outside the door. Before he could even answer, the door creaked open. Evelyn entered without giving him the slightest chance to respond.

  Ryan's mouth twitched. What was the point of knocking if she was going to walk in anyway?

  Sheer formality! He stared blankly at Evelyn, completely speechless.

  Evelyn did not seem to notice his helpless expression. She walked straight toward him, her gaze falling on the crystal vial in his hand with a hint of confusion in her eyes.

  "Today I must take you to meet everyone in the academy. You need to learn our rules, and they also need to know who you are."

  Her tone was calm. Then she shifted her gaze slightly and asked,"Were you planning to advance your magic rank?"

  She wondered silently if she had come at the wrong time and interrupted an important breakthrough.

  "It is fine. The breakthrough can wait. Let us go." Ryan quickly put the vial back into storage and forced a smile, attempting to cover up his awkwardness.

  Seeing how hastily he hid the potion, Evelyn's brows knitted slightly. It seemed she really had disturbed him.

  She silently decided that next time she would simply open the door quietly without knocking, so she would not interrupt him again.

  Ryan followed Evelyn, who had already put on her veil to conceal her breathtaking beauty. Behind them walked the three elders, their expressions grave.

  The elders occasionally cast sharp, probing glances at Ryan. Their scrutinizing stares made him uncomfortable, and he shrank his neck slightly, looking timid and uneasy.

  The five of them walked across the academy under the astonished gazes of countless female apprentices until they reached the elevated platform at the center of the Declaration Square.

  Along the way, the female apprentices stopped in their tracks and exchanged whispers filled with shock.

  This academy, which had accepted only female apprentices for ten thousand years, actually had a male visitor again.

  "All members of Glacial Arcana Academy, gather immediately at the Declaration Square!"

  Elara's shout echoed through the air.

  Magic surged around her, turning her voice into waves of magical vibration that spread throughout the academy. The sound penetrated every corner, audible even in the most secluded chambers.

  "Headmistress, why are we accepting a male again? This goes against the traditions of our academy!"

  "She is right! Was the lesson from a ten thousand years ago not enough? Why bring a strange man into the heart of the academy!"

  Instantly, the entire square erupted. Discussions burst forth in waves, filled with outrage and indignation.

  Some whispered among themselves, their eyes full of hostility.

  Some raised their voices to openly question the decision, their gazes locked on Ryan like daggers.

  A few, more calculating in nature, remained silent and simply observed the situation unfold.

  "Quiet!" Seeing the situation spiral, Elara gathered her magic and shouted, her voice booming across the entire plaza. The heavy wave of magic swept through the crowd, pressing down all noise until the square fell completely silent.

  "This man, Ryan, will from this day onward be the Headmistress's personal apprentice." Elara swept her gaze across the plaza, letting every single person hear her clearly.

  "What? She is taking a man as her personal apprentice!?"

  The moment her words fell, countless cries of shock erupted from below.

  Every female apprentice of Glacial Arcana Academy was a beauty among beauties. Even those born with ordinary looks would become elegant and radiant under the academy's youth-preserving elixirs and magical nourishment. Each one of them was an admired figure in the mortal world. Yet now their expressions were full of disbelief.

  "Why? Is the Headmistress planning to repeat the mistake from ten thousand years ago and fall for a man!?"

  A sharp voice suddenly rang out among the crowd. To dare say something like that in this situation, the speaker was clearly a reckless apprentice who had no idea how high the heavens were.

  The moment those words came out, the plaza fell silent again. All eyes turned to Evelyn, who stood on the platform wearing a veil. Even the three Grand Elders' expressions had grown solemn.

  Ten thousand years ago, the Divine Maiden had accepted a man because she fell in love, which eventually led to the academy suffering devastating losses. That incident was an absolute taboo in Glacial Arcana Academy.

  But Evelyn had obviously prepared for such questioning. Faced with this sharp accusation, her voice remained cold and concise, carrying an undeniable dominance:

  "Anyone who is dissatisfied may challenge him. Whoever defeats him first will receive a rare grade weapon from me."

  The moment Evelyn finished speaking, all murmurs vanished instantly.

  Countless talented apprentices suddenly grew resolute. Their gazes toward Ryan burned with intensity.

  They understood immediately. For the Headmistress to offer such a heavy reward meant only one thing: this Ryan was no ordinary man.

  Meanwhile, Ryan's expression visibly collapsed. His heart filled with despair. Wonderful. This was basically a death sentence.

  With challenges coming all day, how was he supposed to eat or sleep at night?

  He swept a quick glance around the plaza and found that the crowd held no fewer than ten thousand apprentices. If he had to fight them one by one, he would still be fighting when the next era began.

  "But his current magic rank is Adept Mage, so anyone at the rank of Senior Mage or above is forbidden from challenging him." Evelyn added calmly, drawing a safety line for him with a single sentence.

  Hearing this, Ryan finally let out a long breath of relief.

  Many in the crowd also understood Evelyn's intention. The Headmistress would never act sentimentally. She clearly saw that this Ryan possessed potential far beyond his current level.

  "I knew it. The Headmistress always judges wisely. She would never act on emotion. This Ryan must have extraordinary talent."

  "Indeed. Has the Headmistress ever chosen wrongly? For her to take him as her personal apprentice, his ability must be exceptional."

  In an instant, the atmosphere shifted completely. Praise and flattery filled the plaza, while the earlier dissatisfaction vanished like smoke.

  Ryan, however, could not smile. He scanned the crowd again and noticed that many apprentices were already at Ninth-tier Journeyman Mage. Even with limits set, it was going to be a brutal fight.

  So Ryan secretly made a decision: tonight he would break through straight to Ninth-tier Journeyman Mage, or even higher!