《Wizard: I Can Refine Everything》 Chapter 1 - Chapter 1: Chapter 1 Spiritual Power Test Chapter 1: Chapter 1 Spiritual Power Test Heisen Ridge was particularly cold in winter, the snow blowing in from the Northern Barbarian Mountains like a bucket of white paint, transforming the filthy Heisen Territory into a pristine expanse. In a dilapidated wooden hut on the outskirts of Heisen Territory, Richard wrapped himself tightly in his thin clothes, curling up in the straw to minimize heat loss. ¡°Hiss¡­ It¡¯s so cold. Being a transmigrator, I¡¯m really living a disgraceful life.¡± A month ago, Richard came to this world due to a traffic accident and became the son of Old Richard, a peasant under the rule of the Baron of Heisen. Old Richard was a real drunkard. Under the care of his drunken father, Richard¡¯s days were filled with starvation and beatings. Moreover, due to long-term malnutrition, Richard¡¯s frail body was incapable of fighting back. Fortunately, that drunkard was now dead. But the bad news was that the drunkard had exchanged all the valuable things in the house for inferior liquor, and Richard had finished the last grain of food at home a day ago. Cold and hungry, coupled with some injuries inflicted by a drunkard who froze to death in the snow three days ago, Richard huddled in the pile of straw, feeling like he was about to ascend to Heaven at any moment. ¡°I can¡¯t sleep, absolutely cannot sleep! You are a transmigrator with a golden finger, how can you die in such a place!¡± Richard forced his eyes open, continuously encouraging himself. Indeed, the transmigrated Richard actually did have a golden finger. When he transmigrated into this body of young Richard, he found a Melter deep within his soul. But what this Melter could do, Richard had always been unaware. However, no matter what its function was, at this time it gave Richard a glimmer of hope. To a person about to drown, a straw was a lifesaving glimmer of dawn. Thump, thump, thump! In a daze, Richard thought he heard someone knocking on the door. Who would visit on such a cold day? Bang! When there was no response, the person outside kicked the door open. ¡°Old Richard, are you still alive?¡± Richard¡¯s consciousness snapped awake, and he struggled from the straw, standing up. He recognized the voice, the visitor was the steward of the territory, Mr. Ellison from Heisen Territory. ¡°Steward Sir, my father froze to death two days ago, but I am still alive. Whatever you need, just tell me.¡± The steward was a big shot and he would definitely not visit a peasant¡¯s house without a good reason. This was an opportunity! ¡°Oh, so you are young Richard.¡± Mr. Ellison frowned as he examined Richard, pulling a handkerchief out of his pocket to cover his nose. But Richard couldn¡¯t really blame him for that, considering his own situation was quite poor. With long hair that hadn¡¯t been groomed in a long while matted atop his head, a dirty face, clothes covered in filth, and wounds that remained untreated and were turning black, rotting. Compared to Richard, even a homeless person looked handsome, clean, and tidy. ¡°I am young Richard, Steward Sir.¡± Richard supported his frail body and made a half-bow. Rumor had it that Mr. Ellison was a person who greatly valued manners; even if facing the most witless rural farmer, he would insist on correct etiquette. Now Richard hoped this rumor was true. Observing Richard¡¯s bow, a trace of surprise flashed in the steward¡¯s eyes. Accustomed to the disrespect of the lower classes, although he often corrected their manners, he had become desensitized to these etiquette issues. Commoners naturally had trouble remembering noble etiquette. However, the child before him still performed the courtesy while close to freezing to death, which undoubtedly touched him. Even in death, nobles should not lose their manners, and he saw a hint of noble spirit in Richard. ¡°Good boy, good that you¡¯re alive. Come with me, and do whatever I need you to do,¡± Mr. Ellison said gently. ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± Walking out of the wooden hut, the dense clouds covered the entire sky, like curtains blocking the sun¡ªthe poorest source of warmth for the poor. A gust of cold wind blew, causing Richard to shiver uncontrollably. Richard was clad only in his thin clothes, which were practically as good as none in the face of this chilling wind. ¡°Damn it, guard! Take off your coat! Hurry!¡± Seeing Richard¡¯s condition, Mr. Ellison frowned, then turned and ordered the soldier following him to take off his coat. The commanded soldier¡¯s face stiffened; it seemed unreasonable to him to give his warm clothes to a foul-smelling commoner in such cold weather. ¡°Sir, if one is missing, then it¡¯s just missing, the territory is so large, and who knows how many children the Wizard has?¡± the ordered soldier muttered. ¡°Shut up! Don¡¯t try to guess the Wizard¡¯s wisdom with your little smarts!¡± Hearing the mention of the Wizard, Mr. Ellison immediately changed his expression and sharply rebuked the soldier. ¡°If I hear you say such things again, be prepared to be hanged! Take off your clothes now and give them to this child!¡± But unintentionally said words might be deliberately heard. Richard, standing aside, felt a jolt in his heart as he heard the mention of the Wizard. Wizard! This world had magic! When Richard had arrived in this world, he had asked about transcendent powers, but unfortunately, the Heisen Territory was remote, and his identity was lowly, garnering him nothing but folk spook stories after all his inquiries. But now, it seemed that transcendent powers indeed existed in this world. Once Richard donned the cotton coat warmed by the soldier¡¯s body, he felt considerably more comfortable. The lack of restraint in the soldier¡¯s speech caused the officer to lose his good mood obtained from Richard¡ªhis face darkened as he shouted at Richard. ¡°Put on your clothes and get moving! The Wizard is growing impatient, and we¡¯re all going to die!¡± Following the officer onto a carriage, Richard soon arrived at the Baron Castle located in the center of the territory. The castle hall was dimly lit, with torches mounted on the walls and a central hearth providing the only illumination. In the middle of the hall, children of all statuses, both rich and poor, gathered together, quietly waiting for the Wizard deep within the hall to speak. ¡°Wizard, Baron, all children from twelve to fifteen years in the territory are here.¡± The officer reported to the depths of the hall, where a figure in a black robe and a triangular hat slowly stood up. ¡°Hehehe! There seem to be fewer children in Heisen Territory, Delis.¡± Beside him, Richard saw the corpulent Baron Heisen wiping sweat from his forehead with a servile look. ¡°Yes, my lord, the harvests have been poor the last two years, indeed a lot of the commoners have starved.¡± ¡°This will not do,¡± the Wizard patted Baron Heisen, causing him to shudder. ¡°The Academy needs school-age children, and if I can¡¯t gather enough children, the Academy will punish me.¡± ¡°But I do not wish to be punished.¡± ¡°So if I come to Heisen Territory next time and you have prepared so few children¡­ you¡¯ll be waiting to become a maggot eating shit in a toilet for the rest of your life!¡± The Wizard¡¯s tone grew heavier with each word, and by the end, his almost beast-like roar silenced the entire hall. ¡°Good,¡± the Wizard turned to look at the children in the hall, ¡°The hall has quieted down.¡± ¡°Now, line up one by one, come before me for testing. Do not make me repeat myself.¡± Upon hearing the Wizard¡¯s words, the children in the hall immediately formed a long line. They might not know how powerful the Wizard was, but after seeing Baron Heisen¡¯s pale face not even disguised with powder, every child knew what to do next. Richard stood in the middle of the group of children, positioned perfectly at the bend of the line, giving him a clear view of the Wizard in the depths of the hall. Richard saw the Wizard pull a crystal ball from beneath his robe, then beckoned a child to place their hand upon it. The crystal ball glowed faintly, and the Wizard announced the test results. ¡°Spiritual power nine points, not qualified, next.¡± ¡°Spiritual power eight points, not qualified.¡± ¡°Spiritual power seven points, not qualified.¡± ¡°Spiritual power ten points, barely passing. Stand behind me.¡± ¡°Spiritual power nine points, not qualified.¡± ¡­ The testing proceeded swiftly, and soon it was Richard¡¯s turn. ¡°Not qualified, next.¡± The child before Richard stepped aside, and Richard, somewhat nervously, approached the Wizard. After getting closer, Richard could finally see the face obscured by the triangular hat¡¯s shadow. Unexpectedly, the Wizard¡¯s appearance wasn¡¯t fearsome¡ªwhite-streaked hair, a face full of wrinkles, and deep eye sockets with monocle perched on them. Overall, his appearance even looked somewhat kindly. But for some reason, Richard found his body involuntarily trembling as he stood before him. The sensation was like prey facing a predator! ¡°Place your hand on the crystal ball.¡± ¡°Yes, Wizard.¡± Richard placed his hand on the crystal ball nervously and silently awaited his fate. Whether freeze to death in a broken house or follow the Wizard, it all hinged on this moment. Light gradually emanated from the crystal ball, and a current-like force entered Richard¡¯s body from the ball, traveling through his arm. This force circulated through Richard¡¯s body for a full cycle before finally entering his brain. Simultaneously, it seemed as though a force had awakened a furnace deep within Richard¡¯s soul. A message transmitted from the furnace. [Miracle Furnace activated] At the same moment, the Wizard in the black robe announced Richard¡¯s test result. ¡°Spiritual power fifteen points, qualified!¡± Chapter 2 - Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Miracle Furnace Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Miracle Furnace Miracle Furnace, an object whose name alone commanded awe. Standing behind the wizard, Richard cautiously made mental contact with the furnace that had till now shown no reaction. He needed to figure out what this thing was for, and quickly. Fortunately, the process was not complicated. The moment Richard¡¯s mind touched the furnace, the functionality of the Miracle Furnace automatically transferred into his brain. In simple terms, the Miracle Furnace could extract from the ¡®raw materials¡¯ anything that the host could utilize, whether it was some substance from the materials themselves or some information contained within them. When refining with the Miracle Furnace, the host needed to continuously provide ¡®fuel¡¯, and the amount of fuel consumed varied depending on what was being extracted. Extracting information required spiritual power, while extracting material required energy. ¡­ The test proceeded swiftly; in less than an hour, over a hundred children had been tested, but only seven had passed the spiritual power test. ¡°Alright. Let these children go back,¡± the wizard in the black robe ordered the officer after the last child was tested. ¡°Yes, Wizard Sir,¡± the officer bowed. Watching the other children leave one after the other, the remaining seven looked at each other in bewilderment. Among these seven children, there were a farmer¡¯s son, a baker¡¯s daughter, a blacksmith¡¯s adopted child, a merchant¡¯s youngest son¡­ They almost encompassed all the classes of the entire territory, but now they stood together, awaiting the proclamation of the wizard in the black robe. ¡°Alright, children. As the qualified ones, you are far superior to the others. You all will now become the four hundred and thirty-second batch of Wizard Apprentices of the Black Tower Wizard Academy, embarking on the path to seek truth at the Academy.¡± The wizard sounded very pleased, apparently satisfied with the seven qualified children from the Heisen Territory. He beckoned with his hand, signaling Baron Delis to come over. ¡°Delis, take these children for a bath and get them changed into fresh clothes.¡± ¡°And this child,¡± the wizard pointed at Richard, ¡°tend to his wounds. Should he encounter any issues on our journey due to his injuries¡­ hmm.¡± The wizard didn¡¯t complete his sentence, but the threat in his words was clear to all. ¡°I understand, Sir,¡± Baron replied with definitive resolve. With that, Baron Delis arranged for the castle¡¯s attendants to lead the other children to the lower levels of the castle. There was a large bathhouse on the lower level of the castle, where a hot spring from beneath the ground had been ingeniously converted into bathing pools by Baron Heisen. In the bath, Richard¡¯s wounds shifted from numbness to pain. A hot water bath, such a luxurious thing was almost criminal for commoners, for the wood used to heat it could make so many meals. Let alone a natural hot spring, a luxury only Nobles could afford. After staying in the water for a while and scrubbing off the mud and dust, Richard quickly got out. He had less time than the others; he needed to tend to his wounds. ¡­ After leaving the bathhouse, Richard put on the new clothes prepared by the Maid. Made of cotton, they were a bit large but comfortably warm. Standing in front of the mirror, Richard carefully examined his appearance. With shoulder-length black hair, deep-set eyes, a prominent nose, and a thin, pale-lipped mouth, he looked less like a commoner and more like a noble in distress. ¡°Sir, you must have Noble blood in you,¡± the maid beside him commented with admiration. ¡°Do I?¡± Richard raised an eyebrow and then followed the maid to the second floor of the castle. The castle¡¯s second-floor corridor was lined with portraits, likely of previous Heisen Barons. At the end, Richard saw the portrait of the first Baron Heisen, depicted in armor, holding a two-handed greatsword. Beside the portrait, a broken Great Sword hung on the wall. ¡°Hmm.¡± As Richard laid eyes on the broken sword, his Miracle Furnace pulsed within him. ¡°Is this the first Heisen Baron¡¯s sword?¡± Richard felt stirred. The broken sword was recognized as ¡®raw material¡¯ by the furnace. ¡°Yes, Sir,¡± the maid responded. Richard stepped forward and gently touched the broken sword. [Raw Material: The Count of Heisen¡¯s Broken Sword] [Skill Extractable: Wind Crow Swordsmanship] [Extraction Cost: 5 Spiritual Power] [Proceed with Extraction?] Wind Crow Swordsmanship! Richard¡¯s heart quivered. That was the famous sword technique that the Count of Heisen had used to claim victory on the battlefields of old. The fame of this sword technique was such that even Richard, a lowly peasant, had heard wandering bards speak of it. But it was said that the technique had been lost three hundred years ago. This was also the reason for the decline of the Heisen lineage. Faced with such a treasure, Richard naturally didn¡¯t hesitate to choose to extract it. This was an opportunity not to be missed! As soon as Richard chose to extract it, he instantly felt tired, as if he had been attending a morning¡¯s worth of advanced mathematics classes, his head heavy and groggy. But before Richard could succumb to drowsiness, the scene before him jolted him fully awake. The broken sword had vanished! Standing by, the maid was suddenly startled. Where had the large sword gone? But in the blink of an eye, the maid saw the broken sword reappear. Was she seeing things? The maid rubbed her eyes, assuring herself that the broken sword was still in its original place, while the young wizard looked at her quizzically. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing, sir, let¡¯s hurry to the doctor,¡± the maid quickly said. ¡­ Seeing that he had fooled her, Richard breathed a sigh of relief internally. He had not expected that the Miracle Furnace needed to consume the physical form as well in order to absorb the information. The moment he saw the broken sword disappear, Richard¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Fortunately, the Miracle Furnace completed the refinement in an instant, and the broken sword had only disappeared for a moment before returning to its original place. His gaze returned to the Melter. Above the Miracle Furnace, a white light was undulating. When Richard touched the ball of light with his spiritual power, fleeting memories like flashing lights passed through his mind. He found himself on one dangerous battlefield after another, swinging the sword in his hand to slay one enemy after another. ¡°Sir? Sir? We¡¯re at the doctor¡¯s now.¡± The maid¡¯s voice brought Richard back from his daze, his spiritual power was still too weak, and just accepting the battle memories left behind by past warriors could send him into a trance. ¡°Oh, sure.¡± Richard came back to his senses and quickly entered the doctor¡¯s room. Half an hour later, Richard, leaning on the wall, walked out of the room weakly. Having undergone external injury surgery, the doctor did not have any anesthetic, only strong liquor to alleviate the pain. Fortunately, the doctor was quick with his hands, finishing the removal of the rotten flesh from the wound, stitching it up, and applying ointment in less than half an hour. It was at that time Baron Delis also arrived on the second floor. ¡°Wizard Apprentice, the Wizard is ready to depart.¡± ¡­ Stepping outside the castle, Richard was now dressed in brand new cotton clothes; though his face still showed some signs of malnourishment, his demeanor was completely different from before. ¡°Hmm, you look good,¡± the black-robed wizard said, looking at Richard with satisfaction and nodding his head. Then with a wave of his large sleeve, a mysterious force enveloped the seven of them, then floated beside the wizard like bubbles. ¡°This is Levitation Skill, you¡¯ll be able to learn it at the Academy too.¡± After briefly explaining, the black-robed wizard shot a fireball into the sky. Bang! The fireball exploded. A beam of light pierced through the leaden clouds, shooting through the burst fireball straight down to the earth. ¡°What is that?¡± Richard looked up at the sky, through the thick clouds, a huge grey outline was becoming gradually clearer. ¡°What in the world is this?¡± Richard¡¯s voice trembled, he could hardly believe what he was seeing in the sky. Before him, a Flying Airship stretching hundreds of meters long like a blue whale emerged from the clouds, and the beam that had pierced the clouds was the eye of this immense craft. For a moment, Richard vividly recalled a legend he had heard while seeking information on transcendents. The legend told that every ten years, a Giant Beast of the clouds would come roaming from the Northern Barbarian Mountains. Its shape was as large as a mountain, its gaze as dazzling as lightning. Now, the legend had shed its cover! The black-robed wizard spread his arms, carrying everyone towards the column of light to ascend the sky, as if Saints flying to heaven in glory. Richard saw that the wizard¡¯s mouth was moving, and a grand voice filled with joy reached the ears of all the qualifiers. ¡°Fellow juniors, welcome aboard the Zeppelin Type Magic Airship.¡± Chapter 3 - Chapter 3: Chapter 3 On the Flying Airship Chapter 3: Chapter 3 On the Flying Airship ¡°Junior brothers and sisters?¡± Richard looked at the black-robed Wizard, his heart stirring with tumultuous waves. Was a Wizard like this also an apprentice like them? But before he could ponder further, a hole appeared at the bottom of the Floating Airship. The black-robed Wizard led them inside, and as soon as Richard landed, he heard a robust female voice. ¡°Seven apprentices! Taylor, you¡¯re quite lucky.¡± Richard focused his gaze and saw a fierce woman as tall as two meters and built like a bear standing inside the cabin, holding a nearly two-meter-long door panel-sized Great Sword, its blade engraved with dense, mysterious symbols, looking very fantastical. Beside her, Richard also noticed a black-robed skeleton with blue flames flickering in its eye sockets. Upon seeing all of them enter, the skeleton waved its hand and the hole in the bottom of the cabin closed automatically. ¡°Seven apprentices, you¡¯ll all have to treat me to a meal when we get back; nothing less than a hundred Magic Stones will do.¡± The black-robed Wizard¡¯s tone, once brutal towards the Nobles, was now filled with joyful banter as he joked with the other Wizards inside the cabin. ¡°Go to hell, fifty Magic Stones, take it or leave it.¡± The skeleton Wizard came up to the apprentices with a Crystal Ball, starting to tally their names along with their spiritual power. After the count was done, the skeleton Wizard seemed to perform magic as he pulled out bags one after another from under his cloak, each containing a quill pen, a bottle of ink, a roll of white paper, a number plate, and three books. Without explanation, without conversation, the skeleton Wizard¡¯s actions were entirely different from the other two Wizards who were chatting leisurely. He had abandoned the emotions of the living, embracing both tranquility and rationality with his body and soul. ¡°These are your entrance materials, inside you¡¯ll find the introductory courses of the Wizard Academy, and the enrolment regulations. That number plate is your room number, stay in your rooms unless necessary during the time the Airship is flying.¡± Seeing the skeleton Wizard say nothing at all, the Wizard Taylor who had led them aboard felt he had to explain. ¡°Now hurry up and find your own rooms. A bit of roughhousing is fine during the flight of the Airship, but don¡¯t kill anyone.¡± ¡­ The passenger cabin of the Airship had only one corridor with neatly arranged rooms on both sides, each room meant for four people. Richard counted, and if the Airship had fifty rooms, it could, at full capacity, carry around two hundred people if need be. Fifty rooms, two hundred people. ¡°The fantasy world really is fantastic; even an Airship is so impressive.¡± Following the corridor to the end, Richard opened the door to room number 225, which temporarily belonged to him. ¡°Hey, friend, I¡¯m Ali from Golden Banner.¡± Upon entering, Richard saw a girl greeting him. The girl had light golden hair and pale blue eyes, and although her face had some freckles, they only added a youthful charm to her appearance. ¡°Huh? Is this room allocated incorrectly?¡± Richard was a bit bewildered and turned to go back to ask the skeleton Wizard. ¡°Don¡¯t bother asking, friend, someone already did. Wizard Aisen said there was no mistake.¡± Richard stopped in his tracks, ¡°Wizard Aisen? Is that the one who looks like¡­ a skeleton?¡± Ali nodded, ¡°Yes, him. He said the room numbers are completely random, and not to bother him for exchanges. Many people have been trying to swap rooms these past few days, annoying him to the point where he almost threw those apprentices off the ship.¡± Hearing this, Richard massaged his temples with a bit of a headache. This was going to be troublesome, living with a woman was always bound to have many inconveniences. But since the Wizard had already said room exchanges weren¡¯t allowed, he would have to comply. ¡°Alright then.¡± Richard sighed, ¡°Nice to meet you, Ali. I¡¯m Richard from Heisen Territory.¡± ¡­ In fact, Ali had lied. Room swapping on the Airship was possible, just that the means of swapping rooms was somewhat rough. As long as you could convince someone to agree to switch rooms without causing a fatality, the recruiting Wizards wouldn¡¯t intervene in your actions. During the days Ali had been aboard the Airship, there had been several violent conflicts already. And these violent conflicts often accompanied a particular occurrence¡­ That was rape. The Wizards would not stop these crimes; in their eyes, it was just minor trouble. A Wizard who bore a striking resemblance to an ape even watched with great interest. This only fueled the malevolent thoughts of some aboard the Airship. Fortunately, for most of the time, the Airship was in high-speed flight, during which nobody was allowed out of their rooms. This is what allowed Ali to avoid those beasts in this corner room. But Richard¡¯s arrival brought her danger. If those beasts knew there was still such tempting prey in a corner of the Airship, the next time the Airship slowed down, it would be Ali¡¯s day of suffering. Therefore, she had to prevent Richard from changing rooms. Moreover, Richard was good-looking, very handsome, and also very weak. Chronic malnutrition caused Richard¡¯s complexion to appear extremely frail, and even clothed, his thin figure seemed as if a gust of wind could blow him down. Ali was confident she could resist any assault from Richard. ¡­ Time returned to the present, and after entering the room, Richard casually shut the door. The room was not large, just about eleven or twelve square meters, with a small compartment that was probably a restroom. The furnishings were simple: two bunk beds, a table about two meters long, a couple of chairs, and a Magic Light on the ceiling made up all the room¡¯s decorations. In the small room, there were now just the two of them, Richard and Ali. A young boy and a young girl at the ages when hearts begin to stir, confined to a small room. The young boy was clear-eyed and handsome; the young girl was petite and cute. Their eyes met, then immediately averted. It seems this scene should be somewhat ambiguous¡­ Bullshit. Richard may look like a teenager, but inside, he¡¯s an adult. His XP is that of a gentle and intelligent big sister! ¡°I¡¯ll sleep on the top bunk, just let me know if you¡¯re changing clothes, so I can look away.¡± After saying this indifferently, Richard turned and climbed up to the upper bunk without his shoes. Flirting with a young girl was far less important to him; he had more significant things to handle. Sitting on the top bunk, Richard opened each of the three books from the bag. He couldn¡¯t understand any of them; as a farmer, being able to write one¡¯s name was considered well-educated. However, Richard was able to guess that one of the thicker books must be a dictionary. [Material: ¡°Wizard Language Dictionary¡±] [Possible Information Extraction: Wizard Language] [Extraction Cost: 10 Spiritual Power] [Extract?] Richard put the dictionary into his pocket and then made a decision. ¡°Extract.¡± In an instant, Richard felt as though his head had been struck by a sledgehammer, his vision going dark. After an unknown period, Richard woke from his deep slumber. The room was pitch-dark, seemingly late into the night. ¡°Ugh, can¡¯t be so reckless next time with the extraction.¡± Richard rubbed his head, thankful that this time he was on an airship, surrounded by safety. If he had been anywhere else, he would have been putting himself in grave danger. Entering the Soul Space, a floating white light had been waiting for quite some time above the Miracle Furnace. As he blended with the white light, Richard didn¡¯t experience the illusions that accompanied the Wind Crow Sword Skill. He simply felt as if he had memorized a lot of things. Richard tried it out and found that he had indeed learned Wizard Language, but it was more like he had memorized the dictionary. If Richard were to read Wizard Language, he would sound just like a beginner, with inaccurate intonation. ¡°It seems there¡¯s a big difference between ¡®skill¡¯ and ¡®information¡¯. Absorbing information is more like having knowledge poured directly into the brain, where practical application still requires plenty of practice. On the other hand, with skills, there¡¯s no issue with the application; however, it¡¯s difficult to condense the skills into text.¡± Gurgle! A tremendous hunger pulled Richard back from his thoughts. He had gone nearly two days without food. ¡°Ali, Ali,¡± Richard called out softly. ¡°Hmm? You¡¯re awake?¡± From the darkness below, Ali¡¯s voice reached him, seeming as though she hadn¡¯t slept. ¡°Ali, what time is it now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s 4:32 in the morning.¡± Hearing the time, Richard simply estimated the duration of his stupor. He had been unconscious for about fourteen hours. ¡°Did anyone bring food during this time?¡± ¡°Your food is on the table. Come down and eat if you want.¡± Richard sensed something off in Ali¡¯s tone. Although he had just met her, it wasn¡¯t common for someone to be so awake at four in the morning. ¡°Have you been awake all night?¡± Richard asked softly. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Missing home?¡± ¡°A little.¡± It seemed she was a girl not accustomed to being far from home. Gurgle! Richard wanted to comfort her a bit more, but the loud rumblings of his stomach convinced him to eat first. Turning out of the bed, his dinner was laid out on the room¡¯s table. Two palm-sized pieces of black bread, some burnt beef, and a bowl of beet porridge. Although the meal couldn¡¯t compare to the Chinese food in Richard¡¯s memory, it was far better than the sawdust-blackened bread he ate in the Heisen Territory. ¡°Phew, that¡¯s a bit better now.¡± After eating, Richard sat back in his chair and breathed a sigh of relief. While the meal hadn¡¯t filled him up, at least there was something in his stomach. ¡°Richard, are you a knight?¡± Ali was lying in her bed, looking at Richard from her side. Richard could sense something was amiss in her voice. Was Ali¡­ crying? ¡°I¡¯m not, why do you suddenly ask?¡± ¡°Then we¡¯re doomed.¡± Richard¡¯s brow furrowed, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Richard,¡± Ali¡¯s voice was choked with sobs, ¡°do you know what our entrance examination for the academy is, according to the handbook?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s killing!¡± COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 4 - Chapter 4: Chapter 4: The 3 Elements of a Wizard Apprentice Chapter 4: Chapter 4: The 3 Elements of a Wizard Apprentice Murder, entrance examination. These two seemingly unrelated terms put together made Richard feel that this world was truly wondrous. ¡°Do I need to murder someone to pass an entrance examination? On which page did you see that?¡± Richard suspected this to be a prank; what kind of academy would want a bunch of murderers as students? Ali, sobbing, handed the enrolment rules to Richard. Just then, the magic light in the room happened to turn on, and Richard, who had already learned the Wizard Language, opened the dog-eared page of Ali¡¯s book in the light. The page read as follows: Before entering the Wizard Academy, prospective Wizard Apprentices must undergo an entrance examination called the Life and Death Race, the details of which are as follows: At the start of the exam, each prospective Wizard Apprentice will receive a crystal ball and seven nutritional potions that can substitute for a day¡¯s food. The Wizard Apprentices must reach a designated location set by the academy within fourteen days, carrying at least two crystal balls. Those who do not have the required number of crystal balls, or fail to arrive on time within fourteen days, will lose their qualification to enter. Note: The academy does not provide return services. If one loses the qualification to enroll, the apprentice must return to their place of origin on their own. Having read that, Richard tossed the enrolment rules back to Ali, climbed onto his bed, and pulled out his own copy of the rules, turning to the same page. The content was exactly the same. This was no joke. ¡°This is going to be somewhat troublesome.¡± Richard closed the rules. He didn¡¯t know why the academy did this, going through great lengths to bring them, these apprentices, to the academy just to filter out half of them through an entrance examination. But he was clear about one thing, that concern was pointless now; he was already on the airship. So now he must find a method to pass the entrance examination as soon as possible. Among these prospective Wizard Apprentices, there were those from the lower peasant class as well as those from the higher-class nobles. The commoners, much like Richard, were malnourished and slender of build. In contrast, those nobles possessed strong bodies, along with martial skills they had learned from a young age. Every noble is a knight; this saying was widely circulated in the Golden Bird Flower Kingdom and regarded as the foundation of the rule by the nobility. In the Golden Bird Flower Kingdom, a knight was not just a title, but a symbol of personal strength. Every knight was a muscular man who could move swiftly even when wearing plate armor and wielding a two-handed greatsword in one hand. Moreover, in the Golden Bird Flower Kingdom, a noble¡¯s title had to be inherited by a knight. Hence, these noble offspring, even if morally questionable and not too bright, had bodies that, due to their training from an early age, were far superior to the common folk even if they slacked off. Competing with such a group, Richard and his fellow commoners had virtually no hope of survival. ¡°It¡¯s impossible; the academy wouldn¡¯t recruit commoner students only to give them no chance at all to resist.¡± Richard¡¯s mind was racing as he immediately took out the three books issued by the academy. The Wizard Academy wouldn¡¯t specifically spend energy designing a test that a commoner couldn¡¯t pass; they must have left something behind that could bridge the gap between the students. Richard spread the three books out on his bed; one of them was a Wizard Language Dictionary, another was the enrolment rules, and the last one had a more direct name called¡ª ¡°How to Become a Wizard Apprentice¡± [Material: ¡°How to Become a Wizard Apprentice¡±] [Extractable Information: Basic Meditation Method, Magic Rebound construction, Basic Magic Rules] [Extraction Cost: 7 spiritual power] [Extract?] ¡°Extract.¡± ¡­ At one end of the flying airship, the exclusive resting cabin for wizards. ¡°Aireli, how many of these apprentices do you think will survive this time?¡± Taylor looked out at the sea of clouds through the window. The flying altitude of the airship was around two thousand meters; at this height, it seemed as if the sea of clouds was the actual ground. ¡°Maybe over four thousand. This class cancelled the exchange of crystal balls for magic stones, so it¡¯s unlikely anyone will go out of their way to hunt others.¡± The muscle-bound woman who had before held a door-sized greatsword, now leaning against the cabin wall, responded casually. ¡°I heard the dean took a big loss in the Plane Wars and needs to replenish wizard numbers as much as possible. The students these last few terms are lucky indeed!¡± Taylor¡¯s tone carried a hint of exclamation¡ªhe too had once been a tough character who fought his way through a crowd of apprentices. But after a failed promotion, he was doomed never to become a Wizard. Now he could only work for the Academy to make ends meet. Looking at the current batch of prospective apprentices, Taylor, who was already over a hundred years old, couldn¡¯t help but reminisce about his younger self. ¡°Speaking of which, why haven¡¯t I seen Ma Lou around?¡± Taylor asked. ¡°This group has a few quick-witted kids; they pooled together some Magic Stones to have him go over the Meditation Method.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Taylor was somewhat surprised, ¡°Isn¡¯t that against the rules?¡± Aireli shrugged, ¡°If you don¡¯t tell and I don¡¯t tell, how would those Big Shots at the Academy know? Moreover, those kids spent Magic Stones, which conforms to the principle of equivalent exchange. Even if the Academy found out, they would probably praise them for being smart.¡± But Taylor shook his head. ¡°The textbooks written by the principal are simple enough. If they can¡¯t learn from materials of this level, even if they did get in, they would just be waiting to die. The path to truth must ultimately be walked by oneself. If they succeed by taking shortcuts now, can they take shortcuts for the rest of their life?¡± ¡­ Room 225. Richard sat cross-legged on the bed, striving to still his mind. After refining the knowledge from ¡°How to Become a Wizard Apprentice,¡± Richard had fully mastered the theoretical knowledge of the Meditation Method. The Meditation Method is the Cultivation Technique of Wizards. Its main purpose is to help Wizards increase and recover their spiritual power. ¡°The three key elements to becoming a Wizard Apprentice are linking to the Sea of Souls, constructing a Magic Rebound, and engraving Magic Marks. And among these, the most difficult is linking to the Sea of Souls.¡± Richard adjusted his state according to the information in the book. According to the book, the stronger one¡¯s spiritual power, the easier it is to connect to the Sea of Souls. As long as he connected to the Sea of Souls, his meditation would be half-successful. As Richard¡¯s inner peace grew, he began engraving Runes in his spiritual world. There are three Runes in the Basic Meditation Method, and when Richard finished engraving the Runes, his spirit suddenly felt as if it had left his body and plunged into a bottomless abyss. Within the abyss, there was an eerie silence; time and space seemed non-existent. Richard¡¯s spirit didn¡¯t know how long it stayed in this abyss¡ªboredom, loneliness, and fear surged in his mind like a tide. But he endured it all. Because this was the necessary path to linking with the Sea of Souls. Finally, after an unknowable duration of falling, Richard¡¯s spirit at last touched the Sea of Souls. In an instant, Richard saw an endless astral sea. ¡°The Sea of Souls reflects the Material World, and every Plane in the Material World is a star in the Sea of Souls. This magnificent sight has influenced every Wizard who has seen it, and it is why Wizards later referred to the Material World as¡ªthe Star Realm.¡± As records from the book flashed in Richard¡¯s mind, at that moment, his thoughts seemed to overlap with those of countless Wizards through the millennia. ¡°This is truly beautiful.¡± With a sigh of admiration, Richard then began to leave his own mark in the Sea of Souls. With this mark, he would be able to connect to the Sea of Souls more easily. ¡°What kind of mark should I leave?¡± Richard, gazing at the endless stars, suddenly felt a wave of solitude wash over him. Alone in an Otherworld as a stranger, looking at the stars only deepens the longing for home. Using his spiritual power as a pen, Richard drew a five-pointed star in the Sea of Souls. After all this, Richard¡¯s spirit began to feel somewhat faint. The Basic Meditation Method only allowed him to stay in the Sea of Souls for this long. If he wanted to stay longer, he would need to find a more advanced Meditation Method. A few seconds later, his spirit returned to the Material World. At this moment, he had completed the most difficult and important step of becoming a Wizard Apprentice. COMMENT 2 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 2 Chapter 5 - Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Magic Rebound Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Magic Rebound ¡°Ali, what time is it now?¡± ¡°Eight o¡¯clock, breakfast will be soon.¡± It was eight o¡¯clock, and Richard had started his meditation around five o¡¯clock. This meant that although Richard felt he had only been in the Sea of Souls for a short while, he had actually meditated for three hours. ¡°It seems meditation distorts my sense of time.¡± Richard thought to himself, as his stomach rumbled again. ¡°Richard, aren¡¯t you scared?¡± Ali¡¯s voice came from the lower bunk, her tone now steady. ¡°Scared?¡± Richard was lying on his bed, curling up to alleviate his hunger, and his experiences over the past month began to replay in his mind. Each day of that month had been spent in fear: his frail body, meager food supplies, and temperamental drunkards around. Every morning Richard woke up hoping it was all just a dream. The current situation was countless times better than the previous month. ¡°I¡¯ve been through worse, there¡¯s nothing to be scared of.¡± ¡­ The room fell silent. Before being chosen, Ali was a merchant¡¯s daughter, where survival pressure was like a cloud in the sky to her. Visible, but almost untouchable. She could hardly imagine what Richard had endured to stay so calm facing a skirmish. He was so frail a gust of wind could blow him over. ¡°So what do you plan to do? We can¡¯t beat those nobles.¡± Ali remembered the knights she had seen, those armored monsters on the battlefield who, with just a few knight attendants, could break through armies of hundreds. She couldn¡¯t imagine how she would deal with such people. ¡°Ali, who do you think is stronger, a Wizard Apprentice or a Knight?¡± ¡°Of course¡­¡± Ali instinctively wanted to answer Wizard Apprentice, for even as apprentices, wizards wielded wondrous magic that knights couldn¡¯t possibly withstand. But before she could speak, she thought of the book in her bag¡ª¡±How to Become a Wizard Apprentice.¡± Blinded by fear, she had forgotten that the Academy had already given them means to resist. ¡°Richard, you¡¯re a genius!¡± Excited, Ali jumped out of bed, grabbed the Wizard Language Dictionary and ¡°How to Become a Wizard Apprentice,¡± and ran to the desk. Although she hadn¡¯t trained in combat like those nobles from childhood, she surpassed them in her reading. Richard ignored Ali¡¯s reaction; all he wanted was to hurry up and have breakfast. After a while, someone knocked on the door. Hearing this, Richard immediately rolled out of bed. Breakfast was here! Opening the door, Richard saw a puppet-like creature pushing a cart filled with neatly arranged breakfasts. ¡°Room 225, breakfast for two.¡± A strange, shrill voice emanated from the puppet¡¯s body. Richard took two plates into the room, then handed the previous night¡¯s plates to the puppet. The puppet took the plates and then shakily moved on to the next room. ¡°That¡¯s magic.¡± Richard watched the puppet, a spark of excitement in his eyes. Inside the room, Ali was tirelessly translating with one hand on the dictionary and the other on the book. ¡°Ali, your breakfast.¡± ¡°Keep it.¡± Ali replied without lifting her head, now immersed in the sea of knowledge with no thought for food. Richard scratched his head, thinking it must be nice to be young, full of energy even without eating. But then, his body wasn¡¯t much older than Ali¡¯s at the moment. ¡­ Richard sat cross-legged on the bed, his eyes tightly closed. In this moment, his spiritual power was replacing his eyes to observe the world. This was his seventh day linked to the Sea of Souls. Over these seven days, the airship had been stable. Richard, following the process outlined in the book, methodically built his Magic Rebound. Although this process wasn¡¯t as swift as linking to the Sea of Souls, it was almost effortless. During these seven days, Ali, who shared a room with Richard, was immersed in translating ¡°How to Become a Wizard Apprentice¡±. Her dedication was so profound that it even surprised Richard. Indeed, in life-threatening crises, everyone can unleash their inner potential. Linking to the Sea of Souls liberated the spiritual power from the souls of Wizard Apprentices, allowing them to sense the magic power that floated freely in the world by means of their spiritual power. In Richard¡¯s perception, the magic power drifting between heaven and earth appeared like fireflies, flickering with bright yet faint light. Richard¡¯s spiritual power transformed into tendrils, which attracted every point of magic power they touched. Then the tendrils withdrew, and all the points of magic power were absorbed into Richard¡¯s body. If linking to the Sea of Souls was the foundation for becoming a Wizard Apprentice, building the Magic Rebound was like building the walls and roof. Wizards needed spiritual power to manipulate magic power, and using spiritual power to temporarily control the magic power freely available in the world was not only time-consuming and strenuous, but also very inefficient. However, the Magic Rebound stored magic power in advance within a wizard¡¯s body and stabilized it with spiritual power so that the wizard didn¡¯t need to rely on the external world¡¯s magic power at critical moments. Yet, the magic power stored in the Magic Rebound wasn¡¯t infinite. A wizard¡¯s capacity depended on his limit of spiritual power. If a spell required more magic power than the Magic Rebound¡¯s limit, a wizard had no choice but to revert to the basics or find another solution. With the entry of the last magic power point, the long-accumulated magic power inside Richard finally triggered a qualitative change and transformed into a stream that started at his heart, flowed through his organs, and returned to his heart, forming a complete circulation. ¡°I did it.¡± Richard opened his eyes, his face brimming with excitement. The construction of the Magic Rebound meant he could now quickly unleash the Zero Ring Spells recorded in the book. Zero Ring Spells referred to those lower-level spells that didn¡¯t need the establishment of Magic Marks in the soul and could be used directly. Some wizards didn¡¯t even consider them true magic, just techniques of magic power application. At the end of ¡°How to Become a Wizard Apprentice,¡± the author considerately prepared four Zero Ring Spells for Apprentices who had completed the Magic Rebound. These were: Magic Missile, Force Field Barrier, Light Body Skill, and Silence Technique. These four Zero Ring Spells covered offense, defense, escape, and stealth, making them extremely versatile. And now, Richard was no longer powerless! While Richard was reveling in joy, Ali, who had been tirelessly translating these past days, suddenly slammed the dictionary down. ¡°Tired of translating again?¡± Richard thought. ¡°Ha-ha, Richard, come down and see. I¡¯ve finished translating!¡± Ali stood up and stretched, her body making cracking sounds. After seven days of relentless work, she had finally finished translating ¡°How to Become a Wizard Apprentice¡±. In the process, she had also nearly mastered the Wizard Language. ¡°Congratulations, congratulations. It looks like you¡¯ve practically passed the exam already.¡± Richard rolled out of bed and congratulated her with a bow. ¡°Hehe.¡± Ali walked over to Richard and gave him a solid pat on the back. Over these days, Ali and Richard had become much closer. Richard knew that Ali was the cherished daughter of a wealthy merchant. Ali knew that Richard was a farmer with a deceased alcoholic father. Their attitudes toward the future were vastly different. Richard¡¯s calm and longing for the future fascinated Ali. Whenever she thought of giving up, Richard always managed to dissuade her with a few words. Now it was her turn to repay the favor. ¡°In the next few days, learn some Wizard Language with me, so you can also become a Wizard Apprentice.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Richard was taken aback, but then he felt a warmth in his heart. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Wizard Language is easy to learn. Many of its words are very similar to our own. If you study diligently, you can understand ¡®How to Become a Wizard Apprentice¡¯ during this period¡­¡± ¡°Ali.¡± Richard cut her off, his expression a mix of amusement and seriousness. ¡°Have you ever considered that if I become a Wizard Apprentice, you¡¯ll have one more competitor in the exams? One more competitor means more danger. Aren¡¯t you afraid I might stab you in the back?¡± Richard¡¯s voice was calm, but his words made Ali a bit fearful. More Wizard Apprentices meant more competitors in this deadly exam. Every competitor was a lethal threat. Was she really going to teach Richard? ¡°Well¡­¡± Ali¡¯s voice grew from soft to firm, as if she had found a flaw in Richard¡¯s words. ¡°Richard, you wouldn¡¯t do that. If you were, you wouldn¡¯t be telling me about it now.¡± Richard stroked his chin, ¡°Generally speaking, I wouldn¡¯t stab someone in the back. But there¡¯s always that one chance¡­¡± ¡°But besides that one chance, there are also 9,999 out of 10,000 where I wouldn¡¯t.¡± Ali then suddenly punched Richard hard with her left hand. ¡°You¡¯re such a strange person. I¡¯m trying to help you, and you¡¯re still making excuses. If you keep this up, watch out, I might really stop teaching you.¡± COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 6 - Chapter 6: Chapter 6 Airship Maintenance Chapter 6: Chapter 6 Airship Maintenance After the conversation, Richard and Ali grew much closer. After that, Richard would practice Wizard Language with Ali during the day and meditate at night. Although Richard had memorized Wizard Language due to refining, he still needed practice to apply it efficiently. In this way, the time had come to the fifteenth day of Richard entering the Flying Airship. The Flying Airship occasionally decelerated during flight, and the wizards on board would take this time to inspect and maintain the airship. During this time, the apprentices on the flying airship could move freely. ¡°Richard! I connected to the Sea of Souls last night.¡± Early in the morning, Ali excitedly shared her progress, patting Richard¡¯s bed. Ali¡¯s talent was not considered good, her spiritual power only being twelve points. What Richard had managed in a short while took her seven full days to complete. But this was still worthy of praise. According to the books, many preparatory apprentices needed meditation incense and Magic Potion to aid their first connection to the Sea of Souls. Ali¡¯s achievement of connecting in seven days was considered average at the Academy. Whereas apprentices like Richard, who connected on their first meditation, were rated excellent at the Academy. Above him was another level, those born connected to the Sea of Souls, inherently having a spiritual power of twenty points¡ªborn Wizard Apprentices. However, such apprentices were few and far between in the history of the Academy, most often appearing among the Wizard Descendants. ¡°Congratulations, congratulations! Big Sister Ali has finally become a Wizard Apprentice.¡± Richard, yawning, sat up on his bed and rubbed his eyes to express his congratulations. ¡°It looks like I¡¯ll have to rely on Big Sister Ali for this exam.¡± Hearing this, Ali was exceedingly proud. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Big Sister has got you covered for this exam.¡± Knock, knock, knock. There was a knock on the door and when Ali opened it, for some reason, the puppet that delivered breakfast had come earlier today. ¡°Room 225, breakfast for two. Today the airship is undergoing maintenance, and the apprentices may move freely.¡± The puppet¡¯s voice remained odd, but the message it brought made Ali¡¯s smile vanish abruptly. ¡°Free movement?¡± Ali asked. The puppet didn¡¯t respond and mechanically pushed its cart to the next room. Ali closed the door, her face turning quite grim as if she were about to cry. ¡°It¡¯s over, it¡¯s over, it¡¯s over. I just connected to the Sea of Souls, and my Magic Rebound hasn¡¯t been established yet, this this this¡­¡± Ali paced anxiously around the room, and Richard was curious about her reaction. ¡°Isn¡¯t free movement a good thing? After being in the room for so many days, don¡¯t you want to go out for a walk?¡± He had been on the airship for half a month now, staying in one room the whole time, feeling as if his joints were going to rust. ¡°You don¡¯t understand, if we can move freely, those bastards will be able to come out.¡± Ali¡¯s expression looked like she was about to cry, frantically telling Richard about the events on the airship before he had boarded. ¡°So that¡¯s it.¡± Richard, stroking his chin, looked somewhat intrigued. Did he really appear this weak when he boarded the airship? ¡°You better stay in your room then. I¡¯ll go out for a walk.¡± Richard swung out of bed and quickly finished his breakfast. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was an illusion, but he felt a lot stronger after connecting to the Sea of Souls. His thin body, long malnourished, seemed to have gained some muscles. Could it be that the wizard¡¯s food contained supplements? ¡°Hey! I¡¯ve been teaching you Wizard Language these days, can¡¯t you help out and not go out?¡± Seeing Richard about to leave, Ali looked like a cat whose fur had been ruffled. Richard casually waved his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not going out there shouting about having a beautiful female roommate. You stay quiet, and those bastards can¡¯t just barge in, can they?¡± ¡­ The space on the airship was not small. Besides the cabins where they lived, the rear end of the airship had an observation deck spanning dozens of square meters. This cabin was usually reserved for wizards, but since the airship was undergoing maintenance today, apprentices could also enter to enjoy the scenery. Richard stood by the window, staring at the boundless sea of clouds, feeling exhilarated. The walls of the observation cabin, made of a glass-like material, allowed an unobstructed view of the clouds outside the airship. Soon, the observation cabin was full of apprentices, some nobles, and some commoners, each forming their own circles. Though no one was forcibly separated, the distinction between the groups was clear. Except for Richard. Beside Richard, a group of nobles secretly exchanged their private information. To prevent the commoners from eavesdropping, they even spoke in Wizard Language. ¡°Are you sure, Emily? Did your brother really connect to the Sea of Souls?¡± a blond Noble asked. ¡°Of course, would my brother lie to me?¡± Across from the blond Noble, a girl with the same hair color and a face full of freckles retorted with spirit. Emily¡¯s words caused a stir among the Nobles, all of whom were studying ¡°How to Become a Wizard Apprentice,¡± but very few had actually succeeded. For the vast majority, without the aid of meditation incense and Magic Potions, connecting to the Sea of Souls was as difficult as climbing to heaven. ¡°Speaking of which, didn¡¯t the Medici hire a Wizard to teach them? How are they doing? That¡¯s ten Magic Stones.¡± ¡°Ten Magic Stones?¡± Some Nobles, unaware of the news, were shocked. ¡°The Medici family really is wealthy, those Magic Stones if converted to Gold Coins would probably be worth a hundred thousand Gold Coins.¡± ¡°The Kingdom¡¯s annual tax revenue is only five hundred thousand Gold Coins, the Medici family is truly as rich as a nation.¡± ¡°But I heard they didn¡¯t make it. Although the Wizard taught them, there was no meditation incense or Magic Potion on the Flying Airship. Without those aids, they are just like us.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just wonderful.¡± someone said, delighting in the misfortune of others. The gap between a Knight and a Wizard Apprentice is no less than that between the unarmed and the armed. Having one less Wizard Apprentice is like having one less Predator, which is great news. Richard listened on the side, pretending not to understand anything. These arrogant Nobles believed that people like him, the lowly ones, couldn¡¯t possibly understand Wizard Language and spoke without any restraint. This was a delight for Richard to overhear. But just then, a scream echoed from a nearby cabin. ¡°Tsk tsk, the Black Bear Gang is at it again,¡± a Noble clicked his tongue. ¡°The pretty low-borns on board have probably all been toyed with by now,¡± another Noble joined in. ¡°These low-borns are really beasts, can¡¯t even keep it in their pants.¡± The freckled girl named Emily covered her nose and mouth as if she could smell the foul stench of the Black Bear Gang members. Nevertheless, despite all the talk, none of the Nobles moved to act, to administer some justice. Dog eats dog among the low-borns, what does it have to do with them, the Nobles. ¡°Ah!¡± The woman¡¯s scream came again, but this time the voice sounded eerily familiar. Richard realized something was wrong and quickly left the viewing cabin. That seemed to be Ali¡¯s voice. The viewing cabin was not far from room 225, so as soon as he exited, Richard saw a man with a muscular body and a scar on his face banging on room 225¡¯s door. Beside him were a few loafers cheering him on, who, although not as strong as the scar-faced man, were considered burly among the commoners. ¡°Woman, you better open up quickly! Or else you¡¯ll have it coming.¡± ¡°Yeah, this time we might be gentle, but once the boss breaks down the door, you¡¯ll be struggling to close your legs.¡± The loafers yelled loudly outside the door, while inside, Ali desperately blocked the door with a table. The rooms on the Flying Airship had only a simple latch, and without blocking the door, a strong man could break in with just a couple of hits. ¡°Ali, you fool, what were you thinking looking outside?¡± Ali gritted her teeth as she blocked the door, berating herself. Shortly after Richard left, Ali couldn¡¯t bear staying inside any longer. Being young, who would want to stay locked in a room? So she opened the door slightly to peek outside, thinking to quickly check the viewing cabin if no one was around. But as soon as she opened the door, she encountered the members of the Black Bear Gang looking for women to vent their desire. The Black Bear Gang members, desperate for a woman, saw such a beauty peering out from her room and instinctively reacted, rushing towards Ali. This led to the scene just witnessed. Crack. Along with the sound of wood breaking, the latch of room 225 was completely knocked open. ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± Ali¡¯s heart sank with the sound, without a latch, she couldn¡¯t possibly hold those men back. But oddly, after a while, she didn¡¯t hear anyone enter. Instead, she heard several screams and groans of pain. Could it be that a Wizard had intervened? Ali stepped out from behind the table and peered through the crack of the door. She saw members of the Black Bear Gang lying on the floor, while a thin figure was stepping on the face of the Black Bear Gang¡¯s leader. All the while cursing, ¡°Fucking fag, fucking fag, banging on my door, harassing my roommate and daring to hit on me!¡± COMMENT 2 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 2 Chapter 7 - Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Spell Shows Power Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Spell Shows Power Time rewound to moments before the cap was smashed. Richard stepped out of the observation cabin and immediately spotted the leader of the Black Bear Gang who was pounding at the door. This leader, named Riley, had been a ganglord¡¯s son in Zijing Territory of the Golden Bird Flower Kingdom before he was selected as a prospective Apprentice. From a young age, Riley possessed a strong physique, which gave him a natural advantage, allowing him to become a knight attendant at just twelve and graze the edge of knighthood by fifteen. Had he continued training, in less than five years, Riley would have become a Knight. And with another decade or so of rigorous discipline, it was very likely that he would rise to the rank of a senior Knight in his thirties. A senior Knight of such a young age would certainly be a prodigy even in the Golden Bird Flower Kingdom. By then, the King would bestow a title upon him, and Nobles would wear out the carpets in Riley¡¯s home seeking alliances through marriage. However, Riley was chosen. A Wizard¡¯s will could not be denied. It mattered not whether Riley was a ganglord¡¯s son, or even a Crown Prince¡ªhe would dutifully become a Wizard Apprentice. Riley¡¯s father lamented this fate, but Riley himself felt differently. When he witnessed the King and the assembly of Nobles bowing their heads to Wizards during the testing ceremony, a flame was lit within him. A flame named ambition. He aspired to become a Wizard, to wield that transcendent power. Once aboard the airship, Riley quickly realized that as the son of a ganglord, the Wizards did not care what he did, as long as the Apprentice survived until the examination. Having realized this, he quickly subdued a gang of followers and began his ruthless rule. Anything he eyed would end up in his hands; anyone he desired would end up in his bed. Many Nobles detested his actions, yet none stepped forward to stop him. Besides the fact that Riley didn¡¯t provoke the Nobles, the most significant reason was that he was a knight attendant. No Noble would cause a conflict with a knight attendant over common folk. ¡­ Bang! Bang! Riley was sneering as he slammed against the door, inside was a woman he had not yet seen, who he presumed to be a virgin. The thought of breaking down the door and indulging in such a delectable treat made his blood boil with excitement. But as he continued his assault, a shadow flickered at the corner of his vision. The person looked somewhat frail and wasn¡¯t tall, beneath black hair was a face handsome yet with a tinge of weakness. Gurgle. Ridley suddenly stopped banging. ¡°You lot, take over,¡± he ordered, turning to some of his lackeys. Richard watched as Riley abruptly stopped, feeling an inexplicable chill in his heart. It seemed as though something vile was about to happen. ¡°Little beauty, were you in the last group to board?¡± Riley¡¯s eyes lecherously scrutinized Richard, his blood-red tongue subconsciously licking his lips. He was not only lecherous but also indiscriminate in his sexual desires. And Richard was just to his taste. Richard looked back, seeing no one else. It seemed the comment was indeed about him. There was nothing more to say. Richard turned around woodenly, his expression dark and dismal. A surge of rage mixed with disgust rose in his heart. ¡°Die!¡± Richard lifted his hand indifferently as Magic Power gathered at his fingertips, turning into a pale blue light that shot out like a meteor, striking Riley in the chest. Zero Ring Spell: Magic Missile In an instant, Riley felt as if he had been smacked in the chest by a Knight wielding a Warhammer, his body flying backward in an agonizing and fierce expression. ¡°Wizard! Wizard!¡± The lackeys, terrified by this spectacle, hastily retreated, but Richard was not about to let them off. ¡°You¡¯re no different!¡± Richard¡¯s face was cold as streaks of pale blue light flew from his fingertips, precisely hitting the lackeys. These lackeys, being weaker than Riley, naturally couldn¡¯t dodge the missiles; they dropped to the ground, wailing in pain. Fortunately, Richard wasn¡¯t blinded by rage¡ªthe missiles aimed at the lackeys¡¯ legs. As long as there were no deaths, all could be made right. Richard advanced slowly, the blue glow at his fingertips flickering in and out. In that moment, Richard seemed like a Hell Judge walking among mortals, about to use those pale blue missiles to judge the sins of the world. One step, two steps, three steps. ¡°` Finally, Ridley, who had been flung backwards, stopped pretending to be dead and started crawling and rolling toward the other end of the airship. ¡°Wizard! Lord Wizard! Someone is trying to¡­¡± His words were cut short as a Magic Missile landed between his legs. In that moment, it was as if the sound of an egg cracking echoed in the air. Under such intense pain, Ridley¡¯s eyes rolled back, and he instantly passed out. But Richard was still not satisfied; the disgusting feeling, as if he had swallowed a fly, persisted in his mind. So, he quickly walked over and stomped viciously on Ridley¡¯s feet with his shoe. ¡°Damn faggot, damn faggot, crashing into my door, bullying my roommate, and even daring to come after me¡­¡± ¡°Richard!¡± Richard turned around, only to see Ali staring at him blankly. ¡°Oh, Ali, are you okay?¡± Richard greeted her casually, then rubbed the blood off the bottom of his shoe on Ridley¡¯s body. ¡°Did you do all of this?¡± Ali looked at everything in front of her; the devilish Ridley had actually been defeated. And it was all done by the Richard who had been with her these past few days. A sense of absurdity overwhelmed Ali, making her feel like she was in a dream. When had he set up the Magic Rebound? The wizard who was supposed to be inspecting the airship arrived late, and at the same time, the nobles in the viewing cabin, attracted by the screams of the Black Bear gangsters, came out to watch the commotion. ¡°My God, that commoner actually defeated Ridley.¡± ¡°Ridley is a knight attendant; even among us, he¡¯s considered a formidable figure!¡± ¡°Does that commoner have Magic Tools? But without a Magic Stone, Magic Tools can¡¯t be used, right?¡± ¡°Could it be that he has established Magic Rebound, becoming an official Wizard Apprentice?¡± ¡°How is that possible! How could a commoner do it so quickly!¡± The nobles¡¯ private whispers reached Richard¡¯s ears. Apart from the demeaning and shock, the use of Magic Stones to activate Magic Tools instantly caught Richard¡¯s attention. Magic Tools? Richard made a mental note of this key piece of information which could be crucial for his entrance exam; he had to handle it carefully. Before long, a wizard appeared from the other end of the airship and arrived late at the scene. She was a witch, who looked to be about thirty years old, with quite ordinary looks and no apparent mutations¡­ except that the palms of both her hands grew a mouth full of sharp teeth. After a brief inspection, the witch threw a few people onto the spot and walked straight up to Richard. ¡°I am Billiana; who did this?¡± Ali, standing beside, immediately wanted to speak up for Richard: ¡°Lord Wizard, it was these people who tried to break into the room, so¡­¡± But her words were cut off by Richard. ¡°Lord Wizard, I don¡¯t know who did this. When I got here, they were already lying here.¡± Richard spoke to Billiana with a calm composure, as if these injured people had nothing to do with him. Billiana gave him a deep look, a slight smile forming at the corner of her mouth. ¡°Very well, it seems a kind ghost has taken the liberty to tidy up these little brats for me. Though it was a bit heavy-handed; if caught, I guess there will be a penalty.¡± With that, Billiana patted Richard and used the Levitation Skill to move the bodies off the ground and away from the scene. Ali stood by, shocked at everything she witnessed, ¡°Richard, how could you dare¡­¡± Ali clutched at her chest; she could feel her heart pounding. Deceiving a wizard was such a brazen act¡ªand Richard had not only done it but done it so clumsily. But why did the wizard believe him? Ali¡¯s mind was in turmoil until Richard pulled her back into the room, bringing her back to her senses. ¡°Richard, what was that all about just now?¡± Richard sat on the stool, a glint of wisdom flashing in his eyes. ¡°Ali, these are the rules of the game for wizards. On this airship, the rules of the wizards represent an insurmountable red line for us but for the wizards, those might just be rules set on a whim during a meal. Although I breached the rules, the inspecting wizard, Billiana, thought I did well. She didn¡¯t want to punish me. That¡¯s why she asked that question.¡± Ali muttered in disbelief, ¡°Who did all this? She could hardly fail to see who did it, yet if the rules are mere scraps of paper to her, why would she even ask?¡± Richard smiled, a flash of self-mockery passing over his face. ¡°Because there isn¡¯t just one wizard on the airship; she needed an excuse for the other wizards. Even if that excuse is ridiculous.¡± To the wizards, an injured apprentice only deserves a ridiculous excuse.¡± ¡°` COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 8 - Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Nobles Recruitment Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Nobles Recruitment The Black Bear Gang¡¯s encounter quickly spread throughout the entire airship. After hearing this news, the apprentices discussed it animatedly, mostly pleased that Ridley had been dealt with. The girls who had been harassed by Ridley cheered even louder upon hearing the news. But all of this was irrelevant to Richard. At that moment, Richard was sitting in room 225, recovering his magic power while leisurely observing the several nobles before him. ¡°Would you gentlemen care to introduce yourselves?¡± Richard sat on a stool with Ali nervously standing beside him. Although Richard did not know the nobles due to his lowly status, Ali was well-acquainted with them. The nobles before him were the offspring of the major families of the Golden Bird Flower Kingdom. Ordinarily, even Ali¡¯s father would have to pay a hefty sum for an audience with them. ¡°I¡¯ll go first.¡± A tall, handsome blond man took a seat opposite Richard. ¡°I am Kevin Medici. I have come to invite you, Richard, to join our alliance.¡± ¡°The Medici Family!¡± Ali exclaimed. The Medici Family was one of the most prominent noble families in the Golden Bird Flower Kingdom, with direct dominion and vassal territories amounting to a quarter of the kingdom¡¯s land. Among the people, the Medici family¡¯s history of rising from small traders to great nobility was admired and aspired to by countless merchants. Richard, with his chin propped on his hand, said calmly, ¡°It seems we have a big shot here.¡± The Medici Family might be influential, but only within the Golden Bird Flower Kingdom. On this airship, there were no distinctions between high and low, only the strong and the weak, life and death. Pass the test and you live; fail it and you die. Kevin was not surprised by Ali¡¯s reaction, but Richard¡¯s indifference did startle him. From Richard¡¯s response, it seemed that his noble identity, along with his illustrious family, mattered little. This gave Kevin a bit of a headache, but at the same time, he couldn¡¯t help but admire Richard more. Not everyone could swiftly change the perspective they had held for over a decade. Those who could so easily become wizard apprentices truly possessed something extraordinary. After a moment of thought, Kevin decided to play the weaker role. ¡°But compared to wizards, the Medici Family is nothing more than a group of mortals with a bit of strength.¡± Richard smiled. It seemed that young master Kevin was a sensible man. ¡°So, Master Kevin, what is the strength of your organization? What position could I hold within it? What benefits could I obtain?¡± Richard was not interested in verbal sparring with nobles. His questions went straight to the heart of the collaboration. This left Kevin, accustomed to noble negotiations, momentarily at a loss for how to answer. ¡°Well¡­¡± Kevin hemmed and hawed, his brain spinning rapidly trying to articulate a structured response. But his hesitation was enough for someone else to answer for him. ¡°Scum¡­ Richard, I think you should take a longer view.¡± A red-haired noble from behind Kevin suddenly spoke up. This red-haired noble was corpulent with a greasy face. Although he tried to sound conciliatory, he could not hide the stench of his noble arrogance¡ªhe looked down on Richard from the bottom of his heart. ¡°Joining us would be an opportunity for you. Our organization consists of nobles,¡± said the fat, red-haired man with pride. ¡°As long as you join us, you too can be part of that nobility.¡± As soon as the fat man spoke, Kevin knew the situation had taken a turn for the worse. A man who cared not even for the prestigious Medici Family, would he care for that obsolete noble status? Offer him the position of a duke and he would surely reject it without hesitation. Sure enough, Richard erupted in laughter at the fat man¡¯s words. ¡°Hahahaha, Kevin, did you hear that? What a rich offer your lackey is making me.¡± Richard¡¯s sarcastic gaze swept over the group of nobles behind Kevin. Although they tried to appear amiable, their disdain for him was palpable. In contrast, Kevin, of high pedigree, genuinely set his status aside and sought to recruit him. ¡°I must say this: I come from the great Birmingham family, and the Medici Family doesn¡¯t warrant me to be a follower of Kevin.¡± The red-haired hefty man¡¯s demeanor turned serious as he explained, as if it were a matter of great importance. He couldn¡¯t understand Richard¡¯s laughter ¨C becoming a noble, an opportunity countless in the Golden Bird Flower Kingdom would pay for and never find. Here this lowly commoner received such a grace and yet felt no gratitude, instead mocking him with laughter. This was utterly illogical. A commoner was always a commoner; even if one miraculously became a wizard, that dull mind couldn¡¯t comprehend profound matters. Kevin took a deep breath. He feared not a divine opponent but dreaded a swinish ally. The fat man¡¯s words had almost rendered this recruitment pointless, but Kevin still wanted to salvage the situation. Richard, as wizard apprentice, would not only add considerable strength to their alliance but also reduce a threat. ¡°I swear on my family name! Boli, if you speak one more word, even a single letter, I will kick you out!¡± Kevin¡¯s voice trembled with uncontainable fury, his blunt words inflating Boli¡¯s face with rage. He opened his mouth as if to speak further, but upon seeing Kevin¡¯s icy glare, he ultimately closed it. ¡°Richard, you don¡¯t need to mind Boli¡¯s words. He¡¯s a new noble, and thus prideful about his status. Not all members of our organization are like that,¡± Kevin turned back to Richard, his face instantly wearing a proper smile. ¡°In our alliance, we have one knight, two apprentice wizards about to connect with the Sea of Souls, and five knight attendants. Although I don¡¯t know the situation with other airships, I can say that the strength of our alliance is definitely sufficient to pass this exam,¡± ¡°And in our alliance, we also have a descendant of a legendary knight.¡± Saying this, Kevin leaned in close to Richard with a mysterious air, ¡°Richard, have you heard of that legend? The legendary knights who founded the seven great kingdoms came from the realm of the gods, and their descendants carry the blood of gods.¡± Kevin¡¯s words piqued Richard¡¯s interest. He had indeed heard the legends of the legendary knights, how in ancient times, seven knights came from the realm of the gods to the human world and founded what are now the seven great kingdoms amidst a wilderness teeming with magic beasts. According to legend, some of these knights possessed immense strength, others could spew flames, some could transform into beasts, while others were impervious to blades and spears. But from the way Kevin spoke, it seemed these legendary knights had some connection to wizards. ¡°What do you mean? Are you suggesting these legendary knights are also the ancestors of wizards?¡± Richard guessed. ¡°Not exactly, but it¡¯s pretty close,¡± Kevin¡¯s eyes shifted, coyly holding back. ¡°It seems this is classified information I¡¯ll need to join to discover.¡± Richard pondered, his gaze shifting from Kevin to the group of nobles behind him and then back to Kevin. ¡°I have a question, and if you answer it for me, I¡¯ll join your alliance,¡± Richard sat up straight, his expression turning serious. ¡°Please, ask.¡± ¡°Why would that knight and the two prospective apprentices form an alliance with you?¡± Kevin¡¯s alliance seemed quite odd to Richard. Members of an alliance should each have a purpose, or at least the majority of them should. Apart from the knight and wizard apprentices, the others in Kevin¡¯s alliance seemed not to be burdens per se, but at least they were not of much use. Such a misshapen alliance, by all logic, should not exist. Yet its existence implied there was some inner support unknown to Richard. Richard speculated that this support might be the ¡°Magic Tools¡± spoken of by the nobles. ¡°That question is simple,¡± Kevin said, as if relieved, ¡°Because most of us possess¡­¡± ¡°Kevin!¡± A short shout interrupted Kevin. It was a woman from the nobility, clad in purple. In the Golden Bird Flower Kingdom, purple signified nobility, and to wear such attire, one¡¯s family must at least have produced a duke. Seeing this, Richard shook his head in resignation, chiding himself for entertaining any illusions about nobles. ¡°It seems our cooperation will not be possible after all. Please take your leave.¡± Richard rose to see his guests out, not giving Kevin a chance to explain further. If those nobles could show Richard even half, or even a third, of the respect Kevin did, he would have considered joining their organization. Amongst so many apprentices, Kevin was certainly not the only one forming an alliance. If they were to enter the exam, these alliances would primarily prey upon individual apprentices. But the attitude of these nobles was such that Richard didn¡¯t dare trust them with his back. Moreover, Ali had also become an apprentice. Why would teaming up with Ali, someone he knew well and trusted, not be better than teaming up with these nobles? Seeing Richard¡¯s resolute demeanor, Kevin said nothing more and, following etiquette, shook hands with Richard and departed. After they left, Richard opened the palm of the hand he had used to shake with Kevin. A piece of paper filled with Wizard Language suddenly appeared in his palm. ¡°This Kevin is quite interesting,¡± Richard smiled and casually tucked the note into his pocket. Half an hour later, after maintenance, the airship resumed high-speed flight, and all the apprentices returned to their cramped rooms. Richard sat on his bed, replaying the fight in his mind. He had cast Magic Missile eight times, using up about half of his magic power. This meant that if he were to use all his magic power, he could cast Magic Missile a total of fifteen times. Although described in books as feeble and weak, to the point that no one except novice wizard apprentices would waste magic power so, the potency equivalent to that of bullets surprised Richard when actually used. Fifteen Magic Missiles amounted to fifteen bullets. With such power, Richard was confident that as long as he wasn¡¯t ambushed or attacked by a group, he could definitely pass the exam. Having replayed the battle in his mind, Richard took the note out of his pocket. The message inside was simple: Kevin proposed to hire Richard not to kill him during the entrance exam for the price of one Magic Stone. The payment, a Magic Stone, would be settled after admission. ¡°The mind of a noble who started in trade is much better than that of those idiots,¡± Richard remarked as he stuffed the note back into his pocket. For Richard, this deal meant gaining a Magic Stone without needing to do anything. And for Kevin, getting what he wanted¡ªan assurance of safety in the exam from a Wizard Apprentice who was essentially a predator¡ªseemed undoubtedly worthwhile. It was a win-win trade. ¡­ After its maintenance, the airship did not slow down at any point during the journey. For ten continuous days, the airship flew non-stop to its designated location. As the leader of the recruiting wizards and wielding a massive sword the size of a door, Aireli beheld the towering black spire piercing the clouds and issued an order. ¡°Prepare to land!¡± They had arrived at Black Tower Wizard Academy. COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 9 - Chapter 9: Chapter 9 Deputy Dean Alex Chapter 9: Chapter 9 Deputy Dean Alex ¡°The Airship is preparing to land! All Apprentices, indoor activities are prohibited.¡± ¡°Repeat.¡± ¡°The Airship is preparing to land! All Apprentices, indoor activities are prohibited.¡± The eerie voice of the food-delivery automaton echoed throughout the Flying Airship. After nearly a month of flight, this group of Apprentices had finally arrived at their destination¡ªthe Black Tower Wizard Academy. Richard sat quietly on his bed. After ten days of recovery, his Magic Power had long since been fully restored. Ali, too, had completed the construction of her Magic Rebound and learned all the Zero Ring Spells during these ten days. Kevin¡¯s recruitment made them realize that if they were to fight alone, they would still be at a considerable disadvantage in this examination. Thus, the two had formed an offensive and defensive alliance as soon as Ali completed her Magic Rebound. ¡°Richard, what should we do when we get there?¡± Ali sat on her bed, clutching the bag issued by the Wizard in her hands, her knuckles turning somewhat pale. The upcoming life-and-death struggle filled the girl, who had never even killed a chicken, with dread. Even though she was now a Wizard Apprentice. ¡°What else can we do, just kill people.¡± Richard¡¯s voice was very relaxed, as if the imminent slaughter was no more than going out for a meal. Boom! As soon as Richard finished speaking, the two of them felt the room shake. The loud sound of the Airship landing instantly transmitted over. ¡°The Airship has landed, all Apprentices take your personal belongings, and leave the Airship in order.¡± Richard and Ali picked up their things and walked out the door, forming a line according to the recruitment Wizard¡¯s arrangement and, one by one, disembarked. As they exited the Airship, the skeleton Wizard distributing the Apprentices¡¯ pouches also handed each person a strap filled with tubes, each containing mostly a tube of emerald liquid. ¡°It seems this is the Nutritional Potion,¡± Richard thought to himself. Outside the Airship was an open area; the lighting was a bit dim, with dozens of Magic Airships arranged neatly in the sky, their huge bodies covering the sun. In their shadows, tens of thousands of Apprentices stood in a large square formation. Richard followed the line into the square, and floating above the formation was a Wizard in a black robe with glasses and a white beard, standing quietly in the air. ¡°Zeppelin Type Airship Number 050 has arrived, with 198 prospective Apprentices.¡± The leader, Taylor, reported to the sky with a respectful bow. Only after the floating Wizard nodded slightly did Taylor quietly depart. ¡°Silence.¡± The floating Wizard¡¯s voice was not loud, but it reached every Apprentice¡¯s ears. Richard looked at the Wizard, and a fear from the depths of his soul suddenly surged in his heart. This Wizard was not exhibiting any aura, but to him, he seemed like a completely different being from the recruitment Wizards. Could this be what a real Wizard looks like? ¡°Welcome to Black Tower Wizard Academy¡¯s 432nd entrance examination. I am your Deputy Dean, Alex, and the examiner for your test. There will be ten examination venues in total, with one thousand people in each. Each venue will contain ten Magic Beasts, and these beasts will have Magic Tools prepared by the Academy. Apprentice with sufficient strength may hunt them at will. Details about other exam rules can be found on page thirty-two of the entrance regulations. Those who haven¡¯t reviewed them may do so at their leisure. Now, begin the examination.¡± With that, Deputy Dean Alex waved his hand, and radiant beams of light arose beneath the Apprentice formation. These lights intertwined with each other, seemingly forming a complex geometric pattern. Watching the light beneath his feet, a flash of panic suddenly struck Richard¡¯s heart. Could this examination scramble all the Apprentices? Hum! A buzzing sounded in Richard¡¯s ears, and the scene before him turned into an abstract painting made up of numerous color blocks, causing dizziness and vertigo. ¡°Is this teleportation?¡± Richard muttered to himself, feeling a wave of nausea surging to the back of his throat. After about three or four seconds, Richard¡¯s vision began to clear, revealing a lush primeval forest before his eyes. Richard leaned against a tree and vomited bile, finding the sensation of teleportation truly unpleasant. ¡°Led astray by those damned Nobles¡ªthose fools have no clue about the specifics of the exam. Now, I can only hope that Ali toughens up.¡± After spitting out the bile, Richard grumbled to himself, then immediately saw beams of light shooting up into the sky. The dazzling light was clearly visible even in the daytime. The location of these beams of light was where Apprentices needed to arrive within fourteen days. Richard strapped a belt filled with vials around his waist, then immediately headed in the direction of the light beams without wasting any time. The rule of the Academy was that Apprentices must reach a certain destination within fourteen days, which meant that arriving early was presumably allowed. And finishing the exam earlier meant safety sooner, which was common sense that Richard understood without thinking. ¡­ With the end of the teleportation, the silent primeval forest began to bustle with activity as the exam commenced. Tens of thousands of Apprentices began to move almost instantly after the teleportation had ended. There were strong and weak among these Apprentices, including Knights and official Wizard Apprentices; they each performed Divine Skills, all heading towards the towering beams of light. Riley struggled to move through the dense woods. As a Knight Attendant with exceptional talent, his robust physique, coupled with Wizards¡¯ Magic Potions, allowed him to be up and about shortly after sustaining injuries. But tragically, as the effects of the Magic Potions wore off, his groin began to suffer continuous, unending pain. The pain seemed to remind him, ¡°You¡¯re not a man anymore!¡± ¡°Damn it, bastard, wait till I master magic, I¡¯ll rape you then kill you, tear you into a million pieces.¡± A fatigued Riley leaned against a large tree, cursing loudly. His eyes were bloodshot, his teeth clenched; hatred acted like Hallucinogens, numbing his nerves, causing him also to have illusions. For instance, he thought he saw the figure that had emasculated him emerge from the forest. ¡°Oh, look who it is. Now the Crystal Ball has a destination.¡± This figure seemed pleasantly surprised to see him, and with a raise of the arm, Riley once again saw that blue glow. The blue glow that had castrated him! It wasn¡¯t an illusion! He had really encountered that mongrel! A surge of intense fear welled up inside Riley, and he turned to run. Although he constantly cursed Richard, every night after his injury, Riley would wake up startled by visions of Richard and his blue glow. Richard had nearly become his nightmare. Now, the nightmare had come to life. Bang! Having left the Flying Airship, Richard held nothing back. A Magic Missile flew from his fingertip, drawing a straight line through the air, then precisely landing on the back of Riley¡¯s head. Then Richard saw Riley¡¯s entire occiput cave in, red and white matter spattering all around. ¡°Ugh!¡± Watching the corpse, Richard couldn¡¯t help but retch. Those who kill often know that the first time you kill and retch, is due to the intense fear and shock of bloodshed¡ªa normal reaction. Though Richard didn¡¯t feel fear, as someone who had never even slaughtered a chicken, the pungent smell of blood was quite suffocating. After heaving for a while, Richard approached and took down Riley¡¯s Crystal Ball and the Nutritional Potions he was carrying. With these things, he could focus on making his way. After collecting the items, Richard searched through Riley¡¯s pockets and, feeling around, he found a black, diamond-shaped crystal. Inside it, Richard sensed an extremely rich Magic Power. ¡°Could this be¡­ a Magic Stone?¡± COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 10 - Chapter 10: Chapter 10 Magic Stone and Magic Tools Chapter 10: Chapter 10 Magic Stone and Magic Tools Magic Stones had been mentioned by the nobles aboard the airship, but this was the first time Richard actually laid eyes on one. This Magic Stone was about the size of a thumb pad, jet black, and diamond-shaped; it resembled a black gemstone under the sunlight. Richard used his spiritual power to sense the Magic Stone and found that the Magic Power stored within it not only exceeded his Magic Rebound but was also effortless to absorb. This was undoubtedly great news for Richard. A Wizard Apprentice¡¯s Magic Rebound had a limited storage for Magic Power. Once the Magic Power from the Rebound was exhausted, even a Wizard would need to absorb Magic Power anew. However, the efficiency of recovering Magic Rebound by absorbing Magic Power directly from nature was very low. It took Richard two full days on the airship to recover only half of the Magic Power he had used up. But with this Magic Stone, the time it would take for Richard to recover his Magic Power could be reduced from two days to two minutes. ¡°No wonder a Magic Stone can fetch a hundred thousand gold coins in the Golden Bird Flower market; if someone carried two of them, they could walk sideways in an exam as long as they were a Wizard Apprentice,¡± Richard exclaimed, holding the Magic Stone. ¡°By that logic, if Wizards don¡¯t have any special methods, the battles between Wizards could also turn into a competition of personal wealth.¡± With these thoughts, Richard¡¯s eyes glowed with even more fervor when he looked at the Magic Stone. The Magic Stone was not just wealth, but also a part of a Wizard¡¯s strength. Pocketing the Magic Stone, Richard continued on his journey. But this time was different; before moving, a sudden flash of light swept over his body. Zero-Ring Spell: Light Body Skill. With the Magic Stone as a backup source of Magic Power, Richard was no longer frugal with his spells. As the effects of the Light Body Skill took effect, Richard immediately felt lighter. His steps quickened, and the pocket at his waist felt lighter too. Maintaining the Light Body Skill for half an hour, Richard managed to cover nearly twice the distance he would have without the spell in that time. If he kept this up, he would only need about three days to reach the location of the light column. But as Richard pressed on with all his might, a whistling sound came from within the woods. Whoosh! Instinctively, Richard ducked; he saw an Ice Cone fly out from the woods, whisking past the top of his head. ¡°That was close!¡± Peering at the Ice Cone that had bored a hole in the tree trunk, Richard felt a wave of relief. If he had ducked a second later, the Ice Cone could have shattered his skull. ¡°I can¡¯t be so reckless. As important as it is to hurry, I cannot lose sight of the bigger picture,¡± Richard reminded himself. With a raise of his hand, he launched a Magic Missile in the direction of the Ice Cone. Since someone had made a move against him, it was only natural for him to return the favor. A blue glow shot forth. Without waiting to see the outcome, Richard immediately cast another Light Body Skill on himself and, crouching low, he zigzagged toward the source of the Ice Cone. Whoosh! Another Ice Cone followed. But this Ice Cone was far off the mark from Richard. ¡°It seems this person has panicked,¡± Richard thought to himself. ¡°Their ambush failed to kill with a single hit, and they lost their composure once they faced resistance.¡± Do they even deserve to kill me? Richard scoffed at the thought and soon caught sight of the attacker. The ambusher was a petite figure dressed in lavish attire, a beautiful noble girl with panic written all over her face. Her hand, adorned with a ring, shook as she attempted to launch another Ice Cone Skill to finish off Richard. ¡°Don¡¯t come any closer! Stay away! Don¡¯t you dare come closer!¡± As Richard drew ever closer, the girl suddenly squeezed her eyes shut and let out a piercing scream, firing another Ice Cone. But the gods did not pity her; this Ice Cone was as far from Richard as before. ¡°It¡¯s over,¡± Richard stood a short distance from the young girl, his expression cold and indifferent, as a hint of blue light flashed from the tip of his raised arm. He harbored no sympathy for the fairer sex. Bang Red and white splattered. Approaching the girl¡¯s corpse with indifference, Richard noticed two bags beside her, indicating that another unfortunate soul had already fallen victim to a stealthy attack. He pulled the ring off the girl¡¯s finger. This ring, made of gray metal, had an old look to it, with a metal setting designed to hold a Magic Stone. ¡°So this is what the Nobles refer to as Magic Tools, the underlying reason why Kevin¡¯s alliance was able to be established.¡± Racked by inspiration, Richard wanted to refine it using the Miracle Furnace to see if he could acquire the method for crafting such a ring. However, the Miracle Furnace didn¡¯t react to it at all, as if the quality of the ring was too low to catch its interest. After removing the ring, Richard searched the girl¡¯s body further. Ultimately, he found three Magic Stones and a Magic Dagger. Similarly, the Miracle Furnace showed no reaction to the dagger either. ¡°The Nobles are really loaded. If all Nobles are such idiots, it makes me want to hunt them down.¡± Examining the dagger in his hand, which had an indent similar to that of a Magic Stone at the base of the handle, Richard placed a Magic Stone into it and immediately, a line of Runes appeared on the blade that was previously plain. Swinging the dagger a couple of times, Richard found it easily plunged into the trunk of a nearby tree that was likely over a hundred years old. ¡°What a sharp dagger!¡± Richard exclaimed in surprise, immediately recalling the Wind Crow Sword Skill he had acquired from the sword of the first Baron of Heisen. Although he was now a Wizard Apprentice, if someone got too close, he would instantly revert to being the vulnerable son of a farmer. Although the dagger wasn¡¯t long, it was still a formidable weapon, capable of employing a fraction of the Wind Crow Sword Skill. With a third of his Wind Crow Sword Skill and this dagger which could slice through metal as if it were mud, not only did he compensate for his weakness at close range, but his strength also rose a notch. Suppressing the urge to laugh out loud, Richard removed the Magic Stone from the dagger¡¯s handle. Good steel should be reserved for the blade edge; he wasn¡¯t affluent enough to waste Magic Stones recklessly. After securing the Magic Stone, Richard wore the ice cone ring on his finger, tucked the Magic Dagger at his waist, and continued on his journey. The rest of the items on the corpse were of no use to Richard, and bringing them along would only be a burden, so he just left them behind for whoever might be fortunate enough to find them. Learning from his experiences, Richard set out with caution, alert and vigilant as he made his way through the forest. Although this slowed him down, it was safer. In this manner, Richard survived the first day of the test. In the evening, the forest was alive with the sound of insects, as Richard piled up a heap of fallen leaves beneath a large tree to serve as his bed for the night. The temperature in this primeval forest wasn¡¯t particularly high, but it was a vast improvement over the cold winter months of the Heisen Territory. Even at night, Richard was merely cold, not shivering uncontrollably. Opening a bottle of Nutritional Potion, Richard took a sip. The Potion tasted strange, reminiscent of diluted, fermented vinegar mixed with grass juice sealed away for a month. But despite the off-putting flavor, the effect of the potion was genuinely remarkable. A tube of Nutritional Potion warmed Richard¡¯s belly instantly, eliminating the sensation of hunger from his stomach. After his drink, Richard lay under the tree, exhaustion from the day washing over him like a tide. However, he did not choose to sleep; instead, he opted for meditation. While aboard the Airship, Richard had discovered that the Meditation Method could alleviate mental fatigue, and two hours of meditation was even more beneficial than eight hours of sleep. In this treacherous primeval forest, spending more time awake was undeniably advantageous. Moreover, meditation also had the effect of enhancing spiritual power, making it a perfect solution. But as he began to meditate, a strange animal roar echoed through the forest. COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Load failed, please RETRY 1 Chapter 11 - Chapter 11: Chapter 11 Magic Beast: 7 Magic Sheep Chapter 11: Chapter 11 Magic Beast: 7 Magic Sheep ¡°Roar!¡± A few kilometers away from Richard, a bizarre-looking Magic Beast was chasing a group of Wizard Apprentices. ¡°What on earth is this!¡± an Apprentice cried out in panic. He had been resting comfortably in the woods when suddenly he saw a crowd of people coming toward him, with a monster following behind them. ¡°Are you an idiot? This is the Magic Beast the Academy placed in the examination arena!¡± another Apprentice retorted angrily. Before becoming Apprentices, the term ¡°Magic Beast¡± was merely a myth. According to the legends, various Magic Beasts committed many atrocities, killed people like flies, but would all eventually be slain by Knights, becoming the spoils of heroic battles. However, when these creatures stepped out of the realm of legend, people realized just how laughable those stories were. This flesh monster, over two meters tall at the shoulder, over four meters long, with seven heads and eight legs, could trample a squad of Knights to death merely with its weight and speed. What was even more terrifying was that among its seven heads, aside from the central goat head, the other six were stitched together by man. It was a synthetic monster. The stitched heads on the adjacent bodies roared wildly, spitting acid and flames, occasionally bending down their heads to swallow Apprentices who came too close. Apprentices sporadically cast Spells, but either they missed due to panic, or the spells were too weak and left only fleeting scars on the body of the Magic Beast. Limbs, blood, screams, roars. The whole woods seemed like hell on earth. ¡­ Inside the Central Black Tower of the Black Tower Wizard Academy, two Wizards were staring at a Crystal Ball in front of them. The Crystal Ball was livestreaming the scene of the seven-headed Magic Sheep¡¯s rampage. ¡°Deputy Dean, the Magic Beasts we released this time are quite effective, aren¡¯t they? I personally created these, and their quality is guaranteed.¡± a Wizard bragged. Beside the Crystal Ball, Eric, serving as the entrance exam invigilator, looked up and adjusted his glasses: ¡°Jolod, did you really make this thing yourself? You lazybones, did you really bother to craft this trinket?¡± The Wizard referred to as Jolod stiffened. ¡°Not saying anything now?¡± Eric smiled at Jolod, ¡°Just bring evidence to prove that this isn¡¯t your Apprentice¡¯s work, and next Plane War, I¡¯ll make you a pawn.¡± ¡°A Three Rings Wizard as your pawn, guaranteeing you earn loads in the next war.¡± ¡°Cough cough, Deputy Dean, let¡¯s just watch the Magic Beast.¡± Jolod coughed and steered the conversation away. ¡°Speaking of which, why did the Dean suddenly decide to change the exams this year? Although we took a loss last time, we made enough to not be in such a rush to replenish Wizards.¡± Deputy Dean Eric shook his head: ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± Although he was the Dean¡¯s assistant, he also disagreed with the Dean on this matter. The elite standard for graduating Wizards from the Black Tower Wizard Academy, an institution established less than an epoch ago, was a fundamental strategy that allowed it to quickly stabilize and develop. ¡°But since the Dean made such a decision, he must have his reasons. He¡¯s a Four Rings Great Wizard who can directly receive messages from the Truth Council. All we lesser Wizards need to do is quietly follow his will.¡± ¡­ As the roars of the beast grew closer, Richard¡¯s meditation plans were completely ruined. He climbed a large tree, trying to see what was happening in the distance by the moonlight. But before he could get a good look, a dazzling burst of flames erupted from the nearby woods. Boom! The sound, almost like thunder, made even Richard, several hundred meters away, feel deafened. ¡°It seems someone has used a powerful Magic Tool; that Magic Beast must have been dealt with.¡± Richard jumped down from the tree, intending to continue meditating. But it seemed as though fate was against him today, for shortly after he jumped down, that hellish beastly roar resounded once again. And it sounded even closer this time. ¡°I just can¡¯t get any peace.¡± Richard furrowed his brows and immediately cast Light Body Skill and Silence Technique on himself. Silence Technique wasn¡¯t very useful to Richard during the day, but in the dimly lit night, this Zero Ring Spell was almost like invisibility. Once the spell was cast, Richard found a bush to hide in. He had no intention of picking up leftovers. Though the Magic Beast was injured by a Magic Tool, a crippled ship still has three pounds of nails; he just needed to stay lower, play safe, and he would definitely pass the entrance exam without risking it for a Magic Tool. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! The voice of the Magic Beast grew closer, its heavy footsteps further convincing Richard to stay hidden. This sounded like a big guy, and if it wasn¡¯t killed with one strike, he was in for serious trouble. ¡°Roar!¡± A seven-headed Magic Beast burst out from the forest with originally seven heads, now only three remained intact. The spots of the other four heads looked like they had been bombed, charred around the wound. ¡°Is this the Magic Beast? It looks like an experimental subject.¡± Richard looked at the thick stitches under the head of the seven-headed Magic Beast and a speculation flashed through his mind. This Magic Beast might just be some Wizard¡¯s experiment, or even an experiment conducted by a Wizard Apprentice! If this thing was created by someone, then could he extract the process of making Magic Beasts using the Miracle Furnace? If he could, then could he also create such a Magic Beast? A fiery greed flickered through Richard¡¯s heart, but his rationality immediately stopped him. ¡°There¡¯s no need to create more trouble, let¡¯s pass the examination first.¡± Richard suppressed his greed and wanted to wait for the Magic Beast to leave. But at that moment, one of the remaining three heads, a wolf head, suddenly twitched a couple of times. A wolf¡¯s sense of smell is tens of thousands of times better than that of a human, even in the mixed scents of the primeval forest, the human scent on Richard was as clear as the sun. ¡°Awooo.¡± The wolf head let out a howl, its head striving to turn in Richard¡¯s direction. ¡°I¡¯ve been spotted!¡± Richard¡¯s heart tightened, and he immediately took out a complete Magic Stone to replace the one on his ice cone ring. The Magic Stone on the ring had been worn down to one-fifth by its previous owner, and this Magic Beast didn¡¯t seem like it could be dealt with just one Ice Cone. Thud, thud, thud, thud! The seven-headed Magic Beast that had detected human traces immediately charged towards Richard; human flesh was the most delicious food for it and the most effective medicine for its wounds. The Magic Beast surged forward. Its hooves were as big as bowls, its roar as loud as thunder, dirt and grass splattered under its hooves, and dead branches and leaves danced under its roar. It was like the mythological eight-legged steed, unstoppable and unmatched. But with a loud ¡°boom¡± the Magic Beast suddenly lost balance and plummeted to the ground. Its massive body plowed the ground like a bulldozer. Two ice cones, each as thick as an arm and about a meter long, had brutally broken its two front legs. Thump, thump, thump, thump¡­ Richard clutched his chest. Under the influence of adrenaline, his heart pounded like a drum, blood surging through his veins like tidal waves. If he had been a second slower, even just one second, he would have died in the jaws of the Magic Beast. Even this was a heavily injured Magic Beast; had it been uninjured, Richard didn¡¯t dare imagine how terrifying it would have been. Richard steadied himself, and again shot an Ice Cone at the only head without stitches of the trying-to-stand Magic Beast, effectively splitting it open. The Magic Beast convulsed for a while before finally returning to stillness. ¡°It¡¯s finally dead.¡± Richard cautiously approached, and after confirming that the Magic Beast was thoroughly dead, he placed his hand on its body. But the outcome was deeply disappointing. The Miracle Furnace showed absolutely no response to the Magic Beast. ¡°Did I think wrong?¡± Richard¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, contemplating for a moment before pulling out the Magic Dagger from his waist and began disemboweling the Magic Beast. With the enhancement of Magic Power, the dagger could cut through iron as if it were mud, and Richard felt no resistance while gutting. As soon as the belly of the Magic Beast was opened, a foul-smelling pool of blood immediately flowed out. The organs inside the Magic Beast were rotting at a visible rate. Richard, looking at the thick, foul-smelling blood, steeled his heart and reached indiscriminately inside the belly of the Magic Beast. When he touched something that was still pulsating, the Miracle Furnace finally trembled slightly. [Material: Low-Grade Synthetic Beast Core] [Extractable Craft: Low-Grade Synthetic Beast Core Creation] [Extraction Cost: 15 Spiritual Power] [Extract now?] COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 12 - Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Take My Fireball Technique Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Take My Fireball Technique The Synthetic Beast Core looked like an enlarged neuron, with several thick blood vessels extending outward from the core. When the Magic Beast was alive, a massive amount of blood was transported to every part of the body through these vessels, delivering a constant stream of energy to every corner of the Magic Beast¡¯s body. But now, the Magic Beast was rapidly decaying, while the core still pulsated healthily. Richard held the Synthetic Beast Core, its outward-extending blood vessels now sealed off, with the remaining blood beginning a tiny circulation inside it. It felt to Richard not so much like an organ, but more like a type of parasitic creature. ¡°No.¡± Richard made a decision. After having fainted during the last extraction, he had learned from the painful experience and decided that he would absolutely perform extractions only in safe places from now on. Moreover, creating the Synthetic Beast Core at this critical time was useless, and there was no loss in waiting to extract it later. It had only been a few minutes since the Magic Beast had died before it turned into a pile of white bones. Richard searched in the sewage and a Magic Wand wrapped in a bag caught his eye. ¡°It seems this is the Magic Tool prepared by the Academy.¡± Richard got his hands on the Magic Wand; it was about half a meter long and weighed around one catty. The body of the wand was pitch black with a spherical Crystal embedded at the top, the size of a baby¡¯s fist. After Richard explored it with his spiritual power, a message that seemed to be left by the maker immediately became clear in his mind. [This Magic Wand is engraved with the Lesser Fireball Technique, with a recharge time of three minutes, and does not possess a self-charging circuit. Each use consumes one-third of a standard Magic Stone.] Richard was amazed at the method of information transfer, a method he had never encountered before, it felt incredibly curious. ¡°Lesser Fireball Technique, each use costs one-third of a Magic Stone, plus the charging time.¡± Richard waved the Magic Wand a couple of times, ¡°The cost-effectiveness seems a bit low compared to the Ice Cone Ring in this exam.¡± The power of the Lesser Fireball Technique should be higher than that of the Ice Cone, but the enemies he was facing now, besides Magic Beasts, were almost all high-offense low-defense types. The Ice Cone Skill, which had virtually no charging time and low consumption, was perfectly suited to the current environment. The Lesser Fireball Technique seemed like overkill. ¡°But having it is better than nothing; who knows, I might encounter a Magic Beast later.¡± Richard shook his head, feeling he was being a bit too greedy. After securing the Synthetic Beast Core, Richard cast the Silence Technique on himself. It was the middle of the night, but the commotion caused by the Magic Beast was not small, and there might be people looking to take advantage of it. It was always better to be safe. Shortly after Richard left, a few Apprentices looking to scavenge arrived beside the carcass of the Magic Beast. ¡°We¡¯re late. Someone got here first.¡± ¡°What do we do now, a wasted trip?¡± The Apprentices exchanged glances, then turned to look at the bald Apprentice who was leading them. After a moment of contemplation, the bald Apprentice was about to make a decision when suddenly a tall figure leaped out from the woods. This person was two meters tall, with a burly figure clad in Chain Armor, carrying seven or eight bags around his waist, wielding a two-handed greatsword in one hand, and holding a half-dead Wizard Apprentice in the other. ¡°You don¡¯t have to think about what to do, because you¡¯re all going to die here.¡± ¡­ The next day, the sun rose as usual. Richard stood up from a pile of dry leaves. After meditating, his spirit was as refreshed as if he had slept for a night, but a good spirit didn¡¯t mean his body was fine. After a day of travel and a night of pursuit, ache coursed through Richard¡¯s entire body. But the road still had to be traveled. Dragging his sore body, Richard set out again. The havoc wrought by last night¡¯s Magic Beast was not without benefit; apart from the Magic Tool on its body, the forest was also trampled into several small paths by the creatures. This saved Richard quite a bit of effort. With the Light Body Skill¡¯s blessing, Richard easily covered half the distance on the second day. And as he got closer to the meeting point, the density of Apprentices also grew higher. These Apprentices had at least two or three bags each, and upon meeting each other, except for a few with odd temperaments, the vast majority would display their Crystal Balls and then turn away. The ones who made it halfway weren¡¯t easy targets¡ªmost had blood on their hands. With the risks outweighing the benefits, few were willing to gamble with their lives. At night, Richard, as usual, hid among dry leaves for meditation. Although those who reached this area had mostly completed the examination conditions, it¡¯s always better to be safe than sorry. During the day, Richard always felt like someone was trailing him. This sensation made him feel as if he were on pins and needles, and he struggled to enter a Meditative State. Not far from Richard, a tall figure with a dozen bags strapped around his waist crouched in a tree, silently observing Richard¡¯s hiding spot. ¡°Followed him for a day, and this kid did nothing but travel, avoiding others whenever possible. Such a coward, and he¡¯s the one who killed that Magic Beast?¡± He had initially thought that an Apprentice capable of killing a Magic Beast would at least be a Knight¡ªa worthy opponent. But after a day of observation, this person was no different from a straw bag. Could he be hiding his true strength? ¡­ Engrossed in meditation, Richard¡¯s heart suddenly tightened, and the piercing sound of something slicing through the air made him instinctively duck. With a ¡®thud,¡¯ Richard saw a wooden spear as thick as an arm appear beside him. The spear, probably longer than a meter with one end sharpened, quivered continuously at the tail end after embedding itself in a tree trunk. Someone had attacked¡ªa skilled one at that. Richard¡¯s heart sank, and he immediately gripped the Fireball Magic Wand he¡¯d acquired the day before. To do something like that with a piece of wood, the attacker must either have a very powerful Magic Tool or be a Genius Knight. Richard hoped for the former, because the latter could possess both Magic Tools and a Knight¡¯s prowess. ¡°You dodged. Seems like you do have some skill,¡± A voice came from not far away, and Richard turned to see a large figure wielding a two-handed greatsword, stepping out from the woods with a dozen bags tied around his waist. ¡°A dozen bags¡­ looks like I¡¯ve run into a madman.¡± Richard¡¯s hold on his Magic Wand tightened unconsciously. In this exam where killing one person was enough to pass, this man wore the bags of over a dozen slain Apprentices as trophies at his waist. The man was clearly mad, and a powerful one at that. ¡°Allow me to introduce myself,¡± the large figure shouted. ¡°I am Saban Chavez of the Norton Empire. May I ask for your name?¡± Using the moonlight filtering through the trees, Richard made out the newcomer¡¯s features: red hair, slanted eyes, high nose bridge, and a scar stretching from his nose bridge to the corners of his eyes. The Great Sword rested on his shoulder, his Chain Armor bore many tears, yet his body showed no injuries. ¡°This is a master, possibly a Knight,¡± Richard concluded. ¡°No reply?¡± After waiting in vain for Richard to divulge his name, Saban shrugged with resignation and, a second later, charged toward Richard with the Great Sword. ¡°If you won¡¯t even give your name, then you can go to hell.¡± Richard watched Saban coldly, as a red gleam flickered from the Magic Wand in his hand. ¡°Idiot. Take this Fireball Technique.¡± COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 13 - Chapter 13: Chapter 13 Legendary Bloodline Chapter 13: Chapter 13 Legendary Bloodline Saban Chavez, the genius knight of the Norton Empire, became a knight at the supreme young age of fourteen. Within the Norton Empire, countless youths saw him as an idol, and countless girls went mad for him. But aside from his opponents, no one knew that this promising knight was actually a madman. Saban loved to fight, adored the kill; the sensation of his blade slicing through muscle and skin intoxicated him, and the stronger the enemy, the more intense the pleasure derived from his blade. When Saban was chosen to become a Wizard Apprentice, the King of the Norton Empire himself hoped to plead for him, wanting the wizards to keep this genius knight. But Saban refused it all. To him, the power of a wizard was fascinating. If he could use his blade to kill a wizard, he reckoned that kind of pleasure could elevate him to Heaven. So Saban became a Wizard Apprentice, participating in this entrance exam. Powerful opponents, lawful killing ¨C all of this was simply Heaven to him. Therefore, when he saw an Apprentice capable of slaying a Magic Beast, his heart was incredibly excited. This was what he was after. Until a dazzling blaze of light appeared before him. An orange-red meteor shot out from Richard¡¯s hand, flying directly towards Saban. Saban felt an unprecedented fear in the presence of this Fireball, a fear even greater than when he faced a Magic Beast. ¡°What kind of magic is this?¡± Saban didn¡¯t have time to think; he instinctively wanted to dodge, but as he brushed past the fireball¡ª The fireball exploded. Boom! The violent flames turned all of Saban¡¯s clothing to ashes, and the chain armor, meant for defense, became like red-hot branding irons, leaving behind trails of charred marks on Saban¡¯s body. The shockwave instantly blasted him away; he didn¡¯t even have time to react before he was flung like a cannonball, his great sword slipping from his grasp. On the other side of the Fireball Technique, Richard watched all this quietly. Before him, a transparent barrier blocked all the remnants of the explosion. Zero Ring Spell: Force Field Barrier ¡°Huh! This is Lesser Fireball Technique? Is the gap between One Ring magic and Zero Ring magic this big?¡± Richard looked at the three-meter diameter, half-meter deep crater next to Saban and felt a flicker of shock. This Spell¡¯s power was almost comparable to a cannonball. ¡°To take a hit from such a spell, that man ought to be dead.¡± Richard looked toward the woods, and suddenly he heard an angry roar coming from the forest. ¡°Damn it! I¡¯m going to chop you to pieces!¡± A black figure burst out from the woods, a large body with charred skin ¡ª it was Saban who had just been blasted away. He had taken a hit from a Lesser Fireball Technique and yet, he hadn¡¯t died. Richard took a few steps back and shot out two Magic Missiles from his hand, trying to stop Saban, but Saban, after rushing from the woods, did not continue the chase; he sidestepped and dodged Richard¡¯s Magic Missiles. Without time to think further, Richard immediately tried to use the Ice Cone Skill to give Saban a wide-open chest, but before he could release the Ice Cone, Saban¡¯s transformation shocked Richard. White breath continuously billowed from Saban¡¯s nose and mouth, and a layer of golden fur began to grow on his previously charred skin. The golden fur grew thicker and longer, and Saban¡¯s body also inflated, growing larger. ¡°Man, is this Beastification?¡± Seeing Saban¡¯s transformation, Richard instantly thought of the Legendary Knight from the Golden Bird Flower legend. Could this madman be a descendant of the Legendary Knight? Richard raised his hand to finish Saban with an Ice Cone Skill, but Saban slapped his hand and deflected the trajectory of the Ice Cone beside him. ¡°This is going to be troublesome. One hit didn¡¯t finish it.¡± Richard discreetly grasped the Magic Dagger in his hand; from the performance just now, this madman was definitely a close combat type. ¡°You¡¯re the first to make me use my Legendary Bloodline!¡± Saban moved his body, the charred skin peeling off, and new skin grew a layer of golden fur under the influence of the Legendary Bloodline. Richard silently checked the charging time of the Fireball Magic Wand. Two more minutes to recharge. This was becoming troublesome. Saban, having completed his transformation, tore off his chain armor, leaving only the arm bracelets on both arms. His muscles were visibly swelling, and the armor that had fitted well before now became a restraint. ¡°Legendary Bloodline? Are you, sir, a descendant of the Legendary Knight?¡± Richard wanted to delay time with some taunting words. As long as he waited for the Fireball Technique to recharge, this Beastified madman, even if he were the Legendary Knight, would turn to char. Richard wasn¡¯t deceived by his appearance; having been blasted at point-blank range by a Lesser Fireball Technique comparable to a cannonball, this madman had definitely sustained serious internal injuries. Internal injuries were much harder to recover from than external ones. Just one more Fireball, and this madman was sure to die on the spot. But Saban wouldn¡¯t have it as he wished. Opening his Legendary Bloodline, Saban felt an inexhaustible power surging within his body. Although he knew it was an illusion, Saban still reveled in it a bit. As Richard had predicted, Saban¡¯s internal injury was not as easily healed as external wounds, and activating his Legendary Bloodline even tended to aggravate it. He had to decide quickly. Bang! With a step, Saban¡¯s speed skyrocketed, and in the blink of an eye, he had crossed tens of meters to appear right in front of Richard. ¡°Go to hell!¡± Saban threw a punch, and the strong wind from it even made Richard¡¯s hair fly. If that punch had connected, Richard¡¯s fate wouldn¡¯t have been much better than Riley¡¯s. But only a ¡®buzz¡¯ was heard, and the air in front of Richard rippled like the surface of water. Saban¡¯s fist stopped in front of Richard¡¯s face, unable to advance any further. Force Field Barrier, kid! With a sneer, Richard drew his Dagger in a dangerous arc, aiming straight for Saban¡¯s chest. Ice Cone Skill requires acceleration distance, and thus isn¡¯t very powerful at close range, but the Dagger was just right for this distance. Seeing that his strike didn¡¯t succeed, Saban¡¯s heart sank, and he turned his arm to block the Dagger with his arm bracelet. The two clanged against each other, producing a grating sound that was harsh on the ears, and when they parted, a shallow scratch had appeared on Saban¡¯s arm bracelet. ¡°What a powerful Dagger.¡± ¡°Such a hard arm bracelet.¡± The two separated, Richard had already abandoned the thought of attacking again. His last strike had the advantage of surprise, and still, it didn¡¯t succeed. Now that Saban was on guard, a reckless attack would certainly expose a fatal flaw. After Saban parted, he retrieved his two-handed greatsword, which, even after the baptism of the Fireball Technique, remained straight and shiny¡ªa remarkable item like the arm bracelet, possibly even the very sword once worn by the Legendary Knight. Great Sword in hand, Saban¡¯s presence soared instantly, his golden fur standing on end without any wind. There¡¯s a high wall between unarmed and armed combat. ¡°I have decided to make your head my trophy and place it with my most cherished hunted beasts.¡± Saban, gripping the Great Sword, spouted his wild claim. The next instant, the Great Sword collided with the Dagger. The Force Field Barrier was breached! Ding! Richard struggled to fend off the Great Sword. Even with the Force Field Barrier¡¯s weakening, the power behind the blade made it difficult for Richard to withstand. ¡°This is just possessing a Legendary Bloodline; how strong must the Legendary Knight of old have been.¡± After failing to make the cut, Saban twisted his wrist, and in an instant, the two-handed greatsword was slashing toward Richard¡¯s other side. But to Richard, skilled in the Wind Crow Sword Skill, Saban¡¯s technique was like a child¡¯s scribble. Ding. Seeing both slashes thwarted, a glint of thought flashed across Saban¡¯s eyes. ¡°This kid¡¯s skillful but lacks strength; even if my sword is weakened by that barrier, he can hardly fend it off. So if I just rely on strength, this kid will definitely not be able to resist.¡± With a change of strategy, Saban¡¯s moves also changed, striking right at Richard¡¯s weakness. In a flash, Richard was retreating step by step, struggling to fend off the attacks, despite his skill in the Wind Crow Sword Skill, in face of the weapon and power disadvantage. ¡°Ha ha ha ha! Where are your spells now!¡± Saban laughed wildly, his momentum growing with every blow, each movement grand and entirely offensive, intent on taking his opponent¡¯s life. Richard used his spiritual power to check the Magic Wand, but in that split second of distraction, Saban found an opening. Suddenly, the Great Sword pierced through the Force Field Barrier, leaving a wound an inch deep in Richard¡¯s chest. ¡°Hisss!¡± The intense pain made Richard suck in a breath of cold air, and his mind started to dull. Subsequent strikes continued, and Richard was marred after each. Luckily, all his injuries were merely superficial, and under the effect of adrenaline, he gradually adjusted until his mind was clear again. ¡°Just ten seconds left, I need to create distance now.¡± Richard¡¯s expression remained calm, knowing full well that spell collisions have no ability to discern friend from foe¡ªhe would be just as affected by the Fireball Technique if too close. Richard silently counted down the time, then suddenly unleashed his spells. Magic Missile mixed with Ice Cone Skill halted Saban¡¯s movement, allowing Richard to widen the gap between them. ¡°Damn, he¡¯s going to use that Spell.¡± Seeing Richard create distance, Saban felt a sense of dread welling up in him, the fear of being blasted by a Fireball urging him to instinctively flee. But though he was fast, the spells were faster. Richard waved his Magic Wand, and an orange Fireball burst forth from his hands, striking Saban like a meteor. In a thunderous explosion, the Genius Knight of the Norton Empire became fertilizer for the forest, just as countless others had over the past four thousand years. COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 14 - Chapter 14: Chapter 14 Black Tower Wizard Academy Chapter 14: Chapter 14 Black Tower Wizard Academy ¡°Finally solved.¡± Richard wiped the sweat from his forehead. This battle was the most perilous moment since he had arrived in this world. If not for the Fireball Magic Wand, this powerful weapon, ten of him wouldn¡¯t have been enough to stand against that madman. After searching through the forest, Richard collected Saban¡¯s arm bracelet and Great Sword. To Richard¡¯s surprise, the pair of arm bracelets turned out to be Magic Tools, and they even had the ability to recharge themselves with Magic Power. The Great Sword, however, was simply made of extraordinary material and was not a Magic Tool itself. Richard tried refining the arm bracelet with the Miracle Furnace, but the furnace remained unresponsive. ¡°What exactly is the pattern to this refining skill? I can refine Heisen Baron¡¯s Great Sword and the Synthetic Beast Core, but why can¡¯t these Magic Tools be refined?¡± Richard was clueless for the moment and had to put the issue aside. He began to study the function of the arm bracelet. He put the arm bracelet on his arms, and in an instant, a cool surge of Energy flowed from his arms throughout his body. The wounds on Richard¡¯s body began to clot and heal at a visible rate under the influence of this energy. ¡°No wonder that madman couldn¡¯t be killed by a barrage of minor Fireballs; he was wearing such a treasure.¡± Richard marveled for a moment, then suddenly felt some scratches inside the arm bracelet. After taking it off, he discovered an inscription on the inside. ¡°What is this?¡± Richard read it once and found that it detailed a method of breathing. This seemed very familiar to Richard, as if the Heisen Baron from his past life knew something similar. ¡°Forget it, I should leave first. Once I¡¯m at the Academy, I¡¯ll have plenty of time to figure it out.¡± Richard shook his head, put the arm bracelet back on, and once again started on his way. ¡­ On the fourth day after the exam began, some of the more powerful Apprentices had already started arriving at the rendezvous point. Kevin Medici staggered out from the woods. After four days of traveling and battling, this young lord, who was neither a Knight nor a formal Wizard Apprentice, was completely exhausted. Fighting, traveling, being on guard, escaping, and finally reaching the rendezvous point. Having completed all this, Kevin felt as if he had transcended, confident that no hardship in this world could defeat him. ¡°Griffith, we¡¯ve arrived,¡± Kevin called back. Behind him, a blond, brawny man carrying a Great Sword was slowly advancing. He was Kevin¡¯s teammate and the main reason he had survived being pursued by Magic Beasts. This man named Griffith had single-handedly slain a Magic Beast as powerful as a Demon. ¡°Mm.¡± Griffith nodded. Griffith hadn¡¯t revealed his identity, but judging by his temperament and his formidable strength, Kevin guessed he must be a Cultivator from some monastery. Entering the rendezvous point, Kevin collapsed on the ground, his entire body relaxing at once. The rendezvous point was a safe zone; reaching it meant he was safe. ¡°Kevin?¡± At the sound, Kevin looked up and saw a slender figure carrying a Great Sword and holding a Magic Wand emerge from the crowd of Apprentices. ¡°Richard!?¡± On recognizing the person, Kevin was shocked. Compared to his own disheveled appearance, Richard, despite looking a bit ragged, was brimming with vitality. In contrast, Richard hardly seemed like he had just been through a life-or-death exam. ¡°It really is you.¡± Richard walked over to Kevin, smiling, and pulled him up. After all, Kevin still owed him a Magic Stone. ¡°It seems my decision wasn¡¯t wrong, aligning myself with you was the right choice. Too bad we never got to use it,¡± Kevin said, smiling wryly to Richard. The alliance he had worked so hard to build had been turned into a joke by a single statement from a Wizard. ¡°Isn¡¯t being alive all that matters? Go and register with the Wizard quickly. There¡¯s a Transmission Array at the rendezvous point. It activates for every hundred people; counting your friend, we¡¯re about to reach a hundred.¡± With that, Richard squinted at the brawny blond man behind Kevin. This blond giant had been watching him ever since he appeared. ¡°Friend, why are you staring at me?¡± Griffith bowed slightly to Richard, ¡°It seems Saban died at your hand.¡± ¡°You recognize the owner of this sword?¡± Richard looked up into the eyes of the brawny man, who was at least a Knight. Moreover, judging by his aura, the man had established a Magic Power circuit; he was a Dual Cultivation Warrior. ¡°Let me introduce you, this is Griffith, a genius knight from another continent.¡± Kevin stepped between the two, acutely sensing that the atmosphere was a bit off. ¡°I know him. Back in the Norton Empire, he always wanted to kill me,¡± Griffith sighed, ¡°He had great talent, what a shame.¡± Seeing that this was not about seeking vengeance, Richard didn¡¯t say more. After Kevin and Griffith had registered, the wizard issued the teleportation command. ¡°Prepare for teleportation. Apprentices who experience dizziness from the Transmission Array, close your eyes. Three, two, one, teleport!¡± In an instant, the meeting point flashed with light, and Richard¡¯s vision was once again filled with the chaotic colors unique to teleportation. When his vision returned to normal, he saw a scene he would never forget in his life. ¡°This is¡­¡± Richard murmured. Before him stood a colossal tower that could only be described as majestic. It reached towards the heavens as if connecting the earth with the divine abode of the gods. The myriad carvings on the tower were so lifelike, they seemed to have souls sealed within them. At the tower¡¯s corners, the gargoyle statues with their snarling faces and claws looked as if they might come to life at any moment. ¡°This is the Central Black Tower. Originally, it was the Wizard Tower of the dean, only accessible to wizards. After the academy was established, the dean opened up the first fifty floors for educational purposes.¡± Richard looked toward the source of the voice, which belonged to an owl twice the normal size. The owl spoke human language, clutching a large sack in its talons. ¡°Little fellow, I am the Academy Inspector and your guide. I am responsible for monitoring whether you all adhere to the school¡¯s rules,¡± said the owl before throwing the sack to the ground, which was filled with smaller pouches. ¡°Now get your stuff and follow me. I¡¯ll show you around the academy.¡± ¡­ The composition of Black Tower Wizard Academy was quite straightforward. Apart from the Central Black Tower, where classes were normally held, it was divided into three areas: the Experimental Zone, the Living District, and the Commercial Area. The Experimental Zone was for wizards and Wizard Apprentices to conduct hazardous experiments and was the largest of the three areas. The Commercial Area, on the other hand, was used for selling experimental materials, casting ingredients, and Magic Tools. In addition to shops run by wizards from the academy, external Wizard Commerce companies and Wizard Apprentices from within the academy also set up their businesses there. The common currency of the Commercial Area was the Academy Coin, issued by the academy, but it also accepted Magic Stones. The value of one Magic Stone was pegged at one hundred Academy Coins. Lastly, the Living District catered to the apprentices¡¯ daily needs of clothing, food, shelter, and transportation. Ready-to-wear shops, restaurants, and even carriage services could be found in the Living District. Numerous black towers dotted the landscape, where every Wizard Apprentice had their own private room with no rent required. Richard followed the owl for a whole day and finally completed a full tour of the academy. At the end, he caught sight of Ali among the newly arrived apprentices. ¡°Hey! Richard! You really made it through!¡± Ali looked a bit disheveled, her originally beautiful blond hair had been singed quite a bit by flames, and there was a charred scar on her forehead. Her clothes were somewhat tattered, but Richard was no better off in that aspect. It was quite normal to have your clothes torn by branches and thorns while walking through the forest. ¡°I was a bit luckier, got here before you.¡± Even though it had only been a few days since they last saw each other, seeing a familiar face in this strange academy was somehow comforting. As the sky darkened, plants resembling dandelions began sprouting beside the academy¡¯s pathways. The dandelions emitted a bright yet soft glow, illuminating the path like street lamps. ¡°Night Light Dandelions, a trophy from the dean¡¯s conquest of another Plane. They are used as street lamps in the academy during the night.¡± As Richard walked, he introduced the general situation of the academy to Ali. Her group of apprentices had arrived right at dusk, and the owl, thinking that the new students needed rest, handed out items and left on its own. ¡°So beautiful.¡± Ali, looking at the dandelions, had a look of surprise and fascination in her eyes, overwhelmed by the scenery of the academy. Was this really the academy that seemed so murderous during the entrance exam? Shouldn¡¯t the grounds be filled with crosses, debris everywhere, students sitting on coffins in class, and teachers each as ferocious as demons? ¡°But remember not to touch them. If provoked, they will use their seeds as weapons. The blast from the seeds is not any weaker than the low-level Fireball Technique.¡± Richard¡¯s words abruptly shattered Ali¡¯s illusions. Richard pointed to a tower not far away, ¡°Over there is the Living District, new apprentices have their own tower. Don¡¯t worry about not finding a room.¡± The academy had a special area for newcomers to serve as a buffer. After the newcomers had been in the academy for three years, they would move out of the newcomer area to find new accommodation. As Richard headed toward the tower, he suddenly felt someone pulling at the hem of his clothes. ¡°Oh, then¡­ let¡¯s be neighbors from now on.¡± Ali was tugging on Richard¡¯s clothes, her hair falling to the side, covering her expression. ¡°Be neighbors?¡± Richard didn¡¯t pay much attention to Ali¡¯s reaction. The minds of young girls were like the summer¡¯s clouds and rain, unpredictable. ¡°Sure, the academy doesn¡¯t specifically separate male and female students.¡± ¡°Really! That¡¯s great.¡± Ali looked up suddenly, a hint of surprise in her eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± said Richard, pointing to the tower in the distance, ¡°Arriving early has its perks: no one to fight over rooms with. It¡¯s already so late, let¡¯s find a room we like and settle down for now.¡± COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 15 - Chapter 15: Chapter 15: The Fine Apprentice Wizard Robe Chapter 15: Chapter 15: The Fine Apprentice Wizard Robe The Academy seemed even busier at night than during the day; on his way to the dormitory, Richard spotted seven or eight apprentices flying by. ¡°Could it be that the Wizard Academy also has classes at night?¡± Richard wondered. When they arrived at the tower, two large door knockers were embedded in the thick door, with a metal lion-head sculpture above it. Richard gently knocked on the door. Bang, bang, bang. ¡°Are they recruiting new students again?¡± Above the door, the metal-carved lion¡¯s head suddenly began to speak. ¡°Ah, the statue is talking!¡± Ali exclaimed. The lion¡¯s head paid no attention to Ali¡¯s reaction. ¡°Little fellows, take out your crystal balls.¡± Upon hearing this, Richard and Ali did as instructed, taking out a fist-sized crystal ball from the pocket provided by the owl. The quality of this crystal ball was much better than those used for the exam, with the entire sphere free of any impurities, smooth and translucent. As soon as Richard and Ali took out their crystal balls, the lion¡¯s head shot a red light into them, confirming their identities, and the door beneath it swung open. ¡°Apprentice Richard, Apprentice Ali, welcome to Life Tower room number 012.¡± Entering the tower, the first floor was empty, seemingly a large hall. A thick layer of dust had settled on the ground, indicating that this tower had not been entered for a long time. Following the stairs up, the second floor was quite different from the first, with a corridor spanning the floor, dividing it into two parts. Richard chose a sunny room, and Ali, as agreed, moved into the one next to his. ¡°Good night.¡± ¡°Good night, Richard.¡± The room wasn¡¯t small, about thirty square meters in size, with an en-suite bathroom, and all sorts of furniture were already in place. After cleaning the room and ensuring no furniture was termite-infested, Richard started to unpack his belongings. He hung the Great Sword on the wall and neatly arranged the Synthetic Beast heart and an array of Magic Tools on the table. Lastly, he took out everything given by the owl; besides the crystal ball, there was also a black robe, a rule book, a book on the Basic Meditation Method, and ten Magic Stones. Richard held the robe in his hands, and the long-inactive Miracle Furnace suddenly trembled. ¡°Hm? This robe could be used as a material?¡± Richard looked over the robe in surprise; it resembled silk and faintly pulsed with Magic Power. Richard probed with his spiritual power, and a rush of information entered his brain. ¡°Lucky Apprentice, you have received a masterwork Apprentice Wizard Robe handcrafted by Alchemy Master Jolod. This Wizard Robe is inscribed with a Force Field Protection Spell, Breath Concealment, and Purifying Filth Spells, and it comes with auto-recharging circuits¡ªan excellent choice for low-level apprentices to guard against assassination attempts.¡± A twitch tugged at the corner of Richard¡¯s eyes; this Alchemy Master named Jolod seemed somewhat unorthodox. Yet, the message left behind brought Richard one piece of information: this Wizard Robe appeared to be a ¡®masterpiece,¡¯ and perhaps the selection standard for the Miracle Furnace¡¯s materials was ¡®masterwork¡¯ Magic Tools. Although this was his guess, with only this one example, Richard couldn¡¯t be sure. But the ability to refine was undoubtedly a good thing. ¡°Material: Apprentice Wizard Robe¡± ¡°Refinable Skills: Magic Engraving (incomplete)¡± ¡°Refining Cost: 15 spiritual power¡± ¡°Refinable Information: Force Field Protection Spell Model, Breath Concealing Spell Model, Purifying Filth Magic Model¡± ¡°Refining Cost: 5 spiritual power¡± The information from the Miracle Furnace gave Richard a jolt. He hadn¡¯t expected a single Wizard Robe to potentially refine both skills and information. ¡°A Magic Engraving skill requires fifteen spiritual power, while the three Magic Models only need five¡ªthese spells must be Zero Ring Spells.¡± Richard eyed the Wizard Robe, hesitant to refine it. The three Zero Ring Spells were of little use to him, and the cost of refining the skill seemed likely to knock him unconscious. ¡°There¡¯s still some time before the entrance exams end, and there¡¯s nothing else to do right now.¡± After some contemplation, Richard decided to refine the skill. Everything went dark, just as before, and Richard collapsed into unconsciousness on the spot. ¡°` When he awoke again, it was already noon the following day. ¡°Was I out for that long?¡± Richard looked at the glaring sunlight outside the bed window and slowly stood up. A white light jumped up and down above the Miracle Furnace, and as Richard absorbed it, he seemed to transform into a wizard. Magic power flowed through his hands like threads, combining with materials of unknown origin to inscribe spells upon his Wizard Robe. ¡°Phew!¡± Richard suddenly came to his senses, then stared blankly at his own hands. The faint blue glow of magic power flickered at his fingertips, followed by the magic power turning into a thread that continuously extended from Richard¡¯s fingertips, forming a line of words in the air. [Is this the skill of a wizard?] Richard retracted the magic power. This skill seemed to open the door to a new world; he had never imagined that magic power could become a part of his body, as natural as moving an arm. ¡°It¡¯s incredible; this is still an incomplete skill. How powerful would it be if it was complete?¡± In an instant, Richard felt the terrifying potential of a wizard. This was merely a part of one skill among the many that a wizard could master. If one possessed all the skills of a wizard, Richard dared not imagine how formidable such a wizard would be. Could he become a wizard like them? Richard dared not ponder any further. After washing up, he opened the Academy regulations. The experience of the entrance exam had taught him that the books provided by the Academy were definitely of use. After reading through the regulations from beginning to end, Richard¡¯s expression changed from relief to seriousness. The regulations of the Academy were not strict; in fact, they could even be considered lenient. Many rules even served to prevent conflicts between Apprentices. This contrasted greatly with its entrance exam. But all gifts were subtly marked with a price. Although the Academy prevented conflicts among Apprentices on a regular basis, every ten years during the Apprentice examinations, the Apprentices would once again face the life-threatening challenges of the entrance exam. An Apprentice who wanted to survive until the graduation exams had to endure at least two bloody tests. And if an Apprentice made it to the graduation exams, they faced two choices, either to take part in the equally bloody graduation exams and compete for the qualification to become a wizard, or to graduate directly. After paying off thirty years of tuition fees, an Apprentice could leave on their own. Yes, the Wizard Academy actually charged tuition. The cost of tuition was very high. If one did not become a wizard, an advanced wizard apprentice would have to work for the Academy for at least a hundred years to pay it off. ¡°Did the headmaster of this Wizard Academy come back from studying in Myanmar?¡± Richard¡¯s face was grave as his earlier sense of relief vanished completely. The content of the regulations made him feel like a fishbone was stuck in his throat, uneasy, and on tenterhooks. Richard somewhat failed to understand what exactly the Wizard Academy was training? A killing machine? Putting down the regulations, Richard went downstairs and talked briefly with the lion-head door-knocker, inquiring about various matters of the Academy. As part of the Academy, the lion-head door-knocker was well-versed in many rules and gave Richard a lot of constructive advice. For instance, the library of the Academy was open to all Apprentices, and many books were available for borrowing free of charge. The Academy Inspectors were fond of nuts and gemstones, and getting along with them could avoid punishment for minor infractions. Even a magic stone with residual magic power could be exchanged for Academy Coins, albeit one had to haggle and so on¡­ These things seemed trivial, but if Richard had to discover them on his own, who knows how much time it would take. ¡°Thank you for your advice. I¡¯ll go to the commercial district and buy some Alchemy ointment for you later.¡± Richard gave a slight bow to the lion-head door-knocker and then turned towards the commercial district. The lion-head door-knocker¡¯s body was made of metal and, although it had been rust-proofed by the wizard who made it, years of exposure to wind and rain caused some rust to form. This was quite uncomfortable for the lion-head door-knocker. A bit of Alchemy ointment for rust removal would easily alleviate this discomfort. The Alchemy ointment was not expensive. Richard got a large bottle of rust-removing ointment for twenty-five Academy Coins. On his way back, he also picked up a few sets of clothes and a couple of pairs of leather shoes. After applying the ointment to the lion-head door-knocker, Richard returned to his room, took a bath, drank a bottle of Nutritional Potion, changed into new clothes, and then prepared to head to the library. Wizards pursue knowledge and respect it, so the library became the most sacred place in the Academy. The librarian could ask any borrowing Apprentice to leave if they showed disrespect to knowledge, and a good outfit could undoubtedly reduce a lot of trouble. Richard now had too many questions that needed answers. ¡°` COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 16 - Chapter 16: Chapter 16 Wizard World Chapter 16: Chapter 16 Wizard World The library was located on the fiftieth floor of the Central Black Tower. Without the Levitation Skill, Richard had to walk all the way up from the first floor, and by the time he reached the fiftieth, his legs were so tired they were wobbling. Standing in front of the library door, Richard straightened his appearance, then strode in. The library was vast; countless shelves that soared ten meters high spread out from before Richard¡¯s eyes to the horizon of his sight. Suddenly, a palm-sized, winged sprite appeared out of thin air in front of Richard. The sprite was very beautiful, and aside from the wings on its back, it looked like a proportionally shrunken beauty. The sprite fluttered around Richard in a circle. ¡°You¡¯re a new student, aren¡¯t you? Quickly, take out your crystal ball.¡± Upon hearing this, Richard took the crystal ball out from his bag. The sprite lightly touched the crystal ball, making it flash a faint glow. Armed with Richard¡¯s information, the sprite floated in front of him with an expression that was cute yet solemn. ¡°New student Richard, I am Fenna, the library administrator. If you want to borrow books, then touch your crystal ball to the book number, and I will record your borrowings. Additionally, the library prohibits quarreling, loud noises, and the use of all spells other than the Levitation Skill. If you violate the rules, I will have you removed. If the situation is serious, I will prohibit you from entering the library.¡± ¡°Got it. So how do I find the books I want?¡± The library¡¯s collection was vast as smoke; without something like an index, Richard would have exhausted himself to death trying to find what he wanted. The sprite pointed at Richard¡¯s crystal ball. ¡°I have already loaded all the books you¡¯re allowed to borrow into that. If you want more books, then increase your strength. Each time an Apprentice advances a level, they can access more books. Once you become a Wizard, you can borrow any book from the library.¡± Richard probed the crystal ball with his spiritual power and the information of one book after another instantly appeared before his eyes. ¡°Any more questions?¡± Fenna asked. Richard snapped out of it, ¡°Oh, no more, thank you.¡± ¡°If there are no more questions, then I¡¯ll be going.¡± Having said that, Fenna drew a glowing portal made of luminous powder in the air with her arm and then flew into it. ¡°Magical spell.¡± Richard sighed, then began searching through the vast sea of books for the ones he wanted. Following the guidance of the information, Richard quickly located the book he was seeking¡ªthe ¡°Wizard World Almanac.¡± Unlike the spell books that required magic stones to borrow, this book that introduced the Wizard World could be borrowed without magic stones, and what Richard needed most now was to understand the Wizard World. Finding a corner in the library, Richard sat down and began to lift the veil on the Wizard World. The Wizard World was much larger than Earth in his previous life, with nearly a thousand Wizard Academies dotting the vast continents, each led by a wizard dean of at least fourth-level Great Wizard status. The Gale Zone in the Extreme East region, the Great Desert to the southwest, the Magnetic Island at the center of the continent, the Sky-reaching Ice Wall at the edge of the world¡­ As he flipped through the pages, a resplendent and magnificent Wizard World gradually unfolded before Richard. However, as he read, Richard noticed that on the map of the Wizard Continent, there were areas of varying sizes marked as uninhabited. According to the map¡¯s legends, these places had no Wizard Academies¡ªit did not even have ordinary people. ¡°What is going on here?¡± Richard began searching the book for answers. Eventually, in the section that introduced the history of the Wizard World, Richard found the answer. The history of the Wizard World was divided into three stages: the Dark Age, the Age of Enlightenment, and the current Age of Exploration. During the Dark Age, wizards were lone warriors, carving out territories in the wilderness of knowledge on their own. In this period, wizards had not yet become the dominators of the Wizard World, as both the colossal creatures of the sea and the giant dragons that soared the skies were far stronger than the wizards. The second stage was the Age of Enlightenment. Wizards began to unite during this phase, with wizards of similar research directions forming connections that eventually led to the creation of institutions and Schools. Wizard Families also rose during this period, with wizards intermarrying and solidifying their relationships through bloodlines and pacts. Also, during this period, wizards replaced the giant dragons as dominators of the land in the Wizard World and reached an agreement with the giant beasts of the sea. At the end of the Age of Enlightenment, the Wizard World had been fully explored by wizards, except for the seabed filled with magic power undercurrents and the Elemental Poles wreathed in elemental storms; the entire Wizard World had been divided up by the wizards. The world was limited, but the number of wizards kept increasing. Under this nearly unsolvable problem, the wizard wars began. Wizards from various Schools used all their lifelong knowledge to grind opposing wizards into dust. The Shape-shifting School¡¯s Elemental Torrents disintegrated Wizard Towers, the Undead School¡¯s multitude of undead was as numerous as grains of sand, the Soul School summoned Soul Sea Giant Beasts one after another, the Demon Statue Army of the Alchemy School poured out continuously from the forges, and the curses of the Mysterious School created countless invisible killers. This war turned a third of the Wizard Continent into wasteland, simultaneously creating an archipelago surrounding the continent. In the end, the leaders of the Five Major Schools reached an agreement to end the war and formed the Truth Council to manage the entire Wizard World. These five leaders were subsequently referred to as the Truth Wizards. Thus, the Wizard World entered its third phase, the Expansion Era. War led to the loss of countless pieces of knowledge but also birthed many unprecedented new technologies. The maturity of Star Realm navigation technology allowed wizards to embark on interplanetary expeditions aboard Floating Cities, while the Plane Wars required a continuous influx of wizards to join the fray. The traditional family model produced wizards too slowly, often yielding only a few dozen over the course of centuries, which fell far short of the needs of the Plane Wars. Consequently, the Wizard Academy was established. Richard closed the book, now understanding the purpose behind the academy¡¯s ruthless rules. ¡°So, essentially, all Wizard Academies are military institutions, and all the academy wizards are born for the Plane Wars.¡± Plane Wars, Star Realm voyages¡ªthese notions electrified Richard¡¯s innermost being. In his previous life, Richard had been obsessed with stars, fantasizing about humanity coexisting in harmony and exploring the endless cosmos. Ironically, what he hadn¡¯t witnessed in his past life, he saw after transmigrating. ¡°I must become a wizard.¡± Richard¡¯s gaze was resolute; before, he had been living merely to survive. But now, he had a dream! When he left the library, night had already fallen. At the door of his dormitory, he encountered Ali, whose hair and burns had fully recovered, and she was donned in a new, form-fitting dress. The academy had a hospital. From minor colds and fevers to severe mutilations, the Academy Hospital could heal them all. They could even summon an Undead Wizard from the Undead School to transform you into an undead wizard¡ªprovided you had enough Magic Stones. ¡°Hey, Richard. Where have you been, want to try some freshly baked bread?¡± Ali greeted Richard with a bag of hot, fragrant baguettes, handing one to him. Richard accepted the bread, and the rich aroma instantly awakened his appetite. Gurgling! There seemed to be quite a few restaurants and bakeries in the living area ¡°I was at the library just now. You should go too, there¡¯s a ¡®Wizard World Almanac¡¯ that¡¯s quite interesting,¡± Richard mumbled as he ate his bread. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll check it out tomorrow.¡± Ali looked at Richard, her cheeks reddening inexplicably. As the saying goes, clothes make the man, and Richard, now in new attire and having recovered from previous malnourishment, exuded a scholarly charm with his long black hair, handsome features, and slightly lean figure. All of this fell right into Ali¡¯s perfect picture. Moreover, Richard had played the hero for her aboard the Airship. Recalling the silhouette she glimpsed through the door crack, Ali¡¯s cheeks couldn¡¯t help but feel hot. ¡°Mhm, make sure to look at the historical section,¡± Richard instructed after swallowing his bite of bread, patting Ali with a determined look. Ali¡¯s heart skipped a beat, ¡°Okay! I will definitely read it.¡± Back in his room, Richard couldn¡¯t wait to pick up the book on the Basic Meditation Method. One indispensable condition to become a wizard was spiritual power, and the Meditation Method was the most common and widely used means to enhance it. [Ingredient: Basic Meditation Method] [Information that can be refined: Basic Meditation Method] [Refining cost: 10 spiritual power] [Proceed with refining?] ¡°Yes!¡± COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 17 - Chapter 17: Chapter 17 What Is a Wizard Chapter 17: Chapter 17 What Is a Wizard Richard, after distilling the Basic Meditation Method, nearly fainted on the spot, but he managed to persist, using the Basic Meditation Method to meditate. After his spiritual power had recovered, Richard began practicing the Basic Meditation Method. Compared to the Basic Meditation Method, the Basic Meditation Method had seven additional spiritual runes, which although allowed Richard to stay in the Sea of Souls for longer, also made the meditation twice as difficult. Richard failed many times but eventually, with a bit of luck, succeeded in constructing the ten spiritual runes. The Basic Meditation Method enabled Richard to linger in the Sea of Souls for four hours, twice the time afforded by the Basic Meditation Method. But that extra time was not to be underestimated; the longer the soul stayed in the Sea of Souls, the more benefits it gained. Although it was only two additional hours, the increase in spiritual power was more than six hours of meditation with the Basic Meditation Method. Meditation couldn¡¯t be done frequently in a short period; otherwise, the soul would risk becoming lost in the Sea of Souls, unable to return. Thus, after meditating, Richard chose to visit the library again. The Academy¡¯s library was open day and night, and even at night, many apprentices could still be seen heading to the library. There was much for Richard to learn, and what he did not lack now was time. The entrance exam soon came to an end. In just ten days¡¯ time, over half of the nearly ten thousand apprentices who came for the exam had perished, and the rest had all entered the Academy. During this time, Richard, through the library¡¯s free books, had gained a general understanding of the Wizard World¡¯s structure and various etiquettes. Under the effect of the Basic Meditation Method, his spiritual power had successfully increased from 15 to 15.1. With the end of the entrance exams, the Academy¡¯s free courses were also made available. Each student was entitled to four free lessons a month. After the four free lessons, the remaining classes required a Magic Stone to attend. Each month for the first three years, the Academy would give out one Magic Stone but to get more, apprentices had to complete campus tasks issued by the Academy or trade with other apprentices. New apprentices had a three-year novitiate period during which the Academy wouldn¡¯t force tasks upon them. After the novitiate ended, the Academy would assess the apprentices. To stay in the Academy, an apprentice had to have inscribed at least one Magic Mark and reached a spiritual power of 20 points, thereby becoming a junior apprentice. ¡­ Dong¡ª¡ªDong¡ª¡ªDong! The heavy sound of the bell echoed inside the Academy, signaling that it was now eight o¡¯clock in the morning. Even in this otherworld, Richard could not escape the fate of early morning classes. This class was an Introduction to Alchemy, Richard¡¯s first lesson. He was currently sitting in a tiered classroom on the third floor of the Central Black Tower, with Ali at his side, the entire classroom packed full. ¡°Richard, why hasn¡¯t the teacher arrived yet?¡± Ali glanced at Richard¡¯s profile, her mind filled with myriad thoughts. It had been six days since they entered the Academy, and Richard was still indifferent to her, spending all day either in the library or meditating. The only time he went to the dining hall was when she had invited him. Did she really lack appeal? ¡°Maybe something has held them up,¡± Richard answered absently as he flipped through the Introduction to Magic he had borrowed from the library. He was not concerned with Ali¡¯s emotions; he was immersed in the ocean of knowledge. The discussion of Wizard spells in this Introduction to Magic captivated him¡ªElemental Magic, Soul Magic, Undead Magic, and even Curse Magic; each had its own characteristics and uses. The book also introduced a concept called the Combat System. A powerful Wizard inevitably had their own Combat System, relying on their core spells and supplementing them with minor spells suited to various situations to build their combat strategy, ensuring they could face any foe with calmness and confidence during Plane Wars and Wizard duels. If he were to construct a Combat System, it would surely need to¡­ Thump, thump, thump, thump¡­ A series of footsteps approached from outside the classroom, growing nearer. The previously somewhat noisy room instantly fell silent. Bang. The classroom door was flung open, and in walked a tall, curvy beauty clad in a wizard robe with long hair and black leather boots. Her stunningly cold beauty was complemented by a pair of slender eyes that added a touch of mystery to her demeanor. A mysterious black cat. That was Richard¡¯s first impression of her. Stepping up to the podium, she quickly scrawled a line of large characters on the blackboard. What is a wizard. ¡°Good day to all, I am Anna Dosi. I am an apprentice of Wizard Jolod from the Alchemy School. This class was originally supposed to be taught by my mentor, but as he is currently engaged in a critically important alchemy experiment at its crucial stage, I will be taking over the lesson,¡± Anna said, her voice calm yet carrying an authority that demanded compliance. ¡°So, can any of you tell me what a wizard is?¡± Anna, holding a pointer, scanned the entire classroom. Despite standing in a position lower than the students, everyone who looked at her felt as though she was looking down on them. ¡°You, tell me,¡± Anna pointed the pointer at an apprentice. ¡°Um¡­ I think a wizard is someone who can use magic,¡± the called-up apprentice obviously hadn¡¯t prepared and gave a rather casual answer. ¡°Very good, that is indeed a characteristic of a wizard. Any other opinions?¡± Anna waved her pointer, signaling him to sit down, then pointed at another pupil. ¡°I think wizards are those who use magic power to change the world.¡± Anna nodded, ¡°That¡¯s also good, but it¡¯s still just surface level.¡± Anna then pointed at several other apprentices in succession, but their answers clearly all satisfied her. Finally, Anna¡¯s pointer rested on Richard. ¡°Apprentice, what do you think a wizard is?¡± Richard met Anna¡¯s eyes, this woman who had been full of confidence since the beginning of class was now watching him, her gaze so sharp it seemed to bore a hole right through him. Before him, all other apprentices had avoided her gaze, but Richard decided to meet it squarely. Richard took a deep breath and, looking directly at Anna, said slowly: ¡°I believe wizards are a group of lunatics in pursuit of knowledge. Spells and magic power are essentially just by-products of that pursuit.¡± After Richard finished speaking, the classroom was deadly silent, with all students staring at him. His answer was a bit too outrageous; magic power and spells were the hallmarks of a wizard, their vital means of livelihood. How could they possibly be mere by-products? ¡°Very good.¡± Anna motioned for Richard to sit down, then wrote his statement on the blackboard. ¡°Wizards are a group of lunatics in pursuit of knowledge. This statement is key to whether you can become wizards or not. My mentor told me this at the beginning, and now I am passing it on to you all.¡± Anna¡¯s words sent a shock through all the students in the classroom, wasn¡¯t the purpose of entering the Wizard Academy to become wizards? But how were they to understand this statement? Each apprentice had their own interpretation. Richard, watching Anna on the podium, knew that the statement he had made was not his own invention, but came from the ruler of the Wizard World, the chairperson of the Truth Council. When he first encountered this statement, Richard just thought the chairperson was somewhat pretentious. I¡¯m just pursuing knowledge, magic power and spells are just things I created along the way, not worth mentioning, not worth mentioning. But hearing Anna say it today gave Richard a new understanding of the statement. ¡°Lunatics in pursuit of knowledge, if it¡¯s just about seeking knowledge, then why become a lunatic?¡± Richard stared at the blackboard and raised his hand to write a sentence in his notes. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s not that lunatics pursue knowledge, but that one must become a lunatic in the pursuit of knowledge.¡± COMMENT 2 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 2 Chapter 18 - Chapter 18: Chapter 18 The Pile of Treasured Scrap Paper Chapter 18: Chapter 18 The Pile of Treasured Scrap Paper Anna¡¯s class was fascinating, delving into the ancient art of Alchemy with clarity and simplicity. The two-hour session ended in the blink of an eye, and as soon as the time was up, Anna bustled out of the classroom just as hurriedly as she had arrived. ¡°Alchemy¡­ This really goes well with the Miracle Furnace,¡± Richard touched his chin, pondering over the chalkboard. Alchemy encompassed a wide range, with Magic Potions and Magic Equipment being the most well-known aspects. For these, formulas and a plethora of practice were required, and both were substantial Magic Stone burners. Magic Equipment, commonly referred to by Apprentices as Magic Tools, followed the same principle. Magic Models and practice materials weren¡¯t significantly cheaper than the formulas and ingredients for the Potions. But this wasn¡¯t a problem for Richard. Extensive practice could be compensated for through refining skills, and both Potion formulas and Magic Models could be directly refined too. Moreover, according to Anna¡¯s account, although Alchemy was costly, it could also be profitable. Her Alchemy store in the Academy¡¯s commercial district brought her nearly a hundred Magic Stones in profit each month. And that was when she hardly had the time to manage it. ¡°There should be books on Alchemy in the library, I¡¯ll check them out later.¡± As they left the classroom, Ali seemed eager to drag Richard to the commercial district, its prosperity seemingly igniting her inborn shopping enthusiasm. ¡°No thanks, I¡¯m heading to the library.¡± Richard waved goodbye to Ali, who watched his retreating figure with a somewhat sullen stomp of her foot. Back in the library, the librarian Fenna was nowhere to be seen this time. Richard searched the Crystal Ball for books on Alchemy and suddenly, a batch of books listed as ¡°unknown¡± caught his attention. ¡°Unknown? That¡¯s interesting.¡± He found the section holding the ¡°unknown¡± books and noticed several Apprentices picking through them. ¡°Excuse me, senior, what are these ¡®unknown¡¯ books about?¡± Richard asked a young-looking Apprentice. ¡°Oh, a freshman?¡± the Apprentice seemed surprised, ¡°These books are the notes of Wizards who died during the Wizard War. They¡¯re written in code, indecipherable to anyone but their authors. The Dean has placed these notes here to see if any Apprentices might chance to decode them.¡± As she spoke, she gestured to the surrounding Apprentices. ¡°We¡¯re all trying our luck.¡± ¡°I see. Sorry to have disturbed you.¡± Having gotten the answer, Richard¡¯s heart pounded excitedly. A bold idea struck him. He picked up a notebook, the symbols within completely different from the Wizard Language, but Richard didn¡¯t attempt to decipher it. Instead, he tried using the Miracle Furnace. [Raw Material: Unknown Wizard¡¯s Notes] [Extractable Information: Physique Enhancement Potion Formula] [Extraction Cost: 25 Spiritual Power] [Insufficient Spiritual Power] ¡°As expected, even this secret text can be extracted,¡± Richard thought, suppressing the excitement within him, his gaze towards the bookshelf was like seeing a gold mine. He put the notebook back in its place and noted down the number; the Spiritual Power needed to extract from this particular notebook was currently beyond his reach, and he had to set it aside for the time being. But with so many notes, Richard believed there had to be at least one that he could refine right now. [Raw Material: Unknown Wizard¡¯s Notes] [Extractable Information: One Hundred Thirty-Two Failed Cases] [Raw Material: Unknown Wizard¡¯s Notes] [Extractable Information: Three Hundred Forty-Two Diary Entries] [Material: Notes of an unknown Wizard] [Extractable Information: Experiences from mating with thirty-two Otherworld creatures] ¡­ As Richard continued his exploration with the Miracle Furnace, his expression shifted from wild joy to a somewhat bemused resignation. What is it with these Wizards and noting down everything! Richard rather angrily put the notes on mating experiences back in their place and then took note of their identification number. Ahem, don¡¯t overthink it. Richard was simply interested in the anatomical structure of Otherworld creatures. After searching the bookshelf for quite a while, Richard finally found a set of notes he could extract information from. [Material: Notes of an unknown Wizard] [Extractable Part: Bloodline Alchemy recipe] [Extraction Cost: 15 spiritual power] [Proceed with extraction?] ¡°No.¡± Richard pressed the Crystal Ball against the book¡¯s identification tag, and with a flash of white light, a line of text appeared within the Crystal Ball. [Wizard Apprentice Richard has borrowed book number n7891, borrow time three days, please return to the library to renew the loan after expiration. This book is free and allowed to be recorded.] ¡°Free books can be recorded, so books that need Magic Stones definitely can¡¯t be,¡± Richard stroked his chin, ¡°I wonder what method the Academy uses to prevent paid books from leaking out, could it be a Curse?¡± However, Richard didn¡¯t dwell on it, as he was someone who abided by the rules. Returning to his dormitory with the notes, Richard chose to extract from them. Another familiar blackout ensued, and by the time Richard awoke, the sky had already darkened. ¡°Let¡¯s see what this Bloodline Alchemy is about.¡± Richard absorbed the white light, thereby learning the reality of Bloodline Alchemy. ¡°To fuse the Bloodline of other creatures into one¡¯s own body, to be used at crucial moments to gain abilities or strength. And it¡¯s not just one type of creature; the Bloodline Alchemy can actually combine multiple creature¡¯s Bloodlines together, achieving an effect where one plus one exceeds two.¡± Richard glanced at the notes before him and suddenly thought of Saban, whom he had killed. Saban¡¯s case seemed somewhat similar to Bloodline Alchemy. Could it be that the Legendary Knights from the legends were Wizards or even Wizard Apprentices who used Bloodline Alchemy? With this in mind, Richard hastily retrieved Saban¡¯s arm bracelet. Comparing the content on the arm bracelet with the information in the notes, the rhythm of breathing recorded on the arm bracelet was very similar to that in the notes, where such rhythm was referred as the Breathing Technique, a method used in the first stage of Bloodline Alchemy to stimulate the Bloodline. Recalling Saban exhaling white Qi from his mouth and nose, Richard slapped his thigh: ¡°Exactly! The essence of Legendary Knights is Bloodline Alchemy. The legendary Knights depicted as enormously strong with various special abilities are nothing but Wizards or even Wizard Apprentices who have used Bloodline Alchemy.¡± This discovery made Richard¡¯s pulse race; he became impatient and took the notes straight to the Academy library. Introduction to Alchemy, Ancient Alchemy, On the Strengths and Weaknesses of Bloodline Alchemy¡­ book after book about Alchemy was found by Richard, who now had a concept forming in his mind. He wanted to construct a comprehensive Combat System centered around Alchemy. A Wizard¡¯s means are ever-changing. If these means were imagined as a deck of cards, then each card would have a corresponding counter. Richard¡¯s idea was to rely on Alchemy as the core card to build his own deck. What he was doing now was determining whether Alchemy was up to this significant task. As he flipped through each book, various information about Alchemy was absorbed by Richard, and his understanding of Alchemy became increasingly comprehensive. His idea of constructing a Combat System based around Alchemy also solidified. Magic Equipment, Magic Potions, Bloodline Alchemy, Magic Arrays¡­ Alchemy covered a vast array of subjects, both broad and deep enough to serve as the core of a Combat System. After going through all the borrowed books, Richard let out a sigh. A Combat System outline, centralized on Alchemy and supplemented by various Spells, began taking shape in his mind. What he needed to do now was expand his knowledge to fill in the details of this outline. But before that, there was something else he needed to complete. That was to find a mentor from whom he could learn Alchemy. COMMENT 2 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 2 Chapter 19 - Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Mentor Tasks Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Mentor Tasks Wizard Academy had no strict requirements for apprentices in choosing mentors, or rather, many wizards simply didn¡¯t want to take on apprentices. For the majority of wizards, an apprentice would only distract them. Richard had spent a long time in the mentor section of the Central Black Tower, filtering out all the mentors renowned for their alchemy. After eliminating the wizards who hadn¡¯t taken apprentices for many years and those with extremely demanding conditions, a wizard named Jolod caught his attention. ¡°Alchemy School Jolod, Second Level Wizard, main research focus on alchemy, has taken in thirteen hundred apprentices over the past hundred years.¡± Richard looked at Jolod¡¯s information and felt the name seemed familiar. ¡°Isn¡¯t this Anna¡¯s mentor and the wizard who made my Wizard Robe?¡± Recalling Anna¡¯s commanding presence on the podium and the techniques he had extracted from his Wizard Robe, Richard was certain that this Wizard Jolod must be a Master. ¡°Let me see what the conditions for apprentices are, strength to be at the lower apprentice level, and at least complete one task he has posted.¡± Richard stroked his chin, ¡°These conditions do seem easy, no wonder he manages to take on over a hundred apprentices each session.¡± But as easy as they were, Richard hadn¡¯t met either condition. ¡°Becoming a lower-level apprentice would probably take a year. Let¡¯s first see the tasks he has posted.¡± Arriving on the twenty-fifth floor of the Central Black Tower, this was the Academy task hall where apprentices could freely take on tasks posted by the Academy. Richard walked into the hall. The vast hall was divided into three parts. On the far left were the Academy¡¯s daily tasks, which mainly involved maintaining Academy equipment and patrolling corners of the Academy and cities and mountains within the Academy¡¯s sphere of influence. These were tasks with extremely low difficulty and likewise low benefits. On the far right side of the hall, the posted tasks were trial tasks, primarily involving hunting Magic Beasts and investigating dangerous incidents within the Academy¡¯s sphere of influence. These tasks were extremely dangerous but also offered great benefits. In between these two, which was the area most populated by apprentices, were tasks posted by the Academy¡¯s wizards. These tasks ranged from collecting herbs to concocting Magic Potions and could be described as having moderate difficulty, some inherent risk, but equally substantial rewards. Richard approached the middle area and suddenly noticed that his Crystal Ball lit up by itself; using his spiritual power to probe, he found that he could see all the tasks posted by wizards on his Crystal Ball. ¡°Impressive.¡± Richard exclaimed softly, starting to look for a task posted by Wizard Jolod. After searching for a while, a task for refining fifty grams of Red Mercury appeared in front of him. ¡°Red Mercury, a volatile liquid metal, apprentices are advised to carefully consider their own strength before taking on this task. If extraction is completed, please submit it to the fiftieth floor of the Central Black Tower. Reward: one hundred Magic Stones.¡± Richard looked at the task description, equating this item with nitroglycerin in his mind. ¡°But this task has no time limit. I¡¯ll take it first and see. Besides, the Miracle Furnace can also refine materials; this time is a good opportunity to test its efficacy.¡± Richard walked up to the counter, and a Medusa-like witch with serpentine hair greeted him. Richard glanced at the silver pentagram symbol on the witch¡¯s Wizard Robe. At Black Tower Wizard Academy, the silver pentagram was the mark of an apprentice. ¡°Miss, I would like to take on task 1205.¡± The witch glanced at him, ¡°Young man, a newcomer, aren¡¯t you? Jolod¡¯s tasks aren¡¯t so easily taken.¡± ¡°Hmm? Miss, what do you mean by that? Are Master Jolod¡¯s tasks always very difficult?¡± Richard smiled, trying to leverage his looks to his advantage. The Medusa-like witch gave Richard a cursory glance, the corners of her mouth hinting at an amused smile, ¡°Don¡¯t try to butter me up.¡± But even though she said so, the Medusa-like witch still told Richard about Jolod. ¡°Jolod¡¯s tasks are notoriously thankless and strenuous. Don¡¯t be fooled by his recruitment of over a hundred apprentices each session; very few actually receive his personal guidance.¡± ¡°This I didn¡¯t expect,¡± Richard was taken aback, ¡°Then why does he recruit so many apprentices?¡± ¡°What else, to work for him,¡± the Medusa-like witch twiddled her fingers, ¡°He owns an Alchemy Workshop, and most of the apprentices he recruits end up working there. I advise you, unless you have considerable talent in alchemy, to avoid working under Jolod.¡± After considering for a moment, Richard thought about how few wizards specialized in alchemy at the Academy and how every other Alchemy Wizard had extremely stringent conditions for their apprentices. If he gave up on Jolod, he might never be able to pursue the path of an Alchemy Wizard. Moreover, since the task had no time limit and offered a rich reward, even if he didn¡¯t choose Jolod as his mentor, just earning some Magic Stones would be worthwhile. ¡°Thank you for the advice, miss, but I think I have a bit of talent in alchemy. I¡¯ll take this task.¡± The Medusa-like witch was not at all surprised by Richard¡¯s response; over the years, she had seen too many wizards like Richard. Every one of them believed they were extraordinarily talented and thought they could win the favor of a wizard. But in the end, only a handful truly succeeded. ¡°Another who won¡¯t take advice, such a waste of a handsome face. Give me your Crystal Ball, I¡¯ll register your information.¡± ¡­ After leaving the task hall, Richard immediately headed towards the commercial district. To refine Red Mercury, a material known as Sunstone was required. This material was quite rare, so much so that Richard had a hard time finding it in the shops of the commercial district. Eventually, Richard learned about aAlchemy shop named Anna¡¯s Hut that sold this material. ¡°Anna¡¯s Hut, it can¡¯t be that Anna owns it, can it?¡± Richard smirked twitchingly as he looked at the shop name. A mentor¡¯s task, and the materials had to be bought from his apprentice¡¯s store. This Wizard Jolod truly was a shrewd businessman. It seemed that Anna¡¯s Hut often dealt with apprentices taking on Jolod¡¯s tasks. When Richard explained his purpose, the shopkeeper immediately handed him a bag. ¡°Two kilograms of Sunstone, sufficient to extract fifty grams of Red Mercury. The price is five hundred Academy Coins.¡± The price startled Richard¡ªit was too cheap compared to the reward. This kind of business, aside from being a scam, made Richard think that the extraction of Red Mercury was very likely to fail, necessitating repeated purchases of Sunstone. ¡°Alright, here are the Magic Stones.¡± Richard took the bag, feeling somewhat heavy-hearted. Magic Stones minus five, he had five left. Back in his room, Richard reviewed the information in the Crystal Ball about the extraction of Red Mercury. After confirming that refining Red Mercury did not require Sunstone to be mixed with other materials, Richard took a deep breath and took out a piece of Sunstone. ¡°[Material: Sunstone (one kilogram)]¡± ¡°[Refinable substance: Red Mercury]¡± ¡°[Refining cost: 100 Magic Power]¡± ¡°[Proceed with refining?]¡± COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 20 - Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Bloodline Alchemy (Seeking Followers) Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Bloodline Alchemy (Seeking Followers) ¡°Haha, this kind of thing that doesn¡¯t involve synthesis and only requires impurity removal can indeed be done using the Miracle Furnace.¡± Richard slapped his thigh, the whole person becoming excited. For a long time, Richard had been using the Miracle Furnace to refine various pieces of information, and he hadn¡¯t used its function to refine materials. Now, having accepted the task of extracting red mercury, he was keen to see the capability of the Miracle Furnace in extracting materials. ¡°No.¡± But Richard didn¡¯t rush to refine; he remembered the explosive nature of red mercury. ¡°Red mercury is prone to explosion; it must be kept away from light after refining, and be safe from bumps and shakes. I need to buy a colored glass bottle.¡± No sooner said than done, Richard immediately went to the business district and bought a brown glass bottle. Once back in his room, Richard took a fist-sized sunstone into his hands and chose to refine. The next moment, Richard felt his magic power flowing towards a place he could not detect. Refining consumed two-thirds of Richard¡¯s magic power, which meant that one unit of spiritual power was equivalent to ten units of magic power. As the magic power dwindled, the sunstone in Richard¡¯s hand instantly appeared in the Melter, shrinking rapidly before his eyes, turning into a lump of golden, red liquid that appeared in Richard¡¯s hand. Wrapped in magic power, the red mercury floated motionless in the air. Richard opened the newly purchased brown glass bottle and carefully guided the red mercury into the bottle with his magic power. After all of it had entered the glass bottle, Richard brought over a large balance to weigh it. A kilogram of sunstone had actually yielded fifty grams of red mercury. ¡°Have I been duped?¡± Richard was somewhat angry, but then he thought that thanks to the Miracle Furnace extraction, there was almost no loss. Ordinary apprentices could not use the materials as completely as he did. So, it was understandable that one kilogram of sunstone could be refined into fifty grams of red mercury. ¡°Regardless, the task is completed. Even if I don¡¯t join Jolod, a hundred Magic Stones is a significant sum.¡± After refining the red mercury, Richard¡¯s life returned to normal. Central Black Tower, library, dormitory ¨C these three points made a straight line. Occasionally, he would join Ali for a meal and stroll through the commercial district; that was the entirety of Richard¡¯s life. As for the task, Richard didn¡¯t go to submit it. According to his experiments with the remaining sunstone, it would take at least a month for an ordinary apprentice to refine red mercury, and that was if everything went well and without mistakes. If there was a failure, the time could double or even more. The tree that stands out in the forest is the one that gets cut down. Moreover, Richard was not just excellent; he had an ¡°external help.¡± Under these circumstances, Richard had to conceal his true power and set the time for submitting the task to three months after accepting it. Apart from the task, during this time, Richard had been seeking materials for Bloodline Alchemy rather than exchanging for Magic Models to inscribe Magic Marks. There are three essentials for a Wizard Apprentice: connecting to the Sea of Souls, establishing magic rebound, and inscribing Magic Marks. Inscribing Magic Marks allows a wizard to cast spells quickly, but as a low-level apprentice, Richard had very few spells he could exchange for now. Bloodline Alchemy was different. The formula Richard had extracted from those notes was called Black Knight, the first three stages of which could be undertaken during the apprenticeship phase, and the required bloodlines were not rare. The simplest first stage only needed a bloodline from a low-level Magic Beast called Black Iron Beast. The fight with Saban had shown him how powerful a knight could become with the help of spells. And the purpose of Bloodline Alchemy was to enhance his physique. Richard was clear that their current peaceful life was merely because they had just entered the Academy and were unfamiliar with many things. As time passed, conflicts were sure to erupt among this group who had blood on their hands. ¡­ Three months later, in the Apprentice Self-Assessment Room. [Spiritual Power 16.2, Physique 10, Magic Power 162, Rating: Entry-Level Apprentice.] Looking at the data displayed in the crystal ball, Richard nodded in satisfaction. After three months of grueling meditation, his spiritual power had finally broken through sixteen points. ¡°Three months to increase by one point, with this speed, I¡¯ll reach the standard of a low-level apprentice in a year. And this is the speed without changing the Meditation Method; if I can replace it with an Intermediate Meditation Method, this pace will be even faster!¡± He also noticed his physique, according to the Academy¡¯s records, a knight attendant¡¯s physique ranges between ten to fifteen points, with fifteen being a formal knight, and surpassing twenty being a senior knight. Richard had managed to elevate his physique to the level of a knight attendant, without any physical training whatsoever. This was simply inconceivable. If Ali from next door hadn¡¯t experienced the same thing, he would have doubted whether he had some Legendary Bloodline. After leaving the testing room, Richard headed to the street of market stalls in the commercial district. On this street, there were market stalls set up by apprentices who couldn¡¯t afford a shop. Richard had no particular reason for his visit, purely because the prices here were cheap, suitable for finding bargains. Looking left and right, Richard strolled around and actually spotted something he needed. ¡°Friend, how much for this claw?¡± Richard squatted in front of a market stall, looking at a claw on the stall that had a few Black Scales attached. After many days of searching, Richard had finally found someone selling a Black Iron Beast. The stall owner glanced at Richard, his brand-new wizard robe, his youthful face¡ªit seemed he was a new apprentice, perfect for a good rip-off. ¡°Five hundred Academy Coins,¡± the stall owner quoted the price. ¡°Hmm? With such poor quality, how dare you ask for the price of five Magic Stones?¡± Richard pointed at the claw and raised his voice in surprise. ¡°This is at most two hundred Academy Coins, no more.¡± ¡°Two hundred?¡± The stall owner nearly jumped up from the ground upon hearing Richard¡¯s offer. He was here to rip off some clueless person, not to be the clueless one. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go rob someone? Do you know how hard it is to kill a Black Iron Beast? At least four Magic Stones!¡± ¡°Four Magic Stones? Why don¡¯t you go rob someone?¡± Richard argued stubbornly, pointing out the defects on the claw and raising his voice, ¡°The claws of this Black Iron Beast are all broken, and half of the metal scales on the skin have fallen off. Two hundred fifty at most, no more.¡± ¡°Three hundred and fifty! That¡¯s the lowest I¡¯ll go.¡± ¡°Three hundred! Any higher and I¡¯ll look somewhere else!¡± Richard, feigning to leave, saw the stall owner¡¯s resolute attitude and bit the bullet, agreeing to Richard¡¯s price. The claw had been laid out for three days now, and if it was not sold soon, it would rot, and the stall owner would be the one left holding the bag. Seeing the stall owner gritting his teeth, Richard chuckled merrily, tossed down three Magic Stones, picked up the item, and left with a flourish. Humming a tune, Richard carried the claw of the Black Iron Beast back to his dorm. Although the claw of the Black Iron Beast was poor in appearance, it was intended to be used as alchemy materials. Richard didn¡¯t buy it to make props. ¡°With this claw of the Black Iron Beast, the first part of the Bloodline Alchemy in my notes can be completed.¡± COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 21 - Chapter 21: Chapter 21 Slight Improvement (Seeking Follow-Up Reads) Chapter 21: Chapter 21 Slight Improvement (Seeking Follow-Up Reads) Richard pressed down on the Black Iron Beast¡¯s paw, and the Miracle Furnace within his soul instantly evaluated it. ¡°Ingredient: Black Iron Beast¡¯s Forepaw¡± ¡°Extractable material: Pure Black Iron Beast Bloodline¡± ¡°Extraction cost: 100 Magic Power¡± ¡°Proceed with consumption?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The Black Iron Beast¡¯s forepaw instantaneously appeared in the Miracle Furnace, streams of magic power were absorbed by the furnace, transforming into the driving force for the extraction. In mere seconds, a globule of blood, wrapped in magic power and shining like a ruby, appeared in Richard¡¯s hand. Bloodline Alchemy, as a widely known alchemy among wizards, could merge the bloodlines of other creatures with the alchemist¡¯s own bloodline, ultimately granting certain abilities or enhancing one¡¯s physique. In Bloodline Alchemy, the purity of the bloodline was of utmost importance. If the blood used in Bloodline Alchemy were mixed with the bloodline of another creature, the end result would not be ideal, and could even greatly deviate from the original intent. Placing the blood into a test tube, Richard took out a bottle of deep black ink from a drawer. According to the records, in addition to purifying the bloodline, Bloodline Alchemy also required the special ink to draw an Alchemy Array on the heart area. With the power of the Array, Richard¡¯s body would convert the bloodline into a Bloodline Seed buried deep within the heart, to be activated when needed. This was indeed one of the most well-known paths in Bloodline Alchemy ¡ª the Bloodline Seed. The greatest advantage of this path was that it caused minimal physical alteration, and the bloodline was easily interchangeable. However, the downside was that using the bloodline required constant maintenance with magic power. Apart from this path, Bloodline Alchemy had other routes such as direct transplant of organ glands, transformative paths of mutating one¡¯s own organs, and the most popular amongst wizard communities, the direct blending of bloodlines. The notebook attentively recorded the formula for the ink, but after Richard made some inquiries, he discovered that Bloodline Alchemy ink was now available for direct purchase in stores, and the price was not particularly expensive, just five Magic Stones per bottle. Upon learning this, Richard could only sigh that the times were advancing, and technology was progressing. With the conquest of planes, the number of mergeable bloodlines had vastly increased, allowing wizards from various Schools to find bloodlines that were suitable for their own and to engage in Bloodline Alchemy. The wizard who died during the Wizard Wars could have never imagined in his wildest dreams that the Bloodline Alchemy he researched would become a common technique among the wizard community. Holding a feather pen, Richard took off his shirt and found a mirror to draw the Array on his chest. The Alchemy Array needed for Bloodline Alchemy was relatively simple, and Richard finished it in just ten minutes. After completing the preparations, Richard took a deep breath and lay flat on the bed. The Alchemy Array lit up with a ghostly blue glow under the influence of Magic Power, and Richard poured the blood from the test tube into the center of the Array. The next second, a sensation like being scorched by a red-hot iron branded his chest, and scalding blood pumped from his heart, coursing through his veins and throughout his body. ¡°Ugh!¡± Richard clenched his teeth hard, striving to remain conscious. He now needed to ensure a constant supply of Magic Power into the Alchemy Array. After an indeterminate amount of time, Richard felt the burning sensation in his chest subside. He relaxed his body, lying on the bed as limp as mud, his clothing completely soaked with sweat. ¡°This thing is practically torture.¡± After resting for a while and regaining some strength, Richard got up from the bed, casually stripped off his clothes, and decided to take a bath. Sssst. A ripping sound ensued. Richard looked at his torn trousers, his expression somewhat puzzled. ¡°` He hadn¡¯t exerted much strength at all. He carefully tugged at his trousers and saw that the previously sturdy fabric tore as easily as paper in his hands. Richard finally realized what had happened. His strength had increased. He carefully removed his trousers to check on his body. A single punch thrown into the air produced an instant dull thud, and a light hop easily brought his head into contact with the ceiling. ¡°The notes mentioned that the first phase of Bloodline Alchemy would slightly enhance one¡¯s physique¡­¡± Richard turned and lifted the bed behind him; it must have weighed several hundred pounds, yet he felt it was only slightly heavy. ¡°Is this what the Wizard calls a slight enhancement of physique?¡± Richard set down the bed, at a loss for words. Although he had anticipated that the Wizard¡¯s idea of ¡®slight¡¯ might differ from his, the current gap between Wizard and Apprentice seemed to be greater than that between heaven and earth. Adapting to his new body, Richard began to breathe according to the Breathing Technique outlined in the notes. Each Bloodline Alchemy came with its matching Breathing Technique, which not only temporarily increased combat strength but, most importantly, stimulated the body to awaken the Bloodline. According to the notes, he should now have a protective layer of Scale Armor. Inhale¡ªExhale¡ªInhale¡ªExhale¡­ After breathing rhythmically for a few seconds, Richard felt a scorching hot stream originate at his heart and rapidly spread throughout his body. At the same time, an itchy sensation emerged from all over his body. Looking down at himself, he saw black scales with a metallic sheen breaking through his skin, looking just like those of a Black Iron Beast. Richard fetched a Dagger and tentatively prodded his scales. The dagger, which could usually slice through iron like mud, required a significant effort to penetrate his scales. ¡°Heh, slight protection.¡± Richard put away the Dagger; even when imbued with Magic Power, it could pierce Plate Armor, but now it took effort to pierce his Scale Armor. This meant he now wore Armor better than Plate Armor. Black scales combined with the Wizard Robe¡¯s Force Field Barrier¡ªthis level of defense was definitely top-tier among the new Apprentices. ¡°With my current state, I could easily defeat that magic sheep if I faced it head-on.¡± The black scales undulated like flowing water with the movement of his muscles, casting an eerie charm under the light. ¡°How beautiful,¡± Richard commented somewhat narcissistically. However, not long after, a horrifying hunger suddenly surged from within him. ¡°Damn it, Bloodline Alchemy drained my Magic Power, and now using my Bloodline is consuming my Life Energy.¡± Richard quickly suppressed his Bloodline; the black scales began to recede from the tips of his limbs until they converged on his chest, forming a black imprint. Following the retreat of his Bloodline, a wave of weakness immediately overtook him. Staggering to a table, Richard grabbed a leftover Nutritional Potion from the entrance exam and gulped it down. One bottle was not enough, then another, and after downing three bottles, the ghastly hunger finally subsided. Walking into the washroom, Richard looked at his gaunt reflection in the mirror and thought about how his recent weight gain had been for naught. ¡°This consumption from Bloodline Alchemy is too terrifying. Unless absolutely necessary, it should never be used when Magic Power is depleted,¡± Richard concluded. After cleaning the blood caused by his emerging scales and changing into fresh clothes, Richard acknowledged that three months had passed¡ªit was time to collect those one hundred Magic Stones. ¡°` COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 22 - Chapter 22: Chapter 22: Purity, Extremely High Purity (Seeking for Follow-Up Reads) Chapter 22: Chapter 22: Purity, Extremely High Purity (Seeking for Follow-Up Reads) After tidying up his clothes, Richard cautiously took out the red mercury he had refined a few months ago and placed it into a box stuffed with balls of paper and straw. If this thing exploded, Richard could lose half his life. Carrying the box, he made his way to the Central Black Tower, and while passing the Apprentice Self-Test Room, Richard decided to test his physique on the way. [Spiritual Power? Physique 22, Magic Power 176, Rating: Novice Apprentice.] ¡°Huh? Why is the spiritual power a question mark? Is the crystal ball broken?¡± Richard tapped the crystal ball and, besides the spiritual power, his magic power also seemed off. However, since the bloodline in Bloodline Alchemy was from a Magic Beast, and the bloodline included some magic power, it wasn¡¯t a problem for the magic power to be a bit higher. By the time he reached the fifty-sixth floor, Richard was already sweating profusely. Carrying what was essentially a bomb, he would be lying if he said he wasn¡¯t nervous. Knock, knock, knock! Richard knocked on the nearest door. Click. ¡°What do you want?¡± An apprentice opened the door¡ªa portly figure, seemingly middle-aged, with slit eyes, a hooked nose, and a glossy forehead that shone under the magic light. ¡°Senior, I¡¯m here to submit a task.¡± Richard, holding the box, carefully handed it over to the middle-aged apprentice before him. ¡°Submitting a task? Which task?¡± The middle-aged apprentice reached out to take it, but then, seeing Richard¡¯s sweat-drenched face and his cautious handling, a thought suddenly flashed through his mind. It couldn¡¯t be red mercury. There really was a brash youth who had refined it! ¡°Please come in, quickly. Be careful with that box, the power of red mercury is not insignificant.¡± The middle-aged apprentice kept retreating, then opened the door behind him as far as possible, making no move to take the box. Only after Richard had securely placed the red mercury did he breathe a sigh of relief. ¡°Junior brother, you¡¯re quite bold. Carrying red mercury all by yourself up here.¡± The middle-aged apprentice sat down on a chair, wiping the sweat from his forehead. ¡°Senior, how may I address you?¡± ¡°Chax. And your name?¡± ¡°Richard.¡± After exchanging a few pleasantries, Chax walked over to the window and called out twice. In seconds, a regular-sized owl flew into the room. ¡°Sister, someone has brought the red mercury you asked for,¡± Chax said to the owl. Richard watched with curiosity, ¡°Senior, what is this?¡± Chax waved his hand dismissively, ¡°It¡¯s just a small trick. I¡¯m simply using animals to send messages.¡± After saying this, he let the owl fly away and returned to his chair. ¡°Senior Chax, you just mentioned a ¡®sister¡¯. Isn¡¯t Master Jolod the one who wants the red mercury?¡± Richard remembered Chax¡¯s words, realizing that perhaps the task for the red mercury wasn¡¯t directly set by Jolod himself. ¡°Ah, the teacher researches Synthetic Beasts, he doesn¡¯t need this stuff.¡± Chax wiped his forehead again, ¡°The task for red mercury was posted in his name by Senior Sister Anna.¡± ¡°So does this task count or¡­?¡± ¡°It counts. If you want to become a disciple of the teacher, this task definitely counts.¡± Seeing Richard¡¯s somewhat bewildered face, Chax had a ridiculous thought cross his mind. He didn¡¯t refine red mercury without failing, did he? How could the refining of red mercury be fail-proof? ¡°Um¡­ Richard, how long did it take you to extract this stuff?¡± Chax ventured to ask. ¡°Uh, about three months. Refining red mercury is quite dangerous; I failed a few times, so it took me a little longer,¡± Richard lied convincingly. ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good. Given your strength, you must be a rookie who has just started school. I almost thought I had encountered a legendary alchemy prodigy,¡± Chax said with a relieved laugh, ¡°Even the teacher sometimes fails when refining red mercury, the difficulty is off the charts.¡± After hearing this, Richard immediately felt that his decision to submit the task after three months was absolutely correct. If a Wizard has problems refining red mercury, what about an apprentice? The two chatted casually for a bit longer, and though Chax appeared greasy like a middle-aged man, his abilities were approaching an Advanced Apprentice, making him a formal student of Jolod. After getting to know each other better, Richard began to ask about becoming Jolod¡¯s disciple. ¡°Senior brother, I heard that most of those who join Master Jolod¡¯s tutelage end up in the Alchemy Workshop,¡± Richard probed. Hearing this, Chax disdainfully waved his hand, ¡°Don¡¯t listen to the nonsense outside, that all the teacher¡¯s apprentices end up working in the Alchemy Workshop and don¡¯t learn anything real.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you, the treatment Wizard gives to his Apprentices is counted among the best in the entire Academy. As long as you join Wizard as a disciple, you¡¯ll get a subsidy of at least five Magic Stones every month.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s on top of your workshop salary.¡± ¡°If you work in the workshop, it¡¯s normal to make ten or twenty Magic Stones a month after you get skilled.¡± ¡°For you newcomers, isn¡¯t that much better than doing Academy tasks?¡± After speaking, Chax reached into the table beside him and pulled out a metal flask, taking a couple of sips. ¡°Besides, just look at how other Masters treat their Apprentices. Using them to test medicines, to experiment with Magic, I have personally seen all this.¡± ¡°Our Mentor doesn¡¯t even talk about experimenting on you, and he even gives you Magic Stones, where else are you going to find such a good deal?¡± The more Richard listened the more he felt something was off, as Chax¡¯s words sounded suspiciously like some kind of scam. If Jolod was that good, Apprentices would be breaking down the doors to join him. But before Richard could speak, the door to the room banged open. ¡°Chax, where¡¯s the stuff you brought?¡± Richard looked up to see that the person who entered was Anna, the one who had lectured him the other day. Seeing Anna, Chax immediately hid his flask, then jumped to his feet and scurried over to her, fawningly saying, ¡°Sister, Sister, the red mercury is over there. Don¡¯t make such a fuss, red mercury can¡¯t withstand you treating it that roughly.¡± Anna glanced at Chax and then turned to look at the box before looking over at Richard. ¡°Did you refine this?¡± ¡°I refined it.¡± After confirming it was the Apprentice¡¯s work, Anna walked briskly over to the box where the red mercury was kept and gently opened it. ¡°Hmm?¡± Upon opening the box, she was greeted by the sight of a brown glass bottle. Although many Apprentices knew red mercury needed to be kept away from light, using a brown glass bottle for its storage was a detail she had only thought of after her Mentor¡¯s guidance. She had never seen anyone else use it before. ¡°A brown glass bottle, good attention to detail,¡± Anna praised. Chax overheard Anna¡¯s words and nearly popped his eyeballs out in excitement. Sister Anna was praising someone! Anna was Jolod¡¯s most prized disciple over the last thousand years. Normally, instead of praise, it was good enough if she didn¡¯t scold her fellow disciples and siblings. As for praise, that was unheard of. ¡°They should be kept away from light, so I found a brown bottle,¡± Richard muttered vaguely. When he opened the bottle, a peculiar scent of evaporating red mercury instantly spread through the room. Richard instinctively covered his mouth and nose, but saw Anna wave her hand, and a breeze cleared the smell from the room through the window. ¡°Chax, as a disciple of the Mentor, even an outsider knows to cover their nose and mouth, and you¡¯re still standing there dumbfounded,¡± Anna said, her glance making Chax shiver. After addressing Chax, Anna¡¯s fingertips sparked with a pale blue light, and a thread of Magic Power emanated from her fingertip, deftly entering the bottle. After a moment, a droplet of red mercury with a strange color was drawn out by her. ¡°This color¡­¡± Anna looked at the color of the red mercury, her eyes flickering uncertainly. This color¡­ this shimmer¡­ this was indeed red mercury, and it was red mercury of extremely high purity. Unable to resist, Anna stimulated the red mercury, and with a bang, the red mercury exploded upon the stimulus of Magic, creating a gust of air in the room. ¡°Did you refine this?¡± Anna turned and asked. ¡°I refined it,¡± Richard replied. ¡°What¡¯s your name, do you have a Mentor?¡± ¡°I am Richard, and I currently do not have a Mentor.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± After listening, Anna capped the bottle and walked over to Richard. Richard was somewhat confused. Had the Miracle Furnace not refined red mercury? Did this woman think he was a fraud? Her question about having a Mentor, was it asking if he had any backing? Suddenly, Richard remembered that the fifty floors above in the Central Black Tower were the domains of Wizards, where there were no Academy Inspectors. That is, if Anna killed him here, nobody would know. For a moment, Richard¡¯s mind was in disarray, and he kept stepping back. ¡°Look, Sister Anna¡­¡± Corned with no escape, Richard, having no other choice, braced himself and said, ¡°Just say what you want to do.¡± Anna, towering nearly six feet tall, was able to look down at Richard. She patted his shoulders with both hands, her voice firm as she said, ¡°If you don¡¯t have a Mentor yet, then join our Alchemy School.¡± COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 23 - Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Jolods Test (Please Follow) Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Jolod¡¯s Test (Please Follow) Anna¡¯s words left Richard somewhat at a loss. ¡°I came here to submit a task, why are you trying to rope me in?¡± ¡°Join the Alchemy School, you have a strong talent in alchemy. This bottle of red mercury, even my mentor would struggle to achieve your level of purity, you¡¯re definitely a talent in alchemy.¡± Anna spoke with a righteous tone, and Richard almost believed her. ¡°But senior, I¡¯m still a beginner apprentice and the minimum requirement for Master Jolod¡¯s disciples is an intermediate apprentice.¡± ¡°Beginner apprentice?¡± Anna looked at Richard and suddenly frowned, a strong surge of spiritual power swept over him momentarily. ¡°That¡¯s impossible, you¡¯ve already reached the standard of an intermediate apprentice.¡± ¡°What?¡± When Richard heard Anna¡¯s words, he was momentarily stunned. He had only recently reached a spiritual power of 16, still four points shy of the requirement for an intermediate apprentice. How could he have possibly become one overnight? Seeing Richard¡¯s perplexed expression, Anna shook her head, ¡°Maybe you did something that stimulated the growth of your spiritual power?¡± ¡°Did something?¡± Richard pondered for a while; the only special thing he had done recently was Bloodline Alchemy. Could Bloodline Alchemy also enhance spiritual power? While Richard was pondering, Chax suddenly spoke up from the side. ¡°It¡¯s probably the Rebound Effect. Richard, have you been practicing Bloodline Alchemy recently?¡± Hearing Chax¡¯s words, Anna also noticed the incongruity in Richard¡¯s physiology; although he had adapted to his rapidly advancing physique, there were still some minor discrepancies due to such a short adaptation period. ¡°That¡¯s indeed the case.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s not surprising,¡± Chax said with a knowing look. ¡°Senior Chax, what is this Rebound Effect?¡± ¡°It seems you haven¡¯t attended the Soul School¡¯s classes yet.¡± Chax smiled, a flash of wisdom glinting across his shiny forehead. ¡°According to the research of the Soul School, our soul and body are not completely separated; there exists a covert connection between them. This connection can balance the disparity between the body and the spirit. When a creature¡¯s physique surges, its spiritual power increases as well, allowing its soul to utilize the body. The same goes the other way around; when spiritual power surges, the creature¡¯s physique also increases, enabling the body to accommodate a stronger soul.¡± Though Chax usually appeared like a greasy middle-aged man, when he discussed theories, his entire demeanor changed, and his previously somewhat comical shiny forehead now became a symbol of maturity and reliability. ¡°Simply put, if either spiritual power or the body is too strong, it will promote the growth of the other. After you practiced Bloodline Alchemy, your physique reached the level of an intermediate apprentice, but there was a significant disparity with your spiritual power, so your spiritual power also increased.¡± Having heard this, Richard suddenly understood, ¡°So that¡¯s how it is. Then, wouldn¡¯t it be possible for a knight¡¯s spiritual power to be enhanced if their physique is powerful enough?¡± ¡°In theory, yes,¡± Chax nodded, ¡°but the physiological limit of human beings is too low; even if they reach the so-called peak to become a high-level Knight, it¡¯s merely twenty-nine points of physique. Compared to a wizard¡¯s meditation, this method of enhancing strength is far too inefficient. Apprentice, how long did your session of Bloodline Alchemy take? Just an hour or two, and you achieved what some knights take decades to accomplish. Moreover, spiritual power must connect to the Sea of Souls to be completely liberated; if a knight does not reach high level, the spiritual power gained through the Rebound Effect would merely be potential.¡± Richard thought about it, and indeed, what Chax had said was true. ¡°Apprentice, don¡¯t think about relying on physique to boost spiritual power; the Rebound Effect requires a significant difference between spiritual power and physique, such as your current situation where your spiritual power is at an intermediate apprentice, but your physique has reached the standard of an intermediate apprentice. Only in such situations will the Rebound Effect occur. If you become a wizard, this effect would change between a One Ring Wizard and a Second Ring Wizard.¡± As he spoke, Chax suddenly walked up to Richard and patted his shoulder. ¡°Our mentor has connections with many Alchemy Wizards, as long as you can become the mentor¡¯s formal disciple, later transforming your current bloodline to a more perfect bloodline formula is not impossible.¡± Obviously, Chax had mistaken Richard for an apprentice who conducted Bloodline Alchemy recklessly. Richard forced a smile upon hearing this, silently vowing to himself that he would definitely add a twist to the materials refined in the Miracle Furnace in the future. ¡°Alright, Chax, step aside for now, whether you enter the Alchemy School depends on what Richard wants.¡± Anna pulled Chax aside, leaving Richard alone to ponder quietly. Choosing a mentor was a serious matter, with the Academy having strict rules about switching mentors. If an apprentice rashly changed mentors, it could lead to a situation where no mentors in the Academy were willing to accept them. Minutes later, Richard took a deep breath and looked steadfastly at Anna. ¡°Whew, I¡¯ve made up my mind.¡± ¡°I want to join the Alchemy School and become a disciple under Master Jolod.¡± ¡°Good, I will take you to meet the mentor right now.¡± Anna clapped her hands, immediately dragging Richard up to the upper levels of the Black Tower. On the ninety-ninth floor of the Central Black Tower, the Alchemy Wizard Jolod was busily engaged in his Synthetic Beast experiment. As the Black Tower Wizard Academy¡¯s wizard with the highest Alchemy Skill, he possessed the best-protected laboratory in the entire Central Black Tower. In this laboratory, unless the Central Black Tower collapsed, his experiments would not be disturbed at all. ¡°Roar! Roar!¡± Watching the Synthetic Beast in front of him gradually disintegrate, Jolod, who had been failing continuously for a month, rubbed his temples and casually summoned a flame to reduce the beast¡¯s remains to ashes. ¡°Where exactly is the problem? What exactly is missing from the notes my mentor gave me?¡± Jolod walked to his desk, somewhat headache-stricken as he looked at his own experimental notes. Knock knock knock. ¡°Come in.¡± The door opened, and Anna brought Richard into the laboratory. Upon entering the laboratory, Richard instantly felt a strong sense of shackles as though something was suppressing his magic power. He looked around; the entire laboratory was made of black bricks engraved with runes, and though there were several Magic Lights on the ceiling, the laboratory remained very dim. At the center of the laboratory was a black stone carved table, which divided the laboratory into two parts. On the right side of the laboratory, there were iron racks filled with glass containers of varying shapes, all containing a yellow liquid, within which various types of glands and organs were soaked. On the other side, the left side of the laboratory, the walls were adorned with various anatomical atlases, and between these atlases stood a huge bookshelf filled with books, notes, and even manuscripts, which looked very cluttered. Before the bookshelf stood a table where an old man with white hair was now deep in thought. ¡°Mentor, I¡¯ve discovered an alchemy prodigy.¡± Anna, leading Richard over to the old man, placed a vial of red mercury onto the experiment table. Wizard Jolod, the Alchemy Wizard widely recognized for accepting numerous apprentices, looked just like any ordinary old man with his graying hair, large beard, and full face of wrinkles. But this was just the surface. Richard noticed something unusual about Jolod¡¯s eyes; deep within his eyeballs was something strange¡ªa myriad of tiny compound eyes! Jolod opened the bottle and drew out a droplet of red mercury with a strand of magic power. ¡°Hmm? This purity¡­ quite impressive.¡± After activating the red mercury to verify its potency, he fixed his gaze upon Richard. In a moment, it felt like Richard was completely seen through as the eyes seemed to penetrate his clothes, skin, muscle, bones, all the way to his soul. ¡°Bloodline Alchemy, just became a low-level apprentice. To refine this purity of red mercury, he truly can be called a genius.¡± Jolod withdrew his gaze, commenting in a flat tone. ¡°Anna, you brought him here presumably for him to become your disciple, I trust your judgment, but we still have to go through the necessary procedures.¡± Having said that, Jolod pulled open a drawer of the table and, without looking, took out a crystal ball. ¡°Make this, and you¡¯re qualified.¡± COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 24 - Chapter 24: Chapter 24 Magic Equipment: Pale Mask (Please Follow) Chapter 24: Chapter 24 Magic Equipment: Pale Mask (Please Follow) Richard took the crystal ball, and after probing it with his spiritual power, he discovered a design diagram inside. This was a magic equipment design diagram named ¡°Pale Mask.¡± Jolod, looking at the notes in his hand, spoke in an indifferent tone, ¡°Make this thing, and then hand it over to me. I¡¯ll give you three months. If you can¡¯t make it in three months, it would mean that your talent isn¡¯t as good as I thought.¡± After speaking, Jolod glanced at Richard. ¡°Do you understand?¡± Richard nodded, ¡°I understand, Master Jolod.¡± ¡°Then go back. I still have experiments to conduct.¡± Jolod waved his hand, and Richard and Anna left without making a sound. Once outside, Richard patted his chest. ¡°So that¡¯s a wizard? When he looked at me, I felt like he saw right through me.¡± Anna rolled her eyes at him, ¡°It¡¯s not that scary. The mentor saw you as a low-level apprentice, even the life radiation was restrained. Go back and properly make the magic equipment; the mask isn¡¯t hard to craft. I¡¯ll await your news in three months.¡± With that, Anna strode ahead and directly leaped over the stair banister, falling freely. ¡°Whew, having Levitation Skill is impressive. But why do I feel like something¡¯s missing?¡± Richard stroked his chin, then suddenly went to the edge of the banister to shout at Anna. ¡°Senior sister, you haven¡¯t given me the money yet!¡± ¡­ Once he found Anna and settled his debt with magic stones, due to the high purity of his red mercury and the possibility of them being fellow apprentices in the future, Anna gave him an additional ten magic stones and hoped that after Richard finished crafting the magic equipment, he could refine another batch of red mercury for her. To this, Richard could only express his willingness to collaborate in the future. Seeing his pocket filled with a full one hundred and ten magic stones, Richard couldn¡¯t help but sigh, Anna was truly wealthy. She gave away over a hundred magic stones without even blinking. ¡°I¡¯m rich now; time to pay back Ali¡¯s money first,¡± Richard counted the magic stones in his pouch. He had been so absorbed in the library recently that he spent every last magic stone he had, and even the money he used to buy bloodline alchemy materials was borrowed from Ali. ¡°After changing the money, I¡¯ll take a stroll through the commercial district to gather the materials for crafting the magic equipment, and get started as soon as possible!¡± Richard pumped his fist, full of determination. Returning to his dormitory, Richard knocked on the door of the next room. Knock knock knock. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± Click. Ali, wearing a thin nightgown, sleepily opened the door, her eyes half-closed. ¡°Richard, what is it?¡± As Ali rubbed her eyes, her slight movements caused her nightgown to reveal quite a bit. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I¡¯ve just come to return the magic stones.¡± Richard averted his gaze, handing a bag of magic stones to Ali. ¡°Five magic stones, please check.¡± Ali casually tossed the bag behind her, not even bothering to look. ¡°What for? You wouldn¡¯t cheat me. Come in and sit, I recently bought a can of Green¡¯s red tea from the commercial district.¡± ¡°No need to sit, I just found a mentor, and he¡¯s assigned me a task.¡± Richard mumbled a few words and turned to leave. ¡°Did you run into that woman named Anna?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Richard turned around, ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°The scent, she had this smell on her in class that day,¡± Ali said nonchalantly. Richard sniffed himself and indeed detected a faint aroma very similar to that of red mercury. ¡°Amazing, you could even smell that.¡± Richard gave a thumbs up, then waved his hand and briskly walked away. Ali watched Richard¡¯s retreating figure and slammed the door shut with a bang. Standing behind the door, her cheeks were flushed with annoyance. ¡°He doesn¡¯t even come in! Is his heart made of stone?¡± The somewhat irritated Ali stamped her feet fiercely before languidly lying down on the bed and picking up the ¡°Wizard World Almanac¡± she had borrowed from the library. ¡°Ah, knowledge, knowledge, you are the real enchantress. How many people have you bewitched, toiling their entire lives away just for a glimpse of the tip of your iceberg. Compared to you, such an adversary, how could I ever win?¡± Arriving at the commercial district, Richard began searching for suitable materials according to the design diagram. ¡°Inferior Wind Pattern Stone, sticky mushrooms, Black Mercury, Poison Rhododendron Ink, ten-year-old Demonized Wood¡­¡± After wandering around the commercial district for a long time, Richard finally gathered most of the materials needed to make the Pale Mask, spending a total of 3,500 Academy Coins, equivalent to thirty-five Magic Stones. ¡°There¡¯s still one missing, the skull of a Black Striped Water Python.¡± Richard looked at the last item on the materials list; he had visited over a dozen shops and hadn¡¯t found it. ¡°We don¡¯t have the skull of a Black Striped Water Python here,¡± said the clerk, shaking his head. Richard sighed upon hearing this. This was the last alchemy shop in the commercial district. ¡°Where should I obtain this item, then?¡± Richard asked, smiling as he slipped ten Academy Coins into the clerk¡¯s hand. Once the clerk made sure no one was watching, his smile became much more genuine. ¡°Black Striped Water Pythons have a habitat in the Black Stone Mountain Range. If you¡¯re in a hurry, you could go there and hunt one yourself. This Magic Beast isn¡¯t hard to kill for a low-level Apprentice. Also, if you really intend to go there, you might want to check at the Academy¡¯s Task Hall to see if there are tasks for patrolling the Black Stone Mountain Range. Academy tasks allow you to ride the Academy¡¯s airship for free, which could save you an airship ticket.¡± ¡°The Black Stone Mountain Range, huh? Thanks for the tip.¡± Richard pondered for a moment and decided to follow the clerk¡¯s suggestion to check the Task Hall. The Task Hall was bustling with people. After searching through the list of tasks for a while, Richard found one in the Academy tasks that involved scouting the conditions of White Crystals Deer in the Black Stone Mountain Range. Richard approached the counter to take on the task. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but due to the danger of the task, low-level and beginner Apprentices need to form a team of two or more to accept it,¡± said the Wizard Apprentice behind the counter, looking into the Crystal Ball. ¡°Do I need to form a team? That could be troublesome,¡± Richard frowned. Since coming to the Academy, Richard¡¯s life could even be described as reclusive. Besides frequenting the library and dormitory, he hardly had any social interactions except with Ali. Richard massaged his temples with a slight headache. ¡°Should I ask Ali to team up?¡± As he was pondering, suddenly a voice came from behind him. ¡°Hey, friend. Are you looking to form a team?¡± Richard turned around to see a plump man in a Wizard Robe looking at him. The chubby man seemed honest and sincere. ¡°Friend, want to team up? I¡¯m Loken, looking for someone to join me heading to the Black Stone Mountain Range.¡± Richard turned to look at the clerk; he had just inquired about taking on the task, and now someone was asking to team up. This was too much of a coincidence. The clerk gave Richard a glance: ¡°For low-level Apprentices, forming a temporary team in the hall is very common, nothing to make a fuss about.¡± ¡°Sorry, I already have a teammate.¡± Richard gave Loken an apologetic smile and turned to leave. Teaming up with a stranger for a mission in the wild seemed too dangerous to Richard. Returning to the dormitory, Richard once again knocked on Ali¡¯s door. ¡°Richard, what is it this time?¡± Ali opened the door with a subtle expression. Has this blockhead finally come to his senses? ¡°Uh¡­¡± Richard hesitated for a moment before speaking to Ali, ¡°I saw a task in the Task Hall that requires a team. Are you free lately?¡± ¡°Oh, oh, oh, oh!¡± Ali cheered inwardly but kept a calm expression. ¡°I¡¯m free. How¡¯s the reward divided?¡± ¡°Three hundred Academy Coins, split evenly,¡± Richard answered. His main task was to hunt the Black Striped Water Python. To him now, the reward from the Academy task seemed trivial. ¡°Okay, I agree. Let me change my clothes.¡± COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 25 - Chapter 25: Chapter 25 Black Stone Mountain Range (Please Follow) Chapter 25: Chapter 25 Black Stone Mountain Range (Please Follow) When Ali had finished changing her clothes, half an hour had already passed. Looking at the youthful and cute girl in front of him, Richard couldn¡¯t help but sigh that the best cosmetic for women was youth. When they arrived at the mission hall, Richard noticed that a fat man named Loken seemed to have already found a team. ¡°It seems common for low-level apprentices to form teams, but aren¡¯t these people worried about betraying each other?¡± Richard thought to himself. Although the Black Stone Mountain Range was within the Academy¡¯s radius, there were no Academy Inspectors inside, and the apprentices were no longer restricted by school regulations. Moreover, every apprentice who had successfully entered the Academy had blood on their hands. In the wilderness, if his companions weren¡¯t well-known to him, Richard wouldn¡¯t dare to sleep peacefully. Richard and Ali walked up to the counter to accept a mission, and after confirming their team-up, the clerk briskly assigned them the mission. ¡°Let¡¯s go, pack up, tonight we¡¯ll take the flying airship.¡± On their way, Richard felt that Ali kept glancing at him, but whenever he looked back at her, she quickly averted her gaze. ¡°Is there something on my face?¡± Richard asked. ¡°Um¡­ no.¡± ¡°Then why do you keep looking at me?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s looking at you, don¡¯t flatter yourself. I was¡­ I was looking at the street lights.¡± Richard shook his head, unable to understand the girl¡¯s thoughts. Next time, he would record her with a Recording Crystal and see if she still denied it. Back at the dorm, besides packing clothes, Richard also armed himself thoroughly. He carried a great sword on his back, wore an arm bracelet, an ice cone ring on his finger, a magic dagger at his waist, and finally picked up the fireball magic wand. Richard¡¯s gear was now complete. After packing, Richard and Ali headed to the airship field located outside the Academy. There were many apprentices at the airship field, and Richard, with his sharp eyes, saw the team joined by the fat man Loken. Boarding a Zeppelin-type magic airship, Richard was exempted from the airship ticket after showing the mission proof, earning envious glances from the surrounding apprentices. The price of an airship ticket was not cheap, starting at one magic stone and going up to five or six for farther places. Ali looked at the ticket price on the airship, ¡°Richard, how did you know that taking academy missions could get us free tickets?¡± If they really had to pay for the tickets, the two of them would need four magic stones to go to the Black Stone Mountain Range, which would cost more than the reward itself. And the airship ticket seller didn¡¯t give any hints about this rule. ¡°Hehe, secret.¡± This passenger airship was different from the recruitment airships; instead of individual compartments, it had rows of wooden seats. Richard and Ali¡¯s seats were by the window. Sitting down, Ali, who was accustomed to sleeping, yawned and leaned against Richard, closing her eyes. Looking at Ali, who fell asleep instantly, Richard helplessly took a piece of clothing from their luggage and draped it over her. The moonlight outside the window was bright and when it shone through the window onto Ali¡¯s face, it seemed to veil her face with a layer of gauze. ¡°Sleeping like this is such a waste. The efficiency¡­ doesn¡¯t feel as good as meditation.¡± ¡­ The flying airship was fast, and they reached the distant Black Stone Mountain Range in half a night. When the morning sun shone into the airship, Richard moved his shoulders and woke Ali up. ¡°Wake up, we¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Hm? So soon?¡± Ali yawned and stretched languidly, then followed Richard off the airship. The airship docked near a small town inhabited by quite a few ordinary humans. Loken¡¯s team also disembarked with Richard, but they seemed very familiar with the Black Stone Mountain Range and headed straight for it. As soon as they entered the small town, several people immediately approached Richard and Ali. ¡°Wizard sir, do you need a guide? I am very familiar with the Black Stone Mountain Range.¡± ¡°Wizard sir, I know the Black Stone Mountain Range the best, just a quarter of a magic stone, and I guarantee your mission will be completed quickly and smoothly.¡± ¡°Master Wizard, don¡¯t listen to them, I¡­¡± Seeing the guides crowded together, Richard coughed. ¡°Quiet down, everyone. We¡¯re here to survey the survival status of the White Crystal Deer, as well as to hunt a Magic Beast known as the Black Striped Water Python. Which of you are familiar with these two creatures?¡± Richard¡¯s words made the guides fall silent. They were indifferent to the White Crystal Deer, but very few among them had ever seen the Black Striped Water Python. ¡°Master Wizard, I¡¯m familiar with the White Crystal Deer, but I¡¯ve only seen the Black Striped Water Python once in the past six months, and I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s still around that area.¡± An old guide with a head of white hair but full of energy stood out among the guides, and none of the others dared to steal his business. Helplessly, the assignments under a wizard were lucrative but risky, and if they felt they were being fooled, even the City Lord couldn¡¯t protect them. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s you then. How many Magic Stones?¡± ¡°Half a Magic Stone is enough, Master Wizard.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°You can just call me Old John, Master Wizard.¡± The transaction completed, Old John didn¡¯t waste any time and immediately led the two towards Black Stone Mountain Range. In the morning, the Black Stone Mountain Range was covered in mist, and from afar it appeared as if a dark beast lurked within the white fog. Old John led the two along a mountain path deep into the Black Stone Mountain Range. Along the way, various uniquely shaped plants and insects kept Richard and his companion from turning away. ¡°Master Wizard, is this your first visit to Black Stone Mountain Range?¡± Richard, who had just finished collecting some plants, turned and looked towards Old John. ¡°Indeed it is.¡± ¡°Ha ha, I could tell you two were first-timers from the way you act,¡± laughed Old John, reaching into the nearby brush and pulling out a mushroom. ¡°Master Wizard, never mind those little toys, look at this mushroom Old John has.¡± Richard took the mushroom and with a probe of his spiritual power, discovered that it actually contained magic. ¡°What is this!¡± Richard asked in surprise. Old John shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is either, just that I often see other wizards picking this when they come to the mountain.¡± Richard, sensing the hint, carefully pocketed the mushroom and took out a Magic Stone from his belt pocket, which still had one-fifth of its magic power left. ¡°Later, take us to see other things that wizards often pick.¡± Old John with a beaming smile accepted the Magic Stone, ¡°Alright, Old John guarantees you¡¯ll be satisfied, sir.¡± Black Stone Mountain Range was vast, stretching over thousands of kilometers, even extending beyond the Academy¡¯s bounds. As the moon climbed into the sky, after walking in the mountain for a day, Richard and his party started a campfire in the forest. Richard and Ali sat quietly in front of the campfire, watching Old John show off his cooking skills. Having been a guide for decades, Old John mastered his duties, noting that Richard and his companion were first-timers at Black Stone Mountain Range and were unprepared. Along the way, he began preparing game meat for dinner. As Old John smoothed a layer of secret spices over the golden-brown skin of the mountain chicken, a thick fragrance burst forth as the greasy skin sizzled. ¡°It smells so good.¡± Ali sniffed, eagerly watching the roasting chicken. At that moment, Richard felt a bit greedy too; although he had prepared dry rations, who would prefer them over delicious roast meat? Just as the two were indulging their appetites, sudden noises echoed from the woods. The keen-eared Old John looked alertly towards the woods, suddenly thrusting the barbecue into the ground. ¡°Both of you, someone is approaching and we may need to fight. Old John won¡¯t hold you back.¡± With that, Old John¡¯s figure vanished into the woods in an instant. And not long after he disappeared, rustling sounds came from the forest in front of Richard. A figure, covered in blood, emerged from the woods. COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 26 - Chapter 26: Chapter 26: Luring Trouble Eastward (Please Follow) Chapter 26: Chapter 26: Luring Trouble Eastward (Please Follow) ¡°What the hell!¡± Richard drew his great sword, his breathing starting to change rhythm. Behind him, Ali also took a magic wand from her luggage, the flash of magic power shimmering faintly. ¡°Don¡¯t make a move, it¡¯s me! Loken!¡± The blood-colored figure wiped his cheek, revealing a simple and honest chubby face. ¡°Loken? Weren¡¯t you teaming up with others? How did you end up like this?¡± As he spoke, Richard stealthily gave Ali a look, and she, with perfect understanding, moved beside Richard¡¯s luggage and took the Fireball Magic Wand into her hands. Loken¡¯s situation was not right; it seemed as if something was chasing him. Several more noises came from the dense forest, and by the sounds of it, they were likely the noise of Magic Missiles. Loken¡¯s face changed, and a glint of light flashed from his boots. ¡°It¡¯s a long story; we¡¯ll talk about it later.¡± Then, the chubby man¡¯s feet moved like the wind, and he quickly disappeared into the woods. In the end, he still shouted to Richard: ¡°I got the stuff, let¡¯s split up and run!¡± Right then, even a fool like Richard knew he¡¯d been played. ¡°Friend, I have nothing to do with that guy!¡± Richard shouted into the forest, while his heart started pumping hot blood through his veins. His magic power was rapidly depleting, replaced by the growing scales on his body. In just one or two breaths, his body was covered with black scales. Several voices came from the forest, not in the Wizard Language, but then Richard heard a sound. Buzz! A buzzing noise reached Richard¡¯s ears, and without thinking, he swung his sword, hitting a blue streak head-on. Behind the streak, several Magic Missiles tore through the protective force field of his wizard robe, hitting Richard¡¯s body squarely. If this had been before his Bloodline Alchemy, the missiles would have been enough to take Richard¡¯s life, but now, he just grunted and turned to shout at Ali. ¡°Do it now!¡± Ali waved her magic wand, magic power passing through the wand and concentrating at the tip, instantly turning into a deadly spell. Orange-red fireballs, like shooting stars, crashed into the dense forest, exploding into skies of flames. Boom! The surging blast, carrying dirt and rocks, rushed towards Richard, but protected by the black scales, these aftereffects meant nothing to him. ¡°Are they all dead?¡± asked Ali, her voice trembling. This was Ali¡¯s first time witnessing the Fireball Technique, the scarlet glow, the thunderous noise; it all seemed like divine punishment out of legend. The gods punished the sinners with thunder and fire. Flames began to rise in the forest, an inevitable consequence of using the Fireball Technique. Richard¡¯s eyes were fixed on the fire, sensing that someone was still alive. Woo! A figure stood up from the fire, bringing with it a gale summoned by magic. The wind fed the fire, and what was once a small blaze expanded rapidly under the strong wind. With one step, Richard charged into the flames. The scorching air traveled through his lungs, as if molten coals were burning his trachea. But Richard paid no attention, his eyes only on the figure summoning the wind. Finally, Richard reached the figure, but what he saw was a charred body, unrecognizable in gender. Intense hatred allowed this person to stand from the fire and release one last spell. ¡°I¡¯ll send that bastard down to join you.¡± Richard swung his sword, decapitating him. The wind from the spell suddenly stopped, but the wildfire had already become uncontrollable. ¡°Loken¡­¡± gritted Richard. The entire ordeal was caused by Loken¡¯s malicious act of diversion before his departure. Back at the camp, Ali was currently covering her mouth and nose, trying to escape the blaze. ¡°Hold on to me,¡± said Richard as he embraced Ali, his voice deep. ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Richard carried Ali and charged straight into the flames. With his incredible physique and the protection of the scales, he forcibly made a path through the fire. ¡°Mr. Wizard, come this way!¡± Just as he emerged from the fire, Richard saw Old John waving at him from a distance. The old guide seemed not to have abandoned his client. Coming to Old John¡¯s side, Richard saw a small river. ¡°Wizard sir, let¡¯s hide in this river, and the fire will go out soon,¡± Old John called out. ¡°Go out? How can this fire go out?¡± Richard looked at the fire that kept spreading, thinking to himself that in his previous life, such a scene would probably require digging firebreaks and deploying helicopters to solve. ¡°Heh, seems like the wizard sir is not aware of the Black Stone Mountain Range¡¯s rules,¡± Old John said while looking at the spreading fire, then with a splash, he jumped into the water. ¡°We of the Black Stone Mountain Range have a Guardian God.¡± No sooner had Old John finished his sentence than Richard heard a roar that echoed through the forest. A gigantic figure flew out from deep within the Black Stone Mountain Range, bearing three snake-like heads and broad bat-like wings on its back, with scales covering its entire body. ¡°Is that¡­ a Giant Dragon!?¡± said Richard, his voice trembling. The creature flew over the fire, and with its three heads opening their massive jaws wide, it took a fierce inhale; instantly, the flames of the entire fire turned into three torrents continuously streaming into the creature¡¯s mouth. ¡°What¡­ what is it doing?¡± Old John stroked his beard: ¡°What else could it be doing but putting out the fire? According to what wizards like you might say, the Guardian God is currently absorbing the Fire Element from the fire.¡± ¡°Fire Element?¡± murmured Richard, his eyes glazed over in wonder. In the worldview of wizards, the most primitive state of matter is not atoms, electrons, or quarks, but the Four Elements: earth, wind, water, fire. All matter is composed of the Four Elements. In the worldview of wizards, flames are the concrete representation of the Fire Element, and burning is the release of the Fire Element contained within the material. It took the Giant Beast about fifteen minutes to extinguish all the flames, after which it flapped its wings and returned to the depths of the mountain range. ¡°Alright, wizard sir, let¡¯s go back. If we¡¯re lucky, maybe my roasting could still be edible.¡± Old John walked out from the water, wringing the water from his clothes. ¡°Old John, can you track?¡± Richard put down Ali, eyes burning with flames of vengeance. ¡°Track? Of course, I can,¡± Old John said with some pride, ¡°No one can disappear under Old John¡¯s watch in these woods.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± nodded Richard, then turned to look at Ali. Although Richard protected most of her body when they escaped, some minor burns were unavoidable. ¡°How do you feel?¡± ¡°A bit thirsty,¡± Ali rubbed her head, ¡°Are you going to kill that fat man?¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± Richard nodded, ¡°Are you going to stop me?¡± ¡°How could I?¡± Ali rolled her eyes at him, ¡°I¡¯m not crazy. That fat man hurt us so badly, even killing him with one strike would let him off too easily.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Richard internally sighed with relief; if Ali had developed a syndrome of excessive compassion, he might lose a friend in the future. A hint of hatred flashed across Ali¡¯s face as the great fire seemed to have stirred up dark memories from her entrance examination. ¡°Take me with you when you kill him. I just learned a Curse Magic, and it¡¯ll be just right to practice on that fat man.¡± ¡°Curse Magic?¡± Richard was surprised. ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand! I¡¯m not planning to curse others!¡± Ali hurriedly explained, ¡°You don¡¯t go out much, so you wouldn¡¯t know, but there have been several curse killings among the new students recently.¡± ¡°I¡¯m learning it for self-defense.¡± Richard remained silent, and Ali became increasingly anxious. ¡°Believe me! I really am learning it for self-defense.¡± ¡°Mhm, I know you don¡¯t want to kill,¡± Richard nodded, then gazed at Ali with a look of amazement. ¡°Ali, do you know, Curse Magic is not chosen by people, but the magic chooses the person. Without what the Curse School calls ¡®Spirituality,¡¯ even if you acquire the model of the magic, you won¡¯t be able to use it.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Ali panicked, ¡°Then my Magic Stones would be wasted!¡± That was fifteen Magic Stones, her entire savings. ¡°I read it in a book,¡± pondered Richard. The Curse School has always been the most mysterious and least populous of the Five Major Schools. Their magic appears absurd and unfettered but can kill without a trace. It is said that the Truth Wizard of the Curse School once cursed an entire world to death with a single spell. ¡°The talent for being a Curse Wizard is rare; I hope you haven¡¯t wasted your Magic Stones,¡± Richard smiled, then called out to Old John. ¡°Old John, let¡¯s go, today I must slaughter that fat man!¡± ¡­ Not far from the fire, at the edge of a valley. ¡°Looking at this commotion, those people should all be dead, right?¡± Loken murmured to himself as he watched the Guardian God fly back into the depths of the mountain range, ¡°Those two were quite powerful; two people causing such a stir made even the Guardian God take action.¡± But then he laughed smugly, rubbed his hands together, and pulled out a notebook with a cover still bearing some dirt from his bosom. ¡°But no matter how powerful, they still ended up as my scapegoats. The notebook of an Advanced Apprentice, written in the Wizard Language. Such a good thing, if I didn¡¯t steal it, it would be against all reason.¡± COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 27 - Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Notes (Please follow) Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Notes (Please follow) In the dense forest, Old John crouched low, carefully observing the broken traces of the plants on the ground, as well as the bloodstains. ¡°Let¡¯s go this way.¡± Old John made a judgment and pointed in a direction as he spoke softly. Loken¡¯s escape traces were obvious; even though flames had destroyed many of them, Old John still effortlessly found his tracks. Following these traces, Richard arrived at a valley. The vegetation in the valley was sparse. Richard, lying in a high place, easily spotted Loken, who had lit a campfire. ¡°That fat man seems to be looking at something,¡± Ali whispered softly. Richard also noticed the object in Loken¡¯s hands¡ªit was a notebook. ¡°I¡¯ll approach from the front later, Ali, you stay on the side and use a spell to prevent him from escaping. Old John, you hide first.¡± After arranging the plan, Richard reactivated his bloodline. When Black Scale covered his entire torso, he cast a Silence Technique on himself. Everything ready, Richard suddenly burst out of the woods, swinging his great sword like a black bolt of lightning toward Loken. Under the effect of the Silence Technique, Richard¡¯s movements were almost soundless, while Loken, captivated by the notebook in his hands, failed to notice the abnormality around him. Spurt. Blood splattered. Loken, finally perceiving the danger at the last moment, rolled aside very clumsily. Behind him, a terrible wound across his back continuously oozed fresh blood. ¡°You¡¯re still alive!¡± Loken exclaimed in shock. ¡°Not only am I alive, but now I am also going to take your dog¡¯s life.¡± Richard¡¯s face was cold as he slashed his great sword again horizontally. This time, Loken was prepared, and two invisible barriers appeared instantly in front of the blade. Two Force Field Barriers! Loken looked at Richard somewhat mockingly. ¡°Idiot, lucky to be alive, becoming a Wizard Apprentice but still only knowing how to use a sword!¡± But what met him was Richard¡¯s scornful gaze. If Saban could break through the Force Field Barrier, how could Richard not break through? The gleaming sword tip whistled, and the barrier before Loken was instantaneously shattered. This was Duke Heisen¡¯s famed technique, Wind Crow Slash. In front of the high-speed blade, even Plate Armor could be split in two; often shattering both man and horse on the battlefield. The sword blade swept across, and a head flew up. Loken¡¯s eyes were wide open, baffled even in death. How could his sword break through two layers of Force Field Barriers? Seeing Richard¡¯s action succeeding, Ali and Old John also followed up. Looking at Loken¡¯s headless corpse, words of an incantation flowed from Ali¡¯s mouth as Magic Power surged within her. A stream of dark energy flowed from her fingertips into Loken¡¯s corpse. Moments later, like a deflated balloon, Loken¡¯s corpse quickly withered away, its entire body instantly turning into a skin and bones appearance. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± Ali looked nervously at the body. This was her first use of Curse Magic, unsure about the effects. Suddenly, a large bump formed on the shrunken corpse. Within a moment, a white worm about the size of a fist emerged from the bump, breaking out of its cocoon. ¡°I did it!¡± Ali exclaimed excitedly. ¡°What is this?¡± Richard asked curiously. ¡°This is a Curse Worm, a material used in many Curse Spells,¡± Ali held the worm in her hand, which unlike ordinary worms, stayed motionless without any struggle. ¡°This one is so big, could probably sell for five Magic Stones.¡± ¡°It can be sold?¡± ¡°Of course, it can be sold.¡± Ali rolled her eyes at Richard, carefully placing the worm into a pouch at her waist. ¡°This thing not only serves as a material for casting curses on others but can also be used as a protective material against curses.¡± ¡°That does sound like a good thing.¡± After experimenting with the spell, Richard picked up the notebook Loken had been perusing from the ground. The pages of the notebook were somewhat yellowed, the edges creased due to humidity. It looked as though they had been thrown outside for years. The text inside the notebook was in Wizard Language. Some parts were vague, but most of it was clear and legible. This also saved Richard some spirit power meant for extraction. ¡°Speaking of which, Richard wasn¡¯t sure if he could extract anything from the smudged entries. After casually flipping through a few pages, Richard had understood why that group was after Loken. ¡°Advanced Apprentice¡¯s notes, how could such a thing appear in the Black Stone Mountain Range?¡± Holding his doubts, Richard started to review the notes by the fire. ¡°July 10th, Heavy Rain The weather today is bad, it has been raining incessantly since the day before yesterday, and if this continues, mushrooms might grow in the room. July 15th, Clear Weather The rain finally stopped. The black tower next door opened a massage parlor today, it¡¯s said it can relieve mental fatigue, but I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s true. I¡¯ll check it out tomorrow. July 16th, Clear Weather The massage parlor was effective, they say the special services are even better. I¡¯ll give it a try tomorrow. July 17th, Clear Weather Went to the massage parlor. July 18th, Cloudy Went to the massage parlor. July 19th, Clear Weather Damn it, those bitches actually used aphrodisiac incense as meditation incense! July 20th, Clear Weather Went to the massage parlor.¡± Richard quickly flipped through a few pages and found that they mostly contained evaluations of the massage parlor. ¡°Damn, even a mere commoner shouldn¡¯t frequent that much.¡± Skipping the part about the massage parlor, Richard finally saw something substantive. The owner of the notebook specialized in the Shape-shifting School, and the notes recorded his thoughts on modifying the magic model of the One Ring Spell ¡°Flame Hand¡± and the experimental results after modification. ¡°Power increased by one energy level, consumption reduced by one-tenth, solely based on this modification idea, I didn¡¯t waste my night,¡± said Richard, somewhat excited. Energy level is the basic unit used by the Shape-shifting School to evaluate the power of spells, one energy level is equivalent to the power of a Magic Missile. However, since many spells¡¯ direct power can¡¯t be evaluated, this unit is generally only used by the Shape-shifting School. He continued to review the notes. ¡°May 12th, Clear Weather Only one Magic Stone left, I wonder how many Magic Stones that massage parlor swindled from me. May 13th, Cloudy So many people in the task hall, these new students aren¡¯t focusing on their classes, what are they even doing taking on tasks! May 15th, Clear Weather Finally, a decent task developed¡ªcollect herbs in the Black Stone Mountain Range for twenty Magic Stones, travel expenses also reimbursed. Wizards of the Alchemy School sure are wealthy. May 19th, Light Rain It¡¯s raining again, been in the Black Stone Mountain Range for a day now, haven¡¯t found a single thing. High payment isn¡¯t without reason.¡± The diary ended there, and suddenly there was a blank space in the notes. Richard flipped a few pages backward and discovered a few scribbled lines, the last of which was written in blood. ¡°What is that! What the hell did the mudslide release!¡± ¡°Living Iron Net, how could such a thing appear in the Black Stone Mountain Range.¡± ¡°Guardian Magic Statue! I got it, I¡¯ve broken into a wizard¡¯s laboratory! Those strange things are all protective measures set up by a wizard!¡± A wizard¡¯s laboratory! Richard felt his heart skip a beat. A wizard¡¯s laboratory could be too profitable; various specimens, experimental materials collected by wizards, and even experimental equipment were invaluable treasures to an apprentice. Richard continued to review, and after a long blank, a line written with a finger in blood appeared at the end of the notes in front of him. ¡°The wizard is dead!¡± COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 28 - Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Return (Please Follow) Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Return (Please Follow) ¡°The Wizard is dead? What does that mean?¡± Staring at the last words of the notebook¡¯s owner, Richard plunged deep into thought. If this sentence were taken literally, it meant that the wizard of this laboratory had died. However, to delve deeper, Richard couldn¡¯t help but consider the implied meaning of the statement. The Wizard is dead, but how had he died? Was it an experimental accident, or had he died of old age? If it were an experimental accident, then this laboratory was a dangerous treasure trove; but if he had died of natural causes, then this laboratory had become a tomb of the wizard. Since ancient times, tomb raiding had always been a perilous trade. If it was natural causes, then Richard would have to consider whether he should explore this laboratory. ¡°Richard, haven¡¯t you finished yet?¡± Ali¡¯s voice roused Richard from his thoughts, and he closed the notebook and smiled at her. ¡°This notebook records the modifications of a spell, I¡¯ll copy it for you when we get back to the Academy.¡± ¡°Wow! Richard, you are so kind!¡± Ali lunged at Richard, giving him a big hug. In the Academy, the spell models available for exchange were the most primitive ones. Modern wizards had long extended these spells in various forms based on their research. This was also a hidden test for wizard apprentices from the academy. Using only the primitive spell models from the academy would undoubtedly make such apprentices suffer greatly in apprentice duels. John found quite a few things on Loken, aside from the pair of magic boots on his feet, Loken had also contributed three Magic Stones to Richard. Richard gave the Magic Stone with just a bit of magic power left to Old John as a reward; this old man¡¯s usefulness in the Black Stone Mountain Range was terrifying, from leading the way to tracking, there seemed to be nothing he couldn¡¯t do. ¡°Old John, this is for you.¡± Old John joyfully accepted the Magic Stone, then patted Richard¡¯s chest. ¡°Master Wizard, just command me. I, Old John, will do my utmost.¡± Richard nodded and turned to Ali. ¡°Ali, you take these two Magic Stones.¡± ¡°Ah? For me? I can¡¯t take it!¡± Ali shook her head repeatedly, ¡°You killed him, the Magic Stones should be yours. I can¡¯t take this money.¡± ¡°Then consider it a loan. I¡¯m lending you these two Magic Stones,¡± Richard pushed the stones into Ali¡¯s hands. ¡°I need a long-term, trustworthy teammate, and these stones are my investment in your future.¡± Richard liked Ali¡¯s attitude towards Loken; someone who clearly differentiated between love and hate was undoubtedly the best kind of teammate. Wizards can be lone wolves because they have enough time to build a foundation. However, wizard apprentices have only a maximum of thirty years, which seems long, but if you subtract the time spent earning Magic Stones, meditating, traveling, and resting, there is actually very little time left. This meant that no wizard apprentice could be proficient in everything. A trustworthy teammate was undoubtedly the best way to compensate for one¡¯s shortcomings. Moreover, Ali had also displayed the talent of a Curse Wizard, which, by itself, made her worthy of Richard¡¯s deep association. ¡°This¡­ then I will accept it!¡± Ali bit her lip and accepted the Magic Stones, firmly resolving to quickly enhance her power. After dividing the Magic Stones, Richard examined Loken¡¯s boots. The boots were called Gale Boots, engraved with a Gale Technique on the soles, which when activated, used the Wind Element to speed up movement. This was quite an upgrade for Richard at the moment. If he had had these boots just before, Loken would never have been able to dodge the first strike. After resting in the valley for a night, Richard followed Old John to the habitat of the White Crystal Deer the next morning. The White Crystal Deer was a demonized creature, its scale-like white crystal surface was one of the raw materials for many Crystal Balls. After confirming that the number of White Crystal Deer had not diminished, Richard wanted to collect some White Crystal for alchemy materials. But the next moment, he understood why the Academy required low-level apprentices to form teams. Beams of white light shot from the deer¡¯s antlers, and although each beam wasn¡¯t very strong, Richard was facing a hundred White Crystal Deer. ¡°Ouch¡­ that really hurts.¡± Richard, smoking all over, leaned against a tree. If it weren¡¯t for the protection of Black Scale and the Life Magic of the arm bracelet, he would have almost turned into a roasted piglet. ¡°Who told you not to listen, Old John already said not to get close, but you wouldn¡¯t listen,¡± Ali said with a stifled laugh. ¡°Alright, alright, at least I got something,¡± Richard said, shaking the bag of White Crystals in his hand. Having left the habitat of the White Crystal Deer, Richard followed Old John to several herb gathering spots frequented by wizards. Because of the wrong season and timing, many of the herbs had not fully grown. But Richard, thinking since he was already there, collected a few immature herbs, planning to nurture them when he returned. After all, Magic Potions were also a part of alchemy. After collecting the herbs, Richard followed Old John in the mountains for two days to find traces of the Black Striped Water Python. Eventually, in a swamp, Richard found a juvenile Black Striped Water Python about five meters long. As a low-level Magic Beast, it possessed the ability to control the Water Element, coupled with its strong muscles, it could easily strangle a high-ranked knight in the swamp. For this reason, Old John even used himself as bait to lure the beast out of the swamp into the dense forest. ¡°Master, your Magic Stones were well spent!¡± Old John said to Richard while panting and hiding up a tree. Once out of the swamp, the Black Striped Water Python¡¯s advantage was significantly reduced. Hiding on the side, a flash of blue light from Richard¡¯s foot instantly increased his speed. Taking advantage of a surprise attack, he used Wind Crow Slash to cut the Black Striped Water Python into two. However, Magic Beasts were notoriously tenacious in life, and even though it was cut into two sections, the Black Striped Water Python still struggled relentlessly. The foul-smelling blood freely flowed in the forest, controlled by the Black Striped Water Python, turning into continuous jets of blood assaulting the surrounding dense forest. But by this time, Richard and his group had already hidden far away, letting it struggle in vain. After about ten minutes, the Black Striped Water Python finally stopped moving. Seeing this, Richard approached the snake¡¯s body, severed its head with a sword, and collected a bag of its fresh blood with a water sac. He planned to refine it back home and see if it could be sold. ¡°Ali, try using this stuff for a spell,¡± Richard called out to Ali. Ali cautiously approached the corpse, her fingertips released a black mist that entered into the rear half of the body. Crack, crack, crack¡­ Under the influence of the spell, the Black Striped Water Python¡¯s body continued to dry up, eventually becoming just skin and bones. Soon, a large bump rose at the tail end of the Black Striped Water Python¡¯s body, and a light black-striped, white worm emerged from the bump. ¡°This time it¡¯s different,¡± Ali explained to Richard as she put the worm into her pocket, ¡°Black Striped Worms are a higher grade than Pure White Worms. This one has only one ring of black stripes, but its effect is five times that of the Pure White Worms. The price has also quintupled.¡± Richard, hearing this, got a bit excited, ¡°That¡¯s great news. There¡¯s still half left, try again.¡± Curse Worms were so valuable, they could be a good source of income. But Ali shook her head upon hearing this. ¡°I can¡¯t take more Curse Worms. According to the books, a low-level Apprentice shouldn¡¯t possess more than two Curse Worms, as having more could bring unpredictable bad luck.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t take more¡­ but I can,¡± Richard said with a smile. Saying so, Richard pulled the other half of the body over to Ali. ¡°Don¡¯t waste it; these are Magic Stones.¡± ¡­ Having obtained the head of the Black Striped Water Python, Richard had accomplished his goal for this trip. On the way out of the mountains, Richard casually asked Old John if there had been any mudslides in the Black Stone Mountain Range in recent years. The answer he got was that a major mudslide had occurred twenty years ago, and legends say that monsters appeared in the area where the mudslide occurred; they always avoided that place when leading apprentices. With this answer, Richard also had a base in his mind. If what Old John said was true, then this Wizard¡¯s laboratory might still be undiscovered. He still had a chance. Leaving Black Stone City, Richard and Ali took a Magic Airship back to the Academy. After completing the mission, Richard dove into his dorm to begin crafting Magic Equipment. COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 29 - Chapter 29: Chapter 29: Making Magic Equipment (Please Follow) Chapter 29: Chapter 29: Making Magic Equipment (Please Follow) Alchemy is a craft that can only be described as elaborate; whether it involves Magic Equipment, Magic Potions, Synthetic Beasts, or Magic Arrays, a combination of multiple skills is necessary to achieve the best results. This requires not only sufficient patience and carefulness from the Wizard, but also the ability to think on their feet or even have a stroke of inspiration during the creation process. After purchasing the required tools, Richard promptly hung up a ¡°Do Not Disturb¡± sign at the entrance. The production process of the ¡°Pale Mask¡± seemed simple in his eyes, but he still approached the task with utmost seriousness. Since the skull was not directly purchased, the first thing Richard had to do was to process the head of the Black Striped Water Python. He soaked the python¡¯s skull in a specially prepared Alchemy Solution for twelve hours, after which he was able to remove the flesh attached to the skull almost entirely. Then, using the same Alchemy Solution, he repeated the soaking and the cleaning steps until not a trace of flesh remained visible on the skull. While the skull was soaking, Richard didn¡¯t waste any time. He ground the inferior Wind Pattern Stone into fine dust, mixed it with charcoal powder burned from ten-year-old demonized wood according to a specific ratio, added five hundred grams of clean water, and let it settle for three hours to extract the clear liquid. This was the Soft Bone Water used for softening the skull. Next, he pounded sticky mushrooms into a paste and mixed them with Poison Rhododendron Ink to create the ink for inscribing Alchemy Runes. This step was particularly dangerous. The Poison Rhododendron Ink was prone to evaporation, and its vapors were highly toxic. Furthermore, if the proportions were off when mixing the sticky mushrooms with the Poison Rhododendron Ink, it could generate a tremendous amount of heat. For his own safety and that of his neighbors, Richard had no choice but to rent a test zone for the mixing process. This was an additional expense. After preparing everything, Richard soaked the python¡¯s skull in the Soft Bone Water for an hour to soften it. As the main material for the mask, the skull needed to be softened to facilitate shaping. The softened Black Striped Water Python skull had a texture similar to that of playdough, and Richard easily reshaped it into a pale mask. Then came the most crucial step. In the making of ordinary Magic Equipment, inscribing Spells is often the key step, but the Pale Mask was an exception. The hardest part was drawing the Magic Power conduction circuit. Richard had to use threads of Magic Power laced with Black Mercury to draw the Magic Conduction circuit inside the skull; a single misstep or fluctuation of Magic Power would render the mask a failure. However, thanks to mastering Jolod¡¯s skills, Richard was particularly adept at controlling Magic Power, and this step only took him ten minutes to complete. ¡°Phew, the last part is engraving the Runes,¡± he said. Carefully opening the previously prepared ink, Richard began using a feather pen to inscribe Runes on the back of the mask. The Magic Power reacted with the alchemy ink inside the feather pen, causing the pen to transform. Therefore, after each Rune was engraved, Richard had to switch to a new feather pen. The Spell inscribed onto this mask was the One Ring Spell, Intimidation Technique, an effect that serves to intimidate enemies, and it¡¯s a type of mental assault. A low-level Apprentice suddenly hit by the Intimidation Technique would be momentarily dazed, and if they were faint-hearted, they might even wet themselves or faint on the spot. After inscribing the Spell, Richard wiped the sweat from his brow. Up to this point, he had spent four days creating this mask. The entire process went very smoothly, and the quality of the mask was at least up to the passing standard, if not exquisite. This result should be enough to pass the exam. ¡°But why does it feel so fragile?¡± Richard felt the mask and reckoned that perhaps because the skull¡¯s original owner hadn¡¯t reached adulthood, the resulting mask didn¡¯t have the hardness depicted in the design and instead felt like it would break if bent. ¡°Let¡¯s reinforce the texture with the entire Demonized Array, otherwise a little bump and the mask will be ruined.¡± ¡­ ¡°You¡¯re pretty fast at this,¡± Chax remarked, holding a jug of wine, and looking at Richard with surprise, ¡°It took me two weeks to figure this out back in my day, and I even failed once.¡± ¡°Well, I guess I was just lucky, I got it right the first time,¡± Richard scratched his head and laughed shyly. He hadn¡¯t cheated this time; he had done all the steps by hand. ¡°Remarkable, truly remarkable. Senior Sister was right; you are indeed an Alchemy genius,¡± praised Chax, ¡°From now on, we are brothers in arms, and if you encounter any small issues, feel free to come to your Senior Brother for advice. Although I specialize in a niche field, I do have a solid foundation.¡± Richard nodded, naturally aware of the pitfalls of working in isolation. After exchanging a few more pleasantries, a series of thumping footsteps approached rapidly, reaching Richard¡¯s ears. Bang. Anna pushed the door open and entered. Today, she was not dressed as before. Instead of her Wizard Robe, she wore a set of black, skin-tight clothing that left her curves completely unobstructed. ¡°Are you done?¡± Anna stared intently at Richard with her phoenix eyes. ¡°I am done. This is the finished product.¡± Richard waved the bag containing the mask towards Anna. Feeling the subtle Magic Fluctuations from within the bag, although Anna¡¯s face did not show it, she breathed a sigh of relief inside. She had not misjudged; Richard was indeed a genius. ¡°Let¡¯s go, come with me to see the mentor. Chax, you follow too.¡± Arriving at the ninety-ninth floor of the Central Black Tower, this time Jolod was still sitting in front of the bookshelf, frowning deeply at his notes. ¡°Another failure, what am I missing? Could it be the location of the laboratory is bad, affecting my luck?¡± ¡°Mentor, Richard¡¯s work is complete.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Jolod turned his head to look at his eldest disciple, his gaze filled with a hint of confusion. ¡°Which Richard?¡± Upon hearing this, Anna¡¯s face stiffened. She pulled Richard in front of her and said somewhat helplessly, ¡°It¡¯s the Richard you¡¯ve seen before, teacher.¡± ¡°Oh, oh, right, you did bring an Apprentice here before.¡± Jolod slapped his forehead, suddenly recalling that Anna had once brought an Apprentice. He seemed to have some Talent. Jolod tapped his temple continuously with his index finger, searching through his sprawling memory for that day¡¯s information. He had too much to remember, and someone like Richard wasn¡¯t quite worth the effort. After searching for several minutes, Jolod finally remembered the scene from that day. Anna had introduced an apprentice, whom he also thought might have Talent, so he had given a challenge. But that day, his mood was poor due to a failed experiment, and it seemed¡­ he gave the wrong thing. He should have given the design for the Stealth Mask, not the design for the Pale Mask. Jolod felt somewhat ashamed; how could a low-level Apprentice create a Pale Mask? The Magic Conduction circuit of the Pale Mask must be guided by Magic Power and completed in one go, which required extremely high precision in Magic Power control. If one¡¯s control over Magic Power wasn¡¯t sufficient, then quantity had to make up for it. Generally speaking, only an Advanced Apprentice with ordinary Talent, after studying Magic Power manipulation, could complete the crafting of a Pale Mask. Even his two Disciples, despite their exceptional Talent, only managed to craft it during their Intermediate Apprentice phase. But the Apprentice before him seemed to have succeeded. ¡°It must be a barely functioning defective product.¡± Jolod thought to himself as he looked at the bag Richard was holding. The quality of Magic Equipment was divided into four levels: the highest being ¡®Perfect,¡¯ followed by ¡®Exquisite,¡¯ then ¡®Finished,¡¯ and lastly ¡®Defective.¡¯ Defective products, although capable of casting Spells, had significant drawbacks in terms of Magic Power consumption and Spell efficacy. Compared to Finished products, Defective Magic Equipment had higher Magic Power consumption and weaker Spell effects. Nevertheless, being able to create a Defective product was proof enough of this Apprentice¡¯s Talent. Jolod walked over to Richard, trying to wear a gentle expression; after all, giving the wrong test was somewhat embarrassing. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, give me the mask.¡± COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 30 - Chapter 30: Chapter 30: Quality! (Please Follow) Chapter 30: Chapter 30: Quality! (Please Follow) Once the paper was submitted, all that remained was to pray and wait. Richard handed the mask over to Jolod and stood beside him, uneasy and anxious for Jolod¡¯s evaluation. The mask had come together quite smoothly for him, but its very ease cast a shadow of doubt over his heart. Would a wizard really assign such a simple task? As time ticked by, the mere minute or two felt like several hours to Richard. ¡°Not bad,¡± Jolod said, turning the mask over in his hands. The white, bone mask was enveloped in a gentle luster, and against the light, faint gray lines spread through the material like branches. Although the runes etched on the back of the mask were somewhat raw, they were arranged in a reasonable manner, unlikely to influence the casting of spells much. Jolod nodded his head, for an apprentice of a low level, the craftsmanship of this mask was excellent. As long as the magic power circuit within the mask was connected, it would qualify as magic equipment. A stream of magic flowed from Jolod¡¯s fingertips, following the magic conduits within the mask and sequentially illuminating all its runes. When all the runes had been charged with magic, a burst of invisible spiritual shock emanated from the mask instantly. ¡°Hmm?¡± Chax and Anna, feeling the shockwave, uttered sounds of confusion. Something was off with this mask. Why would a Stealth Mask emit a spiritual shock? But more puzzled than the two was Jolod himself, who was currently using the mask. The effects of this mask didn¡¯t seem like those of a mere defective piece. ¡°Anna, Chax, you two have been a little too idle lately,¡± Jolod suddenly said with a stern expression, turning to look at the perplexed pair, ¡°Knowing that I gave the wrong design, why didn¡¯t you come to me to get it replaced?¡± Anna, puzzled, looked at the suddenly angry Jolod; she had been busy with experiments recently, barely touching the ground with her feet. Chax shared the same sentiment; though he often drank on the fifty-fifth floor, he never neglected his experiments and meditation. ¡°Teacher, how come I don¡¯t understand what you are saying?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t understand?¡± Jolod snorted, ¡°You must have put a lot of effort into this fine-grade Pale Mask, haven¡¯t you?¡± Fine-grade? Pale Mask? Anna and Chax looked at each other, baffled by their mentor¡¯s sudden outburst. How could they have crafted a Pale Mask? And shouldn¡¯t the test for the low-level apprentice be a Stealth Mask? How could Richard have produced a Pale Mask? Could it be¡­ the teacher had given the wrong task? Neither of them was foolish, and in an instant, their minds raced. After a glance confirmed neither was at fault, Anna spoke up. ¡°Teacher, I swear by the Sea of Souls that I have no involvement with this piece of magic equipment.¡± Swearing by the Sea of Souls was a wizard¡¯s most solemn oath, rarely invoked except on significant occasions. Chax also quickly followed, ¡°Teacher, I am just like senior sister Anna. This item has nothing to do with me, and you know my level, teacher. I can make a decent product, but a fine-grade piece of magic equipment ¨C even if you kill me, I couldn¡¯t make one.¡± Seeing his two disciples respond in such a way, Jolod¡¯s expression darkened even more. ¡°Boy, did you make this yourself?¡± Swallowing nervously, Richard nodded his head. Hearing the conversation, it seemed he might have created something extraordinary. ¡°You must swear upon the Sea of Souls,¡± Jolod said, staring at Richard, the multitude of eyes within his profound orbs converging as if to become tangible. ¡°Before you take this oath, I must remind you. If you violate your vow after swearing upon the Sea of Souls, your soul will be stained. This stain can cause your spiritual power to regress and will affect your future advancement as a Wizard, even to becoming a Great Wizard. So think carefully before you swear.¡± Jolod¡¯s words were undoubtedly a reminder to Richard not to allow pride to jeopardize his future, but Richard had nothing to fear if he had done nothing wrong. This piece of Magic Equipment was crafted entirely by him. ¡°I swear upon the Sea of Souls that I personally made this Magic Equipment without assistance from anyone else.¡± As the oath was uttered, Richard felt a faint, invisible fluctuation emanating from his soul, reaching out toward a place beyond his knowing. After a while, there was no sign of Magic Fluctuation on Richard¡¯s body, meaning that his spiritual power had not regressed. ¡°This¡­ you truly made this?¡± Jolod¡¯s voice carried a hint of disbelief as he handed the mask to Anna, who, after inspecting it, passed it to Chax with a look of shock. ¡°How is this possible?¡± ¡°Pale Mask, a fine quality Pale Mask, how can the magic conductivity circuit of this mask be so fluid!¡± Jolod exhaled deeply, having thought himself accustomed to geniuses like Anna, Chax, and the hundreds of other Apprentices with remarkable talent he had seen before. But their talents were mere dust compared to this mask. ¡°Richard, do you realize what you¡¯ve accomplished?¡± Jolod praised, ¡°The Pale Mask is meant to be a test for Intermediate Apprentices, yet you, barely promoted to a low-level Apprentice, have not only completed its crafting but also enhanced its quality to a fine standard.¡± ¡°This is something I, even my mentor before me, could not achieve.¡± Chax handed the mask back to Jolod with a complex expression, and Anna beside him shared the sentiment. Both endowed with exceptional talents, they could comprehend the difficulty of this mask. Jolod inspected the mask again, this time discovering something new. The materials used to craft it were significantly inferior. ¡°Can you tell me how you accomplished this?¡± Jolod¡¯s face turned serious, his voice deepening, ¡°The skeletal structure of a Black Striped Water Python is too porous; using Black Mercury as a conductive route would certainly lead to mercury branching within the bone, thus affecting the efficiency of magic conduction. In the past, only the skulls of mutant Black Striped Water Pythons could be used to create fine-quality Pale Masks. But your mask is different; the materials you¡¯ve used are very common, even substandard. I presume it must have come from a juvenile Black Striped Water Python.¡± Richard nodded, ¡°You are correct, it indeed came from a juvenile Black Striped Water Python.¡± ¡°So how did you do it? I am not compelling you to reveal the secret, but by Wizard rules, I will exchange knowledge of equal value for your secret.¡± Saying this, Jolod took out a Crystal Ball from a drawer and handed it to Richard. Equivalent exchange, a cast-iron law passed down from the Dark Age of the Wizard World, is also the cornerstone of Wizard Civilization. ¡°This is the formula for a Concentration Potion, designed to help Wizards physiologically calm down, preventing casting errors caused by severe pain and emotional agitation. This should be very popular among Apprentices; you might want to ask Anna and Chax.¡± ¡°Indeed, the Concentration Potion is always a bestseller in the commercial district,¡± Anna interjected. Richard looked at the Crystal Ball and then back at Jolod, saying: ¡°I didn¡¯t make any improvements. If I really had to name one, I thought the mask material was a bit brittle after I finished crafting it, so I used a Demonized Alchemy Array to demonize the mask.¡± ¡°Demonization?¡± Jolod fell silent for two seconds before handing the Crystal Ball to Richard. As a Wizard with extensive Alchemy experience, he immediately grasped the secret once Richard revealed the answer. The Black Mercury, when charged with magic, contracts and doesn¡¯t form branches, and the Demonized Alchemy Array happens to constantly release magic to the mask. Though not enough to activate a Spell, this magic keeps the Black Mercury contracted and causes an accumulation of magic around the magic conductivity circuit. The accumulated magic demonizes and grows the bone near the conduit so that after the demonization is complete, the Black Mercury has no paths for branching. The method was simple, equivalent to a layer of paper, yet for many years, Jolod had been unable to reach this insight. ¡°This formula is yours now. Additionally, Apprentice Richard, do you consent to become my Disciple, the Apprentice of Jolod Oliva?¡± COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 31 - Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Official Apprentice (Please Follow) Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Official Apprentice (Please Follow) ¡°I certainly agree.¡± Richard took the Crystal Ball and respectfully bowed slightly to Jolod. ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, let us establish the contract.¡± Jolod pulled out a sheepskin scroll filled with Wizard Language from a drawer. ¡°This is the Soul Contract. Once signed, you will become my official Apprentice. I will impart to you my knowledge, and you will inherit this knowledge and pass it down.¡± The transmission of knowledge is fundamental to the Wizard Apprentice system. In the distant Dark Age, Wizards began to take on Apprentices, passing down the knowledge they had explored throughout their lives. This relationship is even more important than Bloodline for Wizards. Richard took the sheepskin scroll, which contained many writings, but the vast majority was prohibitions against Wizard Apprentices selling the knowledge they inherited without permission. Knowledge is too precious, and Apprentices are too poor. Without restrictions, it would be too easy to tempt an Apprentice into selling their knowledge for a little incentive. After signing the contract, a flame instantly ignited from the place Richard had signed, and then burned the entire contract to ashes. ¡°Following ancient tradition, Apprentice Richard, I shall enlighten you.¡± Jolod placed a hand on Richard¡¯s forehead, then started chanting the ancient odes of Wizards. Though Richard didn¡¯t understand these odes, he felt his spiritual power faintly growing in the haze of the incantation. After a passage of odes, Richard felt his spiritual power had grown by about 0.1 during that time. This efficiency was much higher than that of meditation. ¡°Alright, the enlightenment is complete.¡± Jolod clapped his hands, cheerfully using a Spell to summon several thick tomes from the bookshelf. ¡°These books are your basic course. Go back and remember these things, understand them thoroughly, and then come to buy the next part from me.¡± ¡°Buy?¡± Richard was stunned. Hadn¡¯t he already become an official Apprentice? Reading books seemed just like the library. ¡°Yep, buy.¡± Chax walked over to Richard, patting him on the shoulder, ¡°Don¡¯t be so surprised. It was the same for me and Sister Anna; we both had to spend Magic Stones to buy knowledge from the teacher.¡± ¡°This is¡­ Why?¡± Richard asked, perplexed. ¡°It¡¯s simple. Knowledge is precious and should not be passed on lightly. Knowledge that¡¯s too easily obtained is often undervalued,¡± Jolod explained, stroking his beard with a profound look, ¡°Moreover, the craft of Alchemy requires practice, and just book knowledge is far from enough.¡± ¡°If your skills are sufficient, then you can earn enough Magic Stones by selling Magic Equipment and Magic Potions in the commercial district to exchange for more knowledge.¡± Anna also spoke up: ¡°The teacher¡¯s knowledge isn¡¯t priced high, and as long as your skills are proficient, earning enough Magic Stones in the commercial district isn¡¯t difficult. With your current skills, Richard, it probably won¡¯t take two years to exchange for new knowledge.¡± Since such were the rules, Richard didn¡¯t say anything further. Taking the books that Jolod had brought over, Richard left the laboratory with Anna and Chax. ¡°Nice one, junior brother. You really keep your cards close to your chest.¡± Once outside, Chax walked arm in arm with Richard, acting like a supportive big brother. ¡°You really astonished both me and Sister with that trick of yours.¡± Anna felt somewhat complex emotions on the side. Before Richard, she was Jolod¡¯s most talented Apprentice in a thousand years. But now, it was clear this title was going to change hands. However, Anna wasn¡¯t the type to harbor petty thoughts. After feeling frustrated for a while, she put the matter aside. ¡°Alright, Chax, let go of Richard. As a senior apprentice, aren¡¯t you going to give him a welcoming gift?¡± Saying this, Anna took out a medal from her pocket and handed it to Richard. ¡°This is a badge that is inscribed with a Deflection Force Field, capable of deflecting long-range physical spells like the Ice Cone Skill.¡± ¡°Thank you, senior sister!¡± Seeing what Anna did, Chax couldn¡¯t help frowning. He didn¡¯t have any Magic Equipment to give to Richard. ¡°Junior brother, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to give you something, it¡¯s just that my focus isn¡¯t in Magic Equipment. How about you wait a few days, and I¡¯ll craft a small Synthetic Beast for you?¡± Chax said to Richard with a pained expression. ¡°Synthetic Beast? Senior brother, are you researching Synthetic Beasts?¡± Richard suddenly remembered the Synthetic Beast Core he had obtained during the entrance exam, which he had thrown into the corner and forgotten to refine the information from. ¡°Yeah, like my mentor, I also research Synthetic Beasts,¡± Chax nodded. ¡°So the Magic Beast in the entrance exam was something senior brother¡­¡± Chax scratched his head and said with a smile: ¡°That thing was originally mentor¡¯s task, but he ended up tossing it to me. How about it, the Synthetic Beast I crafted wasn¡¯t bad, right?¡± Indeed it wasn¡¯t. Thinking back, if the Magic Beast hadn¡¯t been gravely injured, and he hadn¡¯t had his Magic Equipment at hand, Richard might not have been able to survive the exam. ¡°Indeed impressive. However, I managed to remove something that looks like a heart from a Magic Beast; I wonder if that would be of any use to you, senior brother.¡± Chax was taken aback, then seemed to understand something. ¡°A heart? You¡¯re probably talking about the core. If you have a core, senior brother will customize a Synthetic Beast for you as a welcoming gift,¡± Chax patted his chest. ¡°There¡¯s not much else I¡¯m good at, but I do have some skill when it comes to Synthetic Beasts.¡± The most tedious part of crafting a Synthetic Beast was cultivating the core; with a core available, Chax was confident that he could piece together a low-level Synthetic Beast within three days using the materials at hand. ¡°Then thank you very much, senior brother.¡± After leaving the Black Tower, Richard headed straight to his dormitory to find the Synthetic Beast Core he had acquired before. This core was still faintly pulsing, despite several months without an external energy source, which was quite an exaggeration to its Life Energy. Holding the core in his hand, Richard expended fifteen points of spiritual power to refine the information from it. Although he could have exchanged for this information from Jolod, saving when possible was preferable. After the refinement was complete, Richard felt as though his head had been struck by a heavy hammer, and he felt groggy. Fortunately, thanks to the Rebound Effect, Richard¡¯s spiritual power had reached twenty points, so he still had the energy to hand over the core to Chax after refining the information. ¡°Junior brother, what kind of Synthetic Beast would you like?¡± Chax examined the core¡¯s Life Energy and, after confirming it was still recoverable, waved his hand grandly, presenting Richard with a long list. The list was filled with the names of hundreds of low-level Synthetic Beasts with varying abilities. Richard looked over the list, which included powerful Magic Beasts like the seven-headed magic sheep, but after some thought, he eventually chose a low-level Synthetic Beast called Death Crow. This Synthetic Beast did not possess formidable combat abilities but had the skills of Dark Vision and seeing through illusions. Like regular Magic Pets, Synthetic Beasts could be connected through the planting of a Soul Seed, allowing for shared senses. If Richard were to link senses with the Death Crow, he would essentially acquire the Death Crow¡¯s abilities. Seeing Richard¡¯s choice, Chax waved his hand magnanimously. ¡°The Death Crow is an easy job; come to senior brother to pick it up in three days.¡± After everything was settled, Richard returned to his room and collapsed on his bed, not wanting to move at all. The exhaustion from refining the spiritual power made him extremely tired. Normally, he should meditate to recover, but today, Richard particularly wanted to sleep. Having become Jolod¡¯s official Apprentice, he had finally secured a foothold at the Academy, bringing him a step closer to becoming a Wizard. Richard closed his eyes, and the magnificent view he saw when he first linked to the Sea of Souls appeared before him, his lips unconsciously curling into a smile of longing. ¡°The Star Realm¡­ I really want to see it.¡± COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 32 - Chapter 32: Chapter 32: Reencounter with Kevin (Request for Follow-up Reads) Chapter 32: Chapter 32: Reencounter with Kevin (Request for Follow-up Reads) Three days later. ¡°Magic Pet Breeding Manual, Chax must have been referring to this.¡± In the library, Richard took down the ¡°Magic Pet Breeding Manual¡± from the shelf. This book recorded some basic knowledge about how wizards breed magic pets, and the Wizard Academy¡¯s borrowing price was three magic stones for five days. According to what Chax had told him when he gave him the Death Crow, aside from being unable to grow naturally, this Death Crow was no different from ordinary magic pets. After handing over the Academy Coins to a suddenly appearing sprite, Richard touched the book¡¯s identification number with a crystal ball, and the borrowing was complete. Holding the book, Richard returned to his dormitory room. On his balcony, a Death Crow slightly larger than a common crow, its foot shackled by an iron chain, was staring motionlessly at the distance. This was the Death Crow created by Chax. According to Chax, this Death Crow¡¯s physique was a fifteen, and it could fly freely at an altitude of six thousand meters. Its feathers were extremely tough, able to carry a weight of 200 pounds without breaking. Due to these feathers, the Death Crow could even disregard a ¡°Magic Missile¡±. Its claws and beak had also been enhanced by Chax, with razor-sharp claws that could easily pierce through steel plates. Putting the book down, Richard took out prepared iron pellets from a drawer. Chax had altered the Death Crow¡¯s digestive system to be omnivorous so that it could digest specific metals, maintaining the toughness of its feathers and the sharpness of its claws and beak. Moreover, this Death Crow also needed to consume ten pounds of fresh flesh and blood daily to sustain its daily consumption. ¡°Eat, eat, eat a bit more.¡± Richard opened his hand and let the Death Crow peck at the iron pellets in his palm. Now, he needed to slowly build a relationship with the Death Crow, which would minimize obstacles when implanting the Soul Seed. The Soul Seed was at the heart of the Magic Pet technology and was fundamental for a magic pet to obey the wizard¡¯s commands. Through the Soul Seed, a wizard could command the magic pet to carry out complex activities and share sensory experiences. Among wizards, there were those who controlled a large number of magic pets to construct their own combat systems. However, a Wizard Apprentice like Richard could only distribute two Soul Seeds, and if a magic pet died unexpectedly, the Soul Seed could not be recovered. Therefore, during the apprenticeship phase, magic pets generally took on supportive roles like the one Richard was handling. After feeding the Death Crow, Richard fetched a watering can and started watering. Richard had collected many seeds and plants of magic herbs in the Black Stone Mountain Range, and after returning to the Academy, he had planted them in various pots on his balcony. After watering, Richard returned to his desk, which was covered with many books. Except for the just-borrowed ¡°Magic Pet Breeding Manual,¡± the rest were alchemy books given to him by Jolod. Richard had skimmed through these books. They recorded foundational knowledge of magic equipment, magic potions, synthetic beasts, and magic arrays and were meticulously detailed. If these books were borrowed from the library, a significant amount of magic stones would be needed just to access part of them. But now, Richard had obtained them without spending a penny. This was the benefit of becoming an official apprentice; some knowledge simply couldn¡¯t be acquired just through magic stones. Attending classes, feeding, watering, reading¡ªRichard¡¯s day quickly passed. In the evening, Richard stepped out of his room, called Ali from next door, and they went downstairs together to a newly opened restaurant not far from the tower. Since deciding in the Black Stone Mountain Range to develop Ali into a teammate, Richard had started to focus on cultivating their relationship. Eating meals together daily, attending classes together, visiting the library together, and periodically taking on two tasks, cultivated their tacit understanding in combat. Relationships deepened step by step like this. The restaurant¡¯s d¨¦cor was not complex; it could even be described as simplistic. Simple landscape paintings and a few tapestries hung on the walls, and twelve magic stone lamps hung from the ceiling, illuminating twelve tables. But the simplicity of the decor did not mean the restaurant was simple. The restaurant¡¯s owner had somehow hired a group of mortal waiters who were tall and handsome, each of their movements carried proper etiquette. The waiter handed Richard the menu and arranged the silver utensils on the table. ¡°Charcoal-grilled Magic Patterned Pork Ribs ¡ª regular consumption could enhance physique,¡± Richard read from the menu and smiled, ¡°The owner has real capabilities; the ingredients are all Magic Beasts.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this a bit too expensive?¡± Ali looked at the menu nervously. Each dish on the menu was quite pricey, and just ordering a couple could cost three to four Magic Stones. Converted to Golden Birdcage Coins, this meal would cost the Kingdom¡¯s annual tax revenue. ¡°Let¡¯s splurge ¡ª it¡¯s not like we do this often.¡± Richard checked several items he was interested in on the menu and then passed it back to the waiter. He was very interested in the effect of enhancing the physique. The waiter silently retreated, and Richard sat back, casting bored glances around. The entire restaurant had only twelve tables, and excluding theirs, there were only four other groups of diners. ¡°Hmm?¡± Richard suddenly recognized someone at one of the tables, ¡°Ali, look, isn¡¯t that Kevin, whom we met on the Flying Airship?¡± Ali followed the direction Richard was pointing and nodded. ¡°It is him.¡± ¡°That makes things easy.¡± Richard went up to Kevin with a cheerful air and greeted him familiarly. ¡°Kevin, long time no see, have you missed me?¡± Dining with Kevin was Griffith, who had helped him pass the exam initially. Seeing Richard approach, Griffith also stopped what he was doing. ¡°Richard?¡± Kevin was startled, then immediately understood Richard¡¯s implication. ¡°Long time no se§Ö, how have you been lately, Richard?¡± As he spoke, Kevin pulled out a hundred-Academy Coin note from his jacket pocket. ¡°Doing okay, but not as well as you, young master Kevin.¡± Richard laughed as he took the Academy Coin. The best thing about Kevin was that he knew how to act, both on the airship and now. ¡°I¡¯m not doing well, just made a little something from a small business recently,¡± Kevin said, shaking his head with a smile. ¡°Small business?¡± Richard sniffed subtly; he had smelled a fragrance the moment he approached Kevin. ¡°The scent of Purple Vine Flowers ¡ª useful in crafting Magic Equipment or concocting Magic Potions.¡± Kevin paused and then conceded. As nobles rooted in business, his family, both old and young, harbored a business mind. After arriving at the Wizard Academy, Kevin, with his keen sense of smell, quickly found business opportunities and started to trade in alchemy materials. ¡°Sharp insight, Richard, are you by chance specializing in the Alchemy School?¡± Seeing Kevin admit it, Richard felt more animated. His specialisation was in the Alchemy School, and experimenting was essential in his future life. The materials available in the commercial district were plentiful but finding niche items was challenging. Now that Kevin had started trading in alchemy materials, he would surely frequent the commercial district. As the saying goes, more friends mean more roads; Richard was also contemplating making acquaintances. COMMENT 2 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 2 Chapter 33 - Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Preparation of Materials (Please Follow) Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Preparation of Materials (Please Follow) ¡°Being specialized in the Alchemy School is certainly not something I dare claim,¡± declared the Wizard Apprentice. ¡°We low-level apprentices know so little about our Schools that we might even switch disciplines in the future.¡± Richard chuckled lightly, tacitly agreeing with Kevin¡¯s statement. ¡°That¡¯s great, Richard. Have you been working on any Magic Equipment lately? I still have some alchemy materials left. How about I sell them to you for cheap?¡± A shrewd glint passed through Kevin¡¯s eyes. Although Richard¡¯s words sounded modest, they came across as boasting to Kevin¡¯s ears. He knew somewhat about the Alchemy School, and those who claimed to specialize in Alchemy at this stage were invariably individuals of extraordinary talent. Although the Alchemy School focused more on practice than on theory, even so, its introductory knowledge required a dozen magic stones to access in the library. For low-level apprentices short on magic stones, this was not only a huge expense but also offered staggeringly poor cost-effectiveness. Because Alchemy could not increase an apprentice¡¯s combat abilities in a short time, a lower combat capability meant a smaller range of quests they could undertake. This resulted in a vicious cycle where magic stone acquisition couldn¡¯t keep up for those apprentices specializing in Alchemy, thus slowing their rate of becoming stronger. And yet here was Richard, exuding a strong aura, somehow managing to support the cost of dining here with a lady. Something that would be impossible for an apprentice not naturally gifted in Alchemy. Suddenly, Kevin remembered a rumor he had recently heard. Master Jolod of the Alchemy School was planning to take on a low-level apprentice as his official Apprentice. Could it be¡­ ¡°Haha, maybe later,¡± Richard laughed it off since he was planning to study the specialty knowledge imparted by Jolod and had no plans to craft Magic Equipment. ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± Kevin smiled affably though his heart was pounding, ¡°I¡¯ll leave you my address. Contact me whenever you need materials in the future, I can guarantee prices lower than those in the commercial district.¡± With that, Kevin pulled out a card from his pocket, bearing his name and contact address. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll definitely contact you if needed.¡± Richard took the card and slipped it into his inner pocket. ¡°Richard, the food is here.¡± Ali¡¯s voice came from behind him; Richard gave Kevin an apologetic smile and turned back to his original seat. After he left, Griffith, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly spoke: ¡°Kevin, he is very strong.¡± ¡°How strong? Stronger than you?¡± Kevin elegantly poured himself a glass of red wine, gently swirling the glass. The crimson liquid reflected in his eyes, his mind entirely occupied by his recent guess. Griffith paused for a moment before replying, ¡°I don¡¯t know, but my senses tell me he is very dangerous.¡± Kevin¡¯s wrist trembled, and a drop of red wine spilled from the glass. ¡°That¡¯s excellent,¡± Kevin raised his glass, draining it in one gulp, ¡°He¡¯s not our enemy, and perhaps he could even become our friend.¡± ¡­ Magic Rune Pork Chops tasted better than ordinary pork, tougher and more chewy. The crisply seared fat exploded with fragrance on the tip of the tongue, and the muscle fibers of the Magic Beast rubbed between Richard¡¯s teeth, eventually grinding down into bits of mincemeat before he swallowed them. A plate of pork chops went down, and warmth spread through Richard¡¯s entire body. His cells seemed awakened by something, becoming very active. ¡°So, this is Magic Beast meat? It was money well spent.¡± Richard took a towel offered by a waiter and wiped the sweat from his forehead. It seemed the restaurant owner had anticipated their reactions. ¡°Richard, that python we killed last time, it was really a pity we didn¡¯t bring it back.¡± Ali¡¯s face turned slightly red; fine beads of sweat emerged from her forehead and gathered into droplets that rolled down. She took off her heavy jacket, and the droplets traced a path down her slender neck to the front of her chest and eventually dipped into cleavage. Richard suddenly realized that Ali, whom he had always thought of as a little girl in his mind, actually had a quite impressive figure. ¡°Indeed, next time we should definitely find a way to bring it back.¡± Richard shifted his gaze away, saying somewhat guiltily. The total cost of the meal was two hundred and ten Academy Coins, ten of which were a tip. When paying, Ali insisted on going Dutch. Back in his dormitory, Richard began to meditate as usual. But as soon as he closed his eyes, the image of Ali appeared in front of him. ¡°Sigh.¡± Unsuccessful in his meditation, Richard rose from his bed and moved to his desk to finish the book he hadn¡¯t completed during the day. ¡°In books, there are houses of gold; in books, there are ladies as fair as jade. Richard, oh Richard, knowledge is what a wizard should pursue all his life.¡± ¡­ Days passed and Richard¡¯s life progressed orderly. In one year¡¯s time, Richard increased his spiritual power to twenty-two, although his physique remained unchanged. In the same year, he finished reading the books that Jolod had given him. However, Alchemy is a discipline grounded in practice, and only by applying his theoretical knowledge could he truly master it. ¡°There are twenty Magic Stones left; it looks like it¡¯s time to start making Magic Potions.¡± Richard counted the Magic Stones he had on hand; during this time, he not only read books but also attended various Alchemy Wizard courses. Although Jolod was knowledgeable and highly skilled, wizards specialize in different areas. If there were questions he couldn¡¯t clarify, he would advise Richard to attend a specific wizard¡¯s Magic Stone course. ¡°Ah, did an Alchemy Wizard really write this?¡± Richard copied out the recipe for a Concentration Potion; its inconsistencies and approximations made his head spin. Creating Magic Potions is different from crafting Magic Equipment. In creating Magic Equipment, often only one step is crucial¡ªgetting that right means the other steps can be rough without compromising the quality. Magic Potions, however, require precision at every stage. Many ingredients in Magic Potions, if handled even a second too long or with the wrong equipment, can change in nature, leading to a failed creation. Now Richard had to figure out these details on his own. The commercial district was bustling with activity, filled with Apprentice Wizards of various attire and forms, looking like it was Halloween. Richard¡¯s first stop in the commercial district was at his senior, Anna¡¯s Alchemy shop. Each Alchemy shop had different prices and quality of materials, and testing these would undoubtedly cost him much time and Magic Stones. But asking people was different. ¡°Do you want to buy ingredients for Magic Potions?¡± Anna leaned against the counter, rubbing her temples, ¡°If you want quality materials, then go to the Chalake chamber of commerce to buy. If you¡¯re just practicing and getting familiar with the process, I¡¯d suggest going to the Seven Luminaries Commerce. Their prices are low, and although the quality varies, it¡¯s just good enough.¡± ¡°Okay, thank you for the advice, senior.¡± Anna yawned and looked sideways at her junior brother. ¡°Running low on Magic Stones lately? Want me to lend you some? No interest if returned within six months, five percent annual interest if it¡¯s longer.¡± Richard had been frequently seeking her advice recently, and she appreciated his eagerness to learn¡ªa most valuable trait for a wizard, unlike Chax, who was always lazing around drinking. Moreover, she had heard that Richard was also the son of a farmer, with a similarly troublesome alcoholic father. This sparked a feeling of empathy in her, as well as a sense of closeness. ¡°No, I still have some Magic Stones.¡± Richard smiled and declined Anna¡¯s kind offer. He was not yet at his wit¡¯s end. ¡°Suit yourself.¡± Anna gathered her loose hair, revealing her usually flawless neck. ¡°Hm? Senior, how did you get hurt?¡± Richard pointed at a scar on Anna¡¯s neck that looked like a burn. ¡°A minor injury, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Anna waved her hand dismissively, ¡°Wizards¡¯ experiments sometimes go awry. Oh, by the way, I¡¯ve almost used up the red mercury you brought last time,¡± she suddenly smiled at Richard, ¡°Interested in making another batch of Magic Stones from your senior?¡± Richard was momentarily tempted by the prospect of earning a hundred Magic Stones. ¡°Well¡­it depends. I need to research Magic Potions soon, so I don¡¯t have much time,¡± Richard said, feigning some hesitation. ¡°Alright, help your senior refine some when you have the time.¡± Anna nodded, not pressing him. After all, refining red mercury was a tedious task even she found bothersome, and having Richard do it would undoubtedly slow down his daily studies. ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll go check out the chamber of commerce.¡± Richard waved at Anna and turned to head towards the Seven Luminaries Commerce. COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 34 - Chapter 34: Chapter 34 Wizard Commerce (Please Follow) Chapter 34: Chapter 34 Wizard Commerce (Please Follow) Wizard Commerce was the largest seller in the commercial district, providing more than half of the materials for the entire Academy. Wizards from different regions and families gathered in the commercial area, selling all kinds of magical materials you could or couldn¡¯t imagine, such that most low-level wizards had to rely on the commerce to collect materials. Anna offered Richard two choices, Chalak Commerce and Seven Luminaries Commerce. Chalak guaranteed quality but was expensive; Seven Luminaries had poor quality control but was cheaper. Given the circumstances, Richard naturally chose to go to Seven Luminaries Commerce to purchase materials. The address of Seven Luminaries Commerce was located on the Golden Street of the commercial district, where every inch of land was worth its weight in gold. The annual rent for each store cost tens of thousands of Magic Stones, and even a rich apprentice like Anna couldn¡¯t afford the rent here, so she had to choose a cheaper place. Richard looked around at the dazzling array of signs, with various colored Magic Stone lamps making him feel as if he had returned to Earth. ¡°Wizards from the Wizard World and ordinary people don¡¯t seem like they belong to the same world,¡± Richard remarked, then looked towards a store not far away. ¡°Seven Luminaries Commerce, this is it.¡± Richard stepped into the store, and his ears were instantly met with silence. ¡°Magic Array for soundproofing.¡± Richard made the judgment. The interior of the shop was not large, consisting of a counter, a few shelves, and a mechanical female shop assistant with exposed metal joints. ¡°Welcome to Seven Luminaries Commerce, dear student. What do you need?¡± The mechanical female assistant bowed slightly to Richard, her voice sweet and charming. ¡°I need to buy some materials, but here¡­¡± Having never seen such a thing before, Richard examined the assistant from head to toe¡ªher delicate skin, lively expressions, and sweet voice. If not for the exposed mechanical joints and the lifeless crystal eyeballs, Richard almost thought she was a real person. ¡°It seems this is your first visit here,¡± the assistant smiled gently at Richard, ¡°all Wizard Commerce goods are stored in a special warehouse. You just need to pay in the store, and we will directly deliver the goods to your room or test zone.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Richard nodded thoughtfully and then handed over a parchment listing his needs. In the parchment, Richard mixed in some unnecessary materials to prevent others from stealing the formula. ¡°Alright, please wait a moment.¡± The assistant took the parchment and then recorded its contents onto a Crystal Ball. ¡°Alright,¡± the Crystal Ball flashed with light, ¡°the total materials you requested amount to five hundred thirty Academy Coins. Would you like to proceed with the purchase?¡± ¡°Five formulas, five hundred thirty Academy Coins, excluding those mixed materials, each formula should be around one hundred Academy Coins.¡± Richard nodded, then took out Academy Coins from his pocket and handed them to the shop assistant. After confirming that there were no counterfeit coins, the assistant handed him a contract that recorded the transaction details. The contract was an indispensable part of transactions in the Wizard World. After signing the contract, Richard also noted down his delivery address. After ensuring all information was correct, Richard did not leave the commerce, but asked the assistant for a list. ¡°Could you give me a list of the bloodlines you sell?¡± ¡°Certainly, please wait a moment.¡± The assistant took a Crystal Ball from beneath the counter and handed it to Richard. After a Spiritual Detection, a vast amount of information appeared in Richard¡¯s mind. ¡°How many worlds have wizards conquered¡­ The number of bloodlines is ridiculously high.¡± Richard roughly counted the information contained the bloodlines of tens of thousands of creatures, ranging from small insects to giant dragons, even including the Elemental Creature Bloodlines from the Four Elements Plane. This quantity was not even on the same scale as during the Wizard Wars. Among the multitude of bloodlines, Richard searched for a long time and finally found the bloodline he needed. For the second step of Black Knight Bloodline Alchemy, he needed the bloodline of a two-headed giant troll. The price at Seven Luminaries Commerce was five hundred Magic Stones. ¡°Five hundred Magic Stones,¡± Richard rubbed his chin; this amount of Magic Stones was a significant number for him at the moment. He feared he would be unable to complete the second stage of Bloodline Alchemy anytime soon. Leaving the commerce, Richard did not choose to head back to the dorm but went to a free, open area in the test zone. In the center of the area, a short-haired beauty was experimenting with a spell. Boom! A cone-shaped flame burst from the girl¡¯s hands, instantly heating her targeted metal target red-hot, and within two seconds, the target melted into a pool of molten iron. Clap, clap, clap. ¡°Ali, you truly have talent in the Shape-shifting School.¡± Richard clapped his hands as he emerged behind Ali. The pretty figure experimenting with spells was indeed Ali, and the spell she had just used was the Flame Hand, more precisely, an improved version of the Flame Hand recorded in the notes Richard had obtained as an Advanced Apprentice. ¡°You¡¯re still far behind compared to you. You¡¯re now officially an apprentice to Master Jolod.¡± Ali made a funny face at Richard and then came over to hug his arm. ¡°Richard, aren¡¯t you usually reading books at this time?¡± Feeling the slight touch from his arm, the accustomed Richard couldn¡¯t bother to pull his arm away. ¡°Not enough Magic Stones recently, I¡¯m planning to earn some.¡± ¡°Going on a mission?¡± Ali¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°My mentor has taught me a lot recently, I think my combat abilities might even surpass yours now.¡± This past year, Richard and Ali had been on a few missions; although they hadn¡¯t earned many Magic Stones, their rapport had indeed grown. ¡°Has your mentor decided to take you on as an official apprentice?¡± Richard was a bit surprised. This past year, Ali had unexpectedly caught the eye of a Wizard studying both the Shape-shifting and Curse Schools, and she was currently being evaluated as an apprentice. ¡°Not yet.¡± Ali¡¯s face fell, but then she perked up, ¡°But she has been treating me a lot nicer lately, not so harsh anymore.¡± ¡°And,¡± Ali suddenly leaned close to Richard¡¯s ear mysteriously, her soft breath tickling his ear, ¡°I heard that my mentor is the student of the academy¡¯s real dean, not the Deputy Dean, but the student of the Great Wizard of the Black Tower Wizard Academy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great news,¡± Richard discreetly moved away. ¡°If you become her disciple, wouldn¡¯t you be the dean¡¯s grand-disciple? In the academy, you could then strut about confidently.¡± ¡°Tsk, why don¡¯t you come over and flatter me,¡± Ali made another funny face at Richard. ¡°If you don¡¯t flatter me soon, watch out, I might run off with that Joseph. He¡¯s also an official apprentice to an Alchemy Wizard and comes from Wizard Descendants too!¡± Richard grinned helplessly. Ali was more popular at the academy than he had imagined; the Wizard Apprentices chasing her could form a battalion. And this Joseph was one of the standout suitors. An official apprentice, Wizard Descendant, and he had also chosen the Alchemy School. Listing these conditions, Richard felt like this person was somewhat targeting him. ¡°Alright, Miss Ali. May I inquire if you are free tonight? I¡¯d like to invite you to dinner, so I can flatter you a bit.¡± Richard extended his hand towards Ali, and she gracefully took it. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m free.¡± COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 35 - Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Magic Potion (Please Follow) Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Magic Potion (Please Follow) After leaving the test zone, Richard and Ali drew the attention of many apprentices. Unlike Ali, who was somewhat famous, Richard, a genius who became an official apprentice in less than half a year, was not well known to many. Among the reasons, besides Richard not being sociable, was his deliberate concealment. Pretending to be a pig to eat a tiger and keeping quiet while making a fortune was Richard¡¯s way, but sometimes, being too reserved could also cause trouble. ¡°Ali, long time no see. Are you testing spells again today?¡± A handsome man in a black robe suddenly emerged from the apprentices and approached Ali with a radiant smile. Ali¡¯s smile slightly restrained, and her tone became somewhat cold. ¡°Um, we¡¯ve already finished experimenting.¡± Seeing Ali¡¯s mood was off, Richard whispered in her ear, ¡°Who is this?¡± ¡°He is that Joseph,¡± Ali said with some disgust. Richard sized up the Wizard Apprentice before him. Joseph was well-built and handsome, with thick blonde hair. Judging by the Magic Fluctuations emanating from him, he was quite powerful. Moreover, he was a Wizard Descendant, an official apprentice of a wizard. Frankly, if this person pursued someone else, he probably would have succeeded long ago. ¡°Ali, won¡¯t you introduce me to this friend?¡± Joseph, seemingly oblivious to Ali¡¯s demeanor, still wore a smile on his face. ¡°Richard, from the Alchemy School.¡± Richard didn¡¯t wait for Ali to speak and introduced himself first. ¡°So, you are Richard. Truly, appearances can be deceiving. Myself, I¡¯m Joseph, a formal apprentice of Master Urich. May I know under which master do you apprentice?¡± Joseph seemed a little surprised, then extended his right hand, apparently wanting a handshake. ¡°Master Jolod,¡± Richard¡¯s expression unchanged, shook his hand. ¡°So you are a high apprentice of Master Jolod.¡± A sneer crossed Joseph¡¯s face, and he thought coldly, ¡°Just one of Jolod¡¯s bunch of nobodies.¡± It was not a secret among Alchemy Wizards that Jolod took many apprentices, but everyone knew that an apprentice is just an apprentice, and an official apprentice is a true teacher of knowledge. Although he had heard rumors recently that Jolod took a low-level apprentice as an official apprentice, Joseph knew that it must be a Wizard Descendant. Only Wizard Descendants, who had contact with wizard knowledge from a young age, could become Wizard Apprentices right after the school started. It was the same for him, and he imagined it was the same for others. As they shook hands, a psychic message ran through to Richard¡¯s mind. ¡°Five hundred Magic Stones to leave Ali.¡± Richard was momentarily stunned, then felt like laughing. Was this a domineering CEO encounter? But five hundred Magic Stones seemed a bit undervaluing for such a CEO. At least five thousand would be considered generous. ¡°Friend, five hundred Magic Stones are not enough.¡± Joseph¡¯s confident smile froze on his face. Richard let go of his hand and laughingly pulled Ali into his arms. ¡°For such a rare treasure, I will need at least fifty thousand Magic Stones to let her go.¡± Ali didn¡¯t know what Richard was talking about, but this sudden embrace made her heart race. ¡°What¡¯s going on, Richard?¡± Ali asked. ¡°Nothing, a friend here wanted to offer five hundred Magic Stones for me to leave you,¡± Richard said animatedly, ¡°I think his price is too low; you should be worth fifty thousand Magic Stones at least.¡± Ali turned to look at Joseph, her voice disdainful, ¡°Joseph, are these your methods?¡± Joseph shook his head, sighed, and said, ¡°You wild apprentices are really troublesome, it would be better if you were more sensible.¡± He looked at Ali, his tone deep, ¡°Empty flattery doesn¡¯t bring real benefits. In the world of wizards, Magic Stones and knowledge are the foundation of progress. You follow the path of Plastic Energy, a school that particularly needs Magic Stones, and you are under Mistress Susanna, whose heritage needs even more Magic Stones. In this Academy, only I and the formal apprentices of Master Jolod can afford you.¡± Having said that, Joseph once again glanced deeply at Richard, his face mixing pity with mockery. ¡°Friend, there¡¯s a world of difference between a formal apprentice and your kind of apprentice. My offer stands still, I hope you recognize reality soon, lest you end up not being able to mix even with Magic Stones.¡± After finishing his words, Joseph strode away. Richard, watching his retreating figure, suddenly looked down, somewhat puzzledly at Ali. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell him that I¡¯m Master Jolod¡¯s formal apprentice?¡± ¡°No, didn¡¯t you tell me not to reveal your information to outsiders?¡± Ali shook her head, sweetly saying. The two looked at each other and suddenly burst into laughter. After laughing, Richard let go of Ali: ¡°Let¡¯s go, we¡¯ll have dinner now. Tonight, I will study Magic Potions, otherwise, I can¡¯t afford to support you, Master Susanna¡¯s high apprentice.¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®support¡¯?¡± Ali grimaced, waving her fists, ¡°I can support myself!¡± Evening, dormitory building. An Academy Inspector clutched a box the size of a person and flapped its wings, hovering in front of Richard¡¯s balcony. ¡°Apprentice Richard, Apprentice Richard, your goods have arrived!¡± ¡°Apprentice Richard, Apprentice Richard, your goods have arrived!¡± ¡°Ga!¡± The Death Crow on the balcony let out a shrill cry, and although the Academy Inspector was far stronger than it, it still issued a warning cry. ¡°Coming, coming.¡± Richard ran to the balcony, opened the window, and took the wooden box. The Wizard Commerce, which could open a store within the Academy, almost always employed Academy Inspectors as couriers. This was not only because there were many Academy Inspectors who patrolled the Academy all day and the Academy had not prohibited it, but also because these owls had very low wages. Employing these owls didn¡¯t require Magic Stones, only a lot of nuts and some pretty but useless gemstones were enough. ¡°Please sign here.¡± The owl held out a piece of parchment, handed it to Richard, and after Richard signed, the parchment instantly caught fire. Transaction complete, contract fulfilled. Carrying the box back to his room, Richard laid out the materials one by one at one end of the table. Also on the table were various oddly shaped glass vessels, all of which were equipment Richard needed to use. Taking out the Crystal Ball that recorded Magic Potion recipes, Richard reviewed the content again. After confirming that the information matched his memory, Richard went outside the door and hung a ¡®Do Not Disturb¡¯ sign. He didn¡¯t have many friends; the sign was mainly for Ali to see. Returning to his room, Richard put most of the materials back in the box, leaving only enough on the table to make one bottle of Magic Potion. Concentration Potion, its effect was to physiologically help Wizards calm down and prevent casting errors caused by severe pain and emotional agitation. Following the recipe, Richard took out a black fruit that looked like a plum. ¡°Gastrodia Fruit, has an anesthetic effect after consumption, the juice needs to be extracted and heated for about ten minutes.¡± Richard placed the fruit in a ceramic mortar and mashed it with a Crystal Pestle, then filtered it using a fine sieve and filter paper before putting it into a beaker to start heating. ¡°Next is the White Rhinoceros Horn, to be ground into powder.¡± As he spoke, Richard took out a cracked horn from the materials. It wasn¡¯t easy to handle, and he had to use a Magic Dagger to chop it up, then slowly grind it into powder. After handling the White Rhinoceros Horn, Richard sequentially processed High Sunlime, Concentration Grass, and other materials as recorded in the recipe. ¡°Materials prepared, now it¡¯s time to synthesize.¡± Richard looked at the array of bottles and jars in front of him. In making Magic Potions, one thing must absolutely not go wrong¡ªthe order in which ingredients were added. The order of some ingredients affected the final product; the wrong sequence could turn a life-saving elixir into a deadly poison. Making Magic Potion required stability in three areas: steady hands, steady heart, steady Magic Power. When making Magic Potion, Magic Power often needed to be steadily outputted, never fluctuating too much. Richard fetched a small pot, made entirely of ceramic, with a few Runes etched on its surface. This was an Alchemy Pot, an essential tool in Alchemy. Following the recipe, Richard began adding the ingredients one by one, using Magic Power as a catalyst to facilitate their fusion. He was very careful during this process, because unlike Magic Equipment, if even one step in making a Magic Potion failed, the entire effort was ruined. ¡°Lastly, add Black Bone Stone powder, and if the material turns into a deep blue transparent liquid, the Magic Potion is complete.¡± Richard cautiously added the White Rhinoceros Horn powder to the pitch-black solution in front of him, and the liquid gradually changed color as the powder entered. ¡°Good, this is promising!¡± Richard¡¯s expression brightened, and he continued adding the powder. But before long, the liquid suddenly ¡°bloop bloop¡± produced a string of bubbles, then abruptly turned pitch black. With a ¡°bang,¡± the liquid in the Alchemy Pot turned into a cloud of black smoke that filled the room. Richard¡¯s face darkened as he silently wiped the black ash from his face. It was clearly a failure. After cleaning the Alchemy Pot, Richard returned to his desk to reflect on his process. Experiments were like this, fail after fail, reflection after reflection, and then after tremendous effort, finding an answer¡ªand sometimes the answer wasn¡¯t even what you wanted. ¡°My steps were correct, Magic Power input was stable; eliminating those two factors, that only leaves material handling and the amount of Magic Power input.¡± The recipe provided by Jolod used many vague words regarding material handling and Magic Power input amount, not because he wasn¡¯t researching Magic Potion or couldn¡¯t be bothered to exert effort, but because precise handling of materials was extremely challenging. The origin of materials, their growing environments, and handling techniques all affected the materials. Conversely, differences in material quality also impacted the amount of Magic Power input required during their fusion. The Wizard¡¯s solution to this problem was simple¡ªpractice makes perfect. As long as there was sufficient quantity, experience would guide the Wizards to make the right choices. An Alchemy Wizard necessarily grows from thousands upon thousands of failures. But now, Richard thought of another solution. ¡°This Potion¡­ it can refine skills too, right?¡± COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 36 - Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Transaction (Request for Follow-up) Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Transaction (Request for Follow-up) Business district, Anna¡¯s cottage ¡°Sure, lending you a hundred Magic Stones is fine, but why do you want to buy a Concentration Potion, and a superior quality one at that?¡± Anna looked at her junior, Wizard Apprentice, in astonishment. ¡°This stuff isn¡¯t cheap. What do you need it for?¡± Richard cleared his throat and presented the excuse he had prepared. ¡°Sister Anna, I¡¯m also studying Concentration Potions. I think that the one master gave me and the ones sold in the business district must have something in common. Buying one might just inspire me.¡± ¡°Inspiration?¡± Anna gave Richard a dismissive look. ¡°We Alchemy Wizards believe in learning through extensive practice, not some elusive inspiration.¡± However, although Anna said this, she went back inside the store and brought out a bottle of pale blue potion, 100 ml in volume. ¡°Here, a superior quality Concentration Potion. The store price is thirty Magic Stones; I bought it second hand and the price doubled.¡± While saying this, Anna shook the potion in front of Richard and smiled mischievously. ¡°Now selling it to you, how many Magic Stones do you think is appropriate?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Richard looked at the potion, feeling torn inside. He didn¡¯t have many Magic Stones on him right now. ¡°You really thought about that,¡± Anna couldn¡¯t help but tap on Richard¡¯s head. ¡°This stuff is priceless at the academy; it¡¯s considered high production if even one bottle emerges per month. You simply can¡¯t buy it with just Magic Stones.¡± ¡°Then¡­ are you giving it to me, Sister Anna?¡± Richard¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Nice thinking there,¡± Anna glared at Richard. ¡°Consider this a loan. When you make a superior quality Concentration Potion later on, you owe me two bottles.¡± ¡°Do you accept this condition?¡± ¡°I accept, accept, of course I accept,¡± Richard nodded again and again, adding one last sentence. ¡°Sister Anna, you¡¯re so good to me!¡± Anna¡¯s cheeks slightly reddened. ¡°Go on, hurry up and make your Magic Potion. I kind of regret it now, I should have asked for three bottles of superior quality Magic Potion!¡± ¡­ Back in his dormitory, Richard activated the Miracle Furnace with the potion. [Material: Superior Quality Concentration Potion] [Possible Refinement Skill: Alchemy Operation (incomplete)] [Refinement Cost: 10 spiritual power] [Possible Refinement Information: Concentration Potion Formula] [Refinement Cost: 10 spiritual power] [Initiate Refinement?] ¡°Can it really refine the formula of the potion?¡± Richard looked at the information provided by the furnace and couldn¡¯t help feeling thrilled, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, can¡¯t I refine the formula of every potion sold at the academy?¡± This wild idea made Richard tremble slightly, but he quickly suppressed it in his heart. Even if he managed to refine so many formulas, he wouldn¡¯t be able to sell them in the business district. Whether a potion was his own formula, the Wizards would realize at a glance. Stealing knowledge was a serious crime, and Jolod wouldn¡¯t be able to protect him. ¡°But even though I can¡¯t sell them, I can still use them for myself.¡± Richard couldn¡¯t help but grin. ¡°So many potions are being sold; getting one or two bottles for myself shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± Richard chose to refine the skill, and with his substantial base of twenty-three spiritual power points, he only felt a slight dizziness, and then the refinement was complete. After absorbing the Light Ball that recorded the skills, in an instant, Richard felt as though he had transformed back into a Wizard, manipulating materials like clay in his hands. Strange and varied, soft or hard, materials were no issue. Likewise, while preparing Magic Potions, he was adept and could devise countermeasures without even thinking. After the absorption ended, Richard shook his head, stood up, and picked up the materials needed for the Concentration Potion. Crushing, sieving, extracting, grinding ¨C Richard handled the materials, and before his mind even acted, his arms had automatically processed them. ¡°Such is the terrifying skill of a Wizard.¡± Richard let out a sigh, his heart once again filled with reverence for the Wizard. ¡­ With such skills, Richard naturally excelled at making potions, although failure was inevitable. In the midst of it all, Richard didn¡¯t forget to record the data, and he always had some opinions about the vague data in the formulas. Richard believed that the low success rate of the Magic Potions was largely due to these vague data. Just like that, a month quickly went by. ¡°Are these¡­ all made by you?¡± Anna looked at the box of Concentration Potions in front of her, her mind spinning. She felt there must have been a problem with her meditation, otherwise why would she see the hallucination of her junior apprentice brother, who had just been making Magic Potions for a month, coming to her to sell a box of Concentration Potions. This must be a hallucination! ¡°Anna, I¡¯ve placed these potions with you for consignment, do you agree?¡± Richard asked with some dissatisfaction after not getting a reply for a while. After refining his skills, Richard had been solely focused on concocting Magic Potions. After spending all the money he borrowed from Anna, he had produced a total of sixty-five bottles of Concentration Potion, with a success rate close to two-thirds. ¡°Agreed, agreed,¡± Anna came back to her senses and cautiously ventured, ¡°How many times did you fail in total? The Magic Stones I gave you must not have been enough.¡± A shameful thought flashed through Anna¡¯s mind¡ªshe actually hoped Richard had failed more times. But Richard¡¯s response shattered her last illusion. ¡°I failed many times, with about a fifty percent success rate,¡± Richard pretended to be embarrassed as he spoke. Jolod had recorded many of his former apprentice¡¯s results in his books, and a fifty percent success rate was not even comparable to the last one. Such a result, in Richard¡¯s view, fit his identity as a low-level Apprentice. ¡°How many?¡± Anna felt dizzy again, she had never felt as powerless as she did now since she became a Wizard Apprentice. ¡°Fifty percent,¡± Richard repeated word by word, ¡°Sister, I¡¯ve just started concocting Magic Potions, isn¡¯t it normal to have a high failure rate?¡± ¡°A fifty percent success rate! Ordinary apprentices starting to make Concentration Potions, reaching a ten percent success rate is considered passing, reaching twenty percent is seen as talented, and someone like you, a low-level Apprentice who just started Alchemy reaching fifty percent success rate, I¡­ I¡­¡± At this moment, Anna felt somewhat defeated facing Richard. She thought Richard had the same talent in Magic Equipment as her, but it seemed now that Richard¡¯s talent was even more exaggerated than she thought. ¡°Ah¡­ really?¡± Richard¡¯s face stiffened, and he squeezed out a faint smile, ¡°I saw in the teacher¡¯s book that my results are not even listed.¡± Anna took a deep breath, trying to keep her tone as even as possible. ¡°Richard, the teacher has taught hundreds of classes at the Academy, and those he takes as students all have exceptional talents, and those apprentices mentioned in his book are the geniuses among geniuses.¡± ¡°Haha, I just said I couldn¡¯t be that bad, not even worse than the last one listed in the book,¡± Richard tried to sound more excited, at this point he decided to go all out. A genius then, he thought, after all, the potions were made by his own hands, and he could replicate them if asked to. With so many talented natives before him, his status as a transmigrator wasn¡¯t so conspicuous. ¡°But don¡¯t be too proud,¡± Anna¡¯s emotion subsided, her expression returning to her usual aloof and glamorous self, ¡°There are many talented apprentices like grains of sand at the sea, but only a few actually become Wizards.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Richard nodded obediently. Anna tapped the potions in the box; a total of forty-six bottles, priced at five Magic Stones each, these potions brought Richard a net profit of nearly one hundred and thirty Magic Stones. This was with Richard intentionally underselling some of his output. If he was willing to sell more, he could earn even more. ¡°For consigning potions, I, as your senior sister, won¡¯t take a cut. Take these one hundred thirty Magic Stones,¡± Anna put the potions into the cabinet and handed Richard a bag of Magic Stones. ¡°Concentration Potions are easy to sell, I¡¯ll just give you the money first. ¡°Go have a good rest, you must be exhausted from this month.¡± Richard felt warmth in his heart, politely bid farewell to Anna, and then headed straight for the Central Black Tower. Rest was unnecessary; now that he had money, it would be improper not to spend it. COMMENT 3 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 3 Chapter 37 - Chapter 37: Chapter 37: Big Purchase (Seeking Follow-up Reads) Chapter 37: Chapter 37: Big Purchase (Seeking Follow-up Reads) The Magic Store was also located on the fiftieth floor of the Central Black Tower, but compared to the library, the Magic Store was much smaller. Upon entering, Richard was immediately faced with a counter, behind which stood a mechanical puppet similar to those of the Seven Luminaries Commerce, yet the puppet here was somewhat crude with many of its mechanical structures exposed, and intricate gears continuously rotating within. Behind the mechanical puppet were shelves for storing Magic Models, which Richard counted to find only three rows similar to the large bookshelves in the library. ¡°What Magic Model would you like to purchase?¡± the mechanical shop assistant asked Richard in a voice that resembled the friction of metal. ¡°Lesser Fireball Technique, Ice Cone Skill,¡± Richard stated the names of the spells he had already decided on. The power of the Lesser Fireball Technique goes without saying¡ªan extremely powerful weapon among the low-level apprentices, and also one of the most expensive among the One Ring spells, costing one hundred Magic Stones. Richard¡¯s decision to buy the Ice Cone Skill was sparked by a vague idea he had¡ªthat there was something amiss with the Ice Cone Skill. Although the name ¡°Ice Cone Skill¡± was quite descriptive, anyone who had actually used it knew that the power of the Ice Cone Skill actually came from the speed of the ice cone; apart from being solid, the ice cone itself did not possess any inherent power. This had caught Richard¡¯s attention. If the Ice Cone Skill¡¯s power derived from its velocity, then it was certain that its Magic Model must contain a part that provided the kinetic energy. And regarding this part, Richard had some intriguing ideas. ¡°Total price, eleven thousand Academy Coins.¡± Richard handed over a bundle of Academy Coins that he had exchanged on the way there. The mechanical shop assistant opened its chest to insert the coins, and after a brief sound of gear friction, confirmed the amount of Academy Coins. ¡°Quantity is correct, please wait a moment.¡± The assistant pressed a button on the shelf twice. A rubbing sound of mechanics came from above the counter, and a metal pneumatic pipeline descended in front of Richard, making a series of noises. Clang! Two scrolls shot out from the pipeline and were swiftly caught by the mechanical shop assistant. ¡°Please receive your goods, Lesser Fireball Technique Magic Model, Ice Cone Skill Magic Model.¡± ¡°Pneumatic pipeline.¡± Richard recognized this system, surprised to see a similar system in the Otherworld. Richard pocketed the scrolls, which unlike the crystal balls, did not transfer information directly through spiritual power but were written as text. This was done to facilitate the application of curses on the scrolls to prevent students from reselling after learning, and also because Inheritance Crystal Balls were expensive, and the Academy did not want to spend that extra money. Back at the dormitory, Richard handed the scroll describing the Ice Cone Skill to Ali. He had not yet opened the scroll, so its curse had not been triggered, meaning the scroll could still be traded at this moment. ¡°Do you want me to extract the part that releases kinetic energy?¡± Ali looked at Richard, somewhat confused. A perfectly good spell¡ªothers were adding to it, so why did Richard want to dissect it? Richard nodded, reaffirming: ¡°Yes, take that part out and give it to me, I have some ideas I¡¯d like to try.¡± He was an Alchemy Wizard whose understanding of the various Rune Systems of Shaping Magic was far inferior to Ali, a Shaping Wizard. This was also one of the downsides for an apprentice, whose time was too short to double major in schools unless they had a mentor to lead the way. ¡°Alright, give me three months, and I guarantee to get it for you,¡± Ali promptly agreed, taking the scroll. Then she casually mentioned, ¡°Oh, by the way, Master Susanna has officially taken me as her apprentice.¡± ¡°Ah? That was quick. Congratulations,¡± Richard congratulated with a bow, pleased as Ali¡¯s becoming an official apprentice of a wizard meant his investment was not in vain. Other wizards were unlike Jolod who needed Magic Stones for purchases, once an apprentice became an official Apprentice, it meant receiving part or even all of the Wizard¡¯s mantle. ¡°Just like that?¡± Ali asked Richard with some dissatisfaction, puffing up her cheeks, ¡°Is that all you want to say?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ what do you want me to do?¡± Richard scratched his head. Was he supposed to invite her for a meal? But logically, shouldn¡¯t Ali be the one treating him to celebrate? ¡°You you you¡­ can¡¯t you just compliment me?¡± Ali puffed up like a blowfish, but then deflated soon after. ¡°Forget about it, you¡¯re just like that. I¡¯ve said it now, hurry up and compliment me!¡± Richard, watching Ali who acted like a child, was somewhat at a loss for whether to laugh or cry. After casually complimenting her for a bit, Ali finally let him go, satisfied. Back in his room, Richard didn¡¯t rush to peruse the scrolls, but rather took a handful of iron beans onto the balcony. ¡°Wuni, come eat the iron beans.¡± As soon as Richard had spoken, he saw a green-eyed crow fly into the room, landing on Richard¡¯s other arm and pecking at the iron beans in his hand. Wuni was the name Richard had given to this Death Crow, and after a year of feeding, it had grown very affectionate towards him. Before long, he would be able to implant a Soul Seed within it without any resistance. After feeding Wuni, Richard returned to his room and opened the scroll that recorded the Lesser Fireball Technique. A Wizard¡¯s soul could not carry an unlimited number of Magic Models, and the more Magic Marks there were, the heavier the burden on the soul. However, an increase in spiritual power would also enhance the soul¡¯s capacity. During the Apprentice stage, an Apprentice could carry a maximum of four Magic Marks. Although a Magic Mark could be removed, the ritual was by no means inexpensive. Thus, each choice of Magic Mark had to be made with great caution. As a Shaping Magic spell in the One Ring, the Lesser Fireball Technique, with its substantial physical and Elemental Damage, was considered one of the highest performing spells available during the Apprentice stage in terms of cost-effectiveness. The scroll detailed a very complex two-dimensional figure, densely filled with Runes. However, from a distance, it would be apparent that the outermost ring of Runes connected to form a circle. This was the origin of the spell¡¯s ¡°Ring¡± grade. But a ring only represented the complexity of a spell, not its power. Wizards often said there is no best spell, only the most suitable one. A spell is just a tool, and a tool only performs best when used in the right situation. Learning a Memory Magic spell was an extremely time-consuming and exhausting process, because inscribing a Magic Mark in the soul offered no opportunities to revisit like flipping through a book, it had to be completed in one go. If interrupted midway, not only would previous efforts be wasted, but sometimes it could also damage the soul, causing a permanent decrease in spiritual power. Fortunately, with the Truth Furnace, Richard spent just five points of spiritual power to solidly memorize the Magic Model of the Lesser Fireball Technique. Once the model was memorized, the rest was easy. Richard sat cross-legged on his bed, entering a Meditation State. Within the Soul Space, he used his spiritual power to form one Rune after another, then arranged these Runes in the air according to the order in the model. Once arranged, he continued to fill the Runes with spiritual power until they merged with his soul. The process was slow, and Richard continued until dawn the next day to complete the integration. When the Magic Model was completely imprinted in his soul, Richard felt an inexplicable sense of weight. This weight did not come from reality, but from the soul. It indicated that his soul had taken on more load, and that he had succeeded. ¡°I¡¯ve finally completed it, just don¡¯t know how powerful this primitive version of the Lesser Fireball Technique will be.¡± Excitement flickered in Richard¡¯s eyes; he now absolutely had to blow something up! COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 38 - Chapter 38: Chapter 38 Spell Test (Please Follow) Chapter 38: Chapter 38 Spell Test (Please Follow) The test zone, being the largest area of the Academy, was predominantly closed off. The closed areas were the fee-based sections of the test zone, where both protection measures and testing facilities were very comprehensive. Although the open areas allowed apprentices free testing, using targets required the payment of target money. Richard went to the test zone¡¯s rental hall, hoping to choose a suitable area for testing the power of the Subsidiary Fireball Technique. The rental hall was in the Roman style, with a huge vaulted ceiling, thick walls, and external buttresses and flying buttresses. Many counters were set up inside the hall, each manned by an apprentice. To more accurately test the power of this primitive version of the Fireball Technique, Richard chose a testing area that charged one Magic Stone per hour and included testing targets with dual physical and elemental damage capabilities. After paying, the apprentice behind the counter handed him a Crystal Card. ¡°Please go to Area 3, Test Chamber Four.¡± Following the internal path of the test zone, Richard quickly found his test chamber. There was a slot at the door into which Richard inserted the Crystal Card, and the door automatically opened. ¡°Quite modern.¡± The interior space of the test chamber was not small, roughly the size of a basketball court. As soon as he entered, Richard saw two humanoid targets at the far end of the area. These targets were made by wizards; the black one on the left could withstand fifty levels of elemental damage, and the white one on the right could withstand fifty levels of physical damage. There was also a white stone platform in the area, on which two Crystal Balls sat, each corresponding to one of the targets. Whenever Richard attacked a target with a spell, the power of the spell would automatically transfer to the Crystal Balls. ¡°This is rather convenient,¡± Richard remarked. Although the Wizard World had followed another path due to magic power, human instincts remained the same, trying to make things as convenient as possible for oneself. Approaching the stone platform, Richard focused his thoughts, and his magic power automatically gathered in his hand, forming a palm-sized red fireball. With a casual wave, the fireball struck the target like a shooting star. Boom! [Elemental Damage: Fire] [Damage Level: 20] Watching the data within the Crystal Ball, Richard felt quite satisfied. This one lesser fireball had used nearly a quarter of his magic power, which was fifty points, but its power had reached the twentieth level. Although this power was much less compared to the wizard-modified lesser fireball technique in the Fireball Magic Wand, it was significantly more powerful than Magic Missile using the same amount of magic power. ¡°No wonder wizards say trickery is just a waste of magic power; the application of this spell on magic power is truly terrifying.¡± Richard then tested the power of the Fireball Magic Wand. Boom! [Elemental Damage: Fire] [Damage Level: 49] Seeing the power of the Fireball Technique Wand, Richard couldn¡¯t help but exclaim that knowledge indeed was power; the same lesser fireball technique, modified by a wizard, had more than doubled in power. ¡°Let¡¯s try the Ice Cone Skill next.¡± Richard pointed his finger at the target, and an ice cone instantly flew out, striking the target. [Elemental Damage: Ice] [Damage Level: 0.1] [Warning: Please do not test physical attacks on an elemental target] Seeing the warning, a knowing smile appeared on Richard¡¯s face. The Ice Cone Skill was essentially a spell cloaked in an elemental guise but relied on kinetic energy for actual damage. Richard shifted his target and shot out another ice cone. [Damage Type: Puncture] [Damage Level: 5] ¡°Puncture damage?¡± Richard¡¯s heart stirred, and he turned to the physical target, striking it with his great sword. When he returned to the stone platform, the type of damage shown within the crystal ball had changed to cutting. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect wizards to classify physical damage so finely; truly a civilization capable of conquering planes.¡± Adhering to the principle of not wasting, Richard continued to test the power of his normal Wind Crow Slash on the physical targets, registering fifth-level cutting damage. He then activated his bloodline for testing and achieved sixth-level results. ¡°An increase of one level, that¡¯s fairly decent,¡± Richard thought, fairly satisfied with the results given that the first phase of his bloodline formula focused more on defense than attack, providing little enhancement to his strength when activated. This situation would change in the second phase. However, the resources needed for the second phase were not available within the Magical Beast Academy¡¯s area of influence; he would have to spend a significant amount of money at the Wizard Commerce. But for now, Richard was in no hurry to proceed with the second phase of Bloodline Alchemy. Firstly, he didn¡¯t need to venture on missions and spent all his time within the academy, so he didn¡¯t have a great need for increased power. Secondly, he was currently more eager to learn from Jolod. Jolod¡¯s knowledge was not merely theoretical; it included Magic Equipment design diagrams, Magic Potion formulas, and even higher-level Meditation Methods. Once learned, these were all convertable into luscious Magic Stones. Exiting the test chamber, the outside was brilliantly sunny. Richard shielded his eyes from the sun, thinking of gathering more materials to make another batch of Concentration Potions. He had many uses for Magic Stones and the market for Concentration Potions was substantial, so being industrious now meant earning more later. But just as he stepped outside, he heard a ¡®swoosh¡¯ of fluttering wings above him. Looking up, he saw an owl flying before him, which seemed to be the one Chax used for sending messages. ¡°Apprentice, come to the Central Black Tower,¡± the owl suddenly spoke in a human voice. It seemed it really was. ¡°I understand, Senior Brother. I¡¯m on my way,¡± Richard told the owl. The owl, having heard him, flapped its wings and flew toward the Black Tower. ¡°It¡¯s odd for Chax to suddenly call me to the Black Tower,¡± Richard pondered, rubbing his chin with slight confusion. Arriving on the fifty-sixth floor of the Central Black Tower, Richard knocked on the door. Thump, thump, thump. ¡°You¡¯re finally here, apprentice,¡± Chax opened the door and welcomed Richard into the room. Besides Chax, there was another person in the room who looked ordinary, but the moment Richard entered, his body tensed with alarm. A highly dangerous individual! Richard mentally tagged the man. ¡°Eric, this is Richard, the newest apprentice my mentor has taken in,¡± Chax introduced to the man. Eric stood up and stretched out his right hand with a friendly smile. ¡°Apprentice Richard, you were hard to find.¡± As Richard shook his hand, he immediately felt the surging life energy within Eric, which was unlike any human¡¯s, more reminiscent of a Magic Beast wearing human skin. ¡°I¡¯m not good at socializing, sorry to have troubled you, Senior,¡± Richard said. ¡°Not good at socializing? That won¡¯t do,¡± Eric patted Richard¡¯s shoulder like an elder brother, ¡°We are all wizards from the same academy, and future comrades shoulder to shoulder on the Plane Battlefield.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not good at socializing, you¡¯ll suffer greatly in battle.¡± Richard¡¯s mind raced, vaguely guessing Eric¡¯s intention¡ªlikely an invitation to some sort of party or salon. Therefore, he nodded in agreement, ¡°You¡¯re right, Senior, but having just arrived at the academy, I barely know a few friends; even if I wanted to socialize, I wouldn¡¯t know how.¡± Hearing this, Eric glanced at Chax and conveniently pulled out an exquisitely embossed invitation from his sleeve. ¡°Finding a channel is not difficult; I¡¯m hosting an Apprentice Exchange Meet tonight. Would you honor us with your presence, Junior?¡± COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 39 - Chapter 39: Chapter 39: Networking Event (Please Follow) Chapter 39: Chapter 39: Networking Event (Please Follow) ¡°An Apprentice Exchange Meeting?¡± Richard accepted the invitation. ¡°Exactly, it¡¯s a gathering for us official apprentices to get to know each other,¡± Eric explained, and then added, ¡°This time, almost all the official apprentices will attend.¡± ¡°I see.¡± After exchanging a few more polite remarks, Eric, who had completed his task, stood up to take his leave, as he still had many more apprentices to invite, not just Richard. After he left, Richard asked, ¡°Brother, what¡¯s the story with this Senior Eric? He seems very powerful.¡± ¡°Powerful is right; he is the apprentice of the Deputy Dean Eric,¡± Chax replied. ¡°By the way, brother, do you have a date for tonight?¡± Chax suddenly winked at Richard, ¡°If not, I can introduce you to a couple.¡± ¡°Guaranteed to make your evening enjoyable.¡± ¡°No thank you, brother,¡± Richard laughed, shaking his head as he declined Chax¡¯s kind offer, ¡°I have a date.¡± ¡°A date?¡± Chax was surprised, his usually reserved disciple actually had a date, but he immediately leaned in, curiosity written all over his face, ¡°You actually have a date? I thought you had long embraced the truth wholeheartedly and only had knowledge on your mind? Tell your brother, which school¡¯s apprentice? Who is the master?¡± ¡°Plastic Energy and Curse dual schools; she¡¯s a disciple of Master Susanna,¡± Richard didn¡¯t hide anything, after all, they were brothers, and they would spend a lot more days together; it was something he couldn¡¯t keep hidden if he wanted to. ¡°Oh! Impressive, brother!¡± Chax gave Richard an enthusiastic thumbs up, ¡°Master Susanna hasn¡¯t taken on any apprentices in years, and this session she took one, and you managed to win her over!¡± Richard just smiled, saying nothing. ¡°Since you have a date, then I won¡¯t try to matchmake for you,¡± Chax said, his smile fading as he became serious, ¡°But before we go, I need to make things clear to you.¡± ¡°The Exchange Meeting is just for fun, don¡¯t take all the boasting and flattery seriously, and don¡¯t waste too much time on so-called relationships. As long as you are strong, you don¡¯t need to maintain relationships; they will come seeking you. Just like today; you just stocked a batch of Concentration Potions at Sister¡¯s shop yesterday, and today Eric personally came waiting for your return. If you hadn¡¯t achieved anything, Eric would have just left an invitation for me to pass to you, instead of personally waiting here for you.¡± Chax spoke with a grave tone, apparently having suffered in this regard in the past. ¡°Yes, brother, I understand,¡± Richard responded seriously. ¡°Good to know, then get ready to go back,¡± Chax stood up, patted Richard, ¡°Brother, I¡¯m looking forward to seeing you dazzle everyone tonight, captivating the crowd.¡± ¡­ That evening, on the seventy-second floor of the Central Black Tower. Richard, arm-in-arm with Ali and holding the invitation, walked up to the entrance of the meeting venue. That night, Richard was dressed in a sharp black suit, a badge pinned on his chest, and his shoes were polished to a shine. Beside him, Ali wore a black long dress, her slim neck adorned with a sapphire necklace. ¡°This should be it.¡± Richard, looking at the two humanoid mechanical guards at the door, thought to himself that Eric¡¯s arrangements were grand, even the mechanical puppets were humanoid. Ordinary wizards couldn¡¯t afford humanoid mechanical puppets. Richard took out the invitation from his pocket and handed it to the guard, who swallowed the invitation. Immediately, a sound of gears grinding came from its body. ¡°Identity confirmed, Master Jolod¡¯s official apprentice Richard, welcome to the Exchange Meeting,¡± the guard bowed slightly towards Richard. Ali, following suit, handed her own invitation to the guard. ¡°Identity confirmed, Master Susanna¡¯s official apprentice Ali, welcome to the Exchange Meeting.¡± As they entered the hall, the entire hall was resplendent, contrasting starkly with the dark, gloomy style of the Central Black Tower. Apprentices, having arrived early, gathered in groups of three to five, casually chatting while holding drinks. Most of the official apprentices were Wizard Descendants, and unless they were like Richard and Ali, who had special talents, most apprentices had to wait until after the first bloody test to potentially be taken as official disciples by a Wizard. Richard glanced around the hall, noting several apprentices in the corners who appeared powerful at first glance. ¡°These must be the people who were taken as official apprentices after the bloody test,¡± Richard thought to himself. As a wild apprentice taken from the common folk, Richard naturally did not recognize those Wizard Descendants. Taking advantage of the time before the exchange meeting started, he found a quiet corner with Ali and sat down. He felt it was better to remain inconspicuous in this exchange meeting, where hidden dragons and crouching tigers abounded. As the time drew near, more and more apprentices filled the hall. Most of these people knew each other, and their relationships were both good and bad. Gathering together, friction was inevitable. An apprentice as sturdy as a gorilla suddenly barked at the apprentice standing in front of him. Judging by his Magic Fluctuations, he had already reached the level of an Intermediate Apprentice. ¡°Kahman, you scum, you¡¯re still alive!¡± As he roared, the apprentice¡¯s Magic Wand swung down toward the apprentice in front of him like thunder. The wand in the apprentice¡¯s hand, rather than a typical wand, was more like a long bone staff. Generally, crystal balls are placed at the top of wands, but this wand was covered with a layer of metal spikes engraved with runes. At that moment, the runes on the spikes were flashing with the brilliance of magic power. ¡°Ha ha ha, Lake, you fool, still as stupid as ever.¡± The struck apprentice cackled, neither defending himself nor dodging, just quietly watching as the wand fell. Bang! ¡°Lake, I remember telling you not to be impulsive in today¡¯s exchange meeting,¡± a figure appeared in front of Lake, catching the thunderous wand with one hand, unmoved no matter how hard Lake tried. ¡°Have you forgotten?¡± A strong wave of magic power emanated from the figure, causing Lake¡¯s body to tremble involuntarily. His instincts continuously warned him that resisting¡­ would lead to death! ¡°Sorry, sorry, sorry¡­ Eric senior. I didn¡¯t mean to, please forgive my foolishness!¡± Lake bowed deeply to Eric, his shaking voice completely different from before. Eric gave Lake a cold glance and casually tossed the wand aside. ¡°You¡¯re lucky, I¡¯m in a good mood today.¡± With that, Eric took a wine glass to the center of the hall and tapped it with a silver spoon. The sound in the hall quieted instantly, and all the apprentices turned their attention to the organizer of the meeting. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I¡¯m delighted that you could attend the Apprentice Exchange Meeting I¡¯ve organized,¡± Eric said with a smile, bowing slightly to everyone, ¡°All of you here are official apprentices of the various masters in the Black Tower, the future pillars of the Academy. The purpose of this meeting is to encourage everyone to interact and foster relationships. So, I hope that you can control your emotions and not disgrace the Masters you represent. Remember, calm and restraint are among a Wizard¡¯s primary traits.¡± Having said that, Eric raised his wine glass, gestured to everyone, and drank it in one go. ¡°Now, the Apprentice Exchange Meeting officially begins!¡± COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 40 - Chapter 40: Chapter 40 Enlightenment (Please Follow) Chapter 40: Chapter 40 Enlightenment (Please Follow) ¡°Such incredible strength, is this what the top apprentices at the Academy are like?¡± Richard watched Eric in the center of the hall and couldn¡¯t help but sigh. As a Wizard Apprentice who practiced Bloodline Alchemy, Richard had gained a clearer understanding of the apprentice wielding the wand during the recent friction. If that strike had hit him, even a graze would be an injury, a direct hit would be death. Yet Eric had caught that strike with such an effortless grace. ¡°My mentor mentioned that this Eric is Deputy Dean Alex¡¯s proud disciple,¡± Ali casually remarked. ¡°It¡¯s said that he¡¯s so strong that the Deputy Dean even wanted him to drop out of the wizard exam and directly return home to inherit the family resources and become a Wizard.¡± ¡°Family?¡± Richard was startled, ¡°Is Senior Eric from a Wizard Family?¡± Wizard Families, once symbols of the enlightenment era in the Wizard World, still exist today. However, compared to their past glory, modern Wizard Families have become even more secretive. Some powerful families would use the Academy as their public symbol, while the weaker ones may join an Academy to become affiliated with a Great Wizard, seeking to gain a share in this age of exploration. Regardless of their strength, Wizard Families are known to foster their offspring far better than ordinary Wizard Descendants. ¡°Yes, but I only heard this from my teacher.¡± As the exchange meeting progressed, the atmosphere in the hall gradually became more lively. Accompanied by music that seemed to appear out of nowhere, acquaintances among the apprentices began to dance in the middle of the hall. ¡°Richard, shall we go for a dance?¡± Ali asked with a hint of boredom. She was very familiar with this scene as the daughter of a wealthy merchant and had often attended balls organized by Nobles. ¡°I¡¯d rather not dance.¡± Richard brushed off several apprentices who had come up to chat. Although he was reclusive, some well-informed apprentices recognized him. ¡°I¡¯m not good at this.¡± He regretted attending this exchange meeting; he¡¯d normally be reading a book in his dorm or brewing Magic Potions during this time. Instead of wasting time chatting awkwardly with a bunch of apprentices with ulterior motives. ¡°Then let¡¯s go back. This exchange meeting doesn¡¯t feel much different from one of those noble gatherings.¡± At the other end of the hall, Joseph was talking animatedly amongst a group of apprentices. Compared to Richard¡¯s insignificant fame, as a formal Apprentice and a Wizard Descendant of Master Urich, Joseph¡¯s reputation was well-known among the apprentices, if not famous. ¡°Brother Joseph, I heard you can now expertly make Concentration Potions?¡± one apprentice fawned. Joseph downed his glass of wine in one gulp, boasting proudly, ¡°You heard right. My teacher has given me the recipe for the Concentration Potion. From now on, Urich¡¯s Shop will have at least fifty bottles available each month!¡± As soon as these words were spoken, they immediately shocked the surrounding apprentices. Ulrich¡¯s Alchemy Store did sell Concentration Potions, but the supply was always inconsistent. Some months there¡¯d be thirty to fifty bottles, other times only a few. Hence, although the Concentration Potion was priced at five Magic Stones a bottle at Urich¡¯s Shop, in apprentice trading, it often sold for a third more. And if output was low for several months, the price could easily double or more. Hoarding Concentration Potions had almost become a business. Joseph contentedly observed the reactions of the apprentices around him. His success rate in brewing Magic Potions was approaching one in two, a Talent so remarkable that even his Master praised him, which was why Urich had passed on the recipe to him. While he was basking in his satisfaction, he suddenly saw two apprentices leaving the hall. One of them was particularly familiar to him. ¡°Ali?¡± Joseph¡¯s brain, dulled by alcohol, couldn¡¯t react in time to confirm before the two apprentices disappeared outside the door. ¡°Never mind, what does it matter even if it was her?¡± Joseph shook his head. He wasn¡¯t short of women at the moment. A talented and pretty woman, she could go play with that Wild Apprentice. A short-sighted woman who won¡¯t amount to much; she¡¯ll regret it later. With that, Joseph returned to his merry drinking and conversation, reveling in the feeling of being the center of attention. ¡°` ¡­ The exchange meeting didn¡¯t change Richard¡¯s life, dull, tedious, boring; these were the main themes of life for Wizard Apprentices, and even for Wizards. Over three months, Richard spent most of his time brewing Magic Potions. Throughout the potion brewing process, Richard was doing one thing¡ªrecording data. And as bottle after bottle of Magic Potion was successfully concocted, Richard¡¯s data gradually became more comprehensive. ¡°Hmm¡­still no significant characteristics.¡± After researching all night, Richard looked at his thick notebook full of notes, which recorded the data of all the Potions he had made these days. He had hoped to find some patterns in the data that would increase the success rate of the Magic Potions, and even allow for mass production. But as of now, his hypothesis had failed. ¡°Could it be that brewing Magic Potions really just relies on experience and intuition?¡± Richard looked at the data with some disheartenment. Wizards value empirical evidence; numbers don¡¯t lie¡ªif there¡¯s no significant pattern, then there¡¯s no significant pattern. Richard tossed the notebook aside, beginning to ponder if he had missed something. Otherwise, it didn¡¯t make sense that he had conducted hundreds of experiments without discerning even a hint of a pattern. Just then, a knock came at his door. Ali stood outside, with dark circles under her eyes and yawning, handing Richard a stack of manuscript paper. ¡°Richard, I¡¯ve taken apart what you asked for. This Ice Cone Skill is really amazing. After I deconstructed its Rune structure, I found that most of its Runes are for generating power, with only a very small part focused on condensing the Ice Cone. This is virtually impossible in other Elemental Spells.¡± Richard browsed through the manuscript papers, which recorded Ali¡¯s process of deconstructing the Spell, and at the end, Richard saw a Magic Model with only a circle of Runes. ¡°This is the source of power for the Ice Cone Skill, I hope this is what you needed.¡± Ali yawned, having hardly slept at all in the past few days, dedicating all her time to deconstructing Spells for Richard. ¡°Good, you¡¯ve worked hard. This is very helpful to me.¡± Richard ruffled Ali¡¯s hair, ¡°You go back and rest now, you¡¯ve worked hard these past few days.¡± ¡°Hmm, then I¡¯m going back.¡± With the manuscript papers in hand, Richard returned to his desk and decided to switch gears; he wouldn¡¯t think about the Magic Potions for a while. ¡°Ice Cone Skill¡­ Let me think about what you can do.¡± Richard flipped through Ali¡¯s manuscript papers, which thoughtfully recorded the efficiency of this circle of Runes in converting Magic Power. ¡°Sixty percent, the conversion rate is so high.¡± Richard was surprised by the record on the manuscript papers; a sixty percent conversion rate meant that for every unit of Magic Power he inputted, 0.6 units were converted into the kinetic energy of the Ice Cone. If this conversion efficiency were applied to the internal combustion engine of his previous world, the Nobel Prize would have to be renamed after him. But he immediately realized that this value was theoretical, and it changed with the Rune carrier; the higher the carrier¡¯s Magic Conduction efficiency, the closer it approached fifty percent. ¡°Converting Magic Power, Magic Power¡­¡± Suddenly, Richard froze. He had just realized what he had been overlooking. He had recorded the physical changes of the materials, the chemical changes, and even various trivial data, but he had completely omitted to record the Magic Power changes in the Potions during Alchemy. His experiences from his previous life had blinded him¡ªin this world of Magic Power, Magic Power should be the most important part of a Magic Potion! An epiphany struck Richard, and he dashed out of the room, only to run back into the room. Taking the stairs was too slow! He leaped out of the balcony window, then sprinted toward the commercial district. He needed a little help now. ¡°` COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 41 - Chapter 41: Chapter 41 Mass Production of Magic Potions (Please Follow) Chapter 41: Chapter 41 Mass Production of Magic Potions (Please Follow) ¡°Do you have any tools to detect magic power intensity?¡± Anna yawned, somewhat displeased as she tapped Richard¡¯s head, ¡°You come to find me so early in the morning just to ask this?¡± Though she was tolerant of Richard, being woken up still left her a bit grumpy. ¡°Sorry, Sister Anna. It¡¯s just that I suddenly had an idea and couldn¡¯t help it.¡± Richard scratched his head awkwardly and only realized it was dawn when he saw Anna yawning while opening the shop door. ¡°Forget it, I forgive you. Anna casually took a seat in a chair, ¡°There are indeed tools to detect magic power intensity, and lots of them. What kind of magic power intensity are you trying to detect?¡± ¡°Um¡­alchemy materials, herbs, things like that.¡± ¡°Alchemy materials? Then use a Magic Probe. I¡¯ll go get it for you.¡± Anna turned around and headed into the back of the shop, fetching a bronze needle about a foot long. ¡°You¡¯ve come to your senses,¡± Anna tapped the table and handed the bronze needle to Richard. ¡°Stick this thing into the material you want to test, then watch the runes that light up on it.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Richard took the probe. ¡°But why do you want to test for magic power? The quality of the materials from Seven Luminaries Commerce may vary, but they range from passable to excellent, they would never sell substandard goods.¡± Anna sat back down, resting her chin in her hand as she looked at Richard curiously. Richard scratched his head, ¡°To put it simply, I plan to refine, not really refine, but I intend to make the Master¡¯s formula more precise.¡± ¡°Refine the formula?¡± Anna¡¯s expression changed abruptly, ¡°You¡¯ve only learned alchemy for a few days, and you want to alter the formula?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Richard was startled by Anna¡¯s reaction. ¡°It¡¯s not altering, it¡¯s making precise!¡± Richard felt compelled to emphasize, ¡°The formula given by the teacher is too vague, and there¡¯s no way to improve the success rate of making Magic Potions using that method.¡± ¡°Stop! Richard, listen to me, stop your thoughts!¡± Anna burst forth with magic power, instantly suppressing Richard. Under the overwhelming force of this magic power, Richard couldn¡¯t even move a finger. ¡°Is this the difference between a low-level Apprentice and an Advanced Apprentice?¡± Richard was shocked to think. Though he had witnessed Eric¡¯s strength at the exchange meeting, it was only when he personally faced an Advanced Apprentice that he realized how powerful they really were! ¡°Listen to me, Richard.¡± Anna calmed herself down and then released the suppression. ¡°Richard, I know you¡¯re a genius, an even more brilliant one than me. But you must understand, no matter how talented you are, you¡¯re still just a low-level Apprentice who has just started learning alchemy, your understanding of alchemy doesn¡¯t even compare to me and Chax.¡± Anna tried to make her voice as gentle as possible, knowing that at Richard¡¯s age, it was easy for him to become defiant. ¡°The knowledge the teacher provides us, be it formulas or designs, has all been personally tested by him. If you follow his formulas, you might still fail, but you definitely won¡¯t be facing any danger. Do you understand?¡± Anna¡¯s eyes held a hopeful look, she had done similar foolish things before, and if Jolod hadn¡¯t discovered it in time, she would be nothing but bones now. She didn¡¯t want Richard to repeat her mistakes. ¡°I think you¡¯re being a bit too sensitive, Sister Anna. Let me repeat, I¡¯m not altering, but making precise.¡± Richard explained somewhat helplessly, Anna¡¯s reaction was almost like PTSD. Anna wanted to keep persuading him, but Richard immediately interrupted her. ¡°If you¡¯re worried, Sister Anna, could you come with me? Nothing will happen to me with you protecting me. I¡¯m just mixing a Magic Potion, not playing with mercury.¡± ¡°You¡­ugh!¡± Knowing persuading was futile, Anna said with slight irritation, ¡°Go to the test zone, I¡¯ll pay for the Magic Stone. You won¡¯t learn your lesson until you make a mistake!¡± Richard felt a surge of joy in his heart; he hadn¡¯t expected this unexpected gain. ¡°Alright. Shall we go now?¡± Anna glared fiercely at Richard: ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡­ Test zone. The laboratory didn¡¯t have many items, aside from the experimental bench; the rest needed to be prepared by the wizard himself. Anna stood in the corner, seemingly having procured a screen from somewhere to shield herself. ¡°I¡¯m only responsible for rescuing you, I won¡¯t watch your experiment, nor will I intervene.¡± Richard shook his head helplessly. In the Wizard World, there was no concept of patents. If knowledge leaked, it could only be resolved with fists against the thieves of knowledge. Before the Wizard Academy, Wild Wizards who accidentally awakened spiritual power but lacked a mentor had to grope for knowledge on their own. Even the Academy only opened up the knowledge of the Apprentice level. To advance further, one had to either find a mentor or explore on their own. Therefore, in the Wizard World, it was extremely common for a wizard to specialize in a particular field. Richard speculated that the reason his potion recipe was so vague might be because Jolod¡¯s main research wasn¡¯t Magic Potions, hence he didn¡¯t bother with precise formulations or perhaps he had simply exchanged the recipe with someone else. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m starting.¡± After three months of formulating Concentration Potions, Richard was already adept at handling the materials, adding ingredients, and channeling magic power. Every step was carried out with systematic order under Richard¡¯s hands. As the experiment progressed, Richard kept meticulous records of the magic values at each step of the Magic Potion¡¯s configuration. Days and nights passed, time flew like an arrow. In the blink of an eye, Richard had spent half a month in the lab. During this half month, aside from meditation and recuperating his magic power, Richard spent all other time on experiments. Anna, appointed to protect him, brought several books from the store to the laboratory, deciding to protect Richard to the very last moment. She was stubbornly holding her breath. She had failed before, could Richard possibly succeed? ¡°The final trial, the ninth step¡¯s magic value is 13.5. If successful, 13.5 will be the minimum threshold; if not, 14 will be.¡± With dark circles under his eyes, Richard recorded the last piece of experimental data in his notebook. The Magic Probe lent to him by Anna could only measure increments of 0.5, and he wasn¡¯t planning to be more precise. As long as he completed this last formulation, he would have a quite accurate Concentration Potion recipe. Richard mechanically processed the materials, then just as mechanically, he added them to the Alchemy Pot. At this moment, he no longer had the passion of the past days, just an endless numbness. Repetitive work is the biggest drain on one¡¯s enthusiasm. The liquid in the Alchemy Pot gradually changed color as materials were added, and Richard measured the magic value at each step. When it came to the last step, a flicker of sensation finally broke through his numbness. Boom! Blue vapor burst forth from the pot, and Richard, staring at the deep blue liquid inside, paused for a moment, then felt an immense relief. ¡°Sister, come out! I did it!¡± Richard laughed heartily, pulling away the screen that concealed Anna. ¡°Successful? How did you succeed?¡± Anna was somewhat puzzled. Hadn¡¯t Richard just been making an ordinary Concentration Potion these past days? Apart from failure, there hadn¡¯t even been a single explosion. ¡°Sister, you don¡¯t understand,¡± Richard shook his head, without offering much of an explanation. This was the first cry of a new era! COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 42 - Chapter 42: Chapter 42: The Concept of Kinetic Energy Weapons (Please Follow) Chapter 42: Chapter 42: The Concept of Kinetic Energy Weapons (Please Follow) Having perfected the formula, Richard handed over the Concentration Potion he had created over the past half-moon to Anna to offset his debts and ordered a machine from her. The cost of materials for this half-month had all been borrowed from Anna¡¯s money. ¡°The thing you want isn¡¯t difficult to make, just a Magic Energy Probe and a few stable magic power injectors should solve it. But¡­¡± Anna hesitated to finish, harboring a wild guess in her heart about the machine Richard had ordered. Could he be using machinery to produce Magic Potions? ¡°Sister Anna, what do you want to say?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Anna shook her head, casting aside the crazy thought in her mind. How could Magic Potions possibly be made with machinery? ¡°I happen to be free these days, wait a week, and come find me after a week.¡± Seeing Anna agree, Richard felt assured. Anna¡¯s research focused on Magic Equipment and Alchemy Machines, and as Jolod¡¯s most outstanding student of the millennium, her proficiency in alchemy machinery was definitely the first among apprentices. With her crafting the machine, there was a guarantee in the machine¡¯s quality and precision. After leaving the test zone, Richard followed Anna to the commercial area to settle the Magic Stones for the potions. ¡°You¡¯re practically making a fortune every day now; I can hardly keep up with you,¡± Anna said, handing over the bag full of Magic Stones to Richard, joking. Richard gave a shy smile, ¡°How could I compare with Sister, one piece of your Magic Equipment is worth a month of my Magic Potions.¡± ¡°You¡¯re only so old now, and I¡¯m already an Advanced Apprentice.¡± Anna sighed, feeling like the waves behind are pushing the ones ahead, and those ahead are dying on the shore. Richard had only been involved in Alchemy for so short a time and had already achieved such results. Who knows what kind of monster he would become when he reached her level. Because he hadn¡¯t returned to the dormitory for half a month, Richard bought several dozen pounds of fresh beef and two pounds of iron pellets in the commercial area. He hadn¡¯t fed Wuni for so many days; he hoped it hadn¡¯t starved. Fortunately, when he returned to the dormitory, Wuni seemed unchanged except for its feathers, which appeared somewhat dull and lacked their previous glossy shine. And at the corner of its beak, Richard actually found a trace of flesh. ¡°You little scoundrel, you¡¯ve been sneaking out to snack,¡± Richard stroked Wuni¡¯s feathers, and Wuni affectionately nuzzled him in response. After feeding Wuni, Richard returned to his desk and reviewed the model that Ali had given him once more. The disassembled Rune Array could still be used as a Spell, but now Richard needed to consider how to make this Spell more useful. ¡°The Ice Cone Skill, after being released, undergoes a lengthy acceleration process¡­¡± Richard, holding a feather pen, drew casually on the draft paper, ¡°Continuous acceleration, isn¡¯t that similar to a rocket?¡± The flight of a rocket requires continuous fuel consumption to reach maximum speed, whereas the Ice Cone Skill uses the kinetic energy affixed to the Ice Cone by the Spell to gradually accelerate. So if he were to repeatedly apply an acceleration Spell to the Ice Cone during its acceleration process, wouldn¡¯t the projectile have a longer range and greater power? Richard felt he had found the key point. But an idea was just an idea, realizing it into reality would require considerable effort. If Richard wanted to make this piece of Magic Equipment, he would need to find the right carrier material for the Spell and then design the layout for the Rune positions as well as the Magic Conduction circuit. Next would be to simplify the number of Runes in the Spell as much as possible; the more Runes there are, the more magic power needed, and the greater the heat loss. If he were to inscribe with the current number of Runes, Richard wouldn¡¯t need trial materials but go straight for Mithril. ¡°But Mithril, which Alchemy Wizard doesn¡¯t covet it? How could it be that an Apprentice like himself could get his hands on it? According to Richard¡¯s design, this piece of Magic Equipment should have a long and narrow acceleration channel, with the Kinetic Energy Spell inscribed at different positions along the channel to fully act upon the launched entity. Richard translated his ideas into a rough draft and, after several revisions, a very crude, Wizard-style firearm emerged on the paper. ¡°This really is destiny,¡± Richard couldn¡¯t help but laugh as he looked at the draft. With a preliminary design in place, Richard began the manufacturing process. First, he asked Ali next door to reduce the number of runes for the Kinetic Energy Spell as much as possible, and she readily agreed to his request. Then he began to collect the materials he thought might be necessary from the commercial district to conduct experiments. According to Richard¡¯s design, this piece of Magic Equipment should consist of an acceleration tube and a projectile, or in layman¡¯s terms, a gun barrel and bullets. The material for the bullets was especially crucial. A qualified bullet must have sufficient hardness, a lighter density, and enough plasticity. If possible, it would be best to also have Demon-breaking properties. But collecting materials was a tedious affair, and after trying for a while, Richard suddenly remembered he had previously made the acquaintance of an Apprentice who dealt in alchemy materials. ¡­ ¡°That¡¯s quite a lot of stuff¡­¡± Kevin looked at the list Richard had drawn up. He¡¯d been in the alchemy business for a while, but even after looking at Richard¡¯s materials list, Kevin couldn¡¯t guess what he was up to. ¡°I need to experiment, which inevitably means trying a variety of materials,¡± Richard replied nonchalantly. ¡°I can keep an eye out for these items in the commercial district for you. If the Wizard Commerce or any Apprentice decides to sell them, I¡¯ll snag them for you,¡± Kevin said, folding up the list and tucking it into his pocket, ¡°I hear you¡¯ve become a Big Shot now, Richard.¡± ¡°What Big Shot am I? I¡¯m just riding on my mentor¡¯s coattails,¡± Richard said, waving his hand dismissively. ¡°Eh, too much modesty is pride,¡± Kevin said as he stood up to pour a cup of tea for Richard, ¡°The Concentration Potions from Anna¡¯s cottage have quite a reputation in the commercial district. Every Apprentice who¡¯s tried them says they¡¯re more stable than the Potions from Ulrich¡¯s Alchemy Store.¡± ¡°Ulrich¡¯s Alchemy Store?¡± Richard asked, puzzled. ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡± Kevin looked surprised, ¡°Before you, Concentration Potions were always sold by Master Ulrich¡¯s alchemy store.¡± ¡°I really didn¡¯t know that,¡± Richard said, somewhat embarrassed as he touched his chin. He had truly not paid attention to who was selling Concentration Potions in the commercial district. The Academy¡¯s market for Concentration Potions was large; he hadn¡¯t yet reached the point of competing with others. ¡°Now everyone¡¯s saying that you made Concentration Potions to compete with Joseph because he stole your girl¡­¡± ¡°What nonsense,¡± Richard laughed, interrupting, ¡°I¡¯m not that idle.¡± ¡°Even if you don¡¯t mean it, people think that way,¡± Kevin paused, ¡°And indeed, because of you, the Concentration Potion business at Ulrich¡¯s Alchemy Store has shrunk a bit.¡± ¡°Originally, Concentration Potions were in such high demand that everyone had to put up with them, even if they were poor quality. But since your product appeared, the Apprentices who aren¡¯t in a hurry started to wait.¡± ¡°Wait for what?¡± ¡°Wait for your Potions,¡± Kevin said with a gleam in his eye, ¡°Your Potions are of good quality and consistent, and every month you produce a batch, so naturally, if they¡¯re not in a hurry for a mission, they¡¯ll buy yours.¡± ¡°I hadn¡¯t really thought about that,¡± Richard shook his head, ¡°So what¡¯s your point? Just say it.¡± ¡°Ha, Richard, you still have that temper. It was the same on the Airship, and it¡¯s the same now,¡± Kevin laughed before stating his proposal. ¡°I want to be your agent for Magic Potions.¡± COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 43 - Chapter 43: Chapter 43 Agents Chapter 43: Chapter 43 Agents ¡°An agent? Why would I need an agent?¡± Richard countered, ¡°I¡¯m doing just fine selling magic potions as is. Why let another person into the share?¡± ¡°No, no, no, you misunderstand me,¡± Kevin hurriedly waved his hands, ¡°I¡¯m not after your magic stones, I just want the sales rights, that¡¯s enough for me. All the profits from the magic potions go to you, I won¡¯t take a penny.¡± ¡°Not take a penny? Then what do you earn?¡± Richard stared into Kevin¡¯s eyes and continued to ask, ¡°And you still haven¡¯t answered the question. Why would I need an agent?¡± ¡°For safety, because you have a grudge with Joseph, you¡¯ve affected his business, you have the woman he wants, because he has enough magic stones to have someone curse you!¡± Kevin¡¯s gaze was fearless. He met Richard¡¯s eyes head-on and presented his reason. ¡°An agent would be a shield before you, a whistle. Any curse coming through the magic potions would have to go through me first.¡± Kevin¡¯s reasons were sound, and this forced Richard to consider the value of the proposal. ¡°I need some time, Kevin,¡± Richard stood up, ¡°I need to verify what you¡¯ve said. If you¡¯ve lied even a tiny bit, this deal is off.¡± ¡°Every word I¡¯ve spoken is true, I swear upon my family name,¡± Kevin swore solemnly. ¡­ Fifty-sixth floor of the Central Black Tower ¡°An agent? Indeed, there is such a role.¡± Chax took a sip of his drink. ¡°Why suddenly ask about this?¡± Anna had gone off the grid to work on Richard¡¯s custom machine, leaving Chax as the only senior able to answer Richard¡¯s questions. ¡°A man came to me, wanting to be my agent, saying he¡¯d ward off curses for me.¡± Richard sat opposite Chax, his fingers tapping incessantly on the table in front of him. ¡°Moreover, he doesn¡¯t want a share of the profits, just the sales rights.¡± ¡°That¡¯s normal, agree to it,¡± Chax said casually. ¡°What he says is true, agents can indeed shield people from curses. With an agent as a whistleblower, you have to worry a little less about curses.¡± ¡°And they do have their advantages.¡± Richard frowned: ¡°What do you mean?¡± A shrewd gleam flashed in Chax¡¯s eyes: ¡°Little brother, concentration potions are hot commodities in the Academy, not just anyone can get them. You give the potions to him, and who he sells it to becomes his right. He just needs to hold back a few bottles and he can trade them for favors and magic stones from those desperately in need of magic potions.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Richard realized. ¡°This is a win-win deal, I suggest you agree to it. Master Susanna might belong to two schools, but as an apprentice, she surely focused on the Shape-shifting School. It¡¯s safer to have an agent as a shield.¡± Richard stood up, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ve taken up enough of your time, senior brother.¡± ¡°That¡¯s no trouble,¡± Chax waved his hand, ¡°Just a bit of experience, stay longer at the Academy and you¡¯ll understand too.¡± Returning to Kevin¡¯s room, Richard and Kevin signed the agent contract. Richard handed over the sales rights of the concentration potions to Kevin, but retained control over the pricing. The contract allowed Kevin to purchase ten percent of the potion production for himself. This ten percent would be sufficient for Kevin to amass substantial favors. After this, Richard began testing materials. All sorts of bizarre ingredients were continuously delivered to him by Kevin, and during this time, the machine custom-ordered from Anna was also completed. It was a strange machine in Anna¡¯s eyes; it was divided into upper and lower parts. The upper half held storage tanks for the ingredients, while the lower half housed an alchemy pot. The storage tanks would deposit ingredients through an opening at the bottom into the alchemy pot, which would activate a stable magic conduction transmitter upon receiving the materials, conducting magic power into the mixture within the pot. A magic probe was installed inside the alchemy pot, and when the liquid¡¯s magic power inside reached the standard, it would stop the magic conduction transmitter and activate the second storage tank for depositing. Once a bottle of concentration potion was ready, the bottom portion of the alchemy pot would automatically open, transferring the potion into a bottle, then starting the next cycle. The entire machine was roughly the size of a wardrobe; each operation used up three magic stones and could complete ten cycles of potion brewing. While the machine couldn¡¯t fully automate the process, it significantly liberated Richard¡¯s energy, allowing him more time for experimentation and study. After acquiring the machine, Richard set the monthly production of concentration potions to one hundred bottles. This quantity was high but not outrageously so. According to the records of prodigious apprentices in Jolod¡¯s books, his output was even less than that of several predecessors. Nonetheless, Richard¡¯s industrial-level standard for magic potions still had a significant impact on the artisan potion makers in the commercial district. ¡­ ¡°Udler, did you manage to get one?¡± In front of Anna¡¯s cottage, an apprentice hailed his companion who had just squeezed out of the store. ¡°I got it!¡± Udler shouted with excitement, holding a bottle of concentration potion. Envious looks from the surrounding apprentices followed, as they continued to push forward. Anna¡¯s cottage¡¯s reputation for high-quality concentration potions had spread widely among the apprentices. Nearly all considered her establishment the top choice for purchasing concentration potions. Before long, a loud shout rang out from inside Anna¡¯s cottage. ¡°The Concentration Potion is sold out, those in need can come back next month!¡± Apprentices who failed to buy the potion dispersed from the shop entrance with their heads hung low. Those in urgent need started to ask around among the apprentices, attempting to buy back the potions at higher prices. However, in front of Ulrich¡¯s Alchemy Store, the old store selling Concentration Potion, you could hear a pin drop. It seemed that the apprentices had already forgotten that this shop used to be the place where they would line up. ¡­ ¡°What did you say?¡± Joseph roared at the apprentice before him, ¡°You¡¯re telling me half of my potions didn¡¯t sell!¡± ¡°The Concentration Potions aren¡¯t selling!¡± Joseph angrily slammed his hands on the table, almost breaking it to pieces. Two years ago, he had boasted at the Apprentice Exchange that Ulrich¡¯s Shop would sell no fewer than fifty bottles of Concentration Potion every month. At that time, all the apprentices who heard the news cheered him on! Because of that statement, he had spent a huge amount of time every month making potions, and his alchemy studies had been seriously delayed. And now, in just a short period of two years, he couldn¡¯t move his Concentration Potions! Faced with Joseph¡¯s rage, the apprentice could only smile bitterly and hang his head low; he was just an employee and didn¡¯t dare talk back to the young owner of the shop. ¡°Sir, the potions are right here. How could I lie to you?¡± ¡°What exactly is going on?¡± Joseph tried to suppress his anger, Concentration Potions, a bestseller, couldn¡¯t possibly be unsellable; there must be some external factor affecting his business. ¡°Sir¡­¡± the apprentice said cautiously, ¡°Don¡¯t you know? It¡¯s not just you selling Concentration Potions in the commercial district; Master Jolod¡¯s apprentice, Richard, is also selling them, and¡­¡± ¡°And what!¡± Joseph¡¯s gaze was intense, his furious glare nearly piercing the apprentice like a sieve. ¡°And his output is higher than yours, and the Concentration Potions are of more¡­ stable quality than yours.¡± After careful consideration, the apprentice decided to replace ¡®better¡¯ with the more acceptable term ¡®stable.¡¯ ¡°Stable? Stable!¡± Joseph was nearly driven insane by those words. He, a descendant of the Wizard, who had been educated by wizards since childhood and most talented in Magic Potions, was now being outdone by a Wild Apprentice who had been picked from among mortals and had only learned alchemy for a few years! Richard stealing his woman was something he didn¡¯t care about. Just as he¡¯d said, knowledge and Magic Stones were the foundation of a wizard¡¯s advancement. But now, Richard was trying to steal his Magic Stones! Damn it, he was trying to steal his Magic Stones! ¡°¡­Sir, is there anything else?¡± the shop apprentice asked in a low voice. Joseph waved his hand, signaling for the apprentice to leave. And the moment the apprentice closed the door, Joseph pounded the table like a madman. He frenziedly destroyed everything in the room, smashing tables, breaking vases, tearing paintings on the walls to shreds¡­ He turned the entire room into a pile of rubble. After venting, Joseph sat on the ruins of the furniture, staring blankly at the wall. Had his rage dissipated? Not at all. He stood up to straighten his attire, then went to a cabinet and took out several rolls of Academy Coins. After counting them and making sure there was enough, he put on a black cloak and went to a restaurant in the residential area named Corner Alley. ¡°Sir, what would you like to order?¡± a waiter came up to ask. Joseph gave the waiter a cold look, ¡°A black stone beef steak, rare.¡± ¡°¡­And who is it for?¡± the waiter took out a notepad. ¡°Richard, the apprentice of Master Jolod.¡± The waiter frowned, hesitating with his writing. ¡°He¡¯s quite an important figure.¡± ¡°Do you not make it?¡± Joseph retorted. ¡°We do,¡± the waiter wrote down Richard¡¯s name and tore off the paper, ¡°but it¡¯s going to cost extra.¡± COMMENT 2 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 2 Chapter 44 - Chapter 44: Chapter 44 Curse (Please Follow) Chapter 44: Chapter 44 Curse (Please Follow) Curse was an ancient craft, and curse wizards were among the earliest in the Wizard World. In the present day, where wizards were no longer shrouded in mystery, curse wizards remained one of the few that still preserved their enigma. The Turn Corner Alley Restaurant was ostensibly a restaurant, but behind the scenes, it also conducted the business of assassination. Murdering someone within the Wizard Academy was no easy feat; Academy Inspectors within the institution monitored the entire campus round the clock, and any significant elemental disturbance would attract their attention. But curses were different. Curse witchcraft did not require contact or the use of elements; all that was needed was an item belonging to the target and a curse ritual to kill someone imperceptibly. Moreover, because curse magic was extremely difficult to trace, even if the cursed individual was promptly discovered by the Academy Inspectors, they could only isolate the curse, not resolve the wizard who cast it. Of course, part of this was also due to the Academy¡¯s deliberate indulgence. Curse witchcraft was not 100 percent successful: the greater the power disparity between the curse wizard and the cursed individual, the lower the chance of a successful curse. When the cursed individual¡¯s power exceeded the curse wizard by a complete tier, the probability of a successful curse could be regarded as negligible. This was the sword hanging over the heads of many apprentices, compelling them to strive and become stronger. Joseph¡¯s order was swiftly delivered to the curse wizard. Since Richard¡¯s magic potion was not difficult to find, Joseph didn¡¯t even provide a medium for the curse. The curse wizard placed Richard¡¯s crafted magic potion onto a stone altar, which was covered in runes drawn with blood. The moment the potion bottle touched the altar, a chilling howl filled the air. Unperturbed by this, the curse wizard set the potion bottle down and then sliced open his own wrist, using his fresh blood to feed the altar. He continued to feed it while simultaneously mobilizing his magic power and chanting an unknown spell. After the chant was finished, the wizard placed a curse worm on the altar, and in an instant, black flames surged from the worm. At the same time, Kevin, who was reading in his dormitory, suddenly found dark flames erupting from his body. ¡°Fuck, a curse!¡± Without a moment to think, Kevin immediately pulled out a glass vial from the pocket at his waist: inside was a plump white curse worm. Kevin smashed the vial and grabbed the worm; the dark flames instantly transferred onto it. But due to the poor quality of his curse worm and the curse wizard¡¯s overwhelming strength, after the curse transferred, the worm rapidly began carbonizing. Once the curse worm died, the curse would descend upon him again. At this critical juncture, Kevin gulped down a concentration potion from beside him; in moments of urgency, one must not panic. As the effects of the potion took hold, Kevin¡¯s mind quickly calmed. He had two things to do: first, ensure his own survival. Second, warn Richard. Once the curse worm was fully carbonized, the black flames reignited on Kevin¡¯s body, but the concentration potion dramatically reduced his sensation of pain, so much so that he could still move freely. Bang! Kevin ran to the window, leaped out with force, and began shouting into the air. ¡°A curse! There¡¯s a curse!¡± It didn¡¯t take long for Kevin¡¯s commotion to attract the attention of the Academy Inspectors. A huge owl swiftly flew to his location, isolating the curse from him. ¡°Apprentice, you are safe now.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s someone else cursed!¡± Kevin shouted at the Inspector, ¡°In room 215 of building four, there¡¯s another apprentice cursed! He¡¯s a formal apprentice of Master Jolod!¡± Kevin had dealt with these Inspectors before and knew that although they might appear as a group, the souls of each owl were interconnected. By informing one, the rest would receive the message. To prevent the owls from slacking, he had specially emphasized Richard¡¯s status. Simultaneously, as Richard, who was reading in his dorm, found black flames igniting on his body. ¡°A curse?¡± Richard¡¯s brow furrowed. He immediately took out a prepared curse worm to temporarily shift the curse¡¯s effects, then swiftly left his room and burst into Ali¡¯s. ¡°Ali, curse.¡± Richard could only manage to utter those two words before the black flames reignited on his body. Ali hurried to the desk and pulled out a Curse Worm from the drawer to hand to Richard. After temporarily transferring the curse, Ali pressed down on the Curse Worm with one hand while summoning Magic Power and chanting ancient Spells with her mouth. ¡°Hmm?¡± The Curse Wizard furrowed his brows, sensing Ali¡¯s resistance. ¡°Is there a colleague helping out?¡± The Curse Wizard took out a dried toad from his bosom, carefully broke off a small piece, and tossed it onto the body of the Curse Worm. Instantly, the black Flames on the Curse Worm grew more intense. ¡°Hmm?¡± Ali, noticing the change in the curse, turned pale in an instant. ¡°Competing with magic tools?¡± Her face set with determination, she too pulled out a black finger bone from the drawer and swallowed it whole. Competing with magic tools? She was the only Disciple of Master Susanna! Feeling the curse hindered once more, alarms went off in the Curse Wizard¡¯s mind. He almost knew all the Curse Wizards who could withstand his move, and if any of those were challenging him, it would be absolutely impossible to kill Richard before the Academy Inspector arrived. ¡°Damn, really shit out of luck.¡± The Curse Wizard cursed and then decisively killed the Curse Worm, ablaze with black Flames, with the back of his hand, terminating the curse decisively. Curse Magic is difficult to trace but not impossible. After sensing the termination of the curse, Ali let out a slight sigh of relief, wiping the sweat from her forehead. The battle between Curse Wizards was extremely dangerous; one mishap could redirect the curse onto oneself. Fortunately, she had a good teacher. Although Susanna hadn¡¯t taught her much about cursing others, she had taught her a lot about defending against curses. ¡°Is it over?¡± Richard asked. ¡°It¡¯s over. That wizard didn¡¯t entangle with me and stopped the curse very decisively.¡± ¡°Can you find him?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Ali shook her head. ¡°If he entangled with me for a while, maybe my teacher could¡¯ve found him, but his cut was too decisive; these traces won¡¯t lead us to him.¡± Richard frowned. ¡°That¡¯s a bit troublesome.¡± If he couldn¡¯t find out who the Curse Wizard was, then he wouldn¡¯t be able to identify who cursed him. There are thieves who might steal for a thousand days, but there¡¯s no defence that can last a thousand days. If he couldn¡¯t find the perpetrator, he would have uneasy days and sleepless nights. ¡°Why not ask your senior brother Chax?¡± Ali suggested. ¡°I¡¯ve heard from friends that Senior Brother Chax has a wide network among Apprentices; maybe he could dig up some information.¡± ¡°That might be the only way¡­¡± Bang! A noise came from next door. Richard heard it; the sound seemed to come from his room. ¡°Apprentice Richard, Apprentice Richard!¡± Hearing the owl¡¯s call, Richard immediately returned to his room. ¡°Apprentice Richard, someone reported that you¡¯ve been cursed.¡± The owl¡¯s round eyes stared at Richard, examining him. ¡°You dealt with it yourself?¡± ¡°Academy Inspector, thank you for coming. I have resolved the curse,¡± Richard said with a slight bow to the Inspector. ¡°Gah, worthy of being Jolod¡¯s Disciple,¡± praised the owl, before flying out of the room. Richard watched the departing Academy Inspector and stroked his chin. ¡°It seems Kevin, the Whistleblower, is somewhat useful after all.¡± The Academy Inspector had arrived in his room just after his curse ordeal had ended. It was clear that it was Kevin, his proxy who bore the curse for him, who informed them. If Ali hadn¡¯t been in the next room, Kevin might have saved his life. ¡°He¡¯s probably not hurt lightly either; I¡¯ll check on him later.¡± Richard was very pleased with Kevin as his proxy. Recently, the materials he had been testing were mostly collected by Kevin in the test zone. Some of the more obscure materials would have taken Richard an unknown amount of time to collect himself. Richard always took great care of his own people. COMMENT 2 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 2 Chapter 45 - Chapter 45: Chapter 45: The World Has Never Been Two-Dimensional (Please Follow) Chapter 45: Chapter 45: The World Has Never Been Two-Dimensional (Please Follow) Academy Hospital ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± said Kevin weakly, his body wrapped in bandages from head to toe. As the first to come into contact with the curse, Kevin had sustained severe injuries. In just a few seconds, nearly half his body had turned to char, and most of the skin had peeled off. Through the gaps in the bandages, Richard could even see his bright red muscles still pulsating. ¡°The doctor said my external wounds are easy to handle, but the biggest issue is the loss of life energy. It¡¯ll take a long time to replenish it, and I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to act as your proxy during this time.¡± Richard nodded in silence before adding, ¡°I¡¯ll take care of this matter. Just focus on recovering. If you want your proxy position back later on, I¡¯ll keep it open for you.¡± Kevin managed a weak smile: ¡°Okay, hold that position for me.¡± Richard turned and left the patient¡¯s room, with Ali quickly following behind. ¡°Doctor, how much are the medical expenses for patient in room thirty-two?¡± Richard asked in a low voice at the hospital¡¯s reception desk. ¡°Room thirty-two¡­ let me see. Minor Healing Technique, five hundred; Limb Regeneration Technique, one thousand two hundred; Life Energy Supplement, three hundred; the total comes to two thousand Academy Coins. Would you like to pay with paper currency or Magic Stones?¡± Richard took a stack of Academy Coins from his chest, counted out twenty, and handed them to the doctor. Although Kevin¡¯s injuries were a consequence of becoming his proxy, Kevin had been very efficient in collecting materials for him lately. The two had thus developed some rapport. The two thousand Academy Coins were merely the profit from five bottles of Concentration Potion; paying wasn¡¯t an issue, as he and Kevin would have more long-term cooperation. After leaving the hospital, Richard headed straight for Central Black Tower. On the fifty-sixth floor of the Black Tower, Chax was, as usual, lazing around and drinking. But with a loud ¡°bang¡± as the door opened, he quickly sat up straight. ¡°Sister, I was researching¡­ Richard? You scared me.¡± Seeing who it was, Chax¡¯s body instantly relaxed again. ¡°Why such a commotion, little brother? Who has upset you?¡± Then, noticing Ali behind Richard, Chax sat up straight once more. ¡°Isn¡¯t this Ali? Please, have a seat, have a seat,¡± Chax said with a welcoming smile. ¡°Senior brother, I need your help with something,¡± Richard said as he strode up to Chax, the two separated only by a table, yet Chax could clearly sense his anger. Chax¡¯s smile faded. ¡°What happened? You seem very upset.¡± Richard replied with just two words. ¡°Curse.¡± ¡°Alright, I understand,¡± Chax stood up and started walking out of the room. ¡°I¡¯ll ask around with a few friends, but I can¡¯t promise any news will come of it.¡± Richard followed closely and stuffed a stack of Academy Coins into Chax¡¯s hand. ¡°Senior brother, you shouldn¡¯t have to spend on this matter. My Potion business is doing quite well at the moment. Please, take the money.¡± Chax looked deeply at Richard, pocketed the money, and left the room. Several hours passed before Chax, a bit unsteady and reeking of alcohol, returned to the room. ¡°Got a lead in Turn Corner Alley, no idea who specifically,¡± said Chax, shaking his head. A layer of steam suddenly rose from his body, and once the steam had cleared, the whole room was filled with a rich aroma of alcohol. ¡°However, there¡¯s a bit of news you might find useful,¡± Chax said, ¡°Last month, Ulrich¡¯s Alchemy Store didn¡¯t manage to sell all of their Concentration Potions. Their clerks even said that their young master Joseph threw a fit over it. Moreover, someone noticed that shortly after Joseph lost his temper, a person of similar height in black entered the turning alley.¡± The implication of Chax¡¯s words was clear: the person who had acted was likely to be Joseph. ¡°Thanks for the trouble, senior brother.¡± Chax waved his hand dismissively, then stuffed a bundle of Academy Coins back into Richard¡¯s hands. ¡°No big deal, my own apprentice got cursed, how could I, as a senior brother, not help out? This money wasn¡¯t used, take it back.¡± ¡°No, senior brother, there¡¯s another favor I need from you,¡± Richard said, blocking the money. ¡°What is it?¡± Richard pulled a black steel tube with patterns from his waist. The silver-white patterns on the tube shone with the brilliance of magic power. ¡°I¡¯d like you to fit this into Wuni¡ªinto the Death Crow you crafted last time. This end,¡± he pointed to one end of the tube, ¡°should extend out of its mouth. You shouldn¡¯t have a problem with that, should you, senior brother?¡± After imagining the description provided by Richard, Chax replied: ¡°No problem, just a minor operation. Although, senior brother, I must remind you not to act rashly. If you¡¯re caught red-handed within the Academy, it will make things difficult for the teachers, and no one can escape the bloody exam. You can take action during the test, there¡¯s no rush.¡± If a fight were to break out within the campus, mere moments of entanglement would be enough for the Academy Inspectors to intervene. As a Wizard Descendant and a formal Apprentice of an Alchemy Wizard, Joseph would certainly not lack defensive magic equipment. For Richard to achieve a fatal strike was practically impossible. Moreover, even if he managed a fatal strike, Richard could not possibly escape the subsequent pursuit by the Inspectors. Richard responded to Chax with a slight smile, yet a cold gleam flickered deep in his eyes. There were still years until the bloody exam, and he could not wait that long. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, senior brother. I know my limits.¡± Richard handed the steel tube to Chax, then left the room with Ali. On the way back to the dormitory, Ali couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Richard, are you really going to use that thing? Haven¡¯t you not finished your research on it?¡± Ali was referring to the steel tube that Richard had just given to Chax, which was the new magic equipment Richard had been working on¡ªRichard named it the Magic Gun. ¡°It¡¯s almost ready; I¡¯ve just been looking for a sufficiently cheap type of bullet,¡± Richard whispered, ¡°But now, my experiment was interrupted.¡± Recently, Ali had managed to reduce that Kinetic Energy Spell to twelve runes, but the magic power ceiling the spell could handle was also cut down to half of what it originally was. Since Richard intended to craft magic equipment, excessive magic power would melt the materials, so this limitation actually suited his needs perfectly. Richard had inscribed three Kinetic Energy Spells on that segment of steel tube. According to his tests, a bullet empowered by three such spells could easily penetrate a three-centimeter-thick steel plate within five hundred meters. Richard turned and glanced at the woods lining the road, which concealed countless Inspectors. If a fight broke out between apprentices, these Inspectors would appear immediately to intervene. But their surveillance had a massive loophole¡ªtheir endlessly vast sky overhead. Academy Inspectors patrolled within the Academy, usually flying at altitudes between one hundred and two hundred meters. While this wasn¡¯t a great height, academy apprentices usually didn¡¯t fly that high using Levitation Skill. Furthermore, given the limitations on casting range, apprentices flying at that altitude could not pose much of a threat to others on the ground. And this created the biggest blind spot of the Inspectors. The surveillance above two hundred meters was nonexistent, and Richard could easily control Wuni to fly at an altitude of five hundred meters. The world was never two-dimensional. COMMENT 3 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 3 Chapter 46 - Chapter 46: Chapter 46 Sky Sniping (Please Follow) Chapter 46: Chapter 46 Sky Sniping (Please Follow) Back in his dorm room, Richard set Wuni free, guiding it towards Chax¡¯s laboratory. During this period, Richard had completed the implantation of the Soul Seed. He could now not only see through Wuni¡¯s eyes but also control it to carry out certain operations. Through Wuni¡¯s vision, Richard could clearly see the apprentices on the ground from nearly a kilometer high in the sky at night. This was the source of Richard¡¯s confidence. After handing over Wuni, Richard began the task of making ¡°bullets.¡± The choice of material for the bullets was crucial. Richard knew that Joseph definitely had Magic Equipment on him that served as armor. It was very likely to have full Defense Magic protection, covering both physical and magical attacks. To breach this protection, Richard decided to invest heavily, opting to make bullets out of a Demon-Breaking metal, sold for one Magic Stone per gram. This type of metal had a certain degree of demon-breaking properties. Upon contact with a Magic Barrier, it would ¡°wedge¡± the magic aside, making it the best choice for breaking through Defense Magic. Shaping, grinding, polishing¡­ Richard spent a whole night making the bullets. By the dawn of the next day, four deep grey bullet heads with tapered tails lay on his table. With the bullets ready, the next step was to test their power and how to mitigate strong wind interference. According to Richard¡¯s plan, he would control Wuni to fly at an altitude of five hundred meters to shoot, but this brought up another issue: avoiding wind interference. Given the high speed of the bullets, even a slight gust could send the bullets off course by a significant margin. ¡°Perhaps a spell could counteract it,¡± Richard mused while looking at the bullets. Although the anti-magic properties of the metal might interfere with or even nullify the effects of spells, that weakening process needed time. And he only required the spell to last less than a second to counteract the wind¡¯s interference. This weakening process was of little concern to him. With his idea in mind, Richard added a structure similar to a shell at the end of the bullet. This structure was etched with a spell known as Airflow Barrier, allowing the bullet to fly without disturbance from airflow during its trajectory. ¡°Caaw! Caaw!¡± Suddenly, a series of crow cries came from outside the window. Richard turned to see the modified Wuni return to the balcony. From the outside, Wuni looked unchanged. But when Richard controlled it to open its mouth, a steel pipe startlingly protruded from its throat. A piece of parchment was tied to Wuni¡¯s leg. Richard opened it and found written instructions on feeding Wuni. After the modification, Wuni could no longer eat with its beak, so Chax had installed a mouth on Wuni¡¯s abdomen. The food could be chewed by this abdominal mouth before being sent directly into the digestive system for digestion. Richard enticed Wuni¡¯s abdominal mouth, which was concealed by feathers, to open wide. Instantly, a gaping, sharp-toothed orifice appeared before Richard. He fed flesh into it, and within seconds, the piece of flesh was reduced to minced meat and sent into Wuni¡¯s digestive system. ¡°Curse Wizards¡¯ creature modification¡­ Truly boundless imagination,¡± Richard remarked, then took Wuni to the test zone. After renting a secluded area to avoid surveillance by the Academy Inspector, Richard spent ten Magic Stones to rent a metal target equipped with a Magic Barrier. Controlling Wuni to fly close to five hundred meters in the air, Richard carefully adjusted Wuni¡¯s position; at such a height, a slight deviation could lead to missing the target. ¡°Three, two, one, fire!¡± Richard counted silently, then used magic to activate the Magic Equipment. Magic flowed through the Magic Conduction circuit, activating rune after rune. Shortly thereafter, the Power Spell was activated, and the bullet started moving; Bang! Sparks erupted on the metal target. Its built-in Magic Barrier only slightly reduced the velocity of the anti-magic bullets, but the bullet that passed through the barrier easily penetrated its metallic body, leaving behind a bullet hole with burnt edges. ¡°Good effect.¡± Richard smiled satisfiedly as he looked at the bullet hole. Next, Richard tried targets with double and triple barriers; in the end, he confirmed that the effective lethal number of barriers for the anti-magic bulletheads was three. Beyond three layers, the bullet would lose all potency. ¡°This power is enough. If he can deploy four layers of protection and I still can¡¯t kill him,¡± Richard muttered as he touched the bullet hole, ¡°I¡¯ll accept that.¡± ¡­ The news of the failed curse quickly reached Joseph¡¯s ears. The people from Turn Alley refunded half of the deposit to indicate that they were abandoning the business. The other half that wasn¡¯t given was their payment for the attempt. ¡°A bunch of useless wretches!¡± Joseph slammed his fist onto the table, creating a big dent on the surface of his newly purchased desk. Though he had prepared himself for this outcome, this did not quell his towering rage. He had hired a senior Curse Wizard from Turn Alley. Accordingly, even if Richard had proxies and Curse Wizards to help him, shouldn¡¯t this curse have at least caused him some injury, if not his life? But why hadn¡¯t he heard any news at all? News of an alchemy apprentice, flourishing in the business district, being severely injured by a curse couldn¡¯t possibly stay contained. But now, all was calm. Joseph paced around his room anxiously. If Richard didn¡¯t die, his Magic Potion business wouldn¡¯t possibly recover. He had seen Richard¡¯s Magic Potions; their nearly terrifying consistent quality sent chills down his spine. How could someone produce a hundred bottles of Magic Potion a month and yet maintain almost the same quality? Ultimately, after pacing countless times around the room, Joseph swept up his sleeves, approached a drawer, and took out a Curse Worm and a scarecrow-shaped Magic Equipment. He knew that he couldn¡¯t keep his cursing of Richard a secret. He¡¯d been too sloppy with it, anyone who knew the connections could guess that he was the perpetrator. But fortunately, even if the mission from Turn Alley failed, they wouldn¡¯t disclose the employer¡¯s name; he needn¡¯t worry about the Academy Inspector arresting him. For the short term, he only needed to be wary should Richard seek revenge by the same means. After securing the Magic Equipment and the Curse Worm, Joseph left the Central Black Tower to clear his mind. As he stepped out of the Black Tower, a pair of eyes fixedly watched him. ¡°So, you¡¯ve finally come out?¡± Richard coldly chuckled as he observed Joseph through a sensory link from his room on the fifty-sixth floor of the Central Black Tower. In the pitch-black night sky, the wings fluttered by Wuni merged almost seamlessly with the night. It constantly circled above Joseph¡¯s head, adjusting its position, while Joseph on the ground inexplicably felt a chill running down his spine. He felt as though something was watching him. ¡°Who?¡± Joseph cautiously scanned the surrounding woods, as two layers of pale blue barrier appeared on him. ¡°It¡¯s against the rules to take action within the Academy.¡± There was no response from the woods, but his sense of crisis kept escalating. ¡°Who is watching me?¡± Joseph continued to turn, trying to find what was focusing on him, but he never did see that in the sky above, a crow was glowing with the brilliance of Magic Power. Richard smiled, and a black flash shot out from Wuni¡¯s mouth, traveling at maximum speed aided by the Airflow Barrier, without even touching the air until¡­ Bang! The anti-magic metal collided with the Magic Barrier, producing a loud noise, and a burst of blood mist exploded. In the sky, the Death Crow cawed joyfully. COMMENT 2 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 2 Chapter 47 - Chapter 47: Chapter 47: Handling (Please Follow) Chapter 47: Chapter 47: Handling (Please Follow) Crack! A silver streak cut through the night sky. Beside the corpse of Joseph, a black-robed Wizard was examining the body, surrounded by dozens of Academy Inspectors perched densely on the branches. ¡°Have you confirmed the identity?¡± the black-robed Wizard asked. ¡°Urich¡¯s official Apprentice, Joseph.¡± ¡°Urich¡¯s Apprentice? That¡¯s troublesome.¡± The black-robed Wizard stood up from beside the corpse, holding a deformed chunk of dark gray metal in his hand. ¡°Did this lad have any enemies?¡± ¡°There were a few, but all have alibis.¡± Alex rubbed the bullet thoughtfully and said, ¡°I should have asked more carefully. Did he have any enemies in the Alchemy School?¡± ¡°There¡¯s one, Jolod¡¯s Apprentice, Richard, had just been cursed; he had business conflicts with this lad.¡± Suddenly, an Inspector shrieked, ¡°So, how did he die, Alex? We couldn¡¯t find a single clue for miles around, not a suspicious Apprentice. But he just died, and it¡¯s unclear!¡± Alex rubbed his ears, signaling the Inspector to be quiet. ¡°It¡¯s normal that you couldn¡¯t find anything on the ground because the attacker didn¡¯t strike from the ground.¡± Alex pointed upwards, ¡°He attacked from up there with this little device.¡± While saying this, he showed the deformed bullet to the Inspectors. ¡°He launched the attack from the sky, using the metal¡¯s repulsion of Magic Power to instantly break through the Magic Barrier and then hit this lad. The velocity of this thing was so high, and its shape so unique, so Joseph just¡ª¡± Alex made an exploding gesture, ¡°¡®boom¡¯ and exploded.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible, Alex!¡± cried the Inspector. ¡°Wizard Apprentices don¡¯t have that long a casting range, if they had used a Spell from the sky, we definitely would have noticed.¡± ¡°But that is the reality,¡± Alex floated up. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll handle this. Such incidents shouldn¡¯t happen again.¡± With that, he flew toward the Central Black Tower. ¡­ ¡°Come on, a toast with your senior!¡± On the fifty-sixth floor of the Central Black Tower, Richard clinked his glass boldly with Chax. After killing Joseph, Richard hadn¡¯t returned to his dormitory but chose to stay in the Central Black Tower. He wasn¡¯t sure if the Inspectors had found any traces about him. If so, if he had gone back to the dormitory, the Inspectors would have directly apprehended him, and things would have been difficult. Staying in the Central Black Tower was different; this was a Wizard¡¯s territory, and he was currently on his teacher Jolod¡¯s territory. As long as there was no decisive evidence, Jolod would definitely protect him. ¡°Here, let¡¯s drink together, senior.¡± Chax clinked glasses with Richard, then downed the strong liquor in one gulp just as they were drinking merrily, a series of footsteps approaching from afar interrupted them. ¡°Damn, the senior sister is coming.¡± Chax¡¯s expression changed, and he quickly cleared the table of alcohol and dishes. Bang. ¡°Why have you come, senior sister?¡± Chax asked, pretending to be serious. Anna looked at him coldly, then turned to Richard and handed him a bottle of potion. ¡°Richard, drink this, the teacher wants to see you.¡± Richard sniffed the potion, recognized it as a Hangover Remedy, and gulped it down; he then followed Anna to the ninety-ninth floor. In the laboratory, Jolod was having an amicable discussion with Alex. ¡°Jolod, your apprentice is really something else. He had those owls totally bamboozled; they just asked me what on earth happened.¡± Jolod stroked his beard, ¡°Deputy Dean, without decisive evidence, you shouldn¡¯t make assumptions. My student mostly keeps to himself, spending his days immersed in study. He¡¯s not as capable as you suggest.¡± ¡°No evidence, Jolod? Who else in this academy could pull off such a fanciful murder method other than your student?¡± Alex chuckled as he produced a deformed bullet. ¡°Should I take this to the Divination section of the Curse School and see who it points to?¡± Jolod¡¯s expression changed slightly. Thud, thud, thud. ¡°Teacher, Richard is here.¡± ¡°Here he comes.¡± Jolod raised an eyebrow and casually used a magic thread to open the lab door, ¡°Richard, come here. Our deputy dean seems to have some misconceptions about you.¡± Walking into the lab, Richard steadied himself and stood beside Jolod. ¡°Teacher, you wanted to see me.¡± ¡°Yes, Deputy Dean, my student is here,¡± Jolod continued. ¡°He was just drinking with another student of mine. How could he possibly be the murderer you¡¯re talking about?¡± Richard swallowed. It was indeed about Joseph¡¯s matter. Alex squinted, scrutinizing Richard carefully. ¡°You¡¯re Richard, right? Tonight, an apprentice died in the academy. Did you know?¡± Richard shook his head, ¡°Deputy Dean, I was drinking on the fifty-sixth floor all evening; I haven¡¯t heard anything about it.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Alex shook his head, ¡°I heard you and Joseph had quite the conflict.¡± ¡°Just a minor disagreement. It¡¯s just that my magic potions clashed with his magic potion business,¡± Richard said nonchalantly. ¡°Oh, it seems I might have the wrong person then,¡± Alex raised an eyebrow and displayed the deformed bullet. ¡°I just don¡¯t know if the Curse School¡¯s divination can find him, and then things won¡¯t be so nonchalant.¡± ¡°Deputy Dean,¡± Richard¡¯s demeanor was unusually firm, ¡°I truly know nothing about this.¡± He had considered the fact that he would leave behind the bullet before the murder, which is why he had given it to Ali beforehand to remove any link to him using curse magic. Even if they brought in a curse wizard to perform divination now, it wouldn¡¯t lead back to him. Alex looked at Richard again and suddenly laughed. ¡°Jolod, you¡¯ve got a good student here. But let¡¯s not have this kind of thing happen within the academy anymore.¡± With that, Alex placed the bullet on the desk nearby, then drifted out of the lab through the window. Shortly after his departure, Jolod grabbed the bullet, and a ghostly blue flame ignited in his hand, instantly burning the bullet to nothing. ¡°Richard, did you hear what the deputy dean said clearly?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t stir up this kind of trouble again,¡± Jolod said calmly. ¡°Also, you¡¯ll stay in the Black Tower from now on. Urich is a petty old man, and you¡¯ve made quite a mess of his grandson, so I¡¯m a bit concerned he might hold a grudge.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Richard noticed Jolod¡¯s choice of words. ¡°Joseph isn¡¯t dead?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Jolod chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°Urich made him a small Life Box, so when he died, his soul was drawn back into the box. As long as we remake his body, he can be revived.¡± ¡°However, the costs for cloning magic aren¡¯t small, and although that boy is just a low-level apprentice, it would still cost tens of thousands of magic stones. Plus, the body adaptation period is over a dozen years, so you probably won¡¯t see him before you graduate.¡± With that, Jolod sat back down at his desk and resumed reading. ¡°You¡¯re not mad at me?¡± Richard couldn¡¯t help but ask. This sort of thing being dragged to their doorstep, Jolod should have at least reproached him a bit. ¡°Mad at you for what?¡± Jolod replied without looking up, ¡°You¡¯re my student. Someone cursed you, you retaliated. It¡¯s perfectly reasonable.¡± ¡°My students should be like that.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Jolod suddenly looked up and winked at Richard in a playful tone, ¡°if you could have waited until the bloody examination to act, that would have been even better.¡± COMMENT 2 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 2 Chapter 48 - Chapter 48: Chapter 48: The 2nd Bloodline Alchemy (Please Follow) Chapter 48: Chapter 48: The 2nd Bloodline Alchemy (Please Follow) Joseph¡¯s incident, thanks to the Inspector¡¯s timely discovery and Alex¡¯s mediation, did not have much impact, and only a few wizards knew why Joseph had disappeared. Following Jolod¡¯s suggestion, Richard then moved into the fifty-sixth floor of the Central Black Tower and became neighbors with Chax. The curse had a significant impact on Richard. Before this, Richard was always dedicated to learning and exploring knowledge, not in a hurry to enhance his own strength. This was because, aside from knowledge itself being a form of strength, his lifestyle of keeping a low profile made him feel safe. But Joseph shattered that sense of security. ¡­ ¡°Intermediate Meditation Method, priced at two hundred thousand Academy Coins.¡± In the Magic Store, the clerk puppet mechanically announced the price of the goods. ¡°Here is the money.¡± Richard handed over a large bundle of Academy Coins to the clerk puppet. As Richard¡¯s spiritual power gradually increased, the effect of the Basic Meditation Method became weaker and weaker. Before Joseph¡¯s curse, Richard didn¡¯t feel much about this speed. The Academy¡¯s bloody exams were still a long way off. Six to seven years were enough for Richard to advance to an Intermediate Apprentice with the Basic Meditation Method. Richard also preferred to exchange knowledge for Magic Stones from Jolod. For wizards, knowledge is the greatest strength. As long as spiritual power isn¡¯t vastly different, it doesn¡¯t have much of an effect. But now, Richard had changed his mind. Strength, after all, is important. The effect of the Intermediate Meditation Method was several times stronger than the Basic Meditation Method. With its help, within three years, Richard could increase his spiritual power to thirty points. The pneumatic pipeline delivered a scroll, and Richard stored it properly before going to the commercial area to buy materials. It was time to schedule the second Bloodline Alchemy. ¡°Hybrid giant troll Bloodline, five hundred Magic Stones, thank you for your patronage.¡± The hybrid giant troll was a humanoid creature that lived in the eastern plains of the Wizard World, possessing immense strength and regenerative capabilities. According to wizard records, a mature pure-blooded hybrid giant troll could even split in two, and both halves would regenerate into complete bodies¡ªa frightening extent of recovery. Richard looked at the bottle containing the bloodline; in the glass bottle, the blood of the hybrid giant troll seemed alive as it continually climbed the walls of the bottle, trying to escape its prison. ¡°The Life Energy is indeed vigorous. If you were refined into pure blood, wouldn¡¯t you just ascend to the heavens?¡± The hybrid giant troll race had a strong reproductive capability, producing subspecies trolls with many creatures. And these trolls could also produce hybrid giant trolls when mating with pure-blooded trolls. These mixed-blood hybrid giant trolls looked identical to the ordinary ones, with similar regenerative abilities, leading to most hybrid giant troll bloodlines on the market containing impurities from other creatures¡¯ bloodlines. However, this wasn¡¯t an issue for Richard. Returning to the Black Tower with the bloodline in hand, Richard started to prepare the tools for Bloodline Alchemy. The second Bloodline Alchemy wasn¡¯t as crude as the first, which could be done with just an alchemy array and bloodline. This time, he needed a Magic Conduction Container large enough for his body and a specially formulated Alchemy Potion to assist him with Bloodline Alchemy. The container was easy to deal with; Jolod¡¯s Synthetic Beast crafting tools included something suitable. However, when he followed Chax to Jolod¡¯s warehouse, he was still stunned by what he saw. ¡°Isn¡¯t this a coffin?¡± Richard couldn¡¯t help but comment. Before him was indeed a dark Crystal Coffin, its sides etched with Runes, and at first glance, it looked like a container for sealing some kind of monster. ¡°You asked for the best cultivation chamber,¡± Chax said with a suppressed smile. ¡°This is the teacher¡¯s best one, using it for your Bloodline Alchemy is really overkill.¡± Richard shook his head helplessly but then resigned himself to moving the Crystal Coffin to his room. Richard was a pragmatist; it didn¡¯t matter how strange it looked, as long as it was effective. Back in his room, Richard started drawing an Alchemy Array on his body. The Alchemy Array for the second Bloodline Alchemy was very complex, and he spent a whole afternoon failing twice before completing it. After the array was drawn, Richard took the hybrid giant troll¡¯s blood into his hands. [Ingredient: Hybrid giant troll blood] [Refinable Substance: Pure Blood of a Two-Headed Giant Troll] [Refinement Cost: 150 Magic Power] [Proceed with refinement?] ¡°Yes.¡± After Richard made his choice, the blood in the bottle instantly disappeared, and a portion of his magic power vanished as well. But in just a moment, a vibrant and lively clot of blood, so full of life it resembled a living creature, appeared in Richard¡¯s hand. Having stored the blood safely, Richard began to fill the crystal coffin with alchemy solvent, a pale green liquid with a jelly-like consistency. During this period of Bloodline Alchemy, this pale-green liquid would be responsible for providing his body with nutrients and life energy. Once the liquid was filled, Richard placed twenty magic stones on either side of the crystal coffin. With everything in place, Richard lay in the liquid, wrapped the troll blood with his magic power and brought it to his heart, then closed the coffin lid and fed magic power into the alchemy array to begin the bloodline fusion. Instantly, an extremely clear heartbeat entered Richard¡¯s ears, and blood hot as magma was pumped from his heart, flowing through every corner of his body. Under the influence of this blood, every strand of his muscles quivered incessantly. Tearing, healing, tearing, healing¡­ An indescribable sensation of soreness assaulted him from every part of his body, like an endless torment. If pain were to be classified by levels, with one being the weakest and ten the strongest, this sensation was like ¦Ð: painful yet not quite painful enough, and never ceasing. After an indeterminate period, the soreness began to subside, signifying that his body was starting to adapt to the troll¡¯s bloodline. And Richard passed out. At this moment, if someone were to open the crystal coffin, they would find that the originally pale-green liquid inside was gradually becoming transparent, and Richard¡¯s body was visibly growing more robust at a rate visible to the naked eye. Richard¡¯s physique also continued to increase during this period. Twenty-four, twenty-five¡­ twenty-eight, twenty-nine¡­ After a long time, Richard finally woke up from his deep slumber. Rumble, rumble, rumble. Richard opened the coffin lid and climbed out, the once pale-green liquid now completely clear, and the magic stones he¡¯d placed at the sides of the coffin were depleted. ¡°How long have I slept?¡± Richard shook his head and cautiously went to the washroom to clean off the potion from his body, then changed into a new set of clothes. Having learned from his last experience, Richard knew that his physique must have greatly improved. Looking at the clothes that were now taut and bulging from his muscles, Richard scratched his head. ¡°They¡¯re a bit small.¡± After stepping outside to find Chax, Richard learned that he had slept for a full month during this bout of Bloodline Alchemy. ¡°Little brother, that recipe of yours isn¡¯t bad at all, to look this strong after your second alchemy.¡± Chax patted the bulging muscles on Richard¡¯s body, unable to contain his admiration. Initially, Chax had suggested that Richard wash his bloodline and instead use a formula from Jolod¡¯s School, but now it seemed that the alchemy recipe Richard had concocted himself had an even better effect. ¡°It¡¯s alright, the second iteration of this recipe mainly increased strength and recovery ability.¡± Chax brought out a crystal ball to test Richard¡¯s current physique, and to Richard¡¯s astonishment, he found that his physique had grown from an initial level twenty-three to twenty-nine point nine, barely shy of triggering the Rebound Effect. Looking at the data, Richard lamented, ¡°Just a bit more and I could have triggered the Rebound Effect, saving me so much meditation time.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even think about that good fortune, little brother,¡± Chax laughed as he took back the crystal ball, ¡°That little bit seems small, but it¡¯s as vast as a chasm to actually break through. How many masters who study physique concoct all sorts of secret potions and undergo life-and-death struggles on the battlefield just to break through that one layer of the physique bottleneck. Our usual Meditation Method is slow, but before becoming a wizard, there are no bottlenecks.¡± ¡°Sigh, that¡¯s true.¡± Richard sighed, realizing that if enhancing physique could be faster than meditation, then the mainstream among wizards would be Bloodline Wizards instead of Shaping Wizards who manipulate energy with spiritual power. ¡°By the way, senior brother, I need a small favor from you.¡± Richard stopped Chax who was about to return the crystal ball and showed an apologetic smile on his face. Chax looked at Richard suspiciously; something was definitely off, extremely off. ¡°What do you need help with?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I was hoping to use your Synthetic Beast to help me get accustomed to my new body.¡± COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 49 - Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Combat Training Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Combat Training Central Black Tower, ninety-ninth floor. ¡°I¡¯m just saying, little brother, if you get hurt later, I¡¯m not footing your medical bills.¡± Chax muttered as he opened a long-sealed door. Richard followed him, his back laden with the two-handed greatsword he had received from Saban. Just moments before, he had asked Chax to use his Synthetic Beast to help him adjust to his body, and to train some combat skills. The sudden increase in Physique had left Richard feeling slightly unadapted, but it also sparked a bit of excitement within him. Just what was the extent of his own strength now? The moment the door opened, an ancient aroma rushed forth. Behind the door lay a room about the size of a basketball court, its walls and floors covered with various claw marks and somber bloodstains. On one side of the room was a smaller room partitioned by crystals. Chax walked in as soon as he entered the room and then threw a bag from his waist to the outside. This special Magic Pocket, according to Chax, had three cubic meters of storage space. Moreover, after special processing, the bag could temporarily hold living things. ¡°Roar!¡± A strange roar came from the bag and, soon after, a black wolf¡¯s head poked out of it. ¡°Little brother, close the door. This is the room where the teacher tests combat beasts. You can use your full force here, the house can absolutely take it.¡± Richard closed the door and, loosening his joints, he strode towards the center of the room with his sword. The Synthetic Beast Chax had brought was already out of the bag. This beast was not large, shaped somewhat like an oversized wild wolf, with very sleek black fur. It was panting with its tongue out, staring blankly at Richard, appearing utterly harmless. ¡°Little brother, are you ready?¡± Richard readied his sword, his breath forming white puffs in the air. After undergoing the second Bloodline Alchemy, the transformation triggered by Richard¡¯s bloodline had led to significant changes. First, there were Richard¡¯s muscles. With the activation of his bloodline, the already robust muscles ballooned like air being pumped into them, stretching his height by nearly ten centimeters. Then there were the black scales on his body. Originally just a thin layer, these scales had become substantially thicker with this second Bloodline Alchemy. If Richard had been a Plate Armor Knight before, now he had evolved into an armored vehicle. ¡°Ready, senior brother.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Chax shouted loudly, and the synthetic beast charged towards Richard like lightning. Boom! Richard stumbled back two steps, the arm holding the sword tingling, while two one-inch deep wounds on his chest bled continuously. Looking at the black wolf, not a single hair on it had fallen off. ¡°What kind of strength is this!?¡± Richard looked in shock at the seemingly harmless black wolf before him, its power completely misaligned with its appearance. And this black wolf was not just powerful but also fast, with claws far sharper than Richard could have anticipated. The black scales on his body were like tofu in front of its claws. ¡°Hehe, be careful, little brother.¡± Chax saw Richard faltering and chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled by Blake¡¯s small size; it has a solid physique of 39 points.¡± ¡°It may not match you in muscle volume, but it far surpasses you in quality.¡± Richard was startled by this, never expecting such a small creature to possess such impressive physical attributes. The black wolf attacked again, still as fast as lightning. However, this time Richard was prepared. With a slight motion of his great sword in his hands, the blade let out a sharp howl. Wind Crow Slash. Unfazed by the blade, the black wolf twisted its body in the blink of an eye¡ªan electric spark¡ªand the quivering blade grazed past its spine. But Richard was not just a melee fighter knight. A red fireball suddenly appeared beside Richard, then shot toward the black wolf like a meteor. Boom. The fireball exploded, scattering fire elements which instantly blocked Richard¡¯s sight. However, relying on his spiritual power, he still sensed something rapidly approaching him. Clang! Sizzle¡­ The black wolf¡¯s sharp fangs clamped onto the sword blade, emitting a grating sound that set one¡¯s teeth on edge. The recent explosion of the Fireball Technique had only caused its fur to curl slightly. ¡°How could this be?¡± Although Richard was shocked inside, his movements did not stop. His sword flicked, and brilliant sparks flew between the fangs and the blade. Upon closer inspection, a series of bite marks were evident on the blade, inflicted by the black wolf. ¡°Hey hey, Apprentice, my Synthetic Beast has nice protection, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Jolod chuckled again from across the room. This Synthetic Beast was his highest achievement in his craft, with muscles and bones all meticulously cultivated. Its defense was strong enough to ignore elemental damage below thirty energy levels. With Richard¡¯s current state, unless he used a Fireball Magic Wand, there was no spell that could harm the black wolf. ¡°Do you still want to continue, Apprentice? You can¡¯t win this. How about you spend some money, and I¡¯ll customize a training Synthetic Beast for you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s really impressive,¡± praised Richard, but a slight confident smile appeared at the corners of his mouth. ¡°But, Senior, you¡¯re underestimating me a bit too much.¡± Wizards, who rely solely on brute force in combat, could never form a massive force that conquers many worlds. Jolod shook his head; he was a stubborn one. Richard¡¯s strength did not even reach the intermediate apprentice level, and he had only brought a great sword. In this situation, his battle with Blake was totally predictable. ¡°Alright then, I shall continue.¡± Jolod then continued to control the black wolf to attack Richard from different angles. Struggling to adapt to his sudden increase in physique, Richard was forcefully pushed back by the black wolf. Even the simplest lunges were tough for Richard to fend off, and the black wolf¡¯s sharp claws occasionally left several bloody marks on his body. However, Richard¡¯s second integration was with the dual-head giant troll bloodline, renowned for its regenerative capabilities. The bloody marks on Richard¡¯s body disappeared within seconds, visible to the naked eye, even more impressive than his arm bracelets. In the midst of these repeated pounces, Richard began to gradually adapt to his body. Ting. Richard blocked another lunge from the black wolf and simultaneously used his blade to block the wolf¡¯s claws. Within just a few minutes, under the high pressure of combat, Richard had completely adapted to his body. ¡°Apprentice, do you still want to continue?¡± Jolod¡¯s voice came from the other side of the room. Hearing this, Richard smiled slightly, ¡°Well, it¡¯s about time to end this.¡± Right after speaking, two fireballs suddenly appeared beside Richard. Seeing this, Jolod shook his head in disappointment. Damage lower than thirty energy level is useless¡­ Huh? He saw a fireball flying towards him, and it exploded loudly, the scattering Fire Element instantly obscuring Jolod¡¯s vision. ¡°No!¡± Jolod was startled, quickly sharing sensory perception with the black wolf. But as another fireball exploded, the wolf¡¯s vision was also engulfed in red. In the next moment, a great sword landed on the black wolf¡¯s head. Boom! The robust blade slammed the black wolf to the ground. If Richard had used Wind Crow Slash, this strike might have not only chopped off the wolf¡¯s head but at least broken its neck. ¡°Senior, what do you think of my move?¡± Richard came over to Jolod, sword in hand, wearing a proud smile. Wizards do not rely merely on spells and brute strength in combat; wisdom is their greatest weapon. Because Jolod was in a small room, his field of view was extremely limited, and he was controlling the Synthetic Beast to attack, which allowed Richard to find a flaw. If Jolod and the black wolf lost their vision simultaneously and the battle location was outside the range of spiritual power, then Jolod could not determine Richard¡¯s position and subsequently lose the initiative. Although this tactic was hard to use on a real battlefield, no method is universally applicable. ¡°Ah, I was negligent,¡± Jolod, somewhat annoyed, controlled the black wolf to return to the bag. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you, Apprentice, to pull such a stunt.¡± ¡°Haha, how else could I have won?¡± Richard laughed heartily, mentally reviewing the gains from this battle. He had quite a collection from this fight, besides adapting to his body and enhancing some combat skills, he discovered a major flaw¡ª As an apprentice of the Alchemy School, his equipment was terribly inadequate. His body was covered in only a few pieces of Magic Equipment, most of which were obtained during the entrance exams. The great sword in his hand, although made of fine material, bore not a single trace of Alchemy¡ªa pure blank. If word of that got out, people might think Jolod taught nothing to his official apprentices. Richard stroked his chin: ¡°It seems I need to upgrade my gear.¡± COMMENT 2 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 2 Chapter 50 - Chapter 50: Chapter 50 Equipment Upgrade Chapter 50: Chapter 50 Equipment Upgrade Upgrading equipment was not an easy task, and the Magic Equipment Richard had on hand was mostly substandard, with no room for further improvement. To create new Magic Equipment, he needed Magic Equipment Design Diagrams. Although Jolod had quite a few Magic Equipment Design Diagrams, if Richard wanted to get his hands on them, the cost in Magic Stones would be no small figure. Richard had recently made a large purchase, and his stock of Magic Stones was nearly depleted, making it impossible to upgrade all his equipment in the short term. Fortunately, he was not in a hurry at the moment. Time whizzed by, and in the blink of an eye, Richard¡¯s tenth year at the Academy had arrived. Two years ago, with the help of the Intermediate Meditation Method, Richard¡¯s spiritual power had successfully broken through the barrier of thirty points, making him an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice. Now his spiritual power had reached thirty-two points, and his physique had also improved to thirty due to the Rebound Effect. Although this pace was not fast among the official apprentices, it was already like a dimensional strike against most ordinary ones. After all, the Intermediate Meditation Method worth two thousand Magic Stones was not something just anyone could afford. In addition, during this period, Richard had also not neglected upgrading his own equipment. ¡­ Fifty-sixth floor of the Central Black Tower. With the engraving of the last Rune complete, Richard leaned back in his chair and exhaled deeply. On the table before him lay a black Great Sword, pulsating with Magic Fluctuations as dense Runes had been inscribed upon it. ¡°Finally finished,¡± Richard stretched lazily. It had taken him half a year to craft this Great Sword. To acquire its design diagram, he had spent all his accumulated Magic Stones on Jolod in the past two years. But it was all worth it. The design diagram for this Great Sword was called Demon Eater, and its creation was quite complex. As a Wizard Apprentice, it had taken Richard half a year just to complete its first stage of crafting. Even though it was only the first stage, its effects were remarkable. The Core Magic of the Demon Eater Sword¡¯s first stage was named Greedy Demon Flame, which not only possessed an astonishing temperature but also an effect that burned Magic Power. If spells like a Magic Barrier came into contact with Greedy Demon Flame, their Magic Power consumption would instantly multiply several times. For most apprentices who were not wealthy, this was a fatal blow. Because Magic Power meant Magic Stones, and the majority of Wizard Apprentices did not have enough Magic Stones to support using spells recklessly. Once contaminated with Greedy Demon Flame, the withdrawal of spells was inevitable. Of course, using Greedy Demon Flame required Richard to expend quite a bit of Magic Power himself. But Richard¡¯s Magic Stone reserves were quite plentiful. His monthly income of four hundred Magic Stones was considerable within the entire Academy. Apart from the Demon Eater Sword, Richard had also crafted several pieces of Magic Equipment during this time. The Concealer Cloak, which could reduce the presence of the user and hide the Apprentice¡¯s Magic Wave. When used with Breath Concealment and Silence Technique, it could even elude a Wizard¡¯s hasty search. The Guardian Pendant¡¯s effect was to automatically trigger a thirty-second duration Magic Shield capable of withstanding magic of fifty Energy Levels when attacked by a Spell, using up a third of a Magic Stone each time. Besides that, Richard also owned the Vine Ring, capable of summoning a twisted vine to control enemies, the eyeglasses with Eagle Vision Skill, the Magic Gun equipped with Demon-breaking Bullets, the Magic Pocket with two cubic meters of storage space, swift boots, the Mind Protection Ring, and various other small Alchemy tools. Ready these items had cost Richard seven or eight thousand Magic Stones. But the effects were undoubtedly worth it. Now Richard was not only equipped with protection against various attacks, but he also possessed crowd control, acceleration, and a certain degree of long-distance attack capabilities. He could almost be called a moving fortress. Having stored the Great Sword properly, Richard habitually visited Jolod¡¯s laboratory on the ninety-ninth floor of the Black Tower to scavenge. Jolod¡¯s laboratory was full of treasures, with materials he casually tossed aside possibly being rare treasures for Wizard Apprentices, and discarded draft papers potentially solving puzzles that Wizard Apprentices had pondered over for years. But for Richard, these things were secondary. What he valued more were the objects that Jolod frequently used, like the Enchanted Surgical Knife in his hand. ¡°` [Material: Enchanted Surgical Knife] [Extractable Skill: Jolod¡¯s Biological Dissection Technique] [Extraction Cost: 40 Spiritual Power] [Proceed with extraction?] Looking at the message emitted by the Miracle Furnace, Richard silently swallowed and put the surgical knife back in its place. He simply couldn¡¯t extract 40 units of spiritual power at the moment. As Richard was scavenging around in the laboratory, the door suddenly opened and Jolod and Anna walked in, one after the other. ¡°Oh, Richard, haven¡¯t been to the lab in half a year, have you finished your Demon Eater Sword?¡± Jolod looked at Richard with a smile, but his expression changed when he caught sight of the surgical knife behind Richard. A thread of magic power flew out of his hand, instantly seizing the knife. ¡°You can¡¯t have this,¡± Jolod said warily. Richard looked at Jolod guarding his possessions like a thief and felt a wave of embarrassment wash over him. As previously mentioned, Richard often came to the laboratory to scrounge, so feathers, draft paper, and other small items would always seem to vanish after his visits. While Jolod was annoyed by Richard¡¯s habit, he generally said nothing about it. Wizards tend to have their odd behavioral quirks. Seeing this unfold, Anna couldn¡¯t help but chuckle to herself in disbelief. ¡°Cough cough, Teacher, Sister Anna, long time no see,¡± Richard greeted as if nothing was amiss. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s been a long time,¡± Anna smiled back and then suddenly walked up to Richard to measure their heights side by side. ¡°Time flies so fast. You were only this tall when you first came to the Academy.¡± Anna indicated a height at her chest, whereas Richard now stood taller than her. Richard picked up on something in Anna¡¯s words. ¡°Sister Anna, are you going to take the Wizard exam?¡± he asked. Anna nodded, ¡°Yes, in a couple of days I¡¯ll go to the Dean¡¯s Secret Realm to take the Wizard exam.¡± The Wizard exam, the final hurdle for a Wizard Apprentice. Passing the Wizard exam allows a Wizard Apprentice the chance to be promoted to Wizard, thus becoming a true member of the Wizard World. ¡°Sister Anna, you¡¯re sure to pass the exam. You¡¯re the most outstanding disciple of Jolod, the Alchemy Master of the Black Tower Wizard Academy, in a thousand years,¡± Richard encouraged her. Anna responded with a warm smile, while Jolod, beside her, stroked his beard with pride. ¡°Richard is right, Anna. You just haven¡¯t fought with people enough and lack understanding of other Apprentices. You don¡¯t know what sorts of oddballs they all are. As my most capable disciple, you will definitely pass the Wizard exam.¡± Anna didn¡¯t say much. In fact, she had never worried about failing the Wizard exam; her real concern was whether she could succeed in getting promoted. The chances of failure in advancing to Wizard were nearly thirty percent. If the promotion failed, a Wizard Apprentice would be forever precluded from becoming a Wizard. For a Wizard Apprentice, there was nothing more terrifying than failing to become promoted. After some more idle chatter, seeing that Anna had business to discuss with Jolod, Richard excused himself from the lab and headed back to his room on the fifty-sixth floor. ¡°The Wizard exam¡­ My own exam is coming up too,¡± Richard mused as he looked at the calendar on the table. The Academy¡¯s bloody exam was only a month away. In a month¡¯s time, over four thousand Apprentices of the Academy would engage in a brutal fight for survival. Those who succeeded would continue on the path of the Wizard, while the failures became nourishment for others. According to the rumors he had heard, each bloody exam would cull at least half of the Apprentices, and during intense competition, terrifying outcomes like three or even four survivors to one combatant can occur. The thought of this always left Richard with an indescribable mix of emotions. He felt there was something wrong with this system of the Wizard Academy, but he couldn¡¯t quite pinpoint what it was. However, he quickly cast these thoughts aside. Natural selection, survival of the fittest. Since he couldn¡¯t change the rules now, he would have to adapt to them. ¡°` COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 51 - Chapter 51: Chapter 51 The Exam Begins Chapter 51: Chapter 51 The Exam Begins Time flashed by, and before long, examination day had arrived. In the same clearing where the entrance exam had taken place, Richard stood cloaked in a Concealer Cloak in the corner, tossing iron beans to Wuni. ¡°Richard, you still like to hide away.¡± A voice suddenly came from beside Richard, who turned to see a Wizard Apprentice with a pointed wizard hat and a long staff, her face marked with dark circles under her eyes, standing beside him. ¡°Ali, long time no see,¡± Richard greeted, casually passing Wuni to her. Over the years, their relationship had evolved from the initial lovey-dovey phase to a more gentlemanly and detached friendship. This was partly because familiarity had dulled the novelty of their feelings and partly due to the teachings of wizards. Under wizardly guidance, they both came to a clear understanding. Without becoming a wizard, everything else was illusory. Even so, there had been some interactions between them that went beyond mere friendship, such as¡­ Exchanging research findings. He and Ali had established a very good cooperative model: he would supply Magic Stones to purchase Magic Models and library materials, which Ali would modify and improve, and then they would share the results. Simply put, he provided the capital, and Ali provided the effort, with both sharing the outcomes. Of course, this sharing was only superficial; Ali would certainly not, and indeed could not, share what she learned from Susanna with Richard. Nonetheless, this arrangement had brought Richard substantial benefits. Beyond that, Ali also commissioned various pieces of Magic Equipment and Alchemy gadgets from Richard, which he sold to her at cost price. Ali stroked Wuni¡¯s feathers, and Wuni affectionately nuzzled Ali¡¯s hand. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s probably going to be random teleportation again. Shall we agree on a time and place to meet up?¡± Richard took out the map that the Academy had distributed beforehand. The exam area was vast, covering a circle with a radius of fifty kilometers. Within this range, all the Apprentices would partake in a month-long survival challenge, and each must obtain at least one Apprentice Mark. The Apprentice Mark was a Curse Mark imbued into the Apprentices by the Academy before the exam began, which would automatically dissipate after the exam. This Curse Mark served two functions: the first was to prevent Apprentices from leaving the exam area, as the Mark would activate and turn into a lethal Curse if an Apprentice attempted to leave. The second was to facilitate the tallying of the Apprentices¡¯ kills; the mark would automatically transfer to the perpetrator upon an Apprentice¡¯s death. Unlike the entrance exam, this time the Academy had established a system for exchanging Apprentice Marks for Magic Stones. Each Apprentice Mark could be traded in for a reward of one hundred Magic Stones, with no limits on the number of exchanges. That meant, if you were strong enough, you could make a fortune from this exam. In addition, the Academy had set up a points leaderboard. Each Apprentice Mark earned by an Apprentice would add one point to the board. At the end of the exam, the top ten on the leaderboard would receive prizes distributed by the Academy, with special prizes from the Dean for the top three. Of course, aside from battling other Apprentices, the Academy had also released ten magical creatures with the strength of Advanced Apprentices into the testing ground, which would indiscriminately hunt Apprentices. While killing these creatures wouldn¡¯t yield Apprentice Marks, successful challengers would be rewarded with a piece of quality Magic Equipment and fifty points. In terms of points, one of these magical creatures was equivalent to fifty Apprentices. For those aspiring to rank in the top ten of the leaderboard, slaying these creatures was essential. ¡°Let¡¯s meet at the central point,¡± Ali said, marking a spot on the map. ¡°With random teleportation, no one knows where they¡¯ll end up. At least the central point has a marker from the Academy.¡± Richard nodded, ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll meet at the central point then. Just make sure you don¡¯t get ambushed.¡± Ali glared at Richard, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m still the same Ali from ten years ago?¡± The exam time came quickly; once again, Deputy Dean Alex served as the proctor. Alex flew into the sky and instantly silenced the crowd of Wizard Apprentices with his imposing presence. ¡°Apprentices of the four hundred and thirty-second class of Black Tower Wizard Academy, I am Alex, your examiner for this test. We have a total of four thousand one hundred and twenty-one candidates, and all four thousand one hundred and twenty-one are present. The rules of the examination have been distributed in advance, so I will not repeat them. Now, I declare the exam has begun.¡± As usual, the Deputy Dean¡¯s opening remarks were brief. With a grand wave of his hand, white light shone beneat the feet of the numerous Apprentices. Simultaneously, ethereal black chains extended upward from beneath them, leaving a black pentagram mark on each Apprentice¡¯s hand. As the scene before him changed into countless abstract color blocks, Richard¡¯s figure vanished in the midst of the Teleportation Array. As his vision returned to normal, a hill covered with shrubs appeared before him. ¡°Still feels a bit nauseating.¡± Richard frowned. Although he had used his physique to offset most of the nausea brought on by the teleportation array, the discomfort still made him feel like throwing up. Looking around, Richard noticed an apprentice not far away, and that apprentice had also seen him. ¡°Lucky day,¡± laughed the apprentice. Then a fireball came smashing over. ¡°Indeed, lucky day.¡± Richard¡¯s expression remained unchanged as a magic barrier instantly appeared in front of him. Boom! The fireball exploded, but not even a ripple appeared on the magic shield. ¡°Too weak. The inferior Fireball Technique used was still the initial version sold by the academy, with no improvements whatsoever.¡± Richard shook his head, stepped forward, and instantly appeared in front of the apprentice, with the great sword on his back now in his hand. ¡°Goodbye.¡± With one swing of his sword, a head the size of a fighting cock¡¯s flew into the air. The apprentice wasn¡¯t even intermediate level and had no chance to resist in front of Richard. After killing him, Richard glanced at the mark on his hand, the originally black pentagram seemed to have deepened in color slightly. And he also sensed a weak magic fluctuation continuously emanating from the mark. ¡°Interesting, this magic wave might be a signal from the Wizard World,¡± Richard mused, guessing in his heart. Looking up at the sky, there was a beam of light reaching to the heavens directly in front of him, a landmark for apprentices to orient themselves, the center point of the entire exam arena. Richard was about to head towards the beam when suddenly he felt a chill down his spine. The Guardian Pendant was triggered, and a magic shield instantly appeared on Richard¡¯s back, blocking an invisible Wind Blade. At the same time, Richard used the Breathing Technique to fully stimulate his bloodline. In an instant, the assailant apprentice saw Richard transform from an average-sized apprentice into a two-meter tall humanoid monster covered in black scales. ¡°Bloodline Alchemy! And at least two enhancements,¡± the apprentice¡¯s eyes bulged, not even thinking before erecting a layer of magic barrier. In the next moment, a great sword wreathed in black flames smashed onto the barrier. The black flames spread rapidly over the barrier, and the apprentice immediately realized his magic power was draining away fast. The flames were consuming his magic power. ¡°Escape!¡± The apprentice had only one thought: this apprentice from the Alchemy School was beyond his ability to defeat. Propping up his barrier, he pulled out a scroll from his bosom and opened it. With a ¡®bang,¡¯ the assailant apprentice¡¯s body exploded into a puff of smoke and disappeared in an instant. ¡°Short-distance spatial fold.¡± Richard recognized the effect of the spell, but a cold sneer soon hung on his lips. ¡°Wuni, see where that guy teleported to.¡± The Death Crow crowed joyfully and immediately flapped its wings into the sky. ¡°Thinking of running? Not so easy.¡± At the same time, similar events were underway in every corner of the exam arena. Apprentices from the Shape-shifting School waved their wands, and a Fire Crow burned their enemies to ashes; the Undead School apprentices simply pointed, and another apprentice fell to the ground, their flesh continuously withering away until they were reduced to skin and bones, a walking corpse; the Soul School apprentices only had to shout, and their Spiritual Shock stunned the surrounding apprentices. Although the Curse School apprentices were not good at direct combat, in unseen corners, Gu Worms carrying curses were spreading incessantly. In this exam, all apprentices brought out the results of their ten years of study, vowing to pave their path to wizardry with the bones of others. COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 52 - Chapter 52: Chapter 52 Undead Wizard Chapter 52: Chapter 52 Undead Wizard Inside the examination hall, Wizard Apprentices were fighting their rivals with all the knowledge they had acquired throughout their lives. Outside the examination hall, a group of Wizards had gathered in the Central Black Tower¡¯s 101st-floor hall, collectively watching the examination. This examination was both a selection and a self-recommendation event. Wizards often discovered some hidden talents during the examination and then took them on as formal apprentices. However, for most Wizards, this examination was simply a form of entertainment. ¡°Luo Fenqi, your disciple is quite something. He¡¯s racked up fifteen points in just two days,¡± a withered, skeletal-looking Wizard said with a smile. In the Crystal Ball in front of him, a Wizard Apprentice was annihilating his opponent with Elemental Magic. On the other side, a Wizard whose half-body was engulfed in flames said, ¡°Your disciple isn¡¯t bad either, although he¡¯s as tough as a rock, that rock is even harder than diamond.¡± ¡°Look at Freud¡¯s student, he¡¯s actually taken the path of ascetic faith. Freud, have you started experimenting with your formal apprentices?¡± a ghostly figure of a Wizard suddenly shouted. A Wizard clad in a white robe, appearing holy and benevolent, got so angry that his beard curled upwards. ¡°That¡¯s the path he chose on his own, it has nothing to do with me.¡± ¡­ Such dialogues continued uninterrupted in the hall. For Wizards with formal apprentices, this examination was an opportunity to showcase their apprentices. For some Wizards who did not get along, this examination served as their proxy war. As long as their own apprentice outperformed the other¡¯s, it was as though they themselves had come out on top. ¡°Jolod, your disciple seems a bit lackluster,¡± a skeletal Wizard taunted. In his Crystal Ball, Richard only had a measly four points, a score that didn¡¯t even surpass that of regular students. Jolod adjusted his glasses and coldly retorted, ¡°Aijoen, not everyone enjoys killing like you do.¡± In Jolod¡¯s Crystal Ball, Aijoen¡¯s apprentice was close to breaking through the twenty-point mark, accompanied by a Corpse Giant beside him, which kept emitting Death Energy that caused vegetation to wither. ¡°Is that so, Jolod?¡± Aijoen mocked, ¡°I heard your student is quite the fighter in the Academy, isn¡¯t he?¡± Jolod shot back, ¡°That¡¯s called tit-for-tat, something a killer like you wouldn¡¯t understand.¡± The nearby Wizards watched the two bicker, casting amused glances their way. The feud between Jolod and Aijoen was longstanding and couldn¡¯t be explained in just a few words. But one thing was certain¡ªover the decades, Jolod had the upper hand in the apprentice disputes, with both Anna and Chax having significantly outperformed Aijoen¡¯s disciples. Now that Richard¡¯s performance was not outstanding, it was an opportunity that Aijoen seized. ¡­ In the examination arena, Richard pinched his nose. He had just sneezed several times, as if someone were talking about him. ¡°Who would be mentioning me at this time, could Ali be in trouble?¡± Richard shook his head, carrying his Great Sword as he continued toward the center of the examination arena. But before he took a few steps, a slight tremor caught his attention. ¡°Something is coming.¡± Richard touched the ground and turned his head to the left. Richard shifted his perspective to Wuni, who was flying, and he quickly spotted the source of the tremor¡ªa Corpse Giant, with a small figure in a black robe beside it. ¡°Looks like a strongman.¡± Richard stroked his chin, hesitating whether to approach. He killed so few people not because he didn¡¯t want to compete for a ranking on the points leaderboard, but because he felt that killing them one by one was just too inefficient. In the past two days, all the apprentices he encountered were like slippery eels, starting to run the moment he made a move, which made it challenging for him to get even one mark. After all, killing apprentices at the start and at the end offered completely disproportionate benefits. Although the apprentices who survived into the later stages grew stronger, Richard didn¡¯t consider himself weak. Everyone was an apprentice, he had more Magic Stones, more Magic Equipment, so even if he couldn¡¯t beat others, couldn¡¯t he still run away? While Richard hesitated, Slay, who was far away, noticed him through a spell. ¡°Seeing me and not running away? You have chosen the path of death,¡± Slay cackled weirdly. Since entering the examination field, it had been like paradise for him, the Wizard Apprentices he encountered were all weaklings. Some apprentices hadn¡¯t even reached the intermediate level yet dared to move around in the examination area. To Slay, these people were walking Magic Stones. One apprentice was worth a hundred Magic Stones, ten apprentices were a thousand Magic Stones. And there were over four thousand apprentices in this exam, equivalent to more than four hundred thousand Magic Stones. Even if he killed just one percent of them, four thousand Magic Stones were still a considerable fortune to him. Slay fantasized about that wonderful scenario, waving his Magic Wand, and a Corpse Giant charged toward Richard. ¡°Hmm?¡± Richard sensed something was wrong. Seeing the Corpse Giant charging towards him from afar, he smiled and shook his head. ¡°What¡¯s there to consider?¡± Having said that, white vapor flowed from Richard¡¯s mouth and nose, and his stature and muscles explosively grew, instantly transforming him into a giant over two meters tall covered in Black Scales. Wuni in the sky also seized the opportunity to move. Seeing this, Slay frowned, ¡°An apprentice who studies Bloodline Alchemy, looks like he¡¯s undergone Bloodline Alchemy at least twice.¡± But immediately after, he revealed a frenzied smile. What of Bloodline Alchemy, the apprentices of the Undead School specialized in defeating apprentices who focus on their physiques. If he could assimilate this apprentice into the Corpse Giant, the physique of the Corpse Giant would definitely be tremendously enhanced, possibly breaking the thirty-nine point physique barrier in this exam. Thinking of this, Slay felt even the heavens were aiding him. Boom, boom, boom¡­ On the ground, two colossal beings collided heavily, creating an avalanche-like roar and kicking up a huge cloud of dust. Before the dust settled, a wave of Qi tore it apart, revealing the true form inside. Richard wielded the Demon Eater Sword, its blade creating slight afterimages as he swung. After Richard became an intermediate apprentice, Wind Crow Slash, a legendary martial skill from Duke Heisen, also changed; the original fierce cawing of Wind Crow Slash no longer sounded, replaced by a silence akin to the Death God. And the Corpse Giant, facing the blade, neither dodged nor blocked, its arms thick as pillars, slammed towards Richard¡¯s head. Bang. A gust of wind brushed over Richard¡¯s head, and at the last moment, Richard ducked, avoiding the hit, his blade cutting through the giant like butter. In the next instant, various shades of green and yellow pus poured out from within the giant, a stench like rotting pork from the hottest days of summer burst into Richard¡¯s nostrils. ¡°Ptui.¡± Richard couldn¡¯t help but gag slightly, but his body didn¡¯t cease moving. Inside the wound he made, a shriveled heart, like a conjunction of life and death, was still faintly beating. COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 53 - Chapter 53: Chapter 53 Mark Fluctuations Chapter 53: Chapter 53 Mark Fluctuations Outside the examination arena, Jolod and Aijoen were both paying attention to this battle. Having been suppressed by Jolod for decades, Aijoen couldn¡¯t help but laugh out loud when he saw Richard disembowel the giant, ¡°Jolod, your student is finished.¡± Jolod was stroking his beard, his brows furrowed. Being an old acquaintance of Aijoen, he knew what was going to happen next. On the Plane Battlefield, Aijoen¡¯s favorite opponents were those natives who relied on physical combat. Whenever the natives tore open his Corpse Puppets, the continuously beating heart would surely be their first target of attack. But that was a trap. Once the heart was destroyed, it would trigger the Spell left inside the heart by the Wizard. And the spell Aijoen most liked to leave was one known as the Rotting Blood Mist. Those enveloped by that spell, even those of the Dragon Blood Species, would turn into pools of blood. ¡­ Richard thrust his sword out, the sharp blade severing the connections to the heart in an instant, without damaging the heart in the slightest. As if he would destroy something that obviously seems to be a core, after encountering a Synthetic Beast Core. To store it for extraction, that was the proper course. Although this Corpse Giant had its quirks, knowledge was something that no Wizard would ever have in excess. Richard plucked the heart out, intending to search for the Undead Apprentice. But a strong gust of wind suddenly struck from his front side. He bent down, and a fist as large as a pot whizzed over his head. Judging by the power of that punch, it didn¡¯t seem like it had lost its core. ¡°Hmm? How can it still move?¡± Richard frowned slightly and casually shoved the heart into his Magic Pocket. This made Slay, who had been planning to manually detonate the spell, so angry he nearly spat blood. ¡°How did this guy know that the heart concealed a spell?¡± Slay, leaning on his Magic Wand, was fuming. He had buried three Spells within that heart, waiting for Richard to smash the heart and trigger the spells for a big loss, and then to merge him into the Corpse Giant. But now he had lost both his wife and soldiers; he hadn¡¯t succeeded in his trap, and instead, the Corpse Giant had suffered significant damage. Although the heart was not the vital part of the Corpse Giant, it was still one of its sources of Magic Energy, and now, without the heart, the Magic Energy consumption of the Corpse Giant had more than doubled instantly. ¡°No good, I can¡¯t waste Magic Energy any longer.¡± Slay waved his Magic Wand, controlling the Corpse Giant to retreat. But before it could take two steps, a pitch-black sword blade followed the joints, severing the lower leg of the Corpse Giant. ¡°Turning a combat Puppet into a human shape, I really don¡¯t understand what that Wizard Apprentice was thinking,¡± Richard thought mockingly to himself. In his view, making combat Puppets humanoid was a novice mistake. As an apprentice to Jolod, who was renowned for Synthetic Beasts, he had a deep understanding of Synthetic Beasts. Before Synthetic Beasts became energy-cycling war beasts, humanoid Synthetic Beasts had significant flaws, the most apparent being balance. Humanoids had only two legs. Once one leg was gone, the Synthetic Beast would immediately fall into a state of imbalance. The same principle applied to this Corpse Puppet. Once a leg was removed, the Corpse Puppet immediately fell into a state of imbalance and collapsed to the ground with a thud. ¡°Damn it,¡± Slay muttered through clenched teeth. It wasn¡¯t that he had no way to balance the Corpse Puppet again, but with Richard at his side, his methods were not as fast as Richard¡¯s dismembering. ¡°Never mind, cut off the Magic Energy first.¡± With the Corpse Puppet now suffering from side effects, continuing to provide Magic Energy was a waste. He had some Magic Stones, but that didn¡¯t mean they could be squandered heedlessly. Seeing the Corpse Puppet no longer move, Richard immediately chopped off its head and limbs, and kicked them far away. Slay¡¯s jaw clenched so tightly it could shatter. As Richard fiddled with it, he would have to expend a great deal of Magic Power to repair the Puppet. ¡°Damn brute, I¡¯m going to show you just how formidable our Undead School is.¡± Having said that, Slay pulled out a bottle of Concentration Potion from his Magic Pocket and downed it in one gulp, instantly transforming from raging anger to a cold, still fury. A Wizard could use Spells by inscribing Magic Marks into their soul or by temporarily constructing Magic Models for casting. However, this method of casting wasn¡¯t as safe as using Magic Marks, with temporary constructions running the risk of failure. A failure could result in anything from a soul-quaking dizziness to a Magic Power explosion leading to immediate death. Therefore, a bottle of Concentration Potion that helped one calm down was particularly important at this time. ¡°Hand of Death.¡± With an expressionless face, Slay released the Spell, and a pale purple, ghostly hand instantly rose from beneath Richard¡¯s feet. Once gripped by the Hand of Death, Richard felt a sudden chill in his body, and a slight sense of weakness enveloped him, even his blood seemed to slow under the influence of the Spell. ¡°Next, Death Chains.¡± With a wave of his Magic Wand, black chains shot up from underneath Richard¡¯s feet, quickly making him feel as though he were trapped in a marsh, where every move required enormous effort. Watching Richard struggle, a cold smile crept over Slay¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯s over, brute.¡± With that, he took out a Magic Stone and began to channel the Magic Power within it. The next move was certain death for Richard¡­ Boom! Suddenly, a Magic Barrier appeared around Slay, but almost immediately half of his body was torn apart, revealing the corpse-like body under his black robe. ¡°What¡¯s happening!?¡± Slay looked around blankly at the sky, where a black Death Crow circled overhead, seemingly ushering him towards the Netherworld. At the same time, Richard suddenly rallied the Magic Power within his body towards his heart, and the Bloodline Seed there went into a frenzy with the influx of energy. Boom! Accompanied by a powerful heartbeat, the negative effects on Richard instantly dissipated. With frenzied strength and surging Life Energy, he shrugged off the negative effects of Slay¡¯s Spell and was upon him in a flash. The situation reversed instantly! Boom! Without a word, Richard¡¯s fist exploded Slay¡¯s skull, splattering red and white all over the place. Before becoming Wizards, the head was the Achilles¡¯ heel of all School Apprentices. In the sky, Wuni let out a cheerful chirp. And with Slay¡¯s death, the Apprentice Marks he had collected transferred to Richard. Slay had collected nineteen marks before; now, with Richard¡¯s original four, Richard¡¯s count of marks increased to twenty-three in an instant, and his points soared to ninth place on the leaderboard. A tremendously strong Energy signal emanated from the mark on his hand, much like a lighthouse on the night sea. It seemed to be a warning to others that there was a formidable Apprentice here who had killed at least twenty others. ¡°Marks have this effect?¡± Richard scratched his chin. No wonder the Academy had not set a limit on the number of times marks could be exchanged for Magic Stones. Obviously, they had other plans. Such an obvious Energy signal couldn¡¯t even be concealed by Richard, who possessed an Invisibility Cloak, let alone other Apprentices. With this signal, weaker Apprentices would surely avoid them, acting as an indirect deterrent against the slaughter of the weak. For individuals like Richard and Slay, the vast majority of Apprentices stood little chance against them. Without restrictions, in a month¡¯s time, these powerful Apprentices could almost completely annihilate the rest. Although the Academy¡¯s exam was akin to breeding guinea pigs, this was not the way to do it. At the same time, the hall where the exam was being observed fell into an odd silence. COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 54 - Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Gathering and Harmony Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Gathering and Harmony ¡°What just happened¡­¡± The Wizard who had been watching the battle spoke with uncertainty. ¡°Was that Magic Equipment?¡± Another Wizard by his side shook his head; he hadn¡¯t seen clearly since the Crystal Ball was only broadcasting, and many details were definitely not as clear as seeing them with their own eyes. The Wizards turned their gaze to Jolod, who was stroking his beard smugly and casting a sidelong glance at Aijoen. ¡°Aijoen, why aren¡¯t you speaking?¡± The Soul Fire in Aijoen¡¯s eyes suddenly flared up, and a strong Magic Fluctuation burst forth from him. However, everyone present was a Wizard, and such a minor Magic Fluctuation only served to inform the other Wizards of Aijoen¡¯s unrest and had no other effect. ¡°Jolod, what exactly was that thing?¡± a Wizard asked. Not being at the scene and merely relying on what was broadcast through the Crystal Ball, the Wizards present, except for those who had modified their eyes, couldn¡¯t clearly see what had really happened. ¡°Cough, that was a piece of Magic Equipment researched by my disciple. You all saw its effect, but I won¡¯t reveal any more information.¡± Jolod¡¯s explanation typified empty talk, prompting a chorus of hisses from the many Wizards. However, everyone was aware that besides those Magic Equipments sold commercially, no Alchemy Wizard would reveal details about the Magic Equipments they used personally. But some Wizards, who knew about the incident involving Joseph years ago, already had some guesses. The perspective returned to the examination site. After killing Slay, Richard¡¯s body emitted an Energy Fluctuation that burst every few seconds. This fluctuation allowed Richard to encounter not a single Apprentice on his way to the center, and even using Wuni¡¯s vision, he could only see other Apprentices running away. ¡°This actually works out well, saves me the hassle.¡± Richard gave a self-deprecating laugh, then used Levitation Skill to quickly head toward the center. Along the way, Richard¡¯s fluctuation not only drove away Apprentices but also attracted some audacious folks looking to rise rapidly. However, these people gathered together and started fighting amongst themselves before even dealing with Richard. Compared to the clearly more powerful Richard, these nameless people with weak Apprentice Marks were obviously easier targets. With the help of Levitation Skill and the Apprentice Mark Fluctuation, Richard covered several dozen kilometers in just an hour and arrived at the central point of the testing ground¡ªthe beam shooting up into the sky. After arriving, Richard began waiting; his speed was clearly faster than Ali, who needed to hunt Apprentices. During the wait, he not only recovered his Magic Power but also made some minor preparations. As an Apprentice of the Alchemy School, he had many little gadgets to aid in combat. ¡­ ¡°Ah!¡± A miserable scream pierced the night sky as an Apprentice trying to use the cover of darkness to ambush Richard was entangled by an unknown thorny plant. The Apprentice¡¯s fresh blood flowed from the wounds pierced by the thorns and was absorbed by them, nourishing their growth. The Apprentice tried to resist, but in the next moment, a black Great Sword ended his life. ¡°Another brainless one,¡± Richard yawned, silently watching the Apprentice¡¯s body being drained into a mummified corpse by the thorns. These thorns were known as Blood-sucking Thorns, a creation from Biological Alchemy. Jolod did not delve deeply into this field of Alchemy, and Richard had only learned the basics. But for a Wizard, knowledge was power, and even a little bit of knowledge could triumph over fools at certain moments. As the Apprentice Mark transferred, the Energy Fluctuation around Richard grew once more. ¡°If this continues, it feels like the entire testing ground will know I¡¯m here.¡± Richard scratched his head and searched the Apprentice¡¯s body. Actually, he wasn¡¯t keen on searching the bodies of these people, as their poverty exceeded his imagination. Even on an apprentice like Slay, Richard found only two hundred magic stones and two pieces of finished magic equipment. Furthermore, one of the pieces of magic equipment was custom-made and only suited for apprentices of the Undead School, rendering it useless for apprentices of other schools. If it weren¡¯t for Richard obtaining some high-quality bones from a corpse puppet in the end, the loot from killing Slay would have been less profitable than what Richard could have made from selling magic potions for a year. This had been all of Slay¡¯s possessions. After looting the apprentice, just as Richard was about to head back to rest, a wave of energy surged from the horizon, its magnitude not the slightest bit inferior to Richard¡¯s own. Richard narrowed his eyes, immediately switching his viewpoint to Wuni. At night, Wuni¡¯s night vision was undoubtedly the best tool for observing enemies. ¡°This person¡­ why do they look familiar?¡± Richard touched his chin, and though the person looked somewhat familiar, he cautiously activated his bloodline, transforming into a muscular giant beast over two meters tall. ¡°Richard, why have you always refused to transform in front of me?¡± the approaching figure asked. ¡°So this is what you look like when you transform.¡± Richard, startled by the approaching figure, couldn¡¯t help but exclaim, ¡°Ali?¡± Ali approached Richard, leaning on her magic wand and curiously touching the scales. ¡°You don¡¯t look very good, but the aura is quite strong.¡± Richard deactivated his bloodline and circled around Ali, somewhat surprised. ¡°Is the Shape-shifting School so powerful, Ali? You¡¯ve actually killed twenty apprentices.¡± Ali glanced at him, ¡°Even if the Shape-shifting School isn¡¯t that great, it¡¯s still better than this brute force bloodline alchemy. You¡¯re a wizard apprentice, can¡¯t you use some spells?¡± Saying so, Ali, somewhat indignant, punched Richard. Her teacher, Susanna, had initially admired Richard when she found out he was Jolod¡¯s disciple, but lost interest immediately upon hearing that Richard followed the path of bloodline alchemy. ¡°All those who follow bloodline alchemy are savages!¡± said Susanna, a disciple of the Black Tower Great Wizard who double specialized in Shape-shifting and Curses. After a bit of good-natured teasing, the two began discussing the real issue. ¡°Your teacher must have told you,¡± Ali said seriously, ¡°the rewards for this scoreboard are extraordinary, and if nothing goes wrong, it should involve entering the dean¡¯s secret realm for exploration.¡± Richard nodded, as a close friend of Alex, Jolod had heard early on that this exam¡¯s rewards were unconventional. ¡°So what are you planning to do next?¡± asked Ali. Richard took out a scroll from his waist that introduced the exam rules. ¡°What do you think about hunting these high-level creatures?¡± Ali furrowed her brows, ¡°My mentor told me that these creatures are slaves captured by the dean from another realm, and their strength is not something that ordinary high-level magic beasts can match.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s the best way to earn points.¡± Richard pointed out a rule, ¡°Fifty points per creature, if we want to kill wizard apprentices, we have to kill at least two at our own level.¡± Richard knew the strength of these creatures was extraordinary, but if they didn¡¯t hunt these creatures, their points wouldn¡¯t take a dramatic lead. Having already experienced the slippery nature of wizard apprentices, Richard knew how difficult it would become to kill later when all apprentices displayed their marks¡¯ fluctuations, making it hard to feign weakness and seize the killer advantage. After hesitating for a moment, Ali agreed to Richard¡¯s plan. She didn¡¯t have a better one. After settling on a battle strategy, they rested in place. High-level creatures were not introduced into the examination field from the start, their entry was set for the fifteenth day of the exam. COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 55 - Chapter 55: Chapter 55 Koguk Blood Teeth Chapter 55: Chapter 55 Koguk Blood Teeth ¡°My name is Koguk Blood Teeth, a warrior of the Blood Teeth Tribe. My former homeland was called Barbaric Bone Prairie, where countless tribes like the Blood Teeth Tribe lived. Barbaric Bone Prairie was never peaceful. Tribes wandered in search of grasslands, and battles were common occurrences. Before that war, I thought my fate would be like the warriors of the past, to die bravely in a tribal clash or fighting against a Barbaric Beast. Then my soul would return to the Ancestors¡¯ Plains, to join those great warriors of history, feasting on fine food and drinking exquisite wines. Until that war, that frightful war led by the largest tribe of the Barbaric Bone Prairie, in which all the small tribes partook. The tribe leading the war was called the Blood Axe Tribe. On the migrating Barbaric Bone Prairie, it was one of the few great tribes that did not have to move. Its warriors were as numerous as hairs on a bull, and even Totem Warriors like the Clan Leader were beyond counting. Legend had it that the Clan Leader of the Blood Axe Tribe could even rival the founders. The war led by them was supposed to be one of glory. Until those terrifying creatures who claimed to be wizards descended. Those terrifying magic-wielding monsters came from a tribe forged of steel, each one bizarre in appearance. Not to mention their lack of beautiful manes and shiny toothed smiles; they only had two arms. Besides these differences, these wizards also changed forms during battle; some transformed into beings of fire, others into monsters. They wielded flames and thunder with greater skill than our shaman. In the war, our shamans stood no chance against these wizards. Thus the defeat began. The spirits of nature summoned by the wizards shredded the warriors¡¯ courage; none wanted to die in this dishonorable fight. I fled from a corner of the battlefield, hiding cowardly in a tunnel, praying the wizards wouldn¡¯t find me. But the wizards¡¯ hounds eventually found me. Wizards have no need for warriors, so I was collared and thrown into sunless mines to labor day and night alongside warriors who had once belonged to the Blood Axe Tribe. These wizards cared nothing for our identities; they had come to the Barbaric Bone Prairie with only one purpose¡ªenslavement. Captured warriors were collared, powerful Totem Warriors were taken away, and ordinary warriors like me were left to toil in the mines. The conditions in the mine were horrendous; the warriors beside me died one after another, until at last I was the only healthy slave left. I felt it was the protection of my ancestors, that they had not abandoned me for my cowardice. I still had a chance to return to the Ancestors¡¯ Plains. The wizards found me somewhat special, so they transferred me from the mine to a cell. They told me that I would be fighting a battle next, and if I survived, I would be granted my freedom. I knew it was a lie; these wizards would never let me go. But still, I yearned for that battle. In the past, I fled the battlefield like a coward; now, I will return to it. I must reclaim my honor. My soul will eventually return to the Ancestors¡¯ Plains!¡± ¡­ ¡°0521, prepare for battle.¡± The cold voice of the Wizard woke Koguk from his sleep, marking his fifteenth day in this world. The natural power of the homeworld of the Wizard Monsters was terrifyingly low, which made him uncomfortable and also fearful¡ªwhat had this terrible race done to their own world? The Wizard removed the collar from his neck and then handed him a large chopping blade. The material of the blade was metal, engraved with runes, better than the finest weapons of the Blood Teeth Tribe. ¡°You¡¯ve been told the rules; whether or not you gain your freedom depends on your abilities now.¡± The Wizard looked at Koguk, who cackled strangely, and with a wave of his magic wand, he teleported him to the examination area. At the same time, nine aliens from other worlds were also teleported to the examination area. They had been informed that surviving till the end would grant them freedom. When the teleportation ended, Koguk bent down to grab a handful of soil, lifting it to his face to take a deep breath. The air in the mines was filthy beyond measure, and though the air in the cells was somewhat better, it too was filled with foulness. Yet this fresh air, tinged with the scent of soil, made him feel as if he had returned to his homeland. ¡°Freedom! Glory!¡± Koguk howled to the sky, then charged with his machete towards a seemingly ordinary hillock. Boom! The blade flashed, carving a deep trench in the hillock, and before a hidden Wizard Apprentice could react, he was cleaved in two. A mist of blood rose from Koguk¡¯s body, inflating like a balloon. He grabbed the body from the trench, ¡°Is this a juvenile of the Wizard Monster?¡± Looking at the body of the Wizard Apprentice, Koguk found it hard to associate it with the Wizards who wantonly slaughtered his kin. ¡°He must be a common criminal,¡± Koguk concluded, using the experience of his tribe. In the Blood Teeth Tribe, the vast majority of commoners lacked the talent to become warriors. These people had feeble combat abilities, similar to this juvenile Wizard. Being informed that he could slaughter these juveniles indicated that the Wizard Monster did not care about this group. Thus, the answer became clear. These individuals were criminals guilty of heinous acts; their lives were worthless. No matter how hard Koguk racked his brain, he couldn¡¯t imagine that the Wizard Academy could nurture Wizards using such cruel methods. Even in the Barbaric Bone Prairie, the most savage tribes wouldn¡¯t do such a thing. But Koguk soon tossed these thoughts aside. These juvenile Wizards were both his enemies and his sacrifices. He was here to reclaim his glory. Koguk sniffed. Those subtle scents in the air that Wizard Apprentices could not detect without modifying their noses entered his nostrils. ¡°There are people this way.¡± Koguk pointed and then ran wildly in that direction. Soon another Wizard Apprentice was slaughtered by Koguk, who punched a bloody hole through his body. Just before dying, the Apprentice released a fireball. The burst of Fire Element instantly burned the mane on Koguk¡¯s face and caused extensive burns on his skin. But Koguk didn¡¯t care. He sat down cross-legged on the ground, attuning his mind to the Natural Power in the air. As streams of Magic Power were absorbed, the wounds on his body healed at a speed visible to the naked eye. ¡°Too little.¡± After sitting cross-legged for a while, Koguk stood up. The Natural Power of the Wizard Monster¡¯s mother world was abysmally low. In Barbaric Bone Prairie, even the most hostile environment, the Filthy Swamp, would not have such low Natural Power. Koguk walked to the Apprentice he had just killed, stripped him of his clothes, exposing the pale corpse. ¡°Although somewhat weak, the flesh looks quite good.¡± After assessing the body, Koguk began to devour it with big bites. Without Magic Power, he would compensate with flesh. Meanwhile, as Koguk feasted on the flesh, a black Death Crow circled overhead. ¡°Found the monster, Ali.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 56 - Chapter 56: Chapter 56 Killing Chapter 56: Chapter 56 Killing On the fifteenth day of the exam, ten slave monsters from different worlds were placed into the examination arena. These monsters¡¯ strengths were all at the Advanced Apprentice stage, which to the vast majority of Apprentices, were like insurmountable mountains. They wantonly slaughtered every Wizard Apprentice they saw in the arena, not just for the freedom promised by the Wizards, but also due to the deep-seated blood feud between the two races. ¡°Richard, have you locked onto him?¡± Richard frowned, in Wuni¡¯s field of vision, the four-armed creature was constantly moving. It was unceasingly searching for hidden Wizard Apprentices to massacre and devour. ¡°Head north for one kilometer, the creature is being held up there.¡± Richard issued a command and quickly followed Ali as she used Levitation Skill to fly low, less than a meter off the ground, at high speed. Meanwhile, one kilometer away, Griffith and Kevin were struggling to fend off Koguk¡¯s attacks. ¡°Kevin, heal.¡± Griffith, holding a Great Sword, shone with a holy light as if he were a Holy Knight. Behind him, Kevin exuded an aura of Death, with several walking corpses beside him to assist. ¡°Fine.¡± Kevin¡¯s pale face was dripping with cold sweat as he continuously absorbed Magic Power from Magic Stones, turning them into Spells to support Griffith. Undead Apprentices had another name in the distant past, called Life and Death School. The School of Wizards studied both Life Energy and Death Energy. Later, due to the Wizard Wars, those studying Death Energy became the mainstream, and the name Life and Death School was renamed Undead School. In fact, the Undead School wasn¡¯t just about lethal Death Magic; it also encompassed life-saving Life Magic, and knowledge about the conversion between Life and Death Energy was available in the Academy library. It was only with the help of Kevin¡¯s Life Magic that Griffith was barely able to fend off Koguk¡¯s Great Sword. ¡°Fight! Glory!¡± Koguk shouted loudly, his fervent emotions sending chills down Griffith¡¯s spine. Griffith, who studied the Soul School, could distinctly sense Koguk¡¯s desire for death from his emotions. The clanging of swords and sounds of battle echoed as more wounds appeared on Griffith¡¯s body. Kevin¡¯s Life Magic was gradually falling behind the rate of Griffith¡¯s injuries. His death was only a matter of time. Boom! A Fire Crow flew in from the distance, striking Koguk¡¯s back directly, blasting him away in an instant. Griffith took this opportunity to turn and flee, with no intention of pursuing an attack. Are you kidding? The two Wizard Apprentices who had come were ruthless men marked with symbols. If you didn¡¯t run away at a time like this, it was all over as soon as they treated you like an easy target. Richard made a gesture towards Kevin from a distance; Kevin got the message immediately and quickly took off with Griffith. He was too weak, and in this battle, he would only become cannon fodder and a burden. Koguk got up from the ground, his wounds visibly healing at a rapid rate. ¡°Mighty ones! Are you sinners as well?¡± Koguk shouted at Richard, this Wizard whelp in front of him, nearly the same height and covered in Black Scales, reminded him of that war from the past. In that war, Wizard Monsters like Richard, capable of transforming, tore apart numerous Totem Warriors. Even the Clan Leader of their Blood Teeth Tribe died at the hands of such Wizard Monsters. ¡°What is this creature called?¡± Richard frowned and immediately took out a Magic Gun from his Magic Pocket. He was seven paces away from the creature, within seven paces, the gun is fast; closer than seven paces, the gun is both fast and accurate! Ding! Koguk instinctively blocked with his sword, the bullet from the Magic Gun deflected off the sword¡¯s blade, veering to one side. ¡°Wild Intuition.¡± Richard made a judgment. As a Bloodline Alchemy Wizard, he naturally had some understanding of Physique-related knowledge. Jolod once mentioned in books that these natives, who relied on Physique Evolution, often had extremely sharp intuitions. Jolod was unable to fathom the nature of this intuition, but he found that it often manifested in native warriors who frequently fought in battle. Those pampered noble native monsters often didn¡¯t have this kind of intuition. Jolod thus came to a not very rigorous conclusion, that this intuition was a form of conditioned reflex formed post-natally, and if Wizards also underwent such training, they could also gain this intuition. Koguk¡¯s hair stood on end too late, his body hair instantly spiking like a porcupine. ¡°An ambush is unbecoming of a warrior!¡± But before he could finish his sentence, Ali¡¯s Elemental Magic bombarded him again. Boom! Koguk split the Fire Crow with a swing of his sword, and the surging Fire Element instantly engulfed him. However, after the Element dissipated, Richard saw that Koguk was now covered in a layer of blood armor. Protected by the armor, Koguk was hardly injured. Koguk let out a roar and pounced towards Ali, his imposing aura as vicious as an evil ghost from hell. But on the path of his lunge, a black figure blocked him. ¡°Your opponent is me,¡± Richard said calmly. As everyone knows, the most indispensable role in a team is the tank, which can absorb damage. Unless you can kill your enemy in an extremely short time, a quality tank is an essential part of the team. And according to the plan Richard and Ali had discussed, when hunting monsters, Richard¡¯s role was to act as a tank. As the two exchanged blows, the sound of clashing metal rang incessantly. Behind Richard, Ali, with a calm complexion, drew magic power from the magic stone, organizing her next spell. Koguk¡¯s great sword was extraordinarily powerful, but Richard was no weakling. Although this monster had the advantage in physique, as a wizard, Richard had far more tricks up his sleeve than these alien creatures. Suddenly, Richard¡¯s arm muscles bulged, and he firmly caught Koguk¡¯s great sword with his own Demon Eater Sword. This was a technique known as liberation, and it is well known that the strength of human muscles is not just as it appears; at crucial moments, the human body can burst forth with many times its ordinary strength. Take a familiar example, such as the mother who, at these moments, must lift a car; her muscle strength ordinarily wouldn¡¯t lift the vehicle, but in a moment of crisis, she can unleash astonishing power. And liberation is the technique to release that kind of strength. Koguk was shocked by the strength the wizard whelp before it had exploded with. It could clearly sense that the opponent¡¯s physique was inferior to its own, yet its slashing attack was firmly caught. ¡°A warrior heritage! This wizard whelp possesses the heritage of a warrior,¡± Koguk judged again with the experience of the Barbaric Bone Prairie. As warriors of the tribe, the moment they become fighters, they receive the teachings of their predecessors. Each predecessor has his own secret skills, which form the warrior heritage. It had thought that most wizard monsters were shamans studying the Spirit of Nature, never thinking there would also be warrior-studying warriors. Richard didn¡¯t know what the creature before him was muttering about. Clutching his great sword, he stared doggedly at the four-armed monster in front of him. During that last exchange, he had caught Koguk¡¯s great sword, but one pair of arms beneath his own had delivered a fierce blow to Richard¡¯s abdomen, practically shattering his innards. If it weren¡¯t for Richard¡¯s bloodline being mixed with that of a two-headed giant troll, granting him a recovery ability far exceeding that of an average apprentice. A few more hits, and Richard would¡¯ve been honorably dead. ¡°As a warrior, I shall respond to you with the courtesy of a warrior.¡± Koguk nodded slightly to Richard and then burst into a cloud of blood mist with a powerful aura erupting from within. Secret Skill: Frenzy Richard readied himself as Koguk moved; his great sword cleaved towards Richard¡¯s head. Richard blocked with his sword horizontally, but the strike caused his arms to go numb, almost losing grip on his sword. One strike followed by another, clang! clang! clang¡­ It was like Richard was back in the entrance exam tests, getting beaten back step by step, and if it weren¡¯t for his blood-enhanced regenerative ability, he would probably have lost the ability to resist and been hacked into pieces by Koguk by now. ¡°Richard!¡± Ali yelled, and a terrifying fireball fraught with a fearsome aura hurtled straight towards Koguk. Ali¡¯s long-incubated spell finally erupted. But upon hearing her, Richard, instead of dodging the spell, pressed forward and entangled Koguk. ¡°Are you insane?¡± Koguk yelled at Richard, but seeing Richard¡¯s confident smile, it understood everything. This was a tactic. Koguk revealed a fervent smile, fighting entwined with Richard. Tactics are also part of battle, the ancestors had never looked down on wise warriors. Boom! The thunderous sound of the spell startled many apprentices, who turned to look this way, guessing in their hearts. As the dust from the spell cleared, half of Koguk¡¯s body had been blown apart, and an arm was gone, with a pungent burnt smell pervading the battlefield. ¡°Ancestors, can this be called a battle of honor?¡± Koguk addressed Richard, muttering unclearly in his mouth. Across from him, Richard, firmly protected by a magic barrier, was watching him vigilantly. Compared to Koguk, who took spells head-on with his body, Richard, at the instant of the spell¡¯s strike, had an additional magic shield thanks to the Guardian Pendant; and after the magic shield shattered, Richard¡¯s magic barrier also unfolded. After Ali¡¯s modification, the magic barrier¡¯s protective ability could disregard any elemental damage below energy level twenty, and under conditions of abundant magic supply, the magic barrier could even withstand two hundred energy levels worth of elemental damage. Of course, ¡°abundant supply¡± wasn¡¯t achievable even if Richard was drained dry, and he had to wait until he became a wizard to meet this standard. Koguk struggled to continue fighting, but the severe injuries made it difficult to move at all. It propped itself up to stand straight, eyes calmly gazing at Richard. Richard had never seen someone so calm in the face of death. Koguk said, ¡°This has been an honorable battle; you will gain honor, and I will receive the ancestors¡¯ grace, heading to the lands of lush water and grass.¡± Richard stepped forward and severed his head, but that calm gaze had embedded itself deep into his heart. Thus ended the story of Koguk, the warrior of the Blood Teeth Tribe from the Barbaric Bone Prairie. COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 57 - Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Legendary Apprentice Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Legendary Apprentice As Koguk¡¯s head rolled off his shoulders, a black glow emerged from his body and shot into the mark on Richard¡¯s hand. Hum! An enormous wave of astonishing fluctuations spread out, instantly covering the entire combat trial area. All the apprentices taking the exam felt this wave and discerned a piece of information from it. ¡°Monster 0521 has been slain by Apprentice Richard, nine monsters remain.¡± ¡°Someone killed one of the monsters released by the Academy! And it¡¯s only the first day!¡± The apprentices looked incredulously towards the direction of the disturbance, their eyes filled with both awe and fear. Just what sort of strength would a Wizard Apprentice require to slay a monster with the power of an Advanced Apprentice in such a short amount of time? At the same time, all the apprentices in the combat trial area who had planned to hunt monsters turned their gazes towards Richard. An apprentice who was tall and wielding a magic wand looked in Richard¡¯s direction, ¡°Richard, interesting.¡± Next to him, a three-meter-tall Flame Giant exuded a terrifying aura. ¡­ A young apprentice draped in a black robe looked in Richard¡¯s direction and smiled, stroking his chin. In his hand, a battered scarecrow emitted an evil presence. ¡­ ¡°Richard, that name sounds familiar. Is he the one selling magic potions?¡± A blind-eyed apprentice pondered the information, casually pointing, and a student who resembled a zombie came toward him, very much alive but with a vacant gaze as if under some form of control. ¡°Have you heard of Richard?¡± ¡­ ¡°Now you¡¯re famous,¡± Ali teased as she walked up beside Richard, ¡°According to the previous rules of the Academy, you¡¯re now a Legendary Apprentice!¡± Ali naturally received the same information from the wave. ¡°Legend or not, who knew the Academy would resort to such tactics.¡± Richard¡¯s feelings were complex at this moment, unable to tell whether he was happy or annoyed. He had always preferred not to draw attention when going about his affairs, but the Academy¡¯s full server broadcast genuinely vexed him. However, thinking of the fifty points, Richard took some comfort. After killing Koguk, Richard¡¯s points increased by fifty, catapulting him to the top of the leaderboard. Unless something unforeseen happened, Richard had firmly secured the Academy¡¯s reward. ¡°You¡¯ve taken care of this one, so the next is mine,¡± Ali said with a whistle, and Wuni, who was in the sky, landed on Richard¡¯s shoulder in response. ¡°Of course.¡± As he spoke, Richard bent down and took the Great Sword that had belonged to Koguk into his hands. The Great Sword was engraved with magic runes, apparently intended to increase its power. But as an apprentice of the Alchemy School, Richard immediately recognized the real purpose of these runes. Crack, crack, crack¡­ As Richard infused Magic Power into the runes, the Great Sword crumbled to pieces in his hands. The sole purpose of these runes was to make the sword disintegrate, revealing what was hidden inside. Among the fragments, Richard found a ring. The moment he touched it, the Miracle Furnace within his soul quivered slightly. ¡°Raw material: Power Ring¡± ¡°Extraction information available: Power Amplification Technique Magic Model¡± ¡°Extraction cost: 20 spiritual power¡± ¡°Techniques available for extraction: Magic Engraving (incomplete)¡± ¡°Extraction cost: 10 spiritual power¡± ¡°Power Ring?¡± Richard slipped the ring onto his finger and channeled Magic Power into it. In a flash, he felt a special energy flow through his blood and invigorate his entire body. ¡°This energy must be¡­ some kind of Life Energy.¡± Richard touched the ring, now able to discern certain things with the knowledge he had learned as an apprentice no longer just starting out. Richard activated his Bloodline again, and with the aid of the Spell, he swung his sword, the sword wind instantly flattening a swath of grass. ¡°Strength has increased by about thirty percent. If I add the power of liberation, my strength could exceed three times that of my normal state. The only drawback is that the injuries I sustain are likely to be more severe.¡± Using ¡°liberation¡± as a technique wasn¡¯t without cost. The human body didn¡¯t limit power without reason; once liberation was used, muscle strains and tears were the least of one¡¯s worries, severe consequences could even include snapped bones. Having tested the ring, Richard took out a piece of not-so-fresh flesh from his Magic Pocket and fed it to Wuni. It had been fifteen days since Richard arrived at the test site. Even with Magic Pocket¡¯s protection, the flesh he had prepared for Wuni had become slightly stale. Although the corpse of the creature in front of him was fresh flesh, for some reason, Richard shuddered every time he recalled its pre-death gaze. He decided to make the creature¡¯s death worth a little more. Time to do some slicing. Thinking this, Richard took out a set of tools, planning to collect some of Koguk¡¯s flesh and organs for research. Wuni, whose digestive system was modified, didn¡¯t care whether the flesh was fresh or not. After devouring the flesh, it affectionately rubbed against Richard. Richard packed away the slices, and the remaining parts of the corpse were turned to ashes with a spell. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Richard released Wuni, ¡°Eat up, then get to work.¡± With Wuni, this satellite-like helper, Richard¡¯s speed in searching for monsters was far beyond that of other Apprentices. Soon, he found a second monster. ¡°Three kilometers due east, let¡¯s go!¡± ¡­ At the Central Black Tower, the Wizards were abuzz with discussions, looking at the points board. Less than six hours after releasing the enslaved monsters, the first one had been killed. This speed far exceeded that of normal exams. ¡°Jolod, you¡¯ve taken on a good student,¡± Alex remarked, looking at the top of the points board. Using the Crystal Ball, the hall¡¯s Wizards had seen the entire battle in which Richard and his partner had killed Koguk. Richard and his partner¡¯s tactics weren¡¯t clever, and there was nothing novel about the application of their Magic Pet. But in this exam, these unsophisticated tactics and unremarkable applications combined like a chemical reaction, working surprisingly well. Using the right method in the right place was a manifestation of Wizard wisdom. Jolod accepted the praise without modesty; in his view, Richard¡¯s actions were indeed worthy of it. He looked at the points board and suddenly transmitted his voice through magic, ¡°Alex, the top ten get into the Dean¡¯s Secret Realm¡­ what about the top three?¡± Alex shook his head, ¡°The rewards for the top three are decided by the Dean. Until he announces them, none of us know.¡± ¡°But what¡¯s certain is that the reward will be of considerable value, it might even make you and me envious.¡± ¡­ The second monster Richard found resembled an oversized mosquito, its patterned translucent wings constantly emitting an irritating buzz. Before Richard got to the scene, the mosquito had already drained an Apprentice dry with its slender proboscis. ¡°Kind of disgusting,¡± Richard said, looking at the thick liquid dripping from the Mosquito Monster¡¯s mouthparts, feeling a wave of revulsion. If Koguk had seemed fierce and fervent, then this insect in front of him evoked pure disgust. Such creatures shouldn¡¯t exist in this world. Buzz! Upon noticing Richard, the Mosquito Monster immediately flew towards him. The patterns on its wings dazzled with hypnotic colors under the light, causing dizziness. A layer of black flames ignited on the sword, Richard gripped the Great Sword, instantly transforming into a Black Scale Giant. At the same time, the Power Ring was activated, and energy flowed through his bloodstream, his muscles bulging once more as an unprecedented force roared within Richard¡¯s body. With the Power Ring¡¯s help, Richard¡¯s strength reached a new zenith. Clang In a flash, Richard appeared behind the Mosquito Monster. The Mosquito Monster continued to buzz its wings, seemingly unharmed. Didn¡¯t hit it? The next instant, something fell to the ground. COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 58 - Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Enemy Approaches Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Enemy Approaches ¡°Bzzz!¡± The Mosquito Monster flew into a rage in an instant. The item it had dropped was none other than its feeding device¡ªa long, slender proboscis. With the Mosquito Monster¡¯s rage, Richard had successfully achieved his goal¡ªdrawing its ire. ¡°This can¡¯t be used like that anymore.¡± Richard gasped in pain. Although that strike was powerful, it had cost him all the muscles in his arm to break. Now, his sword-wielding arm lacked any strength, and it would take several minutes to recover enough to use it normally. Minutes may sound short, but in a battle, that could be the entire fight. Utilizing the Gale Boots and Levitation Skill, Richard deftly maneuvered through the trees, teasing the mosquito into chasing him. The Mosquito Monster didn¡¯t have any long-range capabilities, and it wasn¡¯t very smart¡ªjust physically robust, with a hard proboscis and wings that cast a mesmerizing effect. Richard almost felt leisurely as he dodged the creature. ¡°Richard!¡± At Ali¡¯s call, Richard began to lead the Mosquito Monster back the way they came. But he hadn¡¯t taken many steps when a surge of a distinct wave pattern suddenly froze him in his tracks. Other people were approaching. In that instant, Richard realized that the arrival of someone with a distinct wave pattern at this moment likely meant trouble. ¡°Let¡¯s test that person¡¯s level with this Mosquito Monster.¡± With that thought, Richard promptly smashed an Alchemy Potion on the ground from his Magic Pocket, and a pungent smoke arose in the woods. Richard squatted in the smoke, invisible under his Invisibility Cloak, as the Mosquito Monster buzzed stonily. With the cloak shielding him, his wave pattern was immediately masked by another. From afar, Ali also sensed someone¡¯s approach. Unlike Richard, she decided to fire her long-held Spell in the direction of the wave. Boom! A violent explosion echoed through the dense woods. Richard, who was hiding, shook his head at this. Ever since following Master Susanna, Ali had grown fond of using the Fireball Technique as a greeting. The explosion¡¯s blast dispersed Richard¡¯s smoke screen, but by then he no longer needed the smoke for cover. A larger target had attracted the Mosquito Monster¡¯s attention. ¡°Cough cough cough¡­ Since when is the Fireball Technique considered a new Wizard¡¯s Salute?¡± On one side of the dense forest, a row of Wizard Apprentices advanced neatly, and behind them, a blind Apprentice with eyes rolled back addressed Richard. ¡°Soul School Apprentice.¡± Richard narrowed his eyes and quietly slipped on two rings from his Magic Pocket. He was already wearing a Mind Protection Ring, but when dealing with Soul School Wizards, it didn¡¯t hurt to take extra precautions. Soul School Wizards excelled in mental manipulations: Slave Seeds, Mind Control, Thought Stamps¡ªall specialties of the Soul Wizards. It could be said that if Curse Wizards had a bad reputation among wizards, then Soul Wizards were infamous, inducing disdain even from the dogs. ¡°Are you Richard?¡± The blind Apprentice greeted Richard. But before Richard could respond, his ring suddenly lit up red, and a sharp pain instantly cleared his mind. ¡°Damn it, trying to mess with my mind right from the start.¡± Richard narrowed his eyes, a hint of murderous intent flashing through his mind. At the same time, Ali also encountered some trouble. An apprentice, standing beside a Flame Giant, gave Ali a Wizard¡¯s Salute. ¡°Shape-shifting School, Holder.¡± Ali returned the salute, ¡°Shape-shifting School, Ali.¡± As an apprentice of the same school, Ali could clearly feel the terrifying strength of the apprentice before her. The Flame Giant¡¯s strength was almost that of an Advanced Apprentice; every move it made was equivalent to a Fire Element Spell, and if it exploded, it would flatten hundreds of meters around it. How could such a thing be controlled by an Intermediate Apprentice? ¡°So, you are a disciple of Master Susanna,¡± Holder frowned slightly. If Ali were a disciple of any other Shaping Wizard, he would not have feared her, but unfortunately, she was Susanna¡¯s student. Susanna was one of the few wizards in the Academy who was proficient in both curses and shaping. He had once heard his mentor say that Susanna possessed a Spell called Curse Flame, which, once contracted, was as unshakable as a curse, burning everything from the body to the soul to ashes. It was just unknown whether she had passed this Spell on to Ali before her. ¡­ ¡°Mind Protection, Alchemy Wizards really are rich,¡± the blind apprentice remarked regretfully upon sensing the failure of his mind invasion. If this had succeeded, he would have secured a spot in the top three of the points board. However, he was not too disheartened; it was just a layer of Mind Protection, and he had ways to break through. Richard silently drew out two Magic Stones to extract Magic Power. Anger did not make Richard lose his sanity; he knew even a lion exerts full strength when catching a rabbit, much more so since this blind apprentice was no rabbit. He stared at the blind apprentice, thinking coldly, ¡°I¡¯ll feed you to Wuni later.¡± In the sky, the Mosquito Monster seemed to have encountered an invisible barrier, frantically circling in the air. The blind apprentice looked at the mosquito with a trace of regret on his face. Although the Mosquito Monster was of low intelligence and easily deceived by illusions, due to the Rebound Effect, its spiritual power had reached forty points, which he, with his slightly over thirty points of spiritual power, couldn¡¯t control. If he could control this Mosquito Monster, then in this exam, Holder would be his only enemy. ¡°Don¡¯t be so tense; it was just a joke,¡± said the blind apprentice, waving his hand as if trying to lighten the awkward atmosphere. But coincidentally, Richard¡¯s Mind Protection Ring lit up again, this time twice at once. This time the blind apprentice didn¡¯t display his previous nonchalance. ¡°Two Mind Protection Rings! Just how rich are you!¡± The blind apprentice frowned, as a disciple of the Soul School, he hated encountering rich individuals like Richard, whose one or two pieces of mind-protective Magic Equipment could render his Spell completely ineffective. Spiritual Protection Magic Equipment was considered noble among Magic Equipment, each piece starting from at least three thousand Magic Stones. Even making it oneself would cost around five hundred Magic Stones. And here Richard had two pieces. Alchemy Wizards are indeed wealthy. And with two pieces of Spiritual Protection Magic Equipment, Richard must have many other pieces of protective Magic Equipment on him, and naturally, he would not lack Magic Stones. If he could kill Richard, the loot from this act alone would probably exceed his total gains from the entire exam. Thinking this, the blind apprentice greedily licked his lips. Just two layers of spiritual protection; he had ways to break through. But before that, he had to deal with the Black Scale Giant before him, wielding a Great Sword and intending to kill him. COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 59 - Chapter 59: Chapter 59: Wealth Overpowers Chapter 59: Chapter 59: Wealth Overpowers Black Scale Giant was none other than Richard; at this moment, he had restored his magic power to its full extent, and the injuries on his arm had healed enough to be usable. Hiss-slash! The great sword, ablaze with black flames, tore through a Puppet Apprentice¡¯s magic barrier, and the Greedy Demon Flame instantaneously drained the apprentice¡¯s magic power. These mind-controlled apprentices¡¯ magic power was already depleted, and a mere touch of the Greedy Demon Flame was enough to extinguish it completely. While these apprentices did not have much magic power, there were more than a dozen of them. The blind-eyed apprentice saw Richard eliminate one with a single sword strike and immediately commanded all the apprentices to press forward. To him, these apprentices were nothing but cannon fodder, their numbers mattered not to him. As long as he could buy enough time, the marks on these apprentices would ultimately belong to him. Richard swung his great sword horizontally, slicing an apprentice who had activated his Bloodline and transformed into a Great Gorilla clean at the waist. Before he could even retract his sword, another apprentice lunged at him, while spells from other apprentices followed in rapid succession. These apprentices, with their minds completely controlled, attacked recklessly without any fear of death, paying no heed to whether their companions would be caught in the spell¡¯s effects. Buzz! The Guardian Pendant was activated. Spells rippled across the Magic Shield; although the apprentices¡¯ spells had some improvements, they were far from breaking through Richard¡¯s Magic Shield. And Richard, seizing this opportunity, advanced on the group of apprentices amid the barrage of spells. Sizzle¡­ As Richard charged into the midst of the apprentices, it was like a wolf amongst sheep. These low-level, controlled apprentices had no chance to fight back, and the high temperature of the black flames turned their wounds into charred flesh instantly, with a strange, acrid scent filling the air. But just at that moment, the blind-eyed Wizard let out a mad laugh, and a chilling presence suddenly radiated from his body. ¡°Heh heh, it¡¯s done.¡± This was a presence no human could emit, not even someone who had engaged in Bloodline Alchemy would meld with such a bloodline. It was an extremely evil presence, as if harboring the vilest of ill wills toward all life. Richard shuddered. He recognized the transformation in the apprentice before him. ¡°You¡¯ve actually formed a pact with the Mad Wanderers of the Star Realm!¡± Richard said solemnly. ¡°Oh?¡± The blind-eyed apprentice was somewhat surprised; such methods were extremely rare, and even among Wizards few could recognize them. ¡°Some insight, indeed.¡± The Star Realm contained not only worlds but also various creatures within them, such as Star Realm whales as large as mountains and the nomadic Star Realm wanderers who made their homes on ships. Among these creatures, the most terrifying were the Mad Wanderers born from the carcasses of worlds. From the moment of their birth, these Star Realm creatures harbored immense malice towards the living, crazily slaughtering every creature they encountered. These Mad Wanderers varied in strength, and once Wizards discovered them, they coveted the power they possessed. Among these, the Soul Wizards needed the Mad Wanderers¡¯ contamination of spiritual power. Such contamination could swiftly disintegrate mental barriers. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the effects of the spell will be swift,¡± the blind-eyed apprentice said with a grotesque smile, as a soul tentacle, filled with extreme malice, streaked towards Richard¡¯s head. Bang bang! Within Richard¡¯s spiritual perception, two barriers from the Mind Protection Ring shattered instantly, amplifying the blind-eyed apprentice¡¯s crazed smile. ¡°It¡¯s over!¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s over.¡± Richard looked at him coolly, his hand glowing with the light of another ring. He wasn¡¯t equipped with merely two Mind Protection Rings. Bang! The third layer of mental barrier shattered with a resounding sound, a twinge of pain shooting through Richard¡¯s head, but at this moment, the soul tentacle no longer had the strength to shake Richard¡¯s mind. ¡°Three¡­ rings¡­¡± The blind apprentice stared vacantly at the rings on Richard¡¯s hand, a trickle of fresh blood running from the corner of his mouth. Richard pulled the Black Sword out of his chest, and then with a punch, he smashed the apprentice¡¯s head to pieces. ¡°Wuni, come down for food!¡± Out in the world, reputation is everything. If I say I¡¯m going to feed you to Wuni, then you¡¯re going to be fed to Wuni. ¡­ On the other side of the dense forest, two Shaping Wizards were engaged in a fierce duel. The confrontation between Shaping Wizards was straightforward; they competed in two areas, one was Spell power and the other was the amount of Magic Power. If one side held the advantage in both areas, victory was almost certain. If each side dominated one point, then it would come down to their individual performance. A Fire Crow flew towards him, and Holder elegantly waved his Magic Wand, an Ice Cone effortlessly intercepted the crow, and the prematurely detonated Spell was easily blocked by his Magic Barrier without raising a ripple. Compared to Holder¡¯s elegance, Ali found herself in a more desperate state. Besieged by an Advanced Apprentice level Flame Giant, her Magic Armor was showing extensive damage. If not for her plentiful supply of Magic Stones and her extensively modified Magic Barrier, she would have likely become a charred corpse by now. Holder strolled leisurely across the battlefield, unhurried to end the fight. Susanna¡¯s Curse Flame always made Holder wary, so he preferred to take his time and whittle Ali down little by little with the Flame Giant. Boom! Ali launched another Fireball Technique, momentarily forcing the Flame Giant back. She leaned on her Magic Wand, feeling a touch dizzy. Using Spells in quick succession had drained a significant amount of her spiritual power, risking misfires if continued. ¡°I wonder how Richard is doing,¡± Ali worried, but then she scoffed at her own predicament. She should be more concerned about herself at a time like this. Ali stood weakly upright, sweat soaking her back from the intense heat of the Flame Giant. She knew what Holder feared. Her teacher, Susanna, had taught her the Spell known as Curse Flame long ago, but Ali seldom used it unless in dire straits. Because it was not Magic Power but the power of the Soul that the Spell consumed. Each use led to a permanent reduction in her spiritual power. But now, Ali could not afford such concerns. Taking out a Magic Stone, she recited ancient Spells, and Holder, seeing this from a distance, immediately dodged to the side. A pale purple flame appeared on Ali¡¯s fingertips. Though small, it caused the previously fearsome Flame Giant to retreat. No matter how Holder commanded it to advance, it refused to move an inch. Within this flame, it sensed the fear of death. Feeling her Soul¡¯s energy depleting, Ali gave a wry smile and then attempted to bypass the Giant, charging straight towards Holder. Such a powerful move would be wasted on the Flame Giant. But at that moment, a figure burst from the woods, halting Ali. ¡°Don¡¯t be hasty, Ali. Things haven¡¯t reached that point yet.¡± Holder turned towards the emerging Black Scale Giant; the giant stood over two meters tall, covered in black scales with robust Magic Fluctuations, clearly an Intermediate Bloodline Alchemy Apprentice. ¡°So, it¡¯s just a savage with Bloodline Alchemy,¡± mocked Holder with a sneer, then commanded the Flame Giant to attack Richard. If he liked hand-to-hand combat, then let him brawl with the Flame Giant. The Flame Giant moved towards Richard, who, far from panicked, simply unhooked his Magic Bag from his waist. He sent a Spiritual Message to the Giant. ¡°Flame Giant, I want to make a deal with you. I offer double the Magic Stones of that apprentice to contract with you!¡± At the same time, Richard turned the bag upside down, and a stream of Magic Stones poured out. COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 60 - Chapter 60: Chapter 60 Academy Rewards Chapter 60: Chapter 60 Academy Rewards The magic stones kept accumulating, soon forming a small pile. The Flame Giant halted its steps as a wave of mental fluctuation was sent toward Richard. ¡°A penalty of 10,000 magic stones for breach of contract, 5,000 magic stones to establish the contract, and 100 magic stones each month, with a minimum contract duration of twenty years. Throughout the contract period, all of my magic power consumption is your responsibility, and I may opt not to execute orders that would lead to certain death.¡± 10,000 magic stones? Richard¡¯s expression stiffened, the figure was a bit beyond his acceptance range. But he immediately thought of a method. ¡°I won¡¯t pay you the breach-of-contract penalty, but I can spend a thousand magic stones to hire you to go easy in the upcoming battle, and then use this condition to hire you.¡± The Flame Giant pondered for a few seconds, during which time Holder kept issuing mental commands for it to attack, making it somewhat irritated. Its contract with Holder wasn¡¯t a Slave Contract either, but a Hiring Contract. It was a subject of Flame Lord Field, not a servant of wizards. ¡°Human, I want you to make a contract.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Without another word, Richard pulled out a contract template from his pocket and quickly wrote down the terms. In this contract, Richard would pay a thousand magic stones to the Flame Giant after Holder¡¯s death and employ the Flame Giant for the cost of 5,000 magic stones to establish the contract, 100 magic stones each month, for a duration of twenty years. The contract didn¡¯t explicitly state that the Flame Giant had to go easy, but both sides knew what was to their advantage. ¡°Philster, I command you to attack!¡± Holder issued the command again, but this time, the Flame Giant obeyed the order, albeit¡­ very slowly. Holder¡¯s face turned ashen as he witnessed the scene; he didn¡¯t know what exactly Richard had done to Philster, but the Flame Giant¡¯s current actions were undoubtedly disadvantageous to him. Richard gave him a radiant smile. This was the consequence of trying to outsmart the system. Normally, when wizards contract with elemental creatures, they use Slave Contracts, which require the elemental creatures to execute the wizard¡¯s commands fully; if they disobey, the wizard can end their life with a single thought. But the prerequisite for signing a Slave Contract is that the wizard must be stronger than the elemental creature, capable of making the elemental creature choose between signing the contract or dying immediately. However, Holder, being only an Intermediate Apprentice, didn¡¯t possess the strength to do so. Moreover, if Holder used a wizard¡¯s power to sign a Slave Contract, then the Flame Giant couldn¡¯t be brought into the examination room. The items allowed into the exam must either be made by the Wizard Apprentice themselves or purchased through legitimate means with magic stones. If not for this rule, Richard could easily ask Jolod to give him a wizard-level combat beast to bring into the exam room. But that would defeat the purpose of the exam. Therefore, the only type of contract Holder could sign was a Hiring Contract. As is well known, mercenaries are mostly creatures of opportunity. With a better offer from Richard, there was no reason for the Flame Giant to refuse. Ali was somewhat confused at the moment, but she could still see that the Flame Giant was holding back. Without the Flame Giant¡¯s obstruction, she and Richard would be sufficient to kill Holder. ¡°Richard, the old method.¡± Richard understood instantly and immediately stepped forward to engage Holder while the Flame Giant ¡®swiftly¡¯ pursued behind Richard. Seeing the situation go beyond his expectations, Holder quickly pulled out a scroll from his pocket, deciding¡­ to run away. Better to preserve the green mountains than worry about not having firewood to burn. But before he could activate the scroll, a loud explosion caused his arm to tremble. His magic barrier was nearly cloven by Richard¡¯s Black Sword, and the dark flames spread rapidly along the barrier, his magic power plummeting swiftly. He glanced at Ali and noticed that she too was brewing a spell. As for the Flame Giant, the Flame Giant was still ¡®hastily pursuing¡¯ Richard. Holder clenched his teeth and immediately tore open the scroll in his hands. The next moment, he vanished into a beam of light. ¡°So quick to chicken out.¡± Richard let out a cold laugh, then switched his view to Wuni. ¡°Five hundred meters east, Ali, let¡¯s go!¡± ¡­ Five days later, Holder watched in despair as a terrifying fireball flew towards him. Without the Flame Giant, he was just a slightly stronger Intermediate Apprentice, not much different from Richard and Ali. As Holder turned to ash, his contract with the Flame Giant also came to an end. Richard, according to the contract, paid the Magic Stone to the Flame Giant and signed a twenty-year Mercenary Contract with him. Thanks to Holder and the blind Apprentice¡¯s suicidal actions, Richard and Ali¡¯s points soared. Richard, having killed the blind Apprentice and Koguk, firmly topped the leaderboard, while Ali, having killed Holder, climbed to seventh. The initial Mosquito Monster, due to their pursuit of Holder, was unknowingly picked off by some Apprentice. If they could have also killed that Mosquito Monster, Ali¡¯s points could have reached the top three. However, Ali had no complaints about this. Getting into the top ten had already fulfilled her goal. The five-day chase left both of them exhausted, both physically and mentally. No apprentice of a Wizard was mediocre, and the Wizards¡¯ methods were manifold and varied. If they couldn¡¯t win a fight, they always had a way to escape. ¡°Let¡¯s rest for a couple of days; it will all be over soon,¡± Richard suggested. Ali, also weary, agreed: ¡°Okay.¡± Nine days later, the examination ended. As the Magic Airship descended onto the center of the exam field, the surviving Apprentices were in tears. It was over; they were still alive. Back at the Academy, the first thing done was to tally the marks. More than four thousand Apprentices participated in the exam, but only over a thousand survived. More than half of the Wizard Apprentices became the stepping stones for other Apprentices and Wizards¡¯ paths. Richard had sixty-two marks, which equated to six thousand two hundred Magic Stones. Including the Magic Stones, materials, and Magic Equipment obtained from killing others, Richard¡¯s earnings from this exam were close to ten thousand Magic Stones. But Richard was quite calm about it. The reward for the leaderboard was soon announced to the top ten Apprentices, as mentioned before, the reward was to explore the Great Wizard¡¯s Secret Realm. However, due to some urgent matters of the Great Wizard, the time to enter the Secret Realm was postponed by two years, which caused Richard some disappointment. ¡­ Ninety-ninth floor of the Central Black Tower. ¡°The Great Wizard¡¯s Secret Realm is really a great place,¡± Jolod handed the Magic Stone reward distributed by the Academy to Richard. ¡°Though the Great Wizard¡¯s Secret Realm is not as vast as those from the old Academies, it is still a Secret Realm that has separated from the Wizard World, and it is definitely a blessing for you.¡± Beside him, Chax, who also finished the exam, looked enviously at Richard. He was just short of points from making the top ten, and thus he missed out on exploring the Secret Realm. ¡°Teacher, what exactly is this Secret Realm?¡± Richard asked in confusion. He had checked many books in the library, but the explanations about the Secret Realm were fragmented and hazy, leaving him puzzled. Jolod cleared his throat and explained: ¡°Richard, the planes we usually talk about can fragment into some Space Fragments at certain moments. Most of these fragments disappear shortly after they split, but a small portion will continue to exist for a long time after the split. These fragments are what we call the Secret Realms. The eras of these fragments often differ from the current era of the plane, the environment likewise. For example, we are now in the Pioneering Age, but inside a Space Fragment that has separated from the Wizard World, it might be the Enlightenment Age, or even the Dark Age of the Wizard World.¡± As he spoke, Jolod¡¯s eyes flashed with fervor. ¡°Can you imagine, in some Great Wizard¡¯s Secret Realm, some creatures that have gone extinct in the current Wizard World might still exist. These creatures went extinct before we were born, but we can still find them in the Secret Realm. To understand their habits, structure, and even their effects. That kind of experience is something you can¡¯t buy with any amount of Magic Stones.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 61 - Chapter 61: Chapter 61: Inheriting Witchcraft Chapter 61: Chapter 61: Inheriting Witchcraft Having heard Jolod¡¯s explanation, Richard now understood the benefits of the Secret Realm. However, such an opportunity seemed more useful for Wizards, whose extensive knowledge allowed them to identify what was valuable and what was not. These Apprentices, who hadn¡¯t even mastered the knowledge taught by their masters, were likely to enter a treasure mountain only to leave empty-handed. ¡°Let¡¯s set the matter of the Secret Realm aside for now, Richard. I¡¯ve called you here for another reason.¡± Jolod gave Chax a meaningful look, who immediately understood and left the laboratory. Richard swallowed nervously, his expression tense. ¡°Richard, you have been my student for ten years. Now that you¡¯ve passed the exam, you¡¯ve proven that you are not just a bookworm who only knows how to read.¡± As Jolod spoke, he took out a Crystal Ball from a drawer. ¡°It¡¯s time to pass on some things to you.¡± Richard nervously accepted the Crystal Ball and, the moment his spiritual power made contact, a complex torrent of information flooded into his brain. ¡°The knowledge I¡¯ve taught before is basic, something all Alchemy Wizards teach their Apprentices. The most that changes are the designs for Magic Equipment. But the knowledge I¡¯m giving you now is different from before.¡± Richard snapped out of his daze. Indeed, the knowledge this time was different. Jolod had given him a complete set of Alchemy Magic. Alchemy Magic was not like Shaping Magic, which could be depicted with just Runes. Alchemy Magic couldn¡¯t even be called Magic; referring to it as surgery or techniques would perhaps be more apt. The Alchemy Magic that Richard had just received was named Adaptation Body. To put it simply, this Spell could enhance the user¡¯s resistance to various types of Elemental Damage, as well as physical damage, and it also unearthed the potential of the body. Jolod stood up and took Richard to another laboratory filled with all sorts of odd-looking equipment. The room contained devices like an Iron Maiden, a cultivation chamber, and pendulums resembling siege hammers¡ªit was quite bizarre to see them in a laboratory. ¡°You follow the path of Bloodline Alchemy. The Spell Adaptation Body happens to suit you well,¡± Jolod pointed at the various tools in the room. ¡°But whether or not you can accept this Spell is up to you.¡± The training for Adaptation Body was straightforward: it involved continuously subjecting the body to external stimuli to obtain corresponding countermeasures. If one desired resistance to Flames, then the body must be continually scorched by flames; for resistance to Ice, one must immerse oneself in extremely cold environments. Richard¡¯s face stiffened. The effects of this technique were astounding. According to the information Jolod put in the Crystal Ball, if one trained Adaptation Body to a certain extent, it could even ignore elemental damage of thousands of Energy Levels, not to mention providing exceptionally strong protection from blunt, piercing, and Cutting physical damage. It was a Spell with tremendous potential. But the training process was¡­ somewhat inhumane. Jolod handed a key to Richard. ¡°This training room is yours from now on. The equipment here is sufficient for you to train the Adaptation Body.¡± With that, Jolod left the laboratory, leaving Richard to contemplate quietly. ¡­ Richard stayed in the training room for a while but eventually decided to begin training the Adaptation Body. Gaining strength was never an easy task. The cultivation of Adaptation Body was a two-step process: destruction and repair. Destruction was straightforward. The devices in the training room could inflict everything from fire burns to ice freezing, from blunt force with pendulums to piercing with the Iron Maiden; all types of damage were available. But repair was a bit more troublesome. According to the records in the Crystal Ball, one must ingest or inject a hundred milliliters of Adaptation Potion before training the Adaptation Body, which was the core of the Spell. After the destruction was complete, one must enter a specially made container to be immersed in a specially formulated Recovery Magic Potion for an hour. It was a cycle. Jolod had prepared a training room for Richard, saving him the trouble of creating training equipment, but the recovery magic potions still needed to be concocted by Richard himself, and moreover, the ingredients weren¡¯t cheap. Given his current income, he could barely afford the expenses, but as the training of his Adaptation Body intensified, the costs would gradually increase. In the later stages, Richard would even need to concoct different recovery magic potions to meet the demands of various trainings. Richard pinched the bridge of his nose, having lived affluently for too long, the sudden increase in expenses was indeed giving him a headache. ¡°Should I increase the output? Or should I launch a new product?¡± Rubbing his head, Richard returned to his own room and started flipping through his notes. He vaguely remembered that there was a magic potion formula he hadn¡¯t acquired. After searching through his notes for a while, Richard finally found his record. ¡°Physique Enhancement Potion, library reference number n7111.¡± Looking at the record in his notes, Richard immediately headed for the library. On the bookshelf where encrypted notes were kept, Richard found the notebook that contained the formula once again. [Ingredient: Unknown wizard¡¯s notes] [Information that can be refined: Physique Enhancement Potion formula] [Refinement cost: 25 spiritual power] [Proceed with refinement?] ¡°A potion to enhance physique, how could I have forgotten about it.¡± Slapping his forehead, Richard then borrowed the notebook. Once back in his room, Richard couldn¡¯t wait to choose to refine it. Twenty-five points of spiritual power was not much of an issue for Richard, who now had thirty-two points. As his head felt the sensation of being struck by a heavy hammer, a ball of white light, containing the formula, appeared above the Miracle Furnace. However, after absorbing it, Richard¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Egla Grass, I remember this stuff has been extinct in the Wizard World.¡± The owner of this note was a wizard from the era of the great wizard war. The formulas he created were based on the materials that were available at the time. After the wizard war, countless creatures had gone extinct in the wizard world. If it were just some auxiliary materials, Richard might have been able to replace them with materials of similar properties, but Egla Grass was the main ingredient of this magic potion, and substituting the main ingredient was akin to inventing a new formula entirely. ¡°Is my only hope the Secret Realm?¡± Richard looked at the formula on the paper, his expression alternating from dark to light. After much thought, Richard eventually burned the formula to ashes. The Secret Realm was too unstable; whether he could find Egla Grass or not was uncertain, and even if he did find it, the current environment in the Wizard World was not suitable for cultivating Egla Grass. ¡°All that excitement for nothing.¡± Leaning back in his chair, Richard started to calculate other options. He needed to check the encrypted notes thoroughly soon, trying to refine all the knowledge possible from them. However, from this experience, Richard estimated that most of the knowledge in these notes would likely only serve as a store of knowledge, with only a small portion being applicable to practical use. Aside from encrypted notes, he also needed to start following up on the knowledge from the Shape-shifting School. His magic potion business was so successful that he had already exchanged all the basic alchemy knowledge available from Jolod, and most of the deeper knowledge concerned synthetic beasts. Richard had tried this direction a few years ago, but unfortunately, he had no talent in it and couldn¡¯t produce anything noteworthy. Even if he tried to pursue it, he wouldn¡¯t make much progress. After much contemplation, Richard finally set two short-term goals. One was the training of his Adaptation Body, and the other was to keep up with the knowledge of shape-shifting. As for the direction of his future, Richard tentatively settled on Bloodline Alchemy, considering the alchemy formula he possessed should suffice until he became a wizard. Once he became a wizard, he would have plenty of time to decide on his future path. COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 62 - Chapter 62: Chapter 62 Adaptation Body Chapter 62: Chapter 62 Adaptation Body After receiving the Adaptation Body, Richard immediately began his training. The next morning at eight o¡¯clock, Richard brought the Adaptation Potion to the training room to start his training. According to the records of the Adaptation Body, a newcomer should prioritize Element Resistance during training. There were three types of equipment related to elements in the training room: Fire, Lightning, and Ice. Injecting the Adaptation Potion into his body, Richard stripped off his clothes, took a deep breath, and stepped into a glass chamber. When training Element Resistance, the order of training was also important. Looking at the equipment in the training room now, to achieve the best results, it needed to be in the order of Ice, Lightning, Fire. As the equipment started, the temperature in the glass chamber dropped rapidly. The originally clear glass was instantly covered with frost. The first step of training was to stand naked at minus thirty degrees Celsius for thirty minutes. Inside the freezing chamber, Richard¡¯s teeth continuously chattered, and his body trembled incessantly. Minus thirty degrees Celsius, naked¡ªif it were his previous life, these thirty minutes would have been enough to hold a feast. But since Richard¡¯s physique had reached thirty, far surpassing that of normal humans, staying at this temperature for thirty minutes only resulted in his limbs turning blue-purple and his body suffering numerous frostbites. Next was the electric shock. Trembling, Richard sat on the electric chair and set the current to an energy level, then programmed it for a one-minute duration. As the switch was activated, an indescribable pain swept through Richard¡¯s body, causing him to convulse continuously, and smoke began to rise from his hair. After one minute, Richard sat motionless in the electric chair. At that moment, he was contemplating whether he wanted to obtain this power. Eventually, he stood up and approached another glass chamber. This was the final training, Fire Element Resistance. Immediately, Richard activated the switch. Flames of an energy level intensity instantly filled the chamber, and a strange smell of scorching filled the air. After one minute, Richard struggled to open the chamber door. His body was scorched black, and charred skin fell off with slight movements. Fortunately, Richard had placed the recovery chamber next to the Fire Element training chamber before starting. He took a few steps and fell into it with a splash. At this moment, stimulated by the Magic Potion, Richard¡¯s body continually absorbed nutrients from the outside. From a microscopic perspective, every cell in Richard¡¯s body was active, and the Life Core inside the cells underwent extremely minor changes under this stimulation. This was the essence of the Adaptation Body, causing the Life Core to undergo changes by using extreme environments and Magic Potion. According to Jolod¡¯s theory, life is a very tenacious thing, from the dark Deep Sea to the high temperature of volcanic craters, life is everywhere. Under extreme conditions, life instinctively adapts to the environment. Comparing the Life Cores of life forms before and after adaptation, subtle changes would be evident. Based on this theory, Jolod accelerated the process of life adapting to the environment by a thousand times using Magic Potion and extreme environmental stimulations, thus creating the Alchemy Magic called Adaptation Body. An hour later, Richard crawled out of the recovery chamber, with his injuries fully recovered. Richard moved his body and dressed. ¡°Phew, it¡¯s like walking through Hell.¡± After completing the Adaptation Body training, Richard went to the library to borrow various books about the Shape-shifting School and also picked out a few Encrypted Notes that could be refined. Holding the books, Richard returned to his room and began to study intensely. After completing the Adaptation Body training, Richard suddenly felt that studying was not so dull. A slight change in the runes of Shaping Magic could bring great improvement, much stronger than training the Adaptation Body. He might even be a hidden genius of the Shape-shifting School. Reading until the evening, the Shape-shifting School¡¯s various theoretical formulas made Richard¡¯s head swim as he closed the book. The knowledge of the Shape-shifting School had a mathematical beauty. What you don¡¯t know, you just don¡¯t know. Glancing at the clock, it was eight o¡¯clock at night, and the nightlife at the Wizard Academy was just beginning. Walking out of the Central Black Tower, Richard decided to go to the tavern in the living area for some drinks. Entertainment was scarce at the Wizard Academy, only consisting of the classic four vices: eating, drinking, prostitution, and gambling. Among the four options, Richard had no interest in gambling and given his close relationship with Ali, there was no need for dalliance. Having eliminated those two, what remained was just eating and drinking. Coincidentally, Richard was focused on improving his physique, and eating and drinking helped with that; it was both practice and entertainment for him. As he walked, Richard suddenly realized that the apprentices around him were youthful, looking at him either with caution or admiration. Counting the days, it was time for a new batch of apprentices to enroll. ¡°Time flies,¡± Richard sighed. He recalled how he once looked just like them. Now, looking back, he had become the one being looked at. There were quite a few pubs in the living area, mostly run by Advanced Apprentices serving the Academy. Richard walked into a familiar pub, and as soon as he entered, he saw two familiar figures engaged in a drinking contest. ¡°One more drink!¡± Kevin yelled, putting down his wooden barrel cup. Across from him, Chax slammed down his cup just as boisterously. ¡°One more drink, make it strong!¡± Richard approached them, intrigued by the scene. ¡°Kevin, senior, why have you two started competing in drinking?¡± Seeing Richard, Chax embraced him and handed him a one-liter wooden barrel cup, slurring his words, ¡°Junior, you¡¯ve got good friends. Drinking is so much fun!¡± Kevin also staggered over and clung to Richard¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Hey! Richard, congratulations, top scorer in points!¡± With that, Kevin took the cup handed to him by the bartender and raised it towards Richard, shouting loudly to the pub, ¡°Friends, see this guy? This is our Legendary Apprentice, the top scorer on the points list, Richard! Let¡¯s drink to him!¡± The apprentices in the pub, hearing Kevin¡¯s shout, all turned to look at Richard. These were all survivors of the exams, looking at Richard with longing and envy. Undoubtedly, they all wanted to be someone like Richard. They raised their cups and bottles to Richard, who also took the strong drink from the bartender and raised it toward the crowd. ¡°To living!¡± The crowd responded in unison: ¡°To living!!!¡± ¡­ Time flowed like water, and soon a year had passed. Early in the morning, Richard went into the training room as usual to train his Adaptation Body. Over the past year, Richard had been diligently training his Adaptation Body, but the results were minimal. Because of this, he specifically asked Jolod if there was something wrong with his training, but the response was that it was a normal phenomenon. The Adaptation Body is slowest at the beginning, and if the Life Core were compared to a rusty machine, then starting it would be the hardest. Entering the cryo chamber as usual, Richard took a deep breath, preparing to silently endure the pain of frostbite. He had been undergoing this training for a year now and had long since grown accustomed to the pain. But today seemed to be different. As the cryo chamber activated and the temperature inside suddenly dropped, Richard also felt some changes in his body. It sounded like a snap, as if some shackles had been broken. The rusty machine seemed to have started moving! COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 63 - Chapter 63: Chapter 63 Black Tower Great Wizard Chapter 63: Chapter 63 Black Tower Great Wizard After the invisible shackles were broken, Richard¡¯s body underwent a startling transformation. A tingling sensation spread throughout his body, as if every cell was trembling. At the same time, the Magic Power inside him began to be consumed, with the vanishing Magic Power being absorbed by the cells as nourishment to support Evolution. The first to transform was his skin, with a layer of keratin visibly forming on the surface. Protected by this layer of keratin, Richard could clearly feel the rate at which his body heat was escaping began to decrease. But the changes weren¡¯t just limited to the epidermis; all of Richard¡¯s cells participated in the Evolution, undergoing transformations. The cells produced heat more fiercely, while the muscles and fat began altering their structures to be more adapted to cold environments. Changes that would have taken thousands of years were completed in mere minutes under the acceleration of the Magic Potion. When it was all over, Richard suddenly vomited a pool of black blood. These were the waste products after the cell renewal. ¡°This¡­ does this count as making it to the threshold?¡± Richard wiped his mouth, the freezing process of the ice capsule had not yet ended, but he no longer felt the cold. As time elapsed, Richard stepped out of the capsule and took out a test Crystal Ball from his Magic Pocket. ¡°Spiritual Power 33.2, Physique 31.9, Magic Power 332, Rating, Intermediate Apprentice.¡± ¡°It actually increased my Physique by nearly two points; this year¡¯s training wasn¡¯t in vain after all.¡± The Adaptation Body had the effect of uncovering the body¡¯s potential, although as a side effect, it seemed that this side effect had, at present, been the biggest help to Richard. After cleaning the ice capsule, Richard took out another vial of Adaptation Potion and injected it into his body. The Evolution just now had used up the previous dose of Adaptation Potion, so now it was time to replenish it. Richard sat on the electric chair, took a deep breath, and flipped the switch. This time, Richard¡¯s body underwent another transformation; the current passing through him no longer brought pain but instead a tingling sensation. Richard¡¯s body was beginning to adapt to the electric shocks. Just as mentioned before, the Life Core is like a rusty machine, the Adaptation Potion is its lubricant, and external stimuli are its source of Energy. Now that the machine was in motion, the rust between components naturally began to wear away, and the machine would only work faster and faster. The cycle ended, and Richard climbed out from the recovery fluid, ready to report his progress to Jolod. Jolod was quite concerned about his progress; ever since Richard had last asked Jolod about the Adaptation Body showing no effects, he would check in every few days, offering encouragement and support. As someone who had been through it, Jolod naturally knew the pain of the initial stages of the Adaptation Body, the daily torture with almost no visible results. To travel a hundred miles is to halve it at ninety. Such days without hope make it easy for one to give up. Arriving at the laboratory, Jolod, in front of the dissection table, was instructing Chax, pointing at the corpse of an Otherworld creature. ¡°This gland is its digestive gland, the digestive fluid enters its digestive cavity through this duct, and then dissolves the food into a nutrient soup¡­¡± Seeing Richard come in, Jolod immediately stopped explaining. ¡°Richard, you¡¯ve come at just the right time, I have something to inform you.¡± ¡°Go ahead, Teacher,¡± Richard found a stool and sat next to Chax. ¡°I have good news for you, the Dean has returned ahead of schedule, and you can enter the Dean¡¯s Secret Realm this afternoon.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Richard was startled and then delighted, ¡°Isn¡¯t the Dean supposed to be away for another year?¡± Jolod set aside the scalpel in his hand and casually summoned a ball of water to wash his hands. ¡°Who knows, but that¡¯s what Alex said. I saw you come in smiling; do you have good news to tell me?¡± Jolod looked at Richard with a smile. Richard grinned sheepishly, ¡°I just came to tell Teacher that my Adaptation Body has started to show effects.¡± ¡°As he spoke, Richard stretched out his arm, and Jolod cast a glance and immediately noticed the change in Richard.¡± ¡°Very good, good, as long as there are effects, that¡¯s good,¡± Jolod sighed. ¡°A year without results, I was afraid you might give up¡­¡± Before he could finish, Jolod suddenly glared at Chax, who was continuously retreating backwards. ¡°Chax, do you think I can¡¯t see you if you hide behind? If you had Richard¡¯s perseverance, you wouldn¡¯t have missed out on even a single Secret Realm exploration!¡± Chax had a bitter smile on his face; the Adaptation Body was practically inhumane to train. He himself had trained for three months, which was already considered extraordinary perseverance. But it¡¯s hard to stand out when there are two freakishly talented individuals beside you. Senior apprentice sister Anna persisted for half a year, and this junior apprentice brother of hers was even more defiant of the heavens, persisting for a whole year without giving up. He was truly a monster. ¡­ In the afternoon, Richard arrived early at the laboratory and went with Jolod to the upper levels of the Central Black Tower. The Central Black Tower was very tall; the lowest fifty floors were the teaching area, floors fifty-one to three hundred were the Wizard¡¯s area, and above that were the living quarters of the Black Tower Great Wizard, the Dean. Not even Wizards could enter at will, except for Deputy Dean Alex as an exception. Upon reaching the three-hundredth floor, all apprentices granted the opportunity to explore were brought here by their mentors. Among these, there were two apprentices who originally had no mentors, but after the examinations, Wizards immediately took them under their wing. ¡°Everyone is here,¡± said Alex as he checked the headcount and looked at his pocket watch. ¡°Follow me up.¡± The way they entered the three hundred and first floor caught Richard off guard; they were expected to take the stairs up. ¡°Could there be a no-fly enchantment in the area above?¡± This question of Richard¡¯s was quickly answered. As the group entered the area of the three hundred and first floor, the environment around them changed abruptly. In an instant, Richard felt the concentration of Magic Power around him soar by more than a notch, and he even doubted his own senses. But when he looked at the other apprentices, he saw they were equally astonished. ¡°The areas above the three hundredth floor of the Central Black Tower have been infused with Secret Realm Fragments by the Dean, so both the space and the concentration of Magic Power are far beyond normal,¡± Alex explained without turning back. The apprentices withdrew their surprised gazes and continued to follow their mentors with bowed heads. They arrived in front of a door, and Alex pulled an oddly shaped key from his sleeve to unlock it. The moment the door opened, Richard and the other apprentices nearly collapsed to the ground. An indescribable terror seeped out from behind the door. Richard was only exposed to a hint of it, but he felt every cell in his body trembling, and even his Life Core began to operate on its own without any Magic Potion. Richard¡¯s vision blurred as his body frantically searched for a way to survive. ¡°Dean, these kids can¡¯t withstand your Life Radiation,¡± Alex said, somewhat helplessly. ¡°Ha ha, I think the youngsters this time are not bad. Look at the one Jolod has brought.¡± As he spoke, a figure approached Richard¡¯s side. It was a middle-aged man with a very handsome appearance, and while his hair and beard were unkempt, it gave him a wild and unrestrained bearing. ¡°Jolod, this Adaptation Body of yours isn¡¯t bad.¡± The man placed a hand on Richard¡¯s skull, channeling a steady flow of Magic Power into Richard¡¯s body to assist his Evolution. In just a few minutes, Richard¡¯s body stabilized. As his vision cleared, Richard saw an unfamiliar middle-aged man in front of him, looking at him with interest. ¡°You are¡­¡± The middle-aged man smiled. ¡°Young fellow, I¡¯m your Dean, the Black Tower Great Wizard.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 64 - Chapter 64: Chapter 64 Exploring the Secret Realm - Part 1 Chapter 64: Chapter 64 Exploring the Secret Realm ¨C Part 1 Hearing the man¡¯s name, Richard jolted to his feet. ¡°Good day, Headmaster!¡± The Black Tower Great Wizard laughed heartily and, with a wave of his hand, awakened all the other apprentices. ¡°These little ones look pretty good this time, Alex, you¡¯ve been diligent these past few years.¡± Alex nodded slightly, ¡°It¡¯s my duty.¡± Following the Black Tower Great Wizard into the room, behind the door was a study. Tall bookshelves filled half the room, while on the other side, all manner of rare and strange objects were displayed on pedestals, protected by a special transparent field, which presumably were the Black Tower Great Wizard¡¯s collection. The Black Tower Great Wizard wasn¡¯t much for pretense, or perhaps at his level of status, he no longer needed any. The title of Great Wizard in the entire Wizard World was held by just over a thousand individuals, the name itself signifying power and status. In most worlds within the Star Realm, the title of Great Wizard was synonymous with another ¨C World Master. The Black Tower Great Wizard approached a witch whose bloodline seemed to be fused with that of an elemental creature, her hair flaming like fire itself, constantly sparkling with embers. ¡°Little Susanna, we must not have seen each other for two hundred years; have you missed your teacher?¡± Master Susanna¡¯s face was tinged with embarrassment as she nodded lightly. She was over four thousand years old, but in front of the Black Tower Great Wizard, she seemed like a child who had never grown up. ¡°Is this your disciple?¡± The Black Tower Great Wizard glanced at Ali, who paled at the sight. ¡°Yes, teacher.¡± ¡°She seems to possess good aptitude.¡± The Black Tower Great Wizard ruffled Ali¡¯s hair and casually handed her a gemstone with a warm aura. ¡°Molten Lava Gem, a trinket from an Otherworld. Take it to an Alchemy Wizard to make into a Magic Wand, it should boost your Fire Element Spell by at least twenty Energy Levels.¡± Hearing this, the other apprentices around cast envious glances at Ali. It¡¯s good to have connections. Ali looked at her mentor and saw her nod slightly with a wry expression before accepting the Molten Lava Gem. ¡°Thank you, Headmaster!¡± The Black Tower Great Wizard led them to a door. ¡°Beyond this door lies the Secret Realm. Most of the Secret Realm¡¯s vast area retains the appearance of the Wizard World during the Enlightenment Period, with a smaller part assembled from secret realms of other worlds. However, you will be transported randomly ¨C your destination is entirely up to luck.¡± After saying this, the Black Tower Great Wizard raised his hand, and bundles of scrolls flew out of his sleeve, landing in front of each apprentice. ¡°Take care of these scrolls. You each have three hours to explore. When the time is up, the scroll will activate and eject you. Remember, the scroll will protect you from any harm by the creatures of the Secret Realm, but if you provoke them, your exploration might end prematurely. ¡°Additionally, the scroll will only prevent intelligent beings from harming you; those without brains are not included. ¡°Be careful, don¡¯t die in there.¡± Everyone nodded and then grabbed a scroll to keep on their person. According to the order of the points leaderboard, Richard and another Advanced Apprentice were the first to go in. Stepping through the door, Richard felt a familiar wave of nausea as his vision turned into a swirling mass of colors. Once his vision cleared, a dark and twisted forest came into view. Richard steadied himself and looked around. Even the Secret Realm¡¯s sky had a sun, appearing not much different from the Wizard World ¨C except for the concentration of magic power. The density of magic power surrounding him had surpassed three hundred and one layers, reaching a terrifying level. Under these conditions, Richard¡¯s rate of recovering magic power was almost as rapid as replenishing magic power with a Magic Stone. ¡°Is this the Wizard World of the Enlightenment Period? What on earth have the wizards done to the Wizard World?¡± Richard sighed before starting to explore; three hours for exploration was neither short nor long. Entering the Twisted Forest before him, Richard effortlessly found many demonized plants, many of which were primary ingredients for magic potions, and some had even become extinct in the current Wizard World. ¡°Golden Needle Grass, the main ingredient for Nerve Detoxification Potions.¡± ¡°Brown Bear Mushroom, the main ingredient for low-level strength potions.¡± ¡°Holy shit, White Crystal Flower, these things are extinct out there! A single specimen could sell for hundreds of magic stones, and there¡¯s actually a whole cluster here.¡± As an apprentice of the Alchemy School, Richard felt like a mouse that had entered a rice storage, wishing he could even scrape up the soil to take away. At the same time, the other nineteen wizard apprentices also began their own searches. But compared to Richard, their eyesight was a bit lacking, and they didn¡¯t recognize many things, so they collected everything indiscriminately, waiting to assess the value after getting out. Their actions were also conveyed to their mentors in the room by the Black Tower Great Wizard. Watching the apprentices floundering like headless flies, the Black Tower Great Wizard sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t they teach natural history anymore? When I was an apprentice, natural history was a required course.¡± The wizards looked embarrassed. In today¡¯s Wizard World, there were hardly any wild rare materials left, so courses like natural history that broadened knowledge were only taught a little by the Alchemy School. ¡°Forget it,¡± the Black Tower Great Wizard waved his hand, ¡°I¡¯m going to tell you something, the council approved the exchange with the White Wizard Academy that I mentioned earlier¡­¡± ¡­ As Richard delved deeper into the Twisted Forest, the things he encountered began to gradually exceed his knowledge. ¡°What is this?¡± The soft soil ahead of Richard seemed to be moving with something inside. Richard narrowed his eyes and, quick as lightning, yanked a black long worm out of the soil. The worm resembled an earthworm, with a black body, soft flesh, and densely packed segments. However, unlike regular earthworms, this one was as thick as a finger and measured a meter in length, looking more like a snake from a distance. The earthworm had several light-colored stripes on its body, and Richard counted a total of nine stripes. ¡°Nine patterns, an earthworm¡­¡± An epiphany struck Richard, and a record flashed through his mind. ¡°This is a Magic Pattern Worm! The extract from its body fluids can speed up human recovery and also has the effect of developing the body¡¯s potential,¡± Richard exclaimed with delight. This creature had nearly gone extinct in the outside Wizard World, only a small number still lived in the forests at the center of the continent. It was listed in the Wizard World as a Second Level protected species, with all hunting prohibited, but allowed for artificial cultivation. Richard had seen records of this creature in the notes on the Adaptation Body. According to Jolod¡¯s notes, adding the extract from this creature to the Adaptation Potion could also activate life recovery effects in the Adaptation Body. In earlier years, Jolod had raised such creatures, but one died in an accident during an experiment. And since then, Jolod had never acquired another one. ¡°Good stuff, let¡¯s bag it.¡± Richard took out a box from his Magic Pocket and filled it with nutrient fluid. The Nine Rings Worm had robust life energy and could survive for hours even in a vacuum. As long as it was provided nutrients and placed in the Magic Pocket, three to five days would be no problem. After walking a few hundred more meters into the forest, Richard suddenly found an opening, and a several hundred-meter-tall tree appeared before him. The branches and trunk of the tree were twisted and ferocious, resembling the tree demons of legend. Amid the branches, Richard saw an enormous bird¡¯s nest. While the main structure of the nest was made of tree branches, there were also many frightening bones within it. ¡°Is this a pet raised by the academy¡¯s headmaster? Even using the remains of high-level creatures for nest building.¡± Richard dared not linger there long, keeping the headmaster¡¯s warning in mind, although he sensed that there could be something like chicks or eggs in the nest. But with so many things to explore in the Secret Realm, there was no need to provoke such terrifying creatures. Not long after Richard left, another wizard apprentice arrived at the place. After sensing the life energy from the nest, he was immediately tempted, but before he could act, a chilling bird cry sounded right beside him. COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 65 - Chapter 65: Chapter 65: Exploring the Secret Realm - Part 2 Chapter 65: Chapter 65: Exploring the Secret Realm ¨C Part 2 Having traversed the Twisted Forest, Richard came upon a valley. The valley floor was surrounded by black rocks, with sparse shrubs and wild grass growing within the crevices of the stones. Yet deep within the valley, there sprouted dense clusters of black crystals. Richard took a closer look and gasped in shock. Those black crystal clusters were none other than the Magic Stones he regularly used. Magic Stones growing right out of the ground¡ªif anyone in the Wizard World were to speak of this now, they would undoubtedly be deemed mad. ¡°Incredible, incredible, a whole valley full of Magic Stones must contain at least a million,¡± Richard exclaimed in astonishment and then proceeded to the valley floor, intending to take a close look at the Magic Stone vein. And perhaps take a few Magic Stones as well. In the current Wizard World, there were no longer any Magic Stone veins allowed to be mined. All the Magic Stones in circulation came from other worlds. Venturing deeper into the valley, Richard paid close attention to each crystal cluster. Observation, learning¡ªthe knowledge of a Wizard accumulates just like this, bit by bit. Perhaps a single detail could become a critical breakthrough for his future challenges. As Richard delved deeper, he suddenly came upon a pile of skeletons, covered by fallen Magic Stones and impossible to see without getting closer. ¡°Something¡¯s not right, these Magic Stones how¡­¡± Suddenly, Richard¡¯s hairs stood on end, and his body involuntarily fell backward as the Bloodline Seed in his heart was awakened in an instant. Ding! A long worm pinned itself where Richard had just stood. This long worm was covered in crystal-like scales, similar to those of Magic Stones, blending in with the Magic Stone vein, almost indistinguishable. ¡°Not good.¡± Richard saw the Magic Stones on the skeleton begin to tremble incessantly, and the fine sound of stones rubbing against each other continuously entered his ears. Looking at the valley floor covered with Magic Stones, Richard started to feel his scalp tingle. Just how many such worms were hidden amongst these Magic Stones? ¡°I need to leave, now.¡± Richard didn¡¯t hesitate, having no lingering feelings for the Magic Stones in the valley floor, he grabbed the struggling crystal long worm and ran off. He didn¡¯t care for the Magic Stones, but this worm was something he had never seen before, perfect for research upon return. No sooner had he left than a stretch of crystal long worms, like a flow of water, seeped from the depths of the valley to his former position. Had Richard remained there for a few more seconds, he might have had to bid farewell to exploring the Secret Realm. Leaving the valley, Richard continued his search within the Secret Realm and eventually found the main ingredient for the Physique Enhancement Potion¡ªthe Egla Grass¡ªin a depression in the mountains. And there was quite a substantial amount. Staring at the swathes of Egla Grass before him, Richard steeled his heart, deciding not to wander around the Secret Realm anymore, and instead chose to collect all the Egla Grass around him. After all, not much time was left, and the benefits before his eyes were clearly much better than the unknown future. With these Egla Grasses, Richard could make several dozen Physique Enhancement Potions. Moreover, even if he didn¡¯t make Potions, these extinct specimens could fetch him a hefty sum of Magic Stones. The three hours passed quickly, and as the scroll automatically opened, all Apprentices were ejected from the Secret Realm Space, returning to the room they had entered from. Richard rubbed his head, suppressing the urge to vomit. The scroll¡¯s teleportation effect was even worse than that of a Transmission Array. ¡°Exploration over.¡± The Black Tower Great Wizard snapped his fingers, and a host of little sprites flew out from the corners of the room, flocking towards the Apprentices to sprinkle a glowing powder over them. The moment the powder touched his body, Richard felt a coolness in his head, and the nausea from before disappeared instantly. ¡°Each of you, take good care of your apprentices,¡± the Black Tower Great Wizard said, finishing his admonishment. ¡°You all saw what they chose, and when you¡¯re teaching them in the future, remember to include a course in natural history.¡± Having said that, the Black Tower Great Wizard snapped his fingers, and all the little sprites suddenly exploded into particles of light and vanished from sight. ¡°Next is the award ceremony. The top three on the points leaderboard will receive special rewards, and I¡¯ve thought long and hard about this. It feels like anything I bring out would make me, the Dean, look stingy,¡± the Black Tower Great Wizard sighed with feigned distress. ¡°However, a minor accident provided me with the answer.¡± With a wave of his hand, the Black Tower Great Wizard conjured six crystal balls that appeared out of thin air before the crowd. ¡°Some time ago, while I was piecing together Secret Realms, I dropped some Secret Realm Fragments. It would be a waste for these fragments to just dissipate, so I collected them.¡± The Black Tower Great Wizard smiled, a hint of pride flashing in his eyes. ¡°I believe such a reward is befitting of my title as Dean.¡± As soon as the reward was mentioned, all the wizards present, except for Alex, shivered. It was nothing else but the sheer value of the reward that had startled them. Though called fragments, Secret Realm Fragments are in fact very small Secret Realms in and of themselves, with all the various rules of Secret Realms contained within. Whether for testing spells, cultivating magic creatures, or even serving as a refuge in times of necessity, a Secret Realm Fragment could do it all. Moreover, these were fragments from the Secret Realms that the Black Tower Great Wizard himself had pieced together, so naturally, they were no ordinary items. They were in an entirely different league from the Secret Realm Fragments sold by the Wizard Commerce as mere portable storages. All the wizards looked at Alex with an explicit meaning in their gaze. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to advise the Dean against giving out such items?¡± If this news got out, some wizards might start getting crooked ideas. Alex chose to ignore those looks. If he could have persuaded the Dean, things wouldn¡¯t have come to this point. ¡°Look at you all, getting worked up over some small fragments only a few hundred square meters in size,¡± the Black Tower Great Wizard said with a mocking laugh. ¡°Take your apprentices and head back.¡± After that, the Black Tower Great Wizard yawned and waved his hand. The environment before everyone¡¯s eyes suddenly shifted, and when they regained their senses, they were already back outside their rooms. ¡°This reward is a bit over the top; don¡¯t spread word about it,¡± Alex pinched the bridge of his nose, expressing his concern. As the right hand of the Black Tower Great Wizard, it was his duty to deal with the aftermath of the Great Wizard¡¯s actions. ¡°Furthermore, do not talk about the matter regarding White Wizards that the Dean mentioned just now,¡± Alex added. ¡°The Dean is impulsive, and some matters might not begin until the next decade.¡± White Wizards? Richard¡¯s heart skipped a beat; from what the Deputy Dean had said, it seemed that wizards were divided into white and black, and judging by these words, he might currently fall under the category of a Black Wizard. A few wizards nodded, and then each left with their apprentices in tow. Returning to the laboratory, Jolod locked the door firmly and looked at Richard with a serious expression. ¡°You must absolutely not talk about the Secret Realm Fragments to anyone. They are very precious and would cause great trouble if word were to spread.¡± Richard nodded knowingly, as Jolod¡¯s serious demeanor convinced him of the value of the Secret Realm Fragments. ¡°Also, I saw what you got in the Secret Realm. I have a breeding certificate for the Magic Pattern worms issued by the Truth Council, so you can raise them with confidence. As for the other items you collected¡­¡± Jolod sighed. Richard¡¯s performance, although stronger than the other Wizard Apprentices, was only somewhat better. ¡°Apart from the Magic Crystal Arrow Worm, they¡¯re not much use.¡± Magic Crystal Arrow Worm? Richard recalled the long worm that had attacked him. ¡°The Magic Crystal Arrow Worms are extinct in the Wizard World; they do have some research value. It¡¯s a shame you didn¡¯t catch more of them; otherwise, you could have raised a batch,¡± Jolod said, slightly regretful. He was interested in the biology of the Magic Crystal Arrow Worm, but since it belonged to Richard, it wasn¡¯t proper to ask for it as a mentor. Richard chuckled awkwardly; considering the situation at the time, catching one was already a testament to his curiosity. Seeing Jolod had finished speaking, Richard hesitated. Should he ask about the White Wizards or not? Jolod seemed to read Richard¡¯s mind and knocked on his head. ¡°What are you thinking about, kid? If you want to ask about White Wizards, just ask. What, you don¡¯t trust me?¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 66 - Chapter 66: Chapter 66 Black and White Wizards Chapter 66: Chapter 66 Black and White Wizards ¡°Before I explain about White and Black Wizards, I would like to ask you a question, Richard. How much do you know about Wizard Society?¡± Facing Jolod¡¯s question, Richard was momentarily stunned. If the question had been about his knowledge of the Wizard World, Richard could speak based on the Wizard World Almanac. However, Jolod was asking about Wizard Society, something a mere Apprentice who had not even graduated from the Wizard Academy would not know much about. Seeing Richard¡¯s silent demeanor, Jolod realized that his student lacked knowledge on these miscellaneous things. ¡°It seems you know nothing, which is perfect. I¡¯ll take this opportunity to introduce you to Wizard Society.¡± Jolod led Richard to a desk, casually picked up a sheet of paper as if it were a blackboard, and began to explain the structure of Wizard Society. ¡°Our Wizard Society is structured like a pyramid.¡± As he spoke, Jolod drew a triangle on the paper and added two lines in the middle. Pointing at the top of the pyramid, he said, ¡°At the very top is the Truth Council, composed of five Truth Wizards. The rules of our Wizard Academy, the behavioral norms of the Wizard World, regulations for the protection of nature in the Wizard World, and so forth are all promulgated by the Truth Council. They are not only the strongest among Wizards but also the leaders of the Wizard World.¡± Then, Jolod pointed his pen toward the bottom layer. ¡°At the very bottom are billions of mortals. Although they are weak, they are the origin of Wizards. Every Wizard Academy has the duty to protect all the mortals within its area of influence, and all Wizards are forbidden from using mortals for human experimentation. Not even Great Wizards are allowed to do so.¡± After finishing, Jolod moved his pen to the middle of the pyramid and drew a vertical line in this middle layer. ¡°Between these two extremes are the Wizards grouped around Wizard Academies. Wizards are divided into Great Wizards and ordinary Wizards, from One Ring to Three Rings as ordinary Wizards, above Three Rings are Great Wizards. There are two kinds of Wizard Academies, one is like our Black Tower Wizard Academy, which conducts bloody exams. The other kind is the White Wizard Academy, which does not conduct bloody exams. The biggest difference between these academies and ours, besides the absence of bloody exams, is that White Wizards focus more on group combat, while Black Wizards focus more on individual combat prowess, preferring to fight solo.¡± Richard nodded; these concepts were easy to grasp. ¡°But in fact, during the enlightenment period, there was no distinction between White and Black Wizards.¡± Jolod paused for a moment, then continued, ¡°If we had to classify the Wizards of that era, they were all Black Wizards, even more so than the Black Wizards of today. The bloody exams you are undergoing now would have seemed like child¡¯s play to the Wizards of the enlightenment period. Thus, the division between White and Black Wizards is entirely a product of the pioneering era. And the person who divided them, you can probably guess.¡± Jolod glanced at Richard, who said uncertainly, ¡°Was it the five Truth Wizards?¡± Jolod nodded approvingly, ¡°Exactly, the great Truth Wizards. Plane Wars brought many changes to Wizards, and traditional Wizards were not suited for the Plane Battlefield. Therefore, the Truth Wizards created White Wizards according to the demands of the Plane Battlefield and a few other factors, and also regulated the training of traditional Wizards, transitioning from a brutal survival of the fittest to a more moderate form of bloody exams. Before this, there were no rules against private duels within the academies; back then, every single moment of a Wizard Apprentice¡¯s life was spent contemplating how to survive and how to kill others.¡± Jolod spoke wistfully, a single edict from the Truth Wizards had changed the fate of countless Wizards. ¡°From then on, the White Wizard Army began to dominate the front-line battlefields, while the Black Wizards moved to the shadows, handling assassinations, reconnaissance, and intelligence gathering. Neither side is superior or inferior to the other; they simply have different functions. A successful execution of a Plane War often requires close cooperation between the two. This was a change across epochs!¡± Jolod spoke with pride, ¡°Ever since the differentiation of black and white wizards began, the pace of conquest of the planes in the Wizard World has accelerated. Worlds that used to take centuries to conquer can now be subdued in just decades. Since then, the Wizard World has become prosperous, and the number of Great Wizards has surged like a geyser.¡± Before the distinction between black and white wizards, there were only a few hundred wizard academies in the Wizard World. After the separation, the number of Great Wizards had skyrocketed to more than a thousand within a few epochs.¡± Jolod grew more and more excited as he spoke, his words carrying a commanding tone. ¡°That, uh, Teacher,¡± Richard gently interrupted Jolod. ¡°Teacher, I don¡¯t quite understand, what are you trying to tell me with all this?¡± ¡°Cough cough cough, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Jolod¡¯s enthusiasm receded, a flicker of embarrassment crossing his cheeks. Jolod was on the older side among Second Ring Wizards, and even wizards couldn¡¯t escape the allure of grand narratives. ¡°What I¡¯m telling you is that the killings you¡¯ve been through are not some kind of twisted pleasure of the headmaster. You should not hold any repulsion towards the academy. To put it bluntly, both we and wizards like the headmaster are merely parts in the war chariot of the Wizard World. Only the great Truth Wizards truly have control over the direction.¡± Hearing this explanation, Richard scratched his head. He wasn¡¯t really opposed to the Black Tower Wizard Academy despite the bloody exams. Having been in this world for over a decade, Richard¡¯s mindset had undergone a significant transformation. Killing had become commonplace to him. He was a highly adaptable person. Survival of the fittest. ¡°I understand, Teacher. If there¡¯s nothing else, then I will take my leave,¡± Richard said as he asked to leave. Jolod opened his mouth but ultimately said nothing. ¡°¡­Alright, go.¡± Back in his room, Richard immediately began studying the Secret Realm Fragments. After using his spiritual power to probe the Crystal Ball, Richard learned how to use the Secret Realm Fragments. First, the Crystal Ball provided by the Black Tower Great Wizard was merely a key, not something that sealed the Secret Realm Fragments within it. To enter the Secret Realm Fragment, one simply needed to pour Magic Power into the Crystal Ball, and then it would automatically open a Space Rift. Crossing through the rift, the user could enter the Secret Realm Fragment. ¡°The headmaster does think of everything. He even prepared the Magic Array for charging thoughtfully.¡± Following the information in the Crystal Ball, Richard began drawing a Magic Array on the floor using chalk. Once the Array was complete, Richard poured a pile of Magic Stones from his pocket. The energy required to open a Space Rift was substantial, and this consumption would increase with the user¡¯s strength. Currently, as an Intermediate Apprentice, Richard only needed to use fifty Magic Stones to activate the rift once. When Richard became an Advanced Apprentice, the rift¡¯s consumption would increase to a hundred stones. And once Richard advanced to a wizard, this consumption would become a thousand. The explanation from the Black Tower Great Wizard was that as one¡¯s strength increased, their influence on the space also grew. Without greater energy consumption to stabilize the Space Rift, the user might fall into a spatial fissure and be torn apart by a space storm. As the Magic Power was consumed, a rift edged with a dim purple glow, yet pitch black inside, appeared before Richard. Richard tentatively stretched his finger into it. Nothing happened. ¡°It seems to be stable.¡± Cautiously holding the Crystal Ball, Richard stepped into the rift. COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 67 - Chapter 67: Chapter 67 Holy Tree Elf Fuzzy Ball Chapter 67: Chapter 67 Holy Tree Elf Fuzzy Ball Entering the Secret Realm Fragments, Richard was immediately greeted by an intensely vibrant fragrance of flowers. He looked around and saw that the entire Secret Realm Fragments spanned about three hundred square meters, shaped like a hemisphere. The sky was several hundred meters above the ground, which was covered in a plethora of tiny blossoms. At the edge of the realm, a black barrier protected the fragments from being torn apart by chaotic spatial currents. ¡°The Magic Power level is about twice that of the Wizard World but far less than the Great Wizard¡¯s Secret Realm Space. The temperature is around twenty-six degrees, humidity about forty percent; the air composition is dissimilar to the Wizard World, with no harmful substances. Besides that¡­¡± Richard assessed the Secret Realm Fragments based on his instincts, then directed his gaze toward a particularly large flower bud at the center of the flowerbed. He stepped forward and gently poked the flower bud. The bud opened, releasing a white Fuzzy Ball with transparent wings. ¡°Is this¡­ a Flower Elf?¡± Richard attempted to communicate with the Fuzzy Ball using his spiritual power, but what he received was a wave of fear. ¡°Don¡¯t eat me!¡± the Fuzzy Ball sent out a mental fluctuation, ¡°I¡¯m very useful!¡± Richard stroked his chin. Did he really look like some sort of demon? However, he didn¡¯t realize that the Fuzzy Ball perceived the world not through sight, but through life perception. In its senses, Richard, a Wizard Apprentice performing Bloodline Alchemy, was indistinguishable from a Suture Monster. ¡°Tell me your use,¡± Richard communicated using his spiritual power. ¡°I can¡­ I can do many things! I can make flowers grow better and bloom more vigorously. I can also¡­ also¡­¡± The Fuzzy Ball was at a loss on how to convince the creature before it. It was just a lowly Flower Elf, only capable of hastening the ripening of flowers to provide nectar for the Nobles Elves. But the creature in front of it looked like it ate meat! Feeling the Fuzzy Ball¡¯s trembling, Richard was somewhat puzzled. Although he indeed had thoughts of dissecting the Fuzzy Ball, he intended to observe its behaviour over the long term and conduct some non-lethal tests first. Who would start by dissecting their only sample? ¡°Hehehe, hastening the ripening of flowers, what use is that! Besides flowers, what else can you hasten?¡± Richard suddenly burst into a menacing laugh, pretending to be fierce. ¡°Hastening other things? I can! I can hasten many things, except the Holy Tree, I can hasten everything else!¡± the Fuzzy Ball said in panic. This monster indeed had no interest in nectar! ¡°Then prove it to me.¡± Richard took out a seed of Egla Grass from his pocket and placed it on the ground, thinking that if the Fuzzy Ball could hasten its growth, he could make a fortune. The Fuzzy Ball flew in circles above the seed, sending a faint Magic Wave into Richard¡¯s perception. ¡°Hmm? This little thing uses primitive Magic Power just like a Wizard,¡± Richard thought to himself, surprised. According to Wizard records, most creatures in the Star Realm modify the nature of their Magic Power based on their Bloodline or Soul, achieving various strange effects. Yet this little creature using primitive Magic Power was indeed rare. A spark of excitement flashed through Richard¡¯s mind. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that he had only this one, he would want to dissect it and make it into a specimen right now. As the Magic Fluctuation ended, Richard suddenly noticed that the seed on the ground developed a small crack, and a tender green sprout emerged. ¡°See! I didn¡¯t lie to you!¡± The mental fluctuation from the Fuzzy Ball was weak, as if the hastening had drained a lot of its energy. ¡°It did hasten the growth, but this effect is still not enough!¡± Richard continued his eerie laughter, nearly causing Fuzzy Ball to stop flapping its wings and crash to the ground. ¡°What, what, what else do you want!¡± A sly look flashed in Richard¡¯s eyes, and he then pulled out a slave contract from his pocket. ¡°Sign this, and I won¡¯t eat you.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± Fuzzy Ball landed on the contract, ¡°How do I sign this?¡± ¡°Just leave a mark with your spiritual power.¡± ¡°¡­Fine! I will sign, but you must keep your promise!¡± Fuzzy Ball left a mark on the contract using its spiritual power, while Richard also signed his name on it. In a blink, the sheepskin scroll turned to ashes, and an invisible force formed a bridge between Richard and Fuzzy Ball. The contract was established! ¡°Now that you¡¯ve signed the contract, things will be easier. Starting today, you are my gardener, and your task is to hasten the ripening of these seeds I¡¯ve planted.¡± Hearing Richard say this, Fuzzy Ball felt relieved, its small life seemingly saved. It didn¡¯t know what a gardener meant, but it was familiar with hastening the ripening of seeds. That had been its previous job. ¡°Alright, just don¡¯t eat me!¡± Richard nodded, satisfied, ¡°Good! Very spirited! Now I¡¯ll give you a name, from now on you¡¯ll be called Fuzzy Ball.¡± ¡°Yes, from now on I¡¯ll be called Fuzzy Ball!¡± Fuzzy Ball responded with equal enthusiasm. Being the lowest of the Flower Elves, it had no name; only nobles had such a privilege. And Richard had given it a name! Clearly, Fuzzy Ball¡¯s brain was somewhat overwhelmed, and it had already forgotten how Richard had intimidated it earlier, now even starting to like Richard somewhat. ¡°Hehe, Fuzzy Ball. I have a name now!¡± Richard planted some Egla Grass seeds he had collected in the Secret Realm Space on the ground. Though Fuzzy Ball could hasten the growth of Egla Grass, it was still uncertain whether they could grow in the environment of the Secret Realm Fragments. Then, Richard asked Fuzzy Ball many questions, including the name of its race, its history, social structure, and how they reproduced. Fuzzy Ball wasn¡¯t very smart, often giving tangential answers, and it took over an hour for Richard to gather some useful information. From Fuzzy Ball¡¯s words, Richard learned that it came from a race called Holy Tree Elf, which practiced a feudal system, and Fuzzy Ball was the lowest tier among them, a Flower Elf, responsible for tending flowers and collecting nectar, akin to an old farmer in human society. Holy Tree Elves reproduced asexually, splitting off seeds during their life that, once planted in the soil, would grow into an elven flower where a Holy Tree Elf would reside. Moreover, although Holy Tree Elves weren¡¯t highly intelligent, their memories could be inherited. A split seed would inherit all its progenitor¡¯s memories, which were initially sealed and later unlocked when the Holy Tree Elf reached adulthood, utilized in a form akin to a database. If a Holy Tree Elf acquired a skill, then its offspring would also possess that skill. This feature had significantly solidified the social structure of Holy Tree Elves¡ªlower elves were forbidden from accessing any ¡®magic¡¯ of other specialized elves, and any elf using magic that didn¡¯t match its status would be executed. Nobles remained nobles, and old farmers remained old farmers. After acquiring the knowledge, Richard left the Secret Realm Fragments. The number of Holy Tree Elves was too few to be of significant impact for now. But the future was promising. Wizards did not wage wars for Great Wizards without compensation¡ªwith enough merit, acquiring a piece of land from the Otherworld was a trivial matter. And since this Holy Tree Elf could hasten the growth of plants, he might later be able to establish a stable Magic Stone income through cultivating medicinal herbs. Wizards had long lifespans, and long-term gains far outweighed short-term benefits. COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 68 - Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Magic Wand and Spell Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Magic Wand and Spell After coming out of the Secret Realm Fragments, Richard wiped off the array on the ground and then went to his desk to start recording the information he had just learned. These were all pieces of knowledge, the powerful source for any wizard. An experienced wizard could easily handle various situations with a reservoir of knowledge. Once he had recorded everything, Richard closed his notebook and casually picked up a Magic Book to browse through. In the past year, Richard had spent a considerable amount of time on the Shaping Magic School, but the results were minimal. Lacking a mentor¡¯s guidance, Richard could only explore like a headless fly in the sea of books. Knock, knock, knock! Someone suddenly knocked on the door of Richard¡¯s room. ¡°Who?¡± Richard walked to the door and opened it. There were not many people who knew his residence in the Black Tower, and they were his own people, so he was not very cautious. ¡°Who else could it be?¡± A short-haired beauty wearing a black Wizard Robe stood at the door, playing with a gemstone emitting a scorching aura in her hand. ¡°Ali, what is this¡­¡± Richard glanced at the Molten Lava Gem, ¡°custom Magic Wand?¡± Ali walked into the room, very familiarly sat on the bed, and casually tossed the gemstone to Richard. ¡°Can you make something out of this?¡± Richard caught the gemstone, ¡°Whether I can make it or not, I¡¯ll have to examine it first.¡± He took several rulers from the drawer to measure the volume of the gemstone, and then he took out a few Magic Probes and tapped them on the gemstone. After confirming the various data, some ideas popped into Richard¡¯s mind. Magic Wands were relatively easier to make among Magic Equipment, but they were also the hardest to perfect. ¡°I should be able to make it, but I don¡¯t know if it will reach the level that the dean mentioned.¡± Ali raised an eyebrow, ¡°Don¡¯t be modest, don¡¯t I know your skills?¡± Richard found a box to store the Molten Lava Gem properly. ¡°The effect of the Magic Wand is to amplify Fire Element Spells, you don¡¯t have any other requirements, do you?¡± ¡°No more.¡± ¡°Then wait for a month, it should be ready after a month.¡± Richard said as he walked to the window and drew the curtains shut, while Ali seductively stood up from the bed, took off her Wizard Robe, revealing the nightgown underneath. On some matters, the two always seemed to be in perfect sync. A sleepless night. The next morning, Richard sat on the bed, his gaze deep, not knowing what he was thinking. Next to him, Ali, with flushed cheeks, rested her head on his shoulder, her face full of satisfaction. ¡°What are you thinking about now?¡± Ali asked softly. Richard said, ¡°I¡¯m thinking about how to improve my skill in Shaping Magic.¡± Ali, ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Ali, do you know any powerful Shaping Spells?¡± Richard suddenly asked. Wise Time always made one think of things usually overlooked. In the past year, Richard, like a headless fly, had been cramming knowledge of the Shaping Magic School. Besides lacking a teacher¡¯s guidance, his lack of foundational knowledge in Shaping Magic also played a huge role. After a year of study, Richard had mastered the fundamental knowledge of Shaping Magic, and with the help of Wise Time, he suddenly knew which direction he should develop in. His advantage was having many Magic Stones and Magic Equipment, so he should focus on developing these advantages, studying those powerful spells that required more energy while learning Shaping Magic. ¡°Powerful Shaping Spells?¡± Ali thought for a moment, ¡°I indeed know many powerful Shaping Spells, but those were imparted to me by my teacher. Let me think about the powerful spells that can be exchanged at the Academy¡­¡± Ali¡¯s mind flashed with inspiration, and an ancient spell appeared in her brain. ¡°Hmm, I remember now. Richard, do you know the Water and Fire Annihilation Spell?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Richard said, puzzled by the name, ¡°Water Vapor Magic?¡± ¡°Pfft, what are you thinking about?¡± Ali chuckled, ¡°How could you even think of water vapor?¡± Richard spread his hands, ¡°Isn¡¯t water plus fire just steam?¡± ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± Ali laughed uncontrollably for a while before finally regaining her composure and began to explain the principles of the Water and Fire Annihilation Spell to Richard. Wizards had long discovered the extreme opposition between the water and fire elements. In the material world, these two elements in their physical forms wouldn¡¯t react too violently. However, when these elements encountered each other in their pure forms within the Elemental Territory, they would unleash extremely violent energy. This reaction was somewhat akin to matter-antimatter annihilation, but on a much smaller scale. This is the basic principle behind the Water and Fire Annihilation Spell. Based on this, wizards tried to induce annihilation reactions between concentrated Fire Element and Water Element, which resulted in a terrifying scene. When not concentrated, although the elements reacted violently, the excessive energy released would push the two elements away from each other. However, once both elements reached a certain concentration, everything changed. The annihilation of concentrated elements surprisingly exhibited chain reaction characteristics. In an extremely short time, the concentrated elements completely annihilated each other, with the energy from the reaction not even starting to release. Thus, a massive explosion occurred. Wizards had once attempted to tame this power, but unfortunately, to this day, no wizard had succeeded. At least, as far as Ali knew, no wizard had managed this feat. ¡°So, from what you¡¯re telling me, this spell must be very dangerous.¡± Richard stroked his chin, then suddenly flicked Ali, ¡°This dangerous and you still want me to learn it? Are you eyeing someone else and planning to ditch this old man?¡± ¡°Ouch, cut it out,¡± Ali pouted, ¡°I¡¯m just saying it based on your request¡ªnot forcefully dragging you to learn.¡± ¡°Whether you learn or not is entirely up to you.¡± Richard got out of bed and changed his clothes. ¡°I¡¯m going to the library.¡± ¡°Hey, you¡¯re not seriously going to learn it, right? It¡¯s very dangerous.¡± Ali¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°It has survived solely because some foolhardy wizards want to tame it; please don¡¯t do anything stupid!¡± Richard waved his hand. ¡°I know.¡± ¡­ The Water and Fire Annihilation Spell was very cheap, costing only fifty Magic Stones. After buying the Magic Model, Richard immediately started learning. The entire model of the spell was very complex, looking nothing like a first-generation spell. The spell was composed of three parts: summoning the Fire Element, summoning the Water Element, and making the two combine as much as possible. However, as Richard studied, he realized that the Water and Fire Annihilation Spell he had bought was somewhat off. What about the promised chain reaction? The spell not only lacked chain reaction but also had outrageously high magic power consumption. In terms of cost-effectiveness, it was not even as good as Magic Missile. For this reason, Richard inquired around and finally got an answer from Jolod. It turned out that the Academy had purposely switched the Water and Fire Annihilation Spell with a defective version to prevent apprentices from researching the spell and causing major damage to the test zone. The original version of the Water and Fire Annihilation Spell required a wizard¡¯s approval for research. ¡°You want to study this spell?¡± Jolod looked up at Richard, closing the book he was holding. ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Richard nodded. Jolod frowned, ¡°It¡¯s good to have a spirit of exploration, but sometimes you need to measure your abilities too.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 69 - Chapter 69: Chapter 69 Realm of Annihilation (Request for First Subscription) Chapter 69: Chapter 69 Realm of Annihilation (Request for First Subscription) Richard¡¯s heart sank, wondering if his spell research was doomed to fail before it had even begun. But then he saw Jolod raise his hand, and a thick magic book automatically flew off the bookshelf. ¡°This is the experimental notebook from my research on the Water and Fire Annihilation Spell. It records the original magic model of the spell and some of my own failed improvement attempts,¡± Jolod explained as he handed the magic book to Richard with a solemn voice. ¡°Take a good look at these notes when you get back. I don¡¯t mean to discourage you, but a wizard has likely thought of anything you can think of. You are still a Wizard Apprentice and your experience is limited.¡± Richard took the magic book with both hands and gave Jolod a serious bow. The transmission of any knowledge deserved respect. Returning to his room, Richard immediately opened the magic book and began to study the spell. The original version of the Water and Fire Annihilation Spell, called the Realm of Annihilation, was quite straightforward to use. It involved summoning two elements, compressing them, and then allowing them to react. The spell consumed a great deal of energy and could drain an intermediate Apprentice with thirty spiritual power in an instant. But its power was also astounding. If released at full strength, the epicenter of the spell could reach a thousand energy levels. And this was only the limit of the spell¡¯s power, not the limit of the reaction. If one could increase the quantity of both elements, the power could become even greater. ¡°Isn¡¯t this a bit overkill for an apprentice?¡± Richard muttered to himself, his lips twitching slightly as he read the notes. But soon after, he discovered the shortcomings of the spell. The Realm of Annihilation, despite its great power, was as unruly in energy release as a Magic Missile. Consequently, while its power was immense, its dissipation was also shocking. Beyond a meter from the center, its energy level dropped to a hundred, and beyond three meters, only a blast wave remained. The second issue was the spell¡¯s instability. The concentrated Fire Element was highly volatile, and a slight magic fluctuation could provoke a violent outburst, leading to premature spell release or casting failure. These two factors made the spell more of a last-ditch, desperate measure than a viable offensive option. A bomb that might explode at any time was a curse to both friend and foe. In his notes, Jolod tried improving the spell, attempting to control the burst of energy to increase its power and adding runes to stabilize the Fire Element. But after numerous attempts, the results were still disappointing. Measuring by magic consumption, there were other spells that were more powerful and stable. ¡°So it seems that revising the runes is not viable.¡± Richard scratched his head after finishing the notes. ¡°But why should I focus on revising runes?¡± As a transmigrator, Richard¡¯s thinking was more flexible than others in the Wizard World. The clash of thought from an entirely different civilization allowed Richard to see things that others might have missed. ¡°This is essentially about compressing two elements and then colliding them to release power. It¡¯s not much different from detonating a bomb with a blasting cap.¡± Richard casually grabbed a piece of rough paper and sketched a rough diagram. ¡°The Fire Element is unstable, and restraining it with magic consumes a lot of power, so why not restrain it with physical materials? Two chambers, one for the Water Element and one for the Fire Element, separated in the middle¡­¡± Richard put his ideas on paper and then adjusted the shape. Eventually, a wizard version of a hand grenade appeared on the paper. ¡°Done.¡± Richard tossed the pen aside, content as he looked at the rough design on the paper. Although it was just a sketch and the design might change during implementation, it didn¡¯t affect the pleasure that filled Richard¡¯s heart. Creating something from the Otherworld in the Wizard World always brought him a benumbed thrill of indulgence. With an idea in mind, Richard immediately set out to make it a reality. He made a list and gave it to his dedicated procurer, Kevin, instructing him to start collecting materials in the business district. Meanwhile, Richard began to dismantle the spell, extracting the spells for the two concentrated elements. Having learned from the Shape-shifting School for a year, Richard was ready to put his knowledge to the test and see what he was capable of. If he encountered unsolvable problems, he would then seek Ali¡¯s assistance. Time flew quickly, and another year passed in the blink of an eye. Richard proceeded to the training room for his Adaptation Body workout early in the morning, as usual. After the first adaptation began, Richard¡¯s Adaptation Body progress had been increasing at a slow rate of 0.01 energy levels per day. Furthermore, as he continued to train, this rate of increase was accelerating. After one year, it had reached 0.015. At this rate, by the time the next bloody examination started, he would be immune to spells of fire, lightning, and ice elements below fifty energy levels. As usual, Richard entered the freezing chamber to train. The six energy level freezing damage began to erode his body. But after a short while, he felt the temperature in the chamber warm up. ¡°Have I adapted again?¡± Richard was somewhat puzzled. He opened the chamber to inspect it and discovered that the Magic Stone powering the freezing chamber had run out. Without power, the freezer naturally stopped cooling. Looking at the chamber¡¯s Magic Stone inlet on the side, Richard prepared to refill it, but his expression turned sour as he checked his pockets. ¡°How come I am left with just over a thousand Magic Stones?¡± Richard uttered in dismay. As a model Apprentice, Richard had no expensive hobby that squandered Magic Stones. Yet even so, as one of the top Magic Stone earners in the campus, his wealth had shrunk to barely over a thousand Magic Stones. What was the difference between this and the ordinary apprentices who had to be meticulous with every spell they cast? ¡°No, where did all my Magic Stones go?¡± Richard¡¯s expression darkened, and he lost all intention to train. He turned and went back to his bedroom to check his accounts. The review revealed a year-long flurry of spending. Aside from the monthly hundred Magic Stones paid to the Flame Giant, he had spent over five thousand on selecting materials for the Wizard Hand Grenade. There were also the daily Adaptation Potions, Recovery Magic Potions, crafting of Physique Enhancement Potions, reading, making small Magic Equipment for practice, everyday food and drinks, and many other expenses. These scattered expenses had drastically reduced the wealth of Richard, a top-income Apprentice with over three hundred Magic Stones per month. ¡°It seems I need to sell a couple of Physique Enhancement Potions. Also, the output of Concentration Potions needs to be increased.¡± Richard massaged his temples. He had attempted to make several bottles of Physique Enhancement Potions in the past few months, and the success rate was quite good. He had initially intended to sell them privately to expand his social network and give his friends some benefits. But now he was nearly bankrupt; he couldn¡¯t afford to think about those plans anymore. ¡°Increasing the output¡­ Sigh! I¡¯m probably going to attract trouble.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 70 - Chapter 70: Chapter 70: The Shock of Worldviews (Subscribe Please) Chapter 70: Chapter 70: The Shock of Worldviews (Subscribe Please) For the Wizard Apprentices of the Black Tower Wizard Academy, the beginning of the month was a special day. At the beginning of the month, all the Apprentices who wanted to go out on missions would crowd in front of Anna¡¯s cottage, waiting for the new batch of Concentration Potions to go on sale. Ever since Richard had dealt with Joseph, the business of Concentration Potions in the entire commercial district had become Richard¡¯s alone. And a monopoly was always the most profitable business. As the clock struck eight in the morning, Anna¡¯s cottage officially opened for business. The clerk opened the store door and began selling this month¡¯s Concentration Potions. ¡°Don¡¯t push, don¡¯t push, there are twice as many Concentration Potions this month, and everyone who comes today is guaranteed to get one!¡± The clerk¡¯s shouting wasn¡¯t loud, but to the Apprentices, it was like a thunderbolt. The production of Magic Potions had doubled, which was great news. Soon, the Magic Potions sold out. For the tens of thousands of Apprentices across the Academy, one hundred and eighty bottles of Concentration Potion a month were still rather few. After the sale ended, news of the increase in Magic Potion production quickly spread through various channels among the Apprentice group, naturally including many from the Alchemy School. Among these Apprentices, some had tutors, so naturally the news also reached the ears of the Wizards. ¡­ On the ninety-ninth floor of the Central Black Tower. Deputy Dean Alex stormed into Jolod¡¯s laboratory with a furrowed brow. ¡°Jolod, have you been using the Alchemy Workshop to subsidize Apprentices? It¡¯s against the rules for a Wizard to directly help Apprentices earn Magic Stones.¡± Jolod was somewhat bewildered. ¡°What? When have I ever used the Alchemy Workshop to help Apprentices? My Alchemy Workshop is all my own business.¡± Alex handed him a piece of paper, and Jolod took a look. Written on the document was a record of Richard¡¯s shipments from the past few months. ¡°Two hundred bottles of potions a month? Even if you were to do it, that number would probably require some effort, right?¡± Alex tapped on the table. ¡°This matter hasn¡¯t spread yet, and I hope you come up with an explanation quickly. Otherwise, I can only deal with it according to the school rules.¡± Although the Black Tower Wizard Academy allowed Wizards to impart knowledge to Apprentices, it did not permit the direct gifting of a large quantity of Magic Stones or the provision of special high-grade Magic Equipment, as that would seriously affect Apprentice competition. Once such a situation arose, not only would the student be investigated and lose all gifted items, but the Wizards would also pay a hefty price. Jolod stroked his beard, his face showing confusion but no panic. ¡°What explanation should I come up with? I didn¡¯t help him. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can check my Alchemy Workshop. I authorize you to do so.¡± Jolod¡¯s Alchemy Workshop was essentially his private property, and the Academy generally wouldn¡¯t search it unless necessary. ¡°You really didn¡¯t?¡± Alex sounded skeptical. ¡°If another Wizard finds something to pin on you, even you would have to follow the rules.¡± ¡°My dear Deputy Dean, go ahead and check. If you find anything, I, Jolod, am at your disposal.¡± ¡°Be that as it may, there should be no problem. Inspectors will search your workshop in the next few days.¡± Alex stood up. ¡°I need to give the other Wizards an explanation for this. Without rules, the Academy would fall into chaos.¡± Jolod nodded in understanding of the Deputy Dean¡¯s predicament and after seeing him out, Jolod immediately called Richard to the laboratory. ¡°Richard, you¡¯ve really given me a big problem.¡± Jolod passed the summary sheet from Alex to Richard. ¡°Two hundred bottles of Concentration Potion a month; even I would have to put some effort into that. The Deputy Dean has already come to see me, and he wants an explanation.¡± Jolod spread his hands. ¡°But what explanation do I have?¡± Richard looked at the data on the summary sheet, which detailed how each of his potions had been sold to whom and marked the approximate times and channels of purchase. Richard scratched his head, his face showing not a hint of panic. ¡°As I thought, this has caught the Academy¡¯s attention.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Jolod feigned surprise. ¡°It seems my student was well-prepared.¡± Richard nodded and then produced a contract. ¡°Before I tell you this explanation, to protect my knowledge as a Wizard, I¡¯d like you to sign this.¡± Jolod was taken aback, he hadn¡¯t expected Richard to do this. However, he did not get angry; instead, he happily took the contract and read it carefully. ¡°Just not allowing me to disclose this knowledge to the outside world?¡± Jolod frowned, then added a clause to the contract, ¡°You should also forbid me from using this knowledge for my own benefit. For others, I suggest adding a clause that after reading it, they must undergo memory erasure.¡± After speaking, Jolo handed the contract back to Richard, then took another contract from his drawer. ¡°Additionally, this type of contract only has binding force on an apprentice, but for a wizard, it¡¯s just a piece of scrap paper. Use mine instead,¡± Jolo suggested. Having said that, Jolo wrote down the terms on the new contract and signed it. Richard secretly breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing how cooperative Jolo was. Having an understanding teacher truly was a blessing. ¡°It¡¯s excellent that you understand, teacher.¡± Richard took the contract and signed it, then brought Jolo to a room at the very edge of the fifty-sixth floor of the Black Tower. Upon opening the door, Jolo immediately noticed the strange machine in the center of the room. ¡°An alchemy machine? It looks like Anna¡¯s handiwork.¡± Jolo looked around the room but didn¡¯t discover anything exceptional. ¡°So, what¡¯s your explanation?¡± Jolo asked Richard, looking at him with some confusion. ¡°It¡¯s right here,¡± Richard said, pointing to the machine in the center of the room. ¡°Machine?¡± Jolo was taken aback, ¡°You mean to say you use this machine to help you process materials? That explanation isn¡¯t sufficient.¡± But he saw his student shake his head and then walk over to flip a switch on the machine. Rumble rumble¡­ A sound emanated from the machine, and Jolo was still in the dark. What was his student doing? But soon, he witnessed an incredible scene. Richard actually took a bottle of Concentration Potion from the output of the machine. Jolo was certain that this potion had not been in the machine before. ¡°What is this¡­?¡± The same thought that had flashed through Anna¡¯s mind passed through Jolo¡¯s. A machine making magic potions¡­ How ludicrous! Richard shrugged, then handed the potion to Jolo and started the machine again. ¡°As you can see, I¡¯ve produced a bottle of Concentration Potion with this machine.¡± ¡°No, no, no¡­¡± Jolo waved his hands in denial, even unconsciously taking a step back. The potion in Richard¡¯s hand seemed like a man-eating demon, sapping Jolo of the courage to even look at it. How could a machine make potions? The creation of potions required adaptability, the accumulated experience of an alchemy wizard over many years. Could a machine really do all that? Was there an alchemy wizard sealed inside it? His past education and personal experience had Jolo insisting: ¡°This must be a joke!¡± But, deep within his heart, a voice kept calling out. ¡°Jolo, this is real, remember the question you once had? How the Magic Potion Commerce at the Tower of Truth could supply potions without limit.¡± It was his determination as a wizard in pursuit of truth; wizards speak only with facts. Right is right, wrong is wrong. Before long, the sound of the machine ceased, and Richard took another bottle of Concentration Potion from the machine. ¡°Teacher, another potion. Can you tell if there¡¯s anything wrong with these two potions?¡± Jolo took a deep breath, accepted the two potions, then popped their stoppers and used a little magic to taste them. Indeed, the effects of the two potions were almost identical. The stubbornness in Jolo¡¯s heart began to crumble, and the rational mind of a wizard once again took dominance. Almost gritting his teeth, Jolo made a decision. ¡°These two potions¡­ are nearly identical. Richard, you¡­ have created something remarkable!¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 71 - Chapter 71: Chapter 71 Wizard Commerce Plan (Please Subscribe) Chapter 71: Chapter 71 Wizard Commerce Plan (Please Subscribe) As rationality took the high ground, Jolod¡¯s emotions also calmed down. ¡°Richard, what¡¯s the principle behind this¡­ machine?¡± As a wizard, and an Alchemy Wizard at that, the machine before him was like a ravishing beauty making suggestive gestures, leaving Jolod, the old lecher, itching with curiosity. ¡°Ahem, teacher, that¡¯s a bit against the rules,¡± Richard murmured. Jolod¡¯s face turned red with embarrassment, as he quickly came to his senses. Knowledge requires an equivalent exchange; this is an immutable iron law of the Wizard World. But after considering his own collection, Jolod realized he had nothing that could compare to the machine before him. ¡°This¡­¡± Jolod became so anxious that sweat poured down his forehead. If he couldn¡¯t unravel the secret of this machine before him, he felt like he wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep peacefully for the rest of his life. ¡°Uh, teacher, I have a proposal. How about you listen to it?¡± ¡°You say,¡± Jolod said, locking his gaze onto Richard with an intensity that seemed as if it could bore a hole through him. ¡°It¡¯s like this, teacher. I plan to use this technology to start a Wizard Commerce, with me contributing the technology and you contributing the capital. We¡¯ll share the profits seventy-thirty, how about that?¡± Richard ventured. In fact, once Richard was certain that Magic Potions could be mass-produced, he had this idea in mind. Selling Magic Potions at a single Academy seemed like underutilizing his technology. ¡°Good, I agree!¡± Jolod immediately agreed without a second word. Then, with a flash, he vanished from the room, returning less than a minute later with a black scroll in his hand. ¡°This is a Soul Contract produced by the Tower of Truth; even a Great Wizard must adhere to its stipulations.¡± As he spoke, Jolod adeptly wrote on the Soul Contract, including details about the profit-sharing, confidentiality, and penalties for breach of contract. He seemed quite skilled at it. ¡°Take a look at the contract. If there¡¯s no problem, sign it.¡± Richard took the contract and read it carefully from top to bottom. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t trust Jolod, but rather he had never seen such a complete and formal contract, and he took the opportunity to learn how to write one. After all, that too was a form of knowledge. Satisfied that everything was correct, Richard signed the contract. As the contract turned to ashes, an invisible force settled upon them both. At this moment, Richard and Jolod not only had a master-disciple relationship but also a more solid bond of mutual interest. ¡°Now you can tell me the principle, right?¡± Jolod asked eagerly, looking at Richard. ¡°No problem.¡± Richard walked over to the machine and quickly disassembled the outer casing, revealing the machinery inside. ¡°This is the output, this is the Alchemy Pot, this is the Magic Power stabilizer¡­¡± Richard pointed out to Jolod each part of the machine, ¡°The principle that allows the machine to stably produce Magic Potions isn¡¯t anything miraculous. It¡¯s just that I found that when making Magic Potions, once each step¡¯s Magic Value reaches a certain standard, the Potions can be produced consistently.¡± ¡°It¡¯s that simple?¡± Jolod looked at Richard in disbelief, finding it hard to believe that a machine capable of near-miraculous feats worked on such a simple principle. He only needed to spend a bit more time confirming the Magic Potion formulas. Richard handed over his precise recipe to Jolod. After reviewing it, Jolod felt a wave of dizziness wash over him. ¡°Ha ha ha¡­ So that¡¯s how it is.¡± Jolod suddenly burst into laughter, tears nearly springing to his eyes. ¡°The principle is so simple! To think those old fools pondered for so long, only to come up with a solution of using Soul Slaves to make Magic Potions, ha ha ha¡­¡± From those words, Richard sensed an issue. ¡°Teacher, what do you mean by that?¡± Jolod steadied his spirit and explained to Richard: ¡°Richard, I guess your creation is not the first of its kind, at least several thousand years ago, the Magic Potion Commerce of the Tower of Truth had discovered this secret. But they protected the secret too well. So much so that unless you, a genius who discovers it on your own, nobody knows how they did it. Before this, I and a few friends from the Alchemy School tried to explore this secret, and after hundreds of years of research, we concluded that the Magic Potion Commerce bred a group of clever Magic Potion Slaves.¡± Jolod couldn¡¯t help but laugh again. ¡°Not the first¡­¡± Richard stroked his chin, an astonishing idea leaped out from his heart. ¡°Teacher, I have a question I want to ask you.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± Richard organized his thoughts, ¡°Teacher, is the stuff you¡¯re researching very profound? I mean, is it that kind of extremely complicated matter that many wizards find difficult to solve?¡± Jolod was taken aback, ¡°Of course not, many wizards are researching the same things as I am.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± Richard hesitated, ¡°is it possible that the things you are researching might have already been explored by some wizard you don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°¡­Indeed possible, or rather, surely some wizard has already explored it.¡± Jolod looked at Richard, what astonishing and scandalous thing had his student thought of this time? ¡°That¡¯s exactly right.¡± Richard seemed to have unraveled some enigma, revitalized by the revelation. ¡°What did you think of?¡± Jolod asked curiously. ¡°Nothing.¡± Richard shook his head and left the room with Jolod. Just then, Richard finally confirmed something. The vast majority of wizards in the Wizard World are reinventing the wheel. The so-called reinvention of the wheel, meaning that wizards are constantly repeating the same research. In fact, in Richard¡¯s past life, this kind of situation also occurred from time to time. But due to information transfer and technical exchanges, this phenomenon generally only appeared in the technological confrontations between nations. But in the Wizard World, due to wizards¡¯ paranoid protection of knowledge, the technical exchanges throughout the Wizard World are actually extremely limited. If a wizard wants to research a certain discipline, then they might even need to start from the very basics of that field. Yes, start exploring, not start learning. Wizards have an exceedingly long lifespan, with a One Ring Wizard¡¯s lifespan reaching a thousand years, and a Three Rings Wizard able to live up to ten thousand years. When it comes to a Great Wizard, the basic unit of a wizard¡¯s lifespan switches to epochs, meaning ten thousand years. Given such prolonged lifespans, the theoretical development level of the Wizard World should have far surpassed what it is today. But instead, the Wizard World has become like this. Richard had always been somewhat puzzled before, but today he found the answer. If wizards need to start from scratch when exploring certain aspects of knowledge, then it is possible for the Wizard World to become the way it is now. Because a discipline is not just something that one person can complete alone, it often requires many people with different perspectives to perfect it. Moreover, one¡¯s perspective is fixed, and with aging, this ossification becomes more and more serious. Just like Jolod, an Alchemy Wizard who lived for thousands of years, could never think of the knowledge to mass-produce Magic Potions. If knowledge is not exchanged, many technologies will not be circulated, which also means that many techniques would be confined to a certain wizard or Academy. And this problem is almost insoluble; in this world where knowledge can be converted into power, people all want others to share knowledge and then enjoy the benefits themselves. ¡°However, this could also be a good thing.¡± Richard murmured to himself, ¡°My thoughts aren¡¯t so scandalous after all. The Wizard World is so vast; there¡¯s always some wise person who appears.¡± ¡°Some things in the future can be pursued boldly and with confidence.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 72 - Chapter 72: Chapter 72: Apprentice Exchange Competition Chapter 72: Chapter 72: Apprentice Exchange Competition Since Richard was only a Wizard Apprentice, the affairs of the Wizard Commerce had to be managed solely by Jolod. Fortunately, he also ran an Alchemy Workshop, so establishing the commerce was not a difficult task for him. The Academy¡¯s review soon passed, and once it was confirmed that Jolod had not directly helped Richard, the matter was quietly settled under Alex¡¯s management. Due to an increase in shipments, Richard¡¯s Magic Stone reserves quickly recovered. With a sufficient supply of Magic Stones, Richard¡¯s Wizard Hand Grenade project progressed very smoothly. The materials for the hand grenade had been determined, and the Magic Model had been disassembled with Richard¡¯s efforts. What remained for the Wizard Hand Grenade was to continuously revise the design, then keep testing until the most suitable blueprint was achieved. It was a lengthy process, but Richard fortunately was not short on time. ¡­ Test zone. ¡°The fifty-sixth test is starting.¡± Richard watched the distant target and casually threw the black cylindrical object in his hand. This was Richard¡¯s fifty-sixth version of the Wizard Hand Grenade, its element isolation stability and activation flexibility had greatly improved. If nothing went wrong, this design would be the final version of the Wizard Hand Grenade. ¡°Three, two, one!¡± Boom! As the countdown ended, the hand grenade exploded on cue. Richard squinted his eyes and silently watched the intense light burst in the distance. The Water and Fire Annihilation reaction caused a violent bright light, which also carried a certain amount of energy. Ordinary people exposed to it might suffer severe burns, but for a Wizard Apprentice, the light was merely a bit dazzling. As the bright light faded, Richard walked to the crater created by the grenade. The originally solid hardened ground of the test zone had a deep pit about the height of a person after the explosion. ¡°Energy dissipates too quickly, it can only be considered an individual weapon.¡± Richard shrugged and recorded the data in his notebook. Individual weapon it is, after all, it wasn¡¯t very expensive to make; just about a hundred Magic Stones for pure material costs. And that was just Richard¡¯s preliminary research¡ªif he had enough time, he could probably reduce the cost even further with a Rune Array. But that research would definitely be something Richard would do at the Wizard stage¡ªhe was still a Wizard Apprentice and had no need to waste time on that now. ¡°Richard!¡± As Richard was recording data, a voice came from behind him. ¡°What is it, Ali?¡± Richard asked without turning around. ¡°The news is confirmed.¡± Ali ran up to Richard, her expression excited, ¡°The Dean mentioned last time about the exchange with White Wizard Academy, it¡¯s all set now.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Richard paused, it took him a while to remember what the Dean said on the day he entered the Secret Realm. Richard pocketed his notebook, ¡°Didn¡¯t the Deputy Dean say it might take until next decade?¡± ¡°Who knows, I heard from our teacher that White Wizard Academy was unusually quick this time, they even started setting up the venue in just a few years,¡± Ali hugged Richard excitedly, ¡°and you know what the prize is?¡± ¡°What?¡± Richard asked curiously. ¡°The Dean¡¯s prize is a guaranteed progression to Wizard!¡± ¡°What!¡± Richard¡¯s eyes widened instantly. A guaranteed progression to Wizard? That reward was indeed very tempting. Ali continued, ¡°I heard that since it¡¯s the first time this exchange is being held, a lot of things are experimental, so the Dean and Deputy Dean decided to raise the reward a bit.¡± ¡°Oh, so we¡¯re the guinea pigs,¡± Richard realized. However, a test subject is still a test subject; the reward of guaranteed entry into the Wizard ranks truly tempted Richard. ¡°How much longer do we have?¡± ¡°Four years,¡± Ali calculated the time. ¡°I heard the bloody test was directly replaced by an exchange competition.¡± Richard calculated the time, his spiritual power was not far from becoming an Advanced Apprentice; probably another year would elevate him to that level. ¡°Okay, time is still ample. By the way, what exactly is this competition about?¡± ¡°That¡­ the teacher didn¡¯t say, you should ask Master Jolod, see how much he knows.¡± Richard nodded, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll ask the teacher.¡± Upon arriving at the ninety-ninth floor laboratory in the Black Tower, Richard happened to run into Chax who was looking for him. ¡°Hey, Junior Brother, you¡¯ve come at a good time!¡± Chax patted Richard forcefully, clearly, he had already heard about the exchange competition. ¡°Haha, seems like you heard too, Senior Brother.¡± ¡°Of course, the news is almost spreading like wildfire.¡± Chax pointed upstairs. ¡°By the way, the teacher just asked me to find you, hurry to the laboratory. He probably wants to give you some insider information.¡± Upon reaching the laboratory, Jolod called Richard over as soon as he saw him. ¡°You must have heard about the exchange competition.¡± Richard sat down beside Jolod. ¡°Heard about it, is the final reward a direct entry into becoming a Wizard?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Jolod nodded, then added discontentedly, ¡°Eric is really tightfisted, even the awards for the exchange competition are so limited.¡± ¡°Tightfisted?¡± Richard was somewhat puzzled. ¡°Definitely tightfisted.¡± Jolod complained, ¡°The winner of this competition will get the qualification for direct entry into becoming a Wizard, which sounds impressive. But think about it, would anyone capable of winning in this competition fail the Wizard exam?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ indeed.¡± Richard realized, anyone who could excel in the competition wouldn¡¯t fare badly in the Wizard exam. This direct entry was essentially an advance award of the qualification to become a Wizard. ¡°Ah, let¡¯s not talk about this. I called you here to tell you that the matters with the Wizard Commerce have been preliminarily settled.¡± Saying this, Jolod handed a leather scroll to Richard. ¡°This is a Commerce Scroll issued by the Truth Council, with this, we can legally do business with the Academy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Richard was excited, ¡°So when do we start?¡± ¡°Start? We¡¯ve just completed the first step of establishing the Wizard Commerce!¡± Jolod glared at him, ¡°Having a scroll just means the council allows you to exist, but if you want to do business, you need stable material channels, stable sales channels, and popular products. Although I managed an Alchemy Workshop before, Magic Potions were not within my business scope, establishing these channels needs to start from scratch. Moreover, Concentration Potions might still be useful during the Apprentice phase, but they become useless at the Wizard stage. If we want to engage in big business, we need to develop new Magic Potions, ideally those that can be used by Wizards. These are all challenges, and without a couple of hundred years, don¡¯t even think about officially profiting.¡± Richard scratched his head awkwardly. He had oversimplified things; Wizard Commerce was not just about selling Magic Potions in the academy¡¯s business district. ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s enough that you know this. Also, Eric¡¯s side guards the content of this competition very tightly, I¡¯ve only gotten a bit of vague information, it seems to be something like a simulated battlefield. Don¡¯t you have a little girlfriend who is Susanna¡¯s student? Susanna might know a bit more.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Master Susanna is also not clear,¡± Richard said, somewhat embarrassed. ¡°She doesn¡¯t know?¡± Jolod was slightly surprised but quickly regained composure. ¡°Well, if she doesn¡¯t know, then she doesn¡¯t. No matter what the competition is like, increasing your strength and knowledge is always the right choice.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 73 - Chapter 73: Chapter 73 Advanced Meditation Method Chapter 73: Chapter 73 Advanced Meditation Method Leaving Jolod¡¯s place, Richard headed straight for the Magic Store. Although the reward for this competition sounded penurious coming from Jolod¡¯s lips, Richard still wanted to strive for it. Who would take entrance exams if they could be admitted without them? Due to the spread of the news, the Magic Store was already packed with well-informed Wizard Apprentices. These apprentices were among the stronger ones, also those who had some chance to receive the exam rewards. ¡°Make way, make way, please.¡± While shouting, Richard pushed the apprentices in front of him aside. The pushed apprentices wanted to resist, but Richard, a Bloodline Alchemy Wizard Apprentice, was stronger than them even without activating his Bloodline. After squeezing his way to the counter, the Magic Store¡¯s mechanical clerk was methodically inspecting the Academy Coins and then controlling the pneumatic pipeline to deliver scrolls one by one. The clerks wouldn¡¯t intervene to keep the peace unless a magical battle broke out. ¡°What would you like to purchase?¡± The clerk came to Richard and asked mechanically. ¡°I want the advanced Meditation Method.¡± As soon as he said this, the surrounding environment went silent instantly. The advanced Meditation Method? An apprentice dug his ears, feeling he might have heard wrong. Someone wanted to buy the advanced Meditation Method worth ten thousand Magic Stones, which is a million Academy Coins. ¡°The advanced Meditation Method is priced at one million Academy Coins.¡± Richard didn¡¯t say much; he calmly took out bundles of Academy Coins from his Magic Pocket. Each bundle he took out made apprentices rub their eyes. ¡°This must be counterfeit money!¡± an apprentice thought in shock. ¡°How can anyone afford the advanced Meditation Method?¡± Due to the large number of Academy Coins, the mechanical clerk could only verify them in batches. ¡°Two hundred thousand Academy Coins confirmed.¡± ¡°Two hundred thousand Academy Coins confirmed.¡± ¡°Two hundred thousand Academy Coins confirmed.¡± ¡­ The same voice repeated five times, silencing the entire Magic Store, and some apprentices who had just come in did not understand what was going on. What¡¯s happening? Why is everyone silent? ¡°Gulp.¡± An apprentice near Richard swallowed his saliva; he suddenly remembered who this apprentice was. ¡°Are you¡­ Richard?¡± Richard glanced at him, neither confirming nor denying. ¡°Richard? Is that the Richard?¡± an apprentice whispered to another. ¡°Is he the one who first killed a slave beast in the exam? The one who killed Holder?¡± ¡°I heard there used to be someone in the commercial area who sold Concentration Potions, but ever since Richard started selling them, that person mysteriously disappeared, no corpse to be found.¡± ¡°Really?¡­¡± Ignoring the murmurs, Richard picked up the scroll delivered by the pneumatic pipeline and left the Magic Store, leaving behind only a dashing figure. Fame was just that, Richard never cared about it. Back in his bedroom, Richard immediately used the Miracle Furnace to extract the content of the advanced Meditation Method. [Ingredient: Knowledge Scroll] [Extractable Information: Advanced Meditation Method] [Extraction Cost: 15 spiritual power] ¡°` [Refine?] Richard chose to refine, and a few seconds later, a ball of white light appeared above the Miracle Furnace. After absorbing the white light, Richard immediately tried to meditate. The Advanced Meditation Method was several times more difficult than the Intermediate Meditation Method, bringing the count of Spiritual Runes to an astonishing one hundred. However, Richard was not a novice Apprentice anymore; he had mastered the art of meditation practice. After failing slightly twice, Richard successfully entered meditation on the third attempt. The Advanced Meditation Method allowed him to stay in the Sea of Souls for a full eight hours. When he awoke from the Meditation State, Richard could clearly feel that the effects of the Advanced Meditation Method were several times stronger than the Intermediate Method. If he continued to meditate at this pace, he would reach the significant milestone of forty points of spiritual power within four months and become a high-level Wizard Apprentice. But Richard¡¯s ambitions went far beyond that. ¡°With four more years to go, by meditating at this pace, my spiritual power should reach forty-five points before the exchange competition. Although it¡¯s still some distance from the ultimate Apprentice, it¡¯s still quite fast compared to other Apprentices,¡± Richard mused to himself. A Wizard Apprentice¡¯s spiritual power can peak at forty-nine point nine points, and at this stage, they are known as ultimate Apprentices. Once they reach this level of power, meditation becomes futile for Wizard Apprentices, and they must undergo the Wizard Promotion Ceremony, elevating their life level to a higher tier. Once the transition is complete, the Wizard Apprentice will be known as a Wizard, and their strength will undergo a dramatic change. Fifty and forty-nine point nine, although only a difference of point one, even a newly promoted Wizard could easily defeat three ultimate Apprentices. Once a Wizard fully adapts, an ultimate Apprentice would appear as nothing more than an ordinary person¡ªalbeit a slightly stronger one¡ªin the eyes of a Wizard. Time whizzed by, and two years quickly passed. In the laboratory, Richard carefully observed a bug¡¯s corpse on the dissection table through a magnifying glass. Under the magnifying glass, the muscle structure of the bug was clearly visible. While looking, Richard jotted down data in his notes. ¡°The muscle structure of this Magic Crystal Arrow Worm is truly peculiar. The multi-layered muscle fibers stack upon one another, and once charged, they deform like a bowstring, accumulating as much power as possible.¡± Richard marveled at the Magic Crystal Arrow Worm. Despite its small size, when the Magic Crystal Arrow Worm moved, it was like an arrow shot from a powerful crossbow, easily piercing through steel. Wizards excel at discovering knowledge from various things and then utilizing it. So after seeing this muscle structure, Richard¡¯s first thought was of his own body. Wizards commonly modify their bodies in pursuit of strength, shedding the constraints of their flesh without hesitation. ¡°Culture it and then transplant?¡± Richard fell into deep thought. This kind of modification was somewhat similar to Jolod¡¯s creation of Synthetic Beasts. When creating these beasts, Jolod didn¡¯t just stitch together limbs of various creatures. To boost combat prowess, he also had to cultivate muscles, skin, and even bones. But Richard didn¡¯t quite want to use this method. Apart from the difficulty of targeted cultivation, the possibility of implant rejection and the impact on his daily activities were unacceptable to Richard. Human muscles might not be the best, but they are certainly the most adapted for human daily life. The muscle structure of the Crystal Arrow Worm, while outstanding in some aspects, also had its drawbacks. ¡°Alas, if only teacher had a Flesh Magic that could temporarily change the structure of flesh, this Arrow Worm¡¯s muscle structure would undoubtedly provide a significant boost in combat strength.¡± Leaving the laboratory, Richard, as usual, went to the training room to practice his Adaptation Body. Years of relentless training had allowed Richard¡¯s physique to withstand Elemental Damage from fire, lightning, and ice Elemental Magic of Energy Levels up to forty-five. And this was roughly the limit Richard could reach at his current stage. Although the Adaptation Body can continually improve a Wizard¡¯s resistance to various types of damage, it also requires the Wizard to have a sufficient physical foundation for adaptation. To use an analogy, physique is like the material used to build a machine, while Adaptation Potion is akin to lubricant, and external stimuli represent the energy source. Although the machine can operate with energy supply, if it runs too intensely, the material can wear down and even break. And the same principle applies to the human body. According to Jolod¡¯s estimates, at the Wizard Apprentice stage, one could train the Adaptation Body up to an Energy Level of fifty at most, beyond which there is a risk of the Life Core collapsing. At that point, it¡¯s not about adaptation anymore; just surviving would be considered incredibly lucky. After training a cycle, Richard wiped off sweat and left the training room, ready to return to his bedroom and read some Magic Books. But as he stepped out, he saw Jolod approaching him. ¡°Richard, I have a task for you.¡± ¡°` COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 74 - Chapter 74: Chapter 74 Gael City Chapter 74: Chapter 74 Gael City ¡°A mission?¡± Richard paused slightly. ¡°A trial mission, assigned by the Academy faction,¡± Jolod handed a scroll to Richard, ¡°There has been a case of missing population in a city affiliated with the Academy. The resident Wizard Apprentice thought it might be the work of a mad wizard, so the news was sent to the Academy.¡± ¡°Mad wizard? What kind of wizard is that? Same as black and white wizards?¡± Richard glanced at the scroll and asked casually. ¡°Not at all,¡± Jolod denied, ¡°Black and white wizards are distinctions made by the great Truth Wizards, while mad wizards are just a widely circulated nickname; their official name is law-breaking wizards. That is, those who have violated the laws of the Truth Council. In principle, such matters should be dealt with by the Judicial Department under the council, but given that Law Enforcement Wizards have too much to take responsibility for, dealing with these Apprentice Level mad wizards has become the responsibility of the Academy.¡± Judicial Department, yet another new term. Richard put away the scroll, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll handle it right away.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate this task,¡± Jolod reminded, ¡°Mad wizards are more skilled in combat than ordinary Apprentices; these people use mortals for experiments, some studies are specifically aimed at wizards. If you underestimate them, be careful or you¡¯ll pay dearly.¡± Richard nodded, a confident smile on his face. ¡°I understand, Professor.¡± Back in his bedroom, Richard immediately began to prepare his equipment. First was his Demon Eater Sword; after his years of making it, the second phase of the Demon Eater Sword was complete. The current Demon Eater Sword possessed Purgatory Fire that could scorch a Spiritual Body. Then there were various protective Magic Equipment: Guardian Pendant, Spirit Protection Ring, Concealer Cloak¡­ Finally, Richard carefully placed five black, long cylinders into his Magic Pocket. These were the Wizard Hand Grenades he had made¡ªnow called Annihilation Hand Grenades. The final scheme of the Annihilation Hand Grenades was settled two years ago, and over these two years, Richard had made some minor modifications, producing a customized version. The materials for the customized Annihilation Hand Grenades were altered, resulting in the material cost of a single grenade reaching a thousand Magic Stones. However, a thousand Magic Stones resulted in an Annihilation Hand Grenade that didn¡¯t require charging, and even a low-level Apprentice could use it with ease. Richard made five of these custom Annihilation Hand Grenades and planned to bring them all this time as a precaution. After packing his equipment, Richard went to the balcony and called Wuni onto his shoulder. How could he go killing without the Death Crow? The location of the task was a city called Gael, one of the Academy-affiliated cities with a large population, reaching over a million. It was also because of its large population that the Academy took the report of a mad wizard very seriously. The Wizard Academy was obliged to protect the ordinary humans within its range. If a mad wizard at the Apprentice level caused significant trouble that caught the attention of the Judicial Department, the Black Tower Wizard Academy would face accountability from the Judicial Department. Arriving at the Airship field, Richard found a Magic Airship headed to Gael and boarded it. Every city under the Academy¡¯s administration has an Airship field, which not only facilitates the travel of Wizard Apprentices but also provides convenience for the Wizard Commerce to transport goods. Once onboard the Airship, Richard observed the other passengers. Unlike the Airship he took to the Black Stone Mountain Range, a considerable number of passengers on this Airship were normal people. These ordinary people were dressed lavishly and spoke civilly, belonging to the middle class or even higher echelons in mortal society. Upon noticing Richard¡¯s gaze, they did not panic but simply bowed slightly in respect. It seemed they were already accustomed to seeing Wizard Apprentices. ¡°It looks like the lives of ordinary people on the Wizard Continent are better than I thought, and the wizards are not so mysterious.¡± In the Golden Bird Flower Kingdom, mortals couldn¡¯t even dream of riding Airships; even horse-drawn carriages were travel means only the rich and Nobles could afford, and commoners had to rely on their own two legs for travel. Gael City was not far from the Academy. After four hours of flying, Richard arrived at his destination. As soon as he disembarked from the Airship, Richard saw a sight that shocked him. The Airship field in Gael City was even larger than the Academy¡¯s. Large Airships with massive cargo holds landed in the Airship field, then workers boarded them to unload and transport goods. What was surprising was that they were transporting goods from the Flying Airships by horses and carts. Using horse-drawn carriages to transport goods from Flying Airships; this marvel made Richard click his tongue in wonder. ¡°Coexistence of the primitive with the advanced, the Wizard World is fascinating.¡± Leaving the airship port, Richard saw several carriages waiting for business. Richard called for one, preparing to head to the City Lord Mansion. ¡°How much to the City Lord Mansion?¡± he asked. The coachman glanced at Richard and, upon noticing the silver pentagonal badge on Richard¡¯s chest, his eyes widened. He hopped off the carriage and said with some excitement: ¡°Are you a wizard, sir?¡± Richard nodded. ¡°It would be my honor to serve a wizard. How could I possibly charge you?¡± said the coachman. With that, the coachman proactively opened the door of the carriage and gestured for Richard to enter. Richard smiled, ¡°Why so excited? Haven¡¯t you seen a wizard before?¡± Considering what he saw on the airship, wizard apprentices should be quite common in the Wizard Continent. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a big shot like you,¡± the coachman said with excitement. ¡°In all of Gael City, only the City Lord gets to see wizards regularly. We lesser folks only catch a glimpse of wizards once every ten years during the apprentice selection.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Richard nodded and entered the carriage. On the way, Richard curiously observed this city governed by the Wizard Academy. Unlike Black Stone City, Gael City seemed quite prosperous, with people coming and going on the streets. Their attire, though not luxurious, was at least clean and decent, and their faces bore signs of life. In the Golden Bird Flower Kingdom, even the royal city might not achieve this. The airship port was on the outskirts of the city, so logically, Richard should have encountered things like slums on his way, but he hadn¡¯t seen a slum or even a single beggar. ¡°Master, are there no beggars in Gael City?¡± Richard asked casually. ¡°Beggars?¡± The coachman chuckled. ¡°Since I was born in Gael City, I¡¯ve never seen a beggar.¡± ¡°How is that possible?¡± Richard exclaimed in surprise. ¡°There¡¯s nothing impossible about it, wizard sir,¡± the coachman said loudly. ¡°And it¡¯s all thanks to you great folks. I grew up listening to the heroic tales of wizards.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Richard stroked his chin. It seemed that some apprentices sent by the academy had put a lot of thought into urban governance. Following the main street to the City Lord Mansion, they arrived at a grand marble building. Richard got out of the carriage and handed the coachman an Academy Coin, but the coachman waved his hands, insisting it was his honor, and declined the money. Then he whipped the reins and drove off. Richard could only smile helplessly at this. He showed the task scroll issued by the academy to the guard at the door, who promptly opened the gate in a hurry and led Richard inside the mansion. Upon entering, Richard instantly felt a surge of magic fluctuation emanating from the walls of the mansion, seemingly inscribed with some magic array. ¡°My teacher said that the academy has stationed wizard apprentices in these cities; this must be their handiwork.¡± Following the staircase to the second floor, the guard led Richard to the City Lord¡¯s study and then left him. Knock, knock, knock. ¡°Who is it? Didn¡¯t I say not to disturb me unless it¡¯s a wizard?¡± came a voice from inside. Hearing this, Richard pushed the door open and entered. The study was decorated simply, nothing like the grandiosity of the mansion. Inside, an old man with white hair sat in a chair holding a book. At this moment, the elder looked astonished as he gazed at the tall man with a crow on his shoulder. ¡°I am a wizard sent from the academy,¡± Richard said calmly, then showed the task scroll to the old man. Upon seeing this, the elder quickly got up and hurried to Richard¡¯s side. ¡°Hello, hello, I am the City Lord of Gael City, Spencer Gale,¡± he said. ¡°It is a great honor to meet you.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 75 - Chapter 75: Chapter 75 Cult Chapter 75: Chapter 75 Cult ¡°City Lord Spencer, we can skip the pleasantries. I would like to know the specifics,¡± Richard found a chair to sit down in and went straight to the point. ¡°Very well, Wizard sir. Three months ago, the local police station received a report from a woman who claimed that her parents had gone missing three days prior and their whereabouts remained unknown. The police officers investigated but initially found nothing unusual. However, during their inquiries, they unexpectedly discovered several vacant houses in the woman¡¯s neighborhood. Since the Wizard stationed here had instructed us to report any large-scale disappearances, the officers reported this matter up the chain, and I relayed the message to the Wizard.¡± ¡°So then?¡± Richard frowned, ¡°Did you conduct a thorough investigation?¡± ¡°Ha-ha¡­ well¡­ uh¡­¡± Spencer laughed nervously, inwardly remarking that they wouldn¡¯t dare to probe into a case involving a Wizard on their own. Richard sighed, seeing that this task was going to be a bit troublesome. ¡°Do you have any records of the officers¡¯ investigation into the disappearances?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes!¡± the City Lord Spencer quickly replied. ¡°Bring the records to me and take me to meet the Wizard stationed here.¡± ¡­ The dwelling of the stationed Wizard was not far from the mansion, and Richard followed Spencer for a few hundred meters before arriving at the place. It was a small house, with a front garden that was overgrown with weeds due to neglect. Apart from that, the house seemed no different from an ordinary residence. ¡°Sir, I will prepare the records for you, and when you meet the Wizard¡­ may I¡­¡± Spencer inquired. Richard waved his hand, ¡°Go ahead, you¡¯re busy.¡± Spencer, relieved, bowed slightly to Richard and quickly walked away. Richard approached and knocked on the door, but there was no response from inside. ¡°No one home?¡± Richard furrowed his brow, then revealed a hint of magic fluctuation. That got a response. Creak! An old man with skin as rough as tree bark opened the door. ¡°A Wizard Apprentice from the Academy?¡± Richard nodded, ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°Then come in.¡± Upon entering, Richard immediately smelled a strong, sour stench. The living room was littered with trash, and the sofa was covered with dirty clothes. ¡°Don¡¯t mind it. I¡¯m just an old man. No one comes by, and I haven¡¯t cleaned up,¡± the old man said as he fetched a kettle from the kitchen and poured Richard a glass of water. ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t conduct any research?¡± Richard asked, unable to help himself. In this house, Richard couldn¡¯t sense any magic fluctuation, not even compared to the City Lord Mansion, which seemed more like a Wizard¡¯s dwelling. ¡°Research? Brother, I¡¯m not like you; I¡¯ve graduated. There¡¯s no hope for me to become a Wizard,¡± the old man said with self-deprecating laughter, ¡°Besides, I¡¯ve learned enough. What¡¯s the point of researching when it¡¯s not as joyful as playing chess?¡± With those words, the old man pushed aside the trash on the table and, from somewhere, produced a chessboard. The chessboard¡¯s surface was clean and smooth, clearly an old and frequently used item. ¡°Playing chess is much more interesting than reading books.¡± Richard was taken aback; this old man¡¯s carefree attitude was unlike any other Wizard Apprentice he had met. It seemed this old man had entirely shed his identity as a Wizard Apprentice and fully returned to the life of an ordinary person. ¡°Care for a game? The rules are quite simple,¡± the old man offered enthusiastically. ¡°No, I¡¯m here to ask about the mad wizard incident you reported,¡± Richard shook his head and then got straight to the point. ¡°Have you visited the crime scene, and did you find any clues?¡± The old man shook his head in disappointment, ¡°I just took a glance. There were no traces of spells, nor any clues. Every household seemed normal; it was as if people just left their homes in the morning and then suddenly disappeared.¡± Hearing this, Richard¡¯s heart sank. Without clues, how could he complete the task. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, with your identity, you can command anyone from the City Lord Mansion as you please; isn¡¯t it easy to find some clues?¡± The old man, as if seeing through his thoughts, spoke slowly and leisurely. ¡°In some ways, mortals are no worse than wizards.¡± Richard sighed, it seemed he could only wait for the records from Spencer. ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, then I won¡¯t bother you any further.¡± Richard stood up to leave. The old man didn¡¯t see him out but simply set up a few chess pieces on the board and started playing against himself. It seemed that this chessboard represented the truth he sought. The investigation records from the police arrived quickly in Richard¡¯s hands, and he immediately began reviewing them. ¡°The Blood Red Master?¡± Richard pointed at a term in the records and asked Spencer. ¡°What¡¯s this? Are there still religions in the city?¡± Wizards do not believe in gods, or more accurately, they do not believe in any gods whose real bodies can be found. In the process of conquering the Otherworld, wizards have killed countless creatures claiming to be divine beings. Some of these were World Masters, some twisted Evil Demons, but in the eyes of wizards, these entities were merely powerful natives whose only purpose was to contribute knowledge on the wizard¡¯s dissecting table. Of course, there are believers among the wizards, adherents of a branch of the Soul School, who imagine a Divine being and pray to it, offering Magic Power as offerings, turning this Divine being into something akin to a storage facility. In times of danger, this Divine being would return the stored power to the wizards, enabling them to enhance their strength for a short period. This was an offbeat Spell, and even among Soul Wizards, these individuals were just a very small part. ¡°This¡­ it indeed is a religion,¡± Spencer was somewhat perplexed, ¡°but it should have been eradicated a long time ago.¡± ¡°A cult?¡± Spencer nodded his head. ¡°Indeed a cult. This religion required its followers to offer living people as sacrifices, and after being reported, the Civil Protection Team arrested its leaders, and the religion should have disbanded. It seems this is a resurgence of the extinguished flames.¡± Richard tapped on the term ¡®Blood Red Master¡¯; he had a feeling this case must be the work of the resurrected cult. ¡°Instruct the police to discreetly investigate this cult and notify me immediately if there¡¯s any news.¡± ¡°As you wish, Great Wizard.¡± Three days later, the investigation results from the police were laid out in front of Richard. ¡°Sir, your wisdom is truly unrivaled. All these missing persons are connected to the Vortex God; they are all followers of this sect,¡± Spencer said obsequiously beside Richard. ¡°That¡¯s not enough.¡± Richard shook his head, ¡°Have the police arrange an identity for me; I want to infiltrate this sect.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to investigate in person?¡± Spencer was slightly startled, ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit too dangerous?¡± ¡°Dangerous?¡± Richard looked at him as if he were a fool, ¡°My dear City Lord, you seem to have forgotten something; I am a Wizard Apprentice. I¡¯m much stronger than those knights and high knights under you.¡± Spencer¡¯s face turned red; he had forgotten that the respect he held was not merely for the title. It was the profound strength that underpinned that respect. COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 76 - Chapter 76: Chapter 76: Ceremony Chapter 76: Chapter 76: Ceremony Mr. Nicolo was a well-known wealthy merchant in Gael City, mainly dealing in the grain business, handling one-tenth of the city¡¯s grain supply, and was indeed a rich man. This wealthy man had no particular hobbies, except for some normal fun, his most time-consuming interest was in studying witchcraft. This witchcraft was not the kind the Wizard Academy taught, which was proper Spells. Instead, these witchcrafts were filled with all sorts of absurd and unrestrained elements, nine out of ten were fake, and the remaining one was some incomplete witchcraft left behind. To put how perplexing this hobby was into perspective, it was like a patient ignoring modern medicine and instead seeking out some folk remedies to treat their illness. But Mr. Nicolo remained endlessly enthusiastic, even somewhat obsessed. An unknown secret chamber. ¡°Pastor, the police have started investigating us.¡± The short and stout Nicolo knelt on the ground, in front of him, a mysterious figure in a black robe was praying to an altar. ¡°What have they discovered?¡± the mysterious person¡¯s voice sounded strange, as if many voices were mixed together. The language he spoke was not the Wizard Language; Nicolo had never heard this language before, but he still understood what was being said. ¡°Pastor, our sacrifices are likely to have been exposed.¡± ¡°What?¡± A formidable pressure suddenly burst from the mysterious person as Nicolo knelt before him, making Nicolo feel that he was not facing a human, but a Demon God who had been sealed. ¡°What should we do, my Lord?¡± Nicolo said, trembling. ¡°What to do?¡± the mysterious person paused, ¡°Gather the believers tonight, we can no longer delay the sacrifice, we must hasten the arrival of our Lord.¡± ¡°Yes, my Lord, I will get on it immediately.¡± After Nicolo left, the mysterious person returned to his previous position, a wave of mental fluctuation emanated from within him. ¡°My Lord, tonight is the day you break free from shackles and descend upon this world.¡± On the altar, a tiny Space Rift flickered in and out of visibility. ¡­ Under the arrangements of the police and the City Lord Mansion, Richard successfully obtained a new identity¡ªa Wandering Knight craving power. Using this identity, Richard blended into various taverns to solidify his persona and successfully made contact with the followers of the Crimson Lord, becoming one of them. In the tavern, Richard habitually drank heavily to perfect his image. But soon, a person in red found him. ¡°Richard, there is a sacrifice at the Church tonight,¡± the person in red whispered into Richard¡¯s ear. ¡°A sacrifice?¡± Richard pretended to be excited, ¡°Does that mean I might receive the Crimson Lord¡¯s blessing?¡± The person in red frowned and gestured for Richard to keep his voice down. ¡°Of course, each sacrifice brings blessings from the Crimson Lord.¡± ¡°How lucky I am then!¡± Internally, the person in red thought Richard was a fool to believe such things. The Crimson Lord¡¯s blessing was not so easily bestowed, and even if it was, it certainly wouldn¡¯t be for a fool like him. However, the person in red did not express these thoughts, instead feigning envy: ¡°You really are lucky, to have joined just in time for a sacrifice.¡± After conveying the message, the person in red left the tavern, while Richard¡¯s excited expression gradually morphed into a sneer. ¡°Having wasted so much time, I¡¯ve finally caught the mastermind.¡± Without staying much longer, Richard immediately contacted Spencer to prepare for the evacuation of the civilians. A crazy Wizard might act without regard for the lives of civilians, but Richard couldn¡¯t. The Academy¡¯s mission had a requirement¡ªto minimize civilian casualties. ¡°73 Ninth Street? Alright, my Lord, I will prepare immediately,¡± Spencer¡¯s voice came from the Crystal Ball. ¡°This Crystal Ball was specially prepared by Richard for this mission at the Wizard Academy. Its function is to transmit sound within five hundred meters, essentially a low-grade version of a telephone. However, this gadget also had an advantage¡ªit had almost no Magic Fluctuations, so Richard was not afraid of his voice transmission being detected by mad wizards. ¡°Don¡¯t prepare too early, be careful of information leakage,¡± Richard instructed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Wizard Sir, I can handle such a small matter,¡± the apprentice replied. At night, Richard, cloaked and wearing worn leather armor, carrying his Great Sword, arrived at the gathering place. The gatekeeper, after confirming Richard¡¯s identity, let him in. From the outside, the gathering place looked no different from a normal residence, but beneath it was a huge underground hall. The entire hall could accommodate hundreds of members, with torches and oil lamps hanging from the walls. In the center of the hall was a black stone altar, covered in strange patterns. Normally, those attending the gathering would pray toward this altar. This underground hall had several tunnels connected to it, but unfortunately, Richard never had the chance to explore where these tunnels led. The underground hall¡¯s Believers kept increasing in number, and soon there were hundreds gathered. These people wore masks and cloaks, making the entire hall resemble a masquerade ball. Soon, everyone had arrived. As the guards closed the entrance to the underground hall, a figure clad in black emerged from the shadows and floated to the center of the hall. ¡°Good evening, faithful Believers of the Blood Red Lord,¡± ¡°Pastor,¡± the crowd bowed in unison toward the figure in black. ¡°I believe you must be curious why I¡¯m rushing the sacrifice, given that it¡¯s been less than half a year since our last one.¡± The voice of the figure in black suddenly became more forceful. ¡°Today, I received an oracle from our master, the great Blood Red Lord. He said the time has come, the time to descend upon mankind and bring us a great cleansing.¡± Upon hearing this news, the whole hall¡¯s Believers grew excited. Fanatics were somewhat like star chasers¡ªunquestionably thrilled at the prospect of soon seeing their idol. But Richard, standing in a corner, let out a cold laugh. If it weren¡¯t for the multitude of people here and the risk of being ambushed by spells from the Undead School, he would have liked to kill this ridiculous charlatan right away. An Advanced Apprentice playing the role of a prophet in a mortal city, really disgracing the face of all Wizard Apprentices. If only he had a bit of a mad scientist¡¯s charisma, even a little bit, Richard wouldn¡¯t underestimate him. But this charlatan really lacked it completely. ¡°Sacrifice! Sacrifice! Sacrifice!¡­¡± It started with someone, and soon the whole hall¡¯s Believers were chanting ¡®sacrifice,¡¯ which greatly irritated Richard. Damn it, believing in a god in a world with wizards¡ªwhat on earth were these people thinking! The figure in black opened his arms toward the Believers, his words growing fervent: ¡°Brothers and sisters, our heaven is about to descend, our Lord will establish an Earthly Divine Country on this land. In the Divine Country, there will be no poverty, no pain, no sickness, no death, we will revel in joy until the end of time!¡± At the same moment, a secret mental invasion suddenly touched Richard¡¯s mind. The figure in black in the sky suddenly shuddered, his gaze instantly turning toward the corner of the hall. ¡°Who are you!¡± Richard let out a breath and stepped forward, sword in hand. ¡°The one to kill you.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 77 - Chapter 77: Chapter 77 Mad Wizard Chapter 77: Chapter 77 Mad Wizard ¡°The one trying to kill me?¡± the man in black suddenly spoke with a venomous tone. ¡°Wizard Apprentice of the Wizard Academy?¡± Richard didn¡¯t answer; his figure abruptly transformed into a giant covered in black scales, and his great sword burst into fierce black flames. Then¡­ Boom! With a whooshing sound of swinging winds, the great sword smashed the man in black into the walls of the hall. At the same time, the Civil Protection Team on the ground also sprang into action. Under the arrangements of City Lord Spencer, the entire Civil Protection Team of Gael City had been summoned here. These robust soldiers, many of whom were knights and skilled in combat, had only one duty in this battle: to evacuate the civilians. ¡°Dammit!¡± Rage-filled roars came from within the walls as a blood-red figure burst forth with such speed that the human eye could hardly follow. But Richard, not even looking, swung his sword backward. Boom! Just like that, a mad wizard? Richard scoffed internally as three fireballs suddenly appeared beside him. The spell models of these fireballs had been modified by Ali, and each had an energy level of fifty. At this moment, the three fireballs targeted the Cult leader simultaneously and shot towards him. Boom! Richard turned back towards the congregation in the hall and then pulled out a Recording Crystal Ball. ¡°Leave this place at once.¡± The brains of Cult believers were not generally good, and after his warning, probably few would listen. Recording it in advance would be useful to provide an explanation to the Academy when many ended up dead. If they insisted on seeking death, how could he be blamed? As expected, after Richard¡¯s warning, not a single believer in the hall moved, even though the Pastor¡¯s mind control had ceased. Richard shook his head; there was no use in persuading those seeking death. He approached the man in black who, after being bombarded by three Fireball Techniques, was now barely recognizable as human. But it was unknown what kind of modifications this mad wizard had performed on himself, for even unconscious, his flesh continued to writhe, incessantly healing his wounds. ¡°Interesting.¡± Richard lifted the man out, and as the flesh writhed, the man in black¡¯s appearance returned to normal. A gasp went up from the congregation upon seeing his true face. ¡°Good heavens, how can it be Mr. Nicolo?¡± Mr. Nicolo? Richard took note of this address and immediately used the Crystal to contact Spencer on the ground. ¡°Spencer, do you know someone named Nicolo?¡± ¡°Nicolo?¡± The voice that came from the Crystal was full of surprise. ¡°Nicolo is the largest grain merchant in Gael City, sir, have you seen him inside?¡± A grain merchant? A twinge of unease flitted through Richard¡¯s mind. ¡°Is he a graduated Wizard?¡± Richard immediately asked. ¡°How could that be, sir. Although Nicolo has a hobby of studying witchcraft, he is absolutely a mortal,¡± Spencer¡¯s answer sent a shock through Richard¡¯s heart. If Nicolo was a grain merchant, where did his spiritual power come from? Awakening spiritual power required meditation, and training spiritual power needed a long time. Gael City had some Basic Meditation Methods, Richard could believe, but relying on Basic Meditation Methods, one could meditate for a lifetime and still not reach the level of an Advanced Apprentice. ¡°No, this is a trap!¡± A moment of realization dawned on Richard, and he immediately tried to leave the underground hall. But by then it was already a bit too late. A crimson light erupted from the altar at the center of the hall, enveloping it in an instant. Beneath this cover of crimson light, the skin of the believers began to ooze blood, which fell to the ground, forming a stream, and within the hall, drew an eerie Array. The believers did not wail or show pain, they knelt in the bloodlight, loudly praising the blessing of the blood-red Lord. But Richard was feeling quite unwell now. He could feel his cells trembling, an eerie energy stimulating them to detach from his body. Richard had no time to think further, as several fireballs appeared in front of him, heading straight for the altar at the center of the hall. Meanwhile, he turned and ran outside. With a ¡°boom,¡± the fireballs exploded, and the spreading flames instantly enveloped the altar, blasting several nearby believers into pieces. When the flames dissipated, the altar remained untouched¡ªa blood barrier had stopped all their power. Before Richard¡¯s pupils could constrict, ready to attack again, he saw a person stand up from among the believers and point a finger at him. Snap, snap, snap. Three crackling sounds rang beside Richard¡¯s ears, the sound of his mental barrier shattering. In an instant, his brain felt as if it had been stabbed by dozens of red-hot iron spikes, causing severe pain that left his mind blank. ¡°Mad Wizard!¡± Richard yelled, clutching his head. ¡°You¡¯re not dead?¡± The Mad Wizard was somewhat surprised. Most Advanced Apprentices wouldn¡¯t survive his strike. But no matter, if he wasn¡¯t dead, just finish him with another blow. With that thought, the Mad Wizard¡¯s magic power surged, preparing for another strike. Bang! The Mad Wizard stared dumbfounded at the position of his right arm, which was now only a mist of blood. ¡°Ugh!¡± The Mad Wizard grunted, his face turned pale, and blood flowed continuously from his eyes, mouth, and nose. The intense pain instantly disrupted his attention, and the spell he was forming failed. The spell backlash hit him immediately. He probably couldn¡¯t use spells for a short time now. He pulled a Fine Steel Magic Wand, half a person tall, from his Magic Pocket, and the flesh at the wound of his right arm twisted until a new arm grew out in moments. He turned to look at Richard and saw that Richard was holding a strange piece of Magic Equipment that resembled some kind of alien crossbow. ¡°Darn, missed,¡± Richard said, enduring the headache as he put the Magic Gun back into his pocket. This thing could only surprise and kill; if it didn¡¯t finish the job with one shot, it was hard to achieve anything. At that moment, Richard didn¡¯t dare to use spells recklessly either. The damage from the psychic attack wasn¡¯t easy to remove, the severe pain came from the soul, and even Concentration Potions wouldn¡¯t make him immune. Under the bloodlight, the two Wizard Apprentices stared at each other from a distance. The next moment, their figures collided with each other, erupting waves of air. With the Mad Wizard present, Richard certainly couldn¡¯t leave easily. The sacrifice ritual seemed eerily abnormal, and if left to continue, who knew what chaos it might cause. Moreover, Richard had an inkling that this blood-red deity might not be a fabrication of the Mad Wizard¡¯s. This so-called divine being might truly exist. If the ritual kept going, there was fear that the being might indeed descend. Richard knew that the Wizard World definitely had its own countermeasures for such events, but even if that being descended for just a second, Richard would be dead. Perhaps the descent of such a being was only a minor loss to the Wizard World, they might even gain a bit from it. But Richard had no desire to be the sacrificial price for that. In the bloody light, Richard transformed into the Black-Scaled Giant, his body bristling with muscles, each movement carrying the force of ten thousand pounds. The Mad Wizard, although employing spells from the Mind School, now had physical strength that nearly matched Richard, an apprentice who had refined his physique. Muffled booms continuously resonated inside the hall, two near non-human creatures¡ªone wielding a Magic Wand, the other swinging a Great Sword¡ªattacking each other¡¯s vital points with every move. But, in the end, the Mad Wizard wasn¡¯t one who specialized in physique, and Richard gradually gained the upper hand in the fight. Once the Mad Wizard revealed a flaw, Richard let out a ferocious smile, and his arm muscles suddenly swelled. Boom! A burst of blood broke out from the Mad Wizard¡¯s chest, a powerful force penetrating and blasting an almost translucent hole. ¡°It¡¯s over,¡± Richard said coldly, ready to strike off the Mad Wizard¡¯s head with his sword. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s over.¡± The Mad Wizard revealed a mocking smile, and behind him, a space rift suddenly opened above the altar, revealing a blood-red eye. ¡°My lord is about to descend!¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 78 - Chapter 78: Chapter 78: The Mysterious Black-Robed Wizard Chapter 78: Chapter 78: The Mysterious Black-Robed Wizard Indescribable fear surged through Richard again. That eye did nothing but cast a glance at him, and his entire body felt like it was about to disintegrate. ¡°World Master, it must be a World Master!¡± Richard thought to himself in terror. That eye definitely belonged to a World Master. The deranged Wizard looked at Richard mockingly. Although he too was frozen by the World Master¡¯s overwhelming presence, to him, it represented the majesty of his Master. ¡°Oh my Master, descend upon this world,¡± the deranged Wizard shouted near madness. But the next moment, he noticed something was off. How was Richard moving? Under the might of the Blood-Red Master, how could such an insect like Richard even stir! Richard slowly moved his hand to the pocket at his waist. Unlike this ignorant deranged Wizard, he had legitimately met the Great Wizard. During his last encounter with the Great Wizard, Richard¡¯s body had adapted to the extreme fear. Now, Richard could move somewhat normally under the slightly lesser pressure from the World Master. The space rift was gradually expanding, as though the owner of those blood-red eyes truly intended to descend upon this world. Richard reached into his Magic Pocket and pulled out three black cylinders. ¡°Magic Equipment? Foolish lamb, do you still struggle? Submit at the feet of my Master. My Master will bring a perfect Earthly Heaven to this world!¡± the deranged Wizard shouted fanatically. But Richard ignored him, only silently estimating the distance to the altar. ¡°I am three meters away from the altar; this distance should be enough.¡± Richard looked at the altar and suddenly channeled Magic Power into his heart. The next moment, a strong force burst from his heart, giving him the power for one throw. ¡°Go!¡± The three cylinders hit the altar precisely. ¡°Three, two¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s useless!¡± the deranged Wizard laughed madly. ¡°Unless a Wizard intervenes, no one can break this altar¡­¡± ¡°One!¡± Boom! Blinding light burst forth like the dawn of chaos, enveloping the altar in an instant. The next instant, a thunderous noise echoed through the hall, leaving Richard dizzy. The bright light dissipated, and the altar was gone. ¡°The altar¡­ disappeared? How is that possible!¡± the deranged Wizard stared blankly at where the altar had stood, now only a dark crater remained. ¡°This can¡¯t be, it can¡¯t be!¡± The deranged Wizard crawled like a dog to where the altar had been, trying to find evidence that it was all an illusion. But once gone, it was gone; no matter how he searched, he couldn¡¯t bring back an almost vaporized altar. Richard quietly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking to himself that the three Annihilation Hand Grenades of a thousand Energy Level each were indeed powerful. Without these grenades, he would have probably met his end today. But before he could catch his breath, a ¡°click¡± sound entered his ears. ¡°No way.¡± Richard felt disheartened and shifted his gaze towards the location of the altar. In the very space where the altar had been, countless blood-red tentacles burst through the void, forcefully tearing open a Space Rift. This thing had come back! ¡°Damn it¡­¡± As Richard looked at the blood-red tentacles, he cursed profusely inside. He had destroyed the altar, yet this World Master was still eager to meet its demise. Is this person head hell-bent on courting death? The crazed wizard broke into a wild laughter, ¡°Ha ha ha ha¡­ I knew my master wouldn¡¯t fail like this¡­ Huh? Why have you returned, my master?¡± Before the crazed wizard could finish his laughter, he saw blood-red tentacles suddenly retract into the space rift, as if sensing something and preparing to flee. ¡°Heh heh heh¡­ You think you can come to the Wizard World and just leave?¡± In an instant, the space in the underground hall seemed to freeze, the retracting tentacles were fixed in midair, and a space rift appeared out of nowhere. A wizard in a black robe stepped out. ¡°Little fellow, your task is over.¡± Richard watched the wizard, whose presence radiated an evil and maniacal aura, resembling a Destructive Demon God in human skin, but he felt not an ounce of fear, and even¡­ felt a strong kinship to him. It was as though this terrifying wizard was his own family. ¡°Is this¡­ a spell?¡± Confusion flashed through Richard¡¯s mind. Was his mind being manipulated? The wizard in the black robe paid no attention to Richard¡¯s reaction, his arm reached out from beneath his robe toward the blood-red tentacles, grabbing at air as if holding the entire space of the underground hall in his hand. Richard felt an overwhelming pressure, and the crazed wizard seemed to endure even more, directly transforming into a puddle of flesh under this pressure. Boom¡­ The World Master behind the rift decided to sacrifice the pawn to save the king, severing the portion of its tentacle that had extended into the Wizard World. But the black-robed wizard was not done yet. He chuckled eerily and immediately reached his arm into the space rift, braving the temporal flux to catch hold of the owner of the blood-red tentacles. ¡°No alien is allowed to invade the Wizard World!¡± The two fearsome creatures battled across the chaotic flux of time and space, while Richard watched on the side, his heart pounding with fear. Soon, the black-robed wizard withdrew his arms, holding a bloody, thick tentacle in his hand. The tentacle was covered in mysterious patterns, and Richard felt dizzy and nearly fainted just from a brief glance. ¡°Flesh Rule, still somewhat useful.¡± The black-robed wizard nonchalantly opened another space rift, threw the tentacle into it, and then collected the other wriggling, convulsing tentacles from the ground as well, leaving only one the size of an arm. ¡°Little fellow, you did well.¡± The black-robed wizard approached Richard with the tentacle, ¡°Evacuating civilians was a wise decision, and sticking to your duties is an admirable quality.¡± Richard hurriedly stood up and respectfully performed the Wizard¡¯s Salute. ¡°Master, I am Richard, apprentice of the 432nd class at the Black Tower Wizard Academy. I am honored to receive your praise.¡± ¡°You did well, this little thing is your reward.¡± The black-robed wizard tossed the tentacle piece to Richard. ¡°Though that World Master is a Level 4 Creature, most of the essence in this tentacle has been reclaimed by it, and what¡¯s left is now just a shell. Whether you keep it as a specimen or study its body structure is up to you. It¡¯s not dangerous.¡± With that, the black-robed wizard stepped forward and vanished without a trace. ¡°Not dangerous¡­¡± Richard gripped the tentacle in his hand, his Miracle Furnace within his soul trembling slightly. [Material: Unknown tentacle] [Refinable Rule: Flesh (Extremely Incomplete) (Dissipating)] [Refinement Cost: 5 Soul Power] [Proceed with Refinement?] ¡°Flesh Rule, Soul Power¡­¡± Richard found himself in a dilemma. Soul Power represented the upper limit of Richard¡¯s mental strength; choosing to refine would cause him to plummet from an advanced wizard apprentice to an intermediate one. This would be disadvantageous for the upcoming apprentice exchange competition. But the Flesh Rule being refined was no ordinary thing. Creatures capable of touching such rules must at least be on the level of a Three Rings Wizard. Although this rule is extremely incomplete now, for him, an apprentice, it is undoubtedly a great benefit. So¡­ to refine, or not to refine? COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 79 - Chapter 79: Chapter 79 Flesh Rule Chapter 79: Chapter 79 Flesh Rule Richard had no time for hesitation. Faced with the limits of spiritual power and the rules, Richard resolutely chose the rules. At the moment he decided to refine, Richard felt as if a piece of his soul had been sliced off by someone, an indescribable emptiness filling his heart. He felt as if something was missing. With fuel provided, the Miracle Furnace began to operate. The tentacle in Richard¡¯s hand vanished instantly, reappearing within the furnace. Richard wanted to observe the details of the refinement, but unfortunately, the furnace¡¯s refining process was still as rapid as ever. In an instant, a ball of light with a blood-red luster undulated above the Miracle Furnace. The tentacle, seemingly stripped of its last essence, while its flesh still twitched, had thoroughly degenerated into a mundane object. ¡°Flesh Rule, I hope it¡¯s worth the price.¡± After absorbing the light ball, Richard immediately felt a profound and inscrutable power enter his body, and in that moment, he seemed to achieve enlightenment. This was unlike absorbing skills; he had truly ¡°comprehended¡± something. Once the absorption was complete, Richard opened his eyes and lightly pressed against the wall beside him. A muffled sound ensued, and Richard¡¯s palm easily left an imprint on the wall. Richard took out a Crystal Ball to test his current stats. [Spiritual Power 38, Physique Forty-Five, Magic Power 380, Rating, Intermediate Apprentice] ¡°Still forty-five points, my physique hasn¡¯t been enhanced,¡± Richard mused, considering his data. Under the effects of the Rebound Effect, Physique Enhancement Potions, and Adaptation Body training, Richard¡¯s physique had reached forty-five points not long ago, thereby depleting his stock of Physique Enhancement Potions. ¡°But my strength has indeed been enhanced. And now it seems I can¡­¡± With a thought, the muscles in Richard¡¯s arm began to subtly shift, strands of muscle fibers interweaving to form a new muscle structure. ¡°Flesh Control? It must be more than just that.¡± Richard took out two Magic Stones to replenish his Magic Power, then activated his Bloodline. This time, however, activating his Bloodline was different. Richard discovered he could now control the transformation of his body¡¯s Bloodline, where a typical Bloodline Transformation would involve the whole body changing, Richard could now choose to transform only parts of his body while keeping the rest unchanged. Additionally, he could control the Black Scales that had emerged, fusing them together to form either a Dagger or a piece of Arm Armor. ¡°An amazing rule, if I could have a bit more, could I directly control cells, or even the Life Core?¡± Richard¡¯s mind burst with countless fantasies, but he quickly suppressed them. The rules were still too far out of his reach; being fortunate enough to obtain even a sliver was a great luck. After searching the basement, Richard found a notebook and several dozen Magic Stones in the insane Wizard¡¯s Magic Pocket, but as for the Fine Steel Magic Wand, Richard didn¡¯t even entertain the thought of selling it. It was too crude; selling it would be an embarrassment to him. Among the mad Wizard¡¯s notes, Richard found records of an ancient spell that seemed capable of communicating with creatures from the Otherworld. It was probably because of this spell that the Apprentice had managed to find the Blood-Red Master. Back on the surface, Richard found Spencer and told him to pour oil into the underground hall and burn it before entering again. ¡°I¡¯m doing this for your own good,¡± Richard said earnestly, patting Spencer¡¯s shoulder. Because of the battle between the mysterious Wizard and the World Master, the entire hall had turned into a sea of blood; all sorts of flesh and organs mixed together, a sight that would give even Richard nightmares for days. After completing the task, Richard immediately took the airship back to the Academy and informed Jolod of the entire situation. ¡°World Master!¡± Jolod sprang up from his chair upon hearing Richard¡¯s report. He circled around Richard to inspect him and found that aside from a slight weakness in magic fluctuation, his student seemed unharmed. It was incredible that one could suffer so little damage after an encounter with a World Master. After the examination, Jolod suddenly gave Richard a thumbs-up. ¡°Being able to meet a World Master and still live, my apprentice, you¡¯re even more formidable than your teacher.¡± Richard smiled sheepishly and then inquired about the mysterious wizard. ¡°This mysterious wizard you speak of must be a World Guardian of the Wizard World, that is, a Law Enforcement Wizard from the Judicial Department. The one you encountered surely holds a high position in the Judicial Department.¡± ¡°World Guardian?¡± Richard questioned with curiosity. ¡°They are the World Masters of the Wizard World. Within the Star Realm, there are many ways to become a Level 4 Creature, or a Great Wizard. Among the most common is to be acknowledged by the world, to be infused with the Power of World Origin, and become a World Guardian,¡± Jolod explained. ¡°World Masters made in this manner receive strengthened combat abilities within their guarded worlds, but once they leave those worlds, their combat power plummets. It¡¯s a trade-off. Most of the World Masters we encounter in our conquest of other worlds are of this kind.¡± ¡°I see, no wonder I didn¡¯t feel fear when I saw that wizard, but rather a sense of familiarity,¡± mused Richard. Jolod sneered, ¡°You found him amiable because you didn¡¯t violate any laws. If you had broken the law, what you¡¯d feel upon seeing him would be fear, not friendliness.¡± Richard just laughed, not saying anything further. But in his heart, Richard had resolved a major confusion. It seemed that as a transmigrator, he had been recognized by the Wizard World. Afterward, Richard submitted his mission report. The Academy praised Richard¡¯s conduct highly and rewarded him with an additional 1,000 magic stones on top of the original task payout of 2,000 magic stones. However, Richard remained quite calm about this. 1,000 magic stones, heh, I earn nearly that much in two months. Upon returning to the Academy, Richard¡¯s life returned to normal. What was different now was that Richard suddenly began to exchange knowledge about Synthetic Beasts with Jolod. The Flesh Rule had provided Richard with the ability of Flesh Control, which, although currently limited to his own body, significantly increased his combat capabilities when combined with the knowledge of muscle structure from Synthetic Beast knowledge. Additionally, Richard felt that there was more to this ability than he was currently utilizing, and deeper secrets awaited his discovery. Besides, Richard was also researching the tentacle of the World Master. Fragments of a World Master¡¯s body weren¡¯t rare in the Wizard World; Great Wizards who battled in Otherworlds had killed countless World Masters, and even moderately wealthy wizards could purchase these unremarkable, rule-devoid fragments. But for a Wizard Apprentice, this tentacle was an invaluable treasure. From it, Richard obtained a kind of active flesh, which was the best material for creating and even enhancing Synthetic Beasts. Furthermore, this tentacle¡¯s life energy was exceptionally tenacious. After receiving nutrient solution and magic power sustenance, the severed tentacle managed to survive in the laboratory, continuously producing more active flesh. Though the output was tiny, the accumulated amount represented a considerable fortune. With this active flesh and the Synthetic Beast knowledge acquired from Jolod, Richard planned a transformation scheme for the Death Crow Wuni. COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 80 - Chapter 80: Chapter 80: Strengthening Wuni Chapter 80: Chapter 80: Strengthening Wuni Synthetic Beasts were an ancient craft, in the old Dark Age, they had become a taboo technique for some Wizards to create slaves. During the Enlightenment period, this ancient craft had received ample development due to wars, and masses of Synthetic Beasts were thrown into the Wizard wars. Now, in this era of exploration, Synthetic Beasts had already become a necessary piece of knowledge for every Academy to master. Creating a Synthetic Beast involved three steps: first, cultivating a Synthetic Beast Core, second, preparing active Flesh and various limb parts, and third, using an Alchemy Array to assemble these components together. Richard had once tried creating a Synthetic Beast but unfortunately, he simply lacked the Talent for it, and the best he could do was copy the things from the books without any original thought. But that was enough for Richard. In the laboratory, Richard, wearing a magnifying glass, was incessantly inscribing Runes on a black stone platform with a feather pen. Producing Synthetic Beasts required an Alchemy Array, and enhancing Synthetic Beasts required one as well. After completing the inscriptions of three thousand seven hundred and fifty Runes, Richard let out a slight sigh of relief. Inscribing Runes was not an easy task, constantly channeling Magic Power into the feather pen with the use of Alchemy ink was necessary, and this process had to be maintained steady, for any fluctuation in Magic Power would cause the feather pen to explode violently. If unlucky, even the stone platform would be damaged, leading to its replacement. ¡°The Alchemy Array is complete, next is the operation.¡± A year and a half had passed since Richard last took on a task, in which time those Flesh Tentacles had produced fifteen hundred grams of high-quality active Flesh for Richard. This Flesh was extremely resilient, and according to the rating of the Wizard Commerce, it had reached Third Level in activity, worth ten Magic Stones per gram. Richard pulled out a transparent quartz tube from his Magic Pocket, which contained a piece of Flesh that was twisting and pulsating. ¡°Wuni.¡± Richard softly called out, and a black crow flew over from one side of the laboratory. ¡°This Flesh could fetch fifteen thousand Magic Stones out there, and I¡¯ve spent a small fortune to enhance you, so you better perform well.¡± Richard muttered as he placed Wuni on the testing platform, then he took an anesthetic and injected it into its body. Once the anesthetic took effect, Richard moved the collapsed Wuni to the dissection table and donned a pair of low-light vision goggles. Jolod¡¯s mastered techniques did not include shadowless lamps, so Richard had to use these low-light vision goggles to negate the effects of shadows. With Wuni¡¯s limbs secured, Richard took out a razor to remove the feathers from its spine, and then with a scalpel, he cleanly sliced open its back skin. Observing the fresh red blood, the quivering muscles, Richard calmly watched all of this, then opened the tube holding the active Flesh and directly used his hands to take it out. The active Flesh had parasitic properties, they would bond with any Flesh they contacted, becoming a part of the organism¡¯s body spontaneously. Therefore, under normal circumstances, Wizards would not make direct contact with active Flesh. But Richard was an exception. No sooner had the Flesh parasitism been completed, Richard, through the ability of Flesh Control, took control of it. Under Richard¡¯s manipulation, this active Flesh began to enter Wuni¡¯s body through the wound and attach to the muscles. This active Flesh would strengthen Wuni¡¯s physique and enhance its Life Recovery Ability. Under normal circumstances, implanting active flesh is a long and tedious process because the spread of active flesh lacks regularity, requiring the Wizard himself to segment it and then place it into various muscle groups. But Richard had the sticky skill of Flesh Control. With just one wound, Richard could direct the active flesh to where he wanted to strengthen. After the active flesh was successfully parasitized, Richard did not rush to separate it from his body; instead, he took out a white bone fragment engraved with runes from his pocket. ¡°With One Ring Spell of Light Distortion combined with Jolod¡¯s body of black fur, once he enters the forest, he¡¯s definitely an excellent scout,¡± Richard looked proudly at the metal, which was an idea he had while implanting the Magic Gun. The One Ring Spell of Light Distortion could create a faint invisibility effect, and in the shadows, there was hardly any difference from a Three Rings Invisibility Technique. Richard never intended to use Jolod for frontal attacks; stealth and reconnaissance were where Jolod¡¯s talents lay. He inserted the spell plugin into the wound and then used Flesh Control to fix it in place. The delicate flesh threads followed the fine pores on the bone fragment, firmly anchoring it onto Jolod¡¯s body. Having completed all this, Richard used a surgical scalpel to separate the active flesh from himself, then stitched up the wound and placed it onto the freshly made alchemy platform. With the infusion of magic power, the Alchemy Array began to promote Jolod¡¯s body to assimilate the active flesh, a lengthy and the most dangerous process. Assimilating active flesh had a certain chance of failure; at best, the active flesh could become necrotic and lose its vitality, and at worst, the active flesh could become violent, turn against its host, and engulf the body, becoming an existence similar to cancer cells. Richard locked the laboratory door and hung a Do Not Disturb sign on it. Jolod¡¯s matter was settled for now. Back in his bedroom, Richard casually picked up a book titled ¡°Introductory to Alchemy Mechanical Science¡± and began studying. Alchemy machinery is one of the most widely applied branches of the Alchemy School, ranging from the small Magic Airship that Richard rode to the massive Floating Cities used by the Wizard World for external warfare, all masterpieces of Alchemy Mechanical Science. But Jolod didn¡¯t have many books on Alchemy Mechanical Science. As a Wizard researching Synthetic Beasts, Jolod was naturally at odds with Alchemy Machinery. It was like the difference between genetic ascension and mechanical ascension: one school believed that the living body was flexible and reliable, the most perfect work of nature; the other believed that machinery was solid and had a strong carrying capacity, the direction of future evolution. These two viewpoints contained fundamentally irreconcilable elements. But to Jolod¡¯s frustration, aside from Chax, neither Anna nor Richard had talent in the field of Synthetic Beasts; in fact, Anna showed an exceptional talent for Alchemy Machinery. To not waste Anna¡¯s talent, he had to grudgingly tolerate Anna learning Alchemy Machinery. As a teacher, the professional ethics of Jolod were quite reliable. Alchemy Mechanical Science gave Richard a great deal of inspiration, especially when he saw a certain Alchemy Wizard mention in the book that the essence of the Ice Cone Skill was physical damage and suggest a solution very similar to the Magic Gun, Richard even felt a sense of finding kindred spirits in a foreign land. Unfortunately, Jolod¡¯s books on Alchemy Machinery were too few, and Richard¡¯s time was also very tight. To make significant progress in Alchemy Machinery, he would have to wait until he became a Wizard. ¡°Becoming a Wizard¡­ that depends on the exchange competition in half a year. Winning the competition would mean becoming a Wizard ten years ahead of time!¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 81 - Chapter 81: Chapter 81: The Exchange Tournament Begins Chapter 81: Chapter 81: The Exchange Tournament Begins The day for the exchange match arrived in a blink of an eye. [Spiritual Power 41, Physique 45, Magic Power 410, Rating: Advanced Apprentice] In his bedroom, Richard looked at the data in the Crystal Ball and nodded with satisfaction. After two years of meditation, Richard¡¯s spiritual power had returned to the standard of an advanced wizard apprentice. This was undoubtedly a good thing for Richard¡¯s upcoming exchange match. As long as the level gap was not too wide, a slight difference in spiritual power could completely be compensated for with knowledge. Coming to the balcony, he opened the window. As usual, three days before the exam, an academy inspector would come to distribute the rules. Squawk! Squawk! Sure enough, just as Richard opened the window, an Academy Inspector flew over, clutching a scroll in its claws. Richard took the scroll back into the room, ready to see what this Deputy Dean had hidden for so long about the competition. ¡°Hiss¡­¡± Upon unrolling the scroll, Richard gasped in surprise. ¡°Apprentice war, has the academy gone mad?¡± According to the Wizard Rules set by the Truth Council, Black Wizards conduct bloody exams, focusing on rear attacks, while White Wizards do not conduct bloody exams, focusing on straightforward legion combat. These are two completely different developmental ideologies. Yet in this scroll, the Black Tower Wizard Academy, combined with three other Black Wizard Academies, and three White Wizard Academies, had jointly organized this exam named the Apprentice War. In this exam, Black Wizard Apprentices and White Wizard Apprentices had to kill each other, vying for resource points on the map. Isn¡¯t this akin to conducting a bloody exam for White Wizards? Looking at the rules on the scroll, Richard sighed, casting aside the superfluous thoughts in his mind. Whether this exam conformed to the rules was not his concern, what he needed to do now was to familiarize himself with the rules quickly and then take the lead in this war. According to the rules, the battlefield was divided into three areas, with apprentices from both camps scattered equally across the three areas. In these three areas, each area had seven resource points, which would transmit a thousand Magic Stones every month. At the start of the war, each faction had three resource points per area, while the remaining resource point acted as a public resource point, belonging to whoever occupied it. Additionally, in this war, the number of Magic Stones an apprentice could carry was limited to three thousand. This illustrated that the resource points were designed to entice the apprentices from both sides into a bloody slaughter. Magic Stones equated to combat power¡ªonce one faction¡¯s acquisition of Magic Stones increased, it meant that the balance of victory would tilt towards the side with more Magic Stones. The victory conditions for this war were simple¡ªif one side held fewer than two resource points, or if the number of apprentices dropped to less than half, that side was considered to have lost. After all regional wars ended, the overall outcome would be judged based on the victorious areas of both sides. As for the rewards and punishments for apprentices after the match, that was for the academy to decide. The Black Tower Wizard Academy, for victories, offered ten guaranteed Wizard positions, along with Magic Stones exchanged based on the number of apprentices killed. If the match was lost, all these rewards would be nullified, and the academy would additionally conduct a bloody exam. It could be said that both the rewards and punishments were quite extreme. However, after all, the Black Tower Wizard Academy was a Black Wizard Academy, and it was quite normal for rewards and punishments to be a bit extreme. After reading the rules, Richard massaged his temples as he began to contemplate his strategy. War was different from the bloody exams that involved killing each other; it emphasized strategy, organization, and execution. If the White Wizard Apprentices were trained as an army corps, then they would have a decisive advantage in this war. Since the White Wizard Academy did not have bloody exams, the number of their apprentices was astonishingly high, almost three and a half times more than the Black Wizard Academy. In a regular war, this number disparity would basically declare the end of the battle. Yet the Academy¡¯s rules did not favor the Black Wizard Apprentices, which made Richard very curious about what the White Wizard Academy was really like. With such a disparity in numbers exceeding three times, yet still allowing the rules not to favor Black Wizards. Could all these White Wizards be incompetent? Richard looked at the scroll again, ensuring he had not misread the data. The number of White Wizard Apprentices was indeed more than three times theirs. ¡°I hope these White Wizards are really as weak as I imagine.¡± Once he rolled up the scroll, Richard began preparing for the Apprentice War. Due to the regulated amount of Magic Stones by the academy, Richard had to exchange as many excess Magic Stones for alchemy materials as possible, specifically choosing a lot of materials for Annihilation Hand Grenades. Recently having new ideas about Alchemy Machines, this was an opportunity to practice on these White Wizards. Three days flashed by, and it was the day of the competition. Apprentices neatly lined up in formations on the plaza directly in front of the Central Black Tower, each having a badge pinned to their chests by a Mechanical Puppet. The badge, a miniature version of the Central Black Tower, had the apprentice¡¯s name and level engraved on the back. This badge not only served as a dog tag for the apprentices but also as a medal of merit for opposing apprentices. Since this event involved multiple academies, the usual cursed points system no longer applied. To count how many apprentices one had killed, one had to collect academy badges from enemy apprentices¡ªthrowing away your badge to save your life was useless, as these badges would be tallied at the end of the test, and any apprentice without a badge would be executed by the academy. As usual, Deputy Dean Alex gave a brief speech. ¡°Apprentices of the 432nd class of the Black Tower Wizard Academy, today you will undergo an unprecedented test. This is a great trial, requested by six Great Wizards to the Truth Council, and after hundreds of years of long waiting, the great Truth Wizard agreed to this experiment. This means that every move you make is being watched by the great Truth Wizard. The Truth Wizard is watching us!¡± Deputy Dean Alex was unusually passionate this time, his speech fervent, waving his arms continuously. His emotions quickly spread to the apprentices on the ground. Although the apprentices did not know what this competition implied, under Alex¡¯s speech, they became pioneers in the Wizard World, great explorers, and their names would even be inscribed on the eternal monument to be worshipped by future generations. However, Richard was not swayed by this passion. Fanaticism was a double-edged sword for wizards; though it could make wizards more passionate about doing something, it could affect their rationality, preventing them from making the best judgments. Alex¡¯s speech soon ended, and afterwards, he waved his Magic Wand, and alongside him, dozens of Wizards around the apprentice formation waved their wands as well, together completing this massive Spell. The location of this Apprentice War was not in the Wizard World, but within the Secret Realm of a Great Wizard. COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 82 - Chapter 82: Chapter 82: Apprentice War (Part 1) Chapter 82: Chapter 82: Apprentice War (Part 1) Orey McKinotos was an outstanding apprentice at the Secret Keeper Wizard College, who with his exquisite shaping wizard abilities, easily defeated many rivals over the past decade¡¯s exams, earning the final reward as well as the nickname ¡°Conqueror.¡± But Orey remained very calm. As an apprentice from a wizard family, the idea of wizard apprentices dueling on the platform couldn¡¯t stir the slightest interest in him. He longed for bloody battles, where only through such combat could his true strength be displayed. Recently, the academy had finally announced the content of the exchange tournament, and the rules of the Apprentice War immediately piqued his interest. In this war, there were no Guardian Wizards; all apprentices engaged in real, bloody combat. This rule made Orey¡¯s blood boil; this was the fight he had been waiting for! ¡­ Upon entering the battlefield, the first thing that hit him was the scent of earth. Orey looked around; he was standing in a forest, and not far from him was a giant crystal stone floating in mid-air. This, he assumed, must be one of the resource points mentioned in the academy¡¯s rules. ¡°The concentration of magic power is so high, at least twice that of the Wizard World.¡± A voice came from behind Orey, and turning, he saw a man with black hair watching him. ¡°Balto, I didn¡¯t expect to find you here.¡± Orey¡¯s eyebrows raised; this black-haired man was his old rival at the academy, Balto the Mechanic from the Alchemy School. ¡°Don¡¯t be so unfriendly; we¡¯re all teammates in this war,¡± Balto said with a cunning smile, like a black fox. ¡°It better be so,¡± Orey responded coldly, then shouted to the surrounding apprentices, ¡°I am Orey McKinotos from the Secret Keeper Wizard College. Apprentices, gather around me!¡± As the winner of the decade¡¯s exam, Orey held a high reputation among the wizard apprentices. In times of war, it was only natural for the weak to seek the protection of the powerful. ¡°Fifteen hundred apprentices,¡± Orey counted the number present and found that almost all the apprentices at this resource point were from the Secret Keeper Academy. ¡°One thousand five hundred apprentices at a resource point, four thousand five hundred at three points; that¡¯s roughly the same number of people from our college participating in the war. It seems that the other two areas should be the same, each with about four thousand five hundred people.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a staggering number of apprentices, Orey,¡± said Balto, joining him, ¡°With this number of apprentices, the amount of magic stones we¡¯ll get each month, on average, will be less than one per person.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll go plunder the Black Wizard apprentices¡¯ resource points,¡± Orey replied without hesitation. ¡°Oh, it seems our Conqueror already has a plan,¡± Balto laughed. Orey gave him a cold glance, ¡°Take advantage of the fact that the war has just started, and everyone has a lot of magic stones, and take as many of the Black Wizard apprentices¡¯ resource points as possible. Kill them outright if possible, and if not, weaken them as much as we can.¡± Balto nodded thoughtfully, ¡°That¡¯s a good idea, indeed. With your influence, the apprentices from our college will surely follow you. If we can gain the upper hand early on, the rest of the war will be much easier to fight.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± Orey asked, staring at Balto, ¡°Mechanic Balto, will you follow me?¡± Balto hesitated a bit, ¡°I¡¯ll pass; offensive attacking is not my strong suit. I¡¯ll cheer you on from the back. Leave me three hundred people, and I¡¯ll repair some things on the side.¡± ¡°You think I will fail?¡± Orey asked sharply, his tone a bit harsh. Balto smiled, a hint of cunning in his eyes. ¡°One must always be prepared for the unexpected.¡± ¡­ On the other side of the battlefield, the Black Wizard Apprentices began their own plan. Richard, as the Legendary Apprentice from the Black Tower Wizard Academy, naturally became the leader of the Black Tower Wizard Academy Apprentices after displaying just a sliver of his own strength. Unfortunately, within this group of apprentices, Richard didn¡¯t find Ali. ¡°Random assignment really is a headache.¡± Richard rubbed his head and then set his gaze on a bald apprentice not far away. The bald apprentice was clad in a red robe, holding a staff as tall as a man. The head of the staff emitted an extraordinary Magic Fluctuation, revealing that it was no mere trinket. ¡°Orey, what are you planning to do?¡± Orey was a formal apprentice of Master Alon from the Black Tower Wizard Academy, majoring in Shape-shifting School. In the last bloody examination, he was also one of the twenty who entered the Secret Realm. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t really have any ideas.¡± Orey touched his bald head, pretending to be very shy. In his opinion, it was a foolish thing to seize the apprentices¡¯ leadership at the start. The White Wizard Apprentices outnumbered the Black Wizard Apprentices by almost three and a half times when it came to manpower. At the beginning, when everyone¡¯s Magic Stones were the most abundant, even fools knew that the White Wizard Apprentices would rush over to give the Black Wizard Apprentices a hard strike. At this time, taking command not only meant bearing the greatest pressure but also carried a high risk of failure. Orey considered himself smart; only a fool would compete with Richard for leadership at this moment. Seeing Orey had no intention to lead, Richard scoffed inwardly, understanding the other¡¯s plan. Leadership at this stage was indeed a hot potato¡­ But though the risk was high at this time, the potential rewards were equally immense. ¡°Since you don¡¯t have any ideas, I¡¯ll just thicken my skin and take the role of leader,¡± Richard smiled at his fellow apprentices, self-appointing himself as the commander. As long as the leader demonstrated their strength during this initial period and achieved a certain degree of success, their leadership position in this war would be very stable. War was no child¡¯s play. In a situation involving life and death, everyone preferred to trust a leader who had shown capability. Richard¡¯s self-appointment was met without opposition; his strength was sufficient, a senior apprentice towering at the apex of the pyramid among these apprentices. ¡°Since no one objects, then I¡¯m going to establish some rules.¡± Using the Levitation Skill, Richard flew into the air to make himself as visible as possible to all apprentices. ¡°This is war, and on the battlefield, orders must be followed without question. I won¡¯t send anyone on suicidal missions, but since this is war, danger is inevitable. I expect my orders to be carried out, not to be refused. I hate being refused!¡± Saying this, Richard exuded the pressure of a senior wizard apprentice. ¡°There¡¯s nothing in the Academy¡¯s rules that forbids us from infighting. If anyone doesn¡¯t follow the rules, hmph!¡± Richard snorted coldly, the implication clear. After waiting a while and seeing no one among the apprentices come forward to object, Richard returned to the ground. To tell the truth, Richard actually hoped someone would cause trouble, giving him a chance to assert his authority. But unfortunately, the apprentices of the Black Tower Wizard Academy were all clever; no one wanted to slap Richard in the face at this moment. After coming down, Richard didn¡¯t issue any orders but chose to send Wuni flying, ready to reconnoiter the White Wizard Apprentices¡¯ movements. With the help of Wuni¡¯s vision, Richard easily saw a group of White Wizard Apprentices hurrying their way. ¡°To make a move right after arriving, that¡¯s really not giving any face.¡± Richard sighed and issued his first order. ¡°Prepare for defense! The White Wizard Apprentices are coming!¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 83 - Chapter 83: Chapter 83: Apprentice War (Part 2) Chapter 83: Chapter 83: Apprentice War (Part 2) ¡°According to the map issued by the Academy, the battlegrounds in the three areas were almost identical, all shaped like hourglasses. Each side had three resource points arranged in a triangle, with one public resource point in the middle between the two camps. And from Wuni¡¯s point of view, Apprentice White Wizards were heading straight their way. This indicated that Richard was now at the resource point closest to the center of the battlefield on the Black Wizard Apprentice¡¯s side. And seeing the group of Apprentice White Wizards coming aggressively, Richard guessed that these people hadn¡¯t even built their resource point and were heading straight toward them. ¡°All Shaping Wizards clean up a clearing at this location as soon as possible, Undead Wizards prepare to summon the undead, Soul Wizards prepare for the first wave of mental attacks, Alchemy Wizards prepare to construct the fortress,¡± Richard ordered methodically, and upon receiving their orders, the apprentices started to move. It was said that ¡®a new official fires thrice upon his appointment¡¯, and at this moment, Richard, as a newly appointed leader, was in dire need of establishing his authority, and it might prove fatal to oppose him at this time. Richard didn¡¯t know much about wars among wizards. His decisions now were all derived from military chess inference he had made over the past two days. Now that he was actually on the battlefield, Richard could only pray that his inference was correct. With the help of spells, Shaping Wizards quickly cleared a clearing in the forest, and the large trees that were cut down were used by Alchemy Wizards to construct the fortress. The basic skill of an Alchemy Wizard is Engraving Runes, commonly known as Enchantments; these wood materials would attain significantly improved physical properties once engraved with runes. Moreover, Alchemy Wizards also had a skill in Magic Array, which was particularly useful in constructing fortresses. As a leader, Richard, besides allocating apprentices, put his remaining focus on Wuni in the sky. Since these Apprentice White Wizards had no experience, it never occurred to them that a Magic Pet was observing them from above. ¡°According to the map, the Black Wizard Apprentice¡¯s resource point is just ahead,¡± Orey, looking at the map in his hands, spoke with an air of victory. Just moments ago, he had led an army of Apprentice White Wizards to occupy the central public resource point on the battlefield. After occupying it, he chose not to build defenses at the resource point, but rather led the Apprentice White Wizards mightily towards the Black Wizard Apprentices¡¯ resource point. Resource points would start distributing Magic Stones in a month, so leaving wizards to guard them now seemed pointless, better to press forward with all forces, quickly compressing the living space of Black Wizard Apprentices. Orey¡¯s plan was sound: first, quickly capture a Black Wizard Apprentice¡¯s resource point with a blitzkrieg, compressing their living space. Then wait for the rear forces of Apprentice White Wizards to reinforce and snatch another resource point with a numerical advantage to swiftly end the war. If progress went smoothly, they might be able to end the war in their area in less than a month. But when does anything go without obstacles? ¡°Lord Orey, we have discovered a clearing ahead, it seems to have been cleared by Black Wizard Apprentices,¡± reported an Apprentice White Wizard. ¡°A clearing?¡± Orey was taken aback, then burst into laughter, ¡°These Black Wizard Apprentices are idiots, I was worrying about the complexity of the forest making it difficult to leverage our Apprentice White Wizard¡¯s corps combat. They¡¯ve conveniently cleared it for us.¡± Orey¡¯s laughter was met with a roar of laughter from those around. As Apprentice White Wizards, what they studied most was corps combat, among which formation advancement was particularly important. Yet, some Apprentice White Wizards expressed concern. ¡°Lord Orey, could this be a trap?¡± questioned an Apprentice White Wizard worriedly. ¡°A trap?¡± Orey said disdainfully, ¡°What kind of trap could stop the march of a White Wizard Apprentice corps! In the face of absolute power, traps are but the ploys of the weak!¡± Having said that, Owen flew up into the air and shouted to all Apprentice White Wizards, ¡°Prepare for formation! Let these Black Wizard Apprentices behold our spirit!¡± Meanwhile, Richard, hidden in a bunker in the distance, quietly watched the Apprentice White Wizards advance gradually. ¡°Are these Apprentice White Wizards fools?¡± Richard murmured to himself. He suddenly realized why the Academy disregarded the significant numerical discrepancies. These Apprentice White Wizards had never experienced real fighting and had no experience in actual combat. Even apprentices participating in the entrance exam at the Black Tower Wizard Academy should know to keep themselves hidden during an attack and not make unnecessary noise.¡± Moreover, looking at their giggling demeanor, there was not the slightest hint of seriousness one would expect for the battlefield. Richard could not help but sigh, ¡°The Academy really had its reasons for setting the rules.¡± ¡°Soul Wizards prepare for the first wave of interference; Shaping Wizards get ready to harvest the battlefield.¡± Richard instructed through the Crystal Ball. Having learned that the exchange match was a battle among apprentices, Richard had specifically purchased many Sound Transmission Crystal Balls for communication. As a transmigrator, he fully understood the significance of communication on the battlefield. The White Wizard Apprentices quickly moved into casting range, arranging themselves in a square formation, marching with uniform steps reminiscent of the musketeers from the era of line infantry. ¡°A bunch of fools, Soul Wizards begin the interference, Shaping Wizards cast your spells.¡± Richard let out a sneer and issued the command; wizards hidden near the battlefield immediately cast their long-prepared spells. In an instant, the vanguard of the White Wizard Apprentice army faltered; dozens of White Wizard Apprentices held their heads in agonizing pain, their faces changing instantly. At the same time, hundreds of Elemental Magic spells also bombarded the forefront of the White Wizard Apprentice army. Boom, boom, boom¡­ ¡°Engage the enemy! Engage the enemy!¡± The White Wizard Apprentices shouted loudly as Magic Barriers appeared around them. However, many of them were outside the casting range of the Black Wizard Apprentices, and their use of Magic Barriers was a complete waste of Magic Power. ¡°What a bunch of idiots.¡± Richard said disdainfully, then ordered the Shaping Wizards to cast their spells again. Another round of spell bombardment ensued. Bright red flames, charred bodies; faced with such a brutal sight for the first time, the morale of the White Wizard Apprentices instantly collapsed, and they ran frantically to the rear, seemingly disregarding their impact on the formation of their comrades. ¡°Stop, stop, don¡¯t run!¡± Orey, seated at the center, loudly berated the fleeing wizards, but not a single one was willing to listen to him. The cruelty of war far exceeded the expectations of these Ivory Tower White Wizard Apprentices. Boom! The third onslaught of spells began. This time, the effect was not as good as the previous ones, as most of the White Wizard Apprentices had activated their Magic Barriers, blocking most of the spells. But at this moment, their morale had collapsed, and their original team advantage had turned into a disadvantage. Richard watched as the disorganized White Wizard Apprentices listlessly issued another command. ¡°Full assault, kill as many as you can.¡± Saying this, the impatient Black Wizard Apprentices immediately poured out, effortlessly joining the melee after losing their formation advantage. Various spells exploded non-stop in the woods, the pitiful screams of White Wizard Apprentices and the fierce laughter of Black Wizard Apprentices echoed continuously through the forest. Richard did not engage directly, but instead found a flat area and drew a Magic Array with chalk. As Richard infused Magic Power, a Fire Element gradually gathered in the center of the Magic Array. The Fire Element grew increasingly intense, finally transforming into a three-meter-tall Flame Giant. ¡°Human, you have finally summoned me.¡± Richard pointed towards the battlefield, ¡°Go and slaughter these people, bring me the badges from their bodies.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 84 - Chapter 84: Chapter 84: Apprentice War (Part 3) Chapter 84: Chapter 84: Apprentice War (Part 3) The battle lasted nearly an hour and ended with a resounding defeat for the White Wizard Apprentices. Richard obtained eight insignias during this encounter. The concentration of elements on the battlefield had risen sharply due to various elemental spells, which allowed the Flame Giant to be in its element, its every move unleashing immense power. While cleaning up the battlefield, Richard took inventory of their numbers and discovered that only about a dozen Black Wizard Apprentices had died, while the White Wizard Apprentices had left nearly three hundred bodies behind. This casualty ratio left Richard secretly clicking his tongue in wonder. All were Wizard Apprentices, so why were these White Wizard Apprentices so inept? What happened to the well-trained legions the White Wizard had promised? This wasn¡¯t Richard¡¯s fault for misjudging; he had never experienced a Plane War and did not know what the Wizard World¡¯s Plane Wars were truly like. Therefore, he could only judge the condition of the White Wizard Apprentices based on his past life¡¯s impressions of soldiers. In reality, these two were not the same; they couldn¡¯t even be compared¡ªthey were worlds apart. Many conflicts arose during the cleanup process. For one or two insignias, Black Wizard Apprentices fought fiercely, forcing Richard to personally intervene to stop them. ¡°Sigh, what a headache.¡± Richard, watching the Black Wizard Apprentices fight over battlefield cleanup, felt overwhelmed by the trouble. If it weren¡¯t for preventing infighting, Richard would not bother with such matters. ¡°This is the downside of Black Wizard Apprentices; the law of the jungle forces them to seize every opportunity for gain.¡± Richard sighed and then gave the order that in the case of disputed insignias, they would toss a coin to decide. If this happened again, he would personally take action to kill both parties involved. There were rules among Black Wizard Apprentices, the most convincing of which was the rule of brute force. After cleaning up the battlefield, many Black Wizard Apprentices were eager and gearing up, ready for another fight. The reason was simple: the battle had been too easy, and they now considered the White Wizard Apprentices walking pieces of fat meat. Looking at his group of Black Wizard Apprentices, Richard also ordered a full military strike, aiming directly for the common resource point. Although Richard was considering defense and counterattack, this was an excellent opportunity to kick an enemy when they were down, especially since the White Wizard Apprentices¡¯ morale had been shattered. Considering their current condition, it was likely that the common resource point was practically undefended and wouldn¡¯t take much effort to capture. ¡­ At the common resource point. ¡°Trash, all trash!¡± Orey roared within the newly erected tent. ¡°Twelve hundred apprentices fighting against a little over three hundred, and not a step gained, losing three hundred men to boot! Isn¡¯t this laughable if you think about it!¡± Inside the tent, several Advanced Wizard Apprentices from Secret Keeper Academy had somber expressions; their confidence had been utterly shattered by the recent battle. ¡°What do we do now?¡± one Advanced Apprentice asked. They had suffered heavy casualties and low morale. If the Black Wizard Apprentices attacked now, they would surely crumble once again. ¡°What do we do?¡± Orey glared at the Apprentice who had asked the question. ¡°We regroup, plan our tactics, and take back the dignity we¡¯ve lost! Do I really need to say this? Or do you want us to slink back, then tell the Apprentices from other academies that we were defeated by Black Wizard Apprentices, that we lost over three hundred men, while possibly only a few of them died?¡± But even though Orey said this aloud, he felt deeply pessimistic about the upcoming battle in his heart. This battle had given him some insight into the issues with the White Wizard Apprentices. White Wizard Apprentices were numerous, but due to a lack of combat experience, they easily became disorganized when faced with sudden attacks. Moreover, the lack of experience in killing led to many White Wizard Apprentices feeling extreme fear at the sight of corpses, causing them to act irrationally. Besides this, he also discovered that he, as a leader, had no deterrent power within the team; when the tide of the battlefield turned against them, nobody would follow his commands. And these were merely the problems he had just discovered; if the battle continued, he was sure to uncover more. A few Advanced Apprentices quietly emerged from the tent and began to organize the team to set up defensive measures. Compared to Richard, who had never experienced wizard combat, the White Wizard Apprentice¡¯s curriculum included how to construct fortresses and defensive measures on the battlefield, so they were adept at setting up these defenses. The defensive measures of the White Wizard Apprentices were common¡ªthick walls, trenches filled with spikes, and Apprentices from the Alchemy School would plant dangerous magical plants outside the trenches. Furthermore, while constructing these measures, Alchemy Wizards would also inscribe Magic Arrays to create traps or fortify the walls. For a group of people scared out of their wits, nothing was more reassuring than a solid wall. Unfortunately, just as their construction had begun, the forms of Black Wizard Apprentices appeared from the depths of the dense forest. ¡°The Undead Wizards should release the Puppets,¡± Richard issued the order. As an Apprentice of the Alchemy School, Richard naturally knew the methods of his peers. The Undead Wizards summoned skeletons and pushed forward, quickly triggering some Magic Arrays. Watching the sudden appearance of Fireballs and Ice Cones, the Black Wizard Apprentices hidden in the woods looked at Richard admiringly. Without Richard¡¯s wisdom, many of them might have mindlessly rushed forward. The White Wizard Apprentices at the Resource Point immediately noticed the trace of the Black Wizard Apprentices, but due to the earlier battle, this group of White Wizard Apprentices had no desire to fight and ran backwards upon seeing the Black Wizard Apprentices. This meant that some of the defensive measures that could have been used were now rendered useless. Orey, at the center of the Resource Point, was furious but ultimately bit back his anger. ¡°Ox! Bazak! Organize the Apprentices for an orderly retreat. Don¡¯t run like it¡¯s a damn disaster!¡± The two disoriented Wizard Apprentices heard Orey¡¯s command and suddenly had a sense of direction. They immediately began organizing the retreat. The Black Wizard Apprentices entered the Resource Point boldly, casting their spells generously. The White Wizard Apprentices scattered like lambs to the slaughter, but this time, due to experience and having someone to coordinate, the loss for the White Wizard Apprentices was significantly less. After clearing the battlefield, over a hundred corpses were left behind by the White Wizard Apprentices in the struggle for the Resource Point. ¡°It seems the White Wizard Apprentices are gaining experience,¡± Richard murmured, looking at the statistics. At this rate, it wouldn¡¯t take many more battles before the White Wizard Apprentices grew stronger, and that¡¯s when the real war would begin. ¡°Regroup the team, no further pursuit,¡± Richard ordered the Black Wizard Apprentices around him. ¡°Huh? Boss Richard, aren¡¯t we continuing to chase them down?¡± one Black Wizard Apprentice asked, surprised. ¡°You¡¯re questioning my order?¡± Richard looked at him coldly. As the White Wizard Apprentices fled, they continued to organize into teams, but because the Black Wizard Apprentices lacked proper training, they were disorganized in their pursuit. If the chase continued, once the White Wizard Apprentices recovered their strength, the Black Wizard Apprentices would be the ones dying. ¡°Yes, boss.¡± The Black Wizard Apprentice nervously performed a Wizard¡¯s Salute to Richard and then began to relay Richard¡¯s commands. ¡°The boss has given the order¡ªstop the pursuit! Stop the pursuit!¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 85 - Chapter 85: Chapter 85: Apprentice War (Part 4) Chapter 85: Chapter 85: Apprentice War (Part 4) Richard¡¯s commands were swiftly passed down, but unlike the unchallenged orders of the past, this time his commands elicited many questions from the Black Wizard Apprentices. ¡°Boss, these White Wizard Apprentices are like fat sheep ripe for slaughter, not pursuing them is a waste!¡± Richard quietly observed the apprentices who raised objections, his icy gaze chilling them to the bone. ¡°Richard, why aren¡¯t we pursuing them?¡± Eugene stepped forward from among the apprentices, while those opposing Richard¡¯s orders gathered around him. ¡°Why?¡± Richard scoffed with a cold laugh, ¡°Am I the leader, or are you? Do I need to explain the reasons for my decisions to you?¡± Obedience is of utmost importance in an army. If he had to explain the reasons for every command, then what¡¯s the point of waging a war? Eugene¡¯s expression shifted at Richard¡¯s words, his face instantly contorting with anger. ¡°Richard, you really think you¡¯re a Wizard already! We¡¯re all apprentices here. You were made leader because we respected your strength, it was an honor we granted you! If we don¡¯t wish it, you¡¯re nothing!¡± These words instantly garnered agreement from many apprentices. ¡°That¡¯s right, if we don¡¯t agree, you¡¯re nothing!¡± ¡°The self-proclaimed leader really thinks highly of himself!¡± ¡°These White Wizard Apprentices are so weak, we don¡¯t need a leader to win.¡± ¡­ Richard laughed coldly at these various comments, secretly making note of those who echoed them. These people had issues with Richard from the start, but out of fear of Richard¡¯s power, they dared not express it. Now with Eugene, the tall one, taking the lead, their true colors were showing. Eugene, standing at the forefront, listened to these voices with a sense of secretive triumph. During the first battle with the White Wizard Apprentices, he had begun to regret so easily handing over the leadership. These White Wizard Apprentices were too foolish. Unfortunately, once words are spoken and water is spilled, it cannot be taken back. The leadership had already fallen into Richard¡¯s hands, and unless Richard made a mistake, he wouldn¡¯t be able to regain leadership. But he hadn¡¯t expected Richard¡¯s mistake to come so quickly; if only he seized this opportunity, he could definitely shake Richard¡¯s leadership status, even take it for himself. ¡°Very well, very well, so I¡¯m nothing!¡± Richard laughed derisively as he pulled out his Demon Eater Sword from the Magic Pocket, ¡°It seems Eugene, you want to be the voice of the people!¡± ¡°I dare not claim to be the leader, but this is indeed what everybody is thinking,¡± Eugene spoke with righteous indignation. ¡°But being the voice of opinion is not so easy.¡± The Demon Eater Sword ignited with dark flames, and the explosive Magic Fluctuation instantly scattered the surrounding apprentices. Eugene, likewise, would not show weakness; his Magic Wand emitted a surge of magic. The rule among the Black Wizards: might makes right. Right now, the apprentices¡¯ dissatisfaction with Richard had not accumulated to the point of overthrowing him; to topple Richard¡¯s leadership at this moment, Eugene would need a mightier fist. With a wave of his hand, Richard summoned a Flame Giant to his side, the Energy fluctuating around it indicating the presence of an Advanced Wizard Apprentice. But Eugene was not to be outdone; he promptly pulled a cage from his Magic Pocket. Inside the cage was a pulsing ball of Flames. Eugene smiled slightly, then opened the cage, releasing a Flame Monster Bird close to the strength of an Advanced Apprentice. ¡°Elemental creatures, I have them too.¡± The strength of this Flame Monster Bird might not be at the level of an Advanced Apprentice, but it was definitely capable of holding off the Flame Giant. As long as Eugene could quickly deal with Richard, then the Flame Giant would naturally fall into his control. Richard stopped talking, black scales beginning to appear on his body. The two top apprentices from the Black Wizard Camp began their battle for power. ¡­ Shifting the perspective to the side of the White Wizard Apprentices. The infighting within the Black Wizard Apprentices was intense, and naturally, the ranks of the defeated White Wizard Apprentices were anything but calm. Upon returning to the resource point after their defeat, Orey was immediately questioned, notably by Balto who had not participated in the previous battle. At the center of the White Wizard resource point, within a newly erected building, Balto and the Advanced Apprentices among the White Wizard Apprentices gathered. ¡°Orey, it seems your strategy has failed,¡± Balto said with a smirk, dragging his chin as he looked at Orey. Orey was silent, leaning back and quietly scanning the room full of Apprentices. ¡°I indeed lost. So, what about it?¡± Orey said coldly, ¡°Does anyone among you wish to take my place and fight those Black Wizard Apprentices who are surging with momentum and have walked through blood?¡± As he spoke, he turned his gaze to Balto, seated in the seat of honor. ¡°Balto, do you want to take over? To lead these disciples, who have lost their courage and fighting spirit, against that group of Black Wizard Apprentices in their prime?¡± ¡°Listen to you,¡± Balto chuckled, ¡°I have no intentions of staging a coup.¡± But his tone shifted as he continued, ¡°However, according to the rules taught to us by the Academy, I now request the formation of a military council. All Advanced Apprentices will join the council to partake in military decisions.¡± ¡°A military council¡­¡± Orey suddenly laughed, a mocking laugh, ¡°Balto, you¡¯re always like this. Lacking the will to take responsibility, forever slippery and non-stick.¡± Unconcerned by Orey¡¯s scorn, Balto rapped his knuckles on the table and said to everyone in the room: ¡°What do you all think of my proposal?¡± The other Apprentices showed various expressions: some looked troubled, some grim, some deep in thought, and some decisively made their choice. ¡°I agree with the Mechanic¡¯s proposal to establish a military council.¡± ¡°¡­I also agree.¡± ¡°I¡­ agree, we can¡¯t afford more losses now.¡± ¡°I disagree, war is no child¡¯s play, we don¡¯t have time for discussion; decisions must be made quickly¡­¡± Soon, all Apprentices had cast their votes, and they finally turned their gaze to Orey. As the leader, and the strongest among the Apprentices, whether Orey could peacefully transfer power was crucial for the future of the war. In a Wizard¡¯s war, the team is important but individual strength still plays a significant role. Sometimes, the actions of a powerful individual at a critical moment could potentially turn the tide of the entire battle. Orey stood up, swept his eyes across the assembled crowd, then turned and walked out of the room. He knew that to continue arguing was pointless and would only add to the ridicule. ¡°I agree to the establishment of the military council.¡± With a victorious smile, Balto stood up and announced to the other Apprentices: ¡°Very well, effective today, the Secret Keeper Academy¡¯s military council is officially established.¡± ¡­ Flames flew, explosions erupted. In the dense forest, the Flame Giant and the Flame Monster Bird were engaged in combat. The Flame Giant raised a massive hand, and a Fire Element gathered in its palm, forming a fiery javelin. ¡°Foolish fire beast, taste the javelin of the mighty Philster!¡± The Flame Monster Bird shrieked as a burst of flames exploded from its body, increasing its speed instantly. The Flame Giant¡¯s javelin grazed its body, tracing a brilliant arc in the sky. This struggle had been ongoing for some time, with the Monster Bird¡¯s high maneuverability enabling it to repeatedly dodge the Flame Giant¡¯s lethal attacks. If nothing unexpected occurred, this battle would continue indefinitely. However, on another part of the battlefield, the fight between Richard and Eugene was nearing its end. COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 86 - Chapter 86: Chapter 86: Apprentice War (Part 5) Chapter 86: Chapter 86: Apprentice War (Part 5) ¡°Monster, he¡¯s truly a monster,¡± Eugene said, staring at the black giant before him, with a cry of panic in his heart. He took out a Magic Stone to replenish his Magic Power and then swung his Magic Wand. A Fire Crow crashed into Richard, bursting into fierce Flames. But after the Flames had vanished, the black giant continued toward him at an unhurried pace, and the wound he had caused was healing at a visibly rapid rate. Before this, the black giant had taken at least a dozen Spells from him, with both fire and ice, each over fifty in Energy Level. But when they hit the giant before him, they could only leave a few wounds at most, and at worst, a blood hole. ¡°What kind of monster am I fighting against!¡± On the other side, Richard walked toward him with a Great Sword in hand, unhurried. At the start of the fight, Richard had wanted to finish it quickly. But after trading blows with Eugene, Richard suddenly lost that desire. He did not understand what Master Alon, Eugene¡¯s teacher, had been researching, but from his exchange with Eugene, it was clear that Master Alon had profound research into the application of Magic Power. Eugene had already released over thirty Spells, but only now did he start to use a Magic Stone to replenish his Magic Power. This showed that his Spells consumed very little Magic Power. However, the power of Eugene¡¯s Spells was not slight, many were close to one hundred in Energy Level. Combined with his energy consumption, Eugene could practically be called a Spell machine gun; very few wizards could withstand such an assault. Unfortunately for Eugene, Richard was one of those few. Thanks to the training from the Adaptation Body, Richard had extreme resistance to Elemental Magic, coupled with the recovery brought by his Bloodline activation, as well as the Flesh Control derived from the Flesh Rule. Richard could easily catch Eugene¡¯s assaults with Magic Power. By seizing this opportunity, Richard wanted to show off his martial prowess to the surrounding Black Wizards, to give them a clear sense of his strength. He did this to prevent similar internal conflicts from arising in the future. For the vast majority of Apprentices, the most important aspect of this Apprentice war wasn¡¯t the gains, but rather, survival. Those who could become a Wizard¡¯s Apprentice were after all a minority; most Apprentices would immediately choose to graduate after reaching the level of Advanced Apprentice, becoming the Academy¡¯s excellent workers. By intimidating these people, Richard¡¯s leadership would be much smoother later on. Boom! Another Fireball struck Richard. Richard did not react, but a commotion suddenly arose among the surrounding Apprentices. ¡°Boss, there are Wizards from other Academies coming over!¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Richard frowned, thinking it was time to end this performance. Upon hearing that Apprentices from other Academies were approaching, Eugene¡¯s heart instantly tightened. He instantly realized that his opponent was about to get serious. ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± Richard smiled, suddenly his right arm swelled rapidly, transforming into a black pillar in an instant. Under the effect of Flesh Control, Richard could mobilize muscles from other parts of his body into his right arm, achieving a tremendous increase in strength. ¡°It¡¯s you who¡¯s finished!¡± Eugene roared, his red robe bursting open, revealing his upper body covered in Runes. This was his do-or-die tactic; he never expected Richard to push him so far. Magic Power flowed into the Runes, and Eugene¡¯s body started to shrink instantly, but his eyes grew increasingly bright. A terrifying Fireball condensed in front of him, reaching at least two hundred in Energy Level. Boom! The Fireball exploded, and the scattered Fire Element caused a wave of fire that instantly turned grass and vegetation into ashes under its wave, while the earth and stones were scorched, cracked, and charred black. Eugene stiffly stared at Richard with his withered body. He didn¡¯t believe Richard could withstand it this time! But after the flames, a black giant still stood there. ¡°How is this possible?¡± Eugene¡¯s face was filled with disbelief. The next instant, a black great sword shattered his head. ¡°Got a bit cocky.¡± Richard shook the char off his body, and the flesh on his back suddenly split open, dropping out several drained Magic Stones. This was one of the uses for Flesh Control that Richard had developed over the past days. By manipulating his flesh, he had stored hundreds of Magic Stones within his body as a backup energy reserve. Once his magic power was exhausted, he could quickly replenish it. Just now, Richard had barely maintained the Magic Barrier against that terrible spell by instantly draining over twenty Magic Stones. Clap, clap, clap¡­ Applause came from behind Richard, and as he turned to look, a man with short hair, dressed in a black robe and holding a long sword, was watching him. The short-haired man had blonde hair, wore glasses, and appeared very robust. Behind him stood a group of Black Wizard Apprentices with academy emblems. ¡°Exquisite technique. Your control over flesh is truly extraordinary,¡± commended the short-haired man. Richard took out a Wizard Robe from his pocket and put it on, ¡°Void Academy? Or Annihilation Academy?¡± The Void Wizard Academy and the Annihilation Wizard Academy were the other two academies participating in the exchange competition from the Black Wizard Camp. Each had approximately one thousand one hundred participants, about the same number as the Black Tower Wizard Academy. ¡°Void Wizard Academy, Anderson,¡± the short-haired man replied with a Wizard¡¯s Salute. ¡°Black Tower Wizard Academy, Richard,¡± Richard returned the gesture. At that moment, there was a stir among the apprentices behind Anderson, and a Wizard Apprentice came up to him, whispering a couple of sentences. ¡°Oh, friends from Annihilation Academy have arrived as well.¡± Anderson smiled, and the apprentices behind him cleared a path. A skeleton wizard with Soul Fire blazing in his eye sockets, cloaked in a black robe, walked in, followed by a group of apprentices with the emblem of Annihilation Academy. ¡°Annihilation Academy, Aldo.¡± Richard raised an eyebrow, as, within a short time, people from all three academies had arrived. ¡°Now that all three are here, let¡¯s take a seat. The campsite the White Wizards left us is quite comfortable to use.¡± With that, Richard pointed towards the tents in the distance. The leaders of the three acadacies entered together, none with retainers in tow. Unlike the White Wizards, all Black Wizards operated under a dictatorship. The tent still had chairs left by Orey and his companions. The three sat down and glanced at each other. ¡°The confrontation between your Black Tower Wizard Academy and the White Wizards seems to have been quite fruitful,¡± Anderson initiated the conversation. He had passed the first resource point with the apprentices from Void Academy, and the various White Wizard corpses left on the ground made Anderson shudder. What made the apprentices of this Black Tower Wizard Academy so powerful to have killed so many White Wizards? ¡°Not bad, killed about four hundred,¡± Richard replied nonchalantly. Aldo and Anderson exchanged glances, seeing the shock in each other¡¯s eyes. ¡°Over four hundred apprentices¡­ What were your casualties?¡± Aldo couldn¡¯t help asking. ¡°Well¡­¡± Richard smiled, ¡°Quite a few were injured, and about a dozen died.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 87 - Chapter 87: Chapter 87: The Apprentice War (Six) Chapter 87: Chapter 87: The Apprentice War (Six) ¡°Sss!¡± Anderson and Aldo instantly inhaled a breath of cold air. An exchange ratio approaching one to forty, were all the apprentices from the Black Tower Wizard Academy monsters? ¡°One to forty!?¡± Anderson and Aldo both exclaimed in shock, the number was so outrageous that their brains struggled to process it. ¡°Not right!¡± Aldo was the first to recover, ¡°The strength of the White Wizards must be problematic!¡± Richard smiled serenely, without much explanation. ¡°How could the White Wizards be so weak?¡± Anderson also came around, his tone carrying uncertainty. ¡°The White Wizard Academy focuses on legion training, while the Black Wizard Academy emphasizes individual strength. Logically, White Wizards should have an advantage, so how could they be¡­ so weak.¡± Richard shook his head. Anderson¡¯s ideas were exactly like his had been at first; who could have thought that White Wizards would be so lackluster. ¡°Although White Wizards do focus on legion training, their approach is too gentle, and they lack proper combat experience,¡± Richard explained, ¡°Simply put, these people are rich in theory but lacking in combat experience. Once they encounter unexpected situations, they lose their footing. When we faced them, we merely blunted their edge a little, and they fled in defeat.¡± ¡°That bad?¡± Aldo could hardly believe it. If the White Wizards were really as incompetent as Richard described, then how had they become the mainstream who conquered Otherworlds in the Wizard World? ¡°Believe it or not,¡± Richard shrugged indifferently, sharing this information purely because they were all in the same camp, as allies with a common goal. ¡°I¡¯m telling the plain truth. The exchange ratio is laid out right before you, the numbers from all three academies are roughly the same, you can go out and count for yourself.¡± After a moment of silence, Anderson and Aldo eventually thanked Richard. It was undoubtedly a good thing that Richard was willing to share intelligence. ¡°What do you two plan to do next? Press the advance?¡± Richard asked with curiosity. ¡°Hm? Is the Black Tower Wizard Academy not planning to strike?¡± Anderson frowned, wondering if Richard¡¯s words were a ruse. If the White Wizards were truly as useless as he said, there was no reason for them not to pursue. ¡°Mm, our Black Tower Wizard Academy is not planning to pursue,¡± Richard nodded, ¡°At present, we have some internal issues. I just dealt with a troublemaker, and now we need to regroup.¡± Anderson remembered the scene he¡¯d witnessed upon his arrival. ¡°So, there was a power struggle?¡± he thought to himself. He¡¯d initially thought that Richard was in a duel with a powerful White Wizard. ¡°Apart from that, I would like to advise you two,¡± Richard said calmly, ¡°The number of White Wizards we faced doesn¡¯t add up; a portion of them did not come to the battle, which suggests they might be preparing defenses at the resource point. If you want to pursue, it¡¯s best to strike as soon as possible. If you delay, once their defenses are established, the losses will be greater if you move against them.¡± Upon hearing this, Aldo and Anderson immediately rose to take their leave. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then we won¡¯t disturb the Black Tower Wizard Academy,¡± Aldo stood up and said, ¡°Since this resource point was claimed by your Black Tower Wizard Academy, we at the Annihilation Wizard Academy will not interfere¡ªbut as for your original point¡­¡± Anderson also looked at Richard at this moment. One academy holding two resource points seemed excessive. ¡°How about dividing one point into thirds among the three of us.¡± Richard suggested indifferently, ¡°We¡¯re all in the same camp, after all, sharing resources is only right.¡± Anderson and Aldo were somewhat surprised; they hadn¡¯t expected Richard to agree to such an arrangement so readily. ¡°But, I have one condition.¡± ¡°What condition?¡± Anderson asked. ¡°I¡¯d like to borrow some of the Alchemy School apprentices under your command,¡± Richard said with a smile, ¡°I find the camp constructed by the White Wizards quite nice; I plan to repair and utilize it.¡± ¡°Construction of the camp?¡± The two apprentice leaders immediately expressed some doubts. ¡°Repair the camp¡­ Does Black Tower Wizard Academy think we will lose?¡± Aldo said gravely, ¡°Or is there a problem with the information you¡¯ve told us?¡± Richard waved his hand: ¡°I swear by the Sea of Souls, the information I¡¯ve told you is not the slightest bit false. It¡¯s just that I am naturally cautious, and if you two are defeated, it would be good to have a fortress to hold, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± When he finished, Richard playfully winked. Anderson and Aldo looked at each other, and the doubts in their hearts did not dissipate because of Richard¡¯s explanation; instead, they grew even more. This was also a downside of being a Black Wizard. They found it hard to trust others. But for the time being, confirming the strength of the White Wizard Apprentices was something that both academies needed to do, and since the three academies had no conflicts of interest, Richard had no need to deceive them. Thus, both academies ultimately chose to pursue the White Wizard Apprentices. Annihilation Wizard Academy and Void Wizard Academy left a total of thirty Alchemy School Apprentices with Richard, these apprentices not strong, had survived the bloody examination purely by good luck. And now, being left here with Richard once again proved their luck. ¡°Talk about stingy, leaving behind only thirty apprentices.¡± Richard clucked his tongue, then immediately arranged for these thirty apprentices and those from Black Tower Wizard Academy to start building defensive measures. Although there was not a hint of falsehood in what he had told Anderson and Aldo, he had a speculation in his heart that he hadn¡¯t shared with them. The growth rate of the White Wizard Apprentices might be surprisingly fast. This speculation came from Richard¡¯s intuition. The White Wizards had reduced their casualties in two battles separated by only a few hours. If they fought a few more battles, those Ivory Tower students would quickly grow. At that time, the numerical advantage of the White Wizards would be greatly maximized. But these were only Richard¡¯s speculations. Under normal circumstances, Annihilation Wizard Academy and Void Wizard Academy amounted to two-thirds of the Black Wizard Camp¡¯s fighting power, taking a resource point that had just suffered a defeat should be a breeze. Even if the White Witch Camp provided support, they could still retreat. The worst-case scenario would be a major defeat for the Black Wizards, but the likelihood of that was minimal. Following the White Wizard¡¯s remaining traces, Richard and a few Alchemy apprentices discussed the construction of the camp. First came the wall; the foundations of the wall constructed by the White Wizards could still be found in the camp. Judging by the foundation, the wall was incredibly thick but not particularly tall. Richard surmised that the primary function of this wall was likely to elevate the Wizard Apprentices¡¯ field of vision while incidentally consuming a bit of the opposing apprentices¡¯ Magic Power. After all, maintaining Levitation Skill also requires Magic Power. Next were the traps outside the walls. According to Richard¡¯s thinking, Magic Arrays were best made to be manually activated, and the distance they were set had to be far enough from the camp. In the vicinity of the camp, it was enough just to place a few warning Magic Arrays. The Undead Wizard¡¯s Puppet scouts would easily eliminate those activation Puppets. Richard was also prepared for the possibility of the Black Wizards suffering a defeat. If they accidentally trapped their own people with trigger-style traps, it would be quite the joke. Next, Wizards can fly, especially once they had built the walls; the White Wizards, if they attacked, certainly wouldn¡¯t go by ground. Magic Arrays that could detect flying weren¡¯t nonexistent, but that was something only Wizards could handle; these Apprentices better just stick to setting up on the ground. Having confirmed these two points, all that remained were some details. After discussing everything with a few apprentices, Richard began the construction work. COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 88 - Chapter 88: Chapter 88: Apprentice War (Part 7) Chapter 88: Chapter 88: Apprentice War (Part 7) Construction was no difficult feat for a wizard. Building walls required a large amount of materials such as bricks, stones, lime, and more for common people, but for a wizard, an Earth Wall Skill coupled with some reinforcement enchantments were enough to get the job done, and the effect was even better than what mortals could build. Following the plan, the apprentices cleared all vegetation within a two hundred meter radius of the resource point and leveled the ground using Mud to Stone and Fossil to Mud. Then they built a rough wall at the edge with Earth Wall Skill. The large trees that had been cleared were used by the apprentices to construct wooden huts, as accommodations were essential since the war was expected to last for some time. Meanwhile, the battle with the Flame Giant came to an end; it had grabbed the neck of the Flame Monster Bird and extracted the Element Core hidden inside its body. The Element Core was greatly beneficial to elemental creatures, speeding up their growth. After devouring the core of the Flame Monster Bird, the Flame Giant¡¯s strength surged and almost reached the standard of an Advanced Apprentice. Once the wall was completed, those from the Alchemy School began to reinforce it with enchantments to ensure it wouldn¡¯t succumb to the Elemental Magic of the White Wizard Apprentices. Next was the trap setup. Three kilometers out from the resource point¡¯s center, the apprentices from the Alchemy School began laying out Arrays. As Black Wizards, these apprentices had a knack for setting traps. Various devious and covert Magic Arrays were densely positioned in the forest, and once activated, they were guaranteed to make any trapped White Wizard beg for mercy. During the deployment of the apprentices, Richard gained a deeper understanding of warfare. He also realized the limitations of Black Wizards. Since Black Wizards focused too much on boosting their own power, this led to a complete ignorance of some auxiliary spells. In the process of building walls, out of over three hundred apprentices, they found only around thirty who knew the Earth Wall Skill. And that was at least somewhat useful Earth Wall Skill. When Richard planned to construct a reservoir within the wall for water supply, not a single person in the entire camp knew the Clear Water Creation spell. If Richard had been looking for lethal spells like Ice Cone Skill, Blizzard, Ice Fog Skill, he was sure this group of apprentices would have provided plenty, but not a single one knew the non-lethal Clear Water Creation spell. This meant that part of Richard¡¯s planning had to be declared a failure. For the water supply issue, they could only rely on the rivers in the forest. In light of this, Richard deduced some advantages of the White Wizards by comparing their flaws. White Wizards conducted warfare in a regimented manner, which meant that they had specialists trained in certain aspects, such as construction; they should have wizards who specialized in building fortifications. And for combat, they had wizards specializing in warfare. The advantage of such training was evident: it was convenient to specialize, and with the Wizard Academy¡¯s selection process, apprentices with talents in certain areas would be deployed where they could best utilize their gifts. Secondly, wizards trained this way might initially be very specialized, but they would surpass Black Wizards in their specialized areas. Even if Black Wizards worked themselves to death, they couldn¡¯t beat a White Wizard who specialized in constructing fortifications. ¡°If this reasoning holds, then the Void and Annihilation Academies might be in some danger,¡± Richard muttered as he watched the directions in which those two academies had gone. Unlike the Black Tower Wizard Academy, the Void and Annihilation Academies had gone to attack the White Wizards. And they were White Wizards with defensive structures. Even if the White Wizards were incompetents, with fortifications to aid them, they would certainly put up a strong resistance. This was definitely not good news for Black Wizards. Fortifications could effectively reduce casualties among White Wizard Apprentices, and the war would temper them, maturing them and building up their teamwork in the process. If the two academies failed to take down their targets, it would be akin to training troops for the White Wizards. ¡°No, I must take a look. If the White Wizards are anything like I suspect, then I¡¯ll have to change my strategy,¡± Richard frowned and switched his view to Wuni, preparing to observe the battle from the sky. ¡­ ¡°My lord, we are just one kilometer from the White Wizards¡¯ resource point,¡± a scouting Black Wizard reported. ¡°The White Wizards have already built their wall and now seem to be laying out Magic Arrays and traps.¡± ¡°Good, halt the advance,¡± Anderson ordered. While Anderson had his doubts about Richard¡¯s intelligence, out of an inherent Black Wizard instinct, he was skeptical about information from strangers. But the corpses scattered across the resource point didn¡¯t lie, and neither did the number of Black Tower Wizard Academy apprentices. If the White Wizards were not as weak as Richard had claimed, such a victory could not have been achieved. But¡­Anderson always felt that something was off inside. Like him, Aldo from the Annihilation Academy had the same feeling in his heart. ¡°It¡¯s not right, we have to prepare for retreat when we attack later,¡± Aldo muttered to himself as he looked at the distant White Wizard resource point. Having said that, he called over a few Apprentice Wizards from the Alchemy School. ¡°You guys, prepare some triggerable Magic Arrays.¡± ¡°Yes, boss.¡± As both parties arrived at the location, Anderson and Aldo had their people agree on the time for the battle and the offensive front lines. The Void Academy, led by Anderson, would attack from the north, while the Annihilation Academy, led by Aldo, would attack from the south. The Magic Array traps from these two directions were not yet completed, many Apprentices were still setting them up. Now was the perfect moment to strike unexpectedly. Watching the time on his pocket watch, Anderson pulled out his longsword, thrust it into the ground, and then clasped his hands together in prayer. ¡°My Lord, today I offer this victory to You, may You bless me with Your favor.¡± After the prayer, Anderson seemed like a transformed person, becoming like a fanatic, his eyes filled solely with zeal and devotion. ¡°Void Academy, follow me, today I shall dedicate victory to my Lord!¡± At the same time, Aldo from the Annihilation Academy also began his attack. As an Apprentice of the Undead School, Aldo was most skilled at summoning the Undead. In his Magic Pocket, he always carried the bones of three Level 1 Creatures. He had bought these corpses at a high price from the Wizard Commerce, and once resurrected, their strength would certainly be at the level of an Advanced Apprentice, which even a High Advanced Apprentice had to be careful to handle. For this battle, Aldo brought all three corpses back to life. With the eerie blue soul fire igniting in the eye sockets, three corpses once Level 1 Creatures were resurrected, coming back to this world. ¡°My Lord.¡± The three skeletons bowed slightly to Aldo. Aldo nodded in satisfaction and immediately commanded the three skeletons to rush to the front of the troop. At this moment, the White Wizards were completely unaware of all this, still peacefully setting up their Magic Array traps. Until the flames of war descended. ¡°Master! Conqueror, Sir!¡± A White Wizard Apprentice found Orey, who was in his room devising strategies. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, why are you so flustered? Don¡¯t tell me the Black Wizards have broken in,¡± asked Orey, frowning. The reporting White Wizard Apprentice nodded and shouted loudly: ¡°Master, it¡¯s the Black Wizards! They¡¯re attacking!¡± ¡°What!¡± Orey instantly stood up, pushed aside the reporting White Apprentice, and went outside. The sounds of spell bombardments were incessantly coming in, the White Wizards at the resource point were once again thrown into chaos. ¡°Damn it, everyone stop!¡± Orey flew into the sky and bellowed down to the Apprentices below, who were scurrying about like headless flies. ¡°Now! All Apprentices listen to my command! Form up in Number One Array, ready to meet the enemy! Any Apprentice who runs now will be treated as a deserter! As the Commander, I have the right to execute them!¡± COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 89 - Chapter 89: Chapter 89 Academy War (8) Chapter 89: Chapter 89 Academy War (8) Orey¡¯s command stopped many of the apprentices in their tracks. These Wizard Apprentices were not old peasants temporarily conscripted by the nobles; they had received battlefield training in the Academy. Now, they merely lacked experience. However, many apprentices completely panicked. Even though Orey had given the order, they still ran back in blind panic, completely disregarding the increasingly serious expression on Orey¡¯s face in the sky. ¡°Still running?¡± Orey shouted in anger, then pulled out a magic wand from his Magic Pocket and waved it at a fleeing apprentice. Bang! A pale purple lightning bolt shot from the wand and struck the apprentice directly. Before the apprentice could activate his Magic Barrier, the lightning turned him into char. ¡°Anyone else who runs will end up like this!¡± Orey shouted loudly. The example was a deterrent, and the remaining apprentices finally stopped in their tracks and began to arrange themselves according to Orey¡¯s commands. The White Wizards had different formations depending on the enemy they faced. In a situation like the present, Orey chose the most conservative Number One formation. He knew that this group of apprentices under him could not withstand major casualties. And the Number One formation was particularly outstanding in defense. Number One formation was a semicircle; the outermost layer specialized in defense and close combat response, the next layer specialized in long-range attacks, the third layer served as support and firepower replenishment, and the last layer was the command layer, Orey¡¯s position. Apprentices arranged themselves according to the formations they had learned in the Academy, having been specifically trained for their roles and having no doubts about where they should stand. Unfortunately, most of the apprentices were not on Orey¡¯s side at the moment, hence his formation looked very peculiar. The outermost layer, which should have had the most people, now had the fewest. The third layer, which should have had the fewest, now had the most. But at this moment, Orey had no time to care about these details; having a formation meant having organization, and having organization was better than no organization. ¡°Advance north!¡± Orey commanded. At this moment, on the north side of the resource point, the apprentices from the Void Wizard Academy were massacring left and right. Anderson¡¯s black robe continuously dripped blood downward, and his longsword was also covered in fresh blood, emitting a strange red light. ¡°Ha ha, Black Tower Academy was right, these White Wizards are indeed as weak as chickens.¡± Anderson laughed loudly, turning around to split an incoming fireball into two. The bursting flames swept over his body, but a light red barrier blocked all the Fire Elements. He strode forward, heading towards the apprentice who had launched the spell. His presence was like an evil ghost from hell, frightful enough to shatter the courage of ordinary people with a single glance. But the spell-casting apprentice was no ordinary person either; dressed in a white Wizard Robe, his heroic face and long white hair fluttered on the battlefield. Facing the fierce Anderson, there wasn¡¯t a trace of panic in his eyes. The white-haired apprentice pointed his finger, and several Ice Cones appeared by his side, rotating and shooting towards Anderson. Anderson, undeterred, raised his red sword and deflected the incoming Ice Cones. Seeing that the spell was ineffective, the white-haired apprentice stepped back, waved his Magic Wand, and a cloud of white fog emitted from the wand¡¯s tip, enveloping Anderson. ¡°Ice Fog Skill?¡± Anderson frowned, recognizing what this spell was. Ice Fog Skill was a spell aimed at individuals with exceptional Physique, as the micro ice crystals within the fog would enter the organism¡¯s body through the skin and respiratory pathways, causing them to become sluggish and even frostbitten. This was also the initial version of the Ice Fog Skill. Nowadays, most Wizard Apprentices would modify the Ice Fog Skill to enhance its maintenance time and even its freezing damage Energy Level. It seemed like this white-haired apprentice was no ordinary person; the Ice Fog Skill had likely been modified by him. Thus, even though Anderson was an Advanced Apprentice, he did not dare to be unprotected. ¡°The Ice Fog Skill I¡¯ve modified has smaller ice crystal particles, higher penetration efficiency, and greater damage.¡± The voice of the white-haired apprentice came from outside the fog. ¡°Specifically to deal with you brutes who rely on brute strength.¡± But within the fog, a fiendish smirk curled the corners of Anderson¡¯s lips. ¡°Brute strength?¡± He suddenly glowed in his eyes, staring directly at the position of the white-haired apprentice. ¡°So playing close combat means I¡¯m a brute?¡± Suddenly, a spiritual tentacle shot out from Anderson, instantly breaking through the white-haired apprentice¡¯s mental defenses. Anderson was not a physically focused Alchemy Wizard Apprentice; he was a genuine Soul Wizard Apprentice. He only engaged in close combat because he had learned a spell from the Imaginary God that was helpful for melee, and secondly, to deceive naive individuals like the white-haired apprentice. Who told you that melee combatants must specialize in physical strength? As Anderson¡¯s spiritual power wreaked havoc, blood started dripping unceasingly from the white-haired apprentice¡¯s eye sockets, nose, and even ears. At this moment, his skull had turned into mush, and brain matter mixed with blood continuously flowed out of his orifices. After dealing with the white-haired apprentice, Anderson walked out of the ice fog, moving his body. The effects of the Ice Fog Skill were indeed powerful; he had only stayed inside for less than two seconds, and his body had stiffened, with some areas having turned ominously black from frostbite. If this apprentice had been more experienced in combat, Anderson might have actually encountered difficulty in the ensuing fight. Anderson scanned the battlefield; by now, those White Wizards with poor mental fortitude and timidity had almost been wiped out, and the remaining White Wizard Apprentices had finally regrouped, gathering in groups of three or five to start fighting back against the Black Wizards. COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 90 - Chapter 90: Chapter 89 Academy War (Eight)_2 Chapter 90: Chapter 89 Academy War (Eight)_2 ¡°Adapting so quickly?¡± Anderson frowned. The adaptation speed of the White Wizard Apprentices had far exceeded his expectations; although the assault from the Void Academy had shattered their defenses, the lack of command meant these Black Wizard Apprentices hadn¡¯t managed to surround and annihilate the enemy with concentrated troops immediately. The Black Wizard Apprentices had indeed achieved rich battle results, but that could not withstand the fact that the White Wizards far outnumbered them. ¡°We can¡¯t keep this up, we must quickly defeat these White Wizard Apprentices.¡± Anderson made his decision, but before he could act, a series of spells bombarded him. ¡°Ten o¡¯clock direction, distance 350, left ten Fireball Technique, ready.¡± Orey¡¯s voice rang out on the battlefield, a group of White Wizard Apprentices arranged in a semi-circular formation was slowly advancing towards the battlefield, and their formation was growing larger as they moved forward. ¡°White Wizard Army?¡± Anderson dodged the spell, looking in the direction of the casting with some panic. Dozens of Wizard Apprentices were brewing spells, and in front of them, several Wizards were intently watching Anderson. As soon as Anderson retaliated, they would immediately erect a Magic Shield, fulfilling their duty to defend. ¡°Fire!¡± At Orey¡¯s command, ten fireballs immediately flew towards Anderson. Anderson hastily dodged. Although these fireballs were not very powerful individually, once their number increased, they could fatally strike advanced apprentices like Anderson. ¡°Void Academy, assemble!¡± Anderson suddenly yelled across the battlefield, finally recognizing the terrifying nature of the White Wizards. This type of spell bombardment, apart from a top apprentice like him, few on the field could withstand it. ¡°Hmph! Thinking of running?¡± Orey snorted coldly and then began giving orders. ¡°Twelve o¡¯clock direction, distance 370, left three Lightning Strike.¡± ¡°Two o¡¯clock direction, distance 250, right four Fireball bombardment.¡± ¡°One o¡¯clock direction, distance 460, mid four Lightning Strike¡­¡± As Orey issued command after command, spells harvested Black Wizards¡¯ lives on the battlefield like grim reapers. These Black Wizard Apprentices didn¡¯t have Anderson¡¯s capabilities; facing multiple spell attacks, their Magic Shields were instantly shattered, a torrent of spells instantly reduced them to ashes or charred them. Some apprentices tried to retaliate, but their spells were blocked by the Magic Shields in front of the White Wizards, posing no threat to the spell-casting apprentices behind them. It was now the Black Wizards¡¯ turn to be slaughtered. ¡°Damn it, prepare to retreat!¡± Anderson yelled with an ugly expression, then threw his long sword towards the White Wizard army formation. The blood-red long sword tore through the air, bringing with it a fierce wind, the White Wizard Apprentices in front of the army took defense measures, but before the sword could touch the Magic Shield, it exploded on its own, enveloping a group of White Wizard Apprentices in a cloud of blood mist. The White Wizard Apprentices who came into contact with the blood mist instantly had their eyes turn red, attacking indiscriminately. ¡°Mad Demon Blood Fog, should hold them off for a while.¡± Anderson glanced back at the White Wizard Army formation, his figure then disappearing into the woods. ¡­ Resource point southside, Annihilation Academy also ran into trouble. ¡°Roar!¡± A skeleton with Soul Fire burning in its eyes let out a silent howl, then was blasted into pieces by a spell. The southside of the resource point was mostly inhabited by advanced apprentices, who had quickly deployed their strategies at the start of the battle¡­ although the results were somewhat lacking. Due to a lack of decisive actions, the commanding system at the southern resource point was like a schizophrenic mental patient with multiple personality disorders, sending apprentices here and there erratically. Because they hadn¡¯t made timely use of wartime laws¡ªnamely the law of executing deserters. The result was that although there were more apprentices on the southside of the resource point than the northside, their resistance against the Black Wizards was less effective. Despite this, with the assistance of advanced combat abilities and alchemy machines, the southern resource point was barely held. Balto, known by his nickname Mechanic, was an Advanced Alchemy Apprentice of the Alchemy School, majoring in Alchemy Mechanical Science. In this war, Balto was the only one who could match Richard financially. At the Secret Keeper Wizard Academy, Balto had even taken business from the Wizard Commerce by continuously providing a type of alchemy equipment with his alchemy machines. This made Balto extremely wealthy. For this war, Balto had made the same decision as Richard¡ªto exchange for a large amount of alchemy materials. Besides that, Balto brought some things Richard didn¡¯t have. On the city walls, the Magic Stone-driven Alchemy Magic Stone Cannon emitted a dazzling white light. Powered by the Magic Stones, the Alchemy Magic Stone Cannon could release a blast of up to one hundred fifty Energy Levels twice per minute. On the battlefield, except for a few Advanced Apprentices, whoever it hit was dead. It was also because of the deterrence of this Magic Stone Cannon that many Black Wizards fought hesitantly, always keeping part of their attention on the Alchemy Magic Stone Cannon. ¡°Have we consolidated yet?¡± Standing by the cannon, Balto anxiously asked as he continually used a spell to cool it down. ¡°Sir, it¡¯s still not working,¡± reported a White Wizard, shaking his head. ¡°Those three skeletons are too fierce. Every time our formation starts taking shape, they disrupt it. Our spells are almost ineffective against them. Now, no apprentices are willing to form a formation!¡± ¡°Unwilling!?¡± Balto cursed angrily. ¡°Do they want to die? In terms of individual combat capability, can the three of them measure up to a Black Wizard Apprentice? Without forming a military formation, we are just slowly committing suicide!¡± After saying this, Balto filled a few Magic Stones into the Magic Stone Cannon, and the lethal white light lit up again, causing many Black Wizard Apprentices to hurriedly take cover. ¡°Order the other staff to quickly organize their own military formations, no matter how small, they must form a formation!¡± Balto ordered, feeling a bit weary. At this moment, he actually wished that his old rival Orey was here. With Orey¡¯s capability and spirit, he definitely could have consolidated the Apprentices for a counterattack. But it was too late to say anything now. At the resource point on the north side where Orey was, there were even fewer Wizard Apprentices. Yet, they also faced an attack from a Black Wizard Academy. He just needed to lead the Apprentices in holding the line. As long as he firmly kept the defense, once the White Wizard Army formation on his side was assembled, it would be the time for the Black Wizards¡¯ defeat. Boom, boom, boom¡­ A series of explosions erupted from the Black Wizards¡¯ flank. Startled, Balto quickly looked over. He saw a neatly arranged White Wizard Army attacking the flank of the Black Wizard Apprentices. Each spell cast took out several Black Wizard Apprentices. ¡°Have other Academies finally come?¡± Balto thought in amazement. The White Wizard Army before him looked spirited and full of fighting spirit, in stark contrast to his own White Wizard Apprentices. Balto naturally thought of the remaining two Academies. ¡°Prepare to counterattack! Reinforcements have arrived!¡± Balto shouted, as his alchemy Magic Stone Cannon emitted a deadly white light again. Seeing the arrival of such strong reinforcements, the White Wizard Apprentices at the southern resource point felt a surge of adrenaline and instantly perked up. ¡°Formation, formation, reinforcements have arrived!¡± At this moment, Aldo, who was in the woods controlling skeletons to hunt the Apprentices, saw this scene and instantly made a decision. ¡°Retreat! Retreat!¡± The Apprentices of the Annihilation Academy received the order and immediately broke away from the battle, running into the woods. The White Wizard Army didn¡¯t pursue, allowing the Black Wizards of the Annihilation Academy to escape. ¡°I wonder which Academy these reinforcements belong to, entering the battlefield with such calm.¡± Balto admired to himself as he watched the reinforcements. But before he could approach, a familiar emblem caught his eye. ¡°The¡­ Secret Keeper¡¯s Academy insignia?¡± Confused, Balto looked towards the army¡¯s command echelon, only to see a familiar figure quietly watching him. ¡°Balto, is this the outcome your staff has managed to produce?¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 91 - Chapter 91: Chapter 90: Academy War (9) Chapter 91: Chapter 90: Academy War (9) ¡°Orey!?¡± Balto looked at the most core figure in the White Wizard Army and uttered an incredulous sound. ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± The White Wizard Army split in the middle, clearing a path for their commander, Orey. ¡°Armed with better equipment than ours, and a larger number of people, yet we only just managed to hold our defense¡­¡± Orey walked up to Balto, and with the sunlight falling behind him, Balto could not clearly see his face, feeling an oppressive pressure suffocating him. ¡°Is this how your staff conducts warfare?¡± Balto opened his mouth to say something in defense, but in the face of the ironclad truth, everything he could say seemed weak and meaningless. Orey ended the newly created staff department with a single battle and took back power. ¡°Count the casualties,¡± Orey said indifferently. ¡°¡­Yes,¡± Balto responded with a bitter echo. The tally was quickly reported: in this battle, the Black Wizards had lost a hundred men, while nearly four hundred had perished on the White Wizard side. Including those who had died in previous battles, in just one day, the Secret Keeper Wizard College had lost over half of its apprentices. Nevertheless, on that very day, the apprentices of the Secret Keeper Wizard College were tempered by blood and fire, and their fears of the cut-and-thrust of battle were no longer as they had been before. ¡°Perhaps this is why the colleges conduct apprentice wars,¡± Orey murmured to himself as he looked at the casualty figures in the meeting room. He remembered his mentor telling him that the initial casualty rate in the White Wizard Army¡¯s first battle was an astonishing fifty percent, which, even after integrating fresh and experienced troops and with the aid of war machines, only dropped to thirty percent. The high death rate was due not only to the extreme dangers of conquering other planes but also partly to the White Wizards themselves. Some White Wizards performed exceptionally poorly on the battlefield, showing even less competence in large-scale war than natives. However, this apprentice war, facilitated by the hands of the Black Wizard Apprentices, had cleared out the deadweight among the White Wizard Apprentices, greatly improving the remaining students¡¯ quality. At the very least, they wouldn¡¯t wet their pants on the battlefield anymore. ¡°Let¡¯s take a break, hand all the wounded over to the apprentices of the Undead School for treatment, and those who aren¡¯t injured should repair and fortify our resource points,¡± Orey ordered. ¡°Yes.¡± After a while, the advanced apprentices from the Secret Keeper Wizard College entered the meeting room again. This time, Orey sat in the main seat at the far end of the room. ¡°After these two battles, our apprentices have grown. Next, I plan to rest for a while and allow the lower apprentices to absorb what they¡¯ve learned from the two battles,¡± Orey said, tapping his knuckles on the table. ¡°Does anyone have any objections?¡± Several advanced apprentices looked at each other, but in the end, no one spoke. ¡°Since there are no objections, then it¡¯s decided.¡± Thump, thump, thump! Just as Orey¡¯s words fell, the door to the meeting room was knocked on. Opening the door, a White Wizard Apprentice whispered something to the person who opened it. ¡°The other two academies have arrived,¡± said the White Wizard who had opened the door. Orey stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s go meet them then.¡± ¡­ High above in the sky, Wuni kept circling over the White Wizard¡¯s resource point. Using the distortion of light and altitude, the Death Crow remained undetected. ¡°The White Wizards have started to fight as an army, this is not good news,¡± Richard muttered to himself. The trial of war had rapidly accelerated the growth of the White Wizards, and the Black Wizards¡¯ haphazard assaults only hastened this process. During the attack by the two academies, Richard could clearly see that the Black Wizard Apprentices were fighting independently, while White Wizard Apprentices trended towards group combat. Even though the Black Wizard Apprentices were powerful individuals, they were troubled when facing several apprentices whose nominal combat power was close to their own. If Richard were in command, he would have them perform cutting and encircling attacks, colloquially known as ¡°dumpling-making.¡± Concentrate superior forces, swiftly cut through the White Wizard Apprentices¡¯ defense, and then surround and annihilate them. Unfortunately, the other two academy¡¯s leading apprentices did not share Richard¡¯s strategic thought; they could only cut through the defenses and then let the apprentices fight for their own victories. This approach fit well with the Black Wizard ethos but was ill-suited for war. ¡°The two new academies, according to the rules, should be the Clear Frost Wizard Academy and Aurora Wizard Academy,¡± Richard observed the two new groups of White Wizard Apprentices appearing on the ground, speaking to himself. From the sky, the two groups of White Wizard Apprentices had gathered outside the resource point and seemed to have some minor friction with the apprentices of the Secret Keeper Wizard College. ¡°Why can¡¯t we go in when we¡¯re all White Wizard Apprentices?¡± an apprentice shouted loudly at those guarding the resource point entrance. Looking at the badge on his chest, this was an Aurora Academy apprentice. ¡°Indeed, we¡¯re allies according to the rules; aren¡¯t we allowed in our own ally¡¯s resource point?¡± a Clear Frost Wizard Academy apprentice added. Just now, these two academies had arrived at the resource point fashionably late. Their timing was cunning; almost immediately after the Black Wizard Apprentices departed, this group appeared. Because of the Black Wizards¡¯ slaughter, the Secret Keeper Wizard College was in a state of sorrow and rage, and the two latecomers were naturally suspected of deliberate timing. It seemed too coincidental that they arrived just after the other group left. But coincidentally, that¡¯s exactly what happened. COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 92 - Chapter 92: Chapter 90: Academy War (9)_2 Chapter 92: Chapter 90: Academy War (9)_2 Unlike the Secret Keeper Wizard College, the apprentices of these two lacked a leader with enough prestige among them, hence, the moment they entered the Secret Realm, the struggle for leadership began for both colleges. After vying for leadership, both colleges, following the regulations of the White Wizard¡¯s Manual, began to build defensive measures at resource points, which took a considerable amount of time. Upon completing these tasks, there was more internal squabbling within each group, and they ultimately decided to send people to the resource point where the Secret Keeper Academy was located to exchange information and form an alliance. The timing just happened to coincide with the end of the great battle between the Secret Keeper Academy and the Black Wizards. ¡°Rules are rules, without a commander¡¯s order, none of you can enter.¡± The guarding White Wizard said sternly to the outside White Wizard Apprentices, completely disregarding their protests. After experiencing war, the apprentices of the Secret Keeper Wizard College looked upon these apprentices who had not been through battle with a mix of pride and pity. These people still had no idea what awaited them. The guard¡¯s words prompted another wave of discontent, but this time the dissatisfaction did not last long. Because Orey¡¯s order came down. ¡°Let them in.¡± Orey exchanged some information with the leader apprentices, or rather, the representative apprentices from the two colleges. He shared some of the Secret Keeper Academy¡¯s experiences with them. ¡°Are you saying that we White Wizards can¡¯t possibly win against the Black Wizards the first time we face them? Unless we lay a trap and set up an ambush?¡± said the representative apprentice from Clear Frost Academy. This representative, named Greg, was over two meters tall and sported a red beard, giving him quite the wild warrior vibe. ¡°Pretty much,¡± Orey said blandly. ¡°Without going through the trials of war, our apprentices are far behind the Black Wizard Apprentices in quality.¡± ¡°It sounds incredible, but looking at the rules this time, it seems to be the academy¡¯s very intention.¡± The representative apprentice from Aurora Academy picked up the conversation. This representative was an Undead Wizard named Menasi, and when he spoke, two flickering blue Soul Fires danced in his eye sockets. ¡°Get rid of the low-quality apprentices among us and make wizards more elite.¡± Orey did not express agreement or disagreement upon hearing this. ¡°Are you two about to go train your troops?¡± Orey inquired. As he spoke, Orey walked with the two representative apprentices down the street. A continuous sound of crying echoed throughout the resource point, as many apprentices had lost their lives in the war ¨C men and women of various relations to those who survived. But without doubt, there had been affection between those who had died and the living apprentices. The heavy burden of death weighed upon the hearts of these living apprentices; parting in life and death is a rite of passage every wizard must endure. Ultimately, the aim of the Wizard Academy was to provide soldiers for the Plane Battlefield. ¡°We¡­¡± Greg had trouble catching his breath under the weight of the resource point¡¯s sorrow. The savagery of war left this Ivory Tower apprentice somewhat at a loss. ¡°Do you remember the rules of war victory?¡± Orey suddenly asked. ¡°There will be fewer than two resource points left, or the number of apprentices has halved,¡± Menasi said with a grave voice, ¡°The academies have already prepared for death; they¡¯ve drawn a line for us.¡± ¡°So both of you should think about it,¡± Orey said softly, ¡°Death is inevitable.¡± ¡­ In the sky, Richard observed the White Wizards from the other two academies beginning to leave. But the direction of their departure seemed off. Why were they moving towards his location? Fortunately, night fell not long after, and the White Wizard Apprentices did not choose to march at night but decided to camp on the spot. ¡°Are they planning to attack the public resource point?¡± Richard switched his vision back to himself and pinched his eyebrow anxiously. Knock, knock, knock! Richard¡¯s room door was knocked on. Since arranging the city¡¯s defenses, Richard had stayed in this room, using Wuni to observe the movements of the White Wizards. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°Boss, my name¡¯s Doug. I¡¯ve caught a Magic Beast, would you like a taste?¡± ¡°Magic Beast?¡± Richard realized it was someone trying to suck up to him. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve got it.¡± Richard stretched his body and walked out of the room. Outside the room, the entire Resource Point had undergone a huge transformation. Thick city walls had been erected, with Apprentices keeping watch on top, and various wooden huts had been built within the Resource Point. Apprentices walked down the streets, those who were acquainted gathered together, lit bonfires, and chatted while eating dry rations. The day¡¯s skirmish might have been a painful memory for White Wizard Apprentices, but for Black Wizard Apprentices, such battles were just part of daily life. The Apprentice named Doug approached Richard, presenting a well-roasted Magic Beast thigh as if offering up a treasure. The thigh, sizzling with fat and brushed with Spice, emitted an aroma that was tantalizing. ¡°Boss, this meat from the Magic Beast is really chewy, I guarantee you¡¯ll like it.¡± Richard didn¡¯t find Doug¡¯s flattery repulsive; he took the thigh, tasted it, and nodded. ¡°It is indeed good.¡± ¡°Good is good, good is good,¡± Doug nodded obsequiously, ¡°If you want more, I¡¯ve got some.¡± ¡°No need.¡± Richard waved his hand, ¡°You¡¯re called Doug, right? Which School do you belong to?¡± ¡°Reporting to the boss, Alchemy School.¡± ¡°Alchemy School¡­ What level are you at? And in what area?¡± Doug gave a subservient smile, ¡°I study Alchemy Machines. My skills are passable, but far inferior to yours, boss.¡± ¡°Alchemy Machines, not bad.¡± Richard nodded, then took out a contract from his pocket and wrote a few terms on it. ¡°Sign this, and you can stay in the rear.¡± Doug¡¯s abilities were mediocre. Judging by the Magic Fluctuation emanating from him, Doug was probably at the level of an Intermediate Apprentice entering the field, likely because he had not changed his Meditation Method and was still using the Basic Meditation Method. Such an Apprentice would probably just be feeding free kills on the battlefield. Doug took the contract and saw that it required him to help Richard manufacture some alchemy parts and Alchemy Potions, and he must not reveal any information to the outside world. After the war, he would also have to undergo memory erasure by a Soul Wizard. ¡°This¡­¡± Doug looked at the contract and gritted his teeth before signing his name. Although the contract terms were somewhat harsh, they were nothing compared to going to war and facing certain death. ¡°Done.¡± Richard yawned and pulled out a Sheepskin Scroll from his Magic Pocket, handing it to Doug. ¡°Do exactly as it says there. Be meticulous.¡± Then Richard handed Doug another Magic Pocket filled with alchemy materials. Having Doug manufacture alchemy parts was a spur-of-the-moment decision by Richard. Doug was an Apprentice of the Alchemy School, and Richard had a batch of alchemy materials to deal with. Since Doug would be just a free kill on the battlefield, it was better to leave him in the rear to work for Richard. Hearing this, Doug retreated with profuse thanks. After finishing the Magic Beast leg, Richard returned to the room to start monitoring the movements of the White Wizard Apprentices. In the dense forest, despite the lessons from the fall of the Secret Keeper Academy, these White Wizard Apprentices still didn¡¯t understand the brutality of war. Richard even saw some male and female Wizard Apprentices coupling, and they had even left the camp for it. ¡°Great, if it weren¡¯t for the proximity to the Resource Point of the Secret Keeper Academy, these people would all be doomed in the forest tonight.¡± Through Wuni¡¯s night vision, Richard could clearly see several Black Wizard Apprentices scouting the camp. And the White Wizard Apprentices¡¯ sentinels were as good as dead, having noticed nothing. ¡°Are those Apprentices from the Void Academy?¡± Richard maneuvered Wuni through the forest and eventually located the hidden enclaves of the Void Academy and the Annihilation Academy. After their defeat, these two Academies had not chosen to return to their Resource Points to fortify. Instead, they chose to lie dormant in the forest. ¡°Boss, these White Wizard Apprentices and the Apprentices at the Resource Point aren¡¯t from the same group,¡± a scouting Black Wizard Apprentice reported, ¡°How about we launch a night raid tonight?¡± Anderson and Aldo gathered together and exchanged glances. ¡°A night raid does sound like a good idea. Are you in?¡± asked Anderson. A flicker of Soul Fire surged in Aldo¡¯s eyes. ¡°Hehehe, of course.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 93 - Chapter 93: Chapter 91: Apprentice War (Part 10) Chapter 93: Chapter 91: Apprentice War (Part 10) Under the cover of night, the Black Wizard Apprentices silently advanced toward the White Wizard Apprentices¡¯ camp, yet the camp¡¯s inhabitants remained blissfully unaware. They gathered in small groups around the bonfire, discussing their future with each other. Then the spells descended. Boom! The sudden burst of spell explosion startled the apprentices, who all stood up and looked in the direction of the noise. But before they could discern what was happening, spells rained down on them like hail. ¡°Enemy attack! Enemy attack!¡± a White Wizard Apprentice shouted in panic. Chaos reigned in the camp as the White Wizard Apprentices were caught off guard by the night attack and scrambled towards the resource point in a frantic dash. ¡°Gather! Everyone, keep it together!¡± A commanding shout rose above the crowd as Greg quickly enlarged into a towering figure over three meters tall. Earth spread over the giant¡¯s body, forming a set of Earth Element Armor. ¡°Organize a counterattack! All squad leaders, organize a counterattack! Deserters will be treated as such!¡± Greg roared and turned to charge at the attackers. The Black Wizard Apprentices, draped in black robes, resembled Death Gods reaping souls in the darkness, but they hastily dodged when faced with Greg. The gulf between average and top-tier apprentices couldn¡¯t simply be bridged by a single Black Wizard. Greg let out another roar, stunning several Black Wizard Apprentices. He stomped the ground, and spikes of stone erupted, impaling the disoriented adversaries. Greg¡¯s actions undoubtedly brought some calm to the White Wizard Apprentices, whose fear instantly dissipated amidst the comforting presence of a powerful ally. ¡°Regroup and teach these Black Wizard Apprentices a lesson,¡± ¡°Let them see the might of we White Wizards!¡± ¡­ The squad leaders among the White Wizards began to rally their apprentices for a counterattack, but soon they witnessed a sight that made their legs buckle. ¡°I thought we were up against a top-level apprentice, but it¡¯s just an Advanced Apprentice with a fused bloodline.¡± Aldo¡¯s eyes, filled with Soul Fire, swirled intensely as two undead creatures resembling canines emerged from the woods, constantly clashing with Greg, each strike ripping large swaths from Greg¡¯s Armor. In addition to these two undead beings, a monstrous bone serpent over ten meters in length slithered out of the forest, heading straight for the camp. ¡°50 meters ahead, prepare the Fireball Technique!¡± A squad leader barked orders, but before the apprentices could cast their spells, the giant serpent disrupted their formation and sliced open the leader with its bone spikes, spilling blood everywhere. The White Wizard Apprentices attempted to counterattack, but the serpent¡¯s body seemed as durable as iron. Their spells at best left shallow marks and at worst, only black smudges. ¡°Damn it!¡± Greg wanted to turn back and provide support but was tightly bound by the two undead chasing him. Any slip would enable them, along with Aldo, to tear him to shreds. ¡°Cackle, you¡¯re still too green compared to Secret Keeper Academy.¡± Aldo laughed wickedly as he watched the White Wizard Apprentices getting slaughtered in the camp. Without formation and command, the individual quality of the average Black Wizard Apprentice was far superior to that of their White counterparts. In the melee, the White Apprentices had no choice but to collapse in defeat. This was true for Clear Frost Academy, and Aurora Academy was no different. ¡°Today, I shall offer eighty-eight heads to my God, to cleanse the shame of this day.¡± Anderson shouted fanatically while his long sword continuously claimed the lives of White Wizards. At his side, apprentices from Void Academy were relentlessly harvesting the lives of Aurora Academy¡¯s White Wizard Apprentices. Representing Aurora Academy, Menasi had to stand up and boost the morale of his fellow apprentices. ¡°Fanatic, I didn¡¯t expect to run into something like you.¡± Menasi¡¯s eyes blazed with Soul Fire like two torches. He wielded a White Bone Wand, and summoned a over three-meter-tall skeleton general clad in Alchemy Armor, looking imposing and majestic. ¡°An Undead Wizard? If I had known, I¡¯d have asked for help from Annihilation Academy,¡± Anderson grumbled, displeased at the sight of the skeleton general. The skeleton general¡¯s lack of flesh meant it couldn¡¯t provide sustenance for him. ¡°Losing the battle and not hastening to build defenses, have the Black Wizard Apprentices lost their minds?¡± Menasi manipulated the skeleton general towards Anderson, drying up and turning to mummies any Black Wizard Apprentices that came into contact with it. ¡°Losing the battle?¡± Anderson sneered coldly. ¡°What business is the power of Secret Keeper Academy to Aurora Academy?¡± With that, Anderson pulled another long sword from his Magic Pocket and with swords in both hands, his aura transformed once more. Looking at Menasi, his gaze was unflinching, like a Death God regarding the dead or an old Sword Saint watching a challenger. ¡°¡­False Personality!¡± Menasi recognized Anderson¡¯s technique, and the Soul Fire in his eyes jumped violently. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of being overwhelmed by the False Personality, never to return?¡± Anderson lifted his long swords, drawing a cross in the air. ¡°I¡¯ve dedicated my body and soul to my God, and death holds no regrets for me.¡± ¡°Madman!¡± Menasi cursed angrily, then multitasked, controlling the skeleton general while using Undead Magic to harass Anderson. He knew that relying solely on the skeleton general would mean certain death. COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Paragraph copied Chapter 94 - Chapter 94: Chapter 91 Apprentice War (10)_2 Chapter 94: Chapter 91 Apprentice War (10)_2 Ding! Dong! Ding¡­ A bone blade grew from the hands of the Skeleton General, colliding constantly with Anderson¡¯s twin swords. In an instant, sparks flew around the dense forest and bone fragments scattered wildly. In his Sword Saint mode, every sword technique Anderson performed was exquisitely crafted, embodying countless secrets of the native masters¡¯ swordsmanship. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that the Skeleton General had no vital points, by now, it would have been pierced through the heart, viscera, and even the brain by Anderson. Menasi found it increasingly difficult to control the Skeleton General. As time went on, Anderson seemed to have figured out his control habits, making his attacks more effective. If he could not find a way to counter Anderson soon, his only option would be to flee in disarray. Although the gap between top White Wizard Apprentices and top Black Wizard Apprentices was not as significant as that between ordinary apprentices, there was still a difference. ¡°Damn, now I can only hope for the Secret Keeper Academy,¡± Menasi sighed to himself. At the very start of the night raid, he had ordered an apprentice to seek help from the Secret Keeper Academy at the resource point. The apprentices of the Secret Keeper Academy, having been tempered by battle, were several times stronger in combat than those from the Aurora Academy and the Clear Frost Academy. Now, both academies had brought only half of their apprentices and were suddenly attacked by two Black Wizard Academies. Their only reliance was on the Secret Keeper Academy. ¡­ Resource point, conference room. ¡°The Black Wizards have launched a night raid?¡± Orey looked serious as he faced the apprentice, ¡°Are you sure both Black Wizard Academies are involved?¡± The apprentices of the White Wizard nodded incessantly like pounding garlic. ¡°I¡¯m sure! Both we and the Clear Frost Academy have been attacked. At the Clear Frost Academy, an Undead Wizard resurrected three undead, two wolves, a snake, just like the apprentices from the Annihilation Academy you mentioned.¡± ¡°Alright, I understand. The Secret Keeper Academy will assist immediately.¡± Orey waved his hand, signaling the White Wizard apprentice who reported the news to leave. ¡°Gentlemen, I have a plan,¡± Orey said, leaning his hands on the table, his eyes sharp as swords. ¡°I want to annihilate these Black Wizards!¡± In the conference room, other advanced apprentices were stunned, looking at Orey as if he were crazy. ¡°How do you plan to do it?¡± Balto rubbed his temples. As Orey¡¯s old rival, he knew Orey¡¯s personality was arrogant, but he generally did not act recklessly. ¡°We still have around seven hundred apprentices on hand, about six hundred of which are usable,¡± Orey explained, sketching a rough diagram on the conference table with his wet finger. ¡°These six hundred, I plan to divide them into three groups. Two groups will flank the route of the Black Wizard apprentices, and one group will go to support our allies.¡± ¡°Two hundred to support allies?¡± An apprentice frowned, ¡°That¡¯s not enough.¡± Orey nodded, ¡°Indeed, it is a bit few, but you need to understand, those we are supporting are not ordinary people. They are also White Wizard Apprentices like us. We only need to help them stabilize their positions, and they can manage the counterattack themselves.¡± ¡°Moreover,¡± Orey paused, ¡°the other four hundred aren¡¯t just sitting idle; they can flank from behind.¡± ¡°Quite a greedy plan,¡± Balto said expressionlessly, ¡°but the risk is indeed worth taking.¡± If things could go as smoothly as Orey hoped, then this war would be over. A single remaining Black Wizard Academy would never be able to contend against a camp of over three thousand White Wizard Apprentices. The advanced apprentices looked at each other and nodded in agreement. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled. Gather the apprentices now. Four hundred to maneuver on both flanks and two hundred to join me in battle.¡± Orey stood erect, a hint of a crazed smile showing on his lips. The time had come to wash away their shame. ¡­ Above the sky, Richard watched as the White Wizard apprentices at the resource point formed three squadrons, two of which immediately headed to the sides upon leaving the resource point, while only one squadron went to the camps of both academies. ¡°Damn, they¡¯re planning on encircling us.¡± Seeing this, Richard immediately understood Orey¡¯s plan. The flanking maneuver on both wings was intended by the commander of the Secret Keeper Academy to end the war in one fell swoop. ¡°And you think I will let you have your way?¡± Richard switched his view back and immediately left the room to begin gathering apprentices. ¡°Gather up! Gather up!¡± During the war, not many Wizard Apprentices chose to meditate, so Richard soon gathered nearly two hundred Apprentices. ¡°The Void Academy and the Annihilation Academy are now in danger.¡± Richard did not beat around the bush and immediately informed the Apprentices of the current situation. ¡°Today, the Secret Keeper Academy, having been beaten down by us to the point of desperation, is aligning with two other Academies to surround and annihilate the Void and Annihilation Academies. We need to support them now. You have five minutes to prepare, after which we will engage in a fierce battle. The White Wizard Apprentices have already begun legion combat, and we must take this battle seriously¡ªwe cannot underestimate it!¡± The assembled Black Wizards looked at each other, with no protests or questions. They immediately began preparing for the imminent battle. Richard had ample reason; if the Annihilation Academy and Void Academy were surrounded and defeated, then this war was essentially over. If other regions with Black Wizards encountered problems, what awaited them was a bloody trial at the Academy. Rather than facing a bloody trial and competing with classmates, dealing with White Wizard Apprentices now seemed a bit more sensible. Five minutes later, all Apprentices were ready. Richard checked the number of people, kept it to two hundred, and then led the Apprentices to the battlefield. ¡­ The White Wizard camp was now embroiled in intense combat. Greg was entangled by Aldo¡¯s two Undead hounds and could not break free; although the Apprentices from the Clear Frost Academy were constantly resisting, the undead giant python kept disrupting their formation. This caused significant losses for the Clear Frost Academy. Meanwhile, Anderson¡¯s long sword was about to dismantle the Skeleton General, and no matter how Menasi interfered with spells, he could not prevent the collapse of the Skeleton General. It seemed everything was too late. ¡°Allies from the Aurora Academy, the Secret Keeper Academy is here to support!¡± A loud shout spread throughout the camp, accompanied by a trademark of the White Wizard Army¡ªthe torrent of spells. Dozens of purple lightning bolts shot from their staffs, instantly turning two Black Wizard Apprentices into charred corpses. Seeing the White Wizard Army arrive for support, the Black Wizard Apprentices began to run towards the back. They were not fools; killing inexperienced White Wizard Apprentices was one thing, but they dared not provoke the experienced White Wizard Army. Orey, overseeing the command, smirked coldly at this scene. Escape? Will you manage to escape this time? ¡°Twelve o¡¯clock direction, distance 250, prepare for the Spiral Ice Cone Skill to the left at ten!¡± Orey gave the order, and thirty Spiral Ice Cones materialized beside the Apprentices casting spells from a distance, targeting Anderson who was grappling with the Skeleton General. ¡°Fire!¡± In an instant, thirty Spiral Ice Cones, with trails of freezing mist, shot towards Anderson at lightning speed. Anderson¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he swung his two long swords, creating a barrier of sword light that effortlessly deflected all thirty Ice Cones. But only Anderson himself knew that his arms were already trembling slightly. His body was nearly at its limit. ¡°Retreat!¡± Anderson issued the order and turned to run into the forest. Orey did not pursue; he immediately turned to support the Clear Frost Academy and called Menasi to his side. ¡°Menasi, I have a plan now and need the assistance of your Aurora Academy Apprentices.¡± The Soul Fire in Menasi¡¯s eyes flickered, ¡°What¡¯s the plan? How can we help you?¡± ¡°I plan to annihilate this group of Black Wizard Apprentices, so I¡¯m asking you to gather the Apprentices and press forward with me against these fleeing Black Wizard Apprentices.¡± After finishing, Orey added: ¡°You don¡¯t really need to lend a hand. Just follow and scare these Black Wizard Apprentices.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Menasi did not hesitate; the Soul Fire in his eyes suddenly intensified. ¡°All Wizard Apprentices from Aurora Wizard Academy will fully cooperate with you!¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 95 - Chapter 95: Chapter 92: Apprentice War (11) Chapter 95: Chapter 92: Apprentice War (11) At the Clear Frost Academy camp, Greg was still desperately holding on, his Earth Element Armor was now scarcely remaining, but with a shout, ¡°Reinforcements have arrived!¡± the Annihilation Academy¡¯s Black Wizard Apprentices began to retreat. ¡°Reinforcements? The Secret Keeper Academy?¡± Greg glanced backward and discovered a regiment of White Wizards slowly advancing towards his position. ¡°How disappointing,¡± Aldo, seeing the regiment of White Wizards from the Secret Keeper Academy, sneered and began to direct the Undead to retreat. He hadn¡¯t yet become so arrogant as to confront a whole regiment of White Wizards. Greg¡¯s predicament was instantly alleviated. ¡°Greg, I need Clear Frost Academy¡¯s help,¡± Orey said, getting straight to the point as soon as they met. ¡°What kind of help?¡± Greg¡¯s figure returned to normal, looking somewhat listless and drained. It seemed the recent battle had taken a heavy toll on him. ¡°I need you to rally the Apprentices of Clear Frost Academy and push forward with me to crush these Black Wizard Apprentices.¡± ¡°Push forward?¡± Greg frowned, ¡°What are you planning?¡± A glint of sharpness flashed in Orey¡¯s eyes: ¡°I¡¯ve already sent people to cut off the Black Wizards¡¯ escape route. As long as we push forward, there¡¯s a high chance we¡¯ll be able to eliminate all these Black Wizard Apprentices.¡± ¡°Hiss, that¡¯s a bold plan.¡± Greg was taken aback by Orey¡¯s strategy, and after a brief moment of thought, he agreed to Orey¡¯s request. ¡°Clear Frost Wizard Academy will fully cooperate with you, but¡­¡± Greg glanced at the White Wizard Apprentices in the camp, hesitant to continue. These White Wizard Apprentices, after this battle, had lost all their courage. If they encountered a breakout by the Black Wizard Apprentices, they might become disorganized. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Orey confidently smiled, ¡°Clear Frost Academy and Aurora Academy just need to make up the numbers. The actual fighting just needs you to prevent some scattered Black Wizard Apprentices from escaping.¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± Greg agreed without hesitation, turning immediately to organize the Apprentices. About twenty minutes later, the Apprentices from Clear Frost Academy and Aurora Academy were assembled. This night raid had caused great losses to both sides, with over eight hundred Apprentices dead, exceeding more than half of the number each side had brought. With a grim expression, Greg and Menasi, whose Soul Fire was constantly flickering, met up with Orey; they now fully understood the experience of the Secret Keeper Academy. War was indeed too cruel. ¡°Now that you have both organized your forces, let¡¯s get started.¡± Orey pointed toward the dense forest and corners of his mouth revealed a confident smile. ¡°This battle shall be the final war!¡± ¡­ On the other side of the forest, Richard was leading two hundred Black Wizard Apprentices towards the battlefield. In the meantime, Richard constantly switched his view to assess the situation, and upon seeing that the Void Annihilation forces had begun to retreat, he immediately ordered Wuni to hurry back. He now needed to locate those two regiments of the Secret Keeper Academy¡¯s White Wizards. ¡°Boss, we¡¯re approaching the trap zone we set up ahead,¡± reported a Black Wizard Apprentice to Richard. Richard nodded, ¡°Good, deploy a few Alchemy Apprentices here to stand guard, and after we complete the rendezvous, we¡¯ll rely on these Magic Array traps to buy us time.¡± Wuni¡¯s flying speed was very fast, and with its high altitude, the range of sight was exceedingly vast. Therefore, in just a few minutes, he found traces of one of the White Wizard regiments. But the bad news was, this regiment was about to engage with the Void Academy. ¡°Damn it,¡± Richard cursed, immediately leading the Apprentices to hasten towards the battlefield. If surrounded on three sides, the Void Academy and Annihilation Academy feared they would suffer heavy losses. Boom! An ear-splitting explosion echoed through the woods, catching the fleeing Black Wizard Apprentices by surprise, causing them to immediately look for the Spellcasters. ¡°White Wizard Army?¡± Anderson saw the White Wizard regiment a few hundred meters away, feeling a sudden chill in his heart. Had they been encircled? He thought carefully and realized that the force that came to the camp to provide support was only a small part and definitely not all of the White Wizard Apprentices from the Secret Keeper Academy. ¡°No good, we must break out of the encirclement at once!¡± Anderson decisively made a decision, leading the Apprentices of the Void Academy to charge through. ¡°Charge through?¡± Balto, commanding the White Wizard Army, sneered, then ordered the Apprentices to start casting spells carpet-style. As long as you don¡¯t mind the high casualties, by all means, charge through! The Spells followed a parabolic arc, falling beside the Black Wizard Apprentices, forcing them to run backward. ¡°Damn it, this way!¡± Anderson cursed, leading the Apprentices to run toward the right side. Meanwhile, on another front, the Annihilation Academy also encountered the blockade of the White Wizard Army. ¡°Damn, have we been surrounded?¡± In Aldo¡¯s eyes, the Soul Fire kept flickering¡ªan indication of his extreme unrest. ¡°To the center,¡± Aldo decided, leading the Annihilation Academy¡¯s Apprentices to the left. Now, with opposition in front and pursuers behind, only by merging with the Void Academy could they use the combat power of higher-end Apprentices to break free. Behind the two Academies, the regiment of White Wizards led by Orey was leisurely pursuing the Black Wizard Apprentices, along with Clear Frost and Aurora. The explosions coming from ahead proved that the White Wizard regiments he had sent out had already engaged with the Black Wizard Apprentices. If those two Academies weren¡¯t foolish, they should converge toward the center. Of course, the two Academies might also disperse their Apprentices and flee in every direction, but that possibility was slim. Because Advanced Apprentices, although relatively safe when in big numbers, once their numbers dwindle, they could easily be singled out. That would not be a good situation for the Advanced Apprentices. COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 96 - Chapter 96: Chapter 92: Apprentice War (11)_2 Chapter 96: Chapter 92: Apprentice War (11)_2 ¡°Prepare to meet the enemy!¡± Orey commanded. The apprentices of the Secret Keeper Academy, having been tempered by war, now grasped their magic wands firmly, displaying a semblance of the White Wizard Army¡¯s qualities. At the very least, they wouldn¡¯t scatter and flee at the first sign of spells or casualties. To the sides of the Secret Keeper Academy apprentices, those from the Clear Frost Academy and Aurora Academy also gripped their wands tightly. After experiencing a chaotic battle, these apprentices had learned a thing or two and could be considered raw soldiers fit for the battlefield. As the Secret Realm and Void Annihilation Academies joined forces, both sides realized they were completely surrounded. At that moment, the White Wizard Army led by Orey was about to enter spell range, the magic fluctuations from the White Wizard Apprentices brewing their spells were even strong enough to stir a breeze in the forest. ¡°It looks like we¡¯ll have to force our way out,¡± Anderson said with a frown, decisively making his choice. Across from him, Aldo had reached the same conclusion. Although scattering the apprentices would allow more to escape, it wouldn¡¯t benefit them as advanced apprentices one bit. The outcome of the war mattered, but their own lives were of utmost importance. ¡°Prepare to break through! Use every escape trick you have!¡± Anderson relayed the order, taking out a bottle of magic potion from his magic pocket. The potion looked a vivid red, resembling the blood of some creature. After consuming it, Anderson¡¯s body immediately exuded an eerie aura. ¡°Blood of a high-level vampire, nice find,¡± Aldo complimented, and then took out a scroll from his pocket. Upon opening the scroll, a mysterious force instantly enveloped Aldo. Anderson¡¯s eyes turned blood-red, and blood vessels spread across his body as he glanced at the scroll, saying with a hint of surprise, ¡°A Luck Scroll! You actually managed to get your hands on something like this!¡± Aldo¡¯s Soul Fire flickered, ¡°Found it by chance during an adventure.¡± The Luck Scroll was a long-lost piece of knowledge from the Curse School, capable of temporarily enhancing the user¡¯s luck for a short time and repaying it with bad luck at a later time. But for someone facing death, living even a second longer was a gift; what did bad luck matter? ¡°Prepare to break through!¡± The two leaders issued orders to the apprentices of their own academies, then took the lead in charging out. After ingesting the blood of a high-level vampire, Anderson¡¯s physique, healing abilities, and even his reflexes were greatly enhanced. At this moment, Anderson¡¯s physique had reached the level of a peak-level apprentice, which was more than adequate for a breakout. Beside him, Aldo appeared much more composed, swiftly moving through gaps in the spells without a scratch, like passing through a dense thicket without a leaf touching him. Behind him, numerous Black Wizard Apprentices pushed forward against the onslaught of spells from the White Wizard Army, many being burned to ashes or electrocuted into charcoal. ¡°Stop them!¡± The commanders of two White Wizard Army units issued orders, and the army began to move, forming a wall of despair to block the Black Wizard Apprentices. ¡°Block your mother¡¯s head!¡± A roar echoed from behind the White Wizard Army, and a black giant, similar to a Demon God, holding a great sword ablaze with black flames, charged toward the army. Anderson, in the midst of the breakout, recognized the black giant at a glance. ¡°Hail from the Black Tower Academy! Follow me and strike at the White Wizard Army!¡± Anderson bellowed. The White Wizard Army immediately shifted their target, hoping to swiftly defeat the black giant with a barrage of spells. ¡°Six o¡¯clock direction, 50 meters, prepare all lightning strikes!¡± ¡°Fire!¡± In the next instant, hundreds of bolts of lightning burst from the tips of the White Wizard Army¡¯s wands, nearly engulfing Richard with purple thunder. But in the next moment, the black giant reached the front lines of the White Wizard Army. ¡°He¡¯s still alive!?¡± The commanders of the White Wizard Army were shocked. Surviving a barrage of hundreds of spells could only be done by a Wizard. ¡°To hell with you!¡± The black giant bellowed angrily, with muscles bulging on his arms, he swung his great sword, cutting down the Defense Apprentices and bringing forth a burst of blood mist. The White Wizard Apprentices were stunned by the scene. What kind of monster was this, able to survive hundreds of spells? ¡°` But at this moment, there was no time for them to think, because behind the black giant, hundreds of elemental spells were flying towards them. Boom! The White Wizard Apprentices scattered in all directions, even the commander Advanced Apprentice fleeing in panic. This was simply a monster. The encirclement was torn open, and the Black Wizard Apprentices prepared to break through quickly escaped through the gap. Richard planted his Great Sword into the ground, black smoke continuously rising from his body, with a gash ripped open in his flesh at the back, and several Magic Stones drained of magic power fell out. His condition was not as heroic as the White Wizard Apprentices had perceived. Thanks to his Adaptation Body, Richard had developed resistance to elemental spells of fire, thunder, and ice below the fifty Energy Level. But reality wasn¡¯t a game, and resistance had its limits. One punch to the body might do nothing, but a hundred punches would definitely pose a problem. At this moment, Richard could feel fire-like pain all over his body. His Bloodline, in an effort to heal his body, had instantaneously drained ten Magic Stones. ¡°At least the experience wasn¡¯t a total loss. I managed to intimidate them.¡± Richard regained his strength and glanced at the pursuing White Wizard Army ahead. At that very moment, Orey also happened to be looking at Richard. Their eyes met, and a mutual sense of recognition arose between them. That person was his greatest enemy in this war! Richard pulled out his Great Sword and waved at Orey, then disappeared into the forest. Orey ordered the pursuit to continue, but the White Wizard Army, needing to march in formation, couldn¡¯t match the Black Wizard Apprentices¡¯ speed of escape. Moreover, during the pursuit, they were attacked by a Magic Array trap, which further slowed them down. Watching the Black Wizard Apprentices gradually vanish into the forest, Orey punched a tree beside him. ¡°Alas! So close, yet so far!¡± At that moment, the commanders of the two White Wizard Army groups responsible for the encirclement also arrived by Orey¡¯s side. ¡°Denis, why did you flee! Do you realize, because of your rout, we¡¯ve lost all the gains of the evening!¡± Orey shouted angrily at one of the commanders. The commander called Denis hung his head low, the image of Richard charging through their ranks flashing before his eyes. He had to admit, he could not muster even the slightest desire to resist that black giant. What kind of monster could withstand a hundred spells? How could such beings appear on an Apprentice battlefield? ¡°We¡­ we encountered a monster,¡± Denis said bitterly, ¡°Before we routed, that monster must have withstood nearly a hundred bolts of lightning. But he was still alive¡­ and even managed to charge at our formation!¡± Denis¡¯s face was filled with bitterness: ¡°Such an enemy¡­ I can¡¯t bring myself to resist. Commander, punish me, I am willing to accept all responsibility.¡± Orey exhaled after listening. ¡°You will be punished. But before that happens, reorganize your troops.¡± Denis¡¯s excuse was valid, even Orey himself would probably have only slowed the rout at Denis¡¯s position. A monster that could charge against a legion under a barrage of spells was still too much for the Apprentices of the Secret Keeper Academy at this point. But a valid reason did not mean exemption from punishment. Denis was unlikely to get a commander¡¯s position again in this war. After the battle, the three Academies tallied the casualties. The Secret Keeper Academy had lost more than thirty Apprentices in this operation, while the other two, only supporting, had about a dozen deaths each. Including the casualties of the night raid, both Academies had lost over half of their Apprentices. But the result was substantial; during the operation, they killed approximately a hundred and fifty Black Wizard Apprentices. During the night raid in the melee, they killed forty Black Wizard Apprentices. Together, the two battles resulted in a loss of one-fifth of the Black Wizard Apprentice camp. After the battle, the Apprentices from the Aurora and Clear Frost Academies immediately returned to their own resource points, the battle being a loss but also a growth opportunity. Mixing veterans of war with new troops was a way to effectively enhance the combat power of the newcomers. And at this very moment, outside the Secret Realm, the headmasters of the six Academies were silently watching them. ¡°` COMMENT 1 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT 1 Chapter 97 - Chapter 97: Chapter 93: Apprentice War (12) Chapter 97: Chapter 93: Apprentice War (12) ¡°Is the war progressing too fast, Clear Frost?¡± The Black Tower Great Wizard looked at the glass dome before him, which enclosed the secret realm where Richard and the others were located, allowing him to see every move of all the apprentices clearly. Sitting opposite the Black Tower Great Wizard, the mage known as Clear Frost was an Ice person, his whole body composed of a pale blue ice. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s a bit fast,¡± the Great Wizard Clear Frost exhaled a breath of cold air, ¡°It¡¯s only the first day, and all three battlefields are already a complete mess.¡± ¡°But the results seem quite good,¡± next to the Great Wizard Clear Frost, a dazzling light cloaked in a cape sent out a wave of spiritual energy¡ªhe was the Aurora Great Wizard. ¡°Indeed, not bad, our side has already started to have the capability of legion warfare,¡± said a middle-aged man cloaked in a cape, his mouth and eyes sewn shut with risks, giving him a rather scary look¡ªhe was the Secret Keeper Great Wizard. ¡°The rules need to be changed, otherwise there would be nothing left for us to fight,¡± stated a deep energy cloaked in a wizard robe, ¡°Once the White Wizard Army fully adapts, the Black Wizards won¡¯t stand a chance.¡± The first Apprentice War, even the Great Wizards had made some minor mistakes. They originally designed the war to last about a year, with various reconnaissance, advances, confrontations, but as it looks now, the wizard apprentices didn¡¯t need any of it. At this rate, the war could end in another two days. They were too far from the apprentices, somewhat forgetting how scarce the apprentices¡¯ means were. ¡°There¡¯s no need to rush, Void,¡± another Great Wizard, looking like a normal human just like the Black Tower Great Wizard, spoke up, ¡°Don¡¯t forget, the number of apprentices is also a condition for victory.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s still unfavorable for us,¡± the Black Tower Great Wizard continued, ¡°According to the Plane Battlefield simulation, Black Wizards occupy the positions of native powerhouses, their numbers should be more than that of White Wizards, who should be relying on the superiority of legion warfare to strike them down one by one. But now it¡¯s the other way around. When have we ever encountered a war where wizards outnumber natives during plane conquest?¡± ¡°Speak your mind, Black Tower,¡± said the Great Wizard Clear Frost indifferently. The Black Tower Great Wizard let out a bizarre chuckle: ¡°Clear Frost, no matter how you look at it, you have the advantage this time. Our little guys are just here to serve as your whetstone. Shouldn¡¯t you make some gesture?¡± ¡°Black Tower, you still love bargaining,¡± the Great Wizard Clear Frost said with a hint of helplessness in his tone, ¡°How about one victory? If Black Wizards win a match, it counts as your win.¡± Having said that, he then looked at Void and Annihilation, the two Great Wizards. ¡°Agreed.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± Both Great Wizards agreed to this rule modification. ¡°Aurora, Secret Keeper, what about the two of you?¡± the Black Tower Great Wizard looked towards the remaining two Great Wizards of the White Wizard camp. The two Great Wizards passed a spiritual message between each other, and also agreed to the rule change. The Black Tower Great Wizard clapped his hands, and a scroll bearing mystical energy appeared out of thin air. The Black Tower Great Wizard drew a couple of lines on it with his finger, and its content instantly changed. ¡°The contract is amended, let¡¯s continue watching.¡± ¡­ Inside the public resource point, the Black Wizard Apprentice side also tallied the loss results. In this night raid, the casualties of Void Academy were greater, around one hundred and twenty people, while Annihilation Academy suffered less due to the help of Aldo¡¯s Undead Puppets. After the casualty numbers were tallied, the commanders of the three academies gathered in the conference room to discuss the next strategy. ¡°Gentlemen, I think we need to make some adjustments to our strategy,¡± Richard sat in his chair, his fingers tapping unhurriedly on the table. On either side of him, Anderson from Void Academy and Aldo from Annihilation Academy were silent and expressionless. ¡°How did you know we were being besieged?¡± Aldo suddenly asked, ¡°Your timing was just right, even if I sent someone to call for help, it wouldn¡¯t have been possible.¡± ¡°How did I know?¡± Richard laughed and snapped his fingers. Wuni flew into the room from the window, settling comfortably on Richard¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Did neither of you think of Magic Pets?¡± Anderson and Aldo were startled, and then a chill grew in their hearts. They had indeed not thought about Magic Pets. And by the looks of Richard, this Magic Pet might have been watching them for God knows how long, probably even monitoring their night raid. ¡°Magic Pets¡­¡± Anderson paused, ¡°That¡¯s indeed a blind spot.¡± The Secret Realm was no stranger to Magic Beasts and like; a single crow on a branch would attract little attention. ¡°The White Wizard Apprentices probably haven¡¯t noticed either, which is good for us,¡± Aldo said with a serious voice. ¡°It¡¯s only a matter of time before we¡¯re discovered,¡± Richard shook his head, ¡°The White Wizard Academy should have taught about Magic Pet Reconnaissance. It won¡¯t be long before they realize something is watching them.¡± ¡°What did you mean by changing our strategy?¡± Anderson suddenly asked. ¡°The growth of White Wizard Apprentices has been too fast, if we want to win the war, we must play to our strengths,¡± a glint flashed in Richard¡¯s eyes, ¡°We should give up trying to win by seizing resource points. Instead, we should aim to reduce the number of White Wizard Apprentices as much as possible. Cutting their numbers by half is also a way to victory.¡± ¡°We are well aware of this,¡± Aldo retorted, ¡°But trading losses with the White Wizard Army, it seems like we¡¯re at a disadvantage.¡± Richard smiled confidently in response, ¡°Who said we¡¯re going to fight them head-on?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 98 - Chapter 98: Chapter 93: Apprentice War (12)_2 Chapter 98: Chapter 93: Apprentice War (12)_2 Anderson and Aldo exchanged glances, unable to fathom what Richard was really scheming. ¡°Both of you, we¡¯re not Wizards, we¡¯re stronger than ordinary people, but we still need to eat and drink,¡± Richard spoke leisurely, ¡°White Wizard Apprentices can rely on Magic Arrays to solve their drinking water problem, but they can¡¯t conjure food out of thin air. Given the idiocy of this group of White Wizard Apprentices, I doubt they brought much in the way of dry food. Therefore, going out to gather food is essential.¡± Richard left the rest unsaid, but Anderson and Aldo had already grasped his meaning. If the White Wizard Apprentices came out to gather food, then they could take the opportunity to attack. But Anderson found a problem. ¡°But what if they don¡¯t drag their feet? If they choose to consolidate their Apprentices and quickly take down our resource points, what do we do then?¡± ¡°They will surely drag it out for a while,¡± Richard shook his head, ¡°they still have some who have never seen the battlefield. If they attack rashly and end up fleeing, wouldn¡¯t we win directly?¡± ¡°Moreover,¡± Richard pulled a Magic Stone out of his pocket, ¡°they need to replenish their Magic Stones, don¡¯t they?¡± Due to the large number of Apprentices at the White Wizard Academy, apart from a few top Apprentices, the rest had far fewer Magic Stones than the Black Wizard Apprentices. This resulted in many White Wizard Apprentices running out of Magic Stone reserves after a day and night of intense combat. ¡°That makes sense. What¡¯s your plan?¡± Anderson looked at Richard. Although they were both leaders among the Apprentices, Richard always gave him an inscrutable feeling. This feeling didn¡¯t come from power, but seemed like an intellectual suppression. ¡°It¡¯s simple,¡± Richard clapped his hands, ¡°we¡¯ll only defend two resource points and let the White Wizards attack the others. Then we¡¯ll split some of our elite Apprentices into small teams to harass the White Wizard Apprentices venturing out from their resource points. We¡¯ll kill as many White Wizard Apprentices as possible.¡± The two commanding Apprentices thought for a moment and immediately realized it was indeed a good idea. Elite Apprentices meant battles could end quickly, and they could swiftly disengage when pursuing. ¡°I agree.¡± ¡°I also agree.¡± Richard stood up, ¡°Since you both agree, let¡¯s get started.¡± ¡­ Just as Richard predicted, the Apprentices from Clear Frost and Aurora did not make any major moves after their return. And since the Secret Keeper Academy began to focus on defense due to Magic Stone consumption, only small groups of White Wizard squads went out daily for food hunting near the resource points. Wizard Apprentices are not yet Wizards; they can¡¯t rely solely on Magic Power to sustain their bodies. Therefore, food and water remain essential for the survival of Wizard Apprentices. When the White Wizard squads went hunting for food, the Black Wizards naturally wouldn¡¯t sit idle. Three Academies from the Black Wizard Camp selected ten elite Black Wizard Apprentice teams, each with five members, including Apprentices from five different Schools to handle any situation. These people were sent to hunt near the White Wizard resource points, attacking the White Wizard Apprentices emerging from those points. Meanwhile, the remaining Black Wizards began fortification construction. The Academies of Void and Annihilation, having suffered great losses, decided to defend a resource point together, while Black Tower Wizard Academy defended another by itself. Thus, the White and Black Wizard sides began a temporary standoff. ¡­ ¡°Run, Alisa!¡± a White Wizard Apprentice roared, turning to pounce on the attacking Black Wizard Apprentice. His figure quickly grew in size during the lunge, transforming into a muscular, hairy Beastman in an instant. Clearly, this was a Bloodline Alchemy Apprentice. Facing him, the five Black Wizard Apprentices skillfully widened the distance, and then three Elemental Spells blasted onto his body. The remaining two Apprentices pointed toward the fleeing White Wizard Apprentice as black chains emerged from the ground and wrapped around the White Wizard Apprentice like a parasite. The other simply and cleanly followed up with another Elemental Spell. After the hunt was completed, the Black Wizard Apprentices expertly stripped the White Wizard Apprentice¡¯s body clean and then set a Magic Array trap underneath the corpse. ¡°Alright,¡± the apprentice setting up the magic array trap whispered. After speaking, the five Black Wizard Apprentices silently disappeared into the dense forest. Before long, a group of White Wizard Apprentices found their way here. ¡°Damn, let those bastards escape again!¡± The leading White Wizard Apprentice cursed angrily, with the apprentices following him also showing faces full of rage. This was already the fifth Black Wizard assassination incident this month. ¡°Captain, no traces were found,¡± reported one White Wizard Apprentice. ¡°Damn it, collect the bodies and take them back.¡± As the White Wizard Apprentices were moving the bodies, the magic array trap set by the Black Wizards triggered, and the exploding Fire Element Spell instantly blew the nearest apprentice into chunks. ¡°Awen!¡± The captain¡¯s eyes bulged in frenzy as he unleashed spells wildly into the surrounding dense forest. But by this moment, the Black Wizard squad had already moved far away, rendering his venting utterly futile. ¡­ ¡°The fifth Black Wizard assassination incident,¡± Balto handed a piece of paper to Orey, ¡°This time the Black Wizards left traps on the bodies, causing one search member to be blown to death.¡± ¡°Okay, I got it,¡± Orey took the paper and glanced at it, massaging his temples with a headache. ¡°Is this war?¡± Balto sat next to Orey, his heart churning with waves. For victory, the Black Wizard Apprentices could cold-heartedly lay traps on the corpses of their own kind, which Balto found somewhat hard to accept. Even war should have some bottom lines. ¡°Yes, this is war,¡± Orey answered offhandedly, ¡°The purpose of war is victory, and for this goal, we should be unscrupulous.¡± ¡°I understand that, but I still find it somewhat unacceptable,¡± Balto exhaled deeply, as if trying to expel all the frustration from his heart. ¡°We¡¯re all apprentices, all human, why should things be done so¡­ despicably.¡± ¡°Despicably?¡± Orey scoffed, ¡°Balto, you¡¯re too naive. You think what is this war simulating? What is it for? This war is to simulate the Plane Battlefield, where on the Plane Battlefield, the methods of those alien race monsters are a hundred times more despicable! A hundred times more vicious! They will kill wizards without any psychological burden and then use our corpses for their feasting. If you can¡¯t even accept this, how will you manage yourself when you get to the Plane Battlefield? Are you going to request to be transferred to rear logistics for a lifetime?¡± As a scion of a Wizard Family, Orey had learned about the cruelty of the Plane War from his elders. On those gruesome battlefields, these selected wizards were just like small soldiers, dying in droves. Even Great Wizards might fall. The methods of those alien race monsters were countless, and sometimes for a wizard in their grasp, even death became a luxury. Now this was nothing more than using corpses to set traps, how far had they gone? Balto had no reply and shifted the conversation to countermeasures. ¡°This can¡¯t go on, we have to find a way to deal with these Black Wizards.¡± ¡°A way¡­¡± Orey pondered for a moment and said, ¡°I have a suggestion, let¡¯s group everyone who goes out to gather food together, don¡¯t disperse, and collect in the form of small troops.¡± Balto frowned, ¡°That would be too inefficient, there won¡¯t be enough food.¡± ¡°Not enough?¡± Orey smirked coldly, ¡°We are in extraordinary times, we should use extraordinary measures. Collect all of the camp¡¯s food, and distribute it on a set schedule and amount to each person daily. As long as everyone is kept from starving, that¡¯s enough. In extraordinary times, everyone should endure a bit.¡± ¡°What about the captain?¡± Balto asked. ¡°The captain?¡± Orey chuckled, ¡°Even I am subject to rationing, could the captain¡¯s position be higher than mine?¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 99 - Chapter 99: Chapter 94: Apprentice War (End) Chapter 99: Chapter 94: Apprentice War (End) The implementation of the rationing system and the small legion system caused the casualty numbers of the White Wizard Apprentices to drop rapidly. Moreover, Orey did not withhold any secrets; he quickly passed these methods on to the other two academies, Aurora and Clear Frost, which also adopted the same systems. Besides this, the White Wizard Apprentices also learned the skill of Magic Pet Reconnaissance, making the Black Wizards¡¯ surprise attacks significantly more challenging. ¡°Richard, the strategy of surprise attacks has already become ineffective,¡± Aldo remarked as he looked at the latest battle reports. Ten Black Wizard squads had not made any progress in the past month. ¡°It¡¯s normal for it to be ineffective, as it¡¯s not hard to deal with,¡± Richard said calmly while sitting at a desk. ¡°So, what should we do next, continue squabbling with the White Wizards?¡± Anderson asked, standing by Richard¡¯s side. ¡°We have already dragged this on for three months. If this continues, the White Wizards will accumulate more and more Magic Stones.¡± Richard sat in his chair, his expression calm and devoid of any panic. ¡°Why panic? We¡¯re not out of plans.¡± ¡°What plans?¡± Anderson and Aldo both looked baffled. ¡°I¡¯ve been working on something recently, and it¡¯s almost ready,¡± Richard said as he stood up and took them to a room in the corner of the camp. In the room, several Alchemy Apprentices were busily working on something. ¡°Is this¡­ Alchemy Weapons?¡± Aldo recalled the Alchemy Magic Stone Cannons they encountered when attacking the Secret Keeper Academy. Each shot from those cannons could take down an apprentice, the deterrent effect was considerable. However, even the Alchemy Magic Stone Cannons would not be enough to solve their current predicament without at least a dozen. They were facing the White Wizard Army, and the current White Wizard Apprentices were not the same as those who fled after losing one or two companions. Even a piece of scrap iron, after being tempered by battle, had become usable scrap iron at this moment. ¡°Good eye.¡± Richard complimented them, then went to a corner of the room where several wooden crates were stacked neatly, with no trace of Magic Fluctuation. Richard opened them, and Anderson and Aldo saw just a few black iron rods. ¡°What are these?¡± Anderson couldn¡¯t help asking. He did not feel any Magic Fluctuation from these ¡°iron rods.¡± ¡°Cannonballs.¡± Richard uttered a term that both of them couldn¡¯t comprehend. ¡°Cannonballs? Do you mean these things are shot by the Alchemy Magic Stone Cannons?¡± Aldo asked, confused. He remembered that the Alchemy Magic Stone Cannons seemed to fire energy, not physical cannonballs. ¡°No, no, these are not cannonballs for the Alchemy Magic Stone Cannons; these are my research achievements, which I call Annihilation Bombs.¡± Saying so, Richard took out an Annihilation Bomb from the wooden box. The Annihilation Bomb was cylindrical in shape with a conical top, coated in a layer of black metal that appeared unremarkable. But to those who knew their stuff, they would recognize that the metal coating the bomb was the extremely expensive magic-resistant metal. This was also why they couldn¡¯t sense any Magic Fluctuation. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate these things; if they explode, none of us can escape,¡± Richard said lightly. Anderson and Aldo exchanged glances. They were somewhat incredulous that these things could kill them. ¡°Never mind, it¡¯s useless even talking about it.¡± Richard put the bomb back in place, disappointingly waved his hand, ¡°The Black Tower Wizard Academy is located at a public resource point. The White Wizard Apprentices are likely to attack me. You guys just need to defend your own resource points.¡± ¡°No need for support?¡± Aldo¡¯s Soul Fire flickered in his eyes as Richard¡¯s statements seemed too arrogant, thinking he could defeat the White Wizard Army with just a few small things? ¡°This is not the time for boasting. If we lose, everyone will suffer back at the academy.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the Black Tower Wizard Academy has nearly four hundred people, which is not far off from your numbers,¡± Richard said calmly. ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, then everyone should rely on their own skills,¡± Aldo deeply looked at Richard, then left the room together with Anderson. ¡­ Due to the changes in the strategy of the White Wizard Apprentices, the three academies from the Black Wizard Camp also recalled their Black Wizard squads. Since the small tricks had become ineffective, what remained was only a fierce and genuine fight. In the fifth month of the war, as the Magic Stone transport ended, Orey decided to begin the offensive. Aurora and Clear Frost academies also responded, deciding to advance and retreat together with the Secret Keeper Academy. The White Wizard Army arrived mightily at the resource point of the Secret Keeper Academy, where the apprentices had now acquired the basic qualifications to battle, and some had even reached elite levels. ¡°Gentlemen! Today is a good day.¡± Orey flew into the sky as the White Wizard Army stood neatly on the ground. ¡°Today, our Magic Stones have arrived, and so has the day for our revenge! In these four months, many among us have fought with the Black Wizard Apprentices, our friends, relatives, and even lovers have died at the hands of the Black Wizards. Every day, we enter our dreams with tears in our eyes, and our deceased loved ones are constantly asking us in our dreams. When will we avenge them? Today, we can finally answer them! Today, we will avenge them! We will blast those sons of bitches, the Black Wizard Apprentices, into pieces with spells, burn them to ash with flames, and char them with thunder! Today we fight for revenge!¡± After Orey finished speaking, a voice rose from the ground, spreading through the White Wizard Army like a plague. COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 100 - Chapter 100: Chapter 94: Apprentice War (End)_2 Chapter 100: Chapter 94: Apprentice War (End)_2 He said, ¡°Revenge!¡± ¡°Revenge!!¡± ¡°Revenge!!!¡± ¡­ The situation at the White Wizard resource point was accurately conveyed to Richard by Wuni. Wuni¡¯s flying altitude and the spells inherent to its body were enough to avoid detection by most Wizard Apprentices. ¡°The battle is finally about to begin,¡± Richard muttered to himself. The war was finally coming to an end. ¡°Gather! All Apprentices assemble!¡± Richard stepped out of the room and quickly gathered all the Apprentices at the resource point. ¡°Fellow Apprentices, the White Wizard Apprentices are about to launch the final battle!¡± Richard flew in the sky, his gaze calmly sweeping over the Black Wizard Apprentices on the ground. ¡°At the White Wizard¡¯s side, they have shouted the slogan of revenge, vowing to shatter us into slag. I also want to shout a slogan, but unfortunately for us Black Wizards, we are well-accustomed to death. So I thought of a new slogan. Survive! Fellow Apprentices! We understand the value of life better than those White Wizards grown in greenhouses; who among us hasn¡¯t climbed to where we are now over the bodies of others? Our war has no other purpose, we only want to survive, to do anything to survive!¡± Richard swung his fist, his voice echoing like a magic spell throughout the resource point. Soon, the ground¡¯s Black Wizard Apprentices were infected by Richard¡¯s fervor, they too started to roar. As if venting their dissatisfaction with the world, their grievances against the Academy, and their loathing for fate. They were a group of ghouls, having lived to this moment by relying on the corpses of others. They had no intention of throwing away the lives they had struggled so hard to obtain! ¡°Survive!¡± ¡°Survive!!¡± ¡°Survive!!!¡± ¡­ The war had begun. As per the plan, Richard dispatched ten Alchemy School Apprentices to detonate the traps within the Magic Arrays. These Apprentices wore the best Stealth Magic Clothes, all to hide from the magical pet scouts of the White Wizard Army. For this, Richard, the extravagant Alchemy Apprentice, had drawn up contracts with the Apprentices who provided their Magic Clothes. Should their Magic Clothes be damaged in this war, Richard would personally make another set of Stealth Magic Clothes for them after the war ended. The White Wizard Army at the resource point split into two factions, one with fewer numbers bypassed the resource point where Richard was and prepared to besiege the Academy resource points of Void and Annihilation, and incidentally take over those two vacant resource points. The larger group marched toward Richard¡¯s resource point. ¡°A sizable number indeed.¡± Richard observed the White Wizard Army on the ground, the forces coming to besiege him amounted to a staggering sixteen hundred. And the White Wizard Camp, after the first day¡¯s great battle, followed by the attacks of the Black Wizards, was left with just over twenty-seven hundred. The White Wizard Army formed up in battle lines, neatly surging towards the resource point. A large number of magic pets were released to scout ahead for ambushes. ¡°We¡¯ve entered the trap zone,¡± Richard murmured. For months the Black Wizard Camp had not been idle, with Richard arranging for the Alchemy Apprentices to set up countless Magic Array traps in the dense forest. These devices individually didn¡¯t pack much of a punch, but chained together, they were definitely sufficient to give the White Wizards trouble. Boom! The Magic Array traps detonated, blasting a few White Wizard Apprentices into pieces instantly. These Apprentices, sent to trigger the traps, were each an expert at hide-and-seek; the White Wizard Army¡¯s magic pet forces failed completely to find their traces. ¡°Traps, halt the advancement!¡± Orey issued the command, and the whole White Wizard Army stopped in the thick woods. ¡°Trigger-based traps?¡± Orey¡¯s lips curved into a cold smile. ¡°On my order, forward, carpet-style casting, prepare the Fireball Technique!¡± ¡°Fire!¡± Instantly, hundreds of fireballs fell on the woods in front of the White Wizard Army, and in a moment, the entire forest became a sea of flames, the Magic Array traps set by the Alchemy Apprentices detonating or becoming ineffective. ¡°These are a bit troublesome,¡± Richard remarked, watching the now wiser White Wizard Army, feeling somewhat regretful. Had he known it would end up like this, he wouldn¡¯t have placed so many traps in the woods. The White Wizard Army continued advancing, stepping on the charred earth after the spell bombardment, slowly pushing toward the resource point. Without the Magic Array trap, Richard had no other good ways to drain their resources, he could only wait for the White Wizard Army to enter his firing range. ¡°Bring it over.¡± Richard gestured behind him, and two Apprentices came to his side with a black cylinder striped with silver lines. He was now on the city walls, with close to four hundred Black Wizard Apprentices evenly distributed among the various defense measures. ¡°Boss, are we using it now?¡± one Apprentice asked nervously. These days, following Doug, they had been working on Richard¡¯s secret weapon in a corner of the resource point. Thus, they had a deeper understanding of these weapons than other Wizard Apprentices. They knew exactly how terrifying the weapons they had created were. ¡°No rush, wait for the White Wizard Army to get closer.¡± Richard said nonchalantly. After a while, the White Wizard Army had advanced within three kilometers of the resource point. ¡°Boss, is the distance enough now?¡± inquired the Apprentice again. Richard nodded, ¡°Enough, let¡¯s test fire a few dummy rounds first, to calibrate the position.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The Apprentice shouted excitedly. ¡­ In the dense forest, the White Wizard Army inched forward with barrages of spells, eradicating any ambush in the face of their firepower. Suddenly, a black metal block fell from the sky. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Defensive Wizards tensely raised their Magic Barriers, blocking the metal block on the outside. But the metal block showed no signs of activity, devoid of any Magic Fluctuation. An Apprentice handed the object to Orey for inspection. ¡°A metal block that fell from the sky?¡± Orey stared at the metal block before him, puzzled. With his knowledge, he could not discern the use of this object. ¡°Balto, take a look.¡± Balto took the metal block and scanned it with his Magic Equipment. ¡°Apart from its odd shape, it¡¯s just a plain metal block,¡± Balto concluded. ¡°This is really strange.¡± Orey muttered to himself, ¡°Why would the Black Wizards launch a metal block that¡¯s completely useless?¡± ¡°Launch¡­¡± Hearing this word, a glimmer of insight flashed through Balto¡¯s mind. He suddenly remembered seeing something of a similar shape in his mentor¡¯s books. ¡°Orey, I have an uncertain idea,¡± said Balto hesitantly, ¡°The Black Wizards launching this thing might be to calibrate their trajectory.¡± ¡°Calibrate their trajectory? Are the Black Wizards using a super long-range Magic Weapon to wear us down?¡± Orey subconsciously deduced. ¡°Perhaps¡­¡± Balto was a bit uncertain, ¡°But in front of Defensive Wizards, nothing can cause damage from such a distance, except for the Military Department¡¯s strategic magical devices¡­¡± Whoosh¡ª Another black shell landed on the Defensive Wizards¡¯ Magic Shield, and then¡­ boom! The black shell instantly transformed into a burst of white light, followed immediately by a deafening explosion. Boom! The Defensive Wizards¡¯ Apprentice was instantly turned to nothingness under the shell¡¯s force, and even the blast wave caused many Apprentices to vomit blood and sustain heavy injuries. ¡°What is this thing!¡± Orey watched in shock as all this unfolded. Weren¡¯t the Defensive Wizards supposed to have activated their Magic Barriers? How could they still suffer such heavy losses? But before his shock could subside, another shell fell. Boom! This shell differed from the previous one; it contained a small amount of additional material. As the shell exploded, numerous dark red metal jets sprayed from the explosion¡¯s core, instantly piercing through dozens of Apprentices. Then came the third, and the fourth! Shells fell one after another, each with astonishing power. Under the effect of the Annihilation Bombs, the White Wizard Army was forced to disperse their formation to minimize casualties. Meanwhile, Orey stood still, staring blankly at everything. How could such a weapon¡­ appear on a battlefield of Apprentices? He was not alone with this question. A powerful will descended upon the Secret Realm. In an instant, it froze the space and time of the entire battlefield, and with a wave of his hand, he gathered in the shells. Then his voice reached every Apprentice¡¯s ears on the battlefield. ¡°I am the head of Clear Frost Wizard Academy, Great Wizard Qing Shuang. Due to some accidents, this war has now ceased, and all Apprentices will be teleported out of the Secret Realm in three minutes.¡± After that, the powerful will disappeared into the Secret Realm with Richard. COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 101 - Chapter 101: Chapter 1 Review and Reward Chapter 101: Chapter 1 Review and Reward Richard was somewhat confused about the situation. He had just been firing Annihilation Bombs at the White Wizard Army, but in the blink of an eye, he found himself in this eerie place. He looked around. The place he was in was a dark, enclosed space, surrounded by darkness and nothing else. What was even more terrifying was that this place seemed to have a magical power that caused any sound he made to disappear into nothingness, so that he could clearly hear his own heartbeat and even the sound of his blood flowing. Suddenly, a figure emerged from the dark space. ¡°You¡¯re called Richard, correct? I remember you.¡± Richard found the voice very familiar, yet he couldn¡¯t remember where he had heard it before. However, as the figure approached, Richard jumped up from the ground. ¡°Lord Headmaster!¡± The Black Tower Great Wizard raised a hand, and Richard promptly shut his mouth. The Black Tower Great Wizard took out an Annihilation Bomb and suspended it in the air. ¡°Richard, how did you come by the knowledge of this thing? I don¡¯t remember Jolod having this,¡± the Black Tower Great Wizard said with a calm voice, but within that calm, Richard sensed something amiss. But before he could figure it out, he found himself answering the question involuntarily. ¡°Lord Headmaster, I designed it myself.¡± ¡°Designed it yourself?¡± The Black Tower Great Wizard¡¯s voice raised slightly, ¡°That¡¯s quite interesting.¡± With that, the Black Tower Great Wizard waved his hand and the darkness of the surrounding space receded like a tide, revealing its true form¡ªa room simply decorated. Aside from the Black Tower Great Wizard, there were five other ¡°people¡± in the room, each of them emanating an unfathomable presence. ¡°The leaders of the other five academies?¡± Richard thought to himself. ¡°You see, my student didn¡¯t cheat. He designed this thing himself, which conforms to our rules.¡± Richard suddenly shuddered, as if awakened from a dream. ¡°How did I suddenly answer the question just now?¡± Richard thought in horror. The Black Tower Great Wizard had used some spell that made him answer the question involuntarily, with no intention of lying. ¡°Designed it yourself?¡± Great Wizard Qing Shuang snorted coldly, ¡°Kid, this device has almost reached the status of Strategic Magic Equipment. You claim this is your own design?¡± Before Richard could open his mouth to explain, the Black Tower Great Wizard interjected. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Qing Shuang, do you think I¡¯m covering for this young man?¡± The Black Tower Great Wizard¡¯s tone was slightly menacing, ¡°Or do you think I can¡¯t even influence the mind of an apprentice?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you let the young man explain his design thinking?¡± Qing Shuang challenged without backing down. ¡°Design thinking?¡± The Black Tower Great Wizard retorted, ¡°Qing Shuang, before you ask someone else about their design, where¡¯s your sincerity? How about you also tell me about your design thinking for your Eternal Frost?¡± The atmosphere in the room suddenly became tense and confrontational. ¡°Cough cough cough, let¡¯s not harm our relations,¡± the Secret Keeper Great Wizard stepped forward to mediate, ¡°It¡¯s only a small issue. I have a suggestion, let¡¯s have the young friend here share his thinking, and if there¡¯s no problem, Qing Shuang, you give something to compensate him.¡± With the Secret Keeper Great Wizard smoothing things over, the atmosphere in the room improved considerably, although the Annihilation and Void Great Wizards seemed somewhat disappointed. ¡°Richard, explain your thinking to this old man. As long as your reasoning adds up, the Headmaster guarantees you a big profit.¡± Upon hearing his words, Qing Shuang turned to look over, and her icy blue gaze sent a chill down Richard¡¯s spine. ¡°Well¡­ My thinking is as follows,¡± Richard steadied himself and began slowly, ¡°The concept isn¡¯t complicated. After I encountered the concept of the Realm of Annihilation, that is, the model of the Water and Fire Annihilation Spell, I had an idea. Since it¡¯s so difficult to constrain concentrated Fire Elements with Magic Power and Rune Arrays, why not use solid materials to contain them instead? Many alchemy materials have good fire resistance and aren¡¯t particularly rare. So, I concentrated the two elements separately and then stored them in two solid containers, added a Magic Array between them, so that when the Annihilation Bomb is subjected to a strong impact, the Magic Array would explode the two containers, allowing the two elements to undergo an annihilation reaction.¡± Having finished, Richard nervously lowered his head. He didn¡¯t know if his explanation would convince the powerful wizards before him. A few seconds later, the Black Tower Great Wizard spoke up. ¡°Qing Shuang, do you have anything else to say? Isn¡¯t my student¡¯s line of thought clear enough?¡± Saying so, the Black Tower Great Wizard levitated the Annihilation Bomb into the air, flicked his finger lightly, and the bomb disassembled into individual components, with the two chambers containing the concentrated elements being particularly eye-catching. Qing Shuang remained silent and conjured a Crystal Ball out of thin air. Within the Crystal Ball, a Rune faintly appeared. ¡°¡­This is a Dark Water Rune,¡± Qing Shuang explained tersely, then flew it toward Richard. ¡°Hehehe, Richard, here¡¯s your reward,¡± the Black Tower Great Wizard said with a mischievous laugh. ¡°Oh,¡± Richard hastily put the Crystal Ball into his Magic Pocket. ¡°So how do we count this competition?¡± the Void Great Wizard suddenly asked, ¡°I think the Black Tower¡¯s lad can absolutely win.¡± Upon hearing this, Qing Shuang shivered, and a frost mist dispersed from her, her voice tinged with annoyance, ¡°We¡¯ll consider it your win this time!¡± Seeing this, the Annihilation Great Wizard couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter, ¡°Haha, Qing Shuang, you¡¯ve truly lost both your wife and your soldiers this time.¡± ¡­ ¡°` Since the problem was resolved, the Black Tower Great Wizard sent Richard back to the Academy and gave him a scroll. ¡°My boy, you did well this time,¡± the Black Tower Great Wizard said cheerfully, ¡°This is a Wizard Scroll. After you get back, give it to your mentor Jolod, and when your spiritual power is sufficient, have him take you to the Tower of Truth for your promotion to Wizard.¡± After saying that, the world spun around Richard, and when he recovered his senses, he found himself at the entrance to the three-hundredth floor¡¯s staircase of the Central Black Tower. Looking at the scroll in his hand, Richard was stunned for a moment, then his face broke into a radiant smile. ¡°With this scroll, I¡¯m halfway through the door to becoming a Wizard!¡± Descending from the three-hundredth floor, Richard quickly arrived at the ninety-ninth floor laboratory. At the moment, Jolod was conducting experiments. Knock, knock, knock! ¡°Hmm?¡± Jolod paused in confusion and stopped what he was doing. ¡°Who would be looking for me at this time? Alex? Doesn¡¯t that old guy prefer to come in through the window?¡± With some puzzlement, Jolod opened the door, and outside the room, a familiar figure stood there. ¡°Richard?¡± Jolod exclaimed in shock, ¡°Has the Apprentice War ended?¡± Richard nodded, and then he pulled out the Wizard Scroll from his Magic Pocket. ¡°Teacher, take a look at this.¡± Jolod was startled and took a glance at the scroll after receiving it. ¡°Hmm? A Wizard Scroll!¡± Jolod¡¯s pupils shrank, ¡°Where did you get this from?¡± Before Richard could answer, Jolod slapped his forehead and answered himself. ¡°Look at me, asking such a silly question. It seems you¡¯ve already met the headmaster.¡± ¡°Yes, the headmaster told me to give this scroll to you, and said when my spiritual power is sufficient, to have you take me to the Tower of Truth for my promotion to Wizard,¡± Richard explained, and then asked curiously, ¡°Teacher, what is the Tower of Truth? I¡¯ve heard you mention it before.¡± ¡°The Tower of Truth¡­¡± Jolod stroked his beard, ¡°The Tower of Truth is the holy land for Wizards, the residence of the five Truth Wizards. In the entire Wizard World, all Wizard promotions are to be conducted at the Tower of Truth.¡± Besides that, the Tower of Truth itself is also a massive wizard city. Each Tower of Truth is home to several million Wizards, and the headquarters of the majority of the Wizard Commerce, advanced research laboratories, as well as the Floating Cities for conquering planes are all located there.¡± Richard nodded, understanding that the Tower of Truth must be like the capital of a nation or a top-tier mega-city. Jolod secured the scroll, patted Richard on the shoulder, and said, ¡°Now you¡¯re halfway to becoming a Wizard too. Relax for a while, don¡¯t just read books and do experiments. There are many cities in the Academy, go out and explore, get your mindset right. In a few years, I¡¯ll be attending a friend¡¯s gathering, I¡¯ll take you to the Tower of Truth then to become a Wizard.¡± Richard agreed and left the ninety-ninth floor. Upon returning to his bedroom, Richard stared blankly at his room. His room was filled with books and notes, and the walls were adorned with various specimens¡ªtraces of his hard work over the years. And now that he had qualified for Wizard promotion, a sense of uncertainty suddenly arose in his heart. He had always strived to become a Wizard, and now that he had what he wanted, he suddenly felt aimless. Richard lay on his bed, filled with a sense of relief as if a weight had been lifted, which mixed with his uncertainty about the future. ¡°Huh¡­ no wonder the teacher said I need to adjust my mindset.¡± After twenty years, Richard had almost forgotten why he wanted to become a Wizard in the first place. ¡°Forget it, no use overthinking. I¡¯ll just sleep on it.¡± ¡­ Soon, all the battlefields of the Apprentice War had concluded. The outcome of the war was somewhat beyond Richard¡¯s expectations; besides his own region, there was another zone where a Black Wizard had won the war. With the war ended, the Academy issued rewards for the victors of the war¡ªWizard Scrolls. But among these people, Richard did not see Ali. ¡°There was no way around it, I almost got killed by those White Wizards and missed quite a bit of the war,¡± Ali said, complaining while lying on top of Richard in his room. On the eve of the war, Ali happened to encounter a senior White Wizard Apprentice and after a fierce battle, she emerged victorious but heavily wounded. ¡°Don¡¯t be so down. With your abilities, becoming a Wizard is just a matter of a few more years,¡± Richard consoled her. Ali, as Master Susanna¡¯s official Apprentice, was virtually guaranteed to become a Wizard. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that,¡± Ali said irritably. She showed her fangs to Richard, ¡°We haven¡¯t seen each other for half a year, you have to keep me company tonight.¡± Richard raised an eyebrow: ¡°My Lady Ali, you¡¯re already lying on top of me, how could I possibly let you get away?¡± ¡°` COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 102 - Chapter 102: Chapter 2 Wizard World Chapter 102: Chapter 2 Wizard World After the Apprentice War, Richard¡¯s life began to change. Following his early qualifications for wizard promotion, Richard no longer stayed immersed in studies at the academy but, as Jolod suggested, went out for a journey. The Black Tower Wizard Academy was located on the edge of the Wizard Continent, close to the surrounding archipelago. Richard hailed from the Golden Bird Flower Kingdom, situated on one of the larger islands in the archipelago. There were more than one kingdom like this among the islands. Richard rented a large ship and traveled back and forth among these islands, personally witnessing the facade of the Wizard World. Most countries on these islands were still in the feudal era, with lords and kings constantly warring against one another. Richard traveled through them for a year and witnessed many joys and sorrows. A year later, Richard sailed to the distant seas. Although the islands were sparse there, they contained myriad breathtaking scenes far more beautiful than the human conflicts. In the distant sea, huge whales the size of islands surfaced, spouting streams of water nearly a kilometer high. Sharks as large as ships constantly swam day and night¡ªthey swam all their lives and only stopped when they died. Schools of silvery flying fish leapt out of the water; they were the birds of the ocean, migrating along ocean currents annually. Swarms of luminescent plankton moved underwater, resembling fireflies in the sea at night¡­ These wondrous sights inspired many emotions in Richard, and he began to study these phenomena spontaneously, without any ulterior motives nor for the sake of power. Richard simply wished to uncover their secrets and enjoy the process of exploration. Richard stayed at sea for two years during which his inner self was purified. He no longer focused on the purpose of his studies but began to appreciate the process itself. The education at the Black Wizard Academy often led a wizard into traps of utilitarianism, where every study was driven by the desire for power. But for a wizard, power was merely a byproduct¡ªthe true treasures were the knowledge discovered. After two years, Richard went ashore and started touring the cities under the academy¡¯s governance. The Black Tower Wizard Academy¡¯s management of its cities was extreme; either it cultivated them carefully or left them untended entirely. Like in Gael City, which Richard had visited before, where the development was quite impressive, and ordinary citizens received good education. But in the Golden Bird Flower Kingdom where he was born, the medieval lordship system was still in practice, and the populace under it was incredibly ignorant. Richard observed these well-developed cities and noted that they all fell along certain trade routes; they served as landing points for the Wizard Commerce¡¯s flying airships. The flying airships of the Wizard Commerce always took breaks during long transports. And these well-developed cities were strategically positioned at these stops. ¡°It seems the Wizard Commerce plays an important role in the Wizard World,¡± Richard muttered as he watched the flying airships continuously take off and land. He had toured the cities under the academy¡¯s governance for two years, meeting many graduated wizard apprentices. Some of these apprentices were still researching, while others had fully integrated themselves into ordinary human life, enjoying the privileges of the elite class. Apprentices graduating from the academy usually worked for the academy for a hundred years before being assigned to reside in a city governed by the academy to watch for any crazed apprentices. These apprentices were the most welcomed guests among the upper class of mortals, as their transcendent powers could solve many problems for the elites. However, some apprentices wished not to do so and would often join mercenary groups to commence travels across the Wizard Continent. As wizard apprentices, these individuals generally did not encounter danger in the current Wizard Continent. After his travels, Richard returned to the academy. By then, his spiritual power had reached the critical value of forty-nine point nine, with no room for further improvement. Upon returning to the academy, Richard immediately sought out Jolod. ¡°Not bad, you seem much better after going on a journey,¡± Jolod said cheerfully after observing Richard. Several years of traveling had greatly transformed Richard¡¯s demeanor; he now appeared more stable and reserved, exuding a mature aura. ¡°Teacher, I¡¯m ready,¡± Richard said. Jolod calculated the time and felt it was about time to attend a gathering at the Tower of Truth. ¡°Alright, I have a meeting at the Tower of Truth tomorrow; we can leave together.¡± That evening, Richard and Ali met. Although they hadn¡¯t seen each other for years, their relationship remained unaffected. Over the years, Richard kept sending letters to Ali, sharing the wondrous sights he had seen. ¡°You¡¯ve returned this time to ascend to wizard at the Tower of Truth, haven¡¯t you?¡± Ali said softly while lying in Richard¡¯s arms. ¡°Yes. My spiritual power has already reached the limit of an apprentice, and the teacher is also going to the Tower of Truth, so it fits well.¡± ¡°I heard it¡¯s quite dangerous to ascend to wizard.¡± ¡°A thirty percent failure rate,¡± Richard said lightly. Ali suddenly sat up, turned around to face Richard, and said earnestly: ¡°You better not fail, Richard. I¡¯ve been waiting to spend the next ten thousand years with you.¡± Richard smiled: ¡°I¡¯ll succeed.¡± ¡°` ¡­ The next day, Jolod took Richard aboard the flying airship. ¡°Teacher, do wizards also need to ride airships?¡± Richard asked, puzzled. ¡°Generally speaking, wizards do not need to.¡± Jolod entered the cabin of the airship and turned to close the door. ¡°But if I bring you along, it¡¯s different. Taking you to the Tower of Truth would cost at least a thousand magic stones, and we¡¯d have to endure the elements.¡± Saying this, Jolod patted the large bed in the cabin. ¡°By taking the airship, we avoid sleeping outside, only spend a few hundred magic stones, and don¡¯t have to fly ourselves. Switching between airships a couple of times, I can also show you a real wizard city. No matter how you look at it, it¡¯s a bargain.¡± Richard, at a loss for words, honestly found a chair and started studying runes. The Dark Water Rune given to him by the Great Wizard Qing Shuang had been his subject of study for years, and he had made some discoveries. The Dark Water Rune, unlike the common runes Richard encountered, was a rare rune, each akin to natural magic. Once activated with magic power, like the Dark Water Rune in Richard¡¯s hand, it could produce a mass of black liquid that absorbed light and was highly corrosive. Through his tests, Richard found that this liquid was actually a variant of the water element, meaning it was still water but could undergo annihilation reactions. Richard tried to have it undergo an annihilation reaction with a common fire element, and the results surprised him greatly. Because the Dark Water absorbed light, it would partly absorb the light emitted during the annihilation reaction, thereby enhancing the core power of the spell slightly. This discovery thrilled Richard. He had a thought, if he could find another fire element rune that also had the ability to absorb light like the Dark Water, perhaps he could significantly enhance the power of the annihilation spell. But rare runes were treasures to any wizard, and acquiring such a rune was no easy feat. For this, Richard was mentally prepared. After riding in the flying airship for a month, Jolod finally disembarked. And as he did, Richard was instantly stunned by the sight before him. ¡°Boy, you¡¯ve never seen this, have you?¡± Jolod looked at Richard¡¯s reaction with some pride. Before Richard lay a massive airship port, with hundreds of airships landing and taking off. Beyond that, various bizarre buildings came together with towering wizard towers, forming a fantastic, large city. In this city, alchemy machines shared roads with horse-drawn carriages, people of all shapes and colors walked the streets without any surprise at the spectacle. Between the wizard towers, beams of light flashed by, which, upon closer inspection, were apprentices riding on magic equipment. Alchemy workshops¡¯ chimneys spat black flames, the hot steam being channeled from underground boilers through thick pipes into the workshops, and opposite them, a tavern opened inside a tree welcomed patrons. Beastmen, Dwarves, and various oddly-shaped patrons, resulting from bloodline fusions, arrived by alchemy machines, carriages, or even riding magic brooms, and drank merrily without any hesitation. On the streets, peculiar alien creatures ate or swept, cleaning the pathways. Above, small flying airships hung banners advertising newly-opened alchemy shops. The city was a mixture of various fantasy elements, then mixed in some steampunk and modern aspects, making it look extraordinarily vibrant. ¡°The White Wizard Academy likes to integrate the academy with the city, and wizards directly manage every aspect of the city,¡± Jolod explained, ¡°What you now see is both the Golden Dragon Wizard Academy and its city.¡± ¡°This¡­ is a bit too fantastical,¡± Richard murmured to himself. However, Richard quickly accepted this reality; as a world at the forefront of conquering otherworlds, it wasn¡¯t unusual for the Wizard World to be slightly fantastical. ¡°Shall we go in and wander around?¡± Richard asked. ¡°Wander around?¡± Jolod shook his head, ¡°We only have two hours. After this, we need to transfer to three more airships to reach the Tower of Truth before the end of this year¡¯s promotion period.¡± ¡°Promotion period?¡± Richard inquired. ¡°You didn¡¯t think you could just go to the Tower of Truth anytime for the promotion, did you?¡± Jolod glanced at his disciple, ¡°Every year, from July to September is the promotion period for the Tower of Truth; miss it, and you have to wait till next year.¡± ¡°From what you¡¯re saying¡­ advancing as a wizard seems to require the Tower¡¯s equipment?¡± Richard asked. ¡°Equipment?¡± Jolod shook his head, ¡°The materials needed for the promotion ceremony can be gathered by any academy, but the most critical thing can only be accessed at the Tower of Truth.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The Origin of the Wizard World.¡± ¡°` COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 103 - Chapter 103: Chapter 3 Golden Dawn Society Chapter 103: Chapter 3 Golden Dawn Society ¡°Wizard World Origin?¡± Richard repeated the phrase in confusion, ¡°Does one need the power of the Wizard World Origin to become a Wizard?¡± Jolod slowly said, ¡°Any creature from any world, when it seeks to ascend to a Level 1 creature, needs the help or recognition of the World Origin. Only when recognized by the World Origin does a creature formally step into the sphere of Level 1 beings.¡± ¡°What if it¡¯s not recognized?¡± Richard asked curiously. ¡°Then you would be identified by the world as an invader, just like when Wizards invade other planes, targeted by the creatures of the entire world,¡± Jolod stated indifferently. ¡°Seriously? That harsh?¡± Richard inhaled sharply. Being targeted by the creatures of an entire world sounded utterly frightening. ¡°Actually, the Wizard World did not use to require going specifically to the Tower of Truth for Wizard promotion,¡± Jolod said with a hint of melancholy. ¡°When my teacher was promoted to Wizard, the Wizard World Origin was not as closed off as it is now. Some Wizards with exceptional talents could communicate with the World Origin through their gifts to complete the promotion ceremony. According to him, theoretically any ultimate Apprentice could have contacted the World Origin during those times. Unfortunately, we weren¡¯t born in better times. Due to the damage to the World Origin and the receding tide of magical power, it has become increasingly difficult for Wizard Apprentices to establish contact with the World Origin, to the extent that now one must purchase Wizard qualifications from the Tower of Truth to be promoted.¡± ¡°Wizard qualifications¡­¡± Richard thought of the scroll given to him by the Black Tower Great Wizard. ¡°Do you know how many Magic Stones your Wizard Scroll is sold for at the Tower of Truth?¡± Jolod suddenly asked. ¡°How many Magic Stones?¡± Richard swallowed, thinking the price must be exorbitant. ¡°One thousand Magic Essences, which equates to a million Magic Stones.¡± ¡°Yikes¡­¡± Richard was startled by the figure. ¡°A million Magic Stones! That¡¯s expensive!¡± ¡°Did you think accessing the World Origin would be cheap?¡± Jolod snorted coldly. ¡°That¡¯s the core of a world. A million Magic Stones to access the World Origin, and you should feel content.¡± While Jolod¡¯s words made sense, Richard still felt the price was exorbitantly high. Converted to his selling Concentration Potions, that million Magic Stones meant at least two hundred and fifty thousand bottles. That was just too expensive. ¡°My Wizard qualification really is valuable,¡± Richard murmured to himself. ¡°Valuable as it may be, it¡¯s not for sale. Come on, let¡¯s go meet an old friend.¡± With that, Jolod pulled out a Magic Wand from his Magic Pocket and waved it lightly. Richard felt a lightness in his body as a gentle force lifted him up, forming a thin membrane in front of him. And then¡­ Richard experienced what ¡®fast¡¯ really meant. ¡°Te-teacher, need we go so fast?¡± Richard, watching the constantly flowing scenery around him, spoke with a sense of trepidation. ¡°Fast? Hahaha¡­¡± Jolod laughed heartily, then sped up even more. ¡°Is this even anything?¡± After about one or two minutes, Richard arrived from the airship field on the outskirts of the city to the top of a Wizard Tower near the city center, covering at least thirty kilometers in the process. Jolod landed on the apex of the Wizard Tower and took out a Crystal Ball, shouting a couple of times. ¡°Jeral, open the door.¡± A rough voice came from the Crystal Ball. ¡°Jolod? You old thing, what brings you here?¡± With that, the top of the Wizard Tower cracked open, and Jolod led Richard inside, then navigated through the Wizard Tower with practiced ease. As they walked, Jolod introduced Richard to the owner of the Wizard Tower. ¡°Jeral is an old friend of mine, a Wizard of the Alchemy School specializing in Bloodline research. If you have any minor Bloodline issues in the future, you can spend some Magic Stones to get some guidance from him.¡± During their conversation, Richard arrived in front of a room with a huge arched doorway. It was only then that Richard noticed that every door he had encountered since entering the Wizard Tower had been extraordinarily wide, almost as if the owner of the Wizard Tower were a giant. Jolod knocked on the door, and a deep, rough voice came from behind it. ¡°Jolod, come in.¡± Pushing open the door, Richard felt as if he had entered a giant¡¯s room, with everything inside, whether chairs, tables, or even cups and books, several times larger than usual. In the center of it all, a giant at least three meters tall was reading a book, wearing glasses on his face, with thick hair covering everywhere but his face. As he saw Jolod, he closed his book and stood up. Rising, it was like a wall erected in front of Richard. ¡°Jolod, it must have been fifty years since we last met,¡± the giant opened his arms. Jolod floated up and embraced the giant. ¡°Not bad memory, since we last met at that gathering, Jeral.¡± After the embrace, the giant Jeral looked at Richard. ¡°This your student? Seems to be pursuing the path of Bloodline Alchemy.¡± ¡°Hmm, Richard has done some research in Bloodline Alchemy.¡± Speaking, Jolod pulled Richard close to himself. ¡°This is Master Jeral, and we have a friendship that spans two thousand years.¡± Richard politely bowed to Jeral, ¡°Master Jeral.¡± Jeral pat Richard, and a force like that of a wild giant beast made Richard stagger. ¡°Hmm, not bad, Physique can do.¡± Jeral nodded at Richard and then looked at Jolod, ¡°What did you bring him here for this time? To wash off the Bloodline Seed and change the formula?¡± ¡°What for?¡± Jolod tapped the ground with his Magic Wand, ¡°Jeral, you said we haven¡¯t seen each other in fifty years, so what do you think I am here for?¡± ¡°Oh, right, right, right. The society meeting day has arrived,¡± Jeral suddenly realized. ¡°So, is this lad going to be promoted to Wizard? But isn¡¯t it not a graduation year in the Black Tower Wizard Academy?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, a promotion to Wizard.¡± Jolod found a chair and sat down, ¡°Recently, our dean and a few Great Wizards organized an exchange contest, and the final prize was the qualification for Wizard promotion. My student did quite well and brought back the grand prize.¡± ¡°Apprentice Wars?¡± Jeral suddenly became interested, ¡°Your Academy actually participated in the Apprentice Wars. How effective was it, and can it be promoted?¡± Jolod shook his head, ¡°Hard to say, I heard the dean saying they are revising the rules, and although this experiment reached its goals this year, there were some accidents.¡± ¡°Accidents? What could Great Wizards possibly overlook?¡± Jeral grew curious. ¡°What could they overlook?¡± Jolod glanced at Richard, ¡°A lad came up with a piece of Strategic Magic Equipment, forcing the Great Wizards to abruptly end the contest.¡± ¡°Strategic Magic Equipment!?¡± Jeral¡¯s voice rose two octaves, ¡°An Apprentice could come up with that? That makes Merlin look bad, doesn¡¯t it? He¡¯s spent more than a thousand years and hasn¡¯t designed a single piece of Strategic Magic Equipment.¡± ¡°What can you do, the Great Wizards have already acknowledged it as Strategic Magic Equipment,¡± Jolod said with enthusiasm. ¡°No, look at your smug face.¡± Suspicion flashed across Jeral¡¯s face, then he turned his gaze to Richard. ¡°That device wasn¡¯t innovated by your student, was it?¡± ¡°What do you say?¡± Jolod corners of the mouth showed a hint of smugness. For these aged Wizards, there was no better entertainment than showing off their students. Jeral walked to Richard with gleaming eyes and scrutinized him up and down. ¡°Kid, I see you are following the path of Bloodline Alchemy, why don¡¯t you come with me. Jolod¡¯s Synthetic Beasts will only hold you back.¡± Jeral revealed a ¡°kind¡± smile. ¡°To hell with that,¡± Jolod waved his Magic Wand and flames hit Jeral, singeing quite a bit of his hair. ¡°This is my student, keep your ideas to yourself.¡± ¡°Your student? How does the saying go, a fine bird chooses the tree it rests in. Your student is wasted under your guidance¡­¡± Watching the arguing Wizards in front of him, Richard¡¯s mouth twitched. Thousands of years old, yet they behave like they are in their fifties. After a while of bickering, Jolod finally started on the main topic. ¡°Jeral, this meeting, I want my student to join the society.¡± ¡°Join the society?¡± Jeral raised an eyebrow, ¡°Joining isn¡¯t out of the question, considering he managed to create Strategic Magic Equipment as an Apprentice; his intelligence passes. Plus, he is your student, with your connections, getting endorsements from five veteran members should be enough. But¡­ he¡¯s not yet a Wizard, and you know the perils of Wizard promotion.¡± ¡°Society?¡± Richard asked curiously. ¡°It¡¯s an organization among Wizards, mainly for sharing some information, exchanging research, and occasionally trading,¡± Jolod explained. ¡°The society I joined is called the Golden Dawn Society, and all its members are wizards from the Alchemy School.¡± After saying this, Jolod looked at Jeral. ¡°It¡¯s always better to prepare beforehand than to scramble at the last minute. What if one of you suddenly participates in a Plane War? Then I¡¯d have to wait for a few hundred years.¡± ¡°All right. I agree.¡± Jeral smacked his lips and took out a seal from his large Magic Pocket, and Jolod also took out a scroll. The scroll initially had only one stamp, and with Jeral¡¯s stamping, the number of stamps turned to two. ¡°All set, the stamping is done, then I¡¯ll head to the Tower of Truth first.¡± Jolod gave Richard a knowing look, then stood up and walked towards the exit. ¡°So quick to leave? Aren¡¯t you staying for a meal?¡± Jeral also stood up, trying to stop Jolod. But he saw Jolod, agile and swift, grabbing Richard by the side and flying out of the room. ¡°No, no. Any later and we¡¯ll miss the airship.¡± Richard saw Jolod¡¯s face change suddenly, his heart filled with puzzles. ¡°Teacher, why are we leaving in such a hurry?¡± ¡°Hurry?¡± Jolod gave Richard a wry smile, ¡°If we don¡¯t hurry up, we¡¯ll really end up having dinner here. Do you really want to try undercooked Green-striped Demon Snake with Darkmoth sauce?¡± As he said this, Richard suddenly saw the large door in front of the hallway slam shut, instantly cutting off their path to the rooftop. ¡°Jolod, why are you running? This time I¡¯ve made something that¡¯s guaranteed to be to your liking.¡± Half an hour later, the two sitting aboard the airship were pale in the face. From a practical standpoint, if digested completely, the meal should have given Richard a near five-point Physique boost. However, the practicality was the only good aspect of that meal. ¡°Teacher, next time we need to run faster.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 104 - Chapter 104: Chapter 4 Tower of Truth Chapter 104: Chapter 4 Tower of Truth Having left the Golden Dragon Wizard Academy, the Wizard Apprentice and his master took several more airships. During the journey, Richard witnessed many wonders, like the uninhabited region he was looking at now. ¡°This area, according to the map, should be called Barto Peak,¡± Jolod pointed to a large basin not far away and said, ¡°During the wizarding wars, this peak was transformed into a fortress by the Alchemy School. A Great Wizard from the Shape-shifting School destroyed the fortress and left a nearly permanent space distortion phenomenon here.¡± As he spoke, Jolod waved his magic wand and sent a fireball technique hurtling towards the center of the basin. With a booming sound, the entire basin¡¯s space suddenly twisted, and space rifts appeared out of nowhere. Elemental surges burst forth, rapidly creating an elemental storm within the basin. Anything that was swept into it was torn apart into its most primal elemental form. ¡°These space rifts lead to the Four Elements Territory; the elemental beings we summon all come from there, including your Fire Element Giant.¡± Richard watched the spectacular scene in the basin and couldn¡¯t help but start recording data. Years of travel had ingrained in Richard the habit of documenting any strange phenomena he encountered. Jolod glanced at Richard and nodded in approval, his eyes full of admiration. The most important thing for a wizard is the heart that seeks knowledge. After leaving Barto Basin, Jolod took Richard towards the Tower of Truth. ¡­ ¡°Is this the Tower of Truth?¡± Richard asked, looking at the shadow in the distance that was like a mountain range. That shadow connecting heaven and earth didn¡¯t look much like a tower at all. If Richard were to describe it, the term ¡°Heavenly Pillar¡± couldn¡¯t be more appropriate. ¡°Both yes and no,¡± Jolod replied. ¡°What does that mean?¡± Richard was somewhat puzzled. Jolod sighed as he looked at the shadow of the Tower of Truth: ¡°Because that is merely a part of the Tower of Truth. The true core of the Tower of Truth is hidden within the Void, visible only to those granted permission to glimpse a fraction of its entirety.¡± Having said that, he waved his magic wand, leading Richard as they flew toward the Tower of Truth. Jolod¡¯s flying speed was very fast, but Richard always felt the distance between them and the Tower of Truth never seemed to decrease. It was the first time Richard experienced what was meant by ¡°A watched pot never boils.¡± After about a day of flying, Richard and his master finally reached the foot of the Tower of Truth. And Richard got to witness the appearance of this gigantic tower¡ªa towering, heaven-piercing World Tree. Richard found it difficult to put into words the grandeur of the tree because no matter how magnificent the adjective, it seemed powerless before it. The canopy covered hundreds of kilometers in radius and almost blotted out the sun. Flocks of fireflies, big as hot-air balloons, flew beneath its canopy. Although it was daylight, Richard felt as though night had fallen. Seeing all this, a term popped into Richard¡¯s mind¡ªWorld Tree. Only this term was worthy of this immense tree. ¡°The primary structure of the Tower of Truth consists of five World Trees from otherworlds, growing endlessly by absorbing magic power. The venerable Truth Wizards nurtured them with a vast amount of magic stones, ultimately forming the main structure of the Tower of Truth,¡± Jolod explained as they flew. The entrance to the Tower of Truth was a deep blue teleportation gate at the base of the giant tree, resembling a colossal eye. The gate was enormous, allowing even flying airships to pass through without any difficulty. A multitude of wizards, each exuding an unfathomable aura, passed in and out of the gate. ¡°Let¡¯s go, hurry and advance to wizard,¡± Jolod urged. Stepping through the teleportation gate, the familiar sickness surged again in Richard¡¯s chest. However, now that his spiritual power and physical condition had improved, the sensation was not as unbearable. As the scenery before his eyes returned to normal, Richard arrived in a dazzling space. In front of him, countless wizards flew across the sky, tracing brilliant paths. On the ground were buildings of various shapes and sizes¡ªsome looked like office buildings, while others resembled nests made of tree branches. Placed together, they gave Richard a surreal impression. He looked up and discovered that the sky above was not a ceiling but a real sky complete with a sun. ¡°Is this a secret realm?¡± Richard asked uncertainly. ¡°You¡¯ve guessed right.¡± Jolod led Richard through the flight, and during this time, Richard saw many strange creatures that must have been slaves brought from other worlds by wizards. Finally, master and apprentice arrived at a teleportation gate identical to the one that led into the Tower of Truth. ¡°The layer we are now on, the first thirty floors of the Tower of Truth, is for the dwelling of wizards who live in the Tower of Truth. They are the main force in the Plane War,¡± Jolod explained. ¡°The main force?¡± Richard was somewhat confused. ¡°Aren¡¯t the wizards trained by the Academy enough?¡± Jolod gave him a glance as if Richard had asked a silly question. ¡°We are from the Black Wizard Academy. Where do you think the White Wizard Army comes from during a plane war? Moreover, the wizards trained by the Academy aren¡¯t sold to the academy. As long as you¡¯ve participated in a plane war for the academy once, you are theoretically free. This dwelling layer in the Tower of Truth is for those Free Wizards. In addition to the Free Wizards, the Wizard Academy also establishes wizard communities in the residential area, allowing those who have signed contracts with the academy but do not wish to become teaching staff to live here, making it convenient to summon them for plane wars.¡± Richard¡¯s cheeks reddened, and he gave an embarrassed smile. He indeed hadn¡¯t thought about these things. Passing through the teleportation gate, master and apprentice soon left the residential layer. The residential layer was situated above the commercial layer, where the Wizard Commerce of the Wizard World sold bizarre products from all over the world and even from Otherworlds, along with all kinds of Otherworldly slaves. Jolod took Richard around for a tour and in just that short encounter, Richard had witnessed more than a dozen different types of Otherworld creatures. These Otherworld creatures wore slave collars on their bodies. Though their aura was weak and listless, Richard could still sense that these creatures were all Level 1 Creatures. ¡°Are Level 1 Creatures really just sold as goods?¡± Richard asked in disbelief. According to his assumption, Level 1 Creatures, as they were, should be relatively superior slaves, and most Wizards ought to use slaves with the strength of an Apprentice. After all, most Wizards were only Level 1 Creatures, or One Ring Wizards. ¡°Don¡¯t think of Level 1 Creatures as so rare, Richard,¡± Jolod said with a smile as he explained, ¡°You now feel that Level 1 Creatures are unattainable because you are a Wizard Apprentice and have seen too little. In fact, Level 1 Creatures are the most basic of infantry in the Plane Wars. Only when one reaches the Level 1 Creature status do they qualify to enter the Plane Battlefield. Each time a Plane is conquered, Wizards can capture tens or hundreds of millions of slaves from the conquered Plane. A small proportion of these slaves are sold on the market to compensate for the losses of Great Wizards in the Plane Wars, while the majority are kept by the Great Wizards to serve as Slave Armies. After all, we face off against a world with an Academy, if we didn¡¯t have fighting forces to deplete the strength of the natives, our losses would be severe.¡± Richard nodded thoughtfully after listening. It suddenly occurred to him that the limbs and fragments of these slaves upon death seemed like excellent materials for cultivating Synthetic Beasts. If ten thousand slaves died, the remaining flesh could form quite a few Synthetic Beasts to continue serving as cannon fodder. No wonder mastering the technology of Synthetic Beasts was essential for every Academy. ¡°Of course, don¡¯t underestimate yourself.¡± Jolod paused, feeling somewhat uncomfortable telling such things to Richard, an Apprentice about to be promoted to a Wizard. His student had fought tooth and nail for the qualification to advance, only to end up as infantry on the battlefield, which sounded quite disheartening. So he comforted: ¡°Wizards and these things are not the same. Although both are Level 1 creatures, we are far stronger than these native aliens by more than just a star.¡± After leaving the commercial layer, Richard immediately felt the density of Magic Power in the air drop as he looked around and saw the cold metal replacing the soil. Looking up into the sky, Magic Stone Lamps replaced the bright sun. He was now inside a Steel Hall, which was full of Wizards; when Jolod appeared, they all turned their attention to him. ¡°We are now in the working layer, directly governed by the Judicial Department of the Truth Council, and any violation of the law will be strictly punished,¡± Jolod whispered, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the punishment for breaking the law here is twice as severe as outside.¡± Richard nodded nervously, following Jolod to a corner of the hall. ¡°Wizard promotion,¡± Jolod handed the Wizard Scroll to the staff member. The staff member took the scroll and channeled Magic Power into it. A beam of light shot out, hitting the Crystal Stone on the staff member¡¯s forehead. ¡°Alright, is it this child who wants to be promoted?¡± the Wizard asked, looking at Richard. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Child, come here.¡± Upon hearing the call, Richard did as instructed and approached the working Wizard, who looked almost like an ordinary human except for a colorless Crystal Stone on his forehead. He asked Richard to extend his hand and placed a Magic Mark on it. ¡°The mark is complete. You have three minutes left to talk. After three minutes, you will be automatically teleported to the promotion room,¡± the working Wizard stated indifferently. Richard looked at Jolod, and Jolod looked back at him. Mentor and apprentice exchanged no sentimental words, but Jolod walked over and patted Richard on the shoulder. ¡°There is a phase in Wizard promotion known as ¡®Soul Darkness¡¯. When you fall into the Soul Darkness, you will enter a space that is nothing but endless darkness. In that space, your sense of time will become distorted, some Wizards even feel as though they¡¯ve spent an epoch there before awakening. But I want you to remember, don¡¯t panic. As Wizards, boredom and loneliness are enemies we can¡¯t shake off. When you are engulfed by the Soul Darkness, just remember one thing. That is to persevere.¡± Jolod¡¯s voice was as calm as it was during his usual teaching, but those familiar with him could instantly tell that his voice was lower than usual. The promotion to Wizard was a matter of life and death. Jolod had many students and many of them had fallen at this hurdle. ¡°I understand, Teacher.¡± Richard smiled and then, as time elapsed, he vanished in a burst of white light. COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 105 - Chapter 105: Chapter 5: Promotion to Wizard Chapter 105: Chapter 5: Promotion to Wizard The place for becoming a Wizard was an enclosed room, with neither windows nor doors, accessible only through teleportation. The room wasn¡¯t large, approximately twenty square meters, and seemed to be made of wood, as if directly carved out of the trunk of the World Tree. The walls and floor of the room were covered in many patterns, and these patterns converged to form a complex design that was somewhat dizzying at first glance. Paired with the scattered runes amongst the design, the whole room resembled a three-dimensional Magic Array. In the center of the room was a Crystal Ball. After using Spiritual Detection on it, Richard received a message. It was the instructions for using the room. ¡°Rotate the Crystal Ball clockwise once and then meditate,¡± Richard glanced at the Crystal Ball, ¡°Becoming a Wizard is that simple?¡± Having said that, Richard followed the instructions and rotated the Crystal Ball once. Then, a faint ripple of Magic Power permeated Richard¡¯s perception. With the input of magic, the patterns in the room began to light up, and a surging life aura filled the entire room. In addition, an inexplicable fragrance seeped from the walls, instilling tranquility in anyone who smelled it. ¡°Incense?¡± Richard muttered to himself. At the same time, Richard felt an extremely profound sensation. He felt as though he had returned to his infancy, back into the arms of his mother, secure and comfortable. Without any hesitation, Richard immediately began to meditate. In the comforting and peaceful atmosphere, Richard quickly entered into a Meditation State. But unlike ordinary Meditation States, this time Richard didn¡¯t enter the Sea of Souls, but rather arrived in a void space. In this space, the only light came from a distant, somewhat dim glowing orb. Upon seeing this sphere, Richard instantly recognized what it was. ¡°Wizard World Origin¡­ so this is what it looks like?¡± Instinctively, Richard drew closer to the Wizard World Origin, much like an infant draws near their mother. The Wizard World Origin seemed to sense his presence, this child, and thus a warm beam of light shot from the Origin, leisurely entering his forehead. In an instant, Richard felt a gentle energy enter the depths of his soul, unlocking an invisible shackle. After unlocking the shackle, that energy left a mark in the very depths of Richard¡¯s soul. It was a mark left by the Wizard World, signifying that Richard was recognized by the Wizard World. After leaving the mark, Richard¡¯s consciousness briefly blurred. It felt as if he had been diving and was suddenly pulled out from the water. When he regained his senses, Richard found himself in a space devoid of any light. At the same time, the walls of the room began to seep drops of resin-like viscous liquid, which flowed along the magical array¡¯s patterns and eventually converged upon Richard, enveloping him as if he were encased in amber. In the distant past, the two biggest challenges faced by Wizard Apprentices during their promotion were the Soul Darkness during the increase of spiritual power, and how to survive the physical exhaustion during the promotion process. The transformation of a Wizard Apprentice into a Wizard required a long time, often measured in years. During this period, the Wizard Apprentice would remain in a vegetative state. At this time, the Wizard Apprentice needed a plan that could protect them and also provide nutrition for their body. And this amber was the solution prepared by the Tower of Truth. Resin rich in Life Energy from the World Tree, blended with various ingredients, ensured that even if a Wizard Apprentice slept for a hundred years, they would still spring to life energetic as ever. ¡­ In the darkness, Richard gradually understood what Jolod meant by perseverance. In this pitch-black space, with no points of reference and devoid of any sensation, Richard had no way to determine how long he had stayed there. He also lacked any tools to pass the time. It was outright torture. In this space, the utterly bored Richard began recalling his memories, from his past life to his current existence, from experiences in his previous life to travels and tales in this life. These memories became the only support preventing Richard from going mad. He couldn¡¯t sleep, for in this space Richard never felt fatigue, his mind always lucid, completely free of the need for sleep. If he chose to force himself to sleep, it would spell his demise. Once, twice, three times¡­ His memories, initially vague, gradually became clearer, until they played out before his eyes like a movie. Over time, Richard could even recite each frame of this film from memory. Boredom, tedium, then anger, madness, and finally, everything settled into tranquility. After Richard had revisited his memories countless times, the darkness before him suddenly shattered. The magnificent scenery of the Sea of Souls unfolded before Richard¡¯s eyes. The Soul Darkness had ended. The magnificent starry sky awakened Richard¡¯s numb heart, and in that moment, tears streamed down his face, his mouth open, yet unable to emit any sound. He had even forgotten how to speak. After a long while, Richard finally roused his instincts, murmuring to himself: ¡°Is it over?¡± He could feel his body in the Sea of Souls constantly changing. To put it inappropriately, during his Apprentice days, Richard¡¯s body in the Sea of Souls was like a plankton. But now, Richard had finally evolved from plankton to a small shrimp. When his soul completed the transformation, Richard felt his body suddenly sink, as if falling into water, and the scenery before him changed as well. It seemed he had come to a deep sea, surrounded by countless floating lights, and he himself was one of them. Looking upward, the starry sky was still the same starry sky, but it had become somewhat distant from him. ¡°So I was just on the surface of the Sea of Souls before? Only now have I truly entered the Deep Sea of Souls,¡± Richard realized in sudden enlightenment. Entering the Sea of Souls for the first time, Richard felt an incredible novelty all around. The waters of the Sea of Souls continuously nourished Richard¡¯s soul. He could feel his spiritual power strengthen with each minute he spent in the sea. This speed far surpassed his meditation speed during his Apprentice days. Richard attempted to move his body, but now, being a light point, he had neither hands nor legs, and moving like a human was impossible. So, he tried to use his spiritual power as propulsion, moving his body forward like a squid by jetting water. In the Sea of Souls, Richard¡¯s application of spiritual power became more wildly imaginative. His spiritual power was continuously compressed by Richard until it reached a limit. Richard locked onto a target¡ªan adjacent light point¡ªand fiercely released the amassed spiritual power. In the next instant, Richard¡¯s distance to the target light point abruptly closed. ¡°I did it!¡± Richard exclaimed somewhat excitedly. As he made contact with the light point, he finally saw what it was¡ªa wizard¡¯s name written in Wizard Language. ¡°Maggie¡­ It seems these light points are imprints left in the Sea of Souls by wizards,¡± Richard speculated. To verify this hypothesis, Richard continuously made contact with multiple light points. The contents of each light point varied, but all were symbols of sorts, which matched Richard¡¯s speculation. Richard continued his exploration and soon encountered a different scene. There were creatures in the Sea of Souls! He observed a creature moving in the Sea of Souls, which, in its appearance, resembled a constantly twisting light strip, like a water snake swimming through the Sea of Souls. ¡°Is it hunting souls?¡± Richard hid behind a giant light point and cautiously observed the creature. His state was peculiar now; perhaps due to his advancement, he found himself unable to terminate his meditation, only able to wait for it to end on its own. While Richard was observing, a light point suddenly disintegrated. The light snake, as if spotting food, swiftly swam towards the disintegrating light point and integrated its fragments into its body. ¡°Is it feeding on disintegrating imprints?¡± Imprints left in the Sea of Souls by wizards generally do not disintegrate. If they do, it indicates that the wizard¡¯s life has come to an end. Richard watched for a while and noticed that the light snake showed no interest in intact imprints, only in those that were disintegrating. This provided Richard some relief. After all, the vicinity was filled with imprints left by wizards in the Sea of Souls. If there were dangerous beings hunting souls, the Great Wizards, even Truth Wizards would have taken action long ago. Nonetheless, he remained cautious, using light points as cover and swiftly leaving the area. After exploring the Sea of Souls for a while, Richard saw many light points of varying sizes and colors. He guessed that the size of these light points represented the amount of spiritual power, bigger meaning more, smaller meaning less; the color indicated the age of the soul, brighter being younger, dimmer being older. Souls also have ages. According to wizard research, a creature¡¯s soul can exist for up to ten thousand years without reaching Level 4. Once it surpasses ten thousand years, the structure of the soul undergoes irreversible collapse. This marks the limit of wizards¡¯ life span. For wizards, creating a body is exceedingly simple. Cloning Magic can easily replicate the most authentic bodies of wizards. But no one is capable of restoring a collapsed soul. After some time, Richard suddenly felt a pulling force. His entire body involuntarily soared towards the surface of the Sea of Souls. ¡°Is it time?¡± Richard guessed. The advanced Meditation Method could only maintain an eight-hour meditation, and judging from when he had entered the Sea of Souls, it seemed time should have elapsed. But as Richard reached the surface of the Sea of Souls, he unexpectedly noticed a ripple wave through the otherwise silent Sea of Souls. A white light burst from the depths of the Sea of Souls, breaking into smaller, feebler fragments during its flight. ¡°Is there a creature battling in the Sea of Souls? Or has the World Master left means of resurrection in the Sea of Souls?¡± Many speculations flashed through Richard¡¯s mind, but before he could discern their meaning, he saw the white light coming towards him. In an instant, his consciousness returned to his body, accompanied by the white light. ¡°Caw caw caw¡­ I, Ulysses, the Master of Crows, have escaped! Abyss scum, you¡¯ll never catch me in this lifetime¡­ What the heck!¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 106 - Chapter 106: Chapter 6: The Lord of Crows Chapter 106: Chapter 6: The Lord of Crows In the Soul Space, the Master God of the Crow Realm, Ulysses, was struggling in terror. A Melter that looked plain and simple spurted Flames before him, but as a divine entity, even with only a Residual Soul remaining, he could still feel the terrible Rule Power within the Melter¡¯s Flames. In his current state, even a single spark from the Flames would reduce him to nothingness. ¡°What is up with this youngster, and why does he have such a terrifying thing in his soul?¡± Ulysses cried out in horror. Such a status was something that, even in the Pantheon, only a Divine King would possess. Why was it now appearing in someone who was not even a Demigod? But before he could figure it out, another dreadful piece of news arrived. He could clearly sense that only a single body separated him from a World Will, and that World Will was vast, even larger than the World Will of his own Crow Realm. If he dared to step out, he would be shattered to pieces in less than a second. ¡°Have I entered the body of a Divine King¡¯s offspring?¡± Ulysses wailed. Having just escaped the clutches of those Abyss Demons, he now found himself in such a perilous situation. With wolves in front and tigers behind, he wanted to play the game of swapping places through seizing another body, but he couldn¡¯t get past the terrifying Melter and attempting to escape outward would draw the attention of the World Will. ¡°Alien, what are you?¡± Richard¡¯s Spiritual Projection suddenly appeared in the Spirit Space. Just moments ago, Richard¡¯s spirit had returned to his body, and he¡¯d caught wind of the ravings of this Otherworldly creature known as the Master God of the Crow Realm. ¡°What am I?¡± Ulysses, looking at the suddenly appearing Richard, was angered in his heart. Since becoming a divine entity, nobody had dared to speak to him like that. But the moment he saw the terrifying Melter nearby, the flicker of anger in his heart was immediately extinguished, replaced instead by fear. To be able to grow under the protection of a World Will, and to carry such a terrifying Melter¡­ The youngster¡¯s background must be extraordinary. ¡°I am the Master God of the Crow Realm, the Lord of Crows, Ulysses. Just now, I was battling a group of Abyss Demons and was chased into the Sea of Souls. Thanks to your timely appearance, young friend, I was able to escape from the dangerous situation.¡± Ulysses was very cautious with his words, revealing both his identity and the reason for the events. If Richard was really as Ulysses suggested, the offspring of a Divine King, then he might really be safe. But unfortunately, Richard was neither a Divine King¡¯s offspring nor was he a creature from any world that Ulysses knew of. ¡°Master God of the Crow Realm?¡± Richard suddenly uttered a strange laugh, ¡°Another self-proclaimed divine entity native to a World Mastery. I guess you came into my Soul Space with the idea of seizing it, right?¡± Ulysses¡¯s heart sank. ¡°Not having heard of my name and calling me a native. Could it be that I am not in the Pantheon World Community but have come to a new World Community!¡± Ulysses¡¯s mind raced, his situation dangerously critical. If he did not demonstrate his value, once this youngster consulted with an elder, he would no longer have any choice. ¡°You jest, young friend. How could I engage in something that only an Evil God would do?¡± Ulysses pretended to be righteous. ¡°You do not know my name, but have you heard of the Pantheon? I am a general of the Eternal God King of the Pantheon. If you could send me back to the Pantheon, the Pantheon would surely reward you handsomely.¡± Ulysses prayed in his heart, hoping Richard had heard at least a little about the Pantheon, giving him a chance at freedom. ¡°The Pantheon? Never heard of it,¡± Richard continued to deny. At that, Ulysses¡¯s heart chilled. Where on earth had he run to? The Pantheon¡¯s fame spread across several neighboring World Communities, yet this extraordinary youngster had no clue. ¡°So, Ulysses, how do you plan to resolve this matter of entering my Soul Space?¡± Richard¡¯s voice was calm, but it trembled through Ulysses like the Devil¡¯s own voice. He was trapped. Ulysses tried to keep his composure, aware, or believing, that he did not have many options. ¡°Creature from another world, I am willing to serve you for three thousand years to atone for my mistake.¡± Ulysses, drawing from his experience, guessed that this creature must need to compete for affection under the care of his parent, just like the ninety-nine offspring of the Eternal God King. To vie for favor, one obviously needs strength. Ulysses¡¯s current state was dire, with his divine soul severely damaged and his Divine Form incomplete after escaping from the Sea of Souls. However, if he could get help from a Divine King¡¯s offspring, his injuries should be able to recover swiftly. He hastily made such an offer to serve, hitting on that very idea. In his eyes, it was a win-win deal. ¡°Three thousand years?¡± Richard was intrigued. He was merely bluffing to scare this World Master, not expecting to actually scare up something tangible. But Richard¡¯s hesitation made Ulysses¡¯s heart sink further; three thousand years seemed not enough to satisfy the youngster. ¡°If you are not satisfied, how about five thousand years?¡± Ulysses upped the offer. Five thousand years was quite a length of time for a divine entity, and for a soul-damaged divine entity like him, who knew how many tens of thousands more years he would live? Five thousand years already constituted a significant portion of his remaining life. ¡°Five thousand years?¡± Richard was somewhat shocked by the World Master¡¯s generosity, but at the same time, another thought occurred to him. Richard tried to manipulate the Miracle Furnace, and after becoming a Wizard, Richard felt he had some control over the Miracle Furnace. Now, he could move the Miracle Furnace within his own Soul Space. He could see that the World Master was very fearful of the Miracle Furnace, and this fear was just manipulable. ¡°Five thousand years is not enough.¡± Richard approached Ulysses with the Melter while saying coldly. The movement of the Miracle Furnace kept pushing Ulysses back, but he was now in Richard¡¯s Soul Space. No matter how much he retreated, the Miracle Furnace inched steadily toward him. ¡°One ten thousand years! I am willing to serve you for ten thousand years!¡± Ulysses exclaimed in panic. ¡°Very well,¡± Richard said, barely smiling as he stopped the Melter, ¡°but how do you plan to fulfill your promise?¡± ¡°That¡¯s easy.¡± Ulysses breathed a sigh of relief, assuming all would be well as long as Richard agreed. ¡°I will sign a Destiny Contract with you. The binding force of this contract is absolutely reliable, and those who breach the contract will be punished by fate. If you don¡¯t believe it, you can ask your elders, and they will tell you how dreadful a Destiny Contract is.¡± Destiny Contract¡­ Richard was familiar with the name. The contract he had signed with Jolod was a crude version derived from the Destiny Contract by the Tower of Truth. Even a Truth Wizard would be bound by such a terrible contract, which was the most frightening among all agreements. ¡°Alright, I will sign the contract with you,¡± Richard agreed. ¡­ The Destiny Contract did not have a physical form; its carrier was the soul of a World Master Level creature, the only kind of soul that could withstand the weight of destiny. Ulysses agonizingly used fragments of his own soul to create a Destiny Contract and signed it with Richard. The contract stipulated that Ulysses would serve Richard for ten thousand years, during which Ulysses must not betray Richard in any form and must obey all of Richard¡¯s commands. The contract was very strict, but under the intimidation of the Miracle Furnace, Ulysses signed anyway. In his view, serving the progeny of a Divine King for ten thousand years was no disgrace, and since Richard possessed such a treasure, he was likely a favored progeny. Perhaps by following Richard, he could even regain his former strength and carve out a territory in this unknown world. The contract was signed, and both Richard and Ulysses breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Very well, now that we are allies, I¡¯d like to ask you some questions,¡± Richard asked with a smile. ¡°Please go ahead. I will leave nothing unsaid as long as I can speak of it,¡± Ulysses replied cautiously. ¡°I want to hear about the Pantheon and the Abyss you mentioned. A force that can command a being as powerful as you and pursue you to the Sea of Souls intrigues me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s simple,¡± Ulysses readily agreed. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you are aware of the concept of the ¡®world cluster.''¡± Richard shook his head, perhaps the Wizard World was familiar with the concept, but he had only just advanced to wizard and was unaware of much information about the Wizard World. ¡°The so-called ¡®world cluster¡¯ refers to a world structure where tens of thousands of small and medium worlds are densely adjacent to one or more major worlds, centered around them. Both the Pantheon and the Abyss govern a unified world cluster civilization.¡± ¡°Civilization?¡± ¡°Yes, civilization. The Pantheon is also known as the Gods Civilization, and the formal name for the Abyss is the Abyss Demon Civilization.¡± After saying this, Ulysses added, ¡°The major world you are currently in is called a ¡®civilization seed¡¯ in the world cluster. ¡°If a Divine King who wishes to pioneer ventures into the Star Realm to expand territory, then your current world could also become a civilization.¡± Richard took this information to heart and then asked: ¡°So, how does your Gods Civilization rank the levels of power?¡± ¡°According to our classification, from low to high, they are powerless mortals, Professionals, Legends, Epics, Demigods, Gods, High-level Gods, Main Gods, and the greatest of all, the God Kings.¡± Richard compared these ranks with those of the Wizard World. Professional likely equated to Wizard Apprentice, Legend Epic Demigod corresponded to First Second Third Circle Wizards, God High-level God Main God corresponded to Fourth Fifth Sixth Circle Great Wizards, and God King corresponded to Truth Wizard. ¡°How many God Kings are there in your Pantheon?¡± ¡°There are three God Kings,¡± Ulysses said with slight pride. Generally, one God King could create a civilization; a civilization like the Gods Civilization that boasted three God Kings was quite formidable among the neighboring world clusters. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled.¡± Richard suddenly smiled, and his projection disappeared in the Spirit Space. The Wizard World has five Truth Wizards; even if the Gods Civilization were to conflict, the Wizard World had the advantage, or rather, the Wizard Civilization had the advantage. Leaving the Spirit Space, Richard found himself sealed like an amber. With a slight effort, his amber casing cracked audibly, breaking into several fragments that fell to the ground. Richard stretched his body, finding that although the Rebound Effect had brought him to a Physique of 50, moving around felt completely natural. It seemed his body had adapted to the sudden increase in physique. ¡°How long was I in that space?¡± Richard exclaimed in surprise. But before he could figure it out, the amber fragments on the ground turned into a sticky liquid and were absorbed by the floor. Immediately afterward, a beam of white light appeared under his feet. As the white light vanished, he found himself back in the Steel Hall where he had advanced to wizard. ¡°Congratulations.¡± A voice came from behind Richard, and he turned to see the Working Wizard who had marked him with the Magic Mark still standing in place as if he hadn¡¯t been gone long. ¡°Apprentice Richard, your advancement took twelve years, and now I should address you as Wizard Richard.¡± With that, the Working Wizard handed Richard a Magic Pocket. ¡°This is the benefit issued by the Tower of Truth to newly advanced wizards, including a hundred years of free usage of the residential floor, fifty Magic Essences, an Alchemy School Wizard Robe, and a map of the Tower of Truth.¡± After finishing, the Working Wizard extended his right hand toward Richard. ¡°Welcome to the world of wizards.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 107 - Chapter 107: Chapter 7 Joining the Society Chapter 107: Chapter 7 Joining the Society After about an hour, Jolod¡¯s figure finally appeared in the hall. ¡°Haha, Richard! I just knew you could hang in there.¡± Jolod walked up to Richard and gave him a hard pat on the shoulder, his joy apparent for all to see. For Jolod, there was nothing better than seeing his own apprentice safely advance to a Wizard. Richard scratched his head and, out of self-preservation, his brain had automatically diminished the memory of what happened within the ¡°Soul Darkness.¡± Now when he tried to recall it, all Richard could feel was boredom. ¡°Never mind that,¡± Jolod waved his hand, indicating for Richard not to dwell on the memories. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve become a Wizard, you should enjoy the life of a Wizard.¡± With that, the two left the work floor. The commercial floor was still bustling, but as Richard stepped into it, he found his sensations somewhat altered. ¡°Is this what it feels like to be a Wizard?¡± Richard looked around at the otherworldly slaves shackled in chains, knowing that before he became a Wizard, even though these slaves were bound, he felt he could easily be killed by them. But now, he felt that these creatures were very weak. This misalignment in self-awareness excited Richard. After reaching the commercial floor, Jolod didn¡¯t take Richard straight to the residential area; instead, he led him to a shop. ¡°Put on your Wizard Robe; apprentices are not allowed to enter this store,¡± Jolod instructed. Richard complied, pulling out his Wizard Robe issued by the Tower of Truth from his pocket. The style of this Wizard Robe looked no different from the Apprentice Wizard Robe, but the silver pentagram badge at the chest had been replaced with a heart wrapped in gears. Seizing the opportunity, Jolod also explained the differences between the symbols of the different Schools to him. ¡°Each of the Five Major Schools has its own emblem. The Alchemy School¡¯s emblem is the gear heart, symbolizing the union of machinery and flesh. The Undead School¡¯s emblem is a golden ouroboros, symbolizing the circle of life and death. The Shape-shifting School¡¯s emblem is a golden pentagram, representing control over earth, wind, water, and fire through the mind. The Soul School¡¯s symbol is a half ethereal, half tangible brain, signifying the spirit and soul. Lastly, the Curse School¡¯s emblem is a bloody cross, representing the first curse in Wizarding History¡ªthe ¡®Blood Cross.''¡± ¡°What about dual Schools?¡± Richard asked. Ali¡¯s mentor, Susanna, was a dual School Wizard of Curse and Shape-shifting. ¡°A dual School Wizard will display both emblems, with gold representing their major and silver their minor.¡± After changing into his Wizard Robe, Richard entered the shop with Jolod, a place that didn¡¯t allow apprentices, and what the store sold genuinely startled Richard. ¡°Are these not people?¡± Richard looked around at the humanoid creatures locked in cages, somewhat panicked. While the Wizard World permitted the existence of slaves, these were limited to other Races, and Wizards were not allowed to enslave other humans. ¡°Look closer,¡± Jolod coolly pointed at the scales on one of the slaves, ¡°These are subhumans, offspring of certain Wizards who couldn¡¯t control their baser urges, creating Mixed Bloods.¡± ¡°Mixed Bloods are not recognized by the Wizard World, so they are considered part of other Races.¡± ¡°What about those Wizards who engage in bloodline fusion?¡± Richard couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t their children also have mixed racial bloodlines?¡± ¡°It all comes down to whether those Wizards are willing to spend Magic Stones,¡± Jolod said leisurely, ¡°As long as one is willing to use Magic Stones to purify their bloodline, these subhumans can become members of the Wizard World. But obviously, the Wizards who created these subhumans are not keen on spending that money.¡± Richard fell silent for a moment: ¡°Do these people have the same rights as other Races?¡± ¡°A little better than other Races,¡± said Jolod lightly, ¡°A humanoid form fits better with a Wizard¡¯s sense of aesthetics. These subhumans are more likely to spend their lives as servants in a Wizard¡¯s laboratory rather than being used as experimental materials or food. I brought you here to pick two Subhuman Servants. If you¡¯re not willing, let¡¯s forget about it.¡± Richard looked at the Subhuman Servants around him, his emotions gradually calming down. As a Black Wizard, Richard had killed plenty of pure-blooded humans, so although these Subhumans looked pitiful, they did not stir his sympathy. ¡°Do these Subhumans have Skills? I¡¯d like to find one that can cook,¡± Richard said evenly. The physical body doesn¡¯t automatically feel happiness during the enjoyment of food; it¡¯s a great form of relaxation. Although food had become unnecessary since becoming a Wizard, Richard still liked to eat and drink when conditions permitted. Jolod¡¯s face showed a smile. ¡°Of course, there are.¡± ¡­ After circling the Subhuman Shop, Richard ultimately chose two female Subhuman slaves, costing Jolod forty Magic Essences. Both Subhumans had normal intelligence levels, with beast ears sprouting on their heads, and they were young and cute. One was proficient in cooking multiple food ingredients, the other robust, gifted with precise control over her body, capable of helping Richard handle some alchemy materials. Upon returning to the residential area, Richard no longer needed Jolod to fly him there. Richard took a deep breath, and at that moment, the cells throughout his body came alive. These cells greedily absorbed the Magic Power from the air and then converged inside his body, transforming into a Magic Rebound under the guidance of his spiritual power. After a physique breakthrough of fifty, the body would naturally form an energy cycle to sustain bodily functions. In addition to this, Richard¡¯s spiritual power also underwent change. He released his spiritual power into the sky, and this time it wasn¡¯t limited to just a few meters in front of him but extended to about fifty meters around. The transformation resulted from a qualitative change in spiritual power. If Richard¡¯s spiritual power before was raw iron ore, it was now refined steel. With the same amount of spiritual power, Richard could see and explore further, mobilizing even more Magic Power. With fifty points of spiritual power, Richard could maintain a Magic Rebound that was nine times more powerful than when he had forty-nine-point-nine points! ¡°How does the leap in life feel?¡± Jolod asked. ¡°Fantastic!¡± Richard exclaimed excitedly. Following Jolod, Richard had made his way to the Black Tower Wizard Academy Community on the second floor of the residential area, where a considerable number of wizards from the Black Tower Wizard Academy resided. Entering the community, Richard felt the strong presence of the Black Tower Wizard Academy. Hmm, these wizards¡¯ buildings were all miniature versions of the Central Black Tower, giving Richard the feeling of being back at the Academy. Arriving at a Black Tower, Jolod stepped forward and knocked on the door. Knock, knock, knock. A subhuman servant opened the door. ¡°The two wizard lords, please come in.¡± ¡°Whose Wizard Tower is this?¡± Richard curiously asked. ¡°Take a guess?¡± Richard walked into the parlor and surveyed the surroundings. ¡°I can¡¯t tell, but I¡¯m certain it isn¡¯t Brother Chax¡¯s.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Jolod raised an eyebrow, ¡°Why isn¡¯t it Chax¡¯s?¡± Richard pointed at the empty table in the parlor. ¡°How could there be no wine in Brother Chax¡¯s living room?¡± ¡°Ha, you got that right.¡± Not long after, a graceful figure hurriedly came down from the upstairs. ¡°Richard!¡± Richard looked up, and the graceful figure descending was none other than his long-lost senior sister Anna. ¡°Sister Anna, long time no see.¡± The two embraced as soon as they saw each other, while Jolod remarked from the side: ¡°You siblings really care for each other, becoming wizards three terms in a row. Those from earlier terms are too far apart in time, there¡¯s no sentimental feeling when they meet.¡± After the hug, everyone took their seats, and Jolod pulled an owl out of his Magic Pocket and spoke a few words to it. ¡°Chax, during your trip to Anna, your junior bro has become a wizard.¡± Soon enough, a portly figure entered the Wizard Tower. ¡°Hey, junior! I always knew you could make it!¡± As he spoke, Chax opened his arms to Richard and the two hugged each other. With everyone gathered, the subhuman servant poured a cup of red tea for them. The red tea smelled aromatic, bearing a calming effect¡ªits origin as a demonized plant was evident from the scent. ¡°Sister, you¡¯re showing favoritism.¡± Chax took a sip of the red tea and complained to Anna, ¡°I¡¯ve been here a few times; each time, it¡¯s just ordinary tea. Today, just because the junior bro finishes his apprenticeship, you bring out the treasured Magic Tea.¡± Anna glared at him, ¡°Regular tea is good enough for you; you¡¯re such a drunk, can you even appreciate Magic Tea?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be able to tell, Sister, you¡¯re just biased¡­¡± Watching the two bicker, Jolod couldn¡¯t help but rap on the table. ¡°Be serious, you two. I¡¯ve come here today for a reason.¡± The two stopped and turned their attention to Jolod. ¡°Now that you siblings have all graduated, it¡¯s a good time to tell you about the society,¡± Jolod began slowly, ¡°The Golden Dawn Society is a wizard society within our Alchemy School. At the usual academic salon, members of the society share some of their experiences in Alchemy, and offer paid assistance to solve problems. It¡¯s very helpful for novice wizards like you. To join the society you need the recommendation of five senior members. Right now, several of my old friends are in the Wizard World, so that¡¯s not a problem. However, there¡¯s another requirement to join the society, which is that you need enough wisdom. This requirement demands that you showcase your achievements; no one can help you with that.¡± Saying this, Jolod turned to look at Richard. ¡°Richard, you were able to create strategic-level Magic Equipment during your apprenticeship, so clearly your wisdom is sufficient. But you two¡­¡± Jolod turned his gaze to his other two apprentices. ¡°Your work obviously doesn¡¯t meet the mark. Anna, it¡¯s been over a decade since you became a wizard, hasn¡¯t it? What have you researched in these years? What have you achieved?¡± Anna¡¯s face went slightly red; indeed, she had been somewhat slack since becoming a wizard. As for Chax, Jolod looked his way, but the man was acting nonchalant, prompting Jolod to give him a stern glance. ¡°Chax, it can¡¯t even be said that you¡¯ve slacked off! You¡¯re simply wasting time!¡± With that, Jolod took out his Magic Wand from his Magic Pocket and angrily tapped Chax on the head a couple of times. ¡°Don¡¯t think that just because you¡¯re a wizard, I can¡¯t discipline you anymore!¡± After scolding Chax, Jolod stood up. ¡°I¡¯ve told you about the matter, the choice is yours to make. If you plan to join another society, I won¡¯t stop you. Some of your fellow senior brothers and sisters have joined other societies.¡± Having said this, Jolod looked towards Richard. ¡°Richard, what are your plans?¡± ¡°Me?¡± Richard stood up, ¡°I definitely choose to join the Golden Dawn Society.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 108 - Chapter 108: Chapter 8 Wizard Life Chapter 108: Chapter 8 Wizard Life ¡°Very well,¡± Jolod said with a satisfied nod, ¡°but joining the society requires attending a society gathering, which you might have to wait decades for.¡± ¡°That¡¯s no problem,¡± Richard said nonchalantly. Having become a Wizard, Richard¡¯s lifespan had instantly soared to a thousand years, so waiting a few decades was not an issue at all. After leaving Anna¡¯s Wizard Tower, Jolod took Richard to find the Wizard in charge of construction in the community. ¡°Ancha, build a Wizard Tower for my student,¡± Jolod greeted. In front of him, a Wizard whose half body was mechanical was directing a group of Otherworldly slaves to build a Wizard Tower. ¡°Oh, Jolod, your student has also succeeded,¡± Ancha glanced at Richard, his red crystal eyes flashing with a dazzling red light. ¡°Which of my students hasn¡¯t?¡± Jolod boasted. Richard took out a black crystal ball from his Magic Pocket and handed it to Ancha. This crystal ball was a one-hundred-year residence permit issued by the Tower of Truth. A red light shot from Ancha¡¯s eyes, confirming Richard¡¯s information, then he pocketed the crystal ball and handed him a map. ¡°All right, the new Black Tower number four in zone two, everything¡¯s ready inside. You can move in there.¡± Richard nodded, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then followed the map to his Wizard Tower. Outside the Wizard Tower, Jolod and Richard said their goodbyes. ¡°Okay, everything¡¯s set up now; I¡¯m heading back.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t you come in and sit for a bit?¡± Jolod waved his hand with a smile, ¡°The Wizard Towers built by Ancha are all the same, nothing interesting to see.¡± With that, Jolod floated up, transforming into a streak of light and flew off into the distance. ¡­ The Wizard Tower had four floors, the first floor was a reception room, the sub-first was a storeroom, and the second and third floors were bedrooms and a laboratory. Richard released two demi-human slaves from his Magic Pocket, a specially made artifact that could contain living creatures, a gift from the Slave Trading Company. ¡°Get familiar with the rooms. From today on, this will be your dwelling,¡± Richard instructed indifferently. The two Kemonomimi immediately bowed their heads in acknowledgment. ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Richard did not give names to the Kemonomimi. He chose to refer to them by number, the cooking Kemonomimi was Number One, and the sturdy Kemonomimi was Number Two. These Kemonomimi did not have a long lifespan; a hundred years often marked their limit. Not naming them was Richard¡¯s way of reminding himself not to get emotionally attached. The second floor was a laboratory, and the walls of the laboratory were equipped with a Silence Magic Array to keep the laboratory quiet. Richard closed the door of the laboratory and took out his experimental equipment from his Magic Pocket that he had used during his Apprenticeship. This included various tools and alchemy materials, as well as the Annihilation Flame tentacle that Richard had brought with him. Before ascending to Wizard, Richard had prepared it with sufficient nutrient solution and Magic Stones, and after twelve years of growth, the entire tentacle had become quite massive. ¡°Ulysses, how do you feel about using this thing to make a body for yourself?¡± A white light shot out from Richard¡¯s body, forming into a black spiritual crow. ¡°Liar! You damn deceiver! You¡¯re not a progeny of the Divine King! You¡¯re just a lucky ant!¡± Ulysses roared unceasingly at Richard. The moment Richard stepped out of the Steel Hall, Ulysses realized it had been deceived. It wasn¡¯t blind or deaf; its spiritual power could extend through Richard¡¯s body to explore the outside world. In the ascension room, it had been intimidated by the World Will and did not dare to scout around. But once they left that layer, the World Will was no longer present. Richard called an ant that wasn¡¯t even a Demigod ¡®Teacher,¡¯ and went to what was called the market to buy slaves. This was entirely different from what Ulysses had envisioned. ¡°Ulysses, when did I ever tell you I was a progeny of the Divine King?¡± Richard said, sitting on a chair and looking at it with a distant gaze. This World Master had been incessantly roaring since he picked slaves in the commercial layer, annoying him to no end. ¡°You¡­you¡­you¡­¡± Ulysses stared at Richard as though looking at a shameless scoundrel. ¡°Moreover, I am now your Master, and you had better show some respect. Otherwise¡­¡± Richard snorted coldly, the threat clear in his voice. Suicide could also be an order. At this moment, Ulysses finally tasted despair. ¡°Following you, an ant, I, Ulysses, am done for,¡± Ulysses said in resignation. ¡°Done for?¡± Richard chuckled coldly, ¡°You should be grateful, for it¡¯s because of me that you weren¡¯t taken away to be an experimental subject. Do you know where you are now?¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°According to your classifications, you are now in the dwelling of a Divine King.¡± ¡°And,¡± Richard continued with a cold laugh, ¡°the Divine Kings you mentioned, there are no fewer than five of them in the Wizard World.¡± At those words, Ulysses¡¯ entire body shook instantly. ¡°Kid, do you know how great a Divine King is?¡± Ulysses clamored, ¡°In the presence of a Divine King, all Main Gods bow down in submission, just as an ant like you would before a deity.¡± ¡°I certainly know that it¡¯s no secret there are five Truth Wizards in the Wizard World,¡± Richard said indifferently, ¡°Even a Great Wizard on a conquest of Otherworlds must bow down to them.¡± ¡°Impossible! Our Gods Civilization only has three Divine Kings! The Abyss Demons only have two Dominators. You liar, I will never believe another word you say!¡± Richard snorted coldly, ¡°Ulysses, I command you to shut up!¡± The next moment, the ranting Ulysses fell silent. ¡°Ulysses, I have no interest in a war of words with you. You will see the strength of the Wizard World with your own eyes, and when that time comes, you¡¯ll be grateful for the correct decision you made.¡± ¡­ The life of a Wizard is much more relaxed than that of a Wizard Apprentice. After a decade or so of growth, the Fuzzy Ball within the fragments of the Secret Realm split off a seed, which had now become a new Holy Tree Elf. Richard named it Fuzzy Ball Number Two. It was a good start. If the growth could continue to double every ten years, the fragments of the Secret Realm would soon turn into a field of herbs. For this purpose, Richard also started looking for nectar with Life Energy in the commercial areas as food for the Holy Tree Elf. This nectar could promote the growth of the Holy Tree Elves. A regular Holy Tree Elf could only live for about fifty years, but if they grew, their lifespan would also increase. This was undoubtedly a great help for Richard¡¯s breeding plan. Furthermore, Richard also began the second phase of training for his Adaptation Body. In the Wizard¡¯s data, whether in Physique or spiritual power, the point between 49.9 and 50 was a qualitative change. Once Richard¡¯s Physique reached 50 due to the Rebound Effect, the upper limit of the Energy Levels his Adaptation Body could handle reached 100. On that basis, for every extra point in Physique, Richard¡¯s adaptation limit would increase by ten. Training the Adaptation Body meant consuming more Magic Stones. Although Jolod was busy with the Wizard Commerce, it would take a century or two before significant profits were made. The business of selling Magic Potions in the commercial district was continuing, but the speed of earning was already struggling to keep up with Richard¡¯s consumption. As a result, Richard, like a normal Alchemy Wizard, had to take on some alchemy work and make Magic Equipment for Apprentices from Wizard Families or Free Wizards. After the qualitative change in his spiritual power, Richard found making Magic Equipment to be much easier. Operations that were very difficult during his Apprentice days were now easy tasks for him. Moreover, due to Richard¡¯s approachability and a particular franchise request, many Wizard Apprentices sought him out specifically for Magic Equipment creation. ¡°Number 23, Wars Luceiro,¡± Richard handed out a gemstone-studded Magic Wand to the Apprentice in front of him from his pocket. ¡°Ice Crystal Wand, take a look. If there are no problems, pay the final amount.¡± The Apprentice nervously accepted the Magic Wand, checked it with an infusion of Magic Power, and immediately bowed respectfully to Richard. ¡°Master, your craftsmanship is truly extraordinary.¡± After speaking, the Apprentice took out an old Magic Book from his Magic Pocket. ¡°This book is an Encrypted Magic Book lost during the Wizard War. Have a look.¡± Richard received the book, and a stream of information flashed through his mind. [Material: Unknown Magic Book] [Extractable Information: Fire Element Amplifying Rune Array] [Extraction Cost: 5 spiritual power] Richard nodded, ¡°Not bad, you¡¯re an honest man.¡± The Wizard Apprentice smiled reservedly, thinking Wizards have odd hobbies, that there are still those who collect such worthless books. Encrypted Magic Books and Encrypted Notes were collected by almost all Wizard Families, but with efforts over many years to decode them, the ones that could be solved had been solved long ago. Those unbreakable Magic Books gathering dust in libraries were easily taken out by the Apprentices from Wizard Families for bartering. ¡°Alright, we¡¯re even. Welcome to come again. If you have friends who want custom-made Magic Equipment, feel free to refer them. I¡¯ll give you a 10% commission,¡± Richard put the Magic Book aside and waved at the Apprentice. ¡°I will spread the word for you,¡± the Apprentice bowed again and then quickly left the Wizard Tower. After he left, Richard chuckled and took the Magic Book in his hands, choosing to refine it. ¡°Fire Element Amplifying Array? Good stuff.¡± Richard had been in the Alchemy business for ten years now. Seven years ago, in conversations with Apprentices, he learned that Wizard Families did not value Encrypted Notes very much, so he started the activity of trading Encrypted Notes for Magic Stones. One Encrypted Note could be exchanged for a thousand Magic Stones. Although most of these Encrypted Notes and Magic Books were junk, as long as Richard found one that was useful, it would cover all his losses. Putting the Magic Book on the shelf in the basement, Richard leisurely made his way to the laboratory on the second floor. Wuni, or rather Ulysses, flew in from the window, a gemstone hanging from his mouth. After he flew in, there was an immediate knock on the door of the Wizard Tower. Richard went downstairs to open the door and met an angry Wizard on the doorstep, ranting furiously at him. ¡°Richard! Your crow has come to steal my Gem Fruits again! My Gem Tree isn¡¯t for its cultivation!¡± Richard gave an apologetic smile and offered some Magic Stones as compensation. After resolving the problem, Richard went up to the second floor and watched Ulysses helplessly. ¡°Ulysses, as a World Master, do you actually enjoy stealing other people¡¯s fruits all day?¡± ¡°Gah gah gah, I just like to see him angry.¡± Over the years, Ulysses had also come to understand the world of the Wizard World through various channels. Five Divine Kings, and over a thousand Divine Beings, with the number still expanding. This terrifying strength made Ulysses admit that what Richard had said years ago was right. If he hadn¡¯t signed the Destiny Contract with Richard, his future would have been even more miserable. ¡°Moreover, I need to recover my strength, right? His Gem Fruits can alleviate the injury to my Divine Soul; I¡¯ll soon be able to use the Annihilation Flame that you desire.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 109 - Chapter 109: Chapter 9: Annihilation Flame Rune Chapter 109: Chapter 9: Annihilation Flame Rune The Annihilation Flame, one of the abilities of Ulysses, the master of crows. It possessed the ability to devour light, held extremely high temperatures, and could ignite the soul; moreover, this flame was very ¡°gentle¡± and did not possess the expansiveness of regular flames. This type of flame originated from Ulysses¡¯s Bloodline Talent. Although he had lost his original body, as a World Master, simulating his Talent Ability was effortless. The reason Richard wanted to see this flame was simple: he wanted to find runes within it. Runes are the cornerstone of the Wizard World; they are the summation of a wizard¡¯s control over laws. Runes existed in various phenomena, and wizards, by deciphering the appearance of phenomena, would glimpse their essence. To give an imperfect analogy, runes are akin to the various formulas in physics. Richard was very interested in the nature of the Annihilation Flame; according to Ulysses, this flame partially overlapped in nature with the Dark Water Rune. Particularly, the ¡°gentleness¡± of the Annihilation Flame greatly appealed to Richard. If he could extract the runes of the Annihilation Flame and combine them with the Dark Water Rune to form a new Water and Fire Annihilation Spell, undoubtedly, this spell would be more stable and powerful than the original Realm of Annihilation. ¡°When will you be able to use the Annihilation Flame?¡± ¡°Not long now, after eating a few more of his fruits, I should be able to use it by the end of this month.¡± ¡°You still need to eat his fruits?¡± Richard couldn¡¯t help but sigh with his hand to his forehead. The wizard visited by Ulysses was named Aleksey, a wizard from the Soul School. He had planted a Gem Tree in his yard, the fruits of which had nourishing effects on the soul. ¡°Gah, gah, gah, it¡¯s his fault for shooting a fireball at me,¡± Ulysses complained angrily. Originally, seeing the Gem Tree and driven by the nature of a crow, Ulysses wanted to snatch some gem leaves, but Aleksey hit him with a Fireball Technique, nearly turning him into roast bird. Since then, a feud had formed between the man and the bird. ¡°Fine, steal if you must, but don¡¯t overdo it,¡± Richard instructed reluctantly. For the sake of his research, he had to sacrifice Aleksey¡¯s comfort for now. Suddenly, a month had passed. Richard appeased an enraged Aleksey with a forced smile and turned to the laboratory on the second floor. ¡°It should be ready now, right?¡± Richard looked at Ulysses, who was now emanating a faint, hot aura that hadn¡¯t been there before. ¡°It¡¯s ready, but I can¡¯t guarantee you¡¯ll find what you¡¯re looking for.¡± Ulysses spat out a wisp of black flame, which immediately raised the temperature of the entire laboratory gradually. Richard pulled a crystal ball out of his pocket. This was the crystal ball of Great Wizard Qing Shuang, which stored the Dark Water Rune. Its material was quite extraordinary. Richard had modified it, engraving several magic arrays within the crystal ball to make it capable of withstanding considerable heat. Using magic power as a guide, Richard drew the Annihilation Flame into the crystal ball and then sealed it with chains of runes emanating from his hands. The Sealing Skill was a special spell outside of the Six Major Schools. Its sole purpose was to trap items or even living beings within a certain object, place, or even space. When dealing with creatures of immense life energy, wizards often chose to seal them away permanently. As long as they did not appear, it was as if they were dead. There were many kinds of sealing skills, each requiring a price, and the prices varied. The Sealing Skill Richard used was called the Rune Chain Sealing Technique, from a book of Encrypted Notes. Using this sealing skill merely required the wizard to expend a significant amount of magic power, arguably the mildest price among sealing skills. But the effect was also the weakest; he needed to periodically stabilize the seal with magic power. If it were some immensely powerful sealing technique, he would not need to stabilize it later, but the cost could include memories, lifespan, or even the soul. The Annihilation Flame was successfully sealed within the crystal ball, and the magic arrays Richard had previously prepared began to show their effects. Under the high temperature of the Annihilation Flame, the crystal ball merely became extremely hot without melting. Richard placed it into the water, continuously cooling it down with cold water, quickly bringing the temperature under control. ¡°Gah, gah, your wizards¡¯ sealing techniques are quite interesting,¡± Ulysses remarked in surprise. ¡°A mere legend can control my Annihilation Flame with such methods.¡± ¡°Wizards have many interesting methods,¡± Richard responded indifferently. ¡°A wizard¡¯s methods come from wisdom, not from bloodline or some unsystematic experiences.¡± ¡­ After sealing the Annihilation Flame, Richard began his research and experiments. It was a long and arduous process. Richard had started learning from the Plastic Energy School during his apprenticeship, which provided a solid knowledge base for his current research on the Annihilation Flame. During this research journey, Ali also became a wizard, which greatly assisted Richard. Through various physical tests and analyzing the Rune Arrays, Richard successfully decoded the Annihilation Flame in the twentieth year of his research and summarized the Annihilation Flame Rune. This was undoubtedly great news for Richard. ¡°Have your runes been created?¡± Ulysses landed on Richard¡¯s shoulder, looking at the rune on the experiment table. The rune looked like a cluster of twisted flames, its complex structure dazzling the eyes. The civilization of the Gods also had something similar to runes. The Lun Rune of the Divine King Thousand Faces could do the same things as Wizard Runes. However, Lun Runes are Law Texts, requiring the observer to possess the strength of a Divine, essentially the World Master, to even see them clearly. Yet this little one beneath him was merely a Legend. It was unbelievable that he could also create something similar. Richard infused magic into the rune on the test bench, and the next instant, a wisp of pitch-black flame was born from the rune. ¡°Look, is it your Annihilation Flame?¡± Richard said proudly. Ulysses drew the flame towards him and then swallowed it whole. His eyes widened immediately, mouth slightly agape, as if he had witnessed something unimaginable. ¡°Ga! It really is the Annihilation Flame!¡± Richard nodded in satisfaction, then wiped away the rune. The Annihilation Flame Rune was just the first step in Richard¡¯s plan; he needed to merge the Dark Water Rune with the Annihilation Flame Rune using a Rune Array to ultimately create a spell that was uniquely his. Richard glanced at the laboratory¡¯s wall clock. ¡°Is it already two in the afternoon? Time really flies.¡± After becoming a wizard, eating was no longer a necessity for Richard, so sometimes when he was immersed in research, he would neglect the time and spend days and nights in the laboratory. Upon leaving the laboratory, Richard swept the area with his spiritual power and found his two demi-human servants¡ªthey were sunbathing in the yard. Richard¡¯s life was very simple, and since he was often soaking in the laboratory, these two demi-human servants, aside from cleaning the room, had almost nothing else to do and lived leisurely lives. At the thought from Richard, Kemonomimi Number One received the message. ¡°Master has come out, I should go cook,¡± Number One informed Number Two and immediately went to the kitchen on the first floor of the Wizard Tower and started preparing food. The training from the Slave Trading Company was very thorough; Number One¡¯s culinary skills were very proficient, and in just half an hour, she had filled the entire dining table with dishes. Richard observed her; when he had bought this Kemonomimi, she was only about sixteen years old, with fur looking youthful and glossy. Now, looking again, Number One¡¯s fur had become somewhat dull. Richard touched Number One¡¯s ears, signaling her to go back to sunbathing. ¡°After becoming a wizard, my perception of time has become more and more dull. I can¡¯t believe twenty years feel like not long ago,¡± Richard sighed. Ulysses, perched upon his shoulder, squawked loudly: ¡°Ga! You think this is a long time? Just wait until you become a Divine. Then, two hundred years will pass in the blink of an eye. This is the necessary path for a short-lived species to transform into a longevity species.¡± Richard didn¡¯t say anything else, silently finishing all the dishes on the table. Number One¡¯s skills were quite good; each dish on the table was complete with color, fragrance, and taste. After finishing, Richard considered whether to increase Number One¡¯s purchasing budget to let her buy more expensive ingredients for cooking. With such good cooking skills, it would be a pity not to use quality materials. After eating, Richard walked out of the Wizard Tower. The sunshine outside was bright, the sky sparkling with flowing light. ¡°Richard, you finally decided to come out.¡± A stream of light fell in front of Richard, transforming into an exceptionally beautiful woman shimmering with flames. ¡°Ali, long time no see,¡± Richard greeted lazily. Influenced by Great Wizard Susanna, after becoming a wizard, Ali integrated the blood of a Fire Element creature, causing her body to partially undergo elementalization. Therefore, now every movement she made sparked flames. ¡°Have you completed your rune research?¡± Ali asked curiously. ¡°Mm,¡± Richard nodded. ¡°Do you need my help?¡± Richard scratched his head, pondering over his research direction. ¡°I need a bit of help with knowledge. I need some magic books on Water and Fire Element Spells, and the rings don¡¯t need to be high, First Ring or Second Ring will do.¡± According to Richard¡¯s plan, he wanted to use two rare runes to create a new spell; naturally, this required a lot of knowledge about Rune Arrays. Looking more at other spells would help him gain a broader understanding. ¡°That¡¯s easy, but what will you trade for it?¡± Ali approached Richard, a seductive smile on her lips. Ali was well aware of Richard¡¯s collection of Encrypted Notes; even during his apprenticeship, Richard had decoded a Bloodline Alchemy Formula from the Encrypted Notes, and now he was extensively collecting them, easily leading Ali, someone who knew him well, to speculate. Richard pulled out a scroll from his Magic Pocket and threw it to Ali. ¡°How about this? A Fire Element Amplifying Rune Array.¡± Ali looked at it and immediately agreed to the trade. ¡°That¡¯s enough, I¡¯ll bring the items over in a bit.¡± Half an hour later, Richard received dozens of scrolls that recorded Magic Models. ¡°Sigh, knowledge is boundless, learning never ends. Let¡¯s continue researching.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 110 - Chapter 110: Chapter 10 Heart of Annihilation Chapter 110: Chapter 10 Heart of Annihilation Spring passed and autumn came, and in the blink of an eye, eight years had elapsed. During these years, Richard had been designing his new version of the Water and Fire Annihilation Spell and even had a name for it, calling it the Heart of Annihilation. But designing a new spell was not so easy. In the laboratory, Richard gazed at the Rune Array on the experiment table and fell into deep thought. ¡°Alas, it failed again.¡± Although he had prepared for failure, as the failures accumulated, his mental defense was gradually eroding. He even began to doubt whether his approach was correct; perhaps the two Runes were not as compatible as he had thought, and designing a new spell was a misguided idea. ¡°Caw, caw! Richard, someone is looking for you.¡± Ulysses¡¯s voice suddenly rang out, and when Richard looked towards the window, he saw a familiar owl next to Ulysses. Entering the laboratory, the owl spoke in human tongue. ¡°Richard, come to Anna¡¯s place.¡± ¡°The voice of my teacher.¡± Richard was startled by the words and suddenly remembered that this year appeared to be the year of the society meeting. After tidying up the laboratory, Richard donned his Wizard Robe and hurried to his sister-teacher Anna¡¯s Wizard Tower. When he arrived, he ran into Chax. ¡°Brother.¡± Richard greeted Chax, who over the decades had grown more rounded and his bald head more lustrous. ¡°Long time no see, junior brother,¡± Chax greeted cheerfully. The two entered the Wizard Tower where Anna and Jolod were already waiting for them in the parlor. As soon as they were seated, Jolod went straight to the point. ¡°This year is the year of the society gathering, Anna, Chax, how are your projects coming along?¡± Anna shook her head, ¡°Teacher, a few years ago I was introduced by a friend and have already joined the Golden Gear Society.¡± ¡°The Golden Gear Society?¡± Jolod frowned, but soon he sighed, ¡°Ah, you have a talent for Alchemy Machines, so joining the Golden Gear is appropriate.¡± The Golden Gear Society was an alchemy wizard society focused on the research of Alchemy Machines, and Anna, talented in this area, fitting in wasn¡¯t unreasonable. But what bothered Jolod was that his area of research was Synthetic Beasts, which naturally conflicted with those who tinkered with machinery, and now his own student had become one of them. Anna awkwardly bowed her head, aware that her teacher had difficulties with some wizards researching Alchemy Machines. Jolod then turned his gaze to Chax. ¡°And you, Chax?¡± ¡°Me?¡± Chax also shook his head, ¡°My combat beast isn¡¯t fully trained yet, I guess I¡¯ll have to wait until the next society meeting to present it.¡± ¡°Well, alright then,¡± Jolod sighed helplessly, ¡°This time I¡¯ll just introduce Richard into the society.¡± ¡­ The headquarters of the Golden Dawn Society was located on the twelfth residential layer, appearing from the outside like an Alchemy Workshop, with thick pipes and towering chimneys, and was styled in the Alchemy Machine manner that Jolod detested. Arriving at the door, Richard familiarly greeted a few wizards. ¡°Carlos, long time no see.¡± ¡°Mitchell, you¡¯ve changed your body again, which Race is it this time?¡± ¡°Zacharia, we must not have seen each other in over a hundred years, it seems you¡¯ve fared well in the Plane War.¡± These wizards also responded familiarly to Jolod. It seemed that Jolod was well-liked in the Golden Dawn Society. Upon entering the building, what met Richard¡¯s eyes was a hall that resembled a fleshy cavern. ¡°Teacher, this¡­¡± Richard frowned, the hall¡¯s walls and floors seemed fleshy, and the pillars looked like the bones of some creature, with blood vessels faintly visible in the decorations. If this were anywhere else, Richard would have already started casting spells. ¡°Merlin¡¯s aesthetic is like this, you¡¯ll get used to it after seeing it more,¡± Jolod said nonchalantly. As more wizards gathered in the hall, some of Jolod¡¯s old friends also came over to him, including the giant Jeral Richard had met years ago. ¡°Jolod, is this the student?¡± a wizard with two heads asked. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like he follows your path of Synthetic Beasts,¡± another wizard joined in. Jolod sighed helplessly, ¡°The student who follows my path hasn¡¯t finished his project yet, we¡¯ll have to wait until next time.¡± The wizards nodded upon hearing this, then shifted their gazes to a new wizard who had arrived, smiling. ¡°Merlin, have you made your Magic Equipment yet? Jolod¡¯s student has already made one.¡± The questioned wizard, draped in a Wizard Robe, looked no different from an ordinary human, but as the wizards asked, the flesh on his face suddenly twisted. ¡°You few!¡± Merlin snorted coldly, his facial flesh returning to normal. He approached Richard, inspecting him with a scrutinizing gaze. ¡°Boy, show me your Magic Equipment.¡± Richard furrowed his brow, suddenly hearing Jolod¡¯s voice by his ear. ¡°Give it to him, Merlin is the vice-president of the society, and checking the work is his responsibility.¡± Richard took an Annihilation Bomb out of his pocket and handed it to Merlin. After inspecting the Annihilation Bomb, Merlin said with some dissatisfaction, ¡°It¡¯s not that complicated.¡± Upon hearing this, Jolod walked over to Richard and said, ¡°Merlin, are you questioning the judgment of the Great Wizard?¡± Merlin¡¯s face stiffened, and he reluctantly returned the Annihilation Bomb to Richard and handed him a badge, ¡°This is the badge of the society, from now on you are part of the society.¡± After Merlin left, Jolod began to introduce the structure of the society to Richard, ¡°Our society¡¯s structure is quite loose, only consisting of the president, vice-president, and members. Merlin and Tras are the vice-presidents, and the president is the Great Wizard, the Immortal Heart.¡± ¡°The president is a Great Wizard!?¡± Richard exclaimed. ¡°No need to be surprised,¡± Jolod explained, ¡°the president and vice-presidents of the society aren¡¯t the first generation; the Golden Dawn Society was established since the pioneering era, it has a very long history, and it¡¯s quite normal to have a Great Wizard as a president.¡± ¡°The president and vice-presidents are responsible for organizing meetings and overseeing the admission and exit of members. To expel a member, both vice-presidents need to agree, and also need the approval of the president. So you don¡¯t need to worry too much about Merlin.¡± Richard nodded. Although Merlin¡¯s attitude toward him was unfriendly, Richard was not a person who dwelled on such things. As long as it did not involve benefits, he could let the poor attitude pass. As the meeting progressed, the hall quickly filled with wizards. Wizards exchanged pieces of information they had learned over time and traded materials they held. ¡°Third Level active flesh, good stuff,¡± a wizard asked while looking at the materials Richard displayed, ¡°How much of this do you have, and what do you want in exchange?¡± Jolod patted Richard on the shoulder and then left his side. The meeting itself was also an academic salon, and Richard had some questions needing answers, so he had Jolod introduce an Alchemy Wizard who had researched the Water and Fire Annihilation Spell. ¡°Master, I¡¯ve heard you¡¯ve researched the Water and Fire Annihilation Spell, and I would like to consult you on a few questions,¡± Richard said respectfully. The wizard frowned, and a mechanical friction noise emanated from within him, ¡°Questions on this topic aren¡¯t cheap, how much Third Level active flesh do you have?¡± ¡°Forty kilograms.¡± ¡°Hmm, impressive,¡± the wizard exclaimed, ¡°Ask then, that amount is sufficient.¡± Although the market price of Third Level active flesh was ten Magic Stones per gram, this material was difficult to cultivate, and few wizards were willing to sell it. Only the Wizard Commerce would periodically release a batch to the market to ensure a complete range of goods. ¡°Thank you, Master, I have three questions; first off, the integration of rare runes in a Second Ring Rune Array¡­¡± ¡­ After the inquiry, Richard had paid thirty kilograms of active flesh to obtain answers to three questions. ¡°The price of knowledge is truly not cheap,¡± Richard lamented. Thirty kilograms of active flesh, which is equivalent to 300,000 Magic Stones or three hundred Magic Essence on the market. A One Ring Wizard participating in a Plane War could earn a net profit of seven to eight hundred Magic Essence, his three questions were worth almost half the earnings of a Plane War. Fortunately, it was worth it. The answers to these three questions were very exquisite. If Richard had to explore them himself, it would likely take him one to two hundred years to come up with them. Moreover, these three questions directly affected the progress of Richard¡¯s spells, and once solved, his path to spell design became unobstructed. The duration of the meeting was a month long, but most wizards would leave after obtaining what they desired. Richard returned from the meeting and dived straight into the laboratory to begin spell design. Seeing this, Jolod did not disturb him, for as a wizard, he understood the invigorating feeling that comes from solving long-standing problems. Three months later, Richard looked at the Rune Array before him and revealed a satisfied smile. ¡°Heh, did it succeed?¡± Ulysses flew onto Richard¡¯s shoulder, having been closely monitoring Richard¡¯s spell design over the years. As a former World Master, it was very curious about what Richard could create from his own resources. It believed itself to have reached the pinnacle in utilizing its Bloodline Talent; otherwise, among the many Annihilation Crows of the Crow Realm, it wouldn¡¯t have become the leader. ¡°Want to see the effect?¡± Richard smiled at Ulysses and then flew out of the laboratory window, transforming into a streak of light as he made his way to a desert. As a place of residence for wizards, each living level had its own testing ground, and for Richard, this desert was that testing ground. Richard manipulated his spiritual power to form runes and then used these runes to form a dense Rune Array. As the spell was ready, a human head-sized black Fireball appeared in Richard¡¯s hands. ¡°Heh heh heh, let¡¯s see how powerful you are.¡± Richard wickedly shot the Fireball, and it exploded thunderously one kilometer away. Buzz ¡ª A strange buzzing sound went into Richard¡¯s ears. In an instant, Richard saw the originally human head-sized black sphere expand to the size of a person and then quickly disappear. Without any light or booming sound, as calm as the surface of the water on a spring day. Richard arrived at where the spell had erupted, the part devoured by the spell had already vanished, leaving behind a hemispherical depression at the edge where sand had melted into glass. ¡°Ulysses, what do you think of this spell?¡± Richard asked Ulysses. The spell was too calm, he could barely perceive its actual power. ¡°¡­ Heh, for the former me, this would be nothing, but for your current strength ¡­¡± Ulysses hesitated a moment, then slowly said: ¡°It¡¯s truly monstrous.¡± Chapter 111 - Chapter 111: Chapter 11: Return to the Black Stone Mountain Range Chapter 111: Chapter 11: Return to the Black Stone Mountain Range To test the specific power of the Heart of Annihilation, Richard had spent a fortune on a test target and the final results left him quite satisfied. The ultimate power of the Heart of Annihilation was two thousand energy levels, about double that of the original Realm of Annihilation. Although magic power consumption had also increased by almost two-thirds, the stability of the Heart of Annihilation was far higher than that of the Realm of Annihilation, making it usable as a regular spell. Moreover, a spell of two thousand energy levels among One Ring Wizards could be described as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns. With this spell at his side, Richard felt confident that even if he were to participate in a Plane War now, he would be able to survive. Having completed the test, Richard returned to the Wizard Tower, satisfied. A Wizard Apprentice had been eagerly waiting outside his door, and as soon as Richard returned, he immediately greeted him. ¡°Master, you¡¯re back.¡± Richard nodded at him, ¡°Which number are you?¡± ¡°Number 45, Master.¡± Entering the Wizard Tower, Richard took out a magic wand from another laboratory on the second floor according to the number, and then returned to the reception room. ¡°Number forty-five.¡± The Wizard Apprentice bowed respectfully and then took out an old notebook from his Magic Pocket, offering it with both hands to Richard. ¡°Master, this is the Encrypted Notes from our family¡¯s library.¡± Richard took it, and a message came from the Miracle Furnace. [Material: Unknown wizard¡¯s notes] [Possible materials to refine: Thirteen extensions of the Magic Defense Magic Array] [Refining cost: 5 spiritual power] ¡°Good, you¡¯re an honest person,¡± said Richard as he leafed through the notes, waving a hand at the Apprentice, ¡°You may go back. If there¡¯s business, you can refer them here, and I¡¯ll give you a ten percent commission on the profits.¡± ¡°No problem, Master.¡± After refining the notes, Richard moved to the basement of the Wizard Tower. This was where Richard stored alchemy materials and kept Encrypted Magic Books. Upon reaching the library, Richard placed the notebook in order on the bookshelf. Over decades, Richard had received Encrypted Notes that nearly filled an entire bookshelf. Although most were useless trash, a small part had brought unexpected gains to Richard. Looking at the packed bookshelf, Richard scratched his head. ¡°There¡¯s a bit too much. Looks like I need to clear out some of the useless trash.¡± In the process of clearing the trash, Richard unexpectedly found a familiar notebook. ¡°This notebook¡­¡± Holding the wrinkled notebook in his hand, memories from over seventy years ago, when he had just arrived at the Academy, surfaced in his mind. Back then, to complete Jolod¡¯s test, he and Ali had ventured into the Black Stone Mountain Range to hunt the Black Striped Water Python, and by accident obtained a notebook from a Death Apprentice. ¡°Speaking of which, I haven¡¯t visited that wizard¡¯s laboratory in the Black Stone Mountain Range yet,¡± Richard said, stroking the notebook with a slight smile on his face. During his Apprentice days, he was too fearful of the various guardians in the laboratory to venture near, but now he had become a Wizard with a powerful spell like Heart of Annihilation. There was no reason not to explore. Without hesitation, and after tidying up the bookshelf, Richard promptly arranged the prepared Magic Equipment according to their sequence and handed it over to two Kemonomimi. ¡°I¡¯m stepping out for a bit. If any Apprentices come by during this time, distribute according to their number.¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± (¡Á2) Besides the Magic Equipment, Richard also casually stuffed Ulysses into his Magic Pocket. Since the residential floor of the Tower of Truth was a Secret Realm Space and almost devoid of World Guardians, with day-to-day security managed by ordinary wizards, Richard was confident about Ulysses moving around. But it was different on the native soil of the Wizard World. World Guardians would patrol the Wizard World, and they were extremely sensitive to Otherworldly creatures. If encountered, and if they sensed something off about Ulysses, Richard could be in big trouble. Following the Teleportation Gate out of the Tower of Truth, the sparse magic power of the Wizard World gave Richard a jolt. On the residential floor, Richard could offset the magic power consumption of flying just by his cells automatically absorbing magic power, but this approach would not work after entering the Wizard World. ¡°It¡¯s no wonder so many Wizards choose to live in the Tower of Truth; the magic power in the Wizard World is indeed rather unfriendly to Wizards,¡± Richard remarked. The trip from the Tower of Truth to the Black Stone Mountain Range at a Wizard¡¯s speed would take about a month, thanks largely to the fact that most of the journey bypassed uninhabited regions, making it very safe to fly. Should one encounter uninhabited regions, even wizards would have to take a detour. During the flight, Richard encountered numerous Airships; the passengers on the Airships would crowd to the windows when they saw Richard, hoping for a closer glimpse of a Wizard¡¯s visage. For the vast majority of people in the Wizard World, Wizards were a mysteriously powerful existence. A month later, Richard arrived at the Black Stone Mountain Range, but as he had just reached the skies above the Range and prepared to explore the ruins, a beast¡¯s roar came from deep within the mountains. ¡°Roar!¡± A Giant Beast fluttered its wings and flew out from the depths of the mountains; it had three snake-like necks, and at the end of these necks, three ferocious and majestic dragon heads were staring intently at Richard. The comer was the Guardian God of the Black Stone Mountain Range that Richard had seen years ago. ¡°Which young Wizard dares to trespass into the Black Stone Mountain Range? This is the territory of the Black Tower Wizard Academy!¡± The three-headed Giant Dragon spoke in human tongue, using the authentic Wizard Language, which surprised Richard slightly. In the Dark Age, when Wizards were not yet the masters of the land, Dragons ruled the earth and skies, and all creatures born on land and flying in the sky had to submit to them and offer sacrifices. Dragons built their nests from Gold, and back then, the peaks of every mountain in the Wizard World glimmered with gold. And now, fearsome Dragons too had to speak the Wizard Language and guard Wizard homes. ¡°Master, I am Richard, a Wizard from the Black Tower Wizard Academy.¡± Facing the giant dragon, Richard did not treat it with the disrespect reserved for otherworldly slaves. This dragon had three heads, equivalent to a Three Rings Wizard. Facing such a powerful being, and a powerful being from his own camp no less, respect was essential. ¡°Wizard Richard, didn¡¯t your mentor tell you? If a wizard wishes to enter the Academy¡¯s territory, he must report to the Academy in advance.¡± The dragon¡¯s words made Richard somewhat embarrassed. Jolod had told him about this rule decades ago, but at that time, he had no intention of returning to the Academy, so he had forgotten it. ¡°This was my mistake; I will report to the Academy now.¡± ¡°Hmm. Be careful when exploring the mountains; don¡¯t start a forest fire like you did over seventy years ago.¡± Richard was startled upon hearing this, ¡°You¡­ remember me?¡± The dragon snorted, ¡°I remember the scent of every little troublemaker who has caused a stir in the Black Stone Mountain Range.¡± ¡­ Upon his return to the Academy, Richard immediately went to the hundredth floor of the Central Black Tower and reported to Deputy Dean Alex. Knock, knock, knock. ¡°Enter.¡± Alex, wearing glasses, looked up and, somewhat surprised, said, ¡°Richard, why have you come back? Didn¡¯t you advance to a wizard not long ago?¡± He remembered his old friend¡¯s prized apprentice quite well, especially since Richard had caused more than just one troublesome incident. ¡°There are some matters I need to deal with at the Academy, and I specially came here to report to you,¡± Richard said respectfully. ¡°Dealing with matters? Alright, I¡¯ve noted it down.¡± After leaving the hundredth floor, Richard took the opportunity to visit his old mentor, Jolod. After taking on three promising apprentices in a row, Jolod¡¯s good fortune in finding students seemed to have run out, not having found a single suitable apprentice in decades. After exchanging a few words of pleasantries with Jolod, Richard left the Central Black Tower and headed to the commercial district. Anna¡¯s cottage, now renamed Richard¡¯s Magic Potion Store, specialized in Concentration Potions. The shopkeeper was none other than Richard¡¯s agent, Kevin. Kevin, who had survived the Apprentice Wars, became a senior Wizard Apprentice and did not choose to take the Wizard examination but opted to graduate directly. While working part-time for the Academy, he managed Richard¡¯s store. Now Kevin was over eighty years old, his body marked with wrinkles and white hair. For a Wizard Apprentice, his life was roughly at its midway point. ¡°Kevin, long time no see.¡± Entering the store, Richard greeted Kevin warmly. Kevin jerked in surprise upon seeing the visitor, then promptly performed the Wizard¡¯s Salute to Richard. ¡°Master Richard.¡± Richard waved his hand, indicating that such formalities were unnecessary. He pointed at a boy beside Kevin: ¡°Your son? Or your grandson?¡± Kevin patted the child¡¯s head, ¡°This is my grandson. Tuo Fu, quickly give Master Richard a salute.¡± The boy shyly gave Richard the Wizard¡¯s Salute. ¡°Not a bad little fellow.¡± Richard smiled and handed him a ring. ¡°Just a trinket for practice, when fitted with a Magic Stone it can defend against a Magic Missile.¡± Tuo Fu took the ring and bowed to Richard, ¡°Thank you, Master.¡± After some small talk, it was time for business. ¡°Since becoming a wizard, my perception of time has become increasingly dull,¡± Richard said as he pulled out a contract from his pocket and handed it to Kevin, ¡°Perhaps by the time I come again, you may no longer be here. This is a contract; when you feel you can¡¯t go on any longer, find a successor to take over your position.¡± Kevin took the contract, glanced at it, then tucked it into his pocket, and said respectfully, ¡°I understand.¡± ¡­ Leaving the Academy, Richard headed straight for the Black Stone Mountain Range. Having filed the report, the three-headed dragon did not impede his way this time. However, Richard had apparently overestimated his own scouting abilities. After a century of change, the landslides of the past were now covered by lush vegetation. Richard searched the Black Stone Mountain Range for a long time without locating the so-called ruins. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that even after becoming a wizard, I¡¯d need to find a guide,¡± Richard said somewhat moodily. Arriving in Black Stone City, the small city had not changed much despite the passage of decades. Richard found an old guide and spent a Magic Stone to have him lead him to the ruins from those years ago. ¡°My lord, not to brag, but our John family is the most knowledgeable about the Black Stone Mountain Range here in Black Stone City,¡± claimed an elderly man with graying hair as he led the way. ¡°Starting with my grandfather¡¯s generation, our family has been guiding people. There¡¯s not a place in the Black Stone Mountain Range that I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Mmm, I¡¯ve met your grandfather,¡± Richard casually replied. ¡°Mmm¡­ huh?¡± The old man suddenly turned around, his expression a mix of surprise and fear, ¡°You¡¯ve met my grandfather?¡± Richard remained calm, ¡°About seventy years ago. Old John once led me into the mountains. He was quite skilled and even helped me track down a scoundrel.¡± The old man was taken aback. This apparently young wizard in front of him did not seem to be lying, but if he had met his grandfather seventy years ago, then he must be at least in his eighties. Gulp. The old man swallowed hard, ¡°You are a wizard? A real wizard?¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± Richard nodded, then turned his gaze toward a partially sparse slope in the distance. ¡°You can go back now; we¡¯ve arrived at the place.¡± Chapter 112 - Chapter 112: Chapter 12 Wizards Laboratory Chapter 112: Chapter 12 Wizard¡¯s Laboratory Due to geological changes, the exterior of the Wizard¡¯s laboratory was concealed by vegetation and dirt, but Richard could still sense the faint magic fluctuations inside. Richard approached the hillside, and as soon as he landed, he felt a swift magic fluctuation. Hiss hiss hiss¡­ A faint rubbing sound came from the ground, and a thin vine that appeared metallic emerged from the earth and quickly wrapped around Richard¡¯s legs. Richard glanced at the surrounding vegetation and faintly saw animal bones underneath the sparse plants. ¡°This is quite interesting,¡± he said. Richard grabbed the vine, which was covered in metallic spikes that would puncture the skin of an ordinary person. But he was no ordinary person. As a Wizard, these vines were hardly different from common roadside weeds to him. Richard exerted a little force, and the metallic vine snapped. ¡°It¡¯s deeply rooted,¡± said Richard, as he broke off each vine that was tightening around his legs and then used a spell to dig through the soil. Sensing the danger, the metallic vines began retracting, but Richard quickly grabbed them. It was too late for them to escape then. Go to ????????????????????.co With his spell excavation, Richard soon found several tangled and strange rootstocks. All the vines had grown from these rootstocks. Richard dug them out; they were glossy with a metallic texture but felt like squirming animals in his hand. He placed them in a crystal box and sealed it with a Rune Chain Sealing Technique. This would be great material for research. Using a spell, Richard blasted open the soil outside the laboratory, revealing a dark entrance. Before Richard could enter, a red eye lit up within. ¡°Intruder detected, implementing expulsion strategy.¡± A figure resembling a Stone Giant, an Alchemy Puppet, emerged from the cave, its body covered in moss, with dirt and moss constantly falling as it moved. ¡°An Alchemy Golem, excellent,¡± remarked Richard, his eyes gleaming at the sight. The Demon Statue Army was famous during the Wizard Wars for the Alchemy School. Although the golems had been technologically iterated upon to be more compact and flexible, made from Alchemy Alloy instead of Enchanted Stone, it didn¡¯t mean the old golems were useless. With proper modifications, an Alchemy Golem could be equipped with various Alchemy Weapons, turning it into a cannon on the battlefield. Upon encountering Richard, the golem didn¡¯t attack immediately but mechanically repeated, ¡°Leave quickly.¡± Richard ignored the golem¡¯s cries and instantly transformed into a hulking armored giant over two meters tall. Such a perfect specimen, Richard couldn¡¯t bring himself to use the high-caliber Spell of Annihilation. After years of neglect, the golem¡¯s energy was almost completely depleted; if Richard could completely drain the golem¡¯s magic, he would gain a complete golem. Sensing Richard¡¯s transformation, the glow brightened in the golem¡¯s eyes, and the repeated phrase ¡°Leave quickly¡± ceased. ¡°Intruder detected, executing annihilate strategy!¡± Buzz! A magic power beam shot towards Richard, followed by the golem charging at him. A Magic Barrier flickered around Richard, completely blocking the beam, and then he collided with the golem. The golem was formidable, its strength like that of a wild rhino. At the moment of impact, Richard¡¯s body involuntarily moved backward. At the same time, the golem¡¯s fists sparkled with runes, the fiery runes turning its fists into molten iron. Bang bang bang! In an instant, Richard and the golem exchanged three punches, and the smell of scorched flesh and blood quickly permeated the air. But rather than fear, a slight smile appeared on Richard¡¯s face. ¡°That¡¯s about enough.¡± Right after he spoke, the previously vigorous golem suddenly halted, its crystalline eyes losing their glow. After years of dissipation, there wasn¡¯t much magic power left in the golem; maybe enough to chase off a few Wizard Apprentices, but not enough for a Wizard like Richard. As his fists¡¯ injuries healed, Richard approached the golem and drew an Array on the ground. Magic poured in, and a Space Rift appeared above the Array. Richard moved the golem into the Secret Realm, where several Holy Tree Elves immediately swarmed around it. Having bred for decades, the number of Holy Tree Elves had grown to thirty-two, the initially small Fuzzy Ball now their leader. The current Secret Realm had turned into a flower sea, beautifully colored flowers filling the entire realm, while Richard¡¯s herb field, due to being too small, occupied only a tiny patch. ¡°Boss, boss, what is this?¡± Richard ignored the small creatures, warned them not to touch the golem, and then left the Secret Realm. Back in the Wizard World, Richard released Ulysses from his Magic Pocket. Upon emerging, Ulysses immediately started shouting at Richard: ¡°Ga-ga! I warn you, kid, stop stuffing the great Lord of the Crows into that little bag! Although I am now your servant, even servants have dignity!¡± Richard paid no attention to him, casually pointing to the entrance ahead. ¡°Go in and scout.¡± ¡°Ga! Are you even listening to me?¡± Richard waved his hand impatiently, ¡°Just go already.¡± ¡°Ga!¡± Ulysses flew around in the air twice, then dove into the laboratory entrance. After about ten minutes, Ulysses flew out of the entrance. ¡°Ga, no problem, there¡¯s no magic left in this stuff.¡± Getting Ulysses¡¯s response, Richard floated up and carefully entered the passage. The passage was dark, covered with wet, slippery moss. Although there were traces of enchantments throughout the passage, under the power of time, these enchantments had long since failed. Spring water constantly seeped out through the crevices in the walls. The passage led straight into the belly of the mountain, and after flying for a few minutes, Richard arrived at a fairly spacious room. Richard snapped his fingers, and a ball of white light appeared in response, illuminating the entire room. It was a reception room, and in the corner lay a skeleton draped in a Wizard Robe. Richard went up to examine it and confirmed that the body was an Apprentice, likely the same Apprentice who, seeing the laboratory years ago in a hurry, believed the Wizard had died upon seeing these bones. Following the door of the reception room, and through another corridor, Richard came into an even larger room. This was a laboratory. Under the illumination of the Light Ball, Richard saw another skeleton wearing a Wizard Robe. But this time, it wasn¡¯t an Apprentice¡¯s. Richard approached the body. The skeleton was black-gray with a hint of metallic texture. The moment Richard touched it, the Miracle Furnace transmitted a message. [Raw Material: Unknown Wizard¡¯s body] [Possible Extract: Mystical Steel] [Extraction Cost: 20000 Magic Power] ¡°Mystical Steel!¡± Richard¡¯s heart trembled. Ao Steel was a top-tier material in alchemy materials, equal in rank to Secret Silver Essence Gold. Its properties of hardness and magic conduction were extremely balanced, making it one of the best materials for crafting top-tier Alchemy Puppet components. Without hesitation, Richard immediately chose to extract. This extraction was different; as his body drained Magic Power, it also continuously absorbed Magic Power. He took out a few Magic Stones from his Magic Pocket and had his flesh swallow them. Under the guidance of his spiritual power, the Magic Power from the Magic Stones replenished his body quickly and then fueled the Miracle Furnace. After half a minute, the extraction of Magic Power was complete, and the Miracle Furnace began the extraction process. The skeleton in front of Richard instantly vanished. Ulysses, perched on Richard¡¯s shoulder, seeing this scene, couldn¡¯t help but exclaim, ¡°Ga! You¡¯re really lucky, managing to use a treasure that only a Divine King could possess.¡± Richard responded indifferently, ¡°I remember giving you an order not to reveal a single piece of information about it to the outside.¡± ¡°Ga, but it¡¯s just you and me here.¡± The extraction finished, and a piece of Ao Steel weighing about one kilogram appeared in Richard¡¯s hand. The Ao Steel wasn¡¯t big, just about half the size of a palm, and its black-gray exterior, under the light, shimmered with star-like reflections. Though it was small in weight, on the market, this one kilogram of Ao Steel could be exchanged for four hundred thousand Magic Stones, and it was priceless. Many wizards researching Alchemy Machines lacked only a small piece of Ao Steel to complete their creations. After refining the Ao Steel, Richard searched around the laboratory, looking at various experimental equipment and biological specimens. Most of these devices had become useless over the years due to the lack of magic power, but some of them still held some value. [Raw Material: Unknown Wizard¡¯s Surgical Knife] [Refining Technique: Unknown Wizard¡¯s Dissection Technique] [Extraction Cost: 10 Spiritual Power] Seeing the Enchanted Surgical Knife in front of him, Richard unapologetically pocketed it. In addition to the Surgical Knife, Richard also found a coded notebook detailing metalized biological transformation technologies. Jolod also mastered this technology, but after refining it, Richard discovered that this unknown wizard¡¯s technique differed significantly from Jolod¡¯s, which was certainly valuable knowledge he could exchange with Alchemy Wizards studying Synthetic Beasts in the future. After searching the laboratory, Richard continued to explore along the passage. A Wizard¡¯s laboratory would definitely have a storage room and a study. Following the corridor for a while, Richard quickly found the study. Unfortunately, after who knows how many years, all the protective measures in the study had failed, and the books stored there had turned to dust. Richard searched around, getting nothing but a face full of dust. ¡°The study looks like this; the storeroom probably won¡¯t be any better.¡± Richard slapped the dust off himself and quickly headed to the storeroom. As Richard expected, the storeroom¡¯s specimens and materials were also destroyed due to the failure of protective measures, ruined or broken, and even the storeroom had partially collapsed due to geological shifts. Richard was about to turn back and leave when something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. ¡°Is this¡­ a chip?¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 113 - Chapter 113: Chapter 13 Pioneer Civilization Chapter 113: Chapter 13 Pioneer Civilization In a corner of the warehouse, a crystal card lay quietly on a shelf. The card¡¯s exterior bore many scratches and signs of wear, and a considerable part of it was missing. Yet, Richard could ascertain that this was definitely not a product made by a wizard. Richard picked it up, and in an instant, information transmitted from the Miracle Furnace. [Material: Unknown Crystal Chip] [Extractable Information: Basic Life Creation Technology (Severely Incomplete)] [Extraction Cost: Forty spiritual power] As Richard read the information sent from the Miracle Furnace, his pupils shrank suddenly. ¡°Basic life¡­ creation?¡± Creating life was not about crafting Synthetic Beasts; life must have stable heredity, self-growth, and stable reproduction. Synthetic Beasts could neither grow on their own nor reproduce, not to mention establish heredity based on reproduction. Within the Alchemy School, creating life was a lofty goal out of reach, and countless wizards had struggled their entire lives without coming a step closer to it. ¡°Ulysses, have you seen something like this before?¡± Richard asked quietly. His voice trembled slightly; the information from the chip was somewhat too frightening. If a civilization possessed the technology of life creation, then were wizards their creations? Was the Wizard World their cultivation garden, and was the conquest of the world by the Wizard World just like a staged play? Go to ????????????????????.co Ulysses glanced at the crystal chip, ¡°Ga, what is this? Never seen it before.¡± Richard took a deep breath, striving to calm himself down. ¡°Ulysses, do you think there¡¯s a possibility that we were created by someone, rather than having evolved from natural life?¡± Ulysses was somewhat puzzled, ¡°Ga, what kind of muddled questions are these? Isn¡¯t creating life a normal thing?¡± ¡°What?¡± Richard froze for a moment, then he asked urgently, ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s about creating life? As in creating life that can reproduce stablely, inherit stablely, and grow stablely from nothing?¡± ¡°Ga, indeed I never mentioned it to you. A considerable part of the races within the Gods Civilization were created by the now vanished Titan Civilization.¡± Ulysses¡¯s response left Richard somewhat stunned; suddenly, he realized that even in his past life, humans were not Earth¡¯s first wave of life. ¡°Tell me more about this.¡± ¡°Ga, the upper echelons of your Wizard Civilization should be aware of these matters,¡± Ulysses flew in front of Richard, ¡°Taking the Titan Civilization I know as an example, the Titan Civilization, according to the term used by the Gods Civilization, is referred to as the Pioneer Civilization. That is, a civilization that once existed, but now has become extinct, disappeared, or degenerated. Such civilizations are widespread among world communities, and every civilization the Gods Civilization has come into contact with bears traces of Pioneer Civilizations.¡± Ulysses¡¯s words were undoubtedly a thunderbolt to Richard, causing some of his longstanding beliefs to be shattered. His experience from his past life led him to believe that the emergence of a civilization requires hundreds of millions of years from primitive life forms. Yet in this world, perhaps civilizations were not so difficult to come by. ¡°Ga, do you have any more questions?¡± Richard steadied his mind and shook his head, then pocketed the crystal chip. ¡°Nothing else.¡± Since Pioneer Civilizations were common, Richard felt a weight lift off his chest. ¡­ Upon leaving the Black Stone Mountain Range, Richard returned to the Academy and selectively reported the wizard remnants found in the Black Stone Mountain Range. After reporting, the Academy did not demand Richard to hand over any of his gains. Richard was one of their own, after all; the water hadn¡¯t flowed to a stranger¡¯s field. Later, Richard cut in half the Ao Steel piece handed to him and gave it to Jolod, instructing him to contact the members inside the association to see if anyone was interested. Although valuable, Richard, who did not specialize in Alchemy Machines, found limited use for Ao Steel, and keeping half for future upgrades to his Alchemy Golem was likely sufficient. Apart from that, there was another reason Richard was selling the Ao Steel¡ªhe was in dire need of Magic Stones. The Adaptation Body was a gold-devouring beast, and now that Richard had obtained an Alchemy Golem, should he wish to retrofit it, he¡¯d have to spend a fair amount of Magic Stones to acquire the basic knowledge of Alchemy Machinery, then another sum to perform the retrofitting. His current Magic Equipment, while adequate during his Apprentice years, was inadequate for a wizard. Upgrading the Magic Equipment would also be costly. Additionally, Richard had yet to complete his Bloodline Alchemy, with buying Bloodlines representing another expense. All of it was money. Following this, Richard immediately returned to the Tower of Truth. Back in the Wizard Tower, he plunged into the laboratory and began to extract the information from the chip. In an instant, the familiar sensation of a heavy hammer smashing into his head assaulted him again. This feeling was the first since Richard had become a wizard and his spiritual power had undergone a qualitative change. After completing the extraction, Richard absorbed the white light. In an instant, millions of characters surged into Richard¡¯s mind, nearly causing his brain to crash. Fortunately, with decades of meditation, his spiritual power had reached fifty-five points, allowing him enough remaining energy to pull through. After receiving the millions of characters of information in his mind, Richard immediately began to sort it out. The information extracted from the chip was incomplete, with many parts lacking context and necessary annotations, rendering them useless. Yet even so, the information that Richard managed to understand, though with difficulty, acted like a key, unlocking the door to a New World for him. He recorded this information in Chinese to prevent it from being stolen. Organizing the information took Richard nearly half a month, during which he hardly slept or rested. After he had finished, Richard slumped down in his chair, his face filled with happiness. Of the information preserved by Pioneer Civilization, only three hundred thousand characters were useful, but even that small amount significantly advanced his understanding of bloodlines and cells. Since this knowledge was rather fundamental, it laid a solid foundation for Richard, greatly benefiting his future research in these areas. Richard massaged his temples, ¡°Pioneer Civilization¡­ I¡¯ll have to keep an eye out for news about this. A single incomplete chip brought such benefits; I can¡¯t imagine how great it would be if the chip were intact.¡± Three months later, Jolod arrived at the Tower of Truth. ¡°You¡¯re lucky, a member of the club has been searching for Ao Steel for over three hundred years, and this piece of Ao Steel just happened to solve his problem.¡± Speaking, Jolod handed over a bag of Magic Essence to Richard. With a sweep of his spiritual power, Richard found that the bag contained a total of two hundred and twenty pieces of Magic Essence, twenty more than the market price, which was equivalent to twenty thousand Magic Stones. ¡°Thank you for your trouble, teacher.¡± With that, Richard took out twenty pieces of Magic Essence from the bag and handed them to Jolod. Jolod frowned, ¡°What is this for?¡± Richard calmly responded, ¡°Teacher, you have worked hard for the Wizard Commerce over the years, and I, who can offer no help, can only assist with Magic Stones.¡± Jolod¡¯s expression eased slightly, ¡°The Wizard Commerce¡¯s affairs are progressing slowly; I am currently looking for suitable Magic Potion formulas.¡± ¡°You have had a hard time.¡± After seeing off Jolod, Richard immediately went to the commercial level of the Tower of Truth. Having gained knowledge from Pioneer Civilization, Richard decided to fully complete his own Bloodline Alchemy Formula. During his Apprentice stage, Richard had only performed Bloodline Alchemy twice. The reason the third Bloodline Alchemy was not completed was mainly that it required an exceedingly rare bloodline that even the Wizard Commerce at Black Tower Wizard Academy did not sell. However, the commercial level of the Tower of Truth essentially gathered all Wizard Commerce¡¯s shops, making it easy to find such a bloodline. After searching around, Richard finally found the remaining two types of bloodlines needed for his formula at a famous seven-star Wizard Commerce, and also stumbled upon a type of honey rich in Life Energy. ¡°Seventy Magic Essence, thank you for your patronage.¡± The clerk handed over quartz tubes containing two types of bloodlines to Richard and also gave him a ten-pound jar of honey. The honey was mainly for feeding Holy Tree Elves. Before this, Richard tried many types of honey, but none were effective, offering very limited growth for the Holy Tree Elves. According to Fuzzy Ball, Holy Tree Elves should have their own cultivation method, but it was monopolized by the Nobles. Therefore, Richard could now only rely on feeding them honey in the hope that they would grow from the accumulated energy. On the way back to the Wizard Tower, Richard passed through the eleventh floor of the residential level. In an open area, a group of wizards was building a massive structure that resembled an ancient Roman Beast Fighting Arena. The wizards constructing the Duel Arena appeared extremely robust, their Life Energy so dense it was nearly tangible. Curious, Richard stepped forward to ask, and a bald wizard in a white robe responded enthusiastically. ¡°Friend, we are building a Duel Arena.¡± ¡°A Duel Arena? Are Otherworldly slaves going to duel and perform?¡± The white-robed wizard shook his head, ¡°What¡¯s so interesting about Otherworldly slaves dueling? We¡¯re going to have duels between wizards!¡± ¡°Wizards dueling?¡± Richard was stunned, wondering which wizards would engage in such foolish acts. ¡°Yes, friend, I see you are also one who pursues physical strength. Don¡¯t you ever feel an itching in your hands? That¡¯s your body craving battle,¡± the white-robed wizard patted Richard, and a huge burst of Power came at Richard¡¯s shoulder. Richard¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he instantly activated his Bloodline, causing the muscles in his shoulder and arm to swell, resisting the force. ¡°Hmm? Impressive Flesh Control.¡± The white-robed wizard was surprised. As a wizard who specialized in physique, Richard¡¯s ability to change impressed him greatly. ¡°Friend, would you like to join our Jialong Club? The club is filled with wizards who specialize in physique and have deep research in flesh and blood,¡± he offered excitedly. Richard was a bit confused, ¡°Jialong Club? Is it a society? I¡¯m already a member of one.¡± ¡°No, no, no, a club is a club, a society is a society,¡± the white-robed wizard explained, ¡°A club is just a place for a group of wizards with common interests to gather. It¡¯s not secret.¡± With that, he pulled out a metal card from his Magic Pocket and handed it to Richard. ¡°This is our club¡¯s card; if you¡¯re interested, you¡¯re welcome to join us.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 114 - Chapter 114: Chapter 14 Jialong Club Chapter 114: Chapter 14 Jialong Club Richard took the business card, thanked the giver, and then turned to leave. Owing to the knowledge of Pioneer civilization, he indeed intended to explore further into physique-related research, and since the Jialong Club wasn¡¯t an association, he indeed could join. Returning to the Wizard Tower, Richard immediately started preparing for Bloodline Alchemy. Purifying the bloodline, drawing the Alchemy Array, and preparing Nutritional Potions. After the preparations, Richard took out the bloodline for his third Bloodline Alchemy. This time, the bloodline was called Soul Darkness Horse, extinct in the Wizard World but still surviving in small amounts on other planes as hybrids. The Soul Darkness Horse had an ability called Shadow Shuttling, which allowed it to shuttle within shadows over a certain range, essentially a limited short-distance spatial leap. Placing the purified bloodline on the Alchemy Array at his chest, Richard prepared to fuse the bloodline. But this time, he hardly felt anything during the fusion. Richard only felt a slight warmth at his chest, followed by a warm flow circulating through his body with his Magic depleting significantly, but overall, he had no significant reaction. ¡°Is it because my physique is too high? Or because the Adaptation Body has developed my Life Core?¡± After the fusion, Richard activated the bloodline. With a thought, in the next instant, his figure appeared in a shadow-covered corner of the laboratory. Go to ????????????????????.co ¡°Not a bad ability,¡± Richard commented, satisfied. This ability didn¡¯t consume much Magic, about the same as a Heart of Annihilation, but its effect was quite astounding. Though Shadow Shuttling had its limitations, it caused minimal Magic Fluctuation, making it very useful either on the battlefield or in executing certain covert missions. After completing his third alchemy, Richard didn¡¯t delay and immediately started preparing for the last Bloodline Alchemy. The last alchemy¡¯s bloodline was that of a Magic Dwarf. This creature had no special abilities but possessed great strength and high resistance. Magic Dwarves were highly resistant to various forms of Elemental Damage, physical damage, even toxins, and their resistances significantly leaped after reaching adulthood. Had it not been for the sudden rise of wizards, Magic Dwarves might have become the dominant race after Giant Dragons. Unfortunately, the emergence of wizards relegated Magic Dwarves to a slave race of wizards. This time, too, the bloodline fusion elicited no violent reactions. The fourth Bloodline Alchemy was of wizard-level, and logically, some reaction should have occurred, but there was none, so Richard concluded that the weakened fusion reactions were likely related to the Adaptation Body developing the Life Core. The development of the Life Core made his cells more receptive to foreign bloodlines. Feeling the surging power within his body, Richard suddenly felt an urge to fight. ¡°Is this what they call a combat urge? No wonder the Jialong Club built a Duel Arena.¡± Richard took a deep breath, suppressing the combative urge within. As a wizard, he had to restrain his primal instincts and lead his actions with reason. This constituted a stark difference between wizards and native races. With the completion of the four Bloodline Alchemies, the Bloodline Alchemy Formula of the Black Knight he received from Encrypted Notes was now thoroughly completed. But Richard¡¯s journey with bloodlines didn¡¯t intend to stop there. The knowledge from the Pioneer civilization gave Richard a deeper understanding of bloodlines, and he planned to use this as a foundation to upgrade the Black Knight Bloodline Formula. Physique Evolution had its advantages over Spiritual Evolution. For some powerful creatures, mere gradual growth could reliably elevate them to third-level creatures¡ªlike the Giant Dragons Richard had seen. However, for wizards whose innate bloodlines were not as strong, the benefits of Physique Evolution were freedom from experiencing Soul Darkness during promotion. If undergoing Spiritual Evolution, a wizard would face Soul Darkness with each advancement. However, the downside of Physique Evolution was also clear: its rate of improvement and the difficulty of breaking through bottlenecks were several times higher than those of Spiritual Evolution. Among the wizarding community, Spiritual Evolution was the mainstream method of advancement, and personally, Richard also favored Spiritual Evolution. But if one could evolve physically in advance, no wizard would choose to experience Soul Darkness. ¡­ Bang! Bang! Bang¡­ In the Duel Arena, two wizards, barely resembling human forms, were brawling. Meanwhile, in the stands of the arena, variously shaped wizards excitedly cheered them on. ¡°That¡¯s the way! El, use your Oscillation Fist Skill!¡± ¡°Bazak, where¡¯s your Gale Spike? Use it!¡± ¡°Dodge left, dodge left! Ah!¡± Walking among these wizards, Richard looked somewhat bewildered. Are these people really wizards? They don¡¯t seem much different from regular people. By this time, twenty years had passed since Richard completed his Bloodline Alchemy. During these years, Richard continued researching Alchemy Machines and the knowledge left by the Pioneers. The knowledge left by the Pioneers greatly inspired Richard, and combining this with the Adaptation Body, he developed a witchcraft called Combat Liberation. This witchcraft was still quite crude, its effect being to forcibly promote physical evolution through the high pressure of combat and the stimulation of Magic, thereby accelerating the growth of the physique. Therefore, Richard went to the Duel Arena, wanting to join the Jialong Club. Passing through the stands, Richard found the white-robed wizard who had given him the business card. ¡°Jimmy, are these wizards all members of the club?¡± Jimmy took the business card Richard handed over and patted a seat next to him. ¡°Sit down, friend! Any questions can wait till this fight is over!¡± In the Duel Arena, a wizard covered in Scale Armor with arms similar to mantis scythes made of Magic Equipment roared and his Flesh suddenly swelled, transforming into a three-meter-tall Scale Armor giant. Across from him, a lion-headed wizard with golden hair and four arms also refused to show weakness. Dense blood mist erupted from his body, and his figure also ballooned dramatically. The atmosphere in the Duel Arena reached a climax at that moment, with subhuman slaves walking among the audience with silver trays, as wizards threw Magic Stones into them, loudly supporting their favorite gladiators. Richard frowned. ¡°Is this gambling?¡± ¡°Go! Go¡­ What did you say?¡± Jimmy turned to look at Richard. ¡°I asked if you are gambling? Betting on which of the two will win.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± During the conversation, two massive figures collided in the Duel Arena. Magic Power surged within the Scale Armor Giant, and just the Magic Fluctuation created an Elemental Breeze in the arena. The Golden-haired Giant was even more astonishing; his four arms glittered with Runes, and thick purple Thunder coiled around them, making him look like a Thunder God incarnate. Boom! The Scale Armor Giant was sent flying backward, his abdomen bore two charred fist holes. Meanwhile, the Golden-haired Giant now had only his arms! The two arms he had used to punch the Scale Armor Giant had been pulverized into a mist of blood! Jimmy flew from the spectator seats to the Duel Arena and announced the result to the audience. ¡°I declare! In this duel, Bazak wins!¡± ¡°Oh! Bazak! Bazak! Bazak¡­¡± The Wizards in the stands cheered, some passionately even released a few Spells to celebrate. Richard sat among them, feeling somewhat out of place. Half an hour later, the Duel Arena returned to calm. Jimmy came to sit beside Richard in the stands. ¡°How did you find this duel?¡± ¡°Speaking strictly from a combat perspective¡­¡± Richard¡¯s mind recalled the scene of the two Gladiators fighting, ¡°Very good, their manipulation of Magic Power and Flesh was skillful, far beyond my own. But there¡¯s one thing I don¡¯t quite understand.¡± ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°Why make the combat public?¡± Richard frowned, ¡°Wizards seem to have become performers, playing to an audience.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Jimmy countered, ¡°Everyone who comes to watch is a Wizard, who is nobler than whom? Some prefer the secret pursuit of truth while others enjoy basking in the glory before a crowd. It¡¯s purely a matter of personal character. Moreover, Gladiators need healing, and the Duel Arena needs maintenance; these all require Magic Stones. Surely not all of these should be paid for by the club members?¡± Richard was speechless, and after a silent moment, he asked, ¡°Do all members have to enter the arena?¡± Jimmy shook his head with a smile, ¡°Of course not, as I just said, some prefer the secretive exploration of truth.¡± Changing the subject, he continued. ¡°So, are you thinking of joining the club?¡± ¡°I am considering it.¡± ¡°Then have a match.¡± Jimmy¡¯s eyes sparkled. Richard was caught off guard, wondering how it had suddenly come to having a match. Jimmy flew into the arena, ¡°Have a match so I can gauge your level. It will help me know who among the club members you can spar with and I can also introduce you to opponents of similar strength.¡± As he spoke, an astonishing Magic Wave burst forth from Jimmy, who Richard correctly perceived as a Three Rings Wizard. ¡°Come on, the Duel Arena is empty now, just the two of us,¡± Jimmy invited with a hearty laugh. Seeing this, Richard hesitated no more, leaping into the Duel Arena. Jimmy took off his white robe, revealing a body full of lustrous, well-toned muscles, matched with Jimmy¡¯s sunny smile which inexplicably brought the term ¡®Philosophy¡¯ to Richard¡¯s mind. Jimmy opened his arms wide, his skin lit up with Magic Patterns: ¡°Use all your abilities, but limit it to physical melee; don¡¯t suddenly throw a Spell, okay?¡± Richard took a deep breath, a layer of black Scale Armor sprouting from his skin and immediately covering his entire body. After undergoing Bloodline Alchemy four times, this layer of black Scale Armor could now withstand attacks up to seventy Energy Levels, and its color had deepened. Additionally, Richard¡¯s Bloodline Transformation no longer caused his body to swell but instead increased the density of his muscles. Richard somewhat maliciously speculated that this might be due to the Magic Dwarf Bloodline. However, regardless of the reason, the increase in muscle density undeniably enhanced Richard¡¯s strength and agility. Seeing Richard¡¯s transformation, the Magic Patterns on Jimmy¡¯s body brightened. As a Three Rings Wizard, he could estimate Richard¡¯s strength just by his rich combat experience. Bang! Richard swiftly moved, a black fist appeared before Jimmy. Jimmy didn¡¯t dodge or parry, taking the punch directly with his head. ¡°Good strength.¡± Jimmy straightened his jaw, Richard¡¯s punch was heavier than he had anticipated. Seeing how easily Jimmy took the punch, Richard let loose, his right arm muscles bulged, and he threw another punch. Boom! This punch was even faster than the speed of sound. The resulting shockwave kicked up a cloud of dust in the Duel Arena. Bang bang bang! Jimmy stepped back three steps, the magically reinforced ground of the arena bore three deep footprints. As the dust cleared, a dark fist print appeared on Jimmy¡¯s chest. ¡°Excellent technique, that punch was at least five hundred Energy Levels, managing this much just with physical strength, your control over Flesh is unbelievable,¡± Jimmy admired. Richard stood still, feeling every cell in his body cheering, his physical condition was better than ever. This was a perfect opportunity for Evolution! Richard took a deep breath and gestured to Jimmy. ¡°Master, could you demonstrate your strength?¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 115 - Chapter 115: Chapter 15 The Impending War Chapter 115: Chapter 15 The Impending War ¡°Oh?¡± A playful smile appeared on the corner of Jimmy¡¯s mouth, ¡°Are you sure?¡± Richard nodded vigorously: ¡°Master, let me witness the power of Physique Evolution.¡± ¡°Good!¡± Jimmy¡¯s expression turned serious, and the Magic Pattern on his body suddenly disappeared, his aura vanishing in an instant. Even when Richard probed with spiritual power, all he felt was emptiness. Jimmy¡¯s hands came together in prayer, his tone as calm as a deep pond in the mountains. ¡°In the past, I followed Garon Great Wizard in campaigns across Otherworlds, and by chance, I acquired this secret called ¡®Unity of Heaven and Man.¡¯ Since you wish to see the strength of the way of the physique, I shall show you.¡± With those words, Jimmy¡¯s body suddenly grew taller, and the Magic Power of the entire Duel Arena crazily flowed into his body. In an instant, Jimmy¡¯s figure seemed immensely majestic, like a Demon God standing tall between heaven and earth. Richard swallowed hard, as every cell in his body quivered wildly under the terrible intimidation. This was indeed the precursor to Evolution! Without hesitation, Richard pulled out a bottle of Adaptation Potion from his Magic Pocket and chewed it, bottle and all, swallowing it down. Go to ????????????????????.co At the same time, the Magic Power inside him began to stimulate his cells at a specific frequency. Combat Liberation, activated! Under the dual stimulation, Richard¡¯s cells began to break down and disintegrate, but they were immediately replaced by new ones. These new cells were stronger and more vigorous than the old ones. Jimmy noticed Richard¡¯s condition and couldn¡¯t help asking: ¡°Richard, what¡¯s happening to your body?¡± Richard looked up with difficulty and said: ¡°Nothing, please continue.¡± Upon hearing this, Jimmy didn¡¯t say any more and swung out a punch. In that moment, Richard felt as if the sky were collapsing and the earth caving in, the whole world seeming to collapse into that single punch. Boom! The punch stopped in front of Richard, but the fierce punch winds tore off most of the scales on his body, leaving him bloodied. That was just the punch wind; had Richard been hit by the punch itself, he likely would have turned into a mist of blood in an instant. Richard took a deep breath and admired from his heart: ¡°What powerful witchcraft.¡± Jimmy said indifferently, ¡°You¡¯re not bad yourself, having evolved through my punch.¡± As a Three Rings Wizard who specialized in Physique, how could he not see the state Richard was in. He handed Richard a black Crystal Ball: ¡°Test your Physique; this is a Crystal Ball specifically designed for that purpose, with negligible error.¡± Richard accepted it and poured his Magic Power into the Crystal Ball. As a fine electric current passed through his body, the Crystal Ball displayed Richard¡¯s Physique data. [Physique: 64.7] ¡°Not bad,¡± Jimmy expressed surprise, ¡°when you entered the arena, your Physique was only around sixty, this evolution boosted it by nearly five points.¡± Thanks to the training of the Adaptation Body, Richard¡¯s Physique had been slowly growing over the years, from fifty when he first advanced to be a wizard, to fifty-nine. And in just these few seconds, Richard¡¯s Physique had surged by more than five points. ¡°However, as your senior, let me give you a piece of advice.¡± Jimmy patted Richard¡¯s shoulder, ¡°There are many ways to enhance your Physique, don¡¯t always focus on near-death stimulation. Although this method makes your Physique grow quickly, it can create a path dependency, causing wizards to always think about promoting evolution through life-and-death battles. If you continue down this path, sooner or later you will die on the battlefield.¡± Richard nodded, taking Jimmy¡¯s advice to heart. The fight over, Jimmy registered some information with Richard and then met with a few club members. The Garon Club had many members, with many being Second Ring and Three Rings wizards. These wizards were very experienced in combat, and they were all Black Wizards, each one a fierce individual who had fought their way out of the Plane Battlefield. These Black Wizards were not as cold and ruthless towards Richard as he had imagined, not like heartless killing machines. On the contrary, they were quite amiable when he sought their advice, and through his interactions with them, Richard gained a lot of information about the Plane Battlefield. This information was precious to Richard, a novice to the battlefields. After leaving the club, Richard returned to the Wizard Tower. But as soon as he entered the Black Tower Wizard Community, he encountered Ulysses who had come looking for him. ¡°Gah! Boy, you¡¯re going to join the war!¡± ¡­ In Anna¡¯s Wizard Tower, wizards of Jolod¡¯s faction gathered. ¡°Let me introduce you, these three are your senior brothers.¡± Jolod pointed to three wizards on one side of the parlor, all exuding a fierce aura. The three wizards nodded to Richard, acknowledging this new junior brother. Jolod sat at the far end of the parlor, his gaze as deep as a dark pool. ¡°The order from the headmaster has already been given. Three years from now, the Black Tower Wizard Academy will launch a conquest of a Miniature World.¡± Upon hearing this news, everyone in the parlor fell silent. The Plane Battlefield might be a place to make a fortune, but it was also where countless wizards met their end. Only seven wizards were in the room, but over the years of teaching, how could Jolod have only six students who became wizards? What about those who were not present? They all turned into skeletons and remained forever on the Plane Battlefield. ¡°You are all my students, and there is some connection between you all. I don¡¯t expect you to go out of your way to help each other in this war, but if you come across an opportunity to lend a hand, it¡¯s best if you do,¡± Jolod said, his voice filled with exhaustion. He had said these words more than once. Before every war, he would say this to his students, hoping they would survive. But reality was often cruel. ¡°I understand, teacher,¡± said an older student whom Richard didn¡¯t recognize. He was the most powerful among Jolod¡¯s six students, already at the Second Ring. Observing the magic fluctuations within him, it seemed his spiritual power had reached its limit, and he was just one ritual away from becoming a Three Rings Wizard. ¡°Eric, you¡¯ve grown up,¡± Jolod sighed as he looked at the speaking wizard, then turned his gaze to Richard and the other two. ¡°Anna, Chax, Richard, this is your first time participating in the Plane War, and there are some rules I need to remind you of. In the Plane War, all wizards must obey the commands of the Great Wizard, and no one may defy the orders. Secondly, each of you participating in the war must bring at least one expendable soldier, whose strength must reach the level of Level 1 Creatures. Lastly, regarding profits, since it is your first time participating in the war, the Academy will not reward any of you with Magic Stones, and you must hand over half of the profits you obtain in the Plane. After this war, when you participate again, you¡¯ll be rewarded with Magic Stones from the Academy like the other wizards, and will give up only one-third of your profits. Don¡¯t even think about hiding any earnings. If discovered, all profits will be confiscated.¡± After Jolod finished speaking, Richard and the others nodded to indicate they had taken note. The wizards then shared their specialized areas of witchcraft before each returning to their own business, leaving only Anna and Richard in the reception hall. ¡°Sister, I need your help with something.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Richard found an open space and opened a Space Rift, from which he moved out the Alchemy Golem. Anna quickly walked up to the golem, her eyes shining as if she had seen a rare treasure. ¡°Where did you get this? It¡¯s an ancient Alchemy Golem; these are pretty much impossible to find now,¡± Anna asked casually as she gently touched the patterns on the golem. Richard replied indifferently, ¡°A few years ago, I came across a ruin from which I obtained this golem. I¡¯ve been studying it all this time, but unfortunately, my skills aren¡¯t quite there yet. That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking for your help, sister, to modify this golem and install a few Magic Equipment Slots.¡± ¡°Modify?¡± Anna suddenly became agitated, ¡°That¡¯s sacrilege!¡± ¡°Such a thing, if not thoroughly researched before a rash modification, could lose many of its researchable aspects!¡± ¡°And what of it?¡± Richard raised an eyebrow, ¡°If I die, all the knowledge in the world won¡¯t matter to me.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Anna fell silent, her face troubled as she looked at the golem. ¡°I can modify it, but I must make one thing clear. With the urgency of time, the structure of this golem will definitely change after the modification. Don¡¯t blame me later for ruining your object.¡± Richard smiled slightly, ¡°No worries, as long as it works.¡± Alchemy machinery was not as important to Richard as Shaping Magic. If not for his current low level of strength, needing some assistance, he might have sold this thing for Magic Stones. ¡°Fine, explain to me what you want.¡± ¡­ After making arrangements for the golem, Richard returned to his Wizard Tower to prepare some expendable soldiers. For wizards, the most common expendable soldiers were Otherworldly slaves, Synthetic Beasts, and Elemental creatures. Among these, Elementals were the most cost-effective, requiring just one Summoning Array. Richard drew a Summoning Array on the floor of his laboratory. As magic flowed in, a Flame Giant appeared in the lab. ¡°Human, our contract has ended, and a new one must be signed,¡± declared the Flame Giant with authority. ¡°Indeed, a contract must be signed,¡± Richard cackled, and from his hand, several Rune Chains suddenly sprouted, instantly binding the Flame Giant. The Flame Giant immediately sensed something wrong and tried to flee back to the Elemental Territory, but Richard¡¯s Rune Chains firmly kept it anchored to the Material World. ¡°Human, what are you doing!¡± Richard pulled out a Soul Contract from his Magic Pocket: ¡°Now, you have two choices. Sign this contract, or die right here.¡± Saying this, Richard placed the contract before the Flame Giant: ¡°Decide for yourself.¡± The Flame Giant scanned the contract with its mind. Its flames immediately flared in rebellion. In the language of the elements, it roared, ¡°Slave Contract! You lowly creature dare to enslave the kin of the great Flame Lord Field!¡± Hearing this, the magic fluctuation around Richard surged drastically, nearly scattering the Flame Giant¡¯s fiery form. ¡°I believe your name is Philster,¡± Richard said coolly. ¡°Philster, you¡¯d best take a good look at the situation.¡± The Flame Giant Philster then realized that this human, whom he hadn¡¯t seen in decades, had actually reached the level of a Flame Warrior. ¡°Now, I¡¯ll give you three seconds to decide. In three seconds, either the contract is complete, or your soul will be scattered to the winds.¡± With that, Richard raised three fingers. ¡°Three¡­¡± The Flame Giant struggled ceaselessly, but the Rune Chains held it steadfast in place. ¡°Two¡­¡± ¡°I am a vassal of the great Lord Field, kill me and wait to be burned to ashes by Lord Field himself!¡± ¡°One¡­¡± Magic waves emerged around Richard, and more than a dozen Ice Cones appeared in front of him. ¡°Stop! I¡¯ll sign!¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 116 - Chapter 116: Chapter 16 War Preparation Chapter 116: Chapter 16 War Preparation ¡°Once signed, that settles it.¡± Richard smiled and signed his name on the other side of the Soul Contract. As the contract burned to ashes, an invisible soul chain linked Philster and Richard together. Dispelling the Rune Chain, the Flame Giant Philster silently lowered his head. ¡°Master.¡± ¡°Mm, good,¡± Richard nodded in approval. ¡°Gah! This fool is hardly fit for cannon fodder.¡± Ulysses flew in from the window and landed on Richard¡¯s shoulder, ¡°In the Upper Plane War, cannon fodder is at least of legendary status. Only natives use those below legend as cannon fodder.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Richard¡¯s hand emitted a black flame, ¡°but I have a way to turn it into a Level 1 Creature.¡± ¡°Gaah! With ¡®Annihilation Flame¡¯?¡± Ulysses looked at the black flame, puzzled. He was unaware that his innate flames had this effect. Richard smiled mysteriously and said no more. The knowledge of a Pioneer wasn¡¯t limited to just flesh creatures; elemental creatures were also included. With the knowledge about elemental creature evolution, combined with Richard¡¯s knowledge of Plastic Energy, it was enough support for Richard to modify Philster. If the modification succeeded, Richard would gain a Flame Giant wielding Annihilation Flame. Even if it failed, Richard¡¯s loss would only amount to a Soul Contract, and a cannon fodder could be bought in the slave market. Go to ????????????????????.co ¡­ The modification of the Flame Giant wasn¡¯t complicated; the most troublesome part was continuously improving the Rune Array. After all, Pioneers were not wizards, and to adapt their knowledge into a wizard¡¯s Rune system required certain modifications. Fortunately, Richard understood the properties of Annihilation Flame well enough, and had learned sufficient Plastic Energy knowledge while designing the ¡°Heart of Annihilation¡± spell, which helped him smoothly improve the Rune Array. In less than six months, Richard had completed the improvements to the Rune Array and merged the Annihilation Flame with the Flame Giant¡¯s Element Core. Looking at the Element Core burning with black flames in front of him, Richard left the laboratory satisfied. The fusion needed some time, and there were other things he had to do in the remaining time. Entering another room on the second floor, Richard opened a Space Rift and brought out the Alchemy Golem Anna had modified. Following Richard¡¯s vision, Anna had installed three Magic Equipment Slots inside the Alchemy Puppet and modified the entire mind core of the puppet, deleting the original master¡¯s commands, adding new data, and changing the master to Richard. Lifting the back panel of the golem, Richard took out an Annihilation Bomb Launcher used during the Apprentice¡¯s War from his Magic Pocket and installed it. Richard had modified this device while studying Alchemy Mechanical Science, increasing its range to five kilometers, and also produced a firing table. Besides that, Richard made some improvements to the Annihilation Bomb, lowering its cost to one hundred Magic Stones each. Although compared to a wizard¡¯s spell, this cost still lacked cost-effectiveness, Richard believed that if he continued his research, the price could be further reduced. After installing the barrel, Richard took a complex mechanical device from a shelf in the laboratory and installed it into the golem¡¯s Magic Equipment Slot in the abdomen. Thanks to Richard¡¯s meticulous design, the slot size was just right to fit the mechanical device. Richard started the machine, and an Annihilation Bomb was pushed out from the device, perfectly loaded into the barrel Richard had installed. ¡°Heh heh, space magazine,¡± Richard chuckled as he watched the scene. Magic Pockets were one of the most common types of Magic Equipment in the Wizard World, widely used by wizards for storage due to their characteristic of having more internal space than appears externally. But during his improvements to the Bomb Launcher, Richard suddenly had an idea¡ªif a person could use a Magic Pocket, could a machine use it too? Then, Richard conducted experiments, and afterward, he concluded that by feeding Magic Power into the Magic Pocket, any object could be extracted from the pocket. Since there was no intellect to choose, the Magic Pocket would deliver items to the machine hands in the order they were placed. So Richard filled a Magic Pocket full of Annihilation Bombs and completed the entire process of taking out and loading using an alchemy mechanical device, creating the current space magazine. With this device, the Alchemy Golem could be directly transformed into a small artillery platform. After installing the Annihilation Cannon, Richard opened the chest of the golem and took out a large Annihilation Bomb from the Magic Pocket and placed it inside. This Annihilation Bomb didn¡¯t contain any elements and was harmless at the moment. Its purpose was to self-destruct at a critical moment to buy Richard time, or to utilize waste. With the golem modified, Richard filled it with Magic Stones and then closed the lid to start the golem. Buzz! A buzzing sound echoed, the entire exterior of the Alchemy Golem began to light up with runes, spreading from the heart to the whole body. The golem¡¯s eyes lit up with a red light, it scanned Richard, then emitted a mechanical voice. ¡°Master.¡± ¡°Walk two steps,¡± Richard commanded. The Alchemy Golem moved its feet, thud! Thud! Thud¡­ The Alchemy Golem was heavy, even though much had been hollowed out of its large body, it still weighed several tons, each step causing the furniture in the room to tremble. ¡°Stop, use Molten Rock Fist.¡± Buzz! Another faint buzzing sound. The Alchemy Golem halted in its tracks, its two fists ignited with runes, and a fiery aura instantly filled the entire laboratory. ¡°Good, stop, enter hibernation mode.¡± Richard waved his hand, the red light in the golem¡¯s eyes disappeared, and its entire body instantly turned into a human-shaped boulder. Richard checked the energy consumption of the golem; in just a minute, the golem had consumed nearly one Magic Stone. ¡°The energy consumption is still acceptable,¡± Richard muttered as he closed the cover. Although the strength of the Alchemy Golem was not comparable to Richard¡¯s, compared to a typical One Ring Wizard, its strength was quite impressive. Its enchanted stone exterior, whether facing physical or elemental attacks, provided considerable protective effects, and it was also not difficult to repair. Now that Richard had equipped it with the Annihilation Cannon, it was excellent whether acting as a guard or clearing out lesser troops. For new wizards, the first Plane War was the deadliest war. During this period, the wizards had neither sufficient resources, nor sufficient knowledge, nor adequate experience; they were utterly defenseless wizards compared to those who had experienced war, making them more likely to die at the hands of the natives of the Plane. With this Alchemy Golem now, Richard effectively had a loyal wizard guard. This greatly increased his chances of survival. Moreover, Richard also possessed weapons like the Heart of Annihilation and the help of Ulysses, the World Master of the Otherworld. For this Plane War, Richard was very confident. ¡­ ¡°Gah! You¡¯ve finally agreed to heal my wounds.¡± Ulysses landed on the table in front of Richard, which held three Soul Crystals and a large piece of active flesh. The Soul Crystals contained pure Soul Power, one of the remedies for healing soul injuries, while the active flesh was used for breaking through physical limits. Ulysses¡¯s current body was a Synthetic Beast, and it could only grow through such means. Richard nodded slightly, since he was going to the Upper Plane Battlefield, and Ulysses was such a great help, he naturally needed to use it. Over the last few decades, due to Richard¡¯s prohibition, Ulysses¡¯s soul injury had remained unchanged, only slightly recovering during the periods when Richard needed the Annihilation Flame. The main reason for this was the vast difference in their strengths; even with a Destiny Contract in place, Richard was afraid this World Master would play tricks on him. Now, with the upcoming Plane War, Richard couldn¡¯t help using Ulysses¡¯s assistance. Ulysses opened its mouth and swallowed the three Soul Crystals, the next moment, the Magic Power in the room began to crazily flow towards its body. Ulysses¡¯s current body, previously Wuni, was not very large. But after devouring the Soul Crystals, it swallowed the nearby active flesh as well and began to rapidly increase in size; its feathers also ignited in black Annihilation Flames. ¡°Gah!¡± With a loud caw, Ulysses¡¯s daily strength returned to that of a Level 1 Creature! ¡°Gah, regaining strength feels really good.¡± Ulysses flew a few circles in the laboratory before landing on Richard¡¯s shoulder, its voice somewhat ingratiating: ¡°Gah, my dear master, if you bring me some Soul Crystals, I promise you won¡¯t suffer a scratch in this Plane War.¡± But Richard clearly wasn¡¯t buying it. ¡°Wait till I become a Second Ring Wizard, then you can become a Second-Level Creature.¡± ¡°Gah, my master, we do have a Destiny Contract between us, I¡¯ve been your loyal servant for ten thousand years, why be so guarded against me?¡± Ulysses shifted its eyes as it spoke, only it knew what it was thinking. ¡°A contract isn¡¯t omnipotent,¡± Richard said coldly, ¡°If you want to regain your strength early, then provide me with some new knowledge.¡± ¡°Gah, knowledge? My master, we Annihilation Crows are not like you wizards; our growth relies on fighting and devouring. According to your terms, we follow the path of Physique Evolution, and it¡¯s the most primitive kind. If you want new knowledge, all I can offer you are the secrets of becoming a Divine.¡± Ulysses spoke enticingly: ¡°The secrets of becoming a Divine, master, do you want them now?¡± Richard¡¯s heart stirred; in the Wizard World, how to become a Great Wizard was a deep-seated secret, held only by some age-old Wizard Families and the Tower of Truth. For the hope of advancing, Three Rings Wizards had to sell themselves to the Tower of Truth, exchanging the benefits they would gain after becoming a Great Wizard for a chance to advance. Ulysses¡¯s words, however, opened up another path for Richard. Gods Civilization was a diversified civilization, encompassing multiple races, indicating that their methods for advancing to World Master didn¡¯t involve bloodline restrictions. If Richard could acquire this knowledge, then he could bypass the Tower of Truth and become a Great Wizard on his own, or even¡­ cultivate his own Great Wizards. At this thought, Richard¡¯s heart pounded rapidly. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Richard suddenly let out a long breath, turning to look at Ulysses, his eyes cold, ¡°Ulysses, if you try to influence me mentally again, you will never regain your status as a World Master in this lifetime.¡± His recent thoughts were overly greedy and arrogant, contrary to his character; they must have been influenced from the outside. ¡°Gah, I haven¡¯t done anything!¡± Ulysses protested loudly, ¡°The voice of an Annihilation Crow naturally arouses people¡¯s greed; those were your own desires!¡± ¡°Your current body isn¡¯t that of an Annihilation Crow!¡± Now Ulysses was left speechless. ¡°Gah, just my luck. But what I said is true; I really do possess the secrets of becoming a Divine. And I can also use some items to wield some of the Divine¡¯s powers ahead of time.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 117 - Chapter 117: Chapter 17 Floating City Chapter 117: Chapter 17 Floating City ¡°What do you want?¡± Richard asked in a deep voice. ¡°Ga, the Power of Faith, of course,¡± Ulysses replied. ¡°Don¡¯t you wizards have religions in your world? When a group of beings pray to something, that thing gathers a peculiar strength¡ªthat strength is the Power of Faith.¡± ¡°Religion?¡± Richard remembered the Cult of the Crimson Lord he had eradicated years ago. ¡°Ga, looking at your customs, I estimate that you have no religion,¡± Ulysses continued, ¡°You wizards pride yourselves on rationality so much that you¡¯ve probably tossed religion into the trash heap ages ago.¡± ¡°That is indeed true,¡± Richard responded lightly. In the Wizard World, only mortals believed in religion, and the first impulse of a wizard who encountered a divine being was to dissect it. ¡°The Power of Faith should be fairly easy for you to encounter. You conquer Otherworlds; you must have encountered religions that worship a World Master as a divine being. Such World Masters possess the Power of Faith in their bodies. If you can acquire some, I could perform techniques that only the divine can utilize.¡± When he finished, Ulysses added: ¡°Ga, don¡¯t think I¡¯m trying to take this opportunity to heal myself. Purifying the Power of Faith consumes spiritual power, using it would only exacerbate my injuries.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Richard squinted his eyes, his face full of suspicion. ¡°You would be so kind?¡± ¡°Ga, don¡¯t look at me like that!¡± Ulysses got slightly irritated, ¡°I see potential in you and I¡¯m thinking of investing in you. If you¡¯re not interested, forget it!¡± ¡°Invest in me?¡± ¡°Ga, that furnace you carry is a treasure not even a Divine King might possess. With such an artifact, your ascent to godhood is almost certain,¡± Ulysses clamored, ¡°Perhaps, you might be the next Divine King of your civilization. Is there a problem with investing in a future Divine King?¡± Go to ????????????????????.co It had to be said, Ulysses¡¯ words were indeed persuasive, making Richard glow with happiness. ¡°Cough, cough, the path to truth is fraught with hardship and perils; it¡¯s too early to talk about these matters now.¡± Richard feigned a cough and turned to head to the next laboratory, preparing to upgrade his Magic Equipment. ¡­ Richard owned many pieces of Magic Equipment, but after becoming a wizard, many had lost their original effects. For instance, his Guardian Pendant, a Magic Shield that could resist an energy level of fifty, now couldn¡¯t even match the Black Scale on his body. There was also the Spirit Protection Ring; after the qualitative change in Richard¡¯s spiritual power, any attack that could affect his psyche made these rings unable to even give a warning. All these needed to be replaced. After sorting everything out, aside from the Demon Eater Sword, all his other Magic Equipment needed to be replaced. But replacements needed to be available. Richard was so impoverished that he had to sell Ao Steel, a rare material, for Magic Stones; how could he afford Magic Stones to craft so many wizard-level Magic Equipment? So after some thought, Richard decided not to bother with fancy Magic Equipment. He would focus his Magic Stones on just two pieces of Magic Equipment: the Concealer Cloak and the Demon Eater Sword. He was a Black Wizard. In a Plane War, sneaking deep into enemy territory, stealth-enhancing Magic Equipment was essential. The Demon Eater Sword was almost complete after having finished the first two phases of the project, requiring only the final phase, which wouldn¡¯t cost many Magic Stones. Creating equipment required designs, but beginning from scratch was obviously too late now. Therefore, for the upgraded version of the Concealer Cloak, Richard chose to simply ¡°borrow¡± the design from his teacher Jolod. As Jolod¡¯s youngest student and a partner in the Wizard Commerce, he had some influence there. Using an IOU worth 100,000 Magic Stones, Richard managed to get his hands on the design for the Concealer Cloak. After solving the issue with the design, what remained was merely purchasing materials, crafting the rough draft, engraving the spells, and then refining the appearance. Six months later, Richard looked with satisfaction at the pitch-black cloak in front of him and at the large sword beside it emanating an ominous aura. The upgraded Concealer Cloak not only possessed the ability to hide its aura and mask magic fluctuations, but it also had a spell for Shadow Infiltration. This spell allowed Richard to briefly enter the rift between the Material World and the Shadow World, thus evading enemy attacks. However, the attack¡¯s energy level couldn¡¯t exceed two hundred; otherwise, Richard would be forced out of the world¡¯s rift due to the space disturbance caused by the energy fluctuations. Using it to evade attacks was a bit stretched, but it was perfect for infiltration. After storing the Magic Equipment in his Magic Pocket, Richard left the laboratory, ready to check the integration effect of the Flame Giant. After six months of integration, the Element Core of the Flame Giant had gradually absorbed the Annihilation Flame and made it a part of itself. When he arrived at the laboratory, under the quartz cover, the Element Core had evolved into its final phase, and the originally fiery-red Element Core had almost entirely turned black. ¡°It looks almost done; just needs a final spark.¡± Richard muttered to himself, the magic power surging in his body as he channeled a stream of Magic Power into the Element Core. With the infusion of Magic Power, the Element Core instantly darkened, turning the last bit of fiery red into a black flame. Boom! The flames of the Element Core erupted instantly, and chains of flames converged to form a one-meter tall black Flame Dwarf. ¡°I, Philster, am alive again!¡± The Flame Dwarf shouted. ¡°Indeed, you are alive.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± The Flame Dwarf glanced aside, and the human who had threatened him into signing the slave contract was looking at him coldly. ¡°Now, get off the experiment table!¡± Following a command filled with rage, Philster involuntarily retracted his flames and obediently curled into a ball, rolling off the experiment table. Seeing the experiment table turned into magma by Philster, Richard couldn¡¯t help but place a hand on his forehead and sighed. ¡°Philster, contain your flames and tell me your current state.¡± Upon hearing the command, Philster returned to human form and contained his flames. ¡°Master, I have broken through the bottleneck and have become a Flame Warrior.¡± ¡°Flame Warrior? A Level 1 Creature, right?¡± Richard pulled out a notebook from his pocket and began to record the information. ¡°Besides that, have you gained any abilities? Can you still summon and use your normal flames? Any psychological problems?¡± Richard¡¯s barrage of questions left the somewhat slow-witted Philster slightly confused. Nevertheless, he soon began answering them one by one. After the Q&A session, Richard nodded. Philster¡¯s growth had two aspects, the first was the growth in strength; through fusion and the replenishment of magic power, Philster had broken through his bottleneck and become a Level 1 Elemental Creature. The second aspect was a change in how he used his strength. Now, Philster¡¯s body was composed of Annihilation Flames and no longer had the body of a common Fire Element. This change benefited Philster by making him more lethal, but the downside was that his body became smaller, energy consumption increased, and some skills that Flame Giants could use, he could no longer use. ¡°Alright,¡± Richard said, pulling out a Crystal Ball from his Magic Pocket. This Crystal Ball was a specially made Elemental Creature Cage from Wizard Commerce, designed for wizards to store elemental creature cannon fodder. ¡°Get in.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡­ Philster¡¯s successful fusion solved the last issue Richard faced before the war. In the remaining two years, Richard focused on meditation and training in Adaptation Body, and he occasionally visited the Jialong Club to exchange battlefield experiences with some Black Wizards. After mixing with these Black Wizards, Richard gained a deeper understanding of this group. Black Wizards penetrated deep into enemy territory where everything around them was not only an enemy but also precious loot. In such a situation, preserving oneself was the top priority, and one must resist temptation. A Black Wizard who could not control his greed was bound to die because of it. Two years flew by swiftly, and soon, it was the day of the Plane War. Richard, along with a few senior disciples, traveled through the Teleportation Gate to the Expedition Layer above the Working Layer, located in the canopy of the World Tree. The space was vast, and hundreds of thousands of wizards occupied only a fraction of it. Most of these wizards were Free Wizards who had joined the Plane War as mercenaries through contracts. On one side of the crowd, hundreds of war Airships made of cold metal were parked on the ground. These war Airships were the White Wizards¡¯ war machines, specifically designed for the Plane Battlefield. Their main cannons could even reach an energy level of 8000, almost comparable to a full-strength blow from a Three Rings Wizard. Soon, ripples appeared in the Void, and thousands of Working Wizards from the Tower of Truth flew into the sky, guided by a Three Rings Wizard, to perform a massive Spell. As the Working Wizards waved their Magic Wands, a huge Magic Array appeared in the sky. Then, a rift appeared in the center of the Magic Array. Behind the Space Rift, the tip of an enormous object appeared. ¡°Is this the Floating City?¡± Gazing at the gigantic object in front of him, Richard felt as if he were back to the first time he saw the World Tree. A metallic artifact tens of thousands of meters in diameter slowly squeezed into the Wizard World from the Void. The lower half of the Floating City was a hemisphere, with various alloy Armor Plates seamlessly joined together, offering a mechanical aesthetic. When the wizards reached above the Floating City, it took on a different appearance. Countless spires stood erect on the metallic ground; among them, the tallest was the black Spire at the very center. This Spire was the command center for the war; all war commands were issued from here. With the command center as the nucleus, various other lower-height spires rippled outward to the edge of the Floating City. White Wizards boarded the war Airships, and the lower half of the Floating City opened up passages for them. Wizards like Richard, as well as Free Wizards, had to directly land on the Floating City from the upper half. ¡°The Floating City truly is the pinnacle of Alchemy Machines.¡± Ann, a wizard who studied Alchemy Machines, gazed at the Floating City somewhat entranced. As a researcher of Alchemy Machines, Ann wanted to disassemble and examine every part of the Floating City. Richard did not respond; his knowledge of Alchemy Machines was still rudimentary, and his only thought about the Floating City was ¡°damn impressive.¡± As the wizards finished entering, a figure flew out from the central Spire. This figure constantly enlarged during its flight, eventually transforming into a massive Black Robed Wizard hundreds of meters tall. ¡°Welcome, everyone, to this expedition of spreading the wisdom of Wizard Civilization. I am Black Tower, the commander of this expedition.¡± Chapter 118 - Chapter 118: Chapter 18 Insect Nest World Chapter 118: Chapter 18 Insect Nest World War paid heed to the principle of a famous claim, and spreading the wisdom of Wizard Civilization was a common pretext for the Wizard World to invade other worlds. Besides this claim, the Wizard World also justified spreading the light of reason, educating savage natives, and avenging their own kind among other reasons. Using war to spread wizardly wisdom, subjugating and educating barbaric locals, this was the essence of the Wizard World or Wizard Civilization. With the appearance of the Black Tower Great Wizard, the Floating City began to transmit ripples of energy within. Standing on the floor, Richard could distinctly feel the floor vibrating, albeit the vibrations were incredibly subtle. The Floating City was awakening. ¡°As the commander, I hereby declare the following rules. During the war, any wizard must obey all commands from the headquarters. During the war, any form of fratricide is prohibited. During the war, free wizards need only turn over a third of their acquired wealth. During the war¡­¡± The Black Tower Great Wizard consecutively pronounced over a dozen rules in midair, doing with the movements and earnings of wizards comprehensive regulation. After announcing the rules, the Black Tower Great Wizard opened a rift and pulled out a somewhat ethereal Rune Wand from within. He lifted the wand high, and a beam of light shot into the void. Go to ????????????????????.co Subsequently, Richard felt a jolt, and the Floating City began moving towards the space rift from which they came. Simultaneously, starting from the central spire, a Magic Barrier spread over the tops of all spires, extending to the edge of the Floating City, and enveloping the entire upper section of the city. In the void, continual space storms impacted the Magic Barrier, sparking ripples. Richard felt somewhat nervous; if the barrier shattered, the space storm would instantly tear apart most wizards except for the Great Wizard. He glanced at his side and found that the wizards who had experienced war appeared remarkably calm. His senior, Eric, noticing his gaze, explained to him. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate this Magic Barrier. Its threshold stands at fifty thousand energy levels, and in a critical moment, it could reach one hundred thousand. No space storm can break through it.¡± Richard chuckled, slightly relieved. As the Floating City fully entered the void, the space rift gradually sealed shut. Standing on the edge of the Floating City, Richard could clearly see the appearance of the Wizard World within the Star Realm¡ªa massive, glowing bubble. ¡°Is this the Wizard World?¡± As Richard gazed at the glowing bubble, a sudden panic fluttered through his heart. This panic felt like that of a baby leaving the cradle, the vast world rendering him bewildered. ¡°Junior brother, stop looking, this is your room.¡± A voice came from behind Richard. He turned to see Chax sitting behind him riding a giant black wolf, holding two bags. ¡°Room number, Communication Crystal Ball.¡± Chax threw one of the bags. Richard caught it, finding a metal card and a black crystal ball inside the bag. On the battlefield, commands from the headquarters would be transmitted to every wizard through this crystal ball. ¡°Thanks, senior brother.¡± The lower hemispherical structure of the Floating City was split into three layers: the lowest Slave Army Layer, the middle War Machine Layer, and the topmost, nearest to the deck, Wizard Residence Layer. Following the numbers, Richard found his room below the deck. The room was fully equipped, even having a quiet room for meditation. The travel time through the Star Realm was lengthy, and invading a world¡¯s barrier took even longer. If nothing unexpected occurred, the wizards would stay in the Floating City for at least a year. ¡­ ¡°Aldo, in the language of the Black Crystal Worm Clan, means Insect Nest. In ancient times, the great Mother Worm God Aldom was born into the world, becoming the first Black Crystal Worm. During the first millennium of Aldom¡¯s life, She was immensely happy, curious about everything in the world. But in the second millennium, She began to feel lonely. Thus, She birthed thirty-six Mother Worms as Her children and divided the world into thirty-six parts for Her children, forming what are now the thirty-six Insect Countries. The Mother Worms, emulating their own mother, bore their children, and to enable these children to grow healthy, they dug beneath the ground, and built above it, creating the original thirty-six Insect Nests, the holy sites we visit today¡­¡± In an insect nest constructed of sand and stone, an aged Black Crystal Worm taught a group of youngling insects the history of the Black Crystal Worms. The appearance of the Black Crystal Worms somewhat resembled mantises, but between their eyes grew a black crystal, and their bodies were significantly larger¡ªeven the newly born was the size of a baby, and they could grow up to around two meters in length as adults. ¡°Mr. Sta, the teacher!¡± a young Black Crystal Worm interrupted, ¡°Mr. Sta¡¯s words differ slightly from yours. He said that the Divine created the Mother Worm God, who then birthed us¡­¡± ¡°Absurd!¡± Sta roared in anger, his wings trembling behind him. ¡°Sta is just a madman obsessed with his observatory, pay no heed to a word he says.¡± Dong! Dong! Dong! A bell toll interrupted Sta¡¯s furious outburst. He shook his body and called for recess. The young worms swarmed out of the classroom, leaving Sta alone in the room. ¡°Sigh, the young worms no longer show proper respect to the Mother Worm God.¡± Leaving the classroom, Sta returned to his dwelling¡ªa room at the peak of the insect nest. Black Crystal Worms used the insect nests as their residences, with all worms living within these mountain-like colossal insect nests, few living independently outside. ¡°Sta, you¡¯re back. I made a new discovery today!¡± A voice came from outside the door; Sta knew without a doubt that his brother Sta stood there. He hissed, a gesture among Black Crystal Worms equivalent to a sigh. ¡°Sta, what have you discovered again?¡± Sta opened the door and welcomed Sta inside. As insects born in the same batch and grown up together, Sta and Stade were brothers, both in terms of bloodline and in terms of feelings. But unlike Stade, there seemed to be a problem with Sta¡¯s thinking organ during its development. The roles of Black Crystal Worms were destined at birth. Warrior Worms responsible for guarding the Insect Nest, Priest Worms responsible for star-watching rituals, Cultivating Worms responsible for cultivation ¡­ etc., the insects¡¯ body structures at birth determined what they were to do. Yet Sta was somewhat different. As a Warrior Worm, he, unexpectedly, enjoyed star-watching like Priest Worms. This was an unthinkable thing among the Black Crystal Worms. ¡°Where¡¯s your telescope? I¡¯ll find it for you!¡± Sta excitedly walked to the Observatory¡¯s platform in the room. Indeed, Stade was a Priest Worm. As a Priest Worm, from childhood, he was followed by a Warrior Worm who obsessed over star watching. After searching the Observatory for a long while, Sta finally excitedly pushed Stade to the telescope. ¡°Let go, Sta! I can look on my own.¡± After Sta released his hold, Stade peered into the telescope towards the sky. The weather tonight was very good, the sky void of any clouds, allowing every star to be seen clearly. ¡°Isn¡¯t it just the same as usual?¡± Stade asked, somewhat discontent. ¡°Take a closer look again!¡± Sta waved his arms beside him. As a Warrior Worm, his arms were a pair of extremely tough chitin scythes, which could easily cut or clamp off the bones of wild beasts or the stems of certain fungi. ¡°All right, all right, I¡¯ll take a closer look.¡± Stade grudgingly said, then peered through the telescope a few more times. This time, Stade noticed something unusual. As a Priest Worm, his memory of the star map could not be mistaken. Yet today, he could vaguely make out¡­ A star! ¡­ Insect Nest core, Mother Worm Hall. ¡°Are you sure?¡¯ A Warrior Worm clad in golden armor asked loudly. In front of him, a Priest Worm wrapped in white silk was communicating with the Mother Worm. In the Priest Worms, only the most powerful three-star priests wore white silk. After a while, the Priest Worm stood up. ¡°Slavt, the Mother Worm has confirmed that the great Mother Worm God commands us to quickly assemble the army. All Worms that have reached the star level, Warrior Worms and Priest Worms alike, must go to battle.¡± ¡°High Priest! Are you sure that all the star-level creatures must go?¡± Warrior Worm Slavt asked again. The strength of the Black Crystal Worm group was divided by stars, with a one-star constituting a level 1 creature. ¡°If we are to gather, just the insects from our Insect Country alone could reach millions. What kind of enemy warrants mobilizing so many insects?¡± The High Priest shook his head: ¡°I do not know, I am merely conveying the command of the Mother Worm God.¡± He too was puzzled, as ever since the Black Crystal Worms defeated the Earth Cave Demon Spider race, no other races in this world were capable of competing with them. What kind of enemy warranted them deploying such a multitude of insects? He thought, and a piece of information flashed through his thinking organ. It seems that yesterday a Priest Worm reported a star appeared in the sky that shouldn¡¯t have been there. Could this enemy be an extraterrestrial? The High Priest shook his head, discarding the thought. Regardless of who this enemy was, the command of the Mother Worm God must be obeyed, even if the enemies turn out to be a bunch of mushrooms. Seeing High Priest unable to provide an answer, Slavt left, huffing. As a Warrior Worm, he must follow the command of the Mother Worm. After he left, the High Priest once again began to communicate with the Mother Worm God. ¡°Great Mother Worm God, where do our enemies originate from? The sky or the underground?¡± After a long while, a message was conveyed to the soul of the High Priest. ¡°From beyond the heavens.¡± ¡­ ¡°Prepare yourselves, we will follow the headquarters¡¯ plan later.¡± In the War Machine Layer, Richard and hundreds of wizards boarded the War Airship. One and a half years had passed since they set off, and the Floating City under the control of the Black Tower Great Wizard was about to break through the world barrier, by then they would face the siege from the entire world. ¡°Richard, are you scared?¡± Beside Richard, Ali, emanating illusory sparks, watched him closely. According to headquarters¡¯ orders, the Black Wizards were divided into several small groups. Each group was balanced, including members across the four schools Plastic Energy, Alchemy, Undead, and Mind, led by a Second Ring Wizard, and the entire airship of Black Wizards commanded by a Three Rings Wizard. Their role on the front lines was simple: to clean up natives left by White Wizards who sanitized the area, as well as to carry out raids and disrupt enemy placements. ¡°Fearful of what?¡± Richard chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s just killing, after all.¡± Chapter 119 - Chapter 119: Chapter 19 War (Part 1) Chapter 119: Chapter 19 War (Part 1) ¡°` Whoo¡ª The dull sound of horns echoed across the plains, and on the land known as Black Bone Plain, millions of insects surged like a tide. By the command of the Mother Worm God, the three Insect Countries near Black Bone Plain gathered all the insects in the Insect Nest that had reached Level 1 Creatures. Insects from other nations were also continuously converging here. Among these insects, some had charged into battle against the Earth Cave Demon Spiders, some had single-handedly killed Bone-Armored Rhinos as big as small hills, their names renowned within the Insect Nests, but on this battlefield, they were just ordinary soldiers. What kind of enemy warranted such a large force from three Insect Countries? They soon saw the answer to their question. ¡°What is that thing!¡± an insect exclaimed in panic. A colossal entity emerged from the Void, its mere corner casting a massive shadow over the Black Bone Plain. The High Priest sitting at the center watched the Floating City, his body trembling uncontrollably. He closed his eyes and prayed: ¡°Mother Worm God, may Your glory protect us.¡± Unlike the High Priest, the commanding Warrior Worm at the center was extraordinarily excited. Go to ????????????????????.co Since the last Earth Cave Demon Spider was slain by it, the thirty-six Insect Countries had not seen a war in thousands of years. As a physique-evolved insect, its body craved combat intensely. ¡°All insects prepare! For the glory of the Mother Worm God!¡± The commanding Warrior Worm let out a roar and flew up into the sky, its chitinous scythe-like arms glowing white like jade, yet they emitted a staggering sharpness. It had once used these arms to exterminate the Earth Cave Demon Spider clan, and now, it was about to add more feats to its scythes¡­ A flash of white light shot out from the Floating City, engulfing the Warrior Worm commander in an instant. The swarm fell into a silent desolation. As the Floating City fully entered this world, a hatch on the lower hemisphere slowly opened, and countless bizarre creatures poured out. Some were clad in Scale Armor, some wreathed in flames, some tens of meters long, and others less than a meter tall. They varied in species and forms, including flesh creatures and Element creatures. The one thing they had in common was that, like lunatics, they launched an attack on the ground-dwelling Black Crystal Insects. ¡°What a mad race,¡± the High Priest observed the frenzied creatures, and his antennae twitched, conveying an order. ¡°Entire army, engage and eliminate these extraterrestrial intruders!¡± ¡­ ¡°The mixed Slave Army has been deployed, War Airships are ready.¡± Inside the Floating City, a cold mechanical voice echoed through the War Machine Layer. The Slave Armies now deployed were mostly made up of Great Wizard¡¯s own Otherworldly slaves and war-grade Synthetic Beasts, hereafter referred to as War Beasts. A small part was comprised of slaves put together by participating wizards. Their purpose was simple: trigger as many enemy traps as possible, allowing the wizards to observe more information. This was the first move in a Wizard¡¯s Otherworldly expedition. There were three moves in a wizard¡¯s planar war. The first move: Slave Army triggers traps to disrupt enemy formations, giving wizards time to observe the world and exhausting enemy firepower as a bonus. The second move: the White Wizard Army, accompanied by War Airships, makes a Spell bombardment. The last move: the Black Wizard Army cleans up any stragglers and expands the spoils with the White Wizard Army. Standing inside the Airship cabin, Richard¡¯s Communication Crystal Ball intermittently transmitted war suggestions from the command center. The Slave Army¡¯s probing had started showing results, and the command center¡¯s experienced Three Rings Wizards had already made preliminary assessments of the Otherworldly Natives based on the battlefield situation. ¡°The world is provisionally named Insect Nest World, with magic concentration three times that of the Wizard World, and the air contains special spores, slightly toxic, immunity at Physique of sixty. This world has special world rules, eternal night, with Shadow Magic receiving bonus effects, and the Four Elements Rules are balanced. The species is tentatively named the Black Crystal Worm Clan, with two main types of combatants: one type transforms their arms into scythe-like appendages for close combat physique Evolvers, and the other commands elements with their spiritual power as Spiritual Evolvers. The majority of this Race¡¯s Physique Evolvers are preliminarily assessed with a Physique of sixty points, skilled in Cutting-type physical damage, Low Element Resistance, no special resistances, suggesting Spell-based kills.¡± Listening to the information from the Communication Crystal Ball, Richard turned to Ali with a smile: ¡°It seems like this is home turf for you Shaping Wizards.¡± For races without special Element Resistance, Shaping Wizards, who specialize in elements and energy, were their most formidable foes. Ali leaned on her Magic Wand, its ruby head emitting a scorching aura. ¡°What home turf, a race that can dominate a world surely has its own measures against Elemental Attacks. In the end, it¡¯s all about the Energy Level.¡± As she said this, she looked at the Alchemy Golem standing next to Richard somewhat enviously. ¡°Your Golem can fight and defend, and you¡¯re on the path of Bloodline Alchemy. As long as you don¡¯t venture into particularly dangerous areas, you¡¯re sure to survive this war safely, perhaps even make a fortune.¡± Richard chuckled, offering no rebuttal. Though the Alchemy Golem was formidable, his real safety net was Ulysses on his shoulder. ¡­ On the battlefield, the Slave Army clashed with the Black Crystal Insects. A huge Flame Giant roared, hurling Elemental Fireballs and blasting open a patch of green blood among the Black Crystal Insect swarm. But before it could bask in its glory, a Warrior Worm charged in front of it and severed its Element Core. A giant Flesh Beast python dozens of meters long charged violently among the Black Crystal Insects, those it touched either suffered broken bones or died instantly, but it wasn¡¯t long before a group of Warrior Worms set their sights on it. ¡°` In the blink of an eye, swords flashed and dozens of Warrior Worms joined forces, swiftly turning a massive Flesh Python into chunks of meat. In the sky, a dragon bird with Scale Armor opened its mouth and spewed out flames, incinerating everything in its path to ashes. Upon noticing the situation, Priest Insects immediately cast spells. Thunder and Flames assaulted the dragon bird like a violent storm, while a mysterious white light immobilized it in the middle. The situation on the battlefield was extremely tense. In the center of the Black Crystal Worm Clan, High Priests from three Insect Countries gathered together. ¡°These Otherworldly beings are truly fearsome, fighting with a reckless disregard for death,¡± said a High Priest wrapped in white silk, with tendrils on its head bound by a golden thread. ¡°But our warriors are equally brave,¡± replied a High Priest across from him, wearing a golden ring around its neck. ¡°And we have more than enough warriors; reinforcements from other Insect Countries are continually arriving here.¡± ¡°Looking at the current situation, at most six Insect Countries would suffice to handle this group of extraterrestrial visitors,¡± said the last High Priest slowly. ¡°Yet the Mother Worm God has sent an oracle to every Insect Country.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± The Golden Ring Priest¡¯s tendrils twitched twice. ¡°The greatness of the Mother Worm God is beyond doubt; we must not become complacent now.¡± ¡­ The Slave Army¡¯s rate of consumption was swift; nearly half of the millions-strong Slave Army had been depleted in merely five days. The Black Crystal Insects¡¯ losses were several times greater than the Slave Army¡¯s, but this was offset by the continuous stream of reinforcements from other Insect Countries arriving at the Black Bone Plain. So much so that the observed number of Black Crystal Worms even exceeded their pre-battle count. Yet the consumption of these Slave Armies was not without value. They provided the wizards with vital first-hand data. Over five days, all wizards had found methods to counter the Black Crystal Worms within their own Combat Systems. ¡°Slave Army¡¯s depletion exceeds half, White Wizard Army, prepare!¡± ¡°Slave Army¡¯s depletion exceeds half, White Wizard Army, prepare!¡± The cold broadcast echoed through the War Machine Layer, and all White Wizards took up their positions, awaiting orders from command. As the base of the Floating City opened once more, fleets of War Airships flew out in sequence, with the majority of the White Wizard Army members standing outside the Airships, establishing a White Wizard formation centered around the vessels. A White Wizard Army comprised of official wizards is not a haphazard militia like the one Richard had seen during his Apprentice days. Each School of wizards had its own role to play. ¡°All wizards prepare, direction dead ahead, Spell type elemental area, release at will!¡± At the command of the White Wizard leader, Soul Wizards responsible for transmitting orders relayed the information through the mental network to every wizard. Countless Elemental Magic Spells were released almost simultaneously, raining down on the Black Crystal Worm swarm like a deluge, instantly clearing a landing zone. Simultaneously, the War Airships began their attack. From underneath the Airships, hundreds of low-powered Alchemy Magic Stone Cannons extended, firing Elemental Fireballs at the swarm as if free of cost, each blast taking out an insect. Screams and cries instantly filled the entire battlefield. ¡°By the Mother Worm God above, I knew these extraterrestrial intruders wouldn¡¯t be so easy to deal with.¡± In the midst of the Black Crystal Worm swarm, the High Priest looked up at the ¡°metal fish¡± in the sky and flicked its tendrils. With its experience, the War Airships of the wizards were nothing more than Giant Beasts modified with an outer layer of metal. And those members of the White Wizard Army were mere flying insects capable of casting spells. In the Aldo World, the Black Crystal Worms had seen such things before, but ultimately, they all became food for them. The High Priest raised its tendrils, and a mental command was sent to the lower-rank Priest Insects, which then passed the message on to even lower ranks, rapidly disseminating the High Priest¡¯s command. The order was simple¡ªMoth Army, move out! The Moth Army, the aerial force that ruled the skies above the conquered Insect Nest Worlds of the Black Crystal Worm Clan. These insects had their wings specially enhanced, allowing them to fly swiftly at high altitudes and change directions at will. More importantly, the entire Moth Army consisted of dual-specialty warriors in Spirit and Physique, the most elite force of the Black Crystal Worm Clan. Upon receiving the command, the Moth Army that had been hidden thus far, took action immediately. Within moments, a locust swarm that blotted out the sky rose from one end of the Black Bone Plain¡ªlike a black sandstorm, determined to overwhelm the entire plain. ¡°New species detected, Army formation changing, Formation Number One, Formation Number One, War Airships fire support.¡± As the Army command issued orders, the White Wizard Army instantly adapted, and the War Airships performed their most critical function at this moment¡ªfire support. In an instant, the Airships unleashed a barrage of fire like raindrops, and at the fore of the Airships, a main cannon pulsing with Magic Fluctuation unveiled its muzzle. ¡°For clustered enemies, fire the Lightning Chain Bomb!¡± ¡°Ready, Fire!¡± Hum! The main cannon of the Airship shot out a spherical Thunder, which upon contact with the swarm, rapidly turned into a Thunder Net. Hundreds of insects were reduced to charcoaled husks under the chain of lightning. ¡°Lightning Chain effect is good, ready, fire!¡± The War Airships bellowed with thunderous rage, net after net of thunder stopping the insects in their tracks. Countless insects rained down like charcoal. But even so, the swarm continued its relentless advance. Just as the two forces were about to clash at close quarters, the White Wizard Army¡¯s formation change completed. ¡°Formation change complete, War Airships cease fire.¡± As he spoke, the White Wizard commander roared into the mental network: ¡°All White Wizards prepare Lightning Chain, ready, fire!¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 120 - Chapter 120: Chapter 20 War (2) Chapter 120: Chapter 20 War (2) Tens of thousands of thunders poured out from the magic wand, almost lighting up half the sky as they converged. In an instant, insects fell like rain. ¡°Such terrifying elemental fluctuations, the united spellcasting of the White Wizard Army is really¡­¡± Richard exclaimed in awe. The range of the spell cast by the White Wizard Army this time was very close, with the elemental fluctuations even causing elemental turbulence in the entire sky. Even inside the war airship, Richard could feel the changes in the elements outside. ¡°If it weren¡¯t so, how could the White Wizards stand the frontline battlefield,¡± Ali added, speaking as a Shaping Wizard, she was clearer about the situation outside than Richard. ¡°What we¡¯re facing is an enemy of an entire world.¡± Within a moment, the White Wizard Army, having adjusted their formation, steadied their stance and slew the approaching Moth Army to near extinction. However, due to the proximity of their spellcasting, all White Wizards outside the war airship had to activate their magic shields to fend off the threat of the elemental turbulence. At the same time, having witnessed the terrifying power of the White Wizard Army, the Black Crystal Worm Clan began their counterattack. ¡°Activate the Mother Goddess Cannon!¡± A command was issued from the High Priest, quickly transmitted to a corner of the swarm. The Black Crystal Worms, upon receiving the order, extracted a mass of flesh covered in green viscous fluids from their bodies and converged them. In less than a moment, a pile of flesh about four meters in diameter appeared. Two Sacrificial Insects bowed towards the sky, then entered the pile of flesh, and as they did, the flesh pile began to undergo a transformation. Black crystals surfaced within the flesh, while a brown chitinous layer spread across the surface of the pile. Moments later, the top of the flesh pile split open with a slit resembling a mouth. Go to ????????????????????.co A Warrior Worm severed its arms and handed them to a comrade before plunging headlong into the slit. Gurgle, gurgle¡­ The sound of liquid churning came from the flesh pile, and then a green acidic ball about one meter in diameter, crackling with energy arcs, was shot towards the sky. Bang! Hiss, hiss¡­ The acid ball hit a White Wizard, instantly breaking through his magic shield, and the thick acid poured over the White Wizard, dissolving him into a puddle of pus in the blink of an eye. The few Wizards nearby splattered with the acid saw their magic barriers quickly fade. ¡°Attention to protection! Enemy strategic weapon has appeared!¡± The White Wizard commander sent out a warning through the mental network, and the formation of the army was subtly adjusted again. Several White Wizards formed smaller squads, using thicker magic shields to counteract the Mother Worm Cannons of the Black Crystal Insect Race. At the same time, commands were also issued from the command center. ¡°All Black Wizards, attention, all Black Wizards, attention! The enemy strategic weapon has appeared, the enemy strategic weapon has appeared. In thirty seconds, all Black Wizards are to enter the battlefield, target the strategic weapons! Repeat, in thirty seconds, all Black Wizards are to enter the battlefield, target the strategic weapons!¡± Listening to the orders transmitted by the communication crystal ball, Richard put on his cloak¡¯s hood and his Demon Eater Sword in hand also ignited with black flames. ¡°Ali, stay safe, don¡¯t die on me!¡± Ali grasped her magic wand, a slight smile appearing on her face. ¡°Same to you, I plan to spend ten thousand years with you.¡± The communication crystal ball carried the cold voice of the command center. ¡°Black Wizards, prepare for deployment!¡± With a ¡°hum,¡± the ground of the war airship began to slowly open, the sound of mechanical friction continuously reaching Richard¡¯s ears. At the same time, the White Wizard Army also began spell support, trying their best to create a safe deployment environment for the Black Wizards. Looking at the sea-like army of insects on the ground, Richard grabbed onto a magic statue beside him, took a deep breath, and his body lit up with a magic barrier, ¡°Release the decoys! All Black Wizards will deploy in three seconds!¡± Richard saw several small alchemy machines released from the underside of the airship, constantly attracting attacks coming from the ground. ¡°Three¡­ two¡­ one, deploy!¡± The next instant, the bottom hatches of a hundred war airships opened simultaneously, and tens of thousands of black figures fell at the same time, flames even appearing on the surface of their magic barriers due to air friction. From the ground, it looked like tens of thousands of meteors were crashing towards the earth. The insect swarm¡¯s acid projectiles and primal magic continuously bombarded the sky, forcing Black Wizards to deviate from their landing points to avoid the spells. Those unlucky enough to be hit by acid balls were reduced to thick fluids on contact. With a ¡°boom,¡± Richard landed successfully, and immediately adjusted the magic statue to guard mode. Thanks to the White Wizard Army¡¯s magic barrage, the Black Crystal Worms near Richard had been cleared away, leaving behind scorched black limbs and green viscous fluid with a sour smell all over the ground; at a glance, only a few crippled worms not yet fully dead were struggling desperately. ¡°All members of Black Wizard Squad number 35, listen to the order!¡± A voice came from behind Richard; turning back, he saw a wizard in a black robe, half of his body ablaze with black fires, yelling at the communication crystal ball ¨C he was Wakaba, the Black Wizard leader of the war airship Richard was on. ¡°Our target is the strategic weapon of the Black Crystal Insect swarm, all Black Wizards of Squad number 35 immediately make a beeline for the nearest strategic weapon! At all costs, destroy the enemy strategic weapons!¡± After issuing the command, Wakaba glanced at Richard. ¡°Kid, welcome to the battlefield.¡± With that, he rushed alone towards the nearest strategic weapon. Black Wizards fight solo, unlike the White Wizards who battle in legions. Seeing this, Richard said nothing and, gripping his Great Sword, he followed closely, flying towards the nearest strategic weapon. Boom! Boom! Boom¡­ The blasts of spells were unceasing. Due to their control of the skies, the White Wizard Army freely bombarded the Black Crystal Insect swarm with magic. Boom! A fireball exploded not far from Richard, and several Warrior Worms, unable to dodge, were torn apart by the blast. Thanks to the cover of the Slave Army, even though the Insect swarm noticed their kin falling from the sky, they were temporarily unable to target effectively. This also made Richard¡¯s advance exceptionally smooth. Boom! A fireball burst apart, instantly blasting a Warrior Worm that had approached Richard into pieces with the Fire Element it unleashed. As an Alchemy Wizard, Richard¡¯s mastery of Shaping Magic could only be considered average, apart from the Heart of Annihilation; the potency of his other Shaping Spells was just a bit above the average within the Wizard group. Even so, the Fireball Technique with an Energy Level as high as four hundred was more than enough to blast these Level 1 Creature Black Crystal Insects to death. While killing, Richard also continuously collected data on these insects. Although the headquarters had given suggestions, those were the views of others. As a Wizard, one must have their own opinions. Richard casually grabbed a limb from a Warrior Worm¡ªit resembled a scythe, and the tough chitinous material could easily slice through bone and rock with muscle power driving it. As Jolod¡¯s student, Richard had some research on muscle structures; the Black Crystal Insect¡¯s muscle structure was quite unique. The forelimb muscle structure of this Race was clearly not suited for prolonged movement, but the explosive power it granted was astonishing. A freshly matured Level 1 Warrior Worm could easily cause three hundred Energy Level worth of Cutting damage with such an outburst. That Energy Level might not sound like much, but compared to a Race like Wizards, which relied on intelligence, such strength would absolutely be considered above average within the Slave Army. ¡°It seems the dean is about to gain a Slave World this time,¡± Richard muttered to himself as he placed the limb into his Magic Pocket. Wizard Civilization classifies conquered worlds into three types: Resource worlds, Slave worlds, and Research worlds. Resource Worlds are those with abundant magic stones or alchemy materials, and they are favorites among Great Wizards. The conquest of each Resource World means a massive amount of wealth pouring into a Great Wizard¡¯s pockets. Then there are Slave Worlds, which mainly provide War Slaves, the Slave Armies, for Great Wizards. After conquering a Slave World, Great Wizards don¡¯t strip it bare like they do with Resource Worlds; instead, they regularly collect a ¡°Blood Tax¡± from the Races within, using them as Slave Armies. Such worlds are extremely rare among the many, with only a small portion able to become Slave Worlds. Last are Research Worlds, which generally refer to those with scarce resources and weaker Races. The sole use of these worlds is to provide knowledge for Wizards and are the least desired by Great Wizards. Upon encountering such a world, the gains from a plane expedition could be negligible at best, or at worst, the Great Wizard might even have to invest a substantial amount of Magic Stones. After all, whether it¡¯s hiring Free Wizards and White Wizard Armies or renting Floating Cities, the expenses are substantial. This current Insect Nest World has a commendable strength of creatures, and it¡¯s said that the Black Tower Great Wizard still doesn¡¯t have a Slave World. This plane expedition looks to be quite profitable for him. ¡­ The appearance of Black Wizards brought some changes to the battlefield situation. With the Sacrificial Insect¡¯s presence, the Black Crystal Worm Clan¡¯s main base kept receiving news of breaches in the lines. If viewed from above, the edges of the black sea formed by the Black Crystal Worm Clan were pierced by numerous ¡°spikes.¡± These ¡°spikes¡± were the result of the Black Wizards¡¯ breakthroughs. In the main base, the Golden Ring Priest extended its tendrils to the other two Priests. ¡°Deploy the Mother Worm Guards, and deal with the bugs that have come down from the skies!¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± ¡­ Within the swarm, Richard advanced smoothly through the swarm with the aid of the Slave Armies and spells. But just as Richard began to relax, he suddenly felt his hair stand on end, instinctively retreating backward. A streak of golden light flashed before his eyes, effortlessly piercing through his Magic Barrier. Had he retreated even a fraction of a second slower, he would have been beheaded. ¡°What is that!¡± Richard released his spiritual power fiercely, allowing him to see every detail within fifty meters. Under such scrutiny, Richard quickly found the owner of the golden light¡ªa Warrior Worm adorned with golden patterns. ¡°A new insect!¡± Richard was shocked inwardly. The response of the Black Crystal Worm Clan was impressively swift. In the mere three hours since their arrival, the Black Crystal Insect swarm had managed to relay information, make decisions, dispatch troops, and navigate through millions in the Insect Sea to reach the front lines specifically to target them. This level of wartime mobilization was nearly comparable to that of Wizards. As if sensing Richard¡¯s spiritual power, the golden-patterned Warrior Worm made a slight bow towards him, its Blade Arms glowing faintly with golden light. ¡°Stranger from beyond the skies, today I will offer your head to the Mother Worm God!¡± Chapter 121 - Chapter 121: Chapter 21 War (3) Chapter 121: Chapter 21 War (3) Looking at the Golden Patterned Worm in front of him, although Richard had no idea what it was bellowing about, he still mustered all of his concentration. This creature had a formidable physique, and it also possessed a special skill. That golden blade light from before was worlds apart from the strikes of ordinary insects. After the tough talk, the Mother Worm Guards¡¯ figure flashed, and a golden blade light once more aimed for Richard¡¯s neck. This time, Richard was prepared. The Great Sword in his hand traced a strange arc, just barely blocking the golden blade light. Clang! The Demon Eater Sword clashed with the Golden Patterned Blade Arm, and surprisingly, the blade showed some minor chipping. Richard offered a cold smile as the black flame atop the Demon Eater Sword instantly spread along the blade arm. The final Core Magic of the Demon Eater Sword was named Erosion Fire, a flame that consumed the Life Energy within Flesh, especially effective against beings with strong flesh regeneration capabilities. Seeing this, the Mother Worm Guards¡¯ arms shone brightly, the golden light instantly engulfing the black flames. Although the black flames of the Demon Eater Sword burnt Magic Power, it was clear that this insect¡¯s inner energy was different from a Wizard¡¯s Magic Power. Under the repulsion of the golden light, the black flames were rapidly extinguished. Yet even as quick as it was quenched, the black flame still gave the Mother Worm Guards a shock. It thought to itself, ¡°Lucky that it met me; had another insect encountered this fire, it would likely have burnt to ashes before stopping.¡± But before it could ponder any longer, Richard¡¯s Spell was already on its way. A pitch-black Fireball, devoid of any grandeur, flew towards it, yet within the Fireball, the Mother Worm Guards sensed a fear of death. Go to ?????????????????.co There was no time to think, and the Mother Worm Guards spread its wings behind it, its speed surging instantly, narrowly evading the range of the Heart of Annihilation¡¯s damage. But the other insects weren¡¯t so fortunate. The pitch-black Fireball suddenly expanded, engulfing a Samurai Worm¡¯s upper body in an instant. The extreme heat at the edge of the magic carbonized the wound immediately, a strange, burnt scent permeating the air. ¡°He actually dodged.¡± Richard¡¯s expression was tense, the speed of the Golden Patterned Worm, once its wings were spread, reached an astounding level, even surpassing Richard¡¯s reaction speed. Richard¡¯s spiritual power could clearly pinpoint its position, but by the time his brain caught up, it had already moved from that spot. His Magic Barrier was continuously breached, and after the Mother Worm Guards spread its wings, each strike reached a shocking Energy Level of five hundred. ¡°Ulysses, restrain him for me!¡± ¡°Caw, restrain him?¡± Ulysses spat out a glob of Annihilation Flame, turning a Samurai Worm trying to sneak attack into ash. Richard was now on a Battlefield, and while his focus was entirely on the Mother Worm Guards, it was up to Ulysses and the Alchemy Golem to deal with those sneaky insects. ¡°You can¡¯t even handle that?¡± Richard kept swinging the Great Sword, fending off the strikes that penetrated his Magic Barrier. But amid such intense combat, the blade of the Demon Eater Sword was almost becoming a saw. ¡°Caw, who says I can¡¯t! Just wait!¡± Ulysses shouted. The Flames on its body suddenly gathered in its mouth. With a roll of its eyes, it locked onto the silhouette of the Mother Worm Guards. Opening its beak, a black chain of fire instantly entangled the Mother Worm Guards. To the perception of the World Master, the speed of the Mother Worm Guards was just like a slightly faster snail. ¡°Perfect opportunity!¡± Richard¡¯s eyes sharpened, Magic Power within him surged wildly, and in a blink, he released two Hearts of Annihilation. The Mother Worm Guard, unable to dodge due to the fire chains, was half-engulfed by the Heart of Annihilation and instantly turned to nothingness. With a pained cry, its life force flickered out in an instant. Seeing this, Richard felt a weight lifted from his heart. This worm was far more terrifying than any standard Samurai Worm. ¡°Ulysses, bring that half of the body over to me.¡± Richard ordered casually. One of the great benefits of the Plane War was the acquisition of specimens. In the Plane Battlefield, Wizards could obtain first-hand biological specimens. ¡°Caw, what do you think I am? An errand runner?¡± Ulysses grumbled, but its body flapped its wings and dashed like black lightning to grab the half-corpse of the Mother Worm Guards, even taking the opportunity to peck at it. ¡°Caw, tastes good.¡± As soon as the corpse was in hand, Richard sensed a minor reaction from the Miracle Furnace. [Material: Golden Patterned Black Crystal Worm Corpse] [Extractable Skill: Burst Slash] [Extraction Cost: Ten spiritual powers] [Extractable Substance: Golden Patterned Black Crystal Worm Bloodline] [Extraction Cost: 2000 Magic Power] [Extractable Substance: Pure Gold] [Extraction Cost: 10000 Magic Power] ¡°Pure Gold!¡± Richard¡¯s heart trembled, no wonder this worm could easily break his Magic Barrier. Pure Gold was a material with an extremely high Magic Resistance, excellent for crafting either armor or melee weapons. However, Pure Gold wasn¡¯t the most intriguing information to Richard. ¡°What special quality does this worm have,¡± Richard mused, for it was the first time he could extract a Skill from a creature¡¯s corpse, ¡°Why can the Miracle Furnace extract a Skill from this worm¡¯s body, and not from a human¡¯s?¡± But alas, he was on a Battlefield at the moment, and Richard truly did not have the time to delve into the mysteries. Every time the strategic weapons of the Black Crystal Worm Clan were fired, they caused some losses to the White Wizard Army, thereby affecting their efficiency in clearing out the insects. The consumption of the Slave Army also accelerated with the emergence of the golden patterned worms; if those strategic weapons weren¡¯t destroyed soon, the White Wizards in the sky might fare somewhat better, but the Black Wizards like themselves would definitely not have a good outcome. Refining the skill known as Burst Slash, Richard instantly mastered this skill. Regrettably, this skill required the muscular structure of the golden patterned worms and the special energy within the insect¡¯s body, which Richard couldn¡¯t utilize at the moment. Continuing to push towards the strategic weapons, Richard soon converged with several other Black Wizards. ¡°Richard! Did you encounter those golden patterned worms?¡± Ali inquired. After several hours of battle, the flames on Ali¡¯s body had dimmed, and she had also sustained many wounds. As she spoke, she held several Magic Stones in her hand to replenish her Magic Power. ¡°Yes, I did. Have you encountered them too?¡± Richard glanced at the several Black Wizards. All these wizards were One Ring Wizards, and if they encountered golden patterned worms, the losses were likely to be significant. ¡°You encountered them?¡± one of the Black Wizards exclaimed in surprise. This Black Wizard followed the Physique path and stood over two meters tall, his body covered with deep bone-deep slashes. Just moments ago, these Black Wizards had worked together to kill a Mother Worm Guard, and for this, their meat shield was almost skinned alive. Yet Richard, alone with a Magic Statue, seemed unscathed after encountering a Mother Worm Guard. Without saying much, Richard directly took out the halved corpse of the worm from his Magic Pocket. ¡°The corpse is here.¡± A shock flashed through the eyes of the Black Wizards. They had all witnessed the astonishing speed and queer demon-breaking slashes of the golden patterned worms, and the fact that such a fearsome foe had been slain solo by Richard was truly unbelievable. Yet the fact was as such, and after their shock, the Black Wizards immediately chose to follow Richard. Black Wizards respected the strong, and although Richard wasn¡¯t a Second Ring Wizard, his strength to single-handedly kill a Mother Worm Guard was sufficient for them to follow him. Five hundred meters ahead of Richard, a Mother Goddess Cannon was firing shells. And within the guard unit of the Mother Goddess Cannon, Richard clearly saw two Mother Worm Guards. ¡°Ulysses, you¡¯ll be responsible for capturing those two worms,¡± Richard whispered his instruction. As long as Ulysses could trap them, Richard could use the Heart of Annihilation to resolve them. ¡°Gah, sure, just little bugs. Leave me some flesh later; they taste quite good.¡± Richard¡¯s eye twitched twice, looking at the worms bursting in front of him¡­ Taste good? The thoughts of birds and humans indeed differed. ¡°You guys, clear the small fry later. I¡¯ll handle the two golden patterned worms. Just keep yourselves safe,¡± Richard instructed Ulysses, then turned his head to give orders. It was unfortunate that he hadn¡¯t encountered a Second Ring Wizard; otherwise, this demolition operation would have been much easier. These golden patterned worms might be powerful, but they were only Level 1 Creatures. Against the reaction of a Second-level Creature with a basic physique of one hundred points, these worms were merely faster snails. But Richard forgot one thing: the Black Crystal Worms were also Second and Third Level. Second Ring Wizards attracted, there would surely be Second Ring Level worms that came to stop them. The reason they had it so easy was that those Second and Third Ring Wizards elsewhere had drawn the attention of the worms. These Second and Third Ring Wizards were the focus of the worm swarm¡¯s response. ¡°You¡¯re going to handle it? The battlefield is not the place for boasting,¡± one wizard frowned and said. The magic fluctuations of this wizard were very strong, already at the limit of a One Ring Wizard, just one Promotion Ceremony shy of becoming a Second Ring Wizard. ¡°Whether it¡¯s boasting or not, you will see soon enough.¡± Richard responded coldly, and turned to issue a command to the Alchemy Golem. ¡°Straight ahead, five hundred meters, launch Annihilation Bullets.¡± Upon receiving the command, the Alchemy Golem¡¯s back immediately extended a cannon barrel. ¡°Understood.¡± A hissing sound was heard as an Annihilation Bullet landed next to the Mother Goddess Cannon, a blinding white light instantly engulfing several Warrior Worms. ¡°What¡¯s going on! Why is there an attack!¡± a Priest worm asked in panic. But he didn¡¯t receive a response before another Annihilation Bullet came crashing down. Boom! This time, the Annihilation Bullet landed right on the Mother Goddess Cannon. The blinding white light exploded on the Mother Goddess Cannon, instantly blasting a hole in it, with streams of molten metal piercing through the cannon like a sieve. The flesh of the Mother Goddess Cannon writhed, attempting to repair the wound, but the third and fourth Annihilation Bullets had already descended. Another loud explosion and the Mother Goddess Cannon was nearly blown in half, on the verge of losing its reactivity. The Priest worm acted decisively, immediately throwing two Warrior Worms into the Mother Goddess Cannon, while he himself utilized the Divine Power unique to a Priest worm. The Black Crystal on his forehead emitted beams of white light, forming a net in the air, stopping the remaining Annihilation Bullets. After intercepting them, the Priest worm¡¯s two tentacles lashed out, sending out a spiritual wave from his center that rippled outward, instantly reflecting the actions of Richard and his group into the Priest worm¡¯s brain. Seeing that the source of the damage to the Mother Goddess Cannon was these insects, the Priest worm was enraged: ¡°Mother Worm Guards! Kill those insects!¡± Chapter 122 - Chapter 122: Chapter 22 War (4) Chapter 122: Chapter 22 War (4) With the command of the Sacrificial Insect, two Mother Worm Guards quickly approached Richard¡¯s direction. ¡°Get ready, those two bugs are coming over.¡± While adjusting the Alchemy Golem to defense mode, Richard reminded them. He was still satisfied with the effect of the Annihilation Bomb; he hadn¡¯t planned on directly destroying that strategic weapon with the Annihilation Bomb. The fact that it temporarily paralyzed the strategic weapon was an unexpected bonus. A few Black Wizards, with the cover of the Slave Army around them, stood ready, their bodies erupting with considerable Magic Fluctuations. Two flashes of golden light flickered incessantly through the swarm of insects, and in a brief moment, arrived at the front line. Clang! Two golden blades, one from the left and one from the right, slashed towards Richard but were blocked by a black Great Sword. ¡°Ulysses!¡± Richard roared in anger, and flames sprouted from Ulysses¡¯ mouth, quickly forming two fiery chains. The two Mother Worm Guards had just tried to pull away when Richard¡¯s figure flashed and appeared ten meters away, while at his original location, two black Fireballs violently exploded. Hum¡­ The Heart of Annihilation instantly devoured the two Mother Worm Guards, leaving the surrounding Black Wizards¡¯ eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co Richard had never used ordinary Spells against the Mother Worm Guards, so he had no idea, but these few Black Wizards had all cast Spells against the Mother Worm Guards. The Mother Worm Guards¡¯ Element Resistance was almost immune to all Elemental Damage below 300 degrees; even Spells above this Energy Level could only cause minor damage. They could deal with the Mother Worm Guards, all thanks to the Spell Fire by Ali. But what the hell were those two Fireballs from Richard? How could they so effortlessly take out the Mother Worm Guards? ¡°Richard¡­ is this the Spell you were researching?¡± Ali asked in shock. She knew Richard had been improving the Realm of Annihilation and had made progress, but there had been no enemies on the residential level, so Ali had not witnessed the power of the Heart of Annihilation. Now that she had seen it, with Ali¡¯s accumulation of knowledge, she estimated the power of this Spell to be at least at the 1500 Energy Level. ¡°Hmm, that is the Heart of Annihilation.¡± Richard nodded indifferently and then turned his gaze towards the Sacrificial Insect. He could tell that this insect, wrapped in silk-like material, was a Spiritual Evolver and also knew some primitive Spells. Moreover, according to the messages from the Communication Crystal Ball, it seemed this kind of insect could manipulate an Energy known as Star Power, unleashing Energy Attacks and techniques similar to Sealing Skills. While Richard was observing the Sacrificial Insect, the Sacrificial Insect was also paying attention to him. The black-robed insect who had killed two Mother Worm Guards in one move was definitely not as simple as it appeared. ¡°Stop these bugs, the Mother Worm Cannon must not be damaged!¡± the Sacrificial Insect commanded the surrounding crowd. Upon receiving orders, the Insect Tide immediately found direction, and hundreds of Warrior Worms turned and charged towards Richard¡¯s position. Behind them, the Sacrificial Insect guarding the Mother Goddess Cannon also stirred up Energy Fluctuations. The eternal night sky of the Insect Nest World was forever studded with starlight; this starlight, under the beckoning of the Sacrificial Insect, gathered into a mass and then dispersed among the many Warrior Worms, instantly covering them with a layer of Starlight Armor. ¡°Group buff, prepare to charge, we need to take out that insect quickly!¡± shouted a Black Wizard, seasoned from battles. On the battlefield, such beings providing group buffs were always the priority targets, no matter which side they were on. Before his words fell, Richard and another Wizard who had undergone Physique Evolution collided with the Insect Tide. Behind them, other Black Wizards instantly began providing Spell support. Explosions, electrical zaps, the smell of scorched flesh, the stench¡­ Richard, taking the lead in the charge, swung his Great Sword, with each strike claiming its target. Beside him, another Black Wizard transformed into a barbaric behemoth, his body hair moving with no wind, a pair of iron fists adorned with Runes pounded the insects before him into a splattery mess. However, even so, the distance between the Black Wizard squad and the Mother Worm Cannon didn¡¯t seem to shorten by much. The Warrior Worms cloaked in Starlight Armor seemed endless, one fell, and two more charged up. ¡°This is no use; we can¡¯t keep going like this.¡± A Black Wizard clenched his teeth and took out a purple Soul Crystal from his bosom, plunging it into his forehead. In an instant, a formidable Spiritual Shock swept across the battlefield, rendering hundreds of insects senseless, clearing the path forward for Richard. ¡°Charge!¡± The Black Wizard beside Richard roared, his body bursting into a mist of blood, his speed surging violently. In the blink of an eye, the barbaric giant reached the side of the Sacrificial Insect, his Rune-laden iron fists aiming straight for its head. ¡°Court death!¡± The Sacrificial Insect shouted angrily, and suddenly, a Starlight Shield appeared on its body, withstanding the iron fists of the barbaric Wizard. The next moment, a Starlight Spear emerged from the Sacrificial Insect¡¯s forehead Crystal, piercing through the Barbarian Wizard¡¯s head. But before the Sacrificial Insect could gloat, Richard¡¯s Great Sword appeared before its eyes. To the Black Wizards, even the death of a comrade wasn¡¯t enough to make them hesitate. Clang! The Starlight Shield also blocked the Great Sword. ¡°You flesh insects, the Divine Gifted Armor from the Mother Worm God, do you really think you can breach it!¡± The Sacrificial Insect fired another Light Spear from its brow, but it was deftly dodged by Richard, who was already prepared. ¡°Ulysses, any way to break through this thing?¡± ¡°Caw, this is nothing but a crude application of the Power of Faith, simple!¡± Ulysses spat out a ball of flames, which stuck to the Starlight Shield upon contact. The luster of the Starlight Shield rapidly dimmed. ¡°Gah, sorted, remember to leave me a couple bites of this bug.¡± ¡°It¡¯s impossible! How could the Divine Gifted Armor bestowed by the Mother Worm God be destroyed by something like you!¡± The Priest Worm saw the Starlight Shield rapidly dimming, as its two tentacles stood on end as if electrocuted. Richard seized the opportunity, his arm muscles swelling in an instant as torrents of Magic coursed into his right arm, forming a Rune Array in the blink of an eye. This was the Physique combat technique he had learned at the Jialong Club, utilizing the power of the flesh and Runes. This punch was packed with eight hundred Energy Levels! Boom! With a muffled sound, the Priest Worm¡¯s Starlight Armor was pierced through by Richard¡¯s punch, its massive head exploding in an instant, and green goo splattered everywhere. As he retracted his fist, Richard also casually collected the entire body of the Priest Worm. This thing was a prime subject for research. Following that, Richard took out several Annihilation Hand Grenades from his Magic Pocket and tossed them at the Mother Worm Cannon. Using Shadow Shuttling, Richard¡¯s figure flickered twice, reappearing beside the other Black Wizards. ¡°Move! This strategic weapon is dealt with.¡± As he finished speaking, the Mother Goddess Cannon erupted in a dazzling white light, turning the entire flesh pile into ashes in an instant. Seeing this, several Black Wizards didn¡¯t hesitate. They immediately moved towards the other strategic weapons, using the Slave Army for cover. ¡­ At the Floating City Command Center, dozens of commanders, using the observation equipment carried by the War Airships, were monitoring the situation of the entire battlefield. These commanders were all Three Rings Wizards, each having experienced at least ten Plane Wars, and were very rich in war experience. Under their command, the advance of the White Wizard Army was going smoothly. And in the center of them, a robed Wizard was leisurely drinking red tea, not fitting in with the others. ¡°Dean, the 75th War Airship has been damaged beyond fifty percent. The Legion Commander is requesting a retreat,¡± a commander reported to the robed Wizard. ¡°Retreat at fifty percent?¡± The Black Tower Great Wizard set his teacup aside, ¡°This White Wizard Army¡¯s commander is a bit too timid. Tell him, when it reaches seventy percent, then he can retreat.¡± ¡°Yes, Dean.¡± Plane War is a clash of kings against kings, generals against generals, especially from the Wizards¡¯ side. Great Wizards at that level of strength must not be deployed prematurely. As the invader, the Great Wizard would face a World Master boosted by the full support of the Power of the World. In this state, the World Master¡¯s strength would be close to fifty percent more than usual. Even with the intelligence of a Wizard, one must be careful when facing numerical monsters. ¡°Dean, an abnormal fluctuation has been detected,¡± another commander reported. ¡°In the rear of the battlefield, a strong energy fluctuation has appeared, and it is immensely powerful. It is suspected that the World Master is preparing to make an appearance.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± The Black Tower Great Wizard stood up, ¡°What¡¯s the situation on the battlefield?¡± ¡°The Black Crystal Insect swarm has lost close to four million insects, the majority being Level 1 Creatures, over ninety-five percent of which are Physique Evolvers.¡± The Black Tower Great Wizard showed no reaction to this achievement and then asked: ¡°And the strategic weapons?¡± ¡°The strategic weapons have been destroyed by about seventy percent under targeted attacks by our Black Wizards, with a loss of close to one-fifth on our side.¡± ¡°That will do,¡± the Black Tower Great Wizard snapped his fingers. ¡°Let¡¯s have our precious students hide. It¡¯s time for king against king.¡± ¡°Yes, Dean.¡± On the battlefield, all the Black Wizards received the retreat order from the command center. ¡°All Black Wizards are commanded, having achieved the objective of destroying the strategic weapons, to transition to hiding and await orders from the command center! Repeat, all Black Wizards to transition to hiding and await orders from the command center!¡± Listening to the message from the Communication Crystal Ball, the Black Wizards advancing towards the strategic weapons immediately began to disengage from the battlefield. The front line was never Black Wizards¡¯ strong suit, and since the command center ordered them to hide, no Black Wizard was interested in continuing to engage. They were now prime targets for the insect swarm, with a single One Ring Black Wizard attracting three or four Mother Worm Guards, plus supporting Priest Worms. ¡°It looks like the strategic weapons have been mostly destroyed, the remaining ones pose little threat to the War Airships and the White Wizard Army,¡± Richard surmised, listening to the message transmitted by the Communication Crystal Ball. At that moment, there were only two Black Wizards left by his side. One was the Spell Cannon he was keeping a close eye on, Ali, and the other was the old Black Wizard who was on the verge of advancing to the Second Ring. This Black Wizard followed the Undead School and had a deep understanding of Shadow Magic. In the everlasting night of the Insect Nest World, his abilities were significantly enhanced. ¡°Not necessarily,¡± the old Black Wizard objected. ¡°Oh?¡± Richard¡¯s eyebrows rose, ¡°Lawrence, what insights do you have?¡± ¡°Based on my experience from the previous two wars, we¡¯re probably about to enter the king against king phase.¡± ¡°King against king?¡± ¡°That is, the World Master against the Great Wizard.¡± As soon as Lawrence finished speaking, there was a change within the swarm. A radiant figure flew in from the rear, and wherever it passed, all the Black Crystal Insects knelt on the ground. The voices of the insects came in waves, eventually converging into a single phrase. ¡°Praise the Mother Worm God!¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 123 - Chapter 123: Chapter 23 War (5) Chapter 123: Chapter 23 War (5) Mother Worm God, the progenitor of the Black Crystal Worm Clan, the World Master of the Insect Nest World, the guardian of the Insect Nest World. This Level 4 creature, bearing multiple titles, finally revealed itself after nearly four million of its kind had perished. Surrounded by a radiant aura, a gigantic black crystal insect, tens of meters in length and seemingly forged from gold, gradually advanced towards the Floating City. Bathed in its light, all the bodies of the Black Crystal Worm Clan felt warm and their wounds began to heal rapidly. ¡°Ulysses, how strong is this insect?¡± Richard communicated with Ulysses via psychic waves. ¡°Nothing unexpected, just an ordinary World Master,¡± Ulysses replied. ¡°The only praiseworthy thing about this insect is its use of the Power of Faith. The radiance on its body is the initial purification of the Power of Faith. Although it can¡¯t compare with the Power of Faith of the Gods Civilization, for a being that is the World Master of a Miniature World and a native, it¡¯s already incredibly intelligent.¡± ¡°Power of Faith? Is this the application of the Power of Faith?¡± Richard, observing the changes in the swarm, exclaimed in surprise. Such extensive life healing, this spell would probably be difficult to achieve even for a Great Wizard of the Undead School. ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled,¡± Ulysses said disdainfully. ¡°The healing effect is a rule effect of this insect. I guess its rules are related to flesh, reproduction, and life. However, the reason it can apply the rules so extensively is due to the help of the Power of Faith.¡± After speaking, a hint of reminiscence flashed in Ulysses¡¯s eyes. There was a time when he too was formidable, but now he could only use the body of a Level 1 creature to work for another Level 1 creature. It was frustrating to think about. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co But after his frustration, Ulysses chose to accept reality, and he continued speaking to Richard: ¡°When this insect and your Great Wizards are mixed in battle later, be smart. If you can collect any fragments of this insect¡¯s body, it will be of great help to both of us. Now I need to hide, otherwise they might detect me when they go all out later.¡± With that, Ulysses flew to Richard¡¯s waist, opened a Magic Pocket, and crawled inside, leaving Richard alone to continue watching the battle. ¡­ The Plane War is a battle of king against king, general against general. Since the Mother Worm God had appeared, the Black Tower Great Wizard naturally had to appear as well. A black shadow flew out of the Floating City, and in the blink of an eye, the shadow transformed into a hundred-meter-tall black-robed wizard. The two formidable creatures confronted each other in the sky, a mountainous pressure descending upon the battlefield. Under this pressure, the entire battlefield fell eerily silent, all creatures watching the two terrifying beings in the sky. Suddenly, the Mother Worm God seemed to sense something, its golden wings unfolded, and its figure instantly disappeared. At the same time, all the creatures on the battlefield felt a terrifying sensation. It was as if a volcano was about to erupt. ¡°Hehehe, it¡¯s too late to hide now!¡± The Black Tower Great Wizard¡¯s sinister laugh thundered like a storm, an evil, frenzied aura emanating from within him, plunging any creature that felt it into terrifying illusions. He slashed open space, pulling out a Rune Wand from the void. Majestic Magic Power gathered toward the wand, and in an instant, countless black Rune Chains shot from the Black Tower Great Wizard¡¯s body into the void, forcibly dragging the vanished Mother Worm God out from it. Boom¡ª Suddenly, a hatch on the bottom of the Floating City opened, unleashing a torrent of energy, over ten meters thick, rushing through the heavenly vault and piercing through the body of the Mother Worm God. In an instant, golden insect blood splattered across the sky. ¡°That is¡­ the Floating City main cannon!¡± Richard, stunned by the flow of energy, realized that the contained energy exceeded his understanding, its power reaching at least a hundred thousand Energy Level. Only a super-sized war fortress like the Floating City could operate such a high-level Alchemy Weapon. ¡°Gulp.¡± Richard swallowed hard, looking at the wounded Mother Worm God. Even after being hit by such a terrifying attack, the Mother Worm God had not died. Are all these World Masters monsters? ¡­ ¡°Mother Worm God¡­ wounded?¡± The thought flashed through the minds of the Black Crystal Worm Clan on the ground. The being they revered, honored, the supreme Mother Worm God, was injured! ¡°Zzz!¡± The Mother Worm God let out a roar, its sonorous waves instantly killing thousands from the Slave Army and several unfortunate Black Wizards. In the presence of a World Master, disorganized lower-level creatures were merely food and cannon fodder. The Black Tower Great Wizard, seeing that the Mother Worm God still possessed such vitality, swung his wand, sending a purple lightning bolt thousands of meters long across the sky, heading straight for the Mother Worm God. Its power was at least fifty thousand Energy Level. Seeing this, the Mother Worm God spread its golden wings behind, vanishing once again. The next moment, a golden light cleaved through space, the Mother Worm God¡¯s front limbs transforming into Blade Arms, wrapped in a rich golden light nearly flowing, charging towards the Black Tower Great Wizard. ¡°Foolish insect.¡± The Black Tower Great Wizard scoffed, his body suddenly dispersing, transforming into black chains that wrapped around the Mother Worm God, while his figure appeared thousands of meters away. Against a World Master with evolved Physique, the Black Tower Great Wizard had ample battle experience. Boom! A thousand-meter-long purple thunderbolt struck the Mother Worm God in an instant, leaving a charred wound. ¡°Zzz!¡± The Mother Worm God roared again, the Black Crystal on its forehead emitting golden light, attracting the starlight of the sky, forming a bright light ball as clear as the moon. The next moment, the light ball dispersed, and a web-like network of starlight unfolded in the air, completely restraining the entire space. ¡°Restraining space, interesting,¡± said the Black Tower Great Wizard, revealing a sinister smile. The black robe on his body instantly dispersed into a pitch-black canopy, encircling the Mother Worm God. Numberless black, twisting tentacles emerged from beneath his robe, the mad and terrifying aura causing the Mother Worm God to shudder. ¡°Hisss!¡± The Mother Worm God let out a wary hiss, her body¡¯s golden glow began to condense, ultimately concentrating into the black crystal at her brow. She spread her wings, attempting to escape the scope of the black curtain, but because of the restricted space, she couldn¡¯t use her spatial abilities and could only watch as the black curtain drew closer. Unless she left this battlefield. But as the Mother Worm God, how could she flee so easily? As the tentacles of the Black Tower Great Wizard neared, the Mother Worm God swung her blade arms incessantly, instantly shredding the encroaching tentacles with a curtain of golden blades. Yet, strangely, no matter how many she cut, there were always more tentacles relentlessly attacking her. From the outside, although the body of the Black Tower Great Wizard continued to expand, not a single tentacle approached the Mother Worm God. Those tentacles reached into the void, continuously eroding the space around the Mother Worm God. Unbeknownst to her, the rules of the Black Tower Great Wizard had already begun to affect her mind, and she had not yet realized she was trapped in an illusion. The Mother Worm God¡¯s arms swung faster and faster, her sharp blade arms nearly slicing through space; still, in her perception, endlessly approaching were evil-filled tentacles. ¡°Szzz!¡± The Mother Worm God roared angrily, her pair of blade arms swinging fiercely, instantly tearing open space. But it was still in vain. Illusions don¡¯t change because of reality. ¡°Heh heh heh, such stupidity from a World Master.¡± The Black Tower Great Wizard leisurely controlled his domain, slowly draining the Mother Worm God¡¯s power, aiming to gradually drag her to death in this dark realm. Had he managed to eliminate the Mother Worm God at the start, this plane war would have ended. Only a World Master can oppose a Great Wizard. Without a World Master, all the insects of the entire world combined were mere ants before the Black Tower Great Wizard. But soon, he noticed something amiss. The power of the Mother Worm God was depleting rather too quickly, almost as if something were extracting her power. ¡°Not good!¡± The Black Tower Great Wizard¡¯s figure shuddered, realizing the Mother Worm God¡¯s intention. But by then, it was somewhat too late. In the dark realm, along with the explosion of dazzling golden light from the Mother Worm God¡¯s brow and her body, the concentrated Power of Faith combined with her own power immediately tore a huge hole in the Black Tower Great Wizard¡¯s domain. The Black Tower Great Wizard grunted, his figure trembling slightly. This dark domain was akin to his body; having it forcibly ripped open was as painful as one could imagine. But the price paid by the Mother Worm God was also not small. In the ground below, among the Black Crystal Worm Clan, suddenly hundreds of thousands of insects felt a tightening in their hearts, a strong sadness flooding their minds. It felt as though their mother had died. The High Priest of the Insect Country, understanding the truth the moment the sadness burst forth. It wasn¡¯t the Mother Worm God herself that had appeared, but merely a Mother Worm carrying the Mother Worm God¡¯s power. Now, their mother was dead. ¡°My friends, the Mother Worm of our Insect Country has returned to the embrace of the Mother Worm God,¡± the High Priest of the now motherless Insect Country said to the other priests, bowing slightly, his voice unnaturally calm. ¡°May you all expel these extraterrestrial invaders, may you all win glory for the Mother Worm God, may our Black Crystal Worm Clan prosper and flourish.¡± Having said that, the High Priest issued a command that only the insects of his Insect Country could receive. ¡°All troops, attack, avenge the Mother Worm.¡± Meanwhile, he himself forcibly pulled out the black crystal from his brow, held it in his palms and kneeled towards the direction of the Insect Nest. Every High Priest of an Insect Country would perform a sacrifice before dying. And the sacrifice for this ritual was themselves. The celestial power they had accumulated for years, the Power of Faith they had collected, and even their souls were offered as sacrifices to the Mother Worm God. Ordinary Black Crystal Insects didn¡¯t have the ability to breed; all Insect Countries depended on the Mother Worm to bear offspring. With the death of the Mother Worm, the Insect Country would perish. A perished Insect Country didn¡¯t need a High Priest. ¡°Praise the Mother Worm God.¡± ¡­ ¡°All Wizards, attention, all Wizards, attention, the enemy World Master has disappeared, the enemy World Master has disappeared. All troops, attack, all troops, attack! The Black Tower Great Wizard will fight alongside you!¡± The cold command from the Communication Crystal Ball, watching the fearless swarm of insects before him, Richard took a deep breath. ¡°Prepare for battle!¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 124 - Chapter 124: Chapter 24 War (End) Chapter 124: Chapter 24 War (End) With the disappearance of the Mother Worm God, all Black Crystal Worm Clans on the Black Bone Plain began to retreat, except for the one where the Mother Worm had died. Although the Black Tower Great Wizard had been tricked by the Mother Worm God and suffered some injuries, he still maintained a crushing advantage over these lower-level creatures. His black robe expanded and instantaneously enveloped tens of thousands of the Black Crystal Worm Clan. In just a moment, the creatures under his robe were devoured by an indescribable force. Without organization, countless lower-level creatures posed no threat to the Great Wizard. With the Great Wizard¡¯s assistance, the wizard¡¯s frontline naturally advanced steadily. Boom! A purple fireball exploded next to Richard, turning a sneaky Warrior Worm into char. Capitalizing on the cover of the fire wave, Richard fired off a Heart of Annihilation. Buzz! A Mother Worm Guard was devoured halfway, instantly losing its vitality. At this moment, the battle on the Black Bone Plain had become one-sided. After the Black Tower Great Wizard¡¯s front had advanced steadily, he returned to the Floating City, for reasons unknown¡ªwhether it was due to his injury or sparing his magic power. On the frontline, the White Wizard Army continued to expand its victories, while the Black Wizard muddled through, starting to collect his spoils of war. That was the advantage of being a Black Wizard; although their work carried greater risk, the rewards could surpass that of two White Wizards. After collecting the body of the Mother Worm Guard, Richard halted his steps. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co ¡°Ali, Lawrence, are you going to continue the pursuit?¡± Ali and Lawrence stopped beside him. Over the past few days, the three of them had fought with Richard as their core, forming a small-scale White Wizard squad. Though they lacked combined attack skills, they smoothly pursued their enemies by relying on their high individual combat power and the tacit understanding common among Black Wizards. ¡°It¡¯s up to you. If you aren¡¯t moving forward, I am not either,¡± Ali said nonchalantly, leaning on her magic wand. According to her mentor, Susanna, surviving the war was considered a success for her, and earning magic stones was secondary. Besides, the War Academy would take half of the spoils¡ªthe more they earned, the more the Academy benefited. ¡°What about you, Lawrence?¡± Richard turned his gaze to the old wizard he had met just over ten days ago. Lawrence had participated in two plane wars; both his strength and experience were exceptional. Over these days, Lawrence¡¯s Shadow Magic had helped them escape dangers several times. ¡°I plan to continue pursuing for a while. This is one of the highest gain opportunities in this plane war,¡± Lawrence said with a raspy voice. He was a Free Wizard, participating in the war for magic stones. With his strength, fighting with the wind in his sails posed little danger. ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s part ways here.¡± With that, Richard and Ali turned around and flew towards the Floating City. Following this brutal war, the entire terrain of the Black Bone Plain was left pockmarked, covered with bones and remnants of spells. These bones included those of Black Crystal Worms, slaves from the Slave Army, and battle beasts created by wizards. If a wizard studied flesh, these corpses were quite a worthwhile collection. On the way back, Richard encountered Jolod, who was leading Otherworldly slaves to collect flesh. As a technical talent of the Academy, Jolod mostly stayed off the battlefield during inter-plane expeditions. His duty was to collect the flesh left on the battlefield and then create battle beasts to feed the war. ¡°Master.¡± Richard bade farewell to Ali and landed on the ground. ¡°Oh, Richard!¡± Jolod, upon seeing the visitor, walked excitedly towards Richard. ¡°You seem to have adapted well to the war. You look unscathed.¡± Richard smiled: ¡°It¡¯s manageable. I was lucky to survive with a few companions.¡± ¡°Surviving is enough. For a newly promoted wizard like you, just surviving is already good.¡± Jolod patted Richard, casually swung a magic whip, and struck the back of a Soul Slave. ¡°Don¡¯t slack off!¡± Richard watched curiously as these Otherworldly slaves constantly collected flesh from the ground and put it into a large pot. ¡°Is this for making battle beasts with collected flesh?¡± Richard asked curiously. ¡°Yes, do you need active flesh? I can give you some,¡± Jolod winked at Richard, ¡°Normally, there¡¯s some ¡®loss¡¯ in producing active flesh.¡± Richard smiled knowingly; ¡°I¡¯ll take some.¡± The ¡®loss¡¯ in producing active flesh wasn¡¯t much. Richard obtained about thirty kilograms of First Level active flesh; although it couldn¡¯t compare to the Third Level active flesh produced by Flesh Tentacles, it could still sell for one magic stone per gram. Besides active flesh, Richard learned another piece of news from Jolod. The collection of the scattered flesh of the Mother Worm God was not yet complete, and many flesh fragments remained scattered. These fragments did not need to be turned over to the Academy; any wizard that found them kept them. ¡°If you¡¯re interested in these pieces of flesh, this hunting dog can help you find them faster.¡± Jolod pulled a black-furred hunting dog from his pocket, along with a small piece of the Mother Worm God¡¯s flesh, and handed them to Richard. The hunting dog¡¯s nose had been specially modified to quickly locate any flesh within a two-kilometer radius. Richard accepted the hunting dog and thanked Jolod repeatedly. ¡°What for? You¡¯re my student, such a small favor is nothing,¡± Jolod laughed, waved his hand, and turned to chide the Otherworldly slaves not to slack off. Leaving Jolod behind, Richard began searching the Black Bone Plain with the hunting dog for flesh pieces dropped by the World Master. The hound¡¯s nose was enormous, boasting six air passages. With a single breath, it could discern every scent within a two-kilometer radius. ¡°Woof!¡± Suddenly, the hound barked furiously in one direction, and Richard immediately advanced that way. After flying over a thousand meters, Richard halted. A palm-sized golden carapace lay on the ground, surrounded by a small crater it had smashed upon impact. The carapace was still emitting a faint aura of oppression, causing the hound to hesitate to approach. Richard stepped forward and picked up the carapace. Instantly, information transmitted from the Miracle Furnace. [Ingredient: Carapace of the Mother Worm God] [Refinable Rule: Nurturing (extremely incomplete) (dissipating)] [Extraction Cost: 5 Soul Power] [Refinable Substance: Bloodline of the Black Crystal Mother Worm] [Refining Cost: 20,000 Magic Power] [Refinable Substance: Pure Gold] [Refining Cost: 20,000 Magic Power] Looking at the information before him, Richard¡¯s lips curled upward uncontrollably. This was a major find. Whether it was the Nurturing Rule or the Mother Worm Bloodline, both were priceless treasures. Compared to them, Pure Gold was the least valuable. Richard opened the pouch at his waist and called out Ulysses. ¡°Ulysses, take a look at this carapace.¡± Emerging from the pouch, Ulysses glanced at the golden carapace and immediately his eyes lit up. ¡°Gah, fine item, this one would taste absolutely great!¡± After speaking, it shifted its gaze to Richard and slyly said, ¡°Gah, my dear master, how about letting me take a bite of this carapace?¡± ¡°A bite?¡± Richard was somewhat surprised, ¡°You are a Level 1 creature now, can you even bite through it?¡± ¡°Gah!¡± Ulysses exclaimed in astonishment, ¡°I forgot! Damn it, why am I a Level 1 creature now!¡± Ulysses, frustrated, landed on the carapace and pecked at it fiercely twice, resulting in no damage to the carapace but chipping a piece off his beak instead. ¡°Gah, my beak!¡± Ulysses flapped about in pain in mid-air. Richard, resigned, grabbed Ulysses, ¡°Enough, see if there¡¯s any Power of Faith you want in there!¡± ¡°Gah, no,¡± Ulysses glanced at the golden carapace and shook his head. ¡°There are no rules in this thing, let alone Power of Faith.¡± ¡°No rules?¡± Richard raised an eyebrow, ¡°Are you sure there¡¯s no rule inside it?¡± ¡°Gah, absolutely sure.¡± ¡°Alright, I have another question.¡± Richard recalled a saying by the Guardian of the Wizard World; these beings couldn¡¯t sense the Rule Power within an incomplete physique. It seemed the Miracle Furnace had a stronger sense of Rule Power than a typical World Master. ¡°Do rules have any constraints, like can a creature only master one type of rule?¡± ¡°Gah, no, for you at this stage, the more rules the better,¡± Ulysses replied, ¡°However, if you¡¯re pursuing combat power, it¡¯s best to specialize in exploring one rule.¡± ¡°Now?¡± Richard noted this qualifying word. ¡°Gah, when you reach the Divine stage, you will forge a Rule Body, and conflicting rules cannot coexist in a Rule Body.¡± Richard nodded. Since there was no issue, he naturally had to refine the rule from the Mother Worm God fragment. Richard had been a wizard for over sixty years, and his spiritual power, through meditation, had reached 63. If all went well, in another two hundred years, he would hit the peak of a One Ring Wizard¡¯s spiritual power¡ª99.9. However, for a wizard, increasing spiritual power was the simplest aspect of ascension. The materials and the Soul Darkness during the ascension ceremony were the greatest challenges. Seeing the golden carapace suddenly vanish, an astonished Ulysses exclaimed: ¡°Gah, your furnace couldn¡¯t possibly handle rules, could it?¡± Richard did not respond, but as his spiritual power limit decreased, a cluster of Rule Power appeared above the Miracle Furnace. Fusing it, Richard experienced an epiphany once again, and the previously fused Flesh Rule surprisingly interacted with the Nurturing Rule during the integration. After the interaction, Richard realized a new ability: ¡°Whew.¡± Richard took a deep breath; the interaction of the two rules had altered his ability to comprehend. He could now use Flesh to nurture a clone, with the physique of this clone unable to surpass that of the original. Other than that, the clone¡¯s attributes would be identical to those of the original. Richard defined this ability as¡ªan even more perfect Cloning Technique. His current finances were insufficient to support the production of a Life Box, but in the future, once he had the funds, this ability would save him the cost of crafting a body out of Magic Stone. Putting the carapace back into his pocket, Richard turned to search other areas. The Black Bone Plain was vast, and this type of body fragment was definitely not the only one. COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 125 - Chapter 125: Chapter 25: Upgrading Equipment Chapter 125: Chapter 25: Upgrading Equipment ¡°Phew, this is probably the last piece,¡± Richard muttered to himself as he looked at the fist-sized golden blood clot in front of him. Three days had passed since Richard found the first fragment, and many Black Wizards returning from the front lines had joined the search for pieces of the Mother Worm God¡¯s body. Information transmitted from the Miracle Furnace. [Material: Remnants of the Mother Worm God] [Refinable Substance: Mother Worm Bloodline] [Refining Cost: 20,000 Magic Power] [Refinable Substance: Pure Gold] [Refining Cost: 20,000 Magic Power] ¡°Indeed, no rules remnants,¡± Richard noted as he observed the information transmitted from the Miracle Furnace. In the past two days, he had found two more fragments, which, like this one, had not the slightest trace of rules remnants. The rules remnants had lasted much shorter than Richard had anticipated. However, this was a good thing since refining rules would require Richard to use Soul Power, which was not so easily replenished. If it dropped below fifty in spiritual power, his body would suffer from a mismatch between spirit and flesh, leading to limb imbalance and decreased control, among other negative effects. If the remnants hadn¡¯t dispersed, deciding whether to refine or not would have been a tough choice. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co After searching for the fragments of the Mother Worm God, Richard returned to the Floating City. By the time he arrived, the Floating City had descended from the sky, transforming into a ground fortress. The lower half of the Floating City¡¯s metal shell had unfolded to form various defensive structures and city walls. Inside the walls, many logistical wizards were busy adjusting and repairing the compartments of the Floating City and installing various alchemy weapons. These logistical wizards were mainly responsible for the maintenance of war equipment, construction of war fortresses and castles, as well as healing and building Teleportation Gates to the Wizard World. Unless it was the most critical moment, these wizards would absolutely not enter the battlefield. The descent of the Floating City brought Richard quite a bit of trouble. While sailing through the Star Realm, their rooms had been in the lower hemisphere of the Floating City; now, it seemed that those rooms were trapped below. Before he found an entrance underground, however, a familiar figure entered his vision. ¡°Anna!¡± Richard descended from the sky and greeted a busy silhouette. This group of wizards was fabricating metal parts to repair damaged War Airships. At the sound of his voice, Anna¡¯s eyes lit up. She immediately tossed aside the tools she was working with and excitedly grasped Richard¡¯s arm. ¡°Richard!? Thank heavens, you¡¯re alive as well.¡± Richard grinned, ¡°Just lucky to have bumped into a few reliable teammates.¡± ¡°Luck is also part of strength,¡± Anna sighed in relief. ¡°I was fortunate, too; I followed a Three Rings Wizard and managed to survive. Chax, though, wasn¡¯t as lucky; he lost an arm and half his heart and is now lying in the hospital.¡± Half a heart¡­ Richard couldn¡¯t help but feel fortunate for Chax when he heard about his injuries. Losing half a heart was no light matter for a wizard; without prior bodily enhancements, sustaining such damage would only allow a wizard to rely on their physique for some time. The fact that Chax managed to make it to the hospital was indeed a stroke of great luck. ¡°It¡¯s good that our senior brother is still alive; the Medical Wizards will definitely ensure he comes out as good as new,¡± Richard remarked, then turned to inquire about the way underground. ¡°By the way, elder sister, how do you get to our old dormitories from the Floating City era? I still have stuff left in there.¡± ¡°Go south from here to the third spire; the first level has an underground entrance,¡± Anna pointed to a certain spire. ¡°Once the Floating City unfolded, our previous rooms quickly became storerooms, so if you have things, take them away quickly.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go now.¡± ¡­ Following the underground entrance on the first level of the spire, Richard easily found his room. At the moment, some wizards were opening the rooms one by one, organizing and packing the items inside. Richard entered his room and took out the Flesh Tentacles cultivation chamber from the cabinet. This object was the most precious thing he possessed, an unending source of third-level active flesh, a treasure trove that would please any wizard interested in researching Synthetic Beasts. Besides the Flesh Tentacles, the other things Richard left in the room were some alchemy materials. After packing everything up, he left the room and returned to the ground. As the war was going very smoothly and various pieces of intelligence were still under investigation, Richard had no pressing missions at present. Taking advantage of this time, he planned to upgrade his equipment. Without dormitories in the ground structures of the Floating City, wizards had to establish their own abodes or wait for logistical wizards to build dwellings. Richard obviously could not wait for logistical wizards, so he had to build a temporary residence for himself in the Black Bone Plain. Richard found a level spot outside of the Floating City, his Magic Power surged within him, and with a finger pointed towards the ground: ¡°Mud to Stone.¡± In an instant, a yellow light shot out from his fingertip, hit the ground, and a roughly four square meter area of earth instantly turned into solid stone. After the Apprentice War, Richard had started to pay attention to these spells that seemed unhelpful in combat. The long lifespans of wizards could help them become jacks-of-all-trades. He cast several Mud to Stones in succession, hardening a large enough area of ground. Richard then took out a seed from his pocket and planted it at the edge of the hardened ground, watering it with a few bottles of Alchemy Potions. In just a moment, trees as thick as bowls sprouted up, forming the walls of a room. These seeds were Demonized seeds processed by Wizards, and they were quite affordable, Ten seeds for one Magic Stone¡ªideal materials for setting up a temporary shelter. After a bit of trimming and adding wood to form a roof and some furniture, Richard¡¯s temporary shelter was complete. Entering the room, Richard placed the Demon Eater Sword on the table and fell into deep thought while looking at the large and small notches on the blade. The bodies of the Mother Worm Guards contained a small amount of Pure Gold, which made their Blade Arms far harder than the Demon Eater Sword. If he didn¡¯t upgrade and modify the Demon Eater Sword, it wouldn¡¯t be long before it was scrapped. ¡°Upgrade and modify¡­¡± Richard¡¯s fingers tapped incessantly on the tabletop as countless ideas collided in his mind. He was planning to make a minor modification to the Demon Eater Sword. Given the current situation, the shape of the Great Sword was somewhat unsuitable for the upcoming battlefield. The blade of the Great Sword was too thin, prone to chipping and even nearing damage to the Core Runes along the notches on the blade in battles with the insects. Therefore, Richard intended to transform it into a Magic Wand while retaining the three Core Magic spells of the Demon Eater Sword. What Wizard could be without a Magic Wand? Moreover, Richard possessed knowledge about amplifying Fire Element Spells, which a Magic Wand could effectively enhance. With a plan in mind, Richard promptly set in motion. However, before making the Magic Wand, he needed to extract the Pure Gold first. Pulling out the bodies of insects from the Magic Pocket, Richard had collected a total of seven bodies of Mother Worm Guards during the war. Due to the power of the Heart of Annihilation, most of the bodies were incomplete, severed in half, and many were lacking Blade Arms, which had the highest content of Pure Gold. ¡°Ga, we had an agreement,¡± Ulysses suddenly spoke up from Richard¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Leave a bit for me to eat.¡± Richard gave him a glance; even a World Master still had desires for taste. ¡°Ga, you young ones who haven¡¯t reached a hundred years old wouldn¡¯t understand,¡± noticing Richard¡¯s glance, Ulysses said disdainfully, ¡°When you reach my age, you¡¯ll realize how important the senses you presently neglect are. Thousands of years are enough to try all kinds of flavors, but once you tire of them, you¡¯ll find that eternity is also a form of pain. At that point, you¡¯ll come to understand the importance of new sensations.¡± Richard responded with a hint of mocking smile: ¡°If eternity is such a pain, why don¡¯t you resolve it once and for all?¡± ¡°Ga, that¡¯s because death is even more painful.¡± Although Richard somewhat looked down on Ulysses¡¯s behavior, he still needed Ulysses¡¯s help, so he had to give up the insect bodies. Fortunately, Ulysses wasn¡¯t asking for much. Of the seven bodies, he only took one, leaving the rest for Richard. After refining with the Miracle Furnace, Richard extracted about a kilogram of Pure Gold from these bodies. This left Richard slightly disappointed. Though Pure Gold was on par with Mithril and Ao Steel as top-tier Alchemy materials, unlike these metals sold by the gram, Pure Gold was sold by volume. Five thousand Magic Stones for one cubic centimeter. This pricing was primarily because Pure Gold¡¯s density was so high that selling by weight would make Cutting extremely troublesome. Looking at the tiny piece of Pure Gold the size of half a finger in his hand, Richard complained: ¡°All these bodies, and there¡¯s only this little Pure Gold?¡± ¡°Ga, you¡¯re still not satisfied with that much?¡± Ulysses retorted from the side, ¡°Pure Gold in our place, even a little mixed in, would be considered a Legendary weapon, and if there¡¯s more, it could even reach a Demigod Artifact level. If you have a weapon made purely of Pure Gold, some impoverished Divine beings would have to step down.¡± ¡°But this is still too little; it can only make an alloy,¡± Richard said helplessly. ¡°Ga, the insects only did a plating; you shouldn¡¯t be so ungrateful.¡± Having refined the Pure Gold, Richard proceeded to disassemble the Demon Eater Sword. The material of the Demon Eater Sword was not bad either. The excess parts, once removed and stripped of Runes, could be remelted and used as material for the Magic Wand. After disassembling, the original Demon Eater Sword was transformed into a metal bar adorned with Runes. With the insertions complete, Richard began drafting the design for the Magic Wand. He designed the shape of the Magic Wand to be a short stick level with the eyebrows, with the headpiece temporarily vacant, and various Rune Arrays neatly arranged inside the staff. These Rune Arrays were mainly to harmonize the three Core Magic spells and establish a Fire Element amplification Array. After the design was set, it was time for production. The parts removed from the Demon Eater Sword were melted down into liquid metal, and Richard added a touch of alchemy materials mixed with Pure Gold to make a much harder alloy. Next came the shaping of the staff, Engraving Runes, constructing the Magic Conducting Circuit¡­ and other intricate steps. The entire production process took Richard nearly a month. During this time, the White Wizard Army¡¯s war efforts had paused, focusing on fortification construction, while the Black Wizard start to assign tasks based on strength to infiltrate behind enemy lines. With the last Rune engraved, the metal Magic Wand with slight gold patterns emitted a faint Magic Fluctuation from the table. This was the sign of a successful creation. Richard sat back in the chair and let out a long breath, having finally completed the Magic Wand before the command post assigned him a task. But before he could catch his breath, the command from the communications Crystal Ball beside him came through. ¡°All One Ring Black Wizards are to immediately come to the Floating City.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 126 - Chapter 126: Chapter 26 Underground World (Part 1) Chapter 126: Chapter 26 Underground World (Part 1) The Floating City Fortress, after about a month of construction, was now preliminarily perfected, and various alchemy weapons had been preliminarily set up. If another war broke out on the Black Bone Plain now, ten thousand White Wizards could easily win the war with these alchemy weapons. When Richard approached within five hundred meters of the Floating City, a warning sound suddenly emitted from his crystal ball. ¡°Warning, warning, unauthorized flight within the airspace of the Floating City without clearance is not allowed.¡± As soon as the voice ended, Richard saw several White Wizards flying over from the ground, each holding a magic wand. ¡°Who goes there? Where is your flight permit?¡± Seeing this, Richard quickly explained, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ve been out for the past month and was unaware of this rule.¡± The White Wizards scanned Richard¡¯s body with their spiritual power and, upon confirming that he was a Wizard, said, ¡°There¡¯s flying control over the airspace of the Floating City, no Wizard may fly without a cleared flight plan, please cooperate with us.¡± Richard didn¡¯t say much more and immediately landed. Walking from the ground into the Floating City Fortress, Richard encountered many Black Wizards like himself; unlike White Wizards, they preferred to study alone, which also resulted in them being somewhat out of the loop on news. Inside the Floating City Fortress, there had already gathered quite a few Black Wizards, and Richard immediately spotted Ali among them. ¡°Ali.¡± Richard walked over to her and asked softly, ¡°What¡¯s the situation with this assembly? Are they distributing infiltration tasks?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co Ali¡¯s mentor Susanna was also participating in this war, and she was even a member of the command staff; her information was much more up-to-date than Richard¡¯s. ¡°Sort of an infiltration,¡± Ali replied. ¡°Our frontal battlefield is progressing smoothly, and according to the territorial divisions of this world, we have already captured two Insect Countries. But these insects have nests not only on the surface, there is also a very complex structure of earth caves underground, and some insects have hidden inside and keep harassing us relentlessly. The terrain of the earth caves is not well-suited for the White Wizard Army, so the task of clearing these insects has been handed over to us Black Wizards.¡± Richard nodded, having roughly understood the nature of this mission. The Black Wizards were individually powerful and more agile in combat, and this mission was indeed suitable for them. Ali glanced at the magic wand in Richard¡¯s hand and touched it with some curiosity. ¡°Where¡¯s your Great Sword? Why switch to a wand that doesn¡¯t even have a wand head?¡± The head of a wand is generally the core of the wand, and a good wand head can significantly enhance the power of spells even without engraving runes. The Molten Lava Gem magic wand Ali used as an Apprentice is a classic example. ¡°The Great Sword is not quite suitable for dealing with these insects, so I transformed it into a wand and added some runes. As for the wand head¡­¡± Richard scratched his head with resignation, ¡°I didn¡¯t have many materials on hand, so I had to make do.¡± ¡°Transforming a Great Sword into a wand!?¡± Ali exclaimed, ¡°You Alchemy Wizards are too casual, changing your Magic Equipment as soon as it doesn¡¯t suit the battlefield.¡± As she spoke, Ali took out her own magic wand somewhat sourly. The body of the wand had many signs of repair, but due to the lackluster skills of the repairing wizard, there were still many marks left by Warrior Worms visible on it. ¡°Do you think you could enhance this wand a bit?¡± ¡°Enhance?¡± Richard looked over the wand. This wand was a gift from her mentor Susanna after Ali became a Wizard. Its wand head, a Flame Crystal coupled with a Rune Array, could enhance the power of Fire Element Spells by a hundred Energy Levels. With this wand, combined with Ali¡¯s already remarkable proficiency in Shaping Magic, even her most basic Fireball Technique reached seven hundred Energy Levels. And if she used Spell Fire, her spell power could even soar to fifteen hundred Energy Levels, dealing area damage. Unlike Richard¡¯s Heart of Annihilation, which could only be used for single-target spells. Therefore, during the previous battles, Ali had always been used as an artillery piece, protected by a few Black Wizards. ¡°With my skill level, enhancement can only be done by changing materials now.¡± ¡°Alright then,¡± Ali took her wand back with some disappointment. As Black Wizards from all directions of the Black Bone Plain converged, the command finally issued their orders. From the Communication Crystal Ball, the command¡¯s cold voice continuously assigned tasks to the Black Wizards present. The Wizards who received their missions collected various corresponding items from logistical Wizards according to the mission¡¯s needs. In the past month, the logistical Wizards of the Floating City had conducted a lot of research on the Black Crystal Insects and designed quite a few items targeting the Black Crystal Worm Clan. The purpose of the Black Wizards¡¯ mission this time was not only to eliminate the insects in the Underground Insect Nests but also to test these items. Richard¡¯s task was to eradicate the insects in the Underground Insect Nests and explore the terrain of the nests as thoroughly as possible. Ali¡¯s mission was the same as his, and the location was also Insect Nest Number One. Following the instructions of the mission, they received a set of alchemy items from the logistical Wizards, including a Concealing Potion that would mask their own scent, an Imaging Crystal Ball that could emit reconnaissance sound waves, a reusable Slave Seal, and a Magic Pocket for holding slaves. According to the command¡¯s information, there were many non-combatant insects in the Underground Insect Nests, which the Black Tower Great Wizard was temporarily buying in unlimited quantities. Depending on the type, the price ranged from one Magic Stone to one hundred Magic Stones each. While collecting the items, Richard and Ali unexpectedly ran into a familiar Wizard. ¡°Lawrence, which Insect Nest are you cleaning up?¡± Richard greeted familiarly. As teammates who had fought together, Richard was very clear about Lawrence¡¯s strength¡ªin the narrow spaces of the underground insect nest, the power of his shadow magic would definitely increase significantly. Lawrence looked towards Richard, his expressionless face revealing a stiff smile. As an undead wizard who had transformed himself into something resembling a living dead, it was already quite a happy matter for him to be able to smile at all. ¡°Number One Insect Nest, what about you guys?¡± ¡°Number One as well.¡±¡± ¡°Team up for now?¡±¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± ¡­ Number One Insect Nest was located one hundred kilometers south of the Black Bone Plain. Before arriving at this nest, Richard had always thought it was a mountain range. Approaching the nest, he saw the majestic insect nest towering like a mountain, thickly dotted with holes that were usually the entry and exit points for the Black Crystal Worm Clan. Many of them had now been collapsed by the spells of the White Wizards. ¡°Is this the Number One Insect Nest?¡± Richard couldn¡¯t help but exclaim with astonishment as he looked at the huge structure before him. ¡°It¡¯s so big, it¡¯s incredible that these bugs could create such an enormous nest,¡± Ali, standing beside him, likewise marveled. For a wizard rookie participating in a plane war for the first time, everything was so intriguing. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s magnificent,¡± the veteran wizard Lawrence said indifferently. He had experienced two plane wars and had seen many wonders of otherworlds. Although the insect nest before him was spectacular, he was more concerned about the situation inside. Such a colossal nest would surely have a complex network of underground tunnels. To the Black Crystal Worm Clan, these intricate networks were just their backyard, but to the wizards, these same structures were potential traps waiting to devour them at any moment. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Richard captured the spectacular scene before him with an Image Capturing Crystal Ball, then found an entrance to enter the nest. The building material of the nest was strange, a kind of red soil mixed with plant roots and stems. This material possessed considerable strength; Richard tested it and found that it would need at least an impact of fifty energy levels to be destroyed. ¡°This building material is quite good; the White Wizard Army will probably like it,¡± Richard said lightly as he collected a piece of the soil. This thing also had a certain research value, and he could study it when he had free time to enhance his breadth of knowledge. A mature wizard must possess an immense store of knowledge. Following the passages down, the deeper they went into the nest, the more humid the environment became. Even the earthen walls of the nest started to display moss-like plants. This was starkly different from the relatively dry environment of the insect nest world¡¯s surface. According to the current observations of the wizards, the surface of the insect nest world was extremely dry and cold with vast wastelands and deserts. Only around a few major rivers were there relatively dense vegetation. But if they were to estimate based on the insects that appeared during this war, this world should have nearly a billion low-level insects as its base. If it only relied on the plant density on the surface, the world could not possibly sustain such a vast Black Crystal Worm Clan. Therefore, the command center believed that the majority of the Black Crystal Worm Clan¡¯s food source was located in the underground insect nests, or to say, the underground insect nests were actually the main part of this world. If their operation to exterminate the insects went smoothly, the Black Wizards would be the next to be sent to the unoccupied parts of the nests for a sabotage mission behind enemy lines. The layout of the tunnels inside the nest was very complicated. The various pathways that looked identical were confusing, and it was easy to start going in circles if one wasn¡¯t careful. Moreover, due to the particular structure of the nest, Richard and his group dared not clear their way with magic too hastily, fearing it might trigger a chain reaction and entomb them as well. Fortunately, the command center had issued them with Imaging Crystal Balls that used microwave detection. This crystal ball could use a kind of ultrasonic wave, inaudible to human ears, to detect the surrounding terrain and was crucial in the complicated system of the underground insect nest. Otherwise, without special means, the wizards could only wait to get lost in the caves. As they entered the underground insect nest, the scene before them immediately stunned them. They were now in a relatively spacious underground cavern. The walls of the cavern were covered in pale blue glowing moss. Among this moss, even brighter glowing mushrooms were densely scattered, like a sky full of stars. Richard took a deep breath; the temperature in the cavern was noticeably higher than on the surface, and the air contained a slight moist sweetness, as though they were walking in a forest after the rain. ¡°The concentration of spores in the air is significantly higher than on the surface; prepare for poison prevention,¡± Richard warned. ¡°Hmm, the concentration of Water Element in the space is higher; there should be underground water veins nearby,¡± Ali added. The Elemental Creature Bloodline she had fused with was Fire Element. In this environment where the Water Element was denser, she felt very uncomfortable. Lawrence took out the Imaging Crystal Ball distributed by the logistics wizards, activated it, and a sound wave inaudible to human ears emanated from the crystal ball. After a moment, the crystal ball projected an image showing the nearby network of tunnels. ¡°Ali, you were wrong; there¡¯s no underground water vein around here,¡± Lawrence looked at the projected image. ¡°If there were an underground water vein nearby, this image would be affected. This concentration of Water Element is probably due to the special rules of this world. We definitely need to be wary of this. These special rules of otherworlds often lead to many phenomena that do not conform to the common sense of our Wizard World.¡± Having said that, he pointed to a larger hollow space in the image with a small dot inside it. ¡°There¡¯s a cavern here, I suspect there should be an insect inside it.¡± Chapter 127 - Chapter 127: Chapter 27: The Underworld (Part 2) Chapter 127: Chapter 27: The Underworld (Part 2) Slimu was a planting insect from the Aisen Worm Nest. From the moment he was born, he had always lived in this dark, damp cave system. He grew up eating moss, sang among giant mushrooms, ran through tunnels, and swam in underground pools¡ªliving an incredibly free life. Occasionally, he would fantasize about the world outside the nest, but according to the Priest Insects, beyond the nest was an endless expanse of yellow sand, yet there also lay a dazzling starry sky. Slimu had always wanted to see what the real starry sky looked like. Perhaps it was even more beautiful than the Star Mushrooms that dotted the glowing moss. More than a month ago, a Priest Insect he knew had left the Underground Insect Nest. The Priest Insect said, the Mother Worm God had decreed an oracle, instructing all insects of the Insect Country to go to the surface to confront the extraterrestrial enemies. Slimu had seen the abilities of the Priest Insects¡ªflames, thunder, and brilliant starlight that could easily kill the most terrifying Demon Spiders underground. Before such mighty powers, Slimu believed it would definitely be a one-sided war. In the near future, he would hear the Priest Insect tell of the enemies he saw on the surface, boast of his great deeds, and the dazzling starry sky. But a month ago, Slimu suddenly felt a wave of sadness. That sadness nearly overwhelmed his cognitive organs, rendering him immobile for several days, unable to even budge toward his favorite mushrooms. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co Slimu didn¡¯t know what the sadness meant, but after it faded, he resumed his daily work. Every insect of the Black Crystal Worm Clan had their responsibilities, and as a planting insect, Slimu¡¯s task was to cultivate. Billions of insects consumed vast amounts of food daily, most of which were fungi cultivated by the planting insects. Slimu never felt his role was lowly; the notion of lowliness didn¡¯t exist in the entire Black Crystal Worm Clan. They all came from the same Mother Worm; whatever they did was merely a distribution by the Mother Worm. Today, Slimu was cultivating fungi in the cave as usual. The black soil of the Earth Cave contained moisture and minute fungi, which Slimu killed by spitting his slightly acidic saliva into the soil. Then, he took out some white fungal spores from his carapace and threw them into the cleaned soil. This was his favorite type of fungus, called the Warrior Fungus, generally reserved for Warrior Worms, but as a planting insect, he occasionally got to taste it too. The taste of the fungus was quite good; each time he ate it, he felt much stronger. One spore, two spores, three spores¡­ Soon, he had planted the entire cave, but just when he was about to move to the next cave to continue his work, a faint sound traveled through his limbs into his auditory organs. Something was approaching; the footsteps were very heavy, utterly different from those of Black Crystal Worms. Moreover, the owner of these footsteps was rapidly nearing the cave he was in. ¡°Could it be the surface enemies have burrowed down here?¡± A flicker of panic crossed Slimu¡¯s mind. As a planting insect, his body wasn¡¯t designed for combat; in times of danger, they always hid behind Priest Insects and Warrior Worms. ¡°Hide!¡± Slimu made a swift decision. He quickly ran to the edge of the cave, furiously dug a hole with his forelimbs, burying most of his body, leaving only parts on the surface, which he covered with handfuls of mossy mud. Blending with his natural camouflage, Slimu was nearly one with the environment. Bang! Three strange creatures entered the cave. These creatures were short, wearing silk garments only Priest Insects would wear, and to Slimu¡¯s astonishment, these creatures had no carapace; their tender flesh was exposed directly to the outside. ¡°Aren¡¯t they afraid of being attacked?¡± Slimu thought. Soon, Slimu got a good look at the faces of the three creatures. What terrifying faces they had. Their heads were large, but their eyes were pitifully small¡ªwhat could such tiny eyes see? In the Insect Nest, creatures either had no eyes or very large ones. Moreover, they had no antennae on their heads, only something resembling fluffy stuff¡ªwere those degenerated tentacles? What could such tiny tentacles do? It seemed rather foolish to use such tiny tentacles to hear sounds. After watching for a while, Slimu thought these creatures were truly ugly, even the ugliest insect in the nest looked a hundred times better. Their voices traveled through the ground to his limbs, and then into Slimu¡¯s auditory organs. It seemed they were discussing something. Then, the group of creatures began digging up the fungal spores he had just planted, and one even tasted it by throwing it into what seemed like a mouth. Good heavens, these creatures seemed to eat anything. Slimu quietly watched from a corner. Although he had a very low opinion of these few creatures, their strength made him dare not make a single move. These creatures emanated an aura only seen in battles involving Priest Insects. Slimu watched as one of the creatures dug up the fungus he had just planted; each time one was dug up, his heart ached. What a great variety of fungus, if it continues to grow, there will definitely be a bumper harvest. But before Slay could grieve any longer, Richard arrived in front of him, having dug out all the fungus, and pulled it out of the ground in one go. The group had discovered it immediately upon entering, using their spiritual power. ¡°What is this type of insect called again? A planting insect?¡± ¡°Let me see¡­this is a planting insect.¡± Richard looked at the planting insect in his hands, over a meter long and constantly struggling, feeling somewhat surprised. He had tasted some of the fungus earlier and discovered a life-active material inside that, if consumed regularly, could promote physical development and accelerate evolution. Now that he had found the insect that could cultivate them, he might be able to grow this fungus himself in the future. ¡°How is the Slave Seal used again¡­¡± Richard held the Slave Seal distributed by the command headquarters, which was engraved with the Soul School¡¯s slave mark spell on the inside. This spell, developed by the Stockholm Great Wizard, was designed for creatures below Level 1 Creatures. Once marked with the slave mark, the enslaved creature would naturally obey the Wizard¡¯s commands. Therefore, whatever Great Wizard went on a plane expedition, this Magic Equipment would be distributed in large quantities to capture low-level alien slaves. Richard infused Magic Power into the Seal and then stamped it onto the body of the planting insect. The next moment, Slay¡¯s thinking organs felt dizzy, and the creatures in front of him no longer seemed repulsive to him. ¡°What have they done to me?¡± Slay thought in fear. Richard loosened his grip, took out a Warrior Fungus spore, and communicated with Slay using spiritual power. ¡°Alien, tell me how many more of these seeds you have.¡± ¡°Alien?¡± Slay could clearly feel the discrimination in the term. It wanted to question, to curse, but the words turned into answers to the question. ¡°I still have one bag of Warrior Fungus seeds.¡± ¡°Where are they kept?¡± ¡°In¡­in¡­¡± Slay instinctively resisted giving the answer because it would lead these creatures to their settlement, but the more it resisted, the more painful its body felt. This pain did not come from the body but from the soul. Due to the effect of the slave mark, Slay was essentially split into two personalities: Alien Slave Slay and Black Crystal Worm Clan Slay. They struggled for control of the body in Slay¡¯s thinking organs, like two wild beasts tearing at each other. Finally¡­ Alien Slave Slay won, or rather, the Alien Slave won. Black Crystal Worm Clan Slay had already turned into a remnant of the spirit¡ª even if the slave mark were removed, it could not return. ¡°They are in our settlement.¡± Richard nodded in satisfaction, pleased with the effect of the slave mark. Seeing the pain Slay was in, he had been ready to deal with this insect. ¡°Good, lead us there.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ Master.¡± ¡­ The environment of the Underground Insect Nest became progressively warmer and more humid as they descended, resembling a volcanic hot spring. While heading towards the Black Crystal Worm Clan¡¯s settlement, Richard passed several caves cultivated by the Black Crystal Worm Clan and encountered many planting insects. All these planting insects became Richard¡¯s slaves. Due to the vast number of planting insects, their value in the Black Tower Great Wizard¡¯s market was merely a Magic Stone each¡ªneither Ali nor Lawrence cared much for such a small amount of Magic Stones. In these caves, Richard encountered many peculiar creatures and collected many biological specimens. As a Wizard, being curious about the world is an essential quality. Among these, a fungus called Sacrificial Fungus, cultivated by the planting insects, surprised the three Wizards greatly. As the exclusive food for Sacrificial Insects, this fungus had the effects of stimulating spiritual power growth and healing soul injuries¡ªalthough these effects were very weak, they were still enough to surprise the Wizards, especially Richard. Ulysses¡¯ soul injuries required a large amount of Soul Crystals for recovery, and since Soul Crystals were quite expensive, using this fungus to heal Ulysses¡¯ injuries undoubtedly saved Richard a considerable amount of Magic Stones. Following the tunnel, the three Wizards soon reached the Black Crystal Worm settlement that Slay had mentioned. This settlement was located in a large cave. The floor of the cave was covered with huge blue glowing fungi, under which there was a layer of glowing moss resembling velvet. The Black Crystal Worm Clan moved among the giant fungi, their limbs brushing against the moss creating subtle frictions, and occasionally, they emitted deep, rumbling calls. The entire cave looked misty and eerie. Lawrence waved his Magic Wand, and a pitch-black bat emerged from his shadow. This was a shadow creature contracted from the Shadow Plane by Lawrence, whose ability to hide in shadows was well-suited for ambushes. The Shadow Bat turned into a shadow and entered the settlement, returning to Lawrence¡¯s shadow shortly after. ¡°No Warrior Worms, no Sacrificial Insects,¡± Lawrence relayed the message brought by the bat. ¡°None? Looks like we¡¯re in luck,¡± Richard said, somewhat surprised. With the Black Crystal Worm Clan¡¯s retreat, quite a few insects had entered the Insect Nest and fought guerrilla warfare against the Wizards, but the nest was so vast that definitely there were areas untouched by these defeated troops. Encountering these places was no different from picking up money on the ground. ¡°But the Shadow Bat also brought back a strange message¡­¡± Lawrence hesitated, ¡°It said there are a few odd things among this group of insects.¡±