《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.¡± Chapter 128 - Chapter 128: Chapter 28 Underground World (3) Chapter 128: Chapter 28 Underground World (3) ¡°Strange creatures?¡± Richard asked, puzzled, ¡°What kind of strange?¡± ¡°According to what the Shadow Bats saw, there are quite a few insects with spider lower halves in this settlement. These creatures are not weak; each of them possesses the strength of Level 1 Creatures.¡± Richard turned to look at Slimu, ¡°What kind of insect is this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either. I have been away from the colony for nearly half a month. It¡¯s possible other insects have come up from the deeper Earth Caves.¡± Seeing that Slimu didn¡¯t know either, Richard could only put him into the Slave Pocket to prevent him from getting caught up in the battle. ¡°A new type of insect it is, then. We¡¯ve come here to clear them out.¡± They took out the Concealing Potion prepared by headquarters from their pockets and sprinkled some on themselves. This potion was said to mask their scent from the Black Crystal Worm Clan, but according to Richard¡¯s observation, the Insect Race in the Underground Insect Nest was far more sensitive to the vibrations of sound waves than to scents. Concealing their scent was, at best, of marginal benefit. As Black Wizards, all three had their own stealth techniques. Richard activated his Concealer Cloak and casually applied a Silence Technique on himself as he silently entered the settlement from the shadows. Ali produced a necklace that had an Invisibility Technique inscribed on it. Once activated, Ali¡¯s figure instantly vanished in the cave. And as the most experienced of the three, Lawrence had even simpler methods. He waved his Magic Wand, transforming himself instantly into a shadow that flowed like water along the ground towards the settlement. Employing their Divine Skills, they quickly infiltrated the settlement. The Black Crystal Insects in the settlement were extremely busy. They continuously moved the previously stored food from their storerooms and packed the large bundles of rod-shaped fungi onto dedicated Transport Worms, which then transported them to other Earth Caves. It seemed that the Resistance Army of the Black Crystal Worm Clan had already made contact with this settlement. The three infiltrating Wizards, upon seeing this, didn¡¯t rush to intervene. Instead, they each used their means to leave their own tracking marks on these Transport Worms. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï Shortly after entering the settlement, Richard found the strange insects that Lawrence had mentioned. These insects had bodies completely different from the other Black Crystal Insects. Their upper bodies were covered with a matte black carapace, bearing four Blade Arms, and no wings on their back. Between the seams of the armor were exposed fine black hairs. Their lower bodies were that of a particularly fierce spider, which seemed to have its own mind. Its eight eyes perpetually rotated, and its mouth dropped sharp fangs dripping with purple venom. These few Insect Race members were gathered in the very center of the settlement, conversing with the village head. ¡°Village head, you must not stay here,¡± a Half-Spider Black Crystal Worm began, ¡°The creatures on the surface are beyond what you can imagine. Staying here will only make you slaves.¡± Facing him, an old planting insect tremblingly stood up. He was fifty years old, a venerable age for a planting insect. If he hadn¡¯t become the village head, he might have gone to meet the Mother Worm God long ago. ¡°Spider Knight, sir, I am too old to be of any help to you below. And I have lived in this Earth Cave for fifty years. I wish to return to the Mother Worm God¡¯s embrace here.¡± ¡°Village head, don¡¯t be stubborn,¡± another Spider Knight persuaded. ¡°Your experience is very helpful for managing the planting insects. The Insect Nest needs talents like you now. Besides, you want to return to the embrace of the Mother Worm God, but if you stay here, you will never be able to return to her side. Those creatures will enslave you with evil methods and pry out all the information about the Insect Nest from you. By that time, it¡¯s not only a problem for one insect!¡± The Spider Knight¡¯s voice was very stern, and the high-frequency calls even made Richard feel his anger from not far away. ¡°Such anger isn¡¯t good,¡± Richard picked up his Pure Gold Magic Wand, ¡°Getting angry is bad for your health.¡± Boom! The three Black Wizards, as if by telepathy, launched their attacks simultaneously. Richard waved his wand, and three black Fireballs flew out instantly. With the enhancement of the wand, the might of these Fireballs, merged with Annihilation Flame, increased by nearly a fifth from an Energy Level of four hundred to close to five hundred. Ali, like Richard, sent out purple Fireballs with terrifying heat that smashed into one of the Spider Knights instantly. And Lawrence¡¯s Spell was somewhat eerie. Materializing from the shadows, he waved his wand, and a host of black insects crawled out of the shadows of the two Spider Knights, frantically devouring their bodies. ¡°Enemy attack! Those creatures have invaded the Insect Nest!¡± One of the Spider Knights let out a sharp, high-frequency call, instantly alerting all the insects in the settlement. The planting insects and Transport Worms started moving down to the lower Earth Caves, while the few remaining Spider Knights began their counterattack. ¡°Monsters! Don¡¯t think you can be arrogant just because you won a battle on the surface!¡± A Spider Knight charged angrily at Richard, its spider half rushing towards him with astonishing speed. Elsewhere, the rest of the Spider Knights also began their assault. Lawrence had the strongest Magic Fluctuation among the three, so a full three Spider Knights charged at him, while Ali¡¯s powerful spells also attracted two Spider Knights. The Spider Knights were incredibly fast and reached Richard in the blink of an eye. The returning Black Crystal Insects had told him that these creatures, like themselves, were divided into ¡°Samurai¡± and ¡°Priests¡±. Samurai were physically strong but not skilled in harnessing Elements, while Priests were skilled at harnessing Elements but had slightly weaker Physique. Now that he saw these three creatures were all using magical attacks, he figured he was facing ¡°Priests¡± and was confident that hand-to-hand combat would lead to a complete victory. Only to see the Spider Knight coat its two pairs of Blade Arms with a layer of black Energy and slash towards Richard¡¯s body, leaving four black marks in the air. ¡°Die, monster!¡± But the very next moment, he realized something was wrong. Clang! A metal rod with faint gold vein patterns blocked his Blade Arms. The Dark Erosion Power coating his arms tried to corrode the rod, but it didn¡¯t even leave a mark. ¡°` He tried to draw his sword for another chop, but found that the monster¡¯s mouthparts had formed a subtle arch. It seemed to mock his overestimation of his own strength. ¡°Monster, you¡¯re asking for death!¡± The Spider Knight¡¯s vocal organs emitted a sharp explosion of sound, its four blade arms retracted, poised to strike again. But then it saw its foe¡¯s arm muscles suddenly swell, as if amassing a fearsome power within. Bang! The Spider Knight¡¯s limbs froze in midair, then feebly slid down. A metal staff fell from the sky, smashing from the head down, breaking the creature¡¯s body in half. Richard retracted his magic wand, which was mixed with pure gold, a material of high quality even among melee weapons. Not to mention that Richard, the Alchemy Wizard, had subtly added a rune array to it, making the staff heavier when swung, further enhancing its chopping power. After dealing with the Spider Knight at hand, Richard was about to offer support when he noticed that after the death of the Spider Knight, its spider half below was still alive and even trying to attack him. The spider spat a jet of purple venom from its mouthparts, which Richard blocked with a magic barrier, causing it to fall to the ground and emit puffs of white smoke. On closer inspection, he found that the stone floor had been corroded into a deep pit by the venom. ¡°Interesting, the venom is laced with dark erosion energy.¡± Richard¡¯s magic wand swung down, whistling through the air. Pfft. The spider¡¯s body was smashed to pieces, its life extinguished instantly. Richard easily resolved his situation, but the battles for the other two wizards were not so favorable. Lawrence and Ali, neither being of the strong physique type, struggled once in close quarters; their powerful spells were difficult to cast, and they could only seek to create distance. But despite the Spider Knight¡¯s seemingly clumsy appearance, they moved as quick as lightning. Without a skill like spatial teleportation, gaining distance was extremely difficult. Lawrence was holding up alright. The seasoned Black Wizard¡¯s mastery of shadow magic made him thrive in the confines of the cave, toying with three Spider Knights. Given more time, he was sure to take them down. But Ali was having a tougher time. As an artillery mage, her spells were massively powerful, usually causing area damage. If used in close quarters, it was likely that, rather than killing the Spider Knight, she would perish first. Two Spider Knights, one on each side, lifted waves upon her magic barrier with their eight blade arms, looking dangerously close to collapse. Zzzt! Both Spider Knights spat two jets of venom, each infused with dark erosion power, turning into a purple mist in the air that circled around the defense of the magic barrier and into Ali¡¯s inner circle. The magic barrier¡¯s defense against physical attacks had a lower speed limit, allowing slower-moving objects to penetrate it. This limit was designed to prevent a wizard from suffocating during a siege, but at this moment it turned into a death knell for Ali. Zzzt! Two more jets of venom, and dense poison fog instantly enveloped Ali. The two Spider Knights followed closely, preventing her from escaping the toxic cloud. ¡°Damn it!¡± Ali¡¯s face hardened, and her staff began to gather elemental energy. If she hesitated any longer, she¡¯d be poisoned to death! ¡°Ali, stop.¡± A deep voice came from within the poison mist. Two buzzing sounds were heard, and two black orbs instantly consumed the upper halves of the two Spider Knights. Then a figure waved its magic wand and black flames instantly burned the poisonous fog in the air clean away. ¡°Richard!¡± Ali exclaimed with joy. ¡°Take care of the spiders; they¡¯re not quite dead yet.¡± With that, Richard turned to assist Lawrence. The magic wand, ablaze with black flames, swung with a whistling sound, sending a Spider Knight flying and cracking both pairs of its blade arms. Seizing the opportunity, Lawrence manipulated the shadow on the ground, which struck like flowing water, penetrating the cracks in the Spider Knight¡¯s armor in an instant; shortly after, dark purple blood seeped from the crevices. The remaining two Spider Knights, seeing the battle turning against them, turned to run. But Ali, having recovered her strength, would not let them escape. A purple fireball flew past Richard and instantaneously blasted the two Spider Knights apart. ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± Richard dusted off his hands and walked to the body of a Spider Knight. ¡°Now, who among us should report to the Floating City about the emergence of new insects?¡± ¡°` COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 129 - Chapter 129: Chapter 29: The Underworld (Part 4) Chapter 129: Chapter 29: The Underworld (Part 4) Spider Knights hadn¡¯t been mentioned in the intelligence report from the command center, which was undoubtedly a new piece of information for them. If this intelligence could be reported, the command center would reward the reporter. However, the issue at hand was that this reward would only go to the wizard who discovered it first. Therefore, the trio had to find a wizard with enough speed to go and report. ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± Ali came to Richard¡¯s side and stuffed the corpse of a Spider Knight into a Magic Pocket. ¡°I have a two-way Communication Crystal Ball with my mentor, and although its range is not large, it¡¯s still faster than you flying to the Floating City to report.¡± Richard and Lawrence exchanged glances, sharing their opinions. ¡°Okay, how shall we split the reward?¡± Lawrence spoke up. He was a Free Wizard and placed a lot of importance on benefits. Richard suggested, ¡°How about we split it evenly?¡± Lawrence paused for a moment, then nodded, ¡°Alright.¡± Seeing Lawrence agree to the split, Ali didn¡¯t linger any longer and immediately took off with the Spider Knight¡¯s corpse heading for the Floating City. Once Ali left, Lawrence didn¡¯t plan to idle around either. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã? ¡°I¡¯m going to scout below, I¡¯ll be back in about six hours,¡± Lawrence said in a deep voice. ¡°I¡¯ll leave a Magic Mark. If I don¡¯t come back, that means there¡¯s a problem with this route.¡± Richard nodded. They were just a temporary team, and it was not his place to concern himself with Lawrence¡¯s actions. It was not his duty to rescue Lawrence should he encounter danger, nor was he entitled to a share of any treasures Laurence might find. ¡­ Lawrence took two Spider Knight corpses from the ground and left. After he was gone, Richard roamed the settlement. The settlement had no buildings other than a warehouse and at first Richard thought the insects were exposed to the elements, but upon scanning with spiritual power, he found that the Black Crystal Insects actually lived inside these gigantic fungi. Due to the properties of the fungus, even hollowed out, they could still live normally supported by the outer layer connected to the mycelium. After searching the settlement, Richard found several bundles of edible fungus from inside these fungal houses, left behind by the Black Crystal Insects. Rich in nutrients, these edible fungi were slightly toxic to humans but harmless to Black Crystal Insects. After scavenging through the settlement, Richard found a place to open a Secret Realm Rift and brought out an Alchemy Golem. As the mission involved an Underground Insect Nest, many areas were very narrow, barely passable for humans, let alone large creatures like Alchemy Golems. However, the cave housing the entire settlement was large enough for the Golem to move around, so Richard brought it out to serve as a sentinel. Nobody knew if the insects would launch a counterattack. If they returned while Richard was busy with his research, the Alchemy Golem¡¯s alert would allow him to respond accordingly. Having set up the Golem, Richard unfastened the pouch at his waist and released Ulysses. These days, with no wars brewing, Ulysses had been confined to the pouch, and with the Great Wizard in Floating City, both Richard and Ulysses feared being discovered. ¡°Squawk! Finally out of that damn place.¡± Ulysses flew out of the pocket, circled in the air a few times, and landed on Richard¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Squawk, where is this? Looks like we¡¯re underground.¡± ¡°We are. Head into the tunnels and scout it out,¡± Richard pointed to an entrance of the Earth Cave, ¡°Be careful, don¡¯t damage your body.¡± Although Ulysses¡¯ essence was that of a World Master, his body was still at Level 1. If he encountered Level 2 creatures, Ulysses wouldn¡¯t have many options. ¡°Squawk, don¡¯t worry.¡± Ulysses flew towards the entrance but paused halfway. ¡°Squawk! You¡¯re sending me out on these minor tasks again!¡± Richard waved his hand dismissively, pointing to the nearby insect corpses. ¡°I¡¯ve saved one for you to taste, now hurry up and go.¡± ¡­ Richard found a fungal room and dragged a corpse of a Spider Knight into it. As a student of Jolod, he had some understanding of Synthetic Beasts, and the construction of these Spider Knights felt very strange to him, almost as if two creatures had been forcibly stitched together. Laying the Spider Knight¡¯s body on the ground, Richard took a Rune Scalpel out of his Magic Pocket. This scalpel was the one he had found in the Wizard¡¯s laboratory; despite the passage of time, its enchanted Rune still glimmered. After acquiring it, Richard had extracted the techniques within it and enhanced it with current Alchemy Technology. Although the secrecy with knowledge among wizards made the civilization appear to progress slowly, after many years, the average level of Wizard Technology during the pioneering period was far higher than that at the end of the Enlightenment period. If the Truth Wizards could establish an institution like a grand library in the Academy and compile all the knowledge of Wizard World below Four Rings for everyone to search and study, Then the technical level of the Wizard Civilization would make a qualitative leap. Of course, this was just a pipe dream for Richard; unless there was immense external pressure, even Truth Wizards couldn¡¯t convince other wizards to share their research findings. The modified scalpel was very sharp, allowing Richard to easily slice through the armor and muscles of the Spider Knight. The ease was partly due to the Spider Knight¡¯s death, which had caused its internal energy cycle to dissipate and its cells to die, but the sharpness of the scalpel also played a significant role. Lifting the carapace, the inner structure of the Spider Knight was exposed before Richard¡¯s eyes. Muscles, blood vessels, bones, nerves¡­ Richard meticulously dissected the corpse in his hands, revealing the various anatomical structures of the Spider Knight before him. Just as Richard had suspected, the Spider Knight was indeed a fusion of two creatures. The upper half of the Black Crystal Insect and the lower half of the spider completely differed in species; the spider¡¯s lower half contained a complete digestive system, energy cycle system, and cognitive organs. However, the cognitive organs of the spider had been invaded by the nerves of the Black Crystal Insect, causing the original function of those organs to cease and be repurposed into a command relay station. Commands from the cognitive organs of the Black Crystal Insect were transmitted via the nerves into the Spider Knight¡¯s cognitive organs and then further passed to the lower half of the spider. This modification was ingenious. The connection of the nerves was precise and even allowed energy systems to merge, enabling the Spider Knight to harness the Dark Erosion Energy. Compared to the alterations, the biological modification techniques Richard had learned from Jolod were crude, bulky contraptions that simply had to work. ¡°No wonder Plane Wars are so perilous, yet so many Wizards rush headlong into them,¡± Richard mused as he examined the Spider Knight¡¯s body. ¡°The boundless Star Realm hides countless pieces of knowledge; even from a Miniature World with civilizations far less advanced than the Wizard World, one can learn such sophisticated knowledge.¡± The body modifications of the Spider Knight greatly inspired Richard. With this single corpse, his biological modification skills climbed to a new level. He took out an Image Capturing Crystal Ball from his Magic Pocket, meticulously recording the dissected structure of the Spider Knight for future in-depth study or exchange of knowledge with other Wizards. Suddenly, an alarm from an Alchemy Golem sounded from outside the door. ¡°Alert, alert, unknown Level 1 Creatures have invaded!¡± The Alchemy Golem loudly broadcasted the alert, its stone figure illuminated with Rune after Rune. In front of it, two Spider Knights clad in metallic Armor entered the Earth Cave through a tunnel. ¡°We¡¯ve been discovered, attack!¡± The two Spider Knights locked eyes and immediately charged the Alchemy Golem sounding the alarm. Bang! With Runes blazing on its hands, the Alchemy Golem¡¯s Molten Iron Fists, radiating terrifying heat, punched one Spider Knight back several meters. The lower half¡¯s Bead Legs plowed deep furrows in the ground, and its metal Armor glowed red from the heat, releasing a burning stench into the air. While the Alchemy Golem was attacking, the other Spider Knight swiftly approached it. Its four Blade Arms shrouded in Dark Erosion Energy, it fiercely slashed at the Alchemy Golem. A crisp sound was heard as it carved a diamond-shaped hole into the side of the Alchemy Golem, revealing the Power Supply Magic Stone within it. ¡°Stone?¡± The Spider Knight was startled. It had heard that these creatures from the surface had some unique abilities, but surely these should at least be creatures of Flesh and blood, or at worst Elemental beings. What was this, a Stone Giant? Before the Spider Knight could comprehend the situation, a command came from behind the Alchemy Golem. ¡°Return.¡± At the command, the Alchemy Golem lumbered back. The Spider Knight saw a Flesh and blood creature cloaked in black emerge from a fungus house, holding a black metal long staff. ¡°So it¡¯s a Puppet.¡± With a sneer, it emitted a series of explosive clicks from its mandibles. ¡°Kill him!¡± Richard watched the two Spider Knights with an expressionless face. To him, they seemed to turn transparent. After dissecting a Spider Knight, he had a clear understanding of this type of creature¡¯s anatomy. The two insects charged at Richard, one from each side. Eight Blade Arms, shrouded in Dark Erosion Energy, traced eight black lines through the air. ¡°Hmph.¡± With a cold laugh, Richard instantly summoned the Hearts of Annihilation beside him, firing them off and forcing the two Spider Knights to dodge in panic. These natives usually possessed Wild Intuition, a supremely sharp sense of danger. Though the Hearts of Annihilation appeared unassuming, they didn¡¯t deceive them in the slightest. But Richard hadn¡¯t planned to use the Hearts of Annihilation to deal with them. The Hearts of Annihilation disrupted their coordination and exposed a gap. Seizing the opportunity, Richard stepped forward and instantly rushed to one Spider Knight¡¯s side. ¡°As modified creatures, your weaknesses are more fatal than those of other beings.¡± With a derisive laugh, Richard¡¯s muscles bulged as he thrust his black-flaming Magic Wand into the Spider Knight¡¯s waist; a ¡°crack¡± sound followed, as the carapace cracked open under the wand¡¯s impact, penetrating the Spider Knight and emitting a ¡°sizzling¡± sear at the wound. ¡°Once your nervous connection hubs are damaged, your lower halves are immobilized. Moreover, your energy circulation will also malfunction, rendering your whole body muscle weak.¡± Retrieving his Magic Wand nonchalantly, Richard spun and charged towards the other Spider Knight. The Spider Knight didn¡¯t understand what Richard was saying, but seeing its companion suddenly unable to move, it felt a profound sense of dread. What exactly had this monster done? But the current situation left no room for contemplation. The Spider Knight injected all its Energy into its limbs, nearly materializing the Dark Erosion Energy on its four Blade Arms. ¡°Die!¡± From its mouthparts came a sharp, piercing shriek as its limb blades instantly cut off all of Richard¡¯s escape routes. However, in the next instant, Richard¡¯s figure vanished. Crack. ¡°Foolish creature.¡± Richard¡¯s voice echoed from behind the Spider Knight. In the underground caverns, Shadow Shuttling was an invaluable ability. Richard calmly pulled his Magic Wand from the Spider Knight, then silently moved out of their attack range. Within moments, both Spider Knights were deprived of any ability to resist. Right in front of them, Richard leisurely crafted a neuro-paralytic Poison. ¡°Two Level 1 Creatures should fetch a decent price.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 130 - Chapter 130: Chapter 30: The Underworld (5) Chapter 130: Chapter 30: The Underworld (5) Richard was calmly preparing his poison when some noise came from the entrance of the cave. Richard looked over cautiously, with his magic wand beginning to gather elements. Suddenly, a figure with sparks on her emerged from the tunnel and waved at him. ¡°Richard, I¡¯m back.¡± As he recognized the newcomer, Richard breathed a sigh of relief; it was Ali, who had gone back to report the intelligence. ¡°How did it go? Did you get the reward?¡± Richard stopped what he was doing and looked eagerly at Ali. ¡°Hehe, we were the first to encounter this type of insect, so command gave us a reward of five hundred magic essences.¡± Ali smirked proudly and took a bag of magic essence out of her pocket to hand to Richard. This time, it was fortunate that she had gone back to report. On the way, she had used the communication crystal ball to directly send the intelligence to command. If she had been even a bit slower, other wizards would have taken the reward for this intelligence. Richard accepted the magic essence and casually put it into his magic pocket, then resumed concocting the alchemy poison. Ali saw the two spider knights not far away, her expression immediately tensed. ¡°Richard, what¡¯s with these two half-spider black crystal worms?¡± Ali gripped her magic wand, her voice laced with nervousness. ¡°These insects came to attack me just now. I damaged their nerve centers, and I¡¯m now concocting poison to knock them out.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?? While speaking, Richard¡¯s beaker emitted a puff of smoke, and a thick liquid that gave off a strange stench permeated the air within the beaker. This kind of alchemy poison could paralyze the nerves of creatures; it was very effective on flesh-and-blood creatures but had no effect on elemental beings or half-elemental creatures. Richard swung his magic wand, and the liquid in the beaker turned into a cloud of black smoke that enveloped the two spider knights. This poison could be absorbed through the skin and mucous membranes; even if the spider knights didn¡¯t breathe, it would be useless. The spider knights let out several shrill cries as their blade arms tried to swing but to no avail. After struggling for five or six minutes, the two spider knights finally succumbed to a state of nerve paralysis. Richard approached and severed their nerves, then injected new poison into their bodies. This was a recovery inhibitor; for the next half month, the bodies of these two spider knights would be suppressed to an insignificant level. ¡°You¡¯ve picked up magic potion studies again?¡± Ali was somewhat surprised. She was well aware of Richard¡¯s research. Over the years, Richard had been studying magic equipment, alchemy machinery, and some plastic energy studies, but now, it seemed that Richard had also picked up magic potion studies again, and he had even made some progress. Concocting alchemy poison that could paralyze level 1 creatures wasn¡¯t something that could be done casually. Richard gave a faint smile. Thanks to the Miracle Furnace, he had unlocked much ¡°blind box¡± knowledge from encrypted notes. Though these pieces of knowledge were not systematic and difficult to delve into, they significantly increased Richard¡¯s range of methods. After storing the two spider knights in his pocket, Richard took out a pocket watch and checked the time. It had been almost ten hours since Lawrence had left, far exceeding the six hours he had said. With such a long time gone, did he come across a huge opportunity or danger? ¡°Where did Lawrence go?¡± Ali probed the surrounding area with her spiritual power and finally noticed someone was missing. ¡°Lawrence went down to explore the next level of the cave after you left. He said he would be back in six hours, but it¡¯s been nearly ten hours now,¡± Richard explained to Ali. ¡°So, what do we do? Keep waiting for him?¡± Richard frowned deeply, slowly shaking his head. ¡°Let¡¯s wait a little longer; I¡¯ve also sent something down to scout the path.¡± The two waited another hour, and finally, a black shadow flew out of the hole. ¡°Caw, I¡¯m back.¡± Ulysses flew out of the hole, clutching in its talons a shadow creature that Richard was all too familiar with. ¡°What¡¯s in your talons?¡± Ulysses flew to Richard¡¯s side and threw the thing from its talons onto the ground. Upon closer inspection, Richard recognized it as Lawrence¡¯s shadow bat. ¡°Why did you capture Lawrence¡¯s bat?¡± Richard asked in bewilderment. ¡°Caw, you mean that wizard? He¡¯s in big trouble,¡± Ulysses perched on Richard¡¯s shoulder, conveying through spiritual power, ¡°That wizard is surrounded by a bunch of insects and has also been sealed by a white worm. I bet the insects have eaten him by now.¡± ¡°What happened? Tell me in detail,¡± Richard¡¯s heart jolted. As an old wizard who had been through two plane wars, how could Lawrence be so easily entrapped? ¡°Caw, I¡¯m not quite sure. I was scouting the tunnels as you told me, then I flew into an earth cave like this one and saw the little guy being attacked by a swarm of insects. It seemed like he saw me, and as he was being sealed by the white worm, he threw this little bat at me. The insects saw it and tried to keep me too, what wishful thinking. I just¡­¡± Ulysses¡¯ remaining words were praises for himself, which Richard had no interest in hearing. He picked up the shadow bat from the ground, and the moment he touched it, the bat suddenly opened its eyes and spat out a contract. Richard picked up the contract; its contents were simple. Lawrence was offering a price of one thousand magic essences for Richard and Ali to come and rescue him. ¡°Caw, what does it say?¡± Ulysses curiously peered over. ¡°Nothing. Just a call for help,¡± Richard said dismissively, handing the contract to Ali beside him, ¡°Ali, what do you think? Should we rescue him?¡± ¡°I?¡± Ali took the contract, glanced at it, and shook her head, ¡°I definitely wouldn¡¯t go myself; the space in the dungeon is too small, and I¡¯m somewhat afraid of burying myself. ¡°What, are you going to save him? Our earnings this time have to be split in half with the Academy.¡± Richard looked at the contract, somewhat undecided. Even if half of the profits went to the Academy, there would still be five hundred thousand Magic Stones, which was not a small number. If Lawrence had been talking about emotions, friendships, Richard certainly wouldn¡¯t have gone to save him, but the concrete benefits truly tempted Richard. ¡°I do have some thoughts, but I¡¯ll decide after I get a clear picture.¡± Richard put the contract into his pocket; he planned to go and check out Lawrence¡¯s situation. If the guards there weren¡¯t very strict, Richard would go and rescue him. But if they were, or if he was already dead, Richard would just dust himself off and leave. A Wizard he had only recently met wasn¡¯t worth risking his life for. ¡°You¡¯re tempted?¡± Ali was somewhat surprised; she remembered that Richard had always disliked taking risks. ¡°No choice, I¡¯m too poor.¡± Richard spread his hands; his entire strength was bought with Magic Stones. The Adaptation Body was a bottomless pit, having swallowed up most of the Magic Stones Richard had earned over the decades. No wonder Jolod stopped training after being able to resist a thousand Energy Level of damage. Besides the Adaptation Body, his daily research also required Magic Stones, as did upgrading Magic Equipment with wand heads. Moreover, once he returned, the free residence period provided by the Tower of Truth would also be up, and if he wanted to stay in the residential level, it would cost a significant amount of Magic Stones. On top of that, he hadn¡¯t even accounted for the startup capital of the Wizard Commerce, the shaping of Ulysses¡¯s body, and the recovery of his soul¡¯s injuries. Thinking about all that Magic Stone expenditure made Richard¡¯s scalp tingle. ¡°Fine.¡± Ali shrugged her shoulders, ¡°I¡¯ll join you, I¡¯ll take only two hundred thousand Magic Stones.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Richard was startled, ¡°Don¡¯t you need Magic Stones?¡± Ali made a face at him: ¡°Isn¡¯t someone risking danger for Magic Stones? Besides, my abilities can¡¯t be fully utilized in these underground nests; even getting two hundred thousand is pretty cheeky of me. Another Wizard would probably only share a hundred thousand with me.¡± ¡°Then¡­ I also take a hundred thousand?¡± Richard said off the cuff. Ali was taken aback upon hearing this, and then, in a fit of indignation, swung her Magic Wand. ¡°Get lost! Not one less than two hundred thousand!¡± ¡­ Lawrence had left quite a few Magic Power marks while scouting, which were especially conspicuous to Wizards. Following these marks, Richard quickly reached the Earth Cave Ulysses had mentioned. It was a medium-sized settlement; from the remaining structures, this settlement must have once been bustling, but it was now completely devoid of life. Richard did not rashly enter the cave. Lawrence¡¯s vigilance went without saying, and with strength that was top-notch among One Ring Wizards, the fact that such a person was captured likely involved traps. ¡°You go check it out,¡± Richard commanded Ulysses. ¡°Ga, my life is really tough, falling into your hands. My injuries have barely healed, and every day I have to check traps for you.¡± Despite his complaints, Ulysses still spread his wings and entered the cave. The cave was silent, with giant luminescent fungi emitting a soft blue glow. Ulysses flew around the cave, confirming that there were no traps or alarms left behind. Richard and Ali entered, and from the signs of struggle on the ground, it seemed Lawrence was sealed by Sacrificial Insects with the Starlight Seal after hardly any resistance. ¡°Could it not be a trap?¡± Richard speculated in his mind. Due to pre-war beliefs that none of the Insect Countries would be defeated, many treasures were left in the upper layers of the Insect Nests. And because of the advancing frontlines, as well as the complex structure of the nests, Wizards had not completely scavenged the nests, with many things likely still remaining in the surface nests. Now that these insects were defeated and the remnants went underground, resisting, Richard made a bold guess based on the information. These insects were probably heading to the upper nests in search of supplies, and Lawrence unfortunately ran into them. Richard shared this theory with Ali, who also thought it made a lot of sense. ¡°Who knows, we might make a big profit this time.¡± Excitement flashed in Ali¡¯s eyes. Taking out the Shadow Bat, Richard handed it to Ali for her to divine Lawrence¡¯s approximate location. As a dual School Wizard, Ali could do more than just throw Fireballs; Curse Divination was also within her capabilities. Ali took an altar out of her Magic Pocket, drew a disk with blood on it, placed a Curse Worm with two stripes on it into the disk, and used a bone as a pointer. Then, she placed the Shadow Bat on the altar and chanted ancient Spells. As Magic Power infused the altar, the originally plain stone altar began to reveal black patterns, and an ancient, eerie atmosphere spread out from it. ¡°Ga, kid, this woman of yours is no joke. This thing, I¡¯ve seen a Divine being with a similar method in our world, who as a Divine being even the Main God would show respect to. Their Race is also one we take very seriously,¡± Ulysses communicated to Richard with spiritual power. ¡°This is Curse Magic from one of the Five Major Schools,¡± Richard explained. ¡°Ga! Then you must have a Divine King who is adept at this stuff!¡± Ulysses exclaimed, ¡°Anyone who starts a civilization war with you is bound to be extremely unlucky.¡± Richard said no more; according to rumors among Wizards, it had been a long time since a Truth Wizard from the Curse School appeared. There were even rumors that they had died. As Ali¡¯s Spell neared completion, the bone pointer on the altar began to slightly wobble and eventually wavered in one direction. ¡°Done.¡± Ali picked up the pointer and held it in her hand, ¡°This pointer will now indicate Lawrence¡¯s approximate direction for the next three hours!¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 131 - Chapter 131: Chapter 31 Treasures Left by the Mother Worm God Chapter 131: Chapter 31 Treasures Left by the Mother Worm God Richard picked up the bone pointer with some curiosity and laid it flat in his palm. The bone pointer trembled slightly and the direction of the pointer pointed towards the same direction as before. ¡°Curse magic is truly miraculous,¡± Richard sighed, handing the bone pointer back to Ali, and then went to the side of the Alchemy Golem, returning it to the Secret Realm. This thing couldn¡¯t burrow through tunnels. Following the direction of the bone pointer, Richard and his companion continued down the tunnel. During the journey, Richard kept encountering traces of the Black Crystal Insects¡¯ movements. This reassured Richard that the direction of the bone pointer was accurate. As they descended deeper into the Underground Insect Nest, the environment became warmer and more humid. The surrounding fungi grew denser, covering many of the advancing tunnels which they could only find by using spiritual power. This greatly slowed their pursuit speed. But fortunately, the environment also made the traces left by the insects more apparent, allowing Richard to continue tracking based on the residual signs even after the spells failed. A month later. Bang! With a muffled sound, a small-sized purple fireball blasted open the fungi blocking the tunnel. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï At this moment, Richard and his companion had reached the middle layer of the Insect Nest, where not only was the environment warmer and more humid, but the magic power in the air had also significantly increased. Along with the magic power, Richard felt a surging Life Energy. This Life Energy made the fungi¡¯s Life Energy even more formidable, with even a single fungal hypha being extremely tough, forcing Richard and his companion to use spells to clear a path. Moreover, this Life Energy excited Richard¡¯s cells, with the urge to fight continuously assaulting his senses. Richard could determine that creatures living in this layer of the nest would become very aggressive. At least Level 1 Creatures would be. ¡°The rules of this world are strange; the deeper we go, the higher the temperature becomes, yet the concentration of the Water Element keeps rising.¡± Ali kept a faint layer of flames burning on her body to keep herself dry. Her fused Fire Element Creature Bloodline made her very uncomfortable in the presence of the continuously rising concentration of Water Element around them. Upon entering the tunnel, Richard noticed that the fungi they had blasted open were growing back at a visible rate despite being small. Soon, these fungi would block the tunnel again. ¡°We need to move fast; paired with the surrounding environment, these fungi¡¯s Life Energy is terrifyingly strong.¡± At the end of the tunnel, there was a cavern, and a few Black Crystal Insects were resting inside, some of which were injured. Richard observed the cave through the gaps in the fungi: ¡°It seems these bugs are in a bit of a predicament; these few injured ones have fallen behind.¡± The insects¡¯ condition was dire, and their wounds dribbled green viscous fluid that corroded the luminescent moss on the ground, creating holes. The acidic bodily fluid of these insects could effectively corrode the fungi, and Richard had mainly tracked them through these corrosion traces. ¡°Should we take action?¡± Ali was eager to try. The irksome environment, coupled with the long pursuit, made her desperate to vent. ¡°Let¡¯s wait.¡± Richard suppressed the combat urge inside him and used spiritual power to command Ulysses to scout ahead. ¡°Ga, scouting again.¡± Ulysses flapped his wings and transformed into a bolt of black lightning, charging straight towards the injured insects. ¡°What is that!¡± One of the injured insects emitted a sharp shriek from its mouthparts. Several of the insects were Warrior Worms; they had seen the Wizard¡¯s methods. This black creature before them was definitely not a native of the Insect Nest ¨C which meant only one thing. ¡°There¡¯s a monster!¡± Regardless of their injuries, several Warrior Worms stood up from the ground with their Blade Arms gleaming menacingly. These insects had been renowned fighters in the nest, with either significant strength or luck to have survived from the Black Bone Plain. But in the face of these skilled Warrior Worms, a cold smile appeared on Richard¡¯s lips. As the most common combat insects of the nest, the Warrior Worms could be described in one word ¨C balanced. The physique, energy, and body structure of the Warrior Worms were very even-keeled, giving them means to deal with various situations. But balance came with a nearly synonymous derogatory term ¨C mediocrity. The mediocrity of the Warrior Worms meant they could only make a significant impact on the battlefield; in smaller scale combats or one-on-one fights, mediocrity meant being easily defeated. Richard¡¯s figure flashed, and he instantly appeared in front of one of the Warrior Worms. The combat urge caused by the environment these days was uncomfortable, and facing such an opportunity, he naturally wanted to vent. ¡°Monster! Die!¡± Two Warrior Worms swung their Blade Arms towards Richard; the shiny blades brought a sharp wind, heading straight for Richard¡¯s torso. If struck, Richard would at least¡­ have a layer of skin broken. Although Richard¡¯s training with the Adaptation Body focused on Elemental Damage, he also trained in adapting to physical harm; cutting damages below an Energy Level of one hundred fifty couldn¡¯t even scratch his skin. Each of the Warrior Worms before me was seriously injured, and their Blade Arms could just barely reach an Energy Level of three hundred, while Richard¡¯s Physique was not weak. His body could resist a certain level of attack, and to boot, he was covered with a layer of black Scale Armor. For multiple reasons, the Cutting strikes of these Warrior Worms were like a joke to Richard. Bracing himself against the slash of the Warrior Worm, Richard snarled and raised his Magic Wand, then brought it down with a whoosh. Crack! One Warrior Worm¡¯s body was crushed by the blow, with its shell and muscles bursting open together, and green mucus splattered everywhere. At this moment, Ali, too, waved her Magic Wand, and a purple Fireball gathered at the tip of the wand, the dreadful temperature even causing the entire cave¡¯s temperature to rise. With a casual wave, the fireball crashed down like a meteor, and three Warrior Worms which couldn¡¯t dodge in time were blasted into charred remains. The remaining Warrior Worms, seeing this, panicked and ran toward the tunnel, choosing paths haphazardly. Being already defeated soldiers, fear for the Wizards had long taken root in their hearts. Now witnessing their comrades being slaughtered like melons and vegetables, any courage they had dissipated on the spot. But why would Richard let them escape? Richard, holding the Magic Wand, smashed each of these Worms one by one like playing Whack-A-Mole, and green mucus stained the entire cave. Finally, Richard slowly approached the last remaining Worm. He pulled out a Soul Scroll and slowly said, ¡°Submit or die.¡± The surviving Warrior Worm took the contract, its dual Blade Arms trembling, and a name appeared on the Soul Contract. The fear of death crushed its last bit of dignity. ¡­ After the contract was signed, Ali approached Richard curiously and asked, ¡°Why take it as a slave? This Worm is crippled, not worth wasting a Soul Contract on.¡± Richard took out a Life Potion and sprinkled it on the Warrior Worm¡¯s wounds to prevent the fellow from dying too quickly. ¡°Can you understand these Worms¡¯ speech?¡± Ali paused, then realized Richard¡¯s intention. ¡°You want to interrogate it.¡± ¡°Not interrogate,¡± Richard said, squatting in front of the Warrior Worm. ¡°Enquire. I am its Master; I do not need to interrogate it.¡± Having said that, he asked the Warrior Worm, ¡°Worm, tell me, what is your purpose in heading to the upper Insect Nest this time?¡± ¡°We¡­ we¡­¡± The Warrior Worm seemed to still want to struggle, but Richard¡¯s gradually indifferent gaze ultimately made it give up that thought. ¡°We go to the upper Insect Nest to retrieve the Divine Gifted Armor for the Priest as well as a treasure left by the Mother Worm God.¡± ¡°A treasure left by the Mother Worm God!?¡± Richard was shocked and immediately asked, ¡°What is this treasure left by the Mother Worm God?¡± The Mother Worm God being a World Master meant that anything related to Her would be no trivial matter. The Warrior Worm slowly spoke, ¡°The treasure left by the Mother Worm God is a gift She bestowed upon thirty-six Mother Worms in ancient times, most of which were already put to use during wars. Only the Insect God¡¯s Blood remains hidden in the upper Insect Nest. The Priest leading us serendipitously learned of this message, so he led us to risk infiltrating the upper Insect Nest to retrieve it.¡± ¡°Serendipitously? Are you not Worms from this Insect Country?¡± The Warrior Worm shook its antennae, ¡°Yes, we are Worms from the Prosperous Insect Country.¡± ¡°What is the strength of your group of Worms?¡± ¡°Most are One-star Warrior Worms, the Priest is Two Stars, but it was severely injured by you guys in the upper Insect Nest.¡± Richard nodded, understanding the situation. ¡°What¡¯s this about sealing that Wizard?¡± ¡°Wizard?¡± The Warrior Worm was somewhat puzzled by this appellation, but quickly realized they were talking about Lawrence. ¡°On the way back to the Prosperous Insect Country, we must pass through Mushroom Land. That Wizard is our offering to Mushroom Land.¡± ¡­ In a cave a few dozen kilometers away from Richard, a group of Black Crystal Insects was resting. A month of travel had wearied these Black Crystal Insects. They unloaded fungi from the body of the Transport Worm, each taking a few stalks and then placing them in their mouthparts to start chewing. Although they could sustain daily activities by absorbing Magic Power, the Life-Active Material in the Warrior Fungus could quickly relieve their exhaustion. In the midst of this group of Warrior Worms, a Priest Worm dressed in woven silk silently sat, with the Black Crystal on its forehead flickering with faint starlight. All the Worms present could feel the disharmony within the Priest Worm. An alien Energy was continuously damaging its body, while the Priest Worm¡¯s Starlight Power was constantly struggling against this Energy. Before long, the Priest Worm extended its antennae, and its large eyes opened, revealing a weary gaze. The alien Energy, after all, was like water without a source, and the Priest Worm¡¯s Starlight Power managed to suppress it for a short time. ¡°Priest, shall we continue?¡± asked a Warrior Worm commander clad in black metal Armor. In the Warrior Worms, black metal Armor indicates it is an outstanding One-star Warrior Worm, on the cusp of stepping into the realm of Two Stars. ¡°Continue,¡± said the Priest Worm, standing up. ¡°For every extra minute we stay here, the treasure left by the Mother Worm God is in more danger. Those two bands of monsters are still chasing us; we must move quickly.¡± Having spoken, it opened its mouth and amidst a wad of starlight, Lawrence was encased like amber. ¡°I hope the Spirit of Nature in Mushroom Land will fancy this creature from another world.¡± Chapter 132 - Chapter 132: Chapter 32 Mushroom Land Chapter 132: Chapter 32 Mushroom Land Mushroom Land occupied an important position in the culture of the Black Crystal Worm Clan. Legend has it that before the Mother Worm God descended upon this world, the entire world was occupied by mushrooms. After the Mother Worm God descended upon the world and fed on the mushrooms, her descendants, the Mother Worm and the Black Crystal Worm Clan, also fed on the mushrooms. Such behavior angered the mother of all mushrooms¡ªthe Primordial Mushroom, who waged a great battle with the Mother Worm God and ultimately ended in defeat. Fragments of the Primordial Mushroom fell to the ground and transformed into patches of Mushroom Land. These Mushroom Lands, carrying the resentment of the Primordial Mushroom, required any flesh-and-blood creature that wished to pass to appease the Spirit of Nature of the Mushroom Land with flesh and blood. After the Warrior Worm finished recounting the Black Crystal Worm Clan¡¯s mythology, Richard stroked his chin, lost in thought. Myths hold significant meaning to a race¡¯s culture; they are a form of historical record. From the Warrior Worm¡¯s account, it seemed that in ancient times, the Mother Worm God of the Black Crystal Worm Clan was not yet the World Master. It became the World Master only after battling a massive fungal life form. For a miniature world, that was a momentous significance. Wizards classify planes into four types, the largest being worlds like the Wizard World, which wizards have not yet explored. But according to Ulysses, such worlds are the seeds of civilization, and as soon as a Level 7 Creature leaps into the Star Realm, another civilization will appear within it. Then there are medium-sized worlds, which often have multiple World Masters and house a Level 6 Creature. Such worlds are beyond the scope of conquest for a single Wizard Academy; hence once discovered, an operation led by a Tower of Truth and involving several Wizard Academies is launched to conquer it. These plane expeditions are usually very brutal, but the rewards are also very rich. Many Great Wizards rise to prominence after surviving such wars. Then there are small worlds, which may have multiple World Masters, with the power of the World Masters potentially reaching Level 5 Creatures. For safety reasons, such worlds are often conquered jointly by two Wizard Academies. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Finally, there are miniature worlds like the Insect Nest World, where there will only be one World Master, and the strength of the World Master is at Level 4. Such worlds are most common in the Star Realm, and a single Wizard Academy can conquer them. But if we go by the Black Crystal Worm Clan¡¯s legend, the moniker of the Insect Nest World being a miniature world might need some revising. Worlds can grow, too. A world can devour drifting world fragments, Secret Realm Fragments, creatures of the Star Realm, or some Star Realm dust to grow. However, Richard quickly put this speculation aside. The Plane War has dedicated Wizards studying the history of aliens, and these Wizards would have certainly found this issue before him. Since the Black Tower Great Wizard had not ordered a retreat, it meant there was no problem. Moreover, a world on the brink of becoming a miniature world would produce plenty of treasures. If he could acquire one or two of them, this war would be a lucrative venture for Richard. After tucking the Warrior Worm into his Slave Pocket, the duo, Richard and Ali, promptly set out. Following the trail left by the Black Crystal Worm Clan, Richard and Ali advanced toward Mushroom Land. On the journey, Richard could distinctly perceive changes occurring around him in the fungi, and the concentration of spores in the air was increasing rapidly to an alarming level, with a considerable portion of the spores being toxic. If it weren¡¯t for Richard¡¯s sufficiently strong Physique, the spores in the air would have been enough to poison him. The benefits of bloodline fusion were particularly evident in such moments. Ali had fused with the bloodline of an Elemental creature, and the source of that bloodline was not of low Level, ensuring her body¡¯s Elementalization process was quite impressive. The toxic spores would incinerate into ash upon encountering the scorching Fire Element in Ali¡¯s body, not having a chance to poison her. Following the trail, Richard and Ali quickly arrived at the edge of Mushroom Land. Mushroom Land was just as the name suggested, filled with mushrooms everywhere. A vast area was covered with huge glowing fungi and mushrooms of various colors. Compared to the mushrooms in the caves, the mushrooms within Mushroom Land gave Richard an uncomfortable feeling. These mushrooms emanated a strong sense of aggression, like some sort of Predator. Mushroom Land was different from the caves Richard had seen before; it was more akin to a huge underground forest¡ªprofound, yet brimming with life. ¡°Ga, it seems that the insect wasn¡¯t lying,¡± Ulysses suddenly communicated with Richard using spiritual power from his shoulder. Richard¡¯s expression remained unchanged, ¡°What do you mean? What have you noticed?¡± ¡°Ga, haven¡¯t you noticed the space anomalies in this place?¡± Ulysses explained, ¡°How could such a vast space exist so deep underground? Even if the Insect Nest excavated more soil, the remaining weight should be enough to collapse this place. The reason it still exists is because of a Divine corpse causing a space anomaly. Entering here is akin to stepping into another space.¡± With this explanation from Ulysses, Richard also had an epiphany¡ªit indeed made sense. The various wondrous sights of the Otherworld had somewhat desensitized Richard, leading him to attribute any strange and unusual scene to the special rules of the Otherworld. ¡°By that logic, isn¡¯t it very dangerous to enter here?¡± ¡°Ga, dangerous? What danger?¡± asked Ulysses, puzzled. ¡°Isn¡¯t that an alien space? And it was caused by the corpse of a deceased Divine, so wouldn¡¯t the rules of the world inside also change?¡± ¡°Ga, what nonsense. This thing is not another world; it¡¯s just like a different page in the same book, and once you go in, you¡¯re still in this book¡ªin this world. This space might have some incomplete rules, but those incomplete rules are not harmful. At most, we¡¯ll encounter some creatures containing the rules of dead Divines, and I can deal with that¡­ Of course, for that, you¡¯ll have to pay extra.¡± The corners of Richard¡¯s mouth twitched at Ulysses¡¯ words, sensing they were overly optimistic. ¡°` ¡°According to the rules, we need to offer flesh as a toll to the Spirit of Nature of Mushroom Land.¡± Richard pulled out a Spider Knight from his Slave Pocket and then tossed it into Mushroom Land. In an instant, Richard felt as if he were being watched by a predator, as though a powerful Predator was observing him. But the feeling dispersed quickly. The Spider Knight that was thrown into Mushroom Land was terrified; as a creature living in the Underground Insect Nest, it knew too well the rules of Mushroom Land and the methods it employed. It struggled desperately, but soon it discovered that white fungal mycelium was beginning to grow on its body. The mycelium emerged from the ground and started to drill into its flesh through the cracks in its shell. Richard couldn¡¯t see exactly what the mycelium was doing, but judging by the Spider Knight¡¯s sharp cries, it must have been causing immense pain. Before long, the Spider Knight fell silent. The white mycelium grew and spread inside its body, swiftly replacing its flesh and nerves. Then, a new Spider Knight was born. This Spider Knight glanced at Richard before silently walking deeper into Mushroom Land. Richard couldn¡¯t feel anything unusual about it; it seemed as though it had become one with Mushroom Land. ¡°What a strange transformation,¡± Ali said with a frown. ¡°The fungus has eaten it hollow and turned it into a puppet.¡± ¡°It might not be a puppet,¡± Richard shook his head. ¡°This might be a new creature.¡± Having offered the flesh sacrifice, Richard and Ali had essentially obtained a ticket to enter Mushroom Land. According to the Warrior Worm, as long as they didn¡¯t wreak havoc in Mushroom Land, they would be safe there. But as they were about to enter, both of them simultaneously turned around and began gathering Elements in their Magic Wands. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, we¡¯re friends.¡± From behind Richard, two Earth-colored figures emerged from the tunnel walls, resembling some kind of Element creatures. The two figures emerged from the tunnel walls, transforming into human statues similar to terracotta warriors, one of which flexed its body and performed a Wizard¡¯s Salute to Richard and Ali. ¡°Don¡¯t be alarmed, we are also Wizards. Combat is forbidden among our own kind.¡± Although the Wizard said this, Richard¡¯s grip on his Magic Wand didn¡¯t relax in the slightest. As a Black Wizard, not immediately using the Heart of Annihilation on two Wizards that appeared behind him was already quite restrained. ¡°Did you two come here to hunt insects?¡± Richard asked coldly. The terracotta Warrior Wizard¡¯s face changed subtly and he said smoothly: ¡°Of course, we¡¯re here to hunt insects. Isn¡¯t that why we came down here?¡± Richard sneered inwardly. The Warrior Worm had told him that two groups of monsters were pursuing them. At first, he thought it was he and Ali, but now it seemed the other group was these two Wizards. ¡°Is that so, it seems I was mistaken. We were just chasing a group of insects that entered this Mushroom Land, so we won¡¯t keep you any longer.¡± Saying this, Richard gave Ali a look and turned to enter Mushroom Land. But before they could take a step, the terracotta Wizard spoke up. ¡°Did the two of you see a group of insects enter this Mushroom Land? Among these insects, was there an injured Sacrificial Insect?¡± ¡°Sacrificial Insect?¡± Richard pretended to be uninformed. ¡°We haven¡¯t seen what this group of insects looks like; we only killed a few wounded ones along the way and followed the trail here.¡± ¡°Wounded insects¡­¡± The terracotta Wizard thought for a moment, as their markers for pursuit had led them here, and these two were also following a group of insects to this place. Putting the two events together, it was hard not to assume they were after the same group of insects. Moreover, it seemed that these two Wizards didn¡¯t yet know what the insects were carrying¡­ The terracotta Wizard quickly formulated a new idea. ¡°The two of you, it appears we¡¯re after the same group of insects,¡± the terracotta Wizard started. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate the strength of these insects. Among them is an injured Second Level insect.¡± ¡°Second Level insect!?¡± both Richard and Ali reacted with feigned surprise in perfect sync. Their acting was so natural that it didn¡¯t raise any suspicion in the terracotta Wizard. ¡°Yes, among them is an injured Second Level insect,¡± the terracotta Wizard continued. ¡°This insect escaped down here after killing a Second Ring Wizard in the upper Insect Nest. Its strength is not to be underestimated.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impressive. Despite that, you dare to pursue it?¡± Richard asked, feigning confusion. ¡°The insect is gravely injured, and we are confident enough in our ability to escape; thus, we followed it here,¡± the terracotta Wizard replied with a smile, then his tone shifted. ¡°But from what we see now, if the four of us Wizards join forces to hunt these insects, catching them would be as easy as reaching out our hands.¡± ¡°` Chapter 133 - Chapter 133: Chapter 33: Unknown Glimpse Chapter 133: Chapter 33: Unknown Glimpse ¡°Cooperation?¡± Richard sneered inwardly. The treasure from the Mother Worm God possessed by that group of insects was so valuable; he did not believe these two Wizards were willing to share with him. Now, bringing up cooperation, they were likely using them as cannon fodder. Black Wizards, each one of them had climbed up stepping over the bodies of their peers, absolutely unburdened by any guilt when it came to betraying their teammates. But¡­ Richard was also a Black Wizard, and he likewise harbored thoughts of using these two as cannon fodder. Therefore, Richard pretended to ponder and after a long contemplation, he said, ¡°Cooperation¡­ is indeed possible, but I have one condition.¡± ¡°What condition?¡± Richard smiled slightly, ¡°Since we¡¯re cooperating, naturally we need to share intelligence. These insects came from above; their numbers, what kind of insects they are, and what they carry. I believe the two of you should be clearer than I am, who only tracks their traces.¡± Although Richard was very familiar with that group of insects, to make this deal more realistic, he decided to set some conditions. The Human Puppet Wizard and the Wizard behind exchanged glances, sending Spiritual Messages through psychic waves. ¡°How about sharing the message about the Faith Equipment?¡± ¡°Possible, but we cannot give it away too easily. These two Wizards surely know something, we have to extract something from them¡­¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?¦Ï Richard, noticing the two were communicating, was in no rush; he knew they would agree to his terms. The combat power of that group of insects was not weak, especially the severely wounded Second-Level insect, which Richard was particularly wary of. If not for having Ulysses as support, he would never so recklessly pursue them. The teachings from the Jialong Club¡¯s Black Wizards still echoed in his ears; as a Black Wizard, one must restrain their own greed. These two Wizards had only Second Ring power, and even if they had some tricks, they would not be stronger than him and Ali. To securely handle those insects, allying with them was necessary. ¡°We can share intelligence,¡± the Human Puppet Wizard stated, ¡°but you also must share intelligence.¡± ¡°No problem with that,¡± Richard agreed readily, ¡°I have information about this Mushroom Land.¡± With the deal reached, both sides began exchanging intelligence. According to the Human Puppet Wizard, they were tracking this group of insects for a piece of Faith Armor they carried, which was extremely precious among the Black Crystal Insects and significant for the Wizards¡¯ research. Besides, this group consisted of about twenty insects intermingled with various types, among which there was a third kind, less common than Warrior Worms and Sacrificial Insects, known as Spider Knights. The Human Puppet Wizard highly praised the Spider Knights. In his words, these insects had swift movements and powerful attacks, holding a significant advantage in the narrow terrains of the Insect Nest. In an upper layer of the Insect Nest, a Wizard experiencing his first Plane War had been instantly slashed into pieces by two Spider Knights. Richard neither agreed nor disagreed. The Spider Knights indeed possessed strong initial killing capabilities. After the Human Puppet Wizard finished sharing the intelligence, Richard also shared his information on the Mushroom Land. Richard¡¯s information was quite conservative; aside from needing to sacrifice Flesh to enter the Mushroom Land and not causing massive destruction within it, he did not reveal anything else. But just these two pieces were enough to satisfy the Human Puppet Wizard. They knew nothing about the Mushroom Land; without Richard¡¯s information, entering would be akin to walking into a trap. ¡°Had no idea this place had such intricacies, without the two of you, we might have been in serious trouble,¡± the Human Puppet Wizard expressed his relief. ¡°No big issue, we¡¯re all on the same side.¡± After exchanging information, they exchanged names; the two Human Puppet Wizards were brothers, with the elder brother, who had spoken, named Suogu and the silent one named Soduo. These two brothers, participating in their second Plane War, although not as experienced as Lawrence, were not to be underestimated. Suogu pulled out a Warrior Worm from his Slave Pocket, its limbs broken and body covered in numerous scars, some still oozing green slime. When Suogu grabbed it, its body no longer trembled and struggled, and its mouthparts emitted continuous chirps, seemingly cursing something. ¡°Good thing we captured a live specimen earlier, or it¡¯d be difficult to make this entry.¡± Suogu smiled at Richard and then threw the Warrior Worm into the Mushroom Land. The Mushroom Land treated all sacrifices equally; how the Spider Knights were consumed, the Warrior Worm was consumed. However, as the flesh of the Warrior Worm was devoured, several fungal hyphae emerged from its broken limbs and wounds, forming new limbs. Suogu signaled Richard with a nod, and together they entered the Mushroom Land. ¡­ Upon entering the Mushroom Land, Richard immediately sensed a change in the surrounding environment. The surging Life Energy of the middle layer Insect Nest had become even richer and more chaotic in the Mushroom Land. This life energy made Richard¡¯s cells extremely active, but this change was somewhat dangerous. As is well known, cancer cells are also quite active. Richard communicated quietly to Ulysses using his spiritual power, ¡°Ulysses, didn¡¯t you say this space was harmless?¡± ¡°Ah, there has been a little problem.¡± Ulysses¡¯ eyes emitted a faint glow; he was observing the space in a more advanced way, ¡°The residual rules of this space are more numerous than I thought, almost comparable to some of the broken Divine Countries. But don¡¯t worry, I can tell you for certain that the World Master is thoroughly dead, and no matter how many residual rules this space has, it is merely an environmental change for us; no one is targeting us.¡± After hearing Ulysses¡¯ explanation, Richard¡¯s tension eased slightly. As a World Master, Ulysses¡¯ vision was certainly much stronger than any of them, the Level 1 Creatures. The ecology of Mushroom Land was quite marvelous; they tread on soil intertwined with various colored mycelium, mixed together like fabric. Combined with the soil, it felt soft and elastic when stepped on. Around them, aside from the tall giant luminescent fungi, there were also numerous small, colorful fungi Richard and his companions had never seen before. These fungi were brightly colored, and their patterns were exceptionally beautiful, giving off a deadly allure as if one bite could be poisonous. These unknown fungi were particularly tempting for the Wizards, and several of them collected some as specimens. Of course, this collection was limited. Even though they did not know what the Spirit of Nature in Mushroom Land was, these Level 1 Creatures still chose not to provoke unnecessary trouble. While collecting these fungi, Richard felt a faint sense of being watched, a mysterious sensation similar to Wild Intuition ¡ª a special ability produced from years of training the Adaptation Body, evolving his physical cells. ¡°Could it be the Spirit of Nature?¡± Richard stopped his actions and asked Ulysses through a spiritual message, ¡°Ulysses, do you feel something spying on us?¡± ¡°Ah, spying? No.¡± Ulysses shook his feathers, ¡°In this Mushroom Land, besides these mushrooms, there¡¯s not even a living creature; nothing is spying on you.¡± Hearing this from Ulysses, Richard felt doubtful. Was he just being paranoid? Before he could ponder it further, Suogu gestured to him. Richard walked over and saw a group of insects regrouping in the distant Mushroom Forest; among them was a Priest Worm draped in silk fabric, its body continuously emitting intense energy fluctuations. ¡°That Priest Worm was hit by a counterattack from a dying Second Ring Master; it¡¯s probably suffering from internal backlash now,¡± Suogu whispered. ¡°Do we attack now?¡± Richard asked. A cold light flashed in Suogu¡¯s eyes, ¡°The Priest Worm is currently suppressing its injuries, now is the best opportunity.¡± Richard nodded and signaled Ali on the side. The four Wizards pulled out their Magic Wands, preparing to ambush the group of insects. But just as they were about to make their move, the Priest Worm, which was suppressing its injuries, suddenly opened its eyes as if it sensed something. This caused the four Wizards to immediately halt their actions. There was a chasm between Level 1 Creatures and Second-level Creatures. Even though this Second-level Insect was severely injured, they still had to be cautious. The Priest Worm plucked a mushroom from the ground and casually threw it down. The mushroom cap spun a couple of times on the ground, pointing directly in the direction of the four Wizards. Then the Priest Worm touched a Black-armored Warrior Insect with its tentacles, speaking very calmly, ¡°There¡¯s a monster approaching, right in the direction of the mushroom cap. Don¡¯t look, don¡¯t get nervous, follow my lead.¡± The Black-armored Warrior Insect¡¯s tentacles vibrated slightly, and it spoke in a low voice, ¡°My lord, what shall we do?¡± As a Warrior Insect, it did not question the decisions of the Priest Worm. ¡°The group of monsters doesn¡¯t understand what we¡¯re saying, so don¡¯t get nervous,¡± the Priest Worm said calmly, ¡°I¡¯m injured and don¡¯t have much strength. You guys adjust your positions, let the Spider Knights charge first, then follow up. Focus as much as possible on one monster. These creatures in black robes are different from those in white robes; they have many methods and are cold-hearted towards their companions, but they value their own lives. If you quickly take down one, you should be able to scare them off.¡± The Warrior Insect nodded, ¡°I understand, my lord. But we are now in Mushroom Land; what if recklessly fighting angers the Spirit of Nature?¡± ¡°Hehe, don¡¯t worry about that,¡± the Priest Worm shook its tentacles, its words imbued with profound mystery, ¡°This is our world, and the World Spirit is on our side. Under the attention of the World Spirit, even the Spirit of Nature has to give way.¡± The Warrior Insect stood up and commanded several insects around to adjust their positions. This move seemed somewhat inexplicable to the several Wizards, but soon, Richard, who excelled in close combat, noticed something. The robust Spider Knights had suddenly adjusted to positions closest to them. Richard took a silent step back, positioning Suogu as the foremost Wizard. This distance would not hinder their ambush, but it would allow the Spider Knights to target Suogu first. Richard faintly guessed what that sensation of being watched was. They, the invaders¡­ were probably already targeted by the World Origin¡¯s will. COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 134 - Chapter 134: Chapter 34 The Tremors of Mushroom Land Chapter 134: Chapter 34 The Tremors of Mushroom Land In any world, becoming a Level 1 Creature required recognition by the World Origin, which served as a mark, signifying that you had passed the world¡¯s inspection. Meanwhile, a Level 1 Creature that hadn¡¯t undergone the World Origin¡¯s examination was considered an illegal entity, a pest as far as the world was concerned. The fate of pests need not be mentioned. Richard vaguely recalled a rumor he had heard in the Floating City. During the Plane War, Black Wizards infiltrating the enemy¡¯s rear must always avoid the enemy¡¯s spiritual evolvers. Such creatures were able to see through a Black Wizard¡¯s disguise regardless of their strength. ¡­ Richard glanced at the moving insects and gave Ali a meaningful look. If his guess was right, they had been discovered. Upon seeing Richard¡¯s signal, Ali¡¯s heart tightened, and she immediately began preparing Defense Magic. The Suogu brothers did not notice the change in Richard and Ali. They continued to wait silently for the chance to launch a sneak attack. Upon seeing the insects positioned correctly, the Priest sent out a command with its spiritual power. ¡°Attack!¡± In an instant, two Spider Knights lunged toward where the four were hiding, their speed as fast as lightning. Behind them, more than a dozen Warrior Worms followed, with dozens of Blade Arms gleaming with a bright, sharp edge. ¡°Not good!¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã? Suogu¡¯s face changed, and he tried to retreat, but he saw the Priest¡¯s third eye Black Crystal shoot out a white light that hit him squarely. A binding force instantly locked Suogu in place, leaving him unable to move and only able to watch helplessly as the Spider Knights approached. And all this happened in a mere moment. Seeing this, Richard knew his guess was correct and was about to make his escape, but after seeing the Priest take action, he stopped in his tracks. As a Second-level Creature, the Priest could have killed all four of them with its Physique alone, had it not been injured. However, the Priest did not move now, and its abilities seemed to be of a supportive nature, which led to a thought flashing through Richard¡¯s mind. This thing probably didn¡¯t have much strength left. With that thought, Richard swiftly waved his Magic Wand and shot out several black Fireballs to support Suogu. While casting his Spell, he communicated with Ulysses through spiritual power. ¡°Ulysses, go test that insect¡¯s strength.¡± ¡°Ga, understood.¡± Ulysses flapped its wings and instantly transformed into a streak of black lightning, cutting through the swarm of insects and heading straight for the Priest. The Priest saw something flying towards it and immediately felt a bad omen. Due to suppressing its injuries, its available strength was nearly depleted. Having used the Starlight Binding, it had already exhausted a significant amount of power, and to act now would likely consume its last bit of strength. ¡°Go!¡± With a low shout from the Priest, a Starlight Net burst forth from the Black Crystal on its brow, sealing off all space around Ulysses, preparing to seal it. It could only hope that its thunderous strike would deter these monsters. Normally, a standard Level 1 Creature faced with this Starlight Net would not escape being sealed, but the Priest encountered today was no ordinary Level 1 Creature¡ªit faced a World Master disguised as one. Ulysses spewed out a black flame from its mouth, quickly burning a gap through the Starlight Net. Taking advantage of the gap, Ulysses narrowly avoided the sealing and traced a beautiful arc in the air, flying back to Richard. ¡°Ga, this bug doesn¡¯t have much power left!¡± Hearing Ulysses¡¯s response, a smile spread across Richard¡¯s face. Without the interference of that Second-level worm, the dozen or so Level 1 worms were merely a matter of spending more time to deal with. On Richard¡¯s side, there was good news, but the situation was dire for the Suogu brothers. The Priest¡¯s Starlight Binding had prevented Suogu from retreating in time, and the two Spider Knights, in coordination with more than a dozen Warrior Worms, swiftly reduced him to a pile of rubble. However, Richard saw a streak of light enter the void, which likely meant that Suogu had created a Life Box and his soul had escaped. The remaining, Soduo, seeing his brother perish in an instant, naturally did not dare to stay. His body flashed with a yellow light, and he was about to burrow into the ground as he had when he first appeared. But as soon as one foot had entered the soil, he was forced to withdraw it. His foot that had entered the earth was now covered in fungus. The unique environment of the Mushroom Land rendered his escape technique useless. However, at that moment, Richard and Ali had already engaged the enemy, with purple Fireballs of terrifying temperature creating a firestorm that temporarily stopped the swarm of insects. ¡°Richard, aren¡¯t you leaving?¡± Ali shouted anxiously. Her Fireball had momentarily suppressed the swarm, but as soon as that Second-level creature took action, they would all be trapped here. Moreover, her Spell covered a large area, and a few more shots could potentially set the Mushroom Forest ablaze. At that point, the alleged Spirit of Nature in Mushroom Land would likely intervene. ¡°Ali, we don¡¯t need to go.¡± Scale Armor grew on Richard¡¯s body, and his Magic Wand ignited with Black Flame. ¡°That Second-level creature no longer has the energy to make a move.¡± With that, Richard took a step forward, and his body instantaneously charged towards a Spider Knight. The surrounding Warrior Worms immediately attempted to encircle Richard. ¡°Monster, die!¡± The Spider Knight shouted angrily, its four Blade Arms imbued with Dark Erosion Energy, along with the surrounding Warrior Worms, completely sealed off any space for Richard to dodge. But in the next moment, Richard¡¯s figure disappeared and reappeared behind a Warrior Worm at some distance. Crack! The sound of the exoskeleton breaking was crisp, as the Warrior Worm¡¯s upper body was smashed by the Magic Wand, and the Black Flame burning on the wand scorched the Warrior Worm¡¯s flesh, sending a stench of charred meat instantly pervading the insects¡¯ olfactory senses. ¡°Teleport!¡± Experienced creatures instantly recognized Richard¡¯s ability. But what use was there in recognizing it? Richard¡¯s figure flickered again, and this time he appeared behind a Spider Knight. With a forceful stab from the Magic Wand in his hand, a piece of carapace at the waist of the Spider Knight shattered on cue, instantly paralyzing it. Seeing this, a nearby Priest Worm¡¯s tentacles stiffened in an instant. As a Two Stars Priest Worm, it knew a lot about the inner workings of the Insect Country, including the origin of the Spider Knights. Most creatures in the Insect Country believed that Spider Knights were another type of creature birthed by the Mother Worm, only their Incubation Pond wasn¡¯t with them. But as an informed worm, the Priest Worm knew that these Spider Knights were once Warrior Worms, and they owed their transformation into Spider Knights to the Mother Worm¡¯s modification. The Spider Knights were strong in combat, but their vulnerabilities were also glaringly evident. The nerve center in their waist, shielded by the carapace, was their greatest vulnerability. By exploiting this weakness, one could even capture a Spider Knight alive. But how did this monster know about it? That vulnerability was known only to the Priest Worms! The more the Priest Worm thought about it, the more terrified it became. Could it be that one of the Priest Worms had betrayed the Mother Worm God? Or had these monsters found out the Spider Knights¡¯ weaknesses in such a short amount of time? Either possibility filled it with dread. ¡°No, this can¡¯t go on.¡± Watching the creatures being killed one after another, the Priest Worm¡¯s heart hardened, and it took out a fist-sized, golden piece of amber from the carapace on its chest. As the amber was taken out, the condition of the Priest Worm visibly deteriorated. This was the Mother Worm God¡¯s legacy that it had brought down from the upper Insect Nest¡ªthe Insect God¡¯s Blood. It had managed to defeat the Second Ring Wizard and survive that terrible retaliatory strike before death, all thanks to the power of this Insect God¡¯s Blood. Legend had it that the amber sealed something extraordinary. And the moment it took out the amber, Ulysses immediately became excited. ¡°Ga, Richard! That worm is holding a Divine Artifact!¡± At these words, Richard¡¯s figure stumbled, nearly getting his head sliced off by two Samurai Worms. ¡°Divine Artifact?¡± Richard had a bad feeling. He had thought that this Priest Worm wouldn¡¯t be able to use the Mother Worm God¡¯s legacy; otherwise, Ulysses would have used it to intimidate them when they were probing earlier. Could it be that using this legacy required a significant sacrifice? However, before Richard could react, the Mushroom Land began to stir. The moment the amber was taken out, the whole Mushroom Land seemed to tremble, and countless fungal creatures roaming in the depths of the Mushroom Land looked towards one place at once. That was the location of the golden amber. ¡°Ga, what¡¯s happening!¡± Ulysses, flying in the sky, watched with gaping mouth as a horde of fungal creatures rushed over from a distance. It could see that this cluster of fungal creatures was charging right towards them. With a shudder, Ulysses¡¯ body instantly grew several times larger, and Annihilation Flame erupted all over its body. ¡°Ga, kid, open your Secret Realm! Quick!¡± The approaching fungal creatures were up to no good, and among them were Level 2 and Level 3 creatures. In such a scenario, even Ulysses couldn¡¯t guarantee Richard¡¯s escape. At the words, Richard¡¯s figure flashed, instantly appearing behind Ali. He and Ulysses had been communicating through spiritual power vibrations, so Ali hadn¡¯t known a thing. ¡°Ali, cover me, I need to open the Secret Realm.¡± Ali was somewhat confused; wasn¡¯t the situation very favorable, so why did they need to open the Secret Realm? But trusting in Richard, Ali didn¡¯t ask further and immediately started to block. However, the creatures were not to be underestimated. After the golden amber was taken out, a gentle nurturing power began to heal the creatures¡¯ bodies. Under this power¡¯s influence, their wounds rapidly healed, and their bodies became stronger. ¡°Kill them quickly!¡± shouted the Priest Worm. It could sense that at the moment the Insect God¡¯s Blood was taken out, the entire Mushroom Land seemed to boil. Could it be that inside the Insect God¡¯s Blood, sealed was the very body of the ancient Primordial Mushroom? Seeing the situation turning grim, Ali clenched her teeth, and her Magic Wand instantly ignited with a layer of eerie-flamed Fireball. This flame had an appalling temperature, yet seemed very ethereal, as if it weren¡¯t part of this world. ¡°I¡¯d like to see who dares to come at me under the Curse Flame!¡± The terror of the Curse Flame briefly dulled the creatures¡¯ advance, but the Priest Worm¡¯s orders spurred them to renewed ferocity. For the Insect Nest! For the Mother Worm God! Shouting their slogans, the creatures charged forward, braving Ali¡¯s Spell. ¡°Ga, damn insects.¡± Ulysses spat out a sea of Flames, instantly engulfing several creatures, but under the Insect God¡¯s Blood¡¯s influence, the creatures¡¯ carapaces continually burned and regenerated. Suddenly, they braved the flames and reached Ali¡¯s side. Ali swung her Magic Wand, and a Fireball exploded the approaching creatures. The aftershock of the explosion immediately charred half of her face. That was the consequence of releasing a powerful spell at close range. ¡°Richard! How much longer?¡± The next moment, she heard Richard¡¯s steady voice. ¡°Done.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 135 - Chapter 135: Chapter 35 Blue Strain Chapter 135: Chapter 35 Blue Strain As the space rift opened, Richard quickly pulled Ali into the Secret Realm, casually dropping two Hearts of Annihilation to block the entrance. Under the power of the Hearts of Annihilation, two Warrior Worms disappeared halfway, but terrifyingly, their remaining bodies kept trembling, as if they wanted to regrow from their maimed limbs. Seeing Richard enter the Secret Realm, Ulysses somewhat relaxed. He and Richard now shared both glory and losses; as long as Richard lived, he would eventually be able to return to divinity and perhaps even advance further. Now that he no longer needed to protect Richard, there was no need to waste strength. He shrank his body, instantly transforming into the size of a sparrow, and the Annihilation Flame on him also vanished. He darted into the Mushroom Forest, silently observing those fungal creatures approaching. He wanted to see what treasure had attracted these beings. As for the remaining Soduo of the Suogu brothers, Ulysses glanced at him and saw that the youth had already started to flee during Richard¡¯s battle; he was now nearly at the edge of the Mushroom Land. ¡°Ha, these Wizards really have unique ways of fleeing.¡± Since Ali had entered the Secret Realm, the Curse Flame on the insect¡¯s body instantly dimmed. The Secret Realm, unlike the Mushroom Land, which was a parasitic space on the world, was closer to another world. The isolation between two worlds instantly severed the connection between Ali and the Curse Flame, and soon, the flames extinguished. With the help of the blood of the Insect God, the group of insects quickly recovered to their original state, and even their shells became thicker and their muscles stronger. They felt the changes in their bodies with surprise, continuously emitting joyful chirps, but the Priest Insect was not as happy. The Priest Insect stuffed the Blood of the Insect God back into its body, hoping to calm the Mushroom Land, but it did not notice a nearly imperceptible mycelium had already attached to the Blood of the Insect God. Thud, thud, thud¡­ Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Dull footsteps came from deep within the Mushroom Land; a terrifying Fungal Spider, at least five meters tall, cleared a wide path through the Mushroom Forest like a bulldozer, followed by countless fungal creatures festooned with mycelium spreading like a tide. ¡°This¡­ this¡­¡± The Priest Insect watched in horror, having already reabsorbed the Blood of the Insect God into its body¡ªwhy were these fungal creatures still charging at them? Could it have enraged the Spirit of Nature? But whatever the reason, they were now powerless to resist. ¡°Staro, take the Divine Gifted Armor and other insects and leave,¡± the Priest Insect decided quickly, pulling out a small shield and handing it to the Black-armored Warrior Insect. ¡°My lord, what about you?¡± asked the Black-armored Warrior Insect. ¡°Me?¡± The Priest Insect shook its tentacles and knelt towards the direction of the Insect Nest. The moment it took out the Blood of the Insect God, the injuries inside its body had already erupted. Although it had been temporarily clinging to life with the Blood of the Insect God, given the current situation, it surely couldn¡¯t take the Blood with it. ¡°I am doomed.¡± The Warrior Worm seemed to want to say more, but the Priest Worm had already removed the black crystal from between its brows. At the wound of the black crystal, streams of golden light seeped out, attempting to heal the wound, but to no avail. ¡°Praise the Mother Worm God.¡± As the Priest Worm gave its last accolade, the black crystal transformed into a streak of light and disappeared. The other Warrior Worms slightly bowed to the Priest Worm and then left towards the direction of the Insect Nest. Soon enough, fungal creatures swarmed in. A giant spider tore open the body of the Priest Worm and extracted a golden amber from within. The amber emitted a faint golden light. Under its glow, the fungal spider¡¯s mycelium dissolved like snow melting in spring, as if it had encountered its nemesis. The fungal spider emitted a soundless cry, with mycelium spreading out a tentacle from its body, grabbing a nearby first-level fungal creature and hurling it at the amber. The captured fungal creature didn¡¯t even have time to react before the golden light disintegrated its body, just like the one before. However, Ulysses in the woods noticed something significant. ¡°Ha, are they trying to wear down the seal bit by bit with numbers? Just like those Abyss riffraff.¡± In his perception, the golden amber dimmed slightly after disintegrating a fungal creature, though barely perceptible. If there were enough fungal lives, the golden light of the amber could eventually be depleted. After the fungal spider¡¯s action, some of the stronger fungal creatures began to do the same. One by one, fungal creatures were thrown near the amber, and the golden light of the amber gradually dimmed in this process. As the fungal creature group dwindled down from repeated wearing down, only a few scattered beings remained. Among these few, Ulysses even spotted a familiar figure. ¡°Ha, this Lawrence has a tough life, to still be alive.¡± In a corner of the Mushroom Forest, a fungal creature clad in a Wizard Robe lay quietly in ambush, shrouded in shadows that made the higher-level fungal creatures overlook its presence. As an old wizard who had survived several Plane Wars and a wizard of the Undead School, Lawrence had numerous ways to save his own life. If it weren¡¯t for the Priest Worm¡¯s use of a Sealing Skill, he would have had nine ways to escape. After the sealing was lifted and he was thrown into the Mushroom Land as a sacrifice, he used a piece of Magic Equipment to protect his soul and evaded the invasion of the fungus. After the fungal reconstitution was complete, he enslaved this fungal body with Undead Magic. For wizards undergoing Spiritual Evolution, the physical body isn¡¯t that important. As long as the soul still exists, many wizards can switch bodies as easily as changing clothes. Lawrence watched silently from the shadows as the golden light of the amber was disintegrated, feeling not the slightest ripple in his heart. A long-lived Black Wizard surely possesses a virtue called restraint. No matter how powerful or precious that amber might be, it wasn¡¯t something he could obtain now. His reason for coming here was simple: the blood of the Insect God awakened the instincts of his fungal body, making him lose control and involuntarily come here. However, this had brought him an unexpected surprise. The traces of Richard and others fighting the insects hadn¡¯t faded yet, and Lawrence easily discerned Ali¡¯s traces from them. This fungal body couldn¡¯t step out of the Mushroom Land, and traveling by soul was far too dangerous. If he encountered any intense energy fluctuations, he wouldn¡¯t even be able to return to his Life Box and would be utterly finished. Richard¡¯s arrival had just solved his big problem. ¡­ As a fungal creature disintegrated, the golden light of the amber finally vanished completely. The Fungal Spider picked it up with its tentacles and then forcefully snapped it in two. The next moment, an extremely intense Life Energy burst from the amber, and nearly all the fungal creatures went into a frenzy at that moment. They madly rushed towards the amber, or more precisely, toward the thing preserved inside it¡ªa blue mushroom seed. Bang! The Fungal Spider swung one of its legs and smashed a second-level fungal insect into the air, its white mycelium floating down like willow catkins. Yet even so, the remaining fungal creatures kept charging toward the blue mushroom seed. In an instant, mycelium fell like snow. But just as the fungal creatures were about to fight each other to death over the seed, a brash cry echoed from within the Mushroom Forest. ¡°Ha, a bunch of brainless fools. You think you¡¯re worthy of this?¡± (Gods¡¯ language) A streak of black light shot out from the forest, swallowing the blue mushroom seed with a speed so fast that not even the third-level Fungal Spider could react. ¡°Roar!¡± Some fungal creatures roared and chased after Ulysses, but after a few seconds, the group of fungal creatures suddenly stopped and then turned to walk deep into the Mushroom Forest. Lawrence, hiding in the forest, sensed that the signal attracting the fungal bodies had disappeared. All the fungal creatures returned to their previous life state. ¡°That raven is no ordinary creature,¡± Lawrence muttered to himself, watching the direction in which Ulysses disappeared. ¡°Even though that mushroom seed was sealed so tightly, these fungal creatures detected it. Yet that raven completely blocked the seed¡¯s attraction¡­¡± Lawrence decided not to think further. As an old wizard, he understood that every wizard had their own secrets, and probing into these secrets would do no good but only bring trouble and hatred. What he needed to do now was just wait, wait for Richard to appear, wait to obtain a new body. ¡­ Inside the Secret Realm, Richard sat on the ground, quietly looking at the pocket watch in his hand. It had been three days since he had entered the Secret Realm. There was no day or night in the Secret Realm, and Richard could only rely on his pocket watch to keep track of time. Ulysses¡¯ warning had made him enter the Secret Realm without a second thought, but he didn¡¯t know why he had entered. This also led to him being unclear about how long he would need to wait before he could leave. ¡°Boss, boss, don¡¯t be sad. Fuzzy Ball Number Three offers you some nectar.¡± A Holy Tree Elf flew up to him, delivering a petal dipped in nectar to his lips. These Holy Tree Elves could sense that their boss was in a very bad mood, and their simple minds could only think of the best way to cheer him up¡ªeating nectar. Richard accepted the petal and gently touched the Holy Tree Elf that brought the nectar. The nectar brewed by the Holy Tree Elves carried a faint whiff of Life Energy, although not as potent as the nectar Richard bought from the Wizard Commerce, it was still quite good. Moreover, since there were no demonized plants in this Secret Realm, only ordinary flowers, producing such nectar already showed the uniqueness of the Holy Tree Elves. In the past, he had never paid much attention to this nectar, but now he planned to plant some demonized plants in the Secret Realm to see if the quality of the nectar would improve. Richard swallowed the petal, then put away his pocket watch and stood up. ¡°Ali, get ready, I¡¯m going to open the rift now.¡± On one side of the Secret Realm, Ali, who was reading a book, closed her book, picked up her magic wand, and came to Richard¡¯s side. ¡°This Secret Realm of yours is really nice, much better than mine.¡± ¡°It¡¯s decent, mainly because a bunch of little guys manage it.¡± The rift opened, and Richard cautiously extended his spiritual power outside. ¡°Come on out, all is clear now!¡± Sensing Ulysses¡¯ Spiritual Message, Richard signaled to Ali, and they walked out of the Secret Realm. The Mushroom Land had now returned to its original state, with their traces of battle covered by the fungi under the Life Energy of the Mushroom Land. But Richard still spotted the shattered Insect God¡¯s Blood immediately. Richard walked up to the amber fragments. ¡°What¡¯s the deal with this amber?¡± Ulysses¡¯ eyes shifted. ¡°Ha, there was something sealed inside the amber, destroyed by those fungal creatures.¡± ¡°And what happened to the stuff inside?¡± ¡°Ha, of course, it was taken by those fungal creatures.¡± Richard turned to look at Ulysses, skeptical. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Ha, I¡¯m sure!¡± But just as Ulysses finished speaking, a figure emerged from the Mushroom Forest. ¡°Richard, I have a deal you might want to hear.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 136 - Chapter 136: Chapter 36: World Tree? World Mushroom! Chapter 136: Chapter 36: World Tree? World Mushroom! ¡°Lawrence?¡± As Richard saw the figure emerging from the Mushroom Forest, a shock ran through him. At this moment, Lawrence¡¯s entire body was composed of white mycelium, which rhythmically bent and stretched as he moved, appearing incredibly natural. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, this body is a puppet controlled by Undead Witchcraft,¡± Lawrence explained. Richard looked at him warily. ¡°What deal are you planning to make?¡± After the Warrior Worm had told him entering the Mushroom Land required a sacrifice, Richard had given up on Lawrence and instead set his target on the treasure of the Mother Worm God. Now, that treasure had been destroyed by the fungal creatures, yet Lawrence still lived. Fate truly was wonderful. ¡°I offer one piece of information, plus five hundred thousand Magic Stones for one body,¡± Lawrence stated his terms, then added, ¡°The information is related to the amber.¡± Upon hearing this, Ulysses suddenly trembled. ¡°Information about the amber?¡± Richard immediately grew interested. Given that Lawrence had been taken by this group of insects for so long, it was indeed possible he had uncovered some information. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï ¡°What kind of body do you need?¡± ¡°Any normal Level 1 Creature will do, I just need it to leave this cursed place.¡± As he spoke, Lawrence pointed to his fungal body, ¡°This body can¡¯t step away from this cursed place.¡± ¡°That¡¯s easy to handle.¡± After a moment of thought, Richard pulled out the Warrior Worm and Spider Knight from the Slave Pocket. Whether it was the five hundred thousand Magic Stones or the treasure¡¯s information, both were far more valuable than these two slaves. ¡°Which one of these do you want?¡± Lawrence was somewhat surprised by the sight of the Spider Knight; he had fought with it before. Killing the Spider Knight was not an issue for him, but capturing it alive was something he couldn¡¯t manage. ¡°I¡¯ll take this half-spider,¡± Lawrence chose. Since the money was already spent, naturally, he wanted a better body. Without saying much more upon hearing this, Richard immediately threw the Spider Knight over to Lawrence. Lawrence took out a contract from his pocket, wrote down the terms, and after signing it, he handed it to Richard. Richard glanced at the terms and then signed his name. Contracts were an indispensable ritual in wizard transactions and also the foundation of the Wizard Society¡¯s laws. Once the contract was completed, Lawrence immediately used Undead Magic to transfer bodies. Although the Spider Knight¡¯s nerves were still severed, the Undead Magic controlling the body didn¡¯t need nerves and resembled more of a puppet on strings. Then he pointed at Ulysses and said, ¡°This amber, the thing sealed inside it was taken by this crow. That crow was deceiving you just now!¡± Upon hearing this, Ulysses became agitated. ¡°Squawk! This is slander, pure slander! Richard, don¡¯t listen to his nonsense. Just look at him; he¡¯s definitely been turned into a puppet and is now trying to drive a wedge between us!¡± Richard paused. Although Ulysses sounded somewhat frantic, his words did carry some reason. Lawrence¡¯s state just now was indeed a bit odd. But suddenly, Richard noticed that Ulysses¡¯s abdomen seemed somewhat distended and was slowly growing larger. ¡°Ulysses, what¡¯s with your belly?¡± Richard asked with a cold smirk. ¡°Squawk? My belly? What¡¯s wrong with it?¡± Ulysses said nervously. But before it could make any more excuses, a strand of blue mycelium stretched out of its mouth. The Mushroom Land trembled again. ¡°Ulysses, every time I think you¡¯re one of us, you always stir up trouble.¡± Richard glanced at him and then reopened the rift into the Secret Realm. ¡°Lawrence, go in and take shelter.¡± Richard called out to Lawrence and grabbed Ulysses, whose stomach had swelled up like a balloon, and entered the Secret Realm. Although he didn¡¯t know what those blue mycelium were, judging from the reaction of the Mushroom Land, they definitely weren¡¯t ordinary. Lawrence looked at the Space Rift with a hint of surprise on his face. Secret Realm Fragments were quite expensive. It was Richard¡¯s first time participating in the Plane War, how could he afford such things? But when he entered the Secret Realm Fragment, the surprise on his face instantly turned to shock. ¡°This¡­ this¡­ where did you get this Secret Realm fragment!¡± Lawrence exclaimed incoherently, ¡°This concentration of Magic Power, this environment, this harmony of rules, how¡­ how could a One Ring Wizard possess such a thing? Aren¡¯t you participating in the Plane War for the first time?¡± Faced with Lawrence¡¯s astonishment, Richard shrugged. ¡°Our dean is quite generous; this is a reward he gave to us.¡± ¡°¡­A reward?¡± Lawrence felt his worldview being shaken, ¡°Are you his student?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then why would he reward you?¡± ¡°This thing is a reward for an exam, it doesn¡¯t matter whether I¡¯m his student or not. If you¡¯re talking about a student,¡± Richard gestured towards Ali, ¡°this wizard is our dean¡¯s grandpupil.¡± Lawrence turned his head to look at Ali, his eyes wide as if they were bells. ¡°You¡¯re the grandpupil of the Black Tower Great Wizard?¡± Ali nodded indifferently and said: ¡°Hmm, the dean is indeed my mentor, but usually, I can¡¯t even see my own teacher, so this connection isn¡¯t very useful.¡± Upon hearing this, Lawrence said with a stern face, ¡°No, no, no, this connection is very important. With this connection, this war will be much easier for us.¡± Lawrence had never imagined that the rookie wizard he was fighting alongside had such a formidable connection. If you had told me about this connection earlier, with it, he could have obtained many more resources from the logistic wizards, and even gotten firsthand information. This would be a huge advantage in the war. Even if this war bonded friendships, he might even be able to mix into the Black Tower Wizard Academy as a logistic wizard in the future. Thinking of this, Lawrence¡¯s mindset underwent some changes. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me, the guy behind you has no small connections either; the head of the War Beast Department is his teacher,¡± Ali said, feeling uncomfortable under Lawrence¡¯s gaze, and thus she divulged Richard¡¯s information. ¡°Hmm?¡± Lawrence instantly turned around, ¡°Your teacher is Jolod, the Master of the War Beast Department?¡± Richard nodded, ¡°What about it?¡± ¡°Nothing, just that if you two ever have a fight in the future, please make sure to call me to join. Fighting alongside you, I feel like the survival rate in this war is very high.¡± With these two, he definitely wouldn¡¯t have to worry about being sent by the command to carry out a suicidal mission. ¡­ After confirming that the changes in the Mushroom Land were caused by Ulysses stealing the blue mushroom seeds, Ali and Lawrence left the Secret Realm, leaving only their one person and one bird. Richard held Ulysses in front of him and asked with a cold expression, ¡°Ulysses, do you have anything to say?¡± At this moment, Ulysses¡¯ body continued to sprout blue mycelium, swelling up like a ball. If it were a normal creature, it would have died long ago. Only Ulysses, the World Master, could still barely survive. ¡°Gaah, my master! I was wrong, I was wrong!¡± Ulysses wailed. Just before entering the Secret Realm, Richard had used his spiritual power to command Ulysses to stop resisting the blue mycelium. Ulysses, knowing how to keep pace, realizing his behavior was inappropriate, naturally gave up resisting since the mycelium was harmless to his soul, and he couldn¡¯t die anyway. ¡°Wrong?¡± Richard sneered coldly, ¡°My lord Ulysses, if it weren¡¯t for someone saying so, I might have really let it pass. Could digesting this thing have restored quite a bit of your strength?¡± ¡°Gaah, no! Absolutely not! This thing is of no benefit to the soul at all, my mind was really clouded!¡± Ulysses screamed miserably. This mushroom seed, when it first appeared, burst with amazing life energy, but when Ulysses swallowed it, it immediately showed its true nature. It continuously absorbed Ulysses¡¯ energy for nourishment, starting just a little at first but increasingly more later on, growing larger and larger until Ulysses eventually slipped up, by which time it had almost drained all of Ulysses¡¯ energy. ¡°Not at all?¡± Richard still sneered coldly, not believing a word Ulysses said. ¡°Gaah, my master, if you don¡¯t act now, this body of mine will be destroyed, and then it¡¯ll be your loss.¡± Ulysses continued to wail miserably, knowing full well that Richard was not a sentimental person. Compared to tormenting him, the potential losses were probably more significant. But this time, Ulysses miscalculated. Richard used the Levitation Skill to suspend Ulysses in the air: ¡°It¡¯s okay, I have plenty of active flesh on hand, building you another body is no problem.¡± ¡°Gaah, no! Master! Richard¡­¡± Faced with Ulysses¡¯ participation, Richard unflinchingly levitated him into the sky of the Secret Realm, then added a soundproof magic shield. Ulysses had been too greedy this time; he had to be punished. ¡­ An hour later, Ulysses¡¯ body suddenly exploded, turning into a fungal sphere. A divine light flew out from the sphere, entering the crow body Richard had prepared. ¡°Ulysses, what on earth is this thing?¡± Regaining a body, Ulysses landed on Richard¡¯s shoulder and cooed obsequiously, ¡°Gaah, I guess this thing is the mushroom seed killed by the golden insect long ago, but it seems like it just awoke its soul. Master, you can communicate with it directly.¡± No sooner had Ulysses finished speaking than the fungal sphere from the sky fell down. ¡°Mortal, I wish to make a deal with you.¡± ¡°Mortal?¡± Richard raised an eyebrow, this mushroom didn¡¯t seem to understand its standing. ¡°Ulysses, can you kill it? If you kill it, this matter is settled, and I¡¯ll prepare you a better body when we return.¡± ¡°Gaah, no problem! If it weren¡¯t for you wanting to discipline me just now, I would have already killed it.¡± As he spoke, Ulysses¡¯ eyes gleamed with a hint of light. Though only a wounded World Master, the mushroom seed on the other side was merely an embryo. Wasn¡¯t it easy for a severely injured adult to defeat an embryo? At this moment, the mushroom ball still hadn¡¯t realized something was amiss and continued, ¡°Mortal, if you serve me, I will grant you power, strength, glory¡­¡± The mushroom ball hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Ulysses¡¯ soul invaded it. ¡°Gaah, power? Strength? Does a mushroom like you deserve my master¡¯s service?¡± The mushroom ball¡¯s spirit space lacked a Miracle Furnace, and in it, Ulysses was overwhelmingly dominant, convincing the mushroom ball of reality in a matter of seconds. ¡°Master! I surrender! I will serve you! I will serve you!¡± Seeing the mushroom ball was so sensible, Ulysses withdrew from its spirit space and returned to his body to coo obsequiously at Richard: ¡°Gaah, my dear master, this mushroom wants to serve you.¡± ¡°Serve me?¡± Richard smirked slightly, ¡°What are you, that you should serve me?¡± ¡°Master, I am the World Mushroom!¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 137 - Chapter 137: Chapter 37 Secret Realm Evolution Chapter 137: Chapter 37 Secret Realm Evolution ¡°World¡­ Mushroom?¡± Facing this title, Richard was somewhat puzzled. Shouldn¡¯t it be the World Tree? ¡°Yes, it is the World Mushroom, my lord, I can make this demi-plane space larger and the rules richer. If there is enough time, this demi-plane might even become a real world¡­¡± The World Mushroom desperately tried to paint a rosy picture for Richard, hoping to survive. Ulysses¡¯s terror was somewhat beyond its expectation, and even the pest that had been beaten into a seed and sealed for so long was not one-third as terrifying as Ulysses. It could feel that Ulysses had suffered severe injuries. If these injuries were to heal, it suspected that even it combined with that insect would merely serve as a lavish feast of meat and vegetables for Ulysses. How could such a terrifying creature refer to an ant as its master? ¡°Ulysses, do you think what it says is credible?¡± Richard asked. ¡°I have only heard of the World Tree and never of a World Mushroom.¡± Ulysses ruffled his feathers: ¡°Caw, my dear master, the term ¡®World Tree¡¯ is a general term. Although it calls itself the World Mushroom, it is actually what we refer to as the World Tree. If you, my master, had visited a plane where the Earth Element is unbalanced, the World Trees there are enormous mountains. And in some worlds where the Water Element is predominant, the World Tree is a gigantic seaweed or a giant jet that reaches through the heavens and the earth.¡± As a member of the Gods Civilization, Ulysses¡¯s status was almost equivalent to that of the Great Wizard. He had seen many landscapes of various otherworlds. To him, something like the World Mushroom was nothing extraordinary. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡± Richard nodded. ¡°That could indeed be useful. Draw up a Destiny Contract for it and make the terms strict.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.§ã? ¡°Caw¡­¡± Ulysses hesitated, then reluctantly scraped off a bit of debris from his soul. Although his injuries had somewhat healed during this period, this small amount of debris took him back a step. ¡°Don¡¯t be so aggrieved,¡± Richard said indifferently. ¡°You will benefit from this mushroom growing as well. I found in the Insect Nest a type of mushroom that can restore soul injuries. If we could plant it in the Secret Realm, your loss would quickly be recovered.¡± ¡°Caw, really!?¡± Richard didn¡¯t say more and pulled out a Sacrificial Fungus from his pocket. After tasting it, Ulysses immediately produced the Destiny Contract. ¡°Caw, for the sake of your interests, my lord, this loss of mine means nothing.¡± ¡­ The Destiny Contract prepared by Ulysses was very strict, but the World Mushroom had even fewer choices than Ulysses had back then. Back then, Ulysses could still struggle, but in front of Ulysses, the World Mushroom didn¡¯t even have the right to struggle and had to sign the contract obediently. Having been sealed for so long, the World Mushroom had no intention of just coming back to life only to die again. Once the contract was signed, the World Mushroom rooted itself in the Secret Realm. As soon as it took root, the magic power in the entire Secret Realm began to flow instantly. The magic power, like rivers flowing into the sea, was absorbed by the World Mushroom and transformed into fungal threads spreading out. The Holy Tree Elves sensed this change and hid behind Richard. Before long, the fungal threads of the World Mushroom had spread through half of the space of the Secret Realm, and its height had reached about ten meters. The Holy Tree Elves were curious about this suddenly enlarged object. A group of little creatures came out from behind Richard and kept circling around the World Mushroom. ¡°Boss, boss, what is this?¡± A Spiritual Message came from the World Tree: ¡°My lord, I will connect with the rules of this Secret Realm. There will be some changes here soon, and these little ones might not be able to adapt.¡± ¡°Not be able to adapt?¡± Richard frowned, the Holy Tree Elves were of significant use to him, relating to long-term benefits. ¡°Can you resolve this?¡± ¡­ The World Mushroom was silent for a long time, making Richard feel like some bosses he had encountered in his past life, who always demanded the moon. ¡°Go take out Tang Seng and his disciples.jpg¡± After the silence, the World Mushroom sent a Spiritual Message: ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but I can try.¡± The World Mushroom extended several thin fungal threads to connect to the Holy Tree Elves. After a long time, the World Mushroom conveyed some good news. ¡°My lord, these little ones are quite good, and I can transform them. If you allow, they can become my kinfolk.¡± ¡°Kinfolk?¡± Richard paused for a moment. After consulting Ulysses, he learned the meaning of kinfolk. Kinfolk are essentially a dependent race of a strong creature, similar to a symbiotic relationship in nature. The kinfolk depend on the strong for survival, while the strong benefit from the services provided by the kinfolk. After hearing this explanation, Richard decided, ¡°Alright, but I need to ensure absolute control over them.¡± The World Mushroom sent a message: ¡°Your will.¡± Transforming the Holy Tree Elves would take a long time, as would the World Mushroom connecting with the rules of the Secret Realm. During this period, the entire Secret Realm would be inaccessible. Richard still had tasks to take care of, and if he disappeared for too long or remained inactive, the command center would deem him as slacking off and would inquire. Without a valid explanation, punishment would be inevitable. Therefore, Richard and Ulysses could only temporarily leave the Secret Realm and wait for the World Mushroom¡¯s transformation to be completed. ¡­ ¡°Is everything settled?¡± Looking at Richard who had just emerged, and Ulysses who had returned to his original form, Ali whispered, asking. ¡°Yes.¡± Richard nodded, then turned to look at Lawrence beside him. ¡°Lawrence, I¡­¡± ¡°I understand!¡± Before Richard could finish, Lawrence interrupted him, pulling out a contract from his pocket. ¡°I swear to keep this matter secret, not revealing a single word to anyone outside. This is a Soul Contract.¡± This old wizard had a keen intuition for survival. Whether it was Ulysses or the blue fungal species, he had no intention of delving any further, especially after understanding Richard and Ali¡¯s backgrounds. Plane War was not child¡¯s play¡ªit certainly entailed some extremely dangerous, even fatal missions. Such mission intelligence was often disguised and then assigned to wizards deemed suitable by the headquarters. Lawrence felt that if he wasn¡¯t tactful, given the relationship of the other two, those fatal missions would undoubtedly fall on him. ¡°This¡­ it¡¯s settled.¡± Richard awkwardly accepted the contract, having initially thought about enticing him, but didn¡¯t expect Lawrence to be so accommodating. After the signing of the contract, all three of them relaxed significantly, and their relationship became closer. After leaving Mushroom Land, Lawrence returned to the Floating City, whereas Richard and company continued their extermination of the Insect Nest. That was their real task. In the middle and lower layers of the Insect Nest, there were countless pockets of the Resistance Army. These insects, leveraging the complex environment of the Earth Cave, fought against the wizards. Although they lost more than they won, they still consumed a lot of the wizards¡¯ vital forces. This was indeed damaging for the limited number of wizards. Now, the war had gradually turned into a quagmire of attrition, a fight to see who had more stamina. ¡­ Bang! A Magic Wand enveloped in black flames struck from the air, smashing a Warrior Worm¡¯s head together with its Blade Arm. The wand sizzled as it evaporated the green viscous fluid of the Warrior Worm. Richard expressionlessly surveyed the area, a small settlement, wherein a dozen Warrior Worms, along with several dozen other types of insects, had entrenched themselves. Until Richard found their lair, this group of Warrior Worms had repeatedly ambushed them using the tunnels. ¡°It¡¯s all settled.¡± Suddenly next to Richard, a shadow rose and transformed into a wizard dressed in a black robe. After leaving Mushroom Land, Lawrence returned to the Floating City and switched bodies. For a wizard like him, who underwent spiritual evolution, any body with a Physique over fifty was usable; hence, he didn¡¯t take long to return to the Underground Insect Nest to meet Richard and company. ¡°What about Ali?¡± A hoarse voice came from the opposite tunnel in front of Richard. ¡°That¡¯s settled too.¡± Ali presently stood wearing somewhat tattered clothes, her face expressionless, exuding an aura that kept others at bay. It had already been two years since they had left Mushroom Land. Over these two years, the three of them had fought from the middle to the lower layers of the Insect Nest, with at least a thousand insects dying by their hands. Such prolonged periods in the dark, oppressive underground hunting insects hardly allowed for a healthy mental state for anyone. Richard had heard that many Black Wizards, after the war, would seek a Soul Wizard to erase parts of their memories to give themselves some relief. Back then, he had scoffed at the idea. Black Wizards started killing as apprentices, and killing aliens in Plane Wars was mentally no burden for them. What was there to erase? Certainly, these wizards were just weak-minded. Now, Richard finally understood the cruelty behind these rumors. War was never only about glory. The group cleaned up the battlefield, harvesting useful parts from the insect bodies. In recent years, the headquarters¡¯ research on the Black Crystal Worm Clan had deepened, and the usage of insect corpses had been enhanced. A pair of Blade Arms from the Warrior Worm, rich in metal elements, could be collected and refined into various metals. The Black Crystal in the brow of the Sacrificial Insect was most precious; these crystals, tempered by the Sacrificial Insects, naturally attracted and stored starlight, which could be released for one-time use in an attack if necessary. The Spider Knight was a treasure all over¡ªits four Blade Arms, the shell covering its body, and the poisonous fangs and glands in its lower spider half all had high utility value. A disassembled Spider Knight could even sell for more than if sold whole. After cleaning the battlefield, Richard activated the Imaging Crystal Ball and continued to use sonar to detect the surrounding terrain, preparing to move to another Earth Cave potentially harboring resistance forces. But before he could take out the Crystal Ball, their Communication Crystal Balls simultaneously received a message from headquarters. ¡°All¡­ wizards note, the clean-up of Underground Insects¡­ is significant, all¡­ return. Repeat, all wizards¡­ return!¡± Due to their deep position, the signal from the Communication Crystal Balls was somewhat intermittent, but even so, the three of them discerned the command from headquarters. Holding the Communication Crystal Ball, Richard paused for a moment, his face unable to suppress a smile. ¡°Damn, finally we can leave this godforsaken place!¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 138 - Chapter 138: Chapter 38: Back to the Ground Chapter 138: Chapter 38: Back to the Ground Following the complex and twisted underground passages upwards, Richard and his two companions quickly left the middle layer of the Insect Nest and arrived at the upper layer. Feeling the sudden drop in temperature and humidity around him, Richard took a deep breath and said with relief, ¡°We¡¯re finally about to get out. If we kept killing like this, I felt like I was going to start growing mushrooms.¡± Beside him, Ali nodded in agreement, ¡°Indeed, the lower Insect Nest is no place for humans.¡± Lawrence, as an experienced wizard, was well-traveled and did not have any particularly strong reactions to the harsh environment of the lower Insect Nest. ¡°It¡¯s bearable. These conditions are not particularly bad in a Plane War. If you¡¯re not adapting well, I recommend getting a body modification like me, turning into an undead basically makes you unresponsive to any environment.¡± ¡°¡­I think I¡¯ll pass on that.¡± Although the undead are unresponsive to the environment, they also lack sensation in other aspects, and unless one is an Undead Wizard, few wizards are willing to undertake such body modifications. Over two years, the upper Insect Nest had undergone many changes. As Richard ascended, he continuously saw White Wizards and Logistic Wizards working, destroying small caverns and narrow tunnels and then solidifying them with spells. Those larger caverns were modified into strongholds with the deployment of Magic Arrays and Alchemy Weapons. It seemed that the command had decided to thoroughly clean out the caverns and instead fortify based on the terrain. Richard asked a Logistic Wizard, and it turned out that the command thought the remaining number of insects was too few, and using Black Wizards to clear them out would be a waste of forces. They preferred to destroy their paths to the upper Insect Nest instead, blocking them below until they could deal with them later in the Plane War. ¡­ Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??0.§ã¦Ï Emerging from the Insect Nest and seeing the long-missed horizon, Richard was filled with emotion. The feeling of returning to the surface was fucking great! Back at the Floating City Fortress, the fortress now had drastically changed, with the wizard residences completed. These buildings encircled the Floating City Fortress, forming a ring that would serve as the first line of defense if the Black Crystal Insect swarm counterattacked. According to headquarters¡¯ orders, all wizards emerging from the underground Insect Nest were granted a one-month leave for recuperation. After one month, new assignments would be given to them. ¡­ After receiving the keys to his house from a Logistic Wizard, Richard found his home in the residential ring. Although one month wasn¡¯t long, it was enough for him to catch his breath. His mission of hunting insects this time had been very profitable, catching many Spider Knights and Warrior Worms, besides the World Mushrooms. The initial planting insects he had discarded entirely. Not that it mattered, Richard believed that with the World Mushrooms, growing some fungi would be a piece of cake. Having sorted through his gains, Richard went to the Wizard Commerce at the fortress to sell them. Yes, a commercial hub accompanies every Plane Expedition. Each Plane Expedition would be accompanied by several Wizard Commerce associated with the Academy, each carrying a large amount of Magic Stone Magic Essence. Although they would depress the prices during the trading process, for wizards needing to clear their inventory, this slight depreciation was no big deal. Moreover, these spoils of war didn¡¯t provide any combat strength to the wizards; turning them into Magic Stones also made it convenient for wizards to replenish their Magical Power or to trade resources with other wizards. Thanks to his knowledge of anatomy, Richard knew the weaknesses of the Spider Knights, so the ones he captured in the Underground Insect Nest were in excellent condition, which increased his profits to nearly 300,000 Magic Stones. For a One Ring Wizard participating in his first Plane War, this amount was astounding. After selling the spoils of war, Richard found a wizard market in the residential area. This market mainly sold items that were hard to price or undervalued by stores. The market was bustling, and because of the command¡¯s instructions, all One Ring Black Wizards were rushing towards the Floating City, making the market thrive. ¡°Special fungi, special fungi, these fungi have extreme neurotoxic properties, perfect for making Alchemy Poisons!¡± ¡°Starlight Stone, Starlight Stone, mined from the top of the Insect Nest, capable of absorbing starlight, which might reveal the secrets of starlight after research!¡± ¡°Variant Transport Insect, these mutated Transport Worms have strong load capacity and defense, ideal for making mobile Alchemy Weapon bases!¡± Walking through the market, Richard felt like he was back on the commercial street of the Academy. Back then, wizards seemed unattainably high and mysterious to him. Now that he was a wizard, and surrounded by wizards, they seemed as common as Apprentices. Richard browsed the market and, with his keen eye, noticed that most of the items the wizards were selling were junk. For instance, the special fungi he first heard being touted for their strong neurotoxic properties¡ªthe seller didn¡¯t mention one important detail: this neurotoxicity was almost ineffective against Black Crystal Insects. Feeding this mushroom to any Level 1 Creature among the Black Crystal Insects would more likely cause them to burst than die from the poison. As for the Starlight Stone, although it could attract starlight, its effectiveness was very weak, and it was used merely as an aid by the Black Crystal Insects. Although the wizard claimed it could be used to unlock the mysteries of starlight, studying it with Sacrificial Insects would obviously be better. Moreover, these were not the major issues. Although the wizards selectively highlighted some features of these items, there indeed were some points worth studying or using¡ªif priced correctly, Richard wouldn¡¯t mind buying some. But these wizards had set their prices sky-high, hoping some enamored wizard would spend foolish money on their wares. Just like the apprentices Richard had encountered during his apprenticeship. Looking around at the shouting wizards, Richard shook his head helplessly. The system at the Wizard Academy apparently did no better at weeding out fools, at least not in the business sense. However, just as Richard was about to leave, something on the street caught his attention. ¡°Friend, how much for this?¡± Richard approached a stall and pointed to a fist-sized black crystal stone on the ground, asking aloud. The selling wizard glanced at it and said lazily, ¡°One hundred thousand Magic Stones, non-negotiable.¡± ¡°One hundred thousand Magic Stones?¡± Richard¡¯s heart skipped a beat, not because the wizard¡¯s price was too high, but because it was too low. If he wasn¡¯t mistaken, this black crystal stone should be a Nomi Crystal Stone. This item had been harvested by wizards during the Enlightenment Period, and he had only seen it mentioned in Encrypted Notes. He hadn¡¯t expected to encounter one at the Wizard Market today. ¡°No bargaining,¡± the selling wizard repeated his terms. ¡°Deal, I¡¯ll take it.¡± With that, Richard pulled out a bag of Magic Essence from his pocket, counted out the amount, and threw it to the vendor. After receiving it, the vendor scanned it with his spiritual power and then produced a contract. Once the contract was signed, the transaction was complete. Richard casually asked, ¡°Friend, where did you get this from?¡± The wizard looked up at Richard and uttered a phrase. ¡°No comment.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Having hit a wall, Richard could only leave in frustration. Although the wizard hadn¡¯t said anything, Richard guessed that some unfortunate wizard had probably died, and this one had picked up the leftovers. After the Nomi Crystal Stones had been completely mined in the Wizard World, wizards had explored many conquered worlds but failed to find these crystals. This Insect Nest World was unlikely to be the lucky exception. Back from the market, Richard immediately started crafting his magic wand¡¯s headpiece. Although Richard¡¯s Magic Wand had performed exceptionally well in the Underground Insect Nest, effective in both melee and spellcasting, a magic wand ultimately needed a headpiece. Moreover, the Nomi Crystal Stone was tremendously beneficial to Richard¡¯s combat capabilities. Although the Nomi Crystal Stone only slightly amplified the spells, it had a powerful feature¡ªit allowed for magic casting without magic flares. This feature did not mean that the wizard didn¡¯t need Magic Power, but that a wizard¡¯s casting would not emit Magic Fluctuations. The Nomi Crystal Stone could significantly shield the Magic Fluctuations during a wizard¡¯s casting, its effect almost akin to a silencer (film and TV version). For Richard, a Black Wizard, this was nothing short of a divine weapon. Even the most cautious spellcasting by a wizard released some Magic Fluctuations, which could become quite noticeable to the sensory-keen Alien Natives, thereby revealing the wizard¡¯s location. But with the Nomi Crystal Stone, Richard no longer had to worry about that. Installing a headpiece was not a difficult task, and Richard finished it in less than an afternoon. After completing the crafting, he found an empty spot to test the spells, using the Heart of Annihilation, known for its prominent Magic Fluctuations. Buzz! Richard was pleasantly surprised by his Magic Wand, as the Magic Fluctuations from the Heart of Annihilation¡¯s spell were almost indistinguishable from trickery. If he had used a spell with even less Magic Fluctuation, those would be virtually negligible. Holding the Magic Wand, Richard returned to his room in a cheerful mood, but the moment he entered, a lovely figure pulled him into the bedroom. ¡°Whoa, Ali, calm down, I just made a magic wand, and it¡¯s incredibly effective¡­¡± Before Richard could finish, a pair of red lips sealed his. Soon after, the room filled with the sound of fabrics tearing and some decidedly adult moans. A wizard¡¯s physical condition was stronger than an Apprentice¡¯s, their spiritual power stronger, but this also made their desires more intense and their endurance greater. Desire suppressed for too long was like a volcano on the verge of eruption, needing only the slightest trigger to explode. ¡°Listen to me, Ali, that magic wand of mine is really powerful,¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 139 - Chapter 139: Chapter 39 Academic Discussion Chapter 139: Chapter 39 Academic Discussion The next morning, after nearly ten hours of lingering, Richard dragged himself out of bed after a brief rest. To a wizard¡¯s physique, yesterday¡¯s vigorous activities were hardly a major strain. Ulysses was peeking around the doorway and, upon seeing Richard get up, spoke with a hint of exclamation in his voice, ¡°Gah, your mating session is finally over. I must say your race is very strange, shouldn¡¯t mating be over as quickly as possible? But you guys always take so long.¡± Richard glared at him: ¡°Don¡¯t try to apply bird logic to humans.¡± After donning his wizard robe and leaving the bedroom, Richard felt a long-lost sense of peace in his heart now that he had no tasks. He pulled out a crystal ball from his pocket, injected a bit of magic power, and a three-dimensional image projected out of the crystal ball. The content of the image was the anatomical atlas of the Spider Knight. In the Underground Insect Nest, Richard had only managed to identify the weak points of the Spider Knight and had not conducted an in-depth study of its other parts. Now that he had the time, he naturally needed to conduct a thorough investigation. The Spider Knight¡¯s transformation was exquisitely intricate; every time Richard looked at the modification of the Spider Knight, he couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the miracle of technology. Combining two different species was not a difficult task, and even a Wizard Apprentice would be able to achieve this with wizard¡¯s Synthetic Beast technology. But being combined is one thing, existing stably is another. For the flesh-spliced Synthetic Beasts, their life entered a countdown from the moment of completion, with their survival time typically measured in days. Most stable Synthetic Beasts were created from living flesh paired with cultivated demonized organs. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã? At least the Synthetic Beast technology of the Black Tower Wizard Academy had not reached a higher level. But the Spider Knights created by these insects were different. The upper half of the Spider Knight was a Black Crystal Insect, while the lower half was a spider creature, a species distinctly different from the Black Crystal Insects. Logically, merging these two creatures would result in a severe rejection reaction, arising from the mismatched muscles, blood vessels, and even nerves; wizards would have to use large doses of anti-rejection potions to eliminate this reaction. Yet, the Black Crystal Worm Clan had managed to greatly reduce the bodily rejection between the two through a precise neural connection¡ªthe connection between the Black Crystal Insect¡¯s flesh and the lower half¡¯s spider flesh was extremely limited, consisting only of connected nerves, some muscles, and the non-rejecting exoskeleton. With fewer points of contact, the intensity of the rejection naturally decreased. If this precise and remarkable neural connection technology could be fully deciphered, it would represent a major breakthrough for Richard¡¯s Synthetic Beast technology¡­ but that required full decryption. Using the complete body of a Spider Knight, Richard had spent an entire half-month in his laboratory. During this time he tried to unravel this technology, but regrettably, his level with Synthetic Beasts was inadequate, as was his talent in this area, and he did not discover anything in that half-month. This forced Richard to look for other methods. ¡­ ¡°Teacher, long time no see, how have you been lately?¡± At the War Beast Department of the Floating City Fortress, Richard looked at Jolod with a beaming smile. Right now, they were in a massive underground factory teeming with cultivation tanks filled with green liquid. Inside the tanks, various organs floated up and down, occasionally scooped out by passing wizards for use in creating Synthetic Beasts. This was the Synthetic Beast Factory of the Floating City Fortress, where Jolod usually worked. Hundreds of wizards labored day and night to produce synthetic creatures, yielding up to a thousand First Level Synthetic Beasts and nearly a hundred Second Level ones daily. Even so, the production of Synthetic Beasts was barely keeping up with the demand. In the past two years, the White Wizard Army had successively conquered several Insect Countries, and the wizards¡¯ occupied territory had nearly reached a quarter of the Insect Nest World. Apart from the formidable combat capabilities of the White Wizard Army, the strategic issue of the Black Crystal Worm Clan also posed a problem. During wars, their resistance was weak, retreating again and again, leaving only some insects to undertake guerrilla warfare in the Underground Insect Nests, while the main forces and the Mother Worm retreated to other Insect Countries. This enabled the White Wizards to achieve in two years what would normally take nearly twenty years of warfare. ¡°It¡¯s okay, the war is going smoothly, I have a lot of work on my hands, but the rewards are also good.¡± Seeing his student visit, Jolod was naturally pleased. He had always been worried about his few students running into trouble, but as it stood, even the most unreliable Chax had only suffered minor injuries. ¡°Did you come this time for some active flesh?¡± Richard shook his head repeatedly at the question: ¡°No, no, no, can¡¯t I come over to see you?¡± ¡°Alright, I know you lot,¡± Jolod said with a smile, waving his hand and leading Richard to a private room. Inside the room was a desk and a bookshelf covered with books and notes, while the walls were hung with numerous anatomical atlases. ¡°This is my office.¡± Jolod sat behind the desk and pointed to a chair in the corner of the room, gesturing for Richard to sit down. ¡°What problem have you encountered?¡± Richard gave an awkward smile and pulled out an Image Capturing Crystal Ball from his Magic Pocket. ¡°Teacher, take a look at this.¡± As the image played, Jolod¡¯s expression changed instantly. ¡°Good stuff, such a complete Spider Knight dissection atlas¡­ did you make this?¡± Jolod¡¯s gaze was focused as he looked at the images. Even though he was the minister of the War Beast Department, his experience with the Spider Knight¡¯s body was limited to just a few incomplete specimens. Those bodies were blasted into a mess by Wizards using spells, with organs carbonized where they should have been carbonized, and shattered where they should have been shattered. It was said that over at the White Wizard¡¯s research lab, there were two complete Spider Knight bodies, but Jolod, as the War Beast Department minister, obviously couldn¡¯t get involved. He could only rely on those incomplete bodies to piece together a dissection atlas. ¡°I did, I guess I¡¯ve mastered about thirty percent of what you taught me,¡± Richard said modestly. ¡°Thirty percent?¡± Jolod shook his head, ¡°At least seventy percent, the completeness of this image is such that even if your senior brothers came, they couldn¡¯t do much better.¡± Shifting his gaze away from the atlas, Jolod asked the question again. ¡°What problems have you encountered?¡± Richard pointed at the image: ¡°Teacher, now I have a treasure trove, but I don¡¯t know where to start with it. As you know, my talent in Synthetic Beasts is nothing short of remarkable, but it would take me decades to get any significant findings from this material.¡± ¡°So, what are your thoughts?¡± Jolod heard something unusual in Richard¡¯s words. His student always had unconventional ideas, not sticking to the ordinary thought processes. Maybe this time he was going to come up with something new. ¡°My idea¡­¡± Richard smiled, his eyes flickering uncertainly, ¡°My idea, you might not accept it, teacher.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Jolod¡¯s eyebrows raised, ¡°Let¡¯s hear it.¡± Richard sat up straight, his expression serious: ¡°I want to organize an academic seminar within our master-apprentice group to discuss this Spider Knight dissection atlas.¡± ¡°¡­¡± After hearing Richard¡¯s idea, Jolod fell silent. His student was right; he was indeed onto something new. ¡°¡­An academic seminar.¡± Jolod pondered for a moment, ¡°Richard, I think you should know the rules of Wizards. Research is a very private matter, and the knowledge derived from it is a treasure among treasures. An academic seminar will definitely reveal a lot of knowledge; you¡¯re suggesting giving away our findings for nothing.¡± Richard shook his head: ¡°How could it be for nothing? Everyone attending the seminar will hear the content and can express their opinions.¡± ¡°What if someone doesn¡¯t voice their opinion?¡± Jolod tapped the table, ¡°A Wizard who only absorbs others¡¯ knowledge but doesn¡¯t share their own is the one who gets the most out of it.¡± Richard smiled slyly, wisdom flashing in his eyes: ¡°That¡¯s why I said it¡¯s within our master-apprentice group, teacher.¡± Such an obvious problem ¨C how could Richard not have thought of it? ¡°You lead the discussion, teacher. You¡¯re the main speaker, and we, your students, are here to participate in the discussion and provide ideas. We are all Wizards now, and our perspectives on things are no longer as superficial as an Apprentice¡¯s. We might provide you, teacher, with some interesting insights. And since everyone is your student, having more participants in the discussion is better. If no one discusses, the knowledge won¡¯t be taken by outsiders, it¡¯ll just be like a class.¡± Jolod fell silent for a while, Richard¡¯s words tempting him. Wizards and Wizard Apprentices were indeed different; his few students were all Wizards now, some even stronger than himself. Their views and insights on certain matters must have their own uniqueness. Jolod had always believed that Wizard research should remain highly private, even between mentor and apprentice. But Richard¡¯s idea had opened another door. After a long silence, Jolod spoke: ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s a good idea, but it¡¯s a bit too bold. For this seminar, only you, Anna, and Chax may participate. The few of you get along well, and exchanging ideas won¡¯t be too awkward.¡± Richard nodded. Jolod was right; he wasn¡¯t very familiar with some of his senior brothers, and starting a seminar rashly would just lead to an embarrassing stalemate. Now that the academic seminar was settled, Jolod immediately used the Communication Crystal Ball to inform Anna and Chax. ¡°Hey, teacher, your crystal ball can connect to the Communication Crystal Ball network to notify other Wizards?¡± Richard asked, somewhat surprised. ¡°This isn¡¯t the command center¡¯s Communication Crystal Ball, it¡¯s a little gadget made by Anna. It can do short-distance communication by adding names to a list. Get one from her when she comes over.¡± Richard looked at the Communication Crystal Ball, his mind slightly stirred. If the Magic Fluctuation it emitted was weak, it would be quite suitable for Black Wizards to communicate behind enemy lines. Before long, Anna and Chax arrived one after another. Anna seemed to have been injured during this period, as one of her arms had been replaced with a mechanical one, and Chax had also made some modifications to his body, now possessing four arms. The additional two arms were particularly conspicuous. ¡°I¡¯ve called you here for a reason; your junior brother just brought up an idea that I think is very good,¡± Jolod said calmly. ¡°Oh, junior brother, what new ideas have you come up with this time?¡± Chax came over to Richard familiarly, making faces at him. ¡°It¡¯s simple; I¡¯ve obtained a Spider Knight dissection atlas and wanted to hold an academic seminar with you and teacher leading.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 140 - Chapter 140: Chapter 40: New Mission Chapter 140: Chapter 40: New Mission ¡°Academic seminar?¡± The two newcomers were momentarily stunned, then they turned to look at Jolod. ¡°Academic seminar¡­ is it what I think it is?¡± Anna asked uncertainly. ¡°Yes and no,¡± Jolod answered lightly. ¡°All of you are my students, and your skills are not better than mine. This academic seminar is basically like a lecture, but the only difference is that you can express your own opinions, and you will not be thrown out of the classroom like you were as apprentices.¡± Upon hearing Jolod¡¯s words, the two were instantly reassured. ¡°Lectures are good,¡± Chax said casually, ¡°I¡¯ve also been researching the Spider Knights, so this is a perfect opportunity to benefit from our junior brother and listen to your thoughts, teacher.¡± But Anna raised a doubt. ¡°Teacher, I study Alchemy Machines, and the discussion on Synthetic Beasts doesn¡¯t seem useful to me.¡± ¡°Hey, sister, what are you talking about?¡± Richard moved next to Anna. ¡°We are all wizards, and time is not as tight as during our apprenticeship. Learning more things will mean more ways to handle future problems. Take this war, for example, those retrieved Spider Knight corpses were all incomplete, but if they had systematically studied anatomy and Synthetic Beast technology, they would have discovered a fatal weakness at the Spider Knight¡¯s waist. Understanding this weakness could easily lead to capturing a Spider Knight alive.¡± Anna was slightly stunned; Richard¡¯s words indeed made sense. ¡°Moreover, since we are all students of the same teacher, learning more could be useful when it¡¯s time to take on apprentices ourselves in the future. You never know, we might make something great out of it,¡± Richard spoke vibrantly. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï ¡°¡­Fine, but I really won¡¯t be much help.¡± Seeing the two agree, Jolod waved his hand and brought the three to his room. Opening the Imaging Crystal Ball, the detailed anatomical diagram of the Spider Knight appeared in the air again. ¡°I have been studying this Spider Knight for some days, and during this time, I also discovered quite a few interesting things,¡± Jolod pointed to the nerve center at the waist of the Spider Knight. ¡°This nerve center is one of the vital points of the Spider Knight; damaging it can paralyze its lower body and cause muscle paralysis. Anna, you might want to note this down.¡± Anna nodded upon hearing this and took out a notebook from her Magic Pocket to make notes. ¡°Besides, this nerve center itself is also a node in the energy cycle; it, and¡­¡± Jolod pointed to a tumor below the nerve center, ¡°they are responsible for transforming the energy from the lower half of the Spider body into the upper half, allowing the Black Crystal Insects to utilize it.¡± Chax nodded upon hearing this and then raised his hand to speak: ¡°Teacher, how much have you studied this transformation? I have researched that tumor¡­¡± Chax paused instinctively, as the instincts of a wizard stopped him from revealing his own research information. ¡°Go ahead, Chax, we¡¯re all friends here,¡± Jolod nodded slightly at Chax, encouraging him to continue. An academic seminar isn¡¯t a dictatorship. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll continue.¡± Chax seemed to make up his mind, ¡°This tumor itself also has a weak energy cycle inside it, the structure of this cycle resembles a Type Three Life-Death Energy Transformation, but due to limited time, I haven¡¯t figured out much yet, this is the energy cycle diagram I came up with.¡± Saying so, Chax took out an Imaging Crystal Ball from his pocket and released a very abstract energy cycle diagram. ¡°It does resemble a Type Three Life-Death Energy Transformation,¡± Anna suddenly interjected, ¡°There¡¯s something wrong with your diagram.¡± Anna pointed at a few energy nodes on the cycle diagram. ¡°These two nodes you must have gotten wrong, if the energy cycle was according to this diagram, the Black Crystal Insect¡¯s tumor would have burst long ago, it¡¯s probably like this¡­¡± Saying so, Anna traced a few new energy pathways with her finger. Watching the students passionately discuss, Jolod, who should have been the main character, was a bit bewildered, but soon he smiled contentedly. Watching his students display their talents, how could he, as their teacher, not be proud? Soon, he joined the discussion as well. ¡°Anna, that¡¯s not right, biology and Alchemy Machines are different, some energy cycles in organisms undergo some changes¡­¡± ¡­ The academic seminar was very successful, it was a perfect endeavor. In this meeting, Richard for the first time realized that seemingly unrelated disciplines could be interconnected, and what was a longstanding problem in one discipline might be easily solvable by an amateur in another. During this seminar, Richard learned quite a lot, and there were some advancements in his techniques for neural connections in Black Crystal Insects. And amongst these, Richard also solved a long-troubling question. Why was he able to extract techniques from the Mother Worm Guard¡¯s Blade Arms. The answer was simple because the Blade Arms of the Mother Worm Guard were no longer considered a part of the body but more like an external tool, much like a prosthetic limb. Not a very auspicious comparison, but if Anna¡¯s mechanical arm broke, Richard might also be able to extract some skills from it. This answer was disappointing to Richard, but it also fit with his previous findings. Furthermore, on this basis, Richard slightly perceived a hint about the refining standards of the Miracle Furnace. The extraction of certain skills might relate to difficulty and time. According to Jolod, the older the Mother Worm Guardians, the brighter their golden hue. The one Richard encountered indeed had a very bright gold hue. A skill might need to be used repeatedly on a tool over years for the Furnace to extract it from the ¡®traces of use¡¯. The more complex the skill, the harder it is to leave traces. The Duke Heisen, who was merely a mortal, had left shallow sword techniques that took decades to leave traces, while these Mother Worm Guards might have lived for centuries, using skills involving energy cycles and muscle usage, thus taking centuries to leave traces. However, this was just an immature conjecture, some skills couldn¡¯t be explained by this theory, such as the Magic Engraving he had extracted from the Wizard Robe. However, any theory is full of holes when it first emerges, and Richard believed that he would definitely understand the principles behind the extraction in the future. The seminar lasted for nearly ten days, and Wizard didn¡¯t need to eat or drink, so ten days didn¡¯t feel like much to them. After the seminar ended, everyone left satisfied, even Anna gained a lot. As they were leaving, Jolod patted Richard on the shoulder and said, ¡°Richard, that¡¯s a good idea; perhaps we can hold such events more often in the future.¡± ¡°As long as you think it¡¯s good.¡± Undoubtedly, this was a good start. ¡­ Upon returning from Jolod¡¯s, Richard began to apply the theories. In the seminar, Jolod shared a muscle structure diagram of the Mother Worm Guards as well as an energy circulation diagram. With these two charts, Richard¡¯s extraction skills from the Mother Worm Guards could be put to use. The most powerful aspect of a Wizard was to absorb the strengths of an enemy to enhance themselves. After some adaptation, Richard began the practical operation. The muscle structure began to deform due to Flesh Control, and Magic Power under the control of spiritual power simulated the energy circulation of the Mother Worm Guards. When both conditions were met, Richard found he couldn¡¯t control his arms and suddenly swung forward. Boom! A sonic boom sounded. Richard looked at his dislocated arm and scratched his head. This technique, when used on humans, was somewhat akin to a whip-hand, with a power of about four hundred energy levels. Much weaker than the original version. But this was normal since Richard¡¯s muscles were not the Mother Worm Guards¡¯ muscles, and the energy was more peaceful Magic Power. To have this level of power was already quite impressive. However, for Richard now, this power obviously wasn¡¯t sufficient. Yet, power was only one aspect; the knowledge and inspiration Richard gained from this were even more valuable. He could use the knowledge combined with inspiration to make the Black Crystal Insect technique even more suitable for Wizards. Learning from the enemy, adapting to oneself. This was how Wizards gradually became stronger. ¡­ The days of rest soon passed. After receiving the mission tools, Richard found Ali and Lawrence in the residential area. ¡°Enter Insect Nest No. 12, awaiting the opportunity to sabotage or gather intelligence, depending on the importance of the information; headquarters will give rewards.¡± Richard revealed his mission details and then looked at the others; they both nodded. ¡°Mine is the same.¡± ¡°Mine as well.¡± Richard raised his eyebrows. ¡°All for Insect Nest No. 12?¡± Ali coughed a bit awkwardly. ¡°I talked to the teacher to change the location a bit; since we¡¯re all infiltrating Insect Nests, it might be helpful if we all enter one together.¡± The task of infiltrating an Insect Nest cannot be carried out by a team as the range of the Insect Nest is quite large; having several Black Wizards together not only makes a larger target but also reduces the efficiency of the mission. However, if several Wizards are familiar with each other, they can carry out tasks in several adjacent areas, so they can support each other if a problem arises. ¡°That would be great, Ali,¡± Richard said, somewhat surprised. ¡°Look for those low-risk, high-reward missions, and I¡¯ll count on you for my future missions.¡± Ali glanced at him, ¡°There¡¯s no such good thing. We haven¡¯t even reached the middle of the war yet, none of the tasks are low in danger. At the end of the war, such tasks will appear, but they are prioritized as rewards for Wizards who perform well during the war. It would be good enough if we could get tasks with low danger and low reward. The headquarters isn¡¯t run only by the teacher.¡± Listening to this, Lawrence internally sighed, feeling fortunate to have such connections up to the headquarters. After discussing the mission, they began heading towards the mission site. The Insect Nest No. 12 they were infiltrating wasn¡¯t the main attack direction of the White Wizard Army, so the defenses inside the nest were relatively weaker. After all, the main force certainly needs to gather towards the main attack direction to prevent the White Wizard Army from punching through their defense line and losing an Insect Country. Despite the Black Mirror Worm¡¯s deep strategic depth, this wasn¡¯t the method to handle it. What Richard and his team needed to do was to disturb the internal order of the Insect Nest as much as possible. As for gathering intelligence¡­ it was a slim hope for these One Ring Black Wizards. ¡­ Under the eternal night, countless black-robed Wizards gathered at the front line, staring at the towering mountainous Insect Nest, ready to enter it. Chapter 141 - Chapter 141: Chapter 41: Infiltrating the Insect Nest Chapter 141: Chapter 41: Infiltrating the Insect Nest At the border where Wizard occupied area met the Insect Nest, small war fortresses stood in a line. Because the number of wizards was at a disadvantage compared to insects, in the battle lines against the insects, wizards were mostly in a strategic defensive posture. In these defensive battle lines, White Wizards used the war fortresses as bases to monitor and harass the Insect Nest, rarely engaging in large-scale offensives. However, with the command headquarters issuing an infiltration mission, these White Wizards had no choice but to cover for the infiltration of the Black Wizards. ¡°Assembly.¡± The White Wizard squad leader issued the command through the spiritual network. There weren¡¯t many White Wizards stationed at the war fortress¡ªjust twenty per fortress. This number was the minimum required to maintain the advantage of the White Wizard Army, and any lower would result in a loss of their combat edge when engaging in group warfare. As the White Wizards gathered, they found a group of Black Wizards already waiting for them in the hall. ¡°Why are these Black Wizards here?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t these guys supposed to be clearing the insects in the Insect Nest?¡± ¡°Could they be here to help us hold the line? Surely, they aren¡¯t starting infiltration operations now.¡± ¡­ Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï The White Wizards communicated using spiritual messages, and the White Wizard squad leader standing in the center of the hall cleared his throat and announced their mission: ¡°The command headquarters requires us to provide cover for the Black Wizards. Today, we need to coordinate with the surrounding fortresses for a proactive strike and draw as much attention from the Black Crystal Insects as possible, to facilitate the Black Wizards¡¯ infiltration into the Insect Nest.¡± Upon hearing this, the present White Wizards immediately stopped communicating. Infiltration warfare is an indispensable and the deadliest phase of planar expeditions. The Black Wizards infiltrating behind enemy lines would lose support from their fellow wizards and have to face enemies that could emerge from any direction. Unless something unexpected happened, most of the White Wizards present could survive until the end of the war, but most of the Black Wizards infiltrating behind enemy lines would likely meet their ends there. The White Wizard squad leader silently performed the Wizard¡¯s Salute to the Black Wizards in the hall, followed by the other White Wizards who did the same. It was a long-standing tradition. A salute to those headed to their death. Soon, the White Wizards formed their ranks to depart, and the Black Wizards demonstrated their divine skills, blending their forms with their surroundings as they moved towards the Insect Nest. Richard activated his Concealer Cloak, blending into the shadows like a part of them, perfect camouflage in the perpetual night of the Insect Nest World. Boom! With the sound of spells exploding, the White Wizards officially commenced their operations. The Insect Nest¡¯s insects had to hurriedly mobilize in response to this sudden attack. Warrior Worms dodged and countered under the direction of Priest Worms, the Mother Goddess Cannon spewing deadly Acid Liquid Balls whose energy arcs lit up half of the sky along with the White Wizards¡¯ spells. The insects were distracted by the White Wizards, leaving the effectiveness of the Black Wizards¡¯ actions up to their own abilities. ¡­ The Black Crystal Worm Clan¡¯s Insect Nest was enormously large, with entry and exit points as numerous as stars. Although the Black Crystal Insects intentionally filled many, several pathways remained unguarded. With the White Wizards assaulting, a significant number of guards were redeployed, making Richard¡¯s infiltration surprisingly smooth. Like a shadow, Richard utilized Shadow Shuttling, swiftly entering the Insect Nest, and upon entry, he didn¡¯t rush deeper but took out an Imaging Crystal Ball to start scanning the surrounding terrain. This type of crystal ball, tested by Black Wizards and improved by logistics wizards, had enhanced concealment and performance. Now, as long as it wasn¡¯t used within five meters of Level 1 Creatures, fifty meters of Second-level Creatures, or a hundred meters of Third Level Creatures, there was no chance of being detected. As the microwave scanned, a three-dimensional map of the Insect Nest unfolded before Richard. Looking at the terrain displayed in the crystal ball, Richard fell into thought. Their infiltration as Black Wizards had a purpose; as a ring within the Black Wizards, their only task was to disrupt enemy lines. Thus, he should try to enter the Underground Insect Nest¡ªthe rear of the Black Crystal Worm Clan¡ªrather than operate in the ground-level nest. But according to the map, if he wanted to go underground, he would need to traverse a corridor where numerous insects were lurking. If he wasn¡¯t fully prepared, entering the underground would undoubtedly lead to detection, a case of dying before achieving anything. But if he chose not to take this corridor, he¡¯d have to activate the crystal ball again to find a new path. This also posed a risk for him. On the ground level of the Insect Nest, Black Crystal Insects had gathered a considerable number of Level 1, 2, and 3 Creatures, scattered throughout the nest. Every use of the crystal ball increased the risk. If the insects discovered a wizard had infiltrated near them, a thorough search would be inevitable. And beyond a massive search, there was the problem of endangering other wizards. It was a dilemma. While Richard pondered, a series of soft footsteps accompanied by the low hum of Warrior Worms suddenly traveled down the corridor, causing Richard¡¯s hair to stand on end. Had he been found out? Without a moment to lose, Richard wrapped himself in his Wizard Robe, blending into the shadows. The shadow infiltration etched in his Concealer Cloak finally came in handy today. As the footsteps grew nearer, Richard¡¯s anxiety heightened. Soon, two Warrior Worms passed by him. ¡°What¡¯s with these Wizard Monsters today, why such a large-scale attack all of a sudden?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but the Priest said that these wizards must have plotted some evil conspiracy, otherwise they would never launch such a rash attack.¡± ¡°What is this conspiracy?¡± ¡°How should I know? We¡¯re warriors, let the Priests think about these things.¡± ¡­ The two Warrior Worms passed by Richard without noticing that a Wizard Monster was lurking in the shadows beside them. After they left, Richard emerged from the shadows, pondering thoughtfully, ¡°The logistic Wizards¡¯ translation of the Black Crystal Worm language is quite accurate.¡± Over the past two years, the logistic Wizards had used various means to compile and translate the Black Crystal Worm language, creating an Inheritance Crystal Ball for other wizards to study. Richard had also picked up the language while collecting mission items. As far as he could tell, he had understood about eighty percent of what the Warrior Worms had just said, the rest he did not understand was mostly tonal words and colloquial habits. From what the Warrior Worms had said, the Black Crystal Worms were still unaware of the Black Wizard¡¯s infiltration, giving him more time to react. Once the Black Crystal Worms reacted, a large-scale search would begin immediately. ¡°However, judging by the effectiveness of Shadow Infiltration, moving through the lower levels is entirely feasible. These Level 1 Warrior Worms can¡¯t detect me entering the shadows.¡± Without hesitation, Richard immediately began moving towards the deeper levels of the Insect Nest according to the terrain map. On the way, Richard also got a chance to see the structure of an Insect Nest inhabited by the worms. Nurtured by the Black Crystal Worms, the upper Insect Nest was not as dry as Richard had seen before. These worms would coat the walls of the nest with a secretion from their bodies, which maintained the moisture levels in the nest and nourished the fungal threads inside the nest walls. These fungal threads, under the nourishment of the secretions, managed to survive and then support the structure of the entire Insect Nest, while the worms lived in the nest continuously supplying the fungal threads with secretions. It was a win-win situation. However, this was not so pleasant for an infiltrating Wizard. Richard, frowning, carefully navigated through a section of the tunnel that had just been maintained by the worms. The tunnel walls were covered with a fresh, slightly greenish viscous liquid that emitted a strange acidic smell, turning his stomach. After passing through this section, Richard arrived at the most dangerous part of his entry into the lower levels of the Insect Nest. At least twenty worms were hovering nearby in this stretch of tunnel. If he was discovered, although Richard wouldn¡¯t necessarily be doomed, his infiltration mission would be ruined. The White Wizard Army would not stage another raid just for him; if he wanted to infiltrate again, the risk would be significantly higher. Wrapping his cloak tightly around him, Richard silently entered the tunnel. The low hums of the Warrior Worms intermittently reaching Richard¡¯s ears through the tunnel were mostly chatter, containing no valuable intelligence. For the Black Crystal Worms, who hadn¡¯t participated in the Battle of the Black Bone Plain, wizards were powerful, but not enough to invoke fear. They are the dominant race that had conquered a world, believing that no other race could threaten their reign in the skies, the land, or underground. Pride and confidence etched in their bloodline made them believe they could keep winning. The current defeat was merely strategic. Richard continued silently along the tunnel, staying close to the shadows to prevent any surprises. But his concerns seemed redundant, as he had not encountered any incidents for most of his journey through the tunnel. The Black Crystal Worms couldn¡¯t imagine that a Wizard Monster was walking through a tunnel just a few dozen meters from them. As Richard passed the last crossroad, he slowly breathed a sigh of relief. From here on, it should be a clear path¡­ there were worms coming. Rapid, urgent footsteps echoed through the tunnel, as if a group of worms was running at high speed. Richard didn¡¯t have time to think. He wrapped his cloak around himself, and his whole body instantly merged into the shadows. Barely a second after he had hidden, a group of at least twenty Warrior Worms rushed past him. ¡°The Priest commands, a thorough search! A thorough search!¡± ¡°A Wizard Monster has infiltrated the Insect Nest during the attack! All worms, begin patrols immediately, report any signs immediately!¡± The leading Warrior Worm emitted a high-pitched call, instantly mobilizing the surrounding worms. This leading Warrior Worm was a Second-level creature, each movement exuding a strong force. In the shadows not far away, Richard held his breath, silently watching the worms in action. The gap between a Second-level creature and Level 1 creatures was not to be underestimated; Richard was confident he could escape from a group of Level 1 worms, but if it was a Second-level worm, he had no choice but to rely on Ulysses. A Two Stars Warrior Worm stood near Richard, huge compound eyes scanning the surroundings. Due to instincts brought about by its Physique Evolution, it continually felt as if something were watching it. Its gaze swept across the vicinity, inspecting every crack and every shadow. After a thorough check, it detected nothing. It was, after all, in the middle of a tunnel where no other creature could hide. The Two Stars Warrior Worm shook its antennae and suddenly slashed its knife into the shadow beside it. COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 142 - Chapter 142: Chapter 42: The Incubation Pool Chapter 142: Chapter 42: The Incubation Pool ¡°` Bang! A slash appeared on the ground, but nothing else happened. The Two Stars Warrior Worm, seeing this, flicked its antennae and quickly left the tunnel. ¡°It seems I¡¯ve been a bit too jumpy lately.¡± The insect¡¯s patrol ended quickly because each insect was responsible for its own area, which was not very large. Due to Richard¡¯s cleanliness, in that part of the tunnel covered with mucus, the Black Crystal Insect did not find any traces either. After the search, the Warrior Worms quickly returned to their posts to continue guarding their respective areas. From within the shadows, Richard slowly emerged. Looking at the slash that was less than ten centimeters away from him, Richard¡¯s heart pounded. Had that cut deviated even slightly, he would have been exposed. ¡°These insects have really sharp instincts. Shadow Infiltration isn¡¯t always one hundred percent stable; I¡¯ll have to be more careful in the future.¡± Following the tunnel downwards, Richard quickly entered the upper levels of the Underground Insect Nest. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã¦Ï The defenses within the Underground Insect Nest were not as tight as above ground. Large areas had only one or two Warrior Worms, with most of the Insect Nest¡¯s strength being deployed to the surface to contend with the Wizards. Richard found a small and secluded Earth Cave and released Ulysses from his pocket. ¡°Gaah, I finally got out.¡± Ulysses flapped his wings and flew a circle within the Earth Cave. ¡°Gaah, why have you come down again? I¡¯ve had enough of this damn place.¡± ¡°A task. How are your injuries lately?¡± Richard spoke indifferently. Having killed insects underground for two years, Richard naturally acquired plenty of Sacrificial Fungi. These fungi had some effect on Ulysses¡¯ injuries, so naturally, all the Sacrificial Fungi ended up in Ulysses¡¯ mouth. ¡°Gaah, not bad. Those fungi are somewhat effective. My injuries have healed a bit. At this rate, these fungi could probably restore me to mid-tier Second-level Creature standards in my normal state. Right now, my normal state is about at the limit of Level 1 Creatures.¡± As he spoke, Ulysses ignited black flames, with quite strong energy fluctuations. Richard nodded. As long as the fungi were effective, the more Ulysses¡¯ soul injuries healed, the more methods he could use, and the safer Richard would be during dangerous times. The only thing he needed to do was to maintain a balance so that Ulysses¡¯ strength would not exceed the range he could control. Taking out the Imaging Crystal Ball, Richard scanned the surrounding terrain to decide on his target. There were three targets worth destroying within the Insect Nest: the food warehouse, the incubation pools, and the weapons depot. There was no need to say much about the food warehouse. Although Level 1 Creatures could sustain normal activities by absorbing energy from the air through their body cells, combat was another matter. Wizards needed to replenish their Magic Power with Magic Stones, while these insects relied on food to replenish their Energy and strength. Burning down a food warehouse was equivalent to destroying a Wizard¡¯s Magic Stone warehouse, its impact was significant. Next were the incubation pools. The reproduction of Black Crystal Insects was not sexual like ordinary creatures, but rather the Mother Worm produced eggs that were then distributed by the Sacrificial Insects to various incubation pools to hatch. These incubation pools were often situated at Earth Veins nodes, and the liquid inside was rich in Life-Active Material and Magic Power. For Wizards, incubation pools held high value for both strategic and personal gains. Finally, the weapons depot. According to reports from the Black Wizard who had infiltrated the Insect Nest earlier, the strategic weapon, the Mother Goddess Cannon, was typically stored in these weapons depots, but these were heavily guarded and surrounded by the Mother Worm Guards and Sacrificial Insects. For an average Black Wizard, destruction was virtually impossible. Soon, the Imaging Crystal Ball projected a map of the nearby terrain. Following the map, Richard began to meticulously survey the environment around him. The structure of the Underground Insect Nest was simple in principle, often centered around a settlement, with caverns around it being fungus farms. Smaller settlements would then be situated around a larger settlement, so finding a small settlement could lead to the discovery of larger settlements and then important targets like the food warehouse and incubation pools. However, as Richard implemented this approach, he realized the difficulties involved. The biggest difficulty lay in the intricate network of tunnels within the Insect Nest. Although these tunnels could be detected with the Crystal Ball, just looking at the complex maze of tunnels mixed together on the map made Richard feel like he was becoming an Indian electrician. Secondly, these tunnel systems were often patrolled by insects, not necessarily Warrior Worms, but the threat they posed was not any less. Richard relied on his Concealer Cloak to capture one for dissection and found that their vocal organs were highly developed. If they made noise, Warrior Worms within several kilometers could notice. Moreover, these insects naturally produced pheromones that left traces that were very difficult to remove. Once marked, other insects could track him by the pheromone. Lastly, these small settlements often had insects stationed there, sometimes one or two, sometimes more than ten. Although Richard was not afraid of them based on combat strength, he was currently behind enemy lines. If it was possible to leave fewer traces, then the goal was to leave as few as possible. While the insects might be weak compared to Wizards of the same level, the context was different. When combining these factors, Richard¡¯s infiltration task had become extremely difficult. ¡°` ***In the early days of infiltrating the Insect Nest, he struggled to move forward and would make a slip every few days. But fortunately, the slips were minor, and with Ulysses¡¯ help to cover for him, he was able to conduct his investigation with some stability.*** Half a year later, Richard lay in a narrow tunnel, eyeing the Earth Cave to which it led with burning desire. The area of the Earth Cave was vast, filled with gigantic luminescent fungi, among which the planting insects toiled back and forth, and occasionally Warrior Insects would pass through the tunnel to other settlements. At the deepest part of this Earth Cave, a small pool made of tuff, continually emitting steam, was nestled within. The pool was filled with a blazing red liquid that seethed with vigorous life energy, which spread into the air with the bursting of bubbles. And that was Richard¡¯s target¡ªthe Incubation Pool. For this objective, Richard had spent three months exploring the surroundings. He surveyed every Earth Cave within a twenty-kilometer radius of the settlement to ascertain how many insects could come to its aid if he caused a disturbance. And now, the time had finally come for him to take action. Wrapped in his Concealer Cloak, Richard crawled out of the tunnel like a shadow and cautiously entered the Earth Cave. He had thoroughly scouted the defense force of this Earth Cave: only thirty Warrior Insects and ten Spider Knights. And within ten kilometers, there were fifty Warrior Insects that could come to the Earth Cave¡¯s aid, arriving in waves; if nothing unexpected happened on the way, the first wave of twelve insects would arrive in two minutes. So as long as Richard could destroy the Incubation Pool within two minutes, escape from the multitude of insects, and hide his tracks, he would be safe. But obviously, this was impossible for Richard, a One Ring Wizard. Therefore, Richard came up with a cunning plan. Hum! An inaudible sound wave entered the cave, making the Warrior Insects stationed in the settlement shiver. A Warrior Insect clad in black metal armor burst out from the fungal room, its sharp screech echoing throughout the Earth Cave. ¡°Wizard Monster¡¯s trace detected, leave one-third of the insects behind, the rest come with me to provide support; this time we must offer the Wizard Monster as a sacrifice to the Mother Worm God!¡± At that moment, about five kilometers from the settlement, a figure in a black robe was wantonly slaughtering alert insects in the tunnel. ¡°Gah, the taste of slaughter is sheer delight.¡± Under the black robe, Ulysses laughed heartily as it spewed Annihilation Flame, not bothering to constrain its energy fluctuations. With such brazenness, a troop of Warrior Insects quickly blocked a section of the tunnel, with the leading Warrior Insect shouting at Ulysses: ¡°Wizard Monster! Today I shall take your head to offer to the Mother Worm God!¡± But no sooner had it finished speaking than it saw the black-robed figure drift past itself, black flames instantly engulfing it and the three Warrior Insects around it in a sea of fire. Looking at the insects struggling in the fire, Ulysses bent its head down and nibbled on a charred but tender insect leg. ¡°Gah, these insects aren¡¯t bad when grilled and eaten.¡± Listening to the continuous low murmurs of the insects in the tunnel, Ulysses chewed on the insect leg, its voice slightly muffled. ¡°Gah, I¡¯ve made¡­ enough noise; that boy¡­ should be able to succeed, right?¡± At this moment, the insects of the settlement were ready. At a command from the Black-armored Warrior Insect, the insects behind him fluttered their wings and accelerated into the tunnel. ¡°Half gone, not too bad.¡± In the shadows, Richard muttered to himself as he watched the insects depart. With the help of the Concealer Cloak¡¯s Shadow Infiltration and his Bloodline¡¯s Shadow Shuttling, Richard had already made his way inside the settlement, merely two to three hundred meters from the Incubation Pool. Gazing at the scorching Incubation Pool and the insect eggs bobbing up and down within, a surge of excitement passed through Richard¡¯s heart. The liquid in the Incubation Pool contained an abundance of life-active material; consuming it over time could increase one¡¯s physique, and the immature insect eggs were excellent specimen materials. Through the insect eggs, a Wizard could understand the Black Crystal Insect race even more deeply. Since two-thirds of the defensive forces had been drawn away, the entire settlement¡¯s defenses had become lax. Richard silently made his way behind the Incubation Pool, a spot normally guarded by two Spider Knights, now temporarily vacant of insects and only to be discovered when other insects came to patrol. Seizing this opportunity, Richard poked a hole above the Incubation Pool with his Magic Wand, collected about ten kilograms of incubation liquid and two insect eggs, and left behind two timed Annihilation Bombs. After that, Richard retreated as silently as he had arrived. Shortly after Richard left, two patrolling insects came to the back of the Incubation Pool. ¡°Do you think we¡¯ll catch the Wizard Monster this time?¡± ¡°Who knows, these Wizard Monsters are as slippery as reptiles; I think it¡¯s unlikely.¡± ¡°Sigh, indeed. Hey, why is there a hole by the pool, let¡¯s go check¡­¡± Boom! Richard quietly watched the Annihilation Bombs explode from the tunnel, then turned and left. COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 143 - Chapter 143: Chapter 43 Divine Chosen Attack Chapter 143: Chapter 43 Divine Chosen Attack Underground Insect Nest Upper Level, in a narrow and secluded earth cave, a cloaked figure crossed the corridor and entered. After entering the cave, the cloak suddenly softened and piled on the ground, from which a black crow flew out and landed on the fungi on the wall of the cave. Inside the cave, a figure clad in a Wizard Robe was heating a test tube in his hands. As the temperature rose, the liquid in the tube began to boil, its blood-red color fading away, gradually turning into a clear pale blue liquid. Once the test tube had cooled, the wizard opened it and drank it in one gulp. ¡°Did you encounter any trouble?¡± Richard asked. ¡°Caw, what trouble could I encounter?¡± Ulysses boasted arrogantly, ¡°A bunch of little worms, they wouldn¡¯t even qualify to be on my dinner table in the past.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Having said that, Richard closed his eyes and began using his magic power to help his body digest the pale blue liquid. The main ingredient of this pale blue liquid was the incubation liquid from the hatching pool, which, after being detoxified, was very beneficial for a wizard¡¯s body. If taken at a dose of 50 milliliters every 24 hours for 30 times, a One Ring Wizard could enhance his Physique by one point (excluding the extreme physique of 99.9). Of course, such an enhancement was not endless. After enhancing his Physique ten times, a One Ring Wizard wouldn¡¯t find any increase in Physique from this liquid, but it could still be used as a medicinal remedy. ¡°Caw, what¡¯s the yield?¡± Ulysses curiously looked at the test tube in Richard¡¯s hand. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï He could sense the life-active material contained in that liquid, which was tempting for every fleshly being, making them involuntarily crave devouring it. ¡°Not bad, ten kilograms of incubation liquid, plus two eggs, enough for us to lie low for a while.¡± ¡°Caw, lie low?¡± Ulysses asked amazed, ¡°What¡¯s the issue with this method?¡± Richard shook his head: ¡°No problem, it¡¯s just that acting too frequently will easily get us caught.¡± Through probability, we know that the more actions we take, the greater the chance of being discovered. He had a clear understanding of his own strength; a One Ring Wizard could not dominate within this Insect Nest, so minimizing action was preferable. Moreover, with the incubation liquid at hand enough to enhance his strength considerably, there was no need to act too frequently. ¡°Caw, alright then.¡± Ulysses said helplessly, ¡°You¡¯re the boss, you decide.¡± ¡­ Bang! A Priest Worm dressed in moon white silk furiously slammed a clay tablet document onto the ground. Before him, several Warrior Insects clad in golden metal armor bowed their heads, their antennae drooping as well. The Priest Worm looked at a group of insects, emitting a sharp screech from its mouthparts: ¡°For five years! Those Wizard Monsters have infiltrated our rear for five years! In these five years, over a thousand of our grain stores have been burned, more than two hundred small hatching pools destroyed, thirty medium hatching pools, and even the large hatching pool in Aisen settlement was attacked a week ago! Now you tell me, searching the entire Insect Nest, you found just a handful of One-star Wizard Monsters!¡± Bang! The Priest Worm stomped fiercely on the shattered clay tablet. ¡°Are you really telling me! Those warehouses, those hatching pools, were all the doing of a bunch of One-star Wizard Monsters!? The Wizard Monsters who escaped from the hands of the High Priest were a bunch of One-star Wizard Monsters!?¡± Facing the reprimand of the Priest Worm, these Golden Armored Warrior Insects remained silent. Outside, they were prestigious Three-star Warrior Insects, but in this room, they were all subordinates who had mishandled things, criminals of the Black Mushroom Worm Country. The large hatching pool attack a week ago, had the High Priest not been present at the time, along with several Three-star Priests and Three-star Warriors, those Wizard Monsters might have actually succeeded. The entire Insect Country only had ten large hatching pools; if this hatching pool were destroyed, the entire population of the Insect Country would have decreased. Now, at this critical moment in the war, a population decrease meant a decrease in war power! Given this situation, as Warrior Insects charged to search for Wizard Monsters, they were greatly at fault. ¡°Sigh, forget it.¡± After a moment of silence, the Priest Worm let out a harsh cry, emitting a psychic wave through the black crystal. Soon after, a young Priest Worm wearing silk garments entered the room. ¡°Let me introduce, this is Inhardt, the Divine Chosen of the great Mother Worm God.¡± Upon hearing this, the Golden Armored Warrior Insects were stunned, their antennae perking up. Divine Chosen, such beings hadn¡¯t appeared in a long while. The last time a Divine Chosen appeared was during the war with the Earth Cave Demon Spiders. Inhardt bowed slightly to the several Golden Armored Warrior Insects, showing none of the arrogance typical of a Divine Chosen. ¡°During this period, Inhardt and some low-level priests will assist you in searching for the Warrior Worms. Incidents like the large-scale Hatchery assaults cannot happen again in Black Mushroom Worm Country!¡± The voice of the Priest Worm was firm¡ªshould such events occur again, not only would these Warrior Worms be sent to their doom, but even it, the Priest, would be sacrificed to the Mother Worm God. Although returning to the embrace of the Mother Worm God was something all priests desired, it did not wish to go back so soon. Several Golden Armored Warrior Insects perked up their antennae: ¡°Yes!¡± ¡­ Leaving the room of the Priest Worm, several Warrior Worms looked at each other, and finally, the oldest among them spoke up: ¡°Divine Chosen Sir, pardon my boldness, but may I ask what star level you are now?¡± Although Divine Chosen insects were much stronger than regular insects, if their star level was too low, they would face certain death in the face of absolute data differences. Although hunting Wizard Monsters was urgent, if the Divine Chosen insect were to die, they would still be sent to their doom. ¡°No need to worry about that,¡± Inhardt waved his antennae. ¡°I had already advanced to Two Stars some time ago and had also received armaments bestowed by the Mother Worm God. No matter how powerful those Wizard Monsters are, I am confident I can escape.¡± Upon hearing this, several Golden Armored Warrior Worms sighed with relief. Two Stars was sufficient; even a Two Stars Warrior Worm could deal with the majority of Wizard Monsters, not to mention a Divine Chosen Priest Worm. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then we will not assign guards to you. Insects are needed everywhere in the Insect Nest now, so please understand.¡± Inhardt smiled, ¡°That¡¯s alright, I don¡¯t need bodyguards.¡± ¡°If you are not busy now, I would like to show you the methods of those Wizard Monsters first, so you can get some understanding of these creatures,¡± a Golden Armored Warrior Worm stepped forward and said. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m free,¡± Inhardt responded. ¡°I have been practicing in the Temple for a long time and am indeed curious to see the tactics of those Wizard Monsters.¡± ¡­ Within the settlement, a Golden Armored Warrior Worm led Inhardt to stand beside a small Hatchery that had been destroyed. Unlike a warehouse, Hatcheries could not just be built anytime. Each Hatchery¡¯s location was carefully selected, situated on the Earth Veins nodes within the Insect Nest World, and once they were destroyed, it would disrupt the energy of the Earth Veins node, making it unsuitable for use as a Hatchery again. This disruption of energy, though not permanent, would last for at least a decade, and for the Black Crystal Worms at this critical juncture, it was almost as bad as complete destruction. ¡°This is a trace left by one of the Wizard Monsters we have been searching for over the years,¡± the Golden Armored Warrior Worm explained. ¡°This Wizard Monster is very cunning. Over the years, he has struck four times, each time destroying a Hatchery without anyone noticing. Fortunately, he¡¯s very cunning, so he targets only the small Hatcheries. Our losses are still within acceptable limits.¡± Inhardt bent down, his forehead¡¯s Black Crystal emitting a soft light. Under this light, a breeze suddenly stirred in the entire Earth Cave. ¡°This is¡­¡± The Golden Armored Warrior Worm sensed changes in the surroundings and tensed up, but soon relaxed. The source of the change felt very familiar, like the Mother Worm. Before long, Inhardt stood up. ¡°Forgive my abruptness, I was just trying to communicate with the Earth Spirit to gather information about that Wizard Monster.¡± ¡°No no no, you don¡¯t need to explain so much to me,¡± the Golden Armored Warrior Worm said respectfully. The Golden Armored Warrior Worm was also an experienced insect, having only seen such communication with the Earth Spirit performed by the High Priest, and now seeing Inhardt employ the same method left him utterly astounded. If nothing went wrong, this Inhardt Worm would be Black Mushroom Worm Country¡¯s next High Priest. ¡°Did you communicate anything?¡± the Golden Armored Warrior Worm asked cautiously. A flash crossed Inhardt¡¯s forehead Black Crystal, and a myriad of images zipped through his mental organ, too vast and fast, many indistinct and disjointed. This was a common phenomenon in communicating with the Earth Spirit. Although the Earth Spirit could record everything that happened on this land, the information was massive, filled with a lot of disordered data. Every insect attempting to gather information from the Earth Spirit had to learn to filter and forget. From these images, Inhardt saw a robed Wizard squeezing into the settlement through tunnels, then leaving something behind, after which the Hatchery was destroyed. He also saw that after leaving the settlement, the Wizard Monster went along the tunnels to a secluded Earth Cave and met another Wizard Monster¡­ no, that wasn¡¯t a Wizard Monster, that was a bird disguised as a Wizard Monster! And that Earth Cave was¡­ was¡­ Inhardt¡¯s mental organ felt dizzy, overwhelmed by the voluminous information; he now needed to forget this memory, otherwise his mental organ would burn into mush. In the last second of discarding extraneous memories, Inhardt spotted something special in the images¡ªa very rare mushroom. ¡°Divine Chosen Sir, Divine Chosen Sir¡­¡± The Golden Armored Warrior Worm¡¯s call awakened Inhardt; without time to say much, he quickly flashed the outline of a mushroom using starlight. Inhardt, with eyes closed, uttered intermittent chirps from his mouth: ¡°Big Blue Worm Mushroom¡­ find the Earth Cave with this mushroom! That Wizard Monster is hiding there!¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 144 - Chapter 144: Chapter 44 Cat Catches Mouse Chapter 144: Chapter 44 Cat Catches Mouse In the Earth Cave, Richard, who was studying an insect egg specimen, suddenly trembled as he saw the rune on the table light up. The magic array he had set up as a precaution had been triggered. Richard slightly furrowed his brows and said, ¡°Ulysses, did you encounter any troublesome insects while you were out having fun?¡± ¡°Chirp, no, those insects are still as dumb as ever; I flew around haphazardly and shook them off easily,¡± Ulysses replied blankly. Buzz! Another rune lit up on the table. This meant another magic array had been triggered. Seeing this, Richard didn¡¯t hesitate to pack the items in the cave into his magic pocket, preparing to move out of this Earth Cave. The caves he chose were remote ones abandoned by the Black Crystal Worms, and normally no insects would visit. Now that his magic array had been triggered, it indicated that this place had become unsafe. Seeing Richard hurriedly packing up the cave, Ulysses suddenly realized and said, ¡°Chirp, another insect triggered the alarm, didn¡¯t it?¡± Richard nodded, picked up his magic wand, and prepared to leave the cave through another tunnel. A hiding place naturally shouldn¡¯t have only one passage. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??0.§ã? ¡°Chirp, I say you¡¯re just too nervous. The passages in this cave are so complicated, it¡¯s normal for insects to occasionally get lost; there¡¯s no need to move every time an alarm is triggered,¡± Ulysses landed on Richard¡¯s shoulder and murmured, ¡°And even if they accidentally find us, we can just deal with them, so why bother moving?¡± Every time they moved, he and Richard would have to search the insect nest for a long time to find a suitable hiding place. To ensure safety, Ulysses had to meticulously explore the structure of the tunnels near their hiding spot, which was troublesome. Listening to Ulysses¡¯s rant, Richard calmly replied, ¡°We are inside the insect nest now, and we cannot afford the slightest neglect. If we get caught by those insects, we will be in big trouble.¡± ¡°Chirp, so what if we get caught? Didn¡¯t we find a good place to escape from their pursuit the year before last? It¡¯s not far from here.¡± Richard shook his head, ¡°Unless it¡¯s absolutely necessary, I¡¯m not willing to go to that dreadful place.¡± ¡­ Two minutes later, a scout insect cautiously approached the cave and immediately chirped upon seeing the remnants of a wizard¡¯s presence. Soon, a group of insects arrived at the cave, led by Inhardt himself. ¡°My lord, you are truly prescient. That wizard monster really stayed in this place.¡± Inhardt paid no heed to the toadying of his subordinates, silently entering the cave. From this cave, he could see many traits similar to his own observation in the wizard monster¡ªcautious, calm, restrained. This cave had no decorations, only a platform and a stool. Inhardt touched the platform with his upper limbs and quickly found a mark. According to the Golden Armored Warrior Insects, this mark was called a rune, similar to their script. However, the wizard¡¯s runes had magical abilities similar to the Priest Insects, and many Priest Insects in the back of the insect nest were already trying to decipher this script. On this mark, Inhardt sensed a faint energy residue, revealing that it had just been triggered and that the wizard monster had left not long ago. ¡°Pursue, that wizard monster isn¡¯t far from us! You each take different paths, cover the tunnels around, and try to minimize the escape range of this wizard monster.¡± ¡­ ¡°Chirp, lad, it seems like the insects have stuck to us.¡± In the tunnel, Ulysses flew from behind and landed on Richard¡¯s shoulder. Richard frowned; how could he have been followed despite being so careful? ¡°What did you find?¡± ¡°Chirp, there are insect traces in basically all the nearby tunnels, and it doesn¡¯t seem like a normal maneuver.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Chirp, don¡¯t you trust my judgment?¡± Richard rubbed his temples, ¡°Then, this is indeed troublesome.¡± If this large-scale search was a general hunt targeting all wizards in the nest, it would still be manageable for him. However, he feared that this search was aimed specifically at him. As a One Ring Wizard, he couldn¡¯t afford the risk of being targeted by the insect nest. ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s prepare for both, head towards that place for now.¡± A kilometer away in a straight line from Richard, Inhardt was with the Warrior Insects analyzing the local tunnel structure. The complicated organization of the insect nest posed a difficulty for wizards but was also a challenge for the insects. An insect, despite having physiological advantages, needed several years to familiarize itself with the tunnel structures near their own settlements, and for inter-settlement communication, a special insect was required called the Map Worm. ¡°You¡¯re saying this wizard monster knows the tunnels even better than you, possibly even more familiar?¡± Inhardt was incredulous. It was an unfunny joke that a native Black Crystal Worm claimed that an outsider knew the nest¡¯s tunnels better than itself. ¡°My lord, these wizard monsters have a tool that can easily explore and map the tunnel structures around them, called the Imaging Crystal Ball. Every infiltrator among these wizard monsters has one. If they¡¯re willing to spend time exploring the tunnels of the insect nest, then him knowing the tunnels better than me is not impossible.¡± The justification of the Warrior Insect was logical, but amidst this reasoning, Inhardt detected an unusual implication. When the Samurai Worm was making its defense, there was a sense of powerlessness¡ªa bad omen for sure. ¡°Samurai, raise your head,¡± Inhardt commanded. The Samurai Worm complied. Inhardt gazed at it, a glimmer of light flashing across the black crystal on his forehead. ¡°Tell me, Samurai. Is there fear in your heart?¡± ¡°My lord, I¡­¡± The Samurai Worm wanted to deny it, but the words that came out affirmed it. ¡°My lord, we are vastly inferior to those Wizard Monsters.¡± ¡°That¡¯s no excuse!¡± Inhardt¡¯s tentacles lashed fiercely at the Samurai Worm. ¡°You should be thankful that I am the one who noticed your thoughts! Had it been any other Priest, you¡¯d already be a cannon projectile for the Mother Goddess Cannon!¡± The Samurai Worm shook and bowed its head silent. ¡°Warriors, look at me.¡± Inhardt beat his wings, ascending into the air, his body glowing with a holy light. ¡°I know many of you harbor fear, but I¡¯m telling you, we will not fail! In the past, we waged war against the sky¡¯s Giant Dragons, we waged war against the Earth Cave Demon Spiders from the abyss, and though we¡¯ve failed countless times in warfare, we ultimately triumphed! No matter how horrifying those Wizard Monsters may be, under the leadership of the Mother Worm God, our Black Crystal Worm Clan will claim victory in this war!¡± Inhardt¡¯s words resounded powerfully, mirroring the divine descent of the Mother Worm God, accompanied by the holy radiance emanating from his body. Samurai Worms knelt en masse, tears of regret dropping from their eyes. With such a proud history of victories against formidable foes, how could they harbor fear in their hearts? They were destined to win. Satisfied with the reaction of his troops, Inhardt descended from the sky. Defeatism must not exist in the military, not even a trace. ¡°Now, go capture that fugitive Wizard Monster and sacrifice him to the Mother Worm God!¡± ¡­ ¡°Capture that Wizard Monster!¡± A Samurai Worm clad in black armor emitted a piercing screech, and behind him, a swarm of Samurai Worms flapped their wings, rushing furiously along the tunnel. Watching this scene, Richard¡¯s expression was unchanged as his Magic Wand tossed out a black Fireball. Boom! The black flames filled half the tunnel, a Magic Barrier appearing in front of Richard to block the flames. However, the situation was dire for the insects as the smell of charred flesh and shells quickly filled the air. But Richard had no time to relish the insects¡¯ plight. He glanced at the Crystal Ball in his hand and continued to fly low along the tunnel. Richard¡¯s situation was not promising. Within the nearby tunnel system, hundreds of insects were searching for him¡ªincluding rare ones like Spider Knights and Sacrificial Insects. Particularly the Sacrificial Insects. They could roughly ascertain Richard¡¯s whereabouts through vague answers provided by the World Will, completely cutting off Richard¡¯s hope of escaping through Shadow Infiltration. Fortunately, there were not many Sacrificial Insects in the chasing party, so Richard could still manage with the intricate tunnel system and maneuver around the insects. Ahead, a shadow darted out, stopping precisely beside Richard. ¡°Ga, there are insects ahead too; they¡¯ve taken a shortcut to get ahead of us¡ªwe can¡¯t go through this tunnel.¡± Ulysses¡¯s voice was urgent, devoid of its usual calm, sinking Richard¡¯s heart. ¡°Have we been surrounded?¡± Richard examined the three-dimensional map of insect nest tunnels recorded in the Crystal Ball over the years. From the map, the routes Richard could take were limited, and most led to dead ends. A vast net had tightly ensnared him. ¡°Ga, what should we do? Fight our way out? Or¡­¡± Richard eyed a large blank space at the edge of the map and sighed slightly. He would have liked to fight his way out, but he needed the capability ¨C and he was in the heart of the Black Crystal Worms¡¯ nest. If he, a One Ring Wizard, could dominate here so effortlessly, Wizards would have flattened it long ago. ¡°It seems we can only head that way.¡± As insect chatter echoed through the tunnels, Richard put away the Crystal Ball and turned to fly down the farthest left path. A few seconds later, Inhardt arrived at Richard¡¯s turning point, faced with three diverging paths without any trace of the Wizard Monster¡¯s movement. Logically, this would be the time to split forces. However, Inhardt did not divide his troops; instead, he plucked a mushroom from the ground and threw it down. The mushroom rolled on the ground a few times, finally pointing in the direction Richard was heading. ¡°Go through this tunnel,¡± Inhardt commanded. ¡°This tunnel?¡± a nearby Samurai Worm hesitated, ¡°My lord, if that Wizard Monster is familiar with the tunnels, he wouldn¡¯t choose this one.¡± ¡°Hmm? Why?¡± Inhardt asked. ¡°My lord, although there are several forked roads in the middle of this tunnel, all those forks are dead ends. If he doesn¡¯t take any forks, this tunnel only leads to one place.¡± ¡°Which place?¡± The Samurai Worm¡¯s body trembled, seemingly recalling something terrifying. ¡°My lord, this tunnel leads directly to¡­ the Source Sea Abyss.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 145 - Chapter 145: Chapter 45 Source Sea Abyss Chapter 145: Chapter 45 Source Sea Abyss In the Source Sea Abyss, one of the few places in the Insect Nest World without any insects, much like Mushroom Land. According to ancient legend, the Source Sea Abyss led directly to the deepest part of this world, inhabited by countless demons and monsters. Those creatures would emerge from the Abyss every hundred years to devour all living beings. Though the legends tell that in the end, the great Mother Worm God suppressed them, killing most, with the remaining demons scurrying back to the Source Sea Abyss, hanging on by a thread. But even so, Black Crystal Insects still dreaded the Abyss. ¡°Source Sea Abyss¡­¡± Inhardt hesitated upon hearing this name, realizing that if the Wizard Monster knew the paths well, he should not have taken this route. The terror of the Source Sea Abyss was no place for a One-star strength Wizard Monster to survive. But then it occurred to him that perhaps the Wizard Monster had chosen this path precisely because it was so unlikely, to throw Inhardt off his pursuit. Moreover, the guidance from the Earth Spirit could not possibly be wrong; the Wizard Monster must have taken this path with such thoughts in mind. Inhardt flicked his antennae with a trace of smugness, feeling he had seen through the Wizard Monster¡¯s trick. ¡°No need to overthink it, just follow this path. Unless the Wizard Monster jumps into the Source Sea Abyss, everything else must be part of the Wizard Monster¡¯s deception.¡± Seeing the surrounding Warrior Worms hesitating to move forward, Inhardt took to the air, where Holy Light flashed on his body, and his mouthparts emitted a sacred and reverberating call. ¡°You needn¡¯t fear; the Mother Worm God¡¯s radiance shines upon us. The monsters of the Source Sea Abyss wouldn¡¯t dare defy the Mother Worm God¡¯s majesty!¡± ¡­ Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï The fine droning of the insects continuously penetrated Richard¡¯s ears through the tunnel. From these sounds, Richard could deduce that there were at least thirty insects chasing him. And their speed was fast; the distance between them was closing. If the chase continued at this rate, he would be caught in a matter of seconds. But he was still far from the Source Sea Abyss. With a moment of resolve, Richard stopped in his tracks; his magic wand in hand suddenly ignited with black flames. ¡°Ulysses, time for us to strike back.¡± Hearing this, Ulysses, who was leading the way, paused and his body instantly ignited with black flames. ¡°Squawk, about time!¡± Seconds later, the insects¡¯ fine droning came closer and closer. Elemental energy gathered in Richard¡¯s wand, and a human-head-sized black fireball flew instantly toward one end of the tunnel. Boom! The black flames filled the tunnel in an instant, but after the flames dissipated, a Starlight Barrier appeared before Richard, protecting the dozens of insects behind it, unscathed. Seeing this, Richard¡¯s eyes nearly bulged out of his head. ¡°Damn it, Second Level Priest Insect! Ulysses, cover the back!¡± With that, Richard turned and fled without hesitation. He might have stood a chance against Second Level Warrior Worms, for these native races¡¯ primitive Physique Evolution and their crude use of strength often meant they could only bring out a fraction of their potential power. But Priest Insects were a different matter altogether. Though they were far inferior to Wizards in terms of Elemental Magic, their Talent Abilities should not be underestimated. The Priest Insects¡¯ Starlight Seal also posed a significant threat to Wizards. Watching Richard¡¯s retreating figure, Ulysses said helplessly: ¡°Squawk, you really have no guts. Just one Second Level Priest Insect, and you run away. Watch how your grandfather, the Lord of the Crows, takes it down¡­¡± Ulysses didn¡¯t finish speaking when he saw a burst of Holy Light explode from Inhardt¡¯s body, under which all the insects seemed invigorated with fight, like chickens on blood. And Inhardt¡¯s aura was soaring, surging, skyrocketing! ¡°Squawk, damn Divine elect!¡± Seeing Inhardt¡¯s transformation, Ulysses cursed crudely for once, and after spitting out a fireball at Inhardt, he turned and flew rapidly in Richard¡¯s direction, closing the gap within a few breaths. Seeing Ulysses fly in front of him, Richard couldn¡¯t help but swear: ¡°Ulysses, you always talk a big game, don¡¯t you? How come you ran away from just a Second Level insect?!¡± As he flew, Ulysses tried to justify: ¡°Squawk, you don¡¯t understand a thing! That white insect is a damn Divine elect. If we kill him, the old insect¡¯s gaze will land on us. What do you think that thing will do when it sees one of its Divine Chosen critically injured in its own Insect Nest?!¡± ¡°Damn it, so unreliable!¡± Richard swore angrily and channeled his Magic Power into his wand, throwing several Hearts of Annihilation behind him. Hum! Several black spheres instantly blocked the tunnel, but Richard¡¯s internal Magic Power also fell to a third, reaching the critical line. Ding ding ding¡­ Several drained Magic Stones fell from Richard¡¯s body. Backup Magic Power activated! After the Hearts of Annihilation vanished, a figure shrouded in Holy Light burst forth from behind. Inhardt was clad in Holy Light Armor, and the recent Hearts of Annihilation seemed not to have inflicted any harm on him. But no one noticed a few drops of green viscous liquid dripping from Inhardt¡¯s mouthparts. A spell with an energy level of two thousand, even with the protection of Faith Armor and the blessing of Divine favor, still caused him internal injuries. With Inhardt, the Priest leading the charge, the Samurai Worms naturally followed suit. ¡°Fellows, join me¡± and ¡°Brothers, follow me¡± are different in any world. So even if Hell lay before them, these worms were willing to follow Inhardt and forge a path. Boom! Boom! Boom¡­ The sounds of magic exploding echoed continuously in the tunnel. Richard and Ulysses constantly used spells to delay the speed of the Second Level Priest Worm chasing them. But with the enhancement of Faith Armor and Divine blessings, Inhardt was like a War God, even the Heart of Annihilation could only delay him for an instant! As the distance between the two of them closed, Inhardt finally made his move! Inhardt¡¯s wings flashed violently behind him, his body instantly appeared behind Richard, shooting out a brilliant starlight from the Black Crystal between his eyebrows. At this distance, no one could dodge his Starlight Seal, ¡°Wizard Monster, become a sacrifice for the Mother Worm God!¡± But the next moment, Inhardt¡¯s face was struck by something. He stopped to look and found that his Starlight Seal had actually sealed a Samurai Worm. Richard indeed couldn¡¯t dodge at that distance, but finding something as a scapegoat was quite easy. As they kept moving, the environment around Richard began to heat up, and an incredibly violent and primal Life Energy continuously stimulated mutations in Richard¡¯s body. Further ahead lay the Source Sea Abyss! ¡­ To be honest, if it hadn¡¯t been absolutely necessary, Richard would not have chosen to come to this place known to the worms as the Source Sea Abyss. The Source Sea Abyss, as its name implies, is a profound chasm with a sea within. At the deepest part of the Source Sea Abyss lies a sea that emits primal Life Energy non-stop. This kind of sea, according to Wizard terminology, should be called the Primordial Sea, the place where life began at the dawn of the world. Generally, such seas would transform into ordinary seas after the birth of primal life, but for some reason¡ªwhether it¡¯s the rules of the Insect Nest World or something else¡ªthere remains a piece of Primordial Sea within the Source Sea Abyss. The violent Life Energy of the Primordial Sea is not harmful to ancient creatures; under its influence, ancient beings diversified into various races. However, for those that have already completed their differentiation, this Life Energy is like a deadly poison. Moreover, it seems that this sea might also be connected to the planet¡¯s underground magma, so that within the Source Sea Abyss, heat winds can reach hundreds of degrees, carrying the Primordial Sea¡¯s violent Life Energy, capable of making a creature¡¯s limbs contort and flesh proliferate in an instant, then explode into a half-cooked burst of flesh. In addition, ancient species dating back to ancient times still live within the Abyss, with their formidable physiques and questionable intelligence. They hunt prey according to the intensity of Life Energy or, as Wizards say, Physique, and there are no shortages of Second and Third Level creatures among them. For the current Richard, venturing into it recklessly would be tantamount to committing suicide. But fortunately, Richard had Ulysses. The World Master¡¯s intimidating presence worked wonders on these ancient species; when they had explored this Abyss two years ago, even Third Level creatures would circumvent Ulysses. This gave Richard a chance to survive. As long as his Magic Barrier could withstand the hot winds of the Source Sea Abyss, he could survive temporarily in it. It was for this reason that he chose this place as his escape route. But those Samurai Worms didn¡¯t have Magic Shields. Looking at the nearby cave entrance flickering with red light, the air tinged with sulfur scent continuously entered Inhardt¡¯s olfactory organs. The violent Life Energy from ancient times constantly battered his Holy Light Armor, turning the normally healing Life Energy into a display of its ferocity. Inhardt extended his tentacles, and the Holy Light on his body flared intensely. ¡°Wizard Monster, I know you can understand me. Further ahead is the Source Sea Abyss. Better to be a sacrifice than to die in there.¡± Richard twitched the corners of his mouth upon hearing this, choosing between two deaths, he had never seen such a mode of persuasion. As a response to the persuasion, Richard threw back two Hearts of Annihilation, and the flesh on his back split open, dropping several magic stones drained of Magic Power. Inhardt broke through the spell with a cold snort, ¡°Stubborn fool!¡± One fled, and the other pursued, swiftly reaching the edge of the Source Sea Abyss. Looking at the steaming depths below, Richard suddenly turned around and mockingly laughed at Inhardt, ¡°Insect, if you want me as a sacrifice, come on down then!¡± With that, Richard fell backward, his body instantly disappearing into the steam. Inhardt arrived at the edge of the Abyss, glanced at the steam-enshrouded chasm, sneered, and then his wings spread out, Holy Light shining brightly as he dove headfirst into the steam. He was the Divine Chosen of the Mother Worm God, those creatures dared not touch him. In the steam, Richard casually waited with Ulysses perched on his shoulder and Magic Barrier in front of him, for the worms to leave. But as a flash of Holy Light pierced through the steam, Richard¡¯s face suddenly changed. ¡°I was just saying, I didn¡¯t expect you to actually come down!¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 146 - Chapter 146: Chapter 46: Pioneer Relics Chapter 146: Chapter 46: Pioneer Relics Facing the War God-like Inhardt, Richard had no choice but to sink further down. The deeper into the Source Sea Abyss one went, the stronger the frenzied Life Energy became, and the more ancient creatures there were. Now, both Ulysses and Richard found themselves without a way to handle this insect, their only hope being the harsh environment of the Source Sea Abyss. With the descent in altitude, Life Hot Wind constantly battered against Richard¡¯s Magic Shield, creating ripples after ripples. Richard¡¯s complexion was ashen, and sweat continuously beaded on his forehead as a steady stream of Magic Power was injected into the Magic Barrier. At this moment, Richard had descended nearly two hundred meters, where the Life Energy had become incredibly dense. A Level 1 Creature falling in would not last thirty minutes before turning into a pile of endlessly multiplying roasted meat. However, the pursuit from Inhardt was not having an easy time either. The violent life surged against its Faith Armor, causing its Holy Light to dim. This armor did not consume his Energy but rather the Power of Faith; if the Power of Faith was exhausted, then Inhardt, being a second-level creature, wouldn¡¯t fare much better than Richard. The Magic Barrier, a product of Wizard ingenuity, proved much stronger than the Energy Barriers constructed by the natives. ¡°Wizard Monster, do you really wish to become disordered flesh?¡± Inhardt shouted at Richard, hoping to end what he saw as a mutually destructive game. But Richard¡¯s thoughts were clearly different¡­ Feigning a look of manic enthusiasm, Richard replied, ¡°Insect, you are Divine Chosen, a Big Shot, and I, a One Ring Wizard, find it an immense honor to be able to drag someone of your stature to death with me. The Wizard World will remember my deeds, and our world will better because of me!¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï Zeal made for the best disguise. Although Richard was also reluctant to continue descending, as the weaker party, he had to increase the stakes of his bet. And life was clearly a good bet. He was gambling that this Divine Chosen Insect with a bright future was not willing to accompany a One Ring Black Wizard to their death in the Source Sea Abyss. And things unfolded just as Richard had hoped. Inhardt was both angered and annoyed by Richard¡¯s taunts. ¡°You madman!¡± But what could he do? Feeling the Power of Faith draining from the Faith Armor, Inhardt ultimately chose to give up. He, a Two Stars Divine Chosen Insect and future High Priest of the Insect Country, could not justify a life-for-life trade with a One-star strength Black Wizard. Watching Inhardt depart, a smile crept onto Richard¡¯s pallid face. He had won the bet. The rest was just waiting for the insects to leave. ¡°Ulysses, wake up! The insect is gone!¡± Richard patted Ulysses on the shoulder and pulled out a Magic Stone from his pocket. With Flesh Control, Richard¡¯s stomach split open, revealing intestines and a stomach that, instead of food, were filled with Magic Stones. This was Richard¡¯s reserve of Magic Power, which allowed him to survive for so long in the Source Sea Abyss, thanks to these stones. ¡°Gaah, finally gone,¡± Ulysses opened his eyes, his tone tinged with relief. ¡°Gaah, that old insect actually sent a Divine Chosen to chase after someone insignificant like you. He¡¯s really lost his mind, serves him right to be invaded by you. With such brains, even if you didn¡¯t come, he¡¯d have been finished by his own stupidity.¡± Inhardt had scared him quite a bit; had the old insect seen him, both he and Richard would have been done for. ¡°Alright, enough, you let us down at the critical moment.¡± Richard glanced at him. If it hadn¡¯t been for the Source Sea Abyss serving as a refuge, relying solely on Ulysses¡¯s combat abilities, he¡¯d already be a gonner. ¡°Gaah, it was a special situation¡­¡± Ulysses began to defend himself loudly but was cut off as his head suddenly turned one hundred eighty degrees, looking towards one side of the Source Sea Abyss. ¡°Gaah, Richard, do you feel it?¡± Richard looked in the direction he was focusing on, his expression blank. ¡°Feel what?¡± ¡°Gaah, forget it, you¡¯re just a legendary noob, you can¡¯t sense such weak spatial fluctuations.¡± Richard: ¡°¡­¡± Ulysses flapped his wings, flying ahead of Richard. ¡°Gaah, follow me, there¡¯s a hidden space over here.¡± ¡­ The Source Sea Abyss sky also teemed with flying creatures, a group of flying insects, each the size of Richard¡¯s head, buzzed past him, quickly dodging to avoid him at the feel of Ulysses¡¯s intimidation. These insects had exoskeletons that were incredibly tough, and mouthparts so hard they could chew stones like cotton. Within the Abyss, they were considered dominating, and even third-level creatures would have to think twice before confronting them. But under Ulysses¡äs pressure, the swarm scattered. Richard seized the opportunity to capture one, intending to turn it into a specimen. A Wizard would not pass on any chance to increase his knowledge. Following Ulysses further on, Richard kept descending into the deeps of the Abyss, soon reaching nearly five hundred meters. Although a mere one tenth of the Abyss¡¯s depth, this was already Richard¡¯s limit. Any deeper and his absorption of Magic Power would not keep up with the consumption by the Life Hot Wind. ¡°Gaah, found it.¡± Ulysses suddenly flew to a cliff face and shouted at Richard. ¡°Are we there? There¡¯s nothing here.¡± ¡°Gaah, it seems there isn¡¯t anything now¡­¡± Ulysses scratched the air with his claw, and a space rift instantly appeared. ¡°But now there is.¡± Richard was somewhat startled by this move; he hadn¡¯t expected Ulysses to be capable of such a feat while injured. Indeed, even an injured World Master should not be underestimated. Ulysses took the lead to scout through the rift. Soon after, he flew back out, his words carrying a hint of excitement: ¡°Gaah, Richard! You¡¯re about to strike it rich!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡± Richard entered the rift with a mix of surprise and delight, and the object that appeared before him made him gasp in astonishment. ¡°This is¡­ Pioneer Relics?¡± ¡­ Beyond the rift, a small space resembling a laboratory appeared before Richard. The room was small and irregularly shaped, much like a child¡¯s scribbles, with walls and ceiling made of dark crystals. There wasn¡¯t much inside, just a damaged crystal platform covered with cracks, looking like it could shatter at any moment. At the very back of the room was a broken crystal storage that emitted a rich fragrance, involuntarily drawing Richard closer. After the excitement, Richard frowned as he looked around the room. The issue was that the room was far too small for a laboratory and too irregular. Moreover, he could visibly see the laboratory walls trembling constantly, with space quakes appearing like ripples on water¡­ ¡°Gaah, stop looking and start grabbing things,¡± Ulysses urged. ¡°This space is about to be destroyed. If you don¡¯t grab things now, they¡¯ll be gone.¡± ¡°Destroyed?¡± Richard was shocked. ¡°Gaah, didn¡¯t you see how unstable this space structure is? This space has already collapsed several times before, and I reckon it¡¯s all going to collapse very soon. But if it weren¡¯t about to collapse, I guess I wouldn¡¯t have found this place.¡± Without further ado, Richard immediately sprang into action. First was the incubation pod at the end of the room. The lid of the crystal pod had cracked due to the spatial collapse, and the liquid inside had become murky. Touching it with his hand, the Miracle Furnace immediately responded. [Material: Unknown liquid] [Refinable substance: Soul Essence] [Refining cost: Thirty spiritual power] [Refinable substance: Life Essence] [Refining cost: 2000 magic power] Reading the information provided by the furnace, Richard¡¯s pupils quaked. Life Essence was an extremely gentle life-active material that could enhance a creature¡¯s physique and heal internal injuries without side effects, including damage to the Life Core. Except for rule damage inflicted by a Great Wizard, Life Essence could heal all wounds. And Soul Essence was even more extraordinary. Soul Essence was one of the rare treasures that could enhance spiritual power without side effects. Besides, using Soul Essence might even awaken Soul Talent acquired later in life. Such talents were only seen in Wizard Apprentices who had the potential to become Wizards at birth! Suppressing the ecstatic joy in his heart, Richard chose to refine without hesitation. After the refining was completed, a somewhat ethereal liquid and a blood-red liquid with a rich fragrance appeared in his hands. With fiery eyes, Richard temporarily stored them away and then began to search the entire room. Source Material could be used at any time, but the Pioneer Relic might collapse at any moment. Richard approached the cracked crystal platform, gently caressing it. This Pioneer civilization seemed to have a fondness for crystals, crafting everything from them. After a complete sweep with his hand, Richard failed to get what he wanted¡ªthe Miracle Furnace¡¯s notification information. ¡°Could it be that this object is even more destroyed than the chip I acquired back then?¡± Unwilling to concede, he swung his Magic Wand and gently tapped the crystal platform. Ding ding ding¡­ Crack! As though it had received its final blow, the densely cracked platform suddenly spread its fissures, and in an instant, it turned into shattered crystals. Now Richard was dumbfounded. ¡°These Pioneer creations seem to be not very durable.¡± Ulysses landed on his shoulder, ¡°Gaah, this thing was probably about to break long ago. Hurry up and tidy up; this space is about to collapse.¡± As if to prove Ulysses¡¯s point, as soon as his words ended, the spot holding the crystal storage collapsed, a space of three square meters crumbled along with the crystal storage, vanishing in an instant, and even the walls began to exhibit dark space rifts. The walls of this space probably acted like a World Barrier, separating the relics from the chaotic space streams. Now that the walls were showing space rifts, it meant that this space was about to collapse. Without the luxury to ponder, Richard used his magic power to sweep up the crystal fragments from the ground, shoving them into his Magic Pocket. These materials, used by the Pioneer civilization, must have some use, even without any residual information. The next moment, the space collapsed, and the small chamber shattered into pieces. Ulysses suddenly increased in size, grasping Richard with his two claws, and in the last moment before the complete collapse, they left the ruins. Chapter 147 - Chapter 147: Chapter 47 Soul Talent Chapter 147: Chapter 47 Soul Talent ¡°Phew, that was close, almost couldn¡¯t make it out.¡± In the Source Sea Abyss, Richard clutched his chest, his heart pounding. If Ulysses had been even a moment slower, the two of them would have been swept into spatial turbulence. Ulysses might have survived, but as a One Ring Wizard, he most certainly would have perished. ¡°Caw, don¡¯t worry, I was watching,¡± Ulysses landed on Richard¡¯s shoulder and said nonchalantly, ¡°Even if not for you, in my current state, getting caught in the spatial turbulence would most likely mean death.¡± Calming himself, Richard propped up the Magic Barrier and started to fly upwards cautiously. Through the steam, Richard saw a Sacrificial Insect and a Second Level Warrior Worm guarding the tunnel he had come through. ¡°It seems this passage is a no-go anymore. Call that insect again, and who knows, I might actually become a sacrifice.¡± There was more than one tunnel leading to the Source Sea Abyss. Although the other tunnel entrances were far from Richard¡¯s current location, for safety, spending a bit more Magic Stones was worth it. After flying for a long time in the abyss, Richard consumed nearly a hundred Magic Stones¡¯ worth of magic power before finding a new tunnel entrance. After re-entering the Insect Nest through the new entrance, Richard immediately set about finding a place to conceal himself. Half a month later, Richard stood in the new Earth Cave, carefully taking out the two balls of Source Material. Life Essence and Soul Essence as top-tier Magic Potion Materials, they could be consumed directly without the aid of any other materials for a hundred percent effect. The only thing to keep in mind was that after consuming Source Material, one would fall into a deep sleep, the exact cause of which Wizards had not clearly researched. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã? This sleep varied from two to three days up to two to three months, not particularly long. In this period of intensive searching through the Insect Nest, it was also an excellent time for Richard to dodge the limelight and hide. Richard¡¯s current lair was well-concealed; even the entrance was blocked tightly with fungi. If it weren¡¯t for the Imaging Crystal Ball, Richard wouldn¡¯t have found such a hidden cavern. ¡°Caw, my dear master,¡± Ulysses perched on Richard¡¯s shoulder, his voice ingratiating, ¡°This Soul Essence would greatly aid my injuries. Considering I helped you find the relics, how about sharing a bit with me?¡± Richard glanced at him, weighing the pros and cons in his mind. There wasn¡¯t enough Soul Essence to allow Richard to bypass the Promotion Ceremony and directly become a Second Ring Wizard. At best, it would only take him to the limit of spiritual power of a One Ring Wizard, with any surplus simply being wasted. Moreover, Ulysses had indeed played a major role in this matter. If Richard didn¡¯t share some with him, Ulysses might opt not to bother helping in such cases in the future. That would certainly be bad for Richard. ¡°Ulysses, I need to understand something,¡± Richard suspended the Soul Essence in the air using his magic power, ¡°How much Soul Essence do you need to reach a Second Level normal state?¡± ¡°Caw, to be normally at the Second Level¡­¡± Ulysses flew in front of the Soul Essence, dividing out a portion with its claw. ¡°This much should be enough.¡± Richard looked at the remaining Soul Essence; Ulysses had taken nearly a third of it. The remaining amount would definitely not be wasted when he consumed it. ¡°Fine, you deal with that portion of Source Material.¡± To determine how much the two kinds of Source Material would enhance him, Richard took out a Crystal Ball from his pocket and specifically tested his current values. [Spiritual Power: 59.2, Physique: 75, Magic Power: 5920, Rating, One Ring Wizard] After the enhancement from the Incubation Liquid, Richard¡¯s Physique had climbed from 64.7 before the war to seventy-five. Having noted his data, Richard lay on the platform and swallowed the Soul Essence. The next moment, a cool sensation seeped from his mouth into Richard¡¯s brain, a feeling incredibly comfortable, like the first sip of an Ice Cola on a scorching summer¡¯s day. As the feeling faded away, Richard suddenly felt extremely drowsy, unable to keep his eyelids open. Struggling, Richard swallowed the ball of Life Essence; before he could even reflect on the sensations further, his vision darkened, and he fell asleep. After he had fallen into deep sleep, Ulysses flew in front of Richard and devoured the Soul Essence. For Ulysses, that bit of Soul Essence wasn¡¯t enough to make him fall into a deep sleep; it didn¡¯t hinder him from protecting Richard at all. ¡­ In his dream, Richard dreamed that he had once again entered the space known as the Soul Darkness. But unlike when he was promoted to Wizard, this time the pitch-black space contained a brilliantly luminous Tree of Souls. The Tree of Souls sprouted and grew leaves before Richard¡¯s eyes, eventually bearing a fruit that shimmered with light. Looking at the fruit, Richard couldn¡¯t help but walk forward and pluck it. It seemed as though the fruit had been prepared just for him. The moment after he picked the fruit, a sudden brightness tore through the darkness of the space. Back in reality, Richard abruptly opened his eyes and sat up with a jolt. ¡°How long have I slept?¡± ¡°Squawk, about a month, to be precise, thirty-two days.¡± Richard, still thinking about the fruit, looked dazedly at his hand and suddenly realized there seemed to be something extra in his field of vision. He noticed that fine streams of light had appeared in his hand, extending from his palm all the way to his heart. And his heart, at this moment, looked like a glowing light bulb in his field of view. ¡°Is this¡­ Energy Vision?¡± Richard turned his head to look at Ulysses and saw that similar streams of light were present on Ulysses, extending from every feather inward, constructing an extremely complex energy cycle within his body, a cycle that contained far more energy than Richard¡¯s Magic Rebound. ¡°Squawk, what are you looking at?¡± Ulysses felt the sensation of being seen through from Richard¡¯s gaze and subconsciously went on the defensive. At the same time, Richard noticed that the streams of light on Ulysses had disappeared. ¡°Hidden it, have you?¡± Richard rubbed his eyes, trying to shut off this vision. As the thought to close his Energy Vision arose, his field of view instantly returned to normal. ¡°Squawk, have you awakened your Soul Talent?¡± Ulysses flew up next to Richard, asking curiously. ¡°Mhm, Energy Vision.¡± Richard blinked and tried to activate the Energy Vision again, his tone filled with excitement. Having used Soul Essence, there was a chance to awaken a Soul Talent postnatally, and he hadn¡¯t expected to actually encounter it. ¡°Squawk, Energy Vision? That¡¯s a pretty good Talent, quite suitable for you Wizards.¡± Richard nodded; Energy Vision was a great help to Wizards, whether in battle or research. After feeling out his Talent, Richard took a Crystal Ball out of his pocket to test his current physical stats. [Spiritual Power 90, Physique 94, Magic Power 9000, Rating, One Ring Wizard.] ¡°My Spiritual Power has actually increased by thirty points, Source Material truly is top-tier Magic Potion Materials, saving me more than a hundred years of meditation!¡± Richard exclaimed in surprise, ¡°And my Physique has also increased by nearly twenty points; if I had to passively increase it using Adaptation Body, who knows how long it would take!¡± He moved his body around and prepared to take inventory of the Crystal Fragments he had obtained from the Pioneer Relics. Those fragments seemed of exceptional material, and they had even come from Pioneer devices; there might even be things like storage chips in there that he hadn¡¯t discovered yet. However, before he could take out the fragments, the Communication Crystal Ball in his pocket suddenly lit up. ¡°Wizard 7531, you are being urgently summoned.¡± Chapter 148 - Chapter 148: Chapter 48: Emergency Signs Chapter 148: Chapter 48: Emergency Signs ¡°Emergency summon¡­¡± Richard listened to the message coming from the crystal ball, frowning deeply in concentration. An emergency summon was not a power just anyone could wield. Among the Black Wizards infiltrating the insect nest, only a handful of Three Rings Wizards had the qualifications to issue an emergency summon. Those with the authority could recruit all the One Ring and Second Ring Black Wizards in their region, effectively holding the command center¡¯s power. Of course, such great power wouldn¡¯t be permitted to be misused by the command center. After using an emergency summon, the Three Rings Wizard must submit a report to the command center detailing the reasons and motives. If the reasons and motives were deemed unqualified by the command center, the Three Rings Wizard would face punishment, which had no upper limit and could range from fines to execution. Therefore, under normal circumstances, very few Three Rings Wizards would use this power; its use indicated that the wizard considered the matter extremely important, or the situation had escalated beyond control and required cooperation from multiple Black Wizards to resolve. However, whatever the reason, emergency summon was not a good omen. After issuing the emergency summon, the communication crystal ball displayed something resembling an arrow. This arrow would continuously point towards the location of the communication crystal ball that issued the emergency summon. Richard took the imaging crystal ball from his magic pocket and displayed the map he and Ulysses had already scouted. Following the direction of the arrow, Richard¡¯s finger slid down the map until it stopped at a small settlement. This small settlement connected several tunnels and was essentially a minor transportation hub. If wizards were to gather, this place indicated by the arrow was obviously the most suitable. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??0.§ã¦Ï ¡°Ulysses, how are your injuries?¡± Richard asked, turning around. ¡°Caw, I¡¯m already a second-level creature, but this body is somewhat mismatched. I¡¯ll need to switch it once we get out.¡± Saying this, Ulysses erupted with a surge of energy fluctuations, causing Richard¡¯s face to blanch instantly. ¡°Stop, are you an idiot? We¡¯re inside the insect nest!¡± Ulysses contained the energy fluctuations and laughed heartily, ¡°Caw caw caw, don¡¯t be nervous, it was just a little joke.¡± For Richard, Ulysses being a constant second-level creature was undoubtedly a huge help; it prevented Richard from having to choose flight when facing second-level insects. Moreover, following the emergency summon, a fierce battle was surely imminent, and a stronger Ulysses would help lead them both out of danger. ¡­ Following the map, Richard and Ulysses proceeded in the direction indicated by the arrow. Along the way, Richard could distinctly feel the dense number of insects. Numerous Warrior Worms and Priest Worms patrolled the tunnels, a level of security that far exceeded any settlement Richard had encountered in the past years. It seemed as though something significant was unfolding in the unexplored areas Richard hadn¡¯t yet scouted. After three days of traveling, Richard arrived at the location he had identified on the map. Within the tunnels, Richard silently observed the entire settlement. This small settlement looked the same as any typical Black Crystal Worm settlement, with planting worms busily moving among the fungi, and Warrior Worms and Spider Knights either patrolling or resting, appearing utterly natural. However, to Richard, who was very familiar with insects, everything about this settlement was incredibly unnatural. Richard activated his energy vision, and within his energy vision, the entire settlement transformed in appearance. Every busy patrolling insect carried varying numbers of energy tethers, resembling marionettes, which was utterly eerie. These tethers extended into the air and eventually converged into one tether, connecting to a fungus in the very center of the settlement. If all went as expected, that fungus was where the Three Rings Wizard who issued the emergency summon was located. ¡°To be able to turn the entire settlement into puppets, and to disguise it so vividly¡­ This Master is no simple character.¡± Beside Richard, Ulysses spoke dismissively: ¡°It¡¯s just controlling a few hundred insects. We have a Black Spider that can control millions at a time, coordinating the insects so well that it shattered the Divine Form of a God renowned as a War God. That¡¯s truly powerful.¡± Richard glanced at Ulysses, ¡°Comparing a Demigod to Divine beings, you do have a way with comparisons.¡± Emerging from the tunnels, Richard walked nonchalantly towards the central fungus room of the settlement. On the way, all insects ignored him as if he were not a wizard but a mere ordinary insect. Upon reaching the fungus room, Richard respectfully knocked on the door. Thud, thud, thud. The door opened, and a Black Wizard in a robe sat at the very center of the room. The Black Wizard looked like a puppet, with eight spider-like limbs behind him. Upon opening the door, the Black Wizard¡¯s head mechanically turned towards Richard, his voice mechanical as he spoke: ¡°Interesting, a One Ring Wizard was able to see through my Puppet Witchcraft. Have my skills deteriorated?¡± Richard bowed slightly, ¡°Master, I received the Emergency Summon Order and have come to report.¡± Thud, thud, thud¡­ Suddenly, the Black Wizard¡¯s spider legs sprang to life, instantly closing the distance to Richard. Then, the legs bent slightly as the Black Wizard¡¯s body dropped down, his face directly in front of Richard¡¯s. ¡°How did you see through my witchcraft?¡± Looking at the puppet-like face before him, Richard remained very calm. ¡°Master¡¯s craft is peerless, ordinary people simply can¡¯t tell that those insects are puppets. But the Master ultimately missed one thing¡­¡± ¡°What did I miss?¡± ¡°When these insects move, their range of motion is nearly identical. It¡¯s fine for First-level Creatures, but it¡¯s suspicious that the ordinary planting insects also did the same.¡± Upon hearing this, the Puppet Wizard paused for a moment, then nodded, ¡°That¡¯s indeed a negligence on my part.¡± After speaking, a ripple of magic power emanated from the Puppet Wizard¡¯s body, causing the outer insects to vary slightly in their movements. ¡°You are the first to arrive, find a room to settle into first.¡± Richard found a reasonably decent fungal house in the Fungus Forest to enter and then took out an insect egg to study. In such a crude place, Richard really didn¡¯t trust studying Pioneer¡¯s crystal fragments. ¡­ Time quickly passed, and a week later, Black Wizards from all over the Insect Nest had arrived at this small settlement. If the insects were to launch an attack now, the entire Insect Nest would no longer have to worry about the Black Wizards. In the crowd, Richard found his two friends. ¡°Richard, it seems you¡¯ve gained quite a bit in the Insect Nest.¡± Lawrence greeted Richard with a smile, spotting Richard¡¯s improvement in strength at first glance, as an experienced wizard should. Richard¡¯s physique and the magic fluctuations emitted casually differed greatly from before; if it weren¡¯t for the same face and the crow on his shoulder, Lawrence would have thought he was mistaken. ¡°Some opportunities, but it also nearly cost me my life,¡± Richard laughed. Lawrence, still the same as always, being a Once Ring Wizard near his limit, could only make minimal improvements unless he could obtain treasures like the Soul Essence, similar to Richard. Compared to Lawrence and Richard, Ali was less fortunate. She lacked Richard¡¯s cheats and Lawrence¡¯s strength and experience. In this Insect Nest, she survived only based on her experience gained from hunting insects in the Nest years ago. When she arrived at the settlement, her Wizard Robe was tattered, and she was missing an arm. ¡°Hey, Richard!¡± Ali managed a forced smile. This was the first time she had smiled since her arm was chopped off by a Warrior Worm. Seeing her like this, Richard frowned and took out some active flesh from his pocket. Under his Flesh Control, this piece of active flesh instantly turned into a tentacle. ¡°Ali, come here.¡± Ali walked over to Richard, curiously looking at the flesh tentacle. Richard lifted Ali¡¯s Wizard Robe and then took out a scalpel from his Magic Pocket. ¡°This is going to hurt a bit, I didn¡¯t bring any anesthetic, just bear with it.¡± After saying that, Richard made an incision at the broken end of Ali¡¯s arm, and scalding blood immediately spurted out. Richard connected the flesh tentacle to it, and the active flesh instantly stopped the bleeding. ¡°Argh!¡± Ali gritted her teeth in pain. ¡°Control this tentacle with your magic. I don¡¯t have enough materials on hand to make a bone; use the tentacle for now.¡± Ali smiled at Richard, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m almost getting used to living with one arm.¡± The muscle structure of this tentacle was replicated by Richard from the flesh tentacles, an excellent structure in terms of both explosive power and endurance, worthy of the Blood Flesh Law it once bore. After getting accustomed, Ali skillfully used the tentacle to wrap around her magic wand, as if she had gotten a new toy. ¡°Richard, this tentacle is even better than a real hand!¡± As more wizards arrived at the settlement, the summoned wizards finally assembled. In the midst of the settlement, the Puppet Wizard walked out of his room and announced the purpose of this emergency summon to the crowded settlement. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, during this period, due to the tactical change of the Black Crystal Insects, nearly five hundred of our brethren hiding in the Insect Nest were captured. I¡¯ve gathered intelligence that these people were not executed right away; instead, they were secretly taken deep inside the Insect Nest to the Mother Goddess Temple. These insects are planning to hold a grand sacrificial ceremony to boost their morale, and our wizard brethren are those sacrifices. Thus, I need you all to follow me to the Mother Goddess Temple to rescue those wizards.¡± The Puppet Wizard¡¯s speech was straightforward, and his reasons were justifiable. Nearly a thousand Black Wizards, almost one-tenth of those infiltrating the Black Mushroom Worm Country, gathered there. If this group could be rescued, it would undoubtedly be a tremendous gain for the wizards. The number of wizards was far too limited compared to the insects; saving even one was a blessing. However, after hearing the mission, Lawrence suddenly communicated telepathically to Richard: ¡°Richard, there¡¯s something off about this mission.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Richard¡¯s expression changed slightly, ¡°What¡¯s off about it?¡± ¡°I know this Puppet Wizard; his name is Declan, and he has some reputation among Free Wizards. This guy is notorious for not waking up early without benefits and always prefers using puppets rather than exposing himself, being highly afraid of death. I somewhat doubt his willingness to use an Emergency Summon Order just to rescue people.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 149 - Chapter 149: Chapter 49: The City of Insects Chapter 149: Chapter 49: The City of Insects After listening to Lawrence¡¯s words, Richard also had some hesitations in his heart. If this Puppet Wizard was truly as Lawrence described, then this operation was likely nothing more than a smokescreen, definitely serving as a cover for the Puppet Wizard¡¯s real intentions. But then again, issuing an Emergency Summon Order was not without significant cost, and if it led to major losses, the Puppet Wizard would face severe punishment. Judging by the standards of the wizards in the settlement, if anything went wrong with this emergency summon, the Puppet Wizard would surely meet his death. ¡°Just be a bit more cautious, you know the cost of an Emergency Summon Order,¡± Richard replied, ¡°Even if this is just a cover for him, we definitely won¡¯t be cannon fodder. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t get past command.¡± Lawrence sighed upon hearing this, knowing the logic was sound, but still feeling somewhat uneasy about being summoned by such a wizard. After announcing the mission, the Puppet Wizard began to distribute intelligence to the other wizards. It was an extremely detailed three-dimensional tunnel map, with a large settlement at its center. On the map, the Puppet Wizard marked four passages with magic power, and the wizards present were to enter the large settlement through these four passages. In addition, the Puppet Wizard also shared the patrol routes of the bugs, their patrol schedules, the number of bugs in the settlement, and their defensive arrangements. The intelligence was so thorough it was as if the Puppet Wizard had been present when the bugs were planning these specifics. With such intelligence, any wizard present, if not a fool, could infiltrate the settlement. Looking at the intelligence received, doubts began to surface in Richard¡¯s mind. The intelligence was too detailed, so much so that it seemed unreal. However, upon receiving the intelligence, Lawrence actually breathed a sigh of relief. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?? ¡°Our mission this time is surely to provide cover for Declan, but that doesn¡¯t matter; with this intelligence, we can accomplish our task.¡± Richard looked at Lawrence with surprise. What did he mean by that? Had his heart finally given out? ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that,¡± Lawrence laughed, ¡°I know this intelligence is too detailed, but I¡¯ve seen Declan¡¯s Puppet Witchcraft firsthand. He can easily control those Physique Evolved natives, so detailed intelligence like this suggests his Puppets may have infiltrated the bug¡¯s decision-making layer.¡± Richard¡¯s doubts lessened upon hearing this, but a thread of unease still lingered. He quietly sent a Spiritual Message to Ali: ¡°Ali, be careful on this mission. Stay back if you can, and escape quickly if something doesn¡¯t seem right.¡± Among the three, Lawrence was crafty with experience and proficient in Shadow Magic, Richard had Ulysses, but only Ali was somewhat lacking when it came to escaping. As a turret wizard, her stage should be on the frontlines. Ali received the message and gave him a slight smile. ¡°I¡¯m not new to the battlefield, don¡¯t worry.¡± After the sharing of intelligence was complete, specific action plans were laid out. The Puppet Wizard selected the Second Ring Wizards among them and formed a small team to lead the rescue effort. The remaining One Ring Wizards, under his arrangement, were mainly responsible for providing support, harassing the enemy, and confusing the enemy¡¯s line of sight. ¡­ Departing from the settlement, the wizards naturally divided into four groups, heading towards the Mother Goddess Temple where the priest resided through four different tunnels. Richard and his two companions took the same tunnel, and amazingly, the Puppet Wizard¡¯s intelligence was incredibly precise, allowing them to perfectly avoid all bug patrols. These patrol teams, on a fixed schedule within the Insect Nest, would be immediately noticed by the bug command center if they vanished in battle, which could lead them to infer the infiltrating wizards. Without the precise intelligence of the Puppet Wizard, most of them would have been discovered on the outer periphery of the Mother Goddess Temple¡¯s defense circle. Following the markers from the Puppet Wizard, Richard and his party soon arrived at the designated location¡ªan abandoned and filled Earth Cave. The location of this Earth Cave was very clever; there was one path that connected directly to the large Earth Cave where the Mother Goddess Temple was situated, and because it was abandoned and filled in, there were no patrolling bugs assigned to it. How the Puppet Wizard had come to discover such a concealed place was anyone¡¯s guess. Upon arrival, the wizards displayed their Divine Skills and cleared out the Earth Cave in a matter of minutes, all the while maintaining a disguise that ensured the bugs on the outside would never know the Earth Cave was concealing a group of Wizard Monsters. Peering through the cracks between the fungi in the tunnel, Richard silently observed the large insect city. In the past, Richard always prioritized attacking smaller settlements for safety, as these settlements did not contain much of value but also had comparably weaker garrisons, which were friendly to the strength of a One Ring Wizard like Richard. These small settlements were like human villages¡ªsparse populations, rudimentary buildings, and they seemed very backward. The medium-sized settlements were better. Richard had once infiltrated one such medium-sized settlement, which resembled a county town where the bugs did not just live in rooms hollowed out from giant fungi but in various buildings made of sandstone and fungi, inhabited by Priest Insects or Warrior Worms. Richard had seen a few of these medium-sized settlements on his bug-killing ventures, but those he saw were all dead, vastly different from when they were alive. Now, however, Richard was witnessing a completely different scene. If one were to make a comparison, while the medium-sized settlements were like county towns, the large settlement in front of him was like a bustling city like the Magic Capital. Structures as large as small hills, resembling Mayan Pyramids, stood at the center of the settlement, with the Temple at the top glistening with gold. At its feet, the tall buildings of various colors were neatly divided into four areas. Between them, four broad avenues stretch from the tunnel entrance directly to the Pyramid. An uninterrupted stream of Transport Worms carried food from each settlement, tirelessly transporting it into the Pyramid to provide nourishment for the Mother Worm. Above ground, Richard had once seen squads of Mother Worm Guards patrolling the city. In the skies, the Moth Army, capable of bringing down War Airships, continuously circled, not allowing any suspicious creature to enter the settlements. Faced with such a tightly defended city, Richard swallowed hard. If something went wrong, all the Wizards here would likely be trapped inside. However, Richard soon noticed something amiss. Most of the patrolling insects were First Level, with hardly any Second Level insects to be seen. Richard relayed this information to Lawrence, and the seasoned Wizard pondered for a moment before reaching a conclusion. ¡°They are probably amassing strength for a counterattack.¡± As a veteran of three Plane Wars, Lawrence had his own instincts about the situation on the battlefield. In past wars, whenever the command decided to have a major showdown with the natives, they would either ask the Black Wizards to hibernate or withdraw. And if the natives were preparing for a grand battle, the defensive forces in their cities would often be weakened. Lawrence¡¯s conclusion sent a shock through Richard¡¯s heart. It had only been a few years, and the insects were already planning a counterattack. According to the norms of Plane Wars, conquering a minor Plane usually took about sixty years, with the decisive battle occurring around the forty-year mark. The remaining twenty years were generally for mopping up, a privilege time for the Wizards. But right now, they had been at war for only eight years. By conventional standards, this should have been garbage time. Meaning that both sides would only engage in small-scale battles, with the Wizards solidifying their foothold and developing resources in this New World, while the natives worked on internal disputes and developed their war potential. ¡°The situation is likely a result of the insects¡¯ societal structure,¡± Ali suddenly interjected between the two men. ¡°Oh?¡± Lawrence expressed some surprise, as Ali didn¡¯t seem like the kind of Wizard to study native societies. ¡°It¡¯s what my teacher told me,¡± Ali communicated using a Spiritual Message, ¡°She said the Black Crystal Worm Clan is completely different from any native Race she¡¯s encountered before. Those native Races often have significant internal strife and even under the World Master¡¯s leadership, they suffer from a lot of infighting. Sometimes, natives would even use the Wizards¡¯ hand to eliminate their own enemies. The resolution of these conflicts often requires decades, plus the external pressure from Wizards, so the decisive battles tend to occur around the forty-year mark. But the Black Crystal Worm Clan is different. Though they have thirty-six Insect Countries that go to war against each other to fight over Insect Nest territories, their mode of reproduction through the Mother Worm laying eggs means these insects bear no deep-seated grudges against each other. So once the Mother Worm God, as the World Master, issues even a slight summons, these insects can quickly unite, rapidly formulate strategies, and develop their war potential. This could also place their decisive battle earlier than previous Plane Wars and make it much more dangerous.¡± After hearing Ali¡¯s message, Richard couldn¡¯t help but remark privately that having connections really pays off. ¡°It looks like our mission here will be ending soon. Then it¡¯ll be a choice between retreat and hibernation,¡± Richard stated. But after hearing the news, Lawrence sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t bother thinking about hibernating. We¡¯ll definitely retreat. Since the war is dangerous, the command won¡¯t want to waste any strength.¡± After spending some time in the Earth Cave, a leading Second Ring Wizard suddenly took out a Crystal Ball. The orders of a Puppet Wizard came from the Crystal Ball: ¡°All personnel are accounted for, begin infiltration.¡± Seeing the Sound Transmission Crystal Ball, Richard seemed to remember something, suddenly taking out two Black Crystals from his Magic Pocket and handing them to Ali and Lawrence. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Ali asked, puzzled. The more knowledgeable Lawrence frowned, ¡°The Magic Fluctuation from the Communication Crystal Ball is too strong; it¡¯s not suitable for use here.¡± Richard smiled slightly and took out an identical Crystal Ball and spoke: ¡°How¡¯s the Magic Fluctuation?¡± The next instant, the voices of Richard came through the Crystal Balls held by Lawrence and Ali, and the Magic Fluctuation was almost zero. ¡°This¡­ where did you get such a great item!¡± Lawrence exclaimed in astonishment, immediately bombarding with a series of questions, ¡°What¡¯s the maximum distance it can cover, is the Magic Fluctuation this minimal at every range? How strong is the information transmission? How thick does a lead box have to be to block it¡­¡± Richard gestured with his hand, signaling him to stop. ¡°This is a little gadget my senior sister made. The communication range is about two kilometers, and the Magic Fluctuation increases slightly at the limit of range. The transmission strength can manage information transfer on low-intensity battlefields; high-intensity battlefields can disrupt the transfer due to energy fluctuation.¡± Even so, Lawrence still gave a thumbs up. ¡°Good stuff.¡± The two of them secured their Crystal Balls, and the three joined the main force in infiltrating toward the Mother Goddess Temple. COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 150 - Chapter 150: Chapter 50 Mother Goddess Temple Chapter 150: Chapter 50 Mother Goddess Temple The city¡¯s defenses were tight, but for a Wizard, there were still plenty of opportunities for infiltration. At the edge of the city, the fungal tree houses where the insect creatures resided provided Richard with a good opportunity. With the help of Shadow Shuttling and Shadow Infiltration, Richard had easily avoided the flying Moth Army patrols and entered the city. Lawrence, relying on Shadow Magic, covered Ali as they infiltrated the city together. But this was just the first step. Richard gave Lawrence and Ali a gesture, and the three of them swiftly navigated through the giant fungi, quickly entering the building area. The bugs living in this area were all older bugs that had contributed much to the Insect Nest and had a wealth of experience in their respective roles. The Insect Country gathered them here to consult on strategic decisions. However, it seemed that because the Insect Country was close to the front line, Richard did not see any old bugs except Warrior Worms. ¡°Something¡¯s not right,¡± Richard murmured as he watched the Warrior Worms moving between the buildings, feeling an indescribable sense of strangeness. Although this place was near the front line, it was not the main direction of attack, and it seemed unnecessary for the bugs to transfer all the Auxiliary Insects to the rear. Richard signaled the others to be cautious before entering the building area and moving toward the Pyramid. In the shadows of the sandstone buildings, Richard quietly watched as a squad of Mother Worm Guards passed right in front of him. For Level 1 Creatures, Shadow Infiltration was a hidden technique that simply couldn¡¯t be detected. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.?¦Ï Across from him, Lawrence completely blended into the shadows, and Ali evaded the search using invisibility camouflage and Breath Concealment. As much as he was tempted by the squad of Mother Worm Guards, Richard knew that now was not the time to strike. Their goal was to create a diversion around the Mother Goddess Temple, near the Pyramid, and acting now would only sabotage their plans. After evading the patrol team, the trio continued towards the Mother Goddess Temple. At the base of the Mother Goddess Temple, a continuous stream of Transport Worms entered the Temple gates. These Transport Worms, carrying mountainous supplies of food, trod steadily into the Temple. They were transporting food supplies for the Mother Worm, which needed a constant stream of food to produce more bugs. Suddenly, a ball of flames shot out from the supplies, hitting a Priest tending to the food. Boom! The intense flames instantly blasted the Priest into pieces. At the same time, countless shadows emerged from the residential area; spells flew in unison, catching the bug unit guarding the Mother Goddess Temple off guard, with nearly half of the outer defense force being wiped out in an instant. ¡°Enemy attack! Wizard monsters are attacking, protect the Mother Goddess Temple!¡± A Warrior Worm clad in silver metal Armor let out a sharp boom before its wings spread, and in an instant, it appeared beside a Wizard. In a flash, two cold glints passed by, and the Wizard didn¡¯t even have time to react before being chopped into a pulp. The gap between Level 1 Creatures and Second-level Creatures was too vast; ordinary Wizards couldn¡¯t manage to defeat higher-level monsters. But as fierce as the silver-armored insect was, it was still just a bug. When a few Black Wizards saw it, they instantly focused their spells on it; Thunder, Flames, Aurora¡­ it took them almost no time to destroy half the insect¡¯s body. The silver-armored bug let out a sharp cry as its flesh surged, quickly growing two more limbs. It looked at the Black Wizards, its pitch-black eyes flickering with a hint of bloodlust. ¡°Wizards! Die!¡± The next moment, the silver-armored bug flapped its wings and charged into the midst of the Wizards; in an instant, cold flashes shimmered, and even with just one Blade Arm, it managed to shred two Wizards to pieces in the blink of an eye. But its bravery didn¡¯t last even a second, as a shadow cloaked in black flames whooshed by, instantly taking its head. ¡°Caw, the head of a Second-level Creature sure is delicious!¡± Ulysses flew into the Mother Goddess Temple and then landed on a black-robed Wizard¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Caw, this is the old bug¡¯s Temple, and you mutts dare to barge in so brazenly?¡± Ulysses looked around in surprise. He had just been released from Richard¡¯s sack and had not yet realized he was inside the Mother Worm God¡¯s Temple. ¡°Just a rescue mission,¡± Richard said indifferently. According to plan, their role as One Ring Wizards was to draw fire away from those infiltrating deeper into the Mother Goddess Temple, to disperse the bug forces as much as possible while also confusing their sight. ¡°Caw, Richard, want to make a big score?¡± Ulysses¡¯s eyes flashed with a glint, suddenly asking Richard. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Richard frowned. ¡°Caw, I sensed a taste of the Power of Faith inside the Temple. If you get a bit of it over here, even if the old bug¡¯s incarnate shows up, I could shield you!¡± Ulysses stated, somewhat arrogantly. ¡°Hmm? Doesn¡¯t refining the Power of Faith worsen your injuries?¡± Richard looked at Ulysses with suspicion. This black bird was known to never stir without profit and always had its own ulterior motives. He wondered why Ulysses would be so eager to participate in such a self-serving endeavor. ¡°Gah, isn¡¯t this to your benefit as well?¡± Ulysses cackled strangely, ¡°Your furnace can even produce laws, so refining a bit of the Power of Faith should be a breeze. With some pure Power of Faith, you¡¯ll have your own safety net, and I can employ some divine-era tactics. It¡¯s a win-win!¡± After a moment¡¯s thought, Richard felt that Ulysses made sense. ¡°You lead the way. We don¡¯t have much time, we must find the Power of Faith before the rescue is complete.¡± ¡°Gah, guaranteed to have plenty of time!¡± ¡­ Deep within the temple, a group of black-robed wizards hurried through the tunnels toward a specific target. They were the main force of this operation¡ªthe Second Ring Black Wizards. Guided by a puppet wizard, they dashed through the temple, making a beeline for the dungeon where wizards were held captive. The temple¡¯s environment was intricate and complex; many pathways hidden in places that defied common wizardly knowledge. As the wizard squadron turned a corner, a group of golden Mother Worm Guards emerged from somewhere and took flight toward them. Boom! A wizard waved his hand and unleashed a stream of flame, the dark red fire instantly incinerating the obstacles in their path. The narrow confines of the passage were perfect for such spells. But before the flames dissipated, a Mother Worm Guard, its carapace now a reddish-gold color, burst through and brandished blade arms that dazzled with golden light. This was a Second-level Mother Worm Guard! Snap! The Magic Barrier shattered, and the wizard who had cast the flame stream was instantly bisected by the golden light. However, before it could strike again, the air was filled with the sound of scraping metal, and a metallic giant serpent emerged from beneath a wizard¡¯s robe, quickly entwining the insect and projecting rune-etched metal spikes from its body. With a contraction, the serpent instantly strangled the Mother Worm Guard dead. After the kill, the metallic serpent took the insect¡¯s corpse back under the wizard¡¯s robe. That wizard then calmly asked the puppet wizard: ¡°Declan, why didn¡¯t you save him?¡± Upon hearing this, the puppet wizard glanced at the wizard and a powerful Magic Fluctuation welled up from within. ¡°I don¡¯t need to explain anything to you. A wizard killed in plain sight by a native deserves death!¡± The other wizards remained silent upon hearing this. Black Wizards always respected strength above all, and given the puppet wizard¡¯s overbearing power, no one objected. But several wizards who were familiar with Declan started to harbor suspicions. ¡°Is this really Declan himself?¡± Rumble, rumble, rumble¡­ Deep within the temple, a stone door slowly opened, and a Golden Armored Warrior insect strode out, then knelt down beside a black-robed wizard. ¡°My lord, the deed is done. The High Priest has been poisoned, and the other Priests have been lured away by your subordinates. Now, the Treasure Room is unguarded except for me.¡± The black-robed wizard reached out, gently touching the head of the Golden Armored Warrior Insect. At a glance, the hand seemed no different from a normal human¡¯s, but a closer look revealed a slight gap at the joints, showing spherical articulations within. ¡°Number One, you¡¯ve done very well,¡± said the puppet wizard, pleased with his puppet. Crafting this Third-level Golden Armored Warrior Insect into a puppet had cost him plenty of treasures. But now, it all seemed worthwhile. The puppet wizard passed through the stone doorway to find a great hall behind it, with a massive divine statue of a Black Crystal Insect at the far end. In front of the statue stood four golden pedestals made of pure gold, a material befitting the treasure they held. Each pedestal bore one of Mother Worm God¡¯s relics. ¡°Hehehe, relics of the Mother Worm God, not just one but four. Even the Great Wizard would be green with envy,¡± the puppet wizard chuckled as he entered the hall and approached the pedestal. The four relics of the Mother Worm God were: a golden insect carapace¡ªInsect God Armor, golden blade arms¡ªInsect God¡¯s Blade, a fist-sized piece of golden amber¡ªInsect God¡¯s Blood, and the golden egg, which had kept the puppet wizard¡¯s gaze since entering the hall¡ªInsect God¡¯s Egg. Some of these relics were owned by Black Mushroom Worm Country, and others had been brought from other conquered Insect Countries. Such treasures were rare even within the Insect Nest World; an Insect Country at most had two or three. The puppet wizard gazed greedily at the Insect God¡¯s Egg, said to be an attempt the Mother Worm God made before breeding the Mother Worm¡ªan object crafted in a one-to-one imitation of herself. It contained the Mother Worm God¡¯s Original Essence Blood and her rules, especially the rules! Reportedly, this relic could enable the Mother Worm to produce more eggs. Pressed for time, the puppet wizard did not linger, and he reached out to take the Insect God¡¯s Egg from the pedestal. But the moment his fingers touched the egg, a beam of starlight burst forth from the egg and struck the puppet wizard squarely. ¡°Starlight Seal!¡± The puppet wizard¡¯s face contorted in horror as magic surged in an attempt to break free from the seal. The next instant, a Starlight Net erupted around him, entangling the puppet wizard in its center. COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 151 - Chapter 151: Chapter 51: Trap Chapter 151: Chapter 51: Trap ¡°Wizard Monster, bet you didn¡¯t see this coming.¡± A Priest Worm, dressed in white silk, emerged from behind the Divine Statue, its feelers perking up in a display of supreme delight. ¡°How does it feel to be outwitted by the natives you so looked down upon?¡± The Priest Worm moved to the side of the Puppet Wizard, operating the Starlight Net, which continually tightened. The Puppet Wizard suddenly looked towards its puppet, only to discover its puppet was also sealed by the Starlight Seal. ¡°How odd is it? How did I discover this worm became your puppet?¡± The Priest Worm walked over to the Golden Armored Warrior Insect, gently plucking the Black Crystal out of it with its upper limbs. With each extraction of the Black Crystal, the Warrior Worm screamed miserably, waving its feelers through the air like whips, creating gusts of wind. But when the Black Crystal was completely removed, a ray of light suddenly burst from within its body, which the Priest Worm swiftly caught and crushed. The Warrior Worm then became unexpectedly calm. From its mouthpiece came a series of low hums: ¡°Thank you¡­ High Priest.¡± It then bowed its head. The High Priest held the Black Crystal in his palm, kneeling and praying: ¡°Poor child, I shall return you to the embrace of the Mother Worm God. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã? Praise the Mother Worm God!¡± The Black Crystal turned into a stream of light that vanished into the Void, and the High Priest stood up, approaching the Puppet Wizard. At this moment, the Starlight Net was fiercely clashing with the Puppet Wizard¡¯s Magic Barrier. The Magic Barrier was so constricted by the Starlight Net that it was on the brink of shattering. A starlight beam shot from the High Priest¡¯s brow, entering the Starlight Net, which dramatically intensified its constricting force and instantly shattered the Magic Barrier. ¡°Wizard Monster, accept your judgment.¡± ¡­ Inside the Mother Goddess Temple, Richard followed Ulysses through the winding corridors, pressing on without pause. On the walls of the passage, the worms drew murals with mineral pigments, mostly celebrating the Mother Worm God¡¯s great deeds. To a historian of native societies in the Wizard World, stumbling upon such artwork would have been a delight worth excavating the walls for. Unfortunately, Richard had no interest in the subject, briskly passing them by. The rescue mission was a race against minutes. If they didn¡¯t hurry, they might not make it back with the withdrawing wizards and could end up surrounded and overwhelmed by the worms. Ulysses took a turn, leading into a path that inclined upward. Worms being naturally winged, these ramp-like pathways were commonplace in the Mother Goddess Temple. ¡°Ulysses, how much further?¡± Richard mentally counted the time; he and Ulysses had been inside the Temple for almost three minutes. If they didn¡¯t find what they were seeking soon, they would have to turn back. The rescue operation wouldn¡¯t linger more than ten minutes. Beyond that, the worms¡¯ reinforcements would overpower the wizards. If they did not successfully rescue the target, they too would be ensnared. ¡°Ga, just ahead, almost there.¡± Ulysses disappeared up the incline, and Richard quickly followed into a wide avenue. Ulysses was now at the end of the avenue, claws holding two golden skulls, with the bodies of two beheaded Mother Worm Guards still in their last stances beside him. Ulysses had killed the two Mother Worm Guards in an instant. Richard caught up quickly, stowing the bodies of the Mother Worm Guards into his bag. At the end of the path was a stone chamber, its door melted by Ulysses¡¯ flames. This seemed to be a quiet room, sparsely furnished save for a silken mat, and most notably, a Mother Worm Divine Statue the size of a human head, gleaming with gold. ¡°This is where you said there¡¯s a lot of Power of Faith hidden?¡± Richard asked, puzzled. Ulysses was also taken aback: ¡°Ga, this is the closet one, but it¡¯s indeed different than what I expected.¡± He looked at the Divine Statue and covered its eyes with two globs of dirty blood. As a Divine entity, he knew the methods of his peers; Divinities could observe the world through statues, a fundamental technique even a native deity would surely employ. ¡°Ga, the Power of Faith should all be in this Divine Statue.¡± Richard moved to pick up the statue, but with a loud clang, it dropped to the floor as Richard¡¯s hand shook. He stared incredulously at the Divine Statue, then at his own hand. With his current Physique, even if the statue weighed a thousand catties, he shouldn¡¯t have had trouble holding it. Suddenly, Richard seemed to realize something. He touched the statue, and instantly, information appeared before his eyes. [Ingredient: Pure Gold Divine Statue] [Extractable Substance: Power of Faith] [Extraction Cost: 300 Spiritual Power] ¡°Just as I thought!¡± Richard exclaimed joyfully. His Magic Power then surged, instantly activating his Bloodline, which with its enhancement, allowed him to easily lift the statue. ¡°The entire statue is made of Pure Gold!¡± Such a massive piece of Pure Gold, if sold in the Wizard World, would be worth a fortune beyond measure! ¡°Ga, that furnace of yours, can it extract it?¡± Ulysses urgently inquired through a Spiritual Message. ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s going to take some effort. If this statue is melted down, will it affect the Power of Faith inside?¡± Richard slipped the Divine Statue into his Magic Pocket. The spiritual energy required to extract the Power of Faith all at once from the statue was too much; he¡¯d need to refine it in parts. ¡°Ga, melting will, but Cutting won¡¯t.¡± Richard nodded, ¡°Then that¡¯ll do.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± he said, and immediately left the stone chamber, ready to leave the quiet room and head to the outskirts of the Mother Goddess Temple to prepare for retreat. But just as he was about to leave, there came a ¡°boom¡± as an intense magic fluctuation pierced through the walls, shaking the thick and sturdy walls of the Mother Goddess Temple enough to crack them slightly. ¡°Hmm?¡± Richard was startled, such violent magic fluctuations were not something ordinary wizards could produce. He peered through the crevice to the other side of the wall and saw a familiar figure struggling within a web of starlight. All sorts of shaping witchcraft bombarded the Starlight Net like rain, causing it to quiver incessantly. But to anyone with clear eyesight, it was evident that although the Starlight Net was constantly shaking, it showed no signs of breaking. Instead, the energy fluctuations of the wizard who was casting the spell were rapidly diminishing. ¡°Puppet Wizard, what¡¯s he doing here? Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be rescuing wizards?¡± Richard watched the wizard struggling within the Starlight Net with some confusion. But then it dawned on him. This must be what the Puppet Wizard truly intended to do. Looking through the crevice to the other side, he saw four glistening stands, and on those stands were objects that made Richard¡¯s heart pound. ¡°Is that¡­ the Insect God¡¯s Blood? All of those are relics left by the Mother Worm God!¡± Seeing relics from the Mother Worm God on all four stands, Richard swallowed hard. This Puppet Wizard was goddamn greedy! Those four relics from the Mother Worm God, no wonder he¡¯s now trapped! Ulysses suddenly spoke up at that moment: ¡°Ga, your kin has probably been calculated. None of those four things are real; they are all fakes made from the Power of Faith.¡± ¡°Uh? They¡¯re all fake?¡± Richard was shaken by these words, a bad feeling instantly overwhelming his heart. ¡°Ga, those things might deceive you, but they can¡¯t fool me,¡± Ulysses said with some disdain, ¡°But that stuff is crudely made, I can¡¯t tell if these bugs are just unskilled, or if they rushed to make these few things.¡± Ulysses¡¯ words struck like thunder, shattering Richard¡¯s thoughts into chaos. Combining the dire situation of the Puppet Wizard with these items probably hastily made by the insects, it seemed likely that they, the wizards, had fallen into the insects¡¯ trap. The insects had turned the tables on the wizards by exploiting the Puppet Wizard¡¯s vanity! With this thought, Richard didn¡¯t care if his idea was correct or not. He immediately took out the Communication Crystal Ball from his Magic Pocket. ¡°Ali, Lawrence, this is a trap, retreat immediately!¡± ¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t bother struggling, Wizard Monster.¡± The High Priest stood outside the Starlight Net, continually infusing it with the power of the stars. The strength of the Wizard Monster before him was beyond his expectations; even after being outmaneuvered, it could still release such immense power. He had tried to seal it with the Starlight Net in one fell swoop, but then witnessed the figure¡¯s body suddenly explode with a violent Magic Wave that nearly burst through the Starlight Net. Had it managed to burst through, it would have caused significant loss to his plan. But ultimately, the Wizard Monster fell just short; it never did manage to break through the confines of the Starlight Net. Now the Puppet Wizard¡¯s struggle was nothing more than the final thrashing of a trapped beast. Watching the Puppet Wizard¡¯s continuous struggle, the High Priest felt a rare sense of pleasure. Since the beginning of the war, the Black Crystal Worm Clan had never gained an advantage on the frontal battlefield, with Insect Countries falling one after another. And behind the lines, these infiltrating Wizard Monsters continuously wreaked havoc, with nearly every Insect Country suffering varying degrees of damage. And in his own Black Mushroom Worm Country, a large incubation pool had been attacked by these Wizard Monsters. This left him, the High Priest, restless, spending his days handling affairs and the rest holed up in the quiet room, praying and meditating before the Divine Statue. Now he could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Just the day before, while eating his regular meal, he suddenly sensed something wrong with his food. The blessing from the Mother Worm God had enhanced his senses, greatly improving his vision, hearing, smelling, and even touch. This had always been a secret. His sense of smell told him that something other than the Sacrificial Fungus had been mixed into this plate before him. Despite the substance being almost odorless, his refined senses had detected it. After examination, he discovered that the plate of Sacrificial Fungus meant for him had been laced with deadly poison, a toxin so terrifying that even if he ingested it, it would take a long time to detoxify. He would be severely weakened during detoxification, nearly equivalent to a Two Stars Priest. Following the trail of the Sacrificial Fungus, he tracked down the Puppet Worm among them. And through calculating the timing of the toxin¡¯s effects, he astutely deduced that the Wizard Monsters would soon strike at the Mother Goddess Temple and made arrangements swiftly. He intended to capture all the invading wizards in one fell swoop. ¡°Ah!¡± The High Priest suddenly let out a cry, ¡°If only you had acted a little later, if only my plans had been fully in place.¡± There was a slight miscalculation in the timing of the poison¡¯s effects. The wizards¡¯ action came before his plans were airtight. If the wizards realized this, many might escape. ¡°Hmm?¡± The High Priest turned his head suddenly towards a crack in the wall of the great hall, a faint energy fluctuation had just brushed his senses. That was not the energy used by the Black Crystal Insects! ¡°Who is there!¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 152 - Chapter 152: Chapter 52: Breakthrough Chapter 152: Chapter 52: Breakthrough The High Priest¡¯s gaze met Richard¡¯s through the cracks in the wall, and an indescribable spiritual pressure bore down on his heart along their line of sight. In an instant, Richard¡¯s heart felt like it skipped a beat. Ulysses suddenly shoved Richard aside, not giving him time to react before a streak of starlight punctured the wall and whisked past his scalp. Had Ulysses been even a split second slower, that starlight would have pierced Richard¡¯s skull. ¡°Gah, that bug found you!¡± The High Priest noticed his attack hadn¡¯t succeeded and was slightly surprised, ¡°He actually dodged it.¡± But then, a spiritual message transmitted from the black crystal on his forehead: ¡°Inhardt, go to the quiet room where I usually pray and seize a Wizard Monster.¡± ¡­ ¡°This bug¡¯s senses are really sharp.¡± Richard followed Ulysses as they flew swiftly through the corridor, rapidly advancing towards the Mother Goddess Temple. Although unsure whether it was a trap, running now was undoubtedly the right choice. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?? Descending along the sloped passage, Richard and his companion ran headlong into a squad of Mother Worm Guards. ¡°Damn!¡± Richard cursed, his Magic Wand ready to unleash the Heart of Annihilation when he saw Ulysses¡¯s body blaze with black flames, his wings flapping as he zipped through the guards like a streak of black lightning. ¡°Gah, done!¡± Ulysses called back. The next moment, with a series of four muffled ¡°thumps,¡± the squad of Mother Worm Guards Richard ran into all fell, their forehead black crystals shattered, though when or how it happened was a mystery. ¡°So fast, so powerful!¡± Richard was immensely shocked in his heart. Was this the Second Level strength Ulysses possessed in his normal state? ¡°Gah, don¡¯t just stand there dumbfounded. If that bug finishes off your kin, we¡¯re likely going to end up staying here. He can definitely summon the incarnation of that old bug!¡± Richard, hearing this, swiftly crossed over the corpses of the Mother Worm Guards, pocketing them as well. Despite currently possessing a chunk of Pure Gold the size of a human¡¯s head, any bug was still valuable, nobody could ever have too much Pure Gold. If possible, Richard even wanted to forge a full suit of armor out of pure Pure Gold. Crossing the corridor, Richard suddenly saw Ulysses, who was leading the way, turn sharply and behind him, a familiar figure rushed towards him. ¡°Shit, how did we run into this damn thing again!¡± The newcomer was none other than Inhardt, the Divine Chosen of the Mother Worm God who had forced Richard into the Source Sea Abyss last time. Upon seeing the man and bird, Inhardt¡¯s heart surged with elation, his wings unfurled behind him, and his speed instantly soared! Inhardt rejoiced in his heart: ¡°Heaven¡¯s path is neglected by you, yet you dive into the gates of Hell.¡± Today, with time and place in his favor, Inhardt was resolved to sacrifice this man and bird to the Mother Worm God! Bang! Before he could rush forward, a chain of black flame suddenly bound him tight in place. Ulysses¡¯s mouth dropped a spark, his repertoire of moves had grown since reaching Second Level in his normal state, and he could use some small tricks without aggravating his soul¡¯s injury. Although he was wary of the Divine Chosen before him, he now had quite a few counter-measures. Ulysses flew past Richard and into a side passage: ¡°Gah, this way!¡± ¡­ Outside the Mother Goddess Temple, Lawrence and Ali, upon receiving Richard¡¯s message, immediately withdrew. ¡°It seems Richard has found something,¡± said Lawrence, holding the Communication Crystal Ball, his gaze sweeping over the battlefield. He too sensed something was amiss. The insects¡¯ defenses seemed too weak. They, the One Ring Wizards, were managing to hold their own around the Mother Goddess Temple, even having the upper hand over the Insect Race momentarily. This was highly unusual. As one of the Insect Country¡¯s most important sacred sites, the Temple¡¯s defensive forces couldn¡¯t merely be this. ¡°Ali, let¡¯s go.¡± Lawrence decided on the spot. As an experienced Wizard, his sharp war instincts told him Richard¡¯s warning was not to be ignored. ¡°Aren¡¯t we waiting for Richard?¡± asked Ali hesitantly. ¡°No waiting, we must leave now!¡± Lawrence¡¯s tone was very firm, ¡°Richard is strong, and he has many methods at his disposal. Following him would only slow him down!¡± Lawrence still remembered the crow that could shield itself from the blue mold species. He did not know exactly what that blue mold was, but judging by the reaction from Mushroom Land, it was no trifle. A crow that could shield itself from that entity was not to be underestimated. He even suspected that the crow might be one of the third-level creatures! Ali looked deeply into the depths of the Mother Goddess Temple, knowing Lawrence was right. She couldn¡¯t be of much help to Richard. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡­ On the outskirts of the settlement where the Mother Goddess Temple was located, teams of insects were busily setting up various objects, and if a Wizard were present, they would immediately realize that the insects were setting up Mother Goddess Cannons capable of bringing down War Airships. However, in comparison to the Mother Goddess Cannons used on the battlefield, the versions being arranged were quite small and looked rather miniature. ¡°My lord, the small Mother Goddess Cannons have been deployed!¡± a Warrior Worm reported to a silver-armored Warrior Worm. Not far from him, a mass of flesh under the control of a Priest Worm grew a black chitinous shell. Even though the Black Crystal Worm Clan had been retreating steadily on the front lines, they had genuinely learned a lot and had developed much war potential. These small Mother Goddess Cannons were special weapons developed by an Insect Country specifically for attacking and defending insect nests. In the past, no insect had thought to miniaturize the Mother Goddess Cannon, but after this, the days of insects wrestling and killing each other in the tunnels would likely be no more. ¡°Very well, now we wait,¡± the silver-armored Warrior Worm said, lifting a feeler and looking towards the unknown darkness deep within the tunnel. A half-hour ago, he had received an urgent order from the High Priest to bring the small Mother Goddess Cannons into the tunnels to prepare for the combat against Wizard Monsters emerging from the Mother Goddess Temple. To be honest, when he heard the news, he even thought the High Priest was joking. Their defenses were so tight; how could Wizard Monsters infiltrate the Mother Goddess Temple? Even if Wizards did manage to sneak in, two of them wouldn¡¯t be anything to worry about, let alone requiring the use of the heavy-hitting small Mother Goddess Cannons. After confirming that the High Priest wasn¡¯t joking, he had no choice but to follow the orders. Warriors must obey the commands of the Priests, especially during times of war. The silver-armored Warrior Worm approached the only Priest Worm in their squad. ¡°Priest, why would the High Priest issue such a strange order?¡± The Priest Worm looked at the Warrior Worm and made a hissing sound with its mouthparts. ¡°Sigh, how would I know? But the High Priest¡¯s wisdom definitely surpasses ours; we just need to follow it.¡± After speaking, the Priest Worm glanced around and then whispered, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that we¡¯ve been infiltrated by Wizard spies, and our patrol routes have been leaked.¡± ¡°What!¡± The silver-armored Warrior Worm¡¯s feelers shot up, moving so fast they even produced a whooshing sound. ¡°How could a Black Crystal Worm turn into a spy for Wizards!¡± The Priest Worm slapped him: ¡°You idiot, keep it down!¡± Realizing his mistake, the silver-armored Warrior Worm dipped his head slightly towards the Priest Worm. ¡°It¡¯s inconceivable; I can¡¯t imagine an offspring of the Mother Worm becoming a spy for Wizard Monsters.¡± The Priest Worm hissed again and whispered reassuringly, ¡°They must be under duress. Those Wizard Monsters have many evil methods, some of which might include forcing servitude. Perhaps some insects become slaves to the Wizard Monsters to survive, but I believe none would willingly serve Wizards.¡± ¡­ Outside the Mother Goddess Temple, as Ellie Lawrence and another left, some experienced Wizards also sensed something was amiss. The insects¡¯ counterattack was too feeble. With a loud boom, dozens of Second Ring Wizards burst through the walls of the Mother Goddess Temple, leaving behind them a straight passage that led deep into the temple. This group of people had actually blazed a new trail right through the Mother Goddess Temple! ¡°All Wizards, be alert, this is an Insect trap! Prepare to break out!¡± A Second Ring Wizard, wrapped in thin threads of thunder, shouted to the Wizards on the ground. Just now, with the leadership of a Doll Wizard, they had successfully reached the dungeon where Wizards were imprisoned. But as soon as they arrived, the Doll Wizard leading them suddenly collapsed on the ground, lifeless as a puppet without strings. At the same time, the so-called prison cells exposed their true nature, as four pre-prepared Mother Goddess Cannons roared to life, hurling Acid Liquid Balls charged with energy arcs, instantly dissolving more than a dozen unfortunate Wizards. Only then did they realize they had fallen into an Insect trap. Fortunately, the insects¡¯ setup was not very complete, and the High Priest, who should have been a significant combat force, was held back by the struggling Doll Wizards, allowing them to escape the trap and rush out of the Mother Goddess Temple. At that moment, Richard had just arrived on the outskirts of the Mother Goddess Temple, scanning the battlefield and sighing with relief when he confirmed the absence of Ellie and Lawrence. It seemed they had already escaped ahead of time. In the sky, dozens of surviving Second Ring Wizards, after notifying the One Ring Wizards on the ground, split into four groups to break out in different directions. Witnessing this, the One Ring Wizards on the ground also chose their paths for a breakout. Richard and Ulysses blended in, ready to break out with the majority. The situation was extremely complex, and Richard did not know how much preparation the insects had made. He decided to follow the majority for now and assess the situation. Such a large gathering of Wizards, even if they were not White Wizards, was a considerable force. Even if they encountered third-level creatures, with their collective strength, they could still pay a price and fight through. Thunderous booms! The Second Ring Wizard brandished his Magic Wand, and several man-sized purple Thunder Balls flew towards the blocking insects, instantly causing Thunder Snakes to dance wildly, turning dozens of Warrior Worms to charred remains in an instant. Despite the significant casualties inflicted, the Second Ring Wizard felt no elation; instead, a bad feeling arose within him. These insects were all First Level, too weak to serve as a real blockade against them. But the urgency of the battlefield left him no time for further thought, and he and the other Wizards flew towards the tunnel. With hundreds of Wizards following him, such a force was enough to tear through any encirclement. But it was only when they flew into the tunnel that they realized why the insect resistance had been so weak. ¡°Prepare the small Mother Goddess Cannons! Fire!¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 153 - Chapter 153: Chapter 53: The Pursuit Chapter 153: Chapter 53: The Pursuit Ball-sized spheres, adorned with energy arcs, flew towards the wizards and melted the Second Ring Wizard leading the charge almost instantaneously. The wizards behind quickly erected magic barriers, but without the cooperative spellcasting techniques of the White Wizards, the ordinary One Ring wizards¡¯ magic barriers could not withstand even a single acid ball. The Second Ring Wizards faced multiple Mother Goddess Cannons firing simultaneously, leading to their magic barriers being shattered. ¡°Damn it, that bastard Declan, did his brain get chewed on by a pig? To be outwitted by native bugs!¡± A Second Ring Black Wizard cursed furiously, noting that the bugs were well-prepared, even employing strategic weapons like the Mother Goddess Cannons. It was clear they had long-planned this ambush. Their smooth progress up to now seemed entirely to be a deliberate setup by the bugs. The Puppet Wizard was clearly caught in their trap. Yet, cursing solved nothing. Facing the targeted fire of the Mother Goddess Cannons, the wizards had no choice but to temporarily retreat, withdrawing from the tunnels. ¡°Scatter and break through!¡± After exiting the tunnel, a Second Ring wizard made a decisive call to split up, immediately darting towards a small adjacent tunnel. Although these tunnels were cramped with only enough room for a wizard at a time, their sheer abundance meant the bugs couldn¡¯t install a Mother Goddess Cannon in every single one. With a flash, he appeared at the mouth of a tunnel, but before he could enter, a loud boom shattered his plans. Boom! A thunderous noise erupted from inside the tunnels, causing them to collapse instantaneously. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?¦Ï Simultaneously, on the periphery of the Mother Goddess Temple Settlement, dozens of small tunnels also erupted with booms. The bugs had sealed all the small tunnels! At the same time, inside the Mother Goddess Temple, the High Priest had completed sealing a Puppet Wizard. Looking at the fist-sized Starlight Cage in his hands, the High Priest gave a cruel smile and swallowed it whole. Then, with a flap of his wings, he instantly appeared in the grand hall at the top of the pyramid. Seeing that the wizards had not yet broken through, the High Priest breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°It looks like I haven¡¯t delayed too long.¡± Without pausing, he placed the recently imprisoned Starlight Net in the divine statue¡¯s hands. As he recited a prayer, the statue seemed to shed its seals, and a storm of energy burst forth, threatening to tear the High Priest to shreds. The High Priest snorted coldly, his body suddenly gleaming with a layer of Starlight Armor. The energy storm struck it without causing even a ripple. The site of each Mother Goddess Temple wasn¡¯t chosen randomly; beneath each one lay an Earth Vein Spring Eye, which periodically unleashed energy storms that normally were contained only by the power of faith within the divine statues. From the black crystal on his forehead, the High Priest sent streams of spiritual power guiding the storm, channeling all the energy into the Starlight Net. With such tremendous energy, the relic of the Mother Worm God quickly merged with the ground. An energy web spread rapidly from the temple toward the settlement. His goal was to trap all the wizards within the Earth Cave! ¡­ ¡°Gah, Richard, I have a bad feeling.¡± Standing on Richard¡¯s shoulder, Ulysses suddenly opened his eyes, his divine intuition telling him something had changed in the settlement. ¡°A bad feeling?¡± Ulysses suddenly turned his head towards the temple: ¡°Gah, switch on your energy vision and check if there¡¯s anything unusual about that old bug¡¯s temple.¡± Richard complied immediately, his vision switching to energy vision, his expression instantly turning grim. In his sight, streams of energy were rapidly intertwining, spreading out from the Mother Goddess Temple like a vast net, about to reach their location in seconds. ¡°Gah, what do you see?¡± Ulysses asked anxiously. Due to a soul injury, his perception could only vaguely sense something approaching, but he was unable to discern any specifics. ¡°Run! Something¡¯s spreading out from the Mother Goddess Temple!¡± Richard shouted to the other wizards, and his body immediately flew towards the tunnel. Whatever this vast net was, it wasn¡¯t anything good for the wizards. ¡°Ulysses, take the lead, don¡¯t hold back now, or we¡¯re all done for!¡± Hearing this, Ulysses flew ahead of Richard, his black flames flaring tremendously, drawing the attention of many wizards with its fierce energy wave. ¡°That energy fluctuation¡­ it¡¯s already at Second-level creature; isn¡¯t that guy just a One Ring Wizard?¡± A Second Ring Wizard watching Richard expressed his surprise internally. And seeing Ulysses¡¯s aura, he was definitely no ordinary Second-level creature, perhaps even comparable to a Second Ring Wizard. But now was not the time to ponder other wizards¡¯ secrets. As the wizards saw someone charging ahead and heard Richard¡¯s warning, they immediately followed, ready to burst through. Leading the way, Ulysses trailed a long black tail flame behind him, resembling a black phoenix. Seeing the breakout attempt, the bugs immediately activated the Mother Goddess Cannons, loading them with green masses. A barrage of arc acid liquid balls sped towards Ulysses. ¡°Gah, Richard, let me show you my true power!¡± Ulysses grew substantially in size, resembling a liberated Swallowing Sky Demon Bird, spewing a black firestorm from his mouth that incinerated most of the acid balls in an instant. Of the few that reached him, Ulysses shrunk again, nimbly weaving through the gaps of the colliding acid balls, completely unscathed. The acid balls exploded into a cloud of green acid mist upon collision. Seizing the firing gap created by Ulysses, a dozen Second Ring Wizards fortified with a Magic Barrier charged forward through the acid mist, their Magic Wands instantly blasting out a barrage of Spells. Boom! The Spells exploded on a curtain of light. The Sacrificial Insects set up the Starlight Barrier; after years of war, the Black Crystal Insects had also learned how to counter the Wizards¡¯ Spells. The Warrior Worms stood in front of the small Mother Goddess Cannons, their Blade Arms gleaming coldly, ready to face the incoming Wizard Monsters. Facing the Wizard Monsters, they were all determined to fight to the death. Behind them, the second round of firing from the Mother Goddess Cannons was about to be complete. ¡°Damn it, you guys owe me a favor this time!¡± A Second Ring Wizard saw this scene, hardened his heart, and sent a Spiritual Message to several nearby Second Ring Wizards. Sizzle¡­ A metallic friction sound entered the ears of the Warrior Worms. The next instant, a metallic giant serpent emerged from underneath the robe of the Second Ring Wizard and rushed towards them. The giant serpent¡¯s body was covered in metallic scales, etched with Runes that cleverly formed a Rune Array. With a loud ¡°boom,¡± the metallic giant serpent exploded instantly, its scattered scales shredding the insects¡¯ defenses. Warrior Worms, Starlight Barrier, under the power akin to a Second Ring Wizard self-destruction, were instantly ripped apart. The Wizard who released the metallic giant serpent coughed once, a mouthful of fresh blood falling to the ground. This attack had nearly depleted ninety percent of his power. The other Second Ring Wizards did not let his sacrifice be in vain and instantly took his place. In an instant, Spells flew thick and fast, and insects that came to fill the gap were instantly shredded. Wizards trailing behind each contributed their own power, and a torrent of Spells instantly tore through the insects¡¯ defenses. Richard mixed in with them, moving swiftly forward. Suddenly, he shivered, a strong surge of energy fluttered over everyone¡¯s perception. An enormous net of light rose from the edge of the settlement, instantly enveloping the entire settlement, turning those Wizards who had not broken out into birds in a cage, fish in a net. ¡°That was close, just a few seconds!¡± If not for Richard¡¯s warning, they, like the three batches of Wizards before them, would all have been trapped in the settlement. ¡°Young man, I owe you a favor.¡± A Second Ring Wizard approached Richard and handed him a card, ¡°If you need help, you can find me at 372, Level 7 of the residential area.¡± ¡°I owe you one, too.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± In a moment, Richard received dozens of business cards from Second Ring Wizards and over a hundred from One Ring Wizards. Each of these cards represented a favor; if Richard needed help, these people would not necessarily go all out, but would at least offer their assistance to the best of their ability. With the rise of the Starlight Net, the High Priest in the Mother Goddess Temple stopped guiding, and the entire swarm relaxed. A Priest Insect came up to his side and draped a pure white silk cloak over his shoulders. ¡°Inhardt, did you capture that Wizard Monster?¡± the High Priest asked the Priest Insect beside him. Inhardt, feeling ashamed, bowed his head, ¡°High Priest, I have failed your expectations; the Wizard Monster escaped from my hands once again.¡± ¡°Again?¡± The High Priest noted Inhardt¡¯s choice of words. ¡°High Priest, this Wizard is the same one I pursued into the Source Sea Abyss; he escaped from there and has greatly enhanced his power,¡± Inhardt reported truthfully. Although he hadn¡¯t personally clashed with Richard, the energy fluctuations within Richard and the vitality he exuded were much stronger than when he had last seen him. Moreover, that black bird had also become more formidable. If it weren¡¯t for the distinctive features of this man and bird, he would have thought he recognized the wrong Wizard. ¡°Coming out of the Source Sea Abyss stronger¡­¡± The High Priest pondered for a moment as an ancient legend appeared in his mind. In the history of the Black Crystal Insects, many Priest Insects had explored the origin of the Mother Worm God. Unlike the common Black Crystal Insects¡¯ fanatical beliefs in the Mother Worm God, not all Priest Insects shared this zeal. There was a branch among the Priest Insects that held no belief in the Mother Worm God. These insects had always existed in the history of the Black Crystal Insects, and they had brought many different things to the Black Crystal Insects. For instance¡­ the origin of the Mother Worm God. Some Priest Insects had inferred through unverifiable clues that the Mother Worm God was originally one of the demons of the Source Sea Abyss, who had merely seized a great opportunity to stand out and become a powerful being capable of contending with the World Mushroom. Reflecting on this, the High Priest ordered Inhardt: ¡°Inhardt, take a squad of Mother Worm Guards and capture that Wizard Monster.¡± ¡°Ah? But I might not be able to find him, High Priest.¡± The High Priest suddenly closed his eyes, and a beam of light shot from his Black Crystal into Inhardt¡¯s Black Crystal. ¡°They took away my Divine Statue, and the Power of Faith inside it, though shielded by their small space, can still be sensed by you.¡± ¡°Remember, you must capture him.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 154 - Chapter 154: Chapter 54 Secret Realm Promotion Completed Chapter 154: Chapter 54 Secret Realm Promotion Completed The encirclement of insects was not merely complex; in the tunnels, a relentless stream of insects advanced toward the Mother Goddess Temple Settlement. Boom! Ulysses unleashed a breath of flames, turning a squad of insects to ashes. After incinerating them, Ulysses landed on Richard¡¯s shoulder, took the Magic Stone that Richard had handed him, and instantly drained the Magic Power from it. Three days had passed since Richard broke out from the Mother Goddess Temple Settlement. After breaching the first encirclement of insects, the team of wizards began to disperse and flee via the complex tunnel system. Over these three days, the team around Richard and Ulysses became increasingly smaller until, half a day ago, they had parted ways with the last two wizards, completely scattering everyone. Under such intense combat, even Ulysses, as strong as he was, had to rely on Magic Stones to replenish his internal energy. ¡°Damn, why can¡¯t these insects be exterminated?¡± Ulysses complained. Richard pulled out a map of the tunnels and located their position. According to the map, they were now further from the Mother Goddess Temple Settlement than the Earth Cave where he had been when he received the Emergency Summon Order. ¡°I guess it¡¯s just coincidence, there¡¯s no pheromone left by the insects on us,¡± Richard casually responded. ¡°Damn, let¡¯s find a place to hide quickly; I¡¯ve had enough this time.¡± Ulysses¡¯ words were tinged with exhaustion¡ªthese past days, he had been handling most of the pursuers. Although his strength had returned to that of a Second-level Creature, his body remained that of a Level 1 Creature, requiring him to be extra careful when using energy, fearful of exhausting himself and attracting the attention of that old insect. This also made him extremely mentally fatigued. After all, he was severely injured and no longer the World Master of before. The feeling of fatigue, once known only to mortals, was once again surging into Ulysses¡¯ heart. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï How many years had it been since he last felt fatigued? Ten thousand years? Twenty thousand? Ulysses vaguely remembered the last time he felt this tired was during his demigod era, when the Annihilation Crows were at war with the Red Flame Crows. He had single-handedly fought five demigod Red Flame Crows, and it was from that battle he began his path to divinity. How nostalgic he felt now! Once again, a soft murmuring of insects sounded through the tunnels. Ulysses mustered his energy and continued to fly. He had been running from the depths of the Abyss for almost seventy years now¡ªa duration that would have felt like a nap when he was still divine. But now, it felt much longer. He glanced back at Richard¡­ perhaps falling into this young man¡¯s hands wasn¡¯t entirely bad. Loneliness was what the longevity species feared most, and a life full of passion was a heavenly gift for them. ¡­ Five kilometers from Richard¡¯s position, in an earth cave, Inhardt sat on the ground with his eyes tightly closed and a Black Crystal on his forehead flickering faintly with starlight. Around him, a team of Mother Worm Guards, each with Second-level strength, guarded him on both sides, while a group of Spider Knights and Warrior Worms quietly awaited Inhardt¡¯s command. Suddenly, he opened his eyes, and a ray of starlight shot toward Richard¡¯s position. ¡°Go this way, arrange for the insects to scout this defensive line, and slow down this Wizard Monster as much as possible.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± a Silver Armor Wizard Insect answered and quickly left the cave to arrange for the scouting. Inhardt stood up, gazing in the direction where Richard was, his vision as if penetrating thick layers of mycelium, reaching right beside Richard. ¡°Wizard Monster, you won¡¯t escape this time.¡± ¡­ Boom! A crow ablaze with black flames spewed fire, instantly turning the tunnel into a virtual hell. A giant Spider Knight endured the black flames, advancing like a knight in heavy armor toward the Wizard behind the crow. This was a Second-level Spider Knight whose carapace, after evolving, could briefly withstand Ulysses¡¯ Annihilation Flame. Behind him, a Priest Insect¡¯s Black Crystal on its forehead shimmered with starlight, a beam of light hitting the Spider Knight and instantly forming a layer of Starlight Armor. ¡°Damn!¡± the Wizard cursed under his breath, ¡°Found by these insects again.¡± Behind the Wizard, another squad of insects emerged from another part of the tunnel, the lead Silver Armor Warrior Worm¡¯s arms shimmering with a frightening cold light. ¡°Ulysses, take care of the squad of insects behind us.¡± With that, the Wizard swung his Magic Wand, shooting a beam of Magic Power into the ground in front of the Spider Knight, immediately turning the solid ground into soft mud. ¡°Fossil to Mud!¡± As he spoke, the Wizard swiped his Magic Wand releasing three human-head sized black fireballs, which exploded near the Spider Knight into three dark orbs. The Spider Knight couldn¡¯t dodge in time, and both of its blade arms evaporated within the range of the dark orbs. Ulysses flapped his wings, turned around, and flew toward Richard¡¯s back, preparing a sea of fire in his mouth. ¡°Damn, these insects just never stop!¡± Out from the crow¡¯s mouth came a stream of black fire, like the breath of a giant dragon, engulfing the Warrior Worm opposite. He then swiftly dove into the sea of fire, his sharp talons probing beneath him. *Squelch!* Green fluid sprayed from the brow of a Silver Armor Warrior Worm, splattering half the cave wall. The Black Crow then turned around and returned to the Spider Knight¡¯s side. Seeing this, the Priest Insect¡¯s Black Crystal was about to shoot out a Starlight Seal, but suddenly, with a dull whoosh, an ebony Magic Wand coated in black flames cleaved through the air, and the Wizard¡¯s figure abruptly appeared behind the shadow of the Priest Insect. *Crack!* The Black Crow also passed through the layers of blade shadows of the Spider Knight, and with one claw, shattered its brow Black Crystal. ¡°Phew¡­ what day is it now?¡± Richard leaned on his Magic Wand, his mind dizzy. Days of relentless fleeing, along with occasional battles, left his spirit somewhat scattered. If this continued, he would only be able to cast spells using Magic Marks. ¡°Gah, the seventh day.¡± Ulysses landed on Richard¡¯s shoulder, speaking with an equally weary voice. These past days had been a real test for him too as many of the enemies Richard encountered were Second-level Creatures, and although Ulysses seemed to handle them with ease each time, the actual killings drained a tremendous amount of his energy for calculations. After all, he was only a Second-level Creature himself, and in terms of physical fitness, he was even less than those insects. Richard took out the map, and at the moment, they were only about ten kilometers away in a straight line from the Source Sea Abyss. If all went well, they could cover this distance in half a day. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Ulysses, the Source Sea Abyss is near.¡± ¡­ Looking at the ashes on the ground, Inhardt knelt down, making a prayer gesture. ¡°May all warriors return to the embrace of the Mother Worm God!¡± After the prayer, a Warrior Worm stepped forward and reported the movements of Richard and his companion to Inhardt. ¡°Sir, we¡¯ve glued that Wizard Monster.¡± The Warrior Worm then took a Map Worm to Inhardt¡¯s side, marking Richard¡¯s approximate location on it. The Map Worm, a rare type of insect from the Black Crystal Worm Clan, could memorize the complex terrain of the Insect Nest and store it in its cognitive organ. Additionally, any insect could access the Map Worm¡¯s cognitive organ through neural connection, view the map, and leave ¡°marks¡± on it. Every time a Mother Worm produced a Map Worm, it would consume the food of a small warehouse and three hours of the Mother Worm¡¯s time. Three hours could otherwise be spent producing hundreds of thousands of ordinary insect eggs. Moreover, since most insects would never leave their settlement in their lifetime, the Map Worm was essentially useless to them. Therefore, due to its costly production and limited application, there were only a few Map Worms in the Insect Nest. This also led to most insects from other settlements getting easily lost within the Insect Nest due to unfamiliarity with the terrain. This was why Richard and his companion were able to escape frequently. ¡°This position!¡± Inhardt looked at the marked spot on the map, and his heart suddenly clenched. He connected the traces Richard had left along the way into a line, then extended it backward until a blank appeared in front of him. The Source Sea Abyss! He still wanted to escape using the Source Sea Abyss! Disconnecting from the Map Worm¡¯s neural link, Inhardt immediately issued the command to act. This time, he was determined to capture that Wizard Monster! ¡­ In the dark tunnel, a squad of Warrior Worms was flying rapidly, with the sound of their wings flapping echoing through the tunnel. ¡°Speed up! That Wizard Monster is dead meat this time!¡± At the end of the tunnel, the sounds of spells exploding continuously reached the tunnel. A black-robed wizard kept releasing black fireballs, blasting approaching insects into bits. But every time he killed one, two more would take its place. ¡°Ulysses! Are you ready yet?¡± Richard, forcing himself to ignore his headache, kept pulling Magic Stones from his Magic Pocket and stuffing them into his body. After nearly ten days of relentless running without sleep, Richard¡¯s spiritual power was nearly exhausted, and now he was surviving purely on willpower. He couldn¡¯t understand how these insects always managed to find him. Suddenly, from behind Richard in the tunnel, a black crow flew out, its claws clutching a giant insect head. Seeing this, Richard grabbed a handful of Magic Stones and threw them into the air, the crow flapped its wings once, capturing all the Magic Stones, then opened its beak and instantly spewed out a black inferno. Temporarily clearing the insects around Richard. ¡°Gah, the roadblock is gone!¡± Upon hearing this, Richard didn¡¯t hesitate and immediately turned to leave, knowing that once they entered the Source Sea Abyss, everything would end. Gliding close to the ground in the tunnel, Richard could even feel the Life Hot Wind from the Source Sea Abyss echoing around. Just a little further, and it would all end¡­ ¡°Wizard Monster, long time no see!¡± A voice shattered Richard¡¯s illusion as Ulysses rushed in front of him, blocking a Starlight Seal. At the end of the road, a figure gleaming with Holy Light stood there, surrounded by four Mother Worm Guards whose shells had turned a dark, reddish-gold. The overwhelming Life Radiation told him that all four Mother Worm Guards were Second-level Creatures. Ulysses broke free from the Starlight Seal, landing on Richard¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Can you handle them?¡± Richard asked somewhat bitterly. The Source Sea Abyss was just five hundred meters away, a distance he could normally cover in an instant, but now it seemed like a vast chasm. ¡°Gah, if it weren¡¯t for that Divine Chosen, I could handle it despite my injuries getting worse,¡± Ulysses paused, his voice laden with exhaustion and helplessness, ¡°but with that Divine Chosen there, as soon as I use Divine Soul Power, that old insect would detect us. Then we would still die.¡± ¡°Is that it then?¡± Richard gave a bitter smile, preparing to make a last stand. Even if he was going to die, he¡¯d rather die in battle, not as a sacrifice on an altar like a beast. Inhardt watched the man and bird before him, feeling incredibly pleased. After ten days of pursuit and the loss of hundreds of insect lives, he had finally cornered this Wizard Monster. But then he noticed something amiss. Why did the color of that Wizard Monster¡¯s face suddenly change, as if he had heard some great news? The next moment, the Wizard Monster pulled out a Crystal Ball, and a Space Rift suddenly appeared, out of which emerged a giant fungal tentacle. ¡°Boss, boss! The big mushroom told me that the Secret Realm upgrade is finished!¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 155 - Chapter 155: Chapter 55: Small World Chapter 155: Chapter 55: Small World ¡°Soul Contracts would build a soul bridge between two creatures, a function usually utilized by Wizards to control the life and death of contracted creatures.¡± ¡°Besides this function, the soul bridge had another minor one, that of transferring information.¡± ¡°Wizards could exchange information with their contracted creatures through the Soul Bridge, though Richard rarely used this feature.¡± ¡°The only creatures he had contracted with were two types; one was the Holy Tree Elf, whom Richard had strictly instructed not to disturb him. The other was the Flame Giant, which had by then been used up as cannon fodder.¡± ¡°When the voice of Fuzzy Ball echoed in his mind, the complexity of emotions in Richard¡¯s heart was almost indescribable.¡± ¡°With a single statement, life and death were reversed.¡± ¡°Richard took out the Crystal Ball that opened the Secret Realm Space and poured his Magic Power into it. On the other side, the World Mushroom was already eager to showcase its abilities.¡± ¡°Throngs of mycelium surged out from the Space Rift, instantly engulfing Inhardt.¡± ¡°What is this thing!¡± ¡°Stars shot from Inhardt¡¯s forehead in an attempt to stop the fungal tendrils from the World Mushroom, oblivious to the fact that this only made the World Mushroom more thrilled.¡± ¡°The starlight power of insects!¡± ¡°Four Mother Worm Guards tried to protect Inhardt, but the mycelial tentacles firmly bound them. The once invincible golden Blade Arms slashed at the mycelium without leaving a mark.¡± ¡°With the five insects bound, the World Mushroom took them into the Secret Realm. Richard and Ulysses turned to obliterate the pursuing insects.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï ¡°After that, a man and a bird entered the Source Sea Abyss and from there into the Secret Realm.¡± ¡°Upon entering the Secret Realm, Richard instantly noticed the changes.¡± ¡°First was the concentration of Magic Power. Before the World Mushroom took root, the Magic Power in the Secret Realm Fragments was only double that of the Wizard World. But after the World Mushroom rooted, its mycelium passed through the World Barrier into the Void, transforming the spatial storms into nutrients for itself, thereby nourishing the world and causing the Secret Realm¡¯s concentration of Magic Power to rise.¡± ¡°Richard inhaled deeply, ¡®Such a dense Magic Power, at least five times that of the Wizard World!''¡± ¡°The Secret Realm had changed drastically after the World Mushroom¡¯s adjustments.¡± ¡°In the center of the Secret Realm, the massive World Mushroom reached from earth to heaven, its cap even covering the entire sky of the Secret Realm.¡± ¡°Below it, the original sea of flowers had become a small patch, and it seemed the species had changed, turning into giant trumpet-like flowers. From these flowers, Holy Tree Elves emerged, neatly flying in formation towards Richard.¡± ¡°These little guys didn¡¯t seem to change much in appearance.¡± ¡°¡®Boss! Look, aren¡¯t we much stronger than before!''¡± ¡°Richard probed the group with his spiritual power and found that there was now a slight connection among the tiny fellows; they could merge their energies and become one entity.¡± ¡°If they had a commander, they might even be deemed an army.¡± ¡°Albeit an army that would probably only be capable of battling bees.¡± ¡°After the World Mushroom¡¯s transformation, the Holy Tree Elves did not grow in size; they remained the size of a baby¡¯s fist.¡± ¡°This size destined their combat ability to be much weaker than other creatures of a similar level but larger stature.¡± ¡°But Richard had no intentions of taking these little guys to the battlefield.¡± ¡°¡®World Mushroom, what¡¯s the situation with these little fellows now?''¡± ¡°¡®Master, the abilities of these little ones have remained the same as before, but I have unlocked the shackles in their Bloodline, allowing them to use their Talent Abilities freely.''¡± ¡°¡®Shackles in their Bloodline?¡¯ Richard queried, perplexed.¡± ¡°¡®Yes, Master. These little ones¡¯ Bloodlines have always been shackled, seemingly by the upper echelons of their Race to enslave these lower-level Elves. After I removed the shackles from their Bloodline, the abilities of these little fellows greatly improved.¡± ¡°¡®What you just witnessed were these little ones expressing their Bloodline Talents.''¡± ¡°Richard¡¯s heart leaped with joy at the unexpected gain and he followed up with a question:¡± ¡°¡®Has their ability to enhance plant growth been strengthened as well?''¡± ¡°¡®¡­No.''¡± ¡°Richard¡¯s joy vanished instantly. A group of little ones that weren¡¯t even Level 1 Creatures, what use was unlocking their combat abilities.¡± ¡°Even if they became Level 1 Creatures, their cost-effectiveness wouldn¡¯t match that of the slaves he bought from the slave markets or the elemental beings he lured in.¡± ¡°However, the abilities of these little ones would improve with their strength, and with the Bloodline shackles gone, their growth would no longer be restricted.¡± ¡°They could now freely become Level 1 Creatures.¡± ¡°¡®Oh?¡¯ Richard was initially surprised, then he understood, ¡®No wonder I fed them so much high-quality honey and they still didn¡¯t grow.''¡± ¡°¡®Yes, Master. The Bloodline shackles of these little fellows would prevent them from evolving upwards.''¡± ¡°Richard looked at the Holy Tree Elves beside him, seeing them as flying gold mines.¡± ¡°Level 1 Creatures capable of enhancing the growth of plants, especially Demonized Plants, were rare in the Wizard World. In the Wizards¡¯ eyes, creatures with long-term beneficial value were an inexhaustible source of wealth.¡± ¡°¡®World Mushroom, this Secret Realm should be able to cultivate these fungi, right?''¡± ¡°Richard took out the seeds of the Sacrificial Fungus and Warrior Fungus from his Magic Pocket, and the World Mushroom sprouted a strand of mycelium from the ground, swallowing these seeds.¡± ¡°Soon, the World Mushroom responded.¡± ¡°¡®Master, why plant these inferior items? I have something far better!''¡± With that said, a small white mushroom sprouted beside Richard¡¯s foot, resembling a shiitake mushroom in appearance. Richard pulled it out, tore off a half, and handed it to Ulysses before swallowing the remaining half. As soon as the mushroom entered his stomach, Richard instantly felt a strange substance taking effect in his gut, a special life force seeping through from his stomach into every part of his body. Under this life force, Richard¡¯s cells became somewhat active, and a tingling feeling spread throughout his body. ¡°World Mushroom, bring me more of these things!¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± Mushrooms began to sprout at Richard¡¯s feet, and he consumed them one by one until, after twenty mushrooms, he finally stopped. The tingly sensation had now become very pronounced. Richard took a crystal ball out of his pocket to test his current body data. [Spiritual Power: 90, Physique: 94.1, Magic Power: 9000, Rating: One Ring Wizard.] Looking at his data, Richard sucked in a breath of cold air. In just one or two minutes, he had increased his physique by 0.1 through these mushrooms. If he consumed them over the long term, wouldn¡¯t his physique soon reach the limit of a One Ring Wizard? ¡°Ga, nice little thing. Old Mushroom, do you have any new mushrooms that can heal soul wounds?¡± Ulysses shouted at the World Mushroom. ¡°¡­¡± Facing Ulysses¡¯s question, the World Mushroom didn¡¯t respond at all, holding a grudge against the raven that had forced it into a Destiny Contract. ¡°Ga, Old Mushroom I¡¯m talking to you!¡± Ulysses, seeing that the World Mushroom didn¡¯t respond, became somewhat enraged. Now that the World Mushroom had become one of their own and had grown in power, its current strength was already somewhat uncontrollable for the World Mushroom, and all it could do was fume in impotence. ¡°World Mushroom, I have the same question,¡± Richard interjected quickly, seeing a conflict brewing between the two. These two World Masters were his left and right-hand men, and a big conflict between them would not be good. ¡°Master, yes.¡± Another mushroom grew at Richard¡¯s feet, and he picked it and handed it to Ulysses, who immediately cried out after eating it. ¡°Ga! Old Mushroom, what¡¯s the meaning of this! How can this thing taste so bad!¡± The World Mushroom did not respond, just quietly watched Ulysses squawk. After all, it had done its job; eat it if you wish, or don¡¯t ¨C it made no difference. ¡°So, does it work?¡± Richard asked Ulysses. ¡°Ga, yes, but it¡¯s terribly foul!¡± Ulysses said angrily, ¡°This Old Mushroom just holds a grudge because I forced it into a Destiny Contract, so it deliberately made this thing taste so bad.¡± Richard found this quite plausible but didn¡¯t ask the World Mushroom to make any changes. As long as it was effective, that was what mattered; the difficulty of its taste was something a World Master like Ulysses could overcome. ¡°World Mushroom, can you mass-produce this type of mushroom?¡± Both kinds of mushrooms possessed high value. If they could sell them on the market or develop them into Magic Potions, it would be a highly lucrative business. ¡°Master, these two types of mushrooms come from my own body. If I were to produce them on a large scale, it would slow down the growth rate of the Secret Realm.¡± ¡°The growth rate of the Secret Realm?¡± Richard was puzzled. ¡°Master, my mycelium is continuously absorbing the space storms and void dust in the Void. Doing this allows for constant expansion of the Secret Realm¡¯s space. This fragment of the Secret Realm has very intact rules. With my supplementation, it¡¯s near complete. If we can expand the space to a certain extent and make the Four Elements rules manifest, then this fragment might become a genuine world.¡± A real world! Richard was somewhat shocked by the World Mushroom¡¯s words. Although the idea had been part of the grand vision the World Mushroom had painted for him at the beginning, he hadn¡¯t taken it seriously. The transformation of a Secret Realm into a world seemed a bit too exaggerated. Richard then made a decision: ¡°Then don¡¯t start mass-producing for now, just enough for me and Ulysses to eat, and plant that type of fungus for yourself.¡± Having said that, Richard plucked a white mushroom from the ground and asked the World Mushroom: ¡°Name this thing.¡± ¡°Master, you should name it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m letting you name it.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you for your generosity. Let¡¯s call this mushroom Aldo.¡± ¡°Aldo? Isn¡¯t that the term for ¡®Insect Nest¡¯ in Black Crystal Insect language?¡± ¡°This mushroom is grown to be eaten; the name suits it well.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The World Mushroom really loathed the Black Crystal Insects, even bringing that hatred into naming a mushroom. After witnessing the transformation of the Secret Realm, Richard approached the World Mushroom. The Divine Chosen Insect and the four Second Level Mother Worm Guards were now trapped on the World Mushroom¡¯s stalk. According to Ulysses, as long as the Divine Chosen didn¡¯t die or actively used a big move skill, the Mother Worm God wouldn¡¯t turn its attention here. A fragment of a Secret Realm was equivalent to another world, and even if it wanted to look, it couldn¡¯t see into the Secret Realm across the World Barrier. Richard looked at them and cackled: ¡°Such fresh material, where should I start?¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 156 - Chapter 156: Chapter 56: Life in the Secret Realm Chapter 156: Chapter 56: Life in the Secret Realm Under the control of the World Mushroom, this group of insects had completely lost their ability to resist and could only silently watch Richard. As a Divine Chosen, Inhardt had learned the language of the Wizards, and at the moment, he could understand what Richard was talking about. ¡°Specimen, Wizard, do you think this will scare me?¡± Inhardt said fearlessly. The Mother Worm God¡¯s Divine Chosen were not selected randomly; each Divine Chosen held unwavering faith in Her. If Richard thought he could threaten Inhardt the same way one would threaten an ordinary Warrior Worm, he would be sorely disappointed. Unfortunately for Inhardt, Richard wasn¡¯t trying to intimidate him. ¡°Scare you? Why would I scare you?¡± Richard¡¯s lips curled into a sinister smile as he took out a Rune Scalpel from his pocket. ¡°I am not here to scare you.¡± Richard drew his scalpel across Inhardt¡¯s body, its sharpness sending shivers down Inhardt¡¯s spine. What an incredibly sharp weapon. ¡°Ulysses, you said as long as I don¡¯t kill this insect, the Mother Worm God won¡¯t turn her gaze this way, right?¡± Richard asked, turning his head. ¡°Caw, theoretically, yes, but even if you kill him, she won¡¯t be able to see you through the Secret Realm. At most, she might glance twice at the place where he disappeared,¡± Ulysses said indifferently. Richard stroked his chin, ¡°Still, there¡¯s some risk, so let¡¯s not kill him for now. World Mushroom, can you keep this insect alive during my dissection?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï ¡°No problem, Master. If you¡¯d like to hear its screams, I can make it more sensitive to pain.¡± Richard twitched his lips at this suggestion and declined. ¡°Later, help me anesthetize this insect. I do not want it to move while I¡¯m examining its structure.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± The World Mushroom formed a dissection table out of mycelium, and Inhardt was firmly tied down in the center. Anesthetics from the World Mushroom induced a strange state of alertness in Inhardt; he could see what Richard was doing but couldn¡¯t move at all. The World Mushroom never missed a chance to inflict malice on a Black Crystal Insect. Richard took his surgical instruments out of his pocket. Although dissection tools typically bring to mind scalpels, in reality, there are many tools involved, with scalpels being only one of them. Peeling back the exoskeleton, slicing through the epidermis¡ªunder Richard¡¯s skillful hands, Inhardt¡¯s structure was quickly revealed. During the process, Inhardt hardly bled at all. Inhardt was fully conscious throughout the ordeal, feeling the chilly edge of the scalpel slide across his flesh, exposing his tender body hidden beneath the shell. This awkward process was exceedingly tormenting for him. It was as if he was a toy, with Richard freely manipulating his body, yet unable to stop it. As Inhardt endured his agony, Richard didn¡¯t think much about it. He was immersed in a sea of knowledge, so engulfed that he didn¡¯t even realize Inhardt was still conscious. Before becoming a Divine Chosen, Inhardt was first and foremost a Second Level Priest Insect. The body structure and energy circulation of a Priest Insect, as well as other insects that reach the Second-level Creature status, undergo numerous changes. These changes were exceptionally intricate yet, in some aspects, quite unfathomable. This made Richard marvel at the miracle of life, and at the same time, lament that evolution indeed preserved all traits that did not hinder survival. The entire dissection took a very long time, but with the World Mushroom continuously providing Life Energy and Richard¡¯s exquisite skills, Inhardt remained strong after the dissection, looking like his life potential had even been stimulated. ¡°Caw, Divine Chosen indeed have good luck,¡± Ulysses commented from Richard¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Hmm? What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Caw, among the billions of the Black Crystal Worm Clan, there are also a million Priest Insects. For it to stand out among a million and be chosen by the old insect as Divine Chosen, isn¡¯t that good luck?¡± Ulysses explained, ¡°Moreover, in our place, Divine Chosen have another name, called the protagonist, a creature blessed with great destiny.¡± ¡°Protagonist?¡± Richard raised an eyebrow, ¡°You believe in such an idealistic concept?¡± In most novels, the protagonist is the luckiest one, as if all the good things in the world manage to find them, and they can turn every danger into safety. But in the eyes of a Wizard, luck does not exist, only probabilities. To a Wizard, a protagonist is just a special set of probabilities within the infinite possibilities. ¡°Caw, if the Divine King believes it, how could I not? Besides, this insect survived in your hands and is even doing well, isn¡¯t that a manifestation of its good luck?¡± Richard smirked coldly, ¡°That¡¯s because the Mother Worm God is still alive. If she were dead, this insect would already be a specimen soaking in preservative liquid.¡± ¡°Caw, but it¡¯s still alive, and there¡¯s still some time before the moment you reference. Many variables could occur, and perhaps by then you won¡¯t want to make it a specimen but instead take it as a subordinate or something else.¡± Richard scoffed at Ulysses¡¯s words, dismissing them. The more they were discussed, the more absurd they became¡ªhow could he possibly take such an excellent specimen as a subordinate. The dissection was complete, and aside from a few stitches, Inhardt didn¡¯t suffer any physical damage. But the entire process inflicted tremendous mental anguish on him. Once he could move again, a viscous tear trickled from the corner of Inhardt¡¯s eye, and he chanted the name of the Mother Worm God intermittently, in pain and panic. This was the only pillar supporting him through the spiritual torture. ¡°Caw, by the way, Richard, you haven¡¯t asked why these insects were able to find us,¡± Ulysses suddenly spoke up, ¡°We¡¯ve been bothered by insects along the way and even had this guy blocking our path¡ªthere must be a reason.¡± Richard nodded at Ulysses¡¯s words and then turned his gaze towards Inhardt. Indeed, Ulysses made sense; bewildered by the changes in the Secret Realm, he had forgotten this matter. But now he found himself in a predicament. This creature clearly had a will of steel, and ordinary physical torture was unlikely to be effective. However, he was not a Soul Wizard and had no good measures on the soul level. As he agonized over how to interrogate, Inhardt spoke. ¡°You¡¯ve taken the High Priest¡¯s Divine Statue, the Power of Faith upon it guided us to you.¡± ¡°Hmm!?¡± Richard was somewhat surprised; he had not expected the creature to cooperate so easily. He took out the Divine Statue and scolded Ulysses: ¡°Ulysses, how can you understand the Power of Faith less than the natives?¡± ¡°Ga, how could I forget that the Power of Faith could track?¡± Ulysses looked at the Divine Statue with some confusion. As a member of the Gods Civilization, he was very familiar with the usage of the Power of Faith and could not ignore such elementary knowledge. He flew around the Divine Statue twice, and eventually landed atop its head. As he recalled, a soul-wrenching pain stopped his thoughts instantly, and unfamiliar memories flashed before his eyes. ¡°Ga! Some of my memories have been shielded by my injuries!¡± Ulysses exclaimed in pain. When he first arrived in the Wizard World, Ulysses thought himself fortunate that he hadn¡¯t suffered any memory defects despite the serious soul injury. Now it seemed he didn¡¯t lack memory defects, but was simply unaware of them. After the pain subsided, Ulysses kicked the Divine Statue beneath his feet in irritation. ¡°Ga, damned thing, had I known it was you, there wouldn¡¯t have been so much trouble.¡± ¡°Are you alright?¡± Richard asked with some concern. ¡°Ga, it¡¯s fine. Soul injuries are bound to cause some loss of memory; it¡¯s not a big issue. The memories will come back once the wound heals,¡± Ulysses said indifferently. Richard nodded at these words and then assigned him a task. ¡°If you¡¯re fine, then this Divine Statue is yours to handle. Cut it into small pieces for me.¡± ¡°¡­Ga, I¡¯ve suddenly encountered a problem. This is a Pure Gold Divine Statue. Do you want me to scratch it open with my claws?¡± Facing Ulysses¡¯s complaints, Richard remained unmoved and turned to face Inhardt. ¡°It looks like you have something to say to me.¡± Inhardt, looking at this demon, spoke with a trembling yet firm voice: ¡°Kill me, you demon!¡± Richard, puzzled, suddenly looked behind Inhardt at the World Mushroom. ¡°What did you do to him, World Mushroom?¡± ¡°Nothing much, Master. I paralyzed his pain senses according to your wish; I just didn¡¯t make him unconscious.¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t pull that kind of thing again in the future.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± Despite Inhardt¡¯s request, Richard ultimately did not comply, and the World Mushroom¡¯s anesthetic fluid put him into a deep sleep, a true sleep. Inhardt would not die until the war in the Insect Nest World was over. After dealing with Inhardt¡¯s matter, Richard rested for a while, meditated for quite some time, and then feasted on Aldo Mushroom. The effect of consuming Aldo Mushroom for the second time had a slightly diminished sting to the body. This was a normal occurrence. The human body adapts to such stimulation until it has no effect on the cells. Richard had no intention of leaving the Secret Realm for the time being. Currently, the environment in the Insect Nest was harsh, and the insects¡¯ persecution of wizards was severe. Going out now would be like a mouse being chased everywhere, which was not as comfortable as staying in the Secret Realm. Moreover, even if the headquarters inquired about it later, he had an explanation. The losses of wizards within the Insect Nest were severe; managing to evade the insects¡¯ pursuit and lying low was already a good situation¡ªreckless action would be tantamount to offering oneself up for slaughter. ¡­ Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, Richard had been in the Secret Realm for nearly a year. Over the year, Richard¡¯s Physique steadily improved to 99.9, with the trade-off being that Aldo Mushroom no longer had any effect on him. Besides that, during this year, he dissected each of the Mother Worm Guards, gaining a deeper understanding of this branch of the Insect Race. Furthermore, the Secret Realm had expanded by nearly fifty square meters in this year, the height also increased by almost ten meters, and it continued to expand at a steady rate of five square meters each month. The Pure Gold Divine Statue was also fully dissected by Ulysses within the year, and Richard had completely extracted the Power of Faith from it; the Pure Gold part was integrated into his Magic Wand¡ªIt wasn¡¯t that Richard didn¡¯t wish to make Armor, but the materials required to do so were extensive, and he couldn¡¯t gather them all at present. After all preparations were made, Richard opened the Secret Realm and returned to the Insect Nest. COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 157 - Chapter 157: Chapter 57: Return to the Ground Chapter 157: Chapter 57: Return to the Ground In the Source Sea Abyss, Richard braced his magic barrier, carefully searching for the entrance to the insect nest. A year had passed, and it was time for the insects to calm down. Entering through a tunnel, Richard returned to the moist and warm insect nest. But this time, he did not seek a hiding place to continue harassing the Black Crystal Insects from the rear. On the contrary, he planned to leave the insect nest and return to the wizard-controlled area. The rescue operation organized by the Puppet Wizard Organization had caused heavy losses to the Black Wizards within the Black Mushroom Worm Country. Coupled with the previous hunting activities by the Black Crystal Insects and the losses over the years, the remaining Black Wizards in the Black Mushroom Worm Country now numbered less than a third of what they were before the operation began. Of course, Richard was not aware of the exact figures; he only vaguely sensed that there were not many Black Wizards left within the Black Mushroom Worm Country, and continuing the harassment operations would be much more dangerous. So, he decided to withdraw from this insect country, which was allowed under the Black Wizard regulations. Every Black Wizard behind enemy lines should prioritize preserving their own lives. In the face of irresistible forces, Black Wizards can return to the Wizard Headquarters ahead of schedule. The current situation clearly qualified as an irresistible force. As a One Ring Wizard, Richard was actually very dangerous within the insect nest. Walking through the insect nest, Richard could clearly sense that something was off about the atmosphere. The insect patrol teams had significantly decreased. This was not compared to the patrols during the Mother Goddess Temple operation but to when Richard had infiltrated the insect nest. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?? Where had these reduced patrols gone? Richard¡¯s heart tightened as he thought of something Lawrence once said. ¡°It seems the insects¡¯ counterattack will arrive soon.¡± Following the tunnel, Richard soon arrived at a small settlement. According to the Imaging Crystal Ball display, this settlement was almost a necessary pass on his way up. At least within the range of the crystal ball¡¯s detection, he could not find a second route. ¡°Ulysses, prepare to move,¡± Richard communicated with Ulysses via a spiritual message. ¡°Got it,¡± responded Ulysses. Ulysses shrank in size and turned into a sparrow the size of a palm before flying into the settlement. Richard, on the other hand, used shadow shuttling and shadow infiltration to stealthily sneak in. There weren¡¯t many insects in the settlement, with only five Warrior Worms present. But what caught Richard¡¯s attention was one of them wearing silver metallic armor. Based on Richard¡¯s experience, this kind of insect should be a Second-level Creature, and even among Second-level Creatures, it wasn¡¯t weak. But this one was different. On it, Richard didn¡¯t feel the nearly overwhelming life energy characteristic of Second-level Creatures; all he felt was decay, withering, and the heaviness of death. ¡°It seems to be an old insect,¡± Richard thought to himself. The younger insects were probably already preparing for the battlefield. Suddenly, the silver-armored old insect seemed to sense something; its body disappeared instantly. Richard¡¯s hairs stood on end, and he thrust his magic wand forward with force. Clang! The figure of the silver-armored old insect appeared in front of Richard, with its blade arms fiercely striking the magic wand. Had Richard been a moment later, he would have been beheaded. ¡°Ulysses!¡± Richard shouted, and the magic wand in his hand instantly ignited with black flames. Since they had been discovered, it was time for a head-on confrontation! The old insect stepped back to retract its blades, its wings flapped, and it disappeared again from Richard¡¯s sight. But this time, Richard caught its trace; he moved his magic wand a step ahead to block the insect¡¯s blade arms. Clang. ¡°You¡¯re too old, insect,¡± Richard said coldly. ¡°You¡¯re so old you can barely fly.¡± Age had given this insect a sharp perception that the young ones lacked but also weakened its body. If it had been a young silver-armored insect, Richard would never have been able to track it. The silver-armored old insect shrieked and attempted to strike again but felt the ground beneath it soften suddenly; the solid ground underneath turned into mud. Seizing the opportunity, Richard blocked the old insect¡¯s evasive path with three black fireballs. At the same time, he lunged forward, his magic wand swinging through the air with a whistling sound. Boom! The fireballs exploded. Black flames engulfed both the insect and Richard¡¯s figure, but when the flames died down, the old insect¡¯s blade arms were smashed, and its head was crushed into pulp by the magic wand. After fusing a significant amount of pure gold, Richard¡¯s magic wand had become a divine weapon; the blade arms of a mere Warrior Worm were as soft as mud in front of his magic wand. ¡°How does it feel, any sense of breakthrough?¡± Ulysses landed on Richard¡¯s shoulder and asked. Richard shook his head: ¡°No, this insect wasn¡¯t enough.¡± A characteristic of physique evolution was how difficult it was to break through a bottleneck. Richard¡¯s physique, having reached 99.9, made conventional methods of enhancement ineffective. If Richard wanted to advance further, he had to undergo life-and-death struggle or use something extremely rare and valuable, such as a large amount of life essence. ¡°No worries, life advancement isn¡¯t easy. I don¡¯t know how many fierce battles I went through to reach the power of a demigod. Even if you don¡¯t breakthrough in physique, you can still go for spiritual evolution,¡± Ulysses reassured. Richard exhaled and quickly left the settlement. ¡­ After a small incident, Richard faced no more obstacles on his path and soon he arrived at a part of the ground insect nest. Compared to the lax underground insect nest, the ground insect nest was akin to an armed fortress bristling with weapons to the teeth. The small Mother Goddess Cannons that Richard had seen before were now widely deployed amongst the swarming insects, with piles of artillery shells coated in green mucus everywhere. Besides, Richard also discovered some strange insects that had not appeared in the previous war, presumably new creations by the insects. Considering they could come up with things like Spider Knights, they must have an impressive level of expertise in bioengineering. The tight security of the ground insect nest made Richard somewhat unsure of where to start, but in the end, he chose a method that seemed foolish yet surprisingly effective¡ªhe simply rushed out. He found an underground tunnel near the edge of the nest and had Ulysses lead the way, charging from the underground nest to the surface. Now, good and bad news lay before him. The good news, he really did rush out of the nest, and the insects did not pursue him. The bad news, the place where Richard emerged was within the firing range of the small Mother Goddess Cannons; as soon as he left the range of the nest, he was greeted by several arc acid liquid balls. ¡°What a thrilling welcoming ceremony!¡± Richard remarked as he watched the incoming acid liquid balls, keeping up his magic barrier and flying wildly. Acid exploded behind him, spattering on the magic barrier and emitting a sizzling noise. The war fortress wasn¡¯t far from the insect nest, and after about ten minutes of frantic flight, Richard found one. About five kilometers from the war fortress, Richard suddenly stopped. Although the land in front of him seemed ordinary, as an Alchemy Wizard, he could easily sense the magic array traps hidden within. At this moment, the wizards within the fortress also caught sight of him. ¡°Is that a Black Wizard coming out of the insect nest?¡± a White Wizard with glasses on, with runes flashing on the lenses, remarked. With the help of his magic equipment glasses, Richard appeared as if he was right in front of him, his eyelashes even countable. ¡°A wizard is running out from that place?¡± another White Wizard asked, leaning forward, ¡°It seems something has happened inside the nest.¡± The glasses-wearing wizard glanced at his companion: ¡°You know it¡¯s a wizard, and you still crowd around, go and receive him! The area ahead of him is our trap zone; if he dies, you can look forward to a court martial.¡± The wizard who wanted to join in waved, then stood up to prepare to greet Richard. But before he moved, he heard the glasses-wearing wizard exclaim: ¡°Damn, he¡¯s just marched right in!¡± ¡­ Richard switched his view to energy vision, and instantly the ground before him took on a different appearance. Vast energy filaments appeared before Richard¡¯s eyes, intersecting with each other, linking together, with even brighter energy nodes at the intersections; according to Richard¡¯s experience, those nodes should be the places where the runes were located. The area covered by these energy filaments was extensive, all the way up to the front of the war fortress. ¡°Not bad, the trap zone,¡± Richard muttered, but immediately, he revealed a confident smile. ¡°But it¡¯s of no use against me.¡± Richard skillfully wove through the energy filaments, deftly avoiding all the magic array traps, and his speed was impressively fast. ¡°What¡¯s going on? How did that kid just barge into the trap zone!¡± the wizard asked his companion. ¡°He¡­ He really did march in, but¡­¡± the glasses-wearing wizard said with a dry voice, ¡°He avoided all the traps we set, went around every single one.¡± ¡°He avoided them all!¡± The other wizard¡¯s voice rose sharply; he and the glasses-wearing wizard had painstakingly set up those magic array traps, and there was no question about their concealment. ¡°Send word to the command,¡± the glasses-wearing wizard took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. ¡°Such a master escaping from underground, it seems there really is a serious problem below.¡± Ten minutes later, Richard met the earnestly waiting White Wizards in the hall of the war fortress. The commander, radiating strong energy fluctuations, quickly walked up to Richard and anxiously asked. ¡°Master, what¡¯s the problem down there?¡± The commander was a One Ring Wizard at his limit, having experienced two plane wars, and was somewhat experienced. Yet compared to the master before him who easily bypassed the trap zone, he felt it was best to keep a respectful attitude. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, don¡¯t mention it,¡± Richard greeted the White Wizard commander with the Wizard¡¯s Salute. ¡°I can hardly consider myself a master.¡± The White Wizard commander shook his head: ¡°A master need not be modest; to bypass our trap zone with such ease, you are either a master from the Shape-shifting School or a master from the Alchemy School.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Richard was somewhat speechless, but he didn¡¯t linger on the topic, instead turning to the matter at hand. ¡°Are you not aware, gentlemen, that a year ago this Number Twelve Insect Nest fell into disorder, and thousands of wizards were slaughtered by the insects?¡± Upon hearing this, the entire hall instantly fell silent. The White Wizard commander¡¯s expression turned severe. He pulled out an Image Capturing Crystal Ball from his magic pocket. ¡°Master, please give us more details.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 158 - Chapter 158: Chapter 58: Mountain Rain is Imminent Chapter 158: Chapter 58: Mountain Rain is Imminent In Richard¡¯s narrative, the Mother Goddess Temple rescue mission was a failure, tainted by the Puppet Wizard¡¯s hidden agenda. Although Richard speculated that the Puppet Wizard was probably also deceived, he couldn¡¯t fake using the rescue as a cover for his own true purpose. In his account, Richard tried not to mix in personal emotions or unfounded speculations, simply recounting what he had seen. Having finished speaking, the White Wizard in command placed the Crystal Ball into a bag and handed it to another White Wizard by his side, saying in a very serious tone, ¡°Send this message to command quickly; it must be fast!¡± After that, he commanded another White Wizard beside him, ¡°Transmit the message just now to command using the emergency communication channel!¡± The double transmission of physical and digital information was the second-highest level of information dissemination in war, with the physical transmission serving to prevent misjudgment by the commanders and as material to be kept for records. Watching the seriousness of the White Wizard in command, Richard was somewhat puzzled. A year had passed; surely not all wizards had failed to escape from the Underground Insect Nest. With hundreds of wizards breaking out, it wasn¡¯t possible for none to have emerged, continuing their missions in the nest. At this thought, Richard felt a bit ashamed. After handing out the tasks, the White Wizard in command reached out his right hand to Richard. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï ¡°My name is Ivan, commander of the 372nd War Fortress in the Third War Zone.¡± Richard shook hands with him, ¡°I am Richard, an infiltrating Black Wizard from the number twelve Insect Nest.¡± ¡­ It was from Ivan¡¯s mouth that Richard learned that the past year on the border had been calm, with not a single Black Wizard emerging from the Underground Insect Nest. Additionally, Ivan described what Richard had experienced as a major incident, indicating that the Black Wizard could indeed leave the nest. The situation wasn¡¯t so minor that the older wizards could just ignore it. ¡°In fact, I have a suspicion,¡± Ivan said in a low voice, ¡°those wizards might have been forced into hibernation.¡± ¡°Hibernation?¡± Richard asked. ¡°You don¡¯t know about hibernation?¡± Ivan was also puzzled, looking at Richard¡¯s vibrant Life Energy, clearly a strong Physical Evolution with at least ninety something points. This force should have been through at least two Plane Wars. Richard smiled awkwardly, ¡°This is my first time participating in a Plane War, I don¡¯t know many things, I hope the Master can forgive me.¡± Ivan gasped. First time in a Plane War? A student soldier with this power and capability? Are you a direct disciple of a Great Wizard, or a scion of a Wizard Family? Ivan shook his head, dismissing his absurd thoughts, and explained the meaning of hibernation to Richard. ¡°Hibernation means that under an irresistible force, a wizard temporarily falls into a state of inactivity, during which the wizard will abandon all Magic Equipment he can connect with and enter a state of lost contact, even command headquarters cannot locate them. After a period of hibernation, the wizard must give a reasonable explanation to command, along with evidence. Otherwise, command will accuse them of passive battle conduct, seize all their gains from this Plane War, and impose a fine.¡± Richard nodded thoughtfully, ¡°If those wizards have all gone into hibernation, does that mean¡­¡± He looked at Ivan and hesitated to continue. Ivan nodded, ¡°It¡¯s possible that some wizards have defected, likely that Puppet Wizard. Of course, it¡¯s possible that things are not so dire, and that the wizard was simply devoured in soul.¡± At these words, the corners of Richard¡¯s mouth twitched. Indeed, for command that might be the case, but for the Puppet Wizard himself, it certainly wasn¡¯t. ¡°But regardless of what happened, this matter doesn¡¯t concern us much,¡± Ivan patted Richard¡¯s shoulder, ¡°we will conduct an inspection on you shortly, and once we ascertain that there are no parasites on you, you can head back. Take some rest after coming out of that damned place.¡± After the inspection, Richard immediately left War Fortress 372 and returned to the rear lines. And the very second he arrived back at the Floating City Fortress, command found him. ¡°Wizard Richard, command requests your presence.¡± Three logistical wizards stood in front of Richard, and upon his response, they led him surrounded into the most mysterious place in the Floating City ¨C the Command Tower. ¡­ The Command Tower, the nerve center of the Floating Fortress and the headquarters of the Plane War, was well guarded. Before entering the tower, Richard underwent another full-body check to ensure there were no parasites on him and that his soul was still that of a wizard. The inside of the Command Tower was bustling, with floors two to five offering no private rooms, just open halls. These levels served as subordinate command centers. The Wizard¡¯s current battle lines were vast, with any given front having thousands of type-one War Fortresses and hundreds of type-two War Fortresses. These fortresses would relay every move of the frontline bugs to the subordinate command, which after filtering would pass the information to intermediate command. Passing through subordinate commands, Richard reached the intermediate level of command, which was responsible for secondary sorting of the information from below and passing it to the senior command ¨C the command Richard had initially encountered. There was only one level for the intermediate command, and after crossing it, Richard arrived in front of a huge black door. The logistic wizards leading him halted. ¡°Wizard Richard, the command is inside.¡± Looking at the imposing black door, Richard couldn¡¯t help but feel a chill. Beyond it laid the power center of this Plane War, where every order could lead to the death of thousands of wizards, yet also cause the bugs to pay a price tenfold, a hundredfold. Pushing open the door, the scene inside was quite ordinary. Dozens of Three Rings Wizards sat behind tables, continuously receiving messages through Crystal Balls, then compiling the messages, discussing them, and finally turning them into commands to be distributed. ¡°Oh, a familiar face.¡± Among these wizards, one clad in a black robe and sipping red tea seemed somewhat out of place. He saw Richard come in and immediately beckoned him over. ¡°I remember you, you¡¯re Richard, right, Jolod¡¯s Apprentice.¡± Richard gave the black-robed Wizard a deep bow, ¡°Hello, Headmaster.¡± ¡°Indeed! Smart one,¡± the Black Tower Great Wizard said with a smile to the surrounding Three Rings Wizards, ¡°Calling someone ¡®Headmaster¡¯ here is much more effective than ¡®Commander¡¯.¡± Upon hearing this, Richard couldn¡¯t help but break out in a sweat. During a Plane War, calling someone ¡®Headmaster¡¯ carried an implication of trying to cozy up. But he hadn¡¯t thought that much into it at the moment, and seeing the Black Tower Great Wizard had reflexively called him ¡®Headmaster.¡¯ ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, young man,¡± the Black Tower Great Wizard took a sip of his red tea, ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with calling me Headmaster. We¡¯ve received your intel report, but we still need to confirm some things.¡± The Black Tower Great Wizard waved his hand and a somewhat familiar figure stood up and approached Richard. ¡°Susanna, make sure to get the details clear. The death of thousands of Black Wizards is not a trivial matter; I must give an explanation to the Council.¡± With that, the environment around Richard suddenly changed, turning into a closed room resembling an interrogation chamber. Susanna sat on one side of the room, with a table in front of her, and across from her, there was a metal chair. She pointed to the chair, signaling Richard to sit down. The metal chair was hard and cold; the moment he sat down, an extremely icy sensation shot from the base of his tail to his forehead. His emotions also calmed down under this stimulus. ¡°The chair has a Spell inscribed in it, must be a mechanized mind from the Soul School,¡± Richard thought to himself. Once Richard sat down, Susanna began her inquiry. Richard was not unfamiliar with Ali¡¯s mentor, having interacted with Susanna during his Apprentice days. Susanna had a bad temper but was caring toward her students. As Ali¡¯s lover, Richard had not had any trouble with her. ¡°Name.¡± ¡°Richard.¡± ¡°Strength.¡± ¡°One Ring.¡± ¡°Mission.¡± ¡°Infiltrate number twelve Insect Nest.¡± ¡°Repeat the description of your experience in the War Fortress.¡± ¡­ After the questioning, Richard looked at Susanna nervously, unsure of the outcome. Although his account was accurate, he had blurred many details concerning Ulysses. If pressed further, he would have a hard time responding. Susanna glanced at him. ¡°There¡¯s no issue, this is just a routine check for significant intelligence. Also, there¡¯s no need to worry about Ali. I¡¯ve created a Life Box for her, and since it has not been activated, she should be fine.¡± Hearing this, Richard breathed a sigh of relief, instantly feeling less worried. Ali¡¯s situation had always been a burden on his mind, and knowing now that she was alright certainly made him feel much lighter. Susanna clapped her hands, and the two returned to the Command Room. The Black Tower Great Wizard took Susanna¡¯s report, glanced at it, and then waved Richard off. ¡°There¡¯s nothing more, you¡¯ll receive your reward for the intel soon. Get ready in the meantime; the counter-attack from the bugs is coming.¡± Upon hearing this, Richard bowed to the Black Tower Great Wizard and then left the room. After the door closed, the Black Tower Great Wizard suddenly stopped his student. ¡°Little Susanna, this kid is a One Ring Wizard, right? And he has some connection with that student.¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± The Black Tower Great Wizard sipped his red tea, looking at Susanna¡¯s record with a slight smile. ¡°It¡¯s not easy for a One Ring Wizard to achieve this much; pick a relatively safe mission for him next time. After all, he is a student from our Academy, and who knows, he might end up in this Command Room one day.¡± ¡­ Leaving the Command Tower, Richard quickly arrived at the Synthetic Beast Factory where Jolod was. ¡°You want active Flesh?¡± Jolod looked at his student, rubbing his temple with a headache. ¡°Yes.¡± Richard stood opposite Jolod, looking at him somewhat nervously. Ulysses¡¯s body needed a large amount of active Flesh, and the Flesh Tentacles produced by Richard were far from enough. After a moment of contemplation, Jolod finally spoke up: ¡°How much? The insects are about to counter-attack; active Flesh isn¡¯t so readily available like before.¡± Richard nodded repeatedly, ¡°Not much, just about one hundred kilograms.¡± Jolod exhaled and took out a Magic Pocket from his waist and handed it to Richard. ¡°Ah, take more.¡± Richard noticed that Jolod seemed a bit off and asked carefully: ¡°Teacher, are you dealing with something bothering you?¡± ¡°¡­Nothing, your Master Brother, Eric, died a month ago.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 159 - Chapter 159: Chapter 59: The Rain Comes Chapter 159: Chapter 59: The Rain Comes Eric, as Richard heard this familiar name, he instantly remembered the oppressive Wizard in the reception room on the day he learned of the war news. Was a Wizard, who was just one ceremony away from becoming a Three Rings Wizard, really dead? A Black Wizard with a promising future had died so effortlessly behind enemy lines, leaving Richard with an inexplicable layer of emotions. For a moment, he did not know how to console his mentor. Jolod sighed, managing a faint smile. ¡°Death and injury are inevitable in war, Eric wasn¡¯t forced into battle. He was prepared for death before he stepped onto the battlefield.¡± ¡°Teacher, didn¡¯t Brother Eric have a Life Box?¡± Richard couldn¡¯t help asking. ¡°He did, but his soul could no longer support using the Life Box.¡± The Life Box, a resurrection device deemed as a bug-level item, naturally came with a price. Each use inevitably damaged the user¡¯s soul, an injury hard to repair unless one became a Great Wizard or used a large amount of Soul Essence. Among the Wizard community, there was a rumor that any Wizard who used a Life Box was doomed never to become a Great Wizard. This rumor wasn¡¯t baseless; among the Wizards who had signed pacts with the Tower of Truth, not one who used a Life Box had become a Great Wizard. Jolod came over to Richard and gently patted his shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t think too much, just do your job well with the active flesh. Everything on the battlefield is illusory; only one¡¯s own strength is real.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï ¡­ After obtaining active flesh from Jolod, Richard immediately headed to the Wizard Commerce to exchange his spoils from over the years for Magic Stones and purchased some alchemy materials. ¡°Thanks for your patronage, the total comes to two hundred seventy-eight thousand five hundred Magic Stones.¡± Hearing the Wizard Commerce¡¯s price, Richard winced, handing over the Magic Essence. This price was too high, at least fifty percent more than what it would cost in the Wizard World. However, the Teleportation Gate to the Wizard World seemed not yet complete, and the resources from the Wizard World were dwindling. The Wizard Commerce naturally set high prices. Richard guessed that when headquarters would issue the retreat order for Black Wizards, the prices would likely spike even more. Back in his dwelling, Richard immediately began crafting Ulysses¡¯s body. A Second Level Synthetic Beast was not like a First Level one where adding some high-quality active flesh sufficed. Creating a Second Level Synthetic Beast required constructing an energy cycle for the active flesh and undergoing autophagy, a lengthy process with a high failure rate. Energy cycle construction had to be handled with utmost care, as a tiny error could cause an explosion. Compared to energy construction, enhancing physique through flesh autophagy was relatively easier. As long as the formula was correct, continuously adding active flesh would lead to success. Still, neither process posed any problem for Richard; once he constructed the body, Ulysses could handle the energy cycle himself. In the laboratory, Richard stood in front of the experiment table and carefully took out a bone block from his pocket, shaping it with the Alchemy Array into thin and sturdy avian bones. Next came the flesh autophagy. Richard had inherited a flesh autophagy formula from Jolod, which, through various alchemy materials and stimulation by Magic Power, caused the active flesh to self-digest. The autophagy-induced flesh would become more robust, an essential technique for crafting advanced Synthetic Beasts. It was said that Jolod had become the head of the War Beast Department as a Second Ring Wizard, relying on a formula capable of creating Third Level Synthetic Beasts. Flesh autophagy took a long time; during this period, Richard took out the Crystal Fragments he had obtained from Pioneer Relics. While in the Secret Realm, he had classified these fragments by size and shape to ensure no chip-like objects were overlooked. So currently, these Crystal Fragments were useful to Richard only because of their unique material. The material of Crystal Fragments was unique; their internal structure, highly intricate, sometimes caused rapidly diminishing Magic Power upon entry, yet occasionally, Magic Power would refract within them for a prolonged period. This mystery greatly intrigued Richard. Even in the simplest Magic Array, there was a loss of Magic Power, but the unique structure of these Crystals reduced the loss of Magic Power to a very low level. If he could uncover the mystery, Richard would make significant progress both in Shaping Magic and Alchemy. Many seemingly unfeasible ideas would become viable. Watching the Crystals refract thousands of rays of light under the Magic Light, Richard was somewhat entranced. ¡°O Crystals, let me see what secrets you truly hold.¡± ¡­ Research time always passed quickly, and before he knew it, half a year had gone by. During the last three months of this half-year, the Black Wizards who had infiltrated behind enemy lines gradually began to withdraw from the Insect Nest as the looming counterattack from the insect swarm forced headquarters to consolidate every bit of strength. The logistical Wizards had regularized their exploitation of the Insect Nest World over the years, transforming various minerals and Demonized Plants into Alchemy Weapons and Magic Potions, which were sent to the front lines. For this, headquarters provided an extraction task to all Alchemy Wizards, who could obtain ore from the logistical Wizards and refine it themselves, delivering the required quota upon task completion. During this process, if your craftsmanship was exquisite, any extra yield would belong to the Wizard himself. Many Alchemy Wizards, such as Richard, made a tidy sum during this opportunity. In the Secret Realm, Richard retrieved a raven body from an incubator; this body had a basic ** Physique of one hundred points, reaching the lowest threshold of a Second-level Creature. For Ulysses, this body was barely acceptable. Releasing Ulysses from his pocket, he immediately flew around the Secret Realm twice before landing in front of the raven body. ¡°Gaah, is this my new body?¡± Richard nodded. ¡°We¡¯re short on time, the insects are about to retaliate, so make do with this for now.¡± Ulysses glanced at his body, then a stream of light burst out of the black crow and entered a new black crow body. The next moment, the flow of magic power throughout the Secret Realm changed. It was as if a magic black hole had appeared in the realm, incessantly devouring magic power. Taking advantage of this, Richard used his energy vision to closely observe Ulysses¡¯s energy circulation. A good Wizard never misses any opportunity to acquire knowledge. A few minutes later, a black crow ablaze with black flames, about the size of a golden eagle, landed on Richard¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Gaah, a Second-level body is indeed more efficient. The previous one was stifling, I was always worried it would break if I exerted too much.¡± ¡°As long as it works,¡± Richard said indifferently. The battle was about to begin, and he would definitely need Ulysses¡¯s aid during this period. After switching bodies, Richard moved to a corner of the Secret Realm and dragged out the Alchemy Golem. During this time, he had managed to refine a substantial amount of ore ingots. Among these ores was one called Blue Mushroom Iron. This ore had mediocre hardness, toughness, and magic conduction, even slightly poor, but it had one outstanding feature¡ªits incredibly low density. The density of Blue Mushroom Iron was almost the same as that of granite. This inspired Richard to consider making Alchemy Golem shells out of enchanted Blue Mushroom Iron shells. No matter how poor the properties of Blue Mushroom Iron were, it was still stronger than the enchanted stones used for the Alchemy Golem. Richard dismantled the Alchemy Golem¡¯s shell and installed the pre-made enchanted Blue Mushroom Iron shell. After integrating the magic circuits, Richard activated the golem. Buzz! The golem¡¯s eyes lit up with red light. After the modification, the Alchemy Golem¡¯s exterior had shifted from the original granite shell to a pale blue Blue Mushroom Iron shell. Runes faintly glimmered on the Blue Mushroom Iron shell, significantly enhancing the overall protection compared to before. Of course, this was an extremely lavish modification. If it weren¡¯t for the impending battle and his ample resources, Richard would never have opted for such a modification. Despite its mediocre quality, Blue Mushroom Iron was a bonafide alchemy material, a metal conducive to magic. ¡°Gaah, from a stone lump to an iron lump. I seriously suspect that if you had enough Pure Gold at hand, you¡¯d turn this thing into a Pure Gold lump,¡± Ulysses said, watching the golem with a slightly mocking tone. ¡°But no matter what kind of lump, the brain is always dead.¡± Ulysses had always despised Alchemy Puppets, yet he never disclosed the reason. Richard suspected that this guy must have been severely beaten by some Earth Element Lord in the past, which was why he harbored malice toward the Alchemy Puppets, which looked like Stone Giants. Richard ignored him, stuffed him into his pocket, and then walked out of the Secret Realm with the Alchemy Puppet. Upon exiting, Richard noticed that the Communication Crystal Ball he had left on the laboratory table had lit up, bearing a command from headquarters. ¡°Wizard 7531, the insects¡¯ counterattack is imminent. Your task is to assist in the defense of War Fortress 372 in the Third War Zone.¡± ¡­ White Fungus Worm Country. As the main direction of the Wizards¡¯ attack, nearly one-third of the territory of the White Fungus Worm Country had been conquered in just three years. This was even with the Wizards intentionally slowing down their attack. The constant rumbling of spells and Alchemy Weapons, the ever-present shadow of death looming over the heads of the White Fungus Worm Country¡¯s insects. But today, everything was set to change. In the Mother Goddess Temple of the White Fungus Worm Country, thirty-five High Priests of the Worm Country gathered together. Beneath the Mother Goddess Temple, a vast sea of insects stretched as far as the eye could see. A High Priest adorned with a golden crown shouted to the insect swarm below the Mother Goddess Temple: ¡°Fellow beings! Today, the elite of the thirty-five Worm Countries have all assembled! This is a historic event that has never occurred in the history of the Black Crystal Worm Clan! We are about to counterattack, to reclaim our land, our world! I know, this is an unfair war. The Wizard Monsters have steel war machines and powerful Elemental Torrents, but we have no way back now. If we fail this time, we will never be able to gather such a vast counterattack force again. Once the Wizard Monsters¡¯ Teleportation Gate is constructed, allowing them an endless supply of resources and troops¡­ At that time, slavery is the only path waiting for us. So, fellow beings! Fight with your last ounce of strength, even if it¡¯s with teeth or stones, drive these Wizard Monsters out of our world. The Mother Worm God is with us!¡± With that, a grand Holy Light shot from the Mother Goddess Temple, enveloping the entire sea of insects. A fragmented voice emerged from the insect crowd, gradually spreading until it finally converged into a mighty shout. ¡°Reclaim our world!¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Paragraph copied Chapter 160 - Chapter 160: Chapter 60 Siege Warfare (Part 1) Chapter 160: Chapter 60 Siege Warfare (Part 1) The war had begun. Richard, upon receiving his orders, hurried towards his assigned location with his alchemy golems. He was very familiar with the place¡ªit was the war fortress he had entered when he first emerged from the insect nest. Along the way, one black-robed wizard after another flew to the front lines. Overhead, the White Wizard Army¡¯s war airships blocked out the sky. All the airships that had been in maintenance were now activated, dispatched to various battle zones to manage signal transmission and provide war support. By the time Richard reached the war fortress, the battle had already commenced. Swarming insects joined by obscuring clouds of the Moth Army, like a massive wave, surged towards the war fortress. Yet this was merely an auxiliary attack, supporting the frontal assault by the wizard soldiers¡¯ preceding bug forces. On the main battlefield, the wizards faced an enemy force multiple times larger. The war fortress¡¯s alchemy weapons roared to life, as fireballs rained down into the insect tide, leaving behind wreckage. The sacrificial insects, as a rare breed of soldier, were mostly deployed to the main battlefield, leaving only a few in these secondary battle zones to carry out the task of transmitting orders. Hence, Richard didn¡¯t witness the starlight barriers he had seen in the lower insect nests. Soon, the swarm entered the trap zone. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.?¦Ï In an instant, countless traps were triggered, unveiling the might of various elements¡ªflame, ice, lightning, acid¡­ The diverse magic array traps inflicted heavy losses upon the insect horde. Pieces of insect limbs were scattered across the sky. But Richard noticed a problem. The strength of these bugs seemed odd. The abilities of these insects appeared to be less than first level; otherwise, the power of the magic array traps was too great. However, Richard was too far from the battlefield to gather enough information to be sure of what was happening. Before long, the swarm received an order to retreat. Like water receding, the insects swiftly retreated. During this brief hiatus, Richard entered the war fortress. ¡°Hey, Ivan, how have you been recently?¡± Richard greeted warmly in the command room of the fortress. Ivan¡¯s face instantly brightened upon seeing who had arrived. ¡°Richard, it¡¯s been a while. You seem to have been doing well.¡± As he spoke, he glanced at the alchemy golem beside Richard. ¡°Blue Mushroom Iron has given you so much, you¡¯re even using it to make shells for golems now.¡± Richard shrugged nonchalantly, gesturing as if he had pocketed a galaxy. ¡°Not bad, just made a little bit.¡± After exchanging pleasantries, they got down to business. ¡°What¡¯s the situation on the battlefield like?¡± Richard glanced at the insect horde that was lying in wait nearby, their numbers suggesting a mere distraction. He could only imagine how horrifying the main battlefield must be. Ivan pulled out two maps, one of the Third War Zone and one with all the battle zones. ¡°Based on the intelligence we currently have, the insects have mobilized about twenty million, with the majority in the First Battle Zone. Each of the second and third battle zones has about four million insects. Divided among each war fortress, that¡¯s around ten thousand or so.¡± Richard raised an eyebrow: ¡°Sounds like it¡¯s not that many.¡± ¡°Not that many?¡± Ivan¡¯s voice rose, ¡°This fortress has a total of only twenty people, twenty-one including you. Twenty-one against ten thousand! Each of us has to fight nearly five hundred insects!¡± Ivan¡¯s bloodline had merged with some otherworldly creature, giving his voice a loud resonance, roaring in Richard¡¯s ears like a fierce tiger. Richard rubbed his ears, gesturing for Ivan to lower his voice. ¡°Looking at the recent situation, alchemy weapons are quite effective against the insects. The insects¡¯ task is to constrain us, not to annihilate us. As long as we hit them hard enough, holding a siege might be possible.¡± Ivan sighed in response: ¡°Easy for you to say, but using alchemy weapons requires magic stones, and they¡¯ll overheat. Magic array traps are useful but can only be used once. Next time the insects come, they¡¯ll be useless. These bugs have been biding their time for so long, they won¡¯t just show this little aptitude. This battle¡­ it¡¯s doubtful!¡± Upon hearing this, Richard frowned. It was not good for Ivan to have such sentiments. If the commander lacked confidence, how would the soldiers believe in their cause? He patted Ivan on the shoulder earnestly, saying: ¡°Wizard Ivan, your words are filled with defeatism, which is highly improper. As the key figure of this White Wizard squad, you must believe that the great wizards will triumph in battle. Only then will your troops have the morale to continue fighting. War is not just a physical fight, but also a mental one! If even the commander succumbs to a defeatist attitude, then this war fortress is doomed to fail, and we¡¯ll all die on the battlefield!¡± Richard¡¯s words sent a jolt through Ivan. As a White Wizard experienced in warfare, he deeply understood the implications behind Richard¡¯s speech. Ivan fell silent for a moment, then suddenly asked: ¡°` ¡°Richard, is this really your first time on the battlefield?¡± Such words are not those that someone on their first battelfield outing as a rookie soldier would utter. Richard raised an eyebrow, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m a bona fide student soldier, a pure volunteer, the unlucky chap who has to hand over half of the spoils.¡± Upon hearing this, Ivan burst into laughter, ¡°Still joking around at a time like this, you sure you¡¯re not an old wizard?¡± After the jokes, Ivan assigned Richard a combat position¡ªcombat support. The wizard responsible for this position would assist the main attacking wizards, with the main tasks being to clear out enemies that slipped into the blind spots of alchemy weapons¡¯ firing range, as well as transporting ammunition and cooling weapons¡ªall sorts of odd jobs. For student soldiers, this was a very suitable position. Ivan stared intently at Richard¡¯s face, wanting to see the old wizard¡¯s expressive reaction upon finding out he was being assigned to a student soldier¡¯s position. He even discreetly took out an Image Capturing Crystal Ball, ready to record the moment. Unfortunately for him, his plan was thwarted. Richard really was on the battlefield for the first time. Looking at Richard who moved to his post without hesitation, Ivan was somewhat flabbergasted; this was not what he expected at all. Where was the anger? The defeat? Why did he just head to his post so willingly? I swear I was joking! Ivan wanted to stop Richard, but saw him disappear from view in just a few steps. At the same moment, a loud shout from his teammates came through his spiritual network: ¡°Commander! The bugs are attacking again!¡± ¡­ After arriving at his post, Richard smoothly integrated into his role. The position suited him well. This job didn¡¯t require the wizard to have any battlefield experience, it merely needed the wizard to transport Magic Stones like a robot and continuously cool Alchemy Weapons. There were many Alchemy Weapons in a war fortress, with a standard one typically housing six Alchemy Magic Stone Cannons, as well as a one-time strategic Alchemy Magic Stone Cannon. Alchemy Magic Stone Cannon is a generic term for these weapons, and each Academy, each White Wizard Army, might use a different type of Alchemy Magic Stone Cannon. For instance, in the war fortress where Richard was, four of the six installed Alchemy Magic Stone Cannons were the Lavoisier II type Plastic Energy Fireball Magic Stone Cannons, capable of firing thirty fireballs per minute. The power of each fireball, after numerous amplifications, reached an energy level of eight-hundred. The remaining two were the Tesla V Plastic Energy Lightning Magic Stone Cannons, which had a staggering two thousand and five hundred energy level per shot and fired every ten seconds, specializing in single target damage for taking out native powerhouses. However, such great power of Alchemy Magic Stone Cannons came at a price. For every shot of Lavoisier II, five Magic Stones were consumed, and each use of the Tesla V required fifty Magic Stones. Furthermore, these Magic Stone Cannons had to be maintained after use; their core casting components had to be frequently replaced. Otherwise, as the Magic Stone Cannons were used, these parts would wear out, causing an increase in stone consumption, heating, and could even result in a ¡°blown chamber¡± during operation. Yet, even with these downsides, Alchemy Weapons remained an indispensable part of plane wars. Whether it was the main battlefield or these secondary battlefields, Alchemy Weapons gave significant assistance to the White Wizard Army. Richard was responsible for transporting ammunition for two Lavaya Magic Stone Cannons, as well as for cooling during casting, which was not difficult for him. During a lull, Richard let Ulysses out to collect insect carcass remains from the battlefield. ¡°Hey, why did you let your Magic Pet out?¡± a wizard operating a Magic Stone Cannon shouted. ¡°Isn¡¯t it just sending your Magic Pet to its death in this kind of battlefield?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my Magic Pet is not ordinary,¡± Richard replied loudly over the hum of the Alchemy Weapons. Ulysses nimble maneuvered between the fireballs, narrowly avoiding them each time, as if taunting the fireballs themselves. Try and hit me if you can! Gliding gracefully through the battlefield, Ulysses soon snatched up an insect from the ground and flew back. Some insects saw him and attempted to attack, but under the firepower of the Alchemy Weapons, those same bugs were blasted to charred remains in the next second. Carrying the corpse, Ulysses successfully returned to the fortress. ¡°Ga, kid, you¡¯re in trouble now,¡± Ulysses communicated with Richard through a spiritual message. Richard¡¯s brow furrowed immediately, and he took the corpse from Ulysses. Upon taking it, his expression changed instantly. ¡°These insects are all fakes; they¡¯re not Level 1 Creatures!¡± Richard¡¯s words instantly drew terrified looks from two nearby wizards who immediately understood the insects¡¯ intentions. They were depleting the war fortress¡¯s ammunition reserves. But even with the knowledge of the insects¡¯ intentions, the firing of the Magic Stone Cannons didn¡¯t pause for a second. It was the insects¡¯ blatant strategy; even if you knew they were exhausting your ammunition, they forced you to continue firing as they wished. If this were on the main battlefield, the insects¡¯ tricks would be pointless. The group spells of the White Wizard Army could annihilate thousands of insects in one go, making the sheer number of lower level insects irrelevant. But currently, they were defending a fortress, and if they were fooled by the insects, allowing a swarm of genuine Level 1 Creatures to infiltrate the fortress, Then these twenty-one wizards would have no option but to flee. Before long, the tide of insects receded, leaving behind a field of carcasses. Yet, not a single wizard felt any joy. ¡°If this keeps up, we won¡¯t last much longer.¡± ¡°` COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 161 - Chapter 161: Chapter 61: Fortress Siege Battle (Part 2) Chapter 161: Chapter 61: Fortress Siege Battle (Part 2) The War Fortress had a substantial reserve of Magic Stones, but if the insects continued to deplete it in this manner, it wouldn¡¯t last even a week. Moreover, the consumption of ammunition was secondary; if nothing unexpected happened, these insects would nonstop attack the fortress¡ªa relentless, continuous harassment that tested the quality of the Alchemy Weapons as well. Even the best quality couldn¡¯t withstand such high-intensity use continuously. Richard arrived at the Command Room and found Ivan sitting in a corner, smoking one cigarette after another. Tobacco, a rare commodity on the battlefield, existed even in the Otherworld. Ivan was smoking Demonized Tobacco provided by logistics, which made a wizard¡¯s mind more active and better able to find answers to problems. ¡°Thinking about the insect problem?¡± Ivan saw Richard and waved him over to sit beside him. ¡°What else could it be? These insects have become clever; we use Synthetic Beasts as cannon fodder, and they use their little insects in the same way.¡± As he spoke, Ivan stubbed out his cigarette and threw it fiercely to the ground, then turned to Richard and asked, ¡°Do you have any ideas?¡± At that moment, he still thought of Richard as an old wizard who liked to appear younger. ¡°Me?¡± Richard pointed at himself, somewhat amused and exasperated. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï ¡°What ideas could I have? You White Wizards should be better at handling front-line battles, shouldn¡¯t you?¡± Ivan scratched his head, ¡°True, I¡¯m just grasping at straws. Wait then, I¡¯ve already reported it to headquarters; those logistics wizards should be coming up with something.¡± After hearing this, Richard couldn¡¯t help but slap him on the back, ¡°With logistics wizards helping, what¡¯s there to worry about? The fortress¡¯s Magic Stone reserve isn¡¯t small, enduring a week won¡¯t be a problem. That should be enough time.¡± Ivan said with a wry smile, ¡°You¡¯re really optimistic.¡± As a commander, he had to prepare for the worst-case scenario. Although the fortress¡¯s Magic Stone could last seven days, a Magic Stone Cannon, even with spells aiding its cooling, couldn¡¯t be used for such an extended period continuously. Theoretically, a Magic Stone Cannon needed its casting components replaced and its Magic Conduction path reshaped after six continuous hours of use; otherwise, it became an unpredictable time bomb. Replacing casting components was easy, but reshaping the Magic Conduction path was a technical task. A skilled wizard could manage it in a minute or two, but an average wizard might take an hour or two, or might not even be able to do it. Their squad¡¯s Alchemy Wizards were decent, but their skills in reshaping Magic Conduction paths were hardly worth mentioning. But fortunately, the Magic Conduction path only affected the energy consumption of the Magic Stone Cannon. Normally, it wouldn¡¯t pose a problem, and the quality of the Magic Stone Cannons themselves was very solid. Using them continuously for six hours was just theoretical data. In reality, there were many Magic Stone Cannons that operated for several days without issues. Typically, only White Wizards who could repair Magic Stone Cannons, and commands of the White Wizards, knew this data. Ivan¡¯s mind flashed back to the intelligence Richard had once spoken of. A Great Wizard of the Three Rings had been captured alive by the insects, forcing an entire Insect Nest of Black Wizards into a dormant state. Every Great Wizard of the Three Rings had seen many battles; they were intimately familiar with these Alchemy Magic Stone Cannon data. If he had truly defected, then they¡­ ¡­ Deep within the Insect Nest, a Priest Worm clad in Moon White Silk sat at the far end of the room, surrounded by several Golden Armored Warrior Insects and some Two-Star Priest Worms lined up in two rows. ¡°What¡¯s the situation on the battlefield?¡± the Moon White Priest Worm asked. A Golden Armored Warrior Worm spoke, ¡°Those Wizard Monsters are precisely as the Priest predicted, continuously using those `Alchemy Weapons` that shoot Fireballs to destroy our cannon fodder.¡± When mentioning the Alchemy Weapons, the Golden Armored Warrior Worm spoke awkwardly, because it was a wizard term with no equivalent in Black Crystal Insect language, so they were forced to use a transliteration. ¡°Very well, keep it up,¡± the Moon White Priest Worm issued a joyful chirp. ¡°But sir,¡± a Two-Star Priest Worm stood up and asked, ¡°the cannon fodder is being destroyed quickly. If this rate of attrition continues, I fear we won¡¯t last much longer.¡± The Moon White Priest Worm waved its antennae, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, our cannon fodder will run out before their Alchemy Weapons will `melt down`.¡± Melt down was yet another term exclusive to wizards. ¡°Sir, are you sure?¡± a Golden Armored Warrior Worm suddenly spoke up, ¡°Our intelligence efforts on the Wizards have made little progress; we can¡¯t even get close to the Wizards¡¯ main base, that floating city. Even if we tried from underground, the Wizards would detect us. Where did your intelligence come from?¡± This Golden Armored Warrior Worm had once been responsible for infiltrating the Wizards¡¯ territories, but his every strategy had failed under the Wizards¡¯ strict defenses. For this, he had lost many elites among the Black Crystal Insects. The Moon White Priest Insect¡¯s antennae moved, ¡°Are you questioning me, or are you questioning the High Priest?¡± ¡°Not at all, not at all!¡± The Golden Armored Warrior Worm repeatedly said. Priests held a status akin to that of the Nobles in the insect swarm, and with such a heavy accusation placed upon him, he could only prepare to be cannon fodder on the battlefield as atonement. The Moon White Priest Insect glanced at the other insects and noticed although none asked directly, there were many doubts. Seeing this, its brow¡¯s black crystal suddenly emitted a ray of starlight, which dispersed in the air and instantly transformed into a Starlight Barrier. Below the Starlight Barrier, all means of eavesdropping, peering, and even stealing spiritual messages would be blocked. This was a countermeasure developed by the Priest Insects after the Black Wizards had stolen intelligence multiple times. Within the Starlight Barrier, the Moon White Priest Insect slowly said, ¡°The source of the intelligence is not something I deliberately kept secret. In our Insect Nest, there are still many Wizard Monsters lurking; these wizards¡¯ methods are strange and varied. Should they intercept this information, it would surely affect the wizards¡¯ strategy. But now that the war had started, some information could indeed be disclosed.¡± Hearing this, the other insects immediately perked up, ready to listen to what the Priest would say next. ¡°In the operation at the Mother Goddess Temple, we captured many wizards. These wizards are tough, both physically and in spirit, but the High Priest, with the power of the Mother Worm God, extracted lots of information from their souls. Though some of the information is incomplete, it has still provided us with much intelligence. Our current intelligence all comes from here.¡± ¡­ The disturbance from the insect swarm was relentless, although there was no day or night in the Insect Nest World, only eternal darkness. To handle the insect swarm¡¯s harassment, White Wizards were split into two groups alternating in controlling the Alchemy Magic Stone Cannons. Although operating the Alchemy Magic Stone Cannons didn¡¯t require the wizards to arrange the spells themselves, they still needed to use spiritual power to guide the trajectory of the spells, and such intense guidance would fatigue the wizards. Rotating between the two sets of wizards could just maintain the firepower of the war fortress. During this period, Richard also attempted to have Ulysses slaughter the insect swarm. The first time this was very effective; the insects, none exceeding the first level, had no resistance against Ulysses¡¯s flames and were all burned to ashes. However, when Richard tried to repeat the tactic, the insects had a countermeasure. Seven to eight Second Level Priest Insects hid among the swarm, casting the Starlight Seal almost simultaneously on Ulysses, and at the same time, dozens of Second Level Warrior Worms also launched an attack on Ulysses. The ground battlefield was not like the narrow environment of the Underground Insect Nest where the insects¡¯ movement was extremely limited, and Ulysses could easily kill Second Level insects. But on the ground battlefield, especially in such a vast plain, these insects had enough room to dodge and had so many companions. Such a level of attack, if not for Ulysses being a World Master, even a third-level creature would have perished on the spot. ¡°Gah, I didn¡¯t feel these insects were something significant when I was with the main force, but now that I¡¯m alone, these insects are indeed remarkable,¡± Ulysses said, a bit defiantly, after escaping. Although he was chased quite miserably by the insects, he certainly had to maintain an aloof attitude in his speech. Richard glanced at him, ¡°Alright, being chased by a bunch of insects to the point of almost having to use the Power of Faith, you wouldn¡¯t have been so embarrassingly defeated if you were a bit more careful.¡± Besides the insect¡¯s countermeasure, Ulysses¡¯s own arrogance after acquiring a Second Level body also contributed significantly to his defeat. Arriving in the Command Room, Ivan was currently sitting on a chair, his eyes intently fixed on the Crystal Ball on the table in front of him. This Crystal Ball was his Communication Crystal Ball, which lit up whenever there was a message from the command headquarters. ¡°Has the headquarters not sent any messages yet?¡± Richard asked as he approached Ivan. Ivan pointed at the Crystal Ball, his expression very calm, but his tone was like that of a cancer patient who knew he wasn¡¯t going to live long. ¡°As you see, this Crystal Ball hasn¡¯t lit up for three days. If it doesn¡¯t light up in another three days, we¡¯ll have to abandon the fortress and prepare to run.¡± Abandoning the fortress was their last recourse as wizards. At the moment, the command headquarters hadn¡¯t issued a command to hold the fortress at all costs. In the face of irresistible forces, retreating was also a viable option. But once they abandoned it, the command headquarters would have to breach the Great Wall forged from the War Fortresses in the Third War Zone first. This could potentially lead to a chain reaction and cause the entire line of defense to collapse. ¡°Don¡¯t mess it up, okay?¡± Richard approached and took the Crystal Ball into his hands, ¡°Didn¡¯t you smash this thing on the floor yesterday in a fit?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Ivan looked somewhat embarrassed; the stress of the war had made him quite irritable. Yesterday, seeing the Crystal Ball still unlit, he had angrily smashed it on the floor. But immediately after smashing it, he regretted it and picked it up, cherishing it like a treasure. To be arrogant initially but submissive afterward was truly laughable. The material of the Communication Crystal Ball was of high quality; even after Ivan had smashed it, not a scratch appeared. Richard used a universal repair technique to tap it twice, but the Crystal Ball remained unresponsive. ¡°What kind of testing method is that?¡± Ivan scoffed. Alchemy Wizards used Magic Equipment Probes to check magic equipment, not random tapping like Richard did. But just after he finished speaking, the Crystal Ball in Richard¡¯s hand suddenly lit up. ¡°Holy shit, masterful work, Master!¡± Ivan exclaimed in shock. Indeed, as a wizard long seasoned in battlefields, even a casual tap contained mysteries that a newcomer like him could not comprehend. The Crystal Ball then transmitted instructions from the command headquarters. ¡°The supply convoy will arrive in twelve hours, and the internal Curse Virus should handle the insect cannon fodder.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Paragraph copied Chapter 162 - Chapter 162: Chapter 62: Fortress Siege Battle (Part 3) Chapter 162: Chapter 62: Fortress Siege Battle (Part 3) ¡°Curse Virus?¡± Richard found the combination of these two seemingly unrelated words absurd yet sensible as he listened. ¡°Curse Virus, it really is this thing.¡± Unlike Richard¡¯s confusion, Ivan was quite familiar with this item, obviously having used it before. ¡°Ivan, what the heck is a ¡®Curse Virus¡¯? A virus with a curse?¡± Richard asked curiously. Ivan glanced at him, ¡°Still pretending? How could you not know about Curse Virus? It¡¯s a brilliant creation concocted by your Alchemy School and Curse School, merging curses and viruses together, endowing deadly viruses with the spreadability of curses and making them untreatable by conventional means. A strategic weapon specifically for creatures below Level 1.¡± As is commonly known, deadly viruses, due to their lethal nature, tend to have a very limited range of spread, confined to a specific area. However, once combined with curses, everything changes. Within Curse Magic, there is a branch known as Curse Plague. Curse Plague typically has lower lethality but can spread through various, unexpected mediums. Like the curses in the books at the Black Tower Wizard Academy¡ªit¡¯s a type of Curse Plague. Just by opening a book, a student could be afflicted by the curse. However, if left unopened, the curse would be ineffective. Wizards combined the deadly virus and Curse Plague, resulting in the current Curse Virus. Upon hearing this, Richard pinched the bridge of his nose. The creativity of wizards in certain aspects was truly chilling. ¡°With such an effective thing, why not make it stronger and target Level 1 creatures?¡± Richard offhandedly asked. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï ¡°Hm?¡± Ivan looked at Richard in surprise, ¡°Do you really not know about the Curse Virus?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°The lethality of the Curse Virus lies in the virus, not the curse. For Level 1 creatures, these viruses are completely ineffective. Using the knowledge of your Alchemy School, it seems that the cells are too strong, preventing the viruses from invading.¡± ¡°Moreover,¡± Ivan added, ¡°even if there was a virus that could kill Level 1 creatures, command wouldn¡¯t use it. Those Level 1 creatures are prime war trophies, prime slaves¡ªit would be such a waste if all of those creatures died from disease. We are using Curse Virus this time only because the battle situation is dire, and there is no other choice. After all, those little insects are valuable too.¡± After listening to Ivan, Richard suddenly shivered. Ivan¡¯s words carried a cold logic. Great Wizards didn¡¯t care about the losses of wizards, only about whether these losses could yield the expected value. ¡­ Twelve hours later, an Alchemy Machine driven by a logistics wizard arrived at War Fortress 352, bringing not only the much-needed Curse Virus but also ten thousand Magic Stones, Alchemy Potions for maintenance of the Alchemy Magic Stone Cannons, coolant needed for the Alchemy Magic Stone Cannons, and other various spare metal parts. After delivering the items, the logistics wizard drove the Alchemy Machine back to the Floating City Fortress. It seemed that the current war situation was still stable, so these logistics wizards weren¡¯t needed on the battlefield yet. The Curse Virus was designed to look like arrows; ten feathers with Black Crystal arrowheads neatly placed in a box. Ivan went to the observation port of the fortress, then picked up a feathered arrow and pretended to draw a bowstring. The next moment, a line of silk spread from Ivan¡¯s hand, these magic fibers spreading in the air, eventually forming a giant Magic Bow. Ivan released his hand, and the virus feathered arrow shot into the swarm of insects like a meteor, hitting a retreating insect precisely. Ivan clapped his hands and turned away from the observation port. ¡°No need to worry about the rest, those little insects are as good as dead.¡± Six hours after firing the virus arrow, inside the insect nest. ¡°What¡¯s going on! Why are all our little insects sick!¡± A priest insect wearing moon white silk pointed angrily at the small insect in front of him. These cannon fodder insects looked exactly like the warrior insects. Right now, the insect in front of the priest insect was continuously convulsing, and green mucus was coughed up from its mouthparts. If it wasn¡¯t for the priest insect forcibly stabilizing its life, this cannon fodder insect would have probably returned to the Mother Worm God long ago. The other priest insect and Golden Armored Warrior Insect remained silent. This wasn¡¯t an isolated incident. They had seen similar cases along the entire battle line today. The best-performing squad had lost nearly half of their cannon fodder insects, and in some of the worse squads, the cannon fodder insects were even wiped out entirely. ¡°Priest, this is some kind of disease.¡± One priest insect spoke up, ¡°Those wizard monsters used evil methods to modify this disease, allowing it to spread through means we can¡¯t detect. In fact, we have also contracted this disease. It¡¯s just that our physiques are much stronger than these little insects, so the disease doesn¡¯t manifest in us.¡± ¡°How do we solve this!¡± the moon white priest insect demanded loudly, ¡°I need a solution now!¡± Another priest insect stepped forward and said, ¡°My lord, water blessed by the Mother Worm God can temporarily treat this disease. But those wizard monsters will keep using this method, and our holy water can¡¯t keep up with the speed at which the insects are getting infected.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t keep up with the speed?¡± The tentacles of the moon white priest insect fiercely whipped through the air like a crack of a whip, then he harshly said, ¡°If we can¡¯t keep up, then we start the attack! Use up all the holy water, send all the cannon fodder insects to the battlefield! All warrior insects and priest insects, follow up! If we miss this opportunity, the cost of breaching this defense line will multiply!¡± The cannon fodder worm took a gulp and instantly felt vigorous, and the disease vanished without a trace before the holy water, just like snow disappearing under the sunlight. The healed cannon fodder worm knelt on the ground, loudly praising the mighty power of the Mother Worm God. As another drop of holy water entered the mouth of the cannon fodder worm, a low humming sound suddenly emanated from the insect nest. This hum was very deep, yet it excited all the insects. This was the signal for a counterattack. The day of the counterattack had come, and they would reclaim their land, reclaim their world! ¡­ ¡°Damn it, why does this attack seem endless!¡± a White Wizard cursed angrily. The swarm¡¯s harassment was usually intermittent, with a few minutes of rest between two invasions. But this time was different, this attack had lasted nearly three hours, and the insects still surged towards the fortress like a tide. They were like heartless cruel machines, continuously depleting the war fortress¡¯s ammunition with their flesh. Richard stood among the Magic Stone Cannons, constantly using spells to aid in cooling the Magic Stone Cannons. This attack felt very wrong to him; he had a premonition that this might be the insects¡¯ total offensive. Suddenly, a cry of alarm rang out. ¡°There are Level 1 insects here! No, wait, those are Level 2 insects!¡± Richard quickly moved to an Alchemy Magic Stone Cannon and looked out at the situation. He saw a Warrior Worm maneuvering through the swarm, skillfully avoiding the range of the fireballs, and rapidly advancing towards the war fortress. And this was not an isolated case. One after another, Warrior Worms emerged from the cannon fodder worms, nimbly evading the Magic Stone Cannon¡¯s fireballs. Although not every fireball was dodged, there was no doubt that their arrival caused the fire power of the Magic Stone Cannons to be hastily skewed. More indistinguishable insects took this opportunity to get close to the war fortress. ¡°Don¡¯t mind them!¡± Richard shouted, ¡°Other wizards will handle those insects. You just make sure the Magic Stone Cannons operate at their maximum effectiveness!¡± At the same time, the two Tesla V Magic Stone Cannons finally began roaring. Boom! A bolt of thunder shot out from the Magic Stone Cannon, like the heavenly thunder that punishes demons in legends, splitting one of the insects into charred remains. But the Tesla V Magic Stone Cannons charged too slowly, their hunting speed was far surpassed by the speed of the insects approaching. ¡°Ulysses, you deal with those few insects outside.¡± After speaking, a dark shadow flew out from the war fortress, streaking past a Warrior Worm like lightning. The next instant, the Warrior Worm froze in place, a crack appearing at the center of its black crystal forehead, then spreading until the entire black crystal shattered into pieces. ¡°Ha, insects! Dare to ambush the great Ulysses again!¡± Ulysses taunted arrogantly in midair. With Ulysses¡¯ help, the situation temporarily stabilized. But not a single wizard inside the fortress felt relief. Everyone was aware that the insects¡¯ total offensive had arrived. Soon, different kind of insects began appearing at the tail end of the insect tide. These insects looked broad and flat, resembling platforms, and Richard felt they seemed familiar. Aren¡¯t these the transport worms from the insect nest? Just a bit larger. Why were these logistical insects sent onto the battlefield? But the next moment, Richard¡¯s expression turned fascinating. He saw small Mother Goddess Cannons being carried onto large transport worms by the insects. These devices, originally designed for defense, were now being used as weapons of attack. ¡°Energy Shield defense!¡± a White Wizard roared in the mental network. The next moment, hundreds of arc acid liquid balls flew towards the war fortress. In the command room, Ivan stood at the center of the room, a Magic Array appearing beneath his feet. He closed his eyes, his mind entering a vast system guided by the Magic Array. The war fortress suddenly trembled; the entire fortress of sleeping steel and concrete came to life. Every corner of the fortress could feel subtle Magic Fluctuations. ¡°What the hell is going on!¡± Richard was bewildered by the fortress¡¯s transformation. He felt like he had grown quite familiar with this group of White Wizards, but how was it that he was unaware of such an impressive capability of the fortress? As the arc acid liquid balls drew closer, mysterious Runes emerged on the surface of the fortress, connected by magic to form various shapes of Magic Arrays. These arrays interlinked, eventually forming a Magic Barrier that covered the entire fortress. How could the White Wizards¡¯ war fortress just be a blank slab? The wizards had long integrated Magic Arrays into the structure. The arc acid liquid balls continuously collided with the Magic Barrier, stirring waves, but the war fortress remained undamaged. This barrier integrated a thousand years of architecture and alchemy experience from the White Wizards¡¯ elder brothers in civil engineering! Insects, what could you possibly shatter! The next moment, a massive creature emerged from the insect nest. Richard muttered, ¡°Damn, these insects are defying the heavens.¡± At the end of the battlefield, a mutated transport worm, resembling a small mountain, slowly entered the battlefield. COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left Chapter 163 - 163: 63 chapters How can you fight well with these insects Chapter 163: 63 chapters How can you fight well with these insects ¡°What the hell is that thing!¡± Ivan roared across the psychic network. In the distance, a giant mutated transport worm was slowly approaching the War Fortress, each step it took hammering at the wizards¡¯ hearts like a mallet. Richard could even vaguely feel within the War Fortress that with every step the colossal creature took, the fortress beneath his feet shook. This worm bore some resemblance to those from the insect nest, but its size was unimaginably larger¡ªit made the over twenty-meter-high War Fortress look only slightly taller by comparison. It was covered in a thick carapace, with a huge single horn on its head, resembling a rhinoceros beetle. ¡°Ulysses, is there a way you can handle this giant?¡± Richard communicated with Ulysses through a spiritual message. ¡°Ha, if it were just this big worm, there¡¯s nothing to worry about. Each of you wizards could tackle it alone, it¡¯s just a live target. But now, this worm is being used as a war machine, surrounded by more insects; you can¡¯t just break through the swarm to kill it, and neither can I¡ªat least not without using the Power of Faith.¡± Compared to the panic of the wizards, Ulysses was incredibly calm upon seeing the worm, not surprised at the sight of such a War Giant Beast. He even seemed curious why it took so long for one to appear since he had seen many such creatures before. ¡°That¡¯s going to be problematic,¡± Richard said, rubbing his forehead with a headache. ¡°If we can¡¯t take down this worm, this fortress definitely won¡¯t hold.¡± The singular horn of the War Giant Worm was certainly not just for show; if it managed to get close, even if the fortress¡¯s Magic Array was strong, it would be pierced through by that horn. ¡°Ha, then don¡¯t defend it,¡± Ulysses said indifferently. ¡°There¡¯s definitely more than one of these War Giant Beasts prepared. In front of such creatures, if you can hold out even a moment longer, that would be brave. Normally, upon seeing this type of War Giant Beast, you should be fleeing immediately.¡± There was no denying that Ulysses¡¯s words were spot on. After pondering for a moment, Richard immediately went to the Command Room, trying to persuade Ivan to retreat. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?¦Ï Given the current situation, if they didn¡¯t retreat, they were done for. But just as he entered the Command Room, he saw Ivan with a grim face staring at the Crystal Ball, then he calmly replied as he received an order. Then the light of the Crystal Ball faded, and Ivan grabbed the Crystal Ball and furiously smashed it onto the ground. ¡°Damn it, the bunch of old fools at the headquarters are asking us to hold out for six more hours, waiting for support from the War Airships!¡± ¡°What the hell!¡± Richard raised his voice sharply, ¡°Six hours! In six hours that worm will practically be knocking on our door!¡± Ivan, feeling somewhat powerless, slumped into a nearby chair, took a cigarette out of his pocket with trembling hands, and put it in his mouth. ¡°We¡¯re goddamn too late to retreat, the neighboring fortress retreated three hours ago. The headquarters issued us a strict order to prevent the defense line from breaking. Not a second less than six hours!¡± ¡°My god! Ha!¡± Richard was even laughed out in anger, their dedication turning into a death sentence. ¡°Did the neighboring fortress encounter a War Giant Beast too?¡± Ivan shook his head weakly: ¡°No, the commander of that fortress is some old geezer¡¯s grandson from our Third Battle Zone Command Center. That kid has always been scared, probably saw the insects preparing for a major assault and just ran off.¡± ¡°Third Battle Zone Command Center?¡± Richard noticed this particular term, ¡°Aren¡¯t we being directed by the main headquarters?¡± Ivan grimaced, ¡°The headquarters is so busy directing the First Battle Zone and those damn twenty million Insect Nest¡¯s pieces opening, how can they care about us in these secondary battlefields? We¡¯re currently commanded by the Third Battle Zone secondary command center formed by some higher-ups in the White Wizard Army I¡¯m in. These old guys issuing such fatal orders probably means the shitstorm caused by the neighbor is too big, we must hold our ground. Otherwise, the entire front will collapse like a rolling snowball.¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± Richard cursed, ¡°This damn thing! He runs away without fear of facing a military tribunal?¡± ¡°Military tribunal?¡± Ivan inhaled deeply from his cigarette, ¡°His timing was perfect, if we survive this, then he hasn¡¯t made too significant a mistake, a minor punishment would suffice. If we don¡¯t hold out, this mistake can be blamed on us, since we didn¡¯t hold until the time the headquarters demanded. The kid has a powerful grandfather, unless headquarters pursues it, the kid will probably get off scot-free.¡± Then Ivan exhaled the smoke from his lungs: ¡°But headquarters receives information provided by these old guys, unless we go reporting in person, no one will know the truth. Even if we do go, which big shot would stand up for us little guys?¡± ¡°White Wizard Army, the old guy you mentioned, can he cover the sky with one hand?¡± Richard suddenly asked. ¡°Cover the sky with one hand?¡± Ivan said with a hint of mockery, ¡°If that old guy could cover the sky, the Army would be doomed. That old guy just lives long, has a high rank, and still, the high-levels of the army give him a little face.¡± ¡°Then there is a way!¡± The words had barely left Ivan when Richard with a fierce expression spat out a statement. ¡°As long as we are alive, there will be big shots who will stand up for us! My mentor is the head of the War Beast Department, my girlfriend is the granddaughter of the Black Tower Great Wizard, and her mentor, Susanna, is currently a member of the headquarters! And the Black Tower Great Wizard remembers me! As long as we are alive, someone at the headquarters will definitely stand up for us!¡± ¡°Huh?!¡± Ivan looked dumbfounded at the Black Wizard in front of him, his mouth involuntarily falling open. He hadn¡¯t expected that this Black Wizard, who he had spent days shooting the breeze with, had such connections. Dude, with such badass connections, why are you stuck with me, a frontline grunt? ¡°Ivan, you¡¯re not kidding, right?¡± Ivan stumbled over his words, but seeing Richard¡¯s serious face, he couldn¡¯t help but gasp. ¡°Damn, bro, you¡¯re serious!¡± Ivan felt like he was hallucinating from smoking, having such a badass figure right by his side. But after the joy, Ivan¡¯s face fell again. ¡°But bro, your powerful background is only useful if we hold the line. If we die, that old guy at the headquarters will definitely pin everything on us. Dead men tell no tales. But if we retreat now, that old guy can still pin it on us, disobeying orders is a serious accusation.¡± Richard took a deep breath, pushing his inner rage to the bottom of his heart. What could be more disgusting than being led by insects? That would be encountering insect leadership on the battlefield! Richard spoke with determination, ¡°Ivan, we still have a chance! This giant worm is clearly newly created, and it must have various imperfections. As long as this worm encounters a problem, if we can hold off these smaller insects, we might win!¡± After speaking, Richard turned and left the Command Room. ¡°Ga, do you want me to use the Power of Faith?¡± Ulysses, who had been perched on Richard¡¯s shoulder, suddenly spoke up. Richard responded firmly, ¡°I can¡¯t swallow this anger until that scoundrel is brought before a military court.¡± ¡°Ga, alright. But we have limited Power of Faith at our disposal. I¡¯ll immobilize the giant worm, and we¡¯ll have to deal with the swarm of smaller insects ourselves.¡± Richard nodded, then took out two golden crystals from his pocket. ¡°Do it discreetly, make it look like the worm is malfunctioning.¡± ¡°Ga, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make sure these little guys won¡¯t notice a thing.¡± ¡­ Ulysses¡¯s use of the Power of Faith wasn¡¯t as radiant as the Mother Worm God¡¯s. After receiving the Power of Faith, his body didn¡¯t change much, but to Richard, who knew him well, Ulysses now seemed unfathomably deep. Ulysses flapped his wings, soaring towards the giant worm like lightning. During the flight, Ulysses became almost invisible, and neither the insects nor the wizards on the battlefield noticed a crow approaching the War Giant Worm. Ulysses landed gracefully on the giant worm, undetected. He looked down at the giant worm beneath him and muttered, ¡°Ga, what should I use? Divine Speech Skill, I suppose.¡± After speaking, Ulysses simply said to the giant worm, ¡°Stop.¡± The next moment, the ever-advancing giant worm indeed came to halt, standing completely still. ¡°Ga, I¡¯m a bit rusty,¡± Ulysses said, somewhat unsatisfied. Soon the insects realized that their War Giant Worm had suddenly stopped moving, immobile as a rock no matter how much they tried to drive it forward. Seeing the giant worm stand still, a certainty filled Richard¡¯s heart. As long as the giant worm didn¡¯t come any closer, the War Fortress could still hold out. Boom! Spells roared across the battlefield, with fireballs and thunder continuously exploding. Although the brief halt of the War Giant Worm had momentarily slowed the insects¡¯ momentum, it had not stopped the swarm. Like a tide, the sea of insects surged towards the War Fortress. At that moment, all the White Wizards in the War Fortress wore fierce expressions, their hearts filled with rage due to the Command Center¡¯s actions. But they had no outlet for their fury, and they directed all their anger toward the insect swarm. Richard stood at a firing port, his Magic Wand moving so fast it nearly left afterimages. ¡°Cool it down! Richard!¡± shouted a White Wizard manning a Magic Stone Cannon. The Magic Stone Cannon in front of him was now emitting an alarmingly high temperature. If the Magic Conduction circuit wasn¡¯t reformed soon, its temperature would reach a critical melting point within ten seconds. Richard pointed with his left hand, and a stream of cold air drifted towards the Magic Stone Cannon. At the same time, his right hand swung the Magic Wand, hurling a fireball that pushed an approaching insect to one side, followed by a pale blue metal fist smashing the insect¡¯s head. As the insect swarm now neared the fortress, the wizards not controlling the Magic Stone Cannons had to start clearing the approaching insects. Ulysses and the Alchemy Golem were also part of the clearing team. However, with only ten minutes left until the six-hour mark, they could retreat after another ten minutes. Suddenly, Richard noticed the expressions of the White Wizards around him change; they looked as if they wanted their rage to shoot right out of their eyes. Richard quickly went to the Command Room and found Ivan continuously cursing. ¡°The Command has ordered us to hold out for three more hours!¡± Ivan roared. Hearing this, Richard felt a surge of anger rush to his head. Three more hours? They were deliberately trying to kill them! ¡°No way, if we stay for three more hours, we¡¯re finished!¡± Richard declared resolutely. ¡°Take everyone and retreat; staying any longer means certain death.¡± ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± Ivan laughed bitterly. ¡°Richard, you go ahead. You¡¯ll survive if you retreat; we won¡¯t. You have someone to protect you, but if we retreat, it¡¯s insubordination. Even if it escalates to the general Command, we¡¯ll lose. There are always suicide missions on the battlefield; if we don¡¯t hold our ground, not only will we die, our properties will be confiscated by the army, and our students will also bear an indelible stigma.¡± Ivan stood up, placing a Communication Crystal Ball in Richard¡¯s hand and whispered, ¡°This includes all the information about this battle. If possible, spread this. If not, then forget it.¡± Ivan¡¯s eyes were resolute, as he was already resigned to his fate. Holding the crystal ball, it felt heavier to Richard than even a Pure Gold Divine Statue. He was about to say something else when Ivan shook his head gently. Richard pocketed the crystal ball, nodding fiercely. ¡°Rest assured, I will¡­¡± Richard hadn¡¯t finished speaking when he suddenly heard a voice coming from his own Communication Crystal Ball. The voice was very familiar¡ªit was Ali¡¯s teacher, Susanna¡¯s voice. ¡°All wizards in the Third Battle Zone, pay attention. All wizards in the Third Battle Zone, both Black and White, retreat to the Floating City. All wizards, both Black and White, retreat to the Floating City!¡± COMMENT Chapter 164 03-25 - 64: Has Our Army Been Defeated? Chapter 164: Chapter 64: Has Our Army Been Defeated? Upon hearing the message from the high command, the faces of the two people caught up in the emotional moment stiffened suddenly. ¡°Uh¡­ this¡­¡± Richard turned his head away, ¡°I¡¯ll go retrieve my Alchemy Golem. You take charge and organize the others.¡± With that said, Richard left the Command Room as if fleeing. How awkward it was to have that whisper of romance cut off midway. Stepping outside the War Fortress, Richard opened the Secret Realm to let the Magic Statue enter, then called Ulysses to prepare for retreat. ¡°Ga, we¡¯re finally retreating. If we waited any longer, that giant worm would have been ready to move.¡± ... Hearing this, Richard glanced at the distant War Giant Worm, a foreboding feeling flashing through his mind. ¡°High command is ordering a retreat back to the Floating City¡­ could it be that our forces have been defeated?¡± After the retreat message, the White Wizards within the Fortress acted with astonishing agility. The colossal Alchemy Magic Stone Cannons were swiftly disassembled into several large pieces by two people within ten seconds, and all of it was stored in Magic Pockets. These Magic Stone Cannons were not cheap; if left on the battlefield, their entire team would owe the Wizard Army a hefty sum of Magic Stones. Without the firepower of the Magic Stone Cannons, the Insect Tide was rapidly advancing towards the War Fortress. But they were fast, and the Wizards were faster. Within a minute of receiving the retreat message, all of the War Fortress¡¯s supplies had been packed up, the speed of which was breathtaking. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Protected by Ulysses and Richard, the White Wizards gathered behind the War Fortress, forming a wedge-shaped formation. Richard swung his Magic Wand and killed an approaching insect, then joined the ranks of the White Wizard team. Ivan pulled him to his side and then issued an order. ¡°All units prepare¡ªnow execute Plan Number Four for a strategic shift.¡± Upon those words, Richard felt a lightness in his body, as if weightless. Ivan laughed heartily at Richard, ¡°Brother Richard, today I¡¯ll show you the skills of our White Wizards!¡± After he said that, Richard felt the scene before him change rapidly, as the entire White Wizard team skimmed through the dark clouds like seagulls, heading toward the Floating City. Behind them, the swarm chased them like dark clouds, but the distance grew increasingly wider. A Warrior Worm, watching the distant team of Wizards, cursed loudly, ¡°Damn it¡¯s freakish, these Wizards are hard enough to fight, but they¡¯re even faster when fleeing!¡± ¡­ Arriving at the Floating City Fortress, the place seemed to have become a hedgehog at this moment, with the White Wizard Army that retreated from the frontlines now urgently constructing defensive fortifications based on the residential circle around the Fortress. Various Alchemy Magic Stone Cannons were installed and ready to be deployed into combat. Upon reaching the Floating City, Richard and his team were immediately located by logistics Wizards and prepared to be assigned tasks. The logistics Wizard approached the team, holding a Crystal Ball in hand. ¡°Squad number?¡± ¡°White Wizard Squad No. 352 of the Third Battle Zone reporting for duty!¡± ¡°The Third Battle Zone?¡± The logistics Wizard looked at the lineup of Richard¡¯s team with a hint of surprise, ¡°Wasn¡¯t the Third Battle Zone riddled with holes by the insects? Your squad looks pretty intact.¡± ¡°Riddled with holes?¡± Richard reacted in astonishment, ¡°Is the situation in the Third Battle Zone that bad?¡± The logistics Wizard nodded: ¡°It seems you¡¯re lucky you didn¡¯t encounter those giant worms. Several large worms appeared in the Third War Zone, and our fortress defenses couldn¡¯t hold them. The Third Battle Zone Command Center had intended to deal with these with War Airships, but the numbers were too high, and they couldn¡¯t be dealt with. I heard that to prevent the front from collapsing too quickly, many fortresses were sacrificed and left on the battlefield.¡± Hearing this, all members of the White Wizard squad clenched their fists. They were among those abandoned pieces. Ivan said nothing else, gestured for silence to his teammates, and then followed the logistics Wizard to the task site. ¡°This is the place.¡± The logistics Wizard pointed to a few houses in the residential district, ¡°Set up your Magic Stone Cannons for defense here, then assign a few people to pick up supplies to transform these houses into fortresses. As for this Black Wizard¡­¡± He glanced at Richard, then tapped the Crystal Ball a few times: ¡°You don¡¯t have a task at the moment, you¡¯re under the unified command of the headquarters. For now, find a place to rest.¡± After the logistics Wizard left, Richard said goodbye to Ivan and the others. As a Black Wizard, he could not be much help in constructing defenses. Passing through the bustling residential district, Richard found an area where the Black Wizards were congregating in the Floating City Fortress. Black Wizards from the frontlines were gathering in small groups, exchanging information with each other. After looking around, Richard unexpectedly found two figures who shouldn¡¯t have been there. ¡°Ali, Lawrence!¡± Richard approached with some surprise. Seeing Richard, they both showed happy expressions. ¡°Richard, you¡¯re back!¡± Ali ran to Richard¡¯s side and gave him a tight hug. Releasing the embrace, Richard asked with some perplexity, ¡°You all were in hibernation, weren¡¯t you? How did you come up from underground?¡± At this moment, Lawrence walked up to Richard and fist-bumped him. ¡°We were, but don¡¯t forget, before the war began, the main force of these bugs was called away. Under such circumstances, we hibernating wizards naturally started to take action. Among the hibernating wizards, there was a Three Rings Master who led us out of the Insect Nest.¡± Although Lawrence spoke lightly, Richard, who had experienced both a breakout from the Insect Nest and the battlefield, knew the risks embedded in those few words were enough to take the life of an average wizard ten times over. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s good to be alive,¡± Richard smiled. After a bit more small talk, Richard steered the conversation toward the situation on the battlefield. ¡°According to the intelligence we have at the moment, our situation doesn¡¯t look very optimistic,¡± Lawrence whispered, ¡°I heard that in the First Battle Zone our main forces fought against nearly twenty million bugs, piling their corpses so high they could form mountains. We¡¯ve also suffered not insignificant losses here, with more than a dozen War Airships destroyed.¡± Richard was taken aback as he heard this. The destruction of over a dozen War Airships meant not just the airships were damaged. Each War Airship was protected by a White Wizard Army detachment, so the loss of these airships indicated that the White Wizard Army had been seriously hit as well. ¡°So now, returning to the Floating City, are we planning to¡­¡± Richard¡¯s gaze flickered as he spoke; Lawrence saw it and simply shook his head lightly. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be like that. The ground battlefield is merely a part of the Plane War. What truly decides the direction of the war¡­¡± Lawrence pointed upwards, ¡°is the Great Wizard and the World Master of the worms. As long as the Black Tower Great Wizard wins, it¡¯s no problem if the battle situation is temporarily adverse. But¡­¡± Lawrence sighed and did not continue, but the meaning of his words was crystal clear to everyone. If they lost, they¡¯d have to beat a disgraced retreat. ¡­ On the fifth day of withdrawal from the front line, the first batch of troops from the First Battle Zone pulled back. Those wizards, whether Black or White, each emitted a thick murderous aura, looking as if they could devour others alive just through eye contact. This batch of wizards was escorting a large number of wizard casualties, each of them barely hanging on to life and all severely wounded with no combat capacity left. Among the escorting wizards, a considerable part were also bearing injuries, some with organs exposed, their hearts thumping viscerally, a chilling sight to behold. By then, the project to remodel the residential area was already halfway done. After this group of wizards withdrew, the project¡¯s progress rapidly accelerated. On the eighth day, the second batch of troops pulled back, and they were all Black Wizards. After withdrawing, they brought both bad and good news to the wizards of the Floating City. The bad news: the battle situation was collapsing. The good news: the Mother Worm God had intervened. Although the intervention of the Mother Worm God caused the battle situation to collapse, it also indicated one thing ¡ª the insects also could no longer endure the enormous casualties. While the wizards had paid such a heavy price, the insects had to bear losses ten times, twenty times more grievous. On the tenth day, the last batch of troops from the First Battle Zone withdrew. Behind them, an ocean of insects spread out like a vast sea. Above the tide of insects, a hundreds of meters long golden War Giant Worm moved slowly, its body radiating Holy Light. The insects bathed in the Holy Light were all vigorous, and their wounds quickly regenerated. And behind the retreating wizards, a huge robed wizard sheltered them. The robed wizard held a giant Rune Wand, and with every swing, he would summon apocalyptic spells. A massive Rune Array materialized in the Void, from which Molten Lava Meteors shot out like a meteor shower. After the meteors came Thunder. Colossal bolts of lightning that streaked across the sky turned the perpetual night of the Insect Nest World almost into daylight. But every one of these was blocked by the giant golden insect. The Black Crystal on the forehead of the golden insect attracted the starlight from the entire world; with the help of the World Origin, the whole world was aiding the Mother Worm God. The dense starlight almost turned substantial, forming a curtain of light that intercepted those world-ending spells. At this moment, heaven, earth, and man were all in the hands of the Mother Worm God. As the Communication Crystal Ball lit up, all wizards within the Floating City Fortress received their commands. ¡°Hold the Floating City Fortress, no retreat permitted.¡± Aside from this overarching command, each wizard also received their specific instructions: the White Wizards were ordered to defend the completed fortifications, while the Black Wizards were to prepare to hunt down insects that breached the fortress. After all, the residential area was not a true fortress. Despite being reconstructed by the White Wizards, there must be many gaps. And it was the Black Wizards who were to fill these gaps. Whoosh¡ªBoom! As a Fireball exploded at the edge of the insect tide, the decisive battle officially began. COMMENT 0 comment Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 165 03-25 - 65: The Bloody War Chapter 165: Chapter 65: The Bloody War Explosions, roars, screams, prayers¡­ The various sounds on the battlefield mixed together, making one feel as though they were in hell. White Wizards¡¯ Alchemy Magic Stone Cannons fired fireballs at a rate of thirty rounds per minute¡ªa number that might seem trivial, but when tens of thousands of these cannons roared in unison, the fireballs turned into an apocalyptic rain of fire. Tens of thousands of fireballs rained down on the Insect Tide like droplets, and the Wizards didn¡¯t even need to aim; every fireball took its toll. Following commands, the White Wizards had every four Magic Stone Cannons blockade an area, with concentrated fire attempting to intercept all insects. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But for every insect killed by a fireball, two more would take its place, and if those two were killed, even more would step up. ... The Wizards¡¯ Magic Stones were being consumed every moment, but the swarm was endless. Moreover, the swarm wasn¡¯t without strategic weapons. The Transport Worms carried miniature Mother Goddess Robes that continuously spewed deadly arc acid liquid balls. Though individually insignificant, when their numbers reached the thousands, even Three Rings Wizards had to evade their sharpness. ¡°Activate the Magic Barrier!¡± one White Wizard after another roared in the psychic network. When constructing residential areas, the White Wizards had considered the possibility of converting them into fortresses, so a complete Magic Array foundation was built beneath each dwelling. When the time came to transform them into fortresses, these foundations required only minor modifications to provide the houses with some of the essential features of a fortress. For instance, strategic level Magic Barriers. Barrier after barrier lit up on the housings, with arc acid liquid balls striking and creating ripples upon impact. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Though these Magic Barriers were not as exquisitely crafted as those of a War Fortress, they were the only choice for the White Wizards at the moment. The ground battlefield was temporarily stable, and battles in the skies had become even more intense. The last batch of Wizards to withdraw wasn¡¯t only composed of Wizards; War Airships also retreated with them. The severely damaged airships landed for repairs, while those with minor damage continued to fight. The decrease in airships did not mean the Wizards¡¯ firepower was reduced. Countless Alchemy Weapons in the Floating City Fortress were activated. Controlled by the logistic Wizards, these Alchemy Weapons unleashed deadly anti-aircraft fire that tore the Moth Army to pieces. The White Wizards held firm on the defense line, with the defaced Guardian Wizards at the forefront, sustaining the Magic Barrier with stern expressions. Since their Apprentice days, they had studied Magic Barriers extensively, and after years of research, their ability to withstand was far beyond that of an average Wizard. They were the steadfast support for the rear-line Shaping Wizards; whether faced with insects or arc acid liquid balls, even if the attack was lethal or the liquid balls could melt their bodies, they would not shrink back. One fell, another took their place; as long as there were reserves, their defense line would never collapse! Above this aerial battlefield, there was yet another battle. Two colossal beings were locked in a devastating battle. The massive Mother Worm God hovered calmly in the sky, its Holy Light constantly augmenting the swarm of insects, with a barrier of light in front of It, blocking all the Great Wizard¡¯s Spells. It was not in a hurry to confront the Black Tower Great Wizard. After the last battle, It had come to understand that in terms of combat experience, It, who had only fought with giant mushrooms, was far inferior to the Black Robed Wizard before It. Thus, It chose another mode of combat¡ªunchanging in the face of variability. The Mother Worm God¡¯s golden light greatly enhanced the swarm¡¯s combat abilities, while the Black Tower Great Wizard lacked any group-buff abilities. According to the fragments of information from those Wizard souls, this Iron City was extremely expensive, and even this powerful Wizard only rented, rather than built it. As long as the swarm could overcome the Wizards and enter that Iron City, even if It did not battle this Black-Robed Wizard, he would obediently return on his own. The outcome of this war had already been decided before it even started. The Black Tower Great Wizard looked at the insect before him, his Magic Wand still casually casting terrifying Spells, but doubts began to form in his mind. This insect¡¯s power was somewhat beyond his expectations. A World Master of an ordinary Miniature World couldn¡¯t possibly be as troublesome as the Mother Worm God. The Mother Worm God was perfect in using Its Talent Abilities and Power of Faith, along with the help of the Power of the World. More importantly, this insect had intelligence. Its tactics were very steady; if he had no trump cards, the result of this battle was already predetermined. After much thought and consideration, the Black Tower Great Wizard finally made a decision. He sighed and sent a Spiritual Message to his beloved Apprentice Susanna, ¡°Susanna, have logistics prepare to open the Teleportation Gate.¡± ¡­ Whoosh¡ªBang! The Magic Wand, with a whistling sound, smashed an insect¡¯s head into pulp. Clad in Black Scale, Richard leaned against the wall and gasped for breath. Around him, a dozen insect carcasses lay with heads shattered or bodies cleaved, their deaths were incredibly tragic. Boom! A purple fireball flew past Richard, exploding a Samurai Worm poised to ambush into pieces, leaving spotty green stains on the walls. ¡°Compared to you, the way I kill these insects is rather dignified,¡± Richard joked. Not far behind him, Ali, leaning on her Magic Wand, had bloodshot eyes and illusory flames flickering at the corners. This was a side effect of Ali¡¯s Bloodline when fighting with full force. However, upon being gazed at by those eyes, even Richard¡¯s cells vibrated minutely. Come to think of it, he had not yet asked Ali about the specific creature¡¯s Bloodline she had merged with. ¡°Dignified?¡± Ali sneered at Richard, ¡°Exploding into pieces is definitely more dignified than being turned into a specimen.¡± A shadow seeped out from among the corpses, and in a blink of an eye, transformed into a Black Wizard. He said to Richard and Ali, ¡°Can you two stop flirting? We¡¯ve got more bugs coming over here!¡± Despite the barrage of firepower from the White Wizard, some escapees always remained. These few survivors, in comparison to the dead insects, might not be many, but against such a vast swarm, even the ones that got through were considerable in number. Moreover, these infiltrators were often stronger than the average insect and posed a troublesome challenge for the Black Wizards. Corpses of insects and wizards alike kept falling from the sky, and occasionally, the wreckage of war airships added to the complexity of the residential area¡¯s landscape. Richard and his two companions maneuvered around these obstacles and quickly located the group of insects disrupting a White Wizard¡¯s artillery position. Behind them, the body of a Black Wizard, sliced into pieces, was scattered on the ground. Boom! A human-head-sized purple fireball whooshed past, exploding amidst the swarm in the blink of an eye. The insects turned to counterattack, only to see hands suddenly extend from the shadows under their feet, trapping them firmly in place. Richard then grinned ferociously, and his figure vanished in an instant. In the blink of an eye, a prolonged whooshing sound was heard as six insect heads were almost instantaneously smashed to a pulp. It had to be said that after integrating with pure gold, Richard had increasingly enjoyed using his magic wand like a club. Black flames ignited on the wand, and the intense heat instantly turned the residual viscous fluid on its surface to ash. Richard, wand in hand, greeted the wizard operating the artillery of the White Wizard. ¡°Ivan, how are you guys holding up?¡± The beleaguered artillery was none other than the position manned by Ivan¡¯s squad. Ivan waved at Richard, ¡°We¡¯re holding up, apart from the occasional bug harassment, the rest is just¡­¡± Bang! A loud noise instantly drew everyone¡¯s attention. Beside Ivan¡¯s position, a blood-drenched wizard ran out, shouting at them: ¡°The Magic Stone Cannon has suffered a meltdown! Alchemy Wizard!¡± Ivan¡¯s face changed drastically as he hurried into the neighboring artillery position, followed by Richard, an Alchemy Wizard. Inside the room, the bloody scene at the operator¡¯s spot of the Alchemy Magic Stone Cannon was a horror; where a White Wizard used to stand, now only two legs remained. Ivan, confronting this sight, couldn¡¯t help but show a hint of sorrow. This artillery was under the command of his squad, and the wizard who died was a member of his team. Ivan assessed the Magic Stone Cannon quickly: ¡°The cannon has melted down; we need to replace the casting components, reshape the magic conduction circuit, and perform basic repairs.¡± He then began searching for his squad¡¯s Alchemy Wizard. But in the next moment, he was rooted to the spot. ¡°Ivan, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Richard sensed that something was off. With a vacant look, Ivan pointed at the legs, ¡°If I remember correctly, he was our squad¡¯s Alchemy Wizard.¡± The air turned leaden. Without an Alchemy Wizard for repairs, the cannon was as good as scrap. Their current firepower was already insufficient to prevent insects from nearing; if the Magic Stone Cannon were out of commission, their position would become a breach in the entire defense line. During the defense of the Third War Zone, they had cursed their neighbors for causing a breach. Now, fate had turned; it was their turn. ¡°Damn it!¡± Ivan leaned against the Magic Stone Cannon, his vision spinning. At this critical moment, the defense line absolutely could not afford any issues. This wasn¡¯t the Third War Zone; they were defending the Floating City! If a breach occurred, he might not even live to see the command center¡¯s reprisal but would likely die in the upcoming insect tide. A minor protrusion in the insect tide was already visible due to the lack of fire cover, and thousands of insects had taken notice of this gap in firepower. Within minutes, some of these insects would break through the fire network and flood through this opening deep into their territory. ¡°Richard, stay here and guard this place. I¡¯ll look for another squad¡¯s Alchemy Wizard. If we can get one from another squad, it¡¯s not too late.¡± After the bout of dizziness, Ivan snapped to a decision, which was the only remedy under the circumstances. Although he knew this was a long shot. The Magic Stone Cannon required a reshaping of the magic conduction circuit, a time-consuming job. Unless one of the top masters from the corps was nearby, there was no hope of saving this artillery. But as long as there was a sliver of a chance, Ivan would struggle to seize it. With Ivan¡¯s departure, Ali and Lawrence¡¯s expressions grew solemn as they took out their Communication Crystal Balls to notify any available Black Wizards nearby for assistance. Richard alone seemed to fumble around the artillery position. ¡°Richard, what are you doing?¡± Lawrence asked, puzzled. ¡°While you¡¯re an Alchemy Wizard, repairing these Magic Stone Cannons requires specialized training. Most Alchemy Wizards can only replace a part or two at most.¡± Richard¡¯s hand brushed against a component adorned with silver patterns, and instantly, information flashed before his eyes. [Raw Materials: Damaged Lavoce II Magic Stone Cannon Magic Conducting Components] [Refinement Skill: Reshape Magic Conduction Circuit] [Refinement Consumption: 5 Spiritual Power] Richard¡¯s smirk hinted at a subtle confidence: ¡°Well, not necessarily. The damage to this Magic Stone Cannon doesn¡¯t look too severe. I think I can fix it.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 166 03-25 - 66: Battlefield Mechanic - Master Richard Chapter 166: Chapter 66: Battlefield Mechanic ¨C Master Richard ¡°You can fix it?¡± Lawrence exclaimed in surprise, ¡°then hurry up, without this thing¡¯s firepower, we¡¯ll have to deal with hundreds of bugs shortly.¡± Saying that, he glanced at the Crystal Ball, and his face turned very ugly. ¡°Damn it, all the Black Wizards around are dealing with bugs, and several gun emplacements have this kind of problem; they¡¯re all calling for support.¡± These Magic Stone Cannons had been withdrawn from the front lines after intensive use and inevitably had some hidden damages, which might not be visible on ordinary days but could cost you dearly at critical moments. Richard didn¡¯t say much more and shoved the Magic Conducting Components under his robe, then refined the skills above. A white light appeared above the Melter, which Richard absorbed, and instantly various illusions appeared before his eyes. Different Wizards had left deep imprints on this component with the same skill; the Melter refined these imprints, removing impurities and leaving behind the most exquisite skills, which then merged into Richard¡¯s soul. ... The next moment, Richard opened his eyes, took out a black slate, a bottle of ink, and a quill pen from his pocket. With the quill pen, he drew a simple Alchemy Array on the slate, placed the Magic Conducting Component within, then infused Magic Power into the Array, his spirit entering the Alchemy Array to begin reshaping the Magic Conducting Circuit. The biggest problem with reshaping a Magic Conduction Circuit was the need for multitasking, progressing on multiple fronts, which for some Wizards was a skill that could be mastered with a bit of practice, but for others, it could be a lifelong struggle of confusion and clumsiness. The Magic Conducting Component gradually changed within the Alchemy Array, its surface scratches began to vanish, and its dim surface started to regain its shine. Fine silver lines spread from the bottom of the Magic Conducting Component, wrapping around the entire component like a tree diagram. At this moment, Ivan, who was seeking an Alchemy Wizard, flew in with a white-robed Wizard. This white-robed Wizard had a strong presence, a Second Ring Wizard, with a full white beard, deep wrinkles on his face, and the air of decayed life force about him, all signs of an extremely experienced old Wizard. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï ¡°Master, it¡¯s this¡­¡± Ivan was cut off before he could finish speaking as the old Wizard covered his mouth. He pointed to Richard, who was reshaping the Magic Conduction Circuit, and sent a Spiritual Message: ¡°Kid, can¡¯t you see someone¡¯s working here?¡± Dozens of seconds later, Richard opened his eyes and inserted the Magic Conducting Component back into the Magic Stone Cannon. He turned around to see an old Wizard staring at him. The old Wizard said nothing, went to the Magic Stone Cannon, pulled out Richard¡¯s Magic Conducting Component, and checked it. Ivan introduced, ¡°Richard, this is our legion¡¯s Master of Arms, Master Vladimir.¡± The old Wizard finished checking the component, then reinserted it and took out a rune-covered metal component from his Magic Pocket and placed it into the Magic Stone Cannon, followed by a Metal ingot. The operations that followed were beyond Richard¡¯s comprehension. Without drawing any Alchemy Arrays, the old Wizard let his Magic Power surge, and the Metal ingot rapidly changed shape in his hands, forming several metal parts, even growing Runes on the surfaces of the parts. Such operations, to Richard, were nothing short of miraculous. Alchemy can be used like this? After installing the parts, the old Wizard directed Magic Power into the Magic Stone Cannon, and as a Magic Wave spread from the rune-covered component, he turned to Ivan and said, ¡°Done, it¡¯s fixed.¡± Then, he came over to Richard and scrutinized him with an almost inspecting gaze. ¡°Black Wizard, your teacher is Jolod, isn¡¯t it?¡± Richard was slightly taken aback and nodded. Upon hearing this, the old Wizard snorted coldly, ¡°The Black Tower Wizard Academy would only teach its students to use such antiquated skills. Still using a slate to draw an Alchemy Array on the battlefield, you wouldn¡¯t be laughed to death if people heard.¡± Richard¡¯s expression turned somewhat displeased. Although he didn¡¯t know what relationship this old Wizard had with his teacher, the sarcastic tone irked him greatly. Just as he was about to retort, he saw the old Wizard take out a Crystal Ball and a Magic Scroll from his pocket. ¡°Kid, you¡¯ve been temporarily conscripted by me, this is my authorization scroll.¡± After that, he handed the Crystal Ball to Richard: ¡°This contains an introduction to Battlefield Alchemy that I have compiled; learn it quickly, and tell your teacher when you go back that learning a bit of Alchemy Mechanical Science won¡¯t kill him. Things that apprentices can do, and he refuses to learn, what a stubborn old fool.¡± Richard¡¯s expression became serious, and he received the Crystal Ball with both hands. Although this old Wizard was sarcastic, the fact that he presented knowledge immediately made Richard respect him profoundly. As Richard¡¯s spiritual power explored the Crystal Ball, a vast amount of information rushed into his brain. Much of this information was very basic, and Richard had learned many of these things from Jolod. But after the old Wizard¡¯s organization and additions, seemingly unrelated knowledge was connected, greatly enriching Richard¡¯s understanding of Alchemy. After assimilating and refining this knowledge, it became a skill known as Battlefield Alchemy. This skill allowed Alchemy Wizards to perform simple Alchemy operations in an extremely short time. Having received the knowledge, Richard gave the old Wizard a Wizard¡¯s Salute. ¡°Master, what can I do for you?¡± The old wizard nodded satisfiedly, evidently Richard had seen the power of this skill. ¡°Kid, we¡¯ve got cannon emplacements damaged all over, and as my assistant, you¡¯re responsible for helping me repair the Magic Stone Cannons.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Richard blinked, ¡°Master, we Black Wizards haven¡¯t been trained to repair cannon emplacements; that earlier fix was just a fluke since the parts weren¡¯t too damaged, and I was just trying a desperate solution¡­¡± The old wizard waved his hand, furrowing his brow and cutting Richard off. ¡°Training or no training, it¡¯s just that a bunch of idiots haven¡¯t mastered the basics. Reconstructing the Magic Conduction Circuit is basic Alchemy, and you did just fine without any training.¡± He was obviously very displeased with this training system, speaking with utter disdain. In his view, all an Alchemy Wizard needed to learn were Magic Stone Cannon blueprints for making temporary parts when repairs were necessary; all other learning was quite useless. Any wizard who needed special training to repair was just an idiot who didn¡¯t have the fundamentals down. Seeing this, Richard had no choice but to say goodbye to Ali and Lawrence and started working with the old wizard as part of a battlefield firefighting team. ¡­ The situation on the battlefield was dire. After intense use at the front lines, almost every Magic Stone Cannon had sustained various hidden damages. Each of those hidden damages could cause an area to become weak in firepower, allowing large numbers of bugs to penetrate residential areas, harassing the cannon positions and causing a chain reaction. ¡°Kid, handle this.¡± The old wizard handed Richard a Magic Conducting Component, its intricate lines inducing dizziness in any ordinary person at a glance. This was a component of the Tesla V Magic Stone Cannon, far more complex than the Lavoisier II type that Richard had repaired before. The components were complex, but the principle was the same. Richard held the Magic Conducting Component, and a tiny Alchemy Array appeared in his palm. This was a basic technique of Battlefield Alchemy¡ªthe Alchemy Array in palm. This technique required the wizard to have extremely precise control over magic power, but as luck would have it, Richard was particularly skilled in this aspect. Years of making Magic Equipment had given him far superior control over magic power compared to the average wizard. The Alchemy Array completed, the Magic Conducting Component in Richard¡¯s hands began to shine, the intricate Magic Conducting Circuit emitting a faint light as it was powered by magic, these tiny beams of light spreading from the bottom to the top in an evenly paced and steady manner. ¡°Hmm, not bad, the fundamentals are solid.¡± The old wizard took the part back, patting Richard¡¯s shoulder with approval, ¡°Jolod, that old thing, always manages to attract good apprentices. Eric was one, and now you too. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Right, Eric should be close to a Three Rings by now; I wonder if Jolod¡¯s old face will feel any pride being surpassed by his student.¡± At these words, Richard¡¯s lips trembled slightly as he spoke softly: ¡°Master, Brother Eric¡­ has fallen behind enemy lines.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Oh!¡± The old wizard startled, his eyes widening as if they were bells. But soon he regained his composure, though his voice was a little low: ¡°Another short-lived genius¡­ Sigh!¡± He had lived too long and seen too many such occurrences to find it strange. Following the old wizard, Richard went from the eastern side of the residential area to the western, repairing more than a dozen Magic Stone Cannons along the way and becoming more adept at reshaping Magic Conduction Circuits, earning himself the title of ¡°Master Richard.¡± The old wizard repaired even more and demonstrated to Richard what real Battlefield Alchemy was. An entire Magic Stone Cannon was practically destroyed due to melting and an Acid Liquid Ball assault. But the old wizard, after inspection, deemed it still worth repairing. He then took out several Metal ingots, fusing them into one big chunk. He pressed on the Metal ingot with both hands, and it began to morph and reshape as if alive, with parts detaching from the ingot, each marked with fiery red Runes. Spiritual immersion, shaping, and Engraving Runes, he compressed these three processes into a moment, multitasking at the same time. In just over a minute, the huge Metal ingot was transformed into a pile of parts. Richard wasn¡¯t sure about the quality of these parts, but he was certain they were enough for this Magic Stone Cannon to regain functionality. On the battlefield, nothing else mattered as long as it worked. ¡­ After reshaping the Magic Conducting Component, Richard passed it to the old wizard, leaning against the wall as his vision repeatedly darkened. Using the Alchemy Array was a process that greatly exhausted spiritual power, and as a One Ring Wizard, his spiritual power was drained after repairing over a dozen Magic Stone Cannons. Looking at the endless sea of bugs in the distance, a sense of despair suddenly welled up within him. The battle of the battlefield had been raging for three days, the swarms of bugs were still endless; could they really win? Suddenly, Richard felt a slight tremor from the ground. He looked towards the mass of bugs. Dozens of colossal figures slowly revealed their forms in the depths of the battlefield. After thirteen days of progress, the War Beasts that had dominated the Third War Zone had finally reached the frontline battlefield. COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 167 03-25 - 67: If You Cant Beat Them, Shake Them Off Chapter 167: Chapter 67: If You Can¡¯t Beat Them, Shake Them Off The appearance of the War Giant Worms had brought some changes to the battlefield. Faced with this group of powerful siege creatures, the command had no choice but to dedicate significant forces to deal with them, lest these insects completely overwhelm the outer defense perimeter of the Floating City. However, given the sheer number of the insects, the command¡¯s resources were stretched thin. ¡°Activate the Big Decomposition Cannon,¡± suggested a Three Rings Wizard in the command room. ¡°Without the Big Decomposition Cannon, those giant insects are simply unmanageable.¡± ... The trouble with the War Giant Worms did not lie in the creatures themselves, but in the swarms of insects that clung to them. In the face of such an insect tide, no wizard could withstand the onslaught of the smaller creatures and slay the giants. ¡°What does the Curse School think?¡± another Three Rings Wizard asked. As one of the Five Major Schools, the Curse Wizards played a limited role on the front lines. Although Curse Witchcraft was powerful, it was the torrent of spells that truly constituted a weapon on the battlefield. However, their limited role on the front lines did not mean that the Curse Wizards were useless. When facing certain difficult-to-handle enemies, a Curse team composed of Curse Wizards was a strategic weapon. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°No, the Curse team has tried many times. But these giant insects are protected by the World Master of the enemy¡¯s world using the Power of the World. Even a Great Wizard from the Curse School would struggle to break through this protection.¡± ¡°So, we go back to the Big Decomposition Cannon,¡± the Three Rings Wizard proposed again. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã? At the center of this group of Three Rings Wizards, Susanna, enveloped in flames, was deep in thought. Currently, the Great Wizard was fighting on the frontline, leaving Susanna to bear the full burden of command¡ªpower that was immense yet profoundly heavy. Suddenly, the flames around Susanna flared intensely, and her crimson eyes emitted a chilling presence. ¡°The Big Decomposition Cannon¡­ do not activate it! All the energy of the Floating City must now be diverted to ignite the Cross-border Portal. All else must yield to the portal!¡± Susanna believed that the task her teacher had assigned her held significant importance. Perhaps, behind the portal, there lay a fully prepared White Wizard Army waiting for her. As the supreme commander, Susanna¡¯s orders were to be followed, even if there were objections. Many voices could discuss an order, but once decided, there was only one voice¡ªthat of obedience. ¡°If we¡¯re not using the Big Decomposition Cannon, we need to prepare to retreat to the Inner Ring,¡± sighed a Three Rings Wizard. ¡°I¡¯ll have the logistics wizards ready, and I¡¯ll direct them later.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been years since I¡¯ve been on the battlefield; I hope my skills remain.¡± As the command room debated, the frontline wizards remained unaware, holding their positions steadfastly as no orders had been issued yet. A step wasn¡¯t just a joke. The old wizard glanced at the distant War Giant Worms, his wrinkles growing deeper. ¡°They¡¯re tough to deal with, lad, here, take this.¡± The old wizard handed Richard a Magic Pocket filled with parts for Magic Stone Cannons. He patted Richard¡¯s shoulder, ¡°You and I have repaired plenty of Magic Stone Cannons together. This thing isn¡¯t hard; I¡¯m leaving the rest to you. Given the current situation, it seems the command doesn¡¯t plan on using the Big Decomposition Cannon, or else we would already be feeling the Magic Fluctuations. I need to go find some old chaps in logistics to assemble a big device to take down these giant insects. Otherwise, we¡¯re all doomed.¡± With that, the old wizard flew towards the depths of the Floating City Fortress, leaving Richard alone, staring blankly. At that moment, Richard felt like Ben Boba from Journey to the West. ¡°You go and take down Tang Seng and his disciples.jpg¡± As a loud bang resounded nearby, a White Wizard rushed towards Richard. ¡°Master Richard, our Magic Stone Cannon has melted!¡± Richard nodded blankly and then gripped the pocket tightly. Since the orders were given, there was nothing left but to grit one¡¯s teeth and get on with it. ¡­ The horror of the battlefield lies in the fact that most people cannot control their own life and death. Often, death and survival are just a step away. Sizzling¡­ A ball of arc acid liquid broke through the Magic Barrier, exploding inside a residential area and instantly melting half the body of a wizard. And Richard was only a step away from him. Watching the lifeless wizard in front of him, Richard coldly flew over the corpse into a cannon room. Inside, a wizard with half his body charred was receiving treatment from an Undead Wizard, his controlled Magic Stone Cannon now quiet. Richard looked at the Magic Stone Cannon, which was well made; even the runes on the parts had carvings, making it quite appealing. Even now, melted, it hadn¡¯t suffered significant damage; it only required the reshaping of the Magic Conduction circuit and a reinstallation of a casting component to function again. ¡°Master Richard, could you please see to this Magic Stone Cannon?¡± a White Wizard respectfully said. News of Richard¡¯s battlefield repairs had spread. While the army¡¯s ordnance chief was inside the Floating City assembling a large device, Richard had quickly become one of the most reliable Alchemy Wizards at the frontline. Rumors about Richard swiftly transformed within hours¡ªfrom ¡°Master Richard reshaping conduction circuits in just one minute,¡± to ¡°Master Richard can fix any Magic Stone Cannon, no matter how damaged,¡± and finally to ¡°Master Richard can handcraft Magic Stone Cannons.¡± While exaggerated, these rumors also sideways validated Richard¡¯s capabilities. Richard touched the Magic Stone Cannon, and suddenly, a piece of information appeared in front of his eyes. [Raw Material: Damaged Lavoce II Magic Stone Cannon] [Refinable Information: Lavoce II Magic Stone Cannon blueprints (incomplete)] [Refinement Cost: 10 spiritual power] Richard was startled and turned around to speak to the surrounding wizards, ¡°This cannon is somewhat troublesome to repair, please help me block those worms that are infiltrating.¡± As he spoke, Richard cast a Fireball, blasting a Samurai Worm trying to enter the room away. ¡°Of course, Master!¡± Several White Wizards responded and then left the room to guard Richard. After they departed, Richard immediately chose to refine. After a moment of dizziness, a ball of white light appeared above the Miracle Furnace; Richard ingested it and a design diagram missing several components appeared before him. The missing parts were Magic Conducting Components, but to Richard, these components were not significant. Most wizards might think that the core of the Magic Stone Cannon lies in the Magic Model of its Magic Conducting Components; however, for Richard, these components were far less useful than this highly sophisticated blueprint. Magic Stone Cannons couldn¡¯t be immediately deployed on the battlefield, they had to undergo prototypes and constant updates until they could perfectly adapt to the Plane Battlefield. This process could take up to a thousand years. Throughout this process, the components of the Magic Stone Cannon would gradually be streamlined and perfected, and the structure would evolve, which was far more precious than the Magic Model. Besides, the most crucial point was, if Richard intended to build his Magic Stone Cannons, using the same Magic Model and getting discovered would result in physical rights enforcement by the White Wizard Army. Similarities in components could be explained by coincidence, as some parts have only one optimal solution. But Magic Models would never be exactly the same. Stealing knowledge was a serious crime; although there were no patents in the Wizard World, being hunted by the original owner for stealing knowledge was an incident not even Law Enforcement Wizards would handle. After the refinement was complete, Richard repaired the Magic Conducting Components, installed the Spell Components, and left the artillery position. The White Wizards guarding the door gave him a respectful Wizard¡¯s Salute, unaware that this Black Wizard had acquired the blueprint for their army¡¯s Magic Stone Cannon. Far off, the War Giant Worms were now less than a kilometer away from the residential area, their massive bodies covered with thick shells. Although a Fireball could blast a large hole in them, the golden light from the Mother Worm God gave these giant worms a shockingly high recovery ability. Before a second Fireball could be launched, the worms¡¯ wounds began to scab over and heal visibly fast. The emergence of the giant worms created a significant gap in the wizards¡¯ firepower blockade, allowing an influx of insects mixed with the giant worms into the residential area. This line of defense was on the brink of collapse. Suddenly, Richard looked up towards the Floating City. A violent Magic Fluctuation emanated from the Floating City, followed immediately by an arc of rainbow light piercing the sky. A giant worm struck by this rainbow light instantly disintegrated into the Four Elements; the chaotic Elementalization turned into a small Elemental Storm, continuously tearing the giant worm¡¯s body and enlarging the wound. Richard saw that at the origin of the rainbow light, several elderly wizards were operating a massive Alchemy Weapon, which appeared quite rough and steampunk in style. ¡°Is this the big guy Master Vladimir assembled?¡± Richard exclaimed. But soon, Richard noticed something was wrong. The rainbow light indeed inflicted effective harm on the giant worm, but the worm¡¯s body was too large, and it took the rainbow light two full minutes to kill one worm. But with dozens of worms in the swarm, this rate was insufficient to prevent the giant worms from destroying the defense perimeter. ¡°Alas, with the protection of the Power of the World, the speed of the small Decomposition Cannon is too slow,¡± an elderly wizard sighed. Across from him, Vladimir was glaring at the distant giant worms, furiously saying, ¡°What in the world is the command center thinking, not deploying the Big Decomposition Cannon at this time? The defense line is about to collapse, if we don¡¯t use the Big Decomposition Cannon now, just wait to be overwhelmed by these bugs.¡± Another wizard walked up to Vladimir and pointed to the sky. ¡°Vladimir, the general commander is a student of the Black Tower Great Wizard, you¡¯d better be cautious with your words.¡± But right after that, he looked worriedly up at the two massive entities in the sky; ordinary people might not notice, but these elder wizards could tell that the Black Tower Great Wizard¡¯s condition had declined significantly. And the worm on the opposite side looked still vigorous. ¡°Could this be a failure?¡± ¡­ In the sky, the Mother Worm God calmly blocked the Black Tower Great Wizard¡¯s spells, the Balance of War now tipping towards Her, and in the battle, She had the absolute upper hand. The strategy of remaining unchanging to respond to all changes meant the Black Tower Great Wizard had no means to deal with Her. ¡°Wizard, take your lackeys and get out!¡± The Mother Worm God issued the first decree since the battle started. But immediately afterward, an intense Magic Fluctuation emitted from the Floating City. The Cross-border portal finally lit up by the logistic wizards. The logistic wizards nervously looked at the enormous Teleportation Gate, large enough for a War Airship to pass through. They were hoping for a whole regiment of the White Wizard Army to emerge from the gate and turn around the unfavorable battle situation; however, after a slight fluctuation of the portal, only one figure stepped in. This wizard was clad in a white robe, his body composed of blue Ice. The wizard slightly lifted his head, his gaze seeming to penetrate the Floating City, reaching directly to the battlefield in the sky where the Black Tower Great Wizard clashed with the Mother Worm God. ¡°Black Tower, you¡¯re in quite a predicament now.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 168 03-25 - 68 Sealing the Mother Worm God Chapter 168: Chapter 68 Sealing the Mother Worm God Clad in his white robe, the Wizard took one step forward, and his figure instantly vanished. In the sky, both the Mother Worm God and the Black Tower Great Wizard sensed a sudden, overwhelming presence. Unlike the Mother Worm God¡¯s panic, the Black Tower Great Wizard revealed a ferocious smile, ¡°Insect, how come you¡¯re speaking now?¡± An azure Ice figure suddenly appeared beside the Black Tower Great Wizard, then swiftly expanded to nearly a hundred meters in size. ¡°Qing Shuang, what do you think of this Slave World?¡± The Great Wizard Qing Shuang glanced at the insects on the ground, ¡°A very nice world. Resources are yours, but I¡¯ll take half of the slaves.¡± ... Upon hearing these words, the Black Tower Great Wizard¡¯s body trembled, a pained look on his face, ¡°The cost for your intervention is indeed steep.¡± The Mother Worm God watched the suddenly appearing Wizard with a heightening alertness of twelvefold. It could see that this wasn¡¯t the Wizard¡¯s true form, that the strength of the avatar was only a fraction of the original body. However, its intuition warned it not to underestimate this Wizard simply because he was an avatar. ¡°This insect is quite troublesome to kill,¡± said the Great Wizard Qing Shuang as he looked at the Mother Worm God. ¡°This avatar of mine only has a third of my main body¡¯s power. You keep it occupied, and I¡¯ll seal it with my Sealing Skill. How does that sound?¡± The Black Tower Great Wizard nodded, ¡°As you wish.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï After that, the Black Tower Great Wizard¡¯s black robe suddenly expanded, and his domain, first seen when he encountered the Mother Worm God, appeared once again. The Mother Worm God emitted a low hum, and the Insect Tide on the ground paused briefly before beginning to retreat. And it finally started to move. From its center, a grand golden light spread outward. Within the range covered by the golden light, countless insect shadows began to rise. This technique was known as Divine Country in the Gods Civilization, and there was a similar technique in the Wizard World, the domain cast by the Black Tower Great Wizard. Only a domain can counter a domain. The Mother Worm God was confident. Even with two Great Wizards present, it could rely on the world¡¯s protection to stabilize the situation. The two domains crossed paths, and a chaotic boundary line was born from this encounter. On the boundary line, the heroic spirits of the insects charged towards the indescribable entities within the domain of the Black Tower Great Wizard. These insects were all renowned figures within the Black Crystal Worm Clan. They were High Priests and Great Commanders, and in life, they were below one worm and above ten thousand worms. Compared to these heroic spirits, the indescribable entities within the Black Tower Great Wizard¡¯s domain seemed slightly inferior, and his domain was steadily diminishing in range. However, this did not please the Mother Worm God. Its gaze shifted towards the Great Wizard Qing Shuang, who felt increasingly dangerous to it. Suddenly, the Great Wizard Qing Shuang stretched out his palm, and a bunch of ever-spreading azure ice frost appeared within it, while his own presence rapidly weakened. The Mother Worm God shuddered the moment it saw the ice frost. It knew the Wizard¡¯s purpose now. The golden Divine Country began to shrink rapidly, and the Mother Worm God used its Blade Arm to slice open the Void, ready to flee this place. But within the Void, tentacles had been waiting for it. The Great Wizard Qing Shuang hurled out the ice frost. The Mother Worm God could not avoid it and was struck by the frost. In the next moment, a layer of azure frost began to spread continuously along the body of the Mother Worm God. Despite its efforts to stop the frost with golden light, the ice frost continued to proliferate. ¡°Dead Silence Ice Mountain Sealing Technique¡­ seems like you¡¯ve strengthened it a bit,¡± the Black Tower Great Wizard said with some surprise, looking at the spreading frost, ¡°It seems you¡¯re not far from the Five Rings.¡± Great Wizard Qing Shuang replied indifferently, ¡°I¡¯ve had some breakthroughs in my research lately, and I¡¯ve slightly refined it.¡± The Dead Silence Ice Mountain Sealing Technique was Great Wizard Qing Shuang¡¯s signature skill. Ever since his Apprentice days, he had been perfecting this Sealing Skill, and now as a Great Wizard, even the World Master could be sealed by it. The Mother Worm God struggled fiercely; every movement of its massive body possessed immense power, and the golden light on its body was as dazzling as the sun. Large chunks of azure ice frost continuously fell off, but the Mother Worm God¡¯s movements grew slower and slower. Richard stood on the ground and switched his view to Energy Vision. Within the frost on the Mother Worm God, countless intricate energy pathways built an extremely complex three-dimensional structure. This structure replicated itself continuously, then connected with the old structure, forming a giant net tightly enveloping the Mother Worm God. The ice frost was extracting energy from the Mother Worm God to facilitate its replication and spread; the more fiercely the Mother Worm God struggled, the faster the ice spread. Suddenly, Richard lowered his head and rubbed his eyes; a tear of blood dripped from the corner of his eye. ¡°Hissss, the brilliance of this witchcraft is truly dazzling.¡± ¡­ Half a day later, the last part of the Mother Worm God¡¯s body was encased in ice, and a golden light shot out from the black crystal between its brows, disappearing into the Void. Despite the Black Tower Great Wizard¡¯s obstruction, the golden light could not be intercepted. But none of that mattered. With ninety-nine percent of the Mother Worm God¡¯s power captured in its body now sealed by the ice mountain, even if a part of its soul escaped, it was of no consequence. The world had lost its trump card in resisting. With a thunderous crash, the azure ice mountain fell from the sky, and the trapped Mother Worm God inside looked like an insect encased in amber. ¡°This insect¡¯s power is not simple. This seal will probably last us five hundred years,¡± the Great Wizard Qing Shuang said indifferently. ¡°The ice mountain will collapse on its own after five hundred years, by then, I hope you¡¯ll be ready.¡± After all, to claim half the slaves of this world, some after-sales service was mandatory. ¡°Five hundred years¡­ sufficient,¡± the Black Tower Great Wizard said, shrinking to the size of only a few meters and flew to the center of the Floating City. He shouted down to the Wizards on the ground, ¡°Good people, the World Master of the Insect Nest World has been sealed by me and the Great Wizard Qing Shuang. This Plane War, we¡¯ve already won!¡± ¡°Oh!¡± sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Victory!¡± ¡°I survived! I survived!¡± The wizards on the ground instantly erupted into jubilation, embracing one another regardless of acquaintance, to celebrate the war victory. As long as the World Master is dealt with, even a multitude of remaining insects is nothing but slaves. ¡­ Three days after the decisive battle. ¡°Master, that¡¯s what happened. I¡¯m not sure how such behavior should be handled in a war.¡± In a room of the Command Tower, Richard sat opposite Susanna and recounted his experiences in the Third War Zone, providing evidence as well. ¡°Encountering the enemy and retreating¡­ This can be a serious or minor issue.¡± Susanna leaned back in her chair, holding a bone pipe in her hand. ¡°However, since you¡¯ve come to me, it obviously won¡¯t be a small matter. That boy will have to cough up a hefty sum of Magic Stones even if he doesn¡¯t face a military tribunal.¡± Susanna took a Crystal Ball out of her pocket and spoke into it. ¡°Bring me the records for the Third War Zone in room 4012.¡± Shortly after, a wizard knocked and entered the room, holding a substantial iron-covered book with a lion¡¯s head embossed on the cover. Susanna took the book and tapped the lion¡¯s head. ¡°Book Spirit, wake up, find the information about Fortress 351.¡± The lion¡¯s head suddenly opened its eyes and yawned like a human. ¡°Susanna, you always like to interrupt one¡¯s sweet dreams.¡± Then the book opened, and words started to appear on the empty pages. ¡°Let¡¯s see, Commander Lukash of Fortress 351¡­ What? Forced to retreat after encountering War Giant Worms?¡± As Susanna read the text in the book, she frowned; the records differed completely from Richard¡¯s account. The records portrayed Fortress 351 as performing exceptionally during the war, retreating due to the irresistible force of War Giant Worms. This was clearly different from what Richard had said. ¡°Alright, alright, false records,¡± Susanna snapped the book shut and flames danced about her without any wind. ¡°Richard, are you certain there¡¯s been no falsification in your records?¡± Richard adopted a serious expression: ¡°Of course not, otherwise how could I dare to ask for your help?¡± Susanna¡¯s lips suddenly curved into a sly smile: ¡°Kid, follow me, let¡¯s make some extra cash.¡± ¡­ At the headquarters of Wizard Legion Unit 1, Legion Commander Andre looked somewhat vexed at the woman before him. ¡°Great Wizard Susanna, just tell me, what exactly do you want?¡± ¡°Legion Commander Andre, what kind of question is that?¡± Susanna put down her teacup, ¡°You make it sound as if I¡¯m here to extort you. I¡¯ve merely noticed some discrepancies in the records, so I came to verify with you.¡± Hearing this, Andre couldn¡¯t help but sigh; how unlucky were the schemers inside the legion, getting caught falsifying records. And to be caught by Susanna no less. Everyone knew Susanna was the only surviving Apprentice of the Black Tower Great Wizard, and she could do anything in this war as long as she was justified. ¡°Master, please name your price, how can we resolve this issue?¡± Andre sat opposite Susanna and pulled a Soul Contract out of his pocket. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Susanna¡¯s brow furrowed, ¡°Openly offering a bribe?¡± Andre cursed silently but maintained his composure, ¡°Bribe? What I¡¯m proposing is to strike a fair deal with you, Great Wizard Susanna, based on the principle of equivalent exchange. Our legion needs you as our consultant for Shaping Magic, here is your contract.¡± Susanna nodded in satisfaction and carelessly filled in a number on the contract. Andre winced at the number¡ªit was just above his bottom line. ¡°Master, you know how to do business.¡± Andre reluctantly signed his name, and as the contract burned to ashes, an invisible chain connected the two of them. ¡°That¡¯s just experience, nothing more,¡± Susanna smirked cunningly, then took out a document containing information about Fortresses 351 and 352. ¡°The other mistakes in your work are inconsequential, but these two fortresses need to be addressed. Fortress 352 valiantly held out for six hours in the face of War Giant Worms until my order for a full retreat was given. Meanwhile, Fortress 351 fled upon encountering the enemy, even attributing the War Giant Worms encountered by Fortress 352 to themselves. This is unacceptable. The central command has decided to commend all members of Fortress 352, while the Commander of Fortress 351 is to be brought before a military tribunal.¡± Andre glanced at the Commander of Fortress 351 and said coldly: ¡°Do as you see fit, Master.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Susanna looked surprised, ¡°Seems like something happened.¡± Andre shook his head: ¡°Nothing major, just that the kid¡¯s grandfather passed away.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 169 03-25 - 69 Unexpected Gains Chapter 169: Chapter 69 Unexpected Gains Leaving the White Wizard encampment, Susanna took out a bag of Magic Essence from her pocket and handed it to Richard. ¡°This is a thousand Magic Essence, consider it your reward for providing intel this time.¡± Richard accepted it with both hands, offering a word of thanks, without showing any concern about how much Susanna had gotten from Andre. No matter the amount, that was Susanna¡¯s achievement; he had merely provided intel on happenstance, giving Susanna an excuse. To be able to get a thousand Magic Essence was already quite enough. Not to mention, Susanna even conveniently sent that coward, who shrank from the battle, to the military tribunal. Susanna had more work to do, and Richard didn¡¯t want to delay her further. After parting ways with her, Richard returned to the White Wizard encampment and found Ivan, who had fought alongside him. ... ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t this our repair master?¡± Ivan greeted Richard with a loud jest when he saw him. Richard¡¯s title of repair master had already spread among the White Wizards, and if Richard were to fight with this White Wizard Army again in the future, his position would soar directly to the head of mechanical affairs. A skillful Alchemy Wizard was treasured in any White Wizard Army. Richard went over and gave him a hug and then proceeded to the squad¡¯s camp. Ivan¡¯s squad had lost nine members in the war, leaving the entire camp feeling empty. Upon entering the room, Richard got right to the point: ¡°I¡¯m here to tell you guys that the jerk who fled the battlefield is going to face a military tribunal.¡± Ivan was just about to make Richard a pot of black tea when he heard this, and he spilled the boiling water all over the table. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï He turned around and gave Richard a thumbs-up. ¡°Speedy!¡± Ivan then conveyed the news through the mental network to the other squad members. Richard was not privy to their discussions, but judging from Ivan¡¯s expression, they were clearly very pleased. Although Richard felt that his actions were merely a small effort on his part, Ivan and the rest of the squad believed they owed Richard a favor. They assured him that if he ever needed help in the future, he should not hesitate to find them. After a few cups of tea, Richard and Ivan exchanged addresses so they could easily meet up again in the future. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Departing from the encampment, Richard found the house where he lived in the residential area, which had been turned to ruins due to the war. Although logistical Wizards were repairing it, Richard would not be able to live there for a while. Left with no choice, Richard set up a wooden hut in the wilderness, just as he had when he first entered the world. The hut¡¯s windows faced the sealed Mother Worm God. Although the sealing was complete, Richard could still observe the composition of the sealing energy through his Energy Vision. Even though each observation would damage his eyes, Richard was undeterred and remained deeply fascinated. This Sealing Skill incorporated everything the Great Wizard Qing Shuang had learned in his lifetime, and Richard could learn much from it. A few days later, the headquarters held a small commendation ceremony. A group of Wizards who had performed excellently in the war received commendations from the Black Tower Great Wizard, and Richard was among them. The commendation awards were varied; one of the Three Rings Wizards even received a perpetual title to a piece of the Insect Nest World, which could be passed on to students or descendants after his death, essentially as an inheritance. The reward for Richard and Ivan¡¯s squad was five hundred Magic Essence, which was considered a very generous reward for White Wizards but was just so-so for Richard. Adding this award to the previous reward for providing intel on the Insect Nest, Richard had received a total of a thousand Magic Essence from the headquarters alone. Together with Susanna¡¯s thousand and his spoils of war, Richard had reaped a bountiful harvest from this Plane War. Although Richard had to surrender half of the spoils, he still earned nearly three thousand Magic Essence this time, not to mention the Pure Gold integrated into his Magic Wand and the knowledge he had acquired. All things considered, Richard had made a very profitable gain from this war, striking it rich. ¡­ ¡°What? You¡¯re saying a golden light ran in from outside the Secret Realm and then flew into this insect¡¯s body!¡± It was the fifteenth day after the decisive battle, and Richard was engrossed in his research inside the wooden hut when he was abruptly contacted by the Holy Tree Elf¡¯s spirit communication, reporting some trouble in the Secret Realm. Richard looked in shock at the massive mushroom in front of him, thinking, brother, you¡¯re so big and you can¡¯t even stop this little thing? Have your space storms all gone to waste? As one of the Wizards who had witnessed the Mother Worm God¡¯s sealing, he had clearly seen a golden light flee before the Mother Worm God was completely sealed. Unexpectedly, that golden light had not entered one of the remaining unbreached Insect Nests but had instead come into his Secret Realm. ¡°Sorry, master. That golden light was a bit too fast,¡± the World Mushroom said helplessly. That day, it had been leisurely consuming World Dust and drawing in space storms, diligently expanding the Secret Realm. Who would have thought that a golden light would shoot out of the Void and plunge head-first into the Secret Realm? By the time it realized what had happened, the golden light had already burrowed into Inhardt¡¯s body. Faced with this situation, the World Mushroom did not know how to proceed and left the decision to Richard. Richard looked at the World Mushroom, knowing that there was no point in blaming it now. He released Ulysses and shared the situation with the experienced World Master. ¡°Ga, from what you¡¯re saying, that golden light is likely a resurrection mark. That insect must have been set as a backup for resurrection by that old bug,¡± Ulysses commented nonchalantly after hearing the whole story. ¡°Resurrection backup?¡± Richard exclaimed, alarmed, ¡°Then doesn¡¯t that mean the old bug could be resurrected in this insect at any time!¡± As he spoke, Richard¡¯s Magic Wand began unconsciously to gather Element, preparing to physically destroy Inhardt. ¡°` ¡°Gah, don¡¯t be nervous, this is not a bad thing for you.¡± Ulysses flew onto Inhardt¡¯s body, a glint flickering in his eyes, ¡°That old insect hasn¡¯t died, this one is just a backup. Only when that old insect dies, will this backup be activated.¡± ¡°But this is still dangerous!¡± Richard said anxiously. Who knew when the Great Wizard would deal with the Mother Worm God, and once she died, the activation of this backup would resurrect a World Master in his secret realm, wouldn¡¯t it? Suddenly, Richard realized something was off. He glanced at the World Mushroom, then at Ulysses. ¡­ Reviving a World Master didn¡¯t seem to be such a big deal. ¡°Gah, with me and this big mushroom here, what¡¯s the danger?¡± Ulysses gave Richard a look, and it was hard to imagine how Ulysses managed to convey such an expressive emotion with a bird face. ¡°Gah, the sooner that old insect revives, the better. As soon as She revives, Her rules will infuse into this insect¡¯s body. By then, me and the big mushroom could simply handle Her soul, and you would essentially harvest a insect body filled with a large number of rules.¡± Ulysses didn¡¯t finish speaking, but Richard had already grasped his meaning. A body of an insect with rules could naturally use the Miracle Furnace to refine out the rules. Seeing that Richard understood, Ulysses flew to his shoulder. ¡°Gah, didn¡¯t I tell you? The luck of the Divine Chosen is always good. The war has just ended on this side, and he¡¯s already secured a Death Exemption Token.¡± Richard gave him a look upon hearing that: ¡°If he¡¯s the protagonist, then what am I, the evil villain in the drama?¡± But a wizard being the villain¡­ seemed quite fitting. Ulysses preened his feathers, speaking languidly, ¡°Gah, you¡¯re a more formidable protagonist than him. Even among protagonists, there are differences. Just look at your current strength. Does that seem like a Level 1 Creature?¡± Richard looked around; indeed, his current setup was something that perhaps even a Great Wizard might not be able to pull together. ¡°Gah, so keep this insect.¡± ¡°Why do you so desire for this insect to survive?¡± ¡°¡­ Gah, I want to taste what that old insect is really like. His original body was too hard, but after resurrection, it¡¯ll be just right.¡± Richard: ¡°¡­¡± Although Inhardt lived on because of Ulysses¡¯ words, Richard¡¯s vigilance against him was heightened. The World Mushroom sent hyphae into his body, inducing him into deep anesthesia. If he made any movement, the World Mushroom would notify Richard and Ulysses and take control of Inhardt. If the situation got out of hand, the World Mushroom would exile him from the secret realm to ensure its safety. ¡­ With the absence of the World Master, the Insect Nest World¡¯s resistance quickly collapsed. Under the leadership of the Black Tower Great Wizard, the wars that were akin to university students cruelly overpowering kindergarten toddlers inflicted heavy losses on the insects. The Mother Worm God¡¯s sealing also led to the collapse of the insects¡¯ faith, resulting in many insects giving up resistance and allowing the wizards to enslave them. However, only a small portion of the insects did so; the vast majority were still resisting on a small scale. According to intelligence, the leaders of the insects were hatching a grand plan. They intended to connect several Insect Countries to create a super-large Insect Nest, then using the complex terrain of the nest to engage in guerrilla warfare with the wizards. They believed that as long as they could hold on, the Mother Worm God would definitely return. In the twelfth year following the sealing of the Mother Worm God, the last above-ground Insect Nest was occupied by the White Wizard Army. All the Black Crystal Insect resistance was forced into the Underground Insect Nest. By now, the entire Plane War had ended all major battles, leaving only the Black Wizards to hunt in the insect nests, exploit the world¡¯s resources, and cultivate slaves. During the war, the Black Tower Great Wizard captured several Mother Worms and enslaved them. These Mother Worms would continually provide slave armies to the Black Tower Great Wizard. However, this didn¡¯t seem much different from the Mother Worms¡¯ usual lives. Their usual task was laying eggs, and their current task was still laying eggs; their life remained one of waiting to be fed and living in the Insect Nest. Moreover, the Black Tower Great Wizard had not issued stringent orders to them. The Plane War was not something the Great Wizards could initiate whenever they wanted. All the coordinates of the planes were distributed by the Truth Council through a lottery, and every Great Wizard had a five-hundred-year cooldown period after acquiring plane coordinates. Wizards like the Black Tower Great Wizard who frequently initiated Plane Wars did so purely because they had good luck accumulating several plane coordinates earlier. The uncertainty of Plane Wars naturally affected the insect swarms. They require resources to raise too many insects; it¡¯s better to breed fewer. After the major wars ended, the White Wizard Army began to withdraw from the Insect Nest World one after another, leaving the Black Wizards to wrap up the Plane War. The sporadic resistance of the insects needed to be suppressed, and various terrains of the world needed to be explored. These detailed tasks could be done by both Black and White Wizards, but considering that the White Wizard Army was hired by the Black Tower Great Wizard, these tasks were better left to the Black Wizards. A considerable number of Black Wizards were students from the Black Tower Wizard Academy; keeping the good stuff for one¡¯s own people was always right. ¡°` COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 170 03-25 - 70 Soul Stealing Canyon Chapter 170: Chapter 70 Soul Stealing Canyon On Black Bone Plain, the once bustling Floating City Fortress had become somewhat desolate. Now, thirty years after the decisive battle, Wizards had been steadily progressing with the development of the Insect Nest World, and the counterattacks of the bugs had been suppressed to a minimal extent. Newly born bugs birthed by the enslaved Mother Worms were returning to the Insect Nest. These bugs were no different from the former Black Crystal Insects, the only distinction being that they were branded with the Slave Mark from birth. The Black Crystal Worm Clan had now become a slave race to the Wizards. Their fate, though tragic, was far better than those creatures completely exterminated by the Wizards. In the cruel wars of the Planes, the weaker races did not even qualify to be dogs. ... The Wizards had modified the Black Crystal Worms¡¯ history; they were no longer the offspring of the Mother Worm God but the product of Wizard experiments, with Wizards becoming their creators. The cause of this Plane War was recast as an internal conflict within the swarm, where the evil Mother Worm God ensorcelled the majority of bugs to rebel against the great Wizards, and the bugs still resisting were called Sin Worms by the new generation. The Wizards, instead, became victims of this war. Under the Wizards¡¯ systematic revision, the new generation of Black Crystal Worms had completely embraced the concept of being a subsidiary race to the Wizards, ensuring that if this notion continued for three to five generations, even if Sin Worms spread the true history among the new worms, it would not make any difference. By that time, the Black Crystal Worms would have completely become a slave race to the Wizards. He who controls the past, controls the present. ¡­ Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Ring, ring, ring¡­ Ring, ring, ring¡­ A series of noisy rings woke Richard from his research. He switched off the alarm and then tucked the Crystal Fragments in front of him into his pocket. Richard had set the alarm to sound every one hundred and eighty days, each ringing signaling that he had tasks to perform as distributed by the Command Tower. Stepping out of his wooden cabin, he noticed the faint glow emanating from the nearby Azure Ice Mountain, within which the Mother Worm God appeared both sacred and ferocious. This Ice Mountain had become a symbol of the Wizards¡¯ might, the vile Mother Worm God frozen by the great Wizards as a warning to the new worms not to make the same mistakes. Upon reaching the Command Tower, which had once served as the command center during the Plane War but had now turned into the task hall, Richard saw every Black Wizard remaining in the Insect Nest World collecting their assignments there. As the exploration of the Insect Nest World neared completion, the tasks from the headquarters dwindled, transforming from direct assignments to requiring Wizards to collect them themselves, and the rewards decreased as well. Every Wizard staying in the Insect Nest World had to undertake at least two tasks annually. Many Black Wizards thus opted to return to the Wizard World. A world without profit, the Otherworld paled in comparison to the comfort of the Wizard World. In the Insect Nest World, Wizards would always remain outsiders. Surveying the assignment board in the task hall, Richard picked out a particularly interesting task. ¡°Reconnaissance of Soul Stealing Canyon¡­ sounds intriguing.¡± According to the task description, Soul Stealing Canyon was a peculiar gorge situated at the fringe of the Insect Nest World. In the legends of the Black Crystal Worms, it was an ill-omened place, within which a demon capable of swallowing souls was sealed. This demon, trapped and slumbering within the gorge, would devour the souls of all living beings inside the canyon upon awakening, leaving only empty shells behind. Despite the frightening description, according to a Three Rings Wizard who once passed by, there appeared to be some disturbance in the Earth Veins beneath the canyon. The chaotic magnetic field could disorient the Black Crystal Insects¡¯ senses, making them lose direction, and in severe cases, even destroy their cognitive organs. The goal of this task was to thoroughly investigate the specific conditions of the canyon and then submit a written report to the Command Tower, with a paltry reward of ten Magic Essences. However, this was enough for Richard. What he required was to remain in this world, not the minor compensation. Although useful to most Wizards, for Richard, the Ice Mountain that held the sealed Mother Worm God was a goldmine. Thanks to his Energy Vision, Richard had made progress in his research on the Ice Mountain over the years, discovering a special energy structure and applying it to the Rune Chain Sealing Technique. This significantly enhanced the effectiveness of the Rune Chain Sealing Technique. Leaving the task hall, Richard intended to head straight to the task location, but outside the door, he unexpectedly ran into someone. ¡°Ali, are you heading back to the Wizard World?¡± Among the squad of Black Wizards, Lawrence had left the Insect Nest World in the fifteenth year after the decisive battle, preparing for his promotion to the rank of Second Ring Wizard, while Ali had stayed until now. ¡°Yep, my knowledge level is insufficient to continue my research,¡± Ali said with some distress. At this moment, Ali, holding a notebook in her hands and wearing a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, looked both intellectual and beautiful. Ali¡¯s purpose for staying in the Insect Nest World was the same as Richard¡¯s, to study the Dead Silence Ice Mountain Sealing Technique. However, compared with Richard, who had the benefit of Energy Vision, her progress was much slower, and by now, she had barely achieved some results. ¡°Alright then,¡± Richard said with some regret. It was pleasant having Ali accompany him during his research. With her departure, he would be truly alone in his ascetic pursuit. ¡°When you go back, take a glance at my place. The half-breeds I kept might be on the verge of dying. Just bury them in the yard.¡± Ali nodded: ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take a look for you when I return.¡± After bidding farewell to Ali, Richard headed straight for Soul Stealing Canyon as marked on the task map. The Wizard¡¯s exploration of the Insect Nest World was drawing to a close, and the map had become extremely detailed. In the Insect Nest World, there were no shortage of dangerous areas like the Source Sea Abyss and Mushroom Land, which attracted many wizards for research. On his way, Richard encountered a group of Moth Army frolicking in the sky. These special insects had once caused huge losses to the wizards, with dozens of War Airships damaged by them, but now, they had become the wizards¡¯ best assistants. The Moth Army split in the middle, making way for Richard. They performed an awkward Wizard¡¯s Salute to Richard and then shouted loudly, ¡°Wizard Lord!¡± Richard nodded at them and continued flying towards his mission destination. Compared to the Wizard World, the Insect Nest World wasn¡¯t considered large. It took Richard roughly half a month to arrive at the place. From the sky, the place named Soul Stealing Canyon didn¡¯t seem large, only a few dozen kilometers in length. Low vegetation grew around the canyon, these plants used the Insect Nest World¡¯s brilliant starlight for photosynthesis, bringing a bit of vitality to the desolate land of the Insect Nest World. Landing on the ground, Richard opened the Secret Realm and fished out Ulysses, who was eating fungi. ¡°GAH, what are you doing? I was eating!¡± protested Ulysses, having been pulled out. After several years of coexistence, the relationship between the World Mushroom and Ulysses had eased. With Richard¡¯s request, the taste of the Sacrificial Fungus had improved, and Ulysses had begun to eat fungi whenever he felt like it. ¡°Can you take a look and tell me if there¡¯s anything unusual about this place?¡± Richard asked, pointing towards the nearby Soul Stealing Canyon. Although the area had been observed by a Three Rings Wizard, Richard, out of caution, still wanted Ulysses to have a look. ¡°Gah, let me see.¡± A faint glint flashed in Ulysses¡¯ eyes, and then he shook his head. ¡°Gah, nothing¡¯s wrong here. This place is the intersection point of two Earth Veins, with some chaotic geomagnetic fields. A Space Rift might occasionally appear.¡± ¡°A Space Rift?¡± ¡°Gah, don¡¯t worry about that. Given the strength of this Earth Veins junction, even if a Space Rift formed, it would only be the size of a needle¡¯s eye, and the probability is extremely slim,¡± Ulysses said nonchalantly. Having said that, Ulysses opened a space rift himself and flew back into the Secret Realm. As Ulysses¡¯ soul injuries healed, his abilities also became more numerous, and after his relationship with the World Mushroom improved, he was permitted to enter and exit the Secret Realm at will. Seeing Ulysses so nonchalant, Richard felt relieved and boldly entered the Soul Stealing Canyon. As soon as he entered the canyon, Richard immediately sensed a faint energy fluctuation coming from beneath his feet, and the scenery before his eyes seemed a bit blurry, giving him a slight sense of dizziness. ¡°Such a strong geomagnetic field,¡± Richard remarked in surprise. Richard activated his Magic Barrier and made some frequency adjustments to cope with the magnetic field. After the modification, the discomfort he felt vanished in an instant. With sufficient knowledge, a wizard could often face various crises calmly. After surveying the canyon, Richard recorded the entire canyon¡¯s topography and collected many ore samples. Under the influence of the Earth Veins¡¯ magnetic field, many special magnets had formed in the Soul Stealing Canyon. These magnets had good alchemical uses in Alchemy Machines. After the investigation, Richard found a place to stay in the canyon. The report to the command center couldn¡¯t be sloppy; although he had already determined that the anomalies were caused by the geomagnetic field, Richard still needed to investigate the intensity of the geomagnetic field and its fluctuation patterns. These things would take a long time. One day, two days, three days¡­ Two weeks passed by peacefully in the Soul Stealing Canyon. Richard had already collected most of the data, and now he only needed to collect one more burst intensity, and his task would be complete. Looking at the instrument in his hand, Richard silently awaited the eruption of the geomagnetic field. ¡°According to the pattern, three, two, one!¡± As the countdown ended, a ripple spread over Richard¡¯s Magic Barrier. The intense geomagnetic field even impacted the Magic Barrier. Under the influence of the geomagnetic field, an enchanting Aurora even appeared in the sky. Richard watched the sky somewhat mesmerized, taking out an Image Capturing Crystal Ball from his pocket. ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful; I have to record this.¡± The eruption of the geomagnetic field lasted for nearly thirty seconds. As the peak emerged, the geomagnetic field began to diminish. Richard, looking at the scene in the Crystal Ball, thought to himself that this trip wasn¡¯t in vain, completely unaware that a needle-sized Space Rift had appeared behind him. A black and red mist surged out from the rift, filling the entire canyon in an instant. Bang! The Crystal Ball fell to the ground. Richard¡¯s body stiffened in place, his eyelids slowly closing, and his breathing became steady. It was as if¡­ he had fallen asleep. Meanwhile, behind the rift, Richard slowly opened his eyes, looking up at the blood moon in the sky with some confusion: ¡°What is this place?¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 171 03-25 - 1 Nightmare Chapter 171: Chapter 1 Nightmare Looking at the blood-red moon in the sky, Richard fell into deep thought. Wasn¡¯t he in the Insect Nest World? Wasn¡¯t the Insect Nest World in perpetual night? What was this moon all about? How had he changed places in the blink of an eye? Richard looked around and found the environment surrounding him eerily strange, with a thin layer of black-red mist enveloping the area. The fog wasn¡¯t thick, but it was just enough to prevent Richard from seeing the surroundings clearly. As soon as Richard turned his head, he suddenly froze. Behind him, a black spire several meters tall stood erect. ¡°Is this¡­ my Wizard Tower?¡± ... He knew this black spire all too well¡ªit was the place he had lived for decades, and he was extremely familiar with every blade of grass and tree here. Richard looked around again and noticed that the fog seemed to have dissipated somewhat, and he could now make out the entire courtyard. This courtyard was the very one that came with his Wizard Tower. ¡°This is too strange, just like a dream.¡± Confused by his surroundings, Richard nonetheless instinctively raised a Magic Barrier and activated his Bloodline Transformation. The eeriness of his surroundings sent a shiver of alertness through him. However, after he had erected the Magic Barrier, Richard suddenly felt a slight change in his environment. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï The courtyard around him seemed to have become more sinister, every grass and tree appeared malicious towards his presence, and the familiar Wizard Tower in front of him now had the aura of a final boss¡¯s lair from a game, instilling fear in the onlooker. ¡°The environment is changing with my emotions,¡± Richard observed, looking at the Black Tower and falling into deep thought. As a wizard, rationality is one of the most important qualities. Panicking in the face of difficulties only leads to trouble; calmly analyzing the situation is the best path to overcoming difficulties. Despite the bizarre surroundings, for a wizard like Richard, it wasn¡¯t enough to cause panic. Wizards have conquered many worlds and countless strange and mysterious races and worlds, but these seemingly terrifying worlds eventually became the backyard of the Great Wizard, with the inhabitants either enslaved or turned into specimens. As a wizard, it was hard for Richard to not feel a touch of subtle confidence listening to such stories. This confidence made Richard believe that he, as part of the wizarding community, could also overcome the present difficulties with wisdom and strength, and unravel the mysteries therein. After a moment of cool reflection, Richard decided not to enter the Wizard Tower for now, as it seemed too deliberately prepared. Besides the Wizard Tower, the only place left to explore was the world outside the courtyard. Richard took a deep breath, sensing the surrounding temperature, humidity, and concentration of magic power. ¡°Temperature 21, humidity fifty percent, magic concentration three times that of the Wizard World¡­¡± Richard frowned again; the environmental conditions of this strange place were exactly like the living level of the Tower of Truth. It was as if he was truly in the Wizard Tower of the Tower of Truth. ¡°Getting more interesting¡­¡± Richard mused, stroking his chin, a subtle smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. With such precise recreation, there had to be a significant issue with this place, and Richard vaguely had a guess in his mind. He turned around, opened the courtyard gate, and left the courtyard. From inside, the outside environment appeared shrouded in fog, but once Richard stepped out, the thin mist turned into a thick fog so dense that he could not see his hand in front of him. And, most strangely, even when Richard used his spiritual power to replace his eyes and observe the surroundings, all he could see was thick fog. It seemed that the thin mist could block the exploration of spiritual power. Richard walked on the outside for a long time, relying on his instincts and trying various methods to observe his surroundings, but all efforts were in vain. Spells cast into the thick fog disappeared as if into a black hole, with no sound, no blast of air, no trace of explosions, even when Richard cast spells at his own feet. Richard attempted to open the Secret Realm, but the Secret Realm seemed to be cut off by this heavy fog too. No matter how much Magic Power he input, he could not open a Space Rift. As a wizard, all the means by which he survived lost their effect in this heavy fog. It was as if he had become an ordinary person again. As Richard delved deeper, a faint voice seemed to echo through the mist, but it was too obscure, lingering around his ears like a ghost. Touching his chin, Richard calmly analyzed the situation: ¡°It¡¯s interesting, the surrounding environment seems to constantly induce fear in me. Moreover, looking at the situation in the courtyard, once I start to feel fear, the environment changes with it, inducing more fear.¡± Walking along, Richard suddenly saw the light in front of him brighten, as the encompassing thick fog finally cleared. µ«Àí²é×ÐϸһÇÆËûÑÛÇ°µÄ»·¾³. But upon closer inspection of his surroundings, Black Tower, garden, and the courtyard door that he hadn¡¯t closed behind him. He had made a full circle outside and ended up back where he started. ¡°Getting even more interesting,¡± Richard said, his eyes gleaming with excitement as he looked at the Black Tower in front of him, ¡°It seems that I must enter this Wizard Tower.¡± Without hesitation, Richard kept up his Magic Barrier and boldly entered the Wizard Tower. Entering his own Wizard Tower, there was no need to be so timid. The interior arrangement of the Wizard Tower was exactly as Richard remembered, even the stains on the walls and scratches on the handrails. The only difference was that this Wizard Tower seemed to have been vacant for a long time, with thick dust settled on the floors and furniture, and cobwebs filled the corners of the cupboards. Richard touched the dust on the floor and furniture, looked carefully in front of him, and finally tasted it, confirming that it was just ordinary dust, nothing special. Richard took his finger out of his mouth and said lightly: ¡°It¡¯s gathered so much dust, it seems that Number One and Number Two slacked off after I left.¡± No sooner had Richard spoken than some noise came from a room on the first floor. With a ¡°creak,¡± an ancient wooden door that seemed to have not been opened for decades was opened from the inside, and a humanoid creature emerged. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This humanoid creature had beastly ears on its head and a physique similar to Number One, but the only difference was that this humanoid creature had a very strange face, devoid of facial features, smooth as a mirror. The humanoid creature bowed slightly to Richard, its voice raspy like a witch from a fairy tale. ¡°Master, you have returned.¡± Faced with such a bizarre scene, Richard did not make any extreme actions, such as throwing a couple of Hearts of Annihilation or anything. On the contrary, it was as if he had returned to the real Wizard Tower, and he reproached in a very stern voice: ¡°Number One, what have you been up to these years, why is there so much dust accumulated on the floor!¡± Faced with Richard¡¯s scolding, Number One showed no fear at all, repeating: ¡°Master, you have returned.¡± ¡°I am talking to you, Number One!¡± ¡°Master, you have returned.¡± ¡°Can you only repeat that phrase?¡± ¡°Master, you have returned.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, I have returned,¡± Richard replied helplessly. ¡°Go prepare my meal.¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Number One turned and went into the basement to prepare the ingredients. As Number One busied himself, Richard went upstairs and encountered the equally bizarre Number Two. When facing Richard¡¯s questioning, Number Two reacted exactly the same as Number One. After sending Number Two aside, Richard checked his laboratory. His lab was designed with a dust-free Magic Array and equipped with a self-charging circuit, so when he entered the lab, it was exactly as clean as he expected. However, the light from the Magic Stone Lamp had turned into a sinister dark red color, looking very ominous. The items in the lab were still the same, and the various devices could even operate correctly, reacting exactly as Richard remembered¡­ even though he had not installed Magic Stones in them. Descending downstairs, the bizarre Number One and Number Two stood by the dining table, quietly waiting for Richard to dine. On the table, the various foods were exactly the same as those Richard had eaten before leaving. ¡°It seems that the result is quite clear,¡± Richard said lightly. The bizarre world in front of him was entirely composed of his memories; everything that appeared was just as it was in his memory. The reason why Number One and Number Two were so bizarre was that he thought that after so many years, Number One and Number Two must have changed significantly, yet he did not know what they would look like. Based on the current information, Richard was ninety percent sure that he was actually in a dream. Moreover, it was a nightmare that continuously induced him to feel fear. ¡°But how should I get out?¡± Richard pondered with a frown. Although usually at times like this, scenarios involving suicide would appear, he did not want to do that in this bizarre environment. He was trapped in a dream, not some special illusion. Waking from a dream only needed a significant shock. Thinking this, Richard flew to the top of the Wizard Tower and smiled as he looked at the ground. In the dream, three steps on the staircase could wake him up; now, switching to the Wizard Tower should be enough to awaken him. Then, Richard unhesitatingly jumped down. ¡­ Outside the dream, as his body twitched, Richard abruptly woke up from the dream. He rubbed his eyes and looked around. The faint black-red mist, the blood-colored moon in the sky¡ªaside from the missing familiar Wizard Tower, the scene was almost exactly as it was in his dream. It seemed he was in a wilderness; the black weeds were tall enough to reach his knees, and within the weeds, Richard could feel some inexplicable hostility. This hostility was not because of his own fears. ¡°A dream within a dream?¡± Richard analyzed his current situation carefully, trying to find a reasonable explanation. But a faint, distant voice made his heart tremble. ¡°Gaah, Richard! Can you hear me speaking?¡± ¡°Gaah, Richard! Can you hear me speaking?¡± ¡°Ulysses¡¯s voice!¡± Richard was startled and hurriedly responded, ¡°I can hear you.¡± And as Richard responded, a black shadow rose from his left shoulder, transforming into a black crow. ¡°Gaah, I knew you could wake up,¡± Ulysses said looking at Richard, somewhat excitedly yelling, ¡°You kid, always so thoughtful, a nightmare definitely couldn¡¯t deceive you. That Old Mushroom even said you were done for, wanted to divide the loot and send everyone back home. When you get back, you definitely need to teach it a lesson¡­¡± Seeing the sudden appearance of Ulysses, Richard felt somewhat reassured. At this moment, nothing could soothe his mood more than the nonsense from Ulysses. Ulysses was still talking nonsense, indicating things were not very serious and he could handle it. ¡°So where am I now, Ulysses?¡± Richard interrupted, ¡°Just a moment ago I was in the Insect Nest World, how did I come to this eerie place in the blink of an eye?¡± ¡°Where you are¡­ uh¡­¡± Ulysses was somewhat hesitant, ¡°Based on my experience, you should be in the Dream Dimension; this world should be the Nightmare Wizard World corresponding to the Wizard World.¡± ¡°Nightmare Wizard World?¡± Richard, hearing this strange name, furrowed his brows again. ¡°So how do I get out?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Ulysses sheepishly said, ¡°I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to get out any time soon.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 172 03-25 - 2 Nightmare Wizard World Chapter 172: Chapter 2 Nightmare Wizard World ¡°Can¡¯t get out?¡± Richard looked at Ulysses, seeking an explanation. ¡°Ulysses, what exactly is going on? Why have I ended up in this so-called Nightmare Wizard World?¡± ¡°Ah, well¡­ that¡­ an accident, an accident.¡± Ulysses was somewhat evasive, but under Richard¡¯s persistent questioning, he finally divulged the reason. ¡°You came here because of a disturbance in the Earth Veins¡¯ magnetic field, which caused a spatial rift in the Insect Nest World, and this spatial rift quite coincidentally leads to the Nightmare World. Your soul was dragged into the Nightmare World by the Nightmare Red mist. ... However, because you are a wizard, not a native creature of the Insect Nest World, the Nightmare Red mist sent you to the current Nightmare Wizard World.¡± ¡°Sent to the Nightmare Wizard World¡­¡± Richard murmured, his expression somewhat dazed. Even with the use of Floating City for Star Realm travel, the Insect Nest World was more than a year¡¯s journey from the Wizard World, yet he had arrived in the Wizard World in what felt like just a dream. ¡°How long have I slept?¡± Richard asked absently. ¡°About three hours, because you entered the Nightmare World; the fluctuations between you and that group of furballs were disrupted, and they immediately notified me. I came out of the Secret Realm right away.¡± ¡°Three hours to travel such a distance¡­ the rules of the Nightmare World really are magical.¡± After marveling at the rules of the Nightmare World, Richard calmed down and continued to ask, ¡°So how do I get out?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.?¦Ï ¡°Ah, based on my last experience, you now need to collect the Power of Nightmare. Once you gather enough, the Nightmare World will detect you as a foreign object and expel you. This is also the most stable way to leave the Nightmare World.¡± ¡°How long did it take you last time?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ over three hundred years.¡± Richard frowned slightly; three hundred years was a considerably long time for a One Ring Wizard, whose maximum lifespan hovers around one thousand years, though few ever reach that age. Just as few humans live to see over a hundred years of age, despite it being within the theoretical lifespan. ¡°Isn¡¯t there a faster way?¡± ¡°Ah, there is, if you¡¯re lucky and come across a Dream Gate, you can get out directly. But the probability of that¡­¡± Ulysses did not continue, presumably because the odds of a Dream Gate appearing were very small. Richard thought for a moment and then asked, ¡°You can enter but can¡¯t take me out? Is your soul still recovering from injury?¡± Ulysses shook his head, ¡°Ah, first of all, I am merely a soul projection here, my soul remains in the Material World. Secondly, my abilities aren¡¯t in this area. If I were like our elder who likes playing with incense, even with the strength of a Level 1 Creature, I could pull you back using the Power of Faith.¡± Seeing this, Richard could only reluctantly accept the reality. ¡°Tell me how to collect the Power of Nightmare,¡± Richard resignedly said. It seemed his luck had been completely drained by his previous series of encounters. No wait, how can a wizard believe in luck? It¡¯s all about probabilities! ¡°Ah, this part¡¯s easy.¡± Ulysses floated in front of Richard, ¡°You just need to find a wise being from the Wizard World¡¯s projection in the Nightmare World and scare them in their dream.¡± ¡°That sounds fairly simple,¡± Richard nodded. ¡°Ah, but this method is slow. After you accumulate some Power of Nightmare, don¡¯t keep doing that; otherwise, you¡¯d keep collecting until you die of old age,¡± Ulysses continued, ¡°Every wise creature in the Nightmare World possesses Power of Nightmare, and you can plunder this via certain methods. The simplest way is to eat them, but those high-tier nightmare creatures generally opt to farm lower-level nightmare creatures and have them periodically surrender a type of Nightmare Crystal condensed from Power of Nightmare. Swallowing these Nightmare Crystals is also a fast way to acquire Power of Nightmare.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re saying¡­ the creatures of the Nightmare World have their own society?¡± Richard pondered. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s one way to put it. According to the language of the Wizard World, those high-tier nightmare creatures should be called Nightmare Lords.¡± Richard nodded and then asked a final question, ¡°How should I deal with these nightmare creatures? This world feels¡­ very strange.¡± As he spoke, Richard raised his hand, and a black fireball appeared in his grasp. ¡°The rules of this world aren¡¯t much different from those of the Wizard World; I can still use spells, so can these nightmare creatures be killed by my spells, or do I need to use the Power of Nightmare to deal with them?¡± ¡°Ah, yes, the Nightmare Wizard World is a reflection of the Wizard World, so all the rules are the same, just with additional exclusive rules of the Nightmare World. Those nightmare creatures, when attacked by spells, will still be injured. But the abilities of nightmare creatures are myriad and strange; to counter these abilities, Power of Nightmare is indispensable.¡± ¡°Alright, that clears everything up,¡± Richard waved his hand, satisfied that nightmare creatures could be killed with spells. ¡°Let¡¯s go find some unlucky creature to collect some Power of Nightmare.¡± ¡­ The environment of the Nightmare World was incredibly peculiar, as if all the creatures had taken on bizarre forms. Walking through the wilderness, Richard plucked a flower from a nearby bush; it had yellow petals and looked quite ordinary, but at the center of the flower, there was a wrinkled baby face. Richard lightly touched a human face, and the face let out a piercing cry, much like that of a real baby. Moreover, as one flower began to cry, the entire patch of flowers around Richard seemed to awaken, with the dense sound of infant cries overlapping each other, like the wails of evil ghosts from hell. Throwing the face-like flower into his sleeve, Richard hastily flew across the meadow. Due to the special rules of the Nightmare World, Richard had nothing on him except his clothes, which also meant he was without the Magic Pocket, a spatial tool. However, according to Ulysses, as long as he possessed the Power of Nightmare, Richard could use it to conjure a Magic Pocket, its miraculous nature even more exaggerated than the Power of Faith. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Power of Faith merely caused the giant insect to stop, whereas the Power of Nightmare materialized an object, and it was a finely made Magic Tool. The Wizard World was vast, filled with a multitude of uninhabited areas, and Richard, located in an unknown wilderness, could only search aimlessly like a headless fly. Soon, the blood moon set. Daylight arrived. A black sun slowly rose from the eastern horizon, this sun looking like a black hole that devoured stars, its center pitch dark while the edges gleamed with a white light. Richard glanced at it, then his gaze was caught. Was there something in the center of this black sun? A line? No, considering the size of the black sun, that line should be bigger than a mountain range. But as Richard watched longer, a black flame suddenly ignited around him. The black flame emanated a terrifying heat, but Richard seemed to feel nothing, still mesmerized by the black sun. Noticing something amiss, Ulysses suddenly exclaimed, ¡°Caw, don¡¯t look at that thing! That thing is alive!¡± Ulysses¡¯s voice seemed to carry some power; following his warning, Richard snapped out of it like waking from a dream and quickly averted his gaze. As he shifted his gaze, the black flames around him instantly vanished. ¡°Was that a nightmare creature?¡± Richard asked worriedly, realizing he had almost been burned to death by merely looking. The abilities of these nightmare creatures were truly frightening. ¡°Caw, what¡¯s that?¡± Ulysses casually said, ¡°The Nightmare World isn¡¯t the Material World, anything is possible here. Perhaps the place we are standing is actually a part of some nightmare creature¡¯s body.¡± ¡­ The lesson of the black sun deepened Richard¡¯s understanding of the Nightmare World, making him extremely cautious on his quest to find intelligent creatures. After nearly three days of searching, Richard finally found a village in the wilderness. Finding a village meant he could find more human settlements nearby. However, when Richard entered the village, he found it completely deserted. This village was unlike any other he had seen in the wilderness; the houses, roads, and wells were all intact, and the houses were furnished. Logically, this village should have housed at least a few hundred people. ¡°Caw, maybe it¡¯s related to time,¡± Ulysses suggested. ¡°The alternation of day and night is one of the rules of your world; perhaps this rule has interacted with the Nightmare Rules in some way.¡± Richard nodded, Ulysses¡¯s words echoing his own thoughts. Most creatures in the Wizard World start their activities at sunrise and rest at sunset, and dreams could only happen at night. Thus, it made sense for the alternation of day and night rules to interact with the Nightmare Rules. Richard found a room in the village and sat down, quietly waiting for the blood moon to rise. Three hours later, the black sun set, and the blood moon rose. An imperceptible change occurred in the village. The whole village seemed to undergo a slight transformation. Richard sat in the room and quietly opened his eyes. Although meditation was impossible in the Nightmare World, sleep was exceptionally effective. Richard had only slept for fifteen minutes, yet he felt as refreshed as if he had meditated. With the blood moon rising slowly, the whole village gradually came alive. One by one, strange creatures emerged from the nooks and crannies of the village, their forms resembling poorly crafted Synthetic Beasts made by inept Wizard Apprentices; they looked both bizarre and disgusting. Ulysses pointed out these little creatures to Richard, saying, ¡°Caw, these little things are the lowest level of intelligent creatures in the Nightmare World¡ªNightmare Spirits. They have very low combat ability and are one of the most common nightmare creatures here.¡± As he spoke, one of the Nightmare Spirits came up to Richard and loudly asked, ¡°Big guy, how come I¡¯ve never seen you before? You came from outside, right?¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 173 03-25 - 3 This is not the Power of Nightmare, but clearly the Power of Good Dreams Chapter 173: Chapter 3 This is not the Power of Nightmare, but clearly the Power of Good Dreams Looking at the Nightmare Spirit asking him questions, Richard¡¯s face showed a hint of curiosity. ¡°What language is this little thing speaking, I can actually understand it.¡± ¡°Ga, this is the special language of the Nightmare World, a language known to all nightmare creatures,¡± Ulysses explained. ¡°Once you have the Power of Nightmare, you will be able to speak this language too.¡± Upon hearing this, a flicker of surprise crossed Richard¡¯s face. He had visited too few worlds and seen too little; the peculiar rules of the Nightmare World greatly amazed him. Seeing that Richard was ignoring him, the Nightmare Spirit grew angry and waved its fangs and claws: ... ¡°Hey, big guy, I¡¯m talking to you! Don¡¯t you know this is our Slap Gang¡¯s territory!¡± ¡°Slap Gang?¡± Richard suddenly became interested and used Magic Hand to lift the distinct-looking Nightmare Spirit in front of his eyes. ¡°Little thing, is the Slap Gang your organization?¡± The Nightmare Spirit, realizing it was lifted into the air, thrashed like a Suture Monster, its limbs twisting wildly. ¡°Let me go, let me go! You bastard, once I¡¯m down, I¡¯ll slap you into a pulp!¡± Richard was curious, being a One Ring Wizard himself with a spiritual power of ninety points, yet this little thing showed no fear of him. ¡°Ga, this bunch of little things can only sense your Power of Nightmare, and since you have none right now, you¡¯re just a big Nightmare Spirit in their eyes,¡± Ulysses casually explained, seeming to address Richard¡¯s confusion. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã? ¡°But this situation is only for these lower-level creatures. Slightly more powerful nightmare creatures can sense that you are a creature from another world. This is also why I advised you to gather the Power of Nightmare first. The souls of creatures from other worlds are exquisite food for nightmare creatures, and spiritual power is even better, consuming the same amount of spiritual power is more than a hundred times stronger than consuming an equivalent amount of the Power of Nightmare. So you must never reveal your identity in front of nightmare creatures. Once you obtain the Power of Nightmare, you can use it to mold a body and disguise yourself, just like I do in the Material World. As long as no Lord of Nightmares appears, your identity will be safe.¡± Hearing this, a hint of relief flashed through Richard¡¯s mind, never having imagined there were such rules in the Nightmare World. Without Ulysses¡¯s guidance as the World Master, with his own abilities, he would likely have been hunted and devoured by nightmare creatures quickly. But at the same time, Richard also became curious about Ulysses¡¯s experience. ¡°You know so much, did someone guide you in your time?¡± Richard asked. Ulysses shook his head with a bit of pride, ¡°Ga, I didn¡¯t have that privilege. When I accidentally entered this Nightmare World, the only thing better than you was my strength. Back then, I entered the Nightmare World as a third-level creature with power over incomplete rules, a strength that allowed me to prevail over most nightmare creatures under a Nightmare Lord without using Power of Nightmare.¡± ¡°¡­Impressive.¡± Just a simplistic reason. Throwing the noisy Nightmare Spirit aside with Magic Hand, Richard quietly waited in the bedroom of the house. Soon, a dark rift suddenly appeared above the bedroom¡¯s bed. Initially as thin as a strand of hair and as long as a thumb, it quickly expanded to the length and width of a palm. ¡°Ga, this thing is a Dream Rift. You can enter the dream of an intelligent creature through this,¡± Ulysses explained. ¡°This tiny rift,¡± Richard furrowed his brows and probed into the rift with his spiritual power. In an instant, Richard felt as if he had entered a new world. This dream was quite ordinary, encompassing only about the size of a village, and the village didn¡¯t look much different from the one where Richard had stayed before becoming an apprentice to a wizard, except the houses were nicer and the roads smoother. The world was very quiet, with few living beings. Thus, Richard quickly found the main character of this world¡ªa modest-looking farmer. This farmer was currently waiting anxiously in front of the village¡¯s bakery, and as a ¡°Nightmare,¡± Richard could clearly perceive his thoughts. ¡°White bread, steaming hot white bread!¡± Watching this line of thought, Richard mused. He was here to give this man a nightmare, which meant making him anxious. Now, seeing him waiting for white bread, Richard definitely needed to focus there. But before frightening him, he had to establish what he could do. Richard tried changing a small grass at the edge of the dream, and with his imagination, the whole dream suddenly shook. Then, Richard felt he could effortlessly change everything in the dream. It seemed he had usurped control of the entire dream. ¡°Is it because my spiritual power greatly exceeds the host¡¯s?¡± Richard guessed inwardly. With control over the dream, his options expanded. As a wizard, even his casual interactions about various monsters would be unimaginably terrifying for a farmer. ¡°White bread, white bread, let¡¯s start with that then.¡± With a thought from Richard, a voice echoed from the bakery. ¡°George, your white bread is ready!¡± A chubby baker, wearing thick oven gloves, carried out a basket of bread from the house. And all the bread in the basket was white bread. ¡°George, your bread!¡± The Dream World¡¯s master looked at the bread, and instantly, a wave of joy and satisfaction surged in his heart. This emotion was also a form of power, but Richard, as a creature of nightmares, obviously couldn¡¯t harness this power. In his delight, George pulled out a loaf of white bread, ripped off a big chunk, and stuffed it fiercely into his mouth. ¡°White bread, I, George, finally get to eat white bread!¡± But at his most excited moment, Richard revealed a slight smile. Hehehe, now that you¡¯ve had your fun, it¡¯s time to contribute your Power of Nightmare to me. With a thought from Richard, the white bread in George¡¯s hands and mouth instantly transformed. What was once an aromatic loaf of white bread now became a rotting arm, and what George was eating wasn¡¯t bread anymore but a piece of rotting, maggot-infested flesh. As George chewed, he realized something was amiss. He looked into his bread and got so scared that he immediately collapsed to the ground. The entire dream also crumbled thereafter. In the Wizard World, a farmer named George suddenly woke from his dream, immediately wanting to spit. But he quickly realized it was just a nightmare. ¡°It was just a dream, scared me to death.¡± George wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, took a deep breath, and lay back down in bed. Meanwhile, in the Nightmare Wizard World, Richard¡¯s spiritual power rebounded as the dream collapsed. ¡°Scared him awake, there should be some Power of Nightmare now,¡± Richard mused, touching his chin and speaking to himself as he watched the fissure heal. No sooner had he spoken than he saw a stream of black energy fly out from the fissure and merge into his body. At the same time, information appeared before Richard¡¯s eyes. ¡°Ingredient: Power of Nightmare¡± ¡°Refinable Substance: Soul Essence¡± ¡°Refinement Cost: 0.01 spiritual power¡± Looking at the information, Richard was invigorated. Power of Nightmare can actually refine into Soul Essence! Richard felt like he was dreaming! This is not the Power of Nightmare; this is more like the Power of a Beautiful Dream. He immediately checked his body with his spiritual power and saw the black energy flowing with his magic power circuit. With a thought, the Power of Nightmare flew out of the Magic Rebound and landed in the palm of his hand. ¡°Refine,¡± Richard silently commanded. The next moment, the Power of Nightmare disappeared, and what appeared in Richard¡¯s hand was a trace of Soul Essence, almost too little to be seen. After consuming this bit of Soul Essence, Richard estimated it would increase his spiritual power by roughly 0.0001. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. That meant Richard would need about ten thousand of such Power of Nightmare to gain enough Soul Essence to increase one point of his spiritual power. ¡°What in the world is this?¡± Ulysses, just a projection with limited sensory abilities, didn¡¯t recognize the Soul Essence right away. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s a soul, bah, now I¡¯m starting to caw like you,¡± Richard spat and continued, ¡°This is Soul Essence refined from the Power of Nightmare. We need about ten thousand more of that intensity of Power of Nightmare to gather enough for one point of my spiritual strength.¡± ¡°Ah, Soul Essence! My lord, your furnace is truly defying the heavens,¡± Ulysses exclaimed, ¡°It¡¯s just the yield that¡¯s a bit touching. That kind of Power of Nightmare, accumulating ten thousand of them, would be enough to elevate two Nightmare Spirits to the limit. A normal Nightmare Crystal only contains about ten Power of Nightmare.¡± Richard waved it off nonchalantly, ¡°Once it can refine into Soul Essence, don¡¯t be too picky about it. You know how rare this source material is, right?¡± ¡°Ah, well,¡± Ulysses seemed to recall something, ¡°In the small world of the Eternal God King, I think I saw an entire inland sea made of Soul Essence.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s the Divine King!¡± Richard shouted, ¡°There are only three in the Gods Civilization, and five top-tier powerhouses in the Wizard World, in the eyes of such figures, what counts as rare! ¡°Ah, about your furnace.¡± ¡°¡­Ulysses, I think we need to discuss why I was forced into the Nightmare World after you looked over the Earth Veins magnetic field. Do you think this counts as negligence?¡± ¡°Ah, my dear master, let¡¯s change the subject, shall we?¡± Richard integrated the minuscule amount of Soul Essence into his body, knowing that though it was small, every little bit counted. ¡°Ah, Richard, since you can refine Soul Essence, maybe you¡¯ve got another way to leave this place,¡± Ulysses suddenly said. Richard arched an eyebrow, ¡°What method?¡± ¡°Ah, if you can collect enough Soul Essence, break through the bottleneck of your spiritual power, your soul will enter the space you call the Soul Darkness and then plunge into the Sea of Souls. When the soul emerges from the Sea of Souls, it will find its way back into your body.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Richard paused for a moment, then a slight smile appeared on his lips, ¡°It seems this Nightmare World might actually be a blessing for me.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 174 03-25 - 4: Commanding the Nightmare, Nightmare Body Chapter 174: Chapter 4: Commanding the Nightmare, Nightmare Body Not long after he had collected the Power of Nightmare, the dream rift appeared again, which suggested that poor George had fallen asleep once more. Compared to the first time, however, this dream rift had become somewhat smaller, with edges that appeared unstable. ¡°Caw, a wisdom creature of such average strength can collect Nightmare Power up to three times in one night at most, and with each collection, its dreams become more fragile,¡± Ulysses explained to Richard. ¡°The capacity of a dream to bear is limited, once it becomes fragile, you entering can easily lead to the dreamscape shattering. So, I suggest you find another sheep to shear.¡± Since it was no longer possible to enter the current dreamscape, Richard would have to visit someone else¡¯s dreams. But as he observed the active Nightmare Spirits in the village, an idea suddenly emerged in his mind. ¡°Ulysses, didn¡¯t you say the Nightmare Power on these nightmare creatures can be plundered? These little guys right now are the perfect targets for plundering.¡± ... ¡°Caw, these little ones carry too little Nightmare Power on them, it¡¯s not very cost-effective to plunder. Of course, if you want, you can give it a try,¡± Ulysses replied with a tone that sounded a bit off, as if he were holding back some mischief. Richard gave him a glance, then casually used the Magic Hand to grab a Nightmare Spirit. The Nightmare Spirit looked like a toad but had seven or eight blood-red eyes on its head, which made it look quite terrifying. ¡°How do I plunder it?¡± ¡°Caw, eat it,¡± Ulysses cackled. ¡°Eat it?¡± Richard looked toward Ulysses, his expression growing dark, ¡°Are you sure?¡± Ulysses solemnly declared, ¡°Caw, I swear on the name of the Divine King, I¡¯m not playing tricks on you. Back then, after eating these nightmare creatures, I obtained my first strand of Nightmare Power.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï After he finished, Ulysses let out a few more strange laughs. He was now eager to see the look on Richard¡¯s face after he consumed these little creatures. The taste of these nightmare creatures, to be frank, for the beings of the Material World was¡­ Richard, with an expressionless face, used the Magic Hand to squeeze the Nightmare Spirit to death, rolled it into a ball, and then stuffed it into his own body. Since Richard had entered the Nightmare Wizard World in soul form only, his current body was illusory and lacked any real function. As the Nightmare Spirit entered his body, Richard immediately felt an unimaginable wave of disgust. If he had to describe it, Richard would rather eat British cuisine every day for the rest of his life than take another bite of this thing. Watching Richard¡¯s peculiar expression, Ulysses couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter. ¡°Caw caw caw caw, Richard, how does it taste, these nightmare creatures?¡± Richard twisted his neck stiffly, ¡°Ulysses, I think letting the World Mushroom adjust your sense of taste was a mistake, don¡¯t you think?¡± The next moment, the cackling crow instantly froze in place. ¡°Caw, my dear master, it was only an attempt, a necessary part of surviving in the Nightmare World. Once you possess a body made by the Power of Nightmare, this situation will change considerably.¡± Richard glared at him, then began to check the Nightmare Power he had gained from devouring the Nightmare Spirit. Seeing that the Magic Rebound had more or less neutralized the amount of Nightmare Power he had just refined, Richard¡¯s face turned ashen. After suffering so much to gain such a little bit of Nightmare Power, the method of gaining Nightmare Power quickly by devouring Nightmare Spirits was promptly excluded from Richard¡¯s plans. But soon, Richard thought of another method. ¡°Ulysses, how about I become the lord of these little ones and have them pay tribute to me with Nightmare Power?¡± Richard inquired. ¡°Caw, I don¡¯t know about that, I never tried it back then.¡± ¡°You never tried it?¡± Richard said, somewhat surprised, ¡°Is there a flaw with this method?¡± ¡°Caw, it¡¯s not that, back then I would directly consume the higher-tier nightmare creatures and snatch away their Nightmare Crystals. Being a lord oneself, there¡¯s no faster way than taking what¡¯s already there.¡± Richard: ¡°¡­¡± ¡­ Before attempting to rule over the group of Nightmare Spirits, Richard conducted some research on these little creatures. As the most common and lowest level nightmare creatures in the Nightmare World, their makeup was quite miraculous. They didn¡¯t have flesh and blood bodies in the conventional sense; their lives were completely maintained by the Power of Nightmare. The Power of Nightmare formed a simple energy cycle within their bodies. Different Nightmare Spirits had slight variations in their energy cycles. If this cycle were broken, the Nightmare Spirit would die as a result. When a Nightmare Spirit sustained non-fatal injuries, its body would exude a highly malodorous black mucus. This mucus was non-toxic, purely causing disgust to the creatures of the Otherworld. However, if they suffered fatal injuries, the Nightmare Spirit¡¯s body wouldn¡¯t leak out black mucus, but instead, it would begin to disintegrate. The pace of this dust transformation was related to how much of the Nightmare Power dissipated from the Spirit¡¯s body. The less Nightmare Power remaining in the body, the more disintegration occurred. Once the dissipation of Nightmare Power was complete, the body of the Nightmare Spirit would turn into a puddle of black dust. During this process, the Power of Nightmare that dissipated within the Nightmare Spirits could not be collected. After dispersing, all of it entered into the earth. It was as if there was an invisible force guiding them. These Nightmare Spirits weren¡¯t very strong, most couldn¡¯t even defeat a ten-year-old child, but as the Power of Nightmare inside them increased, so did their strength. Aside from strength, the intelligence level of these little guys was also around that of a ten-year-old, and this level of intelligence wouldn¡¯t increase with the accumulation of the Power of Nightmare. However, this test result was limited to the Nightmare Spirits at this stage. According to Ulysses, after a Nightmare Spirit gathers enough Power of Nightmare, it would evolve into a higher-grade Nightmare creature, with most higher-level Nightmare creatures evolving gradually from lower-level ones. During the experiment¡¯s observation process, Richard unexpectedly discovered that he could still use his Soul Talent Energy Vision in the Nightmare World. It was also because of the Energy Vision that he was able to complete the experiment so smoothly and observe so much data. The entire experimental process took Richard a week¡¯s time, but the gains from it could indeed be considered not insignificant. Among them, the energy cycle of Nightmare Spirits was the most valuable. These energy cycles were extremely simple, but Richard keenly sensed their potential. When these energy cycles carried enough Power of Nightmare, they would undergo a change. And this change was the secret to the evolution of Nightmare creatures. After the research was completed, Richard returned to the village, holding a very long purple vine in his hand. This vine wasn¡¯t anything special¡ªjust an ordinary vine mutated by the Nightmare World, containing a trace amount of paralytic toxin. And Richard¡¯s purpose for holding it was very simple. As runes appeared one by one in Richard¡¯s hands, a simple Alchemy Array emerged in the palm of his hand. Under the action of the Alchemy Array, Richard¡¯s spirit began manipulating the vine to transform. The transformed vine resembled some kind of Carnivorous Plants, piercing into the houses before splitting into smaller groups to wrap up the Nightmare Spirits and then carrying them out of the houses. Before long, all the Nightmare Spirits of the village were gathered at the center. The Nightmare Spirits were very rowdy, their voices together sounding like a swarm of flies buzzing in your ear. ¡°Quiet!¡± A thunderous voice overpowered the chatter of the Nightmare Spirits, silencing them. The one who uttered the voice, Richard, slowly walked out from the shadows. Looking at the group of Nightmare Spirits, Richard didn¡¯t say anything hard to understand. Instead, his tone was coarse as he shouted, ¡°Listen up, you bunch of weaklings, I¡¯m the boss of this village now, and you¡¯re all my underlings!¡± After studying the Nightmare Spirits, Richard believed that when communicating with these creatures, one must be straightforward, otherwise they might not understand what you¡¯re saying. Additionally, if you want to subdue them, you must show your strength and ferocity. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. And now, Richard needed some troublemakers to demonstrate his might and ferocity. No sooner had Richard¡¯s words finished than one of the Nightmare Spirits, looking like a Scarecrow, broke free from the vine and stood up. ¡°Who the hell do you think you are, to be fit to be my boss¡­¡± Before he could finish, a black Flame engulfed his body, turning him to ash. Richard withdrew his finger, which he had pointed at the Scarecrow, and asked with a sinister laugh, ¡°Heh heh heh, who else objects?¡± This time, Richard didn¡¯t wait for a troublemaker to emerge; he immediately used his Magic Hand to grab a Nightmare Spirit resembling a hand from the group. This Nightmare Spirit had the most robust Power of Nightmare among the group and, judging from its appearance, was likely the leader of the Slap Gang. Without further ado, Richard crushed the hand-shaped Nightmare Spirit to death with his Magic Hand, then stuffed it into his mouth. Although the taste of the Nightmare Spirit was terrible, Richard still put on a fierce demeanor. ¡°This guy was moving his body while I was talking, clearly looking to resist me.¡± With these words, all the Nightmare Spirits at the center of the village instantly froze, even one resembling a heart stopped beating. Richard looked at this scene, nodded with satisfaction, and said, ¡°Good, it seems no one has any objections. Now, all of you, hand over a third of the Power of Nightmare inside you! Don¡¯t think about cheating or sneaking off. I can see every move you make!¡± Having said that, Richard stood in the center of the village, pointing to a Nightmare Spirit beside him, and commanded, ¡°Now, starting with you!¡± ¡­ The way Nightmare creatures handed over their Power of Nightmare varied; some slashed off a piece of Flesh, others condensed it into some sort of object. Although these bits of Power of Nightmare were not much, with close to five hundred Nightmare Spirits in the village, Richard still gathered a thousand strands of Power of Nightmare, with several particularly large Nightmare Spirits each contributing a hundred strands of Power of Nightmare to him. The amount of Power of Nightmare wasn¡¯t much; even if all of it was absorbed by a single Nightmare Spirit, it would only elevate it to the strength of an average Knight. But to the current Richard, this Power of Nightmare was enough for him to make a crude body to hide his Otherworldly creature identity. When crafting the body, Richard didn¡¯t just mold it like a clay figure. On the contrary, he even gave up on increasing the body¡¯s strength in order to create a simple energy cycle inside the body, using Power of Nightmare obtained from the Nightmare Spirits. ¡°Gah, this body is too weak. If you enter this body, you likely won¡¯t even be able to exhibit one-thousandth of your strength,¡± Ulysses commented as he looked at the body Richard had made. In front of him was a body that looked almost human, emitting a somewhat ominous aura. Richard glanced at him and softly caressed the body, saying, ¡°You know nothing, I see endless possibilities in this Nightmare Body.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 175 03-25 - 5: The Mutated Nightmare Body Chapter 175: Chapter 5: The Mutated Nightmare Body Nightmare Body was the name Richard had given the body. The Power of Nightmare was a magical force capable of turning imagination into reality. Richard used the Power of Nightmare to construct a body, and the moment he finished, he imagined it. Yes, he imagined. The Power of Nightmare could change reality through consciousness. Under Richard¡¯s imagination, the body crafted from the Power of Nightmare transformed into real flesh. This flesh, both in appearance and to the touch, was indistinguishable from anything in the Material World. However, once Richard activated his Energy Vision, he could see that the body was covered with dense, intricate patterns of light. ... The Power of Nightmare hadn¡¯t truly created flesh; the flesh was merely a vivid illusion. This hypothesis was confirmed when Richard tore off a piece of the flesh, which then turned into black Power of Nightmare and merged into the earth. Though the transformation was an illusion, it was convincing enough that when Richard entered the Nightmare Body, he truly felt as if he were inside a physical body¡ªa sensation of warmth enveloped him as if he had put on clothes after a long time running naked in the cold wind. Richard exclaimed from the bottom of his heart, ¡°Having a physical body is wonderful!¡± Inside the Nightmare Body, the cycles of magic power and the Power of Nightmare ran clearly separate from each other, each forming its own system without interfering with one another. Richard tried using an Enhancement Spell on the Nightmare Body, and the results were quite satisfying. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã? The amplification effects of the spell were still effective on the body. After completing the body, Richard left the room. The black sun had risen by then, and the rifts in the dreamscape brought about by the blood moon were still not visible, with the Nightmare Spirits having returned to various hidden nooks in the village. As Richard walked through the village, the black sun, though terrifying, was safe as long as one didn¡¯t stare directly at it. Its sunlight fell on Richard¡¯s Nightmare Body, giving a warm sensation. After acquiring the Nightmare Body, Richard began to explore the surrounding areas of the village. A single village¡¯s Nightmare Spirits were too few; constructing a body capable of harnessing Richard¡¯s full strength needed at least fifty thousand strands of the Power of Nightmare¡ªstraining a whole village for that amount would take an unknown amount of time. Expanding the territory was the proper course. Moreover, in the Wizard World, human settlements never existed isolated in the Wilderness; the existence of a village undoubtedly meant there were human cities nearby, or even possibly a Wizard Academy. Although those densely populated areas sure to have a Nightmare Lord, Richard could still scrape up some leftovers in these remote villages. Just as Richard had thought, ten kilometers from the village, he found another village which, according to Ulysses¡¯s exploration, did not host any nightmare creatures more advanced than Nightmare Spirits. ¡°Gah, it appears this place is a new human gathering spot,¡± Ulysses circled the village and then landed on Richard¡¯s shoulder; he was now just a soul projection, which meant even if he died, there would be no harm to his original body, making him perfect for exploration. ¡°This settlement seems not to have existed for more than fifty years. Otherwise, there should be Little Nightmares ruling these villages.¡± ¡°Little Nightmares?¡± Richard asked curiously. ¡°Gah, Little Nightmares are what the Nightmare Spirits are called after they evolve. These little guys reach the status of Level 1 Creatures, with specific combat capabilities depending on their battle experience and the amount of the Power of Nightmare,¡± Ulysses explained. Richard nodded, ¡°It seems these nightmare creatures employ a feudal system.¡± ¡°Gah, more or less so. The world is so vast that if a Nightmare Lord had to personally collect the Power of Nightmare from every Nightmare Spirit, they¡¯d have no time left for anything else. With a feudal system, they only need to demand the Power of Nightmare from the reigning leaders of their domains. Lords enfeoff Knights, who in turn enfeoff Big Nightmares, distributing down through layers. It¡¯s like this in the Crow Realm, and the Wizard World is probably similar.¡± Leaving the village, Richard successively found several other villages, which also lacked ruling leaders. When the blood moon rose, Richard followed the old routine and thoroughly scavenged these villages for the Power of Nightmare. By the end of the night, Richard had collected nearly five thousand strands from four villages. Looking at the fist-sized ball of the Power of Nightmare in his hand, Richard nodded in satisfaction. This night had not been busy in vain. Returning to the original village, Richard found a secluded room and attempted to integrate the collected Power of Nightmare into the energy cycle of the Nightmare Body. The Nightmare Body, modeled after the Nightmare Spirits and part of his experiment with nightmare creatures, should also be able to be strengthened by absorbing the Power of Nightmare, just like the Nightmare Spirits. The integration of the Power of Nightmare went smoothly, with no roughness throughout the process. However, despite integrating all five thousand strands of the Power of Nightmare into the cycle, Richard did not experience anything special. The Nightmare Body had not been strengthened. Richard stepped out of the Nightmare Body and stared thoughtfully at the body before him. ¡°It seems I was mistaken; the strengthening of nightmare creatures isn¡¯t only related to their energy cycles.¡± In his Energy Vision, the cycles of the Power of Nightmare appeared enormously robust, with tiny light pathways spreading from these cycles and connecting to the body¡¯s outer shell. However, this linkage was only maintaining the existence of the shell and did not enhance it due to the increase in the Power of Nightmare. Looking at the shell, Richard pondered for a moment, then a thought suddenly flashed through his mind. ¡°Perhaps I can add something.¡± He rummaged through the room and soon found some black dust left behind when Nightmare Spirits died. The composition of this dust was unknown, and Richard hadn¡¯t found any use for it yet, only tossing it aside like a sample. Richard sprinkled this dust on the Nightmare Body; this dust came from the remains of dead nightmare creatures and might be what the Nightmare Body lacked for it to change. As the dust came into contact with the Nightmare Body, the energy cycle within it underwent a sudden change. The energy pathways of the places touched by the dust instantaneously thickened, as the Power of Nightmare was continuously being transmitted. During this process, the true illusion of the Power of Nightmare suddenly vanished, and Richard could clearly observe the black dust merging into the Nightmare Body. ¡°So it really is this thing,¡± Richard couldn¡¯t help but crack a slight smile. Experiments sometimes just required luck. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As the black dust fully integrated into the body, the true illusion of the Nightmare Body came back. But just as Richard was preparing to enter the Nightmare Body and experience its changes, an anomaly occurred. The originally mindless Nightmare Body suddenly opened its eyes. ¡°Huh! Playing dead!¡± Seeing this, Richard¡¯s mind raced, and he immediately began controlling his Magic Power to prepare a Sealing Skill. A series of cyan Rune Chains flew out of Richard¡¯s hands, quickly sealing the Nightmare Body into a piece of amber encased in cyan ice. After Richard¡¯s modifications, the Rune Chain Sealing Technique now had an enhanced sealing capability, and the appearance of the seal had also changed. It looked somewhat like a smaller version of the Dead Silence Ice Mountain Sealing Technique. Looking at the Ice Amber before him, Richard¡¯s expression turned somewhat grim. ¡°I went through all this trouble to prepare a body; I hope it doesn¡¯t turn into a nightmare creature because of this dust.¡± Through the seal, Richard began probing the body with his spiritual power to check its condition; if the Nightmare Body had indeed turned into a nightmare creature, its internal structure should have changed. At the very least, that disgusting black slime would definitely appear. After probing, Richard received one good and one bad piece of news. The bad news was that the black slime had indeed appeared. The good news, however, was that because of the Sealing Skill, the body¡¯s transformation had halted, and since Richard had sealed it very quickly, the degree of the body¡¯s transformation wasn¡¯t high. Also, in the transformed part of the body, Richard discovered something that resembled a core. This was something that had never appeared before when he had dissected a Nightmare Spirit. Richard looked at the Nightmare Body, stroked his chin, and his face shifted from grim to thoughtful. A new experiment going smoothly is rare; most experiments succeed only after countless failures. ¡°It seems that the secrets of nightmare creatures are not as simple as I thought.¡± Richard noted down this change, then immediately used a technique to break the seal, quickly extracting the core from the body with precise movements, and then swiftly sealed the core in his hand. For now, Richard couldn¡¯t determine if the body could revert to its original form. Rather than sealing the Nightmare Body, Richard preferred to preserve this new experimental material. But the outcome was somewhat beyond Richard¡¯s expectations. After the core was removed by Richard, the transformation of the Nightmare Body ceased. Richard looked at the core, his face displaying a slight surprise. ¡°It seems that this thing is the reason for the body¡¯s transformation.¡± This was a new discovery. After removing the core, Richard probed the remaining Power of Nightmare within the Nightmare Body and discovered that approximately three hundred strands of the Power of Nightmare had been used to transform the core and the black slime. Just then, Ulysses flew in from outside, and Richard showed him the core and told him about what had just happened. ¡°Ulysses, do you recognize this thing?¡± Ulysses looked at the core and shook his head: ¡°Caw, I don¡¯t recognize it. I usually gobble up nightmare creatures. But I¡¯ve heard a rumor before that the Nightmare King cannot die. If you want to defeat a Nightmare King, you either trap him in a Fear Domain, or you hide his heart.¡± Hearing this, Richard looked at the core in his hand and got an idea. He extracted part of the Nightmare Power from the Nightmare Body as a precaution and then unsealed the core and put it back into the Nightmare Body. ¡°Caw, what are you doing? Are you trying to possess a nightmare creature?¡± Ulysses asked curiously. Richard shook his head. ¡°Just an experiment; I have a hypothesis and want to see if it¡¯s true.¡± Once the core was returned to the Nightmare Body, the transformation began again. Soon, the entire Nightmare Body completed the transformation, and a new consciousness was born within it. And just at that moment, Richard suddenly thrust his hand into the Nightmare Body. Rune Chains instantly sealed the core again. After the core was sealed again, Richard anxiously watched the changes in the Nightmare Body. If his idea was correct, then this body wouldn¡¯t undergo dustification. Time ticked by, and the transformed Nightmare Body showed no signs of dustification. Richard then tried entering this body. During the process, he didn¡¯t feel any residual consciousness. ¡°Cackle, cackle, cackle, Ulysses, you¡¯ve greatly contributed!¡± Richard said weirdly to Ulysses, ¡°These nightmare creatures¡¯ consciousness and body are separate. The core is where their consciousness resides, and as long as the core is separated from the body, these nightmare creatures will become like vegetative beings!¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 176 03-25 - 6 Managing Territory, Nightmare Demon Beast Chapter 176: Chapter 6 Managing Territory, Nightmare Demon Beast However, after entering the Nightmare Body, Richard soon discovered a problem. This body could not be controlled by him, because after the transformation, it had essentially become a Nightmare creature. If he tried to force control over this body, it would lead to the Nightmare Body being digested by him and reverted back into the Power of Nightmare. It was as if he had eaten the Nightmare Body. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Emerging from the Nightmare Body, Richard turned his attention to the sealed core. Within the core, the imprisoned nascent consciousness was roaring in rage. At this moment, it was akin to a patient who was completely paralyzed; no matter how it issued commands, its body remained motionless. This feeling was akin to torture. ... Richard invaded the core with his spiritual power and compared to his own, the new Nightmare creature¡¯s consciousness was exceedingly weak. ¡°What are you! Monster! Get out of my body! Get out!¡± The Nightmare creature¡¯s consciousness issued a fierce yet hollow roar, but Richard paid it no attention. ¡°Interesting.¡± Richard looked at the Nightmare Body and fell into thought. This nascent consciousness somewhat exceeded Richard¡¯s understanding of the Soul School; it did not originate from a soul but rather seemed more like the electrical consciousness of a Synthetic Beast from Alchemy¡ªpurely a false personality formed by the biological electric currents stimulating the brain to produce spiritual power. Regarding this knowledge, Richard was not very familiar, but he was certain that even if he destroyed this consciousness with his spiritual power, as long as the core remained intact, new consciousnesses would emerge from it. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??0.§ã? However, Richard quickly found a solution. ¡°No soul? No problem, I can share a bit with you.¡± Richard said with a smile as he condensed a Soul Seed. Since the core would continuously produce new consciousnesses, he decided to occupy the ecological niche of consciousness with a Soul Seed, preventing the formation of new consciousnesses. With a slight motion of his spiritual power, the nascent consciousness within the core was churned into oblivion by Richard, and the core began to form a new consciousness as he had anticipated. Seizing the moment, Richard sent his Soul Seed into the core. The spiritual power produced by the core was quickly overpowered by Richard¡¯s Soul Seed, which then prevented the formation of any new consciousness. Moreover, the capacity of the core to produce spiritual power was limited, and once it reached its threshold, it ceased production. As the core stopped producing spiritual power, Richard¡¯s Soul Seed became the supreme ruler of the core. Richard then lifted the sealing, and once more, he entered the Nightmare Body. This time, the Nightmare Body could finally move normally. ¡°Gah! You actually did it!¡± Ulysses looked at the Nightmare Body moving freely, uttering in surprise. What Richard had done was akin to body-snatching a Nightmare creature, far better than his previous scheme of using the Power of Nightmare to pinch out a body. Richard now seemed to be hiding inside the stomach of a Nightmare creature, except that this Nightmare creature did not digest him. In such a situation, even if Richard faced a Nightmare Lord, he could easily fool them. Richard¡¯s mouth curled into a confident smile: ¡°This is the wisdom of a Wizard.¡± Richard channeled all of the collected Power of Nightmare into the Nightmare Body, instantly raising its strength to the level of a Legendary Knight. This also fulfilled Richard¡¯s initial goal¡ªconstant evolution. Now that Richard had collected an ample amount of the Power of Nightmare, this body could become a Big Nightmare, maybe even a Nightmare Knight or a Nightmare Lord. To move toward this goal, Richard was ready to slightly increase the efficiency of his Power of Nightmare collection. ¡­ At night, the blood moon rose, and the Nightmare Spirits crawled out from their hiding places, beginning their preparations to collect the Power of Nightmare for the night. But today was different; they were once again gathered by Richard at the center of the village. After a month of observation, Richard found the efficiency at which these Nightmare Spirits collected the Power of Nightmare to be rather laughable. A Nightmare Spirit of average strength could collect only one strand of the Power of Nightmare over ten nights. Several stronger and slightly longer-lived Nightmare Spirits could obtain one to three strands of the Power of Nightmare in a single night. Moreover, these few Nightmare Spirits often needed to harvest four or five dreams to acquire that much. Their efficiency was, to say the least, very low. Further observation led Richard to discover that these Nightmare Spirits also often fought each other, and such fights would often end with one party dying, allowing the Power of Nightmare to enter the earth. These fights did not lead to a decrease in the number of Nightmare Spirits. In the hidden corners of the village, Nightmare Spirits would frequently grow from the ground. This growth was literal. While these fights did not decrease the number of Nightmare Spirits, they did lead to a rapid turnover, making it difficult for them to accumulate sufficient experience to scare people more effectively. A newly born Nightmare Spirit might not collect even a trace of the Power of Nightmare in a whole night. Richard set the tribute at one-third; for every strand of the Power of Nightmare these Nightmare Spirits collected, they had to hand over one-third to him. Therefore, to accelerate the collection of the Power of Nightmare, Richard decided to give the Nightmare Spirits some guidance, enabling them to collect more Power of Nightmare each night. ¡­ In the village center, Richard stood aloft in the air, shouting down at the group of variously shaped Nightmare Spirits below. ¡°Minions, you collect the Power of Nightmare too slowly! Today, I will teach you some tricks to let you collect more Power of Nightmare when you scare people! In addition, starting tonight, all Nightmare Spirits are forbidden to fight! Any Nightmare Spirit that fights becomes my food!¡± Richard¡¯s statement sent a buzz through the hordes of Nightmare Spirits on the ground. Among them, a few that had lived longer and possessed greater strength muttered to each other, finding this newcomer quite odd. Prohibiting combat and intending to teach those little ones how to scare people? What a madman. ¡°Quiet!¡± A loud shout instantly silenced the Nightmare Spirits. Richard looked at the menacing group and said, ¡°Whoever disagrees is welcome to stand up. I assure him a dignified death!¡± ¡­ Not a single Nightmare Spirit dared to move. Pleased with the result, Richard nodded in satisfaction and began his lesson. The content of the lesson was quite simple; scaring these country bumpkins didn¡¯t require any exaggerated or complex scenes. A skeleton, a venomous snake, a large wild beast, or an evil ghost that couldn¡¯t be killed¡ªany of these could frighten ordinary farmers. And these things didn¡¯t require the Nightmare Spirits to manipulate dreams. They merely needed to change their own appearances within the dreams. No matter what the surroundings were, these things could scare people. After teaching the scare tactics, Richard¡¯s body suddenly divided into several mini Richards. Having become a wizard, Richard now could divide more Soul Seeds¡ªa One Ring Wizard could split into ten Soul Seeds. These mini Richards were essentially Richard¡¯s avatars, mainly used to maintain order among the Nightmare Spirits and to prevent them from fighting one another. After all, Richard couldn¡¯t hold classes for them every day. Following the same formula, Richard quickly started scare-tactic classes in four other villages. He left two avatars in each village to manage order while his original body began his research in a secluded room of the village. In the Nightmare World, not only Nightmare creatures could be researched. The rules of this world were an exact replica of the Wizard World, and Richard could still conduct Spell research here. Although the world lacked tools, there was research that could be done without them. ¡­ Time passed by day by day, and before he knew it, Richard had spent nearly three months in the Nightmare World. Back in the Material World, Richard¡¯s body had been placed into a Secret Realm by Ulysses and was being guarded by a World Mushroom¡ªthere were no safety concerns. While in the Nightmare World, Richard¡¯s collection of the Power of Nightmare steadily proceeded. After initiating training and banning combat, the level of the Nightmare Spirits under Richard¡¯s command greatly improved, and those of the most basic level of the Power of Nightmare had vanished. On this foundation, Richard refined his management, assigning a fixed dream to every Nightmare Spirit, ensuring that each had a dream to enter. After such regulation, the Nightmare Spirits, taking on the forms of fierce beasts and Evil Ghosts, struck hard at the dreamers, with some even learning on their own to first give pleasure then a last-moment scare, causing the villages of the Wizard World to erupt with screams night after night. In just three months, Richard had collected an astonishing 15,000 units of the Power of Nightmare, with each village providing around a thousand units per month on average. However, looking at the data, the collection of Nightmare Power peaked in the second month and saw a significant decline in the third. Experiencing such intense and repetitive frights, it was only a matter of time before the commoners developed immunity. Richard made no changes, however. If the villages suffered nightmares too frequently and for too long, it would surely attract the attention of the Wizard Academy. It would be troublesome if it brought Wizards of the Soul School or even Guardians of the Wizard World. Richard believed that the Wizard World must have conducted research into the Nightmare World. Attracting the attention of powerful beings might spell his end with a single slap. As for seeking help from these wizards to escape, Richard being a pure Soul, any rescue by a wizard might lead to soul-to-soul contact, and if other wizards noticed the existence of the Miracle Furnace, it would be a serious problem. Although the chance of the Miracle Furnace being discovered was slim, having a way out, Richard preferred to play it safe and not to take any risks. With 15,000 units of Nightmare Power absorbed into his body, Richard¡¯s Nightmare Form had reached the level of an advanced Wizard Apprentice. Such strength meant that he was generally not in danger unless he encountered high-level Nightmare creatures¡­ ¡°Gah, Richard, come out quick, we¡¯ve got trouble!¡± Ulysses flew in from outside, his voice sounding very anxious. ¡°What has got you so panicked?¡± Richard asked, rising calmly. ¡°Gah! Come out and see for yourself. And remember to engage your Energy Vision.¡± Exiting the room, Richard switched to Energy Vision. With Energy Vision engaged, faint energy trails appeared on the ground. Following Ulysses into the nearby forest, Richard was startled by the sight before him. Threads of Nightmare Power seeped from the ground, slowly forming into a black Nightmare creature. On this creature, Richard felt no sign of intelligence, only a hunger as deep as the Abyss. ¡°Ulysses, what are these things?¡± Richard asked, his expression composed. In his hand, a Magic Wand made of Nightmare Power gradually took shape. ¡°Gah! These things are Nightmare Demon Beasts, they chase and kill all intelligent Nightmare creatures. They¡¯re the most annoying mad dogs of the Nightmare World.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 177 03-25 - 7 Nightmare Body Evolution Chapter 177: Chapter 7 Nightmare Body Evolution ¡°Nightmare Demon Beast? This thing looks quite powerful,¡± Richard said as he watched the ever-transforming Nightmare Demon Beast, the Magic Wand in his hand gradually taking shape. The Power of Nightmare could create True Illusions, and just as Richard could craft a body, he could naturally craft a Magic Wand. However, this creation was not without its limits. When making an artificial object, Richard had to have a sufficient understanding of it, be familiar with its materials, and know the method of its creation. In the case of certain materials, he had to know their physical properties. Moreover, there was one condition, that was, Richard must have seen the object before. He could not hypnotize himself and use the Power of Nightmare to create an illusion of a material or a Divine Artifact. ... ¡°Gaah, the most troublesome part of these things isn¡¯t their strength, but the fact that their appearance signifies the onset of a beast tide,¡± Ulysses said, looking at the Nightmare Demon Beast with disgust in his eyes. Their taste was even worse than that of Nightmare Spirits. He had collected the Power of Nightmare in the past and eaten many of these things, which utterly nauseated him. ¡°These beast tides vary in size; the small ones may have one or two demigods, while the big ones might feature Nightmare Lords or even Nightmare Kings.¡± Richard looked at the energy pathways on the ground; these pathways ran deep underground but allowed Richard to see them through thick layers of earth. This beast tide wouldn¡¯t be small. As Richard was pondering, the Nightmare Demon Beast in the forest finally took shape and let out a dull roar. The beast had a humanoid shape, standing about two meters tall with an extremely muscular physique, almost like a Black Tower when stationed in the woods. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã? The Magic Beast¡¯s body was covered in a layer of black full Armor, with vein-like bulging patterns. Its helmet completely encased the face, revealing only a pair of blood-red eyes and a bright red mouth full of sharp teeth, drooling. After roaring, it charged toward Richard. As it moved, streams of Power of Nightmare flowed out from beneath it, gradually shaping into a Nightmare Steed, while a black Riding Spear appeared in its hand. ¡°A Knight? Then I¡¯ll call you the Nightmare Knight for now.¡± Richard, watching the Nightmare Knight charging at him, waved his Magic Wand gently, and the ground in front of the charging beast suddenly turned to mud. The Nightmare Steed lost its footing, tumbling to the ground with its rider. Then Richard waved his wand again, and the mud turned back into hard stone, instantly trapping the Nightmare Knight within it. Dealing with such brainless creatures, Wizards had too many methods. The trapped Nightmare Knight struggled to break free, but because the stone fit his body so tightly, his space to exert force was extremely limited. Even though its strength had reached that of Level 1 Creatures, it was temporarily trapped in the stones. Richard approached it, and tiny Runes started to appear in his palm. His spiritual power entered the stone through the Alchemy Array, and in an instant, the stone seemed to come alive, rapidly spreading along the Nightmare Knight¡¯s body, wrapping it entirely in the blink of an eye. Then, Richard casually used the Power of Nightmare to condense a feather pen and began Engraving Runes on the stone. These Runes were simple in purpose, primarily to reinforce the stone prison. Dull thuds came from the stone, and fine cracks began to appear on its surface. But as more Runes were added, the cracks stopped growing and even began to heal under Richard¡¯s control. The Nightmare Knight¡¯s struggles were futile against the Runes. ¡°Gaah, do you plan to dissect this thing?¡± Ulysses, looking at the stone encasing the Nightmare Knight, expressed his amazement. The breadth of strategies used by Wizards was more diverse than any Race he had ever seen; it was hard to imagine a Race capable of utilising such a varied arsenal of abilities. ¡°Of course this thing must be studied,¡± Richard said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. As a Wizard, any opportunity to gain knowledge was precious. ¡°Gaah, what about these, then?¡± Richard looked toward the depths of the forest, where one dark figure after another was gradually taking form. ¡°Obviously, they are all to be slaughtered,¡± Richard said calmly. ¡­ Boom! A black Fireball exploded in the forest, and the sprawling Flames instantly turned two Nightmare Knights into black fragments. Without Magic Stones for replenishment, Richard had to be thrifty with his Spell usage, choosing his moments carefully. If a single Fireball could resolve the situation, there was no need for a second. A black crow darted through the forest, continually carrying fragments of Nightmare Knights to Richard for him to consume. It must be said that Ulysses had a reason to detest these things. The taste of Nightmare Knights was more than ten times worse than that of Nightmare Spirits. When devouring the fragments of the Nightmare Knights, Richard felt as if he were guzzling swill, a disgust stemming from his Soul that was excruciatingly painful. ¡°` But to harness the Power of Nightmare, Richard could only endure it all. Who made him not a Nightmare creature? A Nightmare creature? Richard¡¯s Magic Wand paused mid-air, and the forming Fireball dissipated into thin air. He seemed to have done something foolish. The Dream Knight who noticed the slip leaped forward, showing Richard a jump slash on the spot. The Great Sword in the dark whistled through the air, but Richard just glanced at it, and his Magic Wand transformed into a Pure Gold long spear. Then he sidestepped, thrusting the spear upward, and the Dream Knight received a devastating blow from Richard. After dealing with the last Dream Knight, Richard crawled out of the Nightmare Body and then controlled the Nightmare Body to devour the fragments of the Dream Knights. Then, a miracle happened. The sickening feeling of guzzling slop instantly vanished, replaced by a tasteless sensation as if chewing wax, and a sense of satisfaction like that of eating a meal. These sensations made Richard, who had just devoured so many fragments of the Dream Knights, feel like a big idiot. He should have thought of it earlier, having suffered so needlessly. But now that he had discovered it, it wasn¡¯t too late; there were still many fragments in the forest that hadn¡¯t turned to dust. One hour later, Richard had finally devoured all the Dream Knight fragments in the forest. Although much of the Power of Nightmare had dissipated during the battle, the remaining power in the Dream Knight¡¯s bodies had reached nearly forty thousand strands. When all these strands of Nightmare Power entered the energy circulation of the Nightmare Body¡ª An anomaly occurred! The vast amount of Nightmare Power exceeded the carrying capacity of the crude energy circulation system within the Nightmare Body. The newly integrated Nightmare Power made the energy circulation perilously unstable. At that moment, the energy circulation of the Nightmare Body suddenly branched off, and the excess Nightmare Power surged into this new offshoot, turning it into a wide avenue. With the emergence of this tributary, the entire energy circulation underwent an earth-shattering transformation. What was once as crude as a child¡¯s simple drawing became an art student¡¯s creation within minutes. Simultaneously, the core of the Nightmare Body also underwent a transformation; a Rule Power from the Nightmare World invaded Richard¡¯s core through the Void, leaving a rule imprint within. Under this rule imprint, the Nightmare Core grew rapidly, continuously producing spiritual power. This spiritual power should have made the consciousness within the Nightmare Core stronger, but at that moment, it was completely dominated by Richard¡¯s Soul Seed. Once the growth of the Nightmare Core was complete, the rule imprint suddenly collapsed, transforming into a surge of Rule Power from the Nightmare World that merged into the Nightmare Body. Richard felt that this imprint was a kind of permit, a license needed by the Nightmare Core to grow. When all was completed, Richard¡¯s Soul Seed suddenly felt an itch, the True Illusion of the Nightmare Body abruptly vanished, and the humanoid Nightmare Body began to undergo a form transformation. A black cloak rose up from the Nightmare Body, enveloping it entirely. From the outside, the interior of the cloak was pitch black, and even with Richard¡¯s use of spiritual power, he couldn¡¯t discern what lay within. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Ga, it seems this is your Nightmare Talent,¡± said Ulysses, looking at the Nightmare Body with some surprise. ¡°A cloak that cannot be investigated, that¡¯s quite in line with your personality.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Richard frowned slightly. ¡°What¡¯s a Nightmare Talent?¡± ¡°Ga, these Nightmare creatures gain a Nightmare Talent when they become little Nightmares. These talents are varied and bizarre; they can be anything. However, one thing for certain is that this talent is related to the Nightmare creature¡¯s personality. A hot-tempered creature¡¯s talent leans towards attack, a cautious creature¡¯s talent is often supportive, and some with a mad mind have talents that follow their owner, emphasizing what¡¯s the word for it? That adjective you use for actions that are hard to understand.¡± ¡°Abstract, perhaps?¡± ¡°Ga, that¡¯s it, abstract! I once devoured a Nightmare creature, whose talent was to make anyone who walked trip and fall, and where they fell, there would always be a pile of dung. The entire talent was useless except for being revolting.¡± ¡°So, you tripped?¡± ¡°Ga, of course not, I swooped down from the sky to eat it.¡± After the cloak¡¯s formation, the evolution of the Nightmare Body appeared to have ended. After waiting for about ten minutes, Richard entered the Nightmare Body again. The evolved Nightmare Body had reached the level of Level 1 Creatures, and by Richard¡¯s assessment, its Physique should be between 51 and 53, just within the range of newly advanced Level 1 Creatures. But the gap between a One Ring Wizard and a high-level Wizard Apprentice was immense. Before the evolution, controlling the Nightmare Body was like an adult wearing a child¡¯s clothes, being cautious not to rip them with too much strength. But now, Richard had finally put on clothes that fit. ¡°This body feels much more comfortable,¡± Richard moved his body and said with satisfaction. ¡°Ga, don¡¯t celebrate too soon. Nightmare Demon Beasts have their detection methods. In a few days, the nearest Nightmare Lord will send someone over. What do you plan to do then?¡± ¡°What will I do?¡± Richard smiled faintly, a cold glint flashing in his eyes, ¡°Why, offer them ¡®an opportunity to surrender,¡¯ of course.¡± ¡°` COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 178 03-25 - 8: Naming and Magic Puppet Billy Chapter 178: Chapter 8: Naming and Magic Puppet Billy After leaving the forest, Richard returned to the village with the cage imprisoning the Nightmare Knights. At the village entrance, Richard unexpectedly found several powerful Nightmare Spirits peeking at the forest where the Nightmare Demon Beasts had appeared. Upon seeing him emerge, the Nightmare Spirits hurriedly shrank back into the corner. Richard felt there was something odd about these Nightmare Spirits and stepped forward, pulling out a skeletal-looking Nightmare Spirit and angrily demanded, ¡°What are you running for, don¡¯t you recognize your own boss?¡± The captured Nightmare Spirit trembled and said, ¡°Recognize! Recognize! Of course, we recognize!¡± ¡°Why are you running then?¡± ... The captured Nightmare Spirit looked about to cry, lamenting that although several old fellows had come over, only he had been caught. Looking at the terrifying figure before him, the Nightmare Spirit said with a trembling voice, ¡°Boss, you¡¯ve changed a lot, we were a bit scared to recognize you.¡± ¡°Scared to recognize¡­.¡± Richard¡¯s voice was initially steady, then he suddenly shouted, ¡°At this time, aren¡¯t you usually sleeping! How come you all suddenly came out and gathered here!¡± The Nightmare Spirit¡¯s body shivered, and its entire skeletal frame nearly fell apart. He had no doubt that if he didn¡¯t provide an explanation, his own boss would instantly crush him and then devour him. ¡°Boss, the noise you made was so loud, of course, we could sense it.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Speaking of which, the Nightmare Spirit took a cautious glance at the stone behind Richard; he could clearly sense that inside the stone resided someone as formidable as his own boss. Richard turned his head to look at Ulysses, ¡°Did I make a lot of noise?¡± ¡°Gah, not too little.¡± Richard nodded his head, then asked again, ¡°Which one of you has lived the longest?¡± ¡°¡­Me, boss,¡± the Nightmare Spirit said, trembling. Richard raised an eyebrow, ¡°You? That¡¯s quite a coincidence.¡± Richard turned to face the stone, used Alchemy to control the stone, and opened a window, revealing the face of the Nightmare Knight inside. ¡°That¡¯s perfect, take a look¡­¡± ¡°Ah! Black Knight! Black Knight! The Black Knight has appeared again!¡± Upon seeing the contents inside the stone, the Nightmare Spirit screamed and scrambled backward, running as fast as he could. Richard frowned and quickly grabbed the Nightmare Spirit back. ¡°Do you recognize this thing?¡± The Nightmare Spirit stared at the Black Knight, shaking uncontrollably. After realizing that the Black Knight was imprisoned by Richard, its mood eased a bit. ¡°Boss, this is the Black Knight!¡± the Nightmare Spirit said somewhat excitedly, ¡°These guys kill us on sight, and I used to live in a village with a leader nearly as strong as you, boss, but he was stabbed to death by the Black Knight with a spear.¡± Remembering the previous boss who had been killed, the Nightmare Spirit felt a wave of fear as the terrifying scene left an indelible shadow in his heart. But now, looking at the Black Knight imprisoned in the stone by Richard, the Nightmare Spirit felt a surreal sensation. This new boss is so powerful! ¡°Quite interesting.¡± Richard stroked his chin, thinking that such a beast tide seemed quite common. ¡°Little thing, what¡¯s your name?¡± Richard casually asked. ¡°That¡­ Boss, how could I have a name? Names are only for big shots like you,¡± the Nightmare Spirit carefully said. ¡°No name?¡± Richard looked the Nightmare Spirit over. This particular Nightmare Spirit seemed to be the one that learned the last turnaround, and it looked pretty clever. If he wanted to develop his own forces in the Nightmare World, his subordinates were certainly indispensable, and this one seemed quite suitable. ¡°No name, then I¡¯ll give you one. You shall be called¡­¡± Richard looked at the Nightmare Spirit and offhandedly said, ¡°from now on, you¡¯ll be called Bone.¡± When the Nightmare Spirit heard the name, it paused for a moment, then bowed and thanked Richard: ¡°Bone, Bone¡­Thank you, boss! Thank you, boss!¡± And as the Nightmare Spirit acknowledged the name, the Power of Nightmare within Richard¡¯s body suddenly stirred. A Wizard Language symbol for ¡°Bone¡± formed by the Power of Nightmare appeared in Richard¡¯s hand and then automatically burrowed into Bone¡¯s body. Names seemed to have a special meaning in the Nightmare World. Once the character entered Bone¡¯s body, Richard felt a connection forming between himself and Bone. This connection was like a contract, not only could Richard sense Bone¡¯s emotions through it, but he could also detect any malicious intent from Bone at the first moment. He could also share the Power of Nightmare gained by Bone through this connection. If Bone gathered the Power of Nightmare, he would take a quarter of it. However, Richard somehow felt that there were limits to this naming mechanism; the number of names he could grant was limited. Once all were given, unless he revoked a name granted previously, he couldn¡¯t bestow another. ¡°Ulysses, do you know about the mechanism of granting names to Nightmare creatures?¡± ¡°Gah, what the heck? Name granting? Never heard of it. I didn¡¯t really hang around in the territories much, I only know a little about Nightmare creatures, and that too heard in the Lawless Land.¡± ¡°Lawless Land?¡± Another new place. ¡°Gah, the Lawless Land is a place where Nightmare creatures who don¡¯t live within the Nightmare Territories live by robbing other Nightmare creatures. Usually, between the territories.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t the lords taking action to exterminate them?¡± ¡°Caw, sometimes it does, I¡¯ve encountered it once, and it almost left me in the Crow Realm of Nightmares.¡± ¡­ After the naming ceremony, Richard appointed Bones as the village¡¯s inspector, taking over the management of the Nightmare Spirits in the village for Richard¡¯s avatar, while he himself began dissecting the Black Knight in his room. Time flew by, and three days had passed in the blink of an eye. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. During these three days, Richard¡¯s understanding of the Black Knight had significantly improved. The structure of the Black Knight was similar to other Nightmare creatures, but in its Nightmare Core, Richard had not found consciousness¡ªonly an emotion filled with endless hunger. This sense of hunger drove the Black Knight to seek out Nightmare creatures and devour them to gain the Power of Nightmare. During Richard¡¯s tests, this hunger would only temporarily subside when the Black Knight acquired the Power of Nightmare, but after a short time, the Nightmare Core would produce a sense of hunger akin to generating spiritual power, leading the Black Knight to relentlessly devour without end. It had to be said that if Richard hadn¡¯t seen the Black Knight emerge from the ground, he would have thought it was some kind of man-made object. This thing resembled a biological weapon designed to exterminate Nightmare creatures. After devouring the dissected Black Knight, Richard obtained nearly ten thousand strands of the Power of Nightmare from it. This number also seemed quite odd. Calculating by the amount of the Power of Nightmare consumed when Richard wove the Nightmare Body, this Black Knight should have been able to produce fifty thousand strands of the Power of Nightmare. The Black Knight definitely contained greater secrets. However, this secret was still too remote for Richard, and he decided to deal with the immediate situation first. Nightmare Territory¡ªsomeone had arrived. ¡­ At the entrance of the village, Bones was confronting a small Nightmare Spirit. After receiving his name from Richard, Bones had truly become the leader of the village, patrolling around all day. To him, Richard¡¯s orders were divine. And with Richard as his backing, Bones had grown braver. Facing this foreign little Nightmare, Bones did not flinch and went up to interrogate: ¡°Where are you from? This is our¡ª,¡± Bones thought for a moment. It seemed Richard hadn¡¯t named their faction yet, ¡°¡­our boss¡¯s territory.¡± The stopped Magic Puppet Billy looked at the reckless Nightmare Spirit before him, somewhat surprised. Daring to stop him? Could this fool not see that he was a little Nightmare? Perhaps he had hidden himself too well. Thinking so, Magic Puppet Billy burst forth with a powerful surge of the Power of Nightmare. ¡°Now you should be able to recognize me,¡± Magic Puppet Billy thought. He somewhat eagerly looked at Bones, wanting to see Bones overwhelmed with fear, tremblingly apologizing or at least obediently stepping aside. He really enjoyed frightening these Nightmare Spirits and then eating them while they shuddered in terror. Fear was the best spice. But he soon became displeased. Because Bones hadn¡¯t shown the slightest hesitation, instead he conjured a long spear with the Power of Nightmare and pointed it at him. ¡°What are you doing? This is our boss¡¯s territory, are you trying to take it over?¡± Magic Puppet Billy was annoyed, but a thought also crossed his mind. Unless this Nightmare Spirit before him was an idiot, his lack of reaction indicated that his boss was stronger than Billy. A new village had a wild little Nightmare like this? Magic Puppet Billy decided to play it safe and meet this Nightmare Spirit¡¯s mentioned boss. ¡°Little thing, call out your boss. I am a subordinate of Lord Demon Sword Amade, here to investigate matters concerning the Black Knight. Little one, has there been any Black Knight near your village?¡± Regarding the last question, Magic Puppet Billy didn¡¯t expect an answer, for usually, a squad at least would be needed to handle the appearance of a Black Knight, and a common little Nightmare would be skewered by their Riding Spears on sight. Even a lone Black Knight would take a lot of effort for a normal little Nightmare to perhaps luckily kill. Many times, the fate of little Nightmares was to perish along with the Black Knight. ¡°First, I¡¯m not a little thing! My name is Bones! Second, the Black Knight near the village has already been dealt with by the boss!¡± As Bones spoke, his voice carried a sense of admiration. Having a boss who could kill a Black Knight was indeed something to be proud of. ¡°Hmm!?¡± Magic Puppet Billy was surprised¡ªsomeone single-handedly killing a Black Knight meant this village¡¯s boss was quite skilled. Such a little Nightmare could become a subordinate of Lord Demon Sword Amade. But he then skeptically asked, ¡°Little thing, are you sure it was a Black Knight?¡± Wild Nightmare Spirits surviving a year or two were considered long-lived, while the last occurrence of a Black Tide had been three years ago. But before Bones could reply, he saw a figure in a black robe approaching him. ¡°I did indeed kill a Black Knight.¡± Richard walked up to the puppet little Nightmare and calmly asked: ¡°Where are you from? State your name!¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 179 03-25 - 9 The Plan to Offer Amnesty Chapter 179: Chapter 9 The Plan to Offer Amnesty Looking at the Black Robed Nightmare in front of him, Magic Puppet Billy suddenly felt a surge of vigilance in his heart. He had failed to notice this small Nightmare Spirit immediately, and it wasn¡¯t until he drew closer that he paid attention. If this had been a battle, he feared he might already be at a disadvantage, or even dead. Yet even though he felt some apprehension towards this Richard, Magic Puppet Billy¡¯s expression remained calm and unruffled. He asked in a steady tone, ¡°Are you the master of this little creature?¡± ... Richard looked at the small Nightmare Spirit in front of him, the circulation of energy within its body clear in his eyes. He easily judged its strength¡ªfour hundred thousand Power of Nightmare, a top tier among First Level Nightmare creatures. It would be troublesome to kill it now. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. So he nodded slightly, ¡°I am the leader here, tell me your name, stranger.¡± Magic Puppet Billy was relieved to see Richard step back. This small Nightmare Spirit was not of ordinary strength; though he was confident he could win if they fought, it still wouldn¡¯t be worth it. From his reaction, this Nightmare Spirit didn¡¯t seem like a hothead. ¡°There¡¯s an opportunity to recruit him,¡± thought Magic Puppet Billy to himself. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?¦Ï ¡°I am a Nightmare Knight under Lord Demon Sword Amade, Magic Puppet Billy. I am here to investigate the Black Knights,¡± Magic Puppet Billy stated his purpose proudly, then quickly shifted the conversation, ¡°I heard from one of your men that you killed a Black Knight?¡± Richard glanced at his follower Bone, then shook his head slightly, ¡°Not one, three.¡± Though he had killed seven Black Knights, he thought it best to be conservative because the Black Knights were not weak, and ordinary First Level Nightmare creatures might not be able to defeat them alone. Hearing Richard¡¯s denial, Magic Puppet Billy was shocked. Even though he had indeed seen Richard¡¯s capabilities just now, he hadn¡¯t expected Richard¡¯s strength to be even greater. A wild small Nightmare had actually killed three Black Knights. Even he would be in a scramble if he faced three Black Knights. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s three?¡± Magic Puppet Billy couldn¡¯t help but ask. Richard nodded slightly, ¡°I am sure, Magic Puppet Billy.¡± ¡°Can you take me to see the battlefield?¡± ¡°Please.¡± ¡­ Following Richard, they arrived at the scene of the fight, and upon seeing that the location was a forest, Magic Puppet Billy was certain that what Richard had told was true. The combat power of Black Knights came largely from their charge, and on the plains, even he wouldn¡¯t dare to resist a charging Black Knight head-on. But Richard¡¯s battle took place in a dense forest, where the Black Knights had short distances to charge¡ªthe longer the sprint distance, the greater their power. If they could charge for ten or more kilometers, even Lord Demon Sword would have to consider evasion. ¡°You are really lucky,¡± Magic Puppet Billy exclaimed, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± A thought crossed Richard¡¯s mind, ¡°I¡¯m Black Robe Charlie. What do you mean by ¡®good luck¡¯?¡± ¡°A charging Black Knight is a true Black Knight. Those in the woods are just beasts with their legs broken,¡± Magic Puppet Billy said indifferently. After that, Magic Puppet Billy opened his chest and took out a black sheepskin scroll, which seemed to be a map. He used the Power of Nightmare to form a pen and then marked an X on the sheepskin scroll. Besides this X, Richard noticed a dozen other crosses. If he guessed right, these places were where Black Knights had appeared before. After marking the map, Magic Puppet Billy spit out a black flame that turned the sheepskin scroll into ashes. Those ashes transformed into a skull in the air, which chuckled eerily before turning into a streak of black light flying south toward the village. Magic Puppet Billy watched the black light disappear, then turned to look at Richard. ¡°My business is done, now let¡¯s talk about yours.¡± ¡°My business?¡± Richard feigned ignorance, ¡°What business do I have?¡± Magic Puppet Billy pointed at the nearby village, spoke slowly, ¡°Black Robe Charlie, the territory you currently occupy belongs to Lord Demon Sword Amade. All the Power of Nightmare you¡¯ve collected on this land is property of Lord Demon Sword Amade. If this matter is not resolved, you will become an outlaw. Outlaws can only roam the wilderness or serve as mercenaries in the Lawless Land. They are not recognized by the Nightmare Lords and are desirable targets wherever they go.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Richard feigned anger, ¡°Are you threatening me, Magic Puppet Billy?¡± To put on a full act, Richard even unleashed a burst of Power of Nightmare from within. ¡°No,¡± Magic Puppet Billy said nonchalantly, ¡°I¡¯m informing you. If you continue to be uncooperative, this will be your future.¡± ¡°So what do you want to do?¡± Richard reined in the Power of Nightmare and asked in a deep voice. Magic Puppet Billy gave a slight smile, his puppet smile carrying an eerie thrill. ¡°If you cooperate, all of this will be trivial. Your strength is not weak, nor are your actions intentional. Lord Demon Sword Amade will forgive you. As long as you are willing to join under Lord Demon Sword Amade, this village will still be yours, and even the surrounding villages will be awarded to you.¡± Having spoken at length, Magic Puppet Billy finally got to the point. ¡°What if I don¡¯t cooperate?¡± Richard countered. ¡°Don¡¯t cooperate?¡± Magic Puppet Billy let out a strange laugh, and the surrounding area instantly became eerie. ¡°If you don¡¯t cooperate, you can only become the enemy of Lord Demon Sword Amade!¡± All of a sudden, Ulysses, who had been perched on his shoulder like an ornament, communicated with Richard through a spiritual message: ¡°This little Nightmare Spirit is not simple, he has already developed the rudiments of a Nightmare Domain. The Nightmare Domain is the most despicable trick these nightmare creatures have, it¡¯s best not to get trapped in it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, offering amnesty was always my plan,¡± Richard calmly replied to Ulysses. From the beginning, Richard had never thought about fighting alone. He wasn¡¯t as powerful as Ulysses, he was merely a First Level Wizard. Moreover, as a wizard, Richard preferred to solve problems with intelligence. Now it wasn¡¯t the time for Plane Wars, he could totally form an alliance with these nightmare creatures. ¡°I have a question, Magic Puppet Billy.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Do I need to be granted a name or accept something similar to pledge allegiance to Lord Amade?¡± ¡°A name?¡± Magic Puppet Billy suddenly burst into laughter. After laughing, he mocked, ¡°Black Robed Richard, you don¡¯t think you¡¯re anything special, do you? Nightmare beings who are named by Lord Demon Sword Amade are the elites among Nightmares, capable of becoming Amade¡¯s trusted aides. You, however, are just a slightly stronger little Nightmare. Those restraining means are not meant for you to use.¡± Hearing this, Richard laughed inwardly. This was now a mutual journey. ¡°Then I agree to join under Lord Amade.¡± Magic Puppet Billy looked at Richard, making sure Richard wasn¡¯t joking, then said: ¡°Very well, if you wish to join, follow me to the territory to meet Lord Amade in person.¡± ¡°When do we leave?¡± Magic Puppet Billy reopened his chest cavity, pulling out a carriage model and throwing it onto the ground. ¡°Now!¡± With that, the model transformed into a four-wheeled carriage drawn by two Nightmare Steeds. ¡°I¡¯ll drive, you sit in the back, and we¡¯ll leave right away!¡± ¡­ The Nightmare Carriage was fast, and inside the carriage, Richard quietly watched the scenery zip by outside the window. ¡°Ulysses, how much Power of Nightmare can a Nightmare Knight collect in a year?¡± The crow on his shoulder opened its mouth slightly, then humanly patted its wings as if yawning. ¡°Who knows, it depends on the size of the domain. But to sustain a Nightmare Knight¡¯s domain, at least a couple of million strands of Nightmare Power must be collected in a year. Otherwise, the slightest exertion would lead to a deficit.¡± The Power of Nightmare was not only a source of power for nightmare beings, but also the sustenance they relied on. Every nightmare being, depending on their strength, consumed a variable amount of Nightmare Power each day. With Richard¡¯s current strength, he needed roughly ten strands of Nightmare Power daily, and that was when he was less active, spending days studying runes in his room. If Richard moved even slightly, this consumption would increase exponentially. Nightmare Knights, who had reached the Third Level or even the pinnacle of the Third Level, had to use methods like deep sleep to reduce the loss of Nightmare Power. ¡°Not bad,¡± Richard replied with a slight smile on his lips. ¡°You¡¯re not thinking about going after that Nightmare Power, are you?¡± Ulysses couldn¡¯t help but advise, ¡°Although I did indeed do such things in my time, your power is far from what I had back then.¡± Richard glanced at him: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not a fool. The more income a domain generates, the more control one can have over it. I don¡¯t believe a perpetually sleeping Nightmare Knight can stop the people below from being devious.¡± Soon, the carriage stopped, and Magic Puppet Billy, somehow attired in a formal suit, very gentlemanly opened the carriage door. ¡°Step down, m¡¯lady. We have arrived.¡± Richard stepped out of the carriage, ¡°Do we still distinguish between male and female?¡± Magic Puppet Billy stiffened, a displeased expression crossing his face. ¡°Buzzkill, follow me to meet Lord Amade.¡± The Nightmare Knight¡¯s headquarters was in a city as bustling as Gael City but much smaller in size. Now, as the Blood Moon rose, countless Nightmare Spirits crawled out of corners, ready to invade people¡¯s dreams. ¡°This is the core territory of Lord Amade, Amade City.¡± Magic Puppet Billy boasted somewhat proudly. Richard nodded, feigning surprise in his tone, ¡°It¡¯s indeed beautiful, and quite large, housing at least tens of thousands of Nightmare Spirits.¡± ¡°Tens of thousands?¡± Magic Puppet Billy laughed, ¡°There are millions of Nightmare Spirits living here, and the Nightmare Crystals produced in a year account for half of Lord Amade¡¯s entire territory.¡± ¡°So many! Wouldn¡¯t that mean hundreds of thousands of the Power of Nightmare coming in every year!¡± Richard exclaimed again. ¡°Hundreds of thousands?¡± Magic Puppet Billy found this wild Nightmare Spirit quite uninformed, ¡°Amade City alone produces hundreds of thousands of Nightmare Crystals a year!¡± With this statement, Richard gasped a few more times, but a faint smile also curled the corners of his lips under his hood. Magic Puppet Billy hadn¡¯t realized yet that Richard had drawn him into a dialogue. Following Magic Puppet Billy, Richard made his way into the city center and finally stopped in front of a mayoral mansion. A few guards stood in front of the mansion¡¯s doors, all Second-level Creatures, probably the trusted aides Magic Puppet Billy mentioned. ¡°Trusted aides, I have brought a little Nightmare willing to pledge allegiance to Lord Amade, hoping to receive His approval.¡± One of the guards, looking like a black bear, glanced at Richard and silently opened the door to the mansion. ¡°Go inside.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 180 03-25 - 10 The Wizards Trace Chapter 180: Chapter 10 The Wizard¡¯s Trace Entering the mansion, Richard found the environment around him instantly transformed; it was as if he was trapped in a nightmare, with an omnipresent, malevolent sensation engulfing his senses. Richard activated his Energy Vision, and in that instant, the radiant light of the energy pathways nearly blinded him. The dense maze of energy pathways covered every area within Richard¡¯s sight, their ominous, crimson glow reminiscent of blood vessels brimming with blood. And the mansion was like a terrifying Nightmare Beast. However, Richard soon noticed something amiss with the energy pathways. How come these energy pathways somewhat resembled Wizard¡¯s Magic Arrays? ... As an Alchemy Wizard, Richard had a considerable understanding of Magic Arrays. Although he could not decipher the entirety of this complex network of pathways, he glimpsed shadows of Magic Arrays in certain parts of it. ¡°Could it be that this Nightmare Knight is collaborating with Wizards? Or has the Nightmare Knight devoured a Wizard before, obtaining his memories? Or is it merely a coincidence?¡± Richard considered these guesses in his mind, yet his outward expression remained impassive. Of course, even if his expression had changed, it wouldn¡¯t have mattered, as Magic Puppet Billy could not see his true face. Passing through the front yard, Richard followed Magic Puppet Billy into the main building of the mansion¡ªthe City Hall. In the hall, a luxurious hexagonal coffin was placed in the very center. Under Energy Vision, the coffin was the heart of the entire mansion; all energy pathways emitted from it. The coffin was a dark red color, seemingly made of wood; on it, intricate golden patterns etched out complex, beautiful designs as if telling a story. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã? Richard switched his view back to normal and lowered his gaze to avoid looking directly at the coffin. These powerful beings were especially sensitive to prying eyes. The last time he used Energy Vision on Ulysses, a mere glance was enough for Ulysses to sense the scrutiny. Magic Puppet Billy stepped confidently towards the coffin before bowing deeply and saying, ¡°Lord Amade, your most loyal subordinate, Magic Puppet Billy, has completed your task. In the process, I encountered a minor nightmare attracted by Your Radiance. He was alone in the wilderness when he killed three Black Knights; his strength is quite formidable. I believe he is qualified to serve under you, so I especially brought him for your consideration.¡± Magic Puppet Billy¡¯s voice was incredibly humble, as if he was praying to a divine being. After he had spoken, a surge of Magic Fluctuation suddenly emitted from within the coffin. This wave of energy quickly swept over Richard as if probing his strength. However, the cloak he wore greatly diminished the probing, and thus the information it could gather was significantly reduced. Suddenly, a dull voice echoed in Richard¡¯s ear. ¡°An interesting talent.¡± A faint noise came from within the dark red coffin, as if the lid was moving. Magic Puppet Billy saw this and his face drastically changed. Why had Lord Amade opened the coffin? Fortunately, the coffin lid only moved a slit before coming to a halt. A stronger probe then emanated from within. This time, even with Richard¡¯s talent diminishing it, Amade acquired the information he sought. ¡°Nameless nightmare, tell me your name.¡± Amade¡¯s muffled voice sounded again by Richard¡¯s ear, but this time it was different from before. The voice carried a strange power, as if it could penetrate Richard¡¯s very heart and make him unwittingly reveal any information Amade wished to know. ¡°My lord, my name is Black Robe Charlie,¡± said Richard calmly. Amade¡¯s tactics were similar to those used by Soul Wizards among the Wizard community. As a Wizard, Richard had very early on undergone mental resistance training. This training was quite common among Wizards; one could easily access it with a bit of Magic Stone, and its purpose was to give Wizards a slight resistance to Soul Magic. The resistance offered was not strong. A Soul Wizard could easily break through it, but doing so would make the Soul Wizard¡¯s Magic Power Fluctuations obvious, thus alerting the target Wizard to the intrusion. However, while this technique served only as a warning against other Wizards, it was evidently sufficient against the Nightmare Knight before him. Hearing Richard dutifully reveal his name, the lid of Amade¡¯s coffin closed once again. ¡°Magic Puppet Billy, take him to the official in charge,¡± came the voice from the coffin. Upon hearing the voice, Magic Puppet Billy bowed to the coffin once more. ¡°Your will.¡± ¡­ Upon leaving the mansion, Magic Puppet Billy led Richard to find the official in charge. Along the way, Richard deftly extracted quite a bit of the territory¡¯s internal information through conversation. Demon Sword Amade, Nightmare Lord Unheart¡¯s top Nightmare Knight, oversaw the largest domain among the five Knights under Unheart. Under Amade, there were over five hundred minor nightmare beings leading their own groups, and only a few dozen Big Nightmares possessed second-level strength; among these, twelve were named Personal Guard Knights by Amade himself. Furthermore, the entire domain collected five million paths of Power of Nightmare force in taxes each year; three million belonging to the Nightmare Lord and two million to the Nightmare Knights. When Richard inquired about how much Power of Nightmare minor nightmares like them would be able to keep, Magic Puppet Billy replied with a mysterious smile, ¡°That will depend on your own ability. Pay sufficient taxes to Lord Amade, and the rest shall be yours.¡± Following Magic Puppet Billy, Richard quickly found the official in charge, who appeared as a giant book; the cover of the book was covered in fierce, struggling faces. These faces fought ceaselessly on the cover, attempting to break free, but whenever one almost succeeded, the others would tear at it, pulling it back into the book¡¯s cover. When Richard found him, the official was in the middle of stuffing a minor nightmare into the pages of the book. In a matter of a few seconds, the little nightmare turned into a sheet of white paper and then merged with the book. ¡°Esteemed officer, this is a newcomer who has come to seek refuge with Lord Amade,¡± Magic Puppet Billy bowed slightly to the officer. ¡°A newcomer, you say? Lord Amade has already informed me.¡± The officer opened the book, and a huge map appeared before Richard, with all the villages and cities within the territory marked on it. ¡°The fiefdoms in the territory are gone; if you want a fiefdom, you¡¯ll have to compete with those who currently hold one. Lord Amade does not forbid fighting, but the precondition is that the taxes are paid in full each month.¡± After saying this, the map detached from the book and floated before Richard. ¡°Esteemed officer, this newcomer has his own fiefdom, and a new village has appeared,¡± Magic Puppet Billy said. ¡°Oh? No wonder you brought him here.¡± The officer displayed the map again, and suddenly a pen appeared beside Magic Puppet Billy. ¡°Mark the location.¡± After Magic Puppet Billy marked the location, the map in Richard¡¯s hands also changed, with a new symbol representing a village appearing instantly on the edge of the territory. Richard glanced at Magic Puppet Billy, and Magic Puppet Billy happened to look back at him. Their eyes met, and they nodded to each other as if by telepathy. ¡°It seems that these nightmare creatures are all underreporting villages,¡± Richard thought to himself. After marking the village, the officer suddenly spoke up: ¡°This place¡­ Black Robed Richard, I have a task for you. Will you take it?¡± ¡°What is the task, my lord?¡± ¡°Nothing much, just that recently, a few lawbreakers have been raiding villages at the edge of the territory. One little nightmare was killed in a raided village, three have gone missing.¡± ¡°Missing?¡± Magic Puppet Billy suddenly interjected. ¡°Could it be that group of lawbreakers has surfaced again?¡± The officer flipped through the book pages, speaking with an irritated tone: ¡°I don¡¯t know. Those lawbreakers kidnapped dozens of our little nightmares back then, vanishing without a trace. And now this is happening again! Lord Amade was so enraged back then that he wanted to slaughter the Lawless Land. If he finds out now, get ready for our taxes to double.¡± With that, a sheet of paper fell from the officer¡¯s book. ¡°I¡¯m not sending you for nothing. This paper will allow you temporary use of my Nightmare Domain. It¡¯s a protective talisman and your reward. If you can manage without using it, the paper is yours.¡± Richard hesitated for a moment, then caught the sheet of paper. ¡°My lord, I accept the task.¡± ¡°Good. Here is some information on that gang from back then. It¡¯s not much, but you can use it for reference. If it is indeed that gang of lawbreakers, just flee and come report to me in the domain.¡± With that, a series of continuously changing text appeared on Richard¡¯s page. From Wizard Language, to Divine Script, then to Chinese, English¡­ These texts seemed to be able to change into any language Richard could understand, according to his knowledge. The information was rudimentary. It detailed that a group of lawbreakers had invaded the territory ten years ago, and within a few months, they had abducted dozens of little nightmares. These lawbreakers¡¯ talents were peculiar, seemingly possessing both offensive and defensive abilities with a high degree of similarity. The most obvious sign was the fireball. Almost all of these lawbreakers knew how to cast a fireball. Upon reading this message, Richard couldn¡¯t help but smirk. He could be one hundred percent certain that these so-called lawbreakers were wizards from the Material World. Having pocketed the sheet of paper, Richard left Amade City. Magic Puppet Billy had no intention of sending him back, so Richard had to walk back alone. ¡°Wizards entering the Nightmare World¡­ this accident is becoming more and more interesting.¡± ¡­ S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Three days later, Richard arrived at the village that had been harassed by wizards, as shown on the map. This village was not far from Richard¡¯s own, which was one reason the officer had assigned him this task. The little nightmares of this village had been kidnapped, and now well-informed little nightmares had taken over the place. Richard greeted the village-occupying little nightmare, explained his purpose, and then took a walk around the village. The damage caused by shape-shifting magic had been erased by the Blood Moon Rule¡ªthe village in the Nightmare World, a reflection of the Material World¡¯s village, was a kind of illusion. No matter how thoroughly damaged the Nightmare World¡¯s village was, it would return to its original state when the blood moon rose the next day. However, the lingering traces of magic remained. The wizards had not eradicated these traces of magic, which shone like the North Star in Richard¡¯s Energy Vision. Using these traces, Richard quickly determined their direction of retreat. Looking in the direction of the wizards¡¯ retreat, Richard muttered to himself: ¡°Might as well go and say hello, to prevent the blame from falling on me in the end.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 181 03-25 - 11 Dreamwalker Club Chapter 181: Chapter 11 Dreamwalker Club Following the trail of Magic Power left by the Wizard, Richard pursued the traces from the village all the way into the Wilderness. But during the pursuit, Richard gradually sensed something was amiss. These trails of Magic Power were a bit too conspicuous. Ordinary Flying Techniques couldn¡¯t possibly leave such noticeable traces, even if a group of Wizards gathered together. Richard stopped in his tracks and fell into thought as he observed the unbroken trail of Magic Power. ¡°No, that¡¯s not right, why do these traces seem so much like fishing?¡± he murmured to himself. Following the Magic Power traces, Richard saw a vast, broken graveyard a few kilometers away. ... Massive graveyards were a unique feature of the Nightmare Wizard World. The Material World¡¯s fear of certain things could affect the terrain of the Nightmare World. Things or places that easily invoked fear in people, like broken graveyards, Cross Forests, guillotines, and classrooms, would appear in the Nightmare World without any logic. Richard guessed that the appearance of these landscapes must be related to the Power of Nightmare that seeped into the earth. The Power of Nightmare was subtly influencing the shape of the Nightmare World. ¡°Is there a trap set inside?¡± Richard whispered, ¡°or is there an ambush waiting?¡± For an Undead Wizard, a graveyard was the best battlefield. The inherent Death Energy of the graveyard could reduce the Magic Consumption of an Undead Wizard¡¯s Spells and strengthen the summoned Undead creatures. In theory, give an Undead Wizard a large enough graveyard, and he could become an army unto himself. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï However, this theory was akin to the Fireball God Sect of the Shaping Wizards¡ªnothing more than a Wizard¡¯s joke. The graveyards of the Nightmare World were no different from normal graveyards, and due to their large scale, if an Undead Wizard were lurking within, Richard would be at a great disadvantage. Therefore, Richard decided to play it safe. If he were killed before even speaking, it would be utterly embarrassing. The Power of Nightmare converged in Richard¡¯s hands and, within the span of ten minutes, several gold necklaces appeared in his palm. As an Alchemy Wizard, it was all too simple to create a few pieces of Magic Equipment with the Power of Nightmare. Richard donned the necklaces. Each had a straightforward function: an emergency trigger for a Life Energy Shield. Life Energy Shields could effectively defend against the Death Energy Magic of Undead Wizards. Even so, Richard felt it was still not quite safe. He didn¡¯t know the ethics of this group of Wizards. If they turned out to be Black Wizards, he might very well end up betrayed. After all, this was not a Plane Battlefield; there were no Soul Contracts to enforce non-aggression among Wizards. Thinking this, Richard crafted a few Magic Rings and a scroll. The rings were inscribed with a Spell called Life Explosion, a product of the internal strife within the Undead School during the era of the Wizard Wars. They were specially designed to target the Undead Sea of an Undead Wizard. As for the scroll, it was simple. It was a Teleportation Scroll that would allow him to escape if the opponent proved too formidable. Without Ulysses¡¯ help in the Nightmare World, he must be extremely cautious. Fully armed, Richard followed the Magic Power trail all the way to the graveyard. As he entered the graveyard, Richard¡¯s vision was filled with a web of magic threads. At the center of the web, a Wizard with spider legs was silently watching him. ¡°Finally caught up, have you?¡± The Wizard yawned, looking somewhat disdainfully at Richard. ¡°Just one person? That¡¯s quite the underestimation.¡± ¡°Friend, I¡­¡± ¡°Banshee¡¯s Howl!¡± The situation developed just as Richard had expected. Before he could finish his explanation, the fishing Wizard launched an attack. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Of course, not all the blame could be placed on the Wizard¡¯s recklessness. Richard¡¯s body was a genuine Nightmare creature, and not even a Nightmare Lord could detect a flaw in it. This Wizard was merely One Ring, and naturally, his eyesight could not discern Richard hidden within the Nightmare Body. Banshee¡¯s Howl, one of the classic Spells of the Undead Wizards, had as many versions as there were mature Undead Wizards, each with their modifications. This particular Wizard¡¯s Banshee¡¯s Howl not only had a mental shock factor but also an added Magic impact. The powerful Magic impact shattered nearby tombstones around the Spider Wizard in an instant. Since it wasn¡¯t a Death Energy attack, Richard¡¯s prepared defensive Magic Equipment was of no use. But Magic Equipment was meant for emergency situations, and now Richard had enough reaction time to release a Magic Barrier. Buzz! The Magic impact of the Banshee¡¯s Howl caused ripples upon the Magic Barrier. ¡°Now that the Magic Barrier has been seen, one would think it¡¯s time to cease fire,¡± Richard thought to himself. But before Richard could speak, he saw the Spider Wizard¡¯s eyes flare red, and a raw, frenzied rage that could be felt even through the gaze reached Richard. ¡°You bunch of Alien scum have indeed devoured Amanda¡¯s Soul,¡± the Spider Wizard said, his voice laced with deep anger and bitterness. He snapped off two spider legs, and a surge of intense Magic Fluctuation emanated from them. ¡°Hmm, weren¡¯t those supposed to be his legs? How did they turn into a Magic Wand?¡± Richard wondered to himself. Seeing the Spider Wizard¡¯s methods, Richard was curious about how it was achieved. He had never seen a technique that turned one¡¯s body into Magic Equipment. But before he could engage in academic exchange, he had to deal with this enraged Wizard first. The Spider Wizard¡¯s Spell was cast, and hundreds upon hundreds of Undead began to rise within the graveyard. The shattered skeletons crawled out of their graves, adorned in funeral clothing and damp earth, with clusters of death fire igniting in their eye sockets. These undead were not so-called undead creatures; they had no soul, and were animated solely by the twin dark red flames of death within their skulls. The newly resurrected undead were weak, easily handled by a farmer, but the most terrifying aspect of an Undead Wizard was not the summoning, but rather the enhancement through death energy. The Spider Wizard waved his spider-leg magic wand, and a layer of ashy fog appeared among the undead. This ashy fog was a concentration of death energy, making the bones of the undead harder, their structure more stable, and their attacks imbued with death energy shocks. Even after this enhancement, each undead¡¯s strength was but that of a knight¡¯s; however, in the death fog, these undead could be resurrected even if dismembered, and could continue to function after being smashed to pieces by merging with the remains of others. If you were to blast them into ash, the remaining undead would use these ashes to strengthen themselves. In this process, if sufficient time passed, a group of undead could potentially transform into a single undead entity. ¡°But unfortunately, this way of fighting has a fatal flaw.¡± Richard watched the Undead Sea, his arm slightly raising, then extended a single finger. Boom! A ball of white light shot out from Richard¡¯s hand, exploding amidst the undead horde, instantly clearing out a swath of the undead. And those dead undead did not rise again in the death fog; the others even took a detour around them. ¡°Death energy can be neutralized by life energy, and those corpses saturated with life energy can¡¯t be resurrected again until the life energy is purged from them.¡± Upon witnessing this scene, the Spider Wizard¡¯s inner fury blazed even stronger. In his eyes, these tactics were all derived from Richard consuming Amanda¡¯s soul; he was using the witchcraft of a deceased comrade against him. This was provocation, an insult, the Nightmare creature was fighting with Amanda¡¯s corpse! The Spider Wizard waved his two spider legs, and a terrifying undead witchcraft spell was completed in an instant. Hundreds of undead, with the wave of the wand, disassembled into skeletal parts and swiftly coalesced together. If he were to finish, the creature composed from these components could potentially rival a second-level creature. Such class-defying summons could only be managed by an Undead Wizard. ¡°It appears to be a White Wizard, so enraged by the death of a comrade that he¡¯s lost his senses, lacking experience in one-on-one combat,¡± Richard coolly assessed, unfazed by the nearly formed undead creature. ¡°To prepare such a large spell without comrades to cover you, especially leaving a few undead as a distraction, seems utterly foolish.¡± With that, Richard released nine light balls from his hand, instantly clearing the surrounding undead. Then, several black fireballs appeared around him and shot at the Spider Wizard, effectively blocking all his escape routes. ¡°Not good!¡± A sense of dread flashed through the Spider Wizard¡¯s mind; the previous spells could be explained by soul consumption, but these fireballs were inexplicable. Their energy level was clearly high; certainly beyond the capability of Amanda, who primarily studied undead witchcraft. But the current situation left no room for further consideration, and the Spider Wizard darted through the gaps of the exploding fireballs, narrowly avoiding the blast range. Yet as soon as he escaped the range of the fireballs, he saw a figure waiting beside him, holding a long nail studded with runes. ¡°A Sealing Demon Nail! You aren¡¯t¡ªah!¡± Before the Spider Wizard could finish, the Sealing Demon Nail in Richard¡¯s hand darted out, pinning him harshly to the ground. Richard landed on the ground, looking coldly at the Spider Wizard, now sealed off from his magic power by the Sealing Demon Nail. ¡°I wanted to say from the start that I wasn¡¯t a Nightmare creature, but clearly you, as a Wizard, have lost your calm and reason; you didn¡¯t even wait for me to finish speaking.¡± Looking into Richard¡¯s detached eyes, the Spider Wizard shuddered. This gaze¡­ was definitely that of a Black Wizard! If this Wizard wished, he would kill without any psychological burden. ¡°¡­ The Master¡¯s disguise is too powerful; I failed to perceive it in time, I beg the Master¡¯s forgiveness,¡± the Spider Wizard said respectfully to Richard. Seeing the Spider Wizard regain his sense of reason, Richard then asked: ¡°I heard just now that you had comrades taken by Nightmare creatures? How long ago were they captured?¡± The Spider Wizard¡¯s expression darkened: ¡°Nearly ten years now, Master.¡± ¡°Ten years?¡± Richard furrowed his brow, a flicker of doubt crossing his mind. According to the official¡¯s report, these Wizards shouldn¡¯t have been captured. ¡°Taken by Demon Sword Amade?¡± Richard asked. The Spider Wizard nodded slightly: ¡°Yes, that Nightmare creature.¡± ¡°By himself?¡± A bitter smile crossed the Spider Wizard¡¯s face: ¡°You could say so; it was just one of his avatars. But as a third-level Nightmare creature, even his avatar was strong enough to defeat us.¡± Richard nodded, recalling the energy circuit diagram he¡¯d seen in the office. He thought to himself, ¡°It seems that those parts indeed make up a Magic Array.¡± Richard pulled out the Sealing Demon Nail and helped the Spider Wizard up. ¡°Are you a society? Or a club? I heard from those Nightmare creatures that you have quite a few members.¡± The Spider Wizard gave Richard a Wizard¡¯s Salute, then replied: ¡°Master, we are the Dreamwalker Club, a group specifically devoted to the study of the Nightmare World.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 182 03-25 - 12: Courage Badge Chapter 182: Chapter 12: Courage Badge Dreamwalker Club, a Wizard Club headquartered on the fifth level of the residential layer. According to the Spider Wizard, the Minister of this club discovered research material on the Nightmare Wizard World in some Encrypted Notes from an Enlightenment period. The mystery of the Nightmare World soon fascinated the Minister, and to better study the Nightmare World, he established the Dreamwalker Club and began recruiting wizards interested in the Nightmare World to study it together. ¡°Ten years ago, our club encountered a Master from the Three Rings. With the help of this Master, we completed the Ritual Magic to travel to the Nightmare World, thus truly entering this eerie world.¡± Listening to the Spider Wizard explain the background, Richard gained a general understanding of this group of wizards. ¡°With a Master from the Three Rings among you, how could your companions still get captured?¡± Richard asked, puzzled. The Spider Wizard sighed, ¡°This Three Rings Master is a loner. After helping us with the ritual, he hasn¡¯t really acted together with us. Only the Minister is able to contact him.¡± ... Upon hearing this, Richard raised his eyebrows, ¡°Without the protection of a Three Rings Wizard, you still dared to provoke Demon Sword Amade?¡± Under the circumstances of mismatched combat power, how did these wizards have the courage to continue capturing test subjects in Amade¡¯s territory? ¡°No, no, no,¡± the Spider Wizard denied, ¡°This operation was organized by that Three Rings Master. He had a plan, and we were just pawns for him to use, sharing in the spoils.¡± Richard¡¯s mind stirred, it seemed that the Dreamwalker Club was scheming against Amade. Could he leverage the position of the Dreamwalker Club to fish in troubled waters? Seeing Richard silent, a tinge of nervousness rose in the Spider Wizard. He told Richard so much about the club, not just for the sake of talking. Richard obviously had designs on the Nightmare creatures, and if he could be brought into the Dreamwalker Club, his ability to conceal his identity would make their operations much safer. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï Even now, he hadn¡¯t noticed anything amiss about Richard. Richard, standing among those Nightmare creatures, was virtually indistinguishable from them. After a moment of thought, Richard slowly spoke: ¡°Interesting. You¡¯re telling me all this because you want me to join, right?¡± The Spider Wizard smiled ingratiatingly, ¡°Your wisdom is as vast as the sea.¡± Richard looked at the Spider Wizard and suddenly split off a small clone of himself. ¡°I¡¯m very interested in this matter. This is my clone, and I would like to meet your Minister.¡± The Spider Wizard stared at the clone Richard had split off, his heart suddenly churning with shock. This clone was identical to the Nightmare creatures, even seemingly more harmonious, without any trace of a wizard. The knowledge this Master held about the Nightmare creatures was downright terrifying. ¡°Alright, Master, I¡¯ll take you to the Minister right now.¡± ¡­ Watching the Spider Wizard leave with his clone, Richard began wandering around the cemetery. The cemetery before him was unlike any other Richard had seen; it was so vast that it almost rivaled a medium-sized city, with broken tombstones and crosses stretching as far as the eye could see. With nothing else to do upon his return, researching this cemetery might just help pass the time, and he might even stumble upon some unexpected findings. Although the Spider Wizard had left, the layer of grey Death Fog in the cemetery hadn¡¯t dissipated, and due to the special environment of the cemetery, it had grown bigger and darker in color. ¡°Such a vast expanse of Death Fog, it will likely give rise to some formidable Undead,¡± Richard said lightly. Ulysses scoffed: ¡°Gar, it¡¯s useless. In the Nightmare World, Nightmare creatures are the true beings; even if a Demigod Undead were born, a Nightmare creature with the power of the Nightmare Domain could resolve it without injury.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Richard asked curiously, ¡°I hear you mention the Nightmare Domain often, what exactly is this Nightmare Domain?¡± ¡°Gar, the Nightmare Domain is a special space that Nightmare creatures condense using Dream Rules. This special domain can be considered a smaller version of the Secret Realm. There are often some extremely absurd rules in this domain, such as being unable to breathe or unable to walk on foot. If you violate these rules, certain punishment mechanisms are triggered. However, these rules not only restrict foreigners who enter the domain but also the user of the domain. The user, apart from knowing the rules of the Nightmare Domain beforehand, gains no additional benefits. I once encountered a Nightmare Domain, whose domain was an endless plain, the special rule was that one cannot touch the ground, nor be above one hundred and thirty-two meters in the air. As soon as the rules are violated, a deathless, indestructible spirit starts chasing you. I triggered the punishment mechanism as soon as I entered.¡± ¡°And how did you get out?¡± Richard inquired curiously. Ulysses said nonchalantly, ¡°Gar, later I used a rule clash to tear an exit from the domain and escaped. Essentially, the Nightmare Domain is just a manifestation of the Nightmare Rules, as long as you have the rules, escaping the Nightmare Domain is not impossible. In this world, there are few truly unsolvable things, as long as your strength is strong enough, these twisted things can¡¯t really trap you. So, young man, hurry up and grow stronger, it¡¯ll help me recover too.¡± Richard: ¡°¡­¡± ¡­ Most of the tombstones in the cemetery were very damaged, but some still had legible inscriptions. Like the one in front of Richard now. ¡°Richard, birth date unknown, died in the Wizarding History year 51845.¡± Reading the words on the tombstone, Richard suddenly felt a sense of absurdity rising within him. Wizarding History 51845, isn¡¯t that this year? And the owner of this tombstone is named Richard. Putting all these elements together, it¡¯s hard for Richard not to think that this is his own grave. ¡°It¡¯s getting interesting, my tombstone actually appearing.¡± Richard smiled at the tombstone, feeling neither fear nor anger. He approached the tombstone, and using the Power of Nightmare, he conjured a shovel and began to dig up his own grave. Beneath the moist soil, a coffin bearing Richard¡¯s name appeared before him. Richard opened it to find it completely empty. ¡°It seems the time hasn¡¯t come yet; I haven¡¯t gone in,¡± Richard jokingly said to Ulysses. Ulysses commented somewhat speechlessly, ¡°Wow, you really are bold. Ordinary people would be scared seeing this scene, or at least feel uneasy. But you, you just dug it right up.¡± Richard thrust the shovel aside and said in a relaxed tone: ¡°First of all, according to the theories proposed by the great Truth Wizard, there is no definite future in this world. All prophecies and divinations are essentially hypothetical. This theory is the foundation of the doctrine of free will. Without it, it would mean that everyone¡¯s fate is predetermined.¡± Richard looked at Ulysses with a sharpness in his eyes that made him hard to face directly. ¡°Ulysses, do you think your destiny is predetermined? From your birth, to becoming the World Master, and then falling into my hands. Do you think all of this was predetermined before you were even born?¡± Ulysses looked at Richard and suddenly shivered. He had never thought about what Richard was discussing, and now that Richard mentioned it, it felt like a thorn in his back. If destiny truly existed, wouldn¡¯t all beings in this world be mere puppets? Richard put the coffin back in place, and then he lay down inside it himself. It must be said, the size of the coffin fit Richard perfectly; he lay there without any discomfort. Just as he was about to stand up, a myriad of tiny points of light suddenly emerged from the Void. These points of light converged into a white glow before Richard. When he touched it with his hand, the glow entered his soul. Subsequently, the tombstone bearing Richard¡¯s name turned blank, and the coffin no longer bore his name. ¡°Courage Badge, the reward given to those who can overcome fear.¡± After receiving the white light, information about it automatically appeared in Richard¡¯s mind. ¡°It seems that what I just did inadvertently met some criteria of the Nightmare World, hence triggering this Courage Badge,¡± Richard murmured. The function of the Courage Badge was simple; it helped Richard overcome most fear-inducing spells. For example: Intimidation Technique, Scare Technique, Eerie Skill, and so forth. ¡°This is indeed a good item,¡± Richard said, somewhat excitedly. At the same time, he also formed a hypothesis. The Nightmare Domain held some absurd rules, so this Nightmare Wizard World, filled with Nightmare rules, might also have some absurd rules. Richard suddenly thought of that black sun in the sky that could not be stared at directly; perhaps it was one of the absurd rules of the Nightmare Wizard World. After obtaining the Courage Badge, Richard didn¡¯t find anything else of value in the graveyard. After collecting some Demonized Plants that had mutated due to Nightmare rules, Richard left the graveyard, ready to explore the wilderness. The Courage Badge might not be an exception; the discordant sights located in the wilderness might contain similar treasures. While Richard was exploring the wilderness, the Spider Wizard also found the president of the Dreamwalker Club. The president of the Dreamwalker Club was a Second Level Soul Wizard. When the Spider Wizard found him, he was dissecting a minor nightmare creature, trying to unravel the secrets of the Nightmare Core. However, once a nightmare creature reached the First Level, the Nightmare Core developed a strong defense against external spiritual power, preventing the president from examining the secrets of the Nightmare Core without damaging it. ¡°Fosi, why have you returned? Is the mission complete?¡± the president asked somewhat surprised upon seeing the Spider Wizard return. ¡°Not yet, Mr. President,¡± Fosi replied, somewhat embarrassed. ¡°But I met a Master in the wilderness, and this Master wants to join our project.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± The president looked even more surprised. The Nightmare Wizard World is vast, and studying the Nightmare World is a very niche field. Running into a wizard studying the Nightmare World in the wilderness could be considered an extremely low-probability event. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Where is this Master? Why haven¡¯t I seen him come over?¡± The president looked around Fosi, seeing only a captured nightmare creature, but no wizard. Fosi gestured to an avatar of Richard standing next to him and said respectfully, ¡°Mr. President, this is the Master¡¯s avatar.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 183 03-25 - 13: Plans and the Kuroshio Chapter 183: Chapter 13: Plans and the Kuroshio ¡°You¡¯re saying he is that Master?¡± The minister looked at Richard¡¯s clone and reached out with spiritual power, but no matter how he probed, the one before him was a pure Nightmare Creature. He had some research results on Nightmare Creatures and couldn¡¯t possibly fail to recognize one. ¡°Minister, this really is that Master.¡± Fosi stepped beside the minister and recounted his own experience, leaving the minister utterly astonished. To disguise himself so perfectly, this Wizard¡¯s knowledge of Nightmare Creatures was even deeper than his own. ... Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Wizard World was vast indeed; there certainly were others who had started researching the Nightmare World even before he did. The minister looked at Richard¡¯s clone and spoke in a gentle tone, ¡°So then, Master, do you plan to join our Dreamwalker Club and participate in this project?¡± Richard performed a Wizard¡¯s Salute with his clone, ¡°I dare not claim the title of Master, but I am indeed interested in this project.¡± The minister nodded, ¡°Since you, my friend, are interested in our plan and wish to join, we at the Dreamwalker Club would be very welcoming. However, for the safety of everyone, those participating in this project must sign a Soul Contract. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?0 I am currently residing at Level 5, Room 232, if you have no pressing matters, come to this address to find me and sign the Soul Contract. I will be at this address until the end of the project.¡± ¡°Signing the contract in person? A contract made with the Power of Nightmare won¡¯t do?¡± Richard said somewhat awkwardly. Unlike these Wizards from the Dreamwalker Club, who came in through Ritual Magic, he had blundered into the Nightmare World. Even if he exited, he would be in the Insect Nest World. How was he supposed to sign a contract in person? ¡°A contract made from the Power of Nightmare won¡¯t do,¡± said the minister, shaking his head. He had done a lot of research on the Power of Nightmare; while it was perfect at simulating Magic Equipment, materials, and such, once it involved soul-related items like Soul Contracts and Spiritual Matrixes, it could only mimic a shell. Seeing Richard¡¯s hesitation, the minister asked, ¡°Could it be, my friend, that you are on another plane? Unable to return for the time being?¡± Richard nodded, affirming the minister¡¯s assumption. ¡°That¡¯s a pity,¡± the minister said with regret. ¡°I have to consider the safety of others. If you, my friend, do not sign a Soul Contract, then we can¡¯t allow you to participate in this project.¡± The situation seemed to have reached a deadlock. After a moment of silence, Richard suddenly spoke up, ¡°But what if I¡¯m already involved?¡± ¡°Excuse me? What do you mean by that?¡± Richard pointed at Fosi, ¡°The reason I clashed with Fosi was because I found traces of Magic Power in the village where you were operating. And the reason I went to that village was because the officer of the Demon Sword Amade had given me a task to investigate you.¡± As he spoke, Richard spread his hands, ¡°Obviously, I¡¯ve now completed the task, and it seems I¡¯ve done so with flying colors.¡± Upon hearing this, the minister and Fosi¡¯s expressions changed instantly. They had thought that Richard had just happened to find Fosi¡¯s trail and followed him, but they didn¡¯t expect Richard was actually there to investigate them. This made things rather complicated. ¡°My friend, you infiltrated the internals of Demon Sword Amade?¡± the minister couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Your disguise even fools Nightmare Creatures?¡± Hearing this, Richard was a bit puzzled. ¡°Aren¡¯t you in such a state that the Nightmare Creatures wouldn¡¯t notice either?¡± The minister shook his head repeatedly, ¡°Not at all, I¡¯ve tried before, and those Nightmare Creatures could spot me immediately.¡± Richard was now the one confused. Turning to Ulysses, Richard asked, ¡°Ulysses, didn¡¯t you mention that the Power of Nightmare forming a body could not be detected by Nightmare Creatures below the rank of Body Lord?¡± Ulysses, facing Richard¡¯s question, was somewhat puzzled, ¡°Gah, that¡¯s no problem, I used a body formed from the Power of Nightmare to blend in their territory back in the day.¡± ¡°That is strange,¡± Richard muttered to himself. He transferred his consciousness to his clone and then used the sensation of a Nightmare Creature to probe the two Wizards in front of him. Soon, a very faint ¡°scent¡± that was unfamiliar appeared in Richard¡¯s perception. This ¡°scent¡± felt very familiar to Richard, likely related to the Wizard World Origin, and something Richard himself did not possess. ¡°Ulysses, how did you first enter the Nightmare World?¡± ¡°Gah, I was caught off guard with a blast of Nightmare Red Fog, why? Is there a problem with the other Wizards?¡± After a moment of silence, Richard shifted his consciousness back to his clone. ¡°It¡¯s likely a problem with your ritual,¡± Richard answered as succinctly as possible. ¡°There¡¯s a very faint ¡®scent¡¯ on you, seemingly left by the Wizard World Origin.¡± ¡°Wizard World Origin!?¡± Both exclaimed in surprise. ¡°This, our entry into the Nightmare World through the ritual, indeed has some connection to the Origin,¡± said the minister, his expression tangled with conflict. He never expected that the difficulty they faced in their research over the years was due to the ritual magic of entering the Nightmare World. ¡°However, you don¡¯t need to panic,¡± the irregular scent will only make the Nightmare creatures sense that something is off about you, but they can¡¯t determine exactly what. Nightmare creatures are very eager for foreign souls. If your identities as Wizards had been discovered, these creatures would have already come to besiege you.¡± ¡°But Amanda has already been captured, Amade must know we are Wizards,¡± Fosi spoke up. ¡°He might know you¡¯re Wizards, but his underlings certainly don¡¯t,¡± Richard said indifferently, ¡°Amade¡¯s subordinates have concealed your presence. If you don¡¯t take further action, Amade won¡¯t know you¡¯ve returned.¡± ¡°¡­We can¡¯t stop taking action,¡± the Minister said after a moment of silence, sounding somewhat helpless. ¡°This plan wasn¡¯t concocted by me, and I¡¯m not the one who can decide whether to abandon it or not.¡± Having said this, a magic array suddenly lit up under the Minister¡¯s feet: ¡°I¡¯ll contact the Three Rings Master back in the Wizard World.¡± Shortly after, Richard saw a flash of light from the magic array, and the Minister¡¯s body went limp, collapsing to the ground with a thud. Wisps of the Power of Nightmare began to drift from the body and seep into the ground. Meanwhile, Fosi quickly merged his own body with it to prevent an excessive loss of the Power of Nightmare. ¡°Is this your ritual magic?¡± Richard asked. Fosi nodded, ¡°Yes, this is the spell we use to enter and exit the Nightmare World.¡± They waited at the same spot for several hours until the magic array suddenly shone with a dark red light, and a soul gradually materialized from within. ¡°Phew, one piece of good news and one piece of bad news,¡± said the returned Minister, looking at Richard. ¡°The bad news is that our plan must continue.¡± ¡°And the good news?¡± Richard asked, already guessing what it might be. ¡°The good news is that the Three Rings Master has agreed to let you join the plan.¡± The Minister walked up to Richard and extended his hand: ¡°Welcome to the plan. How may I address you, my friend?¡± Richard shook his hand, ¡°I¡¯m Richard. It¡¯s a pleasure to work together.¡± ¡­ The plan of the Dreamwalker Club was simple enough: the Nightmare Lord¡¯s subordinate was not the only Nightmare Knight; another named Black Dragon Colehailong, situated beside the Amade Territory, was at odds with him. Legend had it that the missing head from Black Dragon Colehailong¡¯s neck was severed by the Demon Sword Amade. The Dreamwalker Club¡¯s plan was to fuel the conflict between these two knights, causing these terrifying Nightmare creatures to fight each other, allowing the Three Rings Wizard to enter Amade¡¯s mansion and find a Nightmare Artifact known as the Crystal Gate. The plan was provided by the elusive Three Rings Master, and the highest rewards, as well as the most dangerous part of infiltrating the Ahmad Mansion, were reserved for the Three Rings Wizard himself. Other Wizards were simply to assist. This was also the reason why other Wizards agreed to the plan. Richard¡¯s arrival introduced some modifications to the plan. Originally, Fosi was to fish in the cemetery, deliberately letting the enemy escape after the battle and then continue leaving traces, gradually baiting the investigating Nightmare creatures to think of the Black Dragon. With Richard now involved, all these extraneous tactics were no longer necessary. When the investigator and the investigated are in cahoots, the investigation¡¯s outcome can be fabricated however one pleases. For participating in the plan, the Three Rings Wizard offered a reward of fifty Magic Essence, in addition to three small Nightmares¡ªone of the highest compensations among the Wizards involved. But what Richard valued was not these rewards. If he genuinely could incite a war between the two Nightmare Knights, the benefits he could reap would far exceed these rewards. Since a power increase would lead to a rise in the usual consumption of the Power of Nightmare, most Nightmare creatures chose to turn this power into Nightmare Crystals, hoarding them until they had enough to break through to the next rank in one fell swoop. Like Magic Puppet Billy, if he hadn¡¯t been investigating the Black Knight, his usual level of power would barely scrape the bottom of Level 1 Creatures. Furthermore, from his conversation with Magic Puppet Billy, Richard gleaned that Nightmare creatures also hit bottlenecks. During such periods, devouring the Power of Nightmare wouldn¡¯t increase their power¡ªon the contrary, the excess power would dissipate. To break through a bottleneck, a one-time consumption of a massive amount of the Power of Nightmare was required. And this also meant that these Nightmare creatures definitely had warehouses of Nightmare Crystals. Should a war break out, leading to casualties, those warehouses would be treasure troves yet to be discovered. Soon after, Richard and the Minister agreed on their next course of action. Just before departing, Richard suddenly remembered something. ¡°Minister, are you aware that a Black Tide is about to erupt in the Amade Territory?¡± ¡°Black Tide? Never heard of it,¡± the Minister said blankly. ¡°Have you not encountered any black knights in these ten years?¡± Richard was puzzled; even long-lived Nightmare Spirits knew of the Black Tides¡ªhow could these Wizards be unaware? ¡°Uh¡­¡± The Minister¡¯s face showed a tinge of embarrassment, ¡°My ritual magic has a limitation: it can only be used every ten years for three months. After those months, we can¡¯t freely enter or exit the Nightmare World.¡± Richard shared the information about the Black Tide. ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s a problem,¡± the Minister said seriously. ¡°I¡¯ll report this information to the Three Rings Master once I return so he can investigate whether it has happened within the Black Dragon¡¯s domain. If it has, then our plan may have to be postponed by ten years.¡± Richard said no more and promptly left the headquarters of the Dreamwalker Club. Even if delayed, it would only be a matter of ten years. He could afford to wait. Meanwhile, Richard¡¯s main body also encountered some trouble. As he looked toward the approaching black line in the distance, Richard rubbed his temples, slightly vexed. ¡°Several dozen Black Knights, that¡¯s a bit troublesome.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 184 - 14 The Great Black Current Chapter 184: Chapter 14 The Great Black Current Watching the approaching dark line in the distance, Richard couldn¡¯t help but feel a headache. The consumption of these dozens of Black Knights would definitely be a substantial enhancement to his strength. However, the strength of these Black Knights was a bit too formidable; if he forced himself to consume them, he was very likely to choke to death. ¡°Ulysses, I remember you mentioned that these Black Knights would hunt down nightmare creatures. Are they interested in a foreign soul like me?¡± Richard asked, tilting his head. ¡°Caw, I really hadn¡¯t thought about that, you can give it a try.¡± Richard turned his head toward the Black Knights. The Black Knights were like a black tide, their charges carrying an unstoppable force, their riding spears seeming capable of piercing through any obstacle in their path. Beyond that, they also emitted strands of the Power of Nightmare. These powers intertwined with one another, forming chains that linked dozens of Black Knights together. Richard surmised that these chains should be able to balance out the injuries among the Black Knights. If he couldn¡¯t kill a Black Knight in one strike, the injury would be evenly distributed across the dozens of Black Knights. ¡°No wonder Magic Puppet Billy said I was lucky, these Black Knights really are different when they charge.¡± Richard watched the Black Knights and muttered to himself, his body¡¯s Power of Nightmare rapidly transforming into Nightmare Crystals. Creating Nightmare Crystals didn¡¯t require any special method, any nightmare creature would understand how to do it after seeing one. Richard collected these Nightmare Crystals into a Magic Pocket condensed by the Power of Nightmare, and then his soul left the Nightmare Body, leaving only a dummy made of the Power of Nightmare standing still. The production of a Nightmare Body was not difficult, and even if it was lost, it meant little to Richard. Hiding to one side, Richard quietly watched the Black Knights charging toward the Nightmare Body. During this process, Richard, as an Observer, gleaned a lot of new information. For example, this group of Black Knights must possess some special law. As the Black Knights charged, their internal Power of Nightmare did not exhibit any other changes besides intertwining. In normal circumstances, even if Black Knights charged, they would only be Level 1 Creatures at most. It was not possible for them to pose a threat that even Second and Third Level creatures would avoid. But the changes in the Black Knights were real, and their killing power was indeed increasing with their charge. On their spear tips, Richard smelled the scent of death. ¡°The Nightmare World is truly wondrous,¡± Richard exclaimed. As the Black Knights approached, the Nightmare Body left in place was reduced to ashes by their spears, and they were not the least bit attracted to the nearby Richard. ¡°It seems these Black Knights only pursue nightmare creatures and have no interest in a foreign soul like mine,¡± Richard observed the Black Knights with a fiery gaze. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then there¡¯re workable options.¡± After speaking, Richard took out a Nightmare Crystal, casually creating a new Nightmare Body as bait, not adding the black powder, but this Nightmare Body was sufficient. The Black Knights who had killed the Nightmare Body immediately turned to charge at the new one, while Richard calmly set up a Magic Array under the feet of the Nightmare Body. Because of the presence of the Power of Nightmare, Richard had no need to worry about material consumption, and soon a simple Magic Array trap was ready. Richard left the Nightmare Body and flew to one side to continue his observation. Just as the Black Knights reached the new Nightmare Body, they instantly turned it into ashes and, in doing so, triggered Richard¡¯s Magic Array trap. In an instant, several Refined Gold Long Spears thrust out from the ground, impaling two Black Knights. After all, these Black Knights were only Level 1, and their bodily defenses were as frail as paper against the unreasonable weapon that was the Refined Gold Long Spear. Although the spears were not enchanted, their sharp and sturdy shafts still inflicted fatal damage on the Black Knights, to the extent that their life chains could not save them. The Nightmare Steeds beneath them dissipated in an instant, while their bodies fell to the ground, starting to emit black Power of Nightmare. ¡°Plan¡¯s success, Ulysses, we¡¯re going to make a big score this time.¡± ¡­ Using the same method, Richard managed to kill the entire group of Black Knights on this stretch of wilderness. Richard piled up the bodies of the Black Knights, and then, while enduring the disgust akin to drinking swill, devoured them all. This was not because Richard had any special predilection, but because for some unknown reason, the bodies could not be stored in the Magic Pocket. And it would take a long time for Richard to craft a Nightmare Body with a core. In the meantime, Richard could only watch as the Black Knights¡¯ Power of Nightmare seeped into the ground. This outcome was obviously difficult for Richard to accept. So, for the sake of the Power of Nightmare, Richard decided to tough it out. It¡¯s just hard to swallow, isn¡¯t it? How could he become a Great Wizard if he couldn¡¯t endure a little hardship¡­ Bleh! After enduring a considerable amount of pain, Richard finally managed to devour all the Black Knights. In total, these Black Knights provided Richard with nearly three hundred thousand strands of Power of Nightmare, which combined with his original Power of Nightmare, was enough to push him to the limit of a Level 1 nightmare creature. Richard felt the Power of Nightmare inside his body and joyfully exclaimed, ¡°A great harvest, a great harvest. Now I can start refining some Soul Essence to boost my spiritual power.¡± However, just as Richard was in high spirits, a subtle fluctuation suddenly skimmed past his soul. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s going on?¡± Richard looked towards the source of the fluctuation, adjusting his vision to Energy Vision. In an instant, black-red vein-like patterns appeared before his eyes. These black and red energy pathways, cutting through thick layers of earth, entered Richard¡¯s vision as if they were blood vessels. The entire land seemed to be the skin of some enormous creature. Rumble rumble rumble¡­ The faint rumble reached Richard¡¯s ears, sounding like thunder but also somehow more fragmented. Richard listened carefully for a while and realized that this thunderous sound was actually the resonance of thousands of small noises combined together. Those subtle noises appeared to be¡­ hoofbeats! Richard looked toward the horizon and casually cast the Eagle Eye Skill on himself. He saw a dark curtain steadily advancing in the direction of Amade¡¯s territory, beneath which was a tide of Black Knights sweeping forward like a surge of water. ¡°The Dark Tide is coming,¡± Richard murmured to himself. ¡­ By the time Richard returned to his territory, all the Nightmare Spirits in the corners were shivering uncontrollably. These Nightmare Spirits did not have Richard¡¯s perception, but intuitively, they could sense a terrible disaster looming. As Richard¡¯s loyal servant, Bone continued to patrol the village diligently, despite his body trembling incessantly. ¡°Big, big boss, you¡¯re back!¡± Bone¡¯s expression lit up with excitement upon seeing Richard return. Having a boss at this time was like having a backbone. Richard looked at the Nightmare Spirit and hesitated about what to do with it. The Nightmare World could produce an endless stream of Soul Essence, which made Richard reluctant to simply flee from the Nightmare World. He wanted to establish a force in the Nightmare World to collect the Power of Nightmare, to facilitate his own future re-entry into the Nightmare World to refine Soul Essence. But the Nightmare World and the Material World were not on the same dimension, and the connection between the Soul Seed and the soul was likely to be weakened. At that time, whether Richard¡¯s Nightmare Body could even move was a question. So he was contemplating whether to cultivate this seemingly loyal Nightmare Spirit before him as the force he would leave in the Nightmare World. ¡°Bone, the Dark Tide is coming,¡± Richard said indifferently to Bone. ¡°Ah, boss! What are we going to do?¡± Bone¡¯s expression turned to panic upon hearing about the Dark Tide; the terrifying impression left by Black Knights made him unable to muster even a hint of resistance. ¡°Bone, don¡¯t panic, panic, fear, these emotions won¡¯t make things any better,¡± Richard said, his voice very calm, a calm that stabilized Bone¡¯s nerves. He looked at Richard with resolute eyes, eager to hear his boss¡¯s plan. ¡°Boss, I¡¯m listening to you. Whatever you say, I¡¯ll do,¡± Bone said. Richard nodded, ¡°That¡¯s good, I do have something for you to do.¡± With that, Richard pulled out a Magic Pocket and poured out a pile of Nightmare Crystals. ¡°You are too weak right now, swallow these Nightmare Crystals, and then I¡¯ll tell you what to do.¡± Bone looked at the Nightmare Crystals before him, feeling as though he had entered someone¡¯s dream. All these¡­ were for him!? After confirming with Richard that they were indeed for him, Bone almost collapsed to the ground. He felt incredibly lucky. Otherwise, how could he have met such a generous boss? Bone bowed to Richard and then began to devour the Nightmare Crystals on the ground greedily. Meanwhile, Richard observed Bone¡¯s changes carefully with his Energy Vision. As a native creature of the Nightmare World, perhaps Bone¡¯s evolution process would differ from his own. As Bone devoured the Nightmare Crystals, Richard suddenly felt a surge of the Power of Nightmare enter his body. This was the effect of bestowing a name. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Bone soon finished swallowing the Nightmare Crystals on the ground, and the vast Power of Nightmare rampaged within his body. Through the connection that bestowing a name provided, Richard could clearly sense Bone¡¯s pain as well as a fervent devotion that seemed to come from nowhere, ¡°I finally survived until today and met a generous boss. The boss gave me so much Power of Nightmare, and he¡¯s going to entrust me with a big task, how can I die? I must not die!¡± Bone, engulfed in pain, kept chanting in his heart. As a wild Nightmare Spirit, it was not easy for him to scrape by to this day. Now that Richard had given him the chance to grow, he had to survive. Whether it was for his own sake or for Richard¡¯s. Quickly, new branches appeared in the energy cycle, followed by evolution. Bone¡¯s bony appearance began to distort, and a black robe appeared on his body, making him look like a mirror image of Richard. However, underneath the robe, Bone grew a layer of black Armor, which made him look like the Black Knights. Bone¡¯s entire evolutionary process was almost identical to Richard¡¯s, further confirming to Richard that his Nightmare Body was indeed a creature of the nightmare. ¡°Boss, I have evolved. You can assign me the task now!¡± Bone, having completed his evolution, knelt before Richard and asked respectfully. COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 185 - 15: Demon Sword Departs for War Chapter 185: Chapter 15: Demon Sword Departs for War After the bone evolution was completed, Richard felt his connection with the bones had become much tighter. He could even convey simple spiritual messages to the bones through this connection. Besides that, he also gained the talent information of the bones through this link. The talent of the bones was the layer of black armor, which looked exactly like that of the Black Knight, as if it had been frightened into a shadow by him. This armor would provide him with a solid level of protection, which could withstand physical and energy attacks, as well as spiritual attacks. It was one of the top talents for defense. However, such a talent was exactly in line with the mission Richard intended to assign to it. With a thought, Richard¡¯s clone, also at the first level of strength, walked in from outside the village. Afterward, Richard used the Power of Nightmare to condense a sarcophagus and inscribed it with numerous defensive and stabilizing runes. Richard controlled his clone to lie down in the sarcophagus, then handed it over to the bones. ¡°Bones, this sarcophagus holds my clone, and I want you to take him to another safe territory,¡± Richard said to the bones with a heavy tone. ¡°Boss, aren¡¯t you coming with me?¡± the bones asked gravely. Richard shook his head, ¡°I have already become a vassal of the Demon Sword Amade, and now it¡¯s impossible to leave the territory. If I die here, I will be resurrected in the sarcophagus. This sarcophagus is my life-saving charm, you must protect it well!¡± Hearing that Richard had entrusted him with such an important task, the bones immediately said excitedly: ¡°Boss, as long as I am around, nothing will happen to this sarcophagus!¡± Richard did not say much more and then used the Power of Nightmare to condense a Refined Gold Greatsword and handed it to the bones. ¡°Take this sword, and guard my clone well.¡± Having said that, Richard flew towards Amade City, leaving the bones standing alone where he was. Watching Richard¡¯s departing figure, the bones stood up from the ground and used the Power of Nightmare to conjure a few chains, wrapping the sarcophagus onto his back. Then, he picked up the Refined Gold Greatsword and took the first step of his new life into the wilderness. ¡­ In Amade City, a large number of Nightmare Spirits were in disarray. The Big Black Tide was a natural disaster in the Nightmare Wizard World, and these basic nightmare creatures would even sense the black tide before the higher-level nightmare creatures. When Richard arrived in Amade City, he quickly found Magic Puppet Billy, who was feasting on Nightmare Spirits, devouring them one by one. Richard approached and asked solemnly: ¡°Magic Puppet Billy, the Big Black Tide is coming. Are you still in the mood to eat Nightmare Spirits?¡± Magic Puppet Billy casually handed a Nightmare Spirit to Richard and muttered while eating: ¡°What¡¯s there to fear? Let the tall ones worry when the sky falls. This time¡¯s black tide didn¡¯t even disturb Lord Amade; what kind of Big Black Tide it is¡­¡± Before Magic Puppet Billy could finish speaking, a strong burst of the Power of Nightmare erupted from the center of Amade City. A Black Knight, five meters tall, clad in black plate armor and holding a Great Sword covered with eyes, flew out of the mansion. His powerful Nightmare Power even affected the environment around him, turning the entire Amade City sinister as if the walls and shadows harbored man-eating monsters. ¡°¡­It seems it really is the Big Black Tide; Lord Amade has even activated the demon sword.¡± Magic Puppet Billy tossed aside the Nightmare Spirit he was holding and showed a rare seriousness on his clownish face. ¡°Does Lord Amade¡¯s Demon Sword have some special significance?¡± Richard asked. Magic Puppet Billy nodded: ¡°That Demon Sword is Lord Amade¡¯s Talent Weapon and it consumes a great deal of Nightmare Power to use. Relying on that sword, Lord Amade once beheaded another Nightmare Knight, Black Dragon Colehailong, belonging to a Lord. The formidable power on the sword even suppressed Colehailong¡¯s healing ability, such that even now, the cut left by Lord Amade remains.¡± After Magic Puppet Billy finished speaking, a voice suddenly appeared in Richard¡¯s ear. It was the voice of the Demon Sword Amade. ¡°My subject, follow me to battle.¡± Richard looked at Magic Puppet Billy and saw that his expression had suddenly turned ugly. ¡°Lord Amade is going to campaign; this is bad news!¡± Magic Puppet Billy, somewhat irritated, grabbed a Nightmare Spirit and crushed it violently, then stuffed it into his body. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Is it dangerous for Lord Amade to campaign?¡± Richard asked curiously. ¡°Not just dangerous; every time Lord Amade campaigns, the tribute of the entire territory doubles or even triples, and it goes on for a considerable length of time,¡± Magic Puppet Billy said with some pain. ¡°Just the one instance I witnessed, the taxation continued for nearly thirty years. Thirty years of tripled taxation, and I still had to invest my own Power of Nightmare.¡± By the end, Magic Puppet Billy¡¯s resentment was beyond description in words. If it hadn¡¯t been for that tax increase, he should have become a Big Nightmare by now and might even have been a trusted aide. It was clear that the orders from Amade were not only for Richard and Magic Puppet Billy, as before long, a new group of lesser Nightmare Spirits arrived in Amade City. Each of these Nightmare Spirits was incredibly powerful, with the weakest among them possessing the strength of a mid-level Level 1 Creature. Richard, newly arrived as a Level 1 Creature, was utterly unimpressive among these small Nightmares. However, due to Richard¡¯s talent, these individuals hadn¡¯t realized he was weak. On the contrary, because of Magic Puppet Billy, they looked at Richard with a higher regard. A wild Nightmare Spirit that could single-handedly kill three Black Knights, should he survive this campaign, would surely be a trusted aide to Lord Amade in the future. As time passed, the number of small Nightmares in the city kept increasing. After three days, all the small Nightmares from the territory had gathered in Amade City, awaiting the next command from Demon Sword Amade. Since awakening from his sarcophagus, Amade had not left his mansion, and while the many small Nightmares were curious, at the moment, no one dared rush Amade. To go on a campaign meant casualties, and these small Nightmares naturally preferred to avoid fighting if possible or delay it as long as they could. Inside the mansion, Demon Sword Amade¡¯s massive body sat quietly in the city council hall, while beside him, a Nightmare creature was using a feather pen to Engrave Runes onto Amade¡¯s Armor. ¡°Amade, how much longer will it take?¡± Demon Sword Amade asked in a deep voice. ¡°It will be finished soon, Lord Amade,¡± the Nightmare creature replied calmly. As Amanda finished engraving the final Rune, the Runes on Amade¡¯s Armor began to resonate, and streaks of dark red patterns appeared between the Runes, linking them together. Thereafter, various Spells were activated. These Spells interconnected and overlapped, ultimately forming a tri-defense barrier against physical, Energy, and Spiritual attacks, adhering to the Armor. At that moment, if Richard had been present, he would have recognized that Amanda was using the most basic Enchantment skills of Alchemy, and the Spells being engraved were not of a particularly high level. Richard himself had access to several defense Spells of superior quality. But all these were Richard¡¯s assessments. For Amade, who had not experienced higher levels of Alchemy, Amanda¡¯s skills were more than sufficient. If the Spells weren¡¯t high-level, then they could win by sheer quantity. No magic power? Whether it was using the Power of Nightmare to imitate Magic Power or using the Power of Nightmare to mimic a Magic Stone, all problems could be solved. Amade was able to perfectly compensate for Amanda¡¯s skill deficiencies with his sheer brute strength, which is why he was very friendly towards this Alien soul. Consuming the Alien soul wouldn¡¯t allow him to break through to become a Nightmare Lord, but cooperating with the soul, whether it was to increase combat capability or construct Arrays to reduce the usual consumption of the Power of Nightmare, was more valuable than simply consuming it. ¡°Lord Amade, ten years have now passed. The promise you made back then¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I, Amade, am not one to go back on my word.¡± Amanda didn¡¯t finish her sentence before Amade abruptly cut her off. Seeing this, Amanda sighed internally. Alien monsters truly lacked the spirit of contracts. If she wanted to leave, she still had to rely on herself. ¡­ With the Engraving of the Runes completed, Amade shot out of the mansion. Between his legs, strands of the Power of Nightmare condensed into a black dragon. ¡°Dragon Knight, it seems that Lord Amade and Colehailong have deep grudges,¡± Richard joked to Magic Puppet Billy, ¡°Even setting out for battle requires a dragon for a mount.¡± Magic Puppet Billy glanced at the Black Dragon and casually replied, ¡°The initial conflict between Black Dragon Colehailong and Lord Amade arose because Lord Amade liked to use dragons as mounts. After their fight, Lord Amade¡¯s mount was always a Black Dragon.¡± Amade, riding the Black Dragon, hoisted his Great Sword, and the dragon beneath him flapped its wings, stirring up gusts of Nightmare wind. All the Nightmare Spirits enveloped in the wind fell into terrifying illusions. Even if a small Nightmare was touched by it, they would shudder with fear. This Nightmare wind was a phenomenon caused by the high concentration of Power of Nightmare within high-level Nightmare creatures, combined with the Dream Rules. Usually, Nightmare wind only appeared around Nightmare Lords, but now Demon Sword Amade also displayed the Nightmare wind, indicating his proximity to becoming a Nightmare Lord. Apart from the Nightmare wind, Richard noticed something strange about Amade¡¯s Armor. ¡°Magic fluctuations? Why would there be Magic fluctuations on Amade¡¯s body?¡± Richard looked at Amade, holding back from using Energy Vision, so he could only see blood-red text on the Armor that looked almost cursed. ¡°It¡¯s the Runes, no mistake.¡± Richard made his judgment. As an Alchemy Wizard, he could confirm the Runes on Amade were indeed Wizard Runes, and these Runes were not merely decorative; they joined together to form Spells! ¡°Could it be that Nightmare creatures can completely gain the memories of the souls they devour?¡± Richard speculated in his mind. ¡°Or is it that the Wizard didn¡¯t die at all, and he was imprisoned by Amade in the mansion, being used as a subordinate?¡± If it was the former, then he needed to be extra careful. But if it was the latter¡­ Richard¡¯s lips curled into a slight smile as he followed Amade to the battlefield, along with the other Nightmares. When they had all departed, the door of a house on the outskirts of Amade City opened. A figure in a black robe stepped out. ¡°Now it¡¯s time for zero-cost shopping.¡± Richard watched the departing army, a greedy smile spreading across his lips. COMMENT 0 comment Vote S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 186 - 16: Opening the Treasure Chest Chapter 186: Chapter 16: Opening the Treasure Chest After the Demon Sword Amade left with a host of Nightmare Spirits, the entire Amade City, and even the whole domain, fell into an undefended state. This wasn¡¯t because they were not cautious; on the contrary, Amade¡¯s command for all the Nightmare creatures to join the expedition was in itself a cautious act. However, he could never have imagined the existence of someone like Richard. To the eyes of the Nightmare creatures, Richard¡¯s splitting technique was utterly inconceivable. Between the Nightmare creatures, there are no distinctions of sex, nor do they reproduce; all Nightmare creatures grow from basic Nightmare Spirits. How could one Nightmare creature possibly split and create another Nightmare creature? Moreover, even if another Nightmare creature was produced, the fact that Nightmare creatures lack souls meant they couldn¡¯t split off another, but only create a new creature of the same kind. And besides, Amade¡¯s order for a full mobilization could effectively prevent neighboring domains from taking advantage of the situation. The Black Tide is a disaster for all Nightmare creatures. I am fully committed to fighting the Black Tide, yet you take advantage of the situation for your own gain¡ªif this matter were brought to the Nightmare Lord, it would still be Amade who had the right of it. Moreover, the Black Tide brings not only disaster but also the potential for great profit. Should Amade return victorious, the Nightmare Knights who took advantage during the crisis could expect to be held accountable. But he never anticipated the existence of someone like Richard. Using the Power of Nightmare, Richard conjured a Concealer Cloak, and then, draped in the cloak, he entered the inner city of Amade. Inside the inner city, numerous strangely shaped Nightmare Spirits scurried about on the streets¡ªthese small fellows, new Nightmare Spirits, had no idea how to deal with the approaching Black Tide and could only run around in panic, venting their inner fears. Richard walked among them, silent and unnoticed, moving through the city. High above, Ulysses was scouting for any place that might hide treasures. The Black Tide had sprung up so suddenly that Richard had been forced to act without carefully preparing his mark, and now it was up to Ulysses to make up for this deficiency. Soon, Ulysses landed on Richard¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Caw, there¡¯s a place with no Nightmare Spirits, you might want to check it out.¡± ¡°Lead the way.¡± Following Ulysses, Richard weaved through the city streets and quickly arrived at a silent street. In this panic-stricken city, this street was devoid of any Nightmare Spirits, as if they all deliberately avoided this place. As Richard stepped onto it, he was instantly assaulted by a fear that seemed to materialize from nowhere. It was as if an investigator had come face to face with an Ancient God, a pervasive fear that began to erode Richard¡¯s rationality. But the next moment, a warm white light welled up within Richard¡¯s soul, inspiring in him a courage as tumultuous as the ocean. Faced with this courage, the irrational fear vanished without a trace. ¡°Intimidation Technique? No, it must involve Dream Rules, otherwise it wouldn¡¯t be so effective.¡± With the fear subsided, Richard coolly assessed the situation. ¡°However, the effect of the Courage Badge is somewhat unexpected; it doesn¡¯t insulate me from fear, but rather ignites the courage within me. The power comes from within?¡± The Courage Badge was a magical item Richard had recently acquired, and he had yet to experience its full effects¡ªto his surprise, the badge proved extremely potent, truly living up to its name. With the Courage Badge¡¯s help, Richard traversed the street with ease, and he quickly located a peculiar house. The house was a toy shop, filled with all sorts of toys. Among them, a giant chest seemed particularly conspicuous. ¡°Caw, that looks like a trap,¡± Ulysses said, eyeing the large chest, ¡°I bet that chest is a Treasure Box Monster, and the one that actually contains the stash is somewhere else.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Richard eyed the chest and quietly entered the shop. The toy shop was spotless¡ªan unusual sight in the Nightmare World. There¡¯s dust in the Nightmare World too; without anyone to clean, the room would still gather it. In fact, the vast majority of rooms in the Nightmare World were covered in dust and the floors and furniture bore the footprints left by Nightmare Spirits. Richard regarded these toys without touching any; he had now switched to Energy Vision, and in his sight, these toys were connected with energy circuits. If he touched them unwittingly, he would undoubtedly trigger something. Among these toys, the only item that wasn¡¯t linked to the energy circuits was the large wooden chest. But this didn¡¯t mean the wooden chest was harmless. In Richard¡¯s vision, the chest was riddled with energy circuits, appearing much like a Nightmare creature. In his hands, Richard conjured a Refined Gold Long Spear with the Power of Nightmare and casually inscribed a few Runes on it with Battlefield Alchemy. He then knocked on the chest. ¡°` Thud, thud, thud! The chest showed no response at all. ¡°Caw, are you sure you want to open this chest? Let¡¯s keep looking,¡± Ulysses urged again, ¡°This chest looks like a trap no matter how you look at it.¡± Richard glanced sideways at the military crow offering him advice and casually asked, ¡°Ulysses, have you been tricked by a treasure box monster before, which is why you see a chest and think it¡¯s a monster?¡± Ulysses¡¯s eyes bulged, and he retorted, ¡°Caw, as the great Lord of the Crows, how could I be deceived by such a simple trap?¡± But Richard, who had grown familiar with him, knew this guy was just being stubborn again when he claimed to be the Lord of the Crows. Richard, holding the long spear, opened the wooden chest. The next moment, a gaping maw full of sharp fangs appeared before Richard, and a crimson tongue lashed out at lightning speed towards him, trying to wrap around him and swallow him into the chest. But a refined gold long spear pierced the tongue just as it extended, stabbing into the treasure box monster¡¯s mouth, pinning the tongue back into the box. After the spear penetrated, Richard conveniently shortened its length, making it just right to jam the lid of the treasure box monster, preventing its gaping mouth from closing. ¡°Caw, see, I told you it was a treasure box monster,¡± Ulysses said smugly, ¡°My eyesight is much better than yours!¡± Richard looked at the smug crow, then used the Power of Nightmare to form a pair of long gloves over his hands, and reached into the throat of the treasure box monster. Obstructed by the refined gold long spear, the treasure box monster was struggling continuously, but the spear was not something that it could overcome with brute force. As Richard probed within the throat, the treasure box monster¡¯s struggle became more and more intense. Finally, with Richard¡¯s constant digging, the treasure box monster couldn¡¯t hold back and vomited. However, what it spat out was not disgusting mucus or any partially digested corpses. It spewed out black Nightmare Crystals. ¡°See,¡± Richard said to Ulysses, spreading his hands, ¡°My idea wasn¡¯t wrong either; there was indeed something in this chest.¡± Ulysses stared at the Nightmare Crystals being vomited out, his eyes somewhat vacant. He couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Caw, have you seen this stuff before? Or did your Energy Vision reveal it?¡± Richard shook his head, ¡°In the Energy Vision, this thing is just a treasure box monster.¡± ¡°Caw, then how did you know it had something hidden inside?¡± Richard said indifferently, ¡°This is the Nightmare World, and for these Nightmare creatures, isn¡¯t something like a treasure box monster quite in line with the rules of the Nightmare World? Moreover, treasure box monsters are very deceptive; most people would think it¡¯s a fake chest upon seeing it as a monster. Who would think the treasure box monster is the real chest?¡± ¡°Caw, so you deduced there was definitely something inside this treasure box monster?¡± ¡°Not really,¡± Richard said coolly, ¡°I was just giving it a try; after all, the treasure box monster couldn¡¯t resist, and it didn¡¯t take much time to dig through. Even if I triggered some deadly trap, I would have lost only some Power of Nightmare.¡± Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The treasure box monster¡¯s vomiting continued for a while before stopping, having expelled about fifty thousand strands of Power of Nightmare as Nightmare Crystals. These might not have been all of the treasure box monster¡¯s storage, but Richard didn¡¯t want to waste more time watching it continue to vomit. Richard collected these Nightmare Crystals in his pocket, then conjured several refined gold chains using the Power of Nightmare, binding the treasure box creature. The treasure box monster tried to resist, but after being handled by Richard, it had little strength left and was obediently trapped and tossed into another Magic Pocket. Seeing this, Ulysses couldn¡¯t help but comment, ¡°Caw, stealing someone¡¯s things and even taking their chest, you¡¯re really something else.¡± Richard said with an indifferent face, ¡°What¡¯s the problem? The intensity of this war is not low; who knows if the owner of this chest will come back. Rather than let this chest get killed by other Nightmare creatures, it might as well serve as a specimen for me and contribute a little value, right?¡± After leaving the toy store, Richard strolled through the streets, ensuring that there was nothing left, and then continued his search in the city. In fact, the majority of Nightmare creatures store their Nightmare Crystals in their own territories, and only the Big Nightmares or celebrities like Demon Puppet Richard reside for long in Amade City. Among them, most are Amade¡¯s trusted aides. But Amade¡¯s trusted aides didn¡¯t need to prepare their own vaults; they simply took what they needed directly from Amade¡¯s warehouse. So after searching the city, Richard didn¡¯t find a second vault, which disappointed him. ¡°Caw, why not take a peek at that old lair of Amade¡¯s?¡± Ulysses suggested. ¡°Hmm? Amade¡¯s mansion is not an easy place to break into.¡± Richard looked at Ulysses with some doubt, ¡°Why would you suddenly suggest that I go there?¡± ¡°Caw, because I just saw a Wizard in the sky kill two of Amade¡¯s trusted aides and then rush into it. If you go now, maybe you can get a share of the spoils,¡± Ulysses said indifferently. ¡°Hmm?!¡± Richard¡¯s pupils shrank, his mind instantly recalling the Dreamwalker Club¡¯s plan. That Three Rings Wizard intended to break into Amade¡¯s mansion, hence the two terriotires¡¯ war, but now with the emergence of the Black Tide, Amade had gone all out, creating the perfect opportunity to seek out that Nightmare Artifact! Richard decided on the spot, ¡°Let¡¯s go! We¡¯re heading to Amade¡¯s mansion. Let¡¯s not miss out on the feast if the Master is eating meat!¡± ¡°` COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 187 - 17 Battlefield Situation Chapter 187: Chapter 17 Battlefield Situation ¡°At the same time Richard was comfortably opening treasure chests in Amade City, he was far from comfortable on the battlefield. The Black Tide did not advance quickly, creeping across the wilderness at a slow, yet constant pace toward Amade¡¯s territory. They were like a towering wall, simply seeing them made one feel they were insurmountable. During this process, small teams of Black Knights kept breaking off from the main group, seemingly scouting or clearing out Nightmare Creatures nearby the army. And in the midst of the army, an exceptionally tall Black Knight stared toward Amade City with blood-red eyes. He was the commander of the Black Knights, the strongest among them. Suddenly, the Black Knight Commander began to conjure a Riding Spear in his hand. Then, all the Black Knights in the army started to conjure Riding Spears. At the end of the Black Knight Commander¡¯s line of sight, a black dot was rapidly expanding. The Black Knight Commander silently issued an order, ¡°Charge!¡± The next moment, the Black Tide surged forward like a dam-break flood. At that time, whether it was mountains or seas in front of the Black Knight army, nothing could stop their charging steps. If it were mountains, they would carve through them! If it were seas, they would build bridges! Once the charge of the Black Knight army started, there were only two outcomes¡ªeither crushing the enemy or being crushed. ¡­ Far from the army, Amade, who had launched the expedition, suddenly stopped. ¡°Everyone, stop.¡± He looked into the distance, and from the pitch-black helmet, a pair of blood-red eyes exuded an intimidating force. The gathered Nightmare Spirits stopped in their tracks, waiting for Amade, their commander, to issue orders. Amade glanced at the numerous Nightmare Spirits below and then commanded the official, ¡°Official, release your pages. The Black Knights have already sensed us.¡± The official opened his book, and sheets of white paper transformed into Nightmare Spirits, while the official¡¯s aura also faded. Soon, tens of thousands of Nightmare Spirits were released by the official. This official¡¯s talent allowed him to generate a corresponding page on his body for each Nightmare Creature he consumed. When needed, these pages could temporarily transform into Nightmare Creatures, drawing the attention of others. This talent was not particularly useful under normal circumstances, as it had neither offensive nor defensive abilities, nor was it abstract. But during a Black Tide event, this talent became an invaluable top-tier talent. Once the Black Knights¡¯ charge met a Nightmare Creature, their accumulated power would dissipate, so if the official¡¯s talent was used properly, the Black Knight army could suffer heavy losses. This was where Amade¡¯s confidence in this expedition stemmed from. As long as they were not hit by the Black Knights¡¯ charge, these Black Knights were not a concern. The paper-made Nightmare Spirits were controlled by the official, running systematically through the hills, appearing very adept. Clearly, this wasn¡¯t his first time doing this. In addition to the official, Amade ordered several other Nightmares of varying strengths to set up the battlefield. These Nightmare Creatures¡¯ talents all had the ability to massively alter the terrain, and within just minutes, the area where Richard was located became an island surrounded by swamps. The black-green swamps emitted a foul odor, and within them, a huge Nightmare resembling a tree-person used the Power of Nightmare to create a dense forest, all of which were products of Big Nightmare¡¯s talent, appearing just like clones. These tree creatures had spikes growing on their limbs, which were covered with deadly poison¡ªonce the Black Knights fell into the swamps, these tree creatures could deal with them swiftly. Apart from tree spirits, the swamp concealed various bizarre Nightmare creations. Without exception, all these beings were deadly. Richard stood beside Magic Puppet Billy, watching as one grim puppet after another, covered in bloodstains, emerged from him. These puppets held blood-stained daggers, looking like evil spirits that had crawled out of a horror movie. Richard casually grabbed a puppet and snatched the dagger from its hand. ¡°Hey, Black Robe Charlie, what are you doing?¡± Magic Puppet Billy complained. ¡°Nothing.¡± Richard looked at the knife in his hand, which was coated with the Dream Rules, capable of causing endless bleeding in anyone it stabbed. ¡°This knife of yours isn¡¯t up to par. How could such a quality knife pierce through Black Knights¡¯ Armor?¡± Saying this, Richard pocketed the dagger and conjured an Alloy Dagger, placing it in the puppet¡¯s hand. ¡°Try mine, it¡¯s definitely stronger than yours.¡± Magic Puppet Billy¡¯s controlled puppet swung the Alloy Dagger a couple of times and found Richard¡¯s indeed stronger. ¡°Really nice, I didn¡¯t expect you to have this skill.¡± Magic Puppet Billy expressed in surprise. Richard smiled, ¡°The material of this dagger is an alloy used in alchemy machines. Although it¡¯s just apprentice-level quality, it¡¯s definitely stronger than the steel dagger of Magic Puppet Billy.¡± Keeping on concentrating, Richard formed an alloy dagger in his hand. ¡°Let¡¯s collaborate¡ªhow about splitting the Power of Nightmare nineteen-to-one? You nine, I one.¡± Magic Puppet Billy gave it a moment of thought and immediately agreed to the deal. Afterward, Magic Puppet Billy¡¯s Murder Puppets were all equipped with Richard¡¯s alloy daggers, while most of the discarded steel daggers were transformed back into the Power of Nightmare by Billy. The remaining three daggers were collected by Richard for future research. As Richard¡¯s side was setting up the battleground, the army of Black Knights also made steady progress. The thunderous sound of horse hooves was clear even from miles away. As they charged, the Black Knights formed a ¡°V¡± formation with the sharpness of an arrow, seemingly piercing through Richard¡¯s defenses. Soon, the Nightmares controlled by the officials began to lure the Black Knights. These Nightmare Spirits, racing across the wilderness, continuously provoked the Black Knights leading the charge. Before long, the first Black Knight broke from formation. He burst out of line, his riding spear slaughtering a Nightmare Spirit with a single thrust. Following him, more and more Black Knights left the formation to hunt down the Nightmare Spirits. The forefront of the entire army of Black Knights instantly scattered like sand. ¡°It looks like the Black Tide isn¡¯t very difficult,¡± Richard purposely said to Magic Puppet Billy beside him, trying to coax more information from him. As he expected, Billy glanced at him with disdain and said, ¡°This is just the beginning; you¡¯ll soon learn the difference between a Black Tide and Black Knights.¡± Not long after Billy finished his statement, the commander of the Black Knights issued his second command. ¡°Charge.¡± This charge was different; the scattered Black Knights had already hindered the army¡¯s advance, but under the commander¡¯s order, those charging aimed their spears at their obstructing comrades. The Black Knights¡¯ charge allowed for only crushing the enemy or being crushed! Rip! Tear! A blocking Black Knight was impaled on two spears and flung into the air, his body tearing into two pieces instantly. The cruel command quickly brought back the sharpness of the Black Knights, but by this time, they had also entered the marshlands. The foul swamp caused the leading Black Knights to plummet into it, followed by a series of plummets. The Nightmare creatures hidden in the swamp seized the opportunity to attack the Black Knights. A dark tree spirit thrashed its roots, skewering a Black Knight and erecting him like an execution rack. Beside him, a dark shadowy creature swallowed a Black Knight whole. The tactics of the Nightmare creatures were strange and varied, but soon they realized something was amiss. More and more Black Knights entered the marsh, their hooves wrapped in a fog-like Power of Nightmare. Their carefully prepared swamp became obsolete in front of this mist; the Black Knights were able to walk on water! ¡°With a commander, the Black Knights are like having a brain. Some of the powerful ones even surpass Lord Level big shots in their use of the Power of Nightmare,¡± Billy said somberly to Richard, watching the water-walking Black Knights. He was not optimistic about the war situation. Despite their current victories, these losses were not enough in the face of an entire army of Black Knights. Without intervention, these Black Knights would soon breach their defenses. As if to prove Billy¡¯s thought, a Black Knight who had charged into the swamp speared a greedy lesser Nightmare Spirit. Following him, more and more Black Knights entered the swamp, their spears burning with black-red flames. Once touched by the flames, the tree spirits quickly turned into flaming stumps. With the most robust barriers in the swamp massacred, it meant the collapse of the entire defense line. Above in the sky, Demon Sword Amade observed the falling defense line with irritation. The Black Knights¡¯ response was too rapid, which resulted the defensive damage being far less than he anticipated. He looked towards the huge Black Knight army, and in the center, an exceptionally tall Black Knight was staring him down. ¡°Stabilize the defense line.¡± Amade issued the command, then pointed his Demon Sword towards the commander of the Black Knights. The implicit meaning was clear. The commander of the Black Knights readied his spear, mounted on a Nightmare colossal horse that matched the Black Dragon in no lesser terms, and charged toward Amade in the sky. The hooves of the Nightmare horse blazed with flames, leaving a trail of black-flamed footprints with every step in the void. With its charge, a fiery path gradually appeared in the void, and at the end of the path awaited Amade, mounted on the Black Dragon. Amade¡¯s Demon Sword began to awaken, blood-red eyes opening one by one from the hilt to the tip. As they opened, Amade¡¯s aura grew increasingly powerful, until, with the last eye opening, he appeared almost like a Demon God incarnate. Even the celestial phenomena changed because of him. Amade swung his Demon Sword, and in that moment, it seemed as if the heavens and earth swung with it. And at the direction of the blade, the Black Knight with the spear rode through the sky, his dark spear tip ready to pierce the heavens. COMMENT 0 comment Vote Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 188 - 18 Why Pioneers Are Everywhere Chapter 188: Chapter 18 Why Pioneers Are Everywhere In Amade City, Richard and Ulysses quickly arrived at Ahmad Mansion. In the courtyard of the mansion, the corpses of two assassinated trusted aides of Amade were still dissipating the Power of Nightmare. ¡°This Master is quite abrupt, discarding two Big Nightmare corpses just like that.¡± Richard sighed, stuffed the two corpses into the Magic Pocket, and temporarily isolated the dissipating Power of Nightmare inside the bag. With just these two corpses, Richard considered this mission perfectly complete. The Power of Nightmare emanating from the corpses of the two Big Nightmares was enough to refine the Soul Essence needed for Richard to break through as a Second Ring Wizard. ¡°Ulysses, take this bag to my body. I will now enter the mansion to see if I can have a share of the spoils.¡± Ulysses took the bag and flew into the sky, ¡°Caw, then be careful. It doesn¡¯t matter if the Soul Seed is damaged, but don¡¯t get contaminated with any strange stuff.¡± Richard nodded and then entered the mansion. From the outside, Ahmad Mansion did not seem small, but its interior space clearly surpassed the outer architectural frame. Following the extremely faint traces of magic left by that Master, Richard ventured deep into Ahmad Mansion and saw many Nightmare Creatures dissipating the Power of Nightmare. These Nightmare Creatures were each bizarre and abnormal, with some even retaining the sinister and malicious Dream Rules. If Richard encountered these Nightmare Creatures, even if it wouldn¡¯t kill him, escaping would cost him dearly. But now, these sinister and malicious Nightmare Creatures had all been effortlessly destroyed by the entering Master, leaving hardly any magical traces. Looking at these Nightmare Creatures, Richard couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Though that Master disdained the little Power of Nightmare here, Richard was keen on it; the Power of Nightmare contained within these creatures was substantial, and the lingering Dream Rules especially made Richard covetous. He could now refine Soul Essence with the Power of Nightmare and also refine Dream Rules with the power of the soul. The Dream Rules would enhance Richard¡¯s combat prowess, making obtaining the Power of Nightmare even easier. This process had come full circle. After using the Power of Nightmare to make a Magic Pocket, Richard stuffed all the Nightmare Creatures into the bag and followed the traces of magic. At the entrance to the basement of Ahmad Mansion, a shadow cloaked in runes asked: ¡°Are you sure this is the place?¡± Beside him, Amanda nodded affirmatively, ¡°Master, it absolutely is here. This is the only part of the mansion I haven¡¯t entered. If there truly is a Nightmare Artifact, it must be inside.¡± The shadowy figure nodded and then conjured a very ancient and mystical Magic Wand in his hand. The wand was silver-white, covered in intricate runes. If Richard were here, he would recognize the material of the wand as Mithril, akin to Pure Gold and Ao Steel. The head of the wand was a crystal ball with runes continuously blinking within, flowing and shimmering with a gentle yet mysterious radiance. Without a doubt, it was an extremely powerful Magic Wand. Beside him, Amanda looked at the figure before her with immense respect and relief. Though the Power of Nightmare in this Master was suppressed by the Sealing Skill, the inherent Power of Nightmare reached that of a third-level creature. With this Three Rings Master, he could surely escape this time. Suddenly, the preparing Three Rings Wizard stopped, ¡°Somebody is coming,¡± he frowned, ¡°and it¡¯s a Level 1 Creature.¡± But he was sure, before he entered, all the Nightmare Creatures in Ahmad Mansion had been cleared by him, and the other Nightmare Creatures of this power in the territory had followed Amade. Moreover, according to the rules among Nightmare Creatures, those from other territories wouldn¡¯t invade Amade¡¯s territory at this time. So where did this Nightmare Creature come from? He signaled Amanda, a gesture for stealth and awaiting orders, known in the White Wizard Army. Then he himself used a spell to hide. He had to see what was coming. Soon, Richard appeared at the entrance to the basement corridor. From the Energy Vision, there was a creature hiding in the dark in front of the basement door. But the energy intensity of this creature was clearly far less than that of a third-level creature. Richard furrowed his brows, thinking, ¡°The magical traces indeed entered this passage. Now that I can¡¯t see the Three Rings Master, either he has gone inside, or he has noticed my presence and thus concealed himself.¡± Thus, Richard conjured a Magic Wand in his hand and simulated a Light Brightness Technique using the Power of Nightmare. Seeing this, Amanda¡¯s eyes nearly popped out. ¡°Light Brightness Technique, it definitely is Light Brightness Technique! A Nightmare Creature using witchcraft!¡± Next to him, the Three Rings Wizard then revealed himself, ¡°Are you the new one?¡± the Three Rings Wizard inquired. Seeing a figure emerge from the darkness, glowing so brilliantly he was hard to look at directly, Richard spoke, ¡°Master, it¡¯s me.¡± Beside him, Amanda felt a shock. This creature using spells turned out to be a Wizard in disguise! Has the club¡¯s research on Nightmare Creatures reached this level already? Richard walked up to the Three Rings Wizard and respectfully performed a Wizard¡¯s Salute. ¡°My name is Richard, may I ask for the Master¡¯s name?¡± ¡°Su Yisa,¡± the Three Rings Wizard responded coolly. Amanda stepped out of the shadows, looking at Richard and clicking his tongue in wonder, ¡°Master Richard, your disguise is truly¡­ flawless.¡± Richard glanced at Amanda and had already guessed his identity. ¡°You are Amanda, aren¡¯t you? I am a member of the Dreamwalker Club. I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re still alive.¡± After a few pleasantries, Master Su Yisa began to break the door again. The door to the basement contained the rules of the Nightmare World, and if it relied solely on brute force, only a figure at the level of World Master could break it. A mystical aura emitted from the magic wand in Su Yisa¡¯s hand, and just touching it made Richard feel a bit dazed, as if about to fall asleep. ¡°Is this the power of Nightmare Rules, or Dream Rules?¡± Richard made an effort to perk up and carefully observed Su Yisa¡¯s application of the rules. Unfortunately, his own power was too weak, and Su Yisa did not intentionally let them observe and learn. Therefore, Richard only saw Su Yisa lightly tap the door with his magic wand, and a crack formed in the basement door. The three wizards entered, and Su Yisa immediately spotted a coffin placed deep within the basement. The coffin was filled with a strong force of Nightmare Rules. However, as expected, this coffin was what he had come seeking on this adventure. Su Yisa said indifferently to the two wizards drinking soup beside him, ¡°The gap in the door can hold for one more minute, see to it.¡± With that, he headed straight for the coffin. Hearing this, Richard and Amanda immediately sprang into action. The basement was filled with many boxes, which, in the energy vision, were all covered with dense light paths, clearly Treasure Box Monsters. And at the bottom of these Treasure Box Monsters, there was a line of energy light path connected, obviously a theft prevention measure for the basement. This also meant that Richard could not just carry these boxes and take all of Amade¡¯s collections away. ¡°Amanda, these boxes are all Treasure Box Monsters, and they are connected to the security system. Be careful,¡± Richard called out as a warning. This caution wasn¡¯t out of kindness but because as teammates, if Amanda triggered any security measures, the Three Rings Wizard might escape, but he might not. Amanda smiled gratefully at Richard and then a magic wand materialized in his hand, opening the box in front of him. Creak! The box opened, and a scarlet tongue instantly lashed out towards Amanda, but thanks to Richard¡¯s warning, the strike was unsuccessful. Seeing no problem with him, Richard also conjured up a Pure Gold short gun in his hand and opened a less formidable looking Treasure Box Monster. Creak, bang! Just as the Treasure Box Monster was about to strike Richard with a huge lashing tongue, Richard stabbed it back with a short gun, then continually stirred inside its throat. Ugh! Soon, the Treasure Box Monster spat out something that looked a bit odd. Richard picked it up, and in an instant, his brain crashed. Wait, how could the artifacts of Pioneer appear in the Nightmare World? What the Treasure Box Monster spat out was not just anything, but a very small and exquisite crystal artifact. As a wizard who had studied Pioneer Crystals for over a decade, he was certain he wasn¡¯t mistaken¡ªthis thing was a Pioneer Crystal. Without hesitation, Richard immediately stuffed it into a Magic Pocket. At this moment, there were only a few seconds left before the crack closed, and Richard decided not to take any more risks and immediately passed through the crack, leaving the basement. Just as he exited, Su Yisa unlocked the sealing on the coffin, and the horrifying item sealed inside the coffin burst out at that moment, causing all the Treasure Box Monsters in the basement to riot. At this moment, while fighting the Black Knight Commander, Amanda suddenly sensed the intrusion into the basement and momentarily losing focus, his great sword paused, barely brushing past the tip of the Black Knight¡¯s spear. The dark tip of the spear looked plain, but the terrifying power it contained was enough to make Amanda fear. Amanda tried to dodge, but he didn¡¯t manage to completely evade, and as the spear¡¯s tip touched the armor, layers of magic on the armor instantly shattered, dozens of interconnected defense spells in front of the Riding Spear were as fragile as paper. However, the spear¡¯s tip also lost some of its power in the process of smashing these spells. Boom! Amanda¡¯s left arm exploded under the spear¡¯s tip, turning into a soaring pillar of nightmare. At the same moment, his great sword slashed into the body of the Black Knight Commander. Tear. The Black Knight Commander was cut in two by the great sword, the dreadful power of the Demon Sword hindered the healing of the wounds, and a more powerful pillar of nightmare appeared on the battlefield. ¡°Lord Amanda has won!¡± Magic Puppet Billy said with a mournful face. ¡°Isn¡¯t winning good? Why that face?¡± Richard asked. ¡°Heh,¡± Magic Puppet Billy gave a bitter smile, ¡°With such grievous injuries to Lord Amanda, we might as well brace ourselves for taxes increased tenfold for a hundred years!¡± Having said that, he spoke somewhat resignedly: ¡°Better off dead, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°You sure?¡± Richard asked with a somewhat odd expression. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Richard pointed towards the sky, where Amanda, having stabilized his injuries, ignored his subordinates and flew directly towards Amade City. The basement was his treasure vault, containing a major item that absolutely must not be lost. Upon seeing this, Magic Puppet Billy¡¯s wooden mouth almost fell off. ¡°No, I was just kidding!¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. SEND GIFT Chapter 189 - 19: Return, 2nd Circle Wizard! Chapter 189: Chapter 19: Return, 2nd Circle Wizard! S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Within the residence, Richard glanced in horror at the basement, then ran out of the mansion without looking back. He didn¡¯t know what exactly Su Yisa had unleashed, but he was certain it was something he couldn¡¯t afford to meddle with. The mere whiff of the thing¡¯s presence was enough for Richard¡¯s vision to be plagued with terrifying hallucinations, which persisted in flashing before his eyes even as he activated the Courage Badge, seemingly bent on annihilating his sanity and dragging him into a quagmire of panic. ¡°Get away!¡± Richard bellowed. He struggled to calm himself and tried to plan his next move. On the battlefield, Richard¡¯s doppelg?nger saw that Amade was hastening back toward the mansion. If Richard couldn¡¯t figure out how to escape soon, he might very well be slain by the enraged Amade in a single sword strike. Richard had no illusions that Su Yisa would protect him. Any wizard who had made it to the Three Rings was battle-hardened; those who survived were of stern heart. If sacrificing Richard would provide Su Yisa any additional chance at a safe escape, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to do so. Wizards, be they of dark or light, ultimately followed similar paths, though White Wizards seemed somewhat more human on the surface. Outside the residence, Richard could faintly sense Amade¡¯s dreadful presence. Seeing the Nightmare Spirits scurrying about the street, an idea suddenly struck him. How do you hide a tree so it isn¡¯t found? You put it in a forest. Countless Nightmare Crystals began to emanate from within Richard, and his own aura diminished rapidly. In the span of mere seconds, thousands of Nightmare Crystals had appeared beside him, and he himself had turned into a diminutive Nightmare Spirit. This was the most wondrous characteristic of Nightmare creatures: they grew by devouring the Power of Nightmare and regressed in its absence. Transformed into a Nightmare Spirit, Richard pocketed the Nightmare Crystals and blended into a horde of them. Before long, Amade arrived at the mansion riding a Black Dragon, arriving just in time to encounter Su Yisa emerging from the residence and Amanda preparing to flee. ¡°Wizard! You¡¯ve tampered with what you shouldn¡¯t have!¡± With a Demon Sword in his grasp, Amade stood like a Demon God, speaking with an aura that seemed to ripple through the very space around him. Su Yisa, meeting Amade who had arrived just in time, felt a headache coming on. He was unlike those lesser wizards from the Dreamwalker Club; since entering the Nightmare World in the last decade, he had never left, thus his understanding of Nightmare creatures far surpassed that of Richard and the other wizards. Although these Nightmare creatures appeared foolish, like talented natives, once they reached the Third Level and their understanding of the Dream Rules deepened, their combat prowess would skyrocket. Defending against the surreal tactics empowered by Dream Rules was nigh impossible. But it was now too late for such thoughts, as Amade¡¯s timely arrival meant that a battle was inevitable. ¡°Amade, I¡¯m impressed by your patience,¡± Su Yisa said as he produced the sealed remnant from the coffin¡ªthe flesh of an unknown creature. ¡°You resisted eating the flesh of a Nightmare King. You¡¯re truly not like those fools.¡± Seeing the remnant, Amade¡¯s aura surged, and his Demon Sword, covered in eyes, pierced through space, appearing instantaneously before Su Yisa. The battle began. ¡­ As Amade and Su Yisa clashed fiercely, Richard, transformed into a Nightmare Spirit, had slipped into the outskirts of the town. He had no interest in watching the struggle between the two powerful beings; his only desire was to escape this accursed place before their fight spread to him. Meanwhile, at the battleground, although the Black Knight Commander had died, Amade had also left. Effectively, both sides were now leaderless. ¡°Don¡¯t look so gloomy; at least their commander is dead, too,¡± Richard reassured Magic Puppet Billy. ¡°Besides, with Lord Amade gone, we lesser soldiers can naturally retreat. Lord Amade will forgive us.¡± ¡°Leave?¡± Magic Puppet Billy shook its head. ¡°What will happen to our territory if we go? What of the Nightmare Spirits we¡¯ve cultivated? A skilled Nightmare Spirit can provide us with a dose of the Power of Nightmare in just one night. If they die, we¡¯ll have to start all over. But Lord Amade¡¯s taxes won¡¯t wait for us to finish rearing them!¡± Magic Puppet Billy turned to look at the Black Knights charging into the swamp, determination in its eyes. ¡°Black Robe Charlie, you can leave. You¡¯re just one subordinate, and you¡¯ve never held anything dear in your territory, so surviving is your greatest victory. But I am different; I can¡¯t let my domain be destroyed by these black bastards. My domain, fostered for over three hundred years, must not fall to these wretched fiends!¡± Richard, observing Magic Puppet Billy, suddenly realized that even Nightmare creatures had lives. These Nightmare creatures had their own preferences and convictions. Perhaps most of Magic Puppet Billy¡¯s resolve was to pay the taxes later, to avoid devolving back into a Nightmare Spirit. But within that determination, there might truly be a will to protect its domain. ¡°Magic Puppet Billy, could you spare me one of your Murder Puppets?¡± Richard suddenly asked. ¡°Hmm? Why do you suddenly want that thing?¡± Magic Puppet Billy was bemused. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Richard said lightly. ¡°Just for a keepsake. I¡¯m planning to try my luck in other domains.¡± Magic Puppet Billy stared at Richard, surprised, but then sighed softly. ¡°You¡¯re in luck.¡± After saying this, Magic Puppet Billy summoned a murderous puppet half the size of a human and obediently came to Richard¡¯s side. Richard pocketed it and then left the battlefield without looking back. At this moment, he had enough Power of Nightmare; there was no need to fight to the death with these Black Knights. He did have ten Soul Seeds, but until he became a Great Wizard, each one used was one less he had. ¡­ Several days later, in the wilderness, both of Richard¡¯s doppelgangers returned to his side, transforming back into Power of Nightmare. Richard divided this Power of Nightmare into several portions and began to refine it with his spiritual power. Richard¡¯s spiritual power was originally at ninety, and after taking Soul Essence a few times, it reached ninety-nine point nine. To go any higher would require a large amount of Soul Essence. ¡°Ga, how nice. Share some with me once you¡¯re done refining,¡± Ulysses said as he drooled over the Soul Essence in Richard¡¯s hands. ¡°Share with you?¡± Richard glanced at him, ¡°Can your soul projection even consume Soul Essence?¡± Ulysses was taken aback by the question, then somewhat angrily stomped his foot and exclaimed, ¡°Ga, why can¡¯t a soul projection devour Soul Essence! ***** (Gods¡¯ curse)¡± Although one cannot meditate in the Nightmare World, efficient sleep allowed Richard¡¯s spiritual power to recover quickly. In the wilderness, it took Richard over a month to refine enough Soul Essence he needed. Looking at the remaining Power of Nightmare, Richard took the Dagger from the murderous puppet¡¯s hand and then pulled out three more of the same Dagger from his Magic Pocket. [Material: Dagger of the Murder Puppet (¡Á3)] [Refinable Rule: Dream Rules (extremely incomplete)] [Refinement Consumption: 6 spiritual power] Due to Amade¡¯s arrival, the action of the doppelganger that transformed into the Nightmare Spirit was very slow. By the time it returned to Richard, the Nightmare Creations obtained in the mansion had all transformed into Power of Nightmare, and naturally, the Dream Rules had disappeared. Thus, the only thing left in Richard¡¯s hands was the nightmare rule within the Daggers obtained from Magic Puppet Billy. ¡°Refine.¡± As the Soul Power drained, a black Light Ball appeared above the Melter, and Richard merged it into his body. The next moment, he felt as if he¡¯d been stamped with some kind of mark. Afterward, Richard felt an unprecedented sense of comfort. In this Nightmare World, it was as if Richard had returned to the Wizard World. However, the Dream Rules didn¡¯t grant Richard any special abilities, whether it was because the rules were too few or some other reason was unknown. After the rules were refined, Richard took out a Pioneer creation from his Magic Pocket. [Material: Broken Pioneer Creation] [Refinable Information: Dream World Communication Technology (moderately incomplete)] [Refinement Consumption: 50 spiritual power] [Refinable Information: Nightmare Crystal Making Technology] [Refinement Consumption: 200 spiritual power] Looking at the staggering cost of refinement, Richard couldn¡¯t help but take a deep breath. Complete Pioneer technology obviously wasn¡¯t easy to refine. But at the same time, a question arose in Richard¡¯s mind. The traces of the Pioneer civilization were so widespread, from the Wizard World to the Insect Nest World, and even to another dimension¡¯s Nightmare World. Even their leftover communication technology required Richard to become a Three Rings Wizard to refine. What kind of disaster had such a powerful civilization experienced to disappear from the annals of history? Suddenly, an unknown fear descended upon Richard¡¯s heart. It wasn¡¯t overwhelming, but it twisted around his inner self like vines, impossible to eradicate. Richard took a deep breath and refined the Dream World Communication Technology. Now that he was about to leave the Nightmare World, he definitely couldn¡¯t take this device with him; he could only leave it behind for Bones as a backup. Through the connection of the naming, Richard spent half a month locating Bones, who was wandering in the wilderness, and had Ulysses deliver the device to him. ¡°Ga, kiddo, take good care of this thing. Your master has sustained serious injuries right now. Although he doesn¡¯t need to be resurrected for the time being, he needs to rest for a while. During this resting period, live well and improve your strength if possible.¡± After speaking, Ulysses handed over the Pioneer¡¯s Crystal Creation, along with some of Richard¡¯s unnecessary Nightmare Crystals and the Dagger-less Murder Puppet to Bones. Bones looked at Richard¡¯s supplies with a flash of surprise and determination in his eyes. Then, Richard swallowed the Soul Essence and his soul instantly left the Nightmare World, arriving in a space of utter darkness and void. A breakthrough to the status of Second Ring Wizard did not require the recognition of the Wizard World Origin; as long as one met the conditions, it could happen anywhere. ¡°The Soul Darkness¡­ such a familiar place.¡± Fifty years later, changes began to occur in Richard¡¯s body that was in the Secret Realm, as the magic power of the entire realm surged towards his body. The transformation began. Three months later, Richard opened his eyes and stood up from the ground. ¡°I, the unbeaten, have returned!¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 190 - 20 Little Junior Sister Chapter 190: Chapter 20 Little Junior Sister Richard moved his body for the first time after returning to it. After becoming a Second Ring Wizard, Richard¡¯s physique had also reached one hundred points through the Rebound Effect, but it was different from those who forcibly raised their physique from fifty points to one hundred through the Rebound Effect. Richard¡¯s physique had reached the limit of Level 1 Creatures during his time as a One Ring Wizard, and now, enhanced by the Rebound Effect, it was a natural progression without any discomfort. Other Wizards who had not cultivated their physique had to wait for a considerably long time to complete the enhancement through the Rebound Effect. An increase in power definitely came with a cost. At the wizard stage, due to the huge gaps between the levels of Wizards, the Rebound Effect also seemed much slower. If a Wizard with a physique of fifty completed the promotion to a Second Ring Wizard, it would take him at least five hundred years to complete the Rebound Effect. During this time, the Wizard would have to endure a body mismatched to his spiritual power and be cautious in every move. Otherwise, the body would not be able to withstand the tremendous power brought by the spirit and would be damaged or even destroyed. By then, the Wizard would only have to custom-order a body for a Second Ring Wizard, and the cost would be enough to spend the earnings from an entire Plane War. Feeling the surging power within, Richard then threw a punch. Bang! A muffled sound echoed through the air as a fist wind instantly pierced a giant mushroom beside Richard, causing the Holy Tree Elves to scatter in fright. ¡°Such immense power, even a casual punch from me can now reach four hundred energy levels. If I use a spell to boost it, my punch alone could cause damage close to a thousand energy levels.¡± Subsequently, Richard felt the change in his spiritual power. After becoming a Second Ring Wizard, Richard¡¯s spiritual power was purified once again. Now his spiritual power could spread to an area of two hundred meters around him¡ªalmost a two-meter increase per point of spiritual power. As for the magic power inside Richard, it goes without saying that it had now doubled compared to before his promotion. ¡°Being a Second Ring Wizard really is different,¡± Richard remarked. Ulysses landed on Richard¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Gah, dual cultivation feels good, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Richard nodded, then casually asked, ¡°Speaking of which, I haven¡¯t asked you about the usual cultivation practices over there. Do most in the Gods Civilization focus on spiritual evolution, or physical evolution?¡± ¡°Gah, neither, we generally practice dual cultivation. In fact, the majority of creatures in most worlds practice dual cultivation, but it looks slow because of the way they cultivate.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Richard exclaimed in surprise, ¡°Does that mean Wizards are the odd ones out?¡± ¡°Gah, do you think just any race can link with the Sea of Souls as mere mortals?¡± Ulysses replied, ¡°Your race may be extremely weak at birth, but the talent for linking with the Sea of Souls compensates for that. Other races focus on physique, but you Wizards focus on spirit. All I can say is that the Star Realm is vast, with no shortage of wonders.¡± After adapting to his body, Richard wrote a report in the Secret Realm, documenting some of his experiences in the Nightmare World. Richard certainly had not forgotten how he had entered the Nightmare World. At the end of the report, Richard changed the reason for his return to encountering the Dream Gate. Obviously, he couldn¡¯t tell the Academy about his promotion in the Nightmare World. After finishing the report, Richard walked out of the Secret Realm and returned to the mission hall. After fifty years, the Insect Nest World had changed dramatically, with many bizarre structures appearing that housed Wizards, likely their laboratories. Near the sealing area of the Mother Worm God, a ring of buildings surrounded it, many Wizards were researching the seal left by the Great Wizard. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Apart from the buildings, the Floating City used for the Plane War had also returned to the Wizard World, leaving only a huge trace and a building that encased a Teleportation Gate. ¡°It seems my report might not need to be handed in,¡± Richard said as he looked at the vanished mission hall, smiling helplessly. Approaching the Teleportation Gate, a Wizard in a white robe stopped Richard, holding out an Image Capturing Crystal Ball. ¡°¡­Excuse me, are you Master Richard?¡± the White Wizard asked uncertainly while looking at the image in the crystal ball. Richard nodded, and then saw the White Wizard excitedly take out a scroll, asking Richard to leave a Magic Seal on it. ¡°Master, you vanished for fifty years. During this time, Master Jolod and your lover Ali entrusted me to wait here for you, always believing that you had not died.¡± Richard felt warmth in his heart as he left a seal on the scroll. After paying the fee for using the Teleportation Gate, Richard entered the gate and returned to the Wizard World. ¡­ The location of the Insect Nest World¡¯s Teleportation Gate was in the underground level of the Black Tower Wizard Academy¡ªRichard knew of this level but had never visited before. There were four Teleportation Gates in the underground hall, the remaining three likely led to worlds previously explored by the Black Tower Great Wizard. Entering the underground hall through a Teleportation Array, a flash of light brought Richard to the fifty-first floor of the Black Tower. ¡°Central Black Tower¡­ It¡¯s nostalgic.¡± Richard walked up the stairs to the ninety-ninth floor, but Jolod was not in the laboratory, replaced instead by a female Apprentice about ten years old tinkering with something. ¡°A new student under my mentor?¡± Richard entered the laboratory silently, and the little fellow was so engrossed in the Magic Equipment she was making that she failed to notice someone had approached. Observing the Magic Equipment the Apprentice was making, Richard touched his chin and cautioned, ¡°The position of the third rune on your left is too far off. If you don¡¯t want to end up with a flawed product, move the fifth rune on the right forward left by thirty degrees, shifting it three millimeters.¡± ¡°Ah?!¡± Startled by the tip, the Apprentice shivered and then turned to Richard, instinctively starting to perform the Wizard¡¯s Salute upon seeing his Wizard Robe. Richard used magic to stop her and pointed at the disc in her hand: ¡°Stop fussing and do your thing.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Following Richard¡¯s advice, the Apprentice quickly adjusted the position of the runes, and after the last rune was engraved, a faint magic fluctuation emanated from the disc in her hand. ¡°We did it!¡± the Apprentice exclaimed excitedly, then set down the disc, turned to Richard, and performed the Wizard¡¯s Salute. ¡°Greetings, Master. I am Jolod¡¯s official apprentice, Yelena.¡± Richard nodded, then looked at Yelena with some surprise. ¡°Just became a low-level Wizard Apprentice? Impressive talent you have.¡± Richard had become Jolod¡¯s apprentice during his lower apprenticeship years with the help of the Miracle Furnace, but Yelena, who was standing before him, likely didn¡¯t have such an enhancement. Yet, she had also become Jolod¡¯s student as a low-level apprentice, which spoke volumes about her exceptional talent. ¡°Master flatters me,¡± Yelena said, bowing her head. ¡°Richard!¡± A familiar voice came from behind Richard, and as he turned around, there stood his mentor Jolod at the door, looking at him delightedly. ¡°Where have you been all these years? You look¡­¡± Jolod observed Richard more closely, his expression growing increasingly strange. How could he feel that he could no longer see through his own student? ¡°You look very well, don¡¯t you?¡± Richard said with a smile. ¡°Indeed, not bad. It seems your disappearance of fifty years was quite fruitful.¡± As he spoke, Jolod walked up to Richard and introduced him to Yelena, ¡°Yelena, this is your senior, Richard.¡± Yelena looked at Richard, her mouth slightly agape, then excitedly bowed to him: ¡°Good to meet you, senior.¡± Richard smiled at Jolod, ¡°Looks like the mentor has taken in another promising seed.¡± Jolod stroked his beard, smiling contentedly. ¡°Yelena¡¯s talent is no less impressive than yours was.¡± After some pleasantries, Richard bid farewell to Jolod and found the Deputy Dean, Ellerks. ¡°Oh? Richard!¡± Ellerks, seeing Richard, exclaimed in surprise, ¡°Where have you been these fifty years? The entire Insect Nest World couldn¡¯t find a trace of you.¡± Richard chuckled awkwardly, ¡°There was a bit of an accident; my Magic Pet sent my body into the Secret Realm.¡± Hearing this, Ellerks realized and said, ¡°No wonder we couldn¡¯t find you. So, you¡¯re here to hand in the war spoils?¡± Now that Richard was back, it was naturally time to hand over the profits from the war, even as Jolod¡¯s student, he had to follow the rules. Richard nodded and pulled out a Magic Pocket full of Magic Essence to give to Ellerks. His earnings from the war were substantial, but obviously, the Academy didn¡¯t know about the most valuable ones. Richard converted his war spoils from the Insect Nest World into Magic Stones and handed over half to the Academy. Handing over a thousand Magic Essences, Richard felt a pang of loss. Half of his earnings gone just like that, and he hadn¡¯t even earned a penny from the Academy yet. Ellerks, took the bag with a smile, then asked kindly: ¡°Richard, since you¡¯ve participated in a Plane War, the contract between you and the Academy is now dissolved. So, what are your plans now?¡± Richard understood Ellerks¡¯ implication¡ªthe Black Tower Wizard Academy wanted to continue the contract. On his way here, Richard had pondered this matter, what his next step should be. To separate from the Academy and become a Free Wizard, or to continue his contract and become an academic staff of the Academy. Richard couldn¡¯t find an answer for himself, but during their casual chat earlier, Jolod had given him a suggestion. ¡°Since the Academy won¡¯t have any plane expeditions for the next few years, signing a short-term contract with them wouldn¡¯t be a loss.¡± After a moment of silence, Richard responded to Ellerks, ¡°Deputy Dean, I plan to sign a five-hundred-year contract with the Academy.¡± ¡°Five hundred years? That old rascal Jolod would fleece the Academy.¡± Ellerks was somewhat displeased upon hearing five hundred years; he immediately guessed it was Jolod¡¯s strategy behind the scenes. ¡°Five hundred years it is then.¡± Ellerks sighed and pulled out a contract from the drawer. The content of the contract was simple: for the next five hundred years, Richard would participate in the Black Tower Wizard Academy¡¯s initiated Plane Wars and Academy Battles. However, considering the current situation of Black Tower Wizard Academy, there likely wouldn¡¯t be any Plane Wars. As for Academy Battles¡­ Academy Battles were proxy wars between Great Wizards. Due to their immense power, these wizards were prohibited by the World Guardian from acting within the Wizard World, so they settled their disputes either in the Star Realm or by initiating Academy Battles, destroying the enemy¡¯s academy to eradicate their roots in the Wizard World. But given the relationships the Black Tower Great Wizard had, chances were small that Richard would encounter such battles. Richard signed the contract and then met the successor of Kevin. Kevin¡¯s grandson had now taken over the Magic Potion Store, which had become one of the old shops in the business district, and Kevin¡¯s grandson had also ventured into other businesses. Seeing the greatly changed youngster before him, Richard was taken aback, a wave of indescribable emotions washing over him. ¡°Your name¡¯s Tuo Fu, right?¡± Richard pulled the youngster¡¯s name from his memory. When he had first met the little fellow, he had been just a tiny thing, but now, Tuo Fu had aged into an old man. ¡°Yes, Master,¡± Tuo Fu said respectfully. ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s sign the contract.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 191 - 21 Dream World Communication Technology Chapter 191: Chapter 21 Dream World Communication Technology Leaving Black Tower Wizard Academy, Richard immediately returned to the Tower of Truth. Having been a hundred years, Richard¡¯s residence at the Tower of Truth had expired. However, since Richard¡¯s Wizard Tower was in the community of the Black Tower Wizard Academy with Jolod looking after it, it had not been taken by others. Returning to the Wizard Tower, Richard saw two small graves in the backyard with the headstones engraved with two names Richard did not recognize. Perhaps those were the names of Number One and Number Two. Without thinking too much, Richard quickly found Ali, and after their reunion, they spent a long time entwined. Then Richard found the administrative wizard on the residential level and renewed his rent for a hundred years. The rent at the Tower of Truth was not expensive; for a hundred years, it was merely a thousand Magic Essences, averaging ten Magic Essences per year, ten thousand Magic Stones. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Having paid the rent, Richard also bought two demi-human slaves along the way. After returning to the Wizard Tower, he met with Anna and Chax to tell them that he was alright. Once all these trivial matters were dealt with, seven days had passed since Richard returned to the Tower of Truth. Back at the Wizard Tower, Richard organized all the research materials he had on hand. First was the flesh of the Mother Worm God, or rather the deified flesh of the Mother Worm when possessed by the Mother Worm God. Richard had seen a war report from the Insect Nest World at Ali¡¯s, which detailed the timelines of the Insect Nest World¡¯s expedition, predominantly focusing on the Mother Worm God that appeared during the opening battle. The report mentioned that the Mother Worm God temporarily elevated the Mother Worm to the level of a World Master through an unknown method. Thus, the Mother Worm God fragment obtained by Richard could only refine the Bloodline of the Mother Worm, not that of the Mother Worm God. These Mother Worm God¡¯s flesh pieces weren¡¯t much use to Richard, their only value being the Pure Gold and Bloodline they contained. Perhaps the Mother Worm¡¯s Bloodline could allow Richard to create a low-grade version of the Mother Worm. As for the Pure Gold¡­ while precious, it paled in comparison to the Mother Worm Bloodline. He had no plans to use the Mother Worm God fragments to refine Pure Gold. Apart from the Mother Worm God fragments, Richard brought out specimen samples of Mother Worm Guards, Sacrificial Insects, Warrior Worms, and other specimens from the creatures of the Insect Nest World. These specimens were quite valuable for research for Richard at his current level. Studying their energy cycles, muscle structures, lifespans, and even special substances within their bodies could yield Richard some benefits. Moreover, importantly, Richard understood them well enough to research them on his level, unlike the Pioneer Crystals where he could only grope blindly. Next, there were the Pioneer Crystals and the Dream World Communication Technology. Even though the Dream World Communication Technology was missing many parts, what Richard had distilled contained the basic principles for Dream World communication, facilitating his research significantly. And the secrets within the Pioneer Crystals could potentially allow Richard to make great strides in energy applications. After taking these items out, Richard thought for a moment, then opened the Secret Realm and took out two types of mushrooms produced by the World Mushroom. He and Jolod¡¯s jointly operated Wizard Commerce lacked a strong signature Magic Power, and although Jolod was busy with this matter, Richard had to come up with solutions as well. As long as he could create a signature Magic Potion, Richard would not lack Magic Stones in the future. Looking at the research objectives in front of him, Richard felt his heart fill with a pleasant dilemma. ¡°Which should I start my research on?¡± Richard¡¯s finger moved back and forth between the various items, reminiscent of an Emperor in his harem choosing his favorite. Finally, Richard¡¯s finger stopped on the Pioneer Crystal. ¡°I still need to figure out the Dream World Communication Technology first. Bones is loyal for now, but who knows when he might start having different ideas.¡± ¡­ Although Dream World Communication Technology was very complex and had a significant portion missing, fortunately, the part distilled by Richard encompassed the basic principle of Dream World communication. This made Richard¡¯s research much easier. If one wished to complete communication between the Material World and the Nightmare World, the primary requirement was for both worlds to have a sufficiently solid reception point, and both receiving points needed to be in some reliable degree of contact. The Pioneers, in order to achieve this, created the crystal communication equipment Richard had seen in the Nightmare World. But obviously, Richard couldn¡¯t rely on the Pioneers¡¯ devices. However, Richard had a better substitute. ¡°The Soul Seed should be sufficient as a reception point,¡± Richard muttered to himself. After returning to the Material World, although the connection between Richard and the Soul Seed was still tight, it felt as if a layer of transparent glass separated them. Richard could not even share sensations with the Nightmare Body through the Soul Seed, let alone control it to act. But the Pioneers¡¯ Dream World Communication Technology offered Richard a way to break through this glass barrier. ¡°Following the Pioneers¡¯ technology, as long as there is a reception point, everything else is easy. What remains is to condense the Spiritual Messages, then pass the information through a spiritual power amplifying device to break through the dimensional obstructions¡­¡± ¡°But the differences between Pioneer technology and wizard technology are too great, and without the industrial foundation of the Pioneers, it¡¯s impossible for me to achieve the rest.¡± While pondering, Richard casually took out a notebook and recorded the technologies he needed to adapt and the solution he had come up with. ¡°Spiritual Message Condensing Device, the Soul Wizards might have similar technology; perhaps I can acquire it through knowledge exchange.¡± ¡°Spiritual Power Amplifying Device, the Pioneers used crystals to fulfill this, but perhaps I can do it with a Rune Array.¡± Having written this, Richard closed the notebook and pulled out a business card from his Magic Pocket. All of these cards were gained during his mission at the Mother Goddess Temple, and among these wizards were some Soul Wizards, which could potentially solve his current dilemma. After searching through the cards for a while, Richard eventually picked out five. All five cards belonged to Free Wizards, who knew little about Richard. He wasn¡¯t worried about exchanging information with them and arousing suspicion. Following the address recorded on each card, Richard started visiting them one by one. ¡­ ¡°Residence floor twelve, number 569, Soul Wizard Vlad.¡± Richard observed the ghastly wooden hut in front of him, as though it were the abode of a villainous wizard from a fairy tale, and verified the address again. ¡°This is it. Hopefully, he has some good news for me.¡± ¡°Spiritual Message Compression Technology wasn¡¯t as simple as Richard had thought, he had already consulted three wizards before Vlad, none of whom possessed the technique¡ªlet alone having heard of it.¡± ¡°Spiritual messages serve as a quick mode of communication between wizards, primarily used for short-distance encrypted conversations.¡± ¡°For long-distance communication, wizards have perfectly replaced spiritual messages with Communication Crystal Balls, as the encryption of Magic Microwave is even more secure than that of spiritual messages.¡± ¡°In such a scenario, barely any Soul Wizards bother with researching how to compress spiritual messages. If any do, it¡¯s likely just a casual undertaking out of boredom.¡± ¡°The door of the wooden cottage opened, revealing a wizard in black robes with a withered complexion and muddy eyes.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°The wizard in the black robe looked at Richard with some perplexity.¡± Richard handed over a business card, ¡°Wizard Vlad, we fought side by side in the Insect Nest.¡± ¡°Upon seeing the card, Vlad¡¯s brows furrowed tightly, and he extended an extremely slender and withered hand from within his robe¡ªan appendage that more closely resembled a claw than a hand.¡± Vlad poked his temple hard with his middle finger and after stirring around a bit, his eyes faintly brightened. ¡°Oh, Richard, is it? My apologies, my old problem has kicked in again.¡± With an apologetic gesture, Vlad welcomed Richard into the room and prepared a pot of high-quality Magic Tea. ¡°I conducted some soul experiments in my younger years and sustained some damage. I frequently suffer from memory loss, but you needn¡¯t worry about me reneging, as I have always made a habit of keeping notes.¡± Vlad poured two cups of tea, then sat across from Richard. ¡°What do you need my help with?¡± Richard took a sip of the tea. The rich aroma flowed through his mouth and penetrated his brain, giving his spirit an instant jolt. Good tea. Then Richard stated his purpose: ¡°Vlad, I¡¯m seeking knowledge about Spiritual Message Compression. Do you know any wizard who might be versed in such knowledge?¡± ¡°Spiritual Message Compression?¡± Vlad¡¯s brow furrowed, ¡°That¡¯s quite obscure within the Soul School, especially since the advent of the long-distance Communication Crystal Ball¡ªfew have studied it since.¡± Richard didn¡¯t respond; he had already heard similar things from the other three wizards. ¡°However, you¡¯re in luck coming to me.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± A surge of excitement sparked inside Richard, ¡°You possess this technique?¡± Vlad nodded, ¡°My mentor once researched this topic and developed a prototype. Unfortunately, the Communication Crystal Ball came along at that time, and the technique was archived as a knowledge reserve.¡± ¡°Is it available for exchange?¡± A glint of enthusiasm flashed in Richard¡¯s eyes¡ªconnections indeed proved useful; he had discovered such an obscure technique. Vlad took a sip of his tea and spoke unhurriedly, ¡°We can trade, but let me be clear: it¡¯s just a prototype, and you¡¯ll need to do the subsequent refinements yourself. Think it over carefully.¡± Although Richard¡¯s Wizard Robe bore no mark of a School, Vlad could tell Richard wasn¡¯t a Soul Wizard. To perfect such a technique, Richard would have to start from scratch and learn the knowledge of the Soul School. Richard nodded, a prototype was enough for his purposes¡ªhe didn¡¯t need to commercialize it, a little inconvenience for personal use was acceptable. ¡°What do you require? A knowledge exchange?¡± Richard¡¯s question mirrored the commonly used bargaining methodology among wizards¡ªknowledge wasn¡¯t the only currency; Magic Stones, alchemy materials, Magic Equipment, or even personal favors were all negotiable. Vlad massaged his temple where the injury was, a headache flaring, ¡°Either knowledge or¡­ have you researched the Sacrificial Fungus of the Insect Nest World?¡± ¡°Sacrificial Fungus?¡± ¡°Yes, that has some use for me. Have you studied it?¡± Richard looked at Vlad and took out a modified version of World Mushroom, the Sacrificial Fungus, from his Magic Pocket. ¡°How about this?¡± The sight of the fungus in Richard¡¯s hand made Vlad¡¯s eyes light up. The modified Sacrificial Fungus exuded a captivating soul-level aroma, indicating significant benefits for the soul. After tasting it, Vlad felt a refreshing sensation penetrating his soul. Some of the old wounds from his early experiments began to heal under the influence of the fungus! This was beyond belief! Over the years, he had spent countless Magic Stones and tried various methods to heal these injuries with no improvement. Only the Sacrificial Fungus discovered in the Insect Nest World had any mitigating effect on his injuries. But the fungus that Richard provided could actually heal them! Vlad opened his eyes, his tone decisive, ¡°How much of this do you have?¡± Richard casually replied, ¡°As much as you need.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 192 - 22: Richard Model 1 Magic Support Vehicle Chapter 192: Chapter 22: Richard Model 1 Magic Support Vehicle ¡°How much do you have?¡± Vlad unconsciously repeated Richard¡¯s bold claim. ¡°Friend, did you cultivate these yourself?¡± Upon hearing this, Richard simply stared at him quietly, his expression as indifferent as if he had not heard the question. Realizing his faux pas, Vlad did not pursue the matter further and put forth his own terms. ¡°I need fifty kilograms of these mushrooms.¡± Richard frowned slightly. Though knowledge often held great value in trades among wizards, Vlad¡¯s asking price was indeed a bit too high for the value of Spiritual Message Compression Technology. The improved Sacrificial Fungus was a direct product of the World Mushroom, equivalently belonging to the body of a World Master. Spiritual Message Compression was only a nascent technology, and there were already perfect substitutes for it; its value was certainly not equivalent to fifty kilograms of improved Sacrificial Fungus. ¡°That¡¯s too much,¡± Richard said calmly. Vlad fell silent upon hearing this, turned, and entered the basement of the cabin. Soon after, he came out carrying several thick notebooks. Vlad laid the notebooks in front of Richard and said decisively: ¡°It¡¯s definitely worth this price. These are research notes left by our ancestors, along with the experimental results. From his experiment logs, what you can gain is not just Spiritual Message Compression Technology. This technology is more complex than you think.¡± Now Richard was intrigued. If it were only the results, it certainly would not be worth the price, but if it included the detailed research notes, that was a different story. It was well-known that the research of wizards was not always smooth sailing, and failure was an inevitable part of the process. But these failures were not without value; sometimes, garbage was just gold that was in the wrong place. Richard placed his hand on the notes: ¡°Deal.¡± Subsequently, the two signed a contract, and Richard entered the Secret Realm, took fifty kilograms of improved Sacrificial Fungus to Vlad, and pocketed the notebooks. Before leaving, Richard spent some Magic Stones to exchange for some Apprentice knowledge from the Soul School from Vlad, supplementing his basic foundation. Just like that, a trade between wizards was concluded. Back at the Wizard Tower, Richard did not immediately start studying the new knowledge. His understanding of the Soul School was too superficial; he needed to supplement some basic knowledge. Moreover, the technology for Dream World communication still required him to research a Rune Array to amplify spiritual power. This was not an easy task. Richard took out his own notes, crossed out the line about acquiring Spiritual Message Compression Technology, and beside it, he added a new goal. [Learn the foundational knowledge of the Soul School as soon as possible and master this technology.] ¡­ Research time always flew by quickly, and in the blink of an eye, twenty years had passed. In those twenty years, apart from supplementing knowledge on the Soul School, Richard also continued researching the unique structure of the Pioneer Crystal. At dawn, the first ray of sunlight shone through the windows of the laboratory, illuminating Richard¡¯s face. Richard, with eyes bloodshot, sensed the slight change in the environment. He glanced outside the window, then reached into his pocket and poured a tube of reagent into his mouth. The diligent wizard¡¯s day began with taking drugs. Wizards often stayed in their laboratories day and night when deep in research, supported by their robust physiques and powerful spirits. However, such relentless research ultimately placed a strain on the mind and body. At such times, wizards absorbed in research often chose to stimulate themselves to continue their work¡ªsuch as taking drugs. However, Richard was not using the usual stimulants favored by wizards, but a neurotoxin named Crow Vine. Just half a milliliter of this toxin was enough to kill an extreme Apprentice, but under the effect of Richard¡¯s robust physique, it did not cause him much harm. Of course, Richard did not use the neurotoxin without reason. This was a small attempt at modifying his Adaptation Body. If the Adaptation Body could resist elemental damage and physical attacks, could it not also adapt to such a toxin? This inspiration came to Richard while he was researching the Pioneer Crystal in his spare time, casually browsing through books related to Magic Potions. Based on the current situation, Richard¡¯s idea was indeed feasible, but the effect was not very significant. To improve the Adaptation Body, he had to improve the formula of the Adaptation Potion. Flap, flap¡­ A black crow entered the laboratory. ¡°Caw, I say, Richard, you¡¯ve stayed in this laboratory for a year now,¡± Ulysses landed on Richard¡¯s shoulder, looking worriedly at him, ¡°If you keep this up, you might become the first Second-level Creature I¡¯ve ever seen to work themselves to death.¡± Richard glanced at him: ¡°I¡¯m about to discover the secret of the Crystal, I¡¯m so close now.¡± Saying this, Richard gestured with his thumb and index finger close together, imitating a pinching of the galaxy. From the time he obtained the Pioneer Crystal in the Insect Nest World, Richard had now spent more than fifty years on it without any finds. Although this was common in wizards¡¯ research, over fifty years without any results was rather disheartening. And a year ago, an idea flickered in Richard¡¯s mind¡ªhe might be able to investigate the inner structure of the Crystal through the resonance of multiple Magic matrices. It was this inspiration that had Richard staying in the lab around the clock for an entire year, with the exception of necessary meditation sessions, devoting all his time to the research of crystals. Now, he felt he was only a thin veil away from the secrets of the crystal. Speaking of which, Richard once again activated the Rune Array on his desk. On the test bench, an Alchemy Machine similar to the structure of a Ghost Work Ball began emitting a faint glow as Magic Power was infused into it. Whirr! A very long Magic Fluctuation emerged from the device, the result of multiple Magic resonances under extremely short conditions. In the center of the Ghost Work Ball, a crystal the size of a grain of rice was being probed by the Magic Power. Soon, the runes on the Ghost Work Ball began to extinguish, and the connected Crystal Ball started to output the results. Richard glanced at the result in the Crystal Ball and habitually recorded it in his notebook. Suddenly, Richard¡¯s feather pen stopped. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± asked Ulysses. ¡°Nothing.¡± Richard closed his notebook and slumped into his chair. ¡°I found what I was looking for. The cyclic structure that reduces energy loss, I¡¯ve found it.¡± After fifty years, the Pioneer Crystal finally began to unveil a corner of its secrets to Richard. ¡­ The Pioneer Crystal had many secrets, and among the Pioneer Crystals in Richard¡¯s hands, he was searching for that particular energy cyclic structure that could substantially reduce energy loss. Once he found this structure and transformed it into a Rune, Richard would make leaps and bounds in both Plastic Energy Study and Alchemy. After finding the energy cyclic structure, the process of Rune Formation also began to unfold. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Half a year later, Richard, looking at the extremely complex yet strangely beautiful Rune on the test bench, couldn¡¯t help but be moved to tears. Fifty years of research had finally borne some fruit. But Richard was aware that this knowledge was just the tip of the iceberg of the secrets of the Pioneer Crystal; there was much more waiting for him to explore. This Rune was named by Richard as Pioneer Rune One. When placed in the Rune Array, it could reduce Richard¡¯s energy loss by nearly ten percent. That is, for the same Spell, other Wizards would need ten points of Magic Power, while Richard would only need nine. Although this change might not seem significant, in certain Spells that consume a massive amount of energy, this could be the difference between being able to cast the Spell and not. If used in Alchemy Machines, it would reduce the energy loss by ten percent, which could greatly increase the lifespan of the Alchemy devices. After recording this Rune in the Crystal Ball, Richard took out a diagram from his pocket. The diagram recorded part of the design of the Lavoce II Alchemy Magic Stone Cannon. The energy loss reduction from Pioneer Rune One was just right for the Alchemy Magic Stone Cannon. ¡°A core Magic might be missing; Heart of Annihilation probably won¡¯t do, but designing a similar Spell using Annihilation Flame as the Core Rune wouldn¡¯t be too difficult,¡± Richard mused as he looked at the design diagram, his mind storming with ideas. ¡°Once the core Magic is resolved, I also need to put some thought into the competitive edge of the product.¡± Richard recalled the massive Alchemy Magic Stone Cannons he¡¯d seen on the battlefield; suitable for defense, but somewhat lacking for offense. ¡°Convert it into a mortar? Or a grenade launcher?¡± Memories from his past life flashed in Richard¡¯s brain. The White Wizard Army indeed did not have any Alchemy Weapons specifically positioned like mortars. However, Richard immediately dismissed this idea because the White Wizard Army didn¡¯t need such positioned weapons. Because the Wizards themselves were like mortars. ¡°With Rune One, I can design the Alchemy Magic Stone Cannon to be more lightweight. If it¡¯s not used as a mortar¡­¡± An idea germinated in Richard¡¯s mind as he thought about the small cannons on the War Airships. ¡°A rocket launcher seems like a good choice. The power of the Spell could be reduced a notch, increase the rate of fire, and simply use it for fire coverage.¡± In the Wizard World expeditions, numbers had always been a weak point. In the Insect Nest World, the entire Third War Zone could only be defended by a few thousand people. If there could be an Alchemy Weapon that required only one or two Wizards to achieve the concentrated fire effect of the White Wizard Army in a short time, it would certainly achieve notable success in the Plane Wars. Once the idea was set, Richard began the practical implementation. He took a part of the structure of the Lavoce II Magic Stone Cannon directly, designed most of the components himself, and came up with a Magic Model. During this time, Richard encountered many difficulties, but fortunately, his network was not too bad. Whether it was societies, or Anna, Ali, and even those Wizards who owed Richard favors, they all provided considerable help to Richard. Three years after Richard finalized his idea, the Magic World saw the first Magic Support Vehicle. This Magic Support Vehicle was equipped with twelve Alchemy Magic Stone Cannons and could fire one hundred and twenty shots of Fireball Technique with an Energy Level of three hundred and fifty within ten seconds. Once used, the casting components and Magic Conducting Components of these Magic Stone Cannons would melt and had to be replaced and reshaped for continued use. In addition to firepower, the support vehicle was also highly maneuverable, thanks to the absurdity of the Magic World, Richard found an Anti-gravity Rune to reduce the weight of the support vehicle. With Anna¡¯s help, the vehicle¡¯s speed reached one hundred and twenty kilometers per hour on flat terrain and could perform short-distance floating flight when encountering obstacles. Looking at the war machine in front of him, filled with mechanical aesthetic, Richard followed the tradition of war machinery naming, and named it ¡ª Richard I Magic Support Vehicle. COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 193 - 23: Weapon Evaluation Chapter 193: Chapter 23: Weapon Evaluation However, compared to Richard¡¯s excitement, the other Wizards who were involved in the Magic Support Vehicle¡¯s production were not as optimistic. ¡°Richard, to be honest, I think this thing of yours¡­ is a bit too strange.¡± As Richard¡¯s senior, Anna had experienced Richard¡¯s unique ideas. Ever since his apprenticeship, he managed to achieve Magic Stone freedom through his own intelligence. But upon seeing the Magic Support Vehicle, Anna still felt it was too odd. This thing was entirely different from any Alchemy Weapon she had encountered. Typically, Alchemy Weapons emphasized high power and reliability. If one were to quantify the parameters of an Alchemy Weapon, its attack and reliability would far surpass its other attributes. Yet Richard¡¯s Magic Support Vehicle was different. The Magic Support Vehicle¡¯s Spell power was not particularly strong, only reaching an Energy Level of three hundred and fifty. Some advanced Apprentices could even cast Spells of this level. As for reliability, Richard¡¯s Magic Stone Cannon would melt down its casting components after thirty seconds of full-load operation, making it practically a single-use consumable. This approach was completely different from the usual philosophy behind designing Alchemy Weapons. Standing next to Anna, Ali, also chimed in, ¡°It is indeed strange; the power of these Spells seems rather low.¡± As a Shaping Wizard, Ali felt that the Spell power of Richard¡¯s creation was too weak and didn¡¯t align with her understanding and aesthetic. Shaping Wizards could be divided into two factions according to their casting habits: one faction emphasized precise control of Magic Power, ensuring every Spell was just right, while the other faction was somewhat extreme, liking to constantly increase the Energy Level of Spells. In their view, a qualified Shaping Magic Spell had to be powerful! Ali belonged to the latter, obviously thinking Richard¡¯s Spell lacked vigor. Next to them, Chax, who had heard about his disciple¡¯s large contraption and came to join in on the excitement, also expressed his opinion. ¡°Little brother, I think your creation would be better if you replaced this steel platform on the lower half with a Synthetic Beast. The tracks you¡¯ve designed aren¡¯t as flexible as legs.¡± As he spoke, Chax took out a palm-sized spider-like Synthetic Beast from his pocket, intending to show Richard the agility of Flesh and bring his little disciple back to the right path. Jolod, a master of Synthetic Beasts¡ªhis Apprentices learning to make Alchemy Machines would be quite a joke if it got out. Richard sighed helplessly after observing the few Wizards closest to him. He said in disbelief, ¡°Don¡¯t you guys think this thing is a very useful weapon? Just imagine, if we had a few hundred of these support vehicles, could we not use a few hundred Wizards to achieve what would usually require a few thousand Wizards to perform a Magic Concentrated Fire?¡± ¡°But the quality of this thing is just too poor,¡± Anna said helplessly. ¡°Casting components that melt down in thirty seconds, only because you¡¯re my disciple would I not throw a Magic Wand at you if another Wizard showed me this.¡± ¡°No, war is all about resource consumption,¡± Richard argued frantically. ¡°When you wage a war, you¡¯re bound to use up a huge amount of manpower and resources. How much are a few casting components worth? Isn¡¯t it worthwhile to exchange them for a Magic Concentrated Fire that can be deployed at any time? Besides, those casting components, the Magic Conducting Components, can be recycled and reused.¡± Even with Richard¡¯s explanations, several Black Wizards nearby still found the creation odd, leaving Richard with no temper to speak of. ¡°Ah, forget it. It¡¯s clear we¡¯re not on the same page. You¡¯ll understand once I¡¯ve asked the teacher over.¡± With that, Richard returned to the Wizard Tower, retrieved a long-range Communication Crystal Ball, and sent a message to Jolod. The message informed him that he had created a strategic-level Alchemy Weapon to serve as the flagship product of their trade association. Upon receiving the message, Jolod immediately handed over his teaching duties to Yelena and rushed to the Tower of Truth. Half a month later, a Wizard with disheveled hair and beard arrived in front of Richard¡¯s Wizard Tower. ¡°Richard, where¡¯s your creation?¡± Hearing the voice, Richard immediately left the laboratory and approached the Wizard. ¡°Master, how did you get here so quickly?¡± Jolod straightened his appearance and said anxiously, ¡°You¡¯ve created such a great thing; how could I waste any time? Where is it, show it to me quickly.¡± Richard took out his Magic Wand and tapped the ground. Soon after, an entrance to a tunnel appeared in front of them. Richard led Jolod through the tunnel and quickly arrived at a large underground hall. Naturally, Richard wouldn¡¯t make the Magic Support Vehicle in the yard; the underground hall, while not very large, could accommodate at most the space of the Wizard Tower¡¯s front and back yards, along with the tower itself. But such a hall was more than enough to house a single Magic Support Vehicle. Looking at the strange contraption before him, Jolod, who considered himself well-versed, couldn¡¯t discern its purpose and could only guess it was some kind of Magic Stone Cannon. However, a Magic Stone Cannon was sufficient. For their small trading association, as long as they had a Magic Stone Cannon and a contract with the White Wizard Army, they would have a continuous supply of Magic Stones. Suddenly, while daydreaming about the future, Jolod¡¯s face changed as he recalled something. ¡°Richard, tell me the truth. Is this creation of yours a stolen design of the Lavoisier II Magic Stone Cannon?¡± Startled, Richard asked in surprise, ¡°Master, how did you know? Even my sister didn¡¯t realize this.¡± ¡°You! Sigh! I just knew!¡± Jolod looked at the Magic Stone Cannon before him, which in his eyes was no longer a never-ending gold mine but rather a volcano ready to erupt. He should have thought of it earlier; that old man Vladimir had mentioned he had a good disciple, and he had assumed it was Anna. But now it seems that what Vladimir was talking about was Richard! ¡°Alas, stealing knowledge is a serious crime!¡± Jolod said with a heavy heart, ¡°Once your theft of knowledge is discovered, you better be prepared to be pursued by the White Wizard Army to the ends of the earth!¡± However, Richard replied with an unconcerned look, ¡°Teacher, you needn¡¯t worry. The casting components, magic conducting components, even the parallel components of the core parts of the Magic Support Vehicle are all my own designs. Only a small part of the parts are from the Lavoisier II Magic Stone Cannon. There¡¯s too much room for argument about those parts.¡± Certain components of the Magic Stone Cannon have only one optimal solution, so it makes perfect sense that there are some identical parts. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s only a small part!?¡± Jolod looked at Richard fiercely, his gaze as intense as a Giant Dragon. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m sure. Don¡¯t you trust me, teacher?¡± ¡°That¡¯s good then.¡± Jolod¡¯s aura deflated, feeling relieved in his heart. It seemed that his student still had some sense of restraint. Jolod touched the support vehicle and said unhurriedly, ¡°I am a Black Wizard, and I don¡¯t understand much about alchemy weapons, but I¡¯ve arranged for an acquaintance who will come to evaluate the value of this thing of yours.¡± ¡°An acquaintance? Teacher, you have friends who study alchemy machines?¡± Richard ribbed. Jolod gave Richard a stern look, ¡°You know the person.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Vladimir, who taught you battlefield alchemy.¡± ¡­ Two days later, Richard met with Vladimir, who had come to evaluate his work. Vladimir had a pipe clenched in the corner of his mouth: ¡°Kid, I heard you¡¯ve created something impressive.¡± Vladimir was his usual self, dressed in a White Wizard Robe, emanating the sense of decay that life was approaching its endpoint. However, unlike on the battlefield, Vladimir appeared less intimidating off it, looking more like a crotchety old man. ¡°Master, please follow me.¡± Richard led Vladimir to the desert floor of his residence, used for testing spells, then opened a Space Rift and expanded it, driving the Magic Support Vehicle out from it. ¡°Hmm, this thing seems quite nimble,¡± Vladimir commented as he observed the Magic Support Vehicle. The Magic Support Vehicle was not large, with a total length of just four meters. Aside from the twelve lightweight Magic Stone Cannons in the back, the Magic Support Vehicle could even pass for a civilian cargo hauler. ¡°Agility is indeed one of its advantages,¡± Richard stated confidently. Vladimir touched the Magic Support Vehicle and then pulled out a small Alchemy Puppet from his pocket, tossing it into the desert to let it walk off into the distance. ¡°This is the target, show me the power and accuracy of your cannon.¡± At this, Richard¡¯s face showed a hint of embarrassment, ¡°Well¡­ Master, the purpose of this device is somewhat different.¡± ¡°Different?¡± Vladimir frowned, ¡°I remember you are not one for alchemy machines. Kid, aiming too high is not always good, your knowledge level hasn¡¯t reached the point of innovation yet.¡± Vladimir¡¯s assessment was very much in line with the identity of an old wizard who had studied alchemy machines all his life, so Richard was neither angry nor annoyed. He preferred to speak with facts. ¡°Master, I am indeed not a Wizard specialized in studying alchemy machines, but you might want to see my work before making any evaluations.¡± Vladimir looked at Richard, his impression of him was quite positive. An Alchemy Wizard with such solid foundational skills like Richard was unlikely to be impetuous. This time, perhaps he was just blinded by inspiration. ¡°Ah, show me,¡± said Vladimir somewhat resignedly. Now that he was here, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to take one look. Richard, hearing this, said nothing further, only adjusting the angle of the Magic Stone Cannon and calibrating the trajectory from the cockpit. Since this was just a test, Richard did not fine-tune the firing coordinates and settled for setting the target at three kilometers straight ahead. Then, Richard pressed the firing button. Vladimir stood in front of the support vehicle, contemplating whether to gently admonish or be straightforward with Richard when the time came. An older wizard always had a soft spot for promising young talent. The Magic Support Vehicle emitted a Magic Fluctuation, but Vladimir was somewhat distracted. ¡°Forget it, I¡¯ll be gentle, the kid has potential, don¡¯t want to dissuade him from the path of alchemy machines¡­ Hmm?¡± Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Boom, boom, boom¡­ The continuous sound of explosions entered Vladimir¡¯s ears, and he froze in the second after they started, the pipe falling from his mouth. He actually saw someone using such a small alchemy weapon to create a Magic Concentrated Fire akin to that of the White Wizard Army. How¡­ how is this possible? COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 194 - 24: The First Order Chapter 194: Chapter 24: The First Order The sound of spells exploding continued without pause, each blast felt as if it struck right at Vladimir¡¯s heart. ¡°Sixty, seventy¡­ one hundred one, one hundred two¡­¡± Vladimir counted each explosion, and by the end, he had even become numb. Thirty seconds quickly passed, and Richard emerged from the cockpit to Vladimir¡¯s side: ¡°Master, what do you think of my Magic Support Vehicle?¡± ¡°Three hundred six¡­ what did you say?¡± Vladimir seemed startled by Richard¡¯s question, his voice suddenly rose sharply. Richard repeated his earlier statement, somewhat helplessly: ¡°Master, what do you think of my Magic Support Vehicle?¡± ¡°Oh, you mean an evaluation¡­¡± Vladimir was somewhat flustered. He subconsciously reached for the pipe hanging from the corner of his mouth but found nothing. Seeing the pipe lying at Vladimir¡¯s feet, Richard picked it up and handed it over to him. Vladimir took the pipe, his left hand trembling slightly as he struck up a flame and lit the pipe. Wisps of smoke rose from the pipe, Vladimir took a harsh drag, then slowly exhaled a cloud of smoke. ¡°Your name¡¯s Richard, right?¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± ¡°I take back what I said earlier; you are an unprecedented genius. Your creation¡­ even I can hardly understand it.¡± Clutching the pipe with keen eyes like an aged eagle, Vladimir scrutinized Richard. ¡°Thirty seconds, three hundred and sixty Fireball Techniques. Your¡­ Magic Support Vehicle is only so big, how did you solve the overheating issue? I did some calculations, even if you reduced the magic power loss to ten percent, based on the cooling structures I¡¯ve seen, your machine could at most sustain for forty-five seconds. Beyond that time, your spell-casting components would melt, and the magic conducting parts would need to be reshaped.¡± It must be said, Vladimir, who had studied alchemy machines for a lifetime, had an exceptionally sharp eye. He instantly identified the problem with the Magic Support Vehicle. But at this moment, he was still confined to the traditional thinking of an Alchemy Wizard, believing that an alchemy weapon must be durable and dependable, which was why he raised such a concern. Thinking is a critical issue. Richard shrugged: ¡°Master, I didn¡¯t solve the overheating problem. Thirty seconds is the maximum operational limit for the Magic Support Vehicle at full load. Its spell-casting components have already melted and need to be replaced.¡± sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°You didn¡¯t solve the overheating?¡± Upon hearing this, Vladimir first frowned, then seemed to sigh in relief. Even geniuses have their limits. If Richard had solved the overheating issue, then perhaps Vladimir himself might have passed away on spot. ¡°I must say, your Magic Support Vehicle is stunning. However, thirty seconds is indeed a bit too short,¡± Vladimir exhaled another puff of smoke. ¡°Having to replace the spell-casting components in such a short time, the army¡¯s senior ranks might not agree to purchase it.¡± War is a business for wizards. All wizards are thinking about how to gain the maximum benefit with the least amount of magic stones. ¡°So¡­ do you believe my creation passes?¡± asked Richard. ¡°Passes?¡± Vladimir shook his head solemnly. ¡°Your creation is not merely a pass, it¡¯s breathtaking! If it can continuously improve and evolve, maybe your name will be passed down alongside those of Zeppelin, Tesla, and Fermi. Your name might be chanted countless epochs later.¡± ¡°Master flatters me,¡± Richard said, somewhat in awe. The names Vladimir mentioned were thunderously known among Alchemy Wizards: Zeppelin, the inventor of the existing Magic Airships and the first War Airship; his appearance greatly promoted the shipping development of the Wizard World. Tesla, the founder of Tesla Heavy Industries; eight out of ten members of the Wizard World¡¯s White Wizard Army are equipped with weapons from their commerce. He is recognized as the number one war merchant of the Wizard World. And Fermi, this was an even weightier name. All existing Floating Cities draw their power from a prototype created by Fermi. Vladimir¡¯s comparison of Richard with these figures underscored his satisfaction with the weapon. These giants, how could such a junior wizard like himself be compared with them? He would have to wait until he became a Great Wizard before he could earn such praise. ¡°No, no, no, you are still young, and have not experienced so many battlefields. You don¡¯t realize how useful this thing can be,¡± Vladimir shook his head, ¡°I¡¯ve only seen such dense firepower on the fortresses of the Magic Statue Army, but those¡­¡± Suddenly Vladimir sighed: ¡°Those are out of reach without some serious backing.¡± Encouraged by Vladimir¡¯s assessment, Richard then demonstrated the mobility and off-road capability of the Magic Support Vehicle. But these features seemed somewhat unimpressive compared to the firepower that was like Heavenly Fire. After the test, Vladimir stepped out of the cockpit and closed the notebook in his hands. This notebook recorded all the data from Vladimir¡¯s experience, which would be his tool to persuade the military¡¯s high ranks. ¡°I¡¯ll go back and discuss with the senior ranks of the legion now, hoping they¡¯ll accept your ideas.¡± On the road testing mobility, Richard introduced Vladimir to his vision for the Magic Support Vehicle and also ran through the vehicle¡¯s cost breakdown. Wizards care about benefits, so the cost breakdown is the most powerful persuasive tool. According to Richard¡¯s calculations, the Magic Support Vehicle could greatly reduce casualties among White Wizards in secondary battlefields. And as an offensive combat alchemy weapon, it could also help wizards reduce casualties on the frontline. Calculating the wizards¡¯ pensions and the value compared to directly replacing the spell-casting components, the former was much more expensive. Richard¡¯s algorithm was quite novel to Vladimir, and for the alchemy wizards who valued durability and robustness, Richard¡¯s consumable-oriented approach was decidedly unconventional. But on the battlefield, orthodoxy was irrelevant; usefulness was the only truth. After seeing Vladimir off, Richard returned to the laboratory and took out a metal rune base plate. ¡°Phew, after toiling for about five years, this thing is finally wrapping up.¡± The rune base plate in front of Richard was a component of the Dream World Communication Equipment he had been working on; a few years ago, he was sidetracked by a sudden inspiration on the Pioneer Crystal, which halted the progress of his Dream World Communication Equipment for nearly five years. Now that the Magic Support Vehicle had been constructed and had even received high praise from Vladimir, it was time for his energy to return to the Dream World Communication Equipment. ¡°However, with the Pioneer Rune One, it looks like these rune base plates of mine should be remade. Not only would this reduce the cost of magic stones, but it would also decrease the size of the equipment and prolong its lifespan.¡± Looking at the rune base plate before him, Richard couldn¡¯t help but feel a headache. Sometimes new discoveries brought more than just benefits. ¡­ A month later, Richard received a magic message from Vladimir: the Clear Frost Number One Legion invited him to demonstrate the power of the Magic Support Vehicle to the high-ranking officers of the legion. The upper echelons of the White Wizard Army seemed somewhat skeptical of Vladimir¡¯s assessment, so in the message, he told Richard to make sure there were no mishaps. If everything went smoothly, he would help Richard refine some minor issues with the Magic Support Vehicle. Naturally, Richard agreed to this good fortune with pleasure. Three days later, Richard arrived at the Clear Frost Number One Legion¡¯s quarters, located on the twenty-third level of the residential layer. Although it was called quarters, this place was, in fact, a wizard community of the Clear Frost Wizard Academy, with a large number of wizards from Clear Frost Wizard Academy residing there, including the Clear Frost Number One, Two, and Three Legions. These legions had once fought alongside Richard on the Insect Nest Battlefield. Upon arriving at the community, Vladimir was already waiting in front of it. He wasted no words and directly took Richard to the wizard testing ground on the twenty-third level. The testing ground was also a desert, and at one corner of the desert, the high-ranking officers of the Clear Frost Number One Legion were already in place, but¡­ there seemed to be a lot of them. Richard, observing the observation group that numbered in the dozens, couldn¡¯t help but look towards Vladimir. Vladimir said indifferently, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that crowd; the second and third groups have also come. As long as you don¡¯t mess up, I guarantee you¡¯ll make a fortune this time!¡± Upon entering the field, Richard exchanged greetings with the many high-ranking legion officers. These wizards, the weakest among them at the entrance-level of the Three Rings, with a few so powerful that their presence even reached the pinnacle of Three Rings¡ªif they had enough luck and wisdom, becoming a Great Wizard was not impossible in the future. ¡°Are you the founder of Richard Jolod¡¯s Commerce? You seem young and promising,¡± a Great Wizard at the pinnacle of Three Rings commented with a smile to Richard. ¡°Master Vladimir has been singing high praises of your weapons in front of us¡ªmake sure your demonstration doesn¡¯t stumble.¡± Richard gave a Wizard¡¯s Salute to these wizards and then opened the Secret Realm Rift, from which he drove out the Magic Support Vehicle. Seeing such a little contraption being brought out by Richard raised the eyebrows of a few higher-ups from the other legions. ¡°It seems that Master Vladimir wasn¡¯t boasting¡ªthis thing is indeed compact,¡± said one of the higher-ups offhandedly, ¡°But can such a small thing really achieve the concentrated magic fire effect that he described?¡± The Legion Commander of the Clear Frost Number One Legion, Andre, looking at Richard, replied casually, ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I recognize this kid. The last time Susanna pulled one over on me, this guy was right there. He must be a student of some master from the Black Tower Wizard Academy.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s no master known for alchemy machines in Black Tower Wizard Academy; isn¡¯t Master Jolod known for researching Synthetic Beasts?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s make a bet¡ªI wager that this machine can achieve half of what Vladimir described.¡± One of the higher-ups shook his head, ¡°Half? I think it could manage two-thirds. His commerce is named after Jolod; perhaps he is Jolod¡¯s student as well. Although Master Jolod¡¯s research focuses on Synthetic Beasts, many of his students have achieved notable success in alchemy machines too.¡± ¡°A thousand Magic Essence? I¡¯ll take the half.¡± ¡°I¡¯m in for two-thirds.¡± ¡°I¡¯m also betting on half; this kid¡¯s too young, probably doesn¡¯t have much accumulated knowledge.¡± ¡­ While the high-ranking officers of the legions were making their bets, Richard finished adjusting the Magic Support Vehicle. With his mind focused on the aiming components, the twelve lightweight Magic Stone Cannons loaded on the Magic Support Vehicle began to move. ¡°Let¡¯s aim three kilometers straight ahead.¡± After adjusting the trajectory, Richard pressed the button. The high-ranking officers sensed the fluctuation of magic power and turned their attention to the Magic Support Vehicle. In the next moment, Heavenly Fire appeared. In thirty seconds, three hundred and sixty fireballs bombarded the battlefield three kilometers away. The high-ranking officers were left utterly silent. ¡°It seems our Master Vladimir wasn¡¯t boasting this time,¡± one of the officers murmured, ¡°Three hundred and sixty shots, exactly three hundred and sixty, not a single one missing.¡± The three Legion Commanders exchanged glances, and then Andre suddenly burst into laughter. ¡°This kid seems to have some kind of edge over me; he just made a tidy profit off me, and now he¡¯s about to make another big score from my pocket.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 195 - 25 Accompanying the Army Provisions Chapter 195: Chapter 25 Accompanying the Army Provisions After witnessing the power of the Magic Support Vehicle, Richard also showcased its mobility and off-road capabilities. These seemingly insignificant details delighted the Legion Commanders. As seasoned wizards long experienced in warfare, they naturally understood the importance of mobility. Upon seeing Richard¡¯s data, a deal was quickly struck. Meanwhile, Vladimir seized the opportunity to mock these wizards. Facing such an elder wizard, sufficiently old and exceptionally capable, the upper ranks of the legion could only touch their noses and pretend not to hear. The White Wizard Army did not value strength as much as the Black Wizards did; seniority was also an important criterion in the legion. An old enough White Wizard might have experienced dozens, even scores, of Plane Wars, and although their strength might not be as formidable for various reasons, their battlefield experience was undoubtedly rich. Sometimes, the Legion Commanders would consult these individuals for decision-making. Regarding the specifics of the deal, Richard did not participate in the negotiations but left it to Jolod to handle. Though one of the leaders of the Commerce, he was too young and inexperienced. Negotiating with wizards who were thousands of years old could easily lead to being deceived. It is wise to be aware of one¡¯s limitations, so Richard obediently left the troublesome matters to his teacher and returned to the Wizard Tower to prepare to make money while lying down. The cost of such a Magic Support Vehicle was not cheap, the materials alone costing five hundred Magic Essence. Considering Richard¡¯s labor cost, his target price was eight hundred Magic Essence. As for how much Jolod could negotiate, that depended on Jolod¡¯s abilities. The profit for one Magic Support Vehicle was calculated at three hundred Magic Essence, ten would yield three thousand, and a hundred would make thirty thousand. This did not include the profits from the Spell components and Magic Conduction Components. Richard calculated his future income in his heart and couldn¡¯t help but smile slightly. Days without financial worries were upon him. ¡­ In the laboratory, Richard looked through the lens of the Magic Microscope, focusing intently as he used magic to etch runes on the Rune Base Plate. After discovering the Pioneer Rune One, Richard had reworked all the previously made rune bases and components. However, with his experience and only needing to re-engrave the runes, his second production was very smooth. It took only three months to complete most of the runes¡¯ reworking. The piece before him was the most complex and crucial among all the rune bases. Once he completed it, the work that followed would be smooth sailing. The magic needle, thin as a pinpoint, carefully moved across the rune base plate. Each movement left an imperceptible trace that was almost invisible to the naked eye. Moreover, some of these traces were not merely on the surface; for more complex runes, the magic had to delve deep into the base plate to complete the engraving. However, this work was already routine for Richard. His expression calm, Richard controlled the magic needle with steady spiritual power. As the magic needle left the last mark on the rune base plate, a very faint Magic Fluctuation emanated from it. ¡°Phew, done.¡± Richard sighed in relief, a slight smile playing on his face. The technology for Spiritual Message Compression had been fully mastered by Richard. With the completion of his spiritual power amplification device, he could immediately communicate with the Nightmare World and even control his avatar in the Dream World. The control of soul over the Soul Seed was fundamentally a special form of Spiritual Message. Buzz! A Magic Fluctuation emanated from the next room. Richard entered and found his Communication Crystal Ball lit up. Checking the message, he learned that the details of the deal had been finalized. After three months of negotiations, the first order for Richard Jolod¡¯s Commerce had been concluded. Upon receiving the message, Richard did not delay and immediately headed to Clear Frost Number One Legion¡¯s station where, as usual, Vladimir welcomed him. ¡°Kid, you¡¯re going to earn quite a lot this time,¡± Vladimir said, smiling at Richard. ¡°I owe it to the Master¡¯s recommendation,¡± Richard responded modestly. Vladimir shook his head, ¡°That¡¯s not my doing. Even if I spoke highly of it, the legion would definitely not adopt it if your product didn¡¯t measure up. ¡°Besides, any good Alchemy Weapon is beloved by any White Wizard; any other wizard would do the same.¡± Vladimir was old-fashioned yet honest. He never skimped on his praise and recommendation for good products as he believed that good products deserved good treatment. Following him into the station, Richard entered a structure akin to a church made of marble. The pure white marble was engraved with exquisite reliefs and upon entering the church, murals depicting the legion¡¯s achievements immediately caught Richard¡¯s eye. ¡°This is the legion¡¯s guesthouse, only used when new soldiers join or during certain significant events,¡± Vladimir explained. ¡°These murals¡­¡± Richard looked at the murals portraying brave cloaked wizards and rather grotesque Alien creatures, feeling a sense of absurdity. The expedition of wizards was clearly aggressive, yet in these murals, the wizards were depicted as luminous saviors. It was hard to imagine what kind of education the White Wizards underwent. ¡°Cough, cough, cough, these are masterpieces by a former Legion Commander,¡± Vladimir said somewhat awkwardly, ¡°Some overly sympathetic rookie wizards during wars can impact the morale within the legion as well as harmony. Therefore, a former Legion Commander created these murals and used them to educate every new wizard joining the legion, telling them that wizards are here to save the world.¡± ¡°Save the world?¡± Richard twitched the corner of his eye, ¡°This would be discovered as soon as they entered the battlefield, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Vladimir shook his head with a smile, ¡°Sometimes, people just need an excuse. Besides, we didn¡¯t say whom we were saving, did we? For those creatures preyed upon by alien beings, aren¡¯t we their saviors after all?¡± ¡°¡­That makes sense.¡± Following Vladimir, Richard arrived at a room resembling a conference room. Inside the room, there was a large round table with three legion commanders sitting on one side, and on the other side, Jolod was leisurely leaning back in his chair. Upon seeing Richard arrive, Jolod happily greeted him. ¡°Ah, Richard, you¡¯ve finally made it. We were just waiting for you.¡± While speaking, Jolod silently sent a spiritual message to Richard. ¡°Do not change anything in the contract. I will explain anything you don¡¯t understand when we go back.¡± After speaking, Jolod and Richard took their seats together. Legion Commander Andre took out a scroll and handed it over to Richard. ¡°Master Richard, this is the contract we have finalized with Master Jolod. Please see if there is anything that needs to be modified.¡± After that, another legion commander said with a smile, ¡°Even between master and disciple, the accounts must be settled clearly. Master Richard, you need to check carefully.¡± Facing this psychological tactic from the old wizards, Richard¡¯s expression remained unflappable. After reviewing the entire contract, Richard handed it back to Andre. ¡°I have no issues.¡± The others exchanged glances as if they wanted to say something more, but Jolod by Richard¡¯s side suddenly spoke up. ¡°Since Richard has no objections, let¡¯s sign this contract. We¡¯ve been quibbling for three months, and the time of these masters is surely much more precious than that of a Second Ring wizard like me.¡± Seeing the situation, the three legion commanders had no choice but to give up their thoughts, signed their true names on the contract, and Richard also signed his true name. As the contract turned to ashes, the contract between Richard Jolod and the Clear Frost First, Second, and Third Legions was officially established. Richard was required to deliver five hundred magic support vehicles within three hundred years. The Clear Frost Legions would purchase each vehicle for eight hundred fifty magic essences. In addition, Richard was to train the alchemy wizards of the White Wizard Army on how to urgently maintain these magic support vehicles. Moreover, Richard was also to assist as a technical consultant to the Clear Frost Legions during their campaigns to the Otherworld. Honestly, this clause was the most perplexing one to Richard. He still had to accompany them on a campaign to the Otherworld? This was truly hard-earned money. However, considering that Jolod and the legion commanders had quarreled for three months, this clause must have a special significance. After the contract was signed, the three legion commanders arranged a banquet. High-ranking members from the three legions attended the banquet, featuring an array of exquisite cuisines made from rare magic beasts, which Richard found quite satisfying. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you continuing to eat?¡± Jolod approached Richard, holding a wine glass with amber-colored liquor emitting a rich aroma. Richard was standing on the balcony, smiling awkwardly. ¡°A few masters keep pushing their juniors towards me.¡± Jolod was momentarily stunned, then burst into laughter. ¡°So, it¡¯s that. Isn¡¯t that a good thing?¡± Richard looked slightly annoyed, ¡°Teacher, I have a partner!¡± ¡°The young one under Susanna?¡± Jolod waved his hand, ¡°It seems you are not aware of the wizard family¡¯s concept. What wizard families value most is the bloodline; they believe that if a wizard is outstanding enough, their bloodline must carry something special. Since you designed the magic support vehicles, these wizard families think you¡¯re qualified enough. Hence, they push those young ones toward you, hoping to have one or two descendants. As for whether you have a partner¡­ hehe.¡± S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Jolod scoffed coldly, ¡°They don¡¯t care at all. As long as you don¡¯t demand those harvesting young ones to stay by your side, they will disappear automatically after completing their task.¡± ¡°¡­That sounds really disgusting,¡± Richard said after a moment of silence. ¡°That¡¯s why the Wizard Academy is the future,¡± Jolod spoke lightly, ¡°The organizational structure of wizard families is too inefficient. Breeding descendants among wizards is much slower than sieving through the masses for talent. The existing wizard families are just a dying body.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 196 - 26: Bones of the Black Coffin Sword Saint Chapter 196: Chapter 26: Bones of the Black Coffin Sword Saint Richard ultimately did not accept the Wizard Family¡¯s offer of ¡°seed lending,¡± for apart from the act being somewhat disgusting, ensuring his personal body information was not leaked was also an important reason. Although Richard currently had no enemies, if his business were to develop, conflicts with other businesses would inevitably arise. Between Wizards, business conflicts were by no means limited to commercial tactics alone. Physically annihilating a business opponent was also a method of resolving conflict. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After the banquet ended, Richard and Jolod parted ways. Richard gave Jolod all the various materials needed to build the Magic Support Vehicle, as well as the specifications for each material to purchase. Buying these materials himself would have cost Richard 500 Magic Essences, but giving the task to Jolod would definitely be cheaper. Even if it wasn¡¯t cheaper, the quality was sure to be impeccable. Back at the Wizard Tower, Richard resumed his work on the spiritual power amplifying device. This time, with no other distractions, Richard took a month to remake all the remaining parts. He assembled these parts along with the Rune Base Plate, turning them into a device resembling a cultivation chamber. This was the spiritual power amplifying device Richard had been constructing for so long. Once integrated with Spiritual Message Compression Technology, this device would become a communications signal tower with the Nightmare World. After filling the device with Magic Stones, Richard immediately lay down inside it and initiated the device. His spiritual power, channeling through the Rune Base Plate, entered the machine and then surged, amplified through hundreds and thousands of Rune Arrays. Outside the device, a wave of heat burst forth, instantaneously raising the temperature of the entire laboratory by several degrees. Even after Richard¡¯s reworking, the immense Magic Power consumption caused by the vast Rune Array remained staggeringly large. Through the device¡¯s amplification, Richard¡¯s spiritual power reached an astonishing peak. If spiritual power was likened to a continuously fluctuating curve, then at this moment, the curve had reached its zenith. If it increased any further, Richard¡¯s soul would be unable to control such intense spiritual power. In this state, Richard¡¯s Spiritual Perception became extremely detailed, so much so that it was as if he had put on a microscope, allowing him to see even the shape of a speck of dust on the ground. The influx of excessively intricate information overwhelmed Richard¡¯s brain, almost causing it to crash instantaneously. ¡°No, I need to shut down the machine.¡± In a nearly unconscious state with his brain about to crash, Richard instinctively turned off the machine. His spiritual power then returned to his soul, and Richard sat stunned in the chamber for nearly five minutes before his eyes gradually regained clarity. ¡°That was truly thrilling,¡± Richard exhaled, rubbing his forehead and remarking. Opening the hatch, Richard immediately felt the temperature in the laboratory had risen significantly. The heat-dissipation components he had prepared for the device were now faintly red. ¡°The loss is still too great,¡± Richard said somewhat helplessly, ¡°I don¡¯t know how something like the Floating City is even made. I create such a small thing and the Magic Power loss is huge; the Floating City¡¯s technology is practically otherworldly.¡± However, the thought of the existence of the Pioneers made him consider that the Floating City might indeed be otherworldly technology. Once the machine had cooled down completely, Richard entered the device again. Unlike the first time, this time Richard amplified not just his spiritual power, but also a compressed Spiritual Message. The Spiritual Message, strengthened layer by layer through the Rune Arrays, gradually transformed into a sharp arrow. Under Richard¡¯s control, this arrow was shot out, following the connection between soul and Soul Seed, piercing the thick but ultimately insufficient dimensional barrier to enter the Nightmare World. At the same time, a sound emanated from the coffin behind the Black Coffin Sword Saint. Bang! ¡°Shit, I forgot I was in a coffin.¡± ¡­ Coffin Carrier, also known as a little Nightmare by an unknown origin. When he first entered the Lawless Land, many nightmare creatures only referred to him as ¡°Bones¡± or ¡°Coffin Carrier.¡± But as Bones slew one nightmare creature after another with his incredibly hard Great Sword ¨C those that coveted him and the coffin on his back ¨C the entire Lawless Land changed how they addressed him. They honored him as the Sword Saint and, because he always carried a black coffin on his back, people began to call him the Black Coffin Sword Saint. Rumors had it that sealed within the Sword Saint¡¯s coffin was a terrifying nightmare creature. Some said it was the Sword Saint¡¯s enemy; he carried the coffin to monitor his foe at all times. Others believed that the coffin sealed the Sword Saint¡¯s master, the dreadful Nightmare creature that had given him his name and the Great Sword. But decades had passed, and the Coffin Carrier had grown from a little Nightmare into a Big Nightmare, and the black coffin on his back had never been opened. Today, Bones practiced his swordsmanship in the yard as usual, with the coffin on his back. His swordsmanship was not merely swinging the Great Sword; the Power of Nightmare within him also changed with the movements of the blade. It was less swordsmanship and more a unique form of magic. As the Power of Nightmare fluctuated, a black and red Rune suddenly appeared on the Great Sword. And Bones¡¯ Great Sword became incomparably sharp. This Rune was not any Rune known by Wizards; it was immensely complex, and the power flowing within it was not Magic Power but pure Power of Nightmare. A single strike unleashed a razor-sharp sword wind that silently sliced through the courtyard wall. Bones then sheathed his sword, ready to visit the tavern to see if there was any business. As a no-man¡¯s-land, great figures from various territories hired outlaws from the Lawless Land to carry out certain inconvenient tasks. This was also one of the reasons why outlaws could exist and continue to grow stronger. Suddenly, Bones heard a muffled sound from the black coffin behind him, as if something had struck the coffin with force. Then he heard a complaint and the sound of the coffin opening. ¡°Has the Boss finally woken up!?¡± Joy surged in Bones¡¯s heart, but it was quickly followed by confusion. The boss had awakened, which meant his duty was over. His life henceforth might simply involve joining a domain, becoming a vassal to a Nightmare Knight. But after decades of solitude, his bones were no longer what they once were. He now preferred this unshackled life. Through a continual stream of spiritual messages, Richard¡¯s body finally began to move in fits and starts. And the first thing to appear before him was a Nightmare creature with an unusually distinguished aura. Richard eyed the cloaked Nightmare creature in front of him and ventured a guess, ¡°Bones?¡± Bones nodded his head, then knelt on one knee. ¡°Boss, you¡¯ve finally awakened. It¡¯s been seventy-four years since you were last injured.¡± Feeling the connection that came with the naming, Richard looked at Bones in front of him with some surprise. This being of Nightmare had reached the standard of a second-level creature. Over these seventy-plus years, this little guy who could only cling to his coattails had grown into a formidable Nightmare being. ¡°Not bad at all, Bones. Where are we right now?¡± ¡°Boss, we are in the Lawless Land.¡± Richard thought for a moment; he remembered Ulysses mentioning the Lawless Land. A place where a group of Nightmare creatures that weren¡¯t controlled by any Nightmare Lord gathered. Richard looked around. He was in a yard, surrounded by vast stretches of wilderness. ¡°There are no other Nightmare creatures nearby?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ I prefer a quieter environment, so I cleared out those annoying fellows around us.¡± ¡°Hmm, not bad.¡± Richard nodded his head. He was quite satisfied with the surroundings and very satisfied with Bones. ¡°Bones, I¡¯ll cut to the chase. My awakening is only temporary. I can probably stay awake for about ten minutes each day. After ten minutes, I¡¯ll fall back into slumber.¡± Somehow, upon hearing Richard¡¯s words, Bones felt an inexplicable sense of relief. Perhaps his life would remain unchanged. Richard didn¡¯t pay attention to the mood of Bones and quickly said, ¡°Tell me what you need now. I need you to grow as strong as possible while ensuring your safety.¡± After Richard returned to the Wizard World, he had sought out the Dreamwalker Club, but there was no so-called Dreamwalker Club at number 232 on the fifth residential floor of the Tower of Truth where he was located. That¡¯s when Richard recalled that there were not just one, but a total of five Towers of Truth in the Wizard World. The distance between each of these five Towers of Truth was incredibly vast, with various uninhabited areas in between. Even for a Three Rings Wizard to communicate across regions, it would take decades of travel. And in the middle, they still had to pass through some inevitable uninhabited areas, which were very dangerous. Moreover, the most terrifying thing was that there was no Transmission Array between the Towers of Truth. There were rumors that during the Wizard wars, a deceased Sixth Circle Great Wizard from the Shape-shifting School had distorted the spatial structure of the Wizard World, causing unpredictable dangers in the transmission arrays within the world. Although most of this distortion had been restored over the years, long-range Magic Array transportation was still difficult internally in the Wizard World. The only long-range transportation method available was the World Origin Transmission, which only the World Guardians of the Wizard World could use. While there were other means of inter-regional transportation in the Wizard World, they were either too expensive or not open to the public. Therefore, Richard could only temporarily shelve the idea of going to other Towers of Truth in search of the Dreamwalker Club. But he was not in a hurry, after all, the Soul origin stuff would only be useful when he was promoted. Normal meditation would suffice for now. A wizard¡¯s combat power mainly came from knowledge, and the combat power gained from merely enhancing spiritual power was far less than that brought about by knowledge. Hearing Richard say this, Bones thought for a moment and replied, ¡°Boss, can you give me a piece of Armor? Armor of the same material as this sword. ¡°My ability has evolved since I became a Big Nightmare, and I can now devour other Armor to enhance my defensive capabilities.¡± Without saying much, Richard immediately began to gather the Power of Nightmare in his hand, and a few minutes later, a piece of Armor made of Pure Gold appeared in Richard¡¯s hand. Richard tossed the Armor to Bones, ¡°Do well, getting stronger is secondary, being alive¡­ that¡¯s the ¡­ most important ¡­ thing.¡± Having said that, Richard¡¯s Nightmare Body fell to the ground. Richard¡¯s laboratory in the Wizard World had now become a furnace; as soon as he opened the hatch, he could feel a wave of heat assault him. The equipment he had made was already overheating, triggering the safety measures Richard had set, causing the entire apparatus to shut down. ¡°Ah, I hope the little guy doesn¡¯t harbor any ill will. To become a second-level creature so quickly¡ªthe evolution of Nightmare creatures is truly fast.¡± ¡­ In the Nightmare World, Bones looked at the fallen Richard, carefully picked him up, then dusted off any dirt on his body, and placed him back in the coffin. Closing the coffin, Bones looked at the Pure Gold Armor in his hands, remembering Richard¡¯s last instructions. ¡°To stay alive?¡± Bones tightened his grip on the Armor, a twinge of guilt flashing through him. For a brief moment, he had actually entertained the thought of betrayal. The boss had given him a name, had given him a new life, yet he thought of betraying him just to keep his current life unchanged! How shameful! Bones hoisted the coffin onto his back again and stuffed the Pure Gold Armor into his body, heading towards the Lawless Inn. The boss needed him to get stronger, so he must make the effort. COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 197 - 27 Enhanced Adaptation Body Chapter 197: Chapter 27 Enhanced Adaptation Body The temperature in the laboratory was lowered, and Richard checked each major component of the spiritual power amplifier to see if there were any meltdowns or damage. The result left Richard quite satisfied. After running at full load, only the safety components of the machine had melted, with no slight damage to other components. Though this was related to the fact that the spiritual power amplifier was brand new, Richard didn¡¯t mind being pleased with himself. As long as there were no problems, it meant his machine design was flawless, and he only needed to upgrade the cooling components to extend the communication time. Taking the machine to a vacant room on the third floor of the Wizard Tower, Richard had a long overdue visit to the backyard. The completion of the Dream World Communication Equipment eased Richard¡¯s mind considerably, and, looking at the warm afternoon sun, he felt an unusual sense of leisure. In the backyard, Number One and Number Two were lazily basking in the sun. Not far from them, the graves of the former Number One and Number Two were covered in wildflowers. Richard did not disturb them; he pulled out a deck chair from his pocket, then changed his clothes and lay down on the chair. Now that the business contract had been signed and the Dream World Communication Equipment completed, although the skeleton¡¯s mood was a bit strange, it was still largely loyal. Moreover, Richard had now advanced from One Ring to becoming a Second Ring Wizard. Richard realized that there seemed to be nothing urgent left for him to do. Ulysses flew over from a distance; since returning to the Wizard World, Richard had not bothered with him, letting him roam free in the Tower of Truth. Ulysses landed next to Richard, ¡°Caw, how unusual. What brings you out to bask in the sun? Shouldn¡¯t you be busy with your experiments in the laboratory?¡± Richard took out a notebook and casually used it to shield his face, his muffled voice emanating from under the book: ¡°Rare to have some leisure time, life is so long, one must enjoy living.¡± Ulysses opened a Secret Realm, entered, and pulled out a mushroom-woven deck chair to lay on. ¡°Caw, that¡¯s the right attitude. Transforming from a short-lived species to a longevity species, the most important thing is to slow down. Our lives are extended, and many things can be approached gradually.¡± The gentle afternoon sun bathed Richard¡¯s backyard, where two kemonomimi, a wizard, and a World Master from another world lay in the yard, calmly enjoying the sunshine. Suddenly, a breeze passed through, weaving through the backyard and flowing towards the distance. ¡­ After a year of procurement, Jolod delivered materials sufficient for fifty Magic Support Vehicles to Richard, along with his fee¡ªfifteen thousand Magic Essence. Since the business guild had been founded to sell Magic Potions, the master and apprentice had only drafted the profit-sharing ratio concerning Magic Potions. Resultingly, although the guild had been established, no deals involving Magic Potions had materialized; their first deal unexpectedly involved armaments unrelated to Magic Potions. Fate really was indescribable. Thus, in this transaction of the business guild, Richard naturally took the major share as the provider of technology and products, with Jolod only nibbling at the edges in material procurement. The arrival of the materials made Richard¡¯s leisurely life a bit busier, as the foundational parts of the Magic Support Vehicles numbered in the tens of thousands, requiring Richard to painstakingly handcraft these parts from the materials step by step. However, Richard was obviously not willing to do so. After spending five hundred Magic Essence, through his senior sister Anna¡¯s connections, Richard acquired a complete wizard-grade machine tool. But this time, Richard¡¯s idea wasn¡¯t particularly novel. Wizards had long started assembly line production of alchemy machines, and for many wizards researching alchemy machines, Richard¡¯s need was just an ordinary transaction. Molding the parts was just the first step; more troublesome work would follow. Some of these parts required Alchemy Arrays for material treatment, while others needed Enchantment. Richard had to handle these tasks himself. Fortunately, the contract allowed ample time, so Richard was not forced to work overtime. In addition to producing Magic Support Vehicles, Richard¡¯s research, supported by funding, began to transition. The Adaptation Body, which he stumbled upon while researching the Pioneer Crystal, capable of adapting to toxins, was scheduled for research. The Adaptation Body, a subtle spell entirely vital to Richard¡¯s combat capabilities. Its conferred Element Resistance and Physical Resistance were very useful in battle. The discovery of its adaptation to toxins opened a new developmental path for this witchcraft. Wizards categorized poisons privately in many ways, but generally, the Lethal Poisons were divided into three types: Neurotoxin, Corrosive Poison, and Metabolic Obstruction Poison. These classifications of poisons were made according to the reactions after poisoning, but poisons of the same category might have vastly different components, making detoxification extremely challenging. Sometimes, in face of potent poisons, wizards even needed to abandon their bodies. This was one of the reasons many wizards did not advance their physique. However, the adaptation to toxicity offered by the Adaptation Body made Richard believe that this witchcraft had potential. The body, the bedrock of and biological presence in the Material World, holds mysteries not even a Truth Wizard would claim to fully understand. ¡­ Fifty years later. In the laboratory, Richard carefully mixed poisons with a pipette. As the pitch-black liquid dripped down, the poison in the test tube suddenly began changing color. It shifted from red to black, then transformed into a very thick green. After the change completed, a sickly sweet scent wafted from the test tube. Richard brought the test tube up to his eyes, muttering: ¡°Poison Delight, a Neurotoxin, three thousand five hundred times stronger than Crow Vine Poison. This strength should suffice.¡± With that, Richard poured the liquid from the test tube into an alchemy machine, and shortly, a pale green smoke with a sickly sweet smell emanated from it. ¡°Inhale¡­¡± Richard took a deep inhale of the smoke, then suddenly convulsed, his body beginning to shake uncontrollably. This was a sign that the poison had entered his body. The pale green toxin penetrated Richard¡¯s body through his respiratory tract, skin, and mucous membranes before entering his bloodstream and instantaneously coursing throughout his body with each breath. Under the toxin¡¯s influence, Richard¡¯s body began to spasm and tremble involuntarily, a sign that his nervous system was being invaded by the toxin. Normally, Richard would have died painfully within minutes, his robust physique becoming a terrible torture device against him. But within a few seconds, Richard¡¯s body regained its calm. Richard turned off the alchemy machine and took out a notebook to record the time of his poisoning. ¡°Thirty-five seconds, one second less than the time before.¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was a toxicity adaptation experiment, designed by Richard to improve the Adaptation Body, fundamentally using small doses of toxin to continuously stimulate the body, thus evolving a detoxification mechanism. This experiment was extremely dangerous as the poisons Richard used were potent enough to kill a wizard. A slight miscalculation in dosage during the experiment could turn it into suicide. After writing down his notes, Richard closed the notebook, then began to clean the room using a spell. The poisons were harmless to Richard, but deadly toxic to his demi-human maids. Sometimes they would come to the laboratory to clean, and it would be foolish to accidentally poison them to death. Next, Richard entered a cultivation pod, and a spiritual body emerged from him and entered the room next door. In the adjacent room, another Richard slowly opened his eyes as the spiritual body entered. Remember the Nurturing Rule refined from the Mother Worm God fragments? This rule, in conjunction with the Flesh Rule, allowed Richard to create a flesh body completely identical to his own. Initially, Richard saw this ability as a superior alternative to the Cloning Technique, but after beginning the experiments to improve the Adaptation Body, he suddenly realized it was perfect for experimentation as well. The clone had all the same data as the original, and if an experiment was successful on the clone, it would be successful on the original, and any damage from the experiment wouldn¡¯t threaten Richard¡¯s original body. Richard left the room and entered the adjacent laboratory, reviewing his experimental records from this period. He plotted the adaptation times for the same mechanism¡¯s toxins on a line graph, which showed a very pronounced peak. The experiment data Richard had just obtained was at the base of the peak. Looking at the statistical chart, Richard sighed deeply, ¡°The body¡¯s instinctive adaptation has reached its limit, next, I must improve the formula for the Adaptation Potion.¡± Closing the notebook, Richard casually pulled out a Magic Book from his pocket and leaned back in his chair to read. To refine the Adaptation Body, he had been collecting knowledge about Magic Potions for years, and the activity of exchanging Encrypted Notes for Magic Equipment had also been revisited by him. The Encrypted Notes had provided Richard with plenty of valuable substances over the years, including the formula for the poison he had just used in his experiments. While Richard was reading, he was distracted by a particularly loud hooting from an owl outside the window. ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s this¡­¡± Richard looked out the window at the exceptionally burly owl, almost as if muscles were growing in its eyes, and fell into deep thought. How has Chax¡¯s aesthetic become so strange? Opening the window, the muscular owl handed Richard a letter held in its claws and spoke in a deep voice, ¡°Member Richard, there is an event at the club soon, if you have time you could participate.¡± After delivering his message, the owl took a significant leap into the air, flapping its wings and flying off into the distance. On Richard¡¯s windowsill, two claw marks were clearly visible. ¡°I remember this thing has Enchantment, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Richard opened the letter, which contained an invitation. The invitation had a corner stamped with Jimmy¡¯s brightly smiling bald head. The contents of the invitation were simple, stating that Garon the Great Wizard, the chairman of Garon Club, had recently acquired a small Secret Realm. The environment was suitable for wizards pursuing Physique Evolution, thus he invited the club¡¯s members to train in the Secret Realm. It was a small perk from the club. ¡°Using a Secret Realm as a club¡¯s perk¡­ The Great Wizard is truly generous.¡± After reading the invitation, Richard sighed, pocketed it, and turned to open the Secret Realm Rift. Inside the Secret Realm, Ulysses was leisurely drinking some unknown beverage. Not far from him, numerous Holy Tree Elves were using mycelium to mold a sculpture. And the sculpture¡¯s face¡­ Richard walked over to Ulysses, ¡°What are you doing making a sculpture of me for?¡± Ulysses flapped his wings, speaking boisterously, ¡°Gah, didn¡¯t you make a fuss about studying the Power of Faith before? There are plenty of these little guys in the Secret Realm now, so I thought I¡¯d start a sect for fun.¡± ¡°Oh, that kind-hearted?¡± Richard raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised. ¡°Gah, of course. We two are comrades who¡¯ve fought side by side, don¡¯t think so ill of me,¡± Ulysses said somewhat proudly, ¡°Hey, you over there, make sure the sculpture looks exactly like my blueprint!¡± Richard looked towards the sculpture. On its left shoulder, the Holy Tree Elves were shaping an impressively fearsome crow. ¡°Suit yourself, I¡¯m off to attend an event held by a Great Wizard. Keep an eye on things while I¡¯m gone. Don¡¯t open the Secret Realm Rift near me.¡± Ulysses waved his wings indifferently: ¡°Gah, got it.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 198 - 28 Mountain Secret Realm Chapter 198: Chapter 28 Mountain Secret Realm Bidding farewell to Ulysses, Richard quickly arrived at the Duel Arena on the eleventh floor of the residential area. Bang! Bang! Bang¡­ Muffled sounds emanated from the dueling platform. On the platform, Bald Jimmy was fighting a burly wizard, no, to call it a fight would be inaccurate; it was more like Jimmy was the only one throwing punches as the wizard he was facing barely moved, allowing Jimmy to attack at will. Jimmy¡¯s muscles swelled as he transformed into a five-meter-tall muscle giant, his body adorned with intricate magic patterns that flickered with the infusion of magic power with each attack. But despite Jimmy¡¯s earnestness, the wizard, towering over two meters tall, remained still, allowing Jimmy¡¯s continuous strikes and even occasionally turning to let a different part of his body absorb the blows. Watching this scene, Richard had a ludicrous thought. It seemed like Jimmy was giving the wizard a massage. A Three Rings Wizard who follows the Physique Evolution path is merely massaging the other wizard with his fully powered attacks. In the stands of the Duel Arena, numerous wizards sat among the audience. Their life radiation was so vigorous it resembled furnaces. Even the utmost apprentices would be subject to the suppression of life levels if they were in their presence, leading to extreme panic and debility. Richard found an empty seat and casually asked the wizard next to him, ¡°Friend, who is the master fighting Jimmy? Is it our department head?¡± The wizard glanced at Richard, noticing the Life Radiation of a Second Ring Wizard emanating from him, and replied respectfully, ¡°Master must be new here. The only wizard in our club who can take Jimmy¡¯s hits without a problem would undoubtedly be the head of the department.¡± Garon the Great Wizard, head of the Garon Club, was the first to become a Great Wizard during the pioneering period. His strength is now said to have reached the Sixth Circle. Logically, such a figure should spend every day in the Secret Realm, seeking the path to truth, striving to become the sixth Truth Wizard. But Garon the Great Wizard seemed disinterested in becoming a Truth Wizard. Richard had heard Jimmy say that what Garon enjoyed the most now was nurturing wizards who follow the Physique path. Nearly half of the Apprentice Wizards in his own Garon Wizard College were on the Physique Evolution path, and he would often make appearances in his transformed state at the college, encouraging students to pursue the path of Physique Evolution. Richard felt that there must be deep implications behind Garon the Great Wizard¡¯s actions. He didn¡¯t believe that a Sixth Circle Great Wizard would play around with them lower-level wizards for no reason. Soon, Jimmy stopped his fists, his body shrinking back to its normal state, out of breath as he said, ¡°Minister, you¡¯ve gotten stronger again. I can¡¯t even make a dent in this incarnation of yours now.¡± Garon the Great Wizard stretched languidly and walked over to Jimmy, patting him on the shoulder. ¡°Jimmy, this incarnation was made based on your peak state. Your combat skills have become more adept than before, but your overall condition in your Magic Rune Battle Body has declined by one-thousandth compared to your peak. It¡¯s a very faint change, but I must tell you something. Jimmy, you¡¯ve gotten old.¡± Hearing this, Jimmy¡¯s expression froze momentarily as a fleeting hint of desolation passed across his face. But soon he was laughing and scratching the back of his head, ¡°Minister, I¡¯m well aware of my age. For the club here, I promise to find a good successor for you.¡± Garon the Great Wizard nodded, stroking Jimmy¡¯s head as if he was petting his own junior. ¡°The rest is up to you.¡± With that, Garon the Great Wizard took a step and his whole incarnation disappeared without a trace. Jimmy flew into the air, scanning the entire Duel Arena with his spiritual power, then suddenly turned his gaze towards Richard¡¯s spot. ¡°Hmm? Already advanced to the Second Ring?¡± Jimmy was taken aback by the change in Richard¡¯s Life Radiation. He remembered this kid had only just been promoted to the First Ring, not even a hundred years before the Plane War. How much time had passed, and the kid had already reached the Second Ring. Noticing Jimmy¡¯s gaze, Richard smiled respectfully, thinking how keen the perception of those who followed the Physique Evolution path was. Even Jolod had not noticed his promotion to Second Ring, yet Jimmy had detected something was amiss with a mere sweep of his spiritual power. Jimmy smiled at Richard and then flew over to him. ¡°Richard, you¡¯ve gained quite a bit from this Plane War.¡± Richard stood up, performing the Wizard¡¯s Salute. ¡°Master¡¯s perception is indeed sharp. I did have some gains from the Plane War.¡± Jimmy patted Richard¡¯s shoulder and seemed to sense Richard¡¯s physique. One hundred points, it looked like a recent promotion. ¡°Alright, next time you advance, come to me for registration. Otherwise, if we arrange fights based on your old strength data, the outcomes could be quite bad.¡± After speaking, Jimmy flew back to the center of the Duel Arena. Nearly six more hours passed, and almost all the wizards who had received Jimmy¡¯s invitation had arrived at the Duel Arena. Watching the wizards in the audience, sparse yet all exuding formidable auras, Richard couldn¡¯t help but marvel that the wizards who had chosen the path of Physique Evolution were indeed powerful in battle. After all, having been rigorously selected through Plane Wars, Physique Evolution Wizards who were not strong enough had long since been wiped out by the native Alien creatures. Seeing that almost everyone had arrived, Jimmy took out a Crystal from his pocket; it was identical to the Secret Realm Crystal Richard had obtained from the Black Tower Great Wizard back in his day. ¡°Fellow practitioners, I am Jimmy. I won¡¯t waste time with idle talk. Today, the Secret Realm we will enter is called the Mountain Secret Realm. Inside, the gravity is ten times that of the Wizard World, with some areas experiencing even stronger gravity. Secondly, this Secret Realm dates back to the Middle Ages of the Mountain World, and within it live many natives who have undergone Physique Evolution. Although these natives have submitted to Garon Great Wizard, we can still challenge them. These natives possess much combat knowledge known as the ¡®Mountain Path,¡¯ which, if the challenge is successful, can be copied and handed over to the club; thereafter, one can keep the original for oneself. However, among these natives, there are many with low strength, and indiscriminate killing is strictly forbidden. These are the possessions of Garon Great Wizard, and I hope everyone can restrain their nature and avoid trouble. Lastly, fighting between wizards is not allowed in this exploration of the Secret Realm. If you wish to spar, you are welcome to do so back in the Wizard World once the journey is over. This trip to the Secret Realm will last one year, and I hope everyone will gain satisfactory rewards.¡± Having finished going over the matters to be mindful of in the Secret Realm, Jimmy opened a vast Space Rift with the Crystal in his hand. The wizards in the Duel Arena held their invitations, queuing to enter the Secret Realm in front of Jimmy. When it was Richard¡¯s turn, Jimmy took the invitation, and with a smile said to Richard, ¡°You are young, so it would be best for you to fight with the native Aliens during this journey to the Secret Realm and learn some knowledge about Physique combat.¡± ¡°Um, thank you for the advice, Master.¡± Richard nodded appreciatively at Jimmy and then entered the Secret Realm. ¡­ The Mountain Secret Realm came from a mid-sized world known as the Mountain World, which Garon the Great Wizard controlled. As an existence second only to large worlds, the inside of a mid-sized world can be said to be filled with strong individuals; every time one encounters such a world, several Academies must join forces to conquer it. Even then, there are occasions when the conquest fails, and Great Wizards may perish unexpectedly. But in Plane Wars, risk means reward. The danger of mid-sized worlds is great, but the rewards they offer are also considerable. Some of the legacies of the natives of mid-sized worlds even surpass the depth of research by wizards. These legacies are the greatest treasures for wizards in conquering mid-sized worlds. The moment he entered the Mountain Secret Realm, Richard instantly felt his body grow heavier, and his Magic Power consumption started to increase rapidly. Looking around, the landscape comprised mainly low plants, with tall mountains beyond. These mountains seemed ordinary, but under the strong gravity of the Mountain World, their density was alarmingly high. Richard tried to attack with a spell, and his Annihilation Heart at two thousand Energy Level could only create a crater about half the size of his body on a stone. The crimson magma flew swiftly down the crater, turning into sharp stone spears in mid-air, shattering into fine powder upon hitting the ground. ¡°Ten times the gravity is truly extraordinary,¡± Richard exclaimed. Under the influence of Mountain World¡¯s gravity, the Magic Power consumed for Richard¡¯s flight also increased tenfold, but he did not give up flying because of it. The Magic Power density in the Mountain World was roughly ten times that of the Wizard World, which actually wasn¡¯t very high; even as he flew, the Magic Power inside Richard¡¯s body was slowly decreasing. However, he discovered that under the influence of gravity, the efficiency of his body absorbing Magic Power from the space around him was slowly increasing. Although the degree was very small, to Richard, who had long been training the Adaptation Body and was extremely familiar with all the data of his body, this change was as noticeable as a meteor in the night sky. Even flying in the Mountain World¡¯s gravity qualified as a form of training. ¡°Perhaps I could set up a gravity chamber back home and use gravity Runes to simulate a high-gravity environment,¡± Richard thought to himself. The Mountain Secret Realm was vast, with towering mountain ranges and small plains between them, where the native creatures of the Mountain World¡ªthe Mountain Dwarves¡ªlived. These Dwarves had brown-gray skin, two eyes, a single nose, and their teeth were similar to humans; they almost looked like a subspecies of humanity. Their average height was around one meter, but the more powerful individuals were taller than average. The physical condition of these Dwarves was strong, with ordinary adults able to reach the level of a high Knight; the slightly more exceptional ones could achieve Legendary Knight or even higher-level Wizard Apprentice. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. When these Mountain Dwarves practiced the so-called ¡®Mountain Path,¡¯ they would become Mountain Monks¡ªLevel 1 Creatures¡ªand then join various ancient temples built in the mountains, taking on the duty of guarding the ordinary Mountain Dwarves. Now, these temples had all submitted to Garon Great Wizard, and so Richard easily entered one of them, becoming a distinguished guest. ¡°This Wizard sir, may I know what you require?¡± A bald Mountain Dwarf, draped in a vestment made of metal armor, spoke respectfully to Richard. Richard nodded and replied with the same courtesy: ¡°I would like to learn your ¡®Mountain Path.''¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 199 - 29 Mountain Refining Body, Mountain Breaking Fist Chapter 199: Chapter 29 Mountain Refining Body, Mountain Breaking Fist Richard had hardly finished speaking when he saw the Mountain Dwarf, clad in a steel kasaya, glaring at him with wide, furious eyes. The other dwarfs accompanying him stared at Richard just as intensely. Their gaze was so piercing it was as if they wanted to skewer Richard into a sieve. Soon, the Mountain Dwarf in the steel kasaya spoke up, ¡°Great Wizard, I¡¯m afraid your strength alone is not enough to take our temple¡¯s teachings. Please consider more carefully before you act.¡± As he spoke, a surge of energy fluctuations burst forth from the Mountain Dwarf. This dwarf, who had been so respectful to Richard before, was actually a third-level creature! Hearing his words, Richard couldn¡¯t help but chuckle and shake his head. ¡°Who said I intended to seize your temple¡¯s teachings? Seeing Master you have such a strong aura, it seems you must be the Abbott of Changshan Temple. I am deeply honored and anxious to have the Abbott greet me personally.¡± However, as much as Richard said so, there wasn¡¯t a trace of genuine honor or anxiety on his face. These aliens were nothing but the possessions of Garon the Great Wizard, no matter how strong they were, they were slaves, and couldn¡¯t compare to a wizard like him. The Mountain Dwarf nodded and said, ¡°I am indeed the Abbott of Changshan Temple. Might I ask what you meant just now, Great Wizard?¡± Richard smiled slightly and replied, ¡°Before climbing the mountain, I asked around at the base. I heard that the Mountain Path is divided into three levels of teachings: Secret Transmission, Monk Transmission, and World Transmission. Am I wrong?¡± The Abbott nodded and said, ¡°You are correct, Great Wizard. The teachings of the Mountain Path are indeed divided into those three levels.¡± ¡°So the meaning of these three levels is also as described by the people at the base of the mountain?¡± Richard continued, ¡°The Secret Transmission is the core secret of the temple, which only the Abbott can fully learn. The Monk Transmission is practiced by all monks in the temple. And the World Transmission can be learned by anyone who comes to the temple.¡± The Abbott nodded again, ¡°Indeed, as you have said, Great Wizard.¡± Richard clapped his hands, ¡°Well, there it is. What I want to learn is not your temple¡¯s Secret Transmission, but rather the World Transmission and Monk Transmission. This shouldn¡¯t be a big problem for you, should it?¡± Hearing Richard¡¯s words, the Abbott hesitated for a moment. Before receiving Richard, he had contemplated many scenarios. However, he hadn¡¯t considered the current one. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°The World Transmission can indeed be taught to you, Great Wizard, but the Monk Transmission¡­¡± the Abbott trailed off hesitantly. ¡°Come now, don¡¯t be so rigid.¡± Richard pulled out an Aldo Mushroom from his pocket. This World Mushroom, which could enhance one¡¯s physique, emitted a fragrance that instantly caught the Mountain Dwarf¡¯s attention. ¡°This is good stuff. I¡¯m an outsider, and I won¡¯t be teaching the Monk Transmission to other temples. You should give it some thought, Abbott. I have plenty of these.¡± ¡°This¡­¡± The Abbott was torn. Indeed, the Monk Transmission was a nebulous boundary for temples. What temple hadn¡¯t there been a case where Monk Transmission had been taught to an outsider? Even the Secret Transmission had been given out by some temples. At this moment, with Richard¡¯s noble status and the offer of the enticing Aldo Mushroom, the Abbott¡¯s resolve was wavering. A few minutes later, the Abbott¡¯s eyes sharpened and he addressed Richard, ¡°I must make it clear to you, Great Wizard. Practicing the Mountain Path is difficult even for us Mountain Dwarfs. For you, a wizard, I fear even the basics may be challenging.¡± Richard dismissed the concern with a wave of his hand, ¡°Just teach me. Whether I can learn it or not is my problem.¡± Seeing Richard so resolute, the Abbott did not persuade him further and immediately led him into the temple. Changshan Temple was a large complex, with over a thousand monks, and tens of thousands more disciples yet to mature. On the way to the temple, Richard saw numerous Mountain Dwarfs carrying stones on their backs. ¡°Abbott, are these individuals in training?¡± Richard asked, pointing to those bearing stones. The Abbott glanced over and nodded, ¡°Those are disciples yet to begin training. They are strengthening their physique by carrying stones. Once they are able to carry ten thousand jin stones and move as swiftly as the wind on stairs, they will be considered to have entered the door.¡± Due to the abnormal gravity of the Mountain World, the ten thousand jin mentioned by the Abbott was equivalent to one million jin in the Wizard World. Using his Energy Vision, Richard observed the dwarfs moving with stones on their back and noticed an ongoing movement of energy paths within their bodies. The energy initiated from their hearts, following different pathways, and whenever the energy circuit could return to the heart, the load of stones they carried reached ten thousand jin. ¡°Interesting. The training methods of the Mountain Dwarfs and the Adaptation Body have their similarities. Both involve the constant physical stimulation to adapt to the current environment.¡± Arriving at the temple gate, a huge wooden door, disproportionate to the dwarfs¡¯ stature, presented itself before Richard. The abnormal gravity of the Mountain World meant most plants were quite short, although there were also mountainous tall trees. These trees were of exceptionally tough quality, and even refined steel couldn¡¯t compare. Without practicing the Mountain Path, it would be impossible for dwarfs to fell such trees. Thus, felling these giants to make doors became a display of a temple¡¯s strength. Richard went up to the door and touched it. He had seen this type of hardwood before in the market, used as a material for crafting Alchemy Golems. The Abbott stood next to Richard, his hands on the wooden door, then his arm muscles inflated. Creaking¡­ The huge door was slowly pushed open by the Abbott, without Richard sensing any fluctuation of energy. This indicated the dwarf had opened the door using mere physical strength. Richard made a quick estimation; in the Wizard World, the two doors would weigh at least a thousand tons. In the Mountain World, they would be at least ten thousand tons. With sheer physical strength, the Mountain Dwarf pushed open the door; his power was truly beyond belief. ¡°Please follow me,¡± the Abbott nodded to Richard. Entering the monastery, Richard followed the Abbott through the twists and turns excavated from the mountains, heading deeper into the mountain¡¯s core. And as he delved further, Richard felt the gravity he was bearing slowly increase. By the time the Abbott stopped, the surrounding gravitational environment had changed from ten times to fifty times normal. Under such gravity, energy waves started to manifest within Richard¡¯s body as he used his magic power to combat the terrible force. Yet, the Abbott remained as usual. ¡°Sir, what type of heritage would you like to learn?¡± At that moment, Richard and the Abbott were in a room resembling a secret chamber, which contained many stele-like objects. ¡°What type?¡± Richard pondered for a moment and then slowly spoke, ¡°I¡¯m very interested in your combat skills and the methods of cultivating physical improvements.¡± After hearing this, the Abbott contemplated briefly, then turned and walked into the secret chamber to carry out two steles. ¡°Great Wizard, according to ancient customs, these items were originally to be passed on to the monks just below the Abbott. But¡­ sigh, I hope you find them satisfactory.¡± Looking at the Mountain Dwarf who hesitated to speak further, Richard asked curiously: ¡°It seems you weren¡¯t coerced by Garon the Great Wizard to do this. Abbott, if there is anything troubling you, feel free to share with me. I might be able to offer some explanation.¡± The Abbott sighed, ¡°Garon the Great possesses the strength of a Martial Saint and the broad-mindedness of a Grandmaster. We are wholeheartedly devoted to him, both in mind and in speech. He truly hasn¡¯t imposed any harsh rules upon us. As for the heritage¡­ Sir, if you woke up one day to find yourself a character from history, and additionally within a palm-sized secret realm, how would you react? If it weren¡¯t for the fact that guarding the secret teachings is my lifelong commitment and the foundation upon which Changshan Temple stands, I¡¯d have no interest in guarding it anymore, even if it were the secret teachings.¡± There was a look of confusion in the Abbott¡¯s eyes; he had begun to doubt himself. The existence of the Secret Realm had shaken the very foundation of his understanding. Was he really himself? Was he truly guarding Changshan Temple? Faced with the Abbott¡¯s confusion, Richard shook his head. It was clear he hadn¡¯t perused the Wizard¡¯s research on Secret Realms. The Wizard¡¯s exploration of Secret Realms hadn¡¯t ceased since their discovery; the most widely accepted theory amongst them is that Secret Realms originate from a detachment from history. In the worldview of Wizards, the world is a collective of space and time, which means that even past history is part of the world. The appearance of a Secret Realm, simply put, is when the operation of the world has issues, and what was a settled part of history suddenly sprouts a new branch. For the world, such a branch is akin to a bug or a tumor; for its own stability, the world would excise this offshoot. Thus essentially, creatures from Secret Realms and beings from the primary world are no different. Both creatures are real and are one and the same person. The issue of whether to replicate or not is an ethical and moral one, an area where Wizards are traditionally very flexible. Two identical Wizards, if not too odd in personality, will quite harmoniously coexist. ¡°Abbott, you have no reason to be confused. You are still you, even though there exists someone identical to you in history. You and the historical Abbott of Changshan Temple are the same person. Put simply, you have already died, but the world has revived you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve died already? But I¡¯m alive again?¡± The Abbott pointed to himself, his eyes filled with confusion and astonishment. ¡°Yes, simply put, that¡¯s the case. If you feel that your life lacks meaning, why not ask Garon the Great Wizard to release you back to the Mountain World where you can rebuild Changshan Temple?¡± Richard said indifferently. ¡°The significance of one¡¯s life is bestowed by oneself; if you feel you have no purpose, then create one for yourself.¡± Upon hearing this, the Abbott fell into deep thought and, after a while, he put his palms together and bowed to Richard. ¡°Thank you for your guidance, Sir.¡± He then re-entered the secret chamber and took out two more steles to give to Richard. ¡°Sir, these two are the secret teachings of my monastery. One is called ¡®Mountain Refining Body,¡¯ and the other ¡®Mountain Breaking Fist.''¡± Richard looked surprised, but his hands were deftly quick. Placing the two steles in his pocket, Richard placed his hands together and said to the Abbott: ¡°Thank you, Abbott.¡± The Abbott shook his head with a light now in his eyes and a smile on his lips, as if he had broken through the confusion in his heart and reached enlightenment. ¡°Your words to me are like a lamp in the dark night, illuminating the path. This is a heavenly gift that allows Changshan Temple to be rebuilt. If not for your enlightenment, I fear I might have continued to waste away in the Secret Realm. Your kindness to Changshan Temple is akin to its rebirth. These mere secret teachings are not worth mentioning.¡± COMMENT 0 comment Vote 3 left SEND GIFT Chapter 200 - 30 Garon the Great Wizards Recruitment The Mountain Dwarves¡¯ stele was somewhat like the Wizard¡¯s Inheritance Crystal Ball, where predecessors had engraved spiritual messages into a medium, allowing others to view them through the use of spiritual power. After probing the stele with his spiritual power, Richard quickly memorized the two inheritances. However, during this process, Richard reluctantly found that both inheritances required a more fundamental Mountain Path as a foundation for learning. Merely obtaining the inheritances, with his current level, would take him hundreds of years to extract anything useful from them. His accumulated knowledge was too shallow. He couldn¡¯t, like the older wizards, quickly digest alien knowledge and integrate it into his own combat system. Thus, Richard found himself back at square one¡ªstarting with the basic inheritances first. As a wizard, Richard received quite favorable treatment at Changshan Temple, especially after enlightening the Abbott. He was treated with great respect by all the monks of the temple, which allowed him leisurely moments to observe these Mountain Dwarves¡¯ cultivations. Once the Mountain Dwarves became Level 1 Creatures, they would regulate their energy cycles according to the inheritance they had learned. By adjusting their energy cycles, each dwarf¡¯s combat style also varied. Some were more agile, others had vigorous and mighty force, which reminded Richard of a novel he read in his past life, mentioning such cultivation techniques. Amidst them, Richard also discovered some who had integrated spiritual attacks into their combat skills, forming something akin to Fist Intent. Every attack he made carried both spiritual and physical impacts. Such a technique, Richard had never seen among the wizards he knew. A medium-sized world indeed worthy of the effort of several Great Wizards combined to conquer. ¡­ Half a year later, ¡°Ha!¡± Richard, with his bare upper body and muscles knotted, suddenly swung a fist at the black boulder in front of him. Boom! A muffled sound came from the boulder; when Richard retracted his fist, a clear fist imprint had appeared on the black boulder. Clap clap clap¡­ Behind Richard, a Mountain Dwarf draped in a steel kasaya walked up to Richard and said respectfully, ¡°Sir, you truly are a rare genius to be able to leave a fist print on the Mountain Essence with the Beng Stone Fist in just half a year. We are truly in awe.¡± Richard wiped his fist. The Beng Stone Fist mentioned by the Mountain Dwarf was a top-notch technique from Changshan Temple, powerful and forceful. Ordinary Mountain Dwarves could easily deal blunt damage of fifty energy levels with just their physical strength, and the higher the physique, the stronger the fist. To begin learning the Mountain Breaking Fist, Richard first had to master the Beng Stone Fist. Due to the special environment of the Mountain World, Mountain Dwarves had extensive physical development. Even the entry-level Beng Stone Fist gave Richard a deeper understanding of the explosive power of muscular strength. ¡°Master jests. It¡¯s merely an inherited technique,¡± Richard said lightly. The dwarf beside him was the abbot of Changshan Temple, who was also a third-level creature. The ¡°Fist Intent¡± Richard had seen earlier was his unique skill. ¡°Three months ago, I heard the master say that to learn your Changshan Fist Intent, one must first master this Beng Stone Fist. Now that I can leave a fist print on the Mountain Essence, I wonder if it meets the master¡¯s standards.¡± The abbot bowed slightly, ¡°Of course it does, but¡­¡± Seeing the abbot hesitating, Richard smiled and took out several modified Sacrificial Fungi from his pocket and handed them to the abbot. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Abbot. I¡¯m not interested in reneging. I¡¯ll definitely honor the deal we discussed.¡± There are Spirit Evolvers among the Mountain Dwarves, but unlike most worlds where Spirit Evolvers have frail physiques, Mountain Dwarves are proficient in both aspects. Spirit Evolvers among Mountain Dwarves, due to their ability to influence gravity, often have stronger bodies than normal dwarves. As for manipulating gravity, Richard didn¡¯t harbor much interest. Such a method required the bloodline of the Mountain Dwarves and years of practice. Moreover, even if it were mastered, once removed from the special environment of the Mountain World, manipulating gravity could only serve as an auxiliary means, hardly viable for direct confrontation. Even the Mountain Dwarves themselves used it primarily as a method to support their physique evolution. The abbot, as a Spirit Evolver of Changshan Temple, although he also practiced with gravity assistance, was more interested in using his spiritual power to develop a unique skill. After years of practice, the abbot had created Changshan Fist Intent, but it also caused soul injury due to the experiments conducted. And once Richard learned of this, he exchanged his modified Sacrificial Fungi for his Changshan Fist Intent. Wizards didn¡¯t always have to fight; peaceful exchanges were always preferable when possible. Taking the Sacrificial Fungi, the abbot immediately swallowed them whole, then his spirits lifted slightly, as the chronic headaches caused by his soul injury eased under the influence of the fungi. The abbot then took out a palm-sized stele from his robe and respectfully handed it to Richard before silently leaving. Richard pocketed the stele and turned to enter the temple nestled in the mountains. After walking a long, winding road, he arrived in front of a secret chamber. The Mountain Monk guarding the chamber¡¯s door bowed slightly to him and then opened the door to the chamber. The chamber was small, empty except for a well. The well contained no water, only an abyss of darkness when peered into from above. As a well, it clearly did not qualify. However, it led to the most mysterious place in Changshan¡ªthe Heart of the Mountain. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The special rules of the Mountain World, each mountain in a broader sense is alive. These mountain ranges were originally just protrusions on the plains, but as time passed, they gradually grew into the high mountains inhabited by the Dwarves. The Dwarves discovered this fact and explored the secrets of the mountains. The Mountain Heart is one of those secrets. Jumping into the deep well, Richard¡¯s body began to plummet rapidly under the influence of gravity, and after about ten minutes, his body jerked abruptly, and gravity seemed to disappear at some point. And in front of him, there appeared a dazzlingly gigantic heart. This heart was bigger than a War Airship, with black Mountain Essence forming the main body of the heart, and Mithril and Pure Gold its framework. Embedded on this heart were countless Elemental Gems of exceptional quality, and lava flowed into the heart through Pure Gold blood vessels, then, with a very deep heartbeat sound, pumped in another direction. The gems dazzled brilliantly under the glow of the fire. However, these precious materials were not what Richard was concerned with; at this moment, he was using Energy Vision to carefully observe the energy structure of the Mountain Heart. Not stopping until tears of blood streamed from the corner of his eyes. ¡°Phew.¡± Richard wiped away the blood tears, switched his vision, and said, ¡°Garon the Great Wizard is truly generous, leaving such a treasure untouched.¡± The Mountain Heart, as the core of a great mountain, is itself a manifestation of the rule of the mountains of the Mountain World, a rule which even to Great Wizards is precious. Yet Garon the Great Wizard left it in the Secret Realm, and even told the Mountain Dwarves, allowing incoming Wizards to observe the Mountain Heart. Is this the Great Wizard who is just one step away from the truth? After leaving the Mountain Heart, Richard returned to his residence and took out a Crystal Ball to start drawing an incomplete Rune. He named this rune The Mountain Heart; he didn¡¯t know the exact effects himself, but with the mindset of a thief not leaving empty-handed, Richard still recorded it. Who knows when he might be able to enter this Mountain Secret Realm again, so it¡¯s always good to keep a record. ¡­ Time swiftly passed, and before long, half a year had gone by. During this half-year, under the guidance of the Mountain Dwarves, Richard¡¯s understanding of the Mountain Path deepened. He had started the preliminary practice of those two secret teachings. Mountain Refining Body was the method used by the abbot of Changshan Temple to nurture his physique and temper his body. Its essence was a method to control gravity, similar in effect to the methods used by Spirit Evolvers among the Mountain Dwarves but easier to use, more detailed in execution, and it also didn¡¯t require the participation of the Mountain Dwarves¡¯ bloodline. More importantly, over many years, the predecessors at Changshan Temple had recorded almost every scenario encountered while using Mountain Refining Body in the legacy of the technique. Unfortunately, Richard was not a Mountain Dwarf, rendering these records completely useless to him. The only thing viable for him was the method of controlling gravity with spiritual power, which Richard could indeed learn. As for the Mountain Breaking Fist, Richard still couldn¡¯t grasp it. This martial art was extremely complex, requiring a synchronized coordination of bodily muscles, internal energy, and even spiritual power to achieve the effect of breaking anything. Richard had observed the abbot when he used this martial art; the abbot simply pointed a finger lightly on Mountain Essence, and the massive Mountain Essence became mere pebbles no bigger than a fingernail. The hardness of Mountain Essence was slightly less than that of Pure Gold, and even if Richard used all his methods, it required great effort to achieve what the abbot had done with a single fingertip. At the end of a year, Richard had no choice but to leave Changshan Temple and return to the Wizard World. When leaving, Richard left behind numerous alchemy gadgets and Aldo Mushrooms at Changshan Temple. He might still be able to enter this Mountain Secret Realm in the future, so spending a little to improve the relationship seemed to Richard a very worthwhile transaction. Leaving the Secret Realm, Richard greeted Jimmy with a smile. ¡°Master Jimmy, long time no see¡­¡± Before Richard could finish speaking, his body just after entering the Wizard World started behaving oddly, becoming like a black hole, attracting all the Magic Power in the Duel Arena toward him. Because Richard had maintained the use of Flying Technique throughout his stay in the Mountain World, even during meditation, it had cost him a good deal of Magic Stones but also caused some changes to his body. These changes were not conspicuous in the Mountain Secret Realm, but once back in the Wizard World, they became apparent. The commotion caused by Richard disturbed many, and a figure suddenly appeared next to Richard, gently patting him. Then, Richard felt an immense, ocean-like power sealing his body. ¡°Back under low gravity conditions, and such a strong reaction. Kid, your development of the Life Core is quite advanced.¡± The individual who sealed Richard exclaimed in appreciation, and upon seeing his face, Richard immediately performed a Wizard¡¯s Salute. ¡°Minister, hello!¡± Garon the Great Wizard smiled and patted Richard, then said to Jimmy, ¡°Jimmy, what¡¯s his name, his witchcraft seems quite interesting.¡± Jimmy immediately responded, ¡°Minister, his name is Richard, graduated from Black Tower Wizard Academy. As for witchcraft¡­ sorry, Minister, this club hasn¡¯t required registration.¡± Garon the Great Wizard waved his hand, ¡°No registration is fine, I¡¯ll talk with the Black Tower.¡± Then he turned his head towards Richard, who took the opportunity to carefully observe this embodiment of Garon the Great Wizard. Garon the Great Wizard had a handsome face, blonde hair, and blue eyes, standing next to Richard with no imposing aura, appearing like any other Wizard. But having experienced what he just did, Richard looked at Garon the Great Wizard with deep awe. This Great Wizard was truly unfathomable. Garon the Great Wizard looked at Richard, his tone slightly encouraging, ¡°Richard, your development of the Life Core is good, it is the correct path. If you plan to delve deeper into this path, you can choose to join Garon Wizard College in the future, just find Jimmy.¡± Having said this, Garon the Great Wizard then disappeared from the Duel Arena. ¡°Garon Wizard College¡­¡± Richard muttered, ¡°Is this an invitation?¡± Chapter 201 - 31: The Advance of Jolod Garon the Great Wizard¡¯s words filled Richard with both shock and joy. It was undoubtedly a good thing to be recognized by someone like Garon the Great Wizard, but Garon¡¯s words suggested that his sudden disappearance was likely to consult the Black Tower Great Wizard about his own inheritance. Although Richard felt that a big shot like Garon the Great Wizard wouldn¡¯t coerce Jolod to give up the Adaptation Body Witchcraft, what if he did? Richard suppressed the slight worry in his heart, and Jimmy approached to offer his congratulations: ¡°Richard, you¡¯ve really made a splash this time. Even the minister invited you to join the Academy. That¡¯s quite rare.¡± Richard smiled, ¡°It was all unexpected, really unexpected.¡± Having said that, Richard handed over the inheritances he had acquired in the Secret Realm to Jimmy, including two Secret Transmissions, Changshan Fist Intent, as well as Beng Stone Fist and other worldly techniques. Richard had always abided by such previously agreed-upon arrangements. After taking a look, Jimmy exclaimed in surprise, ¡°The Secret Transmission of Changshan Temple? The Abbott and head monks are third-level creatures, and even many Three Rings Wizards struggle to defeat them. You actually got their Secret Transmission! How did you manage that?¡± Richard confidently smiled, ¡°It was a trade. These Mountain Dwarves are not unintelligent beasts; as long as the price is right, Secret Transmissions are not impossible to trade for.¡± Upon hearing this, Jimmy suddenly realized and laughed, assailing Richard playfully, ¡°You¡¯re quite the clever one. The minister¡¯s intention for opening the Secret Realm was to have us challenge those Mountain Dwarves and hone our skills while using the special environment of the Mountain Secret Realm to enhance our physique. But you, you went and did business with those Aliens.¡± Richard shrugged, ¡°The rules didn¡¯t say trading was not allowed, and I don¡¯t have the overwhelming strength of other masters, so I had to be a bit unconventional.¡± With the inheritances handed over, Richard¡¯s journey in the Secret Realm came to a close. The seal placed by Garon the Great Wizard soon lifted automatically, and once it did, Richard¡¯s bodily reactions returned to normal. As he was leaving, Jimmy told Richard to come by the club more often if he had the time. There were many wizards who followed the path of building their Physique in the Wizard World, making it easy to find suitable opponents. Leaving the Duel Arena, Richard immediately went to the commercial floor. ¡°The total for your materials is one hundred eighty-two Magic Essence. We appreciate your patronage.¡± Richard nodded and passed over the Magic Essence. After sending the materials to the Wizard Tower with the company, Richard immediately entered the library in the basement. The library housed a large bookshelf, and Richard had labeled each book on it. Richard¡¯s fingers ran across the spines of books of varying thickness until he found what he was looking for¡ªan Encrypted Notes made who knew from the skin of what creature. In the dim basement, Richard silently opened the Encrypted Notes, and a piece of information appeared before his eyes. [Raw Material: Encrypted Notes of an unknown wizard] [Extractable Information: Gravity Field Rune Array] [Extraction Cost: 2.5 spiritual power] Sometimes Richard did not extract information from the Encrypted Notes right away for various reasons, but he still had some recollection of what knowledge they contained. After the extraction, Richard instantly had a design for a Rune Array in his mind. With this design, Richard could simulate the gravity conditions of the Mountain World in the Wizard World. Leaving the basement, Richard was about to unpack the materials delivered by the company and make a Gravity Training Room when a magic fluctuation from the third floor interrupted his actions. It was from the long-range Communication Crystal Ball. Ascending the stairs, Richard saw that a message from Jolod had appeared in the Crystal Ball, asking him to make a trip to the Black Tower Wizard Academy. ¡°This¡­ what exactly has Garon the Great Wizard done?¡± A shadow passed through Richard¡¯s heart, a moment before he hurried toward the Black Tower Wizard Academy. After half a month of flying, Richard met with Jolod, but to Richard¡¯s surprise, Jolod looked beaming with happiness upon seeing him, obviously having encountered something delightful. ¡°Teacher, what happy event has come up for you?¡± Richard asked curiously. ¡°Happy event?¡± Jolod¡¯s mouth curled, unable to suppress a smile, ¡°It¡¯s more than just a happy event. Your teacher here is planning to advance to a Three Rings Wizard!¡± ¡°A Three Rings Wizard!¡± At Jolod¡¯s words, Richard felt a shock to his heart. It was well-known that the biggest issue with a wizard¡¯s breakthrough was the materials for the Promotion Ceremony and the Soul Darkness during the advancement. The latter of these two, which seemed more difficult to some, was actually somewhat easier to resolve. Wizards pursued knowledge and conducted experiments, not because the wizard Race was exceptionally accomplished or intelligent compared to other races. Wizards¡¯ study of knowledge, besides enhancing their power, was also a method to cope with Soul Darkness. When Soul Darkness was first discovered in ancient times, wizards began to search for solutions to it. And it was this very process that inspired the wizards. The terror of Soul Darkness was in the endless waiting it entailed, and the search process was similarly endless. After realizing this, the first wizard in the world was born. Therefore, when wizards are promoting themselves, they often don¡¯t seek hastiness, for failure to overcome Soul Darkness means death. It¡¯s better to study more and train one¡¯s temperament. Compared to the manageable Soul Darkness, the materials for promotion can at times be more challenging. Apart from methods like Richard¡¯s, which involved ingesting Soul Essence for a grandiose promotion, other promotion methods require a ritual. These rituals are mostly from predecessors¡¯ inheritances, where predecessor wizards have carved out a path for promotion with their wisdom and knowledge. But there are a few wizards who design their own rituals. These individuals are what the juniors call ¡°predecessors.¡± Jolod was just such a wizard, preparing to become an ancestor. However, his inheritance lacked the method to advance to the Three Rings, and although he had designed a Promotion Ceremony himself, he couldn¡¯t proceed without a main component, leaving the ceremony stuck on paper. Now that Jolod intended to advance, it meant either the materials had been found, or the ceremony had been altered. ¡°Master, have you found the Sky Heart Soul Bone?¡± Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Jolod shook his head: ¡°No, I feel like I¡¯ll never find that thing in my lifetime.¡± After hearing this, Richard instantly had his answer. ¡°Is it the head of the Academy or Garon the Great Wizard?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Garon the Great Wizard.¡± After saying this, Jolod looked puzzled: ¡°Speaking of which, this is strange. I don¡¯t know why, but suddenly, Garon Great Wizard went to the head of the Academy to inquire about you and, in the process, found me. ¡°Do you have some relation to Garon Great Wizard?¡± Richard nodded, recounting his own situation. ¡°I see.¡± Jolod stroked his beard, ¡°You can consider Garon Great Wizard¡¯s words. You needn¡¯t worry too much about the Academy. It¡¯s not unprecedented for a wizard to join another academy.¡± Having said that, Jolod suddenly turned serious and took out a sealed scroll from his pocket. ¡°Richard, this is my will. Although I am old and believe myself to have a stable temperament, you are also aware of the terror of Soul Darkness. Should anything unexpected happen to me, this will shall unseal itself, and at that time, you must distribute my property according to my will.¡± Richard solemnly accepted the scroll, and then saw Jolod speak again: ¡°Besides this will, I have another matter for you to attend to.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Jolod pointed to the blackboard in the laboratory: ¡°I hold a teaching position at the Academy. If I go to advance, according to the Academy¡¯s rules, you students who are still here should take over my classes. Not too much, thirty years per person will do.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Having settled matters, Jolod patted Richard on the shoulder and flew towards the upper levels of the Black Tower. Jolod did not plan to go to the Tower of Truth; he intended to advance within this Black Tower where he had resided for thousands of years. Looking at his teacher¡¯s receding figure, Richard, who did not believe in the divine, silently prayed in his heart: ¡°May the gods bless my master Jolod with a smooth advancement.¡± ¡­ Before substituting as a teacher, Richard returned to the Tower of Truth to collect his materials and brought them to the Central Black Tower. Teaching at the Academy was actually a rather relaxing task. Given the longevity of a wizards¡¯ life and their breadth of experience, teaching a group of teenagers was all too easy. Still, since he was going to teach, Richard planned to take it seriously. His younger sister-apprentice, Yelena, had successfully become a wizard decades earlier. Although she was not adept at combat and had a talent for Synthetic Beasts, she had become a teaching staff member at the Academy on Jolod¡¯s advice. She would also be a part of the logistics wizards in any future Plane Wars. While the rewards for logistics wizards were not high in wars, it was a safe role, and with steady progress and Jolod¡¯s support, becoming a Second Ring Wizard was well within reach. On the sixty-seventh floor of the Black Tower, Richard found Yelena¡¯s laboratory and prepared to inquire about teaching essentials. In the lab, Yelena busied herself with something at the experimental table, while two girls who looked exactly alike were at the dissection table studying the anatomy of an Alien creature. Sensing a wizard¡¯s entry, Yelena looked towards the laboratory door. ¡°Hey, brother Richard!¡± Upon seeing Richard, a look of surprise appeared on Yelena¡¯s face. ¡°Yelena, long time no see. Are these two your Apprentices?¡± Richard pointed at the two youngsters at the dissection table. Yelena nodded, walked over to the dissection table, and patted the two Apprentices on the head: ¡°Aliye, Pauline, this is your senior Richard.¡± Unexpectedly, however, the two Apprentices did not respond to Yelena¡¯s words and remained motionless. Aliye stood rigidly in place, tense as a bowstring. She heard Yelena¡¯s words but did not dare move a muscle at the momento. Her body was resisting her brain, automatically activating its most innate defense mechanism¡ªI will not move¡ªupon sensing the terrifying wizard behind her. Barely able to turn her eyeballs, Aliye looked at her sister and realized she was in the same state. Their twin telepathy allowed them to feel each other¡¯s emotions. But at the moment, all they could feel was fear, a terror that stemmed from deep within their souls, the fear of facing a Predator. What kind of monster was their teacher¡¯s senior brother¡­ ¡°Hm?¡± Yelena¡¯s brow wrinkled slightly, about to speak again, but then she suddenly heard Richard say awkwardly, ¡°My bad, I forgot to suppress my Life Radiation.¡± Since Richard usually dealt with wizards, he never paid much attention to the emission of Life Radiation. He had recently returned from the Mountain Secret Realm, and his body¡¯s cells were in an active state, emitting stronger Life Radiation than usual. Such radiation was negligible for a wizard, but for an Apprentice, it was overwhelming. As soon as Richard suppressed his Life Radiation, the two Apprentices collapsed to the floor, drenched as if splashed with water, their cold sweat flowing freely. ¡°Ha-ha, my bad, my bad.¡± Richard chuckled awkwardly, his eyes scanning the laboratory to shift the topic. There were many glass tanks in the lab, each containing different Alien creatures, but what was strange was that despite their varied shapes, they all had the same scales. Richard took a closer look, then uncertainly asked: ¡°Sister, are you researching the¡­ Dragon Blood Species?¡± Chapter 202 - 32 The Secret of Dragon Blood ¡°The Dragon Blood Species, a research topic that has thrived among Alchemy Wizards for ages. Before the Wizard World was known as such, Giant Dragons and Sea Monsters ruled the skies, the land, and the oceans of the Wizard World. During that period, every mountain peak on the Wizard Continent was adorned with glittering Dragon Nests. Thereafter, Wizards wrested control of the Wizard World from the Giant Dragons and reached an agreement with the Sea Monsters, becoming the new Dominators of the Wizard World. And the Giant Dragons, naturally, became objects of study for the Wizards. The bloodline of a Giant Dragon is incredibly formidable; any Giant Dragon that reaches maturity can become a Level 1 Creature. With age, as new heads grow on a dragon, its Life Level would increase by one for each additional head. In the heydays of the Giant Dragons, the Wizard Continent was home to five Six-headed Giant Dragons, which later became trophies for five different Schools. Besides being powerful, the bloodline of a Giant Dragon has an extreme erosive quality. Any creature in the Wizard World that breeds with them tends to produce offspring with strong Dragon Species characteristics, and even bathing in Dragon Blood can lead to bloodline erosion, transforming the individual into one of the Dragon Blood Species. Although the Dragon Blood Species¡¯s strength pales in comparison to Pure-blooded Giant Dragons, they inherit certain traits from the dragons, possessing combat abilities that are quite formidable. Moreover, after Wizards stepped out from their cradle to compete in the starry skies, they discovered that Giant Dragons weren¡¯t limited to the Wizard World alone. In the worlds that Wizards have explored thus far, only a few have no trace of Giant Dragons. In the remaining worlds, traces of Giant Dragons or the Dragon Blood Species can be found, more or less. Even though these Giant Dragons vary greatly in their specific characteristics, with some being creatures of flesh and others plants, including even hybrid elemental beings, the upgrading traits of the dragons and the strong erosive nature of Dragon Blood indicate that these seemingly different Giant Dragons actually belong to one Race. And this has led to the emergence of a group of Wizards within the Alchemy Wizard community who specialize in the study of Giant Dragons. However, when Richard saw these Dragon Blood specimens, what he thought of was the three-headed Giant Dragon in the Black Stone Mountain Range. ¡°Is that dragon considered an employee of the Academy, or is it a pet kept by a Great Wizard?¡± Richard mused. Yelena, hearing Richard¡¯s question, smiled shyly and replied, ¡°It¡¯s not really research. I just happen to need Dragon Blood for my own research, so I took the opportunity to study it as well.¡± Richard walked up to a glass capsule and carefully observed the Dragon Blood creature inside. Before it was eroded by Dragon Blood, the creature inside the capsule must have been a rabbit, but now it had grown sharp fangs and scales, with a pair of fierce Dragon Horns on its head that emitted a bone-chilling cold light. ¡°Studying the Dragon Blood Species is a good research direction,¡± Richard remarked offhandedly. ¡°Giant Dragons are very strong creatures, even a little success could greatly enhance Synthetic Beasts.¡± Hearing this, Yelena responded with some excitement, ¡°Senior, do you have research on Dragon Blood?¡± She quickly walked over to Richard¡¯s side, pointing to the Dragon Blood rabbit in the glass capsule. ¡°I¡¯ve been studying the bodily transformation of creatures through Dragon Blood erosion. Even a rabbit can turn into a murderous beast after the erosion, but I¡¯ve run into some troubles recently. Could you take a look for me, senior?¡± Yelena looked at Richard with caution; she had heard from Jolod that this senior, Richard, was a highly talented individual who could often come up with solutions that others couldn¡¯t fathom. But being a Wizard, Yelena was somewhat concerned, for Wizards were very protective of their knowledge, making asking questions a sensitive matter. Even as his junior, her actions were somewhat presumptuous, especially since no offer of an exchange had been made. But Richard¡¯s next words dispelled all her concerns. ¡°I¡¯ve never studied Dragon Blood; I¡¯ve only heard about the stuff,¡± he replied. Hearing this, whether Yelena felt relief or disappointment was unclear, but as she was about to change the subject, she heard Richard say: ¡°However, you can tell me about your problem. Maybe I can provide a different perspective for a solution.¡± Faced with Richard¡¯s kindness, Yelena was somewhat taken aback. She thought back to her initial worries and couldn¡¯t help but feel that she had been overly suspicious. ¡°It¡¯s like this: while studying Dragon Blood erosion, I accidentally found that sometimes the erosion doesn¡¯t lead to dragonization, but instead causes cellular collapse and the entire body to disintegrate.¡± Yelena took out an Image Capturing Crystal Ball and let Richard witness the scene. Inside the Crystal Ball, a rabbit¡¯s body was rapidly liquefying, its blood and body fluids streaming out. In just tens of seconds, a rabbit that seemed perfectly alive melted into a puddle of blood. Yelena explained, ¡°Three minutes after injecting one milliliter of Dragon Blood, this rabbit began to show signs of dragonization, which is quite normal. But after thirty seconds, those signs began to deteriorate, followed by the disintegration of the whole rabbit. After that, I conducted many experiments and found that this situation is not isolated. Practically every hundred experiments result in one disintegration, and the timing of such occurrences is also not consistent.¡± Watching the footage in the Crystal Ball, Richard stroked his chin, feeling that he was somewhat familiar with the situation. The symptoms exhibited by the rabbit resembled those of cellular collapse. Richard thought for a moment, then shared his hypothesis: ¡°This rabbit¡¯s situation should be cellular collapse. Dragon Blood has a high erosive quality, and I suspect that the nature of this erosion is the integration of life information from the Dragon Blood into the creature¡¯s Life Core. Looking at this rabbit¡¯s condition, I would guess that the integration of life information failed, leading to the collapse of the Life Core and subsequent cellular collapse. If you want to avoid this situation, you¡¯d be better off starting with the test creature itself. Trying to prevent it by other means is likely ineffective and complicated.¡± Hearing Richard¡¯s speculation, a light shone in Yelena¡¯s eyes. ¡°Life information integrated into the Life Core, life information integrated into the Life Core!¡± Yelena rushed to the laboratory desk and recorded this sentence in her notebook as if she would forget it if she was a moment later. ¡°Senior Brother, your summary of dragon blood erosion is really¡­ right to the core.¡± Yelena, her face flushed with excitement, looked at Richard, her eyes brimming with thrill. She had also devoted some time to the study of dragon blood, but she had never considered that the mechanism of dragon blood¡¯s erosion could be articulated with such succinct language. Richard smiled but did not continue the topic. A wizard¡¯s research is highly confidential in nature, and if he had continued, he would have had to share the findings. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, the properties of dragon blood had caught Richard¡¯s attention. The Giant Dragon itself is an exceptionally powerful creature with an adaptation to nature that almost reaches a certain limit; no matter how harsh the environment, a Giant Dragon can evolve the most suitable form for survival and maintain its core characteristics. This trait had some unexpected congruity with the Adaptation Body. After asking Yelena about some pointers for teaching, Richard casually obtained two vials of ordinary dragon blood from her as a form of compensation for his advice. ¡­ Jolod¡¯s timing for inviting him coincided perfectly with the new students¡¯ enrollment, so Richard¡¯s first lecture at the Wizard Academy was to explain to these new little ones what it means to be a wizard. Thud, thud, thud! Following the ringing of the eight o¡¯clock bell, Richard, with his notes, entered the classroom. Before him, hundreds of teenagers stared at him with wide eyes. Having passed the entrance exam, these little ones had mostly shed their naivety, viewing everyone with suspicion in their eyes. Richard stepped onto the podium, and just like Anna had done years ago, he wrote ¡°What is a Wizard¡± on the blackboard. ¡°I am Lecturer Richard, an Alchemy Wizard. Since this is your first session at the academy, I have to add a bit more before the Introduction to Alchemy.¡± Richard looked over the little ones, his gaze calm but causing every Apprentice seen by him to bristle. Even when Richard suppressed his Life Radiation, he, as a Second-level Creature, had a fundamental difference in life essence from these little ones who did not even reach the first level. The wizard¡¯s unique method of spiritual evolution almost made wizards and Wizard Apprentices seem like two different species. ¡°So, who among you can answer this question for me: What is a wizard?¡± As he posed the question, the entire classroom fell silent like a graveyard, but soon, a trembling hand rose up. A plainly-dressed boy raised his right hand. ¡°Tell me your answer,¡± Richard said indifferently. ¡°I-I-I think wizards are a group of superhumans who can fly and possess transcendent powers.¡± Richard nodded, signaling for him to sit down. ¡°That answer is good, but it lacks essence. Anyone else?¡± Richard¡¯s gaze swept over the classroom, and quickly, another hand went up. This was a lavishly dressed noble boy. ¡°Tell me your answer.¡± The noble boy took a deep breath and answered loudly, ¡°I think wizards are a group of lunatics who pursue knowledge.¡± Richard smiled faintly and gestured for the noble boy to sit down. ¡°That¡¯s a good answer, though hardly original. That quote is from the chairman of the Truth Council. Here I can introduce you briefly to the Truth Council. The Truth Council rules the Wizard World, and all wizards are at the beck and call of the Truth Wizards. But because of this, the chairman¡¯s quote is a bit too lofty for us. So just listen to it for now, and ponder over it after you become wizards.¡± With that, Richard wrote another sentence on the blackboard. ¡°Wizardry is a profession, and at each stage of this profession, the essence of a wizard changes.¡± After writing, Richard explained the meaning of his statement to the few hundred students. ¡°Wizards are categorized into three stages: Wizard Apprentice, Wizard, and Great Wizard. During the Apprentice stage, you should discard those unrealistic ideas and strive to be down-to-earth, earn as many Magic Stones as possible, enhance your Spell¡¯s power, and train your combat skills. Knowledge is beautiful, but you need to be alive to reach it.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Richard laughed, ¡°if you intend to join the Undead School, you might as well ignore my last statement.¡± Chapter 203 - 33 Giant Dragon Blood Serum Teaching wasn¡¯t difficult for Richard given his level of knowledge, and he easily finished a morning-long lecture with a still keen interest. After the class, Richard carried his notebook back to Jolod¡¯s laboratory and took out the Dragon Blood he had obtained from Yelena. Since he was substituting, Richard didn¡¯t have his own laboratory in the Central Black Tower and had to temporarily use Jolod¡¯s. However, Jolod¡¯s laboratory was one of the best in the Black Tower Wizard Academy, and Richard was quite familiar with it, so he could use the various equipment smoothly¡ªin contrast, the equipment in his own Wizard Tower felt somewhat inadequate. ¡°No, a workman must first sharpen his tools. I have to upgrade the equipment in my laboratory when I return. The Commerce has made so much Magic Essence, it¡¯s about time to use some.¡± After reflecting on the laboratory, Richard took out Jolod¡¯s Alchemy Centrifuge and prepared to process the Dragon Blood he held into a serum. The Dragon Blood looked very crimson just from the appearance, making one feel its extraordinary Life Energy by sight alone. Its texture was rather viscous, almost like jam. This was just the fresh blood of a basic First Level Giant Dragon; higher-level Dragon Blood would be even more viscous. Legend has it that during the Dark Age, a four-headed Giant Dragon didn¡¯t insta-bleed when wounded, and its dripping blood fell on a wizard, turning him instantly into amber. Dragon Blood also had some degree of corrosiveness and erosiveness. The corrosiveness wasn¡¯t so concerning¡ªit wasn¡¯t an Alien, and even the blood of a Forth Level Giant Dragon was only about as corrosive as ordinary strong acid. But the erosiveness was different. The fresh blood of a Giant Dragon could even corrode and transform inorganic matter. While this transformation effect was weak, it decreed that the storage container for Dragon Blood must be enchanted. The higher the level of Dragon Blood stored, the higher the Enchantment on the container must be, and the container¡¯s resistance to erosion must be regularly checked. Richard treated the Dragon Blood with some Alchemy Potions and then placed the treated blood into the centrifuge. As the centrifuge hummed, Richard moved to the experiment table and took out a face-sized Rune Base Plate from his Magic Pocket, starting to engrave Runes. These Rune Base Plates were the gravity generators for the Gravity Training Room. With thirty prepared and properly distributed inside the training room, Richard could simulate the gravitational environment of the Mountain World in the Wizard World. A half-hour later, the noise from the centrifuge stopped. Richard walked over to the centrifuge, took out the test tube filled with serum, and casually separated the remnants inside. Looking at the blood serum with a light yellow hue in front of him, Richard approached the laboratory window and summoned an Academy Inspector using Magic Power. ¡°Hey, hey, hey, what do you think you¡¯re doing!¡± the summoned Academy Inspector shouted. Richard ignored it, expressing his needs. ¡°Go to the assassin chamber of commerce and buy me some mice, and while you¡¯re there, ask if they have any young Dragon Blood for sale.¡± After speaking, Richard handed the Inspector a Magic Essence and an Elemental Gem glowing with red light, and then sent him back down. ¡°You substitute wizard are truly impolite! Can¡¯t you ask for a favor nicely!¡± The Inspector grumbled indignantly, then swallowed the Elemental Gem. Elemental gems weren¡¯t particularly expensive, merely a few dozen Magic Stones in price, but for an Academy Inspector who liked to collect shiny items, they were even more useful than Magic Essence. Soon, the experimental mice from the assassin chamber of commerce were delivered to Richard¡¯s laboratory, along with a note stating, ¡°The Chamber of Commerce is out of young Giant Dragon Blood. If needed, you can pay a deposit and reserve it for a purchase after the ten-year restock.¡± Richard handed the Inspector ten Magic Essences. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Reserve five doses of young Giant Dragon blood serum for me, and make sure to specify that I need the serum from young dragons from the Wizard World.¡± After the Academy Inspector left, Richard took a mouse from the cage filled with them. These mice, specially bred by the Wizard Commerce, had lengths and weights within an extremely narrow range of parameters, minimizing variables that could affect experiments. Richard strapped the mouse onto the experimental table, drew out half a milliliter of the Dragon Blood serum with a syringe, and injected it into the mouse. Then he took out the Image Capturing Crystal Ball and notebook, beginning to record the changes in the mouse. Thirty seconds after the injection, the mouse began to convulse. Ten seconds later, the convulsions intensified, and bloodied fluid started seeping from the mouse¡¯s skin as the dragon transformation began. The Dragon transformation first appeared in the mouse¡¯s heart, then spread along its arteries. At the start of the Dragon transformation, the mouse¡¯s skin began to shed fur in large patches, and a layer of scales, such as those only reptiles have, started to appear. Thirteen seconds later, the skin of the mouse had completely transformed into that of a dragon, and it began to vomit foul blood. Richard collected the foul blood, then continued to monitor the status of the mouse. Thirty seconds after the transformation, the mouse stopped vomiting blood, and its vital signs began deteriorating rapidly. Fifty seconds post-transformation, the mouse lost all vital signs completely. Richard dissected the mouse¡¯s body, finding that its internal organs had undergone twisted changes, which were also indicative of Dragon transformation. These changes hadn¡¯t completed, and upon examining the body, Richard discovered that all the stored chemical energy in the mouse had been consumed during the transformation. Theoretically, the lab rats had starved to death. Richard tested the rats¡¯ tainted blood once again, confirming that it contained a large number of damaged cells, which were likely the cells that had failed to integrate during the integration of life information. After organizing the experimental results, Richard looked at the test record in his hand and fell into deep thought. The transformation of the rats into dragons proved that the life information of giant dragons existed within the serum. Additionally, biological dragonization required a massive amount of energy, which would be extremely difficult for ordinary creatures to complete the whole process of dragonization. However, looking at the dragonized rats, Richard always felt that the dragon blood was somewhat too overbearing. It seemed almost viral that the modification of creatures could be completed using just the life information in the serum, without even requiring cells. Richard activated the Secret Realm and pulled Ulysses out from it. After more than a year, Richard¡¯s Secret Realm had been transformed by Ulysses into a religious sanctuary. Temples, divine statues, Holy City, it had everything, and Ulysses had become the Pope within it, occasionally proselytizing to the Holy Tree Elves. Moreover, due to intelligence issues, these Holy Tree Elves had been completely bamboozled by him. They no longer believed the inherited memories in their brains and took the doctrines made up by Ulysses as history. In these doctrines, Richard was portrayed as the Creator God of the entire Secret Realm, and the Holy Tree Elves were the first creatures he had created. Ulysses and the World Mushroom were his subordinate gods. And the past recorded in the memories of the Holy Tree Elves had become tests issued by Richard to verify their firmness in faith. Honestly, when Richard saw this situation for the first time, he was almost frightened enough to stop Ulysses from continuing the proselytizing. After a year, the Holy Tree Elves had been completely brainwashed, under such circumstances, Richard even doubted if they could grow into Level 1 Creatures. Due to a wizard¡¯s prejudice, Richard had believed that the Holy Tree Elves should follow the path of spiritual evolution, especially since their physical constitution could only be described as frail. And their innate talents required the involvement of spiritual power. Spiritual evolution was definitely not the wrong path for them. But if they were brainwashed into fanatics, Richard was worried that these little creatures might not be able to continue on the path of spiritual evolution. Wizards always valued reason highly, and he had never heard of a madman becoming a wizard. But Ulysses soon reassured him. ¡°Gaah, are you discriminating against fools? Spiritual evolution only relates to spiritual power and the soul barriers they face during evolution, not their mental state. In the Star Realm, all those mad fanatics are unreasonable, yet many of them are spiritual evolvers. Moreover, being brainwashed, these little creatures might evolve even smoother. Sometimes, stubborn fools with firm beliefs overcome the soul barriers easier than some intelligent ones.¡± Pulling Ulysses from the divine seat in the Holy City, Richard pointed to the serum on the table and asked for check by this World Master to see if there was anything strange. Ulysses flew over to the serum, dabbed a bit of energy into it and tasted it. It promptly spat it out, cursing: ¡°Gaah, what the hell is this, it can erode my body with just a bit of life information.¡± Richard¡¯s eyes narrowed at these words, it seemed Ulysses had never seen any creature with bloodlines as potent as the giant dragons. ¡°This is the serum of the giant dragons from the Wizard World, and the dragon species is widespread in the worlds surrounding the Wizard World.¡± Upon hearing this, Ulysses waved its wings, ¡°Gaah, this thing definitely has issues. The rules between worlds are vastly different, it¡¯s impossible for them to simultaneously give rise to the same race. This type of creature is either a degenerated Pioneer or a biological weapon created by Pioneers. Given its high erosivity, I am more inclined to think it¡¯s the latter.¡± Richard nodded, having learned about the Pioneers; he had become suspicious of the widespread existence of dragons across different worlds. Hearing Ulysses suggest this theory today only reinforced his conviction that giant dragons were indeed creations of the Pioneers. As for why the dragons weren¡¯t degenerated Pioneers? Richard scoffed internally; if they were Pioneers, they would have long been annihilated by wizards, and any remnants would be strictly kept and guarded in the Secret Realm by wizards. They certainly wouldn¡¯t be so casually left out, even guarding and protecting wizards¡¯ households. No one would keep a potential explosive bomb in their room. ¡°Do you have a way to modify this thing?¡± Richard casually asked, ¡°I am quite interested in some of the characteristics of the dragons, if their erosivity could be reduced, this thing could be very useful.¡± However, Richard didn¡¯t really expect Ulysses to respond since the difference between the two civilizations was rather large, and Ulysses¡¯s skills were all focused on physical talent and power of faith. But this time, Ulysses spoke up. ¡°Gaah, you really never know, I might actually have a way to deal with this thing.¡± Chapter 204 - 34: Witchcraft: Dragon Transformation Battle Body ¡°Um!?¡± Richard looked at Ulysses with some surprise. ¡°Ga, but this method needs a little Power of Faith. Do you want to see it?¡± Ulysses asked. Richard¡¯s expression tightened upon hearing this. He didn¡¯t have much Power of Faith on hand, a kind of power that could save his life at critical moments, and he still didn¡¯t have a stable source to acquire it. It was literally a diminishing resource every time he used it. ¡°How much is needed?¡± ¡°Ga, not much, just a little bit.¡± Ulysses saw Richard¡¯s hesitation and then added, ¡°Ga, those little guys have already started producing the Power of Faith; this bit of power will come back in a few years.¡± Richard¡¯s expression relaxed a bit, and he nodded at Ulysses. A faint wave of energy emanated from Ulysses¡¯ body, and then, with a flick of his wing in the air, a complex Rune appeared. Richard was shocked at heart¡ªUlysses had actually learned to use Wizard¡¯s runes! But upon closer inspection, he eased his mind¡ªthis rune was not a Wizard¡¯s rune. ¡°Ga, this is a simplified version of the Lun Rune from the Divine King of a Thousand Faces, different from your Wizard¡¯s runes. This type of Rune is a rule text, which cannot even be fully understood by gods, let alone other beings. Even a simplified version can only be learned by Demigods who have come into contact with the rules.¡± Having said that, Ulysses threw the rune into the Giant Dragon Blood Serum, and the entire rune merged into the serum. ¡°Ga, wait and see if it meets your requirements,¡± Ulysses said with a tone of slight ease. ¡°Haven¡¯t used this thing for a long time, it¡¯s gotten rusty. The erosion from this creature named ¡®Giant Dragon¡¯ is on par with those Abyss scum. This simplified version of the Lun Rune can suppress the blood erosion of the Abyss scum, and might have some effect on this substance.¡± ¡°Abyss Demon?¡± Richard¡¯s interest was piqued. ¡°Do Abyss Demons have a similar blood erosion property?¡± ¡°Ga, although I¡¯m biased against those scum, they are indeed more formidable than this substance.¡± Whenever Ulysses mentioned Abyss Demons, his words were colored with a deep-rooted animosity. ¡°The Flesh and Blood of that group of Abyss scum carry strong erosion, and even a single drop of their blood can cause the erosion of the Abyss. If not dealt with, the infected will turn into new Abyss Demons. The worst part is, the corpses and Flesh of these scum can also erode the environment, and if an environment tainted by the Abyss Flesh isn¡¯t timely purified, it will transform into an Abyss environment. Moreover, this kind of Abyss environment will automatically erode the normal world. Once the erosion of this environment reaches half of a world¡¯s environment, the infected world will become part of the infinite Abyss. At that point, the natives of the infected world, who haven¡¯t been eroded by the Abyss, will be rejected by the world, and the Abyss Demons will feel as comfortable as if they¡¯ve returned home.¡± Listening to Ulysses¡¯ description, Richard could almost see the pitiful fate of the native creatures from those worlds eroded by the Abyss. In front of the Abyss, their companions were eroded, the environment was corroded, and in the end, even the world abandoned them as if they were foreign invaders. Richard shuddered. ¡°Such civilization should be destroyed until not a single cell remains.¡± Ulysses¡¯ gaze became distant, as if trying to see through space and time back to his hometown. He shook his head with a heavy tone, ¡°Ga, let¡¯s not talk big. See if your thing meets your requirements.¡± Richard took the serum and tested it on another mouse. The same half milliliter was used, but this time the mouse showed no abnormalities. After dissecting the mouse and confirming that there were no signs of Dragon Transformation within its body, Richard revealed a thin smile. ¡°Ga, looks like it was effective.¡± Richard nodded; at this moment, he already had some ideas. ¡°You can go back first. I¡¯m counting on you for the Power of Faith.¡± Ulysses opened the Secret Realm Rift and waved his wing, ¡°Ga, don¡¯t worry, I am your Subordinate God. Isn¡¯t it the job of the Subordinate Gods to handle chores for the Main God?¡± ¡­ Once Richard confirmed that the erosive property of the Dragon Blood could be controlled, he immediately began designing the experiment. Creatures known as Giant Dragons possess many excellent qualities; they are strong, have solid defenses, and their internal systems are also exceptional. Additionally, Dragon Blood gives them extraordinary adaptive abilities. Among Wizards, there¡¯s a belief that Giant Dragons are perfect creatures. Richard¡¯s plan was straightforward¡ªhe intended to use Bloodline Alchemy to transplant partial Dragon-transformed organs into his body, thereby giving him some characteristics of the Dragon Blood Species. However, the Dragon Transformation of the Dragon Blood Species was unpredictable. Even with the same Dragon Blood, the same species could undergo completely different transformations. Targeting specific Dragon Transformations is a long-standing issue for Alchemy Wizards, and many Third-level, even Great Wizards, have been studying this problem. Nevertheless, Richard wasn¡¯t planning to delve into this issue in depth. Given that he had sufficient Magic Essence and sufficient experimentation, he would eventually find what he was looking for. ¡­ Ten years later, Chalak Commerce delivered the Young Dragon Blood that Richard had ordered. Richard paid the final payment and collected the five hundred milliliters of Young Dragon Blood. In the laboratory, glass jars containing Dragon-transformed creatures were everywhere. During these ten years, Richard hadn¡¯t directly experimented with organ cultivation but systematically studied the fundamental knowledge of the enduring topic of Dragon Transformation. Dragon-transformed creatures come in all shapes and sizes, and often their own organs and glands may conflict with each other, leading to shortened lifespans or even death. And figuring out the functions of these organs and glands, ensuring they complement each other in one body without conflict, that¡¯s what Richard had been working on for the past ten years. After ten years of research, Richard had designed a transplantation plan for himself. These organs and glands would enhance Richard¡¯s bones, muscles, digestive ability, circulation, detoxification, and even allow him to possess the signature ability of a giant dragon, the Giant Dragon Breath. If the transformation could be completed, Richard¡¯s combat abilities would undergo a qualitative enhancement. Richard named this transplantation plan the Dragon Transformation Battle Body, and it would be his first invention in Alchemy Magic. Dividing the young dragon blood into ten parts, Richard proceeded to extract the serum. Then, he moved to the corner of the laboratory. There, in the corner of the laboratory, sat a glass pod containing a clone that Richard had intentionally cultivated for the battle body. This clone had the same physique as Richard. After a year of training in the Mountain Secret Realm, Richard¡¯s physique hadn¡¯t improved by much, due in large part to his not capitalizing on the high-gravity environment. However, once Richard had finished constructing the Gravity Training Room, all of that could be compensated for. Richard took out the clone and then injected the Young Dragon Blood Serum into its body. A giant dragon¡¯s growth is divided into four stages: young dragon, adult dragon, prime dragon, and old dragon. The young dragons need no elaboration. Adult giant dragons signify becoming a level 1 creature, and prime giant dragons have the strength of second to third level creatures, but if they do not become a level 4 creature before the age of 6000, then they enter the old dragon stage. At this stage, the dragon¡¯s wisdom will increase greatly, and the arrogance, conceit, and invincibility characteristic of their personality will gradually fade. Among these four stages, the blood of a young dragon is the most vibrant; young dragon blood can result in many variations of dragon-transformed creatures, unlike in the later stages where giant dragons can only transform into a few fixed entities. Actually, if given the choice, Richard would have preferred to use the blood of an adult giant dragon for his dragon transformation experiments. However, the Wizard Commerce did not track which dragon¡¯s blood could transform which type of creature, nor the characteristics of the body structure of such creatures. Therefore, Richard could only rely on the blood of young dragons to play the ¡°blind box.¡± However, Richard had a plan in mind: if the effects of the Dragon Transformation Battle Body were very good, then he intended to collect dragon blood from various Wizard Commerces to screen for the blood that could transform into the needed organs. But if the results were not good enough, then Richard would just keep the witchcraft in reserve, waiting until he had an apprentice to whom he could pass it down, to explore further. As the Young Dragon Blood Serum was injected, the clone showed no reaction whatsoever. Although the blood of a young dragon is vibrant, its eroding power is the lowest among dragons. Richard¡¯s own body had reached the standard of a second-level creature, and it was unknown if the young dragon¡¯s blood would be able to achieve erosion. Half an hour after the serum was injected, the clone suddenly trembled, showing signs of dragon transformation with calcium scales emerging right in front of the heart. But the signs showed no tendency to spread. An hour after the serum was injected, the signs of dragon transformation regressed, and the clone¡¯s pores began to secrete black blood. After the bleeding stopped, all the clone¡¯s vital signs stabilized; the dragon transformation had failed. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Alas, it seems the bloodline erosion of a giant dragon has its limits; the blood of a young dragon can¡¯t even erode a second-level creature,¡± Richard sighed, turned around, and headed to the next room to retrieve a first-level clone. He then started the dragon transformation process again. This time the reaction came quickly, with the dragon transformation occurring in just twenty minutes and continuing to spread. Richard placed the clone in the glass pod, filling it with nutrient fluid. The dragon transformation had begun; now, all that was needed was time and luck. ¡­ Twenty years later, Chax, the successor, arrived and looked around the laboratory, filled with jars and vials, and happily clapped Richard on the shoulder. ¡°Little brother, you¡¯ve finally returned to the righteous path of flesh and blood! The teacher would be very comforted to see this.¡± Richard shrugged off Chax¡¯s hand with a smile: ¡°What are you on about? Is the teacher not comforted when I study Alchemy Machines? Those black magic essences are all earned by Alchemy Machines.¡± Chax¡¯s face stiffened at this remark and he could only sulkily say, ¡°It¡¯s about making money, but Synthetic Beasts can make almost as much as Alchemy Machines.¡± Richard laughed and said no more, then began to clean up the various jars and vials in the laboratory. Seeing this, Chax also helped to tidy up, but when he got to the corner, exclaimed, ¡°Little brother, why did you even create a body here? By the looks of it¡­ it¡¯s already dragon-transformed.¡± Richard walked over, lifted the body out of the glass pod. ¡°Experimental material, I¡¯ve been researching dragon transformation recently.¡± Chax turned to Richard, who he had not paid much attention to before. Now taking a careful look, he realized his little brother¡¯s eyes¡­ At some point, they had turned into vertical pupils. Chapter 205 - 35 The News of War ¡°Junior Brother, although Dragon Transformation is beneficial, its disadvantages are equally significant.¡± Seeing signs of Dragon Transformation on Richard¡¯s body, Chax frowned slightly and spoke with concern. The Dragon Blood brought about by the transformation not only has advantages; inevitably, the creature will acquire the Giant Dragon¡¯s habits and temper. Giant Dragons are innately arrogant and imperious, regarding all Dragon Blood Species as slaves and ordinary creatures as insignificant. Creatures that undergo Dragon Transformation will inevitably develop an arrogant and haughty demeanor, an influence that is almost impossible to eliminate. For wizards, rationality and humility are the greatest virtues, with every master harboring the heart of an apprentice. The degeneration of character caused by Dragon Blood will inevitably affect a wizard¡¯s future development. An arrogant nature can be fatal on the battlefield and disastrous in personal relationships. Moreover, aside from their character, creatures that have undergone Dragon Transformation will inevitably experience mental suppression or even control when encountering Giant Dragons. This downside is particularly lethal in a world where Giant Dragon Species are prevalent. Therefore, aside from wizards who specialize in studying Dragon Blood, few choose to undergo Dragon Transformation. However, what Richard underwent is not Dragon Transformation. After being suppressed by a simplified version of Lun Runes, the corrosiveness of the Dragon Blood was completely contained, making the transplantation of Dragon Transformation organs feasible. Over the years, Richard had undergone three surgeries on his clone for Dragon Transformation: the transplantation of Dragon Bone Glands to strengthen his bones, Dragon Power Glands to enhance muscle explosiveness, and Dragon Eyes for dynamic vision and thermal imaging. These Dragon Transformation organs significantly enhanced Richard¡¯s capabilities. As the first to be transplanted, the Dragon Bone Gland drastically increased the hardness and toughness of his bones. Bones are the cornerstone of strength. Moreover, with the enhancement provided by the Dragon Bone Gland, there was room for the second transplanted organ, the Dragon Power Gland, to function. The Dragon Power Gland secretes a certain biohormone during battle, thereby increasing the recruitment and explosiveness of muscles. This burst is extremely intense; without the reinforcement from the Dragon Bone Gland, Richard¡¯s bones might even fracture from the overwhelming power. The enhancements provided by the Dragon Eyes hardly need further elaboration; in the perilous Plane Battlefield, having an additional method of reconnaissance adds a layer of safety. Richard gave Chax a smile and said, ¡°Senior Brother, I have it under control. Do I look like I¡¯m affected?¡± Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing this, Chax decided not to say anything further. Each wizard has their own path, and his role as a senior was simply to offer a reminder; anything more would be Jolod¡¯s responsibility. ¡°Alright, if you have it under control, Junior Brother.¡± After packing up, Richard encountered Yelena at the laboratory¡¯s entrance. ¡°Senior Brother Richard, are you leaving already? Is it Senior Brother Chax taking over, or Senior Sister Anna?¡± Yelena glanced inside the laboratory and immediately noticed Chax¡¯s chubby and characteristically extra-armed figure. ¡°So it¡¯s Senior Brother Chax.¡± Chax moved to the door and greeted his junior sister. As Alchemy Wizards who also studied flesh, the two of them got along very well. ¡°Yelena, what brings you here?¡± Richard asked, noticing the thick stack of papers in Yelena¡¯s hands. ¡°Oh, right, this is the data you asked me to compile.¡± Yelena handed the papers to Richard. These documents, which recorded detailed data about the Dragon Transformation organs, would greatly assist in optimizing Richard¡¯s Dragon Transformation Battle Body in the future. Richard found these details somewhat trivial and had simply spent some Magic Essence to have Yelena organize them for him. This data was essential for Yelena¡¯s experiments, and Richard¡¯s request posed no difficulty for her. Taking the data, Richard said goodbye to Yelena and Chax, then left the Black Tower Wizard Academy and returned to the Tower of Truth. Back at the Tower of Truth, Richard assembled the Gravity Training Room he had completed over the years in the basement of the Wizard Tower. After nearly three days of repeated adjustments, the Gravity Training Room finally met Richard¡¯s standards. From the outside, the Gravity Training Room looked like half an iron sphere; Richard had engraved runes on the metallic walls to reinforce them. Thanks to the self-powering circuit installed, the runes on the walls were always activated, emitting a faint bluish glow in the darkness. Upon entering the training room, the interior was very smooth and even, with the only exception being a raised Crystal Ball in the center, used to switch the training room on and off and to adjust the gravity levels. After meticulous adjustments by Richard, the gravity in the Gravity Training Room could be set from two to fifteen times normal gravity. Once the adjustments were complete, Richard changed into a form-fitting garment and entered the training room. When he used his spiritual power to activate the training room, Richard instantly felt a heaviness in his body. The air around him seemed to thicken. Under these conditions, Richard sat cross-legged on the ground and then used a Flying Technique to suspend himself in the air. Feeling the cells in his body crazily absorbing the Magic Power in the space, Richard nodded in satisfaction. This was exactly the effect he wanted. Afterward, Richard tested the gravity adjustment feature of the Gravity Training Room, and everything was as perfect as he had anticipated. Leaving the training room, Richard looked at the soil around him and casually pointed a finger. The next moment, a large chunk of solid soil turned into sludge and flowed down the wall. Richard¡¯s training was not conducted in the original basement of the Wizard Tower; he had constructed a new basement below the one where he assembled the Magic Support Vehicle. Now, Richard planned to expand this basement further. As Richard continuously cast spells, vast spaces were excavated, and his feet became buried in sludge. Richard could have chosen to transport the sludge away, but after returning from the Mountain Secret Realm, he found a more effortless solution. With a tremor of his spiritual power, the gravity around him instantly became abnormal, turning three times what it was under Richard¡¯s control. Under the influence of the abnormal gravity, the once shapeless sludge quickly became smooth. The gravity manipulation learned from the mountain was somewhat trivial when used against enemies but quite useful in construction. After flattening the area with gravity, Richard fetched the Alchemy Hammer and solidly compacted the ground. He intended to use this new basement for regular practice of the Mountain Path. The Mountain Path that Richard acquired consisted of practical skills developed by the Dwarf mountaineers over many years, incredibly useful for a novice in physical combat like Richard. After compacting the floor, Richard took up a feather pen and enchanted the new basement to prevent it from collapsing. After tidying up, Richard fashioned a humanoid steel post out of iron and inserted it into a hole he had prepared beforehand. Richard looked at this basement he had prepared over three days and felt quite pleased. He clapped his hands, ¡°Alright, all that¡¯s left is to train.¡± ¡­ After returning to the Tower of Truth, Richard did not forget to continue developing his dragon transformation organs. Even though the transformed body could still be made into living flesh, degradation was inevitable. This had led to Richard¡¯s own supply of living flesh being depleted; he even needed to buy materials to make his own now. However, with the Flesh Tentacles, a treasure that continuously produced high-quality living flesh, Richard had some assurance of high-quality supplies, so the expenditures weren¡¯t too considerable. Cultivating dragon transformation organs, training the Adaptation Body, Gravity Training, practicing the Mountain Path, constructing and assembling Magic Support Vehicles, plus various daily research tasks. Back at the Tower of Truth, Richard found his schedule completely packed; his life was immensely fulfilling. Twenty years later. ¡°This is the last batch of Magic Support Vehicles; Master, check the quality, and if there¡¯s no issue, then accept them.¡± Dressed in a black Wizard Robe, Richard stood before the Magic Support Vehicles and smiled at Vladimir, who had come to inspect the products. In the first fifty years of the trade, Richard produced Magic Support Vehicles at a rate of two per year, completing one-third of the deal. Before his promotion, Jolod had arranged for the remaining materials for the Magic Support Vehicles, so even after his promotion, Richard continued to receive a steady supply of materials. Making the Magic Support Vehicles themselves wasn¡¯t difficult; once proficient, Richard could manufacture one in a week. However, the Clear Frost Legion was not in a rush; after Jolod¡¯s deep slumber, Richard shifted to producing one every three months, delivering fifty at a time to the White Wizard. Now, with fifty years past since Jolod¡¯s slumber, Richard had delivered another two hundred Magic Support Vehicles. By now, Richard had earned a total of eighty thousand Magic Essence. This profit was something even a Three Rings Wizard had to either fight a full-scale war against a medium-sized world or seven or eight battles against smaller worlds to earn. Vladimir waved his hand, and a few White Wizards accompanying him started inspecting the vehicles. Meanwhile, Richard struck up a casual conversation with Vladimir. ¡°That old fellow Jolod is lucky,¡± Vladimir remarked, ¡°actually finding an opportunity for promotion.¡± Vladimir¡¯s situation was similar to Jolod¡¯s, as his lineage also lacked a ritual for promotion to the Three Rings. He designed one himself but struggled to gather the necessary materials. ¡°Master, don¡¯t lose hope, you still have some time, perhaps the next Plane War will provide you with the materials,¡± Richard consoled. Vladimir waved his hand, ¡°I don¡¯t care anymore. Even if I were promoted to the Three Rings, it would only extend my life by seven or eight hundred years. I¡¯m only thinking about promotion now to verify if my ritual is correct. If it is, then at least my student would have an additional path to follow.¡± Saying this, Vladimir sighed, ¡°My student isn¡¯t as clever as you, a real blockhead. Without the ritual, he¡¯ll probably be stuck at the Second Ring forever.¡± Soon, the inspection was complete. Vladimir opened a Secret Realm Rift and drove all the Magic Support Vehicles into it. At the last moment, Vladimir suddenly slapped his forehead, ¡°I almost forgot, the Principal is planning to join a Plane Expedition soon. The timing isn¡¯t certain, but it should be within this century. Your contract likely includes a clause to accompany the army, so you should prepare. The war is coming.¡± Chapter 206 - 36: The Secret of the Fist Technique Chapter 206: Chapter 36: The Secret of the Fist Technique ¡°Is war about to start again?¡± Richard watched Vladimir¡¯s retreating figure and muttered to himself. For Wizards, war was both a risk and an opportunity. New knowledge and new dangers would arise together; whether one could take advantage was a matter of the Wizard¡¯s own abilities. Leaving the twenty-third residential floor, Richard returned to the Wizard Tower and opened the passage to the training room. He took off his Wizard Robe and changed into a training suit made of metal. This suit, looking much like armor, was made of a high-density alloy and weighed an astonishing five hundred kilograms. Under the influence of the Gravity Room, the suit weighed a hefty five tons, Wearing such a training suit, Richard entered the Gravity Training Room and began his day¡¯s training. Training emphasized gradual progression, so Richard started with double gravity to warm up. Then, as the gravity increased bit by bit, a fine layer of sweat began to appear on his skin. Richard¡¯s training methods were simple: squats, push-ups, jogging, etc.¡ªactivities that seemed no different from those of ordinary people. However, under tenfold gravity, every move Richard made while wearing the training suit required a great deal of effort. During such intense workouts, relying solely on the energy from food and fat was clearly insufficient, so magic power became Richard¡¯s source of energy. To meet Richard¡¯s needs, his body cells began to crazily absorb magic power from the air. Also, because of the training for the Adaptation Body, Richard¡¯s muscles, bones, and even organs underwent extremely minute changes under this regimen. This indicated that Richard¡¯s body was gradually adapting to moving in a high-gravity environment. If Richard could continue training in a high-gravity environment while wearing the training suit for five to six hundred years, his body would undergo tremendous changes. Unfortunately, Richard was using the Gravity Training Room, and using the training room required a large number of Magic Stones. Under tenfold gravity, the Gravity Training Room burned through ten Magic Stones every minute. With his regular training time lasting two hours a day, this meant he would expend four hundred thirty-eight Magic Essence in a year, and four thousand three hundred eighty in ten years. With such consumption, Richard even had to consider reducing his training time. Although he had earned a lot of Magic Essence through trade, he still needed to provide after-sales service to the White Wizard Army and structural upgrades for the Magic Support Vehicle. These expenses may not seem apparent in the short term, but looking in the long term, Richard had to prepare some Magic Essence for unexpected needs. After finishing training, Richard shut down the Gravity Training Room and took off the training suit. At that moment, Richard¡¯s skin was flushed red, emanating steam. His muscles bulged with blue veins, as large drops of sweat continuously seeped out and trailed down, leaving wet paths across his chiseled muscles. After resting for a moment, Richard took out a Crystal Ball and checked his various stats. [Spiritual Power: 110, Physique: 112.3, Magic Power: 22000] ¡°Huff, not bad, an increase of twelve in physique over ten years. Once the Dragon Transformation Battle Body is perfected, the rate of physique increase should be even faster.¡± Over the past ten years, Richard had also been continuously cultivating the Dragon Transformation Battle Body, but unfortunately, he had only developed a single Dragon Breath Bag. After transplanting the Dragon Breath Bag, Richard now possessed the capacity for Giant Dragon Breath. There were many kinds of Giant Dragon Breaths, with the most common being the Fire Element Breath. But there were also special breaths like Frost Assault, Dark Erosion Breath, and Poison Mist Breath. What Richard had was a variant of the Fire Element Breath¡ªthe Blue Flame Breath. Its flames were several times hotter than the common Fire Element Breath, but its range was much narrower. What should have been a fan-shaped area of effect had become almost a single line with Richard¡¯s Blue Flame Breath. However, Richard didn¡¯t mind this, as Breath was just an addition for him, and he had not intended to use the Dragon Flame Bag for combat but rather as an aid for Alchemy. Exiting the training room, Richard went to the adjoining laboratory¡¯s training field. The floor of the training field, solidified with alchemy machines and reinforced with Runes, was marked with clear footprints. The owner of these footprints was, of course, Richard. In the center of the training field, a black boulder sat. It was a piece of Mountain Essence, which Richard had purchased from Jimmy for one hundred Magic Essence. And naturally, its purpose was to train in the Mountain Path. Richard had four Mountain Path techniques at his disposal: Worldly Transmission of Rock-Breaking Fist, Secret Mountain Breaking Fist, Secret Mountain Body Forging, and the exclusive Fist Intent of the Changshan Temple¡¯s abbot. Of these four Mountain Path techniques, Mountain Refining Body was used as an auxiliary training tool, and Beng Stone Fist had already been perfected by Richard. He had also grasped the essence of Fist Intent after decades of study, leaving only the deep research and diligent practice. Only the most precious Secret Fist Technique of Changshan Temple, the Mountain Breaking Fist, had remained elusive for Richard to master. In Mountain Breaking Fist, the character for ¡®breaking¡¯ was of the utmost importance. The predecessors of Changshan Temple had used this technique to carve out the original Changshan Temple from the mountains, one fist at a time. No need to mention the hardness of the mountains in the Mountain World; when the founder of Changshan Temple carved out the temple, he was just a Second-level Creature. The fact that a Second-level Creature could carve out the Changshan Temple on the hard mountains was not only a testament to incredible perseverance but also to the profoundness of the Fist Technique. Under Mountain Breaking Fist, the as-hard-as-mountain Mountain Essence would instantly turn into rubble, and regular rocky mountains would even be reduced to dust. No matter how Richard swung his fists following the secret instructions, the punches he threw were always ordinary. Approaching the Mountain Essence, Richard took a deep breath, adjusted his energy circulation, and swung his fist fiercely! Bang! A muffled sound came from the Mountain Essence as Richard retracted his fist, and a clear imprint of his punch now stood out on the black essence of the mountain. ¡°Alas, it¡¯s still no good,¡± Richard sighed. ¡°What on earth is that ¡®Breath of the Mountains¡¯ mentioned in the Secret Transmission? Could it be the heartbeat of the Mountain Heart? But Mountain Breaking Fist can also be used against foes, right?¡± Looking at the Mountain Essence, Richard was utterly perplexed; on a normal day, he would have set aside his troubles and continued training other aspects of the Mountain Path, attempting to gain insights through analogy. But today, Vladimir had brought him news of war, which caused Richard to feel a trace of restlessness. He turned and left the basement, after donning a Wizard Robe, he flew toward the Teleportation Gate of the Tower of Truth. Soon, Richard¡¯s figure appeared in the Duel Arena of the living quarters on the eleventh floor. The Duel Arena was as bustling as ever, with wizards in the stands loudly cheering on their chosen contestants, continuously throwing Magic Stones or Magic Essence onto the attendants¡¯ trays, increasing their stakes. Richard made his way through these wizards to find Jimmy, who was cheering on the contestants. ¡°Master Jimmy.¡± ¡°Hey, Richard, what brings you here? Did that Mountain Essence break you down?¡± Jimmy wiped the sweat from his forehead, the sunlight shining on his head, gleaming brightly. Richard shook his head: ¡°Master, are there any suitable opponents for me in the club recently? I feel I need to fight to grasp certain techniques.¡± ¡°Fight! Richard, you¡¯ve finally realized that what we physique evolving wizards need most is combat! We grow in battle, break through in battle, and unleash the most brilliant light of our lives in battle! Behold! The radiance of combat!¡± With Jimmy shouting loudly, the two wizards in the Duel Arena also decided the victor and the vanquished. The defeated wizard was sent flying, while the victor stood in the center of the field and let out a deafening roar at the audience! Raucous cheers like a tidal wave erupted from the Duel Arena, regardless of whether the wizards had lost or won their bets, they were now shouting the name of the victor! ¡°Urdar! Urdar! Urdar!¡± In the Duel Arena, the wizard named Urdar raised his arms high, responding to the audience¡¯s calls with roars. Before long, the crowd dispersed, as the Duel Arena hosted only one match per day. After the match ended, the Duel Arena became the private area of the Jialong Club. Richard watched as Urdar left the Duel Arena, his face showing fatigue. He approached the fallen opponent, helped him up, and then entered the inner area of the Duel Arena together. Jimmy told Richard to warm up first; he would go find a suitable opponent. Shortly after, Jimmy returned to the Duel Arena with a wizard draped in a black robe. ¡°Richard, you¡¯re in luck, this is Has, also a newly promoted Second Ring Wizard. But he has more combat experience than you, so you¡¯d best be prepared for a beating,¡± Jimmy introduced Has, while Has¡¯s gaze had already fixed on Richard. ¡°Dragon Transformation?¡± Has asked in a low voice. ¡°Sort of,¡± Richard replied indifferently. ¡°My emotions are stable, don¡¯t worry about me losing control during the fight.¡± sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Since Richard had not officially fought with any club members before, Jimmy had to explain the rules of combat to him before the fight. In battle, both parties must give it their all and not resort to mockery or stubborn struggling, as that would be disrespectful to the opponent. Secondly, the combatants must be mindful of the force of their attacks, for it is only a spar, and it would be unfortunate should it lead to a fatality. Finally, there are two types of combat: with and without Magic Equipment. Combat with Magic Equipment has a limit on the usage of gear, with a maximum of three pieces of Magic Equipment per person, and none may be of high-powered, direct damage type. After the rules were explained, Richard chose to fight without Magic Equipment, allowing him to better utilize the Mountain Path and comprehend its mysteries. Has agreed to Richard¡¯s style of combat, and both removed all their Magic Equipment. After Jimmy¡¯s verification, they both took off their Wizard Robes and entered the Duel Arena. As per the protocol, both announced their names and academies. The two stood on opposite ends of the Duel Arena, with Has on the left side speaking first: ¡°Free Wizard, Has.¡± Richard nodded slightly: ¡°Black Tower Wizard Academy, Richard.¡± As soon as Richard finished speaking, Has¡¯s figure suddenly vanished. With names and academies announced, what remained was the battle itself! Chapter 207 - 37 Resonance, Iron Fist Introduction Chapter 207: Chapter 37 Resonance, Iron Fist Introduction Watching the disappearing Has, Richard remained calm and unruffled. A layer of black scales quickly sprouted over his body, and he raised his forearms in front of his face. Boom! A muffled sound. A fist covered in black fur collided with Richard¡¯s arms, generating a shockwave that instantly stirred up a whirlwind and kicked up a cloud of dust. ¡°Those dragon eyes of yours¡­ are quite special, huh?¡± Has¡¯s voice was somewhat muted, and at this moment, his body was already covered in black fur, his eyes turning into the green of a wild beast¡¯s. He, too, was an Alchemy Wizard with Bloodline Alchemy. ¡°That¡¯s high praise, your Bloodline Alchemy formula is not simple either,¡± Richard replied with a composed expression. After activating his bloodline, Has¡¯s speed had increased to a terrifying degree. If not for Richard¡¯s dynamic vision from his dragon eyes, he would have nearly lost sight of Has¡¯s figure. Each side verbally acknowledging the other¡¯s ability, they once again engaged in combat. Has¡¯s movements were agile and nimble, but his strikes were fierce and powerful, each one stirring up a wind strong enough to tear human skin. As for Richard, relying on his Dragon Transformation Battle Body, his strengthened bones and muscles sturdily blocked all of Has¡¯s attacks. Thuds continued to ring out through the air. There wasn¡¯t much difference in their physiques; if anything, Richard had a slight edge. If Has wanted to win, he would have to exploit the difference in their combat experience to make Richard reveal a flaw and thereby achieve victory. But Richard was aware of this too, so he continued to defend methodically and calmly. Even when he saw Has expose an obvious flaw, he pretended not to notice. He was like a rock amidst the storm, unmovable no matter how fierce the wind and rain. After all, in physical combat, it¡¯s often the aggressor who expends more energy. As long as he could hold out, it was only a matter of time before Has would reveal a true flaw. Thump, thump, thump¡­ In the Duel Arena, the air was filled with continuous shockwaves. Has¡¯s figure, like a ghostly apparition, kept flashing around Richard, his palms now turned into black claws armored with bone. Every swipe of these Bone Claws carried a terrifying cold light, while in the air, a faint fragrance imperceptibly enveloped Richard. Richard stood unshaken, blocking with his scale-covered forearms with precise timing. On the rare occasions he made a mistake, the injuries he sustained healed quickly. Richard¡¯s Black Knight bloodline formula boasted top-tier recovery abilities among formulas at the same level. Jimmy, spectating from the sidelines, waved his hand, and a gust of wind swept the dust away cleanly. ¡°Ahhh, what a passionless fight,¡± Jimmy commented as he shook his head watching the two combatants in the arena. Every Wizard¡¯s fighting style varies according to their Combat System. And Has and Richard both embodied the cautious combat style that Jimmy least enjoyed. Such Wizards often adopt a more conservative battle strategy, with fighting that¡¯s all about calculation and devoid of any passion. Nevertheless, Jimmy harbored no prejudice against this style of fighting; in fact, he adopted the same approach during the Plane Wars. But this style of fighting¡­ it¡¯s just not entertaining in the Duel Arena. ¡°You two, testing each other out like this, who knows till when it will last. Our time for fighting is also limited; you must finish your battle within the first twenty minutes before the Duel Arena opens tomorrow,¡± Jimmy interjected with a reminder. Given Richard and Has¡¯s strength, if they didn¡¯t get serious, they could maintain eighty percent of their condition even after three days and nights of fighting. But the Duel Arena couldn¡¯t afford to let them drag it out. In the Duel Arena, even after hearing Jimmy¡¯s words, the two Wizards¡¯ fighting styles remained unchanged. But only they knew that their contest had already begun. ¡°The poison resistance from the Dragon Transformation is indeed strong. I¡¯ve already injected so much venom, and this Richard still shows no signs of poisoning.¡± Has watched Richard; each interaction of his pitch-black Bone Claws stirred a fragrant breeze. And this fragrance was also a part of his attack. His bloodline formula incorporated the bloodline of a creature called the Musk Magic Clam, which upon maturity, could secrete a poison potent enough to incapacitate third-level creatures. This poison easily volatilized, and the volatilized Poison would emit a strange fragrance. This scent could also poison Wizards. Currently, Richard was surrounded by this strange fragrance, and Has, through his attacks, had already injected a considerable amount of venom into Richard. Another Second Ring Wizard would have already collapsed from the poison by now, but Richard was still blocking his attacks calmly, showing no sign of poisoning in his defense. Has attributed all this to the benefits of the Dragon Transformation. ¡°Neurotoxins potent enough to surpass even the Sweetheart I use for training. But unfortunately, after years of training, I have developed a certain degree of Magic Resistance against most toxins. Combined with the Poison Resistance from my Magic Dwarf bloodline and a hundred and twelve points in Physique, this amount of toxin is far from sufficient.¡± Richard watched Has, fully aware of what the other was thinking. Bearing such potent toxins, it was hard for a Wizard not to become dependent on that method. And that was precisely Has¡¯s flaw. Hum! The black Bone Claws, tearing through the air, went straight for Richard¡¯s face. Richard raised his arms, firmly blocking the Bone Claws from reaching him. Suddenly, Richard¡¯s body twitched slightly. Though the twitch was faint, it happened to disrupt Richard¡¯s rhythm of defense. Upon seeing this, Has¡¯s heart leapt with joy. ¡°Finally, the poison¡¯s taken effect!¡± Then he saw Magic Power surge within his body, and a plethora of Runes suddenly appeared on his pair of Bone Claws. ¡°It¡¯s over, Richard.¡± Has spoke in a deep voice as his pitch-black Bone Claws pierced through Richard¡¯s defense, aiming straight for his chest, much like the scythe of the Death God come to harvest souls from legend. However, as expected, the battle was over. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s over.¡± The next moment, Has saw his Bone Claws precisely blocked, while a fist steadily grew larger in his field of vision. Boom! Has¡¯s figure was blasted away, his right Bone Claw dripping with blood. In the last moments, Has desperately used his right hand to block Richard¡¯s punch. But at this moment, he was wide open. Richard took advantage of the situation to rush in front of Has, throwing punches left and right, the Beng Stone Fist he learned from Changshan Temple, raining down on Has like a storm. Take advantage of your enemy¡¯s illness to take their life, this is the unchanging truth in combat. But Has did not betray the battle experience Jimmy cited when introducing him. After being counterattacked by Richard, Has quickly stabilized his footing. Black bone Scale Armor instantly spread across his entire arm, with intricate Runes emerging within. Each time they collided with Richard¡¯s fist, these Runes deflected the power of Richard¡¯s punches. For a time, Richard¡¯s fists could not inflict any damage on Has. The situation reversed once again. Richard was no Has, seizing an opportunity to kick someone when they were down he could do, but when it came to a straight fight, his combat experience was far less than Has¡¯s. A moment¡¯s inattention could reveal a flaw. Has looked at Richard, grinned, blood trickling from his forehead and across the corner of his mouth, his serrated white teeth carrying a bloodthirsty intent. Just wait until I find the flaw, and then you¡¯ll see¡­ Bang! A Spiritual Shock hit Has, instantly dulling his consciousness. What¡¯s this with a spiritual attack? I thought we had agreed on a physical brawl? The next moment, he heard Richard¡¯s calm voice. ¡°Changshan Fist Intent, please enlighten me.¡± Fist Intent? Has was taken aback, what the hell is that¡­ Jimmy, watching from below the stage, heard Richard¡¯s words and waved at Has to signal that it was okay. He knew that Richard had acquired a secret transmission known as Changshan Fist Intent, and this combination of physical and spiritual attacks was something he too was capable of, not particularly rare. The bewildered Has, seeing Jimmy¡¯s signal, had no choice but to meet the challenge. He had not seen this method before and did not know what other tricks Richard had up his sleeve; now he could only continue to defend. Relying on his rich combat experience and the fact that Richard¡¯s Changshan Fist Intent was just an introduction, Has¡¯s defense was watertight. Together with the Runes on his arms, he resembled a slippery rock slicked with butter. Not only was it tough, but it was also slippery. Facing this situation, Richard felt helpless in his heart. He had used up all his tricks apart from the Mountain Breaking Fist, but Has stood unshaken. If this stalemate continued, once Has realized that was all he had, victory would slip out of Richard¡¯s hands. ¡°Sigh, whatever, I came to fight to master Mountain Breaking Fist, and even if I lose using Solid Fist, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± With that thought, Richard¡¯s internal energy cycled differently, and he threw a punch with a boom. Bang! Has remained as steadfast as before, the power of the punch still largely dissipated by the Runes. If one hadn¡¯t mastered the Solid Fist, it would be nothing more than a slightly more powerful Beng Stone Fist. At this moment, Richard didn¡¯t think too much; since he had put winning or losing out of his mind, he decided to treat Has as a wooden stake to see if there were any tricks to using the Mountain Breaking Fist against an enemy. Bang, bang, bang¡­ Richard¡¯s fists pounded against Has repeatedly, but they always met with Has¡¯s solid defense. Has had already noticed Richard had switched combat skills, but out of caution, he still chose to defend. While Richard¡¯s new combat skills were powerful, they also consumed an incredible amount of energy. With such frenzied usage, all he needed to do was wait for Richard to reveal a flaw. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Bang! Richard threw another punch, the rebound force flowing up his arm and dispersing into his body instantaneously. This was a defensive technique of the Mountain Breaking Fist, capable of dispersing force into nothingness. But this time, Richard felt a different sensation. Within this rebound force, he sensed a rhythm. Suddenly, Richard had an epiphany. ¡°So this is it, this is how it is.¡± Having said that, Richard swung out with a punch, but this time there was an unstoppable force behind his fist, coupled with a subtle change. Bang! Has¡¯s body suddenly flew backward, and the Rune Bone Armor he used for defense now bore a bloody fist print; the bone armor beneath the print was smashed to pieces by the punch. ¡°What crap about the breath of mountains, it¡¯s just resonance. These mountain Dwarves, due to their bloodline connection with the mountains, can quickly find the resonating feedback from stones. I don¡¯t have the bloodline of a mountain Dwarf, and yet I¡¯ve been practicing against stones¡­ Ha ha ha, I truly was an idiot!¡± Richard laughed heartily as he looked at his fist, his Mountain Breaking Fist had reached an introduction level. Has got up from the edge of the Duel Arena, the fist print on his arm slowly healing. ¡°I concede,¡± Has said in a low voice. Without risking their lives, he was no match for Richard¡¯s Changshan Fist Intent and Mountain Breaking Fist. Richard bowed slightly to him: ¡°I was just lucky. The Master¡¯s combat skills are masterful, I hope to have a battle with the Master again next time.¡± As the victor, it is still necessary to make some polite remarks. Jimmy, looking at this sudden turnaround in the fight, couldn¡¯t help but shake his head. That¡¯s how cautious fighters are, as soon as they find they can¡¯t cope, they immediately concede. ¡°Alright, now I declare, the winner of this fight is Richard!¡± Chapter 208 - 38 Nightmare Artifact Chapter 208: Chapter 38 Nightmare Artifact The battle concluded, and Richard left the Duel Arena. For Richard, the initiation into the Mountain Breaking Fist represented a significant improvement. The most formidable aspect of the Mountain Breaking Fist was the ¡®breaking¡¯ component itself, a technique designed specifically to counter various defenses. As long as he could discern the resonance frequency, he could break through his enemy¡¯s defense with a single punch. Returning to the Wizard Tower, Richard followed his usual routine by entering the communication room adjacent to the laboratory, utilizing the Dream World Communication Device to converse with Bones. After years of improvements by Richard, the cooling components of the Dream World Communication Device had significantly increased in performance. If Richard so desired, his communication time could be sustained indefinitely. However, the consequence would be an enormous consumption of Magic Stones. The Magic Stone consumption of the Dream World Communication Device was comparable to that of the Gravity Training Room¡ªa heavy spender on its own was sufficient, but two was more than Richard could afford. Thus, Richard still adhered to the customary ten minutes of communication per day. The Spiritual Message transmitted through the Communication Device was infused into the Soul Seed, and the Nightmare Body in the coffin opened its eyes momentarily. As usual, Richard knocked on the coffin and waited for Bones to unlock the chains on the coffin. Bones¡¯s daily life was rather dull; aside from practicing swordsmanship at his residence, he ventured to the tavern in the Lawless Land to pick up tasks. Richard¡¯s usual communication was akin to logging in to greet someone, and after confirming Bones was unoccupied, he would end the contact. After all, the communication device burned actual Magic Stones, and every second less of communication meant less consumption of Magic Stones. But this time, after Richard knocked on the coffin, there was a delayed lack of response. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Richard frowned, as usually, even if Bones was on a mission, he would knock back on the coffin as a response. But today, there was completely no movement. Pressing his hands on the coffin, Richard gave a slight shake of his arms and heard the sound of chains snapping. After his training at Changshan Temple and years of exercise, Richard had mastered the control of his physical strength to perfection. He had even self-taught small techniques like Inch Strength. Opening the coffin, Richard stood up. Now, he understood why Bones hadn¡¯t responded. Surrounding him were over a dozen of Big Nightmare Level Nightmare creatures, and at this moment, Bones was propping himself up with his Great Sword, evidently severely wounded. Richard looked at the surrounding Nightmare creatures and said faintly. ¡°Bones, the situation looks pretty bad.¡± He knew Bones had been executing a task these days, but judging by the current scenario, the difficulty of this task had evidently exceeded the expected limits. Bones weakly looked towards Richard, and a feeble voice emanated from his dark helmet. ¡°Boss, just run.¡± ¡­ Time rewound to twenty days ago, when Bones, as usual, came to the tavern in the Lawless Land to pick up the dirty gigs from various Lords or Vassals. The tavern in the Lawless Land looked no different from any ordinary tavern¡­ aside from the sign burning with green flames labeled ¡°Seeker¡¯s Tavern¡± and the blood-drenched skull above the entrance, coupled with a desolate-looking coffin-like exterior. Pushing open the door, various demons and monsters inside turned to look at the newcomer, but upon recognizing Bones who was known for his signature Great Sword and coffin, everyone quickly averted their gaze. Bones was a regular at this tavern and among the longest surviving clients. Approaching the counter, a demon bartender with goat horns and dark red flames on his body handed Bones a glass of dark red wine. ¡°Your favorite, Nightmare Red.¡± Bones picked up the glass: ¡°What¡¯s the task?¡± The bartender at Seeker¡¯s Tavern never offered a drink unless he needed a favor. The bartender let out a strange laugh, his hot sulfuric breath washing over: ¡°A Big Shot wants a few unlucky ones to scout an abandoned Nightmare Territory. The strength of the unlucky ones must reach the Nightmare level, and the reward is five hundred thousand Nightmare Crystals.¡± Five hundred thousand Nightmare Crystals, a staggeringly high figure. That price could even afford the services of a Nightmare Knight. But Bones remained composure, his voice as stable as ever. ¡°How many people? Who are they?¡± ¡°Ten people, you¡¯re the last one. Besides a few newcomers, ¡®Executioner,¡¯ ¡®Scarecrow,¡¯ and ¡®Mist Coachman¡¯ have joined,¡± the bartender said, mentioning patrons who were regulars at the Seeker Tavern, all of whom were Big Nightmares that had long survived in the Lawless Land. Both in terms of strength and experience, they were top-tier among the Nightmare creatures of the Lawless Land. Bones downed his drink in one go: ¡°When?¡± The bartender took the glass back, laughing oddly: ¡°Same time tomorrow.¡± ¡­ Observing the Nightmare creatures around him, Richard¡¯s expression remained unchanged, and in his hands materialized his usual Magic Wand. ¡°Run? Where would you run to? You¡¯re already in someone else¡¯s mouth, thinking of running without breaking their teeth?¡± Richard gazed at the Nightmare creatures; to him, the energy pathways around, linked together like a network, resembled the vascular system of a creature, sending shivers down his spine. The energy pathways of those Nightmare creatures around him connected with the environment, clearly indicating they were some sort of Puppets. The current situation was no longer something that could be resolved by simply running away. Hearing this, Bones could only give a bitter smile, realizing he had been severely duped this time. The nightmare creatures around him paused in their tracks upon Richard¡¯s arrival, but soon they realized he was merely a minor Nightmare, hardly a threat. ¡°Hehehe, who would have thought that the coffin of the Black Coffin Sword Saint held but a minor Nightmare. Speaking of this would make one sound insane,¡± a nightmare creature, ghost-like from a story, cackled. Around him, more than ten bluish-green ghostly fires circled ceaselessly. Richard glanced at him, surprised that these nightmare creatures could see through his Talent to gauge his strength. But what did it matter if they could see through it? Richard waved his magic wand, and several human-head-sized black fireballs appeared around him. ¡°Bones, you handle defense.¡± With that, the fireballs sped towards the surrounding nightmare creatures. Boom! One by one the fireballs exploded, turning into black orbs, scattering the nightmare creatures in all directions. The Heart of Annihilation¡¯s two thousand energy-level damage was considered a major weapon even among Second Ring Wizards. These nightmare creatures, not yet mastering the Dream Rules, were even inferior to ordinary native creatures. With Bones defending, Richard was now akin to the artillery of a War Fortress. During the bombardment, Richard paid particular attention to the speaking ghost. Bones watched dully as the emerging Hearts of Annihilation exploded around him, scattering the nightmare creatures that were about to devour him, some even being blown up directly. ¡°Was the boss always this strong?¡± he thought to himself. Soon, the nightmare creatures planning to feast on Bones were completely driven off. Richard drew the corpses of the unlucky ones killed by the blasts using his Magic Power, and then consumed them. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Buzz! A potent Power of Nightmare erupted from Richard¡¯s body, altering his form. His already mysterious black robe now appeared even more enigmatic. After evolving into a Big Nightmare, Richard¡¯s nightmare Talent further enhanced. Ten minutes later, the evolution was complete. Bones suddenly felt a shake in his mind, and the connection between him and Richard suddenly became much closer. Richard could even draw on his Power of Nightmare through this connection to balance the Power of Nightmare between them. Richard moved his body, immediately feeling more comfortable. After getting used to the physique of a Second-level Creature, he really wasn¡¯t accustomed to the drives of a First Level Nightmare. Sensing his Talent, Richard thought, and his entire body instantly transformed into a shadow, merging into the surrounding ground. His talent post-evolution was similar to Shadow March, but unlike Shadow Stealth, it was stronger and didn¡¯t require shadows. Emerging from the ground, Richard then conjured a Magic Pocket to store his coffin. Then, Richard turned to Bones and calmly asked, ¡°Tell me what exactly is going on here. This place looks far from simple.¡± ¡­ The day after accepting the task, Bones carried the coffin to the tavern as usual. Seeker¡¯s Tavern wasn¡¯t open today, but Bones pushed the door and entered anyway. Inside the tavern, nine nightmare creatures with remarkable presence all turned their gaze toward him. Although Bones didn¡¯t recognize most of these nightmare creatures, he had seen three of them before. ¡°The Sword Saint is as punctual as ever,¡± a skeleton dressed like an old farmer wearing a straw hat and holding a whip laughed. Beside him, a bulky nightmare creature, about three meters tall with a sack over his head and holding a rusty great sword, looked at Bones; a glint of blood-light flashed from the rusty sword. He was the Executioner, another nightmare creature proficient with weapons. Next to the Executioner, a nightmare creature, resembling a scarecrow come to life from the rice paddies and radiating a sinister aura, with a black crow croaking hoarsely on its shoulder: ¡°Everyone¡¯s here, where¡¯s the bartender?¡± ¡°Scarecrow, always so impatient.¡± No sooner had Scarecrow spoken than the demon bartender emerged from under the counter, holding a box filled with murky liquid bottles. There was an entrance to a cellar under the counter, where the bartender kept the wines brewed from nightmare creatures. With a wave of his hand, several small demons with wings grabbed the bottles and delivered them to the nightmare creatures. ¡°Try this, it¡¯s my newly brewed whiskey, with Nightmare blood and Fire Dragon salvia added, guaranteed to pack a punch.¡± Bones took a bottle, dripped a drop into his mouth, then set it aside. He had no interest in alcohol. The other nightmare creatures tasted it, and upon drinking, immediately spat out flames several meters long. ¡°Ha, definitely packs a punch,¡± the Mist Cart Man loudly commented. ¡°It seems this task will be difficult.¡± The bartender¡¯s drinks were never free; the high-quality items indicated a very challenging task. The bartender shrugged, and with a flick, a series of green flames formed words in the air: ¡°The location of this mission is an abandoned Nightmare Territory; its lord was defeated in territorial wars and dragged his domain into the Nightmare Domain as he died. Now, the territory has reappeared, and a Big Shot wants you to scout it out. If possible, bring back an item.¡± ¡°What item?¡± a nightmare creature asked. The bartender smiled, his voice carrying an evil seduction, like that of a legendary devil. ¡°Nothing much, just a Nightmare Artifact.¡± Chapter 209 - 39: Nightmare Pyramid Chapter 209: Chapter 39: Nightmare Pyramid ¡°You said Nightmare Artifact?¡± Richard couldn¡¯t help but interrupt Bones¡¯ narration. The Nightmare Artifact was something that even Wizards of the Three Rings coveted. How could the news of such a treasure be leaked to a band of ¡°mercenaries¡±? Unless these mercenaries couldn¡¯t spread the news. Bones nodded, ¡°Indeed, the bartender spoke of the Nightmare Artifact, and we also saw that thing.¡± ¡°You actually saw it?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Bones said with a bitter voice, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for seeing that artifact, how would we have fallen into such straits?¡± Richard nodded, ¡°Continue.¡± ¡­ When they heard the news of the Nightmare Artifact, everyone present was shocked. These people weren¡¯t young; they had all heard of the Nightmare Artifact to some extent. Such things, usually in the possession of Nightmare Knights, suddenly sparked greed in the hearts of several Nightmare creatures. The creatures of the Lawless Land of Nightmares were already a group of bold and reckless beings. Though they sensed something was amiss with this obviously baited news, each harbored a stroke of luck. What if one of them got their hands on that Nightmare Artifact? Bones, upon hearing this news, remained neither sad nor happy; he was disinterested in the Nightmare Artifact, wishing only for a stable and predictable life. The demon bartender poured himself a glass of wine, ¡°Gentlemen, I have told you the information; the rest is up to you. If you return alive, I will waive a ten-year tab for him.¡± With that, the bartender drained his glass. Based on the information provided by the bartender, the group quickly found that abandoned Nightmare Territory. Nightmare Territories are generally the projections of the Material World¡¯s creature gathering areas into the Nightmare World, but creatures of the Material World migrate for various reasons, and the Wizard World is so vast that there are far too many suitable places for humans to live. Thus, a city once populated could easily become a dead city over a few hundred years. These kinds of territories are what Nightmare creatures call abandoned Nightmare Territories. A typical Nightmare Lord, when faced with this situation, either seeks out a new territory in the Wilderness or initiates a territorial war to snatch another lord¡¯s territory. And the lord mentioned in this mission was one who attempted to seize territory and ended up being beaten back to his roots. Having found the place, the group began reconnaissance before the mission. Being able to survive in the Lawless Land to the level of the Big Nightmare, even a brainless idiot would have certain necessary actions as a conditioned reflex. From a distance, this territory once pulled into the Nightmare Domain looked very dilapidated, with various brick and stone buildings looking tattered. Vines and spiderwebs were everywhere among the ruins. A crow flew out of the Scarecrow¡¯s body and into the territory¡¯s airspace, seemingly without any problems. But within a few minutes, the Scarecrow¡¯s crow suddenly began circling in place. ¡°There¡¯s a spatial anomaly in this territory,¡± the Scarecrow said, ¡°My crow is caught in a spatial loop.¡± Everyone nodded and began probing the territory with their methods. Bones¡¯ method of investigation was to use the Power of Nightmare to condense into a crow, similar to the Scarecrow. ¡°Hmm? You use a crow too?¡± the Scarecrow glanced at Bones, unfamiliar with Bones¡¯ means. Bones nodded, ¡°Mine is different from yours.¡± Bones¡¯ crow was actually an imitation of Richard, as Ulysses¡¯ soul projection was always on Richard¡¯s shoulder, and he used Ulysses for reconnaissance. Bones was deeply influenced by this. The reconnaissance continued for nearly a week, and the outskirts of this abandoned territory were probed by several Nightmares, marking all sorts of spatial anomalies. However, once their methods of investigation entered the Inner City District of the territory, they became useless, and they obtained no information. Faced with this situation, the group could only push forward into the territory, using their physical bodies to explore the Inner City. The periphery of the abandoned territory felt like a ghost town as they walked. The houses, long-corroded by the Power of Nightmare and Dream Rules, looked particularly sinister. It was as if the hollow windows and shadows behind doors all hid unpredictable monsters. This eerie atmosphere should have been unsettling, but for the Nightmare creatures entering the area, it felt like returning home for the holidays. ¡°The Nightmare Domain has deeply eroded this land; don¡¯t enter buildings carelessly, watch out for the remaining Dream Rules killing you,¡± the Mistcoach suddenly spoke. Out of these Nightmare creatures, this old timer was the oldest, strongest, and most experienced. What he said was almost never wrong. Everyone nodded and cautiously approached the Inner City. Upon entering the Inner City District, everyone suddenly felt an innate fear. Here, the corruption by the Nightmare Domain far surpassed that of the Outer City, resembling a miniature Nightmare Domain. The buildings here were relatively intact, but the sensation they gave was like that of monsters in disguise, lying in wait for their prey to come into their clutches. ¡°Sigh, this money isn¡¯t easy to earn,¡± a Nightmare creature spoke. This Nightmare creature wore something akin to priestly garb, but its visage was even more horrifying than the demon bartender, its voice fluctuating between gentle and resounding to sharp and hoarse. As its voice fell, movement arose from inside a nearby house. Shadowy figures emerged one by one from the houses, charging straight toward the talking nightmare creature. The other few nightmare creatures, upon witnessing this scene, all clamped their mouths shut. Speaking might just be a breach of the rules. The Priest, facing these shadows, suddenly expanded to over three meters in height, his muscles looking terrifyingly robust. He exuded Holy Light, as if a divine being had descended, but his visage became even more ferocious. Boom boom boom¡­ The Priest continuously smashed the shadows to pieces, but the houses on the street seemed like a spawning cage that, without a torch inserted, would ceaselessly refresh new shadows. The other few nightmare creatures watched for a long time, until the fight was over. This battle could provide them with very important intelligence. Finally, the shadows climbed onto the Priest¡¯s body, dragged him to the ground, and then bit by bit, pulled him into the nearest house. During this, not one nightmare creature helped him. ¡­ ¡°Can¡¯t speak? How interesting,¡± Richard muttered as he surveyed his surroundings; he too was among ruins, but based on what he could sense from his environment, he should still be in the Inner City District. ¡°So how come we can talk here?¡± Bones shook his head, ¡°Boss, this territory is just tainted by the Nightmare Domain, it¡¯s not truly the Nightmare Territory. So, it¡¯s normal for some rules to work in certain places and not in others.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Richard looked at Bones with interest. ¡°Did you come up with that yourself?¡± Bones honestly shook his head, ¡°The Misty Coachman said it; he¡¯s an old thing and knows a lot.¡± Richard was somewhat disappointed, and then motioned for Bones to carry on. ¡°Skip the unimportant parts and talk about how to find the Nightmare Artifact, and how it ended up in this situation.¡± ¡­ The remaining members experienced many bizarre situations within the Inner City and two perished. After nearly twelve days of exploration, on the thirteenth day, they finally arrived at the heart of the territory¡ªa vast square. At the center of the square stood a statue not of human likeness. Its ferocious face and twisted limbs were all indicative of a sculpture of the old Nightmare Lord. But even as just a statue, the pressure emanating from it was suffocating for the nightmare creatures, regardless of whether they possessed a respiratory system. Hovering in front of the statue¡¯s chest was a palm-sized mini-pyramid with the Power of Nightmare occasionally appearing from within, imparting an air of mystery. ¡°Is this the Nightmare Artifact?¡± A pig-headed creature that resembled a Suture Monster spoke up. As the most experienced of the nightmare creatures, the Misty Coachman carefully examined the black Pyramid, with the Flames in his eye sockets burning more fiercely than usual. ¡°It should be. But¡­¡± The Misty Coachman was cut off mid-sentence as a ghostly nightmare creature dashed forward. Seeing this, the few other creatures lusting after the Nightmare Artifact immediately followed the ghost¡¯s lead, except for the unmoving Misty Coachman and Bones. Watching the creatures vie for the Nightmare Artifact, the Misty Coachman casually pinched a tobacco pipe and took a couple of drags before finishing his sentence. ¡°¡­This thing is in an activated state; whoever touches it will be out of luck.¡± No sooner had he spoken than the black Pyramid suddenly erupted with a burst of dark light, shaking the entire Nightmare Territory. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The pressure of the detonation startled the Misty Coachman. This Pyramid¡¯s commotion was larger than he had anticipated. Under the dark light, all the nightmare creatures fighting for the Pyramid were shattered to pieces, with only Bones and the Misty Coachman spared, having been on the periphery of the square. But before they could feel relieved, the dark light dissipated, and the territory¡¯s space began to shift. Bones felt the surroundings change abruptly, the next moment finding himself in this current place. And with him, multiple nightmare creatures emerged from the ruins. Some of these creatures were members of the shattered exploration team; others were nightmare creatures Bones had never seen before. The creatures, upon seeing Bones, commenced their attack without a word. Although Bones was protected by Armor and wielded the Refined Gold Greatsword, a ¡°bully artifact,¡± he was outnumbered; surrounded by more than ten adversaries, he ultimately succumbed to defeat, severely wounded. What followed was Richard awakening, and then slaughtering in all directions. ¡­ Having listened to Bones¡¯ account, Richard pondered, ¡°It seems this black Pyramid is the keystone to controlling the territory, and it involves spatial rules¡­ wait a moment.¡± Richard¡¯s voice had barely faded when his body went limp, and Bones quickly moved to support him. Not long after, Richard regained consciousness, and from his shoulder emerged a black crow. ¡°Caw, is this the kid that helped your alter ego escape? How come it looks like it¡¯s growing faster than you?¡± Chapter 210 - 40: The Heart of the Nightmare Lord Chapter 210: Chapter 40: The Heart of the Nightmare Lord Seeing Ulysses suddenly appear, the bones weren¡¯t too surprised. In his view, the raven standing on his boss¡¯s shoulder should be a manifestation of his boss¡¯s talent or perhaps the boss¡¯s twin. The forms of Nightmare creatures are varied and bizarre; he found nothing strange in whatever kind of Nightmare creature appeared. Ulysses looked around and flew a few circles around the ruins before finally returning to Richard¡¯s shoulder and whispered in his ear, ¡°Gah, something is watching us. According to what you said, that year, the Nightmare Lord dragged the entire domain into the Nightmare Domain. This is quite unusual. I suspect that the Nightmare Lord might not be dead; he is currently living in some form within this domain.¡± ¡°Hmm!?¡± Richard¡¯s face tightened, and his pupils unconsciously constricted. Ulysses¡¯s words were truly frightening¡ªa living Nightmare Lord existing in this domain meant that they, the Nightmare creatures who had entered, could become his prey. ¡°Gah, don¡¯t be nervous. Nightmare creatures are different from us; they regress in strength without the Power of Nightmare. A Nightmare Lord, having lost his domain and subordinates, would consume a great deal of Power of Nightmare unless he is asleep. After so many years, even if this Nightmare Lord is still alive, it¡¯s likely that his control over the Power of Nightmare has already been significantly depleted.¡± After finishing his words, Ulysses looked around the environment and continued, ¡°Gah, but this damned place, it¡¯s better if we leave. Your ¡®original self¡¯ isn¡¯t here; if this incarnation is lost, it would be quite troublesome.¡± Richard nodded as he too thought the same. Although the Nightmare Artifact was appealing, it was best not to risk it given their current strength. ¡°You scout ahead. We¡¯re leaving now.¡± ¡°Gah, okay.¡± Ulysses flew toward the outskirts of the domain while Richard signaled his bones to prepare to leave this forsaken place. ¡°Boss, aren¡¯t you going to take a look at that Nightmare Artifact?¡± the bones asked somewhat puzzled. He had seen Richard and Ulysses muttering for a long time and thought they were planning on how to retrieve the Nightmare Artifact. He didn¡¯t expect that after their discussion, they would actually leave. Richard glanced at him and said earnestly, ¡°Bones, what did I tell you? The main goal now is to stay alive. Is the Nightmare Artifact something we can meddle with? Forcibly taking it is not only extremely dangerous, but even if you get it, can you protect it once outside? The person who sent you the message never intended for you to survive. Even if we get out now, we would probably be hunted. Not to mention getting the artifact.¡± Listening to Richard¡¯s admonition, Bones obediently nodded repeatedly. Richard looked at him and couldn¡¯t help but sigh. When he had named Bones initially, it was because he seemed somewhat clever, able to help out in the future. But now it seemed that Bones¡¯s cleverness was merely driven by survival instincts; once the danger of survival was gone, his brain began to gather dust. But gathering dust was fine; simple creatures are often more loyal. Following Ulysses, Richard and Bones reached the street through which Bones had passed earlier. It was here that the Priest was dragged into one of the surrounding houses by a group of shadows, his fate unknown. Before entering the street, Ulysses suddenly stopped. ¡°Gah, there are a lot of residual Dream Rules here,¡± Ulysses warned cautiously, ¡°I think it¡¯s best if we take another road.¡± But Bones spoke up at this moment, ¡°It¡¯s all the same; we¡¯ve checked the entire perimeter of the Inner City District. The entire area has remnants of Dream Rules; this street is somewhat better because at least we know where the triggers for the rules are. In other parts, we don¡¯t even know what the special rules are.¡± Hearing what Bones said, Ulysses said no more and landed on Richard¡¯s shoulder, entering the street together. The street was very quiet, the buildings on both sides looked dark from the outside windows, as if they were not windows but the gaping mouth of some monster. Knowing the rules, they kept their mouths shut while walking and soon reached the edge of the Inner City District. Beyond this, they could enter the safe Outer City District. But as Richard took a step forward, he suddenly realized he was still in the same spot. Thinking it was an illusion, he stepped forward again. But his body remained in place. He looked at Bones and realized that Bones was experiencing the same. Ulysses flew up from Richard¡¯s shoulder, intending to leave via the air. But it was the same. Ulysses gave Richard a significant look and then flew backward. Moving backward seemed to pose no problem. Richard and Bones followed suit, and as they walked out of the street, Ulysses spoke, ¡°Gah, it¡¯s a spatial loop. Someone doesn¡¯t want us to get out.¡± Richard¡¯s expression darkened, and he said in a low voice, ¡°That Nightmare Lord?¡± ¡°Gah, I don¡¯t know, but what¡¯s certain is that with our current strength alone, we probably can¡¯t force our way out.¡± This was quite troublesome. Hearing the conversation between the two, Bones¡¯s heart was filled with self-reproach. Had he been more wary and less proud of his own strength, perhaps things wouldn¡¯t have gotten to this point. There was silence for a moment before Richard spoke in a low voice, ¡°Sigh, it looks like we have no choice but to look into the Nightmare Artifact.¡± He only had this one avatar, and only one underling, a skeleton. If both were lost, his arrangements in the Nightmare World would be completely undone. Although at the moment, it seemed like Richard had only lost a disposable pawn, a minor loss, in the long run, Richard lost his setup in the Nightmare World, missing out on a lot of Power of Nightmare. These powers of nightmare could eventually be turned into Soul Essence once his soul entered the Nightmare World. Moreover, this loss would vary depending on how soon Richard found a way to enter the Nightmare World, the longer it took, the greater the loss. It was like the big fish that got away during fishing; as time passed, the fish that weighed a few dozen pounds could have grown to weigh hundreds. ¡°Ah, we might as well take a look,¡± Ulysses didn¡¯t care, Richard¡¯s gains in the Nightmare World wouldn¡¯t benefit him in any way, even if Richard found a way to enter the Nightmare World later, it wouldn¡¯t affect him, the World Master. ¡°Who knows, maybe we can actually tame this divine artifact.¡± S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡­ Bone led the way to the plaza while Richard and Ulysses kept exploring this territory. Richard had Energy Vision, so if there were any traps or ambushes in the entire territory, he could detect them immediately. Ulysses, being a soul projection, acted without any concerns, daring to enter buildings even if they were tainted by the Dream Rules and might contain unknown demons and monsters. His exploration turned out to be not in vain; he indeed found something useful for Richard. ¡°Ah, this thing must have been made by a Nightmare Lord. After so many years, it still exists and can still move.¡± Ulysses held a palm-sized carriage in his claw, which looked like the carriage the Magic Puppet Billy had used to take Richard to the city of Amade. But when Bone saw the carriage, he exclaimed, ¡°Boss! This is not a nightmare creation; this is a Mist Carriage! Its Power of Nightmare has been completely drained!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Richard took the carriage with some surprise and saw a little figure, about five or six centimeters high, emerge from the carriage. The figure wore a straw hat, held a whip, and was a skeleton. It was a shrunken version of a Mist Carriage Driver. The little figure immediately began kneeling to Richard, shouting, ¡°Spare my life, master, spare my life! I¡¯m only left with a trace of the Power of Nightmare, eating me won¡¯t do you much good.¡± Richard looked curiously at this regressed nightmare creature, he hadn¡¯t really studied such beings yet. But, considering his current circumstances, studying nightmare creatures seemed a bit costly. Richard pinched the Mist Carriage Driver and asked Bone, ¡°How about this little guy assists you? You mentioned before that he has a lot of knowledge and experience.¡± Bone was stunned, not sure what Richard meant by that. But Richard was right; the Mist Carriage Driver did have rich knowledge and experience. ¡°¡­Alright,¡± Bone replied after thinking for a moment. Having an experienced assistant would be quite helpful for his survival. Richard looked at the Mist Carriage Driver. ¡°Little one, how about I give you a name?¡± As Richard¡¯s power increased, the naming mechanism granted him more and more privileges. From initially sensing emotions to now being able to extract Power of Nightmare from those he named, which was higher than his own. If he reached the Third Level, who knew what naming would bring him. Hearing that Richard was about to name him, the Mist Carriage Driver nodded repeatedly, ¡°Thank you for the honor of giving me a name, master!¡± Naming was something that could only happen with the agreement of both parties; with the Mist Carriage Driver¡¯s consent, Richard casually gave him a name. ¡°Previously you were called the Mist Carriage Driver, so now I shall simply call you Carriage Driver.¡± As the name was bestowed, an instant connection formed between Richard and the Mist Carriage Driver. After the naming was done, Richard held the Carriage Driver up to inquire about his experiences. The Carriage Driver and Bone had been relocated together, but compared to Bone, who had Richard¡¯s support, the Carriage Driver¡¯s experiences were unfortunate. He had been transported to a district with strict rules and had encountered multiple nightmare creatures attacking him. The Carriage Driver, stronger than Bone, fought desperately, managing to counter-kill the attacking nightmare creatures, but before he could be happy, he violated a rule and was pulled into a building by shadows, having all his Power of Nightmare drained. ¡°Oh? This district has rules?¡± Richard glanced at the surrounding houses, thinking about how formidable the Nightmare Domain was, able to play with Big Nightmares on even tainted land. ¡°Yes, master. This area has a restriction on noise levels; I was punished for the sound of my whip.¡± Richard nodded and used Magic Pocket to store him. With Ulysses present, the Carriage Driver¡¯s experience seemed rather inadequate; his usefulness would have to wait until they were outside. Soon, Richard and his party finally arrived at the edge of the square, where a black pyramid was floating up and down in front of the chest of a statue of the Nightmare Lord. ¡°Ah, something is off about this,¡± Ulysses looked at the pyramid and suddenly said, ¡°This thing, I don¡¯t feel like it¡¯s a Nightmare Artifact but rather like¡­¡± Suddenly, a voice came from within the pyramid: ¡°Wizard, I¡¯d like to make a deal with you.¡± Richard frowned and asked Ulysses, ¡°Has this thing become sentient, developed an Artifact Spirit?¡± Ulysses shook his head and said with a serious tone, ¡°Ah, no, it¡¯s the heart of the Lord who once ruled this territory!¡± Chapter 211 - 41 Trading Chapter 211: Chapter 41 Trading ¡°The heart of the Nightmare Lord?¡± Richard looked back at the hovering black pyramid, ¡°You can actually tell that I am a Wizard. I thought that not even the Nightmare Lord could see through my identity.¡± Because his true body was not in the Nightmare World, Richard spoke with more confidence. So what if you see through me? Have the guts to run to the Material World and kill me at the Tower of Truth. The black pyramid emitted another sound: ¡°The talent of you Wizards is almost like it was carved from the same mold. Each one of you hides yourselves and wears robes of the same style. So many years have passed, and you haven¡¯t changed.¡± Richard¡¯s expression paused for a moment, as he did not expect to be recognized for this reason. But he quickly realized that this was indeed a flaw. The talent and appearance of a Wizard¡¯s Nightmare Body are often determined by the Wizard¡¯s inner desires, and it was obvious that every Wizard wanted to conceal their identity and felt a strong association with their identity as a Wizard. Thus, it was common to see little difference among the Nightmare Bodies of Wizards. And in the Nightmare World, difference is the normal state; being alike is what¡¯s alien. ¡°I must say, it¡¯s been a very long time since I¡¯ve last seen any trace of you. Has your war finally ended?¡± the black pyramid spoke with a relaxed tone. It seemed that the black pyramid had extensive past interactions with Wizards and from its words, its age seemed to trace back to the very end of the enlightenment period, the time of the great Wizard war. After pondering for a moment, Richard decided to answer truthfully: ¡°If you¡¯re referring to the great Wizard war, then that has long since ended.¡± The black pyramid fell silent for a while: ¡°It seems I have wasted a lot of time.¡± ¡°So, what kind of deal do you want to make with me?¡± The black pyramid hesitated, then said, ¡°I need a body, a custom-made body without a core. This shouldn¡¯t be difficult for you Wizards.¡± ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s not difficult,¡± Richard replied indifferently, ¡°but what price will you pay? Wizard¡¯s rule, equitable exchange. But what can you offer now, in your current state?¡± ¡°Equitable exchange?¡± The voice of the black pyramid suddenly became cheerful, ¡°After so many years, you Wizards still like to hang this nonsense phrase on your lips. When have I ever made a deal with you that wasn¡¯t at my loss and at your advantage?¡± ¡°That is your perception,¡± Richard replied calmly. ¡°Alright, you Wizards are still the same, and that reassures me,¡± the voice of the black pyramid relaxed, ¡°You make the body as I have requested, and I will give you an incomplete Nightmare Artifact.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Richard raised an eyebrow, ¡°This sounds like quite the advantageous deal for me.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t finished my conditions. I need five hundred years with this servant of yours, during which he will follow my commands completely,¡± the black pyramid added. Richard narrowed his eyes. He had not expected this lord to want Bone. ¡°You actually want Bone? I think we can further discuss this condition.¡± Bone usually protected Richard¡¯s avatar, and if he were to follow the Nightmare Lord, there would inevitably be battles, which did not align with Richard¡¯s needs for Bone. ¡°Oh? Do you actually have feelings for the little guy?¡± The black pyramid was surprised; according to its impression of Wizards, they would certainly agree to this trade. ¡°Bone is needed to guard this avatar of mine and cannot follow your orders completely,¡± Richard replied evenly, ¡°But I have another little guy here who might satisfy your requirements.¡± With that, Richard pulled the coachman out of his pocket. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°This little guy degenerated because he violated the rules, but with enough Power of Nightmare, he will soon recover. His strength is much more formidable than Bone¡¯s.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s this little one, I thought he had already died,¡± the black pyramid recognized the coachman, ¡°But right now, he¡¯s just a Nightmare Spirit, raising his Power of Nightmare will take too much.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. If you agree to the trade, he will soon become a Big Nightmare.¡± The black pyramid was silent for a long while, seemingly considering whether the trade was worthwhile. ¡°You need to turn him into a Big Nightmare first, then I can agree to this trade.¡± Richard nodded: ¡°No problem, but I need a small favor from you.¡± ¡­ Three hours later, Richard threw the carcass of a Big Nightmare to the coachman. As a vast amount of Power of Nightmare was absorbed, the coachman¡¯s strength returned to that of a Big Nightmare. The task Richard needed the black pyramid to do was simple: to summon those Nightmare Creatures again. Looking at the energy circuits, there was a massive Energy Network hidden beneath the entire Inner City District, and the hub just happened to be the black pyramid. But regrettably, the Nightmare energy in these energy networks was not from the black pyramid itself, but rather from the land of the Nightmare World. The energy circuit that could be observed through the strata because it was familiar, wasn¡¯t it? The territory of the black pyramid just happened to cover a piece of land that was generating Black Knights, and the pyramid, thus, had connected to this Nightmare Network and activated its defensive measures. However, the Nightmare energy used to generate the Black Knights was not something to be consumed lightly, and the black pyramid only dared to use it to activate defenses and did not dare to take more. As the Nightmare Lord, he knew many of the dark secrets of the tidal forces. With the carriage driver returning to the Big Nightmare, the Black Pyramid finally agreed to the trade. He only needed a Big Nightmare to help him get through the initial difficult years, as for which Big Nightmare it was? It didn¡¯t matter. ¡°Very well, since you agree to the trade, bring out the energy circuit diagram for the body you wish to craft.¡± Richard looked forward to the Black Pyramid with some anticipation, a body custom-designed by a Nightmare Lord surely contained a wealth of knowledge. But the Black Pyramid said, ¡°Before the trade, I need you to take an oath on the Sea of Souls, promising not to leave any backdoors in the body during its creation. And after the transaction is concluded, you must not attack me, mark me, seal me, or engage in any hostile actions against me, and this must be maintained for at least five hundred years.¡± It had to be said, the Black Pyramid definitely had been tricked by Wizards in the past. Wizards, although sticklers for contracts, felt no guilty conscience about backstabbing after a deal was finished, especially when dealing with Alien entities. Richard¡¯s expression darkened upon hearing this, and he unwillingly took an oath on the Sea of Souls. After the oath was taken, the Black Pyramid sent a Spiritual Message to Richard. This message was an energy circuit diagram he had never seen before, which was many times more complex than that of an ordinary Nightmare Spirit, yet it still fell within the category of a Nightmare Spirit. If one became a Lesser Nightmare using this energy circuit, the energy flow within would be several times more complex than that of an ordinary Lesser Nightmare. And the secrets within, probably only the Black Pyramid itself knew. Following the diagram, Richard spent a lot of time completing the body. After delivering the body, the Black Pyramid slowly flew into the chest of the body and then merged into it. Three seconds later, the body opened its eyes. ¡°Very well, you Wizards are cunning, but the things you make are indeed useful.¡± The Black Pyramid stood up and took out a miniature Black Pyramid from its chest. ¡°This is what you wanted.¡± Richard took the pyramid and asked, ¡°I haven¡¯t had the honor of learning your name.¡± ¡°Name?¡± The Black Pyramid snorted coldly, ¡°I dare not tell you Wizards my real name, you can simply call me ¡®Pyramid.''¡± Richard¡¯s eye twitched. He thought to himself about what his fellow Wizards must have done in the Nightmare World to make a Nightmare Lord so wary that they wouldn¡¯t even reveal their name to a junior Wizard like himself. ¡°Enough, our trade is complete, the defenses of the land have been lifted, you may leave at your leisure.¡± After saying this, the Pyramid Lord beckoned the carriage driver over and left the territory without hesitation, without a trace of reluctance. It seemed that this land was not so much a dominion to him as it was a prison. ¡­ Richard checked the Nightmare Artifact given to him by the Pyramid Lord. The artifact was only the size of a fist, made of smooth obsidian and looking very exquisite. The only defect was that one corner of the pyramid was chipped. On the five faces of the pyramid, Richard found markings similar to runes, but the system of these runes was completely different from that of a Wizard¡¯s runes, and in the short term, Richard was unable to decipher them. Infusing the Power of Nightmare into the Black Pyramid, the next moment, it merged into Richard¡¯s body and fused with the core of the Nightmare Body. And he became aware of the use of the Black Pyramid. ¡°Nightmare amplification, once merged into the body, any actions involving Dream Rules will be amplified by the Black Pyramid. Moreover, this ability can also be shared with subordinates through the bond of gifting names.¡± Understanding the function of the Black Pyramid, Richard shook his head: ¡°What¡¯s the use of this, Bone, how much do you know about the Dream Rules?¡± Bone shook his head: ¡°Boss, I don¡¯t know many strategies involving the Dream Rules either.¡± Richard sighed, ¡°It seems this thing is of little use for now.¡± Thinking about it, if this artifact was a very useful Divine Artifact, Pyramid would definitely not have given it up so easily for five hundred years. ¡°Verbally giving it to me while actually allowing me to attract firepower, and then sneaking off to grow with his subordinates. He will come back for this Nightmare Artifact once he¡¯s grown,¡± Richard looked in the direction Pyramid had left, scoffing in his heart. But this Nightmare Lord probably never dreamt that his Nightmare Artifact was like throwing meat buns to a dog, gone without return. No matter what marks Pyramid had left in this Nightmare Artifact, as long as Richard found a way into the Nightmare World. A Nightmare Artifact? Merely a vessel for the rules, all for my crafting! With that thought, Richard lay back down in the coffin. ¡°I¡¯ve expended a lot of energy on this operation, and I fear I won¡¯t be able to awaken for some time. Don¡¯t return to that tavern after you go out, just go straight to the Wilderness and find another Lawless Land. The one who leaked the information about the Nightmare Artifact, will definitely not let you live.¡± Bone nodded vigorously, ¡°Survival comes first, I know, boss.¡± Richard nodded, then closed the coffin and shut off the Dream World Communication Device. Exiting from the Communication Device, the room where Richard had placed the device was hot as a furnace. Staying in the Nightmare World for nearly a day was a great challenge for the Dream World Communication Device. But from what he could see now, Richard¡¯s modified cooling device was definitely sturdy. Stepping out of the Communication Room, Richard moved his body around, preparing to enter his laboratory and continue his experiments. Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks. A nearly imperceptible connection, despite the obstruction between dimensions, had linked to his soul. And the source of this connection was none other than the Nightmare Artifact. ¡°Could it be¡­ I can use this Nightmare Artifact in the Material World, too?¡± Chapter 212 - 42 Nightmare Erosion Chapter 212: Chapter 42 Nightmare Erosion Richard tried to use his spiritual power to search for the link that would lead into the Nightmare World, but without amplification, his spiritual power could never break through the dimensional barrier. ¡°That¡¯s strange,¡± he wondered aloud. ¡°If there¡¯s a connection, why is it blocked?¡± Richard opened the Secret Realm Rift and fished Ulysses out from within. After listening to Richard¡¯s account, Ulysses responded, ¡°Gah, didn¡¯t the Nightmare Artifact merge with your Nightmare Core? This connection is probably not a direct link between the Nightmare Artifact and your soul, but rather, it uses the link between your Soul Seed and your soul to create a connection with your soul.¡± After hearing Ulysses¡¯ explanation, Richard instantly understood. He could use the connection between the Soul Seed and his soul to transmit soul messages to the Nightmare World, so naturally, the process could be reversed. However, this realization only brought him empty joy. Unable to use the Nightmare Artifact, the connection was useless. Suddenly, Richard felt a slight tremor. A vague sensation washed over him. The Nightmare Rules within him seemed¡­ to have triggered a reaction with this connection. ¡°Number One!¡± Richard suddenly shouted. Within seconds, Number One, who was dressed in a maid¡¯s outfit with cat-like attire, appeared before Richard and bowed her head gently, saying, ¡°Master, what do you need?¡± ¡°Lift your head.¡± Number One lifted her head, her pale blue eyes meeting Richard¡¯s. Though her expression was calm, a hint of terror could still be seen. She had no idea what her own master wanted her to do. She had been in contact with other sub-human slaves in the Wizard Tower and knew that many of them were used for human experiments. The miserable fates of those sub-humans were deeply etched in her heart. ¡°Please not an experiment.¡± She feigned calm and lifted her head as Richard instructed. At the moment she lifted her head, she suddenly realized her master¡¯s eyes seemed to exude a dark abyss. ¡°Come with me. I have an experiment that requires your cooperation,¡± Richard said calmly. Richard¡¯s words instantly made Number One¡¯s heart sink. Like a puppet, she followed Richard into the laboratory, then watched as Richard took out a black insect bristling with dense tentacles. She had seen such insects before¡ªon a sub-human used as an experimental subject by a wizard. This type of insect was a parasite that would slowly consume every inch of flesh beneath the host¡¯s skin, while the host remained fully conscious during the process and even felt no pain. In the end, the insect would completely devour the host, leaving only the brain, which would forever sleep under the influence of the hallucinogen released by the parasite. Number One couldn¡¯t help but step backwards and weakly fell to her knees. Would she meet the same end? She watched as Richard approached her with the insect, watched as it came closer and closer. ¡°Open your mouth.¡± Number One violently shook her head, crawling to her master¡¯s feet and begging tearfully. But what met her was only those cold, merciless eyes. Next, she was tied to an experimental table, her mouth forcibly propped open with instruments, then watched as the horrific parasite entered her mouth, starting to eat from her tongue, bit by bit moving down her throat, and then¡­ ¡°Ah!¡± Number One screamed, her eyes snapping open to see Richard calmly watching her. ¡°What did you experience?¡± Richard asked, taking out a notebook. Number One touched her mouth and scanned her surroundings. Was that all an illusion? Wiping the cold sweat from her forehead, she began to recount everything she had seen to Richard. At that moment, she roughly understood that her wizard master had indeed used her for an experiment, but not in the way she had seen. After listening to Number One¡¯s description, Richard closed the notebook, rubbed Number One¡¯s head to dismiss her, and gave her a three-day vacation. ¡°Is this the ability that the Nightmare Rules granted me?¡± From Number One¡¯s description, Richard could confirm that he had gained the ability to plunge someone into nightmares. The nightmare consisted of what the subject feared the most, but it caused no mental harm. While using this ability, Richard also recorded his own consumption. When he put Number One into a nightmare, his spiritual power depleted slightly, and Number One was immersed in the nightmare for a minute. Richard estimated that the ability¡¯s consumption probably depended on the spiritual power of the subject. ¡°Not bad, this thing is absolutely perfect for interrogations.¡± Having tested his ability, Richard was about to reenter the laboratory when a wave of magic pulled him to the third floor. That was the magic fluctuation of the long-range Communication Crystal Ball. Locating the Crystal Ball, Richard glanced at the message inside. ¡°Richard, is that Magic Statue of yours still around? I¡¯d like to borrow it.¡± ¡­ In Anna¡¯s Wizard Tower, Richard opened the Secret Realm Rift and moved the Alchemy Golem out from within. Watching the Magic Statue whose shell had been replaced with blue mushroom iron, Anna¡¯s eyes went from shocked to admiring as she looked at Richard. She gave Richard a thumbs-up: ¡°You really know how to ¡®shear the sheep.''¡± Richard chuckled. With the Miracle Furnace at hand, not to take advantage of refining ore seemed downright unreasonable. Anna touched the Magic Statue with her mechanical right hand, and a faint glimmer of Magic Power sparkled from her fingertips. With a light flick, a metal plate detached from the Alchemy Golem. Seeing the unchanged internal structure, Anna breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Thank goodness you only changed the shell, otherwise, this golem would have been useless.¡± Richard, curious, asked, ¡°Senior Sister, besides being cheap, is there anything special about this golem?¡± Over the years, Richard had studied the golem, but after researching every part of it, he found that its structure seemed quite ordinary. Apart from being cheap, there were no particular advantages. Anna glanced at Richard and pulled out a sheepskin scroll from her Magic Pocket. ¡°But there¡¯s really nothing special about it on its own, but with this, it can be of great use.¡± Richard was slightly surprised, ¡°Oh? It looks like Senior Sister has found something valuable.¡± Anna hummed proudly twice, ¡°Humph, thanks to you, I¡¯ve gathered some Encrypted Notes over the years. Among these notes, one was covered by a Sealing Skill, and this is what was hidden within.¡± ¡°What do you want to do with this golem of mine, then? If you need the golem¡¯s structure, I can give it to you right here.¡± ¡°Give it to me?¡± Anna frowned slightly, walked over to Richard, and knocked hard on his head with her left hand. ¡°Is that how you treat the knowledge you discover? Don¡¯t you know that between wizards, knowledge transfer, except between master and apprentice, should be about equivalent exchange?¡± Richard rubbed his head, nonchalantly said, ¡°Look, even if I don¡¯t ask for anything, you would still propose an equivalent exchange. Since you can come up with it on your own, why should I bother?¡± Anna glared at Richard annoyingly: ¡°Then next time I won¡¯t say anything! Let¡¯s see if you learn your lesson after being taken advantage of a couple of times.¡± Richard grinned, ¡°Don¡¯t be mad, don¡¯t be mad; getting angry is bad for your health. It¡¯s clearly you who¡¯s taking advantage, but now it seems like I¡¯m the one benefitting.¡± Seeing Richard¡¯s facetious expression, Anna huffily pushed him out of the Wizard Tower. ¡°Get out, get out, I have my own use for this puppet. When I¡¯ve figured it out, I¡¯ll let you know.¡± With that, Anna slammed the door shut. Richard stood outside and shouted loudly: ¡°Hey, Senior Sister, you haven¡¯t paid me yet!¡± Anna¡¯s annoyed voice came from behind the door: ¡°No payment! You were going to gift me the blueprint anyway, so why care about this little money?¡± Hearing this, Richard touched his chin, a slight smile curving up at the corner of his mouth. ¡°Desensitization was a great success.¡± Ever since the academic conference in the Insect Nest World, Richard had wanted to shatter some of the entrenched ideas held by wizards in his circle. Research findings could certainly be private, but wizards were a bit too extreme in their approach to research, treating every scrap as a treasure, and considering inquiries about their research topics as offensive. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Richard was attempting to break this mindset, laying the groundwork for future academic symposiums. Moreover, Richard believed that change in a society always starts with individual changes. Perhaps in the future, the entire Wizard Society could be transformed because of his actions. ¡­ Back in the Wizard Tower, Richard finally entered the laboratory. Looking at the Crystal Ball on the experimental table, he sighed. Inside the Crystal Ball was an incomplete Rune, the Mountain Heart Rune he had obtained in the Mountain Secret Realm. A year was too short, and Richard barely had time to complete the rune. Now that he was away from the Mountain Secret Realm, the incomplete state of the rune left Richard feeling like he had a mountain of treasures yet was unable to start mining. The Mountain Heart Rune was extremely complex, and even a Great Wizard specializing in Rune Studies would need time to complete it, not to mention Richard¡ªa Second Ring Wizard with little accumulated knowledge¡ªit was a fool¡¯s dream to attempt its completion. Thus, Richard decided to forge his own path. Since he couldn¡¯t complete it, he could disassemble some lower-level runes from the complex, incomplete Mountain Heart Rune. This process was not a novel innovation among wizards; Richard had disassembled some rudimentary secondary runes from the Annihilation Flame Rune and the Dark Water Rune to assist in the formation of spells during the creation of the Heart of Annihilation. And most importantly, this operation was not difficult, the only trouble was experimenting repeatedly to see if the secondary rune would work. It was an extremely tedious and protracted process; ordinary mortals might never find a viable secondary rune in their lifetime. But fortunately, wizards did not lack time. ¡­ Twenty years later, a surge of Magic Fluctuation woke Richard from his experiments. He had to stop the rune he had just disassembled and reach for his long-range Crystal Ball. There were two messages on the crystal ball, one from Anna. Anna had completed her research on the golem, instructing Richard to reclaim the golem. But the other message was somewhat more significant. [Sender: Vladimir] [Clear Frost First, Second, and Third Legions will participate in a Plane War three years from now, and you are needed as a technical consultant for the war.] Chapter 213 - 43: The Failed Magic Statue? Chapter 213: Chapter 43: The Failed Magic Statue? ¡°After three years, why the rush?¡± Looking at the message in the crystal ball, Richard couldn¡¯t help but feel a headache. According to the military clause, Richard Jolod¡¯s Commerce had to send a technical adviser to participate in the Plane War. The technical adviser needed to collect first-hand data from the prototype on the battlefield, namely the Magic Support Vehicle designed by Richard, to use for later optimization and upgrades. The White Wizard Army had spent a large amount of Magic Essence and did not just buy the Magic Support Vehicle; the accompanying upgrade service was also included in the purchase. Moreover, since Richard was the creator of the prototype, he had to attend the first actual battle as a technical adviser. As everyone knows, prototypes often have many technical problems, and some issues need the designer to find solutions. In summary, Richard had no choice but to go to the Plane War. Putting the crystal ball aside, Richard had to rearrange his life for the next few years. With training in the Gravity Laboratory, Richard¡¯s physique had reached 117 points, which was significantly effective. Richard was even considering partnering with the Jialong Club to establish a gravity gym on the residential level. This type of training, which could effectively improve physique, Richard thought, would be liked by many wizards pursuing physique evolution. In addition to his physique, Richard¡¯s Adaptation Body and Dragon Transformation Battle Body had also reached new heights over the years. He could now ignore all damage from flames, thunder, and ice below 500 energy levels, and had 250 energy levels of resistance to blunt, cutting, and penetration damages. Right now, Richard, relying solely on his Adaptation Body, could overpower some newly promoted, knowledge-lacking One Ring Wizards. However, to achieve this effect, Richard had spent tens of thousands of Magic Essences on the Adaptation Body over the years, making it the largest gold-eater among Richard¡¯s subordinates. For the Dragon Transformation Battle Body, Richard had developed both the Detoxification Gland and the Dragon Skin Hardening Gland. The former could speed up detoxification effects, while the latter further enhanced Richard¡¯s defense capabilities. But what Richard really wanted, the Physique Enhancement Gland, still had not appeared. If he had the Physique Enhancement Gland, Richard¡¯s physique could grow even while sitting. Aside from physique, Richard¡¯s spiritual power had also steadily increased over those years, now having reached 112 points. Although spiritual power could only be rapidly increased with top-tier treasure like Soul Essence, the growth rate was stable. Almost every ten years, he could improve by one point. For Richard to reach the limit of a Second Ring Wizard, it would only take a thousand years. And this thousand years wasn¡¯t even all spent in meditation; meditating for just eight hours a day could basically be regarded as sleep. For wizards, increasing spiritual power was never a problem, and spiritual power¡¯s impact on a wizard¡¯s fighting capabilities was also minimal. Without enough knowledge, a Second Ring Wizard with 199 spiritual power could still be defeated by a Second Ring Wizard with 100 spiritual power. ¡°These years of gravity training have become less meaningful, and I can also stop training my Adaptation Body,¡± Richard pondered, casually pulling out a notebook from his pocket to start recording. ¡°Stop gravity and Adaptation Body training, and in the next few years, focus on actual combat training and equipment upgrades.¡± Richard¡¯s magic wand incorporated a lot of Pure Gold, and if these were mixed in proper proportions, they could create alloys of excellent properties. These alloys, whether used to make Magic Equipment or craft Alchemy Golems, were top-notch materials. Richard casually wrote down a few Magic Equipment ideas in his notebook, and then he left the Wizard Tower to go find Anna for his Magic Statue. He wanted to check out what good things Anna had crafted over the years. Outside the Wizard Tower, the sun was bright, and the brilliant sunlight on Richard made him involuntarily shield his eyes. Even though his dragon eyes were not affected in the slightest by the sunlight. Seeing such fine weather, Richard decided to walk rather than use the Flying Technique after a long time. The Black Tower Wizard Community had road systems, with twisting and turning walkways made of brick and stone, decorated with pebble mosaics in different colors. These paths were generally traveled only by subhuman servants on ordinary days, even those with wings normally walked. The sky belonged to the wizards. Following the path, Richard soon arrived in front of Anna¡¯s Wizard Tower. He pressed the doorbell. Ding-dong! Soon, a subhuman servant opened the door and welcomed Richard in. ¡°Lord, please follow me, the master has been waiting for you for a long time.¡± Following the subhuman servant, Richard descended into the Wizard Tower¡¯s basement. Every Wizard Tower had a basement; while Richard used his for storing food and books, Anna had expanded hers into a small Alchemy Workshop. Various small-sized Alchemy Machines were gathered inside this basement, serving as Anna¡¯s daily tools. Richard even suspected that if he gave the Magic Support Vehicle blueprints to Anna, she could produce one straight from the basement machines. Rumble, rumble¡­ Passing through the corridor, the brightly lit Alchemy Workshop unfolded before Richard. The sounds of operating Alchemy Machines blended together, making Richard feel as if he were in a noisy factory. In the center of the Alchemy Workshop, Richard saw Anna busily working. Anna was using her multifunctional mechanical hand to tinker with something that looked like an Alchemy Golem, occasionally emitting sparks as though she were welding. ¡°Master, Lord Richard has arrived,¡± the subhuman servant announced. Anna looked up, seeing Richard, and hastily beckoned him over. ¡°Richard, come take a look at this.¡± Richard approached, and Anna excitedly introduced him to her creation. ¡°Look, this is the Alchemy Golem I¡¯ve made. See its advantages?¡± Saying so, Anna slapped the golem, and its eyes lit up. ¡°Anna Number One has awakened, please issue your command, Master.¡± Looking at the Magic Statue that was smaller than his, Richard casually tapped its outer shell. ¡°This isn¡¯t made of pure metal, is it?¡± ¡°Of course not. This enchanted metal shell is for increasing defense power.¡± Anna said somewhat discontentedly, ¡°Even if my skills are poor, I wouldn¡¯t create an Alchemy Golem just by stacking Alchemy Metal.¡± Richard walked around the Magic Statue, looking at it from left to right and noticed that besides its reduced size, the Magic Statue seemed to have nothing special. ¡°Senior sister, could it spar with me for a bit?¡± Richard tentatively asked. Without opening up the Magic Statue to see its internal structure, Richard could only judge the quality of the Magic Statue by its attack and defense. After all, a Magic Statue is a war machine; attack and defense are its two most important metrics. ¡°Hey, can¡¯t you see that I¡¯ve miniaturized this Magic Statue?¡± Hearing Richard was about to make a move, Anna could no longer hold back her thoughts. ¡°Ah? Just this? I thought it had other excellent features.¡± Richard said somewhat embarrassedly. ¡°It has reduced size, isn¡¯t that a major advantage?¡± Anna said somewhat angrily, ¡°This Magic Statue¡¯s attributes, compared to your original version, are all stronger and not weaker. On this basis, reducing its size was already a very big advantage!¡± ¡°Uh¡­ so, what exactly is your positioning for this thing, Anna?¡± Richard asked cautiously looking at the Alchemy Golem. ¡°Positioning?¡± Anna asked confusedly. Richard tapped on the Magic Statue, ¡°The Magic Statue that you researched, Senior Sister, its positioning is as a cheap weapon. Its material is made from Enchanted Stone, which is very affordable. Moreover, the internal structure of the Magic Statue is also very simple, so even if it gets destroyed, it wouldn¡¯t be a big loss. And like some Magic Statue Armies of Alchemy Great Wizards, those are positioned as elite weaponry. Great Wizards use expensive Alchemy Metal to make Magic Statues, significantly boosting their performance without considering the cost, making them formidable fighters that ordinary wizards can¡¯t contend with. But your this¡­¡± Richard did not finish his sentence. If this were the Enlightenment period, Anna¡¯s improvement could be said to be very strong. Back then, Magic Statue technology wasn¡¯t as advanced as it is now, and being able to reduce its size without lowering its attributes would have been a significant improvement. Releasing this news would have definitely caused crazed scrambles among many Wizard Families. But now, Magic Statue technology is very mature, and Magic Statues have completed the process from miniaturization to metalization. Even if these technologies are in the hands of some Alchemy Great Wizards. One could say that as far as the optimization of Magic Statue size goes, the path was essentially exhausted. So now, very few wizards delve into researching Magic Statue miniaturization, generally they research transformative Magic Statues. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Like Richard¡¯s Magic Support Vehicle, in a sense, is also a kind of transformative Magic Statue, except that Richard didn¡¯t install autonomous controllers inside. Moreover, ordinary wizards usually design Magic Statues as guards, focusing firstly on designing their functions and then finding ways to optimize their size, rather than optimizing size first and then adding functions. Size is simply not as high a priority as functionality. After hearing Richard¡¯s words, Anna¡¯s face immediately turned unsightly. With a gloomy face, she looked at the Magic Statue she had toiled over for so many years, not knowing what to do. What positioning should this thing have? As a cheap weapon, it¡¯s too expensive; as finely crafted weaponry, its data is insufficient; and as a guard, it lacks many functions. After much thought, Anna heaved a sigh: ¡°Sigh, I was blinded by that design on the Encrypted Notes.¡± ¡°Design blueprint?¡± Richard recalled the Sheepskin Scroll he had seen twenty years ago, ¡°Anna, did you create this puppet based on the design blueprint?¡± ¡°Of course not! I was inspired by that blueprint, then combined it with your Magic Statue to create this one.¡± Saying this, Anna took out the Sheepskin Scroll from her pocket. She was captivated by the contents of the Sheepskin Scroll, forgetting that Magic Statue technology was now very mature. The work that took her twenty years to complete could now only be considered a part of knowledge reserves. Seeing the somewhat depressed Anna, Richard didn¡¯t know how to comfort her. He walked over to Anna, wanting to say some encouraging words, but as his eyes wandered, he swallowed all the comforting words. ¡°That¡­ Senior Sister, could I take a look at that Sheepskin Scroll?¡± The depressed Anna handed the Sheepskin Scroll to Richard indifferently: ¡°Take a look if you want, consider it as the cost for borrowing your Magic Statue during this period.¡± After receiving the Sheepskin Scroll and seeing what was on it, Richard was sure he had not seen wrong. The entire internal structure of the Magic Statue was constructed around an Earth Element Core. ¡°Senior Sister, perhaps there¡¯s still some future for this thing.¡± ¡°Hmm!?¡± Anna was startled, quickly standing up from the stool. ¡°What did you find, Junior Brother?¡± Richard waved the Sheepskin Scroll in his hand: ¡°If the internal structural principle of your Magic Statue is similar to what¡¯s on this scroll. Then a research of mine over these years might just make this Magic Statue a bit more useful.¡± Chapter 214 - 44 Magic Statue Modification Plan Chapter 214: Chapter 44 Magic Statue Modification Plan Richard¡¯s laboratory. ¡°This is a rune I discovered recently. I feel that it would be very suitable to apply to your golem,¡± Richard explained to Anna while holding a loose clump of earth with a rune inscribed on it. He channeled magic power into one of the runes, and after a short while, the loose clump of earth became compacted. ¡°What¡¯s the use of this?¡± Anna looked at Richard¡¯s clump of earth with some confusion. To her, it was just a clump of earth with runes that had become compact because of the runes, but it seemed to have no use to her golem, right? ¡°Hey, don¡¯t rush.¡± Richard smiled, breaking off a piece of the clump of earth and destroying one of the runes in the process. He then created some sand with a spell. ¡°Watch closely. What comes next is the key point.¡± As he finished speaking, Richard placed the damaged piece of earth onto the sand, and a miraculous thing occurred. The piece of earth, devoid of any sign of life, began to autonomously absorb the sand. The sand quickly filled in the part that Richard had broken off, and even the damaged rune was repaired. ¡°This¡­ this¡­ this is memory! And it also has a degree of activation!¡± Anna was amazed by the transformation of the clump of earth. The rune that Richard presented had significant implications for her golem. If it could be applied properly, her golem could autonomously restore itself from damage by absorbing elements as long as its core remained intact. Seeing Anna recognize the value of the rune, Richard nodded with satisfaction. This rune was the most complex one he had removed from the Mountain Heart Runes. Initially, he had not foreseen any use for it and planned to archive it as knowledge storage. But unexpectedly, it found an application with Anna. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°This rune can memorize the state of earth elements and perform a certain degree of repair. If it can be matched with a rune array, it would be greatly beneficial to your golem, Senior Sister.¡± Anna looked at the clump of earth in Richard¡¯s hand, her heart stirring with emotion. It was undeniable; this rune was well-suited for her golem. However, the discovery of the rune was Richard¡¯s. If she wanted to use it, she had to exchange knowledge of equivalent value to the rune. What knowledge should she exchange? ¡°Senior Sister, are you considering what knowledge to exchange for my rune?¡± Richard placed the earth clump on a nearby experiment table, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. Anna nodded, her brows furrowed, uncertain what knowledge to offer in exchange. ¡°Senior Sister, don¡¯t worry for now. How about you listen to my proposal?¡± ¡°What proposal?¡± Anna turned to Richard, curious what her unusually inventive junior brother had come up with. ¡°As for the knowledge of this rune, I can give it to you for free. However, I need you to develop something according to my ideas, and then sign a contract with the trade guild to sell it.¡± ¡°What thing?¡± Richard took out a notebook from his pocket, tore off a page at random, and scribbled a design. It was a very rudimentary golem. Apart from the frame, it had hardly anything else. ¡°Senior Sister, this structure needs to be fully restorable. Do you think it¡¯s feasible?¡± Looking at Richard¡¯s concept, Anna frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but I can give it a try. What do you need this for?¡± Richard smiled faintly, a glint of wisdom in his eyes. ¡°Of course, to make money. If we can mass-produce this thing, we could make a fortune.¡± If possible, the Demon Statue Army of the Enlightenment era might just make a comeback in the Jianghu. ¡­ With Richard¡¯s commission and knowledge, Anna left Richard¡¯s Wizard Tower. Meanwhile, Richard began to busy himself with his own matters. The eleventh floor of the Duel Arena was as crowded as ever. Richard sat in the spectator stands, quietly watching two Second Ring wizards exchange blow for blow. Over the years, Richard had been actively participating in various activities of the Jialong Club and had sparred with many of its members. These members had much more experience in physical combat than Richard, and every fight allowed him to learn something new. Those wizards who followed the Constitution Path were generous in sharing their tricks, unlike most wizards who held their techniques close to their chests. These tricks were not hard to master, but a wizard might have to engage in many fights to figure them out on their own. Sometimes, Richard even felt that the Jialong Club was what an academic organization should really be like. Soon, the fight in the arena ended, and the victor received all the spotlight, while the loser lay honestly on the ground. The audience quickly dispersed. The victor approached the fallen combatant, helping them up from the ground. While they were opponents during the battle, they returned to being fellow club members once the fight concluded. The club¡¯s members valued mutual assistance. ¡°Hey, Richard. You¡¯ve been coming to the club more and more often. Have you finally taken to the delights of the Constitution Path, resolving to devote yourself to the Physique Evolution Path?¡± Jimmy shouted with laughter upon seeing Richard. Richard shrugged, ¡°Master, we wizards are all about flamboyance; how can we stick to just one path?¡± Jimmy shook his head upon hearing this, ¡°Every path is profound and capacious; walking two paths at once, be careful not to reach the end of neither.¡± Afterward, Jimmy greeted a few familiar wizards. There were more wizards at the Duel Arena today, so there might be a wait to use it. Jimmy gathered a few wizards together, then took out a Crystal Ball and sent several messages. Soon after, he regretfully said to two of the wizards, ¡°I¡¯m afraid you two won¡¯t be able to fight today; there¡¯s no suitable opponent for you.¡± Club fights emphasized evenly matched opponents; only adversaries of similar strength could truly ignite the passion within a wizard. Upon hearing this, the two wizards could only leave the arena in frustration, leaving behind four wizards with perfectly matched strengths to form two groups. Richard looked across at his opponent, Has, who was clad in a black robe and eyeing him with a fierce desire for battle. Since their first encounter, Richard and Has had fought several times, each with victories and losses. Richard¡¯s Mountain Path was mighty, but Has wasn¡¯t a pushover either. After familiarizing himself with Richard¡¯s techniques, Has quickly leveraged his rich combat experience to win against Richard. Over the past twenty years, they had faced each other ten times, with Has winning six and drawing one, while Richard won four and drew one. Pairs decided, Jimmy didn¡¯t bother to tidy up the Duel Arena and instead started arranging the fights. ¡°You two wait a bit; these two had booked their match with me long ago,¡± Jimmy told Richard and Has. Richard and Has both accepted this arrangement, both being Black Wizards and instinctively submitting to Jimmy, a Three Rings powerhouse. Once everything was arranged, the first fight began quickly. The two battling wizards were both Second Ring, but in terms of strength, they far surpassed both Richard and Has. As soon as they entered the arena, they both burst forth with astonishing Qi and Life Radiation. ¡°So strong!¡± Richard exclaimed internally. Compared to Spiritual Evolution Wizards, who could only perceive energy fluctuations, the strength and weakness of Physique Evolution Wizards were more apparent. Powerful Life Radiation and an aura hewn from years of battle would cause even unintelligent beasts to flee instinctively. The two wizards stood on opposite sides of the Duel Arena, neither moving nor speaking. Yet, the air in the arena seemed to freeze, with everyone tense and focused on them. A breeze blew by, raising a bit of dust. In the next moment, the two wizards collided, the shockwaves from their impact like Wind Blades, even scoring marks on the walls of the Duel Arena. They both completed their Bloodline Transformations and organized their attacks and advances in an instant, starting with full force. They were old adversaries, and winning or losing had become secondary to them. Their fights were to test their own progress during this period. Bang, bang, bang¡­ One wizard was covered in Bone Armor and wearing Bone Gloves. His attacks were so swift that hundreds of strikes could be delivered in the blink of an eye, while the other had transformed into a three-meter-tall giant, his skin glowing with Runes, and hints of lightning flickering in his eyes, each movement radiating immense power. Richard watched from the spectator seats, pondering the subtleties of the two wizards¡¯ every move. ¡°This giant¡¯s Runes feel similar to Battlefield Alchemy; I could try that later on.¡± ¡°The Bone Armor wizard¡¯s technique is not bad; he must have used both the Feather Fall Skill and Heavy Strike Skill. I should give that a try when I get back.¡± Watching the two wizards below, Richard was continuously extracting knowledge from them. Compared to Richard, the nearby Has seemed slightly out of his element. He frequented the Duel Arena, enjoying watching fights as entertainment rather than for learning. The high-quality battle before him was extremely thrilling to watch. Soon, with a thunderous crash, both wizards were hurled backward. The Bone Armor on the chest of the Bone Armor wizard shattered, with broken bones piercing through the skin on his back, and his entire chest caved in. The Rune giant didn¡¯t fare much better, with four near-translucent holes in his torso stained with blood. Clearly, the fight resulted in injuries for both. Jimmy came to the Duel Arena and provided the wizards with basic medical attention, enough for them to regain the strength to stand. The two wizards performed a Wizard¡¯s Salute to Jimmy before heading to the platform to heal. Richard and Has consequently entered the Duel Arena. ¡°It¡¯s been five years since we last met, Richard,¡± Has said, looking at Richard with a savage smile creeping on his face, ¡°We tied last time, but you won¡¯t be as lucky this time!¡± Richard sighed in response, ¡°You still care too much about victory and defeat, Has. We fight not for winning or losing, but for learning and growing. Obsessing over victory and defeat will only disturb your inner peace.¡± Aside from the first fight, Richard focused on learning in all subsequent battles; he constantly absorbed experience from Has to enhance his Combat Skills. Winning or losing held little significance for him. As long as he could grow, he would be content even if he lost a hundred times. ¡°Less talk, more fight, fighting is all about victory. Without the pursuit of victory, the fight is meaningless.¡± As Has finished speaking, an Energy surge burst from him, his body suddenly grew taller by a foot, with black Bone Armor piercing through his skin, and the air filled with a bloody scent. Richard watched Has and began his Bloodline Transformation as well. Compared to Has¡¯s overpowering aura, Richard¡¯s transformation was much more subtle and rapid. In the spectator seats, the two healing wizards glanced at the platform. ¡°That bone-spurred kid is going to lose,¡± muttered the giant wizard indifferently. Chapter 215 - 45: Equipment Upgrade, Faith Armor Chapter 215: Chapter 45: Equipment Upgrade, Faith Armor The Bone Armor Wizard glanced at him, ¡°Obviously, the one opposite him is superior both in physique and in controlling energy, it¡¯d be a surprise if he doesn¡¯t win.¡± After speaking, the Bone Armor Wizard looked at Richard again and casually said, ¡°I bet he¡¯ll end the fight in ten moves.¡± The Giant Wizard shook his head, ¡°That¡¯s too quick, unless the two are very familiar with each other, it would normally take at least fifty moves to determine a winner. I¡¯ve seen that long-boned kid fight before; he¡¯s not weak.¡± ¡°If you ask me, Richard can probably end this battle within three moves.¡± Suddenly, a voice came from behind the two wizards, and they turned to see Jimmy casually drinking a bottle of wine. ¡°Master, why do you arrange such a fight?¡± the Giant Wizard asked. The Jialong Club usually arranges fights of equal strength, which helps members improve. ¡°Why?¡± Jimmy took a sip of wine, ¡°Has is a bit too impetuous, I just took this opportunity to enlighten him. These two have fought ten rounds already. Richard has been improving, while Has remained stagnant. But at the beginning of their fights, Richard was not as good as Has. But now, hmph.¡± Saying so, Jimmy squinted at the duel arena, ¡°It¡¯s starting.¡± In the duel arena, the two wizards, who were old rivals, skipped the probing and went all out from the start. Has¡¯s body emanated a black glow, his speed increasing to the point where even Richard¡¯s dragon eyes struggled to capture his movement, and his bone claws were covered in runes, sharp enough to tear through space. However, as his opponent, Richard wasn¡¯t panicked at all, even sighing internally. ¡°Still the same move, you haven¡¯t improved at all.¡± Richard closed his eyes, and his muscles and magic power instantly unified. The next moment, Richard sidestepped the bone claws attacking from behind and threw a gentle punch forward. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Mountain Breaking Fist. Bang! Has¡¯s body flew backward, his arm¡¯s bone armor shattered into pieces. ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± Richard said indifferently as he watched Has. Has stood up from the ground, his face full of disbelief. He looked at Richard, then at his own arm, his eyes utterly bewildered. ¡°How could you predict my attack?¡± ¡°Because the flaws in your move and your combat habits, he had figured them out long ago.¡± Jimmy flew into the arena, casually waving his hand to gather the debris and dust created by the fight into a pile. ¡°Though your move is very fast, the excessive speed also made it hard for you to control the direction, significantly reducing your agility. Plus, your combat habit is to ambush, and you usually use your right hand. Richard has fought with you ten times; he probably knows these details by heart.¡± Saying this, Jimmy looked toward Richard, who nodded slightly. ¡°That¡¯s indeed the case.¡± Jimmy drained the wine bottle, turned, and faced Has. ¡°Has, at the beginning of your battles, the gap wasn¡¯t that big. You even had a bit of an advantage, but now, you two are no longer on the same level.¡± Listening to Jimmy¡¯s words, Has¡¯s face instantly turned red. But what could he retort? The one speaking was Jimmy, a peak Three Rings Wizard. His wisdom and insights far surpassed his own. Has bowed his head slightly, his heart filled with mixed feelings. Jimmy patted him on the shoulder, ¡°Has, fighting is never a simple matter. Strive to grow, lad.¡± ¡­ After returning from the duel arena, Richard went to buy quite a lot of alchemy materials on the commercial floor. He needed to upgrade his equipment in the coming years; although being a technical consultant didn¡¯t sound like a frontline soldier, collecting data still required battlefield presence. Back at the Wizard Tower, Richard took out his magic wand fused with refined gold. As one of the top alchemy materials, recipes for alloys containing refined gold were countless in the Wizard World; nearly every Alchemy Wizard had recipes involving refined gold. The recipe that Richard planned to use came from a book of encrypted notes. Richard planned to use this refined gold to make a set of inner armor, and the alloy made from the recipe in the encrypted notes was particularly effective in defending against various attacks. If all went well, he would have some refined gold left to add to his magic wand. Richard separated the wand and piled up the parts blended with refined gold. [Raw Material: Refined Gold Alloy] [Refinable Substance: Refined Gold] [Refinement Consumption: 80,000 Magic Power] With the Miracle Furnace at hand, Richard¡¯s refinement of refined gold could achieve zero loss. After spending eighty thousand magic power, Richard obtained a refined gold block the size of a human head. But this was just the first step. Alloys needed precise ratios, especially the multi-elemental alloy Richard was making; every single material ratio had to be very precise. For that, Richard purchased and created a complete set of smelting tools. It took him a whole month. Once the tools were ready, Richard began to smelt the alloy. As various materials melted and merged in the melter, a new alloy was born. After refining, the black gold turned silvery-white, with a faint hint of gold visible when held up to the light. This alloy had a high resistance to elemental attacks and physical attacks, particularly physical attacks. Richard conducted a few tests and found that at a thickness of three millimeters, the alloy could even resist piercing damage of up to three hundred energy level. If Richard enchanted it, this figure would increase by nearly fifty percent, reaching four hundred fifty. The only pity was that this material did not have energy-absorbing properties, so its effectiveness against blunt trauma was somewhat worse than against piercing damage. Once the alloy creation was complete, Richard proceeded to perform enchantments, arranging various rune arrays. Richard took his personal protection very seriously; just designing the rune arrays alone took him three months, as he strove for perfection. After the designs were completed, production lasted up to a year and a half. During this time, aside from meditating and training his combat skills in the duel arena, Richard spent all his time on the production of the armor. And all this was worth it. Richard¡¯s armor was entirely silver-white, appearing similar to a knight¡¯s plate armor. Initially in his design, he had planned for scale armor, with armor plates forming the rune arrays. There were many advantages to this design, as it was easy to maintain; if a plate was damaged, simply replacing it would suffice. However, the downside was that it was harder to make and more complex; Richard¡¯s skill wasn¡¯t sufficient to produce and adjust it within such a short period. Thus, Richard had to settle for the plate armor design. Although this style was more complex to repair and changing rune arrays was more troublesome, it had a shorter production time and stronger defense capabilities. Richard gently tapped the center of the armor, and the next moment, the lifeless armor began to move. Spell: ¡°Activated Armor¡± The armor stepped towards Richard and then broke down into individual parts that fitted onto his body, looking like a magical transformation akin to Iron Man. Once adorned, the armor clasped firmly onto Richard. While mortal knights needed belts to secure their armor, Richard only required a spell. This suit of armor protected almost his entire body, except for his head. Wearing a helmet was somewhat incongruous for a wizard and would be more conspicuous among wizards. Having finished the armor, Richard opened a rift into the secret realm and entered. In the secret realm, the World Mushroom was still tall, but the entire realm had dramatically changed. In front of the World Mushroom stood a huge fungal statue, naturally modeled after Richard, with a crow perched on his shoulder. This was Richard¡¯s Divine Statue, which, according to Ulysses, was one of the most important things for a divine being. It could not only gather the power of faith more efficiently but sometimes also serve as the eyes and ears, or even an avatar, of the divine being. Behind the statue, on the World Mushroom, there was a palace that looked somewhat like a model, with a bizarrely placed bird¡¯s nest in the middle. And at that moment, Ulysses was lounging in the nest, drowsily napping. Due to the World Mushroom¡¯s aid, this World Master had greatly recovered from his injuries, elevating his combat ability to the level of third-level creatures, but it brought about a state of mental and spiritual malaise. As his injuries lessened, Ulysses¡¯s soul healing had finally begun. However, this wasn¡¯t exactly good news for Richard. Richard wasn¡¯t concerned about the recovery leading Ulysses to surpass his control, as it would take at least two thousand years for Ulysses to reach the peak of third-level strength at this self-healing rate. Given two thousand years, Richard was confident he could become a Three Rings Wizard. What worried him was the spiritual weakening caused by the onset of self-healing. The self-healing of the soul consumed spiritual power, and the stronger the recovery, the greater the consumption of spiritual power. The current healing was still weak; Ulysses was merely napping occasionally, but as the injuries healed, the self-healing would intensify, and Ulysses would progress from napping to deep sleep. When that time came, Richard would lose a significant aide. But, that was a problem for later. ¡°Ulysses, where is the surprise you prepared for me?¡± Richard shouted at Ulysses. Some time ago, seeing Richard busy with the magic equipment, Ulysses had volunteered to wait until Richard finished the magic equipment to give him a surprise. ¡°Gah, who dares disturb the great Lord of the Crows!¡± Ulysses flew out of the nest, crying out loudly. But upon seeing it was Richard, his tone instantly changed. ¡°Gah, is your magic equipment ready?¡± Richard opened his wizard robe and revealed the inner armor. ¡°It¡¯s ready, so where¡¯s your surprise?¡± Ulysses glanced at the armor, and immediately spat out a beam of golden light, which stopped in front of Richard and gradually transformed into a magic wand. ¡°What is this?¡± Richard asked curiously. ¡°Gah, do you remember the Faith Armor on that insect? This thing is made from those, and I guarantee you¡¯ll be satisfied.¡± Faith Armor? Richard paused for a moment, quickly recalling the Divine Chosen he had captured in the Insect Nest World. That insect indeed had several pieces of Faith Armor, but at that time his own power of faith was very scarce, so he had given those pieces to Ulysses. ¡°We don¡¯t have enough power of faith to use Faith Armor yet, do we?¡± Richard looked around the secret realm; all the Holy Tree Elves in the realm were his believers. But even counting them all, there were only a few thousand, and the accumulated power of faith clearly wasn¡¯t enough for him to use such a demanding resource like Faith Armor. ¡°Gah, don¡¯t compare mine to that insect¡¯s! While it¡¯s commendable that the insect figured out Faith Armor on its own, its methods are crude like an apprentice compared to our Gods Civilization! The effects of this Faith Armor don¡¯t consume much power of faith, so just use it, there¡¯s definitely enough faith power.¡± Seeing Ulysses speak so confidently, Richard¡¯s heart lifted, and he quickly asked: ¡°So, what are the effects of this armor?¡± Ulysses¡¯s eyes gleamed with pride, and he said mysteriously: ¡°Gah, the effect of this armor is luck.¡± Chapter 216 - 46 Preparing for the Expedition Chapter 216: Chapter 46 Preparing for the Expedition ¡°Luck?¡± Richard looked at the magic wand, somewhat baffled. ¡°You mean luck? Let me not even mention whether luck exists or not, but you equip this magic wand with luck, and you expect me to pick up money with it when I¡¯m holding it?¡± S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ulysses shook his head: ¡°Ga, your thoughts are too simplistic. Let me ask you, have you ever encountered a situation where the power of your spells fluctuated unexpectedly during casting?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Richard nodded, ¡°but that¡¯s due to an imbalance of elements, which has nothing to do with luck.¡± ¡°Ga, wrong, totally wrong. That is an expression of luck.¡± Ulysses said somewhat smugly, ¡°You wizards call the distribution of elements within a space a chaos system, where a little variable can cause big changes. I¡¯m not wrong, am I?¡± Richard nodded, ¡°That¡¯s correct, but you¡¯re not going to tell me that the Gods Civilization has conquered the chaos system and found the formula, are you?¡± ¡°Ga, formula? That¡¯s of course impossible.¡± Ulysses shook his head, ¡°But we have taken notice of this situation and have explored it. We added a variable to the chaos system, which is ¡®luck¡¯. Luck can influence the chaos system, making the outcome of the system more favorable to oneself. On this basis, using the power of faith and certain miracle powers, we successfully created a ¡®Luck Blessing.¡¯ Once blessed, when you¡¯re involved with the chaos system, the output of the results will tend to be on the side that¡¯s more favorable to you.¡± It must be said, Ulysses¡¯ explanation had given Richard a great shock. After all, the Gods Civilization is a civilization; it is not simply a coalition of a few native powerhouses but a community of interests formed by a group of powerhouses who mastered the same power system. During Ulysses¡¯ explanation, Richard keenly picked up on a word. ¡°Miracle power? What¡¯s that?¡± Richard asked. ¡°Ga, miracle power is the most magical force in the Star Realm, which is not bound by rules and can create many phenomena that defy common sense. Based on our research, miracle power should be a remnant left by some lifeforms that reached the Ninth Level and transcended the Star Realm.¡± ¡°Ninth Level life!?¡± Richard was shocked. According to the classification of lifeforms by wizards, Eighth Level life is the highest apex, with Ninth Level life only theoretically existent. The terror of such life cannot be described in words. According to the theory, one of the most ordinary characteristics they possess is absolute eternity. That is, the passage of time will have no effect on them, regardless of whether a thousand years pass or ten thousand years. Even if time were so long that the world collapses and the stars extinguish, they would not undergo the slightest change. Richard gasped in shock: ¡°You can actually utilize the power left by Ninth Level life!¡± Ulysses flapped his wings: ¡°Ga, don¡¯t be so surprised, you can use it too. Your curses are essentially borrowing from miracle power. The higher-ups in your midst would surely have realized this, but since you¡¯re not a Curse Wizard and your status isn¡¯t high enough, you¡¯re not aware of it, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°¡­Maybe.¡± Richard fell silent for a moment, finally sighing. The Wizard World holds too many secrets, and he was just a few hundred years old Second Ring Wizard; the things he could access were still too few. ¡°So, this magic wand can make my spells more powerful?¡± Ulysses nodded: ¡°Ga, that¡¯s right. However, the effect of Luck Blessing is limited, and the power increase should be minimal unless you actively use the power of faith to influence the spell¡¯s results.¡± ¡°I can actively interfere with the outcome of spellcasting?¡± Richard was startled again. If he could interfere actively, then wouldn¡¯t it mean that once he had enough power of faith, every one of his spells could ¡®critical hit¡¯! ¡°Ga, don¡¯t think too much. Active intervention requires more power of faith than you think.¡± After that, Ulysses flew back to the nest, yawning as he went: ¡°Ga, this thing has no physical form in essence; just integrate it into the magic wand when you make it. I need to sleep for a while¡­¡± He didn¡¯t finish his sentence before Ulysses had already drifted into slumber. ¡­ Making a magic wand was very simple for Richard, and after half a year of crafting, he successfully produced a magic wand with a detachable wand head. Since he was entering the battlefield as a technical consultant this time, likely not needing to infiltrate behind enemy lines, Richard replaced the original magic wand¡¯s Nomi Crystal Stone head with a Fire Element Gem, which was quite straightforward in function¡ªproviding a 10% Fire Element augmentation to spells below a thousand energy levels. After completing the magic wand, Richard integrated the Faith Armor into it. Following the integration, he tested the effects. At the Magic Testing Ground, Richard waved the wand and summoned a black fireball. A flick of his wand and the fireball shot out instantly, hitting a target three hundred meters away. Boom! The target displayed that Richard¡¯s fireball reached an energy level of five hundred. Four hundred of that was the base energy level of the fireball, eighty was from the Fire Element augmentation array of the wand, and the additional twenty energy levels were from the wand¡¯s Luck Blessing. ¡°The effects seem good, a twenty energy level increase. This is still the result when the element distribution in the testing ground is nearly balanced. If I enter a world where the Fire Element is imbalanced, the effect should be stronger.¡± After the magic wand making was complete, Richard also crafted some small Magic Equipment to deal with certain special situations. As an Alchemy Wizard, the amount of Magic Equipment directly affected his combat power. A year blink by, and the time had finally come for the Floating City to set off. In the Expedition Layer, Richard waited alongside the Clear Frost Legion for the descent of the Floating City. ¡°Kid, be smart in this war. Plane War is your best chance to make a killing.¡± Vladimir stood beside Richard, a pipe clenched in his mouth, speaking somewhat indistinctly. ¡°Uh? What do you mean by that, Master?¡± Richard looked at Vladimir puzzled, ¡°I¡¯m not going to have to infiltrate behind enemy lines like a Black Wizard as a technical consultant, am I?¡± ¡°Infiltrate behind enemy lines, what are you thinking about?¡± Vladimir frowned slightly, ¡°Didn¡¯t Jolod tell you before he was promoted? Although you joined the war as a technical advisor, you¡¯re also part of the accompanying commerce. You¡¯re qualified to submit development applications to the command.¡± ¡°Development applications? What¡¯s that?¡± Richard was confused. When Jolod was promoted, the news that the Clear Frost Legion was to join the war hadn¡¯t come out yet, and there was a lot Jolod hadn¡¯t told him. Seeing the bewildered look on Richard¡¯s face, Vladimir tapped his pipe and took a deep draw from it: ¡°It¡¯s understandable, this war came too suddenly. Normally, the legion wouldn¡¯t participate in war within such a short timeframe. Since he didn¡¯t tell you, I¡¯ll say it for him. You should know that each interplanar expedition costs a fortune.¡± Richard nodded, ¡°I know.¡± Vladimir glanced at Richard with a touch of disdain, ¡°Looking at you, you have no idea how much it costs to fight an interplanar expedition. Take our war this time, for example. We¡¯re attacking a small world, so we¡¯ve mobilized about one million wizards. Among these, White Wizards account for over six hundred thousand, while Black Wizards make up three hundred thousand, and there are about ten to twenty thousand logistic wizards. Do you know how much it costs just to hire them for the war?¡± ¡°¡­ I really don¡¯t know.¡± Richard had been part of a student troop during the last war, which didn¡¯t involve any hiring fees. Vladimir blew out a ring of smoke and slowly explained, ¡°Generally speaking, the more intense the war, the higher the hiring fee. For attacking a small world, a White Wizard¡¯s hiring fee is about seven hundred Magic Essence per war, and Black Wizards are somewhat higher than White Wizards, up to nine hundred Magic Essence. And that¡¯s the price for a One Ring Wizard. For Second Ring Wizards, it¡¯s double, and for Three Rings Wizards, it¡¯s double again on top of the Second Ring price. If we count just over six hundred thousand White Wizards as six hundred thousand, and Black Wizards as three hundred thousand, and all of them as One Ring Wizards. The Great Wizard will have spent six billion nine hundred million Magic Essence before the war even starts. Besides hiring fees, the Great Wizard also needs to rent the Floating City and prepare various logistical supplies. Though these don¡¯t make up the bulk, when you add it all up, it comes to several tens of million Magic Essence. Seven hundred million Magic Essence for a war, what do you think of that number?¡± Listening to Vladimir¡¯s calculation, Richard¡¯s brain momentarily seized up. Seven hundred million Magic Essence, that number was beyond Richard¡¯s comprehension of how to earn it. Seven hundred million Magic Essence! His recent collaboration with the Clear Frost Legion had only earned him one hundred and fifty thousand Magic Essence. He would need to undertake more than five thousand three hundred such collaborations to earn such an amount. And this, was only a conservative estimate of the expenditure for a single Plane War. Watching Richard¡¯s dazed reaction, Vladimir smiled with satisfaction. ¡°With such a large expense, even some Great Wizards with abundant family wealth can¡¯t help but feel the pinch. So before every war starts, the Great Wizards will notify many Wizard Commerce groups, inviting them to invest in the war and join the accompanying commerce. These Wizard Commerce investments are equivalent to buying shares. If the war is won, they can leverage their status as accompanying commerce to apply for the mining rights to certain resources in the new world.¡± ¡°What if we lose?¡± Richard couldn¡¯t help but ask. Vladimir spread his hands, ¡°If we lose, the investment goes down the drain. War has risks, and investment requires caution. Would they dare to demand a settlement from the Great Wizard?¡± Vladimir continued: ¡°These newly conquered worlds contain many resources that are special products based on the world¡¯s rules. When these are brought to the market, not to say they will sell well, but breaking even shouldn¡¯t be a problem. And that clause about accompanying commerce that your company added, that¡¯s taking advantage of a loophole. This war, with the dean¡¯s involvement, the legion is equivalent to a Great Wizard. And since you¡¯ve made deals with the legion, that can also be considered an investment.¡± ¡°That counts as an investment?¡± Richard was puzzled. Clear Frost Legion had formally signed a contract with them, after all. Vladimir blinked, ¡°The pricing of a new weapon is vague, its value completely decided by the legion. Your commerce made a deal with the legion at a price lower than what the legion had set, that¡¯s also an investment behavior.¡± ¡°Ah? You can play it like that?¡± Richard was stunned by Vladimir¡¯s explanation. Wasn¡¯t this tantamount to undermining the Academy? Vladimir smiled, ¡°The dean takes the lion¡¯s share of the profits from interplanar wars. How could it hurt for us small fry to sip a little soup? As long as it doesn¡¯t affect the combat effectiveness of the war, the dean generally doesn¡¯t bother with these trifles.¡± As he spoke, the sky rippled like water, and the enormous Floating City gradually entered the Wizard World. Vladimir patted Richard¡¯s shoulder: ¡°Get ready to board the Floating City. The twists and turns of Plane War are more than you think.¡± Chapter 217 - 1 Red Sun World Chapter 217: Chapter 1 Red Sun World July was the hottest month of the year in the Red Sun World. This month, three red suns appeared in the sky simultaneously and crossed over the highest point of the Heavenly Vault, with the blazing sunlight shining upon the land, making the whole world seem like a furnace. But this hottest month of the year was also the liveliest month for the Fire Lizard Clan. Early in the morning, in the enormous city built around the volcano, countless red-scaled lizardfolk nearly two meters tall emerged from the buildings. They wore white robes, and the wealthier among them had robes embroidered with golden patterns. July was the harvest month for the Fire Lizard Clan. In this month, the Fire Dragon Grass they planted last August would mature. The plants, red like a thicket of thorns, bore the sweet and spicy Dragon Flame Fruit, and their ground-up branches and leaves became the main food of the Fire Lizards. Simultaneously, this month was also the celebration month. After the harvest, the Fire Lizards gathered together to revel all night. The fiery liquor brewed from Dragon Flame Fruit was a catalyst for countless young male and female Fire Lizards, who found love, married, and conceived children this month, only to cast those feelings aside at the end of the month. Until the celebration month the following year. As a Silver Horn Noble of the Morick Empire, Azuhan Yajilite rose from his thirty-square-meter bed early in the morning, moving aside the Fire Salamander Girl with whom he had mated the previous night. As a Silver Horn Noble, his status was exalted within the Fire Lizard-led Empire, second only to the Fire Lizard King who dwelt in the golden tower. But unlike those indolent nobles, he was extremely diligent. This trait came from his father, a powerful Dragon Warrior who climbed his way up from a hornless commoner to a Silver Horn Noble. But to the Nobles, Azuhan¡¯s diligence only further proved that he was a dirt-clad peasant. ¡°Nobles do not need to toil like commoners, for we are born with powers far beyond mere mortals.¡± Azhuan recalled a young Noble¡¯s words and let out a derisive chuckle. If the Nobles were truly that powerful, how had his father risen from a hornless commoner to a Silver Horn Noble? And how did he become the Grand Marshal of the Empire as a newly promoted individual? Having thought this, Azuhan went to the backyard of his house, ready to undergo the training his father had taught him. The Fire Lizard Clan¡¯s battle strength came from the awakening of their Bloodline, and when a Fire Lizard awoke the Dragon Blood hidden within, two Dragon Horns would sprout on their head. When the Dragon Horns fully emerged, Fire Lizards would automatically join the ranks of the Nobles, as the lowest level Iron Horned Dragon Knights. According to Nobles, Bloodline awakening was innate; Nobles were naturally Nobles and would always be Nobles. But in reality, many ancestors among the Nobles were nobodies who achieved their status through awakening later in life. Nobles needed to maintain the sanctity of their status. If every Fire Lizard could become a Noble, where would they place their pride, their self-esteem? So, with each such Fire Lizard who emerged, another Noble would arise during the debauchery of the celebration month. Stepping out of his room, the thick Fire Element assaulted his face. The house where Azuhan lived was very close to the volcano, and the intense heat and dense Fire Element here could desiccate ordinary Fire Lizards to death. However, for Azuhan, the temperature was just a bit hot. He had reached adulthood, with Dragon Horns fully grown, and the Dragon Blood within him continuously enhanced his physique, slowly increasing even without effort. Given time, once he reached his father¡¯s level, even the magma within a volcano would be no more than a warm spring to him. Entering the yard, Azuhan began to devour the Fire Element in the air, as his father had taught him. Whoosh¡ªInhale¡ªWhoosh¡ªInhale¡­ With each breath, the dense Fire Element began to enter his bloodstream. Azhuan¡¯s body trembled continuously, and as the Fire Element concentration in his blood rose, it seemed like his blood turned into burning magma, the scalding sensation constantly stimulating every nerve. But his breathing remained steady, his measured breaths perfectly dodging certain innate bodily mechanisms, and the Fire Element concentration in his blood kept rising. Soon, the Fire Element reached a critical point, flames burst out from Azuhan¡¯s body, giving off an ethereal feeling. All of a sudden, he stopped breathing, and the Fire Element concentration in his blood rapidly reduced. These Fire Elements condensed in his Dragon Breath Bag, and as the Dragon Breath Bag filled, Azuhan suddenly opened his mouth and released a fan-shaped golden Dragon Breath that covered most of the yard. The golden flames of the Dragon Breath were so hot that they could melt rock instantly. ¡°Not bad, it seems you haven¡¯t been slacking recently.¡± A voice came from behind Azuhan. He spun around, his body instantly tensing and entering a combat state. But upon seeing the person, Azuhan relaxed back into a normal state. ¡°Father, you always appear out of nowhere,¡± Azuhan complained. In front of Azuhan stood a four-meter-tall Fire Lizard, who quietly observed him. Even though Azuhan was now an adult, he only reached up to the chest of this Fire Lizard. The Fire Lizard wore a white robe embroidered with golden threads, the scales that showed shimmering with a golden sheen under the sunlight, and a pair of golden dragon eyes looked immensely authoritative. On its head, two exceptional Dragon Horns adorned with golden rings, a symbol of the Fire Lizard King¡¯s favor, signified substantial feats. This Fire Lizard was Azuhan¡¯s father¡ªHarash Jajilite, the Grand Marshal of the Morick Empire. ¡°I have never deliberately concealed my whereabouts; it is your problem for not noticing,¡± Harash said calmly. Azuhan felt somewhat embarrassed upon hearing this. His father had always been forthright, and Harash had managed to offend almost all the high-ranking officials of the Empire with his words, even angering the Fire Lizard King with his remarks. ¡°Father, do you have something to ask of me? Haven¡¯t you been discussing the war with Linksa Empire with His Majesty recently?¡± Azuhan changed the subject. ¡°Do you plan for me to participate in the war?¡± Faced with the inquiry, Harash remained silent for a moment before suddenly turning around and walking toward the house. ¡°You come with me; there are things you need to know.¡± Entering the room, Harash watched with an expressionless face as a succession of female Fire Lizards exited his son¡¯s room. After they had left, Harash¡¯s lips twitched into a semblance of a smile: ¡°Eleven, it seems your bloodline has grown quite well, you are indeed my son.¡± Azuhan smiled awkwardly. The awakening of his dragon blood had greatly amplified his desires and his prowess. If it were not for females of the Fire Lizard Clan on his level, a single one could hardly withstand his conquest. He followed Harash into a room deep within the house. This was a quiet room, where Azuhan usually tamed the bestial urges that came with the growth of his bloodline. The awakening of the dragon blood often awoke intense bestiality, which most nobles would take pride in, even competing over who was wilder. But Harash admonished Azuhan that only by controlling his bestiality could he become a proper Dragon Warrior. Upon entering the quiet room, Harash closed the door, his expression immediately turning solemn. ¡°My son, our war with the Linksa Empire has ended.¡± ¡°Ended?¡± Azuhan was surprised. Since when did the Fire Lizard King of the Morick Empire become so amiable? ¡°Yes, not only our war with the Linksa Empire but also our war with the Mias Empire has ceased. All three Great Empires have now halted their war preparations.¡± The news Harash spoke should have been good, but his tone was unusually grave, as if hinting at some terrible disaster behind it. ¡°Father, isn¡¯t what you¡¯re saying a good thing? The end of the war, how wonderful that is. The three Great Empires have been at war for over a hundred years, ever since I was born we have been at war. It is really beyond good to stop now.¡± Listening to his son¡¯s naive words, Harash could not help but shake his head. ¡°Azuhan, what if the Three Great Empires decided to form an alliance in addition to calling a truce?¡± ¡°An alliance!?¡± Azuhan¡¯s pupils suddenly dilated, ¡°Impossible, the Three Great Empires cannot possibly band together. An alliance needs an enemy. If the Empires were to unite, then all the Fire Lizards in the Red Sun World, no, all creatures combined would be no match.¡± ¡°But the fact remains,¡± Harash declared calmly, ¡°The Three Great Empires have begun a limited military alliance, and our war preparations have not ceased despite the truce.¡± Hearing what Harash said, Azuhan could not help but shiver. Military alliance, war preparations continuing even during a truce. Could there be a race in the world that necessitates the united front of the Three Great Empires? Azuhan¡¯s mind raced through ancient legends, rumors that the Fire Lizard Clan had indeed once united in such a way. ¡°Could the Giant Dragons have returned?¡± Azuhan couldn¡¯t help but blurt out. Harash shook his head: ¡°No, the enemy this time is not the Giant Dragons. According to certain beings in the Star Realm, as revealed to His Majesty, the enemy we face should be a race known as ¡®Wizards.¡¯ A fearsome race that has conquered countless worlds.¡± ¡­ Beyond the Heavenly Vault, in the endless Void, two Floating Cities with diameters of tens of thousands of meters were slowly entering the World Barrier. After two years of travel and one year of breaching the barrier, the Wizard¡¯s Floating Cities were finally about to enter this small world. Richard stood on the edge of the Floating City, silently watching the World Barrier change from a vast white mist to gradually become transparent. He could clearly see through the Magic Barrier that in this world filled with sandstone, dense natives had already prepared for war. ¡°This is a warmongering race.¡± A voice reached Richard from beside him. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Richard turned to look, seeing a fat man wearing a white robe and sporting a pair of gold-framed, single-lens glasses watching the ground just like him. ¡°Bob, what brings you out today?¡± Richard greeted familiarly. Bob was a representative of the Wizard Commerce known as Nine Stars, and by a chance occurrence, he found out that Richard was the creator of the Magic Support Vehicle. Since then, this Wizard had been trying to cozy up to Richard. Bob smiled at Richard, his white teeth gleaming with a predatory glow: ¡°The great battle is about to start, such a scene is rare to see.¡± Suddenly, a voice came from Richard¡¯s Communication Crystal Ball. ¡°All Wizards, attention. All Wizards, attention. The Floating City is about to enter the world, the Floating City is about to enter the world.¡± ¡°Gentlemen, the war has begun.¡± Chapter 218 - 2 The Opening Battle Chapter 218: Chapter 2 The Opening Battle On the plains, Harash looked at the giant shadows gradually emerging in the heavenly vault, feeling a flicker of unease in his heart. As the newly appointed marshal of the Morick Empire, he had fought countless times against the other two empires, witnessing all manner of strange and mystical tactics. Whether it was the giant dragon beasts or the resurrected undead dragons, he had overcome them with his exquisite martial skills and the loyalty of his subordinates. He believed that he could win any war he encountered with these things. But today, his confidence wavered. In the sky, two metal spheres, each tens of thousands of meters in diameter, were slowly entering their world, their enormous size making the Fire Lizard King¡¯s pyramid, in comparison, look like a commoner¡¯s small house. But as the commander-in-chief, Harash knew he must not panic; if the marshal were to panic, there would be no point in fighting this battle. Harash, expressionless, glanced at the two fire lizards beside him, both of whom were about his height, but both fell short of him in terms of life radiation and energy fluctuations. They were generals from the other two empires; all three empires had agreed to cooperate half a year ago. After confirming that the entry point for the wizards into the world was on the Bavarian plains of the Morick Empire, each of the two empires sent an army of five hundred thousand fire lizards to assist the Morick Empire in battle. However, whether it was the Morick Empire or the other two empires, each had its own calculations in mind. The outcome of this opening battle would affect the decisions of the three empires going forward. Hum! A wave of invisible fluctuations emanated from the heavenly vault as the Floating City finally broke through the World Barrier. ¡°Prepare to meet the enemy; ready the Dragon Breath Cannons.¡± Harash coolly gave the order, which, through the order officer, quickly spread to an army of millions of fire lizards. ¡°Lord Harash, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re a bit too nervous, using the Dragon Breath Cannon right off the bat?¡± said a fire lizard general from the Linksa Empire. The voice of this fire lizard general, carrying the characteristic ¡°hiss¡± of a Linksa Empire Black Corner Fire Lizard, sounded like a cold snake hissing in your ear. ¡°Balashar, are you questioning my decision?¡± Harash coldly turned to the questioning fire lizard. The three empires were no strangers to conflicts with one another, and as marshal, Harash had dealt with generals from the Linksa Empire before; Balashar was one of those who had been defeated by Harash. Or rather, there were few generals in the Linksa Empire who had not been defeated by Harash. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare, I wouldn¡¯t dare. How could I possibly question the marshal¡¯s commands?¡± Balashar said with a hint of sarcasm, ¡°I was just curious as to why the renown brave and fearless Harash would be so wary of these newcomers from the skies. To use a decisive weapon like the Dragon Breath Cannon right from the start¡­¡± As a general, Balashar was far less knowledgeable about wizards than was Harash the marshal. ¡°You¡¯d better curb your curiosity; war has no need for it, and I do not need a curious subordinate. Question my commands again, and I¡¯ll twist off your head to feed the dragon beasts!¡± Harash showed no courtesy to this defeated subordinate, and as he spoke, his body erupted with a powerful Dragon Power, causing all the fire lizards in the strategy room to bristle their scales. Under this Dragon Power, Balashar¡¯s legs momentarily went weak, almost causing him to kneel on the ground. The dragon¡¯s mighty aura was oppressive to all of the Dragon Blood Species; amongst the Dragon Blood Species, the level of bloodline purity would determine their hierarchical status. ¡°Lord Harash, let¡¯s not squabble with Balashar; Black Corner Fire Lizards are always like that, their mouths forever tougher than their bones,¡± commented another fire lizard dressed in white robes and appearing agile, mocking from across Balashar. Harash glanced at him, ¡°Mai Han, have your men ready the rot dragons, on standby for my command.¡± This fire lizard named Mai Han came from the Mias Empire, another one who had been defeated by Harash, but unlike Balashar, he was very obedient to Harash¡¯s orders. ¡°Your will, Lord Harash.¡± After speaking, Mai Han had an order officer convey Harash¡¯s command. Harash approached the edge of the strategy room, watching as those two massive objects continued to push into the world. He summoned an order officer, ¡°Send the command down: Dragon Breath Bombs, three volleys of fire.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡­ The Floating City gradually moved further inside the world. Richard stood on the edge of the Floating City, quietly observing the grand war about to begin. Although technical consultants also needed to be on the battlefield, Richard¡¯s Magic Support Vehicle was clearly not needed for the opening battle. So he could still stand on the Floating City, overlooking the entire battlefield like the members of the Wizard Commerce. Boom! The floor beneath Richard¡¯s feet suddenly trembled slightly. Tens of thousands of crimson fireballs shot out from the arms of the native forces, slamming into the lower halves of the two Floating Cities. The fireballs seemed very large, mostly golden yellow, each one with a radius of about four meters. The weapons firing them looked like giant tortoises with volcano-like structures on their backs. ¡°War Beasts, strategic weapons; these natives seem to be quite formidable,¡± said Bob, interestedly, standing beside Richard. ¡°This time, we¡¯re in for a good show.¡± ¡°A good show?¡± Richard was somewhat displeased with Bob¡¯s choice of words, frowning, ¡°Bob, this is a war, one where tens of thousands of wizards are going to die. Using the word show doesn¡¯t seem quite respectful.¡± Bob chuckled and adjusted the monocle over his left eye. ¡°Richard, I apologize for my inappropriate metaphor. However, we can¡¯t deny that war, to some extent, truly is a form of art. It possesses a cruel kind of beauty.¡± ¡°Beauty?¡± Richard reflected on his own slaughter in the depths of the Insect Nest World, and the brutality of the final battle. ¡°I think, Bob, you might have been away from the battlefield for too long; watching a war from atop a Floating City gives a different feeling than being in the thick of it.¡± Bob shrugged noncommittally. To the Floating City, the natives¡¯ fireballs posed no significant threat. As a crystallization of Alchemy Wizard technology, every part of the Floating City was imbued with the wisdom of the Wizards. Although the lower hemisphere of the Floating City lacked a Magic Barrier, all the alloy components were coated with a high-temperature-resistant layer. These fireballs might look powerful, but hitting the Floating City, they only resulted in a few minor dents. ¡°Begin deploying the mixed Slave Army.¡± Richard¡¯s Communication Crystal Ball relayed the command from the headquarters, launching the first blow in the Wizard Realm¡¯s standard three-pronged assault. As an entrance opened beneath the Floating City, a torrent of strange and bizarre creatures surged forth. Among these beings were those of flesh and those of the Element, and Richard noticed quite a few familiar figures. ¡°The Slave Army from the Insect Nest World is being put to use so soon?¡± Richard eyed the group of Black Crystal Insects, distinctive from the other slaves, commanded by Priest Insects, with Warrior Worms serving as foot soldiers and Mother Worm Guards mixed in, moving with a well-ordered precision that stood out in the chaotic throng of slave creatures. ¡°No wonder every Great Wizard wants their own Slave World; the Slave Armies from there are far superior to ordinary slaves.¡± Hearing Richard¡¯s muttering, a curious Bob asked: ¡°Richard, have you seen those insects before? They seem quite strong in battle; do you have a way in?¡± Slave trade was one of the most lucrative businesses in the Wizard World, with a good slave ranging from a few Magic Essences to several dozen. Nearly every Wizard Commerce dealt in the slave trade. ¡°These insects come from a Slave World; I didn¡¯t expect to see them on the battlefield so soon,¡± Richard said, somewhat nostalgically. Over a hundred years ago, he had fought these insects to the death; he never imagined that a century later, they would become his allies. ¡°Oh? Great Wizard Qing Shuang has acquired another Slave World!¡± Bob exclaimed in surprise, ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of Great Wizard Qing Shuang joining any Plane Wars in recent years.¡± Richard gave him a look: ¡°I never said Great Wizard Qing Shuang had a new Slave World. There are still rebel forces in that world that haven¡¯t been eradicated; if you¡¯re thinking of being a middleman, forget it.¡± ¡°Just asking. Slave trade isn¡¯t the main focus for our Nine Star Chamber of Commerce.¡± Bob smiled good-naturedly, but his mind began to recall all the expedition records from the past two hundred years. Due to the conditions of his accompanying army, Richard was very tight-lipped about his identity. After all, if those Wizards of the Commerce found out, it could lead to a stir. Every kind of resource development in the New World was incredibly precious; the slice of the pie that a Great Wizard was willing to share was limited. If one person dropped out, it meant a little more for the others. Therefore, aside from knowing Richard had designed the Magic Support Vehicle, Bob was in the dark about other developments these past few years. However, Bob wasn¡¯t particularly concerned with Richard¡¯s identity. As an emerging Commerce, the Nine Stars could only hope to scrape together leftovers from resource development. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Even if he knew Richard¡¯s identity, he would simply see it as an opportunity to forge a good relationship. The Magic Support Vehicle had shown him the potential profits of being a middleman. ¡­ Watching the Slave Army descend from the sky, Harash commanded his troops to meet the enemy, expressionless. The Fire Lizards wore black metal Armor, wielding Scimitars and long spears, cutting through the Slave Army as sharply as swords. Organization was a key measure of an army¡¯s strength; an equal force of irregulars could only be annihilated by a standing army. The mixed Slave Army was a band of irregulars and thus, when they faced the Fire Lizard army, they crashed against them like waves against the rocks. No matter how ferocious the waves, they could only shatter to pieces upon the rocks. Watching the Slave Army easily held back by the Fire Lizard army, Harash felt no joy in his heart. His intuition told him that these beings called Wizards could not possibly be so weak. As the Slave Army steadily dwindled, voices began to flow from the Wizards¡¯ Crystal Balls. ¡°The world is tentatively named Red Sun World, with a Magic Power concentration five times that of the Wizard World. The air has a higher density of the Fire Element, causing certain Elemental Damage through erosion, which those with a Physique of fifty-five and above can be immune to. This world has special rules ¨C every three days, there¡¯s an imbalance of the Fire Element. All Fire Element Spells in this world increase in power by twenty percent, while Water Element Spells decrease in effectiveness by fifty percent. The species is tentatively named Fire Lizard. Combat members are between two to three meters tall, with an evolved Physique. They are preliminarily estimated to have a Physique around seventy points and exhibit Dragon Breath-like Elemental Damage. Their Energy Level is estimated at three hundred, but some special Fire Lizards exhibit higher Energy Levels of Breath. The combat members of this species are skilled in using Scimitars and long spears, dealing Cutting and Piercing Damage. Their tails can cause Blunt Damage. They have low Element Resistance and higher resistance to the Fire Element. It is recommended to defeat them with spells. ¡­¡± ¡°The consumption of the mixed Slave Army is over half. Prepare the White Wizard Army!¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com Chapter 219 - 3 Steady Progress Chapter 219: Chapter 3 Steady Progress Following the command center¡¯s orders, the Floating City opened again, and the War Airships, like bloodthirsty sharks, flew out from the Floating City. Because this was a smaller world, the number of White Wizards was much more than last time, with hundreds of War Airships flying out from each Floating City. The White Wizards formed a complex military array with the War Airships at its core. Through the array¡¯s effects, a Magic Shield appeared below the White Wizard Army. Although the Fire Lizards¡¯ use of strategic weapons inflicted a certain degree of damage upon the Floating City, it helped the White Wizard Army to understand the power of the Dragon Breath Bombs. This Magic Shield had been prepared for this purpose. If they were unprepared, those terrible fireballs, unless one was a Three Rings Wizard, would leave nothing but ash and bones if they landed on a Wizard. ¡°Straight ahead, Fireball Technique, three consecutive shots, cast!¡± commanded a White Wizard through the mental network. ¡°Fire!¡± The next moment, hundreds of thousands of fireballs descended like a cataclysmic reign of fire upon the heads of the Fire Lizards. Boom! Though the Fire Lizards had a high resistance to the Fire Element, they couldn¡¯t withstand the Red Sun World¡¯s environmental boost to Fire Element Spell of twenty percent, which meant that a fireball with an Energy Level of one hundred could even gain an additional twenty Energy Levels. This environmental advantage was enough to offset the Fire Lizards¡¯ resistance to the Fire Element. Watching the fireballs fall from the sky, Harash¡¯s expression remained unchanged, and he turned to look at Mai Han: ¡°Mai Han, send your Corrosive Dragon Army into the sky. Balashar, get your Dragon Head Knights ready to move out.¡± After speaking, Harash refocused his attention on the battlefield. The recent Magic Concentrated Fire was indeed powerful, but for Harash, who was prepared mentally, the scene was fitting for the information he had received from the Fire Lizard King. He called over an Order Officer: ¡°Pass the order down, Dragon Spellcaster Group get ready. Dragon Breath Cannons, fire the Dragon Breath Bombs at will.¡± As the orders were given, tens of thousands of Dragon Breath Cannons began to aim at the sky, where the White Wizard Army was positioned. Huge Dragon Breath Bombs collided with the White Wizard Army¡¯s shield, immediately stirring up ripples. But the White Wizard Army had already understood the strength of the Dragon Breath Bombs from the damage assessment of the Floating City over the past few days. The Magic Shield, though appearing battered and on the verge of shattering, did not let any Dragon Breath Bomb breach its barrier. After the Dragon Breath Bombs, it was the turn of the Mias Empire¡¯s Corrosive Dragon Army. From within the Fire Lizard Army flew forth terrifying black Dragon Beasts. These creatures, known as Corrosive Dragons, appeared like Giant Dragons but were much smaller in size. Despite this, their power could tear apart any creature that underestimated them. Aside from their strength, the Corrosive Dragons also possessed venom glands, and a stench-filled massive maw that even a Komodo dragon would bow down to. The bacteria that lived in their mouths, combined with the venom glands, were enough to severely affect any creature beneath the Third Level. Manning their backs, groups of Dragon Warriors with Dragon Horns and iron helms held the reins, driving these wild beasts toward the White Wizard Army. As the Corrosive Dragons ascended, the White Wizard Army naturally would not just stand by idly. Magic Concentrated Fire appeared once again, as tens of thousands of thunderbolts cut across the sky, instantly clearing the front lines of the Corrosive Dragon Army. But before the Wizards could launch a second wave of attacks, the Corrosive Dragon Army had already breached the range to commence their attack. ¡°Bastards, taste the breath of the Corrosive Dragons!¡± roared one, as black-green breath landed on the Magic Shield in front of the White Wizard Army. This black-green breath carried deadly toxicity and corrosiveness. As it landed on the Magic Shield, it caused the frontline Shield Wizards to expend an immense increase in Magic Power. ¡°Straight ahead, Lightning Chain, cast three times.¡± The intelligent and composed White Wizards issued commands. Against such small batches of clustered enemies, the Lightning Chain, a spell whose quantity could lead to a qualitative change, was most appropriate. As the order was given, over a hundred thousand Wizards waved their Magic Wands, and in an instant, the purple brilliance of thunderbolts almost eclipsed the Heavenly Vault¡¯s three suns. Meanwhile, the command center also issued orders for the Black Wizards to move out. The Dragon Breath Cannons posed a significant threat to both the White Wizard Army and the War Airships. Hundreds of airships simultaneously opened their dropship hatches, with tens of thousands of fireballs plummeting down from the sky. Seeing the red spheres falling from the airships, Harash frowned, his dragon eyes clearly discerning that those fireballs were actually Wizards. He turned to an awaiting Order Officer: ¡°Deploy the Imperial Guard Dragon Warriors, three Imperial Guards coupled with one Dragon Spellcaster forming one battle array, three battle arrays to protect one Dragon Breath. Moreover, communicate with his majesty using the Crystal Screen, these millions of troops aren¡¯t enough; if we are to defeat these Wizards, we need at least over five times this number of troops, including the entire Dragon Spellcaster Group, the entire Corrosive Dragon Army, the entire Dragon Beast Knight Order, all the Imperial Guard Dragon Warriors, and one hundred thousand Dragon Breath Cannons. We can either extract as much information about the Wizards as possible in this war or preserve our troops as much as we can. I hope his majesty can make a decision.¡± ¡­ The Black Wizards began their assault towards the Dragon Breath Cannon positions immediately after landing, differing from the Slave Army¡¯s scattered soldiers. Although the Black Wizards fought individually, their strength far surpassed those of the slave monsters. The Wizards¡¯ arcane and peculiar spells gave the Fire Lizard Warriors a severe headache. One might discover that the same Wizard who used Fireball Technique in their previous move could next summon a sharp spike from the ground or swing their Magic Wand to explode their heads. Compared to the Wizards, these battle-hardened Fire Lizard Warriors seemed like raw recruits, being disoriented and outclassed by the Wizards¡¯ spells. Soon, the first Wizard to breach the area around the Dragon Breath Cannons appeared. That was an old Second Ring Wizard, whose life force was in a state of decay. He wore a black robe, and his body was mostly elementalized, with white and purple lightning intertwined, making up the majority of his body. He swung his magic wand toward the Dragon Breath Cannon, and his attack was a thunderous bolt out of the blue. Boom! After the lightning passed, the Dragon Breath Cannon remained undamaged, while a Golden Robed Fire Lizard surrounded by three Fire Lizards wearing golden masks took center stage. A barrier, emanating from him, firmly blocked the Wizard¡¯s lightning. At this moment, the Golden Robed Fire Lizard was chanting some ancient and obscure language, but each syllable he uttered caused faint energy fluctuations around him. This old Wizard had experienced many battles and had witnessed countless strange abilities, so he immediately recognized this tactic. ¡°Command center, command center, this is Nasito, new type enemy combat units have appeared on the battlefield. They are estimated to be Psychic Evolvers with Spellcasting abilities, capable of withstanding thunderstorms of at least 4,000 Energy Level.¡± The old Wizard kept his gaze on the Golden Robed Fire Lizard while retreating and reported the intelligence he deduced to the command center. The Golden Robed Fire Lizard, watching the Wizard, suddenly began to chant the syllables at an accelerated pace. And with the final syllable heralded, a crimson flame suddenly appeared beside the Golden Robed Fire Lizard. He watched the departing old Wizard, and as the flame began to weaken, the Wizard¡¯s body suddenly burst into raging flames. The body of the old Wizard, although mostly elementalized, was still important because of the remnants of flesh and blood. As the flame appeared, his body of flesh and blood instantly turned to ashes. And the fire did not stop there; it even attempted to ignite on the Wizard¡¯s elemental body, frightening the old Wizard into hastily dispersing his elemental form, and then instantly reassembling it. After reassembling, the eerie flame finally dissipated. ¡°Such a strange ability, almost like a Curse,¡± said the old Wizard, still fearful, but he then relayed the message to the command center. This was important intelligence, worth a good amount of Magic Essence rewards from the command center. The Dragon Spellcaster Group did not continue the pursuit, allowing the old Wizard to leave freely. Their mission was to protect the Dragon Breath Cannon, and slaughtering Wizards was not part of their task. Compared to the experienced old Wizard, other Black Wizards who attacked the Dragon Breath Cannon were not so fortunate. The Curse Flame of the Dragon Spellcaster Group killed hundreds of Wizards in one strike, including some Second Ring Wizards. However, the command center soon developed a counterstrategy. ¡°Emergency announcement from the command center, the enemy has deployed Psychic Evolver combat units, skilled in Curse Flame. This flame¡¯s Energy Level ranges from six hundred to forty-two hundred. Countermeasures include high-frequency Magic Power vibration or applying optical invisibility to oneself. Furthermore, for the mission to destroy strategic weaponry, it is advised to be led by at least one or more Second Ring Wizards in a squad-based assault. It is not recommended for those below Three Rings to engage in solo attacks.¡± Upon receiving the message, the Black Wizards on the battlefield quickly reacted, with Black Wizard squads swiftly appearing. Overseeing the entire battlefield, the groups of Black Wizards pierced through the Fire Lizard Warrior formations like sharp arrows. Cutting, surrounding, annihilating. Under the command of some experienced old Wizards, the Black Wizard squads dismantled the Fire Lizard Warriors¡¯ defenses at an astonishing pace. The White Wizard Army in the sky further prevented most of the Fire Lizard troops from providing support, only able to watch as their lines were dissolved by the Black Wizards. Collapse was about to begin. ¡­ ¡°Such impressive individual combat capabilities.¡± Harash stood in the strategy room, overlooking the entire battlefield. His position was at the very rear of the battlefield, shaped like an obsidian pyramid carried by a giant Dragon Tortoise, always ready to move if needed. From this position, even the War Airships of the Wizards couldn¡¯t reach, let alone the main cannons of the Floating City. Order Officers kept bringing the latest battle reports; the elite within his Fire Lizard Army were being depleted at an alarming rate. The previous monsters had fought for five days and only lost tens of thousands of Fire Lizards, but as soon as these Wizards appeared, in just half a day, his army had lost over a hundred thousand men, and the number was still increasing at an alarming rate. ¡°Has His Majesty not responded yet?¡± Harash looked to his side, where an Order Officer was anxiously waiting in front of a Crystal Screen. Suddenly, the Crystal Screen lit up with a point of light, and the Order Officer quickly presented the screen to Harash. ¡°Sir, the King¡¯s response has arrived.¡± Harash took the screen, tapped it once, and the next moment, the image of the Fire Lizard King appeared on the Crystal Screen. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Fire Lizard King sat high on a golden throne, his nearly ten-meter-tall majestic body topped with five fierce Dragon Heads, looking terrifyingly formidable. ¡°Harash, bring the army back.¡± Harash, looking at the screen, knelt on the ground. ¡°Your will, my King.¡± ¡­ Before long, watching the beginning retreat of the Fire Lizard Army, Richard turned and left the edge of the Floating City. ¡°Richard, are you going down to join the action?¡± asked Bob casually. Richard did not turn back but casually pulled out a Magic Wand from his pocket. ¡°Of course, this is one of the best opportunities to make money during this war.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com Chapter 220 - 4: Siege and Capture of Fortresses Chapter 220: Chapter 4: Siege and Capture of Fortresses Descending from the Floating City, Richard immediately rushed to the battlefield. Now was the perfect opportunity to collect heads, as these Fire Lizards were retreating. These Fire Lizards appeared to possess a Giant Dragon Bloodline, which was of great research value to him. The retreat of the Fire Lizards was very swift and unlike a rout¡ªthey retreated with discipline, executing various crossing and blocking tactics. It seemed their Commander was someone skilled in military affairs. Unfortunately, given the technological disparity with Wizard Civilization, his command could only reduce some of the losses; massive casualties still ensued. Richard, holding a Magic Wand, casually cast a black Fireball. With the help of Luck Blessing, the Fire Element-rich environment of the Red Sun World amplified his Fire Element Spells even further, astonishingly by twenty-five percent. A Spell with an Energy Level of four hundred, with layer upon layer of amplification, even reached five hundred and eighty Energy Level. A mere Fireball could easily explode and kill the Fire Lizards, which were Level 1 Creatures. But before Richard could be pleased with himself, a gust of wind struck from behind him. ¡°Hissss, die!¡± A seriously injured Fire Lizard, hiding in a pile of exploded dirt, launched its last attack on Richard. Clang! The spear tip shattered. Compared to the well-prepared Armor Richard wore, the weapon of the Fire Lizard was clearly of much poorer quality. Richard turned back with a ¡°kind¡± smile, ¡°Not bad, one severely wounded; that saves me the trouble.¡± He grabbed the long spear of the Fire Lizard and yanked the creature to his side. Then, with a ¡°smack,¡± Richard swung his hand and harshly slapped the Fire Lizard¡¯s face. Afterward, the Fire Lizard found itself enjoying the sleep of an infant. Richard assessed the Fire Lizard¡¯s injuries: ¡°The injuries are a bit severe, but all minor issues.¡± He casually opened the Secret Realm Rift and threw the Fire Lizard in, instructing, ¡°Don¡¯t let this guy die, I want to experiment on him later.¡± Soon after he threw it in, a rift appeared behind Richard and Ulysses flew out from it. ¡°Gah, to the New World? And you didn¡¯t even call me.¡± Ulysses landed on Richard¡¯s shoulder and glanced at the surrounding environment. ¡°World with a bias in Fire Element, boring.¡± ¡°Boring?¡± Richard inquired with curiosity, ¡°Then what kind of world is considered interesting?¡± ¡°Gah, all these unbalanced worlds are like they¡¯ve been carved out from the same mould: volcanoes, deserts, wastelands, and at best some Fire Element plants. These things might seem novel at first glance, but after you¡¯ve seen them a few times, you¡¯ll realize that these worlds are nowhere near as fascinating as those with a balance of Elements. At the very least in terms of climate, achoo!¡± Before he could finish, Ulysses sneezed¡ªan uncommon occurrence. Richard asked in surprise, ¡°Your body is already at the Third Level, how can you be so sensitive to the environment?¡± Ulysses shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s just a habit of the Soul, like when you drink tea, you also have a habit of blowing on it. Do you blow because the water is hot?¡± Richard had no response. Following the main troops, Richard made his way to a city. It was a massive city, centered around a volcano and spreading out for hundreds of kilometers. The various tall sandstone structures indicated that this native civilization had reached a certain level. Architecture is often an important marker of civilization. Even in this world of transcendent powers, building large-scale stone structures still requires help from structural engineering, material science, and mathematics. A simple conclusion drawn by a Wizard over years of conquest is that the more developed a Race is, the taller their buildings are. ¡°Highly civilized, it seems these Fire Lizards won¡¯t be suitable as slaves,¡± Richard muttered as he watched the city. ¡°Gah, you have such considerations for slaves? Isn¡¯t it enough if a Race is sufficiently excellent?¡± Ulysses asked, puzzled. ¡°This is an unspoken rule among the Great Wizards; I also heard it from some of the older Wizards,¡± Richard explained, ¡°Great Wizards, during their conquest of worlds, would deliberately exterminate certain Races. These Races often possess a notable level of civilization, with sophisticated development of their own abilities, and have significant advancements in fields like mathematics. As long as a Race fits these criteria, no matter how excellent, they would be annihilated.¡± After Richard¡¯s explanation, Ulysses fell silent for a moment and then said gloomily, ¡°Gah, this is probably to maintain the purity within your community, I guess.¡± ¡°Purity?¡± ¡°Gah, I¡¯m not certain, let¡¯s see how it goes. These matters have no impact on you anyway. In the blood of these creatures, that look like lizards, I smell the same scent as the Giant Dragon Blood Serum you showed me last time. The ancestors of these natives are most likely related to those dragons.¡± Ulysses didn¡¯t say much more but shifted the conversation back to Richard. Richard nodded, ¡°I guess so too, let¡¯s see what can be extracted from the Fire Lizards when we get back.¡± ¡­ In the strategy room, Harash reported the Wizards¡¯ intelligence he knew in an orderly manner against the light screen. ¡°¡­Your Majesty, this race is even more terrifying than the entities you know from the Star Realm; with our current situation, the fall of Kafra City is just a matter of time.¡± In the screen, the Fire Lizard King sat high on his throne, looking very calm. But Harash, who was familiar with his own monarch, knew that his liege was already very angry. As the Grand Marshal promoted by the Fire Lizard King himself, he could tell his liege¡¯s mood from the subtle shifts of his scales, the flexing of his spine, the angles of his gaze, and even the swing of his tail. As a close servant, some things were etched into his bones, even without deliberate learning. ¡°Harash, give me some good news. Today, you¡¯ve only brought bad tidings,¡± the Fire Lizard King said calmly. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Harash stood up and waved to a subordinate on the side. Soon, a subordinate brought over a One Ring Wizard who was tied up tightly. This wizard was vibrant with life from what one could tell of his vitality, unmistakably a student soldier freshly out of the Academy. At this moment, a nail was driven into the wizard¡¯s head, and he seemed to be in a comatose state. ¡°Your Majesty, from the soul of this wizard, we¡¯ve gathered a lot of intelligence. There are about over a million wizards involved in this war with two leaders they call Great Wizards leading them. I presume, these so-called Great Wizards should be powerhouses on par with Your Majesty. Thus, we still hold the advantage in terms of high-level power. Moreover, these wizards won¡¯t be able to replenish their troops for a long time. Now, for them, every loss is permanent, whereas we can replenish our forces continuously. As long as we can thoroughly crush them in this period when they can¡¯t reinforce, then these wizards will have to leave in disgrace, or stay here forever.¡± Hearing Harash¡¯s briefing on the war, the Fire Lizard King¡¯s mood somewhat improved. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Harash, you may now command the entire Imperial army, whether it¡¯s the Imperial Guard Dragon Warriors or the Dragon Spellcaster Group, even if¡­¡± the Fire Lizard King paused, seemingly making a decision. ¡°Even if it¡¯s the warehouse guards, you can command them. But remember, our enemies are not just the wizards; the other two Empires are constantly thinking of swallowing us up.¡± With that, the screen went dark. Harash handed the screen to an attendant and turned to the window. As he looked at the relentless pursuit of the White Wizard Army, he said quietly, ¡°To be stingy with power at a time like this, this war is likely to drag on.¡± ¡­ ¡°Why didn¡¯t you stay put in the Floating City, young man? What business do you have running to the front line?¡± Vladimir said irritably to Richard, who had arrived at the front line. At this moment, the White Wizard Army was preparing for the siege, and the various alchemy components brought from the rear were quickly transformed into alchemy weapons by the Alchemy Wizards. ¡°It¡¯s a great time to make money, isn¡¯t it?¡± Richard chuckled. As a Second Ring Wizard, the pursuit battle posed no danger to Richard. ¡°Making money?¡± Vladimir snorted coldly, ¡°You do have a knack for timing. But you¡¯ve come to the wrong place this time. The natives have a very capable commander, and he managed to save most of his troops in the opening fight. Now they¡¯ve retreated into the city, street fighting is inevitable.¡± ¡°Street fighting?¡± Richard was a bit confused, ¡°Can¡¯t we just bulldoze through them with magic?¡± ¡°Bulldoze? You¡¯re dreaming nicely.¡± Vladimir scoffed at Richard mockingly. ¡°Do you think these natives are just targets? See that huge cluster of buildings? How long are you going to bomb those with magic? Those buildings aren¡¯t flesh; they won¡¯t die from a little shaping magic explosion. The shockwave might kill some, but it won¡¯t suffice. You see those big houses? You won¡¯t be able to destroy them by just draining your magic power if you can¡¯t hit the exact spot.¡± On the battlefield, the old wizard had become even more irritable and odd. After being subjected to Vladimir¡¯s sarcastic comments, Richard could only consult him dejectedly, ¡°So according to the Master, street fighting is going to be tough?¡± ¡°It¡¯s tough.¡± Vladimir looked at Richard and suddenly reached into the inside of Richard¡¯s wizard robe. Clank, clank, clank. ¡°Good lad, no wonder you dare to come, your defenses are quite solid,¡± Vladimir said with slight surprise, ¡°If you have this protection, then indeed you might be able to take advantage.¡± Saying that, Vladimir spoke a few words to a crystal ball, and soon after, a squad of White Wizards arrived next to Richard. ¡°This gentleman is our technical consultant. He sympathizes greatly with the hardships of our battle, so he¡¯s come to the battlefield to offer his help,¡± Vladimir told the White Wizard squad in a firm tone, ¡°So he¡¯ll join you in the street fighting cleanup.¡± As an equipment chief, Vladimir had some command authority. Faced with Vladimir¡¯s command, the captain of the White Wizard squad showed a troubled expression but agreed. ¡°Yes, Equipment Chief, Sir!¡± Vladimir looked at Richard: ¡°Go have some fun with these lads inside, and be careful, don¡¯t get yourself killed.¡± Richard nodded and then looked at the captain of the White Wizard squad. ¡°Captain, I will cooperate fully with you in battle.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com Chapter 221 - 5 Street Fighting Chapter 221: Chapter 5 Street Fighting Entering the army requires comportment befitting of the military. As an outsider, Richard showed ample respect for the White Wizard squad fighting alongside him. Firstly, several members of this squad were Second Ring Wizards with, presumably, rich combat experience. Secondly, he was there to reap benefits; respecting those who fought to the death seemed only appropriate since he was essentially seizing a slice of their hard-earned pie. The captain of the White Wizards cast a stern look at Richard and said, ¡°Advisor, we are pleased to cooperate with you and will do our utmost to ensure your safety, but you must also fully cooperate with our operations.¡± Ensure my safety? Richard shook his head. ¡°I think you¡¯ve misunderstood something, Captain. I don¡¯t need protection.¡± Then, Richard turned off the effect of his Concealer Cloak, revealing his Life Radiation. The captain of the White Wizards was slightly surprised but his words remained unchanged. ¡°Advisor, your strength is indeed greater than I imagined, but a Second Ring Wizard is not an invincible creature on the battlefield.¡± To these battle-hardened White Wizards, Level and combat power were not always synonymous, especially for a being like a wizard, where the range between the upper and lower limits is vast. A strong Second Ring Wizard could instantly kill a Third Level native creature with a sneak attack, while a weak Second Ring Wizard could just as easily be killed by a native of the same Second Level. Richard felt somewhat helpless; these White Wizards were a tad too disdainful. Speaking of protection, did he really need it with a World Master perched on his shoulder? Looking toward Vladimir, Richard hoped he might help clarify things. However, he saw Vladimir was busy speaking to a Crystal Ball while flying off into the distance. ¡°I¡­¡± Richard wanted to continue arguing but noticed the captain of the White Wizards frown slightly, speaking with a heavier tone: ¡°Advisor, how many Plane Wars have you participated in?¡± Richard hesitated before answering, ¡°¡­My second.¡± The captain of the White Wizards pointed to a One Ring Wizard behind him. ¡°He has the least combat experience in our team, but even he has gone through three wars.¡± Then, the captain of the White Wizards asked again: ¡°May I ask, Advisor, how old you are today?¡± Richard paused briefly, then said somewhat helplessly, ¡°Over three hundred years old.¡± Hearing this age, the captain of the White Wizards seemed to understand something, and his tone became somewhat impatient. ¡°Advisor, while a wizard¡¯s strength does not necessarily correlate with age, in most cases, an older wizard will have stronger combat capabilities than a younger wizard. I believe you have inherited much knowledge from your family, but please trust me, knowledge is one thing and applying it in combat is another.¡± ¡°Family¡­ What family?¡± said Richard, somewhat puzzled. He didn¡¯t understand what had led the captain of the White Wizards to such an association. At this point, the captain of the White Wizards could not be bothered to continue the conversation. ¡°Advisor, we are about to enter the city. I hope you can cooperate as you¡¯ve said.¡± With that, three wizards from the squad surrounded Richard in the center, with a Barrier Wizard bringing up the rear. This was the standard formation for a Guard Team, typically used to transport the wounded. Richard sighed, ¡°Alright then. Have it your way.¡± He couldn¡¯t say anything unpleasant to a group of wizards who intended to protect him. In any case, the battlefield would soon reveal all. Wizards had three types of Alchemy Weapons for urban warfare. One type was a Life Detection Device, which looked like a Crystal Ball and was mainly used by Investigation Wizards to detect the presence of enemies nearby. This device was mainly to check for creatures lurking underground; for wizards, spiritual power investigation was sufficient to detect most enemies. The second type was an Alchemy Hammer designed to demolish buildings, able to emit high-frequency Shock Waves, perfect for breaking down structures. And the last type was a one-time item¡ªa Magic Potion called ¡°The Third Eye.¡± This potion enhanced a wizard¡¯s danger perception, allowing wizards to react in advance to certain fatal attacks. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Richard looked at the Magic Potion in his hands and sighed. His company should have been in the business of making Magic Potions; instead, it had become an arms dealer. Such is the unpredictability of life. When he returned, he resolved to delve into Magic Potion to see if he could find a scalable way to produce them. The bulk of the Magic Potion business supplied the military needs for expeditions to Otherworlds. If the potions were not cost-effective, the Great Wizard would not simply give Magic Essence to the company for free. Equipped, the squad entered the city. Richard¡¯s squad was only seven members strong, but it was clear from the few Second Ring Wizards in it that this was an elite squad. After years of expeditions to Otherworlds, the White Wizard Army had developed many strategies. For urban combat, the White Wizards would have elites lead the charge, with ordinary wizards sweeping up any stragglers. This strategy was risky for the elite squad, but the rewards were equally lucrative. Apart from the benefits brought by the natives, the army also provided special subsidies for those wizards undertaking dangerous missions. Entering the city, Richard heard nothing but the roar of spells around him. It was as if all the Fire Lizards in the entire city had been cleared out. Above them, War Airships acted as support units, aiding in striking down some enemies, but this assault was minimal, only effective against some obvious foes. The most significant use of the War Airships was as the eyes of the command unit, allowing commanders to observe as much of the battlefield situation as possible. This eerie phenomenon had clearly caught the attention of more than just Richard. The White Wizard Captain extended his spiritual power to its limit, but within the range of his spiritual power, not a single soul could be found. The retreat of the Fire Lizard army to the White Wizards beginning the siege had only been three days, how could this large city, home to millions of people, turn into a city of death within such a short time? Just as the White Wizard Captain was puzzled, a team member holding a Life Detection Crystal Ball came to his side. Within his hands, the Crystal Ball showed several red dots hidden beneath the ground of the houses nearby. ¡°So they¡¯ve been hiding in the cellars.¡± The White Wizard Captain glanced at the locations and the life strength on the Crystal Ball, then sent out commands through the psychic network. ¡°Take out those few Fire Lizards, keep it quiet.¡± A Wizard whose body had undergone metallic transformation entered one of the nearby houses and after a while, he re-emerged, and the red dots on the Crystal Ball vanished. ¡°Just a few old Fire Lizards that couldn¡¯t move. It seems the civilian population of these creatures has already left.¡± ¡°Left?¡± The White Wizard Captain frowned, but then relaxed his expression. ¡°If they¡¯ve left, it¡¯s for the better, reducing interference will make our mission smoother.¡± The conversation between the two was not conducted over the psychic network, so Richard also learned of the Fire Lizard civilians¡¯ evacuation. Unlike the White Wizard Captain¡¯s reaction, Richard¡¯s brow furrowed deeply. This species, temporarily called Fire Lizards, seemed to have strong countermeasures against warfare. Following the squad, they continued to advance in a continuous ¡°L¡± shaped path. Every building they passed was probed repeatedly by a few Wizards using their spiritual power to ensure no Fire Lizards remained. Suddenly, the White Wizard Captain gestured with his hand, and the entire team stopped instantaneously. Within the psychic network, the White Wizard Captain calmly commanded: ¡°Two hundred meters ahead to the left, the building with a black plaque has three First Level Fire Lizards in ambush. When we move in, we must be swift. We¡¯ve got a privileged scion with us now, so we can¡¯t fish around carelessly like before.¡± ¡°Captain, this advisor looks familiar to me.¡± A team member suddenly spoke out in the psychic network, ¡°I think I¡¯ve seen him in the Insect Nest World; he was with Master Vladimir repairing a number of Magic Stone Cannons¡­¡± ¡°You must be mistaken, Acker,¡± the Captain interrupted bluntly. ¡°This kid has become a Second Ring Wizard at such a young age and even joined the war as a technical advisor. It¡¯s clear which Wizard Family lacks ability and is vying for favor with their youngest son. What normal Wizard could gather enough resources to advance at that age, and which teacher would allow their student to ascend so early? I¡¯ve seen this type of behavior before.¡± As he spoke, a trace of disgust flashed across the Captain¡¯s face. Such privileged individuals were like unpredictable bombs in war, and any Commander would despise having this uncertain factor in their team. ¡°Moreover, this Master Richard you speak of, I¡¯ve heard of him. He¡¯s a newly graduated One Ring Wizard, and although his teacher is Jolo, Master Jolod has more than one student. If he wants to break through to the Second Ring, he¡¯ll have to fight in at least one Plane War, and even if he amasses enough resources, Master Jolod wouldn¡¯t allow him to advance to the Second Ring so soon.¡± Wizards who follow spiritual evolution do not face the issue of it being harder to advance as they age before reaching the Third Ring. In fact, due to the existence of Soul Darkness, it¡¯s safer for older Wizards to advance. The spirits honed by years are more capable of enduring the endless Soul Darkness. The team advanced steadily, quickly arriving at the location of the ambushing Fire Lizards. The Captain issued orders through the psychic network, and with a flick of their Wizard¡¯s Wands, several Wizards shot groups of crimson fireballs into a house on the street. As there was a loud boom, the Captain gestured, signaling the team to continue forward. Suddenly, Ulysses perched on Richard¡¯s shoulder opened his eyes. ¡°Caw, someone¡¯s coming.¡± Before Ulysses finished speaking, loud crashes were heard as several dark figures burst through the doors of nearby houses and charged at them. So swift their approach, even the White Wizard Captain, vigilant of his surroundings, barely managed to react. ¡°Enemy attack, defensive stance!¡± The White Wizard Captain shouted, his expression cold and composed, showing not a trace of panic. He was battle-hardened; such situations were nothing new to him¡­ Bang! A Wizard¡¯s Magic Barrier shattered, half of his body sliced through by a scimitar in an instant. The attacking creature, over two meters tall, radiated life as vibrant as the sun. He had a golden mask on his face, in his hand wielded a Black Gold Scimitar exuding a fearsome chill. It was that scimitar that had cleaved through the Magic Barrier of a One Ring Wizard at the rear of their formation. A Second-level Creature! The White Wizard Captain¡¯s heart tightened, his spiritual power swiftly swept over the battlefield, and then his heart sank. There were ten Fire Lizards attacking them¡­ and all of them were Second Level! Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com Chapter 222 - 6 Imperial Guard Dragon Warrior Chapter 222: Chapter 6 Imperial Guard Dragon Warrior Imperial Guard Dragon Warriors, elite troops within the Fire Lizard army, were all Fire Lizard Nobles who had grown Dragon Horns. Thanks to the awakening of their Bloodline, each had reached the Second Level. Setting aside their Bloodlin, their Combat Skills also stood out among the Fire Lizard Warriors; each was a formidable character who could take on ten of their own rank. The exceptionally stringent selection criteria gave these Fire Lizards combat capabilities comparable to those of veteran wizards. And now, ten of these elite troops had appeared simultaneously. Imperial Guard Dragon Warriors moved fiercely and swiftly, their faces behind Gold masks resembling specters. Buzz! Buzz! Buzz¡­ Scimitars fell like rain, the Imperial Guard Dragon Warriors¡¯ strikes were relentless. Their coordination was seamless; the continuous slashing waves momentarily rendered a small unit of Second Ring Wizards immobile. At that moment, the few One Ring Wizards became the squad¡¯s weak points. Bang! Bang! In the blink of an eye, the remaining Two One Ring Wizards were breached through their Magic Barriers, one wizard got his arm chopped off, another had his stomach slashed open. ¡°Cast together, Shield!¡± The White Wizard Captain issued commands through the mental network; the White Wizard squad¡¯s formation changed instantly, protecting the few One Ring Wizards at the center. The Magic Barriers among the Second Ring Wizards also merged instantly into a more solid Magic Barrier. The crisis was slightly mitigated. ¡°Not bad,¡± The largest of the Imperial Guard Dragon Warriors said quietly. Then, the group of Imperial Guard Dragon Warriors stopped their attack and instantly disappeared into the buildings around. Once inside the buildings, these Imperial Guard Dragon Warriors seemed to become invisible; the wizards¡¯ spiritual power could detect nothing. ¡°Spiritual camouflage, Second Level elite strength, closely coordinated existence.¡± The captain summarized the information about the group of Fire Lizards, his face turning ashen. These Fire Lizards¡¯ individual strength required him to struggle to win even against one; facing two would leave him with only the strategy of running. And now, there were ten such Fire Lizards targeting them. A trace of despair flitted through the White Wizard Captain¡¯s heart. At the same time, Richard was exchanging Spiritual Messages with Ulysses. ¡°These Fire Lizards can evade spiritual detection, the myriad world really is full of wonders,¡± Richard exclaimed. ¡°Gah, that¡¯s nothing, there are many creatures that can fool spiritual power. I once saw a strange creature that could only be observed visually. Moreover, the moment you looked away from it, you immediately forgot about it. Only beings at the level of World Master are immune to its influence, many of my crow grandchildren died because of these creatures.¡± ¡°How did you guys eventually win?¡± Richard asked curiously. ¡°Gah, I paid a hefty price for that old witch skilled in Curses, had her curse the group so that if they weren¡¯t seen, they couldn¡¯t act. These creatures weren¡¯t strong in combat and couldn¡¯t face us directly. Later, I remember, this batch of creatures was entirely consumed by me, tasted pretty good too.¡± ¡°¡­let¡¯s focus on solving the current issue.¡± Richard patted the White Wizard Captain, wanting to say something. But when the captain turned around, his face was filled with rage. ¡°What are you doing? You scoundrel!¡± ¡°¡­why start cursing right away?¡± Richard¡¯s face grew sour. The captain glared furiously; what was this second generation of the Wizard Family trying to do, didn¡¯t he see that they were surrounded by Fire Lizards? ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± the captain asked, suppressing his anger. He knew the Fire Lizards were probably watching them, and if they discovered internal conflicts among them, they were truly doomed. Their only chance of survival now was to maintain a unified Magic Shield, convincing these Fire Lizards they were solid and then having them leave on their own. ¡°These Fire Lizards are quite valuable, I want to collect a specimen,¡± Richard said calmly. ¡°Collect a specimen!¡± The captain almost laughed in frustration Is this the time to collect specimens, can¡¯t you see those three One Ring Wizards who were almost killed by a single strike? ¡°Yes, just move aside,¡± Richard said somewhat helplessly, ¡°You¡¯re squeezing me into the middle, and I can¡¯t wield my skills properly.¡± At this, a few Second Ring Wizards also cast looks towards Richard. What boldness. Was he implying they were a burden? ¡°Wield your skills properly! Fine!¡± The captain, burning with rage yet laughing, roared out commands through the mental network. ¡°Let this fool go, I¡¯ll explain it to Master Vladimir later!¡± A few wizards shifted slightly, consequently creating a gap in the Magic Barrier. This was also why Richard had greeted the captain. A unified Magic Shield was like a barrier; to get out, there were only two options, either to walk out through an exit or to break the barrier. The Imperial Guard Dragon Warriors inside the building, witnessing this scene, were somewhat perplexed. ¡°What is that wizard doing, stepping out of the barrier?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I caught the pheromone scent of that strongest wizard. It¡¯s quite intense, probably an internal conflict.¡± ¡°Internal conflict, this could be interesting. Get ready to move, let¡¯s deal with this one who stepped out first.¡± ¡­ Step by step, Richard walked toward the surrounding buildings, holding his Magic Wand casually. Suddenly, two dark shadows burst from a building, attacking Richard from both left and right. ¡°Ulysses, leave the right one to me, don¡¯t let these White Wizards think I¡¯m just a man who hides behind his Magic Pet.¡± ¡°Gah, aren¡¯t you?¡± chuckled Ulysses. Ulysses sneered as he flew toward the left-side Dragon Warrior of the Imperial Guard, a pitch-black Crow Claw flashing out like lightning. On the right side, Richard did not dodge or avoid, not even releasing a Magic Barrier, allowing the Dragon Warrior¡¯s Scimitar to chop towards his body. Sizzle¡­ A series of sparks burst from the Armor as the Scimitar struck it. Richard smiled at the Dragon Warrior, ¡°A Scimitar can¡¯t break the Armor.¡± Then, he threw a punch. Boom! The Dragon Warrior stared dumbly at his slightly dented chest before falling backward. With the Dragon Power Gland and Mountain Breaking Fist, this punch had reached a terrifying energy level of fourteen hundred. Meanwhile, Ulysses¡¯s black Crow Claw was grasping the head of another Imperial Guard Dragon Warrior, along with half a spinal column. Silence. Both the White Wizards and the Fire Lizards were plunged into silence. But in the next moment, both sides reacted. ¡°Kill that wizard!¡± ¡°Spells, cover the consultant!¡± Spells roared next to Richard¡¯s ears, the White Wizards¡¯ spells momentarily delaying the Dragon Warrior¡¯s attack. Richard laughed heartily as he stretched and twisted his body in one fluid motion. Bang! Another Dragon Warrior fell backward. Three Imperial Guard Dragon Warriors seized the moment when Richard¡¯s old strength was exhausted and new strength had yet to arise, attacking from the left, right, and back. Their Scimitars, like moonlight sprinkled but carrying the brilliance of the sun. As the Scimitars swung, they actually melted and deformed, turning into a bone spatula by the time they neared Richard¡¯s body. Swoosh! The bone spatula missed. Richard¡¯s figure suddenly disappeared. The nearby Dragon Warrior saw clearly as Richard instantaneously appeared beside a house on the street. ¡°Ulysses, finish them off.¡± ¡°Ga, finally tired of playing.¡± Ulysses sneered, his body flashing black lightning as he swept over the heads of several Dragon Warriors. By the time he returned to Richard¡¯s side, the skulls of four Dragon Warriors who had attacked were completely lifted off. The three Dragon Warriors who hadn¡¯t managed to attack, upon seeing this, immediately fled far away using the buildings as cover. ¡°It¡¯s a pity, three got away.¡± Looking at the fleeing three Imperial Guard Dragon Warriors, Richard felt a bit regretful but did not order Ulysses to continue the pursuit. ¡°But these few are enough.¡± After saying this, Richard turned to look at the squad of White Wizards, spreading his hands helplessly: ¡°See, I told you I didn¡¯t need protection. Why didn¡¯t you believe me?¡± ¡­ ¡°I truly am shortsighted; I failed to see the full strength of Lord Consultant earlier. I have offended you before and hope for your forgiveness,¡± said the Wizard Captain of the White Wizards, respectfully performing a Wizard¡¯s Salute with his head bowed and his expression humble. Who would have thought that this three-hundred-year-old Second Ring Wizard would have such formidable combat prowess, seeming even stronger than his Magic Pet? Richard waved his hand indifferently; he wasn¡¯t one to hold grudges, especially over such a small matter. ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious, let¡¯s continue moving forward, Captain.¡± The White Wizard Captain raised his head, inwardly relieved. Normally, wizards from wizard families were petty people. Unexpectedly, he had encountered a generous one this time. ¡°Thank you for your magnanimity, your family seems to have gained another impressive figure,¡± the White Wizard Captain remarked. Richard frowned slightly, ¡°What are you talking about with families? I told you, I don¡¯t belong to any family. You should have seen me by now; I¡¯ve been repairing Magic Stone Cannons with Master Vladimir, haven¡¯t I repaired any for you?¡± ¡°You really are Master Richard!¡± exclaimed a One Ring Wizard receiving treatment, ¡°I knew I remembered right.¡± For wizards who had undergone spiritual evolution, so long as their bodies still functioned, wounds were not severe. The injuries the Dragon Warrior had inflicted looked frightening but were in fact easily healable. Richard shrugged; it seemed his work as a battlefield repairman was still remembered. The White Wizard Captain¡¯s face turned red, experience sometimes misled judgment. ¡°Ah, I have offended again.¡± As he spoke, the White Wizard Captain pulled a Black Gold Scimitar from his pocket. The beautifully crafted Scimitar was covered with patterns like ancient tree branches¡ªa clearly top-grade among Scimitars. The White Wizard Captain handed the Scimitar to Richard with a stiff smile, ¡°Please do accept this; my mind is really too muddled.¡± Having offended Richard twice in a row, even a clay sculpture would have a spark of anger. If Richard left the battlefield in a huff, their small team would be in danger. Richard had not been tasked with attacking the city. The White Wizard Captain¡¯s forehead broke out in sweat as he quietly awaited Richard¡¯s response. Richard looked at his stiff smile, understood his thoughts, and then generously accepted the Scimitar: ¡°Since the Captain is willing to part with it, then I¡¯ll accept it.¡± The Captain breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°Thank you for your generosity.¡± With that, he began to reorganize the formation, preparing to continue clearing the city. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 223 - 7 Physique Enhancement Gland, Dragon Transformation Battle Body Complete Chapter 223: Chapter 7 Physique Enhancement Gland, Dragon Transformation Battle Body Complete The squad¡¯s exploration mission had lasted for seven days, during which they sporadically encountered attacks from Fire Lizards, but compared to the first day, these attacks were minor. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Richard didn¡¯t need to take action, as the wizards in the squad handled it. The only pity was that during these seven days, the squad explored civilian areas and aside from some Fire Element Gems used for decoration by the Fire Lizard civilians, there weren¡¯t any significant gains¡ª In this world imbalanced with Fire Element, Fire Element Gems, which are hard to form in ordinary worlds, had become quite common. The quality of the gems used for decoration by the Fire Lizard civilians was almost catching up to the gems embedded in Richard¡¯s staff. After seven days, a White Wizard arriving from the rear began to take over the exploration from the squad. Street fighting required constant vigilance, a kind of mental tension that even wizards found burdensome. When the burden grew too great, negligence could occur. But on the battlefield, negligence often cost lives. Therefore, rotating the exploration was very necessary. After the rotation, the members of the White Wizard squad exchanged contact information with Richard. For them, whether it was a wizard with strong combat capabilities or a reliable repairer during war, both were worthy connections. After the rotation, Richard left the front lines and returned to the Floating City to see what secrets this race, temporarily called the Fire Lizards, truly harbored. The Floating City had already descended, and masses of logistical wizards and engineer wizards began construction around it. Richard had initially wanted to make a small house for himself for research, just like he did in the Insect Nest World. However, upon entering the Floating City, Richard was informed that as a technical consultant and representative of the Wizard Commerce, the command center had reserved a room for him in the Floating City. This saved him quite a bit of work. Following the logistical wizards to the room, which was located on the first underground level of the Floating City. This room was originally supposed to be the residence of a wizard on an expedition, but now that the world had been reached and the war had begun, these rooms were being converted into warehouses, Synthetic Beast breeding bases, and other functional areas. If it weren¡¯t for Richard, this room would likely have been converted as well. ¡°Here is your key, if you have any questions, you can ask at the logistics department.¡± The logistical wizard handed the room key to Richard and then left the room. After the logistical wizard left, Richard checked the entire room. This wasn¡¯t because he suspected the command center might have left any surveillance devices, but rather to handle anything the previous residing wizard might have left behind. Many of the things wizards study are hazardous, and even a Second Ring Wizard could be threatened with life if they were unfamiliar. According to a joke passed among Free Wizards, a Second Ring Wizard once suffered acute allergies triggered by a poisonous insect left by another wizard, destroying a body in just a few seconds. After checking, Richard confirmed there were no items left by other wizards in the room. He then opened the Secret Realm Rift and brought out the Fire Lizard he had thrown in earlier. The injuries on the Fire Lizard had healed under the treatment of the World Mushroom, but it was currently in a deep coma; even with its injuries healed, it was completely at Richard¡¯s mercy. There was no furniture in the room, so if Richard wanted to dissect, he would need to prepare his own dissection table. So, Richard took out a pile of Lun Iron, and under the influence of Alchemy, this pile of Lun Iron transformed into a simple metal dissection table. Richard also conveniently fashioned a few surgical tools from the Lun Iron, to facilitate the dissection. After securing the Fire Lizard on the dissection table, Richard brought out a Wizard-version shadowless lamp for illumination. This shadowless lamp was a product of the Wizard Commerce, and Richard didn¡¯t know the principle behind it, but the effect was certainly impressive. Turning on the shadowless lamp, Richard looked at the Fire Lizard on the dissection table and couldn¡¯t help but praise it. ¡°Truly beautiful.¡± This Fire Lizard was two meters tall, humanoid, and covered from head to toe in fiery-red scales. These scales carried a glaze, reflecting a pale red glow under the shadowless lamp. But this wasn¡¯t the reason for Richard¡¯s praise. Holding a scalpel, Richard traced imaginary lines on the Fire Lizard¡¯s body, mumbling as he did so, ¡°This muscle distribution, simply the perfect proportion.¡± The muscles of the Fire Lizard were hidden beneath the scales, but this didn¡¯t hinder Richard¡¯s observation of them. The muscles of the Fire Lizard were as if drawn by an artist, each part perfectly balanced and symmetrically beautiful. ¡°I¡¯m becoming more and more curious to uncover your secrets.¡± Richard looked at the Fire Lizard, madness in his eyes. Without hesitation, Richard¡¯s scalpel followed the imaginary lines he had traced, slowly dissecting the Fire Lizard bit by bit. The muscle structure, organ placement, organ function, and nervous network of the Fire Lizard gradually became clear to Richard during the dissection. But when Richard had finished dissecting, he found himself deep in thought. Richard took off his gloves and gently touched a cup of Fire Lizard blood he had collected. [Ingredient: Fire Lizard¡¯s Blood] [Refinable Substance: Pure Dragon Blood] [Refinement Cost: 2000 Magic Power] ¡°Indeed, it is the Dragon Blood Species.¡± Richard pondered thoughtfully, ¡°But without the aid of Lun Runes, how could these Fire Lizards suppress the manifestation of dragon blood?¡± Previously, Richard had suspected that the Fire Lizards were of the Dragon Blood Species. However, upon further investigation, he had found that although some characteristics of the Fire Lizards resembled dragons, fundamentally, they greatly differed from the Dragon Blood Species. For example, the blood of the Fire Lizards lacked any corrosive properties, which was impossible for the Dragon Blood Species. Even after many generations of mixed blood, the bloodline of the Dragon Blood Species would exhibit erosive qualities due to the corrosiveness of dragon blood, maintaining a consistent concentration in every generation. Therefore, theoretically, the blood of any creature from the Dragon Blood Species would possess corrosive properties. However, the Fire Lizard before him contradicted all of Richard¡¯s previous understandings of the Dragon Blood Species. ¡°Expeditions to Otherworlds really do bring unexpected findings to Wizards,¡± Richard exclaimed with fervor. After stitching up the Fire Lizard, Richard returned it back to the Secret Realm Space. He then retrieved the corpses of Imperial Guard Dragon Warriors dressed in golden masks from the Secret Realm. These corpses, preserved by the World Mushroom in the realm, looked as fresh as if they had just died. ¡°Second-level creature corpses, it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve dissected any.¡± With a sigh, Richard immediately began the dissection. The body structure of the Imperial Guard Dragon Warriors was closer to Richard¡¯s understanding of the Dragon Blood Species than the recently dissected Fire Lizard, but only marginally. The organs of the Imperial Guard Dragon Warriors, while exhibiting characteristics of dragon transformation, were not complete transformations¡ªit was as if something was restraining the expression of dragon blood. Similarly, the fresh blood of the Imperial Guard Dragon Warriors was also non-corrosive. ¡°Strange, could it be that the ancestors of these Fire Lizards underwent a mutation in their Life Core that specifically shut off the corrosive aspect of dragon blood, or that some part of their Life Core can suppress the expression of dragon blood?¡± Richard mused while examining the body of the Imperial Guard Dragon Warrior. ¡°Otherwise, this change is really hard to explain.¡± Mutations in natural evolution are common, but most mutations are harmful; however, life¡¯s evolution often begins due to some benign mutations. Despite not unraveling the secret of the Fire Lizard¡¯s bloodline, the Imperial Guard Dragon Warriors provided Richard with another benefit. During the dissection, Richard discovered the existence of a Physique Enhancement Gland, which he found in all the Imperial Guard Dragon Warriors he examined. This meant that Richard could potentially extract pure Dragon Blood from the flesh of these Fire Lizards, thereby cultivating the Physique Enhancement Glands. But all this was contingent on the dragon blood having corrosiveness. Richard lightly touched the collected fresh blood of the Imperial Guard Dragon Warrior with his fingertip. [Raw material: Fresh blood of the Fire Lizard] [Refinable substance: Pure Dragon Blood] [Refinement cost: 5000 Magic Power] ¡°Refine.¡± In the next instant, the fresh blood collected in the beaker vanished, and within less than a breath¡¯s time, a drop of golden Dragon Blood, wrapped in Magic Power, appeared on Richard¡¯s fingertip. In this droplet of dragon blood, Richard could distinctly feel an overbearing and vigorous Life Energy. The refined Dragon Blood was corrosive! As long as it was corrosive, Richard could then cultivate the Physique Enhancement Gland. However, at the same time, a new question arose in Richard¡¯s mind. Was the Dragon Blood refined by the Miracle Furnace the most primitive form, or was it a genetically mutated form that had been passed down through generations? If it was the latter, the secret of the Fire Lizards would be evident, but if it was the former, then two possibilities still remained. ¡°Regardless, at least the Physique Enhancement Gland has a solution now, and my Dragon Transformation Battle Body is substantially complete. As for what secrets these Fire Lizards might hold¡­ there is plenty of time to study them.¡± Unable to foresee the progress in Dragon Transformation Battle Body during the Plane War period, Richard had to spend some Magic Stones to obtain active flesh from the logistics department for cultivating a clone. Since this time the dragon blood was not from a young dragon, Richard directly cultivated a Second-Level body. The organs cultivated from a First-Level body differed from those cultivated from a Second-Level body; the higher the level of the body, the stronger the resultant effects of the organs. And for the Physique Enhancement Gland, the most crucial part of his Dragon Transformation Battle Body, cultivating it using a Second-Level body could not be more appropriate. Time flew by, and half a year passed in a blink. In the laboratory, Richard carefully removed the Physique Enhancement Gland from the clone¡¯s body. The gland, about the size of an infant¡¯s fist and pale red in color with a faint fragrance, was tempting to eat. Richard took it out and, using Flesh Control, carefully slit open his own abdomen and inserted the gland. Although the ability of Flesh Control was inconspicuous in battle, it significantly reduced the effort required in experiments involving flesh. If it were someone else, they would need to undergo a soul-separation procedure and use magic-controlled instruments for the surgical augmentation. But for Richard, all he needed to do was insert the gland into his body and then control the flesh internally to easily complete the augmentation. Soon, the gland was transported just below the heart, followed by the connection of blood vessels and nerves¡­ Finally, when the first drop of fresh blood flowed through the Physique Enhancement Gland, its activity finally resumed. The strengthening hormones began flowing through Richard¡¯s limbs via the bloodstream. Richard¡¯s Dragon Transformation Battle Body had ultimately completed its most crucial step. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com Chapter 224 - 8 The Situation of the War Chapter 224: Chapter 8 The Situation of the War The mechanism of action for the enhancement hormones was still a mystery to Richard, but not understanding the black box mechanism didn¡¯t hinder his use of them. As the hormones traveled through his bloodstream, Richard could feel his cells becoming slightly more active than before. Such subtle changes might go unnoticed by anyone who wasn¡¯t a wizard specialized in improving their physique. Yet over time, cells would gradually strengthen, leading to an overall enhancement of physical condition. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°It¡¯s cumulative, a passive evolution. Once you reach a certain level of life, you don¡¯t even need to exercise; just sleeping could bring your physique to its peak. It¡¯s undeniable, Giant Dragons are indeed a nearly perfect race,¡± Richard exclaimed in admiration. But even such perfect creatures like Giant Dragons were merely the biological products left by some Pioneer civilization. Those traits Richard marveled at might just be the result of the Pioneers tweaking biotechnology. At that thought, Richard couldn¡¯t help but shudder. What kind of terrifying adversary had a civilization so powerful encountered that it turned the entire civilization into merely a wave in the river of history? Richard shook his head to clear these thoughts from his mind. He was merely a Second Ring wizard, these issues of the rise and fall of civilizations were too remote for him, pondering them was pointless. Stepping out of his room, Richard prepared to catch up on the current state of the war. After all, he was a technical advisor, and if possible, he intended to drum up more business. Magic Essence was something, after all, that even a Great Wizard would never find excessive. Walking up the metal staircase, Richard quickly made his way to the ground level. Compared to three months earlier, the Floating City had undergone significant changes. The construction belt around the Floating City was essentially complete, with logistics wizards conducting special works on some buildings. Having experienced the Insect Nest World, Richard knew that these buildings themselves were prepared fortresses, representing the Floating City¡¯s last line of defense in dire times. As Richard walked through the Floating City, he felt somewhat out of place among the busily working wizards. After inquiring around, Richard located the whereabouts of the merchants accompanying the army in Floating City. The war had just begun, and the wizards didn¡¯t have enough spoils of war yet, so the merchant area was quite deserted. Richard browsed inside for a while and finally stopped in front of one of the shop doors. He glanced at the signboard and then pushed the door to enter. ¡°Welcome, what would you like to exchange?¡± As soon as the door opened, a poised and beautiful mechanical clerk greeted him. Richard waved his hand: ¡°I¡¯m looking for Bob.¡± ¡°May I ask who is asking for him? To meet with Mr. Bob, you need to provide¡­¡± ¡°Hey, Richard, long time no see.¡± The mechanical clerk was interrupted as Bob walked out from the back of the store. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, have you come back from the front with some good loot?¡± Richard shrugged, his tone slightly exaggerated, ¡°Been back for a while now, those Fire Lizards are no pushover natives. Right when I got to the front, I ran into a squad of Second Level Fire Lizards, almost got left there.¡± ¡°Ssss, impressive. Truly worthy of being a Black Wizard,¡± Bob exclaimed, unable to help himself from giving Richard a thumbs up. In this era of great expansion, wizards greatly respected the strong. ¡°Too kind, too kind. You probably wouldn¡¯t do much worse yourself if you were up there,¡± Richard said modestly. ¡°No, no, no, I definitely would¡¯ve been left there,¡± Bob shook his head repeatedly, ¡°You came back early and might not have heard the news. That squad of Second Level Fire Lizards you ran into are elite troops among them, called the Imperial Guard Dragon Warriors. Their battle strength might be somewhat weaker than ours, but when they appear, they come in groups of ten, and in city battles, they¡¯ve killed quite a few of our people.¡± ¡°Imperial Guard Dragon Warriors?¡± Richard asked, curious about the odd term that was clearly a transliteration, ¡°Are those the ones with the gold masks on their faces?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s them. You encountered them, didn¡¯t you?¡± Richard nodded and then asked with curiosity, ¡°With the Fire Lizards targeting us like this, doesn¡¯t the command have any countermeasures?¡± ¡°Countermeasures? Of course, there are.¡± Bob pulled over a stool for Richard, ¡°Command sent the Black Wizards to fight in the city battles. City battles, where individual combat ability is crucial, are just right for Black Wizards. Now, Black Wizards have become the main force at the front line, a first for me to see.¡± Richard wasn¡¯t surprised; his intuition also told him that Black Wizards were better suited for urban combat. Black Wizards had strong individual combat power and survival ability, and even in danger, they had a higher likelihood of surviving than White Wizards. After all, Black Wizards usually operated behind enemy lines, facing such asymmetric battlefields all the time. In some cases, urban combat was even easier than the typical battles Black Wizards were accustomed to. ¡°With Black Wizards deployed, our progress must have sped up, right?¡± Bob waved his hand, ¡°Can¡¯t compare to usual. We¡¯ve hit hard resistance this time. These Fire Lizards are tough to deal with; in over three months, we¡¯ve only taken down about a dozen cities. Moreover, the more we fight, the more dispersed our forces become, and the slower our advance is. At this rate, we¡¯ll have to stop before long.¡± As he spoke, Bob suddenly sighed deeply, ¡°Making money this time seems to be a bit difficult.¡± Listening to Bob¡¯s somewhat disheartened words, Richard couldn¡¯t help but shake his head. These wizards, accustomed to easy victories, were defeatist strategists. It was a good thing Bob was part of the merchant group accompanying the army. If he had been a frontline White Wizard, simply based on his earlier remarks, the difficulty level of the tasks he received would have increased. Undermining the morale of the troops was something commanders despised in any world. ¡°Don¡¯t be so pessimistic, Bob,¡± Richard said lightly, ¡°If we¡¯re fighting hard, the Fire Lizards must be having an even harder time. I heard the Fire Lizards are divided into three nations; that¡¯s a point we can exploit.¡± Once the front line stopped advancing, Black Wizards would be sent behind enemy lines for sabotage missions¡ªat that time, assassinations, destruction, or even manipulating some of the top Fire Lizard leaders were all possible. In past wars, wizards had often taken advantage of conflicts within the natives¡¯ own race to speed up the war and reduce casualties. ¡­ In the heart of the Morick Empire, within a massive Pyramid made of obsidian adorned with gilded patterns of extraordinary beauty. ¡°Harash,¡± the Fire Lizard King Morick asked from his throne of pure gold, his draconic eyes sternly scrutinizing his Grand Marshal he had personally elevated, ¡°why have my Imperial Guard Dragon Warriors suffered such grave losses lately.¡± Kneeling on the ground, Haras trembled involuntarily under the weight of the King¡¯s Dragon Power. He knew his sovereign had grown angry. With his head lowered, Haras narrated the reasons for his actions as calmly as possible. ¡°Your Majesty, it is a strategy to deplete the Wizard numbers. Wizards are far stronger than us individually in combat. Without using elite strategies, our soldiers wouldn¡¯t even have the capacity to reduce the Wizard numbers in small-scale battles.¡± Silence, a long silence. Haras stared at the golden patterns on the obsidian floor, the Dragon Power in the great hall not dissipating in the slightest despite his explanation. The Fire Lizard King was very dissatisfied with his explanation. ¡°Haras, what was the last thing I said to you when I gave you authority?¡± It was only after a prolonged silence that the Fire Lizard King finally spoke. His words sent a shiver down Haras¡¯s spine. He clearly remembered the last thing the Fire Lizard King had said, but he had been trying to minimize the losses. ¡°Your Majesty, I remember,¡± replied Haras with a quiver, ¡°You instructed me to minimize the losses to prepare for the threats from the other two empires. But I¡­¡± ¡°Is this how you minimize losses? Treating my Imperial Guard Dragon Warriors as if they¡¯re stones to be carelessly thrown away?¡± The Fire Lizard King interrupted Haras¡¯s rebuttal and slowly closed his eyes. ¡°Haras, go rest. Leave the battlefield to Donar.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Leaving the palace, Haras handed a Golden Dragon Horn to a servant of the palace. ¡°This is the Grand Marshal Order, give it to Marshal Donar later.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Marshal,¡± replied the hooded servant respectfully. Haras sighed with a wry smile: ¡°I¡¯m no longer Marshal, I am now General Haras.¡± The servant looked up at Haras, his tone gentle yet firm, ¡°My lord, all of Morick Empire¡¯s fire lizards know of your talents. You are simply stepping down from your position temporarily.¡± Haras scrutinized the servant before him and suddenly snatched the hood from their head. ¡°Your Highness, you flatter me,¡± Haras nodded. But the Princess looked at Haras with earnest eyes: ¡°I¡¯m serious, Lord Haras.¡± Haras said no more and turned to walk toward the gates of the palace. Stepping down temporarily? Haras sighed as he gazed up at the two red suns in the sky. Let¡¯s hope so. ¡­ ¡°Father, you¡¯ve been relieved of duty as Grand Marshal?¡± Azuhan looked at the composed Haras before him, feeling that the world was absurd. His father, the great Haras, had been removed from such a vital wartime position and ordered by the Fire Lizard King to go home and rest. Had the Fire Lizard King lost his senses? ¡°His Majesty does not approve of my war strategy and has decided to let Marshal Donar take over,¡± Haras said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s fine, I could use a rest. I have fought many years of war, coming home to rest is not so bad.¡± ¡°But Donar compared to you, Father¡­¡± Azuhan wanted to defend Haras, but seeing his father¡¯s tranquil face, he swallowed his words. From a young age, Haras had taught him, events that have already occurred cannot be changed. Instead of dwelling on why things happened, one should focus on solving the issue at hand as efficiently as possible. ¡°Father, I want to join the military!¡± Azuhan suddenly spoke after a moment of silence. ¡°I forbid it,¡± Haras replied calmly. ¡°Why!?¡± Azuhan looked at his father puzzled, ¡°I¡¯m strong enough, even the Imperial Guard Dragon Warriors are no match for me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple, you¡¯re still not strong enough,¡± Haras seemed to have anticipated his son¡¯s question, ¡°The battlefield now is not like before, even the Imperial Guard Dragon Warriors are just slightly larger cannon fodder.¡± After speaking, Haras added: ¡°Don¡¯t think about enlisting secretly, I might no longer be Grand Marshal, but I still have some influence in the military.¡± ¡­ Azuhan puffed up with indignation. Haras looked at his son, unswayed. ¡°Go out if there¡¯s nothing else; socializing with some young ladies is a contribution to the war effort too. Increasing the number of fire lizards is also a contribution to the war. This war¡­ I fear it¡¯s going to last a very long time.¡± Chapter 225 - 9: Origins of Alchemy: Giant Dragon Alchemy Chapter 225: Chapter 9: Origins of Alchemy: Giant Dragon Alchemy From what Bob said, Richard got a rough idea about the situation of the war. The overall situation of the war did not seem too smooth, but the problems of all parties had not exploded yet, and it still seemed to be in a balance of power, with the Wizards possibly even at a disadvantage. However, Richard was neither a Great Wizard nor a hired Wizard; he was a technical consultant who didn¡¯t receive a salary nor need to fight on the front lines. The situation of the war didn¡¯t affect him much. Thus, the topic of conversation between the two quickly shifted from the war to the resources of the Red Sun World. ¡°Richard, my boy, take a look at this.¡± Bob pulled a somewhat incomplete Black Gold Scimitar from his Magic Pocket and adjusted the monocle on his face. ¡°You¡¯re an Alchemy Wizard, do you notice anything different about this scimitar?¡± A scimitar? Richard suddenly recalled that he had several scimitars of relatively good quality on hand. Was there something secretive about this scimitar? Richard took over the scimitar. Fire Lizard Scimitar contained a good amount of Fire Element Minerals, causing their scimitars to naturally emit high temperatures¡ªthe more refined and luxurious the scimitar appeared, the higher its temperature. For those Richard had obtained, he needed to use Magic Power to isolate the scimitars. Although he had high resistance to Fire Element, being unaffected did not mean he felt nothing, and Richard didn¡¯t want to get burned. He briefly examined the structure of the scimitar using Magic Power and then looked at the color of the break. ¡°This scimitar¡­ not bad,¡± Richard commented. ¡°Lad, what do you find good about it?¡± Bob¡¯s eyes twinkled. Richard handed the scimitar back to Bob, a trace of puzzlement flashing across his brow. ¡°The material of this scimitar is an alloy, there are no hidden cracks or voids, which isn¡¯t rare for the native people of a world. But¡­¡± Richard hesitated for a moment, then slowly added, ¡°But I detect something similar to our Alchemy, it seems to be another kind of Enchantment.¡± Bob smiled faintly upon hearing this and returned the scimitar to his pocket. ¡°Brother, you are very observant, our Chamber¡¯s Alchemy Wizard also noticed this. We speculate that these natives possess a technology similar to our Alchemy and have developed it quite extensively. This could be a gold mine.¡± However, after thinking for a while, Richard shook his head. ¡°Bob, if you plan to hoard these scimitars to sell to Alchemy Wizards, I advise you to abandon that idea.¡± Bob¡¯s smile stiffened, and then he asked, ¡°Oh? Richard, my boy, what did you see?¡± Richard remained silent, expression somewhere between a smile and seriousness, watching Bob. Realizing Richard¡¯s implication, Bob quickly pulled out a bag of Magic Essence from his pocket, his face beaming. ¡°Look how forgetful I am, fair trade, equivalent exchange.¡± But Richard did not take the Magic Essence. ¡°Bob, I don¡¯t need Magic Essence for now. You must have collected quite a few scimitars recently, do you have any premium ones I could take a look at?¡± ¡°There are some premium ones, but the price¡­¡± Bob hesitated, clearly, he didn¡¯t think the information Richard had was worth the price of the scimitars. Even if one doesn¡¯t study the underlying craft, these scimitars, either as materials or weapons, are quite a good choice. Richard tapped the counter beside him and laughed, ¡°I¡¯m just observing; I won¡¯t perform any destructive tests, and I¡¯ll return them before the war ends.¡± ¡°Not conducting destructive tests¡­ Richard, you¡¯re quite something.¡± Not conducting destructive tests set a broad range, melting the scimitar would be a destructive test, but using the scimitar to chop some hard materials would also count, even many of the Alchemy Wizard¡¯s investigative methods, which cause damage to the items, would be considered as destructive tests. Not conducting destructive tests, with Bob¡¯s experience, he couldn¡¯t fathom what Richard could do with these scimitars. After pondering for a moment, Bob extended his right hand to Richard. He had nothing to lose in this deal, so it was worth listening to Richard. Richard shook his hand, and the deal was sealed. Bob quickly drafted the contract; after verifying the information, they both signed their true names. As the contract turned to ashes, Richard spoke: ¡°These Fire Lizard¡¯s techniques, for most Alchemy Wizards, don¡¯t hold much significance. These things are fine as collectibles, but if sold under the guise of natives¡¯ special technology, I¡¯m afraid the Nine Star Chamber of Commerce might tarnish its reputation.¡± ¡°Hmm? Brother, what do you mean by this?¡± Bob looked confused, the technology seemed somewhat similar to Alchemy, and even if rudimentary, it surely held some value. ¡°Bob, how much do you know about the origins of Wizard Alchemy?¡± Richard spoke calmly. ¡°Well¡­ I haven¡¯t looked into it, I¡¯d love to hear the details,¡± Bob replied honestly. ¡°Regarding the origins of Wizard Alchemy, very few Alchemy Wizards are aware of it anymore. After all, that history is too distant and doesn¡¯t really aid Alchemy; modern Wizard Academies focus on profit, and apprentices rarely spend money to learn useless knowledge. But if they don¡¯t learn about it during their apprenticeship, they¡¯re even less likely afterward. However, I was quite wealthy during my apprenticeship, so I deliberately learned about the origins of Alchemy.¡± As Richard spoke, flashes of his apprenticeship days in the library came to his mind, bringing a slight smile to his lips. Bob quietly waited for Richard to get to the point. ¡°During the Dark Age, the various systems of the wizards were not yet perfected, and the Dominators of the earth and the sky were the giant dragons. Thus, the first subject of learning for wizards was the giant dragon. The initial wizard alchemy was a crude imitation of the giant dragon alchemy. However, after a long period of time, wizard alchemy had developed its own path on the basis of giant dragon alchemy. These two paths were like two intersecting lines, the further they developed, the farther apart they became. Therefore, these scimitars are basically worthless to most alchemy wizards.¡± After Richard finished speaking, Bob frowned slightly, ¡°So these fire lizards are using¡­ giant dragon alchemy? Dude, although this group of fire lizards somewhat resembles the Dragon Blood Species, they are actually quite different¡­¡± Bob had only spoken halfway when he swallowed his words, as he suddenly noticed that Richard¡¯s eyes were actually dragon eyes. A wizard who could transplant dragon eyes to himself must have studied the Dragon Blood Species. Richard could not possibly be unaware of the condition of the fire lizards. ¡°These fire lizards are of the Dragon Blood Species, I can assure you,¡± Richard said calmly, ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure what changes have occurred in the bodies of these fire lizards, but I found obvious signs of dragonization in those few Imperial Guard Dragon Warriors. Moreover, there are wizards who study giant dragon alchemy; some learned old alchemy wizards have researched it to some extent. You might want to consult a few old alchemy wizards. Or, you could see what those established chambers of commerce think about this stuff.¡± Hearing Richard¡¯s words, Bob suddenly realized that over the past few days, those old wizard chambers of commerce had shown little interest in the scimitars, while only he and a few emerging chambers of commerce had been buying them up in large numbers. At the time, he thought that these old chambers simply disdained the small amount of money, but now it seemed that they likely saw through the origin of the scimitars. Thinking of this, Bob couldn¡¯t help but wipe the cold sweat from his forehead. It was fortunate that the war was still ongoing, and most wizards were on the front lines, so he hadn¡¯t acquired too many scimitars. If he had waited until the wizards returned, he would have suffered a tremendous loss. Native techniques similar to wizard alchemy, unlike mere blade-shaped metal ingots and native weapons, were at completely different price points. If it weren¡¯t for Richard, he would be looking forward to working for a lifetime to compensate for the losses to his chamber of commerce. ¡°Richard, buddy, you really helped me out big time this time,¡± said Bob, somewhat excitedly. Richard nonchalantly waved his hand, ¡°Equivalent exchange, mutual benefit.¡± Bob entered the back of the shop and took out a magic pocket to give to Richard. ¡°Dude, all the scimitars collected over these days are in here. Take any you like and research them as you wish, without worrying about damage.¡± Richard¡¯s words were a lifesaver for his future livelihood. As Richard took the pocket, he casually tied it around his waist and smiled at Bob: ¡°Don¡¯t stress too much, old man. There are still alchemy wizards who study giant dragon alchemy. As long as it¡¯s not in large quantities, it definitely won¡¯t turn out a loss.¡± Bob smiled with some relief, then quickly changed the subject. The two talked about the resources found in the Red Sun World currently; in this world biased towards the Fire Element, Fire Element gems and various demonized minerals tainted by the Fire Element were quite common. From the decorative Fire Element gems Richard saw in the cities of the fire lizards, it was apparent how rich this world was. Through Bob, Richard learned that numerous Wizard Commerce had sent people to conduct research, planning to submit applications to the Great Wizard as soon as the war ended. As a chamber also qualified to make applications, Richard had some plans for these resources as well. Bob lending him some samples he had collected saved Richard a lot of effort. This is how relationships were gradually strengthened. Leaving Bob¡¯s place, Richard returned to his room with the scimitars. Bob had collected many scimitars, many of which appeared to be of quite good quality. Richard went over these scimitars with bare hands, and soon, information appeared in front of him. [Raw material: Fire Lizard¡¯s Scimitar] [Extractable Skill: Giant Dragon Alchemy (moderately incomplete)] sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Extraction Cost: 3 spiritual power] Looking at the information that appeared, Richard¡¯s mouth curved into a slight smirk. ¡°Next time I encounter these unfamiliar things, I still need to touch them with my hands. I almost missed out on something good.¡± Of the over two hundred scimitars Bob collected, a dozen could be used as raw materials, and by their design, they appeared to be the standard weapons of the Imperial Guard Dragon Warriors. Richard piled up these scimitars and began refining them one by one. Richard currently had 112 points of spiritual power, and refining these scimitars only made him somewhat weary. After the refining was finished, Richard took out a Black Gold Scimitar from his pocket, and a slight glow appeared in his palm. Soon, the Black Gold Scimitar turned red-hot, then melted and reshaped, golden patterns growing within it like the intricate branches of an ancient tree¡ªcomplex yet possessing a simplistic beauty. Soon, the scimitar transformed into a longsword, with golden patterns sprawling across the blade like vines. Whoosh! Richard swung the sword, and the tip scraping the wall gave off a hissing sound. After the swing, the tip of the longsword was slightly blunt; the originally sharp tip had now become rounded, while a barely perceptible mark had appeared on the metal wall of the room. It should be noted that the rooms in the Floating City are all crafted from high-strength alloys, and most One Ring wizards, even using spells, find it difficult to leave a mark. But with a casual swing, Richard had left a mark. ¡°The path of giant dragon alchemy truly differs from that of wizard alchemy,¡± Richard murmured as he examined the longsword in his hand. ¡°Melting the metal, killing the metal, and finally transcending the metal. When compared to a wizard¡¯s alchemy, the giant dragon¡¯s is the real ¡®Alchemy.''¡± Chapter 226 - 10 Tree Pattern: Life Drain Chapter 226: Chapter 10 Tree Pattern: Life Drain Giant Dragon Alchemy and Wizard Alchemy are profoundly different, focusing heavily on the metal itself. Giant Dragons smelt metal, shaping it into their desired form, then ¡°killing¡± the metal to alter its properties, and finally elevating the metal, solidifying its characteristics and strengthening it further. Throughout this entire process, the metal remains unchanged in terms of substance. However, the properties of the metal undergo changes; initially brittle metals become more ductile after treatment, and originally soft metals become harder. This technique, while present in Wizard Alchemy, requires a high level of Alchemy Skill and complex Alchemy Arrays. Yet Giant Dragons only need to touch the metal with their claws for this transformation to be completed. Turning stone into gold is no different. But there are flaws in Giant Dragon Alchemy as well; although it can make astounding changes to metals, this technique only works on metals, and not all metals at that. Wizard Alchemy, on the other hand, encompasses everything and is effective almost universally. Richard looked at the longsword in his hands and an idea suddenly struck him. If one were to use Giant Dragon Alchemy to process the metal and then use Wizard Alchemy for Enchantment, wouldn¡¯t he then be able to obtain a more outstanding piece of Magic Equipment? Richard¡¯s thoughts flickered, and a small Alchemy Array immediately materialized in his hand, spirits permeating, Engraving Runes, everything proceeding smoothly. But at the moment the Runes took shape, Richard heard a crisp sound. Snap! A crack appeared on the longsword. The crack was exactly where the Runes were engraved. Seeing this, Richard immediately inspected the longsword. After the inspection, he sighed deeply, ¡°No wonder there are so few Wizards who study Giant Dragon Alchemy; it turns out that the two are incompatible. The Runes interfere with the Giant Dragon Alchemy, causing both Alchemy techniques to fail.¡± Giant Dragon Alchemy, after all, is the domain of the Giant Dragons, and Wizards, even with direct refining techniques like Richard¡¯s, would have to spend a considerable amount of time learning to master it. Given the incompatibility, wouldn¡¯t that time and energy be better spent on researching Wizard Alchemy, which is more suited to Wizards? Wizard Alchemy, having developed over many years, has already become a vast field of study, and even the great Truth Wizard cannot claim to fully comprehend Alchemy. It¡¯s like two gold mines, one shining openly and the other hidden deep underground; even a fool would know which one to choose to mine. Richard set the longsword aside and then took out the few Black Gold Scimitars he had acquired. Upon touching them with bare hands, the Miracle Furnace immediately responded. Richard refined them as well. However, such large-scale refining techniques made Richard discover a problem. While the crafting techniques of these scimitars were all moderately incomplete, the production processes and the craftsmen¡¯s skills were quite similar, causing his skill level to progress only slightly after refining so many scimitars. His skill level did not grow linearly with the number of refinements like an experience bar. Nonetheless, Richard had no complaints; no one would complain about the amount of money found on the ground. When the refining process reached the White Wizard Captain¡¯s Black Gold Scimitar, the information from the Miracle Furnace changed a bit. Below the option for Giant Dragon Alchemy, a new option for refinement appeared. ¡°Ingredient: Fire Lizard¡¯s Scimitar¡±, ¡°Refinable Technique: Giant Dragon Alchemy (Moderately Incomplete)¡±, ¡°Refinement Cost: 4 Spiritual Power¡±, ¡°Refinable Information: Giant Dragon Alchemy Tree Pattern¡±, ¡°Refinement Cost: 5 Spiritual Power¡±, ¡°Tree Pattern?¡± Richard shifted his gaze to the scimitar; the scimitar¡¯s surface had many intricate golden patterns, which were by-products of Giant Dragon Alchemy, comparable to a Wizard¡¯s Runes. ¡°Refine.¡± The Black Gold Scimitar vanished suddenly, then reappeared. A white Light Ball emerged above the Miracle Furnace. Richard absorbed it, and information about the Tree Pattern instantly entered his mind. After a while, Richard opened his eyes. ¡°¡­Life Drain, such a fine thing.¡± According to the information refined by the Miracle Furnace, the effect of the Tree Pattern on the scimitar was Life Drain, which means it could convert the blood of the enemy into Life Energy, nourishing the user. Such effects were achievable by some Spells of the Necromancy School. But Richard had only heard of it. Magic Models ¡ª unless they were common goods, it was rare to find them on the market; they were usually circulated in private transactions. ¡°Plane Wars are truly a good place to make a fortune.¡± Richard exhaled, and collected all the scimitars, then took out his Magic Wand. Inspired by the Tree Pattern, even though the two Alchemy techniques were incompatible, he could physically merge them. The upper half of the Magic Wand used Wizard Alchemy, the lower half used Giant Dragon Alchemy, connected by a pure mechanical structure in the middle. During combat, he would use the upper half to kill the enemy, then use the lower half to insert into the corpse for Life Drain. It was both a weapon and a means of recovery. Richard thought of this and couldn¡¯t help but crack a small smile; he immediately pulled out some draft paper and got to work. Since he was idle, upgrading his equipment to enhance his combat capabilities was just right. ¡­ While Richard leisurely enhanced his strength, the battlefield situation also began to change. After changing their marshal, the Fire Lizard side abandoned their elite strategy and began using a large number of Fire Lizard Warriors paired with a small number of Fire Lizard Nobles for urban alley fighting. This move baffled the command layer of the Wizard side. Harash¡¯s elite strategy had been a major headache for the Wizards, forcing the command center to use Black Wizards for alley fighting, causing many White Wizards to be mere spectators. This seriously slowed the pace of the war. But now with the Fire Lizard Warriors, Black Wizards naturally broke free from alley fighting, and White Wizards finally returned to the familiar battlefield. In just a year, White Wizards had successively conquered over seventy cities, and Black Wizards had started infiltrating the rear of Fire Lizard Empire, carrying out various harassment activities. ¡°Donar is useless!¡± Azuhan couldn¡¯t help but curse loudly as he looked at the map on the wall. The loss of cities in the early stages of the war was due to the Wizards¡¯ forces being too concentrated, which the Fire Lizards couldn¡¯t resist. But as the battlefield gradually expanded, Wizards¡¯ forces also began to disperse, yet their pace of capturing cities showed no signs of slowing. It was clearly a problem of command. ¡°Azhuan, I called you here to examine the map, not to hear you rant about Marshal Donar,¡± Azuhan¡¯s tall father, Harash, draped in a white robe, looked imposing as he spoke. ¡°But father, I can¡¯t make out anything from this situation; we¡¯re constantly retreating! Our losses are also continuously increasing!¡± Azuhan turned around and shouted at his father. As a young Fire Lizard, he was completely overwhelmed by the current state of the battle, his neck bulging like a pufferfish. ¡°Then look again. If you can¡¯t even discern this much, don¡¯t think about joining the army. You¡¯d only be going to your death on the battlefield.¡± Harash¡¯s voice remained unchanged in spite of Azuhan¡¯s anger; he was calm and even leisurely poured himself a cup of lava to savor, as if the invaded country wasn¡¯t Morick. Azhuan angrily turned away, striving to calm himself down. He knew his father never spoke nonsense; if he said not to join the army, then entering the army was out of the question. Looking at the map before him, Azuhan¡¯s heart began to settle, his reason taking the high ground, and he started to analyze the information the map provided. From the frontline, Wizards had invaded nearly one-sixth of Morick Empire¡¯s territory in just a year and a half, and the front was still advancing. Moreover, there was no salient on this line that would allow Fire Lizards to penetrate and encircle. After a long look, Azuhan saw no opportunities that could be exploited from this line. The Wizard¡¯s front, like a copper wall and iron barrier, had all possible seeming vulnerabilities, all traps. ¡°Father, I still can¡¯t see it,¡± Azuhan said somewhat despondently, ¡°the Wizard¡¯s line is too solid, I can¡¯t find any point to exploit.¡± Harash nodded, ¡°Keep looking, the fact that you can tell the line is solid shows much growth. But I¡¯m not asking you just to look at the line; broaden your view.¡± Broaden the view? Azhuan re-examined the map, Harash¡¯s words echoing in his mind. Zoom out a bit¡­ Azhuan took a step back, extending his gaze over the entire map. The place where Wizards first appeared lay at one edge of the continent, and not far behind them, beyond some mountains, stretched the boundless Sea of Lava. Thus, Wizards could only advance forward. And since it was a protrusion, Wizards now only bordered the Morick Empire¡­ In an instant, he understood his father¡¯s point. Azhuan excitedly exclaimed, ¡°I see it now, the Wizards will soon border the Linksa Empire! Marshal Donar is guiding the Wizards to start a war with Linksa Empire!¡± Upon hearing his son¡¯s response, Harash finally nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Correct, Donar is indeed guiding the Wizards to war with Linksa Empire, but have you considered his purpose?¡± ¡°His purpose? Surely it¡¯s to divide the Wizard¡¯s forces,¡± said Azuhan naively. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Dividing the forces is part of it, but there¡¯s a more important aspect.¡± Harash walked up to the map, pointing at the next city Wizards were set to conquer. After taking this city, Wizards would officially border the Linksa Empire. ¡°The losses of this war can¡¯t all be borne by us, the other two empires must also bleed. Only then, after the war, will the continental situation remain balanced. Otherwise, even if we expel the Wizards, internal conflicts due to loss of power may lead to war. If one empire suffers too many losses, its downfall wouldn¡¯t be out of the question. This is what I wanted you to understand.¡± Azhuan looked at his father, his mind somewhat muddled. At this point, why are the empires still plotting against each other? Wizards only have two methods for dealing with Fire Lizards: enslavement or death. Shouldn¡¯t the Three Great Empires unite at this time to drive out the Wizards first? Harash, as if understanding what Azuhan was thinking, said solemnly, ¡°Azhuan, Wizards are harmful, but if used properly, they can also be a blade, a blade to unify the world. Our emperor thinks this way, and so do the other two emperors.¡± Chapter 227 - 11 Merricks Shield Chapter 227: Chapter 11 Merrick¡¯s Shield Listening to his father¡¯s words, Azuhan suddenly felt a sense of powerlessness in his heart. For the first time, he felt they might not win this war. ¡°Father, can we win?¡± Azuhan looked towards Harash, seeking a glimmer of consolation. But Harash shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but we can make the war develop in a direction where we can win.¡± As he spoke, Harash pulled out a sheet of white paper from his robe pocket. In the Red Sun World, paper was generally made from a plant called the Earth Fire Tree, which produced red paper. If one wanted a white sheet, it had to go through numerous complicated processes, making it very troublesome to produce. But precisely because of this, white paper was used by the Fire Lizard Nobles. Yet Azuhan noticed something different about Harash¡¯s white paper; at its edge seemed to be a hint of gold. ¡°My son, although your wisdom is not yet sufficient to keep you alive on the frontline, the Morick Empire is not limited to a single battlefield.¡± Harash handed the white paper to Azuhan, who saw upon receiving it that the edges were embossed with gold patterns¡ªgold, the most supreme color among the Fire Lizard Clan. When a piece of paper was imprinted with gold patterns, it meant that the paper came from the palace. The content written on the paper was simple: it was an appointment letter, and Azuhan had been appointed as the leader of an organization named Merrick¡¯s Shield. Its main task was to deal with Wizards who infiltrated the Empire¡¯s rear. ¡°Father, this is¡­¡± Azuhan looked blankly at Harash, completely unaware of the existence of this Merrick¡¯s Shield organization before, and now he had suddenly become its leader. Moreover, based on the content of the appointment letter, Azuhan found the organization he was now in charge of had an enormous amount of power. He could even demand cooperation from officials of all levels of internal affairs within the Empire. ¡°Due to changes in war strategy, more and more Wizards, referred to by Wizards as Black Wizards, have emerged within the Empire. These Black Wizards incessantly harass our rear, destroy military supply depots, and assassinate key officials. All these acts are their doing. We must organize a group of people to deal with these Black Wizards.¡± Harash ruffled his son¡¯s hair: ¡°It¡¯s a daunting task. The Emperor has given this task to you, and you need to shoulder this responsibility. Don¡¯t be afraid of failure, don¡¯t be afraid of offending people. Although I am no longer Marshal, I am still a general of the Empire.¡± Azuhan stared blankly at the appointment letter in his hands, feeling the weight of the world upon this sheet of white paper. Harash patted Azuhan¡¯s back: ¡°Go back and think about what you should do. If you need it, I can reallocate some of the army¡­ After all, the advancement of the frontlines depends on Wizards, not on us.¡± ¡­ Carrying the paper, Azuhan returned to his room. Harash¡¯s words echoed in his ears¡ªdon¡¯t be afraid of failure, don¡¯t be afraid of offending people, but how could he not be afraid? His failure would diminish the reputation his father had accumulated over hundreds of years. Pondering in his room, Azuhan felt a sense of frustration coiling in his chest. How could he organize personnel, establish rules, and ensure that such a powerful organization did not become corrupted with power? The more Azuhan thought about it, the more stifled he felt, so he simply left his room and started walking aimlessly through the streets. Azuhan resided in the Royal Capital of the Morick Empire. Even as the Morick Empire was mired in the quagmire of war, the Royal Capital thrived in its bustling prosperity, showing no signs of the war¡¯s approach. As Azuhan walked through the streets, deep in thought about how to address these issues, he didn¡¯t encounter a single pedestrian, even though he was looking down. But when Azuhan raised his head, he realized he was like a boulder in a river, the crowd parting around him. In the Morick Empire, as in every empire, the silver-horned Nobles were seen as just beneath the sovereign¡ªand above tens of thousands. Even as Azuhan walked through the surging crowd, all the Fire Lizards consciously steered clear of him. Watching the fearful gazes around him, an idea suddenly flashed through Azuhan¡¯s mind. There were quite a few silver-horned Nobles in the Royal Capital. If he could get these people to join Merrick¡¯s Shield, he wouldn¡¯t need to worry about power corruption or personnel strength issues. Silver-horned Nobles could reach the standards of the Imperial Guard Dragon Warriors simply by living long enough, even if they did nothing else. Besides, they have always been lawless, so the powers of Merrick¡¯s Shield, which might be a huge temptation to ordinary Fire Lizards, were nothing more than routine for them. Many empire officials were also related to the Nobles; if they conducted investigations, it wouldn¡¯t be easy for officials to sabotage them. The more Azuhan thought about it, the more he felt his idea wasn¡¯t bad, but now he had a problem before him. How could he recruit these silver-horned Nobles, and how could he manage them? Azuhan walked aimlessly along the street, from the burning sun overhead until it set in the west. As he walked, Azuhan suddenly bumped into someone. ¡°Huh?¡± Azuhan looked up to see a female Fire Lizard in front of him, draped in a gold-patterned white robe. ¡°Azhan, what¡¯s the matter with you today? You¡¯ve been wandering the streets all day, as if you¡¯ve lost your soul.¡± Azhan hurriedly bowed slightly when he recognized the face of the Fire Lizard, ¡°Your Highness, Princess.¡± The Princess eyed Azhan with her golden dragon eyes, showing a trace of dissatisfaction. ¡°I¡¯ve told you before, you don¡¯t need to bow when you see me! And don¡¯t call me ¡®Your Highness, Princess.¡¯ I have a name, call me Akala!¡± Azhan straightened up, his expression somewhat awkward. ¡°Yes, Pri¡­ Akala, Your Highness.¡± Akala waved her hand resignedly, ¡°Nevermind, just tell me what you¡¯re thinking about. I heard Marshal has found a position for you. What is it, thinking about how to do the job?¡± Azhan nodded, ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s exactly what I¡¯ve been pondering. Your Highness, how do you think we could restrain the Silver-Horned Nobles?¡± ¡°Restrain you all?¡± Akala suddenly laughed out loud, ¡°How could you be restrained? Apart from my father, I¡¯m afraid no one can restrain you all.¡± Azhan scratched his head awkwardly. Seeing him like this, Akala couldn¡¯t help but stop laughing, ¡°Are you serious? Why do you want to restrain the Silver-Horned Nobles? Did Marshal find you a position as a Noble Enforcer?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it,¡± Azhan shook his head and proceeded to share his thoughts with Akala. After listening, Akala pondered for a moment, then her eyes lit up suddenly, ¡°I¡¯ve got it, to restrain these nobles, why don¡¯t you just include me? Would they dare to defy me?¡± Akala¡¯s statement wasn¡¯t arrogant. As the only daughter of the Fire Lizard King, her status was indeed higher than that of the Silver-Horned Nobles. This naturally gave her a legal advantage. Moreover, Akala¡¯s strength in the Empire was also among the upper tier, a Second-Level peak soon to step into the Third Level, and there were few Silver-Horned Nobles left at the rear who could beat her. Most importantly, she and Azhan had grown up together, close enough to share a bed without fear of anyone sowing discord between them. ¡°That¡­ might not be so good,¡± Azhan hesitated. What Akala suggested was indeed a solution, but after all, Akala was a princess, and that was a rather special identity. ¡°What¡¯s not so good about it, I insist on joining. What are you going to do about it?¡± Akala looked at Azhan provocatively, her tone quite domineering. ¡°Well¡­ alright then. I¡¯ll go back and prepare the rules, and I¡¯ll come find you tomorrow.¡± Having said that, Azhan turned to leave but after only a few steps, someone caught his tail. He looked back to see that his own tail was entwined with another, and the owner of that tail was looking at him with a smirk. ¡°Don¡¯t go back to your place just yet, I¡¯ve opened a bottle of hundred-year-old Dragon Flame Wine today. How about we share a taste?¡± ¡­ The establishment of Merrick¡¯s Shield indeed added a lot of trouble for the Black Wizards. Under the leadership of two founding members with backgrounds that reached the heavens, Merrick¡¯s Shield received the full support of the Nobility of the Morick Empire, meaning they could have whatever they wanted. Moreover, no one dared to criticize these two. This allowed them free rein in inducting members, unconventionally and imaginatively. Through Harash¡¯s connections, Azhan called in a batch of Fire Lizard Warriors from the front lines as the basic operatives for Merrick¡¯s Shield, then also took on a group of Silver-Horned Nobles as high-end combat power. In addition to these, Azhan also recruited many non-combatants. These non-combatant talents included Royal Blacksmiths, hunters specializing in hunting Flame Giant Beasts, and breeders from the Beast Fighting Arena¡­ These individuals all possessed special abilities. Merrick¡¯s Shield organized them around the purpose of serving the Empire, uniting them to pursue Black Wizards. Their abilities might not be directly related to combat power, but they often proved miraculous in searching for Black Wizards. Through continuing pursuits, Merrick¡¯s Shield gradually matured. Internal structure, personnel composition, logistical support, tactical arrangements ¨C these elements were progressively refined through battles. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This newly established organization was slowly becoming a significant nuisance for the Black Wizards. ¡­ In the bright laboratory, a Black Wizard was busy at the experiment table with his own experiments. He was engraving sesame-seed-sized Runes on a black Rune Base Plate using his Magic Power. Suddenly, the Crystal Ball on the experiment table lit up, and an ice-cold voice emanated from it. ¡°Advisor Richard, Command has decided to deploy the Magic Support Vehicle for a mission. Please immediately join Squad Thirteen of the White Wizards and accompany them in combat.¡± The Wizard glanced at the Crystal Ball and put down the Rune Base Plate he was holding. ¡°Ten years, finally a mission,¡± he said. Richard tidied up the experiment table, then took out a strange Magic Wand from his Magic Pocket. The upper half of the Wand was plain and unadorned, with a black shaft topped with a crimson Flame Treasure Ball. However, the lower half of the Wand was adorned with countless intricate patterns, which looked like vines entwining or like the sprawling branches and foliage of an ancient tree. Chapter 228 - 12: Support Mission Chapter 228: Chapter 12: Support Mission Richard swiftly acquired the location of Squad Thirteen from the logistics Wizard after leaving the room. Squad Thirteen had already collected four Magic Support Vehicles from the armory, and they were now waiting for Richard¡¯s arrival on the outskirts of the Floating City Fortress. ¡°Captain, how do you feel about these Magic Support Vehicles during training? I feel like they are a bit unreliable,¡± asked a member of the squad, a nearly three-meter-tall giant wearing a white Wizard Robe, in a somewhat naive tone. ¡°These things can only shoot for thirty seconds, then they turn into nothing but a heap of metal,¡± responded the Captain as he casually patted one of the Magic Support Vehicles. ¡°These Vehicles are extreme, I can¡¯t tell if they are good or bad. But compared to the Alchemy Weapons we usually use, they are indeed somewhat different. However, they are new weapons, and certainly have several flaws that need adjusting.¡± The Captain¡¯s words were reassuring, but his gaze towards the Magic Support Vehicles was full of distrust. Beforehand, he had merely familiarized himself with the operation of the Magic Support Vehicles by testing them on enslaved monsters. But speaking of real combat, this was his first time. ¡°Captain, these Vehicles are favored by Master Vladimir, so there should be no problem with their quality or specification,¡± said a Wizard in the team, whose body was largely transformed into mechanical parts. ¡°We are just testing out what improvements these Vehicles might need. Plus, the mission this time is merely to rendezvous with an infiltrating Black Wizard returning from behind enemy lines, nothing perilous. Even if something goes wrong, headquarters has allowed us to abandon the Vehicles.¡± The Captain glanced at the speaking alchemy Wizard, a newcomer to the squad who was usually occupied with handling various perilous Shaping Spells and extremely dangerous Alchemy Weapons. Even among Wizards, he was considered a risky individual. Yet, after receiving training in the operation and maintenance of the Magic Support Vehicles, this perilous individual had grown quite fond of them. This made the Captain even more uneasy about the Magic Support Vehicles. Soon, the Captain saw a black-robed Wizard with a raven on his shoulder rapidly approaching the squad. When the Wizard halted, the Captain was startled upon seeing his face. ¡°Are you¡­ Master Richard?¡± The black-robed Wizard smiled and extended his right hand. ¡°I presume you are Captain Iyad. I¡¯m Richard, your technical consultant.¡± ¡­ In the war in the Insect Nest World, Iyad had been part of the ground defense force during the decisive moment, and at that time, the squad¡¯s Alchemy Wizard had just died, and Richard had helped him repair the Alchemy Magic Stone Cannon extensively. ¡°Hello, hello, I did not expect that you would be serving as the technical consultant from the Wizard Commerce.¡± Iyad and Richard shook hands, and the worries in his heart about the Magic Support Vehicles also vanished at that moment. He had witnessed Richard¡¯s skills in repairing Magic Stone Cannons during the Insect Nest War¡ªthe craftsmanship, the speed, which would be highly ranked even within the legion. With such a figure as a technical consultant, any problems that might occur with the Magic Support Vehicles could surely be quickly resolved. ¡°Let me introduce you to my team,¡± said Iyad, pointing at the giant Wizard. ¡°This is Sampo, a Wizard who has undergone Physique Evolution.¡± ¡°This is Damir, the Alchemy Wizard of our squad,¡± Iyad pointed at the Wizard who was half-mechanized. ¡°This is Savo, a Second Ring Shaping Wizard skilled in Shaping Magic.¡± A Wizard in a white robe, with a cold expression, nodded at Richard. ¡°These two are the Kor brothers; they are Undead Wizards, our team¡¯s scouts and medics.¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. One of the Kor brothers looked chubby and pale while the other was a skeleton shimmering with red Soul Fire in its eye sockets. Afterward, Iyad introduced the rest of the squad members to Richard. The entire squad consisted of twenty people, a standard team of White Wizards. But with the operation of the Magic Support Vehicles considered, Richard felt the number was somewhat excessive. The Magic Support Vehicles, according to Richard¡¯s design, did not have the capacity to transport troops. Each Vehicle had only two seats¡ªone for the driver and one for the copilot. This meant that out of the squad, only seven members could ride in the Vehicles; the remaining thirteen would have to fly on their own. ¡°It seems the headquarters has given us too few Vehicles,¡± Richard said to Iyad with a smile. ¡°With only four Vehicles, most of the team will have to fly outside.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a problem,¡± Iyad replied casually. ¡°Normally, we wouldn¡¯t have had these Magic Support Vehicles at all; we would have all had to fly there.¡± Seeing Iyad¡¯s indifference, Richard did not dwell on it further. ¡°Alright then. I¡¯ll inspect the Vehicles to see if there are any issues.¡± Richard approached a Magic Support Vehicle, and a small Alchemy Array appeared in his palm. The Alchemy Array allowed Richard¡¯s spiritual power to enter the material to perform shaping, Engraving Runes, and other operations. Using this, Alchemy Wizards can also inspect the structures of Alchemy Machines or Magic Equipment. Seeing Richard¡¯s maneuver, Damir¡¯s eyes lit up. He spoke to Iyad through the mental network, ¡°Captain, this Master Richard is impressive! His Battlefield Alchemy skills are even more adept than mine; this method of using an Alchemy Array to inspect the structure of Alchemy Weapons is something I¡¯ve never seen before.¡± Iyad replied casually in the mental network without changing his expression: ¡°What¡¯s so surprising about that? Last Plane War, Master Richard fought alongside us in the final battle when you weren¡¯t yet part of the legion. During the battle, he directly replaced Master Vladimir as our battlefield repair specialist, helping us fix the Magic Stone Cannons.¡± ¡°That¡¯s incredible!¡± Damir was startled. The alchemy wizards of the Clear Frost Number One Corps, except for the students who directly joined the corps, were all recruited by Vladimir. These alchemy wizards, recruited from free wizards, all had to pass Vladimir¡¯s test. Moreover, in order to win their hearts and minds, Vladimir always personally demonstrated once before letting them perform the test. Thus, these alchemy wizards were completely convinced of Vladimir¡¯s abilities. Being able to replace Vladimir as a battlefield repair technician, this Master Richard¡¯s alchemy skills must not be much inferior to Vladimir¡¯s. ¡°However, this master seems quite young.¡± Damir looked carefully at Richard. Richard¡¯s energetic and youthful aura clearly marked him as a young wizard. A wizard so young, did he really possess such high skills? Iyad glanced at the new alchemy wizard and replied via the spiritual network, ¡°That¡¯s the most impressive part about Master Richard. In the Insect Nest World, he is actually a Black Wizard. His skills in repairing Magic Stone Cannons were all learned on-site from Master Vladimir.¡± ¡°Learned on-site?¡± Damir¡¯s pupils shook instantly. Learning temporarily and yet able to replace Vladimir, what kind of genius was this? At that moment, Richard had finished inspecting the four vehicles. ¡°There is no problem, let¡¯s set off.¡± With a wave of his hand, Iyad had several trained wizards get in the vehicles, preparing to head to the rendezvous point. After boarding the vehicle, Richard sat in the co-driver¡¯s seat and casually asked Iyad: ¡°What¡¯s our mission this time?¡± ¡°A small task, we¡¯re just going to pick someone up,¡± Iyad responded, pressing his hand on the crystal ball used for control while briefing Richard about the mission. ¡°A Black Wizard was discovered by Merrick¡¯s Shield not far behind the front lines, so he sent a request for support to the command center.¡± ¡°Merrick¡¯s Shield?¡± Richard asked puzzledly. ¡°You should know about the Three Great Empires, right? Merrick¡¯s Shield is a specialized agency set up by the Morick Empire to handle our Black Wizards infiltrating their ranks. They¡¯ve given us quite a bit of trouble over the years.¡± As he spoke, Iyad scoffed coldly, ¡°These Fire Lizards truly are troublesome. Once we conquer this world, we must eradicate their kind.¡± Boom! Boom! The Magic Support Vehicle¡¯s hybrid magic engine roared wildly. ¡°Master Richard, we are departing!¡± ¡­ Five days later, at the Morick Empire¡¯s frontline. Three suns hung in the heavenly vault, adding fervor to the Red Sun World. The dried, red earth was sporadically dotted with crimson bushes. Suddenly, as the three suns crossed the sky, the entire world darkened momentarily. All of a sudden, a mound rose from the red earth, and a Black Wizard emerged from it, his whole body covered in red sand. After surfacing, he quickly looked around and extended his spiritual power to survey his surroundings. Confirming there were no Fire Lizards in ambush, he breathed a slight sigh of relief. ¡°I¡¯ve been running for half a month, but I¡¯ve finally shaken off those Fire Lizard bastards,¡± cursed the Black Wizard. ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing to be hunted down by these natives.¡± The Black Wizard took out a crystal ball and tapped it twice. Soon, a wave of magic power transmitted from the crystal ball. ¡°Phew, the signal has been sent. I can finally return to the rear¡­¡± Whoosh¡ªBoom! A magic barrier suddenly burst out from the Black Wizard¡¯s body, momentarily slowing a flame spear thrown from behind. Using that moment, he dodged the fiery spear in terror. Ambush! ¡°Damn, he actually dodged it.¡± A hundred meters behind the Black Wizard, a Fire Lizard in red camouflage attire clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction. With a wave of his hand, dozens of Fire Lizards in red camouflage rose from the ground and drew metal spears from beneath their camouflage. These Fire Lizards appeared well-trained, their movements fluid and in unison. The metal spears in their hands ignited into flames, transforming into a shower of fire that enveloped the Black Wizard in a mist of blood. ¡°A mere One Ring Wizard thought he could escape from Merrick¡¯s Shield?¡± sneered the first Fire Lizard to stand, a pair of dragon horns adorning his head, catching a hint of silver under the firelight. Without waiting for orders, the other Fire Lizards began efficiently cleaning the battlefield and erasing traces of the battle. Then they retrieved a dummy-like object from the rear, placed it where the Black Wizard had died, and draped a black wizard robe over it. ¡°Lord, everything is ready,¡± reported a Fire Lizard with black dragon horns. The Silver Horned Fire Lizard waved his hand, ¡°Good, continue in ambush, let¡¯s see what kind of fish this little shrimp has lured for us.¡± Chapter 229 - 13 Ambush? Artillery Barrage! Chapter 229: Chapter 13 Ambush? Artillery Barrage! Fifty kilometers away from the Fire Lizard ambush site. ¡°Alright, give it a try and start it up.¡± Richard closed the enchanted armor plate of the Magic Support Vehicle and shouted to Iyad. Practical testing was crucial for a weapon, and though Richard¡¯s Magic Support Vehicle was designed with various issues in mind, it still encountered malfunctions after being tested by the extreme conditions of the Red Sun World. The temperature on the Red Soil Plain of the Red Sun World could easily reach sixty degrees during the day, and at noon, it would rise to eighty degrees. However, as the sun set, the temperature of the Red Soil Plain would plummet below zero. Such extreme weather required the engine¡¯s cooling system of the Magic Support Vehicle to operate at its limit during the day, while the sharp drop in temperature at night could easily cause warping of some of its small components. But with Richard, the designer, serving as a technical consultant for the White Wizard team, the issues with the Magic Support Vehicle were all resolved under his operation. After this mission, Richard planned to upgrade all the Magic Support Vehicles to adapt to the harsh environment of the Red Sun World. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll give it a start.¡± The hybrid engine roared wildly as it was infused with Magic Power. ¡°Everything¡¯s normal! Ready to set off.¡± Hearing Iyad¡¯s voice, Richard felt relieved. As long as the problem was solved, it was fine. It was Richard¡¯s first time providing after-sales service, and he felt immense pressure. If he failed to address the problems with the Magic Support Vehicle, it would definitely affect future sales of the vehicles. Fortunately, he had some skills, and they hadn¡¯t encountered any insurmountable problems on their journey. He opened the door and sat in the passenger seat, and the team continued towards the location where the signal was emitted. However, for the sake of caution, Richard released Ulysses to scout ahead. After all, they were on the front line, and if any Fire Lizards alerted the Black Wizards and set a trap there, it would be bad. Seeing Richard release Ulysses, Iyad hurriedly tried to stop him: ¡°Master Richard, you shouldn¡¯t let your Magic Pet go out. Those Fire Lizards have beast hunters specifically targeting our Magic Pets. If your Magic Pet hasn¡¯t gone through special modifications, it could be caught by the beast hunters of the Fire Lizards, and you would lose a Soul Seed.¡± But Richard just smiled and shook his head: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my Magic Pet is not weak.¡± Before long, Ulysses returned, holding a small Dragon Beast in its claws that had dragon scales and resembled a pterosaur. ¡°Gah, these little creatures bred by the lizards are pretty fierce, good fighters, tasty too, the bones are crisply delicious.¡± Iyad was shocked by the courage of Ulysses. These beast hunters usually operated in groups, and even a Second Level Magic Pet would be torn to shreds if encountered. And yet, this crow managed to catch a beast hunter and return fully intact. It had the strength that could match some Wizards. Looking at Richard, Iyad felt that this master was becoming more formidable. Alchemy was impressive, the Magic Pet was so powerful, and his own strength must undoubtedly be strong as well. Plus, Richard looked so young¡­ Thinking this, Iyad couldn¡¯t help but sigh. The gap between Wizards could be larger than that between Wizards and the natives. ¡°Just get to the point; are there any Fire Lizards lying in ambush ahead?¡± Richard took the hunted creature from Ulysses¡¯s claws, sealed it with a casual motion, and tossed it into his Magic Pocket. ¡°Gah, there¡¯s indeed an ambush, but not many. However, given your strength¡­¡± Ulysses paused, ¡°a direct assault might be risky. Though I haven¡¯t included your vehicle in the calculation, I wasn¡¯t involved at the time, so I don¡¯t know how powerful it truly is.¡± Richard frowned slightly: ¡°Tell me about the location and strength of the Fire Lizard ambush.¡± ¡°Gah, I took a quick look, several First Levels, three Second Levels, but this lot have Spiritual Camouflage, they are clearly among the elite of the Fire Lizards.¡± ¡°The location?¡± Richard took Iyad¡¯s Crystal Ball map, and as Magic Power was infused, a map hologram appeared in front of Richard. Ulysses made a quick estimate and then pointed at the map with its beak. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Richard looked at the location and fell silent for a moment. ¡°¡­It¡¯s at the signal emission site. Iyad, our mission has already failed.¡± ¡°Hmm!?¡± Iyad slammed on the brakes and brought the entire convoy to a halt. ¡°Master, we need to find the living or the dead. Without physical evidence, it¡¯s going to be hard to explain to the command center.¡± Commands from the headquarters aren¡¯t always completed, and the Wizards who survive uncompleted tasks need to submit a written report detailing the situation at the time to the command center. While such reports aren¡¯t required to have evidence, this was for those Wizards who were lucky enough to survive. These people often lost companions and were severely injured, so it was normal not to have evidence. But the entire team of Squad 13, with no injuries and even with the Magic Support Vehicle unused, evidently needed to submit some evidence proving either the death of the Wizard or the ambush of the Fire Lizards. ¡°Evidence? That¡¯s easy.¡± Richard remained calm as he took out an Image Capturing Crystal Ball from his Magic Pocket. ¡°The firing range of the Magic Support Vehicle is not short. We¡¯ll launch a thirty-second barrage in the direction of the ambush. It will ensure safety and blast that group of Fire Lizards sky-high. Then my Magic Pet will record the scene with the Image Capturing Crystal Ball.¡± ¡°With this, we now have evidence, and the Magic Support Vehicle has been tested. Two birds with one stone.¡± Upon hearing this, Iyad instantly agreed with Richard¡¯s method. It was indeed a strategy with two-fold benefits, a satisfactory solution for all involved. ¡°Just do as the Master says. Later, our squad will follow the Master¡¯s lead.¡± The various data for the Magic Support Vehicle might be clear to the few Wizards driving it, but compared to Richard, the technical consultant, their proficiency was far from sufficient. Weapons perform differently on a test range and on a battlefield; sometimes, fine-tuning is essential. To achieve precise adjustments, either you have enough experience with the weapon from several battles, or you understand it thoroughly, down to how each part operates and the manufacturing process and materials of those parts. The Magic Support Vehicle was a new weapon; there was obviously no veteran with experience, but as the designer, Richard was able to fulfill the second requirement. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take command later.¡± ¡­ In the ambush spot, the Silver Horned Fire Lizard awaited the big fish to take the bait, somewhat bored. In fact, this wasn¡¯t the first time it had used this tactic. Allow a small fry to escape perilously, then wait for other Wizards to come for support. This strategy was unfailingly effective. It had employed it four times, and each time it yielded unexpected results. The best time, it wiped out an entire squad of White Wizards. For this, it had even received a personal award from Azuhan¡¯s leader and Princess Akala¡ªa Golden Medal. For Silver Horned Nobles, gold wasn¡¯t considered precious, nor was pure gold. But the honor that the medal represented was different. These Silver Horned Nobles had never experienced poverty from childhood; if you applied Maslow¡¯s hierarchy of needs to them, these Silver Horned Nobles were at the very top of the pyramid¡ªself-actualization. And the honor that the medal represented was an acknowledgment, a form of self-actualization. It was something countless Silver Horned Nobles would gladly give their lives for and relish. Suddenly, the Silver Horned Fire Lizard felt a slight trembling underfoot. It pressed its ear to the ground, and the soft rumbling continued to reach its ears. Something was coming! The Silver Horned Fire Lizard tapped the ground with its tail, a signal that the enemy was nearing. The ambushing fire lizards tried to blend in with the environment as much as possible, adjusting their breathing, heartbeat, and body temperature to become virtually indistinguishable. Their disguise was impeccable¡ªRichard standing beside them might not even be able to detect them. Only this time, they were not facing Wizards. ¡­ ¡°North by northeast thirty-two degrees, maximum range.¡± Following Richard¡¯s command, the turrets on the backs of the four Magic Support Vehicles began to adjust positions. With a series of metallic squeaks from inside the turrets, all were ready. ¡°Is everyone prepared? Three! Two! One!¡± ¡°Fire!¡± At Richard¡¯s order, the turrets mounted on the four Magic Support Vehicles instantly spat out a deadly barrage of fire. In thirty seconds, the four vehicles unleashed one thousand four hundred and forty fireballs of three-hundred-and-fifty energy level. These fireballs streaked across the night sky, resembling a meteor shower from a distance. Boom, boom, boom! The rain began to fall. Though launching fireballs at the very edge of their range could cause significant scatter, the sheer volume of one thousand four hundred and forty was enough to compensate for this drawback. The ambush of fire lizards didn¡¯t wait for Wizards to take the bait, and their camouflage could not deceive the fireballs. Thirty seconds later, the rain stopped. The red soil was a mess, the ambush of fire lizards nearly wiped out, with the few survivors barely clinging to life. In the sky, a crow with a Crystal Ball was recording the scene. ¡°Caw, this kid¡¯s contraption isn¡¯t half bad.¡± Ulysses returned to the caravan with the Crystal Ball, and after Iyad confirmed the content of the recording, he gladly accepted the Crystal Ball. It would serve not only as evidence but also as proof of their achievements. ¡°This mission has been a trouble to the Master.¡± Richard waved his hand: ¡°It¡¯s my duty; no trouble at all. I need to check the battlefield and collect some data. You go on ahead. We¡¯ve caused quite a stir; let¡¯s not draw the fire lizard¡¯s army here.¡± But as soon as Richard finished speaking, he saw a faint beam of light appear from the site of their artillery fire. The beam exploded in the air into a dazzling firework, and upon seeing it, Richard¡¯s skin immediately tightened. It felt like something had landed on him. And Iyad, who had had many dealings with fire lizards, turned pale upon seeing the firework. ¡°Master, we need to flee instantly; that¡¯s a fire lizard¡¯s distress flare. One of the fire lizards we bombed is a Silver Horned Noble.¡± Chapter 230 - 14 Escape Route Chapter 230: Chapter 14 Escape Route ¡°Silver Horned Nobles?¡± Richard frowned. He had consulted Iyad extensively about Fire Lizards in recent days, including about the Silver Horned Nobles. Among the Fire Lizards, the nobles were indeed much more formidable than the common Fire Lizards. With their Dragon Blood inactive, common Fire Lizards could at most become Level 1 Fire Lizard Warriors. However, these Fire Lizard nobles had ancestors who had activated their Dragon Blood, granting them a partially activated Dragon Bloodline as well. Even without moving, these Fire Lizard nobles could qualify as Level 1 Creatures. As for the Silver Horned nobles, they represented ancestors who were Third Level Creatures; even lying dormant, their inherited bloodline could rank them as Second Level Creatures, making them some of the most powerful and respected among the Fire Lizard nobles. ¡°It seems we¡¯ve run into Merrick¡¯s Shield.¡± Richard rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. The Silver Horned Fire Lizards in the front line were all commanders, and such characters would not stoop low to ambush just their small squad. ¡°Master, we need to leave now.¡± As he spoke, Iyad operated the Magic Support Vehicle, preparing to return to the Wizard¡¯s core area. However, Richard suddenly grabbed Iyad¡¯s hand. ¡°Don¡¯t panic, Iyad. Open your map and take a good look at the markings of this Red Soil Plain.¡± Iyad¡¯s map recorded all the Wizards¡¯ frontline troop deployments and their scouting of the Fire Lizard line. As the captain of the White Wizard squad, Iyad had memorized this map long ago, and Richard was well aware of it. Seeing Iyad¡¯s puzzled look, Richard spoke calmly: ¡°He mixed something else into that fireworks. If I¡¯m not mistaken, we¡¯ve all been tagged.¡± ¡°Tagged!?¡± Iyad was shocked, unaware that the Fire Lizards¡¯ distress fireworks had such a function. He immediately shared Richard¡¯s theory with the other team members via the mental network; none of them noticed the tag, not even Savo, the oldest and strongest member. But just as Iyad was about to argue against Richard¡¯s idea, Sampo, the only wizard in the squad who had undergone Physique Evolution, spoke up. ¡°Captain, I felt it too. When I saw those fireworks, my body¡¯s cells detected something resembling Energy Radiation, which wasn¡¯t in the distress fireworks before.¡± Sampo¡¯s words tightened Iyad¡¯s heart, and he infused Magic Power into the Crystal Ball map. Soon, a map of the Red Soil Plain appeared in the cab. Though named a plain, the Red Soil Plain was Wizard terminology. In the Fire Lizard¡¯s language, if directly translated into Wizard Language, it would be called the Land Cursed by the Giant Dragon. The Red Soil Plain was more a desert than a plain. The only plant that grew there was the Blade Tree¡ªits leaves sharp as blades and its branches hard as steel. In the Red Sun World, nearly no creature ate this plant, except for some insects. Therefore, except for some ¡°oases¡± with cities in the middle, the vast expanse of the Red Soil Plain was uninhabited by Fire Lizards. Wizards were even less interested in this plain; it held no exploitable resources. Investigation Wizards from the Wizard Commerce came wave after wave but ultimately determined the Red Soil Plain had no value, leading the Wizards to occupy only two cities on the edge of the plain, without further expanding into its interior. Since neither side was interested in this area, it had the least troop deployment of any battlefield. This was also why the Black Wizards chose this location for a rendezvous. But while troop numbers were fewer relative to other battlefields, compared to Richard¡¯s small squad, even a single Fire Lizard¡¯s spit¡ªbeing slightly corrosive¡ªcould dissolve several Wizards. Upon revisiting the map and considering their marked status, Iyad quickly realized how perilous their situation was. Fire Lizards had patrol teams in the Red Soil Plain; these teams would set out from one oasis, cross uninhabited areas, and reach another oasis as a preventative measure against Wizards. Now that the distress fireworks had been shot, these patrol teams would undoubtedly head towards the location of the fireworks, and with the tag on them, choosing the wrong route could easily expose them. Those riding Dragon Beasts, the Fire Lizard Knights, represented a unique military force of the Red Soil Plain; they were exceptionally fast and skilled archers. If they caught up to the squad, it would spell danger. Watching the map, Iyad¡¯s mind raced. He wasn¡¯t sure how far-reaching the effect of the tag was, so he had to choose the safest and most secure route possible. Richard did not rush him; with Ulysses beside him, he still held some confidence in escaping¡­ ¡°Ah, Richard, I¡¯m feeling sleepy. Be careful, it¡¯s all on you soon¡­¡± Before he finished speaking, Ulysses had succumbed to a baby-like sleep. This made Richard increasingly uneasy. ¡°Timing is everything!¡± Richard¡¯s face turned iron blue as he pocketed Ulysses, then quietly waited for Iyad to make a decision. Suddenly, Iyad¡¯s eyes sharpened, his fingers quickly tracing a route on the map. ¡°Take this path!¡± Richard glanced at the map and found Iyad¡¯s planned route somewhat odd; though they were supposed to escape back to the Wizard controlled area, the map surprisingly required them to first head towards the Fire Lizard controlled direction. Without asking Richard, Iyad immediately started the Magic Support Vehicle and drove in the direction plotted on the map. ¡°Iyad, why does this route go deeper in?¡± Richard couldn¡¯t help but ask. As Iyad drove the Magic Support Vehicle, he casually explained to Richard, ¡°I don¡¯t know how broad the range of this mark is, so we can only take the road that¡¯s furthest away from all Fire Lizard patrols.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know the range?¡± Richard exclaimed, ¡°You don¡¯t know the range, and you think we shouldn¡¯t go and capture that Fire Lizard calling for help to interrogate it about the range?¡± ¡°Nonsense, if I could interrogate effectively, I would definitely go.¡± Iyad, irritated by Richard¡¯s question, replied, ¡°Our soul wizard¡¯s interrogation skills are terrible, he accidentally kills them. Moreover, these Fire Lizards are very tough, it would be a waste of time trying, better we follow my route.¡± ¡°Well then damn it, ask me, I know a bit about interrogation too,¡± Richard said equally annoyed. Saying this, Richard pushed open the car door and flew towards the location where the Fire Lizard was calling for help, leaving Iyad dumbfounded watching him leave. ¡°You damn Alchemy Wizard! You¡¯re so young, who knew you were that versatile?¡± ¡­ After the bombardment, the Red Soil Plain was a mess, scattered with pits created by fireballs. Although 350 energy level isn¡¯t high, the power of Magic Concentrated Fire isn¡¯t about the individual spell¡¯s power. Releasing a large amount of spells at the same location causes elemental turbulence and resonance which sometimes could cause even more damage than the spells themselves. On the battlefield, a Silver Horned Fire Lizard sat dumbly on the ground, with fresh blood dripping from its mouth. Complete, utter failure. The wizards had seen through his ploy and had even mobilized a group of White Wizards to snipe him. He had only seen such a fiery rain at a frontal battlefield. ¡°It seems I¡¯ve angered the wizards.¡± The Silver Horned Fire Lizard strained a smile, ¡°But mobilizing so many wizards for me was not a wise decision.¡± He looked up at the sky, where he had launched a distress firework that was the latest invention of Merrick¡¯s Shield, infused with the power of a dragon curse sorcerer. The group of wizards who had sniped him should all have been marked now. ¡°Hehe, snipe me, and you cannot escape!¡± As he spoke to himself, a dark silhouette suddenly appeared in the distance and flew directly towards him. He sensed this shadow and recognized it as a Black Wizard. ¡°A Black Wizard? Looks quite strong.¡± The Silver Horned Fire Lizard struggled to his feet and picked up two handguns from the ground. ¡°It seems I won¡¯t have to live in disgrace.¡± With flames igniting on the handguns, the Silver Horned Fire Lizard took a deep breath and, using the last of his strength, hurled the handguns towards the wizard. The flaming handguns, carried by his fury, traced a crimson arc through the air, heading straight for the Black Wizard¡¯s face. This was his last strike, his final dignity. Bang! The Black Wizard, facing the handgun, didn¡¯t dodge or move. He simply reached out and caught the meteor-like handgun right in front of his eyes, halting its progress. Then the Silver Horned Fire Lizard watched as the Black Wizard flew up to him, under the black hood, a pair of golden dragon eyes quietly watching him. A Fire Lizard? The Silver Horned Fire Lizard was taken aback. But as the Black Wizard used Rune Chains to bind him securely, he quickly realized. This was a wizard who, like their ancestors, had stolen the power of a giant dragon. ¡°Kill me! Wizard!¡± the Silver Horned Fire Lizard roared, regretting that he had thrown the handgun. He should have used that shot to end his own life, to keep himself away from the wizard¡¯s interrogation. But the Black Wizard just quietly watched him. The Rune Chains sealed his power and his ability to move, preventing even suicide. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After the sealing was complete, the Silver Horned Fire Lizard could only watch desperately as the Black Wizard flew off with him towards the distance. Soon, Richard caught up with the convoy. ¡°This is the Fire Lizard that sent the distress signal; you handle the questioning later, I¡¯ll handle the torture,¡± Richard stood at the top of the vehicle, loudlyn communicating with Iyad. ¡°Huh? Why am I handling the questioning?¡± Iyad said, puzzled. ¡°Because when I arrived, I hadn¡¯t learned the Fire Lizard¡¯s language, I can¡¯t understand what this Fire Lizard is saying.¡± Iyad: ¡°¡­¡± Silver Horned Fire Lizard: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Wizard, don¡¯t even think about interrogating me, you will get nothing from me but curses!¡± The Silver Horned Fire Lizard said to Richard in a somewhat clumsy Wizard Language. ¡°Oh, you actually know Wizard Language,¡± Richard was surprised, ¡°Iyad, you¡¯re not needed anymore, this Fire Lizard understands Wizard Language.¡± The Silver Horned Fire Lizard glared fiercely at Richard, shouting in Wizard Language, ¡°You bastard, you will get nothing from me. The Norickxiu Family has no traitors and no novices!¡± Richard turned his head to glance at him, his eyes suddenly flashing a dark red light. ¡°Whether there are traitors, we¡¯ll know soon.¡± Chapter 231 - 15 Interrogation Chapter 231: Chapter 15 Interrogation Cliff felt like he was trapped in a nightmare. In this dream, one second he was being dismembered by a monstrous creature bred by the Wizard, and the next second he found himself back in Morick Royal City, being declared a traitor by the Fire Lizard King. Then the cycle repeated. He couldn¡¯t distinguish what was real and what was illusion; his brain seemed veiled, reality and illusion now merged into one. Yet, the pain didn¡¯t lessen. Cliff could vividly recall the agony of being devoured by the monster; it felt like a red-hot iron was stirring inside his brain, nearly boiling his brains. And the trial in Morick Royal City shattered his faith; everything he had fought for crumbled before his eyes, he was pointed at by thousands, his name etched on a pillar of shame to be despised for ten thousand years. ¡°Ah!¡± Cliff suddenly woke from the nightmare. He stared blankly around him, his sluggish brain finally reminding him of his current predicament. He had been captured alive by the Wizard, who was now interrogating him. ¡°Is this the Wizard¡¯s method?¡± Cliff only felt a chill down his spine, his scales seeming to stand on end. The scenes from the dream were still fresh in his memory, the bone-deep pain, even as a memory, made his body uncontrollably tremble. ¡°It seems to be effective.¡± The Wizard¡¯s cold voice jolted Cliff from his reminiscence. Richard looked at him, the golden dragon eyes under the black robe making Cliff shudder. ¡°Now, can you tell me the exact effect of that ¡®firework¡¯?¡± Firework? Cliff remembered his current situation and was about to curse Richard, But as soon as he opened his mouth, the terrible pain from his memory made his body tremble continuously. Yet, ultimately, honor and loyalty won over the pain, and Cliff glared at Richard, roaring: ¡°The Norickxiu Family harbors no traitors!¡± But the only response from Richard was a cold gaze. ¡°Is that so? We still have plenty of time, I hope you can keep it up.¡± We still have plenty of time? Cliff looked at Richard, not understanding what he was talking about. Although he couldn¡¯t remember how long he had been in the nightmare, he knew it wasn¡¯t brief. Even if time in the illusion passed faster than outside, it couldn¡¯t be by much. The Wizard didn¡¯t have much time left. Richard took out a pocket watch and glanced at the time. ¡°I can tell you now that only one minute has passed. I believe even with our tight schedule, we have a few minutes.¡± S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Saying this, Cliff saw a pair of snow-white sharp fangs appear under the black hood. ¡°This Wizard is actually smiling!¡± Cliff screamed in his mind. The next moment, his mind plunged back into the nightmare. ¡­ Waking, Nightmare, Waking, Nightmare¡­ Cliff didn¡¯t know how many times he went through this process. Unlike those who became numb to pain after enduring torture, the nightmares kept thrusting Cliff into his most feared situations. These scenarios even changed with his mental state. This nearly broke Cliff¡¯s psyche. As Cliff woke from the nightmare again, tears uncontrollably flowed from his eyes, his spirit seemed to collapse as he desperately yelled at Richard: ¡°Kill me! Just kill me!¡± But what met him was only a cold question. ¡°Tell me the effect of that firework.¡± Cliff looked at Richard in despair, the balance between relief and honor swaying in his mind. Finally, Cliff made a decision. ¡°I¡¯ll tell, I¡¯ll tell everything! That firework is a new type of distress signal we recently developed, it contains the power of Dragon Spell warriors, capable of marking any Wizards within a ten-kilometer radius.¡± Richard nodded, continuing to ask, ¡°Then what method do you use to track these marks?¡± Cliff looked at Richard with a vacant gaze, clenching his fist, ¡°If I tell you, can you let me die?¡± Richard nodded, calmly stating, ¡°I don¡¯t enjoy torturing people; once you tell me, I¡¯ll let you have your relief.¡± Cliff looked at Richard for a while, then began to describe the tracking method. The Wizards marked by the firework could be detected by a device similar to a compass, with a detection range of about ten kilometers. Meaning, as long as the Fire Lizard patrol team kept a distance exceeding ten kilometers, their troops would basically not be detected. ¡°Good, but I need to confirm the truth.¡± Richard grabbed Cliff and approached the squad¡¯s Soul Wizard. ¡°This is the intelligence he gave me, verify its authenticity. If it¡¯s true, kill him.¡± Richard wrote the intelligence given by Cliff on a piece of paper and handed it to the Soul Wizard, then flew to the Magic Support Vehicle¡¯s artillery section and skillfully disassembled the Magic Conduction Components and the Spell Components. Looking at the casting components that had turned into a mess, Richard scratched his head and casually took out a new one from his Magic Pocket. Using the Magic Support Vehicle was indeed satisfying, but each use required the replacement of casting components and the remolding of conduction components. After repairing the turret, Richard turned and flew to the next vehicle, continuing to replace components. Although he had information on the Fire Lizards, it was still better to have operational turrets in case they encountered any patrol squads. Soon, Richard heard a cry of relief. The Soul Wizard handed over Cliff¡¯s corpse to Richard and asked curiously, ¡°What exactly did you do to him? His mentality seems like a building erected from ruins; he is immune to my psychic spells.¡± Richard placed a finger to his lips, ¡°It¡¯s a secret, so was his information real?¡± ¡°It should be, but his mind harbors a shadow that I couldn¡¯t fully explore.¡± ¡°Shadow?¡± Richard raised an eyebrow, a sense of foreboding flashing through his mind. The Soul Wizard waved his hand nonchalantly, ¡°It¡¯s normal, many people have shadows in their hearts, often hiding deep-seated traits or memories of painful, unforgettable experiences. It¡¯s nothing unusual. You¡¯ve shattered his psyche to such an extent, even an iron man would break.¡± Richard glanced at the corpse in his arms and suddenly noticed that the Fire Lizard seemed to be clutching something in his hand. He pried it open and found a golden badge, shaped like a Dragon Claw, deeply embedded into Cliff¡¯s flesh. ¡°Golden Badge?¡± Richard took the badge and examined it, confirming it was merely a finely crafted artifact with no effects. ¡°Strange behavior.¡± Richard shook his head, placed Cliff¡¯s corpse along with the medal into his Magic Pocket, and then continued repairing the turret. ¡­ On the bombarded battlefield, a team of Fire Lizards riding creatures resembling camels was searching through the field. ¡°Commander, it¡¯s confirmed. There are fifty-six bodies, but Lord Cliff specifically is missing,¡± reported a Fire Lizard Warrior to a Fire Lizard with black dragon horns. ¡°Only Cliff is missing?¡± The Black Corner Fire Lizard surveyed the battlefield, which looked as if it had been neatly prepared by the White Wizard Army¡¯s attack. From the corpses on the battlefield, it appeared that the White Wizards hadn¡¯t cleaned up the field. Fire Lizards who had dealings with Wizards knew that Wizards had a special interest in their corpses¡ªoften, even severed limbs would be taken by the wizards. But many relatively intact bodies still remained on the battlefield, which seemed wasteful for the Wizards. ¡°What exactly do these Wizards want? Could it be that they are using Red Soil Plain as a breakthrough point to attack the heart of the Empire?¡± The Black Corner Fire Lizard was uncertain about the Wizards¡¯ intentions. Logically, deploying such a massive force of Wizards meant they had a strategic goal. Yet, in this land of Red Soil Plain, no valuable targets could be found. Nevertheless, the Black Corner Fire Lizard didn¡¯t ponder for too long. He was a mere lower-level commander and only needed to pass the information upward for the higher-ups to consider the Wizards¡¯ intentions. Now, he had a more pressing task at hand. ¡°Contact the nearby patrol squads, have them bring the appropriate equipment, and search around the battlefield centered on locating Lord Cliff. Alive or dead, we need to see him,¡± commanded the Black Corner Fire Lizard to his subordinate, ¡°The rest of you continue searching.¡± Before long, a Fire Lizard hurriedly rushed towards the Black Corner Fire Lizard. ¡°Commander! Come here and take a look.¡± ¡­ The Black Corner Fire Lizard pinched the somewhat firm Red Soil and then stood up. This location was four kilometers away from the distress fireworks launch site and seemed no different from the ordinary Red Soil Plain. However, his scouts had discovered something amiss. There were several well-concealed tire tracks added to the red soil. The disguise of these tracks was almost flawless; had it not been for the Dragon Beasts stepping on them and the Fire Lizards noticing the difference in the depth of the footprints compared to usual, these tracks might have been overlooked. Looking at the several spreading tracks that his subordinates had uncovered, the Black Corner Fire Lizard tentatively guessed something. Aside from the AAirship, Wizards had some movable alchemy vehicles, and he had seen a few of them. The Black Corner Fire Lizard took a horn from his waist and blew it forcefully. The melodious sound of the horn quickly gathered all the Fire Lizards from the patrol team. The Black Corner Fire Lizard pointed at the tracks on the ground: ¡°Follow these tracks; the Wizards brought new weapons this time, be careful. You few, notify the surrounding patrol teams to watch out for similar tracks.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡­ On the Red Soil Plain, four Magic Support Vehicles were traveling rapidly. The theoretical maximum speed of the Magic Support Vehicle was one hundred and twenty kilometers per hour, but on an actual battlefield, this speed would undoubtedly be reduced due to various factors. The Red Soil Plain, with its flat terrain, was ideal for the high-speed travel of Magic Support Vehicles, but due to a variety of issues over the last few days, the wizards only dared to drive up to eighty kilometers per hour, fearing that the Magic Support Vehicles might break down. Although the command center allowed vehicles to be abandoned to escape, there were conditions attached. Moreover, the ferocity of the Magic Support Vehicle¡¯s firepower was something several Wizards had witnessed. A Magic Support Vehicle essentially acted as a one-time Magic Concentrated Fire. If they happened to encounter a Fire Lizard patrol squad, a coordinated barrage could break them out of an encirclement. As if to confirm their thoughts, a Fire Lizard patrol squad suddenly appeared in front of the convoy. ¡°Enemy attack, prepare to break through!¡± Chapter 232 - 16 Escape from Death Chapter 232: Chapter 16 Escape from Death ¡°Damn it, how could these Fire Lizards be here?¡± As he saw the Fire Lizards appear on the horizon, Iyad cursed and immediately began to adjust the turret of the Magic Support Vehicle. There were over a hundred attackers, and each one was riding a Dragon Beast, which looked like camels and moved with incredible speed, even faster than the Magic Support Vehicle under the control of the Fire Lizards. ¡°What are those four things ahead?¡± S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The leading Black Corner Fire Lizard was somewhat confused as he watched the four Magic Support Vehicles speeding towards them. He glanced at the compass in his hand, which indicated that one of those iron beasts had attacked the Silver Horned Nobles. ¡°A new weapon of the Wizards? No matter!¡± The Black Corner Fire Lizard let out a piercing screech, and hearing the call, the Fire Lizards quickly adjusted their formation ¨C the flanking Fire Lizard Knights sped up, while those in the middle took down their giant bows, as tall as a man. The limbs of the great bows were pitch-black but still revealed faint golden patterns ¨C they were all products of Giant Dragon Alchemy. The Fire Lizards took out equally jet-black arrows from the quivers on their waists. The shaft of each arrow was as wide as two fingers, and their razor-sharp tips could tear apart any enemy standing in their way. The members of the Red Soil Prairie patrol team were all hunters, and aside from patrolling, they also hunted the Flame Giant Beasts that emerged from the Magma Network. Both sides, the Fire Lizard Knights and the Wizards, drew their bows and poised their arrows. ¡°Spread out! Number One, head thirty degrees northeast; Number Two, fifteen degrees northeast; Number Four, thirty degrees northwest. At a distance of three kilometers, fire at will!¡± Following Iyad¡¯s order through the mental network, the Magic Support Vehicles adjusted their formation. The turret let out a silent roar, and again, the sky was filled with the devastating firestorm that had obliterated Cliff¡¯s team. Boom! Boom! Boom! The patrol team was caught off guard by the barrage. When confronted with the Wizards¡¯ Magic Concentrated Fire, the Fire Lizards¡¯ first thought was of a fortress. Hence, their initial response was to encircle, not to break through head-on. No fortress was without flaws; given enough circling, they could always find the weakness. But they learned a lesson from the Magic Support Vehicles¡¯ Magic Concentrated Fire. ¡°Spread out! Spread out!¡± While cleaving a flaming Fireball headed his way with a Scimitar, the Black Corner Fire Lizard then rhythmically blew into the Bone Whistle hanging around his neck. The piercing sound of the Bone Whistle cut through the blast roar and reached the ears of every Fire Lizard. The Fire Lizard patrol quickly dispersed. ¡°Never mind them; push the speed to the max and charge straight through!¡± Richard communicated to Iyad via a Spiritual Message, ¡°This thing has excellent impact resistance; don¡¯t bother with those Fire Lizards!¡± A metal construction weighing tens of tons speeding at 120 kilometers per hour was something even third-level creatures like the Fire Lizards would avoid. Without an Energy Barrier or a refined Physique, even third-level creatures could be crushed by a construction truck. Upon hearing this, Iyad immediately issued a command through the mental network, and the engines of all four Magic Support Vehicles roared and their speed surged. The distant Fire Lizards had also recovered from the Magic Concentrated Fire by now. As their formation was quite loose from the start, they had only lost a quarter of their group to the barrage. This loss was bearable for the Fire Lizard patrol. ¡°Release arrows!¡± The Black Corner Fire Lizard roared in anger as the crisp sound of the bowstrings echoed in the air. But that was just the beginning. Draw, shoot¡­ Draw, shoot¡­ Each Fire Lizard Knight was an expert at mounted archery. With moon-shaped bows and thunder-like strings, they emptied a quiver in just a minute or two. Each arrow, imbued with unstoppable sharpness, struck the armored plates of the Magic Support Vehicles, igniting flashes of Runes. The windshield of the Magic Support Vehicle, seemingly the most fragile part of the machine, was where Richard had purposefully installed the most intricate Defense Magic Array. Where arrows would spark and dent the armored plates, they didn¡¯t even leave a mark on the windshield, which deflected them all without a trace of harm. In an instant, the two forces collided. Agilely avoiding the vehicles, the Fire Lizard Knights hacked wildly at the Magic Support Vehicles with their Scimitars as they passed by. The Fire Lizards were no fools; being hit by such contraptions would certainly mean certain death. Bang! One Fire Lizard Knight failed to dodge in time and was grazed on the thigh by a Magic Support Vehicle. His body flew through the air, with half of it turned to a bloody pulp. After the collision, the Fire Lizard Knights turned around and began to chase the convoy from behind. Arrows struck the Magic Support Vehicles, sparking off them as the leading Fire Lizard Captain angrily shouted: ¡°Damn it, aim for my Identification Arrow!¡± After saying that, the Fire Lizard Captain drew his bow and nocked an arrow, whose tip blazed with ferocious flames. Whoosh! Bang! The arrow struck the armored plate of the Magic Support Vehicle, leaving behind a flaming mark. Soon, several arrows concentrated on the fiery spot, immediately creating a massive dent, as the glow of the Runes began to dim. ¡°Concentrating their fire on one point? These Fire Lizards have quite the eyesight.¡± Richard noticed the Fire Lizards¡¯ tactics and his brow furrowed in an instant. Indeed, this method could breach the armor plating of a Magic Support Vehicle; once there was a gap in the armor, a collapse was only a matter of time. But, with the Fire Lizards so close, the turret was useless even if repaired. ¡°Iyad, tell all Wizards except the driver to come out, we need to deal with these Fire Lizards!¡± Iyad immediately issued commands through the spiritual network upon hearing the order. He had long been wanting his team members to come out and face the enemy, but since Richard was fiddling with the turret, he thought the Magic Support Vehicle might still have some unexpected uses. The armored plates around the turret began to open, and the squad members inside started to attack the nearby Fire Lizards with spells. ¡°Richard, you drive, I¡¯ll take command.¡± Richard erected a Magic Barrier and flew out from behind the armored plate. The moment he showed himself, three black arrows flew toward him. Buzz! The arrows struck the Magic Barrier, causing ripples to spread across its surface, as Richard responded with two casts of the Fireball Technique. Boom! The Fireball Technique exploded, instantly engulfing a Fire Lizard Knight. Upon entering the Stance Room, Richard immediately took over the Magic Support Vehicle, and Iyad likewise left the Stance Room to begin directing the squad members in battle. However, the Magic Support Vehicle was a new weapon, and the White Wizard Army had not yet designed a corresponding combat method. This made Iyad¡¯s command quite awkward. But fortunately, the armored plates of the Magic Support Vehicle provided good cover. Relying on several armored plates, the squad quickly finished off the approaching Fire Lizard Knights, and the remaining Fire Lizard Knights also kept a considerable distance from them. The situation seemed to be improving¡­ Bang! When an arrow struck the connecting point of a track, the Magic Support Vehicle, which was moving quickly, immediately tipped over. That arrow had successfully severed the track of the Magic Support Vehicle. Seeing the Number Three vehicle in such a state, the other three stopped as well. ¡°Damn it!¡± Richard cursed and immediately informed Iyad that the track was destroyed. ¡°Can it be fixed?¡± Iyad asked. ¡°It can, but there¡¯s no need now, we can also¡­¡± Richard didn¡¯t finish his sentence when a batch of black arrows started flying towards the tracks of the Magic Support Vehicle. Clearly, the Fire Lizard Knights had discovered the weakness of the Magic Support Vehicle. ¡°What about now?¡± Iyad swung out a whirlwind stitch, and the high-speed rotating air currents instantly severed the hooves of two Dragon Beasts. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s wipe out this group of Fire Lizards,¡± Richard said somewhat helplessly. Now they either had to kill all these Fire Lizards or abandon the vehicle and flee. But the number of these Fire Lizards was still far from enough for them to abandon the vehicle and escape¡­ Suddenly, a faint rumbling sound came from the Red Soil Plain. On the path that Richard and his team had passed, it seemed something was coming their way. Richard narrowed his eyes and cast the Eagle Eye Technique on himself. Upon seeing clearly what was making the noise, Richard¡¯s face turned ashen. ¡°Abandon the vehicle! Abandon the vehicle! The main force of the Fire Lizards is coming!¡± As soon as Richard¡¯s words fell, a dark cloud swiftly approached, and upon closer inspection, the cloud turned out to be a swarm of black arrows. Pupupu¡­ The rain of arrows fell, and Magic Barriers shattered in response, while over half of the squad members were turned into a mist of blood by the arrow storm. And the few remaining Wizards, aside from Richard, Iyad, and Savo, all turned pale with fear. Sampo, the most injured among them, had one side of his body gruesomely mangled, and his writhing flesh kept squeezing the black arrows out of his insides. ¡°Run! Split up and run!¡± Iyad immediately made the decision. Now that the squad had lost more than half its members, the formation could still be used, but a few more waves of arrow storms, and even with a combined Magic Shield, they would die. It was better to disperse their forces and make the Fire Lizards lose interest. Deploying too many troops for one or two Wizards was clearly not worth it. Upon hearing this, Richard rapidly flew to the Magic Support Vehicle without hesitation, and deftly tampered with something underneath the turret. After fiddling around, Richard sent a spiritual message to Iyad: ¡°I¡¯ve turned these vehicles into bombs; they should buy us some time.¡± Then, without any hesitation, Richard swiftly flew into the distance. The remaining members of the squad, aside from the Kor brothers, all fled in separate directions. Within a few minutes, the Fire Lizard Army arrived at the Magic Support Vehicle. ¡°Do you think these Wizards managed to create the effect of Magic Concentrated Fire with this machine?¡± A Silver Horned Fire Lizard walked up to the Magic Support Vehicle, speaking incredulously. ¡°Yes sir, we saw with our own eyes how this thing here launched a Fireball that could compare to Magic Concentrated Fire,¡± a Black Corner Fire Lizard replied. ¡°Well, this certainly is a valuable item. Wrap up these chunks of iron and send them to the rear for the craftsmen to study¡­¡± The Silver Horned Fire Lizard had not finished speaking when it suddenly changed color as if sensing something, and quickly moved backwards. Boom! A white light burst into the sky, but like a shooting star, vanished rapidly. Near the Magic Support Vehicle, the Silver Horned Fire Lizard got up from the ground, continuously spitting out golden blood. Around him, several of the patrol leaders had been reduced to pieces. The Silver Horned Fire Lizard issued orders in a furious rage: ¡°Chase them down! Not a single one of these Wizards can be spared! I will feed them all to the Dragon Beasts!¡± Chapter 233 - 17: In the Depths of the Fiery Sea Chapter 233: Chapter 17: In the Depths of the Fiery Sea Four hours later, the first light of dawn began to appear on the horizon. On the Red Soil Plain, Richard glanced behind at the pursuers doggedly on his tail and cursed, ¡°These damn Fire Lizards have nothing better to do? So many of them chasing after one Wizard!¡± Richard roughly counted the Fire Lizard Knights chasing him¡ªan entire patrol, with over a hundred knights. This number had exceeded the range that Richard¡¯s combat capabilities could handle, and to make matters worse, his main reliance, Ulysses, was still asleep. Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh¡­ A Magic Barrier suddenly sprang from Richard¡¯s body, blocking the black arrows flying towards him from behind. Although these arrows were not very effective against the Magic Armor Plate on the Magic Support Vehicle, they were surprisingly good against a purely energy-based barrier like the Magic Barrier. The tips of these black arrows had been enchanted with Giant Dragon Alchemy, giving them Demon-breaking properties, and combined with the formidable kinetic energy of the arrows themselves, they were practically Magic Armor-Piercing Bullets. Moreover, every one of the Fire Lizard Knights was a Divine Archer, able to hit the target every time from a kilometer away. Every interception of the arrows with the Magic Barrier consumed a large amount of Richard¡¯s Magic Power. ¡°No good, I need to make a quick escape. If I keep dragging this out, I¡¯m done for.¡± Richard didn¡¯t know what these Fire Lizard Knights were thinking, but he was clear about one thing¡ªhe didn¡¯t memorize the map, and now he was running blind. If he couldn¡¯t get rid of them soon, he was likely to run headlong into a second patrol. Roar! A beastly roar suddenly came from ahead of Richard. A large lizard covered in flames suddenly came into Richard¡¯s view. Behind the lizard, Richard saw a Magma Pool that was not too large. In this world, where the Fire Element was dominant, Magma Pools were as common as ponds, but on the Red Soil Plain, a Magma Pool also meant something else¡ªthat was the spawning point for Flame Giant Beasts. Flame Giant Beasts, a species of Magic Beast unique to the Red Sun World, were half-elemental creatures that could live in magma, subsisting on devouring Fire Elements as well as various animals and plants. They had an extremely wide-ranging diet, even occasionally consuming blade shrubs from the Red Soil Plain. According to Wizard investigations, the Magma Network that ran beneath the Red Soil Plain seemed to be home to some Flame Giant Beasts. These Flame Giant Beasts often attacked Fire Lizard settlements and destroyed their farmlands. For this reason, specialists among the Fire Lizards, known as Giant Beast Hunters, emerged to hunt them. As Richard eyed the Flame Giant Lizard roaring angrily at him, a stroke of inspiration suddenly flashed through his mind. Boom, boom, boom¡­ The Flame Giant Lizard charged toward Richard, its nearly ten-meter-long massive body shaking the ground as it moved. ¡°This Wizard is done for!¡± exclaimed a Fire Lizard gleefully. To them, Richard being attacked by the Flame Giant Lizard meant he would be delayed momentarily, which would be enough for them to close the distance. But in the next moment, they realized something was not right. Richard gripped his Magic Wand, leaped onto the lizard¡¯s back, and then drove the end of the wand violently into the lizard¡¯s spine. In the next instant, the Life Drain pattern began to take effect. The blood of the Flame Giant Lizard was continuously transformed into Life Energy by the pattern, which then flowed into Richard¡¯s body. This Life Energy was gentle, unlike the Frenzy of the Life Energy from the Insect Nest World¡¯s Source Sea Abyss, and upon entering Richard¡¯s body, it swept away his fatigue. ¡°That¡¯s better,¡± Richard said contentedly. But compared to Richard¡¯s comfort, the Flame Giant Lizard was in suffering. Having a blood-sucking worm on its back was unbearable. It tried desperately to shake Richard off, but Richard clung on as if stuck to it, impervious to its attempts. As its blood drained away, the Flame Giant Lizard grew frantic, while the distant Fire Lizard Knights kept shooting arrows at Richard. He utilized a Deflection Field to deflect all the arrows toward the Flame Giant Lizard. If Richard could still be considered a mere blood-sucking worm, then to the Flame Giant Lizard, the Fire Lizard Knights were like piranhas. Sensing the black arrows, it plunged headfirst into the Magma Pool behind it without a second thought, dragging Richard into the Magma Network beneath the Red Soil Plain. ¡°Has this Wizard gone mad!?¡± exclaimed the pursuing Fire Lizard Knights, their expressions one of astonishment, as they saw Richard enter the Magma Pool along with the Flame Giant Lizard. A Magma Pool was not easy to enter. The magma of a world with such an imbalance of the Fire Element was more violent than in other worlds, and the Fire Elements within the magma would continuously assault all life forms. Even Fire Lizards, native creatures who had adapted over untold years and awakened Dragon Blood in their veins, had to reach the peak of Third Level to disregard the magma. And Richard was but a Second-level Creature; for a Wizard to dive headfirst into the magma was surely a terrible move. The leading Black Corner Fire Lizard, seeing Richard enter the Magma Pool, immediately instructed the Fire Lizard ranks to spread out and guard several nearby Magma Pools. ¡°Keep a tight watch. The moment the Wizard surfaces, launch a combined attack¡ªdon¡¯t give him a chance to retaliate,¡± the Black Corner Fire Lizard said with a cold smile as it watched the Magma Pool. ¡°I want to see how long you can hide down there!¡± ¡­ In the magma network, Richard sustained his magic barrier, following the Flame Giant Lizard as they continuously descended through the magma webs. Even when he had become a level 1 creature, Richard could survive without eating or breathing, relying purely on his cells to absorb energy from the air. Hence, within the magma network, he wasn¡¯t worried about breathing. Richard kept up his magic barrier, taking magic stones out of his pocket and stuffing them into his body without pause. The erosion from the fire element within the magma was terrifying for the magic barrier; it was as if a wizard was casting spells against the barrier incessantly. Under such circumstances, the magic power within Richard¡¯s body was rapidly depleting, so much so that he couldn¡¯t even keep up with the consumption by drawing from the magic stones. But this was enough. Richard opened the Secret Realm Rift, removed all his magic equipment and placed it in his pocket, then threw everything into the Secret Realm. He only kept his magic wand with him. After dealing with his things, Richard¡¯s magic barrier suddenly vanished, and his body was instantly enveloped by the magma. But Richard took no damage at all. ¡°I didn¡¯t invest in these magic stones for my Adaptation Body for nothing; with a five hundred energy-level fire element resistance, even a Three Rings Wizard who doesn¡¯t follow the physique route doesn¡¯t have that,¡± Richard thought to himself with a cold smile. Richard closed his eyes, roaming freely through the magma network alongside the Flame Giant Lizard. There were rumors that Flame Giant Beasts congregated under the Red Soil Plain, but wizards hadn¡¯t found the reason yet. Now, with nothing better to do, Richard decided to explore this untouched virgin territory following the giant lizard. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The magma network under the Red Soil Plain was incredibly complex and vast. Below the network, there laid an immense underground magma sea. Three days later, the Flame Giant Lizard finally stopped moving. The beast wasn¡¯t dying from blood loss caused by Richard; just as Richard said, he was merely a blood-sucking worm. Would a person die from a mosquito¡¯s bite? The spot where the Flame Giant Lizard halted was a massive crystal pillar that seemed to be an enormous Fire Element Gem. It was difficult to imagine such a large Fire Element Gem existed in the world, big enough for a ten-meter-long giant lizard to rest upon. Richard used his spiritual power to probe the gem and felt that it was somewhat different from the Fire Element Gems he had seen before. The gem was continuously emitting fire elements, not showing the usual closed nature characteristic to Fire Element Gems. ¡°It¡¯s curious, even if this thing wasn¡¯t a gem initially, after being saturated with fire elements for so many years, it should have become a mineral of fire elements by now; why is the elemental nature still so unstable?¡± Richard dismounted from the giant lizard and tapped the enormous Fire Element Gem with his magic wand, hoping to break off some fragments for research. However, no matter how hard Richard tried, the strange Fire Element Gem beneath his feet showed no signs of damage. This was starkly different from other Fire Element Gems, which were famously hard and brittle. ¡°This is odd, what exactly is this thing? It¡¯s been in the magma sea for so long and yet hasn¡¯t been eroded or assimilated. Could this be a unique mineral from the Red Sun World?¡± Element erosion was an issue that many alchemy machines had to address, especially fire element erosion. As the most active of the four elements, alchemy machines were easily embrittled in environments with high concentrations of fire elements. If this crystal truly was a unique mineral from the Red Sun World, then both he and the two Great Wizards were about to make a fortune. Richard lowered his body and tapped the crystal pillar with his fingers repeatedly, using techniques from Mountain Breaking Fist, continuously sensing the rebounding force to distinguish that particular frequency. It was a lengthy process. One day, two days, three days, a week passed, and Richard kept tapping on the crystal pillar. Finally, on the eighth day, Richard found that rhythm. He flicked his finger, and a small piece of crystal detached from the pillar. Holding the crystal, Richard raised the magic barrier again, preparing to open the Secret Realm Rift and enter the Secret Realm for study. But just as Richard set up the magic barrier, separating the magma and the crystal, the crystal suddenly ejected a jet of flames¡ªthis was the fire element that had been eroding the crystal. After all the fire element was expelled by the crystal, the piece that originally appeared red turned into a form that Richard recognized. ¡°This is¡­ Pioneer Crystal!¡± As a wizard who had researched Pioneer Crystals for hundreds of years, Richard could not possibly mistake this object. This piece of crystal must be a creation of the Pioneers. In an instant, Richard understood the strange phenomena of the crystal pillar. This crystal pillar was a relic left behind by a civilization that had disappeared into the annals of history, and being built in the depths of the Molten Lava Sea, resistance to fire element erosion was certainly essential. ¡°I never imagined that I would find a Pioneer relic in the depths of this Molten Lava Sea; the Pioneers and I are truly fated,¡± Richard exclaimed, then tossed the crystal into the Secret Realm and began swimming in the Magma Sea. Since the crystal pillar was constructed by the Pioneers, there must be other relics of the Pioneers nearby. Chapter 234 - 18 Test Site Chapter 234: Chapter 18 Test Site The Sea of Lava was vast and boundless, its depth immeasurable. Richard swam down along the pillar continuously, trying to find the starting point of the Crystal Pillar, but after a week of diving, he finally abandoned the idea. It seemed that the Crystal Pillar stretched straight into the deepest parts of the Sea of Lava, but Richard couldn¡¯t dive indefinitely. The Magma Sea was a sea too, and as he dove to a certain depth, each movement of Richard¡¯s body consumed a massive amount of energy. Coupled with the viscosity of the magma, Richard felt like an insect trapped in resin, about to become amber. ¡°Is this Pioneer Relic not meant for me?¡± Richard felt somewhat disheartened. But quickly, Richard adjusted his mindset. At present, this Magma Sea was also a suitable training ground for him. Even if he couldn¡¯t find the Pioneer Relics, enhancing his physique was excellent. With that thought, Richard began swimming at the deepest depth he could endure. As everyone knows, swimming is a very physically demanding exercise. The Magma Sea, where Richard was, not only had viscous fluid but also considerable pressure. Under these conditions, continuously exercising, Richard¡¯s physique slowly began to improve. And the Physique Enhancement Gland that Richard had implanted earlier, under these extreme conditions, began to produce a large output of Physique Enhancement Hormone. The combination of these two factors drastically increased the speed of Richard¡¯s physique enhancement. In just three months, Richard¡¯s physique had improved a notch within the Magma Sea. This speed of enhancement thrilled Richard. However, Richard did not exercise without any control; the growth of his physique was not without a cost. Exercising for a long time under such extreme conditions, every organ in Richard¡¯s body was operating at full, even over capacity, and such operation had a price. And Richard¡¯s body was also constantly battling against the erosion of the Fire Element from the Magma Sea. While the Adaptation Body allowed Richard to resist five hundred energy levels of Elemental Damage, he naturally did not have the Bloodline of a Fire Element creature. Staying in such an environment for a long time, his body inevitably suffered from Fire Element erosion. This accumulated erosive damage could potentially lead to irreversible crystallization of Richard¡¯s body. This would undoubtedly be a significant setback for a Wizard pursuing physique evolution. Expanding his Magic Barrier, Richard opened the Secret Realm Rift and plunged in. For Richard, who owned a Secret Realm, recovery could be carried out at any time. Inside the Secret Realm, the sleeping Ulysses had long since woken up. He noticed Richard entering the Secret Realm and curiously asked, ¡°Gah, did you go for a bath in the magma? Why is the Fire Element so heavy on you?¡± When Richard entered the Secret Realm, the ground where his feet touched instantly emitted blue smoke. With each step, a black footprint appeared on the spot. ¡°Pretty much. I¡¯m now in the Underground Magma Sea of the Red Sun World. I¡¯ve also discovered another Pioneer Relic. I¡¯ve been training and searching for the relic simultaneously.¡± After speaking, Richard shouted to the World Mushroom, ¡°World Mushroom, get me a showerhead.¡± A fungal tentacle emerged from the ground near Richard¡¯s feet and transformed into a huge mushroom, from which a continuous stream of warm, gentle water dripped from beneath its cap. The water dripped onto Richard, instantly turning into steam, but it also eroded part of the Fire Element. ¡°Gah, the Magma Sea? Why did you run to that place?¡± Ulysses exclaimed in astonishment. Worlds biased towards the Fire Element often contain Magma Seas, but apart from magma, these seas generally lack other resources. Besides certain Fire Element creatures, no creatures would dive into the Magma Sea. ¡°That, you have to ask our key moment sleeper, the crow,¡± Richard glanced at him and said lightly, ¡°I was being chased by over a hundred Fire Lizard Knights outside. If I hadn¡¯t escaped into this Magma Sea, I would already have been fed to the Dragon Beasts by the Fire Lizards.¡± Hearing this, Ulysses felt somewhat embarrassed: ¡°Gah, I got drowsy, couldn¡¯t help it.¡± Ten minutes later, the Fire Element on Richard was completely eroded. He slapped his forehead, and a layer of green stubble instantly grew out, which in a few minutes turned into black hair. Richard turned to look at Ulysses: ¡°How are your injuries now? I didn¡¯t find this Pioneer Relic, but you might be able to find it faster.¡± ¡°Gah, I¡¯m alright; I can still manage the job of finding things.¡± Saying this, Ulysses opened the rift and plunged into the Magma Sea outside. Under his Divine Statue, Richard found the things he had thrown in, including his Magic Pocket, Concealer Cloak, a few Magic Shield Pendants, and the Magic Wand he had thrown in later. At the moment, several Holy Tree Elves were praying beneath the Divine Statue. After being transformed by the World Mushroom, these little fellows had greatly enhanced Life Energy, and the growth of their strength was no longer limited. After so many years, Richard discovered that among these little fellows, a Level 1 Creature had appeared. Richard put on the cloak and curiously pinched the Level 1 Holy Tree Elf. The little fellow, suddenly caught by Richard, did not panic; instead, it was delighted. ¡°Great Creator God! Do you remember me? I¡¯m Fuzzy Ball! The first Holy Tree Elf you created.¡± Richard¡¯s mind flashed with astonishment; a few centuries had passed since he first encountered Fuzzy Ball, yet this little fellow was still alive and had evolved into a Level 1 Creature. ¡°I remember you, the first Holy Tree Elf,¡± Richard pretentiously said. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that after so many years, you would break through the life layers and become a Level 1 Creature.¡± ¡°O great Creator God, we were once lost in false memories and could not recall your grace. Even when you had the great World Mushroom release some of our shackles, we failed to understand your teachings. But ever since the great Crow God revealed the falsehood, we finally recognized the truth and remembered your grace. To not betray your grace, we are striving to grow¡ªrest assured, it won¡¯t be long before Holy Tree Elves like myself fill the entire world!¡± Fuzzy Ball spoke with a fanatical tone, completely deluded by the likes of veteran charlatans like Ulysses. They now fully believed the myths recorded in their scriptures. Richard nodded. ¡°Good, very spirited! Keep it up; I¡¯m really looking forward to that day!¡± ¡­ Two months later, a rift in the Secret Realm suddenly appeared, and Ulysses flew out from the Molten Sea, half his body charred. Upon entering the Secret Realm, Ulysses shouted at the World Mushroom, ¡°Gah, Old Mushroom, help, don¡¯t let this body be destroyed.¡± A mycelium tendril burst from the ground and burrowed into Ulysses¡¯s body, continuously pumping Life Energy into his form. ¡°Gah, it was really not easy finding that relic; I almost turned into a roasted crow.¡± Richard approached Ulysses, surprisingly asking, ¡°Were you attacked by a Flame Giant Beast? Are there creatures in the Molten Sea that can injure you?¡± ¡°Gah, it¡¯s all for finding you a relic.¡± Ulysses ranted, ¡°Those future Pioneer bugs, they seem to have built what you Wizards call¡­ yes, an ecosystem. I ran into a very tricky critter there, nearly reaching the Fourth Level. If I wasn¡¯t a scion of the World Master, I might really have fallen under its spell.¡± As he spoke, Ulysses suddenly coughed, spewing a blue flame from his mouth, instantly melting a patch of the ground. ¡°Such a powerful creature?¡± Richard exclaimed in shock. He was lucky he hadn¡¯t found it earlier; such an encounter could easily have cost him his life. Thinking this, Richard felt a shiver of fear. Soon, Ulysses stabilized his condition, and his charred body began to rapidly recover. ¡°Gah, are you well-rested? Come with me; let¡¯s fetch that corpse. When I returned just now, that sort of Flame Giant Beast was probably still gnawing on it.¡± ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Richard quickly took off his Concealer Cloak and, wielding his Magic Wand, opened the rift. The two entered the Molten Sea; Ulysses lay on Richard, leading the way as Richard¡¯s current strength couldn¡¯t reach the ecosystem. Soon, they arrived at the ecosystem Ulysses had mentioned. This so-called ecosystem looked more like an experimental field to Richard. Various bizarre Flame Giant Beasts roamed freely in the Molten Sea, occasionally engaging in fierce one-on-one battles, the loser serving as food for the winner. Ulysses emitted some of the World Master¡¯s pressure to drive away the Flame Giant Beasts. As they delved deeper, Richard soon spotted a giant beast that did not fit in with the ordinary Flame Giant Beasts. This beast¡¯s body was dark blue and shaped somewhat like a mutated sea lizard, nearly twenty meters long, with blue flames burning over its body. The creature was already dead, and the dark Annihilation Flame indicated who had killed it. ¡°Gah, this unlucky creature; if it had another three or four thousand years, who knows, it might have really evolved its mere body to reach the World Master stage.¡± Hearing Ulysses¡¯s high praise, Richard was taken aback. Was this one of the Pioneer¡¯s experimental subjects? However, Richard soon sensed something was amiss. He and Ulysses jointly moved the giant beast¡¯s corpse into the Secret Realm for the World Mushroom to properly preserve. At Richard¡¯s request, the two lingered in this ecosystem. ¡°Gah, what are you looking for?¡± Ulysses asked, puzzled. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°This Fire Lizard seems to be a mutated product; I¡¯m looking for whatever caused its mutation in the vicinity.¡± ¡°Gah, how are you so sure this creature is a mutation?¡± Ulysses asked in surprise. Richard casually replied, ¡°Nonsense, the dominant Race of this world are Fire Lizards; if such Flame Giant Beasts weren¡¯t mutations, then Fire Lizards wouldn¡¯t be able to dominate the world. A creature that can physically break through to the Fourth Level would not share the world with other species; the Fire Lizard Clan could only be slaves or livestock to them.¡± ¡°¡­ Gah, makes sense.¡± Chapter 235 - 19 The Magical Blue Flames Chapter 235: Chapter 19 The Magical Blue Flames The Pioneer¡¯s experimental site was somewhat larger than Richard had imagined; thousands of kilometers wide, the Molten Sea was home to various semi-elemental creatures of varying sizes. From Magma Sardines the size of a thumb to Magma Jellyfish the size of a wash basin, and from Flame Giant Lizards over ten meters long to Magma Whales over a hundred meters long¡ªit had a complete range, from the smallest to the largest. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. These semi-elemental creatures all possessed the bloodline of fire element creatures, which enabled them to live and reproduce in the Magma Sea. They formed a complete ecosystem in this Magma Sea area, with such delicate design that Richard almost believed it was naturally formed¡ªif it weren¡¯t for the Pioneer¡¯s Crystal Pillars that stood within this domain. Within this area of thousands of kilometers, large and small Crystal Pillars were erected, which was a significant basis for Ulysses to believe this was a Pioneer Relic. Moreover, the nearly perfect biological structure of these semi-elemental creatures also supported the idea that they were artificially designed. Natural evolution couldn¡¯t possibly result in a creature with no redundant structures, which might have provided necessary aid to the organism in the past. But as evolution continued, and the creature no longer needed a specific structure, it wouldn¡¯t immediately disappear but gradually degenerate. These redundant structures were completely superfluous for the current creatures, as if a precise instrument had an unnecessary part, disrupting the beauty of the biological structure. But these creatures had none. After Richard dissected these creatures, he found their body structures had no redundancy; every organ, every system was utterly necessary, and the lack of any would cause a chain reaction. And when the Pioneers designed these beings, they also followed the aesthetics of symmetry, making almost every creature¡¯s body structure symmetrical. Research, search, research, search¡­ Richard had spent a full ten years in such a way; the Pioneer¡¯s creations were simply works of art, intricate enough to drive any Alchemy Wizard who had studied flesh mad. During these ten years, Richard alone made over three thousand specimens, averaging almost a new creature every day. From the bottom of the food chain to the top, Richard had collected a complete range. In the process, Richard¡¯s understanding of semi-elemental creatures deepened, and his knowledge accumulated. Of course, during this process, Richard was also constantly searching for the source that caused the Flame Giant Lizard¡¯s mutation. But to be honest, after ten years of searching without success, even Richard was somewhat discouraged. Perhaps there was no source causing the mutations, or maybe the source had disappeared. ¡­ ¡°Ga, are you sure you¡¯re not going to look anymore?¡± Ulysses asked Richard somewhat skeptically. Richard had only been searching underground for ten years, a period that, while sounding extensive, was equivalent to roughly two or three months for a Wizard that could live for thousands of years. ¡°I¡¯m not searching anymore,¡± Richard waved his hand, ¡°I¡¯ve collected specimens from virtually all the creatures in this ecosystem, and there¡¯s no point in staying any longer. Moreover, my physique has almost reached its limit.¡± Over the past ten years, Richard also used the extreme conditions of the Magma Sea for physical training, gaining a total increase of twenty points in his physique. This was already the limit Richard could reach in the Magma Sea. If Richard wanted to go further, he would need to dive deeper into the magma, but the deeper the Magma Layer, the stronger the erosive power of the Fire Element, and Richard¡¯s Adaptation Body couldn¡¯t handle the deep magma¡¯s burn of the Fire Element. ¡°Ga, you¡¯re the boss, it¡¯s your decision.¡± Ulysses lay lazily in the nest, surrounded by Holy Tree Elves who were using mycelium to massage him. According to Ulysses¡¯s compiled scriptures, he was Richard¡¯s Subordinate God and the guide for the Holy Tree Elves. Therefore, the Holy Tree Elves had no aversion to serving Ulysses; they even considered it an honor. Almost all the Holy Tree Elves were fanatic believers of Richard. But Richard couldn¡¯t be bothered with such matters; the Power of Faith was merely a lifesaver for him at this point, as his growth in strength followed the Wizard system. Opening the Secret Realm Rift, Richard began to ascend. Above the Magma Sea was a rock wall; finding it would allow Richard to return to the surface using spells. However, after ten years of exploration, Richard was somewhat uncertain of his direction; he didn¡¯t know what the surface above him was¡ªcontrolled by Wizards or the territory of Fire Lizards? As he ascended, Richard¡¯s body emitted continuous Magic Fluctuations. These waves came from a creature Richard named the Magma Dolphin, which, like a bat, could emit energy waves to scan its environment. Richard learned about energy waves from its body structure and simulated it using the powers of a wizard. However, as Richard continued to surface, the messages from the magic waves were troubling. Near him seemed to be a black hole swallowing Magic Power. Richard¡¯s heart stirred, and he immediately swam in the detected direction. Half an hour later, Richard looked at the swirling mass of magma mixed with blue flames in front of him and couldn¡¯t help but give a wry smile. ¡°I really am a fool, searching below for so long; why couldn¡¯t I bring myself to look above? This Flame Giant Lizard could have mutated as a juvenile.¡± Richard extended his Magic Barrier and opened the Secret Realm Rift to pull out Ulysses. ¡°Ga, what¡¯s happening¡­ You found that thing!¡± Ulysses caught sight of the magma before him and couldn¡¯t help but exclaim aloud. ¡°Found it, after searching below for ten years, even considering the Mutant Source at the bottom of the Magma Sea, it never occurred to me that this thing could be above.¡± Richard spoke with emotion in his voice, the Mutant Source was nowhere to be found when he searched for it, but once he had given up, he found it. Ulysses led the way, and Richard soon saw the source of the blue flames¡ªa clump of blue flame wrapped in a Fire Element Crystal. The Fire Element Crystal encasing the flame looked very regular, resembling a Crystal Ball, probably the container for this clump of flame before it was eroded by the Fire Element, the product of that erosion. This clump of flame must have been an experiment of the Pioneers, but after the Pioneers vanished and their lab was destroyed, the experiment was eventually exposed to daylight. Richard tried to pick up this clump of flame, but the erosion from the Fire Element in the Magma Sea made his Magic Hand extremely unstable. Moreover, the intensely hot blue flames in the surrounding magma made him retract his hand. ¡°Ulysses, you take it back. I can¡¯t use my Sealing Skill well in the Magma Sea.¡± ¡°Ga, I knew it,¡± said Ulysses, somewhat helplessly. Ulysses stretched out his claw, grabbed the Flame Crystal wrapped around the blue flame, and then tossed it into the Secret Realm Rift. Afterward, Richard returned to the Secret Realm. Inside the Secret Realm, the Flame Crystal wrapped around the blue flame was held aloft by the tendrils of the World Mushroom, and blue flames flickered in the air from time to time. After leaving Ulysses¡¯s protection, Richard could clearly feel a strong Energy Radiation emanating from the flame. This radiation on his skin caused an itchy sensation. Richard scratched and, to his surprise, his skin¡ªstrengthened by the Dragon Skin Hardening Gland¡ªactually bore several blood marks. His epidermal cells were beginning to collapse under this radiation. ¡°Such powerful radiation,¡± Richard exclaimed, and countless Rune Chains sprung from his hands. These chains enveloped the Fire Element Crystal, and within dozens of seconds, a layer of green Ice Crystal formed on the outside of the Fire Element Crystal. Looking at the blue flames inside the green frost, Richard couldn¡¯t help but smile. This was indeed a good find. Based on the abilities of the Mutated Flame Giant Lizard and the recent exploration, this clump of blue flames possessed at least two properties: extremely high temperature and the capacity for energetic combustion. Moreover, from what just happened, the Flame Cup also had a strong radiation. This radiation was likely the cause of the Flame Giant Lizard¡¯s mutation. Ulysses entered the Secret Realm and casually landed on Richard¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Ga, this clump of flame looks good, feels even stronger than my Annihilation Flame. You really stumbled upon a treasure this time,¡± he said. Richard glanced at him: ¡°The original version of Annihilation Flame, or your improved version?¡± Ulysses looked at Richard as if he were an idiot: ¡°Ga, obviously the improved version. The original version of Annihilation Flame is just an ordinary Bloodline Talent of our race. We Annihilation Crows are fierce, but when it comes to racial Talents, it¡¯s just barely usable.¡± ¡°Oh, that impressive?¡± Richard¡¯s eyes lit up, surprised by Ulysses¡¯s high regard for this flame. ¡°Ga, if it weren¡¯t impressive, that big lizard wouldn¡¯t have nearly destroyed my body. I suspect that the lizard¡¯s physique got to this stage with the help of the flame.¡± Richard looked incredulously at the flame that was being sealed, a frenzy flashing through his heart. He wanted to study the flame right now. But soon, Richard¡¯s reason suppressed his frenzy. ¡°Perhaps,¡± Richard said calmly, ¡°but this thing is a bit too dangerous. I need to find a sufficiently protected laboratory to study it.¡± ¡°Ga, if you¡¯re not using it now, why not lend it to me for a few days?¡± suggested Ulysses. ¡°Hm?¡± Richard turned to look at Ulysses. This was the first time Ulysses had asked him for something other than items to heal his soul injuries. ¡°Here, take it.¡± Richard casually tossed the sealed blue flame to Ulysses. ¡°Ga, so decisive.¡± Ulysses was surprised, ¡°With your personality, aren¡¯t you going to interrogate me now about what I¡¯m going to do with it?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need,¡± Richard waved his hand indifferently, ¡°We¡¯ve known each other for quite some time, and there¡¯s a degree of trust.¡± Ulysses looked skeptically at Richard: ¡°Ga, why do I feel it¡¯s because you don¡¯t understand this thing, nor do you understand the World Master? So even if I told you what I was going to do, you wouldn¡¯t be able to tell if it were true or not?¡± Richard¡¯s expression stiffened, his ruse seen through so quickly. But being exposed didn¡¯t hinder Richard¡¯s resolve. ¡°Impossible, absolutely not!¡± Richard frowned and spoke earnestly, ¡°We have hundreds of years of friendship, and we¡¯ve fought side by side as comrades. You really shouldn¡¯t suspect people with such a petty mindset.¡± Ulysses gave Richard another look but said nothing further. Their contract was for ten thousand years, and the days ahead were still long. Chapter 236 - 20 Linksa Empire Chapter 236: Chapter 20 Linksa Empire The small interlude with the blue flames didn¡¯t delay Richard much; after handing the flames over to Ulysses, he returned to the Magma Sea to continue surfacing. Three days passed in the process of ascending, and on the fourth day, Richard finally saw the rocky wall on the upper layer of the Molten Sea. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. All that remained was to carve a tunnel through the rock wall to reach the ground. Richard touched the wall with his Magic Wand, and a Magic Radiance disappeared into the wall, followed by the wall turning into dust and falling into the Magma Sea. ¡°Hmm? Turned directly into dust, not mud. It seems that under different Elemental conditions, some spells¡¯ effects can change.¡± Richard released a few more Fossil to Mud spells, effectively carving a hole in the wall large enough to accommodate his body. He dove into the hole and was instantly out of the Magma Sea. ¡°It¡¯s not easy to get out, huh.¡± Once inside the hole, Richard started to proceed toward the surface as planned. ¡­ Twenty years might be just a blink in the life of the world, but the geopolitical landscape had turned upside down in those twenty years. Wizards had taken over one-sixth of the Red Sun World in this time span, and had their numbers been greater, this figure would have increased. Most of the occupied territories were part of the Morick and Linksa Empires, and during the battle against the Linksa Empire, Wizards had even flown a Floating City directly into Linksa territory. With the formidable firepower of the Floating City, complemented by the White Wizard Army, the assembled armies of the Linksa Empire were routed, and their Commander fell in battle. Had Harash not taken command of the volunteer army in time, the elite forces of the Linksa Empire would have almost been decimated in this conflict. Meanwhile, in the rear, infiltrating Black Wizards were continuously engaging in activities behind enemy lines. Spreading rumors, stealing intelligence, assassinating key officials to place incompetents in power, sabotaging military supplies¡­ These activities plunged the Linksa Empire into further turmoil. Linksa¡¯s Eye, modelled after Merrick¡¯s Shield, was disrupted by Wizards and ended up recruiting scoundrels, exacerbating the chaos in an already disordered Linksa Empire. Compared to these scoundrels, even the internal affairs commission from the time of the great purge would have seemed like fair magistrates. Due to multiple disruptions, the Linksa Empire was in disarray, and even the orders from the Fire Lizard King couldn¡¯t be guaranteed to be passed down reliably. There were robbers supported by Wizards all over the Empire, and the infiltrating Black Wizards could have even orchestrated a rebellion if they didn¡¯t fear the Fire Lizard King¡¯s intervention. It¡¯s fair to say that were it not for the continued existence of the Fire Lizard King of the Linksa Empire, the state might have already collapsed. Linksa Empire, Luxor Province. At the heart of Luxor Province was a city named Luxor. During the day, the scorching sun beat down, and Fire Lizards in white robes swarmed the streets. They haggled with vendors, strode towards destinations, or simply enjoyed the increasingly rare peaceful scenes. Luxor Province maintained the most stable public order within the Linksa Empire. Criminals and bandits were all turned into dried lizards, displayed on execution racks by the vigilant Fire Lizard Warriors. Even Linksa¡¯s Eye, which had its way in other provinces, had to keep a low profile in Luxor Province. This was because General Balashar, who was stationed in Luxor Province, wouldn¡¯t hesitate to impale them on execution racks without regard for their ties, drying them into lizard jerky. But keeping their heads down was one thing, Balashar still had to consider the possibility that Linksa¡¯s Eye might receive orders from the Fire Lizard King, so they also had an office in Luxor. And in the underground of this office, a group of robed Wizards were plotting something. A distinctively powerful Black Wizard pointed at a map on the table: ¡°According to the intelligence, the Dragon Beast Cultivation Base of the Linksa Empire is inside this volcano on the outskirts of Luxor.¡± Several Wizards of equally formidable presence scrutinized the map closely. ¡°Are you sure? We don¡¯t want to make a mistake like last time,¡± an Undead Wizard commented. ¡°Our last operation already rattled them. If we make another mistake, all our preparations in Luxor Province will go to waste.¡± ¡°Based on the intelligence obtained from those Fire Lizards, it should be here.¡± ¡°But last time we also acted on their intelligence, and what happened? We were surrounded by the Dragon Beast Knight Order and lost nearly a hundred Wizards.¡± The one who spoke was an Alchemy Wizard whose body had been converted into an Alchemy Puppet, his voice resonating with a metallic hum. ¡°Exactly, I suspect these Fire Lizards have turned traitor, or they have been found out,¡± voiced a Wizard whose body had turned to stone, his rumbling tone echoing like a tremor. ¡°Impossible. If they were exposed or had turned traitor, we would already be surrounded by the Dragon Beast Knight Order,¡± retorted a Wizard whose form resembled a wraith. ¡°How is it not possible? What if Balashar wants to stage a big showdown?¡± ¡°Then what do you propose we do? Why don¡¯t you go and spy for intelligence?¡± ¡°I think we should just assassinate Balashar directly. Why does Linksa¡¯s Eye have to cower in Luxor? Isn¡¯t it because those Fire Lizards fear Balashar? Once we take him out, we can do as we please in Luxor.¡± ¡°Good talk. Then this honorable and challenging task is yours. I have no interest in assassinating a Commander protected by elites, especially when that Commander is a third-level creature¡­¡± ¡°Quiet, all of you!¡± A Wizard emitting a stench of decay whispered sharply. The wizards in the room all turned their gaze toward the elderly wizard whose life was nearing its end. For wizards, age was directly proportional to strength. Without exception, an old wizard like this one, whose aura was decaying and who was at the brink of death but still participated in the Plane War, was among the strongest of the strong, the most ruthless of ruthless. Such wizards, regardless of whether they were of the Black or White, were respected by expeditionary wizards, even the Great Wizard would accord them extra courtesy. Of course, this was only applicable to the wizards of the Second Ring and Three Rings. One Ring wizards had too short life spans and had not yet reached the point where their energy induced a qualitative change. ¡°Master Theodore, what is your view on this matter?¡± the wizard who spoke first asked. ¡°The information about those Fire Lizards should be correct, the Dragon Beast Cultivation Base should be in that volcano. But the fact that they were able to obtain this information is very problematic. Balashar is a cautious man, and the Dragon Beast Knight Order is one of the few armies of the Linksa Empire where we have not embedded any spies. He must be exceedingly careful with information. And the few native fools we support couldn¡¯t possibly have obtained this information.¡± The old wizard Theodore¡¯s voice was very hoarse, as if his throat was filled with sand, but his words plunged the present wizards into deep thought. The information was true, yet it was deliberately released by someone else. It was both a strategy and a challenge letter. Balashar was challenging the wizards, I¡¯ve already told you the information you need, but do you dare to come? ¡°So what do we do, eat this poisoned cake or not?¡± asked a wizard whose body was almost entirely composed of flames. Again, everyone¡¯s eyes turned to Theodore, expecting the wizard to come up with an idea. ¡°Eat, why not?¡± Theodore¡¯s face showed a hint of ferocity, ¡°As long as the Dragon Beast Cultivation Base is destroyed, the Dragon Beast Knights of the Linksa Empire will be fewer by the day. It will have a significant impact on the final battle in the future. Moreover¡­ cough cough cough, the base uses [Lost One]¡¯s items, if we get hold of one, even the Great Wizard wouldn¡¯t oppose our claim to a fief.¡± [Lost One] At the mention of this term, the emotions of all the wizards present suddenly surged. ¡°Master, are you certain that there are [Lost One]¡¯s items inside the Dragon Beast Cultivation Base?¡± the Alchemy Wizard couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°[Lost One] is far too distant from our era; how could their items still be operational?¡± ¡°Who knows? We can¡¯t judge the items of the [Lost One] with our experiences,¡± Theodore calmly said, ¡°These Fire Lizards are still using the communication devices of the [Lost One], it¡¯s not strange that the cultivation base also uses something from the [Lost One].¡± The wizards fell silent for a moment, the potential benefits of this action were too vast, causing these battle-hardened wizards to waver internally. ¡°Perhaps we should vote by a show of hands,¡± suggested one of the wizards, ¡°The minority will conform to the majority.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s raise our hands.¡± The wizards consented to this method, but just as they were about to vote, the wizard who had already turned to stone suddenly shouted out loud. ¡°Who¡¯s beneath us!¡± In the next instant, the Stone Wizard stomped his foot forcefully, and a fissure cracked open in the basement floor as he grasped at the void, trying to pull out the little mouse below. He could feel that this little mouse was not even a third-level creature. But in the next moment, his spell was inexplicably disrupted. ¡°Something¡¯s fishy! Everyone, take action, there¡¯s a rat beneath us!¡± the Stone Wizard called out. This meeting¡¯s information was absolutely confidential, even unknown to the Fire Lizards of Linksa¡¯s Eye. And yet in such a secret meeting, a rat had appeared. Although this rat was tens of meters below ground and could have just happened to pass under the basement, all the wizards present would rather kill mistakenly than let go. With such a rat present, they were determined to catch it and take a look. ¡°Come out!¡± Theodore waved his magic wand, and the space around him began to twist, with an incredibly strong gravitational force trying to pull out the little mouse from below. Strangely, their tactics had no effect on the rat below, and even in the Stone Wizard¡¯s perception, the little rat suddenly went from second-level to third-level. ¡°Something isn¡¯t right, prepare to attack!¡± Theodore¡¯s eyes became sharp, and instantly a gravitational shield appeared in front of him. In the next moment, a figure engulfed in black and blue flames erupted from underground. ¡°Gaah, which bastard dares to attack me!¡± Chapter 237 - 21 Joining the Plan Chapter 237: Chapter 21 Joining the Plan In the basement, several Wizards, wands in hand, fixed their gazes tightly on the black crow that had suddenly appeared. They didn¡¯t use their spiritual power to lock on because their probes didn¡¯t detect the crow at all; not through magic power, nor through sonic detection. Had they not been able to see the crow with their own eyes and feel the pressure it exerted on them, they would have almost believed it to be a hallucination. ¡°Ga, why is it a bunch of Wizards?¡± The black crow looked at the Wizards in the basement, seemingly astonished. Hearing the black crow speak in Wizard Language, the Wizards were somewhat baffled. How could this crow speak Wizard Language and, moreover, the black crow didn¡¯t seem to be a species from the Red Sun World. ¡°Could this black crow, with its extraordinary aura, be the Magic Pet of some Wizard?¡± An astonishing speculation flashed through the minds of all the Wizards present. But all the Three Rings Wizards from Luxor Province and the surrounding provinces were currently in this basement, so theoretically, no Three Rings Wizard should be passing through this place. ¡°What are you, and how come you are down here?¡± the old Wizard Theodore spoke up first. ¡°Ga, who are you calling ¡®what¡¯? You old coot,¡± the crow said, sounding a bit angry, ¡°Can¡¯t you see that I am¡­ that I am a crow!¡± Theodore was taken aback by the crow¡¯s tone. What was the background of this crow to dare talk back to so many Wizards? ¡°Master, why bother talking nonsense with this Alien.¡± A Wizard, whose entire body radiated life brilliance like the sun, interrupted. This Wizard eyed the black crow, and the corners of his mouth even revealed a greedy drool. Wizards specialized in Physique Evolution had an innate craving for the Flesh of higher-level creatures; third-level creatures were considered a rare delicacy for them. This was an instinctive reaction from deep within their Bloodline; some Wizards chose to overcome it, like Richard, but others indulged. With that, the Wizard reached out his large hand toward the crow. The mysterious Runes emerged from the flesh in his hand, forming a net of Runes that wrapped around the crow. ¡°Ga, you want to eat me!¡± the crow said, as it saw a Wizard reaching out and drooling at it, the feathers instantly ruffling in anger. ¡°I was really giving you face!¡± With those words, the crow didn¡¯t dodge or flee; instead, one of its claws swiftly enlarged, grabbing the Wizard¡¯s large hand. In the next instant, a scream was heard from the Wizard; black and blue Flames erupted on his palm, which reduced the Third Level Physique Wizard¡¯s hand into a gooey mass of decayed flesh within seconds, and his regenerative abilities were utterly useless against this injury. The Physique Wizard tried to pull back his hand but found it locked tight by the crow¡¯s claw. The other Wizards watching the scene fell silent, not one offering to help. It was clear to the discerning eye that the black crow had not struck a killing blow but merely taught the approachful Wizard a lesson. Before long, nothing was left of the Physique Wizard¡¯s entire hand except bone. Seeing the lesson had been taught sufficiently, Theodore, who had been enjoying the spectacle, finally spoke up, ¡°Crow, bring out your master.¡± The black crow glanced at Theodore and then loosened its claw, returning to the fissure in the ground. Not long after, a Wizard in a black robe flew out from the fissure. The Wizard¡¯s black robe had an aura of concealment so that the other Wizards couldn¡¯t make out his details, but his face was very unfamiliar. The circle of Three Rings Wizards was small, and except for a few, most were acquainted with the rest within a Floating City. However, one thing was certain: the black crow indeed belonged to this Wizard. Because the crow was now perched on the left shoulder of the Wizard in the black robe. This Plane War had put two Floating Cities into action, both permeating the Linksa Empire. Perhaps this Wizard was from the other Floating City. Richard, trying to hide his panic, addressed the Wizards in the basement calmly, ¡°Honored Masters, it is serendipity that brought me here. If I have offended, I ask for your forgiveness. May I inquire, Masters, where is this place?¡± ¡­ Observing this mysterious Wizard in a black robe, the many Wizards present exchanged glances. Eventually, Theodore spoke. ¡°Friend, this is Luxor Province in Linksa Empire, Luxor City. Although this place is not at the core of the Linksa Empire, if one is lost, it¡¯s rather difficult to end up here by accident.¡± Richard was startled to hear this, not expecting to have strayed into Linksa Empire territory. But on second thought, it made sense. The Red Soil Plain was not very far from the Linksa Empire, and he had been submerged in the Magma Sea for such a long time, so it was quite normal to end up lost in the area of the Linksa Empire. ¡°So it turns out I¡¯ve lost my way to Linksa Empire, thank you for your clarification, Master,¡± said Richard, performing a Wizard¡¯s Salute towards Theodore. The old Wizard, nearing the end of his life, generally commanded great respect from those below Great Wizard status. Richard¡¯s politeness was gratifying to Theodore, who was somewhat unable to gauge Richard¡¯s strength, but the formidable crow suggested that this robed Wizard was not weak. After all, it was a common phenomenon in the Wizard World for Magic Pets to be weaker than their Wizards. The respect of the powerful is always pleasing. Theodore chuckled good-naturedly, ¡°Friend, it seems you could use a compass.¡± The other Wizards laughed along upon hearing this. The atmosphere in the underground room also became much more relaxed. ¡°The compass is probably useless to me,¡± Richard said helplessly with a shrug of his shoulders, ¡°Magma Sea has magnetic interference.¡± ¡°Magma Sea?¡± The wizard, whose body seemed almost composed of flames, suddenly asked, ¡°You came from the underground Magma Sea?¡± Richard nodded, ¡°Exactly.¡± Seeing Richard admit it, the wizards in the basement instantly had a change in their gaze. This Black Wizard did not seem to be a Shaping Wizard who studied the Fire Element, but aside from Shaping Wizards who studied the Fire Element, who would venture into Magma Sea. And judging from what Richard said, he must have stayed in this Magma Sea for some time, otherwise, he would not be so confused about his bearings. ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound like the truth.¡± Several wizards simultaneously had the same thought cross their minds. But they were all Black Wizards, and they all had a sense of proportion regarding each other¡¯s secrets. Regardless of why Richard had come to this underground room, he was still a wizard. They were now in Otherworld, and moreover, in the enemy¡¯s rear. At this time, any wizard was a friend, a comrade-in-arms. A wizard appearing suddenly could only be beneficial and not harmful to them. ¡°Since our friend isn¡¯t willing to share, we won¡¯t pry. But since you¡¯ve happened upon our underground room by fate, perhaps you¡¯d like to hear our plans and see if you want to join us,¡± Theodore said with a laugh. ¡°Join the plan?¡± Richard looked at the table in the center of the underground room, where an extremely detailed map was spread out. Without guessing, these Three Rings Wizards must be planning some big move. But his current situation¡­ seemed to leave him no choice to refuse. Not to mention the Physique Wizard beside him watching him with predatory eyes, just his current location made it difficult for him to stay out of the affair. He was now in the heart of Luxor Province, in Luxor City. He had heard from Iyad that this province was a crucial one for the Linksa Empire and that the Dragon Beast Knight Order was stationed here. In such a militaristically significant province, without the help of these Three Rings Wizards, he would find it difficult to return to Wizard Territory unseen. He was now behind enemy lines. If he were discovered, he was certain to face a hunt by the Linksa Empire¡¯s Fire Lizards. Although he had Ulysses to assist him, this helper¡¯s tendency to sleep at unexpected times was somewhat unreliable. After pondering for a moment, Richard made up his mind. ¡°Could you tell me more about this significant plan you gentlemen are contemplating?¡± Seeing Richard not immediately refuse, Theodore knew the matter was as good as settled. He said with a smile, ¡°We are planning to raid the Dragon Beast Cultivation Base of the Dragon Beast Knights. This base is of paramount importance to them, and if we succeed, our future wars against the Linksa Empire will be much easier. We were just about to vote by a show of hands.¡± Theodore then glanced around the entire underground room. ¡°Gentlemen, let¡¯s vote with a show of hands.¡± Several Three Rings Wizards thought for a moment, and four of them raised their hands, making it five votes in favor with Theodore included, against three. ¡°The results are clear,¡± Theodore said with a smile, then he turned to look at Richard, ¡°Friend, do you want to join us?¡± ¡°Ahem, I just knew you gentlemen were not planning a small affair. The only question is the profit¡­¡± Although Richard had decided to participate in this operation, he had to keep up the show. A wizard wouldn¡¯t undertake a venture where the risks did not match the rewards. ¡°As for the profits¡­ Have you ever heard of the ¡®Lost One¡¯?¡± Theodore¡¯s voice was low as if recounting some incredible secret. ¡°The ¡®Lost One¡¯?¡± Richard searched through his memory and was sure he had never heard the name before. ¡°I am eager to learn more.¡± A hint of skepticism flashed in Theodore¡¯s eyes. Normally, a Three Rings Wizard should have encountered some information about the ¡°Lost One.¡± Why would this wizard not know? sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, Theodore did not give it much thought, assuming Richard must have been newly promoted to Three Rings Wizard and had joined the Plane War or that he hadn¡¯t bothered taking a nominal teaching position at an academy after becoming a Three Rings Wizard. The impression Ulysses left on them was too profound; how could the master of such a creature possibly be weak? Theodore gave a brief explanation, ¡°The ¡®Lost Ones¡¯ are difficult to explain in detail. Perhaps you can inquire at an academy after you return. To summarize, ¡®Lost Ones¡¯ refer to beings that dominated this world before our existence. These creatures disappeared due to some unknown reason in the distant past, but the things they created have not vanished. The Dragon Beast Cultivation Base we¡¯re about to attack may possess treasures left by the ¡®Lost Ones.¡¯ These treasures, whether for personal study or to be offered to the Great Wizard, hold immense benefits.¡± After listening to Theodore¡¯s explanation, Richard immediately understood what this so-called ¡°Lost One¡± was all about. It was none other than the Pioneers. He was all too familiar with them. To think that these Fire Lizards actually possessed instruments of the Pioneers¡ªthis was indeed an unexpected pleasure. ¡°So that¡¯s it. I¡¯m in on this plan.¡± Chapter 238 - 22 Night Raid Chapter 238: Chapter 22 Night Raid ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, let us sign a contract,¡± said Theodore as he pulled out a black Soul Contract from his pocket and drafted some terms. These terms mainly included the charter of conduct during operations and the distribution of benefits after the actions concluded. After all, everyone involved was a Black Wizard and had reached the Three Rings; saying their hearts were like coal wouldn¡¯t be an overstatement. For them, betraying their own team members for personal gain was typical, and without a contract for assurance, holding back during operations would decrease overall profits. Once the contract was signed, several wizards each demonstrated their Divine Skills as they left the basement, leaving only Theodore, Richard, and the alchemy wizard who had transformed himself into an Alchemy Puppet. Theodore pointed to himself and then to the alchemy wizard beside him, introducing them, ¡°Let me introduce ourselves, I am Theodore, a Shaping Wizard, and he is Staven, an Alchemy Wizard.¡± Richard nodded slightly to the two wizards, ¡°I am Richard, an Alchemy Wizard.¡± ¡°Alchemy Wizard?¡± Staven looked at Richard and said in his odd voice, ¡°No wonder you joined so quickly. Are you from the Flesh Faction?¡± ¡°I dabble in both sides and don¡¯t belong to any faction,¡± Richard vaguely replied. ¡°That makes you practical then.¡± Staven looked at Ulysses on Richard¡¯s shoulder, ¡°It looks like you have quite high achievements in both aspects, as this Magic Pet of yours seems rather extraordinary.¡± Ulysses, using a crow claw, had left all the wizards present in shock as he wrestled with a Physique Wizard. Though it was partially because the Physique Wizard didn¡¯t want to escalate the situation, Ulysses¡¯ formidable strength was a significant factor. Of course, had those wizards known that if Ulysses were to unleash his full might, he could slaughter all the wizards present, they would be terrified. ¡°It¡¯s just luck,¡± Richard humbly said. Acquiring Ulysses¡¯ help was purely luck, involving a critically wounded World Master, a unique geographical condition, plus a mysterious Miracle Furnace, making this nearly impossible feat of a One Ring Wizard enslaving a World Master possible. ¡°Luck is also a part of strength,¡± Theodore added, ¡°Now that the plan has been settled, we should start making arrangements. Since you, Richard, have wandered here by accident, I presume you have no arrangements. If you have no other matters, you may as well stay in this basement for the time being. The basement is located beneath the Linksa¡¯s Eye office; you won¡¯t find a safer place in the entire Luxor.¡± ¡°Thank you, Master,¡± Richard replied with a nod. ¡­ After leaving the basement, Theodore and Staven freely walked into the second-floor office of the building. Inside the office, several Fire Lizards were engaged in the critical work of reproducing their species. Squeak. As they pushed the door open, the Fire Lizards were momentarily startled, but then immediately stood straight, giving a Wizard¡¯s Salute¡ªeven though they were still proudly engaged in their tasks. A flicker of contempt passed through Theodore¡¯s eyes; native Aliens were just native Aliens, always ruled by primal desires. ¡°Toin, a guest is staying in the basement. Do not allow anyone to go down there during this time,¡± Theodore said calmly. Although he disliked these Fire Lizards, at the moment, they still had their uses; let them reproduce more, and he could earn more Magic Stones. ¡°Yes, Master,¡± the most robust Fire Lizard replied in broken Wizard Language. ¡°These days, keep an eye on the military movements and report any unusual activity to me immediately,¡± Theodore instructed. Toin hesitated for a moment, then asked tentatively, ¡°Master, are you planning to take action against that base?¡± Theodore¡¯s brow furrowed, and the next instant, Toin was writhing on the floor in agony. ¡°Toin, I believe I told you not to ask questions,¡± Theodore said emotionlessly, his voice as cold as winter wind, sending shivers through the other Fire Lizards. Soon, Toin stopped convulsing. He crawled pitifully to Theodore¡¯s feet, tears and saliva dripping uncontrollably. ¡°I am sorry, Master. I won¡¯t dare again¡­¡± Theodore looked down on the pitiful Toin with disdain. Natives are just natives; compared to wizards, their wills are as fragile as paper. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Without saying anything more, Theodore turned and left the room. Staven took a vial of Magic Potion from his pocket and handed it to Toin. ¡°This potion will ease your pain.¡± After saying that, Staven also left the room. Not long after the two wizards left, Toin chased the other Fire Lizards out of the office, leaving only a female Fire Lizard. He aggressively pinned the female underneath him, their tails intertwining, sometimes relaxing, sometimes tightening. This breeding act continued for an hour, and following Toin¡¯s shudder, he collapsed on the floor, murmuring: ¡°Bili, I regret this now. All these wizards are bastards.¡± The female Fire Lizard, named Bili, lay down on Toin¡¯s chest and spoke in a low voice: ¡°Toin, the die is cast; we have no way back.¡± Both of these Fire Lizards had silver horns on their heads, marking them as almost royal among their kind, yet under the wizards, they were merely slaves, natives, expendables. Their value sometimes was even less than a vial of a wizard¡¯s reagent. ¡°No way back?¡± Toin looked up at the ceiling, his eyes filled with confusion. Suddenly, he stood up, went to the desk, and pulled out a gold-patterned nail from the drawer. He looked at the nail for a long time, while Bili stood up from the ground, curiously looking towards Toin. ¡°Toin, what is this?¡± Toin looked at the nail, his expression changing from puzzled to resolute. He whispered softly, ¡°This is an escape route, and it is redemption.¡± ¡­ As days went by, Richard kept busy in the basement. Spell optimization is a fundamental skill for any wizard, no matter which school they belong to¡ªoptimizing spells is essential, especially for Shaping Magic. Because a major operation was forthcoming, Richard, after a long pause, began optimizing his spells. For wizards, spells are the most commonly used means of attack, and the duration of casting, energy consumption, and energy level are important indicators of a spell. Richard¡¯s proficiency in Plastic Energy Study was not profound, so significantly increasing the energy level of a spell was obviously not possible. However, his years of making Magic Equipment and working with Alchemy Machines had given him a deeper understanding of Rune Arrays. This understanding allowed him to reduce the number of runes in a magic model, thereby lowering the magic consumption, and Richard also planned to incorporate the Pioneer Rune One into the magic model, making drastic changes to it. Optimizing spell consumption took Richard a whole month, and after a month, looking at the complex magic model in the Crystal Ball, a smug smile appeared on his lips. ¡°Hehehe, just by reducing the number of runes and then adding the Pioneer Rune One, I managed to reduce the consumption to half without diminishing the power of the Heart of Annihilation.¡± Heart of Annihilation, the first spell Richard had created, had never been modified since its inception. Thus, this modification essentially amalgamated all the usable knowledge Richard had acquired up to this stage, truly a crystallization of his knowledge. ¡°The only thing left is to modify the Magic Mark.¡± Mentioning the modification of the Magic Mark made Richard¡¯s face fall. Modifying a Magic Mark is like performing surgery on a soul, without anesthesia at that. This experience, even for wizards, is exceptionally painful. That is why Richard took so long before he came around to optimizing the magic model of Heart of Annihilation. If the pain of modifying the magic model could be lessened, Richard would surely revise it whenever he made any progress. Three days later, Theodore and Stalin arrived in the basement. ¡°Richard, the plan is all set. Here is the map and the plan, take a look.¡± Saying this, Theodore handed Richard a huge scroll. Opening the scroll, Richard quickly understood the various wizards¡¯ arrangements for this operation. The main point of this operation was speed, to complete all strategic objectives and retreat before the Dragon Beast Knight Order could encircle them. And to minimize casualties and for more flexibility in the operation. During this operation, the One and Second Ring wizards would serve as distractions to draw fire. They would raid cities near Luxor multiple times to divert Balashar¡¯s attention. These feints were also meticulously planned. If Balashar failed to come to their aid, these feints would turn into real attacks. Meanwhile, the few Three Rings wizards, acting as the main force, would infiltrate the Dragon Beast Cultivation Base as covertly and swiftly as possible to accomplish their mission. After reviewing the entire plan, Richard handed the scroll back to Theodore. ¡°We¡¯re taking action tonight?¡± ¡°Tonight.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Richard immediately began to tidy up the basement and used magic to eliminate any residual traces. As Richard was checking the basement for any remnants, Stalin couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°You really don¡¯t need to clean up so thoroughly; this place is safe enough.¡± Richard smiled, ¡°Better safe than sorry.¡± A few minutes later, the three wizards each showed their divine skills and left the basement, quickly arriving at the predetermined location. A few kilometers from the predetermined location lay the volcano reported to conceal the Dragon Beast Cultivation Base. At the predetermined location, the other Three Rings wizards had already assembled. Theodore glanced at the number of people, ¡°Everyone¡¯s here. But before we proceed, I must reiterate, we need to be quick. All of you are Three Rings wizards and in past wars, you must have seen wizards who died due to their greed. Do not make the same mistakes in front of the Lost Ones.¡± ¡°Haha, Master is still as nagging as ever.¡± ¡°Greed kills, who doesn¡¯t know that?¡± ¡°Master, you should save those words for your students.¡± Seeing the other wizards¡¯ indifferent attitudes, Theodore couldn¡¯t help but sigh inwardly. Hopefully, these wizards could really remain as rational as they appeared now when the time came. Soon, the sky darkened. Theodore took out a pocket watch and glanced at the time. ¡°Take action.¡± Chapter 239 - 23 Infiltration Chapter 239: Chapter 23 Infiltration Upon receiving the signal to move, several Wizards began their approach towards the volcano. The Dragon Beast Knight Order had set up numerous secret sentries around the volcano, but over the past days, the Wizards had already figured them all out, and now their movements were as smooth as flowing clouds and water. Richard, relying on his Invisibility Cloak and Shadow Shuttling, bypassed the sentries, cautiously moving closer to the volcano, with Ulysses perched on his shoulder, constantly keeping watch over their surroundings. Before long, several Wizards, as planned, had gathered at the volcano¡¯s edge. Next, they were to infiltrate the interior of the volcano¡ªthe Dragon Beast Cultivation Base. But there was only one entrance to this base, and it was nearly impossible to enter through the passage. However, among the Wizards, there was a Three Rings Wizard proficient in Earth Element Magic; it was the Stoneman Wizard who had discovered Richard that day. This Wizard, known as Mephit, was skilled in both earth and fire Elemental Magic. After inspecting the terrain of the volcano, he proposed a solution. ¡°Just dig a tunnel straight in.¡± For Mephit, digging a tunnel straight down under the volcano was no difficult task. This plan was approved by the Wizards, and even Richard thought it was a good idea. Mephit patted the volcanic rock in front of him, and the next moment, a hole opened up in the rock. Once the Wizards had entered, Mephit touched the wall of the cave, and the volcanic rock returned to its original state. Richard observed this scene with his Energy Vision. Mephit¡¯s maneuver was ingenious; his manipulation of energy, his control over the elements, all impressed Richard greatly, and he also picked up a few tricks in the process. Mephit, sensing someone scrutinizing his work, looked back with some confusion, only to see the black crow on Richard¡¯s shoulder staring intently at him. Recalling the Physique Wizard who had lost a hand that day, Mephit muttered to himself: ¡°Could this crow be holding a grudge? But I didn¡¯t really do much that day.¡± Without dwelling on it too much, Mephit walked ahead of the others and began to forge a way down. In this process, he also used the Shock Waves traveling through the rocks to determine the location of the Dragon Beast Cultivation Base. During this time, Richard was not idle either; he kept learning some of Mephit¡¯s techniques for making a way through. These battle-hardened Three Rings Wizards had almost incorporated these techniques into their bones. Performing the same operations, they were faster, more effective, and consumed less Magic Power. To those experienced Wizards, these tricks might not mean much; they knew them too, just not as adeptly. But for a young and inexperienced Wizard like Richard, these tricks were very useful. The process of making the way lasted nearly half an hour. Following Mephit¡¯s gesture for silence, the Wizards readied themselves. They were about to enter the Dragon Beast Cultivation Base. Mephit took out a bundle of Magic Scrolls from his Magic Pocket and distributed them to the Wizards. These scrolls were enchanted with Mephit¡¯s tunnelling spells, offering an extra means of escape should they be discovered. Everyone took the scrolls, and then Mephit tapped the rock wall. The wall split open just as it had when they entered the volcano. However, what appeared before the Wizards was not the base but a blazing torrent of magma. Mephit reached his hand into the magma, parting the thick layer to form a passage that led to more rock wall. Mephit said in a deep voice: ¡°Prepare yourselves, on the other side of this rock wall lies the Dragon Beast Cultivation Base.¡± ¡­ As Mephit opened a gap in the rock wall, the Wizards entered the Dragon Beast Cultivation Base through it. The Dragon Beast Cultivation Base was vast. While Mephit was probing for its location, Ulysses had determined the location and general layout of the base in his own way. According to Ulysses¡¯ reconnaissance, the area of the base was roughly the same size as the volcano above it. Hearing this, Richard began to doubt whether it was the existing Dragon Beast Cultivation Base that led to the creation of this small volcano. After all, altering landscapes was no difficult task for a World Master. Apart from being large in size, the structure of the base was also quite complex. Their current location was at the outer layer, closest to the volcanic wall, which was why they encountered the Magma Layer. After all, a volcano wasn¡¯t quite right without magma. Starting from their layer, the entire base was divided into four levels. According to Ulysses¡¯ investigation, the Dragon Beast Knight Order was stationed on each of the outer three layers. At this moment, the Wizards were at the end of a passage, with millions of tons of crimson lava held back by an Energy Barrier just above their heads. Seeing this, a flicker of shock passed through the Wizards¡¯ minds. This level of Energy Dome was a bit too high-end for Fire Lizards, therefore it must have been made by the Lost Ones. The Wizards exchanged glances, each seeing greed in the other¡¯s eyes. A Wizard¡¯s thirst for knowledge was like a drunkard¡¯s for fine wine, a lecher¡¯s for a beautiful woman. ¡°This is problematic; the base¡¯s defenses are quite tight,¡± Theodore suddenly spoke up. In front of the Wizards, Theodore¡¯s gravitational barrier twisted the light around them, obscuring their forms from view. ¡°Some Second-level creatures, we could easily slaughter our way through,¡± the Physique Wizard grinned, his white teeth flashing with a bloodthirsty luster. None of the other Wizards objected to this proposal. It would be laughable if a group of Three Rings Wizards couldn¡¯t break through the defenses of some Second-level creatures. ¡°I don¡¯t recommend doing that.¡± The objection caused the Physique Wizard¡¯s face to darken instantly as he looked towards Richard and said somewhat unpleasantly, ¡°Friend, then what bright ideas do you have?¡± He was still holding a grudge about the day Ulysses corrupted one of his hands, being humiliated by a Magic Pet in front of so many wizards had made it difficult for him to look favorably upon Richard. The actions of a Magic Pet are the will of its master. ¡°Although these Second Level Fire Lizards aren¡¯t a concern, at the core location of the base, I discovered ten Third Level Fire Lizards. Assigned to this place as guards, these Third Level Fire Lizards must certainly possess the finest equipment and most exquisite combat skills of the Linksa Empire. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Even just a few of them, teamed up with so many Second Level Fire Lizards, may not necessarily annihilate us, but they could easily hold us off until the main force arrives.¡± Richard¡¯s words were logical, but there was one massive problem that needed explaining. How he had come to discover this information. All present were Three Rings Wizards, none lacking in abilities. Even Theodore could only remark on the tight security, leaving the question of how Richard knew about the ten Third Level Fire Lizards on the third floor. But Richard didn¡¯t explain, aware that his level of knowledge wasn¡¯t sufficient, and any attempt could easily reveal flaws. By staying quiet, acting like a know-it-all, the Three Rings Wizards would come up with their own conjectures. After all, no one would want to be the butt of jokes at this time. Sure enough, none of the other wizards questioned the news after hearing it from Richard. ¡°Since Richard has discovered ten Third Level Fire Lizards, a frontal assault is definitely out of the question. Let¡¯s just honestly sneak in,¡± Theodore suggested. But sneaking in posed another problem: everyone had different methods of infiltration, requiring the team to split up. Form smaller squads? The wizards glanced at one another, mindful of the contract they had signed ¨C any gains from the operation had to be observed by at least two wizards to be distributed after it ended. Now that they needed to divide forces, the Three Rings Wizards naturally began to contemplate acting alone. Each one was a battle-hardened veteran, very confident in their own abilities. They felt capable of completing the operation without forming a team. ¡°We split up then, relying on our own skills,¡± the Flame Wizard spoke up. ¡°Agreed.¡± ¡°Fine by me.¡± ¡°Relying on our own skills.¡± ¡­ Theodore removed the gravitational barrier, and the wizards began to move freely. Mephit was adept at Earth Element Magic, becoming one pile of gravel and moving stealthily along the edges of the corridors. The Flame Wizard wrapped himself in his Wizard Robe, instantly diminishing his presence so much so that even as Richard deliberately watched him, his gaze would unconsciously drift to the side. Theodore floated slightly, an Energy Barrier enveloping him, distorting the light and masking his aura, while Stalin seemed to disappear entirely, his body marked with a superbly layered Invisibility Technique. Among these wizards, the most miraculous was the Physique Wizard, who emitted a subtle noise from within his body, suddenly shrinking and growing red scales akin to those of a Fire Lizard. In just tens of seconds, the Physique Wizard had transformed into a flawless Fire Lizard. Once disguised, the wizards began to act separately, with only Richard remaining. Although he wanted to showcase his skills, as a young Second Ring Wizard, his methods were indeed limited. ¡°Ulysses, help me conceal my form,¡± Richard said, a bit embarrassed. ¡°Ga, hahaha, understood.¡± As the World Master, Ulysses had far more tricks up his sleeve. As a faint energy ripple emanated from Ulysses, the environment before Richard changed abruptly, the surroundings seeming to drain of color in an instant, leaving only black and white. ¡°Ga, kid, we¡¯re now in the crevices of shadows, boldly go ahead, without the power of a World Master, few can see through this,¡± Ulysses said, somewhat smugly. ¡°But there are still some who can see through it?¡± Richard asked. ¡°Ga, those who can see through it have extremely special talents,¡± Ulysses replied tersely, ¡°Talents are so strange and varied, the more you see, the more likely you are to encounter something that counters your abilities.¡± Walking within the crevices of shadows felt incredible, every plant and creature around Richard was replicated one-for-one with the Material World. Richard faced a black and white Fire Lizard riding a fierce Dragon Beast headed his way. His instinct was to dodge, but he heard Ulysses say, ¡°Ga, don¡¯t bother dodging, it¡¯s just a shadow.¡± As he spoke, the Fire Lizard passed directly through Richard, and he couldn¡¯t feel a thing. ¡°Wonderful, amazing, Ulysses, teach me the principles behind this when we get back. It¡¯s too useful for infiltrations,¡± Richard said, clearly excited. ¡°Ga, can¡¯t teach this.¡± ¡°Huh? Why not?¡± ¡°Ga, it requires rules.¡± ¡°¡­then never mind, let¡¯s keep moving.¡± Chapter 240 - 24 The Holy Guard Chapter 240: Chapter 24 The Holy Guard The Dragon Beast Cultivation Base was divided into four levels, where the outermost layer was the place guarded by the majority of Dragon Beast Knights and also served as the storage area for the base. Huge rooms contained the corpses of various Flame Giant Beasts, and within these rooms were alchemy tools made by Giant Dragon Alchemy. These tools formed a field within the rooms that could slow down the decay of the corpses and the loss of their essences. From within the shadow gaps, Richard emerged from a storeroom and then marked a spot on the map he held in his hands. His map was a rough one based on the explorations of Ulysses. Richard was marking it to make it easy for him to grab some loot when they retreated later. In these shadow gaps, although creatures of the Material World could not detect Richard, he also couldn¡¯t interact with objects in the Material World. He could only touch these things once he emerged from the gaps. The second layer of the Dragon Beast Cultivation Base was the nurturing grounds for the dragon beasts; these beasts, not yet fully grown, needed to be raised in the nurturing grounds for a while before they could serve as mounts for Dragon Beast Knights. Upon entering the third layer, it seemed to function as a laboratory. Richard saw several Fire Lizards tie a somewhat deformed dragon beast to a table and then skillfully insert several metal pins into the creature¡¯s body. As the pins entered the flesh, the dragon beast ceased its struggles. Afterward, Richard saw a Fire Lizard take out tools and expertly dissect the dragon beast. The deformed parts were cut away and then stored in golden material jars. The remainder, after being examined and recorded by the Fire Lizards, was hauled away by Dragon Beast Knights and chopped up to feed the younger dragon beasts. ¡°This is dissection for research? The Fire Lizard Clan¡¯s level of civilization isn¡¯t low,¡± Richard exclaimed in surprise. The whole operation by the Fire Lizards was smooth and standardized, clearly the result of much practice. But the more civilized they were, the more completely the Wizards would destroy them. Passing through the third layer, Richard quickly reached the fourth layer, where he finally saw the heart of the cultivation base. In front of him, a nearly one-square-kilometer plot of land held towering Crystal Cultivation Chambers, which contained dragon beast embryos. ¡°Indeed, they are relics of the Pioneers. These Fire Lizards actually have so many Pioneer Relics!¡± Richard looked at the cultivation chambers in front of him, his expression indescribably excited. Compared to this base, the Pioneer Relics he had acquired before were practically garbage. But just as Richard was getting excited, Ulysses suddenly threw a bucket of cold water on him. ¡°Caw, don¡¯t get too excited yet. Take a closer look at these things.¡± ¡°Take a closer look?¡± Richard approached the cultivation chambers and suddenly realized that the control panels beneath them were not made of crystal, but metal. In Richard¡¯s previous encounters with Pioneer relics, those items were special crystals; he had never seen Pioneers use metal. Ulysses expressed his guess: ¡°Caw, I¡¯m guessing these are devices left by the Pioneers for their servant army. Otherwise, after so many years, these instruments would have broken down long ago. I don¡¯t believe these lizards could fix Pioneer technology. Take a closer look. Even among the devices they can maintain, some are broken.¡± Richard moved among the cultivation chambers and found, just as Ulysses had said, that a considerable number of machines in the square were broken. Ulysses sighed: ¡°Caw, time is the most terrifying poison. It can bring Gods to their knees, cause machines to decay, transform great Pioneers into natives, and silence the brilliant starry skies.¡± ¡°Pioneers can degenerate into natives?¡± Richard asked offhandedly. ¡°Caw, of course they can. A few ambitious individuals plus a civil war can fracture a civilization¡¯s vast territory. The ambitious ones hold each corner and war with each other. Thus, craftsmanship begins to be lost, technology becomes disjointed, until they expend the last vestige of civilization, and the last vessel capable of taking mortals out of this world turns to scrap iron. Thus, the great Pioneers regress into natives.¡± Ulysses¡¯s narrative flowed with ups and downs, as if singing the end of a civilization. ¡°So your Gods Civilization was born from the corpse of this civilization?¡± Richard asked curiously. ¡°Caw, no, that¡¯s what I heard from a Minstrel in a tavern world. The tavern world is an Illusion World, where a creature known as a Minstrel lives. These creatures collect interesting stories from various worlds and sing them in taverns to reap praise and shock from guests. Incidentally, they feed on this praise and shock. If you encounter these creatures, consider telling them a story. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. These little guys will trade what they consider useless for a good enough story, like shards of rules or the like.¡± A tavern world, Minstrels that fed on shock and praise. Richard felt this world was truly wondrous, full of too many things he had never seen. Richard walked around the machines, but did not take action. He was waiting, waiting for other Wizards to make a move and draw fire for him. Even with Ulysses¡¯s help, Richard, after all, was a Second Ring Wizard; burdened by such a nuisance, Ulysses would also be somewhat cautious in his actions. Suddenly, Richard noticed that the Fire Lizards operating the machines in the square began to stir. A Wizard was discovered by the Fire Lizards! ¡­ At the junction between the third and fourth layers of the base, Mephit transformed into a Stone Giant over three meters tall, each punch turning a Second Level Fire Lizard into a patty. And the reason he was discovered was quite simple. ¡°Damn it, you Fire Lizards even have dust prevention measures!¡± With Mephit discovered, the entire base¡¯s security sprang into action, as Fire Lizard Knights mounted on Dragon Beasts charged down the broad corridors toward the inner core, while those tasked with guarding the inner ring, the Third Level Fire Lizards, revealed their true forms. ¡°Target detected.¡± ¡°Target detected.¡± The third layer¡¯s several sealed rooms suddenly shattered, and ten massive creatures nearly four meters tall walked out. From the outside, these beings vaguely resembled the shape of Fire Lizards, but their bodies were covered in a layer of armor similar to exoskeleton armor. Constant reports from the armor streamed into the Fire Lizard¡¯s ears. In its vision, a marker locked onto Mephit, who was making Fire Lizard Cakes with his punches, accompanied by streams of information. ¡°Target: Semi-elemental creature.¡± ¡°Energy intensity: Thirty-seven levels; Physique equivalent to 245-250; spiritual power at 299.¡± ¡°Danger rating: Dangerous.¡± ¡°Killing strategy: Recommend using high-frequency vibration punches for close combat or deploying the Element Annihilation Cannon.¡± The Fire Lizard ignored the information he couldn¡¯t understand. The language used by the Holy Armor was that of the Giant Dragons, the language of their former masters, which was abolished when the first Fire Lizard King killed the Dragon King. Although the first Fire Lizard King ordered the scribes to pass down this language, the uncertainties over the long years were enough to cause any precise program significant errors. By the time he received his Holy Armor, only fragments of the Dragon Language remained. The Fire Lizard spoke to the armor in the Dragon Language: ¡°Ignore!¡± The next moment, all the information about Mephit disappeared from its view. It stretched its body and took large strides towards Mephit. Bang! Mephit was sent flying several meters back with a punch, his arm, used to defend against the punch, now showing a huge crack, and the resulting shock wave caused the surrounding Fire Lizards to stagger dizzily. ¡°This is a¡­ Lost Relic!¡± Mephit, eyeing the metal monster before him, felt a flicker of greed. If he could take this thing and present it to the Tower of Truth, he would earn enough merit to apply for the Great Wizard Trial! ¡°Natives, you truly are my lucky star!¡± As Mephit sized up the Armored Fire Lizard, astonishing energy fluctuations erupted from his body. Runes appeared on him, and in a few seconds, Mephit had transformed into a Rune Stone Giant. But in the next instant, Mephit¡¯s body was flung backward. ¡°Armor, Extreme Combat Mode.¡± The Fire Lizard uttered in Dragon Language¡ªa language it too knew the meaning of¡ªand immediately, holy Potions injected into its body, making it feel lighter as a seemingly endless vigor surged within. With a flick of the wrist, its arm armor extended a Chain Saw Sword wrapped in arcs of energy. ¡°Wizard, today will be your end!¡± ¡­ While Mephit was engaged in battle, the other Wizards were not idle either. They took advantage of the chaos to approach the central area, intent on destroying the cultivation chambers, but before they could get close, several other Holy Armored Fire Lizards found them. Through the eyes of the Fire Lizards, all these concealed Wizards were marked. In the face of the Pioneers¡¯ creations, Wizardly tactics were clearly not secret enough. Streams of information about the Wizards popped up quickly and were dismissed just as swiftly by the Fire Lizards. Thus, the battle began. The Fire Lizards activated Extreme Combat Mode, fighting like mad dogs. The Wizards tried to resist but found the magical resistance of the Fire Lizard¡¯s armor incredibly high. Fireball spells exceeding five thousand energy levels hit the armor without causing a scratch, merely pushing the Fire Lizard back two steps from the impact. ¡°Stalin, do you have a way to deal with these Fire Lizard¡¯s armors?¡± Theodore, while grappling with the Armored Fire Lizards using gravity, discussed strategies with Stalin, the most proficient in Alchemy Machinery among the Wizards. But he didn¡¯t receive an answer. Because by that moment, Stalin had been disassembled into parts by two Armored Fire Lizards, even his soul captured by the armor. The situation was developing unfavorably for the Wizards. ¡­ Outside the Cultivation Base, in his office in Luxor City, Balashar watched the battle between the Wizards and the Armored Fire Lizards through a light screen. Beside him, Toin waited, trembling with fear, for Balashar¡¯s judgment, his forehead faintly showing a nail mark. ¡°The battles of the Holy Guard are truly never tiresome, no matter how many times one watches.¡± Balashar sighed, then turned to Toin at his side. With a slight smile and an unhurried tone, he said, ¡°Toin, you¡¯ve been a great help this time. If you hadn¡¯t switched sides, these Holy Guards would still be living off the king in his palace.¡± Chapter 241 - 25 Combat Alchemy Chapter 241: Chapter 25 Combat Alchemy Toin looked at Balator, who wore a faint smile, and responded with a stiff laugh, ¡°For¡­ for the service of the country, it¡¯s only right, only right.¡± Theodore had seriously underestimated this Fire Lizard Slave, whom he had easily subdued. The Wizard¡¯s arrogance blinded him to an important fact. Toin was of the Silver Horned Nobles, and even though he, with the help of a Wizard, had become a member of Linksa¡¯s Eye, the past splendor and pride of Nobility still bred resentment towards the Wizards. This resentment was buried deep in their hearts because they had been implanted with Soul Seeds. They numbed their minds with all manner of debauched behavior, never daring to show their true feelings. But Theodore mistook these acts as the inherent inferiority of a native race. Arrogance was one of the most despised traits in a Wizard. ¡°For the service of the country, haha, indeed it is for the service of the country.¡± Balashar stood up and vigorously patted the shoulder of the youngster beside him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the information you provided this time is very important, so I won¡¯t have you put on the execution rack.¡± Toin let out a small sigh of relief. ¡°But¡­¡± Balashar¡¯s tone shifted abruptly, becoming stern, ¡°your betrayal has caused significant losses to the Empire, and you need to make up for this! There are many Fire Lizards like you in Linksa¡¯s Eye, and I want you to root them out one by one!¡± Toin swallowed hard, his voice quivering, ¡°Me? How can I do that?¡± Balashar smiled, drawing a Black Gold Scimitar from his waist. The cold light reflected on his face, sending a shiver down Toin¡¯s spine. ¡°Believe me, you can. If you sacrifice yourself, the Empire will bestow a Medal upon you, just like the Flame Medal of Merrick¡¯s Shield. Your name will be carved on the monument, remembered for ten thousand years.¡± Toin looked miserable; he didn¡¯t want to be remembered by posterity. All he wanted was to live out his life in wealth and honor. But did he have a choice? Balashar paid no attention to Toin. He picked up the light screen again, wanting to enjoy the sight of the Wizards¡¯ death. But before long, he rushed out of the room. Soon after, Toin heard the sound of a long, drawn-out horn. ¡°Is that the assembly call?¡± Toin couldn¡¯t believe his own ears. Could it be that ten Holy Guards plus so many Dragon Beast Knights failed to annihilate these Wizards? ¡­ At the Dragon Beast Base, Richard watched the Wizards getting overpowered by the Holy Guard, feeling somewhat of a headache. He desired those breeding tanks, but with the Holy Guard¡¯s overpowering might, even with Ulysses defending him, Richard feared that a casual blow from the Holy Guard could kill him. However, Richard¡¯s headache didn¡¯t last long as soon a Holy Guard spotted him. [Alert: Entities detected in the Shadow Rift] [Alert: Entities detected in the Shadow Rift] [Initiate interference system?] Seeing the highlighted icon in his vision, the Fire Lizard didn¡¯t hesitate to choose yes, despite not knowing what the Armor¡¯s alert entailed. The next moment, the space around Richard became chaotic, the monochrome tones faded rapidly, and the rich colors of the Material World instantly entered Richard¡¯s field of view. ¡°F*ck, this Mecha is defying the heavens.¡± Cursing, Richard instantly used Shadow Shuttling. Then, with a ¡°bang,¡± the spot where Richard had been standing was smacked to pieces by a fist. ¡°Didn¡¯t expect another rat to be here,¡± the Holy Guard sneered. He turned quickly, spotting Richard who had just Shadow Shuttled, and with a swift motion, appeared right in front of him. Such a massive creature, nearly four meters tall, moved frighteningly fast. The Chain Saw Sword swung, its buzzing sound like the tolling of the Death God¡¯s bell, but the next moment, a Crow Claw blocked it. ¡°Wretched mortal, kneel before me!¡± As thunderous as the wrath of a god, Ulysses¡¯ voice boomed at this crucial moment as he once again used the Divine Speech Skill. As he spoke, the Fire Lizard heard his Armor¡¯s alerts ringing in his ears, warning him of a rule violation and to avoid it quickly. As for himself, his legs gave out, and he knelt heavily to the ground. Seeing this, Richard¡¯s heart leaped with joy. These Holy Guards were formidable, but they still fell short compared to Ulysses. Without a word, Ulysses stretched out his Crow Claw, which, by the time it neared the Fire Lizard¡¯s head, had grown large enough to grasp the entire skull. Under the effect of the Divine Speech Skill, the Fire Lizard just knelt there, watching the Crow Claw draw nearer. Bang! Hiss hiss hiss¡­ But the anticipated uprooting that Ulysses expected did not happen. The Crow Claw scraped across the Armor with grating noises, yet the Fire Lizard¡¯s head remained in place. Ulysses withdrew his Crow Claw and immediately grabbed Richard, rapidly flying backward. ¡°Caw, these fellows¡¯ Armor is even tougher than a turtle shell. Forget about those things; let¡¯s focus on saving our skins.¡± The Holy Guard that had appeared somewhat dazed watching Ulysses fly away felt a hint of relief at surviving the ordeal. It seemed that the crow had no way of dealing with Holy Armor. ¡°Communications, prepare for interception!¡± The survivor among the Holy Guards didn¡¯t opt to hunt the other Wizards but activated the communication function of their Armor, calling the Dragon Beast Knight Order outside to delay Ulysses. Right after, Richard saw hundreds of Dragon Beast Knights, aiming javelins at him. The next instant, javelins poured down like rain. After the barrage of javelins, Richard went pale. In just a moment, his Magic Barrier had almost drained all of his Magic Power. But before he could catch his breath, he saw hundreds more Fire Lizards aiming javelins at him. ¡°Sh*T, that¡¯s vicious! Ulysses, save me!¡± ¡°Caw, got it!¡± An Energy Barrier materialized instantly beneath Richard, blocking the incoming javelins. Seeing that the Dragon Beast Knights were ineffective, the Holy Guard suddenly raised a hand, chanting, ¡°Capture mode!¡± The next instant, an Energy Chain shot out from his Chain Saw Sword, streaking straight towards Richard below. He saw it clearly, the wizard below was the key target. As long as the wizard was detained, the crow above would certainly not escape. Zzzzz¡­ Energy chains contacted Ulysses¡¯ energy barrier, emitting a crackling sound. In the energy vision, the two were colliding fiercely. In other words, Ulysses¡¯ energy was being rapidly depleted. ¡°No good, I¡¯ve got to deal with this thing.¡± Richard took a closer look at the guard. Ulysses¡¯ claw attack had not been entirely ineffective; on the guard¡¯s helmet, Richard saw two distinct scratches. ¡°Like a turtle shell, huh? All that for a few scratches of paint?!¡± Items made by Pioneers really are unreasonable. Richard examined the scratches closely and noticed gold patterns emerging beneath them. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Gold patterns? It dawned on Richard immediately¡ªthe gold patterns from the products of Giant Dragon Alchemy¡ªand combining this with Ulysses¡¯ earlier speculation, he suddenly communicated with Ulysses using a spiritual message: ¡°Ulysses, can you keep this tin can tied up for a while? I¡¯ve got a plan that might just finish this thing off.¡± ¡°Caw! You¡¯ve got that kind of skill? Don¡¯t end up killing yourself!¡± With that said, Ulysses paused for a moment, put down Richard with its claws, and with a flap of its wings, a cluster of dark blue flames followed the energy chains towards the guard. Meanwhile, he himself flickered and began to struggle with the Holy Guard. In an instant, Ulysses was engulfed in continuous rising dark blue flames, using various odd and unique methods to attack the Holy Guard. The effectiveness of these methods was manifested by the continuous warning alarms buzzing by the Fire Lizard¡¯s ears. [Warning: Subject to intense radiation attack, please activate protective stance] [Warning: Struck by shock wave, please activate protective stance] [Warning: Struck by shadow infiltration attack, please activate protective stance] ¡­ Inside the armor, the Fire Lizard did not know what this so-called ¡°protective stance¡± was. In the legacy he received, there was no ¡°spell¡± related to this. In the ancient past, to avoid rapid energy depletion of their armor, the Holy Guard deliberately refrained from using the protective stance. Because in the Red Sun World, battles were of two kinds: one was where basic armor protection was enough for an easy fight, the other was when, despite starting protective stance, defenses would still be breached, or the stance was of no use in a desperate fight. And the latter was rare over the long years. Over time, the command to activate protective stances, also the ¡°spells¡± learned by the Fire Lizard, had been lost. So now, he could only rely on the armor¡¯s excellent basic protection to withstand these attacks. Suddenly, Ulysses spewed a chain from its mouth, firmly tying up the Holy Guard, and created a cluster of shadows around the guard. ¡°Caw, now¡¯s the time.¡± The next moment, Richard appeared beside the Holy Guard. ¡°You bastard, take my Giant Dragon Alchemy Palm!¡± A glow appeared in Richard¡¯s hand, and a mysterious force, along with Richard¡¯s spirit, entered the armor¡¯s shell through the gap left by Ulysses. [Severe Warning: Encounter with Alchemy Strike, please activate protective stance!] [Severe Warning: Encounter with Alchemy Strike, please initiate protective stance!] But the Fire Lizard didn¡¯t know how to activate it and could only futilely shout every spell he had learned. ¡°Tactical Invisibility!¡± ¡°Energy-saving mode!¡± ¡°Chain saw sword third level speed!¡± However, these unrelated spells couldn¡¯t solve the immediate problem. The Fire Lizard began to sweat profusely from his head, and for the first time, his heart filled with fear. Was he going to lose? As the power of Alchemy seeped deeper into the armor, the complex inner workings of the armor flashed into Richard¡¯s mind. If this were another time, Richard would have treasured these structures, even recording them one by one. But at this critical moment, Richard, not caring about the consequences, directly used Alchemy to completely destroy these structures. [Severe Warning: Armor damage exceeds 80%, armor crippled, rescue has been automatically requested] [Severe Warning: Armor damage exceeds 80%, armor crippled, rescue has been automatically requested] At the same time, other members of the Holy Guard received a message. [Combat sequence u341 armor crippled, please rescue promptly] ¡°Ignore!¡± ¡­ Watching the motionless Holy Guard, Richard burst into joyful madness. ¡°Ha ha ha, got myself a good thing!¡± He grabbed the now immobile Holy Guard and opened the Secret Realm Rift, planning to throw it in. But at the very last moment, the Fire Lizard inside the armor finally realized which spell it needed to recite. ¡°Self-destruction!¡± [Please confirm the command] ¡°Yes!¡± [Command confirmed, countdown initiated] [Three] The World Mushroom sensed that something wrong with the object thrown into it. [Two] Strands of mycelium tendrils tightly wrapped it into a ball. [One] Mycelium tendrils infiltrated the armor, locating the reactor that had melted down and was about to explode. And then¡­ bang. The armor returned to silence. Chapter 242 - 26 A Mans Great Harvest Chapter 242: Chapter 26 A Man¡¯s Great Harvest In the base, Richard¡¯s overwhelming victory immediately caught the attention of several Wizards. They didn¡¯t know exactly what method Richard had used, but the fact that he had immobilized a Holy Guard with a slap and then tossed it into the Secret Realm was reality. When Theodore witnessed this scene, his heart jumped with alarm. All the Wizards present knew how troublesome the Holy Guards could be. Even an old Wizard like him, close to death¡¯s door, could only manage to remain unbeaten by using Gravity Magic, yet Richard had dealt with a Holy Guard so effortlessly. Such strength was truly frightening. If Theodore was shocked, the other Wizards were even more so. A Physique Wizard, standing four meters tall and covered in a chitinous shell, was also shaken by this sight. He hadn¡¯t expected Richard¡¯s strength to be so formidable that he could dispose of a Holy Guard so easily. This caused him to regret his enmity with Richard. Having already made an enemy of Richard, obtaining the knowledge to counter the Holy Guard would undoubtedly cost him dearly. And while he was slightly distracted, the Holy Guard seized the opportunity to exploit his weakness. With a buzz, the Physique Wizard¡¯s chest was suddenly cleaved open with a deep, charred wound so deep that even his heart was visible through the gash. The other Wizards were shocked or delighted by this turn of events, and Mephit, who was closest to Richard, swiftly approached him, sending a Spiritual Message to Richard at the same time. ¡°Richard, I¡¯ll give you one million Magic Essence plus the blueprints for the Tesla Model 9 Shield Guard Alchemy Puppet in exchange for the knowledge to beat this Armored Fire Lizard!¡± Richard, who was in the middle of fleeing, suddenly turned back. A Three Rings Wizard really lived up to their name, making such a generous offer was frightening. But the technique Richard used to defeat the Holy Guard was Giant Dragon Alchemy, an art he had extracted from the Scimitar. He hadn¡¯t studied it himself. Right now, translating those skills into understandable written information was like a fool daydreaming. ¡°This is a special ability and cannot be traded for now. However, I can help you deal with this problem in exchange for the blueprints of the Tesla Model 9 Shield Guard Alchemy Puppet,¡± Richard immediately transmitted back. ¡°Special ability?¡± Mephit¡¯s heart sank, but hearing that Richard could help him solve the issue with the Armored Lizard, he instantly breathed a sigh of relief. Helping was also acceptable. ¡°Deal!¡± Once the deal was struck, Richard immediately called Ulysses over to repeat the same tactic. Ulysses temporarily trapped the Holy Guard while Richard used Alchemy to penetrate the interior of the Guard, sabotaging its structure. As Richard destroyed most of the Guard¡¯s internal structure, the Armor instantly stopped moving. ¡°Done!¡± Richard exclaimed excitedly, about to open the Secret Realm Rift to throw this Holy Guard into the Secret Realm as well. But before he could, he heard Ulysses cry out in panic: ¡°Gah, let go, this thing¡¯s gonna self-destruct!¡± With that, Ulysses quickly flew backward, grabbing Richard. Mephit, who also sensed something wrong with the Holy Guard, curled up into a ball with multiple layers of Magic Barriers enclosing him tightly in the center, like an onion. Buzz! Richard, still fleeing, suddenly experienced ringing in his ears. Looking back, he saw radiant light seeping from the Holy Guard¡¯s Armor, dazzling and piercing like the first glimmer of light that slices through the dark night, making him squint. Then¡­ Boom! A thunderous explosion, accompanied by a blast wave powerful enough to blow people away, swept through the base. Large sections of buildings were toppled, and debris flew through the air like bullets. Mephit, who was closest to the explosion, saw all his Magic Barriers shatter, and his runic-imbued elemental body was half melted away. Fortunately, he survived. The residual effects of the explosion caused both the Wizards and the Holy Guards to halt their actions. The Wizards were shocked by the power of the Armor¡¯s explosion, and lamented the loss of the Lost Relic, while the Holy Guards were filled with a single emotion ¨C anger. ¡°Vengeance!¡± a Guard cried out. The other Holy Guards began chanting in unison. ¡°Vengeance!¡± ¡°Vengeance!¡± ¡°Vengeance!¡± The Holy Guard hadn¡¯t suffered losses in many years, and the loss of two today was a great dishonor. This shame had to be washed away with blood. Blood ran from Richard¡¯s ears, and all was silent around him. He was deaf. ¡°Ulysses, use this.¡± Richard tossed the scroll from Mephit to Ulysses, which temporarily gave the ability to use the Earth Escape Skill. Ulysses caught the scroll: ¡°Gah, what¡¯s your plan?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not going out the usual way; we¡¯ll continue through the Magma Sea. You distract them, then meet in the Secret Realm.¡± ¡°Gah, got it.¡± The next moment, the scroll was torn apart, and both of them entered the stone walls on the edge of the base, Richard and Ulysses split up in the magma layer, he had to follow the magma back to the Sea of Lava. During this time, he had already memorized the map by heart; navigating the Sea of Lava, he could also return to the Wizard Control Area. ¡­ In the Sea of Lava, Richard dived quickly downward, all his Magic Equipment had been thrown into the Secret Realm, and right now, he felt like he was back to the days of studying and training in the Sea of Lava. The dive lasted for three days, and Richard finally emerged from the complex network of molten rock into the Sea of Lava. Here, Richard propped open the Magic Barrier and entered the Secret Realm. Inside the Secret Realm, Ulysses was already leisurely enjoying the service of the Holy Tree Elves in the Bird Nest. ¡°How is the situation outside?¡± Richard asked curiously while taking a shower. ¡°Gah, it¡¯s bad for you guys out there.¡± ¡°Hm? What do you mean?¡± ¡°Gah, five of you Wizards died, and not even their souls made it out. Only that stone guy, the fire person, and that old man managed to escape.¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°That bad?¡± Richard exclaimed in shock. ¡°Tell me more in detail.¡± On the day Richard escaped through the magma network, Ulysses, thanks to the effect of the Magic Scroll, wildly dashed through the mountains, drawing the attention of the Fire Lizards. Sure enough, not long afterward, the Holy Guard Army, by carving tunnels, found Ulysses in the rock walls. Taking the opportunity, Ulysses bolted outside, only to see, outside the volcano, tens of thousands of Dragon Beast Knights already in formation, waiting for the Wizards to break through. Realizing this, Ulysses quickly understood the situation. ¡°Well well, looks like the Wizards got duped this time, marshaling so many Dragon Beast Knights in such little time. The Wizards¡¯ intelligence is always problematic.¡± Mobilizing an army of tens of thousands is no easy task, from the moment Mephit was discovered to Ulysses breaking out of the volcano took less than fifteen minutes. In such a short span, the Dragon Beast Knights had already lined up outside the volcano; this clearly had been prepared in advance. Upon seeing the Holy Guard emerge, Balashar¡¯s heart sank. As expected, the Holy Guard could not annihilate this group of Wizards. ¡°Prepare to throw spears,¡± Balashar ordered. Seeing so many troops outside, Ulysses naturally would not foolishly charge; without Richard, he had plenty of ways to shake off the Holy Guard. Suddenly, darkness enveloped him, and his entire figure disappeared into thin air as he slipped through the shadows and entered the Shadow Plane. In this way, even the Holy Guard¡¯s Armor could not trace Ulysses. ¡°He disappeared!¡± exclaimed the operator of the Armored Fire Lizard, astonished. It was his first time encountering such an event. Ulysses, who had entered the Shadow Plane, quietly observed the development of events through projections. Mephit, the Flame Wizard, and the Physique Wizard didn¡¯t go outside but decided to flee through the magma network. The remaining Theodore, Undead Wizard, Ghost Wizard, and another Shaping Wizard took the outside route. Facing the army, the Wizards who chose to flee above ground had no choice but to charge. The Wizards¡¯ escape plan was an overt strategy, and the best Balashar could do was to muster that many troops. The rest were acting as fire brigades in nearby provinces. Therefore, if they broke through this encircling net, the Three Rings Wizards would be free as fish in the vast ocean, birds in the high sky, never again shackled. Meanwhile, the Wizards who took the magma network were being hunted by the Holy Guard. The Holy Guard seemed invulnerable in the magma, chasing the fleeing Wizards for two days. The Physique Wizard was killed by the Holy Guard and brought back, while the two Shaping Wizards managed to escape. ¡°Gah, by the way, when those Armored Fire Lizards were chasing the Wizards, the closest they got to you was less than five meters. I almost left the Shadow Plane to rescue you,¡± Ulysses said with a hint of emotion in his voice. ¡°Lucky for you, you were clinging onto a Flame Giant Beast, which made that Armored Fire Lizard overlook you.¡± Richard was startled upon hearing this, a cold sweat breaking out on his back. He had simply been hitching a ride, eager to return quickly to the Sea of Lava, without realizing he had narrowly dodged a bullet by sheer coincidence. ¡°Huuh, looks like I¡¯m pretty lucky,¡± Richard said somewhat relieved. ¡°What happened next?¡± he asked right away. ¡°Gah, do I really need to say the rest?¡± Ulysses cocked his head, ¡°I already told you about the Wizards who survived. Besides that golem and the fire person, the four on the ground only that old man clearly made it out.¡± Richard was stunned, not expecting the mission to result in the loss of five Three Rings Wizards. The last action at the Mother Worm Temple had also resulted in the loss of just one Three Rings Wizard. After this operation, the entire Luxor Province and several surrounding provinces¡¯ Black Wizards operations would likely suffer a brief vacuum. ¡°Gah, I think you¡¯d be better off not participating in these big activities anymore,¡± Ulysses mocked, ¡°You¡¯ve only been in two wars, and both times you were duped on these behind-enemy-lines missions. For your safety, and for the safety of your fellow Wizards, I suggest you steer clear of these big activities.¡± Richard was taken aback, then dismissed the idea nonchalantly: ¡°Just a coincidence.¡± With that, he stepped from under the shower mushroom, approached the Holy Armor that had been placed by the World Mushroom in the corner of the Secret Realm. ¡°The person who planned this operation took a major hit, but it turned out to be a fortunate break for someone like me who joined halfway.¡± The Holy Armor in front of him, although he had damaged many parts, the Power Furnace providing energy and the main control chip were intact. These things were treasures! Thinking of this, Richard couldn¡¯t help but curl a slight smile at the corner of his mouth. However, the voice of the World Mushroom suddenly reverberated in his mind: ¡°Master, there has been a slight issue with this Armor since you threw it in here. It seems to have¡­ self-destructed.¡± Richard¡¯s smile froze instantly. Chapter 243 - 27 Chain Saw Sword and Armored Plate Chapter 243: Chapter 27 Chain Saw Sword and Armored Plate ¡°What¡­ what did you say?¡± Richard could sense his voice trembling. This was no mere fragment of Pioneer equipment; it was a genuine single soldier armor provided by the Pioneers to their servant army. In the hands of any other Wizard, it could have served as a legacy, studied by generations of Wizards for decades, but in Richard¡¯s hands, he could extract all the technology from this thing with the Mysterious Technique Furnace. Although he might not understand all the technology, being unable to spend gold yet having it as decor at home was still delightful. But now¡­ it was all gone! Richard took a deep breath and began to inquire about the circumstances surrounding the World Mushroom. When he found out that the armor had started to self-destruct as soon as it was thrown in, Richard paused and sighed deeply. The items of the Pioneers certainly weren¡¯t easy captives. Even if the various structures inside the armor were almost ruined by his alchemical techniques, it could still endure self-destruction. Settling his emotions, Richard started examining the single soldier armor with a heavy heart. Although the World Mushroom¡¯s mycelial tentacles absorbed a large portion of the self-destruction, the remaining force still pulverized the operator of the armor into a mix of bone and flesh, causing further destruction to the already jumbled internal structures. Using Giant Dragon Alchemy, Richard disassembled the armor and separated the components that could trigger the Mysterious Technique Furnace from the scrap parts. During the disassembly, the mix of flesh and bones of the Fire Lizard flowed out of the cracks in the armor, making Richard regret the loss of a good specimen. The Fire Lizard was a doomed species; a sample of a Third Level Fire Lizard would surely be unobtainable in the future. The mycelial tentacles absorbed those flesh and bones as nutrients cleanly, as the World Mushroom was not picky about its nutrients. Repairing the armor took Richard a month. Throughout this process, Richard unexpectedly discovered that the destruction he caused to the armor structure to capture the Holy Guard Army had actually reduced some of the destructive power during the self-destruction. Some components within were surprisingly not destroyed and even retained their complete structure. This result delighted Richard beyond measure. After the disassembly, Richard successfully gathered a pile of metal scrap. Although the material was of high quality, the patterns on it were utterly destroyed. Even so, Richard planned to use this scrap in something like the outer shell of an Alchemy Golem. The scrap from the Pioneer civilization was a treasure to Richard. Apart from the scrap, the remnants were elements that involved Pioneer technology. Two components in the armor still had refining functions. One was an arc chain saw sword disassembled from the armor¡¯s left arm. [Ingredient: Arc Chain Saw Sword] S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Refinable Information: Chain Saw Sword Design Diagram] [Refining Cost: 70 spiritual power] This device had a formidable ability to penetrate both physical and energy defenses. Even the Magic Barrier of a Three Rings Wizard could hardly withstand its continued assault. But the downside was its ridiculously high energy consumption. Richard tried to activate the chain saw sword with his magic, but his entire magic reserve as a Second Ring Wizard could only support the use of the sword for thirty seconds. This energy consumption was astonishingly high. Aside from the chain saw sword, another functional component was the Shield Generator, which seemed to have been located next to the Power Furnace initially. However, due to Richard¡¯s damage, it was blocked by many twisted parts, retaining only partial functionality. [Ingredient: Damaged Shield Generator] [Refinable Information: Shield Generator Design Diagram (Partially Incomplete)] [Refining Cost: 200 spiritual power] It was another massive energy consumer; Richard¡¯s overdrawn magic could only power it on for two seconds. Apart from these two components, Richard also found a repaired armored plate on the outer layer of the armor. On this armored plate, Richard found the technology for making the material of the armored plate. [Ingredient: Unknown Battle Armor¡¯s Armored Plate] [Refinable Information: Special Steel Manufacture] [Refining Cost: 50 spiritual power] [Refinable Information: Giant Dragon Alchemy Tree Pattern] [Refining Cost: 20 spiritual power] [Refinable Information: Giant Dragon Alchemy (Incomplete)] [Refining Cost: 20 spiritual power] Looking at the benefits this single soldier armor brought him, the heartache from its destruction was suppressed. Though he did not find the Power Furnace and central control chip he desired, the information from these components was still pretty good. Judging from the refining cos According to this information, given enough resources, Richard could amass a chain saw sword using Giant Dragon Alchemy. After meditating for a while, Richard began the refining process again. This time, it was the creation of special steel. ¡°Refine.¡± The weight of the hammer had been reduced significantly, allowing Richard to also refine the skills and patterns of Giant Dragon Alchemy. The effect of the pattern was simple, similar to the Wizard¡¯s defensive enchantments. However, when combined with the strong metal produced by Giant Dragon Alchemy, it improved the armor plate¡¯s capability to withstand forces dramatically. A fireball from a five-thousand energy level Fire Wizard struck the armor plate leaving no mark. While it wasn¡¯t solely due to the armor plate, it still accounted for sixty percent of this capacity. Following the pattern was the skill of Giant Dragon Alchemy. The skills of a repair artisan from many years ago were nothing short of miraculous; even his incomplete skills left Richard in awe. Blending his expertise, Richard¡¯s skill in Giant Dragon Alchemy immediately advanced to a new height. Solely in terms of proficiency and technology mastery, Richard¡¯s Giant Dragon Alchemy even surpassed Wizard Alchemy. Once the refinement of the Giant Dragon Alchemy skills was complete, Richard lay on the ground, quietly watching the sky of the Secret Realm. In his mind, the knowledge extracted from the parts of the battle armor constantly swirled, clashing with Pioneer and Wizard knowledge. A sense of satisfaction surged in his heart. Soon, Richard stood up from the ground and approached the pile of scrap materials. The materials in the scrap pile were of excellent quality, just with damaged patterns. Now that Richard had the patterns, it was the perfect opportunity to practice. Richard picked up a piece of scrap, enveloping it with Alchemy power as he entered a spiritual state. Under Richard¡¯s skillful manipulation, the scrap quickly transformed, and golden patterns blossomed upon it. Soon, the scrap turned into a neat armor plate. The intricate patterns looked dense, and under the light, they shimmered with golden brilliance. To the unfamiliar eye, these lines might seem like some opulent decorative pattern. After tossing the armor plate aside, Richard sat down heavily on the ground. Engaging the patterns drained more spiritual power than Richard anticipated; a palm-sized armor plate nearly exhausted his remaining spiritual power. Moreover, unlike Wizard Alchemy, once started, the pattern engraving of Giant Dragon Alchemy couldn¡¯t be stopped, somewhat akin to certain processes in creating Magic Equipment. After meditating to restore some spiritual power, Richard picked up the armor plate. Using Magic Hand, he levitated it and casually threw two Hearts of Annihilation towards it. Buzz! The spherical black hole created by the Hearts of Annihilation swallowed the armor plate momentarily. Once the black hole disappeared, the armor plate fell to the ground, and Richard went to inspect it, finding no damage. However, when he touched it, he felt that the armor plate was terribly hot. He conducted further tests on the armor plate against blunt force, shock waves, and low temperatures. With the enhancements from the patterns, the armor plate displayed impressive resistance to elemental attacks, with two thousand energy level Hearts of Annihilation having no effect. However, against physical attacks like blunt force, the armor plate¡¯s performance was not satisfactory. The armor plate lacked energy absorption capability and was not particularly hard; blunt force damage exceeding a thousand energy levels could deform the armor plate and thereby affect the pattern¡¯s efficacy. Richard speculated that in the original battle armor, these armor plates likely had other enchantment-like methods that could reduce the impact force received. Of course, it was also possible that the original armor¡¯s patterns were not the same one Richard had acquired. After all, Richard had obtained the patterns from armor plates that were repaired by later generations. Looking at the current craftsmanship of the Fire Lizards, it seemed their techniques had degraded significantly over time. Using slightly inferior patterns for repairs was quite normal. After all, these Fire Lizards no longer even knew how to activate shields. After testing the armor plate, Richard engaged in deep meditation to fully recover his spiritual power. Then, he left the Secret Realm and plunged towards the Wizard-controlled area through the Magma Sea. ¡°Master, Balashar is growing more suspicious of me.¡± In the basement of Linksa¡¯s Eye office, Toin humbly stood before his much shorter Wizard. The Wizard¡¯s body continuously emitted chaotic magic fluctuations, which were virtually impossible for any Three Rings Wizard¡ªunless he was severely injured. Theodore looked at the lowly Fire Lizard before him, somewhat irritably said, ¡°I know, go apply for a transfer, and let¡¯s leave this accursed place.¡± Hearing this, Toin turned to leave, but suddenly Theodore stopped him. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with your head?¡± On Toin¡¯s forehead, there was a patch of freshly grown small scales. Frozen, Toin turned back, trembling, and said, ¡°It happened when I was on a mission, I bumped into something.¡± ¡°You lost the scales of a Second Level Fire Lizard so easily?¡± ¡°It happened when I bumped into a scimitar. We were playing dress-up, and Bili was dressed as a Palace Guard.¡± ¡°¡­Alright then, you can go.¡± As Toin walked out of the basement, he touched the new scales on his forehead. Beneath that patch of scales, a nail that could temporarily shield the Soul Seed¡¯s control had once been embedded. ¡°Finally, I can leave this place.¡± Chapter 244 - 28: Return Chapter 244: Chapter 28: Return Traveling through the Magma Sea with a map for guidance was actually a very safe route. Above the Magma Sea, Richard held up a Magic Barrier and, comparing his position to the map he had drawn from memory, ascertained his current location. Beneath him, a Flame Giant Beast shaped like a catfish slowly swam through the Magma Sea. Ulysses held onto the two whiskers of the catfish like reins. The upper layer of the Magma Sea was teeming with numerous Flame Giant Beasts. Most of these beasts were Level 1 Creatures, posing no threat to Richard. These creatures, having lived in the Magma Sea for many years, moved with great agility. Therefore, Richard, seeking to save effort, had captured one to use as his means of transport. Under Richard¡¯s taming, the flame catfish quickly came to terms with its situation and began to obediently follow Richard¡¯s commands. As for Ulysses, who was now holding the two whiskers, he had whimsically decided to try racing in the Magma Sea ¨C no, it should be fish-racing. ¡°Gaah, are we sure yet? Once we¡¯re sure, let¡¯s speed up!¡± Ulysses, holding the two whiskers, looked excitedly ahead at the sea area. In his perception, there were many Flame Giant Beasts ahead in the Magma Sea. These beasts¡¯ strength was negligible to Ulysses, but at this moment, they served as a test of his ¡°driving¡± skills. Richard put away the map, casually opened a Space Rift, and threw it in. ¡°Confirmed, that¡¯s the direction. Another fifty kilometers and we¡¯ll reach the Wizard-controlled area.¡± ¡°Gaah, fifty kilometers? That¡¯s hardly satisfying. Let¡¯s go further,¡± Ulysses said with some excitement. Racing with a tamed half-Element creature in the Magma Sea was indeed a peculiar experience that even he, the widely-traveled World Master, had never encountered before. ¡°Suit yourself, just don¡¯t venture into the Magma Sea at the edge of the world.¡± ¡°Ha, got it!¡± Ulysses let out a loud shout and gently tugged the two whiskers he held, prompting the catfish beneath him to emit a deep roar. ¡°Off we go, Murder of Crows! We still have a long way to travel!¡± Above the Magma Sea. Ulysses, completely focused, steered the ¡°Murder of Crows¡± deftly through the churning magma. Around him, immense Flame Giant Beasts growled deeply, their bodies engulfed in intense flames, warily watching this slightly mad peer. Fire Element was the most volatile element, and creatures with Fire Element flowing in their blood were like powder kegs, ready to explode at a moment¡¯s notice. The slightest provocation would cause them to attack. And Ulysses, in pursuit of that extra thrill, continuously used his energy and his raspy voice to provoke these Flame Giant Beasts. ¡°Ha, you fools, try and catch me!¡± ¡°That one over there, yes, you! What are you looking at? If you dare, come over and bite me!¡± ¡°Ha, Murder of Crows, bite him, yeah, bite his tail!¡± While taunting, Ulysses moved gracefully like a dancer, nimbly weaving through the Flame Giant Beasts. His expertise allowed him to narrowly evade the beasts that tried to block his way. Each time, the Flame Giant Beasts almost grazed him, but even the slightest gap seemed as insurmountable as a chasm. Sometimes Ulysses would accelerate swiftly, cutting through the Magma Sea like a bolt of lightning; other times, he would slow down and meander, playing a clever game of hide-and-seek with the beasts. For many creatures comparable to Hell, the Magma Sea was a fearsome place, but to Ulysses, it appeared more like a playground. Ulysses played to his heart¡¯s content, while Richard pondered on the side how to simplify the technology of the Pioneers. The technology of the Pioneers was truly superior, but it consumed too much energy. Perhaps the civilization of the Pioneers had reached a level of energy freedom, but Richard did not yet possess such advanced technology. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Thus, reducing energy consumption was his primary task at the moment. Although it wouldn¡¯t be bad to use the gold he couldn¡¯t spend on decoration, it was clear that the silver he could spend would be far better. After much contemplation, Richard sighed deeply: ¡°Alas, it¡¯s a pity that Giant Dragon Alchemy and Wizard Alchemy are incompatible. If they were, this modification would be much easier.¡± After much thinking, the only solution Richard could come up with was to use Alchemy Machines for power, then attach the Chain Saw Sword¡¯s teeth using a purely mechanical structure to reduce consumption. But this required Richard to have a profound knowledge of Alchemy Machines. Creating large-scale Alchemy Machines was difficult, and creating small ones was even more challenging. Especially these small, harshly conditioned Alchemy Machines¡ªthe difficulty of crafting them was not unlike asking a Wizard who had never learned Alchemy Machines to start creating a humanoid Alchemy Puppet from scratch. ¡°Ah! At this rate, I¡¯m going to turn into an Alchemy Wizard from the Mechanical Faction.¡± The race continued for an entire day. After traveling four hundred kilometers, Ulysses was finally satisfied and decided to return to the surface. Looking at the thick upper crust of rock, Richard sighed again. He hoped that nothing unusual would happen during this excavation. The scorching sunlight bathed the Earth, and for the Wizards residing in the rear, today was yet another peaceful day. Kain, a White Wizard on rotation leave. As long as the number of Wizards was not critically low, front-line White Wizards could apply every year for a three-month rotation leave to the rear. During this time, Wizards could stay away from the front lines and undertake some patrolling missions in the rear that were free of danger. For Wizards, this was essentially no different from being on vacation. However, as the war dragged on, Kain could distinctly feel that there was a shortage of Wizards. At the outbreak of the war, if one wished to take rotation leave, one needed only to file a report, with no need for approval, and could directly return to the rear. For his leave this time, not only did he wait nearly half a month for approval, but his recent combat performance was also scrutinized. According to his direct superior, had it not been for his squad recently suffering heavy casualties, his application for rotation leave would certainly have been rejected. ¡°Ah, those Fire Lizards are really tenacious,¡± Kain said offhandedly. ¡°Exactly,¡± echoed a fellow White Wizard on rotation leave beside Kain. ¡°I heard from a Black Wizard coming from behind the lines that in a recent operation against the Fire Lizards, we lost six Masters of the Three Rings all at once.¡± ¡°Sss, that many!¡± Kain gasped in shock. ¡°Six Three-Ring Masters, were they ambushed by Fire Lizards?¡± ¡°God knows.¡± The other White Wizard shook his head. ¡°They say the Fire Lizards deployed an elite troop that had never seen action before, whose single combat power was even stronger than that of the Three-Ring Masters.¡± Kain was taken aback. In his mind, Wizards should be overwhelmingly dominant against these natives, or at the very least, on par. How could there be natives stronger than Wizards? After saying this, the conversation-partner White Wizard continued with a secretive air, ¡°And what¡¯s more, I heard that if it wasn¡¯t for the astonishing strength of one of the Three-Ring Masters involved in the operation, who dealt with two of those elites as soon as he made a move, not one would have escaped the operation. And the strangest thing, you know what? That powerful Three-Ring Master was there by accident. None of the Three-Ring Masters who were meant to be on that operation included that Master. He suddenly burrowed out of the ground while the other Masters were discussing their plans!¡± ¡°Huh? Three-Ring Masters discussing plans, how could someone just burrow up from underground?¡± Kain exclaimed in amazement. ¡°This rumor is too half-hearted!¡± The conversing Wizard shrugged, ¡°That¡¯s what the rumor says, but who knows the real situation.¡± Kain was about to ask more when he suddenly sensed a fluctuation of magic power beneath his feet. On reflex, he levitated instantly, and the Magic Wand in his hand fired off a jet of flames with an energy level of five hundred. The Wizard patrolling alongside him also caught on, casually tossing two fireballs into the mix. Boom! The fireballs exploded into a cloud of dust and, as the dust cleared, a Wizard with a soot-covered face stood at the location of their spell attack. ¡°This welcome ceremony is a bit special,¡± Richard, brushing the dust off his face, said with an awkward smile to the two Wizards who attacked him. Having run into Patrol Wizards upon emerging, Richard wasn¡¯t sure if he was lucky or just very unlucky. Fortunately, neither of the two Wizards¡¯ spells was of high energy level; Richard could withstand them with just his body, escaping without injury from the sudden attack, though he did swallow some dust. Looking at the Black-Robed Wizard who had appeared from underground, the two Patrol Wizards tensed up, gripping their Magic Wands cautiously. ¡°What kind of Wizard are you, coming out of the ground?¡± The Fire Lizards¡¯ infiltration into the Wizard-controlled territory had never ceased; some of the infiltrating Fire Lizards even possessed illusionary abilities that allowed them to appear as Wizards. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a long story. In short, I¡¯m a Black Wizard returning from the rear. As for my identity¡­¡± Richard gave a wry smile, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe me if I told you.¡± Ignoring the two Patrol Wizards, Richard took out a map from his Magic Pocket and, trusting his instincts, figured out his bearings. Digging his way from the Magma Sea to the surface, Richard certainly hadn¡¯t traveled in a straight line. Arriving at the surface, he definitely needed to determine his position. ¡°Excuse me, is the Floating City in this direction?¡± Richard held the map and, with a swift move, approached the two Patrol Wizards, casually pointing out a direction. The bodies of the two Patrol Wizards stiffened slightly; Richard¡¯s speed was so fast, they could barely react. Kain glanced at the detailed map in Richard¡¯s hand, swallowed hard, and nodded. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the direction.¡± Richard gave a smile, casually pulled something from his pocket, and handed it to Kain: ¡°Thank you. This is for your troubles.¡± Without another word, Richard rapidly flew off toward the Floating City. Kain was taken aback, looking down at the thing that this enigmatic Master had given him¡ªa Fire Element Gem of exceptional quality. Seeing the gemstone in Kain¡¯s hand, the other Wizard exclaimed in surprise: ¡°Such a pure Fire Element Gem, this quality is likely only found in the magma from deep underground, not even guaranteed in regular active volcanic magma-st least worth dozens of Magic Essence! Kain, you¡¯ve made a fortune this time.¡± Kain looked at the gemstone in his hand, dumbfounded, and couldn¡¯t help but recall the rumor they discussed earlier. A powerful Wizard emerging from the ground¡­ Could it be that he had encountered the storied Three-Ring Master? Chapter 245 - 29: Trading Chapter 245: Chapter 29: Trading The Floating City Fortress was as majestic as ever, but unfortunately, this floating city did not belong to the Great Wizard Qing Shuang. The academy that fought alongside Great Wizard Qing Shuang was called the Prison Fire Wizard Academy, led by the Prison Fire Great Wizard, who was a Five-Ring Great Wizard that had explored the path of great wizards for a long time. Inside the fortress, Richard identified himself and obtained a map of the wizard-controlled area from the logistic wizards. He also entrusted the logistic wizards to send a message to him when Mephit returned. Following the map, Richard spent a week traveling back to the Great Wizard Qing Shuang¡¯s Floating City. By this time, ten years had passed since Richard had embarked on his mission. Upon returning to the floating city, Richard drafted a weapon test report and submitted it. As a technical advisor to the army, this was his regular duty. But when he approached the logistic wizard to submit the report, he was surprised to find the logistic wizard looking at him in astonishment. ¡°Technical advisor Richard?¡± He compared the image in his hand with the crystal ball, scrutinizing Richard thoroughly. After confirming it was indeed Richard, he said with admiration, ¡°Master, I didn¡¯t expect you to have made it out. I will submit your report right away. Also, if you aren¡¯t occupied, you might want to check with Master Vladimir, the equipment chief. He has come more than once to ask if there were any news about you.¡± S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Richard was startled; he didn¡¯t expect this old wizard to have such confidence in him. ¡°Master Vladimir, yes, I will.¡± The logistic wizard nodded, ¡°Master Vladimir never believed you had fallen. Every time he returned to the rear, he would come to us looking for news about you.¡± With a hint of emotion in his voice, the logistic wizard added, ¡°We thought he was just unwilling to face reality. It seems now that we were the ones being shallow.¡± Richard smiled, inquired about the outcome of that old mission, and then turned to leave. In that mission, Alchemy Wizard Damir, squad leader Iyad, and Shaping Wizard Savo all survived, albeit relying on soul boxes. But surviving was undoubtedly a good thing; the effectiveness of the Magic Support Vehicle was confirmed by people, much stronger than a mere report of his. Returning from the logistic wizard, Richard casually visited the Army Commerce Guild. These commerce guilds must have made a fortune over the years. Richard wanted to see if he could get something that could be refined. Besides, Richard also lacked some knowledge of alchemy machinery, and the Wizard Commerce sometimes acted as a broker, facilitating transactions between wizards. With the war being so intense currently, there would definitely be wizards who had suffered soul injuries. Richard¡¯s improved Sacrificial Fungus was undoubtedly a great trading asset. Arriving at the commercial district, Richard headed straight for the Nine Star Chamber of Commerce. Most wizards were still on the frontline, and due to the pressing issue of wizard shortages, the White Wizards coming back for rest had also become rare, causing these chambers¡¯ business to slow. Entering the store, the mechanical clerk immediately recognized Richard. ¡°Lord Richard, welcome.¡± Richard waved his hand, ¡°I¡¯m looking for Bob.¡± The clerk turned and went into the back office, and shortly after, Bob, wearing a monocle, came out from the back. ¡°Richard, brother, long time no see.¡± Bob opened his arms for a hug, immediately making Richard sit down, and instructed the mechanical clerk to prepare a pot of fine Magic Tea. ¡°Brother Richard, your skills are quite impressive, being able to come back intact from such a scenario.¡± Richard chuckled, ¡°You flatter me, old brother. It was just that I had some tricks that happened to suit the environment of the Red Sun World.¡± Soon, the Magic Tea was ready. Bob poured Richard a cup, and the faint fragrance of the tea instantly filled the entire shop. ¡°Brother must have just returned, coming to my shop first thing. Could it be that over these years, brother has encountered some treasures he wants to share with me?¡± Richard shook his head, ¡°What treasures could I have? I¡¯ve been evading the Fire Lizards for ten years; I didn¡¯t get anything but some slightly better-quality Flame Gems.¡± Bob¡¯s eyes sparkled upon hearing this. Although Richard¡¯s statement sounded like an excuse, Bob discerned some different information from it. Richard being trapped behind the Fire Lizards for ten years did not seem normal. Richard had been assigned on the Red Soil Plain, a place Bob had personally explored, which had no places to hide. Furthermore, the Fire Lizards¡¯ patrol teams were renowned for their speed and marksmanship. Surviving their pursuit would obviously not be possible just by running. Bob was speculating how Richard had escaped the Fire Lizards, but when he heard about the decent-quality Fire Element Gems, a guess suddenly formed in his mind. Richard must have escaped through the Magma Network beneath the Red Soil Plain, and most likely had some fortune in the Magma Network. Otherwise, Richard wouldn¡¯t have delayed for ten years. In a flash of thought, Bob gave Richard a slight smile and said, ¡°Decent-quality Fire Element Gems? If these are gems that brother you took interest in, they must be more than just decent. Why don¡¯t brother take two out for me to see?¡± Unaware that Bob had guessed his fortune from his offhand excuse, Richard felt a sudden suspicion when he heard Bob wanted to see the gems. Bob might lack anything in the Red Sun World, but surely not the Fire Element Gems. ¡°Fire Element Gems are something Bob should be tired of by now,¡± Richard pondered momentarily, ¡°otherwise he wouldn¡¯t use them as an excuse.¡± He quickly came to a conclusion that Bob may have guessed that he had escaped through the Magma Sea and even speculated that Richard had chanced upon something there. By asking for the gem, Bob wanted to confirm his guesses. Having realized this, Richard already had a strategy in mind. Although he couldn¡¯t monopolize the ecosystem of the Flame Giant Beasts, he could still use the information to trade for some Magic Essence. Consequently, Richard pulled out a Flame Gem from his pocket. Even though it was decent looking, it was not top quality. ¡°Here, this is it.¡± Upon seeing the gem, Bob frowned slightly. This wasn¡¯t what he expected. If Richard had entered the Magma Network, the gem should have been pristine. Why was it this mediocre? Had he guessed wrong? Bob glanced at Richard and saw him sigh before he picked up his Magic Tea and started sipping it. Bob couldn¡¯t figure out Richard¡¯s thoughts and had to keep his suspicions to himself for the moment, he tentatively said, ¡°Little brother, did you get the wrong one? This gem is too ordinary.¡± ¡°Sigh, big brother, don¡¯t mention it; it¡¯s good enough to have anything at all,¡± Richard responded regretfully, ¡°If only¡­ Ah, let¡¯s not talk about it anymore.¡± When asked what behavior is most annoying in the world, leaving a statement half-said definitely ranks high. Bob was intrigued by Richard¡¯s half-statement and couldn¡¯t help but inquire, ¡°Little brother, you can¡¯t just leave it hanging like that. What exactly happened?¡± But Richard simply waved his hands disapprovingly, ¡°Forget I said anything.¡± Seeing Richard act this way, and recalling that Richard had come straight to him upon returning, Bob speculated, ¡°Richard is always careful in his dealings. Was his remark just now not accidental, but rather a deliberate bait? It seems he encountered some fortune in the Red Soil Plain and, unable to handle it alone, has come to me to trade for Magic Essence or perhaps to seek cooperation.¡± Unaware of Bob¡¯s thoughts, Richard indeed had a ¡°fortune¡± prepared for him. He had quite a stash of the flesh of a Mutated Flame Beast, whose potential would definitely catch the attention of the Wizard Commerce. Feeling he had figured out Richard¡¯s intention, Bob directly said, ¡°Little brother, let¡¯s be straight. You came directly to me as soon as you got back, you must need something. What exactly did you discover on the Red Soil Plain?¡± Seeing Bob address him so openly, Richard was straightforward as well and took out a blue ice cluster from his pocket. Inside the ice, there was a lump of flesh from a Mutated Flame Lizard. ¡°Hmm? The Dead Silence Ice Mountain Sealing Technique of the Great Wizard Qing Shuang!¡± Bob clearly recognized the Sealing Skill of the Great Wizard and exclaimed upon seeing the blue frost in Richard¡¯s hand. He quickly realized, however, that it was just an imitation. Bob wiped the cold sweat from his forehead: ¡°Little brother, that sealing technique was really terrifying; I almost thought you were a student of the Great Wizard.¡± The thought of a familiar face suddenly becoming the student of a high-ranking superior was indeed frightening. ¡°Haha, big brother, you flatter me; it¡¯s just a facade,¡± Richard chuckled. Richard then broke the seal, and a strong Life Radiation immediately filled the entire shop. Though just the size of a fist, the contained Life Energy was not less than that of a One Ring Wizard. Bob¡¯s eyes widened, and he adjusted his single lens eyeglass. Data began to appear in his eyeglass. ¡°This lump of flesh has a Life Force surpassing third-level creatures!¡± ¡°What kind of creature does this flesh belong to, its Life Energy is incredibly powerful,¡± Bob murmured. Without answering, Richard tapped the table beside him. ¡°Big brother, my sincerity is shown; what about yours?¡± Coming out of his reverie, Bob hurried to the back room and threw a Magic Pocket to Richard. The pocket contained all the fine items Bob had collected over the years. ¡°Little brother, quote your price. Where did you get this from?¡± Richard checked the contents of the pocket with his spiritual power, then shook his head. ¡°What, is this not enough?¡± At this moment, Bob lost his earlier composure, the value of the flesh completely overwhelming his senses. ¡°No, no, no, it¡¯s just that I don¡¯t know where this thing was obtained from. The reason I escaped was that the owner of this lump of flesh suddenly appeared and wiped out those Fire Lizards. I was caught in the aftermath and fell into a feigned death, losing track of it. I¡¯ve been searching in the Magma Network for years, but aside from this piece of flesh, I found nothing.¡± Richard¡¯s explanation instantly cooled Bob¡¯s excitement. Yes, if such a creature had a fixed location, it probably would have been captured by the Fire Lizard King long ago; it wouldn¡¯t be possible for wizards to find it. Calming down, Bob adjusted his monocle and exhaled, slowly saying: ¡°Little brother, then quote a price for this piece of flesh.¡± Pleased, Richard nodded and began pulling various items from his pocket. Among these treasures were top-quality Fire Element Gems, masterfully crafted Alchemy Sabers, and various Flame Artifacts, including a sealed golden flame in a Crystal Ball and an immortal fire tree sealed inside a gem. Each of these items was extremely valuable. Regrettably, Richard did not find any relics of the Pioneers, not even a fragment. ¡°Seeing as you¡¯re so straightforward, big brother, I won¡¯t hold back.¡± Chapter 246 - 30 Thoughts of the Puppet State Chapter 246: Chapter 30 Thoughts of the Puppet State Leaving Bob¡¯s place, Richard had successfully traded that piece of flesh for a bunch of things he valued highly. This included, but wasn¡¯t limited to, the limited research rights to all alchemy sabers before the end of the war, an unusually high-quality fist-sized flame gemstone, a third-level Fire Lizard¡¯s heart, as well as the body of a second-level dragon-cursed sorcerer. Richard had managed to exchange for these items not only because the flesh he held was of exceptional quality but also because such flesh was exceedingly rare. The rarer an item, the more valuable it is, and as long as it¡¯s sufficiently rare and useful, the Wizard Commerce could make up for any losses incurred in the deal with Richard by profiting off other wizards. Of course, that was assuming Richard didn¡¯t mass-produce and sell these items. And right now, Richard had an abundance of magic essence and had no plans to engage in such a damaging act to both parties. Leaving the commercial district, Richard asked around and eventually found the location of Vladimir¡¯s camp. Since Vladimir had taken such interest in him, it was only right for Richard to return and pay a visit after coming back. ¡­ The war had already lasted for twenty years, a duration in which the battle for the Insect Nest World would¡¯ve already concluded, leaving nothing but the Great Wizard Qing Shuang and a bunch of White Wizards bulldozing through weaker opponents. However, in the Red Sun World, the war had only just entered a stalemate. The relatively scarce number of wizards compared to Fire Lizards severely limited the area under wizard control. Although the wizards had built many fortresses along the border of the Wizard Control Zone, anyone with clear eyes could see that the wizards were actually running short on manpower. On the border, hundreds of thousands of Fire Lizards would enter the Wizard Control Zone from various nooks and crannies every day, some of which were elite squads from the Fire Lizard Empire out to gather intelligence or mimic the Black Wizards in sabotaging behind enemy lines. But the vast majority of them were ordinary Fire Lizards. War costs money. Twenty years of war had forced the Fire Lizard Empire to exploit its citizens to maintain extensive military expenses, and with Black Wizards intentionally elevating some dregs to power within the Fire Lizard society, various degrees of civil unrest had erupted throughout the Empire. Harsh taxation and corrupt officials led some Fire Lizards to prefer risking their lives to enter the Wizard Control Zone over living within the Empire. The wizards couldn¡¯t be bothered to clear out these Fire Lizards who didn¡¯t even measure up to the first level. Thus, an absurd situation arose: Fire Lizards lived better under the very wizards seeking their extinction. Richard observed a Fire Lizard village not far from himself, where the children of Fire Lizards were playing, and many adult Fire Lizards were tilling the fields nearby. On this land not illuminated by the Fire Lizard King, the Fire Dragon Grass was growing even better. Richard watched the scene intently, a vague idea beginning to take shape in his mind. Why didn¡¯t the wizards try to support a Fire Lizard Kingdom as a puppet state? S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The wizards didn¡¯t need these lower-class Fire Lizards, but the Fire Lizard Empire did. If they could get these lower-class Fire Lizards to come to the Wizard Control Zone, the Fire Lizard Empire¡¯s combat capability would undoubtedly decrease. Furthermore, the wizards could train their own Fire Lizard army and let Fire Lizards fight amongst themselves. With this approach, the wizards¡¯ own losses were certain to decrease, and the speed of the war would also increase. After all, nobles are assholes irrespective of race, and the wizards could fully exploit this fact. Supporting puppet states was a strategy his previous life¡¯s major powers had played out to exhaustion. Leaving the airspace above the village, Richard quickly arrived at Vladimir¡¯s position. Inside this battlefield comprised of War Fortress constructions and alchemy machines¡ªa small city of Fire Lizards. This city had been transformed by the White Wizard Army into a fortress complex bristling with alchemy weapons and magic array traps, making it an absolute tough nut to crack. Within Great Wizard Qing Shuang¡¯s army, Richard had quite a respectable reputation. The decisive battle in the Insect Nest World had made many wizards aware of him, so he encountered no obstacles in proving his identity. Entering this fortified city, Richard, guided by a White Wizard, found Vladimir tinkering with a Magic Stone Cannon. ¡°Master Engineer, Great Master Richard has come to see you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bother me¡­ Who did you say is looking for me?¡± Vladimir¡¯s head shot up abruptly, and he saw Richard, clad in a black robe, smiling and watching him. ¡°Master, long time no see.¡± Vladimir stood up and came over to Richard, looking him over from the left and right. ¡°Good lad, you managed to return safe and sound even after being chased by a patrol. Even I wouldn¡¯t be able to accomplish that.¡± Richard laughed, ¡°You flatter me, Master. It was just the environment being conducive.¡± Vladimir narrowed his eyes, ¡°Seems like you¡¯ve utilized quite a bit of magic essence on this job; your progress with the Adaptation Body must be significant.¡± Upon hearing this, Richard immediately knew why Vladimir was certain he¡¯d return. The Adaptation Body¡¯s capacity to adapt to elements could allow Richard to escape via the Magma Network. Vladimir and Jolod were old acquaintances, naturally aware of the effects of the Adaptation Body, and combined with the Magma Pools on the Red Soil Plain, escaping was certainly a very normal affair. ¡°Haha, indeed quite substantial.¡± After exchanging pleasantries, Richard began to share the idea he had conceived on the road with Vladimir. This idea, if put into practice, would definitely enhance the efficiency of war. But after hearing it, Vladimir frowned and took a deep drag from his pipe. ¡°Not bad,¡± he said, ¡°no wonder Jolod said you have a lot of clever tricks up your sleeve. But¡­¡± Vladimir¡¯s tone shifted, ¡°Your idea has already been proposed by others, but it was abandoned by the Great Wizard after just a few battles.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Richard was somewhat dumbfounded. Could there be some flaw in the plan that he hadn¡¯t noticed? Vladimir tapped his pipe: ¡°It¡¯s simple, while this approach can quickly end a war, does the speed of war really matter to a Great Wizard?¡± Richard looked around at the bunkers and the traps set with magic arrays. All of them cost money. Ending the war sooner meant that this money would no longer be needed. ¡°Heh, how much could setting up a position cost?¡± Vladimir saw through Richard¡¯s thoughts and scoffed, ¡°That money is nothing compared to what a Great Wizard spends on hiring wizards. ¡°For a Great Wizard, the pace of war is irrelevant. ¡°The wars of nowadays are fast already; a small world can be subdued in just over a hundred years. For a Great Wizard, that¡¯s shorter than a nap. ¡°Moreover, such a plan would inevitably leave behind a relatively intact society after the war¡¯s end. ¡°For wizards, this is a ticking time bomb. ¡°You must understand, we are invaders, and under this premise, any actions taken by the natives against us are naturally justified. ¡°Even if you think you¡¯ve been kind enough to these natives.¡± While speaking, Vladimir pinched some tobacco, filled his pipe, and lit it with a spell. ¡°Besides, we can never be kind to these natives. We¡¯re wizards, not saviors. We embark on planar expeditions for resources and slaves. It¡¯s better to crush these natives completely than to waste effort on a ticking bomb. ¡°After crushing them, we can shape them however we wish.¡± Vladimir was indeed an experienced wizard, veteran of many battles; he identified a multitude of problems with Richard¡¯s idea. After listening to him, Richard too realized that his plan was worthless to a Great Wizard. ¡°However, your plan does have some merit,¡± Vladimir felt his words might have been too harsh and added, ¡°It¡¯s pretty good for a newly promoted Great Wizard. New Great Wizards are broke, so this method could save some wizard hiring costs, easing the financial pressures on a Great Wizard.¡± Feeling somewhat dejected, Richard exhaled, ¡°Master, you don¡¯t need to comfort me. I was just being presumptuous.¡± Vladimir raised an eyebrow and then steered the conversation toward Magic Support Vehicles. Now that Richard was back, it was time to schedule the design and optimization of the Magic Support Vehicles according to their performance in battle. Vladimir hadn¡¯t forgotten his promise; he clearly remembered his commitment to help Richard iron out some minor issues. ¡°The Magic Support Vehicles performed decently on the battlefield. Our four vehicles fired at their limits, killing about a dozen Fire Lizards, including one Second Level Fire Lizard that was critically injured. If we increase the number of Magic Support Vehicles, the impact they can have will naturally grow. The main issue with the Magic Support Vehicles lies in their mobility.¡± Richard took out a bundle of draft papers from his pocket. Over the years, when he had the time, he had pondered optimizations for the Magic Support Vehicles, and these papers were the result of his efforts. Vladimir took the drafts and started to look them over, nodding slightly with each one he reviewed. After finishing the bundle, Vladimir pulled out a feather pen from his pocket and began making some changes to a few of the drafts. After making the changes, Vladimir handed the drafts back to Richard: ¡°Not bad optimization, but some areas could be improved.¡± Richard looked at the changes Vladimir made and couldn¡¯t help but be amazed. An experienced old wizard certainly had his ways; he improved upon the optimization plan that Richard had taken so long to develop after just a brief review. ¡°Thank you, Master,¡± Richard respectfully said. Vladimir waved his hand nonchalantly, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t go back on my word.¡± Returning from the front lines, Richard began to undertake upgrades and substitutions for the Magic Support Vehicles that had already been delivered, providing technical support while the Legion supplied the materials. With the Magic Support Vehicles thoroughly tested, Richard¡¯s life became peaceful. After upgrading over four hundred Magic Support Vehicles, Richard submerged himself in the laboratory. There was much he could work on. He could replace the gemstone on his staff with a high-quality Flame Gem obtained from Bob, refine the patterns and skills on the Alchemy Sabers, alter the Pioneer¡¯s technology, research the blue flames from the Magma Sea, as well as the flesh of the Mutated Flame Giant Beast. Reflecting on his gains, Richard couldn¡¯t help but sigh to himself: ¡°Plane wars really are great places to make a fortune!¡± Chapter 247 - 31 The Mountain Rain is about to Fall Chapter 247: Chapter 31 The Mountain Rain is about to Fall ¡°Crawl, grasp my hand.¡± At the border between the Wizard Control Zone and the Morick Empire, a female Fire Lizard called out to her child to grasp her hand, while below the child, a male Fire Lizard was lifting his child up as high as he possibly could. Around the female, a group of Fire Lizards, whose strength was at most that of a senior Knight, waited for the last family in the group. Although this family had slowed down the group¡¯s pace, they still had not been abandoned by the group. Speeding up the march would not allow them to evade the patrol teams, but that child named Crawl, who appeared a bit silly, had a way of uplifting everyone¡¯s spirits. Their location was at the corner of the Ashen Mountains of the Morick Empire, a mountain range extending thousands of kilometers which served as a natural dividing line for both the Fire Lizards and the Wizards. What this group of Fire Lizards was doing was the legendary act of smuggling. The war between the Wizards and the Fire Lizards had been ongoing for thirty-five years, and taxation within the Fire Lizard Empire had been increasingly incremented. In certain regions, under the demands of some corrupt officials, seventy percent of the yearly revenue had to be surrendered to the Empire. Very few Fire Lizards could withstand this level of taxation. Uprisings and civil unrest broke out intermittently within the Three Great Empires, with those in the Linksa Empire even spreading across half of the Empire, requiring Commander Balashar of the Dragon Beast Knight Order to dispatch troops personally for suppression. Under the oppressive taxation, the brilliance of the Fire Lizard King had dimmed, and among the Fire Lizards, there was a rumor that the Wizards had no interest in ordinary Fire Lizards. In that dark realm, untouched by the Fire Lizard King¡¯s light, even the Fire Dragon Grass grew more luxuriantly. The female Fire Lizard pulled with all her might, bringing her child into her embrace, and as soon as the male Fire Lizard below saw that his child was safe, he quickly climbed up. The group eyed the gray mountain hollow not far off¡ªonce they passed through this hollow, they would be entering the Wizard Control Zone. At that point, a vast land awaited them, free to move about and live as they pleased. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± said the Fire Lizard leading the group. ¡°We need to move quickly and try to get through this hollow before sunset.¡± Hearing this, the others remained silent, only gripping the sticks for climbing tighter in their hands. It was finally coming to an end. The leader of the group went first, and the others followed. The Ashen Mountains were rife with obsidian, which, when shattered, was as sharp as a steel blade. If one were to roll down the mountain, they¡¯d be lucky to die halfway down; the less lucky ones would be as if they¡¯d rolled down a hill of knives, their bodies lacerated as if they¡¯d been put to death by slow slicing. Suddenly, a Fire Lizard slipped and tumbled down the slope, quickly becoming bloodstained from abrasions against the obsidian. ¡°Save me! Save me!¡± But all the other Fire Lizards silently turned their gaze away¡ªthe Fire Lizard was beyond saving. Shortly, the Fire Lizard collided with a massive piece of obsidian, and its head bore a gaping bloody hole. There were sighs among the Fire Lizards; they had seen such scenes many times and had grown numb inside. After half a day¡¯s journey, the group finally came down the mountain. Past this hollow, they would escape the harsh taxation and encounter a new life. ¡°Halt, you traitors!¡± A voice echoed from the mountain top, and the Fire Lizards turning around saw an individual clad in a red robe, with a golden Dragon Claw Shield emblazoned on their chest, looking at them. ¡°Cease your movement now, or I will treat you like the traitors you are!¡± The Fire Lizard leader saw the emblem on the red-robed Fire Lizard¡¯s chest and went pale. ¡°It¡¯s Merrick¡¯s Shield!¡± Merrick¡¯s Shield, an organization that had rapidly risen amidst the war against the Wizards. Under the leadership of Azuhan and Akala, Merrick¡¯s Shield had become the Jinyiwei of the Morick Empire, encompassing investigations, arrests, trials, and imprisonment. Completely independent of the judiciary, it answered directly to the Fire Lizard King. In the campaign against the Black Wizards within Morick, Merrick¡¯s Shield had shown remarkable effectiveness. Among the Three Great Empires, the Morick Empire was the least affected by the Black Wizards, followed by the Mias Empire, which had the shortest frontline with the Wizards. As for the Linksa Empire¡­ the Black Wizards could even control the candidates for Linksa¡¯s Eye. Had it not been for the operations of the Dragon Beast Base causing heavy losses to the Black Wizards, the Linksa Empire would by now have become a garden for the Black Wizards. To reduce the efficiency of Merrick¡¯s Shield, the Black Wizards began spreading rumors among the populace, painting Merrick¡¯s Shield as a dark organization that wantonly took lives and killed at whim. In the present Morick Empire, fearmongering phrases such as ¡°Behave, or Merrick¡¯s Shield will take you away¡± had even begun to scare children. The group, staring at the Fire Lizard at the mountain top, suddenly heard someone shout. ¡°Run! Better to die here than to be captured by them!¡± In an instant, the entire group scattered in all directions, running desperately towards the dark lands beyond the hollow, not illuminated by the Fire Lizard King. Seeing this, the Fire Lizard standing atop the mountain couldn¡¯t help but show a wry smile. Had you stayed, this could have been as if it had never happened. But now that you¡¯re fleeing, I can only fulfill my duty. He drew a Black Gold Scimitar from his waist, then leaped from the summit. Before Merrick¡¯s Shield¡¯s elite forces, these ordinary civilian Fire Lizards stood no chance. Before long, the Fire Lizard reached the last one in the group. The small fellow looked around dumbly, seemingly not understanding what was happening. Beside him, a female Fire Lizard lay on the ground, her neck half-severed by a sharp piece of obsidian. ¡°Child, what¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°¡­ Crawl.¡± ¡°Crawl, huh? That¡¯s a good name; my son is also called Crawl.¡± ¡°Mister, what¡¯s wrong with my mom? She¡¯s bleeding a lot.¡± The Fire Lizard did not reply; he did not know how to explain the meaning of death to the little one before him. He walked over to Crawly and lifted him up from the ground. There wasn¡¯t a trace of hesitation in his heart about killing these traitors. Treason was treason, no matter the reasons behind it. But children should be innocent. ¡°Uncle, where are you taking me? My mom told me not to go with strangers.¡± Crawly didn¡¯t struggle when suddenly picked up; he still wore that dumbfounded expression, gazing cluelessly at the Fire Lizard who lifted him. The Fire Lizard didn¡¯t answer. He flicked his finger lightly, knocking Crawly out cold. He really had no expertise when it came to childcare. The questions Crawly asked should be left to those professional Fire Lizards in the rear. ¡­ The Royal Capital of the Morick Empire featured a very lavish Pyramid structure. ¡°Azuhan, there have been more and more smuggling cases recently.¡± Akala draped herself over the desk, speaking listlessly to the male Fire Lizard opposite her. This was the headquarters of Merrick¡¯s Shield, and also Akala¡¯s former bedroom. The Azuhan across from her was flipping through documents. Hearing Akala¡¯s words, he sighed helplessly. ¡°It¡¯s normal. The Empire¡¯s taxation has reached its limit, and those Black Wizards continue to wreak havoc within the Empire¡¯s borders. The smuggling cases will only increase over time.¡± ¡°Is there any solution, Azuhan?¡± Like a deflated fish, Akala flipped over, ¡°People below have been coming to me with suggestions non-stop. They¡¯d rather pretend to be slaves and infiltrate the inner circles of the Black Wizards than to hunt down smugglers. Is it that difficult to crack down on smugglers?¡± Azuhan looked up at Akala: ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. Slaughtering the defenseless is a burden for most people. Only scum can massacre those who are utterly powerless without feeling stressed.¡± With that, Azuhan sighed again. ¡°Who would have thought that one day having strict recruitment standards would become a burden? If it were Linksa¡¯s Eye from next door, they would probably compete for the job.¡± ¡°So what, do we need to recruit some scum to deal with border enforcement too?¡± Azuhan shook his head: ¡°No need. If we really recruited scum, it would just prove the Black Wizards¡¯ rumors true. Besides, cracking down on smugglers is a short-term fix, not a solution. As long as the domestic taxes aren¡¯t lowered, the number of smugglers will only increase.¡± As he spoke, Azuhan took a document from a drawer and threw it to Akala. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Akala caught the document blankly and started flipping through it. Her lazy expression quickly turned serious. ¡°You¡¯re closing the net?¡± Akala put the document down, her gaze sharp as a blade. Azuhan nodded: ¡°It¡¯s getting late already. My father and Marshal Donar¡¯s plan is complete. What remains is resource mobilization and troop deployment. During this period, we must ensure the security of the Empire¡¯s internal intelligence.¡± ¡°What about the other two Empires?¡± ¡°The Minar Empire is still hesitating, while Marshal Balashar of the Linksa Empire has responded, saying he will fully support our operation.¡± Akala frowned: ¡°Minar is still hesitating?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Azuhan spoke indifferently, ¡°The bunch of bastards still hopes to bleed us more through the Wizards, hoping to reap a windfall later.¡± Akala couldn¡¯t help but shake her head. With such calculations at a time like this, could their counterattack really achieve the anticipated effects? ¡°I¡¯ll handle the closing of the net. Some of these Black Wizards are tricky, the common Silver Horns will likely not suffice.¡± ¡°Oh ho, our Princess wants to enter the battlefield personally?¡± ¡°Azuhan! Address me by my title when we¡¯re working!¡± ¡°Ha-ha-ha, may you triumph and return, my Deputy Director.¡± ¡­ Nine Star Chamber of Commerce shop. ¡°Our Black Wizards in the Morick Empire have been hit hard?¡± S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Richard looked at Bob next to him in astonishment. ¡°Not just Morick,¡± Bob said with a mysterious face, ¡°our arrangements in Linksa have also suffered significant damage. I heard that several Three Rings Masters have died.¡± Richard took a sharp breath. What¡¯s happening to this world? Were these Fire Lizards trying to defy heaven? ¡°No, something¡¯s not right. How could the Fire Lizards suddenly launch such a widespread attack on Black Wizards, unless¡­¡± Richard didn¡¯t finish his sentence because Bob across from him had already voiced his speculation. ¡°Exactly, the Fire Lizards are beginning their counterattack.¡± The 35th year of war, the Fire Lizards¡¯ first wave of counterattack was finally coming. Chapter 248 - 32 The Counterattack Begins Chapter 248: Chapter 32 The Counterattack Begins ¡°Technical consultant Richard, due to the critical war situation, you have been urgently conscripted by the command center. Coordinates for your station have been sent to your Crystal Ball. Please be in position within three days, detailed handover will be conducted on site.¡± The indifferent female voice from the command center echoed through the crystal ball, and Richard looked up at it for a moment before standing, stretching his limbs. ¡°Half a year has passed, has the counterattack finally begun?¡± Half a year earlier, Richard had received news from Bob that the Fire Lizard Empire was about to counterattack. The heavy blows suffered by the Black Wizards behind the Fire Lizard lines, the frequent movements of the Fire Lizard troops, and the terrifying aura occasionally emanating from the Fire Lizard Empire¡¯s royal capital, all made it clear to both sides that a great war was about to commence. ¡°However, this is also just right. I can finally test the effectiveness of this thing.¡± Richard glanced at the experimental platform where a strangely shaped long knife, completely black with serrated edges, lay quietly. With Bob¡¯s help, Richard had acquired much knowledge about alchemy machines from three One Ring Alchemy Wizards using the upgraded Sacrificial Fungus in exchange. It took him ten years of spare time to learn this knowledge, and another five to design and simplify the components of the chainsaw sword he¡¯d developed to ensure it wouldn¡¯t malfunction during intense combat. Now, the time to test the results had come. After preparing his magic equipment, Richard walked out of the laboratory. Within the Floating City Fortress, streaks of light flashed across the sky¡ªone after another, wizards busy at work, as the start of the war had also busied these logistic wizards who had been at ease for over a decade. Richard took out a map and matched it with the coordinates the command center had given him. ¡°Strange, why are these coordinates so close to the Floating City Fortress? Surely the war hasn¡¯t reached this point.¡± The coordinates given by the command center were only thirty kilometers away from the Floating City. If the Fire Lizards had advanced to this position, they should be fighting for the defense of the Floating City by now. With his doubts, Richard quickly reached his assigned position. Upon arrival, Richard instantly understood what was going on. In front of him, more than four hundred Magic Support Vehicles were neatly arranged in a huge parking lot. ¡°Master Richard, long time no see.¡± S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A wizard descended from one of the vehicles, greeting Richard familiarly. Richard took a closer look; it was Damir, who had carried out a support mission with him back in the day. ¡°Damir, it¡¯s been a while,¡± Richard responded. ¡°And me, Master Richard.¡± Another wizard hopped down from the vehicle next to Damir. Upon further inspection, wasn¡¯t this Iyad, the captain of the squad? Was this a mission that turned the squad into specialists? ¡°Captain Iyad, what¡¯s going on here? Has your White Wizard squad turned into a dedicated battlefield fire brigade?¡± Richard asked with some astonishment. Iyad smiled, ¡°Pretty much. The squad had too many losses to recruit new members easily. We didn¡¯t want to join a new squad, so we applied to the command center to join the support vehicle team.¡± Speaking of the past, Iyad¡¯s face visibly darkened¡ªthe Fire Lizards¡¯ barrage of arrows had wiped out half of the squad, and the subsequent pursuit had resulted in the annihilation of the entire team, with only three reviving from the soul box. Seeing his expression, Richard also heaved a sigh. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about the past,¡± Iyad waved the topic away, ¡°Master, your coming here must be because you received the command center¡¯s urgent conscription. Let me introduce to you our mission, and yours as well.¡± Iyad led Richard to an empty Magic Support Vehicle, ¡°Master, our mission is just as you said, we¡¯re the battlefield¡¯s fire brigade. Wherever there¡¯s a problem, we¡¯ll go to support. Once the support is done, we can retreat to a safe location to maintain the Magic Support Vehicles, then wait for new orders from the command center. Your task is to follow us on missions and handle repairs whenever a Magic Support Vehicle is damaged. We only have so many vehicles; lose one, and it¡¯s one less. Right now, the Teleportation Gates aren¡¯t open, and materials from the Wizard World can¡¯t be transported over. We have to cherish these war machines.¡± Richard nodded after hearing this, ¡°Sounds quite relaxing.¡± ¡°Relaxing, indeed.¡± Iyad smiled, ¡°But our easy days all depend on how the frontline combat goes. As an advisor to the Wizard Commerce, you must know how many casting components the army has purchased. Casting components aren¡¯t as easily restored as Magic Conduction Components. Once we run out of casting components, we have to join the frontline and fight those Fire Lizards.¡± Richard Jolod¡¯s commerce with the White Wizard Army did not cease with the start of the war. Before it began, Richard had moved all the materials for producing Magic Support Vehicles into the Secret Realm. In the ten years leading up to the war, he had delivered the remaining Magic Support Vehicles. After Richard returned from disappearing, the army purchased three thousand casting components from him. These components were priced at five Magic Essences each, but once they melted, the Wizard Commerce had to recycle them at two Magic Essences, putting the effective purchase price at three Magic Essences. The price was low, profit margins weren¡¯t high¡ªit was all about volume and a continuous flow. ¡°Let¡¯s hope these Fire Lizards are a bit more foolish,¡± Richard said with a laugh. ¡­ The Fire Lizard¡¯s counterattack was extremely sharp, starting from the Linksa Empire in the east to the Minar Empire in the west, every battlefront maintained by the Wizards was under assault. Seas of Fire Lizard Warriors relentlessly stormed the fortress clusters, which had originally been cities belonging to the Fire Lizards. After the transformation by the White Wizards, these cities had become fortresses. Alchemy Weapons poured deadly fire from the bunker¡¯s gunports, but after prolonged combat with the Wizards, the Fire Lizards had already devised methods to counter the Alchemy Wizards. They dispersed their formations, maintaining a certain distance between each warrior, and this distance was conveniently the limit of the Wizards¡¯ Alchemy Magic Stone Cannons. Under the provocation of the Wizards, the Fire Lizards had even developed something akin to skirmish lines. But despite this, attacking the fortress clusters still resulted in heavy casualties for the Fire Lizards. The Spells fired by the Alchemy Weapons were still Spells, once concealed, could cause a Magic Concentrated Fire effect. A large number of Fire Elements gathered due to the Spells, causing the temperature across the battlefield to continuously rise, even resulting in phenomena such as Fire Element Storms. Elemental Storms were troublesome for both sides, causing vast casualties among the Fire Lizards and also gradually wearing down the enchantments on the fortress clusters and triggering Magic Array traps. Behind the Fire Lizard lines, giant Dragon-turtles carrying Dragon Breath Cannons were slowly approaching the battlefield. To avoid revealing their main thrust, the movement of such strategic weapons had only begun on the eve of war. ¡°Report to the command center, tell them observation post 23 has spotted at least thirty strategic weapons.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± With the emergence of the Dragon Breath Cannons, naturally, the Wizards¡¯ fortress clusters raised Magic Barriers one after another. These Magic Barriers were meticulously designed to withstand the might of Dragon Breath Cannons. ¡°Wu¡ª¡ª¡± The melodious sound of horns came from the Fire Lizard¡¯s rear, and the Fire Lizards operating the Dragon Breath Cannons started to act according to the melody of the horns. ¡°Three rounds of firing, fire at will.¡± It was hard to imagine, operating such colossal Dragon Breath Cannons required only a single Fire Lizard. The Fire Lizard operating the Dragon Breath Cannon touched its head to a piece of black crystal on the back of the Dragon-turtle¡¯s neck, and in an instant, massive amounts of information flowed into the Fire Lizard¡¯s brain through the black crystal. At this moment, its spirit was connected with the Dragon-turtle; it felt what the Dragon-turtle felt, and without the Dragon-turtle¡¯s huge brain to process this information, upon connection, it felt as if its own brain was boiling. ¡°Focus, focus!¡± The Fire Lizard, well-trained and familiar with this sensation, concentrated hard and then controlled the volcano on the Dragon-turtle¡¯s back to fire. In truth, the so-called Dragon Breath Cannon was merely a tremendous Dragon Beast¡¯s Talent Ability. Golden Fireballs erupted from the volcano on the Dragon-turtle¡¯s back, fiercely striking the Magic Barrier of the fortress clusters, creating ripples after ripples. The Wizards had conquered so many worlds; if their constructed Magic Barriers were said to withstand Dragon Breath Cannons, they would withstand them. But as the Dragon Breath Cannons kept bombarding, the Wizards gradually realized something was wrong. These Fire Lizard attacks seemed to intentionally tempt the fortresses to use Spells for attack, with the concentration of Fire Elements on the battlefield continuously soaring, to the extent that some Elemental creatures enslaved by Wizards felt as if they were back in their home. And with such a high concentration of Fire Elements, it naturally resulted in fiercer Fire Element Storms. Boom boom! The Fire Element hurricanes continuously attacked the Magic Barriers, and under the bombardment of the Dragon Breath Cannons, the Fire Element Storms even showed signs of intensifying. At this moment, the Wizards finally understood what these Fire Lizards were up to. Within the fortress clusters, a White Wizard elder watched the continually rippling Magic Barrier and calmly said, ¡°Thinking to use Elemental Storms to break the Magic Barriers, these Fire Lizards are quite clever.¡± Behind him, several Wizards with extraordinary presences were sitting in the room, receiving intelligence from various parts of the battlefront. A young Wizard approached the elder, his expression somewhat tense. ¡°Master, what do we do in this situation? The Magic Power consumption of the Magic Barrier is too great; if this continues, our Magic Power reserves will be exhausted in just a few days.¡± The elder Wizard glanced at his pupil, speaking in a stern tone, ¡°What¡¯s the panic about? Among the worlds the Wizards have conquered, there are countless races smarter than these Fire Lizards. This strategy of theirs is nothing but a trifling trick.¡± With that, he took out a Crystal Ball and issued several commands. ¡°Prepare the Elemental Puppets, I want to see them on the battlefield in half an hour.¡± The curious young Wizard asked, ¡°Master, what¡¯s an Elemental Puppet? I haven¡¯t heard of it before.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± replied the elder Wizard dismissively, ¡°Just a small trick to deal with an Elemental Storm.¡± Chapter 249 - 33: The Meat Grinder Chapter 249: Chapter 33: The Meat Grinder Twenty minutes later, a group of Alchemy Wizards arrived at the edge of the Magic Barrier with a huge metal skeleton. The metal skeleton was enormous, measuring a full four meters in length, and its center was filled with dense, human-like metal structures. The Wizards set the skeleton down, and the leading Wizard took out a scorching Element Core from his pocket and placed it in the very center of the structure. The Element Core was the heart of an Elemental creature, and as it was integrated, mystical Runes began to light up on the metal skeleton. Thirty seconds later, all the Runes on the skeleton were activated. At the moment of full activation, the Wizards could distinctly feel a wave of heat rushing toward them. Near the skeleton, Fire Elements were gathering towards it. The leading Wizard gestured, and all the other Alchemy Wizards except him retreated deep into their position, leaving him alone. He leaned on his Magic Wand, silently watching the Fire Elements wrap around the skeleton. Five minutes later, a thick layer of Crimson Flames formed over the skeleton due to the rich Fire Elements. The remaining Wizard waved his Magic Wand, and the skeleton stood up from the ground. No, it could no longer be called just a skeleton. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Fire Elements had given the skeleton the power to move, acting as its muscles and sinews, and it now also had a ¡°heart.¡± At this moment, the skeleton had become a man-made Flame Giant. The Wizard pointed forward with his Magic Wand, and the Flame Giant took steps out of the Magic Barrier. Outside the Magic Barrier, an Elemental Storm raged fiercely. The violent Elemental Storm battered the newly formed skin and flesh of the Flame Giant, as if slashing it with a steel knife. The Flame Giant emitted a silent roar and then drew a breath. Inhale! In the next instant, the flames that made up the Flame Giant¡¯s flesh increased significantly. Facing the all-encompassing Elemental Storm, the Flame Giant resembled Don Quixote charging at windmills. The intense battlefield Fire Elements were continuously absorbed by the Flame Giant, these Elements filled the Giant¡¯s body, transforming it from skeletal to immensely robust. But even so, the Flame Giant was still like Don Quixote. The Elemental Storm was too vast; even when combined, the Magic Barriers of the positions could barely withstand it. The Elements absorbed by a single Flame Giant were merely a drop in the bucket for the Storm. To solve this issue, the Battlefield Command had their answer. ¡°Release all of the Elemental Puppets from storage.¡± The white-bearded old Wizard ordered calmly, then chuckled to his colleagues, ¡°You see, I told you these things would be useful. Let¡¯s see who dares say I¡¯m carrying unnecessary items now.¡± One wasn¡¯t enough, so send ten. If ten weren¡¯t enough, then send a hundred! One by one, Flame Giants were dispatched, and the concentration of Fire Elements on the battlefield began to drop steadily. As long as the Elemental concentration decreased, the Elemental Storm would cease on its own. ¡­ ¡°These Wizards are not simple, huh.¡± In the Fire Lizard Command, the Commander stood at the observation point, quietly watching the Wizards dismantle their meticulously prepared Elemental Storm using Elemental Puppets. ¡°Sir, what should we do next?¡± A Fire Lizard staff officer stepped forward and asked, ¡°Without the Elemental Storm to break through that barrier, our attack would take a very long time.¡± The Commander glanced at his subordinate, a young Fire Lizard who had come from the rear and hadn¡¯t fought against the Wizards much. ¡°Why do you think that without that barrier, we would be able to quickly conquer this city made up of fortresses?¡± The Fire Lizard staff officer was at a loss for words. ¡°Kid, you haven¡¯t dealt with these Wizards much, so I¡¯ll forgive you for that foolish remark,¡± the Fire Lizard Commander spoke indifferently. ¡°My father fought against these Wizards for twenty years, and at that time, I was his deputy. After his death, I took over his position and have been fighting these Wizards for another fifteen years. Do you know what conclusion I¡¯ve drawn from thirty-five years of war?¡± The Fire Lizard staff officer shook his head. The Fire Lizard Commander grinned widely, revealing his sharp fangs. ¡°If you want to reduce casualties in a war with the Wizards, you need to think strategically. But if you want to win a war against the Wizards, you can¡¯t care about casualties. Our biggest advantage over the Wizards is that we have more troops!¡± The Fire Lizard Commander¡¯s eyes were as fierce as an Evil Ghost as he spoke, with decades of warfare having turned him into a monster clad in Fire Lizard skin. He summoned the Order Officer and conveyed his command. ¡°Pass the word to continue the assault as planned. The Elemental Storm was just support; real breaches in their defenses can only be made with warrior¡¯s Flesh and Blood!¡± ¡­ The Fire Lizard¡¯s counterattack line stretched long, from the Linksa Empire in the east to the Minar Empire in the west. Yet, on this vast line of battle, commanders of different nations, backgrounds, and statuses made the same decision. The Blood of Fire Lizard warriors could fill the capitals of the Three Great Empires, and piles of their bodies could reach higher than mountains. Yet, still, the counteroffensive continued. The Magic Barrier dimmed under the bombardment of Dragon Breath Cannons and eventually vanished completely. Then the Dragon Turtles began moving towards the battlefield¡ªthese Dragon Turtles were not only moving artillery but also War Beasts for besieging. Thud! Thud! Thud! The dragon turtle, colossal as a hill, approached the battlefield step by step, and the Wizards within the fortress could even feel the fortress trembling. Alchemy Weapons let out a silent roar, but it was not just the dragon turtle that was moving forward. A group of shield-carrying Samurais with specially crafted metal large shields advanced alongside the dragon turtle, and behind them, tens of thousands of Fire Lizard Warriors were ready to storm the fortress at any moment. The shield-carrying Samurais acted like a living shield, continuously fending off the powerful Spells for the dragon turtle. As for those Spells of average power, when they landed on the dragon turtle, they merely broke a few scales, causing minimal damage to the dragon turtle. Spells fell, shields shattered, warriors perished, and then new warriors joined the ranks. The Wizards¡¯ Magic Power was depleting every second, while the Fire Lizard Warriors seemed infinite. Thud! Thud! Thud! The dragon turtle drew closer, and the Wizards within the fortress could now see the fierce and frantic expressions of the Fire Lizards atop it. These Fire Lizards gnashed teeth and lapped at blood with a look in their eyes that was both ferocious and insane. The Wizards could assert that these Fire Lizards would not hesitate to die, even if it meant trading one for one or even two for one with them. ¡°The fringe squad retreat, the fringe squad prepare to retreat.¡± Orders from the battlefield command center came through the Communication Crystal Ball, and the White Wizard squad that received the orders immediately began to dismantle the Alchemy Weapons, preparing to enter the rear fortress. The entire city had been transformed by the White Wizards into a fortress; the loss of the forward fortress didn¡¯t matter. But before the White Wizards had completed their withdrawal, the War Beasts revealed their fangs. The dragon turtles opened their massive jaws, and terrifying Dragon Breaths spewed forth from their mouths. After all, the dragon turtles carried the word ¡®dragon¡¯, and what Giant Dragon did not have a Breath? However, the central battlefield command center suddenly became eerily calm. ¡°It seems these natives have also made quite some progress,¡± the white-bearded old Wizard said solemnly, ¡°These dragon turtles have been modified by them; I suspect this modification to be the result of the hidden Lost Heritage of the Morick Empire.¡± The other Wizards in the command center remained silent, for the Morick Empire was the strongest among the Three Great Empires, and the reason for this, aside from their Fire Lizard King being slightly stronger than the other two Fire Lizard Kings, was that the Morick Empire had more Lost Heritage in its possession than the others. According to intelligence from the Black Wizards, the Lost Heritage of the Morick Empire, besides the Dragon Curse Sorcerer modifications, contained another portion that was hidden. Now it seemed that the hidden portion was most likely the modification of the dragon turtles present. ¡°Master, the frontline Wizard¡¯s evaluation report is out,¡± a Wizard suddenly stood up, his Crystal glowing faintly in hand. ¡°Read it.¡± ¡°These dragon turtles have increased their defense by a hundred Energy Levels, their Physique has reached the limit of third-level creatures, and the intensity of their Breath is between twelve hundred to eighteen hundred Energy Levels.¡± The white-bearded old Wizard furrowed his brows, looking at the dragon turtles that continued to advance, he issued an order: ¡°Bring out the Minor Disintegrator Cannon; if we don¡¯t deal with this thing, our fortress cluster will be a joke.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± After the command, the white-bearded Wizard refocused his gaze on the battlefield. Behind the dragon turtles, like a tide, dense masses of Fire Lizards were entering the city through the breach. ¡°This battle is not going to be easy.¡± ¡­ The frontline war raged fiercely, while the rear battlefield fire brigades had it much easier. After thirty-five years of warfare, the defensive lines could not be called impregnable, but breaching them in a short time would be impossible. Therefore, the support vehicle squadron also had nothing to do for the time being. Richard roamed the Magic Support Vehicle workshop, occasionally using Alchemy to check whether there was anything amiss with the vehicles. This was already his tenth time doing so in the last seven days. And behind him, Damir followed him like a shadow. Richard turned around, somewhat helplessly looking at this somewhat obsessive Alchemy Wizard. After Damir learned that the Magic Support Vehicle was designed by Richard, he hung onto Richard like an adoring fan encountering a star, barraging him with questions. Some questions were quite peculiar, like whether Richard preferred gears or levers, and some were a bit over the top, even touching upon some of the technical aspects of the Magic Support Vehicles. Luckily, Iyad was also in the team, and after Richard found him, he quickly reprimanded Damir. With his former superior keeping him in check, Damir had somewhat reined in his behavior, but today, for some reason, he started pestering Richard again. ¡°Damir, what exactly do you want?¡± Richard said with an unpleasant tone. If not for the fact that, before the war, all Wizards had signed a Soul Contract prohibiting subjective harm on one another, Richard would have long ago smacked this inconsiderate Alchemy Wizard to death with his Magic Wand. No Black Wizard liked having another Wizard behind his back. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Master Richard, just go about your business,¡± Damir said, shrinking back a bit sheepishly. Richard pulled out his Magic Wand, releasing the pressure of a Second Ring Wizard: ¡°You¡¯d better make your purpose clear, I don¡¯t like people following behind me.¡± Although Wizards could not harm each other subjectively, Sealing Skill was not included in that prohibition. ¡°Well¡­ I have an idea I¡¯d like to discuss with you, Master¡­¡± Before Damir could finish his sentence, the command center issued orders through the Communication Crystal Ball. ¡°Position Thirteen has been breached, Number One and Number Two support vehicle squadrons move out.¡± Chapter 250 - 34 Your Requested Fire Support is in Place Chapter 250: Chapter 34 Your Requested Fire Support is in Place The order from the Communication Crystal Ball interrupted Damir¡¯s words. In times of war, missions were the utmost priority, and Richard did not continue to tangle with Damir, quickly returning to his own Magic Support Vehicle, ready to head to Position Forty-three along with Vehicles One and Two to provide support. According to the headquarters¡¯ planning, these more than four hundred Magic Support Vehicles were divided into nine teams, each team consisting of fifty Magic Support Vehicles, and the remaining vehicles were reserves, used to maintain the number of the fleet in case any Magic Support Vehicle suffered irreparable damage. Soon, with the roaring of engines, Teams One and Two started moving. Richard followed behind the two teams and casually pulled Ulysses out of the Secret Realm. As soon as Ulysses entered the Red Sun World, he shivered all over, looked around at the environment, and asked, ¡°Caw, has the war started again?¡± Richard nodded, ¡°It has, the Fire Lizards have started a major counteroffensive, and this battle should be the toughest one of this expedition. If we win, the path ahead will be smooth. If we lose, we can only beat a humiliating retreat.¡± ¡°Caw, those are not bad terms,¡± Ulysses flew onto Richard¡¯s shoulder, ¡°When I was conquering worlds in our place, if I failed, only I could leave. All my crows and their descendants had to stay in the Otherworld. You at least have a Floating City to take you away.¡± Although entering a world with the Floating City consumed a great deal of time, that was the most reliable and safest way. But if one needed to flee, there wasn¡¯t a need to be so particular. Forcibly tearing through the World Barrier to fly out of the world was also possible, but the cost could be the entire Floating City being shredded by the Power of World Origin. ¡°Don¡¯t your invasions into worlds have fortresses like Floating Cities?¡± Richard curiously asked. ¡°Caw, no, we would drop our soldiers into the Divine Country, and then the World Master would enter the world alone.¡± ¡°Then when you fled, why didn¡¯t you take those crows and their descendants with you?¡± Ulysses looked at Richard as if he were a fool, ¡°Caw, being distracted when fleeing, are you asking to die even faster?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Position Thirteen was about three hundred kilometers from Richard¡¯s starting point; the Magic Support Vehicles, operating at full speed, could reach their destination in less than three hours. On the way, Richard unexpectedly saw Wizards with Synthetic Beasts moving in the wilderness, seemingly searching for something. ¡°Ulysses, go see what these Wizards are doing,¡± Richard said. At his words, Ulysses flew out of the cockpit, and soon, he came back. ¡°Caw, it¡¯s nothing, they¡¯re just cleaning up Fire Lizards living in your control area,¡± he reported. ¡°Cleaning up Fire Lizards?¡± Richard suddenly thought of a Fire Lizard village he had passed by accidentally more than a decade ago. ¡°Are they clearing out those ordinary Fire Lizards?¡± ¡°Caw, seems like it; I didn¡¯t see any Level 1 Creatures among the Fire Lizards,¡± Ulysses replied. Richard didn¡¯t ask any more. He knew that the command headquarters could tolerate the existence of these ordinary Fire Lizards before the war started, but now, they must ensure absolute safety within their control zone. These Fire Lizards living in the Wizard¡¯s Control Zone, although mostly ordinary Fire Lizards who couldn¡¯t survive within the Fire Lizard Empire, would not be spared by the command if there were any chance that they were infiltrators from the Fire Lizard forces. ¡°Sigh, what a pity,¡± Richard suddenly sighed. ¡°Caw, what¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve developed some sort of sympathy for those Fire Lizards?¡± Richard cast him a glance, ¡°If my Puppet State plan could have been implemented back then, these Fire Lizard civilians would not only have not drained our forces but would have increased our combat power. But unfortunately, no matter how good my plan is, it¡¯s garbage if the Great Wizard doesn¡¯t need it.¡± Ulysses expressed some confusion, ¡°Caw, if you think your plan is good, just use it yourself when you become a Great Wizard. Hoarding good stuff for oneself is the proper way, why give it away to others?¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly why I¡¯m sighing,¡± Richard said helplessly, ¡°This plan is useless to the Great Wizard. Would it become useful once I¡¯m a Great Wizard? Your position decides your perspective. Once I become a Great Wizard, I won¡¯t use this plan either. This plan is likely to remain just a plan forever.¡± ¡­ Position Thirteen. A massive Dragon Turtle wreaked havoc in the midst of the fortress cluster. Under the immense power of the War Beasts, even the Wizard¡¯s fortresses could not withstand and toppled one by one. Around the Dragon Turtle, shield-bearing Wizards continuously blocked those trying to attack it, while Fire Lizard Warriors engaged in a bloody street fight with Wizards amidst the rubble of fallen fortresses. Even without the support of bunkers, Wizards could still obliterate these Fire Lizards, but there were too many of them. No matter how formidable the Wizards¡¯ individual combat strength was, they could only humiliatingly be traded for lives in the face of the Fire Lizards¡¯ determination. The Commander of the position had already issued a retreat order, hoping to ensure as many Wizards¡¯ survivors as possible. For the Wizards, these fortress cities were only tools for bleeding the Fire Lizards dry; if the tools no longer served their purpose, abandonment naturally followed. ¡°How many have been evacuated?¡± Outside the city, the White Wizard Commander watched the rampaging giant Dragon Turtle, feeling as if his heart was bleeding. Position Thirteen might have been just a small city, but it was a place he had managed for over a decade, every bunker, every trap in the Magic Array, had been personally designed by him. And now, simply because his small position was not equipped with minor disruptor cannons, his position had become the Dragon Turtle¡¯s toy. The Commander knew that although the Dragon Turtle was still within the city, once the Fire Lizards realized there were no more Wizards in the city, they would immediately redirect the beast. ¡°My lord, three hundred have evacuated,¡± someone reported. ¡°Three hundred.¡± The Commander¡¯s face darkened upon hearing the numbers; his position had a total of six hundred people. It had been nearly an hour since his request for support, and only three hundred had been evacuated. Could it be that the rest had all died in battle? The Commander dared not contemplate any further. Headquarters had issued every commander a strategy to preserve manpower, which meant that while positions could be sacrificed when necessary, the number of Wizards had to be maintained. For most Wizards, injuries were merely a matter of two healing spells from an Undead Wizard, or at worst, a matter of swapping out a couple of organs, or even an entire body. As long as the person remained alive, it wouldn¡¯t be long before they became once again a lively fighting force. The bottom line set by Headquarters for these commanders was half; if the number fell below that, the Commanders would be held accountable. The Commander comforted himself: ¡°Perhaps those Wizards are just temporarily entangled and will be able to break free before long.¡± Seconds and minutes passed, and in the blink of an eye, an hour had elapsed. By now, the number of Wizards who had withdrawn reached three hundred and fifty. This number wasn¡¯t high, but it was just above the critical line. The Commander glanced at his pocket watch and waved his hand grandly: ¡°Wait no longer, everyone prepare to retreat to the second line of defense.¡± Upon hearing the order, the withdrawn Wizards immediately formed a formation and began to retreat. However, less than twenty minutes after he had left, a group of Wizards withdrew from the city. This group of Wizards was in very poor condition; most had injuries severe enough to be missing arms or legs, and the others were critically wounded Wizards in a state of near death, with only parts of their bodies remaining. The leading Wizard, seeing the empty gathering point, immediately took out a map Crystal Ball. After confirming multiple times they hadn¡¯t taken a wrong turn, the lead Wizard¡¯s face turned pale, nearly dropping the Crystal Ball to the ground. A Wizard noticed the team leader¡¯s expression and felt a sudden sense of foreboding. ¡°Captain¡­ have we arrived too late?¡± The leading Wizard closed his eyes and gently nodded his head. They were too late; the main force had already retreated towards the second line of defense. But when fortune does not arrive in pairs, misfortune does. Just as they confirmed that the main force had already retreated, a squad of Fire Lizards began to chase them down on their retreat path. Upon seeing the group of Wizards, the Fire Lizards instantly became excited. The leading Fire Lizard reached for the horn at his waist to summon comrades, while the Wizards tried to stop him, but as soon as the spell was cast, a shield-bearing Wizard appeared beside the Fire Lizard blowing the horn. ¡°We¡¯re done for, we¡¯ve been spotted,¡± a Wizard said with a wry smile. The team leader, seeing that the Fire Lizards had discovered their trail, couldn¡¯t help feeling dizzy for a moment. But as captain, duty prevented him from giving up immediately. ¡°Retreat, pay no attention to this group of Fire Lizards,¡± the captain ordered with a steady tone. Hearing the command, the squad of Wizards looked towards their captain, whose orders became their mainstay, making them feel as though there was still hope of survival. They could not see the captain¡¯s despair, or perhaps they did, but chose to ignore it. In a desperate situation, even a straw would be clutched at tightly. The Wizards silently formed up, with the healthiest Wizards at the rear dealing with the approaching Fire Lizards. As soon as their formation was set, they saw a group of Fire Lizard Warriors riding Dragon Beasts appearing at the end of the road. ¡°Go!¡± The captain ordered through clenched teeth, as if he had not seen the approaching Fire Lizards. He did not want to die; he wanted to live. The formation activated, and the gathered Wind Element made every Wizard feel lighter. A pushing force emerged from the Array, making their Flying Technique swifter. But as fast as the Wizards were, the Fire Lizards were faster. The Fire Lizard Warriors on Dragon Beasts wielded their Scimitars, issuing excited roars at the fleeing Wizards. The Wizards were fleeing! Those Wizards who had killed countless Fire Lizards were now fleeing! They excitedly whipped their mounts, urging the Dragon Beasts to go faster, determined to cut off the heads of these Wizards as a symbol of their honor! And behind them, more and more Fire Lizards started to appear. ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± The captain closed his eyes in despair. ¡°Hey, hey, can you hear me?¡± Hmm? S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The captain¡¯s eyes snapped open, and he brought the Communication Crystal Ball to his ear. ¡°Hey, hey, can you hear me?¡± ¡°I can hear you, I can hear you!¡± the captain shouted excitedly. ¡°If you can hear me, keep up your current speed, don¡¯t slow down. I see that you¡¯re not in great shape, but remember, do not slow down.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, we absolutely won¡¯t slow down,¡± the captain¡¯s hands trembled with excitement as he asked, with a quivering voice, ¡°Are you reinforcement?¡± There was no response from the other end of the Crystal Ball, only some unclear noise came through. ¡°That¡¯s it, that angle, don¡¯t touch him, this device is my design, I know it better than you. Hey, what did you say just now?¡± ¡°I asked if you¡¯re reinforcements?¡± ¡°Yes, we are your support. The fire support you called for is in position, just be ready to receive!¡± Chapter 251 - 35: Unexpected Gains Chapter 251: Chapter 35: Unexpected Gains Fireballs streaked across the sky from the distant horizon like falling meteors, tracing scorching hot paths in the air and shimmering with a heart-pounding red light. They fell like a rain of world-ending fire, bringing suffocating heat waves and descending fiercely upon the densely pursuing Fire Lizard squad below. The Fire Lizards, already somewhat scattered in their formation due to the pursuit, disbanded under the sudden onslaught of fireballs. The huge impact force and the rampant currents of the Fire Element mercilessly devoured everything. The Fire Lizards ran in panic, but the relentless fireballs left them nowhere to hide. The air was filled with the smell of charring and the piercing cries of the Fire Lizards, transforming the whole scene into a veritable hell on earth. The captain watched in a daze, suddenly understanding why the Crystal Ball had kept repeating not to decelerate. If they had slowed down, it wouldn¡¯t have been just the Fire Lizards enveloped by this fire rain. Had the command sent an entire legion to support them? At the origin of the fireballs, Richard, wearing Eagle Vision Skill glasses, quietly observed the effects of the Magic Support Vehicle. In thirty seconds, these two squads had launched thirty-six thousand fireballs, almost equivalent to a concentrated fire spell from a White Wizard Army. And his cost was just three hundred Magic Essences. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The other Alchemy Wizards watching the scene were incredulous, having only learned how to operate and repair the Magic Support Vehicle. This was their first real combat experience. Before this real fight, they had estimated the potential of this new weapon, but they never imagined the terrifying effectiveness of the Magic Support Vehicle¡¯s concentrated fire. ¡°Gentlemen, come back to your senses.¡± Richard¡¯s voice, tinged with pride, roused the Alchemy Wizards from their shock, and they looked at him with disbelief and¡­ respect. This respect was not for Richard¡¯s strength, as among them were Alchemy Wizards of Second Ring. They respected Richard¡¯s wisdom, utterly convinced by the firepower of the Magic Support Vehicle in an era when every Academy was a military institution, and every Alchemy Wizard was deeply ingrained with the pursuit of weaponry. ¡°Master Richard.¡± ¡°Master Richard.¡± ¡°Master Richard.¡± ¡­All the Alchemy Wizards present gave Richard a Wizard¡¯s Salute, and the call of ¡°Master Richard¡± was no longer a mere formality but a genuine expression of respect, making Richard somewhat embarrassed. In his view, he was just lucky, and probably less knowledgeable compared to the other Alchemy Wizards present. After all, he was only about three hundred years old. ¡°Master Richard, what do we do next?¡± one wizard asked. ¡°Cough, gentlemen, there¡¯s no need for that,¡± Richard said somewhat awkwardly, ¡°I¡¯m just a technical advisor, responsible for handling those difficult repairs. However you were trained to operate, continue just like that. This is making me somewhat embarrassed.¡± Hearing this, the wizards laughed heartily, and everyone began to operate according to their training procedures. The Magic Support Vehicle team¡¯s first support mission was successfully completed. ¡­ The situation in the war continued to evolve. Initially, the Fire Lizards, due to their strikes on the Black Wizards, caused the Wizards to lose their intelligence advantage, something they were not accustomed to. This unease led to weaknesses in their defenses being exploited by the Fire Lizards. But every wizard in the command was battle-hardened, and after suffering initial losses, they immediately remedied the situation. According to the Fire Lizards¡¯ plan, these breaches were supposed to collapse the entire defensive line. However, the wizards had anticipated this possibility. Under the command¡¯s operations, a second line of defense beyond the first was rapidly employed, greatly delaying the advance of the Fire Lizards. Though the Fire Lizards¡¯ plan to collapse the defensive line was indeed successful in terms of intent, it was as if it had not succeeded. Though they regained a lot of lost territory, the wizards¡¯ defensive line did not collapse. And those heavily fortified wizard cities, armed to the teeth, acted like spikes continuously bleeding out the already weakened Fire Lizard Empire. Suddenly, the war fell into a strange state of stalemate. The Fire Lizards began to replan their offensive, while the wizards stabilized the second defensive line and started building a third. No one knew how long this stalemate would last¡ª it could be over tomorrow, in a week, or perhaps the next second they would be notified to start a new round of warfare. For Richard¡¯s battlefield rescue team, this stalemate provided a rare period of relief. The rescue team¡¯s performance was spread by word of mouth among the supported wizards, praising it as a brilliant weapon, and top military echelons indeed recognized a gem. Naturally, such performances reached the ears of the command through various channels. Thus, the rescue team¡¯s missions during this time became increasingly perilous. After all, there were only so many spell components purchased by the legion, and it was unrealistic to expect Richard to produce a large quantity of them on short notice. Therefore, adhering to the principle of using the best steel on the cutting edge, the tasks assigned to the rescue team became more and more dangerous. Before entering this phase of stalemate, the rescue team had already been deployed twelve times, with enough remaining spell components for three small squads to deploy once more. Therefore, most team members had already returned to the White Wizard squads, as every wizard was crucial at this juncture. In the parking lot, Richard lay on the driving cab of the Magic Support Vehicle, leisurely basking in the sun. Currently, it was December in the Red Sun World, a month where only one sun graced the sky, and its sunlight intensity was perfect for sunbathing. ¡°Ugh, that kid is looking at you again.¡± Ulysses lay beside Richard, under a mushroom fiber sunbed. ¡°Who, Damir?¡± ¡°Ugh, that kid.¡± Ever since their last conversation was interrupted by a task, Damir had never approached Richard again, and Richard was quite happy about it. Richard frowned slightly, ¡°What does this guy want now?¡± ¡°Ugh, who knows. Want to ask him yourself?¡± ¡°Forget it.¡± Not far from Richard, Damir was organizing his thoughts from this period, striving to explain his purpose to Richard in just a few words. He took a Magic Potion from his pocket, drank it all in one gulp, and then strode toward Richard. But he had only taken a few steps when Richard suddenly appeared in the shadow in front of him. ¡°Damir, what do you want from me?¡± Damir was startled; how had Master Richard come over by himself? Could it be that Master Richard had been paying attention to him all along! ¡°Master Richard, do you remember I wanted to discuss an idea with you last time¡­¡± Richard waved his hand abruptly, somewhat rudely interrupting, ¡°No need for chatter, get straight to the point. What do you want?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ simply put, I was hoping to get academic funding from you.¡± ¡°Academic funding?¡± Richard was stunned for a moment; academic funding was an investment by Wizard Society. Many wizards, despite having good ideas, were hesitant to enter the Plane Battlefield to earn big money due to insecurities about their own power, causing their research to stall due to a lack of funding. At this time, if wizards wanted to continue their research, they had to find an academic sponsor¡ªthat is, a financier. Then, they would present their ideas and the potential outcomes to the academic sponsor¡ªto paint a big picture, so to speak, to attract investment. Sponsors often signed a contract with wizards, giving them a large amount of Magic Essence either in lump-sum or in stages, and in return, the wizard would share the results of their research after completion. The reason Richard was stunned was simple; such funding was usually a task for major Wizard Commerce companies. His small recently-established commerce had little profit, let alone extra money to sponsor others. And since Damir himself had been on the battlefield, how much money did his research need to burn that he was looking for another academic sponsor? ¡°Uh, Damir, I think you¡¯re misunderstanding our commerce¡­¡± ¡°Master, please don¡¯t rush to reject it. Take a look at my results first.¡± Damir said while taking a metal sphere the size of a human head out of his pocket. The surface of the sphere was densely engraved with Runes, and at both ends, two pieces of Magic Essence were powering the sphere. ¡°Master, look at this.¡± Richard took the sphere and briefly examined it with his spiritual power, to see what exactly it was. However, this brief inspection scared Richard so much that his hand trembled, and he nearly didn¡¯t secure the sphere. Inside the metal sphere, there were two high-density clusters of Water and Fire Elements, isolated by a robust Magic Barrier, preventing an Annihilation Reaction. But given the concentration of the two elements inside, should a reaction occur, both he and Damir nearby would be vaporized instantly. Richard carefully handed the metal sphere back to Damir, instructing him to put it back into his pocket. ¡°This is what you wanted to show me? A big bomb using a Water and Fire Annihilation reaction?¡± Richard wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and immediately called Ulysses over with a Spiritual Message. Although Damir¡¯s protection was sufficient, Richard was still terrified. ¡°Yes, Master, isn¡¯t this device beautiful?¡± Damir said somewhat excitedly, ¡°Master, I¡¯ve found a fantastic method to concentrate these two elements to an astonishing level. Next, we just need to perfect the Rune Array to keep these two elements separated and¡­¡± ¡°Stop.¡± Richard raised his hand, interrupting the ongoing Damir, and pulled out an Annihilation Bomb from his pocket. ¡°Take a look at this.¡± Damir received the Annihilation Bomb with a puzzled look, then his face showed a shocked expression. ¡°This this this¡­¡± Damir pointed at the Annihilation Bomb, unable to utter a complete sentence for a while. ¡°This is a small gadget I made during my apprenticeship,¡± Richard said nonchalantly, ¡°Back then, my Rune skills weren¡¯t enough, so I used physical materials for containment. Considering the results, it¡¯s quite good, though the damage radius is a bit small.¡± Damir felt like his brain was smoking; he hadn¡¯t considered such a simple solution, using physical materials for containment, in the past few centuries. But this wasn¡¯t his fault; most wizards had a dependency on Runes. Richard took back the Annihilation Bomb and simultaneously snapped Damir out of his reverie. ¡°However, your method of concentrating elements is quite interesting. How about we discuss it in detail after the war?¡± Since Richard had always been unable to press the cost of the Annihilation Bomb to a reasonable price, Damir¡¯s appearance had given him a new idea. Since he couldn¡¯t reduce the cost, why not try to increase the power of the Annihilation Bomb? Chapter 252 - 36 The Storm Has Arrived Chapter 252: Chapter 36 The Storm Has Arrived ¡°Discuss the war with me after it¡¯s over? No problem, Master. Please leave me your address, and after the war, I¡¯ll come to find you.¡± Damir was very pleased with Richard¡¯s suggestion and readily agreed. In his eyes, Richard completely embodied the image of an Alchemy Master. Richard proactively seeking him out to discuss research was more than he could have asked for. Richard left him an address and then returned to the vehicle to continue basking in the sun. Richard had gradually adapted to the lifestyle of longevity species. The standstill of the war was very brief, and rather than doing research, it was better to soak up the sun. He wasn¡¯t short on those few days¡¯ time. But the good times were doomed to be brief. Not long after Richard returned to the vehicle, an order from the headquarters came through the Communication Crystal Ball. ¡°Number seven, eight, and nine squads, headquarters needs you to head to position nineteen and stand by. The specific orders will be issued by the Battlefield Commander at position nineteen.¡± ¡°Position nineteen? And the orders need to be issued by the Battlefield Commander.¡± Richard frowned slightly. It seemed that the standstill on the battlefield was about to end. Returning to the cockpit, Richard started the Magic Support Vehicle and began to follow the convoy towards position nineteen. Along the way, the landscape around the Magic Support Vehicle gradually took on a gloomy hue. The sky darkened imperceptibly, with heavy clouds gathering overhead like silent giant beasts, slowly moving to obscure the sole sun in the sky. The sunlight was devoured bit by bit by these clouds, leaving only a barren grey wasteland behind. The wind suddenly picked up fiercely, sweeping up roadside pebbles and dust before viciously pelting the cockpit windows with a pit-a-pat sound. All around the road lay abandoned Fire Lizard villages. The desolate scenery seemed even more desolate amidst this dimness and oppression, as if the whole world was enveloped in a layer of gloom. ¡°This is a good omen.¡± Looking at the scenery that seemed to herald the coming of the apocalypse, Richard couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Ga? Did I hear wrong? How is this atmosphere in any way a good omen?¡± Ulysses was somewhat astonished. If his sense of aesthetics was in no error, this scene was in no way a good sign. In his memory, only those Abyss rabble would find this atmosphere pleasant. ¡°Ulysses, you need to understand our position,¡± Richard laughed. ¡°We are the outsiders, and the Fire Lizards are the natives. In the mythology of the Fire Lizards, the three suns in the sky represent the three Fire Lizard Kings. Now, with the sun covered by clouds, it¡¯s a bad omen for the Fire Lizards, but for us, it¡¯s an excellent one.¡± ¡°Ga, don¡¯t say it, but now that you explain it like that, it kind of makes sense,¡± Ulysses exclaimed, somewhat surprised. ¡°But unfortunately, this situation is man-made.¡± ¡°Man-made?¡± Richard was slightly startled; could this be the Fire Lizards¡¯ weather weapon? But then he thought of another possibility. ¡°Are you talking about the Fire Lizard King or the Great Wizard?¡± ¡°Ga, it¡¯s both.¡± Ulysses looked up towards the horizon, his gaze seemingly able to traverse space and see the Royal Capital of the Morick Empire. ¡°Ga, the World Master of this world is about to step down from the throne, and your Great Wizards will also come out of Iron City. The war is about to truly begin.¡± ¡­ Position nineteen: The Battlefield Commander listened to the reports coming through the Communication Crystal Ball. ¡°Your Excellency the Commander, the support convoy has reached three kilometers behind position nineteen, and the range of the magical support covers the entire position.¡± After hearing this, the Commander¡¯s voice was calm as he said, ¡°Good, wait there for my orders.¡± He put down the Crystal Ball and picked up a pair of special Eagle Vision Skill binoculars to observe intelligence from the opposing Fire Lizard position through a window. Although Merrick¡¯s Shield had dealt a heavy blow to the Black Wizard network within the Morick Empire, some Black Wizards managed to survive. Because these Black Wizards were located in the rear or in some special places, they couldn¡¯t be withdrawn to the Wizard-occupied zone, so the headquarters had issued them an order to lie low temporarily. But now with the war at a standstill, the headquarters had no choice but to activate some of the Black Wizards to scout out Fire Lizard intelligence. Not long ago, the activated Black Wizards sent back a message: The Fire Lizards had settled on position nineteen as their main target and would soon launch an attack. Through the telescope, position nineteen appeared as usual, with no changes. Fire Lizards continued their patrols and drills, and the giant dragon tortoises, burdened with Dragon Breath Cannons, lay lazily on the ground, yawning with open mouths and consuming Fire Dragon Grass by the cart-load with their tongues. If the Commander hadn¡¯t known the intelligence, the false front that the Fire Lizards had put up in front of him would¡¯ve surely deceived him. The Commander picked up the Communication Crystal Ball and operated it a few times, calling out: ¡°All Wizards, be alert, all Wizards, be alert. In the coming days, strengthen your guard and watch for the movements of the Fire Lizards. If there¡¯s anything special, report to the Battlefield Headquarters promptly.¡± As the sky dimmed, the temperature in the Red Sun World began to drop quickly. Though Fire Lizards weren¡¯t cold-blooded, they would naturally become sluggish when the temperature plummeted. Therefore Fire Lizards rarely launched relentless attacks day and night. Wizards were aware of this, but also knew the consequences of placing too much faith in this fact, so Wizard scouting was continuous, day and night. Three kilometers behind position nineteen, the support convoy. Richard lay in the driver¡¯s seat, eyes fixed on the night sky outside the window, lost in thought. Suddenly, a black crow flew into the cockpit from the window. ¡°How does it look, any signs of the Fire Lizards making a move tonight?¡± ¡°Caw, it doesn¡¯t seem like it. I haven¡¯t seen any army formations, but your intelligence is indeed correct. Many troops are converging here from other places, expected to arrive at the location just before sunrise.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Richard replied lazily, ¡°Looks like the battle won¡¯t start until tomorrow.¡± Time ticked away, and a ray of dawn pierced the darkness, bringing a hint of heat to the land of the Red Sun World. Watching the rising sun, Richard suddenly thought of the myth of the Fire Lizards. In the myth of the Fire Lizards, the three Kings of the Fire Lizards were incarnations of the sun. Suddenly, Richard sat up, a bad premonition flashing through his mind. ¡°Ulysses, you said earlier that the Fire Lizard King would step down from his throne, right?¡± ¡°Caw, that¡¯s right. What have you thought of?¡± ¡°What do you think about our positions here in reference to the Fire Lizard King?¡± ¡°Caw, probably not much different from being made of paper,¡± Ulysses nodded, ¡°I think I understand what you mean. Don¡¯t overthink it. If the Fire Lizard King takes action, your Great Wizards will too. In a Plane War, it¡¯s king against king, general against general. Unless the king is dead, you lot won¡¯t even get near the king.¡± ¡°But Ulysses, have you considered that there are three Fire Lizard Kings, while there are only two Great Wizards?¡± Richard said darkly. ¡°Unless a Great Wizard can quickly slay a Fire Lizard King, a single Fire Lizard King acting alone is enough to kill all of us wizards.¡± No sooner had Richard finished speaking than a terrible aura came from the horizon. The owner of the aura was thousands of miles away from Richard, yet its presence stood out as conspicuously as the sun. Richard quickly put on the Eagle Vision Skill glasses and looked in the direction the aura was coming from. He saw a very blurry shadow on the horizon, a shadow that pierced the sky and the earth, looking like a hybrid of a giant dragon and a fire lizard. This bizarre creature was entirely crimson, with five dragon heads neatly lined up on its shoulders. The dragon opened and closed its mouth, sending a long dragon roar throughout the Red Sun World. After the dragon roar, another massive shadow appeared on the other side of the battle line. This figure also reached through the heavens and earth, also bearing five dragon heads on its shoulders. The Fire Lizards had dragon blood flowing through them, and with each additional head a dragon grew, it would transcend a level of life. Five heads signified that both these looming figures were Level 5 Creatures. ¡­ The Fire Lizard King stepping down from the throne was an unprecedented event for the entire Red Sun World. There were indeed ancient instances where a Fire Lizard King had descended from the throne to personally go to war in the distant past. But those events were so ancient that the Fire Lizards regarded them as mythical legends. Watching these two giant figures, the Fire Lizards let out excited roars. The Fire Lizard King is an incarnation of the sun, and the sun is the divine of the Fire Lizards. Now that the Fire Lizard King had stepped down from the throne to go to the battlefield, it was as if the divine were with them. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With the divine fighting alongside them, what was there to fear? The appearance of the Fire Lizard King tightened the hearts of the wizards; the Fire Lizard King had appeared, and so the Great Wizards should also make their appearance. Although the organized White Wizard Army indeed had strategies to confront the World Master, no one wanted to battle a divine with a mortal body unless absolutely necessary. Soon, under the hopeful gaze of the wizards, two figures appeared on the battlefield. One figure was the familiar Great Wizard Qing Shuang, draped in a white Wizard Robe made of blue ice, hovering in the air. Just one glance was enough to feel the bone-piercing coldness. He held a Magic Wand made of Ice Crystal in his hand, on which countless mystical Runes circulated endlessly. On the other side of the battle line, Richard finally saw the Wizard known as the Alchemy Master. Richard had only read about the Alchemy Master in records. According to the records, this Wizard became known during the Wizard Wars and quickly amassed resources during the period of expansion, becoming one of the first Great Wizards of that era. It was said that this Great Wizard started as an Undead Wizard, then moved onto the Soul School, the Shape-shifting School, and even the Curse School, merging the knowledge of these Schools to create a witchcraft known as ¡°Alchemy Master.¡± This was also the origin of his name. Richard did not believe this rumor at first; after all, in the early days of the period of expansion, the various Schools held deep-seated grudges against each other. How could a regular wizard move between several Schools? But upon seeing the face of this Great Wizard, Richard realized that the rumor seemed to be true. This skeletal figure bathed in the green fire of Evil Power perfectly matched the rumor. ¡°Caw, I think we might want to hide for a bit,¡± Ulysses suddenly said. After regaining his Third Level strength, his ability to hide had greatly improved, and he could now move right under the noses of World Master Level powerhouses ¡ª as long as he didn¡¯t fight. ¡°Hide?¡± Richard was stunned. In the next instant, a huge divine shadow appeared in front of position number nineteen. Chapter 253 - 37: 3 Kings Battle 2 Wizards (Part 1) Chapter 253: Chapter 37: 3 Kings Battle 2 Wizards (Part 1) The situation developed just as Richard had guessed, with the Kings of the Fire Lizards from the Linksa Empire and the Minar Empire each drawing the attention of a Great Wizard, leaving the one from the Morick Empire an unchecked and terrifying existence. Fire Lizard King Morick, the most formidable of the three Kings, was the first to become King in the distant past. At that time, Fire Lizards were the slaves of Giant Dragons, building palaces for them, providing tamed Giant Beasts, and occasionally serving as a snack to supplement the dragons¡¯ meals. It was a dark era, and thus Morick was born. Exactly how Morick became the King of Fire Lizards was no longer traceable, but what was certain was that Morick was the first Fire Lizard to rebel against the Giant Dragons, the first King of Fire Lizards. It was also in that era that the other two Kings raised their banners in rebellion after Morick, emerging one after the other. The Fire Lizards of the present day were unaware that, in the distant past, the three Kings were actually as close as brothers, covering each other¡¯s backs on battlefields against the Giant Dragons. But after the fall of the dragons¡¯ dominion, everything changed. Power is the most terrifying of demons, capable of turning comrades as close as siblings into enemies at each other¡¯s throats. The reasons for the split between the three Kings hadn¡¯t been passed down, but in the second millennium after the dragons¡¯ rule ended, the Three Great Empires appeared, marking the beginning of their interminable wars, which spanned several epochs. Fire Lizard King Morick stood before Position Nineteen somewhat dazed. How long had it been since he had come down from his throne to fight? A thousand years? Two thousand years? He couldn¡¯t remember. He looked around, finding the faces of Linksa and Minar somewhat unfamiliar. Since the fall of the dragons¡¯ rule, he and his brothers had never fought side by side again. Overthrowing the dragons¡­ such a distant memory. Snapping back from his reminiscence, Morick glanced at Position Nineteen and a slight bloodthirsty smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. Taking a deep breath, the giant phantom that was a symbol of his status disappeared. Around him, within a radius of several dozen kilometers, the magic power, like encountering a black hole, was sucked into his body. The flesh beneath Morick¡¯s phantom towered ten meters tall, but after taking a deep breath, his body saw another growth spurt, quickly reaching twenty meters. After he finished inhaling, every living being present, whether wizard or Fire Lizard, fell into an extremely uncomfortable sensation. Morick¡¯s deep breaths had nearly created an energy vacuum, depriving their body cells of any energy from the air, even causing an outward flow of energy. ¡°Huff, it¡¯s been quite some time since I last moved, my body feels somewhat unaccustomed,¡± Morick said as he stretched out, his life radiation dazzling like the sun itself, and his dragon power causing many Fire Lizard warriors to faint on the spot. Even the wizards turned pale and could not stop trembling under this dragon power. Though Fire Lizard King Morick disdained to use dragon power, as a Level 5 Dragon Blood Species, the dragon power he naturally radiated could make pure-blooded Giant Dragons bow their heads. ¡°So this is the Fire Lizard King of the Morick Empire, the World Master of the Red Sun World, a Level 5 Life from the endless Star Realm,¡± Richard mumbled, swallowing hard as he stared at the fearsome figure before the position. This Fire Lizard King was more terrifying than any Mother Worm God Richard had ever seen, refreshing his understanding of what a World Master could be. Such was merely a Level 5 Life, what horrors would a Level 6 or even Level 7 Life behold? ¡°Gah, stop standing there dumbfounded, hurry up and get into the Secret Realm to save your life,¡± Ulysses urged beside him. Ulysses¡¯ words snapped Richard out of the shock of his first encounter with the Fire Lizard King. He frantically opened the Secret Realm Rift, intending to take refuge in the Secret Realm. But before he could enter, a supremely terrifying force descended upon him, or rather, upon all the wizards present. This force seized Richard¡¯s spirit, imposing like an incredibly powerful human Intimidation Technique, leaving him petrified. Morick pulled his arm back, gearing up as if to charge his power while his target was all the wizards before him. Suddenly, a warm current emerged from within Richard¡¯s soul, freeing him from the intimidated state. The Courage Badge he had obtained in the Nightmare World was taking effect at this critical moment. Having shaken off the intimidation, Richard leaped forward with all his might, aiming to enter the Secret Realm through that effort. But at that moment, Morick swung his fist. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Buzz! In an instant, there was silence, with only a piercing buzz ringing in the ears of the multitude of wizards. A pitch-black Space Rift suddenly appeared in the previously empty sky. A torrential and formidable energy flood emerged as if containing the power to destroy heaven and Earth, slightly overwhelming even space itself with constant distortions. It was like a flood that had breached its dykes, charging with unstoppable momentum towards Morick. Before this sudden onslaught of energy, Morick had no choice but to redirect the force of his punch, counteracting the abrupt energy torrent. Richard swallowed hard; he recognized this abrupt energy flood, which was the Energy Torrent unleashed by the Floating City Main Cannon. Indeed, the Great Wizard had his strategies for dealing with this unexpected World Master. As the flood subsided, Morick stood unscathed, his scales just a bit less luminous. All beings present were stunned by this scene. Wizards marveled at the prowess of this Level 5 World Master, while the Fire Lizards were even more astonished by the strength of their Emperor. Is this the might of the Fire Lizard King? The last time the Fire Lizard King left his throne was so long ago that his existence had become a myth to the common Fire Lizard. Even among the Fire Lizards, there were rumors that the Fire Lizard King didn¡¯t truly exist, and that it was merely a fabrication by the Silver Horned Fire Lizards to deceive others. And now, the deity of legends, stepped into reality. Morick gazed into the distance where, behind the Wizards, the steel city rose once again into the air, and that torrent of energy had just been unleashed by the steel city. ¡°A weapon of the Divine? No, a weapon of the Divine wouldn¡¯t be this weak. If it were a Divine weapon, I¡¯d be dead by now.¡± Morick looked at the Floating City, and ancient memories flooded his mind. In the times before the Fire Lizards dominated the Red Sun World, the Divine¡¯s legacy was not as cherished as it is now. He vividly remembered how the Giant Dragons, with weapons left by the Divine, turned the King of the Flame Giant Beasts that emerged from the ground into ash. And the first thing he did before raising his army was to throw the Giant Dragons¡¯ armory of Divine weapons into the Void. Now, the Floating City¡¯s main cannon reminded him of those weapons of the Divine. ¡°Do the Wizards aspire to become the next Divine Race?¡± Morick looked at the Floating City and sneered. How could those from the Mortal Clan ever hope to rival the grandeur of the Divine? He gathered his strength again, with his target still being the Wizards within the ranks; he was keen to see how many more times that hunk of metal could fire the energy deluge. ¡­ In the sky, two immense wills communicated silently. ¡°Teacher, this native World Master doesn¡¯t seem to have mastered any Space Rules. Our plan number one should work.¡± The Great Wizard Clear Frost confronted Minar, the Fire Lizard King. Although the Great Wizard Clear Frost had not yet advanced to Five-Ring Great Wizard, as a Wizard, it was no trouble to hold off Minar before him. ¡°Good, get ready to make your move.¡± The Great Wizard Ulysses looked at the figure before him, Linksa, barely concealing a disdainful smirk on his skeletal face. If it wasn¡¯t for the enhancement of the Power of the World, a Level 5 Creature like this would never be qualified to stand before him. Sensing the Great Wizard Ulysses¡¯s attitude, Fire Lizard King Linksa was beside himself with rage. The proud Fire Lizard King, one-third ruler of the Red Sun World, was being looked down upon. To Ulysses, the gaze directed at him was like looking at a pig, an animal that could be easily slaughtered for its flesh with a little effort. Linksa, much like Morick, took a deep breath. Magic Power rushed towards him from miles around, while Great Wizard Ulysses made no attempt to block it. Leisurely, he pulled open a Space Rift and drew out a goat-headed Magic Wand made of bone. The wand appeared crude, the bones seemingly roughly fused together with no artistic finesse. Any Apprentice slightly schooled in Alchemy could craft a more delicate wand. But the mere sight of this wand extinguished the rage in Linksa¡¯s heart. The materials of this wand all belonged to beings of the same rank as a Level 5 Creature, and the goat head at the top emitted an aura even more terrifying than that of a Level 5 Life. ¡°Monster!¡± Linksa thought, a trace of panic in his heart. Great Wizard Ulysses wielded the wand lazily, swinging it and allowing runes to emerge from it and vanish into the Void. Without delay, a Space Rift appeared in front of Morick once more, and the Floating City Main Cannon caused him to divert his punches to deal with it again. While Linksa stood motionless before him. He didn¡¯t even have the courage to throw a punch. ¡°Be grateful, Fire Lizard,¡± Great Wizard Ulysses suddenly said. ¡°If not for the Floating City¡¯s expense and the potential inquiries from the Truth Council over excessive Wizard casualties, today you would have ended up on my dissection table.¡± The next moment, a spatial shockwave emanated from Great Wizard Ulysses and spread outward. Similarly, from the other side of the battlefield, the same wave of spatial energy emitted from the body of Great Wizard Clear Frost. Minar took a step forward, suddenly appearing before Clear Frost. He threw a punch, his fist covered in dragon scales and shining brilliantly. Each ray of light was a manifestation of the Red Sun Rules of the Red Sun World, with each one carrying a horrific heat capable of warping space itself. Without a shred of panic at the sight of the oncoming fist, Great Wizard Clear Frost cackled, ¡°Heh heh, don¡¯t rush, we¡¯ll have plenty of fighting soon enough.¡± Suddenly, a turquoise figure appeared before the punch and then exploded into a burst, engulfing Minar in a storm of frost close to Absolute Zero. Great Wizard Clear Frost actually sacrificed a clone to delay Minar¡¯s attack. Then, the spell took shape. A pitch-black Space Rift opened beneath Morick¡¯s feet swiftly, and chains burning with green flames stretched out from the rift like tendrils, wrapping around Morick¡¯s legs and instantly spreading across his entire body. Morick shuddered as the green flame chains burst into clusters of green fire. With a touch of disdain in his heart, he thought these would not be enough to drag him in. However, the next instant, he found himself standing before a skeletal figure ablaze with green fire. The figure spoke to him in a taunting tone: ¡°Fool, who said chains were meant only for pulling?¡± Chapter 254 - 38: 3 Kings Battle 2 Sorcerers (Part 2) Chapter 254: Chapter 38: 3 Kings Battle 2 Sorcerers (Part 2) Richard stared blankly at the spot where Morick had been, the moment the chains collapsed. The space rift beneath Morick¡¯s feet suddenly surged upward, swallowing him like a bag. ¡°Is that¡­ it solved?¡± Richard voiced in disbelief. To think that the Fire Lizard King, Morick, had been transported away so simply, seemed rather hasty. ¡°Ga, don¡¯t underestimate this method. Your Inferno Great Wizard is highly adept at controlling spatial rules¡ªmany of those among us titled ¡®Space God¡¯ are not as clever as him.¡± As a former World Master, a divine being from the World of Gods, Ulysses had a deeper understanding of the Great Wizard¡¯s methods than Richard. Richard casually closed the Secret Realm Rift; without the Fire Lizard King, this spot was quite safe. Besides, the battlefields of the two Great Wizards were far from them, allowing Ulysses to act. Once the battle began, he might be able to secure some specimens. Opposite the position of Zone 19, a considerable number of fire lizards had gathered, including elite troops like the Imperial Guard Dragon Warriors and Dragon Charm Sorcerers. These elite fire lizards would definitely be irreplaceable specimens, excellent for both collection and research. In the Fire Lizard Camp, the Fire Lizard Commander, upon witnessing the sudden disappearance of the Fire Lizard King, looked rather grim. According to their plan, the Fire Lizard King was supposed to demolish the city, which was fortified like a wall of bronze and iron, and then their army would march straight in, striking at the heart. Though they had anticipated many scenarios, the Fire Lizard King being transported away by a Wizard without making a single move was completely unexpected. ¡°My lord, good news,¡± said a fire lizard clad in golden armor as he entered the command room. ¡°Hmm?¡± The Commander turned to look at the newcomer, his neck creaking as he spoke, ¡°What good news could there possibly be at this time?¡± The Golden Armored Fire Lizard nodded, ¡°My lord, His Majesty¡¯s attacks were not entirely ineffective. According to observations from the front-line fire lizards, although His Majesty did not fully unleash his punch, it still managed to kill some Wizards. Some Fire Lizards witnessed many Wizards exploding to death.¡± The Fire Lizard Commander was momentarily stunned, then filled with immense joy. ¡°Immediately notify the soldiers to attack using the contingency plan!¡± The Commander walked to the observation post, a hint of a cold gleam in his eyes. Thirty-five years of war¡ªit was time to bring it to an end. ¡­ The appearance of the Fire Lizard King marked the climax of this great counteroffensive. After the first round of the offensive, the fire lizards had recaptured a vast expanse of land. However, consequently, the frontlines that the Wizards had to defend had significantly shortened. The density of Wizards at the second defense line was somewhat less than the first, signifying a steep increase in the difficulty for the fire lizards to breach the defenses. With the plan of the Fire Lizard King breaking through the defense line dashed, the fire lizards had no choice but to continue this grueling battle. ¡°Support vehicle team, I need you to cover position a with your firepower, all support vehicles fire at will.¡± Through the Communication Crystal Ball came the Battlefield Commander¡¯s order. The Wizards operating the Magic Support Vehicles quickly adjusted the angles of the turrets, which served two purposes: to ensure the fireballs hit their designated spots accurately, and to distribute the fireballs more evenly to avoid concentrating all fireballs on a palm-sized area. After the support vehicle team assumed their formation and adjusted their angles, the captains of the three teams issued the firing order. ¡°Target a position, angle 32, distance fifty-two. Three, two, one, Fire!¡± ¡­Boom, boom, boom! Three squads of Magic Support Vehicles, totaling fifty-four thousand fireballs, were launched within thirty seconds onto the vanguard of the attacking fire lizards. The shield-bearing warriors raised their large shields, forming a shield wall to try and fend off this terrifying bombardment, but fifty-four thousand fireballs were somewhat beyond their limits. Wizards had not deployed the White Wizard Army en masse since the war had turned into a static battle, and these fire lizards had somewhat forgotten how the Wizards had gradually usurped their lands, how they had harvested their lives with spells bit by bit! Boom, boom, boom¡­ The Battlefield Commander, watching the Magic Support Vehicle¡¯s barrage, was momentarily stunned. This was his first time using a support vehicle team; before this, he had heard from many wizards how useful these Magic Support Vehicles were. Looking at it now, those wizards were damn right. ¡°No, I must report back after this and request more of these excellent weapons be procured. Their effects are too good.¡± The barrage from the support vehicle team lasted only thirty seconds. After thirty seconds, the seemingly endless army of fire lizards reappeared in the Commander¡¯s vision, and behind them, giant dragon turtles were slowly approaching the position. The Commander took out a crystal ball and commanded to a wizard on the other side: ¡°Bring out the small Disruptor Cannons and aim them at those big fellows.¡± ¡­ While the mortal combat raged fiercely, the battle among the ¡°divine beings¡± was naturally no less intense. In the sky, the Inferno Great Wizard, wielding a Skeletal Magic Wand, faced two adversaries single-handedly without faltering. As an old Wizard born during the Enlightenment Era, he had witnessed Wizards emerging from their cradle and vying across the stars. In that time, he had seen too many powerful natives. Some of these natives were World Masters by nature, wielding rules as easily as eating and drinking; others wielded terrifying weapons left by the Lost Ones, which could easily kill a Great Wizard; while some natives were outright biological weapons created by the Lost Ones¡­ Compared to these mighty natives, the two Fifth Level World Masters in front of him were rather unremarkable. He had specimens of Fifth Level pure-blooded giant dragons; two Dragon Blood Species tainted with dragon¡¯s blood hardly caught his eye. Watching Morick¡¯s fist swing towards him, the Inferno Great Wizard lightly waved his Magic Wand, and a Magic Shield perfectly blocked it. On the other side, Linksa aimed the heads of all five of his dragon necks at the Inferno Great Wizard, and five golden Dragon Breaths instantly engulfed the Inferno Great Wizard¡¯s figure. But before he could rejoice, a Skeletal Magic Wand emerged from the Dragon Breath, striking one of Linksa¡¯s heads and sending it flying askew. Then, as the Dragon Breath dissipated, the Inferno Great Wizard, holding a Crystal Ball that had sealed the golden flames, nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Integrating the Red Sun Rules of the Red Sun World into the Dragon Flame, this is indeed useful.¡± Linksa¡¯s face darkened; such Dragon Breath was something even the other two Fire Lizard Kings hadn¡¯t seen. Yet this wizard, encountering it for the first time, seemed to deflect it effortlessly. He was sure that if it wasn¡¯t a two-on-one, today he would surely perish here. ¡°Aren¡¯t we getting serious then?¡± the Inferno Great Wizard said indifferently, ¡°I know about your past relationship. I¡¯ve seen the memories of those giant dragons that escaped the Red Sun World. If those dragons weren¡¯t senile, then you should have a combined technique back then. Has it been so long that you¡¯ve forgotten, or do you think I¡¯m not worthy of witnessing it? If it¡¯s the former, then I won¡¯t hold back.¡± With that, the Inferno Great Wizard¡¯s body suddenly enlarged, transforming into an elemental true form over a hundred meters tall, each movement stirring a faint Elemental Storm. Upon seeing this, the hearts of the two Fire Lizard Kings sank. The power of the Inferno Great Wizard far exceeded their expectations. Linksa looked at Morick and uttered a long-forgotten title. ¡°Big brother, it¡¯s all up to you now.¡± Morick was startled by the words, then burst out laughing, his momentum climbing with his laughter. He turned to Linksa, his eyes resolute, ¡°Little brother, leave the rest to me!¡± sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With that, he lunged toward Linksa, and as their bodies collided, they merged into one. Intricate golden patterns began spreading from Morick¡¯s heart, swiftly enveloping his entire body in gold. ¡°Oh? Is this¡­ Giant Dragon Alchemy?¡± The Inferno Great Wizard watched this incredible scene, his interest finally piqued. He recognized the essence of the fusion immediately; it was a fusion of flesh and spirit, entrusting everything to another person. Such a fusion could cause a creature¡¯s power to soar instantly, perhaps even breaking through life levels. The merged Morick, whether in strength or aura, had reached his peak. At that moment, Morick possessed the capability to kill the Inferno Great Wizard. Morick looked at the Inferno Great Wizard, his voice layered as if two were speaking together. ¡°Wizard, I¡¯ll place your head atop my pyramid, as my most glorious, most precious trophy.¡± ¡°Really?¡± the Inferno Great Wizard responded blandly, ¡°So will your head go on Linksa¡¯s pyramid or Morick¡¯s pyramid?¡± ¡­ Morick fell silent for a moment, then suddenly flashed in front of the Inferno Great Wizard, his golden fist alone powerful enough to cause slight fissures in space. ¡°We¡¯ll create another pyramid!¡± ¡­ On another front, Great Wizard Qing Shuang and Minar were ¡°exchanging integrity.¡± One was attacking while the other defended, turning the skies of the Red Sun World into a snowy spectacle, a scene unseen by the Fire Lizards for many generations below. Great Wizard Qing Shuang raised his Magic Wand, and a massive Magic Array instantly appeared beneath his feet. With a wave of his wand, accompanied by a thunderous sound, an immense ice mountain formed instantaneously beside him. However, just as the ice mountain formed, an even more domineering force abruptly descended. Minar¡¯s fist, carrying a destructive fury, heavily struck the middle of the ice mountain. Within less than a millisecond, the entire ice mountain crumbled like glass shattered by a giant hammer. But Great Wizard Qing Shuang had already seized the moment to escape thousands of meters away. Minar watched Qing Shuang coldly, feeling clearly that the wizard before him wasn¡¯t as strong as he was; one solid punch could kill him. Yet the wizard was slippery like an eel, eluding every ingenious attack, making it increasingly frustrating. Great Wizard Qing Shuang said leisurely: ¡°Minar, are you going to continue? This battle is meaningless. You won¡¯t kill me in a short time, but if you can¡¯t kill me quickly, you won¡¯t affect the outcome of the battle. The real decisive battleground is elsewhere.¡± Facing a Fifth-Level World Master, although Great Wizard Qing Shuang appeared relaxed, he was extremely tense inside. To him, Minar was like a one-punch man; one hit, and even the Inferno Great Wizard wouldn¡¯t be able to save him in time. Minar remained silent, his right fist once again glowing brightly. He spoke resolutely: ¡°Then I¡¯ll quickly kill you and go help my brother!¡± Chapter 255 - 39: The Sunset of the Kings Demise Chapter 255: Chapter 39: The Sunset of the King¡¯s Demise Big Shots¡¯ battles had little impact on the ground war, as Fire Lizard armies continued to pour into the Wizard¡¯s fortress city, wearing down the number of Wizards with a casualty rate of five or even ten to one. It was a profitable affair for the Fire Lizards. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. There were only so many Wizards in the Red Sun World; one less Wizard with every death. As long as enough of them died, the Wizards¡¯ front line would eventually collapse. Wizards were not robots; high casualty rates could also lead to a collapse in Wizard morale. Boom! A fireball exploded, the black flames turning the last Fire Lizard Warrior in the alley into ashes. Having dealt with the last enemy, Richard leaned against the wall, somewhat exhausted. A black crow flew in from outside the alley, its claws still clutching a steaming, fresh heart. ¡°Caw, a Dragon Cursing Sorcerer¡¯s heart, nearly at Level 3.¡± Richard casually took it and pulled out a bottle filled with preservative from his pocket, tossing the heart into it. ¡°Have the Big Shots shown no intention of ending the fight yet?¡± Richard casually asked. It was the fourteenth day since the outbreak of war, and Richard had been reassigned from a technical advisor for the support convoy to a combat alchemist of the White Wizard Army, mainly responsible for repairing Alchemy Weapons for squads that had lost their Alchemy Wizards. This was a highly dangerous position, as it required moving between various squads¡¯ defensive zones, constantly facing confrontations with Fire Lizards. Although Richard, as the designer of the Magic Support Vehicle, had initially been entitled to demand a change in position from the headquarters, they had offered him a condition he couldn¡¯t refuse¡ªa deed granting eternal land rights. Land was an important form of wealth accumulation for Wizards. Its value lay not only in its yield or what resources lay beneath it but also in the access it granted to the world. Because such eternal land would not be extensive, having resources wouldn¡¯t fetch much of a price. The real value of land lay in the fact that owning it was tantamount to owning a ticket into this world. After a Great Wizard conquered a world, many of those worlds were closed to outsiders. To enter these worlds, one either had to join the Great Wizard¡¯s Academy or some Wizard Commerce that cooperated with them. But for a Wizard with a piece of eternal land, the Teleportation Gates to that world were always open to them. Moreover, this rule came from the Truth Council, which every Great Wizard would comply with. The Red Sun World was nothing special, but there was still much to explore inside it, particularly the Pioneers¡¯ testing grounds underground. In ten years, Richard had only explored part of it, and a substantial area still awaited his exploration. ¡°Caw, soon,¡± Ulysses said, eyeing the continuously changing celestial phenomena. Every move of a World Master Level entity could cause variations in the heavens, ¡°That old guy enveloped in green fire has already gained the upper hand. Once he fully understands that Fire Lizard King¡¯s tricks, the Fire Lizard will be done for.¡± ¡°Phew, that¡¯s a relief,¡± Richard straightened up with the support of his magic wand, ¡°When I saw him taking on two at a time, I was really sweating for that Inferno Great Wizard.¡± Ulysses said indifferently, ¡°Caw, below Level 6, World Master Level entities produced by civilizations are far stronger than ordinary World Masters. If they don¡¯t have the Power of the World to bolster them, those three Fire Lizards wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against that green fire skeleton¡ªeven together, they¡¯d just be getting whipped.¡± ¡°Huh? Below Level 6?¡± Richard noticed the qualifier, ¡°Is there something special about Level 6?¡± Ulysses fell silent for a moment before slowly saying, ¡°Caw, Level 6 is often the final tier in a power path. Those who reach this tier either have walked a path to its very end. Such beings, with one more step, become the forebears of a civilization. Or they are those divinely endowed children of the world, naturally World Masters capable of manipulating the rules as easily as breathing.¡± ¡°The end of a path, Level 6 is the end?¡± Richard was a bit puzzled; there were Levels above 6¡ªLevel 7, Level 8, and even the legendary Level 9. How could that be the end? ¡°Caw, reaching Level 6 theoretically doesn¡¯t require any special Talent. One only needs sufficient resources and enough experience to get there,¡± Ulysses spoke with a hint of emotion, ¡°And every powerhouse above Level 6 possesses Talent, effort, and even luck far beyond ordinary people. Their experiences are not replicable, not something you can learn from.¡± Richard was astonished; Ulysses¡¯ words completely overturned his understanding. Becoming Level 6 required no special Talent? Richard couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Where did you hear these words? I remember you¡¯re not Level 6.¡± Ulysses glanced at him and replied coolly: ¡°Caw, the Eternal God King.¡± ¡°¡­Well, nothing then. It can only be said the Divine King¡¯s vision was lofty.¡± Stepping out of the alley, Richard collided with two Imperial Guard Dragon Warriors head-on. Seeing Richard, the two Fire Lizards immediately attacked from both sides. Two Black Gold Scimitars cut through the air, one aimed at Richard¡¯s neck while the other targeted his heart. Clang! Ssssssss¡­ The scimitar aimed at his neck was blocked by Richard¡¯s magic wand, while the one aiming for his heart scraped a series of dazzling sparks across the armor, The Imperial Guard Dragon Warriors were about to strike again, but a flash of dark light passed by, and they found themselves gazing upon two very familiar headless corpses. Ulysses suspended the two heads at his side, tilted his beak up, and with a slurp sound akin to sipping bubble tea, he sucked the brains out of the skulls thoroughly. ¡°Caw, want a taste? These Fire Lizard brains can get the body going,¡± he offered. Richard waved his hand dismissively, ¡°No thanks, I don¡¯t like raw food.¡± Pulling out the map, Richard prepared to head to the next small outpost. All at once, a mighty ¡°voice¡± entered Richard¡¯s perception, causing him to clutch his ears in pain instantly. But the voice was just an illusion; regardless of his covered ears, the sound still lingered beside him. That was¡­ a cry! It wasn¡¯t just Richard who heard the cry; the creatures of the Red Sun World all heard it too. The battling Fire Lizards suddenly stopped in their tracks, nearly all of them looking in the same direction at once, as an inexplicable sadness welled up from within their hearts. Most Wizards, like Richard, were in agony, covering their ears. King of the Fire Lizards, Minar, looked towards the other end of the battlefield in shock. A few kilometers in front of him, Great Wizard Qing Shuang, who was in a miserable state, began to laugh. By Richard¡¯s side, Ulysses calmly said, ¡°Gah, Richard, this is the Heavenly Tears, a World Master is about to die.¡± ¡­ In the sky, Great Wizard Yuhuo pulled his Skeletal Magic Wand out of one of Morick¡¯s skulls. ¡°Fire Lizard, if you tell me how you managed to do this fusion technique, I¡¯ll make sure you die a swift death.¡± The Great Wizard Yuhuo¡¯s voice was very calm; after more than a dozen days of intense battle, his Wizard Robe was only a bit tattered, and the green on his body had dimmed slightly. It seemed like he didn¡¯t even have a scratch. Morick, on the other hand, was close to death. Of Morick¡¯s five heads, only one remained intact. The others were either crushed or torn off completely. The golden scales on his body were dull and lackluster, with large chunks of scales shattered, and golden blood seeping continuously. The green flames burned quietly on his wounds, rendering Morick¡¯s healing abilities ineffective under their influence. Although for a World Master, a skull isn¡¯t a vital part, since the skull is an important node for controlling the body with the soul, if it gets smashed, Morick¡¯s body will inevitably lose control for a moment. That moment might be brief, but for Great Wizard Yuhuo, it was enough time to destroy Morick¡¯s heart. Without his heart, Morick would be left with no ability to resist. Morick looked at Great Wizard Yuhuo, his eyes no longer as resolute as before. Too strong, this Wizard¡¯s power completely exceeded his expectations. An endless array of tactics, a body with the strength of a Level 5 Creature¡¯s physical limits, and that vast experience in combat. Compared to this wizard, he was like a child who had just learned to fight. He was going to lose. ¡°Big brother, are you going to give up?¡± A voice emerged in Morick¡¯s mind, it was Linksa¡¯s voice. Their fusion technique was essentially a fusion of flesh and a unification of spirit; Linksa¡¯s consciousness had never disappeared, his will had been helping Morick fight all along. ¡°My brother, I¡¯m about to lose.¡± Morick¡¯s voice was filled with bitterness; Great Wizard Yuhuo was even more formidable than the Giant Dragons he had once overthrown. Both his body and spirit were now facing defeat. ¡°Big brother, is this your choice?¡± Linksa¡¯s voice held no anger; both of them had experienced the battle and were well aware of how terrifying that wizard opposite them was. At this moment, their minds were as one. ¡°I¡­ have lost.¡± Morick gave his response, and so did Linksa. Morick¡¯s body began emitting a golden light, and two figures slowly separated within it. Great Wizard Yuhuo watched this scene with interest, constantly analyzing the mystery within. At this moment, he held the winning ticket; there was no possibility for Morick to turn the tables. The golden light faded, and the figures of Linksa and Morick reappeared on the battlefield. Morick remained as before the fusion, while Linksa took on all the injuries that came after the fusion. ¡°Wizard, you¡¯ve won,¡± Linksa slowly said. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s obvious. So what¡¯s your decision?¡± Great Wizard Yuhuo held his Magic Wand, its tip surrounded by chains of Yuhuo flame woven into a ball, within which countless runes seemed to flow endlessly. If Linksa¡¯s answer did not align with his wishes, the only thing awaiting him was sealing. ¡°¡­But you are too arrogant, wizard.¡± Linksa suddenly began to laugh, Great Wizard Yuhuo¡¯s face changed abruptly as a green firewall formed instantaneously from the wand¡¯s Sealing Skill at the tip. Linksa looked at Morick and laughed, ¡°Big brother, I secretly kept one of the Divine weapons. It¡¯s just a pity that the condition to activate it was too finicky, and I never got the chance to use it.¡± A light appeared from the Void, Linksa¡¯s figure gradually disappearing in the glow as the only sun of the Red Sun World¡¯s winter slid down towards the horizon. The sun had set. Chapter 256 - 40: The Fall of the Linksa Empire (Part 1) Chapter 256: Chapter 40: The Fall of the Linksa Empire (Part 1) The Wizard enveloped himself in more barriers, but at that moment, the surrounding space was locked by a weapon positioned nearby. He couldn¡¯t move or escape, merely a target for the weapon¡¯s assault. Yet, in this perilous moment, the Wizard felt no fear. His gaze pierced through the spatial veil, directly beholding the weapon hidden in the spatial crevice. It was a golden Crystal Creation, resembling a towering spire. If he could survive, this weapon would be his! The value of this weapon exceeded that of the entire Red Sun World. The Crystal Tower had finished charging, and a beam of golden light shot from its apex into the void, enveloping the Wizard like Holy Light. Under the gold radiance, the Wizard¡¯s barriers melted away like ice. One layer, two layers, three layers¡­ The golden light broke through thirty-six barriers and struck the Wizard himself. In an instant, a horrific, inhuman scream erupted from the Wizard which, amid the howls of agony, some thought they heard¡­ laughter. Morick, somewhat dazed, watched this unfold. Memories of old wiped away their dust, vividly returning to his mind. Linksa, the Fire Lizard King of the Linksa Empire, his once brother, his closest comrade in arms. Together, they had once rebelled against the Giant Dragons, yet fell out over the power struggle. Now, he had forsaken his empire, his life, choosing to die alongside the Wizard. He imagined many possible death scenarios for the both of them, but this scene was something he had never contemplated over the eons. A tear trickled down Morick¡¯s cheek. The game for supremacy had to end. ¡°Keh keh keh keh keh¡­¡± Just as Morick came to this realization, a strange laughter caused his scales to bristle. The Wizard wasn¡¯t dead yet! The golden light faded, and there, the Wizard, now just a skull, laughed heartily towards the source of the light. His Wizard Robe had vanished, the Skeletal Magic Wand crafted from the bones of various World Masters had melted significantly, and his body was reduced to just a skull, a fraction of its former strength. But he was still laughing. Morick blinked next to the Wizard, radiating an intense glow. Since he wasn¡¯t dead, finish him off! However, a sudden Space Rift appeared before him, and countless tentacles stretched out, swallowing him whole. Beside the Wizard, a leather scroll had mysteriously appeared, its aura so potent it caused the very space to tremble. ¡°What an ignorant fool, making me waste a Truth Scroll.¡± With an arm conjured, the Wizard opened a Space Rift, stepped through into the crevice where the golden Crystal Tower stood. He tried to claim it, but found the tower seemingly fused with the crevice. He couldn¡¯t take it with him for now. ¡°Forget it, I¡¯ll come back when I¡¯ve healed a bit.¡± The Wizard dispersed his arm, and instantly a Space Rift appeared before him, leading to the Great Wizard Qing Shuang. Minar, sensing trouble, spontaneously grew a set of Dragon Wings. The Wizard, with only a skull left, ablaze with Demon Flame, descended next to Qing Shuang like a demon from hell. Qing Shuang wasted no words; with a wave of his Ice Crystal Wand, several Magic Arrays appeared around Minar. Ice Crystal chains emerged from the arrays, ready to bind Minar in place. The Wizard regenerated his body; the half-melted Skeletal Magic Wand, covered in Mysterious Runes, appeared to be preparing a powerful Spell. Minar, unsure of their strength, hesitated whether to continue the battle. In the next moment, two Space Rifts opened before him, and a massive energy surge burst forth. The Floating City Main Cannon had already been prepared. The bombardment from the main cannon was the final straw for Minar; he broke the Ice Crystal chains and, with a flap of his wings, moved beyond the range of the Floating City Main Cannon. Minar, gazing at the Wizard brewing his spell, roared like a dragon and retreated to the Royal Capital of the Minar Empire. Seeing this, the Wizard breathed a sigh of relief. Continuing this battle, he wasn¡¯t very sure he could defeat this Fire Lizard. ¡°Qing Shuang, I need to rest for a while. That Fire Lizard named Morick is trapped in a Space Fragment for thirty years by my Truth Scroll. During these thirty years, conquer the entire Linksa Empire. Moreover, open the Teleportation Gate of the Floating City and replenish our Wizard forces. Don¡¯t worry about the cost, we have enough for this world.¡± The Wizard¡¯s voice was weak. The Pioneer¡¯s weapon had severely wounded him, and it would take millennia for him to recover fully. But the Crystal Tower was valuable enough to compensate for his losses. ¡°Fine, should I ask other Masters for help? Teacher, your injuries¡­¡± Qing Shuang expressed concern. ¡°It¡¯s alright. It¡¯s only a matter of rebuilding a body, which isn¡¯t enough to put me to sleep,¡± the Wizard nonchalantly replied, ¡°Just let me know when you¡¯re ready.¡± Qing Shuang was momentarily stunned but then understood his teacher¡¯s intention. Even Qing Shuang felt the Wizard might need to rest, let alone Minar, a native, and he could exploit this. Praising inwardly, Qing Shuang repeatedly agreed. The Great Wizard of Hellfire nodded, then opened a Space Rift and disappeared from the battlefield. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He was still quite confident in his student. ¡­ The battle of the big shots ended just like that. The Fire Lizard King Linksa fell, Fire Lizard King Morick vanished, and the Wizards¡¯ side also suffered tremendous losses. The severe injuries of the Great Wizard of Hellfire directly caused the Wizards to lose their ability to conquer the world. The conflict seemed about to enter a stalemate once again. However, contrary to most people¡¯s expectations, the anticipated stalemate did not occur. Not long after the great battle ended, all the Wizards within the Morick Empire withdrew into the Floating City and moved toward the Linksa Empire. The Minar Empire didn¡¯t react to this move. The Fire Lizard King Minar stood at the top of a Pyramid, gazing at the Floating City where the Great Wizard of Hellfire resided. He was waiting. The aura of the Great Wizard of Hellfire weakened day by day, and when it completely disappeared, it would be the time to sound the charge for a counterattack. During this period, he had to stabilize the internal affairs of the Fire Lizards. A thought crossed his mind, and a Third Level Fire Lizard approached him. ¡°Your Highness, what are your orders?¡± Minar glanced at him and slowly said, ¡°Mai Han, take your men and take over the Morick Empire. Morick is trapped by that Wizard and who knows when he will come out, his empire should naturally be used by me.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°¡­Oh, and bring me that Fire Lizard called Harash, and his son Azuhan, and my little niece Akala. They are all talents of our race.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡­ Linksa Empire With the landing of the second Floating City, an endless stream of Synthetic Beast Army emerged from within. The Synthetic Beast Army served as cannon fodder for the offensive. In defensive battles, these synthetic beasts were not very useful. Over the years, the defensive Wizards had accumulated who knows how many synthetic beasts. Now that they were on the offensive, these synthetic beasts poured out of the Floating City like a sea. The War Airships were reactivated, the White Wizard Army took formation again, and the Fire Lizard King of the Linksa Empire had already fallen. When he fell, a considerable part of his fire lizard lieutenants followed him in demise. But the vast remainder of the Fire Lizards were well aware of one thing. The world of Red Sun was about to change. Without the Fire Lizard King, just these ordinary fire lizards could not sustain a Fire Lizard Empire. They had to quickly find a way out for themselves. Thus, many nobles of the Linksa Empire fled to the Minar Empire, among them many generals and ministers. And those ordinary fire lizards who couldn¡¯t make it to the Minar Empire completely degenerated during this time. Many fire lizard troops, lacking leadership, transformed into bandits and marauders en masse. The combat strength of these fire lizard warriors was a dimensional strike against ordinary civilians; even if the civilians had the will to resist, their resistance was nothing more than child¡¯s play in face of absolute power. Among the military of the Linksa Empire, there were also quite a few who maintained order, such as Balashar, the commander of the Dragon Beast Knight Order. But the Empire was so vast, and with the Wizards attacking from the outside, Balashar could only ensure the security of Luxor Province and a few surrounding provinces. He was powerless beyond that. The fall of the Empire was already a foregone conclusion. ¡­ ¡°Are you going to hibernate?¡± Richard looked at Ulysses, and his brows involuntarily furrowed. Up until now, Ulysses had always talked about taking a short nap, but this time he mentioned going into hibernation. That was unusual. ¡°Gah, it won¡¯t be for very long, just about a dozen years,¡± Ulysses replied weakly. He was straining to hold up even the conversation. ¡°A dozen years¡­¡± Richard couldn¡¯t help but rub his temples. At this time, right now in the Linksa Empire was the best opportunity to make money. Without Ulysses by his side, his money-making plans would definitely be greatly reduced. ¡°Gah, just be careful. You guys have already won this war. That green fire skeleton was deceiving that fire lizard.¡± As Ulysses spoke, his eyes gradually closed. Just when his eyelids were almost shut, Ulysses offered his last piece of advice. ¡°Gah, save me some fire lizard heads during this time. They taste really good¡­¡± Richard¡¯s face fell at the comment. Even in hibernation, he hadn¡¯t forgotten about eating. He placed Ulysses back in his usual bird nest and instructed the Holy Tree Elf nearby to serve Ulysses as usual during this period. Exiting the Secret Realm, the White Wizard Army in the distance continuously cast spells. The roaring of Spells and the Fire Lizards¡¯ screams traveled with the light breeze into Richard¡¯s ears. He took a deep breath and slowly flew toward the battlefield. Chapter 257 - 41: The Collapse of the Linksa Empire (Part 2) Chapter 257: Chapter 41: The Collapse of the Linksa Empire (Part 2) Before the great counterattack, the Linksa Empire had already lost one-fifth of its territory to the Wizards, second only to the losses of the Morick Empire. The long-term ravaging of the Black Wizards within the empire¡¯s borders had filled the Fire Lizard civilians with distrust towards the empire¡¯s bureaucrats, and the actions of the corrupt militia only worsened this sentiment. After losing the Fire Lizard King, a leader nearly divine, a slight push from the Wizards caused the contradictions between the Fire Lizard civilians, bureaucrats, and military to explode instantly. This caused the Fire Lizards within the Linksa Empire who had the intention of organizing an army to resist completely lose hope. However, the Wizards soon discovered that this situation wasn¡¯t beneficial for them. ¡­ Boom! A black fireball burst open, instantly turning a Fire Lizard Warrior into ashes. A Wizard clad in a black robe strolled casually through the Fire Lizard camp, holding a metal Magic Wand that was half gold and half black, which looked particularly strange. This was a camp of Fire Lizard bandits, where hundreds of corrupt Fire Lizard Warriors camped, living carefree days by plundering nearby towns. Inside the camp¡¯s tents, many female Fire Lizards bore scars and filth, while at the rear of the camp, several dead or nearly dead female Fire Lizards were piled up like small hills. For these Fire Lizard Warriors, ordinary female Fire Lizards were simply consumables. The Black Wizard¡¯s spiritual power surveyed the environment effortlessly, his brow slightly furrowed as the frequency of fireball release increased. ¡°There are Wizards! There are Wizards!¡± Terrified cries echoed across the camp, pulling the Fire Lizards from their abuse. The corrupt Fire Lizard Warriors frantically picked up their weapons, their Armor on crookedly. Admirably, while these Fire Lizard Warriors bullied ordinary Fire Lizards, they showed no fear when facing Wizards. Seven or eight Fire Lizard Warriors attacked Richard from all directions, their eyes wide, voices hoarse, and their Black Gold Scimitars swift as lightning. ¡°Die!¡± But the next moment, a Magic Barrier deflected their scimitars. ¡°You think you can kill me with that few?¡± The Black Wizard said lazily, blocking the Fire Lizards¡¯ attack. With a wave of his Magic Wand, several black fireballs emerged from the air, smashing towards the Fire Lizards like meteorites. Boom, boom, boom¡­ The roar of the Spell drowned out the Fire Lizards¡¯ screams. The Wizard took a turn around the camp, using Spells to cleanse all the Fire Lizard Warriors cleanly. Some Fire Lizard Warriors seeing the situation turn south immediately fled towards the dense forest outside the camp. The Black Wizard didn¡¯t chase them but instead, a mocking smile appeared on his lips. Soon, a scream was heard, and several armored Hunting Dogs, covered in golden engraved armor plates and bloodied mouths, emerged from the woods. The Hunting Dogs walked up to the Wizard, lay down beside him, and wagged their tails continuously, occasionally making a few pleasing sounds. The Wizard petted their heads and absentmindedly took out some mushrooms from his pocket to feed them. Afterward, the Wizard pulled out a Crystal Ball and murmured, ¡°The clean-up of the bandits in Flag Town is complete, 109 people cleaned up, cleaner, Richard.¡± After reporting his mission, Richard returned to the camp and began checking tent by tent. The bandits had once been regular soldiers of the Linksa Empire; their camp still held value for plundering. Entering the main tent at the center of the camp, inside, several female Fire Lizards lay on beds, seemingly unharmed and possibly newly captured. Richard glanced at them, then ignored them as he roamed the tent. These ordinary Fire Lizards were not within the cleanup scope, and Richard didn¡¯t want to waste his Magic Power. Seeing the Wizard, the female Fire Lizards immediately hid in terror in the corners of the tent, the braver ones trembling as they picked up a scimitar from the floor, but held the blade to their own necks. While the bandits were villains, the Wizard was no saint. The bandits¡¯ cruelty they could understand, but many rumors about Wizards were more terrifying than the demons of Hell. Those Fire Lizards captured by Wizards seemed completely changed, those who had despised the Wizards became their sycophants. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Such tactics were chilling. The tent was in poor condition, and many looted items were piled up. Among these items were numerous Gold Coins and intricately crafted Fire Element Gems, highly valuable in Fire Lizard society. But to Richard, they were worthless. After searching among these items, Richard finally found something of value¡ªa Wizard¡¯s Magic Pocket. He checked the contents with his spiritual power¡ªthe owner of the pocket had died, and now it belonged to no one, open to any Wizard. The pocket didn¡¯t hold much, just a few Magic Essences and some Fire Lizard specimens along with a few notebooks. ¡°Still some gains.¡± Richard muttered, then moved on to search other tents, his gaze never lingering on the Fire Lizards for more than a second. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t this Wizard kill us?¡± a female Fire Lizard whispered. The questioned Fire Lizard shook its head: ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I don¡¯t feel any malice from him towards us; he looks at us¡­ like we are stones.¡± ¡°Stones? That would be great, I want to go back to see my parents¡­¡± A female Fire Lizard¡¯s voice grew softer and she suddenly burst into tears. She suddenly remembered that her parents had been killed by the group of Fire Lizard Warriors. The Fire Lizards around her hurriedly covered her mouth, fearing that her crying would attract the Wizard again. After a long time, a female Fire Lizard poked her head out of the tent. The entire camp was silent, and the Wizard who had destroyed the gang seemed to have already left. ¡­ In the night sky, Richard flew unhurriedly. In the sky, the giant War Airships moved swiftly like whales. It had been ten years since the great counteroffensive began. The Wizards had occupied most of the territory of the Linksa Empire, leaving only Luxor Province and a few surrounding provinces still under the control of the Fire Lizards. The Wizards¡¯ attack was very rapid at the beginning of the war, achieving the current territorial extent in less than two years, with almost no fierce resistance encountered during the process. A large number of rogue soldiers caused the combat effectiveness of the Fire Lizard army to plummet, and the lack of strategic leaders allowed the remaining Fire Lizard forces to be defeated one by one by the Wizards. But soon the Wizards discovered that those rogue soldiers were even more aggravating than a regular army. The assembly of the Teleportation Gate was completed, but igniting the Teleportation Gate required a huge amount of Energy, and the Power Furnaces of the two Floating Cities alone were not sufficient. So the Wizards began to mine Energy Ore extensively in the Linksa Empire to help ignite the Teleportation Gate. The Wizards could not mine themselves, and Synthetic Beasts were not suitable for mining, so the task naturally fell to the Fire Lizards in the Wizard Control Zone. To maintain a large number of mining slaves, the Wizards needed to provide basic food and housing. And all these required a continuous flow of resources. The Wizards wouldn¡¯t farm or act as mules to transport goods for the slaves, and the presence of the rogue soldiers severely impacted the material transportation in the mining areas. To resolve this issue and stabilize their control zones, the headquarters stopped the offensive and instead directed a large number of Wizards to eliminate the rogues. This was also the reason why the resistance zones in Luxor Province still existed. Soon after, Richard arrived at a Wizard City closest to the camp. Above the city, streaks of light continually flashed across the sky. Whoosh! A Wizard flew past Richard at high speed, causing him to involuntarily activate his Magic Barrier. ¡°These Meteor Party members, the headquarters should really issue a ban,¡± Richard muttered frowningly. Meteor Party was a term used for Wizards like the one who had just flown past at extreme speed; because their speed was so fast that from the ground they looked like shooting stars, they were thus named the Meteor Party. These individuals were the street racers of the Wizard World. In the highly autonomous task of rogue elimination, they started racing for entertainment besides their official duties. Richard had heard that these Wizards had even held flying competitions in the Wizard World, with a quite large scale. At times, hundreds of thousands of Wizards participated, and the prize was merely the honorary title of Flying Master. Descending from the sky, Richard, familiar with the route, arrived at a commercial street. On both sides of the street, Wizards of varying strengths stood together harmoniously, selling their spoils of war. Bargain hunting was one of Richard¡¯s small hobbies; finding something undervalued amidst the junk always brought him joy. The lifespan of a Wizard being so long, everyone had some hobbies. The commercial street was not long, and Richard quickly took a look around. Regrettably, he didn¡¯t find anything that met his liking. Walking to the end of the street, having found nothing, Richard was ready to leave the commercial area to check out that unfortunate Wizard¡¯s notes. Suddenly, a voice called out to him. ¡°Master Richard.¡± Richard turned around to see a Wizard in a white robe looking at him. ¡°Iyad? Long time no see.¡± Richard greeted the Wizard happily; he hadn¡¯t seen Iyad since they had separated from the support caravan. ¡°It has been a while,¡± Iyad sighed with some emotion. ¡°It¡¯s been ten years since we parted from the support caravan.¡± After saying this, Iyad changed the subject: ¡°There¡¯s a nice restaurant in town, how about it master?¡± ¡°Restaurant?¡± Richard laughed heartily. ¡°Then you¡¯d better be prepared to bleed, my Physique is not low.¡± Iyad¡¯s face turned awkward. Oh no, he had forgotten Richard had followed the Physique Evolution path. He should have suggested a tavern. But since the words were already out, it was awkward to take them back, so he could only smile wryly and say to Richard: ¡°Master, please take it easy, I¡¯ve put all my Magic Essence into this body.¡± Walking along the commercial street for about three or four kilometers, the two arrived at an unmarked restaurant. The restaurant¡¯s patrons were all Wizards, and the raw ingredients of the dishes were all powerful Magic Beasts; even made into dishes, Richard could still feel their former majesty. Finding a table, they sat down. A Magic Pet owl brought over the menu. Iyad glanced at the menu and ordered two dishes with the largest portions of meat steak. After the owl left, Richard communicated with Iyad using a Spiritual Message: ¡°What do you need?¡± ¡°Nothing major, I just heard through the grapevine that the headquarters are planning to take action in Luxor Province soon. So I thought it a good opportunity to cooperate with the master and scoop up some benefits.¡± Chapter 258 - 42: The Fall of the Linksa Empire (3) Chapter 258: Chapter 42: The Fall of the Linksa Empire (3) ¡°Work with me?¡± Richard was somewhat puzzled by Iyad¡¯s words. A White Wizard like Iyad was accustomed to military operations; how could he collaborate with a Black Wizard like himself? ¡°Sigh! Yes, collaboration.¡± With a sigh, Iyad began to explain the reason to Richard. After years of war, the number of White Wizards had drastically decreased to half of what it was before the war. The remaining White Wizards had been reorganized by headquarters into several complete combat sequences, and the excess White Wizards had been temporarily reassigned to the Black Wizard sequence. ¡°Temporarily reassigned to the Black Wizard?¡± Richard exclaimed in astonishment, ¡°Is that even possible? The difference between Black Wizards and White Wizards isn¡¯t minor.¡± ¡°It sure isn¡¯t,¡± Iyad complained, ¡°But that¡¯s the order from headquarters. In this reorganization, the kids from my team were drafted into the White Wizard Army, and ironically, I, the captain, was reassigned to the Black Wizards. Annoying, isn¡¯t it?¡± Richard was speechless and, after a moment of silence, he comforted Iyad with a smile, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because you, big brother, have such formidable individual strength that the headquarters thought it would be a waste to put you in the White Wizard Army, so they assigned you to the Black Wizards instead.¡± The difference between Black and White Wizards was greatest at the One Ring level, but as a Wizard¡¯s strength and age increased, the difference between the two would continually diminish. Even White Wizards sought to improve their personal strength. ¡°Sigh, perhaps.¡± Iyad¡¯s voice was filled with helplessness, being just a Second Ring Wizard meant he didn¡¯t have the slightest room to resist the orders from headquarters. He said with some self-deprecation, ¡°I used to envy the high income of you Black Wizards when I was in the army, and now that I¡¯ve become a Black Wizard, it¡¯s like I¡¯ve got what I wished for.¡± In no time, the steak was served. The brown steak the size of a washbasin was slightly charred and the rich aroma of the meat combined with the scent of spices was mouthwatering. With a slice, the inside of the steak remained succulent and juicy. Richard took a bite of the steak, and instantly, Fire Element burst forth, powerfully striking his mouth and tongue, and a strange sensation surged into Richard¡¯s brain along his nerves. Spicy! So spicy! Richard kept chewing on the steak, streaks of flames seeping through the gaps in his teeth. Soon, he swallowed the chewed-up mince and let out a breath. ¡°Whew!¡± A burst of flame exhaled from his mouth. Richard said with some delight, ¡°This thing is truly a delight to eat!¡± Across from him, Iyad¡¯s face was beet red, and he was sweating profusely. Hearing Richard¡¯s praise, he took in cool breaths and also gave a thumbs-up. ¡°Sss¡­ indeed not bad¡­ Sss.¡± Iyad called for the owl-recommended chilled wine to accompany the meal. As soon as the wine arrived, he opened the bottle and drank deeply. The steak was indeed a tantalizing concoction. Seeing Iyad in such a sorry state, Richard burst into hearty laughter, then cut another piece of steak and placed it into his mouth. Sss¡­ truly enjoyable. The meal was immensely satisfying for both. Of course, the price was also quite steep, with each piece of steak worth five Magic Essences. After the meal, they hammered out the details of their cooperation. Since it was Iyad¡¯s first time acting as a Black Wizard, he would need to follow Richard¡¯s arrangements during their mission. As for the spoils, they agreed on a split of sixty-forty, with Richard getting sixty percent and Iyad forty. In truth, Richard had proposed an even split of the spoils. However, Iyad insisted on giving the extra ten percent as compensation for Richard¡¯s guidance, leaving Richard no choice but to accept. Little did Iyad know that the Master Richard opposite him was a novice Wizard who had just fought a Plane War. One could only wonder what Iyad would think if he knew. After parting with Iyad, Richard found a house to check the Wizard¡¯s notes he had captured. This city used to be the Fire Lizards¡¯. After the war started, the wealthy either fled to other empires or to Luxor, and the remaining commoners were taken by the Wizards to work in mines. Thus, the city had become abandoned, later used by Wizards as a gathering point. Richard found an empty house and took out a few of the notes. Each note began with a name on the first page, ¡°Victor Ruse,¡± presumably the owner of the Magic Pocket. Richard briefly flipped through the notes, finding that although most of them were written in Wizard Language, one had many parts written in encrypted script. Seeing those encrypted notes, Richard couldn¡¯t help but smile. Wizards wouldn¡¯t bother writing in code for no reason, especially not when the majority of a book was written in Wizard Language. Richard tore out the pages with the encrypted notes, and soon, the Mysterious Technique Furnace transmitted information. ¡°Ingredient: Victor Ruse¡¯s Encrypted Notes¡± [Extractable Information: Trial Version Dragonification Potion Formula] [Extraction Cost: 2 Spiritual Power] ¡°Dragonification Potion?¡± Richard looked at the message coming from the Miracle Furnace, somewhat puzzled. The connection between ¡°dragonification¡± and ¡°potion¡± was baffling to him. Dragonification was a domineering and irreversible Bloodline change, one that required no other substances but a single drop of a dragon¡¯s fresh blood. Richard chose to extract. Soon, a sphere of white light appeared above the Miracle Furnace, and after merging, the information about the Dragonification Potion instantly flowed into Richard¡¯s mind. ¡°Hm? This Wizard actually found a substance in Fire Lizards that suppresses the expression of Dragon Blood!¡± The moment he obtained the potion formula, Richard exclaimed in astonishment. The effect of the Dragonification Potion was simple: by consuming it, a Wizard could temporarily undergo dragonification, gaining the speed and strength of the Dragon Blood Species and the abilities of certain dragonified organs. The potion¡¯s effect lasted for three minutes, after which it would lose its effectiveness, the Wizard would return to his original state, and become weakened. Furthermore, Wizards with a Physique below one hundred could not consume it again within a month, and those with a Physique reaching one hundred could not do so within three days. In the effect of this potion, the most crucial part was the return to the original state. The most terrifying aspect of dragonification was its irreversibility, yet this potion could reverse it. This was against the mainstream understanding among most Wizards about Dragon Blood. Richard immediately picked up those several notebooks and began to read them carefully. The more he read, the more he marveled at the wisdom of a Wizard named Victor Ruse. Whether Victor Ruse was powerful, Richard did not know. However, from his notes, it was evident that this must have been a Master skilled in the creation of Synthetic Beasts and knowledgeable about Magic Potion. Some experiments on Fire Lizards, while somewhat inhumane, had impressive results. In the cells of a gland within a Fire Lizard¡¯s body, he discovered a special substance. This substance could suppress the expression of Dragon Blood, and even induce apoptosis in cells expressing the Dragon Blood. After the gland was removed, a common Fire Lizard quickly started to show dragonification traits. But following the emergence of these traits, the Fire Lizards quickly began to suffer cellular collapse. This situation was not just limited to ordinary Fire Lizards; Fire Lizard Warriors and Imperial Guard Dragon Warriors also demonstrated this condition. Moreover, intriguingly, the more powerful the Fire Lizard, the stronger their gland and the more of this substance that suppressed Dragon Blood expression could be found in their bodies. This was in stark contrast to the phenomenon of Fire Lizards growing stronger with more awakened Dragon Blood within. This forced one to marvel at the marvels of biology. After reviewing Victor Ruse¡¯s research notes, Richard was filled with admiration. This was a Master with profound knowledge at his foundation, yet with remarkably agile thoughts. Had he survived the Plane War, he might have become a Great Wizard. Unfortunately, he was dead. His crystallized notes of knowledge had fallen into the hands of Fire Lizards. If it weren¡¯t for Richard finding this Magic Pocket in that pile of rubbish, not a single person would know of his research, nor would it have influenced the Wizard World in the slightest. ¡°Alas, the world is so unpredictable,¡± Richard sighed. He collected the notebooks. He didn¡¯t have the materials needed for the Dragonification Potion at hand, and could only test the potion after the Teleportation Gate was activated. However, judging from these notes, the effect of the Dragonification Potion was likely to be without issue, except perhaps that the prohibitions when taking it would require several more experiments. As for this, one of Richard¡¯s clones was just perfect for testing. Having packed away the notes, Richard then opened the Secret Realm Rift and entered the Secret Realm. Inside the Secret Realm, Ulysses was still slumbering, but throughout his sleep, Richard could clearly sense the energy fluctuations within him growing stronger, as was the Life Radiation he emitted. Ulysses¡¯ power was gradually increasing as his Soul¡¯s injuries healed. Even without Richard¡¯s help, in a few thousand years, Ulysses could return to his World Master status. In the Secret Realm, several Armored Hunting Dogs were playing with Holy Tree Elves. These Armored Hunting Dogs were Synthetic Beasts given by the Floating City to all Wizards participating in the bandit eradication mission, of course, the Armored Plates were replacements by Richard¡ªthe original Synthetic Beasts did not have metal Armored Plates, only bone plates connected to the muscles. Over the years, via the Nine Star Chamber of Commerce, Richard had refined many Giant Dragon Alchemy Products. These Alchemy Products included Armor, Scimitars, and items both contemporary and ancient relics. In any case, none of these items was ordinary. By refining these objects, Richard¡¯s Giant Dragon Alchemy skills had greatly improved. His current proficiency in Giant Dragon Alchemy was even enough to outclass a master in Fire Lizard Alchemy. After all, these Alchemy Products were the works of the masters from the Fire Lizard Clan. Merging the skills of so many masters, even if Richard were a pig, Giant Dragon Alchemy would have become an instinct. The Armored Hunting Dogs had several mycelium filaments connected to them. Synthetic Beasts had a very short lifespan and Richard, not wishing to make new ones, requested the World Mushroom to use its mycelium to transmit Life Energy to these Armored Hunting Dogs, extending their lifespan as much as possible. Richard approached the World Mushroom and the mycelium on the mushroom stem contracted, revealing a passage. Along the passage, Richard came to a window of a room filled with blue luminescence. Inside the room, a blue flame burned continuously, and against the radiation of the flame, a clone of Richard was constantly disintegrating and regenerating against the wall. ¡°Still no resistance?¡± Richard said, looking at his clone with some disappointment. After utilizing the blue flame obtained from the Molten Sea, Ulysses had made a suggestion to Richard to expose a First Level clone to the radiation of the blue flame. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He claimed this blue flame possessed a peculiar property; it inherently countered flesh and blood creatures, but its effect on elemental, undead, and mechanical beings, those without flesh and blood, was minimal. Moreover, the higher the Physique of a creature, the stronger its resistance to the flame¡¯s radiation. Thus, Ulysses hypothesized that if a creature could develop resistance to the radiation from this flame, then its Physique should undergo enhancement. This was the origin of the experiment. But decades had passed and there had been no progress in the experiment. ¡°World Mushroom, adjust the radiation level again, make it a little lesser.¡± ¡°As you command, Master.¡± Chapter 259 - 43 The Fall of the Linksa Empire (4) Chapter 259: Chapter 43 The Fall of the Linksa Empire (4) Having adjusted the experimental conditions, Richard observed for a while longer. Unfortunately, no miracle occurred; his clone¡¯s disintegration rate was merely slower than before. Gazing at the blue flames, an idea suddenly struck Richard. ¡°It seems this thing is better suited as a weapon. Contain the radiation, focus the blast, and it could disintegrate the body of a third-level creature in an instant.¡± For the vast majority of native creatures, losing their body was no different from death. Richard casually took out a notebook and recorded his idea. A mature wizard always had a tool for recording inspirations, be it a notebook, a magic book, or an Image Capturing Crystal Ball, among others that could record information. Wizards had ample time and sufficient ability to realize these inspirations. For the longevity species, thought rigidity was an inevitable problem; at this time, any inspiration was incredibly precious. Leaving the laboratory, Richard went through a deep meditation session in the Secret Realm, then returned to the Red Sun World. According to Iyad, the Fire Lizard bandits within the Wizard Control Zone should have been almost eradicated by now; otherwise, the headquarters would not have rashly moved against Luxor. If this was confirmed, what he needed to do now was to head to the border as soon as possible, lest after the advances made by the White Wizard Army, he wouldn¡¯t even get to sip the soup¡ªthe Fire Lizard Resistance Army of Luxor was no big trouble for wizards, and the well-organized White Wizard Army had more than enough strength to wipe them out. This process did not require the help of Black Wizards, and those White Wizards did not wish for Black Wizards to participate. A battle destined to be victorious was like a cake already made; naturally, the White Wizard Army wanted as few people as possible to share the cake. Following the map¡¯s guidance, Richard started to move toward Luxor. During this journey, Richard saw many Black Wizards who were just as informed. For some reason, after entering Linksa Empire, the headquarters had not assigned the Black Wizards infiltration tasks. A large number of Black Wizards were all eliminating bandits within the Linksa Empire, an apparent underuse of their capabilities. A month later, Richard¡¯s Communication Crystal Ball suddenly conveyed a message. [The war involving Luxor Province and its surrounding regions will commence in one day. Wizards may freely choose whether to participate in this war.] Listening to this message, Richard couldn¡¯t help but laugh sardonically, ¡°A free choice, that¡¯s a nice phrase. But when it comes to gnawing on a tough bone, where was the free choice?¡± Pocketing the Communication Crystal Ball, not far from Richard, ten battle groups of ten thousand each were already assembled. According to the White Wizard Army¡¯s battle array, the ten thousand unit was the largest combat entity. Ten of these groups, along with their accompanying War Airships and Synthetic Beast Army, were sufficient to crush the Fire Lizard Resistance Army of Luxor. But it wasn¡¯t just ten thousand units that the wizards were deploying this time. Rumors suggested that to the southwest of Luxor, there was another White Wizard Army of around one hundred thousand. If the rumors were true, this war would involve nearly half of the White Wizards from the Wizard Control Zone. The well-informed Black Wizards had already formed a small town on the periphery of the White Wizard Army, and among them, Richard easily found Iyad, robed in white. At the moment, he was huddling with a few other White Wizards, looking sullenly at the nearby White Wizard Army. Upon seeing Richard, Iyad seemed somewhat pleased to greet him. ¡°Master Richard, I¡¯ve finally waited for you. I thought you might have gotten lost.¡± ¡°Lost? What made you think that?¡± Richard asked curiously. ¡°Nothing much. While conversing with these few friends of mine, I heard a rumor that their Floating City also had a Master named Richard who¡¯s quite something. As a Black Wizard, he supposedly got lost inside Linksa Empire during his infiltration period.¡± Saying this, Iyad couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°How ludicrous must these rumors be before they get shaped into this? A Black Wizard that gets lost behind enemy lines, how could such a wizard possibly reach Third Ring?¡± Richard also laughed, but his smile was somewhat awkward. Ha-ha-ha, indeed, that foolish wizard is only at Second Ring, far from reaching Third Ring. Through Iyad¡¯s introduction, Richard also got to know the other White Wizards. These were friends of Iyad in the army, who had all been reassigned to the Black Wizard sequence in this reorganization. After mingling with these wizards, Richard discovered that these White Wizards were no weaklings. And according to them, many powerful White Wizards had been reassigned to the Black Wizard sequence. What was even stranger was that the information about this offensive was kept highly confidential within the White Wizard ranks, so much so that even Iyad¡¯s information came from White Wizards recruited by the Great Wizard Yuhuo. ¡°This is quite strange.¡± A trace of unease flickered through Richard¡¯s mind; the headquarters¡¯ actions were too peculiar. Using so many White Wizards for eliminating bandits, being so stringent with information security, and reassigning these elite White Wizards to the Black Wizard sequence. When combining these three together, it all seemed strange no matter how one looked at it. Suddenly, Richard recalled the words Ulysses had said to him before falling asleep. ¡°You¡¯ve already won this war; that green bone skeleton is trapping that Fire Lizard.¡± Why would Ulysses say the wizards had already won? Although the Fire Lizard King Morick had temporarily disappeared, the remaining Fire Lizard King Minar was also a Level 5 Creature. The Great Wizard Yuhuo was severely injured, Great Wizard Qing Shuang was a Four Rings wizard, and the number of the Wizard Army had dropped to half of what it was before the war began. No matter how one looked at it, the wizards seemed to be at a disadvantage. But Ulysses told him the wizards had already won¡­ If Ulysses was not mistaken, then there was only one possibility¡ªGreat Wizard Yuhuo and Great Wizard Qing Shuang had the ability to kill Minar. Thinking about this, Richard suddenly asked Iyad: ¡°Iyad, does your White Wizard Army have any means to resist the World Master?¡± Iyad paused, ¡°Hm? Why do you suddenly ask this?¡± Richard¡¯s face was serious, ¡°Just tell me whether you do or not, and whether this method requires the formation of units of ten thousand to use,¡± Iyad and a few White Wizards around him changed their expressions, clearly, Richard was right. ¡°Master, what have you realized?¡± Iyad asked seriously. At this moment, he vaguely guessed that he might have made a mistake. ¡­ In the Royal Capital of the Minar Empire, at the top of the Pyramid where Minar had stood for ten years, his eyes suddenly opened. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He could feel that the aura of the terrible Great Wizard known as Inferno had just weakened to the point of nearly vanishing. ¡°Finally couldn¡¯t hold on anymore?¡± Minar¡¯s gaze turned towards the Floating City as if he could see through the spatial barriers to the Inferno Great Wizard at the heart of the Floating City. ¡°Such severe injuries and yet he managed to hold on for ten years, truly a terrifying creature.¡± Dragon Wings sprouted behind Minar once again. He had waited ten years, just to wait for the Inferno Great Wizard to fall into slumber. Now, at last, he could expel these wizards! ¡°Mai Han, Harash.¡± Two figures flew out from the Royal Capital and quickly arrived beside Minar. ¡°Immediately mobilize the troops, the Great Wizards of the wizards have fallen into slumber; today is the day we counterattack!¡± Upon hearing this, Mai Han immediately shouted in agreement, but Harash hesitated for a moment before advising, ¡°Your Majesty Minar, wizards are not reckless creatures; they are always meticulous and cautious. If their situation is this dire, they should have left the Red Sun World long ago. Your Majesty, I suspect this is a ruse.¡± Minar shifted his gaze to Harash, the immense Dragon Power pressing down on Harash like a mountain. Yet, Harash showed no reaction and maintained his advising stance. Mai Han was somewhat terrified; wasn¡¯t Harash¡¯s advice blatantly calling Minar foolish? Minar was not angry, as he was well aware of Harash¡¯s reputation. ¡°Harash, your words make sense, but your power is too insignificant; there¡¯s much you cannot see. Carry out the orders.¡± With that, Minar spread his Dragon Wings, and his figure vanished from the top of the Pyramid. Mai Han straightened up, his face showing relief as if he had just survived a disaster. ¡°My Marshal Harash, you truly are fearless.¡± Harash stood up straight, his expression unchanged. ¡°This is our duty, Mai Han.¡± Seeing Harash¡¯s composed face, Mai Han almost believed he was the one from the old Morick Empire and that Harash before him was Minar¡¯s Grand Marshal. ¡°Fine, you¡¯re ruthless. Which plan shall we follow?¡± Mai Han casually asked. Harash was silent for a moment before speaking, ¡°Use the backup plan. This move by His Majesty is definitely a trap. After dealing with these wizards for so many years, their favorite tactic is to exploit cognitive differences to calculate against us.¡± Upon hearing this, Mai Han¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Have you lost your mind? This is disobeying His Majesty¡¯s orders. If your conjecture is wrong, we are both dead!¡± Harash¡¯s gaze moved towards the Linksa Empire, speaking solemnly, ¡°No worries, I¡¯ll knock you out later. If there¡¯s an issue, it¡¯ll be my responsibility. This concerns the future of the Fire Lizard Clan; I cannot afford to gamble.¡± ¡­ ¡°Phew, this operation is probably the Great Wizard fishing,¡± Richard said with a wry smile on his face. ¡°This operation is likely to be very dangerous; even the entire Legion might face the risk of annihilation. That¡¯s why Great Wizard Qing Shuang temporarily reassigned you all to the Black Wizard sequence. If the Legion is annihilated, you should serve as the seeds for its reconstruction.¡± As soon as Richard finished speaking, a dreadful pressure suddenly emanated from deep within the Fire Lizard Empire. The Black Wizards in attendance sensed it and scattered in horror. Although they didn¡¯t guess the Great Wizard¡¯s plan, they knew one thing for certain: the smaller the target, the better. A few White Wizards reassigned to the Black Wizard sequence quickly formed up into an array, preparing to flee the area. However, when Iyad invited Richard to join the formation, Richard casually tore open a Space Rift and pulled out a lively, armored hound. A Secret Realm Fragment, and not a low-quality one at that. Richard¡¯s face beamed with a smile like a wealthy dog breeder: ¡°No need to worry about me, I have a Secret Realm Fragment to take refuge in.¡± Chapter 260 - 44: The Collapse of the Linksa Empire (Part 5) Chapter 260: Chapter 44: The Collapse of the Linksa Empire (Part 5) Watching Richard open the Space Rift, Iyad was taken aback. Secret Realm Fragments, although available for purchase at some old Wizard Commerce organizations, were rarely bought by wizards. Besides their exorbitant prices, the most important reason was their low cost-effectiveness. Most of the Secret Realm Fragments sold by these organizations had energy environments barely better than the Wizard World, and their areas were minuscule, typically used at most as storage spaces. But for storage space, wizards could simply carry a couple more Magic Pockets, and they weren¡¯t going on holiday when heading into battle¡ªthere wasn¡¯t that much to bring along. The fragments with slightly better energy conditions would have their prices increased manifold compared to those of the same volume, making them a seldom purchase even for a Three Rings Wizard. And yet, Richard actually owned a decent quality Secret Realm Fragment¡ªthis was totally a rich man¡¯s move. ¡°Really rich, Master Richard.¡± Iyad¡¯s voice dripped with sarcasm as he turned and fled with a few other White Wizards into the distance. Richard placed the armored hound on the ground and immediately dove into the Secret Realm, closing the rift behind him. Why had Richard left an armored hound outside? The answer appeared swiftly. With the appearance of the Fire Lizard King, Minar, the armored hound instinctively cowered on the ground, its throat continuously emitting whines. Inside the Secret Realm, Richard instantly took control of the armored hound¡¯s senses through the Soul Seed, beginning to use its field of vision to watch the battle unfold. Richard could be sure of this battle¡ªthe victor would definitely be Great Wizard Qing Shuang. The armored hound¡¯s role was to observe the fight, allowing Richard to go out and collect some spoils of war immediately after its conclusion. The Flesh of the World¡¯s Dominator was of little use to the average wizard, but to Richard, these items were treasures. ¡­ Minar¡¯s aura did not hide in the slightest as he boldly declared his intent to battle Qing Shuang, the Great Wizard. Though the Great Wizard could engage him, without the help of that green-flame wizard, Qing Shuang¡¯s ultimate fate would be nothing but a dead end. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As soon as Minar entered the Linksa Empire territory, Qing Shuang appeared before him; two World Master Level beings confronting each other in the sky, their emanating pressure silencing the surrounding kilometers. Creatures within this radius either stayed motionless out of instinct or simply fainted or died from fright. ¡°You still dare to obstruct me?¡± Minar¡¯s body emitted a scorching glow, like a blazing crimson sun. Opposite him stood Qing Shuang, immovable like an iceberg, his expression grave. In both aura and strength, he was severely suppressed. With the death of Linksa and the disappearance of Morick, the Power of the World from the Red Sun World, after ten years of transfer, now augmented Minar. At this moment, Minar had surpassed Morick to become the most powerful among the three Fire Lizard Kings. Seeing Qing Shuang remain silent, Minar¡¯s gaze shifted beyond him, looking toward Luxor Province. At this moment, the White Wizard Army gathered in Luxor Province was rapidly retreating toward the Floating City. ¡°Retreating now? Too late!¡± A mocking smile appeared on Minar¡¯s fierce dragon face. Qing Shuang¡¯s complexion changed, and he was about to wield his Ice Crystal Wand, but Minar had no intention of tangling with him. His Dragon Wings unfurled, and he vanished from Qing Shuang¡¯s view. He was not in a hurry to kill Qing Shuang; he intended to slaughter all the wizards who ravaged the Red Sun World right in front of the Great Wizard. But he did not notice the slight, barely perceptible smile that suddenly appeared on Qing Shuang¡¯s face as he disappeared. White Wizard Army Central Command. Several Three Rings Wizards were sitting in the room, awaiting orders from Qing Shuang. Suddenly, the Crystal Ball before them illuminated, and Qing Shuang¡¯s voice came through. ¡°Take action.¡± The wizards exchanged glances and immediately set to work. In an instant, a mind network of a hundred thousand White Wizards, centered on the command post and connected through the War Airships, linked together. The Army mind network activated. The next moment, Minar appeared before the army, and his terrifying presence mingled with the Dragon Power instantly assaulted the psyches of numerous wizards. However, these Spiritual Shocks were immediately dispersed among all the wizards through the mind network. ¡°Oh, you can resist?¡± Although Minar was a native, as a World Master, his high strength allowed him to see through many things. At this moment, he could feel that all the souls of the wizards before him were linked together. ¡°But what¡¯s the use?¡± A sneer appeared on Minar¡¯s face, his radiance becoming even more blinding. ¡°The unity of the weak only makes it easier for the strong!¡± The command post paid no mind to Minar¡¯s taunts and calmly issued orders. ¡°Activate the Magic Shield.¡± Next, a Magic Barrier encompassing all the White Wizards appeared beside them. The Legion Magic Shield activated! Minar suddenly threw a punch, and at the moment it was unleashed, a sun-like heat and brilliance erupted from his knuckles, a blinding light so intense it was unbearable to look at, like a miniature sun. This sun smashed heavily onto the Legion Shield. Buzz¡ª The Magic Barrier set off tumultuous waves, and the colossal Legion Shield was nearly shattered by a blinding burst of light. The faces of all the wizards in the legion paled as they expended a massive amount of Magic Power to fend off the attack. ¡°We actually blocked it.¡± Minar was shocked. He had used seventy percent of his strength in that punch, which would have been equivalent to his full power before. But it had not broken through the Shield. A sinister premonition suddenly flashed through his mind. ¡°Hehehe, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯m hearing someone call a wizard weak.¡± The figure of Great Wizard Qing Shuang appeared at the center of the legion. He tore a scroll, and an enormous Magic Array rapidly spread from his feet throughout the legion, with the wizards in the Array almost merging into one with it. If Richard were present and observed with his Energy Vision, he would certainly notice that all hundred thousand wizards in the legion were standing on energy nodes. Legion Magic Array, activate! With the legion¡¯s enhanced power, Great Wizard Qing Shuang¡¯s aura surged instantaneously, skyrocketing and exploding in strength. Already nearly a Three Rings Wizard, under the legion¡¯s Magic Array¡¯s enhancement, he broke through to Four Rings in an instant, arriving at a pseudo-Five Rings level. He was considered pseudo-Five Rings because although Great Wizard Qing Shuang¡¯s energy intensity reached the level of a Level 5 Creature, he lacked the special abilities possessed by creatures of Five Rings. But as a wizard, even at pseudo-Five Rings, Great Wizard Qing Shuang was more than adequate to handle Minar. Moreover, Great Wizard Qing Shuang had more than just these preparations. He opened a Space Rift and from within, he took out an Ice and Fire Spear burning with blue ice flames. The ice flames shattered continuously, turning into pure Magic Power that dissipated into the space. Inside the spear shaft, countless mysterious Runes flowed endlessly, seemingly forming an extremely complex Magic Model. ¡°Hehehe, you fool really thought I had no way to deal with you. Are your brains even less useful than those underlings of yours?¡± Great Wizard Qing Shuang¡¯s face was full of mockery. To his perception, the Fire Lizard Empire¡¯s legion was actually retreating instead of attacking¡ªa move that was clearly not the idea of the fool before him. There were indeed some wise beings among the Fire Lizards. ¡°Heh, reaching a new level by relying on external objects, is this how you plan to defeat me?¡± Minar was both shocked and furious, realizing that this was indeed the trap the wizards had prepared for him, as Harash had described. ¡°But that¡¯s not all.¡± A faint voice came from behind Minar. Unknown to him, a Space Rift had opened behind him, from which a skull burning with green flames had crossed spatial barriers to arrive behind him. Minar¡¯s pupils constricted. The Great Wizard of Infernal Fire, who should have been injured and sleeping, was not asleep at all. Judging by the stable aura on him, there were no signs of the injuries flaring up. His attack was completely within the wizards¡¯ calculations! ¡°A counterfeit boosted by false items, a skeletal frame bearing grievous injuries, this is how you plan to take me down!?¡± Minar suddenly grew in size, his aura growing even stronger, almost breaking through Level 5 Creature and entering the category of a Level 6 Creature. At this moment, Minar was devouring the Power of the World to enhance his own strength. Such actions greatly harmed the World Origin. If one compared life¡¯s origin to a creature, then Minar was incessantly sucking the fresh blood of the World Origin. ¡°Like a cornered dog jumping over a wall, Qing Shuang, finish him.¡± The Great Wizard of Infernal Fire let out a furious shout, the second strongest display of emotion he had shown in this Plane War. He already considered the Red Sun World as his, and Minar was destroying his property! Infernal fire surged from the Great Wizard of Infernal Fire and instantly formed a domain that firmly trapped Minar. However, Minar¡¯s strength at that moment was almost at Level 6 Creature. He shook his arms, and the intense radiance on his body carved out a sanctuary within the domain. ¡°Wizard, taste this!¡± A Light Spear appeared in Minar¡¯s hand, its shaft circulating with intense light, as if capturing a sliver of the sun¡¯s soul, too dazzling to look at directly. With a forceful swing, the Light Spear tore through the sky, heading straight for the Great Wizard of Infernal Fire. And behind Minar, Great Wizard Qing Shuang¡¯s Ice Crystal Spear was also hurled at him. Minar intended to go down with the Great Wizard of Infernal Fire! The terror of the Light Spear was such that even a slight fluctuation caused rifts to appear in space. If hit by this spear, there was no chance for the Great Wizard of Infernal Fire to survive! ¡°Hehehe, you just won¡¯t believe you¡¯re a fool, not even discerning real from fake.¡± The Great Wizard of Infernal Fire in the domain cackled twice, then suddenly transformed into a clump of green flames, disappearing within the domain. What¡¯s false can be true, and what¡¯s real may also be false. Minar, once again a Level 5 Creature, would not be underestimated by the Great Wizard of Infernal Fire in his prime, especially with the support of the World¡¯s Power. Plus, the Great Wizard of Infernal Fire was severely injured, so how could he possibly venture to the scene, let alone be so close to him? But it was too late for Minar to realize this. The Light Spear streaked across the sky, plummeting like a meteor into the Sea of Magma at the edge of the world, raising mountainous waves of molten lava. Meanwhile, the Ice and Fire Spear struck him squarely from behind, and the dreadful Sealing Power burst forth instantly from the spear, freezing him solid within an ice mountain. No matter how he struggled, the ice mountain stood unmoving. Great Wizard Qing Shuang had spent ten years crafting this Ice and Fire Spear. Contained within it was the Dead Silence Ice Mountain Sealing Technique, powerful enough to seal a Level 5 Creature for fifty years. Fifty years was but a mere moment for a World Master, but it was enough for the wizards to conquer the entire Red Sun World. Even if Morick returned, the moment he set foot in the Red Sun World, he would be met with a trap meticulously prepared for him by two Great Wizards. The fate of the Red Sun World was sealed the moment that Minar decided to make his move. Chapter 261 - 45 The Fall of the Linksa Empire (Complete) Chapter 261: Chapter 45 The Fall of the Linksa Empire (Complete) In the towering blue mountains of Ice, the enormous Fire Lizard King continued to struggle, each of his attempts causing the ice mountain to roar loudly, with white cracks constantly appearing throughout its icy expanse. However, in the gaps of his struggling, the ice mountain seemed to come to life, incessantly healing these cracks. Although the healing speed was not as fast as the cracks appeared, the Great Wizard Qing Shuang was not at all dissatisfied. As a Four Rings Wizard, being able to seal a Level 5 Creature was already bullying the ignorant natives. To achieve a permanent sealing, he would need to advance to a Five Rings Wizard. After dealing with Minar, Great Wizard Qing Shuang waved his Magic Wand, and the White Wizard Army instantly changed direction, marching toward Luxor Province. Now, in the entire Red Sun World, there remained no life capable of contesting the wizards¡ªit was time to handle the Fire Lizards. The army of a hundred thousand from the White Wizard Army was already enough to flatten Luxor, and now with Great Wizard Qing Shuang joining, the speed of annihilation was even faster. Great Wizard Qing Shuang waved his Magic Wand, and a Spell capable of enveloping an entire city materialized. A piercing cold wind from the Water Element Territory surged through the magical gateway created, and in an instant, it transformed an entire city into ice sculptures. Creatures of all levels within the city died instantly. In the face of such near-miraculous power, the morale of the Fire Lizards instantly collapsed; even the Dragon Beast Knight Order couldn¡¯t maintain their spirits and began to rout massively. In just one day, the spearhead of the White Wizard Army had moved from the borders of Luxor Province to the outskirts of Luxor City. As the commander of the Dragon Beast Knight Order and the last general of the Linksa Empire, Balashar stood atop the pyramid in the center of the city, quietly watching the advancing Wizard Army. A leader from the Dragon Beast Knight Order approached Balashar, his voice filled with tragic resolve, ¡°Sir, what shall we do?¡± Balashar glanced at him, his tone utterly calm as he spoke, ¡°What to do? I have already ordered the dissolution of the Knight Order. If you want to resist, play hide and seek with the wizards. If you don¡¯t want to resist, then find a deep forest to hide in. The wizards have already won. If you hide well enough, you should be able to live until death.¡± The leader looked up at Balashar, his golden pupils tinged with blood, ¡°Sir, we have not lost yet, Lord Morick is not dead yet! He will surely lead us to drive this horde of wizards out!¡± Balashar sighed, gently shaking his head, ¡°Enough, you may leave now, I have already told you what to do.¡± ¡°Sir!¡± the leader exclaimed, ¡°We need a leader!¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t need a leader,¡± Balashar¡¯s voice suddenly turned sharp, ¡°The Dragon Beast Knight Order will only trouble the wizards if it disbands; if you gather, a single spell from the Great Wizard will wipe you out. Though I have disdain for those degenerate bandits, I must admit, they bring more trouble to the wizards than we do.¡± As he spoke, Balashar¡¯s face suddenly showed a smile tinged with mocking bitterness. ¡°Boy, do you know? If you want to cause the wizards significant losses, what you should do now is go kill.¡± ¡°Kill the wizards? We definitely¡­¡± ¡°No, kill the Fire Lizards.¡± Balashar drew his Scimitar from his waist, its blade smooth as a mirror, reflecting the withered visage of a Fire Lizard on it. These ten years, every day Balashar had lived in terror, constantly considering what to do if the wizards attacked. Now he could finally stop thinking. Balashar continued, ¡°To the wizards, Fire Lizards are wealth. If you want to inflict heavy losses on them, go kill the Fire Lizards, and then commit suicide when they capture you.¡± The leader¡¯s face turned horrified; Balashar¡¯s words had frightened him. Balashar saw his expression and laughed, shaking his head. ¡°Don¡¯t daze off, do whatever you want. I have fulfilled my duties, it¡¯s time for me to follow His Majesty.¡± With that, Balashar swung his Scimitar, drawing it across his own neck. In the 45th year of the war, Balashar, the last general of the Linksa Empire, died, thus marking the complete downfall of one of the Three Great Empires of the Red Sun World, the Linksa Empire. The destruction of the Fire Lizard Clan was now ticking down to its final moments. ¡­ Outside Luxor City, Richard stealthily made his way to the volcanic location of the Dragon Beast Cultivation Base. The Linksa Empire was initially managed by the Floating City of the Great Wizard of Inferno, and the infiltrating Black Wizards were all those recruited by the Great Wizard of Inferno. But the current attack on Luxor was conducted by the Great Wizard Qing Shuang¡¯s White Wizard Army, which did not approach the base. Richard contemplated that the intelligence about the Dragon Beast Cultivation Base probably hadn¡¯t been shared by the command of the Great Wizard of Inferno. Even the few Three Rings Wizards who initially operated might not have reported this information. Richard had not run during the battle between the Great Wizard and the Fire Lizard King. Now that the Great Wizard was attacking, Richard, being the closest, became one of the first wizards to enter Luxor. For a time, Richard was the only one aware of the Dragon Beast Cultivation Base. ¡°Haha, although I didn¡¯t manage to get the flesh of the Fire Lizard King, obtaining technology from the Pioneer is also great.¡± Richard searched around the periphery of the volcano and quickly found a concealed entrance. At the entrance, two Dragon Beast Knights had already committed suicide by poisoning, their bodies beginning to decompose under the effect of the toxins. ¡°Suicide¡­ sigh.¡± Richard entered the passage and soon arrived at the outskirts of the Dragon Beast Cultivation Base. This place, once a crucial site of the Linksa Empire, now lay in utter silence. Suicidal Fire Lizards were visible throughout the base, all using the same poison as the Dragon Beast Knights at the entrance. To be honest, looking at this scene, Richard was momentarily stunned. This scene was more shocking than the severed limbs and remains on the battlefield. Soon, Richard regained his composure and started flying towards the core area of the base. Along the way, he saw dead Dragon Beasts and Fire Lizards that had committed suicide, which agitated him. He hated this scene. If these Fire Lizards had fought with him, their deaths wouldn¡¯t have caused any stir in his emotions. But their suicide instilled an indescribable sense of guilt in Richard. Richard felt extremely hypocritical. Who were these crocodile tears for? Richard flew in silence, and suddenly, he sensed a living creature in his perception. It was a Fire Lizard! Richard clenched his Magic Wand, his face appeared relieved, and it felt like he had unloaded some burden from his heart. He stepped over the bodies and found the living Fire Lizard¡ªit was an old Fire Lizard, its dull, lackluster scales and eyes as brilliant as gold clearly showed his age. This Fire Lizard had not committed suicide; he was currently organizing a stack of documents. Upon seeing Richard, he was startled for a moment. ¡°Have you already arrived in Luxor?¡± Richard scanned the old Fire Lizard with his spiritual power; he was just a Level 1 Creature, and an elderly one at that. There was no resistance. After a moment of silence, Richard asked, ¡°¡­What are you doing?¡± ¡°Sorting documents.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t your superior order you to destroy the documents?¡± ¡°He indeed did, but he¡¯s already dead,¡± the Fire Lizard pointed to a decaying corpse beside him. ¡°This is him, dead for half a day already.¡± The Fire Lizard¡¯s calmness left Richard somewhat bewildered; at this moment, they did not seem like invaders and the invaded, but rather like two passersby casually chatting on the street. ¡°¡­Can I take a look at the documents?¡± Richard asked. The Fire Lizard pointed to a neatly stacked pile of documents on the other side, ¡°These are the organized ones; you can look at these.¡± The Fire Lizard¡¯s attitude sparked a bit of anger in Richard. The Fire Lizard shouldn¡¯t be this calm. Why wasn¡¯t he resisting? Shouldn¡¯t he be browsing through blood-stained documents over their corpses? ¡°You are very angry.¡± The old Fire Lizard suddenly spoke. ¡°Indeed.¡± Richard spoke coldly, ¡°Why don¡¯t you resist? Wizards slaughtered your people, destroyed your city, ruined your country. Aren¡¯t you angry?¡± ¡°What good would anger do?¡± The old Fire Lizard retorted, ¡°Can my anger allow me to kill you? With these old limbs of mine.¡± Richard fell silent. ¡°You see, you also know I can¡¯t kill you. So why should I be angry? Getting angry might end me. Who would sort these documents then?¡± ¡°Why are you sorting these documents?¡± Richard couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What are these, for you to still need to sort them at this time?¡± Richard picked up the documents and started browsing through them, but the contents took him by surprise. ¡°This is about the breeding process of Dragon Beasts!?¡± The Fire Lizard dragged a stack of documents from a cabinet beside him, casually replying, ¡°Good eye, are all Wizards as well-versed as you?¡± Richard looked shocked at the old Fire Lizard, ¡°This is useful to Wizards, you should have destroyed it.¡± ¡°Destroy? Hehe.¡± The old Fire Lizard suddenly laughed, ¡°I know it should be destroyed, but I spent three hundred years studying these Dragon Beasts, most of my life was spent in this base. These documents are like my children, how could I bear to destroy them?¡± The old Fire Lizard¡¯s voice grew increasingly angry but suddenly softened at the end. ¡°Besides, isn¡¯t it good for you to have these?¡± the old Fire Lizard put a stack of sorted files aside, ¡°I¡¯ve heard you Wizards don¡¯t care much for Gold Coins or gemstones, but you do care immensely about knowledge. These documents, if kept with you, should be well-treated. Many years from now, when Fire Lizards have been exterminated by you. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. These documents could prove to the future generations that there once was a race called the Fire Lizard among the stars.¡± ¡°¡­How do you know we are going to exterminate the Fire Lizards.¡± The old Fire Lizard¡¯s lips curled into a mocking smile. ¡°Fire Lizards who become slaves are no longer Fire Lizards. Since the Fire Lizard King took up the banner of resistance against the Giant Dragons, Fire Lizards are no longer slaves. Even the name Fire Lizard came into being after the fall of the dragons. Before that, in the Red Sun World, there were only Giant Dragons and slaves.¡± Richard remained silent. Fire Lizard was a name given by Wizards; the name Fire Lizards call themselves, if translated from their language, should be¡ª Free Man. Chapter 262 - 46 Dragon Beast Breeding Technology Chapter 262: Chapter 46 Dragon Beast Breeding Technology The old Fire Lizard finished cleaning up, finally arranging all the materials. After organizing everything, he picked up a Black Gold Scimitar from the ground and calmly looked at Richard. ¡°Wizard, I didn¡¯t interfere with the research of others, but all the things I¡¯ve been busy with over the years are here.¡± Richard placed the materials into the Magic Pocket, silently giving the old Fire Lizard a Wizard¡¯s Salute. The transfer of knowledge is always worthy of respect. Then Richard, somewhat conflicted, spoke: ¡°Fire Lizard, don¡¯t rush to die. I think you are very valuable. Would you be interested in working for me for a while? We could sign a fair employment contract¡­¡± ¡°Wizard, are you insulting me?¡± the old Fire Lizard interrupted loudly, ¡°You destroyed my country, enslaved my people. I may be a bastard, but I¡¯m not that much of a bastard.¡± With that, the old Fire Lizard swung his scimitar, the sharp blade of the Dragon Beast Knight effortlessly severing his neck. Richard watched this scene, a heavy sigh stuck in his chest for a long time before he finally exhaled it. Then Richard came to the core area of the cultivation base, but upon seeing the core area, he was stunned. The entire core area was occupied by several huge pits; almost all of the Dragon Beast breeding machines were destroyed. Booming noise! Richard suddenly looked up at the sky, where he noticed that the huge Energy Dome above the base had become very weak compared to when he had last visited. The noise he had just heard was the movement of the upper layer of magma. If some more time passed, this Energy Dome would probably disappear. At that time, tens of millions of tons of magma would submerge the entire Dragon Beast Cultivation Base, erasing the last bit of its value. Richard shook his head: ¡°These Fire Lizards did a thorough job.¡± Richard then quickened his searching pace, and in a matter of minutes, he had inspected the entire core area along with the third layer. Eventually, on the third layer, Richard found half of a breeding machine blown away by the explosion¡¯s aftermath. Most parts of the machine were damaged, but Richard still found something usable within it. [Material: Giant Dragon Alchemy Chip] [Refinable Information: Half-Elemental Creature Flesh Transformation Technology] [Extraction Consumption: 20 Spiritual Power] Looking at the palm-sized metal plate covered with golden patterns in his hand, Richard¡¯s eyes flashed with surprise. He hadn¡¯t expected such an important component to have survived intact. Without hesitation, Richard chose to extract and quickly acquired this technology left by the Pioneers. The function of this technology was simple, to transform the flesh of half-elemental creatures like Flame Giant Beasts into a special kind of half-elemental Firestar Flesh. Wizards had the technology to transform the flesh of half-elemental creatures into active flesh, but Richard had never heard of this kind of half-elemental active flesh before. According to the technology¡¯s description, a thousand kilograms of first-level half-elemental creature¡¯s flesh could be turned into ten grams of half-elemental active flesh. Although he did not know the activity level of this half-elemental active flesh, even the lowest-level first-level active flesh was far superior to Jolod¡¯s technology. In Richard¡¯s perspective, the flesh of half-elemental creatures was among the worst materials for producing active flesh, as the Elemental Bloodline it contained polluted the flesh. To make it into active flesh, great efforts must be made to remove the Elemental Bloodline. Jolod¡¯s technology could only produce one gram of normal active flesh from a thousand kilograms of half-elemental creature flesh. After storing the Giant Dragon Alchemy Chip, Richard immediately flew out of the base. On his way, he casually took a considerable number of Flame Giant Beast corpses from the outer ring warehouse. As for the Energy Dome in the sky, Richard had no intention whatsoever of investigating it. The Fire Lizards couldn¡¯t destroy it, and it was likely a legacy of the Pioneers, something he couldn¡¯t take even if he went up. Moreover, the technology of the Energy Dome looked very complex; if he went up and found out he couldn¡¯t refine it, he would be utterly frustrated. Soon, Richard walked out from the entrance he had used to enter the base. As he stepped out, thunderous noise followed him through the passage. The Energy Dome disappeared and tens of millions of tons of magma crashed into the Dragon Beast Cultivation Base, completely burying this once treasure of the Linksa Empire. Richard looked back at the entrance where faint firelight was visible and felt somewhat relieved: ¡°Good thing I didn¡¯t try to study that Energy Dome. If I had, I probably wouldn¡¯t have made it back.¡± Below the World Master, no one could withstand the impact of tens of millions of tons of magma, not even a Wizard. In the distance, Luxor had already been conquered; the White Wizard Army began skillfully scavenging spoils of war within the city. Alchemy creations? Take them! Fire Element Gems? Take them! Flame Artifacts? Definitely take those! The Wizards laughed as they looted from room to room, marking the civilian Fire Lizards with Slave Marks using the Slave Seals. As Balashar had said, Fire Lizards indeed were wealth for the Wizards; each Fire Lizard slave could be exchanged for varying amounts of Magic Stones from the Great Wizard. To kill a Fire Lizard was to destroy wealth. Unfortunately, Balashar¡¯s idea was a bit too extreme, even he himself just talked about it more than he practiced it. The Dragon Beast Knights he once commanded wouldn¡¯t act in this way. These elite troops of the former Linksa Empire, under the command of their leader, had now dispersed into small teams, hiding in various deep mountains and forests. ¡°They still believe that everything will get better as soon as Morick, the Fire Lizard King, returns.¡± Looking at the distant Luxor City, Richard chose not to go in and scavenge for spoils. His gains had already been significant, and it didn¡¯t seem worthwhile to plunder those minor benefits. Moreover, the tragic state of the Dragon Beast Cultivation Base had indeed struck a chord in his heart, and he needed to find a place to calm his emotions. Opening the Secret Realm Rift, Richard entered it, ready to study the materials organized by the old fire lizard. Shortly after he entered the Secret Realm, two figures arrived beside the cultivation base. These two figures, one as robust as a stone giant, the other shrouded in fierce flames resembling a fire elf. These were the two Three Rings Wizards who had previously attacked the Dragon Beast Cultivation Base and escaped. Sensing the magma continually surging up in the passage, Mephit, somewhat regretfully, said: ¡°We are still too late.¡± The Dragon Beast Cultivation Base had already been completely annihilated by a massive amount of magma. In contrast to his calmness, the nearby flame wizard was highly volatile. ¡°Those damn natives, do they not realize what they have destroyed? That was the knowledge of the Lost One!¡± The Flame Wizard roared furiously, his flames leaping violently with his roar. ¡°The thing is already destroyed, being volatile won¡¯t bring it back.¡± Mephit glanced at the volcano and then flew towards Luxor City. Since the last time the Holy Guard nearly killed him, Mephit realized there was something wrong with his mindset. As his power grew, his attitude had also become somewhat arrogant, which was bad for a wizard. Because of this, he had been cultivating his temperament lately. Had it been before, he might have been furious at the destruction of the Dragon Beast Cultivation Base, but now, he could only lament his bad luck, even somewhat relieved. If the base hadn¡¯t been destroyed, he definitely would have gone in. What if he encountered the Holy Guard that he had met before? The Black Wizard must restrain his greed. The Flame Wizard watched Mephit¡¯s departing figure and, somewhat angrily, threw a few fireballs at the mountain wall. But then he also turned direction and headed towards Luxor. The Dragon Beast Cultivation Base was already destroyed; venting was meaningless. It might be better to plunder some spoils in Luxor. But what both Three Rings Wizards couldn¡¯t have expected was that, before them, a Second Ring Wizard had already taken a tour of the Dragon Beast Cultivation Base. ¡­ Inside the Secret Realm, Richard took out the documentation, which was taller than two people when stacked, from his pocket and began to understand what a Dragon Beast really was. According to the document, Dragon Beasts are also a type of Synthetic Beast, only far more stable than most Synthetic Beasts created by wizards. Except for their inability to reproduce, they were almost indistinguishable from normal creatures. A typical Dragon Beast¡¯s lifespan ranged from one hundred to two hundred years, and its physique should be between 150 and 200, occasionally breeding those within the three-level creatures¡¯ range. According to records left by the old fire lizards, in ancient times, they were able to mass-produce third-level Dragon Beasts. But later, these technologies were lost for various reasons; ancient documents, because they contained a lot of Dragon Language, remain undecipherable until now¡­ So those fire lizards just burned those documents. When Richard read this, he was so angry he almost got a toothache. Such a waste of heavenly gifts! Knowledge of Dragon Language wasn¡¯t difficult to obtain among wizards; even if there were differences between languages, he had the Miracle Furnace to directly refine the information. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Continuing to read, the fire lizards used many techniques to cultivate Dragon Beasts, each recipe producing Dragon Beasts with different characteristics. Like the current Dragon Beast Knights¡¯ mounts, they used a very balanced type of Dragon Beast, its speed, strength, endurance, and even intelligence, none outstanding, but all above average. And the old fire lizard had been researching a new type of Dragon Beast craft, his type, with outstanding speed and endurance, and strength above average, only lacking in intelligence, requiring long-term taming before it could be used as a mount. Moreover, this type of Dragon Beast also had relatively low defense, even ordinary Fire Lizard Warriors could easily break through. ¡°Hmm, the strengths and weaknesses are quite apparent.¡± Richard looked at the documents in his hands; his gaze involuntarily shifted towards a hunting dog in the Secret Realm, playing with Holy Tree Elves. ¡°Intelligence is not a problem, just takes some time to work on, or else soul witchcraft can help with that. As for defense¡­ perhaps a secondary modification on the Dragon Beasts, accompanied by these armored plates, would work. But the issue is whose hands to use them in.¡± Richard stroked his chin, shifting his gaze to the final section of the document. According to the document, making a Dragon Beast required the blood of a Fire Lizard, and the Dragon Beast would naturally bond with the Fire Lizard that provided the blood. When fighting side by side, there might even be a mental union, achieving Man and Horse Unity. Reading this passage, Richard suddenly remembered the Dragonification Potion he had acquired before. One of the ingredients of this potion was the fresh blood of a Fire Lizard. Richard murmured, ¡°It seems the heavens haven¡¯t abandoned you, Fire Lizards.¡± Chapter 263 - 47 Fire Lizards Response Chapter 263: Chapter 47 Fire Lizard¡¯s Response Over two hundred years had passed since the World Mushroom had taken root in Richard¡¯s fragment of the Secret Realm. During this time, as the World Mushroom continued to grow, it also ceaselessly expanded the space of the Secret Realm. The larger the World Mushroom became, the faster it expanded the space. After more than two centuries of growth, the World Mushroom had reached nearly two hundred meters in height. Through its expansion efforts, Richard¡¯s fragment of the Secret Realm had grown to about one square kilometer in size. To a Great Wizard, this area was still within the domain of a Secret Realm fragment, but for Richard, it felt somewhat empty and desolate. Although the Secret Realm was home to Holy Tree Elves, these tiny creatures were practically indistinguishable from insects and quite unremarkable. Richard had originally intended the Secret Realm to serve as a field for cultivating potions. However, the emergence of the World Mushroom had made the cultivation plans almost redundant. The Demonized Plants Richard had planted were nothing compared to the yield of just a couple of Aldo Fungi from the World Mushroom. Now, Richard had a new idea in mind. He wanted to breed a group of Fire Lizards within the Secret Realm as his slaves, or rather, his aides. Dragon Beast Knights were a formidable type of soldiers. A standard squad of trained Dragon Beast Knights could easily encircle and defeat a single Second Ring Wizard without any losses. Although their strength was no match for Imperial Guard Dragon Warriors, they far outnumbered them. Furthermore, if Richard wanted to sell his Dragonification Potion as a product, breeding Fire Lizards was an indispensable task. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The substance within the bodies of Fire Lizards was something Richard couldn¡¯t synthesize artificially; making the potion required the blood of Fire Lizards. Having gathered up the documents strewn about the place, Richard stood up, prepared to leave the Secret Realm. His mood had lifted after reading the documents. Opening the Rift to the Secret Realm, Richard returned to the Red Sun World. In the few hours he had been reviewing the documents, the White Wizard Army, along with Black Wizards who had caught up, had already pillaged Luxor thoroughly. Great Wizard Qing Shuang had returned to the Floating City. After the collapse of the Dragon Beast Knight Order, there was no longer any army within the Linksa Empire that could stand against the White Wizard Army. Great Wizard Qing Shuang couldn¡¯t be bothered to expend more energy. Though World Masters were incredibly powerful, every action they took still consumed a significant amount of energy, and energy meant Magic Stones. Expeditions to other Planes were already costly, so naturally, Great Wizards saved where they could. Entering Luxor, Richard found the streets littered with injured Fire Lizards. Most exhibited superficial skin wounds, yet some bore the scars of elemental damage inflicted by spells. These Fire Lizards now bore the Slave Mark, and upon seeing Richard, they respectfully bowed their heads, some even prostrated before him. They were no longer ¡°Free Men.¡± The moment the Slave Mark was stamped on them, they had transformed from ¡°Free Men¡± into mere ¡°Fire Lizards.¡± Hurrying down the streets, Richard noticed that the majority of the Fire Lizards he encountered bore Slave Marks, while those without carried Magic Seals left by Wizards. This served as ¡°proof¡± that the slaves belonged to them. With the Wizards currently following the White Wizards to other provinces for plunder, they had left these ordinary slaves behind in their hurry. This reminded Richard of a classic taunt from World War II when Germany swiftly invaded France: ¡°We don¡¯t have time to take you prisoner. Drop your weapons and leave the highway; don¡¯t impede our progress.¡± Walking along, Richard shook his head and said, ¡°It seems there¡¯s not much Magic Stone left to be found in Luxor.¡± However, the Wizards currently held a huge advantage. Once the Linksa Empire was dealt with, their focus would immediately turn to the other two Empires. The war had now entered an effortless phase. ¡­ On the fourteenth day since Minar had been sealed, the Wizards, who had already taken over all the resisting provinces within the Linksa Empire, were finally turning their offensive towards the Morick Empire. No, it should now be called the Minar Morick United Empire. These two Fire Lizard Empires had already undergone a military integration while the Wizards were conquering the Linksa Empire. Military officers, once at sword¡¯s point, now found themselves together in a meeting room, jointly deliberating over the fate of the Fire Lizards. In the meeting room, Harash took the principal seat. Beside him were two others: the one was Mai Han, the former Grand Marshal of the Minar Empire, and the other was his son, the commander of Merrick¡¯s Shield, Azuhan. ¡°Everyone, the current situation is quite dire for us,¡± Harash said with a serious expression and an intimidating presence in his draconic eyes. ¡°The Wizards have purged their ranks and have set their sights on us. But we lack the upper-echelon strength to contend with them. Emperor Linksa has been gloriously summoned to Heaven, Emperor Morick is missing, and Emperor Minar has been trapped by a Wizard¡¯s snare. I am at my wit¡¯s end and would like to know if any of you have any solutions.¡± Everyone attending the meeting was an elite among the Fire Lizards; they were powerful and intelligent. However, they all remained silent in the face of this question. Before such absolute strength, all tactics were futile. The meeting room fell silent. After a lengthy silence, a young voice broke the quiet. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I have a suggestion.¡± The attendees turned their eyes onto Azuhan, Harash¡¯s son, who broke the stillness. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, since we cannot win in a head-on clash, perhaps we should consider changing our strategy.¡± After a few decades of maturation, Azuhan had shed his youthful naivety, adopting a more mature demeanor. Dressed almost identically to his father, he spoke with a stable and assured voice. ¡°In the past ten years, the Wizards found themselves embroiled in an enduring slum war within the Linksa Empire. The disintegrated provinces of the Linksa Empire constantly harassed their supply lines, rendering their mining districts utterly chaotic. The Wizards even had to pull the majority of their forces to eradicate the bandits. Now, if we can¡¯t withstand a direct confrontation, why not consider breaking our armies into small teams and scattering them across every corner of the Empire? We are easily dealt with by the Wizards¡¯ large armies and Great Wizards as a united force, but dispersed into small units, their greatest advantage disappears. Emperor Morick has only disappeared, and Emperor Minar has only been trapped.¡± ¡°Just as long as we drag this out long enough, victory will surely be ours!¡± After hearing Azuhan¡¯s suggestion, the Fire Lizards in the conference room fell into deep thought. Azuhan was indeed proposing a solution¡ªthey didn¡¯t need to expel the Wizard; they just needed to buy enough time. ¡°But how do we resolve the issue of military discipline?¡± a Fire Lizard general asked, ¡°Once we divide the troops into small units, widespread degeneration into banditry is bound to occur.¡± Azuhan looked at the speaking general and uttered a cold answer. ¡°We won¡¯t resolve it. If they degenerate, so be it. Our primary task is to conserve our strength and hold off the Wizards. To achieve this goal, we are prepared to pay any price.¡± Upon hearing this, Harash turned his head to look at his son. As Azuhan spoke, there was no expression on his face, as if he were discussing what to eat later that afternoon. The Fire Lizard general said no more, and before long, Harash spoke: ¡°Gentlemen, please raise your hands to vote.¡± The generals sat in silence, yet their arms rose soundlessly. One by one, the hands went up, from the entrance of the conference room to beside Harash, every Fire Lizard general¡¯s hand was raised¡ªeven Mai Han was no exception. Only Harash had yet to raise his. Azuhan looked at his father. Harash¡¯s expression was calm, and it was unclear what he was thinking. ¡°Since everyone agrees, let us prepare the plan.¡± In the end, Harash didn¡¯t raise his hand, but he approved the plan. As the Marshal, the plan could only be implemented with his permission. The meeting ended, and the Fire Lizard generals filed out, leaving only Harash and Azuhan in the room. ¡°Father, do you disagree with my view?¡± Harash didn¡¯t answer immediately but turned to look at a map hanging on the wall. The area that used to be the Linksa Empire on the map had now changed color. After a long while, Harash finally said, ¡°Azuhan, your method is very good, and it¡¯s the only one we can use right now. So, I agreed to the plan. But this does not mean that the plan is not disgraceful. Our army can¡¯t defend our territory, can¡¯t protect our people. Faced with a mighty foe, all we can do is to disintegrate into grains of sand. This is a great disgrace.¡± A rare trace of pain appeared on Harash¡¯s face. His golden vertical pupils glimmered with blood, and a grinding sound came from between his sharp teeth, as blood dripped from the corner of his mouth. Azuhan had only seen such an expression on Harash when the King of the Fire Lizards, Linksa, had fallen. This most distinguished commander among the Fire Lizards was in immense pain at the moment. In the face of absolute power, his little tricks were useless. Without sufficient high-level strength, countless Fire Lizards were nothing but cannon fodder. This Fire Lizard, who had defeated countless enemies in his life, had now run out of options. ¡°Father, this is not your fault,¡± Azuhan said softly. ¡°¡­Go and arrange the plan, Azuhan.¡± Harash regained his composure, transforming back into the Marshal of the Minar Morick United Empire. ¡°Yes, Marshal,¡± Azuhan replied. As Azuhan left the room, just a moment before exiting, Harash suddenly asked, ¡°I heard the Princess is pregnant?¡± Azuhan stiffened, turning back slightly rigidly to respond, ¡°Indeed, she is.¡± A trace of a smile crossed Harash¡¯s face, ¡°Then don¡¯t just busy yourself with work, spend more time with her. The child is our future.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡­ Azuhan¡¯s residence in the Minar Royal City was a newly built pyramid next to the Royal Palace. More precisely, the pyramid was Akala¡¯s dwelling. Minar had accorded his niece enough honor, even personally shaping the foundation of the pyramid himself. Through a long corridor, Azuhan entered a room deep within the pyramid. The room was large, at its center stood a black obsidian bed adorned with gold, covered with luxurious satin interwoven with golden threads. Lying serenely on the satin, a female Fire Lizard¡¯s scales shone like rubies. ¡°You¡¯re back, Azuhan.¡± Akala sat up, her face expressing lethargy and boredom. ¡°Mhm, I¡¯m back.¡± ¡°How did the meeting go?¡± ¡°Our plan was approved.¡± Azuhan walked over to Akala¡¯s side, gently caressing her slightly swollen belly. ¡°How do you feel today?¡± Akala leaned against Azuhan¡¯s shoulder, her eyes half-closed, as if she were about to fall asleep, ¡°Same as usual. I¡¯m getting lazier. Is this what being pregnant is like? It¡¯s strange.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like this the first time.¡± ¡°Mhm, then I¡¯ll sleep a bit more¡­ Oh, right,¡± Akala, who was about to fall asleep, suddenly remembered something, opened her eyes wide, and said to Azuhan, ¡°The teams you sent out have returned, they¡¯re waiting for you in the reception room.¡± Chapter 264 - 48: The Returning Expedition Team Chapter 264: Chapter 48: The Returning Expedition Team ¡°They are back!?¡± Azuhan exclaimed with joy. ¡°Um, they returned today, go and see for yourself,¡± Akala yawned, a golden flame spurting from her mouth, ¡°I¡¯m going back to sleep.¡± Azhuan nodded and quickly left the room, making his way to the parlor. In the parlor, several Fire Lizards with remarkable presences sat silently on chairs, exuding an aura that strangers should keep their distance. The maid from the Pyramid, standing beside them, trembled with fear. Azhuan entered the living room, ¡°Gentlemen, you have worked hard during this period!¡± Upon seeing Azuhan enter, the Fire Lizards immediately stood up from their chairs and gave him a military salute. Azhuan gestured, and the maids left the room. With a thunderous sound, the heavy obsidian door plated with metal was shut securely. A unique field immediately enveloped the entire room. ¡°My lord, fortunately, we did not disgrace ourselves. During this overseas exploration, we found what you were looking for.¡± Among the Fire Lizards, the most powerful one removed a metal tube from his belt, intricately engraved with gold ¨C clearly a creation of Giant Dragon Alchemy. The Fire Lizard opened it and poured out a leather scroll. The scroll contained a map that recorded several shipping routes and a few islands sprinkled across the ocean. Azhuan took the map, examining it repeatedly for a long while. After a long time, he rolled the scroll back up and solemnly addressed the Fire Lizards, ¡°Gentlemen, you are the great heroes of the Fire Lizard Clan. Your contributions will be eternally recorded in history books, to be sung about for millennia.¡± Azhuan spoke earnestly; the map represented something of tremendous importance. In the outer realms of the main continent of the Red Sun World was the boundless Sea of Lava, where even the most audacious Fire Lizards only dared to hunt some Flame Giant Beasts in the shallows during regular times. The depths of the Molten Sea, however, had never been visited by any Fire Lizards. But after the conflict of the Three Kings began, Azuhan had to face a reality¡ªthey might very well be defeated. At that time, the entire Red Sun World would become the Wizard¡¯s backyard, and all Fire Lizards would be slaves to the Wizard. Thus, Azuhan began contemplating how to preserve their lineage should the Fire Lizards be defeated. And so, the plan to explore the Molten Sea was conceived. According to ancient Fire Lizard legends, the Molten Sea was not just lava. Myths suggested that there were many islands atop the Molten Sea, inhabited by reclusive, peculiar Giant Dragons who shunned the outside world. Rumors even claimed these islands were inhabited by living dragons. For this mission, Merrick¡¯s Shield spent a vast amount of resources to construct the Golden Ship that could traverse the Molten Sea and dispatched the most loyal, reliable operatives from Merrick¡¯s Shield to explore. The fierceness of the Molten Sea was no less daunting than the Wizard, inhabited by numerous Flame Giant Beasts and Fire Element creatures, which caused significant trouble for the fleet.. An expedition where five out of ten ships returned was considered a great fortune. Fortunately, after the merger of the two great empires, Merrick¡¯s Shield¡¯s available personnel and resources were greatly enhanced. With the silent approval of Harash and Mai Han, this costly exploration mission was conducted repeatedly. The Fire Lizards who returned now constituted the tenth expedition team. They spent the most extended period this time and finally found the legendary islands. Moreover, they discovered dragon skeletons on the islands. This further verified the credibility of the legends. The Molten Sea seed-preserving project, after paying a tremendous price, was finally successful. Hearing Azuhan¡¯s praise, a few Fire Lizards couldn¡¯t help but shed tears of old age. During their exploration, they lost too many comrades. Devoured by Flame Giant Beasts, blown to cinders by Fire Element creatures, turned to ash by the Burning Winds of the Molten Sea¡­ Each voyage meant a near-certain death. The fear of the unknown ahead constantly overshadowed every Fire Lizard who set sail. They would even prefer to fight the Wizard rather than venture into unknown territories of the Molten Sea. Now, at last, it was over. ¡°Gentlemen, due to the special nature of this mission, I can¡¯t award you medals or host a victory feast,¡± Azuhan said with a complex expression as he opened the door of the parloring room, instructing a maid outside. Soon, the maid came in carrying heavy bags. ¡°Since there are no spiritual honors, I can only compensate you materially. Here is a little money; take it and rest for a while. A lot has happened in the Empire recently.¡± The Fire Lizards looked at each other, taking the bags filled with shimmering gold coins. These gold coins, even for Silver-horned Nobles, represented a substantial sum. None of them were Silver-horned Nobles, and faced with material rewards, they did not decline but accepted them. Seeing that they had all accepted, Azuhan nodded, satisfied, smilingly telling the Fire Lizards, ¡°Gentlemen, forgive me for having matters to attend to and for not being able to entertain you further. Akala is pregnant recently, and my work schedule is quite tight.¡± The Fire Lizards were startled upon hearing this. Princess Akala is pregnant? It seemed indeed that a lot had happened in the Empire during their exploration of the Molten Sea. After offering their congratulations, the Fire Lizards left the palace. Watching the Fire Lizards coming and going on the streets, the expeditionary Fire Lizards felt as if they had been away for ages. Soon, the lead Fire Lizard asked his companions, ¡°With all this money Lord Azuhan gave us, what do you guys plan to do?¡± As he spoke, a knowing smile appeared on his face. ¡°I have lots of connections, and the price is right. I can even get a date with the daughters of Silver Horn nobles.¡± Several team members smiled at these words, but only one shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t, my son is currently learning alchemy from Master Haye. It requires a lot of money.¡± Saying this, the Fire Lizard sighed, his demeanor akin to that of a middle-aged worker burdened with both young and old family members, with his son enrolled in a private noble school and his wife unemployed. The other Fire Lizards looked at him with sympathy¡ªalchemy is indeed an expensive craft. Even though they had a lot of money, to study alchemy for a long period, this amount was still not enough. ¡°Luo Jia¡¯er, your kid seems a bit slow, is he really cut out for learning alchemy¡­¡± The Fire Lizard who spoke didn¡¯t finish, but everyone understood his implication. Luo Jia¡¯er waved his hand, ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing. Master Haye is very pleased with his talent, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t continually support his studies.¡± The other Fire Lizards said no more. They parted ways on the road, with Luo Jia¡¯er heading back to his residence, while the others walked arm-in-arm toward the tavern, ready to drink through the night. Luo Jia¡¯er¡¯s home was in the suburbs of the Royal Capital. As he opened the door, he saw a young Fire Lizard manipulating a lump of metal that continuously changed shape. The Fire Lizard turned around and said somewhat blankly: ¡°Luo Jia¡¯er, you¡¯re back.¡± After speaking, he got up and hugged Luo Jia¡¯er. Luo Jia¡¯er smiled and hugged the Fire Lizard, then entered the house. The house wasn¡¯t big, but it was very clean. A portrait of a family of four hung on the wall, and the frame was spotless. Luo Jia¡¯er handed the bag of gold coins to the young Fire Lizard, saying softly: ¡°Climb, go find Master Haye later with this money.¡± ¡°¡­Luo Jia¡¯er, Master Haye said I don¡¯t need to see him anymore. He said he has nothing more to teach me.¡± Luo Jia¡¯er was stunned. Although Master Haye wasn¡¯t the most powerful Alchemy Master in Merrick¡¯s Shield, he was certainly among the top ten. Before he had set out to sea, Clim climb had just started learning alchemy with him. It had been only slightly over two years; how could it be that there was nothing left to teach? Luo Jia¡¯er thought for a long time and then two possibilities popped into his mind. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Did you make Master Haye angry?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but he always looked at me strangely. He kept mumbling ¡®impossible, impossible.¡¯ I don¡¯t understand what he meant since I was only doing as he taught me.¡± Luo Jia¡¯er was speechless. Now, only one possibility remained. This ¡°son¡± of his was an alchemy prodigy. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go ask him about it tomorrow. You go play with your stuff.¡± With that, Luo Jia¡¯er, carrying his weary body, went upstairs. Entering the bedroom, Luo Jia¡¯er lay on the bed and then picked up the portrait from the bedside. The family in the portrait looked joyous, but upon closer inspection, one could notice that a little Fire Lizard on the edge of the portrait seemed somewhat out of place. It looked like an afterthought. As Luo Jia¡¯er looked at the portrait, tears involuntarily fell from his eyes. He muttered, ¡°It¡¯s been ten years, Mishan. Are you and Climb doing well in the Netherworld?¡± ¡­ Azuhan¡¯s ideas quickly turned into a concrete plan, and the entire United Empire¡¯s Fire Lizard Army was divided upon a single order into countless squads of twenty. These squads were ordered to stay hidden, then spontaneously ambush the wizards. Thanks to the prior reduction in forces, this order quickly reached all Fire Lizard Army divisions, and the Fire Lizard Warriors were split into countless squads within a month. Thus, the wizards encountered a strange phenomenon. Their forces were unstoppable, but they could never find the Fire Lizard¡¯s main troops. Under interrogation by Soul Wizards, they learned of the Fire Lizard¡¯s plan. ¡°All split into squads of twenty?¡± Richard, hearing Vladimir¡¯s news, was genuinely surprised. These Fire Lizards were quite clever and bold. By dispersing their forces, the wizards¡¯ biggest advantage¡ªthe Great Wizard¡ªwas nullified. ¡°What does the command say, Master?¡± Vladimir, puffing on his pipe, said slowly: ¡°What else can they say but to spread out and suppress the bandits? These Fire Lizards have a good head on their shoulders; this tactic is truly clever. With the army spread out, the influence of the Great Wizard is minimized, preventing them from being annihilated en masse. However, this doesn¡¯t really disadvantage us; these small squads of Fire Lizards are not difficult for us to hunt, whether for specimens or for capturing slaves.¡± Richard agreed with the logic. ¡°This is quite good; I just need to capture a few Fire Lizard slaves. This plan of the Fire Lizards really is a win-win.¡± Chapter 265 - 49 Resource Development Rights Chapter 265: Chapter 49 Resource Development Rights ¡°You want a Fire Lizard Slave?¡± Vladimir raised an eyebrow, ¡°Ordinary ones, or Fire Lizard Warriors? If it¡¯s the ordinary kind, I have a few here, I can give them to you if you want.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Richard smiled upon hearing this, ¡°Are you looking to clear some space in your pocket for those Fire Lizard Warriors?¡± Not everyone had something like Secret Realm Fragments as a personal storage space; most wizards, when capturing slaves, would store them in Slave Pockets. Such pockets were modified Synthetic Beast Pockets capable of storing living creatures. And to clear a pocket meant to purge it of low-value slaves to make room for higher-ranked ones. Vladimir sighed, ¡°I¡¯m nowhere as rich as you are; I still need to make money from selling slaves.¡± ¡°What kind of rich man am I?¡± Richard waved his hand dismissively, ¡°Just scraping by on army rewards.¡± Vladimir glanced at Richard and tapped his head with his pipe. ¡°Kid, you¡¯re a representative of the Wizard Commerce; in the Red Sun World, you could simply acquire mining rights to any mine, and Magic Essence would flow into your pockets like water.¡± Richard remembered upon Vladimir¡¯s reminder; he was not a hired mercenary but a technical advisor for the Wizard Commerce, having joined the battlefield only due to a temporary conscription. ¡°Haha, I¡¯d forgotten if you hadn¡¯t mentioned it, Master.¡± Richard smiled awkwardly and then steered the conversation toward the specialty produce of the Red Sun World. With a hint of ingratiation, Richard asked, ¡°Master, I lack experience; which of the Red Sun World¡¯s minerals would you say sells the best?¡± Resource development wasn¡¯t a simple matter; resources varied by rarity, effect, and scope of application, and they were graded accordingly. A resource only needed to excel in one of these aspects to be valuable; if it excelled in two, major merchant guilds would fight over it. As for those that excelled in all three: rare, widespread in application, and significantly effective. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Such resources would definitely not be available to the Wizard Commerce; they would be devoured solo by a Great Wizard. Vladimir took a drag from his pipe, the corner of his mouth revealing a mischievous smile. ¡°Kid, the answer to your question is all about those dark, shiny Magic Stones.¡± Richard¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change as he took out a pouch of Magic Essence from his pocket. ¡°An equivalent exchange, Master; please see if it¡¯s enough.¡± Vladimir chuckled and waved his hand, not accepting the pouch of Magic Stones Richard offered. ¡°No need for money, lest Jolod that old guy accuses me of conning money from a kid. If you want to talk about resources, you need to ask more precisely. If it were someone else, asking like you¡¯d be like handing out money for free. There are plenty of things that sell, but just because they¡¯re marketable for established Wizard Commerce doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re the same for new ones like yours.¡± Richard quickly grasped the underlying principle. Established commerce guilds, due to their long history, had sufficient reputation, a steady customer base, and ample distribution channels. They were present in places like the Wizard Academy, the Tower of Truth, as well as various scattered Wizard Gatherings in the Wilderness. As long as a resource wasn¡¯t completely worthless, the old commerce guilds could surely sell it. But the new ones couldn¡¯t. Lacking sufficient reputation and a stable customer base, with only limited distribution channels, they would inevitably encounter stockpile issues if their chosen resource wasn¡¯t in broad demand. Mismanage this, and a venture that should have made a fortune might even end up costing money. ¡°So, Master,¡± Richard asked with a smile, ¡°considering our commerce guild¡¯s situation, are there any mineral resources in the Red Sun World suitable for new commerce guilds like ours?¡± Vladimir took a puff from his pipe and slowly began, ¡°There are, but you¡¯ll probably have to shed some blood to secure them.¡± Richard felt a tremor in his heart upon these words. Vladimir continued, ¡°There¡¯s a mineral in the Red Sun World called Red Sun Gold Pattern Stone. Once processed, it can be used as the main material for high-grade Alchemy Ink. The Enchantment effects are excellent, no worse than any other company¡¯s high-grade Alchemy Ink.¡± Alchemy Ink was essential for any Alchemy Wizard. Whether crafting Magic Equipment, writing Magic Scrolls and Magic Books, or drawing intricate Magic Arrays, they all required the aid of Alchemy Ink. A good bottle of Alchemy Ink could even directly affect the final product¡¯s effectiveness. ¡°But several commerce guilds have their eyes on this mineral. Although the ore isn¡¯t particularly rare, it¡¯s still too scarce in comparison to the appetites of these guilds. Moreover, your commerce guild is too weak, known for taking shortcuts, lacking any real competitive edge. In a fair competition, you wouldn¡¯t even get the scraps.¡± Richard sighed helplessly, inquiring somewhat painfully, ¡°How much blood do you think it¡¯ll take, Master? I don¡¯t have much Magic Essence on me.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that,¡± said Vladimir with a smile, ¡°During war times, the Wizard Commerce¡¯s funds are tight; no one will demand immediate payment from you. As per the norm, if you can strike a deal, you would need to hire them as consultants for your commerce guild, paying them a sum of Magic Essence every five or ten years. As for the duration, it depends on the negotiated price.¡± Richard was slightly startled to hear this. ¡°Master, it sounds like such affairs are common, even standardized. Doesn¡¯t the Great Wizard care?¡± Vladimir narrowed his eyes, his smile turning cryptic. ¡°We little wizards are well aware of the ins and outs; the Great Wizard surely knows it all. But you must realize, those involved in resource development auditing are all the Great Wizard¡¯s confidants. So long as it doesn¡¯t violate principles, the Great Wizard turns a blind eye to this sort of thing.¡± ¡°These people sit in the command post and can¡¯t make money on the battlefield, so it¡¯s only reasonable that they want to earn a little extra on the side. Plus, they know their limits; as long as we win the war, the Great Wizard won¡¯t let any investor lose out¡ªthat¡¯s a principle.¡± ¡°If someone were to violate this principle, well¡­ to be honest, I¡¯ve yet to see such a fool.¡± Upon hearing this, Richard could only sigh in his heart, realizing that wizards are humans too, and human flaws are just as present in wizards. ¡°Then I would like to ask the Master to introduce me, and when I return to the Wizard World, I will make sure to express my profound gratitude.¡± Vladimir waved his hand dismissively, ¡°No need for profound gratitude. Just look after that stupid student of mine when I¡¯m gone.¡± Richard was taken aback by Vladimir¡¯s words; it was then that he noticed the increasing scent of decay emanating from him. He estimated that after this war ended, Vladimir¡¯s life would reach its conclusion. Richard earnestly said, ¡°Master, rest assured, if my senior brother ever needs my help in the future, I will do my utmost to assist him.¡± Vladimir just smiled without saying anything more and turned to beckon Richard back to the Floating City. ¡­ The Floating City was bustling with people coming and going. Following Vladimir¡¯s twists and turns through the city, they eventually arrived at a bar-like establishment underground in the Floating City. In the bar, several creatures that looked like octopuses were mixing drinks. In front of them, a few wizards clad in white robes were chatting leisurely. ¡°Villefort, have you seen the resource application from the Jiuyao Chamber of Commerce? It¡¯s hilarious,¡± one commented. The addressed White Wizard downed his drink and casually replied, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve seen it. They sure are bold to ask¡ªfor Red Sun Crystal Iron Ore, they even want exclusive rights. If we gave it all to them, Chalake, Volga, and a few other chambers would be up in arms.¡± ¡°Exactly. So I rejected it. Their person in charge really needs to cast an Awakening Technique on their brain before writing applications¡­hmm?¡± The White Wizard squinted at the two wizards approaching him and said uncertainly, ¡°Master Vladimir? Am I drunk?¡± Immediately, a wave of Magic Fluctuation emanated from the wizard, and a strong smell of alcohol wafted off him. ¡°Gano, it¡¯s me; no need to sober up in a hurry,¡± Vladimir said. ¡°Sigh, Master, you¡¯re too late. I¡¯m already sober.¡± After sobering up, the White Wizard¡¯s demeanor changed in an instant, transforming from a tipsy coworker sharing amusing tales of the workplace to a serious and no-nonsense corporate professional. Gano quickly assessed Richard, who stood next to Vladimir. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Gregory? Master, have you taken on a new student?¡± Vladimir sat down beside Gano and responded: ¡°No, this is a friend¡¯s student. He¡¯s come to talk about some ¡®serious business¡¯ with you.¡± As soon as Gano heard Vladimir mention serious business, he instantly caught on. He stood up and extended his right hand to Richard, ¡°My friend looks somewhat unfamiliar; you must be Advisor Richard.¡± Richard shook hands and nodded, saying, ¡°Indeed, I am. The Master certainly has an impressive intellect.¡± Gano laughed, ¡°It¡¯s not really about impressive intellect; it¡¯s just that my position allows me to deal with Chamber folk often. You look like a new face who has come to discuss serious matters. In the entire Floating City, you¡¯re the only Advisor Richard I haven¡¯t met yet who fits the bill.¡± With that, the two released each other¡¯s hands. Vladimir introduced Gano, ¡°This is Master Gano, the youngest student of the Academy¡¯s headmaster. Don¡¯t let his age of just over two thousand years fool you; his strength has already reached that of a Three Rings Wizard.¡± ¡°Ah, Master, such things are not worth mentioning; after all, we¡¯re not natives, and early promotion isn¡¯t necessarily a good thing.¡± Although he said this, anyone could see a hint of pride on Gano¡¯s face. Advancement for wizards requires vast resources and sufficient spiritual cultivation¡ªneither of which is a simple matter. Even though Gano was a student of Great Wizard Qing Shuang, when it came to resources, a Great Wizard would only ensure that his students had the opportunity to obtain them; whether they could actually succeed depended on their own abilities. In the current Wizard World, no wizard would nurture hothouse flowers. After some casual conversation, Vladimir got down to business. ¡°Gano, the shares of Red Sun Gold Pattern Stone haven¡¯t been completely allocated yet, have they?¡± Upon hearing this, Gano pulled out a Magic Book from his pocket, flipped through it for a moment, and then looked up: ¡°No, there¡¯s still some left. Are you, Advisor Richard, looking for a share as well?¡± Richard¡¯s face showed a trace of helplessness: ¡°As the Master knows through dealing with the Chamber, us new chambers are in a tight spot. Developing niche items is just losing money for us.¡± Gano nodded in agreement, ¡°Indeed, new chambers certainly face many inconveniences. But¡­¡± Gano changed his tone, ¡°while there are shares for Red Sun Gold Pattern Stone, the sites of these mines are very deep and require a considerable number of slaves and Alchemy Machines for assistance. Forgive my frankness, but these conditions are somewhat too difficult for a new chamber.¡± Upon hearing this, Richard looked at Vladimir, whose brow furrowed slightly before he nodded again. Gano was not being difficult; the situation was indeed as he described. The remaining veins of Red Sun Gold Pattern Stone, in actuality, presented significant challenges for a new chamber to mine. Chapter 266 - 50: The 50,000-Ton Vein Chapter 266: Chapter 50: The 50,000-Ton Vein The situation had reached an impasse. Though resource development could bring in a handsome profit daily, developing resources was not as simple as touching one¡¯s upper lip to the lower. If one wished to develop resources, slave labor was indispensable, yet apart from slave labor, the mining of such mineral resources also required the assistance of alchemy machines. For these deep-seated mine veins, just the rental cost for the necessary alchemy machinery was a major expenditure. And the most laughable part was, he might not even be able to rent them. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Such behemoths weren¡¯t something one could simply lease upon request¡ªthe Merchant¡¯s Guild needed a sufficient foundation of power to qualify for renting such large alchemy machinery. And so, things had come full circle. Richard tentatively asked, ¡°Master, have all the other mine veins already been approved?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the case, their applications are still with me. After all, the teleportation gate hasn¡¯t been opened yet, and I wouldn¡¯t want to disturb my teacher with these matters.¡± Gano made a gesture to the bartender behind him, and a marvelous drink with continuously changing colors was promptly delivered to his hand. Beside him, the familiar Vladimir furrowed his brow. Gano never drank during work hours. Now that he had asked for a drink, it meant that he thought there was no more room for negotiation in this trade. Although Richard was unaware of Gano¡¯s habits, from the expression Gano gave him, he could see a hint of regret. Was he regretting missing out on some magic essence? ¡°Master, I don¡¯t have a large appetite,¡± Richard said, his eyes flickering, ¡°A small mine vein would be sufficient.¡± Gano¡¯s eyebrows rose slightly as he spoke indifferently, ¡°Truth be told, although I could spare a little from the stacked applications of those Guilds, they are friends of mine. And you, Consultant¡ª¡± Gano pointed at Richard, ¡°We¡¯ve only just met, and I hadn¡¯t even seen you before this.¡± Gano held his glass in front of him, agitating the drink as he watched the colors change. If Richard¡¯s next words couldn¡¯t change his mind, then there was no point in continuing the discussion. Unfazed, Richard said, ¡°Since the Master is friends with those wizards, surely they would be happy to see the Master profit as well. Recently, I acquired something from Fire Lizards, but being at leisure, I find some things hard to understand. Would the Master honor me by taking a look for himself?¡± Gano revealed a hint of an amused smile, ¡°Oh? What might that be?¡± Whatever Richard was about to present at this juncture, it definitely wouldn¡¯t be anything ordinary. Richard rummaged through his pockets, finally extracting a lump of green ice. And as soon as Gano laid eyes on the ice, his expression instantly changed, with a droplet of the swirling drink spilling out. ¡°Dead Silence Ice Mountain Sealing Technique, how could you! No, it¡¯s only similar.¡± Gano¡¯s expression fluctuated wildly before he finally spoke with a joking tone, ¡°Consultant, you seem to have considerable research in sealing skills. Your sealing skill and my teacher¡¯s are quite similar. I almost thought my teacher had taken a new disciple outside.¡± Richard smiled and said, ¡°I had the good fortune to witness Great Wizard Qing Shuang¡¯s sealing in the Insect Nest World. After observing for several decades, I gained some insights.¡± Richard spoke casually, but as a student of Great Wizard Qing Shuang, Gano felt a tremor within. The Dead Silence Ice Mountain Sealing Technique was one of his teacher¡¯s proudest creations, and as his student, he was all too aware of its complexity. To reach the effect in front of him solely by observing the results of a sealing technique for decades was something he himself couldn¡¯t achieve. Gano gave the wizard before him another look; Richard, although dressed in a Cloak of the Hidden, was radiating life energy that suggested he should be a Second Ring Wizard, and quite young at that. So young, and yet able to design the magic support vehicle, the kind of alchemical weapon that had earned endless praise from the command department. This wizard before him, his future was boundless. ¡°Should I invest?¡± Gano wondered. Richard unsealed the skill, and a piece of blue flesh was immediately exposed to the air. In an instant, with a slap, the bartender behind the counter simply went weak in the knees and knelt on the floor. The few White Wizards present paid no mind to the alien slave¡¯s faux pas, their gazes were all focused on the piece of flesh in Richard¡¯s hand. Gano stared intently at the thumb-sized piece of flesh in Richard¡¯s hand, on which he felt an oppression originating from the hierarchy of life. He was now a Three Rings Wizard, a third-level creature. For something to oppress him on the hierarchal level of life, could this piece of flesh belong to the World Master? No, the aura of the World Master¡¯s flesh wouldn¡¯t be so weak. In a moment, Gano had made a decision. ¡°There is a Red Sun Gold Pattern Stone mine vein with an estimated yield of fifty thousand tons. The location is rather remote, which makes transportation somewhat inconvenient. I reckon my friends wouldn¡¯t be interested in that vein. What do you think, Consultant?¡± Richard gave a slight smile, the tables had turned. ¡°If the Consultant¡¯s friends aren¡¯t interested in that mine vein, then there should be no problem.¡± Richard took out an enchanted quartz tube, stuffed the piece of flesh into it, and handed it to Gano. ¡°This object baffles me, take it as a gift to you, Master.¡± Gano received the tube, and immediately in his hands appeared a lump of green ice that seemed alive. As the ice touched the tube, it rapidly spread over it. Before long, the tube had been turned into a block of ice. That was the genuine Dead Silence Ice Mountain Sealing Technique. Gano gestured towards the back, and the bartender immediately passed him another glass of the same mysterious drink. He handed the glass to Richard, ¡°Advisor, this one¡¯s on me,¡± Richard took the glass and asked while looking at the constantly changing liquid: ¡°Why does the color of this drink keep changing? Is there any significance?¡± ¡°This drink is called ¡®Mood¡¯; each color represents a different flavor. The changing colors are like a person¡¯s mood, unpredictable.¡± Gano raised his glass to clink with Richard¡¯s, and Richard lifted his and downed it in one gulp. ¡°Not bad, it¡¯s quite sweet.¡± ¡­ The matter of resource development was settled in a tavern, a place where a logistics wizard whiled away his time. For a small piece of Mutated Flame Giant Beast flesh, Richard had traded for fifty thousand tons of Red Sun Gold Pattern Stone. For Richard, the deal was a windfall. And for Gano, the trade was just as profitable. It was a win-win transaction; the only ones who lost out were a few Wizard Commerce that had already filed applications. However, they were large corporations with vast interests, and such small losses were negligible to them. Upon leaving the tavern, Vladimir looked at Richard with some admiration and said: ¡°You really didn¡¯t come here for nothing this time, snatching up such a great item.¡± Richard smiled slightly and replied, ¡°Just good luck. If the Master isn¡¯t busy, care to accompany me to see the vein of Red Sun Gold Pattern Stone?¡± ¡°What, you¡¯re afraid Gano will cheat you?¡± ¡°Not at all. I just want to get a glimpse of the Magic Essences buried in the ground beforehand.¡± ¡°You little rascal!¡± Vladimir laughed and scolded, ¡°Go show off your wealth to someone else. This old man is off to catch slaves.¡± With that, Vladimir pulled out a Magic Carpet from his Magic Pocket, sat on it, and in a flash of light, sped off into the distance. ¡°Ai, this old man.¡± Richard chuckled and shook his head, then pulled out a map and began flying to the marked location. Half a month later, Richard found the vein in the western part of the Morick Empire. It was a dead volcano at the foot of which, in a rock cave, a wizard exploring for minerals had found the vein and roughly estimated its reserves. Richard landed on the ground, ready to enter the cave and see for himself what this Red Sun Gold Pattern Stone was all about. The entrance to the cave was small, barely allowing a person to pass. But looking at the entrance, Richard wasn¡¯t in a hurry to go inside. He casually summoned a breeze to blow away the volcanic ash on the ground. Beneath the layer of ash that had covered the cracks in the rocks, a metal plate with golden patterns was wedged in place. ¡°An alarm mechanism. Seems like something¡¯s entered the cave.¡± Richard didn¡¯t remove the metal plate, instead took out a piece of metal from his pocket and using Giant Dragon Alchemy, he crafted a similar plate and wedged it above the existing one. After refining many Fire Lizard Alchemy Masters¡¯ techniques, Richard¡¯s Giant Dragon Alchemy had become the most top-tier in the entire Red Sun World. The metal plate before him was a mere trick; he could come up with a dozen ways to circumvent it without even thinking. Taking his Magic Wand out of his pocket, Richard bent over and entered the cave. The cave was low and covered in volcanic ash. As Richard moved through it, he soon became covered in ash. However, Richard didn¡¯t mind this at all; he occasionally bent down to disarm the little tricks left by the Fire Lizard that had entered the cave. The tricks revealed that the Fire Lizard who had entered this cave was highly vigilant and also proficient in Giant Dragon Alchemy. Moreover, underneath the volcanic ash, Richard found a few drops of black blood. This signified that the Fire Lizard had been in the cave for some time and that there were definitely injured parties. Injuries indicated that this group of Fire Lizards had clashed with wizards and had hidden here instead of being pursued and killed. This implied that none of the Fire Lizards in this group were particularly powerful; if there had been a third-level Fire Lizard, these people definitely would not have escaped. With no third-level Fire Lizards, there was no reason for Richard to feel any fear. Following the cave down, Richard encountered many forks in the path, but he noticed that the Fire Lizard had only set up traps on the routes they took. This saved Richard a lot of trouble. Soon, Richard arrived in front of a cave that wasn¡¯t very big. The cave walls were marked with golden lines and emitted a faint warmth¡ªpresumably the so-called Red Sun Gold Pattern Stone. Seated at the center of the cave were two Fire Lizards, one young and another middle-aged with injuries. The injured Fire Lizard was severely hurt, his body full of black lines from an Undead Magic that constantly consumed Life Energy. The injured Fire Lizard¡¯s body temperature was very low, a near-death sign for a Fire Lizard. But Richard paid him no mind and kept his gaze locked on the young Fire Lizard after spotting the two. The young Fire Lizard was manipulating a piece of metal which seemed alive in its hands, fluidly moving and occasionally transforming into various shapes. Without a doubt, all the little tricks he had encountered along the way were crafted by this young Fire Lizard. ¡°Such skilled Giant Dragon Alchemy. This one is a talent.¡± Richard made no effort to conceal his approach, boldly walking into the cave. The Fire Lizard lying on the ground saw Richard and immediately tried to get up, but his injuries were too severe and nowhere near enough to sustain further combat. After a futile attempt, he collapsed on the ground, his mouth opening and closing as if saying something to the young Fire Lizard. Richard spared him a glance and stepped past him to the young Fire Lizard¡¯s side. ¡°Fire Lizard, what¡¯s your name?¡± Chapter 267: 51: Talent Recruitment Plan Chapter 267: Chapter 51: Talent Recruitment Plan S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Fire Lizard looked at Richard, seemingly bemused by what he was saying. After a long while, the Fire Lizard finally spoke blankly, ¡°My name is Crawl Crawl, aren¡¯t you a wizard? Why are you asking for my name?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not quite the same as the others.¡± Richard watched Crawl Crawl, and the reaction of the Fire Lizard before him gave him a strange feeling. Its reaction was not like that of a normal creature. While speaking, Crawl Crawl¡¯s emotions remained unchanged apart from a hint of confusion, and even as it answered Richard¡¯s questions, the metal block in its hand continued to shift shapes ceaselessly. This indicated it didn¡¯t care about Richard. But it recognized Richard as a wizard. The reputation of wizards among Fire Lizards didn¡¯t need to be mentioned¡ªevil, cruel, demon; these negative words often appeared in abundance when describing wizards. Yet, the Fire Lizard before him showed no fear or revulsion. This was indeed worth studying. ¡°You are very strange, if it were before, I might have made you into a specimen. But now, I want to propose a deal with you.¡± ¡°¡­A deal?¡± This time, Crawl Crawl replied much quicker than before. ¡°I don¡¯t really understand what this means, Luo Jia¡¯er never taught me what ¡®trade¡¯ means.¡± ¡°Luo Jia¡¯er? Is that the name of this Fire Lizard?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, can you save him? He is about to die.¡± Richard turned his gaze to the Fire Lizard behind him; Undead Magic was continuously draining his Life Energy. His life was like a candle flickering in the wind. ¡°I can save him, but in exchange for that, you must make a deal with me. To give something in exchange for something else, this is what trade is.¡± At this moment, Luo Jia¡¯er could still hear Richard¡¯s voice. He struggled to move his mouth, wanting to tell Crawl Crawl that all wizards were demons and not to agree to this deal. But despite his efforts, he couldn¡¯t make any sound. He was dying; his body was no longer able to sustain speech. ¡°¡­Oh, so this is what a trade is. In that case, I will make a trade with you. Can you save Luo Jia¡¯er?¡± Crawl Crawl¡¯s answer made Richard smile. He pulled out a Soul Contract from his pocket, made a few modifications to the terms, and handed it to Crawl Crawl. ¡°This is the contract. Just sign your name on it.¡± Crawl Crawl took the feather pen and contract handed over by Richard, looking somewhat bewildered. ¡°If I sign my name, you will save Luo Jia¡¯er? You aren¡¯t deceiving me, are you?¡± Richard chuckled, ¡°No, healing him is actually very simple. There¡¯s no need for me to deceive you.¡± Crawl Crawl fell silent for a long while, and then awkwardly wrote down ¡°Crawl Crawl¡± on the contract with the feather pen. ¡°Wizard, you are really nice. If you were there earlier, my mother wouldn¡¯t have died.¡± As the signature was completed, the Soul Contract turned into a blaze and vanished without a trace. Seeing this, Richard was quite pleased and immediately opened a Secret Realm Rift, throwing the Luo Jia¡¯er on the ground into it. ¡°World Mushroom, heal this Fire Lizard.¡± With that, Richard grabbed Crawl Crawl and entered the Secret Realm together. ¡­ Suddenly entering the Secret Realm, Crawl Crawl¡¯s eyes instantly widened. It had never seen such magnificent scenery in its life. That weirdly shaped big tree was huge. What were those flying things beside it, insects? There were so many flowers on the ground, and over there, was that a statue of this wizard? What¡¯s that thing standing on its shoulder? Crawl Crawl took in every plant and detail of the Secret Realm, feeling as if it had entered another world. Indeed, it had. The Luo Jia¡¯er that was thrown in was now being bound by the mycelium of the World Mushroom; the Undead Magic on him had been dispelled, and a steady Life Energy flowed through the mycelium into his body. In a short time, Luo Jia¡¯er¡¯s body was healed from its serious injuries and looked even healthier than usual. But, to prevent the Fire Lizard from acting rashly, the mycelium of the World Mushroom did not release him after the healing. ¡°Crawl Crawl, go and see that Luo Jia¡¯er you spoke of.¡± Crawl Crawl walked over to Luo Jia¡¯er and looked at him closely. After finishing his inspection, he turned to Richard with a look of amazement: ¡°Incredible, he is really healed.¡± Richard smiled and then called over a few Holy Tree Elves, who took Crawl Crawl aside. Then, he approached the Fire Lizard who looked as though it would kill him with its glare. This Fire Lizard wore a robe stained with blood, but on the right chest of the robe, one could still make out the symbol of a shield. Richard recognized this mark; it was the emblem of Merrick¡¯s Shield. Ignoring Luo Jia¡¯er¡¯s murderous gaze, Richard casually checked him over. Soon, he found a folded white sheet of paper underneath the scales. The paper was edged with golden filigree. ¡°Oh, an unexpected find.¡± Richard unfolded the paper, which was written on with cryptic text. Luo Jia¡¯er watched Richard, his glare as fierce as that of a wild beast. ¡°You won¡¯t get anything from me!¡± Richard glanced at the overly self-aware Fire Lizard, and immediately a message appeared before him. [Material: Fire Lizard¡¯s Cryptic Paper] [Extractable Information: Fire Lizard¡¯s Task] [Extraction Cost: 1 Spiritual Power] ¡°So it¡¯s an Execution Officer,¡± Richard said, the corners of his mouth revealing a faint smile. He then chose to extract. Soon, Richard knew the task of the Fire Lizard. ¡°Assisting Alchemy Master Calion in his retreat.¡± Richard read the content of the paper in front of Luo Jia¡¯er. Although Luo Jia¡¯er hid his shock well, it did not escape Richard¡¯s gaze. ¡°Heh, it seems that it¡¯s true.¡± Looking at Luo Jia¡¯er, Richard spoke calmly, ¡°Listen, Fire Lizard. You¡¯re worth next to nothing compared to that young fellow. I have a contract here; you¡¯d better sign it. It¡¯ll be good for both of us. Of course, you can choose not to sign, provided you can withstand what I¡¯m about to do.¡± Luo Jia¡¯er¡¯s gaze was fiery as he stared at Richard, his anger seeming like it could shoot out of his eyes and burn Richard to ashes. ¡°Wizard, you had better kill me now. Otherwise, once I escape, I will definitely make you¡­¡± Luo Jia¡¯er couldn¡¯t finish his sentence as he was interrupted by a burst of intense pain. Tiny white mycelium, like numerous brushes, was burrowing into his body through the gaps between his scales, rubbing against Luo Jia¡¯er¡¯s nerves over and over. It felt like countless steel needles thrusting into his flesh, and the excruciating pain instantly robbed Luo Jia¡¯er of the ability to speak. Richard looked at him calmly, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in your threats, and you can¡¯t do any of what you¡¯ve said.¡± He gestured, and the World Mushroom controlled the mycelium to carry Luo Jia¡¯er into the mushroom¡¯s stalk. In fact, even if Luo Jia¡¯er could withstand the torture, Richard still had ways to make him work for him. The World Mushroom could produce a type of zombie fungus, a fungus that can erode the nerves and even the brain of living beings. Once the erosion is complete, the original creature naturally dies, but its husk becomes something akin to zombies or clay automatons under the action of the zombie fungus. Moreover, the World Mushroom could influence and control these husks created by the zombie fungus. Although this fungus takes a very long time to work, and creatures with energy circulation can easily counteract it, Luo Jia¡¯er obviously had no capacity to resist in the hands of the World Mushroom. If Luo Jia¡¯er remained unwilling, his fate would be as just described. Richard walked over to CrawCraw, who was carefully communicating with the Holy Tree Elf. Perhaps because their intelligence was on the same level, the communication between CrawCraw and the Holy Tree Elf was surprisingly smooth. CrawCraw gesticulated at the Holy Tree Elf, who then sprinkled a cloud of glowing magic power dust, seemingly to show CrawCraw his capabilities. ¡°World Mushroom, check if there¡¯s any problem with this Fire Lizard¡¯s brain.¡± ¡°Yes, my master.¡± Myriad mycelium emerged from the ground, latching onto CrawCraw¡¯s scales, and burrowed in through the gaps between them. CrawCraw felt an itch on his back and reached to scratch it, but Richard stopped him. ¡°CrawCraw, don¡¯t move, I¡¯m going to perform another check on you.¡± ¡°¡­Oh.¡± In a while, the mycelium withdrew from CrawCraw¡¯s body. ¡°Master, there is an abnormal growth in the thinking organs of this Fire Lizard. It has compressed his thinking organs and caused some underdevelopment,¡± the World Mushroom informed. Richard nodded, his thoughts clear, ¡°No wonder this Fire Lizard acts so strangely. It turns out there¡¯s a tumor in his brain.¡± ¡°Can this tumor be removed?¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible. But his thinking organs have been compressed by the growth for a long time and have become somewhat deformed. Removing it may cause issues with his spirit.¡± ¡°Will it kill him?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Will it affect his talent?¡± ¡°It might.¡± Richard frowned, if it might affect the talent, then there was no need to remove the tumor. He had contracted CrawCraw for his Alchemy talent. ¡°Can this tumor keep growing?¡± ¡°The growth rate is very slow.¡± ¡°Then leave it,¡± Richard said indifferently. Since the tumor was benign for now, there was no need for change. Richard tended to be nicer to these Fire Lizards compared to other wizards. But in his heart, these creatures that looked like lizards, covered in scales, were still considered alien. ¡°Not of my race, their hearts must be different,¡± while somewhat absolute, this saying often described a common phenomenon. Differences in race and life environments meant that two groups would have vast cultural and customary differences. Adding to that the varying physical characteristics caused by their different anatomies, trusting an alien race was an oddity. ¡°CrawCraw, you¡¯ll stay here for a while. If you need anything, just let the Holy Tree Elf relay it to the World Mushroom.¡± With that, Richard pulled out a gold-veined Armored Plate from his Magic Pocket and handed it to CrawCraw. ¡°If you get bored in the meantime, you can take a look at this.¡± As soon as CrawCraw saw the Armored Plate, his eyes went wide. ¡°Wizard, is this for me? This item is even better than Master Haye¡¯s work, even more¡­¡± CrawCraw struggled for words, finally coming up with an adjective. ¡°Even better-looking!¡± Richard chuckled, laid down the Armored Plate, and left the Secret Realm. The paper held not just a task but also coordinates, the location of which was presumably where Master Calion could be found. Richard was curious to try and see if he could also make a contract with Master Calion. Among so many Fire Lizards, there had to be a few soft-hearted ones. Chapter 268: 52 Talent is also a kind of wealth! Chapter 268: Chapter 52 Talent is also a kind of wealth! Merrick¡¯s Shield¡¯s coordinate system had already been cracked by the Wizard, and after Richard arrived at the Floating City, he spent some Magic Stones at the logistics Wizard to get this intelligence. According to the intelligence, it took Richard almost a month to find the corresponding place based on the coordinates provided in Luo Jia¡¯er¡¯s intelligence. Mostly, it was returning to the Floating City that took Richard nearly half a month of that time. The corresponding location was a group of extinct volcanoes, which used to be a mining field for Fire Lizards, mainly producing various Fire Element metals and high-quality Fire Element gems. But after the Wizard entered this world, this mining area, which had been exploited for who knows how many years, finally ran out. After discovering there were no more minerals, the area was quickly abandoned. However, the complex mining tunnels left from years of mining provided the Fire Lizards with a quite good hiding place. A large number of Fire Lizards fled into the mining tunnels, using them to evade the enslavement of the Wizards. From the look of it, their strategy was quite correct. Nowadays in the Red Sun World, there are countless Fire Lizard slaves that can be captured, and Wizards would not bother to burrow into the mining tunnels to catch these groups of Fire Lizards like hunting mice. However, as the free Fire Lizards in the Red Sun World become fewer and fewer, those hiding in the tunnels would sooner or later catch the Wizards¡¯ eyes. ¡­ Amid the tranquility of the extinct volcanoes, Richard was flying unhurriedly. His spiritual power was continuously in an outward state throughout this process. This was his third day entering this group of extinct volcanoes, and he was looking for something¡ªa mark left by a Fire Lizard. The extinct volcano group was immensely large, and without a mark, finding a Fire Lizard was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Suddenly, Richard opened his eyes, his body falling straight to the ground, stirring a cloud of volcanic ash. A breeze dispersed the volcanic ash, revealing a mining cave entrance in front of Richard. Richard walked to the entrance of the mine, summoned a breeze to blow away a thin layer of volcanic ash on the ground, revealing the dark gray rocks underneath. The rock seemed ordinary, but through Richard¡¯s dragon eyes, a golden shield symbol appeared on the rock. ¡°Interesting, almost missed it.¡± The symbol used a special paint, invisible to the naked eye, only visible clearly through dragon eyes. If it weren¡¯t for the faint energy radiation carried by the paint that caught the attention of Richard, a person keen on tracking, other Wizards would never have discovered such a concealed mark. Entering the mine, the same mark continued to extend within. But at a fork, Richard stopped. He bent over and swept the ground at the marked fork on the left twice. After sweeping away the dust, a familiar metal piece appeared in front of Richard. ¡°It seems this Fire Lizard is smarter.¡± Richard ignored the metal piece and turned to walk down the right fork. Soon, he reached another fork. This time, Richard found a warning device on the unmarked side. ¡°This Fire Lizard is very cautious.¡± Following the tunnel without the warning device, Richard soon encountered another fork. This time, all forks had warning devices installed. This time, Richard frowned. ¡°Sly fellow, looks like I¡¯ll have to try them one by one.¡± Richard took out a piece of metal, casually made a shielding device to cover it, and then started checking from left to right. The left most fork led to a four-way junction. On the road, Richard found several simple alchemy devices, designed as traps that would blast the entire mining tunnel if triggered. Underground, such traps were lethal even to Wizards. A Three Rings Wizard caught here would die under. But for Richard, these devices were too crude. Though valuing ancient knowledge over the new is common among Wizards, it was different for the Fire Lizards; the alchemy masters of ancient times were indeed superior to today¡¯s alchemy masters. Having refined so many ancient alchemy master techniques, even just incomplete ones, combined together, was enough for him to outclass the current Fire Lizard alchemy masters. If the left fork was wrong, then he would try the middle one. There were only three forks in total, one had to be the right one. The middle fork also had traps, but those were more of a warning and not very powerful. After walking a distance, the traps disappeared, replaced by signs of Fire Lizard habitation. Richard bent down and picked up a scale from the ground. The scale was dull, clearly from an old Fire Lizard, fitting the profile of the Fire Lizard he was looking for. Following the mining tunnel all the way down, the temperature around Richard kept rising, and as he arrived at an underground cavern, a Magma Lake appeared before him. At the lake¡¯s shore, several old Fire Lizards were gathered, drinking wine heavily, seemingly in a gathering. On the shore, Richard saw a considerable amount of supplies, which, if depended on these few old Fire Lizards, might not even be finished in fifty years. ¡°Looks like I¡¯ve caught a big fish this time.¡± On the shore, the few old Fire Lizards had not yet noticed Richard¡¯s arrival. Or rather, they never imagined that a Wizard would bypass their layered alarms and silently arrive beside them. They were all alchemy masters from Morick Empire, who could surpass their alchemy? ¡°Calion, you¡¯re nurturing a Flame Giant Beast!¡± an old Fire Lizard pointed at Calion, whose cup was almost big enough to be a small bucket, and shouted. ¡°Leave me alone, can¡¯t I rest a bit?¡± Calion, the Fire Lizard referred to, had a somewhat blurred look, apparently already drunk. Suddenly, he stood up, stumbling to the edge of the Magma Pool. ¡°What are you doing, Calion? Don¡¯t fall in!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t!¡± Calion waved his large hand, ¡°I¡¯m just taking a leak, wait till I get back¡­ I¡¯ll drink you all under the table!¡± Calion reached under his leather skirt and pulled out little Calion, but just as he was about to relieve himself, he caught a glimpse from the corner of his eye of a dark figure standing next to a few of his old buddies. The figure looked quite like one of those Black Wizards. Black Wizards¡­Wizards! Calion was shocked, his body trembled, and he almost slipped into the magma pool. But just as he was about to fall, someone grabbed him. ¡°It seems your friend¡¯s concern for you was justified, Master Calion.¡± Calion pointed at the figure who had grabbed him, his finger trembling continuously. He wasn¡¯t mistaken, it was a Black Wizard! A Black Wizard had arrived silently beside them, and their alarm system had not reacted at all! ¡°Calion, how did you¡­Wizard!¡± Only then did the old Fire Lizards see that a black-robed wizard was standing next to their old friend who had just gone to relieve himself. What about their alarm system? Why hadn¡¯t it reacted at all? As they were shocked, Richard pulled Calion away from the edge of the magma lake. ¡°Gentlemen, do not be alarmed, I am not quite like the other wizards. Moreover¡­¡± Richard suddenly burst into a fierce magic fluctuation. The old Fire Lizards felt it and stiffened. It was a Second Ring Wizard! ¡°Moreover, it would be best if you gentlemen do not do anything foolish, or I might have to get a bit rough.¡± The old Fire Lizards looked at each other, seeing shock and confusion in each other¡¯s eyes. What does this wizard want? Richard pulled Calion over to the old Fire Lizards and then slowly said: ¡°Gentlemen, could you introduce yourselves? The information I obtained from the Execution Officer at Merrick¡¯s Shield stated that Master Calion was the only Fire Lizard here.¡± Upon hearing this, Calion¡¯s face changed instantly. He hadn¡¯t expected his information to be leaked like this. The other Fire Lizards were even more regretful. Why did they have to choose today for their gathering? Wouldn¡¯t it have been better to play for two more days! ¡°Ahem, I am the nearby¡­¡± Just as an old Fire Lizard was about to speak, Richard¡¯s voice stopped him from uttering his prepared pretense. ¡°You gentlemen had best not lie to me, as I can¡¯t be bothered to discern which statements are false. I will treat valuable Fire Lizards well, but if you gentlemen are just wealthy local gentlemen or just ordinary friends of Master Calion¡­ then don¡¯t blame me for throwing you into this magma pool.¡± Richard¡¯s words tightened the hearts of the old Fire Lizards, as they were unclear about his intentions. After a moment of silence, one Fire Lizard slowly spoke: ¡°I am Cliff, an Alchemy Master and Forging Master of the Morick Empire.¡± Hearing this introduction, Richard¡¯s eyes lit up, seeing an unexpected gain. ¡°Very good, Master Cliff, please stand aside with Master Calion.¡± Seeing Richard¡¯s attitude, the remaining two old Fire Lizards also spoke up. ¡°I am Patelin, also an Alchemy Master.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Talgar, the same as them.¡± After the introductions, Richard nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Very good, it seems Master Calion¡¯s friends are no ordinary folks.¡± Saying this, Richard pulled out four Soul Contracts from his pocket. ¡°I suppose you gentlemen are curious about what I plan to do, why I haven¡¯t screamed for a fight or tried to capture you as slaves like the other wizards. This contract is the answer. I hope you will consider this contract carefully. If you have any questions, you may ask me.¡± The old Fire Lizards took the contracts, their expressions changing from confusion, to shock, to doubt. Calion carefully read the contract, then pulled out a magnifying glass from his waist pouch and scrutinized it inch by inch. Finally, Calion asked with a puzzled tone: ¡°You want to¡­employ us?¡± Richard nodded: ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°Why?¡± asked Cliff, who was next to Calion. ¡°Why would you want to employ us? Aren¡¯t the Fire Lizards that you wizards like best either dead or slaves?¡± Richard shrugged: ¡°I¡¯m not quite like them. They think you Fire Lizards are just a bunch of newly civilized natives, a group of aliens only fit to be slaves. But they fail to realize one thing, that Fire Lizards also have brains, and among the Fire Lizards, there are many talents. Talent is also a form of wealth!¡± sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 269: 53 I Sign! I Sign! Chapter 269: Chapter 53 I Sign! I Sign! Richard¡¯s words were not pleasant, but the old Fire Lizards understood their meaning. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This Wizard was a pragmatist who valued abilities far more than he despised Bloodlines. But now a problem lay before the Fire Lizards¡ªwould they choose death, or would they choose to defect? No matter Richard¡¯s attitude, the essence of what he required was for them to defect. If those soldiers who fought against the Wizard had been given this choice, there would have been no hesitation¡ªthey often shared irreconcilable enmities with the Wizard. But the Fire Lizards before Richard were somewhat different. They were considered big shots among the Fire Lizards, especially Calion; even Merrick¡¯s Shield had sent someone specifically to evacuate him. The bigger the shot, the more they cherished their lives. They were not soldiers with firm wills. Moreover, the terms Richard offered were not harsh. They only needed to document their Alchemy skills and give it to Richard, and work for him as his personal craftsmen until their deaths. The second condition might sound harsh, but Richard added a clause to the contract stating they only needed to work eight hours a day. If it were not for the many restrictions on their freedom in the contract, such as not leaving the workplace without Richard¡¯s permission, Calion and the others might have thought Richard was mocking them. The terms were too lenient. This was almost like a collaboration. Richard, with a smile on his face, was in no hurry to press them to make a decision. Soon, a Fire Lizard named Patelin spoke: ¡°Wizard, the contract is very lenient, but how can I be sure you¡¯ll uphold it?¡± These Fire Lizards had never seen a Soul Contract. ¡°It¡¯s simple, once you sign the contract, you¡¯ll know.¡± Richard pulled a few feather pens from his pocket and placed them before the Fire Lizards. ¡°Sign the contract, or take a swim in the Magma Lake. Your fate is in your own hands.¡± Richard¡¯s words bore no spells, but when they entered the ears of the Fire Lizards, they resonated like a curse, continuously swirling in their minds. Though they were old, they were not ready to die. The taste of fine wine still lingered on their tongues, and if they died, they would never taste it again. Could the returning Fire Lizard King truly save the Fire Lizards? Could the Fire Lizard Clan endure until then? Alchemy was so beautiful; if they died, they could no longer explore its mysteries¡­ Mixed thoughts cluttered the Fire Lizards¡¯ minds; before survival, countless thoughts attached themselves to their hearts like inner demons. Their expressions alternated between fierce and defeated, until finally, the first one to decide emerged. A Fire Lizard named Cliff grasped the feather pen and signed his name on the contract, trembling. The moment he signed, the contract burst into Flames and disappeared into thin air. A subtle connection formed between Richard and Cliff. ¡°Is this¡­ a Soul Oath?¡± Cliff uttered a term in Dragon Language, and the term, heavy as a hammer, struck the other Fire Lizards¡¯ hearts. A Soul Oath was a means used by the Giant Dragons in ancient times to enslave powerful Fire Lizards. Cliff¡¯s knowledge of this term meant that the contract indeed had binding power. ¡°I¡¯ll sign too!¡± An old Fire Lizard named Talgar grasped the pen and fiercely signed his name on the contract. Following him, Patelin also signed the contract. Now, of the four Fire Lizards, only Calion had not signed. Suddenly, as if making a difficult decision, Calion pushed the pen away and said firmly, ¡°Wizard, I do not crave life that much, kill me instead.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Richard was slightly startled, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you, Master Calion, to be a Fire Lizard of such integrity.¡± Calion looked at Richard, his face neither sad nor joyous; in the moment he made his decision, he felt his soul ascend. ¡°I have no particular integrity, but I¡¯m just an ordinary Fire Lizard with some knowledge of Alchemy. I should have died decades ago, but Harash, that boy, pulled me from perdition and gave me a mission, a reason to live. Now, my mission is over. Death is but an old friend.¡± Calion¡¯s tone carried a note of lament, as if delivering his final words. But Richard¡¯s response made him change his expression. ¡°Since you¡¯re unwilling to sign the contract, I must resort to other methods. Among you, only you are most important.¡± Richard¡¯s expression was unreadable; a Fire Lizard who Merrick¡¯s Shield would send someone to evacuate must be a talent, and might even know much of Merrick¡¯s Shield¡¯s internal intelligence. Such a Fire Lizard, Richard would never let go. Since he was unwilling now, Richard had to employ a special method. Calion¡¯s face suddenly changed, and before he could react, Richard appeared beside him. ¡°Fire Lizard, take a nap.¡± Bang. The metal Magic Wand heavily struck the back of Calion¡¯s head, rendering him instantly unconscious. The other three Fire Lizards who witnessed this scene instinctively bristled. If they hadn¡¯t signed, would this have been their fate? Richard gave a slight smile to the three cooperative Fire Lizards: ¡°Gentlemen, let¡¯s speak somewhere else.¡± With that, Richard immediately opened a Secret Realm Rift, leaving the Fire Lizards agape in awe. ¡°What is this?¡± Richard stepped into the Secret Realm, ¡°You¡¯ll know once you¡¯re inside.¡± ¡­ Inside the Secret Realm, Craw-craw was playing with the Holy Tree Elf. When he saw Richard bringing in a Fire Lizard, he immediately ran over in surprise. ¡°Wizard, who is this?¡± Richard threw the Fire Lizard he was holding onto the ground. ¡°Calion.¡± ¡°Is he Master Calion? I¡¯ve heard Master Haye mention him before, he said his Alchemy could rival the ancient Alchemy Masters.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Richard smiled, turned, and instructed World Mushroom to tie up Calion and wake him up. Behind him, the other three Fire Lizards also gradually entered the Secret Realm. Once they were all inside, Richard casually closed the Secret Realm Rift. ¡°Everyone, this is my Secret Realm, your workplace for the foreseeable future,¡± Richard introduced to the Fire Lizards. The Fire Lizards were struck by the landscape, completely different from that of the Red Sun World, and were visibly shocked. These were not naive Fire Lizards like Craw-craw. These Fire Lizards were important figures among their kind, with access to many ancient texts. Thus, they knew; this place was an entirely different world. ¡°Is this¡­ a world fragment?¡± Talgar uttered a clumsy Dragon Language term. Richard was slightly surprised, ¡°Oh, you have information on this?¡± Flashes of ancient fragments he had seen in old texts crossed Talgar¡¯s mind. Legends from ancient times spoke of Divine beings and Giant Dragons collecting world fragments to forge Divine Countries or ships that could traverse the stars. Had the Wizard mastered such a method? Were they to become the next Divine beings? Talgar¡¯s mind reeled with this conjecture, but he was sure that signing the Soul Contract was the right decision. Fire Lizards would never defeat a Wizard. Unaware of Talgar¡¯s thoughts, Richard said, ¡°This Fire Lizard is Craw-craw. During this time, you¡¯ll teach him Alchemy, and also work with him on that Armored Plate.¡± Saying this, Richard patted Craw-craw. ¡°Go, bring me that plate.¡± Craw-craw immediately fetched the plate, and the moment the Fire Lizards saw it, they recognized what it was. ¡°You¡¯ve obtained Holy Armor! Impossible, all Holy Armor was destroyed when His Majesty Minar was imprisoned. Even the remnants were thrown into the Sea of Lava.¡± Hearing this, a pang shot through Richard¡¯s heart. These damned Fire Lizards, destroying such fine creations just so the Wizards wouldn¡¯t have them. ¡°I acquired it before the Battle of the Three Kings began,¡± Richard replied somewhat stiffly, ¡°Your task for now is to understand this plate thoroughly. Your future task will be to manufacture these Armored Plates.¡± ¡°It¡¯s impossible, Holy Armor is a creation of the Divine beings, how could we possibly master it?¡± the three Fire Lizards said in unison. ¡°Nothing is impossible,¡± Richard stated lightly. Speaking thus, Richard took out a piece of metal from his Magic Pocket and began using Giant Dragon Alchemy. The metal deformed and stretched in Richard¡¯s hands, eventually forming a small Armored Plate. The complex golden patterns on its surface, both intricate and strangely beautiful, attested to its Alchemical origins. This action left the Fire Lizards dumbfounded. They pointed at Richard, speechless. They couldn¡¯t believe that this Wizard understood Giant Dragon Alchemy better than they did. ¡°You see, nothing is impossible.¡± Richard tossed the Armored Plate among the Fire Lizards, then approached Calion. ¡°Master Calion, I can still offer you a chance. If you sign the contract, the terms remain the same. However, if you continue to resist, then I¡¯m afraid I will have to use some special means.¡± With a wave of his hand, World Mushroom enveloped Calion and took him into the fungal stipe. In a secret space underground, one that no one could detect. Luo Jia¡¯er¡¯s roars echoed incessantly within the space. Under World Mushroom¡¯s torment, Luo Jia¡¯er¡¯s reason was nearly shattered, his mind assaulted incessantly by sensations far beyond a Fire Lizard¡¯s threshold of perception. If not for that deep-seated hatred, Luo Jia¡¯er would have already submitted. Outside that space, Calion watched Luo Jia¡¯er in horror. Luo Jia¡¯er appeared very healthy, even healthier than a normal Fire Lizard. But the unnatural roars echoing through the space chilled Calion to the bone. What kind of torture was this Fire Lizard enduring? By his side, World Mushroom thoughtfully explained Luo Jia¡¯er¡¯s current situation. ¡°Fire Lizard, if you don¡¯t submit to the great master, your fate won¡¯t be much better than his. I can make you live until your soul collapses.¡± World Mushroom¡¯s calm voice smashed Calion¡¯s last defenses like a hammer. He wasn¡¯t afraid of death; sometimes, being alive was more terrifying than death itself. In terror, Calion shouted: ¡°I¡¯ll sign! I¡¯ll sign!¡± Chapter 270: 54 Fire Lizard Alchemy Workshop Chapter 270: Chapter 54 Fire Lizard Alchemy Workshop ¡°Why didn¡¯t we do this earlier?¡± Richard handed over the Soul Contract to Calion with a smiling face, and as soon as Calion received it, he immediately signed his name with a trembling hand. As the contract turned into flames and vanished into the air, a sense of calm finally settled in Calion¡¯s fearful heart. At least now he wouldn¡¯t have to endure thousands of years of torture in that room. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve signed the contract, we are all on the same team. Master Calion, I¡¯ve heard that your Alchemy skills are very high, almost comparable to the ancient Alchemy Masters. I wonder if that is true.¡± Looking at Richard¡¯s smiling face, Calion dared not hide anything and truthfully said, ¡°My skills are indeed among the top in the current Alchemy Masters, but compared to those ancient Alchemy Masters, I am far inferior.¡± ¡°Haha, Master, there¡¯s no need for modesty. I believe your talents are not inferior to those of the ancients.¡± As he spoke, Richard shifted the conversation to inquire about Merrick¡¯s Shield. ¡°Master Calion, you must have worked for Merrick¡¯s Shield for a long time, so you might know some internal details about them. Do you have any interesting stories to share with me?¡± Looking at Richard¡¯s smile, Calion felt as though this wizard was a devil from hell. He was almost certain that if his information did not satisfy Richard, his future days would be miserable. The terms of the Soul Contract stipulated that Richard could not arbitrarily kill these Fire Lizards. But sometimes, living can be harder than dying. ¡°My lord, I work in logistics and don¡¯t know much about their missions. If I have to say something interesting, Merrick¡¯s Shield asked me and a few other old folks to make a huge thing a few years ago. Although they only gave me the blueprints for the parts I needed to make, I could still tell it was supposed to be a component for a ship.¡± ¡°A ship?¡± Richard stroked his chin, deep in thought. In the Red Sun World, the only place that might require a ship was the Sea of Lava beyond the mainland. What would the Fire Lizards be doing in the Sea of Lava? Richard noted this information to himself, and when the opportunity arose later, he planned to visit the Sea of Lava. The Sea of Lava was home to many Flame Giant Beasts, which were also a kind of resource. Richard, reflecting on this, pulled out several design blueprints from his pocket and handed them to Calion. ¡°Master, your information was very intriguing; I¡¯ve taken note of it. Here are the items you will need to make going forward; I have already given you a sample. I hope you can study it thoroughly. If you masters have any questions, jot them down, and I¡¯ll answer them all after some time.¡± After saying this, Richard opened a rift and left the Secret Realm. Calion looked at Richard¡¯s design diagrams, which depicted the three views of an armored plate. ¡°Is this¡­ a shield?¡± Calion, judging from his experience, then approached several other Fire Lizards. ¡°Let me see that thing.¡± The other Fire Lizards handed the armored plate to Calion, who stared at the elaborate gold patterns and felt as if he had been struck by lightning. ¡°Is this what we are supposed to make?¡± Calion¡¯s tone was tentative; he had just been awakened and many things were not clear to him. Now that he saw the armored plate up close, Calion realized the kind of insurmountable task they were to undertake. This was none other than the armored plate of Holy Armor! ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what the wizard said,¡± Calion, looking at the armored plate and recalling the scene he had just witnessed, shuddered uncontrollably. If they failed to meet this wizard¡¯s demands, their fate might not be much better than that of the other Fire Lizard. He sighed resignedly and said: ¡°Fellows, bring out all the skills you have. If we can¡¯t complete this wizard¡¯s task, we might as well prepare to go to hell.¡± ¡°To hell?¡± Calion somberly stated: ¡°Yes, to hell, and while still alive at that.¡± ¡­ The departing Richard didn¡¯t know that he had become a terrifying figure in Calion¡¯s mind, but even if he knew, Richard wouldn¡¯t bother to explain. The fact that the Fire Lizards were working hard was exactly what he desired. After leaving the Secret Realm, Richard moved all the supplies from beside the Molten Lava Lake into the Secret Realm. World Mushrooms could fill a few Fire Lizards¡¯ bellies, but that was about it. Indeed, the World Mushrooms, originating from the Insect Nest World, could meet some living needs of the Fire Lizards, but their items would surely not compare to the native food of the Red Sun World. His past life experience as a wage worker taught Richard that a good meal could make life much better. For these Fire Lizards in the Secret Realm, they were exactly the wage workers under Richard. A contented Fire Lizard wouldn¡¯t necessarily work harder, but the likelihood of them slacking would definitely decrease significantly. And to achieve this, Richard only needed to spend a little time throwing things into the Secret Realm. Richard was a man who sought efficiency in everything¡ªwhy wouldn¡¯t he want to spend a little to achieve a lot? After leaving the mining caverns, Richard also joined the slave-hunting forces of the Red Sun World, starting to hunt Fire Lizards on land. Technical talents were hard to come by, and Richard would need a large number of slaves for the future extraction of Red Sun Gold Pattern Stone, as well as for assistance in the Fire Lizard Alchemy Workshop. Yes, Richard planned to organize a Fire Lizard Alchemy Workshop with these few Fire Lizards as the core, specializing in the production of Giant Dragon Alchemy Creations. Giant Dragon Alchemy was quite unpopular among wizards, yet this didn¡¯t mean there was no market for the products of Giant Dragon Alchemy. The super alloy metals produced through Giant Dragon Alchemy certainly had a vast market waiting to be tapped in Alchemy Machines. If he could develop this market, the future would certainly be bright. Holding expectations for the future, Richard began his slave-catching life in the Red Sun World. ¡­ Boom! In the cave, a black fireball suddenly exploded, instantly sealing the escape route of the Fire Lizard. A fierce beast, clad in steel, pounced on the Fire Lizard the moment the flames vanished, its mouth, dripping with saliva, aimed at the Fire Lizard¡¯s neck, ready to snap shut. Bang. The steel beast was suddenly sent flying by a black metal stick, and a dark figure appeared next to the Fire Lizard. ¡°How many times have I told you not to bite the neck, not to bite the neck? What about the claws I gave you? Can¡¯t you sever its muscles?¡± The dark figure scolded the armored beast, then nonchalantly drove a two-inch nail into the Fire Lizard¡¯s chest. ¡°Ow!¡± The steel beast let out a pitiful yelp or two, and seeing it like this, the dark figure could only sigh. ¡°You stupid dog, after teaching you for so long, you still go for the neck when panic hits.¡± The dark figure bent down, grabbed the Fire Lizard from the ground, and despite its struggles, stuffed it forcefully into a bag no larger than a human head. A few seconds later, a white-robed Wizard arrived at the side of the black-robed Wizard. ¡°Master Richard, has the Fire Lizard been taken care of?¡± Richard nodded, ¡°Handled.¡± The white-robed Wizard respectfully performed a Wizard¡¯s Salute, ¡°Thank you for your help, Master. Without it, I might have been killed by that second-level Fire Lizard.¡± Richard waved his hand dismissively, ¡°It¡¯s nothing major. However, I would advise you to travel with other One Ring Wizards. It¡¯s still quite dangerous for a One Ring Wizard to capture Fire Lizards alone. These years, the surviving Fire Lizards are the strong and cunning ones, and even we Wizards can fall victim to their schemes.¡± The white-robed Wizard nodded, ¡°Master is right, I¡¯ll join my team for slave-catching once I return.¡± Richard nodded, then put the armored hunting dog into his pocket and flew out of the cave. Nearly twenty years had passed since Minar had been sealed. Over these two decades, Wizards had run amok in the Red Sun World, and the number of Fire Lizards above first level had dwindled. The remaining Fire Lizards were all experienced in battling Wizards. The good old days when one could catch a Fire Lizard Slave with just a few steps in the Red Sun World were gone. Leaving the cave, Richard continued his flight with the newly captured Fire Lizard. Three days later, he arrived at the Red Sun Gold Pattern Stone mine he had applied for. The narrow cave had now become a spacious mining tunnel. Periodically, carts of Red Sun Gold Pattern Stone were being transported out of the tunnel. Ten years ago, the teleportation gate between the Red Sun World and the Wizard World had been opened, allowing a massive transfer of goods and equipment to the Red Sun World, and naturally, resource extraction now took priority. The Red Sun Gold Pattern Stone mine, under the management of Gano, had naturally been approved. Richard landed, and a Fire Lizard, seeing him, immediately approached. ¡°Lord Richard, what brings you here?¡± ¡°Heskan, has anything happened at the mine?¡± This Fire Lizard was one of the many Fire Lizard slaves Richard had captured over the years. However, unlike the others, he immediately showed his talent for bootlicking upon being captured. Since the war in the Red Sun World had not ended, and for the benefit of the War Wizards involved, the teleportation gate was still not open to outsiders. Participating Wizards were allowed out, but uninvolved Wizards weren¡¯t allowed in. To efficiently develop the mines, Richard had thought of managing Fire Lizards with Fire Lizards. Thus, Heskan, who had shown a talent for bootlicking, had become the manager of the mine. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°No, everything is fine at the mine. Everyone is working hard, just look in the warehouse and you¡¯ll see.¡± Heskan, grinning broadly, led Richard to the warehouse. The guarding Fire Lizard, seeing Richard, immediately performed a respectful salute. ¡°Lord Richard!¡± Richard nodded and then entered the warehouse. Inside, several Fire Lizards were using machines to cut Red Sun Gold Pattern Stone from the mining tunnel into regular blocks, which were neatly stacked in boxes. The boxes filled with Red Sun Gold Pattern Stone were placed in the back half of the warehouse, which was now nearly full. ¡°Good, very good,¡± Richard nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Let the mess hall serve extra tonight, limitless Flame Giant Beast Meat.¡± Heskan brightened at the news but then asked somewhat worriedly, ¡°Master, isn¡¯t that a bit too generous? It¡¯s not easy for you to obtain this meat. I think one extra steak per person would be sufficient.¡± Richard glanced at him, saying calmly, ¡°Heskan, just follow orders. You don¡¯t need to worry about resource matters.¡± Heskan looked slightly fearful, ¡°I spoke out of turn.¡± Leaving the warehouse, Richard casually threw the Fire Lizard he had caught on the road to Heskan. ¡°Same rule as always, execute the obstinate ones.¡± ¡°Yes, Master!¡± Watching cart after cart of Red Sun Gold Pattern Stone being transported from the mine, Richard¡¯s heart was filled with joy. These carts were all full of Magic Essence. Suddenly, a strong spatial fluctuation swept through Richard¡¯s senses. A space rift tore open in the sky, and a familiar figure burst through with an overbearing aura. ¡°Wizard! I¡¯m back!¡± Chapter 271: 55: The Fleeing Fire Lizard King Chapter 271: Chapter 55: The Fleeing Fire Lizard King Seeing the Fire Lizard King Morick suddenly appear in the sky, a flicker of excitement passed through Richard¡¯s heart. Morick had finally returned. If he hadn¡¯t come back soon, the war in the Red Sun World would have been over. ¡°Heskan, go and call the miners up from below, and make it quick,¡± Richard ordered loudly to Heskan. Upon hearing the order, Heskan¡¯s face was full of astonishment. He trembled and said, ¡°My Lord, the news of Emperor Morick¡¯s return must not be let known to the workers below. They¡¯ll revolt!¡± ¡°Revolt?¡± A cruel smile flashed across Richard¡¯s face, ¡°Trust me, Heskan. They won¡¯t revolt. Hurry up and call them all out.¡± Seeing Richard¡¯s firm stance, Heskan could only tremblingly take the minecart to notify the miners underground. Being in charge of the mining district was not without its price; the Soul Contract he had signed with Richard had very strict terms. If he did not obey Richard¡¯s orders, Richard could shatter his soul with a single thought. ¡°Right, take this with you.¡± As if remembering something, Richard flashed beside Heskan and pulled out a scroll from his pocket. ¡°This is a Short-Distance Space Jump Scroll. Tear it open and it will transport you to my side. Those fire lizards below might have a few fanatics among them, so be careful not to die down there.¡± Gratefully accepting the scroll with tears, Hesman, the servile follower, hadn¡¯t served in vain; Lord Richard still had him in mind. ¡°Yes, my Lord. I will be careful.¡± In the sky, the incredibly imposing Morick drew the attention of all beings in the Red Sun World as soon as he appeared. Both Wizards and fire lizards now focused their gaze on this World Master who had vanished for thirty years. The mountains of the Minar Empire, the mining tunnels of the Morick Empire, the islands above the Molten Sea¡­ all hidden areas of fire lizards watched Morick¡¯s return with tears streaming down their faces. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Thirty years, and their king had finally returned! But in the next moment, an immensely large and complicated Magic Array emerged from the Void, and two Space Rifts appeared right in front of Morick, as Great Wizard Qing Shuang and the Great Wizard of Prison Fire both descended onto the battlefield. ¡°Wizard! I¡¯d like to see what tricks you have up your sleeve this time!¡± Morick, upon seeing the appearance of the Great Wizard of Prison Fire, suddenly radiated a scorching light. He reached out and caught a Light Spear in his hand, the terrifying power making even space struggle to hold, with tiny Space Rifts continuously appearing around the spear. Compared to Minar, Morick had become much more skilled in harnessing his own strength. The same move, Minar struggled with, but Morick did it with ease. ¡°Die!¡± The Light Spear was thrown, its terrible power instantly tearing open the space in front of him. But upon seeing the Light Spear sink into the Void, the Great Wizard of Prison Fire¡¯s face showed a hint of surprise. ¡°To think that you¡¯ve grasped some of the rules of space in thirty years. Impressive, indeed.¡± A sinister Space Rift suddenly appeared in front of the Great Wizard of Prison Fire, and behind the rift was the Light Spear carrying a terrifying aura. ¡°But I¡¯m not your teacher, and your shallow application of the rules won¡¯t earn my praise.¡± With an unchanged expression, the Great Wizard of Prison Fire moved his melting Skeletal Magic Wand slightly, and the terrible Light Spear paused in the Void for a moment. In that instant, the Great Wizard of Prison Fire calmly dodged it. Like a meteor streaking across the sky, the Light Spear eventually landed on the World Barrier at the edge of the world, turning into a dazzling burst of light, as if the third sun that had fallen with Linksa¡¯s death had risen once again. With his attack failing, Morick knew he no longer had a chance to strike. In the blink of an eye that he launched his attack, the huge Magic Array beside him had already begun to activate. Two Great Wizards had spent twenty years on this massive Magic Array, and its effects were naturally terrifying. As it activated, the space around Morick suddenly solidified, followed by a rapid weakening of his aura. This Magic Array actually cut off the Power of the World bestowed upon Morick by the world itself, and although this was only temporary, a World Master without the enhancement of the Power of the World was nothing more than a tooth-less rabid dog before a Wizard, with no outcome but death. ¡°Cackle cackle cackle, I haven¡¯t forgotten you over these years.¡± The Great Wizard of Prison Fire chuckled strangely, then opened a Space Rift and took out a Crystal Ball from it. Something seemed to be sealed within the Crystal Ball, with countless mysterious Runes appearing and disappearing inside it. The moment it appeared, all the Magic Power in the sky seemed to flow towards it like rivers into the sea. An even larger Magic Array rapidly extended from the Crystal Ball, covering half of the sky in the blink of an eye. But Morick¡¯s expression did not change; his aura remained wildly dominant, his light nearly outshining the sun in the sky. In his mind flashed countless years past, when there were no ¡°Free Men,¡± and the Red Sun World consisted only of giant dragons and their slaves. He was just reaching adulthood then. The battle among giant dragons triggered a volcanic eruption; a massive amount of red-hot magma and volcanic ash erupted from the caldera, instantly engulfing his family. His parents and wife all perished in this ¡°disaster,¡± leaving only the egg cradled in his wife¡¯s arms. It was in this ¡°disaster¡± that he found the object that would change his life and the future of the Fire Lizard Clan. His Talent actually wasn¡¯t very good. Before this disaster, he hadn¡¯t even awakened his Dragon Blood. But after the disaster, he found a peculiar Fire Element Gem in the magma. The Fire Element Gem looked like a test tube, and when he opened it, a drop of crimson blood flowed out from the tube into his body. This drop of blood changed his body and his destiny. From that point on, his strength soared, passing through First Level, Second Level, Third Level. His pace of Evolution grew faster and faster. In the end, he became the Fire Lizard Clan¡¯s first World Master, thus starting the prelude to their rebellion against giant dragons. But after becoming a Fifth Level World Master, the effects of that drop of blood seemed to fade away. Until he lived for thirty years in that pitch-black Void, full of fearsome beings, wrestling with the internal interrogation of his brother¡¯s death and the tragedy of the Fire Lizard Clan. In those thirty years, he had constantly thought of taking revenge on the Wizard, and that drop of blood had revived once more within this utmost conviction. It was only then he realized that it wasn¡¯t that the blood had lost its effect, but rather, after overturning the Giant Dragon, he no longer possessed that firm conviction. Morick said silently, ¡°My brother, come back and help me.¡± The next moment, the Great Wizard¡¯s face changed drastically. ¡°Qing Shuang, prepare the Sealing Skill!¡± He saw Morick, trapped in the center of the Magic Array, from whose body a golden shadow emerged, bearing an uncanny resemblance to the fallen Fire Lizard King Linksa. No, not exactly alike. This golden figure looked noticeably younger than Linksa. ¡°Big brother, I¡¯ve come to help you.¡± The golden figure, seemingly the dead Linksa himself, raised his arms high and smashed them down forcefully. The space around Morick, which had been solidified by the Magic Array, instantly shattered into fragments. Upon seeing this, the Great Wizard¡¯s eyes shifted from shock to fervor, and he called out loudly to Great Wizard Qing Shuang. ¡°A World Master Level True Illusion! Excellent, truly excellent! Qing Shuang, help me hold him off for a moment!¡± The Great Wizard tore open a Space Rift and continuously pulled out various objects from within. These objects looked bizarre: a Crystal Skull that kept screaming, a branch burning with black Flames, a mummified corpse wrapped in bandages, a withered claw from some unknown creature¡­ These items seemed unrelated but were all brought out by the Great Wizard at this moment. The Great Wizard murmured an incantation and ultimately pulled out something from his pocket that Richard hadn¡¯t expected¡ªa Curse Worm covered in black patterns! The Great Wizard was also a Curse Wizard! Morick had no idea what the Great Wizard was doing, but he detected an extremely dangerous aura in his actions. He lifted his arm and threw a punch, a glow on his knuckles shining bright as the Great Sun illuminating the world. Great Wizard Qing Shuang tried to intercept but was stopped by Linksa¡¯s phantom. ¡°Wizard, you face me!¡± Great Wizard Qing Shuang coldly replied, ¡°Is that so?¡± The next moment, a Space Rift opened beside the Great Wizard, and another Great Wizard Qing Shuang stepped out from the rift, rushing straight towards Morick. And Morick threw his punch once more. Boom¡­ Boom¡­ The thunderous roar exploded in the sky, and Great Wizard Qing Shuang¡¯s clone burst apart, merely to withstand Morick¡¯s punch. Even so, the punch hadn¡¯t been blocked. The searing light passed through the fog and reached the Great Wizard in the blink of an eye. But the Great Wizard made no move to react, continuing to recite the ancient chant. Suddenly, Morick¡¯s face turned pale with fear as he scanned his surroundings as though searching for something. And the ball of light he had cast also dissipated right in front of the Great Wizard. Within the ancient chant of the Great Wizard, an illusion of a Balance appeared before him, and the various items he had taken out were all placed on one side. After the light dissipated, parts of those items had disappeared without a trace. ¡°Great Nameless Dominator, I offer these sacrifices to you, and I hope you will Seal this Fire Lizard.¡± The Great Wizard addressed his plea to the Nameless Dominator as the Balance illusion started to tilt following his words. Eventually, the empty side touched the ground. His sacrifice was insufficient. The Great Wizard frowned in concentration, tore open space again, and took out more strangely-auraed items, hoping to continue the exchange. But Morick wasn¡¯t planning to indulge him any longer. Morick watched the Balance illusion in terror; he could feel that a terrifying and grand entity had set its gaze upon this place. His previous attack had been nullified by that grand being. One word flashed through Morick¡¯s mind. Escape! Better to preserve the green mountains than worry about no firewood. Morick tore through space, and his form along with Linksa¡¯s phantom vanished from the Red Sun World in an instant. The Great Wizard, in a rush, quickly placed those strange items onto the Balance. ¡°Great Nameless Dominator, I offer these sacrifices to you and ask that you leave a mark on that Fire Lizard for me to track.¡± The Balance tipped, and this time it finally leveled out. In the Star Realm, Morick, having fled the Red Sun World, tensed as a mark of the Balance slowly emerged behind him. Back in the Red Sun World, the same mark of the Balance also appeared on the Great Wizard¡¯s arm. ¡°Fire Lizard, you can¡¯t run!¡± Chapter 272: 56: Truth, Treating Every Creature Equally Chapter 272: Chapter 56: Truth, Treating Every Creature Equally The battle ended somewhat anticlimactically, but the outcome was all too clear. The last hope of the Fire Lizard Clan, the Fire Lizard King Morick, had been defeated. At the mouth of the mineshaft, the miners called up by Lord Richard had despondent expressions. They knew that the Fire Lizard Clan had completely lost all hope. Standing to the side, Richard watched the scene and nodded imperceptibly. This was the effect he had wanted. He knew that before this moment, these Fire Lizards had still harbored impractical fantasies, believing that the Fire Lizard King could lead them once more to expel the Wizards. But now, that fantasy was shattered. A younger Fire Lizard, upon seeing Morick flee, suddenly drew a small knife from his belt and stabbed viciously at his own throat. ¡°Herar, what are you doing!¡± Upon seeing this, the surrounding Fire Lizards immediately moved to stop the young one from his folly. But before they could lay a hand on him, they saw Herar¡¯s body freeze in place, immobile, as a chain of Magic Power burrowed out from under his feet, binding him so that he could not move. The Fire Lizards looked toward Richard, just as Richard silently retracted his finger, speaking in a calm tone, ¡°Suicide is really quite foolish. I told you when I took you in to abandon those impractical fantasies and strive to live well in the present. Clearly, some of you did not pay heed to my words.¡± The Fire Lizards silently turned their gaze toward Richard, who reminded them of the words he had said when he first brought them to the mining fields. ¡°Work hard here, give up on impractical fantasies. Working for me will certainly be ten times better than working under the hand of Fire Lizard Nobles.¡± Back then, they had brushed off his words as inconsequential. Now, those dismissed words had turned into a storm. Richard moved his fingers again, dispelling the Spell that bound Herar, and the surrounding Fire Lizards seized the opportunity to wrest the knife from his hand. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After his failed suicide attempt, Herar covered his face and wept bitterly. His cries quickly spread throughout the entire mining field, even Heskan, who had become utterly loyal to the Wizards, felt a pang in his heart. If they had a choice, who would wish to be a crony? Richard watched the scene in silence. This was what wars between Races entailed. ¡°Heskan, take half a day off. Tonight¡¯s food remains unchanged; Flame Giant Beast meat is still unlimited.¡± Heskan was startled by the words and looked at Richard somewhat bewilderedly before bowing his head and responding, ¡°Yes, my lord. You treat us even better than our own kin.¡± Richard merely smiled and said nothing more. These Fire Lizards were not merely miners; in the future, they were also to shoulder the responsibility of producing Magic Potions and forming the ranks of the Dragon Beast Knights. If he did not win over their hearts now, how would he carry out his plans later? Richard took a box of Red Sun Gold Pattern Stones and turned to enter the Secret Realm. Under Richard¡¯s development over these years, the Secret Realm had been vastly transformed. The Secret Realm¡¯s center was still occupied by the World Mushroom, but outside the cap of the World Mushroom, an invisible line divided the realm in two. On the east side of the Secret Realm was the domain of the Holy Tree Elves, where they cultivated flowers and Demonized Plants. On the other side, several huge alchemy machines connected by conveyer belts took up nearly half the space, with several Fire Lizard Alchemy Masters leading hundreds of Fire Lizard Alchemy Apprentices working in shifts on the conveyer belts. Over these years, the rudimentary form of the Fire Lizard Alchemy Workshop that Richard had planned had taken shape. He had spent a considerable amount of Magic Essence over the years, trading with other Wizards for Fire Lizards who understood Alchemy. The Alchemy Workshop in the Secret Realm had grown from a few Fire Lizard Alchemy Masters to the current assembly line. However, for now, this Alchemy Workshop could only produce items with relatively low technical content, such as the Cross Pickaxes used by the Fire Lizards for mining and certain mechanical components for the Magic Support Vehicles. Yet, the mass production of the Armored Plates Richard had planned had not even shown the slightest sign of starting. But Richard had long been prepared for this, as he knew that those high-tech items certainly could not be produced on an assembly line for quite some time. Richard, carrying the box, strode over to the other half of the Alchemy Workshop¡¯s space. This space housed the Fire Lizards¡¯ dormitories and material storage. Richard tossed the Red Sun Gold Pattern Stones into the storage and turned to find a Fire Lizard Alchemy Master. ¡°Talgar, I¡¯ve brought the Red Sun Gold Pattern Stones, what do you need them for?¡± Talgar was inspecting the work area at the moment, the alchemy machines¡¯ clamorous symphony forced Richard to communicate with Talgar using telepathy. Seeing Richard, Talgar immediately made an obeisant bow and then gestured for Richard to leave the work area. In the Fire Lizards¡¯ usual resting area, there was a soundproof Magic Array. The moment they entered the resting area, Richard¡¯s ears were met with blissful silence. ¡°Lord Richard, you¡¯ve brought the items, haven¡¯t you?¡± Talgar said loudly, his voice making Richard¡¯s scalp tingle. Due to spending a long time in the work area, Talgar had developed a very loud voice, and this up-close conversation was almost as deafening as some Wizard Apprentice¡¯s sonic wave witchcraft. ¡°Quieter, I can hear you,¡± Richard said somewhat helplessly. He then pulled from his pocket a small piece of Red Sun Gold Pattern Stone and handed it to Talgar. ¡°What do you need this for? Could it be that this thing could be used to make an alloy?¡± In Giant Dragon Alchemy, creating alloys was one of the most basic skills. Although Giant Dragon Alchemy could alter the properties of metals, these alterations had their limits. Moreover, different materials had different limits in different aspects. Therefore, creating alloys had become the most fundamental skill in Giant Dragon Alchemy. ¡°My lord, that idea might be worth a try; I haven¡¯t yet attempted to use this material to produce alloys.¡± Talgar¡¯s volume decreased a bit, but his voice was still loud. ¡°Let¡¯s get down to business!¡± Seeing that Richard was getting somewhat angry, Talgar hurriedly ran to his bed and pulled out a box filled with soft mushroom mycelium. Inside the box, instead of any rare treasures, lay an ordinary ink bottle. ¡°Lord, have a look at this. I made it using the Red Sun Gold Pattern Stone you brought before.¡± Richard took the ink bottle with a puzzled look and opened it, a rich burst of Fire Element instantly spraying out, nearly singeing Richard¡¯s eyebrows. Looking at Talgar, Richard saw the simple-minded Fire Lizard somewhat embarrassedly laugh: ¡°Haha, the Fire Element was released, an accident, a pure accident.¡± Richard touched the bottle with his Magic Power, drawing out a drop of liquid. The liquid appeared as red as fresh blood, also emitting a scorching aura. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°My Lord, this is ink.¡± ¡°Ink?¡± Richard was startled, then quickly pulled out a quill from his pocket. He dipped it in the ink and then infused it with Magic Power, which, mixing with the ink in the quill, caused flames to ignite at the tip. Richard took out a metal plate from his pocket and began inscribing Runes on it using the feather quill with flames at its tip. The quill glided softly across the metal plate, leaving behind a clear trail of fire where it touched. As Richard drew the last stroke, a Rune burning with flames took shape on the metal plate. Richard infused the Rune with Magic Power, and under its influence, the Rune¡¯s flames gradually intensified, finally maintaining a rather dazzling strength. At this intensity, the Rune was running at full load. But it wasn¡¯t long before the flames on the Rune began to dim and eventually faded away. ¡°Incredible, this is unbelievable.¡± Looking at the Rune, Richard¡¯s expression shifted from shock to horror. Talgar had actually concocted Alchemy Ink that could only be created with Wizard Alchemy! This Fire Lizard had managed to accomplish what Wizard Ancients had once done in stealing fire. ¡°How did you do it?¡± Richard suppressed the astonishment in his heart and asked as calmly as he could. Talgar scratched his chin, a sheepish look on his face, saying, ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure, my Lord, as you know, we¡¯ve tried making ink before. Although unsuccessful, there were still some materials left in the storehouse. One day, I had too much to drink and nothing to do, so I took some and followed the ink-making procedure once through. But manufacturing this ink requires that Alchemy Array of yours, doesn¡¯t it? I was quite drunk at the time and ended up operating that Alchemy Array part you made before. I can¡¯t remember how I started it, but it started nonetheless. I don¡¯t remember much after that, but when I woke up, this thing had formed.¡± After listening to Talgar, Richard rubbed his furrowed brow, Talgar didn¡¯t seem to be lying. It appeared this thing was truly created in his drunken mess. This Fire Lizard¡¯s luck was truly amazing ¨C a mess without accident and still getting a finished product. Casting aside the random thoughts in his mind, Richard said confidently to Talgar, ¡°Very well, this thing is very useful. I¡¯ll supply you with an unlimited amount of Red Sun Gold Pattern Stone. Don¡¯t busy yourself with anything else for now, and quickly work out the formula for this ink, as well as the production process. Once you have that sorted out, I¡¯ll give you a half-year holiday!¡± Talgar was startled upon hearing this, then joyously said: ¡°Yes, Lord!¡± He hadn¡¯t expected that something he¡¯d come up with while drunk would be taken so seriously by Richard. Watching the elated Talgar leave, a hint of conflict flashed through Richard¡¯s mind. The capabilities of the civilized races really were incomparable to those of common natives. Talgar might not see the amazing qualities of this bottle of ink, but Richard, a Wizard, clearly could. Not only did this ink reach the standards of high-level Alchemy Ink, but it also had an additional feature of displaying Rune integrity. Enchantments can¡¯t possibly last forever; any piece of Magic Equipment has a potential number of uses. Rune integrity serves as one standard to measure the newness and wear of Magic Equipment. Ink used for Rune drawing from Alchemy would gradually wear out and fade over time and environment, but if it¡¯s common Alchemy Ink, such wear is often hard to detect. However, the Runes drawn with this ink could reflect subtle changes in the Rune through the strength of the flame. Ink with such functionality was used extensively in large Alchemy Machine manufacturing, with a considerable market. But this excellent ink wasn¡¯t created by a Wizard, its creator was a native slave looked down upon by Wizards. This was like a provocation. This was a trampling on Wizard intelligence by an Alien creature! If it were any other Wizard who encountered this, Talgar would already be a corpse by now, and the rest of the Fire Lizards would¡¯ve been eliminated along with him. Wizards¡¯ attitudes towards Aliens were always to err on the side of killing rather than to let one escape. However, these Fire Lizards had met Richard, a humble Wizard. He didn¡¯t view this as a provocation. Knowledge wouldn¡¯t just emerge because the Explorer was a Wizard, nor would it hide because the Explorer was a Fire Lizard. Truth treats every creature equally. Chapter 273: 57: The Stranger Road of the Fire Lizard Chapter 273: Chapter 57: The Stranger Road of the Fire Lizard After resolving the issue in Talgar, Richard came to the area beneath the canopy of the World Mushroom. This region was the ¡°Holy Domain¡± of the Holy Tree Elf, void of any buildings except for the Holy City built by the Holy Tree Elves, who had even relocated their buds. In the central nest of the Holy City, a black crow was deeply asleep. Ulysses had made a miscalculation years ago; he had predicted a few decades, but he had now been asleep for nearly thirty years. During these thirty years, the energy fluctuations within Ulysses had continually increased. According to Richard¡¯s prediction, today, Ulysses¡¯ energy would reach the limit for third-level creatures. If Ulysses didn¡¯t wake up now, Richard would have to prepare for the worst¡ªUlysses might sleep until he became the World Master. Watching the black crow, whose energy fluctuations were gradually intensifying, Richard could only pray and wait, considering Ulysses was also a ¡°God¡±; thus, Richard did only the latter. Buzz! A violent energy fluctuation erupted from Ulysses, instantly stirring up a magic breeze in the Secret Realm. In an instant, Richard saw a vision appear before his eyes. A dark, terrifying beast shrieked towards the sky, its voice almost shattering the space. It spread its wings, blocking the sun with its massive wingspan, and countless black crows emerged, engulfing the entire sky like the night. ¡°Is this¡­ Ulysses?¡± Richard watched the frightening beast in the vision, a trace of astonishment flashing through his mind. Indeed, every World Master was a terrifying creature. The vision gradually dissipated in front of Richard, and he felt a weight on his shoulder as Ulysses¡¯ raspy voice suddenly sounded in his ear. ¡°Ga, this sleep was truly comfortable; I feel much better now.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± Richard suppressed his excitement, responding calmly, ¡°You¡¯ve slept for a whole thirty years; I almost thought you were recovering from an injury.¡± ¡°Ga, thirty years!?¡± Ulysses exclaimed. ¡°Then you must have almost finished the war!¡± ¡°Pretty much, the last King of the Fire Lizard was just driven off; he probably won¡¯t return to the Red Sun World in his lifetime. After cleaning up the remaining resistance forces of the Fire Lizards, the war will be considered over.¡± ¡°Ga, that quickly? You wizards are quite efficient.¡± Ulysses was surprised by the speed with which the wizards handled the King of the Fire Lizards, but before he could finish his surprise, changes in the Secret Realm caught his attention again. ¡°Ga, why are there so many Fire Lizards in the Secret Realm, are they yours?¡± Ulysses looked at Richard, his face showing a mix of embarrassment and shamelessness. ¡°Ga, you¡¯re too polite; just let Old Mushroom take care of your brain, how did you even start breeding them?¡± Listening to Ulysses¡¯ ruthless words, Richard couldn¡¯t help but feel exasperated. ¡°These aren¡¯t for you to eat; they are employees I¡¯ve collected over the years, all skilled professionals!¡± Ulysses looked slightly disappointed: ¡°Ga, I thought you had prepared a surprise for me.¡± Yet his disappointment didn¡¯t last long, for the next moment, the World Mushroom transmitted a Spiritual Message to Ulysses. Richard still remembered Ulysses¡¯ words. Although he had been capturing slaves over the years, the Fire Lizards he killed had all had their brains collected and given to the World Mushroom. The number of brains was enough for Ulysses to have a feast. ¡°Ga, very noble of you! Then I¡¯ll go have a feast first.¡± Richard nodded: ¡°Suit yourself, just remember to come out after you¡¯re done, I need you to protect me on a journey.¡± ¡°Ga, no problem at all.¡± ¡­ The defeat of the Fire Lizard King, Morick, undoubtedly struck a massive blow to the resistive forces of the Fire Lizards; they had held on until now, largely because Morick had not yet returned. Now that Morick had fled, the Fire Lizard Clan had no more hope of expelling the wizards. Located in the Yajilite Mountains of the Minar Empire, the remnants of the high-ranking officials of the Fire Lizard Empire watched the sky with earthy faces. Although they had anticipated this possibility, witnessing it firsthand made them realize their faith was insufficient to accept the outcome. Squelch! A Fire Lizard general decapitated himself with a sword, his blood spraying and staining the surrounding Fire Lizards red. Harash, expressionless, bowed his head and spoke indifferently: Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Go back, there¡¯s nothing more to see here.¡± With that, Harash walked into a mountain cave behind him without looking back. Deep in the cave, the expressionless Azuhan waited in a conference room for his father. Rumble rumble rumble¡­ The stone door of the conference room was pushed open, and Harash entered calmly, then closed the stone door. The moment the door shut, Harash collapsed to the floor like a puppet that had lost its support. He propped himself up on his arms, but they trembled uncontrollably. The Fire Lizards were finished. Azhuan walked over and helped his father up from the ground. ¡°How is the princess?¡± Harash suddenly asked. Azhuan shook his head: ¡°She¡¯s sleeping, not aware of what¡¯s happening outside.¡± Azhuan helped Harash to the nearest chair; his father¡¯s body continued to tremble. On the chair, Harash had a vacant look, his face showing a blank expression that Azhuan had never seen before. Azhuan sat opposite Harash, his heart equally anxious and fearful; the Fire Lizard Clan no longer had hope, only a future of struggling to survive and approaching extinction. ¡°Father, initiate the Fire Seed Plan.¡± ¡°¡­Initiate it.¡± Harash stood up, and several Fire Lizard generals entered through the door. Seeing Harash, one general, looking nervous, cried out: ¡°Marshal, the Fire Lizards below are uncontrollable; they want to fight the wizards to the death.¡± These remaining resistors were all elite Fire Lizards, also the most stubborn ¡°Free Men.¡± They would rather die than live as slaves to the wizards. Now the hope of driving out the wizards was utterly shattered. The best ending the somewhat crazed Fire Lizards could think of was to die gloriously on the battlefield. ¡°Um, I know,¡± he said, ¡°tell them not to make a move yet, I will personally lead them into battle shortly.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Two Fire Lizard generals looked at Harash in astonishment. They hadn¡¯t expected such a response. ¡°Marshal, you¡­¡± Harash looked at the two Fire Lizard generals in front of him, and asked in a flat tone: ¡°Is there a problem?¡± One general spoke, ¡°Marshal, they might give up, but you absolutely must not. Emperor Morick has not yet died in battle, we still have hope¡­¡± Psst! A massive amount of blood spurted out from the severed neck of the Fire Lizard general. Harash, holding the head of the Fire Lizard general, looked expressionlessly at the other general. ¡°Do you have any other questions?¡± The remaining general stepped back continuously in fright, his face a picture of terror, his mouth opening and closing, but he couldn¡¯t utter a word. Harash had gone mad! He had just killed a Fire Lizard general without a word! Harash approached him with an expressionless face and said in an extremely calm tone: ¡°No problem then, carry out the orders.¡± The Fire Lizard general nodded frantically and then fled the conference room as if escaping. Azuhan walked up to Harash and asked softly, ¡°Father, have you decided?¡± Azuhan¡¯s eyes might have been calm, but the plea in his eyes could not escape Harash¡¯s notice. Azuhan hoped he would change his mind. ¡°Azuhan, you¡¯ve grown up.¡± Harash, just as when Azuhan was a child, vigorously rubbed Azuhan¡¯s head. ¡°An adult needs to stand on his own and shoulder those responsibilities. I¡¯m already old, there are some responsibilities I can¡¯t bear, and don¡¯t want to bear anymore. Also, the New World needs the seeds, an old thing like me going there would just be a hindrance.¡± Harash spoke in a very lighthearted tone, as if he had shed a heavy burden. He looked at Azuhan, a relieved smile on his face. But Azuhan was looking down, tears continuously sliding down the corners of his eyes. ¡°Azuhan, an adult should not cry, especially a leader!¡± Harash¡¯s voice suddenly turned stern, just like in the past when he was teaching Azuhan. Azuhan looked up, his golden dragon eyes brimming with blood, filled with a sorrow as deep as the ocean. Harash said solemnly: ¡°Azuhan, the future of the Fire Lizards is now in your hands. Whatever method you use, whatever means, even if you go to ally with the wizards, become the most shameful traitor! You must ensure the survival of the Fire Lizard Clan! Now tell me, do you have the determination?¡± Azuhan, choking: ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Very good.¡± Harash showed a satisfied smile, he patted Azuhan on the shoulder, his voice carrying hope and blessing: ¡°The future of the Fire Lizards is in your hands.¡± Azuhan watched as Harash walked out of the conference room with brisk steps, as light as when he had been summoned by the Fire Lizard King in his younger days. That year, he had been promoted from Dragon Warrior to a Horned Noble, and had defeated the genius general Balashar of the Linksa Empire on the battlefield. Harash had been just like this, light-footed and smiling. Azuhan stood there, watching his father¡¯s figure gradually disappear at the end of the cave. He knew that this farewell was forever. Afterward, he turned and left the conference room from the other side. ¡­ Record of the Red Sun World expedition: Three days after Fire Lizard King Morick was expelled by the Great Wizards Qing Shuang and Hellfire, the Fire Lizard Resistance hidden in the Yajilite Mountains launched a desperate battle. In this battle, the former Marshal of Morick Empire, Harash, led the Fire Lizards, killing one thousand five hundred and seventy-two wizards, with all Fire Lizards perishing, none surviving or enslaved. This battle marked the conclusion of the Red Sun World expedition, as the Red Sun World had now been incorporated into the grand domain of the Wizard Civilization. ¡­ On the edge of the Yajilite Mountains, a place connected by the Molten Sea, an underground Molten Lava Lake. Above the Molten Lava Lake, a huge metallic object, like a golden shuttle, floated quietly. Soon, several Fire Lizards dressed like astronauts emerged from the Molten Sea. One of them removed his strange outfit, revealing the uniform of Merrick¡¯s Shield beneath. He quickly walked to a Fire Lizard at the shore and reported in a low voice: ¡°Lord Azuhan, the New World fleet has been fully calibrated.¡± Azuhan nodded slightly, ¡°I know.¡± He looked back in the direction of the desperate battle, his voice barely discernible: ¡°Father, farewell forever.¡± A nearby Fire Lizard, not hearing Azuhan¡¯s words clearly, quickly asked: ¡°My lord, what did you say?¡± Azuhan shook his head: ¡°Nothing, notify the fire seeds to board. We are heading to the New World!¡± Chapter 274: 58: Molten Sea Chapter 274: Chapter 58: Molten Sea Above the Molten Sea, a thin Wizard Apprentice was flying at a leisurely pace not far above the surface. The term ¡°Molten Sea¡± refers to the magma seas outside the Main Continent of the Red Sun World, occupying one-third of the entire area of the Red Sun World. Countless powerful Flame Giant Beasts and elemental creatures that escaped from the Elemental Territory dwell within. Despite its vastness, however, the Molten Sea yields pitifully few resources. Broad as the Magma Sea might be, besides the Flame Giant Beasts and Fire Element Gems, this vast sea area yields practically nothing. The Flame Giant Beasts have limited uses; besides being experimental subjects, their main purpose is to serve as ingredients. But this market is too small; the Flame Giant Beasts near the coast are more than enough. As for the Fire Element Gems, they are abundant in every Fire Element-biased world, including the Red Sun World. If a Great Wizard wished, a single Fire Element Gem from the Red Sun World could collapse the entire Fire Element Gem market of the Wizard World. But aside from bringing trouble to the Great Wizard, there¡¯s no benefit in doing so. Thus, many Fire Element Gem mines on the Main Continent of the Red Sun World have been sealed by the Great Wizard, and only some are being exploited. Moreover, most of the gems produced from these mines are fuel-grade Flame Gems, mainly used as a power source for alchemy machines. The production of Fire Element Gems suitable for use at the tip of staves is strictly limited. A steady trickle is the right path. Therefore, to Wizards, the Molten Sea is like a vast desert, with very few willing to spend time exploring it. Splash! Suddenly, from the calm sea burst a Flame Shark with an open mouth, nearly ten meters in length. The energy fluctuations it emitted had already reached the standards of third-level creatures. Such a creature, if found on the Main Continent of the Red Sun World, would require a White Wizard squad to deploy, led by a Three Rings Wizard, for a swift resolution. And its target as it leapt from the sea was the Wizard flying just above, whose energy fluctuated no more than that of a Second Ring. ¡°Caw, yet another fool who doesn¡¯t see.¡± A black crow flew up from the Wizard¡¯s shoulder, its Crow Claw suddenly enlarging, snatching the leaping Flame Giant Shark. Despite being captured, the Giant Shark thrashed violently, its enormous third-level arsenide body twisting and struggling with prodigious force at every movement. But the crow¡¯s claw seemed forged from bronze and iron, and no matter how the shark struggled, the claw did not budge. The crow¡¯s claw shrank continuously, and the Flame Giant Shark trapped within it shrank along with the claw. The ten-meter-long Flame Giant Shark gradually shrank to five meters, then slowly to one meter. Eventually, it turned into a small fish the size of a palm and was tossed into the crow¡¯s mouth and swallowed whole. ¡°Burp,¡± The crow let out a satisfied belch, exhaling a fierce burst of Elemental Flame. After eating, it looked at the Wizard beside it and asked, ¡°Caw, tell me, Richard, does the thing you¡¯re looking for even exist? I¡¯ve almost grown sick of eating these Flame Giant Beasts.¡± Richard glanced at Ulysses with a somewhat helpless tone, ¡°Ulysses, how come you¡¯ve become so impatient after waking up? I¡¯ve already said there must be islands on the Molten Sea. Those Fire Lizards surely sent someone over.¡± ¡°Caw, but we¡¯ve been searching this sea for three years now.¡± Richard felt helpless, and so did Ulysses. Three years ago, when Ulysses awoke from his slumber, after feasting on Fire Lizard brains, Richard summoned him to act as a protector over the Molten Sea. The task was to search for islands in the Molten Sea. Honestly, if not for the sake of so many Fire Lizard brains, Ulysses would have sworn long ago. The term ¡°Molten Sea¡± doesn¡¯t merely suggest molten; even the word ¡°sea¡± itself is a literal description. Searching aimlessly for islands in a vast sea area is nearly as fruitless as finding a needle in a haystack. Moreover, Ulysses was particularly sensitive to such a Fire Element-imbalanced environment. Because the Molten Sea was everywhere molten, the concentration of Fire Elements was several times higher than that on the continent, making these three years quite unbearable for Ulysses. ¡°The Fire Lizards probably searched the sea for about ten years, with several fleets at that. We¡¯ve only been at it for three years, what¡¯s the rush?¡± Richard maintained a peaceful mindset, the quest for islands in the Molten Sea reminiscent of his experiences roaming the distant seas during his days as a Wizard Apprentice. Back then, he had just qualified as a Wizard, and Jolod advised him to relax a bit. Now, looking back, it had been over three hundred years. ¡°Caw, those Fire Lizards are real jerks. They could just stay on their continent without trouble, but no, they run off to the sea. And now, of all things, you had to discover them.¡± Ulysses¡¯s tone was full of sorrow; days in the Molten Sea were indeed agonizing, even worse than the days spent in the underground Magma Sea. Back then, Richard would often return to the Secret Realm with an unseen creature, claiming to be exploring, when in fact, he probably spent most of the day within the Secret Realm. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Moreover, during explorations of the Molten Sea, he would always have an energy shield activated. But now, Richard was flying over the sea all day, occasionally returning to the Secret Realm for meditation, and Ulysses had no choice but to follow. To collect specimens, Ulysses wasn¡¯t allowed to activate an energy shield, as it would scare away the Flame Giant Beasts of the Molten Sea. Life had become unbearably difficult¡­ Achoo! Seeing that Richard ignored his complaints, Ulysses had no choice but to return to Richard¡¯s shoulder. A glint flashed in his eyes as he swept a gaze over the surrounding sea, hoping to spot traces of islands and put an end to this miserable exploration. Whether it was Ulysses¡¯s luck or the Fire Lizards¡¯ misfortune, his casual glance indeed caught sight of something quite out of place in the Molten Sea. ¡°Caw, Richard, fly that way! I see something strange!¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Richard was startled, ¡°What strange thing?¡± ¡°Gah, hard to describe, it¡¯s pointed at both ends and bulged in the middle, and it seems to be made of metal. But I can assure you, that thing definitely isn¡¯t a part of the Flame Giant Beast.¡± Richard immediately changed direction and flew towards where Ulysses had indicated, midway through his description. The thing Ulysses described was precisely what he and Calion had deduced about the appearance of the long-range ships. After subduing Calion, Richard had found several Fire Lizard Alchemy Masters in succession. Among these masters, some had also participated in the outsourcing project for Merrick¡¯s Shield. Having gathered information from several Fire Lizard Alchemy Masters, Richard concluded that the Fire Lizards must have been exploring the Molten Sea. And they most likely discovered something. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have kept building long-range ships for seven or eight years without stop. Although his process was wrong, his speculative conclusion was accidentally correct. For this reason, once Ulysses had awakened, Richard had immediately begun a search operation. He knew that if the Fire Lizards had fled to the sea, they would certainly bring many talents with them. If he could subdue them, these Fire Lizards would greatly enhance his power. The people viewed as the seed of hope by the Fire Lizard Empire wouldn¡¯t just be a bunch of useless relatives. ¡­ Above the Molten Sea, a giant metal shuttle floated quietly on the surface. Beside it, the Flame Giant Beasts passed by the metal shuttle as if it were a mere stone. Inside the shuttle, the Fire Lizard captain¡¯s brow was furrowed as he quietly listened to the report being delivered. ¡°¡­Hull damage is at eighteen percent, the isolation chamber has been activated. But the ship¡¯s eastern parts are severely damaged. According to the craftsman¡­¡± The reporting Fire Lizard paused, and the captain looked up at him, asking, ¡°What did he say?¡± ¡°¡­He said that the propulsion components might be irreparable, and even if fixed, with the deviation from our course during the Fire Element Storm, the remaining fuel would hardly support our return to the ¡®New World.''¡± The captain looked at the reporting Fire Lizard for a long time without speaking. ¡°¡­I understand. Order the crew to repair the damage as soon as possible and tell the craftsmen to fix the propulsion components as soon as they can. As for the fuel issue¡­ I will deal with it.¡± The captain¡¯s composed demeanor reassured the reporting Fire Lizard, who respectfully saluted the captain before leaving the cabin room to pass along the orders. Bang. The door of the captain¡¯s quarters closed. The captain, somewhat agitated, looked out the observation window at the endless Molten Sea. He couldn¡¯t believe his bad luck to have encountered a Fire Element Storm. Although he had assured his First Mate that he would take care of the fuel, the type of fuel required for the ship was Fire Element Gems, and to obtain these, he would have to dive into the Molten Sea himself. Inside the Molten Sea, countless powerful Flame Giant Beasts roamed. Even as a silver-horned noble, his chances of survival against those monsters would be practically nonexistent. But this was still the highest chance for survival he had. ¡°Ah, shouldn¡¯t have been greedy for that Fire Whale. If we had set sail earlier, even if we encountered the Fire Element Storm, we wouldn¡¯t have ended up in this godforsaken place.¡± The captain sighed, moved to his table, and took out a charcoal pencil to begin writing his last will. But before he could write more than a few words, a rapid knock sounded at the door. Thump, thump, thump! Thump, thump, thump! Bang! Before the captain could answer, the First Mate who had been conveying his orders burst into the room, his face filled with terror. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, to be in such a panic?¡± the captain frowned, his tone commanding. The First Mate looked at the captain, panic-stricken, and gave an answer he¡¯d never considered. ¡°A wizard! Sir, a wizard is coming!¡± ¡­ On the metal shuttle, Richard easily found the entrance and opened it effortlessly with Giant Dragon Alchemy. At the entrance, a Fire Lizard just happened to be passing by. Its expression went from astonishment to fright upon seeing Richard. A wizard! Had they come to the nearby sea? How did they encounter a wizard here? Richard saw the Fire Lizard and couldn¡¯t help but be pleased. ¡°Ulysses, you¡¯ve done a great service this time.¡± ¡°Gah, let¡¯s get moving, I don¡¯t want to stay in this dump for another minute.¡± Entering the ship¡¯s cabin, Richard quickly encountered a group of Fire Lizards carrying weapons, but their expressions were one of sheer fright. Having dealt with wizards for so many years, the Fire Lizards could still discern the strength of a wizard. The energy fluctuations emanating from Richard had reached the realm of a Second Ring Wizard, and in front of him, this group of Fire Lizards amounted to nothing more than a few spells. The might of wizards had long become the nightmare of the Fire Lizards. Unexpectedly to them, this wizard did not attack; instead, he said to them calmly, ¡°Fire Lizards, I have no intention of killing you. Call out your captain, I wish to speak with him.¡± Chapter 275: 59: As the thought of casting spells arises, the world suddenly feels more expansive. Chapter 275: Chapter 59: As the thought of casting spells arises, the world suddenly feels more expansive. ¡°Looking for me?¡± The captain¡¯s face shifted between light and shadow as he listened to the first mate¡¯s message. What did the Wizard want? The captain was not blinded by hatred. In the battle of life and death, all the Fire Lizards who longed for revenge and glory had perished on the battlefield. Those involved in the Ember Plan, each was a person whose rationality outweighed their emotions. They bore the responsibility of inheriting the legacy of the Fire Lizard Clan and could not afford the slightest impulsivity. But after thinking for a long time, the captain still couldn¡¯t fathom what Richard was up to. Wizards seeking slaves would typically beat them half to death and then throw them into a slave sack. If a Wizard wanted information, they would beat a Fire Lizard half to death and then interrogate them with Soul Magic. If the Wizard desired wealth or specimens, it was even simpler; there was no need to control the force and beat them halfway¡ªjust killing them outright would suffice. The captain really couldn¡¯t figure out what Richard would want with him. Thump, thump, thump! Suddenly, the door to the captain¡¯s quarters was knocked upon. ¡°Captain sir, I believe we can have a conversation.¡± The captain¡¯s face stiffened; the Wizard had arrived at his cabin door without a sound, and he hadn¡¯t noticed at all. The captain nodded to the first mate, who, with a tense expression, approached the door to open it, while the captain drew his scimitar, ready to act at any sign of trouble. Creak! Perhaps due to a lack of lubrication, or perhaps because the first mate was a bit too nervous, thus applying too much strength unintentionally. When the door to the captain¡¯s quarters opened, the hinges made a piercing noise. And in the highly tense atmosphere, the captain instinctively struck. His Black Gold Scimitar suddenly erupted in golden flames, with all the energy in the room being drawn into the blade, rushing like rivers into the sea, causing the golden flames to surge like a volcanic eruption. Wind aided the fire¡¯s ferocity! Ting! The scimitar sliced through the air, leaving a clear trail as it struck straight into the metallic wall of the captain¡¯s quarters, sinking in completely. The captain stared blankly at his scimitar. At the blade¡¯s pointed direction, a dark Crow Claw had thwarted its path. ¡°Captain sir, this welcome ceremony is rather impolite, isn¡¯t it?¡± The captain looked towards the door and saw a Wizard in a black Wizard Robe standing quietly, watching him, and on his shoulder, a black crow retracted its claws. A thought suddenly flashed through the captain¡¯s mind. Incontestable. ¡°Wizard, what do you want with me?¡± the captain asked somewhat stiffly. He knew he couldn¡¯t defeat the Wizard, but as a Fire Lizard, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to grovel before the Wizard. At least not now. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about the fate of you and your crew,¡± Richard replied indifferently. ¡°Fate?¡± ¡°Yes, your fate from now on depends entirely on yourselves.¡± Richard took out a Soul Contract from his pocket and handed it to the captain. ¡°Sign this, and you can live; don¡¯t sign, and you all must die.¡± The captain took the contract and glanced at its contents. The text of the contract was written in Fire Lizard script and adorned with the elegance of noble silver horns; it was hard to imagine that these words came from a Wizard¡¯s hand. The contents of the contract were simple; in brief, once they signed the contract, they would be native employees of the Richard Jolod Wizard Commerce. As employees, they would need to abide by the company¡¯s regulations, and if they violated the rules, the Wizard would impose punishment as per the content of the regulations. Most of the contract was about the company¡¯s policies, which, to the captain, seemed remarkably lenient. Any Fire Lizard noble would have rules and punishments for their servants ten times stricter. The contract even stipulated that a Fire Lizard only needed to work eight hours, which was ludicrous; even Fire Lizards would not set such lenient rules for their own kind. If it were so among their own, how could a Wizard set such rules for Fire Lizards? The captain put down the contract, his voice a bit rough: ¡°Wizard, not a bad joke.¡± ¡°Joke?¡± Richard laughed and shook his head, ¡°This is no joke. The contract you have to sign is indeed this one. Let me add, signing this contract is akin to what you call a ¡®Soul Oath,¡¯ quite binding.¡± The captain looked coldly at Richard: ¡°You mean to say you plan to employ us, and then have us work eight hours a day out of twenty-four, even granting a day of rest every six days? During this, you will provide us with food and accommodation, and if we perform well, we may even dine on Flame Giant Beast Meat. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Moreover, if a Fire Lizard works for a certain number of years, you will even grant him freedom¡­¡± The captain recited the contents of the contract point by point. As he spoke, an icy laugh escaped him with each line. Believing that a Wizard would treat Fire Lizards so well was more implausible than believing that the Fire Lizard King would return like lightning tomorrow, sweep through the Wizards, march right into the Wizard¡¯s homeland, and enslave their entire race. At least the latter thought was more exhilarating. ¡°I repeat once again, this contract is real. Indeed, this is what you have to sign,¡± Richard said impatiently. The captain¡¯s attitude did not surprise Richard; in fact, quite a few of the Fire Lizards under him had the same reaction upon seeing the contract. Richard¡¯s terms were too good, they seemed like a joke. Yet some were smart enough to see the hidden traps in the contract. Take the most attractive aspect of freedom, for instance. The freedom promised by Richard would indeed be realized, but by that time, the Fire Lizard would have been squeezed dry of all remaining value by Richard. Fire Lizards of that age were of no use to Richard, and granting them freedom was actually a rather good option. This practice seemed quite unscrupulous to Richard. But when comparing evils, the method of squeezing out the remaining value and then discarding it appeared quite humane next to the wizard¡¯s and even the fire lizard¡¯s standard, after all, it allowed the fire lizard to live until the day it held no value. The captain stared at Richard for a long time, realizing that the wizard before him was not joking. Is this contract for real? The captain brought the contract to his eyes again, painstakingly reading over the fire lizard script one word at a time. He even scrutinized the patterns along the edges of the contract, fearful that Richard had disguised the text as decoration and hidden it within. Coming from Merrick¡¯s Shield, the captain, who often dealt with wizards, was naturally familiar with the Soul Contracts used by wizards to enslave fire lizards and could discern their authenticity. The contract before his eyes was indeed genuine. ¡°Why,¡± the captain put the contract down, ¡°wizard, why would you do this?¡± The captain, with his feudal noble mindset, racked his brains but couldn¡¯t understand why Richard would offer these terms. ¡°Fire lizard, I have already explained enough,¡± Richard replied calmly, ¡°If you keep asking such foolish questions, I¡¯ll feed you to my crow.¡± Upon hearing this, Ulysses looked somewhat eagerly at the captain, his greedy gaze sending shivers down the captain¡¯s spine. This crow had set its sights on him. The captain took in a deep breath, knowing he had to make a choice now. Was he to sign the contract, or become food for that crow? As a fire lizard, he harbored a deep-seated hatred for wizards. Yet, his reason told him that hatred wouldn¡¯t solve anything. The wizard would not die because of his hatred, nor would his crew live on because of it. The Fire Lizard Clan was on the brink of extinction; every free fire lizard was now incredibly precious. They carried the responsibility of passing on the culture of the Fire Lizard Clan! Moreover, the wizard had promised freedom in the contract, and the terms he offered were quite favorable; under this wizard, they might live even better than in the ¡°New World.¡± Once a Soul Contract was signed, it could not be changed; if they signed, the wizard would be bound to fulfill the terms. With these thoughts, the captain steeled his heart and made his decision. ¡°Give me a pen.¡± Richard nodded with a smile, ¡°Yes, you¡¯ve made the correct choice. The legacy of the fire lizard shall continue because of your decision.¡± The captain, gripping the pen, signed his name on the contract with difficulty. He repeatedly told himself that this was for the sake of the fire lizard¡¯s legacy. However, he deliberately overlooked something. His ship wasn¡¯t the last of the fire lizards; their extinction wouldn¡¯t hinder the continuation of the Fire Lizard Clan. The captain didn¡¯t want to admit that he was afraid of dying. But that didn¡¯t stop this from being a correct decision. Because Richard had already discovered their trace, it was only a matter of time before the ¡°New World¡± was found. If the leaders of the New World didn¡¯t make the right decision, extinction awaited them. As his name was completed, the contract burst into flames and vanished into the air. An intangible connection now linked Richard and the captain. Richard¡¯s face beamed with a smile as he pulled out a stack of Soul Contracts from his pocket. ¡°Captain, the rest is up to you now.¡± The captain, taking the contracts, now had no psychological burden, or rather, there was no turning back. ¡°Yes, Lord Richard.¡± ¡­ An hour later, the captain returned to his cabin with several unused contracts. ¡°Lord, there were five fire lizards that refused to sign the contracts; I¡¯ve dealt with them.¡± Richard nodded, putting the spare contracts back into his pocket. ¡°Good, I¡¯ll do some repairs on this ship for you. You ought to have sea charts, right? Prepare to set sail to your headquarters soon.¡± The captain tensed up, asking with a slightly faltering voice, ¡°Lord, I¡¯m a bit confused by your words?¡± ¡°Confused?¡± Richard looked at the captain, his smiling face appearing to the captain like the devil¡¯s sinister grin. ¡°Why do you think I would come to the Deep Sea of the Molten Sea?¡± A chill coursed from the captain¡¯s tail to his crown. Indeed, why would a wizard come here to the depths of the Molten Sea? The captain stiffly looked up at Richard, ¡°Lord, did you come specifically to find us?¡± Richard nodded with a smile, ¡°I have been searching this sea area for you for three years now. If it weren¡¯t for your appearance, I might have had to spend more time. But none of this matters anymore.¡± Yes, none of it mattered. What mattered was that the wizard now knew they had fled to the Deep Sea of the Molten Sea. Richard patted the captain, speaking earnestly, ¡°Captain, you should be thankful that it was I who found you. Had it been other wizards, you wouldn¡¯t have had even the chance to be enslaved.¡± The captain collapsed to the floor, mumbling tremulously, ¡°The flame, it¡¯s extinguished.¡± Chapter 276: 60 Im Just a Native Employee of Richard Jolods Commerce Chapter 276: Chapter 60 I¡¯m Just a Native Employee of Richard Jolod¡¯s Commerce The repair of the ship was not a difficult task for Richard. He didn¡¯t even have to do the work himself; by pulling two Fire Lizard Alchemy Masters from the Secret Realm, the job was done. ¡°My lord, it¡¯s been repaired,¡± Calion and another female Fire Lizard Alchemy Master named Sulina reported to Richard respectfully. Sulina was a Fire Lizard Alchemy Master Richard had taken under his wing in the last twenty years, and she had also been involved in the construction of the ocean-going vessel. ¡°Very well, you¡¯ve both worked hard.¡± Richard nodded, opened the Secret Realm Rift, and let the two return to the Secret Realm. Meanwhile, the ship¡¯s captain and the first mate stared agape at the scene. They were not shocked by the treachery of Calion and Sulina; after all, the captain had done the same himself, so there was no reason other Fire Lizards wouldn¡¯t do the same. ¡°What is this thing? How can it¡­ store living creatures?¡± Richard glanced at him: ¡°This is a Secret Realm Fragment; I mentioned it in the contract. If all goes well, many of you will also enter it.¡± ¡°Secret Realm Fragment?¡± Details from the contract flashed in the captain¡¯s mind¡ªhe indeed remembered mention of this thing, though at the time, he had been attracted to other terms and hadn¡¯t paid much attention to it. ¡°Set sail,¡± Richard commanded. Upon hearing this, the captain nodded slightly and immediately signaled to the crew to start the ship. The power of this ocean-going vessel came from four Alchemy Engines installed at the stern of the hold, which were not purely Fire Lizard creations; their structure incorporated many aspects of the Wizard¡¯s Alchemy Weapons. The ¡°fuel¡± for the Alchemy Engines was Fire Element Gems, a feature that coincided with the power sources of many Alchemy Machines used by Wizards. However, the Fire Lizards¡¯ technology was more primitive, their utilization of Elements was rougher, and their demand for fuel was higher. But any technology starts with the primitive, and based on these prototypes, it wasn¡¯t impossible for the Fire Lizards to develop new branches of Alchemy. Driven by the engines, the shuttle-like ship began sailing across the sea surface. More precisely, it was flying close to the sea surface. Behind the ship, several jets spewed blue flames four or five meters long. With this force, the contact between the ship and the Molten Sea was minimal, and the speed was extremely fast. Richard, looking around the ship, had to admit that the Fire Lizards¡¯ fusion of Wizard Alchemy and Giant Dragon Alchemy was indeed a creative move. And since Wizard Alchemy was derived from Giant Dragon Alchemy, the two shared some cunningly similar techniques in certain areas. This reminded Richard of the bottle of Alchemy ink that Talgar had made. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I think of it before? Wizard Alchemy is developed from Giant Dragon Alchemy, and there must be commonalities between the two in certain areas. That time, Talgar must have used the techniques of Giant Dragon Alchemy to activate the Wizard Alchemy Array, which is probably why the Alchemy ink mutated.¡± Having realized this, Richard took out a metal plate from his pocket, drew an extremely simple Alchemy Array on it, and then tried to activate it using the method of Giant Dragon Alchemy. One second, two seconds¡­ Soon, ten minutes had passed, and the Alchemy Array hadn¡¯t budged. During this time, Richard had tried all the Giant Dragon Alchemy techniques he knew, but the array would not activate. Richard put away the metal plate and pondered for a moment: ¡°Perhaps the issue lies in the Bloodline.¡± The body and the Soul are connected in a way that creates the Rebound Effect. But the function of this connection isn¡¯t limited to that alone. While researching Spiritual Information Compression, Richard learned a lot about soul studies; the connection between soul and body is much closer than imagined, as studied by the Soul School. In joint research with the Shape-shifting School, it showed that the energy environment in most worlds of the Star Realm is fundamentally the same, meaning the Element in most worlds is undifferentiated. Both Wizards and natives are able to use these Energies without any hindrances. However, once living beings absorb these Energies, they transform it into different types, each with distinct properties. The Magic Power of Wizards and the Energy within Fire Lizards are not the same. This research, once concluded, was widely disseminated to dispel the fears of Wizards embarking on expeditions to Otherworlds. After all, the notion that Wizards might be unable to use local energies when they set out to conquer a world is a terrifying prospect. According to this research, the Soul School concluded after studying several native species: The body, or rather the Bloodline, affects the Soul. And the Soul, in turn, further influences the Energy properties within the living organism. This conclusion also explained why many Wizards experienced significant personality changes after integrating the Bloodlines of other creatures. Jotting down this thought, Richard continued to wander around the hold. The collision of different cultures had the potential to spark numerous inspirations for him. ¡­ A month later. At the port of the New World, one by one, the ocean-going ships returned to the New World, all except Oceanic Vessel Number Thirteen. In the port office, Azuhan looked grimly at the captains before him. ¡°You say Oceanic Vessel Thirteen was blown off course by a Fire Element Storm, and it¡¯s unlikely to return.¡± Azuhan¡¯s voice was calm, but each captain could hear the barely contained rage simmering beneath, like a volcano on the verge of eruption. The materials needed for the ocean-going ships were unobtainable at present, and most of the craftsmen who had built them perished in the Old World. Now, every ship destroyed means one less asset¡ªthese vessels are among the most precious treasures of the New World. ¡°My lord, that¡¯s indeed the case. I saw with my own eyes as they steered away from the eye of the Fire Element Storm to avoid it,¡± one captain reported. Azuhan¡¯s gaze swept fiercely over the faces of the captains before finally saying: S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Alright, I understand. You can go back now; don¡¯t forget to maintain the ships.¡± The captains, looking relieved, nodded hastily and scurried out of the office. As they left, Azuhan finally couldn¡¯t hold his composure anymore. He was so angry his neck bulged thicker than his skull. He was never a good-tempered Fire Lizard, but in the past, with Harash watching over him, there was seldom a need for such temper. But now that he had to take on the responsibility of the entire Fire Lizard heritage by himself, the overwhelming pressure was almost suffocating. ¡°He actually destroyed one!¡± Azuhan was so furious he wanted to sweep everything off the table, but halfway through, he stopped himself. Resources in the ¡°New World¡± were extremely scarce, and many things were irreplaceable once destroyed. He looked at the cups and documents on the table, things that in the past would have been considered trivial even if destroyed for fun. But now, he treated these items with utmost caution and care. Azhuan collapsed powerlessly into his chair, as images of Harash, Mai Han, and those Fire Lizards he regarded as elders kept flashing before his eyes. In the past, Merrick¡¯s shield never had to worry about resources, and the allocation of resources to him was even prioritized over the Fire Lizard army. Back then, he had not realized how difficult resource management was. Now, he wondered how his elders had managed to provide him with so many resources, even as the army kept losing ground. ¡°Father, I miss you,¡± Azuhan said faintly, with no strength in his voice. Thump thump thump! Thump thump thump! Urgent knocking sounded at the office door. ¡°Come in.¡± A Fire Lizard rushed in, his face alight with ecstatic joy. ¡°My lord! Number Thirteen has returned!¡± Azhuan was stunned, then overwhelmed with joy. Number Thirteen had actually come back! He rushed out of the office like the wind, immediately arriving at the dockside. On the distant Molten Sea, a long-distance ship was swiftly approaching the dock. ¡°It¡¯s good that it¡¯s back, good that it¡¯s back.¡± Azhuan watched the long-distance ship draw closer to the dock, feeling a pang in his heart and almost shedding tears. There were only a few long-distance ships, and each one was precious to him. Now that Number Thirteen had returned, it was like his lost child had come home. But soon, Azuhan sensed something was amiss. According to several captains¡¯ descriptions, the ship wasn¡¯t supposed to make it back. These captains were veterans who had taken to the seas even during the exploration period and knew their ships intimately. It was unlikely for such a mistake to happen, especially not with several of them at once. Moreover, the long-distance ship in front of him showed no signs of damage. Its structure was intact, and even the outer deck was unblemished. This ship hardly seemed like one that had been through a Fire Element Storm. But Azuhan didn¡¯t think too much of it; after all, it was in the depths of the Molten Sea. What could possibly go wrong? Surely there wasn¡¯t a Flame Giant Beast lurking inside the long-distance ship, preparing to ambush him suddenly. Soon, Number Thirteen docked. After it was securely anchored, the cargo doors were opened. Azhuan smiled as he watched the opening doors, his mind already filled with the forthcoming praise and commendation. In the midst of the terrifying Fire Element Storm, a great captain had fought valiantly to protect the last of the Fire Lizards¡¯ wealth, managing to escape and return the ship unscathed. What a tremendous feat! Had this been in the past, and secrecy was not a concern, this feat would have been rehearsed at the theater that very morning and performed by the evening. The captain would appear as the grand finale at Merrick¡¯s Shield¡¯s commendation ceremony. And then¡­ a cloaked Wizard stepped out. Richard smiled at the island before him, and then at Azuhan on the dock, saying, ¡°So this is your New World; it looks quite nice.¡± ¡­ The Wizard¡¯s appearance set off a bomb among the Fire Lizards on the shore. Warriors drew their scimitars, while the support staff quickly retreated. Only Azuhan stared calmly at Richard. Because at first glance, he realized one thing¡ªthe Fire Lizards were finished. ¡°Everyone, there¡¯s no need to be nervous. I¡¯ve come to discuss a potential collaboration with you all,¡± Watching the Fire Lizards on the dock, Richard stepped off the ship with a smile, the captain and the first mate following closely behind. ¡°A collaboration, a Wizard discussing collaboration with the Fire Lizards?¡± Azuhan stared coldly at the Wizard in front of him as energy began to gather towards his heart. He had no intention of discussing any sort of collaboration; he was merely buying time for his self-destruction. Free men would never be slaves. ¡°Don¡¯t get worked up, take a look at this. Your old subordinates have all signed it; I¡¯ve offered you some pretty good terms.¡± Richard¡¯s tone was light, although his Energy Vision had already told him that the Fire Lizard in front of him intended to self-destruct. He was unafraid, with Ulysses for protection. Richard handed the Soul Contract to the captain behind him, who then passed it on to Azuhan. Azhuan looked coldly at the captain transferring the contract, his voice as cold as Ice, ¡°How does it feel to be a slave? Makar. Is life more important to you than honor and freedom?¡± Makar bowed his head, calmly handing the contract to Azuhan. ¡°Lord Azuhan, I¡¯m not a slave, merely a native employee of Richard Jolod¡¯s Commerce.¡± Chapter 277: 60 Subduing Chapter 277: Chapter 60 Subduing Azuhan¡¯s face showed scorn, ¡°Changing your name means you¡¯re no longer a slave? Then why don¡¯t you change your title to Fire Lizard King? That would sound even more majestic.¡± Makar¡¯s expression remained unchanged. In this half month, he had communicated with the fire lizards of the Secret Realm many times and successfully reconciled with himself. Working for fire lizards was just like working for wizards. Working for someone is working for someone, but at least working for wizards was somewhat safer. Although wizards and fire lizards had deep-seated hatreds, considering the current situation, forgetting these hatreds was the best choice. The continuation of the race was more important than anything else. Wasn¡¯t the essence of the ¡°Fire Seed¡± plan to ensure the survival of the fire lizard race? ¡°Lord Azuhan, perhaps you should look at this contract before making a decision.¡± Makar pushed the contract toward Azuhan, only to see a flash of cold light in Azuhan¡¯s eyes as the Black Gold Scimitar instantly slashed towards Makar¡¯s neck with lightning speed. The speed was so swift that even Richard did not react in time. Clang! Half of the scimitar¡¯s blade, spinning, flew into the sky, met by a Crow Claw that silently stood in its way. Azuhan¡¯s pupils shook violently. This martial skill was Merrick¡¯s Shield, an ultimate killing technique created by synthesizing the skills of over a hundred Martial Skill Masters and integrating the inherited techniques of Imperial Guard Dragon Warriors. And Azuhan himself had also become a third-level creature. Even Three Rings Wizards had been slain by him with this technique. Yet this wizard before him had merely used his magic pet to block that deadly blow. Azuhan felt a tightness in his chest, understanding that a wizard who dared come alone was certainly no weakling. It seemed that Makar had anticipated all this; he calmly repeated, ¡°Lord Azuhan, perhaps you should look at this contract before making a decision.¡± After speaking, he turned and returned to Richard¡¯s side, while that black crow¡­ Azuhan watched the black crow. In the presence of this crow, he felt a pressure greater than facing his own father. This black crow seemed like an emissary of the Death God, with everyone present being mere unharvested Fire Dragon Grass to it. The crow silently flew back to the wizard¡¯s shoulder. Azuhan watched as the wizard smiled at him and mouthed, ¡°Why not take a look, Mr. Azuhan?¡± Why not take a look¡­ Azuhan felt the contract in his hand was searing hot, as if it were a chunk of lava that had not yet cooled, scorching his soul every moment. If he looked down at the contract, his prestige among the many fire lizards on the docks would undoubtedly decrease a notch. The fire lizards and the wizards had such deep hatred, yet you still consider the conditions offered by the wizards. Such faith is far too unsteady. How could someone with unsteady faith lead the fire lizards, or become a leader of the New World? Previously, Azuhan needn¡¯t have pondered this question, for there were others above him, others who would pay for his actions. But now, there was no one above him¡­ Yet if he did not look, the fire lizards might be doomed. If one wizard could find this place, then a second, a third wizard finding this place would not be impossible. The wizard before him was still offering terms; there was no guarantee the next wizard wouldn¡¯t aim to exterminate the entire Fire Lizard Clan. Right now, he was carrying the fate of the fire lizard race¡¯s continuity. Besides, they might not even survive long enough for the next wizard to arrive. Richard did not urge him, clearly understanding that this fire lizard was going through a fierce internal struggle. And the outcome of this struggle would undoubtedly be the signing of the contract. During this period, he had learned of the situation in the New World from Makar, and it could be bluntly said that the environment of the New World was quite dire. On this small island called the New World, there lived about ten thousand fire lizards, with nearly two hundred thousand fire lizard eggs stored. These fire lizards were the seeds of their race, retaining the fire lizard script, history, art, and various skills. The fire lizards put everything that could prove they were an independent race onto ships and brought them all to this New World. But these possessions could not solve the pressing concerns of the fire lizards¡ªfood. On this small island, the dense Fire Element, along with sporadic Burning Winds, demanded that the group of fire lizards be constantly vigilant. This kind of consumption could not be satisfied merely by the cells absorbing energy from the air. They needed food¡ªenough meat. And the surrounding seas of this small island seemed barren of Flame Giant Beasts, possibly due to giant dragons once inhabiting the area. Although they brought a substantial amount of food with them, after three years of consumption, it inevitably fell to critical levels. Therefore, Azuhan ordered the long-distance fleet to set sail and hunt in the distant seas. But Richard knew this was just a temporary fix. The fleet would suffer damage, but their materials were scarce. Once the ships sustained damage, their source of food would plummet. Although they could grow Fire Dragon Grass on the island, the harvest was barely serviceable. While Fire Dragon Grass could sustain so many fire lizards, what if a natural disaster struck? Above the Molten Sea, Burning Winds and Fire Element Storms appeared like summer showers, potentially arising at any moment. The fire lizards could withstand these disasters, but Fire Dragon Grass could not. In fact, a part of Makar¡¯s quick reconciliation with himself came from this scenario. Now that the fire lizards were trapped in a dead end, this wasn¡¯t surrendering; this was a strategic move to save his race! In the end, Azuhan chose to look at the contract, the last words Harash spoke to him echoing continuously in his mind. ¡°No matter what method you use, what means you resort to, even if you turn to the Wizard and become the most shameful traitor! You must ensure the survival of the Fire Lizard Clan!¡± ¡°Even becoming a traitor is worth it to ensure the survival of the Fire Lizards. Father, had you already foreseen this situation?¡± Azuhan¡¯s actions affected the hearts of all the Fire Lizards on the dock, and when he picked up the contract, many Fire Lizards were visibly agitated. But before they could act, a dark shadow knocked them all unconscious. Azhuan looked towards the seemingly unmoved black crow. Others couldn¡¯t see clearly, but he saw everything perfectly clear. It was this black crow that had knocked out the Fire Lizards in an instant. Azhuan said nothing. He bowed his head and read through the entire contract meticulously. The more he read, the more evident the rage on his face became. By the time he finished, his neck was swollen, thicker than his head. ¡°Wizard, this joke isn¡¯t funny!¡± Richard sighed helplessly, feeling like a saint in this world where slavery was rampant, despite being such a black-hearted employer. ¡°Makar, you go explain to him¡­ No, wait, I¡¯ll call out the others too. You all go and explain to him together.¡± With that, Richard opened the Secret Realm Rift and brought out several Fire Lizard Alchemy Masters. Upon seeing these Fire Lizards, Azuhan immediately understood how the Wizard had found them. ¡°Calion! Sulina!¡± Azhuan gritted his teeth as he stared at the two Alchemy Masters who had participated in building the far-voyaging ship, unable to believe that such Alchemy Masters would willingly become slaves to a Wizard. Calion looked somewhat embarrassed; he had always felt guilty towards Azuhan. But the other Alchemy Masters were not so polite. ¡°Azhuan, you needn¡¯t be so dramatic. You abandoned us, are we not allowed to find our own way out?¡± Patelin looked mockingly at Azuhan, still harboring resentment about Merrick¡¯s Shield accepting Calion but not him. Now faced with Azuhan again, he naturally showed no kindness. ¡°When did I ever abandon you?¡± countered Azuhan. ¡°You think we don¡¯t know about you sending someone for Calion?¡± another Fire Lizard Alchemy Master chimed in. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Except for Calion and Sulina, who were picked up by Merrick¡¯s Shield, the rest of the Fire Lizard Alchemy Masters had not received such treatment. They were not on the priority rescue list of Merrick¡¯s Shield. Before Azuhan could argue further, Richard interjected impatiently: ¡°I¡¯m not interested in hearing about your past squabbles. Just tell him now whether the contract is real or not.¡± His shoulder-perched Ulysses also spoke up, ¡°Caw, exactly. Hurry up and tell us, I¡¯m still waiting to eat.¡± Several Fire Lizard Alchemy Masters looked at Ulysses in silence, aware of the black crow¡¯s fondness for eating Fire Lizard brains. ¡°Azhuan,¡± Calion began, ¡°the contract is real. Though we are afraid of death and greedy for life, we wouldn¡¯t just abandon everything to become someone¡¯s slave. Lord Richard has been exceedingly kind to us. If you truly want the Fire Lizards to survive, then sign the contract. If you don¡¯t sign it¡­¡± Sulina continued, ¡°If you don¡¯t sign, then death is your only option. There¡¯s not a single creature on your island that can withstand Lord Ulysses.¡± Calion and Sulina¡¯s words struck Azuhan like a hammer to the heart. If the contract was real, then perhaps signing it was the best choice. Suddenly, the crowd began to murmur as a magnetic Fire Lizard with a massive frame hurriedly made its way to the dock. The moment Ulysses saw this Fire Lizard, his eyes lit up. ¡°Caw, Richard, this Fire Lizard is impressive. There are remnants of rules inside its body; it must be the offspring of some World Master.¡± Richard searched through the intelligence he had and quickly, a name popped into his mind. ¡°The Princess of the Morick Empire, the daughter of the Fire Lizard King Morick, who was brought back from the Netherworld, the Fire Lizard Princess Akala.¡± As soon as Akala arrived at the dock, her gaze was locked on Ulysses. Compared to these ¡°mortals,¡± she could sense the frightful aura of Ulysses far more acutely. She sensed an authority in this black crow similar to that of her father. She approached Azuhan, who had a furrowed brow, and whispered to him: ¡°Why have you come? Hurry back.¡± But Akala shook her head: ¡°Do you think there¡¯s a difference between going back now and staying here?¡± She took the contract from Azuhan¡¯s hands. After reading the contents, she suddenly struck Azuhan on the back of the head, and he blacked out from the tremendous force. As Azuhan lost consciousness, he looked at Akala in utter shock. Akala looked back at her husband and mouthed: ¡°Forgive me, Azuhan, for our children¡¯s sake.¡± Richard watched the scene with interest, curious about what the Fire Lizards were playing at. Akala carefully laid Azuhan on the ground, then turned to kneel on one knee before Richard, or rather Ulysses. ¡°Great being, I agree to this contract. Your kindness to the Fire Lizards shines as brightly as the sun.¡± Richard glanced sidelong at Ulysses: ¡°Did you do this on purpose?¡± Ulysses¡¯s disguise was not even thinly scrutinized by the World Master, so how could this Fire Lizard Princess possibly see that Ulysses was a World Master? Ulysses explained, ¡°Caw, this is faster. I don¡¯t want to stay a minute longer in this dump.¡± Richard walked over to Akala and helped her up from the ground. ¡°Very well, Your Highness. You¡¯ve made the right decision.¡± Chapter 278: 62 Fire Dragon Turtle Egg, Dragon Curse Holy Coffin Chapter 278: Chapter 62 Fire Dragon Turtle Egg, Dragon Curse Holy Coffin Under the leadership of Princess Akara, the island¡¯s fire lizards gradually signed contracts. However, a small number of fire lizards preferred death over signing, and most of these were devoured by Ulysses, while a few became Richard¡¯s specimens. Under Richard¡¯s absolute force, the entire New World quickly became his territory. This island wasn¡¯t small. If the fire lizards hadn¡¯t miscalculated the environment of the Molten Sea, this place could have truly allowed them to flourish. ¡°Princess Akara, you have travelled across the Molten Sea to come here; you must have brought many treasures with you,¡± Richard said. As Richard strolled across the island, Ulysses, perched on his shoulder, was leisurely sucking on a fire lizard¡¯s skull, protected by an energy barrier. Witnessing this scene, Akara, despite her heartache and anger, could only watch silently. She was more aware than the other fire lizards of her father¡¯s tremendous strength. Even if the crow in front of her seemed gravely wounded, it could easily eradicate all the lizards on the island if it wished. ¡°Indeed, we did bring some things,¡± Akara spoke as calmly as possible. ¡°The storeroom is this way, please follow me.¡± Richard smiled slightly at her: ¡°Thank you for the trouble, Your Highness.¡± In the center of the island was a lone peak, not too tall at just a hundred or two hundred meters. Atop the lone peak lay a vast dragon nest, which also contained the skeleton of a giant dragon. This skeleton had been subjected to years of Burning Wind over the Molten Sea and the erosion of the Fire Element Storm. Most of it had undergone elemental crystallization, rendering it valueless even for reviving by an Undead Wizard. Beneath this dragon nest, the fire lizards had carved out a storeroom within the mountain to store precious items brought over from the Main Continent. Akara opened the stone door, leading Richard into the storeroom. Inside the storeroom, instead of the heaps of treasures Richard had imagined, there were piles of stone tablets and artistic pieces like paintings and sculptures. Such items might be considered unparalleled treasures by those wizards studying the cultural history of fire lizards, but to Richard, they were worthless. ¡°Is this all you brought?¡± Richard asked, somewhat incredulously. Akara calmly replied, ¡°Lord Richard, these things may be worthless to you, but to us, they are treasures beyond price. They are our history, our civilization. We fled the continent to come here not to counterattack but to preserve our race and our civilization. Most of the items you¡¯re looking for have been expended on the battlefield.¡± Richard rubbed his forehead. Indeed, it made sense that the fire lizards, facing extinction, would not have saved any treasures without using them. But he noticed Akara used the word ¡°most.¡± ¡°Most, so that means some were brought here.¡± Akara nodded: ¡°Please follow me this way.¡± The mountain¡¯s treasury was not limited to one level. At the end of the storeroom, there was a passage leading downward. After a long walk down the passage, Richard arrived beside a man-made Magma Lake. In the Magma Lake, three giant eggs, each the height of a person, floated on the surface. ¡°Lord, these are Volcano Turtle eggs. They are among the most precious treasures we brought from the Main Continent,¡± Akara introduced. The Volcano Turtles were those Giant War Beasts used by the fire lizards in warfare. Their performance on the battlefield was outstanding, and wizards had always wanted to capture a couple alive for research. Sadly, even until the battle of life and death, the wizards failed to capture a living Volcano Turtle. There were many dead Volcano Turtles, but as giant war beasts, they only held value when alive. Once dead, without the energy cycle, their body structure would collapse instantly, and their internal organs would turn into a mush of flesh under gravity in a very short time. ¡°Not bad, not bad at all.¡± Richard¡¯s eyes shone as he looked at the Volcano Turtle eggs. These were great items. If he could raise them, he could sell them for a fortune. Even without raising them, the eggs alone could fetch a good price. ¡°But why are the eggs in the lava? To maintain their vitality?¡± Akara nodded: ¡°Yes, my lord. The Volcano Turtle eggs need to be immersed in lava to retain their vitality. Once removed from the lava, the eggs will deactivate within three hours.¡± Richard nodded, and then asked: ¡°Is there anything else? I recall your Dragon Curse sorcerers improved the fire lizard warriors using some kind of technology. Did you not bring that over?¡± ¡°The Dragon Curse Holy Coffin is this way, please follow me.¡± Past the Magma Pool, the passage turned, and they entered a brightly lit stone room. Several large luminous gemstones were embedded in the walls of the room. In the center of the stone room, Richard saw a Crystal Coffin resting quietly. From the very first glance, Richard was certain that this was a Pioneer¡¯s creation. But before Richard could rejoice, he noticed many fine cracks on the Crystal Coffin, which upon closer inspection, spread throughout the entire coffin. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this thing? Has it been damaged?¡± Akara explained: ¡°Lord, every time the Holy Coffin is used, it accumulates more cracks. Once it reaches three thousand seven hundred to three thousand nine hundred uses, the Holy Coffin will shatter into Crystal Sand. This one has the fewest uses among the remaining coffins.¡± Richard approached the Crystal Coffin and gently touched it with his hand. [Raw Material: Broken Crystal Coffin] [Extractable Information: Dragon Curse sorcerer transformation technology] [Extraction Cost: 250 spiritual power] Seeing the information provided by Miracle Furnace, Richard let out a sigh of relief. Not bad, the item might be broken, but the technology within was still intact. ¡°I¡¯ll take this coffin,¡± he announced. Akara stood by with her head lowered, her voice calm: ¡°We have chosen to follow you, my lord. Naturally, these things belong to you.¡± Richard stored the Crystal Coffin in his Secret Realm: ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°My lord, the rest are just materials, they are in another warehouse.¡± Hearing they were just materials, Richard instantly lost interest. Red Sun World didn¡¯t have any particularly scarce materials; as long as Lord Richard was willing to spend money, he could obtain whatever materials he wanted. ¡°Then let¡¯s just forget it, let¡¯s go up.¡± Back on the surface, Richard made some arrangements for the entire New World Island. A large part of New World Island was made up of technology personnel, and Richard arranged for all those with Alchemy Technology to be assigned to the Secret Realm¡¯s Fire Lizard Alchemy Workshop. As for the remaining Fire Lizards, those with formidable military prowess, Richard formed a hunting fleet specifically for hunting Flame Giant Beasts. Not only could these Flame Giant Beasts provide extra meals for the Fire Lizards, but they could also be used as experimental materials for Richard. Richard now also had the qualifications to form a unit of Dragon Beast Knights that he had planned. As for the remaining technicians, those who could farm were assigned the position of agricultural technology advisors by Richard; once they returned to the Main Continent, they would be responsible for the miners¡¯ food. However, for those artists, sculptors, teachers, writers, scholars on ancient books, and other ¡®useless¡¯ technical personnel, Richard had not arranged any particular positions for the time being. For now, these people¡¯s duty was to survive. Once the Fire Lizard Eggs hatched, all of them would go and become teachers. In terms of the inheritance of Fire Lizard civilization, these people were still useful. However, the content they would teach would certainly be modified by Richard to some extent. After arranging for everyone, Richard set off to return to the Main Continent. ¡­ Two months later, Richard returned to the Main Continent. The war was now at its tail end, and many Wizards had already left Red Sun World, heading back to Wizard World. However, Richard wasn¡¯t in a rush to return. He came to the Floating City and found an acquaintance¡ªWizard Gano, who had helped him secure the mining rights. ¡°Lord Richard, you¡¯re finally here, we were just waiting for you.¡± In the Floating City, the moment Gano saw Richard, he immediately greeted him warmly. Richard had contributed such an excellent specimen to him, so naturally, Gano was friendly towards Richard. ¡°Sorry, sorry, I¡¯ve been held up by some things recently,¡± Richard said as he shook hands with Gano, his face showing an apologetic look, ¡°I apologize for delaying Master¡¯s return to Wizard World.¡± Saying this, Richard took out a bag of Magic Essence and stuffed it into Gano¡¯s hands. Gano weighed the bag and immediately understood Richard probably needed something from him. He casually pocketed the bag of Magic Essence and then motioned for Richard to take a seat. Once seated, Gano asked with a smile: ¡°Lord Richard, which piece of land have you set your sights on?¡± The permanent land promised to Richard by the headquarters had not yet been delivered, and Gano had stayed behind in Red Sun World for this reason. Richard replied with a smile, ¡°Talking with the Master is always straightforward, but before that, I¡¯d like to consult the Master about something.¡± ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s the matter?¡± Richard took out a map of Red Sun World and placed it in front of Gano. ¡°I would like to ask the Master if I can choose my fiefdom in the sea.¡± Gano was stunned for a moment: ¡°The sea? What do you want with the sea? There¡¯s nothing in the Molten Sea besides Flame Giant Beasts¡­¡± He didn¡¯t finish his sentence before suddenly stopping. Then, with a sharp look in his eyes, he said: ¡°You¡¯ve discovered an island in the sea, haven¡¯t you, Lord Richard?¡± Richard didn¡¯t hide it and simply nodded. ¡°Indeed. What does the Master wish to do?¡± ¡°What to do¡­¡± Gano frowned, looking at the Molten Sea at the edge of the Red Sun World; his mind raced. Finally, he uttered one word: ¡°Not enough.¡± ¡°Not enough?¡± Richard was startled and then understood that Gano meant the money was not enough. The money he offered wasn¡¯t sufficient for this task. ¡°Master, that island has no resources,¡± Richard explained, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, I can take you to see.¡± ¡°No resources?¡± Gano looked at Richard, somewhat astonished, ¡°If there are no resources, why would you want it?¡± Richard explained, ¡°It¡¯s just that the island, standing alone in the sea, is very suitable as a testing ground. Besides, the Flame Giant Beasts in the Molten Sea are of some use to me; one can find richer Flame Giant Beasts overseas.¡± Richard¡¯s explanation was logical, but obviously, Gano couldn¡¯t simply take Richard¡¯s word for it. ¡°I need to go there myself.¡± Richard had no objections and immediately marked the location of New World Island on the map: ¡°It¡¯s here, at Master¡¯s convenience.¡± Seeing the location that Richard marked, Gano was taken aback again. ¡°It¡¯s so far away; how did you find this place?¡± Richard said casually, ¡°Some Fire Lizard Nobles knew about this place. After Minar was sealed, they used this place as a refuge and escaped there. I happened to get some news and found this place.¡± Richard¡¯s explanation was simple, and Gano knew a lot was hidden. But this was a trophy Richard had earned with his own ability, and it wasn¡¯t Gano¡¯s place to dispute it. Gano looked at the location on the map, hesitated for a moment, and then pulled out a Soul Contract. ¡°Little brother Richard, I won¡¯t bother visiting the place, but you have to sign this contract. If the Master later discovers any resources on that island, I¡¯ll have a justification.¡± Richard took the contract with a smile: ¡°Of course, I wouldn¡¯t want to make it difficult for the Master.¡± sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 279: 63 Return Chapter 279: Chapter 63 Return After signing the contract, Gano immediately processed the fiefdom documentation for Richard. Deep in the Molten Sea, a significant area of the sea was delineated as Richard¡¯s fiefdom. The land was so vast that even Richard himself felt a twinge of guilt. ¡°Master, isn¡¯t this too much?¡± Gano, who was busy tracing on a Magic Book, glanced up at Richard, then lowered his head again and continued to write vigorously on the book. ¡°Advisor Richard, you have participated in too few wars and your experience is too limited. Whether it¡¯s for my mentor or for my Elder, the greatest use of these resourceless lands in the Red Sun World is as testing grounds. Plus, they have more than one of these testing grounds. So to them, as long as your fief doesn¡¯t catch their eye, and there are no resources on it, it can be as big as you want. Land is the least valuable thing.¡± Gano¡¯s voice was somewhat somber, but it sounded like thunder in Richard¡¯s ears. Land¡­ worthless? Richard felt an instinctive resistance to this statement but had to admit that it was indeed true. For a Wizard, land is not valuable; what¡¯s valuable is the eligibility to acquire it. No matter how worthless the lands of the Red Sun World are, without battle merits, ordinary Wizards could not obtain them. Soon, Gano finished writing all the documents. Richard took the deed from Gano, signed his own name on it, and then handed it back to Gano. ¡°Very well, Advisor Richard, I¡¯m delighted to be doing business with you.¡± Gano received the deed, his face showing a trace of relief. ¡°Excuse me for having other matters; I won¡¯t invite you for a drink.¡± Richard nodded to show his understanding, and the two parted ways. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In the Floating City, the army caravan¡¯s shop was still open; after all, the Floating City¡¯s shops don¡¯t need to pay rent, and as long as the Floating City is there, these shops can earn for an extra day. In the Nine Star Chamber of Commerce, the mechanical clerk was still greeting customers with a smile on his face. But upon seeing Richard, it immediately notified Bob in the back. Bob soon came from the back room, his complexion very rosy, a clear sign of good fortune. ¡°Brother Richard, it¡¯s been a while. Look at you, glowing with health, you¡¯ve surely made a fortune recently?¡± Richard stepped forward and hugged Bob, replying with a smile: ¡°Bro, it¡¯s you who must have made a fortune, right? I¡¯ve heard that your chamber got hold of a Red Sun Crystal Iron Ore vein, that stuff¡¯s really valuable.¡± ¡°Haha, it¡¯s just a small vein.¡± Upon hearing Richard mention the ore vein, Bob¡¯s face, despite his attempts to suppress it, betrayed an unavoidable pride. No helping it, that Red Sun Crystal Iron Ore was something that the Old Chamber of Commerce would feast on, but due to their internal strife, the small vein ended up benefiting the Nine Star Chamber of Commerce. As a result, Bob¡¯s status within the chamber had substantially risen. Richard had also heard that the lifespan of the caravan¡¯s president wasn¡¯t very long, and a successor might need to be chosen from within the chamber. With Bob¡¯s significant achievement at this time, he was sure to catch the president¡¯s eye. After exchanging pleasantries, Richard started to discuss the real business. ¡°Bob, your chamber should have dealings in Alchemy Machines,¡± Richard said. Bob paused for a moment, then nodded, ¡°Indeed, the Nine Star Chamber of Commerce¡¯s main businesses include Alchemy Machines. Why, are you looking to do business with me, Richard?¡± When it came to serious matters, both dropped the familial informalities. Even true brothers must settle accounts clearly, let alone two individuals representing their respective chambers. ¡°Take a look at these parts.¡± Richard pulled out a handful of alchemy parts from his pocket and handed them to Bob. Bob took them and examined each part carefully in front of his monocle. ¡°This part¡­ it¡¯s not Alchemy, or rather, it¡¯s not Wizard Alchemy,¡± Bob said, putting the part down. ¡°These things are made using that Giant Dragon Alchemy you mentioned before, aren¡¯t they?¡± Richard snapped his fingers, ¡°Exactly, it¡¯s Giant Dragon Alchemy.¡± Bob set the parts aside and shook his head slightly, ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand this stuff; I¡¯ll have to ask a few elders from the chamber to take a look. Do you have more samples? Bring some more.¡± At this, Richard took out a small box from his Magic Pocket. ¡°All the parts in here are commonly used in Alchemy Machines; take them back and play around.¡± Bob took the box, his expression once again relaxed. ¡°Looks like, brother, you¡¯ve got your hands on some good stuff in the Red Sun World. I¡¯ve done some research on Giant Dragon Alchemy, and even among Alchemy Wizards, it¡¯s a niche field. That you can do business with these things is impressive.¡± At Bob¡¯s words, Richard just smiled and did not continue the topic. A money-making scheme couldn¡¯t be shared carelessly. After a few more words with Bob, Richard excused himself and left. Before leaving, Richard also took a few Master-made Fire Lizard Swords from Bob. Wizards had already set their sights on the tombs of the Fire Lizards, and a vast number of their ceremonial swords had been unearthed, many of which were masterpieces. The ones in his hands were just such examples. Material: Fire Lizard Scimitar Skills that can be extracted: Giant Dragon Alchemy (slightly incomplete) Extraction cost: 10 spiritual power Information that can be extracted: Giant Dragon Alchemy Tree Pattern Extraction cost: 5 spiritual power ¡°Slightly incomplete?¡± Richard looked at the unassuming scimitar in his hands, marveling that he could still find such treasures at this time. Slightly incomplete meant that the Fire Lizard craftsman who forged this scimitar had almost imbued it with all the skills he had learned. If extracted, Richard would effectively possess all the skills of this Fire Lizard craftsman. ¡°Extract.¡± The Fire Lizard Scimitar disappeared from Richard¡¯s hand for an instant, reappearing again, with a burst of white light representing the skills leaping continuously on the Miracle Furnace. Richard devoured the white light representing the skills, and his gaze suddenly flickered with countless illusions. For a moment, Richard felt as if he had become a Fire Lizard himself; from a young age, he had been exposed to Alchemy. As he grew, his elders and teachers continuously imparted Alchemy to him, and his Alchemy skills grew rapidly in the process. Soon, there was nothing more for his elders to teach, and he began to explore Alchemy on his own. After who knows how many years, he had transformed from a youth to an old and decrepit being. His pursuit of Giant Dragon Alchemy had reached transcendence. However, an invisible barrier stood before him, and his Alchemy skills could no longer progress. At the end of his life, he forged this scimitar, which condensed his lifetime of skills, and departed with regrets. ¡°Phew, what a marvelous life,¡± Richard commented with a touch of emotion as he emerged from the illusion. To others, the life of this Fire Lizard might seem monotonous, nothing but Alchemy, but to a Wizard, this Fire Lizard was simply a Wizard in the guise of a Fire Lizard skin. His thirst for knowledge in Alchemy perfectly aligned with the pursuit of a Wizard. ¡°It seems that the barriers of Alchemy were not created by Pioneers, or rather, it should be said that it was a skill perhaps created for the Giant Dragons by the Pioneers.¡± Richard was certain that if it were a skill of the Pioneers, this Fire Lizard could not have possibly touched its boundaries in his entire life. Even Wizards not as accomplished as Pioneers couldn¡¯t fathom the vastness of Wizard Alchemy, let alone a Fire Lizard without the status of a World Master. Perhaps this was also a part of the reason why Wizards abandoned Giant Dragon Alchemy in the past. Arriving at the mines, Richard released several agricultural experts from the Secret Realm, assigning them to Heskan. ¡°These are all agricultural experts; the farmlands of the mine should all be handed over to them,¡± Richard said, pointing to a few Fire Lizards beside him. The agricultural experts looked at the familiar Main Continent and couldn¡¯t help burying their heads and weeping bitterly. After hearing the instructions, Heskan repeatedly agreed and immediately wanted to arrange for the agricultural experts to have a look at the farms. Heskan had no sympathy for the weeping agricultural experts; on the contrary, his face was full of mockery. ¡°What¡¯s there to cry about! Cowards too afraid to face death with Marshal Harash. Throwing the rest of us on the Main Continent, and running away overseas yourselves¡ªgutless bastards!¡± Heskan had no affection for these Fire Lizards involved in the preservation of their legacy. His knowledge wasn¡¯t vast, and he couldn¡¯t understand the talk of preserving legacies, but from Richard¡¯s words, he grasped something. These cowards had abandoned them and fled overseas to hide from Wizards. No matter the reason, every Fire Lizard remaining in the Continent was furious. Why should you be the legacy while I am discarded? It wasn¡¯t the lack of numbers that was troubling, but the inequality. Richard paid no mind to Heskan¡¯s attitude, and after reminding him to work diligently, he returned to the Floating City. He was preparing to return to the Wizard World. Now that he had his territory, he could come and go from the Red Sun World freely. But this was only limited to himself. If he wanted to transport goods through the Teleportation Gate, he still needed to pay a portion of the gate tax to the Great Wizard. If he wanted to bring others in, he also needed to pay additional observation and research taxes, and make applications to at least one Academy. After all, the Red Sun World was the private property of the Great Wizard; it wasn¡¯t open for just anyone to enter. Moreover, he was still assembling a long-distance Teleportation Array, for transportation between the mine and the New World. Otherwise, each time Richard went to the New World, he¡¯d have to fly across the vast Molten Sea with Ulysses. Even if Richard didn¡¯t mind the hassle, Ulysses would have objected. In front of the Teleportation Gate, many Wizards were queuing up to leave the Red Sun World. They smiled broadly, their spoils bountiful, but after them, even more Wizards were buried in this Exotic Realm. In this era of exploration, every Wizard was a navigator. Countless Wizards risked their lives to explore new lands in the vast sea of Star Realm, hoping to find ¡°Gold¡± and ¡°Spices¡± in the New Worlds. Numerous Wizards became rich overnight, but tenfold more were left to rest in foreign lands. Suddenly, Richard remembered a saying from his past life. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Soon, it was Richard¡¯s turn in line. As he looked at the massive Teleportation Gate before him, Richard took a step. And then, his figure vanished from the Red Sun World. Chapter 280: 1 Ring 3 Wizard Jolod Chapter 280: Chapter 1 Ring 3 Wizard Jolod The Wizard World remained the same as before, and more than sixty years isn¡¯t considered particularly long for wizards. After returning to the Wizard World, Richard immediately renewed the lease on his Wizard Tower. The Tower of Truth had specific policies for wizards participating in expeditions to other planes. If a wizard had to leave the Tower of Truth for an extended period due to such expeditions, they could choose to have their lease on the residential floors refunded and the Wizard Tower mothballed. If a wizard died in battle, the Wizard Tower would be reclaimed by the Tower of Truth, and the items within would be distributed according to the wizard¡¯s will. If they did not die, the wizard only needed to renew the lease to continue using the Wizard Tower. After renewing the lease, Richard returned to his Wizard Tower. Looking at the two new graves in the backyard of the Wizard Tower, Richard sighed. ¡°Ah, non-human servants are great, it¡¯s just that their lifespans are too short.¡± Richard also experienced the helplessness of the longevity species. The war in the Red Sun World felt to him like it had only been a few years, but for short-lived species, it was a major part of their lives. ¡°I need to change servants in the future. Even without naming them, just looking at these graves feels quite saddening.¡± Due to the death of the non-human servants, Richard¡¯s Wizard Tower had been unattended for decades; weeds overran the front and back yards, and dust covered the rooms. Richard had no choice but to clean up himself. Just as he was clearing the weeds in the front yard, a surprised voice suddenly came from behind him. ¡°Richard, you¡¯re back!¡± Turning around, Richard saw Ali, clad in flames, looking at him excitedly. She clearly knew about his role as a technical advisor in the Plane War, and before he had left, they had been intimately together for a long time. Ali was even scared that Richard might not return and wanted to have a child, but Richard had firmly refused. He was still young, only a little over three hundred years old; taking on such ties would just be asking for trouble. ¡°Yes, just got back,¡± Richard pointed to the cut grass on the ground, ¡°I¡¯m tidying up the house.¡± ¡°Why are you cleaning up by yourself¡­ Oh right, your two little ones died. Stop for a moment, I¡¯ll call mine over to clean up.¡± Richard waved his hand, ¡°It¡¯s fine, I haven¡¯t cleaned by myself since I became a wizard, doing it occasionally is quite novel.¡± ¡°Stop it,¡± Ali walked up to Richard. With a casual wave, she turned the grass on the ground to ashes, ¡°You just got back, you probably don¡¯t know. Master Jolod has successfully advanced to the Three Rings, and the Academy is currently organizing a banquet for him.¡± Richard was delighted upon hearing this, ¡°The instructor advanced to the Three Rings? That¡¯s fortuitous!¡± It had been over a hundred years since Jolod¡¯s advancement to the Three Rings, and by now, it was indeed time for him to emerge. Richard set aside his work, ¡°At the academy, right? I¡¯m heading back now.¡± With that, Richard transformed into a streak of light and soared into the sky, but he soon returned. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going back, Ali?¡± Richard asked, puzzled. Ali rolled her eyes at him, teasing, ¡°Idiot, I¡¯m not not going back, I¡¯ve already come back. These kinds of banquets can go on for months.¡± Richard was slightly stunned, then quickly understood. The Wizard World was vast, and wizards often immersed themselves in research without concerning themselves with worldly affairs. If the banquet were set for just one day, many wizards might not be able to attend. ¡°Let¡¯s go back since I¡¯m here. It¡¯s been so long, I¡¯m not even familiar with the way back.¡± Saying this, Richard grasped Ali¡¯s slender waist and once again transformed into a streak of light, flying off. ¡­ Today, the Black Tower Wizard Academy was as calm as ever. However, in the past two months, the Academy had suddenly issued a decree to all apprentices, prohibiting any student from flying higher than three meters using their Flying Technique. At first, the apprentices didn¡¯t understand, but as they watched streaks of light cutting across the sky both day and night, they naturally realized the reason for this decree. Flying too high could lead to trouble if they encountered a wizard. Concerning the wizards coming to the Academy, the apprentices had various opinions, but soon, an official apprentice shared the truth with them. The Black Tower Wizard Academy was about to gain another Deputy Dean. Inside the Central Black Tower on the two hundred and seventy-second floor, Jolod was moving among the guests with a smile on his face. He didn¡¯t recognize many of these guests, but mingling was necessary. Many guests were former students of the academy who had left for various reasons. However, as long as they had not joined another academy, the Academy always welcomed them back. Apart from former students, a significant portion of the guests were members of wizard families. These families had collaborations with the Academy, and family members also held teaching positions there. Now that the Academy was about to have another Deputy Dean, they naturally had to show their support. Moreover, Jolod was an Alchemy Master, and getting acquainted now might make it easier to ask for favors later. After greeting the guests, Jolod, feeling somewhat exhausted, made his way to the balcony. Before long, his old friend, Alex, came to the balcony with a drink in hand. ¡°So tired already? My banquet went on for a full three months back in the day.¡± Jolod looked at his old friend with a wry tone, ¡°Yes, our Deputy Dean Alex was so impressive, able to enjoy a three-month-long banquet.¡± Alex retorted with a laugh, ¡°Go away, I wanted to die of boredom back then. I hated banquets the most. It¡¯s the last day, hang in there!¡± Jolod remembered those days and couldn¡¯t help but smile slightly. ¡°Old friend, we¡¯ve both changed, haven¡¯t we?¡± A trace of melancholy flashed across Alex¡¯s eyes before he swiftly changed the subject. ¡°My friend has returned from the Plane Battlefield,¡± Ali said. ¡°The Great Wizard Qing Shuang¡¯s expedition to the planes is almost over.¡± Jolod was taken aback, ¡°The war is about to end? The timing is quite good.¡± Seeing that Jolod had no reaction, Alex reminded him: ¡°Have you forgotten? Your apprentice went on that expedition with Great Wizard Qing Shuang.¡± With Alex¡¯s reminder, Jolod suddenly realized, ¡°Right, right, right, Richard was involved in that war. That means Richard will be returning soon.¡± Alex sighed, ¡°That would be the best outcome. But from what I heard, the war was quite devastating. Although they made a fortune, more than half of the wizards who went there died. I knew an old guy who died there.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Jolod asked curiously. ¡°Theodore, an old guy who was about to die of old age.¡± Hearing this, Jolod¡¯s expression changed slightly. He had heard of Theodore; the circle of Three Rings Wizards isn¡¯t very large, and those who lived to be that old were even fewer. An old wizard of such caliber dying on the battlefield¡­ what about his student¡­ Suddenly, a commotion broke out in the hall. Jolod and Alex exchanged glances and immediately left the terrace. Logically, no one should be causing trouble at this kind of event, but just in case they encountered a few hotheads, it would be easier to handle if they were present. The combat power of a Three Rings Wizard, in a world where the Great Wizards weren¡¯t allowed to intervene, was top-notch. At the banquet, a black-robed wizard was being surrounded by several white-robed wizards. Jolod did not see the face of the black-robed wizard, but he recognized the wizards surrounding him. These were all high-ranking members of the White Wizard Army, by rank, they were counterparts of Alex. By strength, they were also Three Rings Wizards. If these individuals were in conflict, it really wouldn¡¯t be easy to handle. Jolod¡¯s heart tightened, not expecting such a scene as the banquet was coming to an end. He exchanged glances with Alex and quickly walked up to the group of wizards, ready to make use of his authority. But as soon as he saw the face of the black-robed wizard being surrounded, he froze in place. The black-robed wizard, seeing Jolod, immediately squeezed out from the group of Three Rings Wizards and loudly said: ¡°Teacher, I¡¯m back!¡± Jolod smiled and patted the black-robed wizard on the shoulder: ¡°It¡¯s good to have you back, good to have you back.¡± The black-robed wizard was none other than Richard, who had hurried back from the Tower of Truth. Following Richard, a few high-ranking officials of the White Wizard Army exchanged glances, and one of them congratulated Jolod: ¡°It seems the Master is about to receive double happiness.¡± Jolod was surprised. The speaking Three Rings Wizard was the Legion Commander of the Sun Legion. But he did not remember having any interactions with this commander. Could it be Richard? Jolod turned his puzzled gaze to Richard, only to see Richard smiling slightly and saying: ¡°Mr. Chairman, Commander Bafford is planning to order a batch of Magic Support Vehicles from us, not less than a thousand.¡± Ordering Magic Support Vehicles? Jolod lowered his head, tapping his fingers against his forehead. Soul Darkness had a great impact on a wizard¡¯s psyche, and Jolod¡¯s memories were a bit blurry since his recent advancement. After a moment, Jolod suddenly lifted his head, shocked. ¡°A thousand Magic Support Vehicles!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just a thousand,¡± someone interjected. Jolod turned toward the speaker, another high-ranking official of the White Wizard Army. ¡°If your association¡¯s production capacity is sufficient, our Ice Wind Army would also like to order a thousand units.¡± Another thousand units. Jolod¡¯s head started to spin; if his memory served correctly, the external selling price of a Magic Support Vehicle was around eight hundred fifty Magic Essence. The gross profit of the product was about four hundred Magic Essence. For a thousand units, that meant a gross profit of four hundred thousand Magic Essence. And judging by the posture of these legion high-levels, it seemed they all intended to place substantial orders. Jolod felt as if his brain was boiling. What was happening to this world? He had merely advanced to a Three Rings Wizard, but it felt as if the whole world had changed. Had Magic Essence devalued? Alex, standing beside Jolod, noticed his old friend¡¯s brain crash and quickly signaled Richard with his eyes. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing Alex¡¯s look, although somewhat puzzled, Richard still led the legion officers elsewhere to discuss the details of the orders. Alex led Jolod to the terrace, and it was a while before Jolod finally recovered. He blurted out to Alex, ¡°Has Magic Essence devalued?¡± Hearing this, Alex couldn¡¯t help but punch him. ¡°Devalued my ass, you old fellow, you¡¯ve struck it rich! Do you realize it? Looking at the situation, your student¡¯s creations must have shone brilliantly on the battlefield!¡± Chapter 281: 2 Space Beacon Chapter 281: Chapter 2 Space Beacon When Jolod returned to the lobby, Richard was still discussing orders with a few of the White Wizard Army¡¯s top brass. Facing several high-ranking members of the White Wizard Army, Richard spoke calmly, ¡°If the master isn¡¯t in a hurry, we could wait a few more years. I am about to upgrade the structure of the Magic Support Vehicle. After the upgrade, the performance of the Magic Support Vehicle will be much better.¡± ¡°Oh? It seems the master has reaped considerable benefits from this war,¡± laughed the Legion Commander of the Red Sun Army. The power of the Magic Support Vehicle had become known amongst the White Wizard Army by the end of the wars in the Red Sun World. This device, operable with just a few hundred Magic Essences, could perform Magic Concentrated Fire while being movable ¨C all army members recognized its value. Especially since this weapon had been tested on the battlefield, its performance reliability had been witnessed by many wizards. Richard modestly said, ¡°The gains were decent, but it¡¯s nowhere close to those actually fighting on the battleground.¡± ¡°Then we shall eagerly await good news from the master.¡± The group of high-ranking officers dispersed, and Jolod seized the opportunity to approach Richard. ¡°Master Richard, you¡¯ve become a big shot now,¡± Jolod teased. Richard shook his head at this, ¡°Teacher, please don¡¯t mock me. What kind of master am I? I¡¯m just a little wizard over three hundred years old who happens to be good at schmoozing the big shots. In terms of knowledge, I¡¯m just a grown-up apprentice.¡± Hearing his student¡¯s excessive modesty, Jolod gestured dismissively, ¡°Too much modesty is pride. Your creations are popular; that is a representation of your capabilities. Besides¡­¡± Richard scanned his teacher intently, squinting as he said, ¡°I wondered why I couldn¡¯t see through you before. When did you secretly advance to the Second Ring without making any noise? I don¡¯t remember giving you the ceremony for advancing to the Second Ring.¡± ¡°Is that so? You must¡¯ve remembered wrongly,¡± Richard feigned ignorance, ¡°It¡¯s very normal to forget some things right after your own promotion.¡± Jolod glared at him, ¡°Yes, I have become forgetful indeed, not even knowing about my own student¡¯s advancement.¡± ¡°Not at all, coming out of the ¡®Soul Darkness¡¯ and losing memories is a normal phenomenon,¡± Richard hastily agreed, laughing, ¡°You were promoted to the Three Rings, and this is your prime.¡± Jolod¡¯s irritation faded with those words, and he did not press the issue further. How Richard advanced to the Second Ring was his own matter; prying too much as a teacher was a bit overstepping. The two moved to the terrace. ¡°Did that old man, Vladimir, tell you about the resource development when you were there?¡± Jolod asked seriously on the terrace. Richard nodded and took out a contract from his Magic Pocket to hand it to Jolod. ¡°Master Vladimir really went out of his way this time. Without his connections, that vein of Red Sun Gold Pattern Stone would have never come into my hands.¡± Jolod glanced at the contract and looked up, Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Fifty thousand tons? The reserves seem a bit low. From what you¡¯re implying, this material is in good demand?¡± Richard didn¡¯t speak but instead took out a bottle of ink that Talgar had given him. ¡°Teacher, take a look at this. I made it unintentionally.¡± Jolod took the ink and used his magic to pull up a drop. ¡°Hmm, the quality is good, high-grade Alchemy ink. Indeed, this thing wouldn¡¯t be hard to sell.¡± Hearing Jolod¡¯s comment, Richard smiled slightly, and mysteriously instructed, ¡°Take a closer look, teacher. Try writing a Rune with it.¡± ¡°Hmm? Is there something special about this?¡± Jolod took a quill, dabbed it in the ink, and was about to write. However, as he infused magic into the quill, flames burst out impressively from the tip. ¡°Hmm? Interesting.¡± Jolod looked mildly surprised, then drew a Rune on the railing of the terrace. Seeing the flames intensify with his magic input, Jolod instantly recognized the additional use for this ink. ¡°Very good!¡± Jolod looked at the flaming Rune, repeatedly uttering praise. As an Alchemy Wizard, he knew all too well the benefits of having ink that could show the wear on a Rune. Jolod laughed and told Richard, ¡°And you say you¡¯re not a master. Your single creation could support our entire trading house.¡± Richard scratched his head, ¡°But I haven¡¯t completely figured out the formula for making this thing yet, so it can¡¯t be sold for the time being.¡± Jolod was nonchalant, ¡°Then explore the formula. There are just the two of us in the trading house currently, and we don¡¯t need to pay salaries. Plus, I have my own Alchemy Workshop and am not short on Magic Essence. One Magic Support Vehicle is enough for us to make a fortune.¡± Richard nodded and then initiated a new topic. ¡°Teacher, how much do you know about Magic Arrays? I¡¯m planning to customize a long-distance Transmission Array to place in the Red Sun World.¡± ¡°Transmission Array? Let me think.¡± Jolod knocked on his skull, searching through his sea of memories for information about Transmission Arrays. ¡°Oh, I remember now. I have a friend in the association who¡¯s quite good at this. I¡¯ll go look for him in a couple of days, see if he¡¯s still alive.¡± ¡°Still alive?¡± Richard exclaimed. Jolod stroked his beard, a trace of reminiscence in his eyes. ¡°I haven¡¯t been in touch with that old fellow for a while. He¡¯s a few hundred years older than me and hasn¡¯t had the materials for the Three Ring ceremony. Counting the days, his time might not be much longer.¡± Richard was silent for a moment before suddenly saying, ¡°It seems Master Vladimir is nearing his end, too.¡± ¡°Yes, indeed, old man Vladimir is also about to die.¡± A trace of melancholy suddenly appeared on Jolod¡¯s face. All these old friends of his were about to die. For the longevity species, the death of a friend left a deeply etched memory. Wizards often spent a great deal of time wandering among their friends¡¯ graves, walking from one grave to the next, continually reminiscing about the past, and ultimately dying on the way to the next grave. Such somewhat mad wizards were called wanderers by the Wizards, also known as the living undead. The people who knew their past were all dead; they had become lone shadows in this world. However, Jolod was clearly not such a wizard; he had once discussed these wizards with Richard, referring to them as people with unsteady beliefs. Wizards should spend their lives in pursuit of truth, with friends merely as fellow travelers. They should not stop moving forward just because a fellow traveler died. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll leave it up to you then, teacher.¡± Soon, the banquet came to an end. At the end of the banquet, the wizards who had arrived over the days gathered in the hall, where the Black Tower Great Wizard personally announced that Jolod would become the deputy dean of the Black Tower Wizard Academy. Jolod, standing beside the Black Tower Great Wizard, was full of smiles, and Richard took the opportunity to capture the moment with the Image Capturing Crystal Ball. ¡­ Three days after the banquet ended, on the fifty-sixth floor of the Central Black Tower. Knock knock knock! A knocking sound woke Richard from his sleep. ¡°Who is it?¡± A lazy female voice came from Richard¡¯s embrace. ¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡¯ll go check.¡± Richard moved Ali aside and casually put on a Wizard Robe before heading to the door. Upon opening the door, Richard immediately perked up. Outside, Jolod was stroking his beard, smiling at him. ¡°Teacher, what brings you here?¡± Jolod, with the air of someone experienced, said with a smile, ¡°It seems I¡¯ve come at an inopportune time, but then again, you¡¯ve just returned from the battlefield.¡± Richard gave an awkward smile, ¡°You were saying?¡± Jolod waved his hand dismissively, ¡°About that Transmission Array you mentioned earlier, my old friend is still alive. If you have time in the next few days, we should go see him.¡± Richard immediately returned to his room and changed into his full set of clothes. ¡°Does Master Jolod want something from you?¡± Ali yawned, and sunlight streaming through the windows bathed the bed, her naked graceful form even more enticing in the sunlight. ¡°Yes, I need to handle some business with a master who¡¯s almost at death¡¯s door; if we¡¯re too late, the person might already be gone.¡± Richard showed no reaction to the scene, quickly changed his clothes, and walked over to Ali for a soft kiss. ¡°You head back first. You haven¡¯t lost the key to my Wizard Tower, have you? Tidy up a room; I¡¯ve been having some ¡®ideas¡¯ lately, and I¡¯ll need your assistance.¡± Richard emphasized the word ¡®ideas¡¯, evoking a blush on Ali¡¯s charming face. She whispered softly with a coquettish tone, ¡°You primitive man driven by Physique Evolution, what ¡®ideas¡¯ do you have now?¡± Richard smiled mysteriously, ¡°You¡¯ll find out later.¡± ¡­ Jolod¡¯s old friend did not reside in the Tower of Truth; in fact, a considerable number of wizards in the Wizard World did not live in the Tower of Truth. After all, the annual rent of ten Magic Essences, although not expensive, was not cheap either. After flying over the wilderness for nearly a month and altering their course several times, Jolod finally located his old friend¡¯s residence. It was a black Wizard Tower standing in the wilderness. Around the Wizard Tower, there was a small city with a substantial population. This Wizard Tower was not within any Wizard Academy¡¯s sphere of influence, standing independently outside a human settlement, a sight Richard was seeing for the first time. ¡°It¡¯s nothing special; wizards also need assistants,¡± Jolod said indifferently, ¡°These wizards who settle in the Wizard Continent generally establish a small city around the Wizard Tower to select Wizard Apprentices. However, these apprentices are not as fortunate as you, as they hardly have any chance of becoming wizards.¡± The two landed in front of the Wizard Tower, and Jolod knocked on the door. Soon, a middle-aged Apprentice opened the door. Upon seeing Jolod, the middle-aged Apprentice immediately greeted respectfully, ¡°You must be Master Jolod, the teacher has been waiting for you for a long time.¡± The two entered the Wizard Tower, and on the first floor, an old wizard with gray hair and gold-rimmed glasses was flipping through a thick Magic Book. ¡°Leo, long time no see.¡± Jolod greeted him, and the old wizard reading the book set it aside, his voice carrying a tone of resignation: ¡°Jolod, you¡¯re still the same. Can¡¯t you wait a bit while I¡¯m reading?¡± Leo stood up and hugged Jolod, then shifted his gaze to Richard standing behind Jolod. ¡°Is this your student? You old rascal, how come you always have such good luck with students?¡± Leo punched Jolod lightly, then sat back down in his chair. Only then did Richard see that the chair Leo was sitting in was actually a wheelchair. Behind the wheelchair, Alchemy Machines continuously operated, supplying Magic Potions through tubes and needles directly into Leo¡¯s body. It seemed to be a life-support device. The life energy of Wizard Leo had decayed to the point of nearly withering away. Leo took out two human-head-sized transparent crystals from his Magic Pocket, within which countless Runes seemed to be continuously flowing. ¡°These two are Space Beacons. With the Space Beacons, any wizard knowledgeable about Transmission Arrays can construct one. As for me¡­¡± Leo patted the wheelchair beneath him. ¡°My old bones can¡¯t handle the ordeal of visiting another world anymore.¡± Chapter 282: 3 Transmission Array Chapter 282: Chapter 3 Transmission Array Seeing his old friend in the wheelchair, Jolod fell silent for a moment and sighed. Leo¡¯s condition was like an oil-lamp sputtering out, his soul structure had undergone irreversible collapse. Moreover, this collapse, through its connection with the body, had already reflected on his physical form. Those alchemy machines weren¡¯t even treating Leo; their purpose was to numb his senses, to spare him the pain of his body¡¯s collapse. Jolod took the Space Beacon and passed over a bag of Magic Essence, then slowly spoke. ¡°Old friend, do you need my help with anything?¡± Leo pondered for a moment and calmly replied, ¡°I don¡¯t need your help with anything. I still have a student who hasn¡¯t died. If I pass away, he will come to collect my body and, by the way, inherit this Wizard Tower.¡± Jolod nodded, ¡°It¡¯s good to have someone collect your body, remember to give your student the address of your grave.¡± Leo picked up the Magic Book again and turned the pages back to where he had been reading. ¡°I will. But don¡¯t pour alcohol on my tombstone, I hate alcohol.¡± Jolod turned and left. ¡°I¡¯ll remember that.¡± Leaving the Wizard Tower, Jolod¡¯s mood had noticeably darkened. He handed the Space Beacons to Richard with a somewhat low voice, ¡°The Space Beacon is crucial for the Transmission Array. With the beacon, setting up the Transmission Array isn¡¯t a difficult task¡­ Are you listening to what I¡¯m saying?¡± The distracted Richard suddenly came back to reality, ¡°Oh, I know; I¡¯ve studied the structure of Transmission Arrays.¡± Richard looked at the Space Beacon in his hand. At that moment, an information floated before Richard¡¯s eyes. [Material: High-quality Super Long Transmission Array Space Beacon] [Extractable Information: Super Long Transmission Array Space Beacon Diagram] [Extraction Cost: 50 spiritual power] [Extractable Skill: Space Beacon Crafting] [Extraction Cost: 20 spiritual power] ¡°Is it really a high-quality product?¡± Richard glanced at the Wizard Tower not far away, surprised that Master Leo, who was close to death, still had such exquisite alchemy skills. ¡°This money is well spent.¡± Richard stuffed the beacon into his pocket. During the process, he used the Wizard Robe to block Jolod¡¯s line of sight and extracted the information and skill. After extracting, Richard couldn¡¯t help but let a slight smile curl at the corner of his mouth. ¡°With this, I won¡¯t have to depend on others for Transmission Arrays in the future.¡± Seeing Richard suddenly smile, Jolod couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What are you smiling about?¡± ¡°Nothing, just thinking about some happy things.¡± ¡­ After spending a good half-month, the two returned to the Tower of Truth. On the living floor, the two departed; Richard went to the Wizard Commerce to purchase a Teleportation Array installation service, while Jolod went to handle the procedures for entering the Red Sun World. Finding a Teleportation Array installation service was not difficult; Richard quickly found a commerce that could set up a Super Long Distance Transmission Array. In the store, a mechanical clerk placed a Crystal Ball in front of Richard and respectfully asked, ¡°Master, which installation service would you like?¡± Inside the Crystal Ball, there were three schemes from the Commerce. The first scheme required the customer to do nothing but provide the address and Magic Essence to the Commerce, who would then construct the Transmission Array according to the customer¡¯s specifications. This scheme was very convenient. The only flaw was that it was expensive. The Space Beacon for a Transmission Array was quite valuable. Jolod managed to buy a set of the beacons at cost due to his connections, and it still cost him two thousand Magic Essence. But at the Wizard Commerce, the Space Beacon necessary for a super long-range Transmission Array cost five thousand Magic Essence per set. Looking at the plans offered by the Wizard Commerce, Richard felt fortunate that he had been lucky enough to buy two at cost price. The second scheme, provided by the Commerce, was the Space Beacon, but the wizard had to set up the Transmission Array. This scheme was slightly cheaper than the first, but the major expense, buying a Space Beacon, remained. Richard shifted his gaze to the third option, which was the least expensive, costing only five hundred Magic Essence. It required the customer to provide the Space Beacon, after which personnel from the Wizard Commerce would go and set up the Transmission Array. Below this option, the Wizard Commerce included a disclaimer¡ªsince the Space Beacon was provided by the customer, any accidents caused by the Space Beacon during transmission were not the responsibility of Wizard Commerce. The core component of the Transmission Array was the Space Beacon, so the disclaimer from the Wizard Commerce was only natural. ¡°I¡¯ll choose the third option.¡± The mechanical clerk took back the Crystal Ball and bowed to Richard, ¡°Alright, please wait a moment.¡± Soon, a One Ring Wizard came before Richard. ¡°You are the master who purchased the third Transmission Array installation service, right? I¡¯m Gao Wen, pleased to be at your service.¡± Gao Wen still appeared human, but behind him, four mechanical tentacles were continuously wriggling. ¡°Yes, any problems with choosing the third option?¡± Richard questioned. Gao Wen shook his head, ¡°Certainly not, but I must remind you, the Space Beacon for the third service is not provided by our Commerce, if there are any issues with the Space Beacon, we are not responsible.¡± S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Richard nodded and pulled out two Space Beacons from his pocket. Seeing the beacons, Gao Wen¡¯s mechanical tentacles suddenly stiffened. ¡°How are these two beacons?¡± Gao Wen took the beacons, fiddled with them for a while, and then respectfully said: ¡°Master¡¯s technique is truly remarkable; these two beacons are definitely top quality. I¡¯ll draft the contract for you right away.¡± Soon, the contract was signed. Richard paid the Wizard Commerce five hundred Magic Essence and then, accompanied by Gao Wen, arrived at the Clear Frost Wizard Academy¡¯s station. There was a Teleportation Gate leading to the Red Sun World here. The Red Sun World was still calm despite the imminent breaking of the Fire Lizard King Minar¡¯s seal because the Great Wizard Qing Shuang had already set up numerous Magic Arrays around him. Even if he broke free now, he wouldn¡¯t be able to cause much chaos. Thanks to Richard arranging for agricultural experts, several farms had sprung up around the mines to cultivate various fruits and vegetables for the Fire Lizards¡¯ daily consumption. The agricultural experts, resigned to their fate upon returning to the continent, managed the farms in such a promising way that the morale among the mines¡¯ workers softened toward them. People always respect the capable. Looking at the landscape of the Red Sun World, Jolod pinched his nose. ¡°A world unbalanced by the Fire Element always looks like this.¡± Richard chuckled, having heard this complaint before. Richard, along with Jolod and Gao Wen, went to the mines where Gao Wen, with his instruments, began to carefully survey the area. The location for setting up a Teleportation Array was crucial. After surveying for several days, Gao Wen chose a spot. According to him, there was a small Earth Vein node beneath this spot, which would allow the free use of the Teleportation Array. However, this place was a bit far from the mines¡ªabout several kilometers. Jolod, looking at the selected site, frowned. ¡°Richard, did you secure another vein?¡± ¡°Not exactly. But I did acquire a fiefdom in the Red Sun World.¡± ¡°A fiefdom!¡± Both Jolod and Gao Wen looked at Richard in surprise, as a fiefdom was not something a Great Wizard would grant lightly. Wizards had to make significant wartime contributions to be awarded a fiefdom by the Great Wizard. Richard casually remarked, ¡°Just got lucky, let¡¯s set it up here.¡± Despite his words, neither Jolod nor Gao Wen believed him. Luck is a strong person¡¯s modesty. Seeing Richard make a decision, Jolod did not argue. Without hesitation, Gao Wen pulled various materials from his Magic Pocket and began to set up the Teleportation Array. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t allow others to watch this process. Richard and Jolod had to avoid the area temporarily. The duo went to the mine, and the mine supervisor, Heskan, came forward to greet them. ¡°Lord Richard.¡± Richard introduced Jolod, ¡°This is Heskan, the supervisor of the mine. He manages it quite well.¡± Jolod nodded; using natives to manage natives was a common strategy among wizards. Then, Richard explained the rules he had set for the mine to Jolod, but the more Jolod heard, the deeper his frown became. Once Richard finished speaking, Jolod paused for a moment before saying, ¡°Your management method¡­is quite innovative. Is there any study behind it?¡± An eight-hour workday, team competition, additional rewards for increased production¡ªeven freedom! The rules Richard had set seemed too lenient to be called mere kindness by Jolod¡¯s standards; even a wizard¡¯s alchemy factory wouldn¡¯t have such relaxed work policies. Yet these rules were well thought out, not seeming like they were made up on the spot. So, Jolod did not question them immediately. After all, his student¡¯s ideas were always different from those of ordinary wizards, and some of his experiences might be wrong in Richard¡¯s case. ¡°These rules are designed to stimulate their productivity,¡± Richard explained. ¡°I¡¯ve observed that a pure slave Fire Lizard must be constantly supervised to avoid slacking off significantly. That¡¯s too wasteful for us.¡± ¡°Wasteful?¡± Jolod asked, puzzled. It seemed a normal phenomenon to him. Slaves needed to be driven with a whip to work. ¡°Teacher, we don¡¯t have many slaves,¡± Richard explained, ¡°Slaves are seen as expendables by many wizards because they have the financial means to afford treating them as such. But our financial resources aren¡¯t that strong, and it would be too regrettable to invest most of our hard-earned Magic Essence on slave labor. So I set these rules, giving them small incentives which encourage them to work harder for us. Compared to the profits they bring us, our investment is minimal. The return on investment is quite astonishing.¡± Seeing Jolod still confused, Richard didn¡¯t bother explaining further, as it was like casting pearls before swine to these slave-owning wizards stuck in their ways. He opted for a more direct approach¡ªtaking Jolod to the warehouse. The warehouse, filled with Red Sun Gold Pattern Stones, immediately resolved Jolod¡¯s doubts. As long as the output is high, let the rules be peculiar; Jolod was a pragmatist after all. After three days at the mine, Gao Wen finally completed the setup of the Teleportation Array. Looking at the vast circular Teleportation Array, with a Space Beacon floating in the center and spanning over three hundred square meters, Richard nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Very good, next we¡¯ll head to the other side.¡± Saying this, Richard pulled out a map and marked a point on it. ¡°This is where we¡¯re going.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this the Molten Sea?¡± Gao Wen asked, puzzled. Richard smiled, ¡°You¡¯ll know once we get there.¡± Chapter 283: 4: Active Flesh Factory Chapter 283: Chapter 4: Active Flesh Factory Over the Molten Sea, a giant whale let out a mournful cry. This third-level creature was now approaching the end of its life. A massive wound had nearly flayed open half its body, and its fresh blood, burning with flames, gushed continuously from the wound. ¡°Order the nets to be drawn in.¡± Next to the giant lizard, a majestic third-level Fire Lizard wielding a huge scimitar and carrying an enormous javelin on its back issued the command imperiously. The sailing ships nearby cast iron hooks connected to thick steel cables, which landed on the giant whale. The hooks, with the assistance of tree pattern engravings, sank into the flesh and securely snared the whale. The whale struggled to resist, but in an instant, the third-level Fire Lizard flashed into place above its head. Its scimitar now conveyed its intent. Following the ancient ceremony of the Flame Giant Beast Hunters, the Fire Lizard cut an ¡°#¡± mark on its chest, then hurled its javelin with ruthless force. Boom! In its death throes, the giant whale caused ripples across the Molten Sea, but these were of no consequence to the ship, now more aptly called a Beast Hunting Ship. The crew aboard the ship cheered and chanted as they tightened the steel cables, starting their journey home with the whale¡¯s carcass in tow. This whale could feed the island¡¯s Fire Lizards for a good while. ¡­ At the dock, Akala was eagerly awaiting the return of the Beast Hunting Ship. After losing their agricultural expert, their plan to cultivate Fire Dragon Grass had fallen apart, and now the entire island¡¯s food depended solely on the prey brought back by the sailing ships. Before long, a cheer rose from the crowd. In the distance, a sailing ship was slowly approaching the dock, dragging an enormous Flame Giant Lizard. Following the appearance of one ship, the rest of the fleet also began to gradually return. Akala watched the fully-laden fleet return and couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit of joy. This meat would be enough to feed the island¡¯s Fire Lizards for half a year. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The crew threw the steel cables ashore, and the Fire Lizards on the land caught them, working together to drag the colossal Flame Giant Beasts onto the shore. On the shore, many Fire Lizards had already set up frying pans and bonfires. Tonight was destined to be a night of revelry. Suddenly, one Fire Lizard froze in place, the chunk of meat in his hand dropping to the ground. He seemed to have seen something. The Fire Lizards looked in the direction of his gaze, only to see three black dots gradually approaching New World. ¡°Carry on with what you were doing,¡± Akala shouted to the Fire Lizards on the shore after seeing the three black dots. Then, with dragon wings sprouting from her back, she flew toward the three black dots. ¡°Lord Richard,¡± Akala said respectfully. Jolod looked at Akala with some wariness. As a Three Rings Wizard, he could clearly sense that this Fire Lizard was exceedingly powerful, even surpassing him. He had no idea how Richard had managed to subdue these natives. Richard nodded and introduced her to Jolod, ¡°This is Princess Akala, leader of New World Island. I¡¯ve reached some trade agreements with the Fire Lizards here. Now, these people are our Trading Company¡¯s native workers.¡± Native workers¡­ Jolod heard this term for the first time. ¡°Princess Akala, I¡¯ve come to set up a Teleportation Array,¡± Richard explained, ¡°With the Teleportation Array, you¡¯ll be able to freely return to the Main Continent.¡± Akala was momentarily stunned, then bowed her head and said, ¡°Your kindness.¡± After landing on the island with Gao Wen, Richard did not disturb the Fire Lizards and let Gao Wen survey for a suitable place on his own. Meanwhile, he took Jolod for a walk around the island. ¡°Richard, why have you chosen this godforsaken place for your fief?¡± Jolod asked, puzzled. After walking around the island, Jolod realized there were no resources or phenomena worth studying. He did not quite understand Richard¡¯s thinking. Richard pointed at the Flame Giant Beasts on the shore, ¡°Teacher, what do you think of those giant beasts?¡± Jolod glanced at them, ¡°Half-elemental creatures, all of them quite strong. Are you going to focus on researching these half-elemental creatures?¡± Richard shook his head and pulled out a piece of active Flesh sealed in an Enchanted Quartz Tube from his pocket. ¡°Take a look at this, teacher.¡± Jolod took the tube, opening its sealed top. The next moment, a wave of Fire Element assaulted him from the tube. Jolod furrowed his brow, ¡°Such a strong presence of Fire Element. What¡¯s with this active Flesh?¡± He might not be familiar with other things, but having studied Synthetic Beasts half his life, he recognized active Flesh all too well. The piece in front of him was unlike any active Flesh he had ever encountered. ¡°This was made using the technology of these Fire Lizards. They used these Flame Giant Beasts as raw material to create this kind of active Flesh, and then used it to create their Synthetic Beasts.¡± ¡°Synthetic Beasts! Impossible! Absolutely impossible!¡± Jolod looked somewhat agitated, vehemently denying, ¡°How could these natives possess the technology to create Synthetic Beasts? If they had such technology, you couldn¡¯t have won the war.¡± As a Wizard, Jolod couldn¡¯t tolerate the thought that something he¡¯d spent half his life researching could also be known by natives of some obscure world. ¡°Calm down; this technology is a legacy left behind by the ancient Fire Lizards. Their civilization has regressed,¡± Richard refrained from mentioning the Lost Ones; though he trusted Jolod, some things were better left untold. As he spoke, Richard also took out a stack of design papers from his pocket. ¡°These are their Synthetic Beasts.¡± Jolod took it and looked it over, his expression turning extremely ugly. The design of the Synthetic Beast on these blueprints was flawless, even tantamount to a masterpiece. If it were the work of some Wizard, Jolod would have lavished praise on the creator without stint. But now he was being told it was designed by a group of natives, and he found this somewhat unbearable. ¡°Teacher, don¡¯t be too arrogant,¡± Richard said coolly, ¡°The Star Realm is vast, and witchcraft is not an unbreakable secret. It¡¯s quite normal for natives to grasp some primitive witchcraft.¡± Jolod¡¯s face remained sullen. For most Wizards, natives were nothing more than uncultivated, inferior beings. They often felt a sense of superiority over these natives. Now, Jolod¡¯s superiority had been shattered. After sulking for a while, Jolod once again picked up a piece of living flesh. ¡°This is good stuff, vibrant and active, an excellent material for making Synthetic Beasts,¡± Jolod commented earnestly, ¡°Plus it possesses some qualities I¡¯ve never seen before.¡± After all, Jolod was an experienced Wizard, and he quickly came to terms with the situation. ¡°It certainly possesses some special attributes,¡± Richard continued, ¡°but my abilities are limited, and I can¡¯t fully exploit the potential of this active flesh. So¡­¡± ¡°So you want me to help you research it, and ideally, to produce some results, right?¡± Jolod interrupted. Jolod put the living flesh back into the Enchanted Quartz Tube, and then stretched out his right hand in front of Richard. Richard, not understanding, asked, ¡°Teacher, what are you¡­¡± ¡°The rest of the blueprints, and a sufficient amount of flesh,¡± Jolod declared righteously, ¡°You don¡¯t think this tiny bit of flesh is going to enable me to research anything, do you?¡± Richard was taken aback, then burst into hearty laughter, handing over all the documents that the old Fire Lizard had given him to Jolod. ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave it in your capable hands, Teacher.¡± Three days later, the Teleportation Array was completed. Jolod and Gao Wen returned to the Wizard World, while Richard began construction on New World Island. Richard hadn¡¯t chosen his fiefdom just because it was located far out to sea where he could claim a vast swath of land; his initial goal was to establish an active flesh factory on the island. New World Island was not just remote and inconspicuous. Its greatest advantage lay in its position deep within the Molten Sea, where capturing Flame Giant Beasts was remarkably easy. The half-Element active flesh he had obtained from Linksa needed copious amounts of half-Element blood. If the factory were built on the Main Continent, supplying such massive amounts of half-Element blood would indeed be quite challenging. After all, behind the initial Dragon Beast Cultivation Base was the Fire Lizard Empire. Naturally, the construction of the factory required assistance from Alchemy. The Fire Lizard Alchemy Workshop in the Secret Realm ceased operations, and all Fire Lizard Craftsmen came to New World Island to work on the factory. The construction of a factory required materials, and Richard returned to the Main Continent to get a large batch of supplies from logistic Wizards. These building materials were originally for constructing fortresses and works; but now the war had ended, and these leftover building materials were without a use. With a small amount of money, Richard managed to buy a large batch of materials from the logistic Wizards. With the help of Wizard construction materials and Giant Dragon Alchemy, the factory¡¯s shell soon began to take shape in less than a day. After all, none of these Fire Lizards were below First Level; in terms of physical fitness, each of them was superhuman. Once the shell of the factory was built, Richard began to work on filling out the internal equipment. Although Richard had the technology, to use it, it had to be turned into machinery. Richard decomposed the technology and conceptualized it into a complete set of machinery. Then, over five years, he worked as the chief designer, with several other Fire Lizard Alchemy Masters under his lead as minor contributors. They put in enormous effort and finally designed and produced a complete set of machinery. This technology, after all, was obtained from the Fire Lizards, and their Giant Dragon Alchemy was particularly well suited to it. Moreover, because Richard¡¯s skills were so superior, under his guidance during this period, the Alchemy Technique of the other Fire Lizard Alchemy Masters improved by leaps and bounds. As the equipment was perfected, the factory was officially completed. Although the factory wasn¡¯t large, occupying only about a thousand square meters, from the outside, it looked like an oversized, low-slung bungalow. Because it wasn¡¯t painted, the exterior of the factory appeared dull and gave an impression of being hastily put together. But only the Fire Lizards who built the factory knew that the defense of this unassuming building had surpassed that of a Wizard¡¯s War Fortress. The factory¡¯s output was not high, operating at full capacity, it could only produce a hundred kilograms of active flesh per day. But for Richard, this factory was already enough to meet his needs. Richard instructed Akala, ¡°Run the factory at the lowest possible level on most days; your current strength isn¡¯t enough to support the factory¡¯s full operation.¡± Akala bowed slightly, saying with a trace of gratitude, ¡°Your mercy shines as brightly as the sun.¡± Richard waved his hand, ready to leave when something seemed to occur to him. He turned back to ask Akala, ¡°I recall this island was managed by your husband, where is Azuhan?¡± Akala¡¯s face fell, but she quickly composed herself. ¡°After learning that I took the lead in signing the contract, he locked himself away, and he hasn¡¯t come out these past days.¡± Richard narrowed his eyes and suddenly opened up a Secret Realm Rift, calling out for Ulysses. ¡°Take me to see him.¡± Akala panicked slightly and quickly said, ¡°Your Lordship, Azuhan is just struggling to come to terms with things; he will understand the reality in time. Please grant him some time.¡± Richard waved his hand again, ¡°What¡¯s the hurry, I¡¯m not going to kill him. I managed to get something on the Main Continent from the logistic Wizards, something that relates to him, and I want to give it to him personally.¡± With that, Richard took out a battered helmet from his pocket. Akala looked at the helmet, momentarily stunned. She recognized this helmet¡ªit belonged to Harash. Chapter 284: 5: Tesla Type 9 Shield Guard Alchemy Puppet Chapter 284: Chapter 5: Tesla Type 9 Shield Guard Alchemy Puppet In the deep recesses of Island Heart Peak, there lay a dark secret chamber known to almost no one. Azuhan sat on the ground, his spirit devoid of substance. This was the Meditation Technique Harash had taught him, originally intended to cope with the animalistic backlash of the Bloodline awakening, but now it had become Azuhan¡¯s tool to escape reality. His most trusted wife had knocked him out and, with the entire island¡¯s Fire Lizards, surrendered to the Wizard, their sworn enemy. Such an event was unbearable for any Fire Lizard. Although Akala later explained to him that the Wizard had brought a terrifying presence capable of rivaling the Fire Lizard King, Azuhan¡¯s heart still ached deeply. An honorable death was not unacceptable to him, but if it weren¡¯t for the fire seed plan and the egg Akala had borne for him, he would have already died in battle alongside his father. Boom, boom, boom¡­ The stone door to the quiet room opened. Azuhan opened his eyes and emotionlessly stared at the stone door. Outside, Akala looked at him with a complex expression, and next to her, the Wizard who had destroyed the last hope of the Fire Lizards quietly watched him. ¡°Lady Akala, please step aside for a moment, I have something to say to him.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± Watching Akala obediently leave, Azuhan felt both heartbroken and furious. Akala was a princess of the Empire; when had she ever been so humble? This was the price of signing the Soul Contract! Richard looked at the Fire Lizard before him, with his swollen neck and bared sharp teeth, and threw a helmet at him. ¡°Your father¡¯s helmet.¡± Azuhan stiffened, then clumsily caught the helmet. It was indeed his father¡¯s helmet. As he looked at the helmet, tears of blood streamed from the corners of Azuhan¡¯s eyes. His father had died honorably in battle, yet he had failed to meet his expectations. ¡°Azuhan, you should be aware of the current situation. Don¡¯t bury your head like a coward and pretend that nothing has happened.¡± Richard calmly watched Azuhan, his tone as casual as if asking what to have for dinner. ¡°Your wife has endured humiliation for you, keeping your aura still sacred. But she was wrong about one thing¡ªthat your aura could ever remain immaculate. Although I have not seen the specific details of the fire seed plan, I can imagine the conviction of the person who designed it.¡± Azuhan abruptly looked up, glaring at Richard, and spoke through clenched teeth: ¡°You don¡¯t know!¡± With a serene expression, Richard responded, ¡°No, I do know. This is a plan to perpetuate the civilization of the Fire Lizards, and as its executor, you must forsake all unnecessary things and devote yourself entirely to the ultimate goal of continuing civilization. Dignity, hatred¡ªthese are too trivial compared to the continuation of civilization. You bear the weight of over a hundred thousand years of Fire Lizard history.¡± Pausing, Richard changed his tone. ¡°But in my view, the person who designed this plan chose the wrong executor¡ªyou are far from accomplishing this. You are more suited to dying in the last battle, your corrupt honor vanishing in flames by a spell. You are far from having the awareness and responsibility needed to execute this plan.¡± Although Richard¡¯s voice was calm, to Azuhan, it sounded like thunder. He was so angry he wanted to kill Richard, but a single glance from Ulysses froze him in place. Mockingly, Richard looked at Azuhan: ¡°You see, you even wish to kill the person helping you continue the Fire Lizard civilization. Go and take a look outside, fool. Under my hands, the Fire Lizards are faring better. Akala has even ordered the incubation of the Fire Lizards.¡± Having said that, Richard turned and left. ¡­ Holding the helmet, Azuhan walked out of the secret chamber and climbed to the summit of Island Heart Peak. From the summit, he could see the entire island. The once desolate New World Island had drastically changed in recent years. What had been wooden huts were now neatly arranged concrete buildings. Living in these houses, the Fire Lizards need not worry about Burning Winds or minor Fire Element Storms. In the residential area was a massive square, which had not existed when he entered the secret chamber, but now, many Fire Lizards were exercising and practicing martial arts there. ¡°Training Ground,¡± Azuhan murmured. Under his rule, the island faced severe food shortages, and all unnecessary consumption had been prohibited. Even he would not have engaged in such an energetically taxing activity as physical exercise. But now there was a Training Ground on the island. Besides the Training Ground, there was also an open-air Flame Giant Beast processing square he had never seen before. Mountain-like Flame Giant Beasts were dragged by the Fire Lizards to the open square, where skilled Fire Lizards efficiently separated the useful parts and dumped the useless parts into an iron garbage truck. Rails were laid under the truck, towed by a juvenile Volcano Turtle along the tracks toward an inconspicuous large shed. What he found most unbelievable was that the working Fire Lizards all had smiles on their faces. Azuhan turned to look beside him, and without his knowing when, Akala had already come to his side. ¡°What is all this?¡± he asked. Calmly, Akala replied, ¡°After Lord Richard saw the damage caused by the Burning Winds, he obtained many building materials from the Wizard World and then personally planned and supervised the construction of this new residential area.¡± Azuhan pointed towards the Flame Giant Beast processing facility. ¡°What about that?¡± ¡°Lord Richard¡¯s Fire Lizard craftsmen have upgraded the longship, making it more suitable for hunting Flame Giant Beasts. However, after leaving the magma, the Flame Giant Beasts rot easily. Therefore, he established this separation base for processing and storing Flame Giant Beasts¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m talking about.¡± Azuhan interrupted rudely, ¡°Why do those Fire Lizards have smiles on their faces? Is dignity worthless?¡± Akala remained silent for a long time before slowly starting, ¡°Azuhan, they are not slaves. They are living by their own hard work!¡± S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Azuhan suddenly laughed, but his laughter was bitter. ¡°That wizard was right, I really am not fit to lead the Fire Seed Project.¡± Azuhan turned to face Akala, ¡°That wizard must have left you something.¡± Akala nodded and took out a Soul Contract from the pocket at his waist. Azuhan took the contract and looked it over, then scoffed bitterly: ¡°It¡¯s still the same one, unchanged.¡± After saying this, Azuhan¡¯s fingertips oozed blood, and he signed his own name on the contract. Upon completion of the contract, a faint smile appeared on Richard¡¯s face far away on the Main Continent. The last unstable factor among the Fire Lizards was eliminated. ¡­ Returning to the Wizard World, Richard¡¯s Communication Crystal Ball suddenly received an unfamiliar message. Looking at the content of the message, Richard¡¯s lips curled up slightly. He replied to the message and then flew towards the teleportation gate of the residential layer. Before long, Richard arrived on the twelfth floor of the residential layer, in front of a pub named ¡°Volcanic Eruption.¡± The pub¡¯s door had a sign hanging that said it was closed for the day, but Richard pushed the door open and entered. Inside the pub, a tall wizard appeared to be waiting for someone. Underneath the wizard¡¯s black robe, his rock-like skin faintly glowed with firelight. Richard greeted him cheerfully. ¡°Master Mephit, long time no see.¡± The wizard who sent the message was Mephit, the Three Rings Wizard who had gone to the Dragon Beast Cultivation Base with Richard years ago. Mephit set down the bucket-like cup he was holding and pulled out a crystal ball from a large pocket at his waist, placing it on the table in front of him. ¡°Master Richard, long time no see. I thought you might have died in the Red Sun World since you didn¡¯t reply for so long.¡± Mephit had sent that message to Richard three years ago, but at that time, Richard was in the Red Sun World building a Flesh Factory, so this Magic Power message had never been received. ¡°Haha, Master is joking. We had smooth sailing in the subsequent wars. After getting through huge storms, I couldn¡¯t possibly get drowned in a small puddle, could I?¡± Richard walked up to Mephit and pocketed the crystal ball. The crystal ball contained the blueprint of a Tesla Type-9 Shield Guard Alchemy Puppet, which Mephit had promised years ago. ¡°I¡¯ve always been curious, what method did you use to control that Armor?¡± Mephit suddenly asked, ¡°It wasn¡¯t a Sealing Skill, nor did it look like witchcraft. I consider myself somewhat knowledgeable, but I couldn¡¯t tell what you used to paralyze that Armor.¡± ¡°Do you want to know?¡± Richard asked in return. Mephit nodded, ¡°How much Magic Essence?¡± Richard chuckled and shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t need your Magic Essence, Master.¡± Mephit was stunned for a moment, his voice low, ¡°No Magic Essence? My favor isn¡¯t worth a witchcraft, and I don¡¯t like owing favors.¡± Richard spoke lightly, ¡°A small favor, let¡¯s just make it a friendship with the Master.¡± Mephit was silent for a long time, then spoke, ¡°What witchcraft?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not witchcraft, it¡¯s Alchemy,¡± Richard revealed with a smile, ¡°And it¡¯s the obscure Giant Dragon Alchemy.¡± On hearing this, Mephit was initially stunned, then smacked his forehead in sudden realization: ¡°I knew I couldn¡¯t recognize what witchcraft it was; it turns out it was Alchemy.¡± Saying this, Mephit summoned a cup of liquor to his hand. ¡°Richard, you are a clever man. This drink¡¯s on me.¡± Richard took the bucket-sized cup, the amber-colored liquor exuding a rich aroma, and he could even smell a hint of Magic Potion in the fragrance. This was no ordinary drink. Richard raised the cup, and the amber liquor was swallowed to the last drop. Then, Richard slammed the cup heavily on the table in front of Mephit, shouting loudly, ¡°Good drink!¡± Mephit likewise raised his cup high and drained it in one gulp, slamming it down powerfully on the table. He laughed heartily, ¡°Great, today Mephit has made a new friend!¡± Leaving the pub, Richard felt a bit dizzy. Mephit¡¯s drink wasn¡¯t just a simple brew; he had mixed in many Magic Potions, which could even affect the soul. Richard felt as if an intense hearth fire had kindled in his belly, making his body perspire incessantly. ¡°Ulysses, what¡¯s happening with me?¡± Richard asked dizzily. Ulysses had been perching on his shoulder while he was drinking. ¡°Squawk, nothing much, you¡¯re just drunk. That stone creature¡¯s drink is very good, with lots of nice stuff mixed in.¡± Richard felt his vision blur somewhat, followed by his eyelids feeling like they were weighed down with lead, continuously drooping. ¡°Ulysses, take me to the Secret Realm.¡± With that, Richard fell asleep in the sky. Ulysses caught Richard, hardly suppressing his laughter: ¡°Squawk, knocked out by one drink¡ªwhat a lightweight.¡± Chapter 285: 6: Your Own Holy Armor Chapter 285: Chapter 6: Your Own Holy Armor Mephit¡¯s drink was strong, and Richard had slept soundly for seven days. On the eighth day, Richard woke up from his deep slumber, not feeling any hangover headache but rather feeling refreshed and invigorated. ¡°Wow, that drink was really strong,¡± Richard exclaimed. Ulysses flew up to him and loudly mocked: ¡°Ha, it¡¯s not the drink that¡¯s strong, it¡¯s your low tolerance. One drink and you¡¯re out, next time sit at the kids¡¯ table.¡± Richard¡¯s face turned red, and he glowered at Ulysses. ¡°I said it was the drink!¡± Ulysses said nothing more, just kept laughing loudly with his hoarse voice, soaring through the air. Richard temporarily ignored this boring World Master and took out two crystal balls from his pocket. Upon waking up, Richard felt both his spiritual power and physique had enhanced. [Spiritual Power: 120, Physique: 141, Magic Power: 24000] ¡°My spiritual power actually increased by four points, and my physique by three points.¡± Richard was somewhat surprised as he looked at the data; in the Red Sun World where he had stayed for over sixty years, his spiritual power had only increased by six points. His physique, meanwhile, had increased by twenty-six points due to the effects of the Molten Sea and the Physique Enhancement Gland. Yet this single drink had added four points to his spiritual power and three to his physique. If this drink were sold on the market, it would definitely not be available for less than seven or eight hundred magic essences. In fact, Richard still didn¡¯t fully understand the prices. Put up in Mephit¡¯s bar, this drink sold for a thousand magic essences, and it was only available once a week; it was a priceless item. Among wizards, any item that could directly increase physique and spiritual power was extremely precious, especially those boosting physique. Because it doesn¡¯t require any intelligence, just ingestion. And a strong body, even for a wizard focused on spiritual evolution, represents a boost in strength. Putting the crystal balls back into his pocket, Richard took out the other crystal ball which contained the blueprint for the Tesla Type 9 Shield Guard Alchemy Puppet. This puppet, starting with ¡®Tesla¡¯, must be from the Wizard World¡¯s largest arms dealer, the products of the Tesla Chamber of Commerce. Products from the Tesla Chamber of Commerce are known for their high quality and stable performance, which is also the origin of this quality-chasing trend among Alchemy Wizards. How the blueprint ended up in Mephit¡¯s hands was unknown to Richard, and he was too lazy to find out. For now, as long as the blueprint was in his hands and he didn¡¯t run into a technician wizard from the Tesla Chamber of Commerce, he was safe. Moreover, as an Alchemy Wizard, he certainly had the capability to make some modifications to the Alchemy Puppet. ¡­ Richard studied the blueprint of the Tesla Type 9 Shield Guard Alchemy Puppet for half a month, during which he constantly reproduced the diagrams on paper. The Alchemy Puppet, indeed an advanced version of the Alchemy Golem, far exceeded the traditional golem in performance in both offense and defense. Of course, these performance improvements came at a significantly high cost. After studying the blueprint, Richard estimated the material costs for this Alchemy Puppet. Just the materials alone would cost five thousand magic essences. Plus, many parts of the puppet required a high level of alchemy skill to manufacture. Hiring such skilled wizards meant the labor costs would also be astonishingly high. Richard calculated that he would need to sell the puppet for at least ten thousand magic essences to break even. Yet, the performance of this puppet was only equivalent to that of a One Ring Wizard. While many One Ring Wizards could be instantly killed by him, some experienced old wizards could also figure out how to handle it. ¡°Only because the Wizard Civilization is still expanding can such an Alchemy Puppet army be utilized. Should the expansion stop, these puppets would definitely be the first to be abandoned,¡± Richard criticized after pricing it. The Wizard World was still expanding; unexplored worlds awaited wizards, thus these expensive Alchemy Puppet armies weren¡¯t necessarily impractical. After all, these puppet armies did possess formidable strength. But if the expansion ceased, or if they encountered a civilization on par with themselves, these costly Alchemy Puppets would have to face extremization¡ªeither reverting to the cheaper production of Alchemy Golems or disregarding costs altogether to pursue maximum combat ability. But complaints aside, the Tesla Type 9 Shield Guard Alchemy Puppet was indeed a very elaborate creation. Worthy of being a product iterated through nine generations by the Tesla Chamber of Commerce. Richard called over some Fire Lizard Alchemy Masters from the other side of the Secret Realm and handed them the blueprints. ¡°This is a wizard¡¯s Alchemy Puppet,¡± Richard explained. ¡°Although Wizard Alchemy is quite different from Giant Dragon Alchemy, the design philosophy is still very much worth learning from. Take these blueprints back and see if you can learn anything.¡± The Fire Lizards took the thick stack of draft papers Richard handed them, and respectfully responded: ¡°Understood, sir.¡± ¡­ sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Leaving the Secret Realm, Richard suddenly remembered that he seemed to have an agreement with a wizard named Damir. He remembered that Damir had mastered a more efficient way of compressing elements. He went to the location of the Clear Frost Legion, hoping to find this wizard, but the outcome was rather disappointing. ¡°Master Richard, Damir is dead,¡± Iyad said regretfully. Richard could hardly believe it: ¡°He¡¯s dead?¡± ¡°Yes, he was a bit unlucky; he encountered an Imperial Guard Dragon Warrior during a slave raid.¡± Richard sighed: ¡°Alright, did he leave any relics?¡± Iyad furrowed his brows, his tone serious as he spoke, ¡°Master Richard, the relics of the wizards who have fallen in the legion must be distributed according to their wills. This is one of the most strictly enforced regulations in the legion. Anyone who violates this will be burnt to death by the Soul Fire.¡± Richard realized his mistake and repeatedly apologized. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean it. I would like to ask for your help; if someone comes to claim his relics, please contact me.¡± As he spoke, Richard handed a small bag of Magic Essence to Iyad. Iyad didn¡¯t accept the Magic Essence, instead, he just asked Richard for a contact method. ¡°This kind of thing is just a trivial effort; you needn¡¯t go so far, Master.¡± After leaving the Clear Frost Legion¡¯s base, Richard returned to the Wizard Tower, where Ali had been waiting for him for a long time. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t come back, I would have thought you had forgotten about me,¡± Ali said with a hint of resentment. Richard gave an awkward laugh, as no one had expected that designing a set of equipment could take so long, even with clear technology and a group of Fire Lizard Alchemy Masters. ¡°Sorry, sorry, there was a little mishap.¡± Ali did not press on. She walked over to Richard and whispered in his ear: ¡°So, what¡¯s your new idea?¡± Ali was very close, her fiery body pressing against Richard, igniting his passion. ¡°¡­I obtained some Fire Element artifacts in the Red Sun World and wanted to ask for your help in analyzing them. Some of these artifacts have quite unusual properties.¡± Ali stiffened, her eyes turning resentful again. ¡°Is that it?¡± Richard nodded affirmatively, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it. What did you think it was?¡± Ali¡¯s face turned a sudden shade of red, and she punched Richard hard in the chest. ¡°You, you, you¡­ where are your things! You¡¯ve left me hanging here so long, no discounts this time!¡± Richard pulled out several sealed Flame Artifacts from his pocket, some obtained from Bob, and others from the Fire Lizards. These so-called artifacts are extraordinary items that defy common sense, such as flames that burn underwater, rocks that replicate without absorbing energy or elements, and magical conches that play music without any skill¡­ These all qualify as artifacts. At first glance, these items seem impossible, thus earning them the title of artifacts. Of course, these artifacts do not truly defy logic; they just possess certain unusual qualities that give the appearance of defying logic. Each artifact holds a secret and is a natural subject for study. ¡°Charging for studying artifacts, you can¡¯t just exploit our relationship to overcharge me for Magic Essence,¡± Richard complained. But seeing Ali¡¯s flushed and lovely face, Richard decided to overlook the matter for now. After all, many of their dealings often ended up being settled more¡­ personally. He could bear a little more burden. ¡­ While Richard and Ali studied the Fire Element artifacts, the Alchemy Masters of Fire Lizards in the Secret Realm were enthusiastically studying the blueprints. The completion of the Flesh Factory not only provided Richard with an endless supply of semi-elemental active flesh but also significantly advanced the craftsmanship of his Fire Lizard artisans. Several Fire Lizard Alchemy Masters had already reached a bottleneck in their Alchemy skills, but under Richard¡¯s guidance, they had all breakthrough to new heights. This skill enhancement expanded their horizons. Furthermore, Richard had given them blueprints for Alchemy Puppets, and the collision of two different Alchemy skills inspired a resurgence in their previously exhausted wells of inspiration. ¡°It¡¯s amazing! The mechanical structure can be so intricate,¡± exclaimed Calion as he looked at a blueprint in his hands. On the other side, Sulina, whose skill level rivaled Calion¡¯s, also spoke up, ¡°Indeed, I had never thought that mechanical creatures could be more agile than living ones. These blueprints even remind me of the intricate structures on the Holy Armor. However, compared to the incomprehensible structures of Holy Armor, wizard designs are a bit cruder and more suited to our level.¡± Suddenly, a Fire Lizard Alchemy Master, engrossed in studying the design, looked up. His eyes shining, he addressed Sulina and Calion: ¡°Right, Holy Armor! Many of these structures can be applied to the armor!¡± With that, the Fire Lizard Alchemy Master ran to the rest area like a madman and pulled out a leather scroll from a pile of ancient tomes. He approached the gathering of Alchemy Masters and unfurled the ancient leather scroll. On the scroll was a sketch of an incomplete exoskeleton armor containing unreasonable structures. Nevertheless, the eyes of the Alchemy Masters were fixed on the armor depicted. This scroll opened up new avenues of thought for them. The Fire Lizard with the scroll, speaking somewhat feverishly, proclaimed: ¡°My fellows, in ancient times, we bore a sacred title¡ª¡¯Mechanics¡¯! We were tasked with maintaining the Holy Armor and various Divine Relics. But as our skills regressed, we couldn¡¯t even understand the structure of our own armor, let alone fabricate a single armor plate. Thus, we lost this sacred title. Now our skills have improved, but we¡¯ve lost the Holy Armor and the Divine Relics. We can no longer prove we deserve this sacred title. But now, we have a chance.¡± The eyes of the many Alchemy Masters sparkled with a somewhat crazy notion. ¡°Perhaps we can forge our own set of Holy Armor!¡± Chapter 286: 7: Exoskeleton Armor Chapter 286: Chapter 7: Exoskeleton Armor As is well known, when more than three men gather together, a king of ideas is born. At the moment, among this group of Fire Lizards, there was only one female, Sulina, and they all possessed considerable hands-on ability. So, an excellent idea was born. ¡°This design has a problem, everything needs to be changed except for the external shape.¡± As one of the Fire Lizards with the highest level of alchemy in the group, Calion was the first to offer his opinion. Sulina followed closely behind, commenting on the design. ¡°I¡¯ve tried maintaining Holy Armor before, and although I couldn¡¯t understand the internal structure, I could still grasp some of the design philosophy. I¡¯ll go and draw the structure I saw back then right away.¡± As the only female among the Fire Lizard Alchemy Masters, Sulina had long since put the matter of gender to the back of her mind. She was virtually indistinguishable from the male Fire Lizard Alchemy Masters¡ªexcept that she had her own room and her own toilet. Sulina quickly drew the structure of the Holy Armor she had seen, and thanks to Lord Richard¡¯s training, each of the Fire Lizards was incredibly accurate in drawing. Looking at the structure Sulina had drawn, one of the Fire Lizard Alchemy Masters muttered: ¡°How does this thing look like the outer shell of an insect?¡± ¡°No, not an insect¡¯s carapace.¡± Patelin, who had been recruited alongside Calion, suddenly spoke up. ¡°How much do you know about anatomy?¡± Patelin asked. The Masters looked at one another and shook their heads. Giant Dragon Alchemy didn¡¯t require the study of anatomy; among the Fire Lizards, the dissection of corpses fell under the field of funerary studies. Because Fire Lizards made mummies for burial, this process required removing the organs from the body and then wrapping them in spices and placing them in metal containers. Patelin explained, ¡°Before I studied alchemy, I learned how to make mummies, so I¡¯m quite familiar with the anatomy of Fire Lizards. In my opinion, this structure is not an insect¡¯s carapace but resembles a special skeletal structure. And those structures we can¡¯t understand are probably the ¡®muscles¡¯ of the Holy Armor.¡± As Patelin spoke, his eyes grew brighter, and he began excitedly: ¡°So the Holy Armor is a powerful body without a brain, and the Fire Lizard wearing it is its brain! If we continue with this line of thinking, we¡¯ll need to use¡­¡± The surrounding Fire Lizard Alchemy Masters exclaimed in unison: ¡°A nerve control system.¡± Calion immediately ran towards the World Mushroom at the center of the Secret Realm. In the Holy City under the World Mushroom¡¯s cap, Ulysses was leisurely napping. ¡°Lord Ulysses! Lord Ulysses!¡± Calion¡¯s voice awoke Ulysses from his nap; he opened his eyes, and his emerald gaze made Calion shudder. The fact that Ulysses liked to eat the brains of Fire Lizards was well known to every Fire Lizard in the Secret Realm. ¡°Gah, what is it, Fire Lizard?¡± Calion bowed his head and said humbly: ¡°Lord Ulysses, we need to contact Lord Richard. We have a brilliant idea that requires Lord Richard¡¯s decision.¡± Ulysses glanced over Calion¡¯s shoulder to see the rest of the Fire Lizard Alchemy Masters looking eagerly at Calion. Richard had once told him that these Fire Lizards were all technicians, and now that they were gathered together, it seemed the matter was indeed urgent. Ulysses yawned: ¡°Gah, I understand.¡± With that, Ulysses opened the Secret Realm Rift and came to Richard¡¯s side. Richard was currently in the intermittent Wise Time, and as he had not made any modifications to his body, human reactions were all present. Seeing Ulysses, Richard asked curiously: ¡°Why have you come out?¡± Ulysses lazily replied, ¡°Gah, I didn¡¯t want to come out, but those Fire Lizards you¡¯re raising suddenly wanted to see you. When you have time, head back to the Secret Realm.¡± After speaking, Ulysses opened the Secret Realm Rift again and returned to the Secret Realm. Richard frowned. The Fire Lizards wanted to see him; could there be problems with the workshop in the Secret Realm? Richard was about to get up when he suddenly remembered that he was currently engaged in a certain activity with Ali that was beneficial to body and mind. ¡°Go ahead,¡± Ali¡¯s voice sounded in his ear. Ali sat up, her brows still carrying traces of spring. She lazily leaned on Richard¡¯s shoulder, her warm breath gently blowing in Richard¡¯s ear, giving rise to a tickling sensation. ¡°Work comes first, and I¡¯m not some harlot fused with a Succubus Bloodline.¡± ¡­ In the Secret Realm, the Fire Lizards saw Ulysses return and gathered to discuss how to vividly describe their idea when they met. Without a doubt, their idea was excellent. But an excellent idea did not guarantee its realization. The complex and exquisite structure of the Holy Armor stood before them like a mountain. Even though they were resolutely determined, they still had some reservations. Could they really make their own Holy Armor, even a highly simplified version? A worried Fire Lizard Alchemy Master spoke up: ¡°What if Lord Richard rejects our idea? Lord Richard likes stability, and such highly unstable projects are probably the least welcome in his eyes.¡± ¡°If he rejects it, we¡¯ll build it ourselves,¡± Sulina said. ¡°We have enough spare time, and Lord Richard has given us authority over the materials.¡± ¡°He rejected the project, we just lost a lot of resources, that¡¯s all, not that we can¡¯t do it at all.¡± Ali¡¯s words ignited a fire in the hearts of all the Fire Lizards. Indeed, Richard¡¯s rejection of the project meant only losing resources, but their most valuable and important wisdom could still be utilized. As long as they were willing to research, resources would merely slow their progress, not prevent them from reaching their ultimate goal. At that moment, all the Fire Lizards made up their minds. If Richard didn¡¯t agree with the project, then they would rely on themselves to research it. Even if doing so meant they might spend their entire lives without achieving the final goal, a beautiful future was enough to let them die smiling. For a craftsman, there is nothing more important than a superb work of art. Soon, a rift opened in the Secret Realm, and Richard, wearing a black Wizard Robe, arrived in the Secret Realm. Richard, noticing his nurtured Fire Lizard Alchemy Masters congregating, expressed his surprise: ¡°Wow, you¡¯re all here. What exactly happened in the workshop that brought you all together?¡± A few Fire Lizard Alchemy Masters looked at each other and finally, it was Calion who stepped forward to share their thoughts with Richard. ¡°It¡¯s like this, Lord Richard. The blueprints you gave us for the Alchemy Puppet have inspired us greatly. So, we came up with an idea to design our own Holy Armor, and we need your technical and material support.¡± Richard frowned upon hearing this: ¡°Hmm? Your own Holy Armor? The technology is much more complex than you think, you can¡¯t make it.¡± Calion hastily explained: ¡°No, no, no, we don¡¯t want to replicate the Holy Armor; we want to make a set of Armor similar to it.¡± ¡°Oh, I see now. I couldn¡¯t make the Holy Armor myself,¡± Richard said, finally understanding. Having said this, Richard asked with interest, ¡°You can¡¯t just talk the talk if you want funding; at least tell me your design ideas and what the final product can do.¡± Calion was momentarily stunned, realizing they had only thought of asking Richard for support and had forgotten that their idea was still just that¡ªan idea. But seeing Richard¡¯s gaze, Calion didn¡¯t dare to directly admit they had nothing yet. Such risky projects with long development times were not Richard¡¯s favorite; if Richard felt he was being played, the project might truly be rejected. Calion glanced at his colleagues out of the corner of his eye and noticed Ali holding the blueprint for the Holy Armor, subtly signaling him with her eyes. Remembering what Patelin had said earlier, Calion bit the bullet and told Richard: ¡°It¡¯s like this, my lord, we currently have a rudimentary idea. Based on what we know of the Holy Armor, we¡¯ve tentatively decided the design approach for this set of Armor is¡­ Exoskeleton Armor.¡± Having said this, Calion repeated what Patelin had said earlier and spontaneously added much of his own interpretation, trying to make the idea as appealing and convincing as possible. After Calion finished, he watched Richard nervously. He didn¡¯t know if the picture he had painted would attract Richard. Richard was silent for a moment, then he said: ¡°Exoskeleton¡­ Interesting. Your approach is good; I agree. What resources do you need?¡± Exoskeleton Armor, this design idea Richard had almost forgotten. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The crazed wizards of the Wizard World simply transformed their bodies into machinery, and after seeing so many insane wizards, Richard had forgotten about the brilliant thing that was the exoskeleton. Moreover, the Holy Armor also used an exoskeleton. This showed that the design idea was not wrong, at least not once the technology had reached a certain level. Seeing Richard agree to the project, all the Fire Lizard Alchemy Masters showed their joy. Calion said eagerly: ¡°My lord, right now we need technology in nerve control, which used to communicate with the Volcano Turtle to transform it into the Dragon Breath Cannon. The current New World Island has Volcano Turtles, so someone must have inherited this technology.¡± Richard nodded: ¡°Good, you first work on the design, and I will return to the Red Sun World as soon as possible.¡± With that, Richard was about to leave the Secret Realm. But before entering the rift, he suddenly stopped, turning to ask Talgar, who was celebrating the project approval among a group of Fire Lizard Alchemy Masters: ¡°Talgar, what¡¯s the status of the thing I asked you to research?¡± While Talgar was celebrating with those around him, Richard¡¯s sudden questioning caused him to freeze in place, stuttering: ¡°That that that¡­ the project, it¡¯s close, my lord. I¡¯m about to figure it out.¡± Richard¡¯s expression cooled; Talgar¡¯s response clearly wasn¡¯t right. Although the Exoskeleton Armor indeed had a bright future, they couldn¡¯t neglect the present for it. The Red Sun Gold Pattern Stone piling up at the mines was becoming a mountain; if they didn¡¯t figure out the special Alchemy ink technique soon, he would have to build another warehouse for storage. While building a warehouse wasn¡¯t particularly troublesome, it was an unnecessary action. He felt it necessary to expedite this project¡¯s progress. Richard commanded the Fire Lizard Alchemy Masters surrounding Talgar: ¡°Put aside the Exoskeleton Armor business for now and help Talgar finish the ink project. The ink project directly affects the resource abundance for your¡­ Armor project.¡± The surrounding Fire Lizard Alchemy Masters who had been amused by the spectacle could no longer laugh. ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± (In unison) Before leaving the Secret Realm, Richard suddenly asked: ¡°By the way, Calion, what is the name of your project?¡± Calion thought for a while and, after discussing with a few nearby Fire Lizards, told Richard: ¡°My lord, we have named our project ¡®Mechanic¡¯.¡± Chapter 287: 8 Bobs Invitation Chapter 287: Chapter 8 Bob¡¯s Invitation Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, thirty years had passed. On the experiment table, a golden flame silently burned within a magic array. ¡°Such intricate energy structure in this flame, applying this structure to spells could increase the energy level by at least a hundred or two hundred.¡± Ali, looking at the successfully simulated golden flame, her pretty face was full of joy. The two¡¯s research on the unusual fire element artifacts had been very successful, and in this short period of thirty years, all the strange artifacts Richard had brought back were thoroughly studied. The secrets they contained allowed Richard and Ali to make significant advances in their knowledge of Shaping Magic. Under the enhancement of this knowledge, Richard¡¯s Fireball Technique had reached the power of seven hundred energy levels. Including the amplification from the magic wand, Richard¡¯s Fireball Technique had now reached eight hundred and sixty energy levels. Besides, in these years, Richard had modified several Shaping Magic spells. These spells were not outstanding in power, mainly incorporating the research findings of the strange artifacts, as well as dealing with some special situations. Richard went over to Ali¡¯s side, looked at the flame on the experiment table, and casually said, ¡°This is the last of the strange artifacts, you¡¯ve been troubled with this for years.¡± During the research process, Ali had always been the main researcher. After all, Susanna was a student of the Black Tower Great Wizard, and her knowledge¡¯s depth and breadth were astonishing. Even though Ali had become a Wizard, she could only parrot many of Susanna¡¯s research findings. She had to make a huge effort to fill in her knowledge gaps to fully understand the mysteries within. And this also made Ali¡¯s knowledge in Shaping Magic far exceed an average wizard¡¯s. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Of course, had Richard been extraordinarily talented in the field of Synthetic Beasts, capable of inheriting Jolod¡¯s mantle, his situation wouldn¡¯t have been much better than Ali¡¯s. But unfortunately, like Anna, Richard had not chosen Jolod¡¯s path and thus had to find his way on his own. Ali turned off the magic array, and the golden flame vanished. ¡°How time flies, thirty years past in a blink of an eye,¡± Ali sighed, ¡°The progress of these thirty years feels like it¡¯s more than what I would have achieved studying alone for three hundred years.¡± Richard laughed and said, ¡°We¡¯ve completed the study on a few strange artifacts in thirty years, if we didn¡¯t make great progress, that would be absurd.¡± Ali pulled a face, then began to gather up the notebooks from the experiment table. ¡°Now that the research is done, it¡¯s time for me to leave.¡± ¡°What, you¡¯re running away as soon as the research on the artifacts is over?¡± Ali gave Richard a look, then leaned into his arms, her tone coquettish, ¡°Then I¡¯ll stay a bit longer, but you better not run away.¡± Richard¡¯s expression stiffened, and he said somewhat sheepishly, ¡°Let¡¯s not, being together too often isn¡¯t conducive to the development of feelings. There¡¯s a common saying in my hometown, ¡®Absence makes the heart grow fonder.¡¯ Let¡¯s just give each other plenty of space.¡± Ali glared at Richard and reproached, ¡°Coward.¡± With that, Ali opened the window and flew out. Richard stood in place and grumbled in a voice only he could hear, ¡°Me, a coward? If it were any other wizard being tormented by you, they¡¯d have run away howling by now.¡± Over the years, Richard had finally learned what Bloodline Ali had fused with. The Bloodline Ali had fused with was a unique creature that the Black Tower Great Wizard had exchanged from a being in another world during a journey through the Star Realm. The Black Tower Great Wizard referred to this creature as the Fire Dragon Demon. This creature was a hybrid of a Giant Dragon and some otherworldly creature, but in this instance, the dragon bloodline did not dominate; instead, it merged with the blood of that otherworldly creature, causing a mutation. The advantages of the dragon bloodline were retained, while the greatest flaw¡ªthe erosive nature¡ªcompletely disappeared. Black Tower Great Wizard handed the specimen of this creature to Susanna. After studying the creature, Susanna found the powers brought by its Bloodline quite impressive, so she fused it into her body. After the fusion, Susanna didn¡¯t feel any dangerous side effects. Thus, she incorporated it into her wizard legacy, and after taking Ali as an apprentice, she passed this Bloodline to Ali after she became a Wizard. When in the Insect Nest World, Ali had just fused with the Bloodline and hadn¡¯t completely integrated it, so the Bloodline¡¯s abilities weren¡¯t apparent. But during the years that Richard campaigned in the Red Sun World, Ali finally fully integrated the Bloodline. Her physique, strength, agility, and even control over energy greatly improved. If Richard hadn¡¯t become a Second Ring Wizard, he really wouldn¡¯t have been able to suppress her. Moreover, what puzzled Richard the most was that Ali seemed to possess some sort of adaptability. Because as time went on, Ali could fight him to a standstill and recently even showed signs of overpowering him. For this reason, Richard had specifically asked Ali for some Fire Dragon Demon Bloodline, planning to study it when he had the time. If fusing with a Bloodline could give him abilities like an Adaptation Body, then there was no need for him to research an Adaptation Body any further. After Ali left, Richard tidied up the laboratory. Over the years, as the lab had been used by the two of them, some of the arrangements had inevitably changed. Now it was time to restore it to its original state. But as Richard was clearing up, a surge of Magic Fluctuation caught his attention¡ª His Communication Crystal Ball lit up. ¡°Who could be looking for me at this time, could it be Iyad?¡± He had asked Iyad to notify him when someone came to claim Damir¡¯s legacy, but thirty years had passed, and there had been no word from Iyad. Richard walked to the next room and looked at the message on the crystal ball. However, the sender of the message surprised him. ¡°Bob, why is he sending me a message?¡± Although Richard had given Bob some sample parts, hoping to do business with alchemy parts, Bob never got back to him, so he had put that out of his mind. No matter, his orders for the Magic Support Vehicles were already full. During these thirty years, Richard had casually completed the structural optimization of the Magic Support Vehicle, replacing all non-enchanted parts with products of Giant Dragon Alchemy. Now the Magic Support Vehicle had evolved to the Richard II model. This model outperformed the previous one in stability and function, with no change in price. A Magic Support Vehicle costs eight hundred and fifty magic essences, fair to both young and old¡­ Even with Richard¡¯s optimizations, the material cost of the Magic Support Vehicle had been reduced by nearly a hundred magic essences. Jolod naturally felt some dissatisfaction with this. ¡°The performance has improved, so your price should also increase. Otherwise, how can we justify ourselves to the legions who first bought the Magic Support Vehicles?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t increase the price, how are we going to charge for the upgrades to the first batch of Magic Support Vehicles?¡± ¡°We are a commerce, your mentality is wrong; a Great Wizard won¡¯t miss this bit of money.¡± Note: All the above statements were made by Jolod after learning that Richard had optimized the material cost by nearly a hundred magic essences. After opening up for orders, the White Wizard Army¡¯s orders came fluttering in like snowflakes. The effectiveness of the Magic Support Vehicles had spread among the White Wizard Army, and the on-call concentrated magic fire was something that wizards found incredibly reassuring. So, they strongly recommended that the upper echelons of the legion make a purchase. For the White Wizard Army, who had the backing of Great Wizards, spending a few hundred thousand magic essences on weapons was merely pocket change. If the effectiveness of the weapons was good enough, the Great Wizards would not only not blame them but would also appreciate their meticulous work. Therefore, they were also willing to buy a batch of Magic Support Vehicles to test the waters. Consequently, with their enthusiasm, Richard Jolod¡¯s Commerce¡¯s orders for the Magic Support Vehicle were even backed up to a thousand years later. A steady stream of magic essences kept pouring towards Richard. To fulfill these orders, Jolod had already pulled Anna, Chax, and several of his apprentices into the commerce to work, and Richard¡¯s Fire Lizard Alchemy Workshop was also operating at full capacity. He now lacked the energy and interest to deal with Bob¡¯s small business. However, Bob¡¯s message did not explain the situation; it merely said that Nine Star Chamber of Commerce was about to hold an auction and hoped Richard would honor it with his presence and discuss some matters. So Richard didn¡¯t mind making a trip. Having researched for thirty years, it was good to go out and get some fresh air occasionally. And the auction itself was a good place; Richard, now flush with funds, didn¡¯t mind bidding for things that caught his eye. Maybe he could even find a bargain. Finding bargains was one of his favorite pastimes. Moreover, although the Nine Star Chamber of Commerce where Bob worked was an emerging commerce, it was already quite powerful compared to Richard¡¯s commerce. The ink that Talgar accidentally made, with Richard¡¯s help, had been deciphered by Fire Lizard Craftsmen seventeen years before. Although the solution was somewhat unclear, they were finally able to produce the ink stably. Currently, as Richard Jolod¡¯s Commerce¡¯s stores had not spread out, Richard had an excess inventory of alchemy ink. Richard also wanted to take this opportunity to clear out some inventory. Pocketing the crystal ball, Richard returned to the laboratory to tidy up the unfinished parts. With some time left until the auction, it was most important to clean up the lab for now. ¡­ Nine Star Chamber of Commerce was not located at the Tower of Truth, so Richard had to leave the Tower of Truth and came to the real Wizard World. Checking the map, Richard found that the headquarters of the Nine Star Chamber of Commerce was located at the intersection of two busy sky travel routes¡ªin a city named Paradise City. ¡°This is quite good; I don¡¯t even need to fly there myself.¡± Richard, looking at the map, found a high-speed Flying Airship bound for Paradise City at an airship port outside the Tower of Truth. To Richard¡¯s surprise, the airship¡¯s pilot turned out to be a wizard. Even the flight attendants aboard were high-ranking Wizard Apprentices. ¡°Master, is this your first time on the express airship?¡± The pilot, noting Richard¡¯s surprised expression, began with a laugh. ¡°Indeed, it is,¡± Richard nodded. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the pilot of a Flying Airship to be a wizard.¡± The pilot chuckled and said, ¡°I¡¯m not as powerful as the master who dares to fight on the Plane Battlefield, I¡¯m just a small fry with neither guts nor strength, trying to earn some magic stones by doing this kind of job.¡± Richard curiously asked, ¡°How much do you earn from one round trip?¡± ¡°One trip nets one magic essence.¡± ¡°How many trips can you make a year?¡± ¡°Five trips a year, guaranteed income regardless of drought or flood.¡± Richard nodded and handed a bag of magic stones to the pilot. ¡°Good job, very stable. Here are a hundred magic stones; check if there¡¯s anything missing.¡± The pilot caught the bag, didn¡¯t even bother scanning it with spiritual power, and casually tossed it into his Magic Pocket. ¡°Master, it¡¯s clear you¡¯re a big shot; you wouldn¡¯t be short on a few magic stones.¡± Richard looked at his attire somewhat strangely: ¡°Do I look wealthy? Or do I look fierce and intimidating?¡± ¡°Master, you normally reside in the Tower of Truth, surrounded by capable wizards who dare to go to the Plane Battlefield for a better future. So, you don¡¯t realize how special you are. But the formidable aura you carry is too conspicuous out here.¡± Richard frowned. A Black Wizard having a distinctive aura wasn¡¯t necessarily a good thing. They were usually infiltrating the enemy¡¯s rear, striving to emit no notable presence. He communicated with his shoulder-bound Ulysses via a spiritual message: ¡°Ulysses, do I have any particular aura?¡± ¡°Gaah, it happens when you¡¯ve killed too many; in our place, you just get baptized by a priest and you¡¯re good. Here, you probably need those Soul Wizards.¡± The pilot handed over the room number and key; even on the express airship, it would take a month to reach Paradise City. He would definitely have to stay on the airship for that time. Richard took them and glanced at the room number. ¡°Room 225, interesting.¡± Chapter 288: 9 The Storm is Brewing Chapter 288: Chapter 9 The Storm is Brewing Paradise City was located at the junction of two flying airship routes, which gave it a geographical advantage. The incessant flow of flying airships brought the city a wealth of goods and a vast amount of wealth, but wealth bred corruption. In Paradise City, none of the laws of the mortal world existed. The dominators of Paradise City were the Nine Stars Chamber of Commerce, and the Chamber was a wizard company, which was only bound by the laws issued by the Truth Council. Thus, the Mortal Zone of Paradise City became a city synonymous with sin. As long as you had money and were a mortal without transcendent powers, you could do anything you wanted in Paradise City. Hallucinogens, slave trade, murder paradise¡­ all the corrupt acts you could think of as a mortal were possible in Paradise City. If that wasn¡¯t enough, you could even find wizards to serve you¡ªprovided you could afford the price. Such pleasures were extremely dangerous, for with just a bit more force in their actions, a wizard could break a mortal¡¯s bones. A little displeasure could ¡°scare¡± a mortal to death with life radiation. And yet, many tycoons who had started their fortunes through trade would still throw in fortunes just to enjoy the sensation of reigning over wizards. ¡­ On the flying airship, Richard sat in his room, silently arranging the rune array in front of him. In the air, symbols formed from concentrated magic power shifted positions, creating the special model of a Ghost Work Ball. As Richard moved the position of one rune, the entire model suddenly became extremely unstable. The runes drifted from their original positions under the influence of magic power, which further exacerbated the influence. In just a few milliseconds, the originally stable rune model suddenly turned into a magic power bomb about to explode. ¡°Ga, you¡¯ve failed again,¡± The out-of-control rune golem suddenly solidified in the air, after which a shadow wrapped around the entire model and shrank it to the size of a jellybean, which Ulysses then swallowed in one gulp. Richard¡¯s expression remained unchanged, ¡°What experiment doesn¡¯t have failures? Besides, I¡¯m modifying the model of the Heart of Annihilation; you know its principle.¡± ¡°Ga, honestly, I don¡¯t recommend you continue studying this annihilation reaction. Not only is it high in the danger index, but its ceiling is also quite limited,¡± Ulysses rarely offered advice to Richard. ¡°The basic principle of your spell is the annihilation of two elements, but controlling high concentrations of elements is very energy-consuming. If the efficiency of your element compression is not high, then the power of the spell will be diminished. If you pursue power, then you must seek more efficient compression methods. But there are limits to compression. When you reach a peak, it will be difficult to advance further while the gains are very minimal.¡± Richard once again congealed a rune in his hand, as if not hearing Ulysses¡¯ advice. ¡°I¡¯ve known this for a long time, but you can¡¯t deny, this spell is very useful at the mortal stage. I didn¡¯t avoid you with the news from three days ago. You should know my current situation.¡± Three days ago, Richard had received several magical messages. The senders were from Jolod, Anna, Chax, and Ali. And all these messages mentioned one thing, the Academy War. The Black Tower Wizard Academy was about to face an Academy War. Due to the terrible consequences of the Great Wizard conflict during the Enlightenment era, the Wizard World now not only forbids Great Wizards from taking action within the Wizard World, but they are even prohibited from walking with their real bodies within the Wizard World. In such cases, if two Great Wizards had a grudge, there were only two ways for Great Wizard conflicts. One was to start a true man¡¯s 1v1 battle in the Star Realm. And the other was the Academy War, as mentioned in the messages Richard received The so-called Academy War meant Great Wizards would not act directly but would have their subordinates, the junior wizards, fight amongst themselves. Each wizard academy had a large number of faculty and staff, and Great Wizards recruited these people not only to facilitate expeditions to different planes but also to prepare for the Academy War. Once the Academy War began, the World Guardians would transfer both academies, along with all their wizards, into a Truth-Level Magic Equipment known as the World Realm. At that time, the two academies would engage in a fifty-year-long Academy War in a space similar to a secret realm. Any actions carried out in the war did not violate the laws instituted by the Truth Council. After the war, the two Great Wizards could not initiate an Academy War again for a thousand years. ¡­ There was no judgment of winning or losing in the Academy War, each side had its own standards. The most common was to consider the destruction of the other academy¡¯s Core Wizard Tower as a victory. The Core Wizard Tower was the heart and soul of an academy. It was not only the core of a Wizard Academy but also one of a Great Wizard¡¯s foundations. The Wizard Tower was the everyday dwelling of a Great Wizard, a symbol of the Great Wizard¡¯s presence in the Wizard World. Without the Wizard Tower, the Truth Council would not recognize your status as a Great Wizard. Moreover, almost all Great Wizards would leave safeguards within the Wizard Tower to prevent a complete fall in Otherworld expeditions or walks in the Star Realm. If the Wizard Tower was destroyed, these contingencies would certainly be compromised. Moreover, because of the principle that Great Wizards were not allowed to act, reconstruction of the Core Wizard Tower had to rely on other wizards and would be a prolonged process. During this period, Great Wizards could not recruit students, partake in Otherworld expeditions, or even attend any events held by the Truth Council. Furthermore, if a Great Wizard failed to reconcile with the victorious Great Wizard after the Academy War, It was likely that after the thousand-year war cooldown period had passed, another war declaration would come. The Great Wizard would then fall into a cycle. ¡°Ga, I must say, your Academy War is indeed a clever approach,¡± commented Ulysses. ¡°For a civilization, those at the World Master Level are the core forces. The death of a strong person at this level due to infighting is a loss to any civilization. And you ¡®mortals¡¯ are not so precious. Moreover, I estimate that although this Academy war is not mandatory, every Great Wizard will choose to fight in the Academy war. This war is akin to a stepping stone. Losing the war is just a sign that the underlings are not up to par, not that the Great Wizard is inadequate. It looks better for both sides in terms of saving face.¡± Richard remained silent for a moment, his tone full of resentment as he said, ¡°No matter how much I analyze it, how wise the decision is, or how good it is for the Wizard civilization, it¡¯s useless. For me at present, it¡¯s the worst strategy.¡± ¡°Gah, that¡¯s for others, not for you,¡± Ulysses countered, ¡°You¡¯re fighting Wizards this time. If you¡¯re a bit luckier and with your furnace, your strength will skyrocket afterwards.¡± Richard glanced at him and said irritably, ¡°I have to survive first. The World Mirror cannot admit those at the World Master Level strength, so you¡¯ll just be a cheerleader in this war.¡± Ulysses scratched his head with a gaggling sound: ¡°¡­Gah, this is a situation with both risks and opportunities. Go for it; I¡¯m rooting for you.¡± ¡­ [Paradise City has arrived. Passengers destined for this location, please disembark.] [Paradise City has arrived. Passengers destined for this location, please disembark.] Hearing the announcement in the Flying Airship, Richard scattered the runes in front of him and collected the scattered Magic Books in the room. He then opened the window and flew out of the Flying Airship. Outside the Flying Airship, thousands of Flying Airships ascended and landed in the vast airship field. Passengers continually disembarked from the airships, converging together like a hundred rivers flowing into the ocean. Richard took out a Crystal Ball and sent a message filled with Magic Power. In less than half an hour, a spherical flying vehicle with a rather lavish shell landed next to the Flying Airship Richard was on. Passengers coming and going around the Flying Airship looked at the flying vehicle with astonishment, but some extravagantly dressed tycoons, upon seeing the symbol on the vehicle, immediately bowed their heads in a slight bow, not daring to take another glance. ¡°What is your lordship doing¡­¡± ¡°You fool, that is a VIP flying vehicle from the Nine Star Chamber of Commerce. The person it¡¯s picking up is not someone you can afford to look at!¡± The flying vehicle door opened, and Bob, wearing a monocular, emerged. Upon seeing Bob¡¯s Wizard Robe, even the dullest person knew to show respect. In such a crowd, Richard, who was looking around, stood out particularly. ¡°Haha, brother Richard, you¡¯re finally here.¡± Seeing Richard, Bob immediately opened his arms, and Richard walked over with a smile, and they hugged each other tightly. ¡°Brother Bob, you are as splendid as ever. Seeing how happy you are, I imagine you¡¯ve been promoted recently?¡± ¡°Haha, it was just luck, just luck.¡± While chatting with Richard, Bob ushered him into the flying vehicle. Then the hatch closed, and the vehicle became a ray of light flying toward the center of Paradise City. From beginning to end, Bob never glanced at the mortals on the ground, even though some of them were wealthy enough to rival nations, while others had the power to decide the life or death of thousands with a single command. Among the crowd, someone muttered, ¡°Who is this big shot who could make Vice-President Bob come out to meet them personally?¡± ¡­ In the flying vehicle, Richard and Bob sat in a room that was obviously larger than the dimensions of the vehicle would suggest. Around them, it was as though the vehicle had no metal shell at all, as they had an unobstructed view of the outside scenery. ¡°Brother Richard, I¡¯ve heard you¡¯ve struck it rich lately. Richard Jolod¡¯s Commerce¡¯s name, in our circles, is about to become a smaller version of Tesla¡¯s.¡± Bob sat opposite Richard, holding a thick cigar in his hand, his smile on his face very affable. Hearing this, Richard replied modestly, ¡°Not at all, you¡¯re giving me too much credit. We just got lucky making a weapon, and it happened that some important figures in the White Wizard Army took a liking to it. Tesla Chamber of Commerce leads the Alchemy Weapon industry. Our little endeavors can¡¯t even compare to one of their fingers.¡± Bob took out a box of cigars from his pocket and offered it to Richard, ¡°You¡¯re too modest, brother. Here, try this, it¡¯s top-notch stuff our chamber offers exclusively to VIPs.¡± Richard accepted and opened it, finding a row of brown cigars. He picked one up and sniffed it in front of his nose, frowning slightly. ¡°This has been laced with Heavenly Hemp stems. If I remember correctly, it¡¯s meant to be hallucinogenic and to stimulate the brain to secrete endorphins.¡± S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Bob nodded, praising him, ¡°Not bad, being able to design the Magic Support Vehicle makes you an Alchemy Master. You know your alchemy materials inside and out.¡± Richard stuffed the cigar back in and pocketed the whole box. ¡°This stuff can impair judgment; I think I¡¯ll enjoy it some other time.¡± Bob smiled slightly, ¡°Don¡¯t be so serious, brother. As a Wizard, you should indulge a little more.¡± Richard didn¡¯t take the bait, asking calmly instead, ¡°There¡¯s plenty of time for enjoyment later. Brother Bob, you didn¡¯t invite me all this way just to attend an auction and show me around Paradise City, did you?¡± Chapter 289: 10: Inheritance Rights of the Chamber of Commerce Chapter 289: Chapter 10: Inheritance Rights of the Chamber of Commerce ¡°Richard, you still have the character of a battlefield,¡± Bob said, picking up his cigar and taking a puff, slowly exhaling. Behind the smoke, Bob¡¯s gaze seemed uncertain. Richard frowned again. He waved his hand, and the Wind Element in the room gathered the smoke into one place. ¡°Bob, I think we should talk another time,¡± Richard suggested. ¡°The Zealot Leaf in that cigar is messing with your brain.¡± What Bob held in his hand was the cigar he had passed to Richard, only his had a special additive. Richard took a whiff of the smoke and realized the concentration of Zealot Leaf in Bob¡¯s cigar was at least five times that of the regular one, an amount that would create intense hallucinogenic effects even in a Wizard. Richard even began to doubt whether the Nine Star Chamber of Commerce was actually holding an auction. After all, considering Bob¡¯s current state, it seemed like he had been smoking those cigars for quite a long time. ¡°No, since you¡¯ve brought it up, Richard, let¡¯s talk about it here,¡± insisted Bob, sitting upright, his gaze suddenly sharp. Richard noticed this change and furrowed his brows even more. He had developed a tolerance. Bob hadn¡¯t even done this on the battlefields of the Red Sun World, and Richard wondered what experiences Bob had gone through lately that he needed such substances to relieve the stress. ¡°Richard, you must have heard about the Nine Star Chamber of Commerce¡¯s old Chairman nearing his end,¡± Bob said. Richard nodded, relaxing his brows slightly. ¡°I¡¯ve heard.¡± Bob nodded and used a Wind Blade to snip off the tip of his cigar. ¡°Good you¡¯ve heard. In reality, the old Chairman¡¯s condition is far worse than what¡¯s been rumored. He won¡¯t last much longer.¡± Richard nodded again but remained silent. At this moment, he guessed why Bob was acting this way. Bob smirked at Richard, ¡°Normally, this kind of issue wouldn¡¯t concern someone of my level. After all, I was just middle management in the Chamber. Such matters of succession simply required me to await the new Chairman and then follow their lead.¡± With that, a hint of regret passed over Bob¡¯s face. ¡°But unfortunately, at this juncture, I¡¯ve acquired a small vein of Red Sun Crystal Iron Ore. Upon learning this, the old Chairman promptly moved me from the middle to the upper echelons and tasked me with spearheading the Chamber¡¯s efforts in Otherworld resource development.¡± Bob spoke with a tone filled with disbelief toward the end. Resource development was a lucrative position¡ªinevitable ¡°losses¡± in the process, if managed well, could translate to a significant income. ¡°And this promotion implies one thing: I have become one of the old Chairman¡¯s potential successors.¡± Richard stroked his chin, seemingly confirming his suspicions. With the old Chairman¡¯s life dwindling, the struggle for succession amongst the candidates had begun. As the contender with the shallowest foundation, Bob was likely to have the toughest time in this battle for succession. Barring any surprises, he would likely be the first to be eliminated. At this point, Richard was regretting his visit. While Bob¡¯s friendship was valuable, a power struggle for the control of the Wizard Commerce was definitely beyond the price of friendship. The conflicts between Wizards were not limited to underhanded schemes; a considerable number embraced the brutal succession method of Xuanwu Gate. If all rivals died, regardless of any will, the right of succession would surely fall to oneself. ¡°Little brother, I¡¯ve been afraid even to dive into meditation these days. My heart is in my throat all the time, fearing I won¡¯t see another day. This agony is worse than a battlefield.¡± Bob seemed like he hadn¡¯t poured his heart out to anyone in a long while. His emotion grew more intense, as if purging all the suffering he had endured recently. ¡°So what exactly do you need from me?¡± Richard asked bluntly. ¡°Our commerce doesn¡¯t offer security services.¡± Bob¡¯s attempt to involve Richard in this whirlpool of strife through the auction was irking him. ¡°No, little brother,¡± said Bob, with evident agitation, ¡°Even if we don¡¯t offer security services, you can undoubtedly save my life!¡± ¡°I can save your life?¡± Richard pointed to himself, his face confused. ¡°I had no idea I had such power.¡± Bob suddenly stood up, waved his hand, and a light screen materialized in the air. The screen displayed a dense list of names, all too familiar to Richard. ¡°How did you get your hands on this list?¡± Richard stood, looking at Bob with shock. This list contained the names of all the top-tier members of the White Wizard Army who had purchased Magic Support Vehicles. ¡°Little brother, your commerce is more attractive than you think!¡± Bob spoke somberly, ¡°Just with this list, if you¡¯re willing to vouch for me, no one will bother me. I¡¯m just a smoke bomb. The old Chairman definitely has his preferred candidate, and my promotion was merely to distract. As long as you¡¯re willing to protect me¡­¡± As he spoke, Bob tore off his Magic Pocket and handed it to Richard. ¡°All of this is yours. And if it isn¡¯t enough, I can take out loans from the Magic Essence banks.¡± Richard stared at the pocket Bob offered, contemplating whether to assist him. If Bob¡¯s words held sway as he claimed, then this favor was worth considering. With this act of goodwill, his commerce could definitely forge a strong partnership with the Nine Star Chamber of Commerce. Yet, Richard worried if saving Bob would send the wrong signal to others, potentially triggering a chain reaction. After all, from what Bob had revealed, every move of Richard Jolod¡¯s commerce was under scrutiny. Time ticked away by the second, beads of sweat continuously trickling down Bob¡¯s forehead as his gaze remained tightly fixed on Richard, hoping for an answer. ¡°I¡¯ve decided,¡± Richard suddenly clapped his hands. ¡°This favor of yours I¡­ ¡± Boom! A loud booming noise interrupted what Richard was about to say next; the spacecraft he was in jerked violently, and the transparent walls around them reverted to their original appearance¡ªcold metal. Bob yelled at the ground, ¡°What¡¯s going on, was there an accident¡­?¡± Before Bob could finish his question, a second explosion sounded. This time, the entire spacecraft¡¯s walls deformed and shattered, with metal fragments splattering like bullets throughout the cabin. ¡°What the hell is this, Bob!¡± Richard shouted, propping up a Magic Barrier. Ulysses on his shoulder had already surveyed the surrounding environment. According to Ulysses, there were at least five Second Ring Wizards casting spells around the spacecraft. And the attack they were facing was coming from them. ¡°Aren¡¯t you just a damn Smoke Bomb! How could someone attack you!¡± Bob was also dumbfounded at the moment; he was indeed a Smoke Bomb. It¡¯s not possible that the old chairman had suddenly promoted him just to pass on his seat to him, right? He hadn¡¯t even met the old chairman face to face; how could such a thing be possible? Boom! The third explosion sounded. The entire spacecraft split into pieces in an instant, and the Wizard Apprentice in the cockpit was torn to pieces by the flying debris. ¡°Damn it, Ulysses, attack! Take down all these bastards for me!¡± Richard was ignited with anger; after all, he was a Black Wizard who had fought in the Plane Battlefield. Even if he didn¡¯t have a great malice, the current situation would make a mud figure spark some rage. ¡°Ga, I¡¯ve been waiting for you to say that!¡± Ulysses, having received the order, immediately flew up from Richard¡¯s shoulder and darted towards the assaulting wizards like a bolt of lightning. At the moment, Richard was located at the boundary between the Mortal Zone and the Wizard District. The structure of Paradise City was nested: at the center of Paradise City was the Wizard District, surrounded by a transitional zone, and then the vast Mortal Zone. And in the transitional zone, where the situation was mixed, both mortals and wizards were active, so the appearance of a few wizards was not unusual. Seeing Ulysses fly towards them, a hint of disdain flashed across the corners of the attacking wizards¡¯ mouths. Thinking they could use a Magic Pet to harass and delay time, such a tactic would only affect the natives¡­ Dark Crow Claws tore through the Magic Barrier instantly and then grasped his heart with a single claw. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Ga, the first one.¡± The wizard looked unbelievingly at the black crow; how could a Magic Pet be so powerful? Could he have encountered a Master of Synthetic Beasts? The intelligence didn¡¯t mention any of this! Immediately after, this wizard saw the black crow similarly claw out the hearts of his four companions. You should know that the strongest of them was almost ready to ascend to the Third Ring! ¡°This is definitely a third-level creature!¡± the attacking wizard screamed crazily in his heart. But now, it was a bit late. Because a wizard had already appeared before them, with Rune Chains glowing with blue light drilling out of his body. Sealing Skill! The attacking wizard had the will to resist, but at this moment his heart had already been grasped by Ulysses, and the circulation of magic power in his body had fallen into chaos. Even if one became a wizard, the heart was still the starting and end point of most wizards¡¯ Magic Rebound. Losing the heart would cause a temporary loss of control over magic power. Watching Rune Chains wrap around his body, the attacking wizard felt an ice-cold chill. It wasn¡¯t just from the miserable fate he could already foresee; it also came from the coldness inherent in the Sealing Skill itself. The Rune Chains on their bodies were turning into blue frost. Soon, the sealing was complete. Richard stood in place, continuously drawing Energy from Magic Stones to replenish his Magic Power. The Sealing Skill was a major energy consumer, and casting five Sealing Skills at once, all on Second Ring Wizards who were not much different in strength from him, nearly drained Richard¡¯s internal Magic Power, along with his reserve energy. After establishing a good Magic Rebound, Richard grasped one of the wizards and temporarily lifted his sealing. ¡°Who sent you?¡± Richard asked with a murderous look. The wizard, whose sealing was lifted, glanced at Richard with his Magic Power surging within him, whether he was rebuilding his Magic Rebound or preparing to release a Spell. Clearly, he had no intention of cooperating with Richard. ¡°Not talking? No problem if you won¡¯t talk.¡± A streak of black and red light flashed in Richard¡¯s vertical pupils, and the wizard he was gazing at was instantly dragged into a nightmare. At this time, Bob also arrived next to Richard, looking at the wizard Richard was interrogating, and said: ¡°Bro, there¡¯s no need to interrogate these scum. They are a group of Mercenaries who do dirty jobs, and they all signed a Soul Contract before undertaking the mission. You won¡¯t get anything out of them.¡± Richard turned to him, ¡°Do you have any idea? It¡¯s not like a Smoke Bomb to be assassinated on the street.¡± Bob took out a Crystal Ball and handed it to Richard with a bitter smile, saying: ¡°This is a message from one of my insiders; I just received it.¡± There was a message inside the Crystal Ball. ¡°My lord, the old chairman is about to pass away, and he has designated you as the successor to the Commerce.¡± Chapter 290: 11: Building Momentum Chapter 290: Chapter 11: Building Momentum ¡°It seems your guess wasn¡¯t quite accurate,¡± Richard remarked with a cold smile as he returned the crystal ball to Bob. Bob¡¯s face was full of bitter smiles, ¡°Brother, I swear by the Sea of Souls, everything I told you is the absolute truth. I hadn¡¯t even met the old chairman before. Who could have expected the old chairman to choose me as his successor?¡± Richard didn¡¯t continue to press the matter, as brooding over these things was pointless now. These heirs had already started to resort to fighting over the position of chairman. Although according to the laws issued by the Truth Council, wizard battles outside of academy wars were forbidden. But this law was hardly enforceable and did not hold much weight. The Wizard World was vast, and the World Guardians of the Wizard World not only had to hunt down those insane wizards, prevent them from massacring the mortals, but also needed to find time for research to enhance their own combat capability. Such small-scale wizard battles, as long as they didn¡¯t occur right before their eyes, were as if nothing happened. With so many wizards in the Wizard World, the death of some non-combatant wizards was even considered beneficial for Wizard Civilization. ¡°Bob,¡± Richard¡¯s voice was as cold as the December wind, ¡°I think we can collaborate more deeply. I¡¯ve recently stockpiled a batch of alchemy ink, and I hear Nine Star Chamber of Commerce has many sales channels.¡± Seeing Richard say this, a smile instantly lit up Bob¡¯s face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, once this is successful, the sales channels of the Nine Star Chamber of Commerce will be completely open to Richard Jolod¡¯s Commerce, and your chamber¡¯s products will be sold in all stores of the Nine Star Chamber of Commerce without any channel fees.¡± Richard nodded, then gestured to bring a few wizards over to his side. ¡°Brother, have your people take care of these wizards.¡± As he spoke, Richard gestured towards several star airships that were rapidly approaching. The airships arrived beside the duo, and several black-robed wizards stepped out. One of them, a fat, bristly-haired Three Rings Wizard, gave Richard and Bob a glance and arrogantly said: ¡°Vice Chairman Bob, what is the meaning of this?¡± ¡°What does it look like?¡± Bob sneered, ¡°Can¡¯t you see? I¡¯ve been attacked at our headquarters! Aimen, you¡¯re doing a really good job as the head of security, aren¡¯t you?¡± After hearing this, Aimen feigned a sudden realization and loudly reprimanded the Black Wizards beside him: ¡°What are you all doing, allowing the vice-chairman to be attacked on our territory! You¡¯ve wasted your Magic Essence!¡± The Black Wizards bowed their heads in silence, but it was clear to anyone that Aimen was just putting on an act. This attack was not necessarily orchestrated by Aimen, but it definitely had his tacit approval or participation. Otherwise, given the security level of the Nine Star Chamber of Commerce, higher-ups would likely have been assassinated long before. Bob was probably the last to know he had been designated as the successor of the Chamber of Commerce. At present, it seems internal interest groups within the commerce had reached a temporary cooperation¡ªto eliminate Bob first. Bob¡¯s face turned ashen as he watched the scene unfold, realizing that Aimen didn¡¯t even plan to impose a proper penalty, evidently certain of his death. Richard looked at Aimen and sent a Spiritual Message to Ulysses: ¡°How long would it take to take down this fool?¡± Ulysses glanced at Aimen and confidently replied: ¡°Caw, ten seconds, no more than thirty seconds at most.¡± Upon hearing this, a slight smile curled the corners of Richard¡¯s mouth. Aimen, standing opposite him, suddenly felt a chill down his spine as if a terrifying creature had set its sights on him. ¡°Then take him down.¡± Ulysses chirped somewhat gleefully: ¡°Caw, that¡¯s fierce, not like your usual temperament.¡± Richard narrowed his eyes: ¡°If I don¡¯t show some strength, things like this will keep happening.¡± ¡°Caw, got it.¡± Aimen, looking at the somewhat unfamiliar face of the wizard opposite him, suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, involuntarily stepping back two steps. And as he took the first step back, a pitch-black crow claw suddenly appeared at the position of his heart. ¡°How dare you!¡± Aimen was horrified, not expecting anyone to dare to make a move against him in front of so many people. He was, after all, a Three Rings Wizard, and for someone to attack him at the headquarters of the Nine Star Chamber of Commerce, wasn¡¯t that seeking death? But before he could finish his threat, Ulysses¡¯s figure had already appeared before him. ¡°Caw, too much talk.¡± Saying this, a crow claw tore through the hastily erected Magic Barrier by Aimen and struck at his heart again. Aimen¡¯s body, seeing this, surged with magic power, a massive amount of magic entering his limbs and all his extremities, causing his already corpulent body to suddenly expand like a small mountain. The crow claw effortlessly pierced into his body, but due to the sudden expansion, it grabbed only a handful of fat. ¡°Caw, too greasy, you fat pig,¡± Ulysses shouted as he withdrew his crow claw, loudly mocking. ¡°Bastard!¡± Aimen¡¯s skin turned blood-red, his whole person like a piece of blood jade. He swung a punch at Ulysses with terrible force, even creating a vacuum strip in the air, causing the air to ripple like water waves. Bang! A loud bang echoed in the air. Aimen couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing. His punch, so heavy and powerful, was calmly caught by Ulysses with one claw. The pitch-black crow claw, like a pair of iron tongs, firmly grasped his fist, unmovable no matter how hard he tried. ¡°Caw, insect, got you.¡± Ulysses cackled as he reached out with his crow claw again. Facing this seemingly ordinary strike, Aimen used all the tricks he knew, a spell not less than three thousand energy levels bursting in the air like fireworks, and he tore another Space Jump Scroll after another. His body remained stuck in place, unable to move, while the black crow claw, like an unstoppable steamroller, crushed all his means of resistance. He watched helplessly as the crow claw plunged into his chest, extracting his large heart. As his heart was removed, Aimen¡¯s face went instantly pale; he watched the black crow fly to the side of the Black Wizard Bob, his lips trembling but unable to utter a single word. It was only then that he noticed the terrifying aura of murderous energy emanating from the Black Wizard beside Bob. He was definitely one of the War Wizards from the Tower of Truth who delighted in expeditions across different planes. Aimen suddenly remembered that Bob, when he wasn¡¯t commanding the resource development department, seemed to be part of the military chamber of commerce participating in plane expeditions. Bob¡¯s face stiffened as he watched this scene unfold; Aimen, as the head of security, was a genuine Three Rings Wizard who had participated in numerous plane wars in his earlier years. Yet such a formidable figure had just been subdued by Richard¡¯s unassuming pet crow. Has this world gone mad? He had always thought that the crow was Richard¡¯s Magic Pet. ¡°You are Aimen, right?¡± Aimen watched as the Black Wizard spoke to him calmly. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°You may not know, but I was also on the airship earlier. Bob invited me to attend the auction hosted by the Nine Star Chamber of Commerce, and yet this is how you welcome guests. I¡¯m not pleased about this.¡± At his words, Aimen¡¯s face paled again. He knew Bob had arranged for a VIP airship to pick up guests at the airship field, but who would have known that Bob could bring back such a ruthless figure? If he had known, he would have ensured that Bob¡¯s airship had no turbulence whatsoever and arrived at the auction smoothly. Richard, holding Aimen¡¯s still-beating heart, slowly walked up to him. ¡°Minister Aimen, I think there¡¯s an issue with how you¡¯ve handled this situation. What do you think?¡± Richard¡¯s fingers tightened slightly, and Aimen¡¯s large heart distorted slightly. Seeing this, Aimen couldn¡¯t help but wince in sympathy. ¡°I understand, I understand your point, Master,¡± said Aimen repeatedly. He turned to look at the several Black Wizards who had accompanied him, speaking angrily: ¡°You worthless things, to have such a distinguished guest attacked, you¡¯re all fired!¡± With that, the wizards felt their soul contracts with the Nine Star Chamber of Commerce being severed. The Black Wizards looked at each other in dismay, suffering the consequences of their superiors¡¯ quarrel. The small figures, merely following orders, were the ones really affected. Aimen turned back to Richard, his face adopting a flattering smile: ¡°Master, do you find this arrangement acceptable?¡± Richard didn¡¯t reply; he just tossed the heart back to Aimen and then returned to Bob¡¯s side. Aimen carefully caught his own heart, then stuffed it back into the bloody hole in his chest; his complexion immediately improved significantly. He took out a crystal ball and sent out several messages. Soon, a new VIP airship arrived beside Bob. Aimen approached Richard, opened the cabin door, and made a gesture inviting him to enter: ¡°Master, please.¡± Richard glanced at him, ¡°There won¡¯t be any more attacks, will there?¡± Aimen shook his head repeatedly, smiling obsequiously: ¡°No, no, there won¡¯t be. From now on, I will ensure your escort, guaranteeing not even a jolt.¡± Richard nodded and gestured for Bob to enter. ¡°Chairman Bob, please.¡± Bob looked startled at first, but understanding Richard¡¯s intent from his expression, he straightened his Wizard Robe and smiled at Richard: ¡°Master, you are too polite.¡± Bob walked briskly into the airship, and Richard followed closely behind. After the cabin door was closed, Aimen quickly flew to the airship he had arrived in. He took out a crystal ball that could connect to the pilots of these airships. ¡°Lead the way, and if this distinguished guest experiences even the slightest jolt, don¡¯t bother showing up to work anymore.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡­ Aimen¡¯s experience was swiftly turned into a document that landed on the desks of various potential heirs. ¡°A Black Wizard from the Tower of Truth, using only a Magic Pet, extracted Aimen¡¯s heart with ease,¡± Rother looked at the intelligence on his desk, frowning. ¡°Teacher, it seems the smoke bomb you chose is about to become the master here.¡± Rother pulled out a crystal ball from his pocket and sent two messages. Soon, a Black Wizard arrived in Rother¡¯s office. ¡°Sir, what do you need me to do?¡± Rother took out a gorgeously crafted, magnificent chairmanship badge from his pocket. On the back of the badge, a blood fingerprint was imprinted. ¡°Take this item to Roma Ha City and invite that Master over.¡± The Black Wizard¡¯s body shuddered; others might not know about Roma Ha City, but as Rother¡¯s confidant, he was very aware. That place seemed to be territory of a One Ring Wizard on the surface, but in reality, it concealed a Three Rings mad Wizard. Seeing his subordinate¡¯s lack of response, Rother¡¯s tone became a bit harsher. ¡°What, is there a problem?¡± The Black Wizard shook his head repeatedly: ¡°No problem, I¡¯ll go right away.¡± Chapter 291: 12 Single Soldier Armor Chapter 291: Chapter 12 Single Soldier Armor ¡°Mechanic Under Aimen¡¯s guidance, Richard¡¯s subsequent journey was smooth and unobstructed. Soon, the flying vehicle arrived at the center of Paradise City, in the Wizard District. As the name suggests, the Wizard District is where wizards reside, and compared to the enormous Mortal Zone, it was like the red dot at the center of a target. Within this area, a small portion of the residents were employees of the Nine Stars Chamber of Commerce, while the vast majority of the wizards were outsiders. These wizards often came to Paradise City for certain materials or specimens and did not stay long. Therefore, the population turnover in the Wizard District was extremely high. But this was not necessarily a bad thing. High turnover led to nearly unlimited possibilities. The Nine Stars Chamber of Commerce often took advantage of trading opportunities to acquire these wizards¡¯ skills and contact information. This brings us to the most important service of the Nine Stars Chamber of Commerce¡ªWizard Support. A wizard in need could spend some Magic Essence to check if any known wizards could solve their problem. If so, the Nine Stars Chamber of Commerce would charge a commission to connect the two wizards. Just like when Richard gathered knowledge about Alchemy Machines in the Red Sun World. This business was crucial for the Nine Stars Chamber of Commerce; wizards lacked most in the exchange of information, and with such a platform, even if the fees were high, it was a great benefit for wizards. Countless wizards, unable to find someone to solve their problems, had been stuck on issues for a lifetime. Such a crucial business naturally wouldn¡¯t be managed by an outsider. Before the old chairman¡¯s lamp ran out of oil, he personally commanded this department. Now as the old chairman was about to pass away, the acting head of this department was his student¡ªRother. In fact, even when the old chairman was in command, Rother had already been working in this department as the vice head. Before Bob appeared, almost everyone thought Rother would be the successor of the Nine Stars Chamber of Commerce. That Bob was alive today was also thanks to him; before the old chairman determined his successor, hardly anyone specifically targeted Bob. Because they were all busy dealing with Rother. Otherwise, the foundationless Bob would probably have turned to ash. ¡­ The most conspicuous part of the Wizard District was a white hexagonal tower at its center. Its beautiful reliefs paired with a geometrically appealing structure brought immediate mental comfort to onlookers. ¡°Is this the headquarters of the Nine Stars Chamber of Commerce?¡± Richard asked, looking at the white tower. Bob shook his head, ¡°Of course not, our headquarters are those four shorter buildings around this tower. This tower serves as our auction house and the place where some rare items are sold. The residences for VIPs are also inside this tower.¡± The auction Bob mentioned was not a hallucination embellished by him; the Nine Stars Chamber of Commerce was indeed going to hold a grand auction in three days. The highlight of the auction was the mutated Fire Lizard flesh that Richard sold to Bob in the Red Sun World. The flying vehicle stopped on a vast terrace at the top of the White Tower, Richard stepped out of the flying vehicle and entered into the tower. The level where the flying vehicle landed was a hall, and upon entering, several Puppet Servants¡ªalmost indistinguishable from any machine¡ªapproached Richard. A Mechanic Servant handed Richard a black metal badge, beautifully crafted and slightly enchanted. Bob explained from the side, ¡°This is our Chamber¡¯s VIP badge, mainly for identity recognition and for granting access to certain VIP areas. The black badge is the highest level; with this badge, there¡¯s nowhere in this tower you can¡¯t go. Any staff will do their utmost to satisfy your requests.¡± Richard nodded, ¡°Where will I be staying these days?¡± Bob smiled mysteriously, ¡°Brother, activate your badge and you¡¯ll find out.¡± Curiosity piqued, Richard used his spiritual power to probe the badge. The manufacturer had left usage instructions inside the badge; Richard followed them and infused a bit of Magic Power. Immediately, a special frequency of Magic Fluctuation emitted from the badge, and a faint white light emerged under Richard¡¯s feet. ¡°Teleportation Array?¡± Richard glanced at the carpet covering the hall floor, initially thinking it was for aesthetics, only to realize it also concealed a Magic Array. Soon, Richard¡¯s surroundings blurred, and when the view cleared, he found himself in a luxuriously decorated room. Exquisite murals, fine tapestries, and lavish Magic Lights illuminated the entire room brightly. Approaching the window, he saw clouds flowing beneath him, and the whole Paradise City was visible at a glance. ¡°The view is indeed nice.¡± Leaving the window, Richard noticed a Crystal Ball placed on the living room¡¯s table. He picked it up to examine its contents, and his expression immediately turned very strange. ¡°These wizards know how to have fun,¡± Richard murmured. The information in Crystal Ball, aside from the layout of the tower, was entirely comprised of various leisure activities. Some activities included common forms of entertainment, alongside some services that were downright slothful. What kind of wizard would opt for something like tentacle monster organ massages? Moreover, this strong electric stream mental cleansing service looked suspiciously like electrocution. Even the service props included a chair. Seeing the services provided by the Nine Stars Chamber of Commerce, Richard realized his understanding of wizards was still too superficial. This group, with their lengthy lifespans and rich imagination, pursued thrills and pleasures to incredible extents. Long years were enough to make any joy taste bland, the once delicious food now as tasteless as wax, and previously enjoyable couplings become utterly flavorless. In this process, some wizards chose to seek truth through information by endlessly exploring the unknown to keep themselves joyful. The rest pursued ever more extreme pleasures. Putting down the Crystal Ball, Richard was about to browse through the auction catalog Bob had given him to see what good items were available at the auction. But a message from his soul made him put down the catalog. ¡°O great Creator God, your people have completed a masterpiece, the Holy Armor has been crafted.¡± Richard was momentarily stunned, then he realized what Fuzzy Ball was referring to. ¡°These Fire Lizard Armors are actually done!¡± Richard marveled internally, thinking that the work efficiency driven by ideals was truly different. Over the past thirty years, with Richard¡¯s support, Fire Lizard Craftsmen in the Secret Realm had initiated the ¡°Mechanic¡± plan to create their own Holy Armor. The process of this plan was not smooth sailing, but it was at least fraught with difficulties. Neural control technology did indeed have a heritage in New World Island, but essentially, it was a biological modification technology, completely different from the Alchemy used by the Fire Lizard Craftsmen. The Fire Lizards had to transform this technology into Alchemy Technology. Besides neural control technology, there was also endless debate over Armor design. Each Fire Lizard Alchemy Master wanted to include their proudest work, but their skills were far from balanced enough to incorporate all these elements. This led to the initial design of the Armor being very cumbersome, which Richard outright rejected and demanded a redesign. Later, the Fire Lizard Craftsmen optimized several drafts, but none were satisfactory. Out of necessity, Richard went to New World Island and brought Makar into the Secret Realm to teach these Fire Lizard Craftsmen what was essential and what was supplementary. With Makar¡¯s help, the design was finally finalized. But after finalization, the Fire Lizard Craftsmen encountered technical issues. Many things seemed simple on paper, but once it came to actual implementation, there were all sorts of problems. Fortunately, there were enough Fire Lizard Craftsmen, and their skill levels were strong. They overcame these technical issues one after another through collective wisdom. When Richard last entered the Secret Realm, these Fire Lizard Craftsmen told him there was only one issue left unresolved. Now, only one month had passed, and unexpectedly, this issue was resolved so quickly. Richard entered the Secret Realm Rift. Upon entering the Secret Realm, Richard saw a majestic steel Giant Beast standing not far from him. As a Third-Level Fire Lizard, Makar was already three meters tall, and wearing this set of Armor, he was even taller by a head. His already strong body wrapped in Armor was like a wall of sighs. In Makar¡¯s right hand was a golden Chain Saw Sword, its meter-long sawtooth blade seemed capable of tearing through any defense. And in his left hand, a thick metal shield that would make any rational creature give up the thought of attacking. Seeing Richard enter the Secret Realm, Makar immediately moved towards him, aided by the Gravity Enchantment, the several-ton-heavy Makar walked on the soft ground without even leaving footprints. Yes, this Armor didn¡¯t just utilize Giant Dragon Alchemy, some functions that Giant Dragon Alchemy couldn¡¯t achieve, were substituted with Wizard Alchemy by Richard. ¡°My lord.¡± Makar knelt on one knee. The Fire Lizard Craftsmen also quickly gathered around Richard, their faces worn but excited. To complete this Armor as soon as possible, they had been working almost tirelessly these days. Calion came up to Richard, his voice filled with excitement, ¡°My Lord, we have completed it.¡± Richard nodded, slightly acknowledging the tired Fire Lizard Craftsmen. ¡°Folks, you have worked hard these days. As a reward for your labor, all staff of the Alchemy Workshop will have three months¡¯ holiday.¡± Hearing Richard¡¯s reward, a few Fire Lizard Alchemy Masters felt indifferent, but the Fire Lizard Workers who worked in the workshop rejoiced. ¡°Thank you, my Lord!¡± ¡°My lord, you truly are the embodiment of kindness!¡± ¡°My lord, I actually don¡¯t need to rest¡­¡± This was quickly interrupted, as a group of Fire Lizards pinned him down and gave him a good beating. Richard did not pay attention to these Fire Lizard Workers¡¯ performance. His reason for shutting down the Alchemy Workshop was simple, the Alchemy parts produced by these Fire Lizards were already sufficient for Richard¡¯s use for quite some time. Continuing would only take up warehouse space with no other purpose. ¡°Who can brief me on the data of this Armor?¡± Richard asked an Alchemy Master standing nearby. Sulina, holding a data sheet, squeezed next to Richard, ¡°Sir, here are the test data sheets.¡± Richard took the data sheet and immediately drew in a sharp breath. Being the Prototype, many aspects of the Armor were made without regard to cost, resulting in very high performance specifications. The Armor¡¯s protection capabilities were extremely strong; spells below four thousand Energy Levels would not cause structural damage to the armor body. And the shield he held could resist Elemental Attacks of up to six thousand Energy Levels. In terms of offense, Makar, bolstered by the Armor, could deliver two thousand Energy Levels of blunt damage with a regular punch. The Chain Saw Sword combined Demon-breaking and Cutting damage. The only downside of the entire Armor was its lack of ranged damage and too meager offensive means. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But this was Richard¡¯s issue; he had declared that he would handle the offensive weapons himself. Aside from attack and defense, the Armor had no issues with flexibility. Wearing the Armor, Makar¡¯s speed was even faster than his unarmored self. Furthermore, the Armor also had the function of concealing Qi, rendering most spiritual power probes ineffective once fully armed. One could say, as a Guard Armor, except for being expensive, it had no flaws. Richard folded the data sheet neatly and put it in his pocket, then asked Sulina: ¡°What is this Armor called?¡± Sulina looked up at Richard, her eyes seemingly sparkling, ¡°My lord, it¡¯s called ¡®Mechanic¡¯.¡± Chapter 292: 13 Auction Chapter 292: Chapter 13 Auction ¡°Mechanic¡­ alright, it is now the Mechanic Type One Single Soldier Armor.¡± Richard patted the armor and continued to ask, ¡°How long can it last in combat?¡± Calion replied, ¡°If combat mode isn¡¯t activated, the armor¡¯s current battery life can theoretically last a year. However, if combat mode is engaged, this duration will rapidly decrease. Based on our estimates, if Makar fights at full capacity, half an hour will deplete all the armor¡¯s energy and his own body¡¯s as well.¡± ¡°Half an hour¡­¡± Richard touched the armor, a slight smile lifting the corners of his mouth. ¡°Half an hour is enough.¡± Having said that, Richard addressed the group of craftsmen who had created the armor: ¡°Have you left your names on it? If not, do it quickly; I¡¯m about to take it out of the Secret Realm.¡± Hearing this, the Fire Lizard Craftsmen around Richard all revealed smiles. One Fire Lizard Alchemy Master laughed loudly: ¡°Master, you needn¡¯t worry about that. This is a prototype; how could we possibly not sign our names?¡± Richard was taken aback for a moment, then also broke into laughter. Indeed, he didn¡¯t need to worry about such things; the armor project was proposed by these Fire Lizards. It was their way of proving their capabilities. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take it out for a spin. You guys rest here in the Secret Realm; I¡¯ll bring you back to the Red Sun World in a couple of days.¡± Richard waved his hand, signaling to Makar to follow him out of the Secret Realm. Makar was somewhat nervous; until now, none of Richard¡¯s Fire Lizards had entered the Wizard World. Their understanding of the Wizard World still rested on information obtained during the war and their imagination. What kind of world could breed such terrifying creatures as wizards? Stepping out of the Secret Realm, Makar instantly felt a suffocating sensation. It wasn¡¯t that the air of the Wizard World was toxic to Makar. In fact, his full helmet was equipped with an air purification system to ensure every breath he took was completely harmless. The suffocation he felt stemmed from the energy density of the air. The high tower of the Nine Star Chamber of Commerce was no Tower of Truth. Although the energy density inside the tower was higher due to the numerous Magic Arrays, this increase was paltry compared to the Red Sun World or Richard¡¯s Secret Realm Fragments. Makar¡¯s body cells instinctively craved more energy, and the air¡¯s energy density couldn¡¯t satisfy this need, hence the feeling of suffocation. ¡°Master, is this the world you come from?¡± Makar endured the discomfort and respectfully addressed Richard. ¡°This environment is a bit¡­ too barren.¡± It was hard to imagine that such a desolate world could nurture wizards, such terrifying beings. Richard noticed Makar¡¯s discomfort and pulled out a Magic Potion from his pocket, handing it to him. ¡°Drink this, then switch the armor to sealed mode.¡± Makar¡¯s condition was quite common; to otherworldly beings, the Wizard World¡¯s low-energy environment was hellish. The stronger an otherworldly creature was, the more intense their reaction to the low-energy environment of the Wizard World. To address this condition, known as ¡°Low Magic Syndrome¡± by wizards, many Wizard Commerce had developed Magic Potions to alleviate the symptoms. Makar opened his helmet, tossing the entire bottle of Magic Potion, along with the bottle itself, into his mouth. Then he closed his helmet and, following Richard¡¯s orders, activated sealed mode. After sealed mode activated, some metallic friction sounds emanated from within the armor. Although the exterior of the armor remained unchanged, it was now completely sealed. In this state, Makar would not be able to absorb energy from the external environment; similarly, the energy emitted from his body would be trapped inside the armor. ¡°How do you feel?¡± Richard inquired. Makar¡¯s deep voice came through the armor. ¡°Master, I feel much better now.¡± Richard nodded; he had designed the closed mode and insisted that the Fire Lizard Craftsmen equip it. This idea was originally to prevent wizards from venturing into low-energy worlds, which could lead to the Fire Lizards inside the armor struggling to adapt and potentially losing combat effectiveness. However, upon receiving news of the conflict at the Academy, Richard had new ideas about this feature. The war at the Academy prohibited strategic-level Magic Equipment and the use of Slave Armies and Synthetic Beast Armies by Great Wizards. But the use of small-scale Otherworldly slaves was entirely allowed. Richard brought Makar out to see how effective the armor would be against wizards. If it proved significant, Richard would consider creating a Fire Lizard combat squad for his own security during the Academy war, regardless of the cost. After all, Ulysses couldn¡¯t enter the World Mirror. Without Ulysses, the bodyguard, Richard, a Second Ring Wizard, was hardly safe on the battlefield. Richard instructed Makar: ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re feeling better. In the coming days, keep an eye on the armor¡¯s various statuses. After we return, these data will directly influence subsequent improvements to the armor. Also, you might have a few battles to fight in the next few days, so prepare yourself in advance.¡± Makar¡¯s heart tightened as he knelt on one knee and said, ¡°Yes, Master! I will do everything in my power.¡± Richard nodded, telling Makar he was free to move about before locating the laboratory equipped in his room; he closed the door and began to continue refining his magic model. After the door closed, Ulysses suddenly spoke up. ¡°Ga, do you really intend to use him against your own kind? Your wizards have an unfriendly attitude towards these natives; if your actions are discovered, it is likely to cause a lot of trouble.¡± Richard, focused intently on converging runes, calmly said without turning his head, ¡°Without a soul contract, my actions would be considered treason, and I would be deemed a mad wizard by the Judicial Department¡¯s Law Enforcement Wizards. But with a soul contract, my actions are nothing but an Alchemy Wizard using his creation in battle. I have a soul contract with Makar, so there is no need to worry about that.¡± After speaking, Richard paused before adding, ¡°I must say, you have been taking an increasing interest in my affairs recently, which pleases me.¡± Ulysses was silent for a moment before he spoke slowly, ¡°Ga, you have great potential, and I have high hopes for you. If you continue to grow successfully, your future will be boundless¡­ I very much look forward to the day I can stand on your shoulder as a ¡®Subordinate God¡¯ to the creator Richard.¡± Richard smiled and said no more. ¡­ Three days passed in the blink of an eye, and Richard, wearing a mask over his face, appeared at the scene of the auction with Ulysses and Makar amidst a flash of white light. Bob and Aimen had already been waiting for a long time. ¡°Master, you¡¯ve arrived.¡± Seeing Richard approaching, Aimen immediately came forward respectfully to greet him. Richard shook hands with Aimen and smiled, ¡°Minister Aimen, there is no need for such courtesies. I am merely a guest; how could I trouble such a great personage to come and receive me personally.¡± Aimen, looking at the smiling face of Richard, thought to himself, Why are you acting this time? You weren¡¯t so polite when you were taking my heart that day. At this moment, Bob also approached Richard. Seeing the obviously concealment-feature-equipped mask on Richard¡¯s face, he felt slightly relieved. After escorting Richard to the White Tower, Aimen inquired about his identity, only to find out that Richard was actually one of the chairs of the renowned Richard Jolod in the Wizard Commerce circle. Upon learning this news, Aimen immediately decided to support Bob for the chairmanship and quickly suppressed the information that the Black Wizard was Richard. He only let out that Bob had brought in a formidable Black Wizard from the Tower of Truth. Otherwise, if this news was not kept a secret, the other wizards vying for the chairmanship would likely seek help from other Wizard Commerces. In such a case, no matter who the final chair would be, the Nine Star Chamber of Commerce wouldn¡¯t gain any advantage. The price of the other Commerce Wizards would definitely be much higher than Richard¡¯s demands. As the head of security for the Nine Star Chamber of Commerce, Aimen didn¡¯t care who the chair would be, but he did care about the strength of the Nine Star Chamber of Commerce. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The stronger the chamber, the more benefits he as the security chief would receive. ¡­ The attendees of this auction were all VIPs of the Nine Star Chamber of Commerce. Upon seeing two high-ranking officials from the Nine Star Chamber welcoming a single wizard, they inevitably became quite curious. Who was this masked Wizard? ¡°Has Aimen lost his nerve?¡± a Three Rings Wizard said disdainfully to the person next to him, ¡°He¡¯s been beaten once and is now groveling like this.¡± The person at his side glanced at him and spoke unhurriedly, ¡°Lost his nerve, hardly. He is making a statement.¡± ¡°A statement?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. There¡¯s a change coming to the chair of the Nine Star merchants. I heard that his designated successor is a newcomer just promoted. Aimen is making a stand for this newcomer.¡± The Three Rings Wizard exclaimed, ¡°A newcomer! Has Abalo gone senile?¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s not senile; he just refuses to face reality,¡± the other said coolly, ¡°He thinks by letting a newcomer take over the chair, he can slow down the internal strife within the Nine Star Chamber of Commerce. He hopes to spare the chamber the loss of more talents. But none of those under him would agree with that. His wishful thinking is doomed to fail.¡± ¡°Slow down the internal strife?¡± The Three Rings Wizard looked puzzled, ¡°I don¡¯t see how this is slowing down the internal strife. The newcomer can¡¯t suppress the old timers, so the strife surely won¡¯t stop.¡± The person beside him sighed, ¡°That¡¯s why I say he refuses to see reality. We¡¯ve both known Abalo for so many years, just think about it a little and you can see what he¡¯s thinking.¡± The Three Rings Wizard was taken aback and said angrily, ¡°Are you saying I don¡¯t think?¡± ¡°Cough cough, don¡¯t waste time. The auction is about to start, let¡¯s get inside.¡± Chapter 293: 14 Star Vengeful Ghost Power Furnace Chapter 293: Chapter 14 Star Vengeful Ghost Power Furnace The auction venue was a huge circular hall, with massive Crystal Magic Stone Lamps illuminating the entire hall brightly. One side of the hall featured the auctioneer¡¯s platform, and the remaining half was filled with elaborately decorated chairs. Richard entered the hall, but he did not sit down in the chairs of the hall. Aimen led the way ahead of him and soon brought him to a private room. From the room¡¯s window, the whole auction hall could be seen at a glance. ¡°Master, as a VIP of the Nine Star Chamber of Commerce, you naturally do not need to bid against others below. This is your private room, if you are satisfied with this room, it will be yours exclusively whenever you attend auctions held by the Nine Star Chamber of Commerce.¡± Having said that, Aimen gave Richard an apologetic smile, then left the private room. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He had come merely to show his presence, as security work was naturally of utmost importance during auctions held by the Nine Star Chamber of Commerce. There were many places he had to inspect to prevent any mishaps. In the private room, Richard and Bob were seated. Compared to Richard¡¯s composure, Bob seemed somewhat restless. ¡°Bob, old friend, what¡¯s got you so flustered?¡± Richard flipped through the auction catalog, asking with his head lowered. Bob took out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from his forehead. ¡°Little brother, you haven¡¯t reached my position. These past couple of days, I¡¯ve been unusually calm, which is so out of the ordinary. Those old fellows who have the qualifications to compete for the chairman position are definitely planning some scheme right now. Right now, it¡¯s as if there¡¯s a knife hanging over my head.¡± Richard closed the auction catalog, his expression calm as he said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to fear, old friend Bob. This battle, in the end, is still a contest of strength between you all. Trust me, unless they invite a Great Wizard or a Wizard World Guardian to support them, they won¡¯t stand a chance against you. You should actually be more arrogant now. You are suffused with confidence, why fear a bunch of losers doomed to fail?¡± Hearing Richard¡¯s slightly arrogant speech, Bob forced a bitter smile, offering no rebuttal. After all, at his core, he was a businessman, lacking the ruthlessness that Richard, as a Black Wizard, had honed on the battlefield. ¡°Little brother, what do you think of these auction items?¡± Bob changed the subject. ¡°¡­To be honest, looking at your auction catalog, I feel like I need to seriously brush up my knowledge in natural history.¡± Richard held the auction manual, his tone humorous and playful. The majority of items in the manual were things Richard had never even heard of, an array of strange and curious oddities from other worlds, leaving Richard unable to catch a breath. ¡°Hahaha, don¡¯t mention you, little brother, even those old Alchemy Wizards who have lived for thousands of years. They, too, find things they don¡¯t recognize at auctions of this caliber.¡± Bob laughed as he took out a new auction catalog from his pocket and handed it to Richard. Looking at it, Richard found this new auction catalog contained detailed appraisal reports for many of the items. These reports were many times better than the simplistic introductions in the other auction manual. ¡°This is our internal material; you can take a look, little brother.¡± Richard browsed for a while, then suddenly noticed an item on one of the pages which he hadn¡¯t seen before. ¡°Why isn¡¯t this auction item included in the public catalog you distributed?¡± Richard pointed at the manual, the page¡¯s content showing an irregular polyhedron covered in strange patterns. The appraisal result indicated an unknown power source, capable of outputting the energy of a standard Magic Stone every minute, with its duration unknown. ¡°Oh, that one,¡± Bob looked at the page Richard had opened and explained, ¡°That item was added in at the last minute; a Three Rings Wizard acquired it for a hefty sum while trading with a Star Realm creature. But he couldn¡¯t figure it out, and recently he amassed a huge amount of debt, so he had no choice but to auction this item.¡± Richard nodded, ¡°I see.¡± But just as he was about to turn the page, Ulysses¡¯s voice suddenly rang in his ear. ¡°Gah, wait, don¡¯t turn the page yet. Why does this thing look so familiar to me?¡± Familiar? Richard was momentarily taken aback¡ªUlysses¡¯s Gods Civilization was incredibly distant from the Wizard Civilization. Apart from some high-grade materials, Richard had never seen Ulysses recognize an item from the Wizard World before. ¡°Gah, this thing looks so much like the Star Vengeful Ghost Power Furnace produced by the Deceitful Great World.¡± Hearing Ulysses actually come up with something similar took Richard aback with incredulity. ¡°How can the Wizard World have items from your Gods Civilization, considering how far apart our civilizations are? Even if it was exchanged from a Star Realm creature, it couldn¡¯t possibly be something from your side, right?¡± Ulysses stared at the picture in the manual for a long time, eventually saying with some uncertainty: ¡°Gah, I can¡¯t be sure. The distance between the two civilizations is indeed too vast. Let¡¯s see what the actual object looks like later. If it truly is a Star Vengeful Ghost Power Furnace, then it would be of great use to you. In our world, this power furnace is famously reliable; many tools akin to your Magic Equipment rely on this thing for energy. However, the Star Vengeful Ghost Power Furnaces I¡¯ve seen were never this small. The smallest I¡¯ve seen was as big as you, able to hold three hundred and sixty Powerful Ghosts, providing enough power to drive a standard Flying Ship.¡± Dong dong dong. A series of pleasant bell chimes suddenly sounded. Richard closed the auction catalog, his gaze shifting to the auction platform below. A white-haired old man wearing a white Wizard Robe emerged from backstage and slowly ascended the auction platform. Chapter 294: 14 Star Vengeful Ghost Power Furnace_2 Chapter 294: Chapter 14 Star Vengeful Ghost Power Furnace_2 ¡°This is our Chief Auctioneer, Master Brown, a soul, an Alchemy Dual-School Wizard, particularly skilled in the field of Alchemy, especially Natural History. He can identify all sorts of strange and rare items. And in the area of Soul Studies, his major is¡­¡± ¡°Charm,¡± Richard interrupted. ¡°He had a very approachable feel the first moment I saw him, which makes one can¡¯t help but want to befriend him. Honestly, I find such wizards annoying; they can influence our perceptions.¡± Richard said as he frowned at Bob: ¡°Can such a wizard really be your chief auctioneer without any wizards complaining about his spells?¡± Bob grinned sheepishly, ¡°Well¡­ there have been complaints. But since Master Brown always manages to fetch the highest prices, we just let those complaints go. Plus, Master Brown is very discreet; he only casts Mind Suggestions, which are far from manipulating the mind.¡± On the auction stage, Brother first exchanged pleasantries with a few old customers to warm up the atmosphere. Then he promptly presented the first auction item¡ªa beautifully crafted Silver Wand. ¡°This is today¡¯s top item, a Elemental Enhancement Wand crafted by Master Ekrol, made from a low-purity secret silver alloy with a ten-centimeter diameter elemental crystal ball mounted on the tip. The wand enhances Four Elements Magic up to a thousand energy levels, making it a rare high-quality wand. Starting bid, five thousand Magic Essences, does any master want to bid¡­ five thousand five hundred Magic Essences; Master Thirty-Five bids five thousand five hundred Magic Essences.¡± The auction, hosted by the Nine Stars Chamber of Commerce, featured items impressive enough to be centerpieces at lesser auctions. After Brown finished detailing the wand, wizards in the hall immediately began to bid. Soon, the price of the wand, enhancing all attributes by a thousand energy levels, had soared to ten thousand Magic Essences. Richard, in the room, was also greatly keen on this piece. Undoubtedly, it was a fine wand. If he could win it, he would not just acquire the wand itself but also the artisanship behind it. Even without the technique, a wand that could enhance Four Elements Magic by a thousand energy levels was an urgently needed item for Richard, about to enter the Academy Wars. ¡­ After reaching ten thousand Magic Essences, the bidding pace of wizards in the hall considerably slowed. It wasn¡¯t long before the price of the wand stalled at eleven thousand five hundred Demon Crystals. ¡°Eleven thousand five hundred Demon Crystals, does any master wish to bid further? This wand can enhance the power of Four Elements Magic by a thousand energy levels, a top-grade item among wands¡­ Twelve thousand Demon Crystals! Guest number twelve bids twelve thousand Demon Crystals!¡± Brown nodded slightly towards the guest rooms on the second floor of the auction hall, and the wizards in the hall also followed Brown¡¯s gesture with their gazes. At the window of the guest room, a masked wizard in a black robe was holding a sign. ¡°Twelve thousand Demon Crystals, twelve thousand Demon Crystals, does any master wish to bid? If not, then this fine wand crafted by Master Ekrol will belong to guest number twelve.¡± The hall was silent. Brown slammed down his auction gavel, smiling and nodding at Richard: ¡°Congratulations to guest number twelve for winning this fine wand crafted by Master Ekrol.¡± Bob, sitting next to Richard, somewhat puzzled, asked: ¡°Brother, aren¡¯t you an Alchemy Wizard? Don¡¯t Alchemy Wizards really dislike using wands crafted by other wizards?¡± For an Alchemy Wizard, making a magic wand is a basic skill. An Alchemy Wizard who can¡¯t make a good magic wand would be laughed out of town. ¡°Alchemy necessitates learning from a variety of sources. I¡¯m not deeply versed in the creation of magic equipment, so looking at the Master¡¯s work should help me progress in alchemy.¡± Richard found a casual excuse and then returned to his seat. According to the order of the auction manual, none of the next items were of much use to him. Items came up for auction one after the other but compared to the fiery competition for the first magic wand, these items seemed rather lackluster. Even so, none of the items sold for less than seven thousand Magic Essence. As the items were auctioned off one by one, it soon came to lot number thirty-nine that Richard was interested in. ¡°Lot thirty-nine, a mysterious object made by a creature from the Otherworld. This item comes from a distinguished guest of our Chamber of Commerce who joined us at the last minute, and it was not mentioned in the previous auction manual. I must apologize for this.¡± Brown bowed slightly to the many customers and then began to introduce this special item. ¡°The owner of this item is a Three Rings Wizard, and its origin is quite mystical. Our guest was researching an ancient ritual when he accidentally communicated with a distant Otherworld creature. In that communication, he spent no less than five thousand Magic Essence to obtain this item from that Otherworld creature. If he were not currently deep in debt, I believe he would never have put this item up for auction.¡± Instead of describing its capabilities, Brown focused on telling its backstory while presenting lot number thirty-nine. To those in the know, this was a very clear signal. If not for the story behind it, the item wouldn¡¯t have a selling point. An Otherworld creation that loses one Magic Stone¡¯s worth of energy per minute might find buyers at a general auction with the hope of finding a bargain. But at a top-tier auction hosted by the Nine Star Chamber of Commerce, where countless superior items are available, no one would waste their money on something with unknown uses. As Brown expected, after he finished introducing the item¡¯s capabilities and price, not a single Wizard raised their paddle. Wizards have limited funds, and at this auction where the starting price was five thousand Magic Essence, no one wants to be the fool. After a brief silence, Brown turned his gaze to the upper tier of private booths. At this moment, only these distinguished guests might place a bid. ¡°Is there a distinguished guest willing to bid on this item, an artifact even a Three Rings Wizard couldn¡¯t fully research, which definitely harbors great secrets?¡± As his gaze swept over each private room, he was met with continued silence. While the guests were wealthy, they were no fools. Who would spend five thousand Magic Essence on such an item? Even the Nine Star Chamber of Commerce¡¯s appraiser could only provide such a basic appraisal, lacking any additional selling points. Most likely, they would end up using it as a mere decorative piece. Decorative items for five thousand Magic Essence were a luxury only a Great Wizard could afford. The room fell silent once again. ¡°Well, it seems the esteemed masters aren¡¯t too fond of this item. I am regretfully going to announce¡­¡± S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But just as Brown was about to declare the item unsold, a paddle suddenly caught his eye. Brown¡¯s face brightened slightly, and his voice was a bit louder than usual. ¡°Guest number twelve bids five thousand five hundred Magic Essence!¡± Chapter 295: 15 Fishing Chapter 295: Chapter 15 Fishing Richard stood by the window, silently raising his bid sign. Just seconds before, Ulysses had confirmed that the item up for auction was the very Star Vengeful Ghost Power Furnace he had encountered previously. ¡°What a surprise, those ghost craftsmen masters have actually created something new after all these years.¡± Ulysses watched the Star Vengeful Ghost Power Furnace on the auction stage, unable to resist exclaiming. Richard glanced at him and asked casually, ¡°Why, isn¡¯t it normal for craftsmen to improve things?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. You have no idea how rigid the creatures that make this thing can be,¡± Ulysses explained. ¡°The Star Vengeful Ghost Power Furnace comes from the Monster World¡¯s deceitful ghost craftsmen. Those ghost craftsmen are innate rule creatures, with lifespans that are nearly eternal, so their thinking is extremely stiff. I¡¯ve been dealing with them for three or four epochs, and I¡¯ve never seen them come up with anything new.¡± ¡°Eternal life?¡± exclaimed Richard. ¡°Are there such unreasonable races in this world?¡± ¡°Nearly eternal,¡± Ulysses corrected. ¡°The lifespan of these ghost craftsmen is bound to the Deceitful Great World. As long as the Deceitful Great World doesn¡¯t perish, they won¡¯t die. The lifespan of a great world can practically be called eternal compared to us creatures. Secondly, this nearly eternal life is not without a price. The individual number of ghost craftsmen is set. Only when one ghost craftsman chooses to die will a new ghost craftsman be born in the Deceitful Great World. Moreover, these ghost craftsmen cannot leave the Monster World throughout their lives; the World Barrier is for them an insurmountable wall of sighs. With that coupled with their eternal life, they are practically imprisoned. It¡¯s just that their prison is a bit larger.¡± After listening, Richard sighed and thought to himself that nothing good in this world comes for free. Everything granted by fate had a price set in secret. ¡°Guest number twelve bids 5,500 Magic Essence; does any Master wish to bid higher?¡± Brown surveyed the entire hall; all the wizards remained motionless. ¡°Very well, then this treasure will go to¡­ Guest number thirty bids 6,000 Magic Essence!¡± Just as Brown¡¯s auction hammer was about to fall, someone from one of the private rooms suddenly chose to bid. Richard looked toward the thirtieth guest room to his opposite left, where a wizard wearing a mask stood by the window holding up a number card. ¡°Who is this person?¡± Richard frowned slightly and turned to ask Bob. Bob shook his head: ¡°I¡¯m not sure; the thirtieth private room doesn¡¯t have a fixed guest. The complete list of bidding wizards is in Rother¡¯s hands; I only have a part of it.¡± Richard rubbed his eyebrows, not understanding why the wizard opposite wanted to compete with him. Had he also recognized the origin of this item? But regardless, since he wanted to compete, Richard was ready to go all the way. Richard picked up his bidding sign and raised it again. Brown on the auction stage immediately announced, ¡°Guest number twelve bids 6,500 Magic Essence.¡± The wizard in room thirty looked toward Richard. Although he wore a mask, Richard could clearly feel that the wizard held a bitter malice toward him. Richard found the gaze to be distasteful; the wizard looked at him as if he was a lamb waiting to be slaughtered. ¡°Bob, check out the wizard in room thirty. I think he must be an assistant hired by one of your opponents.¡± Bob was startled by the remark, then immediately got up and left the room. ¡°I¡¯ll check it out right away.¡± ¡­ In room thirty, Rother leaned back in his chair, speaking unhurriedly, ¡°Master Levi, why bother competing with him? Once you¡¯ve dealt with him, won¡¯t this item still be yours?¡± Levi, standing by the window, turned to look at Rother. ¡°I really want this item, so I don¡¯t want to take risks. What¡¯s the matter, you can¡¯t afford the price?¡± Levi¡¯s voice was as hoarse as that of an evil ghost from hell; as he spoke, streams of black qi flew out of his mouth, like resentful souls, swirling continuously around the room, emitting faint screeches. ¡°It¡¯s not that I can¡¯t afford it; it¡¯s simply unnecessary.¡± Rother stood up from his chair and bowed slightly to Levi. ¡°If Master desires it, I can have the back end hold onto the item and give it to the Master after you¡¯ve taken action. Please, Master, refrain from bidding.¡± Levi looked at Rother as if he were looking at a dead man. He hated to be refused. But currently, he had a Soul Contract with the boy and couldn¡¯t take action against him. This made him quite uncomfortable. He regarded Rother for a long time before finally speaking coldly, ¡°Then do as you wish. But remember, I owe you only this favor.¡± Rother stood up straight, his demeanor proper, ¡°Rest assured, Master, I will remember this.¡± After speaking, Rother quickly exited the room, and the moment he closed the door behind him, his expression instantly darkened. He leaned against the door, trying to calm himself down. Inside his chest, his heart was pounding like a drum. Sharing a room with a mad Three Rings wizard, Rother was far from as relaxed as he appeared. He casually touched the inner lining beneath his wizard robe, finding it soaked with cold sweat. Soon, a black-robed wizard approached Rother and said in a low voice, ¡°My lord, Bob¡¯s men have started investigating Master Levi¡¯s identity.¡± Rother stood up straight, his face returning to calm. ¡°Feed them some false information.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The black-robed Wizard responded and swiftly departed. Rother straightened his Wizard Robe and its inner lining before proceeding in the opposite direction of the corridor. Just before leaving, he turned back to look at VIP Room number thirty. He murmured in a low voice, ¡°Madman, once you¡¯re done with your business, Paradise City will be your grave!¡± ¡­ After Richard made his second bid, Levi didn¡¯t bid again. Thus, Richard naturally won the Power Furnace. Richard looked curiously at room number thirty, muttering to himself, ¡°Just one bid, was it really just a spur of the moment?¡± Richard pulled the curtains shut and sat back down in his chair. The rest of the auction had nothing to do with him. One after another, items were auctioned off. Following the Star Vengeful Ghost Power Furnace, Brown auctioned off hundreds of items. The auction items ranged from specimens of creatures from Otherworlds to special ores that had been exhausted from mining, truly encompassing everything. Richard even saw Secret Realm Fragments up for auction. Although the area of that Secret Realm Fragment was much larger than the one Richard had initially obtained, spanning three square kilometers, the quality was not as good as Richard¡¯s. Even so, the final bid for this fragment reached thirty thousand Magic Essence. That price instantly made Richard understand why several Wizards had been so surprised when they had acquired a Secret Realm Fragment years ago. Black Tower Great Wizards are indeed spending lavishly. As the auction progressed, it soon reached the end. The mutated Fire Lizard flesh that Richard had sold to Bob was the grand finale, and its appearance immediately set the entire auction house ablaze. Over two-thirds of the Wizards from the Three Rings had been attracted by this piece of flesh. A piece of Flesh, emanating Life Radiation higher than third-level, yet not reaching forth level. For those Three Rings Wizards, it was more tempting than a fragment of the rules. Because it contained the terrifying secret of breaking through to become a Great Wizard. In the Wizard World, knowledge about breaking through to become a Great Wizard was closely guarded, and a Three Rings Wizard must be selected by the Tower of Truth and sign a non-disclosure agreement with the Tower of Truth if they wish to obtain breakthrough knowledge. Although there are other ways to gain this knowledge, those paths are no less difficult than this one. And this is still just knowledge; whether Wizards can break through to become Great Wizards after getting that knowledge is still an unknown. Such demanding conditions naturally mean that a large number of Three Rings Wizards are stuck at the level of third-level creatures, slowly watching themselves approach the end of their lives. So, faced with something that might let them glimpse the secret to becoming a Great Wizard. Their rational brains naturally started boiling over. Richard watched these Three Rings Wizards frenetically bid and silently left the VIP room. Shortly after his departure, a Wizard informed Levi in room thirty about Richard¡¯s exit. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°He¡¯s gone? Alright, I got it.¡± Levi waved impatiently, his eyes locked onto the blue Flesh on the auction stage. If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that the Three Rings Wizards present were enough to instantly blow him away, he would have charged the stage for a zero-cost acquisition. Ordinary Three Rings Wizards might be sifted by the Tower of Truth, but the mad Wizard wouldn¡¯t even have the chance to be filtered. Watching the bids rapidly escalate, Levi angrily pulled the curtains and left the room. ¡°After this matter is settled, I¡¯ll have that Rother kid give me the info on the Wizard who bought this piece of Flesh.¡± ¡­ After leaving the auction house, Richard didn¡¯t return to his room in the White Tower but instead wandered around the Wizard District. Because of its closed mode, Makar, a third-level creature, walked beside Richard, looking no different from an Alien Magic Statue, attracting no attention from the other Wizards. It¡¯s quite normal for an Alchemy Wizard to have a Guard Magic Statue. The Wizard District wasn¡¯t large, and Richard soon finished walking through it. After completing his tour of the Wizard District, Richard immediately headed toward the transition area. It seemed he intended to wander through the entire Paradise City. Thousands of kilometers above Richard¡¯s head, a powerful Magic Pet eagle was silently monitoring his every move. Rother, sharing the eagle¡¯s vision, muttered to himself, ¡°He¡¯s heading to the transition area. Truly the ace up Bob¡¯s sleeve, skilled and bold.¡± He knew very well that Richard was fishing for a response. Upon entering the transition area, Richard suddenly looked up at the sky, then gestured with his hand. Rother recognized the gesture; it was a common combat signal among the White Wizard Army¡ªmeaning to take action. ¡°Heh, quite confident in his own strength,¡± Rother sneered, then instructed his subordinate to send Richard¡¯s coordinates to Levi. ¡°I really hope you¡¯re still so arrogant when you see a Three Rings mad Wizard.¡± ¡­ Within the transition area, Richard lowered his head and released his right hand to start examining the map. As an Apprentice who had used Magic Pets for scouting, Richard had noticed Rother¡¯s tactics the moment he left the White Tower. ¡°Hope it¡¯s quick.¡± Richard eyed the map, not lifting his head as he quickly walked toward a marked spot. This location was an empty area that Richard had asked Aimen to prepare. Within this area, there were no Nine Star Chamber of Commerce Wizards. If someone wanted to make a move, this spot would be the perfect place. Soon, Richard arrived at the designated area. He looked around, somewhat bored, and said to himself, ¡°These guys are really slow; I¡¯m still waiting to go back and settle the final payment.¡± But he didn¡¯t notice that behind him, a figure emerged silently from the shadows. Chapter 296: 16: The Fish Took the Bait Chapter 296: Chapter 16: The Fish Took the Bait Levi thought the world must have gone mad. As a Three Rings mad wizard, Levi had been identified as a mad wizard by the Judicial Department from his days at the One Ring. But with extraordinary vigilance and incredible luck, Levi had advanced from the One Ring to the Three Rings. In this process, he had killed Black Wizards, White Wizards, War Wizards of the Tower of Truth, and Law Enforcement Wizards of the Judicial Department. These wizards¡¯ methods were varied and filled with all sorts of bizarre and mysterious spells that were hard to defend against. But Levi had survived them all, and those wizards had become the nourishment that allowed him to progress further. Levi considered himself, in terms of battling wizards, to undoubtedly be a master. But today, his belief was somewhat shaken. ¡­ Thud! A massive metal square shield blocked the shadows in front of him. The black Dark Corrosive Energy Arrows sputtered against the large shield as if they were merely water pistols. Levi looked at the Iron Giant blocking his path, a trace of disdain flashing through his mind. Just a Guard Magic Statue, he had seen plenty of these, and there were many ways to break them. The next moment, Levi¡¯s body suddenly melted into a shadow and then split into five identical clones. These five clones looked the same, had the same stature, and even the Magic Fluctuations emanating from their bodies were exactly the same. And this was the simplest and most practical method Levi had discovered for dealing with Guard Magic Statues. After all, the Alchemy Golems were not human; they lacked true thinking capabilities. When multiple targets with the same attributes appeared simultaneously, its rudimentary thinking module would fall into chaos and then trigger a self-check. And this method was effective against any Alchemy Golem, no matter how advanced its thinking module; falling into confusion was inevitable. It was just a matter of how long the self-check took. The five Levis simultaneously sneered, and five different spells were released at once. Space Anchor! Human Immobilization Technique! Shadow Chains! Soul Shock! And then¡ªDeath Finger! A black light streaked across the space, and the corners of all five Levis¡¯ mouths curled into a smirk. Space Anchor restricted Richard from using the Space Jump Scroll, Human Immobilization Technique could temporarily control any human-shaped being, Shadow Chains completely restricted Richard from dodging, while Soul Shock scrambled Richard¡¯s use of spells in defense. Finally, Death Finger, with its probability of instant death, finished him off. This set of procedures would mean certain death even for elite Law Enforcement Wizards from the Judicial Department. But just as Levi was about to collect his spoils and flee the scene, He found that Richard, who should have been dead, was looking at him with an almost smiling expression. ¡°This procedure is nice, efficient, and quick; I¡¯ve learned something.¡± And on his shoulder, a green-eyed black crow mocked him. As a forbidden spell from the Undead School, Death Finger possessed some characteristics of Curse Magic. As long as the spell hit, any being below the Forth Level would likely die instantly. And the probability wouldn¡¯t change regardless of the target¡¯s strength. If one wished to increase the instant death probability, a substantial slaughter of the target¡¯s race was required. Although wizards and mortals hardly seemed like the same species, they indeed were of the same race. And as a mad wizard, Levi had killed countless mortals. But unfortunately, this type of spell had no effect on beings above the Third Level and did not possess tracking abilities. Ulysses shifted slightly, rendering the Death Finger utterly useless. ¡­ Levi¡¯s heart sank, thinking he had encountered a tough nut to crack. He had never seen a wizard who could withstand his combination without any harm. But soon, there was one more thing he had never seen. ¡°Makar, you take care of this guy. Don¡¯t worry about how much noise you make, just go ahead,¡± S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Richard finished speaking, and before Levi could act, Richard along with Ulysses disappeared from the spot. Levi¡¯s pupils shrank, and he was stunned for a moment. His Space Anchor was still in effect; had this wizard invented a Space Magic that could ignore Space Anchors? Had the world gone mad? But before Levi could think further, a buzzing golden Chain Saw Sword swung towards him. Levi did not dodge; a solid Magic Barrier immediately appeared in front of him. ¡°An automatic magic statue? Doesn¡¯t seem like it. A Curse Magic Statue? No, that technique has already been classified as a mad wizard¡¯s technique¡­¡± Levi looked at Makar, his mind flashing through various Magic Statues he had encountered before. As long as he could identify the technology of this Magic Statue, he would have a corresponding plan to counter it. But within a few seconds, while Levi was contemplating, his pupils shrank again, and his body transformed back into a shadow. The next moment, the Chain Saw Sword slashed through him. Levi flickered, reappearing in a patch of shadow not far away. ¡°What kind of monster is this, with such strong demon-breaking effects.¡± Levi frowned tightly; this Guard Magic Statue¡¯s weapon had a powerful demon-breaking effect, seemingly specially tailored. In mere three seconds, his Magic Barrier, which could defend against four thousand units of Elemental Damage, was shattered. Makar quietly watched the black-robed wizard opposite him, the roaring of the Chain Saw Sword momentarily paused. The Chain Saw Sword was a big energy user. To save energy, Richard, along with a group of Fire Lizard Craftsmen, modified the Chain Saw Sword slightly, installing a trigger-like switch. If one did not press the switch, the Chain Saw Sword would not operate. ¡°No, you¡¯re not a magic statue.¡± Chapter 297: 16: The Fish Took the Bait_2 Chapter 297: Chapter 16: The Fish Took the Bait_2 Through the completely enclosed metal helmet, Levi caught a whiff of something unusual. The magic statue was too intelligent, and its flexibility was far too great. Makar did not answer, but silently switched the chain saw sword¡¯s mode, and then activated the armor¡¯s battle mode. In the next instant, Levi¡¯s hair stood on end, and he immediately turned his body into a shadow again. But this time, his shadow trickery failed. ¡­ ¡°Shadowing as a tactic, how could the Pioneer¡¯s weapons not have a countermeasure?¡± From within the shadows¡¯ crevices, Richard mockingly laughed at Levi, who had half his body sliced off by Makar¡¯s sword. Space anchors, although useful, were not good enough for someone like Ulysses who had mastered the rules. To restrain Ulysses, one would need a rule-level space anchor. ¡°Gaah, I must say, the thing these fire lizards came up with isn¡¯t half bad.¡± Ulysses, watching Makar pursue Levi, couldn¡¯t help but express his appreciation. ¡°Your decision to take in these fire lizards was indeed wise, no, astoundingly smart.¡± Richard smiled somewhat proudly: ¡°The fire lizard race does not suffer from any innate intellectual deficiencies, and the truth is open to all beings.¡± Gathering talents from among the fire lizards was absolutely the best decision he had made in the Red Sun World. As for the armor at present, it might have taken him thousands of years to design it on his own. And a third-level creature like Makar would never submit to him to become a slave in the conventional sense. A right decision had brought him unimaginable wealth. ¡­ In the Material World, Levi desperately dodged the chain saw sword¡¯s serrated blade. He looked at Makar in horror. This iron giant seemed to anticipate his every move, always arriving a step ahead to wherever he tried to dodge. And that buzzing chain saw sword, it was like it had been developed specifically for wizards. Whether he turned to shadow, became elemental, or tried to withstand with a magic barrier. None of these methods were effective against the chain saw sword. Across from him, Makar took his steps with leisurely ease, toying with Levi like a cat with a mouse. He was now testing as much data about the armor as possible¡ªif he had been serious, Levi would already be dead. Before serving under Richard, Makar was a member of Morick¡¯s Shield Execution Department. This organization, tasked with dealing with black wizards behind the lines of the Fire Lizard Empire, didn¡¯t see less action than the fire lizards at the front. And as an elite member of the execution department, countless wizards had died by Makar¡¯s hand, among them Three Rings Wizards. These black wizards, who were active in the Plane War for years, had far more combat experience than Levi, who was nothing more than a cornered rat. Compared to these truly ruthless individuals, Levi¡¯s abilities were simply negligible. Indeed, wild wizards like Levi, aside from their talent in combating other wizards, had no particular strengths to speak of. Once a wizard survived their initial onslaught, any war wizard of the Tower of Truth could easily kill them. A wizard who is always on the run from law enforcement wizards, so frugal with magic stones¡ªhe couldn¡¯t possibly have the combat strength of wizards who regularly participate in the Plane War and are rich in resources. Boom! As Levi dodged, he crashed into a house. Inside, a person devoid of magic power was trembling and watching him. A look of joy came over Levi¡¯s face, and an idea immediately struck him. Rumble rumble rumble¡­ Makar¡¯s blade once again closed in on Levi, but this time, the blade came to a hard stop in midair. In front of the blade, an ordinary person with a pale face stared at Makar. ¡°What a despicable Wizard, using one of his own kind as a shield.¡± Holding the ordinary person hostage, Levi cackled as he glared at Makar. ¡°Ha ha ha, I knew it, you couldn¡¯t attack an ordinary person. You definitely couldn¡¯t lay a hand on an ordinary person!¡± As he spoke, suddenly, a dozen Dark Corrosive Energy Arrows appeared beside Levi, each one aimed at Makar¡¯s joints. As a mad Wizard, he was very clear. No matter what the thing opposite him was, as long as it had a humanoid form, the joints would surely be weak points. If he could just destroy the joints, then he could¡­ Bang! Suddenly, a sea of blood red filled Levi¡¯s vision. An iron fist flew past the hostage and smashed his head to pieces. Although his theory was correct, in front of a four-thousand Energy Level elemental defense, the three-thousand Energy Level Dark Corrosive Energy Arrows would at most add a bit of rust to the Armor. Makar caught the hostage, who had already wet himself, with one hand, and with a quick touch to his waist, a ten-centimeter long metal nail appeared in his hand. With a forceful throw, a dozen nails shot like bullets into Levi¡¯s body¡ªby this point, Levi was so dazed from the blow that he didn¡¯t even react to defend himself against the nails. These were Forbidden Magic Nails, and once they pierce the body, they would completely stop the Wizard¡¯s energy from circulating. Soon after, Richard appeared beside Levi, casually casting a Sealing Skill to completely neutralize him. Richard took out a Crystal Ball and pressed a few spots on it, speaking in a light tone, ¡°It¡¯s settled, although it was a bit loud, the other guys probably wouldn¡¯t dare to make a move. Come over and take care of this guy.¡± After speaking, Richard began inspecting the condition of his Armor. ¡°Not bad, not bad at all. Worthy of being an elite of Merrick¡¯s Shield, after equipping properly, killing a Three Rings Wizard is as easy as slaughtering a chicken.¡± S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Listening to Richard¡¯s praise, Makar felt a strange sense of incongruity. To be complimented by a Wizard for efficiently killing Wizards. Such a scenario would be unimaginable even for a madman decades ago. Shortly thereafter, several spherical flying devices arrived beside Richard, and Aimen was the first to step out. Looking around at the surroundings, he joked, ¡°Master, you¡¯ve made quite a stir here.¡± Makar¡¯s battle with Levi had torn up half a street, even exceeding the bounds Aimen had set. Otherwise, Levi wouldn¡¯t have been able to take a hostage. Aimen had evacuated all nearby residents before fishing for their target. Richard patted Makar on the back with a bit of pride, saying, ¡°The main thing was testing out the creation.¡± Saying this, Richard pointed to Levi lying not far away and said calmly, ¡°The man is over there; you see how you want to deal with him.¡± Aimen gestured, and a few black-robed Wizards approached Levi, ready to wrap things up. But before they could begin, a streak of light shot across the sky and heavily crashed next to Levi. Richard narrowed his eyes; this streak of light was a Wizard, and not a weak one at that. Arriving here at this time, perhaps¡­ The Wizard who appeared abruptly straightened out his Wizard Robe, then took a scroll from the pocket at his waist. As he opened the scroll, all the Wizards present lowered their heads slightly. He then shouted loudly, ¡°I am Law Enforcement Wizard Calord, who sealed ¡®Derek the Butcher¡¯?¡±