《The Bizarre Wizarding World》


 Chapter 1 - 1 Hometown

    The sun dipped westward, and the orange-yellow light gradually grew weaker.


    After a while, the feeble light disappeared entirely, leaving only the pitifully pale moon in the sky and the sporadic lights on the island.


    On the southern slope of the island sat the stone house near the main entrance of the Lap Wizard Territory.


    The apprentices were in class.


    This was a spacious stone house, with ten long wooden tables made from raw logs neatly placed on the wooden floor.


    In front was a huge fireplace decorated with pebbles, and a high-legged brown lectern.


    The instructor in front of the lectern was a middle-aged man with a full beard, clad in a gray wizard robe, speaking at a leisurely pace,


    "¡­The essence of advancing as a wizard is the continuous growth and sublimation of the spirit¡­"


    Under the lectern, scattered about, sat more than forty apprentices, listening attentively to the lesson.


    They were both males and females, all sitting on their own brought fur seat cushions, wearing wizard robes of the same style as the instructor.


    However, the instructor''s robe was more elaborate, and the triangular badge on his chest differed from their dark iron color, shining a bright golden yellow.


    "¡­It''s about time."


    After a while, the bearded instructor finished a section. He glanced at his pocket watch and crisply announced, "Class dismissed."


    He then closed the hefty black book in his hands, tucked it under his arm, and stepped towards the door.


    But soon, as if he remembered something, he stopped, turned around to survey the apprentices, paused, and said,


    "For the next three months, there won''t be any monthly classes, nor will there be daily tasks¡­ I suggest you make your preparations early."


    His words scarcely faded when he left without dragging his feet, with a sweep of his left hand, extinguishing the Bright Crystals hanging from the brown ceiling.


    The soft white light abruptly vanished, replaced by the cold moonlight creeping in from the windows, adding a faint glow to the now darkened room.


    But the moon''s efforts were in vain; the room remained shrouded in darkness, where only the rustling noises of packing things and barely discernible sighs existed in the silence.


    "Friends!" a long-haired youth suddenly broke the silence, snapping his fingers.


    Flames burst abruptly from the tip of his right-hand index finger.


    Illuminated by the faint light, he slowly rose to his feet and surveyed the surrounding apprentices.


    Among the apprentices, some ignored him, some sneered, but most turned to look at him.


    "Nearly ten years ago, we all boarded a giant ship and were brought to this island by a Lap Wizard," the long-haired youth began slowly.


    He swept his gaze around then looked at a petite blonde girl and said, "Erica, that year you had just turned six, the youngest among us."


    The girl seemed somewhat shy; under everyone''s gaze, she smiled timidly.


    The long-haired youth smiled back at her and then pointed to himself, "I was ten that year, the oldest among us."


    Then he shifted his tone, "But even as the oldest, I''ve spent nearly ten years of my life, a full half, living together with all of you!"


    "We''ve attended classes together and studied witchcraft. Although we''re not related by blood, our relationship¡­"


    "Hmph!"


    At this moment, a boy with brown curly hair and slightly dark skin at the back right suddenly let out a scoff, rolled up his seat cushion, and left on his own.


    The long-haired youth paused for a moment, then as if he hadn''t seen it, continued,


    "¡­our relationship is even stronger than that of brothers and sisters!"


    "The last three months are here, and I expect that everyone present feels the same as I do, harboring little hope of advancing¡­"


    Although the long-haired youth seemed unaffected and continued to speak passionately,


    the brown-haired boy had set a precedent, and subsequently, more than a dozen others left one after another.


    Colin was also among them, quietly walking out of the wooden house, shouldering his backpack and rubbing his head which had been aching all day.


    His memory was still a chaotic mess, and right now, he just wanted to return as quickly as possible to the stone house where he used to live to properly sort through his recollections.


    In fact, had it not been for the severe punishment for missing class, he would not have left the stone house at all today.


    "Colin!"


    As he determined his bearings and prepared to leave swiftly, a clear female voice called out to him from behind.


    Colin turned around without betraying any emotion, his gaze met by a beautiful girl with golden hair and green eyes.


    Her satin-like golden short hair just reached her chin, slightly fluffy, and her pale face was adorned with green eyes like amber.


    Confused memories interwoven in his mind, relying on the short-haired young man''s address to her he just heard inside, and some fragmented recollections of the original owner of the body, Colin recognized her.


    "Erica."


    He responded in the way the original owner would have.


    Erica nodded her head and walked toward Colin, her eyebrows slightly furrowed as if she was thinking about something.


    "Let''s go," she whispered after reaching Colin''s side, and then continued walking forward.


    After a few seconds, she turned her head back, looking at Colin with confusion, "Why are you still standing there?" S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I''m coming," Colin said with an awkward smile, catching up to Erica.


    Erica didn''t notice anything amiss and, seeing him follow, continued thinking to herself.


    The two walked side by side on the gravel path.


    Colin remained expressionlessly calm, but his mind was incessantly pondering.


    ''Erica... what exactly is her relationship with the original owner? Why is she walking with him in silence... Could she be his girlfriend? But judging by the traces in the original owner''s home, he was clearly a bachelor...''


    Although he had crossed over nearly a day ago, his memories were still somewhat chaotic, seeming to need some more time to assimilate and sort out. Regarding the girl in front of him, all he could remember was a name.


    Colin felt a slight irritation in his heart and rubbed his aching head. To avoid giving himself away, he kept silent, waiting for Erica to speak first.


    They continued to walk in silence on the gravel path, and although there were no streetlights or flashlights, the moon''s clear light was sufficient to see everything in front of them.


    The scene made Colin involuntarily think of the nights spent in the countryside when he was a child in his previous life, when the moonlight was just as pristine.


    Yes, when the moon was bright at night, one didn''t need any lights to see things clearly... he had almost forgotten.


    Hometown, now as distant as his childhood.


    "Colin... what are you planning to do?" Erica suddenly asked.


    ''Planning? What plan?'' His mood of homesickness was abruptly broken, and Colin was taken aback upon hearing her words.


    After pondering for a moment, he vaguely answered without revealing anything, "Planning... what else can I plan, just the same as before."


    Erica nodded her head, as if understanding something, then changed the subject:


    "I wonder how many people Charlie can gather after his speech... But what you said before was right, the weak banded together are still weak. I don''t have high hopes for them. It''s not that easy to get by in the gathering places outside..."


    She ran her fingers through the wisps of hair beside her ear, fell silent for a moment, and then continued, "I''m planning to make a trip to the Dark Forest."


    ''The Dark Forest.''


    Colin paused, some sparse memories that he had related to that information.


    The Dark Forest was to the north of the entire wizard settlement, a black jungle filled with opportunities but extremely dangerous.


    For a Basic Level Wizard Apprentice, going there was tantamount to suicide.


    He didn''t reply.


    But Erica suddenly asked:


    "Colin, you have a way to advance, right? You''ve been shutting yourself away recently..."


    Colin fell silent, his heart chilled.


    ... He couldn''t remember anything.


    But Erica glanced at the silent him, forced a smile, and continued, "Don''t worry, your secret is yours to keep... Wizards, who doesn''t have secrets? I''m not interested in it. I just want someone to talk to."


    "... Do you still remember Ryan?" After a pause, she continued speaking.


    Perhaps it was because he heard Erica say "Ryan," or maybe his memory reception was nearing its conclusion.


    Colin''s mind, like a freshly unsealed jigsaw puzzle of chaotic memories, began to sort itself out, slowly forming into complete recollections.


    "... I remember," after a while, Colin slowly began speaking, his voice strangely hoarse, "That''s our hometown."


    He was gradually remembering.

 Chapter 2 - 2 Secrets

    The cold moonlight shone down.


    On the gravel path, a boy and a girl walked side by side, their dark shadows swaying behind them.


    "Yes, our hometown..." Erica said, feeling somewhat emotional.


    About ten years ago, in the capital, Ryan, of the Holy Flame Kingdom, she and Colin had their wizard talents detected together. Along with other qualified children from various cities and nations, they were taken to this island by a mysterious and powerful wizard from the Lap School.


    Ten years... had just passed by.


    "I really don''t know if there will ever be a chance to return." Erica lifted her head to gaze at the pure white moon, her golden hair slipping from her youthful and pale face, softly cascading behind her head.


    "...There will be a chance." Colin replied softly, his face somewhat pale as he was concentrating on digesting his memories.


    Hearing this, Erica forced a smile, assuming that Colin was just comforting her. There were too many incalculable dangers at sea, and one could not return to Ryan without becoming an Official Wizard.


    "Do you miss Ryan, Colin?" She continued her questioning while looking at the moon.


    "I miss it." Colin nodded slightly, exhaling softly; he finally felt relief, and his head no longer ached.


    He lifted his gaze to the moon, which was exceedingly similar to that of his previous world, and added, "...Very much so."


    Ten years ago, the original host had been just over seven years old, born into a middle-class family with parents who loved him, and a two-year-old sister.


    In his memories, just like Erica, the original host had always missed Ryan very much.


    And he... missed Earth now.


    Even though he had only crossed over not long ago, the homesickness was much more intense than any homesickness he''d experienced on Earth when away from home.


    The gravel path beneath his feet, the Blackstone buildings beside him, the seemingly familiar moon above... everything was unfamiliar.


    He clearly and explicitly recognized that he was now in a foreign land, separated by who knows how many parallel universes...


    As for Erica and the original host, they actually didn''t have any special relationship; they had not even known each other back in Ryan.


    It was only later, because they both came from Ryan and naturally felt close because of their identities, coupled with living in neighboring stone houses in the Wizard Territory, that they now could be considered familiar friends.


    Erica had come to him because it was on the way back to the stone house where they both lived.


    "Colin... If it''s possible, I want to ask you for a favor." Erica withdrew her gaze from the moon and turned toward Colin, her golden hair sliding with gravity, once again covering her delicate ears,


    "If... I mean, if you become an Official Wizard later and return to Ryan, I hope you can send my regards to my parents..."


    Meeting Erica''s expectant gaze, Colin''s lips moved slightly, as if he wanted to explain something, but in the end, he simply nodded.


    After walking for a while, Colin spoke up:


    "Dark Forest... it''s too dangerous, even if you can''t advance after three months, it''s only a matter of living in the gathering areas outside, there''s no need..."


    "But then there will be no hope of ever going home!"


    Erica crinkled her nose, cutting off Colin''s words,


    "On this entire island, only the Lap School has Official Wizards, and only Lap School has the capability to train new Official Wizards...


    Moreover, staying with the School, even if you can''t become an Official Wizard, there''s still hope to return to Ryan with the School''s recruitment fleet which sets sail every five years."


    She sighed again and continued: "If I become a Wild Wizard out there, there will be no hope left.


    You know, once the assessment is over, we''ll no longer have the School''s protection, and those peripheral Wild Wizards have long been forming alliances.


    For basic level Apprentices like us... it''s hard enough to even stay alive, let alone attempt anything else."


    A look of despondency spread across Erica''s face as she said softly, "...Other than trying my luck in the Dark Forest, I have no other options, Colin."


    Colin remained silent, realizing that Erica had thought things through very thoroughly.


    The original host had been no different, after all. Erica had considered the same things he had... they both missed home in the same way.


    "I have no other options, I can only try my luck in the Dark Forest!" Erica repeated, her calm tone revealing her determination as if to encourage herself. Then she added:


    "Anyway, I won''t be like Annie, selling my body in order to stay at the School."


    At this, she couldn''t help but shudder.


    Colin, too, reflexively felt a wave of discomfort as the image of Annie''s hands and feet, replaced with several gray-black slimy tentacles, flashed through his mind.


    For a wizard, selling one''s body was a literal transaction, and not just in that sense.


    Even if they encountered a slightly nicer Advanced Apprentice, it was still a futile amusement, a loss far outweighing any gain.


    The two walked in silence for a while longer, and soon, they arrived at the residential area.


    The residential area for Basic Level Apprentices was segregated on the outermost western side of the entire School, forming a square region scattered with hundreds of individual stone houses.


    The stone houses they lived in were on the far left of the entire area, with Colin''s being even closer.


    As they arrived in front of the stone house where Colin lived, they both stopped.


    After a moment of silence, Erica spoke up,


    "Colin¡­"


    Boom!!


    Suddenly, a violent explosion accompanied by an eerie scream came from afar, interrupting Erica.


    Erica and Colin reflexively covered their ears and looked towards the direction of the sound.


    Over the wooden fence encircling the Lap Wizard Territory, at the foot of the mountain on the outer edge of the Wizards'' gathering place, an eerie green light glowed like a mist.


    The next second, an invisible transparent Spiritual Light came from the very center of Blackstone Castle at the top, just in time to envelope the entire Wizard Territory. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Colin took a few deep breaths to calm himself; the scream from afar was too eerie, and merely hearing it made him feel dizzy and nauseous.


    Fortunately, with the activation of the Protective Shield, although the scream still existed, it no longer had the eerie nauseating effect.


    "I wonder what sort of ghostly thing it is this time¡­" Erica muttered as she gazed at the green light.


    Colin was silent, a chill inexplicably rising in his heart as the distant green flames reflected in his azure eyes.


    He knew he was in the safest part of the entire Lap Wizard Territory on the island, and that the green light would be dealt with by the wizards of the Guard Team, but still, he felt a bit cold.


    ...That was probably the shock to the soul from a peaceful world upon witnessing the passing of life.


    "I wonder how many will die this time¡­" he whispered softly.


    Erica chuckled, no longer paying attention to the distant green flames, and turned to look at Colin, saying, "¡­You didn''t use to think like this."


    "Is that so." Colin tensed internally, reverting to emotionless, and responded without showing any change.


    "You used to only mock with a comment like, ''Death is simply because of weakness; and to be weak is to err!''" Erica teased, but then her expression sank again.


    "¡­You''re right¡­ to be weak is to err."


    Colin inwardly sighed, the embarrassment of recalling the previous owner''s melodramatic statements quickly fading away.


    For a moment, he didn''t know how to continue and could only maintain his silence.


    Power was the rule of this world... What would have been ridiculed as melodramatic in his previous life had here become the truth.


    "Let''s not talk about this, I plan to go to the Dark Forest tomorrow morning." Erica smiled and hesitated for a moment before continuing, "No matter what secrets you have, but if the day really comes, please remember my request... Greet my parents for me."


    She looked at Colin with eyes like amber, seemingly accumulating fog within their depths.


    Colin''s lips moved slightly, but in the end, he just silently watched Erica enter the adjacent stone house.


    ''The original owner had no secret that could help in advancing¡­'' he shook his head and opened the wooden door behind him.


    From the beginning, he wanted to explain to Erica, but after hesitating for a long time, he still hadn''t said a word.


    He understood that even if he told her, Erica wouldn''t believe it.


    And if she believed it, Erica would suffer even more.


    He could see that Erica''s trip to the Dark Forest was with the resolve of facing certain death.


    He even felt that Erica probably knew that the original owner didn''t have any secret that could help in advancing.


    She was merely seeking to place a hope on him¡­


    Colin walked into the house and locked the wooden door. Upon turning around, under the moonlight, he saw a huge, ruined pattern on the floor smeared with some unidentified blood.


    Seeing this pattern, he sighed again.


    "The original owner had no secret that could help in advancing¡­


    It was just a ritual that cost him his life."

 Chapter 3 - 3: 3 sheets of Golden Paper

    The pattern on the floor was in shambles, barely recognizable as its original four-pointed star shape.


    The traces of dried blood on it, under the moonlight, showed a dark, blackish red.


    Colin sat down by the bed, his thoughts drifting back to the early morning hours, just over a dozen hours ago¡ª


    ...the rough stonewall, the fireplace built of cobblestones, the open wooden window, the fresh bloodstains visible at his feet under the moonlight, and him sitting on the bed with a pale face, holding his head and looking around him...


    ¡ªThat was the scene just after he had first arrived.


    Before his transmigration, he was just your average corporate drone. Single, he had just bought a house this year with the help of his family and had financed a car as well; although his job was mundane, it was at least relaxed and stable...


    All things considered, life was bland yet happy.


    He had never imagined he would end up transmigrating!


    Colin snapped back to reality and leaned backward, letting his body fall onto the bed.


    Thud.


    But immediately, he sat up again grimacing in pain.


    He had forgotten that this was no longer his own soft, big bed.


    This was nothing more than a hard, cold wooden bed.


    Feeling unexplainably irritable inside, he abruptly rose from the hard and cold wooden bed, pacing over to the window and looking up at the moon above that was incredibly similar to the one from his previous life.


    Although the weather was fine tonight, there were still some clouds drifting in the sky, wavering around the full moon with the night breeze and being tinged with a pristine silver.


    It was a long while before he finally calmed down, stomping his feet and shaking his hands, warming his hands and feet that had been chilled by the early spring breeze.


    Before long, feeling the blood flow to his limbs, he slowly went over to the wooden table beside the bed and bent down to extend his right index finger.


    Hiss.


    There was no lighter, nor any magical props.


    Merely stretching out a finger, stirring up his spirit, and calling upon Magic Power, a flickering flame suddenly emerged on his fingertip.


    Colin stared at the flame dancing in his hand, his expression slightly startled, the beautiful azure blue of his pupils flickering with the flame, filled with an indescribable emotion.


    ''Apprentice trick¡ªthe Ignition Technique... true supernatural power...''


    After a while, he lit the oil lamp and extinguished the flame on his fingertip, preparing to start cleaning up the mess left by the original inhabitant.


    In the morning, he had been busy rushing to class and only managed to hastily wipe the floor with his foot before hurrying out, without even bringing his lunch; the floor was still a tangled mess.


    The stone house where the former inhabitant lived was a standard single room for Basic Level Apprentices, uniformly constructed by the Lap School.


    The size was neither too large nor too small, about fifty square meters, rectangular in shape¡ªwith a washroom and a kitchen on either side of the entrance hall, followed by the bedroom, and further in, a Quiet Room of about ten square meters for meditation.


    And it was beside the bed that the former inhabitant had drawn the ritual pattern, taking up almost half of the entire bedroom space.


    Scattered across it were various ritualistic items that would probably take a lot of effort to clean up.


    Fetching a broom from the washroom, Colin was ready to sweep the floor first.


    ''Disjointed bones... discard, ordinary cobblestones... throw away, crystals... keep, ...'' he cleaned up the floor swiftly.


    ''This is...''


    After a while, his actions abruptly stopped.


    He reached out towards a pure black orb, whose material was indiscernible, placed in the center of the ritual pattern.


    A wave of confusion filled his heart as this object did not exist in the former inhabitant''s memory.


    His slenders hand slowly approached the black orb, pausing just before touching it.


    ''This isn''t Earth... everything requires extra caution.''


    Colin inwardly commented, intending to retract his hand and find something more suitable to handle it with.


    But a sudden chill took him by surprise, emanating from his right hand!


    Colin''s eyes widened as the egg-sized black orb transformed into a mysterious mist, crawling over his hand which he hadn''t had the chance to withdraw yet, gradually spreading across his body.


    He staggered to his feet, raising his arm to watch the eerie black mist spread rapidly across his body, terror filling his eyes.


    Forearm, shoulder, chest¡ªin a flash, the mist had enveloped everything below his head!


    Then, as though the mist had found its target, it converged and rushed up towards his head.


    Whoosh!


    A buzzing filled Colin''s head, and he swayed, collapsing onto the bed.


    ........


    The next morning, the sky was faintly lit.


    Bang bang bang!


    A regular knocking came from outside the stone house,


    But Colin, lying on the bed, twitched his eyelids slightly, yet did not awaken.


    After the knocking continued for a while with no response, it gradually ceased.


    Zzt-zzt¡ª


    A second later, a brown envelope was pushed through the gap under the door. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The robust parchment paper made a slight scraping sound against the floor, and the red-blue gradient wax seal was firmly affixed at the mouth of the envelope, with a pattern of intertwined flames.


    Some time after, amidst the faint rustle of writing, a piece of paper followed and was stuffed next to the envelope.


    Then came the gradually fading sound of footsteps.


    The sun slowly rose from the horizon, gilding the jewel-blue sea with gold. Before long, the morning light peeked through the cracks of the wooden window, spilling onto the wooden floor, then slowly shifted, climbing up the bed to shine on Colin''s pale face.


    After a while, Colin''s slender eyelashes fluttered slightly, and he finally slowly opened his eyes.


    The sunlight was harsh, and he instinctively squinted, raising his right hand to shield his eyes.


    Then, as if he remembered something, he suddenly sat up, stood beside the bed, and looked around, then raised his hands, stretching them out, carefully observing them.


    His palms were pale and full, his arms long and healthy, without any excess hair or several additional tentacles, and upon checking his entire body... everything was normal.


    Colin let out a long sigh.


    A strange feeling lingered in his mind,


    After hesitating for a moment, he followed the feeling and willed a thought.


    Tiny pale golden particles abruptly appeared before him, eventually coalescing into a square Golden Paper.


    Colin''s eyes widened.


    The Golden Paper was densely covered with many bizarre yet aesthetically pleasing black lines.


    For some reason, these lines inexplicably reminded him of the black sphere from last night.


    And this Golden Paper...


    A thought struck him suddenly: ''Wasn''t this the craft I bought from an antique market in my past life?!''


    ''...Could this be my golden finger?!''


    The changes continued, and the bizarre black lines on the Golden Paper suddenly writhed and twisted.


    In no time, they transformed into a few lines of text he was most familiar with.


    [Name: Colin Leonard]


    [Rank: Basic Level Wizard Apprentice (53/100)]


    [Meditation Method: Apprentice-level Circulation Meditation (78/100)]


    [Witchcraft: Ignition Technique (87/100); Condensing Water Skill (68/100); Light Brightness Skill (41/100)]


    [Limit Breaking Points: 0]


    Two more pieces of information came simultaneously¡ª


    Before the limit, every practice must lead to progress.


    After the limit, the Limit Breaking Points can be used to break through the limits and continue to improve.


    His heart thumped uncontrollably, and Colin breathed deeply for a while, then seemed to think of something and stretched out his right hand.


    Hiss.


    An orange flame flickered at his fingertip, and then it was extinguished.


    Colin lowered his hand and exhaled, willing the Golden Paper to appear once more.


    The pale golden particles gathered, and the black text emerged again.


    His gaze quickly swept down, and in the witchcraft column, an ¡ü symbol appeared behind Ignition Technique before gradually fading away, returning to 87/100.


    Colin felt a rush of joy; though the progress of Ignition Technique had not changed, he could distinctly feel improvement... the consumption of Magic Power seemed to have decreased slightly, and the flame seemed a bit more stable.


    "Every practice must lead to progress, huh..."


    His heart pounded violently, and no amount of deep breaths could ease it.


    He quickly walked to the wall, pushed open the window, and the bright light made him squint momentarily. Once adjusted, he allowed his gaze to travel into the distance.


    Illuminated by the sunlight, the vast blue sea shimmered into the horizon, with flocks of white seabirds skimming low over it, emitting shrill cries.


    A breeze carrying the scent of the sea gently brushed his face, and amidst the refreshing sensation, he finally started to calm down.


    The appearance of the Golden Paper had dispelled much of the oppressive gloom that had lingered in his heart.


    This world was too dangerous!


    Strange rituals, an unfamiliar world, a three-month deadline, the eerie green flames from the gathering place last night...


    Now... he finally had something to rely on.


    ''But it''s not yet time to relax.'' He breathed out a foul breath, invigorated his spirit, and strode towards the Meditation Room, ready to make a careful plan for what to do next!


    Click.


    The next second, Colin halted in his tracks, puzzled, he lifted his foot, and underneath was a white seashell he had crushed.


    Having fainted in the middle of cleaning last night, the place was still in disarray.


    He pondered for a moment, then bent down to pick up the broom on the ground.


    "...I should clean up here first, to prevent anyone from discovering traces of the ritual."


    Then he touched his stomach, deciding to get something to eat after cleaning.


    After all, he hadn''t eaten anything since yesterday.


    Colin withdrew his gaze from the kitchen, ready to sweep the floor.


    But the next second, he looked up again at the doorway.


    A brown envelope and a white piece of paper lay quietly beneath the wooden door.


    The slight breeze that wafted through the gap between the door and the floor made the white paper flutter slightly.


    Colin frowned slightly, dropped the broom, and walked towards the door.

 Chapter 5 - 5 Magic Crystal

    "It must be because the Limit Breaking Point isn''t enough," Colin concluded after careful thought.


    On the Golden Paper, the ¡ü right after the limit of the Ignition Technique appeared more solid and was surrounded by a faint blue glow.


    In contrast, the ¡ü of the Meditation Method looked somewhat ethereal and also lacked the blue outline of light.


    Colin reached into the inside of his clothing and pulled out a gray cloth purse, fetching the last Magic Stone he had left and holding it in his hand.


    But soon, he released his grip, hesitant in his mind,


    "What if I absorb the last Magic Stone and it''s still not enough for the Limit Breaking Point?"


    He rose anxiously and stepped out of the Meditation Room to a window that faced the sea.


    The sun was setting, the world was dim, with only a few yellow glimmers left, signaling the coming of night.


    Leaning against the window, he pondered for a long time before finally putting the Magic Stone back into the cloth purse and then walked over to the wooden cabinet beside the bed.


    If using this Magic Stone wasn''t enough, earning new ones afterward would be difficult.


    He dared not gamble and prepared to take a more secure path, keeping the Magic Stone as capital for now.


    The cabinet wasn''t very big, and it took Colin a little while to sort through the contents.


    In the end, aside from some worn and miscellaneous items, the only things of value were¡ª


    a "Sunlight Breathing Technique," a "General Basic Witchcraft for Apprentices," and an "Introduction to Basic Level Magic Crystal Making."


    The "Sunlight Breathing Technique" was bought by the previous owner years ago from an old apprentice at the market, who claimed it could enhance ''that'' ability.


    Of course, the reason for the purchase wasn''t to enhance ''that'' capability.


    He primarily bought it because during that period, practicing the Knight Breathing Method was very popular among the apprentices.


    And since the book was cheap, he decided to get it.


    Regrettably, after trying for a long while, the original owner hadn''t even reached the beginner level and just threw it into the cabinet to gather dust.


    "General Basic Witchcraft for Apprentices" was bought even earlier at a bookstore run by the School.


    After learning a few witchcraft techniques for daily life, the original owner also set it aside.


    The owner had poor talent, which was evident in all aspects, including learning the basic knowledge of wizards.


    Wizard''s cultivation isn''t something that can be achieved overnight; it requires learning a vast amount of basic knowledge.


    Previously, apart from meditation, the owner''s days were spent pondering the newly learned knowledge, leaving no time for learning more witchcraft.


    It was only in the past two years, having mostly mastered the basic knowledge, that he had some spare time, but that too was invested in trying to advance his realm. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After all, if one cannot advance to Intermediate Apprentice within ten years, they would be expelled from the School.


    Moreover, with accommodation, food, and safety hardly a concern within the School, the owner had naturally chosen to focus entirely on advancing in realm.


    As for the last book, "Introduction to Basic Level Magic Crystal Making," that was precisely the safer route Colin was looking for!


    The previous owner had only bought the book recently, intending it to be a skill to make a living with after being kicked out of the School, but he later stumbled upon a bizarre ritual that could supposedly help him advance.


    So, he discarded the book.


    After all, who would prefer to venture outside to a gathering place if they could stay within the School?


    Unfortunately... the ritual had failed, and it cost him his life.


    Colin picked up the introductory book on making, opened it in his hands, and flipped through it.


    His plan was simple; he wanted to see if he could learn to make Magic Crystals in a short time using the Golden Paper.


    If he could, he would use the remaining Magic Stone to buy raw crystal materials and then make and sell Magic Crystals for more Magic Stones.


    If not, he would look for other alternatives.


    The pale yellow cover of "Introduction to Basic Level Magic Crystal Making" was slowly opened¡ª


    "Crystals, found near Magic Stone Veins, are naturally perfect carriers of Magic Power... thus Magic Crystals came into existence."


    This was the opening quote, mainly giving a brief introduction to the origin of Magic Crystals.


    Starting from the second page, it''s all substantial content; the first third is about selecting crystals, followed by more than ten different types of specific Magic Crystal making methods.


    The moon rose, and the shimmering sea displayed a silver-white path of light.


    Under the lamp, Colin read through the whole book word by word and then slowly closed it.


    Perhaps thanks to the Golden Paper, or perhaps because his talent exceeded that of the original owner, after reading the entire making manual, he encountered no points too obscure to understand.


    With a glint in his eye, he decided to strike while the iron was hot and start practicing Magic Crystal making right away.


    Luckily, because of the ritual, the original owner had left behind more than twenty crystals, which would serve as raw materials.


    Colin stood up with the book, took the crystals from the desk, and entered the Meditation Room to sit cross-legged.


    After carefully flipping through the book and pondering for a while, he decided to learn to make Bright Crystals.


    Bright Crystals are mainly used for illumination, especially indoors, being much brighter than oil lamps, odorless, and without the risk of causing fire, and they also last quite a while.


    Even the worst Mixed Crystals used for making Bright Crystals could usually be charged at least thirty times, with each charge providing about three hours of lighting.


    Therefore, there was significant demand for Bright Crystals in the market.


    Furthermore, among the few witchcraft techniques the original owner learned, one was the Light Brightness Skill.


    Although the Light Brightness Skill is very different from making Bright Crystals, they share a common essence, and choosing it might save some time.


    Without needing to meditate and adjust his state or light calming incense, Colin grasped a crystal and began crafting.


    According to the book, one must first mold Magic Power into a specific shape and slowly infuse it into the crystal at a special frequency.


    Time quietly slipped by; he either erred in shaping the Magic Power or in changing the frequency.


    However, with the Golden Paper, he felt improvement after each failure.


    Finally, after roughly an hour, he managed to successfully inject Magic Power into the crystal.


    After completing this step, the next was to etch a Magic Model into the crystal with Magic Power and establish a witchcraft circuit.


    Colin held his breath and carefully constructed the Magic Model with Magic Power.


    This step was unlike the first; a mistake here would cause the crystal to shatter and be ruined.

 Chapter 5 - 5 Magic Crystal

    "It must be because the Limit Breaking Point isn''t enough," Colin concluded after careful thought.


    On the Golden Paper, the ¡ü right after the limit of the Ignition Technique appeared more solid and was surrounded by a faint blue glow.


    In contrast, the ¡ü of the Meditation Method looked somewhat ethereal and also lacked the blue outline of light.


    Colin reached into the inside of his clothing and pulled out a gray cloth purse, fetching the last Magic Stone he had left and holding it in his hand.


    But soon, he released his grip, hesitant in his mind,


    "What if I absorb the last Magic Stone and it''s still not enough for the Limit Breaking Point?"


    He rose anxiously and stepped out of the Meditation Room to a window that faced the sea.


    The sun was setting, the world was dim, with only a few yellow glimmers left, signaling the coming of night.


    Leaning against the window, he pondered for a long time before finally putting the Magic Stone back into the cloth purse and then walked over to the wooden cabinet beside the bed.


    If using this Magic Stone wasn''t enough, earning new ones afterward would be difficult.


    He dared not gamble and prepared to take a more secure path, keeping the Magic Stone as capital for now.


    The cabinet wasn''t very big, and it took Colin a little while to sort through the contents.


    In the end, aside from some worn and miscellaneous items, the only things of value were¡ª


    a "Sunlight Breathing Technique," a "General Basic Witchcraft for Apprentices," and an "Introduction to Basic Level Magic Crystal Making."


    The "Sunlight Breathing Technique" was bought by the previous owner years ago from an old apprentice at the market, who claimed it could enhance ''that'' ability.


    Of course, the reason for the purchase wasn''t to enhance ''that'' capability.


    He primarily bought it because during that period, practicing the Knight Breathing Method was very popular among the apprentices.


    And since the book was cheap, he decided to get it.


    Regrettably, after trying for a long while, the original owner hadn''t even reached the beginner level and just threw it into the cabinet to gather dust.


    "General Basic Witchcraft for Apprentices" was bought even earlier at a bookstore run by the School.


    After learning a few witchcraft techniques for daily life, the original owner also set it aside.


    The owner had poor talent, which was evident in all aspects, including learning the basic knowledge of wizards.


    Wizard''s cultivation isn''t something that can be achieved overnight; it requires learning a vast amount of basic knowledge.


    Previously, apart from meditation, the owner''s days were spent pondering the newly learned knowledge, leaving no time for learning more witchcraft.


    It was only in the past two years, having mostly mastered the basic knowledge, that he had some spare time, but that too was invested in trying to advance his realm. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After all, if one cannot advance to Intermediate Apprentice within ten years, they would be expelled from the School.


    Moreover, with accommodation, food, and safety hardly a concern within the School, the owner had naturally chosen to focus entirely on advancing in realm.


    As for the last book, "Introduction to Basic Level Magic Crystal Making," that was precisely the safer route Colin was looking for!


    The previous owner had only bought the book recently, intending it to be a skill to make a living with after being kicked out of the School, but he later stumbled upon a bizarre ritual that could supposedly help him advance.


    So, he discarded the book.


    After all, who would prefer to venture outside to a gathering place if they could stay within the School?


    Unfortunately... the ritual had failed, and it cost him his life.


    Colin picked up the introductory book on making, opened it in his hands, and flipped through it.


    His plan was simple; he wanted to see if he could learn to make Magic Crystals in a short time using the Golden Paper.


    If he could, he would use the remaining Magic Stone to buy raw crystal materials and then make and sell Magic Crystals for more Magic Stones.


    If not, he would look for other alternatives.


    The pale yellow cover of "Introduction to Basic Level Magic Crystal Making" was slowly opened¡ª


    "Crystals, found near Magic Stone Veins, are naturally perfect carriers of Magic Power... thus Magic Crystals came into existence."


    This was the opening quote, mainly giving a brief introduction to the origin of Magic Crystals.


    Starting from the second page, it''s all substantial content; the first third is about selecting crystals, followed by more than ten different types of specific Magic Crystal making methods.


    The moon rose, and the shimmering sea displayed a silver-white path of light.


    Under the lamp, Colin read through the whole book word by word and then slowly closed it.


    Perhaps thanks to the Golden Paper, or perhaps because his talent exceeded that of the original owner, after reading the entire making manual, he encountered no points too obscure to understand.


    With a glint in his eye, he decided to strike while the iron was hot and start practicing Magic Crystal making right away.


    Luckily, because of the ritual, the original owner had left behind more than twenty crystals, which would serve as raw materials.


    Colin stood up with the book, took the crystals from the desk, and entered the Meditation Room to sit cross-legged.


    After carefully flipping through the book and pondering for a while, he decided to learn to make Bright Crystals.


    Bright Crystals are mainly used for illumination, especially indoors, being much brighter than oil lamps, odorless, and without the risk of causing fire, and they also last quite a while.


    Even the worst Mixed Crystals used for making Bright Crystals could usually be charged at least thirty times, with each charge providing about three hours of lighting.


    Therefore, there was significant demand for Bright Crystals in the market.


    Furthermore, among the few witchcraft techniques the original owner learned, one was the Light Brightness Skill.


    Although the Light Brightness Skill is very different from making Bright Crystals, they share a common essence, and choosing it might save some time.


    Without needing to meditate and adjust his state or light calming incense, Colin grasped a crystal and began crafting.


    According to the book, one must first mold Magic Power into a specific shape and slowly infuse it into the crystal at a special frequency.


    Time quietly slipped by; he either erred in shaping the Magic Power or in changing the frequency.


    However, with the Golden Paper, he felt improvement after each failure.


    Finally, after roughly an hour, he managed to successfully inject Magic Power into the crystal.


    After completing this step, the next was to etch a Magic Model into the crystal with Magic Power and establish a witchcraft circuit.


    Colin held his breath and carefully constructed the Magic Model with Magic Power.


    This step was unlike the first; a mistake here would cause the crystal to shatter and be ruined.

 Chapter 6 - 6 Going Out

    Hum¡ª


    A soft white light emitted, overpowering the yellow light of the oil lamp and illuminating the entire Meditation Room.


    Colin moved his neck, releasing a relaxed breath.


    It was now noon on the second day, with bright sunshine; had there been windows in the Meditation Room, it would be brilliantly lit at this moment.


    Of course, the Meditation Room was indeed brilliantly lit at this moment.


    In Colin''s hand, the Bright Crystal consistently emitted a gentle white light.


    With a thought, pale golden particles converged, and he looked at the Golden Paper.


    In the Limit Breaking Point column, a new entry had appeared¡ª"Skill: Basic Level Magic Crystal Making."


    Using his thoughts to open it, a new line slowly emerged below¡ª"Bright Crystal Making (1/100)."


    Golden Paper classified apprentice-level witchcraft crystal making into major categories; upon opening it, one could see the folded progress information of different specific types of Magic Crystal Making.


    After depleting over twenty crystals left by the original owner and spending more than ten hours, Colin finally succeeded once, albeit by luck.


    This pace, although faster than most people''s first success, was nothing special.


    When he bought this book, an old apprentice who sold it mentioned someone had successfully made a Magic Crystal within half a day.


    Of course, Colin later realized that lucking out with one successful attempt and being able to make it consistently were entirely different matters, with a vast gulf between the two.


    However, he had the Golden Paper to assist him; as long as he kept making them, successful or not, there would be improvement¡ªsmall from failure, large from success.


    Only he could see the pale golden particles floating and dispersing in the air, his Bright Crystal radiated a comforting white light, filling Colin with a sense of security.


    "Maybe, just as Erica said, do I still have a chance to become an Official Wizard?" he shook his head, suppressing his wandering thoughts, "It all depends on how much the Meditation Method will improve after the Limit Breaking."


    But moments later, his thoughts uncontrollably began to drift again.


    "Apprentices are merely human, and even an Advanced Apprentice has a lifespan limit of 120 years; but an Official Wizard... if I remember correctly, Master Lap has been alive for nearly three hundred years... Three hundred years! How much the world has changed, dynasties have come and gone..."


    Gurgle¡ª


    The churning sound in his stomach interrupted Colin''s daydreams, and he got up to leave the Meditation Room, planning to fix himself something to eat.


    After lunch, Colin was so sleepy that he props onto his bed and slept until midnight, then rubbed his sleepy eyes, got dressed, and rose from his bed.


    Standing by the window, listening to the sound of the waves, feeling the sea breeze, and admiring the sparkling reflection of the starry sky on the sea surface for a while, he began to pack things, preparing to go out at dawn to purchase raw material crystals.


    "The School''s black iron identity badge... a must-have, brings a sense of security on the outside... not to mention the magic stone-filled pouch, must bring that too... It seems these two are all I need to take?"


    Colin, holding the pouch, seemed to recall something and walked toward the Meditation Room.


    After a while, with dust flying around, he picked up a dust-covered Knight Sword from the wooden rack in the corner of the Meditation Room.


    This sword was bought by the original owner along with the Breathing Skill.


    Before placing it there, the original owner had coated it with a layer of grease, so it was in good condition despite being stored for a long time, albeit a bit dusty.


    Unfortunately, for him who was not a Knight, this sword served only as a decoration, of little use if any danger arose.


    "Maybe later, I could start practicing the Knight Breathing Skill," he thought, as he placed the Knight Sword back on the rack.


    Wizards, since their magical power subtly enhances their physique during meditation, are not weak physically.


    However, that''s just it¡ªnothing more.


    At the Basic Level Wizard Apprentice stage, magical power merely keeps the body healthier.


    Quality enhancement would have to wait until one becomes an Official Wizard.


    That''s why many sufficiently capable Apprentices also trained in a Breathing Skill, keeping it as a fallback measure during their Apprentice stages.


    After all, an Apprentice in the basic stages, with limited mastery over witchcraft, theoretically would not be more powerful than a Peak Knight.


    And beyond a Peak Knight, a Great Knight not only could live up to 150 years but was also quite competent in combat.


    But still, they couldn''t compare to Wizards, even a Basic Level Wizard Apprentice.


    Of course, that''s assuming a fully-equipped Basic Level Wizard Apprentice... Colin didn''t qualify as such.


    After all, the Knight''s glaring weaknesses were too targeting-prone.


    A single Wizard''s standard spell against human knights¡ªMind Shock¡ªwas enough to handle most ordinary Knights.


    Of course, for them being both Wizard and Knight, there is no such weakness.


    Like those Basic Level Wizard Apprentices who had always been laying the foundation and had not learned too much witchcraft, they used the Knight''s methods more often in their daily fights.


    After all, the knight''s methods were more covert, quieter than most witchcraft.


    "Having many skills is not a burden¡ªbecoming a Great Knight through the use of Golden Paper and extending my life to 150 years might be more realistic than becoming an Official Wizard," Colin thought unintentionally.


    Then he bent down and pulled out a brown leather half-armor from the lower layer of the wooden rack where the swords were placed. This too was bought along with the Breathing Skill.


    Knight Sword, Breathing Skill, half-armor¡ªthey were bought as a set.


    Holding the armor, Colin did not disdain it this time but rather wiped it clean and immediately wore it under his Wizard Robe.


    After putting on the armor, although he knew it might not be very useful, he still felt a considerable increase in his sense of safety.


    Later, he wandered around the stone house for a few more rounds and finally found an iron plate the size of a human face in the kitchen''s corner.


    After some thought, he tied it to the chest of his leather armor, instantly feeling even more secure.


    After all the hustle, it had started to get slightly bright outside.


    After checking all the items he was carrying again, Colin took a deep breath, pushed open the wooden door, and walked out.


    By the seaside, the fog was thick, and it was still not completely bright outside, somewhat dim, with veil-like white fog undulating in the air.


    The pebbled pathway was extremely quiet, which was a usual state for the place they lived. Apart from the laborers who cleaned the excrements and the stewards who delivered food each month, few people visited here.


    Most Apprentices had heavy coursework and didn''t have much time for socializing, and since they didn''t need to hustle for meals, they mostly stayed home and seldom went out.


    Walking outside the residential area and following the wooden fence for a few meters, he reached the main gate of the Wizard Territory.


    Calling it a main gate, in reality, was just two sections cut out of the fence, making a simple wooden gate that could be opened and closed.


    One gate was wider for easy transportation of supplies, and the narrower one was for people to pass through.


    The narrow gate wasn''t locked but merely fastened with an iron rod.


    Colin pulled the iron rod aside and checked again if he was carrying his School badge before pushing the gate open.


    The wooden fence around the School wasn''t tall, barely over a meter high, serving only to prevent small animals from entering.


    The real barrier of the School was the semi-transparent Protective Shield he had seen rise up a few nights ago.


    That was a large Witch Array, which was why he needed to repeatedly check whether he was carrying the identity badge.


    The identity badge was bound one-to-one; one could only enter Lap School''s territory if they had it. Forgetting it would mean trouble.


    After stepping out through the narrow gate and walking a few hundred meters forward, buildings gradually started to appear, marking his true departure from the monitoring range of the Witch Array.


    Coming towards him was a row of neatly arranged gray buildings built on a hillside.


    This area primarily housed various shops run by the School and a trading market.


    Further down was a cluster of houses with various styles, inhabited by the best among those gathered in the Outer Territories of the Wizards.


    And farther still, at the foot of the mountain, lay the small town they referred to as the gathering place in the outer world.


    Ten minutes later, Colin arrived at the market in the center.


    Although the shops also sold crystals, and in complete varieties, with all sorts of qualities and in large quantities,


    the prices there naturally were a bit higher than those of the individual vendors at the market.


    Had it been a normal time, perhaps he could overlook a small difference in price for convenience.


    But now, with only one Magic Stone on him and wanting to buy as many crystals as possible, he had to head to the market.


    The market was a large, square open space; perhaps it was too early, and there were only a few stalls, none of which sold crystals.


    Colin stood and waited until the sun rose from the sea level, filling the sky with splendid morning colors, before the stalls that sold crystals appeared.


    "How much for the Mixed Crystals?" he approached to ask about the prices.


    "1 Magic Stone for 60 pieces, 20 Gold Coins for 1 piece," the vendor replied.


    Colin nodded but didn''t buy right away; instead, he waited a bit longer.


    After a while, a few more vendors selling crystals set up their stalls, and he went to ask about the prices.


    Finally, after several comparisons, he bargained for a while at the second-to-last vendor''s stall. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He exchanged the only Magic Stone he had for 65 pieces of Mixed Crystals and a small pack of crystal powder as a bonus.


    After that, he didn''t delay any longer and immediately started back on his return journey.

 Chapter 7 - 7: Retribution

    He quickened his pace until he entered the School''s domain and felt the power of the Witch Array. Only then did Colin finally breathe a sigh of relief.


    Outside, although everyone maintained a respectful demeanor when they saw the black badge pinned to his chest,


    he himself was merely a Basic Level Wizard Apprentice, and indeed he lacked confidence inside.


    The crystal vendor he bargained with was an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice!


    Although the vendor was estimated to be over sixty and had probably reached his peak in this lifetime... if the vendor chose so, he could still end his life.


    The feeling that his life depended on someone else''s whims was indeed somewhat oppressive.


    Colin subtly adjusted his half leather armor that had shifted slightly from walking, his face expressionless.


    He pushed open the narrow door, tethered his iron staff, then turned to look at the wide door next door.


    A few carriages were slowly passing by there.


    There were four carriages in total, loaded with goods, and the Coachmen driving were all common people.


    On the island, that meant they were slaves.


    Leading the way was a Steward, riding a brown horse alone, dressed in a plain gray Wizard Robe.


    From the badge on his chest that was slightly different in style but also black, he seemed to be a Basic Level Wizard Apprentice, probably around forty years old.


    The Steward also saw Colin and gestured for the convoy to stop, then respectfully greeted him.


    Colin nodded in response and continued walking.


    The road in front of him was singular, and the middle-aged Steward was waiting for him to go first.


    After Colin walked in front of the carriages,


    the Steward waited a moment longer before signaling to the Coachmen behind to move on, then he dismounted and proceeded on foot.


    He didn''t seek to converse with Colin ahead, but rather maintained a proper distance, following behind.


    At this time of day, Basic Level Wizard Apprentices like Colin were hopeless for advancement.


    After being kicked out of the School in three months, his status wouldn''t even compare to the Steward''s, no longer worthy of currying favor.


    Of course, there was also no need to offend, simply maintain respect and keep a distance.


    ''Is it already April?''


    Listening to the clip-clop of hooves behind him, Colin suddenly thought.


    Usually, the delivery day for living supplies was the first day of each month.


    ''But that makes sense.''


    He pondered for a moment.


    Since the sixth year, their courses had become once a month, arranged according to whenever the instructor was available, and they would be notified in advance or at the last minute.


    The last class was precisely at the end of March, and now that a few days had passed, it should be April.


    ''Now that I think about it, starting today, there really are only three months left...'' a sudden surge of anxiety rose from the depths of his heart.


    "Cha... mmm!"


    Suddenly, a faint shout seemed to carry through the wind, turning instantly into a muffled grunt!


    Colin was startled and subconsciously slowed his pace, looking towards the Basic Level Apprentice living area not far ahead.


    Although he had been in this world for several days now, he still felt very insecure and was exceedingly cautious about every disturbance.


    There was no fence around the living area; the neatly arranged stone houses symmetrically flanked the main thoroughfare.


    He glanced over but saw no one.


    As the wind continued to blow, he gradually came to a stop and focused his attention on listening.


    "Jeff... clear... situation, or... Mutual Assistance Association... this month''s living supplies..."


    Another person''s voice carried over, and he pinpointed the specific location of the sound... it seemed to be on the right side of the main thoroughfare of the living area, S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The voice was faint and intermittent, incomprehensible, but there was an elusive sense of familiarity.


    "Sir, what''s the matter?" The steward, following closely behind with the transport of goods, saw Colin stop and, after a moment of silence, walked up to him, leading a horse and asked proactively.


    The distant sound was weak, and since he had been quite a distance from Colin, he hadn''t heard it.


    "...Nothing, just remembered something," Colin''s eyes flashed with an unusual light as he shook his head and explained, then added, "You need to hurry with the transportation of the goods, go ahead, no need to follow me."


    "Very well, sir."


    The middle-aged steward looked somewhat puzzled, but without overthinking, he signaled to the convoy behind him, then bowed to Colin, mounted his horse, and rode off.


    "Giddyap!"


    Colin stepped aside to clear the road, standing at the edge of the path, watching as the four-horse carriage passed by at a leisurely pace.


    The transport convoy was to deliver supplies first to the intermediate or higher level wizards residing in the distant castle.


    The main road in the middle of their residences was the necessary route to get there.


    Whatever was happening in the gathering area up ahead, it ought to be just strife among the apprentices and wouldn''t affect the convoy... but whether it would affect him was an unknown.


    For caution''s sake, it was best to let the convoy lead. That way, at least, he would have ample reaction time.


    In this strange world, one must be careful in all things.


    As the last carriage slowly passed by him, Colin''s gaze flickered, and he suddenly quickened his pace, walking alongside the carriage, keeping pace with it.


    Because it was laden with a large amount of goods, the carriage was not moving fast, and it was easy to keep up just by quickening his steps a bit.


    The coachman on the carriage felt the presence of someone beside the vehicle and turned his head for a glance.


    Accidentally making eye contact with Colin, he instinctively became flustered and quickly turned away, but then, in a state of panic, he turned back again, tremblingly mustering a smile.


    Colin waved his hand, unconcerned.


    Ordinary people, unless they were relatives of a wizard, would always be just lowly slaves on this island.


    Soon, the convoy entered the main road of the residential area which was not very wide.


    Colin quickened his pace, moving to the middle of the carriage so that his figure was completely obscured; the coachman sitting in front couldn''t help but straighten his back, his expression nervous.


    The convoy continued on, and using the gaps between the carriages, Colin turned his head to look to the right, from where the sound had come.


    His gaze swept over the tightly shut stone houses and empty alleys, seemingly peaceful, as if the earlier voice had been an illusion.


    Colin continued to observe. Soon enough, he noticed something unusual.


    In the third, dim alley sandwiched between stone houses.


    Three figures stood in the middle, effectively shielding the path tightly.


    They were all looking at the convoy passing by the alley.


    ''Charlie, Owen... and that person in the shadows, somewhat hard to make out, the black man Haywood? What were they doing gathered there?'' Colin wondered.


    ''Is that... Jeff?'' His pupils contracted suddenly, his heartbeat accelerating.


    Behind Charlie and the other two, someone with a bloodied face unexpectedly stood up.


    The features of the figure were somewhat obscured by the blood.


    But the dismissive scoffing from Jeff during Charlie''s speech in class that day, and the sight of him leaving first, remained vivid in memory.


    He was certain that he wouldn''t mistake it, that was Jeff!


    As the scene inside the alley gradually vanished from sight, Colin slowly turned his head back.


    ''Could it be Charlie taking revenge for the humiliation Jeff caused him that day?'' He speculated silently.


    Although the logic could match up, something still seemed off to him, ''But why would Haywood and Owen be with him? Did Jeff also offend those two, or were they helpers Charlie found?''


    ''And the "Mutual Assistance Association"...'' Now he remembered the vague voice from the wind earlier, which he suspected was Charlie''s.


    After following the carriage for a bit more, Colin turned into a small alley on the left, looping back to his own stone house.


    Upon returning to his stone house, he set aside the incident in the alley, hastily ate breakfast, and without further ado entered the Meditation Room.


    He was about to start crafting a Bright Crystal!

 Chapter 8 - 8 Sunlight Breathing Technique

    In the Meditation Room.


    Under the dim light of the oil lamp, piles of vividly colored crystals sparkled atop the brown blanket.


    Crack.


    With a sigh inside his heart, Colin tossed the crystal fragments in his hand into the wooden bowl on the left, then picked up a new Mixed Crystal from the pile in front of him and continued his work.


    Since returning to the stone house, other than eating lunch at noon and stepping out in the afternoon to move the life supplies delivered to his doorstep by the caravan, he spent all his other time making crystals.


    Whenever his Magic Power was depleted, he would meditate on the spot to recover. Once recovered, he would continue making crystals.


    It continued until evening.


    The oil lamp flickered in the Meditation Room,


    Colin saw a small heap forming in the wooden bowl for crystal waste on his left, while there were only a few completed Bright Crystals on his right.


    After a while, he breathed out slowly, a hint of joy flashing in his eyes, and placed the successfully made Bright Crystal to his right.


    Then he rubbed his throbbing head.


    The depleted Magic Power could be restored with meditation, but the spent spirit could only be replenished through sleep.


    ''There are still 35 left.'' Counting the remaining crystals, he gained a clearer understanding of how many Magic Crystals he could attempt to make in one day.


    ''Roughly about 30 per day, and I need to recover my Magic Power after every 10 I make.


    I estimate that the number will increase with skill proficiency and Rank.''


    He counted the number of successful Bright Crystals again on his right¡ª


    ''Seven in total... The success rate is a little over 20%.''


    With the market price of Bright Crystals, such a success rate was not profitable.


    But he was not worried.


    Under the influence of Golden Paper, his success rate for making crystals was soaring!


    According to the current progress, the remaining crystals were enough to increase his success rate for making Bright Crystals to 50%.


    And a 50% success rate meant breaking even, while anything above that signified turning a loss into profit.


    The next day at noon.


    After having lunch, Colin brought the 20 Bright Crystals he had successfully made from the previous afternoon and this morning to the market.


    By now, all 65 crystals had been used up.


    After some selling, buying, and haggling at the market,


    his 20 Bright Crystals had been exchanged for 45 Mixed Crystals.


    He walked briskly back to the stone house.


    In the evening, the sky blazed with sunset colors.


    Colin had just finished his meditation, stepped out of the Meditation Room, and leaned against the window, enjoying the view.


    He discovered that he suddenly had nothing to do.


    The day''s meditation already reached its limit, and so did the number of times he could make Magic Crystals.


    If it were a few days before he started making Magic Crystals, he could spend his time continuously practicing witchcraft.


    But the daily work of making Bright Crystals consumed a lot of his spirit.


    Although he could still cast witchcraft, practicing it non-stop was difficult.


    Thus, there would always be some spare time.


    Outside the window, the sun set like a blazing fire, and flocks of birds soared over the sea.


    He, however, lacked the mood to relax.


    Frowning and pondering for a while, he felt a surge of inspiration, turned around, walked to the wooden cabinet beside the bed, and bent down.


    When he stood up, he was holding an old book with a yellow cover¡ª "Sunlight Breathing Technique".


    The dreadful state of Jeff he had seen the day before kept making him uneasy.


    Since he was idle anyway, he decided to practice this Knight Breathing Method.


    As for learning witchcraft, if he still could find the time, then he would consider it.


    After all, studying witchcraft and practicing witchcraft were alike; they consumed spirit,


    and consuming spirit would also affect the crafting of Magic Crystals.


    The crafting of Magic Crystals was directly related to whether he could advance, which was his most important goal at the moment. Compared to that, everything else had to take a back seat.


    Time once again hit the fast-forward button.


    In the following days, Colin crafted crystals every morning, practiced the Sunlight Breathing Technique in the afternoon, and went to meditate in the evening, using the sporadic time in between to practice witchcraft.


    His life was full and regular.


    Two days later, the newly exchanged 45 crystals were sold out again,


    and Colin headed to the market, this time bringing back 75 Mixed Crystals.


    Another two days passed, and the 75 Mixed Crystals turned into 125.


    Soon, a week had passed.


    In the late afternoon, by the stone house bed,


    Colin was practicing the Sunlight Breathing Technique shirtless, his sturdy chest rising and falling rhythmically with the movements of the technique.


    Sweat dripped slowly down his well-defined jaw, falling onto the wooden floor and causing an almost imperceptible splash.


    His bare upper body was strong and well-defined, with a clear collarbone, sculpted chest muscles, six neatly arranged abs, and profound Adonis belts... His body''s muscle contours were defined without appearing too bulky.


    He hadn''t expected that in just eleven short days, his originally frail body would transform into this.


    On one hand, this was thanks to the Sunlight Breathing Technique.


    On the other hand, it was also thanks to the School providing food that was both ample in quantity and rich in variety.


    Otherwise, it would not have been so easy to improve to this level.


    As sweat continued to drip, Colin was focused, his chest and abdomen rising and falling rhythmically with his movements; he was nearly done with a complete set of the technique.


    After a while, Colin pulled back his arms and stood still with his feet apart, then took a long breath out.


    With a thought, golden particles appeared.


    [Name: Colin Leonard]


    [Rank: Basic Level Wizard Apprentice (53/100); Basic Level Knight (69/100)]


    [Meditation Method: Apprentice Circulation Meditation (100/100) ¡ü; Sunlight Breathing Technique (100/100) ¡ü]


    [Witchcraft: Ignition Technique (100/100) ¡ü; Condensing Water Skill (80/100); Light Brightness Skill (85/100)]


    [Limit Breaking Point: 1]


    A look of joy appeared on Colin''s face. Compared to the slower pace of wizardry cultivation, the training of a Knight was like being on a rocket.


    In these eleven days, not only had he pushed the Sunlight Breathing Technique to its limit, he had also turned from an ordinary person into a Basic Level Knight, and even surpassed his Wizard rank progress!


    ''If only wizardry cultivation could be this quick,'' Colin thought, shaking his head as he walked to the washroom, ready for a shower.


    Knights, in comparison to Wizards, were a weaker system.


    A Basic Level Knight, enhanced by Blood Energy, had physical capabilities comparable to an athletic champion from his previous life.


    An Intermediate Knight would reach the human body''s limits.


    An Advanced Knight solidified Blood Energy into a Life Seed, surpassing human physical limits.


    But even an Advanced Knight would still be of flesh and blood without armor, vulnerable to swords and susceptible to fire and water.


    This condition would continue until one broke through the peak of Knight power to become a Great Knight, wherein the Life Seed underwent sublimation and a qualitative change occurred.


    The power of a Great Knight far exceeded human limits, able to tear apart tigers and leopards with his hands, and Blood Energy could be extended into various uses, making him as well protected as wearing a layer of thick cowhide armor without a single cover.


    However, the human body had its limits, and the defense of a Great Knight was finite.


    Without the modifications of witchcraft, the flesh and blood body could not compare to steel or stone; the body of flesh and blood still feared high temperatures and poison gas.


    And their mental defenses were only slightly stronger than ordinary people.


    Faced with a fully-equipped Basic Level Wizard Apprentice, a Knight would more often than not be at a disadvantage.


    After all, for Wizards, most witchcraft could be instantly cast once mastered, and as long as one wasn''t at a very close distance, they could release a couple of Mind Shocks.


    And Mind Shock witchcraft, S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    even a Great Knight couldn''t withstand many hits.


    ...This was, after all, a world of Wizards.

 Chapter 9 - 9 Choices

    After taking a bath, there was still some time left before evening.


    Colin packed up the crystals he had made over the past few days, ready to head out to the market to sell them.


    By the fifth day, the production progress of the Light Brightness Skill Crystals on the Golden Paper had already been pushed to the limit, with a success rate reaching one hundred percent.


    He could now make up to about 45 Bright Crystals a day, which equated to approximately one and a half Magic Stones, excluding the cost of the crystals, the profit was 0.75 Magic Stones.


    In other words, he was now able to earn a stable 0.75 Magic Stones every day.


    It had been four days since his last trip to the market, and he had accumulated 160 Bright Crystals, worth 6 Magic Stones.


    He planned to keep some Magic Stones to replenish the raw materials for the crystals when he went to the market later and use the rest to absorb as Limit Breaking Points, to see if he could successfully break through the limits of the Meditation Method.


    ...


    "You''re here again," greeted the smiling owner of the Magic Crystal Store.


    "Mm, a total of one hundred and sixty. Count them," Colin said as he poured the Bright Crystals from the cloth bag onto a cotton-lined tray in front of the store owner.


    Since the first time he set up a stall to sell Bright Crystals, which took him all morning and also required paying the market stall rent.


    He had then chosen to sell them directly to stores specializing in Magic Crystals.


    The price difference between the two was not big, and it saved him a lot of time.


    "Alright, I trust your reputation," the owner said, even though his hands were busily counting.


    "Here are 6 Magic Stones for you," the owner said with a chuckle after counting for two minutes and handing the 6 Magic Stones to Colin.


    "Take care and welcome to come again."


    Colin nodded, took the Magic Stones, and put them in his pocket. Although his face was expressionless, he felt a little thrill inside.


    As he walked briskly toward Wizard Territory, he stealthily reached his right hand into the pocket containing the Magic Stones.


    With a thought, pale golden particles converged. His attention focused on the Limit Breaking Point section.


    ...1...2...3...


    The black characters slowly ticked by, and before long, the number reached 5, with two Magic Stones still left in his pocket.


    But a faint blue outline of light had quietly shrouded the Circulation Meditation Method behind the ¡ü symbol!


    A burst of joy rose in Colin''s heart, and he almost wanted to immediately return to the stone house to start the breakthrough!


    ''But now is not the time.'' Suppressing the excitement within him, he hurriedly arrived at the market and bought raw materials for the crystals.


    After looking around, he couldn''t find the crystal stall that used to be relatively cheap... It might have closed up.


    So he randomly picked a stall closer by, no longer having the patience to spend time bargaining with the stall owner,


    He simply used one Magic Stone and some leftover Gold Coins to get a round number, obtaining 80 crystals, then hurried back to Wizard Territory.


    After leaving the market, crossing the shops, he entered the range monitored by the Wizard Array of Wizard Territory.


    He was still few hundred meters away from the wooden fence at the edge of Wizard Territory.


    Between them was a road through the mountains that could be considered smooth and wide. Since it was uphill, steps had been made with stone slabs at the steeper places.


    If it weren''t for the aid of witchcraft, this mountain road and steps would make the monthly transportation of living supplies a headache.


    Walking on the compact mountain road, Colin''s face showed hesitation, but in the next second, he put his hand back into his pocket and absorbed the last Magic Stone into a Limit Breaking Point.


    He had kept the Magic Stones for the purpose of having capital to buy crystals.


    But now he could only make up to 40 crystals a day at most, unless he could break the upper limit. Otherwise, buying more would just mean he wouldn''t have to make as many trips to the market.


    So it would be better to turn them into his own strength as soon as possible, as his own power was everything.


    Soon, the last Magic Stone crumbled to dust, and the character behind the Limit Breaking Point slowly changed to 6.


    On both sides of the mountain road was a deep forest, and as he walked, he occasionally saw some wildlife.


    The sun was setting, its light growing weak and feeble, almost unable to penetrate the dense foliage.


    Strange cries began to rise gradually from the woods on both sides.


    Colin tightened his clothes against the strong evening sea breeze. The cries from the forest made him a little jittery, and he quickened his pace.


    Although the chirping of insects, birds, and some strange roars rang out from time to time,


    He felt the world around him was inexplicably silent.


    Along the long mountain path, it seemed as if only his own footsteps echoed.


    After a while, he suddenly paused, gradually coming to a stop.


    Around the corner ahead on the mountain road, a figure with golden hair appeared, followed by two more people.


    "Colin, what a coincidence," greeted the golden-haired figure in surprise.


    "Charlie, Wood, and Owen, are you guys heading out this late?" Colin responded with a ''smile,'' while continuing to walk forward.


    "Wait a second, Colin," Charlie said with a smile, raising his hand as if to stop him, "I was just looking for you."


    "Looking for me... What for?" Colin stopped in his tracks, his heart sinking, but his face showing just the right amount of puzzled inquiry. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s like this," Charlie approached Colin and patted his shoulder, then shouted back, "Jeff, come over here."


    "Alright, boss," another figure emerged from around the corner, the brown-haired Jeff, with a smile on his face and no scars visible on his slightly tanned skin.


    Colin was startled, but quickly regained a calm demeanor.


    Sensing Colin''s shock, Charlie gave a slight smile, which was the effect he intended to have by bringing Jeff over first.


    "Although Jeff was the first to leave after class, he later joined the Mutual Assistance Association."


    Charlie took the initiative to explain, and then his tone changed:


    "Colin, may I take a little bit of your time?"


    "I remember you also left early before, so this time I''m looking for you specially to introduce you to the Mutual Assistance Association... What do you think?"


    After speaking, Charlie looked at Colin with an expectant smile.


    Colin kept his expression neutral, but couldn''t help sighing inwardly.


    No wonder they chose to stop him here.


    Combining the scene he witnessed before in a back alley, he had figured everything out.


    Clearly, regardless of whether he listened to what Charlie had to say next, there was only one choice for him: to join the Mutual Assistance Association.


    Otherwise, what awaited him would likely be the same fate as Jeff had before.


    "...Go ahead." Colin hesitated for a moment and then nodded.

 Chapter 10 - 10 Limit Breaking

    Charlie pondered for a moment, then slowly began, "Just as you heard the name, the Mutual Assistance Association is an organization where everyone helps each other at the gathering place after this."


    "You might feel it''s not very useful¡­ but do you know what kind of situation we''ll be in when we get to the outside gathering places?"


    Colin shook his head.


    "Slaves."


    Charlie''s expression remained composed, "As soon as we leave the School, we lose our protection."


    "But for ten years, we have learned a vast amount of knowledge, receiving the most complete wizard education on the entire island."


    "This is a huge fortune¡­ a fortune we cannot afford. How many do you think in the gathering place would covet it?"


    Colin furrowed his brow, somewhat confused.


    "We all have signed magic contracts and cannot teach the knowledge we learned to anyone outside the School¡­"


    "But we are too weak!"


    Charlie interrupted Colin, declaring sternly,


    "We are merely Basic Level Wizard Apprentices. For ten years, a vast amount of knowledge has consumed most of our time and energy!"


    "The instructors have always emphasized advancing, with the ten-year period constantly hanging over our heads."


    "Besides simple tricks, who among us is willing to spend the time to learn powerful witchcraft which takes at least half a year just to get the basics?"


    He took a step forward, staring at Colin.


    "In the gathering place, although Basic Level Wizard Apprentices like us may not have as solid and comprehensive a foundation, over their lifetime, their limit may only be an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice."


    "But in terms of combat ability, they surpass us!"


    "You are right, Colin, we cannot pass on the knowledge we learned at the School."


    Charlie''s expression remained calm as he stared at the setting sun slowly sinking.


    "But we can be controlled, can be enslaved¡­ all it takes is a simple slavery contract."


    "Our talent may not be outstanding within the School, but it is considered medium or even above medium in a gathering place."


    "Given time, we could at least be Intermediate Apprentices, perhaps even Advanced Apprentices¡­ "


    "So even if they cannot obtain our knowledge, we ourselves are a form of wealth!"


    Colin''s lips moved slightly as if he wanted to object.


    Yet Charlie, seemingly perceiving his thoughts, preemptively responded, "The School won''t manage this, Colin."


    "The wizards of the School are high and mighty, they couldn''t care less."


    Charlie sighed, turned his head to look at Colin, his face calm, yet an inexplicable expression flickered in his eyes.


    "So, will you join the Mutual Assistance Association, Colin?"


    The sun sunk beneath the sea, plunging the earth into darkness.


    Buzz¡ª


    Behind Charlie, Owen took out a Bright Crystal and cast a spell to illuminate it.


    The soft white light emanated from behind Charlie, making his expression even harder to discern.


    Colin stood a distance away from Charlie, his thoughts churning silently.


    ''If what Charlie is saying is true, then joining the Mutual Assistance Association is undoubtedly a win-win.''


    ''However, if the outside gathering places are really like that, then what is the use of these Basic Level Wizard Apprentices gathering together?''


    ''When the time comes, not even an Advanced Apprentice could handle it...''


    ''What''s more, although Charlie''s words make logical sense, there is no concrete evidence, and the original protagonist never heard of such information¡­''


    Besides, with the Golden Paper, what he needed to do now was to have the Meditation Technique reach the Limit Breaking Point.


    If there was still no hope of advancing within three months after Limit Breaking, then it was time to consider leaving the School.


    "...Charlie, I need time to think," Colin said, furrowing his brow.


    His heartbeat accelerated slightly as he observed Charlie''s expression intently.


    Golden Paper had been summoned, ready; if Charlie turned hostile, he would promptly apply the Limit Breaking Points to skills like the Ignition Technique, hoping to escape a beating using Limit Breaking Witchcraft.


    Since the School forbids its members from harming each other''s lives, his life should not be in danger.


    "Hmm?" Behind Charlie, the tall, bald, black man Haywood frowned in anger, wanting to jump forward.


    Colin''s heart skipped.


    "Haywood," Charlie said gravely, raising his hand to stop him.


    After a moment of silence, he looked at Colin with a smile,


    "Haywood is just like that¡­ it''s fine, Colin, take your time to think, and I''ll come to find you later."


    As soon as he finished speaking, he led his three companions past Colin and hurried down the mountain.


    Colin turned his head to look at Charlie and his group disappearing in the distance, heaving a sigh of relief.


    He hadn''t expected Charlie to let him off so easily.


    ''It seems... I really overthought things, their running into me might just be a coincidence...''


    But soon, his brows furrowed again.


    ''I still feel... something isn''t right...''


    He pondered for a while, but couldn''t come up with an answer. He decided not to dwell on it anymore and released the Ignition Technique, using the faint firelight to hurry towards the Wizard Territory.


    As for Charlie''s final words about visiting again, he didn''t take it to heart.


    No matter what secrets there were, no matter what conspiracies... they were merely petty squabbles among Basic Level Apprentices.


    As long as he could advance, he would be able to step out of the chessboard, and everything would naturally resolve itself.


    ...


    "Boss, are we just letting him go like that?" Jeff suddenly asked as they walked.


    "Jeff, you need to understand... violence is the worst method. Colin will eventually willingly join the Mutual Assistance Association of his own accord," Charlie replied indifferently. He glanced at still somewhat puzzled Jeff and continued:


    "Once they know about the threats from external gathering spots, those who originally didn''t want to join the Mutual Assistance Association will also start to waver.


    In a few months, everyone will leave the Lap School. No one can stand alone... Eventually, they will realize that joining the Mutual Assistance Association is the only way out!"


    Jeff nodded emphatically, finally understanding. He had initially been reluctant to join the Mutual Assistance Association too.


    But after being beaten up and hearing about the dangers Charlie mentioned, he had started to waver.


    And today, Charlie had even taken the initiative to show him the evidence... In fact, he was now completely convinced by what Charlie had said.


    Previously, he had wrongly blamed the Mutual Assistance Association, misunderstanding Charlie''s intentions...


    *


    *


    *


    Inside the Meditation Room.


    Colin sat cross-legged on the middle brown mat, reaching out to light the calming incense.


    Hardly noticeable smoke accompanied by a comforting aroma appeared.


    Light gold particles converged as Colin took a deep breath and no longer hesitated.


    He focused his spirit and heavily pressed forward towards the symbol after the Circulation Meditation.


    Bang!


    Instantly, intricate knowledge appeared out of nowhere in his mind, prompting him to involuntarily close his eyes and enter into meditation.


    Time ticked by.


    In the night sky, the moon slowly rose overhead, bringing some dim light to the dark Wizard Territory; the Dark Forest to the north was deadly still, while to the south, the coast had waves crashing against the rocks, producing a muffled crashing sound.


    Unbeknownst to when, a streak of gold light quietly emerged from the eastern sea level, coating the gem-like blue sea with gold.


    In the Meditation Room, Colin, who had sat through the night, suddenly opened his eyes.


    It was as if one ring after another appeared in his blue eyes only to quickly disappear again.


    His mind stirred, and the Golden Paper appeared before him.


    [Name: Colin Leonard]


    [Rank: Basic Level Wizard Apprentice (54/100); Basic Level Knight (69/100)]


    [Meditation Method: Apprentice Circulation Meditation I (1/100); Sunlight Breathing Technique (100/100) ¡ü]


    [Witchcraft: Ignition Technique (100/100) ¡ü; Condensing Water Skill (80/100); Light Brightness Skill (85/100)]


    [Skill: Basic Level Magic Crystal Making]


    [Limit Breaking Point: 1]


    The Circulation Meditation had successfully broken through the limit!


    Compared to before, the meditation method had an additional blue outline on the Golden Paper after the limit break, and a ''I'' had been added, likely signifying a breakthrough.


    Of course, the most exciting thing was that the Rank column''s progress for the Basic Level Wizard Apprentice had also increased a bit!


    ''It''s just unknown whether it is due to his accumulation or the result of last night''s meditation.''


    Excitement was hard to contain in Colin''s heart. He suddenly stood up and paced around for a while before he gradually calmed down.


    ''I''ll know after another meditation session tomorrow... As for now, the duration for meditation is maxed out; I can''t try it again.''


    As the excitement faded, sensations of sleep deprivation and hunger followed.


    He stood in place and couldn''t help but yawn.


    Then he walked out of the Meditation Room, undressed, and lay down on the bed, sinking into a deep sleep.


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 Chapter 13 - 13 Classes

    Alas, it was unknown if such vast fields of cauliflower still existed in this world.


    Colin, lost in his reverie, strode forward, the bee sting firmly fixed to the brown leather sword holder given by the shop owner at his waist, making no sound.


    As he walked on, evening arrived, and the sun set in the west, enveloping the land in a deep yellow hue.


    The small town had a curfew, and as night fell, more pedestrians appeared on the dirt roads, with carriages occasionally passing by.


    He walked among the crowd, yet it wasn''t crowded; the pedestrians around him consciously maintained a distance of one meter from him.


    On the island, social classes were distinct; those dressed like him in the small town were either core members of a gang, descendants of a family, or at least related in some way to a wizard.


    After walking a distance, he gradually reached the outskirts of the town.


    There, farmers with agricultural tools and fishermen with dark skin reeking of fish became more common, and carriages were rarely seen.


    The houses along the street changed from wooden houses to mud and seaweed buildings, and some were not even seaweed houses but merely crude tents made of palm leaves.


    The passersby became more meek; upon seeing Colin, they either shrank back into their homes or bowed their heads in fear and stood still.


    After walking a bit further, suddenly, the sound of a woman sobbing, interspersed with the loud cries of a baby, rang out.


    Turning a corner, Colin saw the source of the noise.


    In front of a palm lean-to by the roadside, a woman clad in tattered linen clothes was sitting on the ground, holding a baby wrapped in black cloth, crying.


    A few men dressed as fishermen surrounded her. The robust young man among them was holding a cloth bag;


    he handed the cloth bag to the woman, "This is all that''s left of Gal, take it..."


    "Hey!"


    At this moment, another man beside him spotted Colin and quickly alerted him in a low voice, then bowed his head and stood aside.


    The robust young man looked back, saw Colin, and quickly bent his head down as well.


    Colin, with a calm and expressionless face, continued forward.


    The woman also saw him, immediately swallowed her sobs with effort, and then forcefully covered her baby''s mouth with her other hand.


    Though the sound stopped, tears continued to flow unrestrainedly; large tears fell from her chin, hitting the ground, and forming dark stains.


    The face of the baby in her arms quickly turned red and struggled more fiercely.


    Colin sighed softly to himself and quickened his pace.


    But suddenly, whether the woman couldn''t bear it or the baby struggled too vehemently, the piercing cry of the child rose again.


    The woman''s expression dramatically changed and she hastened to muzzle the baby more tightly.


    Colin did not pause or turn his head; he just looked straight ahead and passed by quickly, expressionless.


    Soon, he had left that area.


    Although he hadn''t heard everything, he guessed that the woman must have lost her fisherman husband.


    The sea was vast and magnificent but also full of perils; such occurrences were frequent.


    More than that, he cared about the attitudes of the people in the ghetto towards him.


    "Class..." he sighed imperceptibly.


    On the island, aside from wizards, other ordinary people should all be on the same level.


    Those people hadn''t recognized him as a wizard; they shouldn''t have been so deferential.


    Yet, there were clearly distinctions among ordinary people; the ghettos'' inhabitants and those ordinary people connected with the wizards were worlds apart in status.


    Earlier, he had also heard that a father of a Basic Level Wizard Apprentice from the city had come to the edge of the ghetto deliberately to provoke people.


    Then, when those people could no longer endure and began to retaliate, he would use the formidable power of a knight to brutally kill them for amusement.


    Although the Guard Team later became aware of this issue,


    the punishment was only to forbid him from committing the act again and to fine him some magic stones...


    The island was poor in resources, the wilderness filled with fierce beasts and strange occurrences; ordinary people could only survive by relying on wizards, which was one of the reasons for wizards'' exalted status.


    An instructor once said that sixty years ago, before the Lap School came to this island,


    the original Official Wizards had died, leaving only some Advanced Apprentices relying on the relics left by their ancestors, barely holding off the night''s eeriness and the wilderness''s fierce beasts.


    Thus, the settlements became smaller day by day, continuously forced to reduce their area.


    Only when Lap Wizard arrived did the settlements gradually stop shrinking and even began to expand.


    Now, they had expanded back to their original peripheries, and the damaged outer mud wall had also been reinforced and repaired.


    This was the power of an Official Wizard and the unbreakable status of the Lap School!


    Thinking all this, Colin was about to reach the city gate.


    A thin man suddenly sprang out from a nearby path and then inexplicably stopped in the middle of the dirt road.


    Colin halted, frowning at him.


    The man, hunched over, stood sideways to him, his head down.


    The yellow light of the setting sun turned him into a dark silhouette, highlighting his emaciated figure.


    The backlight prevented Colin from seeing the man''s face clearly.


    After pondering for a moment, he decided to take out his identity badge from his pocket.


    In the small town, given his attire, most people wouldn''t bother him.


    And for the few who might, showing the identity badge in his pocket would usually resolve the issue.


    Colin watched the man while feeling for the badge in his pocket.


    As his eyes gradually adjusted to the backlight, the man''s figure became clearer in his vision.


    ''Why is he... trembling non-stop?'' Colin''s pupils constricted, and a wave of unease suddenly surged from his heart.


    He immediately withdrew his hand from his pocket, quickly formed a seal, his lips quivered, and he whispered a spell as he stepped backward.


    Just as his spell resonated, the man standing on the muddy ground in front of him suddenly made a move.


    He slowly raised his head, looking at Colin, his eyes glowing with a bizarre green light.


    Colin felt a sudden tightness in his chest, quickened his pace backward while continuing to chant the spell.


    At that moment, a noisy sound came from the right, from the direction where the man had just appeared.


    The man seemed to have some problem with his body, his head suddenly dropped heavily again, and he continued to tremble, hunched over.


    This time, even large pools of fresh blood spilled from his mouth, making a strange hissing sound when it hit the ground.


    After a few more seconds, the hunched-over man finally caught his breath and gradually straightened his back.


    By then, Colin had already retreated dozens of meters away, and his casting of witchcraft was nearing its end.


    Buzz¡ª


    Accompanied by the last syllable, a translucent white light enveloped Colin''s entire body.


    But it suddenly shattered and disappeared.


    Colin''s face turned pale as he suppressed the discomfort of the failed spell and pulled out the sting needle from his waist, continuing to retreat quickly.


    The white light was Steel Armor, a powerful witchcraft he had been learning recently.


    Unfortunately, despite having Golden Paper''s help, ten days was too short of a time, and he was still some distance away from mastery. The casting took a long time and was prone to failure.


    Seeing that he was getting farther away from the man with the eerie green glow, Colin breathed a slight sigh of relief.


    Although he was now an Advanced Knight, this strength was nothing in the face of real danger.


    The man''s bizarre appearance, eyes glowing green, was clearly beyond Colin''s ability to handle!


    Why risk it? Decisive retreat was the right choice!


    It was a pity¡­he had not succeeded in casting Steel Armor¡­


    Just as Colin was pondering, the now fully upright lean man suddenly stared at him!


    In the dim world, his eyes glowing green were strikingly prominent.


    Colin startled, kept his gaze on the lean man, continuing to retreat to increase the distance.


    Although they were already a fair distance apart, blindly turning around to run was still the poorest choice!


    The next second, the man suddenly charged towards him with a speed so fast that in the blink of an eye, he closed the distance to within ten meters.


    His heart clenched!


    "This speed, there''s no escaping."


    Colin let out a heavy breath, stopped in his tracks, gripped the sting needle in his hand, ready to fight!


    Whoosh!!


    Just then, a beam of orange-red light shot fiercely from behind the right side of the lean man.


    The man, startled, forcefully leaped while curling up his body.


    His reaction was quick, but his waist and abdomen were still grazed by the beam!


    The man grunted.


    At the waist, where it had contacted the beam, had vanished, leaving only a charred gash.


    But this only further provoked the man''s ferocity; ignoring the threat behind him, he charged headlong at Colin!


    It looked like he was intent on taking Colin down with him.


    Using his recent leap, the man was now only three meters away from Colin.


    He widened his eyes, his pupils gleaming with green fury, and roared hoarsely,


    "Die! Die! Die, all of you should die!"


    But what he didn''t expect was that a blinding white light suddenly burst forth from the handsome young man''s chest in front of him!


    "Ah!!" With his vision whited out, the man flailed his arms.


    At this time, only a trivial sliver of the setting sun remained in the sky, making it incredibly dim.


    The sudden explosion of white light temporarily blinded the unprepared man.


    Colin, looking at the eerie man in front of him, thought again.


    A flame abruptly appeared at the crotch of the man''s canvas pants.


    Then more flames appeared one after another in different places on the man''s clothes.


    The man roared in anger, but the flames on his body soon made him instinctively lie down and roll on the ground.


    Unfortunately, the man was wearing only plain linen clothes, which weren''t soaked in any fuel.


    The fire, under his rolling, was quickly brought under control.


    Seeing this, Colin hurriedly grasped the sting needle and stabbed towards the man''s head.


    Before the blade in his hand could touch the man''s skin, another orange-red beam of light struck his head first.


    Half of the man''s head instantly disappeared.


    Yet even after such severe damage, his body continued to move.


    Then another orange-red beam shot out, completely erasing the man''s head.


    Only then did his body gradually stop moving.


    The intense smell of charred flesh mixed with the scent of cooked meat filled the air.


    Causing Colin''s stomach to churn continuously, his complexion growing even paler.


    He looked up at the figure slowly approaching in a Wizard Robe, took out a triangular badge from his pocket, and gestured to the other person.


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 Chapter 12 - 12: Bee Sting

    "Here you are," the shopkeeper said with a chuckle as he handed over the Magic Stone.


    Colin deftly caught it, slipped it into his bosom, and turned to walk out of the shop, stuffing the Magic Stone into his bulging grey purse while he walked away from the shopkeeper.


    By then, he could say he was much wealthier than before...


    However, in this world, wealth did not bring him the same sense of security as it did in his previous life.


    As he stepped outside, the weather was clear. He suddenly felt a notion and headed towards the market.


    ''Maybe I could buy some Knight Combat Skill or something... After all, a Magic Stone is just a Magic Stone in hand, but it becomes valuable when turned into strength,'' he pondered quietly to himself.


    The Sunlight Breathing Technique had only the practice method but no accompanying combat skills. As a result, he now had the rank of an Advanced Knight, but not the matching combat power.


    He arrived at the market.


    Colin wandered around but did not find any stalls selling Knight Combat Skills.


    But that was normal, too, whether it was the shops in the mountains or the market. Most of the goods sold were related to Wizards.


    Secret magic books, Wizard Tools and Robes, Magic Crystals, and various materials from demons were all readily available.


    But something like the Knight Breathing Technique could only be seen on very rare occasions.


    He looked up at the sky, and it seemed there was still time before nightfall.


    He hesitated, then continued towards the foot of the mountain.


    The island''s mountain wasn''t high and had a gentle slope.


    The entire settlement was situated on the southeastern side of the hillside, with the highest point being the Lap Wizard Territory; at the foot of the mountain was a small city.


    The island had a population of eighteen or nineteen thousand people, including ordinary folks. Among them, about eight or nine thousand were Wizards, and most of them were Basic Level Apprentices.


    Of the less than a thousand Wizards left, most were Intermediate Apprentices.


    And the Lap School was the only force on the entire island, with the sole Official Wizard.


    Thinking all this, he walked for a long while and finally saw a city gate, about four or five meters high, with yellow-grey earthen walls extending on both sides of the same height.


    Four burly men in steel armor were standing at the gate, each carrying a long sword on their back.


    Their strong vitality hit him in the face.


    ''They must be Great Knights,'' Colin guessed to himself.


    It was only upon arriving here that he truly came to the settlement on the island.


    Previously, the area on the mountain near the School was inhabited by Wizards of at least the Intermediate Apprentice Rank.


    It was closer to the Magic Stone Veins under the Lap Wizard Territory, where the concentration of magical energy was relatively higher,


    and only capable Wizards could live there.


    Most other Wizards and ordinary people were more likely to live in the small city at the foot of the mountain.


    Approaching the city gate, Colin noticed a grey plaque above the archway.


    Although the lettering was already quite blurred, he could still make out the words "Blackstone" if he looked closely.


    Under the respectful gazes of the Great Knight Guards below, Colin withdrew the identity badge he had pulled out of his pocket and stepped into the city.


    The original owner had been here a few times before. He was not unfamiliar with this small city and easily found his way to a bookshop.


    Before entering the shop, he pinned the School Badge on his chest then slowly stepped inside.


    The shop wasn''t large, and it resembled a jewelry store from his previous life more than a bookstore.


    Each book was solemnly kept in a sturdy iron cabinet.


    Some particularly valuable ones were even kept inside small protective shields.


    The shopkeeper was resting behind the counter at the time. He glanced at Colin as he entered, and upon seeing the triangular badge of the Lap School on his chest, he quickly stood up and greeted him enthusiastically,


    "Sir, welcome, what can I do for you?"


    "Do you have any Knight Combat Skills?" Colin nodded slightly in response.


    He was not surprised by the shopkeeper''s attitude; the Lap School was the undisputed ruler of the island.


    "Yes, sir, everything in this cabinet here."


    The goateed shopkeeper led Colin to a cabinet on the left side and then dug out a thick sheet of paper from underneath, handing it to Colin with both hands.


    "Here you are, this is the catalogue."


    Colin took it with a nod.


    The contents of the catalogue weren''t extensive, mainly listing names, brief descriptions, and prices.


    He looked for quite a while but did not see anything satisfactory.


    Combat skills of mortals were indeed quite weak.


    "I will take this ''Radiant Light''," he said after a moment''s hesitation.


    The list on the yellow paper ranked combat skills into six tiers based on their strength, and the most expensive tier offered just three combat skills, each with its secret technique.


    Colin selected one that seemed the most powerful from the description... although it wasn''t all that powerful, he could only hope for the "Golden Paper Limit Breaking."


    After paying a piece and a half of magic stone and signing a Universal Contract, with terms such as for personal use only and not to teach others,


    the bearded shopkeeper finally opened the steel cabinet and handed him the shining book.


    Colin flipped through it casually, frowning slightly.


    "What''s the issue, sir? Is there a problem with the book?" the bearded shopkeeper asked anxiously, his heart skipping a beat.


    "It''s nothing," Colin shook his head, denying it, then turned to ask, "Do you know where I can buy a rapier?"


    This shining book, he had briefly looked through, was a combat skill book focused on thrusting attacks and recommended the use of a rapier.


    But the knight sword from the original owner''s house was a regular long sword.


    "Yes, sir. I know a place," the shopkeeper wiped the sweat from his forehead and quickly replied, "It''s just two doors away, a shop that specializes in knight swords."


    Colin nodded slightly, put away the shining book, and prepared to go purchase a rapier.


    With 1.5 magic stones entering his account daily, he could indeed be considered wealthy.


    When he was about to step out of the store, he suddenly paused, stopping in his tracks.


    Across the street, outside a general goods store, a familiar blonde young man was hurrying along.


    ''Charlie... What''s he doing here?'' Colin wondered.


    Coming here didn''t require a report to the School like going to places such as the Dark Forest,


    but normally School members wouldn''t come here without reason.


    ''Could it be that he, along with Jeff and the others, was coming here the other night?'' Colin recalled their previous encounter.


    He had thought that Charlie and his companions had probably just gone to the market outside the Wizard Territory,


    but now it seemed, maybe they had also been coming here that evening?


    Colin stepped back into the shop slightly, waved his hand to calm the nervous shopkeeper, and then peeked at Charlie from behind the counter''s cover.


    Charlie, oblivious to his gaze, hurried along and eventually turned into a small alley not far to the left.


    After his figure had completely disappeared, Colin left the shop, his gaze flickering towards the alley where Charlie had vanished.


    But then he quickly withdrew his gaze and headed to the shop that sold knight swords on the right, as the bookstore owner had directed.


    ''Not to worry over matters that shouldn''t concern me, not to do things I shouldn''t do...''


    The walls of the knight sword shop were adorned with all kinds of knight swords.


    "A rapier? Please wait a moment, sir. I''ll go look for one," the burly shopkeeper said with respect.


    Before long, he came back carrying a stack of long, narrow boxes.


    Opening the boxes one by one, they contained rapiers of varying lengths and designs. Since Colin had stated his preferences in advance, all that were brought were of high quality.


    Choosing a rapier didn''t take Colin much time; he had always believed in getting what you pay for and went straight for the most expensive one, priced at 1 magic stone.


    The rapier was called "Bee Sting," and together with the handle, it measured approximately 95 centimeters, with a simple, unadorned round guard.


    With that, today''s task was completed.


    Colin strapped the Bee Sting to his waist, his mid-length golden hair sleek and shining, and his azure eyes sparkling. Combined with the muscular physique obtained from practicing the Sunlight Breathing Technique and today''s outfit of a shirt and waistcoat, he was the spitting image of a handsome young knight from a theatrical play.


    He subconsciously caressed the exquisite scabbard of Bee Sting.


    A man''s fondness for weapons is etched into his very bones.


    In his former life as an ordinary person, he seldom had the chance to handle a real knight sword.


    In this world, without a phone or internet,


    apart from sitting by the window to enjoy the sea breeze and view, the thing he did most during his brief rest periods was play with the original owner''s knight sword.


    ''Now I have a new knight sword to toy with,'' Colin thought with a smile on his face. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This Bee Sting, worth 1 magic stone, was clearly of much higher quality than the ordinary knight sword left by the original owner.


    Though its appearance was simple, its details exuded elegance.


    As he walked along the road, Colin frequently wanted to draw it and swing it around a few times.


    Unfortunately... this was the city.


    But once out of town, there would be plenty of bushes and shrubs on the mountain roads to indulge in.


    With this thought, he couldn''t help but quicken his pace.


    But soon after, he let out a wry, self-mocking laugh.


    He inexplicably remembered a time from his childhood in his previous life, when after school, he had found a long and straight stick next to a sprawling field of rapeseed flowers.


    Indeed, once he had the stick in hand, there was no end in sight to the ten-mile stretch of rapeseed blossoms.

 Chapter 13 - 13 Classes

    Alas, it was unknown if such vast fields of cauliflower still existed in this world.


    Colin, lost in his reverie, strode forward, the bee sting firmly fixed to the brown leather sword holder given by the shop owner at his waist, making no sound.


    As he walked on, evening arrived, and the sun set in the west, enveloping the land in a deep yellow hue.


    The small town had a curfew, and as night fell, more pedestrians appeared on the dirt roads, with carriages occasionally passing by.


    He walked among the crowd, yet it wasn''t crowded; the pedestrians around him consciously maintained a distance of one meter from him.


    On the island, social classes were distinct; those dressed like him in the small town were either core members of a gang, descendants of a family, or at least related in some way to a wizard.


    After walking a distance, he gradually reached the outskirts of the town.


    There, farmers with agricultural tools and fishermen with dark skin reeking of fish became more common, and carriages were rarely seen.


    The houses along the street changed from wooden houses to mud and seaweed buildings, and some were not even seaweed houses but merely crude tents made of palm leaves.


    The passersby became more meek; upon seeing Colin, they either shrank back into their homes or bowed their heads in fear and stood still.


    After walking a bit further, suddenly, the sound of a woman sobbing, interspersed with the loud cries of a baby, rang out.


    Turning a corner, Colin saw the source of the noise.


    In front of a palm lean-to by the roadside, a woman clad in tattered linen clothes was sitting on the ground, holding a baby wrapped in black cloth, crying.


    A few men dressed as fishermen surrounded her. The robust young man among them was holding a cloth bag;


    he handed the cloth bag to the woman, "This is all that''s left of Gal, take it..."


    "Hey!"


    At this moment, another man beside him spotted Colin and quickly alerted him in a low voice, then bowed his head and stood aside.


    The robust young man looked back, saw Colin, and quickly bent his head down as well.


    Colin, with a calm and expressionless face, continued forward.


    The woman also saw him, immediately swallowed her sobs with effort, and then forcefully covered her baby''s mouth with her other hand.


    Though the sound stopped, tears continued to flow unrestrainedly; large tears fell from her chin, hitting the ground, and forming dark stains.


    The face of the baby in her arms quickly turned red and struggled more fiercely.


    Colin sighed softly to himself and quickened his pace.


    But suddenly, whether the woman couldn''t bear it or the baby struggled too vehemently, the piercing cry of the child rose again.


    The woman''s expression dramatically changed and she hastened to muzzle the baby more tightly.


    Colin did not pause or turn his head; he just looked straight ahead and passed by quickly, expressionless.


    Soon, he had left that area.


    Although he hadn''t heard everything, he guessed that the woman must have lost her fisherman husband.


    The sea was vast and magnificent but also full of perils; such occurrences were frequent.


    More than that, he cared about the attitudes of the people in the ghetto towards him.


    "Class..." he sighed imperceptibly.


    On the island, aside from wizards, other ordinary people should all be on the same level.


    Those people hadn''t recognized him as a wizard; they shouldn''t have been so deferential.


    Yet, there were clearly distinctions among ordinary people; the ghettos'' inhabitants and those ordinary people connected with the wizards were worlds apart in status.


    Earlier, he had also heard that a father of a Basic Level Wizard Apprentice from the city had come to the edge of the ghetto deliberately to provoke people.


    Then, when those people could no longer endure and began to retaliate, he would use the formidable power of a knight to brutally kill them for amusement.


    Although the Guard Team later became aware of this issue,


    the punishment was only to forbid him from committing the act again and to fine him some magic stones...


    The island was poor in resources, the wilderness filled with fierce beasts and strange occurrences; ordinary people could only survive by relying on wizards, which was one of the reasons for wizards'' exalted status.


    An instructor once said that sixty years ago, before the Lap School came to this island,


    the original Official Wizards had died, leaving only some Advanced Apprentices relying on the relics left by their ancestors, barely holding off the night''s eeriness and the wilderness''s fierce beasts.


    Thus, the settlements became smaller day by day, continuously forced to reduce their area.


    Only when Lap Wizard arrived did the settlements gradually stop shrinking and even began to expand.


    Now, they had expanded back to their original peripheries, and the damaged outer mud wall had also been reinforced and repaired.


    This was the power of an Official Wizard and the unbreakable status of the Lap School!


    Thinking all this, Colin was about to reach the city gate.


    A thin man suddenly sprang out from a nearby path and then inexplicably stopped in the middle of the dirt road.


    Colin halted, frowning at him.


    The man, hunched over, stood sideways to him, his head down.


    The yellow light of the setting sun turned him into a dark silhouette, highlighting his emaciated figure.


    The backlight prevented Colin from seeing the man''s face clearly.


    After pondering for a moment, he decided to take out his identity badge from his pocket.


    In the small town, given his attire, most people wouldn''t bother him.


    And for the few who might, showing the identity badge in his pocket would usually resolve the issue.


    Colin watched the man while feeling for the badge in his pocket.


    As his eyes gradually adjusted to the backlight, the man''s figure became clearer in his vision.


    ''Why is he... trembling non-stop?'' Colin''s pupils constricted, and a wave of unease suddenly surged from his heart.


    He immediately withdrew his hand from his pocket, quickly formed a seal, his lips quivered, and he whispered a spell as he stepped backward.


    Just as his spell resonated, the man standing on the muddy ground in front of him suddenly made a move.


    He slowly raised his head, looking at Colin, his eyes glowing with a bizarre green light.


    Colin felt a sudden tightness in his chest, quickened his pace backward while continuing to chant the spell.


    At that moment, a noisy sound came from the right, from the direction where the man had just appeared.


    The man seemed to have some problem with his body, his head suddenly dropped heavily again, and he continued to tremble, hunched over.


    This time, even large pools of fresh blood spilled from his mouth, making a strange hissing sound when it hit the ground.


    After a few more seconds, the hunched-over man finally caught his breath and gradually straightened his back.


    By then, Colin had already retreated dozens of meters away, and his casting of witchcraft was nearing its end.


    Buzz¡ª


    Accompanied by the last syllable, a translucent white light enveloped Colin''s entire body.


    But it suddenly shattered and disappeared.


    Colin''s face turned pale as he suppressed the discomfort of the failed spell and pulled out the sting needle from his waist, continuing to retreat quickly.


    The white light was Steel Armor, a powerful witchcraft he had been learning recently.


    Unfortunately, despite having Golden Paper''s help, ten days was too short of a time, and he was still some distance away from mastery. The casting took a long time and was prone to failure.


    Seeing that he was getting farther away from the man with the eerie green glow, Colin breathed a slight sigh of relief.


    Although he was now an Advanced Knight, this strength was nothing in the face of real danger.


    The man''s bizarre appearance, eyes glowing green, was clearly beyond Colin''s ability to handle!


    Why risk it? Decisive retreat was the right choice!


    It was a pity¡­he had not succeeded in casting Steel Armor¡­


    Just as Colin was pondering, the now fully upright lean man suddenly stared at him!


    In the dim world, his eyes glowing green were strikingly prominent.


    Colin startled, kept his gaze on the lean man, continuing to retreat to increase the distance.


    Although they were already a fair distance apart, blindly turning around to run was still the poorest choice!


    The next second, the man suddenly charged towards him with a speed so fast that in the blink of an eye, he closed the distance to within ten meters.


    His heart clenched!


    "This speed, there''s no escaping."


    Colin let out a heavy breath, stopped in his tracks, gripped the sting needle in his hand, ready to fight!


    Whoosh!!


    Just then, a beam of orange-red light shot fiercely from behind the right side of the lean man.


    The man, startled, forcefully leaped while curling up his body.


    His reaction was quick, but his waist and abdomen were still grazed by the beam!


    The man grunted.


    At the waist, where it had contacted the beam, had vanished, leaving only a charred gash.


    But this only further provoked the man''s ferocity; ignoring the threat behind him, he charged headlong at Colin!


    It looked like he was intent on taking Colin down with him.


    Using his recent leap, the man was now only three meters away from Colin.


    He widened his eyes, his pupils gleaming with green fury, and roared hoarsely,


    "Die! Die! Die, all of you should die!"


    But what he didn''t expect was that a blinding white light suddenly burst forth from the handsome young man''s chest in front of him!


    "Ah!!" With his vision whited out, the man flailed his arms.


    At this time, only a trivial sliver of the setting sun remained in the sky, making it incredibly dim.


    The sudden explosion of white light temporarily blinded the unprepared man.


    Colin, looking at the eerie man in front of him, thought again.


    A flame abruptly appeared at the crotch of the man''s canvas pants.


    Then more flames appeared one after another in different places on the man''s clothes.


    The man roared in anger, but the flames on his body soon made him instinctively lie down and roll on the ground.


    Unfortunately, the man was wearing only plain linen clothes, which weren''t soaked in any fuel.


    The fire, under his rolling, was quickly brought under control.


    Seeing this, Colin hurriedly grasped the sting needle and stabbed towards the man''s head.


    Before the blade in his hand could touch the man''s skin, another orange-red beam of light struck his head first.


    Half of the man''s head instantly disappeared.


    Yet even after such severe damage, his body continued to move.


    Then another orange-red beam shot out, completely erasing the man''s head.


    Only then did his body gradually stop moving.


    The intense smell of charred flesh mixed with the scent of cooked meat filled the air.


    Causing Colin''s stomach to churn continuously, his complexion growing even paler.


    He looked up at the figure slowly approaching in a Wizard Robe, took out a triangular badge from his pocket, and gestured to the other person.


    S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 14 - 14 Exchange

    "The use of the Flash Skill is not bad, Third-Class Apprentice."


    The approaching figure was tall, wearing a gray robe, and pinned on his chest was a golden triangle badge of the Lap School. He was lifting his hood while casually praising Colin.


    After he lifted his hood, what appeared before Colin was a red-haired man with somewhat untidy hair and a circle of beard around his chin, exuding a somewhat weather-beaten look, probably in his thirties or forties.


    "Thank you, Instructor," Colin quickly bowed in thanks.


    The Third-Class Apprentice was another name for the Basic Level Wizard Apprentice, and the golden badge on the red-haired man''s chest indicated that he was an Advanced Wizard Apprentice from the School, that is, a First-Class Wizard Apprentice.


    Usually, the basic wizarding courses for people like Colin within the School were taught in turns by First-Class Apprentices like the red-haired man.


    So, they were commonly referred to as Instructors by Basic Level Apprentices like Colin.


    Moreover, apart from teaching knowledge, each First-Class Apprentice had different responsibilities, and the red-haired man seemed to be from the Guard Team.


    The red-haired instructor nodded indisputably, then waved his right hand.


    An orange-yellow fireball abruptly appeared, enveloped in heat waves, and whizzed to strike the incomplete corpse of the green-glowing man.


    Colin kept a serene expression on his face, but his heart skipped a beat.


    The flames blazed up, and the scent of meat in the air grew increasingly rich.


    Subconsciously, Colin took two steps to the side, positioning himself upwind.


    "Don''t be nervous, this is a necessary treatment for a Polluter¡ª"


    The red-haired man had already walked up to Colin and explained calmly, then abruptly changed the subject,


    "As for you, you also need to be tested."


    "Tested?" Colin asked subconsciously.


    The red-haired man didn''t answer, just stared at him with a neutral expression and said lightly, "Relax, don''t resist."


    He then moved his lips slightly, beginning the spell casting.


    The light from the burning corpse cast Colin''s face in an unsettled interplay of shadow and light. He clutched the sting needle in his hand, the wrapped leather handle felt fine and delicate.


    He did not know if the Golden Paper would be detected, nor did he know if the ritual the original owner had conducted would leave any traces on him.


    But he had no other choice.


    Colin stood quietly, trying to relax his entire body.


    Seconds later, a White Light emitted from the red-haired man''s hand, scanning Colin from head to toe.


    Wherever the White Light passed, it felt like being immersed in a warm spring, although it wasn''t uncomfortable, Colin still felt very uneasy.


    "That''s enough, Third-Class Apprentice, you may go," the red-haired man said after confirming the result.


    "Okay, Instructor."


    Colin bowed his head, relieved inside and yet filled with countless thoughts.


    ''I''m still not strong enough...'' he sighed inwardly.


    "Oh yes, there''s one more thing¡ª" the red-haired man called out to him.


    Colin stopped and turned back, perplexed.


    "That magic that looks a bit like the Ignition Technique... the second spell you cast just now, what was that? I''ve never seen it before. Did you improve it yourself?" sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "...No, Instructor."


    "It is a spell I purchased at the market, nameless. The seller called it Ignition Technique... The effect is similar to Ignition Technique, only it can ignite things from a distance, without physical contact. The range is about half a meter from oneself."


    Colin pondered for a moment and answered discreetly.


    The so-called Ignition Technique, and the Flash Skill that the red-haired instructor had previously mistaken, were actually just the Ignition Technique and the Light Brightness Skill after breaking their limits once.


    During this period, not only was he learning new witchcraft¡ªSteel Armor, but he had also broken the limits of all the witchcraft he had mastered at least once.


    As he expected, the might of tricks like the Light Brightness Skill and Ignition Technique hadn''t significantly increased after breaking their limits.


    However, sometimes, like today, with a bit of clever thinking and tactical usage, they could achieve surprisingly effective results.


    "Third Class Apprentice, I am very interested in this witchcraft and am willing to exchange for it with knowledge of equal value or a Magic Stone. Is that acceptable?" the red-haired instructor continued.


    "...It would be my honor, instructor," Colin was startled and hastily responded.


    "Then would you prefer a Magic Stone, or knowledge of equal value?" the red-haired instructor nodded satisfactorily and added, "If it''s knowledge you want, I have several spells of equal value for you to choose from."


    "I choose knowledge," Colin replied without hesitation.


    "Wise decision," the instructor praised, then turned his gaze toward the end of the street, "After dealing with this matter, we''ll find an appropriate place to exchange."


    Colin followed his gaze.


    At the end of the street, five people were running toward them. The one leading was wearing a Wizard Robe, sporting the silver badge of the Lap School, while the four behind him were clad in fine steel plate armor, carrying large swords.


    "My lord," the Wizard Apprentice leading the group greeted the red-haired instructor respectfully.


    The red-haired instructor nodded, then said, "The Polluter has been taken care of; I''m leaving now. Come find me if you need anything."


    He then signaled for Colin to follow him.


    Turning around, he seemed to remember something, pausing in stride, and looked back at the Intermediate Apprentice with a reminder, "Remember to cleanse the ashes later."


    "Yes, my lord," the Intermediate Apprentice replied respectfully.


    The red-haired instructor nodded and continued to walk forward.


    Colin quickly strode to keep up, but took one last look at the body still burning beside them.


    By then, the body had mostly burned away, and the newly arrived Second Class Apprentice, perhaps feeling that the fire wasn''t lively enough, stood aside, directing the four knights in plate armor to pour oil onto it.


    Colin also keenly noticed that within the churning flames, there seemed to be a sinister green light flickering, casting an uneasy feeling.


    As the thick oil was poured from the skin bags, the flames soared up to half a person''s height.


    Colin didn''t look any longer, turning to catch up with the silhouette of the red-haired instructor.


    The exchange of witchcraft wasn''t simple; it couldn''t be completed in a short period of time.


    Behind each spell lay a range of complex knowledge, sometimes involving dozens or even hundreds to understand.


    Take, for instance, a single breaking of limits for the Ignition Technique. To transcribe it completely on paper would take at least half an hour.


    Therefore, exchanging witchcraft usually required finding a suitable place and having tools like paper and ink at hand.


    Moreover, when wizards exchanged knowledge, there were generally two forms.


    One was to directly exchange manuscripts, transcribing the complete Magic Model and principles on paper.


    And the other, based on exchanging manuscripts, came with explanations, primarily elucidating the underlying principles and so forth.


    The second form was evidently the better way for both parties involved in the exchange.


    It not only reduced the time needed to start understanding new witchcraft but also verified the authenticity of the manuscripts.


    However, when there was a significant knowledge gap between the two parties,


    The one with the higher knowledge would generally prefer to exchange only documents.


    For the one with greater knowledge, unless the witchcraft being exchanged was in a field completely different from their expertise,


    They wouldn''t need explanations; a glance at the manuscript would suffice to understand the principles. Their exchange was merely about acquiring a fresh perspective through lateral thinking.

 Chapter 15 - 15 Explanation

    Before long, Colin and another person arrived at a stone house.


    The house was about one hundred square meters in size and was an uncommon three-story structure.


    A red-haired instructor led him to a study on the second floor.


    The study was not large; two rows of bookshelves lined the walls, and in the center was a set of maroon desks and chairs.


    "Take a seat," the red-haired instructor said as he pulled out a wooden chair for Colin.


    "Alright, instructor."


    "You don''t need to be too formal, we''re all from the School... Strictly speaking, I''m still your senior," the red-haired instructor leaned back in his chair and continued,


    "Berkeley Barnett, you can call me Berkeley."


    "Colin Leonard... just call me Colin, Instructor Barnett," Colin hurriedly responded.


    Although Berkeley allowed him to address him by his name, that was merely a polite gesture, which he heard but naturally couldn''t take seriously.


    In this world, there was no such thing as equality among all.


    Power determined one''s social status.


    "Then let''s get started," Berkeley sat up straight, took out a set of paper and pen from the drawer, and handed them to Colin, "Write this down first, those witchcrafts, I still need to organize them a bit."


    "Alright, Instructor Barnett."


    Berkeley nodded, stood up, and walked towards the bookshelves behind him.


    Under the bright white light shining from the Bright Crystal chandelier overhead, Colin wrote fervently.


    Unlike the feather quill he usually used, Berkeley had given him a black fountain pen.


    The design was not much different from the fountain pens of his previous life; the polished metal casing gleamed under the white light.


    Colin knew that fountain pens existed in this world.


    From his memories, the original host often saw instructors using fountain pens during lessons.


    However, the island was resource-poor and undoubtedly did not have the conditions to produce fountain pens.


    The technological or living standards on the island were only slightly more advanced than medieval Europe of his previous life.


    He guessed that these fountain pens were likely imported from the outside world.


    In other words, this implied the existence of higher technology outside.


    Creating a fountain pen was not an easy task, representing a series of mature industrial technologies.


    On Earth in his previous life, fountain pens were also invented and produced only after the Industrial Revolution.


    After about half an hour, Colin had finally transcribed the complete principles and models of the Limit Breaking Fire Technique onto paper, amounting to over a dozen pages.


    The handwriting was neat and there were not many corrections.


    This was mainly thanks to his current physical condition as an Advanced Knight and the complete knowledge gained from the Limit Breaking Fire Technique.


    Golden Paper Limit Breaking did not only provide results, but it conveyed the entire process from theoretical deduction, research, sudden inspirations, and eventual refinement back to Colin.


    In some sense, a Limit Breaking Fire Technique felt as though he had researched it himself.


    Thus, writing out a complete principle and model was not an issue, let alone producing a well-grounded research paper from the Ignition Technique to the Ignition Technique.


    "I have already transcribed it, Instructor Barnett," Colin handed the document to Berkeley who was sitting in front of him.


    Berkeley had already organized the witchcraft twenty minutes ago.


    It seemed he had a backup prepared.


    "Um, take a look at which witchcraft you want," Berkeley put down the book, took the document, and handed a piece of paper to Colin.


    The paper contained brief descriptions of the witchcraft he was prepared to exchange.


    Colin took the white paper and read it carefully.


    There were four spells listed: Minor High Temperature Tolerance, Choking Cough Skill, Arrow Shooting Skill, and Fireworks Skill.


    None of these were very powerful spells, but they were also uncommon and valued roughly the same as an Ignition Technique after achieving a Limit Breaking.


    Minor High Temperature Tolerance, as the name suggests, provides a brief ability to withstand high temperatures, specifically temperatures below 500 degrees.


    The Choking Cough Skill could force someone to cough and choke, which sounded useful for interrupting a wizard''s spell incantation.


    However, it was not very practical. On one hand, it was easily defensible and counterable, and on the other, wizards typically used instant-cast spells in combat.


    These spells required no incantation, thus they couldn''t be interrupted by the Choking Cough Skill.


    Arrow Shooting Skill could fire a metal arrow at an enemy, its power was average, and it required metal arrows as casting materials. Its benefit was its low consumption.


    As for the Fireworks Skill, it was used for setting off fireworks. Once mastered, one could create fireworks of various shapes and colors as desired, usually used for sending messages.


    Colin read and reread the white paper meticulously, back and forth twice.


    He finally made a decision. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I choose the Arrow Shooting Skill, Instructor Banette," he said.


    He interrupted Berkeley, who was engrossed in reading a document, and handed the white paper back to him.


    "Good choice," Berkeley responded casually, taking the white paper and rummaging through the stack of documents beside him to hand the Arrow Shooting Skill document to Colin.


    After pondering for a moment, he continued, "Take a look at the document... The Ignition Technique is quite interesting. After you finish, I''d like to hear your thoughts on it."


    "Alright, Instructor," Colin quickly agreed with a smile.


    Wizards valued equivalent exchange. Since Berkeley had asked him to explain the Ignition Technique, it meant he would also explain the Arrow Shooting Skill to him later.


    A First Class Apprentice''s explanation would certainly save him a lot of time in learning the basics of the Arrow Shooting Skill.


    Berkeley nodded affirmatively, then continued reading the Ignition Technique document.


    Colin also wasted no time and concentrated on reading the Arrow Shooting Skill document.


    He wanted to validate his hypothesis.


    He chose the Arrow Shooting Skill because the prerequisite knowledge section mainly listed knowledge about electromagnetism.


    If he wasn''t mistaken, perhaps with the ability of Golden Paper, he might be able to enhance it into an Electromagnetic Cannon!


    Of course, this was just a hope. To raise it to the level he imagined, the required Limit Breaking Points would surely be immense.


    Another hour nearly passed.


    Berkeley put down the document and spoke up first, "Leonard, have you finished?"


    "I have, Instructor," Colin answered.


    He let out a long breath and put down the document.


    Indeed, no spell was simple.


    "Very well, then I''ll start by explaining the Arrow Shooting Skill to you," Berkeley volunteered, then added, "It''s not suitable to cast it here. Follow me."


    He took the documents and stood, heading towards the door.


    Colin quickly picked up the Arrow Shooting Skill document and followed.


    The two walked to the staircase, descended two floors, and arrived at the basement.


    The basement was empty except for a dozen figures made of wood, stone, or iron on one side.


    They bore various marks of spell damage and were apparently specially made targets, indicating the area was a designated practice range.


    Berkeley went over to pick up a few crossbow arrows, skipped any preamble, and began to explain.


    "I''m not very proficient with the Electromagnetic System of witchcraft, but I can give you a basic explanation..."


    Colin listened intently.

 Chapter 16 - 16 Enlightenment

    Berkeley spent more than an hour talking about the principles, models, and demonstrations thoroughly.


    Colin felt he had taken a big step closer to successfully casting the Arrow Shooting Skill.


    "Thank you for your lecture, Instructor Banette¡ªI have gained a lot." He thanked earnestly.


    Berkeley did not say anything, just smiled.


    Following that, Colin began his explanation of the Limit Breaking Fire Technique.


    "...the Ignition Technique, in my opinion, is a variant of the Fire-making Skill, the main difference being that it can ignite from a distance."


    "As everyone knows, witchcraft that allows casting from a distance usually involves Spirit Mechanics, typically through the aid of spiritual power for positioning."


    "However, Wizard Apprentices cannot externalize spiritual power, so positioning through spiritual power is very challenging.


    The reason why the Ignition Technique can be accurately cast from a distance is not because it relies on spiritual power but on Spatial Positioning..."


    Colin spoke earnestly, and the knowledge involved in the Limit Breaking Fire Technique was not complex.


    Even Spatial Positioning only involved simple knowledge of three-dimensional coordinates and did not particularly exceed his rank, but was ingeniously conceived.


    Thus, he did not need to worry about appearing too outstanding.


    Likewise, Colin spent about an hour and a half before he finally finished explaining the Limit Breaking Fire Technique from start to finish.


    After listening to his explanation, Berkeley held the manuscript and fell into deep thought.


    Seconds later, accompanied by a burst of magic power fluctuation, a small orange flame suddenly appeared in front of him.


    It then disappeared unstably, and he shook his head but still had a smile on his face.


    He turned to Colin:


    "This witchcraft is very inspiring for me, you can also pick another skill from the previous witchcraft to take with you."


    Colin was startled and quickly expressed gratitude.


    The principle of equivalent exchange and the equal attitude from Berkeley were beyond his expectations.


    "...Secondary High Temperature Tolerance, Instructor Banette, I choose this." He pondered for a moment before making the decision.


    Defensive witchcraft could never be too numerous, and on the other hand, the Limit Breaking potential of Secondary High Temperature Tolerance might be considerable.


    "Good choice, fetch it yourself, Leonard," Berkeley nodded and continued to read the Ignition Technique manuscript, "Our trade ends here."


    "Alright, Instructor."


    After obtaining the manuscript, Colin hastily returned to the stone house in the Wizard Territory.


    On the way, his identity badge allowed him unimpeded passage.


    The white light sphere emitted by the Limit Breaking Light Brightness Skill provided him with adequate lighting... though it was somewhat draining on his magic power.


    By the time he arrived at the stone house, his magic power had been drained by more than half.


    In the following time, he continued his reclusive life, keeping to the same routine as before.


    Only, he reduced his practice of the Sunlight Breathing Method and spent more time on learning the new witchcraft¡ªSteel Armor, Arrow Shooting Skill, and Secondary High Temperature Tolerance.


    As for the Knight Combat Skill Radiance, having witnessed the power of strong witchcraft closely last time, he had decided to discard it.


    Knight Combat Skills were always just mere mortal strength.


    Perhaps continuously breaking limits with Golden Paper might reach the level of strong witchcraft.


    But if one had such abilities, why not directly enhance the witchcraft itself?


    Still, the Sunlight Breathing Method had to continue as it provided abundant energy, which was very beneficial.


    This, apart from breaking limits for the Circulation Meditation, Colin felt was the most cost-effective Limit Breaking Point he had used so far.


    Additionally, obtaining the Arrow Shooting Skill was an unexpected bonus and a reason he decided not to train in Radiance anymore.


    The original owner had left behind a book "General Basic Witchcraft for Apprentices."


    However, most of the witchcraft recorded in it were just tricks.


    Like the Fire-making Skill, Condensing Water Skill, Light Brightness Skill, only two were genuinely considered strong witchcraft.


    One was the Steel Armor, and the other was Mind Shock.


    These were two standard witchcraft for countering mortal Knights.


    The former allowed one to cover oneself with a solid layer of steel armor without any blind spots or burdens.


    The latter was the best witchcraft to use against mentally weak mortals, even Knights, as long as they were not Great Knights and didn''t have specialized protective Witch Tools.


    The result was not much different from mortals, being utterly helpless.


    At most, the difference was just being able to resist once or one and a half times more.


    But Mind Shock was not so effective against Wizards.


    In the same rank, at least eight attacks were required to inflict fatal damage.


    This was also one of the reasons he had initially chosen to learn knight combat skills.


    But now, with the Arrow Shooting Skill, his weakness in attacks was compensated for, and there was naturally no need to seek further.


    Another ten days had passed.


    In the Meditation Room, Colin Leonard slowly opened his eyes and exhaled the Golden Paper, gathering pale golden particles.


    [Name: Colin Leonard]


    [Rank: Basic Level Wizard Apprentice (75/100); Advanced Knight (81/100)]


    [Meditation Methods: Circulation Meditation for Apprentices I (15/100); Sunlight Breathing Method I (35/100)]


    [Witchcraft: Fire-making Skill I (23/100); Condensing Water Skill Level I (18/100); Light Brightness Skill I (26/100); Steel Armor (2/100); Arrow Shooting Skill (1/100)]


    [Skill: Basic Magic Crystal Making¡ª(Bright Crystal Making I (100/100))]


    [Limit Breaking Point: 18]


    The progress in his rank had increased by a point, and Colin showed a satisfied smile, now needing only 25 days to advance.


    Additionally, yesterday he had successfully mastered the basics of the Arrow Shooting Skill, and the day before, he had just started on the Steel Armor.


    Berkeley''s explanation had been immensely beneficial; otherwise, even with the Golden Paper, it would have taken him at least ten more days or even half a month to grasp the Arrow Shooting Skill.


    As for Lesser High Temperature Tolerance and Mind Shock, he still hadn''t mastered their basics.


    Golden Paper allowed him consistent progress, but failure meant little progress while success meant more.


    Mastering witchcraft, especially powerful witchcraft, was not that easy.


    Moreover, his Limit Breaking Points had accumulated to 18.


    When he reached ten Limit Breaking Points, the symbol for Bright Crystal Making I, which had reached its limit, was surrounded by a golden outline.


    But Colin did not plan to break the limit again.


    On one hand, his Magic Stones were already sufficient.


    On the other, it was because this afternoon, when he went to sell crystals,


    the shop owner who purchased Magic Crystals specifically told him that after this batch, he would not buy Bright Crystals for a while.


    The reason given was market saturation.


    Colin believed this partially.


    Magic Crystals were indeed not cheap consumer goods; even the cheapest Light Bright Crystals were usually only affordable by half of the Basic Level Wizard Apprentices, and the total number of wizards on the island was not large, so a market saturation of Light Bright Crystals was possible.


    He also deliberately left some Light Bright Crystals at the market stall until sundown, but indeed, none were sold.


    The market was indeed not as hot as before.


    But Light Bright Crystals were, after all, consumable, and market saturation was only temporary.


    The shop owner''s refusal, however, was somewhat too decisive...


    "Maybe someone''s interests have been touched."


    Colin realized, sighed, and stood up, walking to the window facing the sea. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The gentle sea breeze brushed through his hair, over his shoulders, his cheeks, also calming his heart further.


    He realized that he had not played with his phone or accessed the internet for a long time.


    Making Bright Crystals, studying new witchcraft, practicing the Sunlight Breathing Method, meditation... His daily schedule was packed.


    The only thing that could be considered entertainment was perhaps leaning by this window, enjoying the sea breeze, observing the scenery.


    "...All this started because of the pressure of a three-month countdown."


    "But later... why did it continue?"


    Colin gently exhaled.


    In his ears echoed the suppressed cries of a grieving woman holding her baby, and the foul smell of meat seemed to linger at his nostrils. The shop owner''s words of refusal also resonated in his mind...


    And that night, Erica''s decisive expression...


    He lifted his palm, and the moonlight, like flowing water, gathered in his open palm.


    His fingers closed into a fist...


    He did not catch any moonlight.


    But the defined muscles of his forearm, the strong feeling as he clenched, the Magic Power circulating continuously through his body... all these brought him a profound sense of reassurance.


    He gradually understood¡ª


    If he wanted to live happily in this world,


    then power was the only thing he should pursue!

 Chapter 17 - 17 Invitation

    The moon was high in the sky when Colin finished arranging his plans and went back to his room to rest.


    Another week went by.


    In the stone house.


    Colin sat on the edge of the bed, lifting his left hand and then grasping the Knight Sword that lay beside him with his right hand, tentatively making a cut on his left palm.


    The metal blade brushed across the center of his palm, yet it remained unharmed!


    He pressed the tip of the sword against his palm, gradually increasing the force, the skin on his palm constantly indented.


    It was not until he applied the strength of an average adult male that Colin started to feel a slight stinging pain.


    He stopped trying and closed his eyes to feel the Life Energy within his body that was completely different from Magic Power.


    Just then, he had successfully broken through to Great Knight.


    The Life Seed inside him first shattered into surging Blood Energy, spontaneously circulating and transforming his body.


    This process lasted for two hours.


    During this period, he not only coughed up a large amount of thick, yellow phlegm and excreted an unspeakable amount of filth, but he also sweated foully impure sweat, shedding a layer of skin!


    After that, the surging Blood Energy recollected into a mass in his chest.


    From then on, Blood Energy could be manipulated at will, and he also gained a new ability¡ªBlood Energy Armor.


    When Blood Energy covered his skin, it formed an invisible armor.


    After several attempts, Colin roughly understood the strength of the Blood Energy Armor.


    It was roughly equivalent to wearing a layer of cowhide armor, a notch weaker than witchcraft Steel Armor in terms of physical attack protection, but it had a certain ability to resist spirit attacks.


    All in all, it was quite good.


    Of course, what made him happiest was the increase in his life expectancy after the breakthrough.


    The Sunlight Breathing Technique was biased towards enhancing vigor, and since vigor was naturally related to Life Force, he surmised that he should be among those who increased their lifespan the most.


    Based on the general lifespan range of 130 to 150 years for a Great Knight, he estimated that he could live to at least 145 years old.


    145 years was a very long time; for some with shorter lives, it might already have been enough for three reincarnations.


    Just as Colin lay in bed, temporarily relaxing and daydreaming, there came a sudden series of urgent knocks at the door.


    "Who is it?"


    Colin straightened up and walked to the door to ask.


    "It''s me, Charlie."


    The familiar voice came through.


    Colin was somewhat surprised; the last time he had declined Charlie''s recruitment, Charlie had said he would come to find him again.


    But in reality, after that, he had never seen Charlie again... he thought Charlie had given up on recruiting him.


    Colin pondered for a moment, then opened the door.


    Charlie stood outside with a smile, with Owen and Hayward still by his side.


    "Long time no see, Charlie. Do you need something?" Colin asked calmly.


    "Long time no see, Colin." Charlie greeted warmly, "After all this time, have you made up your mind?"


    Before Colin could respond, Charlie continued as he took an invitation from Owen''s hands:


    "Don''t rush to answer me, I know you still have some doubts about the news I told you."


    He stuffed the invitation into Colin''s hand.


    "Tomorrow night at eight, all those who have not joined the Mutual Assistance Association will be there."


    "At that time, I will present solid evidence to prove the things I''ve told you."


    He patted Colin''s shoulder.


    "After you see the evidence, tell me what you think."


    Having said that, he departed without delay, as if he still had to visit another Apprentice.


    The trio''s figures slowly disappeared into the distance.


    Colin closed the door, looking at the brown invitation in his hand. After a moment of thought, he shook his head, casually set the invitation on fire, and tossed it into the kitchen stove beside him.


    Despite being very curious about the evidence Charlie mentioned, he would not risk it.


    ***


    ***


    ***


    The following evening,


    inside a residence in Blackstone City,


    Charlie sat at the head of the room and looked towards Owen, who stood at the door, seeking confirmation through gaze.


    "No one else is coming." Owen shook his head, his lean face creased with concern.


    "Close the door," Charlie instructed emotionlessly.


    With a creak, the heavy wooden door closed, and Charlie turned to survey the five apprentices before him.


    "Where''s the evidence you spoke of, Charlie?" one of the male apprentices asked impatiently, arms crossed over his chest.


    Charlie had invited them over but had not spoken a word, leaving them in the dark about his intentions.


    Charlie did not respond; instead, he respectfully opened a secret door on the wall behind him.


    A middle-aged man in a black robe stepped slowly out of the shadows.


    "You''ve done well, Charlie," he said coolly, and with a wave of his right hand, an invisible barrier enveloped the entire house.


    The male apprentice lost his impatient demeanor instantly, and the queries came to an abrupt halt. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even a fool could sense something was amiss now!


    "How dare you, Charlie?!" another female apprentice couldn''t help but shout.


    Another male apprentice decisively began casting.


    The middle-aged wizard chuckled softly, paused, and quietly watched the apprentice casting.


    Seconds later, a ball of Magic Power gathered in the hands of the male apprentice, only to dissipate forcefully.


    Charlie gave a subtle signal.


    Haywood, who had been waiting, quickly stepped forward upon receiving the look, and firmly held down the male apprentice.


    The Basic Level Knight''s strength was useless against him.


    "Stop your futile struggle; you won''t be able to cast witchcraft here," Charlie advised the rest of the apprentices calmly.


    "We are forbidden to harm each other; that''s the School''s rule! Aren''t you afraid of the School''s blame, Charlie?" the male apprentice pinned against the brown table shouted.


    Charlie ignored him, turned respectfully to take a brown animal skin parchment from the middle-aged wizard, and walked towards the male apprentice with an expressionless face, murmuring,


    "Don''t worry, none of you will die, and the School... will find out nothing."


    The apprentices'' complexions paled; never had they imagined facing danger on the island, given their identities from the Lap School.


    Even though they would be expelled from the School in a month.


    Now, it seemed someone dared to challenge the authority of the School on the island...


    Half an hour later.


    "... Then I''ll return to the School first, sir." Charlie spoke with deference.


    Haywood and Owen, as well as the other apprentices, stood silently behind him.


    "Go ahead," the middle-aged wizard commanded calmly, "I recall you mentioned there was one apprentice you''ve yet to deal with..."


    "Within two days, sir, I will have it taken care of," Charlie hurriedly replied, his tone serious, "By my account, even if he doesn''t believe it in his heart, he will leave some traces."


    "Although... I don''t know why he didn''t come this time and didn''t give me a chance to show the evidence.


    But now, all other apprentices have joined the Mutual Assistance Association. I believe if I visit him with the other apprentices, we will definitely succeed!"


    "After all, joining the Mutual Assistance Association is all to his benefit; he has no reason not to join!"


    "Hmm¡­ You may go back, and remember not to slip up."


    "And be prepared; in a week, I will assist you in advancing."


    "Yes, sir!"


    Charlie answered again with respect, a hint of joy flickering in his eyes.

 Chapter 18 - 18: A Visit

    The orange-yellow fireball gradually emerged from the water''s surface, tinting the azure sea a crimson red, reflected in Colin''s eyes.


    In a daze, he even thought it wasn''t the sea but rather molten, scalding iron.


    Colin withdrew his gaze, put the bowl from which he had eaten breakfast and the wooden chopsticks he had made himself into the kitchen.


    Lately, every morning at breakfast time, he would lean against the window with his food in hand, admiring the sunrise in the distance.


    Although it was the same time and the same place each day, the view of sunrise was always changing.


    In the kitchen, the iron pot on the clay stove was boiling with water.


    After cooking on the stove, he always scooped a few ladles of water into it, partly to protect the bottom of the pot from getting burned by the embers and partly to provide hot water for washing dishes.


    In this world, there was no dish soap, so to get the dishes clean, hot water was still necessary.


    Just as Colin was about to scoop water to wash the dishes, a sudden and intense knocking came from outside the door.


    He put the wooden ladle aside, wiped his hands on a cloth, and went to open the door.


    The wooden door creaked open, and immediately before him stood Charlie and two others.


    Crowded behind them was a ring of apprentices.


    Jeff, Mia, Carissa, Kate...


    Colin raised an eyebrow. Had all the apprentices from his cohort come?


    ''They''ve all joined the Mutual Assistance Association? Could the evidence Charlie mentioned be true?''


    ''...But what are they doing here now? Could it be that they want me to join the association? But am I that important?''


    "Colin¡ª" The lead, Charlie, spoke first, his tone sincere and gentle.


    "All the apprentices from our cohort, except for Erica who went to the Dark Forest, have joined the Mutual Assistance Association."


    "I''ve come to continue inviting you to join the association."


    "Although I don''t know why you didn''t come yesterday, why you didn''t give me a chance to prove myself."


    Charlie continued, pointing to the apprentices huddled behind him:


    "But look, if what I said was false, why would they choose to join the association..."


    "As classmates who have lived together for nearly ten years, I sincerely want to unite everyone, and I truly want to help you."


    "We need your strength as well, Colin!"


    "Yeah, Colin, join us," the other apprentices chimed in from behind.


    A flicker of hesitation crossed Colin''s face.


    ''It seems... what Charlie said might indeed be true...''


    A confident smile played across Charlie''s face.


    ''You have no reason to not join, Colin.''


    But his smile quickly froze.


    Colin still shook his head:


    "...Sorry, Charlie, it''s not that I don''t want to join, I just don''t want to rush it. There''s still a month and a half before the three-month deadline, isn''t it?"


    Charlie''s expression was sincere; if what he said was true, it might really be in Colin''s best interest.


    But Colin truly didn''t need to join some so-called Mutual Assistance Association.


    According to his current progress, he would be able to break through to Intermediate Wizard Apprentice in just half a month.


    "Colin, the sooner you join the association, the sooner everyone can accumulate power... you might not know, I''ve obtained a group witchcraft. The more people we have, the more power we can gather... and practicing witchcraft takes time," Charlie continued to explain.


    His smile returned to his face.


    He had anticipated this response and was prepared for it.


    Colin furrowed his brows in thought.


    Charlie quietly watched Colin, waiting for his response.


    "...Sorry, Charlie," he pondered for a moment, then continued to decline, "I plan to try one more time, I might advance."


    These were his true thoughts, but to Charlie, they clearly seemed evasive, and anger flared in his heart.


    The other apprentices standing behind him also grew angry, with some even making sarcastic remarks:


    "He doesn''t even consider his own talent; he could at least find a credible excuse."


    "Hey, Colin! You''re too selfish! It''s clearly good for you and everyone else!"


    Charlie''s brows furrowed tightly, he did not speak but merely sighed and shook his head at Wood behind him.


    Wood sneered, baring his white teeth.


    Colin''s pupils shrank slightly, sensing trouble.


    ''Why!?"


    He quickly stepped back and forcefully shut the door.


    Bang!


    The newly closed wooden door was violently struck, making a loud noise.


    Colin, while casting Steel Armor, walked over to the wooden cabinet holding his bee stinger, his adrenaline secreted and causing his heart to beat slightly faster.


    He hadn''t expected Charlie to turn against him just like that, simply because he refused to join... and didn''t he care about the opinions of the other apprentices?!


    A few seconds later, a flash of white light streaked by, and a layer of invisible armor enveloped his entire body.


    At the same time, he also pulled the bee stinger from its sheath, gripping it in his hand.


    Bang!!


    The wooden door shook violently and in the next second was knocked to the ground, the boards falling amidst a cloud of dust on the floor.


    Haywood entered with a sinister smile, his large and robust body blocking out the sunlight that should have shone in through the doorway.


    He looked contemptuously at Colin, who was holding a Knight Sword.


    From the way Colin held his sword, it was clear he hadn''t learned any Knight Combat Skills.


    If Colin had started chanting a spell now, Haywood might be somewhat wary, but a physical fight with him... that was like a moth to a flame!


    Even so, he cautiously drew the steel giant sword he''d been carrying on his back.


    Colin''s pupils dilated slightly; although they hadn''t started fighting yet, the giant sword Haywood was wielding must weigh at least fifty pounds.


    Just from that, it was clear his Knight Level must not be low!


    Whoosh!!


    Without giving Colin time to think, Haywood took a fierce step forward and swung his sword diagonally at Colin, aiming for his sword-bearing right hand.


    Members of the School were not allowed to harm each other seriously, and Haywood held back a bit of his strength.


    Clang!


    The bee stinger clashed with the giant sword, emitting a crisp metallic sound.


    Haywood stepped back half a step, his expression full of surprise and doubt, and his giant sword had been indented by the bee stinger.


    Meanwhile, Colin stood in place, slightly rotating his right wrist, feeling a little relieved.


    He could tell that Haywood hadn''t used his full strength.


    But judging from the force that had been transmitted, even though Haywood had held back, he was at most at the peak of the Knight Level, and had not reached the level of a Great Knight.


    Otherwise, it wouldn''t have been so easy for him, lacking any Combat Skills, to block that sword.


    At that moment, Charlie also entered and his expression changed upon seeing the result of their exchange.


    With a thought, he swiftly launched an Air Missile at Colin at high speed.


    Colin''s heart skipped a beat, and he tried to dodge to the side.


    But Haywood seized the opportunity, raising his giant sword to strike at him!


    In the heat of the moment, Colin couldn''t resist and had to endure a heavy slanted blow.


    Thud!!


    Colin staggered from the hit and crashed into the wall.


    The Knight Breathing Method that Haywood practiced must have focused on strength, making that slanted blow extremely fierce!


    Although he was not hurt thanks to his Steel Armor and the inherent Blood Energy protection of a Great Knight, he looked quite disheveled.


    But Charlie was even more shocked than him.


    "...Steel Armor and the rank of a Great Knight." He had a fluctuating expression, "It seems we have underestimated... Ah!"


    Before he could finish speaking, a blinding burst of White Light suddenly exploded!


    It caused both him and Haywood to temporarily lose their sight, forcing them to hurriedly retreat.


    Colin stood up but didn''t rush to attack. Instead, he pulled out a pair of homemade crystal sunglasses from his pocket and put them on.


    Immediately after, a bright white orb of light hovered in front of his chest.


    Haywood, whose vision had just slightly recovered, couldn''t look directly at Colin due to the dazzling light and had to quickly pull Charlie back to retreat. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Colin pursued Haywood with long strides.


    Ever since the Light Brightness Skill had proven effective in a surprise attack against a Polluter after a Limit Breaking, he had often pondered other uses for it.


    This tactic of emitting a strong light while wearing sunglasses was a new application he had figured out.


    With the intense light disrupting the enemy, they couldn''t look directly at him, let alone see his moves clearly.


    Obviously, this was highly effective in close combat.


    Colin, holding a thin sword, stabbed toward Charlie''s shoulder. Just like Haywood and others didn''t dare to harm his life, he also didn''t dare to strike lethally.


    Thrust!


    The sharp tip of the sword pierced into flesh, but Colin looked surprised.


    He slowly withdrew the bee stinger from Haywood''s body.


    This strong black man had actually taken the initiative to block a sword for Charlie at the critical moment!

 Chapter 19 - 19: Confinement

    "When did those two get so close?"


    Colin watched Haywood, who was expressionless even as he clutched his stabbed right shoulder, and Charlie, shielded behind his robust figure, and couldn''t help but think crookedly.


    Charlie, obviously unaware of his indecent thoughts, finally recovered from the blindness and looked somewhat angry as he shouted outside:


    "Owen, bring everyone else in!"


    Colin furrowed his brows, a rush of thoughts crossing his mind. Although he was not afraid of being outnumbered, it wasn''t easy to hold his own without using lethal force, especially since he had no combat skills.


    "Looks like I have to avoid the brunt for now."


    He turned off his Light Brightness Skill and retreated towards the window.


    "What''s happening here?" Just then, a middle-aged man in a wizard robe walked in from the doorway, his silver badge on his chest shining brightly.


    He must be a Second Class Apprentice of the Wizard Territory Patrol Team.


    Colin stopped and started to explain the situation.


    However, Charlie was one step ahead of him, speaking to the Second Class Apprentice of the patrol team:


    "It''s nothing, sir, we were just sparring."


    "Is that so?"


    The Second Class Apprentice cast an inquiring look at Colin. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Colin paused for a moment, then decisively said, "They attacked me without any reason, sir."


    The Second Class Apprentice raised his eyebrow.


    "You''re slandering!" At that moment, the thin Owen burst in from outside.


    He looked at Colin and then feigned anger: "It was you who stole Charlie''s sword! That''s why we came to find you, you habitual criminal!"


    A surge of anger rose in Colin''s chest as he said in a deep voice:


    "The sword was bought by myself in town, sir, I can confront the shop owner."


    "That sword is clearly not ordinary; how could you afford it! Charlie was a Prince before coming here, and the sword was clearly his personal weapon!"


    "Sir, if you don''t believe me, ask the apprentices outside."


    Owen''s voice was loud enough to carry outside.


    And indeed, the outside voices chimed in in agreement: "Yes, sir, we can all testify!"


    Hearing this, the Second Class Apprentice frowned at Colin, skepticism evident on his face.


    Colin''s heart sank.


    "Have all those apprentices been brainwashed by Charlie? Why are they all speaking for him?"


    "Sir, I can find the shop owner to ¡­" he quickly tried to explain.


    "Enough!" The middle-aged Second Class Apprentice frowned and interrupted Colin, "I don''t care what the reason is, fighting is forbidden within the school, come with me to the confinement room."


    "Sir, they are framing¡ª"


    "Enough, you three," the Second Class Apprentice waved his hand, interrupting Colin again, then looked at Owen standing at the doorway, "and you, come with me to the confinement room."


    Charlie''s expression changed drastically; he tried to remain calm:


    "Sir! We were really just sparring¡ª"


    Buzz¡ª


    Semi-transparent ropes suddenly appeared on the four of them, binding them and momentarily sealing Charlie''s mouth.


    "I don''t like to repeat myself, now, come with me to the confinement room."


    Whoosh!


    As soon as he finished speaking, the semi-transparent ropes swiftly disappeared, and the Second Class Apprentice turned and walked toward the door.


    Charlie couldn''t help coughing a few times, his head lowered and his expression gloomy.


    Colin, however, didn''t feel particularly disturbed; he hadn''t removed his steel armor, and, being a Great Knight, he always wore armor, so the semi-transparent ropes hadn''t actually constricted him.


    He sighed, took off his sunglasses, and followed the Second Class Apprentice.


    At this point, confinement was inevitable.


    The Lap School generally did not encourage malicious strife among its members. After all, if members of the same power were fighting each other, how could such a power develop and grow?


    But the school also didn''t have too many specific regulations in place¡ªjust a red line that life shouldn''t be harmed.


    So, the punishment for such an actual brawl was generally based on the patrol team member''s discretion.


    And the Second Class Apprentice they encountered clearly disliked trouble.


    ...


    Ten minutes later, Colin and the others were brought to the confinement room.


    This was a row of small stone houses on the north side of the residential area.


    They were intermittently locked up.


    The confinement room had no windows, just a vent on one side of the ceiling that was also opaque.


    Bang!


    The iron door shut tightly, and the room immediately fell into darkness.


    Hum¡ª


    A soft white light emanated from Colin''s hand.


    He carried several Bright Crystals made of pure crystal.


    Bright Crystals made from pure crystal provided longer illumination, about 8 hours, and could be recharged around 30 times.


    Of course, they were also more expensive.


    With the white light, Colin could see the layout of the room.


    To the left was a wooden bed with only a straw mat on it, which looked relatively clean.


    To its right was a small earthen stove, and a toilet was placed at the foot of the bed.


    Being put in the Confinement Room wasn''t too severe a punishment; it was more like being sent to a different place for ascetic practice.


    Apart from not being able to leave and the absence of windows, life here wasn''t much different from being at home, including cooking for oneself.


    Personal belongings were not confiscated.


    Colin remembered being here before, back during his early adolescence.


    At that time, scuffles among children were inevitable.


    If the injuries weren''t too severe, confinement was often the punishment.


    A Second Class Apprentice had told them before leaving that the confinement would last ten days.


    ''Not too long a time; consider it closed-door training, especially since Bright Crystals aren''t selling well nowadays...''


    Colin leaped up and placed the Bright Crystal on the beam.


    Then, he tidied up the room briefly and continued with his usual study and cultivation routine.


    *


    *


    *


    Ten days passed in the blink of an eye.


    Though each day was full, Colin still felt somewhat haggard.


    He dismissed his earlier thoughts that it was almost the same.


    Life indeed hadn''t changed much, except that he couldn''t view scenery or sell crystals.


    Yet for some reason, everything felt different.


    One could say¡­ sometimes not being able to leave and choosing not to leave might look the same on the surface.


    But psychologically, they were entirely different concepts.


    But now, at last, the tenth day had arrived.


    He took down the Bright Crystal from the beam and placed it beside the bed.


    Sitting on the bed, with a thought, he summoned the Golden Paper.


    Pale gold particles converged.


    [Name: Colin Leonard]


    [Rank: Basic Level Wizard Apprentice (95/100); Great Knight (11/100)]


    [Meditation Method: Apprentice Period Circulation Meditation I (25/100); Sunlight Breathing Method I (60/100)]


    [Witchcraft: Fire-making Skill I (40/100); Condensing Water Skill I (30/100); Light Brightness Skill I (45/100); Cleaning Technique (1/100); Steel Armor (50/100); Arrow Shooting Skill (50/100)]


    [Skill: Basic Level Magic Crystal Making¡ª(Bright Crystal Making I¡ü (100/100)]


    [Limit Breaking Point: 18]


    Colin exhaled slowly.


    Finally, in five more days, the journey of a Basic Level Wizard Apprentice would reach its limit.


    ''I wonder if it''s like with Knights, without a bottleneck, and I can advance directly.''


    Creak¡ª


    Just then, the wooden door slowly opened, and the dazzling sunlight streamed in.


    Colin squinted his eyes involuntarily and extinguished the Bright Crystal.


    "Ten days are up, you can leave now," said the Second Class Apprentice standing at the door, indifferently.


    Although the confinement had been tough, it had avoided accidents.


    Colin''s heart stirred suddenly.


    But the next second, he looked up to meet the Second Class Apprentice''s cold expression, felt a chill in his heart, and quickly suppressed any further thoughts.


    He knew that just advancing wasn''t enough; he had to report to the Central Castle...


    The Second Class Apprentice in front of him was not easy to talk to, and if he delayed...


    "Understood, sir," he responded softly.

 Chapter 20 - 20: Preparing for Both Hands

    Colin stepped out of the Confinement Room into the blue sky and white clouds.


    The gentle sea breeze brushed past his face, lightly stirring his shoulder-length golden hair.


    He stretched his neck and shoulders, feeling exhilarated.


    But soon, he wiped the smile off his face.


    Charlie and his group from the confinement room on the left had just walked out.


    Charlie''s face was gloomy and worn, and with a fierce glare at Colin, he said nothing else, quickly gesturing for Haywood and Owen to leave with him.


    It seemed they were heading down the mountain.


    Colin stood back and watched the three of them walk away, a sense of puzzlement rising in his heart.


    During the ten days in the Confinement Room, he had pondered more than once why Charlie had suddenly turned against him.


    He repeated Charlie''s words over and over in his mind, always sensing something was amiss.


    Although the general idea seemed plausible, there were details that couldn''t be explained, even outright inconsistencies.


    For example, if what Charlie said was true, that a certain power enslaved Lap School''s rejected Apprentices in the settlement below, it must be a highly secretive matter. How did he come to know of it?


    So Colin had always felt there was something strange about it.


    Moreover, the way Charlie used violence to coerce him into joining the Mutual Assistance Association only increased this strange feeling.


    But in truth, if he hadn''t been confident about advancing, he really didn''t need to join the Association.


    The day Charlie invited him to see the evidence, he should have gone to check it out.


    Even ten days prior, when Charlie brought a group of people to extend the invitation again, he had actually believed Charlie''s words, considering so many people were there to testify for him.


    He simply didn''t need to join the Mutual Assistance Association, so he had no choice but to refuse.


    Yet, he always maintained a gentle tone.


    He thought that by refusing this time, Charlie might be angry, but that would be all.


    After all, Charlie could simply wait until three months later when Colin lost hope of advancing and had no reason to refuse, having experienced the harshness of the outside settlements himself, and then come to recruit him.


    Perhaps by then, he would even come forward on his own initiative... if the outside situation was really as dire as Charlie claimed.


    Yet, Charlie suddenly acted forcefully, as if he had to recruit him before the three-month deadline.


    ''To practice group witchcraft ahead of time, the more people, the more strength...'' Colin shook his head; this explanation from Charlie felt rather contrived.


    But all of that was none of his concern now.


    He walked back to his stone house with light steps.


    ''Just five more days until I advance. Whatever plot Charlie and his people have, by then I''ll be in a different world from them.''


    ***


    ***


    ***


    Inside a wooden house in Blackstone City.


    Charlie and his two companions knelt on the floor, their expressions filled with panic.


    "My lord, I never thought that despite so many testimonies, he still wouldn''t want to join us... so I thought to forcibly take him to you. But I didn''t expect the Patrol Team to show up."


    Though he said this, Charlie had come to understand afterward.


    The Patrol Team had probably come to check because they saw so many Apprentices gathered together.


    But he didn''t feel that his method was the problem, only that Colin was a haughty and arrogant aberration, always looking down on others, foolishly dreaming of advancing.


    He had already tried persuading, yet to be rejected still¡ªthat was simply incomprehensible!


    And... he had not expected Colin to possess such profound strength.


    The cabin was eerily silent; you could hear a pin drop, and Charlie and others couldn''t help but break out in a fine sweat on their foreheads.


    The middle-aged man, dressed in a black wizard robe, leaned quietly on a recliner, his black hood casting a shadow over his pale face, obscuring his expression.


    It was after a long while that he finally spoke slowly,


    "Do you think his claim that he can advance is true or false?"


    "Of course it''s false. No one from our group can advance in these three months!" Charlie replied subconsciously.


    "Then why... doesn''t he join you?"


    Charlie felt a sinking feeling in his heart, and his complexion gradually turned pale.


    He had never considered such a possibility... but if Colin was truly confident in advancing successfully, then everything would make sense.


    Colin had been refusing him all this time, not even coming to see the evidence, and even when being invited with so many people in tow, he still refused...


    It was all because he believed he could advance within three months!


    Charlie''s face grew increasingly unsightly.


    Such an event had occurred before; in the previous group, there was an apprentice who just happened to advance to the Intermediate level in ten years and just managed to stay at the school...


    "How much do you think he can guess?" the wizard in the black robe continued to ask.


    Tiny beads of sweat gathered on Charlie''s face and began to fall in large droplets, splashing faintly on the floor.


    The wizard in the black robe sighed.


    "Put off your advancement for now... you may go," he waved his hand, then seemed to remember something, and continued to instruct Charlie,


    "By the way, bring the apprentice from last time... I think her name was... Mia, over here."


    If things were as he thought, that apprentice would be able to continue staying at the Lap School.


    Allowing Charlie to advance now would clearly be inappropriate and too risky.


    He had to come up with an alternative plan.


    He hoped it was just his overthinking... forcefully advancing a Basic Level apprentice to the Middle Level wouldn''t be easy.


    Among this batch of students, only Charlie and Mia from the previous group met the criteria.


    If Charlie didn''t cut it, they''d have to invest resources again to cultivate Mia.


    ''Perhaps dealing with that apprentice is the best solution,'' thought the wizard in the black robe.


    But it wasn''t easy to carry out; as long as that student remained in the Wizard Territory for the coming period, he would be powerless and would have to rely on Charlie and the others to act.


    Based on Charlie''s description... the Great Knight''s physique plus the steel armor made it impossible for them to handle the apprentice without causing a significant commotion.


    And to be cautious, he could not give Charlie any tools for assistance.


    ...In that case, it''s better not to bother with that apprentice now; there are already more than thirty of them¡ªenough to suffice.


    He couldn''t help but rub his furrowed brow and looked up to see Charlie still standing there; he hesitated for a moment before urging,


    "You may leave if there''s nothing else. Hurry up and bring Mia here, Charlie."


    "...Yes, sir," Charlie''s lips moved as if he wanted to say more, but he ultimately bowed his head and left.


    On the way back, Charlie''s face was expressionless, but his mind was churning with thoughts.


    He had figured out the wizard in the black robe''s intentions and also sensed that he didn''t want him to continue to approach Colin, to avoid revealing more information. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''But how could I agree to that? It''s going to be me who advances to the Intermediate level and stays at the school!'' he roared silently in his heart.


    Then he glanced at Hayward and Owen, who were following beside him, showing no emotion on his face.


    Although these two completely followed his commands, their true master was always the wizard in the black robe.

 Chapter 21 - 21: The Whistling Arrow

    On the other side, Colin was cleaning the stone house.


    Ten days without occupants had allowed a thin layer of dust to accumulate.


    Fortunately, he had also learned the Cleaning Technique, and although he couldn''t cast it instantly, it was sufficient for cleaning purposes.


    Soon, under the effect of the Cleaning Technique, the inside of the house became tidy again.


    But Colin still had a headache.


    He looked at the brown wooden door panel lying on the floor at the entrance and sighed.


    It had been broken by Hayward last time and had been left there ever since.


    It was the same as before his confinement.


    Nothing had been stolen from home because there was nothing valuable inside, and what was valuable was locked further inside in the Meditation Room.


    It was just giving him a bit of a headache.


    You see, he didn''t know how to repair doors, nor did he have the appropriate tools.


    "It looks like I''ll have to wait until the beginning of the month when the living supplies are delivered to ask for help with repairs," thought Colin.


    But he quickly shook his head and chuckled softly.


    "Perhaps I won''t even wait that long."


    There was still a week left until the end of the month, and he only needed five days to advance, after which he would no longer be living here.


    After a moment of thought, Colin propped up the door panel and supported it with a stick, barely blocking the doorway.


    That would have to do.


    After all, if someone really wanted to, this wooden door wouldn''t stop them.


    He walked over to the window facing the sea and leaned against it.


    During his confinement, he had suddenly realized that leaning by the window and watching the sea had inadvertently become a habit he couldn''t let go of.


    The sky was azure; the sea was equally azure; white clouds were in the sky and also reflected in the sea; he felt the touch of the sea breeze and found it refreshingly clear.


    "I hope the place I live in afterwards will also have a sea view... and if there''s a balcony, that would be best," he thought to himself.


    *


    *


    *


    Five days flew by in the blink of an eye.


    In the Meditation Room, Colin slowly opened his eyes, and his gray Wizard Robe fluttered without any wind.


    With a thought, pale gold particles gathered.


    [Name: Colin Leonard]


    [Rank: Intermediate Wizard Apprentice (1/100); Great Knight (19/100)]


    [Meditation Method: Apprentice Circulation Meditation Level I (25/100); Sunlight Breathing Method I (60/100)]


    [Witchcraft: Ignition Technique I (52/100); Condensing Water Skill Level 1 (41/100); Light Brightness Skill I (54/100); Cleaning Technique (26/100); Steel Armor (60/100); Arrow Shooting Skill (60/100)]


    [Skill: Basic Level Magic Crystal Making¡ª(Bright Crystal Making I¡ü (100/100))]


    [Limit Breaking Points: 18]


    The curve of his mouth gradually widened, and Colin smiled silently.


    After a while, when he had calmed his emotions, he had another thought.


    Instantly, a white light flashed as an invisible armor covered his entire body.


    The Steel Armor and Arrow Shooting Skill had been advanced by him to 60/100 during this time, meaning he could cast them instantly.


    Colin carefully felt the changes after his advancement.


    Moments later, he removed the Steel Armor and then picked up an arrow that he had bought earlier, aimed at the target made of kitchen firewood in the corner of the Meditation Room, and used the Arrow Shooting Skill.


    The metal arrow shot out swiftly and with a clang, embedded itself in the wood!


    He did this with every witchcraft skill he knew, and finally came to a conclusion.


    The most direct sensation after advancing was the increase in Magic Power; his body now had at least five times more Magic Power than he did at the Basic Level.


    Even having cast all the witchcraft he knew once over, he had used up only a tenth of his Magic Power.


    Moreover, although he was casting the same witchcraft, it was noticeably stronger than at the Basic Level.


    This was not hard to understand: Advancing was like changing the core, and although it was the same witchcraft being run, the output power was entirely different, and naturally, so was the effect.


    ......


    The next day, dawn broke gently.


    Colin got up early, packed his things, and prepared to report his advancement to the Central Castle.


    The weather wasn''t great today; looking out, the sky was overcast with clouds, and it looked like it would rain soon.


    The Wizard Territory was overall a square, with a huge castle in the middle where the Wizard Lap lived. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Usually, those who advanced would report to the instructor on duty on the first floor of the castle.


    The Basic Level Apprentice residential area, however, was on the edge of the Wizard Territory, about a ten-minute walk from the Central Castle.


    Colin did not know what arrangements would come after his advancement, so this time he did not hurry to pack everything. He just took the bee sting and some metal arrows for self-defense.


    Walking on the road, the residential area was still deserted. The stone houses here were not built densely, and there were quite a few of them¡ªprobably around two to three hundred.


    But now there were likely fewer than one hundred people living here, most of whom were busy studying and cultivating.


    Thus, it was common to walk on the street without seeing a single soul.


    Colin strode quickly along the main road in the middle of the residential area.


    As he passed an alleyway, his footsteps couldn''t help but pause for a moment.


    "This seems to be the alley where Jeff was beaten up last time."


    The thought of Charlie''s unusual behavior crossed his mind, and he contemplated going in for a look.


    But soon, he shook his head and decided to keep moving forward.


    Swoosh!


    Just then, a sharp whistling sound suddenly came from behind!


    Colin''s pupils shrank, and in the nick of time, he violently leaped to the right, while with a thought, he activated his Steel Armor.


    Bang!!


    However, the incoming arrow flew with such speed that even a Great Knight''s agility could not fully evade it.


    The arrow grazed the outside of his left arm, and the half-formed translucent Steel Armor flickered violently before ultimately shattering,


    The arrow''s residual power even broke through the Great Knight''s Blood Energy Armor, leaving a shallow wound on the skin of his arm.


    While activating the Steel Armor again, Colin turned around to look.


    Behind him was an empty stretch, only neatly arranged stone houses on both sides... no person, no follow-up attack.


    He suddenly felt a sense of foreboding and hastily inspected the wound on his left arm.


    The wound was not deep, and fresh blood was slowly oozing out, a normal bright red.


    Colin breathed a sigh of relief, but the next moment, a wave of dizziness abruptly overwhelmed him!


    His complexion changed drastically, a flood of thoughts raced through his mind, and with a flicker in his eyes, he collapsed heavily onto the muddy ground.


    The sky was covered with dense clouds, the air oppressive, and apart from the wind, the world was silent.


    It was unknown how long it had been.


    Charlie slowly emerged from an alley, holding a now-useless crossbow.


    He looked at Colin lying on the ground, a surge of exhilaration rising in his heart.


    He had waited a full five days, finally catching Colin as he left his home.


    Had it not been for the crossbow having only one shot, making an in-room attack less likely to succeed, he would have preferred a direct in-room assault.


    He carefully stored away the now-useless crossbow, feeling somewhat pained.


    That crossbow had cost him over twenty magic stones!


    Most of the magic stones he had scrounged from other apprentices had been spent on this.


    However, as long as he could successfully take Colin to the master, it would be worth it!


    This one-use "Sleep Crossbow" needed only to hit its target, and even a graze could plunge a Basic Level Wizard Apprentice into deep slumber.


    To counter Colin''s Steel Armor, he had even had a Sharp Rune inscribed on it... now it seemed all to be worthwhile.


    Charlie quickened his steps to approach; he did not want to be discovered by the Patrol Team like last time.


    Whoosh!


    A sound of air being torn passed through!


    Puchi!!


    Charlie instantly lost his balance and fell to the ground with a thud.


    He looked at the large hole pierced through his knee, then at Colin, his face in disbelief.


    It took him a moment to clutch his right leg, groaning in pain.


    "Did it shoot off-target..."


    Colin frowned slightly, slowly propping himself up against the wall.


    His original aim was for the chest... but hitting the knee was acceptable.


    After all, his head was still spinning; hitting the target was not easy.


    He looked at Charlie on the ground, hesitating for a moment, then retracted the arrow he had prepared to finish him off and switched to a noise arrow the seller had included as a bonus.


    Holding it in hand, he pointed it skyward and activated the Arrow Shooting Skill.


    Wheeze!!


    The noise arrow friction with the air produced a piercing sound.


    Charlie''s face gradually turned ashen, and sweat beads formed on his forehead.


    He thought of running away but simply could not stand.


    He wanted to counterattack, but intense pain prevented him from using witchcraft... besides, Air Missile was no match for Colin''s Steel Armor defense.


    Soon enough, a figure in gray robes quickly approached Colin from the distance, a golden badge on his chest sparkling in the light.

 Chapter 22 - 22 Guard Team

    "Instructor, the situation went like this."


    Colin fought back dizziness to recount the incident to the gray-robed Instructor standing by his side.


    Charlie, who was beside him, seemed to have given up struggling, sitting in the same spot with a defeated look on his face.


    The gray-robed Instructor nodded expressionlessly and beckoned with his left hand, summoning the arrow that had injured Colin from afar into his hand.


    He then summoned the arrow that had penetrated Charlie''s knee and the crossbow hidden on him, carefully examining and inspecting both.


    A moment later, he made a judgment.


    He looked up at Colin and asked, "You''ve advanced to a Second Class Apprentice?"


    "Yes," Colin hurriedly responded.


    "Good."


    The Instructor was still expressionless, but his tone seemed somewhat kinder.


    With a wave of his right hand, a white light flashed over Colin''s body. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Colin instantly felt the dizziness in his mind vanish.


    "Thank you, Instructor."


    The Instructor gave an indisputable nod, then cast a cold glance at Charlie.


    Although the Lap School took a lenient approach to punishing brawls between apprentices,


    this leniency only applied to those of equal standing. Now that Colin was an Intermediate Apprentice, the School had always been strict with punishment in cases of insubordination.


    Charlie obviously understood this, but his current worry wasn''t the punishment, but rather his exposed plan.


    "Go wait for me at the entrance of the main tower of Black Castle. I need to handle this matter first."


    The gray-robed Instructor continued speaking to Colin, pausing before adding,


    "The First Class Apprentice on duty today is me. After we return, I''ll record your promotion."


    "Alright," Colin replied respectfully.


    He had not only described the process of Charlie''s attack to the gray-robed Wizard but also the backstory behind it.


    Clearly, the Mutual Assistance Association and the enslavement of School outcasts that Charlie had mentioned had captured the gray-robed Wizard''s attention.


    From his reaction, it seemed he had never heard of such occurrences before.


    This made Colin even more suspicious of Charlie''s story.


    Before long, he arrived at Black Castle.


    Black Castle was a massive castle at the center of the Wizard Territory, consisting of a central main tower and two connected side towers, forming an inverted U-shape with walls made entirely of Blackstone.


    A meticulously maintained lawn stretched before the castle, and Colin walked across a neatly paved stone path to reach the entrance of the main tower.


    Apart from him, there was a brown-haired boy standing at the entrance, roughly a bit over ten years old, probably one of the apprentices who came after them.


    The boy was indifferent, glancing at the black badge on Colin''s chest but choosing not to greet him.


    Colin, of course, had no intention of being warmly affable to someone so aloof.


    He didn''t have to wait long before the gray-robed Wizard descended from the sky and approached them.


    Watching the gray-robed Wizard''s flying figure, Colin couldn''t help but yearn.


    If he wasn''t mistaken, the gray-robed Wizard specialized in witchcraft revolving around force fields.


    "Good day, Instructor."


    Colin and the brown-haired boy greeted in unison.


    "Come with me," said the gray-robed Instructor with a nod.


    The two followed the Instructor to the outside of a heavily guarded room at the top of the main tower.


    "Give me your identity badges."


    Colin and the other respectfully handed over their badges.


    The gray-robed Instructor indicated for them to wait outside, then took the two black identity badges and entered the room.


    He was likely communicating with the Great Witch Array of the Wizard Territory to upgrade their identity badges.


    Each badge of the School was personally crafted by a Lap Wizard, bound one-to-one with each member, and the sole credential for entering the Wizard Territory.


    Even the commoners responsible for transporting living supplies each month had their own special identity badges.


    This vast and precise Witch Array was the foundation for the Lap School to root itself on the island, and it was of utmost importance.


    After a full half-hour, the gray-robed wizard came out with two silver identity badges.


    He then led them to a Quiet Room on the first floor.


    The gray-robed wizard pushed the door open.


    Inside sat two other wizards, who, judging from the badges on their chests, were also First Class Apprentices.


    The gray-robed wizard gestured for Colin and the other to sit on the chairs by the door and wait, then he walked over to the other two wizards.


    "Milne, has another Third Class Apprentice advanced?" the wizard sitting on the left asked with a smile.


    Milne nodded and said, "Yes, one for five years, thirteen years old, Second Class aptitude; one for ten years, seventeen years old, Fourth Class aptitude."


    The room was spacious, and the conversation between the two was not loud, as if deliberately kept low.


    The boy with brown hair sat quietly in his wooden chair, expressionless, clearly not having heard anything.


    But Colin, a Great Knight, relied on his sharp hearing to make everything out perfectly clear.


    "Let''s stick to the old rules... The one who''s been here for ten years is usually assigned to the Guard Team. Take him to receive his witchcraft later. As for the one who''s been here for five years..."


    "It''s our turn this time!" the wizard sitting on the right interjected, "The last and the one before the last promoted apprentices both joined you. This time, it should be our turn."


    "...That''s not necessarily the case. The previous apprentice who had a First Class aptitude and was only ten years old was assigned to you! I don''t need to point out the difference between First Class and Second Class..."


    The three wizards began to argue.


    Colin glanced at the quietly sitting boy next to him, silently reflecting.


    He had anticipated such a situation.


    A wizard''s aptitude was divided into five levels.


    Fifth Class being the lowest, First Class the highest.


    Here, aptitude simply referred to the affinity for Magic Power.


    It had an impact on a wizard''s growth, but it wasn''t absolute.


    In theory, even a Fifth Class aptitude could become an Official Wizard.


    And the ten years, five years mentioned by the gray-robed wizard likely represented the years they had been studying wizard knowledge.


    This was another aspect of a wizard''s aptitude.


    And he, Colin, clearly didn''t belong to the ranks of good aptitude.


    After a while, the three wizards finally came to an agreement.


    The gray-robed wizard and the one sitting on his left came towards Colin.


    "Come with me. I''ll take you to receive your witchcraft for the advancement," the gray-robed wizard gestured to Colin.


    The boy with brown hair was taken away by the other wizard.


    Colin followed behind the gray-robed wizard, his expression calm.


    The two made their way deeper into the castle.


    On the way, the gray-robed wizard pulled back his hood and came up beside Colin, saying to him:


    "Different from when you were a Basic Level Apprentice, after the advancement to Intermediate Apprentice, you''ll need to take on different tasks... You''ve been assigned to the Guard Team."


    Colin gave a noncommittal look towards the gray-robed wizard''s shining bald head and silently nodded.


    He had known this outcome all along.


    "...Instructor, what exactly does the Guard Team do?" After a long silence, he finally asked.


    "The Guard Team is responsible for protecting the city''s internal security, in collaboration with the wizards from Blackstone City below the mountain. Things like Fierce Beasts that run out from the Dark Forest, and the city''s internal security, all fall under the Guard Team," the gray-robed wizard answered, pausing before adding:


    "In the Lap School, the main jobs are divided into three parts: logistics, mining, and escort duties."


    "The duties of escorts are mainly taken care of by the Guard Team stationed in the city and the Patrol Teams within the Wizard Territory."


    "Stationed?" Colin involuntarily asked.


    "Yes, stationed. The Guard Team usually stays within Blackstone City."


    Upon hearing this, Colin''s heart couldn''t help but sink.

 Chapter 23 - 23: Descending the Mountain

    The reason the Lap School was built upon the mountain was not to display its status.


    Rather, it was because the magic power here was the most concentrated, which benefited wizard training.


    This was also why many wizards from Blackstone City chose to live halfway up the mountain, closer to the School.


    If one needed to be stationed in the city for an extended period, it would clearly affect their training progress.


    "Talents with less potential get assigned to the Guard Team..." Colin realized.


    The logic behind this allocation was clear when considered from the School''s perspective.


    Obviously, it involved prioritizing the training and advancement of apprentices with potential within the Wizard Territory.


    Whereas those with less potential were sent to hone their combat abilities in the city''s Guard Team, handling trivial matters.


    For the School, this was a perfectly rational way to distribute duties.


    But for Colin, it was quite the opposite, and he couldn''t help but sigh inwardly.


    "The Guard Team is actually a good gig." The wizard in grey robes discerned Colin''s thoughts and consolingly said with profound meaning, "You see... the School is the real ruler of this island."


    Colin was puzzled.


    "...When you get to the Guard Station in the city, you''ll understand why I say this..." The wizard in grey patted Colin''s shoulder and said no more.


    The Lap Wizard had been here for sixty years, but to this day, the School still had not produced a second Official Wizard.


    In his view, apprentices with Colin''s qualifications were obviously not destined to become Official Wizards.


    Going to the Guard Team to enjoy life was undoubtedly a better choice for them.


    The two walked a little further and arrived at a study room.


    Though it was called a study room, there was only one bookshelf inside, and upon closer examination, the books on it seemed to be duplicates.


    The wizard in grey took two books from the shelf in turn and handed them to Colin.


    "These are the magic spells rewarded by the School, if you want to learn others, you''ll need to use Magic Stones or contribution points to exchange for them afterward." S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "However, because you''re going to the Guard Station, you''ll get two additional spells for dealing with Polluters, more than what regular apprentices receive."


    He found two more Magic Books.


    Colin accepted them, stacking them together, and oddly felt like it was reminiscent of receiving textbooks back in school.


    He looked down at the books he was holding, which were¡ª


    Detect Evil, Purification Evil Power, Hope Defense Field, Fireball Technique,


    The first two spells were the extra ones provided for free to the Guard Team.


    Polluters...


    He couldn''t help but remember the eerie man he had encountered in the city earlier.


    That must have been what was known as a Polluter.


    Aside from wizards, this world was filled with many phenomena that were hard to explain.


    Polluters were one such phenomenon.


    Their origins were varied and strange, with exposure to knowledge beyond their understanding being one of them.


    For apprentices like Colin, the first lesson they learned was¡ªnever to chase knowledge too fervently.


    In this world, knowledge came at a cost.


    After receiving the books, the wizard in grey also gave him a voucher and told him the address of the Guard Hall, letting him leave and report by tomorrow.


    The moment Colin returned to his stone house, a storm suddenly erupted outside.


    He silently leaned against the window, staring at the churning, boundless ocean outside, momentarily speechless.


    The waves surged in layers, their motion incessant; the loud thunder drowned out the noise of the rain and overpowered the sound of the waves; the white seabirds that were usually visible were nowhere to be found now.


    The world outside was an expanse of indistinctness, as the torrential rain seemingly connected the sea surface with the sky, blurring the distinction between the rain falling from the heavens or rising from the sea.


    The rain kept pouring while the clouds seemed to grow even thicker.


    Darkness had fallen inside the stone house.


    Colin cast a spell to light the Bright Crystal.


    A gentle white light spread uniformly inside the room. He sighed and prepared to tidy up his belongings.


    "Oooo¡ª"


    Just then, a dull cry suddenly erupted.


    Colin froze on the spot, as if his heart had been gripped tight, and it was two seconds before he recovered.


    For some reason, the rain outside began to gradually cease.


    With a pale face, Colin wasn''t frightened; instead, he stepped out the door.


    The rain outside the door had already stopped, but a careful observation revealed that a torrential downpour was still raging in the distance.


    Only this part of the island remained dry,


    ...as if an invisible umbrella had been held up over it.


    People from other houses were also coming out one after another, and they all, as if by tacit agreement, looked up at the sky.


    Colin also lifted his head.


    ...an indescribable amazement.


    A gigantic whale was leisurely roaming through the sky.


    Its massive deep blue body blocked all the rain, creating a dry area.


    From time to time, lightning struck at it, yet it was like a clay ox entering the sea, stirring no waves.


    This was the Thunderstorm Cloud Whale, a creature the previous owner of the memories had also seen a few years ago.


    It was gentle by nature, never attacking anything,


    which is why the Wizard Territory hadn''t activated the Protective Shield... though, of course, it might not have been effective even if they had.


    The Thunderstorm Cloud Whale usually lived in the deep sea, only occasionally surfacing in the sky during torrential rain to chase lightning.


    This was a rare and peculiar sight.


    Too bad, although the Thunderstorm Cloud Whale looked leisurely and slow,


    its flying speed was so fast that even an Official Wizard might not be able to keep up.


    Therefore, it soon vanished from Colin''s sight.


    The rain began to fall again.


    The rain continued until the afternoon when it gradually stopped.


    The clouds dispersed, sunlight shone down upon the earth once more, and a rainbow even appeared in the distance.


    Colin had also nearly finished packing his things.


    He didn''t have much to take with him, besides a change of clothes, mainly just books and bee stingers.


    As for the Knight Sword and armor left behind by the original owner, he planned to sell them at the market later.


    As his strength increased, the benefits of Knight training manifested more in terms of vitality; for combat, however, it couldn''t compare to witchcraft.


    Even the bee stinger at his waist had become more of a decorative accessory.


    Thus, Colin decided to only practice the Breathing Skill of a Knight, no longer expending energy on Combat Skills.


    After selling various things at the market,


    the items in the room had significantly diminished, probably enough to fill just one large bag.


    Colin got up and went to the bedside table to pack up the last of his belongings.


    Unintentionally, he saw a brown letter and a sheet of white paper inside.


    Colin''s expression briefly faltered as he slowly picked them up.


    Stroking the red and blue intertwined flame emblem on the brown envelope, he felt somewhat sentimental.


    That golden-haired cute girl, she had probably turned into a handful of yellow soil by now.


    He carefully placed the envelope and white paper into a grey backpack.


    Then, slinging the backpack over his shoulder, he took a final look around the stone cottage and stepped into the Meditation Room for a moment.


    Finally, he went to the window and, as usual, leaned against it, looking at the calm azure sea in the distance.


    The vast ocean stretched to infinity, with white birds circling above and their reflections on the glittering waves responding to each other in harmony.


    Colin took a deep breath, no longer lingering, and stood up to walk outside the house.


    Upon leaving, he turned to look back at Erica''s cottage next door.


    He hesitated for a moment, seemingly having thought of something, then turned and walked towards Erica''s door.


    A few minutes later, he set off again, heading down the mountain towards Blackstone City.


    He left Erica a sheet of white paper.


    It didn''t say much,


    just a simple recounting of recent events,


    about Charlie, the Mutual Assistance Association, and how he had Advanced and been assigned to the Guard Team.


    He also let her know he had received the white paper and letter and that if he had the chance to return to Ryan, he would take the letter to her parents...


    As evening fell, the sky flushed red.


    On the mountain road, Colin''s figure, carrying a bag, gradually moved farther away.

 Chapter 24 - 24 Distribution

    Colin walked slowly through the small city, following the address given by the grey-cloaked wizard, to arrive in front of a rare three-story building in the city center.


    He was a bit surprised, wasn''t this the same place where he had exchanged the Limit Breaking Fire Technique with Wizard Berkeley?


    Upon reflection, it seemed quite normal, after all, Berkeley was probably also a member of the Guard Team.


    Colin stepped inside and, after asking around, headed towards a room in the middle of the first floor.


    Before he got there, he could faintly hear voices conversing inside.


    The strength of a Great Knight combined with an Intermediate Apprentice rendered his senses exceptionally sharp.


    "...Recently, several Fierce Beasts have emerged from the Dark Forest, our colleagues there are suffering terribly... I heard that another wizard died, seems like it was someone from the Poke Gang."


    "Another wizard died?! Sigh, the beasts are getting stronger and stronger..."


    "I also heard from a brother in East City that the beaches there have been restless every night lately."


    The voices in conversation paused for a moment, then resumed.


    "It''s still better here... Giant Axe Tavern got some new dancers, you know..."


    Knock, knock, knock.


    By this time, Colin had reached the door and knocked on the wooden panel.


    "...Please come in."


    The speaking inside halted for a moment, then one of them called out.


    Colin pushed the door open.


    Seated behind the dark brown wooden table were two Intermediate Apprentices, one fat and one thin.


    "I''m new here to report," said Colin, approaching calmly and passing over his credentials and School Badge.


    "Welcome, welcome, we rarely get new people in the Guard Team; please, have a seat," the fatter wizard said with a flash of surprise on his face, smiling as he took the credentials and badge, speaking amiably.


    After verifying the credentials and badge, the fat wizard returned them to Colin, then continued,


    "Colin, is it? My name is Leiden Jeremy, just call me Leiden, and beside me is Jerome Elton... You go with him first to get your equipment."


    "I need to ask Master Red Flame for your assignment."


    With that, Leiden gave Jerome a knowing look.


    "Come with me," the lean Jerome stood up, smiling as he spoke.


    Colin nodded and followed him.


    As they went upstairs, walking on the staircase, Colin asked,


    "Senior Jerome, I wonder what Senior Leiden meant by ''assignment''..."


    "''Assignment'' refers to the area you''ll work in within the city; Blackstone City is quite large, and the Guard Team has three locations here."


    "One is this headquarters, and the other two are in East City and West City."


    Colin nodded in understanding, then asked, "Is there any difference between these three places?"


    "...No real difference, the treatment is all the same; it''s just that East City and West City are farther from the city center, not as lively and prosperous," Jerome paused before replying.


    Colin nodded, his expression calm.


    They soon arrived at a room at the end of the second floor.


    Jerome gestured for Colin to wait outside, then opened the door and went in.


    In a short while, he came out with a black Wizard Robe in hand.


    "This is the Guard Team''s uniform Wizard Robe, needed when on duty; a Cleaning Technique is permanently affixed to it, so you don''t need to worry about cleaning issues," he said as he spread out the robe, showed it fully to Colin, and then handed it over to him.


    .......


    Downstairs.


    The fat wizard Leiden was speaking to the Communication Witch Array.


    "...That''s too little, sixty Magic Stones are too few, at least eighty!"


    "...What, too much?"


    "You think it''s too much, I even think it''s too little! You know very well how rarely we get a new person."


    "If it weren''t for our good relationship, I would have sold them to someone else long ago! Do you know how many people in West City want to transfer back to headquarters?"


    "Others have given at least eighty..."


    "Fine, fine, why didn''t you do this earlier?"


    "Don''t worry, can''t you trust me to do the job? Would I ruin my own reputation?"


    Leiden closed the Witch Array with satisfaction. After giving thirty Magic Stones to Jerome, he pocketed another fifty Magic Stones for himself!


    He took out a pen and spread the records across the desk.


    Then, on the part of the record for West City, he slowly added the name Colin Leonard.


    He''d done this kind of thing more than once already. Initially, he was terrified, afraid of getting caught.


    But now he was adept at it, especially after dragging Jerome, who also managed the records, into the business, and he grew more audacious.


    In his view, it was a situation where no one lost out.


    He got his Magic Stones, his friends in West City got their desired transfer to headquarters.


    As for Colin,


    the young man wouldn''t be accustomed to the easy-going life at the headquarters.


    West City was more suitable for him.


    Not only were the conditions the same as at headquarters, but it was also close to the Dark Forest.


    Not to mention the beautiful scenery, occasionally, Fierce Beasts would emerge to provide practice for witchcraft.


    Those Fierce Beasts were valuable; their skin, fur, bones, and blood could all be traded for money. The group in West City was much wealthier than them!


    Sitting in his chair, the more Leiden thought about it, the more he felt his plan was considerate; no one''s interests were harmed... this was clearly a win-win-win situation!


    ''...With fifty Magic Stones in my pocket now, I can have another grand time at the Giant Axe Tavern...''


    ''I just can''t decide whether to go for the Half-Elf or the Merfolk lady, hehe...''


    Creak¡ª


    At that moment, the wooden door was pushed open, and Jerome returned with Colin.


    Leiden straightened his posture and put on a gentle smile, nodding slightly at Jerome''s probing gaze.


    "I''ve already asked Lord Red Flame, Colin, you''re assigned to West City," he said, looking at Colin.


    Upon hearing this, Colin nodded calmly.


    Jerome, standing beside him, sighed:


    "What a pity. If you were assigned to headquarters, Leiden and I would definitely take you to the Giant Axe Tavern every day... But West City is not bad either."


    He patted Colin on the shoulder and continued:


    "It''s getting late; you should hurry to West City with your certificate to report in; otherwise, it''ll be a hassle once it gets dark."


    Colin accepted the new certificate and nodded slightly. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''West City, huh...''


    Even though Jerome had earlier told him that all three locations were similar, the conversation he eavesdropped on when he arrived suggested otherwise.


    West City, being close to the Dark Forest, was obviously more arduous and dangerous.


    The mention of "another Wizard has died" from their conversation heightened his concerns.


    This place... was not within the protection of the School. Enemies would no longer hold back like Charlie and Hayward had, refraining from taking his life.


    ...Here, people could actually die.


    Colin, holding the new certificate, turned and left calmly, sighing inwardly.


    Unfortunately, the outcome of the assignment was not under his control.


    On the bright side, at least he no longer needed to worry about being expelled from the School.


    Jerome had also told him that members of the Guard Team received a salary of ten Magic Stones each month.


    Completing specific tasks would result in corresponding rewards.


    ...That was decent enough,


    Certainly much better than being a third-ranked Apprentice.


    He walked toward the door and left.

 Chapter 25 - 25 Lord Red Flame (Please vote for recommendation and monthly ticket!!)

    Colin hadn''t reached the door when it was pushed open, and a red-haired man walked in.


    "Lord Red Flame," Leiden and Jerome hurriedly greeted in unison, with respect.


    "Instructor Banette," Colin also hurriedly greeted.


    He listened to the way Leiden and Jerome addressed Berkeley and felt a bit surprised in his heart.


    ''So Berkeley is the Lord Red Flame they spoke of?''


    Berkeley glanced over the three of them, casually nodded, and then walked straight toward the bookshelves on the left.


    He seemed rather busy.


    Colin watched Berkeley''s retreating figure for a moment before continuing towards the outside of the door.


    The island was really small; he hadn''t expected Berkeley, whom he had met by chance earlier, to be his immediate superior now.


    Jerome had previously introduced to him upstairs: In the School, logistics, protection, and mining were each managed by three special Advanced Wizard Apprentices.


    They were stronger than the typical Advanced Wizard Apprentices and were known as Peak Wizard Apprentices.


    They were the three most hopeful candidates in the School to advance to Official Wizard.


    The Peak Wizard Apprentice in charge of protection, also the direct superior of both the Guard Team and the Patrol Team, was the Lord Red Flame they mentioned.


    That was the Berkeley Barnett he knew.


    Colin gently pulled the door open.


    "Wait a moment."


    Just then, as if remembering something, Berkeley suddenly turned and called out to him.


    He looked at the silver badge on Colin''s chest with some surprise and said, "You''ve advanced to Intermediate Apprentice?"


    "¡­Yes, Lord Banette."


    Colin frowned, apprehensions rising in his mind as he reflexively glanced at Leiden.


    ''Hadn''t he reported this to Berkeley already?''


    Seeing Leiden''s unnatural expression, he seemed to understand something and added for Berkeley:


    "I''ve just advanced not long ago... The School assigned me to the Guard Team, and today is my first day reporting."


    "Hmm." Berkeley nodded, then asked, "Have you received your equipment?"


    "I have."


    "Good, do well here at headquarters in the future."


    The moment Berkeley''s words fell, Leiden and Jerome''s faces suddenly turned sour.


    They both looked at Colin with pleading eyes.


    Colin finally understood.


    He lowered his head, pretending not to see the look in Leiden and Jerome''s eyes, and said solemnly, "But wasn''t I assigned to West City, Lord Banette?"


    Berkeley raised his eyebrows, looked at the puzzled Colin, then turned back to Leiden and Jerome.


    "My lord, I think I remembered wrong and accidentally assigned him to West City!" Leiden hurriedly explained.


    Berkeley''s expression cooled, and anger flickered in his eyes.


    He clearly saw that Leiden was lying.


    The assignments for the Guard Team were always rotated; after the East City was last, it should be headquarters in the Middle City this time.


    If one wanted to change to another location, there had to be a mutual agreement for exchange, and both parties had to be willing,


    and finally, they had to apply to him, and only after his approval could the switch be made. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Colin in front of him was clearly unaware of this, and Berkeley had not received any applications, let alone given approval...


    Berkeley suppressed his anger and said nothing, just kept a cold face and continued to stare at Leiden and Jerome.


    Under his icy presence, Leiden''s defensive voice grew fainter until, unable to bear the pressure, he spilled the beans at last.


    "¡­That''s the situation, Lord Red Flame, it was my greed that blinded me!" Leiden said, hanging his head low.


    "My lord, it''s my fault too, I shouldn''t have covered for him!" Jerome added regretfully.


    After listening, Berkeley stood expressionless for a while before finally, he began to speak slowly:


    "I''ll deal with the two of you in a moment."


    He turned his head toward Colin and asked,


    "What''s your choice, Leonard, to stay at headquarters or to go to West City?"


    Colin reflexively wanted to answer stay in the city, but when he looked up and met Berkeley''s calm gaze, he suddenly changed his mind and said,


    "...Can you tell me the difference between the two, Instructor Barnett?"


    Berkeley''s expression remained calm as he nodded and replied,


    "If you choose to stay at headquarters, it''ll be as usual, no different from the norm;


    If you choose to go to West City, the eighty Magic Stones Leiden mentioned will all be yours."


    His tone was calm, unbiased, merely stating the facts.


    Colin pondered for a moment, then asked, "What specifically is the difference between West City and the city center, Instructor? I''ve heard that West City is especially dangerous, and even wizards have died there..."


    "...West City isn''t as bustling as the city center, with taverns and restaurants being quite rare, but it''s closer to the Magic Vein, therefore the concentration of Magic Power is higher."


    "Because it''s close to the Dark Forest, fierce beasts occasionally emerge, making it indeed very dangerous, but fierce beasts serve as good practice for witchcraft."


    "Regarding the wizards you mentioned who have died, this is true... However, casualties among our Guard Team members are exceedingly rare."


    "For a newcomer like you, there will be a month''s buffer period. During this month, you don''t need to do anything, just need to learn the four spells provided by your School."


    "Once you''ve learned them, you''ll start being responsible for patrols, and usually, in the beginning, you''ll be paired up with older apprentices."


    Berkeley paused, then added,


    "Of course, this doesn''t mean you''re guaranteed to be safe from life-threatening dangers, as I said. It''s rare for the Guard Team to have casualties, but it''s not non-existent."


    Colin thought quietly to himself, and soon, he made his choice.


    He looked calmly at Berkeley and said, "I choose West City, Lord Barnett."


    After hearing so much about it, he was clear about the differences between the city center and West City.


    If this had been in the past, he would have definitely preferred to choose a comfortable life within the city, but now his mindset was completely different.


    Power is the foundation for standing in this world!


    To give up the pursuit of power is tantamount to a slow suicide.


    The drawback of the lower concentration of Magic Power in the city center was intolerable for him.


    His hesitation before was due to the dangers of West City.


    But now, after Berkeley''s detailed explanation, he understood that West City was not as dangerous as he had imagined.


    Most of those who had died were probably wizards from other forces, perhaps even just Basic Level Wizard Apprentices.


    As an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice of the School, and with Golden Paper at his disposal, he believed that being cautious would be enough to avoid losing his life.


    Moreover, if he chose to stay in the city center, wouldn''t he be missing out on eighty Magic Stones for nothing?


    Eighty Magic Stones was not a small amount, and Colin had never had access to so many Magic Stones before.


    Although he didn''t immediately need so many Magic Stones, it was always good to have more.


    For now, at least the Limit Breaking Points needed for Bright Crystal Making I to break limits again had increased tenfold.


    If the second Limit Breaking also required a tenfold increase, it wouldn''t be long before he found himself in short supply of Magic Stones.


    So he needed to start accumulating Magic Stones as early as possible.


    Upon hearing Colin''s choice, Berkeley nodded, not saying much else.


    He simply instructed Leiden to take out eighty Magic Stones and hand them to him.


    Colin was somewhat surprised; Berkeley now had Leiden directly give him the Magic Stones, undoubtedly saving him a lot of trouble.


    Leiden, looking somewhat pained, took a purse and fished out eighty Magic Stones to hand over to Colin.


    Colin accepted the Magic Stones without a word, glancing at Leiden.


    Leiden''s face was full of pain, but beyond that, there seemed to be no other emotion.


    "Thank you... Lord Red Flame, I will now go to West City to report," Colin turned his head to Berkeley and said.


    "Off you go," Berkeley nodded.


    Colin pushed open the door and walked out.


    It was getting late, and he needed to hurry to report to West City.

 Chapter 26 - 26 Gold (Please Follow!!)

    After arriving at the Guard Team''s residence in West City, it was already approaching evening.


    The burly department head of the Guard Team''s West City division received him.


    There were a total of five Advanced Wizard Apprentices in West City, not including the burly department head himself, the other four each served as team captains.


    The department head was named Barton Keith, and he took Colin to a room at the corner of the second floor.


    Then he told him to stay here for the first month and peacefully practice witchcraft, as someone would be specifically responsible for providing food.


    After one month had passed, he would then be assigned a duty.


    Barton''s demeanor was gentle and calm; he didn''t seem to care that he had replaced an experienced member.


    But just before leaving, he reminded him once again to swiftly learn the Hope Defense Field and the Fireball Technique.


    Colin quickly agreed and nodded his thanks.


    Setting down his backpack, he looked around the room.


    The room wasn''t large, probably about one-third the size of the stone house he had lived in before.


    However, because it only contained a bedroom and a washroom, it still seemed spacious enough.


    For a temporary stay, it was entirely sufficient.


    Colin slowly walked over to the window.


    The windows were still wooden, but he could no longer see the familiar azure sea.


    He leaned out.


    What met his eyes were various types of low-lying buildings.


    To the left was the direction leading out of the city, where further away there were more buildings like palm huts and seaweed mud houses. They were densely packed, one on top of another, stretching into the distance, eventually obscured by the faint yellow city walls.


    To the right was the direction toward the city center. As one looked further inward, the buildings became more orderly, with brown wood houses and gray-black stone houses gradually replacing huts and mud houses as the majority.


    Leaning by the window, he stood for a while as the sun slowly sank.


    As evening fell, the surroundings gradually darkened.


    To the right, buildings in the city center had started to light up with spots of yellow light. Though not as dazzlingly colorful as the neon lights from his previous life, they still gave off an air of liveliness.


    Looking to the left towards the outskirts, only scattered lights were bright; most buildings were pitch black.


    In the surroundings as well, only a few households had lit their lamps.


    ''...No wonder everyone wants to stay at headquarters.'' Colin solemnly reflected to himself.


    He then withdrew his gaze and began his training.


    *


    *


    *


    Time flew by and in the blink of an eye, a month had passed.


    Early morning.


    Colin sat on the carpet beside the bed, his thoughts moved, and he summoned the Golden Paper.


    Pale golden particles converged.


    [Name: Colin Leonard]


    [Rank: Intermediate Wizard Apprentice (2/100); Great Knight (29/100)]


    [Meditation Methods: Apprentice Circulation Meditation I (35/100); Sunlight Breathing Method I (75/100)]


    [Witchcraft: Zero Level Tricks: Fire-making Skill I¡ü (100/100); Condensing Water Skill I¡ü (100/100); Light Brightness Skill I¡ü (100/100); Cleaning Technique¡ü (100/100);


    Zero Level Witchcraft: Steel Armor¡ü (100/100); Arrow Shooting Skill¡ü (100/100); Basic High Temperature Tolerance (35/100); Hope Defense Field (32/100); Fireball Technique (43/100); Detect Evil (26/100); Purification Evil Power (18/100)]


    [Skill: Basic Magic Crystal Making¡ª(Bright Crystal Making I¡ü (100/100))]


    [Limit Breaking Points: 18]


    Just as Barton had instructed, Colin hadn''t left his room the entire month and had focused on learning witchcraft.


    After advancing to Intermediate Wizard Apprentice, he felt noticeably that learning witchcraft was easier than before.


    In just one month, he not only brought Fire-making Skill and other tricks up to the limit once more, but he also successfully raised Steel Armor and Arrow Shooting Skill, two witchcrafts he had already mastered, to their limits.


    Furthermore, the four witchcrafts issued by his School and the Basic High Temperature Tolerance witchcraft he had obtained from his exchange with Berkeley had all been mastered.


    The only pity was that after advancing to Intermediate, the progression of wizard training had once again become slow¡­


    Fortunately, progress hadn''t completely stopped, and the Meditation Method could still be advanced further. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Colin gathered his thoughts and continued to examine the Golden Paper.


    Fire-making Skill I, Light Brightness Skill I, Condensing Water Skill I, and Bright Crystal Making I¡ªthe witchcraft that had broken their limit once stood out on the Golden Paper with a blue outline glow.


    Now, behind them, a golden outline glow surrounded the ¡ü symbols, signaling they could break their limit again.


    And the ¡ü symbols behind Steel Armor and Arrow Shooting Skill, like the Ignition Technique when it reached its limit, were also surrounded by a blue glow.


    "Blue signifies a single limit break and gold represents a second limit break..." Colin speculated in his mind.


    But his gaze quickly shifted to the Cleaning Technique, which had also reached its limit.


    Its ¡ü symbol was enveloped in a golden glow.


    Colin furrowed his brows, feeling somewhat puzzled.


    After long contemplation, he still couldn''t come up with a reasonable explanation.


    So he relaxed his brows and focused his attention on the ¡ü symbol after the Cleaning Technique.


    On the Golden Paper, the characters representing the Cleaning Technique gradually became blurry and soon transformed into something new.


    [Cleaning Technique¡ü(100/100)]¡ª¡ª[Cleaning Technique (Golden)]


    Colin was taken aback.


    Why did the Cleaning Technique, after a single limit break, not have a I but instead the word golden?


    "Could it be that this means the Cleaning Technique has reached its ultimate limit?"


    He recalled the information that appeared in his mind when the Golden Paper first emerged.


    "Before the limit, all practice shall see progress."


    "After the limit, one can use Limit Breaking Points to break through and continue to improve."


    He pondered for a moment and hypothesized,


    "Perhaps, due to my own knowledge or realm... different witchcraft have different numbers of times they can break their limits. And gold signifies having reached the current maximum limit of improvement!"


    He carefully understood the golden Cleaning Technique.


    Moments later, he stood up and cast the Golden Cleaning Technique on the bedding he had just cleaned that morning.


    Like a gentle breeze, the bedding seemed to be swept by an invisible hand, with the tiny impurities detaching and gathering into a ball, which landed in the trash can.


    Colin caressed the bedding, then bent down to take a sniff, and looked up satisfied.


    "No need to worry about cleaning ever again."


    Then he sat down again, took out a Magic Stone from his pouch, and summoned the Golden Paper.


    He began to add points frantically.


    ...[Fire-making Skill I]...[Fire-making Skill (Golden)]


    ...[Condensing Water Skill I]...[Condensing Water Skill (Golden)]


    ...[Light Brightness Skill I]...[Light Brightness Skill (Golden)]


    ...[Steel Armor]...[Steel Armor I]


    ...[Arrow Shooting Skill]...[Arrow Shooting Skill I]


    ...[Bright Crystal Making I]...[Bright Crystal Making (Golden)]


    A plethora of complex knowledge rushed into his brain.


    Colin closed his eyes tight, and soon sweat appeared on his forehead.


    But there was no headache, nor much discomfort, as the transfer of knowledge always maintained a level he could bear, overall quite gentle.


    As time passed by half a day, Colin finally opened his eyes, heart leaping with joy.


    He felt stronger than ever before!


    Unfortunately... there was no place for him to practice his witchcraft.


    He stored the remaining 53 Magic Stones back into his pouch and kept them close.


    This power enhancement had cost him 45 Limit Breaking Points.


    If it weren''t for the unexpected fortune of 80 Magic Stones, relying on the 18 Limit Breaking Points he had originally saved up, it would''ve been impossible to afford breaking the limit of all his witchcraft so lavishly.


    Looking at the rows of dazzling golden characters on the Golden Paper, Colin felt a satisfying and refreshing comfort.


    After all, Magic Stones were external possessions, while the strength that one attained was forever their own!

 Chapter 27 - 27 Follow-up (Please follow and add to favorites!)

    It was nearing midday.


    Knock, knock, knock¡ª


    The sound of knocking arose.


    ''It must be the delivery of food,'' Colin thought.


    He set aside the bee needle and stood up to open the door.


    He had just been testing the strength of Steel Armor I.


    The results were quite satisfying.


    If the old Steel Armor was equivalent to 5 millimeters thick, then now it was at least 2 centimeters!


    ...If he were to encounter the arrow shot by Charlie again, he reckoned even his defense wouldn''t be breached.


    Creak¡ª


    Colin unfastened the latch and pulled open the wooden door.


    Perhaps because things near the sea corroded easily, doors here generally made a creaking noise.


    "Minister Barton?" He was surprised to see the burly man standing outside the door.


    "Good day, Colin," Barton nodded slightly, "A month has already passed, how are the two witchcraft schools doing?"


    "They are mostly mastered."


    "Good, Detect Evil and Purification Evil Power can be learned slowly afterward."


    "Our main issues in West City are still the Fierce Beasts, compared to that, Hope Defense Field and Fireball Technique are more useful."


    Colin nodded slightly, not mentioning that he had essentially mastered four schools of witchcraft.


    Barton stepped aside slightly, revealing a man behind him who appeared somewhat shorter compared to him.


    "This is Holt Caesar, your future team captain."


    Holt Caesar smiled, with a gentle demeanor and pale skin free of wrinkles; at first glance, he seemed about the same age as Colin.


    But upon closer inspection, it made one feel as if it were impossible to discern his exact age.


    "Captain Holt," Colin greeted quickly.


    Holt Caesar nodded slightly.


    "Alright, Holt will explain the rest of the matters to you; I will take my leave now."


    "Yes, Minister Barton," Colin said respectfully.


    Barton nodded slightly and strode upstairs.


    Holt Caesar withdrew his gaze from Barton''s retreating figure and said warmly to Colin:


    "You go and pack your things; there''s still plenty to do later."


    "Yes, Captain."


    Colin walked back inside.


    Holt Caesar didn''t follow him but instead slowly walked to the end of the corridor and stood by the window, gazing outside. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Shortly after,


    Colin came out with a neatly packed gray backpack on his back.


    He looked around and eventually found Holt Caesar''s figure on the left.


    Although it was daytime, the corridor''s lighting wasn''t good.


    Only the windows at both ends and the light from the gaps in the doors on both sides allowed light to enter.


    The window where Holt Caesar stood happened to be sun-facing, and the brilliant sunlight shone upon him.


    For a moment, Colin felt as if he saw a large tree growing towards the light.


    Sprouting branches, budding leaves, the profusion of tender green and dark green, large and small oval leaves grew wildly!


    Soon, they filled every corner of his vision!


    His face turned to shock...


    The golden sunlight was still shining, but it emitted a chilling, eerie coldness to the core, seemingly without warmth, the corridor filled with shadows, the thriving tree, now appeared more like a twisted, monstrous black creature!


    Hum¡ª


    A fuzzy model of a Hope Defense Field inside his mind emitted a faint light, dispelling the darkness!


    There were no shadows, no monsters...


    Bright golden sunlight streamed in from the window, wrapping Holt Caesar in a soft halo.


    Colin was a bit dazed, his complexion pale, fine beads of sweat breaking out on his forehead.


    "...Captain Holt," he called out slowly, his voice somewhat strained.


    "Are you ready?" Holt Caesar turned around.


    Only then did Colin notice that Holt Caesar actually had a rare head of green medium-length hair.


    Holt Caesar also noticed Colin''s discomfort, raising his right hand.


    A gentle white light flashed over Colin.


    "...Thank you," Colin finally felt much more comfortable.


    Holt Caesar nodded slightly, advising:


    "Your intuition is quite high; later on, you could cultivate more mind-protective witchcraft."


    Colin nodded emphatically.


    The related knowledge, the original owner had studied before... but he had never known that his inspiration was so high.


    The recent abnormality must have been caused by the radiation of the Energy Field inadvertently emitted by Holt... to put it in terms of his previous life, he was "haunted."


    Fortunately, the Hope Defense Field was a Defense Spell that considered both physical and mental protection...


    "Let''s go; we should head back to the School first," Holt said, "It''s my turn to pick up the Magic Stones distributed in West City this month; I need to make a trip back first."


    The two descended the stairs.


    Holt cast a Floating Technique on Colin and then flew with him towards the Lap Wizard Territory.


    The speed of flying was indeed much faster than walking; what would normally take at least two hours by foot was estimated to take less than ten minutes now.


    After all, a large part of the walking path involved climbing hills and winding roads, far from a straight line. But flight was different; there were no obstacles, and it always took the shortest distance.


    Before entering the School, Colin saw dozens of Apprentice figures mysteriously gathering on the vacant ground below.


    He was somewhat puzzled.


    Not until he recognized many familiar faces did he suddenly realize.


    Considering the time, the three-month deadline must have just arrived.


    Those below should be Apprentices about to leave the School.


    He felt a surge of indescribable emotions, but they were quickly dispersed by the strong wind in his face.


    The two continued to fly toward the center of the Wizard Territory, apparently aiming to land directly at Black Castle.


    ...


    "...Did anyone succeed in Advancing?" asked an instructor standing at the forefront of the clearing, in a routine manner.


    As he expected, no one responded.


    "Line up, take out your identity badges one by one," he continued indifferently.


    The Apprentices were about to leave the School, so naturally, their identity badges needed to be collected and dealt with.


    Haywood stepped forward first, handing over his black triangular badge with both hands.


    "Extend your right hand," the instructor took out a black disc, placing the badge on one end while indicating the other end to Haywood.


    Haywood extended his hand and placed it on the surface, his expression calm.


    "Relax your body," the instructor advised, then began to infuse Magic Power into the disc.


    With the infusion of Magic Power, the disc slowly lit up with a faint White Light, only to dim suddenly the next second.


    Haywood''s eyes flickered with a trace of panic.


    The instructor frowned and examined the disc, then tried once more to infuse Magic Power.


    Hum¡ª


    This time the disc successfully lit up, with the White Light enveloping the identity badge.


    Soon, the inscribed "Haywood Moses" began to blur, eventually disappearing.


    On the other hand, the White Light also entered Haywood''s right hand and gradually moved towards his brain, ready to erase the imprint of the badge.


    For some unknown reason, however, it suddenly disappeared just as it was about to enter the brain.


    The instructor didn''t notice anything amiss and simply continued:


    "Next."


    Haywood withdrew his hand, his expression calm as he walked down the mountain with his backpack, not looking back.


    Meanwhile, inside Black Castle.


    Colin listened to the story of the gray-robed Wizard before him.


    After a long while, he spoke words of gratitude and watched as the gray-robed Wizard walked away.


    He was waiting on the first floor of Black Castle for Captain Holt to collect the Magic Stones.


    He had just happened to encounter the gray-robed Wizard.


    The gray-robed Wizard was Milne, the same one who had flown over during the day of Charlie''s attack.


    Colin had just asked him about the final outcome of the incident with Charlie.


    As he had guessed, what Charlie said was false; no evidence of any School Apprentices enslaved at the gathering place existed.


    The School had specifically called in many Apprentices to carefully check, and no traces of enslavement were found.


    As for why those people believed Charlie.


    According to Charlie himself, it was because of the "Sleeping Fantasy Flower."


    The Apprentices had been deceived by the Sleeping Fantasy Flower.


    The School had indeed detected remnants of the Sleeping Fantasy Flower in their bodies, which had now been uniformly cleared.


    As for Charlie, he had been demoted to slavery by the School and ultimately bought by the Peak Apprentice Nidham.


    ''Nidham...'' A chill ran through Colin''s heart.


    The person to whom Annie had originally sold herself was this Peak Apprentice in charge of logistics.


    He vividly remembered Annie''s final pitiful state, covered in tentacles.


    ''Charlie... is probably going to... huh?'' Colin suddenly looked up in surprise.


    Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.


    At the entrance on the first floor of Black Castle, Nidham was leading Charlie inside.

 Chapter 28 - 28: 28 Chapters: Reminiscing (Please follow and collect!)

    Charlie was numbly following Nidham, wearing linen shorts.


    His bare upper body was covered with dense, centipede-like gruesome wounds.


    His limbs were covered with dark gray hair, even the originally blond hair had been replaced by the deep gray fur of a wild wolf.


    Around his neck was a black leather collar, attached to a black iron chain.


    The other end of the chain was held in Nidham''s hand.


    Colin was silent inside.


    If it weren''t for the resemblance to his former appearance, he would hardly believe this was Charlie.


    He felt no sympathy for Charlie, yet he couldn''t help but feel vicariously sad.


    "...Good morning, Lord Nidham."


    Nidham approached slowly, and he hurriedly greeted him respectfully.


    "Good morning."


    Nidham nodded in response, his handsome face displaying an impeccable smile.


    It was just too pale, almost ghastly white, giving an uncomfortable feeling.


    Nidham continued walking forward.


    But the iron chain in his hand conveyed a sense of resistance.


    At the other end of the chain, Charlie stood still, staring at Colin with extreme hatred!


    Especially after seeing the Silver Badge on his chest, the hatred seemed to materialize, almost devouring him!


    Before this, he had learned of Colin''s advancement.


    But he didn''t believe it was such a coincidence!


    Why advance on the very day he attacked?


    He was filled with hatred!


    Even the pain of Nidham stripping the skin from his limbs and implanting the skin of a wind wolf couldn''t cover the intense hatred in his heart, gnawing like ants on bone!


    The beast blood had clouded his brain, he couldn''t understand the logic behind all this, couldn''t understand why he ended up like this.


    But on every sleepless night tormented by the wolf blood,


    Colin''s detestable face always surfaced in his mind!


    ...Now he only hoped one day to drink Colin''s warm blood, to tear and chew every inch of his flesh, every bone!!


    Nidham observed this scene with interest.


    He stood relaxed, yet possessed a distinctive aura. It was as if a finely dressed noble was watching a favored drama in a theater.


    "...It seems my little dog has some history with you," Nidham finally spoke slowly, his tone light.


    "...He was an apprentice in the same year as me, Lord Nidham," Colin replied calmly.


    "Oh... I see." Nidham walked over to Charlie, and with his gloved hand, caressed Charlie''s now slightly wolfish cheek.


    "Come on, little dog." He patted Charlie''s cheek.


    Then turned around, leading the leash and continued walking forward.


    Roar!!


    Dang!


    The metal chain instantly stiffened, and the steel under the immense force seemed to emit a sharp, twisting sound.


    Colin reflexively stepped back.


    The expression on Charlie''s face in front of him was fierce, angrily opening his mouth wide to roar at him!


    Even the skin at the corners of his mouth had cracked, blood oozing from the tears, flowing down the skin, condensing into tiny beads of blood on his chin, dripping onto the cold, hard gray stone floor of the Black Castle.


    But he was completely unaware, only staring intently at Colin with his muddy eyes as if stained with blood.


    His eyes were full of violent hatred!


    "What''s wrong, Lord Nidham?"


    Just then, Holt suddenly appeared.


    "Holt Team..." Colin subconsciously turned to look at Holt.


    Swoosh!!


    But before he could completely turn his head, a gust of wind came from in front, and Charlie suddenly leaped at him!


    Buzz¡ª


    Colin instinctively used his steel armor and pulled a dart from his waist to hold in his hand!


    But the distance between him and Charlie was too close, and caught off guard, he was still viciously tackled by Charlie, pressed against the cold, hard brick floor of the Black Castle.


    Seeing this, Holt hurriedly raised his hand, a green light flying towards Charlie.


    But immediately afterwards, a white light shot out abruptly from the side.


    Hiss.


    The green and white lights collided and ultimately annihilated each other.


    "Lord Nidham?!"


    Holt was taken aback.


    "Don''t be nervous, Holt."


    Nidham gracefully gathered the broken black iron chains,


    "Let my little dog catch up with him."


    "...Don''t worry, there won''t be any issues, your subordinate is a Great Knight¡­even if he is torn to pieces, as long as he is alive, I can ensure his safety," Nidham said in a gentle tone, his lips still wearing that impeccable smile.


    He paused, then added,


    "Besides, do you really think your subordinate can''t even handle my little dog¡­perhaps, he doesn''t need your help at all."


    A rare hint of annoyance flashed across Holt''s gentle face.


    Although Nidham said this, it was clear that even he didn''t believe Colin could withstand his little dog.


    Holt had no hope for it either.


    In terms of life transformation through witchcraft, Nidham was the foremost in the School, even the Wizard Lap admitted that in some areas, he couldn''t match him.


    How could Colin, who had just advanced to an Intermediate Wizard, cope with the transformed Charlie?


    Especially at such close quarters¡­


    Even Colin being a Great Knight wouldn''t help¡­after all, the human body has its limits.


    "Aren''t you afraid Lord Red Flame will be angry?!"


    Holt said sternly, "This lad knows Lord Red Flame, and it''s because of him that Leiden and Jerome from the Guard Team were dismissed!"


    "Aren''t you worried that Lord Red Flame will come after you?"


    Nidham''s smile remained unchanged, but a flicker of coldness passed through his eyes.


    Although he and Berkeley were both among the top three Peak Apprentices,


    Berkeley was universally acknowledged as the strongest¡­


    Just as Nidham and Holt reached a standoff,


    Splat!!


    "Ah¡ª!"


    A sudden scream erupted!


    Holt''s expression changed, and he quickly looked over.


    Nidham''s smile widened slightly, and he turned his head with composure. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But the next second, his smile suddenly froze, and his pupils contracted slightly!


    Charlie was curled on the floor in agony, his abdomen bleeding profusely, slowly pooling into a puddle on the floor. Not far from him, a bloodstained arrow lay on the ground¡ªclearly the culprit behind Charlie''s injury.


    Colin stood unscathed on the side.


    In reality, Charlie had failed even once to breach the formidable defense provided by Colin''s Limit-Breaking Steel Armor; he had been momentarily overwhelmed and knocked to the ground, but then he had seized the opportunity to retaliate with a Limit-Breaking Arrow Shooting Skill.


    At this point, the rage in Charlie''s eyes also dissipated mostly under the pain.


    He tried to push himself up, slowly moving toward Nidham, his eyes downcast, with a hint of regret.


    ''I was too impulsive...damn the wolf''s blood.''


    His gaze grew slightly unfocused, but the hatred in his eyes churned.


    ''Survive, only by surviving is there hope!''


    "...Colin!!"


    He struggled toward Nidham, his eyes filled with hope.


    But the next second,


    His hopeful eyes suddenly dimmed, instantly losing their vitality.


    Thump.


    The werewolf''s body lost its strength and crashed heavily onto the floor.


    Nidham, expressionless, lowered his right hand and then replaced it with a smile.


    "Useless dog...doesn''t deserve to live."


    Then, he looked up at the unscathed Colin and bowed apologetically.


    "I apologize, my dog must have frightened you."


    His handsome face wore a sincere expression and a clean smile; if not for the overly pale skin, anyone would praise him: a sunny smile.


    Having said that, he elegantly turned and left, with Charlie''s body floating behind him through casting.


    Before leaving, he also cast a Cleaning Technique to clean the floor.


    Colin, standing behind, finally began to catch his breath.


    He turned his head to watch Nidham disappear around the corner in the distance and then slowly turned back.


    In front, Holt was looking at him with a face full of surprise.


    After a while,


    He finally spoke slowly, "Let''s go, I still have to acquaint you with your duties. We can talk as we walk."

 Chapter 29 - 29 Clamor

    At the foot of the mountain, the Blackstone City Gate.


    Apprentices led by Huo Wood had already arrived here.


    In front of the city gate stood a scattering of wizards, who were representatives from various major influences within the city responsible for recruiting the apprentices.


    Under their persuasion, some apprentices immediately decided on the spot to join a faction.


    More of them shook their heads in refusal, indicating a need to ponder further.


    Apprentices eliminated by the School could choose to join an island faction, become a free wizard, also known as a Wild Wizard, or wait for a merchant caravan to arrive and try their luck elsewhere.


    In the shadows atop the city wall, a wizard in a gray robe stood. His chest bore a golden triangular badge that shone brightly.


    After a good while, when the apprentices and the recruiting wizards had all departed without noticing anything unusual, he quietly slipped away.


    ...


    Elsewhere, Holt and his companion had also reached Blackstone City.


    He did not interrogate Colin intensively as everyone has their own secrets and, moreover, Nidham''s dogs, in his opinion, weren''t very strong.


    Upon reaching the Guard Station, Holt took out ten Magic Stones and handed them to Colin.


    "This is your first month''s salary... You''ll collect it from me every month hereafter."


    Colin accepted it.


    Then, Holt instructed Colin to wait there.


    He needed to first distribute the remaining Magic Stones among the other three captains, whereas the rest of his team members would receive their share during their duty shifts.


    ...


    "Our main responsibility is quite simple, to eliminate the Fierce Beasts that escape from the Dark Forest."


    Half an hour later, Holt led Colin to the outskirts on the west side of the city.


    This area was a long, narrow plain that ran alongside the city wall in both directions.


    This plain was Blackstone City''s primary food-producing land, with cultivated fields spanning as far as the eye could see.


    Many farmers were busily working in the fields at the time.


    Looking beyond the rice fields, without going too far, one could see the edge of the Dark Forest, which seemed to absorb the sunlight and appeared darker than other places.


    Holt pointed to a sturdy cabin not far away and continued, "What we need to do is take turns on duty here. If the patrolling knights report an incursion of Fierce Beasts, we deal with them. If not, we''re free to do whatever we wish."


    Colin nodded in understanding.


    Wooden huts like this one were scattered roughly a dozen in number along the edge of the city wall, each spaced out from the others.


    The farmland extending outside the city was vast and elongated, thus only such an arrangement of shifts could ensure timely management of any danger from Fierce Beasts.


    "Duty rotation is by squad. The cabins for team members on duty are connected. I usually live amongst you all."


    "Right, our turn for duty starts tomorrow, and it''s a night shift. Remember to come to West City Gate early to meet me," Holt added.


    Colin nodded once again.


    "Alright, you''ve pretty much seen everything here. Next, you need to find a suitable place near the Guard Station to buy a house."


    Holt stopped walking and continued.


    "Buy a house?" Colin asked, puzzled.


    "...Yes, buy a house. You don''t intend to keep living in the barracks, do you?" Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Colin shook his head. Staying in the barracks was indeed inconvenient ¨C not only was the space small, but it also lacked privacy.


    "Well then, you''ll certainly need to buy a house... not just a house, it''s best if you buy some maids too, to help you with chores like cooking and cleaning."


    "These aren''t expensive; a house at most costs one Magic Stone, and maids are even cheaper. As long as you don''t buy anything exotic, one Magic Stone is more than enough."


    "The reason you were allowed to stay in the barracks, besides the one month grace period, was also because you probably didn''t have spare Magic Stones to purchase a house and maids.


    Now that you''ve just received your salary, it''s a good time to settle these matters."


    "Oh, and," Holt seemed to remember something else and made a specific point, "make sure you hire a cook who is good at her job."


    Many slaves simply don''t understand cooking, so the stuff they make... you understand, right?"


    Colin nodded.


    On the island, resources were scarce and the living standards of the common people were low; to say their usual meals were "dark culinary arts" would be a compliment.


    Most people only knew how to haphazardly stew things, and many couldn''t even recognize all the spices.


    Later, Holt told him the location of the real estate transaction office and the slave market, then reminded him of some precautions to take and instructed him to remember to come here for duty tomorrow night before turning around and leaving.


    Half an hour later.


    Colin arrived at the real estate transaction office in the city center, where he was warmly welcomed by the manager.


    In this era, there were no pictures, so house hunting meant physically visiting each one.


    Accompanied by the manager and his entourage, he viewed over a dozen houses near the West City Guard Station.


    In the end, he chose the third to last stone house.


    This stone house was a bit far from the West City Guard Station, roughly a ten-minute walk away.


    The stone house was a two-story building with a basement. It covered just over a hundred square meters; though not large, it was considered a mansion in Blackstone City.


    It was clear that the neighborhood''s residents were not from the lowest social strata, as many had some connection with wizards.


    From time to time, you could even see some wizards appearing.


    The house was priced at exactly one Magic Stone.


    Houses in this world were not as cheap as in the last world... of course, one Magic Stone was not a small amount either, roughly equivalent to 1,000 Gold Coins.


    After paying the Magic Stone and seeing off the manager, Colin slowly made his way to the main bedroom on the second floor.


    It was obvious that the master bedroom was specially constructed for wizards, as there was an additional door on the innermost wall, leading to a Meditation Room of about thirty square meters.


    But that was not the reason he chose this house.


    He walked slowly to the balcony.


    It was a large, open balcony, easily over ten square meters, with intricately carved and exquisitely detailed railings.


    Leaning against the railing, Colin looked off into the distance.


    Beyond the city''s closely packed gray and white houses, over the earth-yellow city walls, at the edge of his vision, a shade of blue came into sight.


    The ability to see the sea was the real reason he chose this house.


    The terrain within Blackstone City was not uniform.


    The location of this house happened to be on high ground.


    Coupled with its two-story height, it offered the perfect conditions for an excellent balcony view.


    Not only could one enjoy a view of the sea, but the elevation also meant it was difficult for others to peer into the balcony.


    After quietly admiring the sea view for a while, Colin turned around to head to his next destination¡ªthe slave market.


    There were many slave markets within Blackstone City, and Colin went to the one closest to him.


    It was about a twenty-minute walk from this newly purchased house.


    Although it wasn''t his first time walking the streets of Blackstone City...


    ... he still felt somewhat uncomfortable.


    He wasn''t someone who liked to draw attention...


    ... but now, no matter what time or where he went, he was always the center of attention on the street.


    The last time he came here to buy a sword, he hadn''t worn his Wizard Robe, and the situation wasn''t as exaggerated as it was now. But this time, not only was he wearing the Guard Team''s standard Wizard Robe, but he also wore a bright, shiny badge of his School.


    Passersby wouldn''t even dare get within two meters of him.


    ''It seems I need to buy a carriage,'' Colin sighed to himself in his heart.


    He was like a red-hot knife through butter; wherever he went, the crowd would automatically split apart.


    As he walked a little further, he felt something was off.


    For some reason, there were particularly many people here.


    Up ahead, the sounds of commotion were faintly audible.

 Chapter 30 - 30: Numbness

    "These damn gang thugs, they can only bully us..."


    "Hush! Do you have a death wish?"


    "Ah..."


    "The Wizard Lord is here!"


    Just when Colin was puzzled, the crowd in front of him, like dominoes passed from person to person, suddenly parted to create a path.


    At the end of the path, a hairily robust short man was forcefully grabbing the wrist of a frail girl.


    Colin frowned slightly and continued to walk forward.


    The short man did not notice the unusual atmosphere around him; he leered at the girl and whispered:


    "Let me tell you the truth. There was nothing wrong with the bread from your bakery; I deliberately framed your mother."


    The girl''s lips were tightly pursed, her eyes filled with anger, tears streaming down her cheeks onto the ground.


    "Do you know?... Your mother was so naive to come and apologize to me... she didn''t even consider how I could possibly let her off," the short man said, with a smug smile as he saw the anger in the girl''s eyes.


    He loved seeing them angry yet helpless against him. Had her mother not been too old, he might have kept her for his own pleasure...


    But it was time to give the girl false hope and take her for himself.


    Like before, play with her for a few months, then sell her for a good sum...


    His tone shifted.


    "Of course, my aim was always you, Renee. Just agree to me obediently, and I''ll buy your sister back..."


    At this moment, he finally noticed something wrong in the girl''s gaze.


    He turned slightly, and when he saw Colin, his face instantly turned ashen!


    "My lord!" S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He quickly shrank back, dropping to his knees with a thud.


    Colin ignored him and walked on.


    Seeing Colin pass by without a glance, relief flooded through the short man''s heart.


    For commoners like them, comparable to weeds, if they offended a Wizard Lord, death would mean death, with no one to seek justice for them.


    He saw that Colin was moving further away and turned to look at Renee,


    Perhaps from the shock of seeing Colin, he felt a sudden surge of brutality and raised his hand, intent on slapping her face!


    The girl instinctively closed her eyes, her eyelashes trembling with fear.


    Pfft!


    But what landed on her face was not a slap.


    It was a handful of warm, foul-smelling blood.


    A metal arrow clattered to the ground.


    The short man''s eyes quickly dimmed; his raised hand gradually lowered before he heavily collapsed.


    Colin withdrew his gaze, with the remaining traces of magic power from his witchcraft fading away.


    He continued forward, not dwelling on the deed he had done effortlessly.


    Although he was no good man,


    He found it difficult to remain entirely unaffected by such things.


    Especially when the right and wrong of the situation were crystal clear and the action required from him was but a simple gesture.


    Inside Blackstone City, commoners and Wizards were worlds apart in status.


    That short man, from his clothes, actions, and the words of the surrounding bystanders, clearly had no significant background.


    He didn''t even need to explain himself; the Guards would learn everything from the onlookers and take the initiative to clean things up for him.


    After walking a bit further, he suddenly frowned slightly and looked back.


    The girl he saved just now... her name was Renee?


    She was following at a distance.


    Seeing him look back, Renee''s face showed panic and she instinctively lowered her head.


    She was not pursuing Colin.


    It''s just that they happened to be heading in the same direction.


    Quickly, Colin also realized this and withdrew his gaze, continuing onward.


    Soon, he finally arrived at the slave market.


    The so-called marketplace in front of him was actually just a main street.


    People lined both sides of the street¡ªmuscular men and young women, all with collars on their necks and all common humans.


    Before coming here, Holt had told him that if he wanted to buy slaves like Half-Elves or other non-human ones, he had to wait for the biannual caravans or try his luck at the city center''s largest slave trade market.


    Non-human slaves were generally more expensive because they typically had innate talents in certain areas.


    However, most of the non-human beings who had fallen into slavery were not so extraordinarily gifted.


    Holt even gave an example.


    On the second floor of the Giant Axe Tavern in the city center, reserved solely for Wizards, there were a few non-human dancers, such as Half-Elves, Mermaids, Catwomen, and so on.


    But the non-human blood in their veins was already very diluted, and at most, they could bring about some slight changes, mainly in appearance.


    Such as the pointed ears of the Half-Elves, the fish scales of the Mermaids, or the cat ears of the Catwomen.


    Colin walked slowly down this street, his expression calm, but his heart somewhat heavy.


    Anyone seeing their own kind being sold as goods for the first time would inevitably feel uncomfortable.


    However, the slave traders lining the street didn''t think so; when they saw Colin, their eyes lit up, believing a big customer had arrived.


    But they didn''t dare to call out and beckon him, in case they offended the Wizard Lord.


    So, as if they had a plan, they simultaneously raised their whips and lashed out at their healthy slaves.


    In doing so, they attempted to catch Colin''s eye while showing off the strong bodies of the slaves.


    Crack¡ªcrack¡ªcrack.


    For a moment, the sharp snapping sounds were unceasing, mixed with faint groans of pain.


    Moreover, some slave traders directly tore off the clothes of the female slaves beside them, exposing their bodies, which were noticeably cleaner than the other slaves.


    Colin sighed inwardly.


    He wondered how these slaves were trained; they had such numb expressions that were extremely uncomfortable to see.


    The back of the long-haired male slave at the right front was gradually seeping blood.


    But as if feeling nothing, he stood blankly, his gaze vacant.


    The female slaves did not endure whipping, but their eyes were even more hollow than the males'', as if deprived of life.


    With no desire to continue browsing, Colin randomly walked into a shop.

 Chapter 31 - 31 Uncle and Aunt

    As he drew closer to the shop, his brows involuntarily furrowed.


    Outside the shop was a black iron cage about a meter square, inside which a little girl of about five or six was confined.


    At this moment, the little girl was soundly asleep on a dirty piece of rag in the cage, her mouth slightly open and dribbling a bit.


    If one merely looked at her expression, one might think she was lying on a soft bed, deep in slumber.


    Just then,


    A feeble figure suddenly walked by from the left, crossing in front of him toward the cage.


    Looking up, it was Renee, the young girl he had just rescued on the road.


    Colin paused slightly. He looked at Renee and then at the little girl in the cage who bore some resemblance to Renee; he instantly understood.


    "Move aside, don''t block the way of adults!"


    The slave trader behind suddenly ran to Renee''s side and hurriedly urged,


    "Trading slaves has strict regulations; what good does it do you to find me every day? I''m just a worker; you might as well try to save money. Once you have enough money, you can naturally buy back your sister!"


    Then he walked up to Colin with eagerness and asked with a smile,


    "My lord, what kind of slave do you need? I just received a new batch of good ones."


    "Do you have any slaves who can drive a carriage?" Colin asked.


    "Yes, my lord!" the slave trader quickly replied.


    "Bring them out for me to see."


    "Yes, my lord!"


    Colin watched the slave trader run toward the back and then called out to stop him, pointing to the cage with the little girl,


    "First, open this cage."


    "Alright!" The slave trader did not hesitate; he took out a bunch of keys from his bosom and found the right one to open the iron cage.


    Click.


    The sound of unlocking echoed.


    It was only then that Renee realized what was happening. She instinctively wanted to go to her sister, but the next second, she hastily knelt down.


    "Thank you, my lord, your character is admirable, and your generosity I will never forget..."


    Renee rambled on, her voice clear but somewhat faltering, seemingly not articulate.


    "Get up, " Colin waved his hand, cutting off her awkward flattery.


    "Go see your sister."


    Renee did not comply this time; instead, she insisted on saying all the praises she knew from beginning to end before slowly walking toward her sister in the back.


    Colin smiled faintly, though it was mere flattery.


    But who doesn''t like to hear good words?


    ...the girl in front of him was a person who knew gratitude.


    At this moment, the slave trader had just brought out a few slaves.


    Glancing around, there was nothing particularly appealing.


    After listening to the introductions, Colin casually chose the most reliable-looking one, who was also the oldest male slave.


    He said he was about 40 years old, and according to the slave trader, he was the best at driving carriages among them.


    "My lord, here," the slave trader handed over the indenture documents to Colin with both hands.


    Colin reached out to take them; there were two documents, one was for the little girl Demi Lydia, and the other was for the coachman Arthur.


    Arthur had no last name, only a first name.


    The two together were priced at fifty Gold Coins, equivalent to one-twentieth of a Magic Stone.


    Colin turned and looked at Arthur standing quietly before him, pondered for a moment, then pulled out some Gold Coins from his pocket.


    "You know how to buy a carriage, take this money and buy one to bring back."


    "Yes, master," Arthur responded.


    "You remembered the address where I live, right? Once you''ve bought the carriage, come directly here," he added.


    "I remembered."


    Seeing Arthur nod, Colin waved his hand, satisfied, urging him to hurry.


    "By the way, do you have any slaves skilled in cooking?"


    He turned back to ask the slave trader, almost forgetting that he still needed to buy a cook.


    "Yes, I''ll bring them for you, my lord," the slave trader hurried back inside.


    While waiting,


    he turned and slowly walked toward Renee and her sister.


    By this time, Demi had woken up and was giggling in her sister''s embrace, with tear stains at the corners of her eyes; it looked like she had just stopped crying.


    "My lord."


    Seeing Colin approach, Renee quickly greeted him. She had been paying attention to Colin''s side all along.


    Colin nodded slightly in response, bent down, and smiling at Demi, he patted her head.


    In his past life, he generally liked children, of course, excluding the unlikable and unruly ones.


    Demi''s skin, though somewhat dirty, was still visibly fair and delicate, with features resembling a refined doll, very appealing.


    In this world, kindness is a luxury.


    But if he occasionally managed to do a good deed like this, it still made him feel at ease.


    After all, it wasn''t much of a cost; it was just some inconsequential Gold Coins to him.


    Colin''s smile was warm and sunny, and he was handsome.


    Demi, who had initially been slightly fearful, now mustered the courage to return a shy smile to Colin.


    Colin stood up satisfied.


    "My lord, the cooking slave you requested has arrived."


    At that moment, the slave trader also came over with new slaves.


    All females, varying in height and weight... the only thing in common was their numb expressions.


    They looked just like dead fish being sold at a market.


    Colin slightly furrowed his brow, unable to hold back his criticism.


    It was unknown how they were trained, but these slaves were uniformly numb.


    ... Others might not know how they felt. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But as for himself, he felt no interest in purchasing.


    "What dishes can you make?" he still asked aloud.


    "Westmar."


    "What else?" Colin frowned slightly.


    Westmar was simply adding water and oil, stewing the ingredients until they became mush.


    "Small fish Westmar, mango Westmar..."


    "Stop," Colin interrupted her, then paused before continuing.


    "Give you a goat, how would you prepare it?"


    "This..." The female slave suddenly froze, she had never considered such a question.


    "Boil the goat head for soup, the fatty and lean goat meat can be directly roasted, the lean portions can be stewed with the bones, then stripped from the bones and eaten dipped in seasoning, and there are many other ways to prepare the ribs and legs."


    Suddenly, Renee spoke up beside him, her eyes pleading as she watched Colin.


    "My Lord, I have been learning culinary skills from my mother, who was a chef, since I was young. May I have the honor of becoming your personal cook?"


    After the joy of reuniting with her sister subsided, anxiety swept over her again.


    Renee was well aware that even though Demi had now returned to her side.


    What about after that?


    She had no power to prevent Demi from being sold off again... In fact, she could hardly even protect herself.


    ''Wizards¡­ both awe-inspiring and terrifying.''


    ''But now that our parents are gone, I can''t live carefree as before... You must seize the opportunity, take care of yourself, protect your sister!''


    She looked at Colin expectantly, silently cheering herself on in her heart.


    Colin was momentarily taken aback, but quickly smiled and replied to Renee:


    "Of course."


    A cook was just a cook, it hardly mattered whom he chose.


    The Renee in front of him was cute and pleasing to the eye, and according to her, her culinary skills were quite good.


    What was there to hesitate about?


    Worried about Renee bringing her sister along?


    Colin laughed at his own thoughts.


    ''As an intermediate wizard, am I not capable of supporting two maids?''


    The position of cook Renee was requesting was not that of an employee; the moment she became Colin''s cook, she became Colin''s personal property.


    It also involved processing a slave contract.


    After Colin had taken care of the paperwork for the slave contract, he turned back and asked:


    "Do you need to go back to pack up?"


    "...No, there''s no need," Renee hesitantly answered.


    "Sister, why don''t we go back? I want my little bear," Demi quietly asked beside her.


    "..." Renee looked troubled, then comfortingly said, "Can I make you another one later?"


    "...Okay," Demi responded with a slight dejection but still smiled at Renee.


    She was an obedient child, never crying or fussing even when she was locked in a cage.


    Renee couldn''t help but bend down and hug her.


    "Is there trouble back home?" Colin asked.


    "...Nothing, my Lord."


    "Renee," Colin''s tone became slightly stern, "My first rule here is, when I ask something, you answer."


    Renee was startled by his tone.


    "My Lord... I..."


    "...Don''t be nervous, just remember for next time," Colin''s voice softened.


    For the common people of this world who suffered oppression, there was no need for him to deliberately establish authority. They already had the hierarchy ingrained in them.


    So sometimes, being appropriately gentle could win their hearts even more effectively.


    Renee slowly revealed the reason under his gaze.


    ...


    "So, the thugs before were from the Poke Gang, and you''re afraid they might be waiting at your house, plus your uncle and aunt have already taken over your family''s bakery, so there''s nothing to pack up."


    "Yes, my Lord."


    "Let''s go, lead the way," Colin said with a light chuckle, urging them.


    Renee still seemed hesitant.


    Colin didn''t get angry but simply said:


    "My second rule here is, obey, obey my words..."


    "Yes, my Lord!" Renee hurriedly nodded in response.


    Colin didn''t say more and had them lead the way.


    Now that they had become his servants, if there were still some matters entangling them from before, it was convenient to resolve them now.


    On the one hand, it spared future troubles, and on the other, it was a display of both kindness and authority.

 Chapter 32 - 32 Settling In

    The gentle sunlight sprinkled across the earth.


    Colin walked on the road back home, followed by the Renee sisters.


    He led the way, his face calm.


    Behind him, Renee''s complexion was slightly pale, as if she still had difficulty accepting what had just happened.


    Demi, who knew nothing of the matter, held her teddy bear with a face full of joy.


    After they returned to the bakery, everything went as Colin had expected.


    He did nothing¡ªmerely stood there, and Renee soon reclaimed the ownership of her family''s bakery, which in the end was converted into gold coins and kept with her.


    But there were two surprises.


    The first was that the gang behind the stocky man he had killed on the road actually did come looking for him!


    And they had sent a fierce and intimidating strongman to wait for him at Renee''s bakery in advance.


    However...


    He came specifically to apologize and even brought a box of tea leaves as a gift!


    The other surprise was that


    The mastermind behind the murder of Renee''s parents turned out to be her aunt and uncle who had taken over the bakery.


    It was they who had colluded with the stocky man to murder Renee''s parents...


    This was also the reason why Renee''s feelings were so complicated now.


    Thinking of this, Colin sighed inwardly.


    In this world,


    for ordinary people, perhaps having beauty and wealth is also a misfortune.


    He thought back to his own past.


    Once upon a time, after listening to Charlie''s conspiracy theories,


    as a basic level Apprentice of the School, dismissed by others, he came to Blackstone City and didn''t even dare to wear the School''s insignia openly in the streets.


    But now, he had advanced to an Intermediate Apprentice and became a full-fledged member of the School.


    In terms of status, it was heaven and earth compared to before.


    ''All of this is because of power...'' Colin exhaled softly. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Soon after, they arrived at their home on Palm Street.


    When they reached their home on Palm Street,


    beside the wrough-iron gate,


    Arthur was sitting quietly on a single-horse, black carriage with curved sides.


    "Master."


    Seeing Colin, he hopped down from the carriage, quickly stepped forward, bent over to greet him, and took out the remaining gold coins from the purchase of the carriage and handed them to Colin with both hands.


    Colin nodded, took the gold coins, and then picked out two more from them, placing them back in Arthur''s hands.


    "Thank you, Master!" Arthur''s face lit up with surprise.


    "Take it and buy yourself a few decent sets of clothes. Keep the rest for yourself."


    Colin said gently, then he turned to Renee, handing her five gold coins.


    "You too, go buy some clothes for you and Demi. With the leftover money, buy some ingredients to come back and cook dinner tonight."


    He surveyed Renee and Arthur, adding:


    "In the future, you will both be able to get a salary of one gold coin each month from me... of course, on the condition that you work diligently."


    In Blackstone City, for an ordinary middle-class family, an annual income would be just over a dozen gold coins, so one gold coin a month was clearly a high salary.


    Strictly speaking, Arthur and others were slaves; Colin had no obligation to pay them any further.


    But a few gold coins were not much for him, yet could greatly improve the enthusiasm of people like Arthur towards work and also increase their loyalty. Why not do it?


    Opening the double wooden doors enveloped in wrough iron, Colin walked into the small courtyard of his home.


    The house he bought covered around six to seven hundred square meters, of which about five hundred were just the front courtyard.


    Facing the main gate was the main building, a two-story house with a basement, built in a Western style, its details revealing a sense of grandeur and nobility.


    To the right of the main house was an annex, a single-story bungalow, next to which there was a stable.


    "You can choose any room to live in, except for the second floor and the basement; anywhere else is fine," Colin instructed.


    "Sir, I''ll live in the annex on the right to take better care of the horses," Arthur said, taking the initiative.


    Colin nodded his head in a noncommittal way.


    Renee eventually chose a room on the first floor of the main house close to the kitchen, which had originally been where the former resident''s servants lived.


    Renee, with Demi in tow, entered the room and set down their luggage.


    There was no time to tidy up, nor to marvel at the servant''s room that was even more exquisite than her own home''s master bedroom.


    She soon pulled Demi out again.


    She hadn''t forgotten that Colin had asked her to go out and buy ingredients to prepare dinner.


    Before leaving, she sought Colin''s approval.


    "Go on, let Arthur take you. From now on, you don''t need to tell me about each purchase unless you''re short on money,"


    Colin replied and then gave Arthur additional instructions.


    "For expenses like the horse''s fodder and the like, find Renee, and she''ll come to me for reimbursement."


    Both of them consecutively acknowledged.


    ...


    As evening fell.


    Knock, knock.


    The sound of knocking came.


    "Master, dinner is ready."


    "...Come in."


    Colin, seated at the study desk, was absorbed in reading a book and responded reflexively.


    Creak, the door was slowly pushed open.


    Renee, carrying a silver platter, walked gently to the table and carefully set down the plate, careful not to disturb Colin''s reading.


    Appetizing aromas wafted to his nose.


    Colin closed the book and looked up at the two dishes and a soup laid out before him.


    The soup was a bowl of vegetable stew, the dishes consisted of a pan-fried steak, and steamed clams, served with white bread as the staple.


    It wasn''t exceptionally exquisite, but it was certainly above par, far surpassing his own culinary skills.


    "Well done, Renee," he praised, looking up with satisfaction.


    Upon seeing Renee more clearly, a hint of astonishment flashed in his eyes, he added:


    "That outfit suits you as well."


    Renee before him was dressed in a black and white maid''s uniform, its waist-hugging design made her somewhat slender figure now appear graceful, as if she stepped out of a comic book as a blonde maid.


    Her golden hair was still slightly damp, suggesting she had taken a bath.


    Colin was also taken aback, as he had simply thought Renee and her sister''s clothes were a bit worn and had casually suggested they add a few new items to their wardrobe.


    But he hadn''t expected her to buy a maid''s outfit.


    Renee managed a strained smile upon hearing the compliment, her heart filled with more apprehension than the joy of being praised.


    Although she was frightened, she quickly exhaled deeply, regained her composure, and stood up straight once more.


    Fate had brought her hardships, but it had also given her the courage to face an unknown future!


    After making her choice, she had prepared herself to accept everything, otherwise, she wouldn''t have taken the initiative to bathe and change into new clothes.


    She tried to calm herself, accepting Colin''s scrutinizing gaze, but soon, an uncontrollable blush crept up her delicate neck and spread across her fair cheeks.


    Seeing this, Colin smiled, thinking she was bashful from the praise, and offered an out:


    "You should go eat as well. Just remember to come back and clear the tableware later."


    "Yes, Master," Renee responded respectfully and left, feeling slightly relieved.


    After she had left, Colin sampled the food on the table.


    The delicious flavors blossomed in his mouth.


    He couldn''t help but smile, increasingly pleased with his decision to welcome Renee into his home.

 Chapter 33 - 33: Fierce

    The next morning, Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Colin had just gotten out of bed not long ago.


    Renee brought him a steaming hot breakfast.


    Looking out the window at the still dim sky, Colin showed a satisfied smile.


    He then spent the entire day studying.


    With Renee cooking and handling miscellaneous affairs, his time was once again freed up!


    ... He never expected that one day, he would also lead a decadent life of having everything handed to him on a silver platter.


    At noon, Colin briefly introduced Lap School and some of the city''s forces to Arthur and Renee, letting them understand their position and know which people they could provoke and which they couldn''t.


    Of course, since he was not very familiar with the distribution of power in the city, he only gave a rough explanation and mentioned Lap School again.


    During this, Arthur and Renee were in awe; they had never imagined that the real overlord of the island was the distant and unheard-of Lap School at the mountain peak.


    Colin was not surprised by this, as ordinary civilians and wizards were completely different classes.


    Even though the wizards in Blackstone City didn''t conceal their existence, the ordinary civilians'' understanding of wizards was always limited.


    After hearing this, Arthur''s attitude towards Colin became even more respectful and even reached the point of fear.


    Renee, however, was somewhat dejected.


    Time quickly reached evening, and after having dinner, Colin rode by carriage to the west gate of Blackstone City.


    After getting off the carriage, he instructed Arthur to come pick him up at dawn the next day, then let Arthur leave.


    Then, he stood alone at the city gate waiting.


    After a while, as the sun set and only the last trace of sunset remained in the sky, Holt finally arrived.


    "Let''s go, I''ll take you there."


    Holt said as he strode towards the outside of the city.


    Other wizards also arrived gradually.


    This was not unusual, as apart from Lap School, people from the Four Great Gangs and the three families were also on duty.


    Holt led him to the rightmost side of the city.


    "The duty cabin is not fixed; it rotates each time. Just remember to move right each time. This time we are in the five cabins on the far right, next time it should be the cabins on the far left."


    "Once you are familiar with it, you can come here directly by yourself. There aren''t many rules, just don''t forget to be on duty."


    "Okay," Colin replied.


    Holt dragged him to the middle cabin.


    The Guard Team, a squad plus the captain, five people in total, usually stationed the middle cabin by the captain for easy assistance and support.


    "On the first day of each month, all members will meet in the middle cabin, mainly to collect their monthly salary from me."


    "They should be almost here by now, and you can also get to know each other."


    Holt said as he pushed open the door.


    Colin nodded; he had been in the West City Guard Team for so long, yet he had only met Captain Holt and the minister, Barton.


    "Boss, you finally came!"


    As soon as the door was opened, an excited, thick male voice entered his ears.


    Colin looked in the direction of the voice. A fat man sitting at the innermost part of the middle wooden table was speaking, standing up as he did so.


    Beside him sat a man and a woman.


    "Captain."


    The man had a cold expression and called softly after seeing Holt come in.


    The woman was wearing a veil, making her face indiscernible, but her eyes seemed quite gentle.


    However, Colin soon retracted this assessment.


    "Orlando, one day you''re going to die because of that Half-Elf woman!" the woman loudly teased the fat man who had stood up before.


    Her voice was rough, and her tone was quite harsh.


    Orlando ignored her and earnestly approached Holt, reaching out his hand.


    "Catherine is right, you need to control yourself, Orlando."


    Holt sighed, feeling somewhat helpless, yet he still pulled out ten Magic Stones and handed them to him.


    Orlando took the Magic Stones and chuckled while scratching his head.


    "I know, boss..."


    Holt sighed again but didn''t say anything more.


    "Captain, aren''t you going to introduce the new member?" the stern Willard suddenly asked.


    The masked Catherine also looked over with interest.


    "This is Colin, who just advanced to an Intermediate Apprentice last month," Holt introduced.


    "So, he''s the newbie." Catherine looked at Colin and asked, "Can you instantly cast the Fireball Technique and the Hope Defense Field yet?"


    "Not yet," Colin responded, "but I..."


    Catherine frowned slightly then casually added:


    "With that level, you cannot handle Fierce Beasts... Stick close to me later, call me ''sister,'' and I''ll protect you."


    Her tone was spiteful, more teasing than caring.


    "Catherine, didn''t expect you to be into that. ''Sister,'' really? You''re over thirty, old enough to be someone''s mom, don''t you feel embarrassed?" Orlando''s mocking voice suddenly interrupted.


    The room went silent.


    Boom!


    Immediately after, a huge fireball shot explosively toward Orlando!


    Orlando''s expression changed drastically as he hurriedly put up a translucent blue Protective Shield.


    Still, he couldn''t withstand the fireball; the shield quickly shattered, and he was knocked to the ground.


    Seeing this, Colin''s eyelid twitched.


    Judging by the power of the fireball, another two shots could breach his Steel Armor.


    "Old woman! Was that really necessary?!" Orlando scrambled to his feet, furious.


    On closer inspection, aside from some slight scorch marks on his clothes, he seemed to have sustained no other injuries.


    "That''s enough!"


    Holt quickly intervened, raising his hand to extinguish the spreading flames.


    Then he cast a stream of green light, and the charred and damaged spots on the wooden cabin walls began sprouting and growing, slowly mending the holes.


    Yet Catherine couldn''t help but remain furious, her magic power brewing stormily.


    "I said that''s enough."


    Seeing this, Holt spoke out again, his voice coldly issuing a few words.


    As his words fell, a chilling aura suddenly descended inside the cabin.


    For a moment, Colin thought he saw a massive, tangled black ancient tree swaying in the shadows behind Holt.


    "Sorry, boss." Orlando hastily apologized.


    "...Sorry, Captain." Catherine also paled, her voice softening in submission.


    Though Holt was usually mild-mannered and didn''t mind their way of speaking, when he got angry, they still felt terrified.


    The chilling aura suddenly dissipated, and Colin exhaled in relief.


    He looked up just in time to see Willard across from him also exhaling lightly.


    The two exchanged glances, feeling an unintended camaraderie as collateral victims.


    Holt had returned to his gentle demeanor and handed out Magic Stones to Catherine and Willard.


    Then he urged them to quickly head to their cabins for their shift.


    Before they left, he specifically instructed Colin to stay in the cabin on his left, for easier coordination.


    Although he had a certain understanding of Colin''s strength and knew he was much stronger than a newly advanced Intermediate Apprentice,


    in his eyes, Colin was still just a month into his advancement; even if strong, his strength was limited... and in terms of versatility, he probably couldn''t compare to a seasoned Intermediate Apprentice.

 Chapter 34 - 34: The Unexpected Calamity

    Leaving the wooden hut, Orlando snorted coldly and pulled Willard to the right. Colin, on the other hand, was forced to go left with Catherine.


    They walked one after the other.


    "Kid, you better not have any ideas about me."


    Catherine suddenly said, turning back to glance at Colin, then coldly continued,


    "Orlando has nothing but junk in his head, and I hope you''re not the same!"


    Colin''s expression remained unchanged, but he was quite astonished inside, suddenly unsure of how to respond.


    Observing Colin''s calm demeanor, Catherine furrowed her brows and said sternly,


    "Sometimes, daring to admit your thoughts is what makes a real man."


    "...I really have no such thoughts about you."


    Colin stopped in his tracks and said solemnly. His face was calm, and his tone sincere.


    Catherine scoffed and continued walking forward, her expression disdainful.


    Colin frowned and chose to wait a few more minutes on the spot, until Catherine''s figure had become a small dot, then slowly began to walk.


    ''What an undeserved calamity,'' he sighed inwardly.


    He hadn''t anticipated Catherine''s terrible personality.


    Thankfully, the guardhouses were roughly five hundred meters apart from one another, which could spare him some awkwardness.


    Entering the hut, Colin took out a Bright Crystal and lit it up, placing it on a wooden lamp holder on one side of the wall.


    With the soft white light, he surveyed the inside of the room.


    It was laid out just like the one Captain Holt had been in, a large single room with a bathroom, with a set of tables and chairs to the left of the entrance.


    In the middle of the room was a clean-looking soft mat, similar to a tatami. It seemed to have been changed recently.


    Still, Colin cast a Cleaning Technique on it before slowly sitting down.


    Knock, knock, knock.


    Just as Colin had sat down, a knocking came from outside.


    ''Could it be that fierce beasts are attacking so soon?''


    He furrowed his brows and quickly got up to open the door.


    "My lord."


    As he opened the door, there stood a burly City Guard captain dressed in fine steel armor, taking off his helmet and placing it in his left hand, then respectfully touching his chest in greeting.


    Behind him were several City Guards, also in plate armor and having taken off their helmets to salute.


    "Is it a fierce beast attack?" Colin asked, "Why not launch the signal flare?"


    "No, my lord, we have come especially to meet you," the City Guard captain hastily explained, then added,


    "You''ve just started your duty, and you might not be aware that our squad is responsible for your lordship''s area."


    Before Colin could respond, the captain gestured behind him, took a huge gray cloth bag from one of his men, and passed it to Colin.


    "This is a little token of our regards; please accept it, my lord."


    The City Guard captain held the cloth bag with both hands, nervously watching Colin.


    For the patrolling City Guards, establishing a good relationship with the on-duty wizard was especially important.


    When fierce beasts attacked, perhaps just by the duty wizard paying a little more attention, spotting the signal flare sooner, and arriving a mere ten seconds to half a minute earlier, it could save them from losing a life.


    Colin hesitated for a moment, then reached out to take it.


    He had gradually become accustomed to the rules of this world.


    "My lord, we ask for your care in the future¡­ We won''t disturb you any further now."


    Seeing Colin take it, the City Guard captain sighed with relief and then asked to leave.


    Colin calmly nodded, watching them as they lifted their torches and marched away to patrol.


    The City Guards were a force apart from the Four Great Gangs and the three Great Families, directly under City Lord Price Bennett.


    Price Bennett was an aging Wizard Apprentice at his peak, about over 90 years old, frailer, with no hope left for advancing.


    His sole desire now was to see his bloodline flourish and spread.


    The Schools always looked down upon other forces from high above, unwilling to waste their energy on Blackstone City''s trivial matters.


    Thus, they quickly came to an agreement with Price.


    Price took care of the minutiae of running Blackstone City for the Schools, who, apart from sending the Guard Team to deal with Polluters, Cults, and fierce beasts,


    simply waited each month to collect their dues.


    Colin thought about this as he stepped over to the window, gazing into the distance towards the mountain top, where the Lap School was.


    ''In the Schools, the vast majority of Wizards stay in the Wizard Territory. They enjoy the offerings of the entire city, free from trivial bothers, focusing solely on climbing ahead, except for required missions.''


    "... but the Guard Team could only stay in this place."


    He exhaled and took out the Golden Paper.


    The progress of the Intermediate Apprentice above halted at 2/100.


    "It seems that my own Wizard training progress is so slow, not only because it becomes more difficult to improve after advancing but also because the Magic Power in Blackstone City is far less dense than in the Wizard Territory..."


    He sighed softly in his heart, walked to the cushion in the middle of the room, and sat down cross-legged.


    ......


    On patrol.


    The team members whispered among themselves.


    "Do you think the new Wizard can be trusted? He looks even younger than me!"


    "Yeah, just our luck! We finally get a new Wizard, and it just happens to be on our shift. Let''s just hope no Fierce Beasts attack this month."


    "Alas, the weaker they are, the nicer they seem. He looked so gentle when he was giving out gifts; his strength is probably..."


    "Shut up!" the Guard Captain scolded in a deep voice, "Do not discuss Wizards behind their backs."


    The team members fell silent.


    The Guard Captain paused, then added, "Be more cautious this coming month. If Fierce Beasts attack, run faster!"


    He casually supplemented, "Prioritize running to the nearest cabin... I remember the one on the left is that veiled Witch..."


    "Yes, Captain!"


    The team members immediately understood.


    Most of them came from the lower levels of the city, and although they had braced themselves for danger when they chose to join the City Guards, coming from the lower classes meant they were likely the main support of their families, which made them cherish their own lives even more.


    The Guard Captain continued to lead the patrol with a torch in hand, his expression calm while his heart was somewhat uneasy.


    The concerns of his team were also his concerns.


    It had been a long time since such a young Wizard had come to West City.


    In the past, they wouldn''t worry so much when a new Wizard arrived, since the Fierce Beasts were not strong.


    But in recent years, the power of the Fierce Beasts had been growing... and not long ago, a Wizard had fallen here.


    If the strength of the new Wizard from the Lap School was weaker, it wouldn''t affect him much. If in danger, the nearby Wizards would help, and it was hard to lose one''s life.


    But for them, it was completely different.


    Although he hinted that the team members should be smart and run towards the stronger Wizards, in reality, the lives of everyone in their squad were bound to the duty Wizard they were assigned to.


    If the Wizard died, so would they, eventually.


    ...


    Time flew by.


    That night was calm, without any attack from Fierce Beasts, only occasionally interrupted by the sound of City Guards patrolling.


    Colin glanced at the clock on the shelf on the wall, slowly stood up, gathered his things, and prepared to go home.


    The duty work for the Guard Team, as Holt had said, wasn''t very rule-bound.


    Just come when it''s time, leave when it''s time. There was no need to report to anyone, nor was there any performance assessment.


    Only improper handling of Fierce Beasts, such as being absent when an attack happened that caused damage, would there be punishment.


    Picking up the grey cloth bag the City Guards had given him last night from the wooden table, Colin opened the door and walked outside.


    Inside the bag was a large piece of fresh meat, which, if not mistaken, was probably Fierce Beast meat.


    But what kind of animal it was, Colin really couldn''t tell.


    However, whatever the type, Fierce Beast meat was a good thing; it could strengthen the bodies of ordinary people who ate it regularly.


    Of course, its biggest benefit was aiding Knights in their training.


    The reason why all the City Guards were Knights and the Captains were all Great Knights was due to the assistance from the Fierce Beast meat.


    Aside from that, Fierce Beast meat was also an invisible benefit for the West City Guard Team.


    Beasts killed by Wizards were all bought up by the City Guards.


    If they encountered many Fierce Beasts in a month, they could even earn a few extra Magic Stones. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As Colin stepped out of the cabin, he happened to meet the Wizard coming to take over the shift, also a member of the Lap School. They greeted each other amicably.


    In fact, Colin had seen him from afar when he arrived at the cabin last night; however, probably due to spending some time in Holt''s cabin, they didn''t actually meet face to face.


    West City''s fields accounted for over eighty percent of Blackstone City''s food production, and any problems could lead to dire consequences.


    Therefore, essentially, there was always a Wizard guarding this place.

 Chapter 35 - 35 Fierce Beasts

    The days that followed were peaceful and fulfilling.


    Every evening, Colin would take a carriage to his shift, and return by carriage the next morning.


    Thanks to the abundant energy provided by the Sunlight Breathing Technique and Renee''s diligent and competent help, he found even more time for cultivation each day.


    On the third night.


    Colin was practicing in the cabin.


    Bang!


    The distinct sound of a signal flare came from afar.


    Colin quickly pushed the door open and looked in the direction where the signal flare had lit up.


    It was off to the far left.


    After the signal flare lit up, soon, there were faint roars and sounds of combat.


    Then, the brilliance of witchcraft followed from the area of the fight.


    If he was not mistaken, that should be beyond Catherine''s area of responsibility. According to what Holt had said, it should be the Chiwen Gang''s area.


    As Wizards began to join the battle, cries of wild beasts could also be heard increasingly.


    Colin suppressed his urge to go and check, and returned inside the cabin.


    Although Holt had introduced him to much knowledge about Fierce Beasts, he had never actually encountered them in person. After all, it was merely theoretical.


    Being able to observe a battle between a Fierce Beast and Wizards would surely benefit him greatly when he had to face Fierce Beasts alone in the future.


    It was a pity that it wasn''t wise to recklessly head to other Wizards'' areas in the dark of night.


    He resumed his cultivation.


    But the mournful cries of the Fierce Beasts and the sounds of their battle with the Wizards lasted a long time and seemed to grow closer.


    Colin couldn''t help but go out the door once more, his thoughts quickly changing as he leaped onto the roof.


    He looked to the left.


    A Wizard in the distance had cast the Light Brightness Skill for illumination. With Colin''s enhanced sight, he could clearly see a skinny figure in a Wizard Robe chasing a huge shadow of a Fierce Beast.


    A few City Guards with torches were following the skinny figure.


    Upon closer inspection, Colin finally recognized the shadow of the Fierce Beast.


    Thick black bristles, nostrils pointed skyward, and its snout flanked by two curved tusks¡­ It was undoubtedly an oversized wild boar.


    Colin felt a mix of shock and confusion.


    ''This boar is almost the size of an elephant from my past life¡­ Holt''s descriptions had never included one this large.''


    He cast the Golden Cleaning Technique below him on the roof and slowly sat down, facing the distance.


    Though the wild boar Fierce Beast was large, it had little resistance against the mighty power of a Wizard. It could only howl mournfully while fleeing in a pathetic state.


    Had it not been for its strong life force, and the fact that the frail Wizard seemed to have never learned any teleportation witchcraft, the wild boar Fierce Beast would have died at the hands of the Wizard long ago.


    But for the moment, the frail Wizard appeared to be slower than the wild boar Fierce Beast by a fair margin, and it would take some time to catch up.


    Regardless, the defeat of the wild boar Fierce Beast was only a matter of time.


    ''This will be a good learning experience.''


    Colin shifted his position, adjusting his angle to get a good view of the chase unfolding before him.


    However, it wasn''t long before his expression began to turn strange.


    The wild boar Fierce Beast''s life force was terrifyingly strong. He watched as the frail Wizard behind it fired several Energy Missiles in succession, blasting many large wounds on the back of the wild boar Fierce Beast.


    But the speed of the wild boar Fierce Beast seemed to increase instead of decreasing, showing no signs of faltering.


    It was about to run into the area under Catherine''s responsibility.


    Swoosh!


    Just then, the frail Wizard behind slowed down his pace and began to mutter. Two seconds later, a huge pale blue missile soared towards the wild boar Fierce Beast in front.


    Boom!


    This supercharged missile directly shattered the wild boar Fierce Beast''s hindquarters!


    The wild boar Fierce Beast crashed to the ground, its bulky body causing a dull thud upon impact.


    The frail Wizard also sighed in relief, slowing down and waiting for the City Guards behind to come and clean up the mess.


    On the roof.


    Colin stood up.


    The show was over, and now it was time to get back to his training.


    If the Fierce Beasts he would face were only of this level of strength, then he had nothing to worry about.


    Ssss~


    Suddenly, a strange sound came through. It sounded like the squirming of maggots on rotting flesh.


    Colin''s eyebrows furrowed as he looked towards the source of the sound.


    The next second, his pupils slightly constricted.


    The fierce boar that had fallen earlier was slowly getting back up!


    With his strong vision, Colin could still vaguely see that the shattered flesh on the boar''s originally mangled rump was unbelievably wriggling and healing!


    The boar continued to flee, quickly running into the territory of Catherine nearby.


    The skinny Wizard hesitated for a moment but ultimately continued the chase.


    The tenacity of this beast''s life force was beyond his imagination... but it probably was nearing its last leg.


    The wild boar raced swiftly, soon crossing most of the area under Catherine''s responsibility.


    Colin''s expression changed; if the boar kept running for a bit longer, it would reach his responsibility zone. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His legs bent slightly as he leapt off the rooftop, casting Steel Armor and Hope Defensive Field on himself while running towards the direction of the boar.


    As a Great Knight, he moved much faster than the skinny Wizard.


    In just a moment, he had arrived at the border of his and Catherine''s assigned zones.


    And the fierce boar in front of him was already not far away.


    Colin prepared for combat.


    But the boar seemed to have been merely on its last breath before, and its current state looked very poor.


    Its once bright red eyes had dimmed, it panted heavily from its mouth, and blood gushed from the wound on its back in large amounts.


    Whoosh!


    Another missile struck the boar from behind!


    With a thud, the boar fell to the ground again, its enormous body sliding forward a distance due to inertia.


    Finally, it stopped about 50 meters away from Colin.


    A piercing wail came from its mouth, and then gradually weakened.


    The skinny Wizard caught up at this moment, delivering another strike to the beast, conclusively killing it.


    Then, he looked up at Colin and nodded slightly as a sign of acknowledgment.


    Colin nodded back and turned to leave.


    ''This boar''s body could probably sell for at least 5 Magic Stones at the City Guards,'' he thought to himself.


    Whoosh!


    Unexpectedly, a heat wave surged from directly behind him.


    Colin''s hairs stood on end as he turned to look back.


    Bang!


    A Fireball exploded on the boar''s body, the scorching flames meticulously controlled by the Caster to singe only the dark fur before quietly dissipating.


    "What do you mean by this?"


    The skinny Wizard looked to the left, a gloom settling over his face.


    Colin followed his gaze.


    A veiled Witch accompanied by a squad of City Guards was slowly approaching.


    That was Catherine.


    "I''m dealing with the attacking beast. Are you blind?"


    Catherine coldly replied, then turned to command the City Guards beside her to deal with the beast''s carcass.


    "I killed this beast!" the skinny man said coldly, his voice unable to conceal his anger.


    "Where are we?"


    "Is this area under your responsibility? This beast was clearly killed by me in my designated area! Are you trying to steal the spoils of the Lap School?!" Catherine retorted sarcastically.


    Seeing the situation turning sour, Colin quietly slipped away into the background.


    "Besides, just because you say you killed it, does that make it so? Does anyone bear witness?"


    "...Do you have one?!" the skinny Wizard angrily challenged.


    Catherine laughed softly, responding in a calm and unhurried tone:


    "Of course, I do... isn''t that right, Colin?"


    She slowly turned her head, gazing silently at Colin. The skinny Wizard also turned his head.


    Both of them looked at Colin together.

 Chapter 36 - 36 Absurdity

    Colin stopped, his expression ugly.


    The arrogant demeanor of Catherine truly reshaped his understanding of the School members...


    And all he did was come to watch the fun, so why drag him into it?!


    What it meant to be ''collateral damage,'' he had certainly found out today.


    "Colin, as a member of the Lap School, can you tell him who killed this fierce beast?" Catherine asked again.


    The thin Wizard had initially been looking forward to Colin''s answer.


    But the next second, upon seeing the same triangular badge on Colin that Catherine wore, his expression changed.


    He almost forgot that this month, this whole area was under the patrol of Lap School members.


    The anger in his heart gradually faded. Looking at Catherine and Colin, he began to back down.


    Although the Male Wizard standing nearby seemed uninterested in intervening, what if he did?


    The Lap School always acted overbearingly; it was always their rivals who ended up on the losing side.


    "You are right, sir, since the fierce beast died here, it belongs to you. I won''t interrupt... After all, we are all Wizards on duty together, which can be called colleagueship; there''s no need to spoil the amity."


    The thin Wizard forced a smile, feigned a gentle tone, and then slowly began to retreat.


    Boom!!


    But what greeted him was another Fireball; his quickly deployed Defensive Witchcraft managed to block the burning damage, but the shock wave sent him flying high and crashing hard onto the ground.


    "Get lost!" Catherine snorted coldly.


    Suppressing the dizziness in his head, the thin Wizard got up, said nothing, and quickly left for the distance.


    In terms of status, he was just a Deacon of the Chiwen Gang; in terms of strength, he was far inferior to her, and even if the Male Wizard by her side didn''t intervene, he stood no chance.


    Staying any longer would have been simply humiliating himself!


    Although that was the case, his heart''s anger found no solace and instead intensified.


    He had already yielded and given her a way out!


    "Lap School! Masked bitches!!"


    His steps grew heavier, trampling the crops beneath his feet in frustration!


    Meanwhile,


    Colin was just about to speak up for the thin Wizard, but the words were unexpectedly caught in his throat.


    Watching the thin Wizard''s fleeing figure, any sense of justice within him shattered abruptly.


    He felt it was ridiculous.


    ''Just leaving like that, swallowing the insult?!''


    Colin stood there, feeling inexplicably annoyed.


    "Clean up quickly!"


    Catherine, standing nearby was urging the City Guards who were dissecting the fierce beast''s corpse, her expression arrogant.


    As for Colin beside her, she seemed to have already disregarded him.


    Colin stood there a while longer, watching the thin Wizard gradually disappear into the darkness. Only after the fierce beast was almost completely dissected did he slowly turn back to his own duty cabin.


    ...


    The next day, the sky was faintly bright.


    Colin walked out of the cabin, finishing another day''s duty.


    Although the Sunlight Breathing Technique had given him plenty of energy, a night without sleep was naturally tiring.


    He was looking forward to getting home.


    He thought Renee must have prepared breakfast meticulously for him... he wondered what he would have this morning.


    After eating, he would crawl back into a warm bed and comfortably sleep a little... life indeed could be satisfying.


    But a few steps out, the faint noise from afar caught his attention.


    As Catherine''s duty cabin was to his left, and so was the city gate further left, he always passed by Catherine''s area on his way back to the city.


    The noisy sounds were coming from the fields Catherine was in charge of.


    Colin looked over.


    Before him was an endless expanse of fields, which now bore signs of damage.


    He hadn''t noticed it last night, but in the daylight, the destruction of the fields was considerable.


    The fierce beasts, like wild boars, had rampaged through the fields like bulldozers, overturning crops and splattering mud everywhere, creating a long gully.


    Especially where the black-haired wild boar had fallen, a huge pit had formed.


    But the pit formed by the carcass of the black-haired boar was not as shocking as another dark, burnt pit nearby.


    That burnt pit was at least twice the size of the boar''s pit, radiating outward from the center, where the innermost wheat seedlings had turned into black ash.


    "It must have been when Catherine used the Fireball to attack the frail wizard last night and didn''t extinguish it in time," Colin surmised.


    Otherwise, a single Fireball couldn''t have caused such a large burnt pit.


    Right next to the pit formed by the boar, a group of emaciated farmers surrounded it, with City Guards standing behind them, and the noisy sounds were coming from there.


    Snap! Snap!


    Every now and then, the sound of a City Guard''s whip slicing through the air could be heard.


    Colin paused to watch for a while.


    The City Guards were urging and directing them to lift and replant the flattened crops.


    But it seemed ineffective; only a few of the crops could be salvaged, and most were beyond recovery.


    The wheat appeared to be near maturity; at least the wheat seeds on the ears looked almost ripe.


    The gaunt farmers picked up scattered wheat ears as they straightened the stalks, placing them in the bamboo baskets beside them.


    Colin thought inexplicably of Captain Holt.


    If he had been there, perhaps he could have saved some of the wheat.


    Unfortunately... in this world, wizards held themselves above all, and who would bother with such trivialities?


    The annual crop yield affected only ordinary people.


    Even if there were no harvests on the island this year, the wizards wouldn''t starve; they had other means to obtain food.


    In his previous world, the lower-class people in war-torn countries suffered severe famines, yet the rich lived in luxury.


    Such inequality was even more pronounced in this world. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If ordinary people weren''t necessary for some reason, wizards wouldn''t care about their fate nor specifically protect the fields.


    Colin shook his head and continued towards the city.


    Soon, his familiar black carriage appeared in front of him.


    This time, however, Arthur wasn''t the only one standing by the carriage.


    "Master," Renee greeted him as she approached.


    "Why are you here? Don''t you need to look after Demi?" Colin asked in surprise.


    "Demi can take care of herself now. I came to bring you breakfast, Master," Renee said with a slight smile, lifting the food basket in her hand to show Colin.


    Colin was somewhat surprised; West City was quite a distance from his residence, almost half an hour by carriage.


    So, after a night''s duty without any food, he indeed felt hungry sitting in the carriage.


    In the past few days, he had been eating only after getting home; he hadn''t thought to have Renee bring him breakfast directly.


    He was pleasantly surprised and praised Renee a few times.


    Renee bringing him breakfast meant he could eat on the carriage ride home and go straight to sleep once he got there, saving quite a bit of time.


    The two of them boarded the carriage together.


    Arthur remained silent throughout, merely bowing respectfully to Colin when he saw him.


    "He''s a competent coachman," Colin was quite satisfied with him.


    "By the way, Arthur, did you finish the thing I asked you to do?" Colin suddenly remembered something and asked Arthur just before stepping into the carriage.


    "It''s done, master," Arthur replied.


    Colin nodded in satisfaction. It seemed Arthur was quite efficient.


    What he had asked Arthur to make was actually a wooden target.


    To become proficient in witchcraft, one could not rely solely on theory¡­

 Chapter 37 - 37 Black-Maned Giant Pig

    Hiss.


    A barely perceptible whistling sound passed through the air, followed by a loud collision noise.


    Bang!


    It was intermixed with the shrill sound of bending metal.


    The metal arrow had pierced through the iron plate on the chest of the humanoid wooden target, and the remaining kinetic energy caused it to topple backward, making a thud as it hit the smooth basement floor.


    Colin stepped forward to examine it closely.


    The wooden target was nearly the size of a person, its lower half a huge counterweight block of iron.


    And on its chest hung a piece of iron so thick it could be called a block.


    The iron plate was about a dozen centimeters thick and had been completely penetrated by the metal arrow.


    A satisfied expression appeared on Colin''s face.


    This was still the first time he had used the Limit Breaking Arrow Shooting Skill on a physical object with full force... When he had killed the thug, North, he had only used one-tenth of his power, far from his full strength.


    Now it seemed that the power of the Arrow Shooting Skill after one Limit Breaking exceeded his imagination.


    At least the Steel Armor witchcraft before Limit Breaking was absolutely unable to defend against it. If it were the Steel Armor after one Limit Breaking, maybe it would be a fifty-fifty chance.


    ''But the metal arrows... seem somewhat inappropriate.''


    Colin slowly drew out the arrow, pondering deeply.


    Now that the Arrow Shooting Skill had its power deficiency compensated for after Limit Breaking, it still required arrows.


    But ordinary arrows were not convenient to carry... Perhaps it was time to switch to a more portable "arrow."


    After one Limit Breaking, his understanding of the Arrow Shooting Skill had deepened; he knew it was not limited to just shooting arrows.


    As long as it was a suitable metal, after certain adjustments, it could be launched via the Arrow Shooting Skill. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Putting thought into action, Colin walked upstairs, instructing Arthur to go to the blacksmith to forge several different models to test their effects.


    Upon receiving the order, Arthur immediately drove off. These days, such miscellaneous tasks had always been his responsibility.


    Meanwhile, Renee was preparing dinner on the other side, while little Demi played alone in the yard.


    The yard was originally supposed to be a well-maintained garden, but now it was overgrown with weeds, and there was a huge coconut tree on the left.


    After moving in, they only roughly cleared the weeds once and didn''t maintain it carefully afterward, making these random wildflowers and plants become Demi''s playground.


    She wasn''t afraid of Colin and just played around with a small wooden stick.


    Colin beckoned her over and pinched her face.


    Demi was five years old this year, both her looks and personality extremely likable. In the modern world, she certainly would have been the kind of child who walked around during New Year''s collecting red envelopes until her hands were sore.


    Initially, Colin was worried about her playing alone unsafely. For example, the coconut tree on the left often dropped coconuts, fearing that one might accidentally hit her.


    But the children of this world were far sturdier than those of his previous world and knew how to avoid many dangers.


    Eventually, he got used to her, a five-year-old, playing around by herself.


    After all, even her sister, Renee, was not worried.


    After playing with Demi for a while, Colin felt sufficiently rested and continued to return to the basement to practice witchcraft.


    He was ultimately not some non-human with a monstrously firm will.


    Apart from the Golden Paper, he was just an ordinary man, unable to continue training like a machine every day.


    No doing other things... no socializing, no entertainment.


    So he would occasionally chat with Renee, pinch Demi''s chubby cheeks.


    As for Arthur, he was a taciturn type and always stiff around him, so Colin rarely sought him out for a chat.


    The new "arrow" models were ready by the next day.


    Last night, another wild boar, a Fierce Beast of the same kind, had attacked.


    But unfortunately for it, it had stumbled into the territory of Captain Holt, and within a few meters, had been strangled to death by vines.


    To distinguish, Holt had named the beast the Black-Maned Giant Pig last night.


    Its characteristic was its unusually large size.


    The Dark Forest was an extremely dangerous place, perhaps only the wizards of the Lap School felt confident to traverse it safely.


    The origins of these fierce beasts within the Dark Forest remained unknown¡­


    The only certainty was that the beasts were growing stronger, something Colin had heard others lament more than once.


    After finishing his shift and waking up, Arthur had brought him several different models of new arrows.


    There were the simplest steel balls, as well as shuttle-shaped and diamond-shaped ones, among others.


    Colin immediately went to the basement to test them.


    One after another, ghostly lights shot out from his hand, pockmarking the iron plate in front of the wooden target.


    Finally, after careful testing, Colin chose the shuttle shape. This form was faster and more powerful.


    The custom-made shuttle-shaped arrows were only the size of a knuckle, making them easy to carry.


    The only downside was that they were more difficult to make compared to other types, so they were also more expensive.


    But they were still within the range Colin could afford.


    Over the next few days while on duty, they were attacked by the Black-Maned Giant Pig.


    And each time, it either happened on the neighboring territory of the Chiwen Gang or on their Lap School''s grounds.


    Although each incident ended with the wizards killing the beast, due to its robust life force and massive size, it always managed to cause significant damage to the fields.


    After finishing his shifts, Colin frequently saw many gaunt farmers trying to salvage the wheat, their expressions growing increasingly grim. Once he even saw a thin, elderly farmer lying on the ground, picking up wheat and shedding tears.


    The situation continued until his eleventh day on duty.


    That morning, after his shift was over and he was about to leave, Holt called him and the other team members back.


    The squad members rarely gathered together.


    Holt led them to an open area outside the city gates, where a middle-aged man with black curly hair was standing.


    "City Lord Price," Holt greeted him. Colin and the others followed suit respectfully.


    From his position, Price was at least on par with the three top apprentices of the School and perhaps even a bit more powerful. Clearly, he required deferent treatment.


    Price responded kindly.


    Colin looked up at Price; this was the first time he had seen the legendary City Lord of Blackstone.


    He looked like an ordinary middle-aged man, albeit weathered.


    Moments later, five wizards from the Chiwen Gang arrived.


    Colin spotted a familiar, frail figure among them.


    Clearly, he also saw Catherine, his expression changed slightly, and he subtly hid behind his nearby companion.


    Catherine did not notice him, or perhaps she had forgotten him.


    "Everyone is here, so I''ll make it short," Price said gravely.


    "In recent days, the repeated attacks by the Black-Maned Giant Pig have caused severe damage to the fields. If this continues, many people in the city will die this year.


    It seems that a group of wild pigs has already appeared in the Dark Forest¡­ We can''t let them continue to reproduce.


    So, I''ve called you here to take the initiative tonight, led by the strongest among us, Wizard Holt¡­ Marlow, you have no objections, right?"


    "No, City Lord," the leading wizard of the Chiwen Gang, a first-class apprentice, replied.


    "Good. Afterwards, I will personally offer 150 Magic Stones as a reward, and if we manage to bring back the Black-Maned Giant Pig, I will buy it at the standard rate," Price nodded, then slowly continued after scanning the group:


    "That''s all I have to say. The specifics will be handled by Holt."


    With that, he turned and boarded the luxurious carriage behind him, leaving.


    Then, Holt briefly discussed the tactics,


    which essentially involved driving the wild pigs into a panic, making them flee back to the Dark Forest. From there, they would take the opportunity to follow them to their lair and eradicate all the wild pigs.


    Of course, given the dangers of the Dark Forest, if they ventured too deep, they would abandon the operation directly.

 Chapter 38 - 38 Proactive Attack

    The next evening, inside the duty cabin.


    One by one, new shuttle-shaped "arrows," or perhaps darts, were tossed by Colin into the soft, beast-leather pouch arranged on the table, clinking against each other.


    After it was half-filled, Colin secured it at his waist for close storage.


    This wasn''t the only place on his body where he stored shuttle-shaped darts. To avoid the embarrassment of running out, he placed varying amounts of the darts in multiple locations on his person.


    In addition, he also carried some dry food Renee had made, just in case.


    With everything ready, he waited quietly inside the cabin.


    By all logic, tonight the Black-Maned Giant Pigs should also attack.


    And what he needed to do was wait for the City Guards on patrol to detect movement, pull the signal flare, and then he would rush over quickly.


    Before that, Holt and Marlow, a First-Class Apprentice of the Chiwen Gang, would arrive before him to mark the wild pigs.


    Then they would wait for him to meet up with them at the spot, and together they would follow the marks in pursuit.


    Outside the window, the moonlight was bright, with silver moonbeams pouring into the room and quietly merging with the gentle White Light of the Bright Crystals.


    With the weather being clear tonight, the sky full of stars, and even without the need for torches, one could clearly see everything in the fields.


    Sitting inside the room for a long time, the signal flare took a while to come. Colin remained focused on it, and somehow found it hard to settle down to meditate.


    ''I still haven''t experienced a real battle...'' he thought to himself with a light chuckle, not really feeling any particular way about it.


    Tests, interviews, fighting bosses in games, or even before starting a trip, it''s hard for anyone to avoid a bit of an accelerated heartbeat.


    This feeling, a mix of excitement, tension, anticipation, and fear, is complex and only natural.


    Colin stepped out of the door, bent his knees slightly, and then leaped onto the roof.


    The landscape outside West City was flat, which was not only good for farming but also meant the view was rarely obstructed. He stood on the rooftop with a clear panoramic view.


    Groups of City Guards wielding torches patrolled the fields in a systematic rhythm, creating orange trails in the darkness.


    A cool breeze passed, and his heart gradually calmed. As usual, he cast a Golden Cleaning Technique on the rooftop below him, then sat down with his legs crossed, starting to meditate.


    Time continued to slip away.


    Clip-clop, clip-clop¡ª


    The footsteps of the City Guards approached from afar, then grew distant, patrolling back and forth.


    After an undefined period.


    Ziii!


    Boom!


    An orange signal flare burst suddenly into the night sky, distinctly visible. In an instant, Colin''s fair complexion was coated with a thin orange glow.


    His mind hadn''t caught up, but his body had already leapt down from the cabin.


    Before his toes even touched the ground, he heard a whizzing sound from the wooden house to his right!


    Looking up, he saw a figure soaring into the sky, hurrying towards the direction from which the flare had come¡ªit was Holt.


    Glancing to the left, there was also a Wizard flying rapidly through the night sky, probably Marlow from the Chiwen Gang.


    Colin exhaled slightly, feeling his blood inexplicably restless. He hesitated no longer and hurried along the ridges of the fields.


    The wind whistled past his ears, and his strong and agile legs accurately stepped on the narrow earthen paths.


    Before long, he saw flickering lights in the distance.


    After a short while, the distinct shrieks of the Black-Maned Giant Pigs also reached his ears with the breeze.


    As he drew closer, however, the shrieks of the Black-Maned Giant Pigs grew more distant.


    By the time he reached the spot of the lights, all he saw were a small troop of City Guards holding torches and the Wizards, Holt and Marlow, standing and waiting.


    Perhaps because the Black-Maned Giant Pigs had attacked in the area he was responsible for, he turned out to be the earliest to arrive next to Holt and Marlow.


    After greeting them respectfully, Colin stood aside and waited.


    In the field ahead, many stalks of wheat lay flattened, creating a clear, visible path leading towards the Dark Forest.


    "It seems Holt and his team have already marked the Black-Maned Giant Pig and driven it back to the Dark Forest," he speculated to himself.


    Tap tap tap¡ª


    With the sound of footsteps drawing nearer, more and more wizards gathered around him, and it didn''t take long for everyone to arrive.


    After looking around and counting heads, Holt issued his command in a clear and concise manner.


    "Let''s move out!"


    He took the lead, walking ahead, while Marlow took up the rear of the group.


    Before long, they followed the tracks to the edge of the Dark Forest.


    "Once inside the forest, tighten formation, watch out for each other, and don''t fall behind!" S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Before entering the forest, Holt stopped in his tracks, turned back, and solemnly reminded them.


    Colin walked right behind him, with Catherine and other squad members at his side.


    After Holt finished his reminder, he cast the Light Brightness Skill to summon a light orb that floated before him, then he stepped into the forest first.


    Colin followed closely behind.


    As soon as he stepped into the Dark Forest, he distinctly felt a stark contrast from the outside world... The Dark Forest was exceptionally silent, with an inexplicable sense of eeriness.


    Colin surveyed his surroundings by the soft white light of the orb.


    All around grew trees of various shapes, some with intertwined roots and crooked forms, others tall and straight with lush foliage... But they all shared one common feature¡ª


    That was the deep, almost black color of their bark and leaves.


    This color made them look like pure black shadows, staring for too long would even give one the illusion that they were twisting and swaying.


    Holt led the group forward steadily, occasionally making slight adjustments to their direction.


    Along the way, Colin spotted many signs of the Black-Maned Giant Pig''s activity. The group also encountered several snake and insect attacks, but Holt or Marlow resolved them beforehand.


    After a while, Holt suddenly quickened his pace, no longer adjusting direction, and headed straight towards a fixed point.


    ''That Black-Maned Giant Pig must have returned to its lair and settled down,'' Colin conjectured in his mind.


    After a brief swift march, the group arrived at a hollow in the hillside, facing a huge, pitch-black cave.


    "Stop."


    Holt motioned backward with his hand, caution apparent on his face.


    Rashly entering the cave was clearly not a wise decision.


    He pondered for a moment and called Marlow over.


    "I have a way to ascertain the situation inside the cave, but I may need your assistance," he said.


    Marlow nodded, indicating for him to continue.


    Holt took out a rice grain-sized seed from his chest and said:


    "This is a May Grass seed, which after growing, can roughly sense the vitality of living creatures nearby. I need you to help me scatter it evenly into the cave."


    "No problem," Marlow agreed.


    He took the brown seeds, tossed them into the air, and a gentle breeze lifted the brown seeds, quietly flying into the cave.


    Soon after, Marlow nodded and said,


    "It''s done."


    Holt nodded slightly and began casting his spell.


    Inside the cave.


    The May Grass seeds, scattered at intervals on the ground, quietly sprouted, their fragile husks gradually torn, the shoots peeking out and quickly growing into about ten-centimeter-tall May Grass, with fine fuzz swaying in the wind.


    Outside the cave, Holt closed his eyes and carefully sensed his surroundings. Moments later, he opened his eyes, a smile appearing on his face as he said lightly,


    "Let''s move out. There are only a few dozen ordinary Fierce Beasts inside, most likely all Black-Maned Giant Pigs."


    "This must be their lair."

 Chapter 39 - 39: Free to Kill

    A group of people entered the mountain cave.


    Colin only felt that this dark, gargantuan maw of a cave seemed like a terrifying mouth, slowly consuming them.


    But this was just an illusion, as in the next second, the wizards all cast Light Brightness Skill, and the gentle white light illuminated the cave as if it were daytime.


    They briskly moved towards the depths of the cave, and soon came to a wide hall where a group of black-maned wild boars were huddled together, sleeping.


    Holt scanned the area and, upon confirming that the only exit was the entrance they came from, gave the order!


    "Free kill!"


    He took the lead in casting his spell, as several coiled tendrils suddenly appeared among the boar group, seemingly slow but actually quickly entangling the nearby black-maned giant pigs.


    Yi~ Yi!!


    The entangled black-maned giant pigs let out agonizing squeals, and their sleeping companions were also roused by the noise!


    Marlow, on the side, wasn''t to be outdone, as he waved his hand and cast a pale cyan Wind Blade, each one taking the life of a giant pig with precision.


    Meanwhile, most of the intermediate apprentices had to expend much more effort, usually taking quite a while before they could completely kill a black-maned giant pig.


    However, to Colin''s surprise, fellow team members Willard and Catherine displayed a noticeably higher efficiency in slaughtering the black-maned giant pigs compared to the other apprentices.


    Willard''s use of Acid Liquid splash, a very common witchcraft, was incredibly powerful in his hands, as the afflicted black-maned giant pigs died shortly after due to the acid eroding their brains.


    And although Catherine was violent, one had to admit that her Fireball Technique was truly masterful.


    She did not choose to directly shoot the black-maned wild boars with Fireball Technique; instead, she allowed the fireball to continuously cover the faces of the black-maned giant pigs.


    Often in a short amount of time, accompanied by the scent of roasted boar brain, a black-maned giant pig would collapse with a thud, lifeless.


    Such maneuvers seemed effortless but were actually far from simple; just the precise targeting of the head was very difficult, not to mention maintaining the exploding Fireball Technique burning on the boar''s head like a lingering disease.


    Colin shifted his gaze and pulled out a custom dart.


    Whizz!


    Silently, a fully-grown black-maned giant pig on the edge of the hall suddenly had a huge hole blasted through its neck.


    Even with such a severe injury, the black-maned giant pig was still lively and jumping, with the wound on its neck swiftly healing.


    ''Missed the shot...'' Colin shook his head, then took out another dart and shot.


    Swish!


    Boom!


    This time he hit the target right in the head! The giant pig fell at the sound.


    ''5 Magic Stones in hand,'' a smile surfaced on his face.


    Speaking purely of killing efficiency, as long as he aimed a bit better, perhaps even Catherine wouldn''t be able to match him.


    As for Magic Stones... the den of the black-maned giant pigs wasn''t far from the edge of the Dark Forest, and it seemed very likely that they would be able to transport them out.


    If they could be transported out, they could be exchanged for Magic Stones.


    The ownership of the different black-maned giant pig corpses was clearly whoever killed them.


    ''Although 5 Magic Stones isn''t much, if I kill more, the final reward will still be substantial.''


    Thinking this, Colin quickly proceeded to take out another dart, selecting a suitable black-maned giant pig.


    Since the battle was going favorable, and black-maned giant pigs could be exchanged for Magic Stones,


    To avoid misunderstandings, usually, the same black-maned giant pig would not be focused on by multiple people, and everyone tacitly concentrated on dealing with the one they had selected for themselves.


    "What do you mean! That giant pig was about to be killed by me!"


    Just then, there was an angry shouting nearby.


    Colin glanced over, and it was an intermediate apprentice from the Chiwen Gang questioning Catherine.


    Catherine didn''t deign to pay him any attention, not even turning her head, and kept on brutally slaughtering the pigs.


    Holt and his companion nearby also did not bother with this quarrel.


    That intermediate apprentice ultimately swallowed his anger and switched to another giant pig to continue the attack.


    Catherine was currently summoning several fireballs, aiming them precisely at the very center of the hall.


    There resided a group of Black-Maned Giant Pig piglets, obviously a size smaller than the other giant pigs.


    Colin shook his head, just as he felt everyone was being restrained and in sync, Catherine overturned his thoughts.


    Swoosh!


    Another dart was shot out by him. Colin stopped overthinking and focused on killing the pigs, meanwhile seizing this rare opportunity to practice the precision of his Arrow Shooting Skill.


    Under continuous attacks from the group, the Black-Maned Giant Pigs were like fish trapped in a jar, their numbers dwindling.


    Especially after Catherine had killed most of the piglets in the middle, the remaining giant pigs charged towards them in a frenzy.


    Unfortunately, it was in vain, making their offensive efforts even more comfortable.


    "Roar!!"


    Just as Colin was engrossed in shooting, a ferocious roar suddenly came from the passage behind him.


    His movements stiffened as he quickly stepped closer to Holt before turning to look back.


    A Black-Maned Giant Pig, obviously different from its cohorts, was charging towards them.


    In terms of its overall appearance, it differed little from the regular Black-Maned Giant Pigs, except for its darker fur.


    But it was at least twice the size of a normal giant pig, looking to be at least two to three stories tall, nearly reaching the cave''s ceiling!


    Not to mention its strength, its sheer size exuded a strong sense of oppression... Perhaps it should be called the Black-Maned Giant Pig King.


    At this time, both Holt and Marlow turned around, their faces solemn.


    From their formation, they were already surrounded.


    "This Black-Maned Giant Pig is no longer just a Fierce Beast," Holt said in a low voice.


    "Yes, it seems much stronger than the average Black-Maned wild pig," replied Marlow, and then asked, "Will you take it on?"


    "Sure, you go help the others," Holt responded.


    Marlow nodded and moved to the other end.


    "Tighten the formation, come behind me!" At the same time, Holt called out in a deep voice.


    The Apprentices promptly adjusted their formation, positioning themselves between the two.


    "Roar!"


    The Black-Maned Giant Pig King roared again, its bellow mingling with an inexplicable wave of magical power.


    After this roar, its rage-filled eyes fleetingly revealed a hint of fatigue.


    The twenty or so Black-Maned Giant Pigs still alive in the hall suddenly turned blood-red eyed, and the wounds on their bodies, already healing rapidly, began to heal even faster! The black mane also seemed to be shrouded in a thin layer of dark light.


    Their defenses became stronger, and their healing abilities enhanced!


    Now the attacks from the ordinary Apprentices posed much less of a threat to them. It often looked bloody one second, and the next, the wounds had healed as if nothing had happened. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, luckily with Marlow''s covering, they were not overwhelmed by the Black-Maned Giant Pigs in the hall.


    Colin hastily fortified himself with the Hope Defense Field. Before this, in consideration of magic power consumption, he had only used Steel Armor.


    He could no longer afford to conceal his true abilities, and the frequency of his dart shots suddenly doubled. The other Wizards also went all out.


    This way, they managed to stabilize the situation for a moment.


    Colin let out a small sigh of relief.


    Then, after a while,


    Under their carnage, the number of Black-Maned Giant Pigs in the hall gradually decreased, already fewer than ten. Victory was within sight.


    "Marlow!"


    But just then, a shout from Holt came from behind!


    Marlow quickly turned back to look.


    Colin''s heart also skipped a beat, instinctively glancing behind.

 Chapter 40 - 40: Desperate Situation

    After getting a clear view of the scene, his heart gradually settled down again.


    Under Holt''s attack, the Black-Maned Giant Pig King was currently bound in place by numerous strange vines, soaked in blood and clearly at a disadvantage.


    "Help me out!" Holt continued, persistently applying magic power.


    Only then did Colin notice that the vines entangling the Black-Maned Giant Pig King were snapping one by one!


    Marlow quickly cast a spell!


    But the Black-Maned Giant Pig King reacted faster.


    "Roar!"


    It suddenly let out a ferocious roar, its basketball-sized eyes flashing with a red glow, as the black mane on its body instantly stood up like steel needles, and its muscles abruptly swelled.


    With a forceful charge, the remaining vines suddenly shattered with a tearing sound.


    Perhaps sensing its inevitable defeat, the Black-Maned Giant Pig King merely cast a hate-filled glance at Holt and the others and then, without lingering for battle, turned its head and fled in an instant!


    With incredible speed, it had already put a distance of more than a dozen meters between them.


    "Chase! We can''t let it get away; the consequences will be dire!" Holt immediately called out to Marlow.


    "After you finish off the remaining Black-Maned Giant Pigs, just wait here for us to return."


    Marlow didn''t hesitate and quickly instructed the other apprentices, then chased after Holt together.


    The situation in the hall had become clear, and even without his presence, the remaining intermediate apprentices could handle the few leftover Black-Maned Giant Pigs.


    On the other hand, the terrain of the Dark Forest was complex and fraught with danger, dealing with a fierce beast whose strength was not inferior to the usual advanced wizard apprentice.


    Holt obviously needed his support more.


    As for allowing it to escape, that was obviously not an option.


    Not to mention that the Black-Maned Wild Boar King was a rarely seen high-level fierce beast, highly valuable.


    Just the hateful gaze of the Black-Maned Giant Pig King was enough reason to pursue it... Nobody wanted a fierce beast with the strength of an advanced wizard apprentice keeping them in mind every day.


    Soon, Marlow followed Holt''s figure as they gradually disappeared around the far corner of the tunnel.


    The cave became quiet for a moment, as the remaining apprentices looked at one another.


    But this silence was soon broken by the remaining Black-Maned Giant Pigs'' roar.


    They stopped thinking and continued to surround and conquer the Black-Maned Giant Pigs.


    After some time, Colin slowly exhaled and placed the dart in his hand back into the pouch at his waist.


    Now in the hall, only the last Black-Maned Giant Pig remained, being attacked by a member of the Chiwen Gang; it was at the end of its strength, barely clinging to life.


    According to unspoken agreement, this Giant Pig was his, no one else intervened, all merely watching quietly.


    But Colin seemed to think of something, glancing at Catherine not far away.


    His head hadn''t completely turned.


    "Roar!" A familiar roar suddenly sounded.


    His heart skipped a beat, and he quickly turned back to look behind.


    A very familiar Black-Maned Wild Boar appeared around the distant tunnel corner.


    "How could it come back! Didn''t Lord Marlow go after it!?" a member of the Chiwen Gang asked in panic.


    "What do we do? It has the strength of an advanced wizard apprentice; we can''t handle it!"


    "It''s not the same one!" someone countered.


    ''Indeed, it''s not the same one,'' Colin observed carefully and concluded.


    This Black-Maned Giant Pig had a very similar appearance to the previous Black-Maned Giant Pig King but was slightly smaller in size.


    Bang.


    Just then, the last Giant Pig in the hall was killed and fell.


    Now everyone turned around to face the newly arrived, slightly smaller, Black-Maned Giant Pig King.


    Fear appeared on their faces.


    In the apprenticeship, advancing to advanced apprentice was a challenging leap.


    Usually, perhaps a dozen or twenty basic level wizard apprentices could contend with an intermediate wizard apprentice.


    But a dozen or twenty intermediate wizard apprentices couldn''t contend with an advanced wizard apprentice.


    Even when facing some stronger advanced wizard apprentices, doubling the number of intermediate apprentices might not be enough!


    At this moment, the tunnel they had come through was blocked by the large body of the new, slightly smaller Black-Maned Giant Pig King.


    Looking back, the hall behind them had no exits, with just a small pool of water in the corner.


    The slightly smaller Black-Maned Giant Pig King in front of them was clearly not much weaker than the previous one, comparable to an advanced wizard apprentice!


    They had reached a dead end.


    There was no time to think!


    If they did not unite, they would be defeated one by one, leading to certain death!


    Colin''s lips barely moved as he was about to suggest that everyone band together to fight...


    "It doesn''t matter if it''s the same one or not! Whether we can handle it or not, we have no way out. We have to prepare to fight together if we want any hope! Stop hiding your abilities, everything you''ve got, bring it out now!"


    Someone had spoken the suggestion before him.


    Looking up, it was a familiar face, Orlando, the unattractive chubby member of the same team.


    He grimaced in pain, clenched his teeth, and pulled out a yellow Magic Crystal from his bosom, activating it with Magic Power and holding it in his hand with a single wave.


    A spike as thick as a water bucket suddenly burst from the ground in front of the Black-Maned Giant Pig!


    "Roar!!"


    Caught off guard, the Black-Maned Giant Pig collided with it head-on, and its massive body was forced to a halt.


    But the spike was stopped by its thick skin and failed to cause much damage.


    Swoosh!!


    The Apprentices seized the opportunity, unleashing their full power in an attack!


    Many of them, like Orlando, took out their treasured Magic Crystals.


    Those who had become Second Class Apprentices were no fools; none of them were oblivious to the situation.


    If they were stingy with Magic Stones now and kept their trump cards hidden, it would be too late to use them if the Black-Maned Giant Pig was not dealt with!


    Fireballs, Ice Spurs, Acid Liquid, Darts, Wind Blades...


    Countless varied forms of witchcraft assaults were launched like a surge at the momentarily immobilized Black-Maned Giant Pig, exploding upon impact.


    Shockwaves kicked up dust from the ground, shrouding the area in dust and smoke so thick that the Black-Maned Giant Pig was barely visible.


    Moments later, the power of the Magic Crystals was exhausted, and the attacks slowed.


    In the distance, the dust gradually cleared, revealing a pair of eyes like blood-red flames silently emerging from the dust.


    "Roar!!"


    A fierce cry suddenly erupted, scattering the remaining dust!


    The figure of the Black-Maned Giant Pig became visibly clear, its body now strangely etched with red patterns.


    The next second, it was panting heavily, its legs slightly bent, ready to lunge.


    "We''re done..."


    The color drained from the Apprentices'' faces.


    Colin''s pupils also contracted slightly as if an invisible hand was clutching his heart!


    He didn''t have time to think any further and made a sharp leap to the right.


    But the Black-Maned Wild Boar was so fast that it went from being shrouded in dust one second to charging at close range the next!


    Even his Great Knight''s speed didn''t allow him to completely evade the attack.


    Bang!!


    His vision blurred all at once, and by the time he realized what had happened, he was flying through the air before crashing heavily into the slaughterhouse-like cave behind him.


    Three others shared the same fate, all members of the Chiwen Gang.


    It was probably because he stood at the very left of his own team, right next to the Chiwen Gang.


    The three from the Chiwen Gang were in much worse shape than Colin, essentially incapacitated.


    The Black-Maned Giant Pig''s weight was no lighter than that of an earth-moving truck from his previous world, and at that moment, with the red patterns enhancing its speed, it was even faster than a truck.


    The Defensive Witchcraft of ordinary Intermediate Wizard Apprentices couldn''t withstand such an impact.


    The Chiwen Gang Apprentices were left with barely a breath.


    But Colin, relying on the Hope Defensive Field, Steel Armor, and the Blood Energy Armor inherent to a Great Knight, ended up with only minor injuries.


    Bang!


    He hit the ground and quickly got back to his feet.


    Looking back at the Black-Maned Wild Boar, it was clearly sluggish after executing that charge, appearing to have expended a huge amount of energy.


    There was no time to hesitate: now was the perfect moment to counterattack!


    "It''s almost down, attack now!" Colin called out to Catherine and the others while drawing his darts.


    Meanwhile, Catherine and the others were just recovering from their shock.


    The recent charge by the Black-Maned Giant Pig had been overwhelmingly powerful, equivalent to a full-force blow from an Advanced Wizard Apprentice.


    They were relieved that they weren''t in the direction of its charge.


    When Orlando heard Colin''s shout, he instinctively wanted to move forward to help.


    Willard and the remaining frail wizards from the Chiwen Gang followed closely behind.


    Boom!


    But just as they took a step forward, a rumbling sound came from behind, and the cave passage started to collapse.


    Orlando and the others'' faces changed instantly, and they hurriedly turned and rushed back.


    At that moment, Colin also realized what was happening and turned his shocked gaze toward the inexplicably collapsing passage.


    He rushed toward the passage urgently.


    Unfortunately, he was too far away from it.


    Bang!!


    Before he could reach the passage, a huge rock crashed down, making a deafening noise.


    All Colin could do was stop in front of the rubble with a grim expression.


    And then. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Roar!"


    The roar of the Black-Maned Giant Pig once again came from behind!

 Chapter 41 - 41 The Curse

    Rocks plummeted to the ground, scattering dust and rubble in a shockwave.


    At the entrance to the outside world.


    Orlando made a desperate lunge forward, rolling to the ground, narrowly dodging catastrophe.


    "Catherine!"


    He sprang to his feet and roared at Catherine.


    Willard and the slender Wizard stood beside him, their expressions darkened.


    When they turned back, they clearly saw Catherine knocking down the rocks at the top of the passageway!


    Watching them successfully escape, Catherine slightly furrowed her brow, her gaze shifting.


    In a rage, Orlando swung his right hand, casting an Earth Cone directly at Catherine!


    A Fireball suddenly appeared in front of Catherine, blocking the path of the Earth Cone.


    Bam!


    Upon contact, the Fireball violently exploded, turning the Earth Cone into fragments.


    Orlando''s face grew dark. He was about to take another shot, with invisible Magic Power brewing in his hands.


    "A bunch of fools!" Catherine glanced at them and spat out coldly.


    Orlando couldn''t help but falter, blood rushing to his face, turning it red.


    "You!?"


    The expressions on Willard and the slender Wizard''s faces soured as well.


    "That Black-Maned Giant Pig King inside, it possesses at least the strength of an Advanced Apprentice; if we don''t use the rocks to block it..." Catherine said icily, "then none of us present here would stand a chance at survival."


    "Besides, with the passage so close by, are you still afraid you won''t be able to escape?"


    "The Black-Maned Giant Pig is so powerful that most of the Apprentices who were hit are probably already dead.


    Rather than risking our lives for nothing, it''s better to take this opportunity to bring down the rocks and escape."


    Willard''s rage on his face gradually faded as his mental scales tilted in favor of Catherine''s argument.


    The slender Wizard remained expressionless, silent.


    They tacitly didn''t mention Colin, who was still alive and begging for their help.


    Only Orlando still harbored anger in his heart; he wanted to retort, but Catherine interrupted him again.


    "I even suspect that the Black-Maned Giant Pig King deliberately lured Captain Holt away.


    Here, since there''s more than one Black-Maned Giant Pig, perhaps there isn''t just two..."


    Upon hearing these words, Orlando suddenly felt a chill in his heart.


    He looked over Catherine''s shoulder to the back of the deep cave passageway.


    Under such a pretext, an added sense of horror filled the place.


    It was as if, at any moment, another Black-Maned Giant Pig would quietly emerge from the darkness at the end of their line of sight.


    "Since this is the situation, arguing any further is useless; what''s most important right now is to quickly leave the Dark Forest."


    Willard suddenly interjected, glancing at the nearby passage with some fear.


    As Catherine had said, no one knew if there was a third Black-Maned Giant Pig. Staying here was undoubtedly a very dangerous thing to do.


    Orlando glanced at Willard, his expression constantly changing, finally relenting. He walked forward without a word.


    The slender Wizard kept silent the entire time. Being the only member of the Chiwen Gang present, it was best to speak less and do more.


    Furthermore, he too preferred to leave this place first.


    He stepped forward to walk alongside Willard by Orlando''s side.


    After a few steps, Orlando''s expression changed as he suddenly thought of something and stopped.


    No, Colin was still alive!


    The Lap School has severe punishments for members who harm one another''s lives!


    If the School were to find out about Catherine''s actions, she would be lucky to survive, let alone unscathed.


    With this in mind, how could she allow those of them who knew to live.


    Willard''s face also changed suddenly, a terrible suspicion arising in his heart.


    He charged forward hastily!


    Orlando and the slender Wizard also reacted, rushing forward.


    Catherine, walking ahead, gradually stopped and turned around to look at them, her expression playful.


    Orlando and the others had only taken a couple of steps when the air in front of them seemed to become a viscous liquid, making it nearly impossible to move. They were like insects trapped in amber, gradually immobilised in place.


    "You?!!"


    Orlando and the others were horrified, finally realising the truth.


    Catherine had never intended to let these witnesses go; her words were just to lull them.


    Catherine''s face turned slightly pale, the Magic Crystal in her hand crushed to dust, but she smiled, suddenly lifting her head.


    Swoosh!!


    A Fireball, nearly the size of a person, materialized with her will and shot towards the cave ceiling at high speed!


    "Ah ah!!" Orlando yelled in anger, but this time it was mixed with despair.


    Willard, holding a Magic Crystal, kept trying, his usually cool face now filled with panic as beads of sweat emerged.


    The slender Wizard was positively livid, his anger erupting like a volcano, flooding his brain and making him feel as though he were kindling set aflame.


    ''This masked bitch!''


    The humiliating scene from last time in West City flickered in his mind again, sparking a surge of anger in his heart that had nowhere to vent, causing his eyes to tear and bleed.


    Crack.


    The mountain rocks shattered, and tons of great boulders plummeted rapidly under the force of gravity.


    It was all a foregone conclusion.


    Catherine withdrew her gaze and carefully gathered the powdered Magic Crystal she had transformed into the palm of her hand until none remained, and stowed it away.


    Without leaving a trace.


    As for the falling rocks, her main reliance was on the shockwave from a Fireball explosion, which wouldn''t leave any noticeable marks. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She sighed, feeling some heartache.


    Up to this point, she had exhausted all of the trump cards she had acquired from a fortunate encounter in her early years.


    But it was all worth it; the Black-Maned Giant Pig was exceptionally fast. Only by using the boulders to restrict its movement could she ensure her successful escape.


    Otherwise, even if someone diverted its attention, it wouldn''t delay it for much time.


    With its speed, the Black-Maned Giant Pig could easily kill them one by one as they ran out of the Dark Forest.


    This was the safest method for her!


    As for the others, they were not at all in her consideration.


    The only pity was that she hadn''t managed to bury Orlando and the others with it.


    However, she had anticipated this and had prepared a contingency plan.


    After all, she wasn''t foolish enough to let these people in the know live.


    "...Masked bitch!"


    The noisy voice came again.


    The frail wizard in the distance was still furiously cursing her, his tone fierce as if tearing at his throat.


    But she didn''t care at all.


    The boulders were about to smash down on him.


    These shouts were nothing more than his futile struggles before death, just some noise.


    Though she had a bad temper, she wouldn''t waste her anger on a dying man.


    But the next second, a sudden premonition came over her.


    Whoosh!


    Dazzling flames rose from around her, forming a misty halo.


    Yet everything was calm as if nothing had happened.


    Catherine looked up at the frail wizard in the distance who was about to be buried by the boulders, just before the moment when the rocks hit the ground and crushed the three of them.


    Her pupils contracted slightly as if she saw something unbelievable.


    Boom!!!


    The shockwave hit, and dust rose everywhere. Catherine stood frozen, her mind replaying the scene she had just witnessed.


    Orlando and Willard had given up struggling and were only staring in despair at the boulders falling above their heads.


    But the frail wizard, the one who had been unnoticeable from the start and whose face she couldn''t even remember now, a Chiwen Gang Deacon, was clutching her with hatred in his eyes, looking incredibly eerie.


    ...His eyes emitted a nauseating green light, his flesh appearing to surge with life like waves, flesh waves. His skin cracked open, with yellow fat mixed with a dark aura rolling within his flesh.


    Under such inhuman torture, the frail wizard''s face was eerily calm as he stared at Catherine, his lips moving silently, saying something.


    "I¡­ curse¡­ you¡­"


    Amidst the dust, Catherine repeated the frail wizard''s lip shapes quietly.


    By now the rocks had completely collapsed, and after the loud impact, the world fell into a strange silence.


    In the long tunnel, it seemed there was only her breathing.


    Catherine couldn''t help but shiver, the flames burning around her failing to bring her any warmth.


    ''Evil God...'' she immediately concluded.


    The frail wizard''s last performance was a typical sacrifice... and to the Evil God, at that.


    An uncomfortable feeling surged within her.


    "Crazy man!" she muttered a curse.


    She hadn''t expected the frail wizard to be so extreme, to sacrifice himself to the Evil God to put a curse on her.


    And... he actually managed to successfully sacrifice himself... was he a Cultist all along?


    The discomfort in her body was getting stronger.


    She lowered her head to check herself.


    ''Supple and smooth arms, worm-like fingers, a body full of pustules¡­ Yes, everything''s normal.''


    Catherine''s furrowed brow relaxed, and it seemed she had worried too much. It''s not so easy to communicate with the Evil God to cast a curse...


    She put her mind at ease, using the tentacles below her to slither towards the cave''s entrance, making a soft rustling sound.


    Pale moonlight shone into the cave, casting behind her an eerie, snakelike shadow.


    As she neared the mouth of the cave, the shadow grew shorter, and on closer inspection, the odd shadow quivered and twisted, gradually returning to the normal human silhouette.


    Tap tap.


    Normal footsteps suddenly echoed, replacing the previous rustling sounds.


    Catherine walked out of the cave and stopped by the entrance, completely unaware.


    She carefully identified her surroundings, found her direction, and immediately started running forward with her restored normal legs.

 Chapter 42 - 42: 42ç«  Counterattack

    Splash!


    Inside the cave hall, Colin plunged into the deep pool like an arrow.


    "Roar!!"


    The Black-Maned Giant Pig King pursued closely, its massive body entering the pool and stirring up high splashes of water.


    But soon, it stopped. The pool in the cave hall was long and narrow, an oval shape that wasn''t large¡ªonly about tens of meters wide¡ªbut it was very deep.


    With just a few steps, it felt like it was almost submerged.


    Its massive size, while offering great strength, made it a poor swimmer.


    However, it wasn''t in a hurry and stood by the edge, observing carefully.


    Underwater.


    Colin''s face was pale.


    The water was ice-cold and piercing, but not as cold as his heart.


    This was his second time diving in¡­ and he didn''t know how long this brief respite would last.


    In theory, a Great Knight''s physical abilities should allow him to hold his breath underwater for half an hour.


    But the Black-Maned Giant Pig King possessed exceptional sight.


    Often, it didn''t take long before it would find him in the pool and then charge with that swift, torpedo-like collision, fiercely striking him in the water.


    Colin took this brief moment to breathe and circled the pool once more.


    In the previous continuous chases, he had always tried to find another way out within the cave hall.


    He had checked the cave hall several times, and this was his second sweep of the pool, but he found no traces of a possible escape route.


    The entire cave hall was like a sealed arena.


    Colin, feeling the Magic Power he had left, felt disheartened.


    Under normal circumstances, he could dodge the impacts or bites of the Black-Maned Giant Pig King.


    But when it was covered with dark red patterns,


    the speed of the Black-Maned Giant Pig King would suddenly increase, and increase drastically!


    With such an increase, Colin hadn''t successfully dodged even once to this date.


    The strong speed brought about powerful kinetic energy.


    If it weren''t for his own three layers of defense protecting him like a steel bean, he probably would have ended up like the Chiwen Gang Apprentices long ago.


    Why else would it be that although he was disheveled every time, he only suffered minor injuries?


    But such a situation was only temporary.


    Under the extraordinary charge of the Black-Maned Giant Pig King, his Magic Power was rapidly draining, now barely at one and a half percent.


    He was truly in a dire situation¡­


    Colin clenched his teeth¡ªhe hadn''t given up yet!


    Although this was the second sweep of the pool.


    In fact, without the illumination from the Light Brightness Skill, the cave was now completely dark, and underwater visibility was less than a meter.


    So, his first sweep in the dark, yielding no results, was quite expected. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But he firmly believed there must be a way out in the pool.


    Before diving into the pool, he had observed carefully.


    The water was clear, not stagnant.


    And if it wasn''t stagnant, it meant there might be a connecting passage.


    This might be the only chance at survival.


    "Roar!!"


    The roar of the Black-Maned Giant Pig King entered the water a bit distorted.


    Swoosh swoosh¡ª


    It kept stirring the pool, and the once-clear water by the edges was now completely murky.


    After pondering for a moment, Colin moved his arms, shifted directions, and then kicked with his legs, swimming deeper into the pool.


    A little while later, he gradually stopped, closed his eyes, and relaxed his body from head to toe, floating like a feather in the air.


    Colin carefully felt the fluctuations of the water currents.


    Swish¡ªswish¡ª


    The rhythm was rapid and irregular like rain hitting a lute, clearly caused by the giant pig.


    He focused his mind, slowly filtering out these fluctuations.


    The world grew quieter and quieter, the distant roars of the giant pig seemed as if they were coming from another world, growing far away. Gradually, he felt his heartbeat slowing down.


    After an unknown length of time, Colin finally caught a consistent surge of current below the pool.


    He opened his eyes, a glint of surprise flashed through them, followed by no hesitation, and he immediately swam in the direction of the current.


    After a while, he felt his body completely enveloped by the current.


    "It''s time¡­ there''s no way to accurately pinpoint the passage any longer."


    He prepared himself, his heartbeat gradually quickened, and then with a thought¡ª


    A bright sphere of light lit up at the bottom of the pool!


    Instantly, the underwater became as bright as daylight. Colin quickly scanned the surroundings, trying to locate a possible flowing passage.


    The Black-Maned Giant Pig King by the edge was taken aback.


    "Roar!!"


    Its eyes flashed a bright crimson light, and its heavy breathing caused ripples on the water surface.


    Shoo!


    It suddenly charged towards Colin''s position.


    Plunge!


    Like a torpedo exploding, the water surface erupted into meters-high white spray as it heavily slammed into the cave ceiling, then fell back into the pond.


    By then, the Black-Maned Giant Pig King had completely submerged, shooting towards Colin like an arrow, its speed creating a long white trail behind it.


    Meanwhile, Colin had no time to regard the impending danger behind him. He widened his eyes, frantically searching his surroundings!


    The Black-Maned Giant Pig King hadn''t arrived yet, but the impact of the water flow had. Suddenly, it was as if he was a lone boat in a storm, propelled unwillingly forward by the currents.


    The Black-Maned Giant Pig King was about to reach him from behind in the next second!


    Just at this critical moment, Colin''s eyes brightened, and he used all his strength to kick forward, swimming swiftly towards the front left side like a barracuda.


    Bang¡ª


    The giant pig collided with the cave''s stone wall, emitting a dull sound.


    "Roar¡ª" the Black-Maned Giant Pig King shook its head.


    In the narrow, person-sized tunnel ahead, Colin braced against the walls and turned around.


    The globe of light summoned by the Light Brightness Skill floated between him and the Black-Maned Giant Pig King.


    Through the semi-translucent globe, he could clearly see the Black-Maned Giant Pig King watching him intently with its over one meter diameter crimson eyes.


    Bang!


    The Black-Maned Giant Pig King suddenly backed up before violently slamming towards the tunnel entrance, its sharp tusks breaking off several pieces of stone.


    Whoosh.


    The water surged, causing Colin''s reflexive slight retreat, but he quickly stopped again.


    The underwater stone wall was hard, and the Black-Maned Giant Pig King had no leverage¡­ It seemed impossible for it to chase him in.


    Colin watched the Black-Maned Giant Pig King outside the passage, suddenly shifting his thoughts. Quietly, He retrieved a few darts from behind his waist, holding them tightly in hand, silently waiting for the right moment.


    Bang¡ªBang¡ªBang¡ª


    The Black-Maned Giant Pig King was still futilely colliding.


    Colin maintained a calm expression, clutching the darts even tighter.


    After a while, the Black-Maned Giant Pig King seemed to realize that its efforts were futile, and gradually stopped.


    It clumsily shifted its body, once again staring at Colin in the tunnel with its red eyes.


    ''Now''s the time!''


    Colin''s gaze intensified.


    Shoo!


    Three darts shot out of the tunnel like lightning towards the giant pig.


    Plop!


    At such close range, the Black-Maned Giant Pig King had no chance to react.


    The darts shot straight into its huge left eye.


    "Roar!!" The Black-Maned Giant Pig King let out a painful scream!


    Blood spurted out, quickly spreading in the water, instantly staining a large area red.


    Shoo!


    Colin didn''t pause. He continued to employ his Arrow Shooting Skill, launching more darts at the Black-Maned Giant Pig King.


    Unfortunately, such a good opportunity only comes once.


    This time, the darts only hit the neck of the Black-Maned Giant Pig King and did not cause significant damage.


    The next second, as Colin was gearing up to continue the attack,


    the Black-Maned Giant Pig King suddenly dived downward, disappearing from Colin''s sight.


    Colin sighed.


    Within the tunnel, although his safety was somewhat assured, his field of vision and attack angles were severely limited.


    With thoughts rapidly crossing his mind, he hesitated for a moment before slowly moving toward the mouth of the tunnel.


    He needed to check the condition of the Black-Maned Giant Pig King.


    ¡­Hoping that his last attack was lethal enough to kill it.


    He didn''t wish to rashly escape along the dark tunnel behind him¡­ Who knew where it would lead?


    ¡­The best method was always to handle the Black-Maned Giant Pig King in front, then wait in the cave hall for Holt and others to return.


    The cave hall contained the corpses of several Black-Maned Giant Pigs and a few corpses of Wizard Apprentices. Therefore, even if the passage to the outside world was blocked by debris, Holt and his group would most likely return, and they would find a way to clear the passage.


    While swimming toward the mouth of the tunnel, he stayed alert to any noises from outside.


    Initially, there were swishing sounds of the water and the distinct painful grunts of the Black-Maned Giant Pig King, but as he got closer to the tunnel entrance, they all gradually weakened.


    When he reached the entrance of the tunnel, everything had calmed down.


    Colin cautiously peered out of the tunnel but found nothing. The uneven walls formed many blind spots, blocking his view.


    Seeing this, he got an idea.


    Shoo!


    A ball of light quickly flew out.


    Colin carefully observed the outside.


    ¡­Nothing happened.


    All was calm and still.

 Chapter 43 - 43: Vitality

    "I can''t wait any longer..." Colin thought to himself.


    His time underwater was always limited; he couldn''t afford to waste more time.


    Gritting his teeth, he pulled out a dart and held it in his hand, his legs kicked out, and he slowly swam out of the passage.


    As soon as he left the passage, he swiftly swept a glance around, focusing particularly on the spot directly below where the giant pig had dived.


    With the aid of Light Brightness Skill''s white light,


    he saw clearly that an enormous creature was lying on the bottom of the pond below him.


    Silent and lifeless.


    A surge of ecstasy suddenly welled up in Colin''s heart.


    "The Black-Maned Giant Pig King is dead?!!"


    After the ecstasy came an intense weariness that nearly caused him to faint.


    It took him a good while to calm his excited joy, and then he slowly adjusted his position and headed towards the surface.


    But just as he kicked out,


    a sense of alarm suddenly struck!


    Colin glanced instinctively below and his face changed drastically; he hurriedly turned and swam back to the dark passage.


    The Black-Maned Giant Pig King at the bottom of the pond was now covered with numerous crimson veins, and as they lit up, it began to slowly regain vitality.


    Thump¡ªthump¡ªthump¡ª


    The drum-like heartbeat echoed rapidly through the water, causing Colin''s own heartbeat to involuntarily speed up.


    He once again updated his understanding of the healing abilities of the Black-Maned Giant Pig King.


    Swoosh!!


    As he swam, he didn''t remain idle, trying to shoot darts to interrupt the Black-Maned Giant Pig King.


    But the lighting of the crimson veins had pushed its regenerative ability to a monstrous level. The large holes made by the darts often healed within less than a second, restoring to their original state.


    At this moment, Colin also realized the limitations of his darts.


    When facing such large creatures, his custom darts, only the size of a knuckle, although not lacking in penetrative power, left much to be desired in terms of killing power.


    "Roar!!" A dull roar from the Black-Maned Giant Pig King resounded.


    ¡­he had no idea how it could roar under the water.


    But no matter what, he didn''t have time to think about this anymore!


    Whoosh!!


    A rush of water currents surged from below!


    The dark passage was right in front of him, and Colin kicked out fiercely!


    In the end, he brushed past the Black-Maned Giant Pig King and narrowly returned to the dark passage once again.


    Thump~thump~thump.


    Colin, touching the walls of the dark passage, felt his heart pounding violently.


    He turned to glance back, and although now with only one eye, the Black-Maned Giant Pig King still seemed vigorous and alive; he sighed inwardly.


    Then, without hesitation, he turned his head back and swam deeper into the passage.


    The underwater passage was dark and narrow, with peculiar erosive patterns on the rock walls on both sides, and the pond water was ice-cold to the bone.


    Colin paddled with his powerful arms, maintaining a steady pace as he struggled to swim forward.


    Even with the illumination of the Light Brightness Skill''s white light, the passage ahead was still bottomless. At the end of his vision, there was only darkness.


    Colin steadied his mind, forcing himself not to overthink.


    At times like this, the biggest fear is often not the external dangers but the collapse of one''s own inner spirit.


    In desperate situations, the hardships and dangers encountered are not what''s most frightening; losing hope is¡­


    His Magic Power was running low, and there was no way to replenish it in the water.


    Colin lowered the intensity of his Steel Armor and the Hope Defense Field slightly.


    Since descending into the pond, he hadn''t encountered any living creatures other than the Black-Maned Giant Pig.


    But no one could be certain there wasn''t danger ahead.


    While maintaining basic defense, it was still necessary to reserve some Magic Power for unexpected crises.


    As he was thinking this, the passage ahead suddenly began to narrow.


    From an original diameter of over a meter, it suddenly shrank to about seventy centimeters.


    Colin''s heart sank, and with reluctance, he continued to swim forward.


    The cramped space prevented him from extending his arms; he could only progress with the kicking of his legs.


    After a while, Colin gradually came to a stop.


    It was not that he lacked the strength, but that there was no way forward.


    Illuminated by the Light Brightness Skill''s white light, the wall at the end of the passage was clearly in sight, solid and impenetrable.


    A sense of despair rose in Colin''s heart.


    But quickly, he gritted his teeth, the clear contours of his jaw muscle emerged, and a mysterious anger surged up within him!


    It wasn''t over yet; he wouldn''t give up first.


    He continued to swim forward, coming close to the wall.


    At that moment,


    Whoosh!!


    A sound of water abruptly surged from behind.


    Something was swimming towards him in this deep, narrow passage!


    Colin''s expression tensed, and he quickly turned around, clenching the dart in his hand, bracing himself for the encounter.


    Moments later,


    Bathed in the white light of the Light Brightness Skill, Colin discerned the form of the attacking creature.


    In the wider passage behind him, there emerged a smooth, white creature that resembled both fish and serpent, with a head featuring a single ring-shaped gaping mouth.


    Its body was roughly one meter thick, clearly too large to squeeze into the narrower passage on his side.


    As he had anticipated, the creature got stuck at the point where the passage narrowed.


    "Hiss!!"


    It opened its layered ring-shaped mouth and released a silent shriek.


    Swoosh!!


    Colin seized the opportunity, launching several darts violently towards it.


    Pfft!


    "Hiss!!"


    The metal darts hit their mark, and the creature let out a soundless cry of pain.


    Immediately after,


    Swoosh!


    A mass of yellow-green gel filled the entire passage and suddenly shot towards him!


    With no room to dodge in the narrow passage, Colin''s gaze sharpened as he increased the output of his defensive witchcraft.


    The yellow-green gel quickly engulfed him, causing the Spiritual Light of his defensive witchcraft to flicker and waver.


    Then, propelled by momentum, it continued to move and came into contact with the stone wall behind him.


    As soon as it touched,


    Hiss!


    A violent corrosive noise abruptly arose.


    The stone wall behind him and the passage walls that came into contact with the gel were rapidly dissolving.


    Seeing this, Colin involuntarily increased the output of his defensive witchcraft and shifted position slightly to move out of the range of the yellow-green gel.


    Thanks to the Hope Defense Field, he did not come into direct contact with the gel, but its astonishing corrosive power still gave him a start.


    As he moved, he turned his head slightly to survey the tunnel, noting the strange erosion patterns on it.


    ''Perhaps this passage was carved out by the creature itself.''


    He speculated silently but did not stop; reaching for more darts, he hurled them at the creature once more.


    "Hiss!"


    The creature''s shriek resounded again, but confined by the width of the passage, it could not reach Colin directly.


    Swoosh! Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A larger mass of yellow-green gel gushed from its mouth!


    Like a sharp file, it expanded the passage wherever it passed.


    Colin''s face changed as he raised the darts to continue shooting at the creature.


    Just then,


    Crack!


    The sound of collapsing stonework came from behind.


    Followed by the surge and flow of water, as if something had been unblocked.


    ''Could it be?''


    Colin''s eyes brightened as he hastily looked back.


    The dead-end passage had now eroded a large hole at its terminus under the influence of the yellow-green gel.


    Seeing this, Colin''s face couldn''t help but light up with wild joy.


    But he didn''t rush to leave.


    Turning around, he faced the white creature, continuously oozing fresh blood from its body.


    The current position was advantageous¡ªa narrow passage that the white creature could not pass through.


    If he did not take the opportunity to kill it now, once the creature widened the passage with its corrosion and could move freely, he would no longer have the luxury of such a comfortable vantage point for attack.


    Colin pulled out several darts, focusing intently as he prepared.


    Moments later,


    Swoosh!!


    The Arrow Shooting Skill at maximum power propelled several metal darts to shoot out, speeding through the water!


    Pfft!


    "Hiss!"


    The white creature emitted a painful shriek, its blood diffusing and spreading in the water.


    Then it gradually fell silent.


    Under the illumination of the Light Brightness Skill, the white creature floated motionlessly in the water, its head shattered by the darts into pieces.


    It appeared to be dead.


    But just to be sure,


    Colin fired several more darts at the fish-creature, not stopping until he had broken its corpse into several pieces.


    After doing all this, he turned and quickly dove into the eroded large hole in the stone wall.


    The soft white light from the Light Brightness Skill lit up his surroundings.


    He passed through the hole that had been eroded.


    The next moment,


    His face lit up with wild joy!

 Chapter 44 - 44: Return

    Swish¡ªswish¡ª


    In a gray-white stone chamber, modified from a natural cave.


    Silence enveloped the space, save for the sound of water rippling in the pool.


    Beside the deep pond, a figure lay unconscious.


    After an unknowable length of time, his eyelashes fluttered, and he slowly opened his eyes.


    Whoosh!


    The next second, Colin immediately sprang to his feet, standing upright.


    His gaze was fixed on the shattered pyramid-shaped structure not far away.


    As he moved, the blood scabs on his body fell off like catkins in the wind.


    ''What is this?''


    Caught off guard by the abnormality, a wave of alarm surged through him as he quickly checked his arms.


    However, he found nothing unusual¡ªonly smooth, even skin met his eyes.


    But Colin''s heart did not ease, instead a shadow fell over it.


    Suddenly, looking at the falling blood scabs, he seemed to realize something.


    He took out a dart and aimed it at his arm. After hesitating for a moment, he slashed forcefully.


    Under the sharp dart, a wound appeared instantly.


    But the next second, before the blood could even flow, the wound closed in the blink of an eye!


    Colin was startled. Although he was a Great Knight, such rapid healing was clearly not something he possessed.


    He stood still, finely attuned to his own body.


    Cool sensations emanated continuously from his brows, nourishing and enhancing his spirit.


    At the same time, a warm sensation came from his heart, fortifying his physique.


    Colin''s expression changed, recalling the recent events.


    Not long ago,


    He had successfully killed a white creature, crossed through the eroded hole, and found this pool.


    Then, the time he could hold his breath was almost at its limit!


    There was no time to think.


    He desperately swam towards the surface.


    After emerging, he saw what seemed to be this stone chamber remodeled from a natural cave.


    And the pyramid-shaped stone platform standing alone in the center¡­


    The moment he stepped onto the edge of the pool, he merely took a slight step forward,


    Instantly, an invisible repulsion emanated from the pyramid-shaped platform at the center,


    Whoosh¡ªit pushed him back into the pond.


    Amidst the splash of the fall, he heard the cracking and collapsing of the pyramid-shaped platform!


    Looking in the direction of the sound, he saw a Golden Four-leaf Clover emerging from the shattered pyramid!


    Immediately following that, a strange fragrance suddenly reached his nose,


    Instantly, an indescribable hunger arose from every cell in his body!


    It was as if¡­ the soul itself was starving!


    Saliva incessantly secreted, swallowing could not keep up, and soon, it spilled out of his mouth, dripping down his chin into the pool. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then his consciousness blacked out, and he found himself in the present.


    It seemed he had obviously ingested the Golden Four-leaf Clover¡­


    Colin withdrew his thoughts.


    The injury on his arm, which he had just inflicted, could no longer be found.


    And the strange sensations at his brow and heart continued unabated.


    Clearly, all this was due to the Golden Four-leaf Clover originally hidden in the near, broken pyramid-shaped platform.


    ''No, that was definitely not an ordinary Golden Four-leaf Clover.''


    But soon, he shook his head.


    The Golden Four-leaf Clover, as the name suggested, was like a clover made of gold,


    Every heart-shaped leaf and even the root, gleaming gold, matured and exposed to the outside, it even released tiny particles of gold dust, something between the tangible and intangible.


    Ingesting it did not involve swallowing, but rather placing it one finger''s distance in front of the brow and then mobilizing spiritual power, capturing its released gold dust in a manner similar to capturing Magic Power during meditation.


    It was a rare Magic Potion.


    Yet, it was not a creation of nature, but something cultivated long ago by an unnamed Wizard.


    So unlike naturally grown exotic flowers and plants, which can have various side effects or strict taboos,


    Golden Four-leaf Clover has no side effects or taboos; its only possible flaw is that it is only effective for Official Wizards and below.


    But such a flaw is negligible compared to its effects!


    Its effect is also very simple, with only one kind¡ª


    That is soul enhancement!


    As one might know, improving the soul is not an easy matter.


    Apart from exceptionally rare magic potions like the Golden Four-leaf Clover,


    Wizards wanting to enhance their souls could only do so during major breakthroughs¡ª


    For example, when progressing from Wizard Apprentice to Official Wizard, or from First Rank Wizard to Second Rank Wizard, etc...


    Only then could they receive a boost in soul strength.


    Of course, the soul enhancement brought about by each advancement is a qualitative leap; the effect of the Golden Four-leaf Clover is not that strong.


    But it is also not to be underestimated.


    If what he consumed was indeed real Golden Four-leaf Clover,


    then at the earliest one week, at the latest two weeks, by the time the Golden Four-leaf Clover was fully absorbed,


    not only would his Wizard qualification be elevated at least from Fourth Class to Third Class, but it could even rise to Second Class.


    Moreover, his soul''s strength might become the strongest on the island, second only to Wizard Lap!


    Colin finished recalling the knowledge he had learned about the Golden Four-leaf Clover, but he couldn''t help shaking his head.


    If what he consumed was indeed real Golden Four-leaf Clover,


    then where on earth did this peculiar energy in his heart come from?


    And the powerful self-healing ability brought about by the heart''s energy.


    He sighed lightly in his heart, casting aside the useless doubts, and slowly approached the golden pyramid pedestal.


    Regardless,


    the feeling of enhancement from his body and soul wouldn''t lie, and there had also been no abnormalities on the Magic Stone.


    Optimistically speaking, maybe the Golden Four-leaf Clover was an enhanced modified version.


    After all, this place looks like it was especially designed for cultivating that peculiar Golden Four-leaf Clover.


    The shattered golden pyramid pedestal was clearly a special cultivation device.


    He gradually approached the broken golden pyramid pedestal.


    The golden pyramid pedestal, about three meters high, was built from gray stone blocks, and had already fractured in the middle.


    The gray stone blocks looked very ordinary, with no special textures or symbols.


    Thinking of this, the same question emerged in his heart again¡ª


    ''...Where exactly is this place?''


    He gradually stopped walking, standing beside the pedestal, and looked up around him. Smooth walls surrounded him, and no exit was in sight.


    This question, obviously, could not be answered at the moment.


    Colin then looked towards the pedestal next to the pond and suddenly had a guess.


    That white strange fish, perhaps it knew of the existence of the Golden Four-leaf Clover here, which is why it had burrowed out such a long tunnel.


    He walked a few more circles in the chamber, but still couldn''t find any exit.


    Colin sighed.


    He had been prepared for such an outcome and didn''t find it difficult to accept.


    His plan was to wait a little longer here,


    and then return to the previous cavern hall.


    He hoped that Holt and the others had returned successfully, having slain the Black-Maned Giant Pigs.


    It seemed that the chances of success were not high.


    But in reality, it was highly likely that Holt and the others would return.


    After all, even if they were indifferent to the corpses of the Apprentices in the hall, the many valuable carcasses of the Black-Maned Giant Pigs were there, all sources of Magic Stones; they wouldn''t give up so easily.


    Colin took another look around the stone chamber and felt a sense of awe.


    ''Who built this stone chamber... And how did they cultivate such a special Golden Four-leaf Clover...''


    Of course, seeing the layer of scab on the ground, he also felt fortunate in hindsight.


    Just this layer of scab made the danger he had just faced crystal clear.


    This special Golden Four-leaf Clover, while its effects are potent, had much greater risks than an ordinary Clover.


    If he were not a Great Knight, he presumably would not have survived.


    While thinking this, Colin used a Cleaning Technique combined with Fireball Technique to sweep over the chamber, turning his scabs into ash, erasing all evidence of his presence.


    He then waited for quite some time, adjusting his state, before diving back into the water and swimming towards the earlier cavern hall.

 Chapter 45 - 45: Return to the City

    Splash!


    Inside the cavern hall, a sudden burst of water splashed from the tranquil pond, and a vague figure emerged.


    "Who is it?"


    The City Guards slicing up the Black-Maned Giant Pig''s carcass changed expression dramatically!


    The two Wizards standing nearby also tensed up.


    This place was the Dark Forest, where they could not afford to be careless.


    "...Don''t be nervous," Colin said as he came ashore, standing at the edge of the pond and lifting his triangular badge slowly.


    The ping-pong ball-sized triangular badge in his hand emitted a silvery-white glow.


    The expressions of the Wizards opposite him eased.


    School badges were bound one-to-one, and that silvery-white glow could only be stimulated by the person themselves.


    "Is Wizard Holt still here?" Colin asked.


    Upon leaving the stone chamber and returning to the pond, it was just as he had thought¡ªthe Black-Maned Giant Pig that had cornered him was already killed by Holt and his comrade, and the passage connecting the cavern hall had also been reopened.


    Even now, there were City Guards in the cavern hall dismembering and transporting the Black-Maned Giant Pig''s body.


    It seemed that more time had passed than he had imagined.


    After all, being cut off from the world in the stone chamber with no light, it was difficult to perceive the actual passage of time.


    "Wizard Holt... should be in the city now," the Wizard on the left in front of him replied, then paused before adding, "You''re Colin, right? Everyone thought you had died..."


    Colin smiled and did not expound further but nodded politely to them.


    "I still need to find Captain Holt, so I won''t disturb your work."


    ...


    Forty minutes later, at the Guard Station in West City.


    Knock, knock, knock.


    Colin knocked on a wooden door on the second floor.


    "Come in," a familiar voice called.


    Colin pushed the door open.


    Holt was sitting behind a black wooden table, basking in the sun.


    "Colin?!"


    Surprise colored Holt''s voice at the sight of him.


    Although no body was found in the cavern hall, he had harbored little hope that Colin was still alive.


    "Captain," Colin calmly nodded his greeting.


    Despite the invariant Cleaning Technique, his Wizard Robe was still dry but tattered at the edges. His half-length golden hair was also wet and bedraggled.


    "It seems you have a lot you want to talk to me about," Holt said after looking Colin over and slowly began to speak.


    Following that, Colin recounted in detail what had transpired.


    Of course, he omitted the content about the stone chamber.


    He simply stated that he had used a fake death witchcraft and hidden in the pond to narrowly escape death.


    After listening to Colin''s narration, Holt frowned slightly and said,


    "...So what you''re saying is, Catherine and the others took the opportunity to run away while you confronted the Black-Maned Giant Pig, and they even blew up the passageway?"


    "I can''t be completely sure it was them who destroyed the passage, but I surmise it''s very likely," Colin explained with an even tone.


    "...Do you know that Orlando, Willard, and Beilek from the Chiwen Gang are all dead?"


    After a moment of silence, Holt suddenly asked.


    ''Everyone but Catherine is dead?!'' Colin was somewhat taken aback internally.


    Holt continued gravely,


    "I''m glad you''re alive... As long as one survives, nobody cares how you managed to do it."


    Colin looked at Holt, puzzled and not understanding.


    Holt furrowed his brow, sighed, and decided to clarify,


    "Catherine''s account is the complete opposite of yours, did you know that?"


    "Every word I''ve spoken is true!" Colin emphasized firmly. "I..."


    "Colin!" Holt shook his head to stop him, his tone no longer gentle, he spoke with a deep voice:


    "If, as you say, three senior Intermediate Apprentices were left half-crippled by the Black-Maned Giant Pig... then how are you still hopping around so lively? How could you stand against the Black-Maned Giant Pig on your own?"


    Colin hesitated slightly, about to explain. But Holt interrupted him again.


    "Catherine said it was because of your nervousness that the formation was disrupted."


    "Then, as the Black-Maned Giant Pig sent you flying, the ceiling of the cave also collapsed.


    In a chain reaction, a large part of the cave ceiling collapsed, and Willard and the others didn''t escape in time because they were overwhelmed by the Black-Maned Giant Pig."


    "In the end, only Catherine was lucky enough to survive..."


    Holt gradually calmed down, turned to look at Colin, his tone slightly soothing:


    "Colin, you have only just advanced... It''s normal to be nervous in battle, and nobody will blame you. There''s no need to make up this story..."


    Colin was shocked, a surge of complex thoughts flashing through his mind.


    He didn''t expect Catherine to play the role of the accuser first... and Orlando and the others were all dead?


    ''Could it be Catherine who killed Orlando and the others?!''


    As if by divine inspiration, this speculation emerged in his heart.


    But now was not the time to dwell on these matters.


    His eyes flashed, and with a ringing sound, he fiercely drew the wasp needle from his waist.


    Holt''s eyebrows rose slightly but didn''t take much notice. However, the next second, his pupils shrank a little.


    Colin raised his arm, thrusting the slender sword in his hand hard toward the palm of his own lifted left hand.


    Ding!


    The wasp needle collided with the palm, making a sound like metal striking stone.


    Colin continued to press hard, bending the wasp needle under the powerful force until it bent to ninety degrees before he released his hand.


    Then he looked up at Holt, his face calm.


    Holt wasn''t angry either; seeing Colin''s unscathed left hand genuinely surprised him.


    He knew Colin was a Great Knight.


    As a Great Knight at the peak of the Knight System, it wasn''t much compared to a Wizard.


    But this was only because Knights have overly singular attack methods and average personal defenses.


    In terms of attack power, the full-force thrust of a Great Knight usually cannot be defended against by the Defensive Witchcraft cast by an Intermediate Apprentice.


    After all, it was a thrust, not a slash or the like.


    Of course, no Wizard would be foolish enough to let a Great Knight get close.


    He also saw that Colin had exerted his full strength, and the wasp needle was a rare good sword...


    After pondering for a moment, he took the initiative to apologize:


    "I have wronged you, Colin..."


    "Don''t worry too much, Captain." Colin responded calmly. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "As for Catherine, I will go find her and ask again for clarification."


    Holt continued, his gaze flashing with gravitas. He obviously also considered Catherine''s guilt.


    Seeing this, Colin didn''t elaborate further.


    He paused for a moment, then bid farewell to Holt and headed towards his home.


    One cannot act on mere conjecture.


    Otherwise, not only might you fail to avenge the real culprit, but you might also create unnecessary enemies for yourself.


    So, as soon as he returned to the city, he went to report to Holt first.


    But now, combining the information from Holt''s side and his personal experiences in the cave hall, he was eighty percent sure that Catherine was the one who collapsed the tunnel and also killed Orlando and the other two.


    Although he didn''t know how Catherine managed to kill all three at once, the truth was probably very close to his guess.


    However, he was not in a hurry to confront Catherine now.


    If it was as he thought, the School would take revenge for him without him having to lift a finger.


    After doing such a thing, Catherine had only one way to die; she couldn''t even dream of sparing her life, nor could she become a slave like Charlie!


    Of course... if the School didn''t do him justice.


    A shadow crossed Colin''s eyes as he thought to himself:


    ''Then I''ll just have to take matters into my own hands...''

 Chapter 46 - 46: Madness

    West City Guard Station.


    Inside a room on the second floor.


    Holt did not go straight to Catherine, but paced back and forth in the room, pondering deeply.


    Although he had believed Colin''s words, there were still doubts about the matter.


    The biggest doubt was¡ªwhy did Orlando and his two companions die under the falling rocks?


    According to Colin, it was probably Catherine''s doing.


    But if she did it, how did she manage?


    It was much harder than directly killing the three of them.


    If it were him, it wouldn''t be much of a problem.


    But for Catherine, also an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice, to have Orlando and his companions die under falling rocks seemed incredible.


    "Maybe, Colin hasn''t told the whole truth either," he speculated quietly after much thought.


    If that were the case, then everything would make sense.


    After all, people are selfish, and their words tending to favor themselves is normal.


    However, all of this was still speculation; the concrete truth would require further investigation...


    ...


    On the other hand, Colin was walking on the road, his steps somewhat hurried.


    "I wonder how things are back home after being away for so long."


    He was eager to return to his own courtyard, primarily because he was hungry.


    Before he set out for the Dark Forest, he had brought some dry food made by Renee, but it had gotten soaked and become inedible.


    Now it was the afternoon of the second day, and he was already very hungry.


    Boom¡ª


    Suddenly, there was a sound of thunder in the distance.


    Colin looked up at the sky.


    The weather on the island was even more unpredictable than in the mountains. It had been clear just a moment ago, but now the sky was gradually being covered by dark clouds. It looked like it was about to rain.


    He quickened his pace.


    Once he advanced to an Advanced Wizard Apprentice and learned Flying Witchcraft, traveling would no longer be so arduous.


    He crossed the main street, turned into an alley, and walked for a few more minutes.


    Boom¡ª


    As another peal of thunder sounded, torrential rain poured down!


    Colin frowned and continued forward.


    However, at the next intersection, he gradually slowed his pace.


    Crack!


    A bright bolt of lightning streaked across and suddenly illuminated the dim world.


    It also illuminated the figure of a woman veiled in front of Colin. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "...You didn''t die?" the woman asked indifferently, sounding somewhat surprised. Yet, the expression on her face was stiff and peculiar.


    It was somewhat reminiscent of certain over-surgeried women from his past life, seemingly having lost control over their facial muscles.


    "Thanks to you," Colin replied coldly without changing his expression.


    "Heh... heh... heh¡­"


    But to Colin''s surprise, after he spoke these words, Catherine froze in place like a crashed machine, her eyes toggling between anger and confusion, and a heh-heh sound continuously escaped her lips.


    "She''s¡­ gone mad because of what I said?" Colin felt momentarily bewildered.


    Woosh!


    A Fireball suddenly hurtled towards him.


    "Crazy woman!"


    Colin cursed quietly, but he was prepared; with a swift sidestep, he dodged to the side.


    The Fireball passed by his left side, bringing with it a wave of heat.


    Colin took out a metal arrow, ready to strike back.


    Boom!!


    Unexpectedly, Colin was struck from behind with a heavy blow!


    After the fireball, the size of a human head, brushed past him, it incredibly swerved and hit him again.


    "Heh... cough, cough..."


    Catherine coughed violently, her eyes regaining some clarity.


    After returning to the city, she slowly began to notice something unusual about herself.


    She hadn''t expected the Chiwen Gang''s final curse from Bellet to be so vicious. Her condition was getting worse, and it seemed she could no longer hold on...


    Hiss.


    A barely detectable noise whispered through the air.


    Then, with a "plop," Catherine''s abdomen suddenly burst open with a hole the size of a fist.


    Ding!


    A metallic arrow continued its trajectory unabated, embedding itself deeply into the stone wall behind her.


    Thud.


    Catherine spat out a mouthful of blood, lowered her head to inspect her wound, then looked back incredulously at Colin not far away.


    To think she hadn''t held back just now¡ªalthough it wasn''t lethal, she shouldn''t have remained unscathed.


    But she had no time to think anymore!


    Her severe injuries had already disrupted the temporary balance within her body!


    Buzz¡ª


    A bizarre rage accompanied by an unsettling whisper rushed into her brain.


    The lucidity in Catherine''s eyes instantly vanished, replaced by endless fury and madness.


    Wham!!


    Dazzling flames rose from her body, forming an ethereal halo.


    The torrential rain could not extinguish the seemingly thin orange-yellow flames; instead, it evaporated instantly, dispersing into a ring of mist.


    Sizzle¡ª


    At that moment, anyone with acute hearing could detect several faint noises beneath the sound of the rain.


    Gray-black darts arranged in a net-like formation, shooting continuously towards Catherine.


    Sizzle!


    The darts successfully penetrated the ethereal orange-yellow flames around Catherine''s body but had melted into molten iron, losing their hardness and hence their penetrating power, and were blocked by the inner defenses without causing much damage.


    Although heated to high temperatures, for someone adept in fire manipulation like Catherine, this temperature was clearly insignificant.


    Colin''s brows furrowed, but they quickly relaxed as his pupils contracted!


    Through the ethereal flames, he noticed a horrific transformation in Catherine!


    "Tsk."


    Behind Colin, at a street corner, a wizard in a black robe uttered a "tsk" through the curtain of rain.


    He turned to his companion and said,


    "It seems Bekeley was indeed killed by her... Flesh Curse. Don''t know what this woman did to make Bekeley willing to endure such pain to curse her..."


    "Whatever she did, we should clean up Bekeley''s mess now... If the Guard Team comes later, it won''t end well," his companion responded indifferently.


    "What''s the rush, it''s pouring; who would patrol in this? Her curse is about to detonate, a rare scene indeed."


    "Ah, there it comes!"


    His companion looked disdainful yet begrudgingly watched.


    Through the rain curtain, everything became hazy.


    Thud!


    Even as Catherine''s body swelled into a huge, dark-red tumor, eventually exploding under the Flesh Curse,


    It looked... more like a burst of blood-red fireworks.


    "...Truly beautiful!" the black-robed wizard exclaimed ecstatically.


    "..."


    "Let''s go, let''s hurry up and deal with that kid, or we might be too late."


    "You''re just too..." The black-robed wizard began to sneer, but his voice got stuck in his throat.


    Not far off, through the rain curtain, a figure was braving the rain, flying towards them.

 Chapter 47 - 47 Peeping

    Crack!


    Blue-white lightning streaked across the sky.


    "Colin!"


    Holt descended from the sky amidst the wind and rain, his expression grave.


    He scrutinized Colin carefully and, seeing that he appeared unharmed, he breathed a sigh of relief.


    "You''re okay?" he still asked.


    "I am," Colin shook his head, his face very pale. The rain soaked his hair and dripped down his fair face, making him look somewhat haggard.


    He glanced again at the mess of yellow, white, and red flesh to his front left, feeling a surge of nausea.


    Tentacles within the pulp were still trembling as if they were alive.


    This was all that remained of Catherine.


    Just moments ago, he had been contemplating how to break through Catherine''s defenses when she suddenly transformed.


    Catherine''s entire body swelled like an inflated ball, her dark red skin marked with countless light yellow pus-filled bumps like those of a toad.


    Of course, what shocked Colin the most was the numerous slick tentacles that inexplicably sprouted from her body, thick and thin.


    Then there was a loud bang, and flesh flew everywhere...


    "Don''t look that way; pay attention to your mental state!" Holt warned.


    Colin was highly intuitive, but his soul was not strong, making him most susceptible to contamination by such bizarre entities.


    He still remembered the first time he saw Colin, how he had been haunted by the radiation he had inadvertently leaked.


    Heeding the warning, Colin shuddered slightly, nodding with some fear.


    In this world, it was often best to neither see nor hear too many things... He had heard too many stories of contamination.


    But soon, he reconsidered; he had seen such sights many times already... Apart from feeling disgusted, he had experienced no other sensations.


    Yet he had not forgotten the incident when Holt had slightly leaked radiation that haunted him.


    ''It must be thanks to the Golden Four-leaf Clover,'' he speculated silently.


    Then he raised his head and asked Holt with a puzzled expression,


    "Captain, how did you happen to come here?"


    Holt began to explain:


    "After you left, it wasn''t long before I went to find Catherine... But when I got to Catherine''s residence, there was no living person there.


    Moreover, ''Detect Evil'' indicated a strong presence of evil there."


    "So I followed the evil presence all the way here, just in time to see Catherine turn into a pool of flesh... This must be contamination by the Evil God!"


    Holt''s face grew solemn, and then he patted Colin''s shoulder, sighing,


    "Thank goodness you''re alright. This time, it was my oversight that failed to detect the abnormality in Catherine."


    He was truly apologetic; many had already died. If his negligence had led to Colin''s death as well, he might not face severe punishment, but he would have still felt some remorse.


    Moreover, he once again felt foolish for his previous narrow judgment.


    ''When did my thinking become so rigid?''


    ''...It''s not the first time¡­ Why couldn''t Catherine just let Orlando and his three men die under the falling rocks? And why couldn''t Colin tell the whole truth?''


    "Don''t underestimate others¡­" he cautioned himself inwardly.


    Judging from the battle traces at the scene, both Catherine and Colin were much stronger than he had imagined.


    Especially someone like Catherine, a Polluter, who was usually either very weak or, due to bizarre contamination, very strong.


    Catherine was clearly the latter, and Colin, being able to fight her and remain unscathed, was certainly no weakling.


    Had there not been similar cases before?


    During the Second Class Apprentice period, spending too much time practicing witchcraft often led to slow progress. But once advanced, their strength was usually formidable.


    He thought of Colin''s exceptionally strong Defensive Witchcraft... Perhaps it was precisely because Colin had practiced this witchcraft that his promotion had been so delayed.


    Understanding dawned on Holt; he glanced at Colin beside him and said:


    "If you have no other matters, you should head back first."


    "This matter involves the Evil God, I need to report it to Wizard Lap."


    "Yes," Colin nodded solemnly, taking a slight step to the side.


    The rain poured down heavily, and the collected water washed Catherine''s remains away, spreading the blood to his feet.


    Holt noticed this and frowned with a thought.


    Immediately, the scattered remains and blood were covered by a semi-circular transparent protective shield. The water on the ground and the rain from the sky were all blocked out.


    After doing this, he continued to urge Colin.


    "Alright, you should head back and rest... um, remember to come for your shift in West City tonight."


    "...Yes."


    "We need to work a bit harder recently, after all, seven Second Class Apprentices have died, and we''re short-staffed for night duty in West City," Holt explained and comforted, then added, "This situation shouldn''t last too long. Lord Red Flame has already reported this incident to Wizard Lap."


    Holt glanced at the distance, and then said somewhat meaningfully,


    "...Perhaps, in a while, there will be significant changes in West City."


    Colin was puzzled, but Holt just shook his head.


    "Then I''ll be going," he reluctantly bade farewell to Holt and turned to leave.


    As he was leaving, Colin inadvertently glanced into the distance.


    The curtain-like rainstorm blurred everything, making it unclear, but there seemed to be no one there.


    Looking at Holt again, he seemed not to have noticed anything unusual.


    ''Perhaps it''s just my imagination?''


    Colin stopped pondering and turned to hurry home.


    ...


    In the distance, under the eaves,


    The black-robed Wizard sighed and said,


    "Let''s go, there''s nothing to see here, and we can''t resolve Holt instantly... Hurry back and report to the master."


    "Ah, that''s the only option, luckily Bekeley had some brains to use a flesh and blood curse..." his companion also sighed. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The figures of the two gradually disappeared in the rain.


    The rain pattered down, forming long columns that hit the eaves, splashing large water droplets that then slid down the corner of the eaves, merging with the puddles on the ground.


    Tap, tap, tap¡ª


    Barely audible footsteps came.


    Colin slowly walked out from around the corner of the house, scanning his surroundings.


    ''The place I felt the gaze just now is right here.''


    He had intended to go straight home.


    But as he walked, the more he thought about it, the more he felt that the sense of being watched wasn''t just his imagination.


    The Golden Four-leaf Clover gave him extremely sharp senses.


    Even if Holt didn''t seem to have noticed, he shouldn''t doubt his own senses.


    After all, theoretically, his senses might now be stronger than Holt''s, so being more sensitive was quite normal.


    So, he took a detour, planning to investigate a bit.


    Just to be safe, he first secretly spied from a distance, and after confirming no one was around, he walked over.


    Now it seemed there were no traces here... perhaps they were there before, but the heavy rain had destroyed them.


    But more likely, the observer here had just been an ordinary passerby.


    He carefully observed the surroundings once more, and after finding nothing, he decided not to think further.


    However, just to be safe, he planned to mention this later to Captain Holt.

 Chapter 48 - 48 Talent

    When Colin reached the doorstep of his home, the torrential rain had already ceased.


    The massive iron gate was unlocked, and Colin pushed it open to enter.


    The courtyard looked much the same as before, except for the right-side horse stall which was eerily empty; he had no idea where Arthur had gone off to.


    On the lawn to the left, Demi was frolicking in the water. She paused for a moment upon seeing Colin.


    In the next second, she quickly scurried her little legs towards the main building.


    "Sister! The master''s back!"


    "Little Demi..." Colin had barely started to greet her when he swallowed his words, involuntarily touching his nose.


    Soon, the main building''s door was flung open, revealing Renee''s figure.


    "Master!" She looked at Colin with a face full of surprise and asked.


    "Mm," Colin nodded, stepping into the main building while asking, "Where did Arthur go?"


    Renee, holding little Demi''s hand, followed behind him and replied,


    "Master, he went to the West City gate to wait for you."


    "How long has he been gone?" Colin paused in his steps.


    "Not long... he had come back earlier for lunch."


    Colin nodded; he hadn''t expected to just miss Arthur.


    "I need to take a bath, is there hot water?"


    "Yes, master."


    "Good," Colin said approvingly.


    Although he could use the Cleaning Technique, he occasionally enjoyed soaking in a bath after completing his shift.


    Renee, uncertain of when he would want a bath, generally prepared hot water every day.


    However, it was now afternoon, and for Renee to still have hot water ready was indeed thoughtful.


    Reaching the master bedroom''s washroom on the second floor, Colin waited quite a while before he saw Renee, somewhat strained, carrying up a basin of hot water.


    Every time for a bath, Renee would go up and down the stairs like this five times to bring enough hot water.


    ''Perhaps I could teach her the Sunlight Breathing Technique.''


    Colin couldn''t help but think that, although she was only responsible for looking after him, these tasks weren''t easy in a world without the convenience of various appliances.


    If Renee could become a Knight, at least she would be more efficient the next time she brought him his bathwater.


    He slowly stepped into the tub, sighing comfortably.


    ...But all these were for later. Right now, he didn''t have the spare time to teach Renee how to cultivate.


    After the bath, Colin came out of the washroom.


    On the wooden table outside, Renee had already prepared a tableful of sumptuous, steaming-hot meals for him.


    Colin sat down and eagerly began to eat.


    Compared to his time in the Wizard Territory, the quality of his life had significantly improved.


    While eating, he suddenly turned to instruct Renee,


    "Renee, go and call Arthur back later. I have to go on duty tonight."


    "Of course, master," Renee nodded and replied.


    After dinner, he instructed Renee not to disturb him and then went down to the basement alone.


    After locking the iron door to the first floor behind him,


    He thought for a moment and summoned the Golden Paper.


    [Name: Colin Leonard]


    [Rank: Intermediate Wizard Apprentice (3/100); Great Knight (30/100)]


    [Meditation Method: Apprentice Phase Circulation Meditation I (39/100); Sunlight Breathing Method I (80/100)]


    [Witchcraft: Zero Level Tricks: Slight; Zero Level Witchcraft: Steel Armor I (10/100); Arrow Shooting Skill I (11/100); Minor High Temperature Tolerance (43/100); Hope Defense Field (45/100); Fireball Technique (49/100); Detect Evil (31/100); Purification Evil Power (26/100)]


    [Skill: Basic Level Magic Crystal Making]


    [Limit Breaking Point: 0]


    Colin meticulously scanned the Golden Paper from top to bottom, and found nothing unusual.


    ...His Wizard Level finally increased by 1 point... With this rate, it seemed that he could progress one point every twenty days.


    However, that was the speed before. Now that he had been transformed by the Golden Four-leaf Clover, his training speed was likely to change.


    Colin glanced at the Golden Paper again, and for some reason, he always felt a bit peculiar in his heart.


    He followed his intuition.


    And saw that just behind the Meditation Method section on the Golden Paper, a new line of characters had quietly emerged¡ª


    [Talent: Intermediate Strong Life (23/100)]


    Colin was startled for a moment, but soon realized what it meant.


    This Intermediate Strong Life Talent undoubtedly referred to the substantial self-healing ability that the unusual Golden Four-leaf Clover had given him.


    Therefore, it seemed that the primary effect of the Golden Four-leaf Clover was likely not to strengthen the soul, but to grant the consumer this Strong Life Talent.


    And moreover, the energy in his heart area had not yet been fully digested... It would follow that, if it ever fully digested, Intermediate Strong Life might not be the final effect.


    Of course, what thrilled him the most was¡ª


    Just like the other magic or Meditation Methods on the Golden Paper, the Talent Intermediate Strong Life also had a progress bar behind it.


    This undoubtedly meant that the Intermediate Strong Life could also be forcibly advanced through practice, and after reaching the limit, it could even break through the Limit Breaking Point!


    ''But how should this Talent be trained?'' A hint of doubt arose in Colin''s mind, and he inexplicably thought of his ability to heal rapidly.


    ''Could it be that I need to practice in a way that breaks me before remaking me?''


    Once this idea surfaced, it was unstoppable.


    Clang!


    After hesitating for a moment, he resolutely drew the needle from his waist!


    He gritted his teeth against the pain and viciously slashed his arm.


    The blood had not even begun to flow out before it immediately congealed, followed by the wound gradually closing into a red line, which then slowly vanished.


    His arm returned to its unscathed state.


    Colin let out a small breath and looked towards the Golden Paper.


    The progress behind Intermediate Strong Life hadn''t budged an inch.


    ''Perhaps the number of practices isn''t enough...''


    He slashed once more but then realized something was wrong.


    There wasn''t even a flickering ¡ü symbol behind the progress of Intermediate Strong Life on the Golden Paper... This was abnormal.


    Due to the effect of the Golden Paper, no matter what magic or Skill he practiced, there would always be progress.


    And the corresponding flickering ¡ü symbol behind the progress on the Golden Paper would appear with each practice.


    This time, after "practicing" twice, there were still no signs indicating improvement on the Golden Paper.


    ''It seems I got the direction of practice wrong.''


    After pondering for a moment, Colin put down the needle and instead began to practice the Limit Breaking Sunlight Breathing Method.


    A sequence of movements was quickly completed, and he looked at the Golden Paper once more. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This time, surprise flickered in his eyes.


    Now, three items on the Golden Paper had the flickering ¡ü symbol appear behind them.


    Apart from the progress of the Great Knight Level and the practice of the Limit Breaking Sunlight Breathing Method... as he expected, behind that Talent Intermediate Strong Life, a flickering ¡ü symbol had also emerged.


    He gradually understood.


    The fundamental logic of the Intermediate Strong Life brought by the Golden Four-leaf Clover was probably grounded in a strong Life Force, with self-healing being just one of its external manifestations.


    In other words, he should practice Life Force.


    But this kind of Life Force training clearly had no special technique... Or perhaps, techniques like the Sunlight Breathing Method, which can train the body, could more or less all increase the progress of Intermediate Strong Life!


    A smile slowly appeared on Colin''s face.


    He glanced at the time. It was getting late, and soon it would be time for his shift.


    So, he straightened his attire and left the basement.


    By then, Arthur had also returned.


    After eating dinner hastily, Colin headed straight to his shift in West City.

 Chapter 49 - 49 Folly

    The sun sank in the west, and the moon rose.


    Inside the duty cabin, Colin stood by the wooden window.


    It had just poured in the afternoon, and now the stars twinkled like diamonds against the night sky, as numerous and dense as the gravel along the riverbank, beyond counting.


    ...but not a single one was familiar to him.


    For some reason, he felt that this night was lonelier than usual.


    It seemed to be an illusion, but it was not an illusion.


    Guarding the fields was not voluntary labor; it involved the distribution of interests among various forces.


    Now, with seven duty wizards suddenly dead, it was impossible to adjust and replenish the manpower promptly.


    Therefore, in what used to be a long area connected by ten cabins, now only he, Holt, and Marlow remained.


    If the cabins were ordered from left to right, from one to ten.


    Usually, he would be in the seventh cabin, while Holt would be on his right, in the eighth cabin.


    Marlow would be on his left, occupying the third cabin.


    But tonight, Holt, perhaps having a clearer understanding of his strength and wanting him to do more, had moved one cabin to the right.


    He had divided the areas that he and Catherine were responsible for between Colin.


    So at this moment, the cabins on both sides were unoccupied.


    However, Colin wasn''t worried about being overwhelmed.


    After all, they had nearly wiped out the Black-Maned Giant Pigs in the outer perimeter yesterday, and it was unlikely that a large number of fierce beasts would attack anytime soon.


    Drip~ Drip~ Drip.


    The footsteps of the City Guards on patrol gradually approached.


    Soon, a team of armored strong men carrying torches appeared in Colin''s line of sight.


    The captain of the City Guards caught sight of Colin, paused briefly, and bowed respectfully.


    Colin gave a slight nod.


    This captain was the same Guard captain who had brought him a gift on his first day of duty, a familiar face. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing his nod, the Guard captain continued to lead his team forward, quickly passing by the duty cabin.


    Colin also left the window and walked back to the center of the room to continue his training.


    The group of City Guards walked along the furrows for a while, then turned left and, following the fixed patrol route, entered the dark fields.


    The further they got from the wizards'' duty cabins, the more cautious their expressions became.


    Although the stars were brilliant tonight, the moon was dim, making it a typically dark and windy night. Without the use of torches, it was impossible to see clearly.


    After walking for a short while.


    Swoosh!


    A dark shadow hurried past them, accompanied by the sound of the wind.


    "Be alert!"


    The Guard captain bellowed while reaching for a signal flare.


    Clang.


    His subordinates drew their swords from their scabbards, looking tense.


    The group slowly moved towards the direction in which the shadow had fled.


    It was not yet confirmed if it was a fierce beast, so they couldn''t hastily shoot off the signal flare.


    For a moment, the whole world seemed to quiet down.


    Only the whooshing of the flames burning and their anxious heartbeats remained.


    As the City Guards got closer to the shadow and its details were illuminated by the torchlight, the leading Guard saw what it was.


    "Damn it, it''s just a rabbit!" he suddenly cursed under his breath and readied his bow and arrow.


    Swoosh!


    The arrow whirled through the air and pinned the rabbit to the ground with precision.


    The others released a sigh of relief upon seeing this.


    "...I wonder when the new wizards will come," the Guard who had shot the rabbit complained as he walked towards the animal.


    "Yeah, I always feel uneasy. Such a long area with only three wizards... can they really handle it?" someone chimed in.


    "Sigh, we''re still better off here; at least we have one wizard. There are many areas with no duty wizards at all... right, captain?"


    The Guard captain''s face remained calm, and he didn''t answer. After the archer picked up the rabbit, he continued to lead the team forward.


    He did not stop the team members from continuing to chat.


    After all, these City Guards risked losing their lives every day on patrol, and it was important to have an outlet.


    As they walked and talked, someone suddenly asked:


    "Actually, why did so many wizards suddenly die?"


    "¡­I heard it''s because a terrifying creature appeared in the Dark Forest."


    "A creature even the wizards couldn''t handle?"


    The crowd went silent.


    "Don''t worry, that creature has been dealt with," the lead Guard captain, noticing the conversation, suddenly spoke up to reassure them, then added:


    "Do you remember the huge Black Pig from before?"


    The group nodded.


    "The creature the wizards encountered in the Dark Forest was just like it... only several times larger."


    He then shared all the information he knew with his teammates.


    ¡­


    Just after sharing, a young Guard who had recently joined asked incredulously:


    "Captain, your friend isn''t exaggerating, right? There really was a pig that big?"


    The Guard captain just laughed, saying nothing.


    His friend had personally gone to the Dark Forest to carry pork back, so it couldn''t be a lie.


    The young Guard didn''t pay it much attention either; it was just an exclamation.


    The Black-Maned Giant Pigs that had previously appeared in the fields were already beyond his imagination in size, and to think there could be even larger ones was unfathomable.


    After a while, as if something occurred to him, he asked:


    "Captain, isn''t the duty wizard for our area a newly Advanced wizard?


    Why is it that only he and the other two Advanced wizards survived?"


    The Guard captain shook his head:


    "I don''t know¡­ but no matter how they survived, since they were able to, they must have exceptional qualities.


    ¡­At least, they are exceptional when it comes to survival."


    He paused for a moment and then continued:


    ""


    "My friend said that when he was dissecting the giant pig''s carcass, he just happened to encounter the wizard coming out of the pool," Colin couldn''t help but scare him quite a bit."


    "..."


    "...Hiding in the pool?" After a while, someone murmured softly.


    The patrolling crowd was filled with myriad thoughts, but nobody paid him any mind, and the topic came to a halt right there.


    The Guard captain was also somewhat anxious. He inexplicably thought of what Colin had hinted to the guards on the day he arrived...


    Having strong survival skills doesn''t mean one is powerful...


    After a while, he seemed to feel that the atmosphere was too silent and spoke again:


    "There''s no need to worry too much, the wizards have already wiped out the giant pigs in one fell swoop this time. There shouldn''t be any more giant pig attacks."


    "But even if there are no more giant pigs, there are still other fierce beasts... Weren''t there no giant pigs before?" A member of the team quietly contended.


    The Guard captain also realized the oversight in his own words and fell silent for a moment.


    After a while, he sighed, "Anyway, be careful..."


    Before he could finish his sentence, he suddenly closed his mouth, raised his hand to signal everyone to be silent, and then tilted his head slightly, pricking up his ears.


    Crack-crack.


    A faint sound came from the nearby Dark Forest.


    It seemed to be the sound of branches breaking, sounding as if something was continuously crashing through the forest... and it seemed to be getting closer!


    The Guard captain''s face changed slightly, and he unfastened the signal flare from his waist.


    Whoosh!


    The next second, a Black-Maned Giant Pig burst out from the Dark Forest. Even in the darkness, its massive body was unmistakable without needing a clear view.


    "Fall back!"


    The Guard captain''s expression was calm as he ordered his men while quickly launching the signal flare in his hand.


    Swish!


    The signal flare shot up into the sky.


    "Howl!"


    A fierce wolf howl suddenly rang out!


    Bang!


    The bright signal flare burst open in the sky.


    Illuminated by the light from the signal flare, the City Guards could clearly see the scene before them.


    Behind the panicked Black-Maned Giant Pig were eight or nine grey giant wolves, each only slightly smaller than the pig!


    Among them, the one at the rear of the pack, a white giant wolf with an extraordinary demeanor, was now eyeing the City Guards with an almost human-like gaze.


    "Run!"


    The Guard captain instantly sensed danger, and with a sharp cry, he led the way toward the cabin where Colin was.


    The Wolf King had noticed them, and who knew if it would suddenly decide to make them its extra meal.


    "Howl!"


    The worst had happened.


    At the command of the Wolf King, the pack split, with two grey wolves breaking off and chasing in their direction.


    The Guard captain''s pace involuntarily quickened.


    But as he ran, he suddenly noticed something amiss.


    After a subconscious glance around, his expression dramatically changed, and he urgently shouted:


    "Come back! Don''t run off in other directions!!"


    He had never imagined that one-third of his men would foolishly choose to run towards the cabin where the Advanced Wizard Holt was on duty, an even farther location!


    What he expected even less was that after hearing his shouts, another one of his men who had stayed by his side gritted his teeth and suddenly turned to run toward the Advanced Wizard Holt''s cabin as well.


    He was anxious and angry!


    Fools!


    He understood the guards'' thinking. They just felt Colin couldn''t handle these giant wolves...


    But hadn''t they thought it through? Even if Colin was as weak as they imagined!


    They wouldn''t have time to reach where the Advanced Wizard Holt was before being overtaken and torn apart by the giant wolves!


    Such foolishness!


    "Howl!"


    The howling resumed, and the sound of the pursuing giant wolves'' footsteps suddenly lessened behind him.


    It was clear that one had gone after the other City Guards.


    The Guard captain was panting heavily, his thoughts now too crowded to entertain anything else.


    The giant wolf behind him was drawing ever closer, and he felt as if he could already smell its fetid breath.


    "Ah!"


    But just then, a young City Guard at his side cried out in pain and fell heavily to the ground, apparently having twisted his ankle.


    He instinctively reached out to help but misjudged the young Guard''s falling force.


    In an instant, he was pulled off balance and fell to the ground alongside the young Guard.


    ''It''s over...'' As he lay there, with the presence of the giant wolf drawing near behind him, a strong sense of fear filled his heart.


    And the City Guard by his side had had the bad luck of falling on his head and was now unconscious!


    Sss!


    But at that moment, a faint sound of slicing through the air suddenly came.


    Bang!


    Immediately after, he felt the ground shake as if something heavy had fallen.


    Then, a pair of booted feet appeared in front of him.


    The Guard captain looked up, slightly taken aback.


    He hadn''t expected that after falling, what awaited him was not the horrific wolf''s kiss... but rather, Colin''s figure.


    He glanced back instinctively and then jerked back sharply.


    A grey giant wolf lay less than half a meter behind him, its wide-open wolf head facing him.


    If it weren''t for the hole that pierced completely through its skull, it would appear to be still alive.


    Thus, caught off guard, he was startled.


    Upon seeing that the Guard captain seemed to be unharmed, Colin didn''t linger and continued to chase after the other giant wolves.


    However, he didn''t understand why some of the City Guards had run off in the distance. Could it be panic?


    He sighed softly. Given his current speed, it would be difficult to save them...


    At this moment, the Guard captain finally came to his senses. He watched Colin''s figure receding into the distance, his pupils slightly dilating, his heart full of shock.


    It was a long while before he slowly got to his feet.

 Chapter 50 - 50 Lap Wizard

    Under the shroud of night, on the dark, endless fields, a cluster of flames had gathered at this moment.


    At the center of the light, Holt and Colin stood side by side, facing a colossal White Wolf that lay dead on the ground, apparently felled by a massive penetrating wound to the head.


    A few City Guards were busy dismembering the wolf''s carcass.


    "The number and strength of Fierce Beasts are increasing¡­ Such giant wolves have never appeared before," Holt suddenly remarked with solemnity.


    Originally, he had not planned to come after seeing the signal flare.


    But then, a series of wolf howls followed, one after another, indicating an overwhelming number of attacking beasts.


    Although he was not worried about Colin''s safety¡ªafter all, Colin''s Defensive Witchcraft was already among the strongest of Intermediate Apprentices¡ª


    Colin was still just an Intermediate Apprentice, so after some thought, he decided to come over and lend a hand.


    What he did not expect was that by the time he arrived, the battle had already ended.


    It seemed Colin was as formidable in offense as he was in defense.


    Colin, upon hearing this, nodded silently.


    He did not feel much about it, as this was only his first month on duty.


    The giant wolves who attacked tonight¡ªif it were a one-on-one fight¡ªin his opinion, were not as powerful as the previous Black-Maned Giant Pigs.


    They were only capable of hunting Black-Maned Giant Pigs because the pigs lacked strong offensive abilities, and the wolves had numbers on their side. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I didn''t expect the area near the outer perimeter of the Dark Forest, which was just cleared, to be invaded by Fierce Beasts again so soon," Holt continued with a sigh.


    "But those giant wolves could be chasing the Black-Maned Giant Pigs, could this be a coincidence?" Colin wondered.


    "It''s a coincidence, but it''s not," Holt explained with a smile, "The Black-Maned Giant Pigs were undoubtedly the overlords of this region. In other words, the vicinity of the outer perimeter of the Dark Forest was their territory."


    "Now that they''ve been nearly eradicated by us, the vacant territory naturally attracts other Fierce Beasts to fill the void."


    Colin nodded in understanding; it made sense.


    Bang!


    At that moment, a signal flare suddenly burst in the distant sky.


    Colin looked toward the flare; the flickering lights in the dark distance indicated another probable beast attack.


    "The frequency of beast attacks is indeed more frequent than before," he couldn''t help but lament, then diverted his gaze back to the wolf carcass.


    By now, the City Guards had completely skinned the White Wolf, exposing the bright red muscles underneath, indistinguishable from those of an ordinary wild animal.


    Mysterious doubts arose in Colin''s mind.


    "What exactly are these Fierce Beasts?"


    The case of the Black-Maned Giant Pigs was clear enough, as they visibly possessed supernatural bloodlines¡­ But these giant wolves, apart from this White Wolf, were just larger versions of ordinary wild wolves.


    Lacking in Magic Power and with ordinary bloodlines, yet curiously strong¡­


    He looked up at the Dark Forest shrouded in darkness.


    The secrets behind this, he thought, might only be revealed once he became an Official Wizard and ventured into the forest to explore¡­


    Holt followed Colin''s gaze, as if sensing his worries, he reassured proactively:


    "You don''t have to worry too much, the increase in beast attacks is only temporary¡­"


    "Because¡ªWizard Lap is already aware of it."


    At this point, his tone shifted, filled with confidence as if Wizard Lap''s awareness alone would solve everything.


    Colin nodded noncommittally, catching sight of flickering lights moving in the corner of his eye.


    Looking over, he saw the Guard Captain and a young City Guard with a bandage wrapped around his head carrying a stretcher away into the distance.


    The lights came from torches tied to either side of the stretcher.


    "Alright, I''ll head back now; you continue on your patrol," Holt said.


    "Sure," Colin replied, as he watched Holt ascend into the sky, disappearing into the darkness, then he too returned to the patrol cabin.


    Meanwhile,


    The young City Guard silently shed tears as he carried the stretcher.


    It was his first encounter with such an incident since joining the City Guards.


    "Ah¡­ Don''t cry," the Guard Captain turned to comfort him.


    "...I''m not crying." The young man lifted his left hand, instinctively reaching to wipe away his tears.


    However, with the loss of support from his left hand, the stretcher tilted abruptly, nearly sending the body on top tumbling down.


    Fortunately, he recovered in the next second and stabilized the stretcher again.


    "You..." The captain of the guards instinctively looked back, wanting to scold him, but upon seeing the young City Guard, he just sighed in the end.


    After all, there were only two and a half men left in their team of City Guards.


    Himself, the young man, and a disabled man who had lost his legs...


    After a while, the captain spoke again:


    "You''re new here, not used to it yet. Once you''re accustomed, it''ll be better...


    People like us, we work with the sword at our necks... Death is a common occurrence."


    "However..." he said, suddenly changing his tone, "you must remember the lesson this time. Don''t ever be as foolish as Jack and the others!"


    "A tailor who''s foolish once loses perhaps just a bolt of cloth.


    But when we''re foolish once... what we lose is our life!"


    ...


    Inside the duty cabin.


    Under the illumination of the Bright Crystal, Colin spread out a sheet of white paper on the wooden table.


    After the practical test in the Dark Forest, he noticed some issues with the darts.


    Although the darts were quite effective against most targets of smaller size, forming a large hole with a single hit,


    they fell short against large creatures like the Black-Maned Giant Pig King.


    Therefore, he prepared to design a new kind of dart, one specifically for attacking large creatures.


    So time passed quietly.


    The latter half of the night was calm.


    The footsteps of the patrolling City Guards were few.


    As dawn approached, the distant eastern sea began to light up faintly.


    Hu.


    Colin let out a soft breath, stretched lazily, and glanced at his pocket watch.


    ''Another day''s duty has ended.''


    He organized the draft papers on the table, packed them up, then picked up the white wolf meat the City Guards had brought over and turned to leave the duty cabin.


    Whoosh!!


    Just as Colin opened the door, he saw a flame-colored light, carrying a breath-stopping momentum, arriving from the horizon.


    ''Wizard Lap!''


    Without any explanation, Colin already knew the identity of the flame light.


    Such momentum could belong to no one else; it had to be Wizard Lap!


    The flame-colored light stayed in his view for only a moment, then sped across the sky and plunged straight into the Dark Forest.


    At that moment, Colin oddly recalled the confident words of Holt from the night before¡ª"Wizard Lap already knows."


    ''Could it be that Wizard Lap has come personally to clear out the Fierce Beasts?''


    Watching Wizard Lap enter the Dark Forest as if entering a land devoid of humans, he felt a myriad of emotions.


    ...


    Back at home.


    After eating and waking from sleep, he began his usual practice.


    The new dart designs had already been given to Arthur in the morning to have someone custom-make them.


    He completed a set of the Sunlight Breathing Technique.


    Colin exhaled a murky breath, feeling his body''s strength increase a bit more, and his mood became pleasurable.


    He then focused his attention on the front of his chest.


    The energy at his heart was a bit less than before... the Sunlight Breathing Technique seemed to promote its absorption.


    At the current pace, it wouldn''t be long before he could absorb all the energy at his heart.


    After practicing the Sunlight Breathing Technique, he began to practice witchcraft.


    What he mainly practiced was the Hope Defense Field.


    Recalling the narrow escape from death, the greatest credit obviously went to his powerful defense.


    And the progress of the Hope Defense Field had only just reached halfway and couldn''t even be activated instantly.


    Clearly, it needed to be improved as soon as possible.

 Chapter 51 - 51 Changes

    The sun rises in the east and sets in the west, the tide ebbs and flows at the seashore.


    In the blink of an eye, half a month had passed.


    Clip-clop, clip-clop~


    Sigh~


    In front of the west gate of Blackstone City, the black carriage gradually came to a stop.


    Colin stepped out of the curved black carriage and made his way towards the city gate with familiar ease.


    He was dressed in a deep black wizard''s robe, with a silver-white triangular badge on his chest and a white wolf-skin shoulder bag in his hand, containing manuscripts, Bright Crystals, and other sundries.


    From a distance, the soldiers dressed in steel armor by the city gate greeted him respectfully.


    Over the past month, they had become quite familiar with this new Wizard.


    Entering the duty hut, Colin set his shoulder bag down, stretched a bit, and then continued his training.


    In a few more days, his month-long duty would come to an end.


    Since the last visit from Wizard Lap, the number of fierce beasts attacking from the Dark Forest had gradually decreased.


    Their strength had also diminished, shifting from initially comparable to Intermediate Wizard Apprentices to now at most being on par with ordinary Basic Level Wizard Apprentices.


    Several times, it was the City Guards led by a Great Knight who handled the situation directly.


    There was no need for him to make a move.


    And now, for the past few days, there hadn''t even been any creature attacks.


    However¡­ whether for this reason or not, their squad had yet to be assigned any new Wizard Apprentices for guard duty.


    To this day, it was still just him and Holt on guard in the far right area of West City.


    In contrast, the Chiwen Gang next door had long since replenished its guard manpower.


    Moreover, for most of the recent period, he was the only one in the entire area¡­ Holt seemed preoccupied with something and was often nowhere to be seen.


    After practicing the Hope Defense Field several times, Colin summoned the Golden Paper with a thought.


    Pale golden particles converged.


    [Name: Colin Leonard]


    [Rank: Intermediate Wizard Apprentice (4/100); Great Knight (45/100)]


    [Meditation Method: Apprentice''s Circulation Meditation I (40/100); Sunlight Breathing Method I (95/100)]


    [Witchcraft: Zero Level Tricks: Basic; Zero-Level Witchcraft: Steel Armor I (17/100); Arrow Shooting Skill I (19/100); Lesser High Temperature Tolerance (58/100); Hope Defense Field (70/100); Fireball Technique (64/100); Detect Evil (46/100); Purification Evil Power (41/100)]


    [Skill: Basic Level Magic Crystal Making]


    [Talent: Intermediate Strong Life (95/100)]


    [Limit Breaking Point: 0]


    His gaze slowly moved across the Golden Paper, and the intermingling glow of blue, gold, purple, and black caught his eye.


    From previous attempts, he had learned that gold indicated a limit reached, blue represented one Limit Breaking, and black denoted the initial state of a skill.


    But now a new color had emerged¡ªpurple.


    This purple hue enshrouded the outside of the Intermediate Strong Life talent.


    ''Perhaps this signifies the equivalent of a second Limit Breaking?'' he speculated in his mind.


    Every time he practiced Steel Armor, a witchcraft that had undergone one Limit Breaking, the flashing ¡ü symbol behind it was also the same shade of purple.


    So it seemed, the display of the Intermediate Strong Life talent on the Golden Paper slightly differed from that of witchcraft,


    Perhaps this was because their starting points were different¡­ After all, unlike witchcraft, which one trains from scratch, talent is at the Intermediate Strong Life level from the moment it''s attained.


    In addition, the energy from the Golden Four-leaf Clover had been completely assimilated by him five days earlier.


    His soul''s strength had been greatly enhanced, and the progress of his Intermediate Strong Life talent finally settled at 95/100.


    Although he hadn''t broken through to Advanced, compared to before, his self-healing ability had significantly improved.


    For wounds of the same severity, the time now required to heal was merely half of what it used to be!


    The only thing that worried him was that¡ª


    after the energy at his heart disappeared, although the flashing "¡ü" symbol would still appear every time he practiced the Intermediate Strong Life Sunlight Breathing Skill, the speed of improvement had become very slow.


    It had been five days since the energy was completely digested, yet there had been no increase at all.


    However, aside from this, he had successfully practiced the Hope Defense Field and the Fireball Technique to the point of instantaneous casting, and the Sub-Level High Temperature Tolerance was only 2 points shy of instant casting.


    Other witchcraft skills had also improved to varying degrees. It hadn''t been a complete waste of time.


    "Unfortunately, there''s still not enough time," he sighed softly and closed the Golden Paper.


    Although with Renee and Arthur''s assistance, he now didn''t have to deal with any miscellaneous tasks and could devote all his time to cultivation,


    he still felt there wasn''t enough time.


    Due to the reward from the Black-Maned Giant Pig incident and the exchange of fierce beast carcasses, he now had a total of 109 Magic Stones.


    109 Magic Stones were equivalent to 109 Limit Breaking Points.


    With so many Limit Breaking Points in hand, he was eager to improve himself... it was just a pity that nothing on the Golden Paper had reached its limit yet.


    But it was close.


    At least the progress of the Sunlight Breathing Technique he needed to break through once was at 95/100; he was only 5 points away from another advancement.


    Knock, knock, knock¡ª


    At that moment, there was a sudden knock on the door.


    "Colin." Holt''s voice came from outside.


    Colin got up with a puzzled look and opened the door.


    "Good evening, Captain," he greeted Holt.


    "Good evening, Colin," Holt''s expression was complex, a mix of expectation and melancholy. He looked at Colin and said, "There''s something I need to talk to you about."


    Colin nodded, watching him intently.


    "Our team... might not get any new members," Holt sighed.


    Colin''s brow furrowed slightly, his face showing confusion.


    ''No new members? ...Does that mean from now on, it''s just him and Holt on duty?''


    "...Or rather, the team is considered dissolved," Holt sighed again and added, "I need to return to the Wizard Territory for a while... I just got notified by Minister Barton today."


    He paused and then continued,


    "This is probably a punishment for the Dark Forest incident..."


    "Moreover, you''ve noticed that the attacks by fierce beasts in West City have been less frequent. This means that West City might not need as many duty Wizards for the time being..."


    "And with me gone, you''ll be the only one left in the team, so it''s as if it has dissolved. You will likely be reassigned to another team, or another Guard Station within the city..."


    Colin fell silent, absorbing the sudden news.


    ...He hadn''t expected to be transferred again less than a month since he started duty in West City.


    "By the way, do you remember Catherine from before?" Holt paused again and then suddenly asked.


    "I remember," Colin nodded.


    "She was indeed corrupted by the Evil God... and the degree of corruption was very high. I heard that in the end, it was Wizard Lap himself who took care of her body.


    And it seems like there are shadows of Cultists behind this..."


    Holt hesitated, then said, "¡­You''ll most likely be sent back to the headquarters, in charge of city security... Although you''re strong, those Cultists, those Polluters, are often tricky and difficult to deal with."


    "You should practice Detect Evil and Purification Evil Power witchcraft more when you have time..."


    Perhaps due to the imminent return to the Wizard Territory and the inability to leave for a while, Holt was feeling melancholic and rambled on for quite a bit before bidding Colin farewell.


    Colin stood at the door, bidding farewell to Holt, watching as he walked away.


    Holt was gentle and friendly, never putting on airs. Although sometimes he had his faults, he was undoubtedly a good captain.


    He had no idea when he would have the chance to see Holt again after this return to the Wizard Territory.


    He closed the door, turned around, and looked out at the bright moon through the window, feeling a sense of the unpredictability of life¡­ Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 52 - 52 Patrol Department

    The next day.


    After his shift ended, Colin headed straight for the Guard Station in West City.


    The previous night, Holt had told him that he needed to go see Minister Barton early in the morning to get his specific transfer orders.


    Knock, knock, knock.


    "Come in."


    He walked into Minister Barton''s office.


    Unexpectedly, there was another person inside.


    "Lord Berkeley, Minister Barton," he greeted respectfully.


    "You''re just in time, we were just discussing you," Berkeley turned his head and looked at Colin with a faint smile, "You''ve been called back to headquarters, Colin."


    Beside him, Barton also took out a transfer order and handed it to Colin, patting his shoulder and speaking with a laugh:


    "Holt recommended you to me, saying that your strength is not bad... When you get to headquarters, don''t let us down here in West City."


    Colin took the transfer order with a smile and looked down to check it.


    ''No wonder Holt told me last night that there was a high chance I would be transferred to headquarters... It turns out that it was his recommendation.''


    The transfer order listed the date and address for reporting.


    The date was the day after tomorrow, and the address... 28 Oak Nut Street?


    "Minister, is this address a mistake?" he couldn''t help but ask looking up.


    28 Oak Nut Street was located in West City, and was even closer to his home than the West City Guard Station here.


    "There''s no mistake," Berkeley explained, "Last week, on the recommendation of City Lord Price, Wizard Lap ordered the Guard Station to be split into a new, parallel department¡ªthe Patrol Department."


    "The former headquarters of the Guard Station is now the headquarters of the Patrol Department. The West City and East City Guard Stations have been slightly reduced, specifically tasked with handling Fierce Beasts and the strange creatures on the beaches."


    "The new Patrol Department has also established three locations in the city center: east, west, and middle. You are to go to the West City Patrol Department.


    However, both the East City and West City Patrol Departments are now managed by the city center''s Patrol Department headquarters, so technically, you''ve been called back to headquarters."


    "I see, thank you," Colin nodded.


    He hadn''t expected that so much had quietly happened while he was on duty.


    ...To think that a new department was established?


    He wasn''t surprised that Price managed to convince Wizard Lap to change the structure of the Guard Team.


    After all, the Guard Team was essentially a force that Wizard Lap provided for Price.


    In fact, although Berkeley was nominally in charge of the Guard Station in Blackstone City, the daily management orders were usually given by Price, with Berkeley''s main responsibility being the Patrol Team within the Wizard Territory.


    "Well, if there''s nothing else, go home and rest. Remember to report the day after tomorrow."


    "Alright."


    Colin left the Guard Station, boarded a carriage, and headed home.


    He pondered while eating the breakfast that Renee had brought.


    ''The establishment of the Patrol Department is clearly to strengthen the forces within the city... Perhaps this has something to do with Catherine''s pollution?''


    He pondered this in his heart but couldn''t come up with an answer.


    The clues were still too few.


    But there must have been something happening behind the scenes that he wasn''t aware of...


    ''I''m still too weak...''


    Colin took the handkerchief offered by Renee and wiped his mouth.


    Even though his strength had improved significantly compared to before, in this world, he was still at the mercy of his superiors, being arranged and carried by the tide.


    He had just gotten used to the life on duty in West City, seeing fewer and fewer Fierce Beast attacks, the night shifts getting more relaxed, and now he was being transferred to a new post...


    The only consolation was that he could stay in West City.


    At least this way, he didn''t have to think about moving houses.


    ...


    Palm Street.


    The basement at home.


    Colin held two long, slender, pointed darts in his hand, inspecting them closely.


    These cone bullets, just by their appearance, were somewhat similar to the bullets from his previous world and could perhaps be referred to as Cone Bullets.


    These were new ammunition he had custom-made for his Arrow Shooting Skill, designed specifically for killing large creatures.


    After actual combat, he had carefully reviewed the shortcomings exposed by the shuttle-shaped darts.


    The Shuttle-shaped Dart, just like the armor-piercing rounds from rifles in his previous life, had strong penetration power. However, often it was this very powerful penetration that caused the kinetic energy to not fully impact the target, leading to less than satisfactory damage.


    The two new large cone bullets that had been custom-made included one variety with a copper tip and a hollow interior.


    Upon hitting the target, the tip would deform, causing a shift in the center of gravity, prompting the bullet to tumble unstably within the body of the target, thus releasing its kinetic energy to maximum effect and inflicting extensive damage.


    The other type, a solid cone bullet, was used for piercing armor.


    Using the same principle, Colin had also produced a batch of finger-sized hollow cone bullets and solid cone bullets to diversify his ammunition.


    The shuttle-shaped darts he had previously used were thus phased out.


    In this way, when facing different targets, he could choose the appropriate cone bullet.


    *


    *


    *


    28 Acorn Street


    "This must be it." Colin looked up to survey the gray building in front of him before stepping inside.


    Two days had quietly passed, and today was the day he was supposed to report to the Patrol Department.


    Upon opening the door, he was met by a simply decorated hall.


    A fat man was seated on a chair to the front left.


    He was dozing off, with a plate of greasy, crispy pork belly beside him.


    "Hello? I''m here to report for duty," Colin said as he took out his orders and addressed the fat man.


    Flower slowly opened his eyes, glanced at Colin, took the paper orders from his greasy hands, and set them aside.


    "Yeah, I know... As you see, I''m your future team leader, Flower..." He grabbed a piece of pork, put it into his mouth, and began to chew as his eyes closed once again.


    "All right, stop standing there and bothering me. For everything else, go to the back room and find the deputy team leader to talk things over with you."


    Colin remained calm and seemed indifferent. He nodded and headed to the room at the back, as directed by Flower.


    It was attitudes like Flower''s that were the common way for those higher in the hierarchy to treat those below them... Holt was an exception.


    Knock, knock, knock¡ª


    Colin knocked on the door at the very back.


    "Come in."


    A somewhat sharp voice came from inside.


    He pushed the door open to find a young man inside with mutton chop whiskers, slightly sunken cheeks, and a somewhat pale complexion. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He wore a silver badge on his chest, which meant he was likely an Intermediate Apprentice, like Colin.


    "You must be Colin."


    Before he could introduce himself, the young man took the initiative, smiling as he spoke.


    "My name is Barney, and I''m your deputy team leader."


    "...Deputy Team Leader Barney."


    At hearing his title repeated, the smile on Barney''s face grew broader.


    "Welcome to the Patrol Department," he continued. "We''re short-staffed here. I''ve heard you''re quite strong, which is perfect because there''s something I need you to do."


    ...


    Two hours later,


    Barney led Colin to the outside of the last pub.


    "This is the last spot, Team Leader Flower''s favorite grilled fish is from here. Remember that?"


    "...Yes, I''ve got it."


    "Do you also remember the other restaurants and pubs we visited before?"


    Colin silently nodded.


    It wasn''t so much that he had tried to remember; rather, his memory had been greatly enhanced after being fortified with the Golden Four-leaf Clover... He couldn''t forget anything Barney said after just one mention.


    "Good. Your task is simple. At different times each day, buy various foods and bring them here." Barney nodded, satisfied, and then stressed, "Remember, first bring them to me through the side door."


    In truth, such menial tasks did not require a wizard like Colin.


    He merely wanted to make Colin understand the importance of his position as deputy team leader, to understand the meaning of hierarchy!


    "Barney, is this all the Patrol Department does every day?"


    He couldn''t help but feel speechless and questioned with a frown.


    "Deputy Team Leader Barney!" Barney scowled, interrupting him.


    He paused, then adopted a serious tone to advise,


    "You''re young, you don''t understand... There are no dangers within the city. I''ve been at the headquarters for several years and have encountered fewer than ten incidents. There''s really no need to patrol as per regulations."


    "Keep in mind our team leader, Flower, is second to none below the level of Peak Apprentice. If you please him, just..."


    Colin''s impatience grew inside, and he started to tune Barney out, unsure of what to say...

 Chapter 53 - 53: 53rd Chapter: Old Acquaintance

    "Get lost!"


    Flower waved his large hand, knocking the crispy roast chicken aside.


    In the simple decorated hallway of the Patrol Department, Barney stood in place, watching Flower''s massive figure disappear at the end of the hall, his face showing nothing but astonishment and confusion.


    It was already Colin''s second day at the Patrol Department, and today he had intentionally arrived late.


    As soon as he pushed open the door, he saw Barney, sycophantically carrying a plate of roast chicken, walking toward Flower¡­ It seemed like Barney, unable to wait for Colin, had gone to buy food for Flower on his own. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But Colin had not expected things to develop this way.


    Barney stood there with an empty plate in hand, paired with the fallen roast chicken on the floor and his bewildered expression, he looked somewhat desolate.


    "Ha, what a fool."


    A female voice suddenly came from his right. The voice was melodious and pleasant, inexplicably familiar to Colin.


    Barney, hearing this, turned shades of red and pale, finally reacting.


    He turned his head and asked harshly,


    "Regina, what do you mean by that?!"


    Colin followed his gaze to the right.


    There, behind a red wooden table near the stained-glass window, sat a young woman, approximately eighteen or nineteen years old, leafing through a thick book.


    Her features were not extraordinary, just average. Yet, she possessed a tranquility that, despite looking only about eighteen or nineteen, gave off the vibe of an older sister. A pure black cat lazily lying in her lap added an air of mystery to her.


    Regina continued to flip through the book without lifting her head, merely saying lightly,


    "Next time you want to please someone, remember to gather some intelligence first¡­ Everyone in the Wizard Territory''s Patrol Team knows that Lord Flower indulges in feasting for one week and fasting the next.


    ¡­Oh right, I almost forgot you''re not from the Patrol Team, you are just from the Guard Team, with lackluster Talent..."


    She slightly lifted her head, gazing at Barney.


    "...fool."


    Barney was stunned by her words, finally realizing what she meant, his face turning ugly.


    But he did not think it was his fault.


    The Patrol Department was newly established, comprising not only members from the original Guard Team but also some from the Wizard Territory''s Patrol Team.


    He came from the Guard Team in Blackstone City, while Flower was from the Patrol Team on the mountain in the Wizard Territory¡ªit was normal for him not to know, but Regina clearly knew¡­


    A surge of embarrassment and anger suddenly welled up inside him, his face contorting as he shouted,


    "You knew, why didn''t you warn me?! I am your deputy leader!"


    "Oh, a deputy leader who got his position by begging?"


    Regina sighed, feeling rather speechless.


    She put down the book, slowly raised her head, looking at Barney and said word for word, "Lord Flower simply can''t be bothered with trivial matters, and you, as deputy leader¡­ are nothing but a servant handling menial tasks."


    At this point, her tone changed, becoming icy:


    "Plus, from where do you get the courage to speak to me like that¡­ Are you planning to order me around again using your deputy leader status like last time?


    Or perhaps last time''s lesson wasn''t enough for you?"


    As each word fell, the black cat that had been lying on her thighs suddenly opened its luminous green eyes and leapt onto the carpet.


    It elegantly stepped forward, its form swelling with the breeze, transforming in a blink from a forearm-length black cat into a two-meter-tall, fierce, leopard-like beast with sharp teeth.


    Roar!


    A deep roar erupted from its throat, reverberating through the entire hall.


    "You!" Barney''s face first turned pale, then flushed deeply, he gasped for air violently but eventually said nothing, only silently turning away to leave.


    Wizards, as always, revered strength. Barney had experienced Regina''s ferocity before and naturally did not want to ask for more trouble.


    Head bowed, Barney brushed past Colin and walked out of the Patrol Department.


    Colin withdrew his gaze, ready to find a place to sit and rest.


    He had also understood that Barney was merely a jumping clown, thinking he was in Flower''s good graces.


    But in reality, whether it was Flower or anyone else, none took him seriously.


    That so-called deputy leader wasn''t even an official position within the Patrol Department, probably just something Flower had mentioned in passing.


    He truly had no authority to command them¡­


    "¡­Have I seen you somewhere before?"


    Just as he was about to walk toward a table by the window on the left and sit, Regina suddenly spoke up and stopped him.


    Colin turned around, just as the black cat gradually returned to its original size and jumped back into Regina''s lap, curling up.


    If it wasn''t for this being an otherworld, he would have dismissed her words as a clich¨¦ pickup line.


    But that wasn''t the case now, looking at Regina, his brow slightly furrowed.


    He also felt that the Regina in front of him looked familiar.


    "Are you¡­ Colin?" Regina observed him for a while, asking uncertainly.


    At that moment, Colin finally remembered Regina from a corner of his memory.


    Regina was an apprentice from the same period as him, only much more talented. She had successfully advanced to Intermediate Apprentice in the fourth year.


    He hadn''t seen her for nearly six years.


    Six whole years without seeing each other, no wonder her image had faded in his memory.


    "I didn''t expect you to have advanced as well, congratulations," Regina said calmly.


    Having remembered who Colin was, and resolving her own confusion, she lost interest in him.


    "Thank you, I just advanced not long ago."


    Colin nodded politely in response, and took the seat by the window on the left.


    The daily work of the Patrol Team mainly consisted of taking turns sitting in the office for two days each week and also taking a night patrol once.


    It seemed that Regina was scheduled to sit in the office on the same day as him.


    Unless a Guard came to report, there was generally nothing to do while on duty.


    The hall fell quiet for a moment.


    Only the sound of both of them flipping pages could be heard.


    After a while, Regina suddenly asked,


    "Has Barney ever abused his position as the vice squad leader to order you around?"


    "...Yes."


    Colin hesitated before answering, feeling somewhat puzzled.


    "Barney is just a foolish petty man, not worth bothering about," Regina began to laugh, then her tone shifted, "However, among wizards strength is respected. If you can''t beat him... you''ll just have to obediently follow his orders¡­"


    Colin remained silent with a frown, not responding.


    Regina glanced at him and added, "What I mean is, I could help you... Of course, it''s not for free, but it would only require some compensation."


    "The compensation is not much... just five Magic Stones."


    Regina put down her book and, while stroking the smooth fur of the black cat in her arms, calmly watched Colin.


    Every month, to earn enough Magic Stones to feed her little darlings, she worked tirelessly; she was unwilling to miss any opportunity to earn Magic Stones.


    ''I see.''


    Colin finally understood the reason Regina had spoken up. He paused for a moment, then responded politely and gently,


    "Thank you, I''ll come to you if I need help."


    "Mm, you''re welcome anytime," Regina also nodded gently.


    Although Colin didn''t agree outright, which was somewhat unexpected for her.


    But she had just asked casually; if the deal went through, good, but it was fine if it didn''t.


    Regina lowered her head and continued reading.


    *


    *


    *


    Tap, tap, tap~


    In the empty streets after curfew, Guards carried lanterns on their patrol.


    Colin stood on the watchtower, which was considerably taller than the surrounding buildings, watching them slowly passing below, moving away, and finally turning into a line of faint lights.


    Watchtowers like this were networked throughout Blackstone City, one appearing every few blocks.


    From here, he could see everything around him clearly. The watchtower''s constant dim light and the Witch Array also allowed him to discern all movements around him in the darkness without fear.


    Today was his fifth day with the Patrol Team, and according to the schedule, it was his turn to be on night duty.


    Over these days, to better cope with these sinister occurrences, he had put other witchcraft practices on hold.


    Apart from practicing the Sunlight Breathing Method, he focused on practicing Detect Evil and Purification Evil Power witchcraft.


    He had successfully increased his skill level in Detect Evil to 64/100 and in Purification Evil Power to 61/100, reaching the point where he could cast them instantly.


    The Sunlight Breathing Method I also reached 99/100, just one point away from another Limit Breaking.


    Colin silently surveyed his surroundings.


    All was peaceful and tranquil.


    ''It''s no wonder Barney is so indifferent to his daily duties.'' he thought silently.


    Since Wizard Lap had established the Guard Team on this island, the number of sinister spirits in Blackstone City had gradually decreased, and serious incidents caused by malevolent spirits were now seldom heard of.


    However, he felt an unease.


    He did not believe that Wizard Lap and Price had created the Patrol Team separately from the Guard Team for no reason.


    Compared to him, Wizard Lap undoubtedly had access to more information. Their decisions were never without aim.


    Moreover, just two days ago, Flower had also specifically emphasized the importance of their duty. He could not afford to take it lightly.

 Chapter 54 - 54 Command

    The next day.


    In the basement, by evening.


    Colin, bare-chested, finished his practice and stood quietly, exhaling a long breath of turbid air.


    If he had to say, working for the Patrol Team was somewhat easier than his original night shifts in West City.


    According to the duty roster, Mondays and Tuesdays were his office days, while Friday nights were his to keep watch.


    This meant that after completing his night shift yesterday, he wouldn''t have to work until the day after tomorrow, Monday.


    He silently summoned the Golden Paper.


    Today, he had finally pushed the progress of the Limit Breaking Sunlight Breathing Method to its maximum once again.


    But the upwards arrow symbol behind it was, for now, just a dim black without an outline glow due to the lack of sufficient Limit Breaking Points.


    Without any hesitation, Colin took out a Magic Stone and concentrated on converting them into Limit Breaking Points.


    The black characters at the bottom of the Golden Paper kept jumping.


    0...1...2...5...10.


    Colin paused slightly and looked again at the Sunlight Breathing Method.


    The arrow behind it was still black, unchanged... which meant there were not enough Limit Breaking Points.


    Colin frowned. Based on his previous experience with enhancing the Ignition Technique, logically, it should have increased tenfold.


    But then he considered that the Ignition Technique and the Sunlight Breathing Method were completely different at their limits, so why would the required Limit Breaking Points grow according to the same pattern?


    It seemed, then, that the amount by which Limit Breaking Points needed to multiply might vary for each witchcraft, Meditation Method, Breathing Skill, and Talent when reaching their respective limits.


    He continued to absorb the Magic Stone.


    ...10...11...12...


    Not until reaching 50 points, with nearly half of his Magic Stone pouch depleted, did the purple outline glow start to faintly emerge behind the Sunlight Breathing Method I.


    Colin let out a gentle breath, put down his pouch, and then, without hesitation,


    he focused his thoughts and emphatically pressed a point behind the Sunlight Breathing Method!


    Boom!


    His heartbeat abruptly quickened, and his blood began to rush and circulate rapidly.


    Sweat gradually emerged from his forehead, nose tip, back, and neck, eventually steaming up as hot vapor.


    After an unknown stretch of time, Colin finally opened his eyes and exhaled deeply.


    He looked at the Golden Paper.


    Sunlight Breathing Method I (100/100) had now transformed into Sunlight Breathing Method II (0/100).


    He closed his eyes again, contemplating the Limit Breaking Sunlight Breathing Method.


    Ordinarily, becoming a Great Knight was seen as the pinnacle for a Knight.


    But the new Sunlight Breathing Method took it a step further, using the innate Blood Energy of the Great Knight to further develop the body.


    According to the new Sunlight Breathing Method, after the Great Knight, there was another breakthrough... perhaps it could be called the Ultimate Knight. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This level was only marginally better than the Great Knight in terms of physical quality, with no substantial gap.


    However, in terms of speed, especially reaction speed, it greatly enhanced the transmission speed of nerve signals by optimizing the nerves through Blood Energy.


    Simply put, it reduced the body''s delay.


    The lower the delay, the more reactions one could make in the same amount of time.


    Such an improvement, although seemingly merely shaving off a few milliseconds in reaction time, could often make the difference between life and death in actual combat.


    This was undoubtedly a significant enhancement... It''s just a pity that it couldn''t break the boundary of the Great Knight.


    ''Wonder if the Sunlight Breathing Method can still be improved,'' Colin thought ambiguously.


    He stood up and slowly started practicing the second stage of the Limit Breaking Sunlight Breathing Method.


    After a while, as he finished his practice and stood quietly, he looked at the Golden Paper.


    As usual, the blinking upwards arrow symbol appeared behind the Sunlight Breathing Method II.


    Colin carefully observed the outline glow around the arrow symbol.


    ''Not gold... but red. It seems like there is still room for improvement,'' Colin realized.


    As long as it''s not gold, it means it hasn''t reached the true limit yet, and improvement could still be made.


    He looked again at his Intermediate Strong Life Talent, which remained stagnant at 95/100.


    But from a feeling perspective, a second Limit Breaking in the Sunlight Breathing Method should have increased the efficiency of the Intermediate Strong Life.


    It was just uncertain how much it could increase...


    While thinking, he got dressed and walked upstairs.


    He stood on the balcony of the master bedroom, leaning on the railing and looking into the distance.


    Suddenly he saw a carriage stop at his doorstep, and a familiar figure stepped down using the coachman as a human cushion.


    After the figure alighted, the black coachman immediately got up and hastened to the door, knocking vigorously.


    "Barney, what is he doing here?" Colin furrowed his brows.


    He pondered for a moment, then turned and walked downstairs to the door.


    At that moment, Arthur, who lived in the side house, heard the knocking and just opened the main door.


    "Colin."


    Barney, stepping past Arthur''s figure, saw Colin and greeted him with a smile.


    The black slave in front of him and Arthur both respectfully stepped aside,


    Allowing the two men to face each other.


    "Barney," Colin responded.


    Since the last time Barney had been humiliated by Regina in his presence, he had never come to see him... It was unknown what he wanted now.


    "... Are you still getting used to working at the Patrol Department?" Barney, hearing how Colin addressed him, slightly knitted his eyebrows but quickly forced a feeble smile, asking in a condescending, faux-affable tone.


    Colin didn''t speak, just calmly stared at Barney.


    Barney''s smile gradually solidified, and he retracted his smile, frowning slightly as he said,


    "I''m here to assign you a task, Colin."


    "Tonight, you have to go on night duty again."


    Colin, with a slight frown, asked softly, "Is this Captain Flower''s arrangement?"


    Barney paused, his expression growing colder, "Why so many questions? Just follow orders, don''t forget I''m your deputy captain!"


    He looked at Colin, feeling inexplicably angry as if he saw Regina''s shadow on him.


    This shadow, like fuel to fire, only intensified his anger!


    Although he had complemented Colin''s strength at their first meeting, it was merely a courtesy. If he couldn''t handle Regina, could he not handle a mere Colin?


    That day, he hadn''t gone far and had overheard Regina''s conversation with Colin afterward.


    Colin had only been advanced for a few months; what did he have to be so arrogant about?


    In his eyes, Colin was clearly influenced by Regina, failing to see his own place.


    He was about to explode, but then thought of something and pulled out a pocket watch from his chest, checking the time.


    It was getting late... If he went any later, there wouldn''t be a choice anymore.


    In fact, if it weren''t for Lord Flower emphasizing the importance of night duty, he wouldn''t have spent the time coming to find Colin to cover for him.


    Based on past habits, he would have just not shown up.


    He suppressed his anger, speaking impatiently,


    "In any case, just go if I tell you to go!" Barney paused, then added, "From now on, every Saturday night duty is yours! Sort yourself out!"


    After speaking, he definitively left without giving Colin any chance to interject.


    "Drive!"


    The black coachman cracked his whip and drove off.


    Colin, standing behind, furrowed his brows tightly but soon relaxed them.


    He felt somewhat amused.


    ''Barney truly is a cowardly and petty man... Does he really think I can be easily manipulated?''


    ''... Orders, going to night duty tonight... As if I would go!''


    He shook his head, closed the door, and went inside.

 Chapter 55 - 55: Convene

    After dinner,


    Colin habitually went to the Meditation Room to start meditating... As for Barney''s words, he didn''t take them to heart at all and had long since discarded them.


    Lighting the calming incense and sitting on the soft mat in the Meditation Room, he began to meditate.


    Since he had absorbed the Golden Four-leaf Clover, he had clearly felt that his magic power increased faster during meditation than before.


    His talent had obviously improved... it had probably reached Second Class.


    These changes were reflected on the Golden Paper, which showed that the progress of the Intermediate Wizard Apprentice rank was increasing faster.


    In the past, increasing the progress by one point would take about twenty days, but now it should only take about ten days.


    As night fell, Colin concluded his meditation.


    He could indeed feel his talent had improved, though he could only estimate vaguely and it was not precise.


    At that moment, he had a thought¡ª


    "Perhaps¡­ I should buy a Talent Crystal Ball to test my specific talent after the enhancement."


    ...No sooner said than done.


    The next morning, he took a carriage straight to the city center.


    There were only two places on the island where one could find Talent Crystal Balls, one was a shop outside Wizard Territory on the mountain, and the other was Wizard Alley in the center of Blackstone City.


    If he went to the mountain, the steep paths would be difficult for ordinary carriages, and he would have to walk. Starting from outside the city gate, it would take him more than an hour to reach the shop outside Wizard Territory, and even longer from his home on Palm Street.


    However, if he chose to go to the city center, though it took more than an hour as well, he wouldn''t have to walk as he could reach there directly by carriage.


    Between the two options, the choice was clear.


    Sitting in the carriage, Colin lifted the window curtain of the carriage compartment and absentmindedly surveyed the outside.


    Passersby were coming and going, most dressed in linen clothes, looking slender.


    Soon, the carriage reached a long yellow mud slope. On both sides, many vendors carrying sea fish or other miscellaneous goods were peddling.


    This area clearly had more people than other places. The speed of the carriage also slowed down.


    And with more people, the smells became mixed, especially on an island with limited sanitation.


    In a moment, the stench of sweat, the fishy smell of sea fish, the stench of feet, and even a faint smell of urine all wafted in from the window.


    Colin slightly frowned and lowered the curtain.


    ...


    Sigh~


    "Master, we''ve arrived," Arthur said respectfully.


    The black carriage gradually stopped, and Colin opened the door, stepping down at a leisurely pace.


    His eyes were met by a narrow brick stone street, flanked by various shops on both sides.


    The environment here was somewhat better, at least.


    The sanitary conditions of Blackstone City were indeed not to be complimented. Only rich neighborhoods like his residence and this city center were slightly better.


    Walking into the alley, in a daze, Colin felt as if he had returned to Wizard Territory. Most of the pedestrians here were wizards; ordinary people were nowhere to be seen.


    Speaking of which¡­ the last time he bought Knight Combat Skills and bee stingers here. Unfortunately, plans couldn''t keep up with changes, and he had yet to practice that resplendent skill even once.


    After all... his energy was limited, and there were many skills on the Golden Paper that he hadn''t practiced to the limit yet, not to mention practicing a normal knight combat skill.


    While thinking, he walked into a general store.


    Before long, he came out with a Talent Crystal Ball the size of two fists.


    This crystal ball wasn''t cheap, costing him five Magic Stones.


    Hurrying home, he couldn''t wait to go down to the basement. Focusing his mind, he placed his hand on the transparent crystal ball.


    Moments later, a white mist began to slowly rise inside the crystal ball.


    Colin carefully observed the size the mist occupied¡ª


    It was about seven-tenths.


    A flicker of understanding crossed his eyes; seven-tenths was already the highest level of Second Class, any higher would be First Class.


    Although he had anticipated it, knowing the specific results still made his heart leap with joy.


    A wizard''s talent, besides inherent ability, consisted of at least half learning capacity.


    But still, inherent ability also accounted for half; considering the original owner''s talent was only Fourth Class, even though the Golden Paper indirectly enhanced his talent, the True Talent was still Fourth Class... Now being upgraded directly to Second Class was indeed compensating for a deficiency.


    Time flew by quickly.


    To Colin''s surprise, although he did not take over Barney''s night shift that evening, Barney did not bother him again afterward.


    "Maybe he thought I went?" Colin speculated to himself.


    A week passed, and Sunday arrived.


    That morning, the sky was faintly lit.


    Oak Street.


    There were few pedestrians.


    Clip-clop!


    A carriage sped down the dirt road, with a Guard Knight dressed in leather armor riding a black horse alongside it.


    Inside the carriage, Colin frowned slightly, as it was supposed to be his day off.


    However, for some unknown reason, Flower had sent a guard to deliver a message, instructing them to gather at the Patrol Department immediately.


    Upon receiving the news, Colin called to Arthur to ride to the Patrol Department, and they were now on their way.


    Clip-clop, clip-clop~


    The horse hooves struck the dirt road, kicking up a slight dust that merged into the thin morning fog.


    Soon, he arrived at the Patrol Department.


    After getting off the carriage and approaching the entrance, he gently pushed open the doors of the hall and walked in.


    At that moment, Flower was sitting in the middle of the hall on a recliner, taking big bites of a crispy roast chicken.


    Some people had already gathered in front of him, but by the looks of it, a few were still missing.


    Colin stepped forward, walking into the crowd, and waited quietly.


    Crack~ Crack~


    Time passed slowly with the sound of Flower crushing chicken bones.


    After a while, more people arrived, but it seemed not everyone was there yet. Flower had not begun to speak; he was just focused on eating his roast chicken.


    Colin carefully scanned the room and mentally counted the number of people.


    ''Only one person is missing, and that seems to be¡­ Barney?''


    At that moment, the door to the hall was pushed open.


    Barney rushed in, looking somewhat disheveled, with sweat on his forehead due to the hurry.


    ''He must have just gotten out of a woman''s bed.''


    Colin observed Barney discreetly from a distance, and he could smell the scent of Barney''s perfume.


    Barney positioned himself on the far left and wiped the sweat from his forehead.


    Flower looked up at Barney, swallowed the last bite of food, and slowly began to speak:


    "Now that everyone is here, I''ll keep it short."


    "Barney," he said coldly.


    "...Yes! Lord Flower," Barney stammered, promptly responding.


    "Come here." Flower slowly stood up, smiling mysteriously at Barney.


    Barney stepped out of the line with a puzzled look on his face.


    As he saw Flower''s smile, his heart skipped a beat.


    He felt a mix of nerves and anticipation.


    "Could it be¡­" S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although he knew it was impossible, the impossible thought suddenly sprang to his mind.


    "Could it be that Lord Flower, noticing my hard work over these past days, plans to announce my appointment as Deputy Leader in front of everyone!"


    This thought overwhelmed him, and the more he thought about it, the more he felt it might not be so far-fetched. Subsequently, every minute action of Flower, even the grease staining his hands, seemed to be evidence supporting his theory¡­


    Although he thought a lot, only a moment had passed in reality.


    Feeling the gaze of those behind him, Barney straightened his back, feeling a surge of pride.


    After adjusting his expression, he ''casually'' turned his head with a detached look, his gaze sweeping from left to right, pausing on Regina for a moment, before he put on a solicitous expression and stepped toward Flower.

 Chapter 56 - 56: 56 chapters Punishment

    As Barney approached, Flower''s smile suddenly disappeared.


    He raised his palm and placed it on Barney''s shoulder.


    Barney only felt an overwhelming force coming from his shoulder, and, caught off-guard, he fell heavily to his knees.


    Bang!!


    "Ah!"


    His knees collided with the hard wooden floor, emitting a dull sound.


    He felt as if his knees had shattered. He couldn''t help but cry out in pain!


    He looked up, bewildered, gazing at Flower as if questioning why?


    The surrounding apprentices also jumped, but afterward, they all smiled.


    Regina was the one who took the most pleasure in his misfortune.


    Barney was a real scoundrel; it wasn''t that he had a poor reputation, rather he had none at all.


    Turning back, Flower settled into his recliner again, watching Barney as he slowly began to speak,


    "Last night, where were you?"


    "I was on duty..." Barney started to respond automatically about his night duty of the previous night.


    But he quickly realized, since Flower was asking, that Flower must have known he hadn''t been on duty.


    "...Why didn''t you go on duty?" Flower continued.


    ''Didn''t go on duty... Didn''t Colin take over for me?'' A trace of confusion flashed in Barney''s eyes.


    Flower did not wait for his response, continuing to speak on his own,


    "Last night, at 79 Tulip Street, a woman and her twelve maids were all brutally murdered and their hearts were gouged out.


    It wasn''t until the early hours that the guards discovered something was amiss..."


    Flower paused slightly, then asked,


    "Barney, did you know?


    ...That woman''s house is only twenty meters away from the watchtower."


    As Flower leisurely spoke, Barney''s face turned increasingly pale, sweat continually beading on his forehead.


    His heartbeat thundered, as if standing by the edge of an unfathomable cliff, making Barney feel a wave of weakness.


    Flower leaned back in his chair, quietly watching him, waiting for an answer.


    "I, I..." Nervousness rendered Barney momentarily speechless.


    But the next moment, as if grasping at straws, he cried out urgently,


    "Mr. Flower! Last night, last night it wasn''t my turn for duty! Yes!... It wasn''t my night, it was Colin''s turn!"


    As if to bolster his argument''s credibility, he suddenly turned, staring at Colin with a resentful gaze, and bellowed accusingly,


    "Why didn''t you go on duty last night?!"


    Flower raised an eyebrow and shifted his gaze towards Colin.


    With this new twist, the apprentices also looked on with interest at both Colin and Barney.


    "On duty? What night duty?" Colin, feigning confusion, said, "Barney, what are you talking about? I don''t know."


    As Barney looked at Colin''s innocent expression, he faltered, then said,


    "I clearly instructed you to be on duty last Saturday night..."


    "Sorry, Barney! ...I really can''t understand what you''re saying," Colin waved his hand and raised his voice to interrupt.


    "If you mean to say that you once came to ask me to cover your duty... then let me ask, did I agree?"


    "Everyone''s duty schedule," he pointed at the notice board on the wall close by, "is clearly written there. My duty night is every Friday. And last night was Saturday..."


    He spread his hands and shook his head.


    Out of frustration, Barney blurted out furiously,


    "I am the deputy captain. I gave you an order, and you had to follow it, you insubordinate fool!"


    "Hahaha!" Regina suddenly burst into laughter from the side. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh, respected Deputy Captain Barney..." her tone was full of mockery.


    "Hahahaha!" The other Apprentices around also burst into laughter.


    "They really think they''re something."


    "Yeah, Deputy Captain, so impressive!"


    Upon closer inspection, those who spoke out had been transferred from the mountain Patrol Team.


    They weren''t afraid of displeasing Flower, their understanding of him was much deeper than Barney''s.


    "I follow the commands of Lord Flower," Colin responded with a slight smile in a timely manner.


    "Enough," Flower said flatly.


    He had already figured out the cause and effects of the incident.


    He was not concerned about the conflict between Barney and Colin, nor did he care whether or not Barney had sought Colin to take over his duty shift or by what means Colin had been made to cover for him.


    All he knew was that, according to his rules, Barney was supposed to be on duty last night.


    And yet, no one had been on duty last night.


    No matter the reasons or causes... from his perspective, it was all Barney''s fault.


    Barney wasn''t wrong to seek someone to cover his shift; he was wrong not to make sure the cover was successful.


    Especially at such a critical time...


    Especially when the murderer''s method was similar to those filthy vermin...


    Perhaps... if someone had been on duty last night, they might have caught their trail...


    Flower sighed inwardly, this thought further soured his mood and led him to decide to punish Barney severely, to set an example for others.


    He swept his gaze over the crowd impatiently and asked,


    "I have emphasized to you all the importance of being on duty at night, haven''t I?"


    "Yes, Lord Flower," the group hesitated for a moment, then replied in unison.


    "Good," Flower nodded.


    "Remember that, Barney is your lesson!"


    "Lord Flower...I," Barney felt a surge of foreboding and his face turned pale.


    "Barney..." Flower said gravely, "you are dismissed from the Patrol Team!"


    "Furthermore, go back to the mountain and accept your punishment, mine in the Magic Stone Mine for a year."


    Barney felt a chill in his heart, his face gradually turning ashen.


    He hadn''t anticipated that missing just one night''s duty would bring such severe punishment...


    Mining in the Magic Stone Mine, digging through Magic Stone Veins, brought a strange, energy-rich disease from the vast primitive Magic Power, and ordinary people couldn''t survive there for a day without dying from mutation.


    Wizards could resist, but as an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice, it would not be easy for him; it was undoubtedly a grueling task.


    But, that was bearable, what he truly couldn''t accept was being kicked out of the Patrol Team.


    With the Lap School''s well-established structure also came rigidity; only by advancing in Rank could he climb higher, yet he lacked the Talent.


    Thus, he was stuck in a vicious cycle, no Talent to advance, no way to climb higher; no way to climb higher, no access to more resources to advance; unable to advance...


    Therefore, he had exerted an enormous effort to be transferred to this newly established Patrol Team, just to make a name for himself, just for more chances to climb higher!


    But now... everything was ruined.


    "Yes, Lord Flower," he answered quietly.


    Although no one else spoke, he felt as if everyone''s gaze was like thorns on his back.


    His heart was filled with mixed emotions, wishing he could flee this place immediately.


    Yet gradually, an image formed in his mind.


    "Colin..."


    As this image appeared, the complex feelings in his heart boiled down to anger, intense anger!!


    So, under the surprised gaze of everyone, he slowly stood up.


    Barney turned around, staring at Colin,


    took off the triangular Silver Badge he wore on his chest, and threw it at him.

 Chapter 57 - 57 Arrogance

    Click.


    The metal triangle badge struck the floor with a crisp sound.


    "Barney!" Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Flower''s brows furrowed as he called out sternly.


    "My lord."


    Barney didn''t turn around, his gaze fixed on Colin as he continued,


    "According to the rules of the School, when members of the same rank encounter irreconcilable differences, they can cast aside their badges and engage in a duel to the death, can''t they?"


    He paused, then spoke again with a resentful tone,


    "I wish to wash away the humiliation I''ve endured, Lord Flower!"


    Flower''s expression gradually cooled,


    How could he not know what Barney was plotting? It was nothing but an attempt to use combat to avenge himself on Colin, relying on the fact that he was of slightly higher strength.


    "I said, enough." His face expressionless, his voice calm yet as chilling as a winter''s wind, "Barney."


    "Lord Flower!" Barney couldn''t help but turn and call out, "I just want to wash away my humiliation! Please agree!"


    Not just Flower, but everyone around couldn''t help but frown at this moment.


    "The one who brought you shame was not Colin, but your own blind arrogance," Flower said, barely containing his impatience.


    Barney obviously still did not think it was his fault...


    In fact, if Barney had the power and status his mindset suggested, then such thoughts wouldn''t be wrong... The mistake was in Colin, who had not followed his orders.


    But sadly... Barney did not.


    His thinking, then, was arrogance... blind arrogance, out of step with his actual abilities...


    "Barney, I''ll say it one last time, go back to the Wizard Territory and take your punishment..."


    "But...!" Barney looked back at Flower, his already gaunt face twisting further, his carefully groomed mustache resembling disheveled weeds at the moment.


    ''Why!''


    ''Why do they all side with Colin!''


    ''Isn''t it him who caused all this by not following my orders!!?''


    He looked around and saw only mockery, disdain, and indifference.


    He gasped for breath, struggling to squeeze a few words through his teeth, "I understand, Lord Flower..."


    "I accept your challenge."


    A smooth, calm voice interrupted.


    He looked up, shocked at Colin standing not far ahead.


    The hall suddenly fell silent.


    All eyes focused on Colin.


    The young man''s face was calm as he unfastened the silver triangle badge from his chest and tossed it forward.


    ...Barney''s despicable behavior was simply nauseating... To cleanse shame, ha! As if not obeying orders was the real error...


    But by what right should I obey?


    Click.


    The badge landed on the floor, bounced, and finally rolled to a stop beside the triangle badge Barney had removed, on the wooden parquet.


    Flower looked up at Colin, furrowed his eyebrows, and said nothing more.


    The next second, he slowly rose from his recliner, walked past Barney and Colin, and headed for the door, his impatient voice floating into the hall,


    "Do as you please, fight your duel... just make sure to record it with a ''Bright Crystal''..."


    Creak.


    The door to the Patrol Department swung open, and Flower left the place.


    Once his massive figure was gone, sunlight rushed in through the newly opened door.


    Barney watched Colin basking in the sunlight, his heart swept up in ecstatic joy.


    He hadn''t expected that just when he was about to give up, Colin would unexpectedly agree to the challenge, and for a moment he could hardly control his own excitement.


    He even felt like breaking wizard principles, tempted to thank the Divine...!


    Even in the backlighting, Colin''s face, shrouded in shadows,


    seemed to hint that the youth before him was about to die...


    And the victor who would take his life¡ª


    would surely be himself.


    Barney''s twisted expression suddenly calmed.


    His sharp features attempted to muster a solemn expression as he clumsily gestured an unknown noble salute.


    But before he could fully gather his emotions, he heard Colin''s calm urging,


    "Where shall we duel? Time is precious."


    "?!"


    Barney, who had been disagreeable to calm down, suddenly twisted his face in anger. It took him a moment to suppress his rage and continue performing the noble etiquette.


    After a moment of thought, he said,


    "The eastern seaside, it''s beautiful there, fitting for your burial."


    He wanted to choose a place worth remembering for this duel.


    Colin frowned.


    He looked at the Barney before him, drenched in sweat and disheveled, appearing utterly wretched and even somewhat bizarre, with a touch of confusion.


    Ever since Colin had accepted the duel, Barney had been like this, seemingly immersed in some inexplicable emotion.


    But Colin just wanted to deal with the buffoon in front of him as quickly as possible.


    "No need," Colin shook his head, "I think the Patrol Department''s basement will do."


    Considering this was West City and the eastern seaside was at least a three-hour drive from here, he didn''t have that much time to waste on this matter.


    "You''re just an Intermediate Apprentice who has recently advanced; where do you get the audacity to speak to me like that?!" Barney finally lost his patience and could no longer maintain his composure as he questioned.


    "Just advanced?" The surrounding Apprentices who were still watching were also surprised.


    "Regina, weren''t you on the same shift with Colin... Barney said he has just advanced, is that true?"


    Regina nodded to her friend beside her and said indifferently, "Let''s go, there''s nothing to see here, we didn''t bring any Bright Crystals."


    She and her friend turned and left.


    After Flower left, the watching Apprentices, except for a few who had brought Bright Crystals hoping to make a little money later, began to leave one after another.


    Not many people were interested in spending their time on a duel that was unrelated to them.


    After Regina left with her friends, a few more people left.


    In the end, aside from Colin and Barney, only three male Apprentices remained.


    Barney, looking at Colin''s calm face, clenched his teeth and said,


    "If you''re so eager to die, fine! Let''s go to the basement now."


    Colin nodded, unable to agree or disagree.


    He couldn''t sympathize with Barney at all.


    In his view, Barney was just a little man who was angry out of embarrassment.


    They arrived at the basement.


    The Bright Crystals embedded in the walls lit up the entire basement as if it were daylight.


    "Two Magic Stones each," the remaining three huddled together for a while and then addressed Colin and Barney.


    "Fine!" Barney was the first to respond.


    Colin also nodded indifferently.


    The two Magic Stones per person were to be their compensation for recording the entire fight with the Bright Crystals later.


    Lap School had strict rules for duels.


    Firstly, a duel could only be established between members of the same level; an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice could only challenge another Intermediate Wizard Apprentice.


    Secondly, from the moment a badge was thrown down, it meant that the duel would end with only one survivor... This was a matter of dignity among Wizards!


    Additionally, for a duel to be established, it needed not only the agreement of both parties but also the consent of at least one higher-level School member.


    Lastly, during the fight, there must be a higher-level Wizard among the spectators, or at least two Bright Crystals to record the entire battle.


    Flower''s final words were clearly an acceptance of their duel, but also a signal that she did not plan to watch.


    This was also why the last three Wizards stayed.


    Buzz¡ª


    The Bright Crystals were successively activated by the three spectators, standing at different angles to record the fight.


    Stepping on the cold stone slabs of the basement, Colin and Barney stood at opposite ends.


    The air grew inexplicably tense.


    The two exchanged a glance, and Barney sneered at Colin, making the first move!


    A burst of white light flashed, and his figure vanished from the spot.


    He glared at Colin, sneering internally while making his plan.


    First, use Adaptive Mimicry, then approach swiftly with agile steps, and finally, strike with a Shadow Spike...


    He imagined seeing Colin lying in a pool of blood!


    Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!


    But at that moment, several faint sounds came through the air.


    Immediately afterward, with two spluttering sounds, Barney suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, his figure gradually appearing about ten meters in front of Colin.


    Looking at the exploded holes in his chest and the right side of his lower abdomen, feeling the hard Cone Bullets chaotically bouncing and piercing through his body, causing excruciating pain, Barney''s face displayed disbelief.


    But soon, his eyes dimmed,


    And he fell to the ground with a heavy thud.

 Chapter 58 - 58 Receiving Orders

    Colin pocketed the remaining cone bullets.


    Then, somewhat begrudgingly, he took out six Magic Stones and handed them to the three apprentices standing beside him with a Crystal of Remembrance, their faces a picture of astonishment.


    After improving the ammunition for his Arrow Shooting Skill, the power was clearly enhanced compared to before.


    Once hit, it was either death or injury.


    But, Colin had not expected to resolve Barney so quickly.


    Most likely, this was because Barney hadn''t cast any Defensive Witchcraft.


    As for why he hadn''t used Defensive Witchcraft¡ª


    Perhaps Barney was overly confident in his Adaptive Mimicry''s ability to hide and his Light Spirit Steps'' evasion tactics.


    Adaptive Mimicry was indeed powerful, virtually undetectable to the eye alone.


    But since enhancing with the Golden Four-leaf Clover, Colin''s senses had greatly improved.


    Although Adaptive Mimicry made Barney visually disappear,


    the strong scent of women''s perfume clearly couldn''t be concealed by Adaptive Mimicry,


    and Colin could still get a rough sense of direction by relying on his extraordinary sense of smell, even if he couldn''t pinpoint Barney''s exact location.


    Therefore, he fired several cone bullets in a covering pattern in the general direction and took Barney down effortlessly.


    After all, the speed of the cone bullets fired by his Arrow Shooting Skill had now surpassed that of many rifles from his past life... Barney evidently couldn''t react in time, even with Light Spirit Steps.


    ...Perhaps, only with the Enhanced Reaction Speed gained from the second Level Limit Breaking Sunlight Breathing Technique, combined with Light Spirit Steps, he could barely dodge.


    After collecting the Crystal of Remembrance from the apprentices who had been watching the combat, Colin walked towards Barney''s body and crouched down to remove the black money pouch from his waist.


    Opening it, he roughly counted about thirty Magic Stones inside.


    A look of pleasure couldn''t help but surface on Colin''s face as he realized that not only had he covered his recent expenses, but he had also gained unexpected wealth!


    It was a pity, though... aside from what was left on the body, the rest of Barney''s estate would be confiscated by the School.


    ...Perhaps this was to avoid members of the School deliberately challenging each other to plunder resources.


    Colin searched thoroughly once more, but only found a few incomplete witchcraft research papers.


    They must have been what Barney had been researching lately... not a complete set and of no value.


    ...


    The next day,


    it was Colin''s turn to be on duty.


    He arrived at the Patrol Department, also planning to hand over the Crystal of Remembrance to Flower.


    Approaching the office door, and just as he was about to knock,


    "Come in," came Flower''s voice from inside unexpectedly.


    Colin hesitated for a moment before pushing the door open.


    However, he wasn''t surprised; after all, he hadn''t been trying to move stealthily, so it was normal for Flower to notice him.


    Once inside, he was taken aback again.


    In the spacious office, apart from Berkeley, there stood two others.


    "Lord Berkeley, City Lord Price, Captain Flower," he greeted each respectfully and promptly.


    Yet in his heart, he found it somewhat strange,


    ''Why do I see Berkeley everywhere... and now City Lord Price is here too...''


    He couldn''t help but think back to the previous encounter with Berkeley in West City at Barton''s Guard Station office.


    Logically speaking, Berkeley was rarely seen in West City, and Price even less so...


    "Colin..." Flower seemed surprised to see him enter and couldn''t help but ask, "Didn''t you have a duel with Barney yesterday?"


    "A duel?" Berkeley, intrigued, asked from the side, "What duel?"


    "It''s like this..." Flower briefly described the background and aftermath of the events.


    "Not accepting the duel was wise," Berkeley nodded at Colin, sighing slightly in his heart.


    ''I never expected that for such a reason, a great opportunity would be wasted.


    Perhaps¡­ if someone had been on the night shift, they could have caught their tails.''


    Perhaps truly feeling regret, Berkeley sighed again:


    "That Barney, I''ve seen him before, and I''ve warned him to recognize his own limitations, but I didn''t expect him to be so¡­"


    "Foolish," the City Lord Price on the other side concluded succinctly, adding, "A year''s punishment in the mines is still too lenient."


    Flower nodded as if something had occurred to him, and turned to Colin, asking:


    "So¡­ what brings you here to see me?"


    Finally, Colin had the chance to interject. He paused and said:


    "¡­Captain Flower, Barney is dead. This is a projection crystal from yesterday''s duel."


    He took out the projection crystal and handed it over.


    Flower was startled and took the projection crystal.


    Berkeley raised an eyebrow, glancing at Colin, while even the typically stoic Price showed a ripple of emotion on his face.


    Flower activated the projection crystal,


    and three projections appeared out of thin air, gradually converging to form an adjustable image.


    The three watched together.


    The duration of the fight wasn''t long, and soon it ended.


    After watching the crystal, they all fell silent.


    "¡­It seems you''ve improved a great deal, Colin."


    A moment later, Berkeley was the first to praise, "You have a talent for witchcraft improvement."


    He recognized that Colin was using the Arrow Shooting Skill, which they had exchanged before, but it was clearly enhanced.


    Although he didn''t know the cost, in terms of power it was at least above average among witchcraft used by Intermediate Apprentices.


    "Just an occasional inspiration¡­ Thank you for the praise," Colin said, his expression calm.


    When confronting Barney, he hadn''t unleashed the full power of the Arrow Shooting Skill¡­ Actually, to hide the secrets of Golden Paper, ever since he had broken the limits of the Arrow Shooting Skill, he had been controlling its display of power.


    Apart from the incident with the Black-Maned Giant Pig King, he only used his full strength in his home''s basement.


    And he always carefully disposed of the used iron targets.


    As for the Black-Maned Giant Pig King incident, he had later personally inspected its corpse and, perhaps due to its strong recovery power, there were no signs of anything unusual.


    He wasn''t worried that the projection crystal would reveal anything unusual to Berkeley and the others.


    The specific changes in witchcraft are hard to observe with the naked eye during casting, much like a clock; all clocks move their hands, but how many gears are inside is hard to gauge just by looking at the exterior.


    Therefore, as long as he didn''t expose the complete model and theory of the breakthrough Arrow Shooting Skill, no one could tell that this originally ordinary Arrow Shooting Skill had been completely transformed.


    The reason Berkeley could recognize it was probably from the unusually high power evident in the projection crystal and the ammunition¡ªCone Bullets¡ªthat differed completely from ordinary arrows.


    Berkeley smiled, as if suddenly struck with an idea, and turned to Flower and the others to suggest:


    "Since we''re unsure who to choose, why not let Colin assist? What do you think?"


    "Acceptable," Price nodded calmly.


    "Good," Flower also nodded, then explained to Colin:


    "Colin, do you remember the murder case I mentioned yesterday?"


    "I remember, Captain Flower."


    "Excellent, we would like you to help Regina investigate this matter."


    "¡­Yes," Colin nodded, not feeling anything particular,


    As a member of the Patrol Department, he would inevitably be responsible for such investigations, it''s just earlier than expected.


    "Regina is currently at 79 Tulip Street. Go there and find her," Flower added.


    Colin agreed and turned to leave.


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 Chapter 59 - 59 Traceless

    79 Tulip Street.


    When Colin arrived, the entrance was already being guarded by guards in plate armor.


    Passersby had pulled away, forming a vacuum zone in front of the mahogany gate.


    Colin made his way through the crowd and into the gate. The guards at the entrance bent over to greet him respectfully.


    The layout of this residence was similar to his own on Palm Street, except that it was a single-story house rather than a multi-story building, and it had an extra wing, forming an inverted U-shape, with the wing and main house connected by two sections of European white columns adorned with rose patterns.


    He stepped into the main house.


    In the center of the living room on the first floor, several guards stood in front of Regina, recounting something to her.


    "Colin¡­" Regina looked puzzled to see Colin enter the house, "why have you come here?"


    She looked at Colin, her expression somewhat complex.


    The results of the duel from yesterday morning had been quickly spread by the three apprentices who stayed to record it.


    Regina obviously knew about it too... She couldn''t help but feel a bit surprised.


    "Regina, Captain Flower sent me to assist you in investigating this homicide," Colin explained.


    He slowly approached and handed over the paper commission that Flower had given him to Regina.


    He could clearly sense a difference in Regina''s attitude towards him from before.


    ''Indeed, constant low-key behavior... cannot bring real peace.


    It is also important to show strength when appropriate,'' he thought to himself, realizing the situation.


    "...I understand," Regina nodded after reading the commission, her expression having returned to calm.


    "I''ll take you to see the crime scene first. The murder happened last Saturday night, at about three to four o''clock in the morning."


    She led Colin towards the wing on the right.


    "79 Tulip Street, the residence houses a total of 13 people, one mistress and twelve maids.


    Ten maids live in six rooms in the wings on both sides, while only the mistress and two personal knight maids reside in the main house."


    Walking through the corridor with beige floor tiles, they arrived at the servants'' room on the far right.


    The servants'' room''s brown-yellow wooden door was flung open, and a strong smell of blood emanated from inside.


    "This room housed two maids, and the evidence suggests the killer began the slaughter here."


    Colin edged closer and peered inside.


    The bodies of the two maids were twisted and piled on top of each other, lying on the wooden floorboards, their faces contorted, eyeballs protruding. There was a large hole through the front and back of each one''s left chest.


    Dark brown, coagulated blood was visible everywhere¡ªon the walls, the bedding, and even the ceiling.


    It looked as though a monstrously strong demon had suddenly entered the room, piercing the maids'' left chests with immense force, ripping out their hearts, and then discarding their bodies like straw on the floor.


    "Pay attention to the room''s floor," Regina suggested at that moment.


    Colin glanced over.


    Apart from the two maids'' bodies, the brown wooden floor was smeared with a huge puddle of blood and radiating splatters of bloodstains.


    It looked normal at first glance... but no!


    Colin frowned slightly.


    These bloodstains splattered in all directions, with evidence of splashes on every side. However... if the killer had pierced the maids from the front, obviously the front would not have much blood splattered due to blockages like arms.


    Yet now, the splatter patterns on the front appeared as though they had faced no obstruction at all.


    Upon closer inspection of the floor, besides the maids'' dark red blood, a little brown dust, and a few strands of hair from the maids, this room showed no other sign of anyone else''s presence.


    There were no footprints, no smell¡­ nothing at all.


    Even the door was completely unharmed.


    It was as if a ghost had done everything¡­


    "It seems our killer is invisible," Colin said, stroking the smooth brown wooden door''s surface before pausing.


    "Yes." Regina nodded and led Colin to the next room.


    "At first, I thought it was a ghost, but Detect Evil showed no trace of a ghost''s presence¡­ or rather, no trace of any evil presence at all.


    No demons, no ghosts, no evil entities, no tainted auras, no signs of witchcraft, absolutely nothing¡ªas if a normal person had done everything."


    She quickly took Colin through the horrific scene in the maid''s room.


    Most were much the same as the first, with hearts gone and a hole piercing the chest.


    "But from the traces at the scene, it looks more like Cultists did this," Regina said, stopping in the living room.


    Colin nodded his agreement.


    Such systematic heart extraction likely had another purpose.


    The two headed for the master bedroom.


    As soon as he entered the master bedroom, Colin furrowed his brow. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    On the pink canopy bed, a naked female corpse was spread-eagled, with signs of violation. Leather shackles with moon patterns were fastened around her ankles and connected at the wrists on the side.


    The chains were pulled so tight that her limbs were distorted.


    Her left chest, like the other maids'' bodies, bore a large hole, and the heart had flown away.


    The blood had dyed the bedding beneath her into a stark dark red.


    "There are signs of violation, but nothing was left behind," Regina said with a slight frown.


    It was unclear whether the perpetrator had been driven by lust or some ritualistic necessity.


    "Good morning, Esteemed Members of the Lap School," a hoarse voice suddenly came from the door.


    A wizard with a goatee followed by a Guard entered; his skin was dark, mostly unwrinkled, but some white hair revealed his not insignificant age.


    "Good morning," Regina replied tersely, turning her head and whispering to Colin, "Bigu is the owner of this residence, an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice. The woman Lisa, who died on the bed, was his mistress."


    Colin nodded almost imperceptibly.


    "Eminent Guests, may I ask what you need of me?" Bigu spoke, his brow slightly furrowed as he glanced at Lisa on the bed and sighed.


    On the way here, he had heard about the incident from the Guards. Initially, he was angry, but after seeing the bizarre scene, his anger gradually subsided.


    He was old now, only wishing to spend his last days in peace, not wanting to get involved in such affairs¡­ even though Lisa was his favorite mistress.


    "I need to understand a bit about her," Regina said, pointing to Lisa on the bed.


    Bigu nodded and began to recount.


    According to him, he had met Lisa two years ago and had been keeping her here ever since. Normally he lived in the residences outside the Lap School on the mountain and only occasionally came down to see her.


    The last time he had visited Lisa was half a month ago.


    After listening to his story, Regina pondered for a moment and then asked:


    "Do you have any suspects in mind?"


    "No, ever since I met Lisa, she''s been living here with maids attending her daily. If she had made any enemies, the maids would have told me... At least up until half a month ago, Lisa had never made any enemies¡­"


    Bigu shook his head decisively. Although Lisa was his favorite mistress, she was after all just a plaything kept captive, and he knew everything about her daily whereabouts like the back of his hand,


    ...in his eyes, it clearly wasn''t a killing spurred by vengeance.


    Lisa had most likely just been an unlucky soul.

 Chapter 60 - 60: Unusual

    Elsewhere, in the office of the Patrol Department.


    Berkeley and his two companions were still in conversation.


    "...How confident are you that this incident was their doing?" Berkeley asked Flower, his fingers unconsciously tapping on the mahogany desk.


    "Only about thirty percent," Flower shook his head,


    "I''ve been to the scene and, judging by the state of the bodies, it somewhat resembles their style... but I didn''t sense that familiar, nauseating aura."


    At this, he couldn''t help but feel puzzled.


    This latest murder case had closely followed the contaminant incident involving Catherine from the West City Guard Station, and he subconsciously linked the two events.


    However, upon actually visiting the scene, he found it somewhat different from what he had expected.


    "We''ll know soon enough," Price, who was sitting beside them, interjected, "If it really is the Bloody Thorn, then they will definitely act again."


    "And what about Regina?" Flower asked.


    "Let them keep investigating," Berkeley interrupted.


    "Alright," Flower nodded, then asked, "Should we report this to Wizard Lap?"


    "No need," Berkeley shook his head,


    "Nothing has been confirmed yet, and there''s no point in bothering Master Lap... This may just be an ordinary murder case like any other."


    He turned to look out of the stained-glass window, paused, and then reminded,


    "But we shouldn''t let our guard down either; the source of Catherine''s contamination has been identified by Wizard Lap as the master of the Bloody Thorn..."


    Flower nodded vigorously, his jowly neck quivered.


    Afterwards, the three said their goodbyes.


    Berkeley left the Patrol Department.


    Outside, the sun was shining brightly, the sky azure blue,


    People were coming and going in Blackstone City.


    Peaceful, serene, a day like any other...


    But no matter how he looked at it, he always felt as if there were undercurrents swirling in the shadows.


    *


    *


    *


    79 Tulip Street.


    At the ornately carved gate with roses.


    Bigu was saying farewell to Regina and her companion.


    "Lord Bigu, if you think of any useful information later on, please contact us immediately," they said.


    "I certainly will," Bigu replied with a smile,


    "I''ll be heading back now."


    He said goodbye to Regina and her companion and turned to step into the carriage behind him.


    Off you go!


    The carriage carried him away, slowly disappearing at the corner of the street.


    Colin and Regina returned to the living room and sat down on the apricot-colored velveteen sofa, both frowning simultaneously.


    Bigu''s answers had provided them with no useful information.


    And with no traces to be detected at the scene, Regina''s black cat couldn''t smell anything unusual either.


    The murder case''s investigation had hit a deadlock.


    "...How about we return to the Patrol Department and go through the archives of recent murder cases with extraordinary factors?"


    After pondering for a moment, Colin suggested.


    Clearly, this murder case was very likely the work of cultists, most likely not an act of vengeance.


    And if it was not vengeance, then investigating personal relationships was undoubtedly the wrong direction.


    In the current situation, with the only clue being their signature, ghost-like, traceless manner,


    Finding whether there was a related homicide was clearly the only breakthrough.


    Regina obviously realized this too, and nodded her head.


    She got up neatly and returned to the Patrol Department with Colin.


    This time, the victim was just an insignificant common man; in principle there was no need to pay too much attention.


    But because the incident itself involved supernatural powers, and it was very likely related to Cultists, it was no longer a trivial matter.


    It wasn''t long before the two arrived at the archive room of the Patrol Department, where all the files had been moved from the previous Guard Station.


    In the farthest corner, a huge brown bookshelf housed all the cases of homicide with supernatural elements that had occurred on the island over the past sixty years.


    The two of them flipped through the files one by one in chronological order, starting from the present and moving backwards in time.


    The sunlight by the window crawled from the legs of the table onto the tabletop, and then onto Colin, before finally, gradually disappearing.


    It wasn''t until evening, after they reviewed all the homicides related to supernatural factors from the past year.


    Yet, they still hadn''t found an incident identical to the recent Tulip Murder, not even anything similar.


    Dusk fell.


    In the end, Regina and Colin had to put down the files and took a carriage ride back to their respective homes.


    Regina lived in the opposite direction, and by the time Colin''s carriage turned the corner onto Acorn Street, Regina''s figure was no longer visible.


    "Let''s go to Tulip Street first," Colin suddenly instructed the coachman Arthur at that moment.


    "Yes, master," Arthur responded promptly, steering the carriage towards Tulip Street.


    Before long, the carriage slowly stopped at number 79 Tulip Street.


    Colin stepped out of the carriage.


    Outside the latticed gate carved with roses, there were still two armored Guards standing watch.


    "Sir," the two Guards greeted respectfully, curious as to why Colin would return so late, yet they asked nothing and remained silent as they opened the gates for him.


    But as Colin approached the entrance, he paused, waved to the Guards, and then suddenly turned back to the carriage.


    "Let''s go, Arthur," he ordered.


    Clip-clop, clip-clop.


    The carriage started moving.


    Inside the carriage, Colin''s expression was calm.


    The sole reason he returned here was to confirm the indescribable feeling he had experienced that morning.


    Although Detect Evil and Regina''s cat had found nothing at the crime scene that morning, he still felt something was off¡­


    A very faint oddity, so faint that he had once thought it was just an illusion.


    Not until he had thoroughly perused the archives that afternoon and carefully pondered did he gradually confirm that this slight oddity was not an illusion.


    In theory, as just an ordinary Intermediate Wizard Apprentice, since both Regina and her black cat, as well as Detect Evil, had not detected anything unusual, he should not have been able to detect anything either.


    But he had indeed discovered something¡­ and it was certainly not an illusion.


    ...Without a doubt, this was also one of the benefits of the enhancement of his soul.


    After the enhancement with the Golden Four-leaf Clover, his soul''s upgrade might not seem as significant as his physical body''s, having not received a Talent like his body had.


    But in terms of actual quantification, his current soul strength was undoubtedly one of the strongest on the entire island, excluding Wizard Lap.


    Moreover, the Golden Four-leaf Clover seemed to provide a special enhancement to perception, so it was quite normal for him to sense oddities that a normal Intermediate Apprentice could not.


    Nevertheless, obtaining the Golden Four-leaf Clover still needed to be kept a secret, and the strength of his enhanced soul should not be revealed lightly.


    Therefore, after confirming his sensation that afternoon, he said nothing.


    He chose to come back later at night to take a closer look.


    However, as he approached the door, he abruptly realized.


    There was absolutely no need for him to come here alone at this moment.


    With nightfall already upon them, the vast residence at number 79 Tulip Street had only the two living Guards outside, while the rest inside were mutilated, horrific corpses.


    A gentleman does not stand beneath a collapsing wall.


    If he wanted to check again¡­


    Waiting for the daylight tomorrow or revisiting with Regina another time would undoubtedly be the safer choice. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 61 - 61: Blood Mist

    The next day, dawn broke.


    Colin rose from the soft, large bed in his bedroom, and after washing up, Renee had already brought the steaming hot breakfast to him.


    He glanced at his pocket watch, 6:43 AM. He had slept for only about four hours last night.


    But now he felt refreshed, without a hint of fatigue.


    He looked again at the Golden Paper, noting improvements in every category.


    It was undeniable; seeing progress each day, feeling oneself constantly improving, was addictively satisfying.


    In fact, since arriving at the Patrol Department, his workload had decreased compared to his previous night shifts with the West City Guard Team.


    He could afford to enjoy life a bit more.


    After all, in Blackstone City, with the purchasing power of Magic Stones, he was undoubtedly one of the top tycoons.


    But this world hardly had much entertainment.


    More importantly, he could not resist the temptation of slowly pushing forward his progress.


    Cultivation had become his biggest hobby...


    Perhaps it was a strange aspect of human nature¡ªwithout progress, without visible improvement, it was hard to continue.


    Yet, with progress, even the dullest, most tedious activities could generate an almost alien persistence and determination, pushing one to keep going.


    "Unfortunately, I can''t spend all my time on cultivation," Colin couldn''t help but sigh inwardly.


    Even though the tasks at the Patrol Department were very relaxed, the continuous trivial matters still took up much of his time.


    But he merely sighed lightly.


    After all, he enjoyed the resources and benefits that came from the School.


    Naturally, there was a price to pay.


    Compared to the benefits he gained, working like this for the School was quite worthwhile.


    After breakfast, Colin took a carriage straight to 79 Tulip Street.


    He had agreed to meet Regina there this morning.


    They planned to carefully examine the scene again, hoping to find more useful information.


    Upon reaching Tulip Street,


    two carriages were already parked in front of No. 79.


    One was Regina''s, with a chestnut horse and a beige carriage, adorned with patterned gilding.


    The other carriage looked substantially larger than Regina''s, with two horses pulling a simple black carriage.


    "Perhaps it belongs to Captain Flower."


    Colin alighted from his carriage and walked into the yard, heading towards the master bedroom.


    Regina was standing by a pink bed,


    and the large figure of Flower next to her confirmed Colin''s guess.


    "Captain Flower."


    Flower nodded almost imperceptibly, his focus remaining on the woman''s corpse on the bed.


    "Colin," Regina turned around and whispered,


    "Captain Flower came over after hearing that we hadn''t found any traces."


    Colin nodded, a flash of realization crossing his face.


    "In fact, I had already been here once at the very beginning," Flower suddenly interjected,


    "I just glanced briefly back then, without giving it much thought. But I didn''t expect that even your cat, Regina, wouldn''t find any traces."


    He spoke while casting witchcraft.


    Sensory enhancement!


    The misty Magic Power flowed from his lower abdomen upwards, gathering in his eyes, the tip of his nose, his ears...


    Colin''s expression shifted slightly as he concentrated his mind.


    It had been only a day, yet the odd sensation seemed to have faded considerably.


    He focused his attention on the body of Lisa on the pink bed canopy, the unusual feeling gradually clarifying, like a bluestone sculpture being cleaned of its dirt, revealing its original reliefs.


    A swirl of red and black miasma, like mist over water, slowly appeared over the woman''s corpse.


    This red and black color was not visual; he didn''t see it but felt it.


    And as this trace of red and black became apparent, a chilling sensation, as though needles were pricking his forehead, enveloped him.


    Colin frowned, suppressing this inexplicable fear and looked more carefully.


    Apart from that most noticeable red and black trace, there were also faint wisps of red mist on other parts of the woman''s body.


    Did this represent... longer contact time in the deeper colored areas?


    No, that wasn''t right.


    Rather than prolonged contact, it was better to say the traces were fresher...


    Those fainter red mists seemed like earlier red and black traces that had faded.


    "If that is the case... Could the murderer have come last night as well?!"


    Colin''s eyes flickered with a trace of fluctuation.


    If he had rashly entered last night...


    "There''s nothing to be found." At this moment, Flower turned around and suddenly spoke.


    He shook his head, and the Magic Power that had gathered on his face quietly dispersed.


    Colin paused, let out a slight breath, and no longer paid attention to the red mist.


    As his focus shifted, the sense of fear in his heart gradually disappeared.


    "Thank you, Lord Flower." Regina replied, with an unmistakable disappointment on her face.


    Colin looked at Flower without a change in his expression.


    ''Even Flower couldn''t find anything unusual?''


    Flower shook his head again and tried walking around the room once more, finally stopping and sighing: Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "There are indeed no traces... Perhaps this is yet another strange event."


    Regina nodded noncommittally, "I think so too."


    Colin nodded in agreement.


    This world had always harbored inexplicable, unexplainable strange events, locations, and objects.


    They were collectively termed as strange phenomena.


    But this incident, it was obviously not an unexplainable strange event...


    Colin stood in the spacious master bedroom, his expression inscrutable.


    Bright sunlight streamed in from the window, brushed across his body, and fell on the beautiful moon-patterned carpet.


    This scene should have been fresh and bright¡ª


    But underneath the pink bed canopy lay a twisted, naked female corpse, with barely discernible faint red mist dispersing...


    And that draped the scene with a terrifying hue.


    "This incident¡­" Flower stood by the bedroom door and slowly began, "try investigating it again."


    "If there''s still no lead, then temporarily treat it as a strange event and seal it off."


    Flower let out an almost imperceptible sigh; he was increasingly doubting his previous judgment.


    ''This matter is most likely unrelated to the Blood Meat Thorns Sect... It''s just a coincidence.''


    But one couldn''t blame himself for overthinking¡­ Lap the Wizard had just solemnly established the Patrol Department, and the incident with Catherine had just passed not long ago...


    It was inevitable for him to initially associate this matter with the Blood Meat Thorns Sect.


    "Clean up and process the scene." Flower instructed again.


    Even he could not discern any traces now; preserving the scene clearly had no use anymore.


    Additionally, with the weather being hot, if it wasn''t cleaned up soon, the body here would start to decay and breed maggots.


    He trudged with heavy steps and slowly climbed into the coach.


    "Drive!" the Coachman cracked his whip.


    The two tall horses neighed, straining forward, pulling Flower gradually away.


    Colin watched the black coach drive past him, about to withdraw his gaze.


    But he suddenly paused,


    His turning head hesitated for a moment, then feigning nonchalance, he directed his gaze again towards the street corner at the far right end of his vision.


    There, several street vendor stalls were set up.


    He focused on a stall selling roasted fish and bread in the middle.


    But his actual attention was on a stall selling live fish in the periphery of his eye.


    There, a middle-aged man was packing up, seemingly preparing to leave.


    Dressed in nothing more than plain grey linen clothes, with a dusky complexion and a numb expression, his appearance was as ordinary as could be.


    Such common people could be found on practically every street in Blackstone City.


    Yet to Colin, the faint red mist emanating from the middle-aged man, identical to the one from the female corpse in the master bedroom, rendered him extraordinary.


    He stood out like a crane among chickens.


    "Colin, what''s wrong?" Regina asked, puzzled,


    Following Colin''s gaze, she let out a bemused chuckle and said, "Didn''t you have breakfast this morning?"


    Colin hesitated, then replied, "I did, but I''m feeling a bit hungry again now."


    "It looks like your maid isn''t competent enough," Regina laughed, "not preparing enough breakfast for you."


    "Perhaps." Colin smiled and shook his head, then pointed towards his coach, "I''ll have my Coachman get me something to eat; could you ask the Guards to clean up the scene first?"


    "Sure."


    Colin nodded and strode towards his own coach.

 Chapter 62 - 62 Sudden

    Clip-clop, clip-clop¡ª


    Colin was sitting in the carriage, quietly listening to the information Arthur had brought back, with a grilled fish by his side.


    When Arthur returned, the residence had already been tidied up.


    At Regina''s suggestion, he was now on his way with her to the Patrol Department''s archive room.


    After a while,


    "...Master, that''s all the information I''ve managed to find," Arthur concluded his report.


    Sigh~


    Just then, they arrived at the Patrol Department.


    "Mm," Colin responded without changing expression and got out of the carriage with Regina to enter the archive room.


    As soon as they entered the archive room, Regina immediately started flipping through the archives without pause.


    Colin, with a calm demeanor, followed suit, waiting for the right moment.


    He didn''t know how much time had passed.


    Regina, frowning, suddenly sighed,


    "There''s still no trace to be found...


    Perhaps, this is truly nothing more than a bizarre incident."


    She slowly put down the archive and continued,


    "Even if that''s not the case, there''s no point wasting more time on this matter given the current lack of leads..."


    Colin said nothing.


    If he had not noticed anything amiss, he would undoubtedly have agreed with Regina and put this matter aside, waiting for a similar event to happen again, or simply letting it fade away.


    Such an approach was very common in this world.


    After all, only a few ordinary people had died in this event.


    Had a wizard been involved, the matter may not have passed so easily,


    and if it had involved a peak apprentice like Berkeley, it might even have directly alarmed a wizard from the Lap School...


    But it was not so... it was merely the deaths of thirteen insignificant common people.


    Colin sighed inwardly.


    Although he lacked the urge to right wrongs and champion justice, the existence of the Patrol Department, Holt''s final words, and the emphasis that people like Berkeley placed on such events still led him to sense an unusual air.


    ...No supernatural force uncontrolled by a School could be permitted on the island.


    After all, he was still a member of the Lap School.


    He understood very well the principle that one''s fate is linked with others''.


    "Perhaps there''s another possibility."


    Colin put down the archive and said casually all of a sudden.


    He had instructed Arthur to inquire about that man from the surrounding vendors after he left.


    Most vendors knew nothing about the middle-aged man shrouded in red mist, but as luck would have it, the grilled fish vendor did recognize him.


    Tempted by ten copper coins, the vendor told Arthur everything he knew.


    According to the vendor¡ª


    The man''s name was Phil, who lived in the slums of West City, and was a fisherman. He would come to sell the sea fish he caught to the vendor.


    It seemed he was a bachelor, always coming and going alone; he was not seen to have family or friends.


    But it was said that he had been married before and had a wife.


    Indeed, coincidentally, that wife had left him just two years ago.


    "Another possibility?" Regina asked, puzzled.


    "Yes, another possibility," Colin stood up and put the file he was holding back onto a shelf in the corner.


    "We may have been investigating in the wrong direction... Perhaps the situation isn''t as complicated as we imagined."


    He turned to face Regina and said slowly,


    "The missing woman in the murder case, Lisa, actually had a husband before becoming Bigu''s mistress.


    It was only after Bigu took a fancy to her that she abandoned her husband and followed Bigu."


    "You mean to say, Lisa''s former husband killed her a long time ago?" Regina said, her tone somewhat mocking.


    She had already come across this information at the start of the investigation.


    "Perhaps," Colin replied with a faint smile, unconcerned by the sarcasm in Regina''s voice, "at least, Lisa''s original husband had ample reason to do all this."


    "A commoner? A mere fisherman?" Regina shook her head, "How can that be, Colin?"


    "Why not find that fisherman and question him?"


    "Colin." Regina shook her head, stood up, placed the file on the shelf in the corner, and turned to look at Colin.


    "The traces at the crime scene at Tulip Residence No. 79 were obviously caused by supernatural powers, while Lisa''s original husband was just an ordinary fisherman."


    She sighed.


    "In fact, before you arrived, I had already sent Guards to investigate him, his name seems to be Phil or something... but no matter what, he''s just a regular person, a regular fisherman." Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Colin remained silent, although he knew that even if Phil wasn''t the murderer, he was inextricably linked to him.


    But he could only hint so much; he couldn''t explain why he knew...


    The two packed up the files and walked out.


    Today just happened to be Monday, their turn for desk duty.


    Inside the lobby on the first floor, Regina expertly made her way to her usual window seat and quietly pulled out a hefty book to read.


    Colin also went to another window seat across the way and sat down; it was also the seat he had chosen the first time he came here.


    As usual, he took out the Hope Defense Field and began to read it carefully.


    Although the Patrol Department''s basement had a training ground, it clearly wasn''t convenient for practice during desk duty. After all, when practicing with Golden Paper, you can''t adjust the output power like in a battle; it had to be at full force.


    But exerting full force would easily reveal his unusually rapid improvement.


    And for traditional Wizards, mastering Witchcraft often doesn''t rely solely on practice but more on continuous research and learning.


    If he practiced continuously, that too would seem conspicuous.


    To master Witchcraft, practice alone is not enough; one must also research and learn to fully understand the underlying principles and thought processes.


    Usually, Witchcraft manuals only provide a standard template.


    Being able to cast Witchcraft does not mean one truly has mastered it; it''s very possible one merely follows the steps outlined in the manual.


    Only by truly understanding the principles behind it does one truly master Witchcraft.


    Take the Fireball Technique as an example.


    Any Wizard casting it for the first time produces fireballs of the same size, the same shooting speed, and identical explosion timing.


    But as one''s understanding of the Fireball Technique deepens, Wizards can adjust the size, speed, and other variables as required.


    A Witchcraft manual is just a template.


    The stimulating principle behind the template is the true Witchcraft.


    Unfortunately, for Colin, this kind of research and study obviously isn''t as efficient as using Golden Paper.


    After all, Golden Paper requires constant practice.


    Yet, some improvement can still be made. On the other hand, it also allows for the verification and consolidation of the knowledge gained from Golden Paper.


    He slowly flipped through the pages of the Hope Defense Field manuscript in his hand.


    But Colin was somewhat unable to concentrate.


    That invisible blood-red fog always made him feel restless.


    In any case, now that he lived on this island, he was, in a sense, tied to the fate of the island, or rather, to the fate of the Lap School¡ªif...


    Creak¡ª


    Just as he was engulfed in concern, the door beside him suddenly opened.


    A Steel-armored Knight walked in.


    "Gentlemen," he removed his helmet and made a gesture of respect across his chest.


    Then, lifting his head, he spoke clearly and swiftly:


    "The Heart-Ripper Devil has appeared again."


    Colin''s expression grew stern as he slowly put down the manuscript.


    The Guards had privately coined the term "Heart-Ripper Devil" for the perpetrator of the Tulip Residence murder case.


    "Give us a detailed account of what happened." Regina put down her book as well, her brow furrowed as she spoke in a grave tone.

 Chapter 63 - 63: Heart of Revenge

    In the spacious and bright hall of the Patrol Department, sunlight poured in.


    The Guard, clad in Steel Armor, respectfully bowed his head.


    "... Sir, that''s what happened."


    Regina closed the book in her hand, a hint of surprise in her eyes.


    "You mean... Bigu is dead? Died at the residence of another one of his mistresses?"


    "Yes, sir. It''s not just Bigu, everyone there is dead," responded the Guard without hesitation, having recognized Bigu since he was the one who had previously been sent to summon Bigu for questioning.


    "First Lisa, now Bigu... and both with the same traceless heart extraction..."


    "It''s too much of a coincidence!" Colin emphasized in a deep voice.


    Regina turned to look at him, murmuring, "Yes, it''s too coincidental."


    Lisa, Bigu, if there was any common connection between these two, or say, a common enemy, it could only be...


    She couldn''t help but think of Colin''s recent conjecture.


    "You''re right, Colin... Phil is suspicious, no matter how you look at it." Regina took a breath and stood up, "We can''t delay, let''s bring him in now!"


    She was decisive, ready to lead the Guards out of the Patrol Department.


    Originally, she would not have suspected Phil, after all, she had already sent a Guard to investigate him once, and he was just an ordinary fisherman.


    But now Bigu was dead.


    If it were only Lisa''s death, Phil''s suspicions might have been ten percent, but now, that suspicion had risen to at least fifty percent!


    "Wait!" Colin abruptly extended his hand to stop her.


    "Bigu, he was also an Intermediate Apprentice," he said without giving Regina a chance to argue, and continued:


    "I know that compared to us School Wizards, Bigu, as a Wild Wizard, was much weaker.


    But just to be sure, let''s first report to Lord Flower."


    School-trained Wizards and self-taught Wild Wizards were completely different concepts.


    For example, when learning witchcraft, School Wizards can use their previous knowledge to understand the principles behind witchcraft, command it with ease, and even innovate.


    But Wild Wizards often lack a complete knowledge system, making it hard for them to fully grasp the principles behind witchcraft, and thus hard to master it thoroughly.


    Regina paused in her tracks, her brows furrowed as she looked at Colin.


    But then she relaxed her gaze, nodding and saying:


    "You''re right, Colin."


    The two came to Flower''s office and reported the situation.


    "... I see."


    A moment later, Flower nodded behind his mahogany desk, pondered quietly for a moment, then said, "I''ll come with you."


    "Yes," Colin and Regina nodded.


    Flower stood up and walked toward the door.


    But as he reached the doorway, his steps paused slightly, doubt in his mind.


    ''If it really is the Blood Meat Thorns Sect, I might not be able to handle it alone... Should I report to Lord Red Flame and City Lord Price?''


    His brows were furrowed tightly, and with the flesh piled upon his face, his eyes seemed even smaller.


    "What''s wrong, Captain Flower?" inquired Regina.


    "Nothing." Flower eased his brows and replied indifferently, continuing to walk forward.


    ''Right now, nothing is certain, rashly reporting to Lord Red Flame and the others... would not be wise.''


    He led Colin and the others to the staircase, ready to descend.


    But then he shook his head, turned to Colin and the others and instructed:


    "Wait here for a moment."


    Colin and the others were puzzled but didn''t dare to ask further, just silently watching Flower return to his office.


    *


    *


    *


    In a dark basement,


    Bang!


    Bo Wen pushed open the wooden door, flipped back his black hood, and looked angrily at Saroyan sitting behind a low table:


    "A Intermediate Wizard Apprentice is dead! Do you want us all to be exposed?"


    "Don''t be hasty, my friend." Saroyan''s lips curved into a slight smile, his tone soothing, "On this entire island, those who can see the crimson fog of my lord, aside from us devout followers,


    perhaps only that decrepit old man Lap..."


    "Moreover, I will soon harvest the Heart of Revenge and retract the crimson fog. Before long, all traces will disappear.


    By that time, even if Lap himself came, all that would be visible is the ordinary corpse of Phil."


    Bo Wen''s expression eased slightly,


    Souls that had not been enhanced and elevated indeed could not feel the miracle of the lord''s crimson...


    But his tone remained cold as he continued to ask:


    "Before that, the revenge was complete, why didn''t you retract the crimson fog in time?"


    Saroyan shook his head, his voice rising confidently as he continued:


    "Phil''s revenge is truly complete now!"


    Saroyan turned to look at Bo Wen:


    "Phil never resented his wife Lisa." Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Even though... she abandoned him and strangled their young child to death."


    He brushed his cheek with his right hand, gently caressing it while speaking in a sing-song manner:


    "Phil hated Bigu, he hated Wizards, he hated the high and mighty Wizards of the island!"


    Bo Wen stayed silent.


    Saroyan chuckled softly and lowered his hand that had been caressing his cheek, consoling,


    "Don''t worry, I will soon take back the ''Crimson Mist''...


    And besides, think of it this way, one heart imbued with the vengeance of an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice can match up to a hundred ordinary ''Hearts of Revenge''..."


    *


    *


    West City, the slums.


    It was nearing dusk.


    In a decrepit shanty house.


    Phil lay on a straw mat bed, staring at the palm leaf roof.


    Perhaps because of the wooden racks filled with drying fish, the whole shack was permeated with the stench of sea fish.


    But he was long accustomed to the smell, and although the rich golden light of the sunset shone through the holes in the roof onto him, it could not bring him the slightest warmth.


    Phil wore a wooden expression.


    But a closer look would reveal the reminiscing, or perhaps relishing in his lifeless eyes.


    Lisa...


    He slowly raised his right hand as if to grasp the golden beam of light in front of him.


    ...But how can light be grasped?


    Swoosh.


    The next second, his rough, dark hand that reached for the light transformed in an instant into a ghastly claw composed of invisible ''Crimson Mist''.


    However, the sunlight continued to shine through, unobstructed.


    Phil''s vision blurred.


    Lisa.


    Lisa¡ª!


    At this moment, the sunset was descending, the sky clear.


    But he felt as if he were in the deep, dark night of a storm two years ago!


    The greatest happiness of his life...


    was meeting Lisa four years ago... the beautiful Lisa.


    So beautiful that he still can''t believe he had her.


    And as if gifted by fate, Lisa became pregnant just a few days after being with him, bringing little Bri into his life.


    He loved Lisa dearly.


    Perhaps that''s why.


    He never let her work, instead going out to fish before dawn and not returning until late at night.


    Life was hard and difficult then, but it was the happiest time for him...


    Until that nightmarish night arrived.


    ...That afternoon, he had caught a huge sea fish and hurried to the market while it was still fresh to sell it.


    When night had fully fallen, he returned home with a big bag containing a dress with a rose pattern that Lisa liked.


    He looked forward to the surprised look on Lisa''s face...


    He returned home full of anticipation...


    Only to find the empty shack and the tiny, cold body...


    ...


    "Phil, it''s time." A familiar voice suddenly rang in his ear.


    Phil paused, lowered his arm, and got out of bed.


    He stood by the bed, tears blurring his vision as he looked at Saroyan walking into the shack.


    He stepped forward and approached Saroyan.


    The light from the left-hand window sliced their faces into light and shadow.


    Phil''s expression was calm, yet tears continued to flow.


    He never hated Lisa...


    He only hated this island, he only hated that lofty Wizard who took Lisa away!


    ...He only hated that he was a common man.


    After a while, he barely moved his lips and murmured in an inaudible voice,


    "My lord... will your god really redeem us?"


    Saroyan''s lips curled up in a faint smile, his gaze calm and solemn.


    "Of course, all flesh is equal, our god will redeem this island!"


    He paused and lamented,


    "One day, the lord of ''Blood and Thorns'' will return!


    He is wrath, He is redemption!


    The invisible ''Crimson Mist'' will ignite the everlasting ''Flame of Revenge'',


    And the everlasting ''Flame of Revenge'' will burn the world with fury!


    And in those flames, we shall all find redemption..."


    Amid such a lament,


    Squish!


    Phil swung the claw formed of the invisible ''Crimson Mist'', plunged it into his chest, and slowly pulled out his beating heart, handing it to Saroyan.


    Then he leaned against the wall, sliding down to sit by the window.


    Before his head bowed and his gaze dimmed,


    He mustered his last bit of strength to look up,


    Glancing at the little skull on the bedside... and next to it, the silver bracelet belonging to Lisa.

 Chapter 64 - 64 Exposure

    Dusk approached as the sun set in the west.


    Saroyan, dressed as a fisherman, slowly walked out from the neighboring shack, a burden of salted fish resting on his shoulders.


    After cautiously surveying his surroundings, Saroyan stepped left and merged into the flow of people.


    Just as he entered the crowd, a flicker in his peripheral vision caught sight of a man and a woman, both Wizards, advancing under the escort of several Steel-armored Guards at the distant corner of the street.


    Saroyan continued forward, his expression calm, showing not a hint of fear.


    He recognized these two Wizards; he had seen them before at 79 Tulip Street.


    "Merely two Intermediate Wizard Apprentices that I could dispose of with ease¡­" he thought to himself.


    He glanced at the silver-white badges on their chests, maintaining his dull expression, and made his way to the side of the street.


    Finding a suitable angle, Saroyan set down his burden of salted fish, organized the bamboo baskets filled with salted fish, and sat on the ground.


    Having done this, he blended in with the vendors around him, all stealing awe-filled glances towards the two Wizards as they entered the decrepit shack.


    But unlike the other vendors, behind the template of fear in Saroyan''s eyes was a nearly imperceptible hint of anticipation.


    Bang!


    The wooden door was violently kicked open by the Guards.


    Two shield-bearing Guards, clenching shields engraved with the emblem of the Lap School, took a deep breath and led the way into the house.


    Colin and Regina stood outside, magic power blooming in their hands.


    Regina was on alert, her body tensed, with a black cat that had transformed into a large beast guarding her.


    Colin was also vigilant, but a closer look revealed his gaze becoming gradually serene deep within.


    After the Guards broke through the door, he concentrated his spirit to observe carefully. Although he could not make out the specifics, the scarlet aura inside was faint. Either the fisherman Phil had left or there was some other situation.


    "My lord, there is only one body inside!"


    Very soon, the Guards who entered had ascertained the specifics and turned to report back to Colin and Regina.


    Their findings confirmed Colin''s speculation.


    Regina frowned, pushed past the Guards, and strode inside.


    Colin followed closely behind.


    Though the shack was broken down and small, it still had several rooms sectioned off.


    Crossing the threshold, in the inner room on the right, they found Phil''s body.


    This fisherman, like the previous bodies, had his heart carved out. The body was now leaning against the wall under the window, head drooping.


    Regina silently waved her hand.


    The enormous black cat squeezed into this somewhat cramped room and sniffed Phil''s body.


    After a moment, it returned to Regina''s side and growled softly.


    "Damn!" Regina sighed and dispelled her Detection Magic.


    Turning to Colin she said, "Inform the Captain they can come. The place is secure, and there is only one body."


    Previously, after their report to Captain Flower,


    for the sake of caution, Flower decided to come with them.


    But as they reached the staircase, he turned back to the office.


    Later, Colin and Regina found out that Flower had gone back to report the matter to Berkeley and City Lord Price.


    Not long after, Berkeley and Price arrived at the Patrol Department in succession.


    After discussing, the three of them decided that Colin and Regina would check the situation in the open.


    To avoid startling the snake, they stayed hidden in a nearby alley.


    Thus, they hoped to lure out more behind-the-scenes villains.


    Colin furrowed his brow but did not answer.


    He concentrated his spirit, closely examining the body.


    To notice the scarlet mist, he had to focus intently; otherwise, he would experience only an extremely faint sensation of abnormality, which could easily be overlooked.


    In fact, if he had not spent enough time at the scene at 79 Tulip Street, he would not have noticed anything unusual at all.


    As he focused his attention, the familiar feeling of cleansing grime off a bluestone resurfaced, accompanied by the same chilling sensation.


    A thin reddish mist appeared on Phil''s body, thinnest at the gaping wound in his chest.


    Whirr¡ª


    Magic power condensed. Regina, beside him, was performing Fireworks Skill, preparing to release a signal of safety.


    Colin unconsciously turned his gaze elsewhere.


    But as he swept his eyes over the window above Phil''s body, his pupils shrank slightly.


    He continued to turn his head, appearing to examine the bloodstains on the wall, but his focus was entirely on the corner of his vision.


    Through the window with wooden stick grating, far down the road, he saw rising scarlet mist.


    It was an ordinary middle-aged man, much like Phil, blatantly observing the shack.


    A realization hit Colin.


    Because of the noise they made approaching, no pedestrians remained around the shack; the nearest was the small vendor where that middle-aged man was.


    By all logic, Red Flame and City Lord Price should have already noticed the man.


    Could they not perceive his anomaly as well?


    Colin was struck once more by how unusual his ability to sense the scarlet mist was.


    The next moment, he suddenly furrowed his brow.


    In the corner of his eye, the middle-aged man enveloped in scarlet mist began packing his stall, seemingly preparing to leave.


    And Regina, with magic power gradually accumulating, was about to release the Fireworks Skill that represented a safety signal!


    A stream of thoughts flashed rapidly through Colin''s mind.


    Looking at Regina, he suddenly had an idea and scoffed loudly.


    "If you had listened to me earlier, we wouldn''t have come up empty-handed!"


    "?" By his side, Regina froze, her nearly formed Fireworks Skill suddenly dissipated.


    "Colin¡­ what do you mean?!" Regina''s brows shot up in anger,


    "Roar!"


    The black cat at her side took a few steps forward, lowered its body, baring its teeth and roaring angrily at Colin.


    Colin paused, as if realizing his blunder, and turned away with a cold face.


    He looked at Phil''s body, still seemingly irritated, and scoffed again.


    "Cunning heart-devouring devil!"


    Still not satisfied, he pulled a solid cone bullet from his bosom and, seething with rage, fired it toward Phil''s body leaning against the wall! S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hiss!


    Bolstered by the powerful kinetic energy bestowed by the Arrow Shooting Skill, the metal cone bullet instantly passed through Phil''s body as though it were piercing paper.


    And the thin wooden panel behind offered even less resistance.


    After penetrating them, the metal cone bullet did not pause for even a moment and sped toward an ordinary-looking middle-aged man by the roadside in the distance.


    Time rewound several seconds earlier.


    Saroyan, with a sidelong glance, watched the nearby shed through the window, his extraordinary hearing allowing him to clearly catch Colin''s frantic words.


    The corners of his mouth turned up in a hint of a smile.


    "The might of my lord is not something a mere common Intermediate Apprentice could uncover."


    He loved watching scenes like this, relishing the sight of self-important wizards helpless before the scarlet fog.


    But the show was over... Now it was time to leave.


    He stood up and re-shouldered his basket filled with salted fish.


    Bang!


    But just then, a needle-like sense of crisis assaulted him.


    No escape!


    Without time to think, he instinctively executed the Defensive Divine Skill.


    His dark skin quickly faded, revealing its original pale color, and dark red patterns spread across his body in an instant.


    Ding!


    The cone bullet collided with his skin, barely penetrating before its kinetic energy was lost, and it halted.


    "Ah!" The vendor nearby finally realized what was happening and hastily scattered, fleeing in all directions.


    The flesh at his waist squirmed, expelling the twisted and deformed cone bullet.


    Saroyan, somewhat shaken, looked up angrily at Colin and Regina by the window of the shed, stunned.


    Then he frowned and raised his arm...


    Quick battle, quick decision.


    Swoosh!


    But at that moment, a rush of wind from behind him caused his expression to turn grave, and he swiftly turned around.


    What he saw were three figures emanating a formidable presence.


    *


    *


    *


    "Gather everything meticulously! Leave nothing behind!"


    Still inside that ramshackle shed, but now under the cloak of night.


    Colin and Regina stood aside, watching the Guard Captain directing his men, painstakingly collecting items from inside the building.


    With Berkeley and his companions at hand, Saroyan''s fate was not up for discussion.


    Unfortunately, Saroyan had carried out a brazen suicide, leaving no survivors.


    By now, his body had been taken away by Berkeley and others to the Lap wizards.


    Colin and Regina, meanwhile, were charged with commanding the guards to collect and seal all items within the shed.


    Colin leaned against the wall, his expression calm; Regina continuously observed him, puzzled.


    Ever since he fired that cone bullet, Regina had been watching him with a bewildered gaze, seemingly forgetting her earlier fury over his words.


    With a slight sigh in his heart, he stepped past Regina and moved forward.


    "What is this?"


    He pointed to the still-unshaped skull on the bedside table and the silver bracelet lying beside it.


    Regina, her gaze fixed on Colin''s retreating back, imperceptibly shook her head, dismissing the odd conjectures in her mind.


    "It must be just a coincidence."


    She too moved forward and approached the bed.


    "... This should be Phil''s son''s skull," she said, looking at the small skull, "the guards found out Phil once had a son."


    Regina then shifted her gaze to the bracelet, hesitatingly adding,


    "This seems to be... the signature bracelet of the prostitutes from the Giant Axe Tavern..."


    "Hm," Colin responded with some confusion.


    What would the bracelet of a prostitute from the Giant Axe Tavern be doing here?


    But he didn''t dwell on it, merely nodding slightly as he watched the guards carefully pack the skull and bracelet into a wooden box.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    A few words off-topic.


    First, I''m requesting your collection and hoping those reading from external sites will support this book on QiDian Chinese Network or the QiDian Reading APP!


    Here you''ll find interesting author''s notes and a lively comment section. Only reviews published here will be seen by me!


    ...


    I''m thinking of adjusting the update time slightly, feeling that updates in the early morning hours might affect follow-up reading.


    I will see if I can push to change it to the afternoon.


    Also,


    Thank you for your continued support!


    I read all your comments,


    Except for personal attacks, which I will delete and ban, and repeated spam, I accept all reasonable suggestions and criticism.


    After all, writing is like cooking; readers, as customers, are entitled to comment on the dish.


    Of course, there are a few who make brainless personal attacks or spam nonsense, and they are not included in this discussion.


    Additionally,


    I''m begging for your votes!!


    Recommendation tickets, monthly tickets are all welcome, and those who can afford to contribute are also appreciated (gesturing with hooked fingers).

 Chapter 65 - 65 Cost

    "You mean to say, Lisa was originally a prostitute at the Giant Axe Tavern¡­ and was later expelled from the tavern because she deliberately became pregnant with a client''s child?"


    Patrol Department lobby, first floor.


    By a window of natural wood color, bathed in sunlight.


    Colin and Regina were sitting across from each other on a gray velveteen armchair, engaged in conversation.


    Colin looked somewhat surprised.


    "Yes." Regina nodded, her fingers brushing the strands of hair by her ear, then sighed.


    "So you''re saying, Phil''s son isn''t really his own?" Colin put down his book, his expression odd.


    "If there are no accidents, that should be the case." Regina responded again, her face uncertain of what expression to wear.


    It had been about a month since their last visit to the shanty area to arrest Phil.


    During this time, the Patrol Department had thoroughly investigated Lisa and Phil, including their identities, past experiences, and social relationships.


    Phil was nothing special, a native fisherman born and raised on the island, with a past not much different from any common fisherman¡ªsimple and clear.


    However, his ex-wife Lisa had a much more complicated story.


    Although Lisa was just an ordinary person, her grandfather had originally been a Basic Level Wizard Apprentice serving the Blackstone Family, who once ruled the island.


    The common tale followed: the family fell into decline, a descent in status, leading the young woman to prostitution, unwilling to accept her lowered status and scheming to return to a life of affluence.


    Regina sighed again, "Only with power can one dictate their own fate."


    "Maggie."


    She turned her head, calling out to the black cat lying nearby.


    Maggie''s ears twitched slightly, then she leaped onto Regina''s lap, curled up, and lay down again, letting Regina pet her as she pleased.


    Colin gently caressed the manuscript in his hand, remaining silent.


    Perhaps it was that last Cone Bullet he had fired back in the shanty house that truly startled Regina.


    Since then, instead of holding his final remarks against him, she had actually taken the initiative to become more familiar with him.


    Although they could not yet be considered good friends, they managed to chat a bit while on duty.


    "I''m preparing to advance to Advanced Wizard Apprentice."


    After a while, as Regina petted the black cat Maggie, she suddenly spoke.


    "Congratulations."


    Colin arched an eyebrow and set down his manuscript, offering his congratulations.


    "Thank you." Regina managed a smile, then removed her hand from petting Maggie.


    "I don''t know if I''ll succeed¡­" Her tone held bewilderment and fear,


    and with a light sigh, she murmured:


    "Knowledge''s end is weirdness¡­"


    "...and the only beacon that can anchor reason is humanity."


    Colin timely continued the sentence.


    Compared to Basic Level and Intermediate, the Advanced Wizard Apprentice status was relatively special.


    From this state on, the fog entangling the spirit would gradually dissipate, meaning they would truly start to touch the "reality" of the world.


    This reality is the Tainted Babbling that pervades the entire world...


    It makes knowledge become distorted!


    If one cannot maintain their humanity... if the grasp of knowledge is not precise, one will pay the price.


    The prices are varied and strange, some are temporary, some are permanent.


    But regardless, this is each wizard''s deepest secret, not easily disclosed.


    However, in reality, some prices are hard to hide.


    Such as Flower''s gluttony, anorexia...


    At this point, Colin''s thoughts drifted to Holt.


    Perhaps Holt''s fondness for sunbathing was also one of these prices.


    Though some of these costs are permanent, many more will gradually lessen, or even disappear, as one''s understanding of knowledge deepens.


    Berkeley, as a Peak Wizard Apprentice, was distinguished by his lack of overt anomalies, unlike Holt and Flower.


    A silence suddenly fell between the two.


    Regina was likely worried about whether she could successfully advance.


    Colin, on the other hand, was pondering whether the knowledge acquired through Golden Paper Limit Breaking, which required no learning to fully grasp, might lessen some of the cost.


    After a while,


    Regina seemed to have adjusted her mood, looked at Colin, and suddenly had a thought, inviting him,


    "Tomorrow, there will be a small gathering among us Wizards from the Patrol Department. Are you interested in coming?"


    As soon as Regina finished speaking, she somewhat regretted it.


    She suddenly remembered that the attendees would mostly be former members of the Wizard Territory Patrol Team¡­


    "A gathering?"


    "¡­Yes, or rather, more like a party where everyone gets to know each other better and shares some experiences and insights into practicing witchcraft."


    Regina paused, then added, "You don''t have to come if you don''t want to, there''s no need to apologize. I was just asking."


    Colin nodded and politely smiled,


    "It''s not that I don''t want to come, it''s just that I''ve advanced not long ago and don''t have much to share¡­ so I won''t be going."


    Of course, that was an excuse. The real reason was that he didn''t like socializing.


    Moreover, with Golden Paper, he didn''t need others'' experiences or insights.


    Regina nodded, her expression unchanged, but she felt relieved inside.


    It wasn''t that she looked down on Colin, but ever since the day they advanced, these two groups had been divided into different circles.


    She interacted more with Colin and understood him better, so she felt differently.


    But her colleagues who had always stayed in the Wizard Territory Patrol Team might not think the same.


    ¡­Apprentices who stayed in the mountains tended to look down on those assigned to the foothills.


    After all, if the Patrol Department hadn''t been established, these two groups might never have met in their lifetimes.


    "I wonder when the School will deliver your reward?"


    To relieve the awkwardness, Regina spoke again,


    Although Colin had inadvertently exposed the Cultist, he had done a deed deserving of a reward from the School.


    "I don''t know¡­ maybe in the next couple of days, it''s already been a month¡­"


    The two chatted sporadically for a while, then focused on studying witchcraft.


    Time flew.


    As the sunlight became rich as golden honey, their day''s work came to an end.


    Colin and Regina said goodbye, boarded the carriage, and went their separate ways.


    When he got home, Renee had already prepared a lavish dinner.


    During dinner, Colin watched Renee, who sat quietly by his side, and couldn''t help feeling a bit of regret.


    Not long ago, he had tried to teach Renee the very basic Sunlight Breathing Technique.


    He had found the manual at a roadside stall, and aside from being cheap, it also had the benefit of being freely teachable to others.


    Unfortunately, Renee still hadn''t grasped the basics yet ¡­ or even started formal practice.


    This was mainly because she hadn''t received much of an education and could barely recognize some letters.


    Even though they ran a bakery at home and weren''t exactly poor, it was clear that they couldn''t afford to hire a private tutor.


    As for schools, there weren''t any on the island.


    Moreover, the Knight Breathing Skill seemed simple, but as something that could grant superhuman abilities, how simple could it actually be?


    So it wasn''t just a matter of learning to read¡­ Renee lacked many things and clearly couldn''t master it in a month.


    ''It''s good that I reincarnated as a member of a traditional Wizard School.''


    Colin silently sighed to himself again.


    As for Arthur, he was far too rigid in his thinking to change.


    ''¡­Perhaps, I should research some life-altering knowledge and harshly endow Renee and the others with power.'' Colin contemplated this idea once again.


    S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 66 - 66: Improvement

    After dinner, Colin made his way to the basement as usual.


    Normally, he practiced his Breathing Skills and witchcraft in the basement, while meditation was done in the Meditation Room of the master bedroom.


    But this time was somewhat different¡ª


    He brought along his gray money pouch.


    Entering the basement, he placed the money pouch on a wooden table to the side.


    Colin began to practice witchcraft in rotation, with streams of light flickering over him.


    As such, time quietly passed by, the moon reaching its zenith, and the night deepened.


    Finally, Colin stopped practicing.


    With a thought, he summoned the Golden Paper.


    For a month now, he had not slacked off, continuing to work hard from dawn to dusk¡ª


    The Hope Defense Field, Lesser High Temperature Tolerance, and Fireball Technique, he had just pushed the progress of these three witchcraft skills to their limits.


    Picking up the money pouch and converting enough Limit Breaking Points, he did not hesitate and began the Limit Breaking.


    With a determined thought, he pressed heavily on the ¡ü symbol!


    Bang.


    With the shimmer of golden light, Colin involuntarily closed his eyes. His mind felt as if a fresh spring had been uncovered, knowledge bubbling forth like spring water.


    His brain whirred rapidly, causing his face to slightly redden.


    After an indeterminate amount of time, he opened his eyes and looked at the Golden Paper again.


    [Name: Colin Leonard]


    [Rank: Intermediate Wizard Apprentice (7/100); Great Knight (80/100)]


    [Meditation Method: Apprentice Circulation Meditation I (60/100); Sunlight Breathing Method II (10/100)]


    [Witchcraft: Zero Level Tricks: Summary; Zero Level Witchcraft: Steel Armor I (34/100); Arrow Shooting Skill I (38/100); Lesser High Temperature Tolerance I (0/100); Hope Defense Field I (0/100); Fireball Skill I (0/100); Detect Evil (85/100); Purification Evil Power (89/100)]


    [Skill: Basic Level Magic Crystal Making¡ª(Bright Crystal Making (Golden))]


    [Talent: Intermediate Strong Life (99/100)] sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Limit Breaking Points: 0]


    This time, breaking the limits of three witchcraft skills cost a total of three Limit Breaking Points, or three Magic Stones.


    From now on, he had 89 Magic Stones left.


    Colin''s gaze slowly shifted downward.


    In the Talent section, Intermediate Strong Life was about to reach its limit.


    ''Maybe¡­ today?'' he pondered with a flicker in his eyes.


    After all, the progress of Intermediate Strong Life had already reached 99/100 five days ago. Based on the past rate of progress, the time to reach the limit should be today!


    With that thought in mind, Colin immediately began to practice the Sunlight Breathing Skill without even trying out the three witchcraft skills post-Limit Breaking!


    Time flowed like water.


    After completing the Sunlight Breathing Skill for the third time, the progress of Talent Intermediate Strong Life on the Golden Paper gradually changed, reaching 100/100. A black ¡ü symbol began to slowly emerge behind it.


    Just like before, Colin eagerly started to convert Limit Breaking Points, paying close attention to the ¡ü symbol behind Intermediate Strong Life on the Golden Paper.


    When the edge of the ¡ü symbol began to shine with a dazzling halo, it meant that the converted Limit Breaking Points were sufficient to break the limit!


    One Magic Stone, two Magic Stones¡­ they were swiftly converted into Limit Breaking Points.


    But gradually, Colin''s expression began to change.


    The amount of Limit Breaking Points he had converted had reached 40!


    Yet the ¡ü symbol behind Intermediate Strong Life remained unchanged, its black color still dull.


    He momentarily paused in his conversion of Limit Breaking Points and then continued.


    Although whether it was the witchcraft learned earlier or the Breathing Skills, the cost had never exceeded 10 points on their first limit break, the highest being 5 points for the Circulation Meditation Method.


    But after all, when Intermediate Strong Life first appeared on the Golden Paper, it was enveloped in a circle of purple light, while other witchcraft, to this point, only had the twice Limit Breaking Sunlight Breathing Method in purple.


    So it was quite normal that the first limit break required more Limit Breaking Points.


    After a while, Colin suddenly stopped the action of converting Limit Breaking Points.


    When he checked the Golden Paper, at the very bottom under the Limit Breaking Point section, the number of Limit Breaking Points had reached 81.


    Yet, the ¡ü symbol after the Intermediate Strong Life remained completely unchanged.


    And the Magic Stones in his hand now numbered only eight.


    Just as when he first enhanced his Circulation Meditation without gambling, this time, he didn''t intend to gamble either.


    Moreover, by deduction based on color¡ª


    The Sunlight Breathing Technique, also purple, had consumed a full 50 Magic Stones to break the limit for the second time and turn purple, while it had only taken 1 Magic Stone for the first limit break.


    If we calculate using the same increase, the cost in Limit Breaking Points for the third limit breaking of the Sunlight Breathing Technique would likely be 2500 stones.


    Thus, for the Intermediate Strong Life, also purple, it probably would take far more than merely another 8 Limit Breaking Points to break through.


    "Perhaps, it''s time to revert to the old business of accumulating Magic Stones..."


    Colin stored away the remaining Magic Stones and began testing the witchcraft he had just broken through with.


    First was the Hope Defense Field.


    After casting it, Colin picked up a bee sting¡ªrelegated to a mere ornament next to him¡ªand thrust forcefully into his other arm!


    Under his powerful force, the slender blade of the bee sting bent quickly, and after a careful feel, Colin retracted the sting.


    The Hope Defense Field now provided at least twice the defense compared to before¡ªthis boost was in physical defense, and the mental aspect... would presumably not be too far off.


    As Colin withdrew the sword, the flexible blade of the bee sting snapped back to its straight form instantly, and the tip vibrated with a buzzing sound.


    It has to be said, the bee sting was indeed a fine sword... it was just a pity that in his hands, it was at most an ornament. By the time he was so pressed as to need the bee sting, it likely would be of little use.


    Next, he tested the Fireball Technique.


    Whoosh!


    The fireball flared up in his palm abruptly, its brightness casting an orange glow over Colin''s skin.


    He considered the small basement and hesitated before slightly reducing the intensity of the Fireball Technique.


    Only then did he shoot it towards the iron-clad wooden target in the distance.


    Boom!!


    The moment the orange fireball came into contact with the wooden target, it exploded violently, the shock wave knocking down the target and the intense heat causing the iron plate on the chest of the target to turn slightly red.


    Looking at this... a Fireball Technique after one limit break would be equivalent to the more powerful hand grenades from his previous life. Of course, this was only a rough comparison¡ªafter all, grenades mainly rely on shrapnel, while the Fireball Technique relied on flames and shock waves.


    Regarding High Temperature Tolerance, the Second Level.


    Colin approached the iron-clad wooden target which had become slightly red from the Fireball Technique, cast the spell, and then tried touching it with his finger. It was very hot but not enough to burn and cause pain.


    His gaze flickered as he drew a solid iron cone bomb from his pocket, concentrating his thoughts.


    An orange flame from the Ignition Technique appeared beneath the cone bomb, heating it continuously.


    The color of the cone bomb first turned to a dark red, then to orange-red, getting brighter and shifting to orange-yellow.


    It was at this moment that Colin began to feel a burning sensation in his hand.


    "Likely, it can provide immunity to temperatures below 800 to 900 degrees."


    Colin set the cone bomb aside to cool and nodded in satisfaction.


    A breakthrough in the second level of High Temperature Tolerance, Hope Defense Field, Steel Armor, and Blood Energy Armor, made his defense undoubtedly top notch among the Advanced Wizard Apprentices.


    Not to mention he also had the life-saving Talent of Strong Life at its peak.


    He could already imagine the despair on his enemies'' faces when, after much effort to pierce his defenses thinking they could seriously wound him, they would find that any injury they inflicted would heal in the blink of an eye!


    On the other hand, his Fireball Technique had also broken through the limit, and when combined with the Arrow Shooting Skill, his offensive capabilities were also quite adequate.


    Colin couldn''t help but smile and then pondered in silence.


    "With offense and defense already solid, the only shortcoming right now... might be evasion."


    Thinking this, he suddenly regretted converting a full 51 Magic Stones into Limit Breaking Points...


    Otherwise, he could go to the trade street tomorrow to see if he could find a fitting witchcraft.


    But then he thought again. Arrow Shooting Skill was just an ordinary witchcraft after all.


    He still had 8 Magic Stones, and perhaps he could find a comparable witchcraft to enhance through the Golden Paper.


    "I''ll go have a look tomorrow," he silently decided.

 Chapter 67 - 67 Resuming Old Trades

    Dark tides surged.


    At this moment, dawn had not yet broken. Colin stood quietly at the spacious balcony of the master bedroom, leaning on the balustrade and gazing into the distance.


    Before long, a bright glimmer of gold appeared where the sea met the sky, and the surface of the sea was immediately sprinkled with flecks of shattered gold.


    The dark undercurrents of the tide became even more noticeable.


    Although he was only watching from afar, the mere sight of the scene seemed to bring the salty, humid sea breeze to his nostrils, and the sound of the surging tides echoed in his ears.


    Knock knock knock¡ª


    Just then, a gentle knocking sound came from the wooden door of the bedroom.


    Colin turned around, re-entered the room, opened the door, and walked out of the bedroom.


    "Master," Renee greeted respectfully.


    "What''s for breakfast this morning?" Colin asked casually as he walked downstairs to the dining room.


    "It''s the seafood porridge that Master taught me to make last time, with pan-fried fish and mushrooms."


    "Mhm," Colin nodded with satisfaction.


    Although Renee''s talent for knightly training was abysmal, her culinary skills were quite the opposite.


    She often got it nearly perfect just by listening to his instructions once and even did better than he could the first time she tried¡­ bear in mind, in his previous life, he had lived alone for several years, and aside from entertainment and work, cooking was what he had devoted most of his time to.


    He couldn''t say his cooking was exceptional, but being surpassed at first attempt was enough to prove Renee''s talent in the culinary arts.


    Upon reaching the dining room on the first floor, a bowl of steaming hot seafood porridge was already placed at the head of the square-shaped long dining table, capable of seating eight people. The soup was clearly visible with fish and shrimp meat, far better than the ones from his former life which were only for reference in pictures.


    Next to it were two fragrant pan-fried fish fillets, accompanied by mushrooms.


    "Go call Arthur to prepare the carriage," Colin instructed Renee after sitting down.


    His daily routine typically involved going to bed around two in the morning and waking up at six. Logically, servants like Renee and Arthur should go to bed later and rise earlier than he did. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Indeed, this was how Renee started out.


    Such a routine could be managed for one or two days, or even a few days. However, it''s quite difficult to sustain over the long term for ordinary people...


    For average mortals, serving as a servant to wizards, these Transcendents, is no easy feat¡­


    ...


    Sigh~


    Clip-clop clip-clop~


    The pace of the horse pulling the carriage slowed down and gradually came to a stop.


    Colin stepped down from the carriage and found himself once again in the familiar street of Wizard Alley.


    Inside the alley, there were many shops selling witchcraft knowledge. Colin went straight to the most prominent and largest one of all.


    There was no signboard, just a flag on the eave with a red background and gold embroidery, bearing the emblem of the Lap School.


    In this shop, one could not only buy but also sell witchcraft knowledge.


    Unquestionably, the store was operated by the school, which had similar premises on the mountain outside Wizard Territory.


    Besides that, no other shops were opened by the school. After all, the school didn''t rely on shops for profit. The primary purpose of setting up a shop for witchcraft knowledge was to collect more information.


    A Basic Level Wizard Apprentice, already of a certain age, guarded the shop.


    Initially, when new Wizard seeds joined and couldn''t reach the Middle Level within ten years, they weren''t simply cast out of the school.


    Instead, they were assigned to do miscellaneous tasks.


    Unfortunately, Blackstone Island wasn''t large, and the positions for menial labor at the Lap School were even more limited.


    By the time Colin or earlier batches arrived, the positions were already filled. Those who couldn''t advance had no choice but to leave the school.


    "What does the gentleman require?" The old Wizard Apprentice, already in his sixties, stood up to greet Colin upon seeing the silver badge on his chest.


    "I would like to look at some supportive witchcraft related to evasion and speed."


    "Very well, sir. If you could wait just a moment."


    Soon enough, the old Wizard brought over a sheepskin catalog.


    Colin carefully read from the beginning.


    Mirror Image Skill: Creates a silent, static optical illusion to confuse enemies.


    ''Three-dimensional Projector? Looks to be quite versatile and practical. Limit Breaking potential¡­ unknown, perhaps evolving toward more or larger projections, from static to moving, or possibly into real-time projection.


    Hm, surely an optical projection can''t evolve into an actual clone in the end.''


    "Not bad, might be an option," Colin couldn''t help pausing and patted his thinning purse before continuing to look down.


    But this time he chose to look at the prices first.


    Frog Jumping Skill... 35 Magic Stones.


    Slippery Soles... 42 Magic Stones.


    ... 36 Magic Stones


    ...


    As he quickly skimmed the catalog for witchcraft related to evasion and speed, Colin''s expression grew increasingly grim.


    Perhaps the School''s shop only had premium items, but regardless, the cheapest here started at no less than 10 Magic Stones.


    He saw several that he longed for... unfortunately, his wallet was embarrassingly empty.


    Next, he visited other shops selling witchcraft knowledge, but overall, the story was the same: he couldn''t afford what he liked, and he didn''t like what he could afford.


    Still, it wasn''t that he came away with nothing.


    Since he was here, though he didn''t buy any witchcraft, he had browsed all the evasion and speed-related witchcraft on sale, thereby broadening his horizons.


    He already had his eye on the witchcraft he desired; all he needed was to save up enough money to come back and make a direct purchase!


    Exiting the last shop, it was already past 11 a.m.


    Colin turned and headed towards a store selling witchcraft materials.


    Before long, he emerged with 120 pure crystals and headed back home on his carriage.


    These pure crystals had cost him 4 Magic Stones in total.


    Bright Crystals made from pure crystals were of higher quality than those made from mixed crystals, usually capable of being recharged 60 times, with each lighting lasting about 6 hours. A single crystal could last two months, and with some frugality, even three to four months.


    Naturally, the price was also higher than Bright Crystals made from mixed crystals; one Magic Stone could only buy ten.


    Therefore, after turning all these pure crystals into Bright Crystals, he expected to make a profit of around 8 Magic Stones.


    According to his current gold-level Bright Crystal Making skill, it would take him about two days to process 120 pure crystals.


    This was tantamount to an income of 4 Magic Stones per day, already considered very considerable on the island.


    At least much higher than the 10 Magic Stones monthly salary from his position at the Patrol Department.


    Regrettably... compared to the hundreds, possibly thousands of Limit Breaking Points needed for Intermediate Strong Life, his earnings rate was still too low.


    "Perhaps, it''s time to try finding some other ways to make money," Colin mused, sighing to himself as he sat in the carriage.


    He lifted the cloth curtain from the carriage window and looked out.


    By now, they had reached the West City area, where the buildings along the road visibly became more modest, yet there were still exquisitely luxurious homes, like the wealthy street he was now passing.


    Most houses here were individual villas with their own large courtyards.


    Outside these mansions, Colin noticed a residence not far ahead covered with green climbing vines, surrounded by luxurious carriages parked outside.


    "So many carriages at the entrance...


    This looks like Regina''s house..."


    "...It must be the gathering she mentioned yesterday," Colin recalled.


    Unexpectedly, this gathering was being held at Regina''s home.


    Speaking of Regina, she truly possessed exceptional talent. It took only four years for her to transition from Basic Level to Intermediate, and a substantial part of that time was spent learning various foundational knowledge.


    And now even more astonishingly, in just six years, she was already preparing to advance to Advanced Apprentice...


    "It seems like my own Limit Breaking Circulation Meditation will soon reach its limit again..." Colin thought, rubbing the bag of pure crystals by his side.


    In time, the carriage brought him right outside Regina''s gate.


    For a moment, a mix of bustling sounds¡ªsizzling fat from roasted meats, clinking knives and forks, people''s conversations, and laughter¡ªcontinued to enter his ears.


    Without even seeing it with his own eyes, these noises alone allowed him to imagine an exceptionally lively scene inside...


    Dropping his hand, the curtain fell back into place under its weight.


    Colin''s face remained calm as the carriage carried him further and further away.


    Those bustling sounds also slowly faded as the distance grew...

 Chapter 68 - 68: The Unadorned Reward

    Two days had passed in a flash.


    Today was already Friday, and it was Colin''s turn for the night shift again.


    But before his night duty, he had to do one thing¡ª S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That was to take the Bright Crystals he had made over the past two days and sell them on Wizard Alley in the city center.


    In these two days, he had also studied a range of Magic Crystal Making, hoping to find more profitable types of magic crystals.


    For magic crystals like those of the Light Brightness Skill, if one only considered the material cost and not the labor, the pure profit was mostly similar to that of the Bright Crystals.


    But because they were not as commonly used as Bright Crystals, they were also harder to sell.


    Aside from these trivial crystals, the selling price of higher-level magic crystals could be somewhat higher, as the raw materials remained the same, and if the making difficulty was comparable, the profits should also be higher.


    However, in order to make other magic crystals, he needed to purchase the corresponding craftsmanship books first.


    These books were not cheap either, with each costing at least ten Magic Stones. And he also needed to practice up to Limit Breaking to ensure a good success rate and then pursue efficiency afterward.


    All this required Magic Stones and time.


    After breakfast, Colin instructed Arthur to prepare the horse carriage just as before.


    But as soon as he walked to the door, an unexpected reward suddenly arrived.


    "Lord Colin," the Silver-armored Guard greeted solemnly.


    "This is the School''s reward for you."


    The Guard respectfully handed over a wooden box engraved with the School''s triangular symbol with both hands.


    Colin realized instantly; this must be the reward for his help in uncovering that Cultist.


    ''I wonder what''s inside... Knowledge? Magic?''


    He took the wooden box with some anticipation,


    and once he accepted it, the Guard bid him farewell and left.


    Colin then boarded the carriage and opened the wooden box while heading towards the city center.


    It wasn''t any knowledge, nor was it the evasion-type auxiliary magic he had hoped for.


    Upon opening it, he saw only fifty neatly stacked Magic Stones.


    ''The School is really quite plain and simple.''


    A slight smile appeared on Colin''s face.


    Although these Magic Stones were ordinary and not any highly valuable secret techniques, they still constituted a gratifying reward.


    After all, who would complain about having too much money?


    Plus, with these 50 Magic Stones, he could just go and purchase the magic he had been eyeing last time! Combined with the Magic Stones earned from selling Bright Crystals this time, it should be enough to buy another Magic Crystal Making book.


    ''This way, quite a bit of time can be saved.'' Colin put the Magic Stones into his purse,


    and then it suddenly occurred to him:


    ''A month has passed, I wonder if Lap the Wizard has found any clues from the corpses of last time, or if the Cult behind it has been eradicated.''


    But then he thought again,


    ''Logically speaking, if some clue about the Cult was found on that corpse, and if there were plans to eradicate the Cult, the Patrol Department should be the main force... But as a member of the Patrol Department, I''ve never heard any news.


    This could either be because the Cult is too cunning for even Lap Wizard to find any clues, or perhaps it''s because Lap Wizard and others are still secretly investigating and waiting to gather complete information about the Cult before striking decisively.''


    But no matter which it was, it wasn''t something he could worry about.


    He shook his head and stopped pondering over it.


    After a while, he arrived at a shop that specialized in Magic Crystals. The red banner at the door indicated that it was associated with the Chiwen Gang.


    Colin stepped inside.


    "My Lord, welcome to our store. What may I assist you with?" The shopkeeper was a plump, round man with a friendly face.


    "I''m here to sell Magic Crystals, here are 60 Bright Crystals."


    Colin took out the Bright Crystals he had prepared earlier and placed them on the counter.


    He had deliberately sold only half of the Bright Crystals to avoid exposing his extraordinary crafting efficiency.


    For an ordinary Intermediate Apprentice, the number of Bright Crystals they could make in a day typically ranged from 10 to 30, depending mainly on the success rate.


    If they were in good condition and skilled enough, an ordinary Intermediate Apprentice could also achieve a 100 percent success rate in making Bright Crystals.


    However, around 30 Magic Crystals made per day was already the limit for an ordinary Intermediate Apprentice.


    But Colin had doubled that amount. If anyone investigated the number of crystals he purchased, they could easily deduce that he was not only able to make 60 Bright Crystals a day, but also with a 100 percent success rate!


    If it had been just one or two more, it might not have mattered, but a difference of double was something any discerning person would find unusual.


    As for switching between shops to sell the Bright Crystals,


    the Wizard Alley on the island was only so big, and the Gangs were well-informed. No matter how much he switched, it would be easy for them to notice his anomaly.


    Although he was a member of the Lap School, ordinary people did not dare target him.


    High efficiency in making Bright Crystals wasn''t a big deal.


    However, these were all risks that could potentially expose Golden Paper!


    ...and they could be avoided with just a bit of caution.


    Why wouldn''t he be happy to do so?


    Moreover, he suffered no losses.


    Before long, the caravan would arrive. By then, he could sell all the accumulated Bright Crystals to the caravan without any impact at all.


    After the shop owner finished appraising the Bright Crystals, he smoothly took out six Magic Stones and handed them to Colin.


    Colin accepted them and turned toward the door to leave.


    Yet as he reached the entrance, his steps faltered slightly, and he turned back to ask the owner a question.


    "If I sell Bright Crystals every day, could you purchase them on a long-term basis?"


    "How many would you be selling daily, sir?"


    "A fixed amount of 30 each day."


    The shopkeeper showed a troubled expression upon hearing this.


    They had their own supply channels for Bright Crystals, and an occasional purchase of individually sold Bright Crystals was fine, but a long-term commitment was beyond his authority.


    He instinctively wanted to refuse, but after seeing the silver triangular badge on Colin''s chest, he hesitated before changing his reply:


    "Sir, I am not in charge of this matter. Please wait a moment."


    With that, he went to the back of the shop.


    He must be using the Communication Witch Array to contact someone who had the authority.


    Colin''s expression darkened slightly, as he inexplicably recalled the experience of being refused by a shopkeeper in Wizard Territory when trying to sell Bright Crystals.


    After a short while, the shopkeeper returned.


    Now with a pleasant smile on his face, Colin also breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the man''s expression.


    ''It seems that it worked out.''


    The next words from the shopkeeper confirmed his guess, and he no longer had to worry about the distribution of his Bright Crystals.


    With everything taken care of, Colin walked out of the shop with a relaxed face.


    His decision to fight to stay in the School had truly been worthwhile!


    Even now, he was still enjoying the privileges and status that the School had granted him.


    Feeling the wallets, which had filled back up from the sale of Magic Crystals and the School''s rewards, he became eager and turned toward the shop set up by the School that sold witchcraft items!


    Just moments later, he walked out holding a Magic Book,


    and upon closer observation, one could vaguely make out the words "Swift Skill" written in large letters on the yellow cover.


    After that, he went to buy a new book on Magic Crystal Making, and he had already decided on the type¡ªShadow Crystal!

 Chapter 69 - 69: Meeting

    These two, whether Swift Skill or Image Capturing Crystal Making, were meticulously compared and selected by him!


    He had spent a total of 55 Magic Stones!


    Of these, Swift Skill cost 40 Magic Stones, and the book on Image Capturing Crystal Making cost 15 Magic Stones.


    Since then, his financial status had returned overnight to what it was before liberation, leaving him only 5 Magic Stones.


    After purchasing the Image Capturing Crystal, Colin prepared to return to his residence.


    But as he was boarding the carriage, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a familiar figure flashing through his sight. He instinctively turned his head, but only saw half of the figure disappear into an alley.


    "Could it be... Wood?" Colin frowned slightly, uncertain.


    But in an instant, he pushed the thought out of his mind.


    Although Blackstone City was small, just a little town, it still had a population of over a hundred thousand. It was not easy to encounter acquaintances, and more likely, it was just a similar figure.


    ¡­


    Tap, tap, tap¡ª


    The stone slabs underfoot, smooth and even from constant wear, flanked by rough, uneven stone walls. Due to the dampness, green tenacity had emerged in those twisted crevices, clinging to the surface of the stone walls.


    Wood''s expression was wooden, his pace steady and regular as he walked forward step by step, the tapping of his feet echoing in the corridor.


    The long passageway leading underground had no illumination except for the soft light emitted from the Bright Crystal he held in his hand.


    Soon, he reached the end.


    Here was a wooden door, a common unpainted wood door, nothing special.


    Pausing at the door, Wood quietly waited.


    He knew that his footsteps couldn''t be hidden from Lord Harrington inside. Besides, even without the sound of footsteps, that lord could still sense his arrival.


    "Come in."


    Not making him wait long, just a moment later, Harrington''s steady voice came from inside.


    Wood pushed the door open.


    A small secret chamber came into view.


    He was slightly startled; this time, the secret chamber was not as usual, with only Harrington. Across from Harrington stood a man dressed like a noble.


    But he asked no questions, for this was not his place to speak.


    Wood quietly stood to one side, silently standing like a statue.


    "Continue," Harrington spoke.


    The nobly dressed Bo Wen glanced at Wood, then, unconcerned, continued with the topic at hand.


    "Harrington, the day of my master''s arrival is not far. Are you prepared?"


    His tone was somewhat forceful, somewhat impolite.


    "Oh... I''m more worried about you than about myself. I have heard that the Patrol Department just caught a little bug not long ago?


    Your ritual... there weren''t any problems, were there?"


    Harrington''s expression remained unchanged, his tone smooth but equally forceful.


    Dealing with these cult madmen, the last thing to do was show any sign of weakness.


    "Hmph!"


    Bo Wen snorted coldly, and spoke indifferently.


    "You needn''t worry about it; the return of my master cannot be stopped! You better start producing some results soon. Bishop Arman doesn''t have the same temper as I do... If there''s still no progress after some more time,


    then our agreement will have to be nullified..."


    After finishing, Bo Wen turned and left through another hidden door on the opposite side.


    Harrington quietly watched the hidden door close, his hand caressing a black scepter with dark gold patterns.


    ''Hopefully... these madmen aren''t just talking big. Lap, as a First Rank Peak Official Wizard, is not so easy to deal with...


    Although the Lord of Thorns and Flesh is strong, how much power can actually come into this world... That''s why they need my power.''


    Swoosh!


    He waved the scepter, releasing Purification Evil Power.


    The witchcraft waves, far stronger than those of an apprentice, swept through the secret chamber like a breeze.


    Each time after dealing with these cultists, he would do this¡ªit was a necessary precaution, dealing with the tiger''s skin, carelessness was clearly not an option.


    After completing these actions, he reached out and turned a mechanism on the wall behind him.


    With a click, a fist-sized cavity appeared on the wall that was originally seamless.


    He raised the scepter and inserted it into the slot, activating the Magic Power. The bluestone walls immediately began to glow faintly, rippling like the surface of water.


    Harrington removed the scepter and stepped in, his figure disappearing into the bluestone walls with Haywood following closely behind.


    *


    *


    *


    In the quiet underground chamber, the Bright Crystal emitted a soft light.


    Standing in the middle, Colin''s expression tightened as he cast Swift Skill!


    In an instant, he felt as if invisible winds enveloped him. Whether swinging his arms or taking a step, he could clearly feel that everything was considerably faster than before!


    After trying it out, Colin revealed a satisfied smile.


    Speed, the speed in combat.


    In his view, it mainly consisted of two parts.


    One was the speed of his own movement! The other was reaction speed!


    In combat, both complemented each other, achieving mutual success, and neither could be absent.


    Swift Skill, for now, seemed to enhance his own movement speed!


    It had made his speed as a Great Knight even faster.


    This increase was reflected in various aspects.


    Taking the test just now as an example, it only took him 3 seconds to run a lap around the underground chamber!


    The circumference of the underground chamber was approximately 50~60 meters.


    That meant, at this rate, it would take about 5 to 6 seconds for him to run 100 meters. This was just a rough estimate, as he wasn''t sprinting in a straight line in the underground chamber.


    Moreover, thanks to the abundant energy provided by the Sunlight Breathing Technique, he could maintain such speed for at least an hour!


    That was just the running speed; other speeds, such as leaping and retreating, were naturally enhanced as well.


    This was just the initial state of Swift Skill. After Limit Breaking, the enhancement was likely to be even greater!


    Of course, having physical speed alone was not enough.


    This was also a weakness of Swift Skill. Even if the body''s speed was fast, if one couldn''t react in time when facing attacks, it would still be ineffective.


    Luckily, the second Limit Breaking of the Sunlight Breathing Technique improved the reaction speed!


    Although he hadn''t yet advanced to an Ultimate Knight.


    But once he advanced to an Ultimate Knight and improved his reaction speed along with his physical speed. Based on these alone, those slow-moving fireball techniques from Wizards, or acid attacks, wouldn''t even dream of hitting him!


    Even if they did hit, he still had multiple defenses. Even if his defenses were breached, he still possessed Intermediate Strong Life!


    Colin dispelled the faint witchcraft Spiritual Light on his body, feeling enveloped by a strong sense of safety.


    Wiping off the sweat from his exercise, he walked out of the underground chamber and returned to his bedroom.


    ''By now, Renee should have prepared the bath water.'' S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As he climbed the stairs, he thought to himself.


    But when he pushed open the bedroom door, he saw Renee kneeling on the ground, wiping the floor with a cloth.


    Her black and white maid outfit outlined her youthful yet curvaceous figure.


    "Sir."


    Hearing the sound of the door opening, Renee''s body shuddered violently. She quickly stood up, holding the cloth and bowing her head in greeting.


    Colin glanced and immediately knew what had happened.


    "Did you accidentally spill the bathwater again?"


    "Yes, sir. Please punish me," Renee replied quietly.


    Colin also sharply noticed that the girl''s right arm was completely reddened, most likely scalded by the hot water.


    He looked towards the bathroom, which was filled with hot water in the tub.


    No need for further speculation, he could imagine that Renee must have insisted on filling the tub with hot water after scalding herself.


    "Be more careful next time."


    "Yes, sir."


    Colin entered the bathroom and began to soak in the bath.


    Such incidents had occurred before; fortunately, the moved hot water wasn''t extremely hot, thus had never resulted in any serious consequences...


    However, it was time to deal with it.


    He wondered how Luke was handling the matter¡­

 Chapter 70 - 70: Urgency

    The next morning, not long after breakfast,


    a handsome wizard of indeterminate age came for a visit.


    It was Luke, whom Colin had been thinking about the night before.


    "Colin," Luke said with a smile as he walked into the yard, handing Colin a thick book, "I believe this Transformation Technique won''t disappoint you."


    His frame was lean, but his walk conveyed a weightiness like that of refined steel.


    Luke had been present during Colin''s duel with Barney, capturing the event with an Image Capturing Crystal. He was quite a familiar figure.


    Since they both had Friday night shifts, they had become somewhat acquainted.


    As it happened, Luke specialized in Life Transformation, so Colin had previously asked him to find a transformation technique suitable for ordinary people.


    "Then I look forward to seeing it." Colin responded with a smile, leading him to the second-floor reception room.


    They sat down on the milky yellow sofa by the window, with a carved small round table in between.


    After sitting down, Renee brought over two cups of tea.


    Luke looked around at Renee and said,


    "Colin, your maid looks too thin... she definitely needs strengthening. But are you really not going to consider my suggestion?" He curled his lip, "Maintaining a human appearance is good for nothing other than looks. The human body has its limits..."


    Renee''s complexion gradually turned pale.


    "... I have no plans to change my mind for now," Colin shook his head.


    What Luke was referring to was not something as simple as growing animal ears, adding some scales, or acquiring a tail. He meant transforming people into unrecognizable flesh machines.


    Luke sighed regretfully, and Renee breathed a sigh of relief beside him.


    He took a sip of his tea and continued,


    "Did you know Regina went back to the Wizard Territory to advance?"


    Colin nodded and also took a sip of his tea.


    "She''s really remarkable," Luke couldn''t help but comment, a touch of melancholy on his face, then he curiously asked, "Did you go to Regina''s party a few days ago?"


    "No," Colin shook his head, setting down his tea and watching as the cup lightly touched the table, the red liquid rippling.


    "Even you didn''t get an invitation?" Luke was surprised, and sighed, "We''re the closest people to Regina... and even you didn''t get one... It''s true, those on top still look down on those below."


    Colin didn''t explain that Regina had actually invited him; instead, he wondered aloud, "We, as in who?"


    "We, who are talentless apprentices from down the mountain," Luke explained with a sigh.


    "Colin, you spent ten years barely advancing to Intermediate Wizard Apprentice," he looked up at Colin with a smile, "And it took me nine years..."


    "We''re the same. Maybe in forty or fifty years, we might luckily advance to Advanced Apprentice... but it''s more likely that we''ll stop at intermediate due to fear of Tainted babbling and the dread of becoming alien degenerates. After all, even if we could advance further, without becoming Official Wizards, our lifespan won''t increase, plus there would be many more downsides."


    Colin silently picked up his tea again and drank, maintaining his silence.


    Luke continued, without considering Colin''s silence.


    "An Intermediate Apprentice lives at most 120 years, even if you were a Great Knight, it would not exceed 150 years... Life is so short, making friends and enjoying life is the only sensible thing!"


    "Tomorrow, I and a few friends, all of us apprentices from down the mountain, are also having a gathering. Are you interested in joining?"


    Colin picked up the thick book on the table and shook his head, politely declining, "I''m eager to study this book on Transformation Technique you said wouldn''t disappoint me... Maybe some other time for the gathering."


    Luke paused for a moment, but promptly smiled again and said, "Alright, but make sure you come when you''re free next time."


    Then, he added meaningfully, "Apprentices like us are just loose sand when alone. But by staying in touch and moving together, we can become formidable..."


    After exchanging a few more pleasantries politely, Luke took the initiative to leave.


    After seeing Luke off, Colin returned to the master bedroom and went onto the balcony.


    Leaning against the railing, he watched Luke''s carriage slowly recede, feeling an inexplicable sense of caution rising within him.


    Wizards are not nobles; gatherings are not common.


    Having been in Blackstone City so long, he had only now heard of these two close-in-time gatherings.


    ''The mountain above and below... two different groups of people, huh?''


    A breeze fluttered, perturbing the broken hair on Colin''s forehead, his expression inexplicable.


    Involved in such a vortex, in these trivialities, he wanted no part of it.


    Time sped by just like that.


    A month later, Palm Street.


    It was morning, and the brilliant summer sunlight made everyone feel joyful.


    Colin was sitting under the awning on the second-floor balcony, enjoying his morning tea.


    Tap tap tap~


    Renee came up carrying freshly made pastries.


    She approached Colin and placed the silver tray on the black, carved, round iron table.


    Colin sipped his milk tea and looked up, examining Renee.


    Renee was still dressed in her black and white maid''s outfit, her appearance unchanged, still clear-skinned and beautiful. Perhaps the only thing special were the faint red lines at the base of her collarbone.


    For aesthetics, Colin specifically had painted the lines in the shape of a rose, and now it seemed, he had chosen well.


    It was these faint red lines that bestowed upon Renee the physical fitness between an Intermediate Knight and Advanced Knight.


    While not exceptionally strong, for Renee it was enough, at least now when carrying hot water, she no longer spilled it on the ground like before. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A breeze blew, the distant seascape was beautiful.


    Colin sat quietly on the balcony, enjoying this brief moment of morning tea time.


    A while later, just as he was about to stand up and return to the basement to continue his training, a familiar carriage suddenly appeared in his vision.


    Dark red large horses, a beige carriage adorned with golden floral patterns.


    "...It''s Regina''s carriage," Colin recognized.


    "Could it be that Regina has successfully advanced, becoming an Advanced Apprentice?" he speculated silently, "If she really has advanced, according to the School''s rules, the next time I see her, perhaps I should address her as ''My Lady''..."


    A sense of urgency inexplicably welled up in Colin''s mind. He withdrew his gaze and hurriedly walked to the basement.


    After reaching the basement, he summoned the Golden Paper.


    The pale golden particles converged, and a sheet of Golden Paper hovering between illusion and reality gradually appeared in front of him.


    [Name: Colin Leonard]


    [Rank: Intermediate Wizard Apprentice (10/100); Great Knight (99/100)]


    [Meditation Method: Apprentice''s Circulation Meditation I (81/100); Sunlight Breathing Method II (20/100)]


    [Witchcraft: Zero Level Tricks: None; Zero Level witchcraft: Steel Armor I (54/100); Arrow Shooting Skill I (58/100); Lesser High Temperature Tolerance I (19/100); Hope Defense Field I (21/100); Fireball Skill I (16/100); Detect Evil (96/100); Purification Evil Power (97/100); Swift Skill (31/100)]


    [Skills: Basic Level Magic Crystal Making¡ª(Bright Crystal Making (Golden); Image Capturing Crystal Making (94/100); Blood Pattern Transformation Skill (67/100)]


    [Talent: Intermediate Strong Life¡ü (100/100)]


    [Limit Breaking Point: 81]


    He read carefully from top to bottom.


    Now, Colin had a clear understanding of his current situation.


    First, the most noticeable was the progress of his Knight Rank. Perhaps today, or tomorrow, in any case, within these two days, he would definitely advance to an Ultimate Knight!


    Then, there were the only two witchcraft skills, Detect Evil and Purification Evil Power, and the Image Capturing Crystal Making, which had not yet reached their limit.


    These three, if he focused all his energies on them, should reach their limit within these two days too!


    As for the Magic Stones, he had already accumulated 65 Magic Stones, and still had 81 Limit Breaking Points.


    Everything was ready; he was close to another increase soon!


    But before that, he needed to go to one place¡ª


    That was the eastern part of the city by the seaside.


    Because, according to the School''s information,


    the trading caravan he had been longing for, was expected to arrive at Blackstone Island this afternoon!

 Chapter 71 - 71 Efficient Practice Methods

    After assessing his situation, Colin didn''t rush to East City since it was only morning.


    He went upstairs and called Demi and Renee to the basement.


    "Relax."


    Colin asked Demi to sit on a cushioned stool and took out a specially made long metal pen, preparing to perform the Blood Pattern Transformation on her.


    This wasn''t out of pure kindness or idleness.


    The technique he had acquired from Luke was called the Blood Pattern Transformation Technique. The principle was to forcibly enhance the blood energy of the recipient through blood patterns, ultimately condensing a subordinate Life Seed and allowing the recipient to attain physical qualities between those of an Intermediate and Advanced Knight.


    Such subordinate Life Seeds, unlike the normal Life Seeds naturally condensed through a Knight''s training to Advanced levels, couldn''t be improved further through self-practice.


    In other words, the recipient''s limit would be locked between the levels of Intermediate and Advanced Knight, which is why it wasn''t highly valued.


    After all, Intermediate and even Advanced Knights were commonplace in this world. Any guard in the city was at least a Basic Level Knight, and their captains were at least Advanced Knights.


    In places like West City, the captains of the City Guards were even Great Knights.


    The strength of a Knight always stemmed from their physique, and the human body had its limits¡­


    How could the flesh and blood of humans contend against extraordinary witchcraft?


    Take, for example, witchcraft like "Mind Shock" that specifically countered Knights; even if it hit a Great Knight several times, they could only die resentfully on the spot!


    ¡­Only Great Knights could earn a Wizard''s respect and only they could extend their lifespan to 150 years.


    But Colin had never heard of a transformation technique that could directly turn an ordinary person into a Great Knight¡­ S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, what he valued most was the Blood Pattern Transformation Technique''s ability to enhance blood energy.


    Blood energy was the source of a Knight''s strength, the condensed life force!


    And fortuitously, his Talent, Middle Strong Life, also originated from life force!


    If he could manage to break the limits of the Blood Pattern Transformation Technique using the Golden Paper¡­ it might bring him some unexpected surprises!


    But to break the limits, he first needed to practice it to its limits.


    After continuously practicing for a month, Colin had advanced it to 67/100. His subjects, besides Arthur and Renee, were mostly small animals like rabbits.


    With the enhancements from the Golden Paper, although practicing with animals like rabbits did bring some progress, it was minimal.


    The progress he accumulated over the past month, half of it was from transforming Arthur and Renee.


    Arthur was the first to be transformed; at that time, his progress had just reached 25/100. After the transformation, it jumped to 40/100. Later, he transformed Renee.


    Perhaps because Renee''s blood patterns were not as random as Arthur''s, being a meticulous rose shape, the progress of the Blood Pattern Transformation Skill shot up directly to 59/100.


    To speed up progress, he initially planned to transform Demi as well.


    However, since Demi was just a child, to be cautious, he continued practicing on rabbits for a while until now, when his progress reached 67/100. Feeling confident, he began the transformation.


    "Don''t be scared, your sister is right here," Renee said, holding Demi''s hand gently to comfort her.


    "Sister, I''m not scared," Demi sat on the stool, looked up seriously at Renee standing to her left, thought for a moment, and then asked, "After the transformation, will I become as powerful as you?"


    "Yes, you will become very powerful, able to lift such a big stone!" Renee spread her arms wide, describing exaggeratedly.


    Well, it wasn''t really an exaggeration, but given Demi''s age, such strength might take a few years to develop.


    "Okay!" Demi nodded vigorously, her soft blonde hair swaying, and she turned to Colin urging, "Master, please transform Demi now, Demi also wants to be strong like sister!"


    Renee''s eyes also held expectation.


    She knew the limitations of the Blood Pattern Transformation Technique. Yet, for them, such extraordinary power was¡­ immensely precious.


    Colin''s expression remained calm, as he picked up the long metal pen to start the transformation. But before beginning, he paused and asked:


    "Demi, what kind of pattern would you like?"


    Demi chewed on her finger, pondering for a while before finally deciding:


    "I want a little bear, can I, Master? Just like my favorite little bear."


    "Sure," Colin picked up the long brush and began the transformation.


    Over an hour later, the transformation was complete.


    Demi got her wish¡ªshe now sported a blood-colored little bear tattoo. Because the bear was rather large, its location differed from Renee''s collarbone; it was on her left shoulder blade.


    The Blood Pattern Transformation Skill didn''t have strict requirements for the engraving location, as long as it wasn''t on the limbs or the head.


    After transforming Demi, she had fallen into a deep sleep.


    In the following period, her appetite would increase significantly until she crystallized the Life Seed.


    Colin instructed Renee to take Demi to rest, then he opened the Golden Paper.


    At this point, the progress of the Blood Pattern Transformation Skill had reached 89/100, a boost of 22 points!


    "Transforming Arthur gained 15 points, transforming Renee 19 points, transforming Demi 22 points." He couldn''t help but ponder.


    The transformations were the same, but the increases in scores got progressively larger... Clearly, it was because the blood patterns engraved later were more complex.


    It seemed just a change of the blood pattern shape, but it wasn''t as simple as imagined; it involved more complex designs of energy circuits.


    In that case¡­


    Colin''s eyes flashed, and a conjecture emerged in his mind¡ª


    "Could it be that the complexity of practice affects the speed of progress?"


    As previously stated, the witchcraft tome provided a standard template. At the beginning of practice, since one was new to witchcraft, all followed this template for casting practices.


    Later, as the progress increased and mastery of witchcraft became more familiar, it was possible to step out of the template.


    However, for Colin, apart from simulated battle trials, he would experiment with various variations and applications of witchcraft.


    During practice, what he used most was still the standard template from the beginning.


    After all, the practice recognized by the Golden Paper required full effort.


    Of course, full effort could be applied while satisfying complex variations.


    But undoubtedly, it was more troublesome; it was like having to punch with full force while making your arm make several fancy twists¡ªnot impossible, but undeniably more laborious.


    This also led him to primarily practice casting using the standard template.


    "Could the complexity of practice really contribute to faster progress?"


    To verify this idea, Colin moved his thoughts and raised his right hand.


    Whoosh!


    A fireball suddenly appeared in his palm, hovering imperceptibly for a moment before shooting towards a nearby ironwood target!


    Whoosh!


    However, this time was different¡ªthe fireball did not explode upon contact with the ironwood target, but instead spread quickly like a gentle breeze, enveloping the entire target and transforming it into a giant torch!


    The emanating orange-yellow glow brightened the entire basement.


    He repeated this practice until noon, then Colin looked at the Golden Paper again.


    Before practicing, he had checked the progress of the Limit Breaking Fireball Skill, which was 16/100.


    And now, unless he was seeing incorrectly,


    The advancement on the Golden Paper showed that the Limit Breaking Fireball Skill had changed to 17/100!


    Increasing the complexity of practice was indeed effective!


    A look of joy appeared on Colin''s face, but he soon furrowed his brows slightly.


    "Under complex practice, the progress is faster indeed. Yet more complex practice itself takes more time and effort compared to mechanical practice¡­


    However, in terms of overall efficiency, complex practice is still more effective than mechanical practice!"


    He looked at the rows of characters on the Golden Paper, feeling invigorated!


    "It seems the rate at which I advance my skills can be significantly increased¡­"

 Chapter 72 - 72: The Caravan Arrives

    The sun hanging high in the sky emitted passionate rays.


    It was already the afternoon.


    After lunch, Colin took a carriage to the eastern seaside of the city.


    He was almost there now.


    The salty sea breeze passed through the round window of the carriage, stirring the curtains and bringing a hint of coolness inside.


    Colin lifted the curtain in response and looked into the distance.


    A captivating shimmer of blue was the first to catch his eye.


    This was the docking harbor for the entire island, crescent-shaped overall, with several wooden docks of various lengths extending from the golden sand.


    At the end of the docks, white seabirds circled regularly, occasionally emitting sharp calls.


    The sunlight sprinkled bright patches on the blue sea surface, and these patches became more noticeable especially during the sunset and brilliant sunrise, like dazzling gold foil on a blue gemstone.


    The carriage stopped on the beach, and Colin alighted.


    By this time, quite a few people had gathered here, the majority of whom were wizards, with the remaining being their followers.


    This group appeared to be congregating together but was distinctly divided into different circles.


    Colin easily found the circle belonging to the School and the Patrol Department.


    To avoid standing out too much, he joined the circle of the School.


    "Colin, you''re here too?"


    As soon as he approached, someone greeted him.


    Looking toward the voice, it was Luke, who was standing with several wizards from the Patrol Department.


    "Yes, after all, it''s the first time I''m truly welcoming the merchants, thought I''d come early," Colin replied.


    The merchant caravan would pass by Blackstone Island about once every six months.


    But before this, perhaps due to financial constraints or a sense of pride from unknown origins, the previous owner had never really interacted with the caravan, always just watching from afar.


    "The logistics folk from the School are also here, according to them, the caravan should arrive here around 4 PM," Luke then revealed to Colin.


    This time was known through a token left by the caravan.


    ''Four o''clock, eh.'' Colin nodded.


    It was already past three o''clock now, so it wouldn''t be a long wait.


    At that moment, a beige carriage suddenly arrived.


    Just by seeing the familiar chestnut-red horse and the beige carriage with gilded decorations, Colin knew who it was.


    Regina stepped down from the carriage.


    But her expression was not as gentle as usual and slightly cold, her complexion also inexplicably pale. The black cat named Maggie, always by her side, was also nowhere to be seen¡­


    "Lady Regina," the nearby Luke stepped forward and respectfully greeted.


    It was then that Colin noticed a triangular badge pinned on the front of Regina''s black wizard robe¡­ it was a brilliant gold.


    "Lady Regina," led by Luke, the crowd gathered by the School also bowed their heads and respectfully greeted.


    Colin naturally followed everyone and offered his greeting as well.


    Regina''s expression remained cold, without any response.


    ''Could it be that something went wrong with her advancement¡­ even Maggie is missing.'' Colin watched her somewhat pale face and couldn''t help but speculate.


    Advancing to an Advanced Apprentice symbolized the complete dispersion of the fog of the spirit. The tainted babbling floating in the world would come into direct contact with one''s spirit, distorting knowledge and bringing various consequences.


    Only by preserving one''s humanity and thoroughly understanding knowledge could one alleviate or even eliminate these consequences.


    Thus, advancing to an Advanced Apprentice was not simply a matter of accumulating enough Magic Power. It usually also required making sure one had a deep understanding of the Meditation Method!


    But for ordinary Wizards, the level of knowledge mastery was hard to quantify, and it was even harder to ensure a thorough understanding of all aspects of knowledge.


    It''s like knowing how to cook, but it''s difficult to precisely measure whether you have mastered cooking, and even more difficult to guarantee that you understand every aspect of cooking thoroughly.


    This was why, as training progressed, less importance was placed on a Wizard''s Magic Power Affinity and talent was deemed better for those from Schools than for Wild Wizards!


    A Wizard''s talent was never just about Magic Power Affinity, which was only half of it; the other half of a Wizard''s talent was always their ability to learn knowledge!


    "Speaking of which, I''ve reached 81/100 in the Circulation Meditation, perhaps I could break the limit again soon¡­ By then, I would not be far from being an Advanced Wizard," Colin''s eyes twinkled.


    "Unlike others, with the Golden Paper, I can directly perceive the current progress of mastering the knowledge, whether I have fully mastered it, whether I have reached the limit¡­"


    "Thus, perhaps I could use the Golden Paper''s prompt to choose to break through at the limit of the Meditation Method, when I fully comprehend it¡­ Maybe this could avoid the consequences!"


    Thinking this, Colin suddenly wondered, "¡­what should I be aware of when advancing to an Official Wizard?"


    He tried to search through his memories but had no impression of this matter.


    "The instructors from the School haven''t taught anything about this¡­ perhaps because they are only Advanced Wizard Apprentices?"


    Though becoming an Official Wizard was still far off for him, it was always good to be prepared.


    Logically, as a member of the School, he should seek such knowledge from someone like Berkeley, a peak Apprentice, or even directly from Wizard Lap.


    But his advancement was too rapid; it wasn''t appropriate to go to the School so early.


    The Wizards of this world were not solely seekers of truth. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Here, the first rule Wizards learned was¡ªdo not overly pursue knowledge!


    The only parallel rule was¡ªmaintain humanity!


    Most Wizards in this world pursued power, longevity¡­ or like him, a measure of peace, a measure of power to control their own destiny!


    "Based on my current pace, I might need this knowledge in a few years... but to break through from Basic Level to Official Wizard in just a few years¡­" Colin sighed inwardly,


    He lifted his head, gazed at the vast sea, and then squinted slightly,


    "Perhaps this knowledge could be found among the merchant fleets¡­"


    Time slowly passed, and with Regina''s arrival, numerous Advanced Wizard Apprentices from the School also started to arrive.


    A while later,


    On the right side of the Sea Domain, several dark spots gradually appeared, faintly distinguishable as a dozen gray-black ship silhouettes.


    Before long, almost in the blink of an eye, those gray-black ships approached.


    It was at this moment that Colin finally realized the enormity of these vessels.


    The ships formed an entire fleet, led by three main, largest ships followed by twelve slightly smaller ones.


    The largest main ship, by his estimation, was at least twenty to thirty meters wide and over a hundred meters long! The slightly smaller ships were also dozens of meters in width and sixty to seventy meters in length!


    And they seemed to be ironclad ships, a combination of witchcraft and steam, not wooden ships!


    Although they could not compare to the gigantic ocean freighters of his previous world, which easily measured hundreds of meters, the enormous presence of these ships when they neared was still somewhat intimidating.


    Woo¡ª!


    The steam whistle of the large ship boomed!


    The sound, long and loud, drowned out the Wizards'' ongoing chatter and captivated their attention.


    Watching the gradually halting fleet,


    Colin, for some reason, suddenly felt a surge of anticipation¡­

 Chapter 73 - 73: Three Rivers Remarks

    Adhering to tradition, having ranked on Sanjiang, I naturally have some feelings to express, though I know this tradition has dwindled over the years...


    But after all, this is my first book, and for a new author like me, it is indeed a rare experience, one I would have regretted missing.


    So I also ask everyone to bear with my long-windedness.


    ...


    First of all, thank you! Thank you all for your constant support! Without you, there wouldn''t be the achievements of today!


    Also, I want to thank my duty editor Transparent and chief editor Shui Mo for giving a newcomer like me a chance to sign a contract.


    If I hadn''t signed, this book wouldn''t have come this far, let alone meet you all.


    ... Those are my feelings on Sanjiang. Although brief, they are truly heartfelt!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Additionally...


    Actually, I do have a lot to share.


    Like, why I write novels and what feelings a new author had after writing for more than a month... and so on and so forth.


    But I am indeed a person who believes "silence is golden," so I won''t elaborate further.


    ...


    ...


    ...


    ...


    Really, that''s it!


    But since you''ve turned to this page, why not cast a couple of votes?


    Monthly tickets, recommendation tickets, rewards¡ªI welcome them all (desperate face) S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    *


    *


    *


    *


    *


    *


    I know there are still some readers who might be curious, so after much thought, I decided to mention it.


    What follows are purely my personal views on the current state of online literature, those who dislike may kindly criticize lightly, and those not interested may skip this part.


    ...


    ...


    ...


    ...


    Alright, I''ll start speaking.


    Three months ago, I was just like all of you, a reader.


    The motivation to write came from those books updated so passionately but then abruptly abandoned.


    The direct trigger was a book last year called "My Sword Thirsts for Blood." Just mentioning the title might be a bit vague, let me throw in a few keywords: Urban background, sword-fighting, travel between two realms, Western fantasy monsters, unusual body temperatures, blood-thirst...


    This book went live and not long after, with an average order of 3248 and a high order of 4434, it unexpectedly entered the palace...


    Like this, there are many books. I could list examples at will, some with good performance, some with bad. Like earlier, I was following one about ''Paperman,'' where the protagonist is the son of a coffin shop owner who played with paper dolls every day, but later received a Cultivation Secret Manual from a Taoist, and now the novel is almost undead, practically abandoned.


    With this curiosity about why these books were abandoned, I started writing this unusual Wizard World in March.


    Then, my questions were answered.


    What does this mean?


    At this moment, my book has a total of 17,222 favorites, the backend shows a total of 1,132 comments, and roughly estimating, there are probably no more than 500 people commenting.


    What does this imply?


    The silent majority who read my book, I can''t see them.


    It''s the same situation for other authors and for other new authors like me.


    In such circumstances, even a single nonsensical critical comment in the reader circle can be a huge pressure... even though other tens of thousands of readers might not mind.


    It''s tough for new authors to ignore these.


    As for me, I have a good mindset about this, mainly because my main job also faces the market and the audience.


    I accept well-founded comments with an open mind, and I permanently delete mindless attacks.


    However, other novice authors might not have the same good mindset and may not endure this pressure.


    Thus they perish before they have a chance to grow...


    "Perhaps if the environment were a little more lenient, just a little, giving them time to grow, allowing them to persist, the next book might bring us more joy..." This thought often crosses my mind.


    Besides,


    In today''s environment, writing online literature is truly a dead-end for most.


    Apart from top-tier authors and a limited few at level 5, how many can support their families by writing online? It''s known that writing online isn''t as stable as other jobs. A book might generate some income for a year or two, but nobody can guarantee that the next book will make money.


    Are there cases where a book earns someone a decade or even dozens of years'' worth of money?


    Of course, there are, but how many?


    Are there those who write solely for the passion?


    There certainly are! But in the end, they are the minority.


    Moreover, I still say, writing is like cooking¡ªchefs who cook purely out of love are not really chefs, but just cooking enthusiasts. They satisfy only their own tastes, and most customers may not like it.


    To last long, to see more guests and readers enjoy the dishes in the market, working purely out of love doesn''t cut it¡ªwe need to turn these cooking enthusiasts into chefs!


    The plate of online literature isn''t small, how can so many readers not sustain these novels, not sustain these authors?


    Though I''m reluctant to admit and it sounds harsh, that is indeed the logic.


    ...There are simply too few paying readers.


    Most authors can''t touch the elusive rights; they live off these subscriptions.


    I used to read pirated versions too, and I understand.


    But later, I suddenly realized, I might buy a snack every day, spending at least a few bucks. But online literature? I spend a lot of time daily, receiving a lot of joy from it.


    Why, when I read novels for at least two hours every day, possibly more time than I spend eating...


    Why can''t I bear to spend even a few cents a day on this author, on this book?


    Rice feeds my body, and while online literature may not be my spiritual nourishment, it''s a hobby, a source of joy for me.


    In fact, I''ve done some calculations.


    Even if I''m reading twenty novels with daily updates of over a thousand words, the money spent in a day is only about 10 yuan.


    [It looks like a lot, but I don''t subscribe to everything, I only occasionally support my favorite authors with a few cents or a yuan a day, which I believe I can afford.]


    [But I didn''t, I still couldn''t bear to. Perhaps because pirated versions are available, perhaps because I read too many books every day, and it seemed too much to spend money on all, so I ended up not spending on any¡­]


    One could think and act this way, and I used to do the same.


    But,


    One thing I''ve come to understand very clearly is


    that since I''ve done this, then I have no right to complain¡ª


    Why there are fewer and fewer books I can keep reading, and why the books I like suddenly stop in the middle...


    ...


    In the cold night, the fire blazes.


    If you don''t add wood, and I don''t add wood, you expect him to add, and I expect you to add.


    As the fire dwindles,


    then don''t complain about the biting cold.


    ¡ª


    The above are some grumbles, some reflections that naturally arise from a reader turning into an author, just some insights on the current state.


    I mean not to blame anyone, nor to complain about anything.


    It''s not about moral obligation, just some understandings of the situation.


    I hesitated a long time before posting this¡­


    Yet, I think I should also have the right to express some of my views, right?


    Lastly,


    I hope everyone enjoys reading my book!


    As a newcomer, I indeed have many shortcomings.


    I am also deeply touched by your great support.


    I know I can only live up to this support and love by continuously striving to improve myself and humbly accepting all kinds of rational criticism, by creating better stories!


    Thank you, everyone!

 Chapter 74 - 73: Ship Market

    The giant ships slowly docked at the harbor to the east of the city.


    It was thanks to the docks that extended deep enough into the sea, or else, to board these behemoths we might have needed to take additional smaller boats.


    Whoosh!


    While Colin was silently observing the giant ships near the docks, a blaze of flame suddenly erupted from the mountain peak behind him!


    In the blink of an eye, it reached before the giant ship.


    The blaze dissipated, revealing the back of a wizard in a gray robe, floating in front of the figurehead at the bow of the central ship in the fleet.


    It was Wizard Lap!


    Two figures, who also seemed to be Official Wizards, flew out from the main ship, and together they welcomed Wizard Lap aboard the giant ship.


    Then, all of a sudden, a voice emanated from the figurehead of the main ship, styled like a young ball-carrying maiden:


    "Cough cough, dear wizard friends from Blackstone Island, we are the Black Pearl Trading Company!"


    "Our ships will remain in the island''s harbor for seven days, during which time, we welcome everyone to come and shop in the Ship Market!"


    "Knowledge, materials, slaves¡­ You can buy everything you want here!"


    With these words, figures began bustling about on the armored ships, and soon after, enormous chain ladders were placed between the ships to secure and connect them.


    "It''s all thanks to Teacher Lap¡­ Sixty years ago, these trading fleets didn''t look like this," Luke remarked nostalgically. Though he had not experienced it himself, what he had heard was enough to stir sentiment.


    Sixty years earlier, before Wizard Lap had come to the island, the island''s Blackstone Family only had deceased Official Wizards.


    Back then, these trading fleets were not so courteous.


    Trade only happened between parties of equal standing.


    In some places, these trading fleets were also known as pirates!


    Colin remained silent. After all, the serene life that they, the weak, were now enjoying was wholly dependent on the shelter and order that Wizard Lap had established on the island.


    Click, click, click.


    At that moment, from the giant ship nearest to the docks, the sound of mechanical gears clashing filled the air, and the next second, a gray-black steel staircase on its side lifted and accurately aligned with the dock.


    The steel staircase was roughly five or six meters wide with railings on both sides, akin to the boarding stairs of an airplane from his previous life.


    Without a doubt, this was the entrance to the Ship Market.


    Colin stepped forward, intending to go to the market, only to have his sleeve tugged by Luke.


    "Let the adults go first." Luke gave an imperceptible reminder, hinting with his eyes for Colin to notice Regina and the other Advanced Wizard Apprentices nearby.


    Colin''s footsteps paused briefly.


    Only after Regina and the other Advanced Wizard Apprentices had passed by did he and the others continue to move forward.


    Stepping onto the steel staircase, it appeared shaky and fragile, but felt surprisingly stable underfoot¡­ surely reinforced by witchcraft.


    The steps produced a dull and sturdy thud as they were trodden upon.


    The staircase was not short. The Advanced Wizard Apprentices had already flown up, leaving only those like himself, the Intermediate Wizard Apprentices, and a few Basic Level Wizard Apprentices who had been brought along to gain experience, as well as the recently Advanced Regina, who were still climbing.


    Before long, Colin finally finished the climb and stepped onto the deck.


    The sight that met his eyes was a grey-black expanse with neither masts nor sails, only three enormous chimneys jutting out like spines, with wisps of light grey smoke slowly rising from within.


    In the bridge superstructure in the middle of the ship, several crew members dressed as sailors were moving things onto the deck in succession, apparently preparing to set up stalls.


    "The stalls out here don''t have much of interest," Luke said, looking back over his shoulder at Colin as he expertly led the group toward the nearby bridge. He continued to explain:


    "The Black Pearl Trading Company consists of fifteen ships. When docked at Blackstone Island, the main ones open to us include this flagship and four auxiliary vessels beside it."


    "During this week, the decks of these five ships will be filled with stalls, usually without anything noteworthy, but it''s still possible to have a look and see what you can find."


    "The real ship market is actually hidden on the first deck below, which is just like Wizard Alley on the island, with all sorts of shops."


    Colin nodded, recognizing that these details were obviously intended for his ears, being his first time here.


    It had to be said that while Luke might be smooth and worldly, he knew just how to strike the right balance without becoming tiresome.


    Following Luke down the narrow stairs to the deck below, the din reached their ears even before they fully descended to the next layer.


    A few more steps and they were faced with a grey corridor that could be considered spacious aboard a ship.


    The corridor was wide enough for four people to walk side by side, with identical cabins on both sides. Each cabin''s door was very narrow and, despite being open, it was difficult to discern the specific type of shop from outside.


    Fortunately, each shop had a sign hung on the wall outside, which saved some trouble.


    "I''m going to buy a few Great Knight slaves. Anyone else want to go to the slave area? We can head there together," Luke asked, turning back.


    "I''m going."


    "Anyone going to buy bloodline materials?"


    "What about witch tools?"


    The members of the School talked among themselves, forming into groups and departing.


    "Colin, if you haven''t decided what to buy, want to go check out the slave section?" Luke said, noticing Colin still standing in place, calling out to him before leaving.


    Colin shook his head with a smile: "I plan to wander around on my own first."


    "Well..." Luke nodded, paused for a moment, and then lowered his voice, "On the ship, it''s generally best to avoid conflicts with the wizards from the Black Pearl Trading Company as much as possible."


    "Of course, if they''re only Basic Level Wizards, then there''s no need to be polite. But with Intermediate ones, you need to gauge your strength, and be mindful if they have companions..."


    "As for those above Intermediate..." he patted Colin on the shoulder, "You don''t need me to say more, right?"


    Colin nodded. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    On the island, the Lap School was the undisputed ruler, and their Apprentices, while not necessarily able to throw their weight around on a daily basis, effectively had little difference.


    But on the ship, it was no longer the School''s territory, and the power of the Black Pearl Trading Company was clearly not inferior to the School, necessitating caution in this new setting.


    Of course, having a Lap Wizard around meant they didn''t need to be overly cautious; they just needed to be aware. After all, if a conflict occurred, as long as it didn''t escalate too far, neither an Official Wizard from the Black Pearl Trading Company nor a Lap Wizard would likely care.


    In such instances, if trouble came knocking, it would all come down to personal strength. This was also why most, like Luke, chose to stick together.


    While the deck below seemed to only have this single, long corridor, it was actually riddled with many branches, extending in all directions. In the blink of an eye, Luke and the others disappeared from view, leaving only Colin at the entrance.


    But he wasn''t worried about losing his way.


    In a wooden box to the right of the entrance, a stack of printed black and white maps of the lower deck were neatly placed, with detailed annotations for the primary goods and locations of the different area shops.


    Suppressing his curiosity to explore around first, Colin took a map from the box, searching for shops that purchased Magic Crystals.


    He wanted to exchange his Bright Crystal for Magic Stones first!

 Chapter 75 - 74 Selling Bright Crystal

    Guided by the map, Colin walked down the hallway, turned at the second intersection, and arrived at a store in the far left area that specialized in the purchase of Magic Crystals.


    The store was quite crowded, resembling a warehouse more than a storefront, and it was very quiet... S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But the quietness was normal since Wizards came to the ship market to buy things they couldn''t usually find.


    And for Magic Crystals, there were places to sell them on the island.


    "This shop purchases Magic Crystals, it does not sell them," said the shopkeeper, who was half-lying behind the counter, as Colin walked in.


    Having been to Blackstone Island many times, the shopkeeper knew that no one would come aboard to sell Magic Crystals... This Wizard in the gray robe must have walked into the wrong place.


    Colin remained silent, took the large bag slung over his shoulder down, and placed it on the counter, then opened it with his hands.


    Whoosh¡ª


    Nearly a thousand Bright Crystals that had been accumulated over a month spilled out, scattering across the counter and reflecting light.


    Although their combined value was only about 90 Magic Stones, when they were all together, they were quite a spectacle.


    The shopkeeper, who had seen much in his time, wasn''t overly shocked, but he did raise his eyebrows slightly. Standing up, he approached Colin.


    "Are these all Bright Crystals?" he asked, picking up a white Bright Crystal.


    "Yes, there are nine hundred in total."


    The shopkeeper nodded slightly, pulled out a large flat tray, and poured all the Bright Crystals from the counter into it, spreading them out and bending over to inspect them.


    Just one minute later, he looked up, removed the monocle from his left eye, and said to Colin,


    "Hmm, yes, nine hundred exactly. The quality is quite good...they''re definitely First Class."


    "I can offer you a total of..." He glanced at the young Colin and suddenly had a thought, pausing for a moment before changing his question, "Did you make these Bright Crystals yourself?"


    Colin sized up the shopkeeper briefly and then replied without betraying any emotion,


    "I made them."


    The shopkeeper smiled and explained, "I was just curious... For these Bright Crystals, I can give you a total of ninety-nine Magic Stones."


    Ninety-nine Magic Stones¡ªthis was nine more than he would get if he sold them on the island.


    But Colin wasn''t in a hurry to be pleased, and he asked in a deep voice, "And the condition?"


    The shopkeeper maintained his amiable smile and continued, "There''s no actual condition, just a verbal agreement that benefits us both."


    "What I need, is for you to save up all the Magic Crystals you make each year, and then sell them to me when the trading company arrives. I''ll purchase them all at this price."


    He didn''t wait for Colin to respond before adding,


    "I understand Blackstone Island; if it hasn''t changed much in the last half-year, these 900 Bright Crystals could only sell for 90 Magic Stones there, which is 9 less than what I''m offering.


    Moreover, I think... if you didn''t choose to sell them on the island, there must be a reason..."


    A chill went through Colin''s heart, and he grew wary as he watched the shopkeeper''s smiling demeanor. In this world, it seemed none who became Wizards were to be taken lightly.


    However, he had anticipated this and wasn''t too surprised. After all, the shopkeeper could only guess so much.


    "Whether it''s being underpriced upon purchase or being refused purchase, there''s always a reason you came to sell on board," the shopkeeper added. "But I don''t care for those reasons. I''m willing to spend ninety-nine Magic Stones on your Bright Crystals because in some places, I can add a zero to that!"


    "So don''t think I have ulterior motives. Although you''re just one person, every little bit counts... and don''t doubt it, while Bright Crystals are common, there happen to be some places that lack Crystal Mines and especially need light, so a tenfold price increase isn''t an exaggeration!"


    The shopkeeper paused at this point, somewhat proudly adding,


    "The allure of long-haul trade lies right here!"


    After finishing, he looked at Colin with an open expression.


    He truly had no other intentions; it was just a casual remark. For a businessman like him, the fear wasn''t of having too many paths to take, but too few¡ªhe would never limit his own options...


    "Deal," Colin said solemnly.


    The shopkeeper''s face lit up with a practiced smile as he stowed the Bright Crystal away and counted out one hundred Magic Stones to give to Colin.


    "An extra Magic Stone to round off the sum, consider it a good start for our first transaction," he said cheerily.


    Colin took the Magic Stones, feeling a sense of lightness in his heart, and casually replied, "I wish you a hugely profitable voyage."


    "Thank you," the shopkeeper replied with a smile, then added, "You don''t need to be too envious..."


    Colin paused but didn''t say anything, simply walking quickly towards the exit.


    However, the shopkeeper called out to him again.


    Perhaps the loneliness from long sea voyages made one crave companionship, or maybe he felt the need to bond with a new business partner.


    In any case, the shopkeeper seemed to have opened Pandora''s box, and went on to chat about this and that.


    At first, Colin was impatient. But within the shopkeeper''s rambling, he indeed shared many experiences and observations from his sea voyages.


    These were all pieces of knowledge Colin lacked, so eventually, he even took the initiative to converse with the shopkeeper, steering the conversation towards subjects that interested him.


    "...If you want to become a merchant like me, it''s quite simple. I know the manager of the Black Pearl Trading Company, and for thirty thousand Magic Stones, you could have a title with the company. Then, with an additional five thousand Magic Stones for voyage fees, you can have a storage space aboard the ship like mine..."


    Colin patiently chatted with him for a long while before standing up to take his leave.


    Stepping out of the store, he went to a corner to unfold the deck''s map and pinpoint his location before setting off briskly.


    It was already getting late when he arrived, and he had spent quite some time talking with the owner of the Magic Crystal Store, so it was almost 6 o''clock, and nightfall was approaching.


    With the setting of the sun, the ship market would close, or rather, the entire fleet would shut down to protect against the weird and terrifying creatures and spirits lurking in the sea''s darkness.


    So, he needed to hurry!


    Before long, Colin arrived at the very center of the deck. Before him stood a special cabin that was clearly several sizes larger than the other cabins, and on the outer wall near the door was written "Black Pearl Bookstore" in bold letters.


    He had come to achieve his second objective¡ªto acquire the knowledge needed to advance to Official Wizard!


    It was never too early to be prepared... However, he wasn''t sure whether his current Magic Stones could actually buy the necessary knowledge.


    He entered the store and, without any need for secrecy, directly asked the clerk, "Excuse me, do you have any knowledge related to advancing to Official Wizard?"


    Hearing his question, the clerk visibly paused, but without overthinking, he became more respectful in his demeanor. After all, they had encountered Wild Wizards on many islands purchasing this type of knowledge.


    For Wild Wizards, lacking systematic knowledge and not knowing the way forward was normal.


    Apparently, the grey-robed Wizard before him was in the same situation.


    "Yes, we do," the clerk replied. "Do you need the complete set of advancement knowledge, or just an overview of becoming an Official Wizard?"


    "What is the difference between the two?" Colin pondered for a moment before asking calmly.


    Today he was dressed in the simplest of grey robes, the badge of his School already removed from his chest. Earlier, he had scoped out the area to ensure there were no apprentices from other islands in the store before he walked in.


    "The full set of advancement knowledge includes Meditation Method, etcetera, while the overview simply offers a general summary and description of becoming an Official Wizard.


    You can think of it this way: the former is a detailed and specific collection of all the knowledge an Official Wizard needs to know, while the latter is a summative description of the process most Official Wizards go through."


    Colin nodded, touching the bulging purse in his pocket, then asked, "How much do the two cost in Magic Stones?"


    "The full set of advancement knowledge is fifty thousand Magic Stones, while the overview is three hundred and fifty Magic Stones," the clerk answered amiably.

 Chapter 76 - 75: Consecutive Breakthroughs (4.7k)

    Tap, tap, tap~


    The hooves clacked crisply against the hard ground as the pitch-black horse pulled the equally black carriage towards the city.


    Behind it stretched the boundless sea; through the gaps between the enormous ships docked at the pier, at the distant junction between blues, a sliver of orange-red light was sinking. Beside it, light wisps of clouds still floated above the sea surface, engaging in their final silent burn.


    Night was about to fall.


    Clack, clack, clack~


    The sound of mechanical gears colliding came from the pier as the gray-black gangplank folded back like a bird retracting its wings.


    Inside the carriage, Colin sighed imperceptibly.


    He didn''t mind the embarrassment of having to slink out of the shop due to lack of money; after all, being broke wasn''t shameful, and the shop assistants had been polite from start to finish.


    But the knowledge to advance to an Official Wizard was right before his eyes, yet as remote as the horizon... It was indeed frustrating.


    "It''s not urgent; after all, I am not even an Advanced Wizard Apprentice yet," he tried to console himself.


    Soon after returning to his home on Palm Street and having dinner, Colin began his usual practice.


    He went down to the basement and started with the Sunlight Breathing Technique.


    His Knight Level had reached [Great Knight (99/100)], only a little bit away from breaking through to Ultimate Knight!


    Maintaining a steady breathing rhythm, he meticulously performed the movements of the Sunlight Breathing Technique, which now in its second iteration of Limit Breaking was drastically different from its original form.


    The muscles that usually didn''t show off were now rippling under the stimulation of the Breathing Skill, pulsating like knotted tree roots!


    Before long, beads of sweat emerged from his upper body¡ªfirst on his forehead, then the tip of his nose, the nape of his neck, his back... His black cotton shirt was soon soaked through.


    Time passed, he didn''t know how long, or how many repetitions he had done.


    At one moment, Colin suddenly felt a certain "blockage" burst open!


    It wasn''t as grandiose as when he broke through to Great Knight¡ªthis body transformation was completed in an instant, in a feeling akin to an electric shock!


    As if the scene paused, his movements abruptly stopped.


    Under the force of inertia, a glistening droplet of sweat from his nose was flung forward into the air.


    The world seemed to slow down, he felt his breathing decelerate.


    And that droplet of sweat moved sluggishly through the air like a snail, its trajectory visible.


    Colin instinctively reached to catch the sparkling droplet, and as soon as he thought it, his body responded without delay!


    Whoosh!


    He actually caught the droplet in his hand, leaving a moist trace on his palm!


    Colin''s face showed a mixture of shock. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Under normal circumstances, even as a Great Knight, he shouldn''t have been able to catch that droplet. It was related not only to his speed but also to his reaction time!


    The droplet would fall in a parabola under gravity. For less than two meters, it would take only a fraction of a second¡ªa few hundred milliseconds¡ªto hit the ground.


    A normal untrained person''s reaction time usually ranged between two hundred to three hundred milliseconds; some exceptionally talented individuals, after training, could improve that to one hundred to two hundred milliseconds.


    But that was about it!


    Being a Great Knight, his reaction time was also within the range of hundred to two hundred milliseconds, a limitation of the human body.


    A complete motion process starts from sensory inputs like sight, sound, and touch transmitting stimuli to the brain, which then sends signals through the nervous system to muscles, causing them to react.


    This time is commonly acknowledged as reaction time!


    It involves stimuli being transmitted to the brain and then the brain sending signals to muscles, the two major parts.


    However, these signals depend on the nervous system, and the speed of the reactions is typically determined by how fast these signals are transmitted by the nervous system!


    And the nervous system... is hard to alter after birth.


    This means that by the time a normal person reacts, the droplet has already fallen a significant distance, making it difficult to catch.


    Although he knew that with the Sunlight Breathing Technique and its second limit-breaking under the influence of the Golden Paper, the Knight System had veered into an unheard realm,


    and that advancing into this realm would greatly enhance his reaction time,


    he hadn''t expected the effect to be so immediate!


    "Perhaps with the help of the Golden Paper, I could move a few more steps further at the end of the knight''s path..."


    Colin mused inwardly, moving forward, adjusting to his body that felt newly revitalized.


    ¡­


    After a while, the moon hung in the branches.


    Having adjusted to his new level after the breakthrough, Colin left the basement and returned to the master bedroom.


    He quickly took a shower, skipping the bath this time, and then hurried to the Meditation Room.


    It was already late, but he hadn''t yet done his daily meditation!


    Plus, that morning during Demi''s Transformation Technique, he had unexpectedly discovered that complex practices could improve the speed of progress.


    But so far, he had only tested witchcraft and Transformation Technique; he hadn''t tested whether the Meditation Method also worked this way, making him eager to start meditating!


    He entered the Meditation Room, lit the calming incense, sat cross-legged, and easily slipped into a state of meditation.


    This time, however, instead of following the standard path of meditation, he extravagantly took a more roundabout route.

 Chapter 77 - 75: Consecutive Breakthroughs (4.7k)_2

    After breaking through the limit with the Circulation Meditation, he only needed to meditate six hours a day, but this time he intentionally made it complex, substantially reducing the efficiency. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Therefore, it wasn''t until dawn broke and the morning glow faded that he slowly opened his eyes.


    Looking at the pocket watch in his hand. Twelve hours had already passed!


    The time spent wasn''t the point; the key was the progress made in just one Limit Breaking Circulation Meditation!


    He exhaled and the Golden Paper appeared.


    Light golden particles converged, and a sheet of Golden Paper that straddled the line between illusion and reality floated in front of him.


    Colin eagerly looked for the Apprentice Circulation Meditation I section!


    In the next second, an uncontrollable joy spread across his face.


    The progress behind that one Limit Breaking Circulation Meditation had reached 84/100!


    Previously, if he hadn''t misremembered, the progress should have been 81/100! A full 3 points increase!


    An elevation of 3 points in a single meditation session?!


    Colin exhaled gently and shook his head.


    The true progress was slightly over 2 points, after all, it wasn''t exactly 81 before but rather a bit over 81.


    But regardless, if he continued at this pace, he would only need another six to eight days to push the Circulation Meditation to its limit once more!


    Rising to his feet, Colin stretched and mulled over the situation.


    Previously, meditating six hours a day, the rate of advancement for the Limit Breaking Circulation Meditation was about two points every three days, or one point every two days.


    Now he had made the meditation more complex, extending the time to twelve hours, the rate of progress in meditation surged to three points a day, a 3 to 5 times improvement over the previous rate.


    Though it didn''t compare to the dozens of times difference between practicing the Blood Pattern Transformation Skill on rabbits versus humans.


    The rate of advancement was still remarkably impressive!


    He felt as if he was on the verge of grasping the deeper rules behind the Golden Paper.


    "Practice leads to improvement," he murmured while caressing the smooth surface of the metal pocket watch in his hand.


    Casting witchcraft, the complete process involved the spirit mobilizing Magic Power to cast spells.


    Meditation, at its core, was using the spirit to draw Magic Power into the body until reaching the daily limit.


    In common understanding¡ª


    Casting witchcraft: No matter how complex the process or how Magic Power is manipulated, as long as it''s done with full effort, the Magic Power consumed is the same and unchanging. The resulting effects are fundamentally the same as well.


    And meditation: Similarly, no matter how complex the process or how the spirit is used to draw Magic Power into the body, the daily limit doesn''t change; this limit is only related to the Meditation Method and personal aptitude.


    It''s like walking, no matter how complicated the process is, it''s still just walking from A to B.


    But now it seems, the Golden Paper isn''t judging practice simply by the A to B metric as commonly understood, but is instead measuring the entirety of the process more intricately...


    ''In that case...'' Colin pocketed the watch with a faint smile.


    This not only meant that he had found a more efficient way to practice... but also, the greatest constraint limiting his practice had been effortlessly removed!


    The constraint was mainly on meditation.


    Previously, the limit of his daily meditation was only six hours.


    But now, by making meditation more complex and reducing its efficiency, he could extend its duration to twelve hours, or even longer!


    Normally, no sane wizard would do this.


    After all, even though the duration of meditation increased, it came at the cost of efficiency, and the Magic Power gained ultimately remained the same, just with an unnecessary expenditure of energy.


    But for Colin, this method, while not changing the rate of Wizard Rank increase, greatly enhanced the speed of the Circulation Meditation''s advancement.


    And the progress of the Circulation Meditation, especially breaking through limits, would in turn further increase the rate at which his Wizard Rank advanced!


    Thus, unlike for other wizards, this practice that seemed to waste energy was, for him, a shortcut!


    Realizing this, Colin decided to go into seclusion.


    After all, he couldn''t afford the knowledge he sought to advance to an Official Wizard, and he had nothing else he wanted to buy.


    So, it was just as well that he skipped the city''s market!


    ...


    Time flew by, and another five days had passed.


    Today marked the sixth day since the arrival of the Black Pearl Trading Company; the day after tomorrow at dawn, they were set to set sail again.


    In fact, as early as four days ago, the Black Pearl Trading Company had already replenished their long-voyage supplies from the island and were ready to leave.


    On Palm Street, the highest terrain of the wealthy area.


    It was just dawn.


    In the master bedroom of a grey and white two-story villa, Colin opened his eyes in the Meditation Room, and without hesitation, he summoned the Golden Paper.


    Light golden particles gathered.


    On that translucent Golden Paper¡ª


    A dim arrow symbol ¡ü slowly appeared next to the Apprentice Circulation Meditation I!


    This meant he could break through the limit again!


    Colin stood up contentedly, limbering up, a smile he couldn''t suppress played on his lips.


    For four days, he had made the meditation process for the Circulation Meditation as complicated as possible to decrease the efficiency and extend the duration of meditation.


    Initially meditating for 12 hours, but later even 16 to 18 hours became doable; had he not had other matters to attend to, he could have even extended it further.


    And such extensions once again accelerated the progress of the Circulation Meditation; just five days, one day sooner than the minimum six days he had anticipated, he had successfully brought the Circulation Meditation to its limit.

 Chapter 78 - 75: Consecutive Breakthroughs (4.7k)_3

    The purse had already been placed on the small table beside him, Colin gently exhaled and began to convert the Limit Breaking Points.


    On the Golden Paper, characters began to fluctuate following the Limit Breaking Point.


    In an instant, they reached one hundred.


    At the same time, the previously dim ¡ü symbol after the Circulation Meditation now suddenly emanated a circle of purple light.


    Inhale¡ª


    Focusing his mind, Colin softly inhaled, no longer hesitating, and firmly tapped the ¡ü symbol.


    This was accompanied by the influx of countless pieces of knowledge.


    The purple ¡ü symbol after the Circulation Meditation suddenly quivered, then cracked, spreading like ink into water toward the neighboring characters.


    The originally light blue [Apprentice Period Circulation Meditation I (100/100)] was instantly dyed an enchanting purple, its content gradually blurring,


    and finally fixed as¡ª[Apprentice Period Circulation Meditation II (0/100)]!


    Seeing this dazzling and enchanting purple, Colin couldn''t help but feel reinvigorated, the tiredness from the long days of continuous meditation seeming to dissipate a bit.


    But this was just an illusion; after leaving the master bedroom and having breakfast, he went straight to sleep.


    However, he had not slept long when Renee woke him up.


    "You''re saying a guard came to notify me to head to the Patrol Department, saying it was summoned by Captain Flower?"


    Colin got out of bed, uncovering the blankets, with scarcely a trace of drowsiness, as his body was not tired, merely his spirit somewhat weary from the long, dull meditation.


    Having rested briefly, he had already recovered. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes, master," Renee brought him his Wizard Robe, adding, "The guard said that all the wizards at the Patrol Department were summoned."


    Colin nodded, putting on his Wizard Robe and going downstairs.


    Under Renee''s instructions, the Coachman Arthur had already prepared the carriage, waiting for him in the yard.


    But at that moment, the courtyard door was knocked.


    Renee went to open it, and to her surprise, it was Luke.


    "Good morning, Colin," Luke greeted him, observing Colin''s readiness and said, "It seems you also received the guard''s notification."


    "Good morning, Luke," Colin replied, his expression somewhat puzzled, "You''re here to..."


    "I came to ask you to join us on the way to the Patrol Department," Luke volunteered an explanation.


    "Ms. Regina has advanced to an Advanced Wizard Apprentice and has been appointed as the deputy team leader of the Patrol Department by the School, becoming our immediate superior.


    Captain Flower might have summoned all members probably to announce Ms. Regina''s appointment as the deputy leader."


    Colin nodded, his expression still slightly puzzled.


    Luke then chuckled, confessing candidly, "I won''t lie to you, there is indeed something I need from you."


    "Previously, due to some issues, we had some discrepancies with Ms. Regina''s group, and since you had a good relationship with her, I wanted to ask for your help."


    Colin remained impassive, but inwardly he frowned.


    ''This matter... is not easy to handle.''


    "Don''t worry, you won''t be taking any risk," Luke added.


    "After advancing, Ms. Regina hardly pays us any mind, but her former peers, on one hand, bully us by leveraging her influence behind the scenes, and on the other hand, they also obstruct us from meeting Ms. Regina."


    Saying this, Luke sighed.


    He had thought that these apprentices from the mountain patrol team wouldn''t stay down in the valley long, as Blackstone City was still their turf.


    He had also thought that after Regina''s advancement, she wouldn''t hold her position at the Patrol Department anymore but would return to cultivate within the Wizard Territory.


    After all, that''s how the School works: talented apprentices only need to focus on their cultivation, while less gifted ones like them had to handle various miscellaneous tasks.


    But unexpectedly, after her advancement, Regina not only stayed at the Patrol Department but was also appointed as its deputy leader!


    "Of course, we won''t let you go unrewarded," he continued as he looked at Colin, "A hundred Magic Stones! Just to pass a message to Ms. Regina."


    After speaking, he stood silently watching Colin.


    For a moment, the only sounds in the yard were the whispering breeze and the snorting of the nearby black horse.


    After pondering for a long while,


    "Sorry, Luke..."


    Colin still refused Luke.


    The luring figure of a hundred Magic Stones was only an awkward amount to him.


    In the long run, this hundred Magic Stones wouldn''t compare to the profit he''d make from crafting Bright Crystals in a month.


    And in the short term, these hundred Magic Stones weren''t much use to him, neither allowing him to undergo the Middle Strong Life Limit Breaking nor affording him the knowledge to advance to an Official Wizard, which was worth at least three hundred fifty Magic Stones.


    Besides, he didn''t owe Luke any favors.


    He had fully compensated for the Blood Pattern Transformation Skill before.


    Although they were acquaintances, their relationship hadn''t reached a level that would justify taking this risk.


    Furthermore, the information he currently had was solely from Luke''s perspective; he didn''t know what Regina truly thought about the matter, nor the reasons for the conflict between Luke and her group...


    Seeing that Colin hadn''t agreed, Luke sighed but didn''t say much else; instead, he even mustered a smile, reassuring Colin that there was no need to apologize.


    Then, they boarded their respective carriages and headed for the Patrol Department.

 Chapter 79 - 76: Keeping Distance

    Sigh~


    The carriage came to a stop, and Colin and Luke disembarked, exchanged glances, nodded slightly, and walked together toward the entrance of the Patrol Department.


    Pushing open the gate, the large hall with its antique decorations saw many people already seated at the long brown table in the center.


    Upon seeing Luke and Colin enter together, a look of joy couldn''t help but appear on Carrie and the others'' faces.


    Carrie watched Luke approach slowly and asked with an inquiring look, "Did he agree?"


    Luke shook his head and took a seat beside Carrie and the others.


    Colin, however, chose a spot near the corner to sit down.


    "What do you mean?" The joy on Carrie''s face disappeared as she frowned and asked, "Colin didn''t agree?"


    "Luke, what exactly happened?" Joseph couldn''t help but ask with confusion.


    "Colin didn''t agree," Luke shook his head and didn''t elaborate further, simply stating calmly.


    "Didn''t agree?" Joseph was surprised, "But that''s a hundred Magic Stones! Isn''t he tempted at all?"


    Luke remained silent, shaking his head.


    "I really misjudged him!" Carrie''s brows furrowed even tighter as she cursed through clenched teeth, fixing her glare on Luke before continuing, "And you even helped him find the Transformation Technique before... I can''t believe he won''t even do this small favor now!"


    After speaking, she turned her head to stare fiercely at Colin, who was now looking through documents with his head down not far away.


    Feeling her gaze, Colin looked up and saw Luke and the others, understanding their thoughts.


    He didn''t care and continued reading the documents.


    Joseph, who hadn''t initially felt anything was amiss, began to look more and more solemn and somewhat indignant after hearing Carrie''s words.


    ''This Colin, really is no good!''


    But Luke''s brows furrowed slightly, he paused for a moment then said in a low voice,


    "I found the Transformation Technique for him, but only after receiving payment. Colin owes me nothing!"


    Carrie''s expression stalled, then she hastily added, "But you''re at least friends with him, friends help each other with these small matters... Luke, you got him wrong!"


    Luke''s brows furrowed deeply, then relaxed. He turned to calmly look at Carrie and said in a stern voice, "Is that really what you think, Carrie?"


    "I think Carrie has a point, Luke," added Joseph from the side.


    Luke glanced at Carrie, Joseph, and a few other familiar apprentices nearby.


    Some had calm expressions, some were just curious listeners, but most were like Joseph, looking at him with questioning and annoyed eyes.


    "First of all, though my relationship with him is not bad, it''s not particularly good either; we''re not close friends... At best, we''re just acquaintances," Luke explained in an even tone,


    "Secondly, this is not a ''small favor''!


    ¡­If it were a small favor, would you be willing to offer those hundred Magic Stones?"


    "While we might optimistically estimate that Regina the Great might have plenty and not mind us, the truth is we have no idea what Regina really thinks!"


    "Even if Regina doesn''t mind us, would her friends be as generous as she is?


    ¡­How many benefits did we snatch from them in the past?"


    "I don''t need to elaborate on the risks involved, do I?"


    Having said this, Luke added another line:


    "¡­To expect help as an entitlement, and to hold a grudge when it''s not offered..."


    He shook his head and said no more.


    He had said enough. Those who could understand would have understood by now; those who couldn''t, wouldn''t get it no matter how much more he explained...


    Moreover, this was the perfect opportunity to judge who was still worth interacting with!


    Carrie still looked somewhat dissatisfied as if she wanted to retort.


    On the other hand, Joseph''s anger had subsided. He frowned slightly, pondering to himself.


    Tap, tap, tap¡ª


    At that moment, Flower descended the spiral staircase, his large frame causing the stairs to creak.


    Following him was Regina, still with a pale, indifferent complexion, and the black cat that was always by her side was nowhere to be seen.


    "Captain Flower..."


    "Great Lady Regina."


    The crowd greeted respectfully.


    Flower sat down at the head of the long table, with Regina sitting beside him.


    "I''m sure some of you already know," Flower began, sweeping his gaze around the room. Your information is correct, "Wizard Regina has indeed successfully advanced to an Advanced Wizard Apprentice and has also been appointed deputy captain of the Patrol Department by Lord Red Flame!"


    "I''ve called you all here today to announce this matter."


    The wizards nodded in unison.


    Flower paused for a moment, then added, "Aside from that, there are two more things I need to remind everyone about."


    "Recently, the Black Pearl Trading Company has arrived, bringing many unfamiliar wizards to the island, and some friction is inevitable."


    "Two days ago, an Intermediate Apprentice from the Chiwen Gang clashed with an apprentice from the trading company at the Giant Axe Tavern, and I believe some of you are already aware of the outcome.


    Let me briefly summarize: the end result was that the Chiwen Gang unilaterally compensated the Black Pearl Trading Company a hefty sum, and that apprentice, not only severely injured, was also expelled and banished by the Chiwen Gang, and is now... missing."


    Colin''s ears twitched slightly as he heard someone whispering nearby.


    "...Where else could he have gone if not taken aboard their ship?"


    "Alas, an unwarranted disaster... I knew that apprentice, he was only targeted by the trading company''s apprentice because of the beautiful dancer with him..." someone else added.


    "I remind you all, the Black Pearl Trading Company will leave the day after tomorrow, in just two days. Try to avoid any conflicts with them as much as possible."


    At this point, Flower paused slightly, and the whispering next to Colin ceased.


    Flower looked around at all the wizards present and continued:


    "Of course, I''m simply saying not to actively cause trouble. But there''s no need to be afraid either! After all, we are the Lap School, not some Chiwen Gang!"


    "...If there really is a conflict, Teacher Lap will stand up for us!"


    Pride flashed across Flower''s face, and all the apprentices present basked in reflected glory.


    Colin too showed a proud expression, yet his heart remained undisturbed, like an ancient well.


    Perhaps it was because he had traversed from another world, not having grown up in the School since childhood, and the original host''s memories were more like a database.


    So, although he respected and revered Wizard Lap, and felt a sense of identity and gratitude to the School, he did not share the same level of respect and identification as the School members.


    The power of Wizard Lap was just that, Wizard Lap''s power; the prestige of the School was also just that belonging to Wizard Lap.


    It was not theirs, and even less so, his...


    Following this, Flower droned on for a bit more before announcing the meeting''s end. He then walked with heavy steps back to his office on the second floor.


    Regina, in contrast, was escorted by another group of wizards towards the exit.


    "Let''s go."


    Seeing this, Luke prepared to stand and follow.


    Carrie, on the other hand, coldly jeered, "Don''t bother wasting your effort. How many times have we tried? To hit a wall again?"


    Luke hesitated briefly but said nothing, continuing to walk towards Regina.


    "If you ask me, going to ask ''Colin'' to mediate for us is the best course!" Carrie looked at the other apprentices nearby and added softly, emphasizing the word "ask."


    She had never changed her mind; this matter was clearly trivial for Colin!


    His relationship with Regina used to be so good, what risks could there be?


    Furthermore... even if there were risks, they would be minor.


    But what about them? They were oppressed daily by Regina''s sycophants, all their rightful resources were snatched away!


    They were the real victims, and besides, they did offer compensation for Colin to intervene. Why wouldn''t he help?


    A flicker of realization crossed Carrie''s eyes, ultimately because¡ª


    ''Colin is just a cold-hearted bastard!'' S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Joseph heard Carrie''s words and for some reason felt a chill in his heart. He silently hastened away, catching up with Luke who was not far ahead.


    At least half of the apprentices made the same choice as him, yet there remained some who stayed back, their faces showing an indescribable expression.


    Elsewhere,


    Colin was already in the carriage, hurrying home.


    The words of Flower did not provide him with any additional sense of security but instead dulled the joy he felt upon breaking through to become an Ultimate Knight.


    The fate of the Chiwen Gang apprentice made him acutely aware¡ª


    ''The current stability of life, although seemingly solid... in fact, entirely relies on Wizard Lap alone.''


    ''If one day Wizard Lap...''


    The breeze lifted the curtain of the carriage window. He shook his head, not wanting to think further.

 Chapter 80 - 77 Purchase

    The next day.


    Colin once again took a carriage to the eastern harbor and arrived at the ship market.


    He was ready to sell the collection of Shadow Capture Crystals he had accumulated over the past month''s practice to Gibson.


    Gibson was the merchant from the Black Pearl Fleet who purchased witchcraft crystals,


    and today was the last day their caravan would stay. By dawn tomorrow, as soon as the sun rose, they would set sail for the next destination.


    Although it was the last day, the comings and goings of wizards were still incessant.


    Without lingering, Colin made his way familiarly to Gibson''s shop.


    "Shadow Capture Crystals... that''s it?" Gibson looked up with a hint of disdain.


    Colin nodded and said, "I haven''t been learning long, so the success rate isn''t high."


    "Alright then." Gibson packed up the twenty-five Shadow Capture Crystals on the table and handed Colin five magic stones.


    "Where''s your next stop after you leave Blackstone Island?" Colin asked as he took the magic stones.


    "Why, do you want to come with us... do you have enough money?" Gibson chuckled, paused, and then added,


    "Our next stop is Aman Island, which is bigger than Blackstone Island, but not by much."


    "Are sea maps for sale in the ship market?" Colin nodded as he put away the magic stones and tentatively asked.


    "As long as you have magic stones, there''s nothing you can''t get here," Gibson said. "If you want to buy a sea map, you can get an ordinary one at the central Black Pearl shop... of course, just a regular sea map, and the price is cheap."


    "Hmm." Colin''s expression remained calm, and after a moment, he continued, "How about you? Do you have sea maps, and how much are they?"


    Gibson was taken aback and laughed in slight surprise, "You do have some brains, I indeed have sea maps. If you want one, we can sign a non-disclosure agreement, and I can sell it to you... Of course, it won''t be cheap.


    After all, this isn''t the kind of ordinary sea map meant to deceive that you find on the market. It''s drawn from my many years of careful collection; the information on it is at least ten times more than what you''d find on ordinary market maps!"


    "So how much?"


    "Fifty magic stones, non-negotiable."


    "Deal," Colin calmly replied, pouring out fifty magic stones from his pouch.


    In fact, he had already inquired about sea maps at the Black Pearl bookstore yesterday, where the clerk listed three prices from low to high: five magic stones, two hundred magic stones, and five hundred magic stones.


    The clerk explained that with higher prices, the maps contained more information.


    This was clearly a common tactic, one that merchants on Earth had overused, setting two prices that defied common sense among similar products, one low and one high.


    In reality, the goal was to get customers to buy the mid-priced item.


    So he chose the cheapest version for five magic stones, which wasn''t much for him anyway.


    Moreover... he couldn''t afford the more expensive versions either...


    As for the content of the sea map, it was only worth its price.


    However, to navigate safely on the sea, such a map was obviously insufficient, which is why he suddenly had the idea to inquire with Gibson and see if he could buy a better one.


    Seeing Colin agree so readily, Gibson felt an inexplicable sense of loss during the transaction, albeit reluctantly.


    After obtaining the thick sea map, Colin opened it and silently compared it to the one worth five magic stones he had bought the day before.


    "It''s definitely much better than the ordinary sea maps you buy in the market, you''re not at a loss!" Gibson said sullenly upon seeing this.


    "Thank you."


    Colin packed up the sea map, smiled at Gibson, and said nothing more to provoke him.


    Just from a cursory glance at this sea map, it was worth the fifty magic stones he had spent,


    The information on it didn''t just exceed that of the five-magic-stone map by ten times - it was probably more than twenty times!


    The map not only marked countless islands both large and small, but it also included simple descriptions of local customs and additional records of various kinds of information for a large part of them.


    Additionally, the sea was divided into many areas, each recorded with related information, detailing where dangers lurked and what to watch out for...


    Although not very detailed or perfect, the price of fifty Magic Stones was already a bargain!


    After bidding farewell to Gibson, Colin visited the Black Pearl Bookstore again.


    The clerk''s eyes lit up when she saw him approaching and she greeted him warmly.


    "Sir, have you collected the Magic Stones?" she asked with a beaming smile, "The knowledge for advancing to an Official Wizard is still reserved for you."


    Colin shook his head; his purpose for coming here was clear.


    "Do you have any literature on advancing to an Advanced Wizard Apprentice? The outline type," he asked slowly.


    Yesterday morning, he had successfully broken through the Circulation Meditation for the second time.


    That evening, as usual, he practiced his daily meditation, eagerly anticipating the effects of the second breakthrough.


    This morning upon checking the Golden Paper, he was not disappointed!


    His Rank as an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice had risen by two points, meaning that in just over two more months, he could advance to an Advanced Wizard Apprentice!


    Although he had studied this knowledge at the School, to be cautious, he wanted to acquire more information and cross-check it.


    He had not overlooked the pale and pitiful state of Regina after she had advanced to an Advanced Apprentice.


    "We do have it. It comes as a set along with the knowledge for advancing to an Official Wizard," the clerk paused, then promptly replied, "Actually, we have knowledge for advancing to an Advanced Wizard Apprentice, an Official Wizard, as well as for starting as a Basic Level Wizard Apprentice and advancing to an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice."


    "This knowledge is a complete set, including summaries and detailed versions with Meditation Methods."


    With that, she flashed a sweet smile and said, "If you buy all these together, we can offer you a ten percent discount. The same discount applies whether you buy all the summaries or all the detailed versions... With these, you could even establish a complete School¡­"


    "No need," Colin quickly interrupted the clerk, "How much for the Advanced Wizard Apprentice advancement knowledge?"


    "Fifty Magic Stones, no bargaining."


    "Alright, I''ll take one," Colin said, pulling out Magic Stones while preemptively stopping any further sales pitch, "This is all I need, no need to introduce anything else."


    "Very well, sir."


    ...


    After leaving the Black Pearl Bookstore, it was not yet noon, but he had lost the interest to continue browsing the ship market.


    So he directly disembarked the ship and took a carriage back to his home.


    "Go!"


    Arthur cracked the whip, and the glossy black horse neighed, swiftly pulling the black carriage forward.


    Colin sat in the carriage, eager to open the outline for advancing to an Advanced Wizard Apprentice that he had just purchased from the Black Pearl Bookstore.


    The outline was a black-covered booklet with several large white characters on the front ¡ª "Summary of Advancing to an Advanced Wizard Apprentice."


    Other than that, there were no other characters; it looked like a pirated book from a street stall on Earth.


    The booklet was not thick, and by the time he reached Palm Street about an hour later, Colin was almost done reading it thoroughly.


    Sigh¡ª


    The carriage gradually came to a stop in the yard, and Colin took his eyes off the booklet, exhaling softly, he carefully tucked it away, and stepped out of the carriage.


    "My lord," Renee stood outside the carriage, ready to meet him.


    Colin nodded slightly, quickly walking toward the house.


    Although the booklet was not long, it was concise and to the point, every word was enlightening... Fifty Magic Stones well spent!


    He was eager to return to the Meditation Room to read it in detail again! S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As he pushed open the door,


    he heard Renee, who had just greeted him, seemed to be instructing her sister Demi at the side.


    "...Demi, don''t go far to play recently, it''s dangerous outside, be obedient..."


    Colin paused ever so slightly but didn''t stop, walking quickly to the Meditation Room.

 Chapter 81 - 78: Rumors

    Colin returned to the Meditation Room and activated the Bright Crystal with a spell.


    Previously, the original owner had spent ten years in the Wizard Territory in the mountains.


    Although not naturally gifted, he was very diligent.


    He had managed to firmly remember a lot of knowledge, even though he only understood it superficially due to his limited talents.


    The same went for the knowledge related to advancing to an Advanced Apprentice.


    Though it was merely rote memorization, he had a comprehensive understanding of it.


    Indeed, this strength is what makes a School-trained wizard powerful!


    The original owner did not learn any powerful witchcraft during his ten years in the Wizard Territory.


    However, he laid down a foundation that, although not perfect, was at least solid and reliable!


    This solid foundation of basic knowledge, and the advanced knowledge that followed, formed the mainstay of the wizard system.


    Arrow Shooting Skill, Blood Pattern Transformation Skill, Magic Crystal Making, and so forth were merely the blossoms and fruits that sprang from it.


    The Bright Crystal illuminated, casting a soft White Light.


    Colin sat on the soft cushion in the center of the Meditation Room, continuing to flip through the summary booklet.


    He had complete knowledge about advancing to an Advanced Apprentice, specifically tailored to the Circulation Meditation, imparted by his School.


    The summary booklet, on the other hand, was a summarizing generalization of various meditation methods for Advanced Apprentices.


    Comparing and cross-verifying these two helped him gradually clarify the fuzzy points within his mind.


    Three hours later, he read through the summary booklet again, this time with careful scrutiny, jotting down many notes on Golden Paper.


    After finishing this reading, he still felt it was not enough and started again from the first page.


    A solid foundation was extremely important.


    With the help of the Golden Paper, his advancement speed, though perhaps not as monstrous as some legends, could still be considered far beyond an ordinary person.


    The superficial reason was that the second Limit Breaking Circulation Meditation was of a higher quality than the original Circulation Meditation.


    Moreover, the post-limit-breaking Circulation Meditation was completely tailored for him.


    However, another factor must be considered¡ªthe powerful effect of the Golden Paper''s "guaranteed progress with every practice."


    Thus, at its root, the real reason he was able to improve so quickly¡ª


    Was likely due to the powerful synergy between the exceptional meditation method tailored specifically for him and the remarkable effects of the Golden Paper, creating a result where one plus one was greater than two!


    However, in the cultivation of a wizard, speed is not always paramount.


    Especially after reaching the Intermediate Apprentice level.


    It''s not that speed isn''t needed, but at this time, what''s more necessary is solidity!


    Only by maintaining a solid understanding of knowledge and a continuous adherence to one''s own humanity can one remain unshaken and unpolluted when facing the world''s pervasive tainted babblings after the Spirit Fog dissipates!


    Time flew by, and dusk enveloped everything.


    In the evening in the Meditation Room, Colin gently exhaled and closed the summary booklet.


    By his side were neatly arranged manuscripts filled with dense annotations.


    Colin summoned the Golden Paper.


    At that moment, his wizard Rank progress was 12/100, and the progress for his second Limit Breaking Circulation Meditation was 0/100.


    After synthesizing the summary booklet and the School''s knowledge for advancing to an Advanced Apprentice, he had gained much.


    Overall, at the current moment, before advancing to an Advanced Wizard, the most important thing he needed to do was to thoroughly master the current meditation method!


    For him, that meant increasing the progress of the second Limit Breaking Circulation Meditation to 100/100 first.


    Colin sighed slightly in his mind.


    ''It seems, perhaps the time it takes to advance isn''t as short as I imagined, just over two more months¡­


    If I want to ensure a stable advancement, I should wait until the second Limit Breaking Circulation Meditation reaches its limit before advancing...''


    He glanced at the Golden Paper again.


    He pondered over the arrangement of his upcoming training.


    "His own witchcraft skills had already broken limits once. Only Purification Evil Power, Detect Evil, and Swift Skill had not."


    "Among them, Purification Evil Power and Detect Evil were not far from reaching their limits, and he estimated that they would break limits within the next couple of days.


    However, the progress of the remaining Swift Skill was only at 31/100, and he couldn''t even cast it instantly."


    "Additionally, from the results of last night''s meditation, although he had extended his meditation duration to ten hours, the progress of the Circulation Meditation Method for the second Limit Breaking was still at zero."


    Colin unconsciously caressed the summary booklet in his hands.


    To expedite the progress of the second Limit Breaking Circulation Meditation Method to its limit, he undoubtedly needed to make the meditation process more complicated and reduce its efficiency by extending the meditation time.


    By combining these two approaches, he could perhaps achieve the limit of the Circulation Meditation Method around the same time he reached the limit of an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice.


    Thus, he could break through in one fell swoop!


    But undoubtedly, this would require more time and reduce the energy he could devote to other projects. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He needed to make choices, to balance the enhancement of the Meditation Method against other projects.


    Colin pondered for a long time and finally decided to ensure a minimum of fifteen hours of meditation each day. As for other witchcraft skills, he would prioritize them and enhance them sequentially.


    After all... advancing to Advanced Wizard Apprentice was equivalent to breaking limits of all witchcraft skills at once without needing Limit Breaking Points!


    Moreover, as he mastered more and more witchcraft... there were many times he felt a lack of his own Magic Power.


    So, undoubtedly, advancement needed to be the top priority!


    After pondering all this, Colin felt a sense of relief.


    The arrangements for what followed were clear and straightforward, and the numbers on the Golden Paper were improving daily... The future was filled with anticipation!


    He stepped out of the Meditation Room, and Renee was quietly waiting in the hallway.


    "Master." Renee bowed slightly and greeted, "Do you need dinner now?"


    "Bring it to the study," Colin nodded and walked towards the study.


    But soon, he seemed to remember something, his steps paused slightly, and he looked back, calling to Renee, who was descending the stairs.


    "Wait a moment, Renee, come to the study first."


    "Yes, Master."


    The study was not large, but it was exquisitely decorated; a black iron crystal chandelier emitted a soft light.


    Colin walked to the spacious desk, sat down, leaned back in his chair, and stared at Renee standing in front of him, slowly asking:


    "I heard you instructing Demi... Has something happened recently?"


    Renee paused, then began to explain slowly.


    ¡­


    After a while, Colin nodded slightly.


    "I see, you can go bring the meals now."


    "Yes, Master."


    Renee turned and left,


    Colin leaned back in his chair and briefly closed his eyes to rest.


    The reason Renee had instructed Demi wasn''t something significant.


    It was just because of the rumors circulating in the slum area recently... rumors about some civilians disappearing mysteriously.


    Colin''s furrowed brow slightly relaxed,


    ''Rumors from the slum area, huh¡­''


    He wasn''t very concerned,


    After all, even Renee knew about this rumor; if there were any signs behind it, the Patrol Department would definitely have noticed.


    ''However,'' he pressed on his brow,


    ''Just to be cautious, tomorrow morning¡­ it''s better to visit Captain Flower at the Patrol Department.''

 Chapter 82 - 79: Rejection

    On the next day, at the first light of dawn.


    Just as dawn broke above the horizon.


    Whoo-


    At the eastern dock by the sea, the Black Pearl Fleet set sail, its steam whistle bellowing!


    Clip-clop, clip-clop~


    On a street paved with black stones located exactly opposite in West City.


    Black hooves shattered the cool, thin fog of the early morning, pulling a black carriage that sped by, eventually stopping at the grey-black entrance of the Patrol Department.


    Colin stepped out of the coach, casting a wistful glance towards the east.


    ''That sound of the steam whistle... must mean the merchant fleet has already set sail.


    It will be half a year before they return...''


    He withdrew his gaze and pushed open the door to enter the Patrol Department.


    "Good morning... Luke." After entering, he paused slightly, greeting Luke with some surprise.


    He hadn''t expected Luke to be on duty today.


    "Good morning." Luke greeted back with a smile, also a bit surprised.


    Colin nodded slightly in acknowledgment and continued inside, ascending the spiral staircase to the second floor where Flower''s office was located.


    Knock, knock, knock.


    "Come in." Flower''s steady voice came from within.


    Colin pushed the door and entered.


    "Colin, have you come with a matter to discuss?" Flower asked.


    Colin approached the desk and slowly began to speak,


    relaying the rumors he had heard from Renee the day before to Flower.


    "Hmm, I see." Flower nodded slightly, his expression unreadable.


    Colin waited for a moment, and seeing that he remained silent, took the initiative to take his leave:


    "Captain Flower, then I will take my leave."


    Flower nodded again, and as Colin turned to walk towards the door, Flower suddenly said:


    "Don''t worry, Colin. You just need to focus on your work.


    No need to overthink, and don''t spread the word... The higher-ups have already noticed these traces,"


    Colin paused in his steps and replied softly:


    "Yes, Captain Flower."


    Perhaps due to Flower''s heavy frame constantly traversing it, the once sturdy spiral staircase now always creaked under burden whenever walked upon.


    Colin descended the stairs one by one, his expression serene.


    ''I might just be too anxious for nothing...


    The Lap School has stood on this island for sixty years, weathering all storms without falling... It''s surely not just luck!''


    ''The Patrol Department... They must have been aware of these rumors.''


    Colin shook his head.


    "...It was good to ask."


    "After all, being cautious at most wastes some effort, but relying on luck, one never knows what they might lose..."


    "Colin."


    As he crossed the hall, preparing to leave, Luke suddenly called out to him.


    In his puzzled look, Luke took him aside, away from the other attending apprentices, to a corner with a sofa facing each other.


    "What is it, Luke?" Colin asked first after sitting down.


    "There''s something I wanted to tell you," Luke said with a smile, then continued, "It''s just a small matter."


    He completely recounted Carrie''s issue to Colin.


    Although he hadn''t contacted Carrie since the meeting, he knew she still harbored some thoughts.


    Previously, he and Carrie''s group had stood together.


    But now, he had already conceded most of his interests, capitulating to those people, and extricated himself from the vortex.


    So, to avoid any misunderstanding by Colin and to keep himself out of yet another whirlpool, it was natural for him to give Colin a heads-up and distance himself from the matter.


    "I understand."


    Colin nodded slightly after listening, his face calm.


    Since he had dueled Barney and displayed his strength, he hadn''t encountered these troublesome issues for a long time.


    But with the world being so vast and full of people, there would always be some fools... He understood that.


    Colin stood up to say goodbye and headed towards the exit.


    He got back into the coach, and within minutes, he was home.


    But before he could get off, he noticed several carriages parked at his doorstep.


    Considering Luke''s words, his eyebrows furrowed.


    Without a doubt, there must be unwelcome visitors!


    ...


    Half an hour later, in the second-floor reception room.


    "I understand your purpose for coming here..." Colin surveyed Carrie and the others before him, then shook his head, saying in a deep voice:


    "But I am sorry, I cannot grant your request. Please leave."


    He rose to escort the guests out.


    Time was the most precious commodity for him.


    If it weren''t for not wanting to be too disagreeable, he wouldn''t bother spending time dealing with Carrie and others.


    "Are you really not considering it, Colin?" Carrie didn''t get up but frowned and asked.


    Since returning from the Patrol Department the day before yesterday, her temper had gradually subsided.


    Although she still resented Colin for not willing to help and looked down on his petty attitude,


    she also understood that, as fellow School members, they wouldn''t go so far as to come to blows over such matters... She was no fool.


    ...At most, she''d create some hurdles for him behind the scenes.


    Right now, the urgent task at hand was to figure out a way to persuade Colin.


    Within the Schools, the hierarchy was strict.


    They were on a completely different level compared to an Advanced Apprentice in terms of status.


    If the Advanced Apprentice didn''t mind the difference, they could exchange a few words or even socialize normally.


    But if the Advanced Apprentice did care, like how Regina for some reason didn''t want to deal with them this time,


    they were utterly powerless.


    It was like a junior employee trying to casually discuss business with a manager.


    Without personal connections or someone to introduce them, how could they possibly have that conversation if the manager was unwilling?


    If they didn''t want to give up their own interests, the best method was to find someone like Colin, who had connections with the "manager", to act as an intermediary!


    So she stayed behind with the other Apprentices to discuss how to persuade Colin, yet by the evening, they still hadn''t come up with a suitable plan.


    Some suggested using direct threats of violence...


    Clearly, that was out of the question, even the person who brought it up felt it was inappropriate upon saying it.


    Not to mention the formidable strength Colin displayed when he killed Barney,


    just the mere fact of his friendly relation with Regina already prevented them from resorting to violence.


    Otherwise, were they there to ask Colin to speak well of them to Regina, or to further offend her?


    Others suggested kidnapping Colin''s maid...


    No one even acknowledged that suggestion as it was spoken!


    Forget about a maid, not even a lover would be able to threaten a Wizard!


    "My acquaintance with Regina is indeed not as close as you imagine. Please, leave," Colin stated calmly, emphasizing once again.


    The Patrol Department, as the largest forceful institution in Blackstone City, naturally involved numerous interests.


    Not to mention anything else, the mere tributes from the Gangs could grant the Patrol Department''s Wizards an income far exceeding their monthly salaries.


    It was exactly these interests that Luke and the others were competing for with Regina''s group.


    Logically, he should have been able to share in these benefits.


    But, there''s no such thing as a free lunch!


    If it had been the Guard Station before, it would have been fine since everyone was from the Schools at the foot of the mountain, and there wasn''t much conflict over the distribution of benefits. He would have been happy to take a share.


    But now, with the sudden establishment of the Patrol Department to replace the Guard Station, and the influx of Patrol Team Wizards from up the mountain,


    there was already a disdainful relationship between the two groups from the mountain and its base. Now with interests at stake, the conflicts were undoubtedly greater.


    In such a setting, how could he expect a share without taking sides?


    Moreover, unlike other situations, within the Patrol Department, as long as he didn''t aim for that portion of the benefits, he could maintain complete neutrality, avoiding enmity from both groups.


    After all, without interest in the benefits, he had no conflicts of interest with either group.


    Being members of the same School, there would be no fools who would bother him.


    Additionally, how much benefit would actually end up in his hands?


    As a newcomer, he was only allocated about twenty Magic Stones per month.


    That wasn''t a small sum, but it wasn''t worth getting involved in such turmoil.


    After all, compared to Magic Stones, time and energy were what he was currently lacking the most!


    Simultaneously dealing with his duties at the Patrol Department already pained him by taking up much of his time and energy, not to mention devoting his valuable resources to these affairs!


    Carrie looked intensely at Colin for a moment, didn''t spout any harsh words, and left with the others.


    Colin watched Carrie''s retreating figure, shook his head, and didn''t mind.


    After handling Carrie''s matter, the following time became exceptionally peaceful.


    Colin could finally lead the regular and fulfilling life he wished for.


    With up to fifteen hours of meditation every day, the progress of his second Limit Breaking with the Circulation Meditation Method also rapidly advanced.


    And just like that, three months passed quickly...


    ***


    ***


    ***


    ***


    Dropping in a word several months later here, there have been changes made to some of the paid chapters after they were published. Some readers might have read the unaltered version on pirated websites, so there might be some discrepancies, logical flaws, etc.


    Well, what I mean is, please, I ask that some friends do not read the incorrect pirated version and then come to the comments section under a trainee badge to complain about problems that don''t exist...


    That''s all.


    To the readers who made it this far, you must be true fans¡ªgive a first subscription, muah! Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Every subscription you make is a step toward promoting a future market with more novels that suit your taste!

 Chapter 83 - 80 Urgent Mission (Please Subscribe First!!)

    Blackstone Island was already at the tail end of autumn. The days grew shorter, and the nights lengthened.


    Often, one wouldn''t notice the passage of time until the sun set and twilight enveloped all.


    For the impoverished commoners, the shortened daylight didn''t reduce their workload, forcing them to manage their time even more tightly.


    However, at this moment, it was still just the afternoon. There was still some time before night fell, so there was no need for panic.


    On Palm Street, in the courtyard of a two-story villa, a black carriage slowly came to a halt.


    Arthur put away his whip, got out of the coach, and went to the back to help Renee with the groceries they had just bought.


    Although Renee could handle it by herself, Arthur felt somewhat guilty not helping.


    Moreover, although their master treated him and Renee the same on the surface, in reality, Renee held a clearly higher position than him. He had to go through her for any expenses...


    Although she was just a maid, Renee was more like a stewardess.


    "Sister," Demi, hearing the carriage, ran out from the house, thumping along, and got ahead of Arthur to pick up a big bag of vegetables.


    "Demi, have you finished learning your letters today?" Renee asked, handing some of the vegetables to Arthur and carrying her own share as they walked.


    "I''ve learned them all; Demi is very smart!" Demi proudly lifted the bag.


    Renee smiled and freed one hand to pat her head.


    Arthur walked silently behind them.


    His expression was blank.


    Yet, if one looked closely, they might notice his once sculpture-like numb complexion from hardships had softened, not as gloomy as before.


    Approaching the door, for some reason, Arthur felt a sudden impulse, paused momentarily, and glanced around the courtyard behind him.


    His eyes saw the neatly kept lawn and several fruit trees heavy with fruit, though few flowers were blooming, enough to bring back memories of spring.


    Daily sights, constantly seen, no longer felt fresh and made it hard to notice the changes.


    But there would always be a moment when one would suddenly realize...


    Everything had changed...


    Clang.


    The door was pushed open by Renee.


    Startled, Arthur snapped back to reality, turned his head, and continued silently following them inside.


    He didn''t know how to describe his mood,


    but he did what he often did¡ªsilently praised the great master Colin in his heart!


    ... At the same time, he selfishly made a small wish,


    hoping life could continue this way and that he could always be the master''s coachman...


    After entering the house, it wasn''t long before...


    "Master," Renee slightly paused, greeting the handsome young man ahead with Demi.


    "Master," Arthur also hurriedly greeted.


    "Ah, just back from buying groceries?" Colin smiled at them, then turned to Renee, "Make dinner a bit more lavish tonight."


    Then he bent over and pinched Demi''s cheek before continuing towards the master bedroom.


    His mood was extremely good!


    For over three months... he had persevered for over three months!


    During this time, he had meditated for at least fifteen hours each day and spent the rest practicing witchcraft.


    Under such a fulfilling schedule, the passing of time seemed blurred; the three months felt as if only a day had passed!


    If not for the increasing progress marked on the Golden Paper each day and the changing scenery in the yard... he might have thought time had remained unchanged.


    But now, he could finally return to a somewhat normal routine.


    Because, S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    just moments ago, his progress in the second Limit Breaking Circulation Meditation had finally reached 100/100!


    And earlier, half a month ago, his Wizard Rank progress on the Golden Paper had already reached its limit!


    The rest of the witchcraft, including Image Capturing Crystal Making, had all broken limits!


    Everything was ready, just lacking advancement!


    Colin climbed the stairs.


    To be cautious, he planned to first go back to his bedroom and take a nap, waiting until he was fully energized and his spirits refreshed before making his attempt at advancement.


    Pushing open the bedroom door, he let out a breath and cleared his mind, sitting quietly by the bed for a moment.


    It didn''t take long for excitement to wane and fatigue to surge up, prompting Colin to take off his coat, getting ready to lie down.


    Knock knock knock.


    At that moment, however, there was a sudden knock on the bedroom door.


    He got up to open it, asking puzzledly,


    "What is it, Renee."


    "Master, there''s a Guard from the Patrol Department looking for you," Renee replied.


    "For what?"


    "Don''t know, master, he said he must speak to you in person," Renee shook her head.


    Colin frowned slightly, put on his coat, and followed Renee downstairs.


    In the hall, the Steel-armored Guard was already waiting quietly.


    "Lord Colin."


    Seeing him come downstairs, the Guard hurriedly approached and greeted him solemnly.


    "Ah," Colin nodded, then asked, "What happened?"


    "My lord..." The Guard looked up, glanced at Renee standing by, and hesitated.


    "Master, I''ll go prepare dinner," Renee tactfully left.


    "Ah," Colin nodded slightly, waiting for Renee to move away before turning to the Guard and speaking sternly,


    "Speak."


    The Guard bowed, then straightened up and said swiftly and clearly,


    "Lord, Lord Flower has ordered an urgent task!" He handed an envelope to Colin.


    Colin took it, flipping it over in his hands for examination.


    The envelope was a common leather paper one, brown overall with a seal stamped with a moon pattern in wax.


    The seal was intact, unbroken... and a faint magical pulsation emanated from it.

 Chapter 84 - 80 Urgent Mission (Please Subscribe!!)_2

    Colin understood clearly.


    "Master Colin, Master Flower has ordered that you check this as soon as you receive it," the guard added by his side.


    "I understand," he looked up at the guard and asked, "Is there anything else?"


    The guard shook his head, bid him farewell, and left.


    Colin returned to the study, held the envelope in his hand, and summoned a strand of the initial version of the Circulation Meditation spirit wave, touching the wax seal on the envelope.


    Hiss.


    The seal melted like butter in a hot pan, turning into a red-black liquid that was gradually absorbed by the leather envelope.


    After a while, when the leather envelope had completely absorbed the seal liquid, Colin slowly opened the envelope.


    He pulled out the letter inside and tossed it aside.


    He unfolded the envelope and smoothed it out on the desk.


    On the brown leather paper, a passage of red-black text had now appeared.


    The red-black text was brief, containing only a few keywords¡ª


    "Thorn District, second intersection, arrive covertly at six in the evening, be mindful of disguise."


    After carefully noting down the time and place, Colin burned the leather paper along with the letter he had tossed aside to ashes.


    He tapped his fingers lightly on the dark-red wooden desk, pondering silently.


    The Patrol Department used the same notification method as the former Guard Team.


    Between Master Flower and Master Red Flame, these advanced apprentices usually communicated through fixed Communication Witch Arrays.


    But for them.


    Usually, any notifications were primarily conveyed verbally by the guards or through official documents.


    Such secret messages appeared only in particularly important operations.


    Back when he was in the Guard Team, he had some understanding but had never seen one before.


    Click.


    He took out a metal pocket watch and opened it.


    It was already past four in the afternoon; there was only a little more than an hour left until the time mentioned in the secret message.


    Colin furrowed his brow slightly.


    The Thorn District was in a farther slum area, and it would take at least nearly half an hour to reach there from here. If he were to walk in disguise, it would take even longer, possibly at least an hour.


    And the tasks notified in secret messages were all extremely important¡ªif he failed to arrive on time, severe punishment would follow!


    He sighed softly, walked out of the study, and instructed Renee, who was cleaning downstairs. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No need to prepare dinner tonight, Renee. Just get me some bread now."


    "...Okay, Master," Renee blinked, looked up in response, and turned towards the kitchen.


    Colin pressed his brow.


    Time was tight. He might only be able to advance after finishing the task.


    The time required to advance to an Advanced Wizard Apprentice varied from person to person and according to the Meditation Method used.


    Generally speaking, it required at least half an hour.


    If he chose to advance now, it would be too rushed, and he might not perform well in either task.


    After quickly eating the bread and getting his equipment in order, he prepared to leave early.


    Walking downstairs and pushing open the door, he glanced around the yard.


    Unlike the disorder when he had just moved in, under Renee''s care, although it was not exquisite, it was at least well-organized.


    He looked at the Golden Paper in front of him, which had reached its limit with the second Limit Breaking Circulation Meditation, and calmed himself once again.


    ''Advancing is a serious matter, not to be rushed.


    Moreover, it''s getting late, and it will take me about an hour to get there...''


    While stepping forward, he looked up at the distant setting sun.


    The next second, as if thinking of something, he hesitated for a moment and hurriedly returned to the Meditation Room.


    Currently, with the days getting shorter and nights longer, by around five o''clock, the sun would have completely set.


    Previously, to meet the covert requirement stated in the secret message, he had planned to walk there.


    But this would make the timing very tight.


    However, if he waited until it got dark, he could use Swift Skill combined with an Ultimate Knight''s speed for a rapid sprint.


    At most twenty minutes would be needed to reach the Thorn District!


    In that case, he definitely had time to advance to an Advanced Wizard Apprentice first!


    *


    *


    *


    Night fell.


    It was already nearing six in the evening.


    The seabirds had returned to their nests, and the moon had not yet risen from the sea.


    The deep sky was starless and moonless, with only clouds drifting.


    "Cough~cough~cough!"


    In a low, damp hut, a sick fisherman was coughing.


    Then there was a rustling sound, seemingly too uncomfortable, he sat up in the dark, intending to find some water to drink.


    But suddenly, a shadow flashed past the window outside the hut!


    The fisherman startled, rubbing his eyes subconsciously¡­


    Swoosh!


    On the empty dark street, Colin, dressed in black, was running freely.


    The Swift Skill combined with the physical prowess of an Ultimate Knight made his speed extraordinary.


    After a while, he gradually slowed down. He was almost at the Thorn District.


    After a moment, he arrived at the location specified in the secret message, paused, and walked toward a dark corner nearby.


    There, a large group of apprentices had already gathered¡ªmany of whom had unfamiliar faces, all wearing School Badges.


    ''Could they have come down from the mountains?'' Colin speculated silently.


    However, the leader was someone familiar¡ªRegina.


    Colin greeted her silently and took his place among the apprentices in front of her.


    Compared to three months ago, Regina''s complexion had improved a lot, with a black cat quietly lying on her left shoulder.


    ''Seems to be a new black cat... not Maggie.'' Colin examined and speculated somewhat uncertainly.


    Seeing that everyone had arrived, Regina surveyed the circle of apprentices before her, slowly opened her mouth, and spoke in a low voice:

 Chapter 85 - 80: Urgent Mission (Please Subscribe First!!)_3

    "I''ll keep this brief," she said. "Within Blackstone City, devotees of the Blood Flesh Thorns Sect are lurking. They plan to summon the Evil God and destroy the island.


    Moreover, the Chiwen Gang and the Poke Gang within the city have also been beguiled by the Blood Flesh Thorns Sect, having thrown themselves into the arms of the Evil God."


    "After a thorough investigation, Wizard Lap has pinpointed the location of the Blood Flesh Thorns Sect''s ritual altar...


    Tonight, Wizard Lap will lead Lord Red Flame and these peak Apprentices to completely eradicate the Blood Flesh Thorns Sect as well as the corrupt Chiwen Gang and Poke Gang!"


    With that, she paused for a moment, allowing the Apprentices time to react.


    Colin''s face betrayed nothing, but his heart was somewhat shocked. Although Regina spoke lightly, he knew the process behind her words had been anything but simple.


    He suddenly remembered Flower''s reassuring words from three months ago.


    ...Unexpectedly, in his absence, the School had moved quietly to this extent... just waiting to eradicate them tonight.


    "Of course, the front lines are naturally not our concern," Regina continued. "Our mission this time is to guard the junctions we''re responsible for and prevent anyone from escaping!"


    She paused again, then emphasized, "Unless they''re a member of the School, if they try to flee, show no mercy, not one person must be let go!"


    Colin''s expression hardened; this undoubtedly meant that in the area they surrounded, there would likely be no survivors.


    "Next, let me assign the junctions each of you will be responsible for..." Regina went on.


    If one were to look down from the sky at this moment, they would see that under the cover of night, surrounding the Thorn Street District at its heart, there were several groups like Regina''s, formed by gathering many Wizards.


    In the next moment, these groups dispersed, breaking up into many dots that connected to form lines, encircling the entire area.


    ...


    At a certain junction,


    Colin let out a slight breath.


    Autumn nights were not as warm as those in summer, but carried a hint of chill.


    "Cough~ Cough~ Cough!"


    The nearby fisherman was still coughing, seemingly tormented by illness and unable to sleep.


    Colin, expressionless, was hidden in the shadows.


    The junction he had been assigned to was right by the shack he had passed earlier.


    A breeze whispered past, stirring his black cloak.


    If one were to ignore that bothersome coughing, the night would have been peaceful and still.


    It was not biting cold like in winter, nor sweltering like in summer... and even a bit different from spring, it carried a more dense and lingering meaning.


    Colin quietly summoned the Golden Paper, calming the faint restlessness in his heart.


    Before coming here, he had successfully Advanced.


    It took less time than he had thought, just half an hour.


    But after the breakthrough, it took him another half-hour to adapt before he could return to normal.


    "Spirit Fog... it is both an obstacle and a shelter."


    This was a line from the primer.


    Only after Advancing did he truly grasp the meaning of these words.


    Colin tucked away the Golden Paper and once again surveyed his surroundings.


    Distorted...


    Distorted¡ª


    Looking around, regardless of where, or which corner,


    ...Everywhere he looked was filled with disordered, grey-black eerie floaters.


    Upon closer inspection, one would notice these grey-black floaters writhing like living creatures... and if one looked even closer, they could glimpse countless tiny black dots, like swarms of bugs, through their semi-transparent dim glow!


    Under the influence of these grey-black impurities, the otherwise serene night took on a sinister edge.


    Colin raised his arm.


    Countless black dots were streaming towards him, but they were firmly blocked by a layer of Spiritual Light barely perceptible on his skin.


    This was the barrier formed by humanity and knowledge after Advancing to Advanced Apprentice.


    Colin looked toward the nearby shack where, at the window facing him, he could see countless impure black dots enveloping a silhouette.


    "Cough¡ªcough!" The silhouette coughed violently again.


    It seemed already gravely ill.


    But those black dots were still repelled by a faint white mist outside the person''s skin.


    That was Spirit Fog! S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To some extent, facing these impure black dots, the Spirit Fog might be even more resilient than the Spiritual Light on his body.


    After all, what''s unseen remains unharmed.


    Colin withdrew his gaze and quietly continued to wait for Wizard Lap''s action to commence.


    He wasn''t concerned about these abnormalities; their duration wouldn''t last long. Depending on the individual, but generally speaking, they would fade away gradually after at most half a month.


    Afterwards, when advancing to Official Wizard, they would resurface... only by then, he would be able to freely activate or block this state at will.


    The moon gradually rose, time stealthily passed, and the fisherman ceased coughing, quietly falling asleep.


    Like a statue, Colin stood still, waiting


    Until at one moment¡ª


    Above him in the sky, there was a sight like a meteor falling!


    A blinding light burst forth!


    An indescribable orange-yellow orb suddenly descended towards a specific area!

 Chapter 86 - 81: White Crystal Necklace (Please Subscribe!!)

    Whoosh¡ª


    The entire Blackstone City lit up in an instant, not as if it were daytime, but even brighter!


    Boom!!


    Immediately following, a deafening explosion accompanied by a blast of air, fluttering Colin''s hair in front of his forehead.


    His heart felt as if it had been gripped tightly only to be released again, and he gently exhaled.


    ''The attack has begun!''


    "Ah!"


    It was at that moment, much like a droplet of water hitting a pan of hot oil, the surrounding civilians were jolted awake by the loud blast!


    From the direction of the distant flames, screams, curses, and the cries of babies rushed forth like a sudden wave!


    Hiss!


    Colin retracted his gaze and, following the plan, timely lit up the Bright Crystal provided by Regina that came with a hanging cord, jumping gracefully to hang it on a branch of the large tree behind him.


    The bright light instantly illuminated the entire intersection.


    Like a chain reaction, gentle white lights began to radiate from the intersections to his left and right.


    In an instant, a circle of light surrounded the area with the Thistle District at the center.


    Some apprentices, like him, hung their Bright Crystals up on trees; others tied them to the tops of sticks and planted them in the ground; and yet others simply hung them on their own bodies.


    Initially, Colin had thought to hang it upon himself, recalling how he had employed this tactic when he was in the Wizard Territory.


    But upon further reflection, he felt it inappropriate, as such a trick is only effective in close combat.


    In the current situation, doing so would doubtlessly signal his position to the enemy, rendering him a target.


    After hanging the Bright Crystal, his gaze flickered as he drew out a Cone Bullet and silently stepped back a few paces, blending into the shadows behind him. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After he had done all this,


    The nearby civilians slowly began to come to their senses from the drastic change.


    Unlike the people near the site of the fire and explosion, they were more silent, with only the babies, naive to the ways of the world, boldly letting out loud cries, which were usually quickly soothed by their parents...


    Apart from the babies'' wailing, the rest were mostly just whispering quietly with their families.


    These voices, quiet and weak individually, collectively created a considerable din.


    Relying on his powerful vision, Colin could see many silhouettes appearing in the windows of the stacked shacks before him.


    It was the same in the nearest fisherman''s shack.


    At the dilapidated barred window, cobbled together with sticks, a middle-aged man with a weather-beaten face was peering out.


    He looked towards the bright light coming from Colin''s direction, his heart filled with alarm, even forgetting to cough.


    But after much hesitation, he still did not rashly step outside his home.


    Past experience had taught him that during times like these, leaving the house was the worst possible choice... although staying at home wasn''t much better.


    But... this was the only choice he had,


    ...He could only choose to believe that the omnipotent wizards would resolve the danger as they had done before.


    After all, Blackstone Island was just a small island; if any great danger really were to occur, there was nowhere he could flee to... the seas were even more dangerous.


    If it was a minor danger, as long as it didn''t spread to his area, then he certainly should not go running around.


    Blackstone City had a night curfew.


    As an ordinary person, when night fell,


    If he still wandered around the city, encountering patrolling guards or wizards... even if he didn''t die, it wouldn''t end well.


    Risking running to the city outskirts was even more dangerous... Meeting demons meant a certain death; encountering the supernatural, certain death; confronting wandering spirits, certain death; coming upon fierce beasts, still, certain death!


    As an ordinary person, they were simply too weak, and without the protection of wizards, they were but candles in the wind, soon to be extinguished.


    Colin retracted his gaze, paying no further mind to those shadows by the windows, and turned his head to quietly observe the streets.


    His main concern was the cultists and gang members who would soon be dispersing from the main battleground.


    According to Regina, the Peak Apprentices like Red Flame would try to intercept the Intermediate and Advanced Apprentices on the main battleground.


    This meant that they needed to deal primarily with enemies at the Intermediate level and below.


    Of course, since it was hard to determine a wizard''s Rank before the Spirit Fog dissipated, under normal circumstances, it was difficult to discern between Intermediate and Basic Level Apprentices.


    And to accurately judge the realm of Intermediate Level Apprentices and above, one would only be able to do so in the "Super Sensory" state he was now in.


    Meaning, only Lap the Wizard had the capability to accurately assess the specific realms of Intermediate Level wizards and above.


    The other apprentices, like Red Flame, primarily estimated an enemy''s realm through the intensity of the witchcraft they employed.


    Therefore, it was likely that with Wizard Lap''s assistance, the Advanced Apprentices would hardly slip through.


    But it was highly probable that several Intermediate Apprentices would still slip by.


    Should he encounter such situations or find himself facing an enemy he couldn''t handle, it would be time for him to use the signal flares hanging at his waist.


    The Advanced Wizard Apprentices, with relatively weaker abilities like Regina, had been waiting behind them, ready to come to their aid as soon as they saw the signal.


    Hum¡ª


    The Bright Crystal continued to emit a soft and steady light, illuminating the deserted intersection before him.


    At a glance, as far as the eye could see, not a single person was in sight.


    Colin did not let his guard down, standing behind the giant mango tree, camouflaged by the dense green leaves, and holding several Cone Bullets in his hand.


    The height of nearly four meters afforded him a broad view, allowing him to have a clear view of the situation at the intersection before him.


    His location wasn''t close to the Thistle District, and considering that the cultists on the frontline might need time to react, it would likely take a while for the dispersing crowd to arrive.


    As for the possibility of failure on the main battleground, he hadn''t thought of it at all.

 Chapter 87 - 81: White Crystal Necklace (Please Subscribe!!)_2

    The burst of orange-yellow light undoubtedly came from Wizard Lap, and it still made him shudder. He hadn''t approached to examine it, but the mere might of it and the residual waves it sent were telling.


    He doubted that any ritual altar could remain intact after such an attack.


    Whoosh!


    A bright light burst in his peripheral vision.


    Colin instinctively looked up; in the same spot in the Thorny District, another blinding light had suddenly erupted.


    The dazzling white light spread all around, like the rising sun illuminating everything. He squinted, barely making out a figure in a grey robe hovering midair.


    Boom!


    The shockwave followed, just as formidable as before.


    But Colin was uneasy.


    A surprise attack should be lethal with one strike; if the first light had settled the dust, then there was no reason for Wizard Lap to launch another attack so potent.


    The situation on the front lines might differ slightly from what he had anticipated, but either way, it seemed they still held the advantage.


    He leapt slightly, switching to another branch, and looked toward Wizard Lap.


    Crackle, crackle¡ª


    The Thorny District.


    The grass huts below, under the licking flames, gave off anguished cries.


    "Ah!!"


    A cultist next to him, tormented by the clinging, troublesome flames, was screaming.


    Soon, he was reduced to ashes.


    Lap was quietly standing in the air, seeming to search for something.


    Around him, under the siege of Red Flame and others, the cultists were emitting desperate screams.


    Not far away in an alley, Bishop Arman, his face calm and black wizard robe tattered with traces of scorched flesh, held a blood-colored crystal and was fleeing.


    Thump!


    A tangible wall of fire suddenly emerged before him!


    Bishop Arman, without dodging, bore straight ahead; a blood-colored shield surfaced on his skin, warding off the fire''s force.


    After passing through the wall of fire, the blood-colored shield was noticeably dimmer.


    Seemingly aware that his trail had been locked onto, he simply took to the air, floating midair and swiftly flying forward!


    Wizard Lap''s expression was cold as he waved his magic wand.


    A pale-blue fireball, the size of a human head, shot straight toward Arman!


    Bishop Arman timed it perfectly, preparing to pause slightly to dodge the fireball.


    But before he could move, the pale-blue fireball exploded one meter away from him, expanding and diffusing into an oval sphere that enveloped him!


    Hiss!


    The blood shield made contact and emitted a tangible sizzling sound.


    Arman''s forward motion paused slightly, a flash of fear crossing his face.


    "Bishop, sir!"


    Just then, a dark figure suddenly burst from below, plunging into the blue flame sphere, and with all his might, pushed Arman out!


    "Ah!!" After doing this, the figure instantly turned into a ball of flames, emitting a piercing scream!


    "Bo Wen cultist¡­" Arman muttered.


    He should have taken this chance to flee.


    But he sighed lightly, turned around, and stayed put, confronting Lap not far away.


    But Lap gave him no chance to catch his breath! Endless flames surged toward him!


    Seeing this, Arman also dismissed any thought of wasting time with words.


    He and Lap were like fire and water, with nothing good to talk about.


    Besides, in battle, opportunities were fleeting, and attention was scarce; there was no time for talk.


    He dodged Lap''s attacks while observing him.


    Lap stood quietly in the air, wearing a plain grey robe, his expression calm.


    But his attacks fell like torrential rain, fiercely efficient, leaving no room for survival!


    Arman had to admit... he had underestimated this aged wizard.


    "La¡ªp!" His lips quivered; initially a murmur, but the tail of his word seemed to tear through his throat!


    Immediately after, he stopped in his tracks and roared fiercely, "Foolish lamb!"


    At the same time, he fiercely crushed the blood-colored crystal in his hand.


    Crack!


    Lap raised an eyebrow, and a massive orange-yellow light shot forth!


    The blinding light burst forth!


    Boom!!


    ¡­


    "Ah!"


    At a certain intersection, a mango tree silently shot out a cone bullet the size of a knuckle.


    Splurt!!


    The rushing Chiwen Gang Basic Level Wizard burst apart like a ripped bag, his blood and entrails scattering on the ground, steaming in the slightly cool night.


    Colin carefully observed behind him for a moment, seeing no one; then, he turned his head back toward the distance.


    ''This is the third time he''s used such a powerful attack...'' he watched the distant flames, feeling the impact waves, and muttered to himself.


    Whoosh! S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just then, a black light orb shot toward his position in the mango tree.


    Colin''s expression unchanged, he slightly bent his legs and leaped to the side, easily dodging it.


    At the same time, he also raised his hand and fired a hollow cone bullet.


    Splurt!


    "Ah!"


    Before he even landed, a scream came from the shadows in the distance.


    And it was at this moment that the black light orb hit the mango tree, emitting a corroding sizzling sound.


    Amid this sizzling sound, the scream from the shadows gradually weakened and disappeared.


    After advancing to Advanced Apprentice, thanks to the boost from his level and the fact that his Swift Skill had broken limits once, coupled with the extraordinary responses brought by being an Ultimate Knight... attacks of such slow speed could never hit him!


    Colin waited until the black orb on the mango tree dissipated, then leaped back onto the treetops. He carefully surveyed the street intersection in front of him.

 Chapter 88 - 81: White Crystal Necklace (Please Subscribe!!)_3

    After breaking through into a state of supersensitive vision, for an Advanced Wizard Apprentice like him, although there were many disadvantages and a risk of corruption leading to a cost,


    it was highly effective for observation.


    While it couldn''t penetrate obstacles, those shadowy figures hiding in the darkness had nowhere to hide under the gaze of supersensitive vision.


    Since the second burst of light had occurred, numerous cultists and corrupt followers had continuously fled here. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Among them were wizards, knights, and ordinary people.


    But now, without exception, they had all become the shattered corpses strewn across the ground.


    Standing atop a mango tree and carefully observing to confirm there were no more figures in sight, Colin adjusted his position, preparing to observe the area where the firelight was further off.


    Although he was killing vigorously here, in terms of the overall battle... his impact was actually quite small.


    The real outcome of the conflict would still depend on Wizard Lap.


    Hum¡ª¡ª!!


    Just as he pushed aside the leaves to look towards the source of the firelight,


    a high-frequency humming noise¡ªreminiscent of nails scraping a blackboard¡ªreached his ears!!


    Colin frowned slightly, suppressing the discomfort.


    He continued to push aside the obscuring foliage, looking into the distance.


    What met his eyes was nothing but the intense flames of the fire and the small yet significant figure of Wizard Lap standing in mid-air.


    Streams of scorching fireballs flew from Wizard Lap''s hands, but no enemy figures could be seen opposite him.


    As if thinking of something, Colin concentrated his spirit and carefully looked towards the spot in front of Wizard Lap.


    As his attention focused more and more, the feeling of washing away filth from bluestone to reveal a bumpy surface reemerged.


    And with it, that same heart-piercing sensation of fear¡­


    No, this time it was much stronger than before!


    Colin''s lips were tightly pressed together, and his heart pounded fiercely under the unexplained fear.


    In his field of vision, on the spot that had been empty, a towering blood-red figure slowly emerged!!


    Hum¡ª¡ª!


    As if struck by a heavy blow to the head, Colin felt dizzy, with bizarre whisperings in his ears!


    "...He is redemption!! He is vengeance!! He is the endless, formless crimson mist...!!"


    Ssst!


    At that moment, an almost imperceptible friction sound came from the air.


    Felling a prickling sensation on his back, Colin''s heart surged, and he snapped out of his dizziness, controlling his body to leap down from the tree!


    A semi-transparent arrow shot through where he was just standing! After snapping a few thick branches, it continued its trajectory undiminished into the air, the air current it swept up flinging mango tree leaves to the ground!


    ''This power... has already exceeded the range of an Intermediate Apprentice¡­''


    Before he even landed, another semi-transparent arrow shot towards him.


    Colin''s expression was calm, and at a thought, a fireball shot out, colliding with the semi-transparent arrow, mutually annihilating each other.


    He safely landed on the ground.


    "Eh." A surprised voice came from the shadows not far away, "You''re not an Intermediate¡­"


    Ssst!


    Before finishing the sentence, he felt a foreboding danger and his expression changed as he pushed his defense magic to the limit.


    Ding!!


    The cone bullet collided with the semi-transparent protective shield, producing a crisp sound, its tip distorting instantly upon impact, while the remaining kinetic energy continued to drive it against the shield!


    The semi-transparent protective shield visibly dimmed slightly, but the cone bullet also lost its momentum and dropped to the ground.


    He couldn''t help but breathe a sigh of relief.


    Ding¡ª¡ªDing¡ª¡ªDing!


    But in the next second, countless cone bullets began to fire towards him one after the other from the air in front of him!


    His expression changed dramatically, fear written all over his face, as he dodged to the right while continuously channeling magic power into his shield.


    Unfortunately, the robust shield on his body did not hold out for long and shattered suddenly after just a short while.


    Phut!


    Without the interference of the protective shield, the cone bullet shot straight in, its tremendous kinetic energy tearing his body apart. The breath of life vanished in an instant, and his mangled body collapsed heavily.


    Colin''s expression was indifferent as he tucked most of the cone bullets he was holding back into the cloth pouch at his waist.


    Having done this, he gazed at the apprentice''s mutilated corpse, his brow slightly furrowed.


    Within the supersensitive vision, the apprentice''s body still radiated a human-like spirit fog glow.


    ''It stands to reason that after death, the spirit fog should also dissipate quickly... Moreover, the previous attack, and the strength of the defensive witchcraft... this should have been an advanced apprentice... why is there still a glow of spirit fog...''


    Pfft!


    Colin raised his hand and fired several more cone bullets at the apprentice''s body, stopping only when he had shattered the already broken body into chunks the size of a football.


    He observed again.


    Under the supersensitive state, the glow of the spirit fog was evenly distributed across each piece of the body''s fragments.


    After watching for a while,


    he noticed that the glow of the spirit fog that shrouded most of the chunks was gradually fading.


    After a while, only the chest fragment was still enveloped in the glow of the spirit fog.


    Colin lifted his head and carefully surveyed the surroundings.


    Wherever he looked, the place was deserted, not a soul in sight. Those civilians in the shacks had not shown their faces at the window again since he had killed the first person.


    Colin hesitated for a moment, turned all his defensive witchcraft to the maximum, and quickly moved towards the pile of body parts.


    No need to search extensively, as he approached, he noticed the white crystal necklace twinkling atop the chunks.


    Swoosh¡ª


    Boom!


    Suddenly, a red firework burst open in the sky behind him.


    Colin turned around, his expression changing as he quickly pulled off the necklace and started to retreat.


    ''A retreat signal firework?... Has Wizard Lap been defeated? Or is it a misfire?!''


    A flurry of thoughts crossed his mind as he clutched the white crystal necklace tightly in his hand, quickly reached the mango tree, leaped up it, and looked out towards the Thorn District!


    Colin''s brows were tightly knit as his gaze searched carefully.


    Moments later, he saw a familiar figure in a gray robe. After careful observation, he noticed that Wizard Lap did not appear injured.


    He breathed a sigh of relief.


    It was at this point that the shouts came one after another, seemingly transmitting messages in the most primitive way.


    "Wizard Lap commands..."


    "Wizard Lap commands!"


    "The Bishop of Flesh and Thorns has sacrificed all his followers and himself, temporarily summoning the embodiment of an Evil God projection!


    To avoid unnecessary power expenditure, Wizard Lap orders all apprentices to return to the Wizard Territory, activate the Witch Array to wait at leisure, and avoid the sharp edge for the time being!


    After a while, when the Bishop''s power weakens, Wizard Lap will decapitate the Evil God''s Bishop himself!"


    "Wizard Lap..." the voice repeated.


    Colin''s eyes flickered as he leaped down from the mango tree, joining the wizard apprentices beside him in retreating.


    Before leaving, he glanced back at the street behind him.


    In the shacks, some ordinary people had already reacted, taking their wives and daughters and starting to flee.


    Wizard Lap''s decision might have been the right one... such a summoned Evil God projection wouldn''t last long, using the Witch Array to temporarily avoid the fray, waiting for the foe to weaken before striking back¡ª this was undeniably the most energy-efficient strategy.


    As long as one doesn''t consider the havoc the Evil God projection would wreak in Blackstone City, doesn''t care about civilian casualties...


    Colin''s expression was calm as he ran, glancing at the grey figure of Wizard Lap who had unknowingly flown ahead of them and let out a slight sigh.


    "Cough."


    The fierce wind brushed his face as Lap coughed imperceptibly, slightly controlling his flight speed in the air.


    He felt the weariness in his body and his expression grew even colder.


    He looked back at the projection of the Lord of Flesh and Thorns that he had temporarily trapped in place and scoffed.


    ''If it had been fifty years earlier, how could a mere projection force me to retreat...''


    His expression grew colder by the second, but inside he sighed almost imperceptibly.


    ''I''ve indeed grown old...''

 Chapter 89 - 82: Flames of Vengeance

    Crack¡ª


    Crack!


    In the Thorn District, an invisible crimson figure struggled free from his gradually tightening shackles. Under his tremendous strength, it seemed as if invisible fragments were peeling off from around him.


    "This is the power of the great Master of the Blood Meat Thorns!"


    After breaking free from the shackles, Arman surveyed his now completely unrecognizable body and silently praised in his heart.


    He looked up at the huge Protective Shield that was slowly rising above the Wizard Territory, but he did not hurry to pursue.


    Instead, he withdrew his gaze and turned his head to look around.


    After a moment, his mind moved.


    Invisible crimson mist spilled from his body, sweeping toward all directions like tentacles.


    "My faithful followers..." he said in a deep voice,


    "Come to me. I will lead you to revive the glory of the Master."


    As his voice echoed, those Blood Flesh Thorns Sect members and corrupted Gang members who still survived, their eyes gradually enveloped in crimson.


    They all changed direction, feverishly approaching Arman, to receive the baptism of the tentacle-like invisible crimson mist!


    The flesh on the cultists'' bodies writhed and twisted as if alive, while the Gang wizards'' bodies surged with Magic Power, then vanished!


    And in its place, a deep black and red mist emerged.


    "Madman!" Far down the alley, the leader of Chiwen Gang, Ted, cursed upon seeing such a scene.


    He had not anticipated Arman would be so insane!


    Regardless of the outcome, not one of these people would be able to step into the Divine Country.


    They would only become kindling for the Master of Blood Flesh Thorns'' power! sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He shifted his gaze away, figuring out the direction, preparing to take the chance to flee quickly.


    Along the side of the street, turning around the corner, he melted into the escaping crowd of commoners as silently as a droplet into the sea.


    He glanced briefly at the ordinary people around him.


    To the left was a gaunt old man, his emaciated body no longer as strong as in his youth, now gasping under the strain.


    Yet he still ran doggedly, his face pale with fear, not daring to lag behind.


    And on the left were a couple, the man''s temples grizzled, one hand carrying a small boy, the other pulling along his frail wife.


    The wife held the hand of an eight or nine-year-old girl.


    All of their faces were panicked, desperately running, even the little girl gritting her teeth to keep up.


    Looking at them, looking at these common mortals he had never cared about, Ted felt a complex emotion rising within.


    He looked back once more at the distant figure with faint outlines, his heart shaking with a mix of awe and fear.


    For some reason, he regretted cooperating with the Blood Flesh Thorns Sect for the first time.


    He sighed softly.


    "...No matter, I just need to bide my time in the shadows, wait until they and Wizard Lap have battled it out, and then make a move."


    The Evil God''s projection would not last forever; if the Blood Flesh Thorns Sect won and Wizard Lap perished,


    Then when the projection dispersed, those cultists would likely be mostly dead... The island would undoubtedly become a world for these Peak Apprentices!


    If it came to him taking power, he would surely drive out and exterminate all those cultists!


    However,


    If Wizard Lap won...


    His expression darkened.


    "If Wizard Lap wins, staying on the island would be a dead end!" he hesitated slightly, changing direction and heading toward the east side of the city.


    By then, I must take a boat off the island to fight for a chance at life... first to the eastern harbor..."


    Hiss!


    A set of crimson tentacles suddenly attacked from behind him!


    Ted''s expression changed drastically, and several witchcraft glows were instantly bestowed upon him.


    But to no avail, the tentacles pierced directly through his chest as if nothing were there, pulling him backward.


    Magic Power...


    Magic Power boiled fiercely!


    Pfft.


    Ted couldn''t help spitting out a mouthful of blood.


    In his backward flying perspective, he could clearly see.


    The ordinary people who were just by his side had been contaminated with the crimson mist brought by the tentacles and showed a terrifying picture of mutation and corruption!


    They couldn''t even let out a scream before they burst violently, turning into a mass of blood-red flesh.


    As if sensing something, he suddenly raised his arm.


    It was then that he was shocked to discover!


    As Magic Power boiled and vanished, his arm began to show signs of transformation.


    Flesh began to crawl and shift.


    His originally fair and ordinary arm, in the blink of an eye, turned into a long, hideous arm with dark red spikes!


    No, it was not just the arm changing!


    Ted''s pupils contracted slightly, full of fear.


    Swoosh!


    The crimson tentacles brought a monster covered with fierce blood thorns to Arman''s side.


    When the tentacles released, the dark red creature stood still as if it were a sculpture.


    "¡­Praise the great Master of Blood Flesh Thorns."


    A low, fanatical voice came from its mouth.


    Arman raised his head, a smile emerging on his godlike, almost human face.


    After a little while,


    Next to his massive, invisible body, a large circle of various dark red monsters had gathered.


    Among them, the most conspicuous were the two figures, one large and one small, closest to him.


    The large creature was covered with fierce blood thorns, its blood-red carapace reflecting cold light like steel.


    The smaller creature hovered in midair, its slender body crowned with a scepter-like right hand emanating blood-red crystalline light.


    "About time," Arman surveyed the surrounding circle and contemplated.


    He slightly raised his arm, savoring the feeling.


    The power within him remained abundant...


    But he knew,


    He did not have much time left.


    In at most another hour, this abundant power would rapidly decline within a short period!


    He needed to seize the time as quickly as possible.


    But now was not the time.


    He glanced again at the distant Wizard Territory.


    Before officially launching an attack, there was another task he had to do.


    Arman withdrew his gaze and spread his arms, made of the invisible crimson mist, with a thought!


    Whoosh¡ª


    The crimson tendrils kept retracting into his body, restoring him to his complete, majestic figure.


    The next second, a red mist gradually began to spread from his body.


    Unlike the crimson mist tendrils.


    The red mist, lighter in color and thinner.


    It seemed slow but spread quickly in all directions, and in no time, enveloped the entire Blackstone City!


    Then, a low, mournful groan emanated from Arman''s body, spreading with the mist.


    "Vengeance..."


    "Vengeance!"


    "The Lord of the Blood Flesh Thorns is watching you!


    He will grant you the flames of vengeance!"


    "Go..."


    "Go and take vengeance!"


    "...Go and please Him with your scalding Heart of Revenge!"


    The pale red mist kept spreading...


    The world turned crimson.


    "Save me!"


    "Save me, Al!"


    Somewhere in the streets.


    Al''s eyes betrayed confusion as he clutched his head.


    The dull throbbing ache in his brain left him rooted to the spot, echoes of Al''s shrieks for help bouncing in his mind!


    "What''s wrong, Al?" asked his elderly mother with concern, her wrinkled face filled with worry.


    "Nothing... Mom." Al shook his head, paused to glance around, and then asked, "Didn''t you see the red mist?"


    "Red mist?" His mother was startled, looking around.


    All she saw was the orange glow of fires, collapsed buildings, and crowds of people fleeing in panic.


    "I didn''t see any red mist." She looked back at Al with even more concern and urged, "Hurry up, Al."


    "The wizards have left... we can only survive if we escape far enough and last until they return."


    She adjusted the baggage on her back, freeing her hand, grabbing Al to continue fleeing.


    The elderly woman moved forward, but the resistance in her hand made her pause.


    Al remained where he was, expressionless.


    "...What''s gotten into you, Al?" She turned back with urgency, "We''ll be too late if we don''t run now!"


    "Al?"


    "Al!"


    She called out loudly.


    But Al stayed put, his gaze growing increasingly vacant as a hint of crimson began to emerge from the depths of his pupils.


    "My child, what has happened to you?!" The elderly woman was frantic with concern.


    She watched as fewer and fewer people were around her, unable to suppress the panic in her heart, tears involuntary falling.


    "What has gotten into you..."


    "Mom... do you remember Al?"


    Al slightly bowed his head, interrupting his mother, and asked lightly, looking at her.


    The elderly woman was taken aback, frowning slightly, the lines on her face deepening.


    "At a time like this, you''re still thinking about that girl..." she averted her gaze as she spoke.


    Tap tap.


    Footsteps sounded.


    "Where are you going?! Al!"


    She was stunned for a moment, turning back to see Al''s retreating back in shock, shouting after him.


    "Where are you going... Al?"


    But as she got a clear look at Al''s form, her tone grew weaker.


    Flesh flowed like magma; eyes crimson in his wax-molten form commanded awe.


    "I''m going to take vengeance, Mom." The crimson creature replied softly, its voice dripping like fresh blood.


    Immediately after, it lifted its head, gazing fervently into the distance, murmuring:


    "Mom... I''ve seen the truth!


    ...The Lord of the Blood Flesh Thorns is watching me!"


    Boom!


    As the words fell, a bright yellow flame of vengeance rose from him.


    "Ah!"


    The elderly woman, terrified by this abnormality, fell to the ground, her complexion ashen.


    The bright yellow light illuminated her face, the reflection of the fiery human figure in her pupils slowly shrinking.


    Al, with the flame, moved further away.


    The light vanished, and darkness once again enveloped the woman.


    "Fools!"


    Down the street, Harrington watched towards the direction of Thorns Street, cursing softly under his breath.


    Surveying the dismal scene around him, his face was ice-cold, but inside was a brewing anger.


    The once orderly Blackstone City was now under the influence of the invisible red mist, plunged into utter chaos!


    Fiery figures could be seen everywhere, engaging wantonly in slaughter, then turning to ash.


    He had never expected the Blood Flesh Thorns Sect to be so foolish as to let Lap find the location of their ritual altar.


    ''Maybe the plan needs to be considered more carefully.''


    He sighed and turned away, heading back into the house.


    But quickly, his steps hesitated, his brow furrowing slightly.


    With a hollow grasp of his right hand, a magical staff with dark gold patterns coalesced in his hand.


    After this, he looked up to carefully examine the slender, dark red creature with a staff-like right hand that had appeared out of nowhere, floating mid-air.

 Chapter 90 - 83 Humanity

    In the Wizard Territory, overlaid by a translucent protective shield.


    Colin stood with a group of wizard apprentices on a sloping hill near the base of a mountain, overlooking Blackstone City.


    It was still night, with overcast clouds filling the sky, devoid of stars or moon, reminiscent of pure black satin.


    In contrast, in Blackstone City, gray buildings were scattered, twinkling with lights that, against the pitch-black earth, resembled fallen stars.


    A river of stars fallen to the ground¡­


    Reflected in Colin''s pale blue, deep eyes.


    "I wonder how many people will die again¡­" someone muttered beside him.


    Colin startled and turned his head to look.


    The speaker was a brown-haired male wizard with a gentle, ordinary appearance, currently lost in contemplation of Blackstone City.


    Colin averted his gaze.


    The spot where he stood was not far from where he used to reside in the Basic Level apprentice dormitory in the Wizard Territory¡­


    Or rather, right next door.


    There was a time when he first came to this world.


    On a night when the full moon hung high.


    Watching the sudden flare of green flames below the mountain, he had said the same words to the blonde girl beside him¡­


    "I wonder how many people will die again¡­"


    Colin''s expression was stern, his heart filled with mixed emotions.


    He wasn''t exactly a kind person, nor did he have grand ambitions or the courage to change the current state of the world¡­


    But he wasn''t thoroughly evil either; he couldn''t erase his humanity or remain stoic like a stone towards the loss of these lives.


    He might not attempt to save them, nor would he be heartbroken.


    Yet, he still felt somewhat downcast.


    After all, he had lived in Blackstone City for so long.


    That gray two-story villa was the first home he had ever owned.


    Although Renee and Arthur were only slaves, in this world, they were also the people he saw most frequently.


    ''I wonder how they are doing¡­''


    Colin looked up at Wizard Lap in midair and moved to a corner.


    He truly couldn''t change anything.


    He didn''t harbor delusions of saving everything or altering the rules of this world.


    But, if possible¡­


    He hoped¡­


    Hoped that one day, he could ultimately control his own destiny.


    Not just watch and evade like now.


    Finding a smooth stone in a secluded corner far from the crowd, he controlled the effect of the Cleaning Technique to cleanse it, and then Colin sat down cross-legged.


    Nearby, on several stones, a group of apprentices was resting, some chatting with each other, some browsing through books, and others meditating to restore their magic power.


    Colin''s expression was calm, and aside from his seating being slightly secluded, he appeared no different from the other apprentices.


    He scanned his surroundings to ensure no one was watching him before he lowered his head to carefully examine himself.


    His heightened sense was still active.


    In his line of sight, those murky dark spots still existed and continued to surge toward him.


    However, the translucent, invisible barrier that had formed after his breakthrough had changed its appearance¡­


    It resembled a spirit fog!


    If he couldn''t distinctly feel the essence of this barrier, still made of the glory of human nature and knowledge from after advancing to an advanced apprentice,


    He could have been deceived.


    Caressing the white crystal pendant that he had already hung in front of his chest, Colin had an epiphany.


    This was obviously a witch tool with a disguise effect.


    He glanced subtly in the direction of Wizard Lap.


    ''Perhaps I don''t have to worry about Wizard Lap discovering my true realm?''


    Before advancing,


    he actually wasn''t too worried that his true realm would be discovered after his advancement.


    To determine a wizard''s specific realm, an observer needed to enter a hyper-sensory state.


    Only Wizard Lap on the island had the ability to enter this state at will.


    And it was very rare to see Wizard Lap; since arriving in this world, Colin had only looked at him from a distance twice.


    In addition, although freshly advanced advanced apprentices could also briefly enter the hyper-sensory state,


    this wasn''t the most dangerous moment during advancement, but it still required caution.


    Of course, for him, because of his profound understanding of the Meditation Method and maintaining his humanity, the barriers of humanity and knowledge created during advancement were sufficiently robust.


    Thus, this stage wasn''t too risky for him.


    Even glimpsing the figure of the Evil God was merely dizzying.


    Moreover, perhaps because of this, he did not have to pay the strange prices other apprentices did and was just unaccustomed to the hyper-sensory state.


    But other advancers weren''t as relaxed as he was. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Usually during the hyper-sensory phase, freshly advanced apprentices would choose to seclude themselves, and the school members would typically spend their entire hyper-sensory phase in the Wizard Territory on the mountain.


    So, as long as he was careful in his daily life, he really didn''t need to worry about exposing his true realm.


    Of course, every action has its risks, but one shouldn''t avoid advancing because of them.


    These low-profile days only needed to be maintained for another two or three years, or even just one.


    Then he could choose a day to rightfully claim that he had made a breakthrough.


    Although it was soon, by that time, it wouldn''t be considered shocking.


    It could only be said that he had exceptional Talent and deserved to be called a genius.


    Although being a genius was a double-edged sword,


    from the current perspective, the Lap School tended to be righteous and orderly.


    Here, the title of genius was likely to bring more benefits than harm.


    The original owner had been a basic level apprentice for ten years, with a solid foundation of basic knowledge; suddenly having an epiphany and achieving rapid progress was not uncommon.


    After all, a wizard''s Talent was not something that could be summarized simply by affinity for Magic Power.


    The ability to learn and understand knowledge, and the heart to maintain one''s humanity, would become more important later on.


    Furthermore,


    he had not actually mastered this white crystal pendant yet.


    Its disguising effect was not actively initiated by him.


    On the road to Wizard Territory, as he clutched the crystal and retreated with other apprentices from the school, this disguise quietly took effect on him.


    It required no Magic Power supply, no spirit activation.


    Simply having the white crystal close to the body was enough to automatically produce the effect of a Spirit Fog.


    Generally speaking, the use of witch tools required the combined action of spirit and Magic Power.


    The spirit would inscribe a mark to obtain control permissions, in order to activate and deactivate.


    While Magic Power was responsible for supplying or replenishing energy, whether it was supplying or replenishing depended on whether the witch tool itself had an energy storage component.


    Colin felt the cold touch from the white crystal and pondered inwardly.


    No matter how he considered it, the utility of this white crystal pendant should not only be about simulating Spirit Fog.


    Unfortunately, now was not the right time.


    Surrounding him were members of the school, with Wizard Lap still standing quietly above.


    Colin restrained his impulse to probe the white crystal with Magic Power.


    He slowly closed his eyes and, like the other apprentices, began to recover his Magic Power and adjust his own state.

 Chapter 91 - 84: Dust Settles (Extra for 4.4k subscribers, asking for all kinds of support!!)

    Autumn night, the bleak wind brought with it a chill.


    Wizard Lap stood in midair, looking down with an almost imperceptible sweep over the apprentices gathered below.


    Most of them had fully recovered their Magic Power and woken up from meditation.


    They were now crowded at the edge of a cliff, looking out toward Blackstone City.


    Lap slowly retracted his gaze and once again looked toward Blackstone City in the distance.


    The flames in the city were still burning, but they had diminished considerably compared to before.


    At the Thorns District.


    Arman''s massive, intangible silhouette stood like a statue, still fixed in its original place.


    Under the influence of the various performances brought by the fiery figures in the city district, the unseen crimson fog that permeated the air became denser and denser.


    Lap saw this and his forehead slightly furrowed.


    As a First Rank Peak Wizard who had lived nearly three hundred years,


    he naturally knew what Arman was up to...


    It was nothing more than a bid to strengthen his own power.


    He looked at Arman, who seemed completely unguarded, and sneered coldly.


    As he had chosen at the beginning, he remained where he was, motionless.


    He had not intervened, nor did he intend to do so.


    The Blood Meat Thorns Sect''s carefully constructed ritual altar had already been destroyed.


    No matter how much Arman augmented the power of his projection, the Blood Meat Thorns master only had his own body to walk the world of mortals.


    This also meant that the power ultimately borne by Arman was always finite...


    And Lap was very clear, that limit was unlikely to exceed the power he held, bolstered by the Witch Array.


    More so, regardless of how much Arman augmented his strength,


    the Blood Meat Thorns master''s projection time of possession wouldn''t increase.


    That depended solely on Arman himself, who served as the vessel.


    When Arman burned out from soul to flesh...


    All would be settled in dust!


    ''As for Blackstone City...'' Lap''s expression was indifferent.


    ''It can simply be rebuilt.''


    It didn''t take long for him to wait.


    Soon there was a change in Blackstone City in the distance.


    The crimson fog that enveloped the city suddenly solidified as if time had stopped!


    The crowd continued to wail, the flames still danced, licking and snapping at the buildings.


    But the red mist had solidified like amber in another dimension. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The next instant, it began to whirl backward!


    The fiery figures still cloaked in flames of revenge, their fires mysteriously began to burn more ferociously and quickly.


    "Why... have I not yet exacted my revenge..."


    As the red fog swept over, those figures all turned to handfuls of ashes.


    A multitude of survivors cried out in extreme relief.


    Some had truly harmed the people now turned to ash before them, some had only minor frictions with them, and yet others did not even recognize the fiery figures that sought vengeance...


    Back in the Thorns District.


    Arman took a greedy breath, exhaling a satisfied sigh.


    The crimson fog swirled around him like weary birds returning to nest, forming a large blood-colored vortex and then entering through his mouth, nose, and skin, absorbed entirely by him.


    After the crimson fog was absorbed, his long-still body finally moved.


    Whoosh!


    Arman took a step and immediately, wrapped in the dark-red creatures, he arrived outside the Wizard Territory.


    Boom.


    Shops and markets in this area tumbled and shattered under their unrestrained advance!


    "Lap."


    Arman spoke, his voice low and resonant, seemingly mixed with strange undertones that inexplicably sent chills down one''s spine.


    He took another step and arrived in midair outside the Witch Array, looking down at Wizard Lap.


    Crack.


    Below Wizard Lap,


    a faint sound rang out.


    Colin instinctively looked toward the direction of the sound.


    An Apprentice was frowning as he lifted his right foot, seemingly having crushed something.


    Though trying to appear calm, anyone could see his nervousness from his slightly trembling thighs.


    But nobody ridiculed him.


    Because... they weren''t faring any better.


    Colin turned his head to continue watching the imposing line of monsters led by Arman.


    To disregard Arman, standing a good dozen meters tall,


    and at the foot of his enormous figure, a large group of dark-red creatures had gathered.


    Among them, the most conspicuous was the nearly three-meter-tall figure covered in ferocious blood thorns, standing right beside his right foot.


    Under heightened senses, the scarlet radiance it emitted was markedly more dazzling than the other dark-red creatures, and its range was much greater.


    Clearly not an easy adversary to deal with!


    "Deluded followers of the Evil God."


    Suddenly, Wizard Lap up above spoke out.


    Colin cast his gaze up.


    This was the first time he had heard Wizard Lap speak.


    His voice was steady and slightly hoarse, like the rustling of iron against iron.


    Upon hearing this, Arman was not annoyed but simply scoffed lightly,


    "Foolish mortals who know not the true terror."


    Wizards and those Cultists were inherently irreconcilable; such exchanges of barbs had happened countless times.


    "I thought you wouldn''t dare to come over," Wizard Lap spoke again.


    But Arman only smiled faintly, not taking the bait, instead swinging his large hand down heavily onto the half-transparent Protective Shield in front of him.


    Boom!!


    Lap slightly furrowed his brow, clenched his Magic Wand, and maintained the stability of the Witch Array.


    He had intended to use words to delay for a while longer; after all, the more time passed, the more advantageous it was for him.


    But Arman was evidently not a fool either.


    Boom!


    Blood-colored Energy kept bombarding the half-transparent Witch Array Protective Shield, causing ripples to spread.


    It seemed on the verge of collapse, yet Wizard Lap somewhat relaxed.


    If it was only this level of attack intensity... the outcome of the battle wouldn''t differ!


    However, he didn''t let his guard down and raised his hand to testingly wave his Magic Wand.


    A transparent light beam as thick as a bucket shot toward Arman''s chest.


    Whoosh!


    A blood-colored mist spontaneously formed a round shield in front of Arman''s chest, successfully intercepting the light beam.

 Chapter 95 - 86: The Ban

    "Lord Berkeley, what''s wrong?"


    On the edge of a cliff, Colin turned back and asked, puzzled.


    "Wizard Lap has ordered that all apprentices are temporarily banned from leaving the Wizard Territory."


    "Temporarily banned from leaving?"


    "It might be temporary, or it might be long-term."


    "Wizard Lap has ordered that all apprentices must return to the Wizard Territory," Berkeley explained. "I am on my way down the mountain to call back the apprentices who returned to the city earlier."


    "If there''s no urgent matter, don''t go down the mountain. Return to the Central Castle."


    Having said this, he began to levitate, preparing to fly to Blackstone City.


    Colin frowned slightly, watching Berkeley with hesitation.


    After such a significant event in Blackstone City last night, to say he had no concern at all about how Renee and the others were faring... was undoubtedly impossible.


    He did indeed want to take a look in the city.


    Moreover, he had some things to retrieve.


    Wizard Lap''s ban made him feel somewhat uneasy...


    ''Perhaps temporary, or perhaps long-term...''


    Just in case, it was better to return home and take all the important things with him.


    "Lord Berkeley," he spoke, bowing slightly in request:


    "May I go to Blackstone City and then immediately return?"


    Berkeley looked back at him, pondered for a moment, and then said:


    "Yes, I will take you down. In return, you must assist me in notifying all School members to return to the Wizard Territory."


    Colin nodded slightly.


    Berkeley added, "You only have ten minutes to deal with your own matters." Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "After notifying all the apprentices, I will wait for you for ten minutes. After ten minutes, whether you have finished or not, you must return with me to the Wizard Territory."


    "Understood, Lord Berkeley," Colin nodded.


    Ten minutes was enough; he simply wanted to see how things were in the city.


    "Hmm."


    Berkeley, with Colin, soared from the ground and flew towards Blackstone City.


    ...


    The cool wind whistled past his ears.


    Soon, they arrived in front of Blackstone City.


    The modest city gate swept by beneath them.


    In the blink of an eye as they passed, Colin noticed two Steel-armored Guards were on duty in front of the gate.


    ''Price must be gradually restoring order to Blackstone City,'' he surmised silently.


    Last night''s raid involved only School members; Price was not among them.


    They flew over Blackstone City.


    As he had surmised, Blackstone City was beginning to restore order.


    Patrolling guards could be seen everywhere on the streets.


    Next to some burned-down buildings, officials were recording something.


    Although cries of disturbance still could be heard, most of the common folk had already accepted reality.


    Some sat or lay resting by the roadside, some ate food, and others had already begun to dismantle and repair their damaged homes.


    ...


    "...Yes, it''s Wizard Lap''s order."


    Outside the gate, Colin faced an apprentice and answered.


    "Okay, I got it," the apprentice nodded reluctantly, spoke two words to the woman next to him, and then hurried towards the Wizard Territory.


    After giving a slight nod to Colin, the woman closed the door.


    Colin stood at the door and let out a soft breath.


    City Lord Price had called the Patrol Department''s guards to maintain order within the city.


    Wizard Lap''s summoning order was quite urgent; calling back the guards and then letting them inform the School''s apprentices would undoubtedly delay things.


    Plus, there weren''t many School members who had returned to Blackstone City, so Berkeley decided to notify the School members personally.


    He was responsible for part of them.


    The one just now was the second to last one on his list.


    He continued walking towards the next apprentice''s residence.


    Swoosh.


    A figure flew towards him.


    "Colin," Berkeley landed beside him, "I''ve already notified the last apprentice you''re responsible for."


    "Now, I''ll take you to do your own thing."


    He paused and asked, "Where are you headed?"


    "Palm Street," Colin said softly, "Thank you, Lord Berkeley."


    "No need to thank me, just saving time," Berkeley replied indifferently, taking him flying towards Palm Street.


    ''It seems I really need to learn some Flying Witchcraft as soon as possible.''


    Colin felt the breeze against his face and silently vowed to prioritize learning Flying Witchcraft.


    Soon, Palm Street appeared before them.


    Colin immediately spotted his own two-story gray villa located at the highest point of the terrain.


    It was intact, and the courtyard wall was undamaged.


    He breathed a sigh of relief.


    Berkeley brought him straight down into the yard.


    Huff¡ª


    The black horse in the stable neighed in fright.


    "I''ll wait for you outside," Berkeley said after setting him down, then flew out again.


    "Master!" Arthur, startled by the noise from the detached house, pushed open the door, calling out in surprise.


    At the same moment, the main house''s front door also opened.


    "Master!" Renee called out joyfully, rushing over to Colin.


    "Master," the following Demi caught up and cheerily greeted.


    "Mm," Colin nodded, surveying the three of them and noting nothing unusual except for some signs of fatigue, and smiled.


    Then he walked into the house, making casual conversation with Renee.


    "Not long after the master left last night, there were bright lights and huge explosions in the distance.


    And then there were several more explosions before some creatures engulfed in flames appeared," Renee recounted as she followed by his side.


    "Some people tried to loot in the chaos, but no one dared to come here..."


    Colin listened to Renee''s story while mentioning a couple of sentences about the real reasons behind the events.


    With that, he entered the bedroom.


    "I have to leave again soon," Colin paused briefly, turning to Renee.


    "The School has summoned all members back to Wizard Territory and issued a prohibition; I likely won''t be able to return for a while."


    Renee was taken aback.


    "Okay, Master," she said, bowing her head.


    The blood-red rose pattern on her collarbone was vivid and alluring.


    This was the result of a post-Limit Breaking Blood Pattern Transformation.


    It also granted her the strength between a Peak Knight and a Great Knight.


    "Purchase a large ship capable of ocean voyages in the east of the city for me. The simpler the control, the better."


    "...Yes, Master!"


    Renee looked up excitedly, taking the Magic Stone that Colin handed her.


    Colin gave a slight nod, but sighed inwardly as he pushed the door and entered the bedroom.


    Life was like a torrent; he could only be carried away in its rapid flow.


    He arrived at the Meditation Room.


    He packed up the sea charts, a summary booklet for advancing to an Advanced Apprentice, some important books, the remaining image crystals he had been accumulating over three months, and a portion of the Magic Stones he kept here into a gray backpack.


    This was the main reason for his return.


    After the events of last night, he decided to carry these significant items with him.


    Especially the sea charts; without them in dire situations, he would be helpless.


    After packing, he pushed the door and left.


    "I''m done with my tasks, Lord Berkeley," he said as he walked out the front door to Berkeley, who was waiting nearby.


    Berkeley nodded slightly.


    Swoosh!


    He took off swiftly, carrying Colin back to Wizard Territory.

 Chapter 93 - 84: Dust Settles (Extra for 4400 subscribers, asking for all kinds of support!!)_3

    "...my efforts for so long were not in vain."


    "Old man Lap..." He sneered, murmuring softly,


    "Blackstone Island, will always belong to our Blackstone Family!"


    "The Wizard Territory of Blackstone, will also always be the Blackstone Family''s, including the Witch Array above it!"


    Dark red flames obscured his vision; he withdrew his gaze and turned to look at the black man, Haywood, beside him.


    Haywood felt a jolt in his heart as Harrington''s eyes met his, bowing even more respectfully.


    Pfft!


    But in the next second, accompanied by barely discernible wind, he felt a severe pain in his heart!


    A staff with dark golden patterns pierced through his heart.


    Haywood instinctively gripped the dark gold staff with his dark, large hand.


    Blood spurted from the contact gap between the wound and the staff, instantly staining his hands red.


    He looked up at Harrington with disbelief, his mouth involuntarily opening and closing, full of blood foam.


    Then he heavily fell to the ground.


    Pfff.


    Harrington pulled the staff out of Haywood''s body, waving it gently a few times to flick the fresh blood from the sharp end.


    Now that the plan had been deployed, Arman had successfully deceived the Witch Array with his assistance.


    Then these materials used to figure out how to deceive the Witch Array were no longer necessary.


    Boom!!


    Suddenly, a glaring light burst behind him!


    Harrington''s heart jolted, and he quickly turned around.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    As he turned around, glaring lights burst one after another from behind.


    He squinted his eyes, gazing into the distance at the peak of the Wizard Territory, his expression gradually darkening.


    The constant flickering light, casting on his gloomy face, added even more terror to his already unattractive appearance.


    "This signature light, undoubtedly is Old Man Lap''s signature First-Level Upper witchcraft¡ªSun Fireball..."


    Harrington''s heart gradually sank.


    The Witch Array was not a rigid or dead thing.


    The credential he gave to Arman only allowed him one chance for a sudden attack.


    Arman... must settle the dust in one strike!


    Otherwise, once Old Man Lap reacted, he could quickly adjust the Witch Array, identify him, and defend again.


    Even if the Protective Shield of the Witch Array was temporarily shattered, as long as the core of the Witch Array was not damaged,


    Lap could still gain the benefits of the Witch Array, and the translucent protective shield could be quickly regenerated.


    Under these circumstances, if Arman''s first strike failed to deal critical damage,


    the longer it took, the greater Lap''s advantage would become.


    And from the current situation, this constantly flickering light undoubtedly meant¡ª S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Arman had not settled the dust in one strike.


    "Those who have faith in Divine, are indeed a bunch of fools."


    Harrington pocketed the dark gold patterned staff without further attachment and coldly turned to leave.


    *


    *


    *


    Crackling¡ª


    Not far away, the wooden structure of a building cried out in the roaring fire.


    "Cough¡ªcough¡ª"


    Colin coughed, waving away the black smoke in front of him and widening his eyes to look around.


    In front of him, the Wizard Territory no longer resembled a mountain range, everything visible to the naked eye was on fire.


    Wooden houses, grasslands, trees, and even the bodies of some dead apprentices...


    What used to be the residential area for Basic Level apprentices, was now just ruins.


    Crackle!


    Boom.


    Another building collapsed in the flames.


    The sound of collapse made him involuntarily remember the explosion that seemed to destroy heaven and earth just moments ago...


    That''s right!


    Where is Wizard Lap?!


    Colin scanned the sky, but saw no one.


    No Wizard Lap, nor that massive bloody figure.


    Hiss!


    Nearby, the sound of putting out fires mixed with noisy voices came.


    "Quick, put out the fire!"


    "There''s an injured one here!"


    Colin ran towards the direction of the voices.


    Thanks to a one-time Limit Breaking for Basic High Temperature Tolerance and other Defensive Witchcraft, he was not injured.


    He just couldn''t see clearly what was happening because of the glaring light.


    But after running a few steps, he gradually slowed down.


    In his field of vision,


    a familiar grey-robed figure reappeared in midair.


    Small in stature, yet undeniable.

 Chapter 94 - 85: After the War

    Swish¡ª¡ª


    The rain drizzled down.


    The weather on the island was ever-changing; the dark clouds from last night turned into a brief shower as sunrise approached.


    Inside the great hall of the Central Castle.


    Colin stood by the window, watching as the ruins outside were shrouded in a misty veil of rain.


    Thanks to this shower,


    the flames sparked in the Wizard Territory and Blackstone City gradually extinguished, preventing further damage.


    "Hiss¡ª"


    Beside him, an apprentice was applying medicine to his wound... burns caused by flames were not as easily treated as other conventional injuries.


    A huge blister had formed on the apprentice''s arm from the burn, and after he pricked it, a pale yellow tissue fluid flowed out...


    Around him, there were many other wounded like him,


    some with more severe injuries, some with lighter ones...


    Colin withdrew his gaze.


    After the protective shield of the Witch Array had shattered,


    Colin thought they would be in a "king versus king, general against general" situation against Arman''s group of monsters.


    They might even have a standoff for a while.


    But unexpectedly, the battle escalated into intensity in an instant...


    That moment was both a climax and a finale.


    That mountain area was merely a stage for Arman and Lap.


    Those apprentices, perhaps, could not even be considered spectators.


    Colin sighed softly in his heart.


    After an endless light.


    He came back to his senses amidst the ruins, seeing nothing but broken walls and fallen, wounded apprentices.


    In the aftermath of such a battle,


    The apprentices, just like those dark red monsters, were utterly fragile.


    He somewhat couldn''t understand...


    What was the purpose of gathering these apprentices there?


    Were they merely waiting to be injured by the remnants of the battle?!


    But soon, he shook his head.


    If things had proceeded normally,


    These apprentices would have stayed within the Witch Array until the projection of the leader of the Blood Meat Thorns Sect disappeared, then they would have gone out to handle the remaining dark red monsters and clean up the battlefield...


    Who could have anticipated that Arman could deceive the defenses of the Witch Array, thus drastically altering the battle situation.


    Colin rubbed the white crystal pendant at his chest through his Wizard Robe, feeling inexplicably emotional.


    ''Blackstone Island is ultimately just a cage...''


    If the sacrifice ritual of the Blood Meat Thorns Sect hadn''t been discovered prematurely and had succeeded instead,


    the projection of the Evil God summoned would undoubtedly have been even stronger!


    If it was strong enough to surpass the capabilities Lap the Wizard could handle...


    Then these Wizard Apprentices, no matter where they hid on the island, would ultimately have only one path¡ªdeath.


    Their only chance of survival might be to escape to the sea... although that seemed more like a dead end.


    ''Perhaps I should buy a ship and learn some essential witchcraft for the sea,'' Colin mused silently.


    With his current strength, going to sea alone, although perilous, was no longer a certain death like when he was an Intermediate Apprentice.


    If faced with an insurmountable danger, heading to sea would be the last hope,


    "Colin." Berkeley suddenly approached. "Wizard Lap wants to see you."


    He appeared somewhat tired, yet his Wizard Robe was still clean and neat.


    "Alright," Colin responded with a nod, his expression calm, not too surprised.


    After cleaning up the battlefield and aiding the wounded, he had found Berkeley to report what he had seen before Arman breached the shield¡ª the monster that transformed into red mist merging into Arman''s body, and the streak of gold mingled within the red mist.


    ... As long as he could not leave the island, the fate of the Lap School was tied to his.


    Such crucial intelligence should not be concealed.


    Berkeley nodded slightly and led him through the crowd of apprentices, across the hall to the gray-black corridor, and finally to the study at the end.


    He pushed open the door.


    At the grand floor-to-ceiling window, Wizard Lap stood with his back to them.


    Outside was a delicate lawn and several lush trees.


    It was nearing sunrise, the sky faintly brightening, the rain had stopped, and a barely discernible rich golden light appeared on the horizon.


    "Master Lap," Berkeley greeted respectfully.


    "Lap teacher." Colin also greeted him.


    Wizard Lap, being the head of the School, was also the common teacher of them all.


    "Mm," Lap hummed slightly and slowly turned around.


    Under the gray hood was the face of an ordinary middle-aged man, his temples revealing that his hair had already turned white.


    At this moment, his complexion was unnaturally pale, but his wizard robe was intact, and there was no sign of injury.


    "Describe in detail the scene you witnessed," he said as he paced to the bench behind the desk and sat down, staring at Colin.


    "Okay, Lap teacher," Colin slowly began to narrate.


    As time passed, the originally dim room gradually brightened, with golden light slowly breaking in through the windows,


    If one looked up, through the stained glass windows, one could see a golden sun rising from the deep blue sea level in the distance.


    Night had retreated, and dawn had arrived.


    "Mm, I understand."


    After hearing his narration, Wizard Lap didn''t reveal much emotion, merely furrowing his brows.


    Then he instructed them to leave.


    Exiting the study, down the long corridor.


    "Lord Berkeley, I shall head back to Blackstone City first," Colin said, turning to bid farewell to Berkeley. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Mm."


    Berkeley nodded slightly, watching as Colin gradually walked down the corridor.


    Inside the study.


    Wizard Lap leaned back on the bench.


    The light of dawn streamed through the stained glass window behind him, enveloping him in shadows.


    He sighed softly, adjusted his sitting position, and slightly relaxed.


    It was then that one could see the signs of nearly three hundred years on his slightly stooped figure.


    He gasped for breath.


    The pain radiating from the wound in his abdomen drained what little energy he had left.


    Vine-like wrinkles crept over his pale face, his eye bags drooped, his forehead no longer smooth...


    In just a moment, he had transformed from a middle-aged man into an old geezer.


    He took a breath and exhaled shortly, clutching his abdomen, sitting up straight.


    The wrinkles that had just appeared receded like an illusion.


    He resumed his middle-aged appearance, only his complexion was even paler.


    Lap raised his hand from his abdomen, slightly knitting his brows.


    The fingers were not smeared with blood¡ª


    But with some gory, maggot-like wriggling slender red flesh strips!


    "Hmph."


    Lap snorted coldly.


    A ball of flame appeared out of nowhere, instantly burning the flesh strips to char.


    Orange flames also appeared on his abdomen, where the slender flesh strips at the wound turned to char.


    After doing this, he breathed a sigh of relief, rose from the shadows, and stepped in front of the bright stained-glass windows.


    His expression was calm, his thoughts unknown.


    *


    *


    *


    Walking through the hall, he exited the Central Castle.


    Colin''s expression was calm as he stepped on the rain-soaked gravel path, moving forward unhurriedly.


    Drip-drop.


    Raindrops fell from the green leaves of the trees alongside, shattering on the ground, and birds began to chirp.


    The air was filled with the fresh scent peculiar to after the rain¡­ just like always.


    If it weren''t for the black architectural remnants and ashes scattered around as reminders,


    No one could tell that a battle, which might have affected the fate of tens of thousands on the island, had taken place here last night.


    Approaching the cliff, Blackstone City at the foot of the mountain came into view.


    The gray-black buildings were closely spaced, and a careful look revealed many of them had burned down and collapsed, leaving only ruins.


    However, beside those ruins, crowds bustling like ants reduced the sense of desolation.


    Just as he withdrew his gaze and prepared to walk down the mountain.


    "Colin."


    A voice called out to him.

 Chapter 95 - 86: The Ban

    "Lord Berkeley, what''s wrong?"


    On the edge of a cliff, Colin turned back and asked, puzzled.


    "Wizard Lap has ordered that all apprentices are temporarily banned from leaving the Wizard Territory."


    "Temporarily banned from leaving?"


    "It might be temporary, or it might be long-term."


    "Wizard Lap has ordered that all apprentices must return to the Wizard Territory," Berkeley explained. "I am on my way down the mountain to call back the apprentices who returned to the city earlier."


    "If there''s no urgent matter, don''t go down the mountain. Return to the Central Castle."


    Having said this, he began to levitate, preparing to fly to Blackstone City.


    Colin frowned slightly, watching Berkeley with hesitation.


    After such a significant event in Blackstone City last night, to say he had no concern at all about how Renee and the others were faring... was undoubtedly impossible.


    He did indeed want to take a look in the city.


    Moreover, he had some things to retrieve.


    Wizard Lap''s ban made him feel somewhat uneasy...


    ''Perhaps temporary, or perhaps long-term...''


    Just in case, it was better to return home and take all the important things with him.


    "Lord Berkeley," he spoke, bowing slightly in request:


    "May I go to Blackstone City and then immediately return?"


    Berkeley looked back at him, pondered for a moment, and then said:


    "Yes, I will take you down. In return, you must assist me in notifying all School members to return to the Wizard Territory."


    Colin nodded slightly.


    Berkeley added, "You only have ten minutes to deal with your own matters." Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "After notifying all the apprentices, I will wait for you for ten minutes. After ten minutes, whether you have finished or not, you must return with me to the Wizard Territory."


    "Understood, Lord Berkeley," Colin nodded.


    Ten minutes was enough; he simply wanted to see how things were in the city.


    "Hmm."


    Berkeley, with Colin, soared from the ground and flew towards Blackstone City.


    ...


    The cool wind whistled past his ears.


    Soon, they arrived in front of Blackstone City.


    The modest city gate swept by beneath them.


    In the blink of an eye as they passed, Colin noticed two Steel-armored Guards were on duty in front of the gate.


    ''Price must be gradually restoring order to Blackstone City,'' he surmised silently.


    Last night''s raid involved only School members; Price was not among them.


    They flew over Blackstone City.


    As he had surmised, Blackstone City was beginning to restore order.


    Patrolling guards could be seen everywhere on the streets.


    Next to some burned-down buildings, officials were recording something.


    Although cries of disturbance still could be heard, most of the common folk had already accepted reality.


    Some sat or lay resting by the roadside, some ate food, and others had already begun to dismantle and repair their damaged homes.


    ...


    "...Yes, it''s Wizard Lap''s order."


    Outside the gate, Colin faced an apprentice and answered.


    "Okay, I got it," the apprentice nodded reluctantly, spoke two words to the woman next to him, and then hurried towards the Wizard Territory.


    After giving a slight nod to Colin, the woman closed the door.


    Colin stood at the door and let out a soft breath.


    City Lord Price had called the Patrol Department''s guards to maintain order within the city.


    Wizard Lap''s summoning order was quite urgent; calling back the guards and then letting them inform the School''s apprentices would undoubtedly delay things.


    Plus, there weren''t many School members who had returned to Blackstone City, so Berkeley decided to notify the School members personally.


    He was responsible for part of them.


    The one just now was the second to last one on his list.


    He continued walking towards the next apprentice''s residence.


    Swoosh.


    A figure flew towards him.


    "Colin," Berkeley landed beside him, "I''ve already notified the last apprentice you''re responsible for."


    "Now, I''ll take you to do your own thing."


    He paused and asked, "Where are you headed?"


    "Palm Street," Colin said softly, "Thank you, Lord Berkeley."


    "No need to thank me, just saving time," Berkeley replied indifferently, taking him flying towards Palm Street.


    ''It seems I really need to learn some Flying Witchcraft as soon as possible.''


    Colin felt the breeze against his face and silently vowed to prioritize learning Flying Witchcraft.


    Soon, Palm Street appeared before them.


    Colin immediately spotted his own two-story gray villa located at the highest point of the terrain.


    It was intact, and the courtyard wall was undamaged.


    He breathed a sigh of relief.


    Berkeley brought him straight down into the yard.


    Huff¡ª


    The black horse in the stable neighed in fright.


    "I''ll wait for you outside," Berkeley said after setting him down, then flew out again.


    "Master!" Arthur, startled by the noise from the detached house, pushed open the door, calling out in surprise.


    At the same moment, the main house''s front door also opened.


    "Master!" Renee called out joyfully, rushing over to Colin.


    "Master," the following Demi caught up and cheerily greeted.


    "Mm," Colin nodded, surveying the three of them and noting nothing unusual except for some signs of fatigue, and smiled.


    Then he walked into the house, making casual conversation with Renee.


    "Not long after the master left last night, there were bright lights and huge explosions in the distance.


    And then there were several more explosions before some creatures engulfed in flames appeared," Renee recounted as she followed by his side.


    "Some people tried to loot in the chaos, but no one dared to come here..."


    Colin listened to Renee''s story while mentioning a couple of sentences about the real reasons behind the events.


    With that, he entered the bedroom.


    "I have to leave again soon," Colin paused briefly, turning to Renee.


    "The School has summoned all members back to Wizard Territory and issued a prohibition; I likely won''t be able to return for a while."


    Renee was taken aback.


    "Okay, Master," she said, bowing her head.


    The blood-red rose pattern on her collarbone was vivid and alluring.


    This was the result of a post-Limit Breaking Blood Pattern Transformation.


    It also granted her the strength between a Peak Knight and a Great Knight.


    "Purchase a large ship capable of ocean voyages in the east of the city for me. The simpler the control, the better."


    "...Yes, Master!"


    Renee looked up excitedly, taking the Magic Stone that Colin handed her.


    Colin gave a slight nod, but sighed inwardly as he pushed the door and entered the bedroom.


    Life was like a torrent; he could only be carried away in its rapid flow.


    He arrived at the Meditation Room.


    He packed up the sea charts, a summary booklet for advancing to an Advanced Apprentice, some important books, the remaining image crystals he had been accumulating over three months, and a portion of the Magic Stones he kept here into a gray backpack.


    This was the main reason for his return.


    After the events of last night, he decided to carry these significant items with him.


    Especially the sea charts; without them in dire situations, he would be helpless.


    After packing, he pushed the door and left.


    "I''m done with my tasks, Lord Berkeley," he said as he walked out the front door to Berkeley, who was waiting nearby.


    Berkeley nodded slightly.


    Swoosh!


    He took off swiftly, carrying Colin back to Wizard Territory.

 Chapter 96 - 87: Legacy

    In the spacious gray-black room, a brown carpet with triangle patterns sprawled across the floor.


    Sunlight filtered through the square stained glass windows high on the left and right walls, casting mottled traces on the group of Wizard Apprentices gathered below.


    Murmurs and whispers reverberated through the room.


    Colin stood in a corner of the crowd, his expression impassive.


    After Berkeley had brought him back to the Wizard Territory, he had promptly turned and left in a hurry.


    A gray-haired female Wizard Apprentice¡ªFina¡ªhad summoned them here.


    She, like Berkeley, was one of the three Peak Apprentices.


    At the moment, she stood silently beside the platform at the front of the crowd, her face expressionless, indifferent to the whispered conversations of the Apprentices.


    Tap tap tap¡ª


    The sound of numerous footsteps gradually approached from outside the room.


    The noisy chatter of the Apprentices inside abruptly weakened, until it vanished entirely.


    The thick wooden door creaked open.


    Wizard Lap walked in slowly, followed by several other Wizards.


    ''Berkeley, Nidham, Price, and¡­ the leaders of the Luo Wen Gang and the Snake Head Crow Gang.''


    Colin glanced up briefly, a hint of confusion on his face.


    The number of Wizards on Blackstone Island was not great to begin with, and the number of Peak Apprentices was even fewer.


    To his knowledge, the publicly known Peak Apprentices were the three from the School including Berkeley, the leaders of the Four Great Gangs, and the City Lord Price.


    That was eight people in total.


    And last night, the Chiwen Gang and poke gang had almost been wiped out; their leaders had naturally died as well.


    Of the eight Peak Wizard Apprentices, two were gone, leaving only six...


    And now, all were gathered here.


    Berkeley and Nidham moved to stand beside Fina on the right side of the platform.


    As for the bewildered Price and the others, they stood on the opposite side of the platform.


    Wizard Lap stepped onto the platform at the front of the crowd without a word, his gaze sweeping around the room.


    Below, everyone bowed their heads in silence, as still as if in the depths of winter.


    Even the normally defiant Nidham dared not make a single other move, as silent and respectful as anyone else.


    After a long while.


    Boom!!


    "Ah!!"


    Several piercing screams suddenly erupted from the left side of the platform!


    The Apprentices instinctively looked up.


    When they saw what had happened, they cried out in unison!


    Colin''s pupils shrank slightly in disbelief at the scene before him¡ª


    The three Peak Wizard Apprentices who had been standing on the left side of the platform were now enveloped in roaring flames, quickly turning into three charred corpses that fell to the ground, motionless.


    A slight commotion among the Apprentices swelled into a surge of clamor within the room.


    "Cough¡ªcough¡ª"


    Atop the platform, Wizard Lap coughed twice, covering his mouth with a weary expression.


    The chatter of the Apprentices ceased abruptly.


    "Do not be afraid, my students,"


    he said, lifting his head to gaze calmly at the Apprentices in front of him, their faces showing various emotions.


    "I am eradicating a potential crisis that could arise in your future."


    He paused for a moment, his voice tired and carrying an almost imperceptible note of dread,


    "I am dying, my students."


    A stir arose again in the room, more intense than before.


    "What?!"


    "How could it be?"


    "Wizard Lap..."


    Even Berkeley''s usually composed face now showed disbelief.


    When the Apprentices in attendance realized that Wizard Lap was not joking,


    most of them wore expressions of sorrow.


    All of those present, whether for a brief five years or as long as sixty, had lived under the protection of Wizard Lap.


    One could say they had all grown up listening to stories about Wizard Lap.


    Though they were more familiar with their instructors before becoming Advanced Apprentices,


    Wizard Lap, the founder of the Lap School!


    There wasn''t a single Apprentice who did not understand from where the honors and benefits they enjoyed daily had come¡ª


    They basked in the glory and responsibilities that came with being part of the School,


    and they revered the creator of this glory¡ªWizard Lap.


    Furthermore, Wizard Lap had a gentle nature; the School''s system was strict, but it could not be called brutal.


    Just as the subjects of a benevolent king in the mundane world would naturally feel sorrow at his impending demise, they too felt a certain sadness.


    And¡ª


    The sense of being lost, when the house that sheltered them was about to collapse.


    "After I die, only the emergence of an Official Wizard among you will allow the School to continue being passed down."


    Wizard Lap added gravely, his demeanor calm.


    "I have planned a way out for you."


    "I will choose one Apprentice from all of you present, assist them in becoming an Official Wizard, and let them inherit my legacy."


    Inherit a legacy? Advance to Official Wizard?


    The Apprentices silently exchanged glances.


    On the edge of the platform, Nidham''s gaze flickered, subtly glancing at Fina and Berkeley beside him.


    If there were anyone among the Apprentices present who had the chance to advance to Official Wizard, it was undoubtedly the three of them, the Peak Wizard Apprentices.


    Berkeley looked worried; more than advancing to Official Wizard, he was saddened by the impending death of Wizard Lap.


    He had come here sixty years ago as one of the first batch of Apprentices of the Lap School.


    Wizard Lap had watched him grow from a six- or seven-year-old child to what he was now...


    To him, Wizard Lap was both a teacher and a father figure.


    Beside Berkeley,


    the gray-haired Fina still wore an expressionless face.


    In the crowd, Colin, like the other Apprentices, bowed his head silently, yet inside he felt puzzled.


    ''Inherit a legacy, advance to Official Wizard?''


    ''Could such benefits really fall to Apprentices below the Advanced level?''


    ''If a successor truly needed to be chosen, wouldn''t it make sense to select directly from Peak Apprentices like Berkeley or Advanced Apprentices like Holt?''


    ''Now, the room wasn''t only filled with Peak Apprentices like Berkeley.


    Practically all members of the School had gathered here, even the Basic Level Wizard Apprentices who had survived the previous night...''


    Wizard Lap continued to announce:


    "All of you present have the opportunity to advance to Official Wizard and obtain my legacy."


    "The selection will not be based on realm or Talent,


    he paused before continuing in a deep voice, "but on a trial."


    "Follow me."


    Lap Wizard slowly descended from the platform, leading the apprentices towards the exit.


    Colin had no time to think before he was swept along with the other apprentices, following behind Wizard Lap.


    Like a stream pouring forth, the wizards formed a long procession, gradually leaving the room.


    Soon, the room, which had been filled with wizards, was left with only about a dozen lagging behind.


    Then the sunlight streamed through the square stained glass windows, unobstructed, falling on the brown carpet with its triangular patterns, slicing it into light and dark halves.


    In that darker part,


    Squeak.


    A rat-like creature, fused with the shadows, flashed by.


    A fair-faced witch at the end of the procession of wizards calmly turned her head back and quickly caught up with the group.


    If Colin had been there, he would have been surprised to find¡ª


    That among the last of their batch of Basic Level apprentices,


    There was still one female apprentice who, like him, had successfully advanced to Intermediate Wizard Apprentice at the end of the ten-year term, staying in the Wizard Territory.


    And if Colin had not forgotten the female apprentice''s name, he might have even called out a greeting:


    "Mia."


    *


    *


    *


    Tap tap tap¡ª


    Footsteps gradually came to a stop.


    Wizard Lap stopped in front of a thick stone door at the very depths of Central Castle.


    "Children," he said, his voice even more weary than before.


    "This is the trial I have prepared for you."


    Colin lifted his head to study the unattractive gray stone door behind him.


    The stone door was smooth, with a ring of patterns around its edge like rough, stone-drawn sketches...


    This style of decorative pattern could be seen all over Blackstone Castle. There was nothing special about it.


    Other than that, there were no other distinctive marks on the stone door.


    "Cough¡ª, the trial is very simple... you will know the specifics once you go inside," Wizard Lap said with a cough, adding no further explanation.


    He waved his magic wand, and an imperceptible wave of magic power flashed by.


    Clack.


    The stone door behind him immediately rose upward, revealing a dark and deep passageway.


    Perhaps it was because the stone door opened.


    The Bright Crystals embedded in the ceiling of the passageway lit up from near to far, their light extending all the way back as far as the eye could see.


    In the soft White Light, Colin could see the entire layout of the passageway.


    To the left and right were the rough, uneven gray stone walls, detailed with patterns and ornaments in the same style as the stone door outside.


    Perhaps due to the dampness, in some twisting crevices, tenacious greenery crawled out, clinging to the stone walls.


    "Go in," Wizard Lap stepped aside to make way, gesturing to the apprentices.


    Nidham was the first to walk towards the passageway, his steps unwavering.


    He was not worried about any schemes from Wizard Lap.


    If Wizard Lap really meant them harm, why bother with such complexity?


    Even if, by a thousand-to-one chance, Wizard Lap truly intended them harm, they had no chance of resistance.


    Even though Wizard Lap had been seriously injured, it would still be easy for him to deal with these apprentices.


    The three Peak Wizard Apprentices who had died so suddenly, weren''t they the best example?


    Of course, having lived on the island for over thirty years, he was more inclined to believe what Wizard Lap said was true.


    If Wizard Lap truly had sustained an injury that would lead to his demise... then these apprentices, even if they were drained to their last drop of blood, would be of no use to Wizard Lap.


    There was no need for him to go to such lengths for them.


    Following his lead, the other apprentices also hesitantly made their way inside.


    Clearly, none of them were fools; what Nidham could deduce, most were also aware of.


    Ting.


    Colin, calm and unhurried, walked in the middle of the crowd, quietly slipping the suspended Cone Bullet back into his palm.


    This was a small technique derived from the Arrow Shooting Skill.


    It could determine the direction of north, south, east, and west based on the magnetic field.


    Apprentices entered the passageway one after another through the stone door.


    Clack¡ª


    The moment all the apprentices stepped into the passageway, the stone door slowly closed.


    Colin instinctively looked back, and many apprentices did likewise.


    After seeing the scene behind them, the apprentices breathed a sigh of relief...


    At the rear of the procession, Wizard Lap was there, slowly following them.


    Tap tap tap¡ª


    The apprentices walked in silence, no one speaking.


    Only their shadows flickered under the White Light...


    Each of them wore a different expression.


    Some were looking forward to the upcoming trials, fantasizing that maybe they would be the one chosen by Wizard Lap to stand out.


    Some bore expressions of worry.


    They had not expected that in just a single night, Blackstone Island would be turned upside down.


    But then again... perhaps this world has always been like this.


    Peace, stability.


    For anyone, these words are but luxuries.


    ...The passageway was longer than Colin had anticipated.


    Click.


    He pulled out his Pocket Watch and looked at it.


    Nearly an hour had already passed.


    He looked ahead.


    Wizard Lap had, unbeknownst to them, moved to their front.


    Perhaps to accommodate the Basic Level apprentices, his pace was not quick.


    For this reason, the apprentices did not scatter and remained gathered in a long line.


    Nidham and the other Peak Apprentices could do little but suppress their own speed and honestly follow behind Wizard Lap.


    After a while,


    Colin felt the pace of the group slow and then come to a gradual stop.


    He looked up ahead.


    Past the obstructing heads in the crowd, at the very front of the procession,


    Wizard Lap stopped in front of a gray-white stone wall.


    The wall was about three meters high and five meters wide. Its edges were covered in vine-like relief patterns. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Colin frowned slightly.


    This wall clearly differed from the gray-black style of the passageway they were in.

 Chapter 97 - 88 The Ceremony of Advancing to Official Wizard

    Not only were the colors different, but even the decorative patterns on them were entirely dissimilar.


    For some reason, Colin felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity with those vine-like decorative patterns.


    "This is the portal to the trial I have prepared for you," Wizard Lap said, looking back with a solemn voice, "and the Circulation Meditation you''ve learned is the key to entering it."


    On hearing this, Colin''s doubts were slightly dispelled.


    ''The different styles... perhaps there''s nothing to worry about.


    Since it requires the School''s specific Circulation Meditation to enter, this place is undoubtedly still under the School''s domain.''


    Despite this conclusion, he still harbored some doubt.


    "Come, come to the stone wall... then use the Circulation Meditation to walk through..." Wizard Lap continued.


    "Cough¡ªcough¡ª!"


    The next second, he suddenly bent over, coughing violently.


    It took quite a while before he straightened up.


    Looking at the fresh red flesh strings he coughed into his palm, a shadow of gloom passed through his eyes, and he urged the Apprentices before him:


    "My time is running out, hurry, make haste..."


    Nidham, who was originally at the front of the group, now hesitated.


    Swish.


    However, Fina by his side suddenly stepped past him, heading straight for the grey-white stone wall.


    Reaching the wall, she paused briefly, seemingly adjusting the Circulation Meditation.


    A moment later, she continued forward.


    Her figure immediately merged into the stone wall as if a droplet into the sea, causing ripples to spread on the serene grey-white surface.


    Seeing this, Nidham hesitated no longer and followed suit, using the Circulation Meditation to enter the stone wall.


    Next to them, Berkeley slowly walked up to Lap, with barely-restrained tears in his eyes.


    "Master Lap, your injury..."


    Lap gazed at him, taken aback for a moment, then sighed.


    "Go on, Berkeley..."


    "I am expecting you to be the one who is chosen in the end."


    "...Yes, Master Lap," Berkeley paused, then responded slowly.


    He exhaled slightly, regained his composure, and without further hesitation, stepped toward the grey-white stone wall.


    The Circulation Meditation activated, and the stone wall engulfed his form.


    Just as they had entered the passageway before.


    The Apprentices entered the stone wall one after another.


    Colin, who was in the latter half of the group, glanced at Wizard Lap standing beside the grey-white stone wall, watching as the number of Apprentices around him dwindled.


    No longer hesitating, he sighed inwardly and began the initial Circulation Meditation as he stepped toward the stone wall.


    Despite his doubts and worries...


    At the moment, he had no other choice.


    Like the other Apprentices, he had to merge with the grey-white stone wall.


    As the last Apprentice entered, the ripples on the grey-white stone wall gradually ceased.


    Wizard Lap stood quietly to the side, staring at the vine-patterned grey-white stone wall, lost in thought.


    He frowned slightly.


    The unbearable pain, as if ants were gnawing inside him, surged again from his chest and abdomen, causing his throat to itch, and he couldn''t help but break into another violent cough.


    "Cough¡ªcough¡ªcough!"


    The loud cough echoed in front of the grey-white stone wall, then dispersed along the lengthy passageway behind him, stirring up echoes.


    Lap seemed as if he were coughing out his internal organs...


    Indeed, he did cough up something.


    This time, without anyone else around.


    He no longer covered his mouth and nose, as the slender, worm-like fresh red flesh strings, along with mucous, spewed from his mouth and nose.


    Looking at them writhing on the ground like maggots, his expression grew even more troubled.


    A flicker of fear flashed through his eyes.


    Thump!


    Orange-yellow flames appeared out of nowhere at the site of the red flesh strings, consuming them.


    Sizzle¡ª


    In the flames, the flesh strings twisted even more violently!


    If one looked closely, they might even hear a spine-chilling scream.


    Fortunately, after a short while, the flesh strings finally turned into a puddle of black ash.


    Wizard Lap withdrew his gaze, closed his eyes slightly, as if adjusting something.


    Moments later, he opened his eyes and strode towards the stone wall.


    Like the other apprentices, he entered the gray-white stone wall.


    *


    *


    *


    Falling.


    Falling¡ª


    No light, no sound, only the continual sensation of weightlessness.


    Moments later, light appeared.


    Colin regained his vision and looked around.


    The ground was a flat gray-white, the walls smooth, this place was a spacious hall... seemingly transformed from a giant natural cavern.


    Stalactites like ivory tusks hung down from the ceiling.


    Whoosh.


    Another apprentice suddenly appeared from the stone wall behind, their expression slightly confused, but it quickly cleared.


    ''So this is what it looks like to come in...'' Colin thought to himself.


    The sensation of weightlessness had made him think he was falling from the sky, now it seemed just an illusion.


    At this moment, in the hall, just as before at the stone wall, apprentices filled the space.


    "What are we supposed to do..."


    The noisy chatter echoed as the apprentices looked around the empty hall, puzzled.


    Hum¡ª


    Then, in the middle of the hall, a circle of densely packed black iron pillars suddenly rose, approximately one hundred of them.


    After that, wisps of blue-green lights quietly emerged above them.


    Followed by that, before the apprentices could react, those lights abruptly vanished, replaced by red flowers.


    The flowers were nothing special, just ordinary five-petaled blooms.


    But the red leaves were peculiar, eerily shaped like human palms.


    There were two, precisely cradling the flower at the center.


    "A Yel flower?" an apprentice exclaimed.


    This was a rare Magic Potion.


    Suddenly, an inexplicable feeling of hunger surged.


    "Gurgle¡ª"


    The noise of the apprentices swallowing saliva resounded wave after wave.


    For peak apprentices like Berkeley or other Advanced Apprentices, it was easier to control this hunger.


    But for those below Advanced Apprentice, especially the Basic Level ones, they couldn''t help but make swallowing noises, and their stomachs grumbled incessantly.


    Yet they all strove to restrain themselves, hesitating to move forward.


    Just then, Wizard Lap''s voice suddenly came from behind.


    "What are you dawdling for? This is the trial I have prepared for you, and the ritual to assist in advancing to an Official Wizard.


    This is the first phase of the ritual." Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Go on, consume the Yel flower; it can elevate your physical form to the strength of a Great Knight... Even if you are already a Great Knight, it can enhance your Life Force."


    Wizard Lap hovered in midair, his expression calm.


    A Basic Level apprentice finally couldn''t resist the temptation and rushed forward, grabbing a Yel flower and swallowing it.


    The red flower, upon touching his lips, transformed into a thick blood-colored mucus, the similarly red palm-shaped leaves cradling it before pouring into the apprentice''s mouth.


    He was just the beginning.


    Soon, many Basic Level apprentices, unable to resist the temptation any longer, consumed the Yel flowers.


    More apprentices remained hesitant.


    "The soul is sensitive, it knows what is beneficial for itself, this hunger is natural," Wizard Lap explained,


    "If I wanted to harm you, I wouldn''t bother with such complexities."


    "This is merely a ritual to assist your advancement to an Official Wizard... Only those who perfectly absorb the potency of these medicines will be able to advance to Official Wizards with my assistance."


    "Hurry now, in a while, the next Auxiliary Medicine will be presented."


    "Hmph." Nidham surveyed the hesitant apprentices around him and snorted in derision before striding forward, becoming the first Intermediate or higher level apprentice to swallow a Yel flower.


    At that point, the earliest apprentices to ingest the Yel flowers also slowly opened their eyes, their faces filled with joy.


    The distinctive Blood Energy Armor of a Great Knight emerged upon them.


    The next moment, more apprentices hesitated no longer and stepped forward one after another.

 Chapter 98 - 89 The Ceremony is in Progress

    Swish! S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The blue-green orb reappeared, and another peculiar auxiliary medicine emerged¡ª


    Moon Leaf.


    It was a crescent-shaped white leaf that could enhance life force and slightly boost spirit.


    This plant was now the third of its kind.


    But the apprentices did not hurry forward; rather, they stood silent in a tacit agreement.


    At a glance, some of the black iron pillars surprisingly did not manifest orbs.


    Crack.


    Those that were empty at the top silently sank into the ground, about a third of the total number.


    Originally, there were over a hundred Black Pillars in the hall, but now that a third had disappeared suddenly, only about seventy or eighty remained.


    There were roughly just over a hundred apprentices gathered from the School here.


    Back when the hall had over a hundred Black Pillars, there were over a hundred magic potions appearing, and everyone could have one, even with some to spare.


    But now, with only eighty-something Black Pillars left, it meant that the offered magic potions, the Moon Leaves, had also decreased to just over eighty pieces.


    Clearly, that wasn''t enough for the hundred-plus apprentices in the hall.


    Colin mingled in the crowd, slightly lifting his head to scan around.


    In mid-air, Wizard Lap''s figure quietly vanished, nowhere to be seen.


    He withdrew his gaze and turned his head to silently observe the surrounding apprentices.


    Most were puzzled, and whispers of confusion were faintly heard.


    "The number of magic potions has decreased..."


    "Where did Teacher Lap go?"


    "How should we distribute them now..."


    The vast majority struggled to restrain their desires, hoping that Wizard Lap would come forward to explain.


    But the figure of Wizard Lap did not reappear.


    Gurgle.


    Finally, a Basic Level apprentice unable to restrain his craving, hungry for the exotic scent, broke the standstill.


    Swish!


    He stepped forward swiftly, gulping down the magic potion.


    After ingesting, the magic potion slowly took effect.


    His face showed joy as his blood became more abundant and his spirit fuller.


    Seeing this, no one was willing to wait any longer, especially those who had tasted the sweetness of magic potions before,


    they could not sit by and watch these Moon Leaves being divided by others!


    Colin quickly stepped forward, seizing a Moon Leaf with a speed beyond ordinary.


    After he obtained the Moon Leaf, he did not swallow it; instead, he covered it with his hand, feigning ingestion while quietly pocketing it.


    Previously, when the first plant, the nightflower, was presented, Wizard Lap was watching from mid-air.


    Almost everyone swallowed the nightflower in front of Wizard Lap.


    But after the second auxiliary medicine was presented, and Wizard Lap''s figure had left,


    a long-haired Wizard Apprentice,


    perhaps seeing Wizard Lap''s figure disappear,


    did not hide the fact that he hadn''t swallowed the nightflower like Colin, secretly spitting it out.


    Instead, he unabashedly regurgitated the blood-like liquid that the nightflower had become.


    This caught Colin''s attention.


    It also made him realize that clearly, some apprentices just swallowed the nightflower without actually ingesting it.


    Soon,


    the scramble for the Moon Leaves ended.


    Those who had not obtained a magic potion showed signs of regret.


    But, lacking the strength and luck of others, they said nothing more.


    Colin turned his head slightly to look around.


    At that moment, the long-haired male wizard, who had spit out the nightflower just as he had, was not far to his right, brazenly holding the magic potions presented in the second and now third instance.


    Colin''s gaze flickered.


    Not many apprentices, like the long-haired male wizard, existed, but there were quite a few, mostly Advanced Wizard Apprentices.


    They all held the magic potions from the last two offerings... As for whether they had ingested the first nightflower, Colin could not tell.


    He only distinctly saw that the long-haired male wizard had spit out the nightflower.


    And other Intermediate or Basic Level apprentices, mostly unable to resist the temptation of the exotic scent, had already swallowed the auxiliary medicines.


    Just as Colin withdrew his gaze, preparing to turn back,


    Crack!!


    Several bolts of lightning struck out of nowhere!


    In the corner of his eye, the long-haired male wizard was instantly reduced to char, the Advanced Wizard Apprentice did not even have time to scream.


    Such might was beyond the capability of an apprentice!


    Two or three other apprentices suffered the same fate.


    Colin''s pupils dilated, and before he could react,


    another anomaly occurred.


    An invisible force swept through the ceremony.


    Pfft!!


    "Ha¡ªgh¡ªha¡ªgh¡ª!"


    "Ah¡ª!"


    Among the crowd, some wizard apprentices suddenly burst into clouds of blood, collapsing with cries of agony, they soon fell silent.


    Thus, in an instant, the grey-white floor of the hall lay scattered with over forty bodies.


    The remaining sixty or so apprentices stopped their movements in shock and terror, looking at each other bewildered.


    The entire hall fell silent.


    "...What''s going on?"


    After a long while, an apprentice finally muttered.


    As his words fell, a swell of noise rose like a wave.


    "Where is Teacher Lap?!"


    "Teacher Lap must know what this is all about!"


    "..."


    On the right side of the hall, Nidham''s face was ashen, he turned his head and asked Berkeley not far away,


    "What does this mean, Teacher?"


    The lightning had been unexpected and powerful.


    Even though he was a Peak Apprentice, he was not confident that he could survive such a lightning strike.


    And that blood mist was even more strangely eerie.


    "I don''t know," Berkeley shook his head, then after a pause continued, "Maybe something unforeseen occurred."


    "Heh!"


    Fina, standing to one side, let out a cold laugh. She couldn''t stand Berkeley''s trust in Lap.


    So in a low sneer, she said, "Berkeley, don''t be naive. Do you really think Lap is your father?"

 Chapter 99 - 99: 89 Ceremony in Progress_2

    "He is nothing but a robber who took you away from your real parents!"


    Berkeley heard this and did not get angry but simply shook his head,


    "I''m not like you, Fina. I remember very clearly that my parents sold me to Teacher Lap for a Gold Coin."


    He paused, then continued,


    "Without Teacher Lap, I might have become an abandoned child dead by the roadside."


    Fina retorted coldly, "That''s just what you think."


    She glanced around after speaking,


    "Those killed by lightning are the apprentices who never took the Magic Potion.


    And those who died suddenly had only taken the Magic Potion once or twice and never took the Moon Leaf for the third time."


    "It''s obvious that this is a ritual with an elimination mechanism."


    "Your dear ''father'' Lap never cared about our lives, nor did he care about yours!"


    She did not hide her reasoning; her voice was not loud but was clear enough for the remaining apprentices to hear.


    Many apprentices changed their expressions upon hearing this.


    Colin kept a poker face, secretly hiding the collected Magic Potion even more stealthily.


    His eyes swept briefly around to ensure no one noticed him before he slightly relaxed.


    But doubts overwhelmed his mind.


    ''¡­Regardless of the accuracy of Fina''s deduction, the current situation she observed is indeed correct.


    The deceased apprentices, just as she said, failed to follow the sequence in taking the Magic Potion.''


    ''¡­Yet, I have also not taken the Magic Potion, so why haven''t I been erased by lightning?''


    Colin furrowed his brows.


    But before he could think further,


    Boom! S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A blue-green orb flashed past, and a new batch of Magic Potion was presented.


    This time... the quantity was even less, roughly estimated to be only about thirty portions.


    The blank black pillar slowly sank, mirroring the sinking hearts of the remaining apprentices.


    Whoosh!


    This time, they no longer demonstrated any semblance of restraint.


    Without a commander, the apprentices moved at the same instant the blue-green light dispersed!


    Swoosh!


    About twenty Advanced Wizard Apprentices tacitly did not compete with each other but dispersed and occupied two-thirds of the Magic Potion.


    The remaining Intermediate Apprentices, some fortunate to be close to the Black Pillar and without Advanced Apprentices competing, were lucky enough to grab a Magic Potion and quickly swallowed it whole.


    As for the Basic Level Wizard Apprentices¡­


    "Ah!" a twelve or thirteen-year-old fortuitously grabbed a Magic Potion and cried out in agony as he was harshly knocked aside.


    He was brutally knocked away by a frail, pale Intermediate Wizard standing nearby.


    The Magic Potion fell from his hands, tossed into the air, and was fiercely fought over by several Intermediate Wizards who had been waiting nearby for a long time!


    For a moment, the sound of activated witchcraft, curses, and anguished cries filled the air!


    On the other side,


    Colin, who had just grabbed a new Magic Potion, suddenly changed his expression and slightly dodged to the left.


    A vicious Acid Liquid attack aimed at his head was avoided.


    He clenched a Cone Bullet and turned sharply.


    In his field of vision appeared Carrie, the female apprentice who had initially forced him to help mend relations with Regina.


    At that moment, Carrie looked at him with a surprised face as he dodged the attack.


    Hiss!


    Colin''s gaze turned cold, and without hesitation, the Cone Bullet flew out, shooting towards Carrie!


    Bang!


    "Ah!"


    Caught off guard, Carrie''s abdomen was pierced, and the agonizing pain caused her to scream horrifically,


    Her painful screams also caused a few onlooking apprentices to hesitate in their steps and quickly turn to attack others!


    Colin raised his head, no longer concerned about the dying Carrie, and coldly swept his gaze around before pretending to take the Magic Potion while shielding it with his palm.


    Secretly, he stored it like the previous Magic Potions in his chest.


    Soon, the situation gradually calmed.


    Looking around, including himself, only forty-three wizards were still standing.


    Among them, three Peak Wizard Apprentices, eighteen Advanced Wizard Apprentices, and twenty-two Intermediate Wizard Apprentices.


    Among the Intermediate Apprentices, seven looked pale as they had not managed to grab any Magic Potion.


    And all the other Basic Level Wizard Apprentices were either dead or severely injured, lying on the ground quietly waiting for death to come.


    The apprentices were no longer standing close to each other but were spread out around the Black Pillar at intervals.


    In this pause between fights, while the new Magic Potion had not yet been presented.


    The hall was shrouded in an eerie silence.


    The scent of blood was overwhelming, and aside from the Apprentices'' panting, only the groans and low curses of the severely wounded could be heard.


    There were still thirty-six Black Pillars left in front of them.


    But everyone knew that soon there wouldn''t be thirty-six blue-green orbs, nor thirty-six Magic Potions.


    The Black Pillars would continue to descend.


    And only a few among them would survive...


    Or perhaps, just one would survive.


    Like the other Apprentices, Colin remained calm, yet his mind raced.


    He didn''t understand why he had escaped the ritual so far...


    But he knew that as the number decreased, he, an Apprentice disguised as an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice, would become increasingly conspicuous.


    He couldn''t continue like this.


    Bang!


    Suddenly, the sound of flesh colliding with stone walls echoed.


    Colin looked toward the source.


    In front of the gray-white stone wall they had entered, an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice clutched his head with a somewhat grim expression.


    Colin quickly realized.


    The hall, generally circular and open, allowed a full view with just a lift of the eyes.


    Surrounding the hall were seamless gray-white stone walls, with no possible exits.


    And that Apprentice, clutching his head, had clearly tried to return the way he had come.


    But he had failed.


    That meant they might have no other way out.


    Although Colin had vaguely sensed this, having it confirmed now still cast a dark shadow over his heart.


    The Apprentice, unwilling to give up, frantically tried the walls around the hall.


    Just then!


    Whoosh!


    A blue-green orb flashed on the Black Pillar.


    The next batch of Magic Potions was presented without any sign, this time only twelve.


    "No!" The Apprentice who had been searching for an exit screamed and desperately dashed toward the central Black Pillar.


    But soon, he stopped in despair.


    The Magic Potions had already been swallowed.


    At the same time.


    Puff!


    A mist of blood sprayed from the body of another Intermediate Wizard Apprentice who had failed to grab a Magic Potion in the previous round.


    They fell screaming and eventually, like the previous Apprentices, fell silent.


    Some Advanced Apprentices also changed their expressions; they hadn''t managed to grab this round''s Magic Potion.


    Grabbing a Magic Potion, swallowing it, was essentially instantaneous.


    If luck wasn''t on their side, even a moment''s delay meant nothing, even if they were stronger than the Intermediate Apprentices.


    Nidham was among them.


    His expression grim, he scanned the surroundings and decisively attacked the nearest fortunate Intermediate Wizard Apprentice.


    Swoosh!!


    The joy on the face of the lucky Potion-swallowing Apprentice faded, his eyes dimming as he lost his vitality.


    Nidham, holding the body of the Intermediate Wizard Apprentice, controlled his Magic Power, expertly extending his right index finger, and started slicing down the midline of the body.


    His index finger, sharp as the finest scalpel, began splitting the fair skin from the lower lip like a hot knife through butter.


    Revealing the hidden internal structure of the throat, esophagus, and the stomach.


    Then, Nidham slowly bent down, extended his bright red tongue, and meticulously licked clean the undigested Magic Potion inside!


    Now, only a little over twenty Wizard Apprentices were left scattered sparsely throughout the hall.


    Some Intermediate Apprentices had just been upset about not getting a Magic Potion.


    But now, watching Nidham''s actions, they couldn''t help but feel somewhat relieved.


    But soon, realizing the ritual would continue, the blue-green light would flash again, and the Black Pillars would continue to descend.


    Their moment of relief flickered out like a candle in the wind.


    To the left of the hall,


    Colin, watching Nidham, remained outwardly calm but felt a bit sick inside.


    Suddenly, light footsteps approached him.


    "Colin."


    Then, a familiar voice called out.


    He looked in the direction of the voice.

 Chapter 100 - 90: The Last Encounter

    After seeing clearly, he greeted:


    "Holt, captain."


    With his green hair and a demeanor as harmless as a plant, Holt smiled and said,


    "I never thought our next meeting would be under these circumstances... I''m afraid it''s going to be the last one."


    Although his tone was as gentle as ever, for some reason, it carried a heavy implication.


    Colin pursed his lips and said,


    "Captain Holt, you didn''t manage to get the Magic Potion either..."


    "Yes," Holt nodded with a gentle expression.


    It was because he had not managed to get the Magic Potion, nor had he wanted to act as Nidham did.


    And just as he saw Colin, he walked over, wanting to have a chat with someone who also hadn''t got the Magic Potion.


    He stood beside Colin, looking at Nidham, bent over in the distance, frowning and saying, "That''s truly disgusting..."


    "Yes," Colin nodded in agreement.


    But his heart was a mix of emotions.


    He had deliberately not fought over the Magic Potion.


    Otherwise, with his speed and strength, he would certainly have been able to get a dose.


    Even if he had continued, he might have been able to defeat everyone, becoming the ultimate survivor.


    But this meant nothing to him.


    At this point in the ritual, it was clear there was something fishy.


    No one knew whether survival to the end meant facing death in despair or, as Wizard Lap had said, successfully advancing to an Official Wizard with his assistance. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If he were to continue following the established procedure of the ritual, he didn''t believe he, an Advanced Wizard Apprentice, had any ability to escape the trap set by an Official Wizard who had lived nearly three hundred years.


    "You must hold onto your humanity."


    Out of nowhere, Holt suddenly said to him.


    ... Or perhaps he was speaking to himself.


    At this moment, the Apprentices in the hall had clearly divided into two areas.


    Those by the Black Pillar who had managed to get the Magic Potion and those scattered around, who had not.


    There were altogether twelve figures by the pillar, all Advanced Wizard Apprentices.


    Now they all were.


    Just moments before, there had been a few lucky Intermediate Wizard Apprentices.


    Now, like the one killed by Nidham''s underling, they had become dismembered corpses.


    Without a doubt.


    Following Nidham''s example.


    A few Advanced Wizard Apprentices couldn''t withstand the craving for life, the fear of death, and did the same as he did.


    Colin watched them quietly, and suddenly, his expression subtly shifted.


    "You must hold onto your humanity." He paused, then sighed, repeating Holt''s words from just before.


    Within his Supersensitive Vision.


    The auras of humanity and enlightenment that covered those Advanced Wizard Apprentices who had done the same as Nidham had suddenly thinned.


    For one, it even shattered completely.


    Those filthy black spots, as if the dirtiest things in the world had taken form, surged toward the Advanced Apprentice whose aura of humanity and enlightenment had broken.


    Mutation began in an instant.


    "No!" The Advanced Wizard Apprentice cried out in disbelief, tears streaming down his face.


    Boom!


    The next second, numerous attacks simultaneously hit him, submerging him.


    The Apprentice, not yet fully mutated, turned to ash in an instant.


    Colin withdrew his hand, having just cast the Fireball Technique.


    This was the tradition of this world.


    A Wizard fallen into mutation was a common enemy of all Wizards.


    They had either forsaken the humanity they had always upheld or abandoned knowledge, bowing their heads to the Divine.


    In any case,


    They were to be universally condemned.


    The Wizards who had not mutated looked on with uncertain expressions.


    And the surrounding Wizards quietly distanced themselves from them.


    No one cares if they are good themselves, but everyone wants their friends to be good.


    Or at least, they do not wish to be friends with those who have no bottom line.


    Whether one will mutate, whether one will betray their held humanity, there is no set standard, all is up to one''s judgment.


    Everyone''s bottom line is different.


    For example, Nidham, before and after he killed that Intermediate Wizard Apprentice, his aura of humanity and enlightenment showed no change.


    However, it''s worth noting that even without change, his light was thinner than that of other Advanced Wizard Apprentices.


    "Alas..." Holt shook his head suddenly, sighing,


    "What on earth does Master Lap intend to do?"


    Colin remained silent.


    "It''s a shame, Colin, you''ve just descended from the Wizard Territory and haven''t had the chance to experience the wonders of the world."


    Holt suddenly turned his head again, speaking wistfully, patting his shoulder.


    "I''m nearly seventy years old this year; living to this age is already considered a long life for ordinary mortals..."


    Colin nodded silently, listening attentively.


    He knew Holt was trying to console him.


    Death is not scary.


    What''s scary is knowing that death is imminent and being powerless to stop it.


    Holt kept rambling, talking about a lot of different things, as if he was just speaking whatever came to mind.


    "Captain Holt," Colin suddenly spoke up.


    "What''s the matter?" Holt paused, puzzled.


    "..."


    "Nothing..."


    Holt didn''t care and continued to ramble on,


    "There''s a type of plant called the bellflower which has a peculiar umbrella shape. When the spring breeze arrives, they will fall off on their own, transforming into humanoid elves with umbrella-shaped flowers above their heads, drifting far away with the air currents. They find suitable soil, dig a small hole, and bury themselves.


    Some especially naughty ones will miss the opportunity and, as a result, never take root.


    But for the rest of the year, they are free to frolic in the world... until the next year when the spring breeze blows, their companions will grow into new bellflowers, and they will wither away in the gentle spring wind..."


    At that moment,


    "Interesting."


    A calm voice suddenly interjected.


    Colin turned his head slightly.


    A handsome man, whose age was indiscernible, approached.


    "Luke." Colin''s lips moved as he greeted him.


    He paused, then asked, "You didn''t manage to grab a Magic Potion either?"


    Luke nodded slightly, then shook his head, his faint smile conveying,


    "Getting a Magic Potion doesn''t necessarily mean surviving, does it?"


    Holt, standing next to him, was taken aback for a moment and looked at Luke, shaking his head with a light chuckle,


    "That''s true."


    The atmosphere turned suddenly silent.


    Colin looked up slightly, over the black iron pillar in the center.


    The Intermediate Apprentice who was previously constantly searching for an exit was still going around the hall''s stone walls, persistently looking.


    Several other Apprentices, just like him, had joined the search for an exit.


    Holt and Luke''s expressions were calm.


    If this indeed was a trap set by Wizard Lap, how could there be such a loophole?


    Facing an Official Wizard who had lived nearly three hundred years, they stood no chance at all.


    Just as Wizard Lap had said at the beginning that this was a ceremony to help an Advanced Official Wizard, they could only choose to believe...


    They had no choice in the matter.


    Anyway.


    Perhaps, this really was a ceremony to assist one to become an Official Wizard...


    But they could no longer see that moment.


    At that time, on the nearby stone wall to the right,


    "How can there be no exit!"


    An Intermediate Apprentice searching for an exit gritted his teeth and howled, Magic Power brewing in his hands.


    Whoosh!


    A Fireball streaked towards the gray-white stone wall.


    Bang.


    But it was futile.


    As the flames dissipated, the stone wall remained the same gray-white color, unchanged.


    He slumped down, covering his face, his angry roar turning into powerless tears.


    Holt averted his gaze, sighing softly,


    "It seems... that our journey of life is coming to an end today."


    Although not much time had passed,


    Judging by the intervals before, the next blue-green orb of light was about to appear.


    In the brief moment, they didn''t even have enough time to lament, let alone search for a lifeline.


    Luke, at his side, moved his lips slightly, seemingly wanting to say something, but in the end, he remained silent.


    He just glanced at the figure of Carrie who had died not far away and sighed.


    In the distance, some Apprentices were still stubbornly seeking a glimmer of hope, and others were silently weeping in despair.


    Colin watched them, his expression growing increasingly solemn.


    Their fear was no different from his.


    Although it seemed he was the one who slipped through the ceremony''s net, if this truly was a trap set by Wizard Lap.


    Then in the end, Wizard Lap would surely appear.


    And he, for unknown reasons spared by the ceremony,


    Even though he was planning to wait for the next punishment to arrive, pretend to be a corpse, and deceive the remaining Wizard Apprentices.


    Yet he couldn''t fool Wizard Lap, who was certain to come in the end.


    As Colin was lost in a myriad of thoughts.


    Whoosh!


    The blue-green orb of light appeared once again at the top of the Black Pillar.


    "Goodbye."


    Holt turned to him and said, his face showing a complex mix of emotions ¨C fear, calm, and longing.


    Luke, on the other hand, just smiled at him.


    Pfft!


    In the next instant, an invisible force swept through.


    Blood mist sprayed forth from both Holt and Luke, forming a dense mist,


    Their eyes instantly dimmed, and they collapsed heavily to the ground.


    Colin lowered his eyes, said nothing, and just forced himself to bleed out, controlling his body to produce a blood mist.


    Then,


    Bang.


    Just like Holt and Luke, he fell heavily into the scarlet mist.


    Silent.

 Chapter 101 - 91: A New Phase

    Bang.


    Bang.


    Amidst the Gray-White Cave Hall littered with corpses, only muffled and peculiar collision sounds echoed.


    Apart from that, there were no other sounds within the Gray-White Cave Hall, eerily silent.


    The stench of blood nauseatingly filled the nostrils, underfoot was the hard, icy gray-white ground.


    Colin lay motionless on the ground, maintaining his silence.


    He knew that these strange collision sounds were made as the Apprentice''s bodies hit the Cave Hall''s unyielding floor.


    Time passed.


    Buzz¡ª


    Suddenly, bluish-green light shone; the sphere of light appeared once more.


    Gurgle¡ª!


    At the same time, from not too far away, several loud stomach growls could be heard due to digestive movement.


    Colin tensed his body, trying hard to suppress his feeling of hunger.


    At this point, some time had passed since he had feigned death. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The bluish-green spheres of light had already reappeared twice.


    However, the number of Apprentices still alive in the ritual, including him, was still as many as ten.


    This was not because the ritual''s punitive mechanism within the Cave Hall had stopped working.


    Rather, the bluish-green light spheres had abruptly ceased to decrease after they had dwindled to nine!


    It was as though the ritual had entered a new phase.


    But the fact that the spheres didn''t decrease didn''t mean that this phase was any less vicious.


    On the contrary, the horror of this stage was undiminished.


    With his eyes scarcely opened a crack, Colin cautiously spied on the distant Apprentices,


    Watching them being dominated by hunger, behaving like wild beasts, he couldn''t help feeling a chill inside.


    Perhaps the ritual had indeed reached a new phase, and the scent of the Magic Potion had become stronger.


    Or perhaps it was because the previous sequential consumption of the Magic Potion by the Apprentices had enhanced the allure of its scent.


    At any rate, those who had consumed the Magic Potion were now hardly able to contain their craving for it.


    Whenever a new Magic Potion was presented by the light sphere, they would be dominated by hunger, transformed into irrational wild beasts.


    Only knowing to drool and scramble forward with hands and feet to gulp down!


    But this wasn''t what he felt was the most thrilling.


    The most horrifying was what happened to the Apprentices after they swallowed the Magic Potion!


    For instance, right now¡ª


    The Apprentices had just ingested the Magic Potion.


    Like being struck by lightning, their bodies stiffening, those Apprentices fell to the ground unconscious, like deadwood.


    Bang.


    With the collision sound that signaled their fall, the true aberration quietly began.


    Due to the angle, Colin couldn''t see very clearly.


    But the inexplicably bulging bodies of the Apprentices, like a surging wave, and the strange rustling sounds near his ears,


    Gave him the sensation as if leeches were sucking on his skin, an unexplained chill of fear crawling in his heart.


    He knew, such aberrations in the Apprentices would last a while, until the next Magic Potion was presented.


    They would wake up abruptly, once again turning into thirsty wild beasts!


    "I can''t keep waiting like this," Colin thought to himself.


    After entering the passage to the Gray-White Cave Wall, he had been quietly using Floating Cone Bombs to identify and record the direction.


    Regrettably, although he could determine the general direction, due to the winding passage and varying elevations,


    He couldn''t confirm the specific distance he had traveled at the surface.


    But the location of the Gray-White Cave Wall was roughly on the western side of the Central Castle¡­


    Which was also roughly on the western side of Blackstone City.


    Before he could think further, suddenly!


    Cough¡ªcough¡ªcough!


    Lap''s violent coughing sound faintly came from behind him, getting closer and closer.


    Colin''s scalp exploded with alarm.


    At the same time,


    "Colin," a familiar voice appeared out of nowhere in his mind.


    Before he could inquire further,


    He heard the familiar voice in his mind continue,


    "There''s no time to explain. Wizard Lap is on his way back, follow my guidance and escape from here quickly!"


    Colin''s expression shifted slightly, a flash of resolve in his eyes.


    ''There''s no time to think!''


    ''No matter where this voice is guiding me, it can''t be worse than facing Wizard Lap!''


    After all, with his over-sensitivity,


    The Spiritual Light on him was like a torch, incredibly conspicuous, making such a basic disguise utterly pointless.


    He also hadn''t had time to master the White Crystal Pendant on his chest; he could only passively form Spirit Fog¡­ and in the state of over-sensitivity, that too was extremely conspicuous.


    As for placing hope on Wizard Lap not activating over-sensitivity¡­


    He was not that naive!


    Despite the multitude of thoughts in his heart, his decision came in an instant.


    In a life-threatening crisis, even if it wasn''t a lifeline but a red-hot iron stick offered, he would have to seize it without any hesitation!


    The superior body control that came with being the Ultimate Knight allowed him to rise as silently as a nimble cat.


    None of the Apprentices on the ground noticed anything.


    Colin didn''t pause for a moment, taking strides and dashing towards the corner of the Grand Hall''s stone wall.


    Then, like ripples spreading from a raindrop falling into a lake, his figure quietly vanished.


    Afterwards, within the Gray-White Cave Hall.


    The bluish-green light shone again, the loud stomach growls rose and fell in succession.


    In mid-air,


    Wizard Lap''s figure also quietly appeared, hovering silently.


    His face was pale as Golden Paper, calmly watching everything below in the Grand Hall.


    Under the state of over-sensitivity, the entire world was dotted with black spots, and the Apprentices aglow with light halos were consuming a golden plant.


    This was the ritual''s final Magic Potion.


    Had Colin been there, he would have recognized this plant at a glance, the plant he had once consumed¡ª


    The special Golden Four-leaf Clover!


    After ingesting the last Magic Potion, the Apprentices fell once more.


    Seeing this, Wizard Lap''s wooden face flickered with a hint of anticipation.


    He slowly descended from the air, stepped forward to the black iron column, and silently awaited.


    But just then.


    Whoosh!!


    A dark, translucent spike shot towards him.


    Wizard Lap slightly shifted his position, his expression unchanging.


    An abrupt burst of orange-yellow flame appeared in front of the semi-transparent spike, exploding on contact.


    Both annihilated each other, dissipating.


    He turned his head slightly, calmly looking at the black-robed figure walking out from the nearby dark shadows, and spoke softly,


    "I knew you would appear...


    Remnants of the Blackstone Family."

 Chapter 102 - 92 McIntosh

    Harrington stepped out from the dark secret passage with unhurried steps.


    He was clad in a black robe, holding a black staff with dark gold patterns, and his complexion was pale, resembling that of an ordinary middle-aged man.


    He was about to speak, but his expression suddenly turned rigid.


    In front of him, a dark mouse had unexpectedly appeared in the hand of the Lap Wizard.


    This was a Hidden Mouse.


    The Hidden Mouse looked no different from a common grey mouse,


    but upon closer inspection, one could see that its body, in the dark area, melded perfectly with the shadows, making it extremely difficult for the naked eye to spot.


    Squeak!


    The next second,


    a burst of flames suddenly enveloped the Hidden Mouse, burning it to cinders.


    Harrington''s expression remained unchanged.


    He naturally recognized the Hidden Mouse, which originally belonged to him.


    At the same time, he also realized why Lap was not surprised by his sudden attack and had even been prepared.


    Glancing slightly, his gaze rested on the body of an ordinary female apprentice nearby.


    That was Mia, his plant in the Lap School.


    He didn''t expect her to be exposed.


    Before he could think further,


    Whoosh!


    A blast of scorching flame swiftly shot towards him!


    Harrington''s gaze hardened as he waved his dark gold staff.


    A black stone wall rose from the ground!


    Boom!


    The flame collided with the stone wall and exploded, the immense force shattering the wall into fragments, kicking up a cloud of dust.


    Lap looked somewhat surprised, scrutinizing Harrington carefully before his gaze finally settled on the staff with the dark gold patterns.


    "An exotic artifact of the Blackstone Family?" he asked in a confirming tone, "Is this what you''re relying on?"


    Harrington remained cold and silent, swinging his staff and attacking Lap again.


    He had been observing from the shadows for a long time, and Lap in front of him was already at the end of his tether!


    Words were useless!


    The blood feud of the Blackstone Family from sixty years ago must be settled today!


    While Harrington and Lap Wizard were fiercely battling,


    Suddenly, sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Ha¡ªhahaha¡ªhahahaha¡ª!"


    A crazed, joyful laughter erupted, reverberating through the pale-grey hall.


    In the midst of dark red pools of blood and twisted corpses, Nidham, having lost his usual elegant demeanor, was turning his head, looking at his raised palm and laughing wildly without any restraint!


    "Is this the power of an Official Wizard?"


    After consuming the last specially prepared magic potion¡ªthe Golden Four-leaf Clover.


    It was as though the last piece finally completed a broken circle, with the various magic potions in his body merging under the ritual, concocting an unimaginable power!


    On the other side,


    Not far away, Harrington and Lap Wizard, because of this sudden change, momentarily stopped fighting and kept their distance from each other.


    "I never imagined McIntosh''s experiment could actually succeed," Harrington muttered, caressing his staff, greed flickering in his eyes.


    He looked towards the central part of the black iron pillar, memories flooding his mind.


    Their Blackstone Family were native islanders, originally just a family of Wizard Apprentices.


    But about two hundred years ago,


    one of his ancestors stumbled upon a relic left by a Second Rank Wizard named McIntosh on the island.


    The relic was in the Dark Forest, McIntosh''s Wizard Tower, and also his laboratory.


    Thereafter,


    with the resources and knowledge left behind by McIntosh, the Blackstone ancestor successfully advanced to an Official Wizard.


    This also marked the beginning of the Blackstone Family''s rule over the island!


    Until¡­ sixty years ago, his ancestor was ambushed and killed by Lap in front of him.


    On that moonless deep dark night, a young Harrington fled from Blackstone Castle in panic, led by a loyal servant.


    Initially,


    he thought Lap had left with the spoils of war,


    considering this was just a barren island.


    Moreover, Lap had never appeared on the island,


    and the island''s residents knew nothing, suddenly noticing only that the ruling Blackstone Family had inexplicably vanished.


    But after some time, when the island''s residents were suffering without the protection of an Official Wizard,


    the very culprit responsible for all this¡ªthe Lap Wizard!


    no longer concealed himself, descending like a savior to rebuild the order on Blackstone Island.


    At the same time, he replaced the Blackstone Family, becoming the new ruler of the island¡­


    At that time, young as he was, he did not know why the Lap Wizard had remained on that barren island¡ª


    until driven by vengeance, he had exhaustively read through the backup repository of books and documents stored by his family,


    from which he quietly realized the secrets hidden in the Dark Forest and the insane experiments of McIntosh...


    "Nidham, come and help me now."


    At that moment, the Lap Wizard''s thoughts stirred slightly as he suddenly turned, instructing Nidham in a deep voice.


    Beside the black iron pillar, Nidham''s eyes flickered, assessing the situation before him with some hesitation.


    "...What are you waiting for, do you really think you have become an Official Wizard already?"


    The Lap Wizard scoffed, urging him again.


    Hearing this, Nidham''s expression changed, as he carefully felt within himself.


    He did not doubt the words of the Lap Wizard,


    and he knew nothing of McIntosh''s experiments.


    In his understanding, there was no doubt that the ritual here was designed by the Lap Wizard.


    And now, it seemed that the effect of the ritual was indeed as the Lap Wizard had said, aiding them in becoming Official Wizards.


    Although the process was somewhat cruel, as the ultimate victor,


    he held no resentment towards the Lap Wizard, and was even somewhat grateful.


    Those cruel processes were just minor thorns on his path to success.


    He no longer cared.


    Soon,


    Nidham gradually sank deeper.


    Just as the Lap Wizard had said, his current condition, though much stronger than before,


    but upon closer inspection, also felt slightly discordant.


    It seemed his soul was still slightly weaker than his flesh, not yet achieving the level of an Official Wizard...


    Despite the many thoughts in his heart, in reality, it all happened in an instant.


    Nidham turned his head respectfully toward the Lap Wizard:


    "Alright, teacher, I''m coming now!"


    As he walked towards Harrington, speaking, his voice gradually grew hoarse.


    With each step he took¡ª


    Crack!!


    The sound of popping joints continuously emanated from his body,


    Transforming from a refined and lean Wizard to a massive monster draped in black armor!


    This was his signature witchcraft, Blood and Flesh Armor!


    Under the surging power within, his might far exceeded his previous state and now reached the level of an Official Wizard!


    At this sight, Harrington''s expression changed.


    Yet, his focus remained on the Black Pillar at a distance.


    At that moment,


    "Ah!"


    Nidham, now a colossal armored monster, suddenly let out a bone-chilling howl!


    His horn-like carapace sections, hard as steel, began melting like wax, transforming into a flowing black and red liquid that cascaded down his body!


    "No!"


    The Lap Wizard uttered a low cry, hastily turning his head.


    But his gaze was not on the melting Nidham.


    It was instead fixed on the center of the Black Pillar at a distance.


    Harrington was similarly focused intently on the center of the Black Pillar.


    There, unexpectedly, had appeared a distinct gray-white stone pillar with vine-like patterns, unlike the other Black Pillars.


    At the top of this gray-white stone pillar,


    after Nidham awoke, a golden light point gradually appeared, expanding continually.


    That light had now grown to the size of a human head.


    Yet now, due to Nidham''s abnormal condition, its expansion had abruptly slowed, nearly coming to a halt, and even flickered dimly.


    Swoosh!


    A beam of healing light suddenly bathed Nidham.


    The Lap Wizard coughed, suppressing the sensation of weakness within him, and waved his hand again.


    Swoosh!


    The same healing light once again fell upon the partially melted body of Nidham.


    ''McIntosh''s true Magic Potion has not yet fully appeared, Nidham cannot die yet!''


    The Lap Wizard''s eyes blazed as he silently roared in his mind.


    If the information about McIntosh''s experiments kept and curated by the Blackstone Family was accurate,


    If that manuscript of McIntosh''s had not been exaggerated,


    That same manuscript he had sought for sixty years, even going so far as to establish the Lap School, which was intended to advance to a Second Rank Wizard,


    would be "McIntosh Magic Potion."


    Now, it was his only hope for survival!!

 Chapter 103 - 93 Three People

    Whoosh!


    Another beam of healing light fell upon Nidham.


    Looking back, it was the healing magic released by the black-robed Harrington!


    At that moment, Harrington was watching Nidham, whose body was still dissolving and melting away, with a very grave expression.


    Just like Lap, he did not wish to see Nidham die there and then, which would lead to McIntosh''s experiment being discontinued.


    He couldn''t bear the thought of missing out on McIntosh''s magic potion at the end of the experiment!


    There was only this one chance for McIntosh''s experiment,


    and Lap had prepared for it for sixty whole years!


    Should this attempt fail, he might never obtain McIntosh''s magic potion again!


    And now, he was merely a peak Wizard Apprentice, able only to exert the power of a Basic Level Wizard, thanks to the dark gold scepter in his hand.


    But, if McIntosh''s manuscript held no lies...


    If he could acquire McIntosh''s magic potion!


    Perhaps he could become the second Official Wizard in the history of the Blackstone Family!


    Thus, as a true and legitimate Official Wizard, he could rule over Blackstone Island anew and restore the glory of the Blackstone Family!


    Of course.


    He was not foolish.


    This decision was made after careful consideration.


    Surveying the entire Gray-White Cave Hall,


    Wizard Lap was already critically injured and nearing death, now even overextending his body to cast healing magic, only to become worse thereafter.


    As for Nidham, whose body was melting, there was even less to say.


    Once McIntosh''s magic potion would appear and no one was left to cast healing magic for him... He would likely collapse and die.


    Regarding the other apprentices lying on the ground, chests slightly moving, there was even less need to worry.


    So, in the end.


    It would always come down to a duel between him and Lap, no different from now!


    Even more so as Wizard Lap''s exertion from casting healing magic would provide him with an advantage.


    Harrington''s gaze swept around, and he made up his mind in secrecy, continuing to wave the dark gold scepter in his hand.


    Though he could stand aside and watch without expending Magic Power as Wizard Lap healed the dissolving Nidham,


    the magic potion was of paramount importance, and relying solely on Lap''s healing might not suffice.


    Whoosh!


    A thicker beam of Healing Light than before flew from the tip of his dark gold magic wand, aiming at Nidham.


    Hum.


    It seemed that the quantitative change had led to a qualitative transformation.


    Under the continuous application of healing magic by both him and Lap,


    Nidham nearby actually began to change.


    His condition gradually stabilized, his body no longer dissolving, and even the parts that had melted were slowly reforming.


    As his body recovered, a touch of relief flickered across Nidham''s face.


    But the next second, his expression subtly changed.


    A voice, coming from nowhere in particular, rang directly in his mind.


    "Do not be alarmed, McIntosh... a participant in the...experiment, I am the... the spirit of McIntosh''s... Wizard Tower."


    This voice, mechanical and indifferent, genderless,


    seemed to be suffering some interference, somewhat unstable, stuttering and unclear.


    Nidham glanced at Harrington and Lap, who were both unaware, and kept his expression unchanged.


    "The ritual you are...experiencing is... the last... experiment designed in the life of Wizard McIntosh, and it is also... his proudest work. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He has also... named it... after himself¡ªMcIntosh''s... experiment!"


    Nidham was taken aback, wasn''t this a ritual established by Wizard Lap to aid in their advancement to Official Wizard?


    He was puzzled inside but did not waste time questioning.


    As thoughts flashed through his mind, he zeroed in on the key point and asked in his heart:


    "What is the purpose of McIntosh''s experiment?"


    If this wasn''t a ritual established by Wizard Lap,


    then its purpose might not be to help them advance to Official Wizard as Wizard Lap had said.


    "It will be... difficult to... explain to... you the grand purpose of McIntosh''s experiment in... such a short time, participant."


    "All you... need to know is that I am...summoning you to remind...you that the experiment...is not...over."


    "You still...need to take the magic potion from McIntosh...that will soon appear on the gray-white...pillar to truly...complete this...experiment."


    Nidham, feeling his body gradually return to normal under the healing magic, had his eyes flickering.


    But the subsequent words from the spirit put to rest any other thoughts he had.


    "Be... advised, participant, the current... state of your body is merely... temporarily... stabilized, and without the... healing magic, it won''t take long for the collapse to...resume."


    "You must... take McIntosh''s...magic potion, in order to...&*%*"


    At this point, the voice of the spirit abruptly became even more choppy, hard to discern.


    It seemed there was some trouble.


    Indistinctly, Nidham thought he heard a voice different from the mechanical indifference of the tower spirit,


    but he couldn''t make out what it said.


    And after a moment, all the voices quietly disappeared.


    No matter how he called out in his mind, he received no response.


    Nidham furrowed his brows slightly and turned his head.


    At that moment, Wizard Lap and Harrington stood on either side of the gray-white pillar, tacitly casting healing magic on him.


    The golden glow on the gray-white pillar, as his condition gradually improved, began to expand slowly again.


    At this moment, the area it encompassed was already close to the edge of the flat surface at the top of the pillar.


    The pale golden glow reflected in the depths of Nidham''s eyes.


    The scene before him, the abnormal behaviors of Wizard Lap and the shadowy figure in the black robe healing him, as well as the glow on the distant gray-white pillar,


    indisputably affirmed the words of the voice claiming to be the tower spirit were not false.


    Thus, he understood.


    Once McIntosh''s magic potion emerged from the golden glow,


    the healing magic that was currently maintaining the balance of his body would undoubtedly vanish in an instant.


    Wizard Lap would then fight over McIntosh''s magic potion with the figure in black.


    And he,


    would die as his body continued to melt away without the support of healing magic!


    Nidham clenched his fists, lowered his head, and at an angle unseen by the other two, silently bared his teeth in a smile.


    Then, he composed all his emotions, lifted his head, and stood quietly upright.

 Chapter 104 - 94 Ghost

    On the other side.


    Descent.


    Descent¡ª


    After a familiar sensation of weightlessness passed, the chaotic vision finally restored itself.


    Hum¡ª


    The Light Brightness Skill was cast from his hand, and a gentle white light immediately spread out, illuminating the surroundings.


    Colin looked around, and after a moment, he let out a slight breath.


    What came into view was no longer the despair-inducing Gray-White Cave Hall, and the persistent stench of blood around his nostrils had at last dissipated.


    But he didn''t relax too much, his face still bore an indelible seriousness.


    ''McIntosh''s Magic Potion, huh...''


    He murmured to himself, while following the instructions of the voice that appeared in his mind, walking down the gray-white passage in front of him.


    The light of the Light Brightness Skill could only illuminate a short distance in front of him on the gray-white passage; beyond his line of sight, the passage was still pitch black.


    The protruding vine patterns on the gray-white walls on both sides, with the movement of the source of the white light from the Light Brightness Skill in his hand, cast long dark shadows.


    Tap tap tap¡ª


    The silent passage was utterly quiet, with only the sound of his footsteps echoing.


    Before long.


    He arrived at the end of the passage.


    A smooth stone door carved with blooming flowers appeared before him.


    Click.


    As he approached, the stone door automatically swung open.


    From the crack of the opening door, a bluish light seeped out, landing on his face, making his blue eyes appear even more profound.


    "It''s been a long time."


    In the small room, at the very top of the pyramid-shaped stone altar, a light sphere emitting a bluish glow was greeting him.


    "It''s been a long time," Colin''s lips moved slightly, his voice a bit delayed,


    "...Erica."


    But he still hesitantly called out that name.


    That familiar voice that had suddenly appeared in the cave hall, it was Erica''s.


    After instructing him on how to escape, she had briefly explained to him on the path of the passage he just came through about the experiment known as McIntosh''s Mad Experiment, and his Magic Potion.


    McIntosh''s experiment... his heart was still uneasy.


    He inexplicably thought of those Apprentices who had died in the rituals¡ªeyewitnesses to the ceremonies.


    Until they died... they didn''t even know the truth.


    After the greetings were over, the room fell into silence.


    Colin stared at the bluish light sphere in front of him, silent for a moment, then spoke:


    "I''m glad I can see you again, Erica." S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Feeling that he hadn''t been quite straightforward, he added:


    "I mean¡ªI''m glad you''re still alive..."


    "I am already dead," Erica interrupted him, her voice calm, without any fluctuation.


    "I''m just an incomplete ghost... or perhaps, even less than that."


    Colin was taken aback, his eyes cast downward.


    In this world, it wasn''t unusual for a soul to lose its physical body and continue to exist by attaching to something else.


    Even many Wizards who were experts in life modifications would specifically change their bodies for a more powerful steel mechanical form.


    He had thought that perhaps Erica was in such a situation, possibly having gained some sort of miracle...


    But a ghost...


    A ghost was another matter.


    It was an accidental product born after the demise of the soul.


    In the strictest sense, although a ghost retains complete or partial memories of its former self,


    In actuality, it is no longer the original soul.


    The original soul is already dead.


    Ghosts no longer possess human emotions; their way of thinking is completely different.


    They know neither warmth nor affection, neither love nor hatred.


    Their only driving force to exist is the deepest obsession of the original soul.


    "After entering the Dark Forest, I couldn''t find a miracle," Erica began narrating, as the crystal ball flickered.


    "Eventually, I got lost in a cave, and then I died..."


    "I don''t know how long had passed, but ''I'' came back to life."


    "Unlike other weak spirits born from chaos, my memory isn''t foggy, it''s even surprisingly intact..."


    At this point, Erica paused, vaguely mentioning something.


    "At first, I was puzzled, but then I thought of the ancestral legend passed down in my family¡­ Perhaps, it has to do with my bloodline."


    "In any case, I was stronger than I''d imagined, my power had already far surpassed that of a Basic Level Wizard Apprentice, and I was even nearing the strength of an Advanced Apprentice."


    "Unfortunately, before I could fully adjust to the body of a ghost¡ª"


    "Not far from the cave, the tower spirit inside the McIntosh Wizard Tower noticed me and captured me, planning to consume me to replenish its own essence."


    "Then, as you see, I in turn consumed the tower spirit, but I also became damaged."


    Colin silently absorbed the information in Erica''s words.


    "So Colin, as you can see, I pose no threat to you, instead, I can help you escape the McIntosh Wizard Tower that is about to be destroyed."


    The crystal ball flickered as Erica continued.


    "What do I need to pay?" Colin asked directly.


    He stared at the pale blue crystal ball in front of him, already having a vague answer in mind.


    "Do you still have the letter I gave you before?"


    Colin nodded without surprise.


    The crystal ball, seeing this, flickered rapidly for a moment, seemingly expressing joy.


    "Good, Colin, what I need you to do is bring that letter and my body back to the capital of the Holy Flame Kingdom, Ryan, and give it to my parents."


    "In return, I will help you successfully escape from this Wizard Tower that is about to be destroyed..."


    "Not enough," Colin interrupted her.


    He took off the silver triangular School Badge from his chest and gently caressed it.


    Then he looked up, his deep blue eyes solemnly gazing at the crystal ball in front of him, lips moving slightly.


    "I need more compensation from you."


    "¡­ Sure, as long as it''s within my capability," Erica replied without hesitation.


    "Tell me, what compensation do you need."


    "I need knowledge."


    Colin spoke softly, his gaze deep.


    His voice was calm, yet somehow, it evoked the thought of a vast sea...


    Beneath which, who knows how many undercurrents surged.


    The silver triangular badge in his hand twisted and deformed under the force of his fingers, making a faint noise.


    Then, he casually tossed it aside and paused.


    He slightly opened his mouth, took a breath, and with a voice as if suppressing something, he emphatically said:


    "... I need power!"


    "Erica, since you absorbed McIntosh''s tower spirit, you must have inherited its stored knowledge..."


    "Even if not entirely, even if it''s incomplete, I need whatever knowledge there is."


    "And any other things that bring power, Witch Tools, Magic Potions, Magic Crystals, wonders...


    All of it, anything that can bring power, I want it all!"


    The pale blue crystal ball fell silent for a moment, then without hesitation said:


    "No problem."


    "However, due to the ravages of time, the tower spirit''s essence had already been depleted, leaving not much knowledge remaining, and additionally, due to our previous fight and collision, what''s left is now even less..."


    "It doesn''t matter. However much there is, give it to me."


    "Alright." The crystal ball said no more.


    Buzz¡ª


    Moments later, several blue-green balls of light appeared abruptly in the room, then just as suddenly vanished, leaving a scatter of items on the ground.


    "First, pick up the ring on the far left; it is a Storage Witch Tool," instructed the crystal ball,


    "Then put the white crystal ball next to the ring here with me, and I will engrave all the stored knowledge inside it."


    "Okay." Colin nodded, turned around to pick up the Storage Ring.


    But as if thinking of something, he suddenly paused and turned back to ask:


    "Erica¡­ what did you mean by ''the Wizard Tower that''s about to be destroyed''?"

 Chapter 105 - 95: Utterly Convinced

    Inside the Tower Spirit Room at the very center of McIntosh Wizard Tower.


    Colin''s face was solemn as he swiftly gathered various materials scattered across the smooth floor of the Tower Spirit Room


    and packed them one by one into his Storage Ring.


    Boom!


    Suddenly, a loud bang followed by a shake.


    Colin''s heart tightened as he instinctively turned to ask Erica,


    "How much longer for the knowledge recording?"


    "We''re about seventy percent done."


    Colin nodded slightly and continued to quickly store the materials.


    His heart was still in shock.


    That McIntosh Magic Potion was a complete and utter deception!


    No, McIntosh didn''t feel he was deceiving anyone... he had simply gone mad!


    His so-called experiment, designed at the end of life, his last and most proud work, intended to resurrect himself...


    Was actually designed with divine inspiration?!


    McIntosh, Wizard!


    Foolish enough to believe in the revelations of the divine!!


    At this moment.


    Inside the grey and white stone hall.


    The golden light clusters on the grey and white pillars had already expanded to the same size as the pillars themselves.


    Brilliant golden light illuminated the entire grey and white stone hall, casting a golden sheen over the originally grimacing corpses and dark red pools of blood, adding an inexplicable sense of grandeur to the once gloomy and terrifying scene.


    White healing light continued to pour onto Nidham. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Nidham stood in place, his expression wooden, but a careful look revealed the fierceness hidden in his eyes!


    Wizard Lap''s complexion grew increasingly pale, coughing without covering his mouth and nose.


    He was in a standoff with Harrington.


    After a while.


    Suddenly!


    The golden light rapidly faded, and the hall turned gloomy and terrifying once again.


    In the dim light, a heart-shaped golden fruit suddenly appeared at the top of the grey and white pillar¡ª


    That was the McIntosh Magic Potion!


    At the same time!


    Swish!


    Inside the hall, Lap and the two others sprang into action.


    Figures flickered, and several flashes of witchcraft light passed by!


    The next moment!


    In front of Harrington,


    an incandescent, scorching ray continually pierced through his layered, shimmering metallic light shield!


    Before Wizard Lap.


    An orange-yellow firewall erupted from the ground, firmly blocking the pale black spikes!


    On the other side.


    Nidham was incredulous.


    "Ah!!"


    The intense pain coursing through his body made him let out a scream of agony!


    He had never imagined that, in the moment the McIntosh Magic Potion appeared,


    Lap and Harrington, besides attacking each other, had also simultaneously cast a spell at him.


    Under the combined attack of the white-hot ray and the translucent pale black spikes,


    the delicate balance temporarily maintained within his body was instantly disrupted.


    Nidham''s body began to melt like wax once again!


    He screamed as he turned into a pile of black and crimson bloody muck!


    The plan he had long harbored in his heart was over before it could be put into action.


    Moments later.


    The battle on the other side also came to an end.


    "Cough¡ªcough¡ª!"


    Wizard Lap coughed violently twice, ejecting thin, red flesh filaments from his mouth and nose, splattering everywhere.


    Hiss.


    These thin, red flesh filaments were even more lively than before.


    Falling to the ground, they twisted and wriggled like snakes, rapidly coalescing into clusters as if breeding some grotesque entity.


    But Wizard Lap did not care, catching a glimpse of Harrington, who he had grievously wounded and temporarily immobilized nearby.


    Without hesitation, he crawled and ran frantically toward the nearby grey and white pillar.


    In his life, he was most proud of his two Wizard Spells¡ªthe dazzling Sun Fireball like the great sun.


    And,


    what he had previously used to trap the Lord of Thorns and Flesh''s projection, what he now used to imprison Harrington¡ªthe Space Confinement Chains!


    From the start, there was no other outcome for this battle.


    Since he knew in advance that Harrington would come, he naturally made thorough preparations!


    Getting close.


    Closer¡ª!


    That heart-shaped golden fruit was right before his eyes.


    That was the McIntosh Magic Potion prepared by McIntosh for his resurrection, capable of enhancing Life Force, prolonging life, fortifying the soul, and increasing Magic Power¡ª


    McIntosh Magic Potion!


    Wizard Lap gasped heavily, shedding countless thin, red flesh filaments with each step he took.


    Just like the remaining droplets after a bath, cascading down as the body moved, scattering everywhere.


    If one were to lift the gray Wizard Robe that covered his body at this moment, they would be horrified to find no intact area of his once smooth and healthy skin¡ª


    All that met the eye were dense, twisting, protruding red flesh buds!


    Lap''s eyes were filled with longing.


    McIntosh''s manuscript had given him enormous confidence.


    Although he was not a Wizard specialized in Magic Potions.


    Still, for sixty years, he had studied back and forth, repeatedly researching all the information about McIntosh left by the Blackstone Family, as well as the preserved McIntosh''s manuscripts.


    The vast majority of the knowledge and conclusions within had been confirmed by him to be true.


    That final McIntosh experiment, he had also verified many times.


    Every time he saw it, he couldn''t help but marvel,


    "Ah, what beauty, what simplicity of ritual...


    Such an unbelievable stroke of genius!"


    The same validation had been done by the ruling Wizard of the island of the Blackstone Family, producing the same conclusion.


    And the exclamation was the same as his, as if praising the divine:


    "Ah, what beauty, what simplicity of ritual...


    Such an unbelievable stroke of genius!"


    The McIntosh Magic Potion must surely save him!


    Wizard Lap believed this without a doubt!

 Chapter 106 - 96 Divine

    Suddenly!


    Crack!!


    A slender, white-hot lightning bolt appeared abruptly in the cave hall, striking the empty space.


    Wizard Lap''s heart trembled at the sight.


    In his current state, he could no longer handle any possible mishaps.


    This white-hot lightning was clearly the power of the McIntosh Wizard Tower Spirit...


    But, having stayed on Blackstone Island for sixty years, he had visited the McIntosh Wizard Tower countless times to check.


    He had long since unraveled the mysteries of that Tower Spirit¡ªit was nothing more than a rigid mechanical program.


    Why now...


    He shook his head, no longer pondering, and, gritting his teeth, recklessly rushed toward the heart-shaped McIntosh Magic Potion, now within arm''s reach!


    He had no way out!


    Crack!


    The white-hot lightning struck again.


    Wizard Lap''s heart trembled.


    But this lightning was not aimed at him.


    "Ah!"


    Not far away, Harrington, who he had immobilized, was struck by the sudden appearance of lightning, emitting a scream before instantly losing his breath of life.


    The scepter with its dark golden patterns fell from his hands and, after a flash of blue-green light, quietly disappeared.


    On the other side, Lap finally touched the McIntosh Magic Potion he had longed for so desperately!


    "I finally... finally... hahaha!"


    He held the heart-shaped potion in his hands, no longer maintaining his usual composure, but rather bursting into a maniacal laughter.


    But within the next second, before he even had a chance to consume it!


    Bang!!


    A pale golden glow emanated from the McIntosh Magic Potion in Wizard Lap''s hands, spreading out like ripples!


    Swoosh,


    The wave carried an irresistible repelling force, instantly causing Wizard Lap''s tightly grasped hand to involuntarily open, followed by his arm being pushed outward.


    Then, the pale golden wave continued to spread with a powerful force, thrusting Wizard Lap back forcefully and flinging him through the air!


    Puff! S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No!"


    Midair, Wizard Lap spat out a mouthful of fresh blood mixed with slender strands of flesh, reaching out his hand in an unbelievable and desperate scream.


    But he had already lost his ability to resist...


    He could only allow himself to be pushed further away by the golden ripples, before crashing heavily to the ground like a torn sack.


    The pale golden wave fluttered.


    The divine golden light shone once again in the cave hall!


    In a daze, Wizard Lap seemed to hear a chant like a song beside his ears.


    The pale golden ripples gathered above the corpse of Nidham.


    Then they transformed into dense points of light, floating, settling down.


    The black-red, fleshly sludge that had formed from the dissolution of Nidham, under the baptism of the pale golden dots, unexpectedly turned into a golden hue.


    Then, like magma, it began to boil and flow.


    Spreading, diffusing.


    The liquid gold, seemingly slow but actually swift, spread to its surroundings, engulfing them.


    As if it were nurturing something.


    Wizard Lap watched the spreading pool of golden liquid not far away.


    His eyes finally regained clarity.


    A complex expression surfaced on his face, as if filled with regret, realization, and despair.


    For a long time.


    As the golden liquid spread to just in front of him.


    Finally,


    His lips quivered and he slowly sighed,


    "...Divine."


    Then, he was enveloped by the spreading pale golden liquid.


    The slender, fresh-red tendrils on his body emitted a piercing screech, as if they knew calamity was imminent.


    Before losing consciousness, he faintly heard¡ª


    Within the hall, a grand and indifferent light sound arose.


    "Lord of the Bloody Thorns..."


    ...


    "I have one more question."


    In the center of the McIntosh Wizard Tower''s Spirit Room, Colin, holding an authority staff with dark golden patterns, turned back to the glowing orb and said,


    "Why didn''t you stop the ritual from taking place?"


    The light orb flickered for a moment before Erica''s somewhat bewildered voice came through.


    "The divine power is unimaginable... How could Their ritual be so easily thwarted?


    Moreover, it was only after the ritual began that the tower spirit allocated part of its power, and I was able to seize the opportunity to defeat the tower spirit."


    "Before that, I had no authority over the Wizard Tower."


    "The reason you weren''t attacked by the ritual''s elimination mechanism was not because I was controlling it from behind."


    "You were lucky; the McIntosh concocted Golden Four-leaf Clover you once consumed caused the ritual to misjudge that you had reached the final step of the ritual,


    so no punishment came upon you."


    Colin''s expression grew slightly grave, tinged with worry.


    "You don''t need to worry about other effects."


    As if knowing what he was thinking, Erica quickly added.


    "That Golden Four-leaf Clover is just an ordinary precious magic potion, an outstanding result of McIntosh''s early research."


    "As long as it''s not within the ritual, as long as you haven''t consumed the series of prerequisite magic potions in order, it''s just an ordinary precious magic potion...


    It''s Their divine power that combines these ordinary things to produce strange effects..."


    "So, under such power, even if I could devour the tower spirit in advance, I likely would not be able to stop the ritual..."


    "Just not strong enough," Colin interrupted sternly.


    He caressed the Storage Ring on his index finger, which now had turned into a black pattern.


    He asked his final question.


    "Will you come with me?"


    "Go back, Ryan."


    The pale blue Crystal Ball flickered violently.


    It was a while before a voice came.


    "I can''t leave, Colin."


    "The moment I devoured the tower spirit, I survived.


    But I also put on the shackles that originally belonged to the tower spirit."


    "To ensure the successful progression of the ritual while he was alive, McIntosh set up numerous constraints for the tower spirit."


    "The moment I leave here, I will be destroyed. There would be no other outcome."


    "These are constraints set by a Second Rank Wizard; you are too weak to change anything."


    Colin fell silent, his fists clenched slightly.


    Erica also paused.


    She wasn''t afraid of death.


    Ghosts have no yearning for life and likewise, no fear of death.


    But she wanted to go home...


    "Hurry and leave, Colin."


    "I''ve released the other apprentices who survived the ritual, to delay Their arrival!"


    "While They have not fully descended, I still have full control of the Wizard Tower. Hurry and leave..."


    As her urging words rang out.


    Click.


    The stone door behind Colin made the sound of opening, revealing a long, dark passage behind it.


    Colin took a deep look at the pale blue Crystal Ball at the center of the Spirit Room, then lowered his gaze.


    "Goodbye, Erica," he said softly.


    Then, without hesitation, he let out a breath and turned to run towards the door.


    Tap tap tap¡ª


    He left the Spirit Room, and following Erica''s hints in his mind, he sprinted forwards.


    He traveled through the passageway, rounded the corner,


    Next was to cross the stone wall in front of him.


    Colin rushed at the wall as he had done before.


    Bang!


    But this time,


    The sensation of falling through as he passed through the stone wall didn''t come as usual.


    Instead, what he felt was the sour and painful sensation of his nose colliding with the wall.


    He hadn''t managed to pass through the stone wall!


    "Erica, what''s going on?"


    Colin''s heart sank, disregarding the pain as he asked urgently in his mind.

 Chapter 107 - 97: Foolishness

    He didn''t get a response from Erica in his heart¡­


    But he heard a grand symphony that seemed to come from nowhere!


    Like the orchestration of flutes or the roar of whales. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In an instant, everything within his field of vision began to change.


    As if the cold breath of deep winter swept across a calm lake, the flowing clear water instantly froze, turning into white frost.


    Everything before him also gradually changed its form.


    But not into ice.


    Instead¡­


    Golden¡ª


    Dazzlingly bright gold!


    Everything he could see was slowly turning gold.


    The rough floor beneath his feet, the gray-white stone wall in front of him, even the faint white glow of the crystals overhead, all were covered in dazzling gold.


    The vine-shaped reliefs on the walls on either side turned into flowing molten gold under some force.


    "¡­Colin."


    At this moment, Erica''s faint voice finally reached him.


    She explained haltingly:


    "He is using the energy pool of McIntosh Wizard Tower to hasten His arrival."


    "Without energy, I can no longer open the Transmission Stone Wall of the Wizard Tower for you¡­"


    Her voice ended there, for some reason, suddenly breaking off.


    Colin''s heart sank sharply.


    But he no longer had the luxury of contemplation,


    because another anomaly had appeared before him.


    The liquid that resembled golden molten rock appearing on both stone walls quietly, though seemingly slowly, rapidly intertwined and gathered before him.


    Whoosh!


    The next moment, a monster, seemingly made of gold, appeared before him.


    The monster was humanoid, but massive, standing at three meters tall, with corners as hard as rocks.


    Simultaneously, Erica''s intermittent, faint voice came again, hurriedly saying:


    "He has entered the second phase of His arrival, this is one of His minions."


    "Take out the Crystal Ball I gave you with inscribed knowledge. It contains information about the Divine arrival and the structural map of McIntosh Wizard Tower. McIntosh Wizard Tower is long dilapidated and now has many breaks and leaks, many of which lead to the outside, located at..."


    Whoosh!!


    The golden monster swung its huge fist at him.


    Colin imperceptibly exhaled, carefully listening to Erica''s words as he tightly gripped the scepter in his hand, adorned with dark gold patterns, and shot out a specially made giant Cone Bullet.


    Bang!!


    The Cone Bullet, with a force far greater than what he wielded as an apprentice, struck the chest of the golden monster with ferocity.


    The monster, seemingly sturdy, was instantly shattered by the Cone Bullet, breaking off a significant part.


    Then, under further attacks of Cone Bullets, it burst into fragments, turning into a pool of golden rubble.


    But before he could rejoice for long,


    the remains of the golden monster, which had shattered and scattered everywhere, turned back into flowing molten rock.


    It seemed that it might not take long before it would congeal and revive.


    Colin''s heart tightened involuntarily.


    Although the golden monster could be readily defeated with the aid of the strange artifact Erica had given him,


    it wasn''t without a cost.


    This scepter was called Foolishness.


    It was the last of the strange artifacts that Erica had seized from Harrington.


    Strange artifacts are miraculous, often possessing inexplicable and incredible powers.


    Of course, they typically come with various costs, whether light or heavy.


    The Foolishness Scepter originally belonged to McIntosh and, although later obtained by the Blackstone Family, McIntosh, as its first owner, naturally recorded its detailed usage.


    Thus, under Erica''s guidance, Colin quickly mastered the scepter and gained a preliminary understanding of it.


    The effect and cost of the Foolishness Scepter are simple.


    Its effect is amplification, magnifying the effects of witchcraft¡ªan amplifier of witchcraft power.


    The amplified power, theoretically, has no upper limit.


    But in practice,


    its cost limits its amplification ceiling.


    The cost of the Foolishness Scepter is simple, as its name suggests¡ªfoolishness.


    It causes the user to forget the knowledge they have already mastered.


    The scope of knowledge includes everything.


    However, usually starting with the knowledge of the witchcraft deployed through it.


    Though his mind was crowded with thoughts, reality had only passed in an instant.


    Colin glanced at the golden monster, nearly revived and taking form, unhesitatingly bolstered himself with Swift Skill, and quickly stepped away.


    Engaging with this undying monster clearly wasn''t a wise choice.


    But he hadn''t run far,


    when a familiar voice suddenly came from down the path.


    "Martha, be careful!" Berkeley''s voice rang out.


    Boom!


    The next moment, a Burst Fireball erupted, mixed with the golden monster''s roaring.


    "Thank you, Lord Berkeley," the female apprentice''s voice of gratitude followed.


    "This golden monster possesses the strength of a peak Wizard Apprentice, do not engage with it, hurry and leave."


    That was the voice of peak apprentice Fina.


    Colin''s expression remained unchanged as he continued to run forward.


    Soon, the figures of five apprentices came into view.


    "Who!"


    Colin''s appearance made all the apprentices turn their heads in astonishment.


    "Colin..." Flower on the far right was the first to recognize him and exclaimed in surprise, "You survived too?"


    His mind was full of doubts.


    After all, whether it was among the remaining nine people after the latter part of the ritual, or when they woke up from their nightmarish thirst and escaped following the guidance in their hearts, Colin''s figure was never seen!


    Colin nodded imperceptibly without seeming too surprised at their presence.


    According to what Erica said last¡ª


    To delay His arrival, she created as much time for escape as possible.


    She had let out all the Wizard Apprentices who should have served as kindling for His arrival during the last remnants of the ritual.


    Then, at that moment, a golden beast attacked them again.


    "Roar!!"


    Boom!!


    Berkeley, without hesitation, fired another fireball, blocking the attack from the golden beast!


    He then said in a deep voice,


    "Quick, let''s go!"


    Without any hesitation, he chose the passage on the left and sprinted.


    The other four apprentices did not hesitate either, following closely behind.


    Just a second later, Berkeley glanced out of the corner of his eye and saw Colin still standing still, he paused and urgently turned back, "Colin! Hurry up and follow!"


    Upon hearing this, Colin''s indifferent expression slightly softened, and his pace towards the correct path hesitated.


    After pausing, he was about to turn back and call Berkeley and the others.


    Roar!!


    But suddenly, another golden beast appeared in front of Berkeley and the others.


    "No good!" Berkeley''s face turned pale, stopping in his tracks.


    But before he could think of a strategy,


    Roar!


    Another golden beast appeared behind them.


    No!


    There were three!


    Including the original one, there were now five golden beasts surrounding them altogether.


    Each of them was at least as strong as a peak-rank apprentice.


    The hearts of Berkeley and the others sank.


    After hesitating for a moment, taking advantage of the golden beasts not yet attacking, he said in a deep voice:


    "Fina! I''ll hold them off, you take the other apprentices and get out of here!"


    After saying this, he paused slightly, saying softly:


    "Find a new place to settle down, rebuild the Lap School if possible.


    If not... just survive well."


    After speaking, a hint of confusion flashed in Berkeley''s eyes.


    When they woke up, all that was left in the Gray-White Cave Hall was the continuously surging, soon-to-be-near golden liquid.


    Nothing else was present.


    And under the threat of the approaching golden liquid, they didn''t think too much and had to flee in panic.


    But before they could catch their breath, they faced such a desperate situation...


    "Berkeley¡­" Fina looked at him, her expression complex.


    She took a deep breath, her lips trembled:


    "I promise..."


    Suddenly.


    Bang!!


    Before she could finish her sentence, the golden beast in front of them suddenly exploded.


    Boom!!


    The next second, the remaining four golden beasts also shattered into pieces.


    Berkeley turned back, looking at Colin who had launched the attack, his expression incredibly shocked!


    "Colin, you..." Nidham next to him mumbled unconsciously.


    Fina, who had been caught up in emotion and preparing to lead everyone to escape desperately, looked baffled.


    The unbearable life and death crisis seemed to burst like a bubble?!


    "The golden beasts will revive."


    Colin stated calmly without intending to explain, he simply continued succinctly:


    "I know the way out, follow me."


    Since they had met on the way,


    As members of the same School, it was only right to lend a hand.


    Moreover, if Berkeley and the others, who had taken the Magic Potion, were devoured by the Divine again,


    Then Erica''s efforts would be wasted.


    It was wise to take them along and escape.


    Tap tap tap¡ª


    Colin and the others dashed along, constantly encountering the invasive golden flow.


    A subdued oppressive force accumulated and condensed in the air.


    Colin continued silently, leading the others as they rushed through the now radiant golden corridor.


    Perhaps because the golden beasts had been shattered and hadn''t revived yet,


    They didn''t encounter any golden beasts in the latter half.


    In a short while.


    He arrived at a gray-white wall, still untainted by the golden hue.


    Inside the wall was a room for cultivating McIntosh''s specially bred Golden Four-leaf Clovers, the place where he had accidentally acquired that Golden Four-leaf Clover.


    Without hesitation, Colin stopped two meters from the wall, lightly waving his dark gold-patterned black scepter.


    Teng!!


    A huge fireball shot from the top of the scepter, hitting the wall, which had lost its energy and caused the defense Witch Array to fail, blasting a huge hole.


    Then everyone followed him in, leaping into the pool.

 Chapter 108 - 98 Believers

    If one were to look down from the sky upon Blackstone Island at this moment,


    they would notice, in the western direction of the elliptical Blackstone City, near the midst of that dark forest,


    a point of dazzling gold was quietly spreading across the ground surface.


    This gold was brimming with aggression!


    Even some originally dark trees were gradually being dyed a brilliant gold color. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Inside an empty natural cave,


    Splash!


    Several figures leaped out from the deepest part of the pool.


    "An unknown deity is about to descend, Blackstone Island is no place to linger, we must flee at once."


    Before the other apprentices could react and recognize where they were,


    Colin didn''t stop his stride, delivering a warning before quickly heading towards the exit.


    "Aren''t you coming with us?" Berkeley asked subconsciously from behind.


    "I have other matters..." the voice drifted with the wind.


    Behind him, Berkeley''s lips moved slightly, his expression complex as he watched Colin''s figure disappear.


    He had so many questions he wanted to ask...


    "Let''s go as well," Fina retracted her gaze and said.


    At present, although it was unclear what exactly had happened,


    the urgent priority was to flee Blackstone Island!


    Berkeley nodded almost imperceptibly.


    A group of people gradually moved away.


    On the other side,


    after Colin made out his direction, he continued to run without any delay.


    The coming of the deity loomed over him like the sword of Damocles!


    He had to hurry!


    Having exited the cave and judged the direction with the help of the Floating Cone Bomb,


    some time passed.


    He arrived at the entrance of another small cave located on the southeast side of this cavern, hidden behind an ancient giant tree.


    This was the cave Erica had stumbled into.


    Taking caution, Colin bolstered himself with Defensive Witchcraft and made sure the Floating Cone Bomb could correctly judge his direction before he entered.


    After winding through the cave for quite a long time, he finally discovered Erica''s corpse at a fork.


    The familiar Wizard Robe, the familiar blond hair.


    But the robe was now torn, and the blonde hair had become withered and yellow... it was no longer as it was before.


    He sighed faintly and quickly gathered Erica''s body, stowing it in the Storage Ring.


    With considerable time already passed, there was no space for delay.


    Now that he thought about it, it was fortunate he had rescued Berkeley and the others en route.


    Otherwise, with the accelerated descent of the deity, he would have had no time to escape.


    Turning around, he hastened towards Blackstone City.


    His final destination was the dock on the east side of Blackstone City.


    He planned to find a large ship there to leave the island.


    Undoubtedly, one could not stay on Blackstone Island any longer.


    Perhaps the civilians could survive by becoming disciples of the deity.


    After all, the deity descending upon the Wizard Tower this time seemed not to be an Evil God... possibly a divine god.


    And a divine god is more merciful.


    One just needed to offer up absolute faith and frenzied loyalty, castrate their own thoughts, and live blindly and ignorantly like domesticated livestock in order to preserve life.


    But deities usually do not forgive wizards.


    Even if they do, he was not willing to be bound by so-called faith, to become an ignorant disciple.


    The unique dark trees of Blackstone Forest flew by swiftly at the side.


    Soon, his view brightened up.


    A field of golden wheat appeared before him.


    Colin''s spirit lifted, signaling that Blackstone City was not far away.


    He rushed through the wheat fields, over the city wall, and ran straight for his home on Palm Street.


    Erica''s body had already been gathered.


    But her letter, which she had left behind, he had not carried with him, it was stored in his home on Palm Street.


    Along the way,


    there were some destroyed and collapsed houses on the streets, but calm had returned as in bygone days.


    It seemed no one knew the City Lord Price had died, and the Lap School was essentially extinct...


    A great change was soon to come again.


    Colin raced all the way and soon arrived at his home on Palm Street.


    Approaching, he saw the gray-black door locked with an iron padlock.


    ''Had Renee and the others gone out?''


    His expression slightly sunk, he sighed inwardly.


    If possible, he wanted to take Renee and the others away with him.


    The deity despised wizards, and for those like Renee who had undergone wizard transformations, perhaps there wasn''t as much tolerance.


    Ordinary residents on the island might be able to survive by offering their faith.


    But it was not certain for Renee and the others.


    And,


    seafaring voyages, clearly, were not something an ordinary little ship could undertake.


    But for a large ship, unless made by a wizard,


    otherwise, it was clearly not something one person could manage alone, he needed sailors.


    Renee and the others, even without sailing experience, could help him manage sailors, freeing up time.


    However, time was of the essence right now.


    It was just a pity.


    But with this thought, Colin suddenly had an idea.


    Inexplicably, he remembered that he had instructed Renee to go to the dock in East City before he left and buy him a ship capable of long voyages.


    Could it be...


    He shook his head, no longer dwelling on the thought, and leapt into the courtyard over the wall.


    After all, he would know once he went to East City.


    He entered the familiar second-floor bedroom.


    Colin quickly retrieved a brown envelope sealed with a red and blue intertwined wax seal from a dark red storage cabinet beside the bed.


    He placed it into his Storage Ring, swiftly surveyed the room for any knowledge that might be useful,


    then without further delay, he turned and left.


    After a while,


    Splash~ Splash~


    The sound of waves hitting the rocks reached his ears.


    His nose seemed to catch the unique scent of the sea breeze.


    With unwavering steps, Colin exhaled slightly.


    East City was not far now.


    As the distance closed, the sound of the waves gradually grew louder.


    Finally, after crossing the gray-black city walls,


    a swath of azure appeared before Colin''s eyes.


    The long golden beaches stretched out into many lengthy docks.


    At the ends of these old but sturdy docks, a variety of ships, large and small, were moored.


    Unlike when the caravan had arrived, resulting in a cleared and quiet scene,


    now there were many fish stalls set up, and far out on the sea''s horizon, many ships were adrift.


    These were the vessels fishing near the coast.


    However, as far as the eye could see, there was no sign of his familiar black carriage.


    Nor could he spot Berkeley and the others¡­ Perhaps they had already left by boat?


    At that moment.


    Whoosh!!


    A visible golden ripple suddenly spread quickly.


    It caused a ripple across Colin''s human nature and the spiritual light of his knowledge.


    But unlike him, the people swept over by the golden ripple stopped in their tracks, frozen in place.


    If not for an unlucky white seabird tumbling into the sea with a splash,


    Colin would have thought time had been solidified by the golden light.


    The next moment, the frozen crowd began to move again.


    Among them, some of the people who had previously appeared normal now had inexplicable zealotry written across their faces,


    muttering incomprehensible babble non-stop.


    Most of these people were physically weak and of feeble will.


    As they continued to mutter, the soul mist surrounding them became ever fainter.


    The healthier-bodied among the people were not much better off,


    their eyes now showing bewilderment as their actions slowed.


    Colin tensed, quickly scanning the surroundings for a suitable ship.


    Clearly, It was forcibly creating followers for itself.


    The spirit of humankind was incredibly fragile.


    The gods of this world never craved worship from humans...


    It¡­ It would just take it.


    Once the soul mist that shrouded these people dissipated, they would all become Its devout and loyal followers.


    But before he found a proper ship,


    chaos erupted first.


    "You godless sinner!"


    "Worship my Lord!"


    Those who had become followers first began forcibly pressing those around them to abandon their inner defenses, through words or actions.


    At this time.


    "Wizard!"


    "There is a sinful wizard!"


    An old fisherman beside Colin, who had been carrying a bucket brimming with fish, suddenly pointed at him and shouted loudly.


    Endless fanaticism replaced the previous joy of a bountiful catch of fish.


    The wooden bucket that held his hard-earned daily catch was now overturned on the ground due to his abrupt action, scattering the fish everywhere.


    But he didn''t care at all.


    Following his shout,


    more and more people around Colin began to turn their heads to look at him!


    "You sinful wizard!"


    "Unbeliever!"


    "Go to hell, demon!"


    Colin''s expression remained calm, unresponsive to their shouts.


    Under the expanded effect of the Hope Defense Field, these people couldn''t even get within two meters of him.


    He swept his gaze around, taking in the zealous crowd being repelled by the Hope Defense Field.


    They were as if they had been thrown into predetermined molds to be squished and modified,


    Despite their different faces, body shapes, and clothing,


    the fanaticism deep in their eyes was precisely the same...


    Ptui!


    Someone spat at him,


    Bang!


    Someone threw something at him.


    "Sinful wizard!"


    Others cursed him!


    All these things were kept out by the Hope Defense Field...


    But for some reason, a feeling hot and unbearable like molten lava surged in Colin''s heart!


    He took a slight breath.


    Starting from the corner of his lips, his small muscles began to pull and tense, then his cheeks, his ears.


    An angry smile surfaced on his face!


    This was a strong emotion he had never experienced since coming to this world.


    "Heh¡ªDivine!"


    He shook his head and spoke the same words as the Wizard from the Lap School right before his death.


    As if triggered by the sarcastic tone in his voice,


    the frenzied crowd paused for a moment.


    Then, like boiling water, they suddenly erupted.


    And in this clamorous moment.


    Suddenly!


    "Master!"


    A familiar voice reached his ears.


    Colin looked up.


    On the deck of a three-masted ship not far away at the dock, Renee was waving at him, pulling Demi along.


    "Master!" Renee called out again when she saw him turn her way.


    Colin saw this, and a flash of surprise crossed his eyes.


    He smiled faintly, then suppressed his emotions and regained his composure.


    Boom!!


    The Hope Force Field, under his control, turned into an actively repulsing field, carving a path through the crowd towards the ship where Renee was.


    He took a step, then paused briefly.


    He turned to look back towards West City,


    until that visible, golden hue was firmly imprinted in his mind.


    Then he turned and ran towards the ship where Renee was.

 Chapter 109 - 99 Setting Sail

    "Set sail!"


    Ding, ding, ding¡ª


    On the three-masted sailing ship, four muscular men pushed the wooden capstan, and the thick iron chain was pulled up and wound, clinking as it collided.


    After a while, the heavy anchor rose from the seabed.


    Then, the three-masted sailing ship slowly started moving.


    Colin stood at the raised stern, watching the bustling wooden pier not far away, watching it gradually recede.


    The frenzied crowd filled the nearest dock, extending to the surrounding docks and the beach.


    At the moment, they were excitedly reaching out towards him, shouting something incessantly.


    Some even jumped into the sea, desperately swimming towards him. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If one ignored the fierce expressions, it looked as though they were seeing him off, or bidding a reluctant farewell.


    As the sailing ship moved on, the distance grew.


    The various objects and stones thrown by the crowd could no longer reach the departing ship.


    He waved the Foolishness Scepter and withdrew the expanded Hope Defense Field.


    With a deeper understanding of witchcraft, a wizard could utilize an increasing number of variations.


    Now, with the assistance of the Foolishness Scepter, an Official Wizard''s power-limit-breaking Hope Defense Field had even more uses.


    Before this, he could not have expanded the Hope Defense Field to such a vast extent.


    He retracted his gaze, turned around, and walked toward the middle of the ship, no longer looking at the frenzied crowd on the distant pier.


    Not far away, Renee was throwing the bodies of several sailors off the ship.


    Colin''s expression was calm.


    In his mind were the previous scenes of sailors fervently trying to stop the ship from departing.


    They had already turned their backs on him and sided with the divine...


    They were his enemies.


    Fortunately, the remaining crew members, after drifting away from the island, were gradually recovering from their befuddled expressions, and the dissipation of their spirit fog ceased, stabilizing once more.


    As he walked towards Renee, he summoned Golden Paper.


    On it, just as he expected, there was no significant change in the progress of the Hope Defense Field.


    The price for casting witchcraft with the Foolishness Scepter was the forgetting of knowledge.


    However, with the effect of Golden Paper, casting witchcraft would actually increase his knowledge.


    Clearly, the two could offset each other.


    Whether more knowledge was gained or forgotten depended largely on the strength of the amplification desired.


    At least when lifting an Apprentice''s peak-power Hope Defense Field and other spells to the strength of an Official Wizard''s regular spells,


    the knowledge forgotten was not substantial and still within acceptable limits.


    ''But it still requires cautious use,'' Colin reminded himself.


    Within a certain amplification strength range, the Foolishness Scepter would first forget the knowledge related to the cast spell.


    If this range was exceeded,


    It would not only mean completely forgetting the spell just cast, but also forgetting random pieces of knowledge.


    This range of random knowledge could include not only witchcraft but also any other knowledge, even concepts and cognition...


    For a wizard, forgetting certain important concepts or cognitions in this world


    Not only could it lead to confusion of underlying logic and the collapse of one''s worldview,


    It could also cause the dissipation of one''s human nature and knowledge''s spiritual light, leading to contamination and mutation by one''s own impurities.


    "Master," Renee greeted him respectfully as she saw him approaching.


    Colin nodded slightly.


    With a thought, the dark golden runes on the scepter vanished, turning into golden lines attached to his right forearm.


    He examined Renee.


    The blonde girl was still as exquisite and beautiful as before.


    Under his gaze, she seemed somewhat uneasy, gently straightening the golden locks by her ear.


    Colin''s expression remained calm, as if suddenly remembering something, he asked,


    "Where''s Arthur? Why haven''t I seen him?"


    Renee shook her head and replied,


    "Master, Arthur took Demi and me to the eastern city dock earlier and agreed to come back for us in the evening, then he left again on his own."


    "I don''t know where he went."


    Colin paused, then nodded slightly.


    No wonder he had not seen his familiar carriage on the beach earlier...


    As for where Arthur had gone,


    He had an idea¡ª


    It was either a tavern... or, indeed, a brothel.


    While he didn''t impose too many restrictions on his servants, he was still aware of their whereabouts.


    Renee usually stayed at home, either trying to develop new dishes, practicing her culinary skills, or playing with Demi.


    Arthur, perhaps because he received a monthly salary, would occasionally visit a tavern.


    Colin understood all this and didn''t mind.


    After all, as long as they did their jobs well and didn''t cause him any trouble, that was enough.


    Only now...


    "Colin!"


    At that moment, a shout suddenly came from afar.


    Colin looked up and saw a three-masted sailing ship not far off on the sea.


    At this moment, Berkeley and others were standing on the deck, looking towards him.


    ...


    The originally spacious captain''s quarters of the three-masted sailing ship.


    Now, because it was filled with apprentices, it seemed a bit cramped.


    "So... it was all just a plot by the divine?"


    Berkeley muttered bitterly at the forefront.


    His voice was inexplicably hoarse.


    The other apprentices also fell silent, their faces undisguised with shock and bewilderment.


    "Hmm."


    Colin nodded slightly, waiting for them to process the information.


    Silence fell in the captain''s cabin.


    For a long time.


    Berkeley was the first to break the quiet.


    "How do you all plan to proceed?"


    The complexity had vanished from his face.


    He now appeared as calm as ever.


    Even more resolute than before.


    Colin watched Berkeley, somewhat surprised.


    He had thought Berkeley would be the last to recover.


    After all...


    Among all the Wizard Apprentices present, he was undoubtedly the one with the deepest feelings for the Lap Wizard and the Lap School.


    But unexpectedly...


    Fina and the others, hearing Berkeley''s question, furrowed their brows reflexively, looking somewhat lost.


    Berkeley looked around, his gaze falling on Colin, and he paused before asking:


    "Colin... Sir, what are your plans after this?"


    Hearing him being addressed, Colin blinked, feeling somewhat bewildered.


    For no apparent reason, he recalled the time when he traded Arrow Shooting Skill at the Guard Station in the center of Blackstone City.


    The memory was still vivid, as if it hadn''t been long ago...


    Yet it also felt like a long and hazy period of time.


    Sea birds cried outside the window, waves rippling.


    But in his field of vision, not a trace of Blackstone Island remained.


    After a moment of silence, he replied:


    "Bakanan Island... I plan to go to Bakanan Island."


    Berkeley was taken aback and said:


    "Bakanan Island... That''s not close from here."


    Colin nodded slightly and paused before asking:


    "What about you? Berkeley... Sir."


    "I plan to go to Moli Island," Berkeley said slowly, looking around at everyone before asking again:


    "What about you all?"


    "I wish to continue following Lord Berkeley," Martha spoke up first.


    "I''ll go with you, too," Fina followed.


    "I suppose I''ll go to Moli Island as well," Flower hesitated before chiming in.


    Compared to Bananka Island, Moli Island was closer, requiring less time at sea.


    Which also meant it was safer.


    Even though Colin had shown great power before,


    Placing one''s own safety in the hands of another was clearly foolish.


    Moreover, compared to Colin, he preferred to trust the more familiar Berkeley.


    Colin remained silent.


    He had anticipated this outcome,


    But he couldn''t help feeling a touch of sorrow for the departure.


    But then.


    "Lord Colin, I''d like to accompany you to Bakanan Island!"


    The last, a gaunt Male Wizard¡ªMurray, suddenly spoke.


    Berkeley frowned beside him, his lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he remained silent.


    "Okay," Colin glanced at Murray and responded lightly.


    After some further conversation,


    Berkeley and the four others got up to leave.


    Colin saw them to the deck.


    The sea breeze blew straight at them, fluttering their hair.


    Flower looked at him with a complex expression and finally sighed:


    "Safe travels, Sir Colin."


    Colin thanked him.


    Unconsciously, he had gotten used to the new way Flower and the others addressed him, as well as their respectful attitudes.


    Fina and Martha also stepped forward to say goodbye.


    He reciprocated their well-wishes.


    At last, Berkeley approached.


    "Safe travels, Sir Colin," he offered his blessings as well.


    Then he glanced at Murray, who was standing not too far away, and sighed.


    Hopefully, it wasn''t as he feared...


    Before the ceremony, Colin had only been an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice.


    But the witchcraft he had shown since then had already reached the level of an Official Wizard.


    Everyone knew Colin must have undergone some fortune...


    But not everyone could resist greed.


    Berkeley took another look at Colin, then turned and joined Fina and the others, flying towards the three-masted ship not far away.


    Colin watched their figures grow distant, shrink to specks, and finally land on the three-masted ship''s deck.


    After withdrawing his gaze, he turned to glance at Murray standing aside, then turned and walked toward the captain''s cabin on his own.

 Chapter 110 - 100 Night

    Cry~ Cry~


    Atop the vast, azure ocean.


    White seabirds circled above the sapphire-like sea surface, not far from them was a three-masted sailing ship.


    Perhaps tired from flying, one bird with white feathers and a black bill landed on the central mast of the sailing ship to rest for a while.


    From its perspective looking down, a group of short-sleeved crew members gathered on the deck below.


    Among them was a dark-skinned, strong-built middle-aged man who was addressing the gathered sailors.


    "As you can see, Blackstone Island has been occupied by the Evil God!"


    The second mate surveyed the crew, slowly speaking with a deep voice.


    "The captain, the first mate, and a few sailors were lured and corrupted by the Evil God and have been slain by the honourable wizard!"


    "Because of this, we were fortunate to escape Blackstone Island."


    "Otherwise... we might now have fallen, just like the captain and the others."


    "Thank the respected wizard!"


    At this, he raised his voice, giving the crew a cue with his eyes.


    "Thank the respected wizard!"


    The crew caught on and shouted in unison.


    The second mate cast a subtle glance backward, then turned his head and continued:


    "Our next destination is Bananka Island..."


    In the captain''s quarters,


    Colin listened to the shouts coming from outside, paused slightly, and did not pay any mind.


    It had been about an hour since Berkeley and the others had left.


    The original second mate, now the captain, had just come to ask for the destination of their voyage.


    As for Murray, he had stayed in the cabin since Berkeley and others left and had not appeared.


    Colin gathered his thoughts, continuing to examine the costly sea chart spread out on the table.


    According to the information provided by Erica,


    The Holy Flame Kingdom was situated on the edge of the Siya Continent.


    According to the scale on the sea chart, Blackstone Island was about 10,000 nautical miles away from the Siya Continent.


    With the current speed of this sailing ship, it would take about half a year to arrive.


    Colin stroked the sea chart and sighed.


    To cross such a vast distance with just the small three-masted sailing ship beneath him...


    The risk was extraordinarily high.


    It wasn''t just a question of the sailing ship''s quality, but also because all the crew members aboard, including himself, had no experience with ocean voyages.


    The ship wasn''t good enough, and the people lacked experience.


    He wasn''t so arrogant as to think that with the amplification of the Foolishness Scepter, he could traverse the sea horizontally.


    Therefore, after careful consideration,


    He had decided to make for the nearest bustling large island¡ªBananka Island.


    After reaching there, he would make new plans.


    ''Maybe I should buy a better ship.''


    For some reason, this thought inexplicably emerged in his mind.


    After all, at sea, having a ship undoubtedly meant having an additional way out.


    He continued to ponder.


    If he were to buy a ship, the best would be to get a steam-driven steel ship like the ones from the Black Pearl Trading Company.


    It did not need to be very big, since the internal space of the storage ring Erica had given him was approximately a rectangle, with the longest side around fifty meters and the shortest around ten meters.


    Moreover, the things left behind by McIntosh Wizard Tower were not many, only occupying a small corner of it.


    He still had plenty of space to store materials for long ocean voyages.


    This could greatly save space on the ship, meaning he did not need to buy too big a vessel.


    Generally speaking, the larger the ship, the safer it is for ocean voyages.


    The reason is that larger ships are less likely to capsize in storms, conversely smaller ones more so.


    But in this world with witchcraft, the drawback of small ships capsizing easily was clearly not an issue.


    It was merely a matter of how many Magic Stones would be used.


    Although Erica didn''t leave him much, she did leave quite a few Magic Stones, about more than a thousand.


    They made up more than half of all the items.


    ... Upon reflection, it felt like Erica left even less.


    Colin sighed slightly and put the Magic Stone he had just taken out back into the Storage Ring.


    He then took out the White Crystal Pendant hanging in front of his chest, ready to study it carefully.


    He had obtained the White Crystal Pendant some time ago but hadn''t yet found the time to examine it closely.


    The White Crystal Pendant looked very ordinary, just a metal chain linked to a hollowed metal-wrapped white crystal.


    Inside was the most common white crystal¡­ At most, it was only purer than the white crystals he usually saw.


    Colin didn''t rush to probe the white crystal with Magic Power or spirit.


    Instead, he carefully turned it over and inspected it.


    Objects with such power are usually categorized as Witch Tools, except for rarities.


    And if it were Witch Tools.


    Such tools that touched upon the Spirit Fog, humanity, and Knowledge Spiritual Light were clearly not ordinary ones.


    So¡­ perhaps the maker''s name was left on it.


    Colin brought the White Crystal Pendant close to himself and inspected it carefully.


    Before long, he indeed found a diamond-shaped eyeball symbol at one corner of the white crystal.


    The symbol was not etched on the surface of the crystal but formed inside it, completely integrated.


    ''Diamond-shaped eyeball.'', Colin thought strenuously back on the related knowledge he had learned.


    But it all came to no avail.


    He opened his Storage Ring and took out the Knowledge Crystal Ball inscribed with knowledge by Erica, and began to search within it for related information.


    The Crystal Ball was akin to an electronic book from his past life, systematically storing all kinds of knowledge and with a simple search function Erica thoughtfully solidified within it.


    However, even after searching, he couldn''t find any related information on Witch Tools or rare items with diamond-shaped eyeballs.


    Colin had no choice but to give up and put away the Knowledge Crystal Ball.


    Holding the White Crystal Pendant, he started to cautiously release Magic Power.


    Hum¡ª


    The White Crystal Pendant emitted a faint glow upon the infusion of Magic Power.


    Colin closed his eyes slightly, sensing the White Crystal Pendant.


    Not long after, he opened his eyes.


    Controlling the White Crystal Pendant was easier than he had imagined.


    He effortlessly removed the soul imprint of the former owner at its core and then stamped on his own mark.


    At this moment, he finally understood the true effect of the White Crystal Pendant.


    Whoosh!


    With a single thought, he activated the White Crystal Pendant.


    He then raised his hand and looked around.


    Under Supersensitive Vision, the Spirit Fog on his body became more realistic, and what had been previously a bit stiff was now much more lively and flexible.


    Next, he slightly adjusted the White Crystal Pendant. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A layer of humanity and Knowledge Spiritual Light, much more profound than that of an Advanced Apprentice, emerged around him.


    Colin looked pleased.


    The White Crystal Pendant had no special function, just as it had appeared when he received it.


    Its primary ability was to disguise the precise realm of a wizard!


    Previously, when he hadn''t truly controlled it, he could only passively disguise himself as an Advanced Apprentice level Spirit Fog or lower.


    But now, after gaining control, he could imitate many different levels of Spiritual Light according to his thoughts.


    It''s just that, the further the imitated level of Spiritual Light deviated from the original, the less effective it was.


    Having done all this.


    The captain''s quarters had already darkened.


    Colin pushed the door open and walked to the raised bow to look into the distance.


    At the end of his gaze, a golden-red sun was slowly sinking into the heavy, dim sea.


    "Take in the sails!"


    "It''s going to be night soon! Be quick about it!"


    The new captain''s shouts and commands kept coming from not far away.


    The sailors efficiently dropped the anchor and lowered the sails, their expressions somewhat anxious.


    The night sea was known to be eerie and dangerous, common knowledge they all had since childhood.


    Though they had been part of the ship''s crew for a long time.


    Of them, only the former first mate, now captain, had actually spent a night at sea.


    Colin remained silent, but his heartbeat slightly quickened.


    Night was about to fall.

 Chapter 111 - 101 Strong Life

    With the last wisp of the rich golden light gone,


    the field of view suddenly became pitch-dark.


    The deep sea had merged with the dark sky.


    Now the sun had set, and the moon had not yet risen, leaving nothing but darkness to the eye.


    Fortunately, one could still feel the solid touch of the ship''s deck underfoot, and the sound of the surging waves could still be heard by the ear,


    which prevented panic and disorientation.


    After lowering the sails, the crew and sailors had already returned to their cabins.


    Between the wooden cabin walls and the doors, a faint orange-yellow light from a lamp could be seen.


    As for the Wizard who stayed behind¡ªMurray, he still had not come out and remained inside the cabin.


    At this moment, the boundless ocean had shed its azure beauty of the day and turned inky black and terrifying.


    Black waves surged like ink, layer upon layer, making it impossible for the eye to penetrate.


    This scene couldn''t help but make one feel¡ª


    as if beneath the three-masted ship, in the endless depths beyond sight, monstrous beings were lurking, quietly watching you.


    Colin controlled his gaze, not lingering too long over the sea.


    He was still in a hypersensitive state, and it would be undoubtedly dangerous if he saw things he shouldn''t have.


    After silently staying on deck for a while, he turned and went back to his bedroom.


    The night in this world was already dangerous, with ghosts, demons, and strange fierce beasts roaming.


    And the sea was even more dangerous than most of the land.


    At night, it was possible to run into some unknowable entities or fall into bizarre regions.


    Thus, at night, ships would usually lower their sails and stop, reducing the risks of sailing blind.


    Back in his master bedroom.


    Renee had already cleaned it spotlessly and changed the beddings.


    Seeing the soft and comfortable bed,


    all the accumulated fatigue of these days suddenly surged up, and he took off his clothes and lay down on the bed.


    Seeming to fall into a deep sleep.


    The sound of the waves continued, and time quietly passed by.


    Suddenly,


    a layer of white fog had quietly enveloped the bedroom, unbeknownst to when it began.


    Not long afterward,


    creak¡ª


    the door of the bedroom abruptly opened.


    A weak figure sauntered in.


    He didn''t care about the figure on the bed.


    In his eyes, Colin was just an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice who could cast powerful witchcraft, all thanks to that scepter.


    Now, engulfed in sleep and without the golden scepter in hand, he could suppress him with a backlash.


    Berkeley and others were still too cautious and merciful.


    In this world, power is the only thing that matters.


    Once I get the scepter...


    Thinking this, his heart filled with anticipation, his actions hastened, searching meticulously.


    Beside the bed, in the wardrobe, at the desk.


    He checked each carefully.


    After a while,


    "How can it be missing?"


    "Where''s the scepter?!"


    He muttered to himself in disappointment.


    At that moment, a dark golden scepter suddenly appeared before him.


    "Are you looking for this?"


    Murray''s eyes lit up at the sight of the dark golden-patterned scepter in front of him.


    But in the next second, his scalp exploded.


    He realized what was happening!


    But Colin didn''t give him any chance to explain.


    A hard cone bullet instantly turned his insides into a mushy mess.


    "Ha¡ªha¡ª"


    Murray opened his mouth wide, blood spilling from the corner.


    Soon, he was breathless.


    Colin, expressionless, examined the body and then used the Fireball Technique to burn his corpse to ashes and scattered them into the sea.


    He silently sighed.


    It wasn''t that Murray was too stupid, but that greed had blinded him...


    He had never concealed the power of the scepter in front of Berkeley and the others.


    How could he not be prepared for Murray''s unexpected decision to stay behind?


    However, since Murray had not shown any major abnormalities, he was only on guard and had not planned to act.


    Only, he hadn''t expected Murray to lose patience on just the first night¡­


    Moreover, Murray probably hadn''t expected that he hadn''t been sleeping at all, but had been on guard against him the whole time.


    After finishing these tasks, Colin no longer felt like sleeping.


    He simply began to sort through the items Erica had left for him.


    He opened the Storage Ring.


    Inside, apart from the Knowledge Crystal Ball, there were Magic Stones and Magic Potions.


    The McIntosh Wizard Tower, after being pillaged twice by the Blackstone Family and Wizard Lap, had hardly anything left.


    These Magic Stones and Potions were probably collected by Erica from the ceremonies.


    The Magic Stones were likely from the deceased apprentices, while the potions were remnants from the rituals.


    Only two remained.


    One was Manatee''s Tears, presented at the penultimate ceremony, and the other was the Golden Four-leaf Clover, presented at the last.


    Both potions were McIntosh''s special brews, with similar effects, enhancing both spirit and body.


    However, Manatee''s Tears paled in comparison to the potent effects of the Golden Four-leaf Clover.


    And Golden Four-leaf Clover was generally effective only on the first dose.


    The special Golden Four-leaf Clover from McIntosh was no exception, only the first dose was effective.


    Colin pondered for a moment, then made his arrangements.


    Naturally, he would keep Manatee''s Tears for himself to use, and the Golden Four-leaf Clover could be sold if it was safe to do so.


    But Colin didn''t immediately take Manatee''s Tears.


    Instead, he opened the Golden Paper.


    Light golden particles converged.


    Sweeping a glance over it,


    there were two items that could be enhanced.


    One was the Apprentice-level Circulation Meditation for the second Limit Breaking, the other was the Intermediate Strong Life talent that had been ready to enhance for three months but hadn''t been due to insufficient Limit Breaking Points.


    Before this, Colin had precisely counted out the exact number of Magic Stones in the Storage Ring.


    Including the ones he originally had and those he had just scavenged from Murray¡ª


    A total of 1654.


    With such an amount, if all were converted into Limit Breaking Points, he could at least let one of them break through the limit.


    Thinking of this, Colin didn''t hesitate and reached for the Magic Stone to start converting Limit Breaking Points.


    On the Golden Paper, the numbers for the Limit Breaking Points danced incessantly.


    Soon, it reached a thousand.


    At the same time, on the Golden Paper, two purple items lit up with light.


    One was golden, while the other was red.


    The golden one was the Apprentice level Circulation Meditation for the second Limit Breaking, and the red one was the Intermediate Talent Strong Life.


    Colin had an epiphany.


    After some contemplation, he decided to first enhance the Intermediate Strong Life.


    As a Talent, once enhanced, it could immediately be transformed into combat power, unlike the Circulation Meditation.


    Moreover, he had just recently advanced to an Advanced Wizard, not only had he not yet endured the over-sensory phase, but he also knew nothing about the knowledge to advance to an Official Wizard.


    Therefore, for now, he could put off enhancing the Circulation Meditation.


    After making the decision, Colin didn''t rush to upgrade.


    It was nighttime, a time of high crisis, so it was better to wait for the dawn of the next day before upgrading, no need to be hasty.


    As for the Manatee''s Tears, he planned to take them after the breakthrough of the Intermediate Strong Life Talent.


    Maybe then he could further strengthen the Intermediate Strong Life with the medicinal power of the Manatee''s Tears.


    Having organized himself, he stood up to start practicing.


    Time slipped by unknowingly.


    Dawn rose, and the sunlight covered the earth, the sea regaining its azure hue.


    Nothing happened overnight except for some wind and waves.


    Encountering danger was always a matter of probability.


    And probability... who could clearly define it?


    In the captain''s master cabin.


    Colin stopped practicing, adjusting his state, ready to begin enhancing the Intermediate Talent Strong Life.


    At that moment.


    "Set sail!"


    The captain''s voice suddenly came from the nearby deck.


    Followed by the sound of the sails billowing and opening, and the chatter of the sailors.


    "...didn''t sleep a wink last night, it''s always unsettling to spend the night at sea."


    "With the Wizard Lord here, what''s there to fear!"


    "Right, what''s there to fear, this swaying of the sea waves is more comfortable than a massage, I say, this is the bed a sailor should sleep on!"


    "...come off it, Buck. You''re the one who gets sickest whenever we hit rough waves!"


    "You..."


    "Ha ha ha."


    Laughter echoed.


    Colin also withdrew his thoughts and no longer paid attention.


    Unlike the sailors'' blind faith, he had a clear understanding of his own strength.


    The sense of powerlessness in the face of the ceremony and the divine, as well as the familiar people dying beside him...


    All of this.


    He hadn''t forgotten!


    Clearing his mind of miscellaneous thoughts, he concentrated on tapping the ¡ü symbol behind Intermediate Strong Life.


    Bang!


    A surge of magma-like heat burst from his heart.


    Colin couldn''t help but let out a muffled groan, his body trembling slightly.


    After what felt like an eternity, the transformation finally ended.


    On the Golden Paper, amidst the blue and purple, a touch of red quietly appeared.


    Behind the now-red Intermediate Strong Life, a symbol for "¢ñ" slowly surfaced.


    Feeling an increased life force, Colin felt a surge of joy.


    However, looking at the words Intermediate Strong Life ¢ñ on the Golden Paper, he still felt somewhat uncomfortable.


    Just as after Limit Breaking the Basic Level High Temperature Tolerance, it didn''t become Intermediate High Temperature Tolerance.


    Now that the Intermediate Strong Life had undergone one Limit Breaking, it hadn''t become Advanced Strong Life.


    Instead, like other items, only the color changed, and a symbol representing one Limit Breaking was added afterward.


    But that "Intermediate" was somewhat of an eyesore...


    As Colin harbored such a thought.


    The characters for Intermediate Strong Life ¢ñ on the Golden Paper quietly changed.


    The word "Intermediate" gradually faded, finally settling at¡ª


    [Talent: Strong Life I (0/100)].


    Colin raised an eyebrow, then looked at Basic High Temperature Tolerance I.


    There, the characters also began to change with his will, finally settling at¡ª


    [High Temperature Tolerance I (43/100)].


    Realizing this, Colin had another epiphany.


    The name was merely a code for distinction.


    The Golden Paper was his property; the names on it depended on his thoughts.


    Limit Breaking Points of witchcraft or Talent, such as the Ignition Technique, had recognizable names.


    Therefore, the Golden Paper used these names.


    But after Limit Breaking, the witchcraft and Talent stricto sensu, were no longer the same as the original witchcraft and Talent.


    Thus, what they were called was entirely up to him, as long as they could be distinguished from the pre-Limit Breaking points.


    Erasing the troublesome "Intermediate" word in front of Intermediate Strong Life I, although it had no substantive effect,


    Looking at the neatly uniform Golden Paper, Colin still felt a sense of satisfaction.


    As for how much the Intermediate Strong Life improved after one Limit Breaking...


    Colin''s gaze flashed.


    Clang!


    He still reached out and drew the bee sting from his waistband, ready to roughly test the Limit Breaking Strong Life.


    After all, knowing one''s limits was important for actual combat.


    Especially in situations where one might need to trade injury for life.


    He raised his left arm, swinging the sharp bee sting.


    Under the forceful swing, in a flash, a bone-deep wound appeared on his left arm.


    Colin grunted, his complexion paling slightly, and upon closer inspection, tiny beads of sweat could be seen emerging from his forehead.


    But despite the severe pain, his azure eyes remained clear and determined.


    He was a reserved person by nature.


    Even when faced with such grave danger and change before, he had only let out an angry roar in the end.


    But Blackstone Island, the people of the School,


    And that golden divine being and Its fervent followers.


    He would not forget any of it. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 112 - 102 Insomnia

    After some verification,


    Colin had a clear understanding of Strong Life I.


    Although the tests were limited and he didn''t know if he could regenerate severed limbs,


    common injuries such as punctures and cuts now seemed insignificant to him.


    Often, the blood hadn''t even had time to flow before the wound had already closed, and moments later, it would heal without a trace.


    Ping, sheathing his stinger sword, Colin ended his testing.


    Just then, Renee came in with breakfast,


    "Master."


    She placed the wooden tray on the table.


    On it was a dish of fried fish, a plate of bean sprouts, and a piece of white bread.


    Though simple, it was exquisite and fragrant.


    "Well done."


    After trying a bite, Colin praised her.


    He was lucky to have Renee, freeing him from tasks such as cooking, tidying the room, managing sailors, giving orders... and other everyday trifles.


    The briny sea breeze blew incessantly.


    Standing on deck, all that met the eyes was an expanse of blue.


    In the first two days at sea, he found it quite novel and would always stop at the prow to gaze out.


    But after that, it turned to tedium.


    The ocean, the seabirds.


    The blue ocean, the white seabirds.


    His view was filled with this unchanging scenery; even the passage of time seemed blurred.


    Thus, three days had safely passed unnoticed.


    On the fourth day, in the early morning,


    Captain Riel hurried to Colin''s cabin to see him.


    "You''re saying several sailors haven''t slept for so many days?"


    Straightening up in the armchair in the captain''s cabin, Colin looked at Riel with a puzzled inquiry:


    The rhythm of the waves outside the window splashed steadily, and the circling seabirds near and far cried out intermittently.


    This should have been a relaxing scene, but hearing Riel''s description, Colin couldn''t help feeling on edge.


    When sailing the seas, what one feared most wasn''t ghosts or sea monsters but such inexplicable and eerie events.


    "Bring them to me for inspection."


    He mused for a moment before instructing Riel.


    "Yes, my lord," Riel left in a hurry.


    Colin stroked his chin, which was beginning to show stubble.


    He then suddenly turned to Renee, who stood quietly aside, and asked,


    "Have you noticed anything unusual lately?"


    Renee frowned slightly in thought, but ultimately shook her head,


    "I haven''t noticed anything out of the ordinary, Master."


    Colin nodded slightly, waiting for Captain Riel to bring the insomniac sailors.


    His fair arm rested on the table, his fingers unconsciously tapping.


    In recent days, besides training, he had been studying the sailing knowledge contained within the Knowledge Crystal and comparing it to his actual observations.


    At the same time, he would ask the original second mate, now Captain Riel, for additional sailing knowledge for comparison.


    But after only three days, his understanding of sailing could hardly even be considered a start.


    The ship''s operations still largely depended on its original crew. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although only a few ordinary sailors were experiencing issues for the moment, it was important to nip the problem in the bud.


    If the problem were to escalate, even if he and the Renee sisters, as Transcendents, could survive, just a few of them trying to successfully reach Bananka Island...


    At that thought, Colin became restless, getting up from the recliner and deciding to visit the sailors'' quarters personally.


    "Master?" Renee saw him rise and asked in confusion.


    "I''m going over to the sailors, and while I''m at it, I''ll inspect the cabins," he explained.


    For such an abnormal event, naturally, every related aspect should be checked as thoroughly as possible.


    At this moment, they were passing through the deep-sea region, the dark blue water beneath their feet extending thousands of meters in depth.


    On this boundless expanse of blue sea, their only support was the fragile three-masted sailing ship beneath them.


    He couldn''t afford to be anything but cautious and careful.


    Colin, accompanied by Renee, left the captain''s cabin and walked down the deck.


    The moment they stepped onto the wooden floor of the first level, they encountered Riel, who was with the sailors.


    "Sir?" Riel was initially startled, then a look of panic crossed his face, "The sailors were just working, and it will take quite some time to gather them all together¡­"


    Colin waved his hand, cutting off his explanation.


    "It''s me who wanted to come and see."


    "Take me to the cabin where they reside."


    "Yes," Riel said, visibly relieved.


    He turned around, ready to lead Colin to the sailors'' quarters not far away.


    However, the sailors following behind him stopped, only after a long moment did they realize, and slowly turned to follow him.


    Taking advantage of the moment, Colin scrutinized the sailors suffering from insomnia.


    There were four insomniac sailors in total, all bearing the same exhausted look.


    Deep, black bags under their eyes, bloodshot and bulging, their faces yellowed and haggard.


    And¡ª


    Beneath the Supersensitive Vision, their Spirit Fog was much thinner than that of ordinary people.


    Without showing any reaction, Colin briskly followed Riel to the sailors'' quarters.


    The door to the cabin was already open, and he walked in slowly, carefully surveying the surroundings.


    Naturally, the sailors'' quarters couldn''t compare to his own private captain''s cabin.


    Somewhat reminiscent of dormitory rooms from a previous life, there were two single bunk beds fixed to the cabin wall.


    Smaller than the dormitories, they were extremely cramped.


    However, the sanitary conditions were better than he imagined, at least not overtly filthy, just a slight odor.


    Colin carefully scanned the area, his brow furrowed slightly.


    Even in a state of heightened sensitivity, he did not detect anything unusual about this place.


    Whoosh!


    The faint light from the Detect Evil witchcraft was released from his hands, sweeping over the entire cabin.


    The feedback indicated nothing was amiss.


    Colin felt a slight sinking in his heart and raised his right hand slightly.


    Dark golden patterns flickered along his forearm.


    In the next second, a scepter adorned with dark golden patterns appeared in his hand.


    Clutching the Foolishness Scepter, Colin once again used Detect Evil.


    A much stronger witchcraft glow swept over the cabin again.


    And the result...


    Still turned up nothing.


    "Sir, would you like to check the other cabins?" Riel asked, "These four sleepless sailors are housed in three separate cabins."


    "Lead the way," Colin said, holding the Foolishness Scepter, his expression became somewhat grave.


    "Very well, Sir."


    Next, Colin thoroughly examined the remaining two cabins, even inspecting the other two where no issues had arisen with the sailors.


    Yet, he still found nothing out of the ordinary.


    Inside the last cabin.


    Colin put away the Foolishness Scepter and with a stern face, asked the sleep-deprived sailors in front of him:


    "Tell me about the specifics of your situation."


    The sailors were in a state of stupor.


    After a while, a young man slowly began to speak:


    "Sir, we just can''t sleep; ever since boarding the ship, we can''t sleep. Our eyes are tired when open, but once closed, we can''t fall asleep no matter what."


    "Have you noticed anything unusual or any signs?"


    "Unusual..." The young sailor with a sallow complexion furrowed his brow.


    Suddenly!


    "Black pupils!"


    "A black pupil larger than our three-masted sailing ship!"


    "Right beneath us!"


    Before he could speak, another sailor next to him, with disheveled hair and so many blood vessels in his eyes that they turned red, began to shout frantically!


    It seemed that a keyword had been triggered, and the three sailors beside him also suddenly began to shout, their faces full of terror.


    Colin''s expression changed.


    Under the Supersensitive Vision, the first sailor who had screamed showed his Spirit Fog shaking violently, as if boiling and continuously evaporating.


    And the three sailors beside him, influenced by him, also saw their Spirit Fog begin to surge tumultuously!

 Chapter 113 - 103: Stormy Weather

    Seeing such abnormalities.


    Colin made a swift decision, manipulating the Hope Defense Field to quickly transfer the middle-aged sailor to another cabin.


    As the middle-aged sailor was moved away, the condition of the other three sailors gradually stabilized.


    Their faces still showed traces of fright, but they finally stopped shouting.


    However, if one were to observe with enhanced senses, they could clearly see a noticeable dimming of the Spiritual Light of Spirit Fog on their bodies.


    In the other cabin, the abnormalities gradually ceased.


    After the middle-aged sailor in front of Colin had frantically shouted for a while, he fell into a strange silence.


    His face expressionless, he appeared extremely tired, his eyelids drooping, but he would suddenly wake up wide-eyed the moment he tried to close his eyes.


    He seemed to have lost any reaction to his surroundings, no matter how Colin called out to him, there was no response.


    Under enhanced senses, there was only a barely detectable thin layer of the Spirit Fog''s Spiritual Light remaining on the sailor.


    "Riel," Colin pondered for a moment before calling out solemnly, "Put all these insomniac sailors in one cabin. Except for delivering food, forbid any approach!"


    "Yes, sir!" Riel hurried over, his expression slightly uneasy.


    He carefully covered his mouth and nose, found a chainlock from a nearby bed, and linked all the insomniac sailors together.


    Then he led them towards the confinement room at the bottom of the ship.


    It was fortunate that the sailors had become unresponsive to external stimuli; otherwise, managing them alone might have proved difficult.


    As Riel made his way to the lower cabin, he tried his best to cover his mouth and nose, holding his breath.


    Although he had no experience with long ocean voyages, the previous captain had been on two such trips and often told endless fascinating stories about the sea.


    He sometimes mentioned dangers.


    Situations like a collective issue among sailors typically involved either mysterious factors or contagious diseases.


    The captain had emphasized that he once heard a wizard say that infectious diseases were caused by invisible tiny bugs that floated around sick people in the air.


    Covering one''s mouth and nose could help prevent contracting the disease.


    Like other stories from captains, they had always been somewhat skeptical.


    After all, the air being full of invisible bugs was truly terrifying.


    But now, encountering a similar situation on the ship, it made him believe.


    One only has one life, and in life-threatening situations, it''s always better to err on the side of caution.


    On the other side.


    Colin rushed back to the captain''s cabin with Renee.


    He had no clue regarding the current situation, or rather, there were too many possibilities¡ª


    Disease, environment, curse, ghosts...


    Without any acquired information, he could not be sure which factor had caused the current situation.


    But from the last words of the middle-aged sailor in his frenzy¡ª


    Perhaps, this had to do with the unknowable "It."


    However, it could also not be certain, as diseases, curses, ghosts could all induce hallucinations.


    After returning to the captain''s cabin, Colin took out the Knowledge Crystal and browsed through the relevant information.


    Half a day later, he went alone to the confinement room at the bottom of the ship.


    Opening the small observation window on the door, he looked inside.


    The four sailors inside were sitting facing each other with drooped heads, motionless and without any verbal communication.


    There was only an eerie silence.


    Summoning the Foolishness Scepter, Colin made a mental gesture.


    A glow from the witchcraft Detecting Plague emitted from his hand.


    Moments later, his expression slightly darkened, he closed the observation window and turned to leave.


    The recently learned Detecting Plague had not detected any abnormalities.


    It seemed likely that the cause was a supernatural factor.


    If it were ghosts or something similar, it would be manageable.


    If it was caused by the unknowable "It"...


    Then, as an Advanced Wizard Apprentice, even with the Foolish Wand, he might not be able to handle it.


    In the following two days.


    Three more sailors displayed the same symptoms of insomnia and were similarly confined.


    A pervasive sense of unease began to envelop the ship, faces showing either tension or worry.


    Anxiety shrouded them.


    "Stop!"


    "I said¡ªstop! Do you two idiots want to end up in the confinement room together?!"


    On deck.


    Captain Riel shouted at the two bare-chested sailors tangled up in front of him.


    This was already the third altercation among the sailors in the past two days.


    Unlike the previous two, the sides involved had some restraint, limiting their fight to verbal exchanges and light shoving.


    This time, the two sailors were as ruthless as ignited barrels of gunpowder.


    Their faces were bruised and blood seeped out from broken skin.


    Fortunately, they had not completely lost their sanity.


    After hearing Riel''s words, a hint of fear flashed across their eyes, and they gritted their teeth but eventually stopped.


    Seeing this, Riel sighed with relief.


    He glanced subconsciously toward the nearby captain''s quarters.


    However, the expected figure did not appear by the window.


    Riel turned his head somewhat disappointed and emphasized to the sailors in front of him,


    "Believe in the Wizard Master, he must be able to solve these problems! It''s just sleeplessness after all, Bike''s men haven''t died, what are you afraid of?"


    "Moreover, we will be able to safely arrive at Bananka Island by tomorrow at the earliest, or the day after at the latest and once we reach land..."


    Inside the captain''s quarters.


    Colin listened to the sounds outside, his expression calm as he caressed the Knowledge Crystal Ball in his hand.


    Yet, he sighed softly in his heart.


    Over the past two days, he had tried various methods.


    Detecting Plague, Sleeping Witchcraft, or even Purification Evil Power...


    None had worked.


    He had been repeatedly consulting the data recorded in the Knowledge Crystal, indeed finding snippets about similar symptoms.


    But time had erased most of the data and Erica''s consumption had further battered its already fragmented database.


    So, all he got was indeed just snippets.


    In some of the stories, similar symptoms were mentioned but were too vague to be of use.


    Time continued to pass.


    Misfortune never comes alone.


    In the evening, what was initially a clear sky suddenly changed.


    Dark clouds gathered unknowingly, the sea breeze turned harsh like knives. The sea, which had been calm, now surged like it hid unknown creatures.


    Whoosh!


    Deep blue waves kept coming, smashing against the solid wooden hull breaking into white foaming splashes.


    Nearby, Captain Riel was urgently directing the sailors to lower the sails.


    Crack!


    Lightning flashed nearby, temporarily dispersing the evening''s gloom, followed closely by the thunderous roar.


    Unbeknownst, the world had turned pitch black.


    "Ah!"


    On the mast, a sailor seemed to have not gripped firmly and fell heavily downwards.


    "Had!" His companions exclaimed in shock.


    ''It''s over!'' Had''s face went pale.


    Whoosh!


    But moments later, Had suddenly realized that he had not smashed onto the deck as he had thought.


    Instead, a gentle force caught him and slowly lowered him to the deck.


    "Thank you, Sir!"


    Had, still shaken, got up and hurriedly thanked Colin who stood before him.


    Colin nodded slightly.


    The ship''s sailors were already short due to the insomnia issue; these days even Renee and Demi were helping out.


    ...They couldn''t afford to lose more sailors due to such accidents.


    Shortly after, as the first raindrop fell, the sailors finally managed to secure the sails.


    "Sir, we''re heading back to the cabin now," Riel bade farewell, wiping the raindrops from his face.


    The sea rain, influenced by the strong winds, did not fall vertically but surged from all directions.


    Like countless flying transparent insects.


    "Yes," Colin withdrew his gaze and nodded slightly. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But just then.


    Crack!!


    Amid the loud howl of the sea wind and the noise of the raindrops, he keenly detected an unusual sound coming from below deck.


    As if¡ª


    Wood was being shattered by immense force!!


    Colin''s expression changed, his thoughts racing.


    He shouted urgently,


    "Get the tools and planks for repairing the cabin, and follow me!"


    "Yes!" Riel seemed to have realized something too, his pupils slightly constricted, he promptly yelled at the sailors behind him:


    "What are you waiting for? Move! Planks, hammers, quickly!"

 Chapter 114 - 104: Arrival

    Boom! sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thunder roared with lightning flashing across the sky.


    Deep and dark as ink, a three-masted sailship was rocking in the midst of the stormy sea.


    Thud, thud, thud¡ª


    Sailors rushed up the wooden stairs, carrying planks and various tools in their hands.


    Colin led the way at the forefront.


    The solid cabin muffled the roar of the violent storm outside, making the sound of water flowing within some part of the cabin much clearer.


    Such a sound meant the damage must be significant.


    The sailors'' complexions were panicked and unsightly.


    At sea, there''s nothing worse than a damaged cabin, let alone during a violent storm.


    Had it not been for the steady figure of the wizard ahead, they would have likely descended into sheer panic and despair.


    "Quick, quick, quick!"


    Riel pushed himself to follow close behind Colin, urging the sailors behind him to keep up.


    Down the stairs they went, passing the first and second decks.


    Without faltering, Colin led them to the very bottom of the ship.


    Slosh.


    As soon as he stepped down the stairs onto the deck, Colin''s heart sank.


    The water here had already reached ankle depth!


    Hum¡ª


    He activated the Light Brightness Skill to illuminate the surroundings, making it easier for the sailors to see.


    He continued to rush forward, reaching the Confinement Room at the end of the corridor!


    As soon as he heard the click, his first thought was of this place where the insomniac sailors were confined.


    He flung the cabin door open!


    Slosh!


    Ice-cold seawater, mixed with the stench of the sea, rushed toward him.


    "My lord, this?!"


    Riel also ran up and looked into the Confinement Room with a look of astonished shock!


    The insomniac sailors who had been confined inside were now nowhere to be seen!


    Only several large holes, violently torn open, spewing wood chips, remained!


    And through them poured a continuous torrent of raging seawater!


    "What are you standing around for!"


    Swoosh!


    A pale blue glow spread out as Colin, clutching the Foolishness Scepter, used a force field to block the large holes while shouting.


    "Yes!" Riel and the other sailors hurriedly stepped forward.


    Corks, planks, wooden posts, bed sheets...


    Plugging leaks on a ship was a mandatory skill for these sailors.


    Now, with Colin''s assistance, the holes no longer let in seawater, and without the interference of the rushing water, sealing the leaks became much easier.


    Tap, tap, tap.


    Heave-ho!


    The sailors worked fervently.


    In short order,


    All the large holes were roughly patched.


    Though some small amounts of seawater still trickled in, they posed no real threat.


    And so, the sailors cheered one after another!


    What could have been a deadly crisis for both ship and crew had been effortlessly resolved by the wizard''s power!


    "Don''t celebrate too early, start bailing!"


    A moment later, Riel, putting away his joyful expression, continued urging everyone on.


    The accumulated water in the cabin wouldn''t simply dissipate on its own; it had to be bailed out bucket by bucket, by hand.


    While they bailed the water, Colin approached the several patched holes in the cabin, examining them carefully.


    Now that the holes were blocked with planks and other objects, many details were concealed.


    But by the shape and size, it very likely could have been the work of seven sailors.


    Colin stroked the scepter in his hand, his expression grave.


    The hull of a three-masted sailship was tough and thick, such that at least an intermediate knight armed with a suitable heavy weapon would be needed to inflict any significant damage.


    And to create these large holes, it would take at least a Great Knight armed with heavy weaponry to accomplish such a feat.


    But those sailors were all just ordinary people¡­


    The rain outside continued to fall, and the ship kept rocking, with sailors carrying buckets back and forth, tirelessly scooping water.


    The accumulated water, which had been ankle-deep in the hold, was gradually receding thanks to the sailors'' unremitting efforts.


    Aside from a thin mat on the floor and several large buckets for convenience, the Confinement Room had no other items.


    By now, those large buckets had been washed away to who knows where, but the thin mat remained in place.


    Colin bent down, his gaze sweeping over the thin mat floating on the water''s surface.


    Soon, his movements paused ever so slightly.


    In the upper right part of the mat, there was a crescent-shaped black scale reflecting the light.


    Colin reached out to pick it up¡ªthe scale was about the size of two thumbs, and it appeared very fresh as if it had just been shed.


    ''Crescent-shaped scales, a hull breach torn by brute force, missing insomniac sailors¡­''


    ''It''s either some unknown vicious monster with scales that broke into the cabin and turned the insomniac sailors into easy prey,''


    ''Or¡­the insomniac sailors mutated into monsters covered in black scales.''


    With the black scale in hand, Colin conjectured in his thoughts.


    Immediately after that, he frowned slightly, bringing the crescent-shaped scale up close for a thorough examination.


    ''What exactly is this black scale¡­?''


    Before long, it seemed that he remembered something and hastily made his way towards the captain''s quarters.


    "Sir."


    As he emerged onto the deck, the storm raged on outside.


    Riel, holding a bucket, approached him and offered a respectful greeting.


    He nodded slightly and continued towards the captain''s quarters.


    The rain and wind were blocked by the Defensive Field, unable to dampen his Wizard Robe in the slightest.


    Riel looked on with envy sparkling in his eyes.


    In this world, no one wouldn''t want to be a Wizard.


    Crack!


    A blue-white lightning bolt streaked across the sky, momentarily illuminating the entire world.


    ''What was that?!''


    Suddenly, Riel''s pupils shrank, and he rubbed his eyes before looking again toward the sea beside the ship.


    But the light from the lightning was but a fleeting moment.


    Now the world had returned to pitch black.


    Shaking his head, Riel, with his bucket in hand, made his way to the hold.


    ''Perhaps it was just some large fish.''


    He speculated to himself about the scaly black silhouettes he had glimpsed among the tumultuous waves just moments before.


    ¡­


    The storm gradually subsided during the latter half of the night.


    The water in the hold seemed scarce, but it wasn''t until the dawn''s light that the sailors finally managed to scoop out all the accumulated water and reinforced the gaping hole once more.


    Having finished this task, they all collapsed on the deck, exhausted.


    But with dawn''s arrival, they needed to set sail again, lest they fall behind on their journey.


    Thus, at Captain Riel''s urging, they mustered their energy and returned to their duties.


    Today was the seventh day of their voyage¡ªif all went well, they would reach Bananka Island by the afternoon.


    Regardless of the reason, all they wanted now was to quickly return to land.


    While their insomniac shipmates had disappeared, no one was foolish enough to think that the eerie insomnia symptoms would simply vanish.


    They were still in peril on the high seas; only solid land could restore their sense of safety.


    Meanwhile, inside the captain''s quarters.


    Colin put away the Knowledge Crystal Ball, still somewhat puzzled.


    There were still too many unknowns at sea.


    However, after careful deliberation and combining it with the crescent-shaped black scale found the night before, he could deduce¡­


    Those sailors were mostly gifted with a higher Spirit and had likely been affected by some unknown pollution.


    Now, they had probably transformed into mutated monsters¡­


    Colin sighed quietly to himself.


    Time silently passed by.


    Perhaps it was the fine weather following the storm that had lifted spirits.


    The three-masted sailing ship had clear winds following, speeding along rapidly.


    And so, after sailing briskly with the tailwind all morning,


    A dark shape slowly emerged in front of them¡ª


    Bananka Island!

 Chapter 115 - 105: The Seal

    The seagulls cried, and the waves crashed.


    The salty sea breeze gathered these noisy sounds and delivered them to the ear, forming a loud symphony.


    Yet it couldn''t drown out the sailors'' unanimous cheers.


    On the deck at the bow, it was now crowded with figures dressed in grey-white linen short sleeves.


    They jostled each other, stood on tiptoes, and eagerly shouted towards the land not far away!


    "Bananka¡ª!"


    Creak.


    On the other side, Colin also pushed open the captain''s cabin door and stepped out.


    The sea breeze gently brushed against him, stirring his golden fringe.


    ''Bananka¡­''


    He gazed at the clearly visible island not far away, exhaled softly, and his heart also relaxed slightly.


    Bananka Island was almost within reach.


    At last, they could escape the perilous environment at sea and take a breather for a moment.


    After a brief thought, he walked towards the deck at the bow.


    "My lord."


    The sailors saw him coming, and without agreement, they all greeted him and moved aside, making way for him.


    Behind the ram of the three-masted ship and below the foremast, there was a small deck.


    The view there was excellent, an ideal viewing platform.


    Colin quickly reached the railing there and looked out.


    A crescent-shaped prosperous port came into view.


    As the distance shortened, the long coastline now filled his entire view.


    On the azure sea surface, countless ships of various forms drifted.


    Wooden sailing ships like theirs formed only a small part, yet their number and variety were not small¡ª


    Single-masted, double-masted, multi-masted, flat-bottomed, pointed-bottomed, broad-headed, slender-headed, even catamarans.


    Of course, the more numerous were iron steamships without sails, puffing black smoke.


    Whoo¡ª


    The sound of steam horns blared intermittently.


    Those grey-blue iron ships split the waves with the powerful force of steam engines, speeding forward and stirring up white foam.


    These steamships, similar in appearance to those of Colin''s previous life, had several large smokestacks on their grey-blue decks.


    But upon closer observation, there were many differences still.


    This world''s steamships were overall more rugged, and in many details, they showed clear traces of witchcraft.


    Closer to the port.


    More ships appeared to the left and right, and Captain Riel maneuvered the three-masted ship, maintaining a safe distance from them.


    At this point, the sailors no longer gathered at the bow, and under Riel''s command, they gradually lowered the sails and steered towards an empty spot at the dock, preparing to berth.


    "Stop!"


    Suddenly, a sharp call abruptly rang out on the empty deck.


    "Turn to the right, three-masted ship, you cannot berth at this spot."


    The voice continued.


    Following the faint Magic Power fluctuations, Colin looked towards its source.


    On an iron lookout tower not far ahead of the bow, a figure holding something like a megaphone from his previous life was watching them.


    The figure noticed his gaze, and his lips moved.


    A clear voice resounded once again on the deck.


    "Don''t look at me, quickly turn, there are more ships waiting to enter the harbor!" The voice was cold and impatiently urged.


    ''My lord?'' Riel came forward, his face showing hesitation.


    "Turn," Colin said indifferently, not minding the megaphone holder''s attitude.


    When in Rome, do as the Romans do; it was normal for a large port like Bananka to have some rules for berthing¡­ Perhaps that spot at the port was specifically reserved for their use.


    Riel nodded, turned back, and directed the sailors to slowly turn the ship towards a corner spot.


    "All sails down!"


    "Sailor Chief, watch the sea in front, the water here isn''t as deep as before."


    He kept instructing.


    Large ships anchoring and berthing couldn''t just choose any location.


    They needed to consider the depth of the water and the geological environment of the seabed.


    If it was too deep, the anchor couldn''t reach the seabed, having no effect in securing the ship, making it a wasted effort.


    If the seabed was too soft, it also could not secure the ship, likewise a wasted effort.


    If the seabed was all rocky, it was very likely that once the anchor was thrown, it might not be retrievable.


    Metal anchors could easily get hooked on rocks, unable to be pulled back.


    However, most areas near the harbor were suitable for anchoring, so there wasn''t too much need to worry.


    Atop the lookout tower.


    The megaphone holder watched them gradually turn and nodded in satisfaction.


    ''This ordinary three-masted sailing ship could dock anywhere...


    The good spots should be reserved for the wizards'' steamships, it''s a waste on them.''


    ''That leading captain has never even seen long-distance voice transmission used by wizards... probably a rustic from some remote area.''


    As he thought this to himself, he picked up the brown notebook from the table and carefully noted Colin''s clothing and physical features. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Blond hair, blue eyes.]


    [Handsome.]


    He pondered for a moment and added "very" in the middle.


    [Age between ten and thirty years.]


    [Wearing a gray wizard robe with a triangular emblem.]


    [The ship is an old, ordinary three-masted sailing ship.]


    [...]


    [Note: Hasn''t seen long-distance voice transmission, likely a rustic from a small place.]


    After recording these details, he closed the notebook and put it aside.


    He continued to direct the docking of the ships.


    Information like this was something the dock''s sea dogs would come to him for every day.


    For him, it was also a sizable, extra income.


    Splash!


    The huge black anchor dropped into the water from the bow.


    Ding~ Ding~ Ding.


    The thick iron chain attached to the anchor clanked metal-on-metal.


    The muffled sound of the anchor hitting the seabed came through.


    With a creak, the slowly moving sailing ship suddenly jolted to a halt.


    After a while,


    Two small boats launched from near the harbor side and headed toward the dock.


    Before the boats even reached the dock, a cacophony of sounds slowly reached Colin''s ears.


    Vendors hawking goods, porters touting for business, and the noisy chatter of the passing crowd.


    Although he couldn''t yet see the actual scene, the sounds alone painted a vivid, bustling picture.


    The harbor was a hive of activity, an ideal spot for a marketplace.


    Previously, Blackstone Island had been a small island, mostly closed off from the outside world, devoid of foreign visitors, and naturally couldn''t form a harbor market like this.


    Listening to the noisy sounds, Colin couldn''t help but feel a bit excited.


    It didn''t take long.


    Under the robust rowing of the sailors, they quickly reached the dock.


    Stepping onto the dock, Colin was met with a scene just as lively and bustling as he had imagined!


    On the vast open space, people moved back and forth.


    There were those in knight armor, those in wizard robes, and others with horns or an extra tail.


    Between the flow of people, carts big and small laden with goods and passengers made their way through.


    Now and then, a large steam locomotive would pass by, puffing black smoke.


    Further on, there was an area filled with various vendor stalls.


    At a glance, the scene looked chaotic, but on closer inspection, it revealed a unique order.


    The sailors behind him, who had never witnessed such a scene, were so shocked they were left speechless.


    Renee''s sisters also couldn''t help but show a nervous expression, instinctively moving closer to him.


    "Let''s go, let''s find a place to stay first," he said, leading Renee forward.


    As for the crew behind him.


    He had already explained everything to them before disembarking.


    He would inevitably set sail again soon.


    And the crew members were just ordinary people, and the ship was just an old three-masted sailing ship.


    Whether for the people or for the ship, ocean voyages were far too dangerous.


    So, upon reaching Bananka Island, it was time for him to part ways with the crew.


    "Big¡­"


    Riel, who was gaping in shock behind him, saw him leaving and subconsciously started to call out.


    But quickly, he came to his senses and swallowed the words he hadn''t finished.


    Colin had already made it very clear.


    Staying on Bananka Island was the best choice for them...


    Nevertheless,


    Looking around at all the unfamiliar surroundings, he couldn''t help but feel a bit worried and overwhelmed.


    But glancing back at the large group of crew gathered behind him, thinking of the three-masted sailing ship docked at the harbor,


    his heart suddenly felt reassured.


    Before long.


    After a brief discussion, the crew also stepped forward, gradually blending into the surrounding crowd.

 Chapter 116 - 106: Deliberate on a Long-term Plan

    "The busiest street on Bananka Island has to be Blue Shell Street here."


    Magic Crystals, Witch Tools, knowledge of witchcraft, slaves, and even rare curiosities¡ªif you desire it, sir, this place surely has it all!"


    On Blue Shell Street, Colin walked behind the guide with Renee, quietly listening.


    This was a guide who had initiated contact at the port.


    A middle-aged man in appearance, he was a Basic Level Wizard Apprentice.


    At that moment, he was leading Colin and his company toward a lodging he had already picked out.


    The lodging was his recommendation.


    Of course, there was a profit motive involved.


    However, the middle-aged apprentice was a clever man and frankly told him that after checking in, he would receive a commission from the lodging.


    He also informed him of the pros and cons of that lodging, as well as several other establishments.


    Of course, he would receive a commission from those other places as well.


    According to him, these lodgings were all carefully selected after proactive negotiations for a commission deal.


    Some offered good value with affordable prices, others had better quality and higher standards, some were suitable for long-term stays, and others had optimal locations...


    Each aspect was taken into consideration.


    With this, he would then honestly share the strengths and weaknesses of these lodgings with travelers like Colin seeking a guide, for them to choose.


    This way, not only could the travelers select an appropriate lodging based on their needs, but both he and the lodgings could benefit, forming a win-win-win situation.


    Of course, that''s what the middle-aged apprentice said.


    But as for how carefully the lodging was chosen and whether the pros and cons were fully disclosed.


    All of that depended on the conscience of the middle-aged apprentice.


    However, in this world where power is supreme,


    Colin was also aware.


    As a Basic Level Wizard Apprentice, at the bottom rung among Wizards,


    What he said was probably true¡ªit was just a way for him to earn a bit of hard-earned money.


    Otherwise, if it were false, he''d probably have been sunk to the bottom of the sea by now.


    Bananka Island is not Blackstone Island.


    Here, with many Wizards coming and going and identities mixed,


    Conflicts happen on the island every day, and the death of a few Wizards is nothing unusual.


    Even if there were a day when a few dead Wizards weren''t discovered, the Law Enforcement Team on the island might actually find it strange.


    Along the way, as Colin listened to the middle-aged apprentice and surveyed his surroundings,


    He noted that the infrastructure on Bananka Island was also much better than on Blackstone Island.


    Most of the streets were not mere dirt roads but solid paved stone paths.


    Numerous shops lined both sides, and pedestrians were ceaselessly coming and going.


    "Newspapers for sale, the latest issue of the month!"


    A paperboy, carrying a brown satchel full of newspapers and peddling along the street, caught his attention.


    The paperboy was young, and there was a faint ripple of Magic Power coming from him, which must have been from the newspapers in his satchel.


    Colin was somewhat surprised.


    Newspapers¡ªthis was his first encounter with them in this world, quite a novel thing.


    Apparently, Blackstone Island was indeed too isolated.


    "Newspapers for sale, Divine Projection on Blackstone Island, the latest issue of the month!"


    The paperboy continued his call.


    Hearing the familiar name, Colin paused, his steps momentarily hesitating.


    "Divine Projection?"


    Passersby whispered amongst themselves nearby.


    "This must be the fifth Divine Projection in the last few months, right?"


    "Hmm... No, the previous times were just rumored appearances of Divine Projections..."


    "Give me a copy of the newspaper," a passerby spoke up.


    "I''ll take one too," Colin stepped forward and said to the paperboy.


    "Here." After taking a Gold Coin, the paperboy handed over a newspaper.


    Colin took the newspaper and unfolded it.


    The newspaper was quite rudimentary overall, with no border design and unclear layout¡ªit seemed more like a sheet of paper packed with news.


    There were no significant markings, just a row of small text in the bottom right corner¡ªBananka Monthly.


    Yet the illustrations within could move! It indeed lived up to its price.


    Colin didn''t rush to read but followed the middle-aged Wizard Apprentice guide to settle into the inn.


    Once everything was arranged properly,


    he carefully spread the newspaper out on the wooden table in the inn room to read.


    "Divine Descent on Blackstone Island."


    "According to Second Rank Wizard Louis¡ª"


    "Lord Louis chanced upon a divine aura emanating from the direction of Blackstone Island on October 26, 3583 of the Yanan Calendar, a Thursday." sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "He set off to investigate and found, half a day later, that Blackstone Island had become a land of the Divine Country¡­."


    "..."


    "In the end, the Bananka Wizards also confirmed the truth of what Lord Louis had said."


    A few minutes later, after Colin read the information about Blackstone Island, he fell into silent contemplation.


    The content in the newspaper simply described the fact of the divine descent upon Blackstone Island.


    The ins and outs were not clear, but at least he learned about the island''s subsequent situation.


    He then shifted his gaze to other contents of the newspaper.


    "The Wizard Alliance of the Siya Continent has issued a warning, recent frequent occurrences of Divine Projections, be vigilant against various divine sects¡­"


    "Bananka Wizards announce the establishment of the Sea Trade Hall, overseeing all foreign trade on Bananka Island¡­"


    "The Seagull has been successfully launched¡­"


    "The divine projection on Shata Island has been collectively eradicated, but the island is now barren of humans, potentially becoming a deserted island¡­"


    "..."


    After reading the Bananka Monthly twice, Colin sat back in the lounge chair with his eyes half-closed, sighing softly to himself.


    Many pieces of information on the paper were things he had never known... whether it was the Wizard Alliance or anything else.


    None of these relevant details had ever circulated on Blackstone Island.


    Although the Lap School on the island did teach knowledge, their mentions of the larger Wizard World environment were only cursory.


    And who knows how many years out of date those were.


    Normally, aside from the merchant caravans that came twice a year, they had no other channel to receive news from the outside world.


    A product like the newspaper, offering little profit and requiring timeliness, would never be traded by the caravans.


    ¡­the island''s such isolation was clearly orchestrated by Wizard Lap.


    According to the secrets recorded within the Knowledge Crystal,


    Wizard Lap''s purpose in establishing the Lap School had always been for that ceremony, for that so-called McIntosh''s Magic Potion.


    So naturally, he wouldn''t care whether or not his apprentices were cut off from news.


    At this thought, Colin felt a sinking in his heart, and a wave of worry surfaced once again.


    During these days at sea, through the Knowledge Crystal left by Erica, he had gained a clearer understanding of the ceremony on Blackstone Island.


    Wizard Lap had established the Lap School precisely to pass down the key necessary for the ceremony¡ªthe Circulation Meditation.


    Perhaps the Circulation Meditation was gifted by the Divine to McIntosh as a ritual element, or perhaps it was McIntosh''s own backup plan.


    In any case, only those who practiced the Circulation Meditation could successfully absorb the potion''s power, could participate in the ceremony.


    As for why Wizard Lap and others could enter the ceremony, Colin surmised it was mostly because they had simulated the fluctuations of the Circulation Meditation.


    Just as he had mimicked the original Circulation Meditation fluctuations when passing through the Transmission Stone Wall.


    Colin summoned the Golden Paper, staring at the words of the Apprentice stage of the Circulation Meditation, and couldn''t help but sigh again.


    Whether it was a gift from the Divine or McIntosh''s precaution,


    Either way¡ª


    The Circulation Meditation in his hands only contained the Apprentice stage.


    And not that of an Official Wizard¡­


    ''Maybe it''s time to switch meditation methods soon,'' Colin resolved in his mind.


    ''But before that, first I need to sell the Golden Four-leaf Clover and buy knowledge for advancement to Official Wizard...''


    He pondered further.


    After all, the knowledge about advancing to Official Wizard in the Knowledge Crystal left by Erica was scarce.


    He only knew he needed a higher rank of meditation method; he had no idea whether any Magic Potion or any other ritual aid was required.


    In such circumstances, he had to proceed step by step¡­ making long-term plans.

 Chapter 117 - 107: The Petrel

    Entering the Blue Shipyard.


    In the wide building constructed of a steel frame, a sales representative with a Fu Manchu mustache, dressed in a black waistcoat, was slowly leading Colin around on a tour.


    "¡­our Blue Shipyard is the biggest shipyard on Bananka Island!


    The recent successful launch of the Seagull, a huge vessel, was a birthday gift we made for the 500th birthday of Lord Wizard of Bananka!"


    Colin listened and nodded slightly in response.


    It was his second day on Bananka Island.


    Following the recommendation of the middle-aged guide he had hired upon arriving on the island yesterday, he had come to the island''s biggest, the Blue Shipyard, to get an understanding of the steamship market.


    "The Seagull is 128 meters long and 32 meters wide, a true giant of ten thousand tons."


    The Fu Manchu sales representative continued to explain enthusiastically.


    "This kind of giant vessel can only be built by us here on Bananka Island with our technology."


    Colin''s lips parted as he was about to ask about the price, but he suppressed the impulse in the next second and swallowed his words.


    Instead, he asked, "Do you have reliable and durable ships that are easy to operate? It''s okay if they are a bit smaller."


    "It would be best if it could be operated by two or three people," he emphasized.


    In his previous life, in a world without any extraordinary powers, usually, the bigger the ship used for ocean voyages, the better.


    Large vessels'' capability to withstand storms and their capacity for carrying supplies couldn''t be compared to that of small boats.


    The bigger they were, the safer they were against potential dangers at sea and increased the safety of ocean voyages.


    But in this world, the existence of witchcraft made the size of the ship less important for ocean voyages.


    The capability to withstand storms and cargo capacity did not necessarily require a large ship; there were other solutions.


    "Of course, sir," the salesman responded without hesitation to his request.


    "This type of vessel is the best-selling type in our shipyard, apart from the giant ships!" sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Here, the Fu Manchu salesman paused, then added, "After all, as you know, having more people onboard isn''t always better for sea voyages."


    "Crew members with poor skills only become a burden during long ocean voyages.


    And maintaining crew members with great skills isn''t a small expense."


    Colin nodded in agreement.


    "May I know what is your general budget?" the Fu Manchu salesman asked, then added, "We have ships of that type ranging from 500 Magic Stones to 150,000 Magic Stones."


    "Please introduce them all to me," Colin replied calmly.


    "Alright," the Fu Manchu salesman nodded promptly and added:


    "Let me first take you to view our introduction brochures. Once you see something suitable and we have the actual ship in the dock, I''ll take you to have a real look and experience it. Does that work for you?"


    "Hmm," Colin nodded in response.


    The two walked side by side to the nearby reception room.


    ¡­


    Half a day later.


    Colin walked out of the Blue Shipyard.


    Thinking back over everything he had seen that half-day, he felt it had been quite an eye-opener.


    The inclusion of witchcraft had completely deviated ordinary ships from the firm notion he had in his mind.


    Take, for instance, the small to medium-sized vessels he saw that ranged from ten to twenty-five meters in length.


    Some high-end models among them could not only sail on the sea but also under the water and even in the sky!


    Of course, the prices were beyond what he could afford, easily reaching up to a hundred thousand Magic Stones.


    It was these vessels that opened his horizons, making him think that traveling to the Siya Continent might not necessarily need to be by sea...


    Air travel might be a better choice.


    After all, his decision to buy his own ship rather than board someone else''s was more about having a retreat at any time on the vast sea.


    But soon, he dismissed such ideas under the guidance of the salesman at the Blue Shipyard.


    There were many reasons.


    But they can be briefly summarized in two words¡ª


    No money.


    Thinking of this, a wry smile couldn''t help but appear on Colin''s face.


    "I need to sell the Golden Four-leaf Clover as soon as possible."


    In the past half-day, he had selected three ships that he liked.


    Hmm... or rather, one ship he really liked, and two cheaper alternatives.


    The ship he liked was called the Sea Swallow by the Delan Shipyard.


    The shipyard currently had no available ships, but according to the catalog¡ª


    The Sea Swallow was about eighteen meters in total length, with two decks, and an open-air lookout tower at the very top. The ship''s body was made entirely of a lightweight alloy steel specially crafted by the Delan Shipyard.


    This alloy gave the Sea Swallow a lighter mass, and along with its streamlined shape, it had the lowest energy consumption among ships of its type.


    At the same time, its sailing speed was also quite impressive¡ªunder favorable winds, it could reach a maximum speed of 35 knots, with a typical cruising speed of about 32 knots.


    Such speed.


    It meant that the Siya Continent, which previously took nearly half a year to reach by a three-masted sailing ship, could now be reached in just under a month aboard the Sea Swallow!


    Moreover, the Sea Swallow also integrated a large witchcraft device known as the Sea Demon''s Heart, which gave it the ability to self-steer, resist waves and prevent capsizing, scout, and even hide itself to a certain extent.


    Thus, with the assistance of the Sea Demon''s Heart, the Sea Swallow could be fluently controlled by just one person.


    As for the downside.


    Perhaps it was the price.


    Colin sighed and walked aimlessly.


    In the ship catalog, the printed price of the Sea Swallow was 16,000 Magic Stones.


    The mustached salesman offered a discount price of 14,999.


    Both of those, whichever, were sky-high prices for him.


    The other two cheaper steamships either had bodies made of regular steel or lacked the Sea Demon''s Heart and required more crew members to operate.


    Although they weren''t too bad, if he had a choice, he still wanted to buy the Sea Swallow.


    After all, the longer the journey of thousands of sea miles, the better the ship, meaning he would be safer.


    Moreover, once he arrived at the Siya Continent, he could sell the Sea Swallow and transform it back into his own resources.


    Thinking this, he had unwittingly reached near Blue Shell Street.


    Just as the middle-aged apprentice guide had said.


    Blue Shell Street was the most bustling commercial street on Bananka Island.


    Bookstores, Witch Tool Stores, Magic Crystal Stores, all kinds of shops were available.


    Of course, there was also no shortage of auction houses.


    Walking through the alley according to plan, Colin headed towards the auction house he had chosen early on.


    Now that he knew the market prices of the ships, naturally, the next step was to sell the McIntosh Golden Four-leaf Clover.


    If the McIntosh Golden Four-leaf Clover had a considerable value...


    Just then.


    Tap tap tap¡ª


    A tall, bald figure slowly emerged from the narrow black brick lane ahead.


    Colin, hurriedly traversing the alley, slightly furrowed his brows and gradually stopped walking.


    He glanced back.


    As expected, another figure had appeared behind him. Dressed in a gray vest, his bare chest displayed a large expanse of Magic Tattoo.


    It seemed to be a ray fish.


    But with fierce fangs and a terrifying form, different from the usual ray fish.


    These two wizards were probably what the middle-aged guide had mentioned yesterday¡ªthe "Sea Dogs."


    A colloquial term for wizards from Gang Schools on Bananka Island.


    "Don''t be nervous, friend," the bald strongman in front spread his hands and smiled.


    "We mean no harm, just that business at the School hasn''t been booming lately, so we wanted to ask for your patronage..."


    Swish!


    Before he could finish his sentence, his expression suddenly changed, and he took a slight step back.


    Clang!


    A metal Cone Bullet embedded itself in the cobblestone at his feet, producing a deep pit with extensive cracks.

 Chapter 118 - 108: The Hague

    It seemed that all bustling streets had a quiet alley in stark contrast.


    Lanbei Street was no exception.


    At this moment, in a narrow alley no more than two meters wide behind it,


    Colin stared expressionlessly at the two wizards in front of him, clutching the Cone Bullet in his hand as he coldly said,


    "Scram!"


    Although he hadn''t heard all the bald wizard''s words, without guessing he knew that this so-called "taking care" of business mostly meant paying off a disaster.


    Such things were useless to escape or avoid with pretense.


    If things went according to their rhythm, sooner or later a conflict would arise.


    Only by showing his power decidedly could he rid himself of such entanglements in time.


    Of course, all this was under the assumption that the seal-faced man in front of him wasn''t a blind fool.


    But unfortunately¡ª


    The bald wizard in front of him clearly couldn''t understand his own standing.


    At this moment, his face gradually darkened, and he barked angrily,


    "What a big tone! Kid!"


    "This is not any small place you''ve stayed before!"


    "I''ve been here at Bananka Island for so many years, and I''ve never encountered anyone as presumptuous as you upon their arrival!"


    Colin heard these words and shook his head inwardly,


    Not following their instructions means being presumptuous, means not giving face...


    His eyebrows furrowed slightly.


    It wasn''t that he doubted the logic of the thieves behind the bald wizard... Those were all too common.


    What perplexed him was that the bald wizard knew he had just come to Bananka Island and could even determine he came from a small place.


    ...His information had somehow been leaked.


    Could it be the middle-aged guide he hired yesterday...


    Before he could reflect further, he noticed the bald wizard waving his arm.


    An invisible gas converged and solidified into a translucent cone spear, tearing through the air as it screamed towards him.


    It moved very fast, surrounded by a circle of white airflow.


    At the same time,


    A powerful gust of wind also came from behind toward Colin.


    The wizard with a fierce ray fish tattoo on his chest slightly inflated, raising about a dozen centimeters off the ground.


    His right fist swung towards Colin''s back.


    His right arm, which had a rough, sand-like texture, had now quietly expanded to the thickness of his waist, looking extremely disproportionate.


    It made him look like a crab with a huge right pincer. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Colin''s expression remained unchanged, as if he was petrified where he stood.


    A hint of disdain flashed in the eyes of the bald wizard.


    Wizards like him from small places often had incomplete knowledge of witchcraft, and their combat abilities could hardly be mentioned in the same breath as theirs.


    But the next second, just before the translucent air cone spear was only a punch away from Colin, and the rough giant fist was also moments from landing on his body,


    Colin suddenly moved!


    ''Not good!''


    In the incredulous expressions of the bald wizard and the ray fish tattooed wizard,


    Colin, relying on the great agility brought by a one-time Limit Breaking Swift Skill and the ultra-fast reflexes of the Ultimate Knight,


    to the last moment, lightly fluttered a small step to the right like a feather, then slightly shifted his body to lean against the alley wall.


    Swoosh!


    Bang!!


    The translucent air cone spear brushed past him, coincidentally hitting the giant rough right fist that also missed his clothes by a hair!


    "Ah!"


    The ray fish tattooed wizard cried out in pain as his huge sandy right fist was punctured by the air cone spear, leaving a fist-sized hole.


    "Sorry."


    The bald wizard said apologetically to the tattooed wizard with an ugly expression.


    The tattooed wizard shook his head, his face showing a fierce expression.


    Without a word, both of them continued to attack Colin.


    Seeing this, Colin''s brows slightly furrowed.


    He didn''t bother to dodge anymore, letting their futile attacks fall on his strong defensive shield, stirring up a meaningless ripple.


    These hounds from Bananka Island, perhaps they had been too comfortable with smooth sailing days... to be so arrogant and overbearing.


    They dared to attack without even being sure of the opponent''s strength.


    He quickly scanned his surroundings.


    Although this place was located in the busiest Blue Shell district of Bananka Island,


    it was a secluded and dark alley that had nothing to do with the bustling noise.


    The thick black stone brick walls on both sides isolated the sound, and there was not a single person in sight... there should be no one coming anytime soon.


    ... It was indeed a perfect place.


    Colin played with the Cone Bullet in his hand, watching the two wizards attacking him.


    A killing intent gradually rose in his heart.


    These two wizards were only Intermediate Wizard Apprentices in strength, although their mastery of witchcraft was commendable, and their power was first-class among Intermediate Wizard Apprentices, almost reaching an Advanced level.


    But to the current him, unless there were special circumstances, resolving them was just a matter of two Cone Bullets.


    It was just that the follow-up handling might be a troublesome matter.


    He didn''t want to deal with these two wizards and then have to face other wizards from their School coming one after another.


    Just as Colin was hesitating,


    the bald wizard and the ray fish tattooed wizard also finally realized something was amiss.


    Both of them simultaneously stopped.


    "...I didn''t expect your excellency to be an Advanced Wizard Apprentice," said the bald wizard after a pause.


    The ray fish tattooed wizard beside him also nodded in agreement.


    Colin''s expression slightly eased, he was a person who disliked trouble.


    If the two wizards in front of him recognized his strength and chose to back off,


    it was not unacceptable.


    "We have offended you." The bald wizard said again, pulling his companion and turning to leave.


    Colin felt a slight relief and turned to continue walking forward.


    However, just as he hadn''t taken more than a few steps, he heard a soft sound from behind.


    "Idiot." Colin''s gaze flashed, and he quickly stepped back and turned around.


    Swoosh!


    A pale bone spike had already flown towards his face, appearing to have reached the standard of an Advanced Wizard Apprentice in terms of power.


    The speed was so fast that it was impossible to dodge, but Colin did not dodge.


    Bang!


    The bone spike struggled to penetrate the defensive field and did nothing more, causing no further damage.


    A dark golden scepter slowly emerged in his right hand-Colin summoned the Foolishness Scepter.


    Seeing their usually successful sneak attack bone spike return without success this time, the two wizards from the Haiya School immediately changed their expressions.


    "Your Excellency, please show mercy!" The bald wizard quickly begged for mercy.


    "The Haiya School is one of the twelve Schools of Bananka, Your Excellency should not..."


    Splat.


    The Cone Bullet easily tore through the defensive witchcraft, penetrating the body, and removing the color from the bald wizard''s pupils.


    The top defensive witchcraft of an Intermediate Apprentice did not serve any purpose.


    His body fell heavily.


    Seeing this, the ray fish tattooed wizard''s face changed drastically, and without saying a word, he turned and ran towards the distance.


    But his action was in vain.


    Splat.


    The same sound came, and the ray fish tattooed wizard fell in the same manner as the bald wizard.


    Colin quickly looked around once more, and after confirming there was no one else, he collected the bodies of the two wizards from the Haiya School into his Storage Ring.


    After slightly dealing with the traces, he composed his expression and continued walking towards the auction house.

 Chapter 119 - 109: Inquiring

    Hague School''s Station.


    In the opulent hall.


    "Have Sande and Rice, who were responsible for target number twelve, returned yet?"


    Deacon Blumer asked Mark in front of him.


    "Not yet, sir," Mark shook his head.


    "This is already the second time this month that they have been so slow. Tell them that if there is a next time, their wages for this month will be cut in half."


    Blumer spoke indifferently.


    Their Hague School, in fact, resembled more of a gang formed and developed by wandering wizards rather than a traditional school and still had a significant gap from the orthodox schools.


    On Bananka Island, the only real orthodox school was the Bananka School.


    Yet, this did not affect their self-proclamation as a school.


    The main pillar of industry for the Hague School was the sale of inexpensive luxury items.


    For example, sea pearls, which cost tens of gold coins, were priced here at tens of magic stones.


    Though poor in quality and expensive, the customers who bought them were never lacking.


    This was mainly due to the huge flow of people on Bananka Island and their hardworking gang members who attracted customers.


    "Yes, Deacon Blumer," Mark replied.


    He felt somewhat disgruntled too.


    The efficiency of Sande and Rice had been getting slower recently.


    Although the magic stones they brought back increased, this wasn''t necessarily a good thing.


    The law enforcement team on Bananka Island turned a blind eye to such behavior.


    But this was under the premise that they were only selling things and not robbing and that they pay a costly tax to the law enforcement team every month.


    But recently, Sande and Rice''s methods had become more and more brutal, crossing the line¡­ It was time to give them a warning.


    Otherwise, if this got out to the law enforcement team, those people would not consider old ties.


    Mark was very clear on this¡ª


    To Bananka Island.


    The travelers coming and going were much more important than these sea dogs!


    As he thought this, he excused himself from Deacon Blumer, his tall figure gradually receding, vanishing at the door.


    ...


    Golden Anchor Auction House.


    Colin walked out of the tall golden archway, a look of joy on his face.


    The Golden Anchor Auction House was the largest auction house on Bananka Island, directly owned by the Bananka wizards.


    Despite the high commission fee of 15%, its reputation was excellent, and its professionalism was strong.


    Since it was his first time at the auction, they even waived the appraisal fee.


    McIntosh''s Golden Four-leaf Clover was a rare magic potion that could strengthen the soul.


    Although it only worked during the apprentice phase, its value was not low.


    At the end of the auction, an old wizard with black circular glasses appraised it for him.


    It appeared to be an Official Wizard¡­ His supersensitive phase had already ended the day before he arrived at Bananka Island.


    Now that he had lost his supersensitive vision, he could only guess the appraiser''s power level through his appearance.


    ''Special magic potion, a variant of the Golden Four-leaf Clover, retains the original soul-strengthening effects while also enhancing life force, and perhaps gains some self-healing capabilities.''


    Colin recalled the old appraiser''s final assessment in his mind.


    This result matched almost exactly with his actual experience.


    He had initially absorbed the power of the Golden Four-leaf Clover perfectly with the help of Golden Paper.


    And now, having undergone Limit Breaking once, that certain self-healing capability had been elevated to another, higher level.


    However,


    After one Limit Breaking, even with the assistance of the second Limit Breaking Sunlight Breathing Technique, the progress of Talent Strong Life was still very slow.


    It was only yesterday, after taking Manatee''s Tears and training anew, that he could see significant improvement.


    The sun was setting.


    After viewing the ship and entrusting the auction of the Golden Four-leaf Clover,


    It was now four in the afternoon.


    But Colin did not return to the inn but headed toward the distant Bananka Port instead.


    Golden Anchor Auction House held a micro auction daily and a medium-sized auction weekly.


    His McIntosh Golden Four-leaf Clover was not of low value, and it was scheduled for the monthly large auction seven days later.


    The old appraiser estimated the price of the Golden Four-leaf Clover to be between six thousand and fifteen thousand Magic Stones.


    If the auction house were to buy it directly, it would pay eight thousand Magic Stones.


    Such a large price fluctuation was mainly due to the uniqueness of the Golden Four-leaf Clover.


    The Golden Four-leaf Clover was only effective for Wizard Apprentices, of no use for Official Wizards.


    But ordinary apprentices usually didn''t have so many Magic Stones, while Official Wizards had no use for it.


    So it usually didn''t sell for a very high price...


    Only when encountering proper clients, like Official Wizards buying Magic Potions for their juniors, could it fetch a good price.


    Thinking all the way, before he knew it, he had arrived at Bananka Port.


    The place was still bustling with noise, and travelers were constantly coming and going.


    On the open ground by the dock, inquisitive-eyed travelers disembarked from ships, pausing briefly to look around before stepping forward and blending into the crowd.


    Colin headed to the left following his memory.


    An middle-aged guide was standing by the roadside, closely observing the passing travelers.


    "Mod." He called out softly.


    Mod, reflexively turning around and seeing it was Colin, bowed slightly in greeting.


    "Sir."


    Then he quickly walked over to Colin''s side.


    The two conversed as they walked.


    "How''s the information gathering going?" Colin asked.


    "It''s all clear now," Mod answered.


    He organized his words and said:


    "Currently, there are fourteen ships heading to the Siya Continent.


    Out of these, there are nine fleets led by Official Wizards, all First Rank Wizards."


    "The earliest departure is the day after tomorrow, a ship of a Peak Apprentice. The latest is on the twenty-sixth of next month, also a ship of a Peak Apprentice."


    "The journey durations range from a month to half a year."


    "The prices range from three hundred to two thousand Magic Stones per person."


    "I have all the specific information recorded in detail, sir. Take a look."


    Mod stopped briefly, fumbling in his coat to pull out a sheet of paper and handed it to him.


    Colin nodded and accepted the paper.


    On it, a table clearly listed various information about the fourteen ships heading to the Siya Continent.


    His regard for Mod rose further.


    Whether it was yesterday''s sincere disclosure about the inn''s kickbacks or today''s logically clear table of ship information, both demonstrated Mod was a clever man.


    Unfortunately... he was just a Basic Level Wizard Apprentice.


    ''With such a mind, and no longer young, yet still only a Basic Level Wizard Apprentice...'' S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Colin eyed Mod, feeling somewhat emotional and speculating to himself.


    ''It must be poor aptitude.''


    He rubbed the paper, then shifted his thoughts.


    ''That means, Mod likely has no connections with the Hayha School Wizards I met this morning...''


    Those two Hayha School Wizards could easily divulge his information.


    He hadn''t forgotten that.


    Folding the paper neatly and tucking it away, he casually took out the previously agreed upon Magic Stone as payment for Mod, while casually asking.


    "Are there any famous Schools on Bananka Island?"


    Although he said so, necessary probing was still needed.


    After all, one must be cautious with others.


    "Schools?"


    Mod took the Magic Stone, placing it into a black pouch inside his coat, his expression somewhat puzzled.


    He watched Colin, his thoughts spinning, then his expression revealed sudden realization.


    Then he counter-asked:


    "Sir, have you been targeted by those sea dogs?"

 Chapter 120 - 110 Trouble

    "I''m new here, just getting to know the environment to avoid any unnecessary trouble."


    Colin responded calmly.


    Mod nodded, not asking further.


    He paused then began to introduce.


    "Actually, the only real School on Bananka Island is the Bananka School, and the rest we usually refer to as the three major Trading Companies, seven major Gangs, and twelve minor Gangs."


    "The three Trading Companies are Blue Rose, Moonflower, Siwo, and Sea Pearl, the seven major..."


    "There are four in the three Trading Companies?" Colin interrupted.


    "Yes, my lord," Mod replied, his expression serene, pausing before adding, "The seven major Gangs actually have nine, the twelve minor Gangs have fifteen...these names are just formalities."


    Colin nodded, his expression somewhat baffled.


    Mod continued with the introductions.


    Before long, he had clearly explained the power dynamics on the island.


    Just as Colin was silently processing this information,


    Mod suddenly added,


    "Lord, most Wizards who arrive on the island are approached by the seals of either the seven major Gangs or the twelve minor Gangs,


    then, whether through threats or temptations, but regardless of the means used, they end up having to spend their money at their businesses."


    He paused then added, "¡­Most are coerced into spending, and the few who lack the power or backing are¡­"


    He didn''t finish, but his implication was clear.


    Mod pondered then reminded,


    "Lord, if you encounter the Siwo Gang, Lester Gang¡­, Oak Gang, you need to be especially cautious.


    Their products or services, once involved with them, can drain even the wealthiest dry, bones and all."


    Colin inwardly shivered, taking careful note of this information.


    Bananka Island appeared orderly, but this was a world where power ruled supreme.


    Even if the surface appeared cultured and genteel, it couldn''t hide the grim, bloodthirsty nature lurking beneath.


    Furthermore, with Mod''s introduction, he also knew what rank the School belonged to where the two gang Wizards he had killed that morning were from.


    The Haiya School was one of the twelve minor Gangs, not a major School, but not insignificant either.


    Moreover,


    He had thought the attack by the two gang Wizards that morning was spontaneous, but it turned out to be a systematic task set by the seals.


    As for his own information, he finally knew it.


    It had been tagged and leaked when he entered the port.


    Honestly, such a system, used only for extortion,


    In his view, was a waste.


    However, he then thought.


    This almost extortionate buying and selling could sell something worth a few dozen Gold Coins for a price of ten or even several dozen Magic Stones.


    Offering ordinary trades at least a hundred, if not a thousand times the profit.


    At the same time, it wouldn''t violate any of Bananka Island Law Enforcement Team''s rules.


    Such a safe and highly profitable business was worth any effort.


    Upon understanding the underlying logic,


    He frowned deeply.


    It seemed that the two gang Wizards he had killed in the morning were quite problematic.


    If this wasn''t just a spontaneous action but a mission from their gang,


    No matter how cleanly he handled his tracks, he would inevitably be targeted by the Haiya Gang.


    ''Trouble¡­''


    He sighed inwardly, bidding farewell to Mod, and headed back to the inn.


    Once the Golden Four-leaf Clover was sold, he would hurry off this island, heading for the Siya Continent.


    The vast ocean distance could dissolve everything.


    Thinking this, his heart was somewhat torn.


    There were two routes to Siya, one by air and one by sea.


    Each had two options¡ªeither purchase the corresponding transport or hitch a ride.


    Air travel went without saying, whether by hitching a ride or going on his own was too expensive.


    It was not within his current considerations.


    But sea travel left him feeling indecisive and hesitant.


    Although the cost of a boat ticket varied from three hundred to two thousand Magic Stones,


    considering factors like travel duration, safety, and a private space conducive to cultivation,


    the price of a boat ticket would be at least a thousand Magic Stones.


    Of course, the stronger the travelers, the lower the price of the tickets.


    If he revealed his strength as an Official Wizard, many ships would let him ride for free.


    However, he would then be expected to take on protective duties.


    This wasn''t really an issue, as being on the same boat was akin to being tied to the same string.


    Even without this responsibility, should manageable dangers arise, he would naturally intervene.


    But he feared unexpected incidents.


    Sailing the seas, the more people, especially the lower skilled ones, may not be ideal, potentially reducing safety and inviting more unnecessary risks.


    Moreover, after the incident at Blackstone Island.


    In such a unique environment at sea, he desperately wanted to have a retreat option at all times.


    This retreat, undoubtedly, was a ship of his own.


    That way, whether faced with an overwhelming crisis on the island or the ship, he would have an additional option.


    With this in mind, Colin''s thought of buying a ship solidified.


    After all, even if he bought the ship, having a Storage Ring would not hinder his option to rode on another.


    And, should he not need it upon reaching the Siya Continent, he could sell it. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Magic Stones lost in depreciation, compared to the added security throughout the voyage, were clearly negligible.


    He walked briskly.


    Before the sun dipped below the horizon, in the early evening.


    Colin returned to the inn where he was staying.


    Upon reaching the rented suite, Renee, who had been out on business, had also returned.


    "Master, all the Magic Crystals have been sold for a total of one hundred and sixty Magic Stones."


    Renee stepped forward, handing Colin the Magic Stones she had obtained from selling the Magic Crystals.


    These Magic Crystals had been accumulated while Colin was secluded in cultivation for three months.


    Now, this was a good opportunity to sell them on Bananka Island, although not a lot, but every little bit helps.


    Colin took the Magic Stones and stored them in his Storage Ring,


    then suddenly looked up at Renee and instructed,


    "Pack up your things, we''re changing inns."

 Chapter 121 - 111 Temporary Evacuation

    Blue Shell Street, Siwo Inn.


    The setting sun was slowly sinking into the distant sea.


    Rich orange hues slanted across the threshold of the Siwo Inn''s grey and gold European-style door.


    At that moment, a middle-aged man in a white shirt and brown vest slowly stepped out.


    He glanced indifferently towards the shadows not far to the left.


    There, an ordinary-looking young man was observing the wizards coming and going from the Siwo Inn.


    Upon seeing the middle-aged man emerge, the young man''s face displayed an evident look of confusion.


    He looked down and carefully flipped through a small, brown-covered notebook he pulled from his person.


    Disguised as the middle-aged man, Colin subtly withdrew his gaze.


    "It seems that this must be the Haiya Gang''s lookout."


    Realizing that the Haiya Gang might come knocking because of those two gang wizards he had dealt with,


    he obviously wouldn''t continue to foolishly stay at the current Siwo Inn.


    Quietly moving his place of residence and delaying the time until the Haiya Gang found him was the wisest course of action.


    The sun continued to sink.


    Colin walked briskly.


    He didn''t move to an inn too far away.


    The newly chosen Blue Rose Inn was just over two hundred meters away from the original Siwo Inn, separated only by a single street.


    He donned a wizard robe in an alley along the way, removed his goatee and, controlling the muscles of his face, changed his appearance again.


    As an ordinary-looking, fair-haired wizard, Colin finally stepped towards the entrance of the Blue Rose Inn.


    As was customary, he opened a two-bedroom suite.


    Only after entering his new room did he let out a slight sigh of relief.


    Although he didn''t hold much hope of keeping the Haiya Gang''s wizards fooled for long.


    But he could drag it out as long as possible. Maybe after ten days or half a month, he would have left Bananka Island.


    After all, the Golden Four-leaf Clover would be auctioned in a week.


    Night fell.


    The disguised Renee and Demi arrived one after another.


    Colin patted the head of Demi, who with his help, had disguised herself to come alone as a young girl, and he sincerely praised her.


    As a child of six or seven, Demi''s independence was much stronger than he had imagined.


    But then again¡­ maybe that''s how all the children in this world are.


    Either way, he was somewhat surprised when Renee actively suggested Demi come on her own.


    Now, it seemed, he had worried too much.


    ...


    Time stealthily passed.


    Soon, another three days had gone by.


    That day,


    in a suite on the second floor of Blue Rose Inn,


    Colin summoned the Golden Paper and took out the Magic Stone.


    No matter how many trivial matters there were, on ordinary days, he still tried to maintain his time practicing witchcraft.


    Now, the Limit Breaking of the Steel Armor, the Hope Defense, and Arrow Shooting Skill had once again reached their limits.


    He was now preparing to break the limit for these witchcrafts which had reached their limit again.


    As the Magic Stone continually transformed into Limit Breaking Points, ¡ü symbols lit up one after another behind the witchcraft on the Golden Paper.


    First was the Steel Armor, which lit up when the Limit Breaking Points reached 10.


    After that were the Hope Defense Field and Arrow Shooting Skill.


    These two lit up when the Limit Breaking Points reached 20.


    Colin sighed softly to himself.


    He wasn''t concerned about the consumption of the Magic Stone.


    After all, breaking the limit of three witchcrafts only required a total of 50 Limit Breaking Points,


    which equated to 50 Magic Stones.


    For him now, that was nothing.


    His sigh was because the ¡ü symbols lighting up behind these three witchcrafts were all a shining gold color.


    Gold represented that the witchcraft had reached their current ultimate limit and could no longer be improved.


    The numbers behind the Limit Breaking Points continued to jump.


    Soon, they reached 50 points.


    Colin halted his action of switching the Limit Breaking Points, tucked away the Magic Stone, and focused his Spirit with practiced ease toward the ¡ü symbol behind the witchcraft, pressing it emphatically.


    First was the Arrow Shooting Skill.


    As the 20 Limit Breaking Points disappeared, the Arrow Shooting Skill slowly turned gold.


    The symbol ¢ñ behind it also vanished, replaced with the word "gold" in gold color, indicating it had reached its limit.


    He didn''t rush to test the might of Arrow Shooting Skill (Gold).


    Colin continued to upgrade the other two forms of witchcraft.


    Steel Armor ¢ñ¡ª¡ªSteel Armor (Gold)


    Hope Defense Field ¢ñ¡ª¡ªHope Defense Field (Gold)


    Having done all this, Colin stood up, ready to test out the effects of the upgraded witchcraft.


    But just then, an unexpected transformation occurred!


    On the Golden Paper.


    Steel Armor (Gold) and Hope Defense Field (Gold) began to blur and then merged together, shedding their gold color to reform into a row of black characters¡ª¡ª


    [Zeroth Rank Top Unnamed Defensive Witchcraft]


    A shock that he couldn''t conceal spread across Colin''s face; he hadn''t expected witchcraft of the same type to fuse together when both broke their limits to gold!


    He instinctively used the newly fused Defensive Witchcraft.


    Hum¡ª¡ª


    An invisible Spiritual Light enveloped his entire body.


    Colin carefully felt the effects of the newly fused defensive witchcraft.


    Steel Armor was primarily for physical defense, its effect almost like wearing a weightless layer of armor.


    While the Hope Defense Field was a more balanced Defensive Witchcraft.


    It offered a certain level of defense not just against physical, but also elemental and spirit-based attacks.


    Now the new defensive witchcraft, in terms of effect, was almost like a simple and crude addition of the two.


    But the consumption of Magic Power and Spirit when casting, had not increased by much.


    There was none of the tearing sensation that came with casting two Defensive Witchcrafts at the same time.


    It felt more like a perfectly fused whole, a complete and new witchcraft!


    And more importantly¡ª¡ª


    After Steel Armor and Hope Defense Field fused, they went from the limit-reaching gold back to the original black.


    The gold words behind them changed back to the familiar progress indicator!


    Clearly, this meant that the newly obtained defensive witchcraft could continue to be upgraded!


    Colin put away the Golden Paper, his heart leaping with joy.


    Meanwhile, on the other side.


    At the entrance of Siwo Inn, where he had been staying.


    The tall figure of Mark emerged from the doorway with a sullen expression.


    He addressed the young gang member responsible for recording the entries to Siwo Inn, speaking coldly:


    "So you don''t even know when he left?"


    "¡­I''m sorry, sir."


    Mark said nothing, his expression growing darker.


    At first, he thought Sande and Rice had just gone off to enjoy themselves without a care.


    But after a day without seeing them, he became suspicious.


    Two days later, he had all but confirmed that Sande and Rice were dead.


    Now it was the third day.


    From yesterday to now, he had checked every target Sande and Rice were responsible for, one by one.


    And now Siwo Inn was the last one.


    There had been no abnormalities discovered in the previous four, but the target at Siwo Inn had quietly slipped out of their sight, and it was unknown where they had moved to.


    This was clearly suspicious.


    But Bananka Island was so vast, finding a Wizard intentionally hiding their tracks at this moment was as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack.


    However¡ª¡ª


    No matter what, the disappearance of Sande and Rice must be investigated further! S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He needed to explain to the other gang members; he needed to show them!


    Only now, with no clues, he truly didn''t know where to begin.


    Just as he furrowed his brows.


    The young gang member beside him suddenly said:


    "Sir, I''ve just remembered something!"

 Chapter 122 - 112: Portrait

    The young gang member''s face was somewhat tense,


    as he hurriedly pulled out a small book with a brown cover from his bosom and explained:


    "Three days ago, in the evening, I saw a suspicious stranger leave the Siwo Inn."


    He flipped open the notebook, his eyebrows slightly furrowed as he recalled:


    "That stranger was a middle-aged man dressed in a vest, with an ordinary face."


    "Actually, I was a bit puzzled at the time because I had never seen the middle-aged man check in; it was as if he just appeared out of thin air from the Siwo Inn."


    "Now that I think about it, it''s likely that our target was in disguise!"


    The young gang member spoke with some indignation, and at the same time, handed over the notebook that contained the description of the middle-aged man''s appearance to Mark.


    Mark took the brown notebook without much comment.


    Their method of recording was inherently simple and rough, the real intention was not to exhaustively control the comings and goings of travelers.


    Naturally, they also did not specifically target disguised individuals.


    So if the target was intentionally disguised, it was quite normal for the young gang member not to have identified them.


    Mark opened the brown notebook and firmly memorized the information about the target''s original appearance as well as the appearance of the disguised middle-aged man.


    The next second, as if something occurred to him, he asked:


    "The target had a maid and a child with him."


    "Did you see them leave?"


    The young gang member hesitated, shaking his head,


    "¡­No."


    Maidens like these were not usually worth the effort of recording.


    And indeed, he had not seen the maid and the child leave.


    Mark nodded, asked no more questions, and quickly walked away on his own.


    He was planning to go back and inquire with other informants nearby.


    Half a day later.


    At the Haiya Gang''s base.


    Inside a plainly decorated office,


    Mark leaned back in his chair and repeated:


    "You haven''t seen them?"


    "Yes, sir."


    He sighed, waved his hand to indicate to the gang member in front of him to leave.


    This was the last informant he had questioned.


    The results were all the same.


    Those stationed at the doors of inns and other places had not seen the blonde target, nor the middle-aged man he had disguised himself as.


    Sitting in his chair, resting his forehead in thought for a moment.


    Mark stood up and slowly walked into the depths of the base.


    ...


    Time passed silently like water.


    On the second floor suite of the Blue Rose Inn,


    Colin stood by the window, feeling somewhat emotional.


    Unknowingly, it had been eight days since he arrived at Bananka Island.


    A faint light entered from outside the window, signaling that the sunrise was upon them.


    Although, due to the angle and location, he could not see the sun rising from the sea,


    the gradual climb of golden light on the staggered grey and white facades outside the window still revealed the arrival of dawn.


    Looking out, there was a field of gilt.


    After breakfast, when the time was about right,


    Colin packed all his luggage into his storage ring and walked to the door.


    "Renee, remember what I told you?" he said.


    "I remember, master," Renee responded.


    Colin nodded his head.


    He had stayed in the Blue Rose Inn for a week; it was time to change locations.


    To move to a much quieter place.


    The street where the inn was located was the central street of the Blue Bay district, but it was too bustling.


    The main reason for staying there previously was its proximity to the Golden Anchor Auction House, which was convenient for the auction of the Golden Four-leaf Clover.


    But after today, once the Golden Four-leaf Clover was auctioned off, he would no longer need to stay here.


    ''Maybe, I could move near the shipyard¡­''


    As he thought, he descended the stairs disguised as the ordinary young man he had appeared to be when he first entered the Blue Rose Inn.


    When he came downstairs, the clerk at the reception glanced up at him but had no special reaction.


    Quickly, the clerk returned to browsing a book.


    Colin kept a calm expression.


    The current change in his features was accomplished with the power of the Strong Life Talent combined with the Ultimate Knight''s control over physical form.


    Such physical transformations were difficult to see through.


    Leaving the Blue Rose Inn,


    he briskly headed for a back-alley he had chosen near the Golden Anchor Auction House, planning to revert to his original appearance there before entering the auction.


    But he hadn''t gone far when, passing around a street corner,


    Colin''s brow suddenly furrowed, his stride faltered, and he gradually slowed down, quietly following a long-haired Wizard. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Using his peripheral vision, he could clearly see that the long-haired Wizard was holding a piece of white paper with three figures drawn on it.


    The figures on the paper consisted of one male and two females, one tall and one short, one a maid and the other a child.


    With such distinctive features... There was no doubt it was his group.


    Colin''s heart sank.


    But after observing a little more, his heart eased.


    Perhaps the only things that matched them were the figures'' heights on the paper¡ªtwo tall and one short.


    Everything else, whether it be hairstyles or facial features, entirely mismatched them.


    ... Regardless of whether the drawing on the paper was of him and the Renee sisters or not,


    With such a rudimentary sketch, the prospect of finding them by it... seemed quite difficult.


    With an unaffected expression, Colin swiftly passed the long-haired Wizard and walked away.


    In a short while, he had, as planned, reverted to his original appearance and arrived at the Golden Anchor Auction House.


    He took out his purple gold entry pass for the auction.


    After the attendant closely compared his appearance to their records, they showed him to a seat on the right side in the middle of the hall.


    ¡ªThis was the complimentary seat provided by the Golden Four-leaf Clover.


    Regarding private boxes... of course, there were some.


    However, they required an additional fee, around 50 Magic Stones.


    Not much, but unnecessary.


    After all, the seats in the hall were at a distance from each other and had partitions in between.


    The privacy afforded was passable.


    On a small round table to the right of the red cushioned armchair, there lay a booklet introducing the auction''s items.


    Once seated, Colin began to flip through it.


    At the moment, what he was most in need of was, without doubt, the knowledge relating to Advanced Official Wizards.


    And another complete set of Meditation Method appropriate for the Official Wizard stage.


    For the former, he planned to buy it at a bookstore, as after all, it was only a broad overview of Advanced knowledge,


    Not something treasured. The auction house surely would not have it.


    For him now, the price was also not too expensive.


    Previously on Blackstone Island, the Black Pearl Trading Company had quoted him 350 Magic Stones.


    The price on the fleet was obviously a bit higher, and he estimated that on Bananka Island it would be cheaper.


    As for the latter¡ª the complete Meditation Method¡ª


    Colin sighed softly.


    Previously, the price he heard on the Black Pearl Trading Company was 50,000 Magic Stones.


    Even accounting for the inflated prices on the fleet, he would probably need at least ten thousand Magic Stones.


    And the value of the Golden Four-leaf Clover, according to the Appraiser''s estimate, was at most 15,000 Magic Stones...


    Thinking this, Colin closed the booklet in his hands that contained little of interest.


    Perhaps it was to maintain a sense of mystery.


    The booklet only introduced a few treasured items such as his Golden Four-leaf Clover, serving as the highlights of the sale.


    A glance revealed that there were Witch Tools, Magic Potions, and even rare artifacts listed.


    But there was no Meditation Method.


    Leaning slightly back against the soft chair,


    Colin closed his eyes and waited quietly for the auction to begin.

 Chapter 123 - 113 Give Some Face

    I don''t know how much time had passed.


    Hum¡ª


    The auction stage not far away gradually lit up.


    Under the soft white light, a middle-aged man with neatly trimmed black beard stepped up.


    He wore an exquisite white Wizard Robe with gold patterns, a rare head of black hair.


    The auctioneer in the white robe smiled and walked without stopping to the high desk engraved with Golden Anchor, picked up the golden gavel placed on it, and struck the base.


    Dang!


    The quiet murmur that had been present in the hall slowly faded away.


    Colin also opened his eyes and sat up straight.


    It looked like the auction was about to begin.


    "Honored Wizards, welcome to Golden Anchor Auction House, I will be your auctioneer today¡ªAli."


    The auctioneer in the white robe began his opening remarks and gave a brief introduction.


    "This auction is Golden Anchor Auction House''s large-scale monthly auction, with a total of 57 items to be auctioned today, and the estimated time needed is 6 hours..."


    After the introduction, the auctioneer started to explain the key points.


    "Next, I will introduce to everyone the rules of this auction and points of attention."


    "This auction will be an ascending bid auction, where I will start by announcing the estimated reserve price set by the auction house. Subsequently, you can compete by raising your bids.


    Furthermore, at the armrest of your seat, there is a Bidding Crystal provided. You can use it by inputting your Magic Power."


    At this point, he paused for emphasis and said:


    "At the same time, I would like to specially remind all esteemed Wizards to use the Bidding Crystal for bidding to protect your privacy and safety as much as possible, in order to avoid unnecessary troubles..."


    Colin, who was caressing the crystal on the right armrest that he had lit up, nodded slightly.


    Such an anonymous method of bidding obviously had higher safety.


    After all, in this world, if one had no power, there were many times when one could buy with life but couldn''t use without life.


    ¡­ Presumably, such anonymous bidding methods must be quite common in the auction houses of this world.


    After all, if one couldn''t ensure their safety, then who would participate in auctions?


    Auction houses could only build up a good reputation and have a steady stream of customers by ensuring the safety of the auctioneers as much as possible.


    While thinking this, the auctioneer on the stage was also nearing the end of his opening speech.


    "¡­ The handover of small auction items will be delivered immediately to the corresponding bidder''s seat through a special device provided by Golden Anchor Auction House at the same time as the successful bid."


    "Please collect them promptly."


    "Lastly, from the moment you participate in the auction, it implies that you agree to all the regulations of Golden Anchor Auction House and that you trust the professional appraisal results of Golden Anchor Auction House.


    After the auction ends, no returns shall be supported for any reason."


    After saying this, the auctioneer in the white robe paused and then continued:


    "The rules of this auction and points of attention have now all been announced."


    "Let us now begin the official auction."


    Upon hearing this, Colin adjusted his posture slightly, placed his hand on the Bidding Crystal, and felt an inexplicable anticipation.


    Before he could fully prepare,


    a fiery red Magic Crystal appeared out of nowhere on the table on the stage.


    "A First Rank Advanced Fireball Witchcraft Sun Fireball Magic Crystal, good quality, starting bid 500 Magic Stones,"


    said the auctioneer in the white robe.


    After a moment, someone began to bid.


    "Five hundred and ten Magic Stones."


    Under the effect of the Bidding Crystal, the speaker device at the top of the auction hall transmitted a mechanical voice.


    "Five hundred and fifteen Magic Stones."


    Another voice of the same tone immediately followed in the next moment.


    After hesitating for a moment, Colin too felt tempted and with a thought, called out his own bid.


    "Five hundred and twenty-five Magic Stones."


    He still vividly remembered the First Rank Advanced Sun Fireball.


    The might displayed by Wizard Lap when casting it had left a deep impression on him.


    Although using a Magic Crystal that is higher than one''s actual Rank, it is not like the Foolishness Scepter, which won''t add any consumption.


    Instead, it will increase the consumption of Spirit.


    As a result, the number of times a Magic Crystal can be used is greatly reduced due to the limitation of Spirit, and it also slightly diminishes its potency.


    But the First Rank Advanced witchcraft Sun Fireball, even if slightly reduced, was still at least at the level of First Rank Intermediate witchcraft.


    And now, with the bonus of the Foolishness Scepter, if he were to cast a golden Arrow Shooting Skill.


    And after the knowledge paid was offset by the knowledge gained from casting witchcraft, to control it at a rate where about five casts would reduce one point of progress.


    Then the power of his cast would just barely reach the level of Basic Level First Rank witchcraft.


    The Sun Fireball Magic Crystal, of good quality, could be recharged at least ten times.


    Fully charged, it was expected to allow five casts... For him, perhaps only one cast was possible.


    But items like these, which could serve as a temporary trump card, were naturally better the more you had.


    "Five hundred and forty Magic Stones!" someone called out a bid again.


    "Five hundred and forty-five Magic Stones." Colin paused, then bid again.


    However, perhaps there were many with the same thoughts as him.


    The price of the Sun Fireball Magic Crystal did not stop at five hundred and forty-five Magic Stones.


    Instead, it climbed all the way, soon surpassing six hundred Magic Stones.


    Colin also stopped bidding rationally.


    After all, he wasn''t exactly what you''d call wealthy; he had just come into an unexpected fortune.


    Moreover, he now had two other more pressing needs¡ª


    Buying a ship and a Meditation Method.


    Neither was cheap... this unexpected fortune might not be enough...


    It was better to save.


    In the time that followed, with this mindset, he mostly just watched in silence.


    Only occasionally did he call out a bid, but none were successful.


    However, soon a new auction item made him put away his indifferent attitude.


    "The Ancient Banu Meditation Method, an incomplete ancient meditation method, contains the complete content from Apprentice to First Rank Wizard, and some incomplete content of a Second Rank Wizard."


    "The starting bid is five thousand Magic Stones."


    Sitting up slightly, Colin watched the white-robed auctioneer in front of the Crystal Ball, feeling somewhat excited.


    He hadn''t expected a meditation method would actually be auctioned!


    And the starting bid was only five thousand Magic Stones!


    ''Let''s add five hundred for starters!''


    He placed his right hand on the Bidding Crystal without hesitation and called out.


    "Six thousand Magic Stones!"


    But someone was faster than him.


    His expression changed slightly, and he raised the bid on the Bidding Crystal to seven thousand Magic Stones!


    "Eight thousand Magic Stones!" A mechanical voice came again.


    His right hand stiffened slightly, and he involuntarily stopped his bidding.


    To prevent random bidding, Golden Anchor Auction House would assign each bidder a fixed bidding limit before the auction.


    This limit differed for each Wizard and was judged based on the assets each Wizard displayed.


    For Colin, most of his limit came from the Golden Four-leaf Clover.


    Only nine thousand...


    He sighed, and in that brief moment of contemplation,


    The bid for the Ancient Banu Meditation Method had already reached ten thousand.


    Such a price had already exceeded his maximum bidding limit.


    And it seemed, it was not the final selling price.


    "Eleven thousand Magic Stones!"


    "Eleven thousand five hundred Magic Stones!"


    "Eleven thousand five hundred and fifty Magic Stones!"


    "Twelve thousand Magic Stones!" S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The bidding voices in the hall rose and fell in succession.


    Suddenly, a voice came from a single-person private box upstairs.


    "Gentlemen, please give me, Ruth, some face. This is nothing but an ancient meditation method that is both incomplete and flawed, and outdated..."


    But before he could finish, the mechanical bidding voice continued to ring out.


    "Thirteen thousand Magic Stones!"

 Chapter 124 - 114 Difficulties

    Ruth hesitated, then let out a heavy snort, exuding the imposing aura of a First Rank Junior Wizard as he loudly bid,


    "15,000 Magic Stones!"


    At that moment, a scoff echoed from another private box.


    "...didn''t you say that this was just a flawed and outdated Ancient Meditation Method?"


    "Why not let us have it then?"


    "Cut the nonsense, we are all Wild Wizards, who doesn''t understand the value of a complete First Rank Meditation Method!" Another voice said grimly.


    Wild Wizards like them mostly practiced incomplete Meditation Methods, with their path forward often blocked, which was all too common.


    Possessing a complete First Rank Meditation Method might not necessarily be adaptable.


    Even if modified, it would have various flaws and wouldn''t compare to other Meditation Methods...


    Regardless, it was still far better than their current dead ends with no progress!


    Upstairs, Ruth let out another cold snort, about to retort.


    But then he heard,


    Ding.


    The white-robed wizard on the stage struck his gavel.


    The auction house went silent.


    The white-robed wizard swept his gaze around and said sternly:


    "Please respect the order of the auction and do not interfere with the bidding process in any form!


    This is Lord Bananka''s Golden Anchor Auction House!


    The only thing that can decide the ownership of the auctioned items is Magic Stones!"


    Ruth''s face turned sour.


    This white-robed wizard was merely a Peak Wizard Apprentice backed by the Bananka Wizard''s Golden Anchor Auction House¡­


    Yet, he ultimately kept quiet, only silently continuing to bid.


    Suddenly,


    "Ah, it''s still better in the Schools, Wild Wizards have it tough."


    A soft voice spoke.


    Colin was startled.


    The faint voice came from the seat next to his.


    It seemed two acquainted individuals were seated there, quietly conversing.


    "You''re right, being a Wild Wizard is a dead end..."


    "Look at those bidding Wizards, even if they luckily advance to First Rank Wizards, they are still desperately fighting over a worn-out Meditation Method that School members disdain..."


    "Shh¡ª"


    "Choose your words wisely."


    "Alas..."


    The two next to him fell silent, the bidding inside the auction hall continued, likely not to end any time soon.


    After a while,


    One of them next door suddenly said,


    "I''m planning to head to the Siya Continent soon."


    "This¡­well, it might be for the best, at least the Siya Continent has the Wizard Alliance, unlike Bananka Island which leaves no room for advancement for us Wild Wizards.


    Even if we are already Gang Wizards here, we still can''t see a way forward."


    "Alas¡­Who knows, the Schools monopolize knowledge, and Wild Wizards everywhere face the same plight."


    "Wanting to join a School mid-way is even tougher¡­"


    "However, we Apprentices are still better off; to join a School, we just need to pass a knowledge test.


    If we wait until we advanced to Official Wizards, then we also need to consider if the new Meditation Method can adapt to changes."


    "That makes sense, it''s wise to join a School early before advancing¡­"


    Both sighed together.


    Elsewhere,


    The bidding for the Ancient Banu Meditation Method was reaching its conclusion.


    "41,000 Magic Stones the first time!" called out the white-robed wizard from the stage.


    "41,000 Magic Stones the second time! 41,000 Magic Stones the third time!"


    Ding!


    He swung his golden gavel, striking the base while declaring solemnly,


    "Sold!"


    "The bidding for the Ancient Banu Meditation Method is concluded, now onto the next item..."


    Colin was silent, caressing the Bidding Crystal on his right hand.


    After the white-robed auctioneer called for a halt, Ruth and the others refrained from speaking again.


    Only the mechanical voices of bidding resounded in the auction hall.


    ...It was unclear who ultimately won the Ancient Banu Meditation Method.


    Forty-one thousand Magic Stones... far more expensive than he had imagined.


    ...Could it be said to truly be a Meditation Method possessing complete knowledge of a First Rank Wizard?


    He sighed inwardly, worrying about how he would acquire the subsequent Meditation Methods.


    Now he realized that he had previously thought too simply.


    Even if the Golden Four-leaf Clover fetched a high price, supporting his purchase of Meditation Methods for subsequent First Rank Wizard stages,


    what about the Second Rank Wizards?


    What about the Third Rank Wizards?


    ...He had long heard of the hardships faced by Wild Wizards.


    However, previously on Blackstone Island, he was after all a proper member of a School.


    Although he had heard of the hardships of Wild Wizards, it was merely hearsay...


    Now that the Lap School was destroyed, and he had become a Wild Wizard, he truly understood deeply.


    Not to mention, if the Lap School were a normal School,


    he wouldn''t be worrying about advanced Meditation Methods like he was now.


    Moreover, taking the Haiya Gang issue into account,


    if he were on Blackstone Island, or if he had a power backing him equivalent to the Haiya Gang, or even slightly less powerful,


    he would not choose to tread so cautiously and avoid conflict.


    He would have directly understood the matter!


    But now, alone, his combined combat skills amounted to those of a newly advanced First Rank Wizard,


    but the Haiya Gang supposedly had genuine First Rank Official Wizards... After all, he had personally killed their members, so it was better to avoid trouble and lay low for the time being.


    ''Perhaps... it''s time to make a move towards Siya Continent.''


    He mulled over this quietly in his heart.


    As the apprentice beside him had said, Siya Continent was the true land of flourishing wizards.


    Bananka Island, while more than double the size of Blackstone Island,


    was filled with strictly ruled Gangs, and as a Wild Wizard now, it was tough to acquire more resources.


    Moreover, the articles he had seen in the newspapers¡ª


    those Divine beings that kept descending, along with the warnings issued by the Wizard Alliance...


    all made him feel vaguely uneasy.


    What''s more,


    although Erica was well-acquainted with him, she wasn''t naive enough to rely merely on a verbal promise.


    The promise to deliver Erica''s remains and the letter to the Royal Family of the Holy Flame Kingdom,


    they had formally signed a complete contract.


    Even though for Colin, even if such a contract had not been signed,


    he would have certainly done everything in his power to fulfill this promise!


    After all, regardless of Erica''s intentions,


    being able to successfully escape the Wizard Tower and obtain the Foolishness Scepter as well as the Knowledge Crystal,


    Erica had played an indispensable role in all of this!


    Such a debt of gratitude, he would not forget... just as he would not forget the humiliation and hatred from when those Gold Divine beings descended and caused him to flee in panic!


    But,


    for Erica, naturally signing a complete contract was more reassuring.


    The content of their contract was simple, which was that he needed to successfully deliver the remains and the letter.


    There was only a time limit set¡ªthree years.


    He needed to fulfill this promise within three years.


    Of course, for situations like being unable to find the Royal Family or if the Royal Family had been annihilated...etc., there were corresponding clauses in the contract.


    All things considered, perhaps Erica was well-prepared, or perhaps the strong computing power brought by the tower spirit allowed her to cover every detail.


    The content of the contract had considered all aspects in great detail and matched his thoughts as well.


    Only the timing was a bit tight.


    "The next auction item..."


    The auction continued.


    Unknowingly, while he reflected, it had already reached the latter part.


    Colin focused his mind and refrained from thinking further, concentrating his attention on the auction.


    It shouldn''t be long now before his Golden Four-leaf Clover would be next to take the stage...


    S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 125 - 115: Auction Ends

    "The next auction item, a modified Golden Four-leaf Clover."


    He didn''t have to wait long; as soon as the white-robed auctioneer spoke up,


    the familiar Golden Four-leaf Clover was presented.


    "This modified Golden Four-leaf Clover, compared to the original, maintains its soul-enhancing effect without reduction, and has added the benefits of strengthening vitality, with the expected acquisition of a slight healing ability."


    "The starting bid¡ª5000 Magic Stones!"


    Ding!


    "The bidding starts now!"


    The white-robed auctioneer swung the gavel and struck the golden podium, making a ''ding'' sound.


    Maybe it was an illusion,


    but Colin always felt that right after the gavel fell, the auction hall became extraordinarily silent. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A faint layer of tension lightly shrouded his heart¡ª


    after all, aside from the Golden Four-leaf Clover, he only had a few hundred Magic Stones, a mere pauper!


    With these few hundred Magic Stones, he couldn''t afford much whether for buying a ship or acquiring knowledge.


    He was counting on the auction of the Golden Four-leaf Clover to quickly realize his dream of buying knowledge and a ship, to set sail for the busier Siya Continent sooner!


    "6000 Magic Stones!"


    Soon, the familiar mechanical sound of bidding echoed.


    "6050 Magic Stones!"


    "It''s a Golden Four-leaf Clover..."


    Adjacent bidders started whispering among themselves.


    Colin''s expression subtly shifted.


    He was seated in the main hall of the auction, which was a fairly ordinary area.


    The seats, while somewhat spaced apart, weren''t far from each other, and the partitions between them were just ordinary wooden planks.


    Coupled with his keen senses, the conversations nearby were quite clear to him.


    "7800 Magic Stones!"


    Colin composed himself, no longer paying attention to the apprentice next door, focusing all his attention on the voices calling out bids.


    At this moment, the bid for the Golden Four-leaf Clover had climbed to 7800 Magic Stones.


    The rate of bidding had slightly decreased but was still continuous.


    It seemed that the increase was significant.


    Previously, the Appraiser at the Golden Anchor Auction House had appraised McIntosh''s Golden Four-leaf Clover at between 6000 and 15000 Magic Stones.


    It was just uncertain what the final amount would be...


    Colin silently awaited the final price, with his heart expecting around 10000 Magic Stones.


    After all, the auction house would take a 15% commission.


    If it were to go for less than 10000 Magic Stones, it wouldn''t be much more than the direct sale to the auction house for 8000 Magic Stones.


    Inside the auction hall.


    "8200 Magic Stones!"


    "8220 Magic Stones!"


    The mechanical voice calling prices continued, but the increments diminished gradually.


    It seemed they were nearing the limit.


    Colin''s heart sank.


    Unfortunately, as the owner of the Golden Four-leaf Clover, he couldn''t participate in the bidding.


    Otherwise, he might have been able to strategize a bit.


    Suddenly!


    "10000 Magic Stones!"


    The mechanical sound of bidding rang out once again, but this time, it jumped to 10000!


    The continuous flow of bidding inside the auction hall suddenly ceased.


    This was precisely the reaction that the bidder calling out this price wanted.


    He intentionally waited until everyone''s competitive spirit was waning and the increments of the bids were decreasing before he abruptly raised the bid significantly.


    In doing so, it was clear he could discourage many of the bidders.


    "11000 Magic Stones!"


    But some people are not so easily deterred.


    "11150 Magic Stones!" he called out without hesitation!


    "11700 Magic Stones!"


    The voices bidding did not stop...


    And they kept resounding.


    As if in a blink of an eye, the bidding price for the Golden Four-leaf Clover skyrocketed.


    And then, before Colin could react, it was settled!


    "Fourteen thousand eight hundred Magic Stones once!"


    "Fourteen thousand eight hundred Magic Stones twice! Fourteen thousand eight hundred Magic Stones three times!"


    Ding!


    The golden gavel swung down.


    Though it landed on a gold base just like itself,


    it seemed to strike Colin''s heart, making his heart involuntarily leap with joy.


    14800 Magic Stones!


    Even after deducting a fifteen percent commission, that still left 12580 Magic Stones!


    He had never possessed such a quantity of Magic Stones before.


    ''It''s a pity... it''s still quite a bit short of the 14999 Magic Stones needed for the Sea Swallow,'' he thought somewhat dully.


    And then he shook his head, laughing.


    ''Greed is like a snake trying to swallow an elephant...''


    If it had been before, when he was simply trading Magic Crystals,


    even if he were trading the more valuable Memoria Crystals,


    his net income would be no more than 300 Magic Stones a month after expenses.


    To save up over ten thousand Magic Stones like now, it would take at least three years!


    ''Indeed... one doesn''t grow rich without sudden wealth, nor does a horse fatten without night grazing.''


    Colin thought to himself, then composed his expression, returning to a calm demeanor.


    Having surfed frequently in his previous life, he, of course, knew there was another line to that proverb¡ª


    ''Sudden wealth won''t enrich the destiny of the poor, night grazing won''t fatten a toiling horse.''


    For the remainder of the auction, Colin did not pay much attention.


    After all, the items that came up later were beyond what he could currently afford.


    He sat in the auction seat, pondering how to allocate the twelve thousand plus Magic Stones.


    At the same time, he spared a bit of attention to listen to the white-robed auctioneer''s introduction of the items as a way to gain knowledge.


    After a while, he made his decision.


    He would not use these Magic Stones for the time being.


    First, he would go to the book store to purchase knowledge regarding advancement to Official Wizard, carefully understanding the path forward before making plans.


    After all, personal strength was everything.


    While the Sea Swallow was tempting, it was only an external object.


    Moreover, with his current Magic Stones, he couldn''t yet afford the Sea Swallow.


    Time quietly slipped by.


    When the sun was high, the monthly Golden Anchor Auction House officially announced its conclusion.


    The light on the stage went out, replaced by the Bright Crystal chandeliers at the top of the hall, which began to emit light.


    Colin rose and followed the crowd out.


    He involuntarily glanced at the two Wizard Apprentices who sat next to him, who had been conversing from time to time.


    They wore ordinary grey robes with hoods, nothing special.


    Their appearance suggested they had not auctioned anything either.


    Noticing his gaze, the two apprentices turned to look at him.


    But all they saw was Colin''s back as he quickly headed toward the exit.


    The process of retrieving the Magic Stones went smoothly.


    The procedures at Golden Anchor Auction House were clear and simple, no excessive fees, and no delays in payment...


    Indeed, a Second Rank Wizard ran the auction house.


    After cautiously storing the Magic Stones in his Storage Ring,


    Colin hastened to his next destination¡ª


    Bananka Book Store.


    Ten minutes later, Colin arrived at the Bananka Book Store, also on Blueberry Street.


    "Here."


    Colin pulled out three hundred Magic Stones and handed them to the female clerk.


    "Thank you for your patronage," said the clerk as she took the Magic Stones and carefully counted them.


    She then handed the introductory booklet for advancing to Official Wizard to Colin.


    Colin took the booklet, rubbing his thumb over the matte, white cover, feeling a little excited.


    As if remembering something, he asked:


    "Do you have any flying spells here?"

 Chapter 126 - 116 Law Enforcement Team

    "Of course, sir," said the short-haired female clerk warmly. She smoothed the hair by her ear and added,


    "What type of Flying Witchcraft do you need?"


    "What types do you have? Bring them all out for me to see," Colin replied.


    In fact, if he calculated carefully, he had just advanced to the rank of Advanced Wizard Apprentice about half a month ago.


    Originally, he had planned to learn some Flying Witchcraft or diving spells after advancing to an Advanced Wizard.


    But one thing after another had caused delay after delay.


    Now, the Lap School had already been destroyed,


    and he had not yet managed to complete this plan.


    "Alright, sir, I''ll go get the catalog for you," the short-haired female clerk replied.


    "Hmm," Colin nodded, then added, "Bring the diving spells too, please."


    On the sea, Witchcraft that allowed one to survive underwater was naturally indispensable.


    As for why he waited until now to learn it,


    this was mainly because the Spirit Fog that enveloped the soul would not dissipate until the Advanced Wizard Apprentice rank.


    Before then, the magic consumption for spells like Flying Witchcraft would greatly increase due to the presence of the Spirit Fog.


    The increase was quite substantial,


    so much so that an Intermediate Apprentice might even struggle to keep themselves afloat.


    However, if an Advanced Apprentice flew with an Intermediate Apprentice, the consumption would not increase.


    It wasn''t long before


    the short-haired female clerk came over with a booklet.


    "Sir, here you are."


    "Hmm."


    Colin took the maroon-covered booklet, opened it, and browsed carefully.


    Most Flying Witchcraft revolved around Force Fields or airflow.


    Of course, there were also some that involved life transformation,


    and a few that dealt with magnetic fields, though these typically required the aid of devices.


    Like how his Arrow Shooting Skill required the use of metal Cone Bullets.


    As for spells that allowed survival underwater, life transformation was the mainstream.


    After all, life transformation spells easily resolved the difficulty of underwater oxygen supply.


    Although the maroon booklet did not seem thick, the text inside was small, and it contained no shortage of spells.


    For a moment, Colin was somewhat dazzled as he read.


    Seeming to sense his indecision,


    the short-haired female clerk beside him suggested,


    "Sir, if you have no particular requirements, for Flying Witchcraft, I recommend the Soaring Technique, and for diving spells, I recommend the Naga Transformation Skill."


    "These two spells are not expensive, but they''re quite effective.


    In fact, they are the most common Flying and Diving Spells in the market... precisely because they''re good enough that most people choose these two spells."


    Colin nodded in agreement and flipped to the sections on the corresponding spells.


    But the next second, he softly exclaimed in his heart.


    The motion of flipping the pages also stopped.


    "Is this Oran Flying and Diving Skill a spell that allows for both flying and diving?"


    He pointed at a spell at the top of the page in the booklet and asked. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The short-haired female clerk leaned over, furrowed her brows in thought for a moment, then replied,


    "Yes, sir, the Oran Flying and Diving Skill can handle both flying and diving."


    She hesitated and then added,


    "But I wouldn''t recommend it to you."


    While the Oran Flying and Diving Skill allows for both flying and diving, its speed in flight is slower than most Flying Witchcraft, and its speed underwater is also slower than most diving spells... quite mediocre."


    "Perhaps its only merit is that it covers both flying and diving effects."


    "In situations that require both, there is no need to switch spells,


    thus saving time, and reducing magic consumption."


    "Hmm," Colin nodded, patiently listening to her complete explanation.


    Then he said, "I''ll take that one, please bring it to me."


    The short-haired female clerk was taken aback, but her extensive experience allowed her to quickly recover.


    "Alright, sir."


    Without any questions, she turned and fetched the Oran Flying and Diving Skill.


    Meanwhile, Colin quietly stood and waited.


    His reasoning was simple.


    With Golden Paper on hand, all learned Witchcraft could be continuously Limit Breaking.


    Looking at it this way,


    for him, such spells that required knowledge of several disciplines, and that had multiple effects, were clearly more worth learning.


    And the new Defensive Witchcraft that merged into what he named the Steel Armor Force Field,


    had also given him a vague new idea.


    Put simply,


    perhaps through the newly emerged fusion feature of the Golden Paper, he could use one spell as a base and continuously merge new spells into it.


    Thus, provided he kept going, he could create a powerful spell tailor-made for himself!


    The female clerk brought the Oran Flying and Diving Skill.


    After paying with Magic Stones and signing the standard non-disclosure contract,


    Colin carefully pocketed the Flying and Diving Skill and did not linger.


    He continued towards his next destination ¡ª the dock where the guide Mod was located.


    He had spent ten Magic Stones to have Mod do two things for him.


    One was to help him find if there were any second-hand vessels like the Sea Swallow for sale.


    The other was to help him find a new place to live.


    After all, if he needed to buy a new vessel, there likely wouldn''t be one readily available, and it would require some waiting.


    This meant he would need a quieter place to stay.


    Thinking this over, he walked briskly.


    But before he could leave Blue Shell Street,


    sudden shouts came from behind him.


    "Excuse me, sir, is the Law Enforcement Team looking for you?"


    He turned around to see, to his surprise, it was the Golden Anchor Auction House''s black-clad servant!


    Colin feigned confusion and asked,


    "What is it?"


    "Nothing... I mistook you for someone else," the black-clad servant paused slightly.


    The person''s silhouette looked so much like their target, but on closer inspection, the face was clearly not...


    The black-clad servant shook his head and left.


    Colin sighed with relief; after leaving the auction house, he had prudently changed his appearance and had managed to avoid this trouble.


    ''But why would the Law Enforcement Team be looking for me?''


    He felt somewhat uneasy.


    ''It''s a pity I don''t have my own ship...''


    Otherwise, now that the Golden Four-leaf Clover had been sold, and he had acquired a summary of the knowledge needed to advance to Official Wizard...


    Everything was almost settled, and he could have left Bananka Island right away.


    But for now, he could only lie low.


    After pondering for a moment, with a flicker in his eyes, Colin walked in the direction the black-clad servant had left.

 Chapter 127 - 117: Do a Small Favor

    Golden Anchor Auction House.


    "Are you sure that the person you saw before was him?"


    In the corridor, the Haiya Gang''s Mark was staring at the two apprentices in front of him and asked in a low voice.


    He was holding a portrait that Blumer, the Deacon of the Haiya Gang, had given him.


    On it was clearly Colin''s face.


    "Yes, sir," confirmed the two apprentices from the Haiya Gang, after examining the portrait once more with care.


    "Hmm," Mark, with a calm expression, put away the portrait and walked towards Hart, a member of the Law Enforcement Team.


    He had come with Hart.


    Or rather, he was the officer specially assigned by the Haiya Gang to accompany Hart to the Golden Anchor Auction House''s monthly grand auction.


    His mission was simple¡ª


    To fulfill the proper tribute to the Haiya Gang from Hart''s Law Enforcement Squad for the month.


    Such as bidding on some auction items to give to Hart.


    Having completed all this, he was supposed to leave.


    But he never expected to see a familiar silhouette on his way out.


    "Lord Hart," he approached and, nodding to Hart, said:


    "I''ve confirmed with those two gang members sitting next to him.


    According to them, the wizard''s appearance is exactly the same as the new portrait Deacon Blumer gave me yesterday."


    "It seems I indeed did not see wrongly, that shadow was definitely the target the Haiya Chamber of Commerce is currently searching for."


    "Since he looks like the portrait Blumer gave you, there can be no mistake," Hart replied with a smile.


    He stepped aside to let a blonde waiter wearing the Golden Anchor Auction House''s formal black robe pass in the corridor.


    Clearly, Mark had requested the use of a Retrospection Crystal from Blumer.


    Judging from this newly confirmed portrait, as long as the target wasn''t an Official Wizard, there could be no mistake.


    "Let''s go inside and wait for a while. I just asked the Golden Anchor Auction House for assistance in the name of the Law Enforcement Team; it shouldn''t take too long to bring him back."


    As he walked into the nearby office, he turned back with a smile and said:


    "After all, on Bananka Island, no one dares to disregard the Law Enforcement Team''s presence.


    So... don''t feel troubled. This is just a minor matter."


    "The Haiya Chamber of Commerce has made no small contribution to the development of the island and has always cooperated actively with the work of the Law Enforcement Team.


    We should naturally help with such small matters."


    His tone was gentle, with not the slightest air of superiority, despite Mark being a mere officer sent to pay tribute from the Haiya Gang and himself being a member of the Law Enforcement Team.


    The friendly attitude doesn''t cost any Magic Stones but can bring unexpected gains.


    "Thank you, sir," Mark nodded and walked into the office.


    The next second, faint noise came from around the corridor''s corner.


    His steps faltered slightly, and he instinctively looked over but noticed nothing.


    Shaking his head, he continued walking into the office.


    Around the corner of the corridor.


    Colin, in the Golden Anchor Auction House''s standard black robe, leaned down.


    While helping a black-robed waiter pick up his dropped documents, he cautiously kept an eye on the corner from whence he''d come.


    Moments later, seeing no one approaching, his heart finally eased.


    Standing upright, he handed the documents to the black-robed waiter.


    "Thank you," the waiter said, taking the documents with a puzzled look on his face.


    This ordinary-looking waiter in front of him... he couldn''t seem to remember at all.


    "Don''t mention it," Colin replied with a polite smile on his face.


    The waiter''s doubts gradually dissipated.


    Everything seemed normal... except for the fact that he didn''t understand why this man kept staring at him...


    Feeling Colin''s gaze, the waiter felt somewhat uncomfortable.


    Forcing out a friendly smile, he then moved forward, continuing his walk. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With such a vast system at Golden Anchor Auction House and numerous personnel, it was normal for him, a mere black-robed waiter, not to recognize everyone.


    Behind him, Colin calmly watched the black-robed waiter walk away,


    After the waiter from the Golden Anchor Auction House had approached him, he had managed to bluff his way through.


    But afterward, he always felt anxious.


    He couldn''t remain in the dark any longer.


    Caution and a lack of a sense of security led him to a new decision.


    He removed the waiter''s standard black robe and quietly changed his face, intending to blend into the Golden Anchor Auction House to check out the situation.


    To avoid being in some dangerous situation without his knowledge.


    After watching the shadow of the black robe recede, Colin stopped and didn''t continue forward.


    Based on what the black-robed waiter had said earlier, he had found the place where the member of the Law Enforcement Team was waiting for him¡ª


    The same corridor he had just come from.


    After pondering for a moment, Colin exhaled slightly and stepped out from around the corner.


    As an Ultimate Knight, he had the ability to alter his appearance, although only slightly.


    In fact, he only needed to adjust the features a little and change his height and build somewhat.


    With new clothing and hairstyle, it was enough to make a person look completely different from before.


    Returning to the corridor, the two ordinary members of the Haiya Gang had already left.


    Another higher-ranking member of the Haiya Gang and someone from the Law Enforcement Team walked into an office not far away.


    Taking a few steps forward, Colin listened in with his powerful hearing, and the sound of conversation reached his ears.


    "Ali, long time no see. You don''t mind if we come in and sit for a while, do you?" That was the voice of someone from the Law Enforcement Team.


    "Of course, my friend."


    Was that the voice of the white-robed auctioneer from the auction earlier?


    Colin slightly furrowed his brows, pretending to ponder something and slowed his pace to maximize the time he could remain in the corridor.


    This was a short corridor, visible at a glance.


    Obviously, he couldn''t stay long; otherwise, it would be easy to arouse suspicion.


    Inside the office.


    The white-robed auctioneer, Ali, rose to his feet and approached with a smile.


    He knew Hart, who, although fundamentally cold, miserly, and greedy for wealth, was good at superficial pleasantries, leaving no room for criticism and suitable for acquaintanceship.


    Moreover, they were both Peak Wizard Apprentices.


    In terms of identity, one was a Golden Anchor Auction House''s Official Auctioneer responsible for collecting treasures for Bananka Wizards; the other, an Official member of the Law Enforcement Team.


    Interacting with each other had no downsides.


    Hart brought Mark to the visitor area next to the office, where they sat down on one of the four sofas.


    Ali also came over, and behind him, unbeknownst to them, followed a maid holding a tray with tea.


    "Have some tea." Ali smiled as he sat down, signaling the maid to place the tea down.


    Hart picked up the exquisitely designed white gold-rimmed teacup, gently sniffed it, and revealed a smile, saying,


    "The nai tree tea leaves here are truly top-grade; their fragrance is much richer than in other places."


    Ali smiled slightly, also lifting his teacup, and said,


    "If you like it, I''ll give you some when you leave."


    "That''s a deal then," Hart said cheerfully, then added, "Just yesterday, I found a batch of beautiful shells at the port. I''ll have someone send you some later."


    Ali smiled and did not refuse.


    Favors should be reciprocated.


    The two chatted for a short while longer.


    Hart suddenly changed the subject and, turning to the neglected Mark, initiated a conversation,


    "By the way, I remember you saying that our target is good at disguises, so why did he reveal his true face at the auction house?"


    Mark lifted the teacup, concealing his nervousness. He frowned and said,


    "Perhaps he was careless, believing that he wouldn''t encounter us in the auction house?"


    "Perhaps that''s the case..." Hart watched him and nodded in agreement, then turned to Ali across from him and said,


    "We''re talking about a target recently wanted by the Haiya Chamber of Commerce. You definitely won''t believe it; he actually attended the auction just now."


    "Oh, really? What a coincidence." Ali raised his eyebrows.


    "Yes," Hart chuckled again and turned his head, saying,


    "Mark, why don''t you show the portrait to Ali? He might remember something, too."


    "Alright." Mark agreed, taking out the portrait from his chest and handing it to the white-robed auctioneer Ali.


    Ali took it, unfolding the portrait with a slight frown.


    After a moment, he relaxed his frown and said,


    "...I remember now. It was that particularly handsome young Wizard."


    "Indeed handsome, and Mark said he''s skilled at disguises," Hart speculated. "Maybe he underwent some life modification in this area."


    "I think so too." Ali nodded in agreement and then said, "Come to think of it, I''ve met him before."


    "Oh?" Hart voiced his curiosity timely.


    Mark watched them silently, unable to join the conversation. He was once again left out of the loop.


    Despite Hart being an auctioneer and Ali being from the Law Enforcement Team,


    in reality, they both belonged to the Bananka School, which in terms of status and identity, was a world apart from him, a gang-affiliated Wizard.


    Even though he was also a Peak Wizard Apprentice, if it weren''t for Hart bringing him along, he would never be able to strike up a conversation with the white-robed auctioneer.


    "Just some time ago, this Wizard came to the auction house to commission the sale of a Magic Potion¡ªapparently, the Golden Four-leaf Clover that was sold today..." Ali continued.


    Hart, leaning against the sofa, slightly raised his eyebrows upon hearing the words "Golden Four-leaf Clover."


    The next second, he thought he caught something out of the corner of his eye and subconsciously looked up slightly.


    At the office window, a black-robed servant was slowly passing by.


    Hart didn''t think much of it; such scenes were all too common.


    "So, it seems the reason he didn''t disguise himself at the auction today might be because he also didn''t disguise himself when he came to the auction house before!"


    Mark suddenly interjected.


    "Thus, to attend the auction normally and to get the Magic Stone, our target had to reveal his true face."


    After speaking, Mark took a sip of tea, catching his breath slightly.


    He was afraid he would be interrupted again and unable to rejoin the conversation.


    "A reasonable theory." Ali was stunned for a moment but quickly smiled at him in praise.


    And Hart next to him collected his thoughts and continued the conversation,


    "Yes, that must be the case."


    The three continued chatting, waiting for the target to be brought back.

 Chapter 128 - 118 Second-Hand Ship

    It was already evening, and the sunset neared the ocean surface.


    "Liii¡ªLiii¡ª"


    White seabirds flapped their wings overhead in the dimming sky, heading toward their nests. Their intermittent cries made the brilliant sunset clouds on the distant horizon seem even lonelier.


    The rich orange and yellow glow of the sunset illuminated the area.


    On a street, Colin strolled slowly, listening attentively to Mod, who was walking beside him, explaining in detail.


    "...So, to sum up, there are three vessels of the same class as the Sea Swallow among the second-hand ships, and I personally recommend the first one to you," Mod said.


    Colin nodded absently and asked,


    "Tell me in detail about the reasons you recommend the first second-hand vessel."


    He looked at the gradually setting sun distantly, seemingly listening to Mod''s explanation, but his mind was somewhat preoccupied with what he had heard earlier at the auction house.


    A moment later.


    "Sir, sir?" Mod''s call brought him back to reality.


    "What is it?" he asked quietly. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I''ve finished explaining my reasons for recommending the first second-hand vessel."


    Mod replied with a hint of helplessness, paused, then took the initiative to say,


    "Sir, let me go over it once more."


    At this point, he emphasized,


    "Please make sure to listen carefully this time; I have other matters to attend to later...


    "Perhaps I won''t have time tomorrow or the day after," Mod added.


    "Alright," Colin agreed, nodding without asking why there was no time.


    After all, Mod was not his servant; they simply had a business relationship.


    He set aside his concerns about the Law Enforcement Team and focused on listening to Mod''s explanation.


    "The first vessel, I recommend it for three reasons¡ªwear, price, and warranty."


    Clear and orderly words reached his ears, and Colin nodded in satisfaction internally.


    This was also why he continued to employ Mod''s services.


    "First is the wear and tear. On the surface, the first vessel has been in use for six years, one year more than the third and three years less than the second.


    But in reality, the first vessel was for private use, whereas the other two have been used as passenger ships, and as far as I know, they have been used more frequently than the first one."


    "Besides that, there are no major differences between the three vessels, none of them have undergone major repairs, and there would be no significant refitting required after purchase."


    Colin nodded in agreement.


    Then Mod carefully explained the other two advantages.


    He concluded¡ª


    "So the first second-hand vessel is the best when it comes to wear. In terms of price, it is only 800 Magic Stones more expensive than the cheapest second one.


    Regarding warranty, it is the only one among the three ships built by the reputable Danlan Shipyard. The other two were made by smaller factories."


    Colin nodded, agreeing with Mod''s assessment.


    All things considered, the first one was indeed the best ship relative to the others.


    "Did the owner say there could be a further discount?" he asked after a brief pause.


    "They did not say there could be a discount," Mod shook his head, then added, "But I guess, if you, Sir, are willing to take some time to haggle, you might save another five hundred to a thousand Magic Stones."


    "Hmm, when can it be ours at the earliest?" Colin nodded somewhat reluctantly.


    The price for the first second-hand vessel was a solid ten thousand Magic Stones, not cheap given its quality.


    After all, it was a ship that had served for six years, and although purportedly in the same class as the Sea Swallow, its fittings were somewhat inferior.


    He sighed inwardly.


    If it wasn''t for the fact that he currently did not know how to deal with the Law Enforcement Team and planned to leave early to avoid trouble,


    He would have preferred to spend some time and effort on negotiations to save those five hundred to a thousand Magic Stones,


    Or perhaps, he would simply spend more to buy a brand new Sea Swallow.


    After all, on the upcoming voyage of tens of thousands of miles, on the vast ocean, the ship would be the support of his life.


    And since ships tend to hold their value, once he arrived on the Siya Continent and sold the Sea Swallow, he wouldn''t lose much of the Magic Stones he spent.


    "If you wish, Sir, I can take you to meet the seller tomorrow.


    If things go smoothly, you could take possession of the ship on the spot," Mod pondered briefly, then replied.


    "I thought you were busy tomorrow?"


    "If it''s for your matter, Sir, I can attend to mine after we''re done."


    "Hmm," Colin nodded, "When is the earliest time?"


    Mod considered for a moment and said,


    "Probably around nine in the morning, I''ll wait for you at the dock."


    "Hmm. Let''s plan on that," Colin agreed, nodding.


    Then he bid farewell to Mod and hurried away.


    Meeting Mod at this time was already a bold move.


    But from the intelligence he had gathered, it seemed the Law Enforcement Team members were only apprehending him as a favor to the Haiya Gang.


    He didn''t expect them to put in too much effort.


    And as long as they didn''t,


    Just the Haiya Gang alone, as long as he was careful to conceal himself, wouldn''t be able to find him immediately.


    What he intended to do was take advantage of this window of time. If he could quickly purchase a vessel and leave before the Haiya Gang found him, he could escape the ensuing trouble.


    ''After all, there''s no loss at the moment. Being alone and with limited strength,


    When faced with such matters, it''s best to avoid conflict as much as possible,''


    he consoled himself while walking home.


    Yet, he always felt somewhat displeased,


    Observing the sky growing darker by the minute.


    He pondered for a moment, and ultimately, he suppressed the urge to turn back.


    Bananka Island did not have as strict a curfew as Blackstone Island,


    But the guard forces at night were not to be compared with those during the day.

 Chapter 129 - 119 Rules

    When Colin returned to the inn near the Danlan Shipyard, which he had instructed Renee to find anew, the sky had already turned completely dark.


    The streets were now sparser in terms of pedestrians compared to daytime, replaced by many silver-white Heavy Armored Guards on patrol.


    Patrols consisting of groups of five Guards, their silver-white Heavy Armor fitting as if naturally made, with only the latticed visors revealing a few tiny gaps.


    Clack, clack, clack¡ª


    The Guards marched past in formation, with precise, uniformly measured strides.


    Colin withdrew his gaze, not lingering any longer, and hurriedly entered the moderately-sized, plain inn.


    He had rented a suite at the end of the first-floor corridor.


    When he got back to his room, Renee had already prepared dinner for him.


    Without rushing to dine, he walked over and sat down on the sofa, asking Renee,


    "How did the inquiry go?"


    "It''s mostly done," Renee nodded, paused, and then began to relate:


    "Bananka Island is a well-known trade island far and near, ruled by the Bananka Wizard, a late Second Rank Wizard..."


    Renee went on to detail the information she had gleaned from taverns and other places.


    "You did well, Renee."


    After a while, Colin leaned against the sofa backrest and praised her.


    Previously, most of what he knew about Bananka Island was through the tales of the guide Mod, a single individual.


    Only a small part came from his own personal experiences.


    Although that wasn''t necessarily a big issue, Bananka Island was a completely new and unknown environment for him; it never hurt to learn more about it.


    After all, it was not particularly wise to only listen to Mod''s account.


    This thought occurred to him as soon as he arrived, but he was usually busy with training and had no time to spare.


    Fortunately, there was Renee.


    Combining the information gathered by Renee, who inquired under the guise of an ordinary traveler, his understanding of Bananka Island became much clearer.


    Mod''s initial words had indeed misled him to some extent.


    Bananka Island was not Blackstone Island.


    Here, the Gangs on the trade island were not as blatantly violent as those on Blackstone Island showed.


    They all adhered to the rules set by the island''s sole ruler¡ªthe Bananka Wizard.


    Previously, Mod''s words made him believe these Gangs were unbridled in style, capable of oppressing foreign wizards at will.


    But now it seemed,


    They were more like unscrupulous chambers of commerce.


    Compared to the Gangs on Blackstone Island, their methods were milder and more restrained.


    They needed to comply with the rules set in public.


    Moreover, that Lord Bananka, it was said he valued reputation very highly.


    No wonder that day in the alley, the two Haiya Gang wizards could have taken by force but chose instead to say they were looking after business for him.


    Colin couldn''t help but feel slightly relieved at the thought.


    ...


    The next day.


    Dawn was breaking.


    The clanking patrol sounds of the Steel-armored Guards that persisted all night outside the suite window finally came to a rest.


    In their place rose the noisy sounds of the streets.


    Colin walked out of the inn, heading towards the port, ready to meet with Mod.


    But no sooner had he stepped out of the inn than he frowned.


    ''I didn''t expect the Haiya Chamber of Commerce to have even found this place...''


    Not far ahead to his left, a man in a grey robe was holding a portrait and questioning passersby.


    It was evident that the portrait was of him.


    Colin couldn''t help but frown slightly; he wasn''t worried about being recognized, as he was currently in disguise.


    But such a degree of searching was definitely not normal.


    Before this, he had only seen his portrait on Haiya Gang members he encountered on the road and on the fixed bulletin boards on Lanbei Street.


    And on the bulletin board, there were several other portraits next to his.


    He was just one among many, nothing special.


    Clearly, at that time, the Haiya Chamber of Commerce was only searching with normal intensity.


    But unexpectedly... now he could even see searchers here.


    Subconsciously, he remembered eavesdropping on the White-robed Wizard, who unintentionally exposed himself as the commissioner of the Golden Four-leaf Clover auction.


    For over ten thousand Magic Stones, it would seem the Haiya Gang was justified in such an extensive search.


    Colin understood in his heart.


    It was getting late; he withdrew his gaze and continued onwards.


    The newly found inn was near the Danlan Shipyard, not far from the port.


    Before long, he reached the agreed meeting place and looked around, but saw no sign of Mod.


    Click.


    He pulled out his Pocket Watch, which showed the time as precisely 9 o''clock.


    Colin''s brows furrowed slightly, and he looked around again, but still, there was no sign of Mod.


    Having met with Mod not for the first time, it had always been only him running late.


    Mod was always five minutes early.


    Never early, nor late.


    But now...


    After a few more minutes, there was still no sign of Mod.


    Hesitating, Colin started to search in the direction he usually saw Mod coming from.


    He stepped onto the street on the left at the intersection.


    He hadn''t walked far when he saw Mod''s figure.


    Next to Mod were two familiar figures. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was the Law Enforcement Team Wizard and Haiya Gang member he had seen at the auction house he snuck back into.


    His expression unchanged, Colin''s footsteps faltered slightly, and he quickly turned into a dark alley on the left.


    Moments later, when he came back out, he had already changed his appearance.


    Colin continued walking slowly towards Mod and the others.


    Soon, the sound of their conversation drifted to him on the gentle breeze.


    "Hart sir, I am willing to cooperate with your investigation, but please remember¡ª"

 Chapter 130 - 119 Rules_2

    "No matter who its previous owner was, this Golden Four-leaf Clover in my possession was fairly bought with my own money from Wizard Bananka''s Golden Anchor Auction House!"


    At this moment, Mod was emphasizing something to Hart from the Law Enforcement Team.


    His speech was not fast, but his tone was not as smooth or gentle as usual; it had taken on a measure of toughness and sharpness.


    Indeed, Mod could not afford to worry too much.


    He had scrimped and saved for decades just for this Magic Potion that could improve his aptitude.


    More than ten thousand Magic Stones had emptied the savings he had accumulated over those years.


    And now he was over fifty years old, he could not afford to lose this Magic Potion!


    Upon hearing this, Hart''s expression turned slightly angry.


    Mod paused momentarily, slightly softening his tone as he continued:


    "Of course, I trust the long-standing reputation of the Golden Anchor Auction House, as well as the Law Enforcement Team led by Wizard Bananka. My interests will surely not be harmed."


    "Just the other day, I was praising the Golden Anchor Auction House and Law Enforcement Team to the manager of the Purple Balsam Trading Team.


    As for the manager of the Cold Crow Trading Team who is currently on the island, I have also recommended the Golden Anchor Auction House to him on his previous visit." S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Suppressing his impatience, Hart''s frown relaxed, and he adopted a gentle smile as he said:


    "Rest assured, I am simply carrying out my official duties. Wizard Bananka often instructs us to respect everyone''s interests, and I won''t forget that."


    "I just hope you understand that, while you have paid Magic Stones, this Golden Four-leaf Clover belongs to the Haiya Chamber of Commerce, not to the thief.


    Therefore, the Golden Four-leaf Clover must be temporarily seized."


    "As for the Magic Stones, they cannot be returned to you immediately, I hope you can understand.


    After all, most of the Magic Stones you paid have already been passed on to the thief by the Golden Anchor Auction House."


    "We need to catch him and recover those Magic Stones in order to return them to you."


    Mod''s face darkened, ready to question.


    But Hart preemptively continued:


    "Of course, whether we can capture that thief or not, I will try to ensure that your interests are protected."


    Mod''s lips moved, but in the end, he sank back, devoid of further words.


    He would rather have Hart angry at him than have Hart answer him so seriously.


    He was a smart man.


    Although Hart verbally promised to try to protect his interests,


    Mod knew very well that it was nothing more than a perfunctory gesture.


    But what could he do? He was only a Basic Level Apprentice.


    The only thing special about him might be that he knew some people from working as a guide on the docks.


    His face was grim, but his heart was not yet resigned.


    How could he give up?


    One could say he had spent the first fifty years of his life working hard for this Golden Four-leaf Clover.


    And this Magic Potion that could improve his aptitude also determined the latter half of his life.


    How could he possibly give up?


    Hart noticed the unwillingness in Mod''s eyes and slightly furrowed his brow.


    When he had arrived, he had already investigated.


    Mod was a native wizard of Bananka Island, with many friends due to his job, leading to a wide network of connections.


    He wasn''t just some easily bullied outsider.


    Hart sighed softly to himself. His identity in the Law Enforcement Team brought both advantages and restrictions.


    Otherwise, why would he need to treat someone like Mod, a Basic Level Wizard Apprentice, with such courtesy?


    But Wizard Bananka valued the island''s image to a demanding degree.


    Dealing with a Basic Level Wizard Apprentice like Mod wasn''t a problem.


    But if it caused damage to the image of the Golden Anchor Auction House and the Law Enforcement Team...


    He didn''t want to risk that, not even a bit.


    After all, it was known that long ago, the gangs of Bananka Island were all bloody thugs.


    But now they were like docile sheep!


    Those who didn''t understand the rules had long since disappeared.


    "Lord Hart," Mark from the Haiya Chamber of Commerce, who was standing nearby and had listened to their conversation, asked with the Golden Four-leaf Clover in hand, "What about this Golden Four-leaf Clover?"


    "Store it properly for our Mod, keep it safe, and strive to capture the thief as soon as possible."


    "Understood." Mark nodded in understanding and carefully put away the Golden Four-leaf Clover.


    Clearly, Hart in front of him had changed his mind.


    It seemed that out of some consideration, he had decided not to take Mod''s Golden Four-leaf Clover directly and instead continue his pursuit of the thief.


    Mark let out a small sigh in his heart as he remembered what had happened yesterday.


    Yesterday, when the three of them were chatting at the Golden Anchor Auction House.


    After viewing the portrait, the white-robed auctioneer Ali had told them that he too had seen the person depicted. He had inadvertently revealed that the target was the owner of the Golden Four-leaf Clover that had been auctioned off yesterday.


    Finally, Ali had curiously turned to ask him¡ª


    "Why does the Haiya Gang want to apprehend this man?"


    Just as he was about to answer truthfully, Hart on the side had preempted him, saying,


    "It''s because he stole a Magic Potion from the Haiya Chamber of Commerce!"


    Then he turned back, winked at him, and said with a smile,


    "You agree, right, Mark?"


    Without a doubt, he had ultimately concurred with Hart''s statement.


    There was nothing complicated about that.


    The target had killed two of their Haiya Gang''s members and was already their intended mark.


    Now that they discovered he was in possession of a treasure, it was just icing on the cake.


    He just regretted letting Hart know.


    This mean that the Haiya Chamber of Commerce would inevitably have to share a portion with him, reducing his own commission.


    "Mark, the task of searching for the target still requires your Haiya Chamber of Commerce to take great pains," Hart said to him with a smile.


    He then leaned in a little closer and whispered softly,


    "After all, if I were to seek help from the Law Enforcement Team, we would unavoidably have to share with others.


    This way, the Haiya Gang would undoubtedly receive even less, you understand."


    "Yes... as far as I know, the gang has already intensified the search for the target," Mark quickly replied.


    In his heart, he was increasingly regretting agreeing to do Hart a little favor yesterday.


    Hart smiled, then added, "I''m not taking it without giving something back. If there''s any need for the Law Enforcement Team to step in, just call me."


    As he said this, his tone shifted, full of confidence,


    "That target is just a Wizard from out of town, isolated and powerless. As long as we find him and keep a tight lid on things, isn''t he at our mercy?"


    Mark nodded.


    If the Haiya Gang were to undertake it, they might not be able to guarantee complete success, but with Hart from the Law Enforcement Team added...


    That target would definitely not escape from the palm of their hands.


    "By the way."


    At this moment, Hart seemed to remember something and, pointing at Mod next to him, suddenly said to Mark,


    "Mark, get the portrait out for Mod to have a look."


    He turned his head and said to Mod with a smile,


    "Considering the people we''ve dealt with, the two of us together might not have met as many as you have. Perhaps you''ve come across that thief before."


    Mod took the portrait and unfolded it.


    His pupils contracted slightly, and he was about to speak.


    But then, a familiar voice came from the side.


    "It looks like you''re looking for me?"


    Colin walked towards them, no longer disguising his face, appearing directly in front of Hart and Mark.


    Hart looked at Colin and couldn''t help but be startled, rarely at a loss for words.


    Meanwhile, Mark, who didn''t think too much of it, looked at Colin with a surprised smile and shouted,


    "You dare to fall into the trap yourself, thief who stole the Golden Four-leaf Clover from our Haiya Chamber of Commerce?"


    "Oh," Colin said with a faint smile, "how do you prove that the Golden Four-leaf Clover is yours, not mine?"


    Mark heard this childish retort and revealed a mocking smile on his face, continuing,


    "How do you then prove that the Golden Four-leaf Clover is yours, not the Haiya Chamber of Commerce''s?"


    He sneered inwardly, ready to watch Colin struggle to prove his point.


    Only to let Colin realize that it was all in vain.


    But he didn''t get to hear Colin''s argumentative words.


    Instead, he heard Colin continue,


    "Since we can''t agree and neither of us can prove our case..."


    "The gentleman here is from the Law Enforcement Team, right? Why don''t we just let the Law Enforcement Team investigate thoroughly and clear up the truth of the matter?"


    Mark was taken aback, but then he sneered again.


    The Wizard before him, from who knows where, was so naive and foolish.


    "Fine," he said without hesitation. "Let the officer from the Law Enforcement Team decide."

 Chapter 131 - 120: Taking the Initiative

    Hart stood to the side, his brows tightly furrowed, and did not take up the conversation.


    Colin seemed to deliberately raise his voice, allowing the passersby around to cast curious glances this way.


    The local residents of the island were fine; after a quick glance, they withdrew their gaze and left.


    But the travelers, especially those who had just arrived on the island, were somewhat curious and paused for a moment to watch.


    Hart''s expression was unchanged, and he did not hurry to speak, only carefully observing Colin.


    "Lord Hart?" Mark turned his head and called out, looking somewhat puzzled.


    In his view, since the target had walked into their net on his own accord, wasn''t this exactly what they had hoped for? What was there to hesitate about?


    Yet Hart did not pay him any heed, maintaining an indifferent expression.


    From the target''s words, it was clear that he did not know about his and Mark''s relationship.


    Naturally, he would be unaware of their behind-the-scenes scheming.


    Keeping the indifference and continuing to conceal his and Mark''s relationship was obviously more advantageous for them.


    "What''s the matter, officer of the... Lord," Colin turned his head and said, his expression exhibiting a perfectly balanced level of puzzlement, yet his eyes were as calm as a deep pool.


    Hart watched him, his eyebrows relaxing, his face calm as he spoke in a deep voice,


    "The Law Enforcement Team always acts with fairness and justice, and we will definitely clarify the whole story.


    We will not let any visitor to Bananka Island suffer a loss of their interests, nor will we allow Bananka''s reputation to be tarnished!"


    Having said that, he paused briefly before continuing,


    "Therefore, in order to conduct a more thorough investigation, I ask for your cooperation to temporarily accompany us to the headquarters of the Law Enforcement Team to wait for the investigation."


    "Of course, I''d be happy to."


    When Hart saw that Colin agreed without hesitation, some of the doubts in his mind were alleviated.


    Perhaps he was overthinking it.


    Thanks to the Bananka wizard''s stringent demands, ordinary travelers generally had a very good impression of their enforcement team.


    This visiting wizard in front of him might really just be a naive youth who couldn''t see the true nature of things.


    But no matter what, as long as he agreed, once they left a bustling street like this,


    Everything would be settled.


    The puzzlement on Mark''s face disappeared; he understood Hart''s intention.


    ''It''s lucky that I didn''t act too familiarly with Hart just now,'' he breathed a sigh of relief inwardly.


    "Lord Colin..." Mod suddenly spoke.


    His expression was somewhat strange.


    He had explicitly analyzed for Colin the nature of the law enforcement team and the island''s merchant guilds, so why did he still behave like a regular traveler new to the island?


    "What''s the matter, Mod? You don''t suspect that my Golden Four-leaf Clover came from theft, do you?" Colin said with a laugh.


    Mod stayed silent and did not respond; he strongly suspected that the Golden Four-leaf Clover was indeed Colin''s.


    After all, he was the one who had introduced Colin to the Golden Anchor Auction House.


    At that time, Colin had just arrived on the island and had no time for thievery, nor did Mod believe that Colin could have stolen a valuable magic potion like the Golden Four-leaf Clover from the hands of the Haiya Chamber of Commerce.


    "Is there anything else, sir?" Hart interjected. "If not, shall we head to the Law Enforcement Team''s headquarters together now?"


    "Nothing more, let''s go," Colin nodded, paused, and then turned back to Mod, "Oh, and remember to schedule another meeting with the ship seller for me."


    With that, Colin pulled out a small, neatly prepared pouch from his bosom and handed it to Mod.


    "Here''s the payment for this time, take a look."


    Hart''s brows furrowed slightly at the sight of Colin handing over the Magic Stone.


    In his mind, the Magic Stones on Colin were undoubtedly his already.


    It was a pity that currently, on this bustling street, there was nothing he could do.


    "Of course, Lord."


    Mod hesitated imperceptibly, composed himself, and took the pouch.


    A moment later, he looked up and watched as Colin and the others gradually walked away; his expression turned somber.


    Now that the Golden Four-leaf Clover had been taken by Hart for temporary custody, getting it back... would not be so easy.


    He stood still for a long time, rooted to the spot.


    Thinking back to Colin''s meaningful words, he slowly walked to a secluded corner and opened the pouch he had just received.


    In another part of town,


    Hart and Mark escorted Colin at a leisurely pace.


    They walked one after the other in silence, with no words exchanged, no eye contact, no gestures.


    Like strangers passing by each other.


    They continued along the street, soon reaching a junction.


    Hart paused in his step, glanced at Mark, and led the way to the right.


    Mark understood, slowed his pace slightly, and drew closer to Colin.


    While watching his reactions, he said with a mocking tone,


    "I really don''t know where you, the thief, get your confidence from. That specially crafted Golden Four-leaf Clover clearly belongs to our Haiya Gang!"


    Colin responded with a slight smile, and not a word.


    Mark didn''t mind, seeing as he seemed completely unaware.


    They followed Hart, turning to the right toward the road that led to the Haiya Gang''s headquarters.


    Mark then coldly threw out another remark,


    "Once we reach the Law Enforcement Team''s headquarters, the Lords there will surely bring you, the thief, to justice!"


    He said no more, merely controlling his steps, falling half a pace behind Colin, subtly blocking any retreat.


    Maintaining this formation, they continued for a while. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The three arrived outside a majestic and stern villa.


    In front of the high wrought iron gates, there were no signs, only four Guards in Half Armor standing watch.


    This was a separate road leading only to this one building.

 Chapter 132 - 120 Taking Initiative 2

    Therefore, apart from them, there were no other figures on the road.


    Colin understood in his heart.


    He had anticipated this situation.


    He just hadn''t thought it would come to light so quickly.


    Now, it seemed he had greatly overestimated Hart and his companion.


    However, he reconsidered.


    This was quite normal, as Hart and his companion were clearly aiming to plunder his Golden Four-leaf Clover or auction it for Magic Stones.


    Previously, on the bustling streets near the port, surrounded by a crowd, just raising his voice slightly had attracted a lot of attention.


    Under those circumstances,


    Hart obviously wouldn''t act violently, but would stabilize him and take him somewhere more convenient to make their move.


    This was in part to avoid damaging the reputation of the Law Enforcement Team.


    On the other hand, perhaps they didn''t want other members of the Law Enforcement Team to know, to avoid sharing the profits.


    Unfortunately, Hart didn''t know that he had already realized everything¡­ let alone understood his true strength.


    "What''s wrong?" Hart, ahead of him, stopped when he saw him pause and asked curiously, then sincerely added,


    "Let''s get going, trust the Law Enforcement Team. We should get in quickly to clarify the real situation."


    "Alright."


    Colin smiled, his expression unchanged, and continued following them towards a villa that clearly wasn''t the Law Enforcement Team''s station.


    Entering through the black gated door topped with spikes, they passed through the front garden along the path.


    Mark then dropped the pretense, quickly moving ahead of him and taking the lead.


    Meanwhile, Hart from the Law Enforcement Team positioned himself behind Colin, blocking his retreat.


    Mark, leading in front, frequently looked back but failed to see the panicked expression he anticipated on Colin''s face.


    Observing Colin''s calm demeanor, identical to earlier, Mark felt irked, feeling something was amiss.


    He slowed his pace slightly, looked back, and mockingly said to Colin,


    "You fool, do you really think this is the headquarters of the Law Enforcement Team? Look up and see where we really are."


    Hart, following last, frowned upon hearing Mark''s words but was too late to stop him, so he focused on Colin''s reaction, preparing for a potential fight.


    A moment later,


    His expression grew puzzled.


    For some reason, Colin showed no reaction to Mark''s words, as if he hadn''t heard them.


    Mark, walking in front, frowned upon seeing this and thought Colin was too foolish to grasp what he was implying.


    So he straightforwardly clarified,


    "I know that Golden Four-leaf Clover is yours, not our Haiya Chamber of Commerce''s, and the gentleman from the Law Enforcement Team behind you knows it too.


    If you''re not a fool, you should understand what I''m saying."


    "Be wise and hand over all the Magic Stones you gained from auctioning the Golden Four-leaf Clover; perhaps this will spare your life."


    They had just reached a clearing.


    Mark stopped, turned around, and glared fiercely at Colin.


    Hart adjusted his position, teaming up with Mark to surround Colin in the middle.


    Colin calmly observed everything as he had expected.


    Tap, tap, tap¡ª


    Unbeknownst to when, a group of Half-armored Haiya Gang Knights also approached, forming another layer of encirclement around the three of them.


    Mark was not surprised; these modified knights were whom he had quietly ordered the guards at the entrance to call upon when he entered.


    Perhaps they would not be very effective, but it was worth trying.


    He had also instructed the guard to call two familiar gang members, both Peak Wizard Apprentices.


    They were probably still on their way and might need some more time to arrive.


    Nevertheless, that was not a concern, having him and Hart, two Peak Wizard Apprentices, especially since Hart was from a traditional School, much stronger than his Gang Wizard capabilities.


    Although on the surface Hart and he appeared as Peak Wizard Apprentices, realistically he might remain as a Peak Wizard Apprentice for life while Hart was only momentarily at this stage.


    Despite many thoughts in his mind, reality moved swiftly. He watched Colin, furrowed his brows slightly, and impatiently emphasized:


    "Hand over the Magic Stone quickly, don''t waste our time."


    If Colin could be coerced into handing over the Magic Stone willingly, that would undoubtedly be the best option.


    If not, they would at least capture Colin and force him to reveal the location of the Magic Stone.


    Otherwise, killing Colin would be futile if they did not know where his Magic Stone was.


    Colin looked at everything unfolding before him and smiled faintly.


    "What if I said all the Magic Stones have been used up by me; what would you do then?"


    "Used up?!"


    Mark asked back instinctively, his expression darkening.


    Hart from the Law Enforcement Team also frowned.


    The worst-case scenario had occurred, he felt the Golden Four-leaf Clover in his pocket and thought to himself,


    ''If they really have been spent by him, it might be more worthwhile to deal with Mod now.''


    But quickly, he reconsidered, reminding himself that he had a legitimate reason and could use the authority of the Law Enforcement Team to return the goods purchased from Colin to the merchants.


    The only worry was... that Colin might have bought some services or other products that couldn''t be returned.


    As he was deep in thought, he heard Colin speak faintly again:


    "I was deceiving you, most of the Magic Stones from the auction are still with me." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hart''s expression froze, his train of thought instantly interrupted. A surge of anger rapidly filled his mind.


    But even angrier was Mark.


    With a thought from Mark.


    Ssst!


    A thick dark-red vine suddenly appeared beneath Colin''s feet!


    The vine, like a giant python with black poisonous spikes, wrapped itself around Colin''s left leg, quickly entangling his entire body and tightly binding him!


    It formed a dark red cocoon.


    Seeing Colin completely bound without resisting, Mark''s expression eased slightly, and he snorted coldly.


    His eyes were cold, thinking that soon he would make Colin understand what pain felt like!


    On the other hand, Hart was watching the dark-red vine ball, his anger gradually subsiding.


    But before he could look away,


    In the next second!


    Bang¡ª!


    A brilliant orange-red flame burst forth from within the vine cocoon, instantly setting the entire cocoon ablaze.


    It quickly turned to ash.


    The black ashes left by the dark-red vine drifted down like snowflakes, and as the bright firelight gradually disappeared, it revealed Colin unscathed.


    This move combined the Fireball Technique with High Temperature Tolerance.


    By keeping the output intensity of the Fireball Technique within the endurance range of High Temperature Tolerance, one could achieve harming others without injuring oneself.


    Both Mark and Hart were momentarily stunned.


    The next second, Hart was the first to react, preparing to attack again.


    Swoosh!


    A faint light streaked through the air.


    Pfft!


    A sudden intense pain in his abdomen caused his gathering magic power to disperse abruptly, making him let out a muffled groan.


    When he regained his senses, to his surprise, it wasn''t just him.


    Mark and the Half-armored Knights beside him were also lying on the ground, continually moaning.


    The sun was bright at that moment, but Hart felt no warmth, only a bone-chilling cold.


    Fear crawled up his heart like a slippery long snake.


    The scene before him made it clear that he had undoubtedly kicked an iron plate!


    Not daring to think too much, he quietly pulled out the Communication Crystal from his pocket.


    Amidst the wailing crowd, Colin stood quietly, glancing at Hart with an indifferent expression.

 Chapter 133 - 121 Things Done

    Swoosh!


    The open space beside the villa.


    A figure in a gray robe slowly descended.


    "Lord Ellis..."


    Hart, clutching his penetrating stomach wound, greeted the captain who had just arrived in front of him.


    Seeing Ellis''s arrival, his heart suddenly felt relieved, but as he relaxed, the pain in his stomach became clear, making his face turn paler.


    "What has happened here?" Ellis, wearing the standard gray robe of the Law Enforcement Team, glanced at Colin, who was standing not far away, and asked.


    His face was calm, showing no expression, and he did not rush to take action; he just stood there, quietly waiting for Hart''s response.


    "My lord, this is what happened." Hart, enduring the throbbing pain from the wound in his lower abdomen, walked to Ellis''s side and whispered:


    "The Haiya Chamber of Commerce has lost a Magic Potion, and this man is the thief who stole the potion..."


    "Thief? Then why didn''t you bring him to the Law Enforcement Team, and why come here?"


    Ellis frowned, his tone growing colder.


    This was not a base for the Law Enforcement Team; it was just a remote small base owned by the Haiya Chamber of Commerce. There wasn''t even an Official Wizard on duty.


    Feeling the icy tone of Ellis, Hart shivered, clenched his teeth, and continued:


    "The Magic Potion has been recovered; we brought him here to inquire about the whereabouts of the Magic Stones obtained from selling the potion... but we didn''t expect him to be so powerful..."


    "Powerful?"


    "Yes, he must be among the top competitors of Peak Apprentices." Hart recalled the strength of the witchcraft Colin had used and speculated.


    "Idiot!" Ellis snorted coldly and, with a big wave of his hand, knocked Hart back to the ground.


    Under the Supersensitive Vision, the Spiritual Light of a First Rank Wizard emanating from Colin nearby was unmistakably conspicuous... Hart was so blind!


    He turned his head to look at Colin and said sternly:


    "Although you are a First Rank Wizard, this is Bananka Island, not a place where you can do as you please! You must obey the rules... Otherwise, even if you are a First Rank Wizard, it won''t end well for you!"


    His tone was quite impolite.


    The Spiritual Light coming through the Supersensitive Vision was rather thin; the wizard in front of him, although an Official Wizard, was at most a Basic Level First Rank.


    Seemingly of the same rank as him, but as the captain of the Bananka Law Enforcement Team, he felt no need to be gentle.


    Especially since there was a world of difference between the real strength of a Wandering Wizard and a School Wizard.


    "That Magic Potion rightfully belonged to me; there''s no question of violating any rules," Colin replied indifferently, then looked at him and asked sternly:


    "Is this how the esteemed wizards of Bananka rule their island, arbitrarily seizing the wealth of foreign wizards, framing them with baseless accusations?"


    Ellis watched Colin, his brows slightly furrowed.


    Not to mention anything else, he simply disliked Colin''s attitude.


    However, he did not get angry but instead turned his inquisitive gaze toward Hart on the left, planning to understand the situation first.


    At this moment, Hart was still shocked by the realization of Colin''s true level and had not snapped back to reality.


    "Hart?"


    Hearing Ellis''s impatient call, Hart shivered all over and finally suppressed his shock.


    As he looked toward Ellis, hesitation appeared in his heart about whether to tell the truth or...


    Before he could weigh his options clearly.


    "Lord Ellis, he''s talking nonsense!" Suddenly, Mark, who was aside, called out first:


    "Not only did he steal the Magic Potion from the Haiya Chamber of Commerce, but he also killed two of our members!"


    After speaking, Mark breathed slightly, his face flushed.


    He turned his head away, avoiding eye contact with Colin, just silently watching Ellis.


    Ellis retracted his gaze and turned back to look at Colin, his expression noticeably colder.


    He was confident that Mark wouldn''t dare deceive him.


    Meanwhile, the flush on Mark''s face gradually faded as he watched the confrontation between Ellis and Colin, regretting his impulsive words.


    But that flicker of regret was quickly dismissed by him; the situation had reached a point of no return, and he could only follow through.


    On the other side, Hart watched this scene unfold, his expression changing repeatedly.


    Mark was indeed foolish. If Colin had been just a Wizard Apprentice as they assumed, then this approach would have been fine.


    But now...


    Yet he ultimately said nothing, especially since he had just told Ellis the same thing as Mark...


    Now to suddenly change his story...


    No...No!


    In the current situation, continuing to hide the truth was the most foolish thing to do.


    After much hesitation, Hart finally made up his mind, moved closer to Ellis, and whispered everything softly in his ear.


    Lastly, he whispered emphatically:


    "Lord Ellis, the Golden Four-leaf Clover has been recovered, but the Magic Stones obtained from the auction are still on him, totaling over ten thousand!"


    "And the buyer of the Golden Four-leaf Clover was merely an ordinary Basic Level Wizard Apprentice..."


    "Are you trying to tell me how to do my job?" Ellis slowly spoke, his tone icy.


    Hart shivered all over and hurriedly spoke in fear:


    "I dare not, my lord, I just..."


    "Enough!" Ellis said impatiently.


    He glanced at Mark, not far away, his gaze cold and chilling the latter.


    But ultimately, Ellis said nothing more and turned his head to look at Colin, his gaze flickering, he continued in a cold voice:


    "Come with me! Who the Golden Four-leaf Clover truly belongs to shall be determined by our Law Enforcement Team''s investigation."


    Upon hearing this, Hart was slightly stunned; he looked at Ellis''s stern face and gradually understood.


    Obviously, although Ellis seemed impatient on the surface, his heart tended more toward continuing to confront the First Rank Wizard before him.


    This was the best outcome he had imagined.


    After all, he had already offended Colin; instead of hoping for Colin''s forgiveness, it was better to take this opportunity to settle things directly!


    "Do you really not see the truth?" Colin gazed at Ellis before him, his voice slowly deepening.


    ...Just a foreign Wild Wizard.


    Ellis stared at him, his face cold as he said,


    "Please cooperate with the Law Enforcement Team''s investigation."


    "Are you sure you want to do this?" Colin chuckled lightly.


    Ellis''s brow furrowed tightly.


    ...An ignorant fool!


    He could no longer maintain his stern facade and bluntly tore it away, directly saying:


    "What are you anyway..."


    "Ellis, is this how Lord Bananka usually teaches you?"


    At that moment, an old wizard wearing black round-framed glasses slowly emerged from the path behind Colin.


    Following him was Mod, holding a crystal.


    Mod hurried forward, respectfully returning the positioning crystal to Colin, his face hardly hiding his shock.


    He had not expected the Colin before him to be a powerful Official Wizard!


    "Lord Qu Laidun," Ellis, upon recognizing the newcomer, restrained his expression slightly and greeted him with some respect.


    Qu Laidun was the most authoritative Appraiser at the Golden Anchor Auction House and a late-stage First Rank Wizard in his own right. Within the Bananka School, his status and power far exceeded Ellis''s.


    Qu Laidun ignored him, instead gazing at Hart and the other person with a somewhat angry expression.


    He had not expected Hart and his companion to be so bold as to target a guest of the Golden Anchor Auction House!


    And an Official Wizard at that!


    If this incident were to accidentally leak, becoming a rumor known to the wizards of Bananka...


    He couldn''t help but feel a chill in his heart.


    A good reputation needs day after day, year after year to build, but to destroy it takes only once.


    Wizards of Bananka value reputation highly. They often emphasize¡ª


    If Bananka Island didn''t have such a reputation, how would so many travelers come? Without so many travelers, how could it have transformed from a barren island to the now well-known trading island...


    If this matter was known to the wizards of Bananka...


    Qu Laidun grew increasingly angry.


    "These Law Enforcement Team members have had it too easy for too long, becoming more and more brazen, covering up for those corrupt chambers of commerce, and now they dare to do this!


    It seems... it is time to report to the wizards of Bananka!"


    Although he thought much, his face betrayed none of his feelings.


    He only turned his head to look at Ellis, his voice deepening:


    "That Golden Four-leaf Clover belongs to Colin here... you better handle your subordinates properly."


    Ellis frowned slightly inwardly.


    If nobody knew about this, it would be one thing, but now that Qu Laidun had personally come...


    He shook his head inwardly, and the fleeting thought of seizing an opportunity suddenly dispersed... It wasn''t worth it.


    Despite his many thoughts, only a moment had passed in reality.


    The next second, Ellis turned his head and glared at Hart and the other man, his voice stern:


    "You didn''t tell me the truth?!"


    The faces of Hart and the other man instantly turned pale!


    Especially Hart, who incredulously looked at Ellis, understanding his plight in a flash.


    His heart suddenly sank to the bottom.


    Seeing this, Colin felt neither sadness nor joy.


    He withdrew his gaze and turned his head to look at Qu Laidun, saying,


    "Thank you for coming to prove my innocence, Lord Qu Laidun."


    "You''re welcome; the wizards of Bananka always teach us to respect the interests of travelers," Qu Laidun suppressed other emotions and answered with a smile.


    "Moreover, the information you had your servant give me about that special Golden Four-leaf Clover was very useful to me."


    He had been very amazed by the ingenious idea of the Golden Four-leaf Clover when he appraised it.


    He marveled that it could enhance the Life Force effect without damaging the original efficacy of the Golden Four-leaf Clover.


    So he had asked Colin for more information about the Golden Four-leaf Clover.


    At that time, Colin hadn''t said much... It seemed he had held back.


    Speaking of this, Qu Laidun seemed to recall something, adding:


    "Of course, even without this knowledge, I would have come anyway, as this is what we at the Golden Anchor Auction House should do."


    He turned his head to look at Colin, his voice deepening:


    "Mr. Colin, I assure you, Bananka Island will definitely give you an explanation for this."


    "Ah!"


    A scream came from the left.


    Nearby, Hart and Mark were being brutally bound together by Ellis using light-blue thorns. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The thorns easily pricked into their skin, causing them to cry out in pain.


    "Let''s go, Mr. Colin, let''s rest elsewhere for now."


    Qu Laidun smiled, beckoning Colin to follow him,


    He hadn''t yet fully shared the knowledge about the Golden Four-leaf Clover with him.

 Chapter 134 - 122 Buying a Ship

    After a round of hustle, the time had already arrived at evening.


    The setting sun was fiery red, and the twilight sky was brilliant.


    Outside the door, Colin was bidding farewell to Mod and Qu Laidun.


    The two exchanged pleasantries, and then Qu Laidun looked directly at Colin and said in a deep voice,


    "Mr. Colin, this matter is not yet over. I will urge Ellis and the Haiya Merchants to give you an explanation as soon as possible."


    Colin responded with a noncommittal smile and then bid farewell to Qu Laidun.


    Walking on the road, the red-orange glow tinted his face with a layer of reddish-gold.


    After a while,


    Mod, who was nearby, suddenly stopped and bowed deeply to Colin, saying with genuine sincerity,


    "Thank you, Mr. Colin."


    "If it had not been for your initiative, the Golden Four-leaf Clover would probably have been out of my reach once again."


    After saying this, a hint of hesitation flashed across his face, and then he added,


    "Regarding the purchase of a ship for ocean voyages, there might be better options."


    "I know the manager of the De Lan shipyard. A few years ago, I introduced a major client to him. To thank me, he gave me a privilege voucher for an eight percent discount on the purchase of ships under 30,000 Magic Stones."


    "Perhaps you, Sir, could make use of it."


    "Oh," Colin''s face momentarily lit up with surprise, "then I shall gladly accept."


    Having dealt with the Haiya Chamber of Commerce issue, the next thing he undoubtedly wanted to do was to buy a ship.


    Colin pondered to himself.


    He had earned a total of 12,580 Magic Stones from selling the Golden Four-leaf Clover. The Sea Swallow''s original price was 16,000 Magic Stones, and the salesperson had offered a discounted price of 14,999 Magic Stones at the time... Calculating this, if he could get an eight percent discount, perhaps he wouldn''t need to consider buying a second-hand ship.


    However... it was unclear whether this eight percent discount applied to the original price or the discounted price...


    The two continued walking forward, as, over their shoulders, an orange-yellow sunset gradually sank into the distance.


    The next day.


    Early in the morning, the sun had just risen.


    Outside the De Lan shipyard.


    "Sir."


    Mod greeted the just-arrived Colin respectfully at the entrance.


    "Let''s go," Colin nodded and led him straight into the De Lan shipyard.


    They had agreed to buy the ship today after they parted ways yesterday.


    After all, the matter should be expedited.


    It was best to finish it sooner rather than later to avoid unnecessary dreams and entanglements that would consume too much energy.


    Upon entering the De Lan shipyard, the person who received Colin and Mod was the same salesperson with a goatee who had attended to Colin the last time he came alone.


    Seeing Colin, the salesperson''s eyes brightened, and he hurriedly stepped forward, saying,


    "Sir, nice to see you again."


    "Have you decided to buy the Sea Swallow this time?"


    "Yes," Colin nodded without concealment.


    The salesperson''s smile grew even brighter with Colin''s confirmation.


    "Sir, this way, please."


    He led Colin into the reception room.


    Since Colin had decided to purchase the Sea Swallow, he didn''t hesitate anymore and immediately began discussing the various customizations for the Sea Swallow with the goatee-bearded salesperson.


    So, about two hours passed before Colin squared away all the details.


    Then came the time to pay.


    "Sir, the price I gave you last time was 14,999 Magic Stones, but that was the standard price for the standard configuration.


    Based on your specific personal requirements this time, the price will change slightly," the goatee-bearded salesperson explained.


    "Alright, so what''s the final specific price?"


    "I''ve done a rough calculation, and it''s about an increase of 1,000 Magic Stones from the original standard, which is 15,999 Magic Stones. I can authorize a discount for you, bringing it down to 15,666 Magic Stones."


    Colin nodded and, without rushing to respond, turned to look at Mod.


    Sensing his gaze, Mod stepped forward, understandingly pulling out a brass ship-shaped emblem that he had already prepared.


    "Is this... our emblem?" the goatee-bearded man asked in surprise, taking the emblem.


    "Yes, that was given to me three years ago by your manager Finn, saying that it could be used to enjoy an eight percent discount on ships under 30,000 Magic Stones."


    "I see... I''ll have to ask the manager," the goatee-bearded salesperson''s expression showed some hesitation.


    He had never heard of such a thing before, nor had he seen other clients use a similar emblem.


    Mod''s heart sank.


    Could it be that the De Lan shipyard''s manager had just been leading him on?


    "What''s the matter, is this emblem not valid?" Seeing this, Colin inquired in a calm, deep voice.


    With a thought, the aura of an Official Wizard began to emanate from him.


    As if being choked, the mustachioed salesman''s face turned pale instantly, and he said tremblingly,


    "Sir... I just need to ask the manager."


    "Go ahead," Colin withdrew his spiritual oppression.


    He knew the salesman was just confused; he intentionally made things difficult to showcase the strength of the Official Wizard he was imitating, to prevent any unnecessary trouble that might occur later.


    After that.


    Perhaps the effect of Manager Finn''s badge was truly significant, or maybe it was because of the strength he had demonstrated.


    In any case, the process went smoothly.


    Even the discount promised by the badge, 20% off, was applied to the discounted price of 15,666 Magic Stones given by the mustachioed salesman.


    That meant he ultimately secured the Sea Swallow for only 12,533 Magic Stones.


    After paying the Magic Stones, Colin ran his fingers over the pattern of his Storage Ring and felt a wave of regret.


    Thinking of how his assets had shrunk once again to less than a thousand Magic Stones, it was hard not to feel a bit of heartache.


    However, once he reached the Siya Continent, he would be able to sell the Sea Swallow and convert it into cash.


    The mustachioed man spoke to him respectfully,


    "Sir, according to your requirements, your Sea Swallow will be completed in about half a month. Please leave an address, and someone will come to notify you when it''s ready."


    "Mhm," Colin lightly exhaled, returned to his senses, left the address of the inn, and then left with Mod.


    As they stepped out of the Deblue shipyard, it was nearly noon.


    Looking around, the streets outside bustled just as the days before.


    Having settled a significant matter, although his feelings were complex, overall, he felt relieved.


    He turned to say goodbye to Mod and return to the inn.


    "Sir."


    But Mod spoke up first.


    "Now that you have bought the Sea Swallow, may I ask when you plan to head to the Siya Continent?"


    Colin gazed at him but didn''t answer.


    "It''s like this, Sir,"


    Mod began to explain on his own initiative.


    "I''d like to take your ship to the Siya Continent... Of course, I will pay for my ticket in Magic Stones¡ªhow about 1,500 Magic Stones?"


    Colin pondered for a long while before slowly nodding,


    "That''s fine. I plan to leave as soon as I get the ship. Leave me an address, and I''ll have my maid inform you when it''s time."


    Now that he had bought the ship and was short on Magic Stones... Mod seemed to understand the situation well; it was a fair-weather voyage, an opportunity to make an easy profit without fail.


    "Thank you, Sir Colin!" Mod seemed relieved as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, a grateful smile appearing on his face.


    Afterward, Mod shared his residence address with Colin, then said goodbye and departed.


    Colin also turned and continued towards the nearby inn.


    As he walked, noticing the stream of people bustling around him, he couldn''t help but reflect.


    Regardless, now that he was walking alone on the street, at least he didn''t need to keep up his disguise, sparing him some time.


    Time flew, and a week passed in the blink of an eye.


    This day, after breakfast, Colin prepared to go out with the sisters Renee to buy some necessary supplies for the sea voyage.


    But just as they were leaving the inn, they faced a Steel-armored Guard head-on. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Excuse me, are you Sir Colin?" the Guard respectfully asked, stopping him.


    Colin nodded, assessing the Guard in front of him, whose body was covered in shiny silver Steel Armor.


    He suddenly remembered the patrolling Guards he had seen at night before.


    However, different from the patrolling Guards seen previously at night, this Guard''s Steel Armor was more refined, its structure seeming more streamlined and slender.


    Overall, it looked more advanced.


    All of a sudden, with a mechanism triggered by the Guard, a small slit suddenly opened around the neck of his tightly sealed helmet.


    The Guard then took off his helmet with both hands and rested it on his left arm.


    "The thing is, Sir, the Law Enforcement Team, to express their apologies, has specifically sent you some token compensation. Additionally, the Haiya Chamber of Commerce has also entrusted me to deliver their compensation to you."


    The Guard pressed his hand to his chest and bowed slightly as a sign of respect, then explained as he took out two palm-sized wooden boxes from the bag on his back.


    "Oh," Colin raised an eyebrow.


    While Qu Laidun had informed him that he would indeed get a response, Colin had never taken it seriously.


    After all, this was Bananka Island, and the full name of the Law Enforcement Team was Bananka Law Enforcement Team.


    For him, a foreign Wizard, to receive comparatively fair treatment was already no small feat.


    He had never anticipated any compensation and felt something must have happened behind the scenes that he was unaware of.


    But there was no reason to hesitate; he accepted the wooden boxes.


    He beckoned to the sisters Renee, found a corner to sit down in the inn''s ground floor hall, and gently opened the wooden boxes.

 Chapter 135 - 123 Rejection

    The first thing Colin opened was a wooden box from the Law Enforcement Team.


    Inside was a Magic Crystal set in a ring, with an accompanying description¡ª


    "First Rank Advanced Sun Fireball Magic Crystal." S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Colin picked up the thumb-sized, fiery red crystal, somewhat surprised.


    He had seen the same type of Magic Crystal at an auction before, with the final transaction price being around seven hundred and fifty Magic Stones.


    He slipped the ring embedded with the Sun Fireball Magic Crystal directly onto his finger.


    Unfortunately, a Low Rank Wizard using a High Rank crystal not only consumed more energy but also had its power correspondingly reduced.


    He then opened another brown wooden box from the Haiya Chamber of Commerce.


    What was inside was much more straightforward and crude compared to the compensation from the Law Enforcement Team.


    A dove-egg-sized, round Magic Stone caught his eye.


    Clearly, it was a Middle-grade Magic Stone, roughly equivalent to one thousand ordinary Magic Stones in value.


    Colin put the Middle-grade Magic Stone into his Storage Ring without delay and continued on his way as planned.


    Unlike the bustling Blue Bay Street Inn where he previously stayed, this inn was somewhat quieter.


    But thanks to Bananka Island''s prosperous trading environment, travelers were still seen everywhere.


    After walking for a while,


    the cries of a newsboy selling papers nearby caught his attention.


    "Bananka Wizards set new trade regulations to protect the island''s fair and just trading environment, and establish a Monitoring Office!"


    Colin''s eyebrows lifted, preparing to stop the newsboy to buy a newspaper,


    when he heard a whispered conversation between two idle passersby leaning against the wall not far away.


    "It looks like the Bananka Wizards are determined to clean up the Law Enforcement Team this time..."


    "That''s what I think too. Those outsiders may not know, but could we, the locals, not be aware?


    How many people have been conned by the Law Enforcement Team in collusion with our Chamber of Commerce? They are stealing from the Bananka Wizards. I''ve long felt it''s not right."


    "Sigh... Who knows how our guild will handle this afterwards. Are we going to have to do legitimate business?"


    "Who knows..."


    Colin unobtrusively shifted his gaze back and said to the newsboy.


    "Give me a newspaper."


    "Here you are, sir."


    He took the newspaper and unfolded it.


    The front-page headline of the first page was the news he had just heard.


    After reading carefully, he was somewhat astonished.


    He hadn''t expected the Bananka Wizards to make such a big move.


    But it was no longer his concern.


    "Let''s go." Colin shook his head and continued towards his destination with Renee.


    Before long, they arrived at the trading market.


    "Spices, one kilogram of each kind, ten kilograms of rock sugar..."


    Inside a shop, Renee was listing items one by one to the shopkeeper from a written procurement checklist.


    "Excuse me, madam. Are you looking to purchase supplies for an ocean voyage?" the affable shopkeeper asked, interrupting her.


    "Yes," said Renee, pausing.


    The shopkeeper smiled, pulled out a somewhat yellowed checklist from the cabinet below, and said,


    "If you''re purchasing supplies for an ocean voyage, please take a look at this. Our Siwo Chamber of Commerce has specially tailored many preferential packages for long voyages."


    "Okay." Renee nodded, receiving the list to carefully check it.


    Colin, who stood behind her, retracted his gaze.


    These things, he usually left entirely to Renee to handle.


    His main purpose this time was to stroll around to see if there was anything else worth purchasing on the island.


    After all, according to the planned voyage, once they left Bananka Island, the stops along the way would all be small islands.


    It might be some time before they encountered another thriving trade island like Bananka until they reached the Siya Continent.


    On the other hand, by coming out this time, he was also tasked with placing the purchased supplies directly into the Storage Ring, to avoid transportation and thus save some transportation costs.


    Seeing that Renee was able to handle things with ease,


    Colin did not pay further attention and simply waited quietly at the side, pondering the new Flying and Diving Skill he learned recently.


    Suddenly.


    Crash¡ª


    A noise of something falling and subsequent commotion came from not far away, followed by a painful scream.


    "Believer! Stop him... He''s a believer! A dog of the Divine!"


    Colin''s expression changed slightly, and he quickly walked to the shop''s entrance to look outside.


    At the roadside ahead, a vendor was clutching his chest and pointing at a gaunt man with his back to him, shouting loudly.


    Upon hearing the vendor''s words, the gaunt man''s face changed, and without caring to remain hidden, he started to run.


    His direction was towards Colin.


    Colin''s brow furrowed slightly.


    Hisss¡ª!


    But the next second, the man''s footsteps abruptly halted, and with hands painfully grasping his own throat, he emitted a rasping sound, then collapsed to the ground.


    Next,


    Swoosh!


    A white-robed figure descended from the sky, landing behind the man.


    Round-framed black glasses, white hair¡ªit was none other than Qu Laidun, an appraiser from the Golden Anchor Auction House, whom he knew well.


    At the moment, Qu Laidun''s face was grim as he slowly approached the fallen gaunt man.


    Tap tap tap¡ª


    Suddenly, behind him, a squad of silver-armored guards split the crowd and ran over.


    At the forefront of the guards was a somber-faced middle-aged wizard, who swiftly came to Qu Laidun''s side.


    The two exchanged words in a low voice.


    Seeing everything had settled down, Colin turned his attention back to pondering the Flying and Diving Skill of Oran.


    However, not long after,


    A familiar voice came from outside the shop.


    "Master Colin, we meet again," Qu Laidun said with a smile as he entered the shop, greeting him.


    "Master Qu Laidun," Colin turned around to respond.


    "I was just nearby purchasing some items, and it''s a coincidence we''ve bumped into each other again," Qu Laidun exchanged pleasantries, then continued, "Speaking of which, I have a matter I wish to discuss with you."


    "Please speak," Colin said.


    "It''s nothing major," Qu Laidun said with a smile, and added, "I was just wondering about your plans for the future... Do you intend to leave Bananka Island, or are you planning to settle here for a longer period?"


    "I haven''t decided yet," Colin answered vaguely.


    "Undecided?" Qu Laidun nodded, "May I ask what you think of the Bananka School?"


    "The Bananka School... It''s very good; their strength is also quite formidable," Colin replied with polite praise.


    "Then, Master Colin, would you be willing to join the Bananka School?"


    "Join the Bananka School?" Colin could barely hide his surprise.


    Then he instinctively asked, "But I am already an Official Wizard. It would be difficult to change my practice to the Meditation Method..."


    Qu Laidun paused, then chuckled,


    "You misunderstand, Master Colin. I am talking about joining the school as an external deacon, without needing to change your Meditation Method."


    He then added,


    "However, as an external deacon, although not having access to the school''s systematic knowledge, the rest of the benefits are actually equivalent to those of school members... What do you say?"


    Colin furrowed his brow in thought.


    After a long while, he slowly spoke up,


    "I''m sorry, Master Qu Laidun, but I am used to my freedom, so..."


    It seemed to catch Qu Laidun off guard, a flash of astonishment clearly crossing his face.


    He paused, then with some patience said sternly,


    "Have you considered this carefully, Master Colin? The Bananka School very rarely recruits external Wild Wizards.


    Though you are a First Rank Wizard, if you wish to advance further, even if you cannot convert to the Bananka School''s Meditation Method, staying within the school might still give you a much higher chance of advancement than if you were on your own!"


    "Moreover, there are many other benefits to being in a school. I believe you, as a Wild Wizard, are very aware of this!"


    Qu Laidun''s tone was gentle, yet had shed some of its earlier warmth.


    He had anticipated that Colin would be overjoyed, given the well-known hardships of a Wild Wizard... The chance to join a school, though not skyrocketing one to heaven, was still a transformation of one''s being!


    Which Wild Wizard wouldn''t want that?


    In fact, he wouldn''t have come to recruit just any Wild Wizard, had he not reported the Law Enforcement Team incident back to the Bananka Wizards, who then mentioned it to him.


    Yet Colin seemed rather uninterested in joining.


    "I''m sorry... Master Qu Laidun," Colin repeated firmly but respectfully.


    Qu Laidun watched him, saying nothing more.


    "Since you do not wish to join the Bananka School, then I shall not disturb you further."


    With mere words, Qu Laidun turned and left.


    Watching his retreating figure, Colin remained impassive.


    Leaving Bananka Island to head for the Siya Continent had been his plan from the very start, and he had never considered changing it.


    Leaving aside the three-year contract with Erica, even for his own future, his best option was to go to the Siya Continent.


    On Bananka Island, at best he could only be an external deacon to the Bananka School.


    But if he went to the Siya Continent, perhaps he could become a true member of a new school.


    The benefits of being a school member need not be overstated.


    Compared to staying on Bananka Island as a deacon with no prospects, heading to the Siya Continent to join a new school was obviously a better choice.


    Sunrise, sunset, high tide, low tide.


    And so, time swiftly passed by another six days.


    That day, just as dawn broke over the distant horizon of the sea,


    Colin stepped out of the inn, accompanied not only by the Renee sisters,


    but also by a young man¡ªan employee from the Leiden Shipyard.


    That''s right, his Sea Swallow had been completed.


    Now, it was time to proceed with the inspection!

 Chapter 136 - 124: Leaving the Nest (5k)

    Walking on the road, Colin''s steps were light, his heart barely containing his joy.


    The efficiency of the Lan Shipyard was even higher than expected.


    They had planned to finish manufacturing in half a month, but it only took thirteen days to complete.


    Walking on the road, he found himself inexplicably recalling the feeling of picking up a new car in his previous life.


    The feeling of picking up a ship... In his view, it was somewhat similar.


    But undoubtedly much more exciting.


    After all, the ship was far more important than any car in his past life, both in price and significance.


    The Lan Shipyard wasn''t far from the inn; they could get there on foot by crossing two intersections and taking a turn.


    He hastened his pace and soon reached the first intersection.


    "Master?" Renee stopped and looked at him for instructions.


    "Mhm," Colin nodded, realizing what needed to be done, and instructed, "Go ahead, and remember to have Mod tidy everything up."


    Renee nodded and briskly walked in the other direction of the intersection.


    Colin withdrew his gaze and continued to lead Demi and the employees of the Lan Shipyard forward.


    He had already packed all his belongings into the Storage Ring.


    If all went well, he planned to set sail directly from the Lan Shipyard''s dock that led out to the sea after picking up the ship.


    As for the ship''s fuel,


    The Lan Shipyard also had coal for sale, and his Storage Ring was also stocked with plenty of coal... There was no need to worry.


    ...


    Tap tap tap¡ª


    Elsewhere, a Guard clad in golden patterned Steel Armor jogged down the street.


    His movements caused the metal armor to collide and produce a clanging sound.


    After a while, the clanging came to a halt.


    He paused briefly in front of the inn to make sure he had the right place and then strode boldly inside.


    "Excuse me, sir, may I help you?" The waitress in the lobby became nervous upon seeing his imposing approach and asked.


    "Does your inn have a Wizard staying here who is accompanied by a maid and a little girl?" The Guard glanced at her and asked in a deep voice. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "...Yes!" The waitress thought for a second before responding respectfully.


    In this world, inns hadn''t the principle of protecting the privacy of their guests.


    "Go and inform that person that a Golden Knight from the Bananka School has a message and requests an audience," the Golden Knight said indifferently.


    He didn''t remove his helmet, but his voice was still clear, as if it wasn''t obstructed at all.


    "Alright..." the waitress agreed, flustered.


    But soon her expression faltered as if she remembered something, and she stammered an explanation, "But sir, the Wizard just left not too long ago..."


    "Where did he go?"


    "...I do not know, sir," the waitress shook her head.


    They were just an inn, they might answer when a guest would return or leave, but knowing where a guest went after leaving was a bit too difficult.


    The Golden Knight understood this as well, and without further inquiry, simply turned and left.


    He had other Official Wizards to notify.


    ...


    "Are you satisfied with what you see?" The salesman with the handlebar mustache, smiling, pointed at the white vessel berthed in the dockyard.


    "The exterior is quite nice," Colin said with a faint smile.


    The main color scheme of the Sea Swallow was white, and its streamlined body was as elegant as a dolphin.


    "Let me take you aboard for a closer look."


    "Mhm," Colin nodded.


    The salesman led him up the Sea Swallow, stepping on the ship''s side ladder.


    What first caught his eye at the bow of the Sea Swallow was the large white smokestack on top of the forecastle, a necessary vent for the boiler inside.


    This feature distinguished the Sea Swallow from modern yachts of his past life and gave it a unique temperament... a bit rough, but not crude, instead filled with a sense of power.


    Colin ran his hand over the steel railing coated with a layer of white paint.


    In his previous life, steam engines had not developed to such maturity before being replaced by internal combustion engines.


    On modern small vessels, such smokestacks were rare.


    After all, internal combustion engines using diesel or gasoline as fuel didn''t require such large exhaust vents...


    Colin shook his head to dispel the memories.


    Above the deck, the superstructure had two stories.


    Below the smokestack was the modest captain''s cabin, and further below was the living room.


    Master and guest bedrooms, as well as other functional rooms, were all located beneath the deck.


    The deck of the Sea Swallow was not the traditional yellow teak but a layer of gray steel treated for slip resistance.


    At the moment, it was bare without any sofas, deck chairs, or sun umbrellas.


    The primary purpose of seafaring vessels in this world was safe navigation, and comfort obviously couldn''t compare to the leisure yachts of his past life.


    Of course, facing the numerous dangers at sea, he also wasn''t in the mood for leisure.


    Just as he was about to go below with the salesman, an employee from the Lan Shipyard boarded the Sea Swallow.


    The man stepped aside, revealing Renee and Mod behind him.


    "Master, Mr. Mod has arrived," Renee said respectfully.


    "Mr. Colin," Mod also greeted Colin respectfully.


    "Mhm," Colin nodded, scrutinizing Mod.


    He had specifically instructed Renee to ask Mod to bring all their belongings.


    But now it seemed that Mod was only carrying a bag.


    Either it meant he had very few items, or like Colin, possessed a storage Witch Tool.


    He turned and continued down to the deck.


    Mod stepped forward, engaging in conversation proactively.

 Chapter 137 - 124 Leaving the Nest (5k)_2

    "Sir, I thought you might change your mind."


    "¡­What do you mean?"


    Mod''s steps paused slightly as he asked, confused:


    "Didn''t the people from the Bananka School come to find you?"


    "Yesterday afternoon, the Bananka School, for some reason, issued a notice to actively recruit Wild Wizards.


    Anyone who is an Intermediate Apprentice or above can join the Bananka School, and among them, the outstanding ones could become official members of the School!"


    "Someone like you, an Official Wizard, they should have sent someone specifically to contact you¡­"


    Colin did not rush to ask further but slowed his pace and turned his head to signal Renee to step forward and listen to the bearded salesman''s explanation.


    He then moved to the back with Mod.


    "Such a big move from the Bananka School, has something happened recently?" Colin asked in a calm, low voice.


    "This¡­" Mod frowned and shook his head, "Sir, I''ve been at home lately, just finished assimilating the power of the Golden Four-leaf Clover, and took the opportunity to advance to an Intermediate Apprentice, so I''m a bit out of the loop... I haven''t heard about anything special happening."


    Colin nodded, feeling a bit puzzled.


    He pondered for a moment and then turned to Mod again:


    "Has the Bananka School ever recruited Wild Wizards like this before?"


    "Not at all, sir," Mod affirmed with a shake of his head, "I''ve lived on Bananka Island for nearly sixty years and I''ve never seen the School do such a thing, joining the Bananka School has always been harder than reaching the heavens for a Wild Wizard..."


    "Hmm." Colin''s puzzled feeling deepened, and he failed to comprehend.


    From simple logic, it could be deduced¡ª


    The Bananka School''s recruiting of Wild Wizards on the island obviously meant they needed more Wizards.


    Thinking in reverse, this also meant the School was lacking Wizards.


    But how could the powerful Bananka School suddenly be short on Wizards?


    His brow furrowed slightly.


    Whoom¡ª


    The sound of flames igniting echoed.


    "¡­Are you saying this stove can freely control the intensity of the flame and doesn''t require fuel?"


    "Yes, it can control the fire''s intensity, but it''s not like it doesn''t need fuel; rather, it uses Magic Stones as fuel, although the consumption is not significant¡­"


    The bearded salesman in the distance was introducing the kitchen to Renee.


    Colin withdrew his gaze and continued to ponder.


    Normally, if a School wanted to increase the number of Wizards, they would usually choose to cultivate them from childhood.


    Only Wizards nurtured from childhood could truly be considered members of the School.


    It was rare for a School to recruit Wild Wizards directly, and even if they did, it would be only a small number.


    After all, although such recruitment might expand the School''s power temporarily, in the long run, the disadvantages far outweighed the benefits.


    Unless, there was an urgent need for more manpower for something¡­


    Like discovering a new island that needed expansion, or¡­ encountering some kind of external crisis!


    He suddenly remembered the incident six days ago when Qu Laidun tried to recruit him at the trade market.


    And¡­


    The captured, emaciated believer.


    "Sir, you''ve seen everything on the ship now, are you satisfied?"


    The bearded salesman suddenly asked.


    Colin shook his head, snapping out of his thoughts, not delving any deeper.


    Now that he was about to leave Bananka Island, whatever happened on the island¡­ it no longer concerned him.


    He lifted his gaze.


    Although his thoughts had been brief, some time had already passed in reality.


    They had moved past the kitchen and arrived at the steam boiler room located on the lowest level.


    Neat, orderly cold-colored steel pipes came into view, with shiny mechanical gears beside them, glossed with a thin layer of lubricant, softening their hardness and adding a touch of elegance.


    Although inactive at the moment.


    Just by imagining, one could guess that when this mechanical heart started, it would be an awe-inspiring sight.


    "Alright."


    Colin withdrew his gaze and nodded. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Is there anything else that needs to be modified?" the bearded salesman continued to inquire.


    "There is none."


    "Okay, sir," the bearded salesman nodded, paused, and then added, "Do you have a permanent berth at the port, sir? We could take it there and moor it for you¡­ or you could choose to temporarily store it in the Denland Shipyard, with a storage fee of one Magic Stone per day."


    "No need, I''m already familiar with the operation of the Sea Swallow. I''ll handle it myself from here on," Colin declined with a shake of his head.


    "¡­Alright then, I won''t disturb you further," the bearded salesman understood and took his leave.


    Colin, along with Renee and the others, proceeded along the corridor toward the deck, eventually reaching the captain''s cabin at the very top.


    "Is everything taken care of?" he asked, looking back at Renee and the others.


    "Everything is ready, and we''ve brought all our belongings," Renee, leading Demi, replied.


    "I''m ready as well," Mod quickly added.


    "Then, let''s set sail," Colin said while turning back, reaching out to press on the pale blue crystal fixed to the table, invoking his Magic Power.


    Hum¡ª


    A pale blue glow lit up, enveloping the entire captain''s cabin in a mysterious atmosphere.


    "Welcome to use the Sea Demon''s Heart, Captain," a mechanical voice echoed in the captain''s cabin.


    It wasn''t a being like a tower spirit, just a fixed witchcraft device to assist in ship operation.


    "Start the Sea Swallow, preheat the boiler," Colin said softly, his eyes flickering with anticipation.


    "Right away, Captain."


    Click¡ª


    The ship shuddered slightly, and the distinctive sound of interlocking mechanical gears began to turn.


    Then.


    The bearded salesman by the dockside gestured to the distance.


    Clang¡ª


    The grey steel gate obstructing the Sea Swallow''s path slowly lifted, spilling white light in and brightening the previously dimly lit shipyard.

 Chapter 138 - 124: Leaving the Nest (5k)_3

    After his eyes adjusted, an immensely vast landscape unfolded before him.


    The clear azure sky stretched endlessly, occasionally dotted with white clouds, while the deep blue sea was equally boundless, with only a few ships embedded in its expanse.


    At the sight, Colin couldn''t help but exhale softly, his expression uplifted.


    No further hesitation.


    "Set sail," he commanded in a deep voice.


    Though his tone was calm, it couldn''t hide his anticipation and nervousness.


    Boom.


    At his command,


    The steam engine suddenly roared to life, and puffs of dark grey smoke drifted from the Sea Swallow''s thick chimney.


    The propeller at the stern began to slowly rotate, and before long, white foam was churned up.


    The ship also gradually began to move.


    A gentle breeze blew as Colin turned his head to look back.


    Under the dome of the steel crisscrossed shipyard, a mustached salesman stood respectfully by the dock waving farewell to them.


    From above, the white Sea Swallow looked like its namesake, a nimble seagull, taking flight from its narrow nest toward the vast ocean...


    *


    *


    *


    In an unnamed sea domain,


    Shriek¡ª


    A white seabird cried out and landed momentarily on the railing of the white ship below.


    For them, the vessel was a rare resting place amid the boundless sea. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Renee withdrew her gaze and stared at the sea beside the ship.


    Before long,


    A figure slowly emerged from beneath the water''s surface.


    The next second, it broke through the water with a splash, stirring up a wave!


    The resting seabird nearby, startled, flapped its wings and took off with a flutter.


    The figure, carried by its inertial, came to midair,


    But instead of falling back down to the deck under gravity''s pull, it continued to hover.


    "Master," Renee greeted him.


    Colin looked down at her and nodded slightly.


    Perhaps because they faced the same scenery every day, he always felt time at sea passed quickly.


    Unconsciously, today marked the fifteenth day since his departure from Bananka Island.


    He controlled his body, slowly descending onto the deck below, his expression calm.


    But deep inside, he couldn''t help recounting the loud bang they heard the morning after leaving Bananka Island¡ªan unknown source.


    He always felt that the bang was somehow tied to Bananka Island...


    After all, such a loud bang, barring natural fierce beasts and the strange, in this world, possibly only a Wizard of Second Rank or higher... or a Divine being, could have caused it.


    An inexplicable sense of apprehension engulfed him, so in this time, he practiced even harder.


    So much so that he had progressed his newly acquired Flying and Diving Skill to the point of instantaneous activation.


    It seemed he would soon reach the Limit Breaking Point.


    Thinking carefully, it had been over a month since his departure from Blackstone Island... and his strength had increased considerably.


    With a thought, he summoned the Golden Paper.


    Faint golden particles converged.


    "Master,"


    However, Renee interrupted him.


    "Mr. Mod has something for you."


    "Hmm... have him come over," he paused, nodded slightly, used the Cleaning Technique on himself to remove the water stains, and then walked towards the lounge on the first floor not far away.


    Once in the lounge, he sat down.


    Colin leaned back on the soft sofa, reading through the information on the Golden Paper line by line.


    [Name: Colin Leonard]


    [Rank: Advanced Wizard Apprentice (3/100); Ultimate Knight (76/100)]


    [Meditation Method: Apprentice''s Circulation Meditation ¢ò¡ü (100/100); Sunlight Breathing Method ¢ò (63/100)]


    [Witchcraft: Zero Level Tricks: Minor; Zero Level Witchcraft: Steel Force Field (23/100); Arrow Shooting Skill (Gold); High Temperature Tolerance I¡ü (100/100); Fireball Skill I¡ü (100/100); Swift Skill I (76/100); Oran Flying and Diving Skill (62/100); Detect Evil I (2/100); Purification Evil Power I (3/100)]


    [Skills: Basic Magic Crystal Making; Blood Pattern Transformation Skill I (33/100)]


    [Talent: Strong Life I (3/100)]


    [Limit Breaking Points: 0]


    On Rank, there wasn''t much change; it was still Advanced Wizard Apprentice and Ultimate Knight.


    Only the progress of the Wizard Rank was slow...


    It seemed time to break the limit for the Circulation Meditation.


    But he hesitated.


    Initially, he didn''t break the limit for Circulation Meditation because Magic Stones were limited, and he prioritized breaking the limit for the Talent Strong Life.


    Lately, however, it was because he planned to understand more about advancing to Official Wizard before making a measured decision.


    In this period, he did indeed study knowledge related to advancing to Official Wizard.


    Overall, special prerequisite training is required for a successful transition to an Official Wizard, and this training is critical to whether one can break through to become an Official Wizard.


    Yet Circulation Meditation didn''t include this aspect.


    This meant that even if he continued to break the limit of Circulation Meditation, it would likely not add significantly to his strength but might just increase some Magic Power.


    Running his fingers over the smooth armrest of the brown leather sofa, Colin recalled another piece of information.


    Previously, a conversation between two Wizard Apprentices at the auction made him realize that an Official Wizard who joins a School must consider whether the Meditation Method is compatible.


    But Wizard Apprentices don''t have to consider this aspect.


    Combining the recent knowledge he learned, it was clear that this is because a Wizard Apprentice can still freely switch Meditation Methods.


    Once one advances to Official Wizard, they can no longer change Meditation Methods at will.


    Nevertheless, regardless,


    If he were to join a new School, he would likely need to change his Meditation Method, which was undoubtedly certain.


    Means even if he broke the limit for Circulation Meditation now, he would probably have to change it later.


    He sighed.


    It was somewhat wasteful.


    The Limit Breaking Points now needed to break the limit of Circulation Meditation had reached one thousand... and that was no small number.


    After considering, Colin decided to put it off for now and prioritized breaking the limits for High Temperature Tolerance and Fireball Skill once again.


    As for Circulation Meditation, he would wait until he arrived at the Siya Continent to clarify the specific situation before making plans.


    After all, there was only a little over half a month''s voyage left to the Siya Continent.


    "Lord Colin,"


    After making these decisions, Mod had just arrived.


    He knocked on the door and called out respectfully from outside.


    "Come in,"


    Colin put away the Golden Paper and invited him in.

 Chapter 139 - 125 Rest

    "Master Colin," Mod approached and sat down in front of him, his complexion slightly pale.


    "Still feeling seasick?" Seeing his continued poor spirit, Colin couldn''t help but ask further.


    "It''s a bit better after activating the protective shield," Mod replied.


    His seasickness was not merely a simple physical issue, but rather more due to some peculiar tainted babblings of the ocean, similar to the reason sailors suffered from insomnia when they left Blackstone Island.


    However, as the Sea Swallow, valued at over ten thousand Magic Stones, it naturally possessed corresponding protective features.


    While it couldn''t be said to provide complete protection, it could at least mitigate some negative conditions.


    "Mm," Colin nodded, slightly relieved.


    Being on the same ship, it was necessary for him to pay attention to the state of each crew member and passenger, to ensure any crises could be nipped in the bud.


    "Is there something you need?" Colin asked again.


    "It''s like this, Master Colin," Mod hesitated but finally spoke up, "I was wondering if you would be willing to accept payment for teaching?"


    "I have some questions about cultivation I''d like to ask, and I can pay in Magic Stones. How about one hundred Magic Stones per session? Of course, depending on the question, the specific price can still be negotiated."


    Colin was somewhat surprised, but after a moment''s thought, he agreed:


    "That is acceptable."


    A price of one hundred Magic Stones was already not low. After all, the Bananka bookstore sold overviews on Advanced Official Wizards'' knowledge for only three hundred Magic Stones... An opportunity not to be missed.


    "Thank you, Master!" Mod''s face clearly showed a flash of joy upon receiving his consent.


    As a Wild Wizard, it was normal for him to frequently encounter issues in his cultivation.


    Previously on Bananka Island, in such cases, he often sought the guidance of familiar Advanced Apprentices and paid them for answers.


    However, now in the vast sea, he naturally could not find any other Advanced Apprentices for guidance; Colin was the only one he could turn to.


    Fortunately, Colin was more approachable than he had imagined.


    After pausing for a moment, Mod began to pose his question.


    "Master, I would like to ask you about the knowledge of the Meditation Method."


    "When I reach the Siya Continent, I plan to try joining a new School, and I already have a target. I''ve been modifying the target School''s Meditation Method recently, but I''ve encountered some issues."


    "To smoothly modify the Meditation Method, I''ve completely dispersed all the Magic Power I accumulated through previous cultivation, to facilitate the cultivation of new Magic Power, but somehow, the Magic Power doesn''t disperse completely.


    Of course, I know that such issues always arise when modifying the Meditation Method, and that the Magic Power cannot be completely dispersed."


    "But the residual Magic Power is too abundant, greatly affecting the efficiency and quality of my re-cultivation. I would like your help to see how I might further disperse some..."


    Colin listened expressionlessly, yet he was somewhat astonished inside.


    Blackstone Island was just a remote backwater, and the Lap School was merely created by a Lap Wizard for ritual purposes.


    Thus, although he was a Wizard from a School, in some areas of knowledge, he was not as well-versed as Mod, who had a small fortune and lived on Bananka Island.


    For example, he did not know about such drawbacks in modifying the Meditation Method.


    In that case... perhaps he should also make preparations ahead of time.


    "Here are my two Meditation Methods, Master, please have a look." After narrating his issue, Mod proactively handed over the Meditation Methods he practiced.


    Colin wasn''t surprised; while Meditation Methods were precious, this did not include the Apprentice stage methods.


    It was the knowledge of Meditation Methods for Official Wizards and above that the Schools maintained.


    Such as the Apprentice stage content in Meditation Methods were not uncommon.


    Previously in the Bananka bookstore, they openly priced it from five hundred up to ten thousand Magic Stones.


    Unfortunately, for him at the present, without involving the Official Wizard stage Meditation Methods, these were merely some wasteful papers... No amount of cultivation could advance him to becoming an Official Wizard.


    Colin took the Meditation Methods, briefly looked through them, then raised his head and gazed at Mod, saying:


    "This problem is not simple; I am not certain if it can be solved. If it is solved, I would require a payment of two hundred Magic Stones. If not, I would still need a compensation of one hundred Magic Stones... do you agree?"


    "No problem," Mod agreed without hesitation.


    Although earning Magic Stones was not easy for him on a daily basis, he labored precisely for the sake of spending them, and he would not hesitate or dwell on such matters.


    "Very well."


    Colin nodded, holding two Meditation Methods in hand, ready to discuss in detail with Mod in the study next to the master bedroom.


    As he had said, he wasn''t sure whether he could solve Mod''s problem, since he was just an Advanced Wizard Apprentice.


    But even if he couldn''t solve it, it would still be an interesting attempt¡­ The longer he stayed in this world, the more he liked to learn new knowledge, one could even say he was somewhat obsessed.


    Moreover, even if he couldn''t solve it, it wouldn''t damage his disguised prestige as an Official Wizard.


    After all, an Official Wizard wasn''t omnipotent, and the prestige only came from power.


    "Sir,"


    Before he could stand up, he heard Renee''s voice from outside.


    "Rael Island is approaching!"


    Colin raised an eyebrow, took the Meditation Methods, and walked out of the first-floor reception room to look into the distance.


    On the vast ocean, within sight, there appeared a crescent-shaped island with lush, abundant vegetation, creating a lush green vista.


    He then pulled out his pocket watch to check the time.


    It was exactly three in the afternoon, and by the speed of the Sea Swallow, they would probably arrive at this sole rest stop of their half-month journey by four o''clock.


    He took another look at Rael Island.


    "Let''s go," Colin withdraw his gaze, signaling Mod to continue following him.


    There was still some time before reaching Rael Island, and it shouldn''t be wasted.


    ¡­


    An hour passed in a flash.


    Woo¡ª!


    The steam whistle sounded.


    The Sea Swallow slowed down its speed, approaching the coast of Rael Island like a white fish, and finally slowly docked at the old wooden pier.


    Click.


    The gangway unfolded, and Colin, along with Renee and others, slowly descended the metal stairs.


    The previously calm waters near the dock now rippled in circles due to the slight swaying of the Sea Swallow.


    Goo goo~ S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Several indistinct bird calls sounded in the distance.


    Stepping onto the pier, the somewhat old wood creaked under the weight.


    Colin paused slightly, looking in the direction the dock extended.


    A dense green jungle met his eyes.


    The wooden dock here didn''t connect to a beach or a bustling port, but a secluded jungle as if it had never been touched by humans.


    Colin''s brows slightly furrowed as he recalled the notes Gibson from the Black Pearl Trading Company had made on the sea chart about this island¡ª


    "Rael Island, a lush crescent-shaped island, not dangerous."


    "Possible to obtain some vegetables and other supplies here."


    "Caution: Do not rashly enter the jungle alone. Although there is no danger to life, it is difficult to find one''s way out without local guidance."


    As he hesitated,


    "A good afternoon to you, respected Wizard Sir, who has come from afar."


    A hoarse yet enthusiastic voice sounded not far away.


    *


    *


    *


    Later sections of the plot, according to comments, were a bit redundant, and looking back, there indeed seems to be some, just haven''t had the energy to modify it yet, hope later readers understand. Chapter 140 departs, Chapter 141 arrives at the Holy Flame Kingdom.


    ¡ª Striving to write better, Ten Gardens.

 Chapter 140 - 126: Feeling Honored

    Colin looked in the direction of the voice.


    At some unknown point, a dark-skinned young man with a vine-woven headpiece had appeared next to the pier.


    "Is this your first time on Rael Island, sir? I am Marz, a merchant and guide on the island."


    Marz approached them with a broad smile on his face.


    He wore a light green vest decorated with unique pale yellow patterns and didn''t look like a wizard.


    "Yes," Colin replied, nodding slightly.


    Marz smiled again and asked,


    "Do you need a guide, sir? It only costs one Magic Stone."


    He paused and then added,


    "Don''t think it''s too expensive. It''s always like this for guides on Rael Island, only we can move freely through the dense forest."


    "Lead the way," Colin nodded, not beating around the bush. He took a Magic Stone from his pouch and handed it to him lightly.


    "Very well, sir," Marz''s face lit up with a hint of surprise as he skillfully took the Magic Stone and bowed to Colin with his hand over his chest.


    Then he turned and took the lead, walking ahead.


    Colin and his companions followed closely behind.


    Soon, they reached the end of the pier where it connected to the lush jungle.


    "Sir, remember to stay close to me once we enter the jungle."


    Standing outside the jungle, Marz turned his head and reminded them.


    The dense, thriving jungle behind him had thick, twisting vines everywhere... there appeared to be no path entering it.


    Marz didn''t explain; he just charged straight into the jungle.


    The next second, as he moved, the vegetation that had obscured the area behind him simultaneously shifted to the sides, rustling softly.


    Soon, a narrow path appeared before them.


    Colin slightly raised his eyebrows, somewhat surprised.


    "Not many people live on Rael Island, and there aren''t many wizards either..." Marz started to explain as he led the way,


    "But we have never suffered from the disturbance of the Fierce Beasts or Demons, all thanks to Rael''s protection."


    Colin didn''t respond; he just curiously observed the surroundings,


    "These plants are part of Rael," Marz timely answered. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "However, they are only a part... if they leave this island, they will all become ordinary Magic Plants."


    "Hmm," Colin nodded, not asking further.


    The Wizard World was vast, far surpassing Earth from his previous life.


    There were still many unexplored places, many unsolved mysteries, and phenomena.


    Although he was very interested in mysteries like Rael, it was not a time for additional complications.


    Colin and his group followed Marz through the jungle.


    The vegetation in front parted while the one behind closed immediately after they passed, making them feel as though they were in a rectangular box. Endless green surrounded them, and the directional space overhead was capped at two and a half meters by densely packed plants.


    Fortunately, some resilient rays of sunlight managed to penetrate through large and small gaps, allowing them to see their surroundings.


    The dense plant cover also provided good sound insulation. In such a confined environment, the surroundings were so quiet that only the rustling of their clothing and faint breathing sounds could be heard.


    Tap, tap, tap¡ª


    They walked on.


    The view was a continuous field of green, making both distance and time seem blurred.


    After an unknown period,


    a gleam of White Light suddenly appeared in front of Marz, and the plant vines rustled as they divided to either side.


    Their view abruptly opened up.


    A narrow, winding path unfolded before everyone.


    "Welcome to Geyle Village," Marz, with his hand over his chest, turned back and bowed with a smile.


    Colin looked up.


    On both sides of the road stood ancient trees that could be embraced by several people.


    Such trees were not uncommon in this jungle; only here, they clustered more densely.


    It was above the trees, though, where his real interest lay.


    There, more or less, were some round-domed wooden houses.


    The houses were connected by thick vine suspension bridges.


    "Marz!"


    Suddenly, a shout came from a wooden house on a giant tree not far to the left.


    A dark-skinned, handsome man with sharply-defined features stood by the cabin window looking at them, his expression somewhat icy.


    "Lord Yul...," Marz trembled, his face looking rather ugly as he responded.


    He subconsciously walked towards a large tree beside him.


    But after taking one step, as if thinking of something, he turned back to call to Colin and the others.


    "Follow me, everyone."


    Colin nodded, although he could have used the Flying and Diving Skill to fly up, it wasn''t necessary.


    When in Rome, do as the Romans do¡ªhe wasn''t one to seek attention.


    "Just grab a vine and give it a pull," said Marz.


    Then, he casually chose a vine hanging by a large tree, held it, and gently pulled it down.


    The brown vine seemed to come to life, actively wrapping around his rough arm and slowly pulling him up to the treehouse.


    Colin also chose a vine, held it, and gently pulled it¡ªthe coarse, cold vine crawled up his arm like a long snake and secured itself.


    Immediately after, a gentle force pulled him up, instantly bringing him up to the treehouse.


    "Lord, if you keep going inside from here, you will see the place where supplies are sold... I won''t accompany you there."


    Marz quickly pointed out the way and then hurried toward the handsome young man.


    "Let''s go." Colin curbed his curiosity, calling Renee and the others to follow Marz''s direction.


    He hadn''t forgotten that his only purpose was to replenish some supplies for the ship.


    Colin and his group gradually moved away, their figures disappearing into the shadows of the trees.


    The handsome young man withdrew his gaze, stepped out of the cabin, and asked Marz coldly in front of him:


    "Marz! The sacrifice is about to happen, why did you bring a group of outsiders in?"


    Marz pursed his lips, squeezing out a smile, "I saw them looking around at the dock, it seemed to be their first time, and I was worried they''d wander into the forest..."


    Yul watched him quietly, his intense gaze causing Marz''s voice to get quieter and finally fade away.


    "I understand, Lord Yul."


    Yul was silent for a long time before he slowly said, "I know you want the village to earn more Magic Stones... but with the sacrifice happening in a few days, just a few Magic Stones won''t help us and might reveal us..."


    After finishing, Yul paused, then raised his hand to Marz''s shoulder, looking at him and heaving a slight sigh, "It''s an honor for Alice and the others to be chosen, you should be happy for them... Marz."


    Marz slowly bowed his head, his face obscured by the shadow.


    After a long time, a barely discernible response came.


    "Alright, Lord Yul."


    ...


    "Did we get all the supplies?" Colin asked Renee outside a treehouse.


    "We got everything, Lord," Renee answered, her face showing some joy as she looked at the fresh vegetables in her hand.


    This island was really as the Lord had said, suitable for replenishing fresh vegetables and fruits... at least the fruits and vegetables for sale looked very good.


    "Then let''s go... it''s getting late."


    Colin looked up at the Sky, although most of his view was blocked.


    But through the gaps between overlapping green leaves, he could still discern that it was getting late.


    "Are you all leaving?" asked Marz.


    He had caught up to Colin and the others after finishing his conversation with Yul.


    "Hmm," Colin nodded, "Thank you for your help."


    "No need, it''s my duty," Marz responded softly.


    The supplies Colin bought weren''t as many as he had expected, which disappointed him somewhat.


    "By the way, Lord, the exit fee is still one Magic Stone," he hesitated before reminding him again.


    In fact... on Rael Island, services like guiding, had always been free in the past.


    Except for setting up stalls at the dock, bringing travelers into the village allowed the travelers to spend money in the village.


    But that was before.


    Now he really wanted to earn as many Magic Stones as possible.


    "Hmm."


    Colin readily took out a Magic Stone and handed it to Marz.


    To him, spending two Magic Stones for entering and exiting was quite worth it.


    After all, Marz not only guided them in and out but also accompanied them most of the time.


    This spared them much trouble and saved a lot of time.


    And time was more important than Magic Stones; he was willing to pay some Magic Stones for it.

 Chapter 141 - 127 Nightmare

    At the pier.


    The originally clear water surface turned deep and mysterious due to the dim sky, resembling a piece of deep blue crystal. On its smooth surface, the distant orange sun cast a golden shadow.


    Dang.


    Colin stepped on the white steel gangway of the Sea Swallow, causing the hull to sway slightly.


    The deep blue crystal-like water under the ship rippled as if melting, and the crimson reflection also swayed.


    "Sir, I will escort you here, it''s getting late, so I will head back now," Marz said to them, his face somehow somber.


    "Hmm," Colin nodded, continuing onto the Sea Swallow along with Renee and the others via the gangway.


    When they reached the deck, Colin looked back.


    Marz''s figure gradually receded, already near the end of the pier, looking somewhat hurried.


    "Renee, prepare dinner, add more fresh vegetables tonight."


    Colin turned to Renee next to him and instructed.


    Then he spoke to Mod following behind, "Let''s continue addressing your problem, I already have some ideas."


    "Yes, sir!" Mod''s face lit up with joy.


    The two went to the Meditation Room next to the master bedroom below the deck.


    Facing each other on the grey cushions, Colin flipped through two Meditation Methods and after pondering for a moment, began to explain slowly.


    His own training in the apprenticeship Circulation Meditation had broken limits twice.


    Although he was not considered a master in terms of apprenticeship meditation, he was much stronger than a typical Advanced Wizard Apprentice¡­ This was also why he agreed to Mod''s request.


    The sun gradually sank beneath the sea, and the moon slowly rose.


    On the deep blue sea surface, a shimmering path of light reappeared, its color changing from the evening''s crimson gold to silver white.


    Time passed slowly.


    Around nine o''clock in the evening, Colin finally resolved Mod''s problem.


    The solution to the problem was simple¡­ The reason it took so long was mainly because of the time spent helping Mod understand the underlying principles.


    Colin watched Mod''s departing back and let out a soft sigh.


    This wasn''t the first time he recognized the gap between Wild Wizards and School Wizards.


    But this time, he undoubtedly understood the gap more deeply and clearly.


    It wasn''t to say there was a major difference in intelligence between School Wizards and Wild Wizards.


    The main differences were in foundational knowledge, learning frameworks, and logical thinking.


    Wild Wizards, not having received formal education from a magic school, often lacked sophisticated learning thought processes.


    This difference also made it harder for Wild Wizards to learn new knowledge compared to School Wizards, often requiring much more effort.


    Colin shook his head, gathered his thoughts, and with a thought, summoned the Golden Paper.


    Dinner had already been eaten during the explanation.


    Now it was time to move on to the next part¡ª


    Breaking limits again with the Fireball Technique and High Temperature Tolerance!


    ...


    Geyle Village.


    A gigantic ancient tree, at its upper section, had a naturally formed cavity cave.


    Walking along the small path to the depths of the cave.


    Boom!


    A gloomy green flame suddenly appeared in the ancient hall, emitting a light that enveloped the entire cave hall with a sinister and horrifying aura. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "This¡­" The young guard beside changed his face drastically, turned, and ran quickly toward the outside of the cave, shouting as he ran,


    "Light of Rael appeared earlier than expected, quickly inform Lord Yul!"


    His voice spread out along the passage towards the outer world, gradually stirring up the originally quiet Geyle Village.


    Minutes later.


    A small wooden hall was already filled with people, all wearing green clothing with unique light yellow patterns.


    The foremost was the handsome Yul, dressed in similar green attire adorned with unique light yellow patterns.


    However, his clothing was more lavish and exquisite, and he also wore a crown woven from golden flowers on his head.


    In the center of the wooden hall, the gloomy green flame hovered in the air, burning silently.


    Despite the presence of many people, all of them kept their mouths shut, their expressions silent, unusually quiet.


    However, upon closer observation, one could see that their gaze was focused on Yul.


    Feeling the gazes behind him, Yul breathed out softly and stepped towards the Light of Rael.


    Upon reaching the gloomy green flame, he raised both hands and reached inside.


    Hiss!


    A clear burning sound could be heard.


    "Ugh!"


    Yul let out a muffled groan.


    The Light of Rael had no temperature, but he felt as if his hands were being scorched by real flames.


    Drops of sweat the size of beans rolled from his forehead, falling onto the ancient tree trunk below, forming tiny wet spots, slowly absorbed by it.


    Yul''s face turned pale, but his expression remained calm.


    Enduring pain was the first lesson for a Priest.


    Soon, he withdrew his hands, subconsciously wanting to clench his fists to move them.


    But his palms did not move as he wished, instead remaining stiff in place.


    Yul''s calm face showed a brief ripple, but it quickly returned to calm, though the slight trembling of his arms still betrayed his inner turmoil.


    Swish.


    He dismissed the whim to move his palms and let his arms hang naturally.


    As a new generation Priest, he knew the consequences of touching the Light of Rael better than anyone else.


    First, it was the palms, then the arms, followed by the feet¡­ finally, the whole person would be left only a shell of flesh and blood, still breathing but without consciousness, lying on the bed like a living dead.


    "Priest Yul, what message did Rael convey this time?" the oldest elder in the crowd asked.

 Chapter 142 - 127 Nightmare_2

    Yul steadied his mind, dispelling the faint fear in his heart.


    Though the fear subsided, thinking of the message delivered by Rael, he couldn''t quite relax.


    He watched the elderly village chief, paused, and then slowly spoke, "Rael requests that we increase the number of sacrifices..." S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What?!"


    People murmured amongst themselves, showing looks of surprise.


    The hunched-back old chief furrowed his brows, the wrinkles on his face deepening with worry.


    "How could this be," he sighed.


    But in the next moment, his expression swiftly constrained as he turned to those gathered and calmly announced, "Let''s follow the rules."


    "Yes," the others quickly accepted the reality without any objections.


    Then they all dispersed to prepare for the selection ceremony.


    Yul also followed and left the cave hall.


    "Marz," he suddenly called out with a frown to someone not far off.


    "Where are you going?!"


    Marz paused in his steps, turned back, and said,


    "I''m going to notify the travelers at the dock! The Light of Rael has appeared, Nightmare is sure to come tonight, I have to warn them!"


    Having said that, he turned and continued to run towards the distance.


    A puzzling look crossed Yul''s eyes as he suddenly spoke again,


    "Stop, Marz."


    Marz turned his head to look at him, with a somewhat confused expression.


    "This time, the Light of Rael has appeared ahead of schedule, and the number of sacrifices has also increased... Everything is different from before. It''s better for you to stay in the village to avoid any mishaps," Yul explained gravely, but anyone paying close attention could spot an indescribable look in his eyes.


    "As for those travelers, one could only say they have bad luck."


    "But..." Marz hesitated.


    Thump!


    At this moment, a two-meter-high bonfire suddenly ignited in the clearing beside the ancient tree.


    A group of villagers in pale yellow patterned clothing quietly stood around the fire.


    "The ceremony has begun, come with me," Yul retracted his gaze and said again.


    Behind him, the orange glow of the bonfire cast his face into shadow. Yul looked at Marz, his lips slightly moving, and said in a deep voice,


    "Geyle village can''t afford to lose any more people, Marz."


    Marz looked up at him, and after a moment, nodded his head and walked towards the bonfire.


    Yul behind him watched his figure, his calm eyes reflecting the burning flames.


    He scanned the group and walked towards the stooped figure on the very left.


    "Village chief," Yul began.


    "Do you have something to say?" The old chief looked at him, puzzled.


    Yul''s lips slightly moved.


    Meanwhile, right next to the bonfire, a skinny man with a green leaf headdress just happened to clap his hands against a drum marked with strange beast skins.


    Boom.


    Inside the Sea Swallow''s Meditation Room, Colin raised his hand, clenched his fist, and forcefully knocked on his chest.


    The dull sound echoed through the Meditation Room.


    His face showed a bit of surprise, then, with a thought, he opened his right palm.


    A dim flame suddenly appeared in the center of his palm.


    Colin slowly placed his left hand over the flame but did not feel the expected burn; instead, it was just a warm sensation.


    This flame was probably around a thousand degrees in temperature, too hot for the flesh to withstand. Obviously, he had used Temperature Resistance Witchcraft.


    But in fact, he was now using only one witchcraft.


    As he had also broken through his High Temperature Tolerance until it turned gold, he suddenly realized that High Temperature Tolerance was also a type of Defensive Witchcraft.


    So he tried to integrate it with the new witchcraft that had combined from both Steel Armor and the Hope Defense Field.


    The result was the unnamed Defensive Witchcraft currently bolstering him.


    Perhaps it could be named "Steel Temperature Resistance Field," Colin mused.


    As he pondered, the characters on the Golden Paper began changing correspondingly.


    [Steel Temperature Resistance Field (0/100)]slowly emerged.


    Furthermore, the Fireball Technique had also been broken through.


    Unlike the Arrow Shooting Skill, the Steel Armor, and other witchcraft, which turned gold on the second limit breaking, achieving their limit.


    The Fireball Technique, after the second limit breaking, did not turn gold... this meant that it could be improved even further.


    This implied that Fireball Technique had more potential than some other witchcraft like Arrow Shooting Skill.


    As he thought about this, Colin walked out of the Meditation Room, intending to return to the main bedroom to rest.


    Dang.


    But after only a few steps, his brow suddenly furrowed.


    Tilting his head slightly, he listened intently.


    Dang!


    A harsh clashing sound suddenly burst forth, and not just once - it was one after another, relentless.


    Dang! Dang! Dang!


    It sounded as if a group of large fish were continuously slamming into the Sea Swallow.


    "Attention, we are under unknown attack," the mechanical voice of the Sea Demon''s Heart announced.


    Colin''s expression changed, and he quickly made his way towards the deck!


    Renee and others noticed the disturbance and came out.


    "Master."


    "My Lord."


    They both cast inquiring glances at him.


    "I don''t know the specifics, let''s go up and see."


    Colin answered and continued walking briskly.


    At night, the Sea Swallow''s Protective Shield would always be turned on, attacks from anyone below the status of an Official Wizard were unlikely to break it.


    The Sea Demon''s Heart had not given any indication of the Protective Shield being damaged.


    Thus, he was not too alarmed yet.


    But the next second.


    Bang!!


    A collision sound far more intense than before rang out.


    Colin felt a sinking feeling.


    The impact was so strong and heavy that even the massive Sea Swallow began to shake violently.


    He couldn''t help but quicken his pace.


    Soon, he reached the deck.


    In the dark sky, the bright moon hung high, with only a few insignificant clouds skirting around it.


    The silvery moonlight fell down, illuminating the surroundings, so that Colin didn''t need to use any Light Brightness Skill to clearly see everything around.

 Chapter 143 - 127 Nightmare_3

    Swoosh¡ªSwoosh¡ª


    The waves kept churning, and beside the Sea Swallow, on the dark sea surface, dark monsters had somehow appeared, cruising continuously.


    These monsters had a mud-like texture and humanoid shapes. Each head was different: some were round, some triangular, but all featured a pair of crimson eyes and lacked other facial features.


    Their sizes varied too; the recently larger sound had been caused by a monster on the right side, about two and a half meters tall.


    At the moment, that black monster continued attacking the Sea Swallow, causing ripples across the vessel''s semi-transparent Protective Shield.


    Swoosh!!


    Colin raised his hand and shot a Cone Bullet at it.


    But the black monster showed no reaction at all.


    Under the moonlight, he could clearly see that the Cone Bullet simply passed through it like a gel, merely making a hole the size of a finger in the monster.


    Then, in the blink of an eye, the hole healed itself.


    Most of the black monsters were heading toward the jungle at the end of the dock on Rael Island, but many stayed because of the Sea Swallow.


    Colin lifted his eyes to look further back, and after seeing clearly, he couldn''t help but shiver.


    He had thought there were only a small group of these black monsters.


    But on the pitch-black sea surface behind him, with the waves moving and under the silvery moonlight, he could see countless black dots continuously emerging, densely packed almost everywhere!


    With such numbers, how could one not be afraid?


    Colin steadied himself.


    Although there were many monsters, if their attack power was only like this ... at least until the Magic Stone of the Sea Swallow was exhausted, he didn''t have to worry about his own safety.


    But since there was a two and a half meter tall black monster, he feared there could be even larger ones.


    He naturally would not pin his hopes on not encountering stronger black monsters.


    Looking around, it was now deep into the night.


    Nighttime sailing was indeed a taboo ... Previously at sea, they would always extinguish lights and anchor.


    He finally decided to keep watching the situation.


    Having just tried the Arrow Shooting Skill and found it ineffective against these seemingly mud-made monsters, he also temporarily extinguished the desire to continue attacking.


    After all, these black monsters obviously aimed for Rael Island, and the Protective Shield of the Sea Swallow had a camouflage function.


    So not many black monsters gathered nearby.


    And since the Fireball Technique made a lot of noise, just to kill one black monster, while potentially attracting others, it obviously wasn''t worth the risk.


    "What on earth are these monsters..." Mod looked on, his face somewhat pale.


    He usually didn''t like things that were packed densely, and these black monsters not only numbered in the dense masses but were also filthy and ugly.


    Combining the two made him feel quite nauseated.


    As for safety, he wasn''t overly worried.


    After all, standing next to him was a First Rank Wizard!


    And these black monsters couldn''t even break through the Protective Shield of the Sea Swallow, let alone confront an Official Wizard!


    Time ticked by, second by second.


    More and more black monsters gathered beside the Sea Swallow. 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 outside shield with the camouflage feature was now overwhelmed, occasionally leaking their presence.


    This caused the attacks of the black monsters to become increasingly frequent ...


    They couldn''t go on like this!


    Colin frowned slightly, resolute in his decision to take a risk and set sail to leave.


    But just then, a disturbance suddenly came from the sea domain behind them.

 Chapter 144 - 128: The Foiled Conspiracy

    On the deck of the Sea Swallow.


    Colin gazed at the sea domain behind him, illuminated by the bright moonlight shining from the high-hanging moon.


    The dark, ink-like sea surface behind him had fewer black monster silhouettes than before.


    Yet, his heart didn''t feel the slightest bit of relief.


    In his field of vision, he could clearly see three black monsters, clearly larger than the others by more than one size, swimming toward the shore¡ªalso heading in the Sea Swallow''s direction.


    With a rough estimate based on his sight, the body length of these three black monsters was at least five meters!


    Their joined legs, resembling the tails of fish, propelled them forward with powerful thrusts.


    Dark waves churned, and the three black monsters shot through the water like arrows released from their bows.


    Black monsters slightly smaller in size moved out of the way as if they were approaching their king, hastily parting to the left and right and bowing their heads low in the water, almost burying their faces.


    Some unlucky creatures that didn''t veer away in time were, upon collision with the three black leaders, dissolved as if licked by flames¡ªeffortlessly melting away and then transforming into black mist absorbed by the leaders.


    The whole process was silent and swift.


    It was at this moment that Colin noticed those black monsters had more than just crimson twin eyes...


    Beneath that pair of blood-red eyes was a huge, pitch-black maw.


    Those unlucky black monsters, now in anguish, suddenly opened their massive jaws wide, emitting a silent scream. Between their upper and lower lips, like pulled silk, was a connection of countless sticky black threads.


    The black creature leaders swam silently forward.


    Judging by their momentum, these three black leaders were at least as strong as a First Rank Wizard!


    Swish!


    The Foolishness Scepter, adorned with dark golden patterns, appeared in Colin''s right hand.


    His expression turned grave, and he felt a touch of relief inside.


    This was a U-shaped harbor, with only one path leading out to sea... it was precisely the direction from which the black monsters were attacking.


    It was fortunate he had not rashly chosen to set sail earlier; otherwise, the Sea Swallow would undoubtedly have collided head-on with these three black leaders, comparable to Official Wizards!


    Although the witchcraft he cast with the Foolishness Scepter could barely reach the level of an Official Wizard,


    he was, after all, only an Advanced Wizard Apprentice, not a real Official Wizard.


    If he were to contend with these three black leaders, it would likely still not be enough.


    "Go back to your rooms," he instructed Mod and the Renee sisters in a low voice, turning his head.


    Then he walked swiftly alone toward the captain''s cabin at the top, his face somber.


    "...Yes, Master." Renee glanced at the black leaders, then at Colin''s retreating back, pressed her lips together, and turned to head below deck.


    Mod did not hesitate; following Colin''s directive, he quickly made his way below deck.


    He could see that their situation was dire; his heart was anxious, but he felt powerless and could only hope that Colin would manage to lead them to safety.


    On the other hand, Colin had already arrived at the captain''s cabin. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He quickly placed his right hand on the pale blue control nexus crystal of the Sea Demon''s Heart, concentrated his spirit, and slowly infused his Magic Power.


    Whash¡ªWhash¡ª!


    Not far away, the sound of the waves caused by the swimming of the three black leaders was already clearly audible.


    As they moved, the dark waves kept crashing against the Sea Swallow, and the strong impact made the ship shake continuously.


    Colin stole a glance at the three approaching black leaders.


    The silver moonlight draped their exposed, fierce backs above the deep blue sea with a faint silver sheen.


    Turning his gaze away, he parted his lips slightly and breathed out a faint breath.


    "Lower the Protective Shield''s defense intensity; use all the Magic Power for the Protective Shield''s camouflage!"


    He controlled the Sea Demon''s Heart, pushing the Sea Swallow''s stealth capability to the extreme!


    A wave of invisible Spiritual Light flashed by, and the Sea Swallow suddenly became even more inconspicuous.


    From the perspective of the black monsters, it was like a most ordinary piece of reef.


    After doing this, Colin turned his head once more to watch those three distinctly different black monsters...


    Although the effects of the stealthy Witch Array were excellent, his heart still lacked confidence.


    Clasping the Foolishness Scepter tightly in his hand and feeling the scepter''s feedback from its metal-wood surface, his face gradually calmed.


    Whash¡ªWhash¡ª!


    The black leaders were getting closer and closer to the Sea Swallow.


    Under the moonlight, Colin could even see clearly the fine patterns on their bodies, which resembled mud and gelatin.


    Clang¡ªClang¡ª


    Various moving parts inside the Sea Swallow rattled lightly due to the collision caused by the surging waves.


    But the sound was confined by the invisible Witch Array, echoing inside the ship and not leaking out at all.


    Soon after, the black leaders came alongside the ship... and seemed to continue swimming forward without any reaction.


    Colin let out a slight sigh of relief.


    But the next second,


    the black leader at the center suddenly stopped and reared its head in a silent roar.


    A portion of the slightly smaller black monsters nearby, as if receiving some command, turned and fixed their crimson eyes on the Sea Swallow.


    The next second.


    Whoosh!


    They rapidly swam towards the Sea Swallow!


    The three black leaders, meanwhile, led most of the black monsters toward the jungle of Rael Island.


    Watching the surge of black monsters, Colin sighed, and quickly reached for the Sea Demon''s Heart''s nexus crystal.


    "Remove the Protective Shield''s disguise, output full defense for the Protective Shield!"


    Since they had already been discovered, any further disguise would be useless.


    Swish!


    As if an invisible membrane had dissipated, the Sea Swallow came to life once more.


    The difference this time was that a distinct pale blue Protective Shield slowly emerged around it!

 Chapter 145 - 128: The Foiled Conspiracy_2

    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    The black monsters, like swift arrows, continuously shot toward the Sea Swallow.


    Although most of them had followed the three black monster leaders into the jungle, there were still at least hundreds of the black monsters left!


    Boom!!


    An orange-yellow Fireball fell onto the group of monsters gathered on the starboard side, exploding with a bang.


    Hiss!!


    The area on the starboard side was instantly cleared, but in the next moment, it was continuously covered with black again.


    Swoosh swoosh swoosh!


    A succession of Fireballs rapidly flew towards the surroundings of the Sea Swallow.


    With the powerful coverage of firepower, the black monsters temporarily couldn''t approach the Sea Swallow, and the situation developed in a favorable direction.


    Hiss¡ª¡ª!!


    But good times didn''t last long, the middle one of the distant jungle''s black monster leaders seemed to notice the change occurring near the Sea Swallow and lifted its head to let out a long hiss.


    In the next second, its body suddenly split into two from the middle, then turned into two slightly smaller black monsters.


    The one on the left turned its head and glared at Colin, hissing softly as it stepped forward with more black monsters in attack!


    In just moments, the area around the Sea Swallow, which had been temporarily cleared, was filled up again.


    Colin repeated his trick, casting a Fireball!


    Bang!


    The black monster leader''s clone emitted a faint black glow, attacking the Sea Swallow with unmatched power.


    The Sea Swallow''s shield shook violently and collapsed in the next second!


    Colin''s expression changed, and he swung the Foolishness Scepter fiercely!


    An orange-yellow Fireball, far stronger than the previous ones, shot like a missile towards the black monster leader and, upon contact, suddenly expanded, engulfing the leader in an intense blaze.


    Before the black monster leader''s clone could react, another Fireball hit its side, but this time it exploded with a bang.


    Boom!!


    The blast wave directly knocked the black monster leader''s clone far away!


    After doing all this, Colin paused for a moment, then used the Sea Swallow''s speaking tube to say to Mod and Renee in a grave tone:


    "Take Demi and leave the Sea Swallow, get on the emergency boat and head to the shore nearby!"


    "Yes!"


    "Right away, Master!"


    Almost the next second, Renee and the others responded. Their voices sounded a bit muffled through the speaking tube, but it did not affect the clarity.


    They had always been attentive to the outside commotion, and although they did not know why Colin had given such an order, the current situation obviously allowed no hesitation!


    Colin quickly walked to the stern, waving the Foolishness Scepter and clearing the black monsters from that area.


    Shortly after, with a click, the gate opened, and a small boat slid out from the stern into the sea.


    "Master!"


    Then Renee and the others appeared.


    "Get on the boat," Colin instructed.


    He gripped the Foolishness Scepter tightly, exhaling gently.


    Once Renee and the others had jumped onto the emergency boat, he concentrated his thoughts.


    A translucent force field emitted from his body, instantly reaching the size of the Sea Swallow!


    But it didn''t stop there; it continued to spread.


    Boom!!


    With an abundance of power, it flung the black monsters surrounding the Sea Swallow away.


    Seizing the moment, Colin suppressed the feeling of exhaustion within himself, invoked his Spirit, and the Storage Ring on his finger flashed!


    Swoosh!!


    The Sea Swallow, over ten meters long, vanished in an instant!


    The black monsters were momentarily stunned, their actions pausing.


    Without stopping, Colin immediately activated the Flying and Diving Skill, flying towards Renee and the others, who had almost reached the shore!


    Ding.


    Oars down, Renee and the rest quickly jumped onto the shore.


    Colin in midair waved his hand, storing the emergency boat, and stepped onto the shore as well.


    This was the left side of the harbor, with only a two-meter-wide area for them to stand, and the jungle was directly behind them.


    Colin''s first instinct was to take Renee and the others into the jungle for temporary shelter.


    But as he approached the jungle, he abruptly retreated, dodging a ferocious vine swinging toward him!


    "These¡­" Renee and the others changed their expressions upon seeing the terrifying vines attacking.


    These plants, which seemed just slightly ominous during the day, had now turned into monstrous creatures.


    Though they weren''t as formidable as the black monsters, there were far more of them!


    It was clearly unwise to go in rashly.


    Colin took a small step back, confirming that the vines wouldn''t come over to attack. Then, he turned to Renee and ordered in a deep voice,


    "Hold onto Demi!"


    "Yes." Despite some confusion, Renee did not hesitate and tightly embraced Demi.


    Colin looked back to see that the black monsters had surrounded them, their numbers so many that they crowded this stretch of the sea domain!


    The leading black beast leader spat out a glob of sticky black liquid from its widely opened mouth toward him!


    Hiss!


    The Steel Temperature Resistance Field expanded, colliding with the black liquid with a clearly audible sound!


    But it withstood the attack.


    He no longer hesitated and raised his right palm, summoning his spirit!


    The Sun Fireball Magic Crystal inlaid on the Storage Ring given to him by the Law Enforcement Team started to emit a faint red light.


    The next second!


    A blinding light burst forth!


    Boom!!!


    The mass of black monsters clustered around the shore of the sea domain were once again cleared, those nearby turned to ashes, and those farther away were blown away by the shock wave!


    The heat from the flames even instantly evaporated a layer of sea water, and white steam rose, mingling with the shrieks of the black monsters!


    "Don''t move!"


    Taking advantage of this moment, Colin extended his hands and grabbed both Mod and Renee, who was holding Demi, one in each hand!


    Then, he activated the Flying and Diving Skill, shooting up from the ground and swiftly flying towards the open sea outside the harbor!


    At this moment, three black beast leaders were already heading toward the jungle!


    Behind them, as far as the eye could see, there was no longer any trace of the monsters in the sea domain,


    There could be no better opportunity to escape!


    Elsewhere.


    The black beast leader clone had awakened from the impact, its body, which had been charred on one side, rapidly recovering.


    In a moment, it was back to normal.


    Hiss!!


    It glared at Colin''s ascending figure with angry crimson eyes, letting out a vicious roar! S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It then bowed its head and bulged its back.


    Puff! Puff!


    With two soft sounds, a pair of black membranous wings stretched out from its back.


    Swoosh!


    The black beast leader clone flapped its wings, a faint black light surrounding it as it soared into the sky, shooting fiercely toward Colin and his group!


    Crack.


    A faint sound came from the edge of the jungle where Colin had just been.


    The black beast leader''s flight paused briefly as it turned its head to look.


    "Shh!"


    In the jungle, Yul''s face changed and he quickly gestured for the people beside him to keep silent.


    Through the dense gaps in the vegetation, he breathed a sigh of relief only after he saw that the Nightmare clone continued to chase after Colin.


    But his expression was still somber as he turned to the fully armed warriors beside him and said in a low voice,


    "Let''s go back."


    Marz, who was perched in the vegetation, glanced at Colin''s retreating figure and then at Yul''s downcast face, his heart filled with mixed emotions.


    They had come here at Yul''s suggestion.


    The aim was to take advantage of the Nightmare''s attack on the foreign wizards to see if they could obtain a Magic Stone from them.


    But now that Colin had escaped, their plot had undoubtedly fallen through...


    The plan to use the Magic Stone as a sacrifice... was no longer mentionable.


    Marz hung his head low, following behind Yul as they returned to the village.


    The sacrifice... had to continue.

 Chapter 146 - 129: Arriving at the Siya Continent

    And on the other side,


    The sea was as dark as ink.


    Swoosh!


    The black monster flapped its wings, stirring up the sound of the wind.


    Feeling the approach of the wind from behind, Colin''s heart sank a little as he hung midair.


    His Flying and Diving Skill was just a beginner''s... just as the female clerk had said, his speed was truly mediocre.


    Or to put it bluntly... pathetic.


    If not for the boost from the Foolishness Scepter, he would have been caught by the black monster''s leader long ago.


    Of course, now it wasn''t much different.


    This clearly wouldn''t do!


    Holding Renee and Mod in one hand, he freed up the other to wave the Foolishness Scepter and turned his head to shoot a Fireball at the black monster''s leader!


    Boom!


    The Fireball exploded a few meters from the black monster''s leader, the blast wave causing the creature, caught off guard, to spin midair!


    But this could only temporarily block the black monster''s leader for a moment.


    Before long, it had adjusted its posture and was once again chasing after Colin!


    The black membranous wings beat rapidly, quickly closing in on Colin.


    Boom!!


    The same Fireball attacked again; this time the black monster''s leader was more cautious and dodged early.


    But it didn''t expect the Fireball to turn and accelerate with it, then expand and explode, engulfing it.


    Hiss!


    The black monster''s leader closed its wings, and the black glow on its body intensified, resisting the Fireball''s scorching!


    Colin seized this opportunity to speed up and continue flying, trying to increase the distance between him and the black monster''s leader.


    The leader was stronger than he had imagined; the ordinary power of witchcraft attacks equivalent to those of a First Rank Junior Wizard, boosted by the Foolishness Scepter, had no effect on it.


    Only the attacks from the Sun Fireball, which were equivalent to that of a First Rank Intermediate Wizard, had been able to cause it harm.


    However, all he needed was a temporary delay.


    The chase continued for a long time.


    It wasn''t until Colin looked back and saw that the crescent-shaped island had visibly shrunk in size that he finally slowed his flying speed.


    Breathing out softly, he took the opportunity, while the black monster''s leader was still at bay, to dive down, close to the sea surface. Then, he took out an inflatable lifeboat from the Storage Ring.


    "Paddle away," Colin told Renee, placing the three of them on the inflatable lifeboat, and spoke softly.


    "Yes, Master," Renee replied without hesitation, then paused and stared at Colin, speaking softly. "Master... be careful."


    "Hmm," Colin nodded in response, casually turning his head to look behind.


    After Renee had spoken, the black monster''s leader was already closing in.


    He climbed again, hovering midair, waiting for the black monster to attack.


    The speed of his Flying and Diving Skill was clearly much slower than that of the black monster''s leader, and he had little Magic Power left within him. If he kept fleeing, he would be heading down a dead end.


    Not to mention the speed of the Sea Swallow, barely over thirty knots, not even as fast as the Flying and Diving Skill.


    He had to seize the opportunity while he still had strength left to kill the black monster''s leader and escape!


    His body''s Magic Power and Spirit didn''t allow for any more probing; he had to be decisive!


    Fingering the Sun Fireball Ring on his right forefinger, he hesitated for a moment but chose to hold on to the Foolishness Scepter tightly.


    The Sun Fireball Ring, though pre-charged and not consuming Magic Power, required the use of spiritual power.


    In his normal, full state of spirit, he might have been able to manage a second cast.


    But in his current condition, attempting a second cast had virtually no chance of success. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Only by using the Foolishness Scepter to forcibly enhance the Magic Power!'' He silently made up his mind.


    The Foolishness Scepter arbitrarily enhanced the power of witchcraft, increasing neither the spiritual nor the magic consumption.


    From past tests, if he were to push the Limit Breaking to the Golden Paper level for a Basic Level spell like the Arrow Shooting Skill, it would only be raised to the power of a normally cast spell by a First Rank Junior Wizard.


    The consumption indicated on the Golden Paper for this was that after casting five times, it would decrease the progress by one point.


    Perhaps the increase of knowledge from the Golden Paper, when casting witchcraft at full power, compensated for the knowledge consumed by the Foolishness Scepter.


    So, compared with the power increased by the Foolishness Scepter, such knowledge consumption didn''t seem significant.


    But this was only to the level of a First Rank Junior.


    To increase it further, the consumption of knowledge would rise exponentially!


    Swoosh!


    The black monster''s leader was now less than ten meters from him.


    Colin exhaled a breath, clenching the Foolishness Scepter!


    The next second, he gently swung it.


    Hiss.


    A brightly yellow Fireball tinged with a hint of blazing white appeared before him.


    Swoosh!


    The next second, like a streak of light, it shot towards the black monster''s leader with extraordinary speed.


    The black monster''s leader''s red eyes widened! A clear sense of panic appeared on its face.


    Boom!!


    In an instant, it was engulfed by flames.


    The invisible shockwave made Colin''s figure sway, and his face turned pale as he stared intently at the flames.


    The bright light of the flames made his eyes sting, but he still didn''t look away.


    Thump.


    Before long, the dark creature leader''s clone in the flames stopped moving, curled up from the scorching, and fell into the sea.


    Colin urged the scant Magic Power left in his body, flying toward the remains of the dark creature leader.


    Swoosh!


    Before he even got close, he fired a Cone Bullet to check the solidity of the dark creature''s remnants ahead of him.


    Bang.


    The remains of the dark creature, originally about the size of a man floating on the sea''s surface, turned into powder under the impact of the Cone Bullet and dissolved into the seawater.


    Seeing this sight, he breathed a sigh of relief.


    "What''s this?"


    The next second, he furrowed his brow in confusion, concentrated his Force Field, and bent forward to scoop up the last ashes of the dark creature''s remains¡ªa black ball the size of a chicken egg.


    The black ball was smooth and round, flashing with a deep light within.


    Could it be some kind of treasure?


    Colin''s eyes flickered as he once again urged the Foolishness Scepter.


    Bright yellow flames rose from his hands, but instead of expanding, they were constrained to the size of a fist, enveloping the chicken egg-sized black ball and unreservedly transferring all heat onto it.


    Soon, the black ball turned red and then, amid a sickening screech, shattered into ashes.


    But Colin still didn''t stop.


    With Magic Power nearly depleted, he called off the Flying and Diving Skill, allowing himself to fall into the water, focusing the remaining Magic Power on the flames in his right hand.


    Not until his Magic Power was almost entirely exhausted, and the ashes showed no change, did he slowly cease his efforts.


    He lifted his palm and watched the ashes scatter, and Colin finally let down his guard.


    "Master!"


    Renee''s voice suddenly came calling.


    He looked in the direction of the sound.


    Renee and Demi were paddling towards him in a lifeboat.


    Mod, who was standing nearby, caught sight of him alive and his face lit up with relief and surprise before he quickly sat down, grabbing the two oars at the stern of the boat to row toward him.


    Five minutes later.


    Puff¡ªPuff¡ª


    The steam engine of the Sea Swallow began to work, its robust power spinning the paddles below the boat at high speed.


    Inside the captain''s cabin.


    Colin approached the window, gazing into the distance at the crescent-shaped Rael Island.


    Renee and Mod had already been sent to rest.


    The silvery moonlight enveloped the outside.


    For some reason, the more he looked, the more the crescent-shaped Rael Island seemed to resemble the raised crown of an unknown colossal beast.


    The moonlight was clear and bright, yet it couldn''t penetrate the inky blackness of the sea.


    Such speculation made him shiver.


    Shaking his head, he discarded the excess thoughts and, with a thought, summoned the Golden Paper.


    Pale golden particles gathered.


    After seeing clearly, his expression darkened.


    The just recently Limit Breaking Fireball Skill II had once again become Fireball Skill I (93/100), and behind Arrow Shooting Skill, a golden progression also mysteriously appeared (96/100).


    Moreover, the progress of the Flying and Diving Skill had dropped to 43/100, and the progress of Steel Temperature Resistance Field had also dropped to 8/100.


    Colin exhaled gently and turned off the Golden Paper.


    Such results had been anticipated by him when he obtained the Foolishness Scepter.


    After all, this was the single biggest flaw of the Foolishness Scepter...


    Regardless, at the very least, he had successfully escaped the crisis, and he could continue to improve his witchcraft progress in the future.


    After checking the Golden Paper, Colin sat cross-legged on the spot, beginning to restore his Magic Power.


    The sea was fraught with dangers at night, and the drained Magic Power inside him truly left him feeling insecure.


    It would be fine if he stayed still, as the probability of encountering danger was not as high as when moving constantly.


    But now, he had to move... he did not want to anchor so close to Rael Island.


    Whoosh¡ªWhoosh¡ª


    The Sea Swallow shut down all its lights, continually advancing on the pitch-black ocean, like a ghost.


    But the night would eventually end, and after an indeterminable time, the golden sun rose again from the sea horizon.


    Brilliant sunlight spread across the ocean, the sky became clear and bright again, and the sea turned back to azure blue.


    Screech¡ªScreech¡ª


    White seabirds appeared out of nowhere once again.


    Colin stepped out of the captain''s room, and seeing such a scene, his mood involuntarily lightened.


    Thus, day followed night, and tides rose and fell.


    During the next half month of their voyage, they encountered no major crises.


    Some attacks from merfolk demons were effortlessly dealt with by Colin.


    In this way, on January 3 of the year 3584 by the Yanan Calendar, they finally reached the Siya Continent!

 Chapter 147 - 130 Respectable Position

    Yili Kingdom, Anzokeka Port.


    Colin and his companions had arrived here in the morning.


    Looking around, the sky was clear with blue skies and white clouds.


    "Lord Colin, thank you for taking care of us this past month."


    On the dock, Mod, carrying a black backpack, bowed to Colin with his right hand on his left chest.


    Then he stood up straight, looked at him, hesitated, and asked,


    "I wonder where you will be heading after completing your tasks... My final destination is Merredith City under the Wizard Alliance."


    "Mod, you have already asked me this," Colin said with a smile, slowly.


    "I was presumptuous," Mod replied with an abashed smile.


    Colin turned his head to look at the small dock and shook his head, "I indeed have not yet decided on my specific itinerary... If fate allows, we will meet again in the future."


    "Alright, Lord Colin," Mod responded slowly, then looked up and said,


    "Then I will take my leave first."


    "Mhm," Colin nodded.


    Mod paused, bowed with his hand on his chest again, his face showing a hint of melancholy.


    The Sea Swallow was not a large ship; besides him and Colin, only the sisters Renee and Demi were passengers. They typically never interacted with him, merely greeting when they saw each other.


    Thus, over the past month, the person he most often interacted with was Colin.


    After all, he often paid to seek guidance from Colin regarding issues with his training.


    Colin''s demeanor, which he had never experienced before as one of equality, had left a deep impression on him...


    It would have been more reassuring to stay by the side of such a person.


    Sadly, he had more important goals to pursue.


    Mod turned and left, intending to board another ship to a larger port.


    Such an arrangement would significantly shorten the time needed to reach Merredith City compared to starting by land from this location.


    And a simple coastal voyage could be managed by ordinary people and ships.


    Colin watched Mod walking away and gradually withdrew his gaze.


    The Yili Kingdom was just a small country, and Anzokeka Port was only slightly larger than the port on Blackstone Island.


    But to reach the Holy Flame Kingdom located in the interior of the Siya Continent, this port was the nearest according to the map.


    He looked around.


    The dock at Anzokeka Port was not busy... perhaps because it was winter.


    Although he was still wearing a thin Wizard Robe, most people on the dock were dressed in cotton and linen coats, even the sisters Renee and Demi had put on an extra coat.


    Only the working fishermen and laborers wore slightly thinner clothes.


    "Wizard sir, are you looking for a guide?"


    At that moment, a young man finally approached cautiously and asked.


    In his mind, the recent scene of Colin sailing into the port and then magically stowing the ship flashed...


    This young man before him was undoubtedly a mysterious wizard!


    Colin glanced at him and nodded.


    "Find a place to sit, and I''ll ask you in detail."


    "Yes, sir!" The young man, suppressing his excitement, led the way.


    Colin followed the young man.


    The three of them traveled light, with only Renee carrying a small handbag containing their most commonly used items.


    The rest had already been stored in the Storage Ring.


    He was not surprised by the young guide''s reaction.


    Typically, wizards, for the sake of their training, resided in places rich in Magic Power.


    And the Magic Power at Anzokeka Port was very scarce... he felt it as soon as he disembarked.


    He even speculated¡ªthe Yili Kingdom might also be a desert in terms of Magic Power.


    This illustrated that at least in Anzokeka Port, wizards were not common.


    Two hours later.


    Outside the central train station in Anzokeka.


    Sigh~


    A black carriage slowed to a stop, and Colin alighted with the sisters Renee and Demi.


    After inquiring carefully from the young guide, he had planned their route.


    Since the Holy Flame Kingdom was a smaller country, there was no direct transportation available.


    However, there surprisingly was a train in Anzokeka City.


    Therefore, the best route was to take a steam train from Anzokeka City to the northernmost capital of Yili Kingdom, then find a way to the Holy Flame Kingdom.


    Tap tap tap¡ª


    Suddenly.


    A troop clad in triple-buttoned black uniforms, brown epaulets, and black wide-brimmed hats ran towards from the left. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The pot-bellied middle-aged man leading them approached Colin with a beaming face, removed his wide-brimmed hat, and respectfully greeted,


    "Respected Wizard Sir, good morning."


    As he took off his wide-brimmed hat, revealing the few remaining strands of hair fluttering in the winter wind on his balding head.


    Colin glanced at the middle-aged man, paused slightly on his shiny bald head, and asked,


    "Is there something you need from me?"


    The balding middle-aged man pressed his wide-brimmed hat back onto his head and, after adjusting its position, continued to speak with a smile:


    "It''s like this, Mayor Doyle knows of your arrival and wishes to invite you to join him for lunch."


    "No need," Colin declined indifferently, striding towards the train station with Renee.


    "My lord, please wait..."


    Colin slightly furrowed his brows and turned to look at the middle-aged balding sheriff.


    The sheriff''s heart skipped a beat, momentarily stuck for words. He quickly pulled a delicate gift box from his pocket and handed it to Colin while stumbling over his words:


    "This...is a gift from Mayor Doyle, wishing you a pleasant journey."


    He caught a glimpse of Colin''s calm expression and felt slightly reassured, then added:


    "Inside is a specialty trinket from Anzokeka City... Every wizard visiting Anzokeka City for the first time receives such a gift from Mayor Doyle."


    Colin relaxed his brows and accepted the gift box.


    "My lord, do you need us to arrange your train journey?" the sheriff asked again.


    Colin raised his eyebrows.


    His memories from childhood were vague, and since his arrival in this body, he had only stayed on Blackstone Island and Bananka Island.


    His knowledge of the Siya Continent was limited to some documents he had acquired on Bananka Island...


    Thus, his understanding of the entire Siya Continent''s environment was hardly profound.


    He had not expected such warmth towards wizards in Anzokeka City...


    It was unclear if this was the attitude across the entire Siya Continent or just in Anzokeka...


    But he saw no reason to decline such help, as the sheriff''s assistance would undoubtedly save him a lot of effort.


    "Yes," he nodded to the sheriff.


    After communicating his destination to the sheriff, he was guided to a private compartment to quietly wait.


    About half an hour later, he was led by another group of station staff towards the platform.


    Walking through the corridor, they reached the platform.


    A rugged black steam train appeared before him.


    A rough comparison suggested it was larger than the trains from his previous world.


    The length of each compartment was about the same.


    Boarding the train, the staff led him to a luxurious compartment to sit down before turning to leave.


    He waited again.


    Whoo¡ª!


    The steam whistle blared.


    The train clattered along, slowly moving away from the platform.


    Colin sat on the luxurious yellow sofa by the window, staring out at the slowly receding scenery outside, somewhat preoccupied...


    Walking the streets of Anzokeka City earlier hadn''t elicited such a strong feeling.


    The buildings and streets he saw were only slightly better than those on Blackstone Island and possibly on the same level as Bananka Island.


    But they were far inferior to those from his previous world where buildings were just three or four stories tall and streets were mostly cobblestone or paved.


    But this steam train really bewildered him.


    It seemed the technological level of the Siya Continent had at least reached that of the first Industrial Revolution in his former life.


    Why there was still no electricity or internal combustion engines, though, was a mystery¡ªas for gunpowder.


    When he had first arrived, he had thought of making gunpowder, but had never succeeded.


    Later, when he researched on Bananka Island, he understood that in this world, magic power was needed as a catalyst for gunpowder to function.


    But if magic was needed, it was better to use other forms of witchcraft since, compared to other bizarre types of witchcraft, gunpowder wasn''t a competitive choice.


    Shifting his gaze away, Colin turned to survey the spacious and luxurious compartment.


    The spot he was in was part of the second carriage of the entire train.


    From his observations, this compartment seemed to occupy half the length of the entire carriage¡­ around fifteen meters long.


    The interior was exquisitely and luxuriously furnished, even partitioned into a bedroom, bathroom, and a separate parlor.


    If he wasn''t mistaken, this should be designated for the significant figures of the Yili Kingdom.


    After examining the compartment, Colin briefly wondered what to do.


    The train journey would roughly take two days and a night, and he was expected to reach the northernmost capital of the Yili Kingdom by tomorrow evening.


    After a moment of contemplation, he took out the exquisite gift box given by the sheriff, placed it on the table, and opened it.


    A silver-white pocket watch caught his eye.


    ''Indeed a small trinket.''


    Just as he was about to pick up the pocket watch to examine it closer, a clamorous noise suddenly came from the corridor outside the compartment.


    "Princess, you''re here... Wait! Are you looking for the wizard lord?"


    "Please allow me to inform the wizard lord of Your Highness''s arrival... Haven''t you already agreed to give up the compartment?"


    "Get out!"


    A haughty female voice came through.


    ''Trouble¡­''


    Colin slightly furrowed his brow, preparing to instruct Renee to handle the situation.


    Knock, knock, knock.


    But the next second, a polite and soft knocking sounded.


    Accompanied by it was a sweet voice:


    "Respected wizard lord, Princess Connie of the Yili Kingdom has come to visit."

 Chapter 148 - 131 Palace

    Listening to Connie''s tone of voice, Colin was a bit surprised.


    ''It seems it''s not what I thought... she''s not here to pick a fight.''


    There was a pause, and then he instructed Renee, who was standing beside him:


    "Renee, go open the door."


    Anyway, the Magic Power of the Yili Kingdom was meager, and the progress of meditation was slow, making it practically useless; and practicing witchcraft wasn''t convenient on the train either.


    With nothing else to do, he might as well see what the Princess has come to see him for.


    "Yes, Master."


    Click.


    Renee walked over to the door and turned the latch.


    A young girl wearing a luxurious white gown with a small white lace hat appeared before them. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Thank you." Connie smiled and softly thanked Renee, showing none of the rudeness she had displayed in the corridor earlier.


    Her facial features were ordinary, but her skin was exceptionally fair and smooth.


    Arrayed in her gorgeous petticoat, she exuded a noble air.


    Having done this, she walked towards Colin.


    "I apologize for the intrusion, I hope you''ll forgive me," Connie said to Colin, offering a noble''s courtesy.


    "It''s no problem," Colin replied, paused, and then asked, "What can I do for you?"


    "Actually, there''s nothing particular," Connie smiled, sitting down naturally opposite Colin, "I''m just traveling by train with nothing to do, and upon hearing about your presence, I thought I''d pay a visit."


    After she finished speaking, she paused, her eyes filled with expectation as she asked:


    "May I inquire whether you are from Miracle Country?"


    Colin shook his head.


    The so-called Miracle Country was actually what the outside world called the city cluster established by the Wizard Alliance on the Siya Continent.


    But really, it was more like a loose alliance than a country, with no King; the rulers were leaders of the various Schools making up the Supreme Council.


    A flicker of disappointment crossed Connie''s face, but soon, she asked with curiosity:


    "Then may I boldly ask where you are from?"


    "I come from a distant island to the south," Colin replied briskly.


    There was nothing in particular to hide.


    "So, are you heading to Miracle Country?"


    Colin smiled but didn''t answer, instead he countered:


    "Equivalent exchange, it is my turn to ask you a question now."


    Connie was taken aback, and then a spark of excitement flashed across her face.


    In the Royal Capital, those Wizards they revered would always be dismissive towards her.


    Every time she sought to learn something about Wizards, she would come away disappointed...


    Equivalent exchange, eh... Colin''s words somehow made her feel inexplicably comfortable.


    She cleared her throat cheerfully, saying:


    "Please ask away, as long as I know the answer, I will tell you everything!"


    Colin nodded, took out an ordinary map, pointed to the Holy Flame Kingdom''s location, and asked Connie:


    "Do you know about this country?"


    "Is this... the Holy Flame Kingdom?" Connie looked at the map, frowning in inquiry.


    "Yes."


    "...I know a little, but not much," Connie replied, stroking the hair by her ear.


    "It''s okay, tell me what you do know."


    Connie glanced at Colin, suppressing the curiosity in her heart that wanted to ask why Colin was inquiring about the Holy Flame Kingdom.


    She looked up, pondered for a moment to organize her thoughts, and then began:


    "The Holy Flame Kingdom is located north of the Yili Kingdom, with a territory roughly half the size of Yili... Their main resource is the Crystal Mine, but there isn''t much of it. Overall, it''s a poor small country."


    "Anything else? What about its current situation?"


    "There''s more..." Connie furrowed her brows.


    "As for the current situation... "


    "It seems there haven''t been any changes... Oh, I heard there''s been some friction with the neighboring Qi''an Kingdom for some reason recently."


    "Hmm," Colin nodded and then asked the most crucial question.


    "Who is the current King of the Holy Flame Kingdom?"


    "It''s still King Fu''en," Connie replied confidently, "If I recall correctly, he has been in power for forty-five years."


    "Hmm."


    After listening, Colin couldn''t help feeling pleased.


    Ten years had passed, and the Holy Flame Kingdom still existed.


    Erica''s father, King Fu''en, was still there.


    No news could be better than this!


    ''It seems that delivering Erica''s letter might be simpler than I expected.''


    In the time that followed, Connie chatted idly with him for a while, her speech brimming with politeness. After a while, as if noticing it was getting late and though she clearly seemed reluctant to leave, she politely excused herself.


    Had he not heard it with his own ears before, he would have found it very difficult to associate the arrogant voice from the corridor outside with the polite Connie he had just talked to.


    The next evening,


    the train stopped at Chaniuca, the capital of Yili Kingdom.


    Colin stepped out of the carriage with Renee.


    On the other side, Connie exited the carriage with her maid and a few female knights as her guards.


    Connie also resided in carriage number two, right next to him.


    "Good evening, Mr. Colin," greeted Connie as she stepped toward him.


    "Good evening," Colin replied.


    Together, they walked toward the exit of the station.


    That morning over casual conversation with Connie, he had asked her to help him find suitable transportation in the Royal Capital to take him to the Holy Flame Kingdom.


    After all, Chaniuca was Connie''s territory and it would save him a lot of time compared to searching from scratch himself.


    Naturally, Connie agreed.


    Furthermore, to his relief, Connie did not refuse the Magic Stone reward he offered but accepted it nonchalantly.


    This improved his impression of Connie by few notches.


    Exiting the train station, they were greeted by a white steam locomotive.


    Like the train, it was much larger than the regular cars of the previous world.


    At a quick glance, it looked like it could seat at least ten people¡­ of course, he estimated that it wasn''t designed with that many seats inside.


    "Lady Colin, this steam locomotive, as well as the steam train we took before, were both purchased by the Yili Kingdom from Miracle Country," Connie said with a hint of pride.


    Then she paused, sighing, "When I was young, I never would have thought that a vehicle could move on its own without being pulled by horses¡­ The wisdom of the Wizards is truly admirable!"


    Colin didn''t say much, but simply echoed her sentiment with a smile.


    Once they were seated, the steam locomotive slowly began to move.


    Opening the hand-cranked car window, the cold evening wind of winter hit them in the face.


    ''The speed is probably around sixty or seventy yards... but with the snow on the streets, it''s likely not the top speed. And the ride is a bit bumpy, not as comfortable as the cars from my last life.''


    Seemingly sensing something, he cranked the window back up.


    Connie''s cheeks were slightly red beside him.


    It wasn''t embarrassment but the blushing caused by the cold wind just now.


    Although he didn''t feel much himself, judging by the snow piled on the outside, the temperature had to be below zero at least.


    To say that the wind outside was cutting like a knife would not be an exaggeration.


    "I apologize," he politely said to Connie.


    "It''s all right, Mr. Colin," Connie responded with some surprise, her eyes shimmering.


    Although the Sacrificial Wizards of the Royal Capital didn''t like to interact with her, due to her curiosity about Wizards, she usually enjoyed seeking out those suspected to be Wizards for conversation.


    Some were real Wizards, some were fake, but regardless, none had Colin''s unique manner.


    Connie then added, after a brief pause,


    "I just have delicate skin, but I''m a Great Knight as well, so my health is not poor."


    "Understood," Colin nodded politely, closing off the topic.


    Shortly after, they arrived at a gorgeous archway, flanked by tall white walls.


    The steam locomotive slowly reduced its pace and then came to a stop.


    Connie''s personal maid stepped out of the car first, showing something to the Guards.


    "Is this the Palace?" Colin asked in surprise.


    "Yes, Mr. Colin," Connie said with a smile.


    "There is a special place for guests inside the Palace, and as my guest, it wouldn''t do to have you stay at some outside inn."


    Before she finished speaking, the car door opened again.


    The personal maid, with a somewhat unpleasant expression, leaned in and said,


    "Princess Connie, it seems you might need to come with us. The guards are saying they need the King''s permission to allow... to allow your Wizard friend into the Palace."


    Connie''s face grew increasingly troubled upon hearing this, but the next second, she calmed her emotions and turned to Colin with an apologetic smile,


    "I''m sorry, Mr. Colin. Please wait a moment while I see what this is about."


    "If it''s too much trouble, I could stay in an outside inn... It''s just for one night anyway."


    "There''s no need, Mr. Colin," Connie shook her head, firmly stating, "My name is Yili, this is Yili Palace, not somewhere else!"


    Colin nodded in silence, knowing it wasn''t his place to say more.


    Connie got out of the vehicle and followed her maid towards the Guards.


    "Master?" Renee quietly asked him.


    "It''s all right," Colin softly responded.


    He did not have to wait long until Connie returned with a smile, saying,


    "Mr. Colin, everything is settled now."


    "Good," Colin smiled back, nodding in acknowledgment, not inquiring about the details.


    Click¡ª


    The archway ahead was opened by the Guards.


    The steam locomotive started up and slowly drove through.

 Chapter 149 - 132 More Important Matters

    The steam locomotive came to a halt in front of a cluster of dull white buildings.


    "Mr. Colin, it''s getting late. The receiving maid here will take you to your room. I won''t disturb you any longer,"


    Connie said from inside the vehicle, looking at Colin.


    "Alright," Colin nodded.


    "As for your request to purchase a vehicle to go to the Holy Flame Kingdom, it may have to wait until tomorrow..."


    "No worries, I''m not in a hurry," Colin replied.


    "Okay, then I will come to find you tomorrow." Connie smiled, watching as Colin got out of the car with the Renee sisters.


    Colin stood beside the road and nodded to Connie as a sign of acknowledgment.


    Then, with the steam engine roaring, the white locomotive quickly disappeared at the end of the road.


    "My lord, please follow me," the nearby receiving maid said to him.


    "Hmm." Colin withdrew his gaze and followed the receiving maid inside.


    Passing through the main entrance, a winding outdoor corridor came into view, flanked by matte white columns, the bases of which were engraved with floral reliefs.


    They pressed on along the corridor.


    Colin frowned slightly; he felt that the maid walked a bit too fast, her steps hurried, as if she were pressed for time.


    Before long,


    under the guidance of the receiving maid, they arrived outside a standalone two-story western-style house.


    "My lord, this is where you will be staying," the receiving maid said while skillfully unlocking the door with the key.


    After opening the door, she took the corresponding key from her keychain and handed it over to Colin,


    "This is the key. Please keep it safe, sir."


    "Hmm... Renee." Colin turned his head to give a brief instruction before he walked into the house first.


    Renee, understanding what was expected of her, stepped forward to receive the key.


    After taking the key from the receiving maid, she didn''t hurry to follow Colin but turned to the maid again and asked,


    "Is there still dinner available?"


    "If not, if there''s a kitchen and ingredients available here, I can make something myself."


    It was now probably around eight o''clock in the evening, and it had already grown completely dark. They would have had dinner earlier if they hadn''t been on the road.


    Before the receiving maid could reply,


    creak.


    The door of the neighboring western-style house connected by the outdoor corridor suddenly opened, and another maid came out carrying cleaning tools.


    Seeming to realize she had interrupted their conversation, she gave Renee and the other a apologetic smile, then carried her cleaning tools along the corridor and left.


    The receiving maid turned away from the sight, then hesitated before answering Renee,


    "It''s past dinner time, and I''m not sure if the kitchen still has food..."


    "So, is there dinner, or isn''t there?" Renee asked.


    The receiving maid fell silent for a moment before answering,


    "I think not..."


    It was the truth; at this time, the kitchen likely didn''t have any food prepared...


    However, the chef was still there.


    But if the chef were to start cooking from scratch, it would take at least half an hour, plus the time to go back and forth, it would consume close to an hour of her time.


    "I see..." Renee frowned and asked again,


    "Are there ingredients then?"


    "The place you''re staying doesn''t have a kitchen... I can''t authorize the use of other kitchens, I''m sorry," the maid paused before adding.


    Renee wanted to ask more.


    But at that moment,


    "Renee."


    Colin''s voice called from inside the house.


    The maid took the opportunity to say,


    "If there''s nothing else, then I will not intrude any further."


    "..."


    Renee hesitated for a moment but turned and entered the house.


    After all, they weren''t without food as Colin''s Storage Ring contained plenty of provisions.


    Her inquiry to the receiving maid was simply because she wanted Colin to have a hot meal.


    creak.


    The receiving maid straightened up, and once she watched Renee close the door, she quickly turned and briskly walked along the corridor.


    She moved swiftly, and soon caught up to the maid who had been cleaning earlier.


    "Qiong, has the Third Princess brought her friends back again?" the cleaning maid turned to ask her.


    "Hmm, should be leaving tomorrow... seems like another wizard," replied the maid Qiong, slowing her pace slightly.


    The time it took to receive Colin was a bit shorter than she had expected... Now, with a good half hour left before the appointment, there was plenty of time.


    "Another wizard... Is this one reliable?" asked the maid cleaning.


    Princess Connie''s favorite thing to do was to make friends with wizards, and she often invited them to stay, but most of them were unreliable.


    After considering for a moment, Qiong answered, "Should be a real wizard too."


    The cleaning maid was a bit surprised and asked softly,


    "Is it someone from Miracle City?"


    "How could that be!" Qiong shook her head, "Still fall short compared to the two wizards serving the palace... Those two masters are indeed the genuine ones from Miracle City!"


    After saying this, she seemed to think of something, stroked the hair beside her ear, and with some embarrassment, asked the maid next to her:


    "Kathy, can you do me a favor?"


    "Go ask the kitchen to send three dinners to the wizard from earlier... Please, I''ll help you clean next time!"


    Kathy smiled but didn''t hurry to respond, instead suddenly asking with an ambiguous smile, "Going to meet John again?"


    Qiong was startled and smiled shyly.


    "You go on," Kathy generously said.


    "About the dinners..."


    "I''ll take care of it, don''t worry."


    "Just remember to help me clean a few extra rooms next time."


    "No problem!"


    "Thank you, Kathy!" Qiong said, "I''ll go ahead then." Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hurry on," Kathy waved her off.


    As she watched Qiong''s departing figure, she shook her head and couldn''t help but sigh,


    "Being young is good..."


    ...


    The King''s Residence.


    Inside the study.


    Wild felt a headache coming on as he looked at his most beloved daughter... Indeed, even the palace guards couldn''t stop her.


    "You''ve brought another ''wizard'' from outside?" Wild sighed as he spoke.


    He deliberately emphasized the word wizard, with a hint of jest.


    The Yili Kingdom was a small kingdom, and in the eyes of wizards, it lacked significant Magic Power, a barren land, hence very few wizards came here.


    Among the friends invited by Connie in the past, although there were indeed some genuine wizards, the number was not many.


    Typically, School wizards would usually wait to reach the status of Advanced Wizard Apprentice before traveling abroad.


    In the past, those requested by Connie were mostly Basic Level Wizard Apprentices, and most of them were only capable of a few tricks...


    Without even thinking, it was clear these were Wild Wizards who had accidentally come into their inheritance.


    However, a Wild Wizard was still a wizard, and under his orders, the entire Yili Kingdom''s attitude towards wizards was predominantly to form good relationships...


    Usually, he turned a blind eye to Connie''s actions.


    "Daddy¡ª" Connie, hearing his questioning words, feigned anger, "I made sure I understood properly before inviting him this time."


    "And this wizard is the mayor of Anzokeka..."


    "Alright, alright." Wild placated Connie with a smile, then asked, "So, what brings you to me?"


    Connie glanced at Wild with puffed cheeks, then informed him about Colin''s request.


    "So... you''re saying I should help him find a means of transport to Holy Flame Kingdom?" Wild repeated.


    As he mentioned Holy Flame Kingdom, he unconsciously furrowed his brow slightly.


    "Yes," Connie replied, not noticing Wild''s subtlety.


    "Very well, I understand," he said.


    "Dad, you can''t just brush me off. I came to you specifically so we can handle this matter properly!" Connie emphasized.


    "Of course, Connie," Wild replied, his thoughts returning, smiling helplessly, "I will order someone to attend to this matter for you in a moment."


    "I have other matters to attend to now, go back and rest early."


    "Alright, goodnight, father."


    Having received the answer she wanted, Connie didn''t dwell any longer, her tone becoming more ladylike.


    With that, she left the room with light steps.


    Wild, seated behind the desk, smiled and a hint of fondness flashed across his face.


    After Connie had left, his gaze shifted back and his expression gradually became more serious.


    Connie''s visit was simply a minor interlude; he had more important matters to deal with now.


    Wild shifted his gaze towards the shadow in the corner of the wall and spoke calmly,


    "Come out and continue, Hayden."

 Chapter 150 - 133 Sacrificial Wizard

    "Your Majesty," a pale-faced man dressed in black gradually emerged from the shadows. He bowed to Wild, then stood upright and began to recount.


    "Today, thirteen women died again in the East District of Chaniuka City... Unlike the previous days, this time the victims were not all prostitutes. Six of them were ordinary farmers."


    Wild propped his chin and furrowed his brows deeply. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Such incidents had been occurring for half a month.


    At first, it was thought to be a common homicide case, until the guards could not find the slightest clue and several Great Knights were lost, then it was realized that something was amiss.


    Thus, the matter was reported up layer by layer until it reached him.


    "What do Ivan and Anthony say?" Wild asked.


    Ivan and Anthony were the two Wizards who served the Yili Kingdom.


    Upon hearing this, Hayden hesitated momentarily before saying,


    "Ivan and Anthony said they are busy with experiments and will come to investigate after the day after tomorrow when they are free."


    A flicker of anger crossed the depths of Wild''s eyes.


    Those two Sacrificial Wizards, having already lost the potential to advance, had come to this barren land of the Yili Kingdom just to enjoy the remainder of their lives.


    Most of the time, what they did the most was ask him for money and women... What experiments?


    Obviously, these were excuses!


    Although angry in his heart, Wild''s face betrayed no emotion, and he continued to ask Hayden:


    "Is it the same today in the southwest and north districts?"


    "Yes, the same, thirteen women died," Hayden answered without hesitation.


    Wild was silent for a moment, then slowly said,


    "I understand. You may go now."


    "Yes," Hayden responded, but he did not leave immediately. Instead, he hesitated.


    "What is it?" Wild glanced at him and asked.


    "Your Majesty," Hayden hesitated before asking, "What should we do for the next two days?"


    "... Increase the daily vigilance, advise women to stay at home temporarily and not to go out," Wild said.


    "Yes." Hayden left quietly.


    After he left, King Wild leaned back against the soft back of his chair, raised his hand to his temple, and sighed deeply.


    In his mind, he still saw the silent departure of Hayden.


    Perhaps it was an illusion, but he always felt that the back of the kingdom''s strongest knight¡­ seemed somewhat hunched.


    A sense of helplessness surged in his heart.


    Faced with these bizarre events... mortals are ultimately just mortals.


    They could only rely on Wizards.


    Ivan and Anthony, though they were the kingdom''s Sacrificial Wizards, were very difficult for him to command.


    In fact, if not for the Supreme Council of the Wizard Alliance, which stipulates that Wizards may not interfere in mortal kingdoms... and can only serve as Sacrificials, dealing with strange matters that mortals cannot solve.


    Otherwise... it might not have been his turn to be king.


    Wild leaned back in his chair, the more he pondered, the more frustrated he felt.


    After a long while, he sighed again and shook his head.


    "Overthinking is pointless."


    He quickly adjusted his mindset, stood up, and walked towards the bedroom to prepare to rest.


    ...


    The next morning.


    Connie came to the king''s residence early in the morning.


    Wild had just gotten up.


    He looked at Connie, who had come to pay her respects, with a smile on his face.


    Especially when he saw the wicker food basket she was carrying, which contained breakfast, his smile was even more radiant.


    Speaking of which... it had been a long time since he had had breakfast with Connie.


    "Good morning, Connie," he greeted his daughter with a smile, reaching out to take the wicker food basket.


    But Connie waved her hand, placing the basket to the side, and spoke.


    Wild was taken aback.


    "Wait¡ªfather," Connie said with a smile, "how did the favor I asked of you yesterday turn out?"


    ''The favor asked...''


    Wild''s expression subtly changed.


    Last night, feeling distressed, he had gone straight to sleep.


    As for the favor his daughter Connie had asked... he had completely forgotten!


    But he still did not show his emotions, and while taking the food basket, he continued to smile and said,


    "Of course, I didn''t forget." Glancing around, he called to a tall figure not far away,


    "Hayden, do you remember the task I ordered you to do last night? The one about getting a vehicle for Connie''s new wizard friend."


    Hayden silently glanced at Wild and said,


    "I remember, Your Majesty."


    "That''s good," Wild nodded, then suddenly asked, "How is it going?"


    After a moment of silence, Hayden spoke up,


    "We are preparing to go to the Royal Horse Farm with Her Highness and her friend shortly to pick a suitable horse."


    "Very good," Wild praised.


    Hayden''s adaptability had never disappointed him.


    Thinking of something, he summoned Hayden, stepped away from Connie, and whispered a few words.


    "Don''t show them any Demon Beasts of First Class or higher. Connie doesn''t understand horses, just pick any will do."


    "Understood," Hayden responded softly, fully aware.


    After all, the royal wealth wasn''t blown in by the wind¡ªif every friend that Connie brought back were given too expensive gifts... the royal treasury would probably be bankrupt!


    "Father, what are you talking about? Why are you avoiding me?"


    "Some case matters... some are quite horrific, do you want to hear them?"


    "I don''t want to..."


    "Ha ha ha..."


    Around eleven in the morning.


    "Mr. Colin, how is the selection going?"


    In the stable of the Royal Horse Farm, Connie asked Colin, who was beside her.


    "Almost there," Colin nodded.


    The horses in this world were generally larger and in better physical condition than those in the previous world.


    There were even some of them mixed with the blood of demon beasts, their speed could rival that of a steam locomotive.


    Unfortunately, he hadn''t seen any here.


    However, the two horses he had chosen were also excellent, large in build and muscular all over; they presumably had a faint demon beast bloodline.


    They were certainly much better than the horses used for pulling carts on Blackstone Island.


    And such horses were mostly held by nobles and the royal family; it was very hard to buy them on the market...


    Thanks to Connie, not only had he effortlessly obtained fine horses,


    but now, only on his second day in Chaniuka City, his transportation had been arranged.


    This not only saved him a lot of effort but also a great deal of time.


    Stroking the mane of the black horse in front of him, Colin pondered in silence.


    Yet, once he truly advanced to become an Official Wizard, unless the distance was really far, he could simply fly there.


    By then, it would no longer be such a hassle.


    Just then,


    a noisy commotion suddenly erupted from the entrance of the stable.


    Then, a figure in a wizard robe, embracing a glamorous woman, walked in.


    "Baby, take a look, choose whichever horse you like," said Anthony, pointing to the horses in the stable bto the glamorous woman.


    He had long hair and a handsome face, but the murky, sinister eyes undermined his overall demeanor.


    At first glance, the impression he gave was not good.


    "Lord Anthony," Hayden greeted him with a faint and calm voice as he walked in embracing the woman.


    But if one observed closely, a hint of anger could be seen in his eyes.


    Connie forced a smile and greeted him as well,


    "Lord Anthony."


    "Knight Hayden, Princess Connie," Anthony responded.


    The woman in his arms, seeing Connie, instinctively tried to curtsy but was tightly held by Anthony.


    Therefore, she could only greet Connie and Hayden in a soft voice.


    "Who is... this wizard?"


    After the greetings, Anthony, looking at Colin, asked with a cautious and gentle expression.


    "Colin," Colin answered succinctly.


    "So, you are Mr. Colin, I am Anthony," Anthony said with a smile, then casually asked,


    "Mr. Colin, have you come from Miracle City?"


    "No," Colin shook his head, replying briefly.


    He then turned to Connie and said,


    "Princess Connie, it''s already getting late, the horses have been chosen... after loading some fodder, I''m ready to leave."


    "So soon?" Connie said with reluctance.


    The stories Colin had told about the island seemed to have made her reluctant to part.


    She glanced at her watch and added,


    "It''s almost noon, why not have lunch before you go?"


    "I learned some new information about the Holy Flame Kingdom yesterday, you might find it useful."


    "...That''s possible."


    Before she finished speaking, Colin, sensing something, took a slight step forward, shielding Renee from view.


    Then he frowned and stared at Anthony from a distance.


    Since he had answered that he wasn''t from Miracle City,


    Anthony had been unabashedly scrutinizing Renee.


    The atmosphere in the stable suddenly grew tense.


    Then, Connie suddenly forced a smile and spoke,


    "Mr. Colin, let''s go have lunch now. What would you like to eat?"


    Having said that, she led the way forward.


    "...I''m fine with anything," Colin gave Anthony a glance, and followed Connie, relaxing his brows.


    "Hold on, Mr. Colin," Anthony called out to him.


    Colin turned back with a frown.


    Anthony, smiling, continued to gaze at Colin and said,


    "I would like to make a deal with you, if that''s possible?"


    "Don''t be too quick to refuse... I presume, Mr. Colin, that you come from a background as a Wild Wizard. I am from a school, and I can offer knowledge as payment,"


    "And all you have to give is..."


    He didn''t finish his sentence but redirected his gaze to Renee again, waiting for Colin to respond.


    But he didn''t get the answer he was expecting.


    "Not interested."


    Colin looked at him, then suddenly smiled.


    Turning around, he continued to walk forward, waving his hand and adding,


    "I don''t want, nor am I interested in any deal with you."

 Chapter 151 - 134: A Sudden Change

    In the vast stable, Anthony, who was embracing a woman, was utterly astonished; even his handsome face slightly distorted.


    In his eyes, Renee was just a mere maid... Colin had shown such disrespect!


    He couldn''t fathom where that confidence came from!


    It took a while, but Anthony finally came back to his senses.


    Watching Colin''s retreating figure leaving the stable, a hint of gloom flashed in his eyes.


    But he didn''t rush to act out. Instead, he raised his hand to check the detailed feedback coming from the Trojan Reconnaissance Bracelet Type 2 on his left wrist.


    A moment later, a more detailed investigation result transmitted onto his retina.


    [Target''s strength: Advanced Wizard Apprentice.]


    The strength hadn''t changed; the detection still showed the same realm as his, that of an Advanced Wizard Apprentice.


    Only, there was a small line of notes added below.


    [Note: Target''s body surface exhibits fluctuations of an old-model Audrich Crystal illusion.]


    ''So that''s it.''


    Seeing this new line of information appear before him, Anthony realized the situation.


    No wonder Colin was so confident!


    He probably planned to wait for him to make a move, then use the Audrich Crystal to mimic the aura of an actual Wizard, forcing him to retreat, recognizing the difficulty...


    A slight, contemptuous smile curled at the corner of Anthony''s mouth.


    ''Wizards from such small places really have no experience...''


    He wasn''t lying; he indeed was a genuine School Wizard from Miracle City.


    Although it had been a long time since he left Miracle City, he still felt a sense of superiority over Wizards from other places.


    Throughout the world, the most cutting-edge technologies and knowledge of Wizards mostly originated from Miracle City.


    And they were constantly being updated and iterated.


    The Audrich Crystal was no exception.


    Although it was an extremely excellent Witch Tool for disguise, when it first appeared, even ordinary First Rank Wizards couldn''t see through it.


    But Witch Tools were also constantly innovating and progressing.


    The Trojan Reconnaissance Bracelet Type 2 he had spent a fortune on in Miracle City, although not the latest model,


    had no trouble seeing through the antique Audrich Crystal Colin wore, no matter how old it might be!


    Anthony''s gaze flickered.


    He released the arm around the glamorous woman and smiled at her.


    "Darling, continue choosing the horse you like here. Once you''ve picked one, go back by yourself first... Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I have some matters to deal with."


    After speaking, he followed in the direction where Colin and the others had departed.


    "Of course, Lord Anthony."


    ...


    Inside a restaurant.


    "These are what I learned today about the Holy Flame Kingdom... all told to me by my father this morning."


    At the window seat of the private room, Connie spoke to Colin sitting across from her.


    "I understand," Colin put down his knife and fork, his expression somewhat serious; he paused before asking,


    "When exactly did the war start?"


    "News of the war came yesterday; they said the fighting had just begun.


    But taking into account the time it took for the message to reach us, the war has probably been going on for at least ten days..."


    "Thank you, Princess Connie; this is very useful for me," Colin sincerely thanked her.


    His face seemed calm, but inwardly he was anxious.


    ''I didn''t expect that the Holy Flame Kingdom would actually be at war with the neighboring Qi''an Kingdom...''


    He exhaled gently, looking at Connie with a serious voice.


    "Princess Connie, I have some very important business in the Holy Flame Kingdom, so I might have to leave ahead."


    With the current situation in the Holy Flame Kingdom, he couldn''t afford any further delays... the sooner the better.


    Otherwise, if the Holy Flame Kingdom were defeated, then completing his task of delivering the letter for Erica would be much more difficult.


    It was unfortunate, but there was no helping it; he couldn''t possibly reach the Holy Flame Kingdom right away.


    If going by the speed of the horses he had selected today,


    the trip from Yili Kingdom to the Holy Flame Kingdom would roughly take another seven days...


    He couldn''t help but sigh.


    ''If only I had a horse with a Demon Beast''s bloodline; at least that would save two to three days of travel.''


    But now... there was no time left to search for a better horse.


    As he pondered this, Colin stood up, prepared to hurry and set off at once.


    "Princess Connie, I''ll be leaving now," he said to Connie once again.


    "So soon..."


    Connie on the other side only then came to her senses, a hint of surprise in her expression.


    They had just sat down not too long ago and had only ordered two dishes.


    But seeing Colin''s earnest expression, she refrained from holding him back and instead offered a smile, saying to Colin:


    "I wish you a smooth journey,"


    "If you pass by Yili Kingdom in the future, you are welcome to come and share with me the sights and experiences of your travels."


    Connie''s smile was warm and sweet, making her otherwise ordinary features much more appealing.


    But if one were to look closely, they could still catch that unnoticeable hint of loneliness in the depths of her light blue eyes.


    Despite her usual pastime of taking the train to wander around Yili Kingdom, making Wizard friends,


    in truth, she has never really left the Yili Kingdom since she was a child¡­


    Not even once.


    Although the region of Yili Kingdom is quite devoid of magical power, resulting in fewer Demon Beasts,


    for ordinary people, traveling in the wild without the protection of Wizards is almost entirely reliant on luck.


    And for this reason, she has only moved within the limited scope around the Kingdom.


    Going any further would be courting death.


    ...Yili Kingdom may be large, but to her, it''s just a tiny island.

 Chapter 152 - 134: Anomalies Arise_2

    "I will," Colin replied.


    Upon hearing this, Connie''s lips curved slightly wider as she cheerfully said,


    "Until next time, Sir Colin."


    "Until next time..."


    Clang.


    At that moment, the restaurant door suddenly burst open and Hayden strode in.


    He offered Colin and his companion a bow in apology.


    Then, with a grave expression, he turned to Connie and quickly said,


    "Princess Connie, to ensure your safety, please return to the Palace with me immediately."


    "Has something happened?" Connie looked at Hayden, and without hesitation, she stood up while asking with curiosity.


    "Do you remember what His Majesty mentioned this morning..."


    Their conversation could be heard trailing off behind him.


    Colin, leading the way, did not listen any further but swiftly led Renee out.


    The two horses they had chosen were already waiting outside the restaurant.


    He had also pre-arranged the necessary fodder for the journey, which he stored in his Storage Ring.


    This was initially planned so that they could set off directly after dining with Connie.


    Now, it helped them save some time.


    One horse was black; the other, a mix of brown and white.


    Colin mounted the black horse.


    Renee, carrying her sister Demi, climbed onto the other horse... Riding was not a challenge for her, with skills near those of a Great Knight.


    Giddy up!


    Clip-clop clip-clop¡ª


    Hooves kicked up, and the trio of Colin hurried towards the nearest city gate.


    At this time, the Sky was dusted with light snow.


    On the streets, the number of patrolling Guards seemed to have increased for some reason, and there were hardly any ordinary passers-by. The few that were seen were mostly undergoing questioning by the Guards.


    "Officer, I was just out to buy groceries..."


    "Temporary martial law, hurry home and stay there!"


    People undergoing questioning with frightened expressions and Guards in black uniforms with tense and solemn faces were seen everywhere.


    Colin let out a breath of warm air, which instantly condensed into white mist in the cold air.


    They too were subjected to an inspection by the Guards,


    fortunately, the pass provided by Connie spared them much trouble.


    In this manner, they moved unobstructed through the streets, and after crossing two more, they would be able to leave the city.


    But at that moment...


    The brown and white horse that Renee was riding suddenly let out a cry, and then fell hard to the ground.


    Whoosh.


    In a split second, Renee held Demi and leaped down, safely landing on the ground.


    Before Colin could even ask,


    the black horse he was on also let out a cry, reared up on its hind legs, and then collapsed to the ground.


    Colin dismounted and frowned at the two prostrate horses.


    ...


    Inside the Palace.


    In a luxurious palace hall.


    Wearing a crown, Wild stood anxiously at the doorway, with Hayden beside him, expressionless.


    The snowfall had become heavier without warning.


    The snowflakes scattered down, landing on the pristine rooftops, the meticulously tended grass outside the door, and also on Wild and Hayden.


    Soon, a thin layer of white accumulated on their heads and shoulders.


    Even Wild''s golden crown did not escape, receiving a touch of white as well.


    A little while later,


    the grand doors of the palace slowly opened.


    A graceful woman Knight emerged.


    "Your Majesty Wild, the lords have concluded their experiment; you may enter now."


    She led Wild and Hayden down a long corridor to the outside of a reception room.


    The woman Knight knocked lightly twice on the door and then stepped aside to wait.


    A long time passed, yet no response came from within the room.


    But the woman Knight did not knock again; she quietly continued to wait.


    This was the rule set by the lords.


    "The knock must have been heard by Lords Ivan and Anthony... Perhaps they are still conducting experiments. Your Majesty, please wait a moment longer," the woman Knight said to Wild in a soft voice.


    Wild''s face was expressionless, revealing no emotion. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    While Haydn stood by with barely contained anger in his eyes.


    With the Great Knight''s physical condition, he could faintly hear the soft conversation coming from the house¡ªthey were clearly not conducting experiments!


    "... So I surmise he''s just a local wizard, perhaps even a half-trained Wandering Wizard.


    But he has an old Audric Crystal on him, he must have gotten lucky and received some wizard''s inheritance... I think it''s quite possible it''s an Official Wizard''s inheritance."


    "Are you interested?"


    Ivan raised an eyebrow slightly, "Are you willing to share a portion with me?"


    Anthony smiled slightly and said,


    "He''s at least an Advanced Wizard Apprentice, two people working together are more likely to succeed."


    "Besides, old friend¡ª"


    "You''re not unaware that I gave up on advancing long ago, just wanting to enjoy the remainder of my life. In fact, if I hadn''t taken a fancy to his maiden, I wouldn''t have bothered at all."


    After saying this, Anthony added with a laugh,


    "How about this, you can take the majority of the Magic Stone, but the two maids by his side have to be mine."


    Ivan pondered for a moment and then asked,


    "Let me take another look at the Trojan Reconnaissance Bracelet''s detection results."


    Anthony cheerfully took off the bracelet and handed it to Ivan.


    He wasn''t worried about anything, he and Ivan had known each other for decades, and the Trojan Reconnaissance Bracelet bore his mark.


    Ivan reached out and took the bracelet.


    The Trojan Reconnaissance Bracelet was entirely brown, made of some unknown beast leather, with an inconspicuous white crystal embedded in the middle.


    He activated his Magic Power.


    Buzz¡ª


    The detailed detection results appeared on his retina.


    After reading and checking in detail.


    He handed the bracelet back to Anthony, smiling as he said,


    "It''s a deal."


    "It''s a deal," Anthony laughed.


    Having agreed to these terms, they then turned and called out to the outside,


    "Come in."


    Wild entered in a hurry.


    "Your Highness, Wild."


    "Lord Ivan, Lord Anthony," Wild greeted calmly and then got straight to the point.


    "This morning, the patrol guard discovered that over five hundred civilians had died in Chaniuka City''s East District last night, including men and women, old and young."


    Ivan and Anthony slightly tightened their relaxed expressions upon hearing this.


    Wild continued to recount,


    "At the same time, no other deaths occurred last night in the south, north, and west districts, except for an old woman who accidentally froze to death."


    "And this time the deceased in the East District were different from the previous ones."


    "Previously, the deceased had died from heart punctures. But this time, the causes of death varied, and the marks on their bodies were also significantly different from before... but most had incomplete bodies, and nearly all of the dead had their eyeballs missing."


    "Is there any other information?" Ivan asked, his expression growing solemn.


    Yesterday, when Wild had Haydn relay this news to them, they hadn''t taken it seriously.


    From Haydn''s description, they surmised that it was most likely a common demon contamination event.


    After all, the Yili Kingdom had poor Magic Power, unlikely to house any strong Demon Beasts or other strange phenomena¡­ There shouldn''t be so many odd occurrences.


    But unexpectedly, the situation had worsened so much overnight.


    "Further information¡­ the victims were mostly concentrated in the Mist-blue Street area."


    "More information¡­" Wild paused, then said, "Perhaps the two lords need to see the scene for themselves."


    Ivan nodded, stepping aside with Anthony to talk in whispered tones.


    "We can''t delay this matter any longer, Anthony," Ivan said softly to Anthony.


    "I know," Anthony nodded in agreement, then said, "We should go now without delay."


    "But what about that little local Wandering Wizard..." Ivan hesitated to ask.


    He was somewhat reluctant to let the pigeon they had in hand fly away.


    "Don''t worry, they won''t get too far anytime soon." Anthony confidently smiled, then added mysteriously,


    "Perhaps he''ll even return to the Palace on his own initiative."


    After these words, his tone shifted as he said gravely,


    "The fact that so many people died overnight can''t be underestimated."


    "I understand," Ivan nodded, "We''ll carry the important items with us first when we go to the site¡­


    You know, the usual drill."


    "Mm," Anthony nodded.


    If they could handle the crisis, it would be fine, but if they couldn''t¡­ then they could only pray for the Yili Kingdom.


    After all, they were there to make offerings, not to give up their lives.


    Then, the group hurriedly traveled by carriage towards the East District of Chaniuka City.

 Chapter 153 - 135 Theater

    Hiss and rattle¡ª


    The knight Hayden, temporarily playing the role of coachman, pulled hard on the reins with his robust arms, and the carriage gradually came to a stop.


    Four European-style columns supported the grand entrance, its top covered with a layer of pristine snow.


    This was the front of a small theater in the East District of Chaniuka City.


    At this moment, the Yili Knight Order of the King fully surrounded the location, with fully armed and vigilant knights standing not only outside the doors but also beneath every wall.


    Wild stepped down from the carriage.


    "Your Highness, Wild."


    The heavily armored leader of the Yili Knight Order led Wild towards the inside of the theater.


    Hayden closely followed by his side.


    Ivan and Anthony followed behind them.


    Stepping through the grand and spacious entrance hall, they were immediately met with a long and dimly lit corridor.


    The towering figure of the Knight Order''s leader nearly filled the entire passageway.


    Wild, wearing a triangular crown, followed closely behind; his expression was calm, but there was a tinge of anxiousness in his eyes.


    The Yili Kingdom had been established for five hundred years now, facing countless supernatural incidents, large and small. Just the archives alone held records of more than a hundred such events.


    Still, even by those standards, the crazed and bizarre nature of this incident ranked near the top.


    He cast an almost imperceptible glance back at Ivan and Anthony, who were closely following, and he silently sighed to himself.


    "Your Majesty, we have arrived," the leader of the Knight Order said softly, turning his head back before pushing open the narrow yellow door at the end of the corridor.


    What met their eyes was a spacious semicircular hall with rows of orderly red cushioned chairs, while wall-mounted butter candles in chandeliers emitted a dim yellow light.


    Wild and his party stepped out from the passage.


    "Lord Ivan, Lord Anthony, please look," Wild said, stepping aside to give room and gesturing toward Ivan and the others with his raised arm.


    "This...?!"


    Upon seeing the sight that Wild was pointing to, Ivan and Anthony''s pupils constricted in unison.


    On the broad, natural wood-colored stage at the front of the hall, a conical tower made of numerous twisted and entwined limbs and body parts was built up, its top covered with countless bloodied eyeballs. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The Tower of Conor Reeves¡­" Ivan murmured, then instinctively asked Anthony beside him.


    Though it had been a long time since he left the School, he still remembered most of his knowledge... Such distinctive characteristics of the tower of flesh and eyes before him allowed him to decisively determine it was indeed the Tower of Conor Reeves.


    "It''s not certain, let''s check again carefully," Anthony said with a grave face.


    Ivan nodded, and together with Anthony, they quickly stepped onto the stage.


    The dim yellow light illuminated the stage as they took turns casting spells.


    "Fine Vision," "Detect Evil," "Reveal Traces"...


    The strange glimmers continually emanated from their hands, revolving around the Tower of Conor Reeves on the stage and flickering.


    They also illuminated Wild''s calm face, yet the bulging veins on his right hand clutching the ground with his scepter exposed his worried heart.


    ...


    Snowflakes were swirling down.


    In the Palace, there was a garden.


    In the center of the white pentagonal pavilion, Connie, wrapped in a thick white cloak, was absentmindedly admiring the snow scene.


    The garden that used to be vivid and colorful was now a sheer white as far as the eye could see. The flowers were white, the grass was white, and even the shrubs and she herself were white.


    After a little while.


    Suddenly.


    Swish.


    A figure abruptly descended from the sky.


    Clang!


    The female Knight behind Connie swiftly drew the sharp arrow from her waist, stepped forward quickly, and shielded her behind her own body.


    Through the gap created by the female Knight''s silhouette, a look of surprise flashed across Connie''s eyes.


    She stood up and gestured for the female knight to step back, asking the figure in suspicion,


    "Sir Colin, why have you returned?"


    "After bidding you farewell, I rode my horse toward the outskirts of the city, and just as I was about to leave, both mine and the maid''s horses suddenly fell dead on the ground," Colin said succinctly, his voice grave.


    "The horses... suddenly fell dead?" Connie asked, puzzled as she handed Colin a steaming cup of red tea, "But the horses from the Royal Horse Farm are regularly checked..."


    Colin waved his hand, declining the red tea Connie offered, and didn''t respond to her comment, but quickly said,


    "Connie, I''ve come to ask you to prepare two more horses for me, and I can pay a reward."


    "Of course," Connie answered without hesitation, then added with a smile, "but there''s no need for a reward, Sir Colin."


    "Hmm," Colin nodded, not wasting time with refusals.


    Seeing him accept her offer, Connie smiled joyously and then asked, "So, Sir Colin, shall we go now to choose them?"


    "No," Colin shook his head, "This time I won''t pick them myself. Just choose two similar to the ones before."


    "Then, right now..."


    Colin didn''t answer her question but instead fixed his gaze on Connie and asked in a deep voice, "Connie, do you know where that wizard we encountered in the stables today is now?"


    At his words, a flicker of doubt and unease crossed the depths of Connie''s eyes, but within a second, she managed to contain these emotions.


    Matters between wizards ought to be handled amongst themselves. She was curious, indeed, but she also knew what was appropriate to ask and what wasn''t.


    "You mean Lord Anthony¡­," she pondered with a frown and then slowly surmised, "If I am not mistaken, he should be with my father in a small theater in the East District."


    Then she described in detail the location of the theater.


    "Hmm," Colin nodded, ready to turn and leave.


    "Wait... Sir Colin."


    It was then that Connie suddenly called out to him.


    She quickly gave a few instructions to the female knight beside her and then turned to Colin, asking:


    "May I accompany you?"


    She hadn''t asked anything, but she already had suspicions forming in her mind.


    The sudden death of Colin''s horse, as well as his urgent inquiry about Anthony''s whereabouts... It was hard for her not to connect the two events.


    The truth was as she suspected.


    After the horse collapsed, Colin initially detected nothing out of the ordinary.


    But later, under the influence of the Foolishness Scepter, he had still managed to reveal some traces.


    The death of the horses was neither natural nor caused by poisoning; it seemed more like a witchcraft curse...


    "You may," Colin glanced at Connie, seizing her arm.


    "Be ready," he whispered.


    Before the sound of his voice faded,


    Whoosh!


    He took off into the sky with Connie.


    Air currents swept up and disturbed the fluttering snowflakes in the air.


    In the sky.


    Connie''s eyes widened as she looked down at the grid-like buildings of Chaniuka City covered by white snow... These familiar structures, from a new perspective, offered her a wholly different feeling.


    Perhaps it was because her blood was naturally filled with an adventurous spirit; in the sky, she felt not fear, but irrepressible excitement.


    As for Colin beside her, such scenes were commonplace... Moreover, he was not in the mood to appreciate the view.


    The biting cold wind struck his face, but his expression seemed even colder.


    A moment later.


    "Sir Colin, there''s the theater!" Connie pointed toward a building below.


    Colin looked in the direction of her pointing finger.


    A modest-sized theater came into view.


    He adjusted their course, diving swiftly downward.

 Chapter 154 - 136 Arrival

    Swoosh.


    Colin descended with Connie in front of the towering theater doors.


    "Connie..."


    King Wilder, standing alone before them, saw Connie and her companion touch down and his pupils constricted slightly.


    But he quickly regained his composure and turned to Connie, asking, "And who might this wizard be by your side?"


    At this moment, Connie had not yet recovered from the thrill of the flight, and with an excited tone, she replied,


    "Dad, have you forgotten? This is the wizard friend I mentioned to you last night... Lord Colin!"


    Wilder was taken aback.


    Wizards capable of flying were usually at least Advanced Wizard Apprentices... He hadn''t expected the wizard his daughter had befriended to be so powerful!


    Wilder quickly replaced his expression with a smile and greeted, "So it''s Lord Colin."


    Then with a hint of regret, he added, "Unfortunately, I''ve been tied up with trivial matters these past two days and have not had a chance to meet you in person."


    As he spoke, something seemed to occur to him, and he turned his head back to Connie with a puzzled question,


    "Didn''t you say Lord Colin was leaving today?"


    Connie was about to explain when,


    At that moment.


    Around the corner of the nearby street, two figures in Wizard Robes suddenly appeared.


    "Lord Ivan, Lord Anthony," Wilder greeted, his face flashing a hint of joy as he spoke, "Have you obtained the missing components for the purification ritual?"


    After inspecting the Tower of Blood Flesh on the stage, Ivan and Anthony had left, informing him that they lacked some essential components.


    Wilder looked at the two men with expectation, hoping to quickly resolve this eerie event... The Tower of Blood Flesh inside the theater had become a major concern for him,


    But the next second, his heart sank slightly.


    Ignoring his words, Ivan and Anthony did not respond.


    "Nice to see you again, this would be... Lord Colin," Anthony greeted with elegance.


    "Where are your two little maids?" He looked around and asked.


    He and Ivan were not going back to fetch anything; they were preparing to leave directly.


    Upon their inspection, the Tower of Blood Flesh had been identified as the Tower of Conor Reeves¡ªa dreadful ritual for summoning demons.


    And the Tower of Conor Reeves in the theater had already served its purpose!


    They were powerless to stop it.


    The Tower of Conor Reeves had successfully summoned a certain demon and transmitted the location of Chaniuka City...


    This meant that if nothing unusual occurred, a demon from another plane would arrive as scheduled tonight at midnight to harvest souls, revel in fear... bringing endless death and pain to Chaniuka City.


    "Don''t waste time talking to him, we must hurry," Ivan said in a low voice.


    While the demon summoned by the theater''s ritual was likely just a Lower Demon at most, theoretically not more powerful than a Wizard Apprentice,


    In reality, due to the diversity of demons, even among Lower Demons, it was common for some of the more outstanding ones to possess the strength of a First Rank Junior Wizard, and some top-tier beings could even reach the level of a First Rank Intermediate Wizard.


    Judging by the quality of this instance of the Tower of Conor Reeves, the probability of summoning such outstanding entities was at least seventy percent.


    They did not want to take that risk... For demons, the souls of wizards were much more tempting than those of ordinary people.


    "No rush, there''s still time," Anthony countered Ivan in a low voice.


    Unlike Ivan, what he wanted wasn''t Colin''s Magic Stone...


    That said, he also began to grow impatient and without further disguise, he bluntly threatened Colin,


    "Tell me where the maids are, and maybe I can persuade my companion to spare your little life." The aura of an Advanced Apprentice emanated powerfully from the two men.


    Seemingly reminded of something, Anthony then added with a smile, "If you''re thinking about using the Audric Disguise Crystal to pretend to be an Official Wizard to scare us, don''t waste the time."


    He lifted his wrist, showing a brown bracelet, and said, "I''ve already seen through your true level... First Class Apprentice."


    Colin was briefly taken aback, realizing that the crystal pendant on his chest was called the Audric Disguise Crystal...


    "Connie, what''s going on?" King Wilder pulled Connie aside and asked in a low voice.


    Connie hesitated for a moment before sharing her suspicions with Wilder.


    She watched Colin''s figure intently and then asked in a low voice, "Daddy, can you stop them?"


    Wild gave a bitter smile, "Matters of wizards, how could we ever point fingers..."


    "But Master Colin alone..." Connie said subconsciously.


    She was vaguely aware of something.


    Although she hadn''t known Colin for long, she had taken quite a liking to him...


    For some reason, she now suddenly felt some regret about telling him the whereabouts of Ivan and Anthony...


    Wild looked at the three outside the theater, tense and on edge, weighed down with worry.


    Naturally, he hoped that Ivan and Anthony would be victorious; after all, he was counting on them to deal with the theater incident.


    "What''s the matter, surprised how I saw through your disguise?" Anthony jeered at Colin.


    But at that moment.


    Thump¡ªthump¡ªthump¡ª


    There was a sudden sound from inside the theater like the beating of a heart. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A faint vile scent mixed with the smell of sulfur wafted over.


    Anthony and Ivan''s faces changed in unison!


    Had the demon arrived early?!


    Without a single word, they simultaneously turned and leaped into the air, swiftly flying far away.


    Hiss!


    But all of a sudden, a slight friction noise came from the air behind.


    Two Cone Bullets, faster than imaginable, shot toward them!


    Ivan and Anthony didn''t alter their actions, conjuring Defensive Witchcraft around themselves.


    This attack was clearly from Colin, but they chose not to retaliate... Escaping was far more important at the moment!


    But the next second.


    "Ahh!!"


    Ivan and Anthony screamed in unison!


    The Cone Bullets were far more powerful than they had imagined, piercing through their superficial defensive witchcraft with ruthless force, tumbling and puncturing chaotically within their bodies.


    The excruciating pain rendered them incapable of maintaining their Flying Witchcraft, causing them to fall diagonally to the ground like birds with broken wings.


    Colin stepped closer, the Foolishness Scepter in his hand looking even more profound against the surrounding white snow.


    "You... are you really an Official Wizard?" Anthony muttered from the ground, blood oozing from the corner of his mouth.


    He struggled to raise his head, scrutinizing Colin carefully.


    "Your Excellency, please spare my life..."


    Meanwhile, Ivan begged for mercy while pressing his hand against his abdomen, apparently trying to apply Healing Magic on himself.


    Colin didn''t rush to finish them off; he''d intentionally spared their lives...


    "What''s inside the theater?" he asked in a deep voice.


    The inexplicable presence from the theater was frightening, and it was after that presence appeared that Ivan and Anthony suddenly fled...


    Beside them, Ivan slowly sat upright.


    "What''s inside the theater is..." Anthony also strained to prop himself up.


    But it seemed his speech was a little slow due to his injuries...


    The next second.


    "What''s inside the theater is... die!!" Anthony''s tone suddenly rose!


    Both he and Ivan convulsed with surges of Magic Power!


    A puddle of pale pink slime and a compressed Fireball, one after the other, flew at high speed hitting Colin!


    Boom!!


    The pale pink slime and compressed Fireball made contact, triggering a violent reaction.


    A spherical flame roiled upwards, with the shockwave immediately sweeping away the snow on the ground, exposing the grey-white colored stone slabs beneath!

 Chapter 155 - 137: Fall

    In the moment the spherical fireball exploded into the air, Ivan swung his right hand simultaneously.


    Whoosh!


    A black metal triangle shuttle half the size of a man suddenly appeared in his hand, and then, with two clicking sounds, black metal handles extended from the wide edges of two corners.


    "Go!" Ivan hissed.


    He and Anthony had known each other for years and had developed a well-rehearsed plan for life-and-death crises like this.


    Their current use of Combined Witchcraft was their most skilled tactic.


    Without any delay, Anthony grabbed one handle while Ivan grabbed the other, and then they both performed the same Flying Witchcraft simultaneously!


    Two flashes of witchcraft brilliance passed!


    Whoosh!


    The two of them suddenly took to the air and then flew off into the distance.


    Their black metal triangle shuttle emitted a dim black glow, which rapidly spread, starting from the palms of their hands where they held the handles, and soon covered their entire bodies!


    From a distance, they seemed to merge into one with the black triangle shuttle.


    The next second, the air around them trembled slightly, and the speed of Anthony and Ivan''s flight suddenly increased!


    Almost doubling in speed, they were like streaks of black light!


    Whoooosh¡ª


    The wind whistled past their ears.


    Anthony to the left felt a slight easing in his tense heart and glanced back subconsciously.


    The smoke from the explosion at the theater''s entrance had yet to disperse, and the spherical flames in the middle were still burning fiercely. The surrounding snow quickly melted under the high temperature of the flames, then gathered into muddy streams of water.


    "Don''t look back. Add a bit more Magic Power and escape with all your might!" Ivan reminded in a stern voice next to him.


    He didn''t believe that he and Anthony''s attack had successfully killed Colin.


    Although their Combined Witchcraft was strong, in terms of power, it was only at the top end of an Apprentice''s level and had not yet reached that of an Official Wizard.


    And the witchcraft used by Colin, though understated, was even slightly stronger than their Combined Witchcraft.


    At a glance, it seemed they were not without a chance of victory and didn''t need to choose to escape.


    But they had not overlooked that Colin nearly simultaneously released two such powerful spells with apparent ease, undoubtedly holding back.


    And with the battlefield changing in an instant, having been attacked by the Cone Bullets, they had now lost the initiative and suffered significant injuries...


    With the black triangle shuttle in hand... escaping was their most reliable choice.


    This was also confirmed by their long-term practical experience.


    "Mhm." Anthony redirected his gaze, increased his input of Magic Power, and said, "That definitely is an artifact!"


    His other hand was pressed against his abdomen, where a faint green healing light flickered at the point of contact.


    In truth, Anthony had never doubted the scouting result of the Trojan Bracelet Type 2.


    And if the scouting result was correct and Colin''s true strength was merely that of an Advanced Wizard Apprentice... then to be able to cast such strong attacks, that scepter in his hand was undoubtedly suspect!


    "That black scepter with the dark gold pattern, huh¡­ I think so too," Ivan responded with a furrow in his brow, a trace of shock flickering across his face.


    Artifacts were not common, and even fewer were practical, as usually, the cost was higher than the benefit.


    ''That black scepter with the dark gold pattern, I wonder what the cost is... wielding it seems so effortless, as if there''s no price to pay.''


    Ivan couldn''t help but think, but quickly, he shook his head.


    ''Every artifact has its price... perhaps the Wizard from that small place is unaware.''


    In fact, it was indeed the case that many artifacts concealed costs that were difficult to detect.


    If one was a Wild Wizard unfamiliar with the nature of artifacts, they often mistook them for treasures without a price...


    But the price must ultimately be paid, and such wizards usually did not end well.


    Ivan''s expression darkened. Once he successfully escaped, he was determined to sell the news of Colin possessing an artifact scepter...


    Artifacts might not be generally practical, but that didn''t affect their value!


    After all, the value of an artifact was never solely in its use.


    For a Wizard, the real value of an artifact lay in exploring the fundamental, counterintuitive rules behind it!


    Besides, that black scepter-like artifact clearly enhanced witchcraft... If he were to sell the news, it would bring him at least a few thousand Magic Stones in income!


    Although his mind was filled with thoughts, only a brief moment had passed in reality.


    But even in this brief moment, with the enhancement of the black triangle shuttle, he and Anthony had already escaped hundreds of meters.


    And their speed continued to increase!


    Elsewhere, at the theater''s entrance.


    The fiercely burning flames were parted from the middle by an invisible Force Field.


    Colin walked out, holding the Foolishness Scepter in hand.


    His gray Wizard Robe was intact, but a closer examination would reveal a slight char at the hem.


    The Combined Witchcraft of Ivan and Anthony was powerful, and initially, the Steel Temperature Resistance Field was not cast with the enhancement of the Foolishness Scepter, as even with Golden Paper to offset the cost, the Foolishness Scepter could not be used as a standard method.


    Luckily, the high reactivity brought by the status of an Ultimate Knight allowed him to calmly cast an enhanced Steel Temperature Resistance Field using the Foolishness Scepter at the last moment.


    He looked up and saw that Ivan and Anthony, now in the distance, were merely specks in the sky.


    Colin was slightly startled.


    The truth was that only a few bits of conversation had elapsed since he was attacked. By the time he cast the enhanced Steel Temperature Resistance Field... Ivan and Anthony had already escaped so far!


    Such speed was clearly far beyond his own Flying and Diving Skill.


    Chasing was probably hopeless...


    But letting them go was absolutely impossible!


    Colin let out a measured breath, determination flickering in his eyes.


    Two Cone Bullets appeared in his hands.


    With Spirit as a guide, Magic Power surged like a river, caressing the Foolishness Scepter, causing the dark golden patterns to light up.


    The next second!


    Boom!!


    Two Cone Bullets, shimmering with cold light, shot out like lightning!


    The momentum remained subdued.


    But almost in the very next moment, even before the sound could spread, those two distant specks on the horizon suddenly shattered into several smaller pieces!!


    Colin withdrew his gaze, feeling some heartache as he summoned the Golden Paper.


    As expected, the previously achieved Arrow Shooting Skill had reverted back to Arrow Shooting Skill I...


    However, thankfully, the progress backstage remained at 99/100, so he wouldn''t need to spend too much time to recover to the limit again and then proceed to Limit Breaking.


    It just meant that he needed to expend twenty more Limit Breaking Points...


    Bang¡ªBang¡ªBang¡ª


    The unexplained noises in the theater continued, and the nauseating aura still spread incessantly.


    But there were no new changes... It seemed to have stabilized for the time being.


    Colin took back his gaze, and after pondering for a moment, he put away the Golden Paper and then, using Flying and Diving Skill, he soared into the sky, quickly heading towards the place where Ivan and his companion had fallen.


    "Connie..." Wilder, beside the theater, watched Colin''s retreating figure and murmured subconsciously, "Your friend..."


    Shock was written all over his face...


    Connie on the other hand didn''t think too much at this moment. She had never had a good impression of Ivan and Anthony¡ªthere was only revulsion.


    Right now, with Colin emerging victorious, her heart was filled mostly with joy.


    Wilder glanced at Connie''s expression, then back at where Colin had disappeared... A bitter sentiment rose within him.


    His crown had fallen off during the earlier blast of flames. He stooped to pick it up, holding it in his hands and stroking it gently.


    With Ivan and Anthony dead, who would help him deal with the incident at the theater?


    Last night five hundred people died, what about tonight?


    The Yili Kingdom''s capital, Charnuka, had a history of more than two hundred years. Was it going to end in his hands?


    ''If only I hadn''t brought this wizard to the stables...''


    Looking at Connie, his expression involuntarily darkened.


    During the confrontation between Colin and Anthony, he had already learned everything from Connie...


    He exhaled gently and turned his head again, trying to ease his mood.


    But the next second, seeing a gleeful Connie, he couldn''t help but turn back and scold harshly:


    "Connie, look at the mess you''ve made!"


    Connie turned her head in shock and asked puzzledly, "Dad, what have I done?"


    "From now on, you stay in the Palace, forbidden to mingle with wizards!" Wilder said coldly, anger rising uncontrollably.


    "Dad..." Connie''s lips parted slightly, her eyes showing confusion, anger, but above all, hurt.


    She didn''t understand why her father would suddenly say such a thing.


    Wilder didn''t explain, he only turned his head toward the theater opposite, his complexion gradually turning pale.


    Unbeknownst when, the snowfall in the sky had ceased.


    The space in front of the theater''s entrance was desolately empty, the snow upturned and melted by the attacks of the wizards, exposing a patch of gray and pitted ground... Like an obvious scar.


    With a sigh, Wilder walked slowly toward the theater entrance, his hair, without the stability of the crown, being constantly blown up by the cold wind, disheveled and wretched.


    Behind him stood Connie, silent and stationary.


    Elsewhere, at the place where Ivan and Anthony had fallen, Colin was searching quickly.


    He somewhat regretted using such a powerful attack... Not only had the bodies of Ivan and his companion shattered into several pieces, but they had also fallen from the sky, making them somewhat difficult to locate.


    After a while, he finally managed to search and inspect the main parts one by one.


    He found two Storage Rings, a black triangular shuttle, and a brown bracelet from Anthony''s hand.


    Without examining the shuttle and the brown bracelet, he tried to open the Storage Rings.


    In the next second, his heart sank.


    The Spiritual Imprints on them were not something that could be dissolved in a short time.


    Looking back towards the direction of the distant theater, Colin''s expression turned worried.


    In fact, the reason he checked the Storage Rings first was to see if he could get some information relating to the mysterious aura within the theater.


    After all, only with sufficient understanding could he make the right judgment.


    It was evident that a crisis was brewing inside the theater; otherwise, Ivan and Anthony wouldn''t have turned tail and run.


    But what was a crisis for Ivan and Anthony might not necessarily be a crisis for him... His strength was not the same as theirs.


    It''s just a pity... With the current lack of clear information, he couldn''t determine if he could handle whatever was inside the theater.


    But after a moment''s hesitation, he still took off into the air, preparing to fly to the theater.


    The situation at the theater seemed stable for now.


    No matter what, Connie had helped him a lot, and that was a fact.


    Ensuring his own safety, if he could, he was not going to ignore the situation.


    Moreover.


    Bang¡ªBang¡ªBang¡ª


    Even from such a great distance, he could clearly hear the eerie sound emanating from the theater.


    And judging from the stillness of the streets and the fearful looks of the guards in the distance... It seemed that he was the only one who could hear the noise.


    All of this gave him some grave suspicions... He feared he might have been marked by the creature inside the theater.


    To flee was futile in the face of these things.


    Ivan and Anthony''s Storage Rings were temporarily inaccessible, but he still had the Knowledge Crystal Ball that Erica had given him!


    The knowledge inside it was scarce and fragmented, but there might be records relevant to his current situation.


    But at this moment, without any knowledge, he didn''t know where to start searching; he would need to first understand the situation at the theater.


    As he thought, he accelerated his flight.


    Before long, he could see Connie''s figure, preparing to land.


    But just at that moment!


    The strange sound from the theater suddenly ceased¡­ The nauseating aura pervading the surroundings also began to fade. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A hint of confusion appeared on Colin''s face as he slowly descended.

 Chapter 156 - 138: Changes Inside the Theater

    "Lord Colin!"


    Connie looked up at Colin, who had landed in front of her, her eyes slightly widened in disbelief and filled with surprise.


    "Um." Colin looked at her and nodded slightly, then his expression turned serious as he looked at the theater.


    The snow had already stopped, and without realizing it, the wind also seemed to have quietly ceased.


    On the open ground in front of the theater, Silver-armored Guards were scattered around the tall entrance hall, their expressions solemn. Scanning the area, Colin did not see Wild.


    He paused and asked, "Connie, where is His Majesty the King?" S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If one wanted to quickly understand the situation in the theater, aside from Ivan and Anthony, the best person to ask was undoubtedly King Wild.


    Upon hearing this, concern flashed across Connie''s face, and she turned to look at the theater, speaking softly,


    "My father and Hayden entered the theater."


    Entered the theater...


    "When?" Colin pressed.


    "Just after the sound from the theater stopped," Connie replied.


    After the sound had stopped... that meant they had just gone in not long ago.


    Hm?


    Suddenly, Colin turned his head to look at the theater entrance.


    There, amidst a commotion among the Silver-armored Guards, Wild and Hayden emerged together!


    Wild was in front, head bowed, his expression grave, still showing traces of fright, as if he had seen something unbelievable.


    "Dad," Connie said softly.


    Perhaps Wild was still caught up in the anger or the scenes he had witnessed inside the theater, he only bowed his head, deep in thought, and did not respond.


    "Dad¡ª" Connie repeated, "Lord Colin has returned."


    "Connie, don''t disturb..." Wild looked up, saying instinctively, his gaze somewhat vacant.


    But the next moment, when he saw Colin, his eyes suddenly focused, and a flicker of joy emerged from deep within.


    "Lord Colin!" he hurriedly greeted.


    "Your Majesty," Colin responded, then, still focused on the theater, he asked, "What exactly is the situation here?"


    Wild, seeing him ask proactively, felt even more incredulous.


    He had thought Colin might have left earlier¡­


    "What''s going on? Hurry and explain it to me briefly," Colin urged.


    Though the banging sound had disappeared and everything seemed over,


    he was not taking it lightly.


    Whether he had to interfere or not, he first needed to understand the current situation, to clarify his own position and comprehend why he could hear the sound from such a far distance...


    After understanding, if this crisis was beyond his ability, he wouldn''t recklessly show off.


    But if it was within his power, he couldn''t stand by and do nothing.


    After all, this was his steadfast human nature, his bottom line, the only beacon anchoring his heart in this world filled with murky darkness.


    ''Knowledge''s end is mysterious¡­ and the only light that can anchor rationality is human nature.''


    He hadn''t forgotten this proverb, widely circulated in the Wizard World, which he had once mentioned to Regina.


    If he left out of fear without understanding anything, he would definitely regret it.


    Wild didn''t delay any further and organized his words to tell Colin everything he knew.


    A moment later, Colin nodded slightly, digesting what Wild had said.


    Clearly, this was a typical sacrificial event, but the specific object of the sacrifice was unknown; it could be divine, or perhaps a demon, or even some unknown entity.


    However, judging by the quantity of the sacrifice, the "thing" summoned should not be very powerful... Colin breathed a sigh of relief.


    But to be certain, more information was needed.


    With a thought, Colin took out the Knowledge Crystal Ball.


    The McIntosh Wizard Tower had been unmanaged for too long, and the tower spirit had been in a state of insufficient origin energy for a long time... To reduce the burden, the knowledge stored inside the tower spirit had long since dwindled.


    Later, after the two raids by the Blackstone Family and Wizard Lap, as well as the mutual consumption with Erica...


    By the time Erica gifted it to him, the Knowledge Crystal Ball only contained fragmented knowledge, mainly about Magic Potions.


    Other knowledge, such as Magic Meditation, was basically absent.


    But, assuming a dead horse as a living one, he would search first, and if nothing was found, then he would think of other solutions.


    Night... prostitute... female... thirteen... dismembered body... eyeballs... Tower of Flesh...


    Colin carefully sifted through the information.


    Soon, a fragment of information entered his mind.


    "Conor Reeves Tower?" he murmured.


    A demon named Conor Reeves, known for spreading cruel rituals among humans...


    As if recalling something else, Colin looked up at the apprehensive Wild and asked,


    "You mentioned there''s been a new change inside the theater... What exactly has changed?"


    Wild paused at his words and let out a soft breath, saying,


    "Lord Colin, it''s hard to accurately describe in words. If you want to understand the specific situation, it might be best for you to see it on-site."


    Colin pondered for a moment and nodded, "Let''s go."


    "May I come along with you, Lord Colin?" Connie interjected from the side.


    Wild turned his head to look at her, his eyes clearly expressing deterrence.


    He didn''t want Connie involved in these matters.


    Connie smoothed out a lock of hair by her ear, turned her head, and focused on Colin, pretending not to notice Wild''s expression.

 Chapter 157 - 138: Changes Inside the Theater_2

    "Sure," Colin replied.


    Then he looked at her with a serious tone, "But you must understand, Connie, this is your own choice, and whatever the consequences, you must bear them yourself."


    Although Wild and the others had just come out from there with a high likelihood of safety, some things still needed to be clarified in advance.


    "Okay, Sir Colin," Connie paused before responding.


    Colin nodded, then they both walked towards the interior of the theater.


    "Sir Colin, are you planning to go to the Holy Flame Kingdom afterwards?" Wild asked Colin on the way.


    "Yes," Colin nodded and added, "Thanks to Connie for providing the horses."


    "No need for thanks," Connie quickly responded, her face beaming with a smile.


    Wild looked at her helplessly, then turned to Colin and hesitated before continuing,


    "Sir Colin, perhaps I have a better way to reach the Holy Flame Kingdom."


    A better way?


    Colin stopped and turned to look at Wild.


    Wild paused before he continued.


    "Sir Colin, according to my method, perhaps you could reach the Holy Flame Kingdom by tomorrow¡­"


    "What will I need to pay?" Colin interrupted him.


    "No, no¡­" Wild hurriedly waved his hands, sincerely saying, "You don''t have to give anything, I just have a small request¡­ Of course, this request doesn''t affect anything, whether you agree to it or not, I will still tell you this method truthfully."


    "Okay," Colin nodded, then quickly added, "I know your request."


    Wild''s request was merely for him to help take care of the theater¡­ which wasn''t contradictory to his own plans.


    He wasn''t in a hurry to know what the better method to the Holy Flame Kingdom was, he continued,


    "Let''s first go and see the scene."


    Joy clearly appeared on Wild''s face.


    "Yes," he replied curtly, containing his emotions.


    Passing through a narrow passage, they saw the stage of the theater.


    Colin looked around, then paced towards the stage to closely inspect it, before turning to Wild to ask.


    "Are you sure what you saw previously was a tower of flesh made from arms and legs, with countless eyes at the very top?"


    "I''m sure, Sir Colin," Wild responded without hesitation.


    Looking around, Colin frowned slightly.


    The spacious theater, neatly arranged in arcs of red upholstered chairs, the natural wood stage, and the thick dark red curtains behind it.


    Everything seemed ordinary¡­ yet, where the Tower of Conor Reeves should have stood complete on the stage, now there was only a dark brown mottled bloodstain.


    Swoosh!


    Detect Evil!


    A magical light poured from his palm, spreading around.


    The next second, some dark red traces quietly emerged.


    "What is this?" Wild''s pupils shrank.


    Connie swallowed her saliva.


    The scene in the theater was overall less disgusting than she had imagined, with no severed limbs, just a large pool of dark brown mottled bloodstains.


    Yet, this terrifying bloodstain, combined with the empty, dimly lit theater hall, sent shivers down one''s spine.


    It felt as though creepy eyes might be hidden behind each red upholstered chair, in each dark shadowy corner, and even on the ancient ceiling, secretly watching you.


    Colin frowned slightly, observing carefully.


    The dark red trace, starting from where Conor Reeves previously was, spread towards the heavy curtains behind the stage.


    If it wasn''t for the wooden stage''s natural wood color showing no bloodstains, he might think that the Tower of Conor Reeves had suddenly become sentient and decided to move toward the curtains behind the stage.


    No¡­no, the absence of bloodstains didn''t necessarily mean no passage¡­


    At that moment, as if to verify his guess.


    Whoosh¡ª


    Like a breeze across a wheat field, that dark red curtain moved without wind, rippling.


    Colin''s expression tightened and he subconsciously extended his right hand.


    Buzz¡ª


    A black scepter engraved with dark golden patterns appeared in his hand.


    Immediately, a flash of Spiritual Light passed.


    He fortified himself with a Steel Temperature Resistance Field, equivalent to a First Rank Basic Level witchcraft.


    Seeming to think of something, he once again swung the Foolishness Scepter, blessing Connie and her father with a Steel Temperature Resistance Field.


    "Leave quickly," he ordered in a deep voice.


    A sense of discomfort transmitted vaguely from his soul grew stronger...


    Behind that curtain, there must be something!


    It was at this time that Colin finally confirmed that he had indeed been targeted by the inexplicable presence in the theater.


    Immense malice brewed behind the curtain, concentrating on him like a bone-deep carbuncle!


    "Yes!" Wild did not hesitate and quickly pulled Connie along as they made their way back by a longer route.


    The empty theater was eerily quiet, filled only with the sounds of Wild and Connie''s footsteps and their panting.


    They had yet to reach the passageway on the left side of the audience area.


    Bang!


    Colin swung his hand, sending a blazing Fireball towards the curtain behind the stage in a probing attack.


    The Fireball broke and ignited the dark red curtain like tinder in a fierce fire!


    Using the blazing light, Colin clearly saw that behind the curtain of the stage there was nothing.


    The next moment.


    Hiss!!


    A creepy sound transmitted, and Colin''s hair stood on end.


    The sound was coming from the ceiling!


    He stepped to the left and looked up.


    A creature made of countless limbs and severed arms appeared in his vision!


    Upon closer inspection, that creature''s exposed skin was densely embedded with countless eyeballs, almost one every few inches!


    All those eyeballs, originally tightly closed, now opened widely due to the assault, with bloodshot whites and black pupils moving chaotically, finally focusing on Colin.


    At that instant, an invisible mental assault was released.


    The residual impact spread, causing Wild and Connie, not far away, to suddenly groan and stagger a bit.


    However, it seemed that the Steel Temperature Resistance Field was effective as they paused only briefly before continuing to run outside.


    But Colin, who bore the brunt, was not so fortunate, his face deathly pale, with fresh blood leaking from the corner of his mouth and a buzzing noise in his head.


    Among the original witchcraft that made up the Steel Temperature Resistance Field, only the Hope Defense Field had some minor mental defense effects.


    Facing the multieyed limb creature''s attack now revealed this vulnerability undoubtedly.


    Boom!


    The multieyed limb creature viciously lunged forward but missed, crashing into the stage and smashing the wooden floor into a large pit.


    Though Colin was affected by the mental assault, his body continued the dodging maneuver, and the reflexes of an Ultimate Knight enabled him to perfectly evade.


    The multieyed limb creature adjusted its posture and turned its "guns" again towards Colin.


    Its eyeballs began to whirl chaotically again.


    This couldn''t go on!


    At this sight, Colin bit hard on the tip of his tongue, the pain in his body slightly alleviating the dizziness in his brain.


    Without hesitation, he swung the Foolishness Scepter, increasing the cost paid!


    The next moment!


    A fireball the size of a person shot rapidly towards the multieyed limb creature.


    Bang!!


    Flames soared up, forming a giant sphere that enveloped the multieyed limb creature.


    The flesh of those limbs charred instantly under the scorching flames; the creature, in agonizing pain, thrashed wildly trying to extinguish the flames, desperately struggling and flailing its multitude of arms and legs, running in all directions.


    But under Colin''s control, the flames clung to it like a stubborn disease, always enveloping it.


    In just a short while, the multieyed limb creature gradually lost its life force, collapsing in the corner of the stage, curled into a ball and burned by the flames.


    By now, several spots on the stage had caught fire, but Colin waved his hand to extinguish them, focusing his energy on burning the multieyed limb creature until it was completely reduced to charred ashes before he ceased.


    This creature was weaker than he had envisioned.


    If one disregarded the mental attack, it seemed to have only the power of a Peak Apprentice...


    Or to put it another way, the mental attack was perhaps just about the level of a Peak Wizard Apprentice, but because it specifically targeted his vulnerability, it felt formidable. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But what exactly was this multieyed limb creature?


    The information recorded in the Knowledge Crystal Ball did not mention that the Tower of Conor Reeves'' ritualistic Flesh Tower could become animate?


    Moreover... this creature lacked the distinctive aura of a demon.


    Slowly stepping forward, Colin approached the remains of the multieyed limb creature.

 Chapter 158 - 139 Temporary Stay and Gratitude

    Approaching, Colin''s eyes were met with a half-person-sized clump of charred embers.


    It was the remains of the multi-eyed arthropod monster after it had been burned by flames.


    It seemed that the burning had been too thorough, and despite Colin''s repeated examinations, he was not able to glean any useful information.


    He stood up and once again waved his scepter.


    Swish¡ª


    A glow from the Detect Evil witchcraft shone from the tip of the dark gold-patterned scepter, spreading rapidly in all directions. With his full magical powers, the light soon covered the entire theater.


    Colin carefully scanned the surroundings, but the empty theater revealed no further traces of anything abnormal.


    Still not reassured, he waved the Foolishness Scepter once again, slightly increasing the cost.


    The enhanced Detect Evil witchcraft swept over the entire theater.


    The results remained unchanged; there were still no signs of anything abnormal.


    Colin pondered for a moment, then closed his eyes again.


    The sense of discomfort that had originally lingered in his soul had also vanished without a trace.


    It seemed... the incident at the theater had been resolved.


    At that moment.


    Tap tap tap¡ª


    Suddenly, orderly footsteps resounded from the theater corridor, mixed with the sounds of metal armor colliding.


    The next second, Hayden and the commander of the Yili Knight Order led a squad of knights running out from the passage.


    "Sir Colin," Hayden said, scanning the area and feeling somewhat relieved.


    He then spoke to Colin, "His Majesty the King has ordered us to come and assist."


    Although he said this, Hayden knew in his heart that his men were more likely sent as cannon fodder.


    But it seemed that the situation in the theater had already been brought under control.


    "The monster has been taken care of; clean up the battlefield," Colin directed.


    Upon hearing this, Hayden completely relaxed.


    "Yes, sir!" he answered, bowing his head, then turning to walk towards the commander of the knights, presumably to delegate tasks.


    Meanwhile, Colin quickly headed towards the theater exit.


    Since his arrival at Blackstone Island, he had encountered countless incidents, many of which were inexplicable.


    Like the incident at the Yili Kingdom theater, if it could no longer be detected with current methods and his strength, then lingering here would be a needless worry, serving no significant purpose.


    Rather, it was better to hasten his travel to the Holy Flame Kingdom and fulfill the promise he made to Erica as soon as possible, to head towards the jurisdiction of the Wizard Alliance.


    Miracle City... He had long been looking forward to it.


    Exiting the theater, Wild was anxiously waiting outside. Seeing Colin emerge, Wild''s eyes lit up with joy, and he quickly greeted,


    "Sir Colin!"


    "The situation inside...?"


    "It has been resolved," Colin nodded and then added, "At least, with my current methods, I can no longer detect anything out of the ordinary."


    Wild nodded, finally allowing his expression to relax.


    He then said, "Sir Colin, the Yili Kingdom will remember your assistance today."


    Colin observed Wild''s face, suddenly smiled, and said, "Just don''t blame me for killing your Yili Kingdom''s Sacrificial Wizard."


    Wild''s expression shifted, and he replied with an awkward smile, "Of course not." Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Colin let the matter go with just a smile and continued, "Tell me, what was the better way to travel to the Holy Flame Kingdom you mentioned before?"


    Wild collected himself and, glancing around, said, "It''s bitterly cold outside; how about we move to a more comfortable spot in the Palace where I can..."


    "No need," Colin cut him off, "I am in a hurry."


    Wild paused, then went on to explain, "Sir Colin, this is the situation."


    "The better method I mentioned is that, by coincidence, a merchant caravan''s Flying Airship will be passing through the Yili Kingdom tomorrow for supplies, and their next route happens to go by the Holy Flame Kingdom."


    "If I remember correctly, wizards have previously taken flights with this caravan''s Flying Airship. As a wizard, you should also be able to board their Flying Airship directly with a Magic Stone and travel to the Holy Flame Kingdom."


    "If you can board the Flying Airship... with its speed, we should arrive at the Holy Flame Kingdom by tomorrow evening."


    Wild smiled, "If you want to take the merchant caravan''s Flying Airship, then you will have to wait until tomorrow morning."


    "So... if you would like, you may continue to stay at the Palace tonight."


    Colin did not reply but first asked, "Are you certain the caravan will arrive in the Yili Kingdom on time tomorrow?"


    Wild nodded without hesitation, "For nearly ten years, every three months, they have never changed their schedule."


    In fact, he wasn''t sure if that Flying Airship belonged to a merchant caravan or what it was for...


    But indeed, it had arrived punctually every three months, and wandering wizards had indeed hitched rides using a Magic Stone.


    However, to be on the safe side, Wild added, "If by some chance the Flying Airship does not arrive on schedule tomorrow... the Yili Royal Family owns a batch of Demon Beast hybrid horses. I am willing to gift two of them to you, sir.


    With their speed, heading to the Holy Flame Kingdom would be at least two or three days faster than riding the normal horses previously provided."


    Colin nodded slightly in response.


    "So Sir Colin, will you stay at the Palace tonight?" Wild continued to inquire.


    Naturally, he wished for Colin to stay at the Palace... or at the very least to remain in the Yili Kingdom tonight.


    On one hand, he wanted to cultivate a good relationship with Colin, and on the other, he wanted to see if Chaniuka City... would continue to experience anomalies this evening.


    After a pause for thought, Colin nodded, "That''s fine."

 Chapter 159 - 139 Temporary Stay and Thanks_2

    If there really was a Flying Airship, then it would clearly be his best option.


    Twenty minutes later.


    Outside the Guest House in Yili Palace.


    King Wild, along with Colin, stepped down from the carriage.


    "Master Colin, we''ve arrived at the Guest House, your room is the same one as last time... As for your maid, Knight Hayden has already gone to the North City Gate to call for her, she should arrive shortly."


    "Mm." Colin nodded slightly, indicating his understanding.


    Wild paused, then added, "I don''t know if you''re free this evening, but I''d like to invite you to dine with us."


    At this point, he stopped again and supplemented, "Connie will also be joining us for dinner."


    Connie, who was standing beside them, first looked puzzled, then her heart skipped a beat, she smoothed her hair, looking somewhat embarrassed.


    She only admired Colin and had no other intentions.


    "There''s no need." Colin shook his head to decline.


    With such time, it would be better to properly sort out the items he had obtained today from Yili and Anthony.


    Wild kept a calm expression and nodded, not saying anything more.


    His words were merely a polite gesture.


    "Master Colin, then I will take my leave. When the merchant convoy arrives tomorrow, I will have someone inform you."


    After speaking, he turned his head to the stunned Connie and softly signaled, "Quickly say goodbye to Master Colin."


    Connie snapped back to reality and said, "Goodbye, Master Colin."


    "Goodbye."


    Wild smiled, bowed again to Colin, and then turned with Connie to board the carriage.


    Click¡ª


    The carriage door closed, blocking the outside view, and Wild''s smile gradually disappeared, turning cold.


    Gee up!


    The coachman cracked his whip.


    Clip-clop, clip-clop¡ª


    The luxurious carriage sped away on the neat cobblestone road, leaving the Guest House far behind.


    After a while, they came to an intersection.


    Inside the carriage, Wild''s worried and icy expression softened slightly, he lifted the curtain, and spoke to the coachman in front,


    "Detour to the Wizard Palace."


    "Yes, Your Majesty." The coachman pulled the reins, steering left to the palace where Ivan and Anthony had lived.


    Dropping the dark gold curtain, Wild sighed softly.


    Although the theater incident had been resolved, Yili Kingdom''s two Sacrificial Wizards, Ivan and Anthony, were both dead...


    And if nothing unexpected happened, Colin would leave tomorrow.


    If Yili Kingdom encountered another strange incident after his departure,


    Then he could only hope for paid assistance from nearby Schools, like the other weaker neighboring kingdoms.


    However, the assistance of Schools was unreliable, whether in terms of time, effectiveness, or other aspects, it wasn''t as convenient and effective as having his own Sacrificial Wizard.


    Just the time it took was a difficult issue to address.


    If faced with a strange incident,


    Yili Kingdom would first need to convey the message of the incident to a School...


    If sent to the nearest School and the messenger rode a Demon Beast hybrid horse bred by the Royal Family, it would take at least twenty days one way.


    Thus, a round trip would take at least forty days, and that''s assuming the School immediately sent someone.


    Usually, Schools could not dispatch someone right away, and so the whole process could take at least two months...


    Of course, there were other ways to inform the Schools, but they would still take at least half a month at a minimum.


    Half a month... many strange incidents could undergo significant changes in even an hour, let alone half a month. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Wild couldn''t help but sigh once again.


    He couldn''t claim he didn''t resent Colin.


    But... that was all he could afford, resentment; holding a grudge was useless... and he didn''t dare to.


    Some time passed.


    The carriage slowed down, arriving at the Wizard Palace.


    Wild got out of the carriage.


    He was here to properly secure the items left by Ivan and Anthony for future use.


    Approaching the palace gate, Hayden took a step forward and knocked vigorously on the door.


    Before long, a shapely female knight opened the door.


    This was the same female knight who had opened the door for them earlier in the day.


    Wild didn''t remember her name... after all, she was merely one of Anthony''s playthings.


    "Your Majesty, the King." The female knight greeted calmly, bowing slightly as usual, and then was about to refuse the King''s visit.


    "Ivan and Lord Anthony..."


    Wild was anxious and did not wish to engage in more conversation, turning to Hayden and signaling slightly.


    Understanding the cue, Hayden stepped forward, forcefully moving the female knight aside to clear the doorway.


    "You?!" The female knight looked shocked and angry, glaring at Hayden. Her face, which had a certain beauty, was now distorted with rage.


    She instinctively wanted to strike back, but soon came to her senses and stopped herself.


    Although she was a Knight just like Hayden, she was merely a Basic Level Knight who had been artificially enhanced with witchcraft, while Hayden was a battle-hardened Great Knight... They were not comparable.


    She frowned, looking away from Hayden and turning to Wild, "Your Majesty Wild, you''re just going to watch your Knight treat me this way... What do you think Lord Anthony would think if he knew?"


    Wild frowned, growing increasingly impatient.


    These women always thought that by having a Wizard as support, they could do as they please, but in reality, everyone knew they were nothing more than playthings.


    If there was a real conflict, Anthony would never fall out with him over such a trifle...

 Chapter 160 - 139 Temporary Stay and Thanks_3

    He did not wish to waste words, simply continuing to walk forward on his own.


    Hayden followed closely behind, whispering to her as they passed,


    "Anthony and Ivan are both already dead."


    The female knight was first shocked, then incredulous, and her face soon turned ashen.


    "Dead? How is that possible?!"


    "Anthony and Sir Ivan had just gone out at noon today, and it isn''t even evening yet..."


    Ahead, Wild overheard the female knight''s mutter and suddenly stopped. He turned to look at her, puzzled, and asked,


    "After leaving with us at noon, didn''t Ivan and Anthony return to the Palace?"


    At this point, the female knight was already panic-stricken. Seeing that Wild had questioned her, she quickly knelt on the ground, trembling as she responded,


    "Your Majesty the King, after Anthony... and Ivan went with you at noon, they did not return."


    Upon hearing this, Wild furrowed his brows.


    He remembered that after checking the tower of flesh and blood at the theater, Anthony and Ivan had spoken to him about needing to return here to take some necessary ceremonial items.


    Considering the length of time since they had left, they should have had more than enough time to return...


    They hadn''t come back at all?


    Wild felt a sudden surge in his heart and quickened his pace to Ivan''s residence.


    After a thorough search, he found virtually nothing of value left inside, only some daily necessities such as bedding linens.


    Seeing this scene, a dreadful guess slowly emerged in his mind.


    Wild''s back broke out in a cold sweat.


    At that time, Ivan and Anthony had not come back to take any items needed for the ceremony at all! S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Instead, they had already left quietly!


    He opened his mouth, taking light breaths.


    If it hadn''t been for Colin, if Colin hadn''t returned...


    "Hayden, prepare the carriage, to the Guest House.


    I must properly thank Lord Colin!"


    Wild let out a deep breath, his expression solemn as he instructed the knight Hayden outside the door, relief filling his tired eyes.


    ...


    The Guest House.


    It was still the two-story western-style building at the end of the long corridor.


    Even the serving maid staying there was the same one as before.


    Walking to the door, the reception maid slowly stopped, took out a key from around her waist, and gently unlocked the door.


    Then, she took down the key, turned around, and presented it to Colin with both hands respectfully.


    "Here''s your key, sir."


    "Mm." Colin took the key and stepped inside.


    "Sir," the reception maid Qiong suddenly asked, "Would you need dinner?"


    She bowed her head slightly, not daring to meet Colin''s gaze, feeling somewhat apprehensive.


    She had thought Colin had left, but to her surprise, he had returned to the Guest House by the afternoon.


    Moreover, this time she saw clearly that it was King Wild himself who had personally escorted this wizard, his expression filled with great respect.


    She couldn''t help but feel a bit worried.


    Although last time, at the end, she had asked Kathy to go to the kitchen to get dinner for Colin and others, her initial attitude hadn''t been very good...


    Qiong bowed her head, waiting for Colin''s response.


    But at that moment.


    Tap tap tap¡ª


    Clear footsteps echoed in the corridor.


    Colin looked up and slightly raised an eyebrow as King Wild and Hayden approached.


    "Lord Colin," Wild came forward, smiled ruefully, and said, "After much thought, you saved Chaniuka City, and even the whole Yili Kingdom; how can I not properly thank you!"


    "Of course, I know you, Lord Colin, are focused on your practice, so my thanks won''t involve a banquet or anything like that..."


    Pausing there, he continued, "Do you know why the Yili Kingdom was able to employ two wizards?"

 Chapter 161 - 140 Life Tower and Breathing Skill

    Colin shook his head.


    "Words alone can''t explain," said Wild with a mysterious smile,


    "but this is the gift I wish to thank you with."


    "Please come with me¡­ It will take no more than an hour of your time."


    At this point, despite hesitating, Colin decided to follow Wild''s steps.


    To be honest, he was also curious about how the Yili Kingdom had managed to recruit two Sacrificial Wizards.


    They walked through the hallways and climbed into a carriage.


    Ten minutes later, the ornately decorated carriage slowed and eventually stopped.


    Colin stepped down from the carriage and was met with the sight of a luxurious palace.


    "This is the former residence of the wizards Ivan and Anthony," Wild explained as he led Colin inside.


    Soon, the pair approached an ancient, gray building deep within the palace grounds.


    Narrow windows, a semicircular archway, and a low dome¡ªthis was a typical tower.


    The mottled exterior was covered with green ivy, and nearby, white roses swayed in the breeze.


    No guards were stationed here, and Wild took the initiative to open the iron-bound wooden door for Colin.


    The two walked in side by side, with Hayden remaining outside.


    To Colin''s surprise, the interior of the tower wasn''t dim. Two large beeswax candles cast a bright light all around.


    Looking around with the help of the light,


    a soft, sophisticated gray velvet carpet lay in the center, covering almost two-thirds of the area, encircled by obsidian-like interior walls that shimmered faintly under the candlelight.


    Besides these, there was nothing else.


    No... there was also an attic.


    Colin looked toward the spiral staircase built against the curved inner wall.


    "The second floor is just a resting room," Wild explained in a timely manner.


    Colin shifted his gaze.


    "To save your time, I''ll cut to the chase."


    "This place is known as the Life Tower. Since the inception of the Yili royal family, except for those who met accidents, nearly all royal family members have lived at least eighty years.


    Half of them lived past the age of one hundred due to this very Life Tower."


    Colin nodded slightly.


    Although Great Knights were not uncommon in this world, he had the Golden Paper, whereas many others relied on life transformation by Wizards.


    True breakthroughs on one''s own as a Great Knight were rare.


    Typically, only those who naturally break through could live nearly 150 years, while most life-transformed Great Knights lived much less than 150 years.


    Some even less than a century.


    So, for the common man, living to the age of one hundred was considered an exceptionally long life.


    "Lord Colin, please focus your mind and feel," Wild reminded him again.


    Colin obediently half-closed his eyes to concentrate.


    In an instant, the sounds of the burning beeswax candles, the friction of Wild''s clothes, and the scent of roses brought by the wind through the narrow windows¡­ all came to mind.


    As he concentrated, a strange breath suddenly appeared.


    It was as elusive as morning mist and as regular as tidal waves at sea, but most importantly, it was filled with a vibrant, budding-sprout-like vitality.


    It seemed that Wild noticed Colin had felt it.


    Wild spoke, "The Life Tower is just an ordinary tower. What makes it special is the unique life force present here."


    Colin opened his eyes.


    Wild handed him a prepared leather scroll.


    "This is a Nameless Knight Breathing Skill, discovered simultaneously by the ancestors of the Yili royal family when they found this place."


    "The Life Tower does have life-extending properties, but they are not strong. A common person living here would, at most, gain only two to three more years of life through gradual influence."


    "However, if one practices this Nameless Breathing Skill along with living here, even those not becoming Great Knights can mostly reach the age of one hundred!"


    Colin listened as he looked through the scroll that Wild narrated.


    Although Wild''s words were tempting, he knew that lifespan was not only limited by the body but also by the spirit.


    Between the two, the spirit has the higher priority.


    If one''s spirit was sufficient, with his current life strength, he could live for at least two hundred years.


    Merely increasing life strength was of little use to him.


    But if Wizards could stay here, it might also provide benefits to the spirit¡­


    Colin was amazed.


    Then, Wild smiled and added, "Of course, that''s the effect for common people¡­ As for Wizards, I''ve heard Lord Ivan say, if they practice the Nameless Breathing Skill here long-term¡­ they could extend their lives by two to three years."


    Two to three years¡­


    It didn''t sound like much, but if it were the day near death, even one more day could drive one to madness!


    However, for him now, this seemed somewhat negligible.


    After all, to extend life, one needed not only to learn the breathing skill, but also to persist for a long time¡­


    Seemingly noticing his uncertainty, Wild spoke again:


    "Lord Colin, I''m not jesting here. To gain the life-extending effects of the Life Tower, there is also another, quicker method."


    He reached into his coat and pulled out a semi-transparent stone, its smooth surface shining under the candlelight.


    A hint of pain flashed through Wild''s eyes. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "This is a Life Seed left by an ancestor of the royal family who broke through to become a Great Knight through the Nameless Breathing Skill.


    It allows one to temporarily possess the absorption ability of the Nameless Breathing Skill, and the first practice here in the Life Tower yields the best results."

 Chapter 162 - 140 Life Tower and Breathing Skill_2

    "If a lifetime of practice here could extend one''s life by ten years, then the life span extended by the first practice must account for at least two to three years."


    This is actually a Life Seed...


    Colin reached out to take the semi-transparent Life Seed from Wild, and only now, holding it in his hand for a careful look, did he realize¡ª


    The Life Seed felt more like a crystal with lower transparency, and its shape was not irregular... The whole was diamond-shaped, and its surface seemed to have countless facets like a diamond from a previous life.


    Neither the original owner of the body nor he had much knowledge about knights.


    So... he did not know whether it was this Breathing Skill that was special, or if other knights also had such a "stone" formed inside them after breaking through to become a Great Knight.


    But at least the Sunlight Breathing Technique he practiced did not have such a tangible "Life Seed."


    "Thank you, Your Majesty Wild," Colin said, pausing before asking, "How should I use this Life Seed?"


    Although according to the initial effectiveness of about thirty percent, the life span he had extended this time was at most one year... but who would complain about having too much life?


    "Just place it in front of your chest and concentrate," Wild answered.


    Colin nodded, walked to the middle of the carpet, sat down, and did as Wild had said, placing the semi-transparent Life Seed in front of his chest, then slightly closing his eyes.


    Perhaps it was because a wizard''s spirit was strong, he felt the Life Seed on his chest warming up instantly.


    Immediately afterward, he himself seemed to become a black hole, with an invisible vortex forming around him as the center on the first floor of the tower.


    Like this, about half an hour passed.


    Colin slowly opened his eyes, feeling refreshed and invigorated.


    Looking down, he saw that the semi-transparent Life Seed in his hand had now turned to dust.


    Unconsciously, he opened Golden Paper.


    "Master Colin, how do you feel?" Wild, who had been waiting for a while, asked with a smile.


    "Not bad," Colin replied, but his attention was not on Wild.


    Light golden particles gathered, and the semi-transparent Golden Paper appeared in front of him. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He scanned carefully from top to bottom.


    In the section of the Breathing Skill, a new line of text slowly emerged¡ª[Nameless Breathing Skill (36/100)]


    Colin was not surprised; after all, when using the Life Seed, he was running the Nameless Breathing Skill, which was tantamount to practicing it, so it was normal for it to be recorded on Golden Paper now.


    It''s just that the progress was a bit more than he had expected.


    With a thought, Colin renamed it¡ª[Yili Breathing Method (36/100)] and then put away Golden Paper.


    He did not pay much attention to the Breathing Skill, after all, it was just a Breathing Skill dedicated to life extension at the Life Tower.


    But out of consideration for collecting knowledge.


    He still carefully memorized the Breathing Skill from the parchment scroll, before returning the brown scroll to Wild.


    After doing all this, the two walked out side by side.


    "Master Colin, do you have any other plans after going to the Holy Flame Kingdom?" Wild asked casually on the way.


    "I''ll think about the next steps after I reach the Holy Flame Kingdom," Colin said with a smile, revealing no more information.


    Wild nodded and then said, "Welcome to come back again... Yili Kingdom will always welcome your arrival."


    Then he shifted the conversation:


    "This time, using the Life Tower has only about a thirty percent effect. If you have a chance to come to Yili Kingdom again in the future, you are welcome to come to the Life Tower again... If you are willing, you can also consider residing in Yili Kingdom for the long term."


    "By that, I mean, perhaps you could consider becoming the new Sacrificial Wizard of Yili Kingdom," Wild cut to the chase.


    In fact, aside from feeling grateful, another consideration for bringing Colin to the Life Tower was indeed this reason.


    The original Sacrificial Wizard of Yili Kingdom had died, and naturally, they needed to find a new Sacrificial Wizard.


    Given the current situation, there was no one more suitable than Colin.


    Colin smiled slightly, declining:


    "I''m sorry, Your Majesty Wild, I''m used to being free on my own and don''t wish to become a Sacrificial Wizard."


    He had anticipated Wild''s request.


    Although the life-extending effects of the Life Tower were good, apart from the first time, subsequent life extension required frequent practice, even better if one could practice every day... the cost was too high.


    The maximum life extension was only about two years... the cost-effectiveness was really not high.


    Only wizards like Anthony, who no longer had hope for the future, would choose to retire here.


    Furthermore, there were probably other limitations of the Life Tower that had not been disclosed to him.


    Otherwise, Yili Kingdom would not have been able to possess the Life Tower for so long.


    Wild wanted to persuade him further, but looking up at Colin''s serious expression, he sighed silently in his heart and chose to give up.


    "Master Colin, then I won''t disturb you further. When the Flying Airship arrives tomorrow, I will come to inform you."


    Upon leaving the palace, Wild and Colin said goodbye.


    "Alright," Colin nodded, turned, and boarded another carriage to return to the Guest House.


    The next day.


    The mansion at the Guest House.


    Around ten o''clock in the morning.


    Knock knock knock¡ª


    A rhythmic knocking sounded.


    Renee, who was resting downstairs, got up to open the door.


    "Your Majesty the King."


    "Hello," Wild said with a smile, "Is Master Colin here?"


    "Your Majesty Wild."


    At this moment, a voice suddenly came from the staircase.

 Chapter 163 - 140: Life Tower and Breathing Skill_3

    Colin walked down slowly as he looked at Wild and asked, "Has the Flying Airship arrived?"


    "Yes, Master Colin," Wild answered with a smile, nodding his head.


    He was in an exceptionally good mood.


    After Colin had dealt with the monster in the theater, last night there had been no more death occurrences in Chaniuka City.


    The peculiar incident had indeed been successfully resolved!


    The removal of this great danger from his mind even made him no longer regret Colin''s departure.


    Therefore, as soon as the Flying Airship arrived today, he had come in person, without delay, to bid farewell to Colin.


    "Excellent." Colin showed a hint of surprise on his face at the news.


    Although he appeared calm on the surface, he still couldn''t help feeling anxious after hearing about the current situation in the Holy Flame Kingdom.


    If the Holy Flame Kingdom were to be defeated, not to mention the fate of the Royal Family.


    He would undoubtedly have to spend much more time on this issue.


    "Let''s not delay any further, let''s leave now," Colin urged.


    Wild naturally had no opposition.


    They stepped out of the villa and walked along the outdoor corridor.


    Colin needed no introduction from Wild; he spotted the Flying Airship in the sky at first glance.


    Its grey-black iron hull and streamlined body hovered silently in the sky, enough to leave people in awe.


    But in fact, the Flying Airship wasn''t very large, merely a size larger than his Sea Swallow.


    However, because its current flying altitude was quite low, it still appeared formidable.


    After all, there were many massive things on land, not to mention at sea... But it was not so in the sky, where massive things were rare.


    Taking a carriage, it was not long before


    Colin and his companions arrived at Palace Square.


    At that time, the Airship had already docked in the very center.


    A troop of Knights was busy transferring supplies from several huge carriages nearby, carrying them one by one into a massive storage compartment that had opened on the side of the Airship.


    Next to them, a middle-aged Wizard in a white robe supervised the work. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "My lord, this is the Wizard I mentioned to you who wishes to board the Flying Airship," Wild introduced.


    "Very well," the Wizard in the white robe replied affably, his friendly demeanor becoming even more approachable with his smile.


    "Where does your excellence wish to travel?" he turned and asked Colin.


    "The Holy Flame Kingdom," Colin answered briefly.


    The Wizard in the white robe pondered for a moment before saying, "That will be 200 Magic Stones. What do you think?"


    200 Magic Stones¡­ were somewhat expensive.


    But time was more valuable than money.


    Colin nodded without hesitation: "No problem."


    "Good, we have almost finished replenishing supplies. If there is nothing else you need, you can now follow me onto the Airship to prepare for departure," the Wizard added.


    "Alright," Colin nodded.


    After bidding farewell to Wild, he followed the white-robed Wizard into the Flying Airship.


    "We''re here."


    In a short while, after navigating a narrow passage, the white-robed Wizard led them to a cramped cabin.


    "Please remain in the cabin as much as possible unless it is necessary, to avoid any needless trouble."


    "We are expected to arrive at the Royal Capital Lane of the Holy Flame Kingdom around three o''clock this afternoon."


    Colin nodded in acknowledgment, indicating he understood.


    The time he''d been on the ship was brief, but from his observations, it seemed this vessel was likely not any ordinary merchant ship.


    His cabin, though cramped, was equipped with a private washroom. Aside from the absence of a window, it lacked nothing.


    Unless something unexpected happened, he would not set foot outside the cabin before arriving at the Royal Capital Lane of the Holy Flame Kingdom.


    Fulfilling his promise to Erica was imminent, and he had no desire for further complications.

 Chapter 164 - 141 Royal Family and Knight

    Before long.


    The seat beneath him gave a slight shudder, and though there were no windows, Colin knew that the Flying Airship had taken off.


    He looked around more carefully.


    Grey-blue smooth steel walls, equally hard and cold grey-blue ceiling... S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If it weren''t for the grey-white carpet underfoot, the soft brown couch he was sitting on, and other furnishings that were not exquisite but still comfortable, this place would give off the vibe of a closed prison.


    Lifting the hem of his Wizard Robe, Colin took a Pocket Watch from his shirt''s front pocket.


    It was exactly eleven o''clock in the morning.


    According to what the white-robed Wizard had said¡­ it should take about four more hours to arrive at the Holy Flame Kingdom''s Royal Capital Lane.


    Indeed¡­ no matter the world, when it comes to speed, aviation is always among the top modes of transportation.


    Colin silently praised to himself.


    He put away the Pocket Watch, his thoughts stirred, and he stood up to carefully check his surroundings, with Magic Power swirling in his hands.


    After observing a complete round, there were several obvious witchcraft fluctuations at some points on the cabin walls.


    But he wasn''t surprised.


    The white-robed Wizard had specially informed him before leaving that almost every place on the Flying Airship was closely monitored. He advised him to avoid using witchcraft as much as possible, or it might cause unnecessary trouble.


    Sitting back down on the couch, his thoughts moved again, and he took out two Storage Rings with different designs from his pocket.


    He began to concentrate on erasing the Spiritual Imprints originally left by Anthony and Ivan.


    Though witchcraft was monitored in the cabin, its main function was to detect witchcraft fluctuations, which did not hinder him from sorting through the items he had obtained from Ivan and Anthony.


    As for the brown bracelet and the triangle shuttle, he had already figured out their specific functions last night, and even understood their names well.


    This was mainly because these standard Witch Tools all had a simple explanation inscribed within them.


    He now finally understood why Anthony was so certain that he was only an Advanced Apprentice¡­


    It turned out that the disguise effect brought by the Audric fake crystal on his chest had been exposed by the Trojan Bracelet Type 2.


    Yes¡­ through the Trojan Bracelet, he had also learned the true name of the White Crystal Pendant on his chest.


    As for the Extreme Shadow Triangle Shuttle¡ª


    This black triangle shuttle was also a standard Witch Tool that was selling well in the Miracle City.


    Its function was simple yet powerful, to reduce friction during flight, thereby increasing the flying speed.


    It was a rather good Flying Witch Tool for Apprentices.


    So, as he thought and erased the Spiritual Imprints, time passed without his noticing.


    Suddenly, a sensation like popping bubbles came through, and the two Storage Rings in his hand immediately felt no longer cold and unyielding.


    Colin spread his spiritual power over them, rebranded them first, then stimulated the Magic Power towards the Storage Ring on the left.


    A space about five meters by five meters appeared in his mind¡­ with roughly the same height as well.


    He probed the other one next.


    The space inside was smaller, about three meters by five meters, and its height was only about two and a half meters.


    Compared to the Storage Ring Erica had given him, these two rings combined were not even half as large.


    He knew the longest side in his Storage Ring was nearly twenty meters, and the shortest was also ten meters.


    An hour later.


    Colin had sorted through everything inside the Storage Rings.


    It was no wonder that Ivan and Anthony, who had retired in Yili Kingdom, had only a little over seven hundred Magic Stones between them.


    However, Colin considered another possibility.


    It might be that the two of them spent all their wealth on the Trojan Bracelet and the Extreme Shadow Triangle Shuttle.


    Perhaps because they saw no hope for the future, they spent their savings on these two Witch Tools for reconnaissance and escape and chose a small country to indulge in pleasures.


    In addition, there were two books, one was a Life Transformation Technique with peculiar effects, and the other was a health maintenance notebook¡­


    That unnamed Life Transformation Technique was obviously Anthony''s collection, the effect of which could make ordinary women acquire the strength of a Basic Level Knight while also becoming fair-skinned, beautiful, shapely, and sweet.


    As for the health maintenance notebook, just as its name suggested, it was a notebook on health maintenance, with the main topics involving diet and daily health care.


    Other knowledge like witchcraft¡­ there wasn''t a book.


    To this, Colin wasn''t particularly surprised.


    If Anthony and Ivan had given up on advancing further as Wizards, then they wouldn''t learn new Wizard knowledge.


    And if they weren''t learning any new Wizard knowledge, then given the limited space in the Storage Ring, they naturally wouldn''t carry books on knowledge they had already mastered.


    After all, for Advanced Wizard Apprentices, as long as they had already mastered the knowledge, there was basically no need to review¡­ carrying the books or not didn''t matter.


    Besides, what could be considered useful were some Apprentice-period Magic Crystals, such as the Fireball Technique¡­ but the power was average and not much use for anything significant.


    After categorizing the useful items into his own Storage Ring, Colin leaned back on the couch and rested with closed eyes.


    Two hours later.


    Knock, knock, knock¡ª


    The steel door was knocked upon.


    "Your Excellency, we''re nearing Holy Flame Capital Lane," came the voice of the white-robed Wizard from outside the door.


    Renee opened the door for him.


    "Good afternoon," Colin stood up from the couch, walked to the door, and greeted politely.


    "Good afternoon, Your Excellency," replied the white-robed Wizard with his ever calm demeanor.


    He paused and then continued,


    "Our observations indicate that war is breaking out in Holy Flame Capital Lane. To avoid unnecessary trouble, the Flying Airship will enter stealth mode and will not land."

 Chapter 165 - 141: The Royal Family and the Knight_2

    "If I''m not mistaken, you are an Advanced Wizard Apprentice, so you may need to fly down on your own."


    The wizard in the white robe took a gray cloth bag from his waist.


    "Of course, to show our apologies, we will refund you fifty Magic Stones."


    The Royal Capital of the Holy Flame Kingdom, Lane, had also fallen?


    Colin felt a sinking feeling in his heart as he took the Magic Stones.


    But hurrying was of no use at this moment. He gently exhaled and asked,


    "Why does a Wizard creation, the Flying Airship, need to avoid mundane wars?"


    Hearing this, the wizard in the white robe smiled meaningfully and said,


    "Do you not know, sir? The Supreme Council has decreed that Wizards may not intervene in mortal conflicts."


    "That''s true," Colin replied, his expression unchanging. "Don''t misunderstand me. I''m just here to visit an old friend in the Holy Flame Kingdom."


    Even though he said this, he had just arrived on the Siya Continent... and was unaware that the Wizard Alliance''s Supreme Council had such a regulation.


    The wizard in the white robe nodded amicably and continued,


    "Please follow me, sir."


    "I will take you to the hatch."


    After passing through a narrow corridor of grayish-blue steel, the wizard led him to a tall, tightly closed hatch.


    The howling wind passed through the solid steel plates.


    The wizard walked to the side of the hatch and touched the white crystal embedded there.


    After a moment, he said to Colin,


    "Please wait a moment, sir. The Flying Airship will soon reach above Holy Flame Capital Lane."


    "Hmm," Colin nodded, taking a deep breath to calm the anxiousness in his heart.


    Another moment passed.


    Suddenly, the wizard in the white robe spoke up,


    "Sir, please prepare yourself."


    "We have arrived above Lane. I will open the hatch for you."


    Colin nodded, took hold of Renee''s arm, while she held Demi in her embrace.


    Seeing that they were ready, the wizard didn''t delay any longer and touched the crystal, channeling Magic Power from his fingertips.


    "Farewell, sir. I wish you a smooth journey," he said with a gentle blessing.


    Click click click¡ª


    The sound of mechanical gears turning echoed.


    Whoosh¡ª


    A gust of fierce wind rushed in from the gap of the opening hatch, lifting the wisps of hair on his forehead.


    With a thought, the Extreme Shadow Triangle Shuttle appeared in his hand, followed by the release of the Flying and Diving Skill.


    Wrapped in the glow of witchcraft, his toes quietly left the ground, and he and the Renee sisters instantly hovered in midair.


    "Goodbye," Colin nodded to the wizard in the white robe as a sign of acknowledgment, then without any hesitation, flew out of the hatch.


    A magnificent seascape of clouds¡ªicy white ripples and golden light¡ªfilled his sight!


    This was a scene one could only witness on an airplane in his previous life...


    But in this life, in this world where mighty power was his own, such sights had become frequent views ever since he had learned the Flying and Diving Skill.


    While he wouldn''t say he was used to it, it certainly didn''t shock him as it had the first time.


    Swoosh!


    He carried Renee in a dive downward, plunging into the sea of clouds in the blink of an eye.


    The cotton-like clouds were not soft at all, but turned into white mist speeding past them.


    In no time, the white clouds thinned out.


    The shrunken earth appeared before him like a model.


    A quick glance from Colin locked onto the burning fires of the grey-black city below.


    ...


    Clang!


    In the palace''s inner hall, a Great Knight clad in heavy armor swung his giant sword forward, barely deflecting a blade aimed at King Delaisi.


    Then, with a backhand sweep, the blade''s edge slit through the vulnerable throat where the enemy knight''s helmet met the breastplate.


    Spurt!


    Blood gushed out, and the enemy knight screamed as he fell, becoming another nameless corpse at the feet of the Great Knight.


    The Great Knight gripped his sword, breathing heavily like a broken bellows, sweat streaming down to pool in transparent puddles at his feet.


    "Sir Burns... are you alright?" King Delaisi asked the knight before him, still shaken with concern.


    By his side, Queen Polly clung tightly to her son Gallagher. Feeling her son''s sobs, she couldn''t hold back her stern voice,


    "Burns, I command you to persevere. Don''t forget your oath; defend us with your life!"


    "Polly!" King Delaisi''s face showed anger.


    Startled, Prince Gallagher in Polly''s arms trembled, his crying growing louder.


    "Your Majesty!" Polly remonstrated.


    Burns paused slightly in his movements, took a deep breath, and said softly:


    "I''m alright, Your Majesty Delaisi."


    Then he raised his head and swept his cold, resolute gaze across the knights of Qi''an Kingdom, who had already lost their courage.


    Straining his overtaxed body, he lifted the giant sword, with the blade pointing forward in a feint.


    Whoosh¡ª


    The knights of Qi''an Kingdom''s hearts skipped a beat, and they subconsciously widened the distance.


    Seizing that instant,


    "Your Majesty, keep close to me!"


    Burns shouted and stepped toward the weak point that had appeared on their left, breaking through!


    Swish, swish!!


    As the giant sword swung again and again, accompanied by cries of agony and the sound of bodies hitting the ground, Burns cut a narrow path of survival through the encirclement like a hot knife through butter.


    "Quick!" Delaisi barked softly, pulling Queen Polly along and quickly following in Burns''s footsteps.


    But at that moment, Prince Gallagher, facing an enemy knight, looked at the fierce face and the flashing cold light of the sharp sword, his calves suddenly went weak, and he could no longer step forward.


    In the distance, a pale yellow liquid could be seen soaking from underneath him.


    Queen Polly, thrown off balance by his sudden halt, nearly tumbled to the ground.


    Swish!


    The surrounding enemy knights naturally would not miss this opportunity and swung their swords in attack!


    "Your Majesty!!" Polly cried out in anguish.


    "Burns!" Delaisi exclaimed.


    The tall knight up ahead changed his expression¡ª


    Even though he was on the verge of breaking out of the encirclement, he did not hesitate.


    Burns forcefully parried the last knight''s attack in front of him, killed him with a backhand stroke, and then quickly turned to leap toward Polly and her son!


    Swish!!


    Just in the nick of time, he used his own armor to narrowly block the fatal attack for Polly and her son.


    Sword met armor with a clanging sound.


    Burns straightened up, ready to break out again with Polly and her son.


    Just then!


    Swish!


    An enemy knight seized the moment and thrust his blade, aiming at Burns''s left calf.


    Splat!


    The sharp sword penetrated flesh, and nearly the entire blade sank in, likely touching the bone.


    "Ugh!" Burns grunted, enduring the pain and kicked out at the enemy knight with his other leg!


    The enemy knight was knocked backward by the forceful kick.


    Burns took the chance to swing his giant sword, stabbing into the enemy knight''s exposed lower abdomen as he reeled back!!


    "Ah!!"


    Then he let out a roar, lifted the enemy knight high above, and glanced fiercely around.


    "Gurgle."


    For a moment, there were faint sounds of swallowing, and the Qi''an Kingdom''s knights'' movements simultaneously paused.


    Seeing the corpses all around, they no longer had the courage to advance.


    Polly, taking advantage of the opportunity, pulled Gallagher forward to flee and join up with the king.


    Burns controlled his muscles to close the wound on his calf, and then flung his giant sword.


    Bang!


    The body dropped heavily.


    He stepped forward to catch up with Polly''s figure.


    They were breaking out toward a corridor.


    Polly and her son were at the forefront, Delaisi in the middle, and Burns covered the rear.


    Those knights of Qi''an Kingdom had not given up; they just did not approach anymore, following at a distance like hyenas... waiting for the right moment to strike.


    Ahead, Burns watched all this... feeling his strength on the verge of exhaustion, feeling the excruciating pain in his left leg, his heart sinking involuntarily.


    But he still forced his pace, concealing his weakness.


    Jogging all the way.


    Burns looked back in surprise to find that the pursuing knights of Qi''an Kingdom had vanished.


    It was at that moment.


    They reached a crossroads.


    Burns looked at the familiar intersection, his instincts urged him to go straight ahead.


    But Polly, leading Gallagher, turned left.


    "Your Highness Queen!" Burns called out to her, then said solemnly, "Princess Eliel is just ahead, aren''t we going to take her with us?" S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Polly paused in her steps.


    She looked at the knight who had been loyal to Eliel''s mother, the guard who had remained faithful to the late queen, her expression darkening.

 Chapter 166 - 142 Leaving Together

    "Polly!"


    The King Delaisi''s expression sank slightly upon seeing this.


    Before Polly could speak, he sternly said, "According to Burns, keep going straight to meet up with Princess Eliel."


    The surprise attack launched by the Qi''an Kingdom had caused chaos, and among the entire royal family, only Queen Polly and Prince Gallagher were with him.


    The other princes and princesses... their residences were closer to the front and had already been overrun. Only Eliel was living deep within the palace.


    ...There probably weren''t many left of the Yili royal family. If they could preserve one more, then naturally, it was best to save one more.


    "Your Majesty!" Polly said anxiously, "This way is the only escape!"


    To the left here was the place where horses were usually kept, and straight ahead was a side door specifically for horses'' entry and egress.


    Salvation lay just ahead! Who had time to rescue that princess whom she didn''t even like!


    Seeing the urgency in Polly''s demeanor, Delaisi hesitated again.


    "Your Majesty, the princess is just ahead!" Burns, standing beside them, once again reminded him in a firm voice, then lifted his leg and continued moving forward.


    He was loyal to the royal family, but he was even more loyal to the former queen.


    Breaking through the corridor in this direction was his deliberate doing. The purpose was to rescue the daughter left behind by the queen¡ªPrincess Eliel.


    The princess''s residence was deep within the palace; from the direction of the Qi''an Kingdom''s attack, it was highly likely that it had not been affected yet.


    Seeing Burns continue forward, Delaisi''s face finally lost its indecision.


    "Let''s go." He made a resolution, called out to Polly in a low voice, and quickly followed Burns'' pace.


    To the left seemed to be a shortcut to escape, but without Burns, he wasn''t willing to go alone.


    They jogged along and soon reached the outside of Eliel''s residence.


    Here were several bungalows connected together.


    "Princess Eliel!" Burns called out several times.


    Bang.


    He pushed open the main house door and looked around but did not see anyone.


    "Princess Eliel!" he called out again.


    After a while, a crisp female voice came through.


    "Knight Burns?"


    Creak¡ª S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The white door of the side room on the right suddenly opened.


    A petite figure holding a bucket appeared before them, her face marked with confusion, and wiping away the beads of sweat from hauling water off her forehead, her ear-length blonde hair shone brilliantly golden in the sunlight.


    Burns felt a twinge of distress at this sight.


    Ever since Queen Daisy died six years ago, Eliel''s situation had been getting worse.


    At first, it was not too bad, but eventually, even the Crown Prince''s palace residence was occupied by Gallagher, and she was forced to move to this secluded place.


    And up until now, not a single maid or servant had appeared...


    Burns scanned the area and quickly understood the situation.


    Those maids were the most informed, and by now, they must have heard the news and already fled...


    And Eliel... she probably still did not know what was going on.


    "Eliel."


    Delaisi looked at the daughter he once favored the most and was momentarily stunned... When had she grown up?


    But there was no time now for sentimentality.


    "The Qi''an Kingdom has already breached the palace." A fleeting sadness passed over Delaisi''s face.


    He subconsciously touched the two items closely kept on his chest, and hope suddenly filled his heart again.


    With them, and as long as the royal family was there, there need not be concern for the loss of the Holy Flame Kingdom!


    He quickly recomposed himself and urged Eliel, "Put down the bucket and hurry up and come with us."


    Eliel pieced together Delaisi''s words and the maids'' unusual behavior from earlier in the day, instantly understanding the situation.


    "Let''s go."


    She threw down the bucket without hesitation, not bothering to pack anything, and dashed straight out.


    Burns followed closely behind.


    Queen Polly and Delaisi trailed at the end.


    "Knight Burns, where have the enemy forces currently occupied in the palace?" Eliel asked proactively.


    Burns was somewhat surprised and, after a moment of thought, said:


    "The Qi''an Kingdom''s knights launched their surprise attack from the north side of the palace, and now they have at least taken the entire front hall."


    He then added, "I''m planning to escort your highnesses out through the side door of the stables."


    "Mhm," Eliel nodded, not wanting to say much.


    No matter what the situation, she always hoped to know a little more information... Asking Burns these questions was just a habit.


    The group ran in silence.


    Passing through the corridor, turning at the crossroads.


    Before long.


    A clearing appeared before them.


    To the left of the clearing was a small stable, and directly opposite was a white-painted wooden gate made of sheet iron.


    Lush green grass, gentle sunshine, with the remaining four horses in the stable nuzzling occasionally...


    This place seemed unaffected by the war, still tranquil and peaceful.


    They all sighed a breath of relief upon seeing such a scene.


    "Burns, you go open the gate, I''ll take them to ride the horses," Delaisi commanded.


    "Yes, Your Majesty," Burns nodded in response and strode forward.


    As Burns gradually moved away, the surroundings were still and peaceful, but Delaisi couldn''t help feeling a chill in his heart... It seemed too quiet around him.


    He shook his head and walked towards the stables.


    The stables were lined up along the wall, a total of about eight stalls, and currently, only the four on the right had horses in them.


    He opened the wooden door of the stall on the far left and led a horse out by the bridle.


    Delaisi mounted the horse.


    On the other side, Polly and the other two mounted their respective horses individually.

 Chapter 167 - 142 Leaving Together_2

    Magic Power may have been weak and stubborn, but he was already nearly seven years old and had learned to ride a horse. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A group of people headed towards a side gate.


    By the time they reached the gate, Burns had already opened it.


    Behind the white gate was a brick road that wasn''t very wide, barely accommodating a carriage to pass through at a time, with high walls on both sides and some man-made indentations for vehicles to pull over.


    "Run, Burns, go scout ahead!" Polly urged.


    There were only four horses, and as a Great Knight, Burns could match the speed of a galloping horse for a short time; in her view, he obviously didn''t need to ride.


    Feeling the pain in his left leg, Burns remained silent and quietly moved forward.


    In his mind, there were still four horses in the stables, and Prince Gallagher was only seven years old, naturally smaller and weaker than his peers...


    The best choice now would seem to be for Gallagher and his mother Polly to share a horse, then let him, the only combatant present, mount and rest for a while...


    "Polly, ride with Gallagher, and give a horse to Burns!"


    Delaisi frowned and said in a deep voice.


    He had witnessed Burns'' left leg being stabbed by a sword...


    Before Polly could respond.


    Whoosh!


    An arrow suddenly shot from behind, hitting the wooden door behind them.


    Delaisi''s pupils contracted slightly.


    "The pursuers are here!!" Polly cried out in alarm.


    Swoosh!


    Several more arrows followed.


    Most of them missed, but a few landed on the horse that Gallagher was riding!


    "Ah!" Gallagher exclaimed.


    The black horse beneath him neighed miserably, rearing up and throwing him to the ground before crazily bolting forward.


    Gallagher fell to the ground heavily... but fortunately, he was not seriously hurt.


    "Mommy, save me..." he reached out his arms.


    "My child!" Polly called out urgently, pulling on the reins to reach Gallagher''s side and quickly pulled him up onto the horse.


    Once Gallagher was mounted, Polly felt slightly relieved and shouted at the knight ahead:


    "Burns, cover our retreat!"


    Then she turned to Delaisi and said, "Your Majesty, hurry and escape!!"


    She whipped the horse.


    The brown horse beneath her carried them forward in their escape.


    "Eliel, go!" Delaisi also called out softly, urging his horse forward.


    But Eliel hesitated as she watched the silent Burns walking towards the rear.


    Clang!!


    Some knights from the Qi''an Kingdom emerged from behind the door, and Burns drew his Giant Sword to face them, attacking as he said:


    "Princess Eliel, leave quickly!"


    "I''ll handle the pursuers..."


    He hadn''t finished speaking.


    The clear sound of horse hooves suddenly rang out!


    Polly and the others, who had initially fled, had turned back around.


    Looking up, a troop of knights had unexpectedly appeared on the road ahead.


    Burns'' heart sank, he raised his Giant Sword and disengaged from the fight, moving to Eliel and the others'' side.


    The knights of the Qi''an Kingdom silently pushed forward, steadily closing the encirclement.


    Burns and the others retreated step by step, drawing back into the square indentation intentionally left in the road''s surrounding wall.


    Breathing out lightly, Burns gripped the solid and rough handle of the Giant Sword in his hand.


    The situation seemed a haunting repeat of the previous standoff in the palace.


    Only this time... his own condition was much worse.


    He swung the Giant Sword slightly.


    His muscles, once reliable as hardened steel, now sent sharp pains from excessive strain, almost causing him to lose grip on the Giant Sword in his hand.


    ...Perhaps today would be the day when the Yili Royal Family met their demise.


    Delaisi and the others behind him also wore faces of despair.


    Just as Burns was prepared to fight to the death.


    Swoosh!!


    A figure descended from the sky, landing between them and the knights of the Qi''an Kingdom.


    An invisible Force Field suddenly expanded from this person outwards!


    Boom!!


    The knights surrounding Delaisi and his group were knocked to the ground like wheat in the wind by the tremendous force, with some at the front being flung high into the air and then crashing heavily to the ground, their fate unknown.


    "Wizard... Mister Wizard?!" Delaisi exclaimed in shock.


    The Holy Flame Kingdom was just a trivial little country; it was very rare to see a wizard there.


    "Are you the King of the Holy Flame Kingdom¡ª Delaisi?" Colin asked for confirmation.


    The Holy Flame Palace was no small place; it had taken him quite some effort to find Delaisi and his party.


    "Yes," Delaisi nodded, his heart feeling uneasy.


    "Uh huh." Colin looked him over carefully, comparing him with the last description he had of the king by Erica.


    "I will explain the specifics later. For now, all you need to know is that I''m here to help you escape."


    "Mount up, follow me!"


    Colin raised his hand and cast several Swift Skills on their horses.


    Delaisi exchanged a glance with Polly and, without further hesitation, remounted his horse.


    "Knight Burns, mount up," Eliel suddenly said, gesturing for Burns to ride with her.


    "Princess Eliel..." Burns looked up in surprise, having prepared himself to follow on foot.


    But he didn''t overthink it and quickly approached and swung himself onto the horse.


    They were waiting for the mysterious wizard ahead; this was undeniably their real chance at survival, and he didn''t want to provoke the wizard''s impatience with petty delays.


    "What''s your name?"


    But Colin, who was in front, suddenly asked, a hint of surprise in his eyes.


    He had not paid much attention to the girl in front of him at the beginning, but now that she lifted her head, he noticed.


    Whether it was her amber-like green eyes or her dazzling ear-length blonde hair, he couldn''t help but be reminded of an old friend who had passed away¡ª Erica.


    The resemblance was uncanny!


    "Eliel... Mister Wizard, my name is Eliel Saint Flame," Eliel said, nervously smoothing her hair behind her ear as she answered.


    "Erica is your...?"


    "My sister."


    "Uh huh." Colin withdrew his gaze.


    So that''s why they looked so alike... but why had he never heard Erica mention she had a sister?


    But he didn''t dwell on it.


    "Let''s go, follow me." He spoke in a deep voice, moving ahead to lead the way.


    It seemed they had already passed through the encirclement; on the road ahead, they didn''t encounter any large groups of enemies.


    Only a few knights guarding the palace entrance posed a challenge, but Colin dealt with them swiftly.


    In this way, they smoothly and unhindered, Colin led Delaisi and his party to a successful escape from the palace.


    For him, as a wizard, the most difficult part wasn''t taking Delaisi and the others out but finding them.


    Now that they had been found, the rest was naturally a clear path.


    A few minutes later,


    Outside the western city gate of the Royal Capital Lane, by Holy Flame Capital.


    A forest area.


    "Master." Renee came out, delighted.


    She had been waiting there for a long time with Demi and a few horses.


    "Uh huh." Colin responded with a smile, then turned to Delaisi and the others, "Change horses, continue on!"


    The stamina of horses was inherently limited, and without magic power, the Swift Skill would further accelerate their exhaustion.


    This was knowledge he had acquired when learning the Swift Skill.


    That''s why he had Renee waiting here with several horses, ready to swap out when needed for the Royal Family of the Holy Flame to continue riding.


    This way they could leave the area as quickly as possible.


    He shouldn''t have been worried about pursuers from the Qi''an Kingdom, and he honestly didn''t need to go through these motions.


    But the words of the white-robed wizard from the Flying Airship had not been forgotten.


    The regulation laid down by the Wizard Alliance''s Supreme Council that prohibited interference in mortal wars had limits he wasn''t exactly clear on.


    So, to reduce impact and avoid complications, he chose a quick in-and-out approach, like lightning streaking across the sky, taking the Royal Family away before anyone could react.


    Moreover...


    Colin waited for Delaisi and the others to change their horses while looking in the direction of Lane.


    The ancient city walls were mottled, with some smoke still rising from within the city.


    He wondered if it was just an illusion,


    But he always felt that there was another wizard''s presence in the Ryan Palace...


    Taking a light breath, Colin looked away and mounted his horse as well.


    Delaisi and the others had finished changing their mounts.


    Dappled with light and shade,


    They continued riding along the forest path.

 Chapter 168 - 143: Gain without Effort

    The winter sun seemed even more desolate than in other seasons.


    Traversing through the woods, the originally dark brown earth had been covered by white snow. Fortunately, the snow was not too deep, and the horse beneath him, though panting heavily, still pressed on.


    The slender pine needles around occasionally had snow slide off, falling onto the horse, where it was quickly melted away by the heat from its body.


    Colin led the way on horseback and did not hurry to converse with Delaisi and the others, as his main goal was to get as far away as possible.


    Renee and her sisters rode a horse closely by his side, followed by the procession of the Holy Flame Royal Family.


    Snap.


    Colin took out a metal pocket watch gifted by the Yili Kingdom from his chest and opened it.


    It was already after five in the afternoon.


    The sun began to slope westward, and its light gradually grew weaker.


    "Esteemed Wizard,"


    Suddenly, Delaisi spurred his horse forward, speaking to him in a low voice with caution.


    "What is it?" Colin turned his head to look.


    Delaisi squeezed out a smile and asked, "Wizard, may I know where we are heading now?"


    "The Lanshan Kingdom," Colin answered without hesitation.


    He had already thought everything through.


    Although his promise was only to deliver a letter, the current crisis that the Holy Flame Kingdom faced was almost tantamount to annihilation.


    And only a few individuals of the Holy Flame Royal Family, like Delaisi here, remained...


    So, partly to ensure he wouldn''t violate the contract he had signed with Erica, and partly out of old friendship,


    he planned to take the remaining few of the Holy Flame Royal Family to the Lanshan Kingdom to settle them properly.


    The reason it was en route was because their current direction of travel was towards the Wizard Alliance, and the Lanshan Kingdom was the first kingdom on the route he had planned.


    He had essentially fulfilled the promise to Erica, and it was time to start his plan¡ªto join a new School in the Wizard Alliance.


    However... he harbored some inner concerns.


    The Wizard Alliance was still very foreign to him.


    How to join one of those Schools was a headache-inducing problem.


    After all, in this world, regardless of the School, there was a preference to nurture members from a young age to ensure a solid and reliable foundation in basic knowledge, which also fostered a sense of belonging to the School.


    It was very difficult for an outsider to become an official member of any School.


    "The Lanshan Kingdom..." Delaisi nodded, "I understand, Wizard."


    Colin watched him, paused, and then continued,


    "I am Erica Saint Flame''s classmate, and I''ve come to the Holy Flame Kingdom to deliver a letter to you and her mother on her behalf."


    He took out a brown letter sealed with red and blue intertwined flame wax from his Storage Ring and handed it to Delaisi.


    He had intended to wait until the sun set and they had found a suitable location to make camp before bringing up the matter with Delaisi and the others.


    But, since Delaisi had broached the subject now, it seemed fitting to explain his purpose at this moment.


    Delaisi froze, unconsciously taking the letter in his hand. The black horse beneath him also slowed down gradually.


    "Erica..." he murmured voicelessly, as that long-unheard name awakened faded memories in his mind.


    It reminded him of his once most cherished daughter... and the woman he still dreamt about¡ªQueen Daisy.


    After a while, he regained his composure.


    "What is it, Your Majesty?"


    "What did the Wizard say? Where are we heading now?"


    Polly, who had caught up from behind, asked in confusion, seeing his demeanor.


    The conversation between Delaisi and Colin hadn''t been loud, and she had not caught the details. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Delaisi glanced at her, shook his head without responding, and pulled on the reins to urge his horse to continue forward.


    Polly frowned as she watched his retreating figure.


    A moment later, Delaisi rode back to Colin''s side.


    "Sir... How is Erica now?" he asked in a low voice with a hint of joy. After a pause, he asked with confusion,


    "Why hasn''t she come back in person..."


    As he spoke, he seemed to realize something.


    Delaisi''s complexion suddenly turned ugly; the fleeting joy that had arisen in his heart from the news of Erica rapidly faded.


    "I''m sorry, Erica has died," Colin said steadily, watching him.


    Such news was bound to reach Delaisi sooner or later. There was no point in hesitating or trying to cover it up.


    "..." Delaisi raised his head to scrutinize Colin''s expression. His lips moved silently, then he lowered his gaze and murmured,


    "So she''s already gone..."


    As the then King of the Holy Flame Kingdom, he had anticipated such an outcome when he agreed to the Wizard''s proposal.


    Death was not uncommon to him.


    But he hadn''t developed a heart of stone...


    Erica, his once most beloved daughter.


    Had she really died without him ever seeing her grown-up endearing appearance?


    Delaisi''s horse, lacking direction, began to slow down once more.


    Colin slowed down as well, then asked,


    "Is Erica''s mother no longer with us?"


    Erica had described her mother, Queen Daisy''s, appearance to him, but the woman beside Delaisi now did not match the description.


    And in his thorough search of the Palace, he too had not found anyone who fit the description...


    "Queen Daisy... indeed, she has died."


    Delaisi snapped back to reality, replying solemnly.


    "Hmm," Colin nodded, and though he had expected this, he couldn''t help but sigh inwardly.

 Chapter 169 - 143: Gain without Effort_2

    Delaisi finished answering and then stared absently at the letter from Erica in his hand.


    Colin withdrew his gaze and urged his horse forward.


    He had wanted to give Erica''s remains to Delaisi as well... but it seemed that now was not the appropriate time.


    Better to wait until they camped and set up camp later on.


    And so, he led Delaisi and his group forward in silence.


    More than two hours later, when the sky was almost completely dark,


    they arrived at a natural mountain cave to camp and set up camp.


    Crackle crackle¡ª


    The campfire blazed fiercely, with Delaisi and the others sitting around it.


    Colin and Renee, however, started another campfire and kept some distance from the rest.


    The original owner of this cave¡ªa mountain beast equivalent to an Advanced Knight, had been turned into fragrant roast meat over the fire and was now being consumed by them.


    It was now the time of rest after dinner.


    Delaisi''s face had regained its calm, and he gazed at the urn that was now in Eliel''s arms, his expression somewhat wistful.


    Before dinner, Wizard Colin had given him Erica''s urn.


    As for why it had been cremated, according to Wizard Colin, it was Erica''s specifically instructed last wish.


    Withdrawing his gaze, Delaisi caressed an object he kept close to his chest and finally made up his mind, rising and walking towards Colin.


    Polly, who was nearby, watched him leave, as if understanding something, her face suddenly showing a tense expression.


    "What is it?"


    In front of the fire, Colin saw Delaisi approaching and asked with confusion.


    "My lord."


    Delaisi suddenly knelt on one knee, then took out a badge shaped like a feather of intermixed silver and gold from the clothing next to his skin and handed it to Colin,


    while saying, "I accidentally found this badge in the Crystal Mine outside Kabu City in the southern part of Holy Flame Kingdom, along with the remains of a wizard."


    Here, he paused before continuing:


    "The remains of the wizard in the Crystal Mine, along with the other items, had already decayed, leaving only... this feather badge."


    As Delaisi spoke, Colin took the feather badge.


    The badge was only as long as a thumb, and the feathers were clearly defined and exquisite. Upon close examination, a faint spiritual fluctuation was detectable.


    "Lord Colin, if this badge is of use to you, I would ask you to take us to Merredith City within the Wizard Alliance."


    Colin didn''t rush to answer but tried to probe the feather badge with his spiritual power.


    The badge didn''t react.


    He then added his Magic Power and tried again.


    This time, the feather badge immediately emitted a faint glow, with the silver and gold colors starting to flow slowly in a pattern, seemingly containing a peculiar beauty.


    But Colin wasn''t paying attention to that; he closed his eyes slightly, processing the information that had just been transmitted by the feather badge.


    Tin Saint School... the 1656th examination voucher... Neustadt City...


    Moments later, he slowly opened his eyes, a hint of surprise flashing through them.


    As luck would have it, he had found a pillow when he was sleepy; it had come without any effort!


    The information in his mind indicated that this feather badge was actually an examination voucher for a "Tin Saint" School within the Wizard Alliance.


    As long as certain requirements were met, one could take the School''s exam with this badge.


    Using it to pass the exam meant one could join the Tin Saint School.


    ...Although he didn''t know what level the Tin Saint School was at within the Wizard Alliance, the stringent requirements for joining suggested it wouldn''t be too shabby.


    "King Delaisi, it is of great use to me,"


    He said to Delaisi in a serious tone, "In return, I accept your request and will take you to Merredith City."


    Compared to the use of the feather token to him, delivering Delaisi and the others en route to Merredith City within the same Wizard Alliance was a simple task.


    "Thank you, Lord Colin." Delaisi''s face showed joy.


    He slowly rose to his feet, looking at Colin and asking casually,


    "Lord Colin, may I know what use this feather badge has?"


    "I''ve had it for a while, and aside from being particularly sturdy, I haven''t discovered any other special aspects to it; I''m quite curious."


    Colin looked at him and didn''t hide anything, briefly explaining the function of the feather badge to Delaisi.


    Now that the badge was in his hands, there was no way for Delaisi to take it back, so letting him know the specific use was no harm.


    "So that''s it," Delaisi said, suddenly enlightened, before sighing, "Such a badge, had it remained in our hands, would have probably ended up as a mere ornament..." S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Having said that, he bid Colin farewell and returned to their side of the campfire.


    "My king, how did it go?"


    Seeing Delaisi return, Polly quickly asked.


    Delaisi touched the pocket on his chest and nodded.


    In reality, they had obtained more than just that feather badge from the wizard''s remains in the Crystal Mine.


    There were several other items as well.


    Unfortunately... the attack by the Qi''an Kingdom was so sudden, he could only take the two smallest items¡ªtwo badges.


    Although he had already given Colin one of them.


    But as for Colin, he didn''t know much about him... so to be cautious, he chose to keep the existence of the other badge a secret.


    After all... this remaining badge might be the only hope for rebuilding the Holy Flame Kingdom.


    Polly saw him nod and a joyful expression appeared on her face, about to inquire about the details.


    But Delaisi stopped her with a look in his eye.


    He sat down cross-legged, picked up a thin twig from the nearby wood, and began to write on the dirt ground between him and Polly as if it was a sheet of paper.

 Chapter 170 - 143: Gain without Effort_3

    "The wizard has already agreed to take us to Merredith City."


    "Those two badges are indeed proof of joining the Wizard School."


    Polly''s eyes flickered with a hint of joy.


    After receiving the inheritance from the Crystal Mine wizard, they had browsed through numerous books and documents.


    Most efforts were in vain, and in the end, they only found snippets of information about the remaining badge.


    It was in a fragment of a travelogue that they found the letter...


    Overall, the badge was connected to Merredith City, and they vaguely knew it would help them join the school.


    This was also why Delaisi asked Colin to take them to Merredith City.


    However, now with Colin''s explanation, they finally understood the specific purpose of the badge.


    It seemed Polly thought of something and began to write with her hand moving.


    "Your Majesty, did you only ask that wizard to take us to Merredith City?"


    Delaisi frowned slightly.


    "Mind your manners, Colin is Erica''s classmate, not just ''that wizard.''"


    This was his genuine thought, and he was also worried that the mysterious wizard might find a way to detect their written conversation.


    After Polly read it, she looked up at him and said nothing.


    Delaisi sighed inwardly; knowing Polly, she clearly hadn''t taken his advice to heart.


    "I indeed only asked Colin to take us to Merredith City. Is there a problem?" Delaisi continued writing.


    Polly glared at Delaisi and wrote on the ground:


    "Your Majesty, why don''t you ask him to help us reclaim the Holy Flame Kingdom! With the wizard''s mighty power, Qi''an Kingdom would certainly be no match!"


    "Once we regain control of the Holy Flame Kingdom, we can then send Gallagher to Merredith City.


    By then, using the remaining badge to join the school, and with the support of our entire nation, Gallagher can pursue his studies and cultivation... Perhaps through this, the Holy Flame Royal Family could leap to become a Wizard Family!"


    Delaisi appeared hesitant, Polly''s words were indeed tempting.


    Although they knew little about wizards, their knowledge of the wizarding world was merely from fragments like the Wizard Alliance and Miracle City.


    But helping them defeat Qi''an Kingdom seemed like a trivial task for a wizard.


    However... if Colin thought they were overstepping, that could be troublesome.


    To be fair, he felt that Colin''s willingness to escort them to Merredith City had already met his expectations.


    "Your Majesty, isn''t that wizard Erica''s classmate? I see him willing to travel miles just to deliver a letter for her; he must have some feelings for Erica."


    Polly glanced at Erica who was warming herself by the fire with Knight Burns and continued writing.


    "If Your Majesty thinks that the badge isn''t enough to sway that wizard, perhaps offering Erica''s sister¡ªEliel to him would surely..."


    Snap.


    Delaisi slapped the writing stick out of Polly''s hand!


    To avoid making too much noise, he didn''t use much force... but the anger in his eyes was unmistakable.


    Polly looked up in astonishment, her expression ugly. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As Delaisi''s anger subsided, he looked at Polly, his heart suddenly softened, and he picked up the stick and wrote on the ground:


    "Do not mention offering Eliel again. As for what you suggested, I will ask Colin if he is willing to help."


    Having written that, he stood up decisively and walked toward Colin again.

 Chapter 171 - 144: Seizing the Opportunity

    Polly, standing behind him, watched Delaisi rise and walk toward Colin.


    But her lingering anger had not subsided, and she rudely erased the words on the ground with the thick branch in her hands.


    Delaisi was still protecting Eliel; it seemed he couldn''t forget the woman who had given birth to her¡ªQueen Daisy.


    Thinking of this fanned the flames of her rage even further.


    Daisy...


    Daisy!


    Even though she had been Queen for six years, whenever people mentioned the Queen, those in the Palace still thought of Daisy first!


    In what ways was she inferior to her?!


    Meanwhile.


    "Your Majesty, what''s wrong?" Colin looked up and asked.


    Delaisi hesitated, a bit embarrassed, and then said:


    "Sir Colin, I mean, if it''s possible, could you help us reclaim the Holy Flame Kingdom?"


    "Of course, I''m not demanding, but merely requesting."


    "If this task is a mere trifle for you, and you are willing¡­" The Holy Flame Royal Family would remember your kindness.


    "If you are unwilling, that''s also fine; the Holy Flame Royal Family will still remember today''s kindness."


    After finishing, Delaisi anxiously watched Colin.


    Though he had secretly left behind a badge, whether he could take part in a School once he reached Merredith City was still an unknown.


    If, as Polly had said, he could persuade Colin to help them reclaim the Holy Flame Kingdom¡­that would obviously be a more secure method.


    In fact, had the Holy Flame Kingdom not fallen, he would not have thought of making a desperate trip to Merredith City.


    "I see." A flicker of realization crossed Colin''s face as he shook his head at Delaisi:


    "I am sorry, Your Majesty Delaisi, but I cannot comply."


    "Alright... okay." Delaisi nodded, the glimmer of hope in his eyes fading instantly.


    ''Apparently, Delaisi is probably unaware of the restrictions the Supreme Council places on wizards.''


    Colin paused for a moment, his tone gentle as he began to explain.


    Delaisi was, after all, Erica''s father, and out of respect for old friendship, he was willing to take extra time to explain.


    "Your Majesty Delaisi, it''s not that I don''t want to help. It''s because the Wizard Alliance has a regulation that wizards must not interfere in the wars of mortal Kingdoms."


    As for how restrictive it was exactly, he wasn''t clear, so he kept his explanation brief.


    "I see." Delaisi nodded, feeling inexplicably relieved.


    Though he hadn''t received the answer he most hoped for, at least the wizard in front of him seemed approachable... which gave him a sense of security.


    "It was presumptuous of me." Delaisi apologized again, "Then I won''t bother you any longer."


    It seemed¡­ relying on Colin to help them reclaim the Holy Flame Kingdom was unfeasible.


    Delaisi worried.


    He also wondered if they could successfully join the Wizard School in Merredith City with the badge¡­


    He very much wanted to just take out the badge and ask Colin.


    But he didn''t dare¡­


    As for the truthfulness of what Colin said¡­ he did not doubt it.


    After all, Colin, being a distinguished wizard, wouldn''t need to go out of his way to make excuses if he didn''t want to help them.


    Delaisi sat down next to Polly.


    "Your Majesty, did the wizard agree?"


    As soon as he sat down, Polly, curbing her anger, hastily wrote on the ground.


    Delaisi did not write back, only shook his head toward her.


    A shaking head¡­ the wizard did not agree?!


    Seeing her hopes dashed, Polly''s face darkened significantly.


    Unlike Delaisi, who had hopes of a wizard appearing within the Holy Flame Royal Family, thereby rebuilding the Holy Flame Kingdom¡ªor perhaps even rising to become the Holy Flame Wizard Family without rebuilding¡­


    She knew these were futures far down the line.


    She only knew that once they reached Merredith City, she would no longer be the distinguished Queen of the Holy Flame Kingdom¡­


    But merely a common mortal.


    And by then¡­ the past luxuries, power, and glory would all become irrelevant to her.


    Delaisi, observing Polly''s distressing expression, thought for a moment and then picked up a branch to write in explanation:


    "Sir Colin is not unwilling to help us, but the Supreme Council of the Wizard Alliance has a rule¡ªwizards may not step in the wars of mortal kingdoms."


    Polly looked at Delaisi''s writing and scoffed coldly in her heart.


    In her view, how could there be such a foolish rule among wizards!


    It was like saying humans should not cut down trees or hunt wild animals¡­ What benefit was that to wizards? S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was clearly an excuse Colin made up because he didn''t want to help them!


    "Your Majesty, are you just going to give up?"


    "He''s obviously stalling you. How could there be such a foolish rule!"


    Polly wrote quickly on the ground.


    Delaisi frowned.


    He had long known Polly''s character¡­ after all, before coming to the Palace, she had been the pampered daughter of the Kingdom''s most powerful Duke.


    After arriving at the Palace, her status had been raised even higher, and no one dared to disrespect her.


    He sighed almost imperceptibly in his heart.


    The environment she had grown up in made Polly¡­ too naive and arrogant, always feeling that everything should suit her wishes.


    But even if Colin was making excuses, what could they do?


    Even if he was stalling, they should still be grateful that Colin was willing to make the effort to find an excuse, maintaining the most basic dignity between them, rather than rejecting them bluntly.


    As for helping them.


    He too hoped Colin could help them¡­ but how could he demand that?

 Chapter 172 - 144 Leveraging Momentum_2

    "Polly, that''s enough!" Colin was willing to escort us to Merredith City, and that''s plenty."


    He interrupted Polly''s writing and noted it down with emphasis.


    He knew that further argument with Polly would be futile, and it wasn''t worth wasting more time entangled in this matter.


    After all, Colin seemed amiable, but who could guess what he really thought?


    Now their lives and future were in Colin''s hands... They couldn''t push their luck any further.


    After completing his writing, Delaisi stood up and walked over to where Eliel and Burns were.


    "Father."


    "Your Majesty."


    Eliel and Burns greeted him.


    Delaisi nodded and slowly sat down next to Eliel.


    Eliel cradled an onyx-colored square urn, her expression serene.


    She could scarcely remember what her sister looked like...


    But their deceased mother mentioned almost daily...how remarkably similar the two sisters were in appearance, almost like twins.


    She remembered her mother''s whispers on the bed, six years ago when she died.


    They were directed at her, whispers...but not of her own name.


    Instead, "Erica."


    Eliel clutched the urn in her hands a bit tighter.


    Beside her, Delaisi wanted to start a conversation but didn''t know where to begin.


    Since Queen Daisy''s death six years ago, his attitude toward Eliel had gradually grown colder, especially as he was busy quelling internal strife within the kingdom and marrying Polly, the daughter of Duke Hel.


    Even now, it had been years since he had a proper conversation with Eliel.


    Thinking back, Eliel was barely over six, close to seven, around the same age her sister had been when she left...


    ...So young, yet faced with the sudden death of her mother and the unexpectedly cold demeanor of her father.


    Later, even her living quarters were taken over by Gallagher...


    Remorse slowly surfaced in Delaisi''s heart.


    Yet he had never shown concern for Eliel.


    Instead, in order to appease Duke Hel and quell the internal conflict, he turned a blind eye to Polly''s actions.


    Once he had consolidated his position over the years, using Polly to settle old scores from past conflicts within her family.


    His guilt toward Polly grew, and he became even more indulgent of her.


    Not only did he make Gallagher the crown prince...but he had also never again inquired about Eliel.


    And so, in silence, until Polly approached him, Delaisi had never managed to speak a word.


    "What is it?" He asked as he saw Polly coming toward him.


    "Gallagher wants to go outside to relieve himself," Polly said coldly, pushing Gallagher in front of Delaisi. It was clear that the anger in her heart had not yet subsided.


    In the past, Delaisi would have immediately risen to accompany Gallagher outside.


    But now, for some reason, he looked at the quiet Eliel, then at the noisy Polly, and felt an inexplicable impatience.


    He didn''t rise but instead turned his head to issue an instruction.


    "Burns, take Gallagher out to relieve himself."


    Polly was stunned, but sensing Delaisi''s change from his usual demeanor, she felt a shift in her confidence and said nothing else, silently following Burns as he led Gallagher out of the cave.


    Surprised by this development, Delaisi thought to himself,


    ''Indulging her all the time certainly won''t do.''


    Outside the cave.


    Burns held a torch as he led Gallagher to the left of the cave entrance.


    "Your Highness, let''s do it here. It''s unsafe to go too far."


    "No," Gallagher, looking into the dark night, seemed oddly excited as he continued forward, "this is too close, I want to go somewhere farther."


    "Prince Gallagher." Burns stepped forward two paces, coming around in front of Gallagher and said sternly, "The night is dangerous; it''s not advisable to go far!"


    "Mommy¡ª" Gallagher''s face fell, and he turned to Polly for help.


    Polly soothingly smiled at Gallagher and then firmly addressed Burns.


    "Burns!"


    She didn''t see the issue¡ªafter all, it was just a spot to relieve oneself, what''s the harm in going a bit further?


    To her, it was clear Burns was making a mountain out of a molehill.


    "Princess Polly?"


    "Burns, what are you afraid of?" Polly frowned, then spoke as if it were obvious, "Isn''t the wizard inside the cave? If anything happens, all you need to do is delay for a moment, and he will come to our rescue."


    Burns bowed his head in silence and eventually stepped aside.


    The pair continued forward with Gallagher.


    Burns looked at the figure of Gallagher beside him and sighed silently.


    The prince represents the future of the Holy Flame Kingdom.


    But Gallagher, almost seven, still acted so petulant and childish...


    Contemplating this, thinking of the future of the Holy Flame Kingdom... his heart weighed heavily.


    After a while, Gallagher stopped in a thick bush.


    The sound of rustling leaves filled the air¡ª


    Burns stood on guard, watching the surroundings.


    Soon, Gallagher finished and the area remained quiet, with no incident.


    "Prince Gallagher, since you''re done, let''s head back quickly," Burns reminded again. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Though he was prepared to stay with Gallagher a while longer, unexpectedly, Gallagher nodded in agreement.


    Seeing Gallagher''s shivering figure, Burns realized.


    The temperature drops after nightfall, and they had fled the palace so hastily that they did not bring enough clothes. Gallagher was still wearing the lighter clothes from daytime... It seemed he felt too cold and wanted to return to the warmth of the fire inside the cave.

 Chapter 173 - 144 Borrowing Momentum_3

    That''s a relief... Burns let out a sigh of relief and took the lead to head back.


    You have to know that they were far from a time of comfort.


    The King, Queen, a Princess, and a Prince of the Holy Flame Kingdom were still alive, and as long as Qi''an Kingdom wasn''t stupid, they would undoubtedly send troops to pursue!


    Suddenly, Burns''s footsteps faltered, and he raised a hand to signal Polly and the others behind him.


    At first Polly was startled, then a trace of fear flashed through her eyes, she covered Gallagher''s mouth, and carefully stood still.


    Although she had just confidently said those words, the chaos in her heart was unavoidable when real danger approached¡ªthey still remembered the appearance of the maids and knights who had died gruesomely earlier that morning.


    The three of them stood silently in place, not moving an inch.


    Polly listened carefully, aside from the wild beast''s roars coming from somewhere, she did not hear any other noises.


    She didn''t relax but continued to stand still as Burns had signaled.


    After a while, still no sounds came through, and Burns in front of her made no move.


    A flicker of doubt crossed Polly''s eyes.


    A suspicion arose in her mind... Could it be that Burns, because of the words spoken earlier, harbored a grudge and intentionally stopped to frighten them?


    Beside her, Gallagher, who had initially stood quietly in cooperation, now seemed unable to persist any longer and began to pry Polly''s hand away from his mouth.


    It was at this moment that Burns slowly turned around, his brow furrowed in confusion, he murmured:


    "It seems I heard wrong."


    Just now, he had faintly heard a feeble sound similar to the clash of steel, but after he stopped, he did not hear it a second time.


    Burns turned back around and continued forward.


    He did not see Polly behind him, staring at him with ice-cold eyes.


    To Polly, Burns''s actions clearly confirmed her last suspicion...


    ''That bitch Daisy''s lackey! I am the Queen; how dare he!''


    Polly seethed inwardly.


    She wanted to explode right then and there, but looking at Burns''s tall figure.


    She weighed for a moment and chose to swallow her pride for the time being, deciding to settle the score once they got back to the cave.


    Otherwise, if Burns became furious and did anything disadvantageous to her and her child, that would be disastrous.


    After all, they were still some distance away from the cave, and here it was just them and Burns¡­ They had to be cautious.


    "Wait."


    They had walked a bit further when Burns suddenly stopped again and turned back to give a low command.


    Again?!


    A visible trace of anger flashed across Polly''s face.


    "Burns...!"


    She hadn''t finished speaking when she saw Burns dashing into the nearby woods on the left. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then there were several muffled sounds of bodies colliding.


    Burns dragged the corpse of a Knight wearing light armor out of the woods.


    Polly''s complexion changed drastically!


    "Is this... Qi''an Kingdom''s pursuers?" she asked hesitantly, lowering her voice involuntarily.


    "Judging by the armor, it should be."


    Burns nodded, then looked down at the corpse again.


    Apart from being ordinary, the nose on the corpse''s face was eerily strange... as if it were a dog''s nose?


    Perhaps it was a natural deformity... Burns didn''t care much.


    With a grave expression, he murmured his speculation:


    "No other knights were found around... this might be a scout of Qi''an Kingdom''s pursuing forces."


    "But in any case, the pursuing forces of Qi''an Kingdom must have caught up... we need to report back to the Wizard at once!


    Otherwise, it will be troublesome if Qi''an Kingdom beats us there."


    Having said that, he hoisted up the corpse and began to walk briskly forward.


    Obviously, the body could not be left here; he planned to move it elsewhere to deal with it.


    "Burns." Polly called out to him from behind.


    Burns, with the corpse on his shoulder, turned around in confusion.


    Polly smiled and said:


    "With that Wizard there, what are a few Qi''an Kingdom pursuers?"


    "Just leave the corpse here... there''s no need to bother that Wizard with this news."


    Watching Burns''s puzzled face, Polly lost her patience, the smile gradually fading from her face, she said coldly:


    "This is an order, Burns, just follow it!"


    If Qi''an Kingdom couldn''t catch up, they would really only be able to proceed to the unknown fate of Merredith City.


    But if Qi''an Kingdom did catch up and dragged that Wizard into the conflict, forcing him to confront Qi''an Kingdom...


    Perhaps, they could use the power of the Wizard to recapture the Holy Flame Kingdom!

 Chapter 174 - 145: Accessories

    Burns watched Polly, then slowly shook his head.


    He was undoubtedly loyal, willing to give up his own life for the Holy Flame Royal Family.


    But Polly...


    He couldn''t understand Polly''s command.


    They were now all relying on the protection of the Wizard.


    How could such an important matter not be told to His Excellency the Wizard?!


    Polly''s actions were undeniably putting the few remaining members of the Holy Flame Royal Family in danger!


    If the order had come from Delaisi, he might still have carried it out. But now the order was only from Queen Polly... he didn''t want to obey.


    Having said that, he didn''t wait for Polly to reply and turned, shouldering the body and walked away.


    Seeing Burns''s actions, Polly''s pale face suddenly turned crimson with anger, and as she was about to explode,


    Burns''s voice suddenly came through.


    "Her Highness Polly, it''s cold and dark outside; it''s best to follow me quickly and return."


    His tone was calm and natural, no different than usual.


    But Polly, watching Burns''s figure, holding the torch and walking farther away, felt the darkness and silence around her slowly engulfing her, and her anger was suddenly replaced by fear.


    She stamped her feet in rage, then pulled Gallagher along and gritted her teeth as she chased after him.


    "Burns, you don''t understand my deeper intentions," Polly caught up with Burns and explained, restraining her anger.


    Burns''s steps paused slightly, and after a moment of contemplation, he still explained,


    "Your Highness, whatever your deeper intentions might be, concealing this matter is not a wise choice. It puts all of us... in danger.


    Besides, if the Great Wizard finds out what you''ve done... our fate might not be much better than being caught up to by the Biqian Kingdom."


    "What danger, Burns!" Polly refused to listen to him, arguing back, "With that Wizard here, how could we be in any danger?!"


    "Didn''t you see it when you fled the Kingdom today?"


    "Any kind of soldier, Knight or otherwise, is no match for him!"


    Polly continued to speak, but Burns could no longer listen.


    He pursed his lips and shook his head inwardly.


    Even if the Qi''an Kingdom''s pursuers posed no threat to Colin, from Colin''s behavior¡ªas he was hastening their journey¡ªit was either because he was in a hurry, or he didn''t want to attract further trouble.


    Regardless of Polly''s purpose.


    If because of this matter, the only support they had, the Great Wizard, became displeased,


    The loss would outweigh the gain for them.


    Moreover, Polly really hadn''t considered the consequences of this matter being exposed!


    If it were to be revealed...


    "Burns!" Polly, seeing that Burns was ignoring her, was almost frantic with rage but helpless.


    She could only advise continuously from the side.


    After walking for a while,


    Burns suddenly stopped in his tracks.


    Polly paused and instinctively stepped back slightly.


    The moment her clamorous voice faded, another faint sound gradually emerged.


    The sound of flowing water came softly.


    After carefully distinguishing it, Burns headed toward the jungle on the left.


    Parting the shielding trees, a river about two or three meters wide appeared in front of them.


    Despite the deep winter, there were still spots in the river, the size of a human head or a palm, that were not completely frozen. It was these spots where the water flowed and made a slight gurgling sound.


    Burns took down the body he was shouldering, picked up a stone, and after careful observation,


    He chose a spot that wasn''t frozen and chiseled the icy surface around it until it was big enough to accommodate the body of a Light Armor Soldier.


    Then he lifted the body of the Light Armor Knight, tossing it into the river.


    Splash.


    After the Light Armor Knight''s body fell in, it was quickly swept downstream.


    The fragment of the hole he had excavated, under his careful effort, now almost showed no signs of being man-made.


    Although these actions were many, with the enhanced physique of a Great Knight, it took only a few minutes to complete.


    Burns watched the Light Armor Knight''s body disappear and breathed a slight sigh of relief.


    In this way, it might at least confuse the pursuers from the Qi''an Kingdom following them, making it not so easy for them to catch up.


    "Her Highness Polly, let''s go."


    He turned to look at Queen Polly, who appeared calm, and was somewhat surprised inside.


    He had anticipated Polly would try hard to stop him from dealing with the traces of the Knight''s body... S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Perhaps seeing that I had already disposed of the body... she has given up on her impractical ideas.''


    Burns secretly speculated in his heart, then turned and continued leading the way back to the cave.


    By now, it had been a while since they had left, and if they didn''t return soon, they might cause Delaisi His Majesty concern.


    The night was moonless, the wind gentle, and all around, utterly silent.


    Burns led the way, his left shin throbbing with piercing pain... the injury he received earlier that day while saving Polly and her child was quite severe.


    Now, the ability to walk with ease was all due to his resolute will and the physique of a Great Knight.


    With the harsh winter cold, the feeling in his leg gradually shifted from pain to numbness... he now only wished to quickly return to the warmth of the cave.


    After walking for a while, they were about to reach the cave.


    But at that moment!


    Whoosh!


    A figure, dressed in a pitch-black Wizard Robe, leaped out like a phantom from the forest to the left and appeared before them!


    "Ah!!"


    Gallagher and Polly both screamed in terror simultaneously.


    Not only because of the sudden appearance of the figure in the Wizard Robe... but more so because of the dreadful face resembling a dog and a bear, drooling saliva, and with crisscrossing fangs!

 Chapter 175 - 145 Accessories_2

    Clang!


    "Your Excellency is..."


    Burns drew his sword from his waist and asked cautiously.


    Before he could finish,


    Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!


    Several figures clad in light armor leaped out from between the trees.


    Burns turned his head to look.


    These armored figures were strikingly similar to the knights he had previously thrown into the river, each bearing some beast-like features on their faces, all dressed in the light armor of the Qi''an Kingdom!


    Beast-like eyes, beast-like ears, beast-like mouths... all that was missing was a nose!


    Realizing this, a sudden epiphany struck Burns, followed by a heavy sinking feeling in his heart.


    This wizard, who had suddenly blocked the way, turned out to be the pursuer!


    He took a deep breath, lowered his voice, and turned his head to speak quickly:


    "Princess Polly, the situation is dire, you must take Gallagher and hurry to the cave to inform Wizard Colin!


    Tell the wizard, our pursuers from behind... actually include a wizard!!"


    "As for me... I will fight with all my might to create a chance for you and Gallagher to escape!"


    Exhaling quietly, Burns pressed down the panic in his heart.


    The reason Polly had been fearless before was because she thought the pursuers from the Qi''an Kingdom posed no threat to them with a wizard for protection.


    But now that the pursuer behind them was actually a wizard, the situation was entirely different!


    It seemed... Princess Polly could also understand the urgency of the matter.


    This news must be conveyed to Colin at once!!


    Gripping the sword in his hand, Burns was prepared to fight to the death, pondering how to create enough time for Polly and the others to escape.


    But the next second,


    "Princess Polly, what''s wrong?"


    He couldn''t help frowning at Polly, who remained unresponsive beside him.


    In such a critical situation, to be still frozen in place...


    "Hehehe!" The beast-faced wizard suddenly laughed coldly, "How interesting."


    Burns quickly turned his head, warily watching him.


    In the wizard''s hand was a piece of red-gold cloth, about the size of two fingernails.


    ''What is this?'' Burns wondered.


    "I really can''t seem to understand... why would you leave such clear traces for us along the road?" Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The beast-faced wizard tilted his head, raising the piece of cloth towards Polly and asked with bewilderment.


    He was genuinely puzzled, for without the distinct red-gold cloth traces, it would have taken some effort to accurately track down Polly and the others in the vast forest.


    Especially since his modified hound-nosed knights had vanished... perhaps, they might have never found them.


    Hearing this, Burns'' expression froze; he looked at the piece of red-gold cloth in the wizard''s hand and then at Polly''s red-gold clothing...


    A sense of indescribable absurdity surged in his heart!


    Polly... this foolish woman!!


    "Bur... Burns, I command... command you to protect us with your life!"


    At this moment, Polly finally snapped back from her fear, stammering a subconscious order.


    "I''m so confused!" The beast-faced wizard shouted suddenly, banging his own head fiercely with his hand!


    As if suddenly seized by a mental illness.


    He lifted his gaze to Polly.


    Swoosh!


    The next second, as if teleporting, he suddenly appeared in front of Polly, grabbing her chin to lift it, locking eyes with her, manically questioning:


    "I''m really so confused!"


    "Why would you leave traces for me if you''re so afraid of me?"


    Polly''s chest heaved with heavy breaths, her eyes filled with terror.


    Suddenly, the beast-faced wizard sniffed the air, frowning as he glanced at the damp mark that had seeped onto Polly''s lower half, and his expression abruptly shifted from manic back to calm.


    Crack!


    The crisp sound of a neck breaking filled the air.


    "Never mind, if it''s hard to understand... just kill it."


    The beast-faced wizard let go of his grip, and Polly''s lifeless body fell to the ground.


    "Mama¡ª"


    Bang!!


    Gallagher''s cry came to an abrupt halt.


    Shock, horror, fear...


    A torrent of complex emotions gripped Burns'' heart!


    But he didn''t hesitate; he bolted towards the cave with all his might.


    "Delaisi!"


    "Wizard Colin!"


    "Strange wizard attacking!!"


    Not far from the cave, he shouted as he fled, attempting to draw attention and spread the vital information.


    The very next second.


    Spurt!


    Burns suddenly felt the wound on his left calf burst open under a mysterious force, followed by a gush of blood spurting out, his leg giving way, and he collapsed to the ground.


    "Pah."


    He spat out the snow in his mouth, quickly got up on one leg, and continued to shout:


    "Strange wizard attacking!!"


    "Strange wizard attacking!!"


    "Keep yelling, yell even louder."


    The beast-faced wizard, accompanied by a few beastification knights, followed leisurely behind Burns, their voice calm and elegant.


    "Call out that wizard behind you..."


    The next second, his voice became strange, as if squeezed through clenched teeth.


    "Thief!"


    "That thief!!"


    "...Insignia, insignia! Those relics are all mine!!"


    The beast-faced wizard gasped heavily, the fur covering his face seeming to thicken.


    He lifted his hand and thumped his head forcefully, regaining a little clarity in his gaze after a moment.


    Touching the dense, prickly hair on his face, his heart was shrouded in darkness.


    "What part of knowledge is it that I''m missing! How exactly to comprehend the concept of Melos biological fusion!"


    The beast-faced wizard roared in his heart, fed up with the plight of a wandering wizard.


    He must obtain those two badges that were credentials to join a School!!

 Chapter 176 - 145 Accessories_3

    Otherwise... if this continues, he would transform and corrupt...


    He clenched his fists.


    A layer of confusion suddenly veiled the eyes of the beast-faced wizard, and a sinister smile appeared on the corners of his mouth.


    "It seems... this state isn''t too bad; I am much stronger now than before."


    The coarse black hair on his face, like some kind of living creature, kept churning and trembling at this moment.


    The next moment.


    Bang!


    His palm collided with his head with a dull thud.


    Under the stimulation of pain, the confusion in the eyes of the beast-faced wizard finally faded, and the black hair on his face also calmed down.


    "My condition is getting worse." He lifted his head, trying hard to maintain his sanity.


    In the distance, Burns had taken the opportunity of his chaos to hop away a considerable distance.


    "Stranger wizard..."


    Burns''s shouts continued.


    A flash of brutality flickered in the eyes of the beast-faced wizard as he lifted his arm.


    Swoosh!!


    Like a phantom, he rapidly charged towards Burns!


    The sound of the wind whistled past his ears; he could already imagine the beautiful scene of Burns being pierced from behind by his claw, lifted high, with blood spraying everywhere!


    Getting closer...


    Almost there!


    The scene imagined in his brain was about to become reality in the next second!


    A brutal smile appeared on the corners of the beast-faced wizard''s mouth.


    Swoosh!!


    The next second, a hard cone bullet shot towards him at high speed.


    The beast-faced wizard''s pupils suddenly shrank, and his legs bent at an incredible angle as he crouched down, narrowly avoiding the cone bullet.


    "Colin, Wizard!"


    Burns cried out in surprise at the sight of Colin floating in the air.


    "Uh-huh." Colin responded softly as he continued to pull out cone bullets and shoot them at the beast-faced wizard.


    Burns and his group had been out for too long, so he was somewhat worried and decided to check up on them.


    Not far from the cave entrance, he heard Burns''s shouts and hurried over.


    Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!


    Cone bullets continuously shot at the beast-faced wizard.


    To quickly eliminate the enemy, he used the Foolishness Scepter to enhance his Arrow Shooting Skill to a power close to that of a First Rank Basic Level...this was the most cost-effective enhancement he had tried.


    With such an enhancement, he would likely use the Arrow Shooting Skill about five times before its progress would decrease a bit.


    Although the beast-faced wizard dodged the first cone bullet, he was not so lucky with the subsequent continuous shots.


    Pfft, pfft, pfft!


    The hot tips of the bullets chaotically hopped inside his body, and his body trembled continuously as if struck by an invisible force.


    The situation was very favorable.


    But the next second!


    Swoosh!!


    The beast-faced wizard''s figure suddenly disappeared from view.


    Colin looked up and saw that, unbeknownst to him, the beast-faced wizard had sprouted two tattered flesh wings, glowing purple, from his back.


    He was now quietly floating right in front of him,


    Hum¡ª


    The defense strength of the Steel Temperature Resistance Field was raised to its maximum, and Colin''s brow furrowed slightly.


    Ding... ding... ding...


    The previously shot cone bullets squeezed out from the beast-faced wizard''s body and fell to the ground.


    Around the fist-sized wounds, malignant growths rapidly sprouted one after another, instantly sealing the wounds completely.


    "Such recovery power, it might not be much weaker than my own."


    Since the cone bullets were useless... Colin waved the Foolishness Scepter once again!


    Boom!


    An orange-yellow fireball shot towards the beast-faced wizard at high speed!


    "These fireballs... and the previous cone bullets, surely they''ve already exceeded the Apprentice level."


    "Could it be an Official Wizard?!"


    The Beast-faced Wizard thought to himself as he effortlessly dodged the Fireball.


    Although his current state was nearly corrupt and degenerate, hanging by a thread, it had granted him power surpassing that of an Apprentice Wizard.


    He hadn''t reached the level of an Official Wizard, but in terms of speed, he was already at the threshold!


    Dodging such a slow Fireball was a piece of cake!


    "No, if it were an Official Wizard, it wouldn''t be this easy... This Magic Power is probably just a bit stronger than an Apprentice''s, barely touching the threshold of an Official Wizard."


    The Beast-faced Wizard continued to dodge the Fireballs, waiting for a chance to counter-attack.


    "It seems that this power must come from that scepter!"


    A flash of greed sparkled in the Beast-faced Wizard''s eyes, but then his expression changed.


    Whoosh!!


    A Cone Bullet suddenly shot towards him.


    The Cone Bullet was much faster than the Fireball, and he couldn''t dodge in time,


    Pfft!


    The Cone Bullet penetrated his body, the immense kinetic energy causing a slight delay in his dodging motion.


    Then a Fireball followed closely behind and hit him hard!


    There was no escaping now!


    The Beast-faced Wizard''s expression changed as he closed his wings around his body to shield himself.


    Boom!!


    The Fireball exploded, blasting huge holes in his purple-tinged flesh wings, and the edges burned fiercely like a clinging bone plague.


    Severely injured, the clarity in the Beast-faced Wizard''s eyes faded away like a receding tide, and strange swellings continuously emerged from his body like waves.


    Just as the clarity was about to disappear completely and his body seemed on the verge of bursting,


    The Beast-faced Wizard took a deep breath and barely managed to regain his senses.


    Immediately, the battered purple-tinged flesh wings began to rapidly heal.


    "That was close... Looks like I''ll have to rely on my speed advantage to fight this out."


    As the Beast-faced Wizard thought this,


    A blinding light burst forth!


    A Sun Fireball, like a glowing sun, struck him.


    "No!"


    The Beast-faced Wizard''s eyes filled with fear as he desperately flapped his flesh wings!


    But the next second, his body melted away instantly like ice under summer sunlight.


    "Hu¡ª"


    Colin exhaled a heavy breath, the red light on the crystal of the Sun Fireball Ring on his index finger gradually dimming.


    Realizing that the witchcraft just touching the threshold of an Official Wizard couldn''t harm this peculiar Wizard, he had prepared to use the Sun Fireball.


    After all, he couldn''t drag the battle on too long, as it could lead to complications.


    But if he had used the Foolishness Scepter to elevate his Magic Power a notch higher, the cost would not have been small, and he didn''t want his progress with the Fireball Technique to regress again.


    Fortunately, the power of the Sun Fireball was still strong enough... to secure victory.


    He turned to look at Burns on the other side.


    Clang!


    He just saw Burns retract his Giant Sword.


    At his feet, where he stood on one leg, lay the three Light Armor Knights who had accompanied the Beast-faced Wizard.


    He was about to ask for details about what happened,


    Patter¡ªpatter¡ª


    But suddenly, a series of sounds came from behind...


    Turning his head, he saw that it was the remains of the Beast-faced Wizard, making a slight noise as they hit the ground.


    Colin approached, glanced, but did not find a Storage Ring or anything similar.


    "This is..."


    Among the ash-gray remains, he found the only object that had survived the Sun Fireball¡ªan Crown Ornament.


    It was considered an ornament because the crown was only the size of a regular ring, made of metal, interwoven in gold and silver colors, and exquisitely detailed.


    "It looks familiar..." Colin frowned slightly as he picked up the ornament.


    "Better keep this for now, it''s not the right time." S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He turned and walked over to Burns, who was barely able to stand, ready to inquire about the specifics of everything.

 Chapter 177 - 146 Talent

    "You mean... Queen Polly and Prince Gallagher are both dead?"


    Colin stared at the ashen-faced Great Knight and repeated in surprise.


    Burns remained silent. Even if Queen Polly had brought her fate upon herself, as a Guardian Knight of the Royal Family, it was his dereliction of duty.


    "Let''s head back," sighed Colin.


    He had not expected such an event to occur...


    "Yes," Burns responded softly, hopping on one leg beside the bodies of Polly and the other, hefting them up one by one.


    Perhaps because he was standing on one leg, what should have been a simple action seemed nearly enough to make him fall over.


    "Your leg... is injured?" Colin asked.


    "Mmm," Burns nodded silently.


    Colin pondered for a moment, then conjured a force field to lift the bodies of Polly and the other off Burns''s shoulders.


    He looked around at the deep dark jungle and continued,


    "Let''s go, I''ll fly you back."


    Without waiting for Burns to respond, he grabbed his shoulder, leaped up, and flew towards the cave.


    Although they had dealt with the Beast-faced Wizard, Colin was not sure if other dangers lurked nearby.


    And with Delaisi and others currently alone in the cave... it was better to bring Burns back quickly and regroup to avoid further accidents.


    The wind howled past, Burns gritted his teeth against the pain, blood seeped from his calf wound, then whipped away by the biting cold wind, quickly freezing into tiny droplets in the air.


    Seeing this, Colin frowned slightly and slowed down a bit.


    ''After all... if Burns''s left leg was rendered useless, he would need to expend energy caring for him during the rest of the journey.''


    ''Pity, his own abilities were too limited, thinking about it now, he hadn''t mastered a single healing witchcraft... Resources, especially knowledge resources, were still so lacking.''


    While thinking, they soon returned to the cave.


    Perhaps because a fire had been lit inside, as soon as they entered, the temperature difference between the inside and outside was distinctly noticeable.


    The icy edges by the cave entrance seemed also to have softened somewhat.


    Before long, the dark and cold cave walls gradually brightened, illuminated by the flickering orange-yellow firelight.


    "Colin..." Delaisi was about to greet him, but as he saw the scene before him, his pupils constricted, and his mind felt like it had been struck by a hammer, dizzy and disoriented.


    Eliel, however, had a calm expression, like an undisturbed ancient well.


    Colin slowly set down the bodies of Polly and the other, calmly saying:


    "Let Burns explain the specifics to you."


    With that, he paused and then added solemnly, "Your Majesty, you have ten minutes to handle all of this."


    "After ten minutes, to avoid possible new troubles, we will continue our journey, leaving here as quickly as possible."


    Delaisi finally came to his senses, nodded silently, then took a deep breath and started questioning Burns.


    Colin turned and walked away, giving them space.


    "Burns, tell me what exactly happened here."


    "Tell me why Polly and Gallagher died, yet you are still alive!"


    Behind him, Delaisi''s voice gradually rose, filled with uncontrollable anger.


    As a Guardian Knight, no matter the circumstances or whatever crisis he faced, Burns should have died before Polly and the other!


    In such a situation where the master dies yet the Guardian Knight lives on, he wondered how Burns would explain this to him!


    "Your Majesty, it is Burns''s incompetence..." Burns knelt on one knee, head bowed in silence.


    In a place unseen by Delaisi, a flicker of resolve crossed his eyes.


    ''Everything was for the Holy Flame Royal Family!''


    ''Wizard Colin is right beside... What Queen Polly did must not be known to him... Otherwise, if it angers the Holy Flame Royal Family...''


    "You!" Delaisi, in a fit of rage...


    Colin shook his head, silently blocking out their conversation, and sat cross-legged beside the fire, beginning to study the newly obtained Crown Ornament.


    Taking out the Crown Ornament, and looking at its delicate craftsmanship and the interwoven gold and silver appearance, he suddenly felt a surge of thought and pulled out the Tin Saint School Token given to him earlier by Delaisi¡ªa similarly gold and silver woven delicate feather badge.


    Placing the two together in his hands, from the craftsmanship, style, and color, it was clear they were related.


    Thinking for a moment, Colin continued to probe with spiritual power and magic power.


    ...


    The ten minutes passed in a flash.


    Colin slowly opened his eyes, confusion evident.


    This Crown Ornament, whether due to damage or some other reason, gave no feedback whether he probed with spiritual power, magic power, or both combined...


    ''No need to rush, it''s more important to hurry on our way now.''


    Shaking his head, Colin extinguished the fire, and got up with the Renee sisters.


    "Are you ready?" Colin asked Delaisi, holding the reins of the horse beside him.


    "We''re ready," Delaisi nodded, his expression calm, showing no signs of sorrow.


    Click-clack-click... sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Walking a few steps, Colin suddenly stopped and looked around, confusedly asking:


    "What about Burns? Isn''t he coming with us?"


    Delaisi''s expression turned cold as he softly said:


    "Lord Colin, he is staying behind to dig graves and erect tombstones for Polly and the other..."


    Upon hearing this, Colin nodded slightly, without saying much more.


    Such occurrences of a lord dying and the servant perishing too were all too common¡­ He was not surprised.

 Chapter 178 - 146 Talent_2

    "Eliel, let''s go," Delaisi called back.


    At that moment, Eliel was turning to look at Burns, who stood silently in the cave, his gaze flickering.


    Burns leaned against the cold cave wall, watching them leave, with the corpses of Queen Polly and her child beside him.


    Seeing Eliel looking at him, Burns'' resolute face softened slightly, and the corners of his mouth curled into a small smile as he said,


    "Princess Eliel¡­ go on."


    His voice was rough, but still calm and collected.


    "Eliel!" Delaisi said sternly.


    Burns had failed to protect Queen Polly and her child and had failed to fulfill his knightly vows!


    This was the price he had to pay!


    "Father," Eliel turned her head, hesitated, and then slowly began, "Knight Burns¡­ is not what you think."


    "There''s no need to plead for him, Eliel."


    Delaisi frowned in confusion but was not angry, instead gently advising.


    It seemed¡­ Eliel felt pity for Burns being left alone, moved by compassion for him.


    But in his view, Burns''s solo survival was a taboo¡­ Not executing him on the spot and leaving him a glimmer of hope was already very merciful.


    Eliel¡­ was still not wise enough.


    However, with only the two of them remaining in the Holy Flame Royal Family, and his age already advanced...


    Eliel was clearly the only hope left for the Holy Flame Royal Family¡­ focus on cultivating her more in the future.


    Colin turned back, frowning at them.


    "That''s not how it is."


    Feeling Colin''s gaze, Eliel felt a bit anxious and quickly spoke.


    Then, without waiting for a response, she crossed her hands and placed them on her forehead.


    Immediately after, an invisible spiritual fluctuation emitted.


    Colin raised his eyebrows slightly in surprise.


    The next second.


    A palm-sized human figure enveloped in White Light appeared in the cave and then gradually disappeared into the air the next second, like a drop of water into the sea, leaving no trace.


    Seemingly sensing something, Colin closed his eyes, feeling carefully.


    But he detected no abnormalities.


    "Father, Lord Colin," Eliel began to explain quickly.


    "This evening, after I received my sister Erica''s urn, I discovered I had such an ability... or rather, triggered such an ability."


    Colin interrupted Eliel''s narration, curiously asking,


    "Is that Spiritual Body still here?"


    Without using witchcraft, his senses couldn''t detect the presence of the Spiritual Body.


    "It''s still here." Eliel closed her eyes.


    Whoosh.


    The faint White Light appeared again, not far in front of Colin.


    The White Light lasted for a while, then extinguished again, like a flickering firefly losing its light.


    Colin was amazed in his heart.


    When he was at Blackstone Island, he had heard that some people naturally possessed special Talents... but he had never seen one.


    He never expected that Erica''s sister would be such a rare entity.


    "You just said... you just triggered the ability?" Colin asked, seemingly recalling something.


    "Yes, Lord Colin," Eliel said, a bit nervously smoothing her hair by her ears.


    "Over six, nearly seven years ago, right after the day my mother died, I gradually began to see an illusion occasionally and heard some strange sounds from it."


    "Usually, I couldn''t understand what the sounds were saying, or rather, the sounds did not make any sense, and the main form the illusions took was a white globe of light."


    Speaking up to here, Eliel seemed a bit embarrassed, hesitated, but still continued.


    "After my mother passed away, gradually no one talked to me, and the number of people I interacted with became fewer and fewer, so I started talking to the illusion¡­


    Anyway, the illusion never responded until tonight, after I got my sister''s urn¡­ and then I suddenly found myself able to control it."


    "Uh-huh," Colin nodded and then added,


    "Continue, what do you want to tell Delaisi?"


    Eliel''s newly revealed Talent made him willing to give her more time.


    "Thank you, Lord Colin," Eliel nodded and thanked him, then continued her narrative:


    "Tonight, when Knight Burns was out with Queen Polly and Gallagher, I suddenly had an idea and summoned the illusion to follow them."


    Hearing this, sensing something, Burns'' expression gradually became agitated, and he couldn''t hold back,


    "Princess Eliel!"


    Eliel just glanced at him and decisively said:


    "So, Father King, I know everything that has happened."


    "Queen Polly''s death shouldn''t be blamed on Knight Burns, it was her own doing!"


    Then, she truthfully recounted the entire incident exactly as it had happened.


    "...That''s what happened."


    Eliel finished her last sentence.


    Thump!


    Behind her, Burns suddenly fell heavily on his knees, his head deeply bowed.


    On the other side, Delaisi also came to his senses, his complexion gradually paling, and he quickly knelt down to Colin.


    ''Queen Polly did such a thing, even though it wasn''t successful, no one can guarantee what Wizard Colin might think.


    The worst situation... is that Colin might feel this decision wasn''t just Queen Polly''s idea, but a result they had all discussed together.''


    ''But now, it''s also not easy to explain that this was only Polly''s idea and had nothing to do with them...


    After all, if it backfires and makes Colin think they were shirking responsibility, then it''s all over.''


    Delaisi bowed his head, his thoughts chaotic and tangled. Large beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.


    "Rise," Colin said, not surprised by the reactions of Delaisi and the others.


    But it was clearly Polly''s personal idea, and he wasn''t about to take his anger out on others. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Ignorance is not a crime, Polly has already died and paid a sufficient price..." he continued.


    Hearing this, Delaisi finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    He stood up, looked back at Burns with a ashamed expression... and thought of Polly, but the original sadness in his heart had already been replaced by anger and relief.


    "Let''s go, don''t delay any longer," Colin urged.


    After speaking, he took the lead and walked outside.


    "Burns, keep up," Delaisi spoke, then hesitated before adding, "I wronged you..."


    "No, it''s not Your Majesty''s fault," Burns interrupted.


    Delaisi paused, his guilt deepening, and he let out a breath before continuing:


    "Let''s go, Knight Burns."


    The group mounted their horses and slowly rode away.


    *


    *


    *


    One month later.


    The chill of winter was gradually vanishing, and a hint of spring began to quietly emerge across the vast land.


    It was now late morning.


    In the forest, golden sunshine penetrated the dense green leaves, casting mottled marks on the riders below.


    Renee shielded her eyes from the sunlight and watched the white birds flitting through the trees above.


    Their long ribbon-like white tail feathers were something she had never seen at sea before.


    "We''re about to leave the forest, stay alert."


    The gentle and magnetic voice came from ahead.


    Looking forward, Renee saw a handsome figure in a gray and white Wizard Robe.


    Ahead of him, there was a growing light... the exit of the forest was just in sight.


    And if the map was correct, once they exited the forest, they would have nearly arrived at their destination.


    Renee''s eyes brightened, and she couldn''t help but feel a surge of anticipation.


    It didn''t take long for them, and soon the group emerged from the forest.


    Colin took the lead, followed closely by the sisters Rene and Delaisi.


    The warm sunlight shone down.


    First, they felt the wind, a slightly moist breeze characteristic of spring.


    Then, in the distance ahead, the large gray and white walls loomed like a long dragon.


    This was Merredith City... the outskirts of the Meredith Kingdom.


    Merredith City was a city within the Kingdom.


    Its outskirts formed a huge kingdom inhabited by both commoners and wizards, surrounded by many other smaller kingdoms.


    These kingdoms clung to Merredith City, also protecting it.


    Colin gently exhaled.


    As soon as he stepped out of the forest, he clearly felt an increase in the concentration of Magic Power... reaching the levels he had previously experienced at the base of Blackstone Island.


    Although not high, it was much better compared to the places they had passed along the way.


    Squeezing the horse''s sides, they continued to ride forward.

 Chapter 179 - 147: Arrival at Neustadt

    The crowd in front of the city gate formed a long dragon.


    Some walked on foot, others rode horses, and a few rode upon special demon beasts, and of course, there were carriages too.


    Of course, the most eye-catching were always those steel steam locomotives bellowing black smoke.


    On the tall gray-white city wall, there were one large and two smaller gates¡ªa total of three.


    The middle one, which was also the largest, was closed tight, only the two smaller gates on either side were open.


    Although called smaller gates, they were at least seven or eight meters wide and about ten meters tall.


    In front of each, several queues lined up.


    The queue on the left clearly had many fewer people than the one on the right, probably only about one-tenth.


    With just a glance, Colin understood the situation.


    The crowd on the left, either dressed in wizard robes or riding special demon beasts... were all likely wizards.


    Taking Renee and the others to the smaller gate on the left, he chose the shortest queue and got in line.


    Looking ahead in the direction of the slowly moving queue.


    There, several silver figures were inspecting the wizards entering the city, one after the other.


    Helmets, breastplates, leg armor, and so on, connected seamlessly as if one whole... somewhat similar to the patrol knights he had seen before on Bananka Island.


    If not for the classic knight armor''s design... they looked more like robots from a science fiction world.


    These were clearly creations by the hands of wizards... what their strength was like was unknown.


    Looking back at the crowd.


    Most appeared to be wizards who, like him, had come from far away.


    Some apparently didn''t have storage rings and used horses and other beasts to carry bags of supplies.


    The most eye-catching among them was a merchant convoy in the middle of the queue.


    Several unknown demon beasts with triangular head crests, large in stature, and judging by shoulder height, they had to be at least three or four meters tall, resembling an enlarged version of an ox.


    They pulled specially-made iron-frame carts behind them.


    The carts were covered in black cloth, obscuring whatever was inside.


    Colin withdrew his gaze and continued to follow the queue.


    Before long, it was his turn to enter the city.


    "Pass," the silver-armored knight watched him, his voice mechanical and indifferent.


    Colin frowned slightly and shook his head.


    "Move forward to the inspection and registration," said the silver-armored knight without pause, pointing behind him.


    "Next."


    Renee, leading Demi, stepped forward.


    The silver-armored knight looked up at the two, a brief flash of light from the eyepieces of his helmet, and then asked, "Mortals?"


    His voice remained unchanged, still mechanical and cold.


    "She''s with me," Colin quickly explained, "The next three as well."


    "Hmm," the silver-armored knight glanced at Delaisi and the others, nodding his head, "Go together for registration."


    Colin motioned for Delaisi and the others to come forward with him to the registration point.


    The information needed for registration was not extensive, primarily just basic details like names.


    After he paid one Magic Stone for each person, the silver-armored knight took freshly made passes from a pure black machine beside him and handed them to Colin.


    The black passes were only the size of a thumb, shaped like a square with rounded corners, with a small hole at the top, likely to thread a string through for easy carrying.


    Entering the city.


    The bustling noise hit them.


    Ahead was a bustling commercial street.


    Neat and spacious.


    On either side, a dense array of various shops lined up, and on the roadside, there were also some wooden cart vendors... mainly snacks.


    The aroma wafted over.


    Colin stopped and turned to see Delaisi and the others curiously looking around, and he said,


    "Let''s rest here in Eliel for a while, have some lunch, and then we''ll continue on our way."


    Although they had arrived in Meredith Kingdom, they were still a considerable distance from Merredith City, at the heart of the kingdom.


    "Alright, Lord Colin," Eliel replied, slowly approaching on horseback.


    Delaisi and the other person kept their distance, following behind.


    Colin looked away, surveying the area, looking for a suitable place to eat.


    He was supposed to deliver Eliel and the others to Merredith City in the heart of the kingdom, before taking the transmission array from there to Neustadt City.


    A month earlier, the day after they left the cave, Delaisi suddenly approached him and handed over a different badge.


    At that time, he was testing Eliel''s potential as a wizard with the crystal ball.


    As expected, Eliel''s talent was first-class... quite naturally, as someone with such talent would undoubtedly not possess inferior aptitude.


    And that badge, according to the information it contained, was a token of admission to a school named Viting.


    Unfortunately... the age requirement for the exam was fifteen and under, and he was already eighteen that year, thus not meeting the condition.


    So, in the end, he returned the badge to Delaisi.


    "Let''s go there."


    The street was full of eye-catching delicacies, and after scanning the varieties, Colin, a bit overwhelmed, finally chose a nearby store at random to save time.


    Time still needed to be tightly managed.


    If they were to travel on horseback... they probably wouldn''t reach the heart of the kingdom and Merredith City until tomorrow.


    Meredith Kingdom might only have this one city, but that didn''t mean it was small.


    In fact, this one city was equivalent in size to the total area of some smaller countries. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And if that was all, that would be fine, as some provinces and cities in his previous life were as large as entire small countries.


    But...


    Colin turned to look back at the tall gray-white city wall behind him and couldn''t help feeling a sense of awe.

 Chapter 180 - 147: Arriving at Neustadt_2

    If the information obtained was correct, such a tall wall should encircle the entire Merredith City.


    The length was hard to imagine.


    Perhaps, only in such a world could there be such a spectacle of a wall...


    In the technologically advanced world of his past life, although it was possible to build such a wall, there was no reason to do so, and hence, such a spectacle was not to be seen.


    After lunch.


    Without rest, Colin led the way forward, continuing until sunset.


    After a hasty night''s rest at an inn, as soon as it was daylight, they continued on their journey.


    By around noon time.


    On the wide streets.


    Clip-clop, clip-clop¡ª


    Colin and his companions rode on, bathed in the bright sunshine.


    The next second, they suddenly stepped from light into shadow; from a distance, a vast shadow engulfed them.


    In front of them, a colossal grey-black wall stood in their way.


    ''Wizard Alliance-governed, Merredith City... we''ve finally arrived.''


    Colin looked up and exhaled softly.


    As usual for entering the city.


    But they were stopped again.


    Colin took out his pass and handed it to the humanoid golem blocking their path.


    In the past, he had only read about such golems in books... like the renowned ghoul golems, for instance.


    But he had never seen them in reality.


    The humanoid golem before them was entirely black in color, with a humanoid figure topped by an oval, smooth head that had only eyes and a mouth, devoid of other facial features.


    The golem reached out to take the pass, scanning it in front of its chest, but did not step aside.


    "Wizard Colin, those who enter the Wizard City under Wizard Alliance rule for the first time must pay a one thousand Magic Stone entry fee," it said.


    It added, "As for your mortal servants... as there are no more than five, they do not need to pay a fee."


    ''One thousand Magic Stones...'' Colin was slightly shocked internally.


    For an ordinary Wizard Apprentice, such a number of Magic Stones was not a small amount.


    However, since Merredith City had such rules, it was likely that Neustadt City, also under Wizard Alliance rule, would have similar regulations. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This Magic Stone fee would have to be paid sooner or later.


    Colin took out ten lower-grade Magic Stones from his Storage Ring and handed them to the guard golem.


    The golem took everyone''s passes and replaced them with new ones adorned with golden patterns.


    His pass was different from those of Renee and the others¡ªit was more intricately patterned and larger in size.


    "Wizard Colin, this is the universal pass of the entire Wizard Alliance, please infuse Magic Power to bind it," said the golem.


    Colin did as instructed and infused Magic Power.


    As if branding a witch tool, a faint connection emanated from the pass in his hand.


    Subsequently, some information came through.


    Upon a cursory glance, Colin felt a surge of elation.


    This was the information about the Wizard Alliance that he had always been lacking.


    Suppressing the urge to examine it in detail right then and there, Colin led Eliel and the others forward.


    No sooner had they entered the city than Colin raised his eyebrows in surprise without having a clear view of their surroundings.


    He stopped to sense the environment carefully.


    The concentration of Magic Power here far surpassed any place he had been to.


    Indeed, as they had come closer to the Kingdom Center, the density of Magic Power had increased.


    He had anticipated the rich Magic Power of Merredith City.


    But he hadn''t expected the difference to be so vast... If quantified, the concentration of Magic Power here was at least ten times greater than that of Lap Wizard Territory.


    Just outside the city moments earlier... the concentration of Magic Power was about the same as that on Bananka Island.


    It was unthinkable that merely a wall separated such vast differences.


    Coming back to his senses, he turned to Delaisi and the others and slowly said,


    "Eliel, His Majesty Delaisi, we have arrived at Merredith City."


    "It''s time for us to part ways."


    Delaisi, withdrawing his curious gaze from the surroundings, looked at Colin with a tinge of reluctance.


    But he, too, knew that this reluctance stemmed more from the unease of being in unfamiliar surroundings.


    "Alright, thank you for all your care along the way, Sir Colin," said Delaisi, placing his left hand on his chest and bowing deeply.


    Behind him, Burns and Eliel followed suit, placing their hands on their chests and bowing deeply in gratitude.


    "Eliel, this is for you."


    After pondering for a moment, Colin looked at Eliel and took out several Magic Crystals equivalent to the power level of an Advanced Wizard Apprentice from his Storage Ring, handing them to her.


    This was partially in consideration of his friendship with the old friend Erica, and partially to sow a good deed.


    After all, given Eliel''s unusual Talent and the possession of a School Token,


    It was likely that as long as she managed to join a School, her achievements would not be modest, given time.


    "Thank you," said Eliel, taken aback. After a moment''s hesitation, she accepted the Magic Crystals.


    In the past month, through Colin''s introduction, she had gained some understanding of the world of wizards.


    She recognized the value of the Magic Crystals in front of her and understood her own situation.


    "I will remember this kindness," she said, looking at Colin and adding.


    Colin gazed at Eliel, her determined appearance...


    In a moment of reverie, the image of the blond, green-eyed girl in front of him gradually merged with that of another blond, green-eyed girl under the moonlight the second day after he had crossed over.


    He still remembered her resolute words, her firm gaze... and that note slipped through the crack in the door.


    ''Unknowingly... it has been a long time.''


    Exhaling a breath of stale air, Colin smiled and then suddenly offered his blessing,


    "Eliel, may you succeed in joining a School and become a great Official Wizard in the future."

 Chapter 181 - 147 Arrival at Neustadt_3

    Eliel was somewhat surprised, and then raised his fist firmly in reply,


    "I will try my hardest, Lord Colin."


    Colin nodded, and then waved at them.


    "Goodbye."


    He did not hesitate, and promptly turned and left.


    The last blessing for Eliel... was actually adapted from a note Erica had originally written to him.


    "Finally, I hope you can successfully advance and become a great Official Wizard!"


    These were Erica''s original words.


    ... Official Wizard.


    Colin walked briskly, somewhat impatient in his heart.


    Although Merredith City is also a Wizard City under the governance of the Wizard Alliance,


    it is not the city where the Tin Saint School is located, and not his ultimate destination.


    So even if everything around him looked great, knowing he was just passing through, he didn''t spend much time appreciating it.


    The long journey was 99 percent complete, just one more step!


    Driven by this mindset, Colin didn''t admire his surroundings anymore and hurriedly made his way to the Transmission Array he had learned about beforehand.


    "Is the destination Neustadt City?" asked the Wizard Apprentice on duty.


    "Yes," Colin nodded.


    "Okay, the total cost is six hundred Magic Stones. You need to wait for a hundred people, or you can choose to make up the remaining Magic Stones for an earlier departure," explained the Wizard Apprentice with a smile.


    "How many more people are needed now?" Colin looked at him, hesitating before asking.


    The Wizard Apprentice scanned the waiting hall in front of him and said after a moment,


    "About thirty more people are needed, would you like to leave earlier?"


    "...No need."


    "Okay," the Wizard Apprentice on duty smiled unchanged and nodded.


    After a moment, he added,


    "It won''t actually take too long to wait, according to past situations, we can depart in about half an hour."


    "Okay, thank you. Here are the Magic Stones," Colin nodded to him and paid the six hundred Magic Stones in advance.


    Half an hour passed in an instant.


    The seats in the waiting hall gradually filled up.


    "Please note, the Transmission Array to Neustadt will activate in five minutes. Wizards in the waiting hall, please enter through the passageway in an orderly manner."


    As the mechanical voice sounded, a section in the middle of the front wall of the waiting hall slowly rose.


    A corridor about three meters wide appeared in front of them.


    Colin stood up and walked forward with the crowd.


    After turning a corner, a large circular Witch Array emitting a faint glow appeared before them.


    Made entirely of metal, silver, gold, black... various colors of metal were orderly merged together, and although the colors were numerous, they were filled with an inexplicable sense of order.


    The Transmission Array was divided into several neat areas.


    Colin, with sisters Renee, slowly walked to their designated spots following the guidance.


    Once everyone stood still.


    "The transmission is about to begin, please ensure that Storage Rings and other items have been placed into the shielding box," the mechanical voice sounded.


    Colin subconsciously raised his hand to check, confirming that the Storage Ring on his finger had been placed into the black shielding box he was holding.


    This could not be taken lightly, or he had to be prepared to lose the contents of the Storage Ring forever.


    After checking, a little while passed.


    The mechanical countdown sounded,


    "Transmission beginning, three, two, one!"


    The Transmission Array burst into light!


    Colin felt his vision suddenly go dark. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then the next second, his vision cleared again.


    He was looking at the same Transmission Array, seemingly still in Merredith.


    But seeing the different ceiling, different walls... Colin knew he had finally arrived at his real destination¡ª


    Neustadt!

 Chapter 182 - 148: The School in the City

    Old Parker Inn.


    "Excuse me, how much is the accommodation price here?"


    In the simple and bright lobby, Colin stood at the front desk and asked the apprentice witch-waitress in front of him.


    Two hours had almost passed since he teleported to Neustadt City.


    And this... was the third inn he had found for accommodation.


    "How long would you like to stay, and what kind of room would you like?" the waitress asked proficiently.


    "Introduce them all to me," Colin replied.


    "Of course, sir," the waitress cleared her throat and began to explain.


    "There are three grades for standard single rooms based on their size: eight Magic Stones, twelve Magic Stones, and sixteen Magic Stones. Suites range from one-bedroom to three-bedroom, priced at twenty-five Magic Stones, forty Magic Stones, and sixty Magic Stones respectively."


    After speaking, she paused for a moment and added a few points:


    "If you stay for more than a month, you can enjoy a thirty percent discount. Every room except for the smallest single room is equipped with a bathroom, and only suites come with a kitchen."


    ''A two-bedroom suite costs forty Magic Stones a night, that''s expensive,'' Colin sighed to himself.


    During his travels, he had sailed the seas and crossed continents, staying in inns every so often.


    But even the most expensive inn he had stayed at before didn''t charge more than one Magic Stone.


    ''Neustadt... truly befitting of a mage city under the rule of the Wizard Alliance.''


    Although he didn''t know much about the city yet, the high accommodation fees had given him a strong first impression.


    You see, apart from the Sea Swallow, he didn''t have many Magic Stones on him at the moment, adding up to roughly three thousand Magic Stones.


    For the Colin of the past, this would have been a substantial amount, but considering the cost of living in Neustadt now... it wouldn''t count for much.


    What''s more, when he was in Merredith City, he had paid a thousand Magic Stones as the entry fee, and later the transmission array took another six hundred... leaving him with only around fourteen hundred Magic Stones.


    ''I still need to sell the Sea Swallow as soon as possible and join a School...'' Colin silently pondered.


    Then he spoke to the waitress, "Please set me up with a one-bedroom suite."


    The difference in price between a one-bedroom and a two-bedroom was fifteen Magic Stones... he might as well save where he could.


    After all, a one-bedroom suite including a living room had two rooms, which was more than enough for their stay.


    Besides, the tent and bedding were all complete in the Storage Ring. There was no need to worry about discomfort¡ªafter all, they had come this far mostly like this.


    "Alright, sir, for one night?"


    "Let''s make it two nights for now," Colin shook his head and said, while reaching out fifty regular Magic Stones and a pass to hand to the waitress.


    Compared to the other two inns he had asked about before, Old Parker Inn already offered the lowest prices.


    Other places charged at least forty Magic Stones for the same suite... Now that he had just arrived in Neustadt City, he would have many more expenses in the days to come. Saving even a little would be beneficial.


    "All set, sir. Your room is at the end of the corridor on the second floor. This is your room card; you can use it by inputting Magic Power."


    Colin nodded, took the gray room card and pass from the waitress, and then headed upstairs with the Renee sisters.


    "Renee, tonight, I''m afraid we''ll have to make do and have you and Demi stay in the living room," he said, turning to speak to her.


    "That''s alright, Master," Renee replied with a smile, "Staying in a room is much better than what we had to endure outdoors before."


    Compared to over a year ago, Renee looked vastly different.


    It wasn''t a change in appearance, but more in demeanor and expression.


    "Right," Colin nodded and patted Demi''s head beside her.


    Renee had always been easy to take care of, never giving him cause for disappointment.


    Her presence had elevated his quality of life in numerous ways throughout their travels... not to mention, meals with or without Renee made a world of difference.


    And not just that, the long journey also deepened his trust in Renee to a new level...


    It was just a shame... that Renee didn''t possess the talent to become a witch, and neither did her sister Demi.


    Arriving in the room, Renee started to tidy up, and after he took some daily necessities out of the Storage Ring, he went into the bedroom alone.


    After some exertions today, it was now approaching evening.


    Although Neustadt City had no curfew, the patrols and inspections at night were frequent, and there were fewer people around... it was not suitable to go out to gather information.


    So for today, he planned to rest a bit in the inn and then take a good look at himself.


    He would go out tomorrow to inquire about the Tin Saint School and find a place to sell the Sea Swallow, among other things.


    Thinking all this, Colin''s mind stirred as he sat on the bed and summoned the Golden Paper.


    Faint golden particles converged.


    [Name: Colin Leonard]


    [Rank: Advanced Wizard Apprentice (8/100); Ultimate Knight (93/100)]


    [Meditation Method: Apprentice Period Circulation Meditation II¡ü (100/100)]


    [Breathing Skill: Sunlight Breathing Method II (87/100); Yili Breathing Method (36/100)]


    [Witchcraft: Zero Level Tricks: Basic; Zero Level Witchcraft: Steel Temperature Resistance Field (16/100); Arrow Shooting Skill (Golden); Fireball Skill II (15/100); Swift Skill I (87/100); Flying and Diving Skill (68/100); Detect Evil I (16/100); Purification Evil Power I (18/100)]


    [Skill: Basic Magic Crystal Making¡ª(Bright Crystal Making (Golden); Image Capturing Crystal Making I (66/100); Blood Pattern Transformation I (36/100)]


    [Talent: Strong Life I (4/100)]


    [Limit Breaking Point: 0]


    He carefully read from top to bottom. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 183 - 148 Middle School_2

    Overall, there had been no significant improvement.


    In terms of Rank, since there had been no advancement in the Meditation Method, the progress on the Wizard Level was slow, now merely at 8 out of 100.


    And the realm of the Knight, too, because of the hustle of traveling, remained at 93 out of 100, still some time away from reaching the limit.


    As for witchcraft...


    Colin couldn''t help but let out a soft sigh.


    Because of the cost of the Foolishness Scepter, his progress in witchcraft was pretty much the same as when he was on Bananka Island. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''But now that I have finally arrived at a relatively stable place, I''ll keep the Foolishness Scepter as a trump card, not to be used as frequently as before... It''s time to start making an effort to improve.''


    He put away the Golden Paper.


    Colin pondered for a moment, then took out his Wizard Alliance pass.


    He certainly hadn''t forgotten that this pass contained the information about the Wizard Alliance that he currently lacked the most.


    With his eyes slowly closing, his mind immersed within it, he began to carefully peruse the information inside.


    ...


    The next day.


    Dawn''s light faintly shone.


    The hubbub of life began to seep through the street-facing window of the room on the second floor.


    Colin got dressed out of bed and walked to the window to pull back the linsey-woolsey white curtains.


    Looking out the window, the enticing smells of food began to drift up from the street below.


    Baked bread, sandwiches, and more, a variety never seen by him before on Blackstone Island or Bananka Island.


    Neustadt City... or rather, under the rule of the Wizard Alliance in the Siya Continent, the material life was more abundant than he had imagined, just looking at these breakfasts, nearly rivaling the standards of Earth in his previous life.


    Knock, knock, knock.


    A gentle knocking came from the door.


    "Master, breakfast is ready," Renee''s voice followed soon after.


    Pulling his thoughts back, Colin quickly finished his delightful breakfast, instructed Renee and the others to wait for him in the inn, then went downstairs.


    Descending the stairs, an Apprentice Witch at the reception was engrossed in a thick black book.


    Seeing this, Colin seemed reminded of something, he paused slightly and changed direction to approach the front desk.


    "May I assist you with something?" the dark-haired Apprentice asked, looking up from her book.


    Her tone was calm, not the slightest bit irritated by being interrupted by Colin''s sudden approach; after all, being interrupted was a common occurrence in her job.


    "Hello," Colin said, rubbing his bracelet on his left hand, "I don''t really need anything specific, just looking to gather some information... I was wondering if you would be willing to entertain a paid inquiry."


    He had initially intended to go out to a tea house or tavern to gather information from the servers there.


    But on second thought, the information he needed was nothing more than about the Tin Saint School and shipping deals.


    Nothing particularly sensitive, so he decided to directly ask this local Apprentice working the front desk.


    "Paid inquiries are certainly possible¡ª" The dark-haired waitress began with a nod, but then her eyes focused on the bracelet in his hand, and her tone shifted, "However, sir, could you please stop using your detection bracelet?"


    "To be frank... it is not particularly polite."


    She couldn''t sense the fluctuations from the detection bracelet, but she recognized the bracelet on Colin''s wrist...


    If she wasn''t mistaken, it was a Trojan Bracelet Type 2... a very classic model.


    Regrettably... there are now Witch Tools that can evade its detection,


    but those tools are costly, and not many can afford them... the Trojan Bracelet Type 2 remained a high-cost performance choice.


    "I apologize."


    Colin halted his actions, touched his nose, and apologized promptly.


    The results from the Trojan Bracelet''s detection had already transmitted to his retina.


    [Target Strength: Intermediate Wizard Apprentice.]


    The dark-haired Apprentice was somewhat surprised by his swift apology, hesitated, then introduced herself:


    "Sofia."


    Colin nodded in response:


    "Just call me Colin."


    Sofia nodded back, inquiring: "Sir, what information would you like to know? You may ask now."


    "After you ask a question, I will name my price, and if you find it agreeable, I will proceed with the answer, how does that sound?"


    "Rest assured, the payment comes after the answer, the price is fair for all."


    "Agreed." Colin nodded, then after organizing his thoughts, he asked:


    "Which Schools are there in Neustadt City, and can you give a brief introduction to each?"


    Sofia paused slightly before responding,


    "Five hundred Magic Stones."


    Colin couldn''t help but frown slightly.


    Sofia sighed.


    "There are close to a thousand big and small Schools in Neustadt City, and even just giving a rough introduction is a significant undertaking... Five hundred Magic Stones is really not much."


    "But I know what you want to ask." Sofia stretched out her palm and gestured a five.


    "Five Magic Stones, and I''ll give you a brief overview of the thirty-six main Schools in the city."


    "Agreed," Colin nodded without hesitation.


    The information about the main Schools of Neustadt City should not be difficult to find.


    However, for him, it would probably take quite a bit of time to gather... and it might not be as detailed and complete as what Sofia had organized, not to mention the possibility of encountering other unexpected issues.


    These five Magic Stones, spent to save time, were not expensive.


    "Very well." Sofia began her explanation.


    "The main Schools of Neustadt City are divided into two tiers."


    "The first tier consists of nine Schools, including Swot, Yista, Silver Guard..., among which the Yista School is the strongest."


    Colin nodded; he knew about the Yista School, as its name was also mentioned in the information on his pass.


    Put simply, the Yista School is the true, uncrowned ruler behind Neustadt City.


    "The second tier has twenty-seven Schools in total, mainly the subsidiary Schools directly under the first tier, with Silver Ring, Wotak, Magic Ring, and Tin Saint attached to the Yista School, and those attached to Silver Guard include..."


    Upon hearing the name Tin Saint, Colin kept a poker face but silently heightened his attention.


    After another fifteen minutes or so, Sofia finally finished introducing each of the thirty-six Schools in turn.


    "The main content of the Schools is roughly as follows."


    After finishing, Sofia let out a light breath and then picked up the tea on her left and took a sip.


    "Give me a detailed introduction to the Yista School and its subsidiary Schools, as detailed as possible... for instance, how to join them."


    "If you only need me to talk about the information that circulates in the street, three Magic Stones."


    "If you want to know some news that outsiders usually can''t find out... twenty Magic Stones."


    Sofia spoke slowly.


    "News that can''t be found out?"


    Sofia smiled and continued,


    "If you, sir, are planning to join the Yista School or one of its subsidiaries..."


    "Then the news I know might not be enormously helpful, but at least can save you some detours."


    Sofia paused for a moment, thereby making her speech more direct.


    "Such as details to take note of in exams, the preferences of the examiners, or even how to obtain a token."


    "Twenty Magic Stones... it''s definitely a bargain."


    Having said so, she quietly awaited Colin''s response.


    For a wizard like Colin, who was clearly from afar, the purpose of coming to Neustadt City was mostly to join a School.


    The city of Neustadt had long formed a series of industries because of this.


    Apart from anything else, the ceaseless supply of tokens in the black market was the best proof of this.


    Of course, this had nothing to do with her as a mere Apprentice.


    She was just selling some information to earn a bit of hard-earned money.


    "Agreed," Colin replied impassively, reaching out and handing over twenty Magic Stones to Sofia.


    He wasn''t surprised that Sofia had guessed he was planning to join a School since he hadn''t made any particular effort to hide it.


    There was no need to hide it... as long as he ensured that the information about possessing a token wasn''t leaked.


    Sofia was somewhat surprised to receive the Magic Stones since the agreement was to answer first and then receive payment.


    But since Colin preferred to pay upfront, of course, she had no complaints.


    She organized her thoughts and began to recount slowly.


    After some time, Sofia finally finished speaking, and she picked up her tea for another sip.


    Colin, on the other hand, was silently processing the information.


    ''The Tin Saint School has an exam in half a month, huh...''

 Chapter 184 - 149 Selling the Boat and Registration

    According to Sofia, there would be an exam held by the Tin Saint School in half a month.


    It''s worth mentioning that the exam was primarily aimed at members of smaller schools under its affiliation, or rather, suitable members from its own subordinate small schools.


    Only then did it apply to those external wizards who were holding tokens.


    And the content of the exam mainly focused on basic wizard knowledge.


    In addition, for Advanced Wizard Apprentices, there would also be an assessment of at least three areas of advanced knowledge they excelled in.


    As for the entry requirements of other schools... Colin took it as an opportunity to broaden his knowledge.


    After all, even the cheapest tokens... According to Sofia, started at at least thirty to forty thousand Magic Stones when purchased on the black market.


    Moreover, schools like the Yista School simply didn''t accept outsiders like him.


    The only acceptance was for ordinary children who fulfilled various requirements and had not yet started wizard training.


    Clack.


    The white porcelain teacup was gently placed on the counter by Sofia, who paused before continuing to ask:


    "Mr. Colin, do you need to inquire about any other information?"


    Now that the Magic Stones had been paid and the information was provided, if there was nothing else, she was going to go back to her reading.


    Colin looked up at Sofia, pondered for a moment, and then continued to ask:


    "Can you recommend any reliable trading markets nearby, or auction houses, pawnshops?"


    "One Magic Stone."


    "Okay," Colin nodded. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sofia organized her thoughts before beginning:


    "Whether you''re looking to buy or sell, I recommend that you go to Copper Rose district. There, on the central street, you can find anything you need."


    "Furthermore, the area is under the control of the Yista School. The commodity prices and commission fees for selling items are higher than elsewhere, but correspondingly, the reputations of their guilds and auction houses are excellent, and there''s never been any malignant incidents."


    Colin nodded, handed over a Magic Stone to Sofia, and after freely inquiring about the address of the Copper Rose district, left the inn and headed towards it.


    In Neustadt City, flying was prohibited throughout the city... Rapid dashing was also banned unless one had special permissions.


    Otherwise, the penalties ranged from a fine in Magic Stones to expulsion from the city or imprisonment.


    Perhaps because of this, there were many public coaches in the city, which were almost seen everywhere on the streets.


    Colin casually flagged down one.


    "How much for a ride to Copper Rose street?"


    "Half a Magic Stone, sir."


    The coachman with a dark complexion replied respectfully from in front of the black canopy.


    "Let''s go," Colin nodded as he boarded the coach.


    The price was reasonable and not as expensive as the accommodation costs... Colin raised an eyebrow slightly.


    Speaking of which, last evening when Renee went out to buy groceries, she also mentioned the price of food in Neustadt City... Roughly estimated, it seemed to be about twice that of Bananka Island.


    It seemed expensive, but compared to accommodation costs, it wasn''t really expensive.


    It seemed, Neustadt City... was mainly expensive in terms of accommodation.


    The coach proceeded with a steady pace, the scenery flashing by rapidly. In a trance, Colin found himself unexpectedly reminiscing about his past life as a young adult striving in the north.


    The headaches over accommodation were somewhat similar to back then.


    Shaking his head, Colin gathered his thoughts.


    The reason why accommodations, or rather housing prices, were so high in Neustadt City was probably tied to its high concentration of Magic Power.


    An hour and some minutes later.


    Tinghai Trading Company.


    Colin stepped in.


    This was the trading company he discovered that would take commissions to sell vessels like ships.


    He planned to ask about the specifics.


    After all, Neustadt City wasn''t just any small town, and finding a suitable buyer without knowing anyone was not an easy task...


    Professional matters should be left to professionals.


    As for trading companies that would directly buy ships, perhaps due to Neustadt City not being by the sea, he hadn''t found any.


    After explaining his intention, the attendant at the front desk led him to a meeting room inside.


    A long-haired middle-aged Wizard Apprentice received him.


    "Sir, would you like to commission us, Tinghai Trading Company, to consign a vessel?"


    "Yes," Colin nodded and asked, "What is the specific consignment process? For example... valuation and commission fees."


    The long-haired apprentice nodded and said:


    "Well sir, our Tinghai Trading Company typically charges a commission fee ranging from two to five percent for consigning vessels, varying based on the type of vessel and different selling prices."


    Colin nodded slightly; if the markdown wasn''t too great, the commission fee of two to five percent was somewhat acceptable.


    After all, consigning through the trading company could save him a great deal of time and energy.


    And he could spend the time bought with Magic Stones preparing for the Tin Saint School exam.


    "If you are agreeable to this commission fee percentage, then we can proceed to the next step," the long-haired apprentice continued.


    "If I may be so bold to ask, did you bring the vessel you wish to consign?"


    "If so, please follow me to an appropriate location to retrieve it, after which we will have a professional Appraiser estimate its market value."


    He spoke while standing up.


    Despite politely asking if Colin had the ship with him, he virtually was certain that the vessel was carried by Colin.


    After all, Neustadt City lay deep inland, and within the city, there were no rivers large enough to accommodate the ship that Colin described to the reception attendant.

 Chapter 185 - 149 Selling the Ship and Registration_2

    The nearest big river was also far outside the city, located in the domain of the Kingdom of Neustadt.


    Colin had naturally thought of this and, without any pretense, followed onto the chamber of commerce''s steam locomotive to arrive at a huge warehouse.


    He retrieved the Sea Swallow. The nearby Appraiser circled around it, casting several witchcraft spells, and then approached with unknown Witch Tools to perform a check.


    A set of procedures took about half an hour.


    The Appraiser stepped down from the ship and came over to them.


    "How does it look, Kellogg?" the long-haired Apprentice asked.


    "The functionality is intact, and it''s in pretty new condition," Kellogg put away his appraisal tools, paused, then continued, "In the past, this ship''s expected selling price would fluctuate between eleven and twelve thousand Magic Stones."


    "However, now due to frequent appearances of divine beings in the far southern seas, the number of Wizards seeking adventures has increased, and the market''s demand for both new and used ships has outstripped supply."


    "So, personally, I estimate this ship could be marked up at least by ten percent over its original price, and finding the right buyer to push it up to fourteen thousand is quite plausible."


    Colin nodded imperceptibly, his mind surging with thoughts.


    The far southern seas... weren''t those from the direction where he had come from on the Siya Continent?


    The descent of divine beings was not unfamiliar to him, having experienced it before.


    But the adventuring Wizards... Those few words carried no small amount of information.


    "Mister, based on the ship you''ve consigned, our Tinghai Chamber of Commerce will guarantee a final selling price not lower than twelve thousand Magic Stones, and our commission fee is 2.9%, what do you think?"


    "If that''s acceptable, you will need to temporarily store the ship at our chamber to facilitate sale, and at the same time, Tinghai Chamber of Commerce will advance you fifty percent of the estimated minimum selling price in Magic Stones."


    "That''s acceptable..." Colin gathered his thoughts and nodded at the long-haired Apprentice, then quickly shifted the topic, "However, this commission fee, I think we could discuss it further."


    After some bargaining with the long-haired Wizard, they finally reduced the commission fee to 2.7%.


    After all these arrangements were made and the contract signed, receiving the advance of six thousand Magic Stones, Colin immediately set off towards the next planned location.


    About an hour later.


    Zion Street.


    European-style white relief pillars, a smooth gray-white marble floor... Colin stood in front of a splendid building, slightly looking up.


    At the top of the foyer, written in a common language were the flamboyant words "Tin Saint" intertwined in gold and silver, just like the feather badge he was holding in his hand.


    The Tin Saint School... or any school''s examination was not just attending on the day of the exam with an emblem; one needed to register in advance.


    Especially for an Advanced Apprentice, since assessing their three primary Advanced knowledge areas was necessary, it was imperative to register early to facilitate the school in setting the appropriate exams.


    According to Sofia, almost every school''s examination comprised two parts¡ªa written test and practical application.


    The written test was easy to understand, similar to exams from his previous life, assessing theoretical knowledge.


    The practical application wasn''t restricted to a single type; it could be casting witchcraft or crafting by Wizards... in essence, anything demonstrating one''s mastery of knowledge.


    Softly exhaling, Colin stepped inside.


    After showing his feather badge, he was directed to the registration office.


    Knock, knock, knock.


    He gently knocked on the door.


    "Come in," a deep voice came from inside.


    Colin pushed the door and entered.


    What he saw was a plain office, with a grey-white wool carpet in the middle, a reddish-brown wooden desk by the window, and behind it a khaki upholstered armchair.


    Sitting on the armchair, a scholarly male with a short brown ponytail looked up from the book in his hands and slowly asked,


    "Are you here to register for the entrance examination?"


    "Yes."


    Colin respectfully replied without delay, stepping forward to the desk.


    The refined ponytailed Male Wizard, seemingly harmless, yet the oppressive feeling from his soul made him cautious.


    This was... likely at least a First Rank Intermediate Wizard or above.


    "Give me the token." Matthew leaned back in the lounge chair, tapping his fingers on the table as he spoke indifferently.


    "Very well, sir." Colin handed the feather badge over to Matthew with both hands.


    "Hm." Matthew casually took it from him, briefly examined it with his Magic Power, then pulled out a dark silver round coin engraved with a feather pattern from a drawer and handed it to Colin.


    "Bind it with Magic Power."


    He glanced at Colin and added, "¡­as an Advanced Apprentice, you''ll need to register three Advanced skills you are proficient in."


    While he spoke, he pulled out a form crowded with various skills from beside him.


    "Mechanical Transformation category: bionic machinery, large-sized puppets¡­; Element category: thermal radiation, Elemental Life¡­; Life Transformation: hybrid energy, Demon Beast bloodline integration¡­"


    Matthew handed the form to Colin and then started reading a book by himself.


    Colin took the form but didn''t hurry to fill it out; instead, he stealthily pulled out three intermediate Magic Stones from his Storage Ring.


    The 6000 Magic Stones lent to him in advance by the Tin Sea Trade Guild consisted of five intermediate Magic Stones, five lower Magic Stones, and five hundred common Magic Stones.


    "Wizard sir, the student has some queries and would like to pay for a consultation," he said, holding the form in one hand and extending the three glowing intermediate Magic Stones towards Matthew with the other.


    Matthew raised an eyebrow but did not rush to take the stones; instead, he spoke dismissively,


    "You are a clever one, having done your homework in advance."


    "Unfortunately¡­" he shook his head.


    Colin''s heart tightened, and he carefully looked up at Matthew, instantly understanding.


    Clenching his teeth inwardly, he pulled out two more intermediate Magic Stones from his Storage Ring.


    "It''s the student''s dulness¡­" he quietly handed all five Magic Stones to Matthew.


    "Not bad!" Matthew said with a smile, patting Colin on the shoulder, a glint of satisfaction in his eyes.


    Then, without any hesitation, he took the Magic Stones Colin offered, his movements fluid and precise.


    What amazed Colin was that despite the greedy smile on Matthew''s face and his action of taking the Magic Stones, it did not affect his scholarly and upright demeanor; rather, it added a vividness to his calm and gentle nature.


    With this, Colin slightly relaxed inside.


    This act was not a spur-of-the-moment idea but bought with twenty Magic Stones from Sofia, who revealed this unwritten rule.


    As for its effectiveness... Matthew cleared his throat and asked Colin, "What witchcraft do you specialize in? Just the top three, and preferably of different types."


    After taking the Magic Stones, his tone was far warmer than before, though it could not quite be called enthusiastic, but at least there was some expression.


    Colin pondered for a moment, then said, "Arrow Shooting Skill, Fireball Technique, Steel Armor."


    "Hm." Matthew nodded, taking the registration form from Colin''s hands.


    He pulled a black fountain pen from the wooden pen holder to his right and murmured as he wrote on the form.


    "How to use magnetic fields to accelerate metal arrows, attempts at Spirit-guided Magic Power conversion into fire, simulating Steel with Force Fields¡­"


    Seeing what he wrote, Colin''s heart skipped a beat.


    This was merely rewording those witchcraft skills differently¡­ They were nowhere near the same level of difficulty as the bionic machinery or hybrid energy studies he had seen on the form before!


    Matthew looked up and handed the registration form back to Colin.


    "Alright, I''ll communicate with them, and those will be your subjects for the written part of your Advanced skill test; as for practical applications, just demonstrate those three witchcraft."


    "Now, fill out the rest of the form, and you can leave."


    "Thank you," Colin respectfully took the registration form, a flicker of joy in his eyes. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Having Matthew''s confirmation, he could barely contain his excitement; the ache of spending those Magic Stones dissipated in an instant like bubbles!


    Upon leaving the Tin Saint School, and standing in front of its grand, luxurious gates, Colin surveyed his surroundings, holding the round certificate in his hand, feeling slightly dazed.


    ''The commission for "Sea Swallow" has already been consigned¡­ just waiting for the Tin Sea Trade Guild to find a suitable buyer.''


    ''Tin Saint School¡­ if that registering wizard hasn''t fooled himself, it should also be nearly handled,''


    He exhaled softly, murmuring quietly,


    "All is ready, now just waiting for the examination."

 Chapter 186 - 150: Undercurrents Stirring

    Click-clack, click-clack.


    A soft friction sound transmitted through the air.


    Matthew lounged on a cushioned recliner, playing with several Magic Stones in his hands that emitted a faint glow, his lips slightly curved into a pleased smile.


    After Colin left, another Wandering Wizard with a feather badge came¡­


    Regrettably, he wasn''t sensible, and Matthew had to remind him; in the end, he just barely managed to credit him a thousand Magic Stones.


    Of course, Matthew never made a losing deal.


    A thousand Magic Stones¡­ That meant altering only one written exam item.


    While thinking, he took eight feather badges from the wooden drawer on his right.


    By today, he had already logged twenty-five thousand Magic Stones.


    However¡­ this was not the major portion.


    Matthew slowly stood up, adorned with the feather badges, and stepped outside.


    The Tin Saint School held such exams only once every two years.


    If it was merely to receive some bribes, it might appear a bit petty¡­


    ......


    The next morning at the Old Parker Hotel.


    In the room, Colin stood by the window, sipping steaming red tea, staring blankly at the busy crowd on the street.


    Times had changed, and the enchanting glimmering blue that once surrounded his window was no longer there¡­


    However, the location of the Old Parker Hotel wasn''t bad; the street was crowded with people bustling to and fro¡­it might even be described as a sea of people.


    Thinking so, he couldn''t help but let out a soft laugh.


    "Master, everything is packed up."


    It was then that Renee approached, interrupting his thoughts.


    "Okay," Colin replied, retracting his gaze from the window and handing the porcelain teacup to Renee.


    Taking advantage of Renee''s moment away to clean the teacup, he waved his hand and stored the packed items into his Storage Ring.


    Today they planned to move out and not continue staying here.


    After all, just yesterday, he had consulted with Sofia at the front desk about joining the School; if they kept staying here for another half a month¡­


    As long as Sofia wasn''t foolish and put minimal thought into it, she could easily deduce that he might participate in the Tin Saint School examination happening in half a month.


    After all, no other Schools had exams scheduled right in half a month.


    Arriving at the lobby''s front desk, Sofia was still on duty¡­ Colin wondered if she worked twenty-four hours or if someone else switched shifts with her.


    "Checking out," he said, pulling out his keys.


    "Alright," Sofia responded, taking the keys from Colin and refunding the deposit, casually asking, "Have you found a School you''re preparing to join?"


    "Not yet," Colin replied calmly, shaking his head, "Don''t have enough Magic Stones for a token; just finding a place to settle down for now, taking things one step at a time."


    "Alright," Sofia nodded, then added, "If you''re looking for a cheap temporary place¡­ I recommend the Sea Gull District; if you''re careful in choosing, you can find a lot of affordable accommodation there."


    "Thank you for the suggestion," Colin smiled as he received his deposit, his hand pausing slightly with the Magic Stones, "...this isn''t charged, right?"


    Sofia rolled her eyes slightly, "It''s free."


    Colin smiled, tucked away the Magic Stones, and left.


    Now, with the Sea Swallow waiting to be sold and joining the School mostly settled¡­ the lack of these pressures made him feel more relaxed than before.


    He hailed a public carriage at the roadside.


    "Sir, where are you headed?" the Coachman asked.


    "White District, Horseshoe Street," Colin paused before speaking.


    While he had a favorable impression of Sofia, it''s better to be cautious¡­


    Horseshoe Street was a location he learned about from elsewhere yesterday; the street had many hotels, priced similarly to Old Parker.


    It was also close to both the Copper Rose District and the residence of the Tin Saint School¡­ a good residential choice.


    Along with Renee and the others, he boarded the carriage.


    By noon, he successfully found a hotel on Horseshoe Street to settle down.


    Staying for fourteen days, after discounts, the total cost was 320 Magic Stones¡­ Thus, aside from the pending final payment for the Sea Swallow from the Tinghai Commerce Guild.


    He now had about two thousand Magic Stones left on him¡­ spending money like water.


    In the following period, regular and peaceful, he resumed his practice and life felt much like it did back on Blackstone Island.


    Thus, ten days quickly passed.


    The Tinghai Commerce Guild came to him with good news¡ªthe Sea Swallow had found a suitable buyer!


    "Mr. Colin, you''re fortunate to have caught a good time¡­ the buyer offered a very high price."


    It was the long-haired Apprentice, Hume, who personally came to notify him.


    "Lord Hume, what do you mean by that?" Colin asked as he followed the long-haired Hume into the black carriage exclusively used by the Tinghai Commerce Guild.


    "The specifics are somewhat complex... To put it simply, it''s because the Supreme Council issued a notice."


    "It encourages the wizards under the Alliance to head to the far southern seas, offering improved benefits compared to before, so more wizards are starting to travel there.


    As a result, anything related to ocean voyages has begun to increase in price... The price of ocean-going vessels changes every day.


    The Tinghai Commerce Guild decided to wait a few more days, only selling your ship today."


    Having said that, Hume paused, then continued to explain:


    "It''s not that we didn''t want to wait longer, but under the professional estimation of the commerce guild, the prices of ocean-going vessels have pretty much reached their peak.


    If we waited any longer, the market would soon see a flood of new ships... With the manufacturing speed in Neustadt City, a batch of new ships would quickly be released, and ships imported from outside the Wizard Alliance would also arrive soon."


    Colin nodded, he had been busy with his training in recent days. In order to avoid trouble, he had hardly left the inn and was not well-informed.


    "So... what was the final selling price for the buyer?" he paused and asked Hume.


    Hume smiled, showing a number: "Seventeen thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine Magic Stones."


    Colin''s heart jumped, barely able to contain his joy, but then, as if thinking of something, he asked again:


    "What about the commission...?"


    "The commission has not changed, please rest assured, my lord." Hume smiled. "Tinghai Commerce Guild, reputation guaranteed."


    Despite saying this, it was because the situation in Neustadt City had recently changed and the backing school had ordered them to avoid trouble as much as possible.


    Otherwise... if it had been before, they would have certainly charged an additional reasonable commission.


    "Thank you for your efforts," Colin nodded, his face showing pleasure.


    Speaking of which, there was something else recently that had made him happy¡ª


    It was his own strength.


    Thanks to the high concentration of Magic Power in Neustadt City, over these ten days, his Wizard Rank had progressed forward by two points to 10/100, while his Knight progress had reached 98/100, nearing an Advanced Limit Breaking.


    It''s worth mentioning, not to say a Wizard''s training progress was one point every five days. If roughly estimated, it would be about one point every eight days.


    After all, the first point of progress had increased on the second day, a clear case of accumulating slowly and advancing suddenly.


    The second point of progress took eight days... that was the real pace.


    "Lord Hume, may I ask where I can see that notice?" Collecting his thoughts, Colin felt curious and asked again.


    "Of course... My lord, you might not be familiar since you just arrived here. For such notices, you can simply go to any bookstore and get a copy for free with your pass," Hume answered.


    "Thank you," Colin nodded.


    Before long, the carriage slowly came to a stop.


    "Have we arrived?" Colin asked.


    Hume pulled aside the curtain of the carriage window, frowning slightly.


    "Not yet..." he smiled at Colin and said, "Wait a moment, I''ll ask the coachman." sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just as he was about to inquire with the coachman, a voice came from the front.


    "Lord Hume, the Law Enforcement Team is blocking the road ahead," the Coachman turned and said.


    A roadblock?


    Colin instinctively pulled aside the curtain, peering out.


    In front of the carriage, a pale white glow stretched from left to right across the road, similar to the caution strips of his past life, blocking the road.


    In front of the cautionary glow stood a tall Great Wizard wearing a silver-gray Wizard Robe... It was unclear what material his robe was made of, but under the sunlight, it shimmered metallically.


    Behind the Great Wizard, at the entrance of a narrow alley,


    a group of Silver-armored Knights was escorting a group of ordinary wizards with distressed expressions.


    "This is..." Hume murmured in shock beside him, "How did the Law Enforcement Team find the Hidden Rose Black Market?!"


    Colin''s face hardened as he tentatively asked,


    "The Hidden Rose Black Market?"


    Hume furrowed his brow deep in thought, his expression grave.


    Hearing Colin''s question, he composed himself and briefly explained,


    "You should know about the existence of a black market in the city, right? This Hidden Rose is the largest and most representative... It has a very strong backing; it shouldn''t have..."


    At this, Hume''s brow furrowed again, unable to resist peering again at the distant scene.


    The captured wizards were not many, but what they represented was not minor.


    Neustadt City... perhaps the winds of change were blowing.


    Dropping the curtain, the two sat across from each other in the carriage, silent.


    After a while,


    Tuk-tuk-tuk¡ª


    The distinct sound of a steam locomotive suddenly came from behind the carriage.

 Chapter 187 - 151 Silent and Traceless

    Colin lifted the black curtain of the carriage window and peered out behind them.


    To their left rear, unbeknownst to them, a steam locomotive with an elegant platinum and white design had appeared, the brilliance of witchcraft flowing over it.


    Luxurious, noble, elegant...


    One could tell at a glance that the person inside the carriage was no ordinary individual.


    Click, click, click¡ª


    Just then, their carriage suddenly started moving, and at the same time, the coachman''s voice came from ahead,


    "Lord Hume, there''s a Yista School emblem on the carriage..."


    "Uh-huh," Hume responded softly through his nostrils.


    He understood what the coachman meant¡ªthey needed to pull over temporarily.


    Not long after.


    Controlled by the coachman, their carriage moved to the very edge of the road, and other carriages waiting beside them did the same.


    With their actions, the center of the road cleared up enough space for at least three steam locomotives to pass side by side.


    However, in reality, they had not been occupying the entire road, and with the size of the steam locomotive, it could have passed without any hindrance...


    The platinum steam locomotive did not stop but maintained its speed as it drove past them on the left, stopping in front of the white light warning line.


    ''Do they, too, have to wait for the warning line?''


    Just as Colin was about to marvel at the fairness of the Law Enforcement Team.


    Whoosh.


    In his field of view, the white light warning band suddenly dissolved.


    Immediately afterward, a tall silver-grey wizard in a wizard robe, obsequiously bent over and approached the carriage window, his lips quivering.


    Unfortunately, he couldn''t hear the content of the conversation, either due to the distance or some witchcraft used.


    A moment later, after the conversation ended, the silver-grey-robed wizard stepped back respectfully, standing aside and watched the platinum steam locomotive continue its journey, crossing through the warning zone as if it were nothing.


    ''Keep a low profile, focus on developing and improving!''


    Colin reminded himself as he let down the black curtain.


    These days, the orderly environment of Neustadt City nearly made him forget this was a world devoid of fairness... The so-called rules were nothing more than what the ruling class needed.


    Those who adhered to the order were always ordinary wizards like them, not factions like the Yista School.


    Just like that.


    They waited in the same place for another two hours or so,


    Until the sun was high in the sky, and the white light warning line was finally removed.


    During that time, several other carriages passed through the warning zone as if it were inexistent, while only their ordinary carriages continued to wait there.


    However... fortunately, everything went smoothly afterward.


    At the Tinghai Commerce Association, he quickly reached a consensus with the seller and signed the resale contract.


    After handing over the highest control authority of the Sea Swallow to the seller, the Tinghai Commerce Association promptly paid him the remaining balance.


    After deducting the fees and adding the Magic Stones he already had, his assets instantly reached about 13,500 Magic Stones.


    With such wealth, Colin walked out of the Tinghai Commerce Association with a straighter back and much more confidence in his heart.


    He intended to hail a public carriage to return to the inn.


    But upon seeing a bookstore not far away, something occurred to him, and he walked towards it.


    As he approached the doorway, he looked up and saw the huge mechanical box placed on the wooden table to the right of the store entrance.


    Beside the mechanical box, a sign read "Take with pass."


    ''This must be where you collect notifications for free.''


    Colin took out his pass and placed it in the corresponding slot, gently turning it.


    A thin sheet of paper spit out from below.


    He picked it up; this was indeed the latest notification from the Wizard Alliance he had wanted.


    Printed in black ink on white paper, its title was very casual ¡ª "Supreme Council Announcement Number 706."


    He glanced again at the grey-white box. He hadn''t noticed any traces of a scan when he had placed his pass... it seemed more like a simple mechanical device aided by witchcraft.


    He had originally thought it was an official device made by the Wizard Alliance, but now it seemed more likely that it was made by the bookstore owner himself.


    He wasn''t in a hurry to read the notification in his hand. With a hint of curiosity, he looked up at the sign overhead.


    A brown oak base with black painted letters ¡ª "Chapman''s Bookstore" came into view.


    Turning his gaze away, Colin stepped into the bookstore.


    Inside, it was like a jewelry store of ancient times, with a transparent countertop engraved with defensive witchcraft arrays.


    Only a young female apprentice manned the shop... Colin felt somewhat disappointed.


    Inside the bookstore... was not as interesting as outside.


    "Can I help you find a book on any particular subject?" asked a freckled-faced average female clerk with a welcoming smile.


    "Do you have any Zeroth Rank witchcraft recommendations for spirit protection or healing?"


    Having come all this way, Colin asked.


    "Yes," the clerk nodded and was about to turn around to fetch the catalog for Colin.


    "Wait," Colin suddenly halted her, "No need for spirit protection or healing for now. Change it to Zeroth Rank witchcraft related to concealment."


    Whether here or elsewhere, truly valuable witchcraft was always firmly held by the Schools and rarely shared. Even bookstores with a School background typically sold lesser quality witchcraft.


    He was joining a School in four days. If he needed witchcraft for spirit protection or healing, he would rather search within the School at that time.


    After all, even though he had Golden Paper, improving witchcraft still took time... He would aim for higher starting point witchcraft whenever possible.


    This way, he could ensure that he had substantive power in the early stages and greater potential for future development.


    After all, if poorer witchcraft could break limits for better ones, then better witchcraft breaking limits would naturally be superior.


    Colin watched as the clerk went to fetch the list of witchcraft names, his thoughts racing.


    As for why he wanted to buy some concealing witchcraft... it was mainly just to be cautious.


    Although the Golden Paper could continually break limits, in the early stages, if one studied carefully, the original shadow of the witchcraft could still be discerned.


    The main use of Concealing Witchcraft, naturally, was to conceal.


    However, within a School, choosing such witchcraft would inevitably be recorded... and in itself, that was a kind of non-concealment.


    The clerk was momentarily taken aback by his sudden change of mind but quickly reacted.


    Soon, she brought the list of Concealing Witchcraft.


    After comparing several options, Colin chose two witchcraft techniques, one called Silent and the other Trace Erasure.


    Silent was a Middle Zeroth Rank witchcraft, of inferior quality, delivering exactly what its name suggested by silencing sounds made by the user.


    Trace Erasure, on the other hand, was an Upper Zeroth Rank witchcraft of average quality that erased traces primarily of magical disturbances, and secondarily of scents. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For comparison, Arrow Shooting Skill and Fireball Technique were both Lower Zeroth Rank witchcrafts, one inferior and the other excellent in quality.


    Colin paid with Magic Stones and immediately headed back to the inn.


    Silent and Trace Erasure had cost him a total of 120 Magic Stones, which was quite cheap compared to other things in the city.


    Thus, the day of the exam approached quickly.

 Chapter 188 - 152: Exam

    That day, the sky was faintly bright.


    Colin left the inn early.


    He wasn''t sure whether it was due to witchcraft, but despite the world''s frequent use of steam engines and the burning of a vast amount of coal, the sky still remained a clear blue, showing no signs of pollution.


    The orange sun rose gradually, and the beautiful clouds dazzled in the sky. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With a heart filled with anticipation and joy, he quickly reached the gates of Tin Saint School by public carriage.


    He thought he had arrived early, but upon seeing the school''s grounds, he realized that the space outside was already surrounded by many wizards.


    Roughly counting, there were about twenty or thirty.


    Stepping off the carriage, Colin approached the edge of the crowd, maintaining a certain distance, and waited silently like the other wizards.


    The school gates were still closed, and Matthew hadn''t given him an exact time... It seemed he had arrived too early.


    After waiting for a while more, as the dawn''s rosy clouds gradually disappeared and the white clouds above began to stretch across the sky, the gates of Tin Saint School slowly opened.


    Click.


    Colin pulled out his pocket watch and glanced at the time¡ªit was exactly eight o''clock in the morning.


    Clip-clop, clip-clop¡ª


    Right then, a sequence of rhythmic horse hooves suddenly echoed from a nearby road.


    Turning around, he saw about thirty to forty large carriages charging towards the entrance one by one, nearly filling up the entire road.


    The large carriages each bore different decorations, most with unique crests...


    ''These must be the carriages of wizard schools,'' Colin thought to himself.


    Clearly, these were the members of the smaller schools who would be joining them in today''s examination.


    The grand entrance of so many carriages was quite impressive, causing the wild wizards who had been standing by the gate to subconsciously make way.


    Colin, already at the edge, moved a few steps back with the crowd, positioning himself even more to the periphery, quickly obstructed by the carriages arriving one after another.


    As the carriages settled, school wizards emerged, dressed in uniform, gathering into several small groups.


    Colin quickly counted¡ªroughly, each large carriage carried about eight wizards, with slight variations depending on the vehicle... Hence, there might be around three hundred school wizards present for today''s examination.


    Turning to glance at the wild wizards nearby... There were about forty.


    As the school wizards arrived, a low din of conversations began to emerge as they interacted with each other.


    Colin looked towards the school entrance, but unfortunately, the carriages obscured his view, making it hard to see what was going on.


    Fortunately, once the school wizards had alighted, the carriages quickly departed.


    After the carriages left, Colin saw that the school wizards had already formed a long line at the entrance.


    He headed instinctively towards the end of the line.


    "You shouldn''t queue here," a cold voice came from behind.


    It was a short-haired school wizard at the end of the line speaking to another wild wizard who had approached to join the queue.


    "This¡­ Okay," the wild wizard with triangular eyes awkwardly smiled.


    "Go to the right," the cold wizard said simply dropping another sentence before turning back to continue queuing.


    The wild wizard with triangular eyes paused briefly, then slowly turned and headed to the right as instructed by the cold wizard.


    Using his keen vision, Colin clearly saw a flash of resentment in the wild wizard''s eyes as he turned around.


    Without a sound, Colin increased the distance between himself and the triangular-eyed wild wizard and then looked to the right.


    In fact, he didn''t think the cold wizard was wrong; although his tone was indeed cold, it wasn''t arrogant. If one ignored the tone, it sounded more like a friendly reminder.


    The wild wizard with triangular eyes¡­ had too narrow a mindset and was not worth befriending.


    As the cold school wizard had indicated, on the right side of the entrance, a separate line had been formed, with several wild wizards already queued up.


    At the front of the queue stood a wizard wearing a grey robe with silver feather patterns.


    Colin lined up with the crowd, slowly moving forward.


    Given the small number of wild wizards, it didn''t take long for his turn to arrive.


    "Your token," the silver-feathered grey-robed wizard requested.


    "Okay," Colin took out a round coin engraved with a feather pattern.


    "Activate it with magic power."


    Colin did as instructed.


    Buzz¡ª


    A translucent blue projection appeared above the coin¡ª


    [Name: Colin.]


    [Rank: Advanced Wizard Apprentice.]


    "Walk forward, then turn right and keep going until the end," the Silver Feather Wizard, while burying his head to record the information, signaled Colin to go inside.


    Colin nodded and, while stowing away his round coin, walked inside, simultaneously casting a glance at the School Wizard on his left.


    Indeed... The direction the School Wizard was heading was starkly different from theirs, turning left instead.


    Colin withdrew his gaze and silently proceeded to the right... An inexplicable, faint sense of worry veiling his heart.


    This blatant differentiation couldn''t help but make him worry about his later situation within the school...


    Upon reaching the end, under the guidance of another Silver Feather Grey-robed Wizard, he entered the room.


    The room resembled a classroom from his past life''s school, furnished with rows of wooden desks.


    However, the difference lay in the size of these wooden desks; they were only about half the size of the regular desks from his former life and had no accompanying chairs.


    Judging by their height, they were clearly meant for standing use.


    At the moment, each desk had a transparent Crystal Ball placed on it.


    With no designated place, Colin chose a desk by the window and stood there silently.


    Shortly thereafter, once everyone had gathered, the Silver Feather Grey-robed Wizard also walked in.


    At some point, he had suddenly produced a football-sized, dark brown wooden box in his hand.


    "Ahem¡ª", he solemnly set the wooden box on the front lectern and then turned around, coughed a few times to draw attention, and began speaking,


    "Please pay attention, I will briefly explain the specific procedures and precautions of this examination."


    All the Apprentices redirected their gaze toward him.


    "The operation procedure for this examination is very simple, place your credentials in the corresponding grooves in front of the Crystal Ball on the desk, then reach out and touch the Crystal Ball to commence the exam."


    "Those are the specific steps, now let me talk about the precautions."


    The Silver Feather Grey-robed Wizard raised his head, scanning the Apprentices with a grave voice:


    "There is only one precaution, and that is, that the use of any witchcraft and all Witch Tools, including Storage Rings, is not allowed."


    Having said this, he paused, then turned and opened the nearby dark brown wooden box continued:


    "Of course, under the influence of the Magic Prohibition Ring, you would not normally be able to use witchcraft or Witch Tools either."


    He took out a black ring made of a glass-like material from the box, around the size of a football, with a square base attached.


    "Note: Do not try using witchcraft or Witch Tools, otherwise, if it results in damaging the Magic Prohibition Ring... Well, I''ll leave it at that; if you find this unacceptable, you can return your credentials to me and leave now."


    The Silver Feather Grey-robed Wizard placed the Magic Prohibition Ring on its base, standing it on one side.


    His expression stern.


    Inducting new members was a significant affair for the school, and no matter what happened in other phases, sloppiness was not tolerated in his phase.


    Of course, although he said this, in his heart, he was not as serious as he appeared.


    After all, even if these Wild Wizards passed the examination, the vast majority of them would likely only be peripheral members of the school.


    The real focal point of the examination lay on the School Wizards on the other side.


    The Wild Wizards... especially those not promoted to Advanced Wizard Apprentice in an environment-like city, generally don''t have much potential for development.


    "If no one wishes to leave¡ª", the Silver Feather Grey-robed Wizard looked around and said gravely, "then let the examination begin now."


    With that, he activated the black Magic Prohibition Ring.


    It seemed like nothing had changed, yet everything had changed.


    Colin keenly sensed¡ª


    Not sure if it was an illusion, but the air seemed to have become more viscous and dense...


    He subconsciously tried to mobilize Magic Power.


    But the next second, he quickly suppressed such thoughts.


    The words of the Silver Feather Grey-robed Wizard were not forgotten.


    This Magic Prohibition Ring, if it could be damaged by the curiosity-driven witchcraft...


    However... that said, perhaps this Magic Prohibition Ring was not very strong or was consumable, somewhat fragile?


    But, nonetheless, the apparent value was not low.


    Just to be safe... better suppress his curiosity.


    He raised his hand and placed the round coin credential into the corresponding steel groove connecting the Crystal Ball''s base on the tabletop.


    Instantly, white misty vapor arose within the transparent Crystal Ball.


    As Colin was about to place his hand on the semi-transparent Crystal Ball in front of him.


    Tik-tak-tik-tak¡ª


    Sudden, orderly, and loud footsteps came from outside the room, faintly interspersed with the sound of metallic friction and clatter.

 Chapter 189 - 153: The New Notice

    Two Silver-armored Knights strode in.


    "Silver Knight, the examination is underway..." The gray-robed Wizard with silver feathers darkened his expression and spoke sternly.


    "Allyn¡ª"


    The Silver-armored Knight stepped aside, and a gray-robed Wizard with silver feathers walked in.


    Behind him, two more Silver Knights followed.


    "Becky..." Allyn frowned and watched him, "What is this...?"


    "By Lord Shui''s order," Becky spoke arrogantly, word by word, "the examination is to be suspended immediately."


    "Ah?"


    "...Suspended?"


    Upon hearing Becky''s words, the room erupted into noise like boiling water.


    "Silence¡ª" Allyn turned back and spoke in a deep voice.


    He frowned and surveyed the Apprentices, his face as cold as Frost.


    The noise in the room gradually subsided.


    This was the Tin Saint School, where circumstances were more powerful than individuals... especially since the Magic Prohibition Ring at the front was still operational.


    Unable to use witchcraft... these Apprentices were unlikely to defeat those few Silver Knights.


    "What exactly is going on?" Seeing the situation in the room settle down, Allyn turned back to ask Becky.


    "The specifics are complex, I''ll explain later. First, help me inspect them," Becky whispered back, covertly passing a ring to Allyn.


    "You only need to know that Lord Lance has reached an agreement with Lord Shui."


    Allyn took the ring, recognized Lance''s insignia, and hesitated before asking softly, "What do you need me to do?"


    Wizard Lance was his Faction''s senior leader, while Shui was Becky''s Faction''s Wizard.


    Becky shook his head.


    "Just cooperate with me."


    Then he turned and ordered the people in the room, including Colin, "Everyone leave the room now and wait outside."


    As the words fell, Colin scanned his surroundings, but no one moved.


    Becky''s expression instantly soured, and his voice raised: S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "A bunch of Wild Wizards, ungrateful for the kindness shown!"


    "I said¡ªleave right now. Can''t you understand Common Language?"


    "You!" A young Wizard in the front row reddened his cheeks and spoke angrily.


    "Ha! Is this how the Tin Saint School treats Wizards who come bearing Tokens?" a sarcastic voice rang out.


    Colin turned to look, and it was a familiar figure¡ªthe triangular-eyed Wild Wizard warned by the standoffish Wizard not to line up in that queue.


    Becky initially ignored the young Wizard''s words, planning to simply signal the Silver Knights to "escort" them out.


    But now, hearing the triangular-eyed Wild Wizard''s statement, his expression stalled, and he was inexplicably shocked.


    Seeing this, the triangular-eyed Wild Wizard scanned the Wild Wizards still remaining in place,


    Feeling their silent stares bolstering his courage, he continued:


    "I''ve already completed half of my exam... If you''re making us leave now, you owe us some explanation."


    After speaking, he turned to the other Wild Wizards and asked, "Don''t you agree?"


    Colin''s expression remained unchanged, and he stayed silent, internally criticizing:


    ''The exam had barely started, and he''s done half already...''


    Nevertheless, whatever the reason, since the triangular-eyed Wizard was willing to step forward, Colin was only too happy to see it.


    The rest of the Wild Wizards in the room likely felt the same way, remaining calm, silent, and watchful.


    Finally regaining his composure, Becky took a deep breath, and after giving the triangular-eyed Wizard a grim glance, he lightly instructed the Silver Knight beside him:


    "Silver Knight¡ª"


    Clang!


    Four Silver Knights, quickly understanding the command, drew their silvery-white Knight swords from their backs and charged toward the triangular-eyed Wizard!


    "Wait, no need to explain either..."


    The situation changed in an instant!


    The Wizard with triangular eyes had a look of panic mixed with fear, slightly bright witchcraft glowing in his hand.


    But in the next second, the Magic Prohibition Ring lit up, and the glow of witchcraft in his hand extinguished abruptly like a bubble.


    In a swift motion, those few Silver Knights apprehended the triangular-eyed Wizard.


    "Ah!!" the triangular-eyed Wizard screamed in agony.


    Blood slowly streamed from his knees and elbows.


    Four Silver Knights corresponded to four wounds.


    They skillfully incapacitated the triangular-eyed Wizard''s ability to move.


    Colin''s brow twitched as he watched.


    He thought they would only capture the triangular-eyed Wizard, but the Silver Knights broke the knees and elbows directly.


    Such injuries... even in this world of extraordinary powers, without superior treatment, it might take at least six months to recover, and recovery might still be incomplete.


    "I''ll say this one last time¡ª" Becky said darkly, "Get out!"


    Tap.


    The first footsteps sounded, followed by a series as continuous as pouring rain.


    Colin''s gaze flickered, and he finally followed the others walking out.


    ''Let''s see how things unfold...''


    It wasn''t that he was afraid of those Silver Knights... after all, their strength was clearly inferior to his.


    With the reaction speed of an Ultimate Knight, not to say he could defeat them, but coping with them was entirely feasible.


    In such a pure physical duel among the Knights, it was always about who was stronger, faster, and had quicker reactions... the one who constituted the advantage.


    After all the Wild Wizards left, Becky closed the door.


    "Allyn, check their examination papers for me." He turned and spoke to Allyn.


    "Okay." Allyn nodded, barely containing his curiosity, and hesitated before asking directly, "What exactly is going on?"


    "And... what exactly needs to be checked in the exam papers? Hasn''t Master Matthew already checked them?"


    Becky responded in a low voice while hastily checking, "Did you see the notice issued by the Supreme Council today?"


    Allyn shook his head, "I came straight here early in the morning, no time to see... I didn''t even know the Supreme Council issued a notice."


    "Indeed, the notice is probably just now being sent to all major bookstores." Becky paused, "Actually, I haven''t seen it either, but Master Shui knew about it long before."


    "Simply put... that old man Matthew, he might be in big trouble this time!"


    "Matthew the Wizard?" Allyn was puzzled, "Wasn''t he just penalized for illicitly selling School Tokens?"


    Just a few days ago, the Law Enforcement Team raided the black market, and the high ranks of the School learned from the Law Enforcement Team that Matthew was secretly selling School Tokens for profit!


    They had just penalized him a few days ago.


    Now could there be another problem?


    Becky smiled and continued, "Unlucky for him, with the notice from the Supreme Council now, the directions of the high ranks of the School have changed... That old man Matthew, this time he might not escape so easily."


    His heart rejoiced at the misfortune as Matthew and his backer, Wizard Shui, were at odds, with frequent minor frictions and accumulated grievances. Now was a good opportunity to kick a man when he''s down!


    "So, what exactly needs to be checked in the exam papers?" Allyn sensed something and then asked bluntly, "Could it be that Matthew helped these Wild Wizards cheat?"


    "Exactly, we need to collect evidence before he realizes what''s happening," Becky nodded and paused before continuing, "Originally, this wouldn''t have been a big deal, everyone turns a blind eye."


    "But the latest notice from the Supreme Council changes everything... It could be the last straw that breaks Matthew."


    "So what exactly is in that notice?" Allyn couldn''t help but ask further.


    "I''ll give you the title¡ª''Twelve Measures to Enhance the Comprehensive Quality of the Wizard Alliance School Wizards,''" Becky began, "Maybe it''s because of the situation in the southern islands, the Supreme Council has taken a tough stance... The high ranks of the School are also quite attentive."


    "I won''t hide it from you, my backer, Master Shui, they plan to take this opportunity to strike, to harshly tear a piece from Matthew and seize the power to absorb Wild Wizards..."


    Allyn was silent, shaken inside.


    Clearly, the notice from the Supreme Council was just a pretext, the real reason being that Becky''s backer''s faction wanted to control the power of absorbing Wild Wizards.


    After all, if one controlled such power... to put it bluntly, it meant the power to embed one''s own people into the School.


    This was a hotly contested power... the former Matthew understood this, so he always just profited from it, staying alone and not joining a faction, thus avoiding sensitive issues.


    But now... since Becky had come to him for assistance, it apparently meant that his backer''s faction and Becky''s backer''s faction had reached a consensus...


    The implications behind this were too deep to fathom.


    The Tin Saint School, it seemed, would be unstable for a while...

 Chapter 190 - 154 Duckweed

    Outside the corridor, Colin leaned against the door, intently listening to the conversation inside the room.


    Although the room had good soundproofing, it could not block out his extraordinary hearing at the Ultimate Knight Realm.


    The voices were extremely faint and somewhat intermittent, but he still managed to roughly understand the specific situation.


    ''Matthew... can he really be so unreliable?''


    Colin felt a sudden sinking feeling. He didn''t know how much this might affect them, the Wild Wizards.


    The worst possibility... might be the inability to join a School again.


    However, Colin reconsidered¡ª


    Becky had not sent them away directly but had asked them to wait outside...


    What had been said was a suspension of the exam, not a cancellation.


    With that thought, his mind settled somewhat, but he still couldn''t help but worry.


    ''Still too weak... like duckweed, drifting with the wind.''


    He clenched his fists slightly.


    One day, he would become a towering tree, a formidable boulder, no longer affected by the wind and rain!


    Looking up, he saw the Wizards in the corridor not talking to each other; they all stood in silence.


    The young Wizard who had spoken out before now looked distressed, with a flicker of panic in his eyes from time to time.


    As for the triangular-eyed Wizard whose limbs were severed, he had been taken away by another Silver Knight to an unknown location.


    Thinking of this, Colin felt an even greater chill.


    For outsiders like them, Wild Wizards with no backing, if something happened on the School''s turf, it might not even stir a ripple.


    After a while,


    there were footsteps inside the room approaching the door. Colin stood up straight without making a sound and stepped aside.


    The next second.


    Click.


    The door was opened by a Silver Knight.


    "Wizards, please return to the examination room," came the indifferent, mechanical voice from his mouth.


    After speaking, he stepped aside to indicate for the Wizards to enter.


    "Return to your previous positions,"


    Allyn instructed from inside the room.


    Upon hearing these words, the Wizards sighed with relief and quickly walked into the room.


    "I shall leave now." Becky carefully put away the record crystal ball in his hand, then paused and added, "Finish the exam as quickly as possible."


    "Understood," Allyn nodded, watching Becky leave.


    By now, all the Wizard Apprentices had mostly returned to their original spots, and Allyn continued:


    "Advanced Wizard Apprentices, activate the crystal in front of you and reselect the Advanced knowledge test."


    Among the Wizards taking the exam, there were certainly those who had bribed Matthew voluntarily, but there were probably also those who had been forced to offer bribes...


    Moreover, internal struggles aside, the School''s examination could not just be cancelled.


    After all, such a large-scale entry exam into the School only happened once every two years; if it were ruined due to internal conflicts, it would undoubtedly mar what would have been a flawless operation.


    No sooner had Allyn''s voice ceased than most of the Apprentices in the hall suddenly changed their expressions.


    But not a single one dared to make a sound.


    Such an act was undoubtedly cheating, and from the perspective of the School, their examination eligibility could be completely revoked. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Still having the chance to take the exam was a stroke of luck amidst misfortune.


    Colin also sighed softly.


    Those thousands of Magic Stones, it seemed, had gone to waste...


    Pulling himself together, he reached out to touch the crystal.


    After seeing the content on the interface, his heart sank.


    Unlike the registry sheet that Matthew had brought out for him at that time, it was densely packed with various Advanced knowledge.


    At this moment, the Crystal Ball interface scrolled past, revealing only twenty or thirty Advanced knowledge contents.


    "Perhaps¡­ it is due to the last-minute reselection, not enough time to update the question bank," Colin speculated darkly, feeling as if a stone was sinking to the bottom of the sea within his heart.


    It must be noted that Lap School, after all, was but a small School on a remote island, and the quality of knowledge taught was naturally inferior to that of the Wizard Alliance.


    Moreover, he had only learned Basic Level knowledge there, and before he could study the Advanced knowledge appropriate for an Advanced Apprentice, he was forced to leave and became a Wandering Wizard.


    Nevertheless, he was not entirely ignorant of Advanced knowledge.


    Spells such as Fireball Technique, which he had already mastered with the help of Golden Paper, had been Advanced several times and were no longer the Zeroth-Rank Basic Level witchcraft that did not require Advanced knowledge.


    Their enhancements had also brought him some understandings of Advanced knowledge.


    However, because he had not learned the related knowledge before mastering the spells, but instead learned the knowledge by deducing from the spells with the help of Golden Paper, his depth of understanding was sufficient, but the breadth was far from ideal.


    "At this point¡­ I can only hope for Advanced knowledge that I am familiar with," sighed Colin, as he quickly perused the contents.


    In a short while, he had successfully and carefully reviewed the options, allowing him to relax a bit.


    Although there was not much Advanced knowledge to choose from on the Crystal Ball interface, perhaps because spells like Fireball and Defensive Field were quite common,


    after careful search, he was still able to find two items of corresponding Advanced knowledge.


    However¡­ it was uncertain whether these two items would be sufficient.


    After selecting the Advanced knowledge, Colin began to answer the questions.


    Unlike his calm, many Wizards around him had horrid expressions upon seeing the options in the Crystal Ball, and some even had large beads of sweat forming on their foreheads.


    Unfortunately, there was no way to cheat through the Crystal Ball exam.


    Still, some were foolishly hopeful¡­


    Buzz¡ª


    The Magic Prohibition Ring on the front table flickered faintly, and Allyn furrowed his brow as he turned to look.


    A brown-haired Apprentice was pretending to be calm as he stuffed something back into his chest¡­ it looked to be some type of Witch Tool.


    The large beads of sweat on his forehead betrayed his inner tension.


    Allyn''s gaze lingered on him, flickering thoughtfully.


    Just as the brown-haired Apprentice thought he might have slipped through unnoticed, he heard Allyn''s voice ring out firmly:


    "Brown-haired Apprentice in the second row, third column, stop your exam, hand over your credentials to me, and leave on your own."


    The face of the brown-haired Apprentice went deathly pale in an instant!


    He stood in shock for several seconds, then began to speak with a shaky voice, "Sir, I¡­"


    "I will say this only once," Allyn said coldly.


    Despite the likelihood that under the effect of the Magic Prohibition Ring, the brown-haired Apprentice probably did not succeed in using the Witch Tool¡­ as an example needed to be set, it was just his bad luck.


    The words of excuse the brown-haired Apprentice was about to blurt out were forced back down by Allyn''s cold words.


    He moved his lips feebly but eventually didn''t dare to say anything else, quietly taking his credentials from the table and walking towards Allyn with a look of utter defeat.


    Seeing this, other Apprentices felt a heavy weight in their hearts and abandoned any tricks they might have been contemplating, some breaking out in a cold sweat and quickly putting away their own little gadgets.


    Seeing this, Allyn nodded in satisfaction.


    Thus, after about more than two hours, all the Wizards present had gradually finished the exam.


    Those who could finish had done so, and those who could not, no amount of extra time would have helped them complete it.


    In a timely manner, Allyn declared the exam over and asked them to wait inside for a while.


    After a short wait, the Crystal Balls on the tables lit up.


    "The results of the exam are in, red represents failure, gold and silver represent passing, with gold indicating excellence."


    Allyn explained, pausing before adding:


    "Those Wizards who did not pass, please leave the School promptly. Those who passed, including Advanced Apprentices and below, take your credentials and come here to register."


    "The rest of the successful Advanced Wizard Apprentices, please wait for a moment, as there will be a practical application assessment to follow."


    Below, Colin watched the silver light flicker in front of him and let out a sigh of relief.


    ''Thank goodness I passed.''


    Although two of the items of Advanced knowledge were known to him, there was still one that he had to guess at random.


    He chose something related to life transformation, specifically fusion of Demon Beast bloodlines¡­ something he had very limited knowledge of, forcing him to bravely face the challenge with the limited knowledge he had.


    Fortunately, he had narrowly managed to pass without incident.

 Chapter 191 - 155: Revealing

    Colin turned his head to look around.


    Pale red, silver, gold¡ªthree colors shone brilliantly inside the room.


    Mostly pale red dominated the scene, with just a few silver and precisely two golden hues.


    Colin looked toward the two wizards representing the gold colors.


    One male and one female were there.


    The male had a calm complexion, standing with a natural dignity¡ªit seemed he came from a notable background. Colin only wondered what might have led him to this situation.


    The female seemed quite ordinary, perhaps only her dark skin and exotic features, which suggested she might be mixed-race, were of note.


    Withdrawing his gaze, Colin silently noted these two.


    The theoretical test was passed, and next was the practical application¡ªit was his strong suit.


    If there were no surprises, joining the Tin Saint School was a done deal.


    And while joining the school came with many benefits, it naturally had its downsides too¡ªfor him, perhaps the biggest downside¡ª


    was handling these social niceties, or rather, factional skirmishes.


    Recalling the conversation he had eavesdropped on between Allyn and Becky earlier, the internal environment of the Tin Saint School might be much more complicated than he had imagined.


    But this was normal.


    Where there were people, there would be factions; where there were interests, there would be conflict.


    Even back in the Lap School, a small school on a remote island, it was no different. Now, in the Tin Saint School, with more people and more at stake, naturally, there were more factions and fiercer conflicts.


    Colin gently exhaled.


    If it weren''t for his future, for the advancement to becoming an Official Wizard... he would have never wanted to step into this whirlpool.


    But there was no choice, since he was here, he would have to stay¡ªat least he had Golden Paper to rely on.


    Perhaps it was working, Becky''s earlier intimidation and Allyn''s move to make an example of someone.


    The apprentices present, although looking dispirited and even some collapsing on the spot, didn''t raise any objections, and gradually, they all left. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the end, only those who passed remained.


    At a rough count, there were less than ten, only nine.


    Four of them were below Advanced Apprentices, currently registering at the front. It''s worth mentioning that both of the apprentices tested in gold were Advanced Wizard Apprentices.


    The assessment criteria for Wizard Apprentices below Advanced were different from theirs, involving only a basic knowledge test.


    They also had a basic knowledge test, but it seemed not to account for much of their total score, and the content was also less.


    After a while, Allyn finally finished registering, and those who passed the test as Intermediate Wizard Apprentices switched to a feather badge.


    The badge was completely white, with a total of seven feathers on either side. The foremost two feathers on the Intermediate Apprentices were silver, and the rest were white.


    It was also because they needed to bind these school badges that Allyn had to register for so long.


    "Let''s go, I''ll take you to the training ground... Intermediate Apprentices, follow along too, wait until they finish testing, and we''ll assign you places," Allyn rose and led the way out.


    Under his guidance, a group of them passed through the corridor and arrived at an indoor training ground of roughly four to five hundred square meters.


    At this time, many Wizard Apprentices were already present on the training ground.


    Colin, who was keenly observant, noticed that these Wizard Apprentices were just like the ones they had been queuing up outside with, from the smaller schools.


    At a rough glance, there were at least two hundred.


    The passing rate... was probably at least seventy-five percent.


    Colin silently marveled; these wandering wizards with tokens were indeed just extras.


    Allyn led them to a testing area in the corner.


    Clad wooden targets for testing defenses, standardized Crossbow Arrows, etc., as well as a space for testing other witchcraft techniques¡ªit was a very standard testing area.


    Though it was in a corner, due to the number of testing wizards, there was still a long queue.


    As they arrived, many smaller school wizards turned back to look, but upon seeing a group of Wandering Wizards, they lost interest and turned back.


    The advanced Wizard Apprentice from a smaller school in front was undergoing testing, his face full of freckles quite serious at the time.


    Beside him, an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice from the same school, who did not need to test, watched intently.


    "Based on your theoretical exam, perform at least two kinds of witchcraft that correspond," a silver-feathered grey-robed Wizard instructed.


    "Alright, sir," nodded the freckled apprentice.


    He exhaled softly and raised his arm.


    Swoosh!


    A beam of orange-yellow light shot from his fingertips, hitting the clad wooden target not far ahead.


    A burnt hole approximately the thickness of a thumb and about two or three centimeters deep appeared on the surface of the clad wooden target.


    "Zeroth Rank Upper Witchcraft¡ªSearing Ray," Colin thought grimly.


    He had seen the same witchcraft performed by Berkeley when he was still a Basic Level Wizard Apprentice on Blackstone Island.


    But the power... Colin frowned.


    Evidently, the iron-clad wooden target used for the test was no ordinary one.


    "Qualified," said the silver-feather gray-robed wizard after careful observation.


    Following that, the freckled wizard demonstrated two more witchcrafts, one qualified and one excellent, successfully passing the assessment.


    Seeing this, Colin grew more confident.


    The practical application assessment wasn''t difficult; as long as the witchcraft displayed could show the advanced knowledge assessed in the written test and the effects reached a certain standard, it would pass.


    After all the small school wizard apprentices had completed their assessments, it was their turn.


    Allyn stepped forward, signaling for them to begin the assessment.


    A noble-looking male apprentice stepped forward first.


    Perhaps it was his unusual demeanor, the surrounding small school wizards who hadn''t left yet seemed to be interested, stopping to watch.


    The male apprentice began his test, and quickly, unsurprisingly, passed.


    However... the results were only qualified, employing three witchcrafts¡ª one qualified, one good, and the other not qualified.


    A light laugh echoed from the small school wizards.


    Colin exhaled softly, no longer hesitating nor caring about the small school wizards watching on the side.


    He began his assessment next.


    He chose the advanced Fireball Technique and Steel Defense Field.


    Boom!


    The Fireball Technique, augmented by Limit Breaking for the second time, ferociously flew towards the iron-clad wooden target!


    Heat spread in all directions, its momentum stunning.


    Colin didn''t use his full power, holding back slightly, but not too much.


    This strike had already reached 90% of his full power without using the Foolishness Scepter!


    Bang!


    The fireball slammed into the iron-clad wooden target, creating a huge impact; even Allyn, the wizard in charge of the assessment, couldn''t help but change his expression.


    Such power, although not the strongest among the advanced apprentices he had seen, could at least rank in the upper tier!


    The surrounding small school wizards issued a burst of exclamations; among the more than two hundred wizards who passed the written test, those who could wield such powerful witchcraft... were probably countable on two hands.


    People''s gazes were drawn towards him, but Colin''s expression remained unchanged.


    The results of the current test not only pertained to subsequent assignments but also related to the first impression he gave to everyone...


    Displaying strength as much as possible while keeping some necessary trump cards and remaining reasonable had no downside.


    Following that, he continued with his next witchcraft, Limit Breaking the golden Steel Armor.


    Since his own Defensive Witchcraft had now upgraded to Steel Temperature Resistance Field... the golden Steel Armor was just a previous version, so he didn''t hold back as much as he did with the Fireball Technique but went all out.


    This naturally shocked the surrounding people again.


    From the perspective of physical defense alone, the Steel Armor Colin used could possibly rank in their top five.


    "Sir, I have completed my demonstrations," Colin said to Allyn after completing the Steel Armor.


    The practical application assessment only required at least two witchcrafts to be demonstrated, and having achieved its purpose of showcasing his strength, he didn''t plan to employ a third one.


    The surrounding small school apprentices breathed a sigh of relief at this, and murmuring conversations followed.


    "This wandering wizard is strong!"


    "Was that the Fireball Technique? The power was indeed astonishing..."


    "Glad he didn''t use any other witchcraft... it would have been too exaggerated."


    "Maybe he only knows these two witchcrafts, which is why he is so powerful..."


    "That makes sense..."


    Colin listened to the whispers around him, his face unchanged.


    Allyn first looked for Colin''s name on the list.


    Then he raised his head and said to Colin, "Colin, congratulations, your witchcraft application assessment result is extremely excellent."


    He smiled warmly, his tone gentle, a stark contrast to how he had treated the previous male apprentice, hardly even bothering to call by name.


    "Thank you," Colin smiled and then walked over to the side to wait quietly.


    The first male wizard who had passed the assessment was also standing quietly nearby; seeing Colin approaching, his expression was cold, giving off a highly standoffish air.


    Seeing his demeanor, Colin also extinguished any desire for conversation.

 Chapter 192 - 156 Negative Impact

    It wasn''t long before the remaining three Advanced Apprentices had completed their testing.


    Unfortunately, one young Male Wizard failed to pass... and could only leave the scene disheartened.


    "Let''s go, come with me to register your details, and we''ll assign you your placements as well."


    After the assessment had concluded, Allyn put away the recording crystal and spoke.


    Colin nodded and, under the astonished and admiring gazes of the nearby School Wizards, followed Allyn out of the indoor training ground with the other Apprentices who had passed the assessment.


    Walking along the spacious corridor, it wasn''t long before Allyn led them to an office.


    "Colin, come and register," Allyn said with a smile as he sat behind the desk, then turned to the rest of the Wizards, "All of you come and register as well."


    It''s no wonder he favored Colin, after all, this was a world where naked power reigned supreme.


    In terms of Magic Power alone, Colin''s Magic Power was almost on par with his.


    But he was nearly 60 years old now, no longer young... He could only say that he was relying on his credentials and accumulation of experience to surpass Colin.


    Thinking of this, Allyn couldn''t help but sigh softly. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although to a Wizard Apprentice, 60 years old was merely middle-aged, and if one didn''t seek to advance and merely did some modifications, with effort, they could live up to around 160.


    But nevertheless, he couldn''t compare to Colin and the other Advanced Wizard Apprentices who were only in their teens.


    Colin and his group approached.


    "Allyn," Allyn composed himself and smiled at them as he introduced himself.


    Meanwhile, he distributed stacks of registration forms to them.


    Colin took the forms and glanced over them.


    The information required for this registration was much more extensive than what had been needed for the examination registration.


    It included not only the Meditation Method studied and the witchcraft skills mastered but also their main areas of knowledge.


    "Colin¡ª" While they were filling out the forms, Allyn initiated a conversation with him, "The witchcraft you used earlier, what was it?"


    He paused and added with some confusion:


    "It seemed similar to the Fireball Technique, but the power probably reached the quality of the good tier of Zeroth Rank Upper witchcraft."


    "...It''s a new witchcraft developed by the Sect Leader of my former School based on the Fireball Technique, named Fireball Skill¡¤Revised," Colin paused before replying.


    "I see," Allyn nodded, understanding it was a unique creation, no wonder it seemed unfamiliar.


    "May I ask... why did you leave your former School?" Something seemed to occur to Allyn as he asked.


    Colin paused at the question.


    "My former School was destroyed due to a Divine intervention."


    "Destroyed¡­" Allyn nodded, then, seemingly catching onto something, he asked in surprise, "Destroyed because of a Divine coming?!"


    The Apprentices around, who were filling out the registration forms, were also momentarily taken aback.


    "Could you possibly be from the Mos Kingdom?"


    "No, that''s not right... there are no Wizard Schools there," Allyn inquired repeatedly, somewhat puzzled.


    "But aside from the Mos Kingdom, there have been no other Divine interventions on the Siya Continent in recent years..."


    Colin shook his head, replying, "I am from the far southern seas."


    "From the sea?" Allyn''s heart sank subtly as he asked without showing outward concern, "On which island? A large island like Bananka Island?"


    "No, just a remote small island," Colin shook his head.


    Allyn''s warm demeanor suddenly cooled a bit, but he still pressed on,


    "Did you also advance to an Advanced Wizard Apprentice while on that small island?"


    "Yes," Colin nodded, somewhat puzzled by his query.


    "Alright, you go first; I''ll rest for a moment." Allyn nodded his head, said nothing more, and leaned back in his chair to close his eyes and rejuvenate.


    Colin furrowed his brows slightly in his mind, sensing a shift in Allyn''s attitude toward him... as if he had suddenly lost interest in making conversation.


    He subconsciously turned his head to look at the other apprentices around him.


    Most of them had normal expressions and did not seem to find their conversation odd... probably because they, like him, understood very little.


    However... the apprentice with an exam result of gold and a noble demeanor inexplicably glanced at him.


    In his eyes... there seemed to be a flash of disdain and arrogance, but it was fleeting, and the noble apprentice quickly composed himself and lowered his head to continue filling out his form.


    Colin grew suspicious and stopped his pen.


    "The choice of location when advancing to an Advanced Wizard Apprentice affects the purity and quality of one''s personal character and knowledge''s ''Spiritual Light,'' which in turn influences various aspects."


    Just then, a soft voice reached his ears.


    Colin turned to look... it was another apprentice with a gold result on the exam, a woman with dark skin.


    She was now standing beside Colin.


    "Generally speaking, the more tainted babbling the chosen location has, the higher the pollution level of the person''s character and ''Spiritual Light''... And the sea naturally has more tainted babbling than the continent,


    If it''s a populous and bustling large island, it might still be roughly on par with the tainted babbling levels of the coastal areas of the continent, but remote islands..."


    The female apprentice shook her head.


    "Thank you," Colin nodded subtly, unfazed. Regardless of the female apprentice''s intentions in explaining this, it at least cleared up his confusion.


    He paused, then continued to quietly ask the female apprentice:


    "What mainly affects the quality of ''Spiritual Light'' and character...?"


    While filling out her registration form, the female apprentice replied:


    "It affects various aspects, such as making it easier to become corrupt, etc... The greatest impact is on the probability of advancing to an Official Wizard.


    But since not all Wizard Apprentices can choose their advancement location, and the overall impact is not very significant,


    Such knowledge is usually not mentioned in small schools... It''s only in large schools, or among pupils with particularly good talents, that special attention is paid."


    Here, she paused, then hesitatingly added:


    "If you advance in a remote island, the probability of becoming an Official Wizard might drop by at least ten percent... based on the original odds.


    This means if you originally had a 10% chance of becoming an Official Wizard, now it would be just 9%."


    Hearing the female apprentice''s words, Colin was startled... this was knowledge he had never learned at the Lap School.


    ''But a ten percent drop in probability, based on the original, doesn''t sound like much.''


    As if hearing his thoughts, the dark-skinned female apprentice continued:


    "A ten percent drop in advancing probability might not seem like much... But for us Wizards who have rejoined the School, it''s not the same.


    Rejoining the School, already having switched the Meditation Method, causes magic power not to fully convert, lowering the probability of becoming an Official Wizard even more."


    "Moreover, for some reason, when either or both are negatively affected to a certain extent, their negative impacts start stacking up... By then, it wouldn''t be just a twenty or thirty percent drop, but at least ninety percent."


    Ninety percent... Doesn''t this mean that if originally you had a 10% chance, now it could be at most 1%?!


    Colin''s expression grew solemn; the female apprentice did not specify, but his situation, advancing as an Advanced Wizard Apprentice on a remote island, clearly met the conditions for stacking.


    If he had stayed at his original school, a mere ten percent drop in advancement probability wouldn''t have been much, but now a drop of over ninety percent...


    He now also understood why Allyn''s attitude had suddenly cooled and why the male wizard''s eyeshadow was filled with mockery.


    Unexpectedly, one was a negative spiritual influence, and the other a negative magical influence.


    Together, they somehow miraculously produced an effect greater than the sum of their parts...

 Chapter 193 - 157 Mentor

    Seeing Colin''s somewhat somber expression, the female apprentice changed tacks and spoke again to comfort him:


    "But for the vast majority of Wizard Apprentices, they never manage to become Official Wizards in their lifetimes¡­ At least with your current strength, you''re considered powerful among apprentices."


    Her voice grew softer as she spoke, as though she realized her attempt at consolation was ineffective and simply chose to close her mouth.


    After all, if not for the aspiration to become an Official Wizard, to attain greater power, who would go through such effort to join a School¡­


    "It''s fine, thank you for letting me know," Colin nodded, not taking the female apprentice''s words as mockery.


    He simply let out a sigh and gathered his spirit again.


    Regardless of how low the chances of becoming an Official Wizard were, as long as the probability wasn''t zero, he believed that with his own efforts, he would eventually advance.


    Moreover¡­ perhaps because he had made the breakthrough to Advanced Apprentice at the time when his knowledge of the Meditation Method, with the aid of Golden Paper, was at its most profound,


    he always felt that the Tainted babbling should not have much influence on him.


    Indeed, when he was still in a state of heightened sensitivity, he compared the Spiritual Light of humanity and knowledge on the surface of other Advanced Wizard Apprentices of the Lap School.


    Whether it was Berkeley or anyone else... in general, none seemed as thick and pure as his.


    Collecting his emotions, Colin stopped dwelling on it and continued to fill out the registration form.


    Before long, the Apprentices had nearly completed their forms.


    Allyn had them line up to submit their forms one by one, recording each and assigning their destinations based on the information provided.


    This time, Allyn didn''t ask Colin to line up first.


    Thus, Colin went to the end of the line, taking his place at the very back.


    Some apprentices looked back at him in surprise when they saw this.


    Since the room was small, although the conversation he had with the dark-skinned female apprentice was quiet, nearby apprentices could still overhear parts of it.


    This subset of apprentices in the know even cast furtive, schadenfreude-filled glances at him, with the noble male apprentice''s being the most conspicuous.


    He cast a dismissive look at Colin, pushed past the apprentices in front of him, and walked to the front row, eager for Allyn to record his registration form first.


    The apprentices at the front, uncertain of his confidence, subconsciously chose to step aside.


    Seeing this, Colin''s expression remained unchanged.


    When faced with someone more outstanding, especially someone who has overshadowed them, the first reaction of people is often not admiration, but envy.


    In such situations, if that person more outstanding suddenly falls from grace, a twisted sense of pleasure would emerge atop the original envy.


    He was aware of this but didn''t care.


    Just as he would choose to work hard to improve and surpass the individual who stole his limelight, instead of turning green with envy.


    As for whether that more outstanding person would fall to the dust?


    He was unconcerned, and he felt contempt toward rejoicing in others'' misfortunes.


    Because he understood that it was useless for the real enhancement of his strength, it was just a waste of time.


    "You are from the Herbey family?"


    At this moment, Allyn''s surprised voice came from the front.


    "Yes, my name is Mulan Herbey." An elegant voice came from the front, which might have left a better impression if not for the arrogance in the tone.


    "An Advanced Wizard Apprentice who Advanced in Miracle City?" Allyn nodded, addressing the Advanced Wizard Apprentice before him.


    "Yes," Mulan nodded, a shadow fleeting across his eyes.


    He seemed to recall the humiliation when his mother, to secure for him, her illegitimate son, the chance to advance in Miracle City, abandoned her dignity to cater to that man in every possible way.


    He also seemed to recall his indignation at having to join this School despite his natural talent and his inclusion in the Herbey family genealogy because, in the end, he could only come here.


    The family also claimed it was because they didn''t want to waste his talent, for his better development¡­


    But who didn''t know this was to sever the possibility of him inheriting the Herbey family at its root.


    Allyn nodded and didn''t delve any deeper.


    Although the Herbey family wasn''t a minor family, it wasn''t as powerful as the Tin Saint School, either.


    It wasn''t unusual for members of such smaller families to join a School.


    However, Mulan Herbey before him was solid in his knowledge. Although his practical application skills were average, his Magic Power Affinity was First Class¡­ He was indeed a talent.


    Thinking this, he assigned Mulan to serve under Lord Lance.


    "Take good care of the badge, infuse it with Magic Power to bind it, your mentor will be Wizard Lance, and the paper contains specific information, make sure to check it. There''s nothing else, you may leave now, come back to report tomorrow."


    Allyn raised his head to give Mulan a brand-new badge and a piece of white paper printed with the mentor''s information.


    After speaking, he paused for a moment, then beckoned to Mulan, adding in a slightly warmer tone, "If there''s anything unclear, you can come to me."


    "Very well, Sir Allyn," Mulan said politely, nodding appropriately, but couldn''t quite conceal an air of arrogance.


    Allyn couldn''t help but frown inwardly.


    Even though they had both joined the School, even though both were at the realm of Advanced Wizard Apprentice, in terms of seniority, Mulan''s address towards him should have been more respectful... rather than on such equal footing as now.


    Although he thought this, he had long outgrown youthful petulance and simply nodded impassively in response.


    Mulan then walked away, while he withdrew his gaze and continued assigning placements to the next Apprentice.


    "I didn''t expect him to be from the Herbey family." S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In front of Colin, the dark-skinned female Apprentice turned back and started the conversation.


    "Yes." Colin nodded without furthering the conversation.


    He wasn''t interested in the Herbey family, his mind was occupied with figuring out how to find the most peaceful spot for himself within the School.


    Seeing this, the female Apprentice hesitated for a moment, and all the prepared words died in her belly.


    She shifted her eyes around, then asked, "We haven''t introduced ourselves. My name is Leva, and you are?"


    "Colin," he replied concisely.


    Sensing that Colin was not interested in small talk, Leva decided to get straight to the point,


    "How familiar are you with the mentors from the Tin Saint School?" she asked directly. "What I mean is, I know which mentor is the best choice. Would you be willing to choose that mentor with me..."


    As she spoke, she lowered her voice, leaned in close, and whispered in Colin''s ear, "You just have to bribe Allyn with some Magic Stones..."


    "Sorry," Colin shook his head, took a small step backward to create some distance.


    He was not comfortable with anyone getting so close to his relatively vulnerable neck.


    Leva paused slightly, instinctively explaining,


    "I didn''t mean anything by it, nor do I need you to do anything for me. I''m just saying it''s not so easy to get by within the School, and I was hoping we could support each other when the time comes."


    "Sorry, Leva," Colin shook his head again, "I appreciate you were willing to share that information with me before, but I''m looking for a more relaxed mentor."


    Although he didn''t know which mentor Leva was talking about, he knew the greater the benefit, the greater the associated troubles and dangers. That much he understood.


    After all, Leva had approached him clearly because she recognized the relatively good abilities he had shown during his Apprentice period.


    But for himself, with the Golden Paper in play, he didn''t need too many resources.


    Joining the School was merely to avoid being choked of knowledge, to obtain a more secure and stable environment, and a relatively reliable backing.


    Seeing Colin''s determination, Leva''s gentle expression vanished in an instant and she turned her head away coldly.


    She must have misjudged Colin... She thought he was an impressive character, but didn''t expect him to be so lacking in ambition.


    Soon, it was his turn to be assigned a mentor.


    "You want to choose a more relaxed mentor?" Allyn asked in surprise.


    His plan had been to continue placing Colin within his own Faction, as Colin''s potential to advance didn''t seem great, but his strength in the Apprentice stage was decent enough to solve some of the Faction''s heavy and tedious work.


    But he didn''t expect Colin to make such a request.


    Leva, who had lingered to eavesdrop, saw Colin making such a choice and showed a hint of disdain on her face, extinguishing the last of her hopes and leaving the office.


    "Yes, Lord Allyn..." Colin looked back at Allyn and answered,


    He then showed a self-mocking smile and explained,


    "You''re well aware, my lord, of my circumstances, it''s practically impossible for me to advance to an Official Wizard... So I don''t intend to vie for any more resources, I just want a more peaceful life."


    ''If you want peace, why bother joining a School, a small nation would be far more comfortable,'' Allyn mused sarcastically in his mind, but looking at the medium-grade Magic Stone flickering with soft light in his hand, he still said,


    "Fine."


    He paused, then continued,


    "This mentor, you''ll definitely be satisfied."

 Chapter 194 - 158 Zuo Ao and Right Ao

    The dawn light was faint, with the unique white mist of the early morning enveloping the gray streets.


    It was still early, the sun had not even risen.


    Only a sparse few pedestrians were walking briskly and silently on the smooth stone pavement, occasionally a horse-drawn carriage or a steam carriage puffing black smoke would rush past.


    Inside the cabin of the public carriage.


    Colin pulled down the deep brown curtain, picked up the white paper with the information of the mentors, and checked it again carefully.


    Two days had passed since the examination at the Tin Saint School.


    Today was the day to report to the true location of the Tin Saint School... the Tin Saint residence that was located in the city center during the examination was actually more like an external agency of the Tin Saint School.


    The true headquarters of the School was in the distant Hua Pei district.


    If it were compared to the divisions of past life cities, it would be roughly at the position to the south of the second ring of Neustadt City.


    Clip-clop, clip-clop¡ª


    As the carriage moved forward, the scenery of the surrounding streets visibly changed. Glancing around, there were no longer shops with signboards; instead, tall door walls... large mansions started to become more common.


    Before long, the coachman pulled the reins, the horse neighed, and the carriage gradually came to a stop.


    Hua Pei district, Tin Saint Street, had arrived.


    With Renee and her sister, Colin stepped down from the carriage, and what met his eyes was a large, dumb white arch. On the thick doors above, two pieces of iconic intertwined gold and silver feathers were clearly engraved.


    On either side of the door were tall grey brick walls that extended far into the distance... The land was clearly extensive.


    Standing at the entrance, staring at the tall door walls, he felt, in a trance, that this place somewhat resembled the university from his previous life.


    There was no one guarding the door.


    As instructed by the paper, Colin walked to the door and took out the feather badge that Allyn had given him.


    The solid door on the left rippled like the surface of water, with the original feather pattern twisting and transforming.


    The next second, a strange face slowly emerged.


    A standard triangle made up its whole, an inverted triangular eye, an inverted triangular mouth, and an inverted triangular face, giving a sense of order and regularity.


    "Oh, a new wizard?" the face yawned vividly and looked up at Colin, "You are the earliest one here today."


    "Cut the act, you don''t need sleep, why the yawn?!"


    Just as Colin was about to respond, another face suddenly emerged on the other side of the door. If the face on one side was made of inverted triangles, then the face on this side was made of upright triangles.


    "Right Ao, you!"


    "What do you mean you, Left Ao, don''t forget our duty. We are only created to be door..."


    "Gatekeepers!" Left Ao interrupted loudly.


    "Door... Golems!" Right Ao paused, continuing his words.


    Seizing the moment before Left Ao had a chance to retort, Right Ao hurriedly continued:


    "New apprentice, the first time you enter, you need to place your badge in the middle of us, and you and your servants need to place your palms on the door."


    It seemed the work was starting, as Left Ao also calmed down and added:


    "The attendant badges for the maids also need to be placed in the middle indentation."


    "Understood," Colin said, his expression unchanging, but inside he was somewhat amazed; such sentient golems were a rare sight.


    He and the Renee sisters together placed their badges in the middle indentation of the door and then pressed their palms against it.


    A wave fluctuated across them.


    "All done," Right Ao spoke.


    "Thank you," Colin took back the badges and expressed his gratitude respectfully.


    Although the two golems looked out of tune, as the guardians of Tin Saint School, they were certainly not simple characters.


    "No need to thank us," Zuo Ao said first.


    Right Ao cast a lively glance at Zuo Ao but remained silent, merely controlling the door to the right to slowly open.


    Colin nodded to them, then quickly walked inside with Renee and her sister.


    Before them lay a wide avenue, flanked by peculiar trees and plants arranged in order, all faintly pulsating with Magic Power''s vibrations. They were obviously not ordinary flora.


    Colin did not linger, and according to the map, he hurried toward the residence of the mentor he had been assigned to.


    Now, while it was still early and there were few people on the road, it was best to meet the mentor as soon as possible to settle everything... As for the School, there would be plenty of opportunities to visit in the future.


    About half an hour later, he arrived at the entrance to a path shaded by green trees.


    Looking down the path, it seemed to lead to a manor.


    Stone brick paths, clear pond water; this place''s style was completely different from elsewhere in Neustadt City.


    If not for the rougher stone bricks, more angular ponds, and the large swathes of flowers among the green trees... this place would remind him of the residence of a reclusive master hidden deep in the mountains in his previous life.


    Unfortunately, the European style made it more akin to an ancient manor.


    Seeing this, Colin couldn''t help nodding... Other things aside, he was quite satisfied just with the environment.


    Without further delay, he was ready to move forward.


    Hum.


    But the next second, a translucent blue light appeared, and a gentle repulsive force pushed him out of the pathway.


    Colin was slightly startled.


    "Master?" Renee asked with confusion.


    Colin shook his head, paused for a moment, took out the School''s feather badge, and tried to enter again.


    Hum¡ª S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was the familiar translucent blue light again, and the gentle repulsive force came once more.


    The force was not strong, but Colin did not continue to force his way forward.


    "Let''s wait here," he turned and instructed Renee and her sister.


    Although on the day of the exam, he had learned a bit about the School through Allyn, like the map of the School.


    The information he knew was still scant. Rather than wandering around to find a solution, it was a better choice to wait where he was.


    As he was thinking this, a deep voice suddenly came from behind.


    "You are...?"


    Colin turned back and saw a muscular strong man with golden buzz cut hair, which looked extremely stiff, standing straight up.


    Under such a tough buzz cut, however, was a simple and kind face.


    "Hello, I''m the new apprentice reporting for duty." Colin raised his hand, showing the School''s badge held between his index finger and thumb to the strong man.


    "A new apprentice... Who is your mentor?" the short-haired strong man scratched his head, puzzled.


    As he lifted his arm, his Tin Saint School''s standard Wizard Robe stretched tight, revealing the solid pectorals underneath.


    "Archibald Rudolph," Colin put away the badge and answered.


    "Mentor Rudolph?" The strong apprentice exclaimed in surprise.


    "The mentor has been assigned a new apprentice..."


    "Let me introduce myself, I''m Marjorie Alist," the strong apprentice''s expression suddenly became enthusiastic, and he took the initiative to say, "I''m the second apprentice of Mentor Rudolph, and also your senior apprentice."


    "Marjorie the senior apprentice," Colin nodded, returned the smile, greeted him, and then pointed to himself, "Colin Leonard."


    "Hmm." Marjorie nodded and said, "Come on, I''ll take you inside."

 Chapter 195 - 159 Tin Saint Meditation Method

    "This is a barrier set up by our mentor, mainly to prevent unauthorized personnel from intruding," Marjorie said as she walked to the right side of the path entrance.


    There was a humble pale white flower there, which, aside from being particularly tall, reaching the waist of an ordinary person, looked like a common wildflower.


    "Colin, pay attention to my technique," Marjorie said, turning back to remind Colin before stretching out her arm and pointing her index finger towards the flower.


    Although the movement was simple, with her conscious control, the flow of Magic Power coursed clearly through her.


    This allowed Colin to see her entire complete skill.


    In fact, it was not complicated but rather a small trick of using Magic Power, which was why Marjorie only asked him to take a look.


    Swoosh¡ª


    At the moment Marjorie''s fingertip touched the white flower, it bloomed with a golden color as swift as ink spreading, the entire flower turning a brilliant gold starting from the point of contact.


    "After you do this step, then place your finger on it, it will recognize your fingerprint... which is the pattern of your finger," Marjorie explained. "Once the mentor records your information, the whole process can be done in one go, without taking much time."


    "Let''s go, I''ll take you inside first," Marjorie said, leading the way along the stone path entrance.


    Continuing her enthusiastic introduction, she said: "That white flower is called Nado; its only function is to recognize patterns and scents...


    However, in fact, this ring of trees around us, including the Nado white flower at the entrance, strictly speaking, it''s all the same plant life... called Nado, have you heard of it?"


    Colin shook his head and looked around.


    The dense woods, the vibrant garden, and the neat lawns and bushes... were all the same plant life?


    "Nado is a treasured plant unique to the Nolan Continent in the far west, brought back by the mentor from his travels in his younger years,"


    Marjorie began to introduce, "This plant is very suitable for home decoration, no need for you to take care of it. Whatever plant you want, sprinkle the seeds to the initial Nado plant, and you don''t have to worry about it anymore."


    "It will absorb all of the seeds and incorporate them into part of itself, then with a little guidance, you can create the landscaping decoration you want... The only downside is that you might need to replenish some seeds periodically.


    Some plants, after being absorbed by Nado, can be permanently maintained, but some others will require regular replenishment."


    Colin nodded, Nado seemed like a natural carrier that could graft any plant.


    Seemingly thinking of something, he curiously asked Marjorie, "Senior Marjorie, since Nado was chosen by the mentor as a guard plant,


    it must not only be for its role in landscaping decoration. In terms of strength..."


    Marjorie shook her head and said, "Actually, Nado''s strength is not very great, it''s only roughly equivalent to that of an Advanced Wizard Apprentice, and since it is not adept at moving, even an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice could easily deal with it if they have the right methods."


    Upon hearing this, Colin was slightly startled and couldn''t help feeling a bit disappointed.


    Seeing his reaction, Marjorie added, "Inside the School, we don''t need very strong guardians, they serve primarily as alerts."


    "I see," Colin nodded.


    Marjorie was relieved to see this.


    In reality, within the Tin Saint School, the Factions fought fiercely; normally, each Faction''s residence would be equipped with at least a guardian golem or plant at the Official Wizard level.


    Their guardian plants were so weak mainly because... they weren''t really considered a Faction.


    Feeling the atmosphere suddenly turned silent, Colin broke the pause and said:


    "I encountered some very special plants before on an island called Rael in the south of here, the jungles on the entire island seemed to have a living consciousness.


    The locals navigated them with ease, moving unobstructed, but outsiders found progress difficult, easily getting lost... If you want to enter the jungle, it''s best to be led by a local."


    "There''s such a marvelous island..." Marjorie exclaimed in surprise.


    And so, their conversation continued.


    After a short while, Marjorie led him through the sheltering trees, through the modest garden, and to a connected villa outside.


    "This will be your place of learning in the future," Marjorie introduced.


    Colin looked up.


    To be honest, this connected villa wasn''t as big as he had imagined; the wings on each side were only two stories high, with the main section in the center being three stories.


    Continuing forward, they entered the main building, where Marjorie led him to the outside of a study.


    Tap tap tap¡ª


    Marjorie gently knocked on the wooden door; the gentle motion juxtaposed against his at least two-meters-tall figure was somewhat comically disproportionate.


    "Come in," a sluggish voice came from inside, which, from the sound of it, seemed to be that of an old man.


    Marjorie pushed the door open.


    Colin instructed the sisters, Renee, to wait outside, then followed Marjorie in.


    First to catch his eye were the unusually large French windows, almost spanning an entire wall. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And then there was the tall but gaunt silhouette in an armchair and a desk laid out only with tea utensils.


    Nothing else.


    "Mentor," Marjorie greeted, bowing respectfully.


    "Marjorie, you''re here, is it another problem with your practice?" Archibald turned and asked, his slow speech enacting impatience.

 Chapter 196 - 159 Tin Saint Meditation Method_2

    But Marjorie was obviously used to it, and she quietly waited for Archibald to finish speaking.


    "This one here is...?" Archibald asked, looking at Colin with curiosity.


    "Good morning, mentor," Colin said, placing his right hand on his chest and bowing slightly.


    "I am the new apprentice, Colin Leonard." He handed the white paper to Archibald.


    Like his voice, Archibald was an elderly man, his face layered with wrinkles as deep as tree bark.


    "New apprentice?" Archibald asked slowly, taking the white paper with a hand as gnarled as tree roots.


    If he didn''t remember incorrectly, it had been almost ten years since a new apprentice had joined... But, in any case, it was always a good thing to have new apprentices.


    After looking at the white paper, he slowly nodded.


    "Welcome, new apprentice."


    Then it seemed he got stuck, Archibald suddenly fell silent... It had been too long since a new apprentice had arrived, and for a moment, he couldn''t quite remember what to do next.


    "Mentor," Marjorie hastily spoke up to remind him, "You need to help Colin officially activate his badge, and then record Colin''s information on Nado."


    "Oh, right," Archibald nodded in realization, then he paused and added, "Also, since Colin joined the School midway, he needs to be taught the Meditation Method."


    Then, he turned around and extended his hand toward Colin, "Give me your School Badge."


    "Yes, mentor," Colin resisted the urge to make a sarcastic remark and took out his School Badge to give to him.


    Archibald removed his own badge, which was pinned to his chest, and placed it alongside Colin''s.


    Colin keenly noticed that on Archibald''s feather badge, aside from the three silver feathers like his own, there were also two golden ones...


    He had not expected Archibald, who was unremarkable in appearance, to be a Second Rank Wizard!


    He was shaken inside; Allyn had given him little information, and only now did he learn that Archibald was a Second Rank Wizard!


    "All right."


    A moment later Archibald handed the badge back to him and explained slowly, "The badge is now officially activated, and you will be able to use it to record, query, and spend your academic points."


    Patiently waiting for Archibald to finish speaking at his leisurely pace, Colin raised his head and asked, "Mentor, what exactly are these academic points?"


    "You can think of academic points as the School''s Magic Stones; if you wish to learn knowledge later, aside from some basic courses and the ones I teach, the rest will consume academic points."


    "In addition, some of the unique items of the School usually require academic points to exchange."


    "I see, thank you, mentor." Colin nodded.


    Choosing a mentor did not mean that all knowledge would be learned from the mentor thereafter.


    In fact, the real role of a mentor was to provide targeted answers to apprentices'' questions about their practice and to pass on some unique knowledge.


    Most of the other knowledge was mainly learned through free or paid courses offered by other Wizards of the School.


    "Next... Ah, onto the Meditation Method." As Archibald spoke, he leaned over to take a transparent crystal the size of a thumb from a drawer next to his desk.


    "This is the Tin Saint School Apprentice''s Meditation Method." Archibald handed the crystal to Colin and then asked, "Why don''t you take a look at it now, then try to practice it, and I''ll guide you through it?"


    "Yes, mentor, but I haven''t yet dissipated and converted my previous Magic Power..."


    "No matter, let''s first get you familiarized with the Meditation Method."


    "Okay." Colin nodded slowly and began to examine the Meditation Method carefully.


    Meanwhile, Marjorie took this opportunity to present to Archibald the issues she had recently encountered in her own practice.


    Time ticked away, moment by moment, and about two hours later, Colin opened his eyes.


    He was ready.


    But since Archibald was still answering Marjorie''s questions, he did not hurry to speak up and instead began to listen.


    He was a bit curious as to what Marjorie could have asked that required such a long explanation.


    "The role of the Immortal Order Flower is not to neutralize, but to overlay..."


    ''It seems to be a problem related to Magic Potion preparation,'' Colin listened attentively.


    But soon, he lifted his head, somewhat speechlessly.


    Archibald''s speech was not only slow, but he also often paused for a long time between sentences... It seemed that the lengthy duration was perhaps not due to the complexity of Marjorie''s issues, but simply because Archibald spoke at a leisurely pace.


    Another while passed.


    They finally finished explaining.


    "Colin, are you ready?" Archibald turned his head to ask him.


    "Yes, Mentor," Colin nodded.


    "Then come here," Archibald gently waved his right hand, as if speeding up time. In front of him, a sapling went through the stages of rooting, sprouting, branching, and growing in an instant, eventually becoming a natural chair.


    The whole process had not a hint of fireworks, and Colin couldn''t even detect any fluctuations in Magic Power.


    "Sit down," Archibald continued to instruct.


    Colin did as he was told.


    Seemingly remembering something, Archibald waved his hand again, and the giant tree outside the floor-to-ceiling window stirred; a branch quickly extended.


    Under Colin''s astonished gaze, the branch passed through the air and directly through the "floor-to-ceiling window" to reach in front of him.


    Then, an Immortal Order Flower slowly bloomed atop it.


    ''It turns out that it''s not a glass window, but more akin to a kind of Force Field that simulates the properties of other materials, like Steel Armor,'' Colin realized.


    "Choose a finger to place upon it. Nado will record your breath and fingerprint," Archibald said.


    "Okay," Colin complied.


    The touch of the Immortal Order Flower felt cold and soft, just like any other flower at first¡­ but upon closer inspection, he could feel as if countless tiny tendrils were caressing the spot where his finger touched.


    Don''t think too hard... Colin shook his head, not finding the sensation pleasant.


    Fortunately, the Immortal Order Flower retracted quickly.


    "Now, relax, don''t resist, and follow my guidance to circulate the Tin Saint Meditation Method," Archibald continued, placing his palm virtually in front of Colin''s chest.


    The core of Magic Power is located in front of the human chest, while a Knight''s Life Seed is positioned to the left or right of the lower abdomen.


    Colin slowly closed his eyes. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The next second, his heart trembled.


    "Focus," Archibald reminded.


    "Yes, Mentor."


    Releasing a breath, Colin gathered his thoughts.


    If dabbling with a new Meditation Method was like fumbling in the dark before, now with Archibald''s assistance, it was as though the environment had transformed to daylight, complete with real-time navigation!


    And so, under the guidance of Archibald, Colin quickly circulated the Tin Saint Meditation Method once through.


    "That''s it, remember this sensation, it will at least save you half of the initiation time," Archibald withdrew his hand.


    "Thank you," Colin stood up, sincerely pressing his hand to his chest in a salute to Archibald.


    A flicker of joy crossed his mind.


    What Archibald didn''t know was that with the help of the Golden Paper and his assistance, Colin had already mastered the basics of the Tin Saint Meditation Method with just this one circulation!


    "Uh-huh," Archibald nodded, "That''s the enrollment process, as for some other trivial matters and things to note..."


    He turned his head to look at Marjorie who was still at the side and said, "Marjorie, that''s up to you."


    "Of course, Mentor," Marjorie responded without hesitation, then turned to look at Colin.


    "Let''s go, I''ll take you for a tour of the School," he strode towards the door.


    "Mentor, I''ll be leaving now," Colin bid farewell to Archibald.


    After seeing him nod, Colin turned and quickly followed Marjorie''s pace.


    "Pick up the pace, Colin. After we have toured the School, there are still many important matters to discuss with you..."


    "By the way, do you have a place to stay in Neustadt City?"


    "..."


    "Aren''t we supposed to live at the School?"

 Chapter 197 - 160 Lillian

    Marjorie''s steps hesitated slightly before she spoke with some embarrassment:


    "Usually, the School would allocate some housing for the apprentices to live in, but Mentor Archibald currently has no spare quotas." Marjorie''s voice grew quieter as she spoke,


    "I and the other apprentices of the mentor are living near the School...


    I myself am renting a courtyard, which is the property of the School. There''s a discount for us members of the School; after a successful application, it would only cost about six hundred Magic Stones a month."


    "Six hundred Magic Stones may seem like a lot, but in reality, as long as you''re willing to take on a few more School tasks, it''s quite easy to afford."


    "I understand, Senior Marjorie."


    Colin nodded, his expression unchanged as he replied, but his doubts did not diminish in the slightest.


    ''Mentor Archibald, being a Second Rank Wizard... could he really be lacking apprentice housing quotas?... Perhaps there''s some secrecy.''


    However, he wasn''t inclined to pry into the secrets behind it after all, it was none of his business.


    He had been prepared for a decrease in treatment as well.


    After all, in an environment like the Tin Saint School, tranquility and abundant resources obviously could not be had together. Only by not competing for resources, and thus having fewer resources, could one achieve relative tranquility.


    "Let''s go, I''ll take you on a quick tour of the School, and after that, I''ll take you to apply for housing."


    "Okay."


    Colin stepped forward to follow Marjorie.


    Not living at the School had its benefits for him; his secrets were numerous, and living outside the School, he at least had fewer worries about being discovered.


    At this moment, Marjorie, walking ahead, suddenly paused and slapped her forehead in vexation:


    "I forgot something!"


    "I forgot to have the mentor assign you a task."


    As she spoke, she thought about turning back, but then her steps suddenly halted as if she had thought of something.


    "It''s almost twelve o''clock, it''s better to look for the mentor tomorrow morning."


    Marjorie muttered, then turned her head to look at Colin with a stern face and reminded him:


    "There aren''t many rules at the mentor''s place, but there are a few important things to be aware of.


    One of them is that you must not enter the mentor''s study after twelve o''clock noon.


    In addition, you must leave here before midnight and can only return after sunrise."


    Colin''s heart chilled, and he nodded gravely.


    He did not take Marjorie''s words lightly; some rules must be firmly remembered.


    "Let''s go," Marjorie continued to lead him outside.


    "The rest of the things to take note of, I''ll explain as we walk."


    *


    *


    *


    Three o'' clock in the afternoon.


    Huapei District.


    In a courtyard located a distance away from Tin Saint Street, on Liao Saint Street.


    "Sir, what do you think about this set of housing? The price, after the School''s subsidy, is only seven hundred Magic Stones a month."


    A middle-aged Apprentice asked respectfully. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He was affiliated with the force of the Tin Saint School and his status was far below that of people like Colin, so his attitude was naturally extremely respectful.


    Colin nodded, looking at the middle-aged Apprentice, feeling again a trace of the sensation he had on Blackstone Island when he was a member of the Lap School.


    In this world, School members and non-School members differed too much in every aspect.


    Not in a hurry to respond, he looked up and surveyed the surroundings once more.


    This was a double-story Western house with a courtyard, and compared to the previous ones he had seen, it was not large, and thus the price was also higher than the previous five hundred or six hundred Magic Stones.


    But this set was his favorite.


    There were no other reasons, mainly its sufficiently secluded location and a distance of about ten meters from the nearest neighbor, providing a high degree of privacy.


    Moreover, the size was sufficient.


    The house was about a hundred square meters, and the courtyard was about twice the size of the house, more than two hundred square meters in all. It was completely enough for him living alone.


    "I''ll take this one," Colin decided and spoke up.


    The rent was paid every three months, and he handed over two thousand one hundred Magic Stones to the middle-aged Apprentice.


    For Neustadt City, if this set of housing were rented to ordinary Wandering Wizards, the price per month would surely be over two thousand one hundred Magic Stones.


    ...The benefits of being a School member were now unmistakably evident.


    "Apprentice Colin, now that you have chosen a house, I suggest you go to the mentor tomorrow to ask for a Nado Seed, oh, and also a Yista flower seed, these are also unique perks we have...


    If cultivated well, in about a month, you will be able to have a simple guardian here... enough to fend off any petty thieves."


    "Thank you for the suggestion, Senior Marjorie," Colin replied, somewhat surprised.


    He hadn''t expected to be able to get a Nado Seed for free from Mentor Archibald!


    Although Nado''s strength wasn''t too strong, that was in comparison to Official Wizards.


    For an Apprentice like him, Nado was undoubtfully an excellent helper around the home, not only aiding in greenery but also serving as a guard.


    Particularly when paired with the Xira White, it formed a special "curfew system," greatly facilitating daily life.


    ...


    The next day.


    Colin arrived early at Archibald''s residence.


    Following Marjorie''s demonstration from yesterday, he summoned the Xira flower, went through verification, and entered.


    Everything here at the mentor''s place remained the same as yesterday, filled with an atmosphere of serenity and peace.


    ''One wonders what it is about midnight that makes staying here prohibited.''


    Walking along the path and observing everything around him, an inexplicable thought occurred to Colin.


    But he quickly dispelled this hint of curiosity.


    He walked into the villa and stopped outside the study.


    Knock knock knock¡ª


    He gently rapped on the door.


    "Come in," came the familiar voice.


    "Good morning, Mentor Archibald," Colin said as he pushed open the door, greeting him instinctively with respect.


    But then he paused slightly.


    There was another person in the study besides Archibald.


    "Hello," the other figure greeted him proactively, her voice firm and steady, a striking contrast to her delicate appearance, "Lillian Rudolph."


    ''Rudolph...'' Colin sharply noted the surname she shared with Archibald.


    "Colin Leonard," he replied promptly.


    Lillian was petite, her features as youthful and pale as her frame.


    If it weren''t for her firm, steady voice and a face so placid it could be described as indifferent, lending her an air of maturity...


    She would have just seemed like an ordinary lovely girl of about twelve or thirteen.


    "Good morning, Colin... this is your senior fellow," Archibald slowly explained, arriving fashionably late with his introduction.


    "Sister Lillian," Colin turned and greeted Lillian respectfully.


    "Junior Brother Colin," Lillian responded to him, her expression cold, yet her tone calm and gentle.


    After greeting Colin, Lillian turned to glance at Archibald and then left the study directly.


    "Do you have something to discuss with me, Colin?" Archibald asked, "Asking for another guide in the Meditation Method won''t do¡­ It''s not that I don''t want to help, but too many times can be counterproductive."


    "No, that''s not it," Colin shook his head, "Mentor, there are two things I''ve come to ask you about."


    "One is to request that you bestow upon me a Nado Seed and a Xira White seed.


    The other is to inquire about the responsibilities I''ll be tasked with from now on."


    A School was different from the educational institutions of his former life.


    Usually, aside from their studies and cultivation, most apprentices had work to do, whether more or less, and only a few with particularly exceptional talents could avoid being tasked with chores.


    "Nado and Xira seeds..." Archibald muttered, gesturing with a wave of his hand as he spoke.


    Like the day before, a branch suddenly stretched in through the large window.


    Archibald plucked two seeds that glowed with an unusual luster off the branch and handed them to Colin.


    "Here, for you."


    "Thank you, Mentor," Colin quickly expressed his gratitude.


    "As for work..." Archibald furrowed his brow, the wrinkles on his already-grooved forehead deepening.


    Colin''s heart likewise raised in anticipation... unsure of what sort of work he might be allocated.


    Soon, Archibald''s forehead smoothed.


    "There''s no need for you to work; you should concentrate on your cultivation and aim to alter your Meditation Method as soon as possible."


    ''No work?!'' Colin was momentarily taken aback.


    "What''s wrong?" Archibald asked, "No need to worry about the lack of work, it doesn''t affect the School''s monthly subsidy of a hundred Magic Stones for Advanced Apprentices."


    "If you''re short of money, you can opt to undertake some assignments."


    "Alright, Mentor," Colin recovered his composure.


    ''No work is undoubtedly good news. Given the situation here at the mentor''s, it''s likely that the work wouldn''t have much to offer... maybe not even as much as School assignments.''


    ''My current savings are sufficient for now, so I might as well take this opportunity to prioritize advancing my own strength and alter the Meditation Method.''


    With this in mind, Colin suddenly hesitated...


    Should he now ask Archibald about the advancement process for becoming an Official Wizard?


    The Tin Saint School was not aware of the specifics of his becoming an Advanced Wizard, and it seemed Archibald didn''t know either... so there was no need to worry about drawing unnecessary attention.


    However, it had only been the second day since he had reported here... It felt too soon.


    After a brief consideration, Colin decided to set it aside for the time being.


    He looked up, said farewell to Archibald, and turned back towards his own residence.


    After all, he hadn''t even managed to successfully alter the Meditation Method yet; even if he learned the advancement process, he''d need to wait until after altering the Meditation Method to use it.


    He would ask after successfully altering the Meditation Method...

 Chapter 198 - 161: Difficult Problem

    Blue sky, white clouds, clear weather.


    At this moment, it was late morning, and Huapei district was bustling with people as always.


    Similarly... the secluded Liye Holy Street in the southern part of the district was as desolate as ever.


    "Sigh¡ª!"


    A brown-black coach slowly stopped in front of a courtyard at some street corner.


    Colin opened the carriage door, stepped down slowly. He had just returned from school.


    It had been ten days since he had moved into this courtyard, Nado had succeeded in cultivation and was beginning to take shape.


    Some ivy had started to entwine around the black wooden door, and unknown small flowers, yellow and white, were blooming. The gentle breeze made them sway lightly, adding a bit of charm to the plain wooden door.


    However, the Xi flowers still needed some more days to grow, so he still needed to use a key to unlock the door when entering his house now.


    He stepped into the courtyard.


    There was a grey slate path in front of him, flanked by carpet-like fresh green lawns, and nothing else.


    The flowers and some shrubs and large trees had not been planted yet.


    Renee was not at home... She must have gone to continue buying plants and trees.


    With a soft sigh, Colin hurried back to the Meditation Room, feeling a bit restless.


    Sitting cross-legged on a plush cushion, Colin''s expression solidified as he called up the Golden Paper.


    [Name: Colin Leonard]


    [Rank: Advanced Wizard Apprentice (8/100); Ultimate Knight (98/100)]


    [Meditation Method: Apprentice Circulation Meditation Method II¡ü (100/100); Tin Saint Meditation Method (Apprentice) (1/100)]


    [Breathing Skill: Sunlight Breathing Method II (96/100); Yili Breathing Method (43/100)]


    [Witchcraft: Zero Level Tricks: Brief; Zero Level witchcraft: Steel Temperature Resistance Field (16/100); Golden Arrow Shooting Skill;; Fireball Skill II (15/100); Swift Skill I (87/100); Flying and Diving Skill (68/100); Silent (30/100); Traceless (31/100); Detect Evil I (18/100); Purification Evil Power I (20/100)]


    [Skill: Basic Level Magic Crystal Making¡ª (Bright Crystal Making (Golden); Image Capturing Crystal Making I (66/100); Blood Pattern Transformation Skill I (36/100)]


    [Talent: Strong Life I (4/100)]


    [Limit Breaking Point: 0]


    In the past ten days, only the progress of some witchcraft, Knight Level, and Breathing Skills had changed... But there had been no change in progress at the Wizard Level.


    It wasn''t because he had hit a bottleneck... It was simply because he hadn''t practiced any meditation method during these days.


    The reason was none other than what Leva had told him.


    If he wanted to switch to the Tin Saint Meditation, he had to abandon the Circulation Meditation first and change his Magic Power. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Generally speaking, the modification of Magic Power is permanent, and even if the meditation method is discarded, many aspects are irreversible.


    To put it simply, Magic Power cannot be completely transformed; there will always be residuals.


    These residuals will react peculiarly with the humanity and knowledge tainted by the Tainted babbling.


    Ultimately, this could reduce his success rate in advancing to an Official Wizard by about ninety percent.


    Ninety percent... it indeed was too much.


    No wonder the various schools on Bananka Island generally did not recruit Wandering Wizards.


    Swoosh¡ª


    Pale golden particles slowly faded from his view.


    Colin slowly stood up and began to practice the two recently acquired witchcraft skills, Silent and Traceless.


    Starting with Silent.


    Dazzling hand gestures accompanied by the bizarre syllables he uttered began to move.


    The air began to subtly ripple, and Magic Power surged within him.


    Colin deftly cast Silence while continuing to ponder.


    He hadn''t completely believed Leva''s words from the start.


    So, with caution, he had taken the time to consult Mentor Atbolde and visited the school''s library to look up related material.


    But in the end, both the answers from the mentor and the information he found corroborated Leva''s words...


    Moreover, it''s worth mentioning that,


    Throughout these days of research, he developed a deeper understanding of human nature, spiritual light, and the tainted babbling that overwhelmed the world.


    The quality of human nature and spiritual light, aside from individual factors, were also affected by the environment.


    And the quantity of tainted babbling varied depending on the location.


    Regrettably, when he wanted to learn more, he found that he didn''t have the necessary permissions.


    The more specific essence, he feared, could only be known once he became an Official Wizard...


    As he thought, the witchcraft for Silence in Colin''s hands was nearly complete.


    Hum¡ª


    A moment later, as he uttered the last syllable, an invisible ripple flashed by.


    The sounds of his clothes rubbing, his heartbeat, his breathing, and so on¡ªas if hindered by something invisible¡ªwere all contained within his body.


    Colin tried jumping.


    His actions were as clumsy as a wild bear, yet when he landed, there was absolutely no sound, as if tricked by sight; a spirit cat landing, not a wild bear.


    Unfortunately, this sound erasure had its limits; internal noises like the heartbeat, speaking, or even shouting could be almost entirely erased.


    However, sounds made in contact with the external world had a lower limit. For example, running, jumping, walking, and the rustling of clothes were not a big issue.


    But if he were to kick a wall or step on a large pile of dry leaves, the large deformation of objects in these cases essentially couldn''t be erased.


    Thankfully, with Golden Paper Limit Breaking, the future held promise.


    After practicing Silence several times, Colin started practicing another witchcraft¡ªTrace Erasure.


    Since he also hadn''t achieved instant casting, he still needed the aid of lengthy spells and casting gestures.


    The spell was about to take shape; Colin pondered for a moment and directed it toward a burning incense stick by his side.


    This witchcraft, unlike Silence, which only acted upon humans, could essentially act upon any object, even an entire area.


    Swoosh¡ª


    The effect of Trace Erasure was immediate.


    It could erase traces of magic power and scents.


    On the incense stick, its effect was to make its fragrance suddenly disappear.


    But only for a moment before the scent of the incense emanated again... Witchcraft Trace Erasure did not maintain its effect continuously and was unsuitable for items that continuously emit scent or magic fluctuations.


    It was more suited for one-time post-factum trace removal.


    As for its effect on erasing magic power, at least by his abilities to perceive, he couldn''t detect any residual magic power or witchcraft fluctuations after eradication.


    Thus, Colin alternated practicing the two spells in the Meditation Room until noon, having lunch made by Renee, who had returned at some unknown time.


    He hurriedly went out, came to the roadside, and prepared to look for a public coach.


    He didn''t plan to buy a coach like he had on Blackstone Island.


    After all, in Neustadt City, there were plenty of public coaches, and the cost of riding them was much cheaper than maintaining his own coach.


    "Sir, where would you like to go?" the weather-beaten coachman asked on the public coach.


    "Copper Rose Street." Colin replied indifferently, stepping onto the coach.


    Regarding the Meditation Method, he hadn''t given up on finding other techniques...


    Now, his trip to Copper Rose Street was exactly for that purpose!

 Chapter 199 - 162 Half-Elf (4k)

    After nearly half an hour,


    The familiar bustling streetscape of Copper Rose district gradually came into Colin''s view inside the carriage.


    Neat and uniform different shops, wide gray stone roads, ceaseless crowds...


    In the past ten days, he had come here numerous times to solve the problem with meditation methods.


    Once he disembarked from the carriage, Colin made his way to the shops beside the road like he had been there many times before.


    Before long, he browsed through every single shop on this street.


    After finishing this street, Colin didn''t stop but continued to the next street, repeating the same actions.


    Just like that.


    Perhaps because he had been here several times before, though there were many shops in Copper Rose district, he managed to visit the remaining shops in just over two hours...


    But still, he found nothing and didn''t find what he wanted.


    Colin composed himself, not discouraged, and continued walking toward the next location...


    Today''s main event wasn''t these shops.


    Shortly after.


    A magnificent building appeared before him.


    He slowly looked upwards.


    Clearly engraved on the wooden plaque above was "Golden Shell Auction House."


    To the right of the door, another semi-transparent white crystal projected two lines of blue text¡ª


    "Exotic treasures from a thousand nations, rare finds from a thousand seas."


    "The large monthly auction of Golden Shell Auction House will be held on Thursday."


    Actually, today was Thursday. It seemed that the slogans had not yet been updated.


    Colin gently exhaled a breath, filled with some anticipation, and walked towards the entrance with the golden invitation in his hand.


    The invitation was something he received in the past few days when he came to Golden Shell Auction House, showing the nearly ten thousand Magic Stones he still had saved up, also a requisite to participate in the monthly auction of Golden Shell Auction House.


    Entering the auction house, he sat in the separated seats of the auction hall, rubbing the bidding crystal on his right hand, feeling his heartbeat inexplicably quicken.


    In recent days, he had consulted a multitude of documents, wanting to clarify exactly why his aptitude had fallen... hoping to find a solution.


    The logic behind the decline in aptitude was simple.


    The problem was that the changes to the body and spirit imparted by previous meditation practices were mostly irreversible.


    This irreversibility continued to produce Magic Power originally developed through meditation, thus causing the new meditation Magic Power to be polluted.


    The pollution of Magic Power in turn caused irreversible changes, or degradation, of the spirit and body.


    This irreversible degradation was the direct cause of the decline in aptitude among other negative effects.


    Of course, like in his case, it was even more complicated.


    The spirit and body are a finely tuned holistic system, interconnected; his case also involved his own humanity and Spiritual Light.


    Hum¡ª


    The auction stage began to gradually light up with soft White Light, illuminating the stage and casting a circular highlight in his eyes.


    The auction was about to start.


    Colin sat up slightly, his eyes fixed on the main stage of the auction.


    His idea was quite simple.


    Since the changes caused by the original meditation practices were irreversible, he decided not to worry about whether they could be reversed.


    Instead, through the Golden Paper, he planned to integrate the Tin Saint Meditation Method with the original Circulation Meditation, thereby encompassing the original changes, and solving the pollution problem from the root.


    However, this method presented an unavoidable issue.


    Integration required that both the Tin Saint Meditation Method and the Circulation Meditation be broken to a golden level in advance.


    But if he practiced the Tin Saint Meditation Method, it would inevitably lead to pollution of Magic Power, causing changes in the spirit and body...


    Everything seemed to have fallen into a vicious cycle.


    But in fact, predecessors had already tried to find a solution.


    Of course, at least from the information he could access now¡ª


    This remained an unsolved dilemma.


    Nevertheless, after reviewing related documents, he found a glimmer of hope.


    He didn''t need to permanently solve the pollution; he just needed to prevent it from occurring before the Tin Saint Meditation Method reached gold level.


    And indeed, there was a way to temporarily avoid pollution...


    "Let''s move to the first item now, an unnamed Magic Crystal, tested and categorized as Fire Element Magic, its power equivalent to a Middle Level First Rank Element Magic, of excellent quality."


    On the high stage, the kind-faced auctioneer presented the first item.


    Colin quietly waited.


    The majority of the auction goods were listed on the brochure beforehand, but some items were kept secret to maintain a sense of mystery.


    In the promotional list for this auction, the hidden items mentioned a key phrase¡ª"Eliminate Magic Power."


    Yes, eliminate Magic Power.


    If all Magic Power is eliminated, and no new Magic Power is generated, then there will be no risk of mixed Magic Power pollution.


    For other wizards, this wasn''t very useful; on one hand, it''s hard to precisely eliminate only the original Magic Power.


    On the other hand, even if Magic Power is eliminated, it only delays the effects temporarily, and there will always be consequences later.


    After all, eliminating Magic Power only addresses the surface; the real root cause¡ªthe irreversible changes to spirit and body¡ªcannot be reversed.


    But for him, just being able to delay was sufficient. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Moreover, it''s worth mentioning that it is indeed possible to completely use up one''s Magic Power on their own, but once meditation begins, Magic Power will be produced again.

 Chapter 200 - 162 Half-Elf (4k)_2

    Due to the irreversibility of the effects caused by the previous Meditation Method, meditation would more or less produce some of the former Magic Power...


    This path was clearly unviable.


    The auction continued.


    The mechanical voices of bidding rose and fell in succession.


    Several times, Colin saw items being auctioned that tempted him.


    But after hesitating for a moment, he still chose to withdraw his hand that was about to touch the Bidding Crystal.


    At the moment, the most important thing was to resolve the issue with the Meditation Method.


    The auction item that could eliminate Magic Power... he still had no idea how much it would cost.


    He really couldn''t afford to spend money recklessly...


    After an indeterminate amount of time had passed, the sound Colin had been waiting for finally rang out in the auction hall.


    "Next is auction item number 32," the auctioneer paused, then deliberately lowered his voice and slowly continued, "the Absolute Demon Fruit!"


    At the mention of this name, a surge of foreboding rushed through Colin''s heart.


    What he needed was something that could temporarily eliminate Magic Power, and ideally without any side effects.


    This "Absolute Demon Fruit"... it did not sound like a gentle Magic Potion.


    As expected, the auctioneer''s next words confirmed his speculation.


    "The Absolute Demon Fruit has only one effect, and that is to sever a Wizard''s abilities and eliminate Magic Power, turning one permanently into a mere mortal.


    Of course, this only applies to those below the level of an Official Wizard, and the scent of the Absolute Demon Fruit is powerful and distinctive..."


    The auctioneer''s voice continued, clearly delivered to every corner of the auction hall through the amplifying Witch Array.


    But for Colin, the voice seemed to grow more distant, as if separated by an invisible barrier, making it difficult to hear clearly.


    "3,000 Magic Stones!"


    Before long, the bidding voices suddenly sounded.


    "Whew¡ª"


    With a gaze sharpened, Colin was pulled back by the bidding voices, and the sounds around him became clear again.


    Glancing around, he exhaled a breath of stale air and slowly rose to his feet to head out of the auction hall. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''The feeling of dashed hopes isn''t pleasant, but I can''t just give up.''


    Colin walked along the corridor and out of the auction hall.


    It was evening now, with the rich orange glow of the setting sun bathing the earth.


    He looked at the burning clouds on the distant horizon, leaving behind dazzling orange embers.


    A sudden sense of release washed over him, and he silently added in his mind,


    ''But I also can''t be blind... half a year. If I haven''t found a solution within half a year, I''ll have to change my Meditation Method directly.''


    He hailed a public carriage and headed home.


    The swift wind lifted the heavy curtains of the carriage window, and amidst the shifting light and shadows, he soon arrived at his front door.


    But as soon as he stepped out of the carriage, he came upon an unexpected figure.


    "Good afternoon, Senior Marjorie. What brings you here?"


    Marjorie approached him with a smile and said,


    "Hadn''t you asked me before if there was a kind of object or Magic Potion that could temporarily eliminate the Magic Power within one''s body?"


    "I''ve gone through the records and found several, but either they''re extinct and difficult to find,


    Or they would permanently eliminate Magic Power or cause great harm to the body... The effects don''t match what you described."


    Marjorie paused, then a smile spread across his face.


    "But the reason for my visit is to bring you some good news."


    Colin was taken aback, a flutter of uncontainable joy welling up inside him.


    "Senior Marjorie, do you mean you''ve found one?"


    Marjorie shook his head.


    The rising joy in Colin''s heart came to an abrupt halt, yet before the disappointment could show on his face, he heard Marjorie continue,


    "Though I haven''t found one myself, I went to seek help from Senior Lillian."


    ''Senior Lillian?'' Colin frowned slightly.


    ''Could it be Lillian Rudolph that I met before in the tutor''s study?''


    But none of that mattered now, as he gazed at Marjorie, waiting for his next words.


    Marjorie didn''t keep him in suspense, and decisively said:


    "Yes, you guessed right, Lillian... Sister knows of a magic potion that can meet your requirements... and it''s right in Neustadt City."


    Colin was slightly startled, and after confirming Marjorie''s words, a complex mix of joy inexplicably grew in his heart.


    He hadn''t expected to come up empty-handed in both the shops and the auction and had even started to think about giving up, only to suddenly receive such a pleasant surprise.


    It really was like... when one door closes, another opens, and after the dark willows and bright flowers, a new village appears.


    Adjusting his emotions, Colin pondered for a moment and then asked:


    "So, did Lillian... Sister mention what I need to give in return?"


    "Give something in return?" Marjorie shook his head, "I don''t know about that, you''ll have to ask her yourself."


    After saying this, Marjorie paused, then smiled and added: "But as far as I know, we all share the same mentor, Lillian Sister won''t ask for anything from you."


    "Mm." Colin nodded, paused sincerely, and said, "Thank you, Marjorie Senior, this information has been a great help to me."


    "But I''m in a hurry to find Lillian Sister, how about I invite you to have lunch at Moon Viewing Restaurant another day?"


    The Moon Viewing Restaurant was a mid to high-end restaurant nearby, renowned for its demon ingredient cuisine... Of course, it was also not cheap.


    Usually, the two of them would probably spend at least two hundred magic stones.


    "Moon Viewing Restaurant?" Marjorie hesitated and shook his head, "That''s too expensive, Colin Junior.


    If you really want to treat me to a meal, next time have your maid prepare a table full of good dishes, the last time I came here for a meal, that spicy... chicken?"


    "Saut¨¦ed Diced Chicken with Chilies."


    "Yes, yes, exactly, that one... I''ve been thinking about it ever since," Marjorie smacked his lips, then sighed:


    "Too bad my cook doesn''t have your maid''s skill, I described it several times, but what she made didn''t resemble it at all."


    "If Senior wishes, I can ask my maid Renee to teach your cook the specific method of making it."


    Marjorie''s face lit up with joy at the suggestion, his greatest hobby was gourmet food.


    He prided himself on having tasted every delicacy there was.


    However, the day Colin invited him for a meal, he found that the dinner served by his maid was something he had never tasted before!


    "Let''s settle on that, then. I''ll have the cook come over to learn tomorrow," he replied quickly with a smile, then paused and added:


    "Forget about the Moon Viewing Restaurant, it''s just gathering some information, no need to go to such expense."


    "...Then instead of another day, how about tomorrow? But I''m preparing to find Lillian Sister today... tomorrow, then. Tomorrow I''ll have Renee prepare a table full of fine food, waiting for Senior you to come."


    Colin paused, opting not to insist any further, and changed the subject with a smile.


    "That''s fine." Marjorie readily agreed, as if remembering something, he looked at Colin and suddenly added:


    "You probably won''t be able to find Lillian now."


    "Today is Thursday, Lillian Sister is probably still in the mentor''s study and won''t leave the mentor''s residence until twelve o''clock."


    ''Still in the study?''


    Colin glanced at the sun setting in the distance, with a touch of surprise he asked:


    "I remember Senior, you once said that after twelve o''clock noon, one cannot enter the mentor''s study..."


    "Lillian is different from us," Marjorie shook his head, paused, and then said: "In fact, Lillian is the mentor''s granddaughter."


    "I see..." Colin nodded slowly.


    Their shared surname had led him to this speculation...


    Seemingly thinking of something, Colin suddenly asked out of curiosity:


    "Marjorie Senior, I''ve heard you calling Lillian ''Sister'', and I''m curious about her age... "


    "Lillian Sister should be nearly seventy years old by now."


    Apparently anticipating Colin''s question, Marjorie preemptively replied.


    ''Nearly seventy years old?!''


    Considering Lillian''s appearance, which seemed no more than thirteen, Colin was astounded.


    Marjorie looked at Colin''s shocked expression, laughed a few times, and explained:


    "Lillian Sister is mixed blood between a High Level Elf and a human, with a lifespan of at least six hundred years... Seventy years old, in human terms, is just like being twelve or thirteen."


    "Let''s go, since you can''t find Lillian Sister now, maybe you have time to stay for dinner?"


    Marjorie smacked his lips again, adding, "Of course, we''ll still have that meal tomorrow."


    "...No problem." Colin came back to his senses, taking Marjorie with him into the courtyard.

 Chapter 201 - 163: School Foundation and Magic Erasure Potion (4.4k)

    The following day.


    At the break of dawn.


    As the sun had only just begun to rise, Colin arrived at the School.


    According to what Marjorie had said the day before, Wednesday meant that Lillian was supposed to have a class in the central area of the Tin Saint Bishop''s teaching building.


    He made his way to the teaching building as if on familiar terrain. The place was a huge, ancient castle, rustic and solemn, with mottled exterior walls that spoke of its long history.


    The pathways inside were complex and intricate¡ªgetting lost was an easy misstep.


    However, fortunately, this was not his first time here...


    Previously, in order to further make use of the Knowledge Crystal Erica had given him on Blackstone Island, he had signed up for several free public classes.


    Mainly about Magic Potions.


    After a short while, navigating the castle''s complex corridors, he arrived at a huge stairway classroom on the third floor.


    It was worth mentioning that this was the very place where he had attended the free Magic Potion open classes a few days ago.


    Standing at the entrance, Colin glanced inside; although the stairway classroom was large, there were only a sparse twenty or so wizards seated inside at the moment.


    ''Such a turnout implies either that the class is unpopular or it must be some kind of expensive charged course,'' he mused to himself.


    After a careful search, Lillian''s conspicuously petite figure was right in the middle of the first row.


    And classes, apparently, hadn''t started yet... otherwise, given the Wizard World''s protectiveness over knowledge, he wouldn''t have been able to see the classroom inside clearly, nor would he have been able to hear any sound.


    On the other hand... there was no instructor in sight at the podium right now,


    After a moment of contemplation, Colin still stepped forward and walked in.


    If he didn''t approach Lillian now, he might have to wait until the classes ended at noon.


    With few in the classroom, entering made him conspicuously noticeable, and the wizards turned their eyes to watch him.


    Colin maintained a composed expression, but inwardly he tensed abruptly.


    The gazes cast by the wizards seemed tangible, transforming into an invisible pressure that weighed upon his shoulders making him inexplicably feel a heaviness in his body and stirring a sense of urgency in his heart.


    This was not intentional on the part of the wizards in the classroom but rather a unique atmosphere created by the unconsciously radiated aura of authority as they gathered.


    They... were all Official Wizards!!


    "Colin, are you here for me?"


    Lillian''s crisp and soft voice suddenly reached him. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Senior Sister Lillian," Colin quickly greeted her. As Lillian spoke, he felt the pressure around him suddenly lift.


    He continued walking towards Lillian, and looking at her petite figure sitting on the chair with her feet unable to touch the ground, he felt somewhat surprised.


    He had thought that Lillian was just an Advanced Wizard Apprentice like himself... after all, the last time he saw her, she was not wearing a badge, also with Atbolde, a Second Rank Wizard, by her side.


    Not to mention Lillian''s harmless petite figure... it was indeed difficult to discern her actual strength.


    But now, it seemed that Lillian was also a genuine Official Wizard.


    "Yes, I think I know what you want... Is it about that matter Marjorie mentioned?"


    Lillian asked, deliberately vague in her words, not revealing any information about Colin.


    She held a gilt-patterned steel pen in her right hand, sitting upright and serious.


    However, the childish face on her wide gray Wizard Robe, and those slender legs dangling off the chair... made it hard for one to remain solemn.


    "Yes, Senior Sister Lillian," Colin nodded in response.


    "Okay." Lillian glanced at the owl-shaped clock at the front of the classroom, preparing to speak.


    "Lillian, is this the new Apprentice that Wizard Rudolph has taken in?"


    A magnetic male voice came from the side.


    "Lord Silear, please address me as Miss Rudolph,"


    Lillian frowned openly at Colin, speaking coldly without turning her head.


    Colin followed the sound and saw a mature Male Wizard with meticulously styled hair standing, stunned, in place.


    Click.


    "Colin, go tend to your affairs,"


    Lillian said softly, tapping her pen on the table and looking at Colin who had turned his head:


    "After the noon classes end, I will come find you at the mentor''s place and take you there."


    "Alright, Senior Sister Lillian, I have nothing pressing, I''ll just wait outside for you," Colin replied succinctly, sticking to the principle of speaking less to avoid mistakes.


    "That''s fine too." Lillian nodded and looked at the owl-shaped clock again, urging, "Class is about to start, you better leave quickly."


    If Instructor Ebur with his poor temper was to teach and Colin, an Apprentice, kept lingering...


    "Of course." Colin didn''t hesitate; he left straight away.


    And that Wizard Silear who had spoken already scoffed and sat back down in his seat, having embarrassed himself.


    But strangely enough... most of the other wizards were gathered in small groups, yet there was no one around Lillian.


    Colin walked towards the door, his mind swirling with thoughts.


    Just as he reached the entrance, a suffocating pressure suddenly struck him!


    As if suddenly brushed by the cold winds of winter, his initially warm body began feeling bursts of chill.


    He hurriedly took two steps out of the classroom into the hallway before daring to look back for a glance.


    Unbeknownst when, a mass of ice-blue crystal had abruptly appeared above the podium, and was now slowly condensing from the top down into an elegant ice sculpture wearing a Wizard Robe.


    Soft chestnut hair tied back in a ponytail, sensible glasses perched on a delicate yet prominent nose, with a well-formed figure that even a large Wizard Robe couldn''t conceal...


    The ice sculpture''s details were clear, as though it were a living person.


    No, it was a living person!

 Chapter 202 - 163: School Foundation and Magic Erasure Potion (4.4k)_2

    As the icy blue crystals cascaded downward to the floor, sketching out the last of its legs...


    The ice sculpture seemed to transform from a black-and-white image into a colorful, vivid creation.


    A beautiful female instructor with an icy complexion appeared at the podium.


    Colin quickly averted his gaze, walked to one side, and didn''t breathe a sigh of relief until he had moved out of the classroom''s line of sight, until the classroom door closed, shrouded in a dark glow.


    Such might... far surpassed even Atbolde, a Second Rank Wizard he had seen before!


    This had to be a Third Rank Wizard, or at least a Second Rank Advanced close to Third Rank!


    ...


    Time soon arrived at midday.


    The light outside the classroom gradually faded... it seemed that class was over.


    Colin stood quietly in the corridor, waiting as the wizards filed out in twos and threes.


    Lillian''s figure was the last to arrive, leisurely making her appearance.


    She frowned, as if pondering some matter.


    "Let''s go," she said upon seeing Colin, and then took the lead walking forward.


    Colin followed closely behind.


    Still troubled by some difficult problem, Lillian did not speak.


    The two walked in silence.


    It wasn''t long before they had exited the ancient castle that Lillian finally began to speak slowly:


    "Marjorie must have told you, what I know can erase Magic Power is a type of Magic Potion."


    "But to be more precise, what I know of is a merchant named Betty, who can get ahold of a Magic Erasure Potion."


    At this, Lillian paused, looking up and asked, "Do you know what ''Magic-Affluence Disease'' is?"


    Her hair, due to her tilting her head back, slowly slid down to the back of her skull, revealing delicate and exquisite ears... not pointed ears, but the shape of ordinary human ears.


    Colin imperceptibly withdrew his gaze and replied, "I know some."


    So-called ''Magic-Affluence Disease'' is actually a broad category. All illnesses caused by an excess of Energy are included within it.


    Previously, on Blackstone Island... he had heard that ordinary people tasked with mining Magic Stone Mine in the School could contract a peculiar form of Magic-Affluence Disease related to Magic Power.


    "The Magic Erasure Potion is for preventing a certain Magic-Affluence Disease that occurs in Underground Caves," Lillian explained.


    "If taken in large amounts, it can achieve the temporary elimination of one''s own Magic Power you desire, and moreover, it doesn''t have too many side effects."


    Having said this, she paused for a moment before adding:


    "But as for more specific effects, I''m not too clear myself. You will need to inquire on your own when the time comes."


    "Okay," Colin nodded, his heart brimming with anticipation.


    Lillian nodded as well, and by now, they had walked outside of the School. She surveyed the surroundings and waved down a public coach.


    "Let''s go," Lillian motioned Colin to follow. At the same time, she said to the Coachman, "Leia Sacred Road."


    Colin hesitated slightly as he got into the coach.


    ''Leia Sacred Road... Isn''t that where my own house is located?''


    "What''s the matter?" Lillian inquired with confusion.


    "Nothing, senior sister," Colin shook his head and seated himself in the coach.


    Lillian nodded with no further prying... just as she did not ask why Colin needed a Magic Potion to erase his Magic Power.


    Everyone has their own secrets.


    Ten minutes later.


    The coach stopped in front of a black gate.


    They knocked and were greeted by a maid.


    Lillian, with familiar ease, trod the path, winding through a garden filled with exotic plants, and finally settled down in a dome-shaped gazebo surrounded by fresh flowers.


    Soon after, at the maid''s notification.


    A mature woman dressed in an ornate black-and-red Lolita gown approached gracefully.


    Her lips were as red as roses.


    "Lillian, what brings you to me today?" she said, her eyes brimming with surprise as she watched Lillian sitting in the gazebo.


    "Betty, I''ve come to you for a business matter..." Lillian began, ready to get straight to the point.


    "Who is he?!"


    But Betty interrupted with a frown, pointing at Colin in question.


    "I am Rudolph''s newly taken Apprentice, Colin Leonard," Colin quickly replied.


    "He''s my junior brother," Lillian also added.


    "So, a junior brother," Betty''s face cleared as her smile returned.


    "Betty, I''ve come to ask you to sell some Demon Extinguishing Potion to him," Lillian resumed speaking.


    "Demon Extinguishing Potion?" Betty was momentarily taken aback, "That''s not easy to handle... Those shares have been divided up long ago, and carving out some means someone will have less... "


    "A favor," Lillian bluntly supplemented.


    "Are you sure?"


    Betty sat down next to Lillian, glancing at Colin with a mix of frustration and disappointment, "I only owe you two favors left. Are you sure you want to use one of them on this?"


    Lillian didn''t reply, but her stance was clear.


    Betty''s brows furrowed, nearly touching, as her voice rose.


    "Junior brother! Again with the junior brother?!"


    "Lillian! You''ve forgotten the incident with Baldwin..." Before she could continue, it seemed she realized her slip of the tongue and abruptly stopped.


    Observing Lillian, whose expression remained unchanged yet whose eyes briefly flitted with a trace of disappointment, Betty let out a sigh,


    "I can''t argue with you... I agree."


    Appearing somewhat exasperated, Betty added,


    "Lillian, when will you ever change your character...


    Not every Apprentice under the same mentor is worth your tireless help!" S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You only share a mentor, not a father!"


    "Baldwin was an exception," Lillian pursed her lips firmly.

 Chapter 203 - 163 School Heritage and Magic Erasure Potion (4.4k)_3

    Betty shook her head, knowing Lillian''s personality and no longer trying to persuade her.


    "Although my favor might not mean much to you, if converted into Magic Stones, it would be at least five figures ...


    Moreover, although the Magic Erasure Potions aren''t expensive, they are always in high demand and limited by raw materials. Those madmen heading to the Underground Cave would fight bloody battles for it! Getting it from places other than the Underground Cave..."


    "Betty."


    Betty paused and sighed,


    "Alright, alright... I can''t argue with you."


    Saying this, she reached out to pat Lillian on the head.


    But the next second, she was stopped by Lillian''s piercing gaze as if it were something tangible.


    Seeming to cover up her embarrassment, Betty cleared her throat and turned to Colin,


    "How many Demon Extinguishing Potions do you need?"


    "I''d like to first understand the specific amount of Demon Extinguishing Potion needed to completely erase Magic Power."


    Colin pondered for a moment and then asked,


    "Are you an Advanced Wizard Apprentice?"


    "Yes." Colin nodded.


    "A minimum-quality half-bottle will last about 24 hours," she explained. "During this period, as long as the Magic Power produced inside your body doesn''t exceed... um, about ten times your own Magic Power, it will remain neutralized."


    The target audience for this Demon Extinguishing Potion isn''t Apprentice Wizards, and its design isn''t really meant to completely eradicate Magic Power...


    But when used on Colin, it''s an overkill¡ªhalf a bottle would suffice to eliminate all his Magic Power.


    "I understand," Colin nodded and, after a moment''s thought, said, "I might need forty-five bottles."


    If what Betty said was true, those forty-five bottles should last him about three months.


    Three months ¨C enough time, with his previous rate of practicing Circulation Meditation and the complex practice method he later discovered, to push his progress in Tin Saint Meditation to the golden level.


    "That''s possible," Betty said with a slight frown¡ªforty-five bottles were still within her limits.


    Taking a pause, she continued, "For Lillian''s sake, I''ll give you a discount, nine thousand Magic Stones for forty-five bottles."


    ''Nine thousand Magic Stones?!''


    Although he was somewhat prepared, he was still slightly startled by the price.


    "That would be acceptable," Colin breathed lightly and said, "Thank you, Lady Betty."


    After Colin spoke, it was Betty''s turn to be surprised.


    Nine thousand Magic Stones wasn''t much for an Official Wizard, but for an Apprentice Wizard, it was definitely a substantial amount.


    She hadn''t expected Colin to agree so readily.


    Lillian, standing beside them, was also surprised; she even thought of offering Colin some Magic Stones to borrow.


    Realizing her intention, Betty casually spoke,


    "I''ll need some time to arrange the stock... come here with the Magic Stones three days later to collect them."


    "Alright," Colin responded gravely.


    "Since everything is settled, it''s also time to leave," Lillian said.


    "Lillian¡ª" Betty reluctantly spoke, "You hardly come by, and you''re leaving so soon?"


    "Betty, you know I have other matters," Lillian said, her voice softening slightly in apology.


    "Well, alright." Seeing this, Betty didn''t persist and sighed as she said goodbye to Lillian.


    Stepping out of the gate,


    Lillian stopped and said, "I''m heading back to the School. Are you going to the School too?" S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Colin shook his head.


    "Then that''s it, goodbye."


    "Lillian senior," Colin suddenly called out to her.


    "What is it?" Lillian asked, puzzled.


    Colin paused, and placing his right hand on his chest, he bowed slightly as he sincerely said,


    "Thank you, Lillian senior. The Demon Extinguishing Potion will be of great help to me. I will remember this favor."


    Lillian was slightly taken aback, an expression of surprise crossing her delicate features; she clearly hadn''t expected Colin''s gesture.


    "No need to thank me, Colin junior," she responded lightly, "I''ll be going ahead then."


    "Alright, goodbye, Lillian senior."


    Colin watched as she boarded a public carriage.


    A breeze lifted the curtain of the carriage window, and in a fleeting glance, he thought he saw Lillian''s usually stern and cold expression thaw a little.

 Chapter 204 - 164: Closed-Door Training (4.8k)

    Days went by in the blink of an eye.


    Early that morning, just as the day began to break, Colin had already returned from Betty''s place.


    Feeling the emptiness of his Storage Ring, he couldn''t help but let out a soft sigh.


    He had obtained 45 Magic Potions, but at the same time, he had parted with nine thousand Magic Stones, leaving only a little over a thousand on him.


    If he judged by the Limit Breaking Points needed for the Circulation Meditation''s Limit Breaking, a thousand Magic Stones... clearly wasn''t enough.


    Even to say, he now needed a thousand Magic Stones just for the gold-level break of the Circulation Meditation.


    So in fact, he had only a little over a hundred Magic Stones to spend on the Tin Saint Meditation Method.


    ...Obviously, this was not enough, let alone the daily living expenses he still had to bear.


    Returning home, he went into the Meditation Room.


    He took out a bottle of Magic Erasure Potion with a flip of his hand, gazing at the sparkling potion within the glass bottle, Colin sat cross-legged and pondered in silence.


    Tin Saint School provided a subsidy of a hundred Magic Stones per month for Advanced Apprentices... If economized, this was enough to live on for a month.


    But to ensure a sufficient number of Limit Breaking Points to break the limit on the Tin Saint Meditation Method, to be safe, he needed to prepare at least two thousand Magic Stones.


    Two thousand Magic Stones...


    Colin let out a soft sigh; even if he worked at full capacity making Memory Crystals, he would make only two to three hundred Magic Stones a month.


    It was akin to trying to put out a fire with a cup of water... Maybe it was time to take on some School tasks?


    Or should he learn another craft to make money?


    But these options either posed risks or consumed time...


    Earning Magic Stones while changing meditation methods was also not feasible.


    After all... during the time the Magic Erasure Potion was in effect, without Magic Power, he was extremely vulnerable.


    It was only because he was in the stable environment of Neustadt City that he dared to take such risks.


    But what kind of tasks should he take on if he chose to do so?


    What craft should he learn? Magic Crystal Making again?


    He struggled internally for a long time, but could not find the answer.


    Colin shook his head, temporarily setting these thoughts aside.


    He decided to switch to another task.


    With a thought, pale gold particles converged.


    The progress behind his Knight Level had impressively reached 99/100... The progress after the Sunlight Breathing Technique was also at 99/100.


    If he wasn''t mistaken, after today''s practice, both should reach their limits without any issues.


    Stand with legs apart, practicing the familiar second Limit Breaking Sunlight Breathing Technique, his restless mood gradually softened.


    His muscles moved rhythmically like a python, heat rising gradually, and before long, beads of sweat gathered into meandering tracks that flowed down his chiseled chin and body, slowly accumulating into dark wet patches at his feet.


    Like this, he practiced the second Limit Breaking Sunlight Breathing Technique over and over.


    The sun rose in the east, leisurely traced across the sky, and then gradually sank toward the horizon.


    The land was painted gold by the dying light of the sun, thick orange light streamed in through the gap in the wooden door of the Meditation Room.


    It was at this moment!


    Colin''s whole body suddenly stilled.


    The next second, he exhaled a long breath, trailing a foggy streak through the air.


    Pale gold particles swirled in front of him.


    [Rank: Ultimate Knight (100/100)]


    [Breathing Skill: Sunlight Breathing Method ¢ò¡ü(100/100)]


    As he expected, both his Knight Level and the Sunlight Breathing Method had reached their limit.


    But Colin didn''t feel too much joy.


    After reaching the limit, the progress as an Ultimate Knight wasn''t significant... after all, even the peak of an Ultimate Knight was still an Ultimate Knight without a breakthrough.


    ...And unable to break through.


    On the path of a Knight, unless one underwent life enhancement, adding Alien Bloodline, Mechanical Augmentation, and so on, a Great Knight was already the limit.


    In his case, because of the Limit Breaking of the Sunlight Breathing Technique, he was able to take a small step forward beyond the original limit of a Great Knight¡ª


    yielding a small state called Ultimate Knight.


    But now, limited by the level of the Breathing Skill, even the perfection of the Ultimate Knight had reached its peak, with no further advancement possible...


    It was a dead end with no way to further increase his abilities.


    Perhaps another Limit Breaking of the Sunlight Breathing Technique might yield a breakthrough.


    But for the Sunlight Breathing Technique... he currently didn''t have extra Magic Stones to break its limit.


    ''After going around in a circle... in the end, it all comes back to Magic Stones.''


    Colin wiped the sweat from his forehead, sighing inwardly as he deployed a Golden Cleaning Technique around him.


    The dirt and sweat stains on the ground were cleaned in an instant.


    After a moment of contemplation, he stopped hesitating, changed into a formal Wizard Robe, and hurried outside.


    Neither taking on School tasks nor learning a new craft for money was a good option.


    He decided to find a different path.


    The public coach raced through the streets, the wind lifting the old Coachman''s broad linen coat.


    Before long, the coach stopped in front of a small courtyard.


    A white gate, white walls surrounding it, and the standalone villa inside was wholly white as well.


    Vivid greenery crawled all over the walls, the gate, and the villa''s exterior. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Looking through the gate''s ironwork and with the glow of the sunset, one could see a sea.


    A sea of flowers.


    Numerous diverse flowers of differing forms and colors surrounded the central white villa.


    They were arranged haphazardly, one might even say in disarray; the few large trees in the yard grew untamed, their branches chaotic, far from the orderly groomed ornamental trees of his past life.


    Yet, these disordered flowers and untamed trees together seemed naturally perfect, exuding an indescribable natural beauty.

 Chapter 205 - 164 Retreating for Cultivation (4.8k)_2

    Here¡ªwas the residence of his senior student, the Half-Elf Lillian. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Taking a light breath, Colin stepped forward, and pressed the doorbell entwined with vines.


    Ding¡ª


    A clear sound echoed.


    Colin''s expression was serene as he stood patiently at the door, while a breeze stirred the flowers in the yard, fluttering the stray hairs on his forehead.


    Shortly after.


    The villa''s main door suddenly opened.


    A petite figure stepped out.


    "Colin, my junior... why have you come to find me so late?"


    Lillian walked towards the door, her voice tinged with curiosity.


    She was not dressed in the School''s standard Wizard Robe like usual, but instead wore a plain, white dress, her mid-length golden hair not tied up, cascading down like a waterfall.


    On Renee or other girls, this style of dress would undoubtedly be pure and cute...


    But on Lillian, it was only childlike cuteness... and fantasy.


    Colin''s eyes moved slightly.


    Where Lillian walked, the originally vibrant flowers seemed to bloom even more brightly, and the next moment, gleaming halos began to light up.


    By then, the wind had stopped, and under the gradually darkening Sky, the flowers did not cease to sway. The dreamlike glowing halos slowly lit up, forming a distinct path of light as Lillian moved forward.


    Then, like a domino effect starting from the path of light, each flower lit up one after another until the whole sea of flowers was aglow.


    "Is there a problem with Betty?"


    Amid the glowing sea of flowers, Lillian looked up and asked softly.


    "Good evening, Senior Lillian," Colin came back to his senses, shook his head, and responded:


    "Everything is smooth at Lady Betty''s end."


    After saying this, Colin hesitated for a moment, made up his mind, and said:


    "Senior Lillian, I''ve come to ask if I could borrow some Magic Stones from you... um, I''ll repay them within half a year, with an interest rate of five percent per month, how about that?"


    Indeed, rather than waste time and still take risks in earning money, it was better to borrow some Magic Stones directly from Lillian.


    To improve one''s strength first and then earn Magic Stones was the most cost-effective choice.


    When Lillian heard Colin''s words, she clearly paused for a moment.


    Brushing a strand of hair from her ear, she asked:


    "How many Magic Stones do you need?"


    "Three thousand Magic Stones," Colin blurted out.


    Since he was borrowing anyway, he might as well borrow a bit more, to have extra just in case.


    "Okay," Lillian nodded her head.


    Colin was slightly surprised; he did not expect Lillian to agree so readily.


    Looking at Lillian''s calm face, he felt somewhat embarrassed. Hesitating again, he spoke up:


    "Make it ten percent per month for the interest."


    Actually, for a loan, a monthly interest rate of five percent was already quite high.


    But the favor of lending Magic Stones could not be measured by the Magic Stones themselves.


    "No need," Lillian shook her head, "there''s no need for interest."


    Her voice was soft yet determined, dissipating any thought of objection.


    "Okay," Colin pursed his lips, didn''t make a fuss, and simply replied.


    "Thank you, Senior Lillian," he paused before saying again.


    Lillian waved her hand nonchalantly and turned to walk back to the villa.


    "Just wait for me a moment."


    Her voice carried on the wind, and with her departure, the blooming flowers seemed to sense their owner''s absence and began to extinguish their glow step by step.


    By the time Lillian had reentered the villa, the garden in front of Colin had returned to darkness.


    Coincidentally, the last ray of sunlight at the edge of the Sky also slowly sank into the earth.


    Darkness fell.


    But Colin''s heart was filled with hope, like the dawn''s early light.


    "Whew¡ª"


    He let out a gentle breath, a faint smile appearing on his handsome face.


    But quickly, he reined in his emotions, returning to his composed state.


    Magic Stones, the biggest problem for the moment, had been resolved.


    But as the saying goes, "The journey of a hundred miles begins with a single step"... As long as he hadn''t successfully switched his Meditation Method, he couldn''t let down his guard for a day.


    What''s more, for several months after taking the Magic Erasure Potion, he would be without Magic Power... Getting through this would be no simple matter.


    Before long, Lillian returned with the Magic Stones.


    After receiving them and thanking her again, Colin said his farewells and left.


    There was much to be done next; he had to make the most of his time.


    ...


    The next day, inside the School, at Atbolde''s residence.


    Inside the study.


    "You mean to say that you plan to start a three-month seclusion for training from today?" Atbolde spoke slowly.


    "Yes, Instructor," Colin answered, pausing before adding:


    "So, I came to ask for your help in applying for an exemption from the School''s assigned tasks for these few months."


    It was true that Atbolde had no tasks assigned to him.


    But at the Tin Saint School, for each Apprentice, one or two simple tasks aligned with their level of ability were distributed every month.


    Usually, unless there was an exceptional case, these tasks were mandatory.


    "I see," Atbolde nodded, stating slowly: "I will apply on your behalf ¨C you focus on your training."


    His expression was gentle as if he had no doubts that Colin was trying to skive.


    Seeing this, Colin felt somewhat relieved. This was a tricky issue, but Atbolde was much more accommodating than he had imagined.


    "Then I won''t bother you any longer."


    He bid Atbolde farewell and hurriedly left.


    He then took the public carriage, heading straight back to his guardian''s home.


    When the public carriage arrived at the door.


    Renee was directing a freight carriage unloading an exotic and large tree.

 Chapter 206 - 164: Closed Door Meditation (4.8k)_3

    A group of Knight Movers stood in two rows, lifting the large tree and transporting it to a spot on the left side of the courtyard, near the middle.


    There, a large pit had already been dug in advance.


    Colin dismounted from his carriage, watching them replant the mighty tree.


    This was the Weeping Pipe Willow he had purchased for two-hundred Magic Stones.


    True to its name, its appearance resembled a willow, except that its leaves were composed of numerous slender ducts.


    These ducts could detect scents and vibrations.


    In terms of sensitivity to smell, they were even far superior to ordinary dogs.


    Of course, if used for vigilance, animals would actually be more suitable... There were many animals with better detection capabilities.


    Colin bought it mainly because it was a plant.


    As long as it was a plant, Nado could mostly integrate it.


    Nado''s own detection ability was weak, and buying this Weeping Pipe Willow was precisely to compensate for this shortcoming.


    Strengthening the defense of his small courtyard.


    Ahead, Knight Labourers were energetically shoveling soil.


    Shovel after shovel.


    The soil gradually buried the Weeping Pipe Willow''s developed, thick, brown root system.


    At the same time, within Colin''s perception, an invisible breath was slowly rising from the depths of the earth along the roots, gradually engulfing the Weeping Pipe Willow.


    During this process, a hint of cyan-golden veins emerged on the surface of the Weeping Pipe Willow, the trunk, branches, and even the leaves, were all adorned with cyan-golden veins.


    Everything was proceeding smoothly, and the Weeping Pipe Willow, with its not insignificant life force, had no power to resist under Nado''s assimilation.


    Seeing this, Colin inwardly raised his estimation of Nado.


    Perhaps, purely in terms of offensive power, Nado was at best comparable to an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice, not very strong.


    But in terms of the essence of life, it was more than just that level.


    Thinking this, he couldn''t help but sigh again.


    He never expected to receive such a practical plant for free... thanks to the generous Instructor Atbolde.


    Withdrawing his gaze, Colin walked towards the tree, gently caressing its bark.


    Nado''s main body was actually a strange gel substance, and if it weren''t for its ability to survive on just water, sunlight, and soil... it really didn''t seem like a plant.


    But regardless, with the Weeping Pipe Willow''s ability to sense scents and vibrations, Nado could better utilize its special ability¡ªthe Resistance Force Field.


    This was a force field that Nado would produce after imbuing a sufficient number of plants, its power potentially reaching the level of an Advanced Wizard Apprentice.


    Most suitable for home defense.


    Even so, he still had some concerns in his heart.


    Once he consumed the Demon Extinguishing Potion, he would lose his Magic Power, and without Magic Power... he would lose most of a wizard''s might.


    If witchcraft knowledge was the engine, then Magic Power was the fuel driving it.


    But compared to such risks, he could not accept a significant decline in his aptitude.


    His current environment was already a rare stability.


    Exhaling gently, Colin instructed Renee,


    "Renee, starting today, except for the bi-monthly food purchases, you and Demi should no longer go out."


    "Yes, Master," Renee nodded.


    Colin had already briefed her on the matter long ago; now, he was merely emphasizing it.


    "Hmm," Colin nodded, no longer hesitating, and walked toward the basement.


    He was going to complete the last task before seclusion¡ª


    That was to break the limit for the Sunlight Breathing Technique!


    Without Magic Power, Knight Power would become his sole reliance.


    The timing was just right, as both the Sunlight Breathing Technique and the Knight Rank had reached their limits. Yesterday''s test revealed that breaking the limit for the Sunlight Breathing Technique would only require 500 Magic Stones...


    With the Magic Stones in hand being exactly enough, he had no reason not to break the limit!


    ''Just unsure if breaking the limit can take the path of the Knight further and break through the Ultimate Knight.''


    He exhaled softly, no longer hesitating, and started the Limit Breaking.


    The Limit Breaking Point had already been converted to two-thousand-five the night before, there was no need to convert more points, he pressed heavily on the ¡ü symbol behind the second Limit Breaking Sunlight Breathing Technique!


    Boom!


    Pale golden radiance intertwined and transformed, a new line of characters appeared on the Golden Paper.


    [Sunlight Breathing Technique (Golden)].


    Colin closed his eyes, digesting the information coming to his brain.


    A moment later, he slowly opened his eyes, disappointment clearly etched on his face. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The golden Sunlight Breathing Technique after breaking the limit did not bring the substantial enhancement he hoped for, which would have allowed him to further progress on the path of the Knight.


    However, it couldn''t be said that there was no improvement at all¡ªan increase of about ten to twenty percent in Knight Power.


    But such an improvement was not a qualitative enhancement. In his view, it still belonged to the category of an Ultimate Knight.


    ''Advancement as a Knight... perhaps requires the integration of several more Breathing Skills.''


    Glancing at the Yili Breathing Method next to the Sunlight Breathing Technique, Colin mused quietly.


    But he didn''t have the time, energy, or Magic Stones to try now... It could only be left for later.


    ''But no matter what... there is some improvement.''


    Adjusting his mood, Colin began to break the limit of the Circulation Meditation Method.


    In fact, the Circulation Meditation Method could have been broken months ago, but to avoid wasting Magic Stones, he had not done it.


    Soon, with the count in the Limit Breaking Point column suddenly dropping from 2000 to 1000, the Circulation Meditation Method also successfully broke through to the golden level.


    With everything ready, the next step was to officially go into seclusion!


    Taking a deep breath, Colin pulled out a Magic Erasure Potion and drank half a bottle in one gulp!

 Chapter 207 - 165: Leaving the Pass

    The crystalline liquid flowed down the throat and dispersed in front of the chest where the Magic Sea lay, like a mist, bringing a refreshing sensation.


    The abundant Magic Power, upon contact with the mist of the Magic Potion, melted slowly but unstoppably like a flame licking paper.


    As the Magic Power vanished, an inexplicable sense of emptiness gradually surfaced and Colin''s face turned pale.


    From ingesting the Magic Erasure Potion to the complete dissolution of Magic Power, the entire process lasted about half an hour.


    Half an hour later.


    Colin focused and carefully sensed.


    Indeed, the Magic Sea in front of his chest was now completely empty.


    Rubbing the smooth glass bottle of Magic Erasure Potion in his hand, Colin took a deep breath, put it away, and resolutely began to practice the Tin Saint Meditation.


    Once the Tin Saint Meditation was initiated, there was no turning back¡ªno opportunity for regret. In the next phase, he would lose his Magic Power and become a mortale.


    But where in the world was there a perfect choice? The Tin Saint, Nado, Knight Level... he had done everything he could.


    Now it was time to leave it to time!


    As the Tin Saint Meditation operated, the surrounding Magic Power was gradually drawn by spiritual power, purified, and transformed into pure energy.


    Then, like birds flying into a forest, it slowly entered Colin''s body and under the guidance of the meditation, underwent a series of complex transformations, and finally, at the center of the Magic Sea in his chest, became pure Magic Power.


    This was the usual process of cultivation.


    However, this time, the Magic Power, the moment it entered Colin''s body, seemed to encounter a barrier and dissipated instantly like snowflakes near a fire.


    Without the influx of Magic Power, there would naturally be no advancement in Wizard Level, and the increase in spiritual power was also minimal.


    But there was one exception¡ªthe Tin Saint Meditation.


    Under the influence of the Golden Paper, every complete cycle of cultivation could advance the progression of the Tin Saint Meditation a fraction further!


    And so, time flew like an arrow.


    In the yard, a variety of flowers bloomed radiantly, then withered and died, and the color of the grass gradually shifted from tender green to dark green... The scent of spring had vanished, replaced by the hot atmosphere of summer.


    That morning, Renee was sitting under a willow tree, enjoying the cool shade.


    She sat on a pale yellow bamboo lounge chair, holding a yellow-covered novel in her hand.


    No fan was needed, nor present.


    Under the willow tree, for some reason, it always seemed cooler and the air fresher than elsewhere.


    Rustle¡ª


    Accompanied by the scent of fresh grass, a gentle breeze fluttered by, rustling the pages of the book in her hands. Tired from playing, Demi was lying on a small lounge chair beside her, sleeping...


    Everything was quiet and leisurely, and although she couldn''t go outside, she was quite content with this way of life.


    However...


    Renee looked toward the villa not far away, her eyebrows slightly furrowed.


    It seemed to have been about three months now... In these three months, aside from when she delivered meals, she hardly saw Colin.


    Only on very rare occasions could she see him standing on the second-floor balcony, quietly gazing into the distance...


    Creak¡ª


    Just then, the door on the first floor suddenly opened.


    Colin came out with a smile on his face.


    "Good morning, Master," said Renee as she stood up and approached him, a look of surprise on her face.


    "Good morning," Colin smiled and commanded, "Make lunch a bit more lavish today, I''m going out for a bit."


    "Of course, Master," Renee instinctively responded. A second later, realizing what he said, she looked at Colin''s retreating figure with some surprise.


    Going out... If she remembered correctly, this was the first time in three months that Colin had mentioned leaving the house.


    "By the way," it seemed he remembered something, Colin paused, then turned back and said, "From today onwards, everything goes back to normal, no need to avoid going out anymore."


    Yes, just today... or rather just now.


    He had successfully fused the Tin Saint Meditation with the Circulation Meditation, successfully switching his meditation method! S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The new meditation method was named by him, taking one character from the name of each original meditation method, calling it the Tin Ring Meditation Method.


    Feeling the magic power refilling his body, Colin''s sense of security also replenished, and he continued to walk briskly towards the outside.


    Changing his meditation method was just the first step. To advance to an Official Wizard, he still needed to obtain the follow-up meditation methods after becoming an Official Wizard.


    This was also why he chose to join a School, since his Circulation Meditation had no follow-up.


    To rely on Golden Paper Limit Breaking to find the follow-up parts needed to advance to Official Wizard... was probably a far stretch, not knowing when a way out would be found.


    Putting other things aside, just taking his current situation as an example, both the Circulation Meditation and Tin Saint Meditation had already broken limits to gold, and had even merged.


    But the new meditation method was still just an Apprentice''s meditation method.


    There was no advanced content.


    On the other hand, in terms of Knight, although the Sunlight Breathing Skill did not offer much new enhancement when it broke limits to gold, it included content above Great Knight during the second limit breaking.


    The reason behind this was still unknown.


    "Perhaps the merged meditations aren''t enough?"


    Colin shook his head.


    Regardless, he was no longer a Wild Wizard.


    If it had been before, he might still be troubled by the lack of follow-up for his meditation method.


    But now, all he needed to do was to go to the residence of the School''s mentor and ask Atbolde.


    That was the advantage of being in a School.


    If he were to advance to a Second Rank Wizard later, he would not have to worry about follow-up meditation methods again.


    After all, from what he had seen, there was at least a Third Rank Wizard present in the Tin Saint School...


    As for beyond the third rank... it was too far off to consider at the moment.


    Thinking of this, he suddenly had a thought.


    ''If I need to change schools later, won''t I need to change meditation methods again... Would that mean reducing my aptitude?''


    Speaking of this, a long-standing problem in his heart resurfaced.


    Why did... no, why did wizards on remote islands, when changing meditation methods upon advancing to Advanced Wizard Apprentices, experience such great impact?


    Changing meditation methods reducing aptitude, he understood; it was a normal occurrence.


    After all, if you were a blank slate before practicing a meditation method, then after practicing, it was as though there had been doodling on it.


    Naturally, painting on a blank slate and painting on a paper already filled with doodles offered different levels of freedom.


    But simply changing meditation methods, the impact wasn''t that significant, at most ten or fifteen percent... perhaps even less than the effect of a bad mood.


    Why would the impact be so significant for those who advanced to Advanced Wizard Apprentices on remote islands...


    Was it due to the quality of human nature and knowledge''s spiritual light?


    Suppressing his scattered thoughts, Colin said to the coachman in front of the public carriage:


    "Huapei District, Tin Saint Street."


    Such seemingly irrational facts were often the reality.


    Those wizards from remote islands, especially those who joined small Schools and advanced on remote islands as Advanced Apprentices, were destined from the start to face more hardships than other wizards and also had a lower upper limit.


    If changing Schools, it often meant that there was no way forward.


    It was only he, with the Golden Paper, who could escape such a fate.


    There has never been fairness between people... and Wizards were no exception.


    The center of wizards always lay in the continent... Blackstone Island was just a small island so remote it couldn''t be more remote.


    Those who climbed from obscurity to the summit were heroes, winners, protagonists... not ordinary people.


    Trot-trot-trot¡ª


    The carriage sped, and the wind lifted the curtain of the carriage window.


    In no time, he arrived at the residence of the Tin Saint School.

 Chapter 208 - 166 Gathering

    He walked into the School and marched quickly down the path.


    Soon, he arrived outside the dwelling of his mentor, Atbolde.


    After passing the verification of the Xi flowers, he stepped onto the stone path.


    The place was as tranquil as ever.


    But perhaps because he had been raising a Nado himself, this time, he distinctly felt that the plants around were somewhat different.


    In fact, if one was familiar enough, they could indeed perceive some differences between plants taken over by Nado and ordinary ones.


    Such as the faint golden green veins, as well as the more orderly growth¡­


    "Colin."


    Suddenly, just as he was carefully observing the surrounding plants, a familiar voice came slowly from the side.


    He looked in the direction of the voice, and saw a green branch hanging from a large tree beside the path.


    At the tip of the branch blossomed a trumpet-shaped white flower.


    The voice was coming from within the white flower.


    It seemed¡­ to be Atbolde''s voice.


    "Have you finished your closed-door training?" the white flower continued to transmit the mentor''s voice.


    The white flower perfectly mimicked Atbolde''s slow speech rate and his gentle, calm tone.


    "Yes, Mentor Atbolde."


    Although it was not face-to-face, Colin still bowed slightly, respectfully replying.


    In this manor-style residence belonging to Atbolde, nothing could escape the mentor''s eyes.


    His arrival was naturally included¡­ he had known that long ago.


    He just didn''t know why he was being called all of a sudden.


    "Hmm, in the blink of an eye, another three months have gone by... Have you finished your training then?" Atbolde sighed, then spoke up:


    "If you are looking for me, do not go to the study, I am not there.


    Come to the top floor of the villa, we are hosting our monthly gathering, hmm, there are delicious roast pigeon."


    Gathering?


    "Alright, Mentor." Colin promptly replied.


    Although he had been Atbolde''s student for more than three months, he had only met two of the other students so far ¡ª Marjorie and Lillian.


    But one couldn''t blame him for that, apart from the reason of his closed-door training.


    It was also because Atbolde hardly interfered with him and didn''t assign him any tasks.


    Moreover, Atbolde didn''t seem to give lessons in general.


    So he also had no chance to interact with more classmates.


    Thinking of this, Colin couldn''t help but sigh in his heart.


    Atbolde''s place was indeed free and leisurely, he could hardly find any fault with it... and he didn''t know why there were no new apprentices joining.


    Following Atbolde''s instructions, he walked straight into the main building of the villa and stepped towards the top floor.


    As soon as he stepped onto the top floor, the pleasing sound of a violin vaguely reached his ears, mixed with some conversation and the aroma of food.


    Following the sound and fragrance, Colin walked to the room in the center.


    Knock, knock, knock¡ª


    He knocked lightly on the door.


    "Come in, Colin." Atbolde''s voice came slowly from inside.


    He pushed the door and entered.


    Here was a spacious hall.


    At the moment, a simple banquet was being held, and the long square table was laden with an array of food.


    There were not many people, not even ten including Atbolde.


    Hmm, counting carefully, besides the maids and Atbolde, there were only four wizards.


    Two female witches and two male wizards.


    ...It was pitifully few if these were all the students Atbolde had taken.


    At the moment, the apprentices were standing around Atbolde, holding glasses of wine or plates of food in their hands.


    Beside Atbolde, Lillian was holding a light-brown violin.


    "Good morning, Mentor Atbolde." Colin greeted him respectfully.


    Actually, gatherings like this were usually held in the afternoon or evening.


    But here, it was in the morning... needless to say, it was certainly because of Atbolde.


    "Good morning, Colin." Atbolde raised the silver fork in his hand in response, onto which a pigeon leg was speared.


    Come to think of it, this was the first time he had seen Atbolde standing up.


    And it was when Atbolde stood, he realized that the mentor, though thin and stooped, was still tall.


    Even now somewhat old and bent, he was at least one meter ninety in height.


    "Hmm... relax, no need to stand there, come and choose something you like to eat," Atbolde added.


    "Alright." Colin nodded and walked toward the dining table.


    A maid had already prepared a plate and silver fork for him.


    "This is Colin Leonard, the apprentice who has recently joined us."


    As he casually selected a few items and walked over with his plate of food, Atbolde took the opportunity to introduce him to the others.


    "Nehemiah."


    "Fanny."


    Marjorie and Lillian had known him for a while, so they merely greeted him. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The other two Wizards simply introduced themselves by name.


    Fanny was a Witch, of plain appearance and visibly not young, a rare corpulent figure among her kind, with a gentle demeanor.


    Nehemiah looked like a young man with pale skin, but the fine lines at the corners of his eyes betrayed his age as well.


    "Colin, this is your first time at the gathering, so you might be a bit puzzled. Let me explain a few things," Atbolde took the initiative to say,


    "This meeting is a tradition I''ve always insisted on. Over two hundred years ago, I set this rule¡ª"


    "Every Apprentice of mine needs to try to attend this monthly dinner."


    "I haven''t made it mandatory to come every time, nor have I specified what the meeting should entail... You can simply come to eat, chat with the other Apprentices, or, you could ask me some questions."


    "Alright, Mentor Atbolde, I understand," Colin nodded.


    "Mhm." Atbolde nodded slowly and turned with a smile, "Please continue, Lillian."


    Lillian nodded, put the violin back on her shoulder, and resumed playing.


    As the music began, the awkward silence that had settled due to Colin''s arrival started to dissipate once again.


    Colin''s gaze flickered as he moved close to Atbolde, and he whispered,


    "Mentor, I would like to ask you something."


    "Of course, ask away," Atbolde, now seated, placed his dish of roasted pigeon on the wooden table and responded warmly.


    Colin hesitated, unsure whether he should ask his question in front of everyone else.


    There were only a few people in the hall, all close enough that the content of their conversations could be heard.


    Atbolde saw his hesitant expression and waved his hand gently.


    "Go ahead, they can''t hear us now."


    "Don''t worry about it being awkward for them; in fact, it''s quite common, well, at least it was when we had more people.


    Back then, if someone had a question they did not want overheard, I would temporarily seal off the sound."


    "Thank you, Mentor Atbolde," Colin hesitated no more and got straight to the point:


    "I would like to ask how to obtain the continuation of the Tin Saint Meditation Method, such as the part for advancing to an Official Wizard."


    "After meeting the requirements, just apply to the Mentor," Atbolde replied.


    "In that case, I would like to apply to get the part of the Tin Saint Meditation Method for advancing to an Official Wizard," said Colin.


    "Very well," Atbolde said, paused, and then asked, "Have you completed the switch to the Tin Saint Meditation?"


    "I have."


    "And have you fully recovered your Magic Power?"


    "...It will take a bit more time," Colin replied after a pause.


    After successfully switching Meditation Methods, the level of Magic Power inside one''s body would usually fall to the Basic Level Wizard Apprentice.


    For an Advanced Wizard Apprentice, it typically takes about a month to return to their original level...


    But he was different. If nothing unexpected happened, he would recover his Magic Power by tomorrow.


    This was mainly because he didn''t truly switch Meditation Methods.


    Additionally, it''s worth mentioning that the new Tin Ring Meditation Method, perhaps because it was fused from two golden Meditation Methods,


    had an excellent cultivation effect, reaching almost inconceivable heights.


    Just this morning after the fusion and first meditation, his Rank as a Wizard had jumped a whole 3 points in progress.


    "It will take a bit more time... When exactly did you successfully change your Meditation Method?" Atbolde asked.


    Hesitantly and vaguely, Colin responded, "Just in the last couple of days."


    "Mhm." Atbolde nodded, his expression calm, but he sighed softly to himself.


    He knew that Colin came from a remote island and was an Advanced Wizard Apprentice who had progressed there... And now, having switched Meditation Methods, the chance to advance to Official Wizard must have become slim to none.


    Although Colin seemed calm and still hopeful, even eager to obtain the continuation right after switching his Meditation Method, filled with passion...


    But some things can''t be achieved with passion and effort alone.


    ''Damned Tainted babblings!''


    Thinking this, he couldn''t help but curse silently.


    Yet outwardly, he maintained a warm demeanor toward Colin, smiling and saying,


    "Focus on recovering your Magic Power recently... After the gathering, I''ll give you the part of the Meditation Method to advance to Official Wizard."


    Actually, obtaining the content for advancing to Official Wizard was not so straightforward, entailing more rigorous evaluation and requirements, and sometimes even the completion of certain tasks or earning enough academic points.


    But... he couldn''t be bothered anymore; after all, it was just the part for advancing to Official Wizard, a matter of signing a good contract.


    How many years had it been since he had an Apprentice willing to come to him?


    And this one had specifically requested to study under him... Why be so strict?


    "Thank you, Mentor!" Colin bowed deeply, his joy palpable as he expressed his gratitude.


    He hadn''t expected things to go so smoothly; he had thought there would be some sort of assessment or tasks to earn the continuation of the Tin Saint Meditation Method for an Official Wizard.


    To think it was as simple as asking the Mentor!


    However, the ease of the situation made Colin worry anew. The questions he had harboured before resurfaced.


    With things so favorable at Mentor Atbolde''s, why had no Apprentices joined for so long?


    On the other side, after Atbolde heard his thanks, he smiled and waved his hand, dispelling the invisible Silence Barrier.


    It was a two-way Silence Barrier, so when it was removed, the chatter of Marjorie and the others outside suddenly came through.


    It seemed he heard something interesting, and Atbolde spoke up:


    "It sounds like you''re discussing something quite intriguing over there."

 Chapter 209 - 167: Taking and Asking

    Atbolde''s words resonated, causing a momentary pause in the conversation.


    Then Marjorie hesitated and opened her mouth,


    "Mentor, I heard that the school is going to reduce the subsidies for the apprentices, is that true?"


    "Reduce the subsidies?!" Nehemiah exclaimed in amazement from the side.


    "Yes," Atbolde said, then softly added,


    "However, it''s not all apprentices whose subsidies will be reduced, only certain mentors'' apprentices will have their subsidies cut¡­ unfortunately, I am indeed one of them."


    Atbolde''s voice remained calm, as always slow-paced.


    Yet it was also tinged with a hint of a different emotion, like a sigh mixed with self-mockery.


    The hall fell silent for a moment, then the cheerful, vibrant sound of a violin suddenly started.


    Lillian, who had stopped playing and been eating at the side, now raised her violin to her shoulder again and resumed playing.


    As the music began, Colin felt an inexplicable boost in spirit.


    Elves in this world were all born artists¡­ Lillian, being a Half-Elf, seemed no less skilled.


    This piece of music, it must be something more than just ordinary¡­ Colin thought to himself.


    When the music ended, the somber atmosphere was swept away.


    The group restarted their conversation, but tacitly avoided mentioning the previous topic.


    "Recently, the situation on the southern islands is reportedly not good," Nehemiah said, his face showing deep concern.


    "Yes, it''s said that south of Lina Island, nine out of ten islands have fallen into Divine hands," Marjorie added.


    "That severe?" Colin asked, joining the conversation.


    "It''s not such a big issue, just some remote islands," Fanny interjected,


    "In recent times, wizards from all continents, especially from our Siya Continent, have been continuously heading to the front lines, there''s no need to worry."


    "That''s true, the number of wizards we''ve seen in the school lately seems to have decreased¡­ probably because many have gone to Lina to take their chance,"


    Nehemiah said, a hint of envy on his face as he added,


    "The reward rules this time from the school are really attractive, it''s just a pity¡­"


    A pity that other factions were led by their mentors¡­ even if the apprentices ultimately received few benefits, it was still better than staying in the school.


    And they could only stay on the continent, watching enviously as wizards from other factions reaped their rewards.


    Even a single hair from a Divine being, for a Wizard Apprentice, was immensely valuable.


    Whether exchanging it for Magic Stones or using it for personal research, either way, it was quite beneficial...


    Marjorie speculated aloud, interrupting Nehemiah''s thoughts.


    "That''s probably also why the schools are cutting other apprentices'' subsidies¡­"


    "Perhaps¡­" Fanny responded softly.


    Nehemiah remained silent, his gaze flickering.


    The topic once again lapsed into silence.


    "By the way, Colin," Marjorie suddenly asked, "how is your change in Meditation Method going?"


    "Changed Meditation Method?" Nehemiah looked surprised.


    Typically, for affiliated schools under the Tin Saint School, their Meditation Methods, being designed, generally accommodate the Tin Saint Meditation during an apprentice period.


    Like a pot can hold a bowl, though not a perfect analogy, an apprentice''s Tin Saint Meditation can hold a designed, changed affiliated school Meditation Method.


    So apprentices transferring from affiliated schools normally wouldn''t have trouble changing, Marjorie asking like this¡­


    "I just successfully changed it these past two days," Colin responded to Marjorie. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Colin, weren''t you promoted from our affiliated school?" Nehemiah asked, "...Which school or family within the city are you from?"


    "I am just a Wandering Wizard," Colin shook his head, "I come from a small island in the southern seas."


    Regarding where he was from, it had been recorded when he joined the school, and he assumed Nehemiah and the others knew this.


    "A small island¡­" Nehemiah mumbled almost imperceptibly, a realization dawning in his mind,


    ''No wonder he chose Atbolde as his mentor¡­ perhaps he had no extra Magic Stones to offer, or had offended someone.''


    "Just changed Meditation Methods?" Marjorie said in surprise, seemingly realizing his words might have been inappropriate,


    he coughed twice, then quickly added, "A bit slow, but keep it up, recover your Magic Power level soon!"


    "Thank you, senior Marjorie," Colin expressed his gratitude.


    "Keep it up," Fanny encouraged as well.


    "Thank you."


    But Nehemiah only glanced at him.


    Colin didn''t mind and turned to walk towards Lillian, who had been eating silently at the table, and started speaking,


    "Senior Lillian, I''ve been in seclusion practicing¡­"


    "What are you talking about?"


    For some reason, Nehemiah suddenly stepped forward, interrupting the conversation.


    Without waiting for an answer from Colin and Lillian, he continued,


    "Senior Lillian, are you free this weekend? I''ve changed to a chef who is a culinary expert¡­"


    "Sorry, Nehemiah," Lillian put down her fork and knife and spoke indifferently.


    "¡­" Nehemiah paused, then smiled, "Okay, senior."


    Lillian nodded, then turned to Colin, "Did you need something?"


    Colin glanced at Nehemiah, hesitated, but continued, "Senior Lillian, I''ve finished my seclusion practice and will gradually start repaying the Magic Stones I borrowed from you."


    In these three months, Lillian had never once rushed him for a repayment, almost as if she had forgotten about it.

 Chapter 210 - 167 Demanding and Taking_2

    But regardless of what Lillian thought,


    according to his own plans, now that the closed training had ended, it was time to repay the Magic Stone.


    "Um," Lillian responded without much expression, simply murmuring an acknowledgment.


    "Alright." Colin nodded, carried his plate, and walked to the side.


    Thus, everyone chatted intermittently while eating.


    Through such conversations, he learned many interesting pieces of information,


    like the recent world situation and amusing tales from the Schools.


    However, Lillian was always silent, hardly participating in the conversation.


    After a while, Atbolde announced the end of the gathering.


    Click.


    Colin pulled out his pocket watch to take a look.


    It was only just now half-past ten in the morning... He had left home around nine o''clock, by which time the gathering had probably already started.


    An early gathering like this, with solid dishes on the table such as roast squab and lamb legs plentiful...


    Probably only beings with extraordinary power like Wizard Knights didn''t have to worry about stomach issues.


    "Come with me."


    After everyone had left, Atbolde spoke slowly to Colin.


    His tall figure was stooped as he moved silently forward, his wide grey Wizard Robe covering his legs and making him seem like a ghost floating along.


    Soon, Colin followed Atbolde downstairs to the study.


    Reclining in an ancient wicker chair that sprouted little green leaves, Atbolde beckoned, and a gnarled branch handed a crystal the size of a quail egg to Colin.


    "Inside this is the part of the Tin Saint Meditation Method for advancing to Official Wizard," he said, watching Colin carefully.


    Colin took the crystal, caressed its smooth surface, and listened intently to Atbolde''s narration.


    "Speaking of which, Colin, have you previously acquired some knowledge about advancing to Official Wizard, or rather, do you know what the most obvious difference is between a Wizard Apprentice and an Official Wizard on the surface?"


    "I have learned a bit about it, and as for the biggest difference between Wizard Apprentices and Official Wizards¡ª" Colin furrowed his brow in thought and slowly replied, "Could it be... Talent?"


    "Yes," Atbolde nodded, "That is the most noticeable difference after a Wizard Apprentice advances to an Official Wizard."


    He paused, then continued, "But in fact, the most fundamental difference between a Wizard Apprentice and an Official Wizard is in the Spirit."


    "If the spirit of a Wizard Apprentice is a lake, then the spirit of an Official Wizard is a world."


    "And this kind of world is also what we call the Spirit Sea!"


    "Advancing to Official Wizard is the process of opening up the Spirit Sea!"


    Colin nodded slowly, echoing:


    "My instructors from the School I used to attend taught us¡ª


    ''The essence of a Wizard''s cultivation is the process of continuous growth and elevation of the Spirit.''"


    "To my understanding as a student, those so-called acts of witchcraft or even Talent should all be outward expressions and applications of the Spirit."


    "That''s the correct conclusion," Atbolde praised, then added after a pause,


    "Apart from being an external expression of the Spirit, Talent is actually a tool for advancing to Official Wizard."


    "The spirit of a Wizard Apprentice is a solid and stable nucleus."


    "If you rely solely on meditation to absorb Magic Power, you will hit a plateau, hardly advancing... let alone a qualitative leap."


    "While Talent is like a seed."


    "Just as a plant sprouts and breaks through the ground, when the Talent Seed sprouts, it can stretch the nucleus and open up the Spirit Sea!"


    "So, the method for an Apprentice to advance to First Rank Wizard during the apprentice phase is to cultivate Talent. The purpose of all the preparations done in the Meditation Method at this stage is to ensure the Talent can successfully break through the ground."


    Like receiving enlightenment, Colin exhaled a breath of relief, suddenly understanding.


    He had previously bought books related to advancing to Official Wizard on Bananka Island and had read them many times over.


    He knew that the key to advancing to Official Wizard was Talent, but what Talent was, why it needed to be cultivated, and the essence of advancement, these were all glossed over in those books.


    But here with Atbolde, just a few sentences had led him to an instant understanding.


    This was the advantage of having a mentor.


    "Thank you, Mentor Atbolde."


    Atbolde nodded slowly and then reminded him,


    "The part of the Meditation Method for advancing to Official Wizard has been given to you ahead of time, but you have just changed your Meditation Method and haven''t even recovered your Magic Power..."


    "Remember not to be overly ambitious; only a solid foundation can support a tall building. Otherwise, failing to build a high-rise is a minor issue, but if one day the high-rise suddenly collapses... that would be irreparable."


    Atbolde''s words were unusually serious as he said this, and he even took special care to add a few more cautions:


    "You must remember today''s warning; only when you have reached the Peak of the Apprentice phase and can go no further is it time to start fulfilling the corresponding prerequisites for cultivating Talent and prepare for breakthrough."


    "I understand, Mentor Atbolde," Colin said somberly. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A shaky foundation meant collapse on a high-rise, and for them Wizards, it meant mutation or corruption...


    Although Golden Paper was valuable, if he became blindly overconfident because of it and lost caution... the consequences would probably be dire.

 Chapter 211 - 167: Taking and Asking_3

    "There''s still some time left," Atbolde said, glancing at the tree ring-style clock hanging on the study wall. "Is there anything else you want to ask me?"


    "No, not for now," Colin shook his head, touching his chest and bowing.


    "Thank you, Mentor Atbolde."


    "Mm," Atbolde softly acknowledged, a rare flicker of hesitation in his eyes, followed by a sigh, "Don''t put too much pressure on yourself, Colin."


    "Life is a brief and hurried journey, unable to carry too much."


    "The path of a wizard is long and far-reaching. Being a First Rank Wizard isn''t the end, nor is Second Rank, Third Rank, or Fourth Rank... But for most people, reaching Advanced Apprentice is already their endpoint.


    Among the remaining few, reaching First Rank Wizard is also their endpoint, and so forth. Very few ever reach the true endpoint of a wizard."


    Colin remained silent for a moment before slowly responding,


    "I understand, Wizard Atbolde."


    He grasped the underlying meaning in Atbolde''s words.


    Nothing more... It was simply advice to measure his own capabilities.


    Life is short, and if one were to devote all their energy chasing an unreachable goal, it would likely be unwise.


    "Good, as long as you understand," Atbolde nodded.


    Colin quietly nodded, bid farewell to Atbolde, and started walking toward the door.


    But quickly, he paused, turned his head, and asked Atbolde:


    "Mentor Atbolde, I have one more question." S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Go ahead," Atbolde nodded.


    "If I wanted to start learning how to make Magic Potions from scratch, which classes should I choose?"


    "You''ll need to do a few School tasks first to earn some academic points, take some paid courses, or would regular public classes suffice?"


    "At the beginning, the regular public classes in the School should be sufficient. Those courses that require academic points are usually Advanced, or they are specifically for the teaching of certain Magic Potions."


    "I''ll recommend some courses for you." While speaking, Atbolde pulled out a piece of white paper and picked up a fountain pen from the pen holder on the desk and began to write.


    "Foundations of Magic Potions... Encyclopedia of Magic Plants... The Essence of Magic Potions..."


    Soon, he handed the written paper to Colin.


    "Thank you, Mentor," Colin accepted the paper, deeply bowing with his hand on his chest.


    Atbolde''s generosity made his own gratitude seem somewhat pale and feeble.


    "No need to thank me," Atbolde responded, his face smiling, "Magic Potions is indeed a good choice... It seems you really took my words to heart."


    "Accepting one''s ordinariness is also a form of wisdom."


    Colin remained silent, offering no rebuttal.


    He simply bid farewell and left.


    Atbolde clearly thought of him as a Wandering Wizard from a remote island who had switched to practicing the Meditation Method... It seemed unrealistic for him to aspire to become an Official Wizard.


    He supposed Colin no longer planned to exert too much effort climbing the wizard''s path but to learn a skill and enjoy life.


    But...


    Colin stepped out of the villa, looking at the towering trees around him.


    Sunlight dappled across him.


    In the distance, a garden swayed continuously, some Magic Plants emitting strange lights, and small elves flitting about amongst them.


    This was a scene that had only existed in his imagination in a previous life.


    He gently exhaled, clenching his fist tightly.


    If there were a stone in his palm, it would have likely turned to dust by now.


    The power filling his body was also something that had only existed in his imagination in his former life.


    Maybe... Initially, he embarked on the wizard''s path merely for self-preservation.


    But now... With the opportunity and the capability,


    He had no reason not to go see the view from the highest peak!

 Chapter 212 - 168 Blue Jindin

    As soon as Colin returned home, he headed straight for the Meditation Room.


    Although, just like Atbolde had said, he was not yet at the point where he needed to advance.


    But taking a look at the Meditation Method in advance was always possible.


    As long as he didn''t start practicing too soon, there wouldn''t be any problems.


    Moreover, with his current training speed under the enhancement of the Tin Ring Meditation Method, he would probably need at most one month to push his Wizard Level to a hundred percent of the Apprentice phase!


    He couldn''t wait much longer.


    Unfortunately, the Tin Ring Meditation Method was, after all, a fusion of two Meditation Methods that had reached the Golden Paper level.


    Now, even though progress had appeared again, indicating that he could break limits once more, it probably wasn''t something that could be done in a short period of time.


    Otherwise, if he could break limits with the Tin Ring Meditation Method again soon, perhaps he wouldn''t even need a month, and maybe half a month would be enough to reach the peak of the Wizard Apprentice phase!


    ''Don''t be greedy, one month is already fast¡­''


    Shaking his head, Colin suppressed his scattered thoughts, took out the crystal, and concentrated his mind into it, starting to examine it carefully.


    The crystal given to him by Atbolde contained only the knowledge of the Meditation Methods for advancing to an Official Wizard, with no content on the Meditation Methods for a First Rank Wizard.


    If he wasn''t mistaken, the subsequent knowledge would probably only be accessible after he had advanced to an Official Wizard.


    Before long.


    He quickly skimmed through the content in the crystal in his hand.


    Atbolde had perfectly summarized the process of an Apprentice advancing to an Official Wizard.


    Just as he had said, the key to advancing as an Official Wizard lay in the Talent.


    And when he had reached the peak of the Apprentice phase, what he would need to do was plant the Talent Seed according to the Meditation Method and with the aid of some Magic Potions!


    After that, once everything was ready, it would be time to bring it all together¡ª


    To stimulate the Talent Seed!!


    This step required the Wizard Apprentice to fuel the process with Magic Power as firewood and Spirit as the kiln, offering their body and soul to nourish the Talent Seed!


    At that moment, it would either be the end of firewood and kiln or the success of advancing, creating the Spirit Sea!


    Talent¡­


    Colin stroked the crystal in his hand, slowly calling forth the Golden Paper.


    Faint golden particles converged to form an ancient paper that was somewhere between illusion and reality.


    He quickly scanned downwards.


    A line of characters leapt before his eyes¡ª


    [Talent: Strong Life I (4/100)]


    ''I wonder if there is any difference between the Talent on the Golden Paper and what the Meditation Method refers to as Talent.''


    Colin mused to himself in silence.


    It''s worth mentioning that even if the same Tin Saint Meditation is used to advance, the Talents acquired afterward may not necessarily be the same.


    The Talent Seed is just a seed, what kind of fruit it bears, or what flowers it blooms, varies for everyone.


    The type of Meditation Method used for advancement is one of the factors influencing the Talent, after all, different Meditation Methods have different tendencies.


    But more importantly, it''s actually oneself.


    The Wizard''s own self is the primary determinant of Talent.


    He put away the crystal and the Golden Paper.


    After musing for a moment, Colin began his daily meditation.


    Meditation has an upper limit, and missing a day meant missing out¡ªno amount of meditation the next day could make up for it.


    Therefore, ensuring daily meditation was very important for a Wizard.


    The sun was gradually tilting westward, it was probably around three in the afternoon when he slowly got up and ended his meditation.


    Thanks to the new Tin Ring Meditation Method, the time he needed for daily meditation had been reduced to 4 hours.


    As for the effect of this meditation, the progress of the Tin Ring Meditation Method remained completely unchanged, while his Wizard Level progress had steadily increased by three points.


    He stepped out of the Meditation Room.


    Colin glanced at the sky, the sun was still high up... judging by the usual pattern, there were about four more hours till nightfall.


    With a thought, he spoke a word to Renee and then walked toward the door.


    The time was still early, and his daily routine of meditation was over.


    Now was a good time to take another trip back to the School to check out the courses Atbolde had mentioned.


    If possible, he hoped to confirm them today so that he could start classes early and begin producing Magic Potions as soon as possible.


    This would allow him to earn enough Magic Stones to pay off his debts sooner.


    After all, whether in his past life or now, he didn''t like owing debts.


    Being in debt always left him feeling uncomfortable¡­ It was best to repay them as soon as possible.


    Moreover, cultivating the Talent Seed would require a lot of assistance¡­ and would likely cost quite a few Magic Stones.


    Besides, the Golden Paper also needed Magic Stones for limit breaking¡­ In short, it was never wrong to earn more Magic Stones without affecting the progress of meditation.


    The public carriage sped along, quickly arriving at the familiar grounds of the Tin Saint School. 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 walked briskly to the instructional area.


    "You want to select these courses now? Let me see which ones are about to start."


    In the room, a bearded old Wizard frowned as he took the white paper Colin handed over.


    On it were the names of the courses that Atbolde had recommended.


    He had already filtered them once according to his own situation.


    He retained the basic courses but postponed some that he didn''t need at the moment.


    The reason for this choice was to be able to quickly produce a certain Magic Potion.


    A Magic Potion from McIntosh.


    Of course, not that Divine trap.


    But a Magic Potion known as Blue Jindin.


    Its sole effect was to improve the efficiency of meditation.


    It had an effect of approximately ten to fifteen percent, lasting for half a month.


    The market price was ten Magic Stones per bottle.


    The reason for choosing it was simple, on one hand, it was one of the few Magic Potions with complete records in the Knowledge Crystal.

 Chapter 213 - 168 Blue Jindin_2

    Choosing it meant there was no need to spend Magic Stones on purchasing Magic Potion recipes.


    You see, even within the School, being a member afforded him some discounts, but even the cheapest Magic Potion recipe required at least two thousand Magic Stones to start with.


    And those recipes one could get for two thousand were mostly for practice; it was simply unrealistic to rely on them to make money.


    Even with a success rate of one hundred percent, the profit was extremely modest.


    On the other hand, according to the records in the Knowledge Crystal.


    McIntosh''s Blue Jindin differed from the ordinary Blue Jindin he inquired about on the market.


    This difference was not in potency but in production efficiency.


    In his early years, McIntosh also primarily earned Magic Stones by producing Blue Jindin.


    Initially, like other Magic Pharmacists, he could only make five bottles of Blue Jindin a day.


    Even if at the end of the month all the Blue Jindin he produced sold, the total sales would only be around fifteen hundred Magic Stones.


    It seemed like a significant amount, but this was the result of spending almost all his time creating Magic Potions.


    And that didn''t include the cost of materials.


    But the McIntosh version of Blue Jindin greatly increased the efficiency.


    With full effort, he could make at least fifteen bottles a day.


    "The classes starting recently are these ones I''ve circled," the long-bearded wizard handed the paper back to Colin.


    "Thank you," Colin took the paper and looked it over carefully.


    Fortunately, most of the essential courses were being offered soon.


    These types of courses were not one-on-one and could not be joined midway.


    So if there were no courses being offered soon, then all he could do was wait until they started.


    Luckily, the courses were scheduled to start anywhere from two days to half a month later, which spared him some troubles.


    Next, he followed the instructions of the long-bearded wizard and completed the procedures, then returned home.


    Now, all he had to do was wait for the classes to begin.


    *


    *


    *


    Half a month later.


    At noon.


    Third floor on the eastern side of the Teaching Castle.


    Outside a classroom, the pale spiritual light suddenly vanished.


    The scene inside the classroom gradually became clear.


    Apprentices walked out, one after another, most of them carefully examining notes in their hands.


    Colin was among them, his head down as he looked over other notes he had taken in class, his brows knitting and relaxing intermittently.


    He had benefited immensely over the past half month.


    By now, he even felt he might be ready to start making the Blue Jindin potion.


    After all, the only reason he needed these Magic Potion classes was to master some basic knowledge.


    Golden Paper could help him, ensuring that he made progress with every practice.


    But it was like cooking; if you don''t even recognize pots, pans, and spoons, and can''t even turn on the stove,


    then there''s no way to practice, and the Golden Paper would not be of much use.


    But conversely, once he had the basic knowledge, once he started "cooking," his "culinary skills" would improve at an unimaginably rapid pace!


    He walked briskly down the corridor, today''s classes were over.


    It was also noon, time to go back for lunch... maybe, after lunch, he could start working on the Blue Jindin.


    Moreover, it''s worth mentioning that his Wizard Level had reached that of an Advanced Wizard Apprentice (60/100).


    In about two weeks, he would be able to begin cultivating a Talent Seed.


    At noon, the sun hung directly overhead, and its soft light filtered through the stone windows, casting mottled shadows on the ancient corridor floor.


    "Colin?"


    As he was about to reach the staircase, a familiar female voice suddenly called out from behind him.


    Colin turned his head.


    A female apprentice with somewhat tannish skin, an ordinary appearance, but with a hint of exotic charm, was smiling at him.


    The female Apprentice was Leva.


    The same one who had told him, when he first started school, the impact of changing his Meditation Method.


    Three months had passed, and Leva seemed more spirited and... prettier than before?


    Colin furrowed his brow slightly... her nose seemed straighter, the nostrils smaller, and her jawbone seemed less prominent...


    Had she made slight modifications to her own appearance?


    He silently speculated in his mind.


    Most wizards'' appearances, aside from those with distinctive features, were usually not too unattractive.


    And as the spirit grew, even if the facial features and face shape did not change at all, the overall temperament would be greatly enhanced, making one look more handsome or beautiful.


    Wizards don''t often "take care of their appearance."


    However, the desire for beauty is universal.


    It wasn''t anything shocking that Leva was doing it.


    "Long time no see, Leva," Colin responded, his tone calm.


    Although their previous parting had been less than pleasant, it wasn''t a big deal.


    Now that Leva was willing to greet him first, he saw no need to be cold and distant.


    "Long time no see..." Leva said to Colin, her tone polite yet distant.


    She somewhat regretted calling out to Colin.


    After speaking, she didn''t know what else to say.


    She also didn''t know which mentor of the School Colin ended up with¡­but having not seen him for so many months, he was probably under a lesser-known mentor, or perhaps just an Official Wizard who had recently Advanced.


    After all, she was nearly completely familiar with the main members of the Tin Saint School''s factions.


    Colin''s name was not among them.


    After Leva spoke, the two fell into an awkward silence.


    Just as Colin was about to say goodbye,


    "What''s the matter?" S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A similarly familiar male voice suddenly came from the side.


    Looking in the direction of the voice, it was another acquaintance¡ªMulan,


    the Apprentice rumored to be from the Herbey family.


    Mulan glanced at the handsome Colin, then at Leva, a shadow of darkness flashing in his eyes inexplicably.


    He quickly stepped forward, comfortably wrapping his arm around Leva''s waist as if declaring his territory.


    Leva was visibly taken aback, instinctively struggling a bit.


    But Mulan did not let go, instead holding Leva even more firmly.


    "Long time no see, Colin," he said with a smile, as graceful as ever.


    But this time, perhaps after having seen Lily''s innate nobility,


    Colin always felt Mulan''s smile was somewhat forced, somewhat fake¡­


    "It''s been a while, I have some things to attend to, so I''ll be going."


    Not wishing to waste time here, Colin put on a polite smile and said.


    After speaking, he turned to leave.


    "Don''t rush to leave," Mulan called out to him, then feigned puzzlement and asked, "Don''t we know yet which mentor you were assigned to?"


    "With your strength, your assigned mentor shouldn''t be too bad, right?" he specifically added.


    Then he turned to Leva and asked, "Do you know which mentor Colin was assigned to?"


    His expression seemed genuinely curious.


    Leva kept silent, understanding Mulan''s intentions¡ªhe wanted to imply that Colin had no future... Mulan, perhaps because of his background, lacked confidence.


    He didn''t consider why she would be interested in Colin, even if Colin was more handsome.


    But handsomeness doesn''t feed you; strength does.


    Mulan, backed by the Herbey family...other than looks, in what way could he not compare to Colin?


    With an inward sigh, however much it may be the case, from her standpoint, she naturally couldn''t fail to give Mulan face¡­


    Just as she raised her head, preparing to echo Mulan''s sentiment¡ª


    The next second, her expression faltered, and she blinked in disbelief.


    When did Colin turn and walk away?!


    "What''s the matter?" Mulan asked Leva, puzzled.


    He was waiting for Leva''s response.


    Following Leva''s gaze, Mulan''s confusion slowly turned to surprise, and then suddenly, to angry humiliation!


    Did Colin just walk away like that?!


    He was just asking who the mentor was!


    Meanwhile.


    Colin walked briskly, shaking his head.


    Mulan''s manners and poise were not bad, but sadly, they were excessively childish...


    Or rather, at heart, he was too insecure, always trying to show off himself, emphasize himself.


    He certainly could have given a perfunctory response, giving Mulan some face, instead of causing a scene.


    But with people like Mulan, perhaps the more you yield, the more they''ll feel you haven''t given them enough face... unless you grovel in the mud, otherwise, they''d never be satisfied.


    Since that was the case, he rather not bother, and better to hurry back and try to craft Blue Jindin!


    Thinking thus, he soon reached Copper Rose District.


    He had yet to purchase the materials for crafting Blue Jindin.


    Blue apricots, Hulan flowers...


    Colin carefully searched the market, comparing meticulously.


    He eventually spent a hundred Magic Stones to buy ingredients for forty batches of Blue Jindin.


    Having done this, he took a public carriage and sped home, ready to begin crafting!

 Chapter 214 - 169: Talents

    "Blue Apricot, Hulan Flower¡­"


    Bubbles densely popped from the glass vessel in front of him, a pale blue liquid glowing enchantingly under the Bright Crystal''s illumination.


    Colin methodically added Magic Materials one by one; this was already his third attempt.


    While doing this, he also had to finely control the Magic Power to blend different Magic Potions, guiding them to react the way he desired¡­


    He didn''t know how much time had passed when suddenly, a pungent smell wafted through the air.


    The originally clear, pale blue liquid in the glass vessel had now turned murky.


    Blub blub¡ª


    Bubbles the size of quail eggs continuously surged to the surface.


    ''Failed again.'' Colin sighed softly and stopped the input of Magic Power.


    Even with the aid of Golden Paper, making Blue Jiding was not smooth sailing.


    Although Magic Potions were profitable, before the success rate increased, they were also very costly.


    After resting for a moment, he adjusted his state and started a new round of potion making.


    Three attempts had passed, and although the characters for Blue Jinding Making did not appear on the Golden Paper, each attempt had failed.


    But he had a hunch that it wouldn''t be long before he could successfully master the making of the Blue Jiding Magic Potion.


    Just like that, five days had passed.


    That morning, in the newly arranged Magic Potion Making room on the second floor of his residence,


    Colin was intently watching the glass vessel in front of him filled with blue liquid.


    Unlike the initial liquid, the liquid in the glass bottle this time was noticeably deeper in color, like the azure sea.


    At that moment, tiny bubbles continuously popped densely on the surface.


    Colin steadied his mind, continuing to add the carefully processed Magic Potion.


    Soon after, accompanied by a sigh that sounded almost human, the bubbling in the blue liquid inside the glass vessel abruptly stopped.


    The color of the liquid also seemed to instantly become deeper and purer.


    A unique fragrance slowly wafted out.


    Similar to the scent of flowers.


    Moreover¡­


    Colin''s eyes flickered, and he picked up the glass bottle to begin gently shaking it.


    It was as if he was shaking gel.


    The Magic Potion, originally liquid, now jiggled along with the movement of the glass bottle as if it were frozen.


    ''Successful!!''


    Colin took a deep breath of relief, his expression exhilarated.


    He took out a glass tube, which had been prepared earlier, tipped the glass bottle, and divided the Blue Jiding into it.


    Although Blue Jiding had a jelly-like texture when stationary, it was not a solid but rather a unique type of gel.


    Thus, it could be divided simply by pouring.


    After storing the portioned Blue Jiding, Colin continued to start the next round of production.


    For him, succeeding once meant that continuous success was not far away.


    *


    *


    *


    Whoosh whoosh whoosh¡ª


    A rare torrential rain had come to Neustadt City, raindrops falling in lines, continuously and densely hitting the earth, layering line upon line, placing a hazy curtain between heaven and earth. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Looking around, all one could see was a blur.


    On the eastern side of the Teaching Castle, as the fog lifted, Apprentices streamed out one after another, their noisy conversations echoing in the castle''s spacious corridors.


    Colin mingled with the crowd, walking out of the classroom and pausing by the windows in the corridor.


    ''The rainy summer is here¡­''


    Feeling the cool mist hit his face, he squinted slightly.


    It had been ten days since he successfully made the Blue Jiding Magic Potion.


    With a thought, he summoned the Golden Paper.


    Pale golden particles converged.


    Looking up, in the Wizard Level section, the progress after Advanced Wizard Apprentice had reached one hundred percent.


    He had just achieved this after completing his meditation this morning¡­ This meant he could finally start cultivating the Talent Seed.


    Retracting his gaze from the view, Colin walked along the corridor, his steps light.


    Before long, he reached a corner and paused slightly.


    "Lillian," he greeted in surprise.


    He hadn''t expected to bump into Lillian here.


    He glanced around, and this was precisely the classroom he had first come to when looking for Lillian.


    "Apprentice Colin."


    Lillian, upon hearing his voice, paused briefly then turned around to reply.


    Colin nodded, continued walking, and subconsciously peered into the classroom beside him.


    Class had just ended here; many Apprentices were yet to leave.


    Lillian was among the quickest to leave¡­ aside from the instructor who had already disappeared from the podium.


    Since they were both about to leave the castle, Colin and Lillian shared the same path.


    Following behind for a moment, Colin pondered then quickly walked up to Lillian''s side and asked:


    "Lillian, do you know where the best place to buy the materials needed to cultivate the Talent Seed is?"


    These materials included some Magic Potions required by the Meditation Method and materials needed for the auxiliary Witch Array.


    He had planned on going to the School to inquire from Atbolde.


    But since it was already noon, finding Atbolde to inquire would have to wait until tomorrow, and since he had just met Lillian on the road¡­ As a First Rank Wizard, Lillian must surely know the relevant information.


    "Materials for cultivating the Talent Seed?"


    Lillian stopped, turning to look at Colin with a hint of confusion in her eyes, tentatively asking:


    "Have you reached the peak of your Apprenticeship?"


    "Yes," Colin replied decisively.


    He did not want to hide his progress. After all, the School did not know the specifics of his training progress before joining them; they only broadly distinguished between three different levels: beginner, intermediate, and advanced.

 Chapter 215 - 169 Aptitude_2

    So now that four months had passed, reaching the peak of apprenticeship wasn''t something conspicuous.


    And as long as it wasn''t conspicuous, displaying one''s talent appropriately was harmless.


    "I remember at last month''s gathering, you said you had just changed your Meditation Method? It seems your Magic Power level hadn''t even recovered yet?" Lillian continued to ask.


    "Yes." Colin nodded, already prepared for such questions.


    He slightly furrowed his brows, hesitating before he spoke:


    "The Meditation Method I originally practiced seemed to be more compatible with the Tin Saint Meditation Method. After switching, I quickly recovered my Magic Power level..."


    He wasn''t worried that saying this would expose him.


    As someone who had broken the limits of both the Circulation Meditation and the Tin Saint Meditation to the golden color, creating a Meditation Method compatible with the Tin Saint Meditation Method...


    Though it was somewhat difficult, if one didn''t care about efficiency in practice, nor about universality, it was still entirely possible.


    And even if it weren''t possible, if asked, he could simply hand over the Tin Ring Meditation Method.


    The limit breaking of the Golden Paper was tailor-made for him.


    This customization also took into account the factor that one must make progress when practicing with the Golden Paper.


    Moreover, the reason for his rapid progress in cultivation was at least half because of the special effects of progressing with the Golden Paper.


    So if someone else got the Tin Ring Meditation Method, at most, it would be a Meditation Method of excellent quality but lacking in universality.


    "Well, before this, I was just a whisker away from the peak of apprenticeship. After changing the Meditation Method, it didn''t take me long to reach the peak of an Apprentice."


    He paused, then added.


    The peak of apprenticeship is different from a peak apprentice.


    The peak of apprenticeship is the culmination of the apprenticeship, the apex of the apprentice phase.


    Whereas a peak apprentice, as long as an Advanced Wizard Apprentice has mostly eliminated their anomalies, can be called a peak apprentice.


    Without the impact of anomalies, a peak apprentice''s strength is generally stronger than that of an Advanced Apprentice.


    And these so-called anomalies are caused by an Apprentice''s incomplete mastery of the Meditation Method knowledge during advancement.


    In other words, having completely mastered the Meditation Method with the Golden Paper and perfectly advanced, he could, in fact, already be called a peak apprentice after advancement!


    Lillian nodded her head, then suddenly asked:


    "How old are you this year?"


    "Eighteen, almost nineteen," Colin paused before replying.


    Upon hearing his age, Lillian''s usually stern and calm expression finally showed a fluctuation.


    "Follow me." She didn''t explain much, just gave a command and then started walking ahead.


    They hadn''t walked far when her pace paused slightly. She turned back and added,


    "Try not to mention to others that you''ve reached the peak of apprenticeship during this period."


    "I understand," Colin said with a slight start, then responded in a lowered voice.


    Perhaps it was because Lillian always spoke little, he found her impressively reliable.


    Now that Lillian had instructed him so pointedly, he became extra cautious, engraving her words in his heart.


    The two hurried along the School''s neatly paved gray stone pathways.


    Glancing around, Colin recognized that this was the road to Instructor Atbolde''s residence.


    ''Could it be she''s taking me to see Instructor Atbolde?'' he thought.


    After a few moments, as if a thought struck him, Colin suddenly said:


    "Senior Lillian, concerning the Magic Stone I borrowed from you, I should be able to return part of it in about a week."


    In this time, he had already amassed approximately 50 bottles of Blue Jiding Potion, and his success rate had almost reached fifty percent; it was no longer a losing proposition.


    "Hmm." Lillian didn''t turn her head, simply responding in a soft tone.


    Her expression remained calm, but her mind was the complete opposite of her facial expression.


    It seemed Colin still didn''t realize his own talent...


    Previously, she had thought that Colin''s arrival here was because he was a rare Apprentice from a remote island, one who had advanced to an Advanced Wizard Apprentice in that remote place. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    These conditions, combined with changing his Meditation Method, virtually sealed his fate as a prospect without the possibility of advancing to Official Wizard.


    So she had always thought that it was because no mentor had taken Colin under their wing that he eventually had no choice but to come here.


    But now it seemed that the Meditation Method that Colin had been practicing was actually compatible and harmonious with the Tin Saint Meditation Method!


    As such, the impact of changing the meditation method was not significant, and the effect on his talent was naturally greatly diminished, now at most about ten to twenty percent!


    Eighteen years old...


    And at such a young age...


    Colin, although not top-notch, could still be considered to have excellent talent!


    How many years had it been since an apprentice with such talent came their way?


    With Colin''s talent, perhaps he could...


    "Lillian Senior."


    Colin''s voice came again.


    "What is it?" Lillian stopped in her tracks and turned to look at him, puzzled.


    Colin extended his arm towards her, in his palm was a deep blue Magic Potion emitting a mesmerizing, hazy glow.


    "What is this?" Lillian took the Magic Potion and asked, confused.


    There were too many deep blue Magic Potions, and without a label on the glass tube, and without testing or being a Magic Pharmacist, she naturally didn''t know what kind of Magic Potion it was.


    "This is Blue Jiding," Colin replied, pausing before adding, "I made it myself."


    At the last School gathering, he had told Lillian that he had finished his seclusion and would start gradually repaying the Magic Stone he had borrowed.


    But another month had passed since then...


    Even though Lillian had not urged him at all, the more she refrained, the more embarrassed he felt.


    He didn''t know whether Lillian believed in him or had given up hope of him repaying the Magic Stone.


    "You made it yourself?" Lillian exclaimed in surprise.


    "Yes, I''ve only been learning for about a month... The success rate isn''t high yet, this is the only bottle that turned out successful," said Colin.


    Compared to having a sixty percent success rate after learning for a month... Or barely succeeding once after a month of trying, the latter was somewhat more normal.


    "Yes, I feel like I''m improving quickly. Perhaps in another month, I might be able to increase the success rate to thirty percent and start making a profit... Then I''ll start paying back the Magic Stones I owe you slowly."


    "Mm," Lillian suppressed the surprise in her heart... Colin had given her another pleasant surprise.


    To successfully create a bottle of Blue Jiding from scratch in a month, and to be confident of boosting the success rate to thirty percent in another month...


    Colin''s talent in potion-making seemed not inferior to his talent in wizardry training¡ªperhaps even slightly better!


    "Have you found a way to sell the Blue Jiding?" Lillian asked.


    "Not yet..." Colin shook his head, "I''m planning to inquire at the potion shops later."


    Lillian paused and then said, "I''ll go and ask Betty for you¡ªshe''s the Witch from whom you bought the Magic Erasure Potion last time."


    "If you sell directly to potion shops, you''ll only get sixty percent of the retail price."


    "But through her, you might get eighty or ninety percent."


    "I see." Colin was slightly startled, "Then I''ll be in your debt, Lillian Senior."


    "Mm." Having said this, Lillian continued to walk briskly forward with him.


    They soon arrived at Atbolde''s residence.


    It was only at the moment they stepped onto the small path leading to the residence that Colin realized.


    It was already past twelve noon, and he could no longer enter the mentor''s study...


    If she had indeed brought him to meet Mentor Atbolde, how could they see the mentor?


    He had some doubts in his heart, but, looking at Lillian''s retreating figure, he felt at ease.


    As Atbolde''s granddaughter and a First Rank Wizard, Lillian was unlikely to encounter any problems.


    They walked a bit further, and to his surprise, Lillian didn''t lead him into the villa.


    Instead, she walked around to the back of the villa and brought him to a huge tree that almost required ten people to encircle.


    The dense branches spread out like an umbrella, extending in all directions, casting a large shadow under the sunlight.


    "This is Nado''s main body," Lillian briefly explained.


    She then stepped forward, placed her hand against the ancient tree, closed her eyes, and assumed a solemn expression.

 Chapter 216 - 170 Alus Association

    As Lillian''s palm made contact with the ancient tree''s bark,


    the next second, something invisible descended, a powerful presence enveloping the area, causing Colin to feel waves of palpitations.


    It was as if the ancient tree had come to life, its lush branches and leaves rustling and rubbing against each other, making a soft, whispering sound.


    "What is it, Lillian?"


    A voice, indifferent and majestic, emanated from the tree, as if a crowned king was inquiring.


    For some reason, that voice... Colin always felt it was somewhat familiar.


    Could it be...?


    The next second, Lillian''s words confirmed his guess.


    "Master," Lillian began with a greeting and then briskly added,


    "Colin might be a gifted seed."


    "Oh?"


    The ancient tree''s coarse and aged bark rippled like a tranquil water surface disturbed by a thrown pebble.


    A lifelike, vast human face surfaced on it.


    It was the likeness of Atbolde... only younger and more majestic.


    Colin''s pupils suddenly constricted.


    Not just because of Atbolde''s strange appearance, but because of the overwhelming might Atbolde displayed, far beyond his usual demeanor.


    The moment the face appeared, Colin felt a tightening in his heart, as if gripped by an invisible claw, ready to forfeit his life at any moment, making him involuntarily shudder.


    Such a sensation of threat... he had previously only felt it with the icy crystal female instructor when he had gone to the ancient castle classroom to seek Lillian.


    And that female instructor... was a Third Rank Wizard.


    "Tell me in detail," the tree-borne Atbolde murmured, his lips barely moving, asking.


    The voice was cold... In Colin''s view, it seemed to lack a human touch, as if produced mechanically.


    "Yes, Master," Lillian responded.


    Then she proceeded to recount Colin''s situation, informing Atbolde.


    ...


    "The Meditation Method being compatible with the Tin Saint Meditation Method..."


    Atbolde spoke, "What a coincidence."


    Despite his words, he was surprised but not skeptical.


    After all, such situations were rare but not impossible.


    It might very well be that the founder wizard of the School Colin initially joined was once a member of an affiliate School of the Tin Saint School.


    The cool summer breeze gently blew, rustling the leaves above Atbolde.


    "Colin."


    Atbolde pulled himself from his thoughts, slowly calling out.


    "Master, I am here," replied Colin, respectfully, his complexion slightly pale.


    "Relax your body and spirit," Atbolde continued, "Let me take a closer look at you."


    Colin''s expression changed slightly, not out of fear of being discovered but due to a natural resistance to such scrutiny.


    But he had no choice, nor room to resist.


    Before he could react, a glint of gold suddenly spread across Atbolde''s originally woody, massive eyes.


    Then, a gaze that seemed to penetrate everything landed on Colin, causing him a moment of disquiet.


    But quickly, Colin breathed a sigh of relief.


    He could clearly feel that Atbolde''s gaze was only lingering on his surface, not penetrating deeper, nor inspecting key areas like the Spirit Sea or the Magic Sea.


    "Ah..."


    Atbolde let out a surprised murmur.


    "Colin, are you sure you''re an Advanced Wizard Apprentice who advanced in a remote sea island?"


    "Not on the mainland, or rather, in the populous center of the Kingdom?"


    Atbolde''s questioning tone suddenly relaxed slightly, gaining a bit more warmth.


    "..." Colin hesitated, "I''m sure, Master Atbolde."


    "Hm." Atbolde hummed lightly, commending,


    "It seems you have mastered the knowledge of your original Meditation Method thoroughly... Otherwise, advancing on a remote island, neither your humanity nor your knowledge of Spiritual Light would be so pure."


    "In fact, with such purity of humanity and knowledge of Spiritual Light, even if you changed your Meditation Method, you would most likely not need to worry about Akent Deterioration... it would merely slightly affect the quality of your Magic Power."


    Colin remained silent, just respectfully listening.


    Akent Deterioration... obviously, this was what he had always wanted to know, why low quality of humanity and knowledge of Spiritual Light combined with poor compatibility with a changed Meditation Method would have such a significant impact.


    Deterioration, indeed...


    As for his humanity and knowledge of Spiritual Light being relatively pure.


    He had somewhat anticipated this from the beginning. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He also predicted that directly changing his Meditation Method might not have such a significant negative impact on himself.


    But he dared not gamble...


    Moreover, changing the Meditation Method would affect his aptitude, although not substantially, there was still an impact.


    Spending three months to completely eliminate such an effect was always worthwhile.


    "Master, based on Colin''s talents... perhaps at this year''s Alus Association, we could secure a spot for him,"


    Lillian suddenly suggested from nearby.


    ''Alus Association?''


    Another thing he hadn''t heard of...


    Colin maintained his silence, focusing intently on the continuing conversation.


    But this time, Atbolde''s silence before speaking was notably longer.


    The summer wind kept blowing, the vast green meadow surged like waves, and the leaves rustled.


    Lillian did not hurry, she merely kept a solemn expression and silently waited.


    After what seemed an eternity, Atbolde''s voice slowly reached them.


    "Lillian, are you certain?"


    "I am certain!" Lillian declared without hesitation, her voice firm.

 Chapter 217 - 170 Alus Association_2

    Atbolde sighed softly and finally responded,


    "Fine."


    " There are three months until the Alus Association," he continued. "During this time, train Colin thoroughly."


    As soon as he finished speaking, his massive visage closed its eyes and slowly sank into the ancient tree.


    "Yes¡­ Grandfather," Lillian whispered.


    Although Atbolde had agreed, Lillian''s heart did not feel the joy she had imagined as she watched his face gradually disappear.


    "Let''s go."


    She composed herself and took Colin away from Atbolde''s residence.


    Leaving the residence, they walked along the School road.


    Unable to suppress his curiosity any longer, Colin turned to Lillian and asked,


    "Lillian, what exactly is the Alus Association?"


    Lillian paused slightly and, after a moment''s reflection, answered,


    "Do you know about the Talent Seed? The one needed to become an Official Wizard."


    "I do," Colin nodded. "I just inquired about it from Mentor Atbolde a few days ago."


    "Do you know that Talent Seeds also come in different qualities?"


    Lillian nodded, and as she kept walking, she continued to query.


    Colin shook his head, caught up with Lillian''s steps, and responded, "I haven''t heard about that."


    Atbolde had only mentioned that advancing to an Official Wizard required planting a Talent Seed.


    But he didn''t mention that Talent Seeds varied in quality¡­ The Meditation Method only provides one method and set of materials.


    Would the same method and materials yield Talent Seeds of varying quality?


    Could it be similar to the talent that hatched afterward, mainly depending on the Wizard himself¡­


    Thinking this, Colin turned his head again and asked Lillian,


    "Isn''t the type and effect of talent after becoming an Official Wizard mainly dependent on the Wizard himself?"


    "Indeed, it primarily depends on the Wizard himself," Lillian confirmed.


    "When there''s little difference in the Meditation Method and breakthrough materials used, the only thing that affects the strength of the talent and Talent Seeds is the Wizard himself."


    However, she shifted the tone of her conversation and added,


    "But in fact, the choice of materials for advancing to an Official Wizard can also affect the talent later on.


    Moreover, the Wizard himself can also change."


    "Both these changes can indirectly affect the strength of the Talent Seeds, and thus the talent."


    Lillian turned her head to look at Colin and said,


    "Didn''t you just ask me where to find the best materials for cultivating Talent Seeds?"


    Colin was slightly taken aback.


    He clearly asked where it would be better to purchase the materials for cultivating talent¡­


    But that wasn''t the point; he didn''t argue but listened as Lillian continued.


    "If you want to obtain better materials for cultivating talent, the Alus Association is one of the places."


    "But¡­ The materials for cultivating Talent Seeds with different Meditation Methods should be different, right? Has the Alus Association prepared the best materials for all Meditation Methods?"


    Colin inquired, puzzled.


    "Of course not," Lillian shook her head. "Only the materials for cultivating Talent Seeds of our School''s Tin Saint Meditation Method¡­ or rather those ranked in Wizard City, can be found at the Alus Association."


    "Moreover, the quality of materials at the Alus Association is significantly better than usual."


    "I see," Colin nodded, then asked,


    "So the purpose of the Alus Association is to compete for the best cultivation materials, benefiting us to acquire better talents after advancing to Official Wizards?"


    Lillian shook her head, slowly stopping as they had now walked beyond the School.


    "The best materials for cultivating Talent Seeds are just a trivial part of the Alus Association," Lillian declared, her gaze fixed on Colin.


    "But you''re right, the main goal of the Alus Association is indeed to help the top tier of Wizard Apprentices under the Supreme Council to obtain better talents after becoming Official Wizards."


    "This assistance isn''t through better cultivation materials but through enhancing the Wizards themselves."


    "As for how exactly this enhancement is done... you''ll know when the time comes."


    At this point, Lillian paused, then added,


    "But don''t hold too high expectations¡­ our Faction''s Apprentices haven''t had the qualifications to participate in the Alus Association for a long time."


    Her tone remained as calm as ever, but the undertone of resentment was as conspicuous as a patch of green in the desert.


    Colin was slightly taken aback and asked,


    "Is it difficult to qualify for participation in the Alus Association?"


    Lillian shook her head, her expression momentarily hesitant, but the next second, she was candid,


    "In the Tin Saint School, the majority of factions, each year, have at least one or two qualifications to participate in the Alus Association."


    "Hmm, in fact, most apprentices in the School, by the time they are ready to advance to Official Wizard, can obtain a chance to participate in the Alus Association."


    "It''s just that our faction is somewhat special... Generally speaking, we are not assigned the qualifications to participate in the Alus Association."


    With that, Lillian ended her explanation.


    As for why it was special, she did not elaborate... and Colin wisely did not inquire further.


    The two of them fell into silence.


    Colin pondered in his heart.


    ''This so-called Alus Association, actually seems more like a mandatory process, or resource, that every Advanced Wizard Apprentice within the School must go through...'' Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''The benefits are also quite straightforward, already laid out clearly.''


    ''Participating in the Alus Association provides an opportunity, after advancing, to acquire better Talent.


    Without participating, one naturally misses out on the materials needed to nurture a Talent Seed, as well as personal enhancement.''


    Thinking this, Colin sighed inwardly.


    He finally understood the inconvenience of Atbolde''s faction.


    It was an opportunity that every apprentice might normally have, yet here it seemed not so readily available.


    Could it even be possible to lack the qualifications to participate...


    As for whether he wanted to participate in the Alus Association... Of course he did!


    The original host''s aptitude was not great, and his own Talent would probably not be considered genius without Golden Paper.


    If he could ensure that the Talent he acquired after advancing to Official Wizard was better, there would naturally be no reason not to go.


    Unless...


    His gaze flickered, and he suddenly turned to ask Lillian beside him,


    "Sister Lillian, is there any risk to life by participating in the Alus Association? Do all apprentices fight each other to determine the winner?"


    This time, it was Lillian''s turn to be stunned; she responded in confusion,


    "Of course not!"


    "All Wizard Apprentices are important fresh blood for the Wizard Alliance; why would we let you kill each other?!"


    Colin paused, slightly embarrassed, and rubbed his nose.


    "It seems so."


    Although this world is fraught with dangers and filled with anomalies,


    fighting is generally not permitted within Wizard Schools, let alone a battle that endangers lives.


    Previously in Lap School, it was the same; if one wished to fight, the only option was a duel, and that too, with heavy restrictions.


    ''...I wonder why such rules are stipulated?''


    Colin suddenly harbored this doubt in his heart.


    "But there is indeed a risk to life," Lillian added.


    "According to the situation in previous years, the casualty rate among Advanced Wizard Apprentices is around one percent."


    Lillian glanced at Colin, then continued,


    "You came all the way here from the far seas to the south, facing many dangers along the way... You should understand the perils of this world."


    "Although we wizards possess more power than mortals, we are not invincible... Even normal cultivation can lead to corruption and fall. It is quite normal for there to be risks to life in the Alus Association."


    Colin nodded in agreement.


    "Let''s stop here for today. Tomorrow, once my mentor has confirmed, if I can obtain a participation qualification for you, I''ll come to find you,"


    Lillian said.


    "Alright." Colin responded, bid her farewell, flagged down a public carriage, and returned home with mixed feelings.


    *


    *


    *


    *


    *


    *


    I''ll also mention this in the body text: these past two days, I''ve been house-hunting and moving, causing updates to be less frequent. Please excuse this; once I am settled at the end of the month, I promise to provide more stable and frequent updates.


    ¡ª Shi Yuan

 Chapter 218 - 171: The Pure Talent Seed

    Deep within the Tin Saint School.


    Here lay an old-fashioned ancient castle complex.


    Gazing at the familiar mottled walls of the castle, Atbolde felt as if he had returned to the era of hundreds of years past.


    Back then, Neustadt City''s broad roads were not yet filled with steam locomotives billowing black smoke, nor were there serpentine railways stretching out like long snakes...and back then, he was still young.


    Collecting his thoughts, Atbolde continued to advance toward the castle.


    He had not forgotten the reason he had come here today... Lillian was still waiting for his good news.


    Step by step, as he entered the castle, Atbolde''s originally hunched back gradually straightened.


    His already tall stature, bent over by age, grew even taller now!


    The sunlight streaming in from the door behind him cast a giant black shadow on the grey marble floor.


    With each step he took, the deep lines on Atbolde''s face, as if carved by knife and axe, seemed to be smoothed out by an invisible hand, gradually becoming sleek and smooth.


    He had restored his appearance to that of a middle-aged man.


    A middle-aged Official Wizard approached him in the hallway, the golden point in the feather badge on his chest denoting his status as a First Rank Wizard.


    "Are you..." the middle-aged Wizard began, his expression first one of confusion, then immediately, his brow furrowed in shocked murmur, "Lord Rudolph?"


    "It''s been a long time, young Tota."


    Atbolde smiled faintly in response, continuing to walk past Tota without pause.


    Tap tap tap¡ª


    The crisp sound of his footsteps echoed down the marble corridor.


    Watching Atbolde''s retreating figure, Tota''s expression gradually turned to one of sorrow.


    After a moment of contemplation, he cast an assisting spell on himself, a flash of light passed, and his robe fluttered without wind.


    Then, with a light leap, his body floated up and he swiftly flew forward along the left corridor.


    *


    *


    *


    Elsewhere.


    Atbolde walked silently through the corridor, each step measured with precise accuracy.


    Frankly, he did not hold much hope for achieving his goal today...


    Even if it was just a modest request for a qualification to attend the Alus Association.


    After a while.


    Just as he was about to reach his destination, a group of grey-robed Wizards headed towards him.


    "Rudolph." Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The white-bearded Wizard at the lead greeted him.


    "Robb." Atbolde stopped in his tracks, his gaze sweeping across the Wizards before him.


    As expected, he soon found Tota, whom he had just encountered.


    "What brings you here this time?" Robb asked bluntly.


    "I have a student who wishes to join the Alus Association."


    Atbolde, expressionless, withdrew his gaze from Tota, who had been looking down, and turned to Robb with his response.


    "The Alus Association..." Robb paused slightly, then put on a smile and said, "Old friend, as you know, your Faction doesn''t have the qualifications to access such resources... This has been determined decades ago."


    "It cannot be changed now, I can''t change it... and neither can Lord Larrel!"


    "I want to see Larrel," Atbolde interrupted.


    "Lord Larrel is busy with experiments..." Robb said with some difficulty, "It''s better not to disturb him."


    "Robb." Atbolde''s tone chilled, but a faint smile appeared on his face, "I think I still deserve an audience with Larrel."


    "..." Robb''s face paled, unable to maintain his smile any longer.


    At that moment, a voice came from behind Robb.


    "Lord Rudolph, considering that Larrel is the mainstay of the Tin Saint School, you should be more understanding. How can we waste Lord Larrel''s precious time on such a minor issue that was agreed upon long ago?"


    Atbolde''s expression remained unchanged as he looked in the direction of the voice; the speaker was a young, unfamiliar Wizard.


    Judging from the feather badge on his chest, he should be a First Rank Wizard...


    Atbolde couldn''t help but sigh inwardly.


    When had a mere First Rank Wizard begun to speak to him with such a tone?!


    What complicated his feelings even more was the fact that... he didn''t feel much anger at all.


    It seemed as if his emotions had become like flowers in the summer heat, wilted and desiccated by the scorching sun, their petals curled up, lacking the strength to bloom once more...


    However, if one looked closely, it was noticeable that Atbolde''s arms, hanging by his sides, were slightly tensed, the contours of his muscular and knotted muscles like tree roots subtly emerging.


    "Herard!"


    Robb reprimanded the young Wizard behind him in a nonchalant manner, then turned to observe Atbolde''s expression.


    Atbolde took a deep breath inside and maintained the same faint smile, emphasizing once more,


    "Robb, there are some things I do not wish to repeat."


    As he spoke, wooden-like lines began to spread from the chest toward different parts of his body.


    The lines quickly reached Atbolde''s exposed neck and chin.


    An intangible, terrifying presence surged toward Robb and the others like a tsunami!


    "Stop stop stop!" Robb, seeing this, promptly called out, "I''ll take you to see Lord Larrel right away!"


    Atbolde glanced faintly at Robb, the leaf-like network of green lines instantly vanished from his neck and retracted back into his chest.

 Chapter 219 - 171: Pure Talent Seed\\_2

    "Lead the way," Atbolde said indifferently.


    Robb''s eyes flashed with a hint of gloom, but he didn''t say anything more, just pursed his lips and turned around.


    He took a few steps forward and gave a low command to an Official Wizard.


    It was only after he saw the Wizard use witchcraft to speed away that he slowly began to lead the way.


    "The old fart is putting on airs... as if anyone doesn''t know he''s just for show."


    It was at this moment that an almost imperceptible voice came from the ranks of the Wizards.


    Atbolde''s stride paused slightly, his gaze swept imperceptibly, and he spotted the speaker... it was Herard, who had just spoken out in the group.


    But he did not say anything, instead pretending not to hear, and continued to walk forward following Robb.


    He certainly could have lashed out.


    But to lash out would mean that Lillian''s request would definitely be hopeless, that he would not possibly be able to secure a chance for Colin to attend the Alus Association.


    The group walked in silence.


    Robb, as the only Second Rank Wizard, walked at the front.


    Atbolde followed close behind.


    The remaining First Rank Wizards spread out and enclosed Atbolde in the middle.


    They walked on like this for a while longer.


    A familiar grassland came into view for Atbolde.


    An isolated, pointed grey castle stood alone in the center of the grassland.


    Robb led him into it, to a meeting hall on the second floor.


    Distinctive rough stone walls surrounded them, and the floor was covered with neat brown boards.


    Atop the board floor was a brown long wooden table that could seat at least twenty people, with a circle of cushioned chairs placed around it.


    At the main seat at the far end of the long table sat a middle-aged Wizard with rare white hair, his expression stern and serious, the deep wrinkles between his brows seeming as if they could never be smoothed out.


    "Lord Larrel," Robb greeted respectfully, and then led the other Wizards to take their seats on either side of the long wooden table.


    "Larrel," Atbolde greeted as well, pulling out the chair at the other end of the long table, directly opposite Larrel, and sat down.


    "I''m already aware of your purpose here, Lord Rudolph," Larrel said, his gaze heavy on Atbolde.


    "Then, what is the result?" Atbolde asked.


    "I''m sorry," Larrel shook his head, "The contract cannot be changed, the agreement set in those days cannot be altered, Lord Rudolph."


    "Is there no room for negotiation?" Atbolde asked expressionlessly.


    "There is no room for negotiation," Larrel raised his hand to the table and shook his head again.


    "It''s been nearly sixty years... Has the School truly no leniency?"


    The stern expression on Larrel''s face softened slightly as he sighed,


    "Lord Rudolph, the School has always shown goodwill. The Apprentices you''ve taken, aside from not being able to enjoy certain resources, have otherwise received treatment equal to other Factions...


    That Apprentice... Colin, if he really can Advance to be an Official Wizard, the position and work allotted to him will not be downgraded one bit... apart from not being able to obtain certain resources, there is no difference from other Factions..." S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Atbolde remained silent.


    Seeing this, Larrel slowly stood up.


    "Lord Rudolph, you are advanced in years and have been injured, why still concern yourself with these struggles?"


    After saying this, as if something had occurred to him, Larrel sighed,


    "Sometimes... perhaps it is ordinariness that is the greatest happiness."


    With that, he turned and left the room.


    Creak¡ª


    The wooden door shook and emitted a grating noise, while Atbolde sat silently in his original seat.


    The conversation was brief, but there really wasn''t much to be said.


    It''s either possible or it''s not... He hadn''t been without forethought on this outcome, but he had inevitably still clung to a sliver of hope.


    Who would have thought, even after sixty years, the stance of the School had not loosened in the slightest...


    ''That incident from years ago...''


    Atbolde''s expression grew somber as he sighed deeply in his heart.


    "Lord Rudolph, please go back,"


    Robb, who was beside him, also stood up and spoke to him slowly.


    Atbolde glanced at him indifferently, did not speak, and slowly rose to his feet.


    Then he walked slowly towards the outside.


    "I told you Lord Larrel couldn''t change anything, coming here was just a waste of time... Ahhh!!!"


    Swish swish.


    Numerous green specks appeared beneath the skin of the speaking Herard, moving about like living insects, causing him to feel an excruciating pain as if ants were biting his flesh.


    The other Wizards'' expressions changed dramatically.


    "Lord Rudolph!" Robb called out in a deep voice while simultaneously waving his hands and casting witchcraft.


    Streams of witchcraft light continuously sprinkled onto Herard''s body... but to little effect.


    The anomaly continued.


    The green specks gradually spread across Herard''s skin, forming vein-like patterns, followed by the sound of poppoping resonating one after another.


    Bright red flowers emerged from beneath Herard''s skin at the intersections of those vein-like patterns and bloomed.


    The process seemed exceedingly painful; Herard couldn''t even groan and just collapsed to the ground, scratching at himself to no avail.


    But he didn''t dare touch those bizarre red flowers, scratching elsewhere instead.


    With force, claw marks quickly appeared, followed by beads of fresh blood...


    "Rudolph!!" Robb''s expression grew more anxious as he shouted again!


    Atbolde''s footsteps paused slightly.

 Chapter 220 - 171 Pure Talent Seed_3

    "Rest assured, I have measure, and the flower will naturally wither after a month. At that time, he will return to his original state... but perhaps the process will be somewhat agonizing."


    "How dare you do such a thing as a member of the same School!" Robb fiercely questioned.


    Atbolde chuckled:


    "As a First Rank Wizard, how dare you offend me time and again?"


    "He doesn''t understand the hierarchy within the School... Or is this, perhaps, your doing?"


    Robb''s face froze.


    Although it wasn''t his doing that Herard acted, he had indeed intentionally let it happen...


    He could have rebuked Herard loudly right from the start, instead of merely making a half-hearted comment...


    Atbolde withdrew his gaze, subdued his expression, and slowly walked away from the castle, leaving behind Robb and his group with unsightly faces.


    *


    *


    *


    In the afternoon.


    At Colin''s residence.


    A public horse-drawn carriage rushed and slowly stopped in front of his door.


    Lillian, with an ugly expression, stepped down.


    Thinking of the outcome Atbolde had described¡­ she was somewhat unsure how to explain it to Colin.


    Moreover, what she feared most was¡ª S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When Colin learned that he couldn''t participate in the Alus Association and discovered the true drawbacks of their faction...


    Perhaps, like former Apprentices, he would choose to leave and to switch to another mentor.


    Especially considering Colin''s current Talent, most factions would be willing to accept him.


    Sighing gently, Lillian knocked on the front door.


    Shortly after, the door slowly opened.


    "Lady Lillian," Renee greeted respectfully.


    Following the instructions of the master, she led Lillian to the living room, then headed towards the second floor.


    "I''ll go inform the master."


    Lillian nodded.


    Shortly after.


    Colin came down slowly from the spiral staircase.


    "Lady Lillian, did you come to see me today because the Alus Association matter has been settled?"


    He watched Lillian and asked with a smile.


    Lillian paused for a moment, her usually fair face showing an uncommon hint of embarrassment.


    "Junior Brother Colin, the Alus Association... you might not be able to participate."


    Colin was slightly startled.


    Then Lillian told him most of the facts, explaining the particular problem of their faction''s Apprentices lacking resources¡­ but she did not unveil the underlying reason.


    "I see..." Colin nodded, his heart unavoidably sinking.


    Seeing Colin''s disheartened expression, Lillian fiddled with her hair at her ear and hesitated before speaking:


    "So, Junior Brother Colin, if you still want to participate in the Alus Association..."


    "You might only be able to consider changing mentors¡­"


    After finishing, she couldn''t help but sigh, already anticipating Colin''s decision.


    ''Change the mentor?''


    Colin was startled; it appeared to be an enticing option.


    But soon, he shook his head. Although he had lived quite peacefully since joining the School a few months ago,


    he was fully aware of the intense Faction politics within the Tin Saint School, learning related gossip intermittently from Marjorie and others over the months...


    Moreover, after changing mentors, he might never again enjoy the same freedom without obligations.


    After pondering for a moment, he continued to inquire:


    "Lady Lillian, what exactly is the Alus Association?"


    "Well, as I''ve said, the role of the Alus Association is to help the most outstanding Wizards Apprentices from under the Supreme Council to gain better Talent when they Advance to Official Wizard."


    "Okay." Colin nodded, then suddenly asked:


    "Why exactly can the Alus Association enhance Talent?"


    Lillian organized her words briefly before explaining:


    "Saint Peter the Wizard once said, ''The purity of a Wizard''s Talent Seed depends on the extent of knowledge one has mastered.''"


    "Do you remember the requirement when you broke through to become an Advanced Wizard Apprentice?"


    Colin furrowed his brows, somewhat uncertainly:


    "To master the Meditation Method knowledge thoroughly."


    Lillian nodded.


    "There''s a similar requirement when Advancing to Official Wizard."


    "If one could thoroughly master all the knowledge of witchcraft, meditation methods, etc., before advancing, then a purer Talent Seed can be nurtured."


    "But in fact, most Apprentices cannot fully master every piece of knowledge they''ve learned, thus the purity of the Talent Seed is affected, and so is the Talent."


    "The Alus Association possesses a unique magical artifact called ''Alus,'' whose sole purpose is to allow you to temporarily forget the knowledge that is not well mastered."


    "I see..." Colin responded calmly, yet he felt extremely relieved inside.


    Good thing he hadn''t managed to participate in the so-called Alus Association!


    With the assistance of Golden Paper, he didn''t need to worry about not thoroughly mastering the knowledge he had learned!


    He just needed a bit more time.

 Chapter 221 - 172: Influence

    "What is your decision, Junior Apprentice Colin?" Lillian asked.


    Her expression was calm, ready to accept Colin''s decision to change mentors.


    Colin had joined under Atbolde''s guidance only four months ago... If he chose to stay, that would be the oddity.


    After all, to put oneself in his shoes, staying would mean losing the possibility of enhancing the quality of his Talent, as well as future resources... Who would want to take such a risk that could affect their future?


    Watching Colin''s silent demeanor, Lillian sighed inwardly and added,


    "Junior Apprentice Colin, don''t feel pressured. Water flows downhill; people climb to higher places. It''s the most common thing in the world."


    Colin was slightly startled; he was just grateful that he hadn''t joined the Alus Association and was a bit distracted.


    "Sister Apprentice Lillian," he hurriedly said, "I don''t plan to change my mentor. I will continue to stay."


    This time, it was Lillian who was taken aback, her gem-like blue eyes widening slightly.


    After a moment, she smiled in relief and continued to comfort him,


    "Junior Apprentice Colin, don''t force yourself... The mentor will understand your choice."


    "Sister Apprentice Lillian, you misunderstand. I just don''t like to fight," Colin shook his head and continued, "That Alus Association, even if I had participated, in the end, it''s not guaranteed that I could make use of Alus... As for resources, other places don''t have the peace that I have here with my mentor."


    "Junior Apprentice Colin, are you serious?" Lillian asked, somewhat incredulously.


    "It''s true, I really have no intention of changing mentors," Colin nodded and said solemnly.


    Lillian was taken aback for a second and tried persuading him a few more times.


    Seeing that Colin was serious about not changing mentors, she finally stopped.


    "I will try to obtain the best Magic Potion for cultivating Talent Seeds for you." Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After pondering for a moment, Lillian looked at Colin and spoke solemnly,


    "Although I can''t get you the qualification to participate in the Alus Association, getting you the best Magic Potion for cultivating Talent Seeds... I think that shouldn''t be a problem."


    Since Colin had chosen to stay, no matter his reasons, his value in her heart had increased.


    Colin felt pleased and quickly expressed his thanks,


    "Thank you, Sister Apprentice Lillian."


    Although the Golden Paper could give him an effect similar to Alus, he still lacked the best Magic Potion for cultivating Talent Seeds compared to the apprentices who attended the Alus Association.


    If Lillian could find him the best Magic Potion for cultivating Talent Seeds, then there really wouldn''t be much difference between that and having participated in the Alus Association and coming out on top.


    "Mhm," Lillian nodded and then instructed, "During this time, try to thoroughly study the knowledge you''ve already mastered... Don''t learn anything new for now, and when you''ve reached the limit of what you can learn, you can start to cultivate your Talent Seeds."


    "I understand," Colin nodded.


    Afterwards, Lillian chatted with him a bit more and then stood up to leave.


    After bidding farewell to Lillian, Colin stood in the courtyard, quietly contemplating.


    The grass was vibrant green, the flowers and fruits abundant.


    Under Nado''s management, the garden in front of him was ordered and exquisitely maintained.


    A gentle breeze blew, causing it to sway gracefully.


    "Phew¡ª"


    Colin exhaled a breath of stale air and stepped into the Meditation Room.


    Pushing open the thick, grey ironwood door, he sat down on the soft cushion in the middle of the room, and with a thought, summoned the Golden Paper.


    Golden particles slowly congregated.


    [Name: Colin Leonard]


    [Rank: Advanced Wizard Apprentice (100/100), Ultimate Knight (100/100)]


    [Meditation Method: Tin Ring Meditation Method (1/100)]


    [Breathing Skill: Sunlight Breathing Technique Golden; Yili Breathing Method (46/100)]


    [Magic: Zero Level Tricks: Slight; Zero Level Magic: Steel Temperature Resistance Field (16/100); Arrow Shooting Skill (Golden); Fireball Skill II (15/100); Swift Skill I (87/100); Flying and Diving Skill (68/100); Silent (30/100); Traceless (31/100); Detect Evil I (18/100); Purification Evil Power I (20/100)]


    [Skill: Basic Magic Crystal Making¡ªBright Crystal Making (Golden); Image Capturing Crystal Making I (66/100); Blood Pattern Transformation Skill I (36/100); Magic Potion Making: Blue Gelatin Making (62/100)]


    [Talent: Strong Life I (4/100)]


    [Limit Breaking Point: 0]


    Carefully scanning from top to bottom, Colin closed his eyes gently.


    In the recent months, because he had spent all his time on practices such as the Meditation Method, his proficiency in magic had not improved much.


    As Lillian had said, what he needed most to do right now was to practice his unperfected Meditation Method and Magic to their limits.


    Opening his eyes, Colin prepared to start practicing Magic immediately.


    But the next second, the surging Magic Power gradually subsided.


    His gaze flickered as if he thought of something. He didn''t continue practicing Magic, but instead slowly stood up and walked towards the door.


    Perfecting his Magic Practice was important, but before that, he might need to understand more about the Talent Seed.


    Since whether his knowledge of Magic is thoroughly mastered would affect the quality of the Talent Seed, then¡ª


    Would the amount and types of Magic knowledge he possessed also affect the quality of the Talent Seed he would cultivate?


    With such questions on his mind, Colin called for a public carriage and headed to the School.


    Clip-clop, clip-clop¡ª


    The large horses, with traces of Demon Beast bloodlines, pulled the grey carriage swiftly along the broad road; soon enough, they reached the Tin Saint School.

 Chapter 222 - 172 Influence_2

    After alighting from the carriage, Colin followed the main thoroughfare of the School and made his way forward until he reached the outer perimeter of a round, spired, gray-white ancient castle at its very center.


    Here was one of the most closely guarded places in the entire School¡ª


    the Tin Saint Library!


    After his conversation with Lillian, it was already nearly afternoon.


    Without Lillian''s guidance, he couldn''t go to inquire about information relevant to Atbolde Talent Seeds.


    Hence, he planned to head to the School''s ancient castle library on his own to search in advance and would go to Atbolde for a detailed inquiry early the next morning.


    Of course, with his current status, he didn''t hold out hope that he would find particularly useful information... but it was always beneficial to learn more, if only to increase his knowledge.


    Continuing forward, Colin, well-acquainted with the route, passed through several checks and finally entered the library''s first-floor area... the only area he could access.


    Above, on the high pale yellow ceiling, myriad Bright Crystals the size of ping-pong balls cast a soft white light.


    Under the glow of the white light stood rows of neatly arranged thick, maroon bookshelves that stretched to the end of the line of sight, each covered with semi-transparent protective Witch Arrays emitting a faint white gleam.


    Among the bookshelves, numerous Apprentices moved slowly, perusing the books with great care¡­


    ''The first floor of this library castle is much larger than it appears from the outside,'' Colin mused to himself. ''Perhaps there is some transformation related to space involved.''


    Worth noting is that most of the books on the brown shelves were kept in the form of crystal copies, with only a few original magic books still placed on the shelves.


    Stepping up to several square columns near the front desk, Colin stretched out his arm and reached for the transparent Crystal Ball, the size of a baby''s head, affixed atop the column.


    Inside the Crystal Ball was stored all the information of every book on the first floor of the ancient castle library, including whether they had been borrowed and where they were located, all of which could be queried.


    Talent Seeds... Talent quality... Cultivating Talent Seeds... Mastery of witchcraft knowledge...


    Colin filtered through the keywords one by one.


    Before long, he took a wooden tray designed to hold crystals and books from the front desk and walked toward the bookshelves.


    Following the information he had just queried, he spent about fifteen minutes wandering among the various bookshelves, retrieving a dozen crystals and four or five thick physical magic books. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    These were all the books that could potentially contain information about the influence of witchcraft on the cultivation of Talent Seeds, available on the whole first floor of the castle library.


    Holding the tray filled with books, Colin found a corner to sit down and began to read.


    Like the libraries on Earth, the Tin Saint School''s castle library was also very quiet; there wasn''t any sound of talking, nor could one hear the clicking of Wizard''s footsteps...


    Such quietness was mainly due to the constant sound-dampening Witch Array throughout the entire castle library.


    Unlike a Silent Enchantment, or a soundproofing Witch Array.


    The sound-dampening Witch Array did not completely eliminate sound but suppressed the distance across which it could travel.


    Thanks to learning Silent... Colin had some understanding of the underlying principle.


    Simply put, it increased the rate of decay of sound wave energy, causing it to dissipate more quickly... the faintest sounds might not be heard even a meter away.


    Seated, he quickly flipped through the books he had collected.


    With his current reading speed as an Advanced Wizard Apprentice, he soon browsed through the first book.


    The first book had a thick brown leather cover and was several inches thick, but the content about Talent Seeds was only briefly mentioned on a few pages in the middle, and it was vague at that...


    With a sigh, Colin started reading the next book.


    The rustling of pages being turned continued without pause...


    After a long time, the noise turned into the clacking of crystals.


    And so, time passed without his knowing how long it had been.


    Again, Colin reached toward the wooden tray, only to suddenly realize there were no more unread book crystals inside.


    He let out a long sigh and pressed a hand against his temple.


    Although there wasn''t much useful content in these books, a detailed reading had nonetheless broadened his perspective.


    Particularly regarding the precautions for consuming Magic Potions when cultivating Talent Seeds and the choice of some small details, he found it immensely beneficial.


    This knowledge wasn''t something that could be bought in the outside world.


    When he had bought knowledge about Advancing to an Official Wizard back on Bananka Island, looking back on it now, the content was vague,


    As if describing a person by only saying they had facial features, a head, two arms, and two legs... not incorrect, but indeed not very useful.


    Standing up, Colin returned the borrowed physical books and the book crystals and left the castle library.


    Stepping outside, night had fallen, the sky was pitch black with only a bright moon hanging high above.


    ''Unfortunately, I still couldn''t find much information about whether the type and amount of knowledge mastered could also impact the quality of the Talent Seeds,'' he sighed softly in his heart.


    *


    *


    *


    The next day.


    Atbolde''s residence.


    The study on the second floor of the villa.


    "Does the type or amount of knowledge mastered impact the quality of the cultivated Talent Seeds, or affect the type and quality of the Talent later on?" Atbolde, seated in an armchair by the familiar force field window, repeated Colin''s question.


    "Yes," Colin nodded, adding with some puzzlement,

 Chapter 223 - 172: Influence_3

    "Mentor Atbolde, if whether the knowledge learned is completely mastered can affect the quality of Talent, doesn''t that mean the more knowledge learned, the poorer the quality of Talent cultivated when one advances to be an Official Wizard?"


    "That''s not the case," Atbolde shook his head, denying his guess.


    "To answer this question, first, you need to understand a concept¡ªpurity."


    "Purity?" Colin asked in confusion, seeking answers from Atbolde.


    "Yes, purity. If we regard the part of the knowledge learned that is not completely mastered as the impure part, then the concept of purity arises."


    "The more knowledge that is not completely mastered, the more impurities there are, which means a lower level of purity."


    Thoughts flashing like lightning, Colin suddenly realized and hurriedly speculated:


    "I understand, Mentor. The lower the purity, the more it affects the quality of Talent.


    But in fact, purity doesn''t have much to do with how much knowledge is learned."


    "The more knowledge learned doesn''t mean lower purity... Purity only relates to the degree of complete mastery. No matter how much knowledge is learned, as long as it is mastered thoroughly, the purity will be high, and it will not overly affect the quality of Talent."


    Atbolde nodded in agreement:


    "You''ve understood correctly; it is indeed so."


    "What affects the quality of Talent is not how much of the knowledge learned is not completely mastered, but the ratio."


    "No matter how much knowledge is learned, as long as the ratio of the unmastered part remains unchanged, the impact on Talent will also stay the same."


    Colin nodded repeatedly, feeling fortunate countless times for having joined the School.


    Every time he came to ask Atbolde questions, he felt as though hearing the Mentor''s words was better than reading books for ten years...


    "Then, Mentor Atbolde, will the types of knowledge one masters affect the types of Talent obtained after advancing?"


    He gathered his thoughts and continued to ask.


    "That will not be the case either," Atbolde shook his head, briefly explaining:


    "Talent refers to innate abilities."


    "The quality of Talent may weaken due to later influences, but in terms of type and effect, it won''t be too affected by later influences."


    Saying this, Atbolde paused and then added:


    "The only thing that might slightly affect the type and effect of Talent is the Meditation Method used at the breakthrough... The Advanced Meditation Method opens the Spirit Sea and strengthens the soul."


    "And if the soul changes, then nature Talent will also change... Other things like witchcraft, as long as they don''t involve the soul, generally won''t have much impact on the types of Talent later on."


    "However, it''s worth noting that the soul is a very difficult thing to change, even the Advanced Meditation Method only slightly changes the surface."


    After finishing, Atbolde gave a vivid analogy.


    "You can understand it like this, if Talent is a fruit, then there are countless reasons it could become rotten, but it''s very hard to change it from an apple to a pear... So, affecting the quality of Talent is possible, but influencing its type and effect is extremely difficult."


    "I understand," Colin nodded, clearing the doubts in his mind.


    "Thank you, Mentor Atbolde."


    He looked at Atbolde''s aged visage with increasing respect in his heart. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 224 - 173 Litte Street

    "Is there anything else?" Atbolde gazed at him and asked once more.


    Perhaps it was because it was nearing noon, or answering questions had become exhausting.


    Colin always felt that Atbolde''s tone of voice had slowed down even more, and that tired-looking, creased old face seemed to show a hint of weariness.


    "No, Mentor Atbolde."


    Colin bowed slightly, pondered seriously for a moment, and then replied.


    "Um."


    On the lounge chair, Atbolde barely audibly uttered a syllable from his nostrils, then closed his eyes and leaned back, continuing,


    "If there are other questions, you can come to me in the early morning."


    "Now, if there''s nothing else, you may leave first."


    His tone was calm, but the urge was unmistakable.


    "Yes, Mentor Atelbolde!"


    Colin felt a chill in his heart and hurriedly bid Atbolde farewell, "Then I''ll go now."


    Before turning around, he glanced slightly upward at the wooden clock on the wall nearby.


    On the round clock face, the slender hand had just pointed to 11 o''clock.


    ''It''s only just 11 o''clock now... There''s still an hour until noon.


    Strictly speaking, it''s not very early, but it''s not late either.''


    Colin slightly furrowed his brow in confusion.


    He didn''t know if he was being overly sensitive, but he always felt that Atbolde seemed to be urging him to leave...


    Walking out of the study, he subconsciously looked back. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Using the time the study door was closing, he peeked through the gap in the door and saw Atbolde slowly rising from the lounge chair and walking toward the large Force Field window in front.


    Golden sunlight from outside the window shone on his tall frame, casting a deep shadow on the floor that stretched to the door.


    As Atbolde approached, the green trees by the window rustled spontaneously, beginning to sway and making rustling sounds.


    It was then that Colin suddenly realized that the window of this study where Atbolde often stayed faced directly the villa''s rear, where the huge ancient tree, nearly as wide as ten people embracing, stood.


    It was only because the lush leaves had blocked it that he had not noticed it until now... It was only when the trees swayed, revealing small gaps, that the ancient tree was exposed to his view...


    ''The main body of Nado...'' Colin suddenly thought, recalling the brief introduction by Lillian when she had taken him to the ancient tree...


    Snap.


    Although there were many thoughts in his heart, reality was but a moment.


    Just then, the study door snapped shut completely, cutting off Colin''s view and any sound.


    Standing at the door for a moment, Colin gathered his scattered thoughts and began walking downstairs.


    Walking on the wide grey stone path of the School, the surrounding Apprentices hustled by, their footsteps as hurried as his.


    Occasionally, a carriage would pass by, pulled by horses infused with the blood of Demon Beasts.


    Under the influence of their lineage, they often showed distinct features, rugged antlers, fierce teeth, some even sprouting several tails.


    These were all the carriages of Official Wizards... In the Tin Saint School, only Official Wizards were allowed to ride in carriages while all other Apprentices had to walk.


    At this thought, Colin paused slightly.


    ''That reminds me, I''ve never seen Sister Lillian with her own carriage...'' he wondered,


    ''As a First Rank Wizard, Lillian should be able to afford a carriage... I wonder why she always opts for public transportation.''


    Colin felt somewhat embarrassed thinking about how he hadn''t yet repaid Lillian for the Magic Stone he had borrowed.


    ''Should I put off advancing for a while, and make a Magic Potion to repay Lillian first?'' Colin hesitated, his steps gradually stopping.


    But after a moment, he shook his head.


    ''The more debt, the less worry¡ªafter all, it''s been over four months, a few more won''t hurt.''


    ''After all, once I advance to an Official Wizard, the quantity of Magic Potions I can make will obviously increase... No, once I''ve become an Official Wizard, maybe a few thousand Magic Stones will no longer be a problem.''


    With that thought, Colin convinced himself and continued walking towards the School''s exit.


    "I''ll talk to Lillian next time I see her..."


    He stepped out of the School and hailed a public carriage.


    Pfft.


    The robust horse snorted loudly.


    "Sir, where are you going?" The coachman asked respectfully, taking off his gray wide-brimmed hat.


    "To Lieyue Holy Street," Colin replied indifferently.


    "Alright, please sit tight."


    Clip-clop, clip-clop¡ª


    The horse galloped along the road.


    After a while, inside the carriage, Colin slightly furrowed his brows.


    He reached out to lift the curtain of the carriage window and glanced outside, but the street was not the familiar one that led to his home...


    "Stop the carriage."


    He wasn''t panicky, merely spoke indifferently.


    The coachman was just an ordinary knight... probably an Advanced Knight, if Colin wasn''t mistaken. Being an Advanced Wizard Apprentice himself, he naturally didn''t need to fear.


    Moreover, the glowing feather badge of the Tin Saint School on his chest allowed him to move freely in this city without too much caution...


    Of course, caution was still necessary, and he had already fortified himself with a Steel Temperature Resistance Field.


    "Whoa¡ª!"


    Upon hearing him, the coachman promptly pulled on the reins.


    The carriage''s strong lead horse reared up slightly and came to a quick stop.


    "What''s wrong, sir?"


    The coachman''s voice came from the front.


    "Why are we taking the long route?" Colin asked indifferently.


    "Sir, didn''t you know?" the voice of the surprised coachman continued, "The shortest road from Tin Saint Street to Lieyue Holy Street¡ªLitte Street¡ªwas sealed off by the Law Enforcement Team this morning."


    "Sealed off?!"


    "Yes, the entire street was sealed off," the coachman added.


    Colin was taken aback. It was just past eleven in the morning, and he had left his home on Lieyue Holy Street for the School around seven in the morning.


    At that time, Litte Street was normal... No!


    Colin shook his head, recalling that Litte Street seemed less crowded than usual at seven...


    It might have been an illusion...


    But now, just four hours had passed... Could it be that Litte Street was entirely sealed off during this short time?


    "Sir?" the coachman''s probing voice came again.


    "Keep going," Colin instructed, pausing for a moment before asking, "Do you know why Litte Street was sealed off?"


    "Not really..." the coachman mumbled while flicking the whip.


    Colin''s brows furrowed... Not really sure?


    "Sir¡ª"


    But moments later, the coachman''s voice came from the front again:


    "Although I don''t know precisely what happened, I heard from a friend who also drives a public carriage¡ª


    Shortly after the blockade this morning, several large carts that usually transport slaves were seen leaving Litte Street... I don''t know exactly what was inside."


    ''Slave carts...?''


    Litte Street was only one street away from his residence on Lieyue Holy Street... This inexplicably unsettled Colin.


    "Change the route, go to Lex Street next to Tin Saint Street."


    After pondering for a moment, he spoke to the coachman in front.

 Chapter 225 - 174 High Level Elf

    "Very well, sir," the carriage driver hastily responded, swiveled the carriage around.


    Ten minutes later, the carriage slowly stopped outside a detached white villa on Lex Street.


    This was the residence of Lillian.


    Colin stepped out of the carriage and pressed the Magic Power doorbell.


    He wasn''t sure if Lillian was at home.


    Shortly after, the villa door gradually opened, and Lillian herself walked out.


    ''Lillian likely does not have a maid¡­ Why have I never seen one?'' Colin thought to himself.


    "Colin, what brings you here?" Lillian asked, with the surrounding flowers emitting a misty glow.


    Although it wasn''t their first meeting, the scene still filled Colin with wonder.


    "Lillian," he gathered his thoughts, with a serious expression on his face, he broached the matter, "I came to inquire about something... something regarding Tate Street."


    "Do you know why the Law Enforcement Team sealed off Tate Street today?"


    Tate Street was uncomfortably close to where he lived.


    Regardless of the danger... not knowing anything was a danger in itself.


    So, out of caution, he turned the carriage around immediately to find Lillian and inquire about Tate Street from her, being an Official Wizard.


    "Tate Street?" Lillian paused, her expression slightly darkening.


    "Come inside."


    But she didn''t answer him, instead inviting Colin to follow her inside.


    Stepping into the small courtyard, following behind Lillian, Colin got a closer look at the peculiar flowers beside him.


    If one ignored the glow emanating from the flowers, they appeared no different from ordinary flowers elsewhere.


    The petals were similarly soft, the branches tenderly green.


    And there was a variety of species, predominantly hybrid roses, red, pink, blue, and purple mixed together, coupled with the faint glow, making Colin feel as if he were in a dreamy haze.


    As they walked further, the glow on the flowers behind them gradually extinguished.


    Entering the villa, what met his eyes was decor as minimalist as outside, predominantly ivory with hints of green from plants as accents.


    But perhaps because the first floor was spacious and lacked any presence, Colin felt it somewhat desolate.


    He glanced around and couldn''t help but ask:


    "Lillian, do you live here alone? Don''t you have a maid or something?"


    "I live alone¡ª" Lillian nodded, then shook her head, "But I do have a maid."


    She did not elaborate further but led Colin to a seating area near the window on the first floor.


    "Bobi."


    After Colin sat down, Lillian turned and called out toward the distance.


    The next second.


    A little figure, glowing, peeked carefully around the corner not far away.


    Following Lillian''s gaze, Colin only caught a fleeting shadow.


    Bobi had shrunk back.


    "It''s very shy," Lillian explained to him, then called out again, "Come out, Bobi, this is my junior, there''s no need to be afraid."


    "Bobi."


    A crisp, tiny voice came from around the corner.


    "Don''t be afraid, little Bobi," Lillian reassured again.


    After a moment, Colin finally saw a miniature and delicate figure appear in his line of sight.


    The body the size of a fist, golden hair, an emerald green plant long dress¡ªthis was a little elf with the face of a young girl.


    At this moment, it was slightly bowing its head, shyly flapping its translucent wings with golden patterns on its back as it flew towards them.


    ''Could this little elf be the maid Sister Lillian mentioned?''


    But the next second, Colin''s pupils slightly contracted as he discovered something special about Bobi.


    The tiny figure lifted its head and glanced at him, saw him looking, then quickly turned its head away, avoiding eye contact.


    As it turned its head, its golden hair floated up, revealing a pointed ear...


    It was actually an elf with High Level Elf ancestry!


    As is well known, High Level Elves use pointed ears as a symbol of noble blood.


    Ordinary elves'' ears look no different from those of humans, but ordinary elves, out of admiration for High Level Elves, would use special means to make their ears pointed after reaching adulthood.


    However, to avoid overstepping boundaries, the pointed ears of ordinary elves still differ significantly from the naturally pointed ears of true High Level Elves.


    Colin had come across this knowledge while looking through materials at the Tin Saint Library.


    If he wasn''t mistaken, the pointed ears of the little elf in front of him were clearly natural...


    Meanwhile, Bobi, due to nervousness, was flying wobbily and finally reached the side of Lillian.


    "Bobi!"


    It let out a crisp cry and then swiftly hid behind Lillian''s hair.


    "Go brew two cups of black tea," Lillian said with a smile, softly speaking to Bobi, then turned her head to ask him, "Apprentice Colin, would you like milk or brown sugar?"


    "No need for either, thank you, Senior Sister," collecting his thoughts, Colin replied.


    Watching the little elf''s figure leaving, Colin couldn''t help but ask: Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Sister Lillian, does Bobi have High Level Elf ancestry?"


    "I remember it was recorded in the books that mixed-bloods with pointed ears, guided by the residual bloodline information, would head to the almost vanished ancestral land of the High Level Elves, wouldn''t they?"


    Lillian smiled and shook her head, "Bobi probably doesn''t have High Level Elf blood. Its pointed ears might just be some kind of mutation."


    "I initially thought Bobi had High Level Elf blood, but in fact, it can''t even speak, and its magic power is only equivalent to that of a Basic Level Wizard Apprentice... It really doesn''t resemble someone with High Level Elf ancestry."


    Saying this, Lillian paused, then concluded, "Bobi is just an ordinary little elf who is close to me but rather shy around others."


    "That makes sense." Colin nodded, showing no doubt about Lillian''s judgment.


    He hadn''t forgotten that Lillian herself was a genuine hybrid of a High Level Elf and a human... Lillian''s judgment was clearly more accurate than his.


    Thinking this, Colin involuntarily glanced at Lillian''s ears... They were not pointed, just the normal human ear shape.


    It seemed¡ªthe High Level Elf part in Lillian''s bloodline wasn''t prominent, not displaying the pointed ear characteristic.


    The episode over, Colin felt a bit amused by his own initial shock.


    But soon, he gathered his thoughts and continued asking Lillian:


    "So Sister Lillian, what exactly is the reason that Litt Street has been sealed off?"


    Back inside the villa, under the protection of the Witch Array, Lillian didn''t beat around the bush but directly said:


    "Because of the Divine."


    "Last night, a follower of the Divine sneaked into Neustadt City, coming to Litt Street... I don''t know the specifics of his purpose."


    "But last night¡ª" Lillian''s expression was serious as she continued in a grave voice, "Litt Street, almost half of the people died."

 Chapter 226 - 175 Shortcut (Extra 1/20)

    "Divine beings?!" Colin''s pupils shrank slightly.


    Since arriving in Neustadt City, life had been very safe and peaceful.


    Although from time to time, he would hear about the wars in the distant southern seas... but the southern seas were indeed too remote, and he did not take them to heart.


    After all, he was just an insignificant Advanced Apprentice, and such matters would naturally be handled by higher-ranked Wizards.


    Even if he knew about them, it wouldn''t be of any use. He could only use them as talking points.


    But now... had followers of the gods appeared even in Neustadt City?


    More than half the people on Litt Street had died silently...


    "Junior Brother Colin, remember to stay safe recently," Lillian warned with a serious expression. "Although most of those who died last night were ordinary people, you still need to be cautious."


    "Alright, Senior Sister Lillian," Colin replied solemnly, then paused before asking, "So the followers of the gods have not been caught by the Law Enforcement Team yet?"


    Lillian shook her head and explained:


    "As far as I know, the follower has been discovered... or rather, his body has been discovered. After doing who knows what, that believer committed suicide on the spot, and his soul has already dissipated."


    "Dissipated?" Colin was puzzled. "Did it not return to the Divine Country?"


    The soul of a believer is a treasure to the Divine, and for a follower who has carried out their tasks with such dedication, to the point of death for their god, it seemed strange that their soul would simply dissipate without even being taken back to the Divine Country...


    "It did not return to the Divine Country," Lillian shook her head again. "If it happened in Neustadt City, the Supreme Council would not have failed to notice if the soul of a believer was taken back to the Divine Country."


    "At that point, it wouldn''t just be a matter of whether the soul of the believer dissipates... even the Divine being might not end up in a favorable situation." Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lillian spoke calmly, but it gave Colin a great sense of security.


    The place he could lean on now was no longer the secluded Blackstone Island, but the vast Siya Continent!


    And his location was right at the center of Siya Continent, the place of the Wizard Alliance.


    Ordinary Divine beings would find it impossible to harm him!


    But soon, another thought crossed his mind.


    Just last night, half of the people on Litt Street had died.


    In the bigger picture, he didn''t have to worry about this place falling into the hands of the Divine like Blackstone Island.


    But on a smaller scale, considering his own self, he still couldn''t afford to let his guard down.


    ''If only I had already advanced to an Official Wizard...'' Colin couldn''t help but think.


    Half of the people on Litt Street had died, and although, as Lillian said, most of them were ordinary people, such as Knights,


    he was still just an Advanced Wizard Apprentice, and it was quite nerve-wracking.


    Swoosh, swoosh¡ª


    Bobi, who had gone to prepare the red tea, finally returned. It was flying, flapping its wings, with two porcelain cups filled with red tea floating beside it, both flying along with it.


    The flying porcelain cups were very stable, even more so than the trays held by ordinary Knight servants.


    While Colin was thinking this,


    Bobi, perhaps sensing his gaze, suddenly shook nervously.


    The two porcelain cups immediately started to waver.


    "Bobi!"


    Seeing this, Bobi''s palms emitted a faint luminescence, its little face turned red with effort as it worked hard to stabilize the teacups.


    The porcelain cups shook, but ultimately not a single drop of liquid was spilled.


    "Bobi."


    Bobi withdrew its hands, looking proudly at the teacups that were about the same size as itself.


    But the next second, it snapped back to reality and, glancing at Colin''s gaze, immediately returned to its timid ways, tilting its head as it brought over the tea before quickly hiding behind Lillian''s hair.


    Colin withdrew his gaze and, after exchanging a few more pleasantries with Lillian, stood up to say goodbye and left.


    ...


    Back at home, without any pause, Colin strode into the Meditation Room.


    He slowly exhaled Golden Paper.


    Particles of pale gold began to gather.


    [Name: Colin Leonard]


    [Rank: Advanced Wizard Apprentice (100/100); Ultimate Knight (100/100)]


    [Meditation Method: Tin Ring Meditation Method (1/100)]


    [Breathing Skill: Sunlight Breathing Technique Golden; Yili Breathing Method (46/100)]


    [Witchcraft: Zero Level Tricks: Slight; Zero Level Witchcraft: Steel Temperature Resistance Field (16/100); Arrow Shooting Skill (Golden); Fireball Skill II (15/100); Swift Skill I (87/100); Flying and Diving Skill (89/100); Silent (65/100); Traceless (78/100); Detect Evil I (18/100); Purification Evil Power I (20/100)]


    [Skill: Basic Level Magic Crystal Making¡ª(Bright Crystal Making (Golden); Image Capturing Crystal Making I (89/100); Blood Pattern Transformation Skill I (36/100); Magic Potion Making: Blue Gelatin Making (72/100)]


    [Talent: Strong Life I (4/100)]


    [Limit Breaking Point: 0]


    Looking at the dense array of characters, Colin silently sighed in his heart.


    "So many skills, mastering each to the limit... is probably not something that can be accomplished in a short period."


    "Even in the most optimistic scenario, at least more than a year is needed."


    More than a year...


    Colin put away the Golden Paper and stood up, pacing slowly in the Meditation Room.


    After inquiring with Atbolde, he had a clearer understanding of cultivating Talent Seeds.


    As Atbolde had said, cultivating Talent Seeds is like planting fruit trees, the fruit they eventually bear is the Talent gained after advancement.


    The type of fruit is hard to change, whether it''s knowledge acquired or Meditation Methods, at most they can only have an insignificant impact.


    But the quality of the fruit is easily affected...


    If one wants to ensure the quality of their cultivated Talent Seeds, one must master to the limit the knowledge of Meditation Methods, witchcraft, etc., to avoid unmastered knowledge contaminating the Talent Seeds and causing their quality to decline.


    Therefore, fully mastering the Meditation Methods, witchcraft, and skills he had learned was an unavoidable process.


    But for some reason, he felt a sense of crisis looming deep within.


    Litet Street...


    Perhaps because of his experience on Blackstone Island, he now wished he could advance to be an Official Wizard today!


    "How can I reduce the time?"


    Colin paced back and forth in the Meditation Room for a while, then suddenly halted, a light of inspiration flashing through his mind!


    He raised his arm and spread his palm, summoning that dark golden wand he hadn''t used in a long time¡ª


    The Foolishness Scepter!


    As he caressed the scepter, it felt like a mix of gold and wood, Colin pondered deeply.


    Since Alus could improve the quality of Apprentice''s Talent Seeds by temporarily making them forget some of the knowledge they hadn''t fully mastered.


    Then the Foolishness Scepter naturally could as well!


    It''s just that the Foolishness Scepter involved permanent forgetting of knowledge... and it wasn''t good at precise control.


    But to him, such a flaw was not unacceptable.


    Based on his experience of using the Foolishness Scepter before, if it was Fireball Skill II (15/100), using the Scepter excessively would regress to Fireball Skill I, and with slight control, he could easily reach numbers like Fireball Skill I (99/100), Fireball Skill I (100/100).


    Fireball Skill I (100/100), inarguably meant that Fireball Skill I was mastered completely, hence it didn''t affect Talent.


    The difference between Fireball Skill I (100/100) and Fireball Skill II (1/100) was just 10 Limit Breaking Points, which was merely 10 Magic Stones.


    But if you wanted to upgrade a second time Limit Broken Fireball Skill to its limit, it''s not as simple as 10 Magic Stones... It requires lots of time.


    Looking at the Golden Paper once more, Colin weighed his options in his heart.


    He wasn''t planning to use the Foolishness Scepter to downgrade all of his witchcraft by one level, just to select some appropriate ones, to reduce some time.


    Reducing by a month meant advancing a month earlier.


    Time is the world''s most precious treasure, and he naturally understood the reasoning behind ''The later it is, the more things can change.''


    Moreover, once he advanced to be an Official Wizard, he could break limits again with some inconsequential Magic Stones.


    Although he would be slightly behind in progress compared to before, practicing these witchcraft from a higher realm later on would be much more effective.


    It likely wouldn''t take long to recover!


    Considering this, Colin grew even more tempted.


    If done correctly, instead of taking more than a year to cultivate the Talent Seed and advance to be an Official Wizard, now it might only take a few months to attempt the advancement!

 Chapter 227 - 176: Dislike Fighting (4k)

    Colin took a long breath and put away the Foolishness Scepter.


    Official Wizard...


    This goal, which had seemed so far away, now appeared to be within reach.


    As long as he was determined, with the help of the Foolishness Scepter, becoming an Official Wizard was just a matter of time!


    However... before doing all this, some preparations were necessary.


    *


    *


    *


    Three days later, at dawn.


    On Lier Holy Street, outside Colin''s residence.


    "Sigh¡ª"


    A gray-black public carriage gradually came to a stop.


    Lillian knocked on the door.


    "Lillian Senior?" Colin opened the door and asked in confusion.


    "Dark Court Flower, Luo Po Potion, Star Moon Grass... all of the best quality, comparable to those in the Alus Association, take them."


    As she spoke, Lillian took them out one by one from the Storage Ring and handed them to Colin.


    "This... Thank you, Lillian Senior." Colin quickly accepted them and was about to invite Lillian inside when he heard her say:


    "Keep these Magic Potions safe, I have some other matters to attend to, so I''ll be leaving now."


    "Wait!" Colin hurriedly called out to Lillian; he had something to ask her.


    In fact, this time when Lillian knocked on the door, it wasn''t Renee who answered, it was him, precisely because he was planning to find Lillian.


    "What is it?" Lillian asked, puzzled.


    Colin hesitated a bit, but eventually spoke:


    "Lillian Senior, I would like to borrow some Magic Stones from you."


    Lillian was slightly startled, smoothed her hair beside her ear, and asked softly, "How many do you need?"


    "One thousand Magic Stones will do," Colin replied, feeling a bit embarrassed even with his thick skin.


    But it couldn''t be helped.


    If he chose to use the Foolishness Scepter to reduce some witchcraft, then after advancing, he would want to immediately break the limits of the reduced witchcraft.


    Breaking limits required Magic Stones... and he didn''t have any.


    Or rather, he didn''t have time to earn them.


    "Yes," Lillian took out the Magic Stones from the Storage Ring and handed them to Colin, showing no signs of anything unusual as usual.


    This eased Colin''s embarrassment.


    Seemingly recalling something, Lillian then instructed:


    "Junior Colin, try to stay indoors as much as possible in the coming days and focus on your cultivation at home to foster your Talent Seed as soon as possible."


    "Alright, Lillian Senior." Colin nodded and tentatively asked, "Has something else happened in the city?"


    Lillian shook her head, explaining, "It''s still about the matter on Liete Street."


    "Didn''t the devotees of the Divine already die?"


    "According to the Law Enforcement Team''s investigation, there are other devotees. That dead Apprentice was merely to divert attention to cover for the others."


    ''Other devotees!'' Colin''s expression turned solemn, deciding in his heart to stay indoors as much as possible until he became an Official Wizard!


    "In any case, be careful in the coming days. The remaining devotees seem to have special, unusually strong abilities to hide."


    Lillian gave her advice again before hurrying away.


    Her figure gradually receded and eventually boarded a public carriage.


    Colin withdrew his gaze and quickly walked toward the basement.


    Now that he had the Magic Potions and the Magic Stones were ready.


    No need to ponder too much, now he had only one goal!


    That was to cultivate the Tin Ring Meditation Method to its limit, then foster the Talent Seed, and achieve a breakthrough all at once!


    Upon reaching the basement,


    With a gentle wave of his hand, Colin summoned the Foolishness Scepter.


    The next second, pale golden particles gathered... and he summoned the Golden Paper as well.


    Scanning from top to bottom, he pondered inwardly.


    Strictly speaking, any witchcraft or skill that had gone through breaking limits could be downgraded by one level using the Foolishness Scepter, achieving complete mastery to avoid impacting the nurturing of the Talent Seed.


    And after advancing to an Official Wizard, he could immediately spend some Magic Stones to break limits again.


    The only exceptions were the Tin Ring Meditation Method and any witchcraft that hadn''t gone through breaking limits.


    The Tin Ring Meditation Method, derived from the Circulation Meditation and the Tin Saint Meditation Method, would clearly make all his effort from the past three months go to waste if downgraded.


    As for the witchcraft that hadn''t been broken through limits, he couldn''t precisely forget just enough of it.


    And if too much was forgotten, considering the characteristics of the Foolishness Scepter, it would be too dangerous...


    After pondering for a moment, Colin put away the scepter.


    Having understood his current situation, what he should do next became naturally clear¡ª


    He needed to cultivate the Tin Ring Meditation Method and those witchcrafts that had never been broken through limits to their limits, then use the Foolishness Scepter to downgrade the rest of the witchcraft, and then foster the Talent Seed.


    Finally, using Magic Power as fuel and Spirit as a furnace, he would nurture the Talent Seed and achieve a breakthrough all at once!


    "Renee, for the next while, just like before, try not to go out."


    Ascending the stairs, Colin found Renee and advised her before entering the Meditation Room to begin his seclusion!


    Leaves rustled.


    In the yard, a large tree with golden veins swayed, and flowers moved without wind.


    Along the wall, the originally lush vines seemed to accelerate in time, visibly growing quickly, almost covering the entire wall.


    A solemn atmosphere quickly permeated the entire residence.


    The seclusion had begun!


    *


    *


    *


    Time flew by.


    One night, in the Meditation Room, Colin abruptly opened his eyes.


    ''There''s a strange noise!''


    He frowned slightly, listening carefully.


    Thud... Hiss... Ah...


    To ensure his meditation wasn''t disturbed, the Meditation Room was typically made of special soundproof materials, providing good sound insulation. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 228 - 176: Dislike Fighting (4k)_2

    At this moment, even with his Ultimate Knight''s acute hearing, he could only catch some fragmented sounds.


    But this was already abnormal enough...


    After pondering for a moment, Colin cast Defensive Witchcraft on himself, then suddenly stood up and walked towards the door of the Meditation Room, pushing it open with one swift move.


    As he opened the door, the sounds suddenly became clear.


    The noise of buildings being destroyed... screams...


    It seemed that a fierce battle was erupting not far away!


    "Master!"


    A voice came from the side. Renee was already waiting outside the door of the Meditation Room.


    "What''s happened?" Colin asked in a deep voice.


    "I don''t know." Renee shook her head, "Not long ago, there was a loud noise nearby, accompanied by dazzling light..."


    Colin felt a chill in his heart and strode towards the top floor.


    The cool night breeze fluttered his hair, fully revealing his stern face.


    Boom!


    A bright light erupted, forcing him to squint his eyes... If he remembered correctly, the light came from the middle of Cromi Street, next to Lit Street.


    By the light, he could see many Wizards with formidable magic power rushing towards Cromi Street!


    One of those figures, a Witch wreathed in ice crystals, seemed familiar¡ªit was the Third Rank Wizard he had seen at the Teaching Castle of his School.


    Moments later, the light began to fade, and only then did the shock wave arrive belatedly, making his Wizard Robe flutter noisily.


    Then, darkness enveloped the world once more.


    After standing on the rooftop for a while longer, the disturbance at Cromi Street gradually ceased, and Colin went downstairs with his confusion.


    The next day.


    Before Colin could leave to inquire about specifics, Lillian took the initiative to visit.


    "Did you hear all the commotion last night?" Lillian asked.


    Colin nodded and asked, "Senior Lillian, what exactly happened last night?"


    "Divine Believers," Lillian answered succinctly, "Remember the tragedy on Lit Street more than two months ago?"


    "Last night, the remaining believers were located and eradicated."


    "I see," Colin nodded.


    "I came to you precisely because of this matter," Lillian added.


    Then, with a serious expression, she looked at Colin and asked:


    "Do you wish to join the Alus Association?"


    "The Supreme Council has issued a new decree today, concerning the counterattack against the Divine. The Tin Saint School has responded to the call, and if you are willing to travel to the far seas in the south, you automatically qualify to participate in the Alus Association... Our faction treats everyone equally."


    Colin was slightly taken aback, not expecting such a turn of events.


    But the next second, he shook his head and looked at the glowing Golden Paper in front of him, declining Lillian''s kindness.


    "Sorry, Senior Lillian, I really don''t like to fight... So I won''t be participating in the Alus Association."


    Attending the Alus Association might seem tempting, but for Colin now, it wasn''t so necessary anymore.


    Time flies, and it''s already been over two months; he was close to pushing the Tin Ring Meditation Method to its limit... According to the progress in this period, in about ten days, he should truly reach the limit.


    Besides, the other witchcrafts that had not been Limit Broken had also been trained to their limits.


    This meant that, in ten days, he could start cultivating the Talent Seed, attempting to advance to an Official Wizard!


    It may seem fast, but it was actually quite normal... After all, two months for Colin was already considered a long period of time.


    Before, he had pushed the Tin Saint Meditation Method to its limit, broke through the limit, trained to the limit again, and then broke through the limit... Such a cycle only took him three months to reach the golden stage.


    Now, he only needed to push the Tin Ring Meditation Method to a single limit... Even with the increase in difficulty, three months was more than enough!


    So, choosing to attend the Alus Association at this point would undoubtedly be a case of missing the forest for the trees.


    Moreover, from what he learned later, the Alus Association didn''t only have benefits. Just the information that recovering the temporarily forgotten witchcraft would need at least half a year was something he found hard to accept...


    Lillian was somewhat surprised.


    She hadn''t expected that Colin would still refuse the Alus Association even though he was now qualified to join.


    The words Colin had said when he didn''t change his mentor back then, now seemed not just empty words to reassure her.


    Junior Colin... perhaps really didn''t like to fight.


    She didn''t feel any contempt for Colin''s decision.


    Everyone has a different personality, their own way of living - why interfere?


    In fact, she even envied Colin a bit... Having grown up amidst constant strife, she had long since grown tired of it.


    The responsibility weighing on her shoulders compelled her to strive...


    Regaining her composure, Lillian nodded at Colin and said,


    "Since you don''t wish to participate in the Alus Association, remember to thoroughly master your own knowledge before attempting to cultivate the Talent Seed."


    "You must remember¡ª" Lillian''s expression was stern, "cultivating the Talent Seed, planting it, catalyzing its growth to open the Spirit Sea, bearing the Talent Fruit, is a complete process!"


    "Once begun, you cannot stop. You either succeed in advancing or suffer great damage to your vitality..."


    "I understand," Colin nodded.


    After learning of Colin''s thoughts, Lillian stood up to say goodbye.


    After bidding farewell to Lillian, Colin returned to the Meditation Room, continuing his practice!


    So it was.


    Time flew, and before long, ten days had passed.


    On this morning.


    In the residence on Li Ye Sacred Street.


    In the Meditation Room on the second floor, Colin opened his eyes and summoned the Golden Paper.


    The next moment, a clear smile appeared on his face.


    He had successfully mastered the Tin Ring Meditation Method to its limit!


    The next step was to use the Foolishness Scepter to downgrade all his other skills!


    But this undoubtedly posed a problem¡ªif he were to cast the Fireball Technique, an Attack Witchcraft, with the power boosted by the Foolishness Scepter.


    How could he find a place to dispel such immense power without causing too much commotion?


    Might he need to go outside?


    After a moment of hesitation, Colin made up his mind and headed down to the basement.


    If he did not seek perfection all at once and took more time, S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    casting the Wizard''s power-enhanced Fireball with the Scepter of Foolishness, just a little bit at a time, his home''s basement should barely be able to withstand it.


    Standing in the center of the basement, Colin stretched out his right hand and summoned the Foolishness Scepter.


    Moments later, the glow of witchcraft illuminated the basement one after another.


    Hiss.


    Dark Cone Bullets streaked through the air.


    Boom!


    An orange-red Fireball was carefully controlled as it scorched an iron target.


    As the witchcraft was cast again and again, Colin keenly felt his understanding of his own witchcraft gradually diminishing.


    And so, five more days passed, and he had finally pushed all the witchcraft he had learned to their limits!


    In fact, by the second morning, he had already downgraded all his witchcraft and skills by one level.


    The reason it took another three days was because he needed to bring the witchcraft that hadn''t simply dropped to 100/100 but to 99/100 or 98/100, back up to 100/100.


    The process was somewhat tedious, but regardless.


    Finally, the day had come, and everything was ready!


    This morning, as dawn faintly broke.


    In the master bedroom, on the wide bed.


    Having enjoyed a comfortable night''s sleep, adjusting his body and mind to the best state, Colin slowly opened his eyes.


    He threw back the warm grey covers and slowly sat up.


    Golden light seeped through the gaps in the deep grey curtains, preventing the room from being completely dark and instead cast it in a dim light.


    Turning his head to the right, Colin''s mind stirred.


    The next second, the thick grey curtains by the wall automatically drew open to both sides.


    Sunlight, carried by the unique morning breeze, poured in, causing Colin to squint slightly as his spirit rallied.


    Having reached the limit of the Tin Ring Meditation Method the previous night,


    he couldn''t remember the last time he had slept in like this...


    "Huuh¡ª"


    Exhaling a breath of stale air, he felt the blood coursing through his limbs, his body gradually awakening with vigorous energy...


    Colin smiled to himself.


    ''Nothing could be better than this.''


    He got out of bed, stepped into the Meditation Room, and prepared to advance!

 Chapter 229 - 177: Luo Po Potion (Additional Update 2/20)

    "Luo Po Potion."


    Clunk.


    Colin took out a bottle of strange potion, as clear as lake water, and placed it on the low wooden table in the Meditation Room.


    "Star Moon Grass."


    A plant of ordinary-looking green grass was placed right next to the Luo Po Potion. With close observation, one could discover a star-and-moon-like shimmer on its surface.


    "Dark Court Flower..."


    In no time at all,


    Colin had laid out all the Magic Potions he needed.


    Looking at the array of Magic Potions before him, he took a deep breath to calm his somewhat agitated heart, and couldn''t help but thank Lillian once again in his mind.


    The Magic Potions that helped cultivate the Talent Seeds were, in fact, available for free to every Advanced Apprentice at the School, something he only learned later on.


    But what Lillian had given him, clearly, was not something that could be compared with those freely available Magic Potions.


    Pushing aside his mixed thoughts, Colin first picked up the Luo Po Potion and drank it all in one gulp.


    The Luo Po Potion was acknowledged as a great potion, it reduced the hurdles of a Wizard Apprentice advancing to an Official Wizard by one!


    The so-called Talent Seed was actually a point of Spirituality, the convergence of all one''s own attributes.


    Long ago, when there was no Luo Po Potion, cultivating a Talent Seed was a very difficult task for a Wizard. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Patience, Talent, strength, luck - missing any one was not an option!


    But now, cultivating a Talent Seed was no longer a challenge.


    As long as a Wizard Apprentice took the Luo Po Potion and then followed up with the Auxiliary Medicine in order, they could cultivate a Talent Seed effortlessly.


    Of course, such shortcuts naturally had their flaws.


    Compared to the point of Spirituality condensed by oneself... that is, the Talent Seed, the Talent Seed cultivated by taking Luo Po Potion had a more stable quality.


    This also meant that the maximum potential would not be too high, and the minimum would not be too low.


    Of course, this is without considering the influence of un-mastered knowledge.


    On the other hand, this was also in reference to ordinary Luo Po Potions and Auxiliary Medicines.


    In fact, with the quality of Luo Po Potion he was currently taking, as long as guided properly, he could achieve a one hundred percent perfect condensation of Spirituality. There was no difference from the best result of condensation by one''s own abilities.


    As his thoughts kept diverging, he had already reached the end of taking the Magic Potions.


    After swallowing the last Star Moon Grass, Colin slowly closed his eyes.


    The Luo Po Potion inside his body began to take effect, coming into contact with the other Auxiliary Medicines and producing a strange transformation.


    This feeling was like an ancient tree suddenly acquiring vision... a peculiar perception emerged in Colin''s mind.


    Under such a perception, a person... seemed no longer to have a human shape but transformed into a glowing, eerie sphere.


    Within the sphere, the lights were white, blue, red... with an uneven distribution.


    ''Is this what is known as Luo Po Spirit Vision?''


    Colin was shocked in his heart, no less than when he first achieved the heightened perception state after advancing to an Advanced Wizard Apprentice.


    Only, the Luo Po Spirit Vision was unlike the heightened perception state; it was gentler and didn''t have that eerie and spine-chilling sensation of heightened perception.


    While Colin was still inwardly shocked, the Luo Po Potion had already begun the next step¡ª


    Under the effect of the potion, from those variously colored lights, small dots of light began to fly out gradually, converging toward the center of the sphere.


    No matter which light they emerged from, they were as brilliant as the sun, golden in color.


    Steadying his mind, Colin began to assist the medicine in exerting its effects.


    He chose one of the lights and focused his attention on it.


    Under the state of Luo Po Spirit Vision, he could clearly see those tiny, sun-like golden dots inside.


    Most of them were, under the influence of the potion, converging towards the center of the sphere.


    His task was to round up all the dots that slipped through the net.


    With such a clear field of vision, this task was not as difficult as he imagined... in fact, whether the vision was clear enough was also the biggest difference between high-quality Luo Po Potion and its Auxiliary Medicines, and those of ordinary quality.


    In this way, approximately an hour and a half passed.


    The effect of the Luo Po Potion gradually weakened and then completely dissipated.


    In truth, half an hour earlier, the dots of light had already completely converged in the center.


    However, since the potency of the Magic Potion had not faded away, to be cautious, he continued to check each light until now, making sure that all the tiny golden dots had converged at the center.


    Gathering his spirit, Colin felt a tiny, faint golden light in the center of his brow, his heartbeat began to quicken.


    With a gentle exhale of stale breath, he suppressed his surging emotions and quietly waited.


    Another ten minutes went by until the residue of the Luo Po Potion in his body had completely dissipated, leaving no trace... It was the most critical step in advancing, the nurturing of the Talent Seed!


    Normally, nurturing the Talent Seed and prompting its emergence are two processes that need to be carried out concurrently.


    Because if one does not prompt the fusion of the Talent Seed in time, it won''t be long before it would disperse on its own, returning to the light.


    Thump, thump!


    Even after several deep breaths, his heart rate still struggled to return to its usual calm.


    There was no more time for hesitation!


    Colin clenched his teeth.


    Boom!!


    Following the instructions of the Meditation Method, he ignited his Magic Power without any hesitation!


    It was as if he could feel real heat emanating, his chest''s Magic Sea burned as if it bore molten rock, an unbearable fiery pain!


    His jaw muscles involuntarily tensed up, and between the grinding teeth, a squeaking sound emerged as if under unbearable strain!


    From the moment the Magic Power ignited, flesh, Blood Energy, Spirit... everything seemed to be burning, melting.


    And then, it transformed into streams of pure Energy, rushing toward the Talent Seed.


    Like drought-stricken earth receiving rain, the Talent Seed between his eyebrows, now thoroughly nourished, began to grow robustly as if the fast-forward button had been pressed.


    As it grew, the Spirit Core between his eyebrows was forced to expand, and soon, an intolerable pain shot through it.


    But Colin did not stop... He couldn''t stop!


    Once the arrow is off the bow, there is no turning back. There was only one outcome to be had: the opening of the Spirit Sea!!


    Crack¡ª


    A sound like something physically breaking echoed...


    The Spirit Core... cracked.


    But the next second, the Talent Seed glowed like the golden sun, casting a hazy light.


    The Spirit Core continued to fragment, yet it did not completely fall apart.


    An unseen radiance kept the fragments connected, maintaining a whole form, all the while continuously expanding...


    Seeing this, Colin breathed a small sigh of relief... The most dangerous moment had passed, now all that was left was to proceed step by step until the Spirit Sea expanded to its limit, after which he would be able to successfully advance to an Official Wizard!!


    The highest quality Luo Po Potion, the Auxiliary Medicine, the total mastery of his own knowledge, the peak of the Wizard Apprentice level...


    All these factors combined to nurture a Talent Seed, making the process of advancement as easy as drinking water.


    Some more time passed.


    Hum¡ª


    A vibration suddenly emanated from the soul level, jolting Colin awake.


    Like warm water flowing over, starting from his brows, Spirit, flesh... every bit of him underwent a transformation!


    This was a sublimation of the essence of life!!


    Time passed, unknown how long.


    The sublimation finally ended.


    Colin opened his eyes.


    But the next second, without taking time to feel the changes in himself after the advancement, he closed his eyes again.


    He focused his attention toward the spot between his eyebrows!


    A vast sensation came through... The Spirit between his brows had completely changed its form!


    From a Core, it had transformed into a Sea.


    The Talent Seed had also completely unfurled into an odd, golden, tree-like structure, the main trunk of the Talent.


    At the top of the golden tree, a fruit-like body, rich in folds like a brain, was his newly acquired Talent following his advancement to First Rank Wizard.


    At this moment, it was emitting a hazy light.


    The shape of the Talent trunk and the Talent itself are different in the eyes of every Wizard Apprentice.


    Some see an ever-extending grid, others see rings of flowers... His own golden tree was nothing to be astonished about.


    ''Just... what kind of Talent have I obtained?'' Colin wondered, a glint of anticipation rising in his heart.


    Boom... crackle...


    But just as he was about to examine his Talent, a subtle noise suddenly came from outside, not even the well-insulated Meditation Room could block it.

 Chapter 230 - 178 Phantom

    Colin opened his eyes and listened carefully.


    Crackling¡­ Boom¡­


    The sounds outside continued, almost as loud as the night when Cromi Street witnessed the eradication of the followers¡­ What had happened again?


    But the next second, his expression suddenly changed.


    Boom!!


    A loud explosion suddenly erupted, so loud that even the Meditation Room''s barriers seemed deafening!


    This undoubtedly meant that the distance was closer or the battle more intense¡­


    Neither of those was good news!


    Colin''s heart chilled; he didn''t hesitate, nor did he afford to!


    With a thought, he quickly summoned the Golden Paper!


    Pale golden particles converged.


    The next second!


    As his thoughts began to concentrate, the characters at the bottom of the Golden Paper representing the Limit Breaking Point rapidly pulsated and continually dropped.


    Meanwhile, the previously lowered magic began to break limits once again!


    [Fireball Skill I¡ü (100/100)] ¡ª¡ª¡ú [Fireball Skill II (1/100)!]


    [Steel Armor I¡ü (100/100) (golden)] + [Hope Force Field I¡ü (100/100) (golden)] + [High Temperature Tolerance I¡ü (100/100) (golden)] ¡ª¡ª¡ú [Steel Temperature Resistance Field (1/100)!]


    ...


    Moments later, after breaking limits on the main magic, Colin felt somewhat more secure.


    After bolstering himself with the Steel Temperature Resistance Field, he grabbed the Foolishness Scepter and stepped out of the Meditation Room.


    "You two, head to the basement and hide," he briefly instructed Renee and Demi, then quickly made his way to the rooftop.


    With each step he ascended, he felt increasingly the mighty power within him that belonged to an Official Wizard!


    Everything seemed unchanged, yet everything seemed transformed.


    It was as if the thick mud shell that had enveloped him was washed away in one go; he felt as light as if shedding half his weight, his movement ethereally light, nearly surreal.


    His senses, too, seemed as though they had been wiped clean of dust, the darkness of the stairs in front of him posing no obstacle at all.


    Inexplicably, an instinct that seemed innate emerged in his mind¡­ he couldn''t help but act upon this thought.


    The next moment, his spiritual power genuinely burst forth from his body, illuminating the surroundings¡­


    If the spiritual power during his apprenticeship was like rotten wood, then now, as an Official Wizard, his spiritual power was like refined steel, no longer confined within the body, freely moving out as he willed¡­ Sensing the surroundings was merely its most rudimentary use.


    Thinking this, Colin quickly reached the rooftop.


    The orange-yellow light flickered, illuminating the fierce fire nearby¡­ Unbeknownst to him, it had reached evening already.


    The world seemed to display two sunsets at that moment: one dim, barely visible, sinking into the earth.


    And the other brighter, located on Lier Saint Street¡­


    To be exact, in a small square courtyard not far to the right of his residence.


    The buildings in that courtyard had now almost completely collapsed, the flames licking the broken walls and making crackling noises.


    With the aid of the firelight, Colin clearly saw three figures in wizard robes floating midair, warily looking down at the ruined courtyard.


    To his surprise, those three floating wizards were all dressed in the garb he was most familiar with¡ª


    The standard wizard robes of the Tin Saint School¡­


    Clearly, this indicated that they were Official Wizards of the School.


    Colin''s eyes flickered as he speculated to himself,


    "Most of the residences on Lias Holy Street are properties of the Tin Saint School... Could it be that these wizards had gathered here for some reason and then something unexpected happened?"


    Just as he was pondering, the situation took a new turn.


    A sacred and bright beam of light, at an incredulous speed, suddenly burst out from a flickering fire below!


    It then shot towards the leftmost wizard with a plump figure like a sharp sword!


    Unfortunately, the male wizard and his companions were prepared,


    The next moment, a pale blue protective shield suddenly appeared around the plump wizard.


    The two other wizards beside him simultaneously launched powerful attacks towards the source of the beam!


    Hiss.


    The pure white beam clashed with the pale blue shield, eroding each other.


    The plump wizard let out a light exclamation... This attack seemed much lighter than he had anticipated, with the pale blue shield merely fluctuating slightly before it held up against the beam.


    The white beam, now diminished under the defense of the pale blue shield, became thinner and thinner, close to extinction.


    Boom!!


    At this moment, the attacks from the other two wizards struck the fire.


    Deliberately targeting, the wizardry carrying a chilling wind mixed with frost began to spread in all directions, gradually extinguishing the burning flames below.


    With the disappearance of the firelight, the previously obscured view below gradually cleared.


    Seeing this, the plump wizard waved his hand, timely casting a Light Brightness Skill to illuminate the area below.


    But the next second, his heartbeat suddenly missed a beat, and he exclaimed with hair-raising awe,


    "No good!!"


    He then saw a golden dot appearing in the almost imperceptible white beam in front of him.


    That golden point, from the moment it appeared, began to expand rapidly like malignant proliferating cells, ballooning up to the size of a basketball in the blink of an eye!!


    At this moment, the two other wizards beside him finally reacted, their expressions drastically changing, hurriedly fortifying themselves with defensive witchcraft!


    Meanwhile, on the top floor of Colin''s residence,


    There was no longer anyone there. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In fact, after going up to the top floor to view the situation clearly, Colin had decisively gone downstairs, preparing to take sisters Renee and Demi to a distant place for refuge.


    In this world, one of the things you must not do is spectate.


    Why wait, if not to quickly distance oneself from the center of danger while those wizards were confronting each other?


    You see, although he had become an Official Wizard, the witchcraft he knew were still of Zeroth Rank.


    Even now, with the rank enhancement of an Official Wizard, those Zeroth Rank spells had undergone qualitative changes.


    For example, Steel Temperature Resistance Field and other Limit Breaking fused witchcraft, when used, already had the level of normal First Level Lower Magic.


    Perhaps even, with the aid of the Foolishness Scepter, they might reach the level of Middle First Rank Wizardry.


    But now, he knew nothing.


    He had no reason to stay and put himself in danger.


    Boom!!!


    The fierce shockwave came, like a tsunami''s surge, causing the iron staircase downstairs to shake, and the black iron chandelier in the hall to sway and fall, crashing to the ground with a thud.


    ''This might is perhaps comparable to the Sun Fireball once cast by Wizard Lap...''


    Colin''s expression changed slightly, but his robust physical condition allowed him to continue swiftly towards the door, unaffected.


    Renee, holding Demi''s hand, followed close behind him.

 Chapter 231 - 179 Talent

    Clang.


    With force, Colin pushed open the door and stepped into the courtyard, instinctively glancing at the sky.


    Illuminated by the lingering white light from the nearby battlefield, he clearly saw several figures emitting a powerful aura swiftly approaching from afar.


    "They must be the wizards from the Law Enforcement Team¡­" his heart slightly relaxed as he was about to stretch out his hand to take the Renee sisters and fly away from there.


    The next second, however, he only saw a figure resembling an old farmer whizzing past his courtyard like a phantom.


    In a fleeting glimpse, Colin also noticed that the old farmer seemed to be carrying a slender figure.


    This unexpected sight sent a chill through his heart.


    His motion to fly away slowly halted.


    But the next second, Colin''s expression suddenly changed.


    For some reason, the old farmer''s figure quickly turned back and was about to sweep through his small courtyard again.


    "You can''t escape, filthy Divine Believer!"


    At that moment, a steady voice like rolling thunder came from afar.


    Behind the old farmer, several imposing wizards were quickly flying in¡­ That obviously was the reason the old farmer''s figure had turned back.


    Hearing the words, the old farmer hastened his flight, his aura chaotic and his figure looking extremely wretched. A look of despair distinctly flashed across his aged face.


    Yet even in such a condition, he still did not let go of the slender figure in his hand¡­


    The old farmer''s figure was about to pass by the courtyard, and Colin was preparing to go back inside to temporarily avoid conflict.


    "Colin! Get out of the way!"


    Then he suddenly heard a voice, quite familiar¡­was it, Lillian?


    The voice came from behind him, but Colin no longer had time to look back.


    Because¡­


    Upon hearing those words, the figure resembling the old farmer suddenly cast his gaze upon him.


    The malice contained in his gaze felt tangibly projected.


    "Cackle cackle cackle¡ª!!"


    Immediately following, perhaps because the old farmer was in a dire situation and his mind was nearing collapse, he let out a few strange laughs and, shifting his direction like the Night Owl, swooped towards him!!


    Colin''s heart sank,


    At the critical moment, he could no longer afford to complain.


    Whoosh!


    He extended his right hand, and a black scepter with dark golden patterns swiftly formed in his palm!


    He lightly exhaled a breath of turbid air.


    The next second, without hesitation, Colin unleashed the most powerful attack he currently had!


    As he moved,


    On the Golden Paper.


    The gold characters behind Arrow Shooting Skill slowly faded, transforming into Arrow Shooting Skill I¡ü(100/100), and the progress behind it sharply dropped, soon crashing down to 1/100.


    In reality,


    Between the flickers of electromagnetic brilliance, a cone bullet nearly the size of a palm formed in Colin''s hand, as an invisible force rapidly brewed within.


    The old farmer did not notice anything unusual, still assuming that Colin was struggling in his last throes. After all, in the perception granted to him by his deity, this wizard was not strong, his aura also unstable.


    In fact, being inconspicuous and unimposing was one of the advantages of Arrow Shooting Skill.


    Zap!!


    Before the old farmer could carefully discern the attack Colin was brewing in his hand.


    The next moment, a bright blue and white light suddenly erupted from Colin''s hand.


    Whoosh!!!


    The palm-sized dark cone bullet, carrying an unmatched force, ferociously shot towards him!!


    Boom!!


    As soon as the Cone Bullet flew out, the deafening sound followed, making visible rings of whitish waves in the air.


    "How is this possible¡ª?!"


    It was only then that the old farmer reacted, his face showing terror.


    This wizard was clearly at most a First Rank Junior Wizard, and his aura was not stable, so how could he launch such a powerful attack?!


    This strike could barely reach the peak power of a First Rank Intermediate Wizard!


    Normally, such an attack might only require full effort to deal with.


    But now, if he didn''t exert all his strength, he might not even be able to save his own life...


    He subconsciously loosened his grip, letting the graceful figure in his hand fall, and then raised his hands, preparing to fully defend against Colin''s incoming attack.


    But the speed of the Cone Bullet far exceeded his expectations; it had already reached his face before his arms were even fully raised.


    Bang!!


    "Phuh!!" The immense pressure forced the old farmer to spit out a mouthful of blood.


    He clenched his teeth, his hands desperately grasping at the dark Cone Bullet spinning in front of his chest; his constant Defensive Divine Skill flickered intensely, struggling to resist the penetration of the Cone Bullet.


    Hiss¡ª


    The sour-sounding friction echoed, and due to the friction, the tip of the Cone Bullet had turned thoroughly red...


    It was also because Colin had chosen a solid Cone Bullet that it hadn''t squished down during this confrontation like another type of hollow-point Cone Bullet would have.


    Although the old farmer was still combating the Cone Bullet, the reality was that from the moment he stopped moving due to the Cone Bullet, the situation on the scene had already settled.


    "That''s enough." A robust voice came.


    As his words fell, a bone-chilling wind suddenly swept through the surroundings.


    A blue-white stream, crystal-like, appeared and swirled toward the old farmer, who was stuck in a stalemate with the Cone Bullet.


    "No!!"


    Seeing the blue-white, crystal-like wind, the old farmer''s pupils contracted, desperately screaming.


    But the next second.


    Whoosh¡ª!


    With the whistling sound of a swift wind blowing through a gap suddenly rising, his voice abruptly stopped.


    The blue-white wind slowly dispersed, leaving only a vivid ice sculpture in its place.


    Colin couldn''t help but shiver, but his attention was not on the ice sculpture... but rather on the Golden Paper in front of him.


    Staring at the Golden Paper, Colin couldn''t conceal his shock.


    On the ancient, glowing Golden Paper, he saw the progress of Arrow Shooting Skill I clearly marked as 11/100!


    11/100...


    He remembered that when he used the Foolishness Scepter just before, he had clearly seen that the progress of Arrow Shooting Skill I on the Golden Paper had decreased to 1/100!


    But now it had inexplicably changed to 11/100!


    He subconsciously took out a Cone Bullet and quietly fired it at the ground beneath his feet!


    The instant the Cone Bullet was fired, the black characters behind Arrow Shooting Skill on the Golden Paper quietly jumped, changing to 21/100!!


    Why was this happening...?


    As if struck by divine intuition, his heart suddenly leapt, and he subconsciously thought of the Talent he had yet to explore on his Golden Tree...


    Could it be...


    But before he could think further.


    "Junior Colin..."


    A figure suddenly appeared in front of him, a slender girl looking unfamiliar...perhaps one of the three wizards he had seen earlier on the rooftop?


    But her voice was familiar... Sister Lillian''s voice?


    The girl was also holding a graceful figure...the same figure that the old farmer had been holding.


    It was only now, upon close observation, that Colin realized this graceful figure was also someone he recognized¡ªthe merchant Betty who had sold him the Magic Erasure Potion.


    A combination of factors led Colin to a growing suspicion, and he looked at the unfamiliar girl in front of him and ventured to ask: sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Sister Lillian?"

 Chapter 232 - 180: In the Shadows (Extra 3/20)

    The girl nodded, her face showing a complex expression, a mix of disbelief and joy...


    "Have you already succeeded in advancing to an Official Wizard?"


    As she spoke, she walked toward Colin.


    With each step, her figure gradually shrank, and the Wizard Robe on her body also shrunk until she transformed into the familiar figure of Lillian.


    Indeed, this girl was Lillian... Colin thought to himself, surprised that Lillian had such a form.


    "Yes, Senior Lillian," he replied, "I have successfully advanced to become an Official Wizard."


    While speaking, he summoned the Golden Paper again. He seemed to be looking at Lillian, but his gaze actually fell upon the Golden Paper.


    After completing his advancement, he had checked the Golden Paper several times, but there had been no change in the Talent section.


    There was only the lone Strong Life sitting there.


    However, after using the Foolishness Scepter to cast the Arrow Shooting Skill... there seemed to be a change on the Golden Paper.


    Underneath the Talent section, a row of blurry black characters quietly appeared, constantly twisting and changing, becoming clearer as time passed.


    Though she had some suspicions, Lillian was still unable to hide her shock upon hearing his answer.


    "Your Talent is...?"


    She blurted out, but then quickly realized that it was somewhat inappropriate.


    The specific effects of a Talent are a sensitive topic... and usually, it''s not made public.


    So she raised her hand to stop Colin.


    Just at that moment.


    "Not bad for Electromagnetic System witchcraft."


    A robust voice suddenly interrupted their conversation.


    A middle-aged Wizard with short, blue-white hair and a beard walked over at a slow pace.


    By his side was the figure of the old farmer now frozen into an ice sculpture.


    And behind him followed three Second Rank Wizards.


    "Have you just advanced to become an Official Wizard?" the white-haired Wizard asked, his tone more affirming than questioning.


    "Yes, Lord Mortilan," Lillian answered for him quickly.


    "Lord Mortilan," Colin greeted in turn.


    The Wizard in front of them was undoubtedly a genuine Third Rank Wizard, and naturally, Colin could not afford to be disrespectful.


    "Just after advancing to become an Official Wizard, you managed to cast such a powerful witchcraft," Mortilan continued, "I think... it''s because of that scepter in your hand, right?"


    Colin''s heart tightened involuntarily, but he did not intend to hide anything... The Foolishness Scepter was just an external object, not his true reliance.


    Moreover, hiding something from a Third Rank Wizard was not a wise choice.


    But before he could explain, he saw Mortilan smile warmly, patting his shoulder as he added:


    "Don''t be nervous, I recognize that scepter... A very famous artifact¡ªthe Foolishness Scepter."


    "About five hundred years ago when I was still a First Rank Wizard, I saw it once. Unfortunately, its owner at the time, having killed a powerful enemy with it, mutated and fell in an instant..."


    Mortilan sighed, and then he added a word of advice, "If you can use the Foolishness Scepter less, then do so...


    As far as I know, over time, the price you pay for enhancing witchcraft of the same intensity will become increasingly high."


    "This change is not a slow incremental increase, but rather, it may suddenly surge one day."


    "If at that time you find that you have paid a little too much..."


    Mortilan left his words hanging, but his meaning was very clear.


    If you are used to enhancing a certain witchcraft''s intensity at the cost of 10 progress points.


    One day in the future, when using the Foolishness Scepter to enhance the witchcraft to the same intensity, you might find that the price suddenly spikes, far exceeding ten points.


    Then, when that witchcraft is completely forgotten but the price is still insufficient, other knowledge will be forgotten immediately...


    This was undoubtedly very dangerous.


    Colin shivered inwardly, taking the warning seriously to heart.


    He hadn''t expected the Foolishness Scepter to have such a downside!


    In fact, he had also noticed that at the Official Wizard stage, the enhancing effect of the Foolishness Scepter was not as significant as the difference during the Apprentice phase.


    Using nearly 100 progress points as an Apprentice, he could enhance the Arrow Shooting Skill, at its peak Apprentice power, to match the minimum intensity of a normal First Rank Wizard.


    That was a difference of an entire Rank.


    But now that he had become an Official Wizard, with Rank enhancement, he could barely reach the lowest intensity of First Rank Wizard just by using the golden Arrow Shooting Skill.


    But using the Foolishness Scepter, he could only elevate it to the level of a First Rank Intermediate Wizard, which was only a minor increase in Rank.


    "Are you all members of the Tin Saint School?" Mortilan spoke again.


    "Yes," Lillian answered, with Colin nodding along.


    "Hmm, what is your name?" Mortilan asked him.


    Colin was slightly taken aback and quickly responded, "Colin Leonard."


    "Colin," Mortilan spoke with a serious, stern tone, "I inform you in the name of the Law Enforcement Team."


    "You have contributed to the capture of a Divine Believer and will be rewarded accordingly by the Law Enforcement Team afterward."


    Having said that, he paused and then asked, "Is there anything in particular you want?"


    Colin felt a small rush of joy... He hadn''t expected that being forced to counterattack would bring such a pleasant surprise.


    After pondering for a moment, he replied, "Witchcraft, Lord Mortilan, I''d like a First Rank Witchcraft, preferably of the Elemental type, related to the Fire Element."


    Though it was said that his assistance in the capture was meritorious, in reality, even without him, the downfalls of that believer were merely a matter of time.


    Therefore, his request couldn''t be too high.


    "Hmm," Mortilan nodded, then pointing to Betty, who was being supported by Lillian, he said, "Hand her over to me."


    Lillian nodded and handed over the still unconscious Betty to Mortilan.


    With a similar spell as used on the other side to the ice sculptures, Mortilan levitated Betty. He then ascended into the sky with the other Law Enforcement Team Wizards and vanished into the distance.


    "Senior Lillian," Colin withdrew his gaze and couldn''t help asking with curiosity, "What is all this about?"


    "I don''t know the specifics, I was here just because I was bringing two other School Wizards to visit Betty today to act as a bridge between them... but happened upon this believer making a move on Betty."


    After finishing, she paused to think and then added,


    "However, judging by the Divine Power fluctuations, this believer seems to be under the same Divine entity as the previous believer."


    "So, is he a remnant fleeing from the last purge, or a new believer that we hadn''t yet discovered?" Colin interjected.


    "A new believer,"


    Lillian answered after a moment of silence.


    "Are there other Divine Believers in the city?" Colin sighed softly.


    Although he asked the question, he already knew the answer.


    To use a saying from his past life, when you see one cockroach, it implies that there are at least ten more hidden in the dark corners you can''t see.


    If the old farmer believer had remained undetected, then it''s very likely that more undiscovered believers existed in the city...


    For a moment, he felt worried.


    But... even though he had become a First Rank Wizard, facing the current situation, he was still just a small boat drifting with the waves.


    Overthinking was useless, it was better to quickly learn some First Rank Witchcraft to increase his power.


    "Apprentice Colin," Lillian didn''t answer his last question but instead directed him,


    "Now that you''ve successfully advanced to an Official Wizard, remember to visit the School first thing tomorrow; there are many procedures to be taken care of."


    After speaking, she watched Colin, feeling as though everything was too dreamlike.


    Could it be that this Wizard, who had joined the Tin Saint School less than a year ago, had already advanced to an Official Wizard?


    Such news was too shocking, and even now, she still couldn''t settle her mind.


    And then there was that Electromagnetic System Attack Witchcraft...


    "Senior Lillian, what exactly are the procedures for tomorrow?" Colin asked.


    "Mainly, you''ll need to exchange your School Badge, test for Talent quality..."


    Lillian gathered her thoughts and began explaining to Colin.


    After talking a little more, Lillian said her goodbyes and left.


    As he watched Lillian''s figure disappear in the distance,


    Colin stood in place for a while before returning to the Meditation Room.


    He opened the Golden Paper. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The characters under the Talent section were still blurry... It seemed more time was needed.


    Colin slowly closed his eyes, patiently waiting.


    The sunset had already fallen behind the earth during the battle, and it was now night, with calm restored all around.


    Only the occasional passing of Knight Guards on the road outside of the yard hinted at the difference in this night.


    The moon quietly rose, and when it reached its zenith,


    A profound sense emerged within him, with no need for guidance, Colin subconsciously looked towards the Golden Paper.


    He saw that in the Talent section of the Golden Paper, the blurred characters gradually became clear, and eventually solidified into ¡ª


    [True Talent: Superbrain (0/100)]

 Chapter 233 - 181 Superbrain

    "True Talent?"


    Seeing the characters on the Golden Paper, Colin was slightly taken aback... He did not know what the specific difference was between True Talent and ordinary talent.


    Continuing to read on, he focused his gaze on the Superbrain Talent.


    Just like the Strong Life Talent, the Superbrain Talent also had progress indicators, which clearly could be enhanced.


    However, while the Strong Life Talent was serendipitously improved by practicing the Knight Breathing Method, it was unclear what could enhance the Superbrain Talent.


    As for the effects of the Superbrain Talent... Colin tried to concentrate his spirit on it.


    Unlike the Strong Life Talent, which had no annotations... A brief description slowly emerged in his mind after a moment.


    "Superbrain, Extraordinary Brain. Your brain-related abilities are slightly enhanced."


    After pondering over it, Colin felt a surge of joy.


    He had originally thought the effect of the Superbrain was just a simple enhancement of learning ability, but the actual effect was much stronger than he had imagined!


    Extraordinary Brain, huh... Such effects from just a slight enhancement? S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Colin carefully felt his own condition.


    His mind was indeed clearer than ever... He had thought this was just the normal manifestation of advancing to a First Rank Wizard, but now it seemed it might also be related to the Superbrain Talent.


    He continued his exploration.


    He didn''t know if the standards of the Golden Paper were too high or what... but his own feelings were far more pronounced than "slight"!


    His memory became vivid like photos and videos, detailed without omission!


    And it wasn''t just visual memory; he could even recall the smells and textures of past scenes he had experienced!


    It seemed hardly sufficient to describe this performance as photographic memory, as even those memories he thought he had forgotten were now fully recalled.


    Opening his eyes, Colin pondered for a moment, then took out a Cone Bullet and tossed it upward.


    Watching the Cone Bullet slowly ascend in the air, and then fall under the force of gravity, he reached out and caught it.


    "Reaction speed is also slightly improved, but not as pronounced as the enhancement of memory."


    As for abstract thinking, generalization ability, etc., there were currently no ready testing tools to measure them accurately... but unexpectedly, they likely had been greatly enhanced, just like the memory.


    These enhancements seemed unrelated to strength at a glance.


    But in fact, for wizards who believe knowledge is power, this was the greatest enhancement of strength!


    Even for him, it was the same.


    Though the Golden Paper could ensure his training progressed and helped him break limits, whether it was one or the other, ultimately he still needed to understand and master the knowledge himself.


    This was also why Superbrain could improve the efficiency of every practice session with Golden Paper.


    After reviewing the Superbrain Talent, Colin concentrated his spirit and continued with the unfinished plan¡ªto break the limit on every item listed on the Golden Paper!


    As his thoughts settled, the characters representing the number of Limit Breaking Points plummeted!


    He did not know how much time had passed.


    Sitting cross-legged, Colin slowly opened his eyes, his thoughts stirring.


    Countless pale golden particles slowly converged in front of him, finally forming the ancient look of the Golden Paper.


    [Name: Colin Leonard]


    [Rank: First Rank Wizard (0/100); Ultimate Knight (100/100)]


    [Meditation Method: Tin Ring Meditation Method¡ü (100/100)]


    [Breathing Skill: Sunlight Breathing Technique (Golden); Yili Breathing Method I (0/100)]


    """Witchcraft: Zero Level Tricks: omitted; Zero Level Witchcraft: Steel Temperature Resistance Field (3/100); Arrow Shooting Skill I (21/100); Fireball Skill II (0/100); Swift Skill I (0/100); Flying and Diving Skill I (0/100); Silent I (0/100); Traceless I (0/100); Detect Evil I (0/100); Purification Evil Power I (0/100)"""


    """Skills: Basic Level Magic Crystal Making¡ª(Bright Crystal Making (Golden); Image Capturing Crystal Making I (0/100); Blood Pattern Transformation Skill I (0/100); Magic Potion Making: Blue Gelatin Making I (0/100)"""


    """Talent: Strong Life I (4/100)"""


    """True Talent: Superbrain (0/100)"""


    """Limit Breaking Point: 0"""


    Besides the Tin Ring Meditation Method, which now required ten thousand Magic Stones for Limit Breaking, other witchcraft had already broken their limits.


    Looking at the neat characters on the Golden Paper, Colin felt a surge of pleasure.


    It was just a pity... most of the witchcraft, no, almost all the witchcraft on it could no longer keep pace with his current realm.


    Even the Fireball Skill, which had broken its limits twice, was now at best comparable to the weakest level among First Rank Wizards.


    However... Colin slowly stood up and went down to the basement.


    Whoosh!


    A dark Cone Bullet shot out!


    On the Golden Paper, the black characters slightly jumped, and in the blink of an eye changed from 21/100 to 31/100!


    Although almost all the witchcraft he currently controlled could no longer keep up with his current realm.


    Yet with the Golden Paper and the enhancement of the Superbrain Talent, all this was merely temporary.


    Moreover, he might even be able to acquire some Basic Level First Rank Witchcraft at the School tomorrow¡­ There was no need to worry about this aspect.


    Perhaps it was because he had just advanced to Official Wizard, feeling exhilarated, or perhaps it was the influence of last night''s Divine believer... Colin spent the rest of the night practicing witchcraft until dawn broke.


    Though he had not slept all night, he still looked refreshingly alert, as though he could go on for several days without rest.


    From the stage of Official Wizard, the differences between a wizard and an ordinary person would become increasingly evident.


    Seeing it was about time, Colin walked upstairs to have breakfast before hurrying to the School.


    As he walked, he looked at the Golden Paper.


    Even though he had looked at it many times, he still found it somewhat unbelievable!


    The power of the Superbrain Talent was even stronger than he had imagined.


    Just one night of hard work, apart from skills like Fireball Skill II, Steel Temperature Resistance Field, and Blood Pattern Transformation Skill, all other witchcraft that he controlled had broken their limits again!


    And the Fireball Skill II was also close to reaching its limit again, with progress reaching 65/100, while the Steel Temperature Resistance Field was slightly behind at 38/100.


    Deep down, he had a premonition that these two witchcraft might once again break limits and reach the level of First Rank Witchcraft!


    Just a pity, on the panel all witchcraft except Fireball and Steel Temperature Resistance Field had reached gold status after breaking limits twice.


    This meant they could temporarily no longer improve, and he would need to find similar witchcraft to merge with in order to continue breaking limits.


    By the time the sun had fully risen, and the stunning morning glow dispersed, Colin had arrived at the Tin Saint School, Atbolde''s residence.


    As soon as he entered the villa, Colin saw Lillian sitting on the leather sofa in the hall, appearing to have been waiting for a long time.


    "Good morning, Lillian," Colin greeted her.


    "Good morning, Colin," Lillian closed the black-covered book in her hands, stood up, and looked at him with an indescribable expression.


    Even though a night had passed, in her heart, it was still somewhat unbelievable that Colin had advanced to a First Rank Wizard...


    "Let''s go, I''ll take you to meet Instructor Atbolde," Lillian looked away, suppressing her mixed thoughts, and said faintly to Colin, "After meeting the instructor, the School will also need to test the quality of your talent. After testing your talent quality, they will assign you your subsequent tasks..."


    "There''s a lot to do, we better hurry."


    Having said that, it seemed she remembered something; Lillian turned her head and added:


    "As a First Rank Wizard, it''s not like being an Apprentice without any responsibilities, you should be mentally prepared."


    "Alright, Lillian," Colin nodded.

 Chapter 234 - 182 The Upcoming Alus Association

    Atbolde''s study seemed to be constantly bathed in bright sunlight.


    It was like this in the morning, near noon... and now just as the sun had just risen, it was the same.


    It seemed that outside the massive force field windows of his study, the sun was always perfectly aligned.


    The orange-yellow brilliance was confined by the frames of the windows, forming a square as it slanted onto the floor, enveloping Atbolde who sat in the lounge chair.


    His white hair was dyed golden by the sunlight, and a hint of surprise flickered across his aged face as he confirmed,


    "Are you saying that Colin has advanced to a First Rank Wizard?"


    "Yes," Lillian nodded and added, "Last night he also encountered a Divine Believer...probably devoted to the same Divine as the previous one."


    "Divine Believer¡­" Atbolde murmured softly.


    Who would have thought that so much had happened in just one night...


    "Guru, since Colin has advanced to a First Rank Wizard, according to the rules of the School, you need to take him to test his Talent and receive subsequent Meditation Methods," Lillian said.


    Atbolde nodded slightly, his furrowed brow smoothing out, and a genuine smile slowly spread across his old face.


    No matter what, as long as Colin had truly succeeded in advancing to an Official Wizard, that was undoubtedly good news!


    Heaven knows how long it had been since their Faction had produced an Official Wizard.


    Alas... he had not managed to secure Colin a place in the Alus Association.


    Atbolde felt a slight sigh within, tinged with a bit of guilt.


    If it weren''t for the reasons related to their Faction... If Colin could have normally participated in the Alus Association and gained access to Alus,


    the quality of Talent he would have acquired would definitely have been better, and his potential after advancing would have been greater.


    But now, although Colin had advanced quickly, this also represented hastiness.


    As everyone knows, mastering witchcraft thoroughly requires no short amount of time.


    Under such circumstances, the highest Talent Colin could receive after advancing was probably only Second Class...


    "Let''s go."


    Despite his many thoughts, Atbolde did not stop; he slowly stood up and said to Colin and the others,


    "I''ll take you to test your Talent."


    Following Atbolde, they made their way.


    Before long, they arrived deep within the School, finally stopping at a huge black semi-circular fortification.


    "Good morning, esteemed sir."


    Upon entering the fortress, the First Rank Wizard on duty greeted respectfully, looking puzzledly at the aged, Second Rank Wizard whom he had never seen before.


    "Register him... he just advanced to a First Rank Wizard yesterday," Atbolde removed his own badge, requested Colin''s badge, stacked them together, and handed them to the duty wizard.


    This place was one of the most important locations of the School, known as Black Castle.


    Only here and a few other locations could afford to have a First Rank Wizard on duty.


    "Very well, sir," the First Rank Wizard on duty was about to respectfully receive the badges handed by Atbolde when


    a voice came from the side.


    "Atbolde, what are you doing here?"


    Larrel walked in with Robb, expressing his confusion.


    Normally, Atbolde always stayed at his residence and seldom ventured deep into the School.


    After Larrel had last rejected Atbolde''s request concerning the Alus Association qualification at the ancient castle, he had never seen Atbolde in the depths of the School again.


    It was unknown what Atbolde intended by coming to Black Castle this time...


    Larrel''s expression was cautious, and many speculations surfaced in his mind.


    It seemed he thought of something when he frowned and said,


    "Atbolde, if you have come to Black Castle so that your student may gain entry into the Alus Association, then I must regretfully tell you again ¡ª that is impossible. Your faction cannot obtain the qualification for the Alus Association.


    Moreover, the Alus Association meeting is about to begin. The list of participating apprentices has been finalized, and there are no spare slots left... We are here for this matter."


    Larrel spoke in one breath, hoping as much as possible to dispel any ideas Atbolde had...


    After he had refused Atbolde the last time, one of Robb''s subordinates, a First Rank Wizard named Herard, had nearly lost his life, his body covered in fresh flowers.


    Although he later learned it was because Herard had provoked Atbolde, if it were claimed that Atbolde had no emotions to vent, Larrel wouldn''t believe it.


    If it had been an ordinary Second Rank Wizard, it wouldn''t have been so troublesome as a Third Rank Wizard himself.


    But it was Atbolde...


    "Lord Larrel, you misunderstand," Atbolde replied without anger, merely explaining with a smile, "I am here to register my student, who has successfully advanced to Official Wizard."


    Larrel''s furrowed brow relaxed, and a trace of astonishment flickered across his stern, old-fashioned face.


    Successfully advanced to First Rank Wizard?


    To know that advancing to First Rank Wizard was never an easy feat, and even in the annual Alus Association where apprentices used Alus''s help, the success rate for advancing to First Rank Wizards was only thirty to fifty percent.


    Atbolde''s student had advanced on his own to Official Wizard?!


    Why was such a talented Wizard Apprentice assigned to Atbolde''s faction?!


    His heart was full of doubts, which then turned into regret.


    "Is this the one who advanced to First Rank Wizard?" Larrel looked closely at Colin as he inquired of Atbolde.


    "Yes," Atbolde responded indifferently.


    "Mm." Larrel nodded and scrutinized Colin carefully, sighing inwardly.


    ''The School has likely lost another exceptionally talented wizard seed...''


    He didn''t say anything more but proceeded with Robb to the counter next door to handle the affairs of the Alus Association. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The path of a wizard was fraught with hardships and dangers; sometimes, one wrong step could have irreversible consequences.


    A while later.


    "Alright, sir."


    After verifying Colin''s real strength and the School Badge, the duty wizard respectfully handed the School Badge back to Atbolde.


    In the badge, which originally had only three silver feathers, an additional brilliant golden feather now appeared.


    After Atbolde received the badge.


    "Sir, this way please. I will take you to test the specific quality of his talent," added the duty wizard.


    Hearing this, Larrel became interested. He handed the list registration to Robb, stood up, and followed Atbolde.


    "Do you mind if I observe from the side, Atbolde?" he asked faintly.

 Chapter 235 - 183 Talent Witchcraft (Extra update 4/23)

    Atbolde paused slightly, then he turned to look at Colin and sought his opinion with a glance.


    Talent quality wasn''t information that needed to be kept very secretive, it was similar in nature to a Wizard''s affinity for Magic Power.


    It was the specific effects of Talent that had to be kept as secret as possible.


    In fact, given Larrel''s status, even if he wasn''t observing from the sidelines now, he could know Colin''s specific Talent quality from the archives later if he wished.


    Despite that, Atbolde didn''t have the habit of making decisions for others, so he directly threw the question to Colin.


    "I have no objection, Lord Larrel," Colin responded after pondering for a moment.


    "Mhm." Larrel nodded and walked with them towards the special Talent testing room deep inside Black Castle.


    Soon, the on-duty Wizard led them to a thick, black door,


    the surface of which was smooth and had a matte texture, making it impossible to discern the material.


    Upon entering through the door, the first thing that caught their eye was the tall white stone platform situated in the very middle.


    The platform was squarely shaped, a perfect rectangular prism. If not for its jade-like white appearance, it would have looked just like an enlarged brick.


    Apart from the stone platform, there was nothing else in the entire room.


    The surrounding walls, floor, and door were made of the same material, all black, and there were no windows either.


    Now, as the door sealed tightly shut, they seemed to be enveloped in the darkness of the night.


    The only light... Colin looked around and didn''t spot any traces of Bright Crystals or other sources of illumination.


    The stone platform didn''t emit any light either.


    Realizing this, he couldn''t hide his surprise.


    Although the room was all black, it was brilliantly lit, as though it was broad daylight.


    "Open your Supersensitive Vision and take another look," Atbolde, noticing his actions, said with a smile.


    Supersensitive Vision?


    Colin nodded, and as Atbolde had suggested, with a quick thought, he activated his Supersensitive Vision.


    White.


    White¡ª


    Contrary to reality, the room''s colors abruptly switched in the Supersensitive Vision.


    What was once black walls, black floor, and black door were now pure white.


    And the whites rectangular stone platform suddenly turned black, an ink-like black.


    If it weren''t for the Tainted babbling that, though sparse, still floated through the air, unseen for ages, the platform would have been the only black in the room.


    "This is a special object called the Blood Pattern Giant Stone," Atbolde explained,


    "There are a known total of 102 Blood Pattern Giant Stones in the Wizard World, and their sole purpose is to test the quality of a Wizard''s Talent."


    While Colin was observing the room, Larrel was observing him.


    Supersensitive Vision, although an essential Skill for every Official Wizard, wasn''t something that every Wizard could master shortly after advancing.


    Moreover, observing the state of Wizards under Supersensitive Vision could offer a glimpse into their resistance to Tainted babbling.


    Such resistance was very important for a Wizard.


    A moment later, Larrel shifted his gaze away, having gauged Colin''s resistance and feeling increasingly regretful.


    Let''s see what his actual Talent is...


    At this moment, Atbolde''s speech also came to a close.


    "There are still many mysteries about the Blood Pattern Giant Stone that remain unsolved... Perhaps, it has other effects as well."


    "But as far as the effects that have been discerned so far, the only effect of the Blood Pattern Giant Stone is to test the Talent quality of Wizards, and it is limited to First Rank Wizards."


    "The cost it requires is minimal, just a wisp of Magic Power."


    After Atbolde finished speaking, the on-duty Wizard timely asked them:


    "Sir, shall we begin the Talent testing now?"


    "Indeed."


    After both Larrel and Atbolde nodded, he turned to Colin and beckoned:


    "Your Grace, come this way."


    He led Colin to the front of the stone platform.


    Lifting his gaze slightly, Colin only then realized the immensity of the platform, and now, as he approached, he could no longer see the top of it.


    "The Talent test is very simple, Your Grace. You only need to place your palm on the Blood Pattern Giant Stone and input Magic Power... There is no specific requirement for the amount of Magic Power, anything from a thread to the full amount is fine, and the result will not be altered."


    "Alright." Colin nodded, took a deep breath, and without further hesitation, placed his hand on the Blood Pattern Giant Stone in front of him.


    A sensation of cool hardness was transmitted to his hand.


    He began to slowly input Magic Power, roughly a thread more than the smallest amount.


    A moment later, before he could even react, the on-duty Wizard said:


    "That''s enough, Your Grace."


    Colin slightly furrowed his brow, looking at the still unchanged Blood Pattern Giant Stone in confusion.


    The next second, as if realizing something, he activated his Supersensitive Vision. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But immediately thereafter, the confusion in his heart did not diminish but grew even greater.


    Through his Supersensitive Vision, there was still no change in the Blood Pattern Giant Stone, just pitch darkness.


    But...


    Larrel and the others nearby could no longer contain the surprise in their hearts, their astonishment was clearly etched on their faces!


    "First Class Talent..." whispered Lillian, who stood at the back.


    "What a pity." Larrel finally couldn''t help but sigh out loud.


    Although the Blood Pattern Giant Stone could test an Apprentice''s Talent, it could only make a rough judgment, with a precision that is approximately divided into nine levels.


    First Class was the best among them... but obviously, there were differences within First Class.


    Without using Alus, Colin''s Talent after Advancement was able to reach First Class; if he were to use Alus...


    Atbolde beside him also realized this point and felt an increasing sense of guilt.


    "You''re Colin, right?" Larrel suddenly spoke, asking him, "Have you considered changing mentors?"


    ''Change mentors...'' Colin was taken aback and looked reflexively at Atbolde.


    To his surprise, there was no sign of anger on Atbolde''s face.


    The very next second, Atbolde took the initiative to say:


    "Larrel Sir is a powerful Third Rank Wizard, think it over carefully, Colin."


    Lillian remained silent.


    With a thought, Colin quickly inferred the reason, and his heart inevitably warmed.


    Having Atbolde as a mentor... was his fortune.


    Exhaling a heavy breath, Colin shook his head and declined Larrel:


    "I''m sorry, Lord Larrel, I have no intention to change mentors."


    Larrel was taken aback, silent for a moment, and said nothing further.


    As a Third Rank Wizard, such a request... Colin deserved only one such offer.


    On the other side, Atbolde''s aged face broke into a smile.


    Even after so much experience, upon hearing Colin''s response, he couldn''t help but feel content.


    "Alright, it''s now time for you to choose your Talent Witchcraft." After a moment, he spoke again.

 Chapter 236 - 184 Exotic Skill

    "Talent Witchcraft?"


    While following Atbolde outside, Colin asked in confusion.


    "Hmm..." Atbolde pondered for a moment and then slowly explained, "In the School, after each Wizard Apprentice advances to become an Official Wizard, they can select a First Rank Witchcraft for free."


    "This has been a tradition from the beginning, initially just a simple selection of witchcraft, without the designation of selecting Talent Witchcraft."


    "However, later on, most wizards at this stage chose witchcraft that complemented their talents, that is, witchcraft that could assist their talents... Over time, this stage came to be known as selecting Talent Witchcraft."


    "I see." Colin nodded.


    Atbolde hadn''t finished speaking; he paused, then added:


    "The varieties of Talent are numerous, and their effects vary. Even though wizards have come a long way on this path and created many witchcrafts specifically to assist talents, their applicability is not strong.


    Therefore, you can choose witchcrafts that assist your talents or other witchcrafts."


    Perhaps worried that Colin might misunderstand, after finishing, Atbolde added another line:


    "But you must understand that Talent, especially the first one obtained when advancing to a First Rank Wizard, is the foundation of a wizard''s path. Selecting witchcrafts revolving around it is never wrong.


    At this stage, you have to start thinking about the main direction you want to take in the future, how the witchcrafts you learn can complement each other... Once you have accumulated enough, you can start trying to create witchcrafts.


    You must know, none of the famous wizards use witchcrafts created by others."


    Perhaps Atbolde''s fondness for him had increased; this explanation seemed more detailed than before.


    "I understand, Mentor Atbolde," Colin nodded.


    Talent¡­ the foundation of a wizard''s path.


    His gaze flickered, pondering deeply.


    Unfortunately... his Talent wasn''t something straightforward like Fire Element Affinity or great strength; choosing appropriate assisting witchcraft would probably not be easy.


    Thinking so, the group reached a deeper part of Black Castle.


    Naturally, Larrel didn''t continue with them and turned to leave after Colin had refused.


    "Go in, you can roughly describe the effects of your Talent to the Chamber Spirit, and it will recommend possibly useful witchcrafts for you... Don''t worry about your Talent being leaked, you don''t need to describe it in detail, and the Chamber Spirit won''t record the information," Atbolde said as they stopped in front of a grey door, substituting for the duty wizard.


    "Okay." Colin nodded, took a deep breath, and walked in.


    Pushing open the grey door, what appeared before him was a device resembling the inquiry crystal on the first floor of an ancient castle library ¨C only, the one here in Black Castle was larger.


    As he entered, the crystal emitted a soft white light, gradually illuminating the surroundings, and rows of shelves engraved with complex defensive runes appeared out of the darkness.


    To the left of the crystal, the right, behind it, and even on the ceiling were endless brown shelves stretching into the dark beyond the crystal''s light.


    At that moment, a semi-transparent orb of light quietly emerged in the crystal; simultaneously, his newly updated School Badge also glowed softly.


    The next second, a mechanical voice came through:


    "Respected First Rank Wizard Colin, please describe the effect of your Talent."


    Colin''s gaze flickered, he pondered for a moment, and finally spoke vaguely, "Enhanced brainpower."


    "Recommending appropriate assisting witchcrafts for you, please wait," continued the Chamber Spirit.


    After a short time.


    A row of pale white projection characters appeared around the crystal.


    "Please review," the Chamber Spirit said.


    Colin carefully looked from left to right.


    "Tatar Memory Palace," "Digital Calculation Enhancement," "Weak Sanity Resistance Enhancement"...


    Perhaps because the effect he described was overly vague, the range too broad.


    The Chamber Spirit''s recommended witchcrafts from left to right, from top to bottom, densely filled his entire view, at least hundreds.


    Touching them with his fingers brought up detailed explanations of the corresponding witchcrafts.


    After spending some time going through the Chamber Spirit''s recommendations twice, Colin couldn''t help but furrow his brows.


    His Talent, Superbrain, was an overall enhancement of the brain.


    And the assisting witchcrafts recommended by the Chamber Spirit, like the Memory Palace, enhanced computing ability, were actually already covered in his existing Talent.


    Using this one-time free opportunity to select witchcraft after advancing, on these, seemed somewhat not worth it.


    Perhaps¡­ should he forgo choosing witchcraft that assists his Talent and instead select some powerful witchcrafts that could increase his strength?


    Colin shook his head; although Atbolde hadn''t explicitly said he must choose witchcraft that assists his Talent, the meaning expressed in his words was clearly more inclined to have him select witchcraft that could assist his Talent.


    "Witchcraft that enhances brainpower."


    He pondered for a moment, then spoke to the spirit in the secret room again.


    A moment later, the character projection appeared again.


    After carefully reviewing it once more, his gaze settled on a piece of witchcraft in the top left corner.


    After pondering for a moment, he gradually found his answer.


    "Mechanical Mind," Colin said to the spirit of the secret room.


    If one had to point out a flaw in his Superbrain Talent,


    the first would be that the enhancement in combat ability was not as significant as in learning ability, and it would be affected by his own condition.


    Although Superbrain made his brain extraordinary, his body lacked the benefit of natural talent.


    And as a whole, every part of a human is closely related to the rest, a single touch could affect the whole body.


    The brain ignores pain when angry, the concentration decreases when tired, and one tends to panic when nervous...


    Even a brain enhanced by Superbrain would do the same, only to a weaker extent... Perhaps after many Limit Breakings, he could ignore this fact, but not now.


    So, to assist his Superbrain Talent, the direction of choosing witchcraft could obviously be aimed at compensating for these shortcomings.


    And Mechanical Mind just so happened to compensate for the Superbrain being influenced by personal conditions.


    As its name suggests, this witchcraft keeps one''s inner mind as calm as a machine, potentially reducing the impact of negative states.


    Combining his strong logical and computational abilities, he might achieve an effect in combat greater than the sum of its parts!


    It''s worth mentioning that although called Extraordinary Brain, Superbrain is indeed closely related to the spiritual domain of the mind and soul, and Superbrain also indirectly strengthens the spirit and soul.


    In this respect, Superbrain is similar to Mechanical Mind.


    Although Mechanical Mind mechanizes the mindset, its actual area of effect also lies within the spiritual domain of the brain and soul.


    He didn''t have to wait too long.


    Moments later, a white crystal quietly emerged from the darkness directly in front of him, then slowly flew towards him¡ªthis was precisely the crystal template of Mechanical Mind.


    Taking the crystal template, Colin was ready to leave.


    But suddenly his brow furrowed, and he raised his right hand... For some reason, there was suddenly a disturbance in the Storage Ring.


    Hesitating for a moment, he lowered his arm and continued forward, planning to find a secluded and safe place to open it and check later.


    But before he had taken two steps, Colin''s expression changed suddenly.


    The disturbance in the Storage Ring grew more intense, and if he did not remove the source of the disturbance soon, the Storage Ring might not last much longer!


    He hastily reached into the Storage Ring and pulled out the source of the disturbance¡ª


    It was another ring.


    Of a crown style, metallic in material, colored like interwoven gold and silver similar to the Tin Saint School Badge, with intricate details.


    This was exactly the relic he had obtained after slaying the Beast-faced Wizard in the Holy Flame Kingdom! S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this moment, the Crown Ring trembled faintly, emitting a buzzing sound.


    The next second!


    Colin''s pupils slightly constricted.


    The Crown Ring suddenly emitted white light.


    The white light flashed and spread out like a ring in all directions.


    Colin''s face darkened as he carefully observed the changes around him.


    To his surprise, the surroundings, including the spirit of the secret room, seemed to have no reaction to the anomaly in his hand.


    "Snap."


    Suddenly, a sound came from beside him,


    "Whoosh!"


    Colin, on alert, turned his head to look, but before he could see clearly, he felt the item in his hand suddenly lighten.


    The Crown Ring had slipped from his grasp.


    Looking in the direction the ring had flown, a thick, brown-black covered book had somehow landed at his feet.


    On its unknown material cover was a crown-shaped slot.


    At this moment, the ring was fitting seamlessly into the slot above.


    Then with a burst of light, the book flowed towards him like water, then disappeared like a ray of light.


    "Exotic Skill¡ªAnando''s Dice."


    The next second, a piece of information slowly emerged in his heart.

 Chapter 237 - 185: Anandos Dice

    "Is the selection finished?"


    Atbolde gazed at Colin who emerged from the secret chamber and asked slowly.


    "Yes, Mentor." Colin halted, subtly nodded his head, and extended his palm to reveal the mechanical mind''s crystal replica.


    However, his attention was actually focused on the bizarre and sudden exotic skill¡ªAnando''s Dice.


    "Then let''s go, I will take you to retrieve the meditation method for your subsequent First Rank Wizard stage," Atbolde spoke again.


    Advancing to a First Rank Wizard was no small matter, involving numerous procedures.


    "Okay, Mentor." Colin nodded and continued to follow Atbolde.


    Retrieving the meditation method went smoothly, and shortly, he obtained the imprinted meditation method for the subsequent First Rank Wizard stage.


    As for whether the content of the Tin Saint Meditation Method was compatible with his current practice of the Tin Ring Meditation Method...


    He had never worried about that problem.


    Golden Paper was just a tool; he himself was the true master of the knowledge.


    After integrating the Tin Ring Meditation Method and pushing it to its limits, he had thoroughly mastered it.


    Merging it with the Tin Saint Meditation Method posed no issues.


    A little while later.


    At the Black Castle entrance.


    "Mentor Atbolde, I will be heading back first," Colin bid his mentor goodbye.


    "Hm, focus on solidifying your strength, ponder more on the direction of the witchcraft you want to major in," Atbolde replied, "As for the responsibilities you''ll take on afterward, we must wait until your advancement files are sent up before they can be assigned to you."


    "When the school sends down a notification, I will have Lillian inform you."


    A First Rank Wizard was already considered the backbone of the school; thus, their work and directions were allocated with more caution, and naturally took more time.


    "Okay, thank you, Mentor Atbolde."


    Colin bowed to Atbolde and briskly turned to leave.


    The location of Black Castle was in the deep core of the school; unlike the outside world, the people passing by here were fewer, with more carriages and other vehicles.


    He walked briskly.


    Soon, he arrived at a secluded place.


    Carefully surveying his surroundings and ensuring there was no one around, his thoughts stirred, and his magic power momentarily diminished significantly.


    An imperceptible golden dice suddenly appeared in front of him, spinning rapidly before slowly stopping, finally settling at the number two.


    Undoubtedly, what he had just performed was the exotic skill he had acquired¡ªAnando''s Dice!


    The golden dice slowly dissipated.


    But in Colin''s heart, two vague directions suddenly emerged.


    One pointed towards the place he had just left¡ªBlack Castle, the other, towards a nearby familiar castle¡ªthe Teaching Castle where he usually attended classes.


    Colin felt a slight surprise in his heart.


    The effect of the exotic skill, Anando''s Dice, was unique¡ªit allowed the detection of the nearest location with valuable items every week.


    Its principle was unknown, but its accuracy was extremely high, and it possessed very special characteristics.


    According to the information he knew¡ªthere were limited people in the whole world who could wield Anando''s Dice.


    ...This undoubtedly further highlighted the rarity of Anando''s Dice!


    But beyond that, he was unable to obtain any other information... Whom the Crown Ring belonged to, or how someone had acquired such an exotic skill, remained unknown.


    However... Colin lifted his head, gazing toward the distant Teaching Castle.


    That Black Castle possessed valuable items was, of course, beyond doubt... but could it be that this Teaching Castle, where apprentices frequently came and went, also concealed something valuable?


    After pondering for a moment, he changed direction, heading towards the Teaching Castle.


    Crossing the wide stone road, entering the path, and then following the path for five minutes, a large, ancient castle came into view.


    Colin''s steps slightly faltered as he carefully recalled the location informed by Anando''s Dice.


    But after a moment, he shook his head and continued walking towards the castle.


    Perhaps it was because he had just mastered Anando''s Dice, and its proficiency was not high enough, that the accuracy of the location provided by Anando''s Dice was about fifty meters.


    Fifty meters was clearly not a very small range, and now it seemed to encompass at least half of the Teaching Castle''s main building.


    However, now that he was here, fifty meters was not too large an area to ignore without investigating.


    Following the area designated by Anando, he started from the first floor.


    At this time, it was still morning, and almost all the classrooms were covered with dense fog or seemed as if shrouded by frosted glass shields, obviously indicating ongoing classes.


    "Good day, sir."


    A Wizard Apprentice patrolling the corridors of the Teaching Castle greeted him respectfully, eyes filled with a hint of curiosity.


    Colin nodded impassively but was inwardly on alert.


    For him, walking alone in the hallway was somewhat conspicuous, especially since he was moving up, floor by floor, clearly searching for something.


    This was not the first patrolling Apprentice to greet him.


    Perhaps the location given by Anando made him more cautious,


    Previously, he hadn''t thought much of it, assuming the School was just very strict about protecting its knowledge.


    But now, the constant presence of patrolling Apprentices in the Teaching Castle seemed somewhat odd.


    Just as he was hesitating whether to leave and come back another time for inspection, the fog encapsulating a nearby classroom suddenly dissipated.


    In the next second, noisy sounds spilled out.


    Colin''s eyes flickered, and after a moment''s thought, he removed the badge from his chest.


    As the crowd of Apprentices dispersed after class, he smoothly blended in among them, and soon relaxed as he continued to observe his surroundings.


    In the School, some classes went on straight through till noon, counting as one session for the entire morning, while others had two separate sessions in the morning.


    It was the time for those attending the two-session classes to break after the first, so not all students were heading downstairs to leave the Teaching Castle.


    Many Apprentices were heading to another classroom, so his presence among them did not stand out.


    Some time passed.


    "Mulan, congratulations on earning a spot at the Alus Association."


    A familiar voice came from behind.


    With the enhanced capabilities of the Superbrain, Colin knew without turning that this was the voice of Leva, who had first informed him of the adverse effects when he enrolled.


    "Thank you, Leva," came Mulan''s voice, filled with poorly disguised pride and vanity.


    Although most Advanced Wizard Apprentices could get a chance to participate in the Alus Association at least once,


    Some earned this privilege in their first year of reaching Advanced Apprentice, while others might only achieve it in their second year or even several years later.


    There was a distinct difference between the two.


    Mulan and Leva''s conversation continued; generally trivial, seemingly aimed at feeding Mulan''s vanity, with Leva constantly offering praise, while Mulan responded with feigned modesty, his words and tone betrayingly proud.


    Colin continued his observation while listening to their conversation, using it to pass time.


    In fact, Mulan and Leva seemed to be right behind him, rather close, especially Mulan, who didn''t bother to lower his voice, making it hard for Colin not to overhear.


    But as he listened, Colin frowned slightly.


    "That silhouette ahead seems familiar¡­" said Leva.


    "Familiar¡­" S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Luckily, just ahead were the stairs leading to the next floor. Colin quickened his pace and went up the stairs before the pair behind him could react.


    "Let''s move," Mulan urged impatiently, a scoff escaping him, "Or is that another Colin, Kemu, or someone you knew before?"


    "I''ve seen the list of participants for this Alus event; he''s not on it¡­"


    "Let''s go," Leva quickly interjected.


    In the past few days, she had come to understand Mulan''s character well.


    Insecure yet arrogant, sensitive and easily jealous, prone to anger...


    But none of that mattered to her.


    For a Wizard, only talent and potential truly mattered.

 Chapter 238 - 186 Holy Ring

    After escaping from Leva and the others, Colin blended in with the apprentices, continuing his careful search along the staircase.


    Thus, he made his way to the topmost floor of the ancient castle.


    At this time, the end of class had passed and the apprentices in the hallway had once again disappeared without a trace.


    Grey fog slowly enveloped the classrooms.


    Colin approached the window, leaning on the square stone window frame, seemingly gazing into the distance, but if one could stand opposite him, they would notice that his eyes were slightly closed.


    Under the effect of the Superbrain, countless clear images flashed through his mind one by one.


    These were the images he had recorded along the way.


    Such records were far clearer than cameras or image-retaining crystals, containing more, richer information.


    Vision, smell, hearing, even touch, the Superbrain faithfully recorded all the information for him to meticulously review now.


    Starting from the first floor.


    Beneath his feet was a gray stone corridor; in some dark, damp corners, bright green plants stubbornly crawled out of crevices. Above him was a ceiling covered with a layer of rustic softwood in deep brown. To the left were classrooms, some shrouded in mist or covered with frosted protective shields, while to the right, stone archways occasionally flashed by, leading to the grassy lawns and gardens in front of the castle.


    A breeze blew, lifting his forelocks and bringing with it the warm scent of the morning; an apprentice passed by him, carrying the aroma of toasted bread.


    "Sir."


    The apprentice greeted him respectfully, dressed in the standard wizard robe, with medium-length golden hair and a face with some freckles beneath.


    He carefully examined his memory.


    His leather boots tapped on the floor with a consistent sound.


    The sounds were all consistent, the sensations almost the same; at least there was nothing unusual about the places he stepped on for now. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His spiritual power, extending about a foot out of his body, also informed him of the same results.


    Next came the gray walls... also without any peculiarity, only some moss and some obscured, uncleaned scratch graffiti.


    The deep brown ceiling... the classrooms on the left... the end of the hallway...


    Colin carefully revisited each layer in his mind like this.


    Until the apprentice patrolling the top floor had walked back and forth three times, his gaze resting on him eleven times.


    Finally, Colin opened his eyes with some disappointment.


    He shook his head, straightened up, and left from the square windowsill, heading downstairs. The disappointment on his face gradually faded, eventually disappearing.


    Before casting Anando''s Dice, he had not hoped to find anything... in the Tin Saint School, if there were any treasures, how could the school not know.


    Although there were still many classrooms he had not explored, he was not planning to come again.


    The main purpose this time was still to try this newly acquired exotic skill...


    Now that his goal was accomplished, and he had also tested the ability of the Superbrain... he was already quite satisfied.


    As for treasures... with Anando''s Dice, treasures were everywhere, but life was only one, so it was best to be cautious.


    The treasures hidden here in the castle''s teaching building, judging from the abnormal patrolling apprentice, the School probably already knew... perhaps he could directly ask Atbolde.


    While he was thinking, time always seemed to pass faster.


    Taking a public coach, it was not long before he had returned to his place of residence.


    After getting off the coach, Colin caught sight of a young wizard in the uniform of the Law Enforcement Team standing at his doorstep.


    "Excuse me, are you Wizard Colin?" the young wizard from the Law Enforcement Team asked.


    Colin nodded.


    After the young wizard scrutinized him carefully once more, he handed him a wooden box.


    "Master Wizard Mortilan asked me to give this to you."


    Colin was startled, quickly catching on.


    This must be the reward that the white-haired bigwig from the Law Enforcement Team had promised him last night.


    He took the wooden box, went back to the Meditation Room, and sat down cross-legged.


    Snap.


    He opened the brass clasp on the brown-red wooden box, and a light red glow spilled out.


    A red crystal lay inside, carefully cushioned by yellow silk fabric below it.


    Colin took it out, held it in his hand, and after signing the included non-disclosure agreement, the content of a wizard spell emerged in his mind.


    "First Rank Lower Magic¡ªSummon Fire Element."


    "Quality¡ªExcellent!"


    Colin was pleased, excellent quality was rare, second only to the best¡ªoutstanding!


    Outside of rank, wizard spells were also divided into five different qualities: inferior, common, good, excellent, outstanding.


    He hadn''t expected the Law Enforcement Team to be so generous.


    He had thought at most he would manage to acquire a common quality, first rank lower magic spell,


    but it turned out to be Summon Fire Element...


    Shush.


    He cast the Cleaning Technique, sweeping clean the Summon Fire Element Witchcraft crystal that had turned into dust.


    Colin began to carefully examine the wizard spell.


    The so-called Summon Fire Element was actually a name inherited from ancient times.


    Ever since the Elemental Realm fell into Tainted Babbling, there had been no Fire Element available for wizards to summon... Hence, this witchcraft was also sealed away.


    However, fortunately, breakthroughs were later made in Puppetry Technique as well as research on the Fire Element, allowing wizards to regain the power to summon the Fire Element.


    It was more akin to instantaneous cultivation than summoning,


    By simply targeting a Fire Source and casting a spell, they were able to transform it into a Fire Element to be commanded by wizards.


    Compared to the previous method of Summon Fire Element, the content of interdimensional transmission arrays was gone but included part of Puppetry Technique which assigns simple intelligence to puppets.


    Such changes were both beneficial and disadvantageous. The advantage lay in not having to worry about the absence of a Fire Element responding, while the disadvantage was that not all the time could a suitable Fire Source be found, and the strength of the Fire Element might fluctuate significantly depending on the quality of the Fire Source.


    However... the solution was simple for him, that is, to cast the Fireball Technique in advance.


    Then use the Fireball Technique as the Fire Source, to perform Summon Fire Element!


    In this way, the drawbacks of the new version of Summon Fire Element could be mitigated.


    In fact, several typical methods of obtaining a Fire Source were detailed in the Summon Fire Element, including this one.


    Such combinations between witchcrafts were quite common, and some powerful witchcrafts were even composed of several basic witchcrafts.


    After briefly reviewing Summon Fire Element, Colin set it aside.


    He had more important things to do, which was to practice the Tin Saint Meditation Method for the First Rank Wizard phase!


    "From an Official Wizard onwards, the Spirit Sea is opened..."


    Merely glancing over it once, with the aid of the Superbrain, Colin memorized all its contents, then slowly closed his eyes.


    The Meditation Method for the First Rank Wizard phase was far more complex than during the Apprentice stage; if compared by content volume, one was a pond, while the other was a lake.


    Therefore, even with the assistance of the Superbrain, he couldn''t master it immediately...


    It wasn''t until the next day that he finally mastered it.


    Golden dawn lit up the earth, awakening the slumbering creatures, and the sunlight seemed to penetrate the walls, shining into the enclosed Meditation Room, casting a similarly pale golden vintage Golden Paper in front of Colin.


    At this moment, Colin was staring intently at the changes on the Golden Paper.


    After he successfully mastered the Tin Saint Meditation Method for the First Rank Wizard phase, he had expected a new line of characters to appear on the Golden Paper.


    But unexpectedly, the characters of the Tin Ring Meditation Method gradually became blurry and kept changing.


    Just then, simultaneously, after running the Meditation Method containing the First Rank Wizard phase for the first time, the Magic Power inside his body had subtly transformed as well, becoming more solid.


    If the previous Magic Power was a thin mist, sporadically visible, now it was like the densest fog of early morning.


    For Colin, this was not a surprise; it was a normal phenomenon.


    After advancing to a First Rank Wizard, aside from unlocking the Spirit Sea, the Magic Sea at his chest also expanded, and the quality of the Magic Power increased as well.


    The only thing was, why did such an anomaly occur on the Golden Paper...


    As he pondered, a familiar ¡ü symbol suddenly appeared behind the blurry characters.


    Colin paused for a moment.


    ''This is the symbol that appears during Limit Breaking...''


    After a moment of thought, he took out the Magic Stone from his body to convert Limit Breaking Points,


    When the characters after Limit Breaking jumped to 1000, the ¡ü symbol behind the blurry characters finally revealed its glowing edges.


    Without hesitation, Colin concentrated his mind on it and pressed it firmly!


    Bang.


    Moments later, the changing black characters gradually became clearer, finally resolving into¡ª


    [Unnamed Meditation Method (10/100)].


    Subconsciously focusing on it,


    A line of smaller, pale black characters immediately appeared below.


    [A new Meditation Method formed by the fusion of the Tin Ring Meditation Method (Apprentice Stage) and the Tin Saint Meditation Method (First Rank Wizard Stage).]


    ''So that''s it.''


    Colin realized, then slightly closed his eyes, feeling the similarities and differences between this new Meditation Method and the previous ones.


    Moments later, he opened his eyes, his face showing surprise.


    This new Meditation Method was not merely a combination of Tin Ring Meditation Method and Tin Saint Meditation Method, but rather they mutually altered and integrated.


    The alterations to the Tin Ring Meditation Method from the Apprentice Stage were minor, it should be the main blueprint.


    The Golden Paper had made many changes to the Tin Saint Meditation Method from the First Rank Wizard stage, making it into a complete whole with the Apprentice stage Tin Ring Meditation Method.


    This undoubtedly resolved a lingering concern for him.


    Reaching the First Rank Wizard stage, it wasn''t that every meditation practice only included parts of the First Rank Wizard in the Meditation Method.


    If comparing meditation practice to building with blocks,


    One would necessarily need to first build the Apprentice stage level before building the First Rank Wizard stage level.


    Thus, although the Tin Ring Meditation Method was compatible with the subsequent Tin Saint Meditation Method, strictly speaking, it was not a complete whole.


    Like a circular box fitting a smaller square box, there would inevitably be wasted space.


    ''Unnamed Meditation Method...''


    Colin pondered for a moment, then with a thought,


    The black characters on the Golden Paper slowly transformed from[Unnamed Meditation Method (10/100)]to[Holy Ring Meditation Method (10/100)]!

 Chapter 239 - 187 Southern Sea Domain

    Time flew by, and another week had passed.


    In the basement of Colin''s residence on Lye Holy Street.


    Whoosh!


    A fireball the size of a washbasin suddenly appeared!


    The orange-yellow glow reflected on Colin''s impassive face, which seemed stripped of any emotion.


    The next moment.


    A misty red light shot out from his hand, striking the intensely burning fireball in front of him in the blink of an eye.


    The brilliance of spirituality twinkled and the fireball swelled with the wind, instantly conjuring a flaming humanoid figure in the basement.


    Raging flames burned, and heat steamed up!


    With his mechanical mind coupled with his superbrain state, Colin keenly captured every detail before him.


    The hard grey floor slightly blackened under the licks of flame, and some exposed sawdust on the nearby humanoid pig iron target turned yellowish-brown under the sweep of heatwaves.


    ''Approximately two meters in height, the temperature of the flames is about the same as the Fireball Technique. Overall humanoid in shape, but without gender characteristics.''


    Colin waved his right hand.


    Boom!


    The next second, a fireball the size of a human head shot out fiercely from the hands of the Fire Element, brutally striking the pig iron target and then exploding violently!


    Under his deliberate control, the attack power of the fireball was not great; it merely shattered the pig iron target and then stopped.


    Typically, fireballs have two ways of inflicting damage, one is the explosive impact, and the other relies on the high temperature of the flames.


    Spells like Fireball Technique are innate to Fire Elements.


    Now, the newly cultivated Fire Elements, although essentially different from the previous Fire Elements.


    Yet through the relentless improvements by successive Wizards, the cultivated Fire Elements in their behavioral logic and mastered skills have virtually no significant difference from the real Fire Elements, and in some aspects, they are even better than the actual Fire Elements.


    After meticulously testing all the aspects of the Fire Element, Colin deactivated his mechanical mind.


    His icy demeanor gradually melted away, and his gaze became more vibrant and humane. He sighed softly and turned to walk up from the basement.


    Swish!


    With his movement, the Fire Element behind him began to shrink from its limbs and eventually dissipated.


    Walking up the dim staircase from the basement, Colin''s thoughts moved and he called up the Golden Paper.


    [Name: Colin Leonard]


    [Rank: First Rank Wizard (1/100); Ultimate Knight (100/100)]


    [Meditation Method: Holy Ring Meditation Method (15/100)]


    [Breathing Skill: Sunlight Breathing Technique (Gold); Yili Breathing Method I (23/100)]


    [Witchcraft: Zero Level Tricks: Various; Zero Level Witchcraft: (Arrow Shooting Skill; Swift Skill; Flying and Diving Skill; Silent; Traceless; Detect Evil; Purification Evil Power) all Gold; Steel Temperature Resistance Field¡ü (100/100); Fireball Skill II¡ü (100/100);


    First Rank Witchcraft: Summon Fire Element (45/100); Mechanical Mind (51/100)]


    [Exotic Skill: Anando''s Dice (0/100)]


    [Skill: Various]


    [Talent: Strong Life I (4/100)]


    [True Talent: Superbrain (0/100)]


    [Limit Breaking Point: 0]


    These past days, he hadn''t wasted any time. He had basically mastered the witchcraft acquired after advancing to the First Rank Wizard and upgraded his original witchcraft to the limit.


    That meant the Steel Temperature Resistance Field and Fireball Skill II were both ready for limit breaking.


    Unfortunately... he didn''t have any extra Magic Stones to break limits.


    It was time to start strategizing for earning Magic Stones.


    He made up his mind.


    As for asking Lillian for another loan... he really couldn''t bring himself to ask.


    Walking up the stairs to the first floor, Renee was already waiting for him.


    "Master, Lady Lillian has come to visit and is waiting for you in the sitting room," Renee said upon seeing Colin ascend.


    "I understand," Colin nodded.


    "I didn''t expect that I had just thought of Lillian, and she would visit... just that I don''t know why she has come."


    He walked briskly to the reception room, with a hint of puzzlement.


    Lillian was sitting by a window.


    At this time, it was morning, and the golden sunlight poured in from outside the window, shining on Lillian''s equally golden hair, making it even more dazzling, as if enveloped in a hazy halo.


    "Lillian," Colin called out as he approached.


    ''Could it be that Lillian is here to collect a debt?'' For some reason, he thought this to himself.


    But soon, he shook his head internally, dispelling such thoughts... it was clearly because he had not returned the Magic Stones to Lillian for too long and felt somewhat guilty.


    "Colin." Lillian looked at him, squeezing out a faint smile on her serious face.


    Before Colin even sat down, she cut to the chase,


    "The School has assigned you a task."


    "Mm," Colin nodded, pulled out a chair, sat down, and waited for Lillian''s next words.


    "Do you know that the Alus Association will start soon?" Lillian continued.


    "I do," Colin nodded again.


    Last time at Black Castle, Wizard Larrel had mentioned the event, and later, he had heard Leva mention it again at the Teaching Castle.


    "This time, the Alus Association is a bit different from the past," Lillian explained,


    "Due to the current situation of the war in the remote Southern Sea Domain and several attacks on the Wizard Alliance followers, the Supreme Council has decided to set the task location of this Alus Association in the remote Southern Sea... It is said they want to test the apprentice wizards'' actual combat abilities and use these abilities as the benchmark for assessment." S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The Alus Association this year is so dangerous?" Colin exclaimed, surprised.


    As far as he knew, the tasks of the past Alus Associations were much more benign, and although they still involved a significant amount of actual combat, such battles were usually conducted within secret realms that had been explored and controlled.


    Compared to that, the danger was much lower, and the apprentices were less likely to face life-threatening risks.


    Lillian glanced at Colin but didn''t continue that line of conversation. Instead, she said,


    "Your task is to serve as one of the accompanying wizards for this Alus Association."


    "Hm?" Colin was slightly startled.


    Why would such a task fall to him, a newly Advanced First Rank Wizard?


    Sensing his confusion, Lillian explained.


    "You have just advanced to First Rank Wizard and might not be aware, but the situation in the Southern Sea Domain, while not dire, is also not optimistic."


    "In this half year since you joined the School, the Supreme Council has issued several orders, and by now, nearly every School in the city has sent more than half of their Official Wizards to the Southern Sea Domain... There are not many people left in the School, and even I will probably head to the Southern Sea Domain with you."


    Colin nodded, his expression grave.


    ''The situation in the remote Southern Sea Domain has gotten to this point...''


    He had not forgotten the might of the divine beings.


    Even though he was now a First Rank Wizard, if he had to confront that golden god-like being, he still lacked confidence.


    At the same time, he understood why the School assigned the tasks this way.


    In fact, compared to wizards like Lillian who had to face the war directly, leading a group of apprentices in the supposed Alus Association was evidently less dangerous... The School had assigned him a task with less risk.


    "Lillian, as an accompanying wizard for the Alus Association, what kind of reward does the School offer?"


    After a brief silence, Colin asked.


    Now that the task assigned by the School was a settled matter, instead of continuing to worry about what work carried less risk, it was better to focus on further improving his strength.


    And to enhance his strength, there were two witchcrafts on the Golden Paper that could perform Limit Breaking; only Magic Stones were needed, and his strength would be able to increase instantly.


    Furthermore, before heading to the Southern Sea Domain, he intended to purchase another batch of Zero Level witchcraft to seek fusion and enhancement...


    As for why he didn''t look for First Rank witchcraft...


    In reality, First Rank witchcraft was largely in the hands of the School, and although he had this channel as a member, exchange still required academic points.


    And those First Rank witchcraft that were available outside required a large number of Magic Stones he didn''t have...


    "The reward... like for a First Rank Wizard like myself going to the battlefield, the School will give a one-time subsidy of ten thousand Magic Stones before embarking to the Southern Sea Domain, and the Supreme Council will also issue a subsidy of five thousand Magic Stones.


    As for you, I''m not quite sure," Lillian shook her head, but then added,


    "However, since both are heading to the Southern Sea Domain, I think it should be the same as myself... maybe even more because of the Alus Association."


    Hearing this, Colin breathed a slight sigh of relief, at least there would be Magic Stones by his side.

 Chapter 240 - 188: Making Up for Shortcomings

    "Lillian, when exactly am I to depart?" Colin set down his teacup and continued to ask Lillian.


    "In three days," Lillian replied without hesitation.


    "So soon?"


    Lillian glanced out the window at the courtyard and continued to explain,


    "More than a month ago, the School of Neustadt City already began their preparations. The departure in three days was mutually agreed upon by the Nine Major Schools.


    Whether it''s accompanying Wizards from the Alus Association like you or us who will be participating in the war, we all leave in three days."


    Colin nodded, his heart sinking slightly.


    Departing in three days, such a brief time, it seemed rather rushed for him...


    But in the face of the greater situation, personal demands... often seem the most trivial.


    "I understand, Lillian," he sighed inwardly, accepting the reality.


    Then, as if something occurred to him, he once again spoke, "Lillian, about the Magic Stones I owe you... I''ll repay you once I receive my subsidy."


    "Mhm," Lillian responded shortly, her face calm and serious, without any pleasantries or further words.


    After seeing Lillian off, Colin felt an inexplicable restlessness and went to the front courtyard to wander.


    It was nearing noon; the sunlight was like golden arrows piercing straight down to the earth, falling upon him¡­ but it did not bring the same heat as in days past.


    The summer of the Siya Continent was nearing its end...


    To the left, the apple tree planted by Renee was bearing fruit, small and tinged with green.


    Time flies like an arrow... Colin silently lamented.


    He remembered when he first set foot on the Siya Continent, it was still winter...


    Back then, the biting cold winds mingled with snowflakes, and the captain of the Anzokeka City Guard''s black wide-brimmed hat was frosted over...


    The scene was beautiful, a sight he, who had lived in the south in a previous life, had never seen and which remained vivid in his memory.


    Shaking his head, Colin dismissed the distractions and began to think about what needed to be done in the coming three short days.


    Although Superbrain greatly enhanced his memory, this did not mean he had become a cold computer.


    On the contrary, because past memories became clearer, he found it all the more easy to feel sentimental¡­ but his homeland and the past were now out of reach.


    "Renee, I''m going out for a while, make braised fish for dinner; I''ll be back this evening to eat," he instructed as he walked towards the door.


    "Yes, Master," Renee, who had been following by his side, softly responded, watching Colin leave.


    In the time she had been with Colin, on average, she learned to cook five different dishes from him each week and tried making them herself.


    Braised fish was one of them, which she had already mastered.


    ...


    Half an hour later, Copper Rose Street.


    A public carriage slowly stopped, and Colin alighted, entering the colossal bookstore in front of him.


    This was the largest bookstore on Copper Rose Street, simply named Copper Rose Bookstore.


    "Honored First Rank Wizard Sir, what may I assist you with?"


    Perhaps because of his School Badge and the Tin Saint School uniform he wore, as soon as he entered the bookstore, the bookstore manager came out to greet him.


    The manager was an Advanced Wizard Apprentice, a portly middle-aged man, who now regarded him with respect.


    But a closer look would reveal the manager''s surprise.


    Although Copper Rose Bookstore was the largest in Neustadt City, most of the witchcraft sold were at the Apprentice level; the remaining First Rank Witchcraft was either incomplete or commonplace, aimed more at Wandering Wizards.


    To purchase First Rank Witchcraft, most Wizards would prefer an auction... and Wizards like Colin from a School typically exchanged within the School rather than making purchases externally.


    Without explaining much, Colin simply spoke in an indifferent tone,


    "Bring me some witchcraft related to escape, detection, defense, um, and ones similar to ''Silent'' and ''Traceless''."


    "Very well, my lord."


    The portly supervisor nodded in agreement, took a few steps, instructed a nearby clerk to fetch the witchcraft, then came back, leading Colin to the reception room to sit down.


    The supervisor respectfully poured a cup of tea for Colin, secretly wondering. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''No idea whether the noble lord is buying for research or for his descendants.''


    Colin didn''t have to wait long before several clerks each carrying a list entered.


    Without changing his expression, Colin took the list, casting his first glance at the prices.


    Apprentice-level witchcraft wasn''t expensive; like the ''Silent'' and ''Traceless'' he had previously bought, they had only cost him a total of one hundred and twenty Magic Stones.


    The problem now, however, was that he didn''t have many Magic Stones left.


    Perhaps because he was a First Rank Wizard, every list was densely packed with numerous witchcraft¡ªat a cursory glance, each appeared to have at least a hundred varieties.


    As for the prices, most were between twenty and ninety Magic Stones.


    Seeing this, Colin breathed a slight sigh of relief. After setting aside enough to purchase some supplies, he had about three hundred Magic Stones left... That should be enough to shore up his current weaknesses.


    Yes, after a careful contemplation during his walk in the courtyard, he realized the most pressing issue he needed to address was the inadequacy of his witchcraft arsenal.


    He was soon to head to the Southern Sea Domain¡ªa matter related to his very life, demanding his utmost attention.


    Only, First Rank Witchcraft was either too expensive or required academic points he didn''t have for exchange...


    So he had no choice but to take an alternative route, coming here to buy some Apprentice-level witchcraft, intending to use the Golden Paper for Limit Breaking.


    Colin flipped through the list, carefully making his selections.


    As he mentioned to the supervisor, the only two aspects he currently didn''t need to reinforce were attack and defense¡ªwith the Fireball Technique that could continue to be Limit Broken and the ability to Summon Fire Element, he didn''t have to worry for the time being.


    And defense... the Steel Temperature Resistance Field could also continue to be Limit Broken.


    After this Limit Breaking, it should reach the level of First Rank Witchcraft and be of some use.


    However, to avoid reaching its limit after the next Limit Breaking, he still needed to prepare some similar witchcraft for fusion when the time came.


    "For detection aspects, give me all except ''Detect Evil''..." Colin paused, scrutinizing the prices, and then changed his mind, "Not all, just ''Detect Life'' and ''Detect Magic Power''."


    "Very well, my lord, that will be ninety Magic Stones."


    "And for escape at speed, I''ll need the ''Soaring Technique''."


    "One hundred and twenty Magic Stones."


    The supervisor continued to nod.


    "As for defense..." Colin paused and shook his head, "No need for now."


    The defensive witchcraft listed were either too similar in effect to his current Steel Temperature Resistance Field and hence inexpensive, or were priced over one hundred and twenty Magic Stones and thus quite pricey¡ªit wasn''t that overlap was bad, for as long as it was not total redundancy, there was room for improvement.


    But proper use is essential with scarce resources; having already spent two hundred and ten Magic Stones on the first two aspects, his budget was now just over one hundred... not much was left.


    He wanted to allocate this remaining budget to something of greater value.


    "Also bring me the ''Silence Technique'' and the ''Extinguishing Spell of Mississippi''... That will be all; calculate the total for me."


    While he could continue to Limit Break the defense to strengthen it, the ''Silent'' and ''Traceless'' he''d recently purchased had already turned golden and could no longer be Limit Broken.


    Prioritizing this aspect was more cost-effective.


    However... whether ''Silent'' or ''Traceless'', their Rank and quality were higher than the Arrow Shooting Skill and other such witchcraft. Yet like them, they could only be Limit Broken twice before reaching gold.


    Meanwhile, the same Fireball Technique could still be Limit Broken.


    ''It seems that the Rank and quality of witchcraft do not denote its potential for Limit Breaking,'' Colin mused silently.


    "A total of three hundred and twenty Magic Stones, my lord," the supervisor announced, while instructing the other clerks to fetch the corresponding witchcraft.


    After a while, Colin, with his substantial haul, left the bookshop.

 Chapter 241 - 189 Elf Armor

    The next day.


    Hua Pei District, Tin Saint School residence.


    The monthly Faction meeting was held on the top floor of Atbolde''s residence.


    Colin arrived fashionably late by carriage.


    He hadn''t slept the previous night.


    Partly it was because after advancing to a First Rank Wizard, his need for sleep had greatly reduced, and partly it was because of the urgency of departure...


    Luckily, the Superbrain was potent, and he mastered all the newly purchased witchcraft in just one night.


    "Wonder why Atbolde specifically requested my presence," Colin thought as he walked up the stairs of the villa.


    This morning, after finishing his meditation, he was about to take a short rest when Marjorie suddenly came to notify him of Atbolde''s summoned meeting.


    He initially didn''t want to go, since the monthly meetings weren''t mandatory.


    But Marjorie mentioned that Atbolde had specifically instructed him to be there...


    As he pondered, he had already reached his destination.


    Creak¡ª


    Pushing open the door, the aroma of food hit him instantly. As usual, two tables full of delicacies were spread out before him.


    "Look who has arrived¡ª" Atbolde watched him and said with a rare, vivid smile on his face. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then with two snaps, two small Fireworks Skills soared and exploded in mid-air, scattering dazzling trails of colorful light powder in all directions.


    "Congratulations on successfully advancing to a First Rank Wizard, Colin."


    Behind a shower of falling light points, the benevolent-faced Atbolde smiled and congratulated him.


    Colin was slightly startled.


    "Instructor Atbolde," he greeted, slightly bowing.


    "Thank you," he added.


    In his past life as well as now, he was never one for many words...


    Just, as far as his memory went, it seemed no one had ever celebrated for him quite like this.


    "Congratulations," Marjorie was the first to step forward and congratulate.


    Fanny also smiled and congratulated with a tone filled with envy and disbelief. Although friendly, her manner was noticeably more respectful than before.


    After all, even within a Faction, the hierarchy among Wizards was ingrained deep in the bones of everyone in this world.


    It''s worth mentioning that they had performed the Fireworks Skill just now.


    "Thank you." Colin smiled in response.


    "Apprentice Colin, I truly hadn''t seen it before... Didn''t you say you were an Advanced Wizard Apprentice on a remote island?"


    Nehemiah suddenly injected into the conversation, his tone a mix of shock, not entirely shock... and seemingly laced with some other emotions.


    "Nehemiah¡ª"


    Sitting at the dining table, quiet and just observing them, Lillian suddenly spoke up:


    "A Wizard''s respect is based on strength, now you should address Colin as ''Senior''."


    "Right, what Lillian said." Nehemiah paused, changing his tone quickly without altering his expression, "Senior Colin."


    "Colin''s practiced meditation method happens to be compatible with the Tin Saint Meditation Method."


    Atbolde timely interjected, interrupting their conversation.


    "Sit down, Colin, I have something more to say to you all," he added.


    Seeming to know something, Lillian also got up from her seat and sat down on one of the five chairs lined up next to Atbolde.


    Once they had all seated, Atbolde surveyed the room and then slowly began,


    "There are mainly two purposes for this meeting, one is to celebrate Colin advancing to an Official Wizard, and the other is to bid farewell... to say goodbye to Lillian and Colin."


    "They are about to depart for the Southern Sea Domain."


    "Lillian and Colin... heading to the far Southern Sea?" Joe muttered hardly audibly, obviously hearing this news for the first time.


    Surprise was clearly etched on Fanny''s face as well.


    "This trip to the far Southern Sea, Lillian has been preparing for a long time... I have nothing to worry about," Atbolde continued.


    He gazed at Colin, slowly stating, "Just you, Colin..."


    "You''ve just advanced to an Official Wizard, probably not even familiar with the meditation method of a First Rank Wizard, let alone First Rank witchcraft..."


    "Although this time you are only responsible for the Alus Association, and you can return when the meeting ends, I still have some concerns."


    As he spoke, Atbolde mysteriously produced a seed from somewhere.


    A dark golden seed, seemingly crafted of metal.


    "So, I''ve prepared this for you¡ªElf Armor," Atbolde tossed the dark golden seed into the air, and it seemed to float towards Colin as if held by an invisible hand.


    Snap.


    Colin instinctively caught the seed, the sensation in his palm was not as cold as it appeared, but rather warm and comfortable.


    "Go back and refine it with your spirit, nourish it well with Magic Power... With it, ordinary First Rank Junior Wizards won''t be able to harm you."


    Before Colin could open his mouth to express his gratitude, Atbolde continued:


    "And for you, Nehemiah." He tossed a black soft armor toward Nehemiah, which was clearly not as advanced as the golden seed in Colin''s hand by its appearance.


    "Since you''ve chosen to go to the Southern Sea Domain, this black armor is also gifted to you... In terms of power, it can endure the full force of the Fireball Technique cast five times by an Advanced Apprentice."


    "Yes," Nehemiah bowed his head and briefly replied, taking the black armor.


    "Thank you, Atbolde Instructor," Colin finally found a chance to interject, clutching the Elf Armor and sincerely bowed in gratitude.


    Although Colin''s words were brief, Atbolde could clearly feel the sincerity in them.


    But as for Nehemiah...


    The contrast between the two made him inwardly frown.


    Although the black armor was far inferior to the Elf Armor, the Elf Armor''s requirement was at least that of a First Rank Wizard, and Wizard Apprentices who forcibly use it would quickly end up with their Magic Sea exhausted and shattered.


    The black armor was indeed the best among the witch tools he had on hand suitable for Wizard Apprentices.


    Yet, Nehemiah hadn''t even expressed a word of thanks...


    But perhaps it was because he had grown older¡ªhis temperament was no longer what it once was, and his personality was now much milder than before.


    He didn''t want to waste energy dwelling on these matters.


    Thinking back, Nehemiah was once his most valued Apprentice, the only one in their faction who still had some hope of advancing to an Official Wizard.


    But now, more than a dozen years had passed, and Nehemiah remained only an Advanced Apprentice.


    "Since you''ve chosen to go to the Southern Sea Domain this time, if you still hope for a chance to become an Official Wizard, then stop looking back and forth."


    Atbolde sighed internally and watched Nehemiah, speaking earnestly.


    Seemingly not expecting Atbolde to say such a thing, Nehemiah visibly flinched, then silently lowered his head.


    After a long while, he finally spoke slowly:


    "I will."


    "Thank you, Atbolde Instructor."


    Seeing this, Atbolde nodded in satisfaction.


    "That''s all I have to say; don''t gather around me. Go chat, eat."


    "Alright," replied Colin and the others.


    The maid musicians nearby timely started playing music.


    "The day before using the Elf Armor, it''s best not to eat meat."


    As Colin approached the dining table to grab some food, he heard Lillian beside him remind.


    Colin slightly paused, the chicken leg in his hand hanging in mid-air, undecided whether to put it down or not.


    He turned to look at Lillian.


    While picking up a juicy steak, Lillian continued explaining:


    "The Elf Armor, crafted by High Level Elves, is a delicate work of art, and its strong defense is just an added feature."


    "If you eat meat the day before using it for the first time¡ª"


    Lillian forked the steak, then put it down, a clear shadow crossing her face as she spoke two words.


    "You''ll vomit."


    "Believe me, although there are no other effects besides vomiting... You definitely wouldn''t want to experience such agony," Lillian bit into her steak and mumbled with emphasis.


    Colin nodded, without hesitation, put the chicken leg back, and then picked up another utensil to grab some fruit.


    After he had finished doing all this, Lillian finally got to her main point.


    "Tomorrow, the Wizards accompanying at the Alus Association meeting will have a brief meet-and-greet outside the Yista School premises around eight in the morning, don''t forget to go."

 Chapter 242 - 190: Indistinguishable from the Crowd (Supplementary Update 5/23)

    Night had fallen.


    Colin had long since returned home.


    In the Meditation Room, he took out the parting gift he had received from Atbolde that morning¡ªElf Armor, ready to begin inscribing the Spiritual Imprint.


    That very morning, he had skipped breakfast to attend a Faction meeting, and at Lillian''s reminder, he hadn''t eaten any meat.


    Now it was late at night, and with the previous night included, it had been a whole day since he last consumed meat.


    He could now begin using the Elf Armor for the first time.


    He took out a dark gold seed and slowly explored it with his spirit, receiving guiding information in return.


    Colin followed the guidance step by step.


    Everything went smoothly.


    Just like that.


    He didn''t know how much time had passed when a streak of golden light flashed across the Meditation Room.


    The next instant!


    An armor filled with Elf aesthetics appeared on Colin, featuring pale gold patterns on a dark black base.


    He briefly used his spiritual power to sense the armor''s contour.


    On his head was a golden openwork crown, which more aptly described as delicate rather than imposing. The delicate crown gathered his medium-length hair, revealing his tidy hairline and smooth forehead, adding to his handsomeness.


    On his body was a streamlined dark black armor, simple in shape yet decorated with many aesthetically pleasing ornaments.


    Although richly decorated, it wasn''t ostentatious...


    "Truly worthy of being an Elf creation, just the appearance alone is eye-catching."


    Colin sighed to himself.


    Afterward, he quickly went upstairs to examine himself carefully in a floor-length mirror, pondered for a moment, and then donned an inconspicuous gray Wizard Robe.


    Thanks to the streamlined design of the Elf Armor, once he put on the Wizard Robe, it was not apparent to the naked eye from the outside, even when he moved.


    It only made him appear a bit more robust.


    Having done all this, the sky was beginning to brighten.


    "Another sleepless night," he exhaled softly, his thoughts stirring.


    With a few clicks,


    The Elf Armor began retracting from his back towards the front of his chest, eventually disappearing under the skin at the location of his Magic Sea.


    He initially meant to head instinctively towards his bedroom for a brief rest.


    After all, he hadn''t slept for three consecutive days, and even as a First Rank Wizard, he was beginning to feel a bit weary.


    But taking a step, he suddenly remembered Lillian''s words from yesterday.


    There was a meeting with Alus Association Wizards at eight o''clock this morning...


    With a soft sigh in his heart, Colin abandoned the thought of catching up on sleep and instead hurried outside.


    It was now just past six o''clock in the morning, not too late.


    But the residence of the Yista School wasn''t close by, and to make sure he arrived by eight, he had to leave now.


    ...


    An hour later.


    The carriage stopped outside the grand entrance of the Yista School.


    Stepping down, Colin immediately saw a conspicuous sign¡ª"Alus Association."


    Following the sign, he walked towards a small courtyard opposite the entrance of the school.


    Soon, an Apprentice greeted him.


    "Sir, are you an accompanying Wizard from the Tin Saint School for the Alus meeting?" the receiving Apprentice recognized the badge on his chest and asked.


    Colin nodded and followed the Apprentice into a conference room.


    Upon entering, two First Rank Wizards were already waiting inside, both males, wearing different styles of Wizard Robes and badges from different schools.


    It''s worth noting that both men''s school badges were quite similar, both circular, one silver and one black.


    If one observed closely, the silver circle was actually in the style of a ring, while the black circle was simply a plain ring.


    These two men were Wizards from the Silver Ring and Magic Ring, just like him, affiliated with the Yista School.


    "Hello, Wizard from the Tin Saint School," the Silver Ring''s First Rank Wizard greeted first.


    His face was young and fair, topped with a head of dazzling silver hair¡­ regretfully, it was not long, but a buzz cut.


    In stark contrast to his hair were his two golden eyes.


    "An unfamiliar face... Have you just advanced to an Official Wizard?" inquired the Magic Ring''s First Rank Wizard.


    If the appearance of the Silver Ring''s Wizard was eye-catching, then the Magic Ring''s Wizard was quite the opposite, merely looking like a common, skinny old man.


    Colin did not respond to the word of Magic Ring''s First Rank Wizard, instead simply introducing himself:


    "Colin, Official Wizard from the Tin Saint School."


    "Sovoc, from Silver Ring." Sovoc smiled, responding crisply.


    "Mayer," the skinny old man quickly followed, then added, "Don''t mind it, your appearance is just unfamiliar to me, just curious..."


    His tone was down-to-earth and sincere, with not a trace of discord.


    But the more he was like this, the more Colin kept his guard up.


    He certainly didn''t think that an old Wizard like Mayer, who had lived so many years, couldn''t control his tongue.


    Asking about strength upon meeting... in this world, that was not considered polite behavior.


    After the three introduced themselves, they fell into silence.


    Fortunately, they didn''t have to wait long as two more Wizards arrived, one after another.


    Both were female Wizards.


    One was also from an affiliated school, Sovoc''s Witch¡ªMilo.


    Plain looking, but with a curvaceous figure.


    The other was their nominal leader for this meeting, a Witch from the Yista School¡ªMargaret.


    "Everyone has arrived, very good."


    Margaret walked into the room and naturally came to the front to start her speech.


    Her tone was cold, her hair neatly arranged, and she wore a simple, oversized gray-black Wizard Robe... she looked like a stern nun.


    "The purpose of this meeting is simple¡ª"


    "One is to distribute subsidies from the Supreme Council in advance... each person receives six thousand Magic Stones, which I will distribute after my speech."


    "The second is to get to know each other a bit and assign specific tasks to each person."


    "The last is to go and meet the apprentices who are participating in the Alus Association this time and to explain the precautions to them." S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "All right, if you understand, let''s get started. Come forward and receive your Magic Stones," urged Margaret briskly.


    "I didn''t expect Margaret to be leading the team... this is going to be tough for us."


    Colin hesitated slightly, casting a barely noticeable glance at Mayer.


    Mayer''s expression did not change, and he did not even look at him, just kept walking forward.


    But the mental conversation continued.


    "Don''t look at me, communicate using spiritual power."


    "Unlucky." Suddenly, Sovoc''s voice also came through, "Who doesn''t know that Margaret hates men... why would they let her lead?!"


    Colin remained silent.


    This must be a minor application of the transformed spiritual power after advancing to First Rank Wizard... but he had only just advanced and had never tried it before.


    With that thought, they had already reached in front of Margaret.


    "Thank you, Lady Margaret." Milo received the Magic Stones handed over by Margaret and respectfully thanked her.


    "You''re welcome," Margaret smiled back.


    Then, before Colin and others could approach any nearer, Margaret waved her hand.


    Swoosh¡ª


    The remaining three Magic Stone portions flew towards Colin and his group.


    Thud.


    Colin extended his hand to concentrate the force field and caught the six medium Magic Stones flying toward him.


    He didn''t really care about Margaret''s attitude... as long as she didn''t dock the Magic Stones he was due.


    Next, they discussed the tasks each was responsible for.


    Naturally, Margaret took on the easiest task.


    The remaining men Wizards had about the same workload, Milo''s share was slightly less, but only slightly.


    After the tasks were assigned, Colin let out a slight sigh of relief.


    Although Margaret had a nasty attitude, she was at least fair.


    "Let''s go, the apprentices are waiting in the yard outside."


    After completing these tasks, Margaret did not rest for a moment and quickly led them outside.


    ¡­


    "Lord Mulan, if I remember correctly, you too joined the Tin Saint School just this year?"


    In the yard, the apprentices participating in the Alus Association were chatting and networking.


    "Yes, I haven''t been a member for a year yet," Mulan replied, then flatteringly added, "¡ªjust like you, Lord Lex, if I remember correctly, you joined the school in the same batch as me."


    His demeanor was gracefully calm, his tone conventionally humble.


    From childhood, his mother''s training for such occasions came in handy, enabling Mulan to conceal his insecurities and sensitivities.


    In fact, he only showed his irritable and moody side when faced with people weaker than himself.


    At other times, his manners were impeccably polite.


    Lex''s face visibly brightened with pleasure on hearing this.


    "Across the entire venue, among our peers who advanced to Advanced Wizard Apprentice and are participating in the Alus Association... there are only a few."


    "Yes, among wizards, those with Talent are ultimately in the minority," Mulan responded, enjoying the mutual "praise" just as Lex did.


    "The Alus Association is the real test of a wizard''s Talent... if I remember correctly, during the entrance exam when you wandering Wizards joined the school, one apprentice''s Fireball Technique was quite stunning."


    "But it seems quite long since we''ve heard from him... perhaps he''s been lost in the crowd," Lex added.


    "There''s no need to worry, he''s already faded into obscurity..." A trace of disdain flickered across Mulan''s eyes, just as he was about to emphasize his statement, he heard the apprentices whispering beside him:


    "The Official Wizards have arrived!"


    Eager to make a good impression, he quickly shut his mouth and swiftly turned around.


    But as he turned, he froze.


    His brown pupils uncontrollably dilated with shock, his face registering disbelief. He blinked his eyes, trying to deny everything.


    Suddenly, an amazed murmur came from Lex:


    "Lord Mulan, that First Rank Wizard standing on the far left... am I not mistaken? Isn''t that the apprentice who took the entry test with you? The one with the powerful Fireball Technique?"


    Mulan''s slightly opened mouth closed back up.


    His lips moved, trying to say something, but for some reason, he couldn''t produce a sound.


    Lex suddenly turned to look at him earnestly and said:


    "Lord Mulan, didn''t you always want the pair of twin maids under me? I will gift them to you when I return... just ask for support in the Alus Association or say a few good words to that lord for me."


    Listening to Lex''s words, Mulan''s heart gradually calmed down.


    To be honest, there wasn''t any deep hatred between him and Colin... at most, there were just some minor frictions.


    Everything could be salvaged.


    Perhaps¡­ this could even be turned into an opportunity!


    The venue for the Alus Association was set so far away, the performance and even the lives of these apprentices were completely controlled by the five wizards standing at the forefront...


    Normally, Official Wizards stayed aloof, even those from the same faction were hard for apprentices like them to approach, let alone curry favor with.


    But Colin was different; they had already met during their apprentice days, and although there were frictions, thinking positively, the barrier to interaction was actually lower...


    With proper handling, it might be possible to turn this misfortune into an advantage!


    Mulan''s thoughts kept whirling, and his mood gradually stabilized from the initial panic and even began to savor the joy from Lex''s earlier words¡­

 Chapter 243 - 191 Worry

    A gentle breeze whisked the white clouds away, and golden sunshine poured down.


    In the small courtyard opposite the Yista School.


    "... and those are the points of attention for the Alus Association," someone said.


    "Finally, a reminder, the departure time tomorrow is at 10 a.m., and the gathering place is right here. Anyone who is late will face the consequences on their own." S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Now, you may disperse."


    Margaret looked around and, with these last few words, concluded today''s meeting before departure.


    "Yes!"


    The neatly standing Wizard Apprentices responded in unison with respect and then left one after another.


    Colin stood behind Margaret, exhaling a deep breath softly.


    ''It''s over, I don''t have to stand here and be just a backdrop anymore.''


    Throughout the whole process, the four Wizards from the affiliated Schools didn''t get a chance to say a single word; they had simply stood behind Margaret, serving as her backdrop.


    From start to finish, Margaret had controlled the entire scene, the only time involving them being the brief introduction she made at the beginning.


    Margaret seemed to know their names and other details like the back of her hand, which must be because the Yista School had their list...


    ''Finally, it''s over. Would anyone be interested in joining me for lunch later?'' Mayer''s telepathic message suddenly came through.


    From the reactions of both Milo and Sovoc in front, it could be deduced that Mayer''s telepathic range was the three Wizards from the affiliated Schools.


    The skill of telepathic communication for an Official Wizard like Colin wasn''t difficult, and after some experimentation during this period, he had successfully mastered it.


    Such a simple telepathic communication was only suitable for everyday conversation; unless encrypted with magic, it was easily subject to eavesdropping.


    On the other hand, close-range telepathic communication was hard to detect, only with specialized Detection Magic or the expansion of spiritual power, could one notice the projected spiritual power of the communication.


    So even though they were close to Margaret, they didn''t need to worry too much about being discovered.


    ''Tomorrow we depart, and after that, it will be at least two months before we can return. I need to handle some matters later... I won''t join you for lunch,'' Milo''s telepathic message rang out first.


    Seemingly feeling a bit bad for the refusal, she added another line.


    ''When we board the Airship, there will naturally be plenty of time for gatherings.''


    ''Lady Milo is right; I also need to go back and pack my things,'' Sovoc chimed in following her lead.


    ''That leaves just the two of us, Lord Colin...''


    ''Let''s wait until we''re on the Airship and everyone is together before we gather,'' Colin declined gracefully.


    Although the exchange of words was extensive, thanks to the efficiency of telepathic communication, it had only taken a moment in real time.


    "You may also disperse, and come half an hour early tomorrow," Margaret turned around and instructed before she left.


    Without a gathering, there was naturally no reason for these Wizards to stay, and they left one by one.


    Colin took a few steps when suddenly, a familiar voice called out from behind him.


    "Lord Colin!"


    Turning around, he saw a young man with a handsome but somewhat gloomy appearance, smiling as he approached.


    It was Mulan.


    Before Colin could respond, Mulan reached into his pocket and took out a gray coin pouch, quickly extending it towards Colin.


    "Lord Colin, inside this is five hundred Magic Stones..."


    Colin frowned slightly, and an invisible force field emerged, keeping Mulan''s extended hand at bay.


    Colin had noticed Mulan while Margaret was speaking, but he hadn''t paid much attention...


    However, there was no issue; with the enhancement of his Superbrain, he didn''t need to devote much effort to notice what was around him; everything was naturally recorded.


    Just by reflecting on it now, he could recall the exact scene from earlier, and all its details became clear...


    Mulan''s shifting facial expressions and the barely moving lips of the Apprentice beside Mulan...


    Almost in an instant, he understood Mulan''s intentions.


    "We''re not close, Mulan."


    Colin spoke curtly, looking at Mulan whose face showed surprise from the force field''s obstruction, his tone calm and detached.


    Then, without further delay, he turned and quickly walked away.


    Now that he had acquired six thousand Magic Stones, Colin was eager to go back and break his limits.


    As for Mulan''s five hundred Magic Stones... they might be considerable to an Apprentice like Mulan, but to Colin now, they were but a drop in the bucket.


    What''s more, just now he had received six thousand Magic Stones, and by tomorrow, without accidents, the School was expected to issue a subsidy of ten thousand Magic Stones.


    So, there was no need to involve himself with potential troubles over a mere five hundred Magic Stones.


    Standing behind, Mulan''s face turned from pale to flushed. Clutching the coin pouch, his hand remained outstretched, frozen in place.


    ''We''re not close... Does that mean he''s not going to let me off the hook?''


    He replayed Colin''s indifferent words in his mind, a sense of panic inexplicably rising within, and his grip tightened on the coin pouch he held.


    An Official Wizard and their apprentices, their statuses were worlds apart.


    Regarding Colin''s words, he simply couldn''t afford to ignore them, nor could he help but indulge in wild speculations.


    "Sigh¡ª"


    Mulan took a few deep breaths of fresh air, trying to suppress the unease in his heart, as well as... the frustration and rage.


    But it seemed the unease was only fueling the rage, making his chest feel slightly warm.


    ''Damn Colin!''


    ''He''s nothing but a lucky cur who just happened to get ahead of me, a petty man gloating!''


    ''Once I''ve Advanced to an Official Wizard myself, I''ll definitely make him pay!''


    After cursively cursing in his mind, he finally calmed down.


    Carefully pocketing the grey pouch of coins, Mulan''s eyes darted around as he quietly pondered.


    ''When it comes to interests, any personal grudges can be temporarily set aside... If these Magic Stones can''t move Colin, then it must be because the benefits aren''t sufficient!''


    Besides Magic Stones, he had to obtain more bargaining chips... Mulan secretly made up his mind. He didn''t continue to linger, but walked alone towards the exit.


    As for new chips beyond the Magic Stones, an idea was already taking shape in his mind.


    ''It''s a good thing Lex, who had been standing by earlier, had already left and didn''t witness this scene.'' Walking alone, Mulan felt somewhat relieved.


    The next second, his pace hesitated slightly, and a flash of insight crossed his mind!


    Lex hadn''t seen this scene...


    That undoubtedly meant that, in Lex''s eyes, he was still someone who could climb the ranks by associating with the Alus Association as an Official Wizard!


    In that case...


    Perhaps, with just a bit of maneuvering, the stakes involving the Magic Stones could be increased!


    After all, aside from seeking the support of his backing Family, obtaining more Magic Stones was actually very difficult.


    But seeking support from the Family was even more impossible¡­ After securing his qualification to join a School, the Family hadn''t provided him any further assistance.


    More than two hours later.


    In a secret chamber, the Bright Crystals were deliberately dimmed slightly.


    Accompanying the serious atmosphere were Apprentices in Wizard Robes, casting a clandestine aura all around.


    At the main seat, Mulan was serious-faced, with a smiling Lex by his side.


    Click¡ª


    An Apprentice, wearing the standard Wizard Robe of the Tin Saint School, pushed open the door to the chamber and hurried to Mulan, handing over a pouch of coins.


    "Here, there are two hundred Magic Stones inside, remember your promise."


    Mulan gave Lex a meaningful glance, who comprehendingly took the pouch.


    "Don''t worry... But I must emphasize, the Alus Association''s rules are strict. Two hundred Magic Stones can''t make that esteemed person do anything, at best they might offer us a slight favor, prioritizing our rescue in life-threatening situations, increasing our chances of survival somewhat."


    Seeing that Lex had taken the Magic Stones, Mulan shifted his gaze, looking up at the Apprentice and spoke in a deep voice.


    Such a promise, strictly speaking, was almost akin to no promise at all.


    But when it came to a matter of life and death, there were always those willing to part with these Magic Stones.


    "Mm-hmm, I understand. As long as I can see that esteemed person nod, as long as it adds a bit more safety, that''s enough." The Apprentice nodded in response, without any argument.


    With Lex''s verification, he didn''t doubt Mulan''s ability to contact that Wizard.


    Thus, Apprentices gradually exchanged Magic Stones¡­


    But perhaps because it wasn''t broadly advertised, only spreading through close friends in a limited manner,


    the number of Apprentices trading Magic Stones wasn''t high, with just about ten including Mulan and Lex.


    There might still be other Apprentices unfinished with exchanges¡­ but it was getting late.


    Mulan pulled out his Pocket Watch and took a glance, deciding it was time to stop.


    Although the collection of Magic Stones wasn''t substantial, other than Magic Stones, he was actually more inclined toward a different kind of chip.


    ''After all, for a First Rank Wizard, whether it be five hundred or two thousand Magic Stones, they really aren''t much.''


    ''If I put myself in their place, facing such a situation, merely using Magic Stones isn''t enough to sway me... Colin likely feels the same.''


    ''It''s necessary to have chips other than the Magic Stones, perhaps only those carrying significant weight, to move Colin.''


    Securing all the Magic Stones on his person, Mulan let out a soft sigh, bid farewell to Lex, and quickly moved on to the next destination.


    Perhaps it was the overly cold tone in which Colin had spoken today, or perhaps it was his own previous appalling attitude toward Colin.


    The more he thought about Colin''s words today, the more unsettled and anxious he felt.


    No matter what, no matter how much he despised it in his heart, now Colin was an Official Wizard, and he was only an Advanced Apprentice.


    It was like someone he occasionally insulted and had conflicts with suddenly became his immediate boss¡­ in such a scenario, nobody could be sure that the adversary wouldn''t make things difficult.


    And in the current situation, during this Alus Association meeting, if Colin made things difficult for him, a slight misstep could cost him his life¡­

 Chapter 244 - 192: Venomous Anger

    An hour later.


    Hua Pei District, Lite Street.


    Mulan''s residence was situated right on the street that Colin always passed by on his way to the Tin Saint School.


    "Why have you suddenly invited me to dinner? Aren''t you going to attend the Alus Association tomorrow?"


    Leva sat across the square dining table, picking up her knife and fork as she asked. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The collision between the knife, fork, and porcelain plate made a crisp sound.


    Mulan paused slightly, feeling inexplicably irritable, but his face remained composed as he smiled and said,


    "I should see you before I leave."


    Of course, this was an excuse.


    But if one were to ask which of the apprentices who had joined the Tin Saint School at the same time as him was familiar with Colin¡ª


    It would undoubtedly be Leva.


    He still remembered the scene when they first joined the school, and Leva initiated a conversation with Colin... If he could persuade Leva to help mediate on his behalf, perhaps Colin would truly let him go.


    Leva looked surprised upon hearing this.


    Such words were not often heard from Mulan''s mouth.


    Then, the two exchanged a few more courtesies.


    Mulan forked a piece of the cut steak, and casually asked,


    "How well do you know Colin?"


    "Not well." Leva shook her head, then emphasised with feigned anger, "Mulan, I have never done anything to hurt you. The few times I encountered Colin at the Teaching Castle were just coincidences!"


    "That''s not what I mean. I just want to know exactly what your relationship with Colin is."


    Ding¡ª


    Leva put down her knife and fork, furrowing her brows and saying, "Mulan, if you keep this up, I''m going to get angry!"


    The sky outside was getting darker as the sunset had already fallen, and a veil-like darkness enveloped the earth.


    It seemed as if an invisible, eerie force had descended.


    The Bright Crystal chandelier above the dining table timely lit up with white light, reflecting Mulan''s increasingly anxious expression.


    ''Stupid woman!''


    He couldn''t help but curse silently in his mind.


    The time left to him was not much, like being on a train hurtling towards a cliff, with the passage of time, the panic and unrest in Mulan''s heart grew stronger.


    "Leva!" his tone a bit more urgent, "I really don''t mean anything else, just tell me, what is your relationship with Colin?"


    Leva eyed him suspiciously, somewhat puzzled by his anxious demeanor, but after a moment''s hesitation, she explained,


    "My relationship with Colin really isn''t what you imagine. At most, we''re just strangers who have exchanged a few words¡ª" Leva paused, then added, "Or perhaps even less."


    "At first, I thought he was a person worth getting to know, so I chatted with him, but I didn''t expect him to be nothing more than an ambitionless fool, so I wasn''t too friendly..."


    Leva did not think Colin had a good impression of her.


    People always tend to remember the bad in others, not the good.


    Although she had once introduced Colin to knowledge about advancing in the islands...


    But that had its own motives, and after realizing that Colin was just an ambitionless fool, she did not hide her disdain for him.


    Putting oneself in the other''s shoes, if it were her, she wouldn''t have too good an impression either.


    But... it didn''t matter. Colin was just a trivial little figure.


    Leva thought this as she prepared to fork another piece of steak.


    Clang!


    "Mulan, what are you doing?!"


    Leva stared in shock at Mulan suddenly standing up, then lunging at her. She instinctively dropped her knife and fork, swiftly retreating backward.


    But the gap in strength between her and Mulan was there, and caught off guard, she was knocked unconscious in an instant.


    Thud.


    Leva''s body fell to the ground, making a dull sound.


    Creak¡ªcreak¡ª


    The metal chandelier on the ceiling swayed continuously, while the white light from the Bright Crystal reflected Mulan''s changing face.


    He clenched his teeth, his jaw muscles stood out, his eyes widened slightly with unforeseen anger, his nostrils flared, and he breathed heavily.


    If one were to use Supersensitive Vision to observe closely, they could see that the Spiritual Light of humanity and knowledge on his body also began to flicker uncertainly with his changing expressions.


    Swoosh!!


    As if still not relieved of his anger, he lifted his right leg and kicked violently toward Leva!


    At the critical moment, as if afraid that Leva, who might have been knocked unconscious by witchcraft, would wake from the kick, Mulan changed direction and kicked a nearby chair instead.


    Crack.


    Under the powerful kick of Mulan, who possessed the strength of an Advanced Knight, the quality wooden chair shattered upon impact, and the debris struck the nearby white wall, making a loud collision noise.


    Lite Street, due to the recent unforeseen events, had not yet recovered, and there were fewer residents around than before, naturally making it much quieter.


    Thus, the sound seemed to carry far without hindrance, startling a nearby maid.


    Tap tap tap¡ª


    "Master, what has happened?" The maid walked in quickly, asking in a soft voice.


    Perhaps the poisonous-like rage had temporarily subsided, or maybe the maid''s puzzled voice had called back his reason.


    "...Nothing." Mulan straightened his collar and paused before replying indifferently.


    He stared at Leva, who had collapsed on the ground, feeling somewhat at a loss... Why had he suddenly attacked Leva?


    Mulan thought back carefully.


    Perhaps it was when his hope of having Leva mediate for him had failed, just after Leva had finished speaking.


    A rage like poison had suddenly eroded his brain, making him lose his reason in that instant!


    He was slightly alarmed and quickly began to examine himself.


    But a moment later, he found nothing unusual.


    ''It seems... I need to strengthen my training in mental fortitude...'' Mulan shook his head and quietly warned himself.


    For a wizard, the cultivation of the mind is very important.


    It allows them to maintain resistance to the corruption of knowledge, preserve their humanity, and avoid degeneration and falling into depravity.


    Pacing the room, Mulan carefully contemplated his next move.


    ''Having knocked out Leva, I''ve lost a bargaining chip, what to do next... Since Leva and Colin aren''t on good terms, seeking Leva out was a mistake to begin with... What should I do now?!''


    He pondered anxiously, looking over the defenseless Leva lying on the ground.


    The loose wizard robe on Leva''s recumbent form draped down, clinging to her body and outlining her shapely curves.


    Mulan couldn''t help but harbor wicked thoughts.


    Although he had known Leva for a while, she had never let him touch her...


    It must be said that the unattainable is always the most desirable... Leva''s tactics were indeed clever, quite unlike the women who used to fawn over him.


    Swallowing, Mulan suppressed the thoughts in his heart, when a burst of spiritual light suddenly flashed through his mind.


    ''Perhaps... delivering the unconscious Leva to Colin might work wonders?''


    Thinking from a different perspective, the more he thought about it, the more he felt this could be a viable path!


    However... A sinister smile surfaced on Mulan''s face, as he walked towards Leva.


    Before delivering Leva to Colin, he would have to have a taste himself, and as long as he used the Cleaning Technique afterward to erase the traces, plus with Leva in an unconscious state...


    In the end, neither Leva nor Colin would realize.


    Leva would only think she had given herself to Colin.


    Mulan approached her and was about to undo Leva''s clothes,


    But such an action seemed to trigger a predefined defense, and a sudden explosion of light and smoke burst forth!


    "Ah."


    A burning pain spread through him, causing Mulan to let out a low cry of pain and take a small step back, watching in shock as the smoke dispersed before him.


    Soon after, before the smoke had even cleared, the left window shattered with a loud noise, and a figure leaped out.


    Mulan''s face changed dramatically, and he quickly cast a spell to pursue!


    On the other side,


    The cool night wind blew.


    Leva, fighting the weakness in her body, desperately fled; she didn''t understand why Mulan had suddenly struck.


    But at this point, escaping as fast as possible was the best option.


    As she ran, she searched for members of the Law Enforcement Team... Unfortunately, Neustadt City had an aerial ban, and only Official Wizards were allowed to fly in the sky.


    Right now, she could only rely on the enhanced speed of her legs, boosted by witchcraft.


    The sounds of pursuit behind her were drawing closer, causing panic to rise in Leva''s heart.


    But for some reason tonight, as she looked around, she could not see a single member of the Law Enforcement Team anywhere!


    No miracle occurred,


    Swoosh!


    In no time at all, Mulan, the Advanced Apprentice, effortlessly caught up with her and reached out to grab her!


    Leva rolled swiftly to the ground, narrowly avoiding the attack by a hair''s breadth.


    But there was no trace of relief on her face, only despair.


    ''It''s over.''


    The next moment, two gleams of wizard light shot from Mulan''s hands.


    One shattered her barely constructed defenses, and the other... plunged her into unconsciousness once again.


    Breathing heavily, Mulan quickly surveyed the surroundings.


    No sign of the Law Enforcement Team, or even any people at all...


    The calls of unnamed insects rose, adding to the silence around him.


    He let out a slight sigh of relief but also felt puzzled... Something seemed off about tonight.


    If one listened carefully, they could notice distant shouts carried on the wind now and then... It seemed many people were arguing.


    Mulan shook his head, casting aside his doubts, he had more pressing matters to attend to.


    Controlling Leva''s body with the Puppetry Technique, he turned to survey his surroundings.


    That''s when he realized in astonishment, though Leva''s escape had been brief, with the power of an Advanced Apprentice, they had already run quite a distance.


    They had reached the next street over¡ªSaint Lio Street.


    This was exactly where Colin lived... Mulan thought of the information he had gathered and was momentarily stunned.


    He looked at Leva again, his interest having waned,


    After a moment of contemplation, he simply quickened his pace towards Colin''s residence.

 Chapter 245 - 193 Secret Operation

    Ding.


    The white porcelain plate in her hands slipped once again, dropping into the sink and colliding with the bottom, emitting a crisp sound.


    Renee patted her chest subconsciously, turning her head to look outside the window.


    For some reason, there were sudden shouts and arguments coming from outside tonight, startling her repeatedly.


    She picked up the white porcelain plate, ready to continue washing.


    Knock, knock, knock¡ª


    At the door of the small courtyard, there suddenly came a knocking sound.


    Renee slightly frowned... Who could be visiting at such a late hour?


    She put down the plate, shook her hands, and stepped forward to open the door.


    "Excuse me, is this Lord Colin''s residence?"


    Upon opening the door, she was met with the smiling face of a gloomy man.


    For some reason, seeing his enthusiastic, ingratiating smile made Renee uncomfortably uneasy.


    Beside the man stood a skinny figure, covered with a gray hood, head drooping, face obscured.


    "Yes, this is Wizard Colin''s home," Renee replied.


    Mulan''s face lit up with pleasure, and he subconsciously stepped forward to enter.


    "I''m sorry, sir, the master is currently in seclusion and cannot receive guests at the moment," Renee shifted her feet slightly, blocking the doorway.


    Colin had told her earlier that day to not accept visits from anyone except for Lillian and a few familiar people; she had taken his words to heart.


    In fact, it was always like this whenever Colin was in seclusion, asking her to kindly refuse visitors. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mulan hesitated slightly, then insisted,


    "I have important matters to discuss with Lord Colin."


    "I''m sorry, sir, the master has ordered..." Renee shook her head and responded softly.


    Colin had especially emphasized the importance of this matter to her.


    During his seclusion, even if Lillian and others visited, they could only stay in the reception room and were not allowed to approach the Meditation Room or the basement at all.


    As for others, no matter who they were, unless they were Official Wizards, they were to be gently turned away.


    And the male wizard before her was clearly not an Official Wizard.


    Renee recognized the School Badge on Mulan''s chest... it had no golden feathers, just three silver feathers, indicating he was merely an Advanced Wizard Apprentice.


    "If Lord Colin is currently unavailable, could we possibly wait in the reception room?" Mulan suppressed the rage in his heart, forcing a smile and offering a purse to Renee.


    Renee subconsciously stepped back half a step, not sure if it was an illusion, but she saw a flash of red in Mulan''s eyes.


    "I''m sorry, sir, without the master''s permission, I cannot let you in," Renee steadied herself and continued to refuse, preparing to hand back the offered purse to the gloomy man.


    Just then, the skinny figure behind Mulan suddenly moved.


    Whoosh!


    It seemed that some witchcraft was used, and Leva dashed past Mulan towards Colin''s courtyard with the speed of lightning!


    Renee couldn''t dodge in time and was pushed aside.


    "Leva... you!"


    Mulan was shocked; he hadn''t expected Leva to break free from the puppetry''s control... when had that happened?


    In the courtyard.


    Leva''s footsteps slowly halted, she turned around, staring at Mulan.


    Although only a few meters away from her previous position, the sense of safety was markedly different.


    In fact, when Mulan had caught up with her earlier, she had prepared a backup plan and hadn''t been completely controlled by the puppetry.


    She was just waiting for the right moment to escape... Regrettably, on her way here, she had not seen a single member of the Law Enforcement Team.


    Now, as Mulan spoke with Renee, she decisively seized the opportunity and fled from Mulan.


    Though many thoughts raced through her mind, it all happened in an instant.


    Standing in the courtyard, Leva looked at the twisted, angry face of Mulan, about to speak.


    Whoosh!


    But in the next second, several vine tendrils as thick as arms, shimmering with golden patterns, suddenly attacked her.


    The speed was incredible, the power immense!


    Moreover, Leva had just escaped a perilous situation, and was at her most relaxed and unaware, she couldn''t react in time and was once again pulled out of the yard.


    Then, in the instant, she was flung out of the yard.


    Clang!


    The courtyard gate also closed at the same time.


    "Whew¡ª"


    Renee exhaled softly, lowering her raised wrist.


    "Thank you, Nado," she said softly.


    As the assimilated plants increased, Nado gradually acquired simple intelligence,


    and with Colin''s authorization, she also had partial control over Nado.


    Elsewhere.


    In the basement.


    Colin slightly furrowed his brow, waking from his meditation.


    ''Nado... seems to be some disturbance.''


    He quickly stood up, fortified himself with newly Limit Broken Defensive Witchcraft, and hurried towards the outside of the basement.


    But just in that instant.


    "So it is¡ª"


    A booming voice seemed to carry from the sky to every corner of the Huapei district, viewing all obstacles as nothing, clearly reaching every ear.


    "Foolish Divine, to expend so much effort just for this?"


    The voice, filled with disappointment and disdain, came from nowhere.


    Colin halted his steps, his body stiffening slightly.


    Although he couldn''t see the source of the voice, he felt as if he were being watched by a large predator, the chilling sensation making his throat go dry.


    The next moment.


    The air seemed to turn into liquid, a clearly visible semi-transparent ripple appeared from nowhere, abruptly in front of him, then swiftly swept across his body before continuing to spread outward.


    "Ahhhh!"


    Following that, screams erupted one after the other.


    One of them was very close, seemingly right at the doorway of the small courtyard.


    Colin gently inhaled, suppressed the tremble in his heart, and quickly walked over to the courtyard.


    Looking around, no enemies had entered, but the screams became clearer still, just outside the door.


    "Renee, what happened?" he asked quietly.


    Renee briefly explained what had just occurred, and after listening, Colin frowned.


    The screams outside continued but he had no intention of opening the door.


    Soon, the screams gradually subsided.


    Meanwhile, Colin keenly noticed that occasionally, the figures of wizards would fly across the sky.


    Knock knock knock¡ª


    A rhythmic knocking suddenly sounded.


    Colin pondered for a moment, then, with a thought, he had Nado open the door.


    A pale-faced female apprentice appeared, her expression one of unsettled fright.


    "Master, she was one of the wizards who came to visit just now." Renee reminded.


    "Leva?" Colin slightly furrowed his brow.


    "Colin¡­ sir."


    Leva looked at Colin with a complex expression, at a loss for words for a moment.


    Just then, after that noise resounded, Mulan, who had been attacking her, suddenly froze in place, then, screaming, fell to the ground as blood started to seep from all over her body.


    She appeared to be unconscious now¡­


    And the unsettled Leva knocked on Colin''s door instinctively.


    Swish!


    At that moment, a graceful figure suddenly descended from the sky.


    "Ms. Margaret."


    As the figure became clear, Colin was startled and, without paying attention to Leva at the door, instinctively walked towards the descending Margaret.


    "I didn''t expect you would be living here¡­ help me cleanse Li Ersen Street, Colin of the Tin Saint School," Margaret said with some surprise before speaking calmly.


    Then, as if afraid Colin wouldn''t understand, she took the rare initiative to explain:


    "Do you remember the two Divine Believer incidents on Huapei Street before? This time is similar, only it''s us taking the initiative!"


    "We a batch of wizards are about to leave, and we aim to thoroughly cleanse the remnants of the Divine in Neustadt City to ensure its safety before we depart."


    "The Nine Major Schools have jointly carried out a secret operation, and now, we are at the final stage."


    "Since you live here, I assume you are familiar with Li Ersen Street; I need your assistance."


    Colin was inwardly shocked, silently absorbing this sudden influx of information.


    "Come on, stop dawdling," urged Margaret.


    Then, as if she noticed something, she lightly exclaimed, paused her preparation to take off, and suddenly walked towards the door.


    Confused, Colin quickly followed.


    Seeing Margaret approaching, Leva at the door instinctively made way and moved aside, bowing her head respectfully and greeting, "Ma''am."


    But it seemed that in Margaret''s eyes, she was merely air, Margaret did not even glance at her but just briskly walked past.


    As for Colin¡­ he had no extra energy to pay attention to Leva.


    Margaret''s words were not long, but the information they conveyed was not slight at all.


    Colin had not expected that after two attacks by Divine Believers, the nine schools of the city had already prepared for a counterattack in secret¡­


    He hadn''t heard a whisper of it¡­


    In fact, Colin even thought that probably not even his Mentor and Lillian were aware of this.


    Tin Saint School¡­ was, after all, merely an accessory to Yista School.


    While digesting the information Margaret had just revealed, he closely followed Margaret''s steps, brushing past Leva.


    A moment later, Margaret stopped,


    She looked down at the figure on the ground and murmured:


    "Poor creatures contaminated by the Divine¡­"


    ''Divine contamination?''


    Just as Colin wondered internally and prepared to inquire,


    Boom!!


    A blazing golden beam suddenly shot towards the blood-stained figure on the ground!


    Like igniting paper, under the force of an invisible power, the figure instantly burst into flames.


    A human torch appeared before Colin, illuminating his astonished face.


    By the glow of the golden beam, unless he was seeing things, that figure was clearly Mulan, whom he had just seen this morning!


    "Let''s go," Margaret withdrew her arm and turned to him.


    "Yes." After a brief silence, Colin responded.


    Then he swiftly turned to Renee beside him and instructed,


    "Go back, take Demi and hide well, Nado will protect you."


    Swish!!


    Having done all this, he no longer delayed, applied the Flying and Diving Skill, and soared into the sky with Margaret.


    As he departed, once Renee stepped into the yard,


    The plants in the yard began to sway and rustle.


    The branches of the ancient trees stretched out a circle spontaneously, thick vines like writhing snakes covered the walls¡­


    And then, with a clang, the gate shut tightly.


    Shutting out the outside world, and leaving Leva, who was still at the gate, excluded as well.


    Leva stood outside, her face blank as she stared at the firmly closed gate.


    Instinctively, she looked up, observing the figures of Colin and the powerful witch disappearing into the sky¡­


    Her emotions were mixed.


    There was the humiliation of being ignored by Colin, the shock of Colin becoming an Official Wizard,


    and even some bewilderment¡­


    Thus, she stood there frozen.


    It was unknown how long passed before she suddenly realized, and quickly walked towards a safer place.

 Chapter 246 - 194: Conclusion

    The night sky was somewhat desolate tonight, devoid of twinkling stars or a bright moon.


    The only thing present was the howling cold wind, which made Colin''s gray Wizard Robe flutter loudly.


    In the strictest sense, this was his first full-strength use of the twice Limit Breaking Flying and Diving Skill for flight after advancing to an Official Wizard.


    It was also at this moment that he realized he had underestimated the Flying and Diving Skill that had broken its limits twice.


    Originally, the Orlan Flying and Diving Skill wasn''t considered an outstanding witchcraft during the Apprentice phase.


    Its speed in flight couldn''t compare to the Soaring Technique, nor could its diving ability match the Naga Transformation Skill; its only advantage was that it managed both flight and diving.


    But now, after two instances of Limit Breaking, the Flying and Diving Skill, which was once barely a Middle Zeroth Rank, had now barely touched the threshold of a Lower First Rank Witchcraft!


    In terms of flight speed alone, it had already far surpassed the Upper Zeroth Rank Soaring Technique!


    However... compared to Margaret''s flying speed ahead of him, his Flying and Diving Skill still noticeably paled by more than a margin.


    Colin turned to glance at Margaret.


    He didn''t know what kind of Flying Witchcraft Margaret was using, but from the outside, her body was surrounded by fiery red streams of light, emitting a warm glow...very dazzling.


    Moreover, apart from looking good, these streams of light seemed to have a certain defensive effect as well.


    "This is the place, go down and take care of that poor wretch polluted by the divine," Margaret instructed, pointing at a burning building below after a while.


    Colin looked in the direction she was pointing; next to that burning building, there was a constantly writhing mass of flesh that still vaguely looked human, spewing large amounts of dark flammable mucus.


    "Yes," Colin withdrew his gaze and lightly exhaled a breath of turbid air.


    The next moment, the brilliance of his Mechanical Mind passed over him.


    His heart, which was slightly quickened from tension, suddenly became rhythmic, maintaining a fast yet stable pace to provide his body with surging power!


    Superbrain Talent activated!


    Every fine detail around him was captured in Colin''s eyes, and with his mind running at high speed, it felt as though everything around him had slowed down. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Crackling, crackling¡ª


    At the collapsed gray gates, bright yellow flames danced and flickered, licking the wooden gates and walls.


    Around them, apart from several charred bodies of ordinary people, there were no other figures, and the traces suggested that everyone had already fled.


    "Hiss¡ª!"


    The vaguely human-shaped flesh mass suddenly raised its head and hissed at Colin,


    Numerous black viscous fluids, like crude oil, poured continuously from its swollen and distended mouth.


    It was at that moment that Colin''s eyes flashed.


    The brilliance of a Fireball brewed forth from his hands.


    Whoosh!


    The next instant! An orange-yellow Fireball shot out furiously!


    Swish!


    Under the assistance of Superbrain, this strike hit with just the right timing and angle, shooting straight into the wide-open mouth of the Polluter.


    The flowing black flammable liquid was instantly ignited.


    But it didn''t end there; the remaining kinetic energy allowed the Fireball to continue shooting into the Polluter''s body.


    The next moment.


    Boom!!


    A violent explosion ensued, and orange-yellow flames billowed, with shockwaves surging like tides.


    The Polluter was exploded from the inside out, reduced to fragments.


    Colin''s thoughts moved, and under his control, the remaining debris continued to be scorched by the residual flames of the Fireball Technique.


    The entire process was as swift as a rabbit and as quick as a falcon. In Margaret''s eyes, it was nearly instantaneous; she only saw Colin shoot a not overly powerful Fireball, and the Polluter below was instantly turned to ash.


    "Lucky shot," she commented indifferently.


    Colin was slightly startled but did not argue. Instead, he silently admonished himself.


    He knew that, although the Fireball he fired seemed simple, ensuring the exact timing and angle was far from simple.


    The flesh monster was constantly writhing, its head shaking, its mouth opening and closing.


    Even a slight deviation would at most blast its mouth apart or blow off its head, rather than perfectly shattering the entire body, much less ensuring that each fragment was burning with the residual fire from the Fireball Technique...


    "Do you know Detect Evil?" Margaret suddenly asked him.


    "Yes," Colin nodded.


    "Good." Margaret pointed to a street on the right and commanded,


    "Continue down this direction and clear all the Polluters left in the streets."


    "Okay." Colin was briefly taken aback, then nodded in agreement.


    He had thought Margaret brought him here to lead the way... Now it seemed, it was more to find a laborer.


    "Under the Nois City Lord''s cleansing, all those polluted by the divine have already been revealed and are either dead or seriously injured, making them easy to distinguish. Remember to clean them up thoroughly,"


    Margaret emphasized again before hastily flying off in another direction.


    Colin''s lips moved slightly; he had many questions to ask... but Margaret had already left.


    Moreover, given her nature, even if he had asked, she probably wouldn''t have answered.


    However, from what he could see now, things seemed clear.


    Apprentices like Mulan who had been polluted were likely the secret hands left by the Divine Believers...only to be prematurely set off by the North City Lord.


    The night wind blew, with the sounds of witchcraft explosions and monster roars coming from not far away occasionally...


    There were no crowds fleeing on the streets.

 Chapter 247 - 194 Conclusion_2

    Just like during the initial chaos in Blackstone City, most people, including wizards, mostly chose to stay at home to observe the changes.


    Divine...


    Colin''s gaze flickered, and he gently exhaled a breath... feeling inexplicably light-hearted.


    At least this time, the wizards had the upper hand.


    Whoosh!


    He called upon the Flying and Diving Skill, soared into the air, and proceeded to search along the streets according to Margaret''s instructions.


    Next, he encountered seven Polluters, three of whom had already perished. He incinerated their bodies to ashes using the Fireball Technique.


    The other four were also completely eliminated by him.


    During this process, with Margaret not there to watch over him, he freely wielded the witchcraft he had mastered.


    It is worth mentioning that most of these Polluters were completely disfigured beyond recognition, but some not only retained their human form but even had some consciousness left.


    Crackle, crackle¡ª


    The merciless flames scorched the Polluters in front of him, slowly turning them to char.


    Colin withdrew his gaze as the energetic Magic Power inside him gradually calmed, and the golden openwork crown on his forehead slowly blended into his skin.


    "Without the Elf Armor, relying solely on a Steel Temperature Resistance Force Field after Golden Paper Limit Breaking, a normal First Rank Junior Wizard using Lower Rank Attack Witchcraft would generally be able to defend against it."


    He continued to watch the Polluters burn while silently pondering. During the process of dealing with the Polluters, Colin had focused on testing Defensive Witchcraft.


    "It seems that a Steel Temperature Resistance Field after Limit Breaking is roughly equivalent to a Defensive Witchcraft of outstanding quality among the Lower Middle Rank."


    "As for adding the Elf Armor, ordinary First Rank Junior Wizards would probably not be able to harm me unless using Upper Rank or higher Attack Witchcraft, or unless they are prodigies."


    However, in reality, if one could use Upper Rank witchcraft at the First Rank Junior stage, they would already qualify as a prodigy.


    Generally speaking, wizards of the same rank most often use witchcraft of the same rank.


    Restricted by their Rank, even if First Rank Junior Wizards mastered higher-ranked witchcraft, they would still find it difficult to successfully cast it.


    Thus, at least in battles among peers, the once-Limit-Breaking Steel Temperature Resistance Field was sufficient for his current use.


    Moreover, besides the Steel Temperature Resistance Field, he had also Limit Broke his Fireball Skill II to Fireball Technique III.


    As for its power, it hadn''t increased as much as the Steel Temperature Resistance Field... roughly just an ordinary level among the Lower Rank.


    Breaking Limits on both had cost him three thousand Magic Stones... Half of the Magic Stones he had just obtained today were instantly depleted.


    Fortunately, by tomorrow morning, another sum of Magic Stones would be credited to his account.


    The orange-yellow glow gradually faded, and the corpses of the Polluters had been burned to charred remains that would crumble into ash with a touch.


    This was the end of the street, and this was the last Polluter he dealt with.


    Whoosh!


    A gust of wind suddenly came.


    "Is it all cleaned up?"


    Margaret descended from the sky. Although her words were questioning, her tone was confident.


    Staring at the cluster of Polluter''s charred remains that still had some sparks left, Margaret was somewhat surprised.


    She had just finished cleaning the Polluters in the area she was responsible for and had flown nonstop to Colin''s side, intending to quickly deal with any Polluters that Colin had not addressed.


    However, on the way here, she was also checking.


    The area assigned to Colin was not small, and she had thought that Colin would not have finished so swiftly, yet to her surprise, he had already completed it.


    "If there are no surprises, it''s all cleaned up," Colin replied.


    "Um," Margaret nodded and said, "You can go back now."


    At her words, Colin nodded but did not hurry to step away, instead asking,


    "Ms. Margaret, these Polluters, how exactly were they contaminated?"


    It seemed that Colin''s efficiency had pleased Margaret; she paused and then exceptionally gave a brief explanation:


    "Through the servants at home... Wizard Apprentices are not easily contaminated, but those servants who are only Knights are a loophole."


    "Divine Believers lure and entice these ordinary servant people into corruption, then quietly place small amounts of contaminant sources next to wizards. Day by day, this plants the seeds of contamination in the wizards."


    "These... were they only discovered today?" Colin asked, his tone a bit strained.


    "Of course not." Margaret shook her head, "I knew about this half a month ago; as for when it was discovered in the city, it must have been even earlier."


    She then naturally added, "Without allowing it to grow and develop for a while, how could we possibly uproot these remaining Divine Believers completely?"


    Colin fell silent, feeling a shiver of dread in his heart.


    Thankfully, Renee had always heeded his words, rarely lingered outside, and seldom interacted with strangers. She hadn''t been tempted or corrupted...


    Otherwise, his figure might have been among the charred corpses of the Polluters today.


    The Nine Major Schools, high above... they wouldn''t consider the Lower Wizards; their aim was to solve problems thoroughly at the smallest cost.


    If it required the sacrifice of some wizards in the process, the Nine Major Schools...would not hesitate.


    Though many thoughts swirled in his mind, in reality, only a moment had passed since Margaret finished speaking.


    "Thank you for your answer," Colin said.


    "Right, if there''s nothing else, you can leave now," Margaret responded, while taking out a Communication Crystal.


    Colin didn''t linger any longer and prepared to head home.


    Shortly after, as he reached the second intersection,


    Boom!!


    A huge explosion erupted from nearby Lite Street, followed by a voice filled with defiance and anger,


    "Foolish wizards who know not true terror, my master will return!"


    The voice vanished in an instant, leaving only the sounds of intense combat.


    The fluctuating bright lights of the battle reflected on Colin''s furrowed brows.


    He watched as Margaret, a familiar figure he had just been speaking with, soared into the sky towards the location of the battle on Lite Street.


    ...A hint of curiosity arose in his heart.


    After pondering for a moment, Colin ultimately decided to head towards his home.


    He hadn''t taken more than a few steps when he seemed to remember something, causing him to pause briefly.


    ''Another week has passed...''


    Colin felt for the remaining amount of his Magic Power.


    After a moment of thought, an intention crossed his mind, and the ample Magic Power he had was suddenly reduced by a large amount.


    Anando''s Dice activated!


    An imperceptible golden dice descended from the sky, then began spinning rapidly.


    Moments later,


    before Colin, the golden dice slowly settled on a single point.


    ''The luck is somewhat poor...''


    He waved his hand, and the golden dice transformed into a streak of light that shot into his chest and disappeared.


    A location softly emerged in Colin''s heart.


    ''As expected...''


    With a soft sigh, Colin opened his eyes and looked towards Lite Street.


    As he had guessed, the location indicated by the dice was exactly where the intense battle was still unfolding.


    Perhaps his mastery over Anando''s Dice was still low, or maybe it was a flaw in Anando''s Dice itself.


    In any case, he couldn''t control the conditions under which Anando''s Dice sought treasures, what counted as a treasure, whether the treasure had an owner, etc.


    This made using Anando''s Dice in Neustadt City quite ineffective.


    The treasures it pointed out often belonged to someone else. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However... perhaps as progress was made, this aspect might improve.


    Even if it didn''t, he still had the Golden Paper Limit Breaking.


    Thinking this, he abandoned the idea of going to check out the center of the battle on Lite Street.


    While flying home, he opened the Golden Paper.


    The night wind billowed, but it couldn''t scatter the slowly gathering pale golden particles.


    A sheet of Golden Paper, hanging between the real and the surreal, appeared before Colin.


    On it, the progress of Anando''s Dice was prominently at 3 points.


    Regrettably, Anando''s Dice could only be used once a week...


    Advancing it would still take quite some time.

 Chapter 248 - 195: The Grey-Blue Airship

    Explosions, screams of rage, the sound of bricks and tiles shattering and collapsing¡­


    The sounds of battle had resounded nearly all night, only ceasing just before the break of dawn.


    On Holy Rye Street, Colin''s residence.


    Colin slowly walked out of the master bedroom, arrived at the large terrace on the second floor facing Rite Street, and slightly leaned forward, resting on the white stone balustrade of the terrace as a light breeze lifted the hair from his forehead.


    At this moment, the sun had not risen from the ground, yet the world was no longer engulfed in complete darkness.


    Apart from the lights that shone from his location, the flames on the distant Rite Street had not yet dimmed, tinging the sky with a slight reddish glow.


    A while passed.


    At the same time Renee had prepared breakfast and was knocking on his door, a sliver of golden light quietly emerged on the eastern horizon.


    "It''s time to leave," Colin took a deep breath and silently turned around.


    He had packed all his necessary belongings last night, now only needing to have breakfast before setting off to meet at the Yista School''s base.


    Before long.


    As the dawn sky blushed with red, Colin finished his breakfast.


    "Master, have a safe journey."


    At the doorway, Renee, pulling Demi along, wished him well together.


    "Mmm," Colin nodded, without saying much. With a thought, his toes left the ground, hovering slightly.


    The morning breeze fluttered his hair ends, and the rising sun cast a golden rim around him as his gray wizard robe swayed gently.


    "Master."


    Just as he was prepared to fly away, Renee suddenly called out to him as if remembering something.


    Colin turned his head, puzzled.


    Renee fumbled for a moment, then took out a coin purse from her person and handed it to him.


    "What''s this?"


    "It was forcibly given to me by a wizard who visited last night. I wanted to return it to him, but afterward¡­"


    Renee explained the reason.


    As he caressed the gray coin purse in his hand, Colin frowned slightly.


    "Mulan''s Magic Stone?"


    After pondering for a moment, he stored the coin purse in his storage ring.


    He was not so pedantic.


    Mulan was already dead; the coin purse naturally became ownerless¡­ and rightfully his.


    "Take care of the house."


    After doing this, he instructed Renee.


    The next second.


    Whoosh!


    He no longer hesitated, flying swiftly towards the direction of the Yista School.


    Behind him, Renee silently watched Colin recede into the distance.


    Only when he was no longer in sight did she retract her gaze, slowly patting Demi''s head and entering the house with her.


    ¡­


    "Ding-dong¡ª"


    Outside a white house, Colin pressed the doorbell of the small courtyard.


    He had originally planned to head directly to the Yista School, but Renee had given him an unexpected gift, adding a fair amount of Magic Stones to his possession.


    Therefore, he came here to Lillian''s place, intending to repay the Magic Stones he had borrowed.


    "Junior Brother Colin¡­"


    Before long, Lillian stepped out of the house, looking at him in surprise.


    "Good morning, Senior Sister Lillian," Colin spoke, about to state the reason for his visit, but then he heard Lillian ask.


    "Weren''t you at home last night?"


    "I was," Colin shook his head, confused.


    "Did you know about the battle on Rite Street last night?" Lillian was also puzzled,


    "Last night when I went to check on Rite Street, I happened to pass by where you live. I called out a few times with no response, and Nado resisted letting me land, so I left¡­"


    "Were you at home last night?"


    "At that time, a wizard from the Yista School had called me to help, and only the maids were at home. I ordered them to hide well¡­ Perhaps they did not hear your voice," Colin was slightly startled, and hastily explained.


    "I see¡­" Lillian nodded, silent for a moment before asking, "Do you know about last night''s events?"


    Colin nodded.


    "Um," Lillian paused, then advised, "Divine beings are cruel and cunning, you have just advanced recently. When you go to the Southern Sea Domain, you must be careful."


    "Okay."


    "Um¡­ Did you come to see me for something?"


    Colin finally found the opportunity to explain his intention, reaching into his storage ring and handing the Magic Stones to Lillian.


    "Senior Sister Lillian, I''ve come to repay the Magic Stones I borrowed from you."


    Lillian was momentarily taken aback, looking up at him in surprise before accepting the Magic Stones.


    Seeing this, Colin felt as if a weight had been lifted from his chest, inexplicably feeling a bit lighter.


    Having no debts is indeed a relief¡­ this truth is unerring.


    After chatting with Lillian for a while, he then hurried off to the Yista School''s base.


    ¡­


    "Lord Colin."


    "Lord Colin¡­"


    Upon arriving opposite the Yista School, many apprentices participating in the Alus Association were already present, and they all greeted him as they saw him arrive.


    Colin nodded in response, moving to the instructor''s location¡­ he was the only one here now.


    The other accompanying wizards had yet to arrive.


    Among the apprentices.


    "Lex, where is Mulan?"


    A short and plump wizard apprentice came to Lex''s side, asking in a low voice.


    "It''s still early, perhaps wait a little longer and they''ll come; don''t worry," Lex reassured him.


    "Mulan isn''t afraid of missing such an important day today?"


    Next to Lex, another wizard apprentice complained as well.


    "Now that you mention it, did you hear that sound last night?" S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Are you talking about the voice of the Nois City Lord?" Lex responded instinctively, having just learned this information from his own instructor this morning.


    "So that was the voice of the Nois City Lord¡­" The surrounding apprentices all expressed their amazement, as the Nois City Lord was, without a doubt, a highly unattainable figure to them.

 Chapter 249 - 195 Gray-Blue Airship_2

    "Do you know what happened last night?" another apprentice asked.


    "Last night... Lord Milo!" an apprentice suddenly greeted, respectfully, to someone across.


    Lex turned his head and saw another accompanying First Rank Wizard, Milo, arriving.


    "Lord Milo," he greeted respectfully.


    Milo ignored the apprentices'' greetings, walked calmly to the instructor''s position, and spoke.


    "Good morning, Lord Colin."


    "Good morning," Colin responded.


    The two were not familiar with each other and, after exchanging pleasantries, they fell into silence.


    It was not until the time to depart was near, when Mayer and Sovoc arrived successively, that the atmosphere became less awkward.


    "Do you all know what happened last night?" Mayer asked first.


    "Last night?" Sovoc questioned, "Did something significant happen last night?"


    Although the Silver Ring''s location was in the south side of Neustadt City, just like Litt Street, it was also under the jurisdiction of the Yista School.


    However, if the Yista School''s residence was considered the center, then Litt Street and the Silver Ring residence were at the two farthest segments.


    Last night, although he heard the sounds of battle, by the time it reached the Silver Ring in the north, the noise was not very significant, so he did not pay much attention to it.


    "Lord Mayer, do you have any news?" Milo asked curiously from the side.


    Colin remained silent. Had it not been for his encounter with Margaret last night, a fellow wizard from an affiliated school, he would probably be in the same state of ignorance as Milo and the others.


    "I won''t hide it from everyone," Mayer shook his head and responded, "I am not entirely sure about the specifics of what happened last night."


    He then turned to Colin and added, "I remember that the Tin Saint School''s residence is right in the Hwapei District... Lord Colin, do you know what exactly happened last night?"


    Colin nodded, just as he was about to answer, when a female voice interrupted.


    "There''s no need to guess in the dark. Last night was a secret operation of the Nine Major Schools to raid the Divine Believers, which has successfully concluded and achieved great success!"


    Margaret landed from the sky, creating a gust of white dust.


    She wore a smile, looking somewhat tired yet in an unusually good mood... It was unclear if she had received some benefits last night.


    Then she turned around, surveyed the ring of apprentices standing before her, and slowly began to speak.


    "Among you, some might already know bits and pieces and might have noticed that some apprentices you saw yesterday... haven''t arrived yet."


    "Under normal circumstances, your Schools would have received detailed notices later today, but since you''ll be following me to the airship shortly... At the request of the Schools, let me briefly explain."


    "Firstly, those apprentices who haven''t arrived... well, those unfortunate souls tainted by the Divine, unless something unexpected happened, are likely all dead as of last night."


    As soon as Margaret finished speaking, some apprentices appeared somewhat shocked.


    Although last night''s incident was significant, its range wasn''t very wide ¡ª it was only within the entire Hwapei District, and the voice of the City Lord of Neustadt only covered that area.


    Therefore, aside from the apprentices of the Tin Saint School, the others were not very well-informed.


    However, such information, such a hugely successful secret operation, required stringent confidentiality during and widespread publicity after its completion.


    Especially now, as these apprentices were about to head to the distant southern seas...


    "Lex! Mulan still hasn''t shown up?!"


    The apprentices around Lex looked upset as they inquired.


    "I''m not sure either..." Lex shook his head, feeling a bit uneasy... Could it be as Lady Margaret said, that Mulan is already dead?


    Above, Margaret continued her speech.


    "This time, the believers lurking in the city corresponded with two Divines, the specifics of which should not be circulated... What you need to know is that the Major Schools undertook numerous actions, mostly happening in the Hwapei District..."


    "Regardless, the Divine Believers lurking within Neustadt have all been eliminated, and any conspiracies they secretly plotted have been nipped in the bud..."


    Colin listened attentively to Margaret''s speech... So, the city''s Divine Believers were actually two groups of people?


    But soon, he noted an even more crucial detail ¡ª


    Were all these Divine Believers primarily assembled in the Hwapei District?!


    He knew that the Hwapei District... was indeed the stronghold of the Tin Saint School.


    For some reason, he felt a slight heaviness in his heart.


    "The incident with the Divine Believers'' invasion, as Margaret stated, all the Divine Believers as well as the Polluters have been eradicated,"


    "However, this does not mean that the matter has come to an end,"


    "... usually the Tin Saint School that governs the Huapei District, I''m afraid they cannot avoid being held accountable."


    Colin sighed quietly.


    "Being a member of the School, in a larger sense, his fortunes were tied to the School''s; they thrived or faltered together¡­"


    "However, thankfully this incident did not lead to more severe consequences, so the punishment should not be too harsh,"


    On the other hand, Margaret''s speech was also coming to an end.


    "Over the past hundred years, the Wizard World had been in a temporary calm, with no massive descent of Divine beings."


    "But now, far south in the distant sea, the Divine are sweeping in again, and the reason why the location for this Alus Association meeting has been moved from the Secret Realm to the far southern sea is precisely because of this."


    Margaret''s expression was stern.


    "I won''t say more than necessary, but you must all know that the Divine are the eternal enemies of wizards..."


    Looking around, not one of the Apprentices below had a relaxed expression; although Margaret spoke diplomatically, they all understood¡ª


    "This Alus Association meeting, I''m afraid, will be very different from the previous ones."


    The likelihood of danger to life was far greater than ever before...


    "Follow me."


    Margaret concluded, taking the lead and walking towards the row of carriages outside the door.


    The Yista School''s carriages were parked on the road outside the courtyard, forming a long line.


    Margaret herself got into the very first carriage, which was reserved for her personal use.


    The carriage was a stark grey, cold as lime cement, and the creature pulling the carriage, with a bloodline of Demon Beast, also bore a pure grey coat to match the carriage, complete with two short horns grown from the sides of its head.


    Meanwhile, the four Official Wizards from their affiliated Schools each boarded one of the four carriages prepared for them.


    Once all the Apprentices had boarded the carriages, the one carrying Margaret at the front started moving timely.


    "Go!"


    Hooves in motion, wheels turning.


    Colin gently lifted the grey curtain of the carriage window, looking back.


    The carriages, seemingly cast from the same mold, lined up in a long procession, speeding down the broad road, stirring up thin dust...


    Watching this scene, Colin felt a moment of abstraction and involuntarily thought back to when he had joined the Tin Saint School, those who arrived after these Wandering Wizards, the Official Wizard Apprentices from the affiliated Schools,


    also a convoy of carriages, also in such a manner, wheels rolling, forming a long procession.


    Only, unlike that time, he was no longer a Wandering Wizard Apprentice standing outside observing the carriages...


    The departure spot was in the central square of Neustadt City.


    Perhaps because Margaret''s speech had taken some time, by the time they reached the central square, it was almost filled to the brim with carriages.


    Fortunately, it seemed that areas had been marked off in advance; Margaret''s carriage led them to the far left side of the square.


    "Whoa¡ª!"


    The carriages stopped.


    "Form up in a line here, stand in place, don''t wander around, and wait for my instructions to board the Airship,"


    Margaret commanded the Wizards Apprentices as they dismounted the carriages.


    Colin stood behind Margaret, surveying his surroundings.


    After all, this was his first real encounter with the central square of Neustadt City... Although he had passed it when heading to Copper Rose Street before, he had never entered it.


    Unlike the usually empty central square he had seen on other days, today it was much busier.


    Most captivating of all were the three steel Airships, large and two small, parked in the very center, all in a shade of grey-blue!


    Although he had experienced flying in airplanes in his past life, and once in a steel Airship in this world... it did nothing to stifle his current amazement.


    The size of the Airships was truly astounding, with the largest one almost half the length of the square!


    "Is this the Airship we are going to board..." Colin couldn''t help but marvel.


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 Chapter 250 - 196 Beginning the Journey

    The sun slowly rose, and the white clouds cracked open slightly, allowing dazzling golden light to spill down.


    The originally greyish-blue steel airship was now tinged with a hint of gleaming gold.


    Colin continued to look around, and although there were many people gathered in the central square at the moment, they were not disorderly. If one looked carefully, it was apparent that they were divided into several distinct regions.


    At this moment, those wizards near the airship were boarding in an orderly fashion. Given the current pace, it shouldn''t be long before it would be their turn.


    Not far away, Margaret was talking with the accompanying wizards from the other eight major schools of this Alus Association meeting.


    Adjacent to them were the wizards of their subsidiary schools. In front of them, lined up into nine queues according to the Nine Major Schools, were the Wizard Apprentices.


    The hierarchy was strict and clearly demarcated.


    Those apprentices, having recovered from the shock of the events they had learned about the previous night, were now whispering to each other, chatting away... Those apprentices who had died seemed to have left no trace in their hearts, like shooting stars flashing by.


    Meanwhile, Mayer and others were chatting with some acquainted wizards belonging to subsidiary schools of the other eight major schools¡ªmainly wizards from the Silver Peace and Anmier Tower subsidiary schools.


    He too mingled among them, occasionally chiming in with a comment or two.


    "On this trip to the Southern Sea Domain, I hope to learn much from everyone," Mayer said with a smile, "I wish everyone in advance a very productive journey."


    "Same wishes," someone replied.


    "Definitely," another agreed.


    Perhaps because the departure was imminent, there was an air of excitement among everyone, and smiles overflowed on their faces.


    "I''ve heard that in addition to the rewards of Magic Stones, contributions made during this battle are also directly linked to contribution points of the Supreme Council, is this true?" a wizard suddenly asked.


    "It should be true. I''ve heard our leader from the Silver Peace School mention this."


    "Linked to contribution points..." Mayer mumbled under his breath, somewhat surprised.


    Contribution points from the Supreme Council were extremely hard to come by, working similarly to academic points, but with an additional function¡ª


    That was to request assistance from the Councilmen of the Supreme Council for conducting an experimental research... And for them, the Low Rank wizards, this was obviously a rare opportunity!


    Once the topic of contribution points was raised, the conversations among the wizards, which were about to end, reignited with renewed vigor.


    "After the Alus Association meeting concludes, are you planning to return immediately, or do you intend to stay there and try to earn some contribution points from the Supreme Council?"


    After exchanging a few words, Mayer casually brought up the question he had been pondering.


    Even though he was currently only a First Rank Intermediate Wizard, contribution points were something nobody would ever have too many of.


    Following his words, the wizards present fell into silence. After a moment, someone slowly began to speak:


    "This time we''ve departed so abruptly, the war in the Southern Sea Domain likely won''t end quickly. I plan to return here first after the Alus Association meeting, to make thorough preparations before heading out again."


    With one person initiating the discussion, other wizards began to speak in turn.


    "I also plan to come back first."


    "I intend to stay there. The Alus Association meeting is just a secondary task for me... Anyone else joining?"


    "I will."


    "I will as well..."


    Colin remained silent.


    Even though his School had arranged for him, as someone who had just Advanced, to attend the Alus Association meeting, this did not mean that all the accompanying wizards for the Alus were of lesser strength.


    For these wizards, the ultimate goal was to participate in the war in the Southern Sea Domain. The Alus Association meeting was more of a concurrent assignment.


    "As for these contribution points..." He furrowed his brow slightly.


    After all, he had only just advanced to a First Rank Wizard, and aside from his power, most of his information was still at the Apprentice level.


    Though he had heard about the Supreme Council''s contribution points, the exact specifics of their use were not clear to him.


    ''I wonder which airship Lillian ended up on...'' With this thought, Colin subconsciously thought of academic points again... Last time he forgot to ask Lillian whether, apart from the Magic Stones, the School would provide academic points as a reward for those accompanying the Alus Association meeting.


    If there were academic points, and if they were sufficient, then he could exchange them for some First Rank Witchcraft...


    "All right, it''s about time. It''s our turn to board," Margaret approached and told the apprentices of the Nine Major Schools.


    Although overall the Nine Major Schools were not too different in strength,


    However, in terms of actual status, among the nine major schools, the Yista School is universally recognized as the top.


    Therefore, Margaret unreservedly took the lead, guiding their group of wizards and the following apprentices toward the smaller grey-blue airship on the far left side of the central plaza.


    Entering the airship, the soft white light emitted by the Bright Crystals replaced the original warm brilliant sunlight.


    Unlike the airship they last boarded, which was full of cold steel corridors, this airship''s passage was narrow, with numerous connections, but covered with a layer of creamy-white leather upholstery, giving off a much warmer and more noble air.


    Margaret led them forward, towards the area for allocating accommodations.


    This was a cabin near the center, outside of which there was a table and chairs.


    An elderly wizard, his hair speckled with grey, sat at a chair by the door, distributing keys to the surrounding crowd of wizards.


    Margaret led them to approach.


    "Are you the accompanying wizards for the Alus Association?" the elderly wizard in charge of the keys asked Margaret.


    "Yes, your excellency," Margaret replied with a hint of respect.


    The airship is property of the Supreme Council, and despite his unimposing appearance, the elderly wizard was a Second Rank Wizard.


    "Hmm... one by one, register your name and school, then you can have your key."


    The elderly wizard handed over a white paper register to Margaret, already filled with information from several wizards.


    Margaret took a pen from the container beside her, registered, received the key, and left them with a remark¡ª


    "Don''t bother me unless it''s necessary; I''ll come to find you once we''ve arrived."


    She then disappeared into the far end of the corridor.


    Colin and the others continued waiting in line, and it was soon his turn.


    He quickly wrote down his information on the white paper register handed to him by the elderly wizard and returned it.


    As he handed it back, he glanced at the register out of habit, and his movements briefly hesitated.


    "Your room is number 108 in section B on the second floor," the elderly wizard handed him a copper key, radiating fluctuations of magical power.


    "Yes," Colin took the key and discreetly said to Mayer and the others, then headed to his room alone.


    Navigating the seemingly endless white corridors, after some effort, he finally found his room.


    Click.


    Locking the steel cabin door, Colin turned and scanned the room assigned to him.


    Like the corridor, the room''s main tone was creamy white, with light brown accents, and was not very spacious¡ªit seemed to be no more than eight or nine square meters, excluding a separate bathroom.


    Yet, this size did not seem cramped at all... because aside from a white bed and a small square table, there were no other furnishings in the entire room.


    ''Not too bad,'' Colin thought as he sat on the bed.


    Although space on the airship was limited, it seemed this world placed a high value on personal privacy.


    They, the Official Wizards, were still assigned private single rooms...


    His chaotic thoughts gradually subsided.


    Colin sat on the bed, his eyes beginning to lose focus as his Superbrain started to operate, the images in his mind freezing on the scene of him just returning the white paper register.


    In the middle of the register, a familiar name was written¡ª"Lillian Rudolph"¡ª


    The following words, "Tin Saint School," dispelled the possibility of her being someone with the same name. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''But that''s also quite normal; senior Lillian mentioned before that she would be traveling on the same airship...''


    Colin''s gaze slowly returned to normal... it''s just a pity that there were no room numbers on the white paper, otherwise, he could go and ask senior Lillian for some news now.


    "Woo¡ª"


    The sound of the ship''s whistle suddenly rang out, followed by a slight vibration of the airship and a feeling of mild weightlessness.


    As if thinking of something, Colin steadied his balance, got up from the bed, and went to a small communal area connected to the corridor near his room.


    Areas like this were situated every so often along the corridors.


    No one was there at the moment.


    Approaching the window, Colin looked through the round porthole and clearly saw everything outside starting to shrink.


    He watched the ground move further away, watched as the originally vast central plaza slowly became as small as a coin... until a faint mist appeared at the edge of the window. As the airship passed through the mist, the grey-white endless clouds obscured the ground like an ocean,


    Only then did Colin quietly exhale and return to his room... the airship had officially taken off.

 Chapter 251 - 197: Calling a Meeting

    The next day.


    At the break of dawn, a small corner of the morning light revealed itself, and the gray-white sea of clouds below was instantly gilded with a layer of gold leaf.


    In a common resting area on the second floor corridor, Colin had just finished breakfast in the dining hall and paused by the round window.


    A sliver of golden light shone through the glass, illuminating his sharply defined face and brightening his deep blue eyes.


    Below, the endless sea of clouds stretched out with distinct layers and boundless expanses, resembling an infinite ice field, yet also like a vast, mighty ocean. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After leaving Blackstone Island, it had been a long time since he had seen such a beautiful sight.


    Something crossed his mind, and Colin moved closer to the window, then looked up.


    The azure sky entered his sight; endless, clear, and profound¡­ Beyond the earth''s atmosphere, could it also look like it had in his past life?


    Colin gazed at this scene, his heart filled with immense curiosity.


    The blue of the sky reflected in his pupils, making his already deep blue eyes appear even deeper, like a serene, deep pool of water.


    "Lord Colin seems to be in good spirits," came Sovoc''s voice from behind.


    "Just looking at the scenery," Colin turned and responded succinctly.


    Perhaps it was because they had been close in the queue to get keys, Sovoc, Mayer, and Milo had rooms allocated near each other.


    In fact, Colin had seen Sovoc in the dining hall at breakfast, but the distance was too far to greet him.


    Unexpectedly, they met on the way back now.


    "At first, viewing these landscapes is quite interesting, but over time, it just feels monotonous," Sovoc turned his head and looked out the window, murmuring as if talking to himself.


    Then, he suddenly smiled, turned back, and said, "I really wish the time would pass faster so we could get to Gubier Island sooner!"


    "It won''t be long, just nine more days," Colin chimed in.


    Gubier Island was the airship''s destination, a large island situated about a hundred sea miles behind the front lines of the war.


    They would first arrive at Gubier Island and then head to their respective assignments on the front lines based on their missions.


    Sovoc smiled, said no more, and walked towards another round window to look out.


    Colin, however, lost his mood to continue admiring the view and walked back to his room.


    But as soon as he had closed the door and sat on the bed,


    "Knock, knock, knock¡ª"


    A sudden knocking sound arose.


    ''Could it be Sovoc?'' Colin furrowed his brows slightly and got up to open the door.


    "Is this Lord Colin Leonard?"


    A tall man dressed as a servant respectfully asked, the information Colin sensed indicated that the man in front of him should be a Great Knight.


    "Yes," Colin nodded.


    Without doubting further, the Knight took out a Tin Saint School badge adorned with two golden feathers and continued:


    "Lord Colin, Master Eugene has summoned all members of the Tin Saint School on this airship to gather at the central dining hall on the third floor at noon today."


    "I understand," Colin carefully examined the School badge in the Great Knight''s hand, then responded in a deep voice.


    As for why there would be Great Knight servants on the airship, he didn''t wonder too much.


    After all, if he wanted to, he could have brought Renee along...


    But the place he was heading to this time was not very peaceful, and if danger arose, he might not even be able to take care of himself.


    Moreover, unlike most of the other accompanying wizards, if nothing went wrong, he would return with the apprentices after the Alus Association ended.


    The duration of the Alus Association was not long; based on previous events, it usually lasted at most one month.


    "However... one never knows," Colin suddenly thought again, "This time the Alus Association, both the venue and the tasks are different from the previous ones... Perhaps the duration will be different as well."


    "Master Colin, the gathering will provide a subsidy for the journey to the Southern Sea Domain School, please be sure to come on time."


    The tall knight added another sentence after receiving his response and hurriedly left for the next place.


    "Are they distributing Magic Stones?" Colin watched the tall knight''s retreating figure, a sudden realization dawning on him, tinged with excitement.


    Since yesterday, he had been wondering when and how the School''s Magic Stone subsidy would be distributed.


    Today, he had intended to try to find Lillian''s room after a while to ask her for related information... but the apprentice had arrived beforehand.


    "A midday gathering, then..."


    Colin closed the door to his room, lost in thought.


    "I wonder who this Eugene is? But from the apprentice''s tone of voice, could he be the lead wizard for this School''s journey to the Southern Sea Domain?"


    Although he had been with the School for a long time, he had spent almost all of his time in secluded cultivation, and once he finally broke through to become an Official Wizard, he was immediately sent to the Southern Sea Domain.


    Moreover, as the faction of his mentor was indifferent to worldly affairs, he really didn''t know much about the other factions within the Tin Saint School.


    Time flew by quickly.


    Colin tidied himself up a bit in his room and was startled to find that it was nearly noon.


    He pulled out his pocket watch and glanced at it¡ªit was just 11:00... about time.


    Snap.


    He closed the pocket watch and at the same time, with a thought, he closed the Golden Paper, got out of bed, and headed to the dining hall where the gathering was to take place.


    Traveling by airship actually had a significant impact on his witchcraft practice.


    Although practice with Golden Paper always led to improvement, the standard required practicing with full effort, which meant that attack witchcraft like the Fireball Technique was impossible to practice in an airship environment.


    Fortunately, he had just recently achieved Limit Breaking with the Fireball Technique, so there was no rush to practice it.


    As for other witchcraft, such as the Mississippi Elimination Technique...


    Its function was to eliminate or obscure the marks left by the use of witchcraft, including the traces from Fireball explosions and the remnants of vines left by the Thorny Vine Skill... the noise created was relatively minor, so he could continue his practice.


    It''s worth mentioning that, with the aid of Superbrain, although he hadn''t practiced many times yet, Zeroth Rank Soaring Technique and the like were already near their limits and about to reach Limit Breaking.


    But just yesterday morning, before gathering at the Yista School''s outpost, he went to return the Magic Stones he borrowed from Lillian.


    Unknowingly, the number of Magic Stones he borrowed from Lillian had reached five thousand, and so, even with the unexpected Magic Stones from Mulan, he now had very few left.


    About six hundred...


    Thinking this, he did not stop his steps; after crossing several long white corridors and ascending a few staircases, he finally arrived at the dining hall where the gathering was to take place.


    The first thing that caught his eye was the knight standing next to the dining hall, who, judging by his appearance, was the Great Knight who had come with the morning notice... except, not one, but two knights.


    Two knights who looked almost as if they were carved from the same mold.


    They must be twins... Colin mused silently, walking towards them.

 Chapter 252 - 198 Herard

    "Lord Colin."


    Seeing him approach, the knights on either side simultaneously greeted him respectfully, causing Colin to be slightly taken aback.


    If one of the knights had greeted him, he might not have thought much of it... after all, the Great Knight had conveyed a message that morning and recognizing his face was quite normal.


    But now it seemed that both knights recognized him...


    And rather than saying they were twins, they looked more like copies pasted from the same mold! They bore a striking resemblance to each other.


    From the color of their pupils to the height of their noses, even the length of their hair, the two knights were exactly alike!


    "Please, this way, Lord Colin," the tall knight on the left continued, "follow this path, and in the innermost private room is where the Official Wizards gather, Lord Eugene is waiting there."


    ''The gathering place for Official Wizards¡­ it seems that Wizard Apprentices do not meet with them in the same place.'' Colin mused to himself, then asked another question.


    "Besides Lord Eugene, have any other Official Wizards arrived?"


    "Many Official Wizards have already arrived," answered the tall knight.


    "Hmm," Colin nodded, now reassured, and walked inside.


    Having other wizards there was good, otherwise, if it ended up being just him and Eugene in the room... it would also be a bit of a troublesome matter.


    He pushed the door open.


    The size of the room exceeded Colin''s expectations, a huge brown long table that could accommodate over forty people was placed in the center, yet it did not appear cramped.


    At the head of the table sat a black-haired wizard, handsome but with a pallid and ominous complexion, his face marked by strange patterns...


    Clearly, this was Wizard Eugene.


    This appearance, oddly enough, reminded Colin of an "old acquaintance"¡ªNidham.


    That very Advanced Apprentice who had bought Charlie, who had attacked him, and later transformed him into a hound...


    But Nidham did not have the presence of this black-haired wizard.


    Flanking Eugene closely sat two wizards, one with a youthful face and handsome features, the other of middle-aged appearance.


    The other dozen or so First Rank Wizards were sparsely seated along both sides of the long table.


    However, what surprised Colin the most were the two familiar tall knights standing in the corner of the room...


    Quadruplets?


    Colin shook his head... this must certainly be a creation of witchcraft.


    Suppressing his curiosity, he silently approached Eugene, placed his hand on his chest in a gesture of respect, and after carefully scanning around, he directly took his place at the middle of the left side of the long table.


    There, sat a petite witch with a slightly furrowed brow.


    "Good afternoon, Senior Lillian."


    Colin paused, sitting down while greeting her.


    With just a brief search, he had noticed Lillian''s petite figure alone... but he didn''t know what was bothering her, as she hadn''t even noticed his arrival.


    "...Good afternoon, Junior Colin."


    Lillian turned her head, slightly startled, and responded instinctively.


    Colin nodded slightly... he had too many questions he wanted to ask, such as about Wizard Eugene, or about academic points, but perhaps for that very reason, he was momentarily unsure of where to start.


    "Junior Colin, which room are you in?" Lillian suddenly asked again,


    "You''ve advanced to Official Wizard, and your mentor has a piece of witchcraft to pass on to you, but because you are to accompany the Alus Association to the Southern Sea Domain, your mentor has asked me to teach it to you."


    "Second floor, Section B, Room 108," replied Colin briefly, about to ask what kind of witchcraft Atbolde was going to impart, when suddenly a magnetic voice intervened from the side.


    "Lillian, so you were here, why didn''t you say a word before you came early?" A mature male wizard with an elaborate hairstyle approached them slowly, "I knocked on your door for quite a while...only to find out that you had already left."


    As Colin observed the male wizard''s appearance, he felt a flicker of recognition, as if he had seen him somewhere before.


    A moment later, with the help of the Superbrain, the scene of his first trip to find Lillian slowly emerged in his mind.


    Back in the classroom, this mature male wizard had come to talk to Lillian just like he was doing now.


    As for the name, it seemed to be...


    "Silear, we aren''t that familiar," Lillian answered coldly, her eyebrows furrowing even more deeply.


    Silear didn''t mind, he just gave a slight smile, then turned his head to Colin and asked:


    "Who is this?"


    Lillian didn''t answer, and Colin remained silent as well... The last time Silear came to talk to Lillian, it was because of him, and it now seemed he had no recollection of him.


    Seeing that Lillian did not answer, Silear did not feel awkward. He elegantly frowned and thought for a moment, then as if realizing something, said:


    "The Official Wizard, blonde and handsome... is this not the genius student recently Advanced to First Rank Wizard under the tutelage of Lord Atbolde?"


    Silear maintained a perfectly surprised expression, and although his words were complimentary, they did not seem intentionally flattering.


    Others might have appreciated the compliment, but Colin only felt a bit awkward.


    Fortunately, it seemed the wizards were all gathered for the meeting as a soft voice came from the main seat.


    "The gathering begins."


    Despite the softness of the voice, not a single person dared to disregard it. Silear, who had intended to continue speaking, immediately halted and turned to sit up straight, respectfully gazing at the main seat.


    Colin turned his head too.


    At the main seat, Eugene was casually leaning against a broader black backrest different from the other chairs, toying with a pale white bead resembling a lychee in his hand.


    As his words finished, the servants outside began serving food.


    Eugene continued:


    "There are mainly two things for which I''ve gathered you all. The first is to distribute the magic stones subsidized by the School. The second is to let you familiarize yourselves with each other, form companions if possible, so as not to end up alone on the battlefield. And the third... well, there''s no third; that''s all I have to say."


    "Alright, let''s distribute the magic stones."


    Eugene put down the lychee-like bead, removed the Storage Ring from his left thumb, and tossed it to the young wizard on his left.


    Colin was momentarily taken aback. The young wizard looked up, and only then did Colin notice the peculiar scars on his face...they were scattered across, numerous, extending from his face to his neck, even the exposed arms were covered with residual scars.


    Though now only faint traces remained, their fierce appearance was enough to imagine the terrible scene at the time.


    The scars that split open...as if countless odd things had burrowed out of the skin.


    The young wizard began distributing the magic stones...these were top-grade magic stones Colin had never seen before, with one equivalent to ten thousand common magic stones.


    In fact, the common magic stones...were the ones he used during his Apprentice period, which, strictly speaking, were more akin to shards of magic stones.


    A hundred of them would only equal one inferior magic stone, one-tenth of a middle-grade magic stone...


    Despite the large table, it definitely accommodated fewer than forty people, so it wasn''t long before the young wizard reached Colin''s seat.


    "Lillian Apprentice, don''t pay him any mind later," Lillian suddenly warned.


    Colin was puzzled, but before he could ask, the young wizard had already arrived in front of him.


    Unlike the brisk distribution to the previous wizards, this young wizard stopped in front of him.


    Colin frowned and watched as a rigid smile formed on the sinister face of the young wizard, who then coldly asked him:


    "Colin Leonard, the good student of Atbolde, huh?" S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Herard''s pace of speech was unhurried, but his tone seemed to explode from clenched teeth, as if holding back roiling anger.

 Chapter 253 - 199: Unexpected Help

    Colin furrowed his brows... he didn''t recognize the young wizard standing before him.


    He wanted to ask questions out loud, but remembering Lillian''s earlier advice, he kept silent, expressionlessly watching Herard to see what he would do next.


    But to Colin''s surprise, Herard regained his composure and coldly handed over a piece of Magic Stone, saying at the same time, "Here is your subsidy Magic Stone, take it."


    Colin was confused, but nonetheless, he couldn''t refuse the subsidy Magic Stone.


    He reached out to take the Magic Stone.


    But the next second, as he saw the Middle Magic Stone being handed over by Herard, his hand stopped mid-air.


    "What do you mean by this, sir? Could it be that you can''t tell the difference between a High Level Magic Stone and a Middle one?" Colin''s heart sank as he asked expressionlessly.


    "Herard?" Lillian''s face immediately turned cold.


    Seeing both Colin and Lillian questioning him, Herard felt not anger but rather a surge of pleasure.


    Past suffering fueled anger, and now that anger turned into pleasure because of Colin''s and Lillian''s reactions.


    He stared at Colin.


    In a trance, Colin''s slightly hardened expression seemed to gradually merge with Atbolde''s originally indifferent and uncaring expression.


    A hint of a smile appeared on Herard''s face as he coldly said: S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s just a fee for some wound medicine, you should understand, Lillian."


    The three of them had already attracted the attention of other wizards around them, but no one spoke up.


    Although Herard was just a First Rank Wizard like the rest, his mentor was the Wizard Eugene, who was sitting in the chief seat.


    Herard continued to speak, his tone gloomy yet smug:


    "I haven''t forgotten the pain that Atbolde inflicted on me..."


    "So you came looking for me?" Colin finally spoke.


    Although he still didn''t know exactly what happened, why Atbolde had caused Herard pain, and why Herard was looking for him...


    But after so much time had passed, he had come to understand that some issues couldn''t be resolved by avoidance.


    It was clear that Herard was looking for trouble with him, and constant retreating would only fuel his aggressive arrogance and possibly worsen the situation.


    He glanced at the scarred face of Herard and continued:


    "I once heard a fable in the land of the High Level Elves, about a grey ground rat, ugly in appearance, that frequently visited to destroy the nests of brown-feathered finches."


    "One day, the finches couldn''t stand it anymore and sought the judgement of the venerable Ancient Tree of Life."


    "The spirit of the Ancient Tree asked the grey ground rat, ''Why do you always trouble the brown-feathered finches?''"


    "The grey ground rat said: ''Because of the grey tits, grey tits are always hunting us!''"


    "The spirit of life asked in surprise: ''But what does that have to do with the brown-feathered finches?''"


    Having reached this point, Colin looked at Herard, and asked word by word:


    "Do you know how the grey ground rat responded?"


    Herard was momentarily confused by Colin''s unexpected narrations, his original anger slightly dissipated, and he subconsciously asked:


    "How¡­"


    But it was only for a moment, he quickly gathered himself, closed his mouth, and glared at Colin.


    Colin smiled and responded:


    "The grey ground rat said, ''Because the grey tits are too terrifying.''"


    "It doesn''t dare to confront the grey tits, so it only dares to trouble the brown-feathered finches."


    Herard''s expression abruptly darkened, Colin''s words stabbing sharply at his sore spot like lethal arrows.


    Atbolde''s bizarre tactics were deeply etched in his memory¡ªhe even felt he had developed a psychological shadow!


    Every time he saw flowers blooming on the roadside, he would recall those bizarre flowers that had sprouted from within his own body, breaking through his skin to grow out.


    The scent of the flowers mixed with the scent of blood, bringing an almost will-sapping pain and itchiness, lingered at the tip of his nose for over a month.


    Although later, with the help of mentor Eugene, the pain and itchiness were suppressed and his battered body had recovered¡­ the fear in his heart seemed like a festering wound on the bone, never dispersing.


    Although he was reluctant to admit it, he¡­ indeed no longer had the courage to face Atbolde.


    When Lillian heard the words that Colin uttered, she couldn''t help but be a little surprised.


    Usually, Colin was gentle¡­ Disliking conflict, he had never shown such a sharp demeanor.


    But¡­ she whispered to Colin through a transmission:


    "Previously, when the mentor went to request a spot for you at the Alus Association, he had disciplined Herard, who offended him. I fear it''s because of that he harbors resentment."


    Colin was slightly startled, not expecting that the cause of the matter was because of himself...


    In that case, it was understandable for Herard to seek him out¡­ No, the words had already been spoken; even if there were reasons, the fact that Herard didn''t dare to trouble Atbolde¡ªthe ones who had harmed him¡ªwas also true.


    On the other hand, Herard''s face was gloomy as he glared furiously at him.


    Colin''s expression remained calm, his heart indifferent.


    It was a taboo to kill fellow school members internally; he and Herard were members of the same school.


    Moreover, from the look of Herard, this conflict didn''t seem to be a matter of life and death¡ªotherwise, Herard would have probably challenged him, a newcomer and freshly Advanced Official Wizard, to a deadly school duel.


    Of course, even if Herard had proposed a duel, he could just ignore it.


    "Herard, why don''t you continue distributing the Magic Stones?"


    At that moment, another middle-aged looking wizard sitting beside mentor Eugene suddenly asked.


    Herard didn''t answer but instinctively turned his head to look at Eugene sitting in the principal seat.


    Seeing that he didn''t care and was still playing with the lychee ball in his hand, Herard slightly relaxed.


    "Olaf, could you help me distribute the rest of the Magic Stones?" he asked the middle-aged looking wizard.


    Although mentor Eugene usually didn''t care about these things, if it delayed the task of distributing the Magic Stones assigned by the mentor¡­ it might not be the same.


    Olaf put down his knife and fork, watching Herard with a frown in his heart.


    This Herard didn''t know the importance of urgency, whatever the grievances, completing the task assigned by mentor Eugene was undoubtedly more important!


    He sighed inwardly, stood up, and walked towards Herard.


    Seeing Olaf approaching, it was as if he no longer had any worries.


    Herard turned his head towards Colin and extended his arm once more.


    He continued coldly, "This is all there is for your subsidy, if you don''t want it, I''ll take it away."


    "Herard, do you dare to withhold the school''s subsidy?"


    Just then, Lillian suddenly stood up and asked coldly.


    Her voice rose high, drowning out all the noise of conversation in the room, and immediately brought silence.


    Colin also stood up.


    But before he could say anything, an unexpected voice suddenly came from the side.


    "Lord Herard, Master Eugene is watching, if there''s any medication expenses, they should be discussed after issuing the full subsidy.


    Why not distribute the subsidies first and then discuss this matter?"


    Silear, mature in demeanor and carefully styled in hair, also spoke up.


    He wore a smile, appearing as a mediator.


    Colin''s impression of him slightly changed¡­ At times like these, it''s not everyone who has the courage to speak up.


    Snap.


    At the principal seat.


    Eugene gently placed the lychee ball on the table, covered his mouth, and yawned,


    then spoke indifferently: "Herard, complete the distribution of the subsidies first."


    Putting a final note on the matter.

 Chapter 254 - 200 Magic Model

    "Yes, Lord Eugene."


    Seated in the place of honor, Eugene had no sooner spoken than a surge of panic replaced the fury in Herard''s heart. He quickly turned his head and responded. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then, he turned back, glaring at Colin with resentment, and once again retrieved a high-quality Magic Stone from his Storage Ring. Lifting his arm, he smirked and opened his palm in Colin''s face.


    Whoosh!


    The sparkling Magic Stone plummeted to the ground, pulled by gravity.


    ''Boring.''


    Yet, Colin''s expression did not change in the slightest; he did not care even a little, and found the situation somewhat amusing instead.


    With the aid of his Superbrain and the speed granted by his status as an Ultimate Knight, he extended his right foot with composure and lightly hooked.


    Click-clack.


    With perfect force and angle, the round and lustrous Magic Stone spun right into the palm of his outstretched hand.


    The smile on Herard''s face instantly solidified; he stood frozen in place.


    Suppressed laughter from the side turned his face even redder.


    "Herard, aren''t you going to hand over the Magic Stone?"


    Olaf had also approached by then, both to extricate him from the situation and to urge him on.


    He was somewhat speechless inside; even if Colin failed to catch the Magic Stone, what of it... For a Wizard, what did it matter if they had to bend over to pick up a Magic Stone?


    It didn''t hurt their real interests in the slightest...


    Herard snapped back to reality, gritted his teeth, turned his head away from Colin, and continued down the hall with his Storage Ring.


    As for Colin, having acquired the Magic Stone, he did not further taunt Herard. Knowing when to stop, he settled down with Lillian to start their meal.


    With their disturbance resolved, the atmosphere in the room gradually relaxed.


    Just as Eugene had said, aside from the distribution of Magic Stone subsidies, the other purpose of the gathering was to allow the Wizards present to get to know each other.


    Thus, the Wizards began to stand up, mingling and engaging in conversation.


    "Lillian, Colin, don''t you want to chat with everyone?" Silear, who was nearby, asked.


    "No, thank you." Colin shook his head, paused, then added, "Thank you for speaking up for us just now, Lord Silear."


    Partially because he disliked small talk, and partially because his main task was assisting in the Alus Association''s meeting, it was unlikely he had much in common with these Wizards.


    "No need." Silear flashed a polite smile, waved his hand, and then turned to look at Lillian.


    But Lillian continued to ignore Silear''s intentions, merely focusing on her meal...


    Even though Silear had just spoken up on their behalf.


    Seeing this, Colin considered saying something but eventually chose not to.


    He didn''t like to instruct others... Lillian was Lillian, she would behave towards Silear however she pleased.


    Seeing that Lillian did not respond, Silear smiled, his facial expression remaining flawlessly polite and unaffected. He shrugged, took his glass, and stood up to socialize elsewhere.


    Meanwhile, perhaps it was Eugene''s words that gave Herard pause ¨C for the rest of the time until the party ended, he did not come looking for trouble again.


    As the gathering came to a close, Lillian led him outside.


    "Do you want to go to your room or mine?" She turned around and asked Colin, looking up.


    Colin was momentarily surprised but quickly understood and replied, "Let''s go to your room, Senior. It''s closer."


    Lillian''s room was in Area A on the third floor, not far from where they were in the central dining room, which was also on the third floor.


    Lillian did not seem to find anything peculiar and nodded her head, continuing forward.


    Instinctively, Colin glanced back.


    Whether it was Lillian''s chilly demeanor that made Silear decide against following them for the time being, or Silear was still engaged with others, Silear''s figure was no longer in his field of vision.


    A short while later.


    Lillian''s steps gradually slowed.


    Colin looked up to see a grey-blue door, no different from his own room''s, with white metal numbers clearly inscribed as "101."


    Click.


    "Come in," Lillian said as she opened the door and led the way.


    Just like the grey-blue door outside, the room''s interior was furnished much like his room.


    "Sit."


    Even in the privacy of her own room, Lillian''s demeanor remained serious and solemn.


    At her invitation, they sat down across a square wooden table on the grey carpet beside the bed.


    Then, Lillian took out a crystal exuding a lush green from her Storage Ring.


    "This was prepared for you by the instructor. Inside is the witchcraft that only core members of our Faction can study, the exclusive Magic Model of Instructor Atbolde ¨C the Ancient Tree Heart."


    "Take a look first," she said, handing it over.


    Colin took the Magic Stone and held it in his hand, probing it with his spiritual power.


    Lillian continued to add, "Originally, to learn this witchcraft, you would have to go through many trials. But now, our faction''s numbers have dwindled..."


    As Colin listened to Lillian''s words, he focused intently on studying the witchcraft called Ancient Tree Heart.


    After a moment, he opened his eyes and said in a solemn voice, "I thank Mentor Atbolde for his generosity."


    The Ancient Tree Heart Witchcraft was an extremely rare support witchcraft that could extend one''s lifespan and affinity for magic power by absorbing the essence of trees!


    Although the increase was slight, it could not hide its preciousness.


    Lillian smiled and asked, "Have you learned any First Rank Witchcraft?"


    Colin nodded, "I''ve learned two, one was a reward from the Law Enforcement Team, and the other was the witchcraft I received from the School after advancing."


    Lillian slowly nodded and continued to ask, "Have you inscribed a Magic Model?"


    Colin was slightly taken aback and a puzzled expression appeared on his face.


    Lillian glanced at him and began to explain slowly, "After advancing to an Official Wizard and opening your Spirit Sea, using witchcraft becomes much faster in one particular way¡ªyou can inscribe the Magic Model in your Spirit Sea for real instantaneous casting."


    "Real instantaneous casting?" Colin was even more puzzled.


    Witchcraft could achieve "instantaneous casting" once it was mastered.


    He had learned this as an apprentice at the Lap School... but "real instantaneous casting"?


    "The so-called real instantaneous casting," Lillian went on to explain, "is in contrast to the instantaneous casting of witchcraft that is mastered during the apprenticeship."


    "The complete process of casting a witchcraft normally involves using the spirit to build a model, and then channeling magic power to contact the Magic Model, thus producing the miracle known as witchcraft."


    "The main factor determining the time it takes to cast a witchcraft is the time it takes the spiritual power to build the model, and typically, if you can construct a Magic Model within two seconds, you are said to be able to ''instantaneously cast''."


    Colin slowly nodded.


    He naturally understood this point; however... it can be called instantaneous casting within two seconds?


    He thought back to how long it took him to cast witchcraft regularly¡ª


    ''The casting time of Fireball Technique with three-times Limit Breaking is about 1.6s... Arrow Shooting Skill, approximately 0.5s... and the newly acquired Summon Fire Element is still short of reaching 60/100 in progress, with the current casting speed being about 5s...''


    Lillian continued saying, "During the apprenticeship, the majority of witchcraft can be mastered to the point where the time to construct a model with the spirit can be reduced to within two seconds, which appears to be ''instantaneous''."


    "But as you rise in Wizard Ranks, the witchcraft will gradually become more complex."


    "When you reach First Rank Wizard, especially after the mid-stage of First Rank Wizard, many witchcraft, if one starts to build the spiritual model from scratch during battle,


    then due to the complexity of the witchcraft, even with mastery, it is difficult to further reduce the time to within two seconds."


    Having said that, she paused and asked, "What specifically is the witchcraft given to you by the Law Enforcement Team?"


    "Summon Fire Element."


    Lillian nodded, "Take Summon Fire Element for example, once mastered, the casting time fluctuates between 3.8 to 5 seconds, far from the threshold of 2 seconds for instantaneous casting."


    "But if you inscribe its model into the Spirit Sea, the casting time can be reduced to 1 second, or even less than 0.5 seconds."


    "It''s worth noting that, although the size of the Spirit Sea will grow as one''s strength increases, it is ultimately limited.


    This means that the number of Magic Models you can inscribe is limited."


    Colin was slightly taken aback... fortunately, he didn''t know how to inscribe Magic Models right now.


    "There are many other things to take note of after advancing to an Official Wizard. I have organized them all for you and written them down here, take a look when you have time."


    Lillian reached to brush aside the hair by her ear, took out a thin grey booklet from her Storage Ring, and stretching out her fair, slender arm, handed the booklet to Colin.


    "Take it; if there''s anything you don''t understand, feel free to ask me."


    Colin took the grey booklet, and it was at this moment that he suddenly noticed a round glass window in Lillian''s room, much like the one in the corridor rest area where he stayed.


    The airship seemed to be adjusting its direction at the moment, and a pale golden light suddenly streamed in from the window, slowly moving and sweeping across half the room, finally stopping on Lillian.


    She subconsciously lifted her left hand, slightly shielding her eyes from the sunlight.


    In the light, Colin could even see the faint blue veins under Lillian''s porcelain skin.


    Lillian was enveloped in a dreamy golden glow.


    If not for the lack of pointed ears...


    Otherwise, with such enchanting beauty, Colin would almost think he had seen the High-Level Elf who had vanished a long time ago.


    ''Indeed, she is of High-Level Elf mixed blood...'' Colin silently admired in his heart and then respectfully thanked Lillian.


    "Thank you, Senior Lillian."


    Since joining the School, aside from Atbolde, the person who had given him the greatest help was Lillian, who now almost served as half a mentor...


    ''Right, a mentor...''


    But almost at the same time, a new doubt arose in his heart¡ª


    ''Why did Mentor Atbolde not teach me all this himself after advancing... instead, waiting until now to have Lillian tell me?''

 Chapter 255 - 201 Silhouette

    "Next, I will teach you how to engrave the Magic Model in your Spirit Sea," Lillian''s words interrupted his thoughts.


    "Okay," Colin nodded in agreement.


    But Lillian seemed to sense what he was thinking and added,


    "The mentor... does not refuse to teach you personally, but there is another reason."


    Her expression was as calm and serious as before, but for some reason, Colin saw a hint of fatigue in it.


    He suddenly remembered the day he had asked Atbolde about Talent, before 12 o''clock, and had been hurriedly asked to leave... Since then, he hadn''t asked Atbolde any more questions.


    Right, there was also the farewell dinner held for him, which also ended much earlier...


    In that instant, all the past hints surged forth.


    Colin''s heart sank slightly.


    "Don''t worry too much, the Faculty still has me."


    At that moment, Lillian spoke again, her tone calm but firm as the roots of a gnarled ancient tree.


    "Relax, first feel your Spirit Sea."


    It seemed as a way to prevent himself from worrying further, and perhaps to save time, she continued to instruct Colin on how to engrave the Magic Model.


    About an hour later, the instruction ended.


    "Then I shall leave now, Senior Lillian," Colin slowly stood up and said.


    "Mm," Lillian nodded lightly, her face showing a surprised expression, and she stood up as well.


    The two of them walked to the door.


    "Colin," after pondering for a moment, Lillian said, "Your Talent is very good¡­ don''t waste it, strive to cultivate."


    Colin was slightly stunned.


    Perhaps due to the original owner''s memory of having poor Talent, he had no concept of comparison since his transmigration and had never heard others say so. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing such praise from Lillian at this moment, he felt somewhat unaccustomed.


    "I will," he said seriously, looking down at Lillian who only reached his chest.


    In this turbulent world, only one''s own power remains unchanged.


    With Golden Paper''s help, it seemed he would not fall into degeneration from pursuing knowledge excessively... if so, there was no reason not to strive for the peak, the highest peak!


    "Mm, goodbye, Junior Colin," Lillian nodded in satisfaction. "If there''s anything you don''t understand in that notebook, you can always ask me."


    "Mm."


    Colin stepped out of the house, politely closed the door behind him, turned around, and exhaled a deep breath, then looked up to discern his direction and quickly headed towards his own room.


    But he hadn''t walked far when, turning a corner, he suddenly stopped.


    In front of him stood a familiar figure looking off into the distance.


    Following the figure''s gaze into the distance, at the end of the gray-blue corridor, Colin saw another figure flash by, turning to the right.


    ''The figure at the end of the corridor¡­ somewhat familiar.''


    On the other side,


    Seemingly feeling his gaze, the familiar figure in front turned around.


    With a meticulous hairstyle and a mature, elegant face, it was Silear.


    "Mr. Colin," a flicker of undisguised surprise crossed Silear''s face.


    "Did you just come from Lillian''s place?" he asked, glancing in the direction from which Colin had come.


    "Mm," Colin withdrew his gaze from the end of the corridor and turned his eyes back to Silear, nodding.


    Seemingly thinking of something, he added another explanation, "Senior Lillian had something to ask me."


    "I see." Silear nodded with a smile, then his tone changed:


    "You don''t need to explain so much, Lillian and I are just ordinary friends... well, or perhaps even less; in her eyes, I might just be an annoying stranger."


    He followed this with a self-deprecating laugh.


    "Mr. Colin, you might not believe it, but since I met Lillian half a year ago, I haven''t spoken to her as much in total as you do in a single day."


    Colin remained silent, unsure how to continue the conversation.


    He hadn''t expected Lillian to be so indifferent toward outsiders...


    Although Lillian had the appearance of a girl, in his impression, she was more like a gentle and considerate older sister.


    However, Silear''s restraint impressed him once again.


    After all, not everyone could recognize the difference between "the girl one pursues" and "one''s own girl."


    "Now that it''s almost time for afternoon tea, would you be interested in joining me?" Silear asked again.


    "No need," Colin shook his head in refusal. "I have some things to take care of, so I''ll be heading back."


    "That''s a pity," Silear sighed and then seemed to remember something, he slapped his forehead and said:


    "There''s one more thing, Mr. Colin."


    "Just now in the corridor, I encountered Herard. When you arrived, he had just walked to that end, and I don''t know if you saw him."


    Colin slightly raised his eyebrows. Under the effect of the Superbrain, he immediately recalled the figure he glimpsed at the end of the corridor and the figure of Herard he had seen at today''s gathering.


    Both were almost identical... no wonder it looked so familiar.


    Silear continued:


    "He had just come from Lillian''s side, just like you. I wonder if he was looking for you?"


    Colin instinctively wanted to shake his head in denial.


    But the next second, he suddenly remembered that the rooms on the airship were fixed with a Silent Witch Array, which could be activated when needed to prevent disturbances from the outside world.


    "However, if you had the Silent Witch Array activated, you probably wouldn''t have noticed it either."


    Silear also thought of this point and added.


    Colin nodded; Lillian had indeed activated the Silent Witch Array while teaching him the engraving of the Witch Array.


    "Mr. Silear, do you know what Herard came here for?"


    Silear was slightly taken aback, looked at him, and ventured a guess, "I fear it was for you, Mr. Colin."


    Colin nodded in agreement; he thought the same.


    "In my view, Herard probably first went to your residence to look for you unsuccessfully, and then came here to Lillian."


    Silear continued guessing,


    "But Mr. Colin, you don''t need to worry too much. Mr. Eugene would not likely involve himself in this matter, and on the airship, Herard could at most only verbally confront you... he would not dare to take any physical action."


    "If you''re worried about trouble, it''s best to stay in your room and avoid Herard."


    "Once we reach our destination, it''s even less possible. Within the School, wizard-on-wizard violence is strictly forbidden. With many High Rank Wizards from the Battlefield School present, even if Mr. Eugene is persuaded, Herard will hardly be able to do anything to you."


    ''Trouble...'' Colin nodded impassively and contemplated silently on how to deal with this matter.


    He instinctively wanted to ask Silear about Herard''s abilities.


    But before he could speak, he quickly dismissed the thought.


    One should not reveal depth in shallow friendships.


    Although he had a favorable impression of Silear, one must remain cautious... including this time, he had only met him three times.


    That was hardly enough to be considered acquainted.


    "Then I shall take my leave, Mr. Silear."


    The conversation ended there, and he spoke again to bid farewell to Silear.


    "Alright, until next time, Mr. Colin."


    Perhaps owing to the massive weight and size of the airship, walking along the gray-blue corridor felt just like walking on solid ground.


    Colin proceeded silently, his thoughts shifted slightly, and he summoned the Golden Paper.


    He read through the familiar characters on it once again, and his heart steadied.


    Whether it was Herard or the upcoming battlefield, as long as his power was sufficient, none of it really mattered.


    These characters on the Golden Paper and the power currently surging within him...


    That was his true foundation.

 Chapter 256 - 202 Trace Erasure (Additional update 6/29)

    The bright moonlight spilled onto the churning sea of clouds, and three massive grey-blue airships glided slowly above, their large dark shadows casting onto the sea-like cloud surfaces, undulating with the mist, as if they were demons.


    "Ancient Tree Heart..."


    In a dimly lit room aboard the slightly smaller airship on the left,


    Colin slowly opened his eyes and murmured with moving lips.


    Since returning in the afternoon, and now with nightfall upon him, he had been studying the Ancient Tree Heart.


    In the strictest sense, witchcraft like the Ancient Tree Heart has no rank, but because its minimum usage requirement is a First Rank Junior Wizard, it is also classified as Lower Magic of the First Rank.


    Besides minimal usage requirements, the criteria for classifying the rank of witchcraft also depend on the might of the magic when cast.


    As for quality, there is no fixed standard of judgment... or rather, there are too many criteria.


    For example, the Attack Witchcraft he currently mastered, Summon Fire Element, is considered excellent quality as determined by the Supreme Council.


    Usually, only witchcraft evaluated by the Supreme Council or a designated member of a School would have a quality rating attached to it.


    From what he had previously seen in the literature, back when Summon Fire Element was a genuine summoning of the Fire Element, the quality was only rated as good.


    Nowadays, Summon Fire Element has shifted to cultivating Fire Elements, and even though the potency hasn''t increased much, the quality has been raised...


    Therefore, it is not to say that witchcraft of poor quality are unusable; quality is only for reference and should not be the basis for choosing witchcraft.


    Colin pondered in silence, then with a thought, he summoned the Golden Paper.


    If he had the assistance of Superbrain, such as with the Ancient Tree Heart, he could have grasped the basics in just an afternoon.


    But now, the symbol of the Ancient Tree Heart did not appear on the Golden Paper.


    The reason was nothing else.


    Colin sighed slowly.


    Compared to other Wizards, he had practiced for too short a time, and his knowledge was still lacking. Any witchcraft requires an extensive amount of preliminary knowledge to learn and master.


    Previously, when he learned Summon Fire Element and Mechanical Mind, his existing knowledge was sufficient.


    But now, as he learned the Ancient Tree Heart, he was missing a key piece of knowledge needed to fully comprehend the witchcraft.


    Even the Golden Paper couldn''t help with this.


    After all, although the Golden Paper''s effects are potent¡ªguaranteeing improvement in practice¡ª


    he had discovered its major limitation, or rather, prerequisite, after prolonged use back on Blackstone Island.


    This prerequisite is that the practice must be recognized by the Golden Paper.


    If it is not considered practice, then naturally, there will be no progress.


    It''s like driving a car; whether you drive well or poorly, you still have to actually drive the car for it to count as driving.


    Lacking a key piece of knowledge, he was like someone who didn''t know how to start the engine, and with the car unable to move, his attempts could not be considered practicing, let alone training.


    Colin slowly stood up and stretched his arms.


    The crucial knowledge he lacked, which had been obtained from Lillian along with the Ancient Tree Heart that day, didn''t warrant too much concern; it just required some additional study time.


    He had been studying just moments ago.


    Additionally, with Superbrain to aid him, acquiring this knowledge shouldn''t take long.


    Mastering a piece of knowledge, although not as difficult as mastering a witchcraft, usually takes more time due to the greater volume of content involved.


    Without Superbrain, it could take him two to three months, or even half a year, to fully master it.


    But now, he estimated that by the time the airship reached its destination, he would have a decent grasp of it.


    ''But I can''t keep going on like this.''


    In the dim room, Colin''s gaze flickered.


    Just as his mentor Atbolde had said, now that he had reached the First Rank Wizard stage, it was time to start thinking about his future path, the complementary configurations of witchcraft, and so on.


    Even with Superbrain and Golden Paper, his energy was still finite.


    Witchcraft are protective skills, and Rank is the essence of cultivation; they complement each other and neither is inherently more important.


    But if one had to choose a primary focus, it would undoubtedly be Rank.


    The reason was nothing else but lifespan.


    If he continued to learn any witchcraft that came his way, it could delay his cultivation progress and be detrimental to his ascent to the pinnacle.


    Furthermore, usually, the choice of witchcraft is based around a Wizard''s Talent.


    But for Colin, his Talent was quite versatile, not limited to matching with certain types of witchcraft or being incompatible with others.


    ''It''s time to make use of the power of the Golden Paper and begin researching my own witchcraft...'' Colin silently reflected.


    "No renowned Wizard uses witchcraft created by someone else."


    Atbolde''s admonishing words still echoed in his ears.


    Thinking thus, a pale white glow emerged around him, a sign of the Steel Temperature Resistance Field manifesting.


    Colin began practicing witchcraft.


    Just like that, three days passed in the blink of an eye.


    In the room, Colin slowly opened his eyes. With a thought, the Golden Paper slowly appeared in front of him.


    Name: Colin Leonard


    Rank: Skipped.


    Meditation Method: Skipped


    Breathing Skill: Sunlight Breathing Technique (Golden); Yili Breathing Method I¡ü (100/100)


    Witchcraft: Zero Level Tricks: Skipped; Zero Level Witchcraft: Arrow Shooting Skill... Purification Evil Power (Golden); Detect Life... Detect Magic Power... Soaring Technique... Silence Technique... Trace Erasure...¡ü (100/100); First Rank Witchcraft: Steel Temperature Resistance Field I (61/100); Fireball Technique III (0/100); Summon Fire Element (18/100); Mechanical Mind (63/100)


    Exotic Skill: Anando''s Dice (4/100)


    Skill: Skipped


    Talent: Strong Life I (4/100)


    True Talent: Superbrain (0/100)


    Limit Breaking Point: 0


    With the aid of Superbrain, the progression of his witchcraft had accelerated so much that it felt like he was on the fast track compared to before.


    In just three days, all the Zeroth Rank Witchcraft he had previously purchased had reached one hundred percent and was ready for Limit Breaking.


    Not only that, he had also brought the progress of his long-neglected Yili Breathing Method to the limit.


    Moreover, what was noteworthy was that the Fireball Technique, which had been limit-broken three times, and the Steel Temperature Resistance Field, which had been limit-broken once, were automatically categorized as First Rank Witchcraft by the Golden Paper.


    Exhaling a breath of turbid air, Colin confidently took out a Magic Stone and began the Limit Breaking.


    A few minutes later.


    The characters on the Golden Paper refreshed once again.


    All of the Zeroth Rank Witchcraft, except for the Trace Erasure, had been elevated to First Rank Limit Breaking, while the Trace Erasure became golden.


    The potential for Limit Breaking of this witchcraft was lower than he had imagined.


    But that wasn''t a big deal.


    After the Trace Erasure had been limit-broken to gold, on the Golden Paper, another witchcraft¡ªTraceless¡ªcorresponded with it, and a new line of characters slowly emerged in the column for First Rank Witchcraft.


    Unnamed First Rank Witchcraft (0/100).


    Colin pondered for a moment, then with a thought, the black characters rapidly changed to¡ªTrace Erasure (0/100)


    This new witchcraft inherited the effects of Traceless and Trace Erasure, able to eliminate odors, blur the traces of witchcraft use, and the fluctuations of Magic Power.


    As for its potency.


    It obviously reached the First Rank level, though he wasn''t sure what the specific Rank would be...


    As he had this thought, the section for witchcraft on the Golden Paper slowly changed.


    Three sub-items gradually branched off at the position for First Rank Witchcraft.


    First Rank Lower Witchcraft, First Rank Middle Witchcraft, First Rank Upper Witchcraft.


    As expected, the original four First Rank Witchcraft were all categorized as First Rank Lower Witchcraft.


    But the newly merged witchcraft¡ªTrace Erasure¡ªwas actually categorized as First Rank Middle Witchcraft!


    Colin couldn''t help but show his surprise and instinctively tried to cast Trace Erasure. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Whoosh!


    The glow of witchcraft flashed by.


    Colin silently felt that the casting process was very smooth, without any delay.


    Most crucially...


    Not a single bit of pressure came from the Spirit Sea, and the Magic Sea remained abundant!


    He, a First Rank Junior Wizard, had cast a First Rank Middle Witchcraft as smoothly as if it were a First Rank Lower Witchcraft!!


    It wasn''t surprising that he could cast it; although casting across Ranks was difficult, many Wizards could manage to do it.


    But it was so effortless that, without close attention, he would have thought he had not done any cross-Rank casting at all...


    It went without saying that this must have something to do with the Golden Paper.


    Colin briefly pondered and privately speculated:


    ''Could it be that the witchcraft limit-broken with the Golden Paper are tailor-made based on myself, hence the lower consumption and requirements for me?''


    After quietly speculating for a while, he gathered his thoughts and continued to the next step.


    On the Golden Paper, apart from the Zero Level Witchcraft, the Yili Breathing Method had also successfully undergone Limit Breaking.


    And, as expected, it was golden.


    At this moment, it had merged with the original Sunlight Breathing Technique to form a new Breathing Skill.


    Colin slowly stood up, ready to try out the newly emerged Breathing Skill.

 Chapter 257 - 203 Meeting

    Invisible gusts of wind surged within the cramped room, with the sound of howling uninterruptedly filling the air.


    After a while, Colin collected himself and stood still, slowly exhaling the Golden Paper.


    Upon seeing the characters on the Golden Paper clearly, he immediately raised an eyebrow.


    There, in the column for Knight Rank, the long-unchanged Ultimate Knight (100/100) suddenly flashed with a blurry ¡ü symbol.


    This meant that the strength of a Knight continued to rise.


    Regrettably, there was still no qualitative change; he had not broken through the limit of an Ultimate Knight.


    Hmm?


    Suddenly, he shifted his gaze, quickly looking at the Talent column.


    The characters behind the Strong Life Talent slowly pulsed, changing from 4/100 to 5/100.


    ''Strong Life Talent is essentially about strong Life Force. This new Breathing Skill...''


    Colin closed his eyes slightly, carefully feeling the unique Blood Energy brought about by the knight''s cultivation in his body.


    Surging, plentiful, rich, and viscous...


    He opened his eyes, a hint of surprise flashing through them¡ªthe Blood Energy was still Blood Energy, but it had almost a qualitative difference from before!


    Subconsciously, Colin''s gaze shifted to the column for Breathing Skill.


    That newly fused Breathing Skill had advanced a notch after he had practiced it once.


    ''I wonder whether this fused Breathing Skill, after breaking the limit once... could further advance the path of a Knight.'' Colin couldn''t help but look forward with some anticipation.


    Though the strength of a Knight was far from that of a Wizard, he still saw value in it.


    After all, spirit and body always complement each other.


    At least among the Second Rank and Third Rank Wizards he had seen to date, the body should have been enhanced through special means.


    For instance, Atbolde must have fused with the bloodlines of Magic Plants, and the Third Rank Wizard he saw in the classroom when searching for Lillian, resembling an ice sculpture, likely underwent some sort of transformation related to Elemental Life.


    As he pondered, he moved a thought and, as usual, chose one character from each to name the new unnamed Breathing Skill¡ªthe Yi Guang Breathing Method.


    Having done all this and planning to continue studying the precursor knowledge of Ancient Tree Heart Witchcraft, Colin suddenly thought of the item exchange meeting Mayer had mentioned last night at the restaurant.


    Snap.


    He subconsciously took out his Pocket Watch, and the silver hand pointed to five o''clock in the afternoon.


    "Lord Colin, there will be a small-scale Wizards'' item exchange meeting tomorrow evening. I don''t know if you would be interested in attending... The main purpose is to exchange what we have, be it knowledge, Witch Tools, or even news. They can all be items for exchange."


    He put away the Pocket Watch and took out the voucher Mayer had given him, recalling Mayer''s words from last night.


    ''The item exchange meeting will be at six o''clock, and the location is in the private dining rooms on the third floor... Just right after dinner.''


    After a moment of contemplation, Colin put away the voucher and made a decision.


    The sun slanted westward, with golden light piercing through the central dining room''s circular glass windows on the second floor, angling inside.


    Ding dong dong¡ª


    The soft sound of a piano harmonized with the clinking of cutlery and plates, echoing throughout the entire dining room.


    Colin set down his fork, picked up a napkin, and wiped his mouth.


    Dinner was Tuscan salmon. With each bite, a rich creamy aroma filled the mouth.


    Although tasty, he missed the dinners made by Renee even more.


    It was a flavor from his homeland, a delicacy only he would recognize.


    Without any clouds to obstruct the view, and from this altitude at ten thousand meters, it seemed the glow of the sunset was even richer.


    Making his way through the golden remnants filtering in from the dining room''s windows, Colin walked past the neatly arranged tables and chairs of the hall towards the area with private rooms. Following the directions on the voucher, he arrived at the room where the item exchange meeting was held.


    "Lord Colin."


    As he entered the room, Mayer greeted him, looking somewhat surprised, "I thought you wouldn''t come tonight."


    "Just looking around since I have nothing else to do."


    Colin scanned the room.


    There were already quite a few Wizards present; many faces were familiar, Wizards from other affiliated Schools whom he had seen during the boarding.


    There were also many Wizards he had not seen before¡ªthey were either from other Schools in the city or were Wandering Wizards of the city.


    On this Airship, aside from the Nine Major Schools and their affiliate Schools, there were also other Wizards.


    With many Schools in Neustadt City, it was natural that there wouldn''t only be the Nine Major Schools and their affiliates.


    In fact, besides the nine universally recognized top-tier Schools, there were over a dozen second-tier Schools, and countless insignificant ones.


    However, many Schools as there might be, they were all under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Council, and naturally, all needed to travel to the Southern Sea Domain.


    And the City Lord of Neustadt was a member of the Supreme Council.


    Beside Mayer, there was another familiar face¡ªMilo from the Wotak School. But to Colin''s surprise, Sovoc, one of their group of four, hadn''t come to the item exchange meeting.


    Furthermore, people like Lillian did not participate in this barter meeting.


    "Lord Colin, this barter meeting is much larger than what I told you about yesterday," Mayer sighed.


    No sooner had he spoken than a commotion came from the doorway.


    Colin listened intently.


    "Lord Morton..."


    Those noises, upon closer listening, were a series of respectful greetings.


    Glancing up again, a fiery Witch with silver hair and silver eyes who was wearing a silver hoop earring walked in.


    She was not in a Wizard Robe but rather in a bustier combat outfit; her wolf''s tail-like silver hair was tied up, revealing a pale, indifferent face.


    "That''s Witch Morton from the Silver An School," Milo remarked quietly by the side, his tone somewhat admiring.


    Colin withdrew his gaze. The Silver An School, like the Yista School, was one of the Nine Major Schools.


    If he remembered correctly, the relationship between the Silver An and Yista Schools was also quite amicable.


    Of course, this had little to do with Wizards from affiliated Schools like theirs; Witch Morton was out of their league to connect with.


    As soon as Morton arrived, she unapologetically took the main seat, regardless of whether anyone was there, and with her legs crossed, she directly declared, S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Alright, the barter meeting now begins... let''s start with you."


    She looked towards the Wizard sitting on her left side.


    A barter meeting involved each Wizard taking turns, according to a certain order, to speak out about what they were selling or what they wished to purchase, with the rest of the Wizards responding in turn¡ªsuch was the procedure.


    "Yes, Lady Morton," the Wizard on the left side nodded in agreement, pulling out several pale purple Magic Crystals from his bosom.


    "Magic Crystals, the auxiliary type, huh?... If it were Attack Witchcraft, it might be difficult to exchange," Mayer commented in a low voice, somewhat surprised.


    If Colin had heard Mayer say this before, he would have been puzzled, but not anymore.


    The booklet Lillian gave him just happened to contain relevant information.


    About Magic Crystals, while they have many benefits, they also come with numerous drawbacks.


    The most prominent of these is the difficulty in using them in real combat.


    Of course, this refers to Magic Crystals of First Rank Upper and beyond.


    The reason is simple: it also has to do with the casting time...


    The complete process of using a Magic Crystal first involves injecting spiritual power to construct a Magic Model from the runes inscribed on the Magic Crystal, then the magic power stored within the crystal makes contact with the Magic Model to form witchcraft.


    While it saves the Wizard the effort of constructing a Magic Model, the runes'' automatic assembly of the Magic Model also takes time,


    and, generally speaking, it is slower than a Wizard manually constructing the model.


    This shortcoming is not immediately apparent during an Apprentice''s period¡ªas with the Light Brightness Skill, once mastered, the casting time is within 0.3s.


    Using a Bright Crystal, the time is also generally under 0.5s,


    The mere 0.2s difference is not significant.


    But when reaching the First Rank, the standard casting time for witchcraft exceeds one second, with at least half taking over two seconds.


    After constructing a Magic Model in the mind, the casting time is usually within one second.


    At this point, using a Magic Crystal, the difference in casting time becomes somewhat unacceptable.


    The Wizard to Morton''s left continued:


    "First Rank Upper Magic Crystal¡ªChilor Exploration Technique. There are five in total, three thousand Magic Stones for all, or six hundred and fifty per piece; alternatively, equivalent items or knowledge can be traded."


    Indeed, as Mayer thought, the Wizard produced the auxiliary type of Magic Crystals.


    The Chilor Exploration Technique, as its name suggests, is mainly used for geological exploration.


    After the Wizard finished speaking, several Wizards began to make offers in sequence, and all five Magic Crystals were finally bartered away, marking a good start to the trade.


    Subsequently, the Wizards took turns in their seated order to speak.


    Of course, not every Wizard needed to bring out items for exchange; those without anything they wished to sell could simply pass.


    Colin naturally had nothing to offer, so when his turn came, he naturally chose to pass.


    His main purpose for being here was to see if he could pick up anything useful for himself.


    Unfortunately, until the end of the barter meeting, he wasn''t able to exchange for a single item.


    Either it was not needed, or if it was needed, he could not afford it.


    ''However, it can be considered an experience gained.'' Walking along the corridor back to his room, Colin thought to himself.


    At the next corner, his footsteps suddenly came to a halt.


    In front of him stood two familiar figures engaged in conversation.


    One was Margaret, his direct superior at this Alus Association event.


    The other was Witch Morton from the Silver An School, whom he had just seen.

 Chapter 258 - 204: The Transformation of the Golden Paper

    Colin had just turned the corner when Morton and Margaret, standing by the door, noticed him,


    But the two of them didn''t seem to care, merely glancing at Colin before continuing their conversation.


    Seeing this, Colin paused briefly before continuing to walk forward.


    His room was just around the next corner; this was the inevitable path.


    But as he walked, his brow suddenly lifted.


    Although Morton and Margaret were conversing, he could only see their lips moving, unable to hear a sound.


    Their expression was very serious, and it was unclear what they were discussing.


    An invisible force contained their voices within the narrow space between them, not letting any sound escape...


    Suddenly, an idea crossed Colin''s mind, and with the help of his Superbrain, he used his peripheral vision to record the movements of Margaret and Morton''s lips.


    A moment later, it seemed their conversation was coming to an end; the silver-haired Morton waved his hand, dissolving the Silence Barrier, and said goodbye to Margaret before leaving.


    "Lord Morton."


    As Morton approached, Colin slowed his pace to make way and greeted him.


    Morton''s brow was furrowed, and he did not respond, just kept walking past Colin without stopping.


    "Did you just attend the exchange meeting?"


    On the other side, Margaret, who was standing at the door, suddenly asked him.


    "Yes, Lady Margaret," Colin nodded.


    "Hmm..." Margaret gave him a glance, as if she wanted to say something, but ultimately she closed her door with a click without saying another word.


    "¡­?"


    Colin couldn''t help but feel a surge of doubt within him.


    ...The exchange meeting?


    While he walked toward his room, he carefully recollected the recent exchange meeting.


    The participants... all normal, nothing special.


    The items traded... also all normal.


    The only unusual thing might have been Morton taking the initiative to host the exchange meeting.


    Without more information, his train of thought could not progress any further... Perhaps Margaret''s question was just casual?


    After pondering for a moment.


    In his room, with the help of the Superbrain, Colin pulled up the scene and carefully observed Margaret and Morton''s lip movements and the vibrations of the muscles in their throats...


    After a short while, he began to imitate their speech.


    Repeating this process, Colin soon voiced a segment of their conversation.


    "Is that your subordinate wizard at the corner?"


    This was the sentence Morton spoke to Margaret after Colin had turned the corner.


    "Yes," Margaret replied, then added, "The records show he is gifted, but he has just advanced to a First Rank Wizard... it''s likely he hasn''t even mastered a single First Rank Witchcraft yet."


    "Hmm," Morton nodded, no longer paying attention to Colin.


    "Has Lord Grantland made a confirmation?" asked Margaret.


    "It''s confirmed," Morton answered.


    "Is there a confirmed time?"


    "In these next two or three days," Morton continued, adding, "Lord Grantland has ordered us to keep strict secrecy among the family wizards about this matter. Currently, only wizards from the Nine Major Schools and those associated with the Schools who are Second Rank or higher are aware."


    "I see."


    "Hmm."


    After murmuring to himself, Colin froze for a moment, feeling a sudden unease within him.


    Were the Nine Major Schools conducting some hidden operation without their wizards knowing?


    He paced slowly within his room for a while, sighed softly to himself, and decided not to ponder it further. He sat cross-legged on a cushion, ready to begin his practice.


    With just the information from the conversation, it was impossible to guess what it was about...


    He would face whatever came his way. Margaret''s room was right next to his, so there likely wasn''t too much to worry about.


    It was best to continue improving himself.


    Colin''s thoughts moved, and he opened the Golden Paper.


    He scanned it from top to bottom, making a mental plan.


    ''I only have 10,000 Magic Stones on me now, and because of the airship''s environment, I can''t practice offensive witchcraft.


    For instance, the Steel Temperature Resistance Field, if it is to grow tenfold at the Limit Breaking Point, might not have enough Magic Stones for the next Limit Breaking...


    It seems I must prioritize practicing those Zeroth Rank witchcrafts for Limit Breaking fusion.''


    ''As for engraving the Magic Model, the life-saving Steel Temperature Resistance Field will naturally be the first.''


    After all, the Steel Temperature Resistance Field, having already Limit Broken to a First Rank Witchcraft level, had significantly increased the complexity of its Magic Model.


    Even though the Golden Paper optimized it and, for example, the Steel Temperature Resistance Field, even after Limit Breaking, still only requires 1.6 seconds to cast, it is still under two seconds and can be considered instant casting.


    But compared to the previous casting time of just a fraction of a second, it was undoubtedly much slower.


    In life or death combat, opportunities change in the blink of an eye.


    The reason wizards need to engrave Magic Models, and why Magic Crystals cannot be used as a common means against enemies, is precisely because of this.


    Immersing his mind into the Spirit Sea,


    Colin began engraving the Steel Temperature Resistance Field.


    At the same time, a question surfaced in his mind¡ª


    After Limit Breaking the Steel Temperature Resistance Field, should he first erase the previously engraved Magic Model in the Spirit Sea and then re-engrave it, or could it be updated simultaneously?


    ''After Limit Breaking, I''ll know.''


    Colin glanced at the Golden Paper and stopped dwelling on it.


    With the assistance of Superbrain, his progress in studying witchcraft was astonishingly fast!


    According to the current pace, the Steel Temperature Resistance Field, which had undergone Limit Breaking only once, could be practiced to its next Limit Breaking Point by tomorrow night if he focused solely on it from now. It was just unfortunate that there wasn''t enough Magic Stone for a true Limit Breaking, which would likely take even longer.


    While thinking, some time passed, and he completed the inscription of the Magic Model.


    Once a wizard had mastered witchcraft, they could attempt to inscribe the Magic Model in the Spirit Sea, and the process was not complicated, nor did it take too much time.


    Unlike creating a Magic Crystal, which required learning the corresponding runes of the wizard model, inscribing a Magic Model in the Spirit Sea didn''t require any changes and wasn''t much more difficult than casting a spell.


    Whoosh!


    Distracting his mind from the Magic Model glowing faintly in the Spirit Sea, Colin''s thoughts moved, and he unleashed the Steel Temperature Resistance Field!


    In the blink of an eye, a semi-transparent Protective Shield with a faint white light enveloped his entire body.


    ''The speed is around 0.1 to 0.2 seconds¡­ nearly ten times faster than before inscribing!'' thought Colin as he exhaled a long breath, feeling somewhat relieved.


    ''In battles between wizards, one must ensure defense and evasion first, to provide oneself with the opportunity to attack; otherwise, in the lightning-fast combat, a moment''s carelessness could lead to one''s downfall!''


    Two days later, his remaining Zeroth Rank witchcraft all reached their Limit Breaking Point.


    As expected, the witchcraft were all golden after breaking their limits.


    Inside the room.


    Illuminated by the light of a Bright Crystal, Colin smiled with a strong sense of accomplishment, gazing at the just Limit-Broken witchcraft listed on the Golden Paper before him.


    [Witchcraft: Zeroth Rank Witchcraft: Summary.


    First Rank Lower Magic: Detecting Three Abilities (0/100); Soaring and Flying Technique (0/100); Silent (0/100); Steel Temperature Resistance Field I (65/100); Fireball Technique III (0/100); Summon Fire Element (18/100); Mechanical Mind (67/100).


    First Rank Middle Magic: Trace Erasure (1/100).


    First Rank Upper Magic: None.]


    But at this moment, he abruptly paused, looking surprised at the Zeroth Rank witchcraft section.


    There, the Swift Skill (golden), which he hadn''t paid attention to for a long time, had somehow become the Swift Skill II (0/100)!


    ''Can it be improved again?'' Colin blinked, momentarily stunned.


    He distinctly remembered that Swift Skill had turned golden after the second Limit Breaking and couldn''t be upgraded further.


    So why could it be improved now? What was the reason?


    Sitting on the brown cushion, Colin frowned intensely¡­ He realized that understanding the reason for this change in the Golden Paper might be crucial for him.


    ''Just half an hour ago, I closely examined the Golden Paper, and at that time, Swift Skill was golden, in an un-upgradable state.''


    Colin pondered carefully.


    ''If there''s any difference between now and half an hour ago, it''s undoubtedly breaking the limits of most Zeroth Rank witchcraft.''


    ''Limit Breaking¡­ signifies the enhancement of witchcraft.''


    ''And the enhancement of witchcraft¡­ essentially falls under the growth of knowledge.''


    ''It means the biggest change in me now, compared to before, is that my knowledge has grown!''


    ''So the growth of specific knowledge can also increase the potential for witchcraft Limit Breaking! No, there''s no such thing as inherent Limit Breaking potential in witchcraft,


    the limit is dictated by oneself!


    It''s like building a skyscraper, the number of additional floors that can be added to the Golden Paper depends on how broad the foundation is!''


    Feeling enlightened, Colin instantly understood the logic behind it!


    Each Limit Breaking of the Golden Paper could bring new knowledge, but this knowledge was deeper rather than broader.


    If deeper knowledge represents branches of a tree, broader knowledge would be the tree''s trunk.


    It''s like a large tree; the Golden Paper only expands outward with branches but does not increase the thickness of the trunk.


    Naturally, there would be a limit.


    But in fact, the Golden Paper does grow its trunk to some extent; by practicing and integrating similar witchcraft, the trunk of the Golden Paper would grow, thus further raising the limit of the possible Limit Breaking.


    The reason Swift Skill could be enhanced was likely because among the broadened knowledge from this series of Limit Breaking, there was content overlapping with it.


    Of course, the actual situation is undoubtedly much more complicated...


    But that was not important.


    Colin slowly stood up, spirited and invigorated!


    What mattered was that the changes in the Golden Paper meant that he had discovered a new method to break through the constraints of turning witchcraft golden with Limit Breaking, beyond fusing witchcraft!


    That was to learn new types of knowledge that could widen the trunk!


    Holding to that thought, after a while, his excitement gradually calmed down.


    Learning new knowledge, although a new path, was for the time being, simpler than learning more witchcraft and integrating Limit Breaking.


    After all, all the witchcraft that had been merged and Limit Broken could now be improved further.


    But if he were to seek out new knowledge, the biggest challenge lying ahead was¡ª Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    How to determine which knowledge to study that could broaden the trunk, allowing witchcraft that had reached golden status to break limits again.


    Considering how vast the tree is, every branch resides in a different location, corresponding to different areas of the trunk.


    If one were to try one by one, obviously, it would consume more time and energy than learning and integrating witchcraft Limit Breaking...


    The Magic Power within Colin started to surge gently.


    The next moment.


    Whoosh!


    The brilliance of witchcraft flashed over him.


    Colin suddenly felt his speed increase significantly!


    Since Swift Skill could be improved again, prioritizing such a practical spell for enhancement was evident.


    The conversation between Margaret and Morton from two days ago, he had not forgotten.

 Chapter 259 - 205: Premeditated

    In the room, Colin moved like a phantom, quick and agile.


    Swift Skill was practically tailor-made for Knights.


    With the enhancement of the new Yi Guang Breathing Method, his speed had already surpassed what it was before, and now, amplified by Swift Skill, it was as fast as a gust of wind.


    His figure flickered, stirring up a gale within the cramped room.


    Colin vaguely remembered, back on Blackstone Island, it was this Swift Skill that saved him precious time, allowing him to successfully advance before taking on an urgent mission...


    Ding¡ª


    The chime indicating midnight sounded.


    Unfortunately, there were no windows.


    Otherwise, Colin would have seen, amidst the night sky and over the sea of moonlit clouds, a group of creatures even darker than the night suddenly appearing beside the airship.


    And so, the sudden emergency occurred!


    Meanwhile, in the airship''s control room.


    Swoosh!


    A faint Spiritual Light flashed by, and the duty Wizard on watch collapsed.


    A figure in a gray robe entered, his face hidden deep within the shadow of the Wizard Robe''s hood, barely revealing... a hint of fanaticism!


    "Praise my lord."


    Diare Wuto curled up the corners of his mouth... Entering the control room was much easier than he had anticipated, as if the trap had been set in advance.


    But how could that be? S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The old man, Greenland, had been completely kept in the dark by them, now probably besieged by the adults, unable to attend to anything else...


    He thought about this, his hands not stopping their movement.


    Moments later.


    Whirr¡ª


    The enveloping layer of ethereal Spiritual Light on the exterior of the airship suddenly went out.


    A snapping sound, like thorns breaking!


    Those dark creatures, like moths to a flame, shot towards the massive airship like arrows bounding through the air!


    Boom!!


    In the room.


    Swoosh!


    "What''s going on?"


    Colin suddenly halted, his muscles, precise as a well-coordinated machine, anchoring his feet solidly like the roots of a giant tree, preventing him from falling amidst the unexpected rocking of the airship.


    Colin looked around.


    The gray-blue walls trembled like a sieve, books stored on a square wooden table vibrated and fell down to the brown carpet with a muffled thud and scattered.


    Whirr¡ª


    A faint White Light emerged from him.


    After safeguarding himself with a Steel Temperature Resistance Field, Colin swiftly collected the room''s items into his Storage Ring, considering his next steps with the aid of his Superbrain.


    Almost instantly, he connected the current anomaly with a piece of information in his mind!


    "Has Lord Greenland confirmed it?"


    "It''s confirmed."


    "Do we have a rough timeline?"


    "In the next two or three days."


    ...In the next two or three days!


    It had been exactly two days since he had seen the conversation between Morton and Margaret!


    Clang!


    Colin''s face darkened as he pondered briefly, then pushed open the door, quickly heading towards Margaret''s room.


    In the corridor, the light from the Bright Crystal flickered uncertainly.


    Some Wizards, like him, had chosen to leave their rooms, but many more were still inside, waiting for notifications.


    "Lord Colin... do you know what happened?"


    The Witch next door, Milo, asked with a grave expression.


    "Not exactly..."


    "Lord Colin, watch out!"


    Before he could finish, Milo shouted a warning at him.


    At the same time, a sharp, metallic twisting sound came from behind.


    Colin''s hairs stood on end.


    Without looking back, he reflexively lunged forward, hurling a Fireball behind him.


    Boom!!


    A loud explosion echoed with billowing black smoke and dust.


    A massive dark shadow burst through a man-sized hole in the gray-blue metal hull and flew in.


    It collided head-on with the orange-yellow Fireball!


    As the wall shattered, a howling wind rushed in.


    The Soaring and Flying Technique was deployed!


    The power of witchcraft allowed Colin to resist the strong suction coming from the damaged part of the airship caused by the pressure.


    He turned around to look.


    From the damaged part, a whirlwind swept the explosion''s black smoke and dust into the air, revealing a monster that resembled a gigantic bat right in front of them.


    At that moment, the monster seemed to have been knocked out by colliding head-on with an exploding Fireball.


    "What is this thing?" Colin murmured.


    "A creation of the Divine!" Milo, who had also deployed the Flying Witchcraft, firmly answered from nearby, "There''s no fluctuation of Magic Power, no surge of Blood Energy, just a disgusting, filthy aura... This must definitely be related to the Divine!"


    Colin''s expression turned stern, and he instinctively used Detecting Three Abilities.


    Moments later, the witchcraft provided feedback.


    As Milo had said, there were no fluctuations of Magic Power, no evil aura... and even the vibrations of life were scarce.


    Yet, looking at this dark monster, a deep instinctual disgust kept emerging from within.


    "We might have fallen into a Divine ambush," Milo continued her deduction, and then she threw a silver-gray sphere at the dark monster.


    The moment it contacted the dark creature, the sphere instantly cracked open, releasing metallic-colored insects resembling ants that devoured the dark monster.


    In almost the blink of an eye, only bare white bones remained of the giant bat-like monster.


    Colin raised his eyebrows; throughout the process, the dark creature seemed to have felt nothing, showing not even the slightest resistance.


    "Your Excellency, what is this creature... Why haven''t the seniors reacted at all?"


    A wizard walked over from the corridor, having witnessed the scene.


    "We don''t know either," replied Milo shaking her head. Then she turned to Colin and asked, "I''m planning to go to the upper levels to meet with the High Rank Wizards. Would you like to come along, Lord Colin?"


    The airship had four levels in total, and they were on the second level; the High Rank Wizards usually resided on the fourth.


    "I plan to check Lady Margaret''s room first," Colin shook his head, looking toward the room around the corner.


    Boom!


    Just then, another collision accompanied by the sound of twisting metal resounded.


    Colin''s pupils suddenly constricted.


    The room he was looking at, Margaret''s room, now had a dark creature breaking through the door, its size seemingly bigger than the one they had just killed.


    "Lady Margaret..." Milo uttered in shock.


    She had just agreed with Colin''s idea to look for Lady Margaret, but then this scene unfolded before her...


    Boom!


    A huge orange-yellow Fireball shot out, transforming midway into a fiery human figure!


    "Let''s deal with it first!" Colin said sternly, "There''s no sign of a struggle, Lady Margaret must not be in her room."


    Milo recovered her senses, quickly taking out several spheres and hurling them at the dark creature.


    Colin was right; the noise of the dark creature breaking through the bulkhead was loud, it was impossible for Margaret not to react at all. It was more likely that there was no one in the room.


    The glow of a Mechanical Mind subtly shone from the depths of Colin''s azure eyes.


    Under his control, the Fire Element, like well-trained guards, continually attacked the dark monster.


    His expression was calm, but his heart was not.


    It was just past midnight.


    At this time, most wizards should have been in their rooms, yet Margaret was conspicuously absent...


    "Lord Grantland ordered us to keep strict secrecy about those family wizards. Currently, only wizards from Nine Major Schools and affiliated Schools of Second Rank and above are aware," Morton had told Margaret two days ago, which suddenly surfaced in Colin''s mind.


    Looking around, he faintly remembered that a wizard from the Nine Major Schools had lived at the end of the corridor.


    But now there was no sign of anyone; he couldn''t tell if they were staying in their rooms or had disappeared like Margaret.


    Bang bang bang!


    The dark bat-like monster, apparently lacking the ability to scream, silently dodged and resisted under their attacks.


    Its strength was slightly more than the first monster, but still roughly only at the level of an ordinary First Rank Junior Wizard. Now, under their collective assault, it was bloodied and cornered.


    Swoosh!


    Just then, a miserable green Acid Liquid shot out, becoming the final blow that took down the dark monster.


    "Let''s head to the upper levels," Milo withdrew her gaze and turned to propose.


    Colin and a few other wizards nearby nodded in agreement.


    But as he took a step forward, his steps suddenly halted.


    "I still have something to do; you guys go ahead," he said.


    Milo looked at him perplexedly and voiced,


    "Lord Colin, with the Divine''s attack, the safest place in the airship right now is undoubtedly the upper levels where the seniors are.


    The other places... are just dead ends."


    She glanced down the long hallway, as the sound of another breached bulkhead carried from afar.


    "If I''m not mistaken, the vicinity of the airship is probably already surrounded."


    "Sorry..."


    Colin shook his head.


    Milo paused briefly, gave him a deep look, but did not ask further, just nodded her head, and quickly headed towards the upper levels with the other wizards.


    Colin watched them disappear into the distance, withdrew his gaze, and quickly walked to the corner behind him.

 Chapter 260 - 206: As Expected

    Around the corner of the corridor.


    "Lord Silear, what on earth is going on?"


    Colin asked the mature male wizard in front of him, who was combing his hair back, with a puzzled look.


    Just as he was about to follow Milo and the others towards the upper levels, Silear''s mental transmission suddenly appeared in his mind.


    Silear was unharmed, but the name mentioned by Silear prompted him to stay.


    "Where is Senior Lillian?"


    Colin looked around and asked in a deep voice.


    Silear looked at him with relief, speaking with a hint of urgency, "There''s no time to explain, Colin. You only need to know that it was Lillian who sent me to get you! Hurry and follow me; I''m taking you to a safe place!"


    As Silear spoke, he led Colin forward.


    Colin narrowed his eyes, fixedly watching Silear''s retreating figure without moving.


    Lillian''s room was on the upper levels, but the direction Silear was heading did not lead upwards; instead, it went further down.


    "What are you waiting for?! Colin, hurry up!" Silear urged as he looked back, and seeing that Colin wasn''t moving, he quickly circled back, explaining softly, "The adults anticipated this attack; there are traitors among us, and those monsters are attacking upwards. The safe place isn''t on the topmost level but on the very bottom!"


    Silear''s words fit like the final piece of a puzzle, linking everything together.


    Superbrain worked at a rapid pace, and in an instant, Colin understood everything.


    Wasn''t this all just a repeat of the Hua Pei district incident?!


    The Nine Major Schools were carrying out a secret operation once again, concealing it from other wizards like him, pretending to be unaware, allowing the Divine to attack the airship. The purpose, surely, was to flush out the potential traitors among them!


    No, that wasn''t the point... A chill ran down Colin''s back.


    It meant that the incident in the Hua Pei district hadn''t completely eradicated all hidden Divine Believers...


    In other words, some Divine Believers simply couldn''t be identified by the wizards!


    Otherwise, the Nine Major Schools wouldn''t have resorted to such primitive means of purging traitors...


    "Lord Silear, how did you know all this?"


    As his thoughts whirled, Colin suddenly thought of a question and asked cautiously.


    There was an almost imperceptible pause from Silear.


    Then, with some embarrassment, he spoke, "Eugene told me. Apart from the Nine Major Schools, the High Rank Wizards of our affiliated Schools were also aware. And though Eugene often seems indifferent, in reality, he cares very much for us members of the School..."


    Before Silear could finish, Colin immediately grasped his meaning.


    It was apparent that since the Nine Major Schools had informed the High Rank Wizards of the affiliated Schools.


    They had not intended to keep the rest of the affiliated School wizards in the dark.


    Whether the wizards below Second Rank knew about this depended entirely on the mood of the High Rank Wizard of their School. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The reason he was unaware of this... clearly, Herard was meddling, attempting to withhold his Magic Stone subsidy!


    Silear''s next words confirmed Colin''s thoughts.


    "...So I found out about this message, as for why you, Lord, did not," Silear paused, then vaguely added, "Herard is one of only two students of Eugene."


    Bang!!


    The wind howled, and metal screeched sharply.


    At that moment, another explosion sounded from not far away.


    "This place isn''t safe. Let''s move quickly, Lord Colin! The Low Rank Wizards of the Nine Major Schools and we informed wizards of the affiliated Schools are all down at the lowest level."


    Silear glanced at the distant explosion, feeling a slight heaviness in his heart, and urged Colin on quickly, "The High Rank Wizards are already aware of this event and must have prepared a comprehensive response. I estimate that the chaos will subside in at most half an hour. Before then, we better hurry to the lower levels to hide. Otherwise, should any mishaps occur, it would really not be worth it!"


    While saying this, Silear continued walking forward.


    ''The lower levels are safe...'' Colin subconsciously looked back.


    The figures of Milo and others had already disappeared...


    It was unexpected that she, an affiliated School wizard, was also unaware of this, just like him.


    As for Mayer and Sovoc... No wonder he hadn''t seen them on the way out; they had probably already hidden down at the lower levels.


    With a soft sigh in his heart, Colin turned his gaze away and followed Silear.


    Now wasn''t the time for such reflections.


    Combining the information he knew, he believed that what Silear said about the lower levels being genuinely safe was most likely true, believing that the High Rank Wizards on the airship were already aware...


    But Silear... For some reason, he felt something was amiss.


    However, it was not appropriate to delay any longer, so he followed for now.


    As Colin ran, he kept a close watch on Silear''s back, his superbrain rapidly processing.


    Every action of Silear, from the movement of his eyes to the muscles on his face, each detail was meticulously analyzed in his mind once more.


    "Lord Silear, why didn''t Senior Lillian come to call me personally?" Colin suddenly asked softly.


    "Because I was the one who informed Lillian about this, I told her to go ahead to the lower levels, and I would notify you."


    Silear answered without hesitation, as if he had rehearsed it in advance.


    ''Didn''t Senior Lillian have anything else to delay her, that she actually didn''t come to find me?''

 Chapter 261 - 206 Expected_2

    Colin''s footsteps paused imperceptibly, and with a slight movement of his left hand, a black scepter entwined with dark golden patterns silently emerged from his palm.


    Perhaps it was wishful thinking, but he always felt that in such a situation, if Lillian knew, she would surely come to find him herself!


    Colin then spoke again,


    "Where exactly is our destination on the bottom level?"


    "It''s next to the storeroom at the very bottom; there are several dark rooms there."


    Silear kept walking, distinguishing the direction in front of him while he continued to respond.


    Colin nodded again, his expression inscrutable.


    He always felt that there was something familiar about the speed of Silear''s speech and his subtle movements.


    Colin''s gaze flickered, then he suddenly changed the topic, voicing his doubts,


    "Lord Silear, why don''t we use a faster way to go downstairs?"


    "A faster way?" Silear paused slightly in stride, turning his head back in confusion to glance at Colin.


    His gaze lingered momentarily on the scepter in Colin''s left hand but dismissed it as merely a tool for self-defense.


    "Well, for example, directly breaking through the floor beneath us and descending through the hole to the next layer, avoiding the hassle of taking the stairs," Colin calmly added.


    Silear paused briefly in his steps, silent for a while before abruptly smiling and looking back,


    "This disturbance won''t last long, and if we damage the airship, I fear the repairs afterward..."


    His tone was calm but unavoidably revealed a sense of strain and insufficiency.


    In such an urgent situation, possibly threatening life, how could one still worry about trivial matters like a shattered floor of an airship?


    Watching Silear''s reaction, Colin''s suspicions peaked.


    With the help of the Superbrain, a conjecture faintly formed in his mind.


    Silear''s current tone brought a scene slowly to his mind.


    It was several days after the gathering where Magic Stones were distributed.


    He had just left Lillian''s room after studying the Ancient Tree Heart, and at the corridor''s corner, he met Silear, while at the end of the hall, Herard''s figure flashed by...


    With the assistance of the Superbrain, he distinctly remembered that on that day, Silear''s final words were uttered in this same tone.


    The subtle movements were very similar too.


    If Silear now was making excuses,


    Then it was likely that Silear then was also speaking falsehoods...


    What was Silear talking about at that time?


    He had supposedly seen Herard by chance...


    Colin silently shook his head in his mind.


    Now it seemed that Silear might not have encountered Herard by chance as he claimed,


    More likely¡­ he had just been speaking with him!


    With this thought...


    Although his mind was filled with thoughts, only a moment had actually passed in reality.


    "Where is Herard waiting for us?"


    Before Silear could finish, he pressed further.


    The simultaneous enhancement from the Mechanical Mind and the Superbrain allowed him to maintain a consistent speed in his speech, astonishingly aligned with his previous statement.


    Perhaps it was because his question was too sudden, or maybe because Silear had focused all his thoughts on the question about taking a shortcut.


    In any case, Silear subconsciously started to reply.


    "Not far from the middle side staircase on the second floor..."


    ''As expected...''


    Upon hearing this, Colin gradually stopped his pace, his doubts completely dispelled.


    He gripped the Foolishness Scepter tightly in his hand.


    The next second, Silear finally realized what was happening, abruptly stopping and closing his mouth.


    But he didn''t turn around; instead, he slowly spoke with his back to Colin,


    "You shouldn''t have found out, Colin."


    "You were supposed to be brought to Herard, neatly captured, transformed into a puppet, then help me deceive Lillian...?!!"


    At that moment, Silear suddenly felt a wave of heat coming from behind.


    He quickly turned around, only to see an enormous orange-yellow fireball shooting toward him!


    "?!"


    Silear was suddenly startled; at the last moment, he conjured defensive witchcraft!


    In a blink of an eye, a brilliant green light enveloped his entire body. The whole process lasted only 0.2 seconds, forming just before the fireball could hit him!


    Such quick casting speed was precisely the confidence he had in not deploying defensive witchcraft in advance!


    He saw the pale green light flicker on.


    Silear felt a slight relief in his heart, having successfully cast defensive witchcraft meant he had already won half the battle!


    Colin had only recently advanced to a First Rank Wizard, and the fact that his witchcraft could reach the strength of a Basic Level First Rank was already commendable¡ªbreaking through his defense was out of the question!


    Boom!


    Just as he thought this, the fireball made contact with him and then exploded violently, the flames surging forward.


    The next moment, feeling the intensity of the fireball, Silear''s eyes widened in disbelief as he shouted at Colin,


    "You''ve just advanced to a First Rank Wizard, how could you cast such a powerful witchcraft!"


    If he wasn''t mistaken, the power of this witchcraft had reached the peak of Middle First Rank!


    Elsewhere, Colin gave no response.


    The combination of a Mechanical Mind and a Superbrain allowed him to keenly seize the flaw Silear showed under the fireball''s attack.


    Hiss!


    Thud!


    A metallic cone bullet, flickering with cold light, shot out from his hand and vanished in an instant, leaving only a pale white trail of vapor in the air.


    Thud!


    Silear, touching the gaping hole in his waist, his complexion pale and unsightly, hurriedly tried to cast a counter witchcraft.


    But another huge orange fireball appeared in front of him.


    His defensive witchcraft had been forcibly broken, temporarily unable to be cast again.


    To counter the fireball, Silear had no choice but to change the attack witchcraft he originally intended to cast into a huge water orb.


    Hiss¡ª


    The two collided, producing a massive amount of white steam. Silear controlled the water orb, enveloping the fireball, trying desperately to extinguish it.


    But just then, his eyes suddenly widened.


    In the hazy, diffusing mist, a flash of cold light streaked past.


    With a plop, Silear fell to the ground, lifeless.


    He had never imagined that behind the second fireball, another Silent cone bullet followed.


    He had just needed to wait one more second to cast defensive witchcraft again... S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But the counteracting water orb and the dispersing white mist blurred his vision and cost him his only chance at survival.


    Elsewhere, Colin approached Silear''s side. He cast Detecting Three Abilities around to ensure no one was nearby, then quickly took the Storage Ring from his hand.


    Then again wielding the scepter, he cast the only Middle First Rank witchcraft he mastered¡ª"Trace Erasure!"


    Witchcraft brilliance flashed by, and in an instant, the fluctuation of witchcraft in the air vanished completely, along with the surroundings and the marks made by witchcraft on Silear''s body, all became chaotic and blurred.


    At least with his current level of observation, he could discern the marks of Non-fireball Technique and Arrow Shooting Skill.


    But it did not end there.


    Colin gathered up Silear''s body and quickly headed to a hole nearby made by a creature.


    After confirming again that no one was around, he dropped it off the airship.


    The body fell like a drifting leaf.


    Just as it was about to sink into the clouds, a massive figure, like a hawk diving for a rabbit, burst out from the side, grabbed Silear''s body, then tore it apart and swallowed it.


    Flesh, blood, and the tattered pieces of Wizard Robe fluttered down.


    Colin suppressed his shock, withdrawing his gaze.


    Milo was right, the environment around the airship had indeed been surrounded.


    He opened Silear''s Storage Ring, quickly took out the Magic Stone, and without a glance at the other items inside, he tossed it lightly.


    Whatever the reason, within the School, killing a fellow member was the greatest crime, something he couldn''t afford to be careless about!


    Of course, there was another more important reason¡ª


    On this airship, the leading Wizard of the Tin Saint School was Eugene.


    Herard''s mentor, Eugene.


    ''Not far from the second-floor middle staircase¡­''


    Colin''s expression remained calm and deep, recalling the location Silear had just revealed, and he stepped forward.


    Trouble wouldn''t be resolved by avoidance... This was a lesson he had long understood.

 Chapter 262 - 207: Confusing Situation

    Hiss¡ª¡ª!


    The eerie hissing sound echoed through the gray-blue corridor.


    A colossal, pitch-black bat monster that almost touched the ceiling surged across the corridor, its rough skin scraping against the walls and creating a grating noise.


    Herard peeked out from a room with the door open and watched as the dark monster disappeared, his expression somewhat grim.


    He turned to the empty gray-blue corridor on his left and cursed silently!


    "Useless things, they still haven''t brought Colin over!"


    When Silear approached him initially, he was confident. But now, it was taking so long just to bring someone over!


    Herard looked around: the gray-blue corridor was completely empty, which unnerved him.


    "Could it be that Silear has been killed by the dark monster?"


    It wasn''t impossible. Although most of the higher-ranked monsters gathered on the upper floors, some still made their way to the lower levels.


    Considering the dark monster that had just passed, judging by its presence alone, it must at least possess the prowess of a First Rank Advanced Wizard!


    A pang of regret hit Herard for choosing this time to cause trouble for Colin.


    "Wait another five minutes, and if Silear still hasn''t arrived, I''ll head to a safe place!"


    After making this decision, his mood gradually steadied.


    After all, as Silear said, if not now, there might not be such a good opportunity to deal with Colin later.


    Moreover, he had chosen this moment himself¡­


    Silear did not know about this attack. He had approached Herard merely wanting to act after the airship reached its destination...


    Unfortunately, this moment, in hindsight, wasn''t opportune.


    Herard shifted his gaze away and returned to the room.


    He looked at the corpse of an Advanced Wizard Apprentice lying in front of him, his heart sinking slightly.


    He had thought that since the high-rank Wizards were aware of the impending attack, everything would have been according to their plans!


    Not that the attack would result in no damage at all.


    But at least the lives of Wizards below the Second Rank like themselves were supposed to be guaranteed, with not too many deaths.


    They hadn''t expected that these dark monsters would invade as if entering an undefended realm.


    Those high-rank Wizards had not set up any countermeasures at all!


    From the start of the attack till now, barely ten minutes had passed, and he had heard countless screams while staying in this room!


    If the dark monsters were of a weaker variety, they as First Rank Wizards might handle them.


    But for the Apprentices, any monster was overwhelmingly formidable.


    The unfortunate Advanced Apprentice lying in front of him was the owner of this room and had died tragically at the start of the attack.


    Clang.


    A noise of metal clashing came from nearby, mixed with a Wizard''s scream.


    "Who knows which poor fellow that is¡­" Herard listened intently while vigilantly watching the open door.


    "Hmm?"


    Just then,


    another sound of metal clashing came¡ªbut this time,


    right beside him!


    Herard''s expression turned frantic.


    He hastily bolstered his Defensive Witchcraft to its strongest!


    Clang!!


    Before he could see what it was, he felt an incredibly powerful impact hit his left chest.


    "I can''t fend it off!"


    As the defensive Spiritual Light flickered, Herard shouted, and in a critical moment, while the Spiritual Light hadn''t yet shattered, he tried desperately to shift his body.


    In the next instant, his defenses shattered.


    Whoosh! S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Due to friction, the glowing red Cone Bullet, spinning, shot into his left shoulder, and then burst out from behind his shoulder, continuing its unstoppable trajectory into the gray-blue wall, finally falling to the ground.


    It made a tinkling sound.


    "So close..."


    Colin sighed slightly from the shadows.


    Though Herard appeared arrogant and overbearing, he was not without caution in combat.


    Unlike Silear, Herard had deployed his Defensive Witchcraft early.


    He had observed for a few minutes; just now had been the best chance¡­ and even for the element of surprise, he chose to shoot from the wall instead of the open doorway.


    While his thoughts were extensive, Colin didn''t cease his actions.


    He had earlier inquired with Lillian, knowing that Herard was only a First Rank Intermediate Wizard, the same level as Silear.


    With the Foolishness Scepter empowering him, he could handle it!


    One after another, lined-up Cone Bullets shot rapidly toward Herard.


    Then, an orange-yellow Fireball emerged, following behind the Cone Bullets, shooting towards Herard, and midway, transformed into the Fire Element charging forward!


    "Damn it! Who exactly is it!"


    Herard pressed on the hole in his left shoulder, roaring in his heart while hurriedly taking out Defensive Witch Tools for temporary resistance.


    Such an attack¡­ this assailant clearly had no intention of leaving him any way out!


    "Renel? Or Libel?"


    He had offended too many people on ordinary days, and he couldn''t think for the moment who would choose this time to complicate things.


    As for Colin¡­ merely an Apprentice who had just advanced to First Rank Wizard, he had never considered seriously.


    The attack continued.


    By strength, each attack was on the level of First Rank Middle Witchcraft in even battles.


    If one side lost the initiative, it generally meant they were doomed to defeat.


    "Renel, Lord Eugene is on the airship. Have you considered the consequences if you kill me?!"


    Herard struggled to respond, seeing he could barely hold on any longer, fear gradually surfacing in his mind, he couldn''t help but shout recklessly.


    But his words had no effect; the attack was as steady as ever, making one despair.


    Herard was furiously anxious.


    Apparently to facilitate the attack, that Fire Element had already torn down a wall.


    He could now clearly see that the attack was coming from not far around the corner of the corridor, but still, he couldn''t see any specific figure.


    "Libel, you cowardly rat!"


    Herard shouted again.


    While shouting, he carefully paid attention to the movements around him.


    If he was not mistaken, there was a rumbling sound starting to approach from a distance.


    Herard''s face lit up with joy.


    Just then,


    Swoosh!


    Silent!


    A semi-transparent witchcraft brilliance swept past, preventing any of his words from getting out.


    Herard paused slightly, feeling as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped on his heart.


    The Fire Element next to him seized this opportunity.


    It grabbed Herard by the collar and opened its huge mouth.


    Boom!!


    An orange-red Flame Pillar immediately burst out from its mouth, pouring over Herard''s face!!


    "Ahhhh¡ª!!" Herard screamed in pain, using his last strength to annihilate the Fire Element.


    But he also fell to the ground, exhausted.


    Perhaps the half-cooked brain from the flames finally became clear.


    Lying on the ground, Herard suddenly muttered,


    "Colin... it''s you!"


    The attack paused imperceptibly.


    A glint passed through Herard''s eyes, and he continued,


    "Colin, don''t you want to know how Lillian is?"


    Meanwhile, his left hand moved slightly, trying to secretly activate the silver badge he had quietly taken out.


    But the next second,


    A savage orange-yellow reflection filled his pupils.


    "No¡ª!!!"


    Herard cried out in despair.


    A fireball, even larger than the previous ones, enveloped him.


    The extreme temperature made igniting him look as easy as setting a clump of weeds on fire.


    Flames surged upwards.


    The pain of his burning body caused Herard to scream out in agony, his voice like the cries of the bloodstained.


    But these sounds were all bound by invisible witchcraft, failing to transmit slightly.


    Just like that, Herard soon turned into a lump of charred remains.


    Seeing this, Colin rounded the corner.


    Although his experience in battle was not abundant, he knew well the adage of ''delay breeds danger.''


    In his recent battle with Herard, if he had hesitated for a moment, or had not been cautious enough to notice Herard''s covert actions,


    The result now might not have been like this...


    After cautiously making a few more strikes, Colin, just as he had treated Silear''s body, left only the Magic Stone and tossed Herard''s body and all other belongings off the airship.


    The whistling wind blew past his ears,


    Colin watched as Herard''s body fell into the clouds and was then torn apart like ripped cotton by a huge creature...


    Half an hour had passed since the creature attacked.


    Yet, at this moment, the airship was still filled with the sounds of rampant beasts and the screams of unfortunate wizards, with no reduction in the surrounding creatures.


    Vibration¡ª


    The light of witchcraft faded, and Colin''s originally stern face regained its liveliness, a trace of worry appearing on his face.


    To conserve Magic Power, he had deactivated Mechanical Mind.


    ''Half an hour has passed, yet the situation inside the airship is still like this, I wonder about the adults¡­''


    Colin withdrew his gaze, listening to the sounds around him, and couldn''t help but sigh inwardly.


    He shook his head, no longer hesitating, and quickly headed towards his room.


    Although in the recent battle, he was not at all affected by Herard''s final words.


    But he was not the type to forget favors and violate morals; it was difficult not to care about Lillian''s safety.


    And now it seemed likely that Silear had perhaps lied; Lillian probably still did not know the true reason behind the attack.


    The higher the position, the greater the danger...


    If Lillian, like Witch Milo, blindlessly aimed for a high position, she might be in danger.


    But more likely, Lillian was also searching for him.


    Through the gray corridor, as Colin was thinking, he sped along, heading towards his room.

 Chapter 263 - 208 Encounter

    Swish!


    Colin suddenly stopped his rapid flight and pressed himself against the gray-blue wall on the other side of the intersection.


    A silent glow of witchcraft flickered over him.


    The next instant, a huge pitch-black monster sped past him through the corridor, making a thunderous noise.


    Then, not far away, it smashed through the ceiling and flew to the upper level!


    Gazing at the large hole in the ceiling not far away, Colin slightly furrowed his brow.


    He had flown all the way here, but he had seldom encountered pitch-black monsters on his way, only hearing the occasional sounds of metal clashing, tearing apart.


    It seemed that perhaps by now, the pitch-black monsters had all gathered on the upper level.


    The situation seemed to have changed again.


    Withdrawing his gaze, Colin continued to fly toward his own room.


    Without the pitch-black monsters, he had an unobstructed path, only needing to avoid some surviving Wizards.


    Thus, about two minutes later, Colin arrived at the door of his room.


    Stopping in front of the door, he looked around but did not find Lillian.


    "Hmm?"


    The next moment, Colin''s gaze sharpened, and he stepped closer to the door.


    On the gray-white door handle, there was a simple white flower.


    Extending his hand to pick it off, Colin''s thoughts stirred, and he reached out mentally toward it.


    Instantly, a location appeared in his mind.


    "It seems to be on the third floor..."


    Colin opened his eyes and held the white flower carefully in his hand.


    Without a doubt, this was a guide left for him by Lillian... The familiar scent on the white flower, he couldn''t mistake it.


    Listening closely to ensure there was no movement above,


    Colin waved his hand.


    Swish!


    A fireball shot toward the gray-blue ceiling above.


    With a loud bang, a large hole instantly opened up in it.


    Without waiting, even though the edges of the hole were still faintly red hot due to the high temperatures, relying on the Steel Temperature Resistance Field, Colin''s figure moved, and he instantly reached the third floor.


    But as soon as he arrived at this level and had a clear view of his surroundings, he stiffened slightly.


    A mutilated corpse was lying right beside him.


    Judging from the attire, this should be a First Rank Wizard...


    "Hmm?!"


    After taking a closer look, Colin''s pupils suddenly contracted.


    This dead Wizard was Milo who had previously invited him to go to the upper levels?!


    The fatal wound on the body was a huge horizontal cut at the waist, almost as if cutting Milo in half, completely disregarding defensive witchcraft...


    "This must have been done by at least a Second Rank monster."


    Colin''s expression was solemn as he suppressed the complex emotions in his heart and looked around.


    The originally clean and bright gray-blue corridor was now a complete mess.


    Torn metal panels, dim Bright Crystals, a cold wind from unknown origins constantly howling, picking up scattered fragments of Wizard Robes¡­ the whole environment resembled the apocalypse.


    On the second floor below, although there were also unfortunate Wizards who had died, most of them were Wizard Apprentices.


    The number of First Rank Wizards who had died should be very few¡­ At least just now on the lower levels, he had not seen any First Rank Wizards'' corpses on his way here.


    But here, apart from Milo''s body, not far ahead, there were a few more bodies of Wizards lying around¡­ If he remembered correctly, these Wizards were the same First Rank Wizards who had gone with Milo toward the third floor.


    Sighing softly, Colin couldn''t help but heighten his vigilance further.


    Holding the white flower in his hand, he continued walking along the ruined gray-blue corridor, guided by the position in his mind.


    Under the effect of the Silent, Colin didn''t make any noise, and combined with the standard Wizard Robe of the Tin Saint School, he looked just like a gray, drifting ghost.


    ¡­


    "Lord Grant, the taste of contaminated Magic Power isn''t pleasant, is it?"


    In the control room at the top level of the airship.


    Zite Wuto, with his black curly hair, smiled and watched the eagle-nosed old man bound to the seat before him, saying gently,


    "Wizards are just that, without Magic Power, they are nothing¡­ No, even with Magic Power, they are merely weak insects, only through faith in the Goddess can one obtain true immortality."


    Zite emphasized the word ''lord'' deliberately¡­


    Watching the figure he once looked up to now at his mercy, the joy in his heart was almost uncontrollable, and a flush even appeared on his pale cheeks.


    "The Wuto Family, the Crissi Family, the Aman''er Family¡­"


    At this moment, who had been silent, in Zite''s eyes, merely struggling with the help of Defensive Witch Tools, suddenly spoke.


    He sat in the armchair, opened his tightly closed eyes, and gazed at the Wizards before him, asking softly,


    "Are there any other Families involved in this matter besides you?"


    Zite Wuto laughed.


    "Do you still plan to settle accounts afterward, Grant? You don''t even see what your situation is like now."


    "The Archbishop of the Goddess will arrive soon¡­"


    He hadn''t even finished speaking.


    Clang! The door to the hub room was suddenly kicked open.


    A woman walked in.


    She was wearing a black hollowed-out long dress, with large patches of snow-white skin exposed, and the tight fit of the long dress accentuated her seductive curves.


    But what was even more eye-catching were her deep red hair, red pupils, and dark red lips and nails, seemingly stained with fresh blood!


    Such a shade of red, seen by anyone, would involuntarily bring to mind a red sea domain floating under the moonlit night.


    Yet this scene didn''t convey a sense of fantastical beauty, rather, it made one feel the presence of a bloodbath and the wails of aggrieved spirits... a terrifying bloody intent rushed over.


    Past the alluring body of the woman, behind her, the gray-blue corridor was packed with countless dark bat-like creatures.


    "The Archbishop of the Night and Blood Goddess..."


    Glenwood, with a hooked nose, muttered to himself,


    then he lifted his head to look at the woman who just burst in and gave a slight smile.


    He then said softly, word by word,


    "Foolish believer, I''ve been waiting for you for a long time."


    Before anyone could react,


    Glenwood rose to his full height and easily shrugged off his restraints, showing no sign of being bound.


    With a light gesture of his left hand, a plain gray scepter appeared in his grasp.


    Immediately, as the wizards including Zite watched in fear,


    he waved gently at the unflappable female bishop.


    Boom!


    ¡­


    On the gray-blue corridor, Colin''s sprinting form paused slightly.


    ''What happened?!'' S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As if impacted by something, the walls around him began shaking violently, even more fiercely than the previous monster attack!


    Immediately after,


    White Light¡ª


    Pale white lights began to appear on the visibly iron-gray walls.


    "Colin!"


    Just as he was puzzled, a call suddenly came from not far ahead.


    Colin turned to look, saying with some surprise,


    "Lillian senior!"


    Just as he could pinpoint Lillian''s location through the white flower in his hand, Lillian could also do the same.


    When she reached the third floor, Lillian also began moving towards him.


    "Are you alright?" Lillian approached and asked.


    A tiny figure peeked out from the hair at her neck.


    "I''m fine."


    Colin glanced unexpectedly at Bobi hiding in Lillian''s hair... he didn''t expect that Lillian senior would also bring this little elf along.


    ¡­Now was not the time to think about this.


    Colin shook his head, feeling somewhat uneasy due to the abnormalities around him.


    "Lillian senior, let''s go to the lower levels together, the lower levels are truly safer!"


    He raised his arm, shooting fireballs toward the ground as he briefly explained.


    "The Second Rank Wizards and above from the Nine Major Schools and their affiliated schools were already aware of this attack, but to find the traitors among other wizards, they deliberately allowed the attack to proceed!"


    "Those dark creatures don''t know this, they are all concentrated on the top floor, the lower levels are safer!"


    "You mean Lord Glenwood and others knew all this beforehand?" Lillian muttered, her face showing shock.


    Bang!


    Colin nodded and continued casting the Fireball Technique on the floor.


    But for some reason, the steel floor, which normally would have easily been punctured by one fireball, was now enduring two or three fireballs, merely bending and turning black without any signs of breaking!


    "Let me try." Lillian came back to her senses and said, understanding Colin''s thoughts.


    A pale golden beam shot down at the floor.


    Although it seemed unremarkable, the air around it twisted in an instant, undoubtedly demonstrating its extremely high temperature.


    Even Colin felt that it was significantly hotter than the flame rays cast by the Fire Element he summoned!


    But even such a powerful attack could not break the gray-blue iron wall under their feet, glowing with white light, only making it turn red and bend.


    Colin was about to use his Arrow Shooting Skill to help Lillian,


    when suddenly, a tense premonition surged in his heart.


    "Bobi!" The little elf hiding in Lillian''s hair suddenly shouted!


    "Be careful!"


    Lillian''s expression changed, and she urgently shouted.


    A huge dark creature, unknown in origin, suddenly lunged at them!


    The two of them quickly retreated.


    "A Second Rank Wizard''s level, not to be trifled with!" Lillian retreated while speaking quickly.


    Colin nodded and took a deep breath.


    "Follow me, maybe we can escape through the cracked floor!"

 Chapter 264 - 209 Outdoing Oneself

    He had realized by now that this abnormality was evidently caused by the white light that had been emerging on the iron plate since earlier.


    But since the iron plate was indestructible due to being enveloped in white light, perhaps they could go down to the next level through a broken hole not covered by the white light.


    They might even find a smaller hole and thereby shake off the pursuit of the dark creature!


    Lillian nodded her head, as clever as she was, she instantly understood Colin''s idea.


    Swoosh!


    Colin waved his hand gently, invoking the Swift Skill on himself and Lillian.


    With the enhancement of the Swift Skill, their speed increased noticeably.


    Lillian glanced at Colin with a hint of surprise in her eyes. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And the dark creature, limited by its size, had significantly slowed down in its attempt to break through the exceptionally durable cabin walls, clearly falling behind Colin and Lillian.


    Colin took a slight lead, paving the way forward. With the aid of his Superbrain, he clearly recalled the nearest hole he had come across on his way and planned the fastest route!


    The sound of the wind howled.


    His Soaring and Flying Technique, now elevated to the realms of First Rank Witchcraft due to the fusion with Golden Paper Limit Breaking, matched him perfectly, and at this moment, his flying speed was no less than Lillian''s.


    Even Colin felt that, with the boost from the present Swift Skill, in terms of speed, it wasn''t much different from the graceful Flying Witchcraft he had seen Margaret perform.


    "Turn the corner ahead and you''ll see the hole, on the left side of the corridor, near the wall," Colin whispered urgently.


    "Alright!" Lillian responded, her mind filled with surprise.


    Remembering the hole was not difficult, but to recall it so clearly without having made a concerted effort to memorize it while merely passing by was no simple feat.


    The next moment, they turned the corner like weary birds returning to their nests.


    One after the other, they accurately slipped through the hole in the floor and arrived on the second level.


    Boom!!!


    Moments later, the dark creature violently crashed into the hole, but due to its colossal size, it was unable to get through.


    It could only let out soundless roars at the edge of the hole.


    Colin let out a slight sigh of relief.


    He was just about to continue flying with Lillian to the next level.


    But just then!


    The white light that shrouded the grey-blue iron walls around them suddenly began to flicker and then vanished in an instant.


    "Not good!"


    "Move quickly!"


    Colin''s heart skipped a beat, and he continued to flee forward with Lillian!


    However, after making a few turns, he felt something was amiss.


    There was no sound of the iron walls breaking, nor any sound of the creature''s rush...


    "Junior Wizard Colin, it seems the creature has stopped chasing us," Lillian spoke up, gradually slowing down her flight.


    Colin also came to a halt.


    Looking back, there was only the empty corridor.


    Listening carefully, it seemed the creature had broken through the ceiling and moved up to a higher level.


    Boom!!


    At that moment, a loud explosion was suddenly heard.


    Swoosh!


    The next second, out of the corner of his eye, Colin thought he saw something flash by.


    Instinctively, he looked towards the window.


    In the far-off field of vision, a man in a white Wizard Robe with a hooked nose looked disheveled as he came to a stop. From his direction, he seemed to have just been flung out of the airship.


    "Lord Grantland?!" Lillian approached the window and murmured involuntarily.


    Colin felt a jolt of shock and continued to look into the distance.


    With his strong vision, he could clearly see fresh blood spilling from the corners of Grantland''s mouth, his expression a mix of shock and anger.


    The next moment, a dark red woman with a smile slowly walked out from where Grantland had been flung, although she was walking in the air without any footing, it was as if she walked on solid ground.


    Behind her, the figure of a wizard dressed in standard Wizard Robe emerged.


    "Who is that?"


    Colin asked involuntarily.


    "A wizard of the Goodale School?" Lillian identified the wizard''s affiliation by the style of his robe.


    Then she placed her hand against the window and murmured unbelievably, "Did you just say that the wizards of the Nine Major Schools and its subsidiary schools of Second Rank or above¡­ knew about the attack in advance?"


    Colin''s heart sank abruptly.


    He had assumed that the Council was confident and had determined the traitor to be among the wizards outside of the Nine Major Schools and their subsidiaries, which is why they had informed the subsidiary schools'' Second Rank or higher wizards about the attack in advance.


    But the Goodale School, clearly one of the subsidiaries of the Nine Major Schools'' Silver Peace School¡­ Why would one appear beside the Divine Believer now?!


    "It seems, the lowest level isn''t necessarily safe now either," Colin spoke slowly, his face clouded with gloom.


    The two continued to watch the distant situation.


    Lillian summoned a trumpet-shaped flower, placing it against a nearby fractured cabin wall.


    After a slight adjustment, the conversation''s voices suddenly came through.


    "The Goodale School has fallen as well..."


    This was unmistakably Grantland''s voice.


    "The Supreme Council above all, the Nine Major Schools immutable... where is the sense in that?"


    The Goodale wizard spoke softly.


    He had a scholarly look with loose hair, dressed in a white robe, and the authority he carried was only slightly weaker than Grantland''s.


    Grantland remained silent as he turned to look into the distance.


    Colin followed his gaze.


    In the bright moonlight, Colin could clearly see the shapes of two other airships.


    Just like here.


    The other two airships were also surrounded by numerous enemies.


    Only they were not dark bats, but two other kinds of monsters.


    "Bishop Grant, surrender, submit to my lord," the female bishop said softly.


    "If you desire power, the Divine can grant you power. If you want authority, a wizard like you only needs to submit to my lord, and your status shall not be below mine... Moreover, by submitting to the goddess, the generous Divine will share with you Her eternal authority."


    "Hah!" Grant shook his head and sneered, "Eternal life?!"


    Colin watched Grant''s lips quiver as if he wanted to continue speaking, but he suddenly paused and stood in silence.


    ...It appeared he had accepted the inevitability of defeat, using no witchcraft and making no attempt to flee.


    To the bishop and her followers, this clearly indicated Grant''s wavering.


    Thus, she continued to persuade him to surrender.


    But for some reason,


    Colin, watching Grant, couldn''t shake the feeling that something was amiss.


    His Superbrain whirred rapidly.


    This reaction was like...


    Like he had suddenly received a spiritual message!


    Just then!


    A grand and familiar voice suddenly rang out.


    "The Goodwell School... the Goodwell School... so it was you!"


    At the appearance of this voice, the entire battlefield fell silent.


    "Nois City Lord?!"


    Colin''s heart skipped a beat as he recognized the owner of the voice.


    As he looked into the distance,


    The faces of both the female bishop and the wizard from the Goodwell School had turned exceedingly nasty.


    "You still had reinforcements hidden!" the female bishop said incredulously.


    "Surrender," retorted Grant with a slight smile as he spoke.


    But as Colin observed carefully, he noticed a trace of lingering fear in his eyes.


    Buzz¡ª


    A familiar semi-transparent ripple suddenly spread rapidly from the center airship outwards.


    Wherever it passed, the dark monsters began to wail and fall silent, tumbling down towards the clouds.


    At that moment, a hint of red light suddenly lit up the eastern sky.


    The pale red light pierced through the circular porthole glass and shone onto Colin''s face.


    As he saw the monsters falling like rain unto death, his heart was silently relieved.


    While he breathed a sigh of relief, the unsettling sense of foreboding regarding the wizard faction deepened.


    It seemed that this fishing expedition by the wizards had been successful and even managed to root out the traitorous Goodwell School embedded within their own ranks.


    ''But... even Schools can turn to the Divine?'' Colin lowered his gaze.


    ...


    The sun was well up in the sky.


    The whistling wind spun past his ears, causing his hair to dance wildly.


    Colin was holding a specialized Witch Tool, carefully repairing a hole in the airship''s outer wall.


    "Move a bit more to the left, yes, right there, stop, stop, stop!"


    The wizard on his right was waving a mechanical arm, directing his less than brilliant mechanical puppet to place a spare metal plate over the shattered area of the hull.


    Whoosh!


    Following that, a silver glow emanated from another wizard at his side, holding a similar silver cube Witch Tool.


    Under the glow, the metal plate, originally hard, suddenly became as malleable as putty.


    With the wizard''s guidance, it stretched and deformed, seamlessly covering the irregularly shaped hole.


    Colin shifted his gaze back, channeling Magic Power to continue fixing the breach on his side.


    The battle had ended shortly after the appearance of Nois at dawn that day.


    The Divine faction suffered heavy losses, with almost all of their adherents and followers decimated. If not for a bishop who had summoned a Divine Projection in the nick of time, creating an opportunity for the remaining few,


    The originally fleeing bishop and another red-robed bishop would likely have met their doom there.


    Of course, this may also be because Nois had focused more on the traitors.


    Traitors are always more detestable than enemies, as always.


    As for the wizard faction...


    Their losses were also severe.


    Walking through the airship, one could clearly sense the notable decrease in the number of wizards.


    Perhaps this was why even he was called upon to repair the airship.


    So he busied himself until evening, repairing from the outer armor of the airship all the way to the inner chambers and corridors, finally finishing his work.


    But as soon as Colin opened his door, before he even had a chance to sit down, he heard Grant''s familiar voice come through the airship''s Demon Crystal broadcast.


    "In one hour, all wizards are to gather in the central hall on the third floor."


    Click.


    Colin closed the door, sat down on the cushion in the middle of his room, and frowned slightly.


    ''What could Grant be gathering all the wizards for...''


    One hour later... Colin pondered for a moment, extending his spiritual power towards the Storage Ring on his finger, preparing to spend this time organizing the Magic Stones he had taken from Herard and the other.

 Chapter 265 - 210: Marking Technique

    "One, two, three..."


    Colin didn''t physically retrieve the Magic Stones, instead, he counted them directly in the Storage Ring using his Spirit.


    Although this method was more taxing on the spirit, it had the advantage of being more concealed and safer.


    Soon, Colin had finished counting the Magic Stones.


    Opening his eyes, Colin exhaled deeply, temporarily suppressing the concerns from the big battle with the surprising number of Magic Stones, and a smile inadvertently appeared on his face.


    "Over forty thousand Magic Stones... Adding to those I originally had, that makes a total of over forty thousand Magic Stones!"


    ''Killing people, setting fires, golden belt... The ancients did not deceive me!''


    Colin felt a pang of emotion internally, and then summoned the Golden Paper.


    Raising his eyes for a quick scan, he nodded slightly.


    As expected, the progress on the Swift Skill listed on the Golden Paper was more than half completed... Although this was not the first time, he couldn''t help being impressed.


    Now, with the Superbrain, the speed of practice compared to before was literally day and night!


    After pondering for a moment, Colin took out a Magic Stone, and then pulled out a Witch Tool he had bought a long time ago but had never used before¡ª the Magic Stone Release Ring.


    The Release Ring, true to its name, was a black ring with a hollow center just right for inserting a Magic Stone.


    Magic Stones, crystals rich in Magic Power.


    Naturally, they could be used to help recover Magic Power or assist in practice, and, of course, could also be used to charge the crystals in Witch Tools.


    However, due to the luxurious nature of using Magic Stones for practice on Blackstone Island and during travels, he had never tried it before.


    But after arriving in Neustadt City, the concentration of Magic Power was already high enough for his Apprentice stage, practically reaching the limit.


    After all, no matter how much water there is outside, the pipe that receives it is only so big, there is an upper limit.


    Using Magic Stones for further practice was not very effective, merely a waste, so he hadn''t tried it.


    Of course, the main reason was that practicing with Magic Stones was not convenient.


    The concentration of Magic Power contained within Magic Stones was very high, if not moderated before use for practice or recovery... For a Wizard, it would be more harmful than beneficial.


    In the past, Wizards needed to use special witchcraft to moderate Magic Stones, but now they mostly use specially made Witch Tools.


    Not only are these convenient, but they also reduce the wear and tear on the Magic Stones and are more effective.


    Indulgently taking out a lower quality Magic Stone and placing it into the Magic Stone Release Ring, Colin started to recover his Magic Power.


    About five minutes later.


    Colin opened his eyes again.


    Although it was his first time using a Magic Stone for recovering Magic Power, overall, there wasn''t much difference compared to the usual.


    The generation of the Magic Stone Release Ring he was holding, produced by the Yista School, was the latest model, perfected over many years. It could not be further improved.


    The user experience, naturally, was flawless.


    ''This practice is also a rehearsal for later.''


    After all, once he left Neustadt City, the concentration of Magic Power outside would not be so high.


    In fact, in the Southern Sea Domain, there were many low-magic areas.


    To ensure the progress of his practice, he might need to use Magic Stones for practice.


    Putting away the Release Ring, Colin stood up, his mind aflutter.


    "Cast Swift Skill!"


    The glow of witchcraft flashed, and the familiar sensation of lightness instantly enveloped his body.


    If he hadn''t miscalculated, now, with the aid of the Superbrain, before going to the gathering, he could completely practice the Swift Skill to its limit, and then achieve Limit Breaking!


    Just like that, Colin practiced over and over.


    By the time the Magic Power inside him that had just recovered was once again depleted, he had not only practiced the Swift Skill to its limit but also practiced the Steel Temperature Resistance Field for a while!


    Click.


    Pulling out the Pocket Watch, he checked the time. It was just right, and he still had enough time to break the limit on the Swift Skill.


    Sitting cross-legged, Limit Breaking was not a novelty for Colin anymore. He was very familiar with the process.


    As the characters after the Limit Breaking Point gradually decreased, the Swift Skill II, unsurprisingly, successfully broke the limit to become Swift Skill III.


    "Hmm?"


    Watching the Golden Paper, Colin suddenly raised his eyebrow.


    This Swift Skill, after breaking the limit, did not turn into a First Rank Lower Magic as expected but, like the Trace Erasure, directly turned into a First Rank Middle Magic!


    Click, he opened the Pocket Watch again.


    Time was almost up, if he didn''t set off soon, he might be late.


    As Colin pondered, he stood up and headed outside.


    ''When Fireball Skill II broke the limit to Fireball, it only went from Zeroth Rank Upper to First Rank Lower, while Swift Skill directly went from Zeroth Rank Upper to First Rank Middle... and Trace Erasure, also a fused witchcraft, yet it uniquely turned into First Rank Middle...''


    Colin smoothed his brows.


    ''The extent of improvements from wizardry Limit Breaking is indeed not uniform.''


    In fact, Colin had never stopped summarizing and researching the Golden Paper.


    Knowledge is power, whether in this world or in his original world, it is the truth.


    Initially, especially during the Apprentice stage when even life was hard to secure, he often opted to enhance witchcraft directly with the help of the Golden Paper.


    Of course, another reason was that the Wizard Apprentice did not yet have the capability to delve into exploring knowledge.


    Back then, he could only improve whatever witchcraft he had... There were no other options, nor could he delve deep.


    But now that he had become a First Rank Wizard, it was time to attend to some long-standing puzzles. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Concerning the Golden Paper, concerning wizard knowledge...


    At that moment, he paused slightly.


    In the distance ahead, two familiar figures entered his line of sight.

 Chapter 266 - 210 Marking Technique_2

    A wizened old man in appearance, the other boasting a head of crop-cut silver hair¡ª


    It was Mayer and Sovoc.


    After pondering for a moment, Colin hastened his pace and caught up with the two.


    After the battle had ended, and even before returning to his room, he had been assigned to repair the airship and had never seen Mayer or Sovoc...


    And he had no idea what their situation had been like, always hidden in the lowest layers.


    "Lord Mayer, Lord Sovoc."


    After approaching, Colin took the initiative to greet them.


    Mayer and Sovoc turned their heads, their faces showing some surprise.


    Upon seeing them clearly, Colin also paused slightly.


    Sovoc''s complexion was pale, a fierce wound stretching from his chin down to his collarbone, and although a translucent pale green gel covered it, one could still see the fresh red flesh and stark white bone beneath.


    Mayer was not much better off; though he had no visible wounds, his complexion was tired, and combined with his already aged face, he appeared to be at death''s door!


    "Lord Colin... I didn''t expect you to be completely unharmed."


    Sovoc, ever blunt, looked at Colin and was the first to speak, a hint of disbelief in his eyes.


    "I envy your luck," sighed Sovoc, "...If only we''d known not to listen to those who told us to go to the lowest layer when the second layer we were on was actually the safest!"


    Colin''s expression remained calm, and he did not rebut, for in the eyes of others, he had only just advanced to become an Official Wizard.


    He was about to ask about the situation in the lowest layer when Mayer, who seemed to have thought of something, preempted him, asking:


    "Lord Colin, where is Miss Milo? Have you seen her?"


    "I have not seen her at all," Colin replied, his tone steady as he shook his head.


    "I have not seen her at all..."


    Mayer murmured and sighed, falling silent.


    Sovoc, as if thinking of something as well, also shut his mouth.


    "The second layer was actually the safest...


    Lord Mayer, what exactly happened in the lowest layer?"


    Colin spoke, breaking the silence.


    "In the secret chamber, the Wizards of the Goodell School betrayed us, trying to let those monsters in. Caught off guard, they nearly succeeded, but in the end, we prevailed."


    Mayer looked up at him, briefly summarizing what had happened, then added:


    "Only, many Wizards died, including several from the Nine Major Schools... Remember Witch Morton of the Silver An Covenant from that exchange meeting? She was one of them..."


    Colin felt a slight shock in his heart; this was far more serious than he had imagined...


    "Those lowlives of the Goodell School have betrayed the principles of witchcraft."


    Sovoc angrily spat, his wounds a masterpiece of a Goodell Wizard.


    "Why be angry, the Goodell School probably has already become history," said Mayer, trying to calm Sovoc down, "Let''s see what Lord Grant has called us here for..."


    Colin looked forward and before he realised it, they had arrived at the central hall of the assembly.


    Countless golden chandeliers hung, providing ample light, and the white light from the Bright Crystals flooded down, lighting up the crowded Wizards.


    The original tables and chairs in the hall had been removed to accommodate the arriving Wizards.


    At the front of the Wizards, Grant had already appeared.


    He sat in the main seat, his gaze steady, his complexion good, with no signs of injury visible.


    "Let''s go over there, the view is good from that spot," Sovoc suggested.


    This assembly had no specific standing arrangements, and they did not need to stand with members of their own School; they could stand anywhere. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Agreed," Mayer nodded.


    Colin naturally had no objections and followed along.


    "Everyone is here, so I will begin."


    As soon as they had just arrived at the chosen spot, Grant spoke in a deep and resonant voice.


    As his words ended, a semi-transparent barrier suddenly enveloped the hall.


    "What is this?!"


    "What''s going on?"


    The Wizards in the hall began whispering to each other, exchanging looks and murmurs.


    Colin''s expression changed subtly.


    Grant''s actions reminded him of an unforgettable memory...


    But Grant in front, showed no intention of explaining, merely waving the scepter in his hand.


    A clear and translucent ripple rapidly spread outwards from the tip of his scepter.


    Colin inadvertently thought of the unknown witchcraft used by the Nois City Lord¡­ It also looked like a translucent ripple.


    Just then,


    a commotion suddenly arose from among the group of Wizards to his left.


    Colin turned his head to look.


    On the head of a rather ordinary-looking Wizard, a striking red orb of light suddenly appeared.


    The orb, roughly the size of a fist, resembled a cluster of gathering mist, emitting light from within.


    Grinlant, standing up front, fixed his gaze on the scene but made no move.


    The next moment, several similar red orbs of light began to appear elsewhere among the crowd.


    The Wizards who were thus marked finally realized what was happening.


    "Praise my Lord!"


    One of the believers, his expression fluctuating, shouted aloud and lunged toward the Wizard closest to him, intending to drag them both to their doom.


    Swish!


    But Grinlant, having chosen to take this action, was of course thoroughly prepared.


    He and several Wizards beside him simultaneously took action.


    Those marked Wizards were at once firmly restrained and then drawn to the front.


    Grinlant did not look at the Wizards who were pulled forward but rather scanned the Wizards below the stage.


    Once he sensed the noise within the hall dwindling and peace returning, he slowly pointed at the several restrained Wizards and began to speak:


    "You might have guessed it by now, they are all filthy Divine Believers...


    Wizards just identified by witchcraft as Divine Believers!"


    Grinlant''s tone picked up, revealing a slight smile:


    "Yes, Lord Nois and several Councilmen from the Supreme Council have, after this battle, seen through these believers'' disguises, and have developed a special detection witchcraft¡ªDeep Red Marking Technique!"


    Colin''s heart skipped a beat, followed by elation.


    He had underestimated the power on the Wizards'' side...


    "The purpose of summoning you here is simple, to teach this form of witchcraft," continued Grinlant.


    ''Teaching witchcraft¡­'' Colin furrowed his brow.


    Could this be somewhat unwise?


    Such witchcraft, if mastered by every Wizard, would indeed be brilliant, truly leaving no place for Divine Believers to hide.


    But in his view, if it were possible, it would obviously be best for only a small number of truly reliable Wizards to have this knowledge.


    The fewer who know it, the less likely it will leak, thereby preventing the Divine side from developing countermeasures.


    However, since Grinlant was proceeding in this way, it was clearly a command from the Supreme Council.


    Perhaps there was deeper meaning he was unaware of.


    Hmm, or maybe it was just simple confidence in the effectiveness of the witchcraft, not worrying about it being deciphered by the Divine side...


    "Huff¡ª"


    Mayer at his side let out a long sigh of relief, a smile spreading across his face.


    He glanced at Colin and Sovoc, who looked on curiously, and said with a chuckle:


    "Don''t laugh, but an old man like me has always been worried about this traitor issue. After all, if we could only find traitors by such means each time, it''s really not a lasting solution."


    His tone seemed less courteous and more sincere than usual.


    "Wizards will prevail, just as they have for thousands of years!" Sovoc added from the side, his voice brimming with confidence.


    Colin remained silent.


    After arriving in Neustadt City, aside from his training, he often immersed himself in the ancient library, catching up on much of the world''s history and cultural knowledge.


    This world was vast; apart from the Siya Continent, there were several others.


    The exact time when Wizards and Divines began to be at odds is lost to history... but one thing is clear: over 3,500 years ago, there was a monumental war between the Wizards and Divines of this world.


    The end result was a pyrrhic victory for the Wizards, the Divines defeated.


    Whether the influence of that war played a part or not, in the subsequent centuries, Giants Dragons, Elves, Beastmen¡­ these once comrades-in-arms of the Wizards gradually disappeared from the world.


    During this period, there were occasional resurgences or descent of Divines, but these were sporadic events or of a very small scale.


    Until the past five years, records from the Supreme Council show a sudden increase in Divine descents.


    In the past two years, in the Southern Sea Domain, signs of a Divine resurgence began to gradually emerge...


    With a resigned sigh, Colin pondered¡­ this too was a form of being born at the wrong time.


    He clenched his fist gently, refocusing his thoughts, carefully listening to Grinlant''s instructional demonstration ahead.

 Chapter 267 - 211 Gubier Island

    Perhaps it was to facilitate widespread adoption. The Deep Red Marking Technique was not complex.


    Moreover, with the demonstration by the Great Wizard Grant, it didn''t take long for Colin to feel like he had mastered this witchcraft.


    On the Golden Paper in the Zeroth Rank Upper witchcraft column, the characters of the Deep Red Marking Technique slowly emerged.


    Like the Ancient Tree Heart Witchcraft taught to him by Lillian, the Deep Red Marking Technique was technically rankless.


    It was merely because the minimum usage limit was an Advanced Wizard Apprentice that it was classified as Zeroth Rank Upper witchcraft.


    It''s worth mentioning that, like other witchcraft practices, they also signed a strict contract before learning.


    And this contract was far more stringent than the usual non-disclosure agreements signed when acquiring witchcraft.


    Perhaps¡­ that is why the Supreme Council dared to popularize this witchcraft.


    "I''ll demonstrate up to here; we may adjourn,"


    on the platform, Grant spoke and then emphasized further:


    "This witchcraft will not be recorded on the learning crystals, there will be a dedicated wizard teaching it here every morning.


    By the time we disembark, all wizards must have learned this witchcraft. Otherwise, they will not disembark."


    "So strict¡­" Sovoc exclaimed in surprise.


    "That''s indeed necessary; it''s better to popularize such witchcraft as quickly as possible," Mayer said matter-of-factly.


    Following the appearance of the Deep Red Marking Technique, his mood visibly brightened quite a bit, driving away some of his grim expression and adding a tinge of rosiness¡­ at least he didn''t look like he was on his last legs.


    "That makes sense," Sovoc nodded.


    At this point, after Grant had finished speaking, some of the wizards had already started to leave.


    Colin took the opportunity to speak, "I have some matters to attend to today, so I''ll head back first."


    "That''s alright¡ª" Sovoc turned to look at Mayer, "What about His Lordship, planning to stay here to finish learning this witchcraft before leaving?" S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Of course, I can hardly wait to master this witchcraft!" Mayer responded without hesitation.


    The voices of the two men gradually faded, and Colin turned to walk back to his room alone.


    He exited the hall and entered the gray-blue corridor.


    The floor was shiny, the walls intact, the Bright Crystals emitted a soft white light¡­ everything was back to normal.


    "Huh?"


    Colin''s gaze shifted, and not far ahead seemed to be a familiar petite figure,


    Lillian, the senior apprentice¡­


    As usual, Lillian was walking alone at this moment.


    Just as Colin was about to go forward to greet her, a voice suddenly came from the side.


    "Colin Leonard."


    The voice was soft, unhurried, expressing no emotion.


    Colin instinctively turned to look.


    To the right, a tall knight was watching him calmly.


    That voice¡­ Colin hesitated for a moment before responding,


    "Knight Eugene."


    He recognized the knight; it was one of those identically looking knights under Eugene from their Tin Saint School.


    Speaking to him in this tone now¡­ obviously, it should be Eugene''s consciousness in control.


    "Hmm," a barely discernible grunt came from the knight''s mouth.


    "Last night, when the Divine attacked, did you see Herard?"


    Knight Eugene gazed at Colin, his eyes calm, yet sharp as a hawk''s.


    "I did not, Lord Eugene," Colin replied, lowering his head slightly, expressionless.


    The power of an Ultimate Knight allowed him perfectly to control every part of his body, revealing no hint of anything unusual.


    "Hmm," Eugene again responded softly.


    Then he suddenly added, "Last night when the monsters attacked, you were lucky, having just Advanced to First Rank Wizard, not only did you survive, but you were completely unharmed, not even a scratch."


    "Of course, Lord Eugene. After the monster attack yesterday, Colin had tried to flee outside but was chased back to his room by the monsters, whereupon seeing the message I left, we met up together,"


    Eugene turned his head as Lillian, who suddenly walked over, slightly furrowed his brow.


    ''Attebold''s granddaughter, is it¡­''


    He took a deep look at Lillian, said nothing more, and turned away.


    "Senior apprentice Lillian," Colin greeted.


    What Lillian had just said was his story from yesterday.


    Yesterday, he had carefully confirmed that Milo and the batch of wizards he had met when he left had all unfortunately perished.


    So, naturally, there was no one to refute his story now.


    Lillian nodded, then suddenly asked:


    "Did you know, Herard and Silear have both disappeared."


    "Disappeared?" Colin asked "confused".


    Lillian scrutinized Colin carefully and said:


    "Perhaps he fell from the airship and was torn apart by the outer monsters, or was torn to pieces by the monsters and thrown off the airship. Who knows? There were quite a few wizards missing this time."


    "Indeed." Colin nodded slightly, his face expressionless.


    It wasn''t that he didn''t trust Lillian, but killing Herard was no minor matter. It wasn''t necessary to bring trouble to Lillian, and the fewer people knew about such things, the lower the risk of exposure became.


    "Have you started learning the Ancient Tree Heart Witchcraft?"


    After walking side by side for a while, Lillian suddenly asked.


    "Nearly." Colin shook his head.


    Lillian glanced at him, then slowly spoke.


    "Well, don''t rush. According to past experience, it takes at least a month to get started with this witchcraft."


    Colin was taken aback, then nodded.


    Their figures gradually disappeared into the distance.


    At that moment, another tall figure suddenly appeared.


    His features were identical to the knight who had just walked in front of them and left.


    Knight Eugene watched Colin and Lillian moving away, frowning.


    ''No signs of anything unusual...''


    The rest of the journey went smoothly.


    Aside from practicing daily, Colin occasionally went to the central hall on the third floor to "learn" the Deep Red Marking Technique.


    It was only after the number of wizards visiting the hall each day had halved that he canceled this activity and focused on seclusion in his room.


    Thus, days and months passed,


    and on this day at dawn,


    the light white mist melted away under the brilliance of the morning sun.


    Three massive gray-blue airships gradually decreased their altitude, breaking through the continual cloud layer.


    Standing by the corridor window, Colin suddenly saw a towering large island emerge in his view.


    ''The destination has arrived...'' Colin exhaled deeply.


    The huge island was irregularly oval-shaped.


    The east side was high and the cliffs steep, gradually lowering toward the west, which ended in a vast expanse of golden beaches.


    It was a bustling large island; human activity and buildings were visible as far as the eye could see.


    There were settlements on the sandy shores to the west, as well as atop the cliffs on the east.


    This was their destination¡ªGubier Island!


    After taking a few more looks, Colin returned to his room to pack up his belongings to disembark from the airship.


    Knock-knock-knock¡ª


    Just as he was almost done packing, a sudden knock sounded on the door.


    Upon opening it, he saw Mayer and Sovoc.


    "Good morning, Mr. Colin, Lady Margaret has instructed us to assemble at the third hatch," Sovoc said.


    Colin nodded, closed the door behind him, and joined them as they walked to the designated hatch.


    As they passed a corridor window, he saw the airship beginning to descend slowly toward a gray-white clearing in the middle of the island.


    "Finally, we''ve reached our destination."


    Mayer, watching the scene, could not help but exclaim.


    "Yes, in just a few more minutes, we will set foot on the island''s soil," added Sovoc, followed by a sigh,


    "Unfortunately, it''s just the three of us now."


    Colin remained silent; after Milo''s death, her School did not send another member to join this Alyus meeting.


    Perhaps... it was also because almost half of the apprentices participating in the Alyus meeting had been killed or wounded in recent attacks, eliminating the need for as many accompanying wizards.


    "Fortunately, we wizards are not going into battle."


    Mayer expressed his relief. After the divine attack a few days ago, he had lost the urge to earn Supreme Council contribution points and only wanted to preside over the Alyus meeting before returning to the safety of Neustadt City.


    Colin agreed with a nod.


    The battlefield was dangerous, but these accompanying wizards from the Alyus meeting were only facing challenges meant for Advanced Wizard Apprentices.


    In other words, they were sent to places that were relatively safe and appropriate for the trials of Advanced Wizard Apprentices.


    However...


    "We are here," Sovoc suddenly said.


    Colin looked up and saw they had arrived at the third hatch of the airship.


    Beneath the massive gray-blue steel hatch, many wizards gathering to disembark.


    Margaret was not far from the hatch on the left.


    Colin followed Mayer and Sovoc, moving toward Margaret.


    He looked at the bustling wizards and sighed inwardly.


    Still... battlefields are ever-changing, and though it''s relatively safe, no one can be precisely sure.


    One must still be cautious.

 Chapter 268 - 212 Wizard Lin Ke

    "Stay close to me later, and don''t wander off."


    Beside the hatch, Margaret said to them in a cold voice.


    Perhaps due to the passing of a good friend, Margaret''s already serious and staid face seemed even colder now.


    "Yes," Colin and the others responded in unison.


    Arriving at Gubier Island meant that they had left the territory of the Siya Continent Wizard Alliance; naturally, they needed to be more cautious.


    However, the wizards at sea were mostly independent and had only loose exchange organizations between islands, without an alliance as vast as that on the Siya Continent.


    But there was still a Supreme Council here, albeit one belonging to the Sea Domain.


    The actual controllers of Gubier Island were a few councilmen of the Southern Sea Supreme Council.


    This time, the wizards from Neustadt City came strictly as military assistance, not as the main force. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The main force currently resisting the Sea Domain Divines were still the wizards of the Sea Domain.


    Click.


    After a short while, accompanying the noise of gears meshing and rubbing against each other, a pale yellow sunlight suddenly spilled in through the grey-blue steel gaps.


    The hatch slowly opened.


    The familiar sea breeze, tinged with a hint of salt, immediately blew in, lifting the stray hairs on Colin''s forehead, and the cries of seabirds he hadn''t heard in a long time echoed in his ears...


    Taking a deep breath, Colin felt his heartbeat quicken slightly.


    This familiar sensation seemed to bring him back to the days on the island.


    "Let''s go."


    Margaret said faintly, taking the lead to walk forward.


    Exiting the hatch, they were greeted by a vast square.


    Though the square was large, it was still somewhat inferior to the one in Neustadt City.


    Nevertheless, it barely managed to accommodate the landing of three airships.


    There were many hatch doors on Neustadt City''s airship, and the wizards quickly disembarked.


    The vast square was instantly filled with the figures of wizards.


    Fortunately, Gubier Island seemed already familiar with such a spectacle; various signs were very clear and conspicuous.


    To the left of the airship''s hatch, Margaret gathered with them and the other accompanying wizards from the Alus Association.


    Colin glanced around; originally, there were thirty-six accompanying wizards from the Achilles Association sent by Neustadt City¡ªwizards from the Nine Major Schools and their affiliated Schools.


    But now, at a glance, there were likely only about twenty or so left.


    However, it seemed that the only wizard from the Nine Major Schools who had unfortunately died was Morton of Silver An.


    While Colin was thinking this, a voice suddenly came from the side.


    "Margaret, what exactly happened? Why is Morton dead?!"


    A male wizard with a head of silver hair pushed through the crowd and walked forward.


    His face showed a hint of sorrow, and his tone was low.


    ''Perhaps Morton''s older brother?'' Colin speculated uncertainly in his mind. The newly arrived wizard was wearing the badge of the Silver An School and looked very similar to Morton, whom he had seen before at the duty meeting.


    "Please accept my condolences," Margaret paused before speaking, a rare flash of sorrow crossing her stern face.


    Then she waved her hand and set up Silence Magic between the two, beginning to converse with the silver-haired wizard.


    After a while, the apprentices were assembled, and Margaret also finished talking to that wizard.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, let''s go, Lord Lin Ke is waiting for us."


    At this time, the wizard from Silver An had regained his composure, contained his sorrow, looked around at the remaining wizards of the Nine Major Schools, and said in a grave voice.


    Then, taking the lead, he walked towards the square''s exit.


    Margaret and the other wizards followed without objection... It seemed that this wizard was taking over Morton''s role.


    Colin followed the other wizards, unconsciously sweeping his gaze over the surrounding crowd.


    The wizards were packed closely together, jostling each other and obstructing the view.


    But he knew this was only temporary; besides the wizards from the Alus Association, most of the other wizards wouldn''t even stop at Gubier Island, and they would immediately head to the next island... the front-line islands.


    ''I wonder where Sister Lillian will go...''


    Colin withdrew his gaze and proceeded in silence.


    After a while, the wizard from Silver An led them into a round-domed tall tower.


    The style of this ancient tower was incredibly old, with spaces left around for illumination and one could still faintly make out that they were originally designed for torches and oil lamps.


    "You and the Apprentices wait in the hall."


    Margaret instructed them, and then she ascended the spiraling narrow gray-black staircase with other Wizards from the Nine Major Schools.


    After the figures of Margaret and the others had disappeared, Mayer asked in a low voice.


    "Have any of you heard of this Wizard Lin Ke?"


    "Not very clear, he doesn''t seem to be a Wizard from the Nine Major Schools."


    A Wizard from an affiliated School shook his head.


    "Seems like he''s a Wizard from the Supreme Council."


    Another voice spoke up.


    "A Wizard from the Supreme Council?!", all Wizards were somewhat surprised.


    Although the Councilmen of the Supreme Council were mainly composed of High Rank Wizards from the Nine Major Schools and certain High Rank Wizards from Family Schools.


    But the Supreme Council was not just Councilmen.


    Apart from the Councilmen, the Supreme Council also had relatively Low Rank Wizards.


    Just like the Low Rank Wizards from the Nine Major Schools were completely different in status from those from the affiliated Schools.


    Low Rank Wizards directly under the Supreme Council obviously stood above all other Wizard forces.


    Their numbers were extremely rare, most of them were students of the Councilmen, and it was very difficult to see them on ordinary days.


    This was also the reason why the Wizards were so surprised.


    After waiting for a while, footsteps came from the gray-black spiral staircase.


    The original chatter in the hall ceased immediately, becoming so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.


    Colin slightly raised his head and cast his gaze over there.


    The Wizards from the Nine Major Schools were escorting a very short Wizard in a white robe, who looked like a six or seven-year-old child, down the stairs.


    That child-like Wizard, fortunately, also had a face like a child''s.


    It didn''t look so out of place.


    The next moment, the child-like Wizard spoke.


    "Let me introduce myself briefly, I am one of the presiding Wizards of this Alus Association, Lin Ke."


    His expression was calm, looking like a child trying hard to act mature.


    But his voice was not at all child-like, instead, it was hoarse and ancient like that of an old man.


    Colin''s expression was unchanged, and he shifted his gaze away.


    Maybe it is because of the Wizard''s cultivation that from the Second Rank onwards, Wizards undergo certain special transformations in their bodies.


    Some have Mechanical Transformations, some have special bloodlines implanted... The Wizard Lin Ke standing before him was obviously the same.


    ''It makes one wonder just what kind of transformation was done to end up like this.''


    Meanwhile, Lin Ke continued speaking.


    "Perhaps you already knew in advance, this Alus Association is not the same as past ones."


    "But you might not know just how different it is..." Lin Ke said with a light smile.


    His child-like face coupled with the elderly voice made him seem rather eerie.


    "Half." Lin Ke raised a finger. "Among you, perhaps only half will live to return!"


    His words fell, and the complexions of many Apprentices in the hall changed instantly.


    Fortunately, perhaps they had mentally prepared for the changes to this Alus Association.


    So, just Lin Ke''s few words did not make anyone back out.


    Lin Ke surveyed the room and nodded in satisfaction.


    "The bad news is out of the way, now for some good news."


    He looked at the Apprentices in front of him and said word by word:


    "In this Alus Association, the majority of the Wizards who survive in the end will gain access to Alus'' qualification... remember, it''s not all, just surviving is not enough."


    "Alright", Lin Ke clapped his hands, and finally said: "Apprentices, your accommodations for the next few days will be here, within the castle''s first, second, and third floors; you can choose as you wish, there will be dedicated servants to serve you.


    As for the other affiliated Wizards, you''ll stay on the fourth floor."


    "Let''s go."


    Lin Ke turned his head and said to the other Wizards from the Nine Major Schools, "I''ll take you to see the other Wizards from the Wizard City, to discuss together the specific assessment content of the upcoming Alus Association..."

 Chapter 269 - 213 Delirious Words

    Night had fallen, and the stars and moon were dim.


    In a room on the fourth floor of the ancient castle, Colin stood by an open window.


    At the end of his gaze lay a dark, sombre sea.


    The moon and stars, which had appeared dim in the sky earlier, were now reflected in the sea, brightening and rippling the water.


    "It''s been a long time since I''ve stayed in a room with a sea view..." Colin smiled gently.


    Then he withdrew his gaze and turned around to continue his practice.


    It was only around nine in the evening, far from his bedtime; the pause just now was merely a brief rest in the midst of his practice.


    Today, Wizard Lin Ke had left them here and hadn''t appeared since.


    The ordinary servant knights of the castle had received them.


    Since Lin Ke had not left any specific requests or restrictions, Colin had been practicing from that time until now.


    "He is perhaps engaged in intense discussions about the Alus Association''s examination content," Colin speculated silently.


    The Alus Association, the association covering the entire Siya Continent.


    And there are nine wizard cities on the Siya Continent.


    Neustadt City is just one among them.


    Balancing the difficulty of the examinations among the different cities and schools was clearly not an easy task; it might still take a considerable amount of time.


    Colin sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion.


    He closed his eyes in contemplation.


    Today, he had finally completed all the prerequisite knowledge for the Ancient Tree Heart Witchcraft.


    It was now time to attempt the preliminary exercises.


    The so-called Ancient Tree Heart was not the heart of an ancient tree but a core he would create inside his body through this witchcraft to absorb, store, and transform the life energy of ancient trees.


    This witchcraft was exceedingly complex and considered the most intricate and brilliant among all the witchcraft he had mastered thus far.


    "Instructor Atbolde is truly remarkable!" Colin couldn''t help but marvel.


    He estimated that if he mastered the Ancient Tree Heart Witchcraft and found some suitable ancient trees from which to absorb life energy, his lifespan could increase by at least twenty to thirty years. Moreover, his talent for magic power affinity might even peak at the second class and potentially break into the threshold of first class!


    Although apart from the talent for magic power affinity, at least half of a wizard''s talent is their ability to learn knowledge, which is even more crucial.


    Still, enhancing his magic power affinity was enormously beneficial for a wizard.


    Not to mention, it would at least further increase the speed of his practice.


    Thinking this, he called up the Golden Paper.


    [First Rank Junior Wizard (8/100)]


    It had only been about half a month, and the progress had already reached 8/100.


    Such speed was certainly astonishing.


    This meant that in just over half a year, he could become a First Rank Intermediate Wizard.


    Even if the subsequent progress rate slowed down to half, it would only take a maximum of two more years for him to become a First Rank Advanced Wizard!


    And to think of previous individuals like Herard or Silear, who were at least forty years old.


    They were people who had lived in wizard cities since childhood and received the finest education, and their talents were not bad either.


    But now around forty years old, they were only First Rank Intermediate Wizards.


    After reflecting on this, Colin felt a bit of a headache and sighed softly in his mind.


    "Forewarned is forearmed; it looks like I need to plan ahead for learning the skills to advance to a Second Rank Wizard."


    He refocused his thoughts and continued studying the Ancient Tree Heart.


    The next day, in the morning.


    In the corridors of the castle.


    "Sir, if Lord Lin Ke and the others return, the crystal will glow red. Please hurry back when you notice," the head servant respectfully told Colin.


    "Alright," Colin replied, stroking the crystal bracelet in his hand.


    ... Wizard Lin Ke was more meticulous than he had imagined.


    Wearing the crystal bracelet on his wrist, he turned and walked out of the castle.


    Last night, he had successfully initiated himself into the Ancient Tree Heart Witchcraft.


    Now, he was planning to go out and find a suitable ancient tree to practice on.


    A wizard could only contain one Ancient Tree Heart within their body.


    However, before finding the right ancient tree, he could practice using other trees.


    As long as the core of the ancient tree is not built inside the body, it is allowed.


    Gubier Island, if described in terms of a former life, would be considered highly developed.


    There are not many places here that can purely be called wilderness.


    And the Ancient Tree Heart has high requirements for trees; ordinary trees aged five years, ten years, or even twenty to thirty years are insufficient.


    At a minimum, they must be ancient trees over fifty years old, and if they are ordinary trees, their trunk diameter must also exceed one meter.


    Otherwise, even if the Ancient Tree Heart is enacted, it won''t have any effect.


    According to Lillian, this seems to be a restriction intentionally set by Atbolde, aimed to prevent users from harming too many trees.


    Only those ancient trees that meet the requirements can withstand the Ancient Tree Heart witchcraft and be effective.


    So finding a suitable ancient tree wasn''t that easy.


    After wandering around in circles, Colin found nothing; despite climbing high and looking into the distance, he saw no potential spots with ancient trees.


    "Are you a Wizard Apprentice who just arrived from the Siya Continent?"


    Just as he was about to ask a few local wizards.


    A crisp voice suddenly came from beside him.


    Colin turned his head and looked.


    Healthy wheat-colored skin, a curvaceous figure... a lively female apprentice caught his eye.


    On her head, she wore a colorful garland, and under her soft chestnut short hair was a palm-sized oval face; she wore a rarely seen floral-patterned wizard robe.


    Seeing her expression, Colin understood.


    This female apprentice clearly had not recognized his status as an Official Wizard.


    However, that was normal; he had come from the castle wearing only the simplest gray robe and was not wearing any school badge.


    For a Wizard Apprentice, unless they had studied specialized reconnaissance magic or possessed special reconnaissance witch tools,


    they could only judge another wizard''s level by their appearance or the aura the wizard intentionally emitted.


    Advanced Wizard Apprentice, huh... Colin quietly closed his Supersensitive Vision.


    Looking at the advanced Wizard Apprentice in front of him, Colin nodded slightly.


    "Ha-ha," the Witch laughed joyfully, her eyes squinting as she continued, "I saw you guys arrive by airship yesterday, but I toured around this morning and didn''t see a single apprentice out and about, only some highly esteemed Official Wizards, and I dared not approach any of them!"


    At this point, the Witch suddenly asked in surprise, "By the way, why aren''t they coming out, just you as an apprentice?"


    "Do you need something?"


    Colin did not answer but instead countered.


    The Witch was not annoyed at all, slapped her head and giggled, "Hehe, no, I just wanted to tell you guys something..."


    At this, her voice suddenly dropped low, and with a panicked, trembling gaze, she looked at Colin. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And, trembling, she said,


    "Quick, leave this island!"


    Colin''s pupils slightly constricted, and he frowned.


    "Sally."


    Just then, a crisp voice came from the side.


    A female Witch Apprentice with black flowing hair and a gentle temperament approached.


    "I''m sorry," the Witch said apologetically.


    "This is my junior; she has recently had some complications in her training, and the instructor asked me to watch over her, but I had just gone out to buy some things..."


    ''A false alarm, then...''


    Colin returned to his senses and, not wanting to waste more time, spoke up:


    "Do you know where nearby I can find some larger trees?"


    Then he reopened his Supersensitive Vision, taking a careful look at Sally.


    The spiritual light of humanity and knowledge over Sally seemed indeed to be somewhat turbulent.


    The tainted babbling black spots nearby also appeared more active.


    Colin couldn''t help but take a few more glances.


    Perhaps thanks to the Golden Paper, he had never experienced such situations.


    However, he knew well that the training of other wizards wasn''t as trouble-free as his.


    "I know where the ancient trees are! At..." Sally exclaimed excitedly, biting her finger in thought.


    "Sally!" the genteel Witch hastily scolded.


    Turning to Colin, she said, "If you are looking for ancient trees, perhaps you might try the nearby Red Soil Forest, to the west from here."


    "Thank you."


    Colin nodded, watching as the two walked away.

 Chapter 270 - 214 Yiya

    Watching Sally and her companion''s figures gradually disappear, Colin retracted his gaze but didn''t rush towards the so-called Red Earth Forest they mentioned.


    Instead, he walked around the area and asked a few local wizards for information about the ancient trees.


    "An ancient tree... The forest where one can find ancient trees lately should be the Red Soil Forest to the west."


    "It seems due to the unique soil composition, the trees that grow there aren''t suitable for materials and don''t serve much purpose. They are unclaimed trees that have been left to grow on their own for many years."


    "So if you''re looking for big trees, there should be plenty there," the last passerby wizard detailed in his reply.


    ''It aligns with what Sally and her companion said.''


    Colin nodded inwardly and, after thanking the passerby wizard, set off along the street toward the Red Soil Forest.


    Gubier Island had towns of various sizes.


    The city they were in naturally was Gubier City, the largest city on Gubier Island.


    Perhaps because of wartime conditions, Gubier City now had a ban on flying¡ªa point Margaret had specifically mentioned to them after they disembarked from the airship yesterday.


    Walking briskly with the wind whistling past his ears, Colin''s mind, for some reason, inexplicably reflected on Sally''s words.


    ''Run... Escape this island?''


    After being slightly on guard internally, Colin didn''t ponder further and focused on heading towards the western city gate.


    After all, if a major crisis occurred, he would be powerless to help, and if it were a minor crisis, there would be no point in worrying unnecessarily.


    ''However... I''ll still take the opportunity to mention it to Margaret when I can.''


    Colin quietly added in his mind.


    The western city gate wasn''t far from the castle he stayed in.


    With a brisk walk, it took roughly twenty minutes to reach the western city gate.


    Then, after another dozen or so minutes and flying over a cliff, a deep green patch became clearly visible within his sight.


    Looking around, it was the only forest¡ªevidently, this was the Red Soil Forest.


    As for the red soil, perhaps it was obscured by the dense foliage of the trees, at that moment in the sky, Colin hadn''t yet seen it.


    Glancing over the area from above, he spotted the tallest trees in the entire forest and darted straight down towards them.


    On Gubier Island, there were no demons or such that could threaten him, now a First Rank Wizard.


    However, for safety, upon landing atop the trees, he carefully cast the Detecting Three Abilities.


    Only after confirming there were no abnormalities did he plunge into the dense forest.


    And upon entering the dense forest, he abruptly stopped, finally understanding why this place was called the Red Soil Forest!


    In Colin''s azure eyes, at that moment, vast stretches of red were reflected.


    He had thought this red soil might be just a brownish-red soil.


    But unexpectedly, that red was as vivid as strawberries and cherries!


    Although the red was bright and vivid, it didn''t come across as frightening. Paired with the crystalline green of the trees here¡ªthis place more closely resembled a land from a fantasy fairy tale.


    The vibrant red hue seeped into fine threads, spreading from the dirt to the trunks of the surrounding trees.


    Crack.


    Colin landed beside a tree and reached out to give it a firm squeeze.


    The bark of the large tree crumbled easily beneath his grip, like a cookie breaking off into small fragments.


    This was partly because of his current strength.


    But also due to those vivid red threads covering the trunk.


    Those threads made the trees easy to break along the red lines, just like sticking back together after being shattered.


    Any tree that grew here would bear these bright red threads, which was why the trees here were worthless for use.


    After all, once felled and removed from this red soil area, those vivid red threads would slowly fade away.


    In the end, what was once whole timber would simply become a pile of broken fragments.


    Moreover, Colin picked up the piece of bark he had just pinched off.


    These fragments were soft, damp, and showed signs of rot... not at all like they had just fallen from a living tree.


    They were really of no use.


    ''I just don''t know if using Ancient Tree Heart Witchcraft will be successful later on.''


    Colin couldn''t help but worry.


    But since he was already here, he looked around.


    Eventually, he chose the ancient tree in front of him from which he had pinched off a piece.


    The tree was large enough to be embraced by five or six people, which should meet the conditions for casting the Ancient Tree Heart.


    Placing his palm upon the ancient tree, Colin gathered his spirit and Magic Power surged forth immediately.


    The Ancient Tree Heart was cast!


    The next moment, Colin felt the surging Life Energy of the tree. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The crimson veins seemed not to affect the tree''s Life Energy.


    Under the effect of the Ancient Tree Heart, the "Life Energy" contained within the tree converged toward his hand like invisible mist.


    Then, following a special pattern, a peculiar crystallization slowly took shape in the air.


    This was the external manifestation of the Ancient Tree Heart.


    If it were to be formed inside the body, it would be even more complicated due to the need for physical adaptation.


    As time passed, the peculiar crystallization gradually took form.


    A faint pink light radiated in all directions.


    ''Pink?''


    Colin was somewhat surprised.


    According to the records of Ancient Tree Heart Witchcraft, the majority of Ancient Tree Heart Crystals formed in the air should be a faint green color.


    Yet the Ancient Tree Heart formed in this Red Soil Forest was a bright, light pink.


    Somewhat bewitching... perhaps an influence of the red soil.


    Colin conjectured silently as he turned to look at the ancient tree beside him.


    This tree, just used to construct the Ancient Tree Heart, now had noticeably shriveled leaves.


    However, this was only temporary, and in a few days, the ancient tree would recover its lushness.


    The Ancient Tree Heart absorbed, in strict terms, not the tree''s Life Force.


    Rather, it was the Life Spirit inherent in the ancient tree itself.


    After all, the Life Force of a tree could not be indiscriminately compared to that of a human body; the tree''s Life Force was of little use to humans, let alone for extending life or improving aptitude.


    But Life Spirit was different.


    It is something that an ancient tree could only produce after reaching a certain age.


    Although it also could not be directly applied to Wizards.


    But if it could be properly transformed, it indeed had significant benefits for Wizards.


    Besides, taking it indeed caused great harm to the Life Energy of the ancient tree, but it did not directly lead to its death.


    The faint pink light gradually receded, and the Ancient Tree Heart Witchcraft came to an end.


    A moment later.


    Plop.


    Colin opened his palm and nonchalantly caught the hovering pink crystal.


    He curiously brought it in front of him, then gently sniffed it with his nose.


    ''It doesn''t have any smell... Huh?!''


    Whoosh!


    Colin flipped his hand, clenching the Ancient Tree Heart Crystal in his palm and quickly turned to look behind him.


    The tree shadows loomed, the green leaves swayed, and the sun was blocked by the dense foliage, with only some weak light successfully penetrating and illuminating the forest.


    The weak light did not hinder his sight, yet his field of vision turned up empty; he didn''t see anything suspicious.


    Colin furrowed his eyebrows and cast Detecting Three Abilities.


    The result from the witchcraft... was still nothing.


    This Red Soil Forest, a long time ago due to its uniqueness, had been frequented by a constant stream of Wizards.


    But later, after countless Wizards had come and even some High Rank Wizards had examined it without finding anything of value.


    The place gradually became deserted.


    Due to its poor terrain and unsuitability for planting, it was left desolate and uninhabited all year round.


    ''Could it be that some peculiar Fierce Beast has been born?''


    Colin speculated while simultaneously increasing the strength of his Steel Temperature Resistance Field.


    Whoosh!


    Just then, Colin''s ears twitched slightly, and his right hand shot out like lightning!


    "Eekyah!"


    A palm-sized red Elf was captured by him, emitting a panicked cry.


    Even so, the little Elf still seemed reluctant to look at his left hand.


    With a thought, Colin opened his hand to reveal the light pink Ancient Tree Heart Crystal.


    "Eee-eee-eek-yah!"


    The red Elf immediately cried out even more intensely and began to wave its limbs frantically!

 Chapter 271 - 215 Tree

    The red sprite danced around for a while, seemingly realizing it couldn''t approach the Ancient Tree Heart Crystal, and suddenly appeared angry.


    It stared at the hand gripping it¡ªthe little face suddenly puffed up, followed by a red snowflake-like crystal shooting out from its mouth, landing on Colin''s palm.


    Boom!


    At the moment of contact, the red crystal exploded immediately, causing even the Steel Temperature Resistance Field to wobble slightly.


    Seeing this, Colin felt somewhat surprised. The red, vibrant crystal spit out by the sprite was indeed potent, capable of shaking the Defensive Field deployed by him as a First Rank Wizard.


    ...It must have already reached the standard of an Advanced Wizard Apprentice.


    He leaned in slightly and examined the red sprite in his hand closely.


    This sprite, like other sprites, had the appearance of a human female.


    Probably looking like a teenage girl, with fair skin and delicate features, undoubtedly beautiful by human standards.


    Due to his proximity, the red-haired sprite, frightened, closed her red eyes and shook slightly... evoking a sense of compassion.


    Kelin carefully observed two pointed ears poking out from the sprite''s red hair.


    The pointed ears were slender and elongated, filled with beauty.


    However, unlike Lillian''s mutant-eared sprite, this red-haired sprite''s pointed ears were clearly different from those symbolic of High Level Elves.


    ''I wonder what kind of sprite this is.''


    Colin withdrew his gaze.


    There were many red-haired and red-eyed sprites, and he was not an expert in this field; at this moment, it was difficult to determine the type of sprite before him.


    However, sprites that live in forests are usually of the woodland sprite category.


    But woodland sprites are typically characterized by elegant green hair and eyes, or occasionally noble gold hair and green eyes...


    Yet, the sprite before him had red hair and red eyes.


    ''Could it be... has it mutated due to the red soil here?'' Colin speculated silently.


    He glanced at the red-haired sprite, pondering how to deal with it.


    Elves and wizards have been allies since ancient times.


    The relationship between the two has always been friendly and united.


    Moreover, sprites by nature are kind-hearted and harmless, beneficial to all creatures.


    Especially now that the High Level Elf Clan has disappeared into obscurity, and others like Tree Elves and Water Elves have also vanished.


    The only creature still related to the Elf Clan are the originally numerous sprites... but now they are quite rare too.


    Regardless of the reason, naturally, he couldn''t possibly slaughter it brutally; it was more likely that he could only release it and not take it with him.


    After all, sprites are born free; if forcibly taken away, they would soon become melancholic and perish. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It''s just a pity... he wasn''t like Lillian, who possessed the bloodline of High Level Elves, otherwise he might have captured this sprite using his charm...


    Hmm?


    At that thought, Colin suddenly had an idea.


    Speaking of High Level Elves, he did indeed have something on him related to them.


    Summoning his spirit, Magic Power began to flow.


    In the next moment, accompanied by a clanging sound, a splendid and antique black-and-gold armor suddenly appeared on Colin.


    Undoubtedly, this was the Elf Armor given to him by Master Attebold before departure.


    Though it was described as armor, it looked more like an art piece crafted by the High Level Elf Clan.


    The curves were graceful, the details exquisite, filled with an impressive sense of beauty.


    If it weren''t for his lack of pointed ears, combined with his already decent looks, he would seem just like a High Level Elf reborn!


    "Yiya!"


    The red sprite exclaimed, unbelievingly widening her eyes.


    Then she began gesturing, though it was unclear what she was saying.


    Colin''s gaze sharpened, and he tried to extend his spiritual power to make contact with the red-haired sprite.


    In the next moment, a string of vague meanings suddenly came through.


    "Noble, great"... followed by a brief, untranslatable syllable¡ª"Tree."


    "Noble, great... Tree!"


    The red-haired sprite kept murmuring this sentence.


    ''Tree... Could it be an alias for High Level Elves?''


    Colin frowned, muttering doubtfully in his mind.


    Using spiritual power to assist in communication was merely a workaround.


    If he and the sprite were truly communicating spiritually, it would generally be highly efficient and accurate, with no incomprehensible situations.


    But after all, this wasn''t a Mind Reading Technique.


    Limited by the red-haired sprite''s lack of mastery in spiritual communication,


    he could only use his spiritual power to capture the spirit emanating from the sprite while speaking, guessing the meaning of the sprite''s words, which was not very accurate.


    After mulling for a moment, Colin gently opened his right hand, releasing the red sprite.


    Once freed from the constraints around her, the sprite instantly turned into a red light and fled into the distance!


    Colin unfurled his left hand nonchalantly.


    In the palm center, the light pink Ancient Tree Crystal immediately emanated an enticing scent.


    The red-haired sprite''s flying figure suddenly paused, glanced back repeatedly while flying, and nearly crashed into a tree trunk.


    But her flying figure, though stumbling, showed no signs of turning back.


    Colin slightly furrowed his brow, just as he was about to leap forward to catch the sprite again.


    The red-haired sprite finally couldn''t resist the temptation, suddenly turned back, and landed on the edge of his left palm.


    She squeezed out a smile at Colin, her face expressing a plea, then cautiously took steps toward the Ancient Tree Heart resting in his hand.


    Colin watched everything unfold without moving.


    As she got closer to the Ancient Tree Heart, joy unmistakably overflowed on the face of the red-haired sprite.


    But just as she was about to touch the Ancient Tree Heart.


    Whoosh.


    Colin''s mind stirred, and he stored the Ancient Tree Heart in the Storage Ring.


    "Yiya!"


    The red-haired sprite incredulously rubbed her eyes, hurriedly flapped her wings, taking off and laboriously fiddling with his fingers, searching closely.


    "What is ''Tree''?" Colin communicated through spiritual power,


    "If you tell me, that pink crystal will be yours."


    The red-haired sprite, initially startled, flapped her wings while looking around.


    Moments later, the sprite caught on, carefully landed on Colin''s palm, and looked up at him with curiosity, chirping:


    "Kind giant, are you the one talking to me?"


    Colin nodded gently, though with some confusion... Why hadn''t the red-haired sprite continued to call him ''Tree''?


    "If I answer, can I get that deliciously fragrant pink gem?" the red-haired sprite asked, biting her finger.


    "Yes," Colin nodded again, emphasizing, "Just answer, and I will give you the gem."


    As he spoke, he let go of the sprite and walked over to another tree.


    Then he extended his palm, casting out the Ancient Tree Heart!


    Moments later, under the shocked gaze of the red-haired sprite, another pink gem appeared.


    The red-haired sprite licked her lips, instinctively trying to fly towards the newly appeared Ancient Tree Heart.


    But in the next instant, the Ancient Tree Heart suddenly vanished.


    The flying motion of the red-haired sprite halted, and she looked up at Colin.


    Colin spread his palm open, revealing the new Ancient Tree Heart, and urged with a slightly enticing tone:


    "Just answer my question, and you can have this new gem."


    The red-haired sprite seemed to have completely let down her guard, flapping her wings and landing in his hand.


    "Tree... Tree is mighty, beautiful... um, also terrifying, wearing armor just like a giant,"


    The red-haired sprite, biting her finger, spoke in confusion, then raised her head to look carefully at Colin and added:


    "The giant is not Tree; giants don''t have pointy ears, Nasi was mistaken."


    "Is Tree a High-Level Elf?" Colin persisted.


    "Tree is Tree..." the red-haired sprite glanced at Colin, quietly stepping towards the Ancient Tree Heart while saying, "Giant, Nasi has answered your question, now you should give me the fragrant gem."


    "Tree..." Colin wanted to ask more.


    Buzz¡ª


    But at that moment, the crystal on his bracelet suddenly lit up red.


    ''Has Master Lin Ke returned?''


    "Yiya¡ª"


    Meanwhile, the red-haired sprite was strenuously moving the Ancient Tree Heart that he subtly clasped with his palm lines, absolutely unmovable by Nasi''s small arms and legs.


    Nasi exerted all her strength, panting heavily and eventually simply sat down next to the Ancient Tree Heart, firmly embracing it.


    "Little Nasi, do you want to leave here with me? There are gems like this every day," Colin began tempting.


    "Gems every day?" Nasi''s eyes widened, gesturing with her hands, "Is each one as big as the one just now?"


    Colin nodded.


    Now, the Ancient Tree Heart in his hand, to save time on casting, was noticeably larger than the first one he created.


    Nasi looked conflicted, but ultimately shook her head:


    "But Nasi can''t leave here."


    "Kind giant, I don''t want your gem anymore, please leave."


    Saying this, she even let go of the Ancient Tree Heart she had been firmly embracing, flapping her wings to fly up.


    Colin glanced at the red-haired sprite and sighed.


    ''Well, best hurry back.''


    Before taking off, he relaxed the tense muscles in his palm, tossing the Ancient Tree Heart to red-haired Nasi.


    Nasi, showing surprise, flapped her wings, hurriedly catching the Ancient Tree Heart.


    "Goodbye," Colin said softly, then performed the Soaring and Flying Technique, levitating.


    "Wait, kind giant, Nasi also gives you this!"


    Colin extended his palm, gently catching a mini, sparkling red flower tossed by Nasi.


    While the red flower was mini, it was about the size of Nasi''s small face... it was a mystery where she had found it.


    "Thank you." Colin nodded gently, then surged upward, breaking through the dense canopy, heading back to the castle.

 Chapter 272 - 216 First Rank Upper

    Gliding swiftly through the air, Colin landed at the city gate and strode into the city, his steps somewhat hasty.


    It was impossible to fly within Gubier City, which was rather inconvenient.


    Restrained by the street layout... walking didn''t allow him to move quickly, and he risked being mistaken for something he wasn''t.


    Moreover... Colin looked around and sighed to himself.


    The most crucial point was that in Gubier City, he didn''t know if public carriages were non-existent or just too scarce... either way, he hadn''t seen even one in the day he''d been there.


    Besides that... Colin''s eyebrows furrowed slightly.


    For some reason, he always felt like the crowd on the streets of Gubier City... had been diminishing.


    Perhaps a common person wouldn''t notice, but he possessed a Superbrain, making him extremely sensitive to the changes around him.


    ''Could it be because the war front is so close, causing a drain in the wizard population?'' Colin speculated internally.


    Gubier Island was not far from the war front, and it could even be said that this was the closest large island to the front lines.


    Although he didn''t know the current situation at the war front, the last he''d heard, the wizards'' defense line had been steadily pushed back... it was not an optimistic situation.


    In such circumstances, a declining population on the island was understandable...


    For some reason, though, Colin was reminded of that apprentice''s mutterings.


    "Run away soon..."


    A sense of heaviness came over him, and he walked quickly, soon arriving back at the old castle.


    Entering the castle, the first-floor hall was empty with no one around.


    "So the explanations are over that quickly... or perhaps Wizard Lin Ke didn''t call a meeting after his return?"


    Colin puzzled internally and continued walking upstairs.


    He had assumed that since Wizard Lin Ke had returned, naturally he would gather everyone in the first-floor hall to announce the specifics of the Alus Association''s assessment...


    "Mr. Colin, you''re finally back."


    As soon as he reached the fourth floor, Colin encountered Mayer descending the stairs.


    Mayer looked at him and sighed with relief, speaking quickly:


    "Wizard Lin Ke just returned to announce that we will depart for the port to set sail in one hour. Lady Margaret instructed me to find you."


    ''Departing so soon by ship?''


    Colin paused to digest the information, then asked, "Did Wizard Lin Ke mention the specifics of the Alus Association content?"


    "No," Mayer shook his head, "When they returned, they gathered everyone but did not explain the details of the Achilles Association, just ordered us to pack our belongings and leave from the port in an hour."


    "I see," Colin nodded.


    "The specifics of the Achilles Association will probably be made clear when we leave the island and reach our destination," Mayer surmised.


    Then he added, "Since you have returned, I''ll head back now. Remember to inform Lady Margaret. Her room is the first one on the fifth floor."


    "Alright." Colin nodded and turned towards the fifth floor.


    The castle''s lighting was poor, and as he walked through the corridor, only small square gray stone windows the size of human heads let in traces of sunlight.


    Colin''s brows were tightly knotted, not expecting the departure from the island to be so sudden.


    He had wanted to see that red-haired elf again and use Anando''s Dice in the wild of Gubier Island.


    But now... he feared he would have to give up on that idea.


    Knock, knock, knock¡ª


    He had reached the fifth floor and gently knocked on Margaret''s door.


    "Come in."


    A moment later, Margaret''s voice came through.


    He pushed the door open.


    "Lady Margaret, Mayer¡­" Colin started respectfully.


    "We leave for the port in an hour; hurry and get ready."


    Margaret cut him off, somewhat impatiently.


    "Yes¡­" Colin nodded calmly.


    In fact, Wizard Lin Ke had not restricted their departures, even preparing bracelets as reminders.


    He shook his head internally, not minding the detail, and spoke up,


    "Lady Margaret, I encountered a peculiar matter during my outing..."


    Margaret frowned slightly.


    Unperturbed, Colin related the apprentice''s strange mutterings to Margaret.


    It was a minor issue if viewed as such, but could be significant as well.


    Regardless, since he had come to find Margaret, mentioning it to her wasn''t much extra effort.


    Even if she was impatient, at worst she would scold him a bit; there was no substantial loss for him. However, if his silence put him in danger, that would be truly regrettable.


    He clearly understood the pros and cons.


    "I see,"


    After listening to his words, Margaret first looked surprised, then waved her hand dismissively, signaling him to leave.


    Her reaction was unexpectedly less severe than Colin had anticipated.


    It was as if...


    Walking back to his room on the stairs, Colin gazed at the endlessly extending gray-black steps beneath his feet, pondering.


    Margaret''s response gave him the impression that she wasn''t surprised, nor did she mock him for making a fuss over an apprentice''s odd behavior.


    It was as if... it was as if she had already known something in advance.


    Back in his room, there wasn''t much to pack.


    Colin pondered for a moment and then took out the little red flower that the elf Nasi had given him.


    The red flower had five petals, looking much like an ordinary wildflower, only more miniature in size and appearing to have the texture of jade, yet it remained as soft as an average flower.


    ''I wonder what kind of flower this is.''


    After scrutinizing it carefully in his hand for a while, Colin moved his left hand and pulled out the Knowledge Crystal that he hadn''t used in a long time.


    It was a gift from the ghost Erica, as well as a reward.


    Many pieces of knowledge were recorded within it, but most were fragmented. Only some knowledge about Magic Potions was intact.


    Perhaps he could find related information in it.


    Colin focused his mind and delved into the crystal.


    Now with the Superbrain, once he had looked at the knowledge in the Knowledge Crystal, he didn''t need to look at it a second time.


    Memorizing knowledge had become the easiest part of learning for him.


    Unfortunately, in this world, apart from learning and understanding knowledge, the more difficult task was acquiring it.


    Especially the knowledge of Official Wizards.


    Even though he was a member of a School, the only witchcraft he could truly claim to have acquired so far were just two, and the rest of the First Rank Witchcraft all came from Golden Paper Limit Breaking.


    Colin perused the Knowledge Crystal briefly.


    Amidst the keywords like "Red Flower," "Flower," "Little Elf," he found no matching information.


    He couldn''t help but sigh.


    He wasn''t surprised by this result; after all, it wasn''t the first time.


    McIntosh Wizard Tower had been plundered by both the Blackstone Family and Wizard Lap, and the Tower Spirit suffered from a lack of soul replenishment for years, leaving the knowledge within the Knowledge Crystal fragmented and of little utility to him.


    Putting the Knowledge Crystal away, Colin wasn''t in a rush to memorize all of its contents.


    As he was on the battlefield, it was wiser to prioritize enhancing his combat abilities.


    After pondering for a moment, Colin began practicing Steel Temperature Resistance Field I, this piece of witchcraft was on the brink of Limit Breaking, just shy of the final step.


    About half an hour later, Colin stopped his cultivation, took out a Magic Stone, and prepared for Limit Breaking!


    He exhaled a deep breath and began to convert Limit Breaking Points. Even though this was not his first time Limit Breaking, this time was different.


    The Steel Temperature Resistance Field I had been inscribed into his Spirit Sea before, and he wasn''t sure if the model within would change after Limit Breaking.


    ''If it doesn''t work, that''s going to be a bit of trouble¡­''


    Watching the numbers of the Limit Breaking Points rise, Colin felt a bit nervous.


    Even though the Magic Model in the Spirit Sea could be erased and replaced with another witchcraft model,


    it would not only take time, but also a considerable amount of Magic Stones to purchase specialized auxiliary potions to prevent damage to the Spirit Sea¡­which would be quite troublesome.


    Before long, as the numbers of the Limit Breaking Points stabilized at twenty thousand, the ¡ü symbol behind Steel Temperature Resistance Field I also lit up.


    ''Good thing there''s an unexpected windfall¡­''


    Taking a deep breath, without hesitation, Colin focused his mind and clicked on the ¡ü symbol!


    Bang!


    The dark characters blurred out all at once, transforming.


    After a while, they finally settled on ¡ª [Steel Temperature Resistance Field II (0/100)]!


    Without delay to check the effects of Limit Breaking, Colin plunged his mind into the Spirit Sea.


    Moments later, he furrowed his brow and let out an audible sigh.


    The model in the Spirit Sea was still the once-broken Steel Temperature Resistance Field¡­


    ''Perhaps that was too optimistic, the Golden Paper Limit Breaking affects the witchcraft, how could it impact the Magic Model that''s already been inscribed...''


    Colin shook his head and stood up.


    With a thought, he cast the post-Limit Breaking Steel Temperature Resistance Field II. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    About two and a half seconds later,


    a faint White Light appeared on his body.


    Before the second Limit Breaking, the un-inscribed Steel Temperature Resistance Field I had a casting duration of about one second, which was reduced to about 0.1 second after inscription.


    That''s the normal level for a Lower First Rank Witchcraft.


    And now, after the second Limit Breaking... Colin glanced at the Golden Paper.


    The Steel Temperature Resistance Field II was now categorized under First Rank Upper Witchcraft...


    ''First Rank Upper?!''


    A wave of surprise and delight crossed Colin''s mind, followed by a sigh.


    In reality,


    for a First Rank Junior Wizard to be able to cast First Rank Upper Witchcraft was already a sign of genius.


    Managing to control the casting duration to two and a half seconds was even more impressive.


    But two and a half seconds... was still too long, especially for Defensive Witchcraft.


    "Huh?!"


    Just as Colin was about to cast the twice-broken Steel Temperature Resistance Field again, his expression changed subtly, and he immersed his mind into the Spirit Sea.


    In the vast space without stars or moon, only the Soul Origin, the Talent Tree, and the inscribed Magic Model gleamed faintly.


    But at this moment, the Steel Temperature Resistance Field I Magic Model had inexplicably changed a bit... a few Magic Power circuits seemed to have shifted slightly.


    Colin''s mind brimmed with doubts...


    But after a short reflection, Superbrain helped him eliminate most factors, listing the most likely reasons for the change.


    ''Could it be because I cast the second-time broken Steel Temperature Resistance Field?'' Colin murmured softly.


    Checking if this was the case was simple... With a thought, he cast the twice-broken Steel Temperature Resistance Field again!


    The faint White Light appeared, and once more, Colin immersed his mind into the Spirit Sea.


    After a while, he opened his eyes and whispered softly,


    "Indeed, that''s the case."


    The originally inscribed model of the once-broken Steel Temperature Resistance Field had indeed changed again.


    And... Colin was both shocked and thrilled.


    If he wasn''t mistaken, the Steel Temperature Resistance Field I Magic Model was transforming into the Steel Temperature Resistance Field II Magic Model!


    If he could transform the Steel Temperature Resistance Field I model into Steel Temperature Resistance Field II by casting, it would undoubtedly be a boon for him!


    "Could the underlying reason be that every time you cast witchcraft... it needs to construct a Magic Model in the Spirit Sea?"


    Colin speculated privately.


    He wasn''t sure if it was because the post-Golden Paper Limit Breaking Steel Temperature Resistance Field II and the original Steel Temperature Resistance Field I were inherently linked, or if this was a hidden feature of the Golden Paper...


    At this moment, there was a commotion outside the door, interrupting Colin''s thoughts.


    Click.


    He instinctively opened his Pocket Watch.


    The hands reminded him that an hour had passed.


    ''It''s time to head to the docks.''


    Colin put away the Pocket Watch, shook his head to clear his thoughts, and stood up to walk towards the door.


    No matter what, this was a good thing for him.

 Chapter 273 - 217 Ambush

    Approximately an hour later, Colin and his party arrived at the dock.


    The familiar scene once again unfolded before Colin''s eyes.


    A flock of seabirds with white feathers and black beaks circled overhead, emitting sharp cries.


    Below, the blue sea rhythmically lapped against the rocks, and the moist sea breeze blowing in one''s face was utterly refreshing.


    "Board the ship and assemble on deck first."


    Not far away, Lin Ke gave a faint instruction and then took the lead, flying towards the steamship moored not far from the dock.


    Colin withdrew his gaze and followed suit, taking off from the ground.


    At this time on the Siya Continent, it was already the autumn-winter season, but the wind coming head-on at Gubier Island still remained warm and intoxicating.


    As all wizards participating in the Alus Association were Advanced Wizard Apprentices, this actually saved some time for boarding.


    The wizards landed on the deck like rainfall.


    Though the steamship''s deck was large, it was nearly half-occupied once all the apprentices had gathered.


    Wizard Lin Ke naturally stood at the front, as he was the lead wizard for the Alus Association of Neustadt City for this occasion.


    Normally, the lead wizards for the team usually came from one of the Nine Major Schools within the city¡­ it was uncertain why this time it was he who came from the Supreme Council.


    Beside Lin Ke stood nine Second Rank Wizards, with the one in the front being the head wizard responsible for this Alus Association.


    The head wizard responsible was a Witch, a rare middle-aged woman in appearance, with a kindly face and a slightly plump figure, resembling an ordinary auntie.


    However, by convention, this "auntie," though plain in appearance and clad in only an ordinary gray wizard robe, should, unsurprisingly, also be from the Supreme Council, just like Lin Ke.


    ''Ten Second Rank Wizards, nearly a hundred First Rank Wizards¡­ the Supreme Council of the Siya Continent''s importance attached to the Alus Association is indeed extraordinary,'' Colin thought to himself.


    He looked around.


    The Advanced Wizard Apprentices stood neatly, and at a rough count, there were at least several thousand.


    It seemed not many, but those who could stand here were undoubtedly the highest-ranking group of Wizard Apprentices in the entire Siya Continent.


    Even the least among them came from schools akin to Neustadt''s Nine Major Schools and their subsidiary branches.


    The Siya Continent was vast, yet there were only nine cities of wizards.


    Within these nine cities of wizards, there were countless schools.


    Yet, from among these numerous schools, only suitable Advanced Wizard Apprentices from a dozen or so schools were qualified to participate in this Alus Association.


    In comparison, Colin even felt that the configuration of ten Second Rank Wizards and nearly a hundred First Rank Wizards who accompanied them seemed somewhat insufficient.


    After all, put differently, the Advanced Wizards here represented the future of the top tier of power on the Siya Continent.


    Nevertheless¡­ Colin shook his head, no matter what the examination, the difficulty was always set based on the Advanced Wizard Apprentices.


    With ten Second Rank Wizards present, it was already sufficient; any more would merely be a waste of combat power.


    One must keep in mind that it was wartime, and the combat power of each High Rank Wizard was extremely precious.


    "I am Ciritha, the head person responsible for this Alus Association."


    After scanning the apprentices before her, the aunt-like witch slowly began to speak.


    Her tone was gentle, and her expression was kind, exuding the temperament of one who was well-read.


    ''She must be about to announce the specific content and rules of the Alus Association examination,'' Colin thought to himself.


    Yet, contrary to his expectations, Ciritha simply said a few words¡ª


    This Alus Association was different from the past, emphasizing the practical fighting ability of wizards, etc., and after encouraging the apprentices for a bit, she waved her hand and asked everyone to return to their assigned cabins.


    "I always feel there is something not quite right,"


    Walking towards the assigned rooms, Sovoc suddenly spoke up.


    The three of them, who belonged to a subsidiary school of Yista, were naturally assigned to the same room again.


    "What could be wrong, at most, some matters are being kept from us wizards of the subsidiary schools," Mayer sighed, "I''m already used to it; the Nine Major Schools have always been in a different league from us."


    He glanced at Sovoc and Colin and then sighed again, "I''m sure there''s no chance for me, but you two are still young. If you have the capability, try to see if you can advance to the Yista School."


    "If one joins the Yista School, then it''s an entirely different situation¡­"


    Colin remained silent, continuing to walk.


    "Woo¡ª"


    Whoosh~


    The azure waves rippled,


    And with the sound of a steam whistle, the steamship slowly started to move.


    As he walked down from the deck, Colin looked to the side.


    Off in the distance where the sea met the sky, surrounded by the magnificent remnants left after the clouds had burned away, the orange-red sunset was slowly descending, about to touch the deep blue sea and sink beneath it.


    A rare spectacle...


    Alas, he couldn''t watch the sunset until its end.


    As he descended the narrow staircase, his view was gradually replaced by grey-blue steel, and the rich orange-yellow glow of the sunset was exchanged for the soft white light emanating from a Bright Crystal...


    A while later, as Colin had just sat down in the room.


    Buzz¡ª


    The fluctuation of Magic Power came.


    ''It must be the steamship activating some kind of Witch Array for defense,'' he silently speculated.


    If one were looking down from the sky at that moment.


    They would see a grey-blue steamship cutting through the waves, racing along the surface of the sea dyed red by the sunset.


    Then, at that instant, it suddenly vanished!


    Even the waves that had been rolling disappeared without a trace, and the sea''s surface once again became calm.


    Inside the captain''s quarters.


    Lin Ke and other Second Rank Wizards gathered, listening respectfully to Ciritha''s speech.


    The speech wasn''t long, and soon approached its conclusion.


    Ciritha glanced at her watch, then gave her instructions.


    "This operation must not fail... It''s almost time, go gather all the Official Wizards and inform them of the situation."


    Lin Ke and the other Second Rank Wizards nodded. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Five minutes later.


    In the second-floor hall, all the First Rank Wizards had assembled.


    The leading Wizards of each city, along with the accompanying Wizards from their respective top Schools, flanked Ciritha, who stood at the forefront.


    Ciritha swept her gaze over the gathered Wizards and slowly began:


    "Relax, this is just a small test."


    Following that, she and the other Second Rank Wizards gently waved their hands.


    Instantly, invisible ripples appeared in the air, spreading outwards in concentric circles toward them.


    ''Deep Red Marking Technique?'' Colin recognized the witchcraft and was puzzled.


    After a moment, seeing that no red light had appeared, Ciritha waved her hand again,


    Buzz¡ª


    Suddenly, the soft white light of the Bright Crystals in the hall disappeared, plunging everything into darkness.


    Then, in the middle of the hall, light suddenly began to emerge.


    A three-dimensional projection appeared.


    On the deep blue sea, a grey-blue steel steamship was quietly sailing along.


    "It seems to be the steamship we are currently on," Colin silently speculated.


    Even though he was not sure why the steamship was marked with blue light, he still recognized the ship from its details.


    "Hm?!"


    In the next moment, Colin''s pupils narrowed slightly.


    The central projection abruptly changed perspective, elevating the viewpoint to a much higher point in the sky, similar to the aerial shots of his former world.


    And it was precisely because of this bird''s-eye view that Colin was surprised to discover¡ª


    Not far ahead of their ship, a grand fleet was assembled!


    The fleet was so vast it occupied nearly a corner of the projection, all marked out in blue light.


    This time, Ciritha spoke.


    "You''re not seeing things wrong, a large number of ships are gathered ahead of us... Don''t be afraid, they are all part of our Wizards'' side."


    "The reason they are waiting here is for an ambush."


    "An ambush concerning Gubier Island."

 Chapter 274 - 218 Skilled in Research

    "Ambush?!"


    "Gubier Island''s ambush?!" S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the hall, the wizards were somewhat agitated.


    Ciritha gave a slight smile and continued,


    "As of now, Gubier Island has become a trap."


    Colin''s gaze flickered as he listened intently to Ciritha''s speech.


    "It must be said, this owes much to Neustadt City," Ciritha turned to look at the wizards from Neustadt City.


    ''Due to Neustadt City... could it be the Deep Red Marking Technique?''


    Colin speculated silently in his heart.


    Ciritha''s next words confirmed his thoughts.


    Then she changed tack and said,


    "Of course, it is mainly thanks to Nois and several other councilmen for developing the Deep Red Marking Technique, which allows us to identify traitors and set this trap."


    "If nothing unexpected happens, according to what the elders have said, in a short while, when night falls completely, Gubier Island will be invaded by a large number of Divine Believers!"


    "Good!" Mayer couldn''t help but mutter his admiration, then he gritted his teeth and said, "Time to let those lunatics know the might of our wizards!"


    Colin couldn''t tell if it was his imagination, but he felt that after the Divine assault, Mayer seemed more expressive, lacking his former slickness.


    "What does this have to do with us?" Sovoc asked, puzzled, then clarified, "I mean, aren''t we in charge of the Alus Association?"


    Mayer was slightly taken aback, but Ciritha in front of them just happened to clear up their confusion.


    "Prepare yourselves now; we need to head to the island with the other wizards shortly."


    Ciritha scanned the wizards and spoke,


    "Our goal is to collaborate with the other wizards to exterminate all Divine Believers of First Rank and above on Gubier Island, creating an excellent trial ground for this Alus Association event!"


    As soon as Ciritha finished speaking, many wizards changed their expressions.


    Cooperating with other wizards to clear out Divine Believers... the danger was undoubtedly comparable to participating in an actual war!


    However... they were after all accompanying wizards of the Alus Association, and creating a trial ground for it was clearly within their duties, leaving no room for shirking.


    Ciritha also emphasized at this moment,


    "Alright, this is the decision set by the elders, no need for further discussion, everyone return to your rooms to prepare for the upcoming battle."


    "Ah, how could this be..." Mayer sighed.


    "Talking too much is useless, better to prepare well and increase our chances of success." Colin rarely spoke up, then without hesitation, he walked out with the crowd.


    "Right." Mayer rallied his spirit and followed suit.


    But just as he stepped out, he voiced his doubt,


    "Lord Colin, aren''t you returning to your room?"


    "I plan to practice witchcraft in the training room before the battle, to avoid being rusty when it matters." Colin shook his head and explained.


    Now, with twenty thousand Magic Stones in hand, his Fireball Technique was also on the verge of reaching its limit.


    With a bit of time left, he intended to see if he could break the limit of the Fireball Technique before stepping onto the battlefield!


    Sharpening the axe will not delay the job of cutting firewood!


    Moreover, there was a good chance of breaking the limit on the Fireball Technique before stepping onto the battlefield!


    "Indeed, it is necessary to be familiar with witchcraft, especially since you, Lord Colin, have just advanced to an Official Wizard not long ago." Mayer nodded and then sighed again, "To face such danger right after advancing..."


    "I''ll also go."


    Sovoc, who had been silent at his side, suddenly spoke up, caressing a narrow and deep wound on his chest.


    The ferocious gash left from the airship incident stretched from his chin down to his collarbone, and to this day, it had yet to heal cleanly, occasionally sending jolts of pain.


    Neither he nor Mayer had undergone any extensive body modifications, and injuries like this were not light for him.


    "This¡­" Mayer glanced at Sovoc, hesitated for a moment, and then sighed, "I''ll go too."


    He then switched to a smile and said,


    "All three of us come from the affiliated schools of the Yista School, we''re practically acquaintances, so we should take care of each other on the battlefield... Isn''t that right, Colin?"


    "Your Excellency has just advanced to Official Wizard, and I presume you haven''t had time to master much witchcraft¡­"


    Colin took a slight pause in his step, said nothing in explanation, only continued walking in silence.


    Mayer didn''t mind, and warmly turned to look at Sovoc, flattering him subtly, "Although you, Your Excellency Sovoc, are injuredd, had I encountered that scenario, I probably would have lost my life by now.


    Among the three of us, it''s still your strength that ranks the highest. Once on the battlefield, we will probably have to rely a lot on your protection."


    "The situations on the battlefield change rapidly, and my injury has not yet healed. It will be good enough if I can take care of myself,"


    Sovoc replied with a smile.


    "Your Excellency Mayer is the eldest among us, and when it comes to combat experience, the two of us combined might not compare to you. On the airship last time, you were only drained, not hurt at all... Perhaps the one we can really rely on is still You, Your Excellency."


    "Far from it, far from it¡­"


    The two exchanged pleasantries, leaving Colin somewhat excluded.


    But he didn''t mind either, occasionally chiming in to maintain a superficial harmony.


    If they were really on the battlefield, lending a hand occasionally would be no problem, but if it came to a life-or-death crisis, in the end, the only one he could rely on¡­ was still himself.


    Following the directional signs, the three of them quickly arrived at the training room.


    Although it was called a training room, its actual size was not small at all, looking somewhat similar to the large indoor gyms of his former world.


    However, this place was much more robust than the municipal gymnasiums of the past!


    Without further delay, Colin marched quickly to the attack witchcraft practice area and raised his hand to shoot an orange-yellow fireball at a target not far in front.


    Boom!


    The fireball burst, and the sound that came through interrupted the conversation between Mayer and the others, causing them to look at Colin instinctively.


    "Your Excellency Colin, is that... a Burst Fireball?" Mayer asked with hesitation.


    The fireball cast by Colin looked somewhat like the Zeroth Rank Fireball Technique in shape, but was brighter in color, and its power had reached the lower levels of the First Rank¡­ It clearly couldn''t be the Fireball Technique.


    But to say it was a Burst Fireball... the fireball Colin cast seemed to have an added effect of sticking and burning.


    Whoosh!


    Colin raised his hand and shot out another fireball, then responded without a change in expression,


    "This is the Fireball Skill¡¤Revised I developed on my own. It is somewhat similar to the Burst Fireball, but it isn''t as powerful in terms of shock waves."


    "I see..." Mayer nodded, then laughed warmly and said, "I didn''t expect Your Excellency to also possess this talent, creating a witchcraft that reaches First Rank standard on your own isn''t simple¡­ Even if it''s based on modifying existing witchcraft, it''s not an easy task."


    Sovoc, watching Colin continue to release the Fireball Technique, couldn''t hide his surprise either.


    The fact that Colin could cast First Rank witchcraft so smoothly was already shocking to him, but he didn''t expect that the witchcraft was actually Colin''s own research!


    However, that was not surprising, as only witchcraft developed by oneself could be mastered so proficiently soon after becoming a First Rank Wizard.


    "It''s just a fluke, the Fireball Technique was the witchcraft I used most commonly during my Apprentice days. Later on, an inspiration struck me by chance, allowing me to research this technique," Colin explained indifferently.


    With the Golden Paper in hand, those Limit Breaking witchcraft would sooner or later be noticed by others; it was better to cultivate a persona of being "skilled in research" in advance to avoid trouble.

 Chapter 275 - 219 Go

    "Lord Colin is being modest."


    "Researching witchcraft does indeed require inspiration, but it requires even more a solid understanding of knowledge, and courage not to fear corruption and transformation!" Mayer couldn''t help but praise again.


    "Although creating new witchcraft is commendable, in most cases it''s an unrewarding task."


    Sovoc suddenly shook his head, his expression calm as he declared,


    "Lord Colin, using this witchcraft is probably just a temporary measure... because you''ve only just advanced and haven''t acquired an appropriate witchcraft, right?"


    Before Colin could respond, Sovoc changed the subject with a sigh,


    "After all, the witchcrafts that exist in the School were all developed through the painstaking research of countless wizards. To create something superior by oneself is even more challenging... I have deep personal experience with this."


    "Lord Sovoc, have you also created witchcraft before?" Mayer asked in surprise.


    Sovoc paused slightly and answered without changing his expression, "I was close to succeeding."


    He added, "I was researching a completely new witchcraft related to bloodline transformation. It was extremely difficult; had I succeeded, I would have at least reached the middle of the first rank!"


    "I see." Mayer nodded, intending to shift the conversation to Colin who had been quietly practicing on the side, but then he heard Sovoc emphasize again,


    "Had it not been for almost undergoing transformation and corruption, that witchcraft would have definitely been developed by me.


    And if I had developed that bloodline transformation witchcraft, I wouldn''t still be stuck at a first rank intermediate wizard... I would have advanced to the late first rank and prepared to break through to the second rank."


    Sovoc''s tone became subtly excited when he mentioned this matter.


    If it hadn''t been for that, he wouldn''t have stayed at the first rank intermediate for so long!


    "Ah, such is the world; although pursuing knowledge may bring power, it ultimately comes at a cost..." Mayer sighed softly, muttering.


    "Mind your words, Lord Mayer!" Sovoc frowned and interrupted Mayer, emphasizing,


    "Pursuing knowledge does not come at a cost; this is a fact always stressed by the Supreme Council!"


    "What leads us to transformation and corruption is the excessive pursuit of knowledge and the incomplete mastery of it!"


    "I spoke carelessly... I hope both of you will pretend you didn''t hear anything."


    Mayer''s expression changed.


    The Supreme Council had long forbidden the propagation of the theory that researching knowledge is harmful¡ªthough this is generally accepted among mainstream wizards.


    After all, what the Supreme Council says isn''t wrong¡ª


    As long as one restrains oneself from overly pursuing knowledge and thoroughly understands what one studies, there indeed isn''t a risk of transformation and corruption.


    But in reality, how many can fully achieve this?... Researching knowledge and witchcraft is inherently fraught with danger.


    However, if everyone feared researching new knowledge and only repeated the old knowledge of others, without innovation,


    Then the Wizard Alliance would just stagnate like still water, without progress... without a future.


    Mayer understood this principle too; although he himself would not attempt to research knowledge, that did not stop him from admiring those wizards who dared to risk their lives researching knowledge.


    Thinking this, he couldn''t help but want to turn the conversation back to Colin.


    "Lord Colin..."


    Bang.


    An orange-yellow fireball hit the target and exploded.


    Colin pulled back his arm, calming the Magic Power within him, but he did not respond to Mayer and instead quickly opened the Golden Paper.


    The next moment, his expression brightened.


    The Fireball Technique after Limit Breaking thrice finally reached its peak again!


    "What''s the matter..."


    He put away the Golden Paper and turned to respond to Mayer.


    But just at that moment!


    Red light suddenly illuminated the training room...


    No! The entire steamship, the entire fleet, was abruptly enveloped in a fog-like red light! S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Immediately after, a voice as ordinary as any old man, completely devoid of fireworks, resounded in the hearts of all the wizards on the fleet.


    He said, "Ignorant gods have arrived, go, it''s time to counterattack."


    His tone was unhurried, as if he were merely stating something utterly commonplace.


    But as Colin listened, his heartbeat inexplicably sped up, and his blood seemed to gradually boil!


    The next moment,


    with the help of the Witch Array on the ship, they distinctly sensed a nauseating and chilling presence coming from the direction they had come from that day.


    Normally, this mysterious presence would at least cause their bodies to stiffen slightly.


    But now, after hearing the words of the unknown High Rank Wizard who seemed like an ordinary old man, Colin and the others felt not a trace of chilliness but instead, spurred on by this nauseating presence, felt their blood boil even more!


    This boiling blood, the surging fighting spirit, did not affect their rationality but instead made them more focused and calm.


    "What a strong auxiliary witchcraft..." Mayer muttered, raising his arm and turning it over to examine.


    Colin nodded in agreement... Such auxiliary witchcraft, in terms of calming the mind, almost had half the effect of his use of the Mechanical Mind!


    The rumbling of thunder.


    Click¡ª


    The steam engine started, and the sound of gears meshing and turning faintly transmitted.


    "The ship has started," Sovoc muttered under his breath, exhaling gently, "If we proceed as on the way here, we will return to Gubier Island in about half an hour..."


    "I''ve practiced enough; I plan to go back to my room to restore my Magic Power to prepare for the upcoming battle," Colin appropriately remarked.


    "I''ll go back too," Sovoc followed, glancing at Colin and couldn''t help saying:


    "I noticed that you''ve been maintaining the same method, the same power in your casting... that hardly counts as practice; real battle won''t be so rigid..."


    "It''s just familiarizing myself with the witchcraft," Colin replied with a smile, then continued walking towards his room.


    With only half an hour left, aside from Limit Breaking, he still needed to engrave the Fireball Technique into his Spirit Sea, and there was no time to delay.


    Sovoc shook his head secretly, initially thinking Colin''s witchcraft casting movements were very proficient, but now it seemed... could it be that he only knew that one kind?


    If so... when it came down to real combat, he would just be a stuffed pillow.


    "Only half an hour left..." Mayer suddenly muttered.


    "It''s just us, the High Rank Wizard lords have probably already reached Gubier Island by now," Sovoc gathered his thoughts and responded offhandedly.


    As if to echo his words,


    Boom!


    A deafening noise suddenly came from the direction of Gubier Island!!


    At this moment, they had already left the training room and reached the corridor of the cabin, and simultaneously, those round portholes suddenly emitted a dazzling White Light!


    The next second, a shock wave hit, waves surged, and the massive steel ship also shook!!

 Chapter 276 - 220 Poisonous Rage

    "War has begun."


    Mayer leaned against the corridor wall, adjusted his Wizard Robe, and sighed softly.


    "It has already begun." Sovoc exhaled, turned his head to glance at Colin and the other person, and said slowly, "I hope after this battle, I can still see both of you."


    After finishing, he nodded as a gesture of farewell and then briskly walked forward without hesitation.


    "Sir Sovoc, why walk so fast..."


    Mayer was slightly startled and hurried to catch up while calling out.


    Colin calmly watched them leave, then turned and walked to the window.


    Outside, the moon seemed absent; the pitch-black sky merged seamlessly with the dark sea. If not for the occasional crashing waves, it would have felt like being in a silent black space.


    Whoosh!!


    A blinding bright light suddenly appeared, turning the world from pitch black to pure white!


    Colin squinted his eyes slightly, his face illuminated by the white light, expressionless.


    He gently exhaled and didn''t linger any longer, quickly returning to his room. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Boom, rumble!


    As he turned around, the bright light faded, replaced by thunderous rumbling sounds.


    Creak, creak.


    The shockwaves, carrying along the waves, made the steel battleship tremble, but his figure remained unaffected, like a sturdy pine in a fierce wind.


    He shut the door.


    Pale golden particles converged in front of him, and an ancient-looking Golden Paper slowly emerged, blurring between reality and illusion.


    He took out the Magic Stone, watching it gradually turn to gravel in his hand, Colin''s heart grew more tranquil.


    The unknown supportive witchcraft of that elder Wizard was unbelievably powerful!


    If he hadn''t miscalculated, he might receive blessings throughout the night.


    Moments later, as the Limit Breaking Point value jumped to exactly ten thousand, the ¡ü symbol behind the Fireball Technique also faintly lit up.


    He gathered his thoughts, focused his Spirit, and firmly pressed the ¡ü symbol.


    Bam.


    A myriad of complex knowledge instantly flashed through his mind, clashing and merging.


    Soon, a form of witchcraft, greatly different from the original Fireball Technique, slowly surfaced in his mind.


    Colin opened his eyes and quickly scanned the Golden Paper.


    "First Rank Upper?!"


    After four Limit Breakings of the Fireball Technique, it had directly reached First Rank Upper?


    Colin put away the Golden Paper, suppressing his astonishment.


    Time was running short; the urgent matter now was to engrave the thrice Limit Broken Fireball Technique into his Spirit Sea!


    He closed his eyes again.


    Rumble.


    In the distance, Gubier Island continued to emit loud sounds from time to time.


    It was now deep into the night, the pitch-black sky was without stars or moon, and the seabirds had long since returned to their nests.


    The dark, tumultuous sea was crossed unwaveringly by a fleet of gray-blue steam iron ships.


    About ten minutes later.


    Sharp beeping noises emanated from all the gray-blue ships.


    Ahead of them, beyond the deep churning waters, a massive island emerged¡ª


    Gubier Island had arrived.


    On the ship Colin was on, through a witchcraft broadcast, Ciritha''s voice slowly transmitted.


    "All Official Wizards, proceed to the deck, find your leading Wizard, and assemble in lines."


    Inside the room, Colin suddenly opened his eyes and let out a long, murky breath.


    ''That was close, almost ran out of time.''


    Listening to the broadcast, he quickly stood up and walked toward the door.


    Opening the door, he immediately saw Mayer and Sovoc.


    They glanced back at Colin but said nothing.


    Colin quickly caught up with them, together they silently and swiftly walked towards the deck.


    All the Wizard Apprentices had been ordered to stay in their rooms, and the number of Official Wizards was not large compared to the size of this iron battleship.


    In the empty, gray-blue corridor, the air was silent and tense, filled only with the sound of hurried footsteps.


    "Line up! Follow your lead Wizard, assemble in groups of at least four, activate Supersensitive Vision, and freely engage any Divine Believer above Priest Level on the island!"


    As he stepped onto the deck, Ciritha''s incessant repeat of instruction could be heard.


    Wizards searched for their team leaders, swiftly forming lines.


    "Lord Margaret is over there!" Mayer exclaimed as he swept his gaze around.


    Perhaps infected by the pre-battle atmosphere, his voice trembled slightly.


    The three quickened their steps, converging where Margaret stood.


    At that moment, Margaret, with her back to them, gazed solemnly at the island.


    The flickering firelight tore through the curtain-like darkness!


    Shouts, roars, and cries mixed with the sounds of witchcraft came through the wind, agitating everyone like boiling water.


    Sensing the footsteps of the three approaching from behind, Margaret shifted her gaze and slowly turned around, staring at Colin and the others as she spoke:


    "After we land on the island, follow my lead..."


    "Ah¡ª!!"


    "Sly Wizards!!"


    Before she could finish, a thunderous roar suddenly erupted from the clouds above!


    "Great Poisonous Fury Lord, I beseech you..."


    "Be careful." A few whispers, likely from the Wizards'' side, faintly emerged from the clouds.


    Moments later, as the believer''s words concluded, the sky thick with dark clouds suddenly emitted a perilous red light as if heralding an apocalyptic end.


    The red light flickered uncertainly within the dark clouds, seeming to be birthing some terrifying entity.


    The Wizards aboard the vessel, drawn by the sudden anomaly, all looked up at the sky.


    The pale red glow grew stronger, casting the world in a blood-red veil.


    The next moment,


    the red light intensified!


    The deep red brilliance peaked and then explosively dispersed, sending numerous beams of red light scattering through the dark clouds.


    Following the light, a vague, indescribable figure gradually emerged...


    Majestic...


    Angry...


    Fury!


    An endless fury from unknown origins almost burst their chests!


    ''This isn''t right...''


    "The projection of the Poison Fury God... what use is your hasty summoning, Bishop in red? It''s merely a wasted effort!" A voice chuckled from within the clouds.


    ''It''s that elderly Wizard who enhances witchcraft...''


    "First Rank Wizard, close your eyes! Avert your gaze!"


    Just then, Ciritha''s urgent shout rang out.


    Colin took a deep breath and quickly lowered his head.


    As the vague figure disappeared from his view, the anger within him dissipated as well.


    But the other Wizards nearby didn''t have his resistance.


    "Panting¡ª"


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    The sounds of heavy breathing and continuous rumbling from the sky echoed beside Colin''s ears.


    Shush!


    Light radiated from Ciritha''s hands, illuminating the Wizards.


    Upon contact with the light, Colin immediately felt a coolness spread from his heart, as if ingesting mint.


    He slightly raised his head and scanned the surroundings.


    Most faces were still unsettled.


    "Lord Mayer?"


    Sovoc suddenly called out in a low voice, by his side.


    Colin was startled and quickly shifted his gaze to Mayer.


    Mayer was still gasping heavily, his eyes bloodshot and his facial muscles tense, giving him a fierce appearance.


    "I''m fine..."


    After a moment, Mayer shook his head vigorously and took a deep breath, regaining his composure.


    "It''s time to land on the island, Wizards. Don''t worry, the seniors have prepared completely, we will surely win this battle!"


    Ciritha spoke again:


    "After we land, stick together in groups of at least three.


    Approach and slay any isolated Priest-level believers you encounter. If there are three or more, call more comrades to join the fight... Spare other believers where possible, leave them as a trial for the Alus Association."


    "Yes!" the Wizards responded.

 Chapter 277 - 221 Strength

    "Follow me onto the island."


    Margaret glanced at Colin and the other two, speaking coldly before her body floated up, leading the way toward Gubier Island.


    After reinforcing himself with a Steel Temperature Resistance Field and the Mechanical Mind, Colin activated the Soaring and Flying Technique and also rose into the air.


    Margaret flew at the forefront, and the three of them followed closely behind.


    Looking around, the Wizards who had arrived by ship formed a long line, all converging toward Gubier Island!


    "Your Excellency Mayer, are you truly alright?"


    The wind howled, and during the flight, Colin heard Sovoc whispering to Mayer during the brief moment before they ascended onto the island.


    "I''m fine..." Mayer shook his head, then self-mockingly said, "Perhaps I am just old, no longer of use!"


    Colin slightly turned to look.


    Mayer''s complexion was serene, his eyes clear, showing no sign of the ferocity and anger he had displayed earlier.


    Sovoc also carefully observed Mayer for a while, his expression easing.


    "Ah... However, during this Alus Association, the most arduous task seems to have fallen upon us!" Mayer suddenly exclaimed.


    He then said, somewhat resentfully, "Looking at it now, the test of this Alus Association might just be to have those Apprentices clear the remaining Believers on the island."


    "But once we have eliminated all the Believers above the First Rank, for those Apprentices, what difference would this place have from a Secret Realm? It''s just a change of enemy, after all; the dangers they face are the same."


    "That''s not necessarily the case. How can the Divine Believers compare to the rigid Demon Beast puppets in those Secret Realms?"


    Sovoc disagreed with a shake of his head, then sighed, "The war is gradually starting, and the new Apprentices need to face the Divine Believers head-on."


    This group of preceding Wizards lacked such experience... Otherwise, he wouldn''t have been so seriously injured on the Airship.


    "That''s true," Mayer sighed in agreement, "When coming here, I was thinking of staying after the Alus was over, perhaps earning some Supreme Council points from this war, then heading back to the city to plan for advancement..."


    "But now," Mayer shook his head continuously, "I just want to get through tonight safely and then finish the Alus Association early to return to Neustadt City."


    Colin just listened on the side without speaking.


    He looked toward Gubier Island, where the lights flickered; his expression was silent, and it even seemed a bit aloof, perhaps due to the enhancement by the Mechanical Mind.


    The war between Wizards and Divine entities, even though he was in the midst of it now... he still felt it was too distant, not quite real.


    But... in truth, it indeed wasn''t something for a mere First Rank Wizard like himself to worry about.


    Colin shook his head.


    "All Wizards, be vigilant of your surroundings!"


    Approaching the island, the leading Wizard in the center issued a warning!


    "Be careful!"


    Simultaneously, Sovoc beside him suddenly cried out in alarm.


    Swoosh!


    Colin''s sharp senses caught a cold arrow flashing with a cold light suddenly shooting up from the diagonal lower direction, thick as a thumb and wrapped in a dark red glow, aimed directly at him!


    ''Why are they only shooting at me?''


    Colin frowned.


    But in the next second, even more Flame Arrows came flying, encompassing all four of them!


    That single Flame Arrow likely had been released early by someone in panic.


    Margaret''s expression changed slightly, and the flames around her body suddenly brightened; she explosively increased her speed and escaped the range of the Red Flame Arrows just in the nick of time.


    However, Colin and the others weren''t so lucky.


    Margaret''s Flying Witchcraft was at least of the Middle First Rank, her short burst speed lightning fast, on par with an Upper First Rank... Their own Flying Witchcraft was nowhere near that quality.


    Even with the enhancement of the Swift Skill, Colin, now slightly faster than Margaret, still found it unrealistic to reach the burst speed that Margaret could achieve.


    However, his Soaring and Flying Technique, although merely at the Low Rank First Rank, was praiseworthy for its versatility, allowing both flight and diving!


    This was where his agility shone!


    The Soaring and Flying Technique made him agile; the Ultimate Knight endowed him with utmost reflexes; and the Mechanical Mind kept him cool as ice!


    And with Superbrain, he had integrated all of these abilities, achieving an effect much greater than the sum of its parts!


    If one had to say, this was indeed the first time he truly went all out in battle!


    And the result¡­ even with the restraint of the Mechanical Mind, he felt a rush of excitement.


    It was like a pianist performing at the center of a grand stage.


    Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!


    This dense volley of arrows, carrying a dangerous aura, shot toward him one after another, obstructing his vision.


    Yet Colin remained calm and composed.


    In his eyes, this seemingly unavoidable shower of arrows had a detectable pattern!


    All he needed was to subtly move his body and appropriately wave the Steel Temperature Resistance Field in front of him.


    Then the curtain of Flame Arrows in front of him, as if on cue, swerved around him and shot into empty space.


    This all might sound lengthy, but from the appearance to the disappearance of the arrow rain, it was over in just a blink of an eye in reality.


    Colin looked around. Many of the wizards who had arrived by the fleet were encountering similar barrages of arrows as they landed on the island.


    "Retaliate, target hidden behind the rocks on the beach ahead!"


    At that moment, Margaret''s voice came from the front as she took the lead and hurled a fireball toward the not-so-distant area.


    "Who would have guessed these believers had an ace up their sleeve!"


    Sovoc gritted his teeth nearby; the arrow rain was not only numerous but also formidable, almost penetrating his Defensive Witchcraft.


    While he spoke, he glanced sideways unconsciously and blurted out,


    "Lord Colin, you''re unharmed?"


    As soon as Sovoc said it, he felt it was somewhat improper and awkwardly added with a smile, "I mean, I''m glad you''re not hurt¡­"


    Colin remained silent.


    Sovoc continued to look towards another, Mayer.


    Mayer had taken an arrow to his upper left chest and, having already cut through the arrow rain, was now grimly tending to the wound with his hand trembling slightly.


    "Lord Mayer, are you alright?" Sovoc couldn''t help asking upon seeing Mayer''s pale complexion.


    "It''s fine, it didn''t hit any organs," Mayer replied, shaking his head as he used witchcraft to extract the arrowhead.


    The pain made him involuntarily let out a groan.


    Mayer couldn''t help but curse under his breath, "Cursed Divine Believers!" S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The ambush clearly indicates that there must also be wizards on the island. I wonder how they did it; at this moment the believers are still able to organize a counterattack!" Sovoc complained in agreement.


    Colin said nothing.


    On the ship, Ciritha had mentioned that the island''s wizards would wait for their arrival to begin the counteroffensive¡­


    In a world where the gap in individual strength was vast, in warfare, it tended to be a king against a king, a general against a general¡­ The higher the rank, the more this held true, it was rare to see the "many ants killing the elephant" scenario.


    This was not by design or an unspoken rule¡­ Gods and wizards were mortal enemies in a fight to the death.


    But neither side would ever allow their high-rank powerhouses to rampage unopposed among the lower ranks.


    Therefore, once a high-rank force entered the fray, there would inevitably be an equivalent or nearly equivalent force to contain and engage it¡­ otherwise, the battle would be completely devoid of suspense.


    So, even though the battle above the clouds had been raging for a while, the combat among these lower-rank powers, right now, had just begun.

 Chapter 278 - 222: Invitation

    Boom!


    Colin called upon his spirit to launch a Fireball towards the distant beach.


    The Divine Believers'' ambush had not been detected by the Wizards in advance, but perhaps they acted too hastily¡ªit seemed underpowered and failed to significantly affect the Wizards landing on the island.


    Take their group, for instance; only Mayer had been slightly injured¡­ And now, it was their turn to counterattack!


    Whoosh!


    Yet, it appeared the Divine Believers had not given up, as another volley of Red Flame Arrows rained down on them!


    But this time, the prepared Wizards were not going to be caught off guard as they had been before.


    The array of countermeasures was dazzling to behold; to say the second volley of Red Flame Arrows had minimal effect was an understatement¡ªit was practically useless!


    "Not good, the arrow rain is just a delay¡ªstop them!"


    But at that moment, Ciritha exclaimed loudly, her tone urgent.


    However, she was too late.


    The next instant, a faint red Protective Shield suddenly rose on the beach.


    "No wonder so many were lying in ambush here; it was all to construct this defense shield¡­" Mayer murmured.


    The pale red light of the shield cast his pale face in an even more grotesque hue.


    "No need to worry, they are just stubbornly resisting," Margaret said indifferently, "We still have companions on the island."


    Boom!


    The main ship of the grey-blue fleet behind them noticed the anomaly and thunderously fired its Magic Cannons in their direction!


    Crash.


    The pale red shield shook violently, and the black rocks along the seashore crumbled.


    "Coordinate with the ships and continue attacking the shield!" Ciritha shouted decisively.


    Gubier Island was a large island with an extremely long coastline, and the Wizards aboard the ships had been assigned their respective areas of responsibility in advance.


    This desolate beach cluttered with chaotic rocks was under the charge of Ciritha, who brought these following Wizards from the Alus Association.


    Colin, following orders, kept firing Fireballs at the shield¡­ However, to not stand out, he controlled the strength of the Fireballs to the level of a First Rank Lower Wizard, occasionally spiking to the peak of that rank.


    The brilliance of witchcraft flickered along the coastline ceaselessly.


    The battle momentarily reached a stalemate.


    But in their hearts, all Wizards were waiting with bated breath.


    About two minutes later.


    Rumble!


    Accompanied by a loud rumble, a cacophony of noisy voices suddenly came from within the island.


    Ciritha''s face lit up, and she scanned the surroundings before proclaiming loudly,


    "Our companions on the island have started their operation! The shield is on the brink of collapse, everyone put in a bit more effort!"


    Swish swish swish!


    If one were to look down from high above, they would see the continuous coastline of Gubier Island lit up like fireworks, with bursts of colored lights constantly twinkling.


    A few minutes passed, and finally, the pale red shield was breached!


    "Wizards who are skilled with the Deep Red Marking Technique, use it to mark the Divine Believers first, and then proceed to behead them one by one!" Ciritha commanded once again. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Swish¡ª


    The next moment, countless Deep Red Marking Techniques were released in succession!


    It was unclear whether it was the result of a qualitative change brought about by quantity, or if the witchcraft was designed this way from the start.


    The Deep Red Marking Techniques almost seemed to converge into a massive group spell, significantly enhancing their potency instantly.


    The range they covered alone had nearly quadrupled in size!


    The vast stretch of sand in front of Colin was entirely engulfed within it.


    Immediately afterward, under the influence of the Deep Red Marking Technique, countless orbs of deep red light floated up like ghostly fires, abruptly appearing above the rocky beach.


    The followers who had been hiding behind the rocks in the darkness were now marked with the deep red glow, with nowhere left to hide.


    "For this battle, if you slay Divine Followers of Priest Level or above, depending on their specific identity, each one will garner at least ten Council Points from the Supreme Council!"


    "Go on, Wizards, free killing time has arrived!"


    Ciritha declared finally.


    "Council Points from the Supreme Council?!"


    The moment her voice fell, the Wizards on the scene erupted into a commotion¡­ There was no Wizard on the Siya Continent who didn''t covet the Supreme Council''s points!


    The next moment.


    "Follow me closely!"


    Margaret''s gaze swept across the area, and with a swift, cold command, she rapidly flew toward a solitary red light on the left.


    Colin and the others followed closely behind.


    The marked follower, seeing their group approaching, sensed danger and hastily ran toward his companion.


    But Margaret was faster, accelerating to intercept him head-on.


    Then Colin and the others followed suit and descended.


    Colin looked up.


    This Divine Believer, with his brown curly hair and black divine robe with dark red patterns, was clearly identifiable as a Priest.


    "Sinner!"


    Perhaps the battle in the clouds had not yet determined a victor.


    The curly-haired Priest, unable to join his fellow followers and without losing his spirit,


    sneered angrily and charged at them bare-handed.


    Ha!


    He bellowed, his bushy eyebrows furrowed, jaw muscles bulging, eyes wide and glaring like copper bells, his face a portrait of extreme fury!


    With each step he took, the black robe swelled as if inflated, and then the blood patterns gleamed, his body elongating against the wind. In an instant, he transformed into a towering, furious colossus etched with blood patterns!


    "Huh, such crude tricks,"


    Margaret sneered disdainfully and gently shook the red crystal bracelet on her wrist.


    A bright red blaze shot towards the giant''s neck with lightning speed, severing its head before it could react!


    Splash!


    Blood spurted from the severed neck, and the headless body of the priest took another two steps forward from inertia before collapsing heavily, raising a cloud of gray dust.


    "Next,"


    Margaret swiftly plucked the Divine Emblem from the robe of the priest and continued to rush towards the next believer.


    "That''s 10 points just like that..." Mayer eyed the Divine Emblem in Margaret''s hand with envy.


    However, the battle in the clouds was far from over. The Divine Believers'' morale was high, their will to resist unyielding.


    They were not only hunting believers; the Divine Believers were also attacking them in return!


    "Kill!"


    Before Margaret could lead them to their next solitary target, a group of Divine Believers took the initiative to come to them.


    "Two priests..." Margaret paused her steps, turned her head back sharply, and ordered, "Assist me!"


    "Let''s go!"


    Witchcraft clashed with Divine Arts!


    In the end, however, Colin''s group of four First Rank Wizards held the upper hand and emerged victorious.


    "Lady Margaret, this..." Sovoc suddenly spoke up.


    "Next target," Margaret ignored him, naturally pocketing the Divine Emblems from the two priests'' chests, and continued walking to the next location.


    "This... the priest was killed by us together. The Supreme Council points should also be shared with us..." Sovoc muttered softly behind her, his voice lost in the wind.


    "Sigh... let''s go." Mayer shook his head with a sigh and continued to follow Margaret''s steps.


    Regardless, they were now in the midst of a perilous battlefield... For safety, the group had to stick together!


    Colin, for his part, didn''t seem to care and simply followed silently.


    Following Margaret, they moved across the island, targeting solitary priests.


    A group of four First Rank Wizards was not something the common Divine Priests could handle.


    However, this did not mean that they could proceed without obstruction.


    As they went deeper, Colin and the others clearly felt the journey becoming more challenging and the enemies increasingly formidable.


    Boom!


    On a street,


    a bright orange-red fireball shot from Colin''s hand and hit the giant priest on the knee precisely, causing its running motion to falter.


    "No!!"


    With a loud outcry, the priest was overwhelmed by a multitude of witchcraft''s brilliance.


    Thud.


    Watching the priest''s figure fall to the ground, Colin exhaled in relief.


    This priest was the most troublesome enemy they had encountered along the way, with formidable strength, probably equivalent to a First Rank Advanced Wizard, especially in speed which was extremely fast, making common witchcraft attacks utterly ineffective.


    If Colin hadn''t struck the priest''s knee at the perfect moment with the help of his Superbrain, the fight would likely have lasted much longer.


    Clap.


    Margaret stepped forward as usual, took the badge from the priest''s chest without any concern, and said coldly,


    "Next."


    But she had only taken a few steps when she paused, turned back frowning, and said:


    "Keep up!"


    "Lady Margaret¡ª" Mayer, trailing behind, panted heavily, wiping sweat from his forehead, "We are not as strong as you..."


    "Useless!"


    Margaret cut him off coldly, then continued on her way.


    "..." Mayer seemed startled, a hint of anger flickering across his face.


    "Sigh..." Sovoc sighed and patted Mayer''s shoulder.


    Colin did not speak, but he, too, was somewhat displeased.


    Margaret had been taking all the spoils for herself.


    In fact, in the last two battles, if not for his covert assistance, the fights wouldn''t have ended so swiftly, and who knows, something unfavorable might have occurred.


    Margaret, obviously, hadn''t noticed this.


    Torn between whether to admire his subtlety or... now, Margaret seemed somewhat too eager for quick success.


    Boom!


    At that moment, a black-robed priest suddenly fell from the sky, smashing into the street, creating a large crater.


    Blood spilled from the body, clearly beyond saving.


    Several wizards descended in a group, led by a silver-haired wizard.


    He approached the crater just like Margaret did, and naturally took the Divine Emblem from the fallen priest''s body.


    ''Looks like Morton''s brother?'' Colin recognized him.


    "Morin?" Margaret said in surprise. She scanned the wizards who had landed and displayed astonishment.


    Several of these wizards were acquaintances of hers, Wizards from the Nine Major Schools, just like her.


    "Margaret," Morin greeted with surprise, then smiled with an invitation, "Would you like to join us in hunting the Divine Believers? There are a few very strong priests."


    "Very strong?" Margaret''s brows furrowed.


    The hierarchy of Divine Believers was not as clear-cut as that of the Wizards, which is based purely on strength. Instead, it was also related to their level of devoutness.


    Priest-level believers generally possessed First Rank power, though exceptions existed with some reaching Second Rank.


    "Don''t worry, they''re still within the First Rank... but judging by their attire, their status is not low. I reckon they''re worth at least a hundred points each," explained Morin.


    He turned his head towards Colin and the others, displaying a smile, and added:


    "Let''s take them with us."


    "The more people we have, the safer it is."

 Chapter 279 - 223 Win-Win

    Margaret and Morin exchanged glances, hesitated for a moment, and finally nodded.


    "Let''s go," she turned and said to Colin and the others in a light voice.


    A group of people took to the sky and, led by Morin, swiftly dashed forward.


    Morin and Margaret flew at the forefront, followed by five wizards from their affiliated schools.


    The two wizards brought by Morin from affiliated schools were one male and one female.


    A moment passed.


    Suddenly, the male wizard turned to Mayer and asked, "Did your group start with only three people?"


    "Yes," Mayer nodded and frowned as he tentatively asked, "Could it be that the two of you..."


    "We started with four people," the male wizard sighed, his face showing a hint of fear in retrospect.


    "Five wizards banding together... how could it be so?" Sovoc asked in surprise.


    "Perhaps you encountered followers with the strength of Second Rank Wizards?" Mayer murmured.


    "Alas, the five of us separated for a moment halfway," the male wizard said with a shake of his head and a tone of regret.


    The male wizard did not continue, but Colin and the others understood.


    On this battlefield, just as they attacked solitary priests, likewise, the followers were seeking out solitary wizards among them...


    As the topic reached this point, Mayer lost his interest in conversation.


    They were still on the battlefield, and the reason they had no casualties up to now...was merely due to luck.


    Colin turned his head to survey their surroundings.


    To avoid being too conspicuous, they did not fly high, only less than a meter above the ground, which limited their field of view.


    However, they could still make out the buildings around them, indicating they were passing above a city''s commercial street...


    An Official Wizard''s speed of flight was now comparable to a regular car from his previous life.


    Compared with their arrival on the island, they had now ventured deep into the interior without knowing just how far they had gone.


    ''If I remember correctly, this is the second city we''ve passed...'' Colin thought to himself.


    The entire battle line of Gubier Island had been in chaos since the Protective Shield was breached.


    Divine Believers were not city guards, nor did Wizards aim to capture cities. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Leveraging their remarkable mobility, the current battlefield was like a pot boiling with assorted porridge, with Wizards and followers everywhere, and any encounter led to a fierce fight!


    "Three First Rank, Middle-strength priests, a dozen Apprentice-strength followers!"


    "Prepare for battle!"


    No sooner had Morin spoken than he said in a deep voice, a hint of mysterious silver flashing in his brown pupils.


    The next moment, in front of them, a large group of followers suddenly appeared around a corner.


    When narrow paths cross... the stronger prevails!


    Before long, the group of Divine Believers all lay dead by their hands.


    Morin and Margaret looked at each other with smiles, tacitly moving forward together to collect the spoils of war.


    "Ah..." Mayer sighed, his tired face not concealing his envy.


    "The two of Your Excellencies seem...to have had a hard time as well."


    Mayer glanced at the two wizards and suddenly said in a low voice with a tone that conveyed the relief of finding kindred spirits.


    Upon hearing this, the two wizards first seemed startled, then turned their heads, looking at Mayer with confusion.


    Mayer did not speak, simply glancing at Margaret nearby and then showing his empty pockets.


    The two wizards immediately caught on, glanced at Morin in the front, exchanged looks with Mayer, and also shook their heads with bitter smiles.


    "To get through tonight safely is victory," the male wizard under Morin comforted, seemingly to reassure himself as well.


    "Yes," Mayer wiped the beads of sweat that mysteriously appeared on his forehead, nodding in agreement.


    They continued to rush forward at high speed, encountering several more groups of Divine Believers, but none could withstand the combined strength of the seven of them¡ªit was close but they prevailed without any real danger.


    However, the further they went, the stranger Colin felt... Could the target that Morin was tracking be so far from them?


    He glanced at Morin and Margaret ahead of him, understanding in his heart.


    Probably there was something they hadn''t mentioned... The Nine Major Schools were always so arrogant.


    Colin had come to understand this very well.


    A while later, Morin gradually came to a stop outside a city wall.


    Colin turned his head to look, and was slightly startled.


    Was this... Gubier City?


    Though this wasn''t the city gate, with the help of his Superbrain, Colin still recognized this location.


    It was clearly the city where their airship had landed before, the largest city on Gubier Island¡ªGubier City.


    Even though they were separated from the city wall, the sounds of fierce combat still clearly reached their ears, showing how intense the battle was.


    "I''ve been waiting for you for a long time."


    A Male Wizard suddenly emerged from the shadow beside the city wall, with a somewhat round figure.


    "Hurry up," the rotund wizard urged on.


    Morin nodded, gesturing for Margaret to follow.


    "This is Ginsley, a friend I met earlier on Gubier Island. He''s a member of the largest School on Gubier Island, the Tuhn School," Morin introduced the newly arrived Male Wizard.


    "Margaret," Margaret said indifferently.


    Ginsley didn''t seem to mind her attitude and just whispered to Morin, "I thought you weren''t coming. You have no idea how many suitable targets there are in Gubier City¡ªthose are mobile points!"


    "The Divine Believers in Gubier City are the most numerous and a priority for High Rank Wizards. Those with above First Rank strength among the Divine Believers are targeted and can''t fend for themselves, and the remaining First Rank Priests are mostly scattered... Many of them are of high status."


    "If you ask me, where to kill the enemy isn''t as good as killing them right here in Gubier City, and earning more Supreme Council contribution points!"


    Ginsley patted Morin''s shoulder, saying with a smile:


    "Lucky you came, our cooperation will benefit us both..."


    "Wait," Morin raised his hand to stop Ginsley and cast a Silence Magic with a wave of his hand before gesturing to Ginsley to continue.


    "Those Wizards are...?" Ginsley was taken aback and asked.


    "Our subordinates," Margaret interjected.


    "A few assistants; they''re Wizards affiliated with our School''s subsidiary Schools," Morin explained calmly.


    Ginsley understood what was going on after a thought and smiled.


    Those few Wizards behind them, to put it nicely, were assistants, but bluntly speaking, they were just labor brought in to help for free.


    But he didn''t say anything more and continued smiling at Morin and Margaret:


    "Anyway, when we kill the Believers, I don''t want any Divine Emblems on them; they are all yours..."


    He raised his left hand indicating to Morin and his companion, "The Supreme Council of the Sea Domain doesn''t recognize these items; we have special recording bracelets. All you need to do is to assist me in landing the final, fatal blow!"


    "Understood," Margaret nodded, evidently having no objection as Morin had already discussed these matters with her on their way there.


    "Of course," Morin responded with a nod, then discreetly cancelled the Silence Magic and deliberately raised his voice to ask:


    "So, Lord Ginsley, where is that prestigious Priest you mentioned before?"


    Ginsley fell silent for a moment, then smilingly spoke:


    "He is hiding not far ahead in Grey Castle. He''s used some method to greatly reduce the glow of the Deep Red Marking Technique... I only saw it by chance."


    Then Ginsley paused and stopped walking, looking around at Morin and the others, and added in a more serious tone:


    "But it''s not a Priest.


    It is a... Bishop!"

 Chapter 280 - 224 Divergence

    "Bishop?"


    Morin stopped in his tracks, staring at Ginsley.


    "Morin, this isn''t what we agreed upon." Margaret also came to a halt, her face showing displeasure as she said:


    "A believer who can become a bishop must possess at least the strength of a Second Rank Wizard. How could we possibly deal with that?"


    Ginsley turned his head to glance at Margaret, a smile spreading across his lips:


    "Don''t worry, why would I joke about my own life?"


    His tone shifted as he continued to explain:


    "When I said ''bishop,'' I merely meant to emphasize their status. In reality, our target is still a priest. And according to my observations, his strength is only at the First Rank level, at most First Rank Upper!"


    Upon hearing this, even Morin found himself speechless, replying irritably:


    "If it''s not a bishop, then why say it is one, unnecessarily causing everyone anxiety?"


    Ginsley''s smile remained unchanged as he looked around once more.


    Impatient, Morin and the disgruntled Margaret stood there, with Colin and the others following behind, intently focused on the conversation here.


    Ginsley''s grin grew wider, his eyes squinting into slits as he hunched over, moving closer to Morin and Margaret, and whispered:


    "When I said he was a bishop, I actually meant that the contribution points he''s worth are at least equivalent to those of a believer at the Bishop Level!"


    "Hm?"


    "Why do you say so?"


    Morin and Margaret''s interest peaked immediately.


    One should know that even slaying hundreds of priests might not yield as many contribution points as one bishop!


    Colin and the others looked puzzled from a distance. Ginsley seemed to be using some sort of special technique; they could only see Ginsley conversing with the two, without hearing a sound.


    Morin, unaware of this, glanced at Colin and the others nearby, subconsciously thinking of using Silence Magic again.


    "Ah, Mr. Morin..."


    Ginsley raised his hand, interrupting Morin''s action, and whispered with a smile next to his ear:


    "They can''t hear us."


    "However, Mr. Morin, on our Gubier Island, when fishermen catch fish near the shore, no matter how much they catch, they always share some with the Sea Hounds to increase their eagerness to fish...


    Even those lowly fishermen understand this principle, Mr. Morin, and this dangerous battlefield we''re on now is no calm inshore sea. If you want to succeed in obtaining those contribution points for the bishop later, you can''t do without your helpers'' efforts."


    Morin''s eyebrows knitted together... Ginsley was indeed playing a cunning game.


    His words seemed to be without problem, but in reality, they just consigned the well-being of others, sparing Ginsley any loss himself!


    Increase enthusiasm? Share contribution points?


    Who would divide them? It would only come out of the interests of him and Margaret!


    As for Ginsley, a Sea Domain Wizard with no use for the Divine Emblem, of course, he would suffer no loss!


    "You sure think beautifully," Margaret said coldly.


    Under Ginsley''s control, Colin and the others, who were further away, might not have heard the dialogue between the two, but she, who was standing right beside them, heard everything loud and clear.


    Could it be that Ginsley truly took them for fools?!


    "Don''t be hasty, my dear, take a look at what this is?"


    Ginsley adjusted his position, turning his back to Colin and the others, flipped his left hand, and took out nearly ten dark-red badges from his Storage Ring.


    "Divine Emblem..." Morin lifted his head, seemingly realizing something, and asked in a low voice, "Lord Ginsley, what do you mean?"


    Ginsley smiled at him but offered no explanation.


    Instead, he turned his head towards Colin and the others and announced loudly:


    "The bishop I spoke of may not be a true bishop, but his value is at least equal to that of ten priests!"


    ''Ten priests... wasn''t it a hundred priests?'' Morin was taken aback.


    Ginsley continued speaking.


    "Lord Morin and I have discussed this matter, and when the time comes, everyone participating in the battle will get their share of the spoils... However, since there is only one priest''s Divine Emblem, we will use the Divine Emblems of the other priests to replace it and distribute them to everyone."


    As he said this, Ginsley opened his palm at the right moment, revealing nearly ten Divine Emblems in the center of his hand.


    Although they were all priests, and the Divine Emblems represented their status, the divine aura on each emblem was not the same¡­ This is also why the Divine Emblems could be used to discern the identity of the faithful.


    At this time, both Morin and Margaret understood Ginsley''s intention.


    They no longer needed to distribute any Divine Emblem to Colin and the others; it would be Ginsley who would do so.


    "It''s getting late, so let me briefly describe what''s special about that priest."


    After stowing away the Divine Emblems, Ginsley looked at Morin and the others and began to speak.


    Morin and Margaret fell silent for a moment before Morin nodded first, and shortly after, Margaret also nodded.


    For them, giving Divine Emblems to Colin and the others seemed like a waste, and they would rather have the emblems for themselves... However, these Divine Emblems ultimately did not belong to them, and if Ginsley wished to proceed in this manner, they had no say in the matter.


    Seeing Morin and the others'' nods of agreement relieved Ginsley.


    In fact, this had been a spur-of-the-moment idea; the Divine Emblems had been merely collected casually.


    He had not even planned to give them to Morin and the others.


    After all, strictly speaking, by doing this, they were exploiting a loophole in the rules set by the Supreme Council, and it couldn''t be made too public. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, now that he was giving out these Divine Emblems, ensuring the combat enthusiasm of the wizards brought by Morin and his companion was, for him, the best possible outcome.


    After all, that priest... was no simple matter.


    Ginsley refocused his thoughts and continued walking forward, clearing his throat, ready to introduce the hidden priest.


    "That priest is in a building about two hundred meters ahead.


    Though only a priest, I have personally seen him converse on equal terms with bishops of Second Rank Wizard strength, and even seemingly surpass them..."


    "Lady Margaret."


    But at that moment, a sudden cry came from behind.


    Ginsley turned around to see that the oldest wizard, who had accompanied Morin, was lagging behind, looking exhausted and hesitant.


    He was the one who had just spoken.


    Margaret slowly turned around, her finely arched eyebrows furrowing tightly.


    She didn''t speak but merely watched the somewhat stooped figure of Mayer with a cold gaze.


    "You are... Mayer, right? What''s the matter?"


    Morin also turned around, first frowning at Mayer, then relaxing his expression and forcing a smile as he spoke.


    "Lord Morin, Lady Margaret," Mayer offered them a sheepish smile, wiping the inexplicable sweat from his brow, and said:


    "My age and weakness leave me lacking in strength, and I fear that if I proceed, I might hinder the Lords, so..."


    Mayer didn''t finish his words, but his intention was very clear¡ªhe intended to withdraw.

 Chapter 281 - 225: Take Action

    Colin turned and gazed back at Mayer, feeling somewhat astonished.


    Why would Mayer say such a thing...


    "Do you mean, you plan to quit?" Margaret''s complexion darkened, and she said in a cold voice.


    Mayer nodded lightly, struggling to maintain his smile, enduring the discomfort in his body, and continued to repeat:


    "I am getting old and weak, and I was injured before..."


    "Is this how the Magic Ring School taught you?"


    On the other side, Margaret''s icy face began to show anger as she questioned.


    As a member of the Yista School, Margaret thought that the wizards of these affiliated schools were obligated to follow her command.


    Just as she had naturally conscripted Colin during the incident in the Huapei District, Mayer also ought to obey her orders!


    Now, for Mayer to act this way, regardless of the reason, was an affront to her authority!


    "Lady Margaret!"


    Looking at Margaret, Mayer suddenly felt a surge of anger and quickly said, spilling out like beans:


    "The strength of a Divine Believer of Bishop Level is at least equivalent to a Second Rank Wizard, and the best among them can even match a Third Rank Wizard!


    A Third Rank Wizard, that''s a Rank higher than the head wizard of the Alus Association, Lady Ciritha!"


    He looked at Ginsley and continued:


    "According to what this gentleman has said, if that Divine Believer can sit on an equal footing with a Bishop, how could he be of only First Rank strength... To step back even further, even if he only has the strength of a First Rank Wizard, he cannot be treated as a common Priest!"


    "There''s something amiss when abnormal things arise, Lady Margaret, I do not wish to take this risk." Having finished speaking, Mayer seemed to be somewhat agitated and suddenly coughed, his complexion turning a bit red.


    His tone softened a bit, and he added another sentence:


    "Perhaps I''m overthinking it, but I''m not strong, and this is also for the safety of everyone. If any blunders occur in battle..."


    "It''s okay, you can choose to leave."


    Morin suddenly spoke, his face wearing a smile, but his eyes held not a trace of mirth, only indifference.


    "You can leave right now."


    "Thank you, Lord Morin."


    Mayer, failing to notice the odd tone in Morin''s voice, brightened up, thanked Morin, and then quickly bowed to Margaret, intending to leave.


    But having taken just one step, he broke out in a cold sweat and suddenly realized this was not a safe place; it was the dangerous battlefield.


    Alone, it was absolutely not safe!


    He really was confused!


    "Lord Mayer." Sovoc suddenly spoke from the side, saying succinctly to Mayer, "This is still a battlefield; we cannot retreat..."


    Colin couldn''t help but sigh inwardly.


    Mayer really was muddled...


    Now, on the battlefield, they, as wizards, had to fight. Margaret, as their nominal superior, had the right to select whatever target she chose, and unless it was a blatant death sentence, they had to comply.


    To refuse or withdraw... If Margaret wished, she could easily make a serious case and label him as a deserter!


    Reminded by Sovoc, Mayer apparently also realized this, and his footsteps came to a complete halt.


    The sweat on his forehead by now had become visible, coursing down the contours of his cheeks under the force of gravity, while his originally pale complexion turned three shades whiter.


    "Why aren''t you leaving, Mayer?"


    Margaret stood in the shadows at the edge of the city wall, speaking faintly.


    To reduce the frequency of battles, the paths they took were always more secluded and hidden.


    "Ah, ah, ah, it''s already midnight. That Priest is only two hundred meters away from here. Go and look for him quickly, otherwise, if someone else gets there first, it would be unfortunate." Ginsley came out to mediate.


    With the step-down Ginsley had provided, Mayer''s complexion changed again and again, and at last, he forced a smile and turned away.


    Margaret, however, had no intention of letting it end there. She scoffed,


    "What''s the matter, Mayer? Weren''t you planning on dropping out?"


    Mayer''s smile froze on his face as he silently lowered his head.


    "Let''s go, earning contribution points is more important," Morin urged, glancing up at the sky.


    The dark clouds occasionally revealed flickers of light, red or orange... It was unclear how the battle behind them was unfolding.


    "Hmph." Margaret snorted dismissively and looked away.


    They hadn''t overlooked the scenario Mayer mentioned.


    If the Priest could sit as an equal to a Bishop, he certainly wouldn''t be a simple character!


    But on the battlefield, how could one ensure that everything would be safe...


    Moreover, at this moment in Gubier City, all followers of First Rank and above were being targeted and tightly cornered for an elimination. The Priest lacked any guards by his side; it was the perfect opportunity!


    Under Ginsley''s lead, the group continued forward.


    "Alas, your excellency, why bother speaking like this..."


    One of Morin''s Male Wizards suddenly sighed at Mayer in a low tone, expressing sympathy.


    "I must be getting senile..." Mayer lifted his head and laughed at himself, then proceeded forward. His expression was relaxed, appearing unaffected by the matter.


    However, Colin walking beside him, noticed that Mayer had clearly clenched his fists, his body even trembling slightly from the effort.


    "This is the spot. Over the city wall, we''ll see the two-story building where the Priest resides."


    After a few more steps, Ginsley led the way over the towering gray city wall.


    "The Priest isn''t alone. Besides him, there are two ordinary Priests and about five or six ordinary followers with the strength of Advanced Wizard Apprentices," Ginsley continued to elaborate.


    "Are we ready?" he asked, turning his head to survey the group.


    "Hold on," Morin whispered, his brown eyes suddenly speckled with silver glints.


    "How is it?" S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A moment later, Margaret quietly inquired.


    This was Morin''s most skilled witchcraft, used for reconnaissance.


    On the way there, thanks to this witchcraft, they were always able to detect the Divine Believers first, allowing them to prepare beforehand and take the initiative.


    The silver light in Morin''s eyes slowly receded, and he nodded at Margaret.


    "Don''t worry, I won''t get it wrong," Ginsley declared confidently.


    Without answering, Morin asked, "Shall we take action now?"


    Ginsley gazed at the gray building not far off, took a deep breath, and nodded.


    "Let''s do it!"


    With numerical superiority and knowledge of the target''s location, they hadn''t devised any intricate plans, merely discussing the witchcraft they would use and coordinating briefly.


    Then, the group of Wizards approached the building.


    "Now!" Ginsley shouted, and with that, the battle commenced!


    "Whoosh!"


    "Whoosh whoosh whoosh!"


    Witchcraft exploded almost simultaneously, aimed at the second floor of the gray building!


    For a moment, multicolored lights from different spells intertwined, like fireworks in display.


    The next second.


    Boom, boom, boom.


    Stones flew in all directions, dust billowed, and the stone building, unable to withstand the assault, collapsed into ruins.

 Chapter 282 - 226 Retreat

    The rolling dust and smoke cleared, revealing the silhouettes of several followers. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Judging by their attire, in such a sudden and unexpected attack, those three priests had somehow survived!


    But fortunately for the common believers, there was only one lucky...


    A bright red flame tore through the air, striking forward!


    "Ah!!" A scream suddenly erupted,


    "Believer Abel!"


    Following that, splashes of vibrant blood fell to the ground as the believer''s body was cleanly split in two from the shoulder down, falling amongst the ruins at their feet.


    ''No... No believers survived.''


    Colin exhaled a murky breath, the orange-yellow fireball in his hand beginning to ferment.


    After the Fireball Technique had gone through four Limit Breakings, it could hardly be summarized by the term "fireball" any longer, but to conceal his strength, he had chosen to use the most inconspicuous form of a fireball.


    Above the ruins, the remaining three wizards instinctively formed an inverted triangle formation, with the two ordinary priests subtly shielding the younger priest behind them.


    Although the two priests were only slightly covering, actually, because the young priest''s body was so thin, Colin was almost unable to see the young priest''s figure anymore.


    He could barely catch a glimpse of a pair of calm, dark red eyes through the gaps.


    "Continue the attack!!" Ginsley shouted loudly.


    With his command!


    The stalemate between the two sides was instantly broken, Divine Arts clashed with witchcraft.


    Just as Ginsley had said, those three priests were only of First Rank, and in the face of their eight First Rank Wizard''s encirclement, they quickly fell into a disadvantage and began to retreat step by step.


    Bang.


    The priest on the front right who had transformed into a giant struggled to block another fireball with his hand.


    The next moment.


    Puchi!


    Yet he was viciously cut at the thigh by the bright red flame, creating a huge gash.


    "Priest Naris!" he turned his head and shouted low, "We can''t go on like this!"


    "Ha, ha, what excellent witchcraft! Your Excellency Margaret," Ginsley could not hide the smile on his face, "Things are going even smoother than I imagined!"


    He looked at the frail priest, his eyes filled with greed.


    He hadn''t forgotten the information transmitted by his wristband recorder... this priest was worth at least five thousand contribution points!


    Colin looked at the frail priest hidden behind the others, who occasionally launched an attack, feeling inexplicably uneasy.


    Those calm, dark red eyes, that seemed to hide churning molten rock, were indeed too strange.


    ''Let''s make it quick and decisive!''


    His gaze intensified, as he swung his hand out again, shooting out another fireball.


    Boom!


    Watching the orange-yellow fireball come at him again.


    A hint of frustration flashed in the priest''s eyes.


    The fireball wasn''t very powerful, nor was it fast, but it often caught him at a very uncomfortable timing and position, frequently disrupting his rhythm in combat, which greatly irritated him.


    This time was no exception, with a splattering sound, his left flank was unavoidably torn open by the witchcraft attack, causing him to grunt involuntarily.


    "Hiss..." The priest gasped a few breaths, turning back once again to speak firmly, "Priest Naris!"


    His gaze was determined, as if he had made some kind of decision.


    Naris, thin as a skeleton, looked at him and sighed softly, nodding slowly.


    "The Lord will remember your sacrifice, Father Vincent."


    "Priest Naris!" At this moment, the priest on the left also turned back and called out gravely, his complexion pale, clutching his left arm as blood flowed unceasingly... clearly at the end of his tether.


    Although the priest did not say anything, with a steadfast look in his eyes, Naris immediately understood and sighed, his lips moving in a whisper:


    "The Lord will also remember you, Father Paco."


    Then, his dark red eyes gently closed, as if he could not bear to witness the scene that was to follow.


    At the same time, as his words fell.


    The two priests took several deep breaths, their chests heaving like bellows, their eyes suddenly becoming bloodshot!


    "Ah!"


    "Ah ah ah!"


    Then, after a unison roar, they wasted no more words and boldly removed the flame-shaped Divine Emblem from their chests, lifted their Wizard Robes, and fiercely stabbed into their left breasts!


    Puchi!


    Under such force, the sharp end of the Divine Emblem pierced straight into the heart!


    A large volume of fresh blood instantly gushed from the wound, quickly staining the entire Divine Emblem red.


    Immediately after,


    Boom!!


    Amid the painful groans of the two Priests, the Divine Emblem burst into flames like a spark, with the blood and flesh serving as kindling!


    Starting from their left chests, a cluster of dark-red flames suddenly soared and rapidly spread throughout their bodies, transforming them into two burning human torches.


    As the flames consumed them, their auras became increasingly powerful and... unstable!


    They resembled volcanoes on the verge of erupting!


    All of this might seem like a long story, but it happened in an instant in reality.


    Within Colin and the others'' field of vision, they only saw the two Priests suddenly pull out their emblems and stab themselves in the chests, then burst into flames and rapidly launched themselves at them!


    "Not good, go all out now!" Ginsley''s expression changed drastically as he urgently shouted.


    With their every step, the auras of the two Priests climbed higher and higher, almost reaching the level of a Second Rank Wizard!


    The situation had nearly reversed in the blink of an eye.


    Colin''s face turned grim; he keenly noticed that, behind those blazing flames, the frail Priest Naris was not taking the chance to escape but was softly chanting something.


    The flickering flames reflected in his crimson eyes, coupled with his cold, emaciated, and nearly skeletal visage, made him seem like a bizarre demon!


    "Retreat quickly!"


    Seeing the two Priests in front of him who seemed to be swelling continuously, Colin was shocked and subconsciously ordered in a deep tone, hurriedly retreating backwards!


    "Hm?"


    "Colin you?!"


    "Why are you fleeing the battle!"


    The surrounding Wizards'' complexions changed slightly, instinctively shouting out.


    Morin and Margaret wanted to question Colin.


    But in the next second, a surging wave of heat was faintly approaching!


    Looking back, the two Priests, now turned into torches, seemed to swell up like balloons.


    Countless dark-red lights, carrying the heatwave, penetrated through the twisted, cracked fissures of their splitting skin!


    The two Priests had come face to face with them without anyone noticing when!


    "Not good!"


    Upon seeing this, Morin and Margaret''s faces distorted with fear, and they hurriedly retreated just like Colin had.


    "Poisonous fury..."


    Yet in such a critical moment, Mayer, who was supposed to be the last to act, stood still in place, his eyes blankly fixed on the two Priests as he murmured softly.


    "Get out of the way!!"


    Margaret growled anxiously in her heart; Mayer was standing right in the path of her retreat.


    Swoosh!


    A Fireball whip formed in her hand and lashed heavily towards Mayer!


    "Ah."


    It was then that Mayer reacted, crying out as if awakened from a dream.


    He watched the two dark-red Fireballs approaching him, his pupils nearly constricting to the size of pins, his face showing terror.


    But it was too late.


    Boom!!


    The two Priests could no longer maintain their form and exploded in a blast!


    The dark-red flames swept across the entire area, nearly engulfing everyone!!

 Chapter 283 - 227 Escape (4.2k)

    "It''s too late!!"


    Colin''s eyes hardened as he took a deep breath, paused in his footsteps, and with a thought, he summoned the Elf Armor.


    Clang!


    The black and gold streamlined armor instantly surfaced on his body!


    Then, he directed all his Magic Power toward the Steel Temperature Resistance Field! S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Whoosh!


    The originally transparent Defensive Field momentarily flashed a white outline due to maximum power output.


    The next moment,


    Dark red flames attacked, blossoming like flowers, cluster by cluster, forming a veritable fire field.


    Hiss!!


    As soon as the dark red flames touched the body''s Defensive Field, Colin felt the Magic Power draining from him like a tide, making him involuntarily turn pale.


    The white light representing the Defensive Field flickered incessantly, and the air between them distorted.


    Simultaneously, watching these dark red flames, an inexplicable anger surged within Colin!


    "Not good!"


    Colin''s expression changed slightly as he instinctively looked away, striving to resist these sinister dark red flames!


    The flames continued to surge, the Steel Temperature Resistance Field flickering uncertainly.


    Fortunately, this was the edge of the fire field, and since the Steel Temperature Resistance Field was now a First Rank Upper witchcraft adept at resisting high temperatures, the flames couldn''t actually scorch him... it didn''t even touch the Elf Armor!


    Moments later, as Colin''s Magic Power was nearly drained by half, the dark red flames finally began to extinguish.


    He didn''t retract the Elf Armor but rather cautiously took out a Magic Stone and a Demon Release Ring to start recovering his Magic Power, while cautiously looking around.


    The Soaring and Flying Technique was already brewing in his heart.


    "Trish!"


    But before he could assess the situation, Colin heard a wail first, and instinctively looked in that direction.


    Not far ahead, one of Morin''s Male Wizards was extending a trembling hand, looking sorrowfully at a charred figure lying at his feet.


    "Is this¡­ that Witch?!" Colin''s pupils constricted slightly.


    The Witch Trish had clearly lost all signs of life.


    Not only that... but the Male Wizard''s left half-body was also charred, barely hanging on by Healing Magic.


    Colin quickly looked away.


    After discerning the situation, he breathed a slight sigh of relief.


    Apart from Trish''s death, the other Wizards survived, albeit with varying injuries.


    Among them, Morin and Margaret, due to their superior strength and the powerful Witch Tools they usually carried, suffered the least.


    Even Margaret, a specialist in Flame Witchcraft, only had her Wizard Robe slightly singed and her face a bit pale.


    Even Morin, with heavier injuries, only had some charring on his body.


    Then there was Sovoc, who unexpectedly had evaded into a nearby house by the roadside, bearing minimal scars.


    "These dark red flames, seem not as powerful as imagined..."


    As he exchanged glances with Sovoc walking out of the house, Colin thought privately.


    But turning his head, he found that the situation of Ginsley and Mayer was not so optimistic.


    Ginsley was leaning against a pitch-black broken wall, continuously casting some sort of Healing Magic on himself, the pale green glow of witchcraft flashing intermittently.


    But this did nothing to alleviate his pain... Ginsley moaned quietly, his expression twisted in anger.


    Using his keen sight, Colin could see that Ginsley''s charred brown skin was sticking to the grayish-black remains of his Wizard Robe...


    As for Mayer, his situation was even more severe!


    He was lying flat on the ground, entirely charred, his Wizard Robe turned to black ash, indistinguishable from his charred body.


    "Right... what about the Priest?"


    "Could he have taken the chance to run away?"


    Colin wondered, his gaze moving beyond the remaining flames on the ruins ahead.


    The next moment,


    His pupils dilated slightly, somewhat alarmed.


    That frail Priest was still standing in his original spot, not having taken this chance to flee!


    His expression was calm, lips tightly pressed, and those dark red eyes seemed to suppress a volcano about to erupt... This was not right!!


    "Quick! While he hasn''t fled, continue the attack!"


    Beside him, Ginsley had cast a Healing Magic on himself and also noticed the frail Priest still lingering.


    His eyebrows shot up in anger as he exclaimed loudly!


    "Fool!"


    Colin couldn''t help cursing inwardly.


    In such a scenario, the Priest''s reluctance to flee was clearly overconfident and uncautious, yet to think of attacking directly!


    "Dirty and ignorant believer! You have angered me!!"


    Unexpectedly, from the other side, Morin also started to shout in anger similarly to Ginsley!


    One problem had barely subsided before another arose.


    What happened next surprised Colin even more!!


    Whoosh!!


    A miserable green ray suddenly shot out from the hand of one of the surviving Male Wizards under Morin, targeting¡ªMorin!!


    "It hurts! It really hurts!"


    The Male Wizard clenched his teeth, eyes bulging, bloodshot eyes filled with red veins, angrily hissing.


    "You''re insane!" Morin yelled incredulously, his face contorted with rage.


    "It hurts! It hurts a lot!"


    The Male Wizard did not respond, repeating meaningless mutterings and continuously launching one attack after another.

 Chapter 284 - 284: 227 Escape (4.2k)_2

    Most of the attacks targeted Morin, but a few were also aimed at the other wizards, and even Colin, who was the farthest away, received an attack.


    "This..." Colin agilely dodged the attack, but his heart sank.


    Swish!


    Another beam came, still fired by the male wizard.


    But Colin keenly noticed that this time, the beam, amidst the ghastly green, revealed a hint of dark red... and its power had increased significantly!


    Such a situation... there was no other explanation!


    Colin''s face darkened.


    It must have been the dark red flames from earlier...


    He turned his head and looked around.


    Aside from Mayer, who lay on the ground with an indiscernible face,


    that male wizard, Ginsley, and even Morin had strangely eerie expressions, with a flash of red seemingly in their eyes!


    And they all had something in common: they had all been burned by those dark red flames!


    Looking at their identically bulging eyes and the grimacing, teeth-gritted expressions, Colin suddenly broke out in a cold sweat.


    "The situation doesn''t look good," Sovoc came over and murmured in a low voice.


    Colin warily glanced at him.


    But it seemed that because Sovoc was uninjured, he remained clear-headed.


    "I''m normal," Sovoc noticed his gaze and emphasized, then suddenly asked softly, "Where is Lady Margaret?"


    Colin and he both scanned the area and finally found the familiar figure of Margaret to their front left.


    Margaret, surprisingly, was still coherent and was slowly retreating, seemingly planning to escape.


    Colin and Sovoc exchanged a glance subconsciously.


    Then, in unison like Margaret, they both started to back away.


    With the current situation still uncertain and their magic power running low, escaping was obviously the best choice!


    Colin retreated discreetly, using his peripheral vision to watch for the right moment while observing the frail priest nearby.


    As time passed, the situation on the field grew increasingly complicated, and a bizarre, frenzied atmosphere gradually enveloped the area.


    "Damned fool!"


    After venting his frustration to no avail, Morin also started to attack the male wizard.


    Being weaker than Morin and severely injured, the male wizard quickly fell to a lower position.


    "Ah ah ah ah!"


    But then, Ginsley, for some unknown reason, also began to attack wildly.


    He yelled angrily, his translucent saliva splattering uncontrollably!


    Morin, the male wizard, Sovoc, and even the prone Mayer fell within his range of attack, but he pointedly did not attack the frail priest, Naris! sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Ow ow ow! It hurts!!"


    Just then, the male wizard finally could no longer endure the attacks; his body was torn apart by the witchcraft, yet under some bizarre influence, he did not die but screamed in agony.


    ''Now is the time!''


    Colin''s gaze sharpened, and he decisively used the Soaring and Flying Technique!


    In that moment, in his peripheral vision, he spotted Margaret and Sovoc seizing the same opportunity to escape!


    Swish!


    The glow of witchcraft flashed, and Colin''s figure instantly soared into the air.


    Then, another swish, another flash of witchcraft light passed!


    Undoubtedly, it was the glow of the Swift Skill.


    With the enhancement of the Swift Skill, the speed of the Soaring and Flying Technique was further boosted!


    Without any hesitation, Colin, like a bird leaving its nest, plunged into the night sky, rapidly distancing himself from the place!


    "Oh?"


    Priest Naris furrowed his brows, uttering a light sound of doubt.


    "Still three not affected, huh..." he murmured to himself.


    Watching as Colin and the others flew away in succession.


    Naris slightly tilted his head up, and the firelight cast clear shadows on his gaunt face, resembling sinister tattoos.


    "We can''t let Vincent and Paco have sacrificed in vain."


    Naris muttered, then gently removed the flame-shaped Divine Emblem from his chest and with its sharp tip, sliced open his palm.


    Hiss.


    Dark red blood immediately gushed from the wound.


    Clutching his hand to form a fist, held vertically in mid-air.


    Pitter-patter, pitter-patter.


    Drop by drop, dark red blood, under the force of gravity, dripped down from the fist.


    But the blood didn''t fall to the ground.


    Hiss.


    Hiss¡ª


    Drops of blood transformed into dark red flames, one after another, in mid-air!!


    The flames floated in mid-air, enveloping Naris, much like eerie oil lamps.


    This was the special ability brought by the extraordinary thing inside him known as the Divine Bloodline!


    "Go."


    After a short while, as Naris''s face turned a bit pale, enduring the feeling of emptiness inside him, he gently waved his hand.


    Swish!!


    The suspended dark red flames, like pigeons receiving a command, shot out one after another!


    But their targets were not the escaping Colin and the others, but the wizards still attacking each other on the field.


    Morin, Ginsley... the male wizard had died in the mutual attack, and Mayer lay on the ground, life unknown.


    The flames unabashedly flew towards Morin and the other, yet they completely failed to notice, merely gritting their teeth and furiously attacking each other.


    The noisy cursing and attacking sounds abruptly stopped.


    Only the continuous crackling sound of the flames burning, and the faint sound of the wind from the night sky remained.


    Though lengthy in description, in reality, it all happened in an instant.

 Chapter 285 - 227: Escape (4.2k)_3

    Even Colin, who had escaped the earliest, was still within sight, and Margaret and Sovoc had made it only a short distance away!


    "This is bad..." Margaret ran while simultaneously keeping an eye on the situation behind her.


    At this moment, as the dark red flames completely entered Morin''s bodies,


    their expressions suddenly became calm, and their actions ceased.


    The next instant!


    Morin no longer continued to attack each other but instead turned their heads to look at her and Sovoc beside her, their calm faces twisting into ferocity in the blink of an eye.


    Their eyes were so fierce... as if they were sworn enemies with irreconcilable differences!!


    Margaret''s heart tightened, and she couldn''t help but swallow hard.


    If it had been a normal situation, with the two Morins attacking her together, perhaps she wouldn''t have been so frightened.


    After all, even if she couldn''t win, with her own strength, she still had the confidence to preserve her life!


    But at this moment, she was already weakened from defending against the self-destructing priests, even sustaining some injuries... and the two Morins, under the mysterious power boost, not only didn''t decrease in strength but became even more formidable!!


    How could she win?!


    Boom!


    Margaret clenched her teeth, and with a thought, the fiery glow around her body intensified, increasing her speed to a visibly faster rate.


    "Wait for me, Lady Margaret!"


    Sovoc shouted in panic beside her.


    But Margaret turned a deaf ear... the wise adapt to circumstances, and to stay and face the enemy head-on at this point would be folly.


    She felt somewhat relieved that there was still a living Sovoc, who could at least buy her time.


    With this thought, she couldn''t help but look up at the graceful black figure far ahead...


    "Who knows what kind of Witch Tool that armor is, to boost the flight speed so remarkably!"


    "Damn it!" she cursed in her heart.


    Colin, a First Rank Wizard who had just advanced, could fly at such a speed with that armor... If only she could have worn that armor herself!


    With the temporary boost of streaming light, she narrowed the distance to Colin a bit more as she thought.


    However, this was only temporary, and Margaret felt an inexplicable panic inside... she had no idea how close Morin and the others were behind her.


    Whoosh!


    Margaret''s expression froze.


    A figure suddenly whooshed past her!


    "Sovoc?!"


    She had no idea what witchcraft Sovoc had used, but his speed had now surpassed hers. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But before Margaret could take a closer look,


    Thump!!


    The sound of an arrow piercing flesh reached her ears.


    Margaret''s face turned pale, her eyes filled with disbelief.


    A mechanical arrow, glittering with cold light, suddenly shot from behind her, passing diagonally through her left shoulder.


    "Ginsley''s mechanical arrow..."


    Margaret recognized the attack, endured the pain, and didn''t look back.


    The glow around her surged again forcibly, slightly increasing her speed.


    But this slight increase was clearly not enough... although she did not look back, she could guess Morin''s position... or at least Ginsley''s, from the mechanical arrow.


    Ginsley, the rather rare Mechanical Wizard, appeared as a portly middle-aged man, but beneath that rotund body were countless intricate structures.


    And the mechanical arrow, one of the Mechanical Wizard''s most classic witchcraft, was naturally familiar to her.


    Given the power and speed of that arrow, Ginsley was most likely no more than five hundred meters away from her!


    Five hundred meters, for a First Rank Wizard''s speed, was only a matter of moments.


    Margaret''s mind raced, suddenly concentrating her spiritual power into a long beam, shooting it towards the distant Colin and Sovoc!

 Chapter 286 - 228 Battle (4k)

    "Let''s face the enemy together! Otherwise, we shall all perish!"


    Margaret''s transmitted burst of spiritual power reached Colin and Soc, immediately turning into an urgent message.


    "Lord Colin!"


    Sovoc had also caught up by now, panting as he listened to Margaret''s spiritual transmission and instinctively turned his head to ask Colin.


    At the same time, his flight speed began to decrease, his complexion turning pale, seemingly unable to maintain high-speed flight any longer.


    Colin, who had already fortified himself with Mechanical Mind, heard this and remained calm and indifferent. He glanced at Sovoc, then looked back.


    Behind Margaret, the figures of Morin and his companion, sprinting furiously, could now be clearly seen. Their jaw muscles bulged, and veins sprouted on their faces like tiny serpentine copper wires, their expressions extremely frenzied and angry!


    "One minute¡­" Colin murmured softly, his Superbrain spinning rapidly.


    "What! Lord Colin?" Sovoc, who had gradually fallen behind him, asked in puzzled surprise.


    Sovoc''s face was almost as pale as Golden Paper, but what caught attention the most was his hair, originally glossy and smooth, now wilting like dried plants, strand by strand!


    "Within one minute, Margaret will be overtaken, then it will be our turn," Colin sighed inwardly and explained softly.


    He didn''t know what Margaret and Sovoc were thinking. It would have been best for the three of them to scatter and flee just now, yet they insisted on following him!


    ''No choice left¡­''


    Colin hesitated no longer and instantly stopped!


    At this point, scattering to escape was no longer an option.


    "Lord Colin?"


    Caught off guard, Sovoc couldn''t brake in time and brushed past Colin.


    "Only by turning around to face the enemy together do we stand a chance!"


    As Colin turned, he spoke gravely in the moment he brushed past Sovoc.


    Hearing Colin''s words, Sovoc looked slightly staggered and then struggled to halt his flight.


    Colin was not surprised by Sovoc''s choice.


    At the brink of life and death, everything was subordinated to the need to survive.


    Though he was reluctant to deal with Margaret, as she had said, if they continued to flee separately, they would ultimately be defeated one by one, with no hope of survival.


    After all, none of them could fly faster than Morin and his companion in their strange, perhaps corrupted state.


    If Margaret could delay for a significant time, there might still be a chance to escape.


    But now, such thoughts were merely daydreams.


    Colin shook his head and adjusted the Magic Power within him.


    Margaret, approximately at the peak of First Rank Intermediate due to her prestigious School background and possession of Witch Tools, had combat power equivalent to a regular First Rank Advanced Wizard from a normal School.


    Morin and Ginsley were originally slightly weaker than Margaret, but not by much.


    Originally, the two attacking Margaret would have been too much for her to handle.


    However, now that Morin and Ginsley had been strengthened, their powers had ascended a notch, nearly rivaling the top of First Rank Advanced!


    Margaret could only hold on for two minutes maximum before she would lose her life!


    Then, within five minutes, Morin and Ginsley would catch up to him¡­


    "Lord Colin¡­ do you have a plan?"


    Sovoc turned around, slowly flying next to Colin to stand shoulder to shoulder, his gaze somewhat unsettled.


    "Prepare to fight."


    Colin did not answer but after a careful observation, spoke softly.


    By this point.


    Optimistically, the three had at least reached a consensus to counterattack, rather than acting disorganized.


    Moreover, they could no longer afford to hesitate, as time was running out.


    In fact, almost as soon as he finished speaking, Margaret had already flown up in front of them.


    "You two, hold them off and create an opportunity for me!"


    Margaret looked somewhat disheveled, but her tone was still commanding.


    But at the same time, Colin also spoke: Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Sovoc, I remember you have a Confinement Magic, like a silver cobweb. In thirty seconds, I need you to use it to temporarily trap Ginsley for one second!"


    His Superbrain''s Talent had been pushed to its limit, experiences flashing through Colin''s mind¡ª


    The witchcraft used by Sovoc¡­ witchcraft Margaret excelled in¡­ the speeds of Morin and others¡­ the classic witchcraft of the Silver Safety School... every bit of information related to this fight was rapidly pulled up by the Superbrain and analyzed.


    "Yes¡­"


    Margaret''s and Colin''s voices almost overlapped, making Sovoc beside them somewhat confused, as he instinctively gave a vague response:


    "At such a critical moment, Colin, you¡­!"


    Margaret too realized and turned her head to look at Colin, her brows furrowing.


    But before she could finish her sentence, she saw Colin turning to face her, calmly saying:


    "Lady Margaret, Morin will arrive about ten seconds after Ginsley. I hope by then, you can engage him with your Flame Light Whip!"


    Hearing his cold command, Margaret''s face turned angry, and she retorted sharply, "How audacious, who gave you the courage to order me!"


    Colin''s expression remained unchanged, his dark golden helmet wrapping his face, adding a touch of nobility and authority to his handsome features.


    In reality, he wasn''t intentionally putting on a cold face, but the Superbrain operating at high speed left no spare energy for controlling his expressions.

 Chapter 287 - 228 Battle (4k)_2

    He gazed at Margaret, his pale blue eyes devoid of any emotion, and slowly said,


    "Madam Margaret, if you wish to live, then listen to me."


    Swiftly!


    Following that, Colin wasted no more time and with a gesture, summoned the Foolishness Scepter adorned with dark golden patterns.


    It was at that moment Colin realized, to his surprise, that the Elf Armor and the Foolishness Scepter unexpectedly matched very well; both primarily black and adorned with golden patterns¡ªthough one had dark golden patterns, and the other a brighter gold.


    Meanwhile, Margaret''s expression slightly froze, perhaps because the Elf Armor worn by Colin made him appear too noble, which subconsciously intimidated her a bit, or perhaps because she had just sustained injuries and felt somewhat weak... In any case, her previously intense rage dissipated without a trace at Colin''s words.


    Margaret observed Colin, giving his Elf Armor several more scrutinizing glances.


    "Madam Margaret..." Finally coming to his senses, Sovoc instinctively sought her opinion.


    Margaret withdrew her gaze, now focusing on Ginsley who was nearly upon them. Her expression changed several times before she finally clenched her teeth and spat out, "Listen to him."


    "Yes," Sovoc responded, unconsciously coughing and showing surprise.


    He hadn''t expected Margaret to actually follow Colin''s command!


    Could it be... Sovoc observed the exquisite armor on Colin and speculated to himself,


    ''Could it be... Colin is of noble birth?''


    "Ah ah ah¡ª!"


    "Kill you! Kill you! Kill kill kill!"


    But it was at this moment that Ginsley''s angry shouts suddenly brought Sovoc''s thoughts back to reality.


    He turned his head to look at the ferocious expressions of Ginsley and Morin, his body involuntarily trembling slightly, instinctively reaching up to touch the top of his head.


    Clumps of withered, pale gray hair immediately fell.


    ''This time... it''s a severe drain on my vitality.'' Sovoc''s expression turned bitter, but seeing Ginsley almost upon him, he gathered his thoughts and sighed.


    ''I hope at least to survive...''


    A pale silver light slowly illuminated from his hand, brilliant as stars.


    "Now!!"


    Colin''s eyes were cold and fierce as he shouted out!


    Immediately after, he waved the Foolishness Scepter!


    Swiftly!


    An almost man-high orange-yellow fireball shot out from the top of the scepter, then transformed mid-air into a figure made of flames!


    Four times Limit Breaking Fireball Skill + Summon Fire Element!


    This was the first time Colin had deployed such Combined Witchcraft after four times Limit Breaking the Fireball Skill!


    "Roar!!"


    The Fire Element roared skyward, then under Colin''s control, rapidly charged towards Ginsley.


    At the same time, Sovoc''s witchcraft shot forth!


    A pale silver light orb sped out, unexpectedly reaching Ginsley before all others and immediately transformed into witchcraft''s silver-white threads forming a dense net, firmly binding him within.


    Then, the Fire Element also arrived.


    This orange-yellow flame sprite, under the influence of the Foolishness Scepter and... four times Limit Breaking Fireball Skill?


    Colin was slightly taken aback, summoning the Fire Source of the Fire Element, though it affected the strength of the Fire Element, there was always a limit...


    But now, the Fire Element unleashed a power far greater than usual, almost reaching First Rank Upper!


    ...Logically, such a substantial increase should not happen!


    But this was not the time to ponder this issue.


    Colin shook his head, then raised the scepter again!


    A glaring red light quietly emerged at the tip of the black-gold scepter, growing bigger and brighter!


    "Kill!"


    "Kill kill kill!"


    At that moment, Ginsley, bound by the silver net, was constantly struggling; under the mechanical structure within his body''s powerful influence, the net flickered, seemingly about to collapse.


    "I can''t hold on much longer!" Sovoc couldn''t help but shout anxiously.


    Yet, even so, he still overestimated himself!


    Just as he spoke¡ª


    Crack!


    The intricate silver net, like silken thread, snapped one strand after another!


    "Not good!" Sovoc panicked and instinctively wanted to reinforce the net with another layer.


    "No need to rush."


    But Colin suddenly spoke up softly to comfort him.


    "Roar!!"


    In the next moment, right when the silver net snapped, the Fire Element had reached Ginsley and opened its fiery arms, lunging at him!


    "Damn it! Kill, kill, kill!" Ginsley cursed angrily. The Fire Element proved stronger than he had anticipated, and he truly couldn''t break free from its grasp in that instant.


    "This..." Sovoc was momentarily stunned, quite taken aback by the power of the Fire Element!


    He was only a First Rank Intermediate Wizard, and facing such a Fire Element, he might not even stand a chance!


    "It''s not over yet, Sovoc. Support the Fire Element to continue attacking Ginsley!" Colin instructed.


    He watched as the flames and impact from the Fire Element cracked Ginsley''s skin and peeled it back, revealing the shiny silver intricate metal structure underneath... yet there was no sign of joy on his face.


    From what he could see, Ginsley had extensively modified his body, and such injuries were only superficial to him!


    "Kill, kill, kill!" Ginsley grew increasingly impatient, gears inside his body whirling rapidly, producing loud clacking noises!


    "Yes!" Sovoc snapped out of it, replying. He inadvertently glanced at the increasingly bright and large red light at the top of Colin''s staff and couldn''t help but shudder!


    "Margaret, you''re up!"


    Just then, Colin spoke again.


    Looking forward, Morin''s figure was nearly upon them!


    Margaret frowned and glanced at Colin, still somewhat angry and uncomfortable, but she didn''t delay. She extended her hand and called forth a bright red flame, heading straight for Morin.


    Swish!


    A red whip whooshed towards the silver-eyed Morin.


    The two began to tangle.


    This way, the situation on the field reached a temporary deadlock.


    Colin furrowed his brows, standing still and constantly stabilizing the witchcraft in his hands.


    The red light at the top of the staff grew brighter!


    And after who knows how long, at a certain moment, it suddenly turned into a blazing white color!


    At the same time, Colin put away the Golden Paper.


    This was not any new witchcraft, just an unformed Fireball Technique. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What he did was to slowly impart knowledge through the characteristics of the Foolishness Scepter, safely enhancing the Fireball Technique''s power to the limit!


    The blazing white light flickered at the top of the staff, and Colin instinctively pulled it further away.


    Even with the Steel Temperature Resistance Field, the extreme temperature of the flame still caused his hair to curl slightly.


    He closely observed the battle unfolding in the field.


    "Lord Colin..." Sovoc swallowed nervously, looking terrified at the blazing white flame on Colin''s right-hand staff.


    ''Is Colin really just a newly Advanced First Rank Wizard?!''


    "Just a moment more," Colin whispered.


    Then, almost simultaneously, his gaze sharpened!


    At that moment, Ginsley seemed unable to endure the troublesome Fire Element any longer. He roared, and his body swiftly expanded, the shiny silver metal spreading like fast-growing vegetation.


    This proliferation also brought intense aggression, the Fire Element enveloping Ginsley howling as it was engulfed and extinguished by the spreading metal!


    ''Now!'' Colin didn''t hesitate anymore, swinging the Foolishness Scepter gently!


    Swish!


    The blazing white light shot out from the top, swelling in the wind and instantly turning into a massive fireball nearly the height of a person.


    Endless light and heat radiated out!


    The dazzling white light brightened the area, nearly turning it into daylight!


    Immediately after, the Blazing White Fireball, like a moon emitting a terrifying aura, traced an arc and struck Ginsley.


    In the "moon''s" path, the air slightly distorted, leaving a clear trace.


    "No!!"


    Ginsley watched the scene, eyes widening in horror, but his cry was fleeting.


    In just an instant, he and the Fire Element turned into ashes!

 Chapter 288 - 229: The Best Material (4.2k)

    Blazing white fireballs, so mighty that they silenced the entire arena.


    Even Morin, who had fallen into madness, paused momentarily.


    "Um?"


    Margaret, locked in battle, swiftly seized the opportunity!


    She swung her bright red flame whip, struck Morin with a quick hit, leaving a huge wound on his body, and then decisively retreated to regroup with Colin.


    At that moment, the force of the fireball''s explosion had not yet fully dissipated.


    Endless heat waves rolled in, billowing their hair and wizard robes with a loud whistling sound!


    Seeing this, a mix of shock and fear surged in Margaret''s heart... She could hardly believe it as she looked at Colin.


    Such witchcraft almost touched the realm of Second Rank!


    "The battle isn''t over yet," Colin said gravely, ignoring their gazes.


    Ginsley might be dead, but Morin was still alive...


    And then there was the frail priest who had been lurking behind them, unseen. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was unclear if he had cautiously fled or was still trailing behind, waiting for an opportunity.


    Colin cast a wary glance around, heightening his vigilance.


    As for the Foolishness Scepter in his hand... he wasn''t actually concerned about Margaret and the others knowing.


    After all, his possession of the Foolishness Scepter was hardly a secret.


    At least in Neustadt City, Sister Lillian and the elders of the Law Enforcement Team knew of it, and they had even taken the trouble that night to enlighten him about its drawbacks.


    In fact, if it weren''t for Golden Paper, the Foolishness Scepter... was really no precious artifact.


    At the very least, not practical.


    And even now, the Foolishness Scepter was becoming less and less useful.


    As his power increased, so did the might of his witchcraft naturally, and simultaneously, the cost of using the Foolishness Scepter to enhance his witchcraft grew more and more.


    At Zeroth Rank, upgrading a Zeroth Rank witchcraft by a small rank might cost just a few points, or maybe ten or so points, of witchcraft progress.


    But now, at First Rank, to elevate a First Rank witchcraft by a small rank, at least fifty points of progress would be the price!


    Though his mind was filled with thoughts, the reality was that Morin, gripped by madness, had just charged forward.


    "Attack together!"


    Colin lightly waved the Foolishness Scepter as he shouted in a deep voice.


    But he did not actually use the Foolishness Scepter.


    Even though the battle was not over, at least the imminent life-and-death crisis had been resolved.


    Before Ginsley was dead, the not-so-good condition of Sovoc and Margaret, coupled with him, versus the well-conditioned Ginsley, enhanced further, would have made the outcome uncertain.


    But now, with Ginsley turned to ashes, only Morin was left.


    Even with Sovoc and Margaret not in great shape, the outcome of the remaining battle would hardly be surprising.


    About five minutes later.


    Accompanied by a dreadful shriek, Morin too lost the breath of life.


    Although he was dead and his body beyond recognition, the flying witchcraft cast upon him had not yet immediately ceased, and it slowly faded away.


    Externally, it made Morin''s body seem like a soft feather, slowly descending.


    Margaret watched this scene, with poignant feelings in her heart.


    Morin''s sister was her close friend, someone she often interacted with intimately, making Morin a familiar face...


    But she had never thought that within less than a month of coming to the Sea Domain, these two acquaintances would both die one after another...


    "Um?"


    But in the next instant, as if she thought of something, Margaret glanced at Colin and Sovoc beside her and suddenly flew towards Morin''s mangled corpse.


    Snap.


    Then, just as she had plucked the Divine Emblem before, she naturally removed Morin''s storage ring and the silvery-grey cloth pouch tied to his waist, which was used especially for carrying the Divine Emblem.


    Looking at the ring and pouch in her hand, Margaret''s expression showed a trace of joy.


    But remembering Colin''s powerful attack from earlier, she felt somewhat hesitant...


    After a moment, Margaret''s eyes shifted, her face turned away from Colin and Sovoc, her smile faded, replaced by a stern expression, and she stowed the storage ring.


    Then she flew in front of the two, and with a serious tone, she said:


    "This ring is Morin''s legacy; I will keep it safe. As for the Divine Emblem, after the battle..."


    Mid-sentence, her pupils suddenly contracted, her expression drastically changing.


    The full moon cast a bit of faint light.


    Somehow, an inexplicable dark shadow suddenly enveloped them.


    A massive figure had appeared above the three like a ghost...


    And then, with a violent rush, it plummeted down!!


    ''Not good!!''


    At that moment, Colin and the others quickly came to their senses and scattered in all directions.


    But the speed of the massive figure was too fast, even... even faintly surpassing the realm of First Rank!!


    Of the three, only Colin, who had been vigilant, managed to put some brief distance between himself and the massive figure before it landed.


    The extreme speed brought a ravaging gale that made Colin squint his eyes, and through the blurred vision, he watched a massive silhouette fall.


    Subsequently, a hoarse voice also intermittently came through.


    "Mar...ga...ret!"


    ''That voice?!'' Colin was taken aback.


    "Mayer?!!"


    At the same time, Margaret suddenly cried out in shock!


    She incredulously stared at the gruesome and horrific creature before her, woven from a mix of stark white bones and dark red flesh.


    The flesh on its body had nearly lost its original shape, transformed into knotted dark red vines, haphazardly entwined around the stark white bones, ultimately constructing a bloody monster at least three meters tall!

 Chapter 289 - 229: The Best Material (4.2k)_2

    If it hadn''t been for the ferocious head on the top which still vaguely resembled Mayer, Margaret would have found it nearly impossible to imagine that this monster in front of her was the enfeebled, helpless Mayer of the past!


    But the monster wasn''t going to give her any time to catch her breath out of surprise


    Whoosh!


    Mayer extended his bloody right arm, swiftly striking at her!


    Boom!


    The air, compressed by the extreme speed in front of the right claw, even formed a visible trail


    The razor-sharp claw had not yet arrived, but the piercing gale already had!


    "This is impossible!" Margaret''s face was filled with panic, her previously cold demeanor gone, leaving only a twisted visage


    Now that Mayer had transformed into a monster, just his speed alone undoubtedly put him at the Second Rank!


    She was merely a First Rank Intermediate Wizard, how could she possibly contend with him?!


    If she were hit by that strike, she would surely die!


    However, even so, Margaret hadn''t lost her desire to survive


    In this critical moment, Sovoc, who was close at hand, suddenly became her hope for life


    "Lady Margaret, no!"


    Sovoc cried out in despair, and before he could react, he was swept up by a Red Flame whip, which had appeared out of nowhere, and was instantly pulled to Margaret''s side!


    Splat!


    The sound of flesh tearing apart came through


    "Ahh! It hurts so much!"


    A scream filled the air and then vanished in an instant...


    Colin''s pupils had shrunk to pinpoints


    He watched as Sovoc, his body torn open, cried out in pain and then immediately perished, a mix of shock and rage filling his heart


    But this was undoubtedly not the time for anger


    Due to the Foolishness Scepter''s cost, his degraded Fireball Technique could no longer allow him to unleash an attack like he had just done


    Or rather, even if he could perform such an attack, without someone''s assistance, it''s doubtful whether he could eliminate the powerful Mayer in front of him


    The only choice, which couldn''t even truly be considered a chance for life, was ¡ª to flee!


    Whoosh


    Colin gently waved the Foolishness Scepter, preparing to use it to amplify his Swift Skill to increase his escape speed while Mayer was still entangled with Margaret


    Although, even doing so, he couldn''t surpass the speed of Mayer he had just witnessed


    But in a life-or-death moment, every extra second alive was precious


    At the very least, it would allow his flight speed to surpass that of Margaret''s


    And from his current observations, Mayer, who had mutated into a monster, seemed to prioritize Margaret as his primary target, not him


    So at least until Margaret''s death, he could cling to life for a while longer


    The glow of witchcraft gradually brightened, but at that moment


    Whoosh!


    A dangerous sound of ripping through the air suddenly came


    Colin''s face changed, he bent backwards and ducked under a sweeping Red Flame whip!


    "Give me the armor that can increase your flying speed! Once I escape, I will avenge you!!" Margaret dodged Mayer the monster''s attacks with difficulty and screamed at him


    "Increase flying speed... Elf Armor?"


    Colin first felt a subconscious confusion, followed by anger


    Not knowing why Margaret assumed his Elf Armor could increase flying speed, her actions still stirred the anger within him that he had temporarily suppressed


    Colin watched as Margaret charged towards him, his expression icy cold


    He didn''t dodge, nor did he stop casting Swift Skill


    This action, to the outside observer, looked like he stood still without moving


    Seeing this, Margaret''s heart leaped with joy, thinking that Colin had agreed to her demands


    No wonder Colin acted this way, after all, the Tin Saint School had always been a vassal to their Yista School... Colin had made a smart choice!


    Margaret revealed a smile and shouted:


    "Take off the armor and throw it to me first, then help me hold off this monster so I can wear it! Thank you, Colin, the Yista School will remember your kindness!"


    After she finished speaking, Colin still maintained his unmoving posture


    Margaret finally noticed something was wrong


    "Damn it!"


    While dodging Mayer''s attacks, which were akin to a cat playing with a mouse, she couldn''t help but shout again:


    "Quickly give me the armor, Colin!"


    "Did you hear me!"


    And at that moment, Colin finally completed his casting of Swift Skill


    The brilliance of witchcraft flashed across his body, and at the same time, another glow of witchcraft lit up


    A fireball appeared in Colin''s hand and then suddenly shot out towards Margaret, trailing an orange-yellow streak through the air


    Facing the oncoming fireball, Margaret initially couldn''t believe it, thinking it was Colin lending a hand!


    But in the next instant, realizing the fireball''s locked target, her eyes widened in disbelief, her expression twisted


    "No!"


    She tried to dodge, but Mayer''s blood-drenched claws struck precisely, and while she thought to endure the hit, the seemingly inconsequential fireball actually carried the power of the First Rank...


    The next moment


    Boom!!


    Splat!


    The sound of the fireball exploding mixed with the noise of flesh tearing apart filled the air


    Her moment of hesitation directly cost Margaret her last chance at life


    The shock wave of the fireball caused her dodging to falter, and as Mayer had up to now only toyed with her like a cat with a mouse, this time, whether by accident or design, he did not hold back S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The blood-drenched giant claw pierced accurately through her left chest, effortlessly slicing out her still warm, beating heart


    And then, crushed it into a soft pulp

 Chapter 290 - 229 The Best Material (4.2k)_3

    "Pfft!"


    Margaret spat out fresh blood, her gaze somewhat dispersed.


    But she wasn''t completely dead yet, desperately clinging to her last breath, she turned her head towards Colin''s location.


    However, Colin''s figure had long since disappeared!


    Only a faint sentence still lingered in the night wind¡ª


    "Goodbye, Margaret¡­ my lady."


    "Hehe¡ª" S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As the voice was carried by the night wind into Margaret''s ears, her expression turned sour, and even her dispersed gaze focused momentarily in anger,


    She seemed to want to say something as she moved her lips...


    But blood kept pouring out,


    And ultimately, Margaret couldn''t utter a complete sentence and lost her breath.


    Just after Margaret had lost her breath, a somewhat raw voice suddenly came through.


    "How does the taste of anger feel? Isn''t it quite wonderful?"


    The frail Priest''s figure slowly flew in from the night sky.


    Under the faint moonlight, it was clear to see that Naris''s complexion was even paler than before¡­ his cheeks had also sunk in further.


    "Ma... ga... ret..."


    The three-meter-tall monster didn''t turn around, just muttered to itself as if it hadn''t heard Naris''s inquiry¡­ or perhaps it could no longer understand words...


    But Naris didn''t mind.


    He gazed at the terrifying monster in front of him with a fanatical gleam in his eyes.


    After sending Morin to chase after them, he had intended to seize the opportunity to flee.


    But he had never expected to discover this Witch who had begun to mutate and decay!


    There was no doubt, this was the perfect material granted by the Lord!


    Although the Wizards were all disagreeable... a decaying mutated Witch was the exact opposite.


    They were the best materials bestowed by God!


    A smile emerged on Naris''s face, ready to command Mayer to finish off the last Witch.


    For safety''s sake, he hadn''t come with Mayer but tailed far behind.


    He had thought by the time he arrived, Mayer would have already dealt with the three, but unexpectedly Mayer hadn''t immediately killed the Witch, playing with her like a cat with a mouse.


    It wasn''t until he had seen from afar and urgently commanded that Mayer promptly dealt with the Witch.


    Pffft.


    At that moment, a noise came through.


    Naris looked up.


    Mayer was slowly withdrawing his arm from Margaret''s chest.


    Fresh blood and shattered organs scattered messily.


    Just like Morin before, Margaret''s body now lost the support of Mayer''s arm and began to slowly sink.


    Watching this scene, the fury in Mayer''s blood-red eyes gradually subsided.


    Seeing this, Naris''s expression shifted slightly.


    "The enemy hasn''t been completely eliminated... the anger can''t disappear just yet!"


    He extended his left arm and with the Divine Emblem in his right hand, he once again cut open his left wrist.


    But this time, the blood didn''t flow out as quickly as it had from his palm before.


    Instead, it only reluctantly seeped out a drop after quite a while.


    But this drop of blood was completely different from the blood left from his palm before.


    It was a magnificent dark red, the dark red even had a hint of black!


    The dense clouds in the sky had already dissipated a lot¡­ perhaps the great battle above was nearing its end?


    But regardless, a sliver of clear moonlight shone down, illuminating the dark red blood.


    When it was still and not flowing, it almost looked no different from a deep, dark gemstone.


    When the gem-like drop of blood was completely exuded, Naris''s complexion visibly paled further, making one wonder if there was any blood flowing beneath that skin at all...


    Naris took a deep breath of air, letting the coolness of the night wind chase away the dizziness in his mind.


    "Go." Naris threw the blood toward Mayer''s chest, watching it slowly melt into it, and muttered, "Vincent and Priest Paco¡­ their sacrifices cannot be in vain."

 Chapter 291 - 230 The True Purpose

    The crimson blood, gem-like in its magnificence, merged into the blood-drenched chest as if adding fuel to the flames of rage.


    Maye''s eyes became angry once again, and bloodstains slowly emerged on his sclera like disgusting, twisted threadworms while the muttering from his mouth changed, no longer calling out Margaret''s name but instead becoming a series of unconscious murmurs.


    Next to him, Naris looked at the monster now completely under his control with satisfaction and nodded his head contentedly.


    ''Barely reaching the power of a Basic Level Second Rank, still not too bad¡­ and it was worth expending a drop of my precious true blood.''


    ''It''s just a pity that there wasn''t enough time for a meticulous preparation.''


    Naris slightly shook his head with a touch of regret.


    A wizard fallen to corruption and mutation, although the favorite offering to the divine and the best material for the transformation Divine Arts bestowed by the Lord¡­ was equally troublesome to process.


    Such conditions obviously didn''t exist on the battlefield.


    "Go, pursue the remaining wizards," Naris withdrew his gaze and once again ordered Mayer.


    Although it took some time to restabilize Mayer''s condition and Colin''s figure had disappeared from sight, Naris did not worry in the slightest about being unable to catch up to Colin.


    Naris reached out his hand.


    Margaret''s body was immediately pulled into his grasp, her eyes wide open in death, her face still bearing the remnants of reluctance and¡­ rage.


    "Rage¡ª" Naris said solemnly, holding up Margaret''s corpse with one hand and clutching the Divine Emblem to his chest with the other as he softly declared: "Rage shall guide my way!"


    No sooner had his words fallen than the Divine Emblem in his hand emitted a faint red glow.


    The red light flickered in the wind like mist.


    Moments later, under the guidance of an inexplicable force, it pointed in a definitive direction¡­


    At the thought, the three-meter-tall monster beside Naris lifted him and Margaret, before tearing through the night sky, becoming a streak of red light, and flying swiftly and silently towards the direction indicated by the red mist!


    *


    *


    *


    The night breeze blew gently as the slaughter on Gubier Island continued. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Orange light was visible everywhere, the fire burning.


    Colin, with his keen eyesight, could still plainly see, in the glow of the flames, blood and limbs falling like rain¡­


    At this moment, he was fleeing on the west side of Gubier City.


    Although Mayer''s figure was not visible behind him for the time being, Colin felt no sense of relief.


    The ghost-like speed Mayer had shown earlier was something he hadn''t forgotten.


    Moreover¡­ he always felt a kind of inexplicable malice, like an incurable disease in the bones, which had been following him since a while ago.


    Thinking this, Colin involuntarily increased his output of Magic Power a little more, and his flying speed suddenly quickened.


    He was looking toward the outskirts of Gubier City, not far ahead.


    ''It''s close, once I get there, perhaps I can encounter our side''s High Rank wizards¡­''


    On Gubier Island, the ground battles mainly consisted of First Rank and below wizards, whereas the fights above First Rank primarily took place mid-air.


    About a five-minute flight ahead was the nearest High Rank battlefield he had observed.


    It was, of course, very dangerous for him... but now, he didn''t have much choice, and only hoped that the gaunt Priest would know better and retreat.


    After all, as dangerous as the High Rank battlefield was for him, for the peculiar Priest who deliberately hid himself, it was clearly even more perilous!


    Whoosh!


    But just then, a piercing shriek sounded as a streak of red light flew towards him!


    As if his heart was being squeezed, Colin''s face changed, and he swiftly dodged to the right.


    Swish!!


    With the Swift Skill enhanced by the Foolishness Scepter and his own ultra-high reaction, he narrowly avoided the attack at the very last moment.


    ''He''s come so fast!'' Colin''s heart sank as he watched Mayer in front of him.


    But the crimson monster didn''t pause at all and turned around to grab at him again.


    Mechanical Mind allowed Colin to cast aside any unnecessary emotions, Superbrain working furiously fast!


    The next moment.


    Swish!


    He shifted slightly to the left, and the massive claw swung by once more, missing him as it grazed past his side.


    The gust of wind it brought up stirred Colin''s blond hair, but it didn''t affect his movements in the slightest.


    Boom!!


    An orange Fireball shot out precisely from his hand, striking the chest.


    The blast caused Mayer to stagger, giving Colin the chance to retreat backwards.


    But before Colin could catch his breath, the angry monster attacked again!


    Swish!


    The same scenario played out once more, and with the combination of various witchcrafts and Talent that suited him, Colin was like a dancer balancing on the edge of a knife, constantly engaging the monster Mayer.


    "Truly astonishing," a voice suddenly came.


    Whoosh!


    Mayer''s attacking motion abruptly halted.


    Colin keenly seized the moment, shooting out another Fireball.


    Boom!


    The Fireball struck Mayer''s head with pinpoint accuracy, yet Mayer seemed not to notice, nonchalantly moving back to the side, next to Naris.


    Meanwhile, his scorched face restored to its original state in the blink of an eye¡­ such a recovery ability, probably even more extraordinary than his own Strong Life Talent!


    Colin watched Mayer, not pursuing, but standing in place, warily watching the frail Priest in front of him holding Margaret''s body, taking the opportunity to catch his breath.


    Meanwhile, inside the wide sleeves of his Wizard Robe, he discreetly pulled out the Demon Release Ring and Magic Stone, taking the chance to replenish his Magic Power.

 Chapter 292 - 230: The True Purpose_2

    Although his strength was barely at the First Rank Advanced level thanks to several Limit Breaking witchcrafts,


    Magic Power within him was only at the level of a First Rank Junior Wizard.


    Even the witchcraft that came from Golden Paper Limit Breaking did not consume Magic Power as much as ordinary cross-rank Casting.


    But whether it was the Second Rank Limit Breaking Steel Temperature Resistance Field or the Fourth Rank Limit Breaking Fireball Technique, both were First Rank Upper level witchcraft, and the consumption was always higher than ordinary First Rank Lower witchcraft!


    This battle was far longer than Colin had anticipated.


    By now, his Magic Power was running low.


    "If I''m not mistaken, you are just a First Rank Junior Wizard, right?"


    In the night sky, Naris suddenly appeared and spoke unhurriedly.


    With the dark red monster by his side, victory was only a matter of time.


    He suddenly became interested, wanting to taste the anger of the Wizard before him, to offer it to the Divine, and to console Vincent and Priest Paco.


    Colin did not answer Naris; he was solely focused on restoring his Magic Power.


    Naris, unconcerned, chuckled softly and continued,


    "A First Rank Junior actually possessing such power, along with this mysterious staff and splendid armor... You must be noble, just like me.


    Regrettably, today you will fall here."


    Naris shook his head, and then suddenly stopped, pretending to be surprised,


    "Right, I brought along your companion; she has been missing you."


    While saying this, he lifted the mutilated body of Margaret, from which blood still streamed down her physique and eventually dripped into the air from her toes.


    "Of course, perhaps you do not miss her... After all, I saw with my own eyes as you threw that Fireball, ending her life," Naris continued.


    "Let me guess, you did it for... survival, right?"


    Naris removed the two Storage Rings from Margaret''s body and then, as if discarding trash, tossed her body to Mayer, who was standing aside.


    Under his control, Mayer caught Margaret''s body and then hoisted it above his head, slowly moving back as his body gradually curved like a great bow.


    Meanwhile, Naris continued speaking, his expression full of disdain and his voice rising.


    "You Wizards, proclaim yourselves as seekers of truth! But in the end, how many dare to explore knowledge, to study the unknown?"


    "Speaking of maintaining humanity and reason! Yet look at you, in a life-and-death crisis, just the same... All just a bunch of craven, vulgar people!"


    Boom!


    As his words fell, Mayer also flung Margaret''s mutilated body toward Colin.


    "Wizards are ultimately mere humans, fragile and filthy, incomparable to the Divine," Naris said with a smile, watching Colin continue.


    His heart filled with anticipation... Anticipating tasting Colin''s anger.


    But even after Colin slightly shifted to avoid Margaret''s body, he still could not detect a hint of anger.


    Naris''s expression suddenly darkened.


    He wasn''t surprised that Colin could avoid Margaret''s body; after all, the throw was more insulting than attacking.


    He was puzzled that Colin showed no reaction to such provocation.


    ''Could it be some kind of witchcraft?''


    Naris looked at Colin carefully, speculating inwardly.


    Thinking about all he had done and it being futile, his expression inevitably cooled.


    ''What a waste of time.''


    "Mayer."


    Naris composed himself and commanded lightly.


    Swoosh!


    The dark red flesh monster immediately shot out.


    On the other side, Colin, watching the flesh monster''s attack, gently exhaled and put away the Demon Release Ring and Magic Stone.


    While Naris was trying to provoke him, he hadn''t relaxed; his Superbrain was ceaselessly contemplating strategies to break the stalemate.


    Continuing like this would not work.


    Although he, with his current strength and Mayer''s transformation into a crippled Second Rank, and even with the help of Superbrain and Mechanical Mind, found this "edge-dancing" move easy, as if walking on level ground without fear of errors,


    Magic Power was still limited.


    If this continued, once his Magic Power was exhausted, it was his moment of defeat!


    Since dragging it out wasn''t working, he had no choice but to confront the situation head-on!


    The situation seemed insolvable, but there was still a glimmer of hope¡ª


    Naris!


    Now transformed into a monster, Mayer was powerful, its physique alone reaching Second Rank, but its controller¡ªNaris¡ªwas only at First Rank...


    And even now, his aura felt somewhat weak, probably considered weak even among First Rank.


    According to Superbrain''s analysis, it was estimated to be only about the level of a First Rank Junior Wizard!


    Although he didn''t know if killing Naris would stop Mayer''s attacks on him.


    But by then, Mayer, having lost control and intelligence, if it continued to attack him, he might still find a moment of opportunity before his Magic Power was completely exhausted.


    ''And, there are no other options...'' Colin''s gaze hardened, ''This is the only chance!''


    Of course...


    He glanced cautiously at Naris, who stayed back far away. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To seize this opportunity, he still needed to figure out how to successfully approach Naris...


    He continued to fight Mayer, contemplating his Strong Life Talent, already having a plan in mind.

 Chapter 293 - 230: The True Purpose_3

    ...


    Clang!


    A sharp, dark-red claw struck, landing on the Steel Temperature Resistance Field and making a sound like metal clashing against iron!


    Naris stood at a distance, patiently waiting for Colin''s downfall. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A minute had already passed since Mayer threw Margaret''s body toward Colin.


    Yet this Basic Level First Rank Wizard in front of him was still holding on.


    He couldn''t help but feel a bit astonished.


    Despite the short time, this flesh monster was of Second Rank strength; although its attacks were simple and it was at the bottom of its rank, it was genuinely a Second Rank monster!


    However...


    Clang!


    The dark-red monster struck the wizard again, causing his semi-transparent Force Field to violently shake.


    Naris breathed a sigh of relief.


    Fortunately, as time went by, Colin began to show signs of fatigue, making more and more mistakes, and he was hit increasingly frequently.


    It was estimated that it wouldn''t be long¡­ No, his downfall was imminent!


    Naris smiled.


    Perhaps Colin had reached his limit. Just after getting hit, it seemed like a chain reaction: he failed to dodge in time and was hit several times in quick succession.


    There was a crack, and the wizard''s Defensive Field shattered instantly!


    "No!" Colin cried out in ''horror.''


    Puchi!


    Immediately afterward, Mayer''s claw plunged into his abdomen, then tore viciously, ripping off a large chunk of flesh. Blood and bits of innards instantly splashed down.


    With such an injury, even a First Rank Wizard couldn''t possibly survive.


    Naris''s face showed a smile.


    He watched as Colin heavily fell into the dense forest below him.


    Crack crack¡ª


    The sound of snapping branches was incessant.


    A moment later, there was a thump.


    Colin, like a broken bag, smashed heavily against the side of a tree, dust billowing around.


    His complexion was ashen, the wound on his waist horrific; his eyes slightly closed, appearing to be on the verge of death.


    "Good giant, have you come to play with me?"


    But then, a timid voice suddenly came from behind a large tree not far away.


    "Nasi..."


    Colin, who had been pretending to be near death, was taken aback.


    ''How could the little elf be here?!''


    Barely opening his eyes, he realized he had fallen in the Red Soil Forest just outside Gubier City.


    But before he could react,


    "Little Elf!"


    Naris, who had landed right after, let out a shout of alarm first!


    Naris widened his eyes, murmuring,


    "Could this possibly be what the Pope and the others have been trying to find on this island?"


    He quickly stepped forward, his right hand pinching the red-haired elf in his grasp.


    ''The Divine Believers took over this island with a hidden agenda?''


    As soon as Naris arrived, Colin pretended to be dying; he listened to Naris''s words, his heart stirring slightly.


    Gubier Island was already near the front lines; he had thought that the Divine side''s capture of this island was just a normal strategic advance.


    But now it seemed there were other reasons...


    "We must inform the Pope immediately!" Naris, clutching the red-haired elf, paced back and forth on the spot, occasionally looking up through the gaps in the trees at the sky!


    At this moment, the dark clouds in the sky had almost completely dispersed, with only terrifying remnants of the battle passing through the center from time to time.


    ''Who knows how the battle is going...'' Naris couldn''t hide his unease.


    After all, their Divine side had fallen into an ambush.


    "Let me go, you big bully!"


    At this moment, Nasi in his hand struggled desperately.


    Even though Naris was lean, he wasn''t someone her tiny frame could budge.


    Nasi''s eyes shimmered with a hint of grievance; she opened her mouth wide and fiercely bit down on Naris''s finger!


    "Ah!" Naris cried out in pain, quickly grabbing the little elf''s body with his left hand, trying to pull her off his right finger!


    "Now is the time!"


    Colin''s eyes snapped open, shedding the pretense of dying!


    At the same time, the Fireball he had been conjuring in his hand suddenly shot out!


    The sound of the wind approached,


    Naris, with his back turned to Colin, suddenly changed his expression.


    "No good!"


    He hadn''t expected Colin to still have the strength to counterattack after such a severe injury!


    And this attack was so powerful!

 Chapter 294 - 231: To My Home (5k)

    In the instant the Fireball Technique left his hand!


    Transformed into a monster, Mayer sprang into action at once!


    Under Naris''s command, like a guard who had embraced death, his agile figure shot forward, attempting to use his body to block the attack of the fireball.


    A gust of wind arose from his massive body, carrying with it the brittle, yellow leaves that danced in the air, even the mud and dust were stirred up!


    But even with such swift speed, it was already too late. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With the aid of Superbrain, Colin had already accurately grasped Mayer''s speed and had taken it into account.


    He was very confident in this strike!


    Boom!


    Sure enough, the next moment, the fireball successfully hit Naris!


    The shockwave, mixed with flames, spread out in a ring, sweeping aside the upturned yellow leaves and the red dust!


    ''Success?'' Colin coughed, clutching his waist and abdomen as he struggled to rise, his gaze fixed intently on the center of the explosion!


    Superbrain only ensured that the fireball was highly likely to hit Naris, but whether it could kill Naris... he was not so sure!


    With this in mind, he did not pause but continued to unleash power towards the center of the explosion.


    After landing the hit just now, Mayer had suddenly stopped, motionless¡ªperhaps...


    "Cough, cough¡ª"


    Colin couldn''t help coughing twice more, bracing himself with his right hand against the wide trunk of a nearby tree.


    To make the act convincing, the wound in his waist and abdomen was a fatal injury for an ordinary wizard.


    For him, it was not fatal, but it was still very serious.


    Even with his Strong Life Talent, in such a short time, he could only slightly recover his ability to move; to recover significantly would require at least half a day... and to heal completely, it would take at least several days.


    Fortunately, under his control, the wounds in his waist and abdomen didn''t affect the Magic Sea, and the Mechanical Mind could temporarily ignore the pain... thus his spellcasting was not significantly affected.


    He still had the ability to fight; it was just that his movements were somewhat hampered...


    Although there were many thoughts in his heart, it all happened in the blink of an eye.


    His cough hadn''t finished when the shockwave had already begun to dissipate, and the rising red dust slowly settled.


    The view became clear gradually.


    "Ugh, ugh¡ª!"


    A faint sound came through.


    ''It seems like Nasi is struggling to cry out...'' thought Colin, but almost at the same time, his pupils contracted sharply as he realized something.


    Nasi was still in his grasp? Could it be that the Priest had not died!


    "Almost..."


    At this time, at the center of the explosion, a voice suddenly came through.


    Naris, tearing off his tattered Divine Robe, glared at Colin with dark and brooding eyes and muttered,


    "If it hadn''t been for the Pope''s blessing... you almost succeeded!"


    While speaking, he reluctantly opened his palm and dark red fragments of the Divine Emblem fell, scattering in the night breeze.


    Seeing this, Colin felt a heaviness in his heart...


    Naris looked up, fixing his gaze on Colin, his eyes filled with repressed fury.


    "The Pope''s precious blessing is wasted because of you! Have you thought about how you want to die?"


    Swoosh!


    The dark red monster, which was still at Naris''s side, suddenly started to move again.


    It walked toward Colin, step by step, in silence.


    The massive figure was intimidating!


    "If you kneel down and beg me, declare your faith in my lord, perhaps I''ll spare your life... What do you say, want to try?"


    Naris carefully stepped back from Colin, continuing to speak in a light tone, but couldn''t hide his hatred.


    Colin paid him no mind, took a deep breath, and the energy within surged as the Steel Temperature Resistance Field appeared once again, instantly restoring the slightly damaged Elf Armor to its original state!


    His eyes were resolute, ready for the battle ahead!


    Although the plan had not succeeded, it wasn''t as if he would just surrender...


    The battle continues!


    Having grown from the small islands to his current state, he was not like Margaret, born with every advantage, a coward afraid of death!


    At this moment, the dark red monster had already reached him, and its arm slowly lifted.


    And then, the blood-red claw came crashing down swiftly!


    Swoosh!


    ''Targeting the left shoulder, step lightly to the right!''


    Colin calmly countered the attack from the dark red monster.


    But the next second, he paused slightly.


    The gale hit his face, whipping his golden hair wildly.


    Yet the dark red monster''s claw, as if frozen, halted mid-air!


    "What''s happening?!"


    Naris, not far away, noticed something was wrong and murmured with furrowed brows.


    In that moment,


    A howling wind, arising from nowhere, suddenly swept through, lifting the red dust and rustling down large swathes of leaves.


    Following that, the bright moonlight poured down.


    And with the moonlight came a spine-chilling, horrifying presence.


    Naris looked up to the sky instinctively.


    Unbeknownst to him, the dark clouds had dissipated, leaving no trace.


    At this moment, the night sky was clear, with the moon hanging high, surrounded by stars.


    Four figures stood divided into two groups, facing off in the sky.


    Of the three figures on the right, standing side by side, all were clad in Wizard Robes¡ªevidently, they were wizards.


    And to the left, covered in a dark red Divine Robe, was the familiar figure of Pope Wan Lai''er!


    "This can''t be..."


    Naris muttered to himself in a daze.


    Pope Wan Lai''er''s presence was weak, and he looked pale and haggard as the dark red flames of the Divine Projection enveloped him, rolling tumultuously with an indescribable force swelling and spreading around him.


    This fluctuation caused the Divine Power within Naris to surge uncontrollably.

 Chapter 295 - 231 Go to My House (5k)_2

    "This time, you wizards have won¡­" Pope Wan Lai''er watched the three wizards before him and spoke softly.


    Then, he turned his head to glance at Gubier Island below his feet.


    As his gaze swept past the Red Soil Forest, Naris suddenly shivered.


    Although Wan Lai''er''s gaze did not linger on him or meet his eyes,


    a voice suddenly appeared in his heart.


    Above the night sky, Wan Lai''er withdrew his gaze, no longer spoke, and stimulated his last bit of strength, continuing to charge toward those three wizards!


    "But your victory is only temporary! Wizards, nothing can stop the steps of the Divine!"


    As his words fell, endless dark red light kept shining out from his body!


    Immediately after, with a loud bang, Wan Lai''er exploded violently, turning into a dazzling and eerie dark red firework in the pitch-black night sky!


    The three wizards were prepared and quickly retreated, unaffected by the blast.


    "Pope Wan Lai''er¡­" Naris couldn''t help but mutter again.


    But this time, his voice had less sadness and more regret.


    In his field of vision, a dark red shadow was silently flying toward him from the edge of the fireworks.


    And the three wizards, close at hand, did not notice it at all.


    "Leave from the west side of the island, my True Spirit will attach to you..."


    The familiar voice of Pope Wan Lai''er echoed once more in Naris''s heart.


    "Yes, Pope."


    He responded subconsciously.


    But he felt as if he had missed something in his heart¡­


    ''Right, the little elf!''


    Naris looked at the little elf still in his grasp, his heart stirring.


    "Pope Wan Lai¡­"


    Whoosh!


    An inexplicable sound of wind came.


    Naris paused, and the respect on his face suddenly turned into terror!


    In front of him, Colin was rapidly flying toward him using the Soaring and Flying Technique, the light of his witchcraft brightly illuminating in his hand, S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    the dangerous aura suddenly tightened around Naris''s heart!


    He then realized what he had truly forgotten!


    "Pope Wan Lai''er, save me!"


    He cried out instinctively.


    When it came to head-on combat prowess, he was clearly not as powerful as Colin before him.


    Moreover, his specialty was creating Poisonous Rage Puppets or using wide-ranging Divine Arts; head-on combat was really not his forte!


    ''Damn it! Move, move!''


    Naris silently screamed in his heart, his expression involuntarily contorting.


    But the distant dark red monster did not move at all¡­ it was even starting to disintegrate and mutate because of the brilliant fireworks exploding in the sky, affected by the power radiating from the Pope''s breaking body.


    Seeing this, a glint of despair flashed through Naris''s dark red eyes.


    He had previously mocked Colin and the other wizards as cowards who were afraid of death! But now that it was his turn, especially when the Pope''s True Spirit was about to reach him and he was about to escape from this life-or-death situation, he finally understood what real fear was, in the blink of an eye between life and death!


    And in the night sky, the dark red shadow also noticed this scene, its ghostly figure suddenly quickening as it stealthily pressured Colin!


    A malicious aura suddenly enveloped Colin, causing his heart to slightly palpitate, his actions involuntarily hesitating.


    But the next moment, Colin''s gaze sharpened, heedless of everything else, he launched a Fireball!


    Sizzle!


    Naris felt cold in his hands and feet, his body trembling slightly, as the orange-yellow speck appeared in his widened dark red eyes, growing larger and larger!


    Boom!


    Then it exploded with a roar, flames sweeping all around.


    "Huh~"


    At the critical moment, Naris rolled to the left, narrowly dodging the Fireball''s attack.


    The blast''s shockwave sent his frail body flying.


    But before he could even land, another Fireball, already prepared, shot straight at him.


    "No!"


    Naris screamed miserably, crashing heavily to the ground, life quickly leaving his body.


    "Ah ah ah!"


    In the night sky, Wan Lai''er''s True Spirit''s flight hesitated for a moment.


    He looked at Colin, hatred rising in his heart.


    The only path of survival had been cut off by a mere First Rank Wizard!


    Wan Lai''er suppressed his malice and continued flying toward Colin!


    On the other side, Colin, seeing that Naris was indeed dead, let out a sigh of relief, and his expression relaxed.


    The next moment, as if remembering something, he quickly stepped forward and carefully picked up the little elf Nasi, who had fallen to the side.


    He had used two Fireballs precisely to rescue this little elf.


    Thanks to his precise control, the little elf in his palm was only slightly dizzy and was now shaking her head to sit up.


    "Good giant, did you kill the big bad guy?" Nasi asked unconsciously, her expression still a bit dazed.


    "Mhm." Colin nodded with a smile.


    The next instant, Nasi straightened up, patted her head, no longer dizzy, but as she looked around, her expression suddenly changed drastically.


    "Not good, there''s a big red super bad guy coming." Nasi shouted in alarm as she looked at the sky, instinctively flapping her wings to fly up.


    Then, as if thinking of something, she flew back and urgently tugged at Colin''s fingers, "Good giant, run quick! It looks much, much stronger than the bad guy just now!"


    Colin instinctively glanced in the direction of the little elf''s gaze.


    But apart from the dark red fireworks that were still burning in the sky, all he saw was empty space.

 Chapter 296 - 231 Going to My House (5k)_3

    "Run, good giant!"


    The little elf''s voice was anxious and melodiously clear.


    But a chill of inexplicable coldness crept over Colin''s heart¡­


    He scanned the sky once again, yet saw no trace of any enemy.


    "Good giant, why won''t you run with Nasi! The good giant is too heavy, Nasi can''t carry you¡­"


    The little elf was huffing and puffing as she tried to pull at his finger, her wings flapping even faster in her urgency.


    "I can''t see the enemy, blindly fleeing and exposing our backs to them would be unwise," Colin said cautiously, looking around vigilantly, "Besides, even if we escaped, where could we go?"


    "Where to escape?" The little elf paused momentarily, then naturally replied, "Of course, we''d go to my home! My home is amazing, no big baddie can get in!"


    "Good giant, please run away with me, the red baddies will be here any moment!"


    ''Escape to her home¡­''


    Upon hearing this, Colin was slightly startled and hesitated for a moment before quickly removing the Storage Ring from Naris''s body.


    He then activated the Soaring and Flying Technique and followed the direction Nasi was pulling toward.


    "Good giant, you finally agreed to run with me!" Caught off guard, Nasi nearly stumbled, but she didn''t mind and instead exclaimed with delight, "Hurry, my home is just ahead, and it''s so close!"


    Nasi wasn''t exaggerating. It was just a few steps away, and under her guidance, they soon arrived at Nasi''s "home."


    It was a tall ancient tree, with green branches and leaves lush and abundant like an umbrella, and its brown trunk was extremely thick, almost comparable to the great ancient tree in the backyard of the instructor Atbolde''s house.


    But it was still just an ancient tree¡­ The only thing that might be special was its location, which was relatively open. The surrounding trees seemed to guard it like a king, with a small clearing between them.


    Colin couldn''t help but give a wry smile¡­ Was the super amazing home Nasi referred to nothing more than this tree?


    ''However, such a sturdy and heavy tree would serve as a good support for our backs, forcing any hidden enemy to only come at us from the front.''


    With another thought, Colin did not stop but continued to follow Nasi quickly forward.


    "We''re home!" Nasi breathed out lightly, then suddenly turned to Colin and said, "Good giant, wait a moment, I''ll open the door for you!"


    ''Open the door¡­''


    Colin was slightly taken aback.


    Rustle!


    The leaves in front of them suddenly stirred without any wind.


    The evil presence that had vanished before came back over Colin, making him involuntarily swallow.


    "Bad news, the red baddie is here! Good giant, hurry up and come with me!"


    Colin didn''t look back, the inexplicable evil intent crawling over him like slimy earthworms, causing his heart to constrict repeatedly.


    The feeling of fear was almost breaking through the limits of his Mechanical Mind!


    Such might was certainly not of the First Rank! Perhaps¡­ not even just of the Second Rank!


    "Good giant, hurry!"


    The little elf Nasi''s urging voice came once more, and Colin finally turned his head, his gaze momentarily pausing.


    Where he had been relying on the large tree behind him, a spinning vortex about two meters tall, emitting a faint greenish glow, had appeared out of nowhere. The little elf stood beside it, anxiously looking at him!


    !!


    Colin''s gaze sharply narrowed, and he immediately realized what was happening, grabbing the little elf and dashing into the light green whirlpool.


    After their entry, the oval-shaped greenish vortex swiftly closed.


    Following that, almost the instant the vortex completely vanished.


    Boom!


    An invisible impact struck the hefty trunk.


    The force was so great that even such an immense ancient tree couldn''t help but shake, shedding countless leaves.


    A dark red figure stood beside the ancient tree.


    Naris, the only one among the island''s followers with the Divine Bloodline, was already dead... Without the Divine Bloodline, the True Spirit couldn''t possibly endure for long.


    The wizards had set up another malevolent Witch Array specifically targeting them, these High Rank believers, making it difficult for their souls to return to the embrace of the Lord.


    Now, there was almost no hope left for life... He had intended to take revenge for Priest Naris, but that too had fallen through.


    "Damn it!"


    Thinking this, Wan Lai''er''s True Spirit let out a low roar of anger.


    But moments later, he calmed down and examined the massive ancient tree closely.


    ''Small elves... an odd Transmission Gate... Could this be...?''


    Wan Lai''er''s True Spirit suddenly trembled with excitement... No wonder Naris seemed like he wanted to say something to him a moment ago!


    However, this excitement only lasted for an instant.


    He looked at his own now ethereal body and let out a silent sigh.


    Then he surveyed his surroundings.


    Wan Lai''er''s gaze passed through the dense forest, taking in the battlefield across the island.


    Wizards, in groups, were sweeping across the island like locusts, devastating the believers.


    After moving from one place to another, all he saw were scenes of believer being brutally murdered...


    ''The situation is beyond hope...''


    Wan Lai''er sighed, then his gaze returned to the ancient tree beside him.


    ''I can''t let those wizards find out!'' His eyes hardened, and he traced a few motions in front of his chest, ''Praise be to my Lord.''


    Having done this, he suddenly moved to the edge of the Red Soil Forest and, with a thought, his previously solid True Spirit body began to dissolve.


    Like raging tides, the formless dark red mist swirled and spread out in all directions.


    "Not good!" In the night sky, three wizards, who had been searching for something, cried out in unison.


    "The Pope''s True Spirit is indeed still here!" one wizard said.


    "No, it''s gone now..." the middle aged wizard shook his head: "Wan Lai''er has broken down his own True Spirit ... Quick, disperse the wizards, we three need to join forces to restrain it again, these mists, we must not touch!"


    "Understood." The other two responded in agreement.


    While they spoke, the dark red mist had already spread to a vast range... covering almost the entire Red Soil Forest and an equally large area on the opposite side, from the edge of the forest.


    Within the covered area, the once robust trees withered and decayed in succession, and Nasi''s ''home'' in the Red Soil Forest was no exception... It seemed to be given special attention, rotting away like soggy cardboard.


    In the entire area, everything, even the soil underfoot, was tainted with pollution, turning filthy.


    Fortunately, the three wizards joined forces in time to contain the mist and dispersed the wizards, so not too many were injured or killed.


    Some time passed, and the situation on Gubier Island stabilized.


    The First Rank believers and those above were all slaughtered by the wizards. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 297 - 232: The Past (4k)

    The night-long battle finally ceased. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The sounds of slaughter on Gubier Island dissipated with the cold night wind, replaced by the surge of tide and the faint cries of seabirds.


    Looking eastward, without knowing when, the sky had already turned pale with the coming dawn.


    On Gubier Island, apart from some collapsed houses, it seemed to have reverted to its former everyday appearance.


    But if one looked down from the sky, they could easily spot the conspicuous dark-brown "scar" toward the west side of the center of Gubier Island.


    In the center of the scar, where Wan Lai''er had turned into tainted fog, three leading wizards gathered.


    Potent Magic Power surged in this area, previously widespread dark-red fog had now been confined by the three wizards to an area of only about ten square meters.


    After a while, the dark-red fog shrunk to the size of a baby''s head, its color deepened, almost turning black.


    "It''s about time," the elder wizard in the middle spoke. His appearance was consistent with his voice, looking like a kindly old man with a benevolent smile.


    "Right," the two wizards beside him nodded in response, increasing their output of Magic Power.


    Seizing this opportunity, the elder wizard produced a pyramid-shaped Purple Crystal Bottle, then opened the lid.


    Whoosh!


    Immediately following, the red-black fog as if drawn by an invisible force, surged toward the mouth of the bottle, like swallows returning to their nest,


    In no time, it was completely sucked into the Purple Crystal Bottle.


    Click.


    After capping the bottle, Andor let out a gentle breath, a hint of relief finally crossing his aged face.


    Yet, sweeping a look around and seeing these environments that couldn''t be restored even after the fog had been dealt with, Andor still couldn''t help sighing inwardly.


    "These Divine Believers are truly detestable! With such actions, the Tainted babbling on Gubier Island has at least doubled!"


    Before he could speak, Kesi on the left ground his teeth first, "The Divine and His followers have always been such filthy things... This pollution isn''t even considered serious."


    Alisa spoke softly from his right, "Once the Alus Association is over and people migrate back to Gubier Island, everything will gradually recover, and the Tainted babbling will slowly diminish."


    Alisa''s graceful figure was vaguely visible under her voluminous gray-white Wizard Robe, a pity that her white hood covered her face in endless shadows, obscuring it from view.


    "Pollution takes but a night, but recovery will need at least hundreds of sunrises and sunsets."


    Kesi continued bitterly. Though not born on Gubier Island, it was still half his home, and seeing this scene filled him with rage.


    "At least it''s a long-missed great victory, isn''t it?" Andor spoke, his expression uplifting.


    At that moment, a pale red light slowly emerged from the far end of the sea, igniting the surrounding white clouds into a dazzling morning glow.


    The light of dawn bathed Andor''s face, making his smile even more splendid.


    Perhaps this victory on Gubier Island marked the beginning of a turnaround for the wizards!


    Andor cast a glance at Alisa beside him and, placing his hand solemnly on his chest, bowed respectfully to the white-robed witch.


    "Lady Alisa, thank you all, thank you for the helping hands extended by the wizards of Siya Continent."


    Alisa was slightly stunned, surprised by the gesture of this well-known wizard of the Sea Domain.


    The not-so-eloquent Alisa hurriedly returned the gesture.


    After a moment of silence, she spoke again,


    "There''s no need for thanks, Lord Andor. Wizards are natural allies, and besides, all the Supreme Council has forged a pact to watch over and aid one another..."


    "The lunatics of Nolan Continent don''t think so!" Kesi interrupted from the side, "Lord Andor, when you contacted them two months ago, they didn''t offer a bit of..."


    "Kesi!" Andor cut in with a stern voice.


    Kesi looked at Alisa, paused, and then closed his mouth.


    But this interruption made the atmosphere suddenly become somewhat awkward.


    Alisa glanced around, feeling slightly uncomfortable, and prepared to find an excuse to take her leave.


    Just then, her gaze accidentally caught a glimpse of a mutilated corpse... seemed somewhat familiar?


    ''That''s from the Blanch Family...'' Alisa frowned, her strong memory quickly recalling this junior she had seen at a Yista School gathering.


    ''Seems her name is... Margaret?''


    "What is it, Lady Alisa?" Andor asked, following her line of sight.


    "A young witch I know," Alisa shook her head.


    "Condolences," Andor responded.


    Yet his gaze did not retract, instead, his brows gradually furrowed.


    Before Alisa could inquire, Andor took the initiative,


    "Look at that other corpse not far away."


    Alisa and Kesi followed the direction Andor indicated.


    About fifty meters from Margaret''s corpse lay another strange carcass.


    "Is that... a mutant wizard?" Kesi raised his lightning-like eyebrows uncertainly.


    The corpse''s remnants were almost unrecognizable in human shape, with a nearly three-meter-high, rough-textured, bone-white skeleton adorned with numerous sharp spines. Encircling the skeleton were remnants of dark-red, vine-like flesh, akin to intertwined muscle.


    "Yes, and no," Andor carefully observed the body for a while and shook his head, "If I''m not mistaken, that''s a Poisonous Rage Flesh Puppet."

 Chapter 298 - 232 Past Events (4k)_2

    Andor spoke as he flew towards the body.


    "I think I might know why Wan Lai''er''s True Spirit came here."


    Alisa and another person closely followed behind him.


    As they passed by Margaret''s body, Alisa paused briefly, but only sighed softly in her heart and continued flying forward without any other action.


    "Poisonous Rage Flesh Puppets are not uncommon on the front lines, but those made from mutated Wizards, especially those that seem to have been made hastily during battle, are rather rare," Andor continued to explain to the newcomers, Kesi and Alisa.


    "Moreover, the appearance of such hastily created Poisonous Rage Flesh Puppets also means one thing¡ªthe presence of a Divine Bloodline bearer."


    Andor arrived in front of the flesh puppet and examined it.


    The flesh puppet was prostrate overall, with its skull slightly lifted and its right hand stretched forward, looking in Margaret''s direction.


    Behind it, there was a clear trail of movement extending deep into the forest, with its own flaked dark red flesh scattered along the trail.


    "Come with me," Andor said, ignoring Margaret''s body.


    That was just one of many Wizard bodies commonly seen on the battlefield, what was more important was the place from where the flesh puppet had come!


    The three of them continued along the trail and eventually found Naris'' charred and mutilated body beside a tree.


    Whoosh!


    A pale white glow shot from Andor''s hand towards the body.


    Moments later,


    a flickering dark red glow suddenly appeared on Naris'' body, and it contorted and changed as if it were alive.


    "As I thought," Andor nodded, dispelling the witchcraft, "This is a follower of the Divine Bloodline¡­ or rather, a Divine Son."


    As the witchcraft was dispelled, the dark red glow extinguished, but the Red Soil Forest did not appear dark.


    The trees here had all died, the once lush branches had completely fallen off, and many decaying ancient trees had broken from their roots under their own weight, lying across the brown-stained land.


    Thus, the pale golden morning light fell unobstructed, illuminating the entire area and making the surrounding view quite expansive.


    "It seems that Wan Lai''er''s True Spirit came here to find this... Divine Son," Kesi spoke, his gaze fixed on Naris'' charred body, and added in a lighter tone, "Pity, the bearer of the Divine Bloodline was taken out by our Wizard a bit too early!"


    "That is a great achievement, I wonder which fortunate young Wizard it was," Andor smiled and waved, stowing the body away.


    Just like the mist formed by the True Spirit of Wan Lai''er, the body containing the Divine Bloodline also needed to be properly handled, otherwise its detrimental effects could last for hundreds of years.


    "Could it be the young Wizard we saw earlier outside the forest, the one Alisa Your Excellency knew..." Kesi suddenly said, his tone sinking as he recalled the young Wizard had died, and he chuckled awkwardly.


    Moments later, he dryly added to Alisa, "A brave sacrifice, worthy of praise, I imagine the Supreme Council of the Siya Continent will surely bestow additional rewards."


    "No," but Alisa shook her head, explaining, "I can feel that this follower of the Divine died later."


    "That''s right," Andor also spoke, his gaze sweeping around and concluding, "The Wizard who killed the Divine Bloodline bearer is someone else!"


    As he spoke, Andor''s gaze suddenly paused.


    Now that the trees of the Red Soil Forest had all perished, especially the slightly larger ancient trees, they were basically broken, lying on the ground.


    This not only made the view much wider, it also made the rotten great tree in his vision appear even more massive!


    "King Ao."


    At this moment, Kesi suddenly spoke, following Andor''s gaze to the large tree, a trace of memory flickered in his eyes,


    "That giant tree, known as King Ao, the King of the Red Soil Forest."


    Feeling the gaze of Alisa and Andor on him, Kesi paused, then began to slowly narrate,


    "I spent eight years studying on Gubier Island as a child, back when the Red Soil Forest was still shrouded in mystery... of course, it still is, just no longer in its once frequented state, during which Wizards of all kinds came and went incessantly.


    There were Apprentices and Official Wizards, and even occasionally High Rank Wizards would come by... each Wizard tried to uncover the cause of what made the Red Soil Forest so special¡­"


    At this point, Kesi paused for a moment and asked,


    "Do the two of you know what makes the Red Soil Forest special?"


    "The vivid red soil and the ''Shattered Glass'' trees," Andor smiled.


    "Yes, the Shattered Glass Trees, that''s what we called them back then!" Kesi nodded and continued,


    "Anyway, all Wizards wanted to find out why the ''Shattered Glass'' trees and this land were so special... As for the purpose, maybe it was to make a fortune, maybe it was to enhance strength, or maybe it was just... going with the flow.


    But anyway, by the time I advanced to Official Wizard and left Gubier Island, no one had discovered anything in the Red Soil Forest..."


    Kesi took a breath and looked towards King Ao in the distance, slowly walking over.


    "This gigantic ancient tree didn''t stand out back then; the Wizards were only surprised by its size and named it after King Ao, but no one coveted it...allowing it to survive till now."


    Kesi walked under the gigantic tree, his expression somewhat somber.


    Wizards do not cultivate people into indifferent Divine beings.


    These High Rank Wizards, as long as their willpower is strong enough to resist the tainted babbling of the world, appeared to be more humane.


    "It''s a pity..." Kesi slowly reached out his right hand, wanting to touch the great tree King Ao once again.


    But before his palm could fully make contact with the tree.


    Crack.


    A faint sound came.


    Kesi''s expression froze, slowly looking up at the tree.


    A fresh morning breeze gently blew by.


    Like the last straw that broke the camel''s back...


    The great tree King Ao slowly began to collapse... no, rather than collapsing, it seemed to shatter.


    For some reason, King Ao''s damage seemed even worse than the other ancient trees... it wasn''t just breaking.


    Rather, true to its name, it collapsed like shattered glass!


    Gray-brown dust flew up, with dust clouds rising, and the shockwave made Kesi''s gray Wizard Robe flutter loudly, countless pieces of gray-brown wood raining down like a sudden storm.


    But Kesi did not dodge; he simply remained standing there, arms extended.


    Neither Andor nor Alisa on the other side moved; they were not worried about Kesi''s safety.


    Just the defensive Witch Array inherent in Kesi''s Wizard Robe would block the dust and wood debris.


    Boom¡ª


    Perhaps the ancient tree King Ao, having lived for a thousand years, just turned to ashes overnight, not even leaving a slightly larger fragment behind.


    Moments later, as the lingering dust cleared, Kesi''s silhouette was revealed.


    His yellow hair still stood erect and sharp, his body spotless, but he somehow looked uniquely desolate.


    Alisa stood quietly, her face shadowed, her expression unreadable.


    On the other side, Andor sighed and slowly said,


    "Let''s go, Kesi."


    "Just plant a seed here next spring, and one day, the Red Soil Forest will regain its lush appearance."


    But just as his voice rang out.


    Boom¡ª


    As if triggering a chain reaction, the collapse of King Ao marked the beginning of other deaths, with the dead trees in the Red Soil Forest beginning to break and collapse one after the other.


    For a moment, dust billowed, and the rumbling noise was incessant.


    Amid the enveloping dust, Kesi seemed to awaken, no longer standing stiffly, slowly turning around.


    Boom¡ª sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The trees kept collapsing.


    But a look of release gradually appeared on Kesi''s face, he looked at Andor and suddenly smiled:


    "That''s true."

 Chapter 299 - 233: The Peculiar Different Space

    Falling.


    Falling¡ª


    Devoid of light, devoid of sound, Colin''s bright blue eyes were wide open, but he could only feel the intense sensation of weightlessness.


    A moment later, light came through.


    A vivid red caught his eyes.


    Emerald red ground, as if made of glass... Remnants of ancient trees?


    Still inside a forest, but this place was undoubtedly not the Red Soil Forest from before.


    It was a... dead forest.


    ''Or rather...a dead land.''


    Colin looked around and silently added to himself.


    Not just the ancient trees, the shrubs and weeds of the forest as well, all had turned into a shattered, glass-like appearance, lacking any breath of life.


    In the next moment, Colin furrowed his brows even more and quickly closed his eyes to sense carefully.


    ''The Magic Power here...is so sparse?!''


    He opened his eyes in some astonishment.


    The concentration of Magic Power in the forest rivaled some sparse magic areas over the sea... If compared to Neustadt City, it might only be one-thousandth of the city''s concentration of Magic Power!


    With such a low concentration of Magic Power, if one wished to cultivate or recover Magic Power, they would have to use a Magic Stone; otherwise, it would take an extremely long time.


    ''Right, where''s Nasi?''


    At that moment, Colin suddenly remembered... and hurriedly turned his head to look around.


    But what caught his eye was only the red desiccated trees with a glass-like sensation...


    "Good giant, what are you looking for?"


    Just when Colin was puzzled, Nasi''s voice suddenly came from above him.


    He followed the sound.


    There, poking out from the robust and wide-spreading branches above his head, was Nasi''s delicate little face.


    She looked down at Colin and continued rubbing her sleepy eyes, "Good giant is too heavy, Nasi was so tired bringing you here, now I want to sleep!"


    After saying that, she withdrew her head and once again laid down on the red glassy branches.


    Colin didn''t answer, and instead looked somewhat shaken at the vibrant purple-red color seeping through the crystalline gaps of the glass branches behind Nasi.


    Different from the emerald-like vibrant red ground, the sky here was a dense purple-red, as if the last dazzling color shot out when the sun sinks at sunset...


    ''Is this place...possibly a Different Space?''


    Colin withdrew his gaze and speculated inwardly.


    Then he turned his head and once again surveyed his surroundings, subconsciously asking:


    "Nasi, is this forest your home?"


    "Yeah..."


    Apparently too exhausted, only after a moment did Nasi''s voice reach him.


    She didn''t come out but spoke intermittently, "Not only this forest, but also other places, are all Nasi''s home... It''s super big, good giant shouldn''t run around, or when Nasi wakes up later...I won''t be able to find you..."


    As she spoke, Nasi''s voice gradually lowered until it turned into the steady rhythm of breathing.


    Colin didn''t disturb her further, but with a thought, he slowly flew upwards.


    As he passed by Nasi, he glanced at her.


    This little red Elf was lying without any defense on what was, for her, an overly wide glass branch, her eyelashes slightly trembling, clearly deep in sleep.


    Colin retracted his gaze and continued flying upwards.


    As the obstructive branches were left behind, his view was gradually dominated by the dense purple-red.


    An inexplicable sense of oppression came upon him... and the surroundings subtly became depressing.


    ''This dense purple-red color in the sky, so rich in layers, is astonishing... I wonder how it formed.'' Colin looked at the sky, still unable to hide his amazement.


    After a while, he finally flew out of the barren glass forest.


    The piercing wind suddenly assaulted him, causing his gray Wizard Robe to flap violently.


    Looking far into the distance in all directions.


    An austere and magnificent world suddenly unfolded before him.


    Continuously rolling majestic mountain ranges sprawled in the distance, the forest at his feet stretched left and right, and a vast plain lay in front, interspersed with several irregular pits... they appeared to be dried-up lakes.


    The terrain varied richly, but the colors were monotonous.


    The land and everything it touched, whether the mountain ranges or the plains, had all turned red under a mysterious force.


    Though there were shades lighter and darker, they were all just red...


    Looking up again, the purple-red sky had no stars or moon, it looked like a round, luminous glass dome covering the entire land, and at the edge of sight, the pitch-black border was clearly visible.


    The whole world was deathly silent, apart from the biting wind, no other sound could be heard.


    It seemed that, apart from the little Elf Nasi and him, there were no other living creatures...


    ''Such an eerie sky and land, as well as the obvious barrier... This place is indeed a Different Space!''


    Colin observed the surroundings once more, memorizing the nearby terrain, then slowly descended back into the forest.


    Although he was very curious about what this place actually was, at the moment his body had not yet recovered its best condition, and it was not the time for rash exploration.


    Moreover, he had no need to explore... waiting for Nasi to wake up, the war on Gubier Island should be almost over.


    That invisible enemy had probably been dealt with by the High-Rank elders... Right now, the most important thing was to recover to his best state.


    Thinking this, Colin settled next to Nasi on an even thicker branch and sat down cross-legged. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He first lifted his Wizard Robe to examine his wound on the waist and abdomen. The originally large wound had already closed up, forming a huge scar.

 Chapter 300 - 233 Bizarre Different Space_2

    "Looks like... I still need some recovery time."


    Colin set down his gray wizard robe and conjured the Golden Paper.


    With his Strong Life Talent, such a wound that lacks curses or contamination is not a concern¡ªhealing would just be a matter of time.


    Particles of pale gold started gathering in front, and a piece of Golden Paper situated between reality and illusion slowly appeared.


    [Name: Colin Leonard]


    [Rank: First Rank Junior Wizard (32/100); Ultimate Knight (100/100)]


    [Meditation Method: Holy Ring Meditation Method (29/100)]


    [Breathing Skill: Yi Guang Breathing Method I (30/100)]


    [Wizardry: Zero Level Tricks: Slight Lower Magic: ¡­ Zeroth Rank Upper Magic: Deep Red Marking Technique (62/100); Ancient Tree Heart (20/100); Swift Skill II (98/100);


    First Rank Lower Magic: Detecting Three Abilities (16/100); Soaring and Flying Technique (46/100); Silent (62/100); Summon Fire Element (64/100); Mechanical Mind (89/100); Fireball Technique III (94/100);


    First Rank Middle Magic: Trace Erasure (1/100);


    First Rank Upper Magic: Steel Temperature Resistance Field II (5/100).]


    [Exotic Skill: Anando''s Dice (6/100)]


    [Skill: Omitted.]


    [Talent: Strong Life I (6/100)]


    [True Talent: Superbrain (0/100)]


    [Limit Breaking Point: 0]


    After scanning the Golden Paper, Colin''s expression slightly darkened.


    The price for using the Foolishness Scepter was truly astonishing... He had only used it twice, once for Fireball Technique and once for Swift Skill.


    The result was that these two pieces of magic that had just recently broken their limits had fallen back.


    The actual loss, apart from time, the easiest to estimate would be eleven thousand Limit Breaking Points¡­ equal to eleven thousand Magic Stones.


    Colin couldn''t help but sigh.


    "But compared to life, these are negligible, and..." he glanced again at the progress of Swift Skill and Fireball Technique on the Golden Paper.


    One at ninety-eight percent, the other at ninety-four percent¡­ considering his current pace in practicing magic, in about a day or two, he could train them back to their limits.


    Then, as long as he had enough Magic Stones, he could break the limits again and restore them to their original levels.


    As for the Magic Stones¡­ thinking of this, Colin unconsciously took out the Storage Ring he had retrieved from Naris''s body when he entered this Different Space.


    Holding the ring in his palm and giving it a close look, its style seemed more suited for a female... After a slight comparison with Superbrain, Colin concluded¡ª


    "This must be Margaret''s Storage Ring¡­"


    Thinking this, he hesitated for a moment, then set it aside.


    The Wizard Alliance had regulations that Storage Rings left behind by wizards who died on the battlefield were to be handed over to the Supreme Council, then transferred by the Supreme Council to the deceased wizard''s relatives, mentors, or the like.


    And the wizard who turned in the Storage Ring could receive items or Magic Stones worth thirty percent of the Storage Ring''s contents.


    However, although that was the rule.


    In practice, it was quite difficult to enforce, especially when the wizard who picked up the Storage Ring was not from the same school as the deceased, and it was almost impossible to prevent wizards from embezzling the Storage Ring.


    Even for a wizard of the same school like him, it was hard to determine if he had indeed picked up the Storage Ring.


    The reason Colin had initially set the Storage Ring aside was not because he planned to hand it over later¡­


    Had Margaret not revealed her vile nature, perhaps he would have, out of conscience, handed over the ring¡ªMargaret''s relic to the Supreme Council.


    But now, he was merely planning to first restore his condition before he interfaced with the Spiritual Imprint on the Storage Ring, in order to unlock it.


    "I wonder what kind of things Margaret, being a member of the Nine Major Schools, has in her storage ring."


    While thinking, Colin took out the Demon Release Ring and a magic stone, and began to concentrate on restoring his magic power.


    He did not know how much time had passed. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As the magic stone on the Demon Release Ring gradually dried and turned into pale gravel, the magic power inside Colin was replenished as well.


    He stood up and felt his own body.


    The wound in his abdomen was about 70 to 80 percent healed, but with his magic power now full, this minor injury no longer significantly affected combat.


    Colin nodded in satisfaction.


    Click.


    He took out his pocket watch and checked the time.


    "About five hours have passed since I came in... That''s about right."


    Closing the pocket watch, Colin flew to the neighboring branch, preparing to wake up the sleepy sprite Nasi and take him out.


    "Nasi," Colin gently poked Nasi''s delicate little face with his hand.


    "Uh~" Nasi did not wake up, she closed her eyes and brushed away Colin''s finger, then switched to a different position and continued to sleep.


    Colin was a bit helpless and continued to prod the sprite with his finger, urging her,


    "Nasi, I need you to take me out."


    "Uh... bad giant." Nasi''s eyes fluttered slightly, she glanced at Colin through a slit, and then puckered her lips, saying, "Little Nasi is very tired and sleepy, has no strength, only wants to sleep..."


    After saying that, she turned over and continued sleeping.


    But just a moment later,


    The little sprite Nasi suddenly sniffed.


    The next second, she suddenly sat up, rubbing her bleary eyes with a bit of excitement:


    "Good giant, I smell that delicious gemstone from last time! Are you going to give it to little Nasi again!"


    Colin smiled slightly, opened his palm, and revealed the Ancient Tree Heart resembling a red gemstone that he had left from last time, saying:


    "That''s right, little Nasi, as long as you take me back to where we were just now, this gemstone will be yours."


    "Really!" The little sprite Nasi completely woke up, staring at the gemstone in Colin''s hand with a fascinated look.


    Apparently too tempted, Nasi suddenly waved her hand and unexpectedly pulled out an even smaller Ancient Tree Heart, hugged it to her chest, and licked it a couple of times.


    Then she turned her head with effort and looked at Colin tentatively, asking, "But there''s a big red baddie outside!"


    "Trust me, we''ve been here for almost five hours, the situation on Gubier Island must have stabilized by now... That big red baddie must have already been dealt with by my companions," Colin reassured her.


    Nasi looked at Colin, then at the Ancient Tree Heart in his hand, and after a moment of hesitation, she nodded her head.


    "Okay."


    She said and then started flying in the air, flapping her wings. Her trajectory was somewhat intricate, dazzling to behold, yet seemingly following some sort of pattern.


    As Nasi''s flying action began, her crystalline red wings gradually emitted light, and bits of red sparkles slowly cascaded from them.


    The air gradually began to show strange fluctuations.


    But the next second, the strange fluctuations suddenly extinguished, and Nasi''s crystalline wings instantly dimmed.


    She stopped her movements, a bit frantically shouting:


    "Oh no, little Nasi doesn''t know why, but I can''t open the door!"


    Colin''s expression instantly changed.

 Chapter 301 - 234 Chaos

    In the withered forest, red like glass, Colin was comforting the little elf Nasi.


    "Little Nasi, try again, it might just be a fluke."


    Nasi sat dejectedly atop his head, listlessly pulling at his hair, her red eyes brimming with crystalline tears.


    Hearing Colin''s words, she let go of the strand of blond hair she was holding and pouted in response,


    "But Little Nasi has tried once, twice, three times... so many times!


    The door over there is broken, Little Nasi can''t open it..."


    Colin was silent.


    It had been six hours since they entered this place, and in the past hour, with his encouragement, the little elf Nasi had repeatedly tried to "open the door"...


    But until now, after Nasi had eaten the last ancient tree heart, she had yet to succeed even once.


    Drip~drip.


    Tiny tears fell from Nasi''s chin, landing on Colin''s head.


    "Wahh... Little Nasi can''t open the door anymore, it''s no use..."


    Listening to Nasi''s cries, Colin couldn''t help but feel somewhat heavy-hearted and let out a light sigh.


    But soon, he gathered his spirits once again.


    An hour had passed since he received this news.


    No matter how much his emotions fluctuated, they had long since calmed down.


    After all, in such a dire situation, despair and sighs were futile.


    "Nasi, how do you usually survive here?"


    After pondering for a moment, Colin asked.


    "Survive?"


    "What do you normally eat and drink?" explained Colin.


    Nasi tilted her head and after thinking carefully, she replied, "Little Nasi hasn''t eaten in a long time, except for the sugar gems the kind giant gave me."


    She counted on her fingers and added, "After one hundred more sunrises and sunsets, there will be delicious little flowers to eat, though they''re not as yummy as the sugar gems from the kind giant..."


    While she spoke, the little elf Nasi''s voice suddenly dipped, and with a hint of sobbing, she said,


    "But Little Nasi can''t open the door anymore, can''t eat the tasty little flowers..."


    As she cried, Nasi''s tone suddenly shifted, pulling on Colin''s hair as she tentatively asked, "So, kind giant, Little Nasi is so pitiful, do you still have sugar gems to give to the cute Little Nasi?"


    Colin listened, somewhat helplessly, and reached his hand to pluck the now entirely disheveled Little Nasi from his head, continuing to ask,


    "Little Nasi, when there are no little flowers, what do you typically rely on to live?"


    "Little Nasi doesn''t need to eat, when I''m hungry I just come back here... although it''s uncomfortable to stay too long, not as happy as eating little flowers, but I don''t get hungry."


    Little Nasi no longer feared him at all, allowing him to hold her in his hand while she pouted in response, seemingly unhappy because Colin did not answer her question.


    ''Doesn''t need to eat...''


    Colin was taken aback for a moment and subconsciously activated his Supersensitive Vision.


    Under the supersensitive gaze, a golden-green glow enveloped the little elf Nasi, turning her from red to a golden green hue.


    ''Is this... some kind of Spiritual Light similar to human nature and knowledge?'' Colin speculated after his careful observation.


    In this world, every creature not tainted by Tainted babbling can be seen bathed in a misty glow under the Supersensitive Vision.


    The ordinary is Spirit Fog, while the extraordinary ones vary in forms of Spiritual Light.


    The Spiritual Light on the body surface of the elf Nasi was composed in a way somewhat similar to the external human essence and knowledge radiance of Colin.


    And beyond the brilliance of this gold and green color, the most conspicuous was a stream of turbid radiance that continuously surged toward the little elf.


    This radiance was a dirty grayish brown, unevenly distributed, with glimpses of blackish brown akin to ditch water and peculiar gold and green tinges in certain sections.


    As it continued to surge inward, the gold and green light that passed through Nasi''s body surface acted like a filter.


    It stripped the murky light flow into dark, blackish brown tint, leaving only the same gold and green radiance to continue forward, absorbed by Nasi.


    ''Perhaps this is why Nasi doesn''t need to eat food,'' Colin speculated to himself.


    Then, Colin furrowed his brows.


    His keen perception made him realize that, in fact, the gold and green light filter on Nasi''s body couldn''t completely filter out those dark, blackish brown colors.


    From time to time, some would slip through like fish through a net, slowly permeating Nasi''s body... uncertain whether there might be any adverse effects.


    As Colin thought this, he followed the dark streams of light toward their source.


    "Hiss!"


    But at the next moment, he suddenly shuddered and quickly shut off his Supersensitive Vision!


    "What''s wrong, kind giant, you''re holding little Nasi too tightly, it hurts," Nasi struggled in his palm.


    "Sorry." Colin came back to his senses and quickly released Nasi.


    His face still bore traces of fright.


    The source of those dark streams of light that continuously surged toward the little elf, with just a fleeting glance, he had seen clearly.


    The source was none other than the surrounding trees and bushes that appeared to be stripped bare and dead.


    However¡­ under the state of Supersensitive Vision, these trees didn''t look as benign as they did under normal vision, and they even possessed a strange beauty.


    Those branches turned into dark-red gleaming glass, and in Supersensitive Vision, they looked more like clusters of purplish-black tainted mold, damp, sticky, with countless tiny grey-black fibers reaching out, rustling and swaying in the wind.


    Only in the center of the thickest trunk could one faintly make out a sliver of warm and bright gold and green through this cluster of purplish-black mold.


    Colin took a long, deep breath.


    The impact of this scene seen under Supersensitive Vision was even more intense than the Divine Projection he had seen when first disembarking from the ship.


    With this in mind, Colin couldn''t help but take another look around.


    The dark-red earth, the purplish-red Sky, each presented a desolate and magnificent sight. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But who could imagine¡­ in Supersensitive Vision, these would turn into the decayed and cold grayish-black tones.


    "Little Nasi, can you tell me what other places here are like?"


    Colin collected his thoughts and continued to speak.


    "Little Nasi doesn''t know," Nasi shook her head, having found her way onto his head at some point, "Little Nasi has never been to other places, only knows this forest¡­"


    Colin frowned slightly.


    Next, he carefully inquired more from the elf Nasi about this place, but she knew next to nothing.


    An hour later, the only information Colin had gathered was¡ª


    Nasi had been here since birth, naturally knew how to open Magic doors, liked to eat small flowers, preferred eating candy gems, and this forest was very large¡­


    About other places, other information, she knew nothing at all¡­


    Moreover, Colin also discovered¡ª


    The elf Nasi, in fact, didn''t even know when she was actually born¡­


    Her memory, Colin estimated, was at most about five years, anything further back was complete chaos.

 Chapter 302 - 235 Anomaly

    Nasi''s fragmented memory was temporarily put aside.


    After all, not to mention at birth, how many people can recall what specifically happened when they were very young?


    Perhaps Nasi couldn''t remember her past simply because she was too young at the time.


    The priority now was to continue clarifying the current situation, and then find a way to leave this place.


    Thinking this, Colin raised his eyes to Nasi above him and asked the final question:


    "Nasi, is there any danger in this place?"


    Upon hearing this, the Nasi playing with her hair on top of his head suddenly paused, as if she had thought of something.


    But after pondering with furrowed brows for a moment, she couldn''t think of anything. So, she cast the thought aside and shook her head, saying:


    "There''s no danger here... Great giant, do you have any candy gemstones?"


    "No danger?" Colin nodded slightly, then suddenly asked again: S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Little Nasi, why did you freeze just now, did you think of something?"


    "Why did I freeze..." Little Nasi repeated his words, then suddenly seemed confused and asked back, "Did little Nasi freeze?"


    The little elf said this and then paused again, staring blankly above him, her hands letting the golden strands of hair slip from her grasp limply.


    ''This kind of pause again...'' Colin felt a slight heaviness in his heart.


    The little elf had paused in the same way when responding to his previous question.


    He had thought it was just Nasi pondering, but the image conveyed by the spiritual power extended above was not the case.


    Just like now, little elf Nasi seemed to be paused, her eyes unblinking, "frozen" stiff in place like an intricate doll without life...


    Before he could voice a probing question, Nasi atop his head suddenly returned to normal, grabbed a strand of his golden hair again, and asked:


    "So does the great giant still have any candy gemstones?"


    Colin exhaled discreetly without changing his expression, and replied as if nothing had happened:


    "Of course, there''s more."


    Having said that, he stepped toward a robust glass ancient tree not far ahead and slowly reached out his palm.


    Although the entire forest had turned to a glass-like state, it still was the oldest forest he had ever seen.


    This was apparent from the thick ancient trees around, big enough to be embraced by several people.


    Seeing this, little elf Nasi put down the hair in her hand and looked on with anticipation at Colin''s palm pressed against the tree trunk.


    She remembered that the last delicious candy gemstone Colin gave her had been conjured up just like this.


    A moment later, the Ancient Tree Heart spell was completed.


    A pale red Ancient Tree Heart Crystal appeared in Colin''s hand.


    ''Can it really be cast successfully?''


    Colin caressed the Ancient Tree Heart Crystal in his hand, surprised at the idea that had come to him after he had turned off his Supersensitive Vision to use the Ancient Tree Heart Witchcraft on the glassy trees around him.


    He had thought these trees were long dead, but now it seemed that perhaps some of the ancient trees with resilient life force still harbored a sliver of vitality.


    "Great giant, are you going to give the candy gemstone to little Nasi?"


    "Yes, but you will have to wait a moment," replied Colin, pinching the Ancient Tree Heart Crystal and bringing it in front of his eyes for a closer look.


    "Okay!" Nasi nodded excitedly upon Colin''s affirmation, waiting with an eager face.


    "Here you go," he said after a while.


    Soon after, Colin shifted his gaze away and handed the Ancient Tree Heart Crystal to Nasi.


    This newly formed Ancient Tree Heart Crystal was lighter in color and slightly smaller compared to the previous two. The tree selected this time was larger than the previous two, with a glassy exterior...


    As he thought, he secretly activated his Supersensitive Vision and observed Nasi licking the Ancient Tree Heart Crystal.


    Under the supersensitive vision, the crystal of the ancient tree heart appeared a light green, exuding a sense of vibrant life force.


    But as the sprite Nasi licked it, one could see tiny specks of red light being filtered out by her golden-green spiritual light, kept at bay.


    Unlike filtering out murky streams of light, the golden-green spiritual light seemed even more thorough when filtering the energy of the ancient tree heart crystal¡ªperhaps because the crystal itself is a product of refinement, making it easier to filter.


    After all, once filtered by the golden-green spiritual light, only the pure, pale green energy was absorbed by Nasi... at least to his observation, no impurities could be discerned.


    Additionally, as Nasi began to lick the ancient tree heart crystal, the murky streams of light that were initially flowing toward her gradually thinned, eventually disappearing.


    This seemed to be a good thing; under the supersensitive vision, Colin clearly felt a flicker of brightness in the golden-green light around Nasi.


    After observing all this, Colin turned off the supersensitive vision and took another look around.


    By now, more than half the day had gone since his arrival, but the purple-red sky showed no sign of change. There were no clouds, nor any changes in brightness.


    Here, there seemed to be no night.


    Withdrawing his gaze, Colin found a wide branch to sit crossed-legged on and took out Margaret''s storage ring.


    After asking Nasi and learning that there was no food to be found here, the pressing matter wasn''t to find an exit but to take inventory of what supplies he had left for survival.


    A first-rank wizard needs much less food and water than an apprentice, but it isn''t completely unnecessary.


    In fact, as he knew, even advancing to the second rank did not mean "eating" was no longer required.


    Where there is energy consumption, there must be energy replenishment.


    It''s just that at the second rank, this "eating" might take on other forms depending on the wizard... like absorbing plant energy, for example.


    Even at the second rank, aside from a very few wizards who had undergone deep bodily transformations, the rest would typically supplement their energy with specific foods, albeit at a much lower frequency.


    For Colin, the amount of food he usually kept in the storage ring in case of emergency was about enough for a month, or possibly stretched to a month and a half if used sparingly.


    As for water, with the Condensing Water Skill, it wasn''t too much of a worry.


    ''I wonder how long I could survive without food...'' Colin pondered, caressing the storage ring that belonged to Margaret.


    ''But, being the Ultimate Knight and possessing the talent of Strong Life, I should at least be able to hold out for half a month...'' He thought to himself and refocused, working hard at erasing the spiritual imprint from Margaret''s storage ring.


    Nasi, with the ancient tree heart at her disposal, behaved very well and didn''t disturb him as he seemed busy. She found a branch to rest on.


    Several hours later.


    The feeling of the spiritual imprint being successfully erased surged, and his spiritual power flowed unhindered.


    Colin let out a long breath, refrained from resting, and began to probe into the storage ring.


    Shortly after, with the aid of his superbrain, he meticulously checked the inventory of items within Margaret''s ring one by one.


    ''Deserving of being a member of the Nine Major Schools!'' Colin opened his eyes, unable to hide his delight.


    The abundance of resources in Margaret''s storage ring far surpassed his expectations!


    Setting aside other items, there were as many as two hundred thousand magic stones alone, not to mention an assortment of precious and unidentifiable magical materials.


    ''Unfortunately, the urgently needed food is quite scarce, probably only enough for five days... and not much in terms of witchcraft knowledge either,'' Colin shook his head.


    This suggested that Margaret was clearly not a wizard who loved to study knowledge...


    But this was also normal; wizards like Margaret, who come from extraordinary backgrounds, have a much easier and smoother path in cultivation.


    With their potent witchcraft and Meditation Method, and careful tutelage from a mentor... it''s unlikely that many would be willing to risk the danger of mutation and degeneration to explore unknown knowledge.


    They just need to follow the program, choosing the right existing witchcraft combinations, and that would be enough.


    With these thoughts, Colin smoothly took out the most conspicuous witchcraft booklet from Margaret''s storage ring.


    The booklet was about the size of a palm, with a cover intermixed with yellow and red, looking like flames burning, with a few big characters on it¡ª


    "Light Flame Soaring Skill."

 Chapter 303 - 236: Forest

    "Light Flame Soaring Skill..."


    Colin was first taken aback, then his heart was slightly delighted, and he quickly flipped open the booklet.


    "Indeed, this is Margaret''s signature Flying Witchcraft!"


    Before long, Colin, having browsed through the booklet once, slowly closed it, his face showing a look of pleasant surprise.


    "Light Flame Soaring Skill, a First Rank Middle Flying Witchcraft..." His lips quivered as he murmured unconsciously, pondering carefully.


    Now that he was trapped here, finding a way out was certainly important, but the premise was to make complete preparations first... Whether this Different Space was safe or not remained to be discussed.


    "Better spend two days restoring my own strength, breaking the limits on the three-time Limit Breaking Fireball Skill and the two-time Limit Breaking Swift Skill that are about to reach their limits, and meanwhile trying to learn this Light Flame Soaring Skill."


    After pondering in his mind for a while, Colin made his decision.


    After all, his Soaring and Flying Technique was only a First Rank Lower Witchcraft, and although its speed during normal flight was faster than the Light Flame Soaring Skill with the enhancement of the three-time limit-broken Swift Skill,


    this was in fact the result under the enhancement of a First Rank Middle Swift Skill. If he used the three-time Limit Breaking Swift Skill to enhance the Light Flame Soaring Skill, which was also First Rank Middle level, perhaps the final speed would be even faster!


    As for the importance of speed, that naturally goes without saying...


    Colin slowly stood up, reined in his myriad thoughts, and prepared to check the safety of the surrounding environment before starting his closed-door cultivation, while also looking for a suitable place.


    "Big giant, where are you going?" Little elf Nasi caught sight of his movements, sat up hugging the Ancient Tree Heart, and asked with curiosity.


    "I''m going to have a look around, to find a place suitable for me to rest," Colin replied, floating up and casually choosing a direction, flying low.


    "In that case..." The little elf Nasi watched Colin gradually move away, hesitated for a moment, waved slightly, put away the Ancient Tree Heart Crystal, and then flapped her garnet-like wings, following Colin swiftly.


    Sensing Nasi''s pursuit, Colin just glanced back at her, then withdrew his gaze, expression unreadable.


    But Nasi flew to his side and took the initiative to ask:


    "Big giant, where do you want to rest? Aren''t these tree branches comfortable to lie on?"


    "The branches are too small for me, and without leaves, they aren''t comfortable enough," Colin explained and then, as if something had occurred to him, suddenly asked again:


    "Little Nasi, do you know of any tree holes or larger trees around here?"


    "Tree holes and big trees..." Little Nasi repeated his question, not freezing up like before.


    Just as Colin thought this question would end up like before, providing no useful information, little elf Nasi suddenly exclaimed:


    "Little Nasi remembers now!"


    She circled around Colin as she flew, looking at him excitedly and said:


    "Big giant, Little Nasi knows where there is a tree hole you''re looking for; I''ll take you there!"


    With that, Nasi discerned the direction and led the way to the left!


    Colin, somewhat surprised, raised an eyebrow, heightened his vigilance, and changed direction to follow behind her.


    Sharp, dark red glass-like branches stretched out brazenly from the trunks, like cold, deadly obstacles; Colin carefully controlled his body to precisely dodge these protruding branches.


    Although after noticing something odd about Nasi, he had summoned the Steel Temperature Resistance Field and had been maintaining it until now.


    Those glass-like, dark red branches might seem tough, but to him, they were but brittle tofu dregs that crumbled upon contact... Logically, there was no need to be so cautious.


    But the scenes observed through his Superbrain state forced him not to underestimate these dark red "glasses."


    About half an hour later, Nasi led him to a place... a village?


    Colin''s gaze passed through the outer ring of low shrubs and looked ahead.


    A group of trees clearly different from the surrounding ones and a size larger were neatly arranged into a special area.


    But if it were just this, he would not have called it a village...


    Colin slightly tilted his head back, gazing at the tall trees not far in front of him, looking at what appeared to be an exquisitely natural tree hollow... or perhaps a treehouse, and he felt an inexplicable shock in his heart.


    Without a doubt, this could not have been a natural creation.


    Whether it was the uniformly tall and orderly array of trees or those tree hollows that seemed perfectly suitable for living, they were certainly not products of nature.


    As for which creatures had caused this, it might be Tree Elves, possibly Ancient Hobbits, or even some kind of herding Demon Beast... In any case, without a proper investigation, as a scrupulous Wizard, he was unable to draw a conclusion.


    "How about it, big guy, the trees here are big and there are tree hollows! Do you like it?" Nasi noticed Colin''s slightly shocked expression and said proudly.


    "I am very satisfied. Little Nasi is very impressive!" Colin nodded slightly, not stinting on his praise.


    Regardless, although Little Nasi was somewhat abnormal, at least until now, she had shown no aggressiveness or weirdness...


    So, there was no need to worry unnecessarily; a little caution would suffice.


    After hearing his compliment, Nasi, trying to hide her delighted expression and waving her hands, couldn''t mask the swift fluttering of her wings behind her, betraying her true feelings.


    Colin smiled inwardly, as if he''d thought of something, and suddenly asked:


    "Little Nasi, thank you for helping me find this place, would you still like some sugar crystals?"


    For some reason, he always felt that the strangeness Nasi had shown before might be related to the dirty light streams that had seeped into her body.


    According to his observation at that time, licking the Ancient Tree Heart Crystal did not seem to cause strange light points to seep into Nasi, so he planned to have Nasi rely on the Ancient Tree Heart Crystals for sustenance as much as possible.


    This was partly because it was a trivial effort for him, and also because Nasi being in a stable state was a good thing for him.


    After all, from what he could see, there were only him and Nasi as living beings in this Different Space.


    "Sugar crystals¡­ Can I really have them?" Upon hearing his words, Nasi paused for a moment, then a bit incredulously widened her eyes and asked.


    "Really." Colin smiled and nodded slightly, "But we''ll have to wait a while, once your sugar crystals are finished, you can come to me for new sugar crystals..."


    "Mm-hmm-hmm!" Before he could finish speaking, Nasi vigorously nodded her little head like she was pounding garlic.


    After a moment, once Nasi finished nodding, she looked at Colin with a serious gaze, her expression solemn. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It wasn''t until Colin became somewhat uneasy under her gaze that she slowly began to speak:


    "Big guy, you are so kind to Little Nasi."


    After saying this, as if a bit shy, Nasi turned around and flew towards the tree hollow area behind her.


    Colin smiled and didn''t mind, exhaling a breath of murky air, preparing to accompany the little elf and step through the perimeter of bushes that had turned to glass, entering this strange forest.


    Although he was unaware of other places, this forest, at least during the half-hour they had been walking, was just as Nasi had said¡ªcompletely safe.


    ¡­Even throughout the entire journey, he had not heard any abnormal sounds.


    This vast Different Space seemed just as desolate as it appeared.


    "Big guy, come over here, what do you think of this tree hollow?"


    Colin looked up, about to check the tree hollow Nasi was referring to, but his expression suddenly changed, and he stopped!


    He carefully observed the air in front of him, but his line of sight was empty, with the little elf Nasi looking at him with a puzzled face in the distance.


    "Big guy, why have you stopped?"


    Colin frowned slightly, hesitated for a moment, and tentatively reached his arm forward.


    As if touching some imperceptible shackles, his palm stopped about a foot away from his body, unable to proceed further.


    At the same time, he felt a sensation as hard as steel in his palm...


    Colin drew back his arm, understanding in his heart¡ª


    There was clearly an invisible Barrier in the air in front of him!

 Chapter 304 - 237 Traces

    "What''s the matter, great giant, why won''t you come over?" Nasi looked at him with confusion.


    "What is this thing?"


    The next second, she noticed something unusual, flapping her wings as she flew perplexed in front of Colin, and carefully stretched out her hand, yet touched nothing.


    "Great giant, you scared little Nasi," she exclaimed, "There''s clearly nothing here!"


    Colin did not respond, furrowing his brow as he watched Nasi go back and forth, seemingly passing through an invisible barrier in front of him as if it were not there.


    He subconsciously activated his Supersensitive Vision while releasing the Detecting Three Abilities.


    Whoosh~Whoosh!


    Nasi kept shuttling back and forth, seemingly to prove that she had seen through his trick.


    Colin''s brow tightened, as neither Supersensitive Vision nor Detecting Three Abilities provided any useful information.


    Apart from the solid sensation in his hand, there was nothing else to prove the existence of the invisible barrier in front of him.


    Hoo~hoo¡ª¡ª


    Just then, Colin suddenly moved his ears and looked behind him.


    Dark red, glass-like branches crisscrossed, obscuring the view.


    Yet the faint voices were not blocked, coming through every tiny gap.


    Behind him, in the distant place, it seemed that a strong wind had arisen...


    And then, in an instant, the sound of the wind suddenly became clear!


    "Hoo~"


    "Hoo hoo hoo~"


    The piercing wind first came from one of the gaps, then another!


    Breezes came together to form a larger gust, causing Colin''s wizard''s robe to flutter violently...


    "Great giant, stop teasing little Nasi, come inside!" Nasi suddenly called out anxiously, "Little Nasi just remembered the wind is blowing, hurry inside, great giant, it''s going to be very hot!"


    "The wind... it gets hot?" Colin said in surprise, suddenly feeling a sense of foreboding.


    When something is out of the ordinary, there must be spirits... He had never heard of a wind that got hotter as it blew!


    Hiss¡ª¡ª!


    Just as he was thinking this, an odd rustling suddenly arose from the forest in front of him.


    Rustle rustle, as if some cold snake was slithering along.


    In the next moment!


    The "wind," dark red with hints of purple fragments, drilled out of the gaps in the forest.


    Like the previous breeze, initially, it was alone, and then they gathered together, forming a dark red curtain, slowly pressing down on him, covering the sky and land.


    "Not good!" Colin''s expression changed as he rapidly surveyed his surroundings.


    This dark red wind with purple specks had filled the whole world in the blink of an eye!


    Whether above his head or beneath his feet, whether to the left or the right, from all around, it was all this strange wind!


    "No escape!" Colin''s face darkened as he increased the Steel Temperature Resistance Field to its maximum strength, while at the same time, summoning the hidden Elf Armor within his body!


    The dark red wind seemed slow but was, in fact, incredibly swift.


    By the time he had completed these two actions, the wind had already reached him!


    Tss!


    As soon as it touched the dark red wind, the Steel Temperature Resistance Field violently fluctuated, and the Magic Power inside his body was rapidly depleted; a sudden hot surge rushed to his head.


    Colin turned pale, clenching his teeth as he struggled to hold on.


    It was then he understood why the little elf Nasi had said the wind felt hot.


    This heat wasn''t a heat of temperature but an internal burning heat.


    As if immersed in scorching molten rock, a sinister flame suddenly ignited within his heart, spreading rapidly as if to burn him up from the inside out!


    At the same time, the annoying, mysterious whispers from nowhere suddenly resounded directly in his mind.


    "Amis... Eternal Wind... the magnificent painter..."


    It was like being struck on the head with a heavy hammer; Colin''s vision blurred for a moment, and his will plummeted like a receding tide. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If one observed in a Supersensitive state, it would be visible that the glow of humanity and knowledge on his body seemed to be under attack, flickering uncertainly...


    "No... I can''t!"


    Colin forcefully shook his head, his gaze momentarily clearing, then his face turned ferocious as he opened his mouth and bit down hard on his tongue.


    "Ugh!"


    Blood flowed from his tongue, filling his mouth with the taste of iron, making him cry out in pain, but his complexion revived slightly from the shock.


    However, pain was just a temporary measure, and the clarity it brought was only short-lived.


    Moments later, he fell back into a state of vague consciousness, only aware of desperately maintaining the Steel Defense Field and Elf Armor on his body.


    Time ticked by second by second.


    Colin''s Magic Power gradually decreased.


    To maintain the Steel Defense Field, he unconsciously began to withdraw the Soaring and Flying Technique and landed on the ground.


    The dark red wind was not only eerie but also extremely powerful.


    The strong wind force caused Colin''s figure to gradually retreat, leaving a clear trail in the ground with his feet.


    But despite the great wind force, the glass-like shrubs and ancient trees seemed utterly unaffected, not even swaying in the slightest.


    After some time, his legs seemed to become somewhat weak as well.


    Then, in an instant, whoosh, Colin was suddenly swept up and thrown backwards.


    Bang!


    He fell to the ground like a heavy sack, dirt splashing everywhere!


    "Great giant!"


    Little elf Nasi quickly flew over.


    Ever since the wind started, she had been anxiously calling from behind, even trying to fly towards Colin, but ultimately she was unable to advance an inch because of the powerful wind.


    "Cough cough..."


    Perhaps it was the impact of falling to the ground, but Colin suddenly regained clarity.


    He subconsciously wanted to retrieve the Foolishness Scepter to reapply a stronger Mechanical Mind upon himself, but at that moment, he suddenly realized something was wrong.

 Chapter 305 - 237 Trace_2

    The Steel Temperature Resistance Force Field around him, for some reason, had lessened significantly, which also reduced the Magic Power consumption and the inexplicable inner fury by a great deal.


    "Is the wind about to stop?" Colin murmured to Nasi, struggling to get up with lingering fear.


    If it went on any longer, he feared the worst!


    ''No, that''s not right... I actually passed through that invisible Protective Shield!''


    But the very next second, Colin looked at the scenery around him and suddenly exclaimed.


    "The wind isn''t stopping anytime soon... um, not until after a sunrise and a sunset!" Nasi replied at that moment.


    Colin instinctively looked ahead.


    Just as the little elf, Nasi, had said, those dark red winds had not weakened at all... they were merely reduced greatly by a pale-gold Protective Shield that had appeared!


    Undoubtedly, this pale-gold Protective Shield located in the shrubbery area was the same invisible Protective Shield that had stopped him earlier.


    Under the assault of the dark red wind, it now revealed its true form.


    Colin, with his Steel Temperature Resistance Force Field active, raised his head and surveyed the pale-gold Protective Shield.


    The barrier was immensely large, probably enclosing the entire tree hollow forest, and from his perspective, he could only see parts of it, but as expected, the whole barrier seemed to form an inverted dome.


    ''Why exactly was I suddenly able to pass through this Protective Shield...'' Colin withdrew his gaze, filled with confusion.


    He looked around.


    The dark red wind engulfed everything around the Protective Shield, obscuring everything... below, it was as if he was an insect trapped inside an enormous red bowl upside down.


    A feeling of suffocation immediately filled Colin''s chest.


    "Good giant, let''s go inside the tree hole, the wind here is still very strong, and little Nasi doesn''t like it," the little elf suddenly spoke again.


    She glanced at Colin, then lowered her head, twisting her fingers apologetically,


    "Good giant, I''m sorry, little Nasi didn''t remember the wind here, nor expect that you''d be so afraid of the wind..."


    "Little Nasi, besides this dark red wind, is there anything else you haven''t thought of? It doesn''t necessarily have to be dangerous," Colin asked.


    His tone was calm, his face pale yet composed.


    Although he had almost died in the dark red wind earlier, complaining about it now was pointless... it was better to ask a few more questions.


    "Nope!" little elf Nasi replied, patting her chest to assure.


    "Is the wind weaker inside the tree hole?"


    "Of course!"


    Colin nodded, following Nasi''s figure while also feeling somewhat bewildered.


    Although the pale-gold Protective Shield had already reduced the dark red wind significantly, it was still strong, and he had to maintain full power on both the Steel Temperature Resistance Field and the Elf Armor to feel slightly better.


    But the little elf in front of him, clearly very weak, seemed, for some reason, more at ease than he was.


    After observing for a little longer, S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Colin then noticed that there was a faintly discernible pale-gold light on the surface of the little elf''s body.


    This seemingly weak light easily blocked most of the wind.


    He even felt that, outside the barrier, Nasi might have a much easier time than he did¡­


    For Nasi, what was a potentially fatal wind to him, was at most making her feel a bit hot inside... indeed, not dangerous for her.


    Flying behind Nasi, Colin also continuously observed their surroundings.


    Now, seeing up close, the level of civilization here was higher than he had imagined, essentially ruling out the possibility that Demon Beasts dwelt here.


    And given the pale-gold Protective Shield he had just seen... it was probably not Ancient Hobbits, but Tree Elves that resided here.


    And in his heart, he was more inclined toward¡ªthe Tree Elves!


    Colin lowered his head, gazing at the dark black, luxurious armor on his body, the creation of High Level Elves... he instinctively turned around, peering through the pervasive dark red wind, barely able to see the pale-gold Protective Shield.


    Deep down, Colin always felt that his later ability to pass through this pale-gold Protective Shield was mostly because of the Elf Armor he wore...


    If it wasn''t for the fierce winds outside requiring him to find a place to catch his breath first, he certainly would have tested his theory.


    ''Let''s wait until the wind stops... as Nasi said, after a day, the dark red wind will cease.'' Colin pondered silently.


    After a while,


    Following Nasi''s lead, the two reached the front of an ancient tree within the deep part of the tree hollow forest, distinctly taller than the other trees.


    A weak aura emanated faintly from this ancient tree, gentle and brimming with life, inevitably reminding one of the spring when all things revive.


    ''It seems... this ancient tree has not completely died yet.'' Colin mused silently, looking up.


    On the outside, this ancient tree didn''t look much different from the other ancient trees, just taller, its outermost layer transformed into a glass-like state.


    The only difference was that this ancient tree had only one tree hole, located at the top.


    At that moment, Nasi was flying toward that sole tree hole, withdrawing his gaze, Colin promptly followed behind.


    Moments later, he and Nasi flew into this sole tree hole.


    It was as if they had entered a new area, the intensity of the dark red wind around them dropped another notch, the Steel Temperature Resistance Force Field no longer flickered.


    But Colin''s attention was no longer there; he raised an eyebrow, his expression serious as he observed the surroundings.

 Chapter 306 - 237 Trace_3

    The tree hollow was dimly lit, its walls and the peculiar plants overhead, which served as lighting, all resembled the dark red, glass-like exterior of an ancient tree.


    Only a few plants in the middle struggled to emit a faint white light.


    But this weak light was enough for Colin to see everything inside the tree hollow.


    An uneven stone platform, retaining its original texture, stood in the middle, surrounded by emptiness, with only murals filled with beauty engraved on the walls.


    Without a doubt, this tree hollow must be a sanctuary...


    And the subject of worship was probably the totem of all Elves¡ªthe Ancient Tree of Life!


    ''Indeed, this is the dwelling of the Tree Elf Clan!'' Colin caressed the murals depicting the Ancient Tree of Life and the origin of the Tree Elves, confirming his suspicion.


    "Good giant, do you understand these murals?"


    At this moment, the little sprite Nasi suddenly approached, asking with feigned curiosity.


    Seeing her expression, Colin immediately understood her intent, smiled inwardly, and cooperatively shook his head.


    "Aha, little Nasi understands!" The little sprite said excitedly, holding back her excitement, "Let little Nasi tell the good giant about them!"


    "There are nine murals on these walls, recording the story of the Ancient Tree of Life nurturing the Tree Elf Clan on the second day!"


    "Mm, what else?" Colin nodded in response while carefully observing the surroundings.


    This tree hollow must not have been visited by Elves for a long time, as some cleaning rituals had long been ineffective, and a thin layer of dust had accumulated on the stone platform.


    There was nothing on it, and what originally would have been used in worship... probably had something to do with the Ancient Tree of Life, perhaps branches of the tree itself, which had now disappeared. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "And... and..." The little sprite furrowed her brows, appearing somewhat panicked.


    "What''s the matter?"


    Nasi glanced at him, her head slightly lowered, and said with a hint of dejection, "I can''t remember any more..."


    ''The memories of the sprite... indeed have some issues,'' Colin thought, looking at her.


    The story of the Ancient Tree of Life nurturing the nine Elves was widely known, and even he was clear about it... let alone the Elves.


    Logically speaking, as a sprite, Nasi should be able to recount in detail the events and changes of the Ancient Tree of Life at the time.


    But now she only remembered this rough outline.


    Nasi flew to the mural on the right-hand side of Colin, looking carefully, while stretching out her finger, pointing and murmuring:


    "This is a Tree Elf... This is also a Tree Elf... This is a High Level Elf nurtured on the first day... This is the Ancient Tree of Life... This is Tree Telt..."


    ''Tree Telt...''


    Colin was slightly startled and looked over with confusion.


    On the far left of that mural, next to the Ancient Tree of Life, stood two figures in armor similar to what he was wearing... Judging by their ears, they should be High Level Elves.


    A thought flickered in Colin''s mind.


    The story of the Ancient Tree of Life nurturing the nine Elves had been passed down for ages, and it was said that High Level Elves stood by to witness when the Tree Elves were nurtured on the second day...


    In fact, from the second day onward, as the remaining eight Elves were nurtured, High Level Elves stood by as witnesses¡ªthis was also the most prestigious symbol of their unique noble status.


    But... he had never heard of a High Level Elf adorned in splendid armor being called "Tree Telt"...


    With this thought, Colin couldn''t help but walk closer to examine the mural carefully.

 Chapter 307 - 238: Lost

    Approaching closely, Colin had meant to carefully observe Tree''s gaze, but almost involuntarily, he was drawn to the Ancient Tree of Life on the far left of the mural.


    At the same time, a revered name quietly emerged in his heart¡ª


    "Anilasa!"


    This was High Level Elf language, meaning the eternal mother tree that nurtures everything, also known as the Tree of Life.


    The sudden influx of information startled Colin, causing him to take another look at the mural.


    The Ancient Tree of Life in the mural was towering and majestic, entirely in the color of pure gold.


    It was unclear what kind of pigment was used, but despite the extensive use of gold, it didn''t seem tacky, nor was it a cold sacredness¡­ but subtly revealed a hint of dazzling green, giving a sense of bursting vitality as if seeing it was to see life itself!


    ''Such a mural, for a Wizard specializing in the Elf Clan, is probably priceless!''


    Colin carefully reached out to touch the mural, and immediately a warmth was transmitted.


    Although the Ancient Tree of Life had always been worshipped by the Elf Clan as their eternal totem, it was not a cold Divine being, but a magical creation of nature!


    The Elf Clan worshiped the Ancient Tree of Life, treating it as a mother, as a totem, not as a master¡­


    Shifting his gaze, Colin moved his eyes to the base of the Ancient Tree of Life.


    Beneath the Ancient Tree of Life, on either side of the trunk, stood two High Level Elves clad in gray and black armor with gold patterns.


    ''This armor is indeed similar to the one I''m wearing, but the differences are clear¡­ The gold patterns are more lavish and bright, and the gray-black armor is more finely crafted.'' S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After carefully observing the armor of these two High Level Elves and comparing it with his own Elf Armor, Colin drew a conclusion.


    He shook his head, his own Elf Armor, although already the most lavish and exquisite he had seen, paled in comparison to the armor in the mural, clearly inferior.


    He continued to examine the mural.


    In front of the two Trees, stood three High Level Elves in a triangular formation, looking up, dressed in lavish ceremonial robes.


    ''These must be the three kings of the High Level Elf Clan¡­'' Colin realized.


    The Ancient Tree of Life nurtured eight elves, with three kings presiding at the ceremony, a long-standing tradition.


    If he remembered correctly, among the eight elves, only the Tree Elf had the honor of three kings'' presence, affirming its status second only to the High Level Elf.


    ''However, usually in the external depictions of the Ancient Tree of Life nurturing elves, the three presiding kings are almost always blurred, even their genders indiscernible¡­


    But in this mural, although their faces are still unclear, their genders and attire can already be distinguished!''


    Realizing this, Colin was somewhat startled, but he did not ponder deeply, and continued to examine the mural.


    The three presiding kings, now appeared to be two males and one female, with the queen standing at the forefront, while the other two kings were positioned slightly behind.


    All were looking up at the tall Ancient Tree of Life.


    There, the leaves of the Ancient Tree of Life, faintly revealing hints of green, were forming into the shapes of Tree Elves.


    If not for the two armored Tree Elves beneath the Ancient Tree of Life and the indistinct forms of the three kings¡­ then this would be the most common depiction of the Ancient Tree of Life nurturing elves.


    But now¡­ Colin withdrew his gaze, feeling faintly shocked.


    ''This Different Space¡­ what exactly is it?'' His eyes flickered.


    A very bold conjecture subtly emerged in his mind.


    Huh~


    The wind howled, dark red winds filling his field of view, impossible to completely avoid even though he was inside the hollow of a tree.


    Colin turned and looked around the quiet and desolate ritual hollow¡­ his heart slightly sinking.


    ''No¡­ not yet certain!'' He collected his thoughts, shook his head, and continued to examine other murals.


    After a short while, he had viewed every mural in the hollow.


    In fact, he was familiar with the content of the other murals, which mostly narrated major events of the Tree Elf clan, such as the first appearance of Flower Elves.


    Just like the mural he had just observed, the rest contained many more details than the versions circulated externally!


    Colin paused at the stone platform in the hollow, frowning in thought.


    Apart from the mural depicting the nurturing of Tree Elves, there was no sign of Tree in any of the other murals¡­


    And just looking at the mural of the Tree Elves'' nurturing didn''t provide any useful information.


    It only indicated that Tree might have a particularly special identity.


    Besides, although his own Elf Armor was different from that depicted in the mural, he still felt that this armor was no simple matter¡­ The pale golden barrier that had stopped impeding him might be related to it.


    However, now with the wind still blowing, conditions were not favorable for testing.


    After viewing the murals, Colin didn''t bother with Nasi, who seemed to have fallen into deep thought at some point, and simply found a relatively clean corner to sit down.


    The dark red wind kept blowing, its origin and destination unknown, only known to continuously blanket the view with a faint dark red, swiftly flowing as if it wanted to wash over the entire Different Space.


    Colin quietly closed his eyes, no longer looking.


    He had already been assaulted by the dark red wind, not completely unscathed¡­ and his Magic Power was not abundant.


    Although the winds here had already lessened considerably, surviving this storm was not going to be easy.


    "Tree Elf¡­ Flower Elf¡­ Tree¡­ Anilasa¡­"

 Chapter 308 - 238 Lost_2

    Before the mural, Nasi bowed her head in thought, her lips quivering as she muttered incessantly.


    Noticing that Colin had sat down, she subconsciously turned her head to look over, confusion still evident on her face.


    After pondering for a moment, she slowly flew beside Colin and suddenly asked,


    "Good giant, do you know where they have all gone?"


    "They?"


    Colin opened his eyes, and the sight of Nasi''s downcast little face immediately registered, causing him to pause slightly.


    Since meeting the little sprite Nasi, he had never seen her look so dejected.


    "The tree elves, the flower elves¡­ Good giant, do you know where they have gone?" Nasi asked, lifting her head with an enduring bewilderment in her eyes.


    "I don''t know either," Colin slowly shook his head.


    There were no bodies in the sacrificial tree hole, no signs of struggle¡­ The tree elves obviously didn''t die out due to any crisis.


    And with the sacrificial stone platform above completely empty, coupled with the ever-invading dark red wind¡­


    Colin deduced that the tree elves in this place must have evacuated en masse to some other place, as for where¡­ naturally, it was impossible to know.


    "Little Nasi can''t remember¡­" the red sprite continued in a disheartened, feeble voice, "Little Nasi can''t recall where they all have gone¡­"


    Colin remained silent.


    From the traces in the tree hole, it could be inferred that it had been at least several decades since any elves had been here.


    If the entire different space was like this, then it was unknown how long the sprite before him had been living here in solitude. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Perhaps five years, perhaps ten years¡­ or even, several decades.


    "Little Nasi, do you really not remember anything?" Colin asked again.


    Nasi silently shook her head, and it was unclear what she had thought of, but her expression suddenly turned even more desolate, with her wings behind her drooping down as well.


    "Good giant¡­" Nasi fell silent for a moment, flew above his head and collapsed to sit down, taking quite a while before she finally spoke.


    "Do you know why they only left me, a single elf, here?"


    Colin''s lips moved, but in the end, he said nothing.


    Only the howling wind broke the silence in the tree hole.


    Colin closed his eyes again, silently resisting the pervasive dark red wind.


    ......


    Thus, a day''s time silently passed.


    In a moment, the dark red wind gradually weakened and finally stopped abruptly, leaving the world quiet and desolate once again.


    The dark redness before his eyes quickly dissipated, and his vision was clear once more.


    Colin slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of stale air.


    The cessation of the dark red wind that had lasted a day and a night was still somewhat unfamiliar to him.


    Suppressing the urge in his heart to go out and confirm some thoughts, he took out the Demon Release Ring and began to restore his magic power first.


    After enduring for a day and a night, even though the intensity of the wind in the tree hole was low, his body''s magic power was nearly depleted.


    After a while.


    Having recovered his magic power, Colin intended to stand up at once, but as if he remembered something, his action paused slightly; he extended his spiritual power towards the top of his head.


    At some point, the little sprite Nasi above him had quietly fallen asleep.


    It''s undeniable¡­ the little sprite''s resistance to the dark red wind is truly high, to be able to sleep even under such circumstances¡­


    He moved the little sprite from the top of his head into his hand and then activated the Soaring and Flying Technique to fly forward.


    "Good giant¡­" Nasi woke up, rubbing her eyes and looking around, "Where are we going?"


    "To look around," Colin answered briefly.


    He arrived at the edge of the Tree Hole Forest, in front of the bushy area.


    Following his memory, going through the now vanished invisible barrier, Colin stopped.


    Removing the elf armor off his body, he turned around and tentatively reached out.


    Sure enough, that hard-as-steel sensation returned once again.


    "Good giant¡­" Nasi watched his actions, then suddenly froze, murmuring, "That''s right, there is a Protective Shield here¡­ it''s visible every time the wind blows."


    Colin paused, now recalling that the barrier would appear every time the wind blew¡­


    "Nasi, how often does the wind blow?" he couldn''t help asking.


    "This, Little Nasi remembers!" Nasi replied, counting on her fingers, "About every seven sunrises and sunsets on the outside, the wind will blow!"


    "Once every seven days, huh..."


    Shaking his head, Colin once again summoned the Elf Armor, tentatively reaching forward.


    The same motion, yet this time he encountered no resistance at all.


    Looking down at the grey-black armor on his body, Colin''s confusion grew.


    Moments later, setting his thoughts aside, he flew up toward the high sky.


    Passing through the horizontally expanding Dark Red Wind branches, his view quickly cleared.


    Lakes, mountains, grasslands, swamps...


    As before, the vast Different Space had a complex and sharply defined terrain.


    The different landscapes had nearly no transition between them, clearly delineated from one another.


    Gazing upon this scene, that bold idea surged into Colin''s mind once again.


    He murmured to himself:


    "Could this be the legendary place where the Nine Elf Clans dwelled together¡ªthe Elf Ancient Land?!"


    Even as he deduced this result, Colin could hardly believe it.


    After all, the reason why the Elf Ancient Land remained a legend was that no one knew if it truly existed, and no Elf had ever publicly acknowledged its existence.


    The legend had arisen because wizards discovered that Elves would often disappear without a trace, only to reappear after some time.


    And after such disappearances, two Elves who had previously been strangers might become familiar with each other¡­


    In the past thousand years, the Elves... especially the High Level Elves, had gradually vanished without a trace along with the Giant Dragons and the Beastmen.


    Wizards commonly believed that the Elves had returned to the legendary Elf Ancient Land...


    Every wizard wanted a glimpse of the Elf Ancient Land, rumored to be home to all types of Elves, even harboring the Ancient Tree of Life...


    But no wizard truly managed to reach the kingdom belonging to the Elves¡ªor perhaps some had, but at least he had not heard of it, nor was it ever recorded in the books.


    With complex thoughts whirling in his heart, Colin''s expression slowly darkened. The surprise and excitement of discovering the Elf Kingdom faded, leaving only unease and... a faint fear.


    The Elf Clan, having been allies to the wizards in that great war thousands of years ago alongside the Giant Dragon Orcs, surely wielded formidable strength.


    If this truly was the Elf Ancient Land... what kind of crisis had occurred that forced the Elf Clan to abandon their home and move away?


    "Could it be the Dark Red Wind?" Colin looked up at the deep purple sky.


    What had seemed a magnificently beautiful scene now appeared strangely terrifying upon closer inspection.


    "Sigh¡ª"


    He exhaled a long breath, slightly shaking his head.


    All of this was merely his conjecture; without finding another dwelling like the Tree Hole Forest, he could not jump to conclusions so readily.


    Colin looked into the distance.


    Now high in the sky, he could easily see a mountain that stood out against everything else, located approximately in the center of the Different Space.


    The light green mountain, or rather, the one not yet completely soaked by the dark red glass.


    Withdrawing his gaze, Colin''s thoughts stirred, and he suddenly performed a Miracle Technique he hadn''t used in a long while¡ªAnando''s Dice!


    The golden dice descended from the sky, spinning rapidly.


    Colin silently awaited the outcome.


    After learning so much, he hadn''t forgotten his original, most pressing purpose¡ª


    To leave this place!


    In other words, to find a way out of the Different Space.


    The exit from the Different Space would naturally not be at any edge, and without any information, the first consideration would naturally be places that are out of the ordinary.


    The so-called special places... the distant mountain undoubtedly counted as one.


    And for other locations, perhaps they could be determined with Anando''s Dice.


    As he pondered, the golden dice gradually stopped spinning, settling on the number two.


    "Bad luck."


    The dice transformed into a golden light that sank into his chest.


    Two location insights immediately appeared in Colin''s mind.


    One of them, unsurprisingly, was the distant mountain.


    The other... Colin furrowed his brows, gazing toward the grassland not far away.


    "At the edge of the grassland, near the mountain direction... there is a treasure there as well?"

 Chapter 309 - 239: Perfect Match

    The grassland was also a dark red color, just like the forest beneath their feet, but those originally vibrant green grasses had nearly all disappeared.


    Only the withered remnants, like shards of ice, reminded Colin that this was a plain.


    However, if one were to say there was something special... at this moment, as Colin gazed into the distance, he truly couldn''t make it out!


    "Could it be a treasure that the Elf Clan carelessly dropped on the way?"


    After pondering for a moment, Colin withdrew his gaze and didn''t rashly go to check it out, but instead turned around to head back to the Tree Hole Forest from before.


    Counting one''s chickens before they hatch.


    That peculiar mountain would take at least two days of continuous flying to reach, by his estimate.


    And as for the grassland near the mountain, naturally, there was no need to say more, it would take at least a day''s time.


    Therefore, after weighing his options, Colin decided to continue with his original plan.


    First to recover some of his own strength, then go explore other places, looking for a possible way out!


    "Good giant, do you want to go to that mountain?" Nasi suddenly asked, looking up; she wasn''t flying but was sitting in Colin''s hand hitching a "ride."


    "Not now," Colin responded.


    "Oh." Nasi nodded her head and went silent.


    "Nasi, can''t you leave this forest either? Just like you can''t leave the Red Soil Forest outside?"


    Noticing something off about Nasi, Colin suddenly asked.


    He still remembered, when he first asked in the Red Soil Forest if Nasi would like to leave with him, Nasi had said she couldn''t leave the Red Soil Forest... perhaps it was the same in this realm of the elves?


    But the next second, Nasi''s reply overturned his guess.


    "Not at all, here, Nasi can go anywhere, there are no restrictions!"


    Her tone was somewhat proud and arrogant.


    But for some reason, in the next second, she seemed a bit downcast.


    Nasi looked up at Colin and suddenly asked again,


    "Good giant, is the outside world much, much bigger than here? I know there are many, many other islands above the great sea, and continents too, right?"


    "Good giant, did you come from the continent?"


    "Mhm," Colin nodded, "I came over from the Siya Continent."


    He glanced down at Nasi and suddenly thought of something, asking in confusion,


    "Nasi, didn''t you tell me before that you never left this forest... how do you know you can go anywhere here?"


    Hearing this, Nasi suddenly froze, and after a long hesitation, she tentatively replied, "Maybe little Nasi left the forest before... just forgot."


    A piercing wind howled and blew over.


    ''Forgot, huh...'' Colin stroked the ends of his hair, falling silent.


    "Good giant... is little Nasi sick? Why can''t I remember anything?"


    After a while, the little elf looked up and asked again.


    After a moment of silence, Colin spoke up to comfort her,


    "Everyone has times when their memories are fuzzy, little elves too... maybe you''re just a bit more forgetful."


    "Really?" Nasi asked.


    "Mhm," Colin nodded, feeling somewhat heavy-hearted.


    Deep down, he felt that Nasi''s confusion with her memory probably had to do with the tainted light streams that hadn''t been completely filtered and had quietly seeped into her body.


    "Memory needs to be exercised, little Nasi, as long as you often try to remember, your memory will naturally get stronger."


    Colin encouraged her once again.


    The tainted light streams seemed never to have been noticed by the little elf, and he didn''t dare to rashly tell Nasi what he had perceived. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In this world filled with pollution, mental stability is very important.


    Letting Nasi know these things wouldn''t help her at all and might make things worse.


    It''s better to conceal it for now, maintaining the current stable state.


    "Little Nasi, do you still want candy gems? If you want them, just tell me, don''t go hungry," Colin continued speaking to Nasi.


    As long as the little elf ate the heart of the Ancient Tree and didn''t absorb those tainted light streams, the dark red matter wouldn''t enter... perhaps, this would be better for her.


    "Mhm!" With Colin''s reassurance, Nasi had already returned to normal, and her mood became lively again.


    At this moment, she was frowning with concentration, as if, like Colin said, she was trying hard to remember and exercising her memory.


    Colin, feeling uneasy, opened his Supersensitive Vision to take another look.


    Only after observing that there were no tainted light streams gathering around Nasi did he finally relax.


    Nasi, as his only companion in this Different Space, might also be the key to escaping this place; he had to be concerned about her!


    "Good giant, I remembered something!" Nasi suddenly cried out.


    "What did you remember?"


    Nasi glanced at him, and her excitement suddenly stalled as her tone shifted to a suggestion,


    "Good giant, let''s not go to that high mountain, okay? I remembered that it''s very dangerous outside the forest!"


    Upon hearing this, Colin''s heart tightened, and he quickly pressed for details,


    "Dangerous? What kind of danger is there outside the forest, like the dark red wind?"


    "The wind isn''t dangerous," the little elf corrected him with a glance and then, as if she remembered something, added, "But it seems like you, good giant, looked quite uncomfortable..."


    "So, what exactly is the danger outside the forest?" Colin interrupted Nasi''s words, continuing to press her.


    Nasi paused, then frowned and thought hard, but in the end, she still answered resignedly,


    "I don''t know... little Nasi only remembers there''s danger, like there are big monsters, and some other strange things!"

 Chapter 310 - 239 Perfect Match_2

    "Hmm," Colin nodded, etching the information deep into his mind.


    Though Nasi''s memory seemed somewhat fragmented, she had not told a lie yet.


    As for the danger¡­ the appearance of this Different Space alone was enough to keep him on high alert, even if Nasi hadn''t mentioned it!


    He returned to the interior of the Tree Hole, but instead of examining the other trees, Colin immediately entered a state of training.


    According to Nasi, the Dark Red Wind would blow once every seven days. During the wind, he had to find a place like the Tree Hole Forest to withstand it.


    If the worst-case scenario occurred, and he didn''t find a similar place on the mountain highlands, when the Dark Red Wind invaded again on the seventh day, he would need to return to the Tree Hole Forest to resist the winds.


    Given his speed, it would generally take two days to reach the Strange Mountain, and four days for a round trip.


    Thus, he really only had three days available for exploration.


    This included the time he needed for his own power recovery and the time reserved in case of emergencies¡­ The schedule was indeed tight.


    Swoosh!


    The glow from the Swift Skill flitted across his body, officially marking the start of his training!


    Time always passed astonishingly fast when immersed in training.


    Tap.


    Colin pulled out his pocket watch, calculated the time since the last Dark Red Wind¡ªit was, without a discrepancy, exactly two days. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He tucked the pocket watch back into his pocket and, with a thought, summoned Golden Paper.


    Colin glanced over the Golden Paper, a smile emerging on his face.


    Though it had only been two days, the gains from training were considerable¡­


    ''Thanks to this Tree Hole,'' Colin thought as he unconsciously scanned his surroundings.


    ''Who would have thought this seemingly abandoned Sacrificial Tree Hole could be so helpful.''


    During these two days, whenever he focused on using witchcraft or meditating, he always felt his mind working faster and clearer.


    At first, Colin thought it was an illusion, but the rapid improvement indicated on the Golden Paper confirmed it wasn''t an illusion, but a fact.


    ''I still don''t know how it was achieved¡­ however, it must be related to the Ancient Tree of Life.'' Colin turned his neck and instinctively cast his gaze to the Sacrificial Stone Platform at the center of the Tree Hole.


    After he discovered this enhancement yesterday, he had meticulously searched for the source.


    Strictly speaking, anywhere inside the Sacrificial Tree Hole received this boost, but the closer to the Sacrificial Stone Platform, the stronger the enhancement seemed.


    And the Sacrificial Stone Platform previously clearly displayed items related to the Ancient Tree of Life¡­


    If this Different Space was indeed the legendary Elf Kingdom, the items displayed on the Sacrificial Stone Platform, based on the scale of the Tree Elf Clan, must be extraordinary.


    It was very likely that what was placed there were leaves from the Ancient Tree of Life.


    If so, having such effects wouldn''t be surprising.


    After all, the leaves of the Ancient Tree of Life have always been known by another name¡ªWisdom Leaf!


    Retracting his gaze, Colin continued to examine the Golden Paper.


    Nevertheless, during these two days,


    He had not only further Broken Limits on his Fireball Technique three times and Swift Skill twice, but he had also begun mastering the Light Flame Soaring Skill.


    Moreover, with the remaining time, his Mechanical Mind had been elevated to 99/100, just one step short of Breaking Limits!


    The main reason for prioritizing this witchcraft was to defend against the Dark Red Wind.


    The physical damage from the Dark Red Wind was secondary; the impact on the mind was the most deadly.


    Additionally, without realizing it, his Wizard Level had already reached First Rank Junior Wizard, 43/100, nearly half...


    After he carefully reviewed the Golden Paper once more, Colin again checked his pocket watch and murmured,


    ''There''s still some time left¡­ Let''s Break Limits on the Mechanical Mind and then set off.''


    He put away the Golden Paper and continued his training on Mechanical Mind.


    Now that he had a grasp on the Light Flame Soaring Skill, and his flying speed had further increased, the trip initially estimated to take four days would now likely take just over three.


    With five days left until the Dark Red Wind struck again, there was relatively ample time.


    Thus, after a short while, Colin stopped practicing Mechanical Mind, took out a Magic Stone, and prepared to Break Limits!


    He concentrated his thoughts, expertly beginning to transform the Magic Stone.


    Watching the magic stone flickering with dim light gradually turn into grayish white gravel, there was not much sense of regret in his heart.


    It was nothing else but that the Magic Stones in Margaret''s Storage Ring were extraordinarily vast, making her instantly wealthy.


    Adding to the Magic Stones Colin originally possessed, even after breaking the limit again with Fireball Technique and Swift Skill, he still had over two hundred thousand left!


    A while later.


    When the characters jumped to 20000 after the Limit Breaking Point, the ¡ü symbol behind Mechanical Mind also lit up.


    "It actually requires twenty thousand Magic Stones...still quite expensive."


    Taking a deep breath, Colin shook his head, focused his thoughts, and began the Limit Breaking.


    Several more minutes passed.


    Colin opened his eyes.


    His expression was like a light breeze that blew by, calm and without any ripples.


    He opened the Golden Paper.


    Pale golden particles converged.


    A single Limit Breaking of the Mechanical Mind didn''t increase much, merely moving from Lower First Rank to Middle First Rank.


    Seeing this, although Colin''s expression remained unchanged, he couldn''t help but feel a bit surprised.


    To think that at this moment, the Limit Breaking Mechanical Mind bestowed upon him felt not like this.


    In fact, were it not classified under Middle First Rank witchcraft on the Golden Paper.


    Colin almost thought that the Mechanical Mind after Limit Breaking had reached Upper First Rank...even the peak of First Rank!


    "Mechanical Mind... might have collided with the Superbrain Talent to create a new chemical reaction!"


    Colin thought to himself.


    Originally, Mechanical Mind was highly compatible with Superbrain Talent, and combining the two was undoubtedly a case where the sum was greater than its parts.


    But now, after one Limit Breaking of Mechanical Mind, combining them could not even be described as one plus one equals three!


    The function mechanism of the witchcraft Mechanical Mind is to discard excess emotions and suppress negative states.


    And after one Limit Breaking, Mechanical Mind could now leverage the capabilities of Superbrain to better complete this process!


    Previously, although Mechanical Mind could suppress negative states and emotions, it was not precise, whether panic or tension, pain or itch... all were indiscriminately discarded.


    This naturally had its benefits and drawbacks.


    And if one could more precisely control the emotions to be diminished or weakened, it would naturally be better.


    Not to mention, if one could maintain a proper sense of tension, then one could enhance focus and responsiveness... this was knowledge from his previous life.


    "Since Superbrain can benefit Mechanical Mind... then, can Mechanical Mind also benefit Superbrain?!"


    With this thought, Colin quickly looked down the Golden Paper.


    The next second, after seeing the True Talent section, he couldn''t help but sigh.


    Regrettably...


    The progress after Superbrain Talent was still 0/100, the same as when he obtained it, with no progress...


    "He did not know how to enhance Superbrain Talent..."


    Normally, a wizard''s Talent quality or effect, once acquired, could only be improved by advancing Ranks.


    There was no other way to enhance it.


    But just like Strong Life Talent, since there was a progress marker behind Superbrain Talent, it surely could be enhanced.


    He just had not figured out how yet.


    "Perhaps... after another Limit Breaking of Mechanical Mind, it could be enhanced?" Colin couldn''t help but think.


    However, that was a matter for later...


    He slowly stood up, preparing to head to the mountains.


    Of course, before that, he naturally planned to check out the grassy plains on the way, which might be hiding treasures.


    As for other places, with the Dark Red Wind invading and time being critical, Colin decided not to spend energy there for now.


    Once he had finished exploring these two special locations and hadn''t found useful information, it wouldn''t be too late to explore other places...

 Chapter 311 - 240: Unexpected Item

    "Nasi, let''s go."


    After standing up, Colin called out to the little elf, who was lying unguarded on the side of the Sacrificial Stone Platform.


    "Okay, giant..." Nasi rubbed her eyes, sat up, and looked at Colin, who was getting ready to leave. She realized what was happening and couldn''t help but ask another question, "Are you really going to the mountains?"


    "Yes," Colin nodded, his expression calm.


    He couldn''t tell if it was an illusion, but he always felt that Nasi, the little elf he was seeing now, seemed more powerful than before, even her red hair and wings appeared glossier.


    ''Could it be because she''s back in the Elf Kingdom, or because she''s been staying on the Sacrificial Stone Platform these past two days... or perhaps it''s because of the Ancient Tree Heart...'' Colin silently speculated.


    "Alright then..." Nasi looked at Colin''s expression, then glanced at the Sacrificial Stone Platform again, hesitated, and said, "Then little Nasi will go with the nice giant."


    With that said, she flapped her emerald-like red crystal wings and flew towards Colin''s head with practiced ease.


    But upon approaching him, Nasi suddenly changed direction. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Nice giant, may Nasi stay here?" She pointed to the hood behind Colin and asked.


    "Yes," Colin had no objections and nodded.


    "Yay!" Nasi heard Colin''s words and happily swooped into the gray hood.


    Her weight was so light that Colin barely felt any increase in the hood''s weight; he paused for a moment, then turned to walk towards the tree hole''s exit.


    Swish, swish¡ª


    Sounds rustled from within the hood, Colin''s ears twitched slightly, and he instinctively extended his spiritual power backward.


    ''Is Nasi... making her own little bed?''


    He was surprised by the image that his spiritual power sent back to him.


    Nasi had suddenly produced several seeds from somewhere, and a pale green glow emanated from her tiny palm. The seeds immediately sprouted, swelled with the wind and quickly formed a little bed... or rather, what looked like a sit-basket.


    Tiny vines snaked through the gap between the Wizard Robe''s hood and where it connected to the robe itself, firmly fixing the little bed with its railing inside. Soft, moss-like plants covered the little bed, which looked so fresh and green that one could tell it would be very comfortable to lie on.


    But that wasn''t the point...


    Colin watched the little elf''s actions, his brow furrowing slightly in his mind.


    It wasn''t because of the little bed she''d made... The bed would neither affect his movement nor his safety; he didn''t mind that.


    It was just that this entirely red little elf, Nasi, was now demonstrating abilities more akin to those of a plant elf.


    A red plant elf... Colin was somewhat puzzled in his thoughts.


    However, looking at the forest in front of him, which was originally green but had now turned a dark red, he felt it was quite normal.


    Nasi was probably green at first, but then she was affected by the mysterious pollution in this Different Space and turned into this bright red color.


    And considering the distant mountains, that peak which had not yet been completely polluted and still retained a hint of green...


    Colin''s heart suddenly sank a little.


    If the depth and whether the color had completely turned red represented the depth of pollution, then the originally pale green plant elf was now entirely transformed into a bright red...


    Nasi was probably... deeply polluted.


    "No... that''s not right!" Colin shook his head again. Although Nasi''s memories were somewhat confused and blurry, she showed no other abnormalities... nowhere near as severe as the color suggested.


    After pondering for a moment and coming to no conclusion, Colin buried these thoughts in his heart, ready to leave.


    But in the next instant, as if thinking of something, he turned his head back toward the Sacrificial Ancient Tree, his figure pausing slightly.


    "Nice giant, little Nasi is all ready; why aren''t we leaving yet?"


    Nasi stood up from her self-made bed, asking eagerly.


    She couldn''t wait to try how her hand-crafted little bed felt when flying!


    The little bed was extremely intricate, customized just for her size. Now that she stood up, the edges were just right at her chest level, convenient for her to lean on for stability.


    But from an outside view, one couldn''t see the little bed, only Nasi''s little head suddenly popping up.


    "Little Nasi, did you finish the sugar gems I gave you yesterday?" Colin looked at the Sacrificial Ancient Tree in front of him, glanced down at his Pocket Watch, and suddenly asked.


    "Yes... I''ve finished them!" Nasi paused for a moment, answering nonchalantly while subconsciously touching her chest.


    There, she had a very intricate pendant, her treasure box!


    With his spiritual power vision, Colin did not turn around. He gave a wry smile but did not call out Nasi''s lie.


    Perhaps it was her nature, or maybe it was her life experience that made Nasi like a squirrel who loved to hoard things and was also very frugal.


    The Ancient Tree Heart that he''d given to Nasi at first, if he hadn''t been insisting that Nasi try to open the door to leave the Different Space, and hadn''t needed to supplement the consumption with it, it might still be in Nasi''s treasure box.


    "Nice giant, little Nasi is good at listening to you, eating the sugar gems whenever I''m hungry."


    Seeing his silence, Nasi quickly added.


    "Yes, I know." Colin nodded slightly.


    Though Nasi might secretly stash away the Ancient Tree Heart, she still firmly remembered what he said.


    Click.


    Colin put away the Pocket Watch and walked towards the trees nearby.

 Chapter 312 - 240 Unexpected Item_2

    He almost forgot... Before leaving, he needed to prepare some Ancient Tree Hearts, just in case, as it was not certain that ancient trees, or even any trees, could be found elsewhere.


    Taking a step forward, he cast the Ancient Tree Heart towards the circle of taller ancient trees surrounding the Sacrificial Ancient Tree.


    Soon, nine Ancient Tree Hearts appeared in Colin''s hand.


    These Ancient Tree Hearts, pale red in color, faintly revealed a hint of green at the center, and were much larger than any he had previously obtained.


    "These trees with tree holes are indeed not ordinary... Even though they are barely surviving, they can still produce such high-quality Ancient Tree Hearts," he thought.


    Looking at the neatly arranged Ancient Tree Hearts in his hand, Colin couldn''t help but marvel.


    "Are these all for me, kind giant?" Nasi stared eagerly at the Ancient Tree Hearts in his palm, the anticipation in her eyes almost taking a tangible form, before she finally could not help but ask.


    "Not necessarily," Colin replied as he closed his hand, and when he reopened it, most of the Ancient Tree Hearts had already been stored in the Storage Ring, leaving only the smallest one behind.


    He handed this Ancient Tree Heart to Nasi and said, "This one is a reward for being willing to come with me to the mountains. As for the rest, when you are hungry or perform well, I will give you one."


    "Uh-huh!" Nasi, the little elf, nodded repeatedly, dazed by the sudden happiness, but she still clearly heard Colin''s further conditions.


    Once the excitement subsided, her eyes shifted cunningly, and suddenly she flew out from her delicate little bed and came to Colin''s side, asking, "Kind giant, are you tired or thirsty?"


    "No," Colin shook his head.


    At this moment, he stood before the most magnificent and towering ancient tree in the Tree Hole Forest¡ªthe Sacrificial Ancient Tree.


    Looking up at this extraordinary tall ancient tree, Colin suddenly developed a new curiosity.


    For Tree Elves, trees are not only homes but also relatives and friends.


    Even when relocating, they should ideally take the trees with them¡ªTree Elves can make trees regress into seeds, and then take them to a new place to root and sprout.


    If the trees are left behind and there are no Tree Elves around, at best, the extraordinary nature is lost, turning them into ordinary trees; at worst, they gradually wither and die.


    But recalling the scene he saw from the air earlier, judging by the density, this vast Tree Hole Forest... or rather, the entire Dark Red Forest, seemed to have none of its trees relocated.


    The Elf Clan had left, although where they went was unknown, but looking at the situation here, it seemed highly unlikely that they would return... yet their trees were still here.


    "Could it be because the evacuation was too hasty... or because these trees were contaminated and couldn''t be taken?" Colin silently speculated, leaning more towards the latter.


    After all, whether it was the Sacrificial Tree Hole or the surrounding circle of other tree holes, all were emptied, almost everything taken away.


    "But then, why haven''t these trees faded into the ordinary or died off, as recorded in the documents?"


    Colin couldn''t help frowning again.


    "Could it be because there''s still one elf here¡ªNasi?"


    A thought struck Colin, and he glanced at the little elf Nasi who was deep in thought.


    If Nasi truly was a vegetation elf, then technically, she would also be considered a type of Tree Elf.


    The nine major elves are just the main branches of elves; aside from them, there are many other elves without titles or recognition.


    Small elves can be born anywhere; as a special kind among elves, their types are as numerous as the stars.


    Very few of them are officially recognized by the Elf Clan, and generally, most do not hold high positions.


    However, vegetation elves are one of the types recognized by Tree Elves, and their status is relatively higher.


    "This makes sense," Colin nodded to himself.


    As long as Tree Elves exist, so will the trees... This forest, it is likely due to the existence of the little elf Nasi!


    Colin looked at Nasi, then glanced at the Sacrificial Ancient Tree in front of him, hesitated for a moment, and then placed his palm on it.


    Then, with a thought, he cast Ancient Tree Heart.


    "It''s recycling, I suppose," he thought to himself.


    Now, under the mysterious contamination, the Sacrificial Ancient Tree wouldn''t survive much longer.


    He might as well leave behind an Ancient Tree Heart as part of his future research, and also as a precaution for the little elf.


    With the Ancient Tree Heart obtained from the Sacrificial Ancient Tree, Nasi would hardly ever face hunger.


    Should they encounter a situation requiring massive energy expenditure in the future, they would likely no longer worry about replenishing energy. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Exhaling a murky breath softly, Colin looked at his palm, where the Ancient Tree Heart Witchcraft was coming to an end.


    There, a wispy light green glow emerged.


    Moments later, an Ancient Tree Heart almost the size of an adult''s fist slowly took shape.


    Unlike the Ancient Tree Hearts obtained from other trees before, this one had a very thin red surface, like a thin mist covering it, barely concealing the original vibrant green of the Ancient Tree Heart.


    "Such a pity, even in its last breath, it produced such high-quality Ancient Tree Heart; if it were in a healthy state... this could indeed be a great choice for planting a Life Heart," Colin sighed to himself.

 Chapter 313 - 240: Unexpected Item_3

    "Glug." Nasi visibly swallowed and tentatively asked, "Kind giant, is this candy gem also for me?"


    "Not necessarily," Colin replied, casually pocketing the Ancient Tree Heart with a smile.


    "Let''s go."


    He didn''t look back at the Sacrificial Ancient Tree behind him, but instead leapt up and swiftly flew towards the edge of the distant plains.


    An hour later.


    At the edge of the Dark Red Glass Forest.


    Whoosh~


    A pale white cold wind swept through the gaps between the branches,


    Drip.


    Water droplets condensed and fell from the tips of the branches, shattering on the ground.


    A figure cloaked in gray followed, slowing down gradually.


    Colin sensed the sudden drop in temperature around him and his heart tightened, heightening his vigilance.


    On the necessary path to the plains, he first had to pass through an ice plain and then a series of dried-up lakes before officially entering the grasslands.


    After sensing the connection between the small elf Nasi and the Dark Red Forest, he started to believe Nasi''s earlier assertion that the forest was safe and relaxed a bit.


    To avoid being too conspicuous, he didn''t choose to maintain flight at mid-air but moved through the forest instead.


    There was enough space between these trees to allow him to pass, and with the help of the Superbrain, his speed wasn''t reduced.


    Along the way, having almost crossed half the forest, the reliability of the little elf''s words was indeed proven.


    But at the same time, another of the little elf''s phrases became even truer¡ª


    Beyond the forest, there lies danger!


    Colin collected his thoughts and continued to fly.


    The icy wind howled as if cutting through him... With his continued progress, the air grew colder and colder.


    The droplets that could still fall were now slowly turning into clusters of sharp ice spikes emitting cold air.


    Before long, through the Dark Red glass branches, a tough red emerged in Colin''s sight.


    ''This is the ice plain also stained red¡­''


    After observing through the branches for a while and spotting no abnormalities,


    Colin gently exhaled a breath of turbid air, cranked the intensity of his Steel Temperature Resistance Field up to maximum, and his gray-black elf armor also flickered with a faint light.


    At the same time, the flames around Colin gradually extinguished¡ªhe cautiously switched his Light Flame Soaring Skill for the more agile Soaring and Flying Technique.


    Then, he hesitated no longer.


    Neither speeding up nor slowing down excessively, he maintained the most flexible pace and rushed towards the ice plain ahead.


    Swoosh!


    The strong wind blew, slightly affecting the fragile ice spikes,


    The next moment, Colin emerged from the Dark Red Forest.


    The faintly red snowflakes scattered and fluttered in confusion by the sudden intruder.


    Colin looked around.


    No danger, no anomalies... The ice plain was even more desolate than the dead Dark Red Forest, void of any sound but the wind.


    "Kind giant." Nasi peered out from her hood, looking at the somewhat unfamiliar scene before her, and called out uneasily.


    "Don''t worry," Colin reassured Nasi, slightly elevating his flying height before continuing forward.


    Half an hour later, still no sign of any danger.


    By this time, the snow had stopped, and the view was wide open.


    Compared to the forest still partly concealed by trees, the Dark Red ice plain was like a clean mirror, clear at a glance.


    ''Desolate, utterly lifeless...''


    Another half hour passed, still no sign of any danger.


    Colin switched from the Soaring and Flying Technique to Light Flame Soaring Skill and pressed on.


    Thus, most of the day passed, and Colin had already reached the junction of the ice plain and the lakelands, yet still without encountering any danger.


    ''However, no danger is naturally a good thing.''


    Colin''s gaze flickered, he didn''t stop, and continued cautiously towards the plains.


    If it were the time before the lake regions dried out, this place would surely have been a breathtaking sight.


    But now, with the clear lake water gone, only a bare lakebed and some fish and bird carcasses remained, and they were even tinged with the eerie Dark Red color, definitely not a beautiful sight.


    The journey through the lakeland area proceeded smoothly as well.


    No monsters, no strange events, only the recurring Dark Red color.


    "Kind giant¡­ little Nasi might have remembered wrong, it seems safe outside too!"


    At the edge of the plains, at the location previously indicated by Anando''s Dice, Colin slowly descended.


    The little elf Nasi peeked out from his hood, stepping on the small bed.


    She surveyed this scene she had never seen before, her expression somewhat excited, like a child out on a trip. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But Colin next to her didn''t respond, instead furrowing his brows, focusing intently on an unremarkable object not far away.


    It was a petal.


    A white one, but now half-stained with the ominous dark red color!

 Chapter 314 - 241: The Corridor

    "Why are there petals here... and they aren''t completely contaminated?"


    Colin''s heart filled with doubt, followed by a faint unease suddenly rising to his chest, "Could it be... there are others who have also entered this space?!"


    At the same time, he inexplicably thought of something the priest of particularly high rank had said upon seeing the little elf Nasi¡ª


    "Is it the little elf the bishop is looking for...?"


    Colin felt a sinking feeling in his heart as a whirlwind of thoughts flew through his mind.


    "Those who entered... could they be the Divine Believers?"


    "No, not necessarily, it could be other Wizards, or perhaps Elves returning to their ancestral lands..."


    But either way, they are most likely foe rather than friend!"


    These thoughts were numerous, but in reality, only a moment had passed.


    To the outside world, Colin merely looked slightly solemn, paused briefly, and then stepped toward the petals.


    "It''s a flower!!"


    But next to him, Nasi seemed even more excited than he was; she whooshed out from the hood on her back and dashed straight toward the petals.


    Just as Colin thought to remind her to be careful, to his surprise, the little elf seemed to have thought of something and stopped in mid-air.


    Then she turned around, looking at him with big eyes, and asked,


    "Kind giant, may Nasi look at that little flower? There won''t be any danger, will there?"


    "I don''t know," Colin said, shaking his head somewhat unexpectedly, "Let me check it first."


    Flowers hold a very special place for Tree Elves; they are symbols of nobility and beauty... No Tree Elf would dislike flowers.


    Nasi''s reaction was normal... After all, there are no flowers in the Dark Red Forest. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Moreover... Nasi''s behavior, coupled with earlier discoveries, made him even more certain that Nasi was indeed a plant elf and of course, a Tree Elf.


    He thought this while crossing past little Nasi and moving beside the petal.


    To the naked eye, this petal looked ordinary, a common spindle shape with five petals, its center dyed dark red.


    It seemed somewhat withered and spotted with dark red... it must have been here for at least a day or two.


    Vision alone inevitably provides limited information.


    Colin activated his Supersensitive Vision and, at the same time, used the Detecting Three Abilities.


    Whoosh!


    The brilliance of witchcraft flashed by.


    Under Supersensitive Vision, the white part of the flower that wasn''t dyed dark red appeared normal, just an ordinary petal.


    The parts that were tinged with dark red, on the other hand, were like the Dark Red Forest they had encountered before¡ªnumerous soft dark red tendrils gently waving on its surface, closely packed together, enough to make one''s skin crawl.


    For a Wizard with weaker resistance, just one glance could provoke horrific abnormalities.


    But fortunately, thanks to a thorough understanding of knowledge, Colin had always possessed a strong resistance against this; as long as it wasn''t the vast contamination like that in the previous forest added to prolonged observation, it usually wouldn''t affect him much.


    But just to be cautious, he glanced at the white flower and then averted his gaze.


    He then bent down to check his condition.


    Since realizing the presence of strange contamination in this Different Space, Colin remained ever vigilant about himself being contaminated. Although his Steel Temperature Resistance Field might not necessarily be useful, he had never once deactivated it.


    Perhaps due to the brilliance of human nature and knowledge, as he observed, this strange contamination didn''t seem to be contagious... At least under the protection of human nature and Spiritual Light, simply touching them caused no abnormalities.


    "Everything is right... Huh?"


    Just as Colin felt everything was normal and was about to exit his supersensitive state, he suddenly paused and lifted his right foot.


    A faint but glaring red spot on the bottom of his grey boot caught his eye.


    Colin''s heart surged with panic, and he hurriedly took off the boot!


    The next second, after seeing the bottom of his foot clearly, he breathed a sigh of relief.


    Upon inspecting the bottom of his foot more carefully, Colin didn''t see anything abnormal... It seemed that the boots were the first to not withstand the pervasive contamination of this Different Space.


    After dealing with all this, he finally had time to process the results of the Detecting Three Abilities.


    A moment later, Colin''s eyebrows raised slightly.


    Detecting Three Abilities showed faint traces of Magic Power residues on this white flower!


    "Could this flower be... an ingredient for a spell?" he deduced to himself:


    Ordinary flowers wouldn''t radiate Magic Power, and Magic Plants'' magical fluctuations are usually more regular and more subtly concealed.


    However, since there was a Magic Power fluctuation... it was very likely not the work of a Divine Believer.


    Colin felt slightly relieved.


    In his earlier conjectures, the presence of Divine Believers would decidedly be the least favorable to him.


    "Kind giant, how is the small flower? Is it a bad flower?"


    Next to him, Nasi couldn''t help but ask again, her eyes fixed on the white flower as she licked her lips.


    "Yes," Colin said emphatically, dispelling Nasi''s idea.


    He could tell from her appearance that she wanted to eat the white flower.


    According to what she said, the only food required by this little elf was the fresh flowers that bloom annually in the outer Red Soil Forest.


    And now it was winter outside. Although the island remained warm, fresh flowers were quite rare.


    But no matter what, this white flower was contaminated and would naturally be unfit for consumption.


    "Alright," Nasi sighed softly, pulling out the Ancient Tree Heart, licking it while watching Colin carefully take the dark red flower.


    "The unknown owner of the white flower is both danger... and hope." Colin stood up and looked far and wide around him.

 Chapter 315 - 241: Corridor_2

    The vast grassland, much like the ice plain before it, was boundless and desolate with an excellent view.


    Unfortunately,... even so, there was not a hint of anything unusual in sight.


    Not to mention the possibility of wizards or returning elves.


    He sighed softly.


    Since others had entered this different space, as long as they didn''t follow the same path as him, it meant there were new pathways in and out of this space¡­


    New pathways...


    Thinking of this, Colin''s heartbeat involuntarily quickened.


    Though he hadn''t been trapped in this different space for long, the agitation inside him was difficult to contain¡­


    Sadly, even if he wanted to search for the possibly existing, strange wizard or elf, he didn''t know where to start.


    With only a nondescript, withered white flower, he couldn''t gather much useful information; he couldn''t even determine whether the visitor was a wizard or an elf, let alone try to find their location based on the flower!


    You see, though elves don''t use witchcraft, they do possess natural magic¡ªa transcendental power driven by Magic Power and passed through their bloodlines.


    Natural magic also leaves traces of Magic Power fluctuations; it''s hard to distinguish based on the residual white flower alone...


    Withdrawing his gaze, Colin walked back to the initial landing spot, which was also where Anando''s Dice had indicated there was a treasure.


    Just as puzzled as before, he scanned the area and was still somewhat perplexed.


    No matter how he looked at it, the area in front of him was plainly just an ordinary grassland.


    The withering grassland had now turned a dark red from pollution, appearing fragile like glass, but stepping on it was no different from stepping on usual withered weeds, rustling all the same.


    Looking up at the sky, the view expanded even more.


    Not just this area¡ªin fact, Colin could assert that there was nothing above the entire expanse of the grassland!


    However, the result from Anando''s Dice couldn''t be wrong.


    Just to be safe, he carefully searched the air in the area designated by Anando''s Dice.


    As expected, he found nothing.


    The coordinates given by Anando''s Dice formed a small sphere.


    If there was nothing in midair, then it had to be beneath the grass on the ground!


    Colin looked down at his feet, pondered for a moment, and started rummaging through the Storage Ring.


    After a while, he finally found a long-handled steel witch tool in Margaret''s Storage Ring.


    The quality was not high, likely an Apprentice item, appearing somewhat similar to a shovel from his previous life¡ªand that was also the reason he chose this witch tool.


    Following that, Colin took the black "shovel," and used his body''s Ultimate Knight physical qualities to demonstrate what digging three feet into the ground meant!


    Yet the result was still disappointing.


    Even after breaking every clump of soil apart, Colin still couldn''t find any trace of treasure.


    At the bottom of the circular hole, he furrowed his brows and theorized quietly,


    ''If the result of Anando''s Dice is correct... then there''s only one conclusion¡ª''


    ''The so-called treasure must actually be on that unknown person!''


    Colin thought meticulously, and the more he thought, the more convinced he became!


    This was just an ordinary grassland, with no special buildings around¡­ how could there be any treasure buried here!


    This different space might well be an Elf realm; if there were treasures, they were probably well stored in special places by the elves, or perhaps directly taken away when they left!


    While thinking, Colin carefully restored the large pit under his feet.


    Withdrawing his gaze, he once again looked cautiously around.


    If his deduction was true, the treasure Anando''s Dice had found must be on that unknown person.


    So, as long as he hadn''t discarded the treasure, with Anando''s Dice, he could find that unknown person again!


    ''But where should I go next?'' Colin mused to himself after finishing these tasks.


    ''Should I simply return to the forest and wait until the next time the wind ceases, so I can use Anando''s Dice again to find that unknown person... or should I continue with the original plan to explore the mountain in front of me?''


    He turned his head to look at the nearby mountain, hesitated for a moment, but chose to stick to the original plan.


    Anando''s Dice wouldn''t be usable for another week, and there were too many variables in the meantime!


    If that unknown person left the Different Space during this period, then this time would undoubtedly have been wasted.


    Moreover...


    The mountain was right in front of him; since he was already here, he might as well continue exploring.


    "Let''s go, Nasi," he instructed, turning his head, then he cast the Light Flame Soaring Skill and enhanced it with the Swift Skill.


    "Okay!" Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The little elf flew toward his hood, lightly fluttering into her makeshift little bed.


    Colin slightly levitated and flew towards the mountain.


    "Good Giant."


    From inside the hood, Nasi poked her little head out, looking at the mountain that seemed to be right in front of them. Suddenly, a hint of bewilderment flashed in her eyes, and she paused before saying,


    "Little Nasi seems to have been there before¡­"


    The oncoming wind scattered her voice in the breeze, but Colin still heard her clearly.


    Just as he was about to ask her more about it.


    Everything around them suddenly changed!


    A moment ago, he was flying towards the mountain, about to fly out of the plains.


    Now, he had just flown out of the plains, but what faced him was not the undulating slopes of the mountain region...


    Instead, it was a dark red corridor, seemingly located in an ancient, decrepit castle!


    The ruined corridor was indoors, with a turn ahead and no windows on either side, hiding the outside scenery. Only a mysterious red light enveloped the place.


    ''Teleportation?! Spatial transfer?!''


    The sudden change left Colin utterly astonished!


    ''Right, where''s Nasi?!''


    "Good Giant!"


    A speck of green light suddenly appeared at the front left, expanding into a fist-sized circle of light, and then Nasi''s figure immediately shot out from it.


    Seeing Colin, she clearly relaxed, exclaiming,


    "Good Giant, can you open doors too¡­ Just now, while little Nasi wasn''t paying attention, whoosh, you vanished!"


    "Fortunately, little Nasi heard the door sound¡­"


    Listening to little Nasi''s words, Colin had many questions he wanted to ask, but he no longer had the time to ponder them¡ª


    On their left side, on the wall of the stony corridor, a decrepit oil lamp suddenly eerily lit up.


    But what was ignited inside the lamp, rather than a natural flame, seemed more like red and purple pigments, spreading in circles and layering on top of each other, forming a flame-like painting.


    At that moment, the oil lamp swelled with the wind, starting from the wick, encompassing the dark red copper lamp, and then quickly expanded into a half-human-sized bizarre creature!


    The oil lamp creature resembled a ghost, floating in mid-air.


    But unlike ghosts, it had no fixed shape, just like a pool of jumbled pigments mixed together, bizarre yet with a strange beauty¡­


    Just like the dark red land and purple sky outside.

 Chapter 316 - 242 The Unexpected Person

    The Copper Lamp Monster did not speak, nor could it speak.


    In an instant, it took shape and simultaneously charged towards Colin!


    Boom!


    Beneath a dim crimson glow, a speck of orange-yellow flame suddenly ignited from Colin''s hand, swelling with the wind, and in the blink of an eye transformed into a giant orange-yellow Fireball that flew towards the Copper Lamp Monster.


    Bang!


    The Copper Lamp Monster seemed to lack intelligence; it neither dodged nor avoided the collision and slammed directly into the scorching Fireball, resulting in an explosive impact.


    The resultant brightness illuminated the entire crimson corridor!


    Colin narrowed his eyes, vigilantly watching the aftermath of the explosion.


    Yet even after the remnants of the flame had vanished and the dust stirred up by the shockwave had settled, the Copper Lamp Monster was nowhere to be seen.


    Colin furrowed his brow and took a step forward.


    Several broken shards of dark copper lay silently at the epicenter of the Fireball explosion, and perhaps due to the high temperature, they bore traces of melting.


    However, the melting was minor, and the pieces were still recognizable; Colin realized at a glance that these were the remnants of the very monster they had just encountered¡ªthe remains of a lamp''s oil reservoir.


    "The Copper Lamp Monster... is it dead just like that?" Colin muttered in disbelief.


    The assault by the Copper Lamp Monster was swift and unexpected, and not knowing the extent of its power, Colin naturally used all his might.


    However, despite that, the Copper Lamp Monster... seemed far too fragile.


    "Great giant, you''re so powerful!" The little Elf Nasi praised as she looked at the fragments.


    "Nasi, do you know this place... Hmm?"


    Colin diverted his gaze, about to inquire further from the little Elf, when out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly spotted something noteworthy.


    It was several dark copper-colored shards, not far from the slightly melted lamp pieces in front of him.


    These were not melted, their shape and surface clearly intact, and so Colin recognized at a glance¡ª


    They were also fragments of a copper oil lamp... Moreover, their jagged edges were smooth and clean, without a speck of dust accumulation. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A glance was enough to tell, they had only broken recently.


    "Another visitor has been here!" It was an almost instantaneous reaction for Colin.


    If the oil lamp monster attacked every person who arrived in this place, leaving behind fragments after being destroyed,


    then, without a doubt, these shards, which had shattered no more than a few days ago, indicated that someone had arrived here before him, just like him, and had also killed the attacking oil lamp monster.


    As to who this person was... Colin had a vague answer in his mind.


    He subconsciously stroked the petals he kept in the pouch at his waist, as he surveyed the surroundings, searching carefully.


    Moments later, Colin withdrew his gaze and walked towards the shards of the copper lamp.


    Nearby, he found no traces similar to the white flowers he had discovered earlier, but there were other traces¡ª


    Several withered vines, now completely turned a dark crimson color.


    Unlike the white flower, it was difficult to infer what kind of witchcraft or natural magic had been used... However, the appearance of these tangled and bound vine remnants easily led one to think of a classic control witchcraft¡ªfor instance, the entwining of vines.


    Like the white flower, this was also a plant-based witchcraft...


    Seeing this, Colin was almost certain in his heart.


    The person who arrived here before him, destroying a Copper Lamp Monster, was very likely the same individual who left the white flowers on the plains above!


    At the same time, Colin had a subtle awareness of another matter.


    He subconsciously lifted his right foot, shifting his gaze to the sole of his boot.


    The vines in front of him were all completely dyed a dark crimson, visibly heavier in their taint compared to the contamination seen on the white flower.


    If viewed in isolation, this could only suggest that the person had arrived here first and later left the white flowers outside... Such logic also fit.


    But Colin''s instinct told him that, like him, this person was heading towards the mountain, and it was after leaving the white flowers that they came here!


    If that were the case, it could only mean that the contamination here was much more intense than outside!


    Indeed, as Colin''s right foot slowly lifted, a fresh red immediately caught his eye.


    Colin''s expression grew grave as he lifted his left foot.


    On the thick, grey sole of his left boot, like the right, a fresh red stain appeared.


    After doing so, Colin wasn''t finished; he took the white flower from his waist.


    The white flower, which still had some life left, was now completely turned a dark crimson color!


    ''Just hours before, I had checked the soles of my boots and found nothing unusual; at that time, nearly half of the white flower was still white.''


    ''The contamination here... Indeed, it''s more severe than outside.''


    Colin couldn''t help but feel a sinking feeling in his heart; although he showed no signs of contamination now, how long he could withstand it remained unknown.


    The unknown... was always the most frightening.


    Like a sword suspended overhead, not knowing when it might fall, it caused an inevitable sense of agitation.


    ''Since that person is most likely ahead...''


    Colin slowly lifted his head, his eyes fixed on the corridor bend ahead, which appeared mysteriously enigmatic under the faint crimson light, hesitating whether to follow...


    "Nasi, do you know what this place is?"


    After a moment, Colin decided to gather more information before proceeding, turning his head to ask Nasi.


    "This place..." Nasi furrowed her brow, "Little Nasi doesn''t know the name of this place."


    ''I don''t know what it''s called...''


    Colin paused for a moment, then asked another two questions:

 Chapter 317 - 242: Unexpected Person_2

    "Nasi, are we still in the same place as before? Have you been here before?"


    "This is the same place, it''s just that a door was opened... Nasi hasn''t been here before," S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    the little elf answered somewhat puzzled.


    Seeming to fear that Colin might not understand, she explained again:


    "But this place is different from where Nasi encountered the friendly giant before. The portal opened there led to another place, but this is still the original location."


    "Can you open a portal and take me out of here?"


    "Of course, I can!" Nasi immediately responded, patting her chest, but a flicker of panic crossed her face as if recalling the initial accident; she concentrated and made an attempt.


    A point of green light suddenly appeared at Nasi''s delicate fingertips and rapidly expanded to the size of a fist.


    The little elf tentatively passed through to take a look, then returned with a proud face, emphasizing:


    "See, friendly giant, Nasi can really open a portal, isn''t it amazing?"


    Colin nodded, a sigh of relief in his heart.


    At least he had not fallen into a new predicament.


    As for Nasi''s explanation, although it was somewhat vague, he had almost understood by combining it with the knowledge he had acquired before.


    If he wasn''t mistaken, this space was a Subspace, a subsidiary of what seemed to be the Elf Kingdom''s Different Space!


    Like huge bubbles, Different Spaces clung to the walls of the Main Plane.


    Especially within larger Different Spaces, there were often many subsidiary Subspaces.


    They overlapped with some locations of the Different Spaces but did not interfere with each other.


    The biggest difference is they are enveloped by the Different Space, existing in a state of superposition, while the Main Plane and Different Spaces are in different locations.


    So, if the little elf was right, this place should indeed be some kind of Subspace!


    But thinking this, Colin still had some doubts in his heart...


    ''Why did I suddenly arrive in this Subspace?''


    If this was the Elf Kingdom, then these Subspaces should be properly managed, with specific entrances and exit means.


    ''Perhaps... after the Elf Clan migrated from here, the Subspace was neglected, changed its location, and then I happened to fall into it...''


    Bang¡ª


    Huh?!


    Just as Colin pondered incessantly, a light collision sound suddenly came from afar.


    The sound was extremely faint, almost imperceptible.


    ''An illusion?''


    Colin stopped pondering and instinctively perked up his ears.


    Bang!


    Bang bang bang!


    After listening intently, with the Ultimate Knight''s formidable strength, he finally captured a slight but authentic noise.


    Turning his head, he looked again toward the corridor corner where a dark red light shone, casting a reddish hue even onto the pitch-black shadows, making it eerie.


    "Let''s go, Nasi!"


    Colin exhaled softly, without hesitation, bolstered himself with Silent, and swiftly flew forward as the sound still lingered.


    Under the effect of Silent, he moved through the dark red corridor like a gray ghost, swift and silent!


    After turning the corner, he was faced with a large archway. Despite some damage, its original opulence and splendor were still discernible.


    Tall columns stood on either side, and the archway''s reliefs were exquisitely crafted. One of the two door panels was open, while the other was ajar.


    Through the open archway, one could see a large hall filled with tables and chairs of various designs, each unique and beautiful, exuding an artistic flair.


    This scene further confirmed Colin''s previous guess¡ªthis had to be a Subspace accompanying the Elf Kingdom''s space.


    Like the dilapidated corridor, the sumptuous hall was in disarray, with damaged and collapsed tables and chairs everywhere...


    The center of the hall was also in chaos, wreckage strewn all around but oddly, these traces looked quite fresh, out of place compared to the surroundings.


    Colin cautiously entered the hall, maintaining an appropriate speed as he moved forward.


    However, it seemed that whoever had been there before had cleared the path because no monsters appeared as he flew out of the hall.


    The same was true for the rest of the journey; Colin sped towards the direction of the sound but only encountered signs of battle and no more monsters.


    And so, with an unobstructed road, he nearly reached his top speed.


    In about seven or eight minutes, the ongoing sounds of battle became clearer and clearer... as if they were right in front of him!


    Colin watched ahead.


    The ornate and classic corridor extended outdoors here, becoming even more intense, with an almost purplish light from above outdoors, casting a distinct divide in the corridor.


    Colin silently landed and, like a nimble feline, moved lightly and swiftly forward.


    Soon, he was at the borderline between the outdoors and indoors of the corridor.


    Since he had not learned any witchcraft for covert observation, Colin took a deep breath and carefully extended a piece of a copper mirror from Margaret''s Storage Ring near his feet.


    The outdoor section of the corridor must be located within a courtyard; seemingly to allow travelers to be closer to the now ruined yet formerly intricate vegetation, the corridor had no railings, just carved pillars at intervals.

 Chapter 318 - 242 Unexpected Person_3

    So, as the copper mirror was extended, the scene outside suddenly reflected upon it.


    "This...?!"


    The next second, upon seeing the scene in the copper mirror, Colin could hardly suppress the shock in his heart.


    In the courtyard to the right of the corridor, numerous monsters like copper lamp monsters, looking like flowers composed of paint, were currently besieging a young Witch.


    The number of those monsters was almost endless... the Witch was like a flat boat in a storm, which could be destroyed by the surge at any moment.


    However, that was not the point!


    Colin took another careful look at the appearance of the Witch in the copper mirror.


    Blonde hair, a young and beautiful girl...


    "Lillian senior...?"


    Although he could hardly believe it, Superbrain still made Colin accurately recall this girl''s appearance that he had seen only once on that advanced night!


    "No, not necessarily!" Colin''s expression suddenly darkened, he gently exhaled, retracted the copper mirror, and temporarily suppressed the idea of wanting to go out to help.


    Boom!


    The sounds of battle outside grew more intense, including the Witch''s pained groans.


    Colin''s face showed a struggling expression; he suddenly thought of the Elf Armor on his body¡ªthis was a gift from Atbolde, his mentor, and the mentor was Lillian''s grandfather.


    Colin thought of the anomaly when crossing the barrier and suddenly felt that Lillian being here was not something unfathomable.


    Moreover, whether or not the wizard in front of him was Lillian, as long as she came from the outside world, it meant there was hope for escape!


    If he watched the other party be annihilated, he alone might not be able to handle the monsters in front.


    Swish!


    The thoughts in his mind flashed like lightning.


    Colin took a deep breath, stepped out, and shouted,


    "Lillian senior, I''m here to help you!"


    Whoosh!


    A huge flame of a Fireball shot towards the front!


    "Colin?!"


    Lillian turned back, her face appearing surprised and disheveled.


    Unlike the young Colin, as a seasoned First Rank Wizard, she subconsciously cast Detection Magic.


    "Is it really you?" Lillian grew even more astonished, she had never imagined she would encounter someone she knew here, and Colin at that! S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Colin was just about to speak.


    Crack crack¡ª


    But the flower monsters nearby did not stop their attack because of their encounter; one monster pounced toward Lillian!


    "Be careful!" Colin instinctively shouted out, swinging his hand to shoot another Fireball.


    Boom!


    The flower monster burst into pieces upon impact.


    Colin was about to move forward to continue helping.


    "Don''t come closer!" But Lillian immediately cried out to stop him.


    "The garden here generates endless monsters, and the number will increase with the number of intruders. After you come in, in just three to five seconds, a large number of monsters will appear. If no one covers our retreat, neither of us will escape."


    Colin froze for a moment.


    But the next moment, he instantly had a plan.


    "Senior, I have a way! Trust me, you just run!"


    Lillian glanced back at Colin, skepticism on her face, but eventually, she nodded firmly.


    Whoosh!


    The next moment, a massive Fireball slowly moved towards Lillian.


    Whoosh!


    And the next second, another appeared.


    Colin released three Fireballs in one breath!


    These three Fireballs connected like a long snake, carving a path for Lillian.


    "Senior, take advantage now and try to get to the edge of the garden!"


    "The closer I get to the edge, the more monsters will appear," Lillian spoke quickly, but she didn''t hesitate, moving along the path of the Fireballs.


    As she said.


    As her position approached the edge of the garden, hiss after hiss, dense new monsters emerged from the ground, blocking the way.


    In just a moment, those few Fireballs were already wobbling under the relentless attack of the monsters.


    And also, the strength of the monsters was rapidly increasing.


    Colin''s gaze was focused; it was now a critical time.


    Whoosh!


    The first Fireball, deep in the garden and behind Lillian, suddenly expanded and stretched, and in a moment, a Fire Element appeared.


    As Colin thought, this suddenly appearing new intruder indeed changed the whole garden.


    The Fire Element attracted a massive amount of firepower, with countless monsters continuously emerging.


    The next moment, Lillian was the first to sense the change.


    Initially, killing one monster would immediately bring about another one and a half, but now only half a monster could appear, and the speed of re-emergence slowed!


    Thus, as this offset that, the number of monsters blocking her way finally ceased increasing and began to decrease!


    Lillian seized the opportunity and surged forward.


    But the encircled Fire Element didn''t last long, soon extinguished like a candle by the numerous garden monsters.


    But Colin had already prepared, he squeezed out his own Magic Power, quickly turning that second Fireball into a Fire Element as well.


    By the attraction of the Fire Elements,


    Lillian finally managed to cross the short distance in the garden, escaping successfully.

 Chapter 319 - 243: White Flower

    "Thank you," Lillian said, her tone brief but her gratitude audible.


    "It''s what I should do," Colin smiled as he wiped the sweat from his brow caused by the overuse of Magic Power.


    Seeing this, Lillian felt even more grateful; her body gradually shrank, finally transforming into the young girl form Colin was most familiar with.


    Seeing this, Colin no longer doubted and quickly walked back to the indoor area with Lillian along the corridor.


    When they stepped onto the corridor and arrived indoors, the flower monsters in the courtyard also froze, contracted their bodies, and fell into the mud, transforming back into their withered flower form.


    "Junior Colin¡­"


    "Senior Lillian¡­"


    The two almost started questioning each other at the same time and then stopped simultaneously.


    "You go first, Senior Lillian."


    Lillian did not decline and asked the question she had been holding back.


    "Junior Colin, why are you here?"


    Colin paused, then simply explained to Lillian why he had come to this place.


    "I see, did you also accidentally enter this space on your way to the mountains¡­" Lillian realized, then thought of something and said with some surprise, "I didn''t expect that after I entered Red Soil Forest, a great battle had taken place on Gubier Island¡­"


    "Senior, did you come here before the battle on Gubier Island?" Colin keenly caught the information in Lillian''s words and couldn''t help asking.


    "Yes," Lillian confirmed with a nod, then fell silent for a moment, lifted her head, and revealed something Colin somewhat expected but was still surprised to hear¡ª


    "The health of Instructor Atbolde is failing, seriously¡­ he has, at most, half a year left to live."


    "How could this be¡­" Colin''s expression shifted slightly as he murmured involuntarily.


    Even though he had anticipated something about Instructor Atbolde''s condition, his mood inevitably sank, as if a heavy stone had been placed upon his heart.


    Instructor Atbolde... wise and kind, was one of the best people he had encountered in this world and one who had helped him the most.


    Usually reticent, he often just briefly expressed his thanks, but he silently kept the grace in his heart.


    "I came here to seek a cure for Instructor Atbolde," Lillian continued.


    After speaking, she suddenly paused, looked curiously at Colin, and asked, "Do you know where this is¡­ or rather, what is the place outside?"


    "¡­The legendary Elf Kingdom?" Colin hesitated for a moment, uncertainly voicing his guess.


    "Yes, the outside Different Space is the legendary Elf Kingdom, and this place is the Subspace of the Elf Kingdom," Lillian looked up at the surrounding corridor, sighed and said, "But why has this place turned into such a state?"


    "That garden over there belongs to the High Level Elf," Lillian shifted her gaze towards the spot they were attacked, pointing her finger.


    "My mother, who is a High Level Elf, told me when I was little that in the courtyard of High Level Elves, regardless of spring, summer, autumn, or winter, various flowers would bloom continuously, changing almost every day! And every three months, there would be a grand gathering where High Level Elves would choose the finest flower to present to the Queen¡­" Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lillian rubbed the purple bracelet on her left wrist, her expression turning somewhat gloomy and puzzled.


    "The outside world should also be completely different, the forest my mother spoke of should be lush and deep, home to squirrels, forest deer, and Tree Elves, while the meadow should be carpeted in lush green grass, which waves into green waves as the wind blows¡­"


    Colin listened silently.


    He had always known that Lillian had High Level Elf ancestry, but he never imagined Lillian''s mother was a High Level Elf!


    After a while, Lillian''s rambling stopped, but her face still held some inexplicable emotions.


    The legendary Elf Kingdom, this place filled with beauty and art, was also Lillian''s homeland¡­ and yet it had turned into this.


    Her heart not only felt a difference but also confusion and worry¡­ ''Has the Elf Kingdom turned into this, can I still find a way or means to treat Atbolde?''


    ''And what about my mother¡­ where has she gone?''


    "Senior Lillian, how did you enter the Elf Kingdom¡­ was it with the help of your little Elf Bobi?" Colin, seeing the atmosphere turning towards silence, smoothly asked his question.


    "By Bobi¡­?" Lillian asked back, puzzled, not knowing where Bobi had been hiding before, but Bobi, seemingly hearing his name mentioned, curiously poked his head from around Lillian''s neck.


    ''Could it be that Senior Lillian didn''t enter using a little Elf to open the door?'' Seeing Lillian''s reaction, Colin grew curious.


    "It''s like this, Senior Lillian, I haven''t yet told you how I entered¡­ Nasi." Colin turned and quietly called the name behind him.


    The next second, a small, adorable red-haired Elf carefully popped her head from behind him.


    "I entered with her opening the door for me," Colin continued.


    "Bobi!"


    Bobi on Lillian''s shoulder, perhaps seeing another little Elf like himself for the first time, froze and suddenly exclaimed in shock.

 Chapter 320 - 243 White Flower_2

    "Wow! There are even elves as small as little Nasi!" Nasi also widened her eyes, and murmured into Colin''s ear.


    "Bobi!"


    The two little elves gazed into each other''s big eyes for a while before Bobi called out first, flying off from Lillian''s shoulder.


    Bobi''s expression had suddenly become somewhat serious for some reason. She tucked the hair behind her ears, highlighting her pointed ears even more. Her little face became stern, and combined with her golden figure, she oddly exuded an air of authority.


    "Good giant, do you know what she is doing?" Nasi watched Bobi''s actions with some panic and quickly whispered in Colin''s ear.


    Colin shook his head, looking towards Lillian with a questioning gaze.


    "Bobi is a little elf my mother left me; I''ve never seen her like this before... I don''t know what she''s doing either," Lillian responded, shaking her head to Colin''s gaze.


    "Bobi!"


    Unheeded, Bobi now looked a bit flustered. Her movements became noticeably stiffer as she called out again in a rush.


    "What a strange little elf..." Nasi nibbled on her finger and whispered to Colin, then turned back to Bobi, "Alright alright, little Nasi is coming over now!"


    "Good giant, you''ll protect me, right?"


    After saying this, Nasi turned her head back and softly asked Colin.


    Colin nodded almost imperceptibly.


    Nasi, with Colin''s assurance, seemed to instantly gain confidence and flew towards Bobi with proud swagger.


    Seeing Nasi''s posture, Bobi, who had a stern expression, felt inexplicably panicked; her already stiff movements became even more rigid.


    However, an unknown strength compelled Bobi to compose herself again.


    As she faced the approaching Nasi, she slowly extended her arm, palm down, and naturally letting it drop, her little face slightly turned aside as if arrogantly waiting for the kiss of homage like a queen!


    "Hello!" But Nasi, oblivious, took Bobi''s small hand straight away, enthusiastically greeting her.


    "Bob... Bob... Bobi!" Bobi was startled by Nasi''s unexpected move and suddenly began to panic, breaking free from Nasi''s grasp and, like a bolt of lightning, quickly retreated behind Lillian.


    Nasi, touching her head, looked confused and returned to Colin''s side.


    At this moment, Lillian appeared to have thought of something, and added to Colin:


    "What species of elf is your red little elf?"


    "I''m guessing Bobi might have been asking her to submit... The Elf Clan places great importance on bloodlines and hierarchy."


    Colin was slightly taken aback and somewhat surprised asked, "Lillian... you can''t tell the exact species of this little elf either?"


    "I can''t tell," Lillian shook her head. "There are as many types of little elves as there are stars in the sky, and this one I do not recognize... From the color, it looks a bit like a ruby elf, but the shape is a bit off."


    "Nasi can use plant-based natural magic," Colin added.


    "Is her name Nasi?... In the Elvish language, that means something beautiful. If she can use plant-based natural magic, she''s most likely a plant elf... But why would she be this color?" S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Colin communicated via Spirit telepathy:


    "Perhaps it''s the same as the Different Space here, it''s been contaminated... Nasi''s memory is somewhat chaotic and unstable, and she doesn''t know that she''s been contaminated. To ensure the stability of her Spirit, I haven''t told her yet."


    Lillian paused slightly as she received the message through telepathy, then discreetly glanced at Nasi and continued to ask:


    "Colin, I think we need to discuss our current plans, we''ve been trapped here and I''ve been searching for an exit in the Subspace, but the monsters in the courtyard are too troublesome, we simply can''t kill them all, it''s impossible to move forward..."


    "Lillian," Colin interrupted her, "If we just want to go back to the Different Space we were in just now, there''s no need to move forward, Nasi can ''open the door'' and take us out."


    Lillian was somewhat surprised and confirmed, "Is that possible here?"


    She thought Colin was only talking about returning to the outside world from the Elf Kingdom... There''s a stark difference between going from the Subspace to the Elf Kingdom, and from the Elf Kingdom to the outside world.


    "Yes," Colin nodded, then turned to the small elf by his ear and asked: "I''m right, aren''t I, Nasi?"


    "Of course, little Nasi is amazing!" Maybe because he was there to support her, the small elf sounded more confident and even raised her voice.


    "Good, there''s no time to lose, Colin, we should hurry back to the Elf Kingdom. The contamination in this Different Space is far too strong, with each minute increasing the danger." A trace of relief crossed Lillian''s face, she turned her head to look at the ornate corridors and courtyard around her, and added:


    "Moreover, due to the contamination''s effects, this place is almost just a worthless ruin for us... It won''t have anything that can cure our teacher, nor any treasures."


    "Alright, Nasi, it''s up to you," Colin said with a nod to Nasi by his ear.


    Then he continued to ask Lillian, "Lillian, you still haven''t told me how you came to this place?"


    Hiss.


    A hint of green light shone from the hands of the small elf who had received the command.


    "I came here using this."


    Lillian glanced at Nasi unconsciously, even more curious about what kind of elf she was... she had never heard of a plant elf having the so-called ability to ''open doors''...


    Redirecting her gaze, Lillian raised her left hand, pointing to the Purple Crystal bracelet on it and answered.


    "This is a token my mother gave me; with it, I can enter the Elf Kingdom through a specific entrance."


    "A specific entrance?" Colin asked with a hint of confusion, then hurriedly followed up with, "Is it the Red Soil Forest?"


    "Yes," Lillian nodded, then added, "But the token can only take us back to reality from specific locations in the Elf Kingdom... It''s that forest, you know?"


    A shadow suddenly appeared in Colin''s heart... Nasi could enter the Elf Kingdom through the Red Soil Forest as well, but now this ability has failed...


    Taking a deep breath, Colin didn''t pursue the issue further; he would only know if the bracelet still worked once he was back in the Elf Kingdom.


    Taking advantage of the time Nasi was ''opening the door,'' he asked one last question.


    "Lillian, I previously found a white flower in the grasslands... was it left by your witchcraft?"


    "White flower..." Lillian''s expression froze for a moment, then she shook her head.


    ''Wasn''t it left by Lillian?''


    The two exchanged glances, clearly having realized it, and their expressions changed slightly.


    In this Elf Kingdom, there was apparently a third mysterious presence!

 Chapter 321 - 244 Liyaer

    "Good giant, little Nasi has opened the door, hurry!" Nasi urged, panting, "Opening the door is so tiring, little Nasi can''t hold on for much longer!"


    "Let''s go out first and talk later," Lillian pressed down the shock in her heart and took the lead in speaking to Colin.


    "Okay," Colin nodded.


    The two followed Nasi through the door.


    The next moment, they reappeared in the Elf Kingdom.


    Except this time, the location was different from where they had entered... This place was a dark red, cracked swamp.


    Swoosh!


    Lillian, who stood beside him, withdrew her gaze and waved her hand gently. Like moonlight spilling down, a light veil descended, dividing into several pieces that landed on each of them, forming from head to toe, including the Wizard Robe and boots, a thin veil wrapped around them.


    "Concealing Moon Cloth... for hiding us," Lillian briefly explained, "Since there''s still another person in the Elf Kingdom, it''s likely they are more foe than friend... This is a necessary measure."


    Colin nodded, agreeing deeply, and with a thought, he also extended his hand.


    Swoosh!


    A silent, witchcraft light flashed by.


    "What is this...?" Lillian asked curiously.


    "Silent... a spell I happened upon that eliminates sound," Colin also explained briefly.


    "What''s the range for the sound elimination?" Apparently not having heard of this spell, Lillian asked again.


    "It eliminates sounds produced by oneself and most sounds from one''s contact with objects, without affecting the surrounding noises."


    "It seems like it can also continue moving with the spellcaster, quite a good spell!" Lillian commented lightly, her tone was mild, but the admiration in her eyes was unmistakable.


    If the intention was not to affect external sounds, then eliminating one''s own sounds and the sounds of contact with the outside usually require different processing logic.


    This also leads to the use of different spells, and it''s rare to see one that can eliminate both effects.


    "It''s just good luck," Colin said with a smile, then changed the subject, "Lillian, when Nasi first took me here, we also entered through the Red Soil Forest."


    Lillian frowned, seeming to have anticipated something, feeling a hint of unease.


    Colin organized his thoughts and continued, "I was planning to wait a few hours, to avoid the unknown enemy, then return to Gubier Island... but I never expected that Nasi tried several times but couldn''t open the gate again... There seems to be a problem with the anchor on Gubier Island."


    "So, if the path you took in was also the Red Soil Forest... I wonder if it would be affected."


    As soon as he finished speaking, Lillian immediately realized the severity of the situation; her expression shifted subtly as she quickly lifted her bracelet, attempting to test whether she could leave the Elf Kingdom.


    Buzz¡ª


    The delicate, pale purple bracelet lit up with a hazy glow, mysterious and splendid.


    The creations of the elves... were always filled with beauty.


    But this beautiful light suddenly extinguished in the next moment.


    The omnipresent pale red light of the Elf Kingdom crept back onto the faces of Colin and Lillian, reflecting two uncomfortable expressions.


    "Can''t establish a stable passage..." Lillian lowered her wrist, exhaling, "It seems that something unknown has happened in the Red Soil Forest outside."


    "The Elf Kingdom is a Different Space that has been fully developed, under the craft of generations of elves, the passages connected to the outside world are limited and have strict requirements... The bracelet in my hand, used for guests to enter and exit, can only be used to return through the same way one entered."


    Although he had been aware of this fact, Colin''s heart inevitably sank upon having it confirmed by Lillian.


    "In our current situation, there''s only one path we can take," he said after taking a breath, stripping away the negative emotions and addressing Lillian. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The only path..." Lillian''s expression flickered slightly, "Could it be...?"


    "Yes, the remaining third person... or group of people," Colin nodded, speaking gravely, "The Elf Kingdom is now just a wasteland, the forests withered, the grasslands wilted, that white flower definitely came from the outside, and those people must also be from outside."


    "If they could get in, then they likely know the way out!"


    Lillian nodded in agreement.


    The dry swamp area, like the grassland, was the closest to the high mountains.


    And the position they occupied was even closer to the edge of the swamp near the high mountains.


    So, the high mountain area was right in front of them.


    Lillian looked ahead, her face rarely showing a touch of bewilderment.


    "The Elf Kingdom is vast, searching for a group of people within is like searching for a needle in a haystack."


    "We can''t just give up, if we continue, there will always be hope."


    Colin encouraged Lillian, following her gaze towards the high mountains and continued deducing,


    "If even the Subspace courtyards of the High Level Elves have been completely corrupted, leaving nothing of value, then it''s likely the same in other places... The only place of value in the entire Elf Kingdom is the high mountains in front of us, I guess that group is most likely inside."


    "Plus, even if we want to find those people and get the way out, we still have to first find the cure for Professor Atbolde."


    This was his true thought, but not the entire truth.


    Now that it was confirmed that the user of the flower was not Lillian, then the treasure corresponding to the location obtained through Anando''s Dice was also likely not on Lillian.

 Chapter 322 - 244 Liyaer_2

    If the treasure were with that third group of people, it would just be a matter of time for him to locate their position.


    However, before that, time certainly shouldn''t be wasted. It would be wise to go to the high mountain with Lillian to look for something that might help Atbolde.


    Upon hearing this, Lillian fell silent for a moment, took a gentle breath, and her complexion regained its vitality and determination.


    "You''re right, Colin," she said, pulling her gaze back to him, "We mustn''t delay. Let''s set out now!"


    "Alright," Colin replied, but as if he remembered something, he hesitated slightly and suddenly asked, "Lillian, have you encountered dark red winds since you arrived here?"


    "I have," Lillian responded, a hint of reminiscence and lament flashing in her eyes, "A terrible wind of pollution."


    "I''ve asked Nasi, and such winds come once every seven days... Now, there are about four days left until the next one, so there isn''t much time." Colin took out his pocket watch and glanced at it as he spoke.


    "Don''t worry," Lillian heard his concern and explained, "The instructor has a Witch Tool that can weaken this pollution, and after weakening, the two of us can withstand it for a day or two."


    Having said this, she looked up at the distant high mountain and added, "Moreover, since that mountain hasn''t been completely polluted, it''s likely that there are corresponding defensive measures, so the pollution winds there will probably be even less severe..."


    "As long as we have means to resist," Colin nodded.


    The two of them took off, flying into the high mountain area.


    The entire high mountain region had only one high mountain in the center, surrounded by rolling hills and smaller mountains.


    Outside some of the moderate-sized mounds, there were exquisite stone doors, clearly inhabited by living creatures... but not necessarily elves.


    "Those are the dwellings of the Liya''er," Lillian noticed where he was looking and responded.


    "Liya''er are natural servants of the High Level Elves, rumored to be formed from the dirt around the Ancient Tree of Life, their skin of various colors, but all small and slender in stature, and skilled at cooking and construction."


    Colin nodded, looking out across the landscape... He hadn''t realized that the High Level Elves actually had specialized servants; this was the first time he had heard of it.


    "The High Level Elves don''t really like the Liya''er, though they don''t mistreat them, they only regard them as lowly slaves in their hearts.


    Whether it''s in the elves'' own literature or information that''s spread to the outside world, the name of the Liya''er is seldom mentioned."


    Lillian continued, and finally concluded¡ª


    "High Level Elves are a group of extremely proud and conceited beings."


    Colin looked at her with some surprise.


    "I''m not a High Level Elf; I simply have the bloodline of one," Lillian said with a smile, then continued, "Let me tell you a rumor about the High Level Elves that my mother told me when I was a child¡ª"


    "The relationship between the High Level Elves and the other eight major elf clans is not very good... My mother said it''s because the other eight clans all have their flaws, none perfect, so they are jealous of the perfect High Level Elves, but in my view, the bad relationship is mostly due to the High Level Elves being too arrogant! And they are not perfect either, for instance, even though they possess plant-based natural magic like the Tree Elves, they lack the Tree Elves'' Talent for tree architecture..."


    Colin listened as she spoke, nodding. Maybe because of the different environment, or perhaps the heavy burden she carried, Lillian seemed more talkative than before.


    After about half a day, they finally arrived at the foot of the greenish high mountain.


    Possibly due to elves generally venerating nature, this high mountain was largely preserved in its original state, with only a few delicate paths hidden among the grass and trees indicating the presence of High Level Elves.


    "I didn''t expect this place to have remained mostly untouched..." Colin marveled, perhaps because the omnipresent pollution in the Elf Kingdom had warped his view.


    Now that they were closer, they could see that the entire high mountain had barely been affected by any pollution, with just a sliver of dark red at its base.


    On seeing this, a look of joy also flashed across Lillian''s face.


    But this joy was fleeting, indeed.


    Along the way, all the evidence she had seen and the information she had exchanged with Colin foreshadowed one thing¡ªthe elves had left this place... taking their possessions with them.


    This meant that within the current Elf Kingdom, finding something to cure Atbolde had become nearly impossible...


    "Let''s go," Lillian rallied her spirit and took the lead towards the path.


    Like many cities of Wizards, the mountain also had measures to ban flying, which were still in effect at the moment.


    "What''s wrong, Nasi?" As Colin was about to follow Lillian, he keenly sensed something unusual about the little elf inside his hood.


    Judging by the feedback from the spiritual power, Nasi seemed lost for some reason, frowning and staring blankly at the mountain.


    "I don''t know..." Hearing Colin''s question, Nasi came back to her senses, shook her head, and replied, still with a perplexed look on her face.


    "I think Nasi has been here before..." She added uncertainly after a moment.


    "Been here before... Do you know where the High Level Elf''s Treasure Vault is?" Lillian, who had noticed something off and was waiting, suddenly asked.


    "Treasure Vault... Nasi does not know," the little elf was caught off guard by the sudden question and answered in a quiet, shrinking voice.


    Lillian wanted to ask more, but seeing the pallor of Nasi''s bewildered expression and recalling the information Colin had conveyed to her via spirit communication, she chose to be silent.


    "Let''s go," Lillian urged again.


    "Mhm," Colin nodded, stepping forward to keep pace with Lillian. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There were three paths up the mountain; they chose the middle one, which was also the closest.


    Walking along the path, the two proceeded in silence, one after the other.


    Although the path under their feet seemed inconspicuous, each step was actually intricately crafted, not only slip-proof but also engraved with exquisite patterns and designs where feet did not tread.


    ''High Level Elves, truly high level...'' Colin thought to himself.


    Just then, Lillian suddenly stopped in her tracks.


    "What''s wrong?" Colin asked.


    Lillian didn''t speak but simply stepped aside.


    Looking ahead, Colin furrowed his brow in confusion.


    At the end of the path, a deep tunnel had appeared.


    "We''ve reached the place where the High Level Elves reside," Lillian stated from beside him.


    ''This is the dwelling place of the High Level Elves?'' Colin was taken aback.


    Even though the exterior of the tunnel was decorated with a huge stone door, exquisitely carved and structured, it still couldn''t conceal the fact that it was a cave in the mountain...


    He had assumed the High Level Elves would build wooden or stone buildings like the Tree Elves. A cave... even if magnificently constructed inside, it still seemed unsuitable for the status of High Level Elves.


    But Colin had underestimated the scene inside the "cave."


    As soon as they stepped through the half-opened, inexplicably unguarded stone door,


    The scenery beside them instantly transformed.


    Above them was the Blue "Sky," slowly drifting "Spirit of White Clouds," ahead were towering stone trees each different in shape, all engraved with ornate patterns and designs, yet all connected to both the dome and the ground.


    Every branch of the towering stone trees bore either leaf-like shapes, flower-like forms, fruit-like figures... or even more elegantly and strangely shaped buildings.


    "Drawing Sky''s Shadow from the Blue Sea, capturing the Spirit of White Cloud high above, carving mountains to form shells, sculpting stone into trees... what a magnificent feat," Lillian was clearly also stunned.


    Then, as if a thought struck her, she couldn''t help but sigh:


    "Yet such a place, painstakingly built by the Liya''ers, is ironically not favored by the High Level Elves..."

 Chapter 323 - 245: The Outsider

    "Liya''er built this?"


    Colin was surprised, never having imagined that this race, which legend said was transformed from the soil around the Ancient Tree of Life, could possess such great strength!


    Now that he thought about it, the beautifully crafted steps they had walked upon on their journey here were probably built by the Liya''er as well.


    "Yes, nearly all the buildings where the High Level Elves reside were constructed by the Liya''er," Lillian answered.


    She looked at the forest of stone pillars in front of her, momentarily at a loss, unsure of how to proceed next.


    The space within the mountains was not small, nor regular, and not only could one not see the end at a glance, but these towering stone trees all stretched from the ground to the sky as well...


    "Let''s search each one by one, Senior Sister Lillian... to see if we can find any traces of those people, or perhaps something useful for the tutor," Colin suggested.


    "That''s all we can do," Lillian said in silence for a moment, before nodding and leading the way to the nearest stone tree.


    The closer they got to the stone tree, the more magnificent it felt; the buildings that seemed unremarkable from afar were now incredibly huge from below, causing one to worry if they might suddenly fall...


    From the outside, the lowest third of the stone tree was devoid of any signs of construction or any entrances; it was simply a replica of the appearance of a tree trunk.


    The pair circled the trunk at the bottom and found the lowest stone door on the right side. Then they flew towards it side by side.


    Below the stone tree, there were no stairs designed to lead up; flight was an innate ability for High Level Elves.


    Upon reaching the stone door, they found a landing platform in front of it, perhaps designed as an aesthetically pleasing tree knot for its appeal.


    The stone door, appearing small from afar, was actually quite large up close, nearly four meters high with double doors engraved with simple yet elegant tree patterns.


    "Hm?"


    At that moment, Colin eyed the stone door in front of him with a slight frown.


    For some reason, the stone door was inexplicably cracked open, just like the main gate they entered through before...


    A vague premonition in his heart led Colin to unconsciously activate his Superbrain, carefully recalling the main gate they had entered through earlier.


    The next second, he scrutinized the stone door in front of him once more, and at the same time, he cast Detecting Three Abilities!


    Swoosh.


    A faint ripple of witchcraft passed by.


    "What''s wrong..." Lillian asked subconsciously, barely perceiving Colin''s use of witchcraft since she was right by his side.


    She keenly noticed Colin had limited the reach of his Detection Magic to a very small area, covering just a small part of the stone door.


    Then she turned her gaze towards the spot where Colin used his magic.


    In the next second, upon seeing clearly, her expression subtly changed.


    At the latch of the stone door, there was a clear sign of damage, obviously caused recently, the break point at odds with the door''s antiqued muted surface.


    The high mountains remained unspoiled, and the buildings were generally still intact, including the stone door and its defense mechanisms, all operating normally... This was clearly the mark of someone trying to get in, a trace of forceful entry!


    "Those people might indeed have come here just as I had speculated earlier," Colin said in a somber voice.


    "Let''s go in and take a look," Lillian inhaled deeply, cautiously pushing open the stone door.


    Swoosh!


    Colin timely applied the Silent spell to the stone door.


    Lillian''s actions paused slightly; she looked back at Colin and said softly, "I was careless to assume those people might still be within this stone tree."


    Colin waved it off and took a soft breath, readying himself for battle.


    Although they had been walking openly, they were cloaked by the Concealing Moon Cloth and the Silent spells at all times to hide their presence. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So, unless something unexpected happened, their whereabouts had not been exposed.


    Upon entering the door, they were not met with darkness, but rather a gold-green colored circular corridor.


    Lavish and elegant wooden or metallic ornaments, and intricate decorative patterns, were everywhere to be seen.


    What was most impressive was that the entire corridor had undergone a treatment to mimic wood, giving the impression of being in a real tree rather than a cold stone pillar.


    Colin, seeing this, inexplicably recalled the Tree Elf''s Tree Hole Forest... that place was also so magnificent, except that compared to the Tree Elf''s abode, there was an additional sense of natural simplicity.


    The bright White Light shone down from above, revealing everything in detail, yet unable to reveal the figures of Colin and Lillian.


    "Let''s go, this is the lowest level. We''ll search upwards, level by level," Lillian started.


    Although the stone tree outside lacked staircases, by looking through the small windows of the circular corridor in front of them, they could easily spot a winding light green spiral staircase at the center within the stone tree.


    The pair cautiously proceeded along the circular corridor for a while until they encountered the first fork on their right, which seemed to lead to the largest and lowest branch they had seen earlier from the outside.


    However... to Colin and Lillian''s surprise, the door leading to that branch was not open.


    "Shall we continue to search the rest of the stone tree first and then come back to explore here?" Colin asked.


    "Mm," Lillian nodded in agreement, then added, "The interior is more intact than I had imagined... Many things have been left behind, and it doesn''t look as deserted as the other places we''ve passed through."

 Chapter 324 - 245: The Outsider_2

    Colin nodded; he had also noticed that.


    Walking along the ring-shaped corridor, traces of damage were visible, but almost all decorations remained intact. Although they weren''t particularly valuable, it was a big contrast to the empty scenes previously seen in the Tree Elf''s dwelling.


    "I wonder why¡­" Colin mused subconsciously.


    "Maybe it''s just a habit of extravagant waste, or perhaps they don''t value Liya''er''s hard work¡­ who knows." Lillian didn''t seem concerned and continued to walk forward.


    And so, the two of them explored, floor by floor, checking every door they could open...


    But by the time they reached the top floor, with the blue sky within reach, they still had not found any trace of others¡­ not even additional marks.


    It was as if a ghost had intruded, leaving only slight traces at the entrance before vanishing like a breeze, disappearing without a trace.


    The two stood atop the lookout tower with an excellent view all around.


    The multi-functional array blocked the biting cold winds from the high altitude, allowing only a light breeze to ensure ventilation.


    Lillian was still carefully observing the lookout tower.


    Although the array blocked strong winds, it didn''t prevent elves from entering and exiting¡­ If that group had come and gone, perhaps they would''ve left some trace here.


    But after a short while, Lillian, having found no trace whatsoever, finally stopped searching and stared out with pursed lips. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The visibility from the lookout was exceptionally broad, encompassing countless stone trees¡­ making it impossible to guess where that group might have gone.


    And the idea of exploring every single stone tree... now seemed rather inefficient.


    The breeze whipped Lillian''s hair, revealing her somewhat pale cheeks.


    Her slender frame was still erect, but Colin always felt as if an invisible pressure was constantly enveloping her shoulders.


    "Lillian, I haven''t asked you yet about how Atbolde, the tutor, is doing."


    After a moment of silence, Colin slowly spoke up.


    "It''s an injury," Lillian corrected him, then took a deep breath, pulled her gaze back, turned, and continued speaking to Colin: "Let''s go down and explore those unopened rooms."


    "Yes." Colin nodded and followed Lillian''s pace.


    "Atbolde is my grandfather," Lillian began as they walked.


    She didn''t answer Colin''s question directly but started to tell her story, organizing her thoughts.


    "As you know, I have High Level Elf blood, and my mother is indeed a genuine High Level Elf.


    "But perhaps you do not know that like me, my grandfather Atbolde, he also had High Level Elf blood¡­ albeit only a quarter."


    ''Rudolph, the tutor, actually had High Level Elf blood! Then Lillian''s father, Atbolde''s elder... could it be that they all had High Level Elf blood? Such a high percentage¡­'' Colin''s steps faltered slightly, surprised.


    "The Rudolph Family, hundreds of years ago, was a widely known mixed-blood family. In that era, the alliance formed by High Level Elves and Wizards achieved glorious victories, and the relationship between the two clans was very close. Our family was the best testament to the friendly relations between the two clans at the time."


    Lillian added, then her tone shifted, and she sighed:


    "But later on, although the relationship between the Elf Clan and Wizards remained good, as High Level Elves gradually disappeared, those of us naturally endowed with High Level Elf blood talents and capable of Wizard training attracted jealousy."


    "This jealousy was hidden, maybe just an extra mocking remark upon meeting, or perhaps secret curses behind one''s back. And of course, the most lethal were some families or councilmen in the Wizard Alliance with old prejudices ingrained in their bones, venerating pure blood.


    "Those musty old relics, who not only shunned ordinary mixed-blood Wizards but also maligned us freaks¡­ Now, families like ours with mixed blood are few and far between, whether mixed with Giant Dragon... or Elves like us."


    Lillian spoke with a tinge of sarcasm.


    "It''s a pity that under the verification of some nameless Wizard, the so-called noble pure blood, the so-called talent for Cultivating Magic Power has been proven to exist in every member of the Human Clan, just differentiating in degree!"


    "And later, ordinary people also became increasingly significant¡­ sorry."


    Realizing she had digressed, Lillian paused, reorganized her language, and continued, "Atbolde, the tutor, was injured by the Hidosh Family¡ªa Pureblood Family of great antiquity."


    "This injury was particularly venomous, torturing my grandfather for sixty years¡­ and recently worsened due to a confrontation."


    She couldn''t help but sigh.


    "If it weren''t for this injury¡­ Grandfather Atbolde should have already Advanced to a Third Rank Wizard!"


    Colin was silent, quietly digesting the news.


    "Atbolde, the tutor, has had a recent confrontation?" Colin suddenly asked with confusion after a moment.


    "Yes¡­ but it''s more accurate to say that the other party came for him, a member of the Hidosh Family... As for the reason."

 Chapter 325 - 245: The Outsider_3

    At this point, Lillian suddenly paused and said,


    "On the surface, it''s because of the Alus Association, but in reality, it''s still about ancient grudges..."


    "Because of the Alus Association...?" Colin stopped, at this moment they had descended one level from the top floor, coming to a room on the penultimate floor with a stone door tightly closed.


    There were no locked rooms on the top floor.


    "Let me do it." Lillian looked at the tightly closed stone door and said, extending her hand to press on the stone. A seed immediately took root and sprouted on the door, and as it grew larger, the door cracked open with a few snaps.


    "That''s amazing!" Nasi, who appeared from underneath his hood, expressed her surprise at the scene, seemingly reminded of something as her eyes flickered slightly.


    Colin paid it no mind... This must be a High Level Elf''s bedroom, and he stepped inside with Lillian.


    "Senior Lillian..." Colin wanted to remind Lillian that she hadn''t answered his question, but before he could finish, she spoke softly,


    "The Hidosh Family somehow learned that you were chosen by the Supreme Council to accompany the Alus Association, and they wanted the mentor to voluntarily kick you out of the School, thus securing the vacant position... but how could that be possible! How contrived!"


    After saying this, Lillian glanced at Colin and emphasized, "That''s just their excuse, the real reason is still the old grudges!"


    Colin moved his lips, unsure what to say, and simply nodded his head.


    Silence fell between them, and the atmosphere inexplicably turned awkward.


    They silently searched the room but found nothing of value inside the bedroom.


    Lillian''s expression clearly became more downcast.


    ''As long as we keep going, there will be hope.''


    ''We''ll find something to cure Teacher Atbolde...''


    Colin wanted to say something to break the silence but found himself at a loss for words on several occasions... After all, he was not Lillian and couldn''t truly understand what it felt like for Lillian''s family to live as outsiders.


    "Senior Lillian, why have the High Level Elves gradually disappeared, where did they all go?"


    After pondering for a moment, Colin asked.


    A thousand years ago, living conditions for families like Lillian''s were entirely different... The main reason must have been the High Level Elves.


    If the High Level Elves hadn''t disappeared and maintained friendly relations between the two clans, then the mixed-blood families in the middle wouldn''t have fallen into such a situation.


    "My grandfather told me that the Elf Clan could not endure the polluted world and chose to return to the Elf Kingdom, only occasionally would an Elf come out to wander... but ultimately, their numbers have dwindled, and even our families with Elf Bloodline could scarcely make contact with them."


    "A polluted world?" Colin sharply caught the keyword and asked.


    Lillian paused a little, and instead of explaining directly, she responded to Colin with a question of her own,


    "Do you know that the world was not like this originally?"


    "Not like this..." Colin was confused, not quite understanding what Lillian meant.


    But Lillian''s next words sent a jolt through his heart. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Turning her head to gaze into the void, she spoke word by word with a grave voice,


    "A thousand years ago, this world actually had no such thing as pollution mutations... There were many more wizards back then, especially Wandering Wizards, than there are now!"


    "These pollution mutations... are not something that have existed since ancient times?" Colin couldn''t help but muse to himself, "I''ve never seen this information in any book or legend."


    "The Supreme Council deliberately hid this truth..." Lillian explained, "I heard it from my grandfather as well."


    Colin exhaled quietly, digesting this shocking piece of news.


    The two then continued to search through all the rooms in the heart of the stone tree... but until they reached the structure built upon the lowest layer''s branches, they still found nothing.


    "Good giant."


    Just as Colin and Lillian were about to forcefully break into the last room using witchcraft, as they had with the others, the little elemental spirit Nasi suddenly spoke up.


    "Little Nasi seems to remember!" she said while waving her hand towards the stone door.


    An invisible Spiritual Light flashed by, and with a snap, the stone door immediately opened.


    Inside was a hall, the scene completely visible, empty and devoid of anything but tables and chairs.


    "There''s nothing left in these places, but Little Nasi knows where there are still things!" Nasi''s eyes twinkled, as if she had anticipated this all along.

 Chapter 326 - 246 Windy

    "Nasi, is what you said true? Do you know the situation around here? Know where there might still be things left?" S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As Nasi''s words fell, Lillian''s expression was initially stunned, but then she quickly asked eagerly.


    "Uh!" The little elf was stunned by Lillian''s rapid questioning, but after spending time together and staying with Colin, she was no longer very afraid of Lillian.


    So, she tried hard to furrow her brow and organized her language to answer, "Little Nasi is not very clear. It seems like I''ve been here before, but also like I haven''t¡­"


    Then Nasi looked up and added, "But what little Nasi said is true. I just know there''s nothing left around here! This... this stone¡­" Nasi stuttered slightly here.


    "Stone Forest."


    But Lillian, who was beside her, seemed to have thought of something and timely added.


    "This is what other races of elves, especially the Tree Elf Clan, call this place... As for the Elf Clan, they call it Solid Soil Forest," Lillian explained to Colin at the same time.


    ''High Level Elf Clan, their relations with other elves... really aren''t that good.'' Colin nodded slightly.


    "Yes, only that place in the entire Stone Forest still has things left; the rest of the places are just empty spaces, leaving only the empty shells of stone trees!" Nasi continued, glancing at Lillian.


    "Lillian senior..." Colin looked at her, asking for guidance.


    Lillian pursed her lips tightly. She silently pondered for a moment, then turned to look at Nasi in the hood and the vast forest outside the window, finally turning back to Nasi to continue asking:


    "Nasi, where is the area you mentioned?"


    A breeze blew, lifting the broken hair on Lillian''s forehead. The stone tree, even without inhabitants for many years, still maintained good functionality.


    Nasi continued answering, and Colin and she listened silently.


    Soon, the hidden breeze brushed past, and they quietly left the stone tree.


    Under the guidance of the little elf Nasi, the two of them sprinted towards the area she mentioned, the only one still rumored to contain things.


    Little Nasi was very likely not lying; her ease in unlocking the closed door of the stone tree earlier subtly proved this point.


    Therefore, with no clue at the moment, deciding to first check out the place Nasi mentioned was naturally unquestionable.


    Moreover, if that third unknown party had also come to Stone Forest, as Nasi had said, the surrounding stone trees were indeed just empty shells.


    They might well have headed to that area too.


    But they hadn''t flown far, just past a few obscured stone trees, when the scene that came into view made Colin and her involuntarily slow their flying speed.


    In their view, several stone trees with various exquisite buildings had their branches fall alongside, crashing to the ground into lifeless ruins.


    "Perhaps it''s due to long-term disrepair..." Lillian quickly averted her gaze, concluding. She was now focused on reaching the area that might contain items capable of healing Atbolde''s injuries according to Nasi''s directions.


    "But only these few stone trees... This looks more like the wreckage of a battle," Colin frowned slightly, voicing a different opinion.


    The spaces within the mountain were not regular, perhaps to resemble a real forest more, and the spacing between the stone trees wasn''t too vast. Although the branches were sparse, their field of vision was still quite limited.


    So, it was only after they had left the closest stone tree and walked a few steps forward that they realized the unusual signs on these few trees.


    "Perhaps... wherever you are, there''s always battle, isn''t there?" Lillian turned her head again to closely inspect the few stone trees, then added: "And only a few branches have fallen, while the majority of the branches, including the main trunk, have retained their complete form.


    So even if it was a battle, it must have been a very small scale one... There''s no need to worry too much, let''s go."


    "Hmm." Colin withdrew his gaze and continued flying forward with Lillian.


    Regardless of how the branches fell, what could be certain was that they were very old, their specifics observable at a glance, and indeed there was no need to waste more time lingering.


    The journey that followed was far longer than Colin and she had anticipated; even at their pace, it took almost half a day after crossing a large area, guided by Nasi, they arrived at a region distinctly different from the others.


    The reason it was different was that the grand stone trees here had been dyed in a color of cyan gold, whereas the previous ones were light cyan.


    Of course, the most eye-catching was the stone tree in the very center of this area, which was noticeably thicker than the surrounding stone trees by more than one ring!


    Although it was thicker by more than a ring, it looked more aesthetically pleasing than the surrounding stone trees, with densely packed branches, so numerous they gathered like a lush umbrella... Compared to it, the other stone trees looked like barren woods wilting in winter.


    If it weren''t for the stone pillar details that were still visible, this stone tree would almost seem like a majestic ancient tree brought to life!


    "We''re here!" Perhaps truly having been here before, the little elf was the first to react, pointing at the huge stone tree and shouting, "That is the place little Nasi mentioned that still has many things!"

 Chapter 327 - 246 Windy_2

    "This is probably the core area of the entire High Level Elf territory..." Lillian murmured, "That tallest stone tree is most likely modeled after the legendary Ancient Tree of Life!"


    "...The architectural abilities of the Liya''er Clan are awe-inspiring," Colin agreed with a sigh, feeling a hint of anticipation in his heart.


    According to the results of Anando''s Dice, there must be treasures within the mountains...


    It''s just a pity that for some reason, the other treasure range provided by Anando''s Dice before was too vast, covering almost half of the mountains, and he was now unsure if the treasures existed within this giant tree.


    By the time he arrived here, he realized that the place Nasi led them to was exactly,


    "There''s no delay necessary, let''s hurry," Lillian urged as she turned back.


    The two approached the area.


    This stone tree, like the earlier ones, had a beautifully crafted stone door at its base.


    However... unlike the first tree they encountered, this stone door was tightly locked.


    ''Could it be that those people did not come here?'' Colin wondered.


    "Junior Colin," Lillian called out urgently, the brilliance of witchcraft brewing in her hands.


    "Yes," Colin responded softly, understanding her intentions, and cast Silent on the stone door.


    Before approaching the stone door, they had checked around and found no suspicious figures.


    Swoosh.


    Similarly, Lillian scattered a few sesame-sized brown seeds toward the stone door.


    Under the influence of witchcraft, they firmly adhered to the stone door and began to sprout.


    However, this time, the witchcraft, which had been infallible inside the other stone trees, lost its effectiveness.


    No matter how hard the seeds tried to grow their roots, they eventually withered away and slowly fell off, carefully collected by a cautious Lillian.


    Throughout the process, the stone door showed no particular change, no glow emerged, nor any sound emitted, it just silently yet effortlessly resisted Lillian''s witchcraft, which was at least a Middle First Rank.


    "Perhaps it''s a specific counter... Let me try," Colin speculated, slowly reaching out toward the stone door, a faint red glow emerging from his palm.


    His Fireball Technique, now Limit Breaking, had long since transcended the mere form of a fireball. He planned to stretch the fireball into a stream and then intensify the heat, attempting to use high temperatures to cut through the stone door.


    Such a variation was hard to use during battle due to lack of time, so the fireball form was still the most commonly used. But now, given the circumstances, there was ample time for him to perform.


    "Good giant, let Nasi try!"


    But before Colin''s hand could touch the stone door, he heard Nasi shouting from behind him.


    Immediately, before he could react, he saw Nasi wave her hand lightly.


    Accompanied by a waft of misty green light rapidly fading from the stone door, there was a click sound.


    At the right moment, Lillian pushed, and the heavy stone door smoothly opened, revealing the scenery inside.


    "How about that, little Nasi is amazing!" The small elf boasted.


    "Amazing, you are one of the most amazing little elves I''ve ever seen!" Lillian, relieved as the stone door opened, couldn''t help but show joy on her face, and was genuinely about to praise Nasi wholeheartedly when she suddenly added two more words, sensing a slight movement in her hair.


    "Good giant, what do you think?" Not satisfied with just Lillian''s praise, Nasi looked expectantly at Colin.


    "Amazing!" Colin was not stingy with his praise.


    He watched Nasi, growing more curious... Nasi, with her bright red complexion, possessed natural Plant Magic and a strange ability to open doors.


    Not only the doors in the void but even the solid, ancient tree doors here could be opened, which was quite impressive!


    The ancient blue-golden tree before them was significantly larger than the ordinary pale-blue ancient trees and had a different internal structure. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Upon entering, it was not a circular corridor they walked into, but a straight corridor extending forward, which soon reached a corner and the end of the corridor was not visible.


    Unlike the other stone trees, the sides of the corridor were lined with rooms, both large and small.


    "..." Lillian walked up to the brown door of the first room, looking up at the odd wine-red inscriptions.


    Colin too stepped closer to examine it, but instantly frowned.


    He did not recognize the writing before him.


    This unfamiliarity was not just about not understanding the meanings of the words, but about having no recollection of the characters on the stone door at all!


    The strange inscriptions on the stone door, with their elegant and delicate font, resembled ever-growing lush plants, which should evoke a sense of vitality but somehow instead felt oddly distorted...


    Nevertheless, such characters were striking at first glance; not to mention, with the help of his Superbrain, once seen, they were never supposed to be forgotten!


    Yet currently, there was indeed no trace of them in his mind.


    ''This isn''t the language of the elves either...'' Colin looked again.


    Even as the Elf Clan gradually vanished without trace, and the items, as well as texts associated with them, largely disappeared or were translated many times over.

 Chapter 328 - 246 Windy_3

    Thus, since a hundred years ago, the basic education of Wizards no longer involved the Elf language but turned to involve more frequently used dialects from various continents.


    But even so, he still recognized the semblance of the Elf language, having occasionally seen it along the way before... and it was clearly different from the characters in front of him.


    "This is..." Colin asked, looking at Lillian, who also furrowed her brows in confusion.


    "I don''t know." Lillian shook her head, a trace of doubt flashing in her eyes, "It''s not the Elf language."


    "But isn''t this where the High Level Elves reside?" Colin furrowed his brows.


    Lillian silently looked at the characters in front of the door a few more times before suddenly pausing, uncertainly saying, "No, this may indeed be the Elf language, is it... ancient Elf language?"


    "There''s an ancient Elf language in the Elf Clan? I thought they claimed to be born with knowledge, that from the moment of birth, it has always been like this, without any change," Colin asked curiously.


    "I''m not very clear either, just deducing. My mother once mentioned the existence of the ancient Elf language to me... But whether these characters are ancient Elf language, that remains to be discussed... Anyway, let''s go in and take a look first, then search room by room."


    Lillian answered, subconsciously preparing to use witchcraft to break open the door.


    However, in the next instant, as if thinking of something, she looked at the hood behind Colin and then tentatively whispered, "Nasi, can you help open this door?"


    "Good giant?" Hearing this, Nasi hesitated and turned to tentatively ask Colin.


    "Mhm." Colin nodded, and the little Elf then stopped hesitating, flew up, and gently sprinkled a beam of light onto the door.


    Click.


    As if using a master key that never failed, the door instantly opened.


    "Your little Elf seems to listen to you very well," Lillian said, pushing the door open and entering, while speaking to Colin through a mental Spirit transmission, behind the two small Elves.


    "Nasi is still a free Elf... she''s not really mine," Colin followed behind, walking into the room.


    The room wasn''t large, inside there were several rows of neat bookshelves; the books on them were somewhat yellowed but mostly present, the shelves were almost full!


    Seeing this, a smile clearly emerged on Lillian''s face. She glanced at Colin, not continuing the conversation.


    Perhaps because the Protective Shield on the bookshelves didn''t fall under the door''s category, Nasi was powerless against it.


    Fortunately, the Protective Shield was relatively simple. The two spent some effort and jointly deciphered it and then simultaneously started flipping through the books at a rapid pace, attempting to find something useful.


    But soon, the joy on Lillian''s face gradually faded away.


    Colin also tightened his brows on the side. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Similar to the inscriptions on the door outside, the books here were all written with strange characters, suspected to be ancient Elf language.


    "Collect the books, let''s go to the next room," Lillian spoke, after pondering for a moment.


    "Mhm," Colin nodded.


    In such a situation, they could only do so... but fortunately, the books could be put into the Storage Ring and carried with them.


    The two divided the books in half and collected them, then moved together towards the next room.


    But what they saw next gradually sank their hearts into the depths.


    As Nasi said, there was something left in almost every room here.


    But... they were almost all books.


    All kinds of books, leather-bound, paper-bound... but unanimously, they all used the strange characters suspected of being the ancient Elf language.


    As they went higher, the books became older and older in appearance.


    This gave Colin a vague guess that these books... might be related to the history of the Elf Clan.


    But no matter what, for them as Wizards, even if they didn''t recognize the characters, these were undoubtedly a valuable treasure.


    But for Lillian... these things were not what she needed most at the moment.


    Time ticked away by the minute, and although the tree of stone didn''t have many rooms, their search progress was slow, mainly because each time they needed to break through the defenses on the bookshelves.


    These defenses became stronger the higher they went, and towards the end, with their abilities, even though these protections had weakened somewhat due to years of neglect and faults, they could no longer be broken through.


    So later on, basically, Nasi would open the door, they would enter to take a glance if there were bookshelves and then continue to the next room, improving efficiency.


    But in the end, it took nearly two days for Colin and Lillian to search the entire stone tree completely.


    A familiar scene at the highest point of the stone tree, there was also a watchtower with an excellent view.


    Only this time, the wind was even stronger.


    Lillian''s golden hair danced wildly in the wind, like a wheat field about to be flattened by the gale.


    "There are still surrounding areas we haven''t searched," after a moment of silence, Colin took the initiative to console.


    The little Elf Nasi only knew there was something here but didn''t remember what it was... otherwise, it would have been a lot easier for them.


    But now, they had to search one by one.


    ''Wondering if Nasi has actually been here...'' Colin sighed inwardly and glanced at Lillian once more.


    "Whoo~"


    The wind seemed to grow stronger, Lillian''s golden hair was almost completely lifted.


    Colin was about to avert his gaze.


    Click.


    As if he thought of something, he suddenly pulled out the Pocket Watch.


    The next second.


    "Lillian, the senior, it''s going to be windy!" he looked up and said solemnly!

 Chapter 329 - 247: Above the Blue Sky

    Lillian turned her head slightly, puzzled, then quickly realized.


    "So it''s been seven days already."


    Colin nodded, his mind dwelling on the Exotic Skill, Anando''s Dice, which he figured might now be ready for use again after the wind had subsided.


    "Based on the marks outside, the Stone Forest probably hasn''t been much affected by the Dark Red Wind. Why don''t we continue exploring the stone trees around us?" Lillian pondered briefly, then suggested.


    "Okay... Huh?!" Colin was about to nod in agreement with Lillian''s suggestion when a new change appeared in the incoming wind.


    The original wind was blowing directly at them.


    Now, however, Colin and Lillian could distinctly feel a new wind coming from behind!


    "Hoo~"


    Before they could react, the initially colorless, transparent wind instantly turned pale red.


    The air, the view¡ªeverything was suddenly draped in a light red hue.


    "Sister Lillian, something seems wrong with this wind!" Colin said gravely.


    In their view, there was a distinct difference between the redness before and the current redness.


    The wind blowing towards them was pale red...but behind them, it was bright red!


    Judging by the intensity of the color, it had at least doubled!


    Caught between these two winds, Colin suddenly felt an inexplicable heat rising from his chest, burning and scorching as if to consume him completely!


    He instantly maximized the intensity of his Steel Force Field, as well as the Mechanical Mind and Elf Armor he had encased himself with as soon as he felt the wind.


    The glow of witchcraft and armor intertwined in layers, enveloping Colin, making him resemble some mythical creature.


    Lillian, standing beside him, looked no different from him, instinctively resisting the sudden onslaught of the Dark Red Wind with all her might!


    "Peace within!"


    Yet, Lillian also softly exclaimed, struggling to pull a nondescript short silver metal staff from her Storage Ring.


    The staff, wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, resembled an oversized nail, except with a colorful gem embedded at the tip and wrapped around.


    Its use was indeed just like that of a nail.


    Lillian thrust it directly into the ground; the silver staff stood upright on the surface, then rapidly began to spin.


    Subsequently, the round base wrapping around the gem slowly unfurled like a petal, forming a fist-sized silver circle below, fully revealing the colorful gem.


    Hum¡ª


    The next moment, a glowing circular Protective Shield burst forth from the gem, enveloping them like a transparent, colorful bubble.


    "How can the Dark Red Wind come from this stone tree?!" exclaimed Colin, feeling his body lighten from the pressure as soon as the colorful bubble appeared.


    "No..." Lillian shook her head, slowly looking up, "This wind is coming from above!"


    Following Lillian''s gaze backward.


    Their location was an observational balcony, and beyond the balcony was an ordinary study, S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, unlike the other rooms, this room at the very top of the Stone Forest only contained a brown wooden bookshelf.


    Now, at that shelf made from unknown brown tree bark, they could clearly see, a denser wind than the surroundings flowing downward from above, as if unimpeded and gently blowing.


    "This Dark Red Wind of contamination... where exactly does it originate?" Colin murmured.


    He looked upwards, following the direction the wind was coming from, but could only see the sturdy ceiling of the Stone Forest.


    "Let''s retreat outside first, get through this wind, then plan further," Lillian said gravely, bending down to pick up the silver staff.


    "Be careful!!"


    Just then, Colin suddenly shouted!


    Lillian''s expression shifted, and without hesitation, she rolled to the side!


    Thump!


    An orange-yellow oval Fireball Shield appeared where Lillian had just been.


    Bang!!


    Immediately after, a loud impact noise.


    This collision wasn''t between some object and the Fireball Shield¡ªusually, such a crudely transformed shield from the Fireball Technique wouldn''t make such noises, instead incinerating anything approaching.


    This sound¡ªthe collision between the bizarre brown books on the shelf and the transparent Protective Shield confining them, which now acted more like a prison!


    "How can these books have undergone such a change?" Lillian stood up, murmuring with a frown.


    Bang!


    Bang bang bang!


    The brown bark books continued to repeatedly collide against the semi-transparent shield enclosing the bookshelf.


    Colin shook his head, "I just saw those books come to life suddenly, leaping towards us..."


    The rapid transformation of the books was unexpected, prompting his instinctive vocal warning.


    He hadn''t expected it to be a false alarm; the books couldn''t break through the Protective Shield around them!


    Realizing this, Colin once again shifted his gaze there, examining it closely.


    These brown books, made of bark and unlike usual books, were not pliable. They were thick and sturdy, much like square, multi-layered cookies.


    Now, for some unknown reason, they seemed to come alive, and the red glyphs resembling ancient Elf language on them were twisting and shining.

 Chapter 330 - 247 Above the Blue Sky_2

    "Could it be because of this dark red contaminating wind?"


    At this thought, Colin couldn''t help but speculate, and once again, doubt surfaced in his heart, "Those characters... are they really the so-called ancient Elf language?"


    But at this moment, there was something even more important he needed to mention.


    "Lillian, since the books here have undergone changes, the books we previously stored in the Storage Ring might have changed as well!"


    Regaining focus, Colin quickly said to Lillian, simultaneously sending a fraction of his mind to probe into the Storage Ring!


    Lillian''s expression changed slightly upon hearing this, and she hurriedly checked her own Storage Ring!


    The next moment, Lillian sighed in relief. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The books were all lying quietly inside the Storage Ring, with no changes and no glowing.


    "Something''s not right," said Colin, frowning.


    His Superbrain made him more aware of how the books had looked before than Lillian.


    "Some characters on these book covers, where did they go?"


    After a moment, he spoke.


    "Disappeared...?" Lillian was startled and checked the books in the Storage Ring again.


    The strange characters, which she had surmised to be ancient Elf language, were indeed gradually disappearing.


    Or perhaps... they had already been disappearing when she had placed them in the Storage Ring.


    Seeing this, Lillian felt her heart sink.


    If she couldn''t find something to directly cure Professor Atbolde, she had hoped that these books might be exchanged for the medicine needed.


    But now it seemed... Lillian took a deep breath, her expression turning solemn:


    "Let''s get through the Dark Red Wind first before making long-term plans."


    "Yes," Colin nodded.


    With the current windy conditions, it was naturally not wise to take out the books from the Storage Rings, as no one knew what might happen.


    Just like that, another day quickly passed.


    The Dark Red Wind gradually ceased, and inside the highest library of the Stone Forest,


    Colin and his companion were looking solemnly at the books they had just taken out from the Storage Ring.


    "Not only the covers, but all the characters inside are almost completely faded," Lillian said sitting on the carpet, holding a black book almost the size of her chest, and looking up.


    On the page she had turned to, also the last page, the characters on the brownish-yellow paper were fading at a rate that seemed slow but was actually swift.


    In the blink of an eye, all the characters on the last page had vanished.


    But the change hadn''t stopped there; the moment the last character disappeared, the entire book began to vanish as well!


    Then, like a phantom bubble, it silently dissipated, leaving no trace in Lillian''s hands.


    "Huh~" Colin let out a soft breath, watching as the books he had set out around him disappeared as if being erased right before his eyes.


    He slightly closed his eyes.


    Upon realizing that the Superbrain still had records of the last few books he had quickly taken out and flipped through, a gleam of joy flickered inside Colin''s heart.


    Books were merely vessels for knowledge, and if they disappeared, they disappeared¡­ It was just unfortunate that, by the time he noticed, many of the characters on the books had already faded, and there wasn''t enough time for a complete record.


    Colin opened his eyes; when his vision cleared, the joy on his face briefly stalled.


    Lillian''s expression, the lowest he had ever seen since he met her.


    Her slightly pale, delicate face maintained its usual firm and serious demeanor, but it couldn''t hide the fatigue it bore.


    She was now silently staring at her empty hands.


    Colin pursed his lips, sighing silently in his heart, and then with a thought,


    Whoosh!


    Anando''s Dice instantly activated.


    An invisible golden die descended from the sky, then rapidly spun, finally settling on four points.


    As the die''s shadowy figure merged into Colin''s chest, four location coordinates immediately flashed in his mind.


    With a quick glance, Colin was startled and couldn''t help but look up.


    Anando''s Dice provided four location information, all astonishingly above, with three of them giving the same range!


    "Every time Anando''s Dice gives a range, it''s spherical, of varying sizes, but the smallest range encountered so far was also a radius of ten meters, and the treasure could be at any position within it!" Colin murmured to himself.


    "By such calculation, those three treasures are either very close to each other or overlapping!"


    "Such closely clustered treasures possibly suggest ¡­ could it be an Elf Treasure Vault?!" Colin couldn''t help speculating, but then he shook his head internally, "No, if the Elf Clan had migrated, they would certainly not have left things behind."


    Temporarily unable to draw a conclusion, Colin collected his thoughts, put them aside, and slowly turned his head to speak to Lily,


    "Lilian, the previous Dark Red Wind had a force from above ¡­ I speculate, perhaps above the ceiling of this room, there is another layer!"


    "Or perhaps¡ª" Colin looked outside, "above this blue sky, there''s a new space!"


    "Blue sky above?" Lilian was slightly surprised.


    Swoosh.


    Without delay or hesitation, she stood slowly and flew out from the balcony.


    After arriving outside, Lilian first turned back to scrutinize the stone tree carefully.


    The room they had been in was already at the top of the stone tree... from what they could see now, there didn''t seem to be room for another layer above.


    So Lilian then shifted her gaze upwards.


    The blue sky was just within reach.


    "Based on the size of the mountains seen from outside, the Stone Forest only occupies the lower half of it; maybe almost half of the mountain peak remains unknown," Colin also came outside flying then, his eyes fixed on the blue sky above as he speculated aloud,


    "So, above this blue sky, there might be a new space!"


    On hearing this, Lilian surveyed the surroundings silently pondering.


    "You''re right, Colin," she said after a moment, taking a deep breath and looking up at the blue sky above.


    Then, she slowly stretched out her hand.


    It seemed to touch a surface of water. As her fingers made contact, the blue sky rippled with circular waves.


    However, this "surface of water" was a bit too viscous; the wave only spread out to the size of a fist before it dissipated.


    Boop.


    But immediately after, new ripples appeared again.


    And in the center of the ripples, Lilian''s fingers were slowly sinking into the blue sky.


    "Indeed."


    Colin realized then, this blue sky could indeed be traversed!


    "Lilian, no time to delay, let''s cross over together."


    He spoke, and like Lilian, extended his hand towards the blue sky.


    "Mm." By his side, Lilian did not hesitate anymore, even without withdrawing her hand, she continued moving upwards with Flying Witchcraft!


    Her figure disappeared in an instant, leaving behind a ripple.


    Bang.


    But on the other side, Colin encountered trouble. His outstretched fingers didn''t pass through the blue sky like Lilian''s, but hit a solid barrier, as if touching a hard rock wall.


    However, after a brief contemplation, Colin put on his Elf Armor and tried again.


    This time, like Lilian, his fingers easily passed through the blue sky.


    "Lilian has High-Level Elf bloodline ¡­ Indeed, there are differences between us," Colin muttered to himself as he flew towards the blue sky.


    The Elf Armor he wore, according to Lily, was casually taken from the High-Level Elf Treasure Vault by her mother; it was a gift the Elf Clan specially gave to outsiders.


    Wearing it was like being a guest of the Elf Clan, gaining some passage permissions.


    There was no sensation of teleportation, like falling; it felt like passing through a thin sheet of paper.


    Just his vision turning briefly dark, he suddenly arrived at a new place.


    "Lilian..."


    This was a plaza paved with large, light teal stone tiles¡­ Lilian was quietly standing still, back towards him, looking ahead into the distance.


    Following her gaze forward.


    A palace of majestic enormity suddenly came into view.

 Chapter 331 - 248: Strength

    The palace''s style followed the Stone Forest we''ve been through all the way, bearing the typical elven architectural style.


    It mostly employed gold and green colors, the gold being an elegant hue and the green a light shade like that of freshly sprouted buds. High columns flanked the entrance, adorned with vine and flower carvings.


    It was a pity, though, that the contamination here seemed even stronger than in the Stone Forest. Although it hadn''t completely turned into the dark red color seen elsewhere, the building''s exterior looked as if it had been splattered with blood, speckled with dark red mottling.


    "Suddenly, Lillian spoke, "Legends say that during the war a thousand years ago, human wizards who had helped the Elf Clan were invited to the Elf Kingdom."


    "And every wizard who visited the Elf Kingdom returned obscure in their words, yet they all mysteriously mentioned a grand palace filled with rare treasures!"


    "Is this, by any chance, that palace?" Colin''s gaze shifted, subtly focusing on the location given by Anando''s Dice.


    "I think it very likely is..." Lillian said, pursing her lips before adding, "The palace is what I most hope to find here."


    "Thank you, Colin. If you hadn''t keenly noticed, I would have never imagined that there could be new places above the blue sky..."


    Lillian fell silent for a moment, then continued with sincere tone.


    "No need to thank me, Senior Lillian... It was just a sudden inspiration on my part."


    Colin was taken aback by her sudden acknowledgment, showing a hint of surprise on his face.


    Above the blue sky lay another layer... a concept most people wouldn''t consider, a limitation of their thinking.


    At the beginning, he hadn''t thought of it either, just vaguely sensed it, until this time Anando''s Dice narrowed down the location and he dared to be certain.


    "Being overly modest isn''t a good thing, Colin," Lillian said with a soft laugh, as two faint dimples appeared on her delicate, pale face, forming a sweet smile.


    It was a rare expression to see on Lillian''s face.


    "That flame shield earlier, and the Silent Spell you are using now... both are witchcraft I''ve never seen before.


    But judging from their effects, they are at least Middle First Rank witchcraft.


    However, if I''m not mistaken, you have just Advanced to First Rank Wizard less than a month ago..."


    She went on, lips curling slightly, as if ice was melting, turning her stern serious face suddenly animated, looking at Colin mischievously.


    Colin stayed silent, just smiling lightly.


    In reality, Silent Spell was only a Lower First Rank witchcraft on the Golden Paper.


    Perhaps because it combined two different effects it seemed special, leading Lillian to believe it was at least Middle First Rank witchcraft.


    As for Lillian noticing his exceptional Talent in mastering witchcraft... that wasn''t really an issue, and he had no intention of hiding it from her.


    Lillian watched the silent Colin with a smile, then averted her gaze and continued as they walked towards the entrance of the palace:


    "Let''s go, in the legends, those wizards that visited the Elf Kingdom''s palace each obtained their own treasures!


    In other words, the Treasure Vault of the Elf Clan, at least of the High Level Elf Clan, is likely right inside this palace!" S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lillian''s tone was exuberant, sweeping away her previous despondency.


    Colin''s heart also lightened a bit, at least with the effect of Anando''s Dice, he knew that the palace before them indeed contained treasures.


    When they approached the palace, they found the grand doors wide open... forcefully opened.


    The left side of the golden door was barely hanging on, and a hole large enough for a person gaped in its lower half.


    In front of the door, there were clear traces of combat, with two shattered Elf statues lying in the middle.


    Lillian''s brows furrowed as she cautiously examined the scene then turned to Colin:


    "The marks are fresh... Colin, you were right. The reason we couldn''t find that third party is probably because they''ve come here!"


    "It''s highly likely they''re inside the palace." Colin nodded, examining the fresh combat traces before them carefully.


    These fresh marks, combined with the results from Anando''s Dice.


    If there were no fourth party within the Elf Kingdom, then it undoubtedly meant that the fourth precious location revealed by Anando''s Dice was where the elusive third party had been!


    With this thought, he couldn''t help but look up into the void in front of the palace... there, was the second location given by Anando''s Dice.


    "The group''s strength seems to be not weak," Lillian added, her demeanor turning serious again.


    Pointing at the elf-like sculptures at her feet, she said, "Even though these gatekeeper sculptures have fallen into disrepair over the years, as the gatekeepers made by the Elf Clan in the past, they surely wouldn''t be weak."


    While speaking, Lillian reached out to touch the smooth, milky-white ground.


    Under the effect of the Silent Spell, her fingertip''s contact with the ground made no sound, but the next moment, a shallow depression appeared on the stone surface.


    Lillian withdrew her arm and looked again at the combat traces around her, musing for a moment before she conjectured:


    "Those people must possess at least First Rank Advanced strength¡­ At least the attacks they used here, at the entrance, are roughly First Rank Advanced... And from the traces of battle, it seems there was only one person."

 Chapter 332 - 248 Strength_2

    "It might also be possible that only one person took action," Colin whispered.


    "Yes," Lillian nodded slightly. "Let''s move on."


    She glanced at the sculpture on the floor. "On the bright side, at least they cleared a lot of obstacles for us."


    Despite saying this, Lillian''s expression inevitably darkened slightly.


    There were not many traces of battle in front of the door, and the entire battle ended in an extremely crisp and decisive manner... although the displayed attack strength was only that of a First Rank Advanced.


    But that could only represent the lower limit of the third group''s strength.


    As for the upper limit... no one could be sure.


    If it was a Second Rank, or perhaps not just one person but three or four... Even if we take a step back and there were only two people, both of First Rank Advanced strength, it would probably be very difficult for her alone, being a First Rank Advanced Wizard, to handle it, even with Colin''s help.


    However, the only consolation was¡ªshe and Colin were still in the shadows.


    ''Thankfully I ran into Colin.'' With this thought, Lillian couldn''t help but feel a moment of emotion.


    The blue sky above was discovered by Colin, the white flower that indicated the existence of the third group was also found by Colin... and also his little elf.


    If it weren''t for meeting Colin and that little elf named Nasi, she might still be trapped in the Subspace of the High Level Elves right now, unsure if she could find a way to survive... or might ultimately have died there.


    Colin, walking behind her, naturally did not perceive Lillian''s complex thoughts. Still, he was slightly worried about the strength of the third group, occasionally looking in the direction suggested by Anando''s Dice.


    "Another trace of battle."


    Just then, Lillian suddenly spoke telepathically, pointing towards the hall in front of them.


    Colin followed her pointing and saw another shattered sculpture, this time of a High Level Elf, with long hair and pointed ears, only its armor was even more ornate than that of the sculptures at the entrance.


    As for its strength... it probably had decayed to about the same as the sculptures outside.


    Because from the traces of the battle, it was also a swift one, using an attack strength of only First Rank Advanced.


    "Let''s continue moving forward," Lillian withdrew her gaze and softly spoke.


    Next, the two of them continued deeper into the palace... and without needing Colin to intentionally guide them, according to the occasional battle scars, Lillian''s direction was exactly as Anando''s Dice had indicated.


    This only made Colin more certain that Anando''s Dice''s results were indeed pointing towards that third group.


    In this way, after a while, the two had to stop in a grand hall.


    Before them lay a giant tree-like carcass.


    The tree had a face carved by knives and axes, stern and resolute, possessing not only a human-like torso but also a head and limbs like humans, only made from entwined wooden material and much larger in size¡ªroughly, it stood at least ten meters tall!


    "Is this a War Tree?" Lillian frowned slightly. "Such a cruel creature, weren''t they supposed to be completely destroyed after the war a thousand years ago?"


    "War Tree...?" Colin questioned.


    "Wizards, with the help of the Elf Clan and leveraging the Tree Elves'' Talent in plant life, along with knowledge of flesh manipulation through witchcraft, developed these giant weapons specifically for warfare... Behind each War Tree, there lies a tormented soul imprisoned."


    As Lillian spoke, she cautiously walked closer to the War Tree, reaching out to touch it.


    "If it were just the soul, it wouldn''t be considered cruel... after all, during the war a thousand years ago, there were always some whose souls weren''t worthy of preservation.


    But the souls required for War Trees aren''t so simple... A soul of a First Rank Wizard''s strength merely scrapes the bottom line needed for transformation, and it must also possess immense determination to resist the madness brought by merging flesh with the massive tree body."


    "Yet, despite this," Lillian sighed, "those Wizards or Elves, who endured the transformation and could bear the torment of madness up until their souls dissipated, in any era, wouldn''t be just any ordinary individuals."


    Yet in the war a thousand years ago, they could only be used as such expendables...


    "This is probably not an original War Tree."


    As she spoke, Colin suddenly pointed to the chest of the War Tree.


    There, instead of the rough bark of the tree concealed by green leaves, there was a round cavity.


    In the center of the groove was a dark red gemstone, shattered into several pieces.


    Lillian noticed this as well, her expression changing slightly.


    "This is something that has never been recorded... The Elf Clan, could it be that they continued their research on war tree beings after the war?!"


    "Perhaps there was the involvement of wizards behind it, otherwise relying solely on the Elf Clan..." Colin speculated.


    "No, it could also be that the Elf Clan alone continued the research!" Lillian shook her head, denying Colin''s speculation as she turned to explain, "To the outside world, the Elf Clan is seen as a race that only relies on the power of their bloodline and does not explore and research knowledge like wizards...


    However, when I was young, my mother told me that during the war, perhaps influenced by the wizards, the Elf Clan gradually began to research their own powers!


    Especially the Tree Elf Clan, known for their wisdom, who collaborated with wizards during the war and achieved many results, one of which is the war tree being right in front of us."


    Colin nodded slightly.


    In truth, he did not care whether the Elf Clan was researching war tree beings; he only knew that they might be in considerable trouble now...


    "Lillian, the dark red gemstone on the chest of this war tree being shows clear signs of contamination."


    Colin, with a solemn expression, pointed at the shattered gemstone on the tree being''s chest and continued,


    "And look closer at that gemstone... Inside, there seem to be characters that resemble the ancient Elven language we saw earlier on the lower shelves!"


    Upon hearing this, Lillian stepped closer and scrutinized it carefully.


    After a moment, her pupils contracted slightly.


    In the shattered pieces of the gemstone, almost each shard harbored one or several characters tinged with a purple-red hue, faintly undulating in and out of visibility!


    "Also, Lillian, judging from the gemstone''s fractured surface, it has been shattered for a long time... The tree being''s skin and trunk are also extremely desiccated," Colin added, feeling a vague unease inside.


    This war tree being, just from its appearance, should have died a long time ago... but the fresh battle marks around them reminded them¡ªthis war tree being was still active until not too long ago.


    "Could it be due to the Dark Red Wind previously?" Lillian frowned tightly, suddenly struck by an idea.


    ''The Contamination Wind...'' Colin paused, then in the next second, connected everything together.


    "Are you saying this tree being, which should have been long dead, just like those lifeless books, came back to life during the descent of the Dark Red Wind, spurred by those strange characters?"


    "Mmm." Lillian nodded and then shook her head, "Those peculiar characters are so unusual they likely aren''t ancient Elven language.


    Now it seems, perhaps it''s better that they''ve disappeared..."


    Colin felt a slight sinking in his heart, but quickly, he suppressed the additional thoughts and casting his gaze over the war tree being, he said solemnly:


    "I''ve taken a close look, and there are a total of forty-eight fresh wounds exposed on the body of the war tree being, but the fatal wound is probably only one."


    Saying this, he pointed at a through-and-through wound the size of a baby''s skull located on the head of the war tree being.


    As for why it could be determined to be a fatal wound,


    The reason was simple¡ª


    The other forty-seven wounds were merely minor abrasions to the skin or were just shallow indentations, the deepest of which was only about a dozen centimeters.


    For the massive body of a war tree being, these were clearly not fatal injuries.


    "Of course, it might not be a fatal wound, the lifeless state of the war tree being could also be because the Dark Red Wind has already ceased...


    But regardless, that through-and-through wound on the head was mostly likely caused by a third party!"


    Colin added: S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The attack that caused such a wound..."


    "At least a Second Rank," Lillian finished his sentence, her expression slightly grave.


    Colin closed his mouth, his expression also becoming somber.

 Chapter 333 - 249: Encounter

    "Either there is a Second Rank among that group, or that person has mastered a Second Rank strength attack!"


    After a moment of silence, Colin continued to speculate.


    "The former is perhaps more likely." Lillian also speculated in a deep voice.


    Colin nodded slightly, "A person with Second Rank strength and something that allows a First Rank strength person to launch a Second Rank attack, obviously the possibility of the former is greater."


    However, thinking of Anando''s Dice... Colin felt that perhaps the latter was also possible. Regardless, in the end, they both chose to continue forward.


    The third group, not only as possible enemies but also as their hope for leaving the Elf Kingdom. Emerging from the grand hall, they cautiously proceeded along a corridor speckled with dark red mottling, encountering increasingly fresh signs of battle.


    The debris they saw was also increasing. Although, few were more powerful than the War Treants, they found several new Second Rank attack marks, causing head-sized penetrating wounds, like those on the heads of War Treants.


    "We''re very close now," Colin whispered to Lillian in the corridor.


    In front of them, dark red light filtered through stained-glass windows in the golden corridor, casting eerie light on the remains of an unidentified humanoid creature, adding a grim element to the already terrifying scene.


    On the body of the humanoid creature was a layer of dark red, crystal-like substance that was irregularly bulging and prominent, nearly obscuring its human form.


    In the creature''s chest was a penetrating wound.


    Hissing, some weird green energy had not yet dissipated and was still emitting faint sounds on the wound.


    "It must be right ahead."


    Lillian, looking at the wound, nodded in agreement.


    Colin didn''t respond but instead looked up towards the turn in the corridor ahead. His judgement that they were close was based not only on the wound on the remains in front of them but also because¡ªAnando''s Dice indicated that the location was just around the corner of the corridor ahead.


    "Let''s keep moving." The two tacitly rested for a moment to recuperate their Magic Power, Lillian opened her eyes, placed the Demon Release Ring into the Storage Ring, and said.


    "Okay." Colin nodded, took a deep breath, adjusting his body to a ready stance, and continued forward with Lillian by his side. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Soon, the turn in the corridor was right before them.


    Here was a three-way intersection that allowed them to either turn left or go straight.


    Lillian paused slightly, seemingly weighing which direction to take.


    "Let''s check the left first, Senior Lillian," Colin suggested.


    To the left, exactly where Anando''s Dice indicated the location.


    "Okay." Lillian nodded and continued towards the corner.


    Both instinctively held their breath, the Concealing Moon Cloth and Silent spells masking their shapes and sounds.


    As they were about to turn the corner, their steps involuntarily slowed down, listening carefully.


    Yet, there was no sound from the other side of the corner... Indeed, ever since ascending to the sky, while they had seen signs of battle, they hadn''t heard any sounds of fighting.


    Colin and Lillian looked at each other and crossed the corner together.


    Here, within the Elf Kingdom, the dark red light suddenly weakened, and a faint golden light mitigated the eerie atmosphere.


    A magnificent door, still retaining its gold and white colors, came into view.


    The door was arched, with densely packed colorful reliefs carved on it.


    There were shining Mysterious Fruits, oddly shaped but beautifully filled strong devices, and potions twinkling with dazzling starlight...


    "Is this the legendary Elf Treasure Vault?" Lillian was slightly startled, and somewhat unexpectedly vocalized it.


    While transmitting her thoughts to Colin, she almost stepped forward... The surprise was so sudden; the Elf Treasure Vault, a place they had long sought that might contain items to save her grandfather, appeared so suddenly right before them!


    "Wait! Senior Lillian!" Colin suddenly stepped forward, extending an arm to stop Lillian.


    He watched the archway warily, suspicions flooding his mind.


    According to Anando''s Dice, this location was where the solitary treasure lay, while the spot with the three treasures together was still some distance away.


    In fact, saying it was the location of the solitary treasure wasn''t quite precise... Anando''s indicated range was actually further back. Beyond this door, one would still have to walk about a hundred meters to reach the edge of the location range.


    "Colin¡­" Lillian, being stopped, instinctively glanced at him, about to question but seeing Colin''s solemn expression, her heart also raised alarms, turning again to observe the archway ahead.


    This archway, located about ten meters directly ahead of them, matched the styling and carving of the surrounding architecture harmoniously, showing no obvious abnormalities.


    If one had to point out an anomaly... it would be that this light gold archway with colorful relief was not muddied, but instead emitted a muted, faint golden light.


    An abnormality hints at a demon... Yet if one insisted, the Treasure Vault was indeed a place of utmost defense; it was plausible it had remained uncontaminated until now.

 Chapter 334 - 249: Encounter_2

    After all, the Stone Forest below remained mostly unchanged, whether it was the blue sky or the stone trees, there were hardly any signs of pollution¡­ Lillian felt conflicted and hesitant in her heart.


    "Lillian, this door is really eerie. Let''s take a step back for now and make further plans¡­ After all, there are not just the two of us inside this palace!" Colin continued in a deep voice.


    The results of Anando''s Dice could not possibly be wrong, and right from the time they discovered the white flower, the number of treasures it represented was only one.


    Therefore, unless there were more unknown people present, the location indicated by Anando''s Dice, where the group using the white flower was, was likely the place!


    Even if due to time, those people might have moved from the spot located by Anando''s Dice earlier, this place definitely wasn''t the so-called Elf Treasure Vault!


    Upon hearing this, Lillian looked at the beautiful archway, pondering for a moment before slightly nodding her head.


    Colin was right¡ªin such a place, it was wiser to be cautious¡­


    Thus, the two of them retreated back to the crossroads, continuing their exchange through spiritual transmission via witchcraft.


    "Along the way, whether it''s the corridor or the rooms and halls we''ve encountered, all have been tinged more or less with sporadic pollution stains.


    But this archway alone is oddly unpolluted and even emits a light¡­" Colin continued to explain:


    "So, Lillian, I think we can observe here a little longer. This archway could very likely be an ambush set by a third group!"


    ''Set an ambush¡­'' Lillian was taken aback and countered after a moment of contemplation:


    "This archway is certainly eerie, but aside from being unpolluted, there''s nothing else wrong with it.


    Whether it''s the shape or the colored carvings on it, they all follow the classic High Level Elf architectural style, just like what we''ve encountered on our way here, and its location isn''t out of place¡­ Even if we admit there''s something unusual, it''s unlikely to be a trap¡­"


    The more Lillian spoke, the more she felt that maybe Colin was just being overly cautious.


    After all, no matter how she thought about it, this archway couldn''t possibly be linked with that third unknown group!


    So, Lillian eventually added:


    "Either way, Colin, just waiting here won''t help. Let''s go forward and check it out together."


    Colin''s lips twitched, wanting to continue persuading her, but Lillian had already stepped forward.


    "Lillian!" he urgently moved forward again to stop her.


    "Colin¡­" Lillian frowned slightly.


    "We still have enough time, Lillian. How about we wait here for an hour?" Colin said gravely.


    "Why don''t we use Detection Magic to check from a distance?" Lillian fell silent for a moment, then, not picking up on his suggestion, asked instead.


    "Fearing that it would startle the enemy and expose ourselves."


    "The Concealing Moon Cloth can also cover up the fluctuations of Magic Power, and I also possess non-scanning Reconnaissance Magic," Lillian added, simultaneously casting her Reconnaissance Magic.


    In Colin''s view, he just saw Lillian''s eyes suddenly brighten a bit, a flickering White Light shining through.


    A moment later, Lillian withdrew her gaze, "There''s no trace of any abnormal Magic Power fluctuations at all, only the arch has a faint Magic Power fluctuation that is more robust, belonging to the Elf Clan¡­ Colin, you are being overly cautious."


    Colin remained silent. If it weren''t for Anando''s Dice, standing in Lillian''s shoes, he would have felt he was being overly cautious as well.


    But now¡­ hmm?


    A thought struck Colin, and he continued to block Lillian''s way, not stepping aside.


    And he simultaneously asked the little elf behind him:


    "Nasi, do you remember anything about this place?"


    Upon hearing this, Lillian''s expression shifted slightly, suppressing her urge to move forward.


    "Little Nasi doesn''t know¡­"


    Colin then noticed that the red little elf, for some reason, looked particularly listless, lying lethargically in the high-railing small bed inside the hood.


    Nasi responded while struggling to get up, leaning on the railing of the bed, and turned her head towards the direction Colin had indicated.


    "What''s wrong, Nasi?" Colin asked in confusion, instinctively reaching into the Storage Ring to pull out an Ancient Tree Heart and handing it to Nasi. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing Nasi in such a state, Lillian instinctively glanced at Bobi¡­ Bobi appeared completely normal.


    "Good giant, you are so kind to Nasi!"


    Nasi continued, her condition seeming very poor as even the sight of the Ancient Tree Heart could not lift her spirits; she weakly reached out to take it, licked it a few times, and then put it away.


    In fact, the Ancient Tree Heart she had before was not yet finished, and the cause of her current state was not due to a lack of energy.


    However, licking the Ancient Tree Heart seemed to have helped somewhat; she shook her head and regained some spirit.


    Once Nasi realized this, she took out the Ancient Tree Heart again and held it in her arms...


    But this particular Ancient Tree Heart seemed to be from an earlier time and had shrunk a few sizes from being licked.


    Fortunately, the essence of the Ancient Tree Heart is a crystal of energy, and there was no saliva in Nasi''s licking¡­ Otherwise, such an action would indeed be somewhat unacceptable.


    As Nasi licked, she frowned and looked at the archway not far ahead, saying,


    "Little Nasi seems to have never seen this door."


    "Never seen it?" Lillian shivered inside and became alert again.


    But Colin beside her clearly understood the little elf better.


    "About this above, the palace above the blue sky, do you remember it, Nasi?"


    He asked once more.


    As if struck by lightning and frozen, Nasi suddenly became blank, her brow lightly furrowed, her expression stiff and dazed.


    "What''s wrong with her?"


    Lillian, noticing the elf''s odd behavior, asked puzzled.


    Between her hair strands, Bobi also popped his head out, nervously looking at the elf about the same size as himself, his face showing concern.


    "It happened once before; I don''t know the reason¡­ Just suddenly lapses into strange rigidity," Colin spoke, worry inevitably in his heart.


    "Good giant, this palace, Nasi seems to have been here too, but there''s no impression¡­ What is that?" Just then, Nasi regained her composure, continuing to speak.


    But before she could finish, she suddenly exclaimed in surprise looking at the archway.


    Huh?!


    Colin and the others were startled and instinctively turned to look.


    There, above the archway,


    two translucent figures gradually descended, their silhouettes becoming clearer.


    One was a green-haired, slim and well-proportioned figure; the other was somewhat shorter, with brown-yellow skin.


    Seeing this, Lillian''s pupils involuntarily contracted and her complexion turned pale.


    Colin''s hunch had actually been right¡ªthere was indeed an ambush here!


    If they had recklessly approached just now... Thinking of such a scenario, Lillian felt a chill in her heart and exhaled a murky breath softly.


    "I was rash, Colin," she sincerely whispered to Colin.


    Colin shook his head and stared intently at the two figures before them.


    As the figures descended, a distinct detection light also followed.


    Lillian''s face tightened, she intensified the power of the Concealing Moon Cloth, signaling Colin to keep retreating.


    She felt a vague concern in her heart.


    If the two figures across were Second Rank¡­ the Concealing Moon Cloth might not be effective.


    But the speed of the detection light was evidently faster than their retreat.


    In just a short moment, it swept over them.


    Lillian stopped in her tracks¡­ Though it was only a brief contact, the level of the detection light was not as strong as she had imagined.


    It seemed... completely unnoticed?


    The action of the green-haired figure afterwards indirectly proved this.


    Having surveyed the surroundings after detecting, his expression relaxed and then he spoke somewhat impatiently,


    "Lites, we''ve waited so long and haven''t seen the other group breaking into the Hall of Life that you mentioned. Could it be that you''ve remembered wrong? Or maybe this broken place is just too worn out to have any spiritual light left?"


    "Impossible, Parde! You might question a Liya''er''s height, or his strength, but you should never doubt his architectural and artistic skills!" The brown-yellow figure spoke sternly beside him, his tone subtly angry.


    ''Liya''er?!'' Hearing this, Colin was shocked inside... Could this brown-yellow, diminutive figure really be the legendary Liya''er?!

 Chapter 335 - 250 Battle

    "This is actually a Tree Elf hybrid and a Lial?" Lillian also suddenly murmured telepathically from the side.


    They had retreated to the corridor junction by now, a good distance away from Parde and his companion, so they didn''t need to worry about being detected while telepathically communicating.


    "Could they have also reached this place with the help of some token?" Colin speculated to himself.


    "Perhaps that''s the case," Lillian replied, suddenly feeling overwhelmed by a question¡ªwhere had the Elf Clan gone?


    Why would a Lial, typically seen only with High Level Elves, accompany a Tree Elf hybrid to this abandoned Elf Kingdom?


    Another question also suddenly emerged in Colin''s mind.


    On their way here, he hadn''t encountered anything of any value or any documents left behind.


    But this palace, according to the results of Anando''s Dice, clearly still had at least three treasures in it... Perhaps even a Treasure Vault!


    Had disaster struck too suddenly for them to take the treasures with them?


    Unable to arrive at an answer, Colin shook his head, reined in his thoughts, and continued to listen intently to the conversation across the way.


    Without being exposed at the moment, both he and Lillian tacitly chose to stay put, holding their breath as much as possible to minimize any chance of detection, and trying to eavesdrop for more information.


    "Alright, alright! I''m not questioning the construction capabilities of you Lial¡ª"


    Parde waved his hand, pacified Lites with that comment, and continued to ask,


    "I''m just wondering, if the palace, if the Sky Shadow Barrier had no issues, what was that noise you said about new people crossing the Sky Shadow Barrier earlier?"


    Parde''s voice wasn''t loud, even somewhat low, prompting Colin to perk up and listen intently, fearful of missing any bit of information.


    "I don''t know either."


    Lites fell silent for a moment before he gloomily answered and then raised his head, looking straight at Parde as he emphasized,


    "Anyway, the noise earlier was definitely new arrivals crossing the Sky Shadow Barrier, not just once but twice... My detection device is never wrong!


    When something crosses the Sky Shadow, it produces a very subtle, but far-reaching, vibration that is extremely difficult to detect; however, my ''Silia String Box'' can easily capture it and reflect the information back to me."


    Parde raised his eyebrow at the brown box held by Lites, embedded with several translucent white strings, then furrowed his brow and speculated,


    "In that case, if there''s nothing wrong with your... box in your hand, it''s very possible that..."


    His voice trailed off, and his gaze swept toward the corridor entrance.


    Colin''s heart skipped a beat, and he consciously lowered his breathing even more.


    But the next second,


    Parde curled his lip, continuing to say,


    "It''s very possible they backed off after seeing the signs of battle I left behind!"


    He seemed unconcerned about this unknown group, turned his head to pat Lites forcefully on the shoulder, and went on,


    "Let''s go, there''s no need to linger here, better to figure out how to enter the Treasure Vault sooner... It''s so strange, I have the credential, so why can''t I enter?"


    "Lillian elder sister, we should also move back a bit," Colin voiced telepathically to Lillian.


    Meanwhile, the conversation on the other side continued.


    For some reason, Parde''s pat on the shoulder was heavy and forceful, causing Lites to frown involuntarily and glance up at Parde. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Parde, it''s best to be cautious. Besides the two possibilities you mentioned, there is another¡ªthose unknown people are moving slowly and haven''t arrived here yet."


    "Why don''t you say that they have realized our presence and concealed themselves... Maybe they''re hiding somewhere watching us right now!"


    Parde''s left eyebrow twitched involuntarily as he said this with a sneer.


    "Impossible!" Lites immediately denied without thinking, he surveyed the corridor in front of him, then pointed to the door behind, "As soon as that unknown group arrives here, they would be definitely lured by this great door of the Treasure Vault!"


    Parde shook his head slightly, sighing in his heart.


    The architectural Talent of the Lial species was indeed beyond doubt, but this inexplicable self-confidence was also blindly obstinate!


    Lites... like other Lials, was too confident in their own creations!


    "Let me tell you why they definitely have not followed¡ª" Parde said helplessly, quietly sighing. Without drawing attention, he glanced at the end of the corridor with the corner of his eye.


    ''It''s a pity, another moment''s hesitation and perhaps this opportunity will be missed.''


    Swoosh!


    In the next moment, Parde swiftly produced from nowhere a withered and curled twig, and immediately pointed it at the end of the corridor!


    Buzz¡ª!


    A pale green bright spot suddenly lit up at the tip of the twig, then abruptly shot forward, turning into multiple intertwining light beams, ultimately forming a giant spiral light beam in the hallway.


    "What are you doing, Parde!"


    As soon as the light beam was released, Lites immediately exclaimed with a mix of surprise and anger, "This palace is the great masterpiece of the Lial, you promised me not to damage it carelessly!"


    An impatient expression flashed across Parde''s face, and he cursed inwardly, "Idiot", then he continued to speak:

 Chapter 336 - 250 Battle_2

    "What do you see ahead, Lites?"


    Lites was startled and hurriedly looked toward where the beam was shot.


    There, two distinct figures emerged!


    "Could they really have been lying in ambush beside us?" Lites muttered.


    "Stop talking nonsense! One First Rank Advanced Wizard and one First Rank Junior Wizard, quickly deal with them... Since they''ve come here, they''re probably after the Treasure Vault, and might have something useful on them!"


    Parde spoke sternly, a slight red glow emerging from his pupils¡­ Unbeknownst to when, his pale green pupils had transformed into slit-like snake eyes!!


    The previous outward-spreading Detection Magic was just a decoy, the real Detection Magic being employed was through these modified snake-like eyes!


    Meanwhile, the pale green beam was gradually dissipating.


    "Thank you, Colin."


    Lillian let out a sigh of relief, thanking him.


    "No need to thank me, Lillian," Colin shook his head, released his grip on Lillian''s arm, and then stretched out his hand to bless both himself and Lillian with a Mechanical Mind.


    Although Parde''s attack was unexpectedly difficult, for him, with his Superbrain and Ultimate reaction, the premonitory slight movements were still somewhat obvious.


    In the nick of time, he reacted swiftly, darting away with Lillian.


    "The Tree Elf hybrid on the other side doesn''t seem to be Second Rank, probably relying on the power of the dry twig in his hand," Colin speculated, continuing.


    Swish!


    A pale green brilliance emerged from Lillian''s hand, showering onto Colin.


    Colin instantly felt his mind clearer, as if on a sweltering, sleepy summer day he had gulped down a large glass of ice water.


    "Ice Cold Spring, it can enhance cognitive speed," Lillian spoke, then continued, "Yes, a Tree Elf hybrid at most has the strength of First Rank Advanced, seems to be a Wandering Wizard, without any trace of enhanced physical foundation."


    ''Physical foundation?'' Colin was puzzled, but he did not delve deeper, simply exhaling softly through his nose in response.


    After doing all this, Parde and Lites were already rapidly approaching.


    "Colin, go deal with Liya''er, the other Tree Elf hybrid I''ll handle," Lillian spoke again in such a moment.


    She took a breath, adding, "If possible, try to take Lites far away, create an opportunity to flee... I''m not confident in handling the Tree Elf hybrid with the branch."


    "Lillian..." Colin involuntarily spoke up.


    "Prepare for battle!" Lillian interrupted him, then slowly advanced forward.


    As Lillian stepped forward, her body rapidly grew, transforming in the blink of an eye into a slender golden-haired young woman.


    Clang, clang¡ª


    Then, exquisite aquamarine armor emerged on her body, a soft pale green Witch Tool appeared in Lillian''s hand.


    "Look at this attire! Lites! We might really have encountered a formidable figure!"


    Seeing this scene, Parde rushing towards them suddenly stopped, chuckling softly.


    "Parde, what are you doing?" Lites hastily stopped as well, angrily questioning.


    With both moving to attack and then suddenly halting... wasn''t this putting themselves in a precarious situation!


    But Parde ignored him, simply pacing back and forth with the dried brown twig, scrutinizing Lillian.


    His expression was calm, yet Colin keenly detected a hint of jealousy.


    "Golden hair... you''re a High Level Elf hybrid, aren''t you?!"


    Lillian frowned, did not respond. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Though unsure why Parde had suddenly stopped, having more time to observe was naturally a good thing.


    "High Level Elf... ah, High Level Elf!" Parde waved the brown twig in his hand, desire in his eyes, "Your blood must contain the lineage of a High Level Elf, right?"


    The next moment.


    Swish!


    A thick pale green beam suddenly shot out!


    Just a second ago, Parde was inquiring carefully, but in the next second, he changed his expression and launched an attack.


    This attack was incredibly swift and came without any warning, causing Colin to involuntarily contract his golden pupils.


    ''Lillian!''


    Had Parde attacked this unexpectedly earlier, even with the assistance of a Superbrain, Ultimate Knight''s ultimate reaction, and a Mechanical Mind... it would''ve been difficult to avoid!


    However, Lillian''s abilities were stronger than he had imagined, she seemed to have been prepared!


    In the nick of time, her shoulders draped with golden hair automatically floated up without wind, then suddenly brightened, and swish, she flashed to another side!


    "Tsck," Parde clicked his tongue lightly, his expression inexplicably a bit grim.


    Such a dodge had no trace of Witchcraft and was so rapid, it was clearly a talent of High Level Elves...


    Talent... Just thinking of it, a flicker of jealousy burned in Parde''s heart.


    ''I want to see how many times you can pull off such a dodge!''


    Seemingly thinking of something, he couldn''t help but turn his head and sternly urged.


    "Lites, quickly deal with that First Rank Junior Wizard and then come help me!"


    Lites frowned slightly, somewhat displeased with Parde''s attitude.

 Chapter 337 - 250 Battle_3

    But considering the overall situation, he still reached out and summoned a thick wooden mallet, charging towards Colin!


    Whack!


    A bright green vine whip suddenly struck at Lites!


    But the next moment, it was intercepted by another attack in midair.


    "Your opponent is me¡­" Parde retracted his arm and couldn''t help frowning at Lillian.


    At the same time, he turned his head and urged Lites:


    "Hurry up!"


    Lillian, expressionless, watched Parde who was now focusing all his attention on her and gently sighed.


    There was no other way, the fight was unavoidable.


    She could only pray for Colin a little.


    Whoosh!


    Another pale green beam of light shot towards her at high speed.


    This attack, already at the Second Rank level, imposed a great pressure in terms of both speed and power.


    Lillian estimated that if she were to be hit even once, not only would her defenses¡ªincluding the Elf Armor¡ªshatter completely, but she would also sustain significant injuries.


    Hum¡ª


    A bright light flashed through her hair again, and Lillian''s figure shifted to the side out of thin air, dodging the attack, forcing her to momentarily put down her attempt to counterattack.


    Just like that, Parde recklessly wielded the power of desiccated branches, constantly attacking with pale green beams and forcing Lillian to rely solely on her Talent to dodge.


    The two remained in a deadlock for the moment.


    Boom!


    But horses stumble, and moments later, due to excessive consumption, Lillian''s movement lagged slightly and she was just nicked by the pale green beam.


    Though it was just a nick, the damage was significant!


    Bang!


    The instant she was hit, Lillian''s body flew backward, her defenses shattering consecutively until she finally crashed to the ground.


    "Why aren''t you dodging anymore?" Parde slowly walked closer, smiling as he spoke.


    At the same time, he frowned inwardly¡ª


    ''Lites is really useless! Even though being a Liya''er does not excel in combat, for him, almost equivalent to the peak of First Rank, to not have dealt with a mere Basic Level Wizard in so long!''


    Leap!


    But just as Parde was about to turn back and check on Lites''s situation, a painfully hot wave, without any warning, suddenly emanated from behind him.


    ''Not good!''


    Parde''s expression changed instantly, and he instinctively tried to turn and swing his desiccated branch backward.


    But not having undergone body modification, and with only a faint presence of Tree Elf Bloodline in him, he was ultimately a beat too slow.


    "Ugh ah!"


    A towering figure of flames embraced him from behind, tightly binding his arms to his body.


    Parde cried out in pain, and the attack from the desiccated branches in his hand veered off course, hitting above his head with a loud boom.


    Seeing this, Lillian''s expression tightened, and she keenly seized the opportunity, softly waving her hand. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Whoosh!!


    A green shadow, flickering with cold light, swiftly swept through the air, lightly grazing the joints of Parde''s arms!


    Puff!


    "Ahh! Uh¡­no!"


    The next moment, Parde''s right arm was neatly severed at the elbow, blood spurting out, as he watched in horror and pain his arm holding the branch quietly fall and land on the tan corridor floor with a thud.


    Whoosh!


    Magical Spiritual Light flashed over Parde''s body as he, enduring the pain, tried frantically to struggle with a fierce expression.


    Yet, the Fire Element on his back was unusually resilient for some reason, making it hard for him to break free.


    Beads of sweat rolled down Parde''s face, quickly evaporated by the high heat of the Fire Element.


    The situation on the battlefield changed instantly, and his face no longer held the previous relaxed and mocking expression.


    But this panicked look turned, in the next instant, into deep fear and despair.


    A green shadow loomed in Parde''s pupils, approaching rapidly.


    Swoosh!


    The air itself seemed to scream at the sharpness of the green shadow.


    The next moment.


    A soft snapping sound echoed.


    Parde''s screams abruptly stopped.


    A fresh head, like the previously severed arm, fell and hit the tan floor of the corridor with a thud.

 Chapter 338 - 251 Harvest

    Lillian, who had collapsed on the ground, gasped for breath violently a few times before slowly standing up. Only then did she have the energy to swiftly shift her gaze to Colin and his companion not far away.


    And the battle over there...or rather, the silent battle was almost at its end.


    "Parde...be careful..."


    Lites lay on the ground, on the brink of death, his lips quivering as he struggled to mutter, wanting to tell Parde that the Wizard in front of him was not the First Rank Junior he thought he was¡ªbased on the attacks alone, he had even touched the threshold of the First Rank Peak!


    He wanted to call for help, hoping that Parde would come to support him.


    This time, unlike before, his voice was not blocked, but clearly transmitted out... In order to conserve Magic Power, Colin had already removed the Silent spell after Summoning the Fire Element.


    This time, it was also his last... No, his penultimate cry for help.


    Bang!


    An orange-yellow flame was lightly tossed from Colin''s hands, landing precisely on Lites''s body, suddenly swelling and expanding, engulfing his entire body within.


    "Ah...aaaahhh!"


    The intense burning pain made Lites scream in agony, which gradually weakened until it finally disappeared.


    "Lillian senior, are you okay?" Colin breathed a sigh of relief, quietly put away the Foolishness Scepter, and then turned to look at Lillian.


    "Just some minor injuries," Lillian shook her head, "But you really are a dark horse, Colin."


    Colin merely tugged at the corner of his lips, feigning an appearance of excessive Magic Power consumption, and did not engage in conversation.


    Having said her piece, Lillian did not speak further. Previously in the Elf Garden, she had a faint sense of Colin''s strength, but she did not expect that Colin''s true strength would far exceed her imagination!


    She withdrew her gaze, turned around and took out a withered brown branch, as long as a forearm, from Parde''s severed arm and handed it to Colin.


    "Lillian senior..."


    "The main credit for this battle lies with you, Colin," Lillian interjected, pushing the brown branch into his hands, "This piece of loot is rightfully yours."


    She glanced over at Parde''s corpse, her tone calm yet serious as she continued, "Not only that, you can also take at least sixty percent of the remaining loot from these two."


    "Having this branch is already a great advantage, there''s no need for the rest of the loot¡­" Colin quickly interjected.


    "Let''s see what else they have on them before discussing," Lillian said with a smile, softly.


    "...Okay," Colin paused, then nodded.


    The two bent down together to search Parde''s body.


    "Fortunately, this Tree Elf hybrid hadn''t begun reinforcing the foundation of his body; otherwise, we might not have been able to kill him so easily," Lillian said while searching, thankful.


    ''The foundation of the body...'' Colin paused in his movements, having heard this term for the second time.


    Seeming to notice Colin''s confusion, Lillian looked up and took the initiative to explain:


    "The so-called reinforcement of the body''s foundation actually refers to the transformation of the body. It is specifically for the body reinforcement required to advance to the Second Rank Wizard, usually starting at the First Rank Intermediate, or Advanced...


    The earlier the reinforcement of the body''s foundation begins, the better, with some Wizards coming from better circumstances even starting at the First Rank Junior level!"


    Pausing, she continued with a heavy tone, word by word, "The strength of the body''s foundation is extremely important and can even influence the strength of the second Talent acquired after advancing to the Second Rank Wizard to a certain extent!"


    "Moreover, after advancing to the Second Rank, in this world filled with Tainted babbling, the balance between body and Spirit becomes particularly important..."


    ''Balance between body and Spirit, huh...'' Colin took note internally.


    By this time, Lillian had also finished searching, and slowly stood up, examining the only thing she had found¡ªa Storage Ring. She shook her head and said:


    "This Storage Ring is just the most common kind, with not much space... It seems he really was just a Wandering Wizard, and that branch must have been a fortuitous encounter."


    Colin nodded slightly, not minding it, and continued to search the body of Lites with Lillian.


    As for the Storage Ring, of course, he would wait until all the loot was gathered before taking the time to unlock it.


    "Lillian senior, what exactly is the foundation of the body... How is it reinforced?" halfway through, Colin curiously spoke, wanting to continue the previous topic.


    "Considering your current progress in training, there''s still a considerable amount of time before you reach the First Rank Intermediate level, so there''s no need to know so early¡­" Lillian said instinctively but seemed to think of something, paused, and then added:


    "However, with your Talent, knowing some of the knowledge related to advancing to the Second Rank Wizard in advance should be no harm."


    Colin nodded.


    However, in truth, with the aid of the Golden Paper, advancing to the First Rank Intermediate Wizard was no longer a distant task for him... The progress on the Golden Paper was already close to halfway.


    "As I said before, reinforcing the body''s foundation is actually about strengthening the body. The so-called foundation of the body is more about the basis for carrying the Soul and Talent."


    At this moment, they had arrived next to the body of Lites. Lillian continued to organize her words while searching the body, explaining to Colin:


    "The criteria for determining the strength of the body''s foundation is very complex. If you have undergone transformations like bloodline grafting, then the strength of the body''s foundation is linked to the intensity of Life Force..."


    "If you have undergone a basic Elementalization Transformation, then the strength of the body''s foundation represents the activity of your Element.


    Likewise, Mechanical Transformation operates under the same principle, it is just more specialized, mainly depending on the quality of the metal used..."


    "However, unless you have obtained especially high-quality transformation metals, it''s usually not advisable to follow the path of Mechanical Transformation... The flesh is the best vessel for our own Spirit, and Elemental Transformation is the same; in general, it''s also not as good as common Bloodline Transformation."


    "So you can see that the second rank wizards we usually see in daily life, most of them undergo bloodline transformations like body augmentations, and seldom element transformations, even rarer mechanical transformations..."


    "And for other types of modifications, they basically belong to a niche, along with paths that don''t strengthen the physique but exclusively cultivate the spirit, have long since faded from the world as we know it. Only some naturally spiritual beings, like ghosts, would do so."


    When Lillian finished, she slowly stood up. Lites''s body had also been searched¡ªjust like Parde, he too only had an ordinary storage ring.


    "Alright, now let''s see what exactly is inside these two storage rings of theirs."


    She handed over one of the storage rings that belonged to Parde to Colin and sighed a turbid breath.


    Whether they could escape the Elf Kingdom smoothly now hinged upon whether they could find a possible "pass" within these two storage rings!


    Afterward, the two quickly dealt with the traces of the bodies and found a safe place, then they began to decrypt the two storage rings.


    As for the so-called treasure vault gate that Lites had constructed, after the battle ended, those faint golden lights gradually faded, and at some point, patches of dark red had crept up on it. The traps set up on it were probably also decayed and defunct, rendering it indistinguishable from an ordinary stone wall.


    Perhaps this was also the reason Parde and his partner had no longer continued to lie in ambush... that false door to the treasure vault was about to fail.


    Time drifted on, with Colin focusing on cracking the storage ring to the extent that he didn''t even have time to examine a strange withered branch that originally belonged to Parde.


    Just like that, in the once magnificent palace, there was no sound for an untold period until Lillian let out a turbid sigh and opened her eyes.


    Then she waved her hand.


    Whoosh, roughly one square meter of the ground in front became sparsely covered with a pile of oddly shaped items.


    A little while later, Colin too successfully cracked open the storage ring in his hands. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Lillian, senior... take a look at this." He opened his eyes but instead of removing everything like Lillian, he took out a thick notebook with a black cover.


    "**Bloodline Extraction and Grafting?"


    The hard cover''s script was somewhat blurred, Lillian took it and frowned, trying to make out the letters, but the first few words remained hard to decipher.


    After briefly flipping through it, Lillian couldn''t help but raise her eyebrow.


    "So that Tree Elf hybrid wasn''t a real Tree Elf hybrid?"


    The front part of the notebook was actually normal wizardry knowledge, describing how to extract bloodline from a Demon Beast known as the Frost Spike Mouse for one''s own modification and grafting.


    But the latter half, which was presumably written by Parde himself, recorded some of his research practices.


    And finally, it detailed how he successfully extracted the Tree Elf bloodline from a Tree Elf hybrid and grafted it onto himself.


    "No wonder his Tree Elf bloodline concentration was so low," Lillian said, pulling a face. She closed the notebook and handed it back to Colin, and continued, "Next, we need to look for a possible ''pass'' in their storage rings."


    Colin nodded, casually setting the notebook aside, but he felt somewhat emotional about the challenging lives of mixed blood families.


    That tree elf hybrid whose bloodline was extracted was a youth from a family that had been destroyed by enemies, also Parde''s long-time friend... It''s just that in the end, the tree elf hybrid''s own talent attracted his friend''s covetousness.


    Perhaps that dry branch too was obtained in such a manner from a Tree Elf.


    Colin gathered his thoughts and then removed all the items from Parde''s storage ring.


    The number of items in Parde''s storage ring was about the same as those in Lites''s, and they appeared to be of similar quality, with nothing particularly noteworthy, not even the Magic Stones amounted to more than thirty to fifty thousand, which really wasn''t much considering Parde''s status as a First Rank Advanced Wizard.


    The two examined the scattered items on the ground, returning each to the storage ring after inspection.


    As time went on, with the number of items on the ground decreasing, the expressions on Colin''s face grew heavier.


    "Lillian, senior... take a look at this."


    Fortunately, it wasn''t long before Colin spoke up gravely, picking up something from the chaotic pile.


    It was a metallic green leaf with clear pale golden veins, emitting a faint luminous glow.


    Most crucially, the fluctuations from this green leaf were very similar to those from the pass bracelet on Lillian''s wrist!


    However... whether Colin used spirit probing or infused it with Magic Power, the green leaf showed no response whatsoever.


    Lillian looked it over carefully, took it, felt it again for a moment.


    After a moment, she opened her eyes, smiling with affirmation, "This is indeed an exit pass, I can feel it guiding us vaguely to a location!"


    But quickly, Lillian''s brow furrowed again, her tone dropping a bit as she said, "However, this green leaf, like my bracelet, seems to require the user to possess Elf Bloodline."


    Colin''s heart sank, about to ask if the green leaf was only for individual passage or could carry another person along when out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of an item among Lites''s belongings¡ª


    It was a delicately made wooden hammer, with pale golden tree patterns that were mysterious and profound, exquisitely shaped, inheriting the meticulous style of the Elf Clan.


    He instinctively picked it up, and after feeling it for a moment, he exclaimed delightedly:


    "Lillian, senior, this is also a pass to the outside world!"


    Hearing this, Lillian''s heart eased, and she exchanged a look with Colin and smiled, as if by mutual agreement.


    Now that they had the passes, the abandoned Elf Kingdom was no longer a dead end to them; having a way out gave them leverage.

 Chapter 339 - 252: Extension

    After they laughed, the two again fell into silence.


    "Colin, the path ahead might still be dangerous, and now that both of us have the credentials to leave, you can choose to leave first..." Lillian pondered for a moment before she spoke.


    "Lillian senior..." But before she could finish, Colin shook his head, interrupting her.


    Lillian watched Colin''s resolute face, her heart skipped a beat, and she pursed her lips,


    "Thank you, Colin junior."


    His sudden gratitude made Colin pause in what he was doing; he smiled and shook his head.


    "The teacher is injured, and as his student, it''s only natural that I should contribute."


    Then he picked up the withered branch in his hand and continued, "Besides, if there is more danger ahead, even if I choose to leave now, at least I should leave this branch to senior."


    This was Colin''s heartfelt thought; since Lillian completely put herself in his shoes, he naturally wanted to return the favor.


    Moreover, regarding the withered brown branch, he really didn''t have many thoughts about it.


    As he said this, Colin''s mind moved, and he suddenly took out the branch.


    "I haven''t tried how to use this branch yet, it''s better to get familiar with it in advance," he said to Lillian, shifting the topic.


    "Mm," Lillian responded, not continuing the previous topic, but her heart was somewhat complicated.


    ''Give a smile to others, and others will return a smile.''


    This was Rudolph family''s motto, a proverb left behind by the ancestors to restrain the pride rooted in the High Level Elves'' bloodline...


    Her grandfather had always adhered to the first half of the family motto, and he taught her the same.


    But the latter half often did not pan out as expected...


    "Lillian senior, this branch... it''s a bit strange," Colin suddenly spoke again.


    He frowned slightly while looking at the branch in his right hand, perplexed.


    "This branch seems to be the same as the leaf credential from earlier, it has no response to my spiritual power or Magic Power."


    "Let me see," Lillian said upon hearing this, her eyebrows also furrowing.


    She held the withered branch in her hand, attempting to use it.


    But after a while, the withered brown branch still did not react at all, as if it really were just the most ordinary branch.


    "It might require the bloodline of a Tree Elf to use," Colin speculated when he saw this, "I even think it might require the specific bloodline of a mixed Tree Elf family to use it."


    The Elf Clan places great importance on bloodline.


    "Maybe so," Lillian sighed, and handed the branch back to Colin.


    They had defeated Parde, who held the withered branch, but that did not mean the branch was not powerful... It''s just a pity that it can''t be used now.


    Colin took the branch with a hint of regret, scanning the ground for the spoils of war that had not been picked up, seemingly struck by an idea, he spoke again:


    "I remember that the mixed Tree Elf also said a phrase¡ª"


    "Let''s go, there''s no need to stay here any longer. We should figure out a way to enter the Treasure Vault as soon as possible. It''s really strange, we have the token, so why can''t we get in?"


    He repeated the words from the mixed Tree Elf verbatim.


    Prompted by Colin''s reminder, Lillian suddenly remembered as well, taking a deep breath she said:


    "Among these items, the ones on those two, there might be a token to enter the Treasure Vault!"


    "That''s right." Colin reached out and took a small wooden box from the pile of items, continuing to check as he spoke:


    "And, senior, since those two already made it to the Treasure Vault''s entrance, it''s likely that most obstacles along the way have been cleared. Our journey ahead will probably be as smooth as it just was."


    Lillian nodded in agreement and continued to examine the remaining items in front of her.


    But half an hour later, after checking everything once, they did not find the so-called "Treasure Vault Token."


    "Perhaps those tokens are inconspicuous and cannot be tested," Colin slowly stood up, stowing away the Storage Ring.


    Parde and Lites had Storage Rings that were not large and the contents were sparse, yet also a chaotic assortment of items whose effect could not be discerned.


    "It should be so, if all their belongings are here, and if the Tree Elf half-blood spoke the truth, then it must be that we have not discovered them," Lillian also stood up, looking ahead at the corridor and continuing:


    "Let''s go, when we get to the Treasure Vault, we''ll try those unidentifiable items one by one."


    A mild breeze whisked lightly through the deep and mottled long corridor.


    Beneath the concealment of the Concealing Moon Cloth, Colin and Lillian continued to advance cautiously.


    However, much as Colin deduced, the journey onward was smooth, with the road scattered with namelessly ferocious creatures and statues, which turned out to be nothing more than corpses and remains.


    Knowing the locations in advance thanks to Anando''s Dice, Colin subtly guided them in the right direction, avoiding detours and delays, and it didn''t take long before they reached the main entrance of the Treasure Vault located in a palace.


    "This is the fabled Elf Treasure Vault..." Lillian murmured softly.


    Upon arriving here, at the true entrance of the Treasure Vault, perhaps because of the previous incident, she lost her impatience and grew more composed.


    "A thousand years ago, the Elf Clan probably hosted their guests in such places, held banquets, and then in this very hall, during those feasts, they generously gifted precious treasures."


    "Proud, affluent race," Colin commented in agreement.


    Standing at the entrance of the Treasure Vault, his heart inevitably stirred.


    He didn''t particularly care for the withered branch; after all, it was just a weapon that could emit a green light pillar... maybe more powerful, but not necessarily suitable for him.


    But if he could enter the Elf Treasure Vault, if he could choose, then perhaps he would acquire true treasures suited for himself!


    ''Maybe, pick something that improves the efficiency of training? Hmm... something that helps strengthen the foundation of the body wouldn''t be bad either...''


    Colin pondered aimlessly, turning his head and surveying the surroundings.


    This was a square-shaped palace hall.


    Delicate long tables and chairs were arranged in a U-shape along the three outer sides of the hall, and at the very back, on the steps, there were three regal thrones arranged in an inverted triangle.


    To the left and right were thrones of pale gold, while the middle throne had a brown base mixed with golden threads, and its main body faintly revealed a golden emerald hue.


    It was just a pity that all three thrones were stained with specks of dark red.


    As for the door to the Treasure Vault, it was located at the center of the hall, in front of and below the middle throne, standing as a solitary arch without support.


    Unlike the thrones, the glow it emitted was faded, but it ultimately showed no signs of contamination.


    The archway wasn''t very tall, only a little over two meters, and its material was indecipherable, yet it exuded grandeur.


    The base color was pale gold, adorned with a multitude of colorful reliefs.


    Some were mysterious fruits emitting light, some were odd but aesthetically pleasing powerful artifacts, others were potions twinkling with bright starlight...


    It had to be said that, the Liya''er they encountered earlier, although he had only hastily constructed a trap, by appearance alone, it wasn''t too different from the real Treasure Vault door.


    However, compared to the true door of the Treasure Vault, it still seemed to lack a sense of solidity. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But just then, Colin''s peripheral vision caught something; he slowly turned his head, shifting his gaze to the area below the middle throne.


    There, the ground was slightly cracked.


    Through the fissures, one could vaguely glimpse what seemed like a grand tree''s extensive and thick roots beneath the base of the throne, twisted and sprawling, with no end in sight...


    Colin tried to determine the direction in which the roots ultimately stretched... toward the back?


    He was somewhat unsure as he moved his gaze behind the throne.


    There was no pathway, just a wall, a wall carved with the majestic Ancient Tree of Life.


    "Colin, I''ve checked the surroundings; there should be no danger."


    "Let''s not delay any further and start trying to enter the Treasure Vault."


    "Alright." Withdrawing his gaze, Colin refocused on the door to the Treasure Vault.

 Chapter 340 - 253: Entering the Treasure Vault

    In front of the Treasury Arch, there was a carved pillar about half the height of a person.


    On the upper surface of the pillar, like the surface of water, faint golden ripples continuously flowed from the left side to the right.


    "This should be the place where the Treasure Vault Token is verified," Lillian stepped forward slowly and whispered.


    Without any further hesitation, she first placed a strange stone that looked like rotting wood from her Storage Ring onto it.


    Colin was intently watching the pillar, while also keeping an eye on his surroundings with his peripheral vision.


    A moment later, Lillian glanced at the pillar''s surface, then at the unresponsive arch ahead, extended her hand and took her odd rotting wood-like stone back.


    She turned her head to signal Colin, who understood and stepped forward, also taking out a blue metal piece from his Storage Ring that might possibly be the suspected token he had sorted out earlier during inspection.


    He placed the metal piece onto the pillar, but the result was still no response.


    In this way, the two alternated testing the items in their hands, and about ten minutes later, they had tested all the items previously selected as suspected entrance tokens for the Treasure Vault.


    But not one of them caused any change to either the square pillar or the Treasury Arch.


    "We can only continue testing the remaining items in the Storage Ring," Lillian said after a moment''s silence with a sigh.


    Colin looked at the arch ahead, frowning.


    It made no sense... that Tree Elf Half-blood couldn''t possibly be telling such a lie out of nowhere; since she claimed to possess the token, she naturally had it.


    And according to the style of the High Level Elf Clan, the token should not be made so simple and indistinguishable... how could it be so difficult to find this token?


    Snap.


    Lillian was already placing other items onto the stone pillar.


    Colin continued to ponder.


    "It''s your turn, Colin."


    Moments later, Lillian pursed her lips, took back the items from the pillar, and then turned around to say to Colin:


    And it was at this moment, a flash of insight came to Colin, he muttered under his breath:


    "Senior Sister, we have already checked everything in the Storage Ring, if we were to say anything related to the Elf Clan, it could only be those two so-called entrance and exit tokens!"


    As he spoke, he walked forward and took out the Golden Pattern Wood Hammer that he had found on Lites and placed it onto the stone pillar.


    Buzz¡ª


    The moment the wood hammer touched the surface of the pillar, those continuously flowing golden ripples suddenly changed.


    The surface seemed to become like real water, and those stream-like golden lights soaked the wood hammer as if they were true ripples.


    Seeing this, Lillian''s eyes lit up, a surge of joy and excitement welled up in her heart.


    When the golden light completely enveloped the Golden Pattern Wood Hammer, the changes on the pillar gradually stopped, and in its stead, the Treasury Arch began to shine with a faint golden glow.


    But before they could celebrate for long,


    A faint golden ray of light shot out from the Treasury door, accurately enveloping Colin, but it retracted as soon as it touched him, only lasting for a fleeting moment.


    Then, the golden light abruptly went out, whether it was the golden light on the pillar or the arch, both dissipated instantly.


    A dark red gloom swept over again, the joy on Lillian''s face vanished abruptly, and her eyebrows knit tightly together.


    Colin''s brow was slightly furrowed, his lips moving as if wanting to say something, but he ultimately remained silent, only placing the Golden Pattern Wood Hammer back onto the stone platform again.


    Then, with a thought,


    Clang!


    A magnificent set of black armor suddenly appeared on his body.


    Lillian, standing to the side, was slightly taken aback by this and looked on a bit nervously.


    Whoosh!


    From the arch above, a beam of golden light shone down once more.


    But this time, it didn''t retract instantly; instead, it scanned slowly from head to toe.


    Afterward, the pale golden light withdrew, replaced by a white soft light¡ªwithout notice, the Treasury Arch had quietly opened, revealing a spiraling white vortex inside.


    It was clearly a Transmission Gate.


    "Lillian, should I go ahead first?" Colin breathed out, holding back the surge in his heart, and turned to ask.


    "Go ahead quickly, in case something unexpected happens again," Lillian said, nodding in urging him.


    But at this moment, seemingly recalling something, Colin hesitated slightly but then suddenly turned around.


    Although he had opened the doors to the Elf Treasure Vault with the hammer, Lillian also possessed a token obtained from Parde.


    But that didn''t necessarily mean Lillian could enter the Elf Treasure Vault. Having entered the vault, it was uncertain whether he could return to this spot...


    Regardless, for him, obtaining treasures in the Elf Treasure Vault was merely icing on the cake; but for Lillian and for Atbolde, the mentor who had helped him a lot, it might be the only chance for survival...


    Therefore, both emotionally and rationally, even if there were only a slim possibility, he was not willing to take the risk... it was better to hold back for now.


    "Colin, why don''t you go in?"


    Lillian noticed his movement and asked in confusion.


    "Your token has not been tried yet, Senior Sister," Colin replied succinctly.


    Seeing his actions, Lillian was clearly startled, seemingly not expecting Colin to make such a move.


    She fell silent for a while, wanting to let Colin go first.


    But thinking of her grandfather, and that her own token had indeed not yet been tested to see if it could open the Treasure Vault, if she entered the vault, it was also uncertain whether she could return to this spot... the future was unknown.


    With all these thoughts, her throat seemed to be blocked, her lips moved slightly, but in the end, she remained silent.


    "Senior Sister Lillian, delays may lead to complications; better seize the time," Colin said, without overthinking.


    Return favors for favors, avenge wrongs with reprisal, were always his principles.


    "Mhm," Lillian breathed in deeply, no longer hesitating and walked towards the stone pillar.


    "Junior Colin¡ª," but as she passed by him, as if she remembered something, she paused, taking out a pale-white crystal from her Storage Ring.


    "Inside here is knowledge on the basics of strengthening the body¡­ With your Talent, you might consider starting to work on strengthening your physical foundation now, to prepare for Advancing to Second Rank."


    "Sister Lillian¡­," Colin was slightly taken aback but did not refuse further, raising his hand to receive the crystal.


    "Remember, Colin¡ª," yet Lillian suddenly pulled the crystal back, emphasizing with a serious tone, "always measure your capabilities, and be constantly vigilant of being influenced by knowledge!"


    Having said that, she pushed the crystal back into Colin''s hand, and then took out a vial of transparent liquid like water from her Storage Ring¡ªLickme inspection elixir, which she handed over to Colin.


    After doing these things, Lillian came beside the stone pillar, taking out the green leaf she had obtained earlier and placing it on top.


    The pale golden glow from the archway shone again, banishing the omnipresent muted red glimmer of the Elf Kingdom.


    Just like Colin, Lillian summoned the identical azure-gold Elf Armor.


    "Hmm?"


    The next moment, Colin couldn''t help but frown.


    The golden glow that fell upon Lillian was absorbed on contact just like the first time¡­ and the Treasury Arch did not open.


    ''Could it be that the leaf, like the withered branch before, also required a specific Tree Elf bloodline to open the Treasury Arch?''


    ''¡­Do different Tokens each require a different status?''


    Thinking this, Colin suddenly had a flash of inspiration and said to Lillian:


    "Sister, perhaps you could try that bracelet again! Like the wooden hammer and the leaf, it also has the function of entering and leaving the Elf Kingdom!"


    Lillian was startled, hope rising in her heart once more, and took out the delicate light-purple bracelet she had always worn on her wrist.


    Colin watched the exquisite bracelet, and a new question arose in his mind¡ª


    Aside from the different status requirements, could there be other differences between these various Tokens?


    At that moment, Lillian had already put away the leaf and once again placed the bracelet on the stone pillar.


    Colin carefully observed the pillar, where previously the leaf and hammer had produced no difference when placed, both being enshrouded by the golden light.


    And now, the bracelet¡­ seemed no different?


    The same process was repeated.


    But this time, Lillian passed the test, and a pale white light quietly descended¡ª


    The Treasure Vault''s Archway opened!


    Lillian was more taken aback than delighted.


    She really hadn''t expected the bracelet her mother left her to have such a function!


    A moment later, she sighed with relief, turned to Colin, and said:


    "Colin, I''m going in."


    "If it''s possible to return here after leaving the Treasure Vault, let''s wait for each other here for one day. If one of us doesn''t show up, then the other should leave first."


    "Okay." Colin withdrew his gaze, holding back the curiosity in his heart for the time being.


    At least from the external performance, there didn''t seem to be any differences in this series of processes.


    His heart gradually calmed, he continued to watch Lillian, and continued, "Hope everything goes well, see you later."


    "Mhm. Hope everything goes smoothly," Lillian nodded, no longer hesitating, picked up the bracelet from the pillar, and stepped into the Treasury Arch.


    Her figure gradually faded into the white light until it disappeared entirely.


    Thump¡ªthe opulent and magnificent archway suddenly closed.


    Then, only Colin was left in the entire palace.


    "Can the Treasure Vault take small elves in?" Colin suddenly realized.


    Lillian had just walked through the archway, leaving nothing behind, and it seemed Bobi had followed her inside.


    "Good Giant¡­ what is this place?"


    At that moment, Nasi within the hood suddenly spoke.


    Colin had given her a new Ancient Tree Heart, which she licked for a while before falling into a deep sleep, not waking even during the previous fight with Lites.


    Yet now, for some reason, she suddenly awoke.


    His spiritual power spread out, and Colin saw Nasi''s haggard little face; ever since they arrived here, the little sprite had become increasingly withered for some unknown reason, and now, even the red wings on her back drooped, losing their original luster and texture.


    "We are in a palace above the blue sky, Nasi, I''m about to enter the Elf Treasure Vault.


    Hang in there a little longer, Nasi, and soon I will take you away from here, and I''ll give you the largest sugary gemstone then."


    Seeing Nasi in this state, Colin couldn''t help but worry, and spoke comfortingly.


    "Good Giant, you are so kind¡­" Hearing about the sugary gemstone, Nasi''s red eyes brightened a bit, but that vitality was fleeting.


    Almost in a moment, her eyelids started drooping, and soon after, she fell back into a deep sleep.


    Colin was startled at first, but, seeing that Nasi''s chest was still rising and falling slightly, and that her life was weak yet stable, he temporarily set his worries aside and continued forward. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He placed the Golden Pattern Wood Hammer back on the stone pillar, and the Treasure Vault Archway opened once more.


    With a bit of excitement, Colin didn''t hesitate and stepped through the archway.


    Bang.


    The next second, the archway closed again, and his figure disappeared into the white light.


    Yet a tiny dark red figure suddenly fell down.


    With a plop, it landed on the ground in front of the archway.

 Chapter 341 - 254 Treasures

    The white light gradually faded, leaving his field of vision pitch black before slowly regaining brightness.


    Countless dazzling gems twinkled against the deep and mysterious backdrop reminiscent of the night sky, making the pale golden platform where Colin stood even more radiant.


    Yet, before he had a chance to take a closer look around, Colin suddenly realized something alarming.


    "Nasi?!" he looked back, but saw not a single shadow, only the "Treasure Starry Sky" that was just like the one in front of him.


    And when he looked up, it was the same above...


    Colin turned his head and surveyed his surroundings, his spiritual power spreading out to the edge of the round platform, but when it was blocked by an invisible force, he still found no trace of Nasi.


    A sinking feeling abruptly gripped his heart.


    ''Could it be that she didn''t make it through successfully and was left in the palace we were in just before?''


    Realizing this, Colin''s first instinct was to look for an exit to quickly return to the palace... Nasi wasn''t in good condition when they entered, and he was genuinely concerned.


    ''Why didn''t she come through with me, when clearly Bobi, my senior''s pet, could... Could it be because of contamination?


    No... the Treasure Vault must have been constructed before the contamination in the Elf Kingdom, there''s a high probability that there''s no mechanism specifically to screen for contamination.'' Colin''s stream of thoughts raced through his mind as he stepped forward.


    But the next moment, as he looked around, his step still raised in the air, he suddenly realized¡ª


    There were no exits on this platform.


    Not even a hint of something resembling an exit.


    The entire round, stump-like pale gold platform had only a small circular platform in the middle that could accommodate one person to stand.


    ''It seems that one must acquire a treasure before an exit will appear.'' Colin''s expression became resolute as he walked quickly toward the central platform.


    ''If it''s not because of contamination, could it be due to having a different token?'' As he walked, the thoughts in his mind continued to churn.


    "The tokens are indeed different, but the entrance leads to the same Treasure Vault...


    The same Treasure Vault?"


    At this point, his thoughts struck him like lightning, and Colin suddenly considered a possibility.


    ''According to the logic of the Treasure Vault, naturally, each token should grant entry to one individual, be it Wizard or Elf... Plus, Bobi is an individual recognized by the Elf Clan, so theoretically, it should count as one.''


    ''Thus, besides the possibility of different tokens, there''s another possibility¡ª


    The place where Lillian entered is different from mine, it''s not the Treasure Vault!''


    Step by step as he ascended the central platform, Colin''s stream of thoughts did not pause.


    The more he pondered, the more he felt convinced by the latter possibility!


    Lillian''s bracelet was left to her by her High Level Elf mother, it was something given to her own daughter,


    whereas the other green leaves and wooden hammers must be items given to outsiders by the Elf Clan.


    Moreover, Lillian had never mentioned her mother telling her the bracelet also had the function of activating the Treasure Vault... They had jumped to conclusions assuming that the bracelet, like the other items, was also a token to open the Treasure Vault.


    Buzz¡ª


    At that moment, Colin ascended the central platform, standing firm on the high ground when a spot of emerald light suddenly shone from the middle of the platform.


    Then, accompanied by a rustling sound, a small tree of aqua-gold, about the same height as him, suddenly sprouted forth.


    The moment he saw the small tree, a message came to him.


    "Please pick the fruit and state the type of treasure you desire, visitor from the Elf Clan."


    Hanging from the branch of the small tree was a large golden fruit, so heavy it almost bent the tree.


    Colin didn''t hesitate, he plucked the fruit and pronounced the thought he had already determined.


    "A treasure that increases wisdom and assists in learning and understanding knowledge."


    As his words fell, the pale gold fruit in his palm instantly transformed.


    The fruit emitted a verdant glow, gentle yet very bright, wrapping the entire fruit in a mist of light.


    The misty light flowed like water, eventually forming into a large ring.


    "A pale golden crown?"


    The bright light dissipated, and Colin saw clearly what the fruit had turned into.


    This was a crown fashioned like woven tree leaves, the front of it forming a gentle triangle, and at the peak was a green leaf unlike any other, possessing the sense of a gemstone.


    Seeing this leaf, Colin almost instinctively thought of the legendary Wisdom Leaf from the Ancient Tree of Life.


    But clearly, this couldn''t be a real leaf from the Ancient Tree of Life.


    ''...Perhaps it could be somewhat related?'' Colin thought further.


    Joy appeared on his face.


    Regardless, this crown was clearly as he had requested, a treasure that could enhance wisdom and assist in learning!


    ''Now is not the time to test the treasure... I must first find a way out.''


    Suppressing the urge to immediately don the crown, Colin looked around, hoping to spot an exit that may have already appeared surreptitiously.


    But his field of vision was still empty.


    Rustle, rustle.


    The small tree suddenly began to shake.


    ''Hmm?''


    Colin was slightly startled and reflexively took a few steps back.


    The golden tree shook as it withdrew, and after a moment, a stone platform rose in its place.


    "Please state the desired effect of the treasure you wish to exchange."


    As before, a message reached Colin''s mind with the ascent of the stone platform.


    He frowned slightly. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Exchange... what exchange?''


    "A treasure that heals injuries and removes contamination," he ventured, speaking out the next moment.

 Chapter 342 - 254: Treasure_2

    A flash of light swept over the stone platform.


    A new piece of information transferred into Colin''s mind.


    "Please place an item of corresponding value on the stone platform."


    ''It turns out to be an equivalent exchange... I didn''t expect the Elf Clan''s Treasure Vault to have such a function.''


    Colin understood, and subconsciously wanted to refuse... he had nothing to trade.


    But in the next moment, as if he thought of something, he abruptly took out a withered brown twig ¡ª this was the Second Rank attack twig he had obtained from the Tree Elf earlier.


    Yet, it seemed that due to the limitations of lineage, neither he nor Lillian could use it... now it was perfect as a trade-off.


    "A treasure for healing injuries and removing contamination."


    After placing the twig on the stone platform, Colin paused, and then spoke again in a deep voice.


    The main reason he chose such a treasure was for Nasi, and on the other hand, it was for his mentor Atbolde, just in case.


    For Nasi, naturally, there was no need to say more... her condition was truly worrying.


    On the other hand, if his deduction just now was correct, it was very likely that the place Lillian had gone to was not the Treasure Vault; as for where she had gone, only her mother, who was a High Level Elf, might know.


    If so, if Lillian couldn''t obtain the treasure to heal Atbolde, then the healing treasure he obtained would at least give Atbolde some more hope.


    In any case... trading for the healing treasure was definitely the right choice.


    As Colin''s voice fell, another flash of light swept over the stone platform.


    Another piece of information suddenly appeared in his mind.


    "Invalid item, please replace the trading item on the stone platform."


    ''This twig, it''s actually not recognized by the Treasure Vault?'' Colin was stunned, his original plan falling through, causing an undeniable disappointment in his heart.


    ''But there''s no other way, I don''t have many valuable things on me...''


    But at this thought, a sudden glint of inspiration flashed through his mind, and he summoned a familiar black scepter ¡ª the Foolishness Scepter.


    This scepter had been with him ever since he left Blackstone Island; thanks to it, he had escaped many calamities.


    But as time passed, and as his own strength grew... the Foolishness Scepter gradually became less suitable.


    Whether it was the increasingly high cost or the potential risks when using it, it all led him to use the Foolishness Scepter less and less.


    Colin''s gaze flickered, lost in deep thought.


    Now, the Foolishness Scepter, to slightly enhance a First Rank Upper witchcraft to about the peak of First Rank, nearing the threshold of Second Rank.


    Based on his experience using it, it would approximately cost 50 progression points... a costly expense for not much improvement.


    At this rate of progression, he feared that by the time he reached Second Rank or First Rank Advanced, he would no longer be able to afford the cost of using the Foolishness Scepter.


    ''But after all, the Foolishness Scepter is an excellent last resort... and with Golden Paper, I can ignore its cost.''


    ''No, no one knows if it''s truly ignoring or if there are other risks.''


    ''But so far, there have been no accidents...''


    Colin''s thoughts shifted continuously in his mind.


    A moment later.


    "Whew¡ª"


    He caressed the scepter in his hands and finally made a decision.


    Although strange items were tempting, in terms of practicality, for him right now, it was better to trade for a treasure that he could use for a long time.


    "A treasure for healing injuries and removing contamination," he whispered as he placed the Foolishness Scepter on the platform.


    On the stone platform, light flashed once more.


    But this time, the golden light wrapped around the scepter.


    ...For some reason, this golden light always gave Colin a troubling feeling.


    The golden light kept flickering brightly, but the Foolishness Scepter remained in place.


    However, thankfully, this standoff lasted only briefly.


    The next second, a brilliant golden light burst forth on the stone platform, and the Foolishness Scepter disappeared.


    Another new item quietly emerged on the stone platform.


    But Colin, standing nearby, had no energy to inspect it further.


    The instant the Foolishness Scepter vanished, his complexion turned ashen white, as if made of Golden Paper.


    His brain felt as though it had been violently struck by an invisible hammer. Colin was seeing stars, and strange whispering noises continuously buzzed in his head as if a cold, slippery snake were hissing into his ear.


    At the same time, a wave of intense pain followed.


    Bang.


    He couldn''t help but collapse onto a stone pillar, sitting down heavily.


    Almost instinctively, Colin summoned the Golden Paper.


    After he saw the abnormality on it, his heart skipped a beat.


    On the Golden Paper, the Fireball Technique, Arrow Shooting Skill, Swift Skill, Steel Temperature Resistance Field... nearly every witchcraft blessed by the Foolishness Scepter had suddenly developed fluctuating up and down symbols.


    "Strange artifacts possess bizarre effects and require odd sacrifices to use..." Colin thought subconsciously.


    Then he thought about his earlier hesitation to place the Foolishness Scepter on the pedestal and gave a bitter smile, "That Foolishness Scepter, as expected, isn''t so simple... If it weren''t for the Golden Paper, I probably couldn''t have decided to use it to exchange for other treasures..."


    At this moment, the ¡ü and ¡ý symbols were still fluctuating on the Golden Paper, as if two invisible hands from different directions were gripping Colin and tearing him apart, almost splitting him in two.


    "Hisss..." The extreme pain made Colin gasp, and he endured it with difficulty.


    Although the symbols on the Golden Paper were still changing, generally speaking, ¡ü dominated. If the negative price brought by the Foolishness Scepter was a reduction in knowledge, then the ¡ü symbol was clearly counteracting it.


    With this thought, Colin felt somewhat reassured... at least he had the Golden Paper.


    Whoosh!


    A flash of Spiritual Light from the witchcraft passed, and he cast the Mechanical Mind on himself.


    But it lasted only a moment. He didn''t even get a chance to feel the effects before the spell quietly shattered.


    "Ugh!"


    Pain swept over him again.


    Colin couldn''t help but inhale a few breaths of cold air.


    Just then, a scent as if green sprouts were bursting in spring suddenly filled his nostrils.


    "Hmm?!"


    This fragrance, carrying a slight sweetness, was inconspicuous, but it instantly alleviated much of the pain in Colin''s body.


    He followed the scent instinctively to its source.


    As he stood up, leaning on the stone pillar, he saw where the fragrance was coming from¡ª


    It was a silver necklace on the pedestal, a necklace obtained in exchange for the Foolishness Scepter a moment ago.


    The main body of the necklace was a round green gemstone the size of a fingernail cap.


    Though small, the gemstone was incredibly clear, and simply being there, it generated a misty vapor.


    And the fragrance he smelled was that of these vapors.


    Colin instinctively reached out, wanting to grab the necklace.


    "Hmm? My body seems not to hurt anymore... and my brain has also recovered quite a bit?"


    He suddenly realized something, stopped his movement, rotated his arms, and looked himself over.


    "Is this necklace''s effect so powerful?"


    But the next moment, Colin shook his head, his mind moved, and he opened the Golden Paper.


    Pale golden particles converged.


    As he suspected, the abnormalities on the Golden Paper had stopped, and all the chaotic ¡ü and ¡ý symbols had disappeared.


    Upon closer inspection, all the progress behind each witchcraft also remained unchanged.


    "The Golden Paper... truly powerful." Colin stretched a smile and reached out to take the green gemstone necklace from the pedestal.


    "It seems like I''ve been getting a free ride on the Foolishness Scepter for a long time..." he thought again.


    If using the Foolishness Scepter ultimately required a price, then at this moment, he could be considered to have successfully freeloaded.


    Hum¡ª Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As Colin took the green gemstone necklace in his hand, an archway glowing with white light quietly appeared behind him.


    Seeing the familiar outline of the arch, Colin''s heart lifted.


    Since entering, he had harbored a fear, fearing that once he entered the Treasure Vault, he might not be able to return to the previous palace.


    And after noticing that Nasi hadn''t followed him in, this worry in his heart became more tangible...


    "Maybe not necessarily, I still have to go through it to know." Colin took a breath and stepped through the white light archway.

 Chapter 343 - 255 Anilasa

    A moment later.


    As the white light of teleportation gradually vanished, the familiar palace appeared before him.


    Colin sighed with relief at the sight and quickly looked around.


    "Where is Nasi?"


    But the vista was empty, with neither Nasi nor Lillian in sight.


    Thump.


    At that moment, the archway behind him suddenly closed, its usually faint sound reverberating like thunder in the eerily quiet palace.


    However, it was only for a moment. The sound also disappeared once again, and the vast, empty palace regained its silence...silence like a wilderness.


    This made Colin feel as though the time he had been away was not a matter of mere minutes, but days, or perhaps years.


    Stroking the emerald necklace in his hand, the joy he originally felt upon acquiring the treasure instantly disappeared.


    "Could it be that Nasi returned to the world beneath the blue skies because she couldn''t find me?"


    His expression grew somber, and he stood silent for a while, then without a word, turned around and began meticulously searching for any signs Nasi might have left behind, starting from the Treasure Vault Arch, inch by inch.


    The beautifully curved ceiling above, the carved pillars on either side, the colorful door panel in front... With the help of the Superbrain, Colin''s gaze was like that of a precise scanning device, and any minor change different from before was thoroughly searched out.


    Thus, his gaze traveled from the arch from top to bottom, up to the splendid ceiling in front of the door, and then to the smooth ground corresponding to it. Finally, he found a strange trace on the light golden floor tiles. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was a fleck of crimson crystal, barely noticeable on the immaculately clean, yet faintly marred light golden tiles... had he found it any later, these subtle traces might have been swept away as dust by the still-functional palace.


    Colin held his breath and focused, gently picking up the fragments using his spiritual power.


    ''These crystal-clear, gem-like, dark red flakes...could they have fallen from Nasi''s wings?''


    His fair face tensed, with his eyebrows nearly knitting together, he continued to look around the vicinity of the fragments.


    Soon after, he found a second dark red fragment about three or four meters ahead on the ground...


    These fragments were extremely small, even smaller than sesame seeds, truly difficult to detect.


    But Colin possessed astonishing recognition ability brought by the Superbrain. After remembering their characteristics, the efficiency of his search increased.


    After finding the second fragment, he quickly found a third, and then a forth... Time passed by like this.


    Colin looked up and suddenly realized he had already reached beneath the palace''s three Thrones.


    And now, lifting his head, he saw that there were also crystal-clear, dark red fragments on top of the middle Throne.


    Gathering the fragments collected in his palm, they now joined together, accumulating more and more until they nearly formed a small half of one of Nasi''s wings... Nasi had no more than four wings in total.


    Colin''s movements briefly stalled, then he closed his palm, climbed the steps, and approached the Throne.


    He didn''t linger at the two slightly forward light golden Thrones but went straight to the last one in the middle, the Emerald Throne.


    Instead of hurrying to pick up the fragments on the Throne, Colin closely examined the Throne, then continued walking behind it.


    Behind the Emerald Throne was a wall, a dark-colored one with a worn mural of a towering Ancient Tree.


    The originally sacred and majestic mural of the Ancient Tree of Life now seemed, with the dark red mottled pollution, to bear an air of desolation.


    Thump, thump.


    He took out the shovel-shaped Witch Tool from Margaret''s Storage Ring, which he had previously used for digging on the edge of the plains, and gently tapped the edge of the wall.


    The sound was thick and muffled, the sensation hard and firm... but Colin did not stop, going from left to right, top to bottom, tapping the wall bit by bit.


    Thump, thump, thump...


    The dull sounds echoed continuously in the silent palace, like a devout monk bowing his head in prayer time and again before Buddha.


    Some time passed.


    This continuous sound of bowing suddenly broke for a second, the rhythm interrupted...and then it never rose again.


    But Colin''s shovel-swinging gesture did not stop at all!


    The only change was where the shovel tip struck... that part of the wall appeared to be just an illusion, the dark shovel tip encountered no resistance, no impact, and just passed straight through the wall.


    After probing for a moment like this, Colin found the range of the seemingly seamless illusion in front of him.


    The illusion roughly took the shape of an archway, not particularly tall, less than three meters, right behind the Throne in the middle.


    "If there were no illusion hiding this originally, then anyone within the palace looking up in admiration at the Elf Queen would also see at a glance the archway behind her. And behind the archway... something."


    Colin withdrew the shovel-shaped Witch Tool with the back of his hand and looked up at the magnificent mural above the wall in front of him.


    "Anilasa!"


    Just as with the mural he had seen in the Tree Hole Forest, as Colin''s gaze fixed on the tree before him, the one the Elves revered as the eternal Mother Tree that fostered all... her noble name emerged in his mind.


    He then looked at the archway hidden beneath the mural in the illusion.


    It was as if lightning had struck him, Colin''s expression froze, and, like an epiphany, he faintly realized something.


    A chilling cold suddenly spread from his tailbone to the crown of his head, making him uncontrollably purse his lips, his expression turning solemn.


    This was the involuntary reverence, curiosity, and fear one feels in the face of a legendary life.


    "Huff~"


    Exhaling a long breath, Colin suppressed the tumultuous thoughts in his heart and shook his head.


    ''The Elf Clan has departed, there''s no reason for Anilasa to remain here...''


    After a moment of silent contemplation, he took out the crown he had just acquired from the Treasure Vault.


    Pausing for a moment, Colin grasped the ends of the crown and carefully set it upon his head.


    His spiritual power spread to it, and the pale golden crown immediately glowed softly, with points of star-like gold light emerging from the leaf-shaped gemstone at the front center.


    The crown began to tighten automatically, adjusting to the perfect fit and firmly securing itself on Colin''s head.


    Soon after, information about the crown appeared in Colin''s mind, causing him to close his eyes to assimilate the information.


    Moments later, he opened his eyes and murmured to himself:


    "Inspiration Crown, hm..."


    Without delay, Colin also took out the emerald necklace.


    Likewise imprinting his spiritual power upon it, he learned the name of the necklace ¡ª "Ancient Tree Spring."


    ''Everything is ready.''


    Colin adjusted the Inspiration Crown atop his head, summoned the Tree Armor made to resemble Tree Armor, and his body was covered with Defensive Witchcraft and reinforced with Mechanical Mind.


    After completing these preparations, he lifted his right foot, ready to step through the illusion before him.


    But as though he had thought of something, Colin''s movements hesitated, and he stepped back in front of the Throne, bending over to pick up a dark red fragment from its surface, then turned and strode boldly through the wall''s illusion!


    It was like walking through a common dimly-lit archway, Colin only felt darkness before his eyes, which then gradually became clear.


    A massive, rough-hewn underground space suddenly appeared.


    The unadorned walls of rock, hewn with axe and chisel, upheld the space, in their most primitive brown and gray-white colors, with close inspection even revealing stubborn green shoots eking out from the crevices.


    However, such details Colin could no longer pay attention to.


    All of his sight, even the thoughts in his brain, were occupied by the presence of a grand and indescribably monumental Ancient Tree before him!


    "Ugh!" Colin''s heart shook, he bit down hard on his tongue, the pain along with the Mechanical Mind that was already in place on his body allowed him a brief moment of lucidity.


    It was this clarity that made him suddenly see the whole picture of the tree... that somewhat abnormal trunk thicker at the top than the bottom.


    ''This isn''t the real Tree of Life?!''


    At the same time, he also saw the familiar little figure on a pale gold flower at the tip of a brown limb protruding horizontally from the tree''s abnormal trunk ¡ª Nasi!


    Yet, this was not the most surprising thing... Colin''s pupils constricted slightly!


    At the front center of the tree''s abnormal trunk, as if a half-circle of spikes had been affixed, a dozen branches sprawled out, each with a pale golden flower.


    Most of these flowers were still closed buds, only the one near Nasi was slightly open.


    And within it was another small elf!


    An elf that looked extremely similar to Nasi, but was of a light pink color!


    However, just then!


    A grand yet oddly eerie voice suddenly resounded, its syllables regular, but in a language he had never heard before.


    Like a sledgehammer striking his head, a buzz ran through him, Colin''s vision blurting once again and bizarre whispers filled his mind.


    And it was in the instant the voice sounded that the Inspiration Crown on Colin''s head also lit up with a faint glow.


    As if ice water had been poured over his head in the blazing heat of summer, Colin felt a refreshing sensation trickle down, soon enveloping his entire scalp.


    And in this state, the grand and eerie voice gradually became clear, began to become understandable ¡ª


    "Tree, why do you not come to greet me?"


    The voice said so.

 Chapter 344 - 256: Understanding

    The ancient cave was deathly silent.


    The thick rock walls isolated all sound; there was neither the whisper of wind nor the drip of water.


    Colin stood silently near the towering ancient tree, without making any movement.


    A sharp branch hovered behind him, but instead of pressing its tip against him, it gently encircled his waist.


    Yet, even so, Colin dared not make any sudden moves.


    Swish.


    The branch floating behind him unconsciously moved forward a bit.


    Colin''s muscles tensed as he stepped forward, almost reaching the base of the ancient tree, leaving only about a meter''s distance from its deformed, slender trunk.


    Just moments ago, he had also "voluntarily" walked step by step to the side of this malformed ancient tree.


    "Tree..." Colin thought silently; he bowed his head and gazed at the armor he wore, unsure whether he should feel fortunate...


    His gaze moved upward; the distorted lower part of the ancient tree clearly appeared before him... Rather than saying it was the lower part of a tree trunk, it was more like a long tree burl.


    The burl was roughly six to seven meters long with a diameter of two meters in an elliptical shape. Though termed elliptical, it was incredibly irregular. Large and small bulges dotted with dark red spots like malignant tumors swelled up, densely covering the entire area.


    Colin just stared intently for a moment, then suddenly felt a bit dizzy and quickly moved his gaze higher.


    This was above the long burl. Here, the diameter of the trunk abruptly expanded to nearly ten meters. The outer appearance also returned to normal. The two parts joined together in this manner, looking utterly discordant and causing discomfort to the onlooker.


    However, this top-heavy appearance surprisingly did not give the impression of being unstable; rather, it made one feel as though it should be this way, with the burl connected to the ground being even more a stable entity!


    "Strange..." S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Weird, it''s not yet time, so why has the Flower Elf come now?"


    At that moment, the ancient tree beside him spoke again.


    A huge, vague human face emerged from the middle of the brown, sturdy trunk, muttering softly while gazing at the little elf Nasi, who slumbered amidst the flowers.


    "Why... why indeed..."


    This puzzlement seemed to deeply trouble it, continually repeating in a murmuring tone, gradually becoming chaotic and frenzied.


    "Why... why indeed?!"


    The eerie whisper made Colin feel as if a ladle was inserted into his brain, ceaselessly stirring, causing him to groan involuntarily, his complexion turning somewhat pale.


    Whether it was because it noticed Colin''s groan, the murmuring of the ancient tree abruptly stopped.


    The huge face, like a swimming fish, moved down from the middle of the trunk and came to stop at the edge where the normal trunk met the burl, seemingly unable to move any further; thus, it hovered, staring down at Colin.


    "Tree... I almost forgot about you, Tree," the face muttered to itself,


    and then continued with a dawning realization, "The Flower Elf must have come a few years early to bring you here, am I right?"


    Colin bowed his head and remained silent, partly because he did not know how to respond, and partly because, though he could understand the tree''s strange words, he did not know how to speak them.


    But was Nasi really the legendary Flower Elf?


    Seeing that he did not answer, the face did not get annoyed; it moved back to the middle and continued to stare at Nasi, muttering to itself:


    "Since you''re back, we might as well change bodies again so you can continue to sleep without worry of being disturbed¡­ so weary."


    As it spoke, it vividly yawned, its specific expressions unclear yet clearly exhibiting a sense of fatigue.


    Then, the huge face frowned, and thus, those thorn-like brown branches in the middle suddenly became as soft and flexible as tentacles.


    Next, a shocking amount of emerald Spiritual Light enveloped Nasi, covering the entire middle area and also obscuring Colin''s view.


    Just by feeling this Spiritual Light, any slight notion of resistance Colin might have harbored instantly vanished.


    But in reality, Colin had no time to examine closely... The branch that had followed him like a shadow, as the ancient tree got busy, began unconsciously moving forward continuously, almost forcing him to press up against the burl!


    "Anilasa!" he suddenly cried out loud.


    Whoosh.


    The emerald Spiritual Light above his head instantly disappeared, and the face instantly appeared before Colin.


    "Are you Tree?" Before Colin could speak, it suddenly asked.


    Colin was startled, almost thinking the ancient tree had noticed something unusual.


    But the next second, the ancient tree continued speaking, asking continuously:


    "Tree, where is your High-Level Elf companion? And those treasonous Tree Elves? Have they all been ''eliminated'' by ''me''?"


    Colin kept his head bowed, remaining silent, his mind full of suspicions¡­


    "Is it that my memory has failed, or is there another reason? If I obliterated them myself, why would I need to ask others?"


    Meanwhile, his silence seemed to make the ancient tree realize something.


    "Are you the only one left..." the huge face murmured, sounding somewhat desolate.


    It closed its mouth and slowly ascended upwards.


    Colin took the opportunity to look up at Nasi, who lay among the flowers.


    Due to his angle, he could only see a dark silhouette through the thin petals¡­


    But, changing bodies?


    It seemed that if this had happened many times over the years, Nasi should at least not be in mortal danger.


    But¡­ would Nasi, having changed bodies, still retain her current memories?


    Would she still be Nasi?


    This thought made Colin''s heart sink.


    "Tree, I am tired. I will sleep for a little while.


    During this time, take over the work of the Flower Elf, whether it''s dealing with the Tree Elf traitors or just staying here. In any case, watch over the Elf Kingdom for me and tell me if anything unusual happens."


    But to Colin''s surprise, after the huge face ascended, it did not continue the action but instead chose to sink into the trunk... It seemed that due to his interruption, it could no longer resist its tiredness and chose to sleep.


    However, although the face disappeared, the voice still continued to echo.


    "Also, in a few days, the Wind of Amis will descend again. Stay away from me, and stay away from those winds, lest you also get tainted by that unbearable foulness!


    You are not a Flower Elf, your spirituality is not half as firm as hers... moreover, there are no more bodies for you to switch into, I cannot produce fruit¡­"


    The massive yet eerie voice gradually quieted down, and the cave returned to silence.


    The branch that curled around his back like a clinging curse also quietly drooped down.


    But Colin felt not a shred of joy.


    He rolled up his left sleeve, and, on the upper part of his wrist, a clear golden tree pattern had quietly emerged.


    Pulling his sleeve back down, Colin looked up at the flower cradling Nasi overhead.


    The pale golden flower had closed, tightly wrapping the little elf within.


    Unlike other branches with flower buds, the one carrying Nasi was the only one that did not retract to the trunk.


    Not only did it not retract, but it had also deliberately elongated, distancing itself from the ancient tree''s trunk... as if guarding against something.


    Colin withdrew his gaze thoughtfully.


    Moments later, he returned along the same path, passing through the illusionary wall, and found himself back in the original palace.


    Bang!!


    Passing through the illusion, Colin fired a Fireball experimentally at the ground. A loud explosion resounded through the sky.


    Swoosh, he crossed back through the illusion.


    In the cave, the tall ancient tree remained quietly still, not making a sound.


    "Indeed... for some reason, this ancient tree cannot perceive or, rather, avoids seeing or hearing any external disturbances."


    Understanding this, Colin returned to the palace, glanced at the Emerald Throne in front of him, and then sat down cross-legged beside it, closing his eyes.


    With the help of the Crown of Spiritual Light aiding him to understand the ancient tree''s language, another thing stored in his mind suddenly became comprehensible¡ª


    That was the bizarre ancient books remembered within the tallest and majestic stone tree under the blue sky!

 Chapter 345 - 257: Discovery

    As his eyes closed, the strange characters he had previously remembered gradually began to surface in his mind.


    Colin, following the order, began reading from the first and only complete tome he discovered in the stone tree.


    With the aid of the Crown of Enlightenment, these originally unfamiliar characters now seemed familiar. However, due to the influence of some peculiar power, understanding them was still difficult, which made his reading speed extremely slow.


    About two hours passed before he barely finished half of the first book.


    The contents of this half primarily discussed the birth of the Ancient Tree of Life.


    "Existing within the multiverse... born in the Star Realm..." Colin opened his eyes, murmuring to himself, somewhat shocked.


    If the records in the tome were true, then the Ancient Tree of Life was undoubtedly a transcendent existence, comparable to the Divine!


    But it was not a divine being, not born of faith; its true body resided in the Star Realm, and its offshoots existed in multiple realms simultaneously. Its distinctive characteristic was that it would nurture beings known as elves.


    Such information made Colin even more certain that the ancient tree in the cave behind him was neither an actual offshoot of the Ancient Tree of Life of this realm nor the true Ancient Tree of Life!


    ''But what exactly is this entity that believes itself to be the Ancient Tree of Life?'' sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He furrowed his brows tightly, closing his eyes again.


    However, this time, Colin chose not to continue reading the latter part of the first book.


    Instead, he began to quickly browse through all the remaining characters memorized in his mind, to verify another hypothesis!


    Hence, about an hour passed, and Colin once more opened his eyes, his expression somewhat enlightened.


    ''These books within the stone tree, rather than being histories recorded by the Elf Clan, seem more like memories of the Ancient Tree of Life... or perhaps, the memories of the strange gigantic tree in the cave behind.''


    After careful contemplation, Colin concluded¡ª


    "They are more like the memories of the strange gigantic tree behind."


    The judgment was mainly because most of the records and descriptions in the books, although often written in the first person, were not genuine. Some parts seemed clearly to be products of self-imagination...


    With this in mind, as if trying to verify something, Colin slowly stood up, glanced at the cave behind, and walked out toward the exterior of the palace.


    About half an hour later.


    He returned under the blue sky and entered the largest stone tree.


    In the room filled with bookshelves, Colin stood quietly in front of the first bookshelf, his expression solemn.


    ''Indeed, these books that Lillian and I had previously taken have now all returned to their original places on the shelf.''


    He touched the books in front of him with his hand, then thought,


    "Although I don''t know the reason, thinking positively, at least those books I did not remember initially, now I have a chance to read them again."


    Thus, in the next half day, Colin, relying on his Superbrain, took mental note of all the accessible tomes without seeking deep understanding.


    Then he returned to the palace under the blue sky, where he began reading from the second half of the first book.


    Nasi was in the cave behind the palace, and Lillian might also possibly return to the palace through the Treasury Arch.


    To be the first to know of these changes, it was naturally best for him to stay within the palace.


    Thus, time flew by.


    Colin spent almost all his time perusing the books.


    However, the further he read, the more disordered and repetitive the content in the books became; they were almost all nonsensical. Often, a very thick book''s entire message could be summarized in a single sentence.


    But the strange characters had not a single repetition... or rather, under the influence of some power, he could not discern any repetition.


    In such circumstances, to avoid missing any crucial information, Colin''s reading speed remained unable to increase.


    Finally, after seven days passed, and the Dark Red Wind was about to sweep in, he had barely managed to read through half of all the books.


    However, despite the content mostly being nonsensical, it was enough to bring him some extraordinary benefits.


    Colin slowly stood up, the Crown of Enlightenment on his head quietly shrinking like a phantom, eventually leaving a pattern of intertwined golden and green leaves on his forehead.


    Such a faint pattern also slowly disappeared under his skin with a thought.


    Not only that, the Elf Armor he was wearing and the Ancient Tree Spring Necklace he was adorned with underwent the same transformation.


    They all quietly vanished, allowing Colin at this moment to revert back to a merely handsome yet ordinary young wizard.


    Seemingly an invisible benefit from reading the strange characters, he inexplicably gained a deeper mastery of these treasures crafted by the Elf Clan.


    This change was not only external where the appearance could be hidden, but both the Elf Armor and the Crown of Enlightenment could unleash stronger powers in Colin''s hands!


    Clang.


    With a thought from Colin, the Elf Armor and others reappeared on his body.


    The unexpected gains did not bring him much joy... he still could not find a way out.


    Having read through half of the books, he had learned some secret histories that might or might not be true.


    For instance, initially, the Elf Clan had only one king, the Ancient Tree of Life actually had no substantial self-awareness, resembling a strange life form that felt neither sorrow nor joy, while rooted across different realms, and so on...

 Chapter 346 - 257: Discovery_2

    However, there wasn''t much helpful information regarding the current situation, almost none at all.


    Tap.


    Colin reached out, flicked the copper pocket watch, and the hands on it continued to move as before.


    "Only two more minutes before the Dark Red Contamination Wind arrives again," Colin said silently, stomping his feet lightly as he loosened his body to prepare.


    He glanced over at the Treasury Arch in the middle of the palace.


    Seven days had passed, and there was still no sign of Lillian.


    Thinking of this, Colin took out the delicate little wooden hammer he had obtained from Lites, inserting his spiritual power into it.


    "The place to use this is at the foot of the mountain... from there, one can leave with the help of the hammer," he confirmed again. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just a glance at the faintly visible mark on his wrist was enough for Colin''s mind to dismiss all thoughts.


    The reading he''d done over these days had informed him about the function of the mark in his hand¡ªit limited the range of his movements.


    Considering his previous experiences, he speculated that the little elf, Nasi, might also bear the same mark.


    And this mark could only be removed by the giant tree...


    As for whether killing the giant tree could remove it¡ªno elf knew.


    There was no record of it in the books composed of the giant tree''s odd memories.


    Colin''s expression remained solemn; he looked back for a moment, then turned, stepping through the illusion.


    Although he was unsure whether solving the mystery of the giant tree would remove the mark, thus saving Nasi and himself and allowing them to escape, or even how to deal with the gigantic tree...


    He couldn''t just resign himself to fate and stay here as a so-called Tree!


    Passing through the illusion, the cave was just as unchanged as it was seven days ago, and Nasi was still all right, merely maintaining her dormant state.


    Hoo~


    A wind, origin unknown, suddenly blew, lifting the golden strands of hair from Colin''s forehead.


    "The Contamination Wind... has started," he sighed out, taking out the Demon Release Ring and bracing himself while shifting his gaze to the giant tree in the cave.


    Though the giant tree had informed him to keep some distance when the Dark Red Wind blew... the more it said so, the more Colin was inclined to do the opposite, in order to seek out a possible lifeline within it!


    His pale golden hair started to fly wildly behind him as the wind grew stronger, and his vision gradually stained a pale red.


    But since the mountains were less polluted than other areas, the current wind was still not strong enough to greatly affect Colin.


    However, just moments later, just like previously inside the petrified tree, a denser Dark Red Wind suddenly sprang up in the cave.


    Colin''s eyes sharpened as he quickly searched for the source!


    "Is it... the tree knots at the lower part of the tree?"


    Below the giant tree, tree knots covered in dark red spots suddenly began to pulsate slowly like a heartbeat, sending waves of foul wind like surges toward the surroundings.


    "Amis¡ª!"


    Just as Colin was stunned, a massive human face suddenly appeared on the tree, screaming in agony.


    Perhaps it was because of the interference from the Dark Red Wind, or perhaps it was because it did not care.


    The face on the tree ignored Colin''s presence, screamed a bit as if it were routine, then shrank a few sizes and moved up to the highest part of the tree crown.


    Thud, thud, thud¡ª


    The long knots below continuously contracted and expanded.


    Colin clenched his teeth, struggling to withstand the Dark Red Contamination Wind coming from all directions, hoping to stay a bit longer to see more changes.


    The gigantic face above the giant tree seemed to dread this contaminated wind; a misty emerald Spiritual Light ignited from the crown, striving to fend off the dark red wind.


    The branch that once held the little elf Nasi was also separately lowered, away from the crown.


    But here, the winds that once blew aimlessly seemed to have found a unanimous target, assembling wave after wave, attacking the human face above the tree crown.


    A small tornado suddenly formed atop the tree crown, causing the once strong emerald Spiritual Light to sway precariously.


    "Amis¡ª!"


    The face reappeared from the tree trunk and roared again it.


    The next moment, deep inside the tree knots from which the Dark Red Wind constantly emerged at the lower part of the trunk, a pale golden light gradually began to emit.


    This light was so intense, it almost penetrated the outer layer of the dark red tree knots.


    "This is?!"


    As the light pierced through, an extremely pure essence of life immediately filled the entire cave.


    On the rocky walls, specks of green crawled out from the crevices, wildly expanding outward, almost instantly turning half of the cavern green.


    On closer inspection, these greens were all unknown plants, some mossy, others blooming with various colored flowers...


    However, this beautiful scene did not last even a moment before it altered under the suddenly intensified Dark Red Wind of corruption.


    The green gradually receded, replaced by the dark red color of corruption. The plants wilted one after another, falling from the rocky walls like crushed stones, then turning into dark dust in the wind.


    Colin clenched his teeth, his feet firmly planted, striving to resist the corrupting wind.


    In the midst of it all, he realized that perhaps the method to deal with the ancient tree in front of him, perhaps the hope to escape life, might be hidden in this very special transformation!


    Colin strained his eyes, looking through the dark red wind, he saw the shape of the light beneath the tree tumor!


    "Is that¡­ a broken giant branch?!!"


    Before he could confirm it, the dark red tree tumor abruptly swelled, then violently contracted.


    Puff!


    A deep purple wind, squeezed out of the tumor like blood, rapidly diffused outward like ink drops in water.


    The golden light was slowly obscured, and the gigantic face issued an unhappy roar.


    However, even though the golden light had disappeared, the green light wafting from the treetop where the gigantic face was no longer wobbled.


    It was a narrow range but it barely protected the gigantic face, keeping it unscathed from the corrupting wind.


    A fragile balance was maintained between the two.


    On the other hand, as the deep purple wind spread, Colin''s situation was not looking good.


    "Amis¡­ Eternal Wind¡­ marvelous painter¡­" Strange whispers suddenly sounded in his ear.


    "Cough cough¡ª" Colin''s complexion immediately turned flush, a trace of bloody scent surged to his throat.


    His heart pounded like a drum, as if a ball of flame was stuffed inside, a burning and scorching sensation immediately emerged in his heart, then it intensified, nearly igniting his entire being!


    "Not good!" Colin forcibly blinked his eyes filled with dark red blood vessels, hesitated for a moment with pursed lips, then after one last determined look at the giant tree, he chose to retreat for now.


    Behind him at arm''s length, the illusion that led towards the palace was present.


    Colin turned around, activated the Flying Witchcraft, and plunged into the illusion, arriving at the palace.


    But before he could react,


    His internal heat unexpectedly surged!


    Puff!


    Caught off guard, stimulated by the heat in his heart, Colin felt a warmth in his throat and involuntarily spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.


    He opened his eyes trying to inspect his surroundings, but saw only the deep, nearly purple dark red wind.


    Endless mad whispers echoed in his mind, Colin shook his head trying to stay conscious.


    Biting his tongue tip sternly, he spurred his full Magic Power, pushing the Light Flame Soaring Skill and Swift Skill to their limits, and headed forward with all his might.


    It was unknowable how long had passed, but Colin gradually regained his lucidity, and his mind had the excess rationality to observe his surroundings.


    That was when he realized that he hadn''t flown far at all.


    He had merely moved from the deepest part of the Treasury Palace''s cave to the front door.


    However, despite such a short distance, the concentration of corruption was vastly different.


    Colin looked up at the cave wall engraved with the Ancient Tree of Life.


    Starting from the two faint gold Thrones, the corrupting wind seemed to be gathered and compressed by some force there, darkening almost to a purple hue.


    The corrupting wind continued to blow forward, passing the Emerald Throne but was staunchly blocked by the cave wall engraved with the Ancient Tree of Life, forming an "wall" of dark red and purple.


    "Is this perhaps the reason why the giant tree refuses to contact the outside world?" Colin wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, silently pondering.


    With that, a day passed in an instant.


    Colin stepped beside the Emerald Throne and gently sat down cross-legged.


    The dark red wind of corruption had ceased, and the entire palace returned to silence.


    Yet his heart was far from calm, prompting Colin to close his eyes and silently contemplate.

 Chapter 347 - 258: Advance

    ''The giant tree... or perhaps a human face, might be a product born from the remnants of the Ancient Tree of Life.''


    Almost immediately, Colin had this suspicion.


    The branch-shaped emerald glow hidden under the dark red burl should be the real Ancient Tree of Life, a fragment of her.


    ''And the giant tree, no, the consciousness born from the branch itself, seems particularly fearful of the polluted wind!''


    Next, Colin concluded a second piece of information.


    He slowly stood up, staring at the majestic cave wall behind him, then walked through the illusion again into the cave.


    Inside the cave, like the outside world, calm had been restored.


    The grandiose tree was silent, and the human face was nowhere to be seen... but a pervasive aura let Colin know that the human face was still alive, seemingly unharmed, probably just sunk into the trunk to rest.


    The brown branch bearing Nasi had also risen again, presumably, Nasi, with her extraordinary resistance to the Dark Red Wind, was also unscathed.


    "Tree¡ª" just then, the enormous human face suddenly appeared and stared at Colin, asking slowly,


    "Has there been any movement in the kingdom over these past seven days?"


    "No, esteemed Anilasa," Colin replied, his expression unchanged, bowing slightly.


    After seven days of reading, with the combined enhancements of the Spiritual Light crown and Superbrain, he could now articulate one or two sentences.


    "Has the Tree Elf returned?" the enormous face asked slowly.


    Colin shook his head.


    "Sixty years have passed in the blink of an eye... I still vividly remember those traitors!" the enormous face muttered under its breath, every word seemed to be squeezed through the gaps in its teeth, "If it weren''t for them constantly acting like wizards exploring so-called knowledge and truth! This vast Elf Kingdom would not have been destroyed overnight!"


    "Alright, you may leave now, wait a few days until I replace the body for the Flower Elf, then you can come back and guard by my side," the enormous face shifted its gaze back to him, saying slowly,


    "High Level Elves are essentially extinct, and the three kings are already dead... Tree, as long as you guard me diligently for a hundred years, once I recover, the king of the new Elf Clan might well be you!"


    Colin remained silent, not saying more, bowed, and retired.


    Only when he had passed through the illusion did his expression suddenly darken.


    ''In a few days, it will be time to replace Nasi''s body... and this Elf Kingdom, was it really because the Tree Elves pursued knowledge too extensively that it ended up like this? And the High-Level Elves from legend are almost extinct?'' S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Colin''s thoughts churned endlessly as he sat cross-legged next to the Emerald Throne, flipping through the remaining books in his mind.


    Now was not the time to dwell on these matters; what he needed more was to find a way to deal with the Ancient Tree.


    This time, Colin chose to read the books in reverse order, starting from the highest layer and moving downward.


    The past seven days of reading had revealed that the books storing memories in the stone tree were arranged in chronological order.


    The bottom layer contained the oldest memories.


    He had originally planned to read all the books in chronological order thoroughly, partly for ease of understanding and partly to avoid missing anything.


    But now, perhaps reading in reverse order was a better choice.


    Thus, a day quietly passed.


    Colin stood up next to the Emerald Throne, his face showing some disappointment.


    The top few layers of the stone tree, due to the overly strong protective measures on the bookshelves, were unbreakable, not only when he and Lillian had tried together but now even impossible alone.


    Thus, the memories recorded therein remained unknown to him.


    The most recent memory from the books now seemed to be almost eighty years ago...


    Colin sighed, sat down again, and continued to look through the remaining recorded memories.


    The Elf Kingdom was already abandoned; besides Colin and the giant tree and small elves in the cave, there were no other living beings.


    The sky was a constantly deep purple layer, the ground eternally dark red... time seemed to have stopped here.


    Thus, another five days quickly passed.


    On this day, Colin finished reading all the books recorded in his mind.


    Amidst the jumble of information, he finally found a spark of Spiritual Light!


    It was a record of the three Elf kings hosting a banquet for a team of Wizards from the Nolan Continent in the Treasure Vault.


    "During the golden autumn, the three kings held a banquet in the Treasure Vault for the Wizard Team from the Nolan Continent, before the banquet, the Wizard Team presented a Queen a peculiar Crystal Ball, the Queen selected three wizards to choose treasures from the Treasure Vault, the wizards were delighted with the treasures, then the Queen and the Wizard Team together met Anilasa, the Wizard Team was awestruck by the grandeur of Anilasa, rendered speechless..."


    Colin silently repeated this passage in his mind, firmly resolved... just waiting for the next round of the Dark Red Wind, which was the perfect time to attempt!


    With this in mind, he again stepped into the illusion, ready to check the situation in the cave.


    These days, he had been entering the cave quietly almost every half-day, observing the giant tree and Nasi''s condition.


    However, this time, as he crossed the illusion, his expression suddenly changed.


    The human face on the giant tree had already awoken and was now holding Nasi up to its eyes, seemingly about to start replacing her body!


    Compared to more than ten days before, Colin had a much clearer understanding of what the enormous face meant by replacing a body.


    This so-called replacement of the body was clearly to kill Nasi!

 Chapter 348 - 258 Advance by 2

    Flower Elves are a type of Tree Elf, but they hold a higher status than ordinary Tree Elves and are even comparable to High Level Elves!


    As the name suggests, Flower Elves, according to legend, are nurtured by the flowers of the Ancient Tree of Life, High Level Elves are born from its fruits, and Tree Elves from its leaves.


    Thus, in a certain sense, the status of Flower Elves is even higher than that of High Level Elves!


    However, because Flower Elves are exceedingly rare and uncommon, they are not well-known.


    And just as the colossal face had said, their True Spirits are extremely robust. Without external interference, there is hardly any degradation.


    As a result, the number of Flower Elves has been fixed ever since the birth of the Elf Clan.


    Only when a Flower Elf dies, and their spirituality returns to its most primitive state and reenters the Ancient Tree of Life, can a new Flower Elf be nurtured from it!


    This is the most distinctive difference between Flower Elves and other Elves.


    The massive face was able to replace Nasi''s body by exploiting such a rule.


    Although it talked about body replacement, essentially, it was no different from killing Nasi.


    The goal was simply to retain the purest spirituality stripped of everything, and to nurture a new Flower Elf!


    "Anilasa!" Colin couldn''t help but speak up again.


    The massive face showed displeasure and turned to look at him with a solemn voice,


    "Tree, what is it?"


    As it spoke, a brown branch as thick as a wrist suddenly stretched forward, wrapping around Colin and pulling him in front.


    The huge, blurry face was now extremely close, its massive eyes nearly as large as Colin himself!


    Colin steadied his mind, controlling the rate of his heartbeat, and spoke firmly,


    "Respected Anilasa, there has been a disturbance in the Elf Kingdom. A group of Tree Elves has returned here."


    "Tree Elves! Those traitors, they dare to come back here!"


    As he expected, the enormous face grew furious upon hearing of Tree Elves. Nasi, who had initially been brought forward, was slowly lowered, seemingly to be dealt with later.


    Seeing this, Colin secretly breathed a sigh of relief.


    In these five days, he had learned a bit more of the language, originally planning to extract information from the giant tree...


    "Tree, where are these Tree Elves now?" After the anger subsided, the large face continued in a calmer tone. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The forest," Colin replied briefly, being mindful of his limited vocabulary to avoid exposure.


    "The forest, and not here? Indeed, no Elf knows of my existence..." the huge face muttered, a hint of anthropomorphic apprehension flashing across it, "I can''t let these traitors know of my existence before I''ve recovered¡ª"


    "Tree! Go and destroy those who have embraced Divine''s protection and betrayed the High Level Elves and me in alliance with Liya''er!"


    "...Yes," Colin said, his expression stern. After a moment of silence, he responded softly.


    Just then, a jade-like green light suddenly appeared before him and struck him with the speed of lightning.


    Colin was startled.


    But in the next moment, he felt a surging energy flooding his body!


    Had it not been for his bodily strength as an Ultimate Knight, just this energy alone would have severely wounded him.


    "Go, I have enhanced your power, Tree. High Level Elves are the most powerful Elves, use your natural magic to deal with those traitors... Do not disappoint me."


    The colossal face continued, placing Colin back on the ground.


    "Yes." Colin suppressed the discomfort in his body, kept a composed face, and turned quickly towards the palace, to avoid giving himself away.


    Perhaps the green light was a powerful boost for High Level Elves, but for him, who lacked the Elf Bloodline, it was just a mass of energy that could nearly burst him.


    Fortunately, the giant tree had abandoned the plan to ''kill'' Nasi... Colin comforted himself and glanced back subconsciously.


    But this glance made him stop in his tracks.


    Without considering the energy just spent, the massive face was now lifting Nasi again, seemingly planning to continue with killing her to nurture a new Flower Elf!


    ''Could it be¡­ to use the special status of Flower Elves to deal with the Tree Elves I fabricated?'' Colin''s expression suddenly darkened, a whirl of thoughts racing through his mind.


    Dim green light glowed from the flowers where Nasi was, and her tiny figure was instantly engulfed.


    ''No choice now! I must act ahead of time!!'' Colin''s gaze sharpened, and he quickly moved towards the palace.


    Swish!


    He crossed through the illusion and without pausing, he went straight to the Emerald Throne.


    Stroking the throne, which felt like a mix of jade and wood, Colin no longer hesitated, took a deep breath of turbid air, and sat down.


    The tree-shaped mark on his wrist lit up slightly, a faint golden glow igniting and lighting up the entire Emerald Throne.


    Golden and red intertwined like molten rock, starting from the dark base of the throne and spreading upwards along the green veins, as if flames were suddenly arising.


    However, Colin''s attention was not on this.


    The tree-shaped mark on his wrist was both a restriction and a blessing, and now, with such a mark, he could nearly open all doors, including this throne.


    But the Emerald Throne was not a door, rather a key to open a certain door.


    Clack Clack Clack¡ª


    As Colin''s thoughts shifted, a strange friction sounded from behind him.


    The thick stone wall engraved with the Ancient Tree of Life, under the influence of an invisible mechanism, gradually began to rise!


    A faint gray dust fell.


    As the stone wall rose, the gap underneath gradually widened.


    An angry voice mixed with a hint of fear came through:


    "Who dares to raise the Ancient Tree Wall without permission?!!"


    But the rising of the stone wall did not stop because of the giant face''s roar.


    As a consciousness that had arisen only from the fragmented branches of the real Ancient Tree of Life, whether it be memory or knowledge, both were incomplete; it could not directly stop the rising of the stone wall.


    Hoo¡ª


    As the cave connected with the palace, suddenly, a breeze picked up.


    Above the Emerald Throne, Colin''s face lit up with joy, as he keenly noted that this breeze was not as simple as it seemed!


    Tiny, almost imperceptible dark red dust fell from various parts of the palace, and then followed the breeze, blowing towards the cave.


    Swish!!


    But at that moment, a brown vine as thick as a calf''s leg shot towards him like lightning from behind.


    Colin''s face tightened, having anticipated this scenario, he leaned back forcefully, pressing his back against the back of the throne.


    The next moment, the vine, shooting from the giant tree with unmatched power, entwined him and the throne together!


    "Ugh!"


    Colin strenuously activated all his defenses¡­ Steel Temperature Resistance Field, Elf Armor, but to no avail.


    Even the sturdy defense inherent to the throne had no effect whatsoever.


    The vine easily shattered these defenses, as if piercing through air.


    "Tree Elf, why have you raised the Ancient Tree Wall?!" the giant face asked in a deep, questioning tone, and without waiting for Colin to respond, quickly continued, "Bring the Ancient Tree Wall down immediately!"


    Feeling the focus of the dark red contaminated wind in the palace, sensing the giant face''s anxious tone... Colin slightly curled the corners of his mouth, blood seeping from the gaps between his teeth, eventually slipping from the corners of his mouth.


    He said nothing, made no futile resistance against the vine wrapped around his chest, but simply clenched his teeth, quietly buying time.


    "Tree Elf?!" the giant face called out several times more, but Colin maintained his silence.


    And since Colin was pressed closely against the throne, it was unable to pull him close for questioning separately.


    Hoo¡ª


    The wind grew stronger, its faint reddish hue becoming more noticeable.


    The giant face''s voice grew increasingly frantic, filled with madness.


    Spurt!


    In an instant, Colin suddenly felt a pain in his chest, looked down, and saw that the brown vine, like a cold, long snake, had pierced through the skin of his chest, burrowing deeply!


    Excruciating pain swept over him, causing him to involuntarily groan.


    Immediately after, the vine gently flicked, like a fatal hook lifting Colin up and rapidly pulling him back beside the giant tree!

 Chapter 349 - 259: Broken Branch (5.6k additional update 7/33)

    "Tree, I give you one last chance! Lower the stone wall now!" The immense face stared at him intensely, uttering deeply.


    Colin endured the pain and muttered hesitantly, "Respected Anilasa... I do not know... why the stone wall suddenly rose?"


    "You don''t know... It wasn''t you who raised the Ancient Tree Wall?" The giant face was taken aback upon hearing this.


    ''As expected, this face in front of me is just a consciousness born from a broken branch, with a very confused understanding of the Elf Kingdom.''


    Colin realized this over the period of time as he had read almost all the records, which meant he knew most of the memories of the giant tree face.


    Being able to raise the Ancient Tree Wall through the Emerald Throne was his conjecture based on the knowledge he possessed; the massive ancient tree probably had little understanding of it.


    The Queen hosted guests in the treasure vault hall, and each time, she would present the Ancient Tree of Life along with her guests.


    And each time, whether it was Wizards or Giant Dragons, none failed to marvel at the magnificent true form of the Ancient Tree of Life!


    If the life originally present in the cave was indeed the legendary Ancient Tree of Life, then wanting to see its entirety would certainly not just be through an archway beneath the stone wall.


    It was even less likely for the Queen to lead guests inside the cave... Therefore, the most plausible explanation was that this stone wall, carved with the Ancient Tree of Life, was in fact able to rise!


    As the giant face puzzled over this, the wind inside the cave grew stronger, making it increasingly agitated.


    Bang!!


    Suddenly, vines lashed out violently, flinging Colin to the ground like a ragdoll.


    Pfft!


    A mouthful of fresh blood burst forth, mixed with dark red chunks of flesh, but before Colin could react, the brown vines hoisted him up again, bringing him face-to-face with the immense visage.


    "Tree, hurry and lower the Ancient Tree Wall!"


    Pain washed over him like a tide. Colin shook his head, his eyes drooping, yet he remained silent.


    His condition seemed dire, but the Strong Life Talent, along with a strange energy within him, sustained his health.


    If he wasn''t mistaken, that energy was the enhancement the ancient tree had granted him just before...


    Of course, the main reason he was still alive was that the giant tree had shown some mercy.


    A misty green light shone around the face, staunchly protecting it from the surrounding filthy winds.


    The giant face furrowed its brow, frantically pondering how to lower the Ancient Tree Wall.


    But in the memories of the branch from which it was born, there had never been information about this... The Ancient Tree of Life never cared about these matters, nor the respect of the Elf Clan or the Wizards¡ªit was all useless to her.


    However, the Elf Clan didn''t see it this way; to avoid disturbing the Ancient Tree of Life, this seemingly ordinary Ancient Tree Wall was actually the most valuable and sturdiest presence atop the entire blue sky!


    Because of this, it could block out much of the dark red polluted wind that blew every seven days.


    Such sturdiness, however, was now adding to the immense trouble for the giant face.


    As a consciousness born from a branch that the Ancient Tree of Life had deliberately discarded, it inherently feared the polluted wind due to its incomplete nature.


    Now, without the barrier of the stone wall and with the strong availability of polluted tumors below, the enemy was strong and the self weak, making it difficult to resist!


    "Throne..."


    Suddenly, the giant face seemed to realize something, muttering quietly.


    "You used the throne to raise the Ancient Tree Wall, didn''t you?"


    Upon hearing this, Colin''s expression changed abruptly...


    But having been detected by the giant tree was anticipated, he gritted his teeth, planning to delay any further!


    Whoosh!!


    However, to Colin''s surprise, the giant tree threw him mercilessly to the ground without any concern!


    The force this time was much greater than the last; if the previous time was merely disciplinary, then this time it truly intended to dispose of Colin.


    Bang!!!


    Like a cannon shot, Colin hit the ground, creating a huge crater instantly!


    The ash-white earth bulged due to the impact, and dark dust rose, swirling in the red wind.


    Pain...


    Excruciating pain!


    Every part of his body felt like crushed cookies, pain flooding in waves, nearly causing Colin''s nerves to begin wailing.


    But the giant tree had misjudged Colin''s Talent.


    If it had been an ordinary First Rank High Level Elf who suffered such a severe injury, he might have died.


    However, not only did Colin not die, but the Strong Life Talent inside him, as if provoked, kicked into full gear, demonstrating unprecedented recovery capabilities!


    ''No!''


    Colin quickly realized that it wasn''t just the Strong Life Talent suddenly erupting, but there was another reason¡ª


    The abundant energy that the giant tree had previously bestowed was now being mobilized by the Strong Life Talent! They flowed consecutively, transforming into nourishment for the Strong Life Talent.


    Without this energy, he might not have died, but he certainly wouldn''t have recovered so quickly.


    Almost just a few breaths later, Colin felt his limbs had regained the capability to move.


    The shattered flesh had healed, and the broken bones had also been fully reconnected...


    However, though he had regained the ability to move, the better choice at the moment was clearly to remain as he was.


    Thus, Colin continued to play dead at the bottom of the pit, quietly casting Defensive Witchcraft to protect against the increasingly strong polluted wind. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Let''s see who can last until the end in this polluted wind!''

 Chapter 350 - 259: Broken Branch (5.6k additional update 7/33)_2

    But just seconds later, a voice made him change his mind.


    "Mom, what do you need me to do?" The little sprite Nasi had actually woken up and was talking to the huge tree!


    "Flower Elf, go sit on the Throne outside and lower the Ancient Tree Wall," the enormous human face said urgently.


    Its voice was genderless and now somewhat shrill in its anxiety.


    Yet little sprite Nasi seemed oblivious, as if she were used to it; she looked somewhat fearfully at the vast, blurred human face, then glanced at the familiar glowing tumor-like part of the tree''s lower trunk.


    It''s Mom''s presence... Nasi thought to herself, nodded, and with her slightly damaged red wings, weakly fluttered towards the outside. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing this, Colin almost wanted to stop Nasi right away.


    But a glance at the tree emitting a misty glow made him suppress the thought in his heart; he quietly awaited the right moment.


    The Dark Red Wind kept blowing, yet it seemed weak because it wasn''t the day for the wind to blow, even though it was steadily accumulating.


    As Nasi drew nearer to the Emerald Throne, Colin grew increasingly anxious.


    But it seemed the cavern''s Dark Red Wind still needed some time to reach the density of a windy day.


    The more anxious he became, the calmer he needed to be; lying at the bottom of the deep pit, feeling the cold ground beneath him, Colin worked hard to activate his Superbrain.


    Ka-ka-ka¡ª


    A faint noise came!


    ''Not good!'' Colin''s expression changed; this subtle sound clearly signaled that the Ancient Tree Wall was falling!


    On the other hand, the color of the Dark Red Wind had deepened, and the enormous face had shrunk back to the top of the canopy; the dark red tumor below was gradually emitting a deep red wind...


    Right, the tumor!


    It was as if something occurred to him; Colin''s train of thought paused, and his eyes suddenly brightened.


    The next second, without any delay, the surging Magic Power in his body rushed out urgently, so forcefully that even his skin began to bead with blood; the fluctuation of witchcraft brewed in Colin''s slightly raised right palm.


    "Huh? Is that Tree Elf still alive?" The enormous face keenly noticed this disturbance and sought to cast its gaze.


    Yet all it saw was a large orange-yellow scorching Fireball, whirling and expanding, hurtling towards it!


    "Weak attack..." The enormous face looked disdainful.


    However, the next moment, when it realized the true target of the fireball¡ªthe tree tumor below¡ªit panicked.


    "No!"


    But by then, it was already too late.


    The blazing fireball carved a lethal arc, crashing vehemently onto the tree tumor.


    The next instant, the attacked Dark Red Tumor suddenly swelled, then contracted sharply!


    Bursts of deep purple wind were squeezed out, spreading rapidly across the entire cavern in the blink of an eye.


    Buzz¡ª!


    The enormous face no longer had the mind to pay attention to Colin; it used all its energy to resist the suddenly intensified pollution wind.


    Colin, on the other hand, took this opportunity to fly out, quickly reaching before the Emerald Throne.


    "Great giant... what are you doing here!" Nasi asked in surprise, then wiped the sweat from her forehead, adding, "Such a hot wind, really annoying!"


    "Nasi, raise the stone wall!" Colin said hastily, with no time for pleasantries.


    The strength of the pollution wind was now considerable, and he had to exert all his might to ensure his normal activity.


    "But Mom asked me to lower the stone wall..." Nasi hesitated, glancing back at the Ancient Tree of Life.


    "That''s not your mom, that''s not Anilasa!" Colin continued to shout.


    The Ancient Tree of Life could easily break through the defenses above the Throne, but it didn''t mean he could. With Nasi staying on top, the Throne would naturally protect her from external disturbances.


    "Little Nasi, take a good look at that!" Colin urged her, pointing his finger at the Ancient Tree.


    It was the site of the Tree''s thorn ring, where a new flower elf body was gestating; perhaps because the enormous face no longer had the energy to look after it, it was continuously being eroded by the Dark Red pollution wind.


    The brown-green branches wilted gradually, flowers withered; without the True Spirit, but just an empty shell, the body of the flower elf fell and crashed to the ground.


    Nasi followed his pointing finger, and when she saw clearly, her expression showed a faint shock, somewhat lost.


    These days, although the Ancient Tree of Life had not been able to complete the transfer of the True Spirit ritual entirely, the two brief attempts had made Nasi''s True Spirit fade a bit, like wiping dust off glass.


    A rare look of pain slowly appeared on Nasi''s face.


    She suddenly remembered a memory.


    A memory so profound it was almost etched into the True Spirit.


    Yet, such a deep memory seemed more like viewing someone else''s story to Nasi now; nevertheless, this story helped her understand everything.


    Back then, "she" was the only Tree Elf who had not fallen, not been seduced by the Divine, and had come to protect the Ancient Tree of Life during the great battle.


    Yet she was easily killed, and her True Spirit could not follow Anilasa, who had escaped with the severed branch, leaving her behind in the cave.


    Later, perhaps due to the robust Life Force or the influence of some special power, a new consciousness quickly arose from the remaining branch.


    Thus, with the help of the new consciousness, she was resurrected.

 Chapter 351 - 259: Broken Branches (5.6k additional updates 7/33)_3

    I had thought it was Anilasa who had resurrected me, but unexpectedly, it was a resentful, parasitic consciousness that believed itself to be the Ancient Tree of Life, yet was actually depleting the energy of the golden broken branches.


    However, at that time, the giant face on the tree didn''t seem aware of this, or perhaps, denied it.


    It was also unaware that she was the only Flower Elf who hadn''t fallen. Instead, it repeatedly killed her in anger for denying that she was part of the Ancient Tree of Life, and then resurrected her again.


    This process repeated itself many times over the next few decades.


    The continuous death and resurrection of the Flower Elf was both a torment and, in the eyes of the giant face, a misguided form of atonement.


    Fortunately, perhaps due to excessive exhaustion of power, or maybe because the parasitic consciousness grew tired, the process was lengthened until the Flower Elf was completely tainted by the contamination of the Dark Red Wind.


    Initially, it was every six months, but as the Flower Elf grew increasingly accustomed, the time period got longer, and now it had been as long as ten years, while Nasi had been developing for five years.


    Click, click, click¡ª


    The Ancient Tree Wall gradually rose.


    The dark, contaminated wind surged in!


    "No¡ª!" the giant face on the tree screamed in despair upon seeing this change.


    But Nasi just furrowed her delicate brows, turned to Colin, and continued,


    "Big giant, the monster inside is screaming terribly."


    It seemed to be in response to Nasi''s words, the intensity of the Dark Red Wind abruptly escalated.


    Endless wind, its origin unknown, blew toward the cave, and in the blink of an eye, a dark-red and purple tornado formed inside!


    "The wind has picked up¡­" Colin understood that the wind from the outside had also reached this place.


    The once-powerful parasitic consciousness, which had been residing in the Ancient Tree''s golden broken branch, now faced the contaminating wind and was like a mouse confronting a cat, utterly powerless to resist.


    The enormous purple tornado spun rapidly, its overwhelming force eliminating the parasitic consciousness as easily as blowing out a tiny candle flame.


    In just a few breaths, the desperate scream of the giant face was no longer audible.


    Seeing this, Colin finally relaxed, and his tense muscles also loosened.


    "It''s so hot, big giant," Nasi suddenly said, her inexplicably pale face now covered in sweat.


    "Not good!"


    Seeing this, Colin instantly realized what was happening.


    Although the screaming had stopped, perhaps indicating that the parasitic consciousness had perished, there was no sign that the Dark Red Wind was subsiding¡ªin fact, it was getting even stronger! S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Follow me and leave this place, Nasi!" he urgently whispered.


    "Yes!" Nasi didn''t hesitate. With a nod, she flew into Colin''s hood¡­ The little bed inside, due to the earlier impact, was damaged, and Nasi pouted her lips, grasping the edge of the hood.


    Colin activated his Light Flame Soaring Skill along with Swift Skill, flying out of the palace with all his might!


    However, a few breaths later, Colin keenly sensed something was wrong.


    The further they went, the more the intensity of the Dark Red Wind increased instead of decreased!


    At this rate, he would be unable to endure until he could use the wooden hammer at the base of the mountain.


    ''I need to go back and lower the Ancient Tree Wall!''


    His thoughts raced, and Colin quickly figured out the reason.


    Though the giant face in the cave might have already dispersed in the wind, the Ancient Tree''s golden broken branch was still there!


    He realized¡ªthis wind would probably continue to intensify until the Ancient Tree''s remnants were completely wasted away!


    "Nasi, we need to go back and lower the Ancient Tree Wall! Otherwise, this wind won''t stop!" Colin briefly explained the situation to Nasi, then raced against time to return to the stone wall.


    But his earlier mistake had ultimately cost them some time, and on the way back, Colin felt an increasing irritation inside him.


    Mad, eerie whispers echoed persistently in his ears, driving him even more frantic!


    "Quickly, through this corridor, and we''ll reach the Treasure Vault!" Colin gritted his teeth and forcefully shook his head.


    "Big giant, what''s wrong?" Nasi asked concernedly, her face also very pale, sweat rolling down.


    Overall, though, she seemed somewhat better than Colin.


    At this moment, Colin''s consciousness was somewhat blurred, Nasi''s concerned words sounding strange and distorted, as if coming from the deep sea or a distant sky.


    ''The stone wall is right in front of us, step onto this platform, and we can reach the Throne!'' he mentally cheered himself on, his heart pounding like a drum, his breath heavy as a horse''s whinny.


    With no magic left to maintain the Flying Witchcraft, all his power was focused on defense.


    One step, two steps¡­ Colin had no choice but to rely on his body''s strength to climb the stairs.


    Little Nasi flew anxiously beside him, her form shaking incessantly in the fierce wind, requiring all her strength to fly steadily.


    Three steps, four steps... Colin lost all his strength before reaching the end and fell to his knees, gasping heavily.


    "Great giant!" Nasi cried out anxiously.


    "Go... the... wall... the wall..." Colin''s consciousness was muddled, his expression bizarre and twisted.


    Confused murmurs filled his entire brain, almost bursting it completely!


    "Go lower... the wall..." he used the last of his strength to stammer out the phrase, then lost his energy and collapsed.


    "Great giant!" the little elf cried anxiously.


    However, Colin had no strength to reply.


    Fortunately, Nasi remembered Colin''s words. After hesitating for a moment, she quickly flew toward the Emerald Throne.


    Dark Red Wind, like yellow sand, obscured the visibility and made the short distance seem far.


    "Ah!" Little Nasi puffed her cheeks and shouted lowly, straining to fly forward.


    Rustle rustle.


    Her already slightly damaged crystalline wings, now under the assault of the polluted wind, kept dropping fragments.


    Finally, when about half of the lower wings had fallen off, she reached the Emerald Throne.


    The next second.


    Click, click, click¡ª


    The robust and grand Ancient Tree Wall sank back down.


    Thud.


    The wall had completely descended, but unlike what Colin had thought, the Dark Red Wind did not subside.


    Instead, this polluted wind showed no signs of stopping and grew stronger.


    It was as if¡­ as if it were the polluted wind that blew every seven days, seemingly going to last an entire day!


    "What should we do?" Nasi, standing on the Emerald Throne, noticed this, her expression anxious.


    She glanced at Colin, who was growing increasingly weak, and her heart panicked; her bright, gem-like eyes suddenly fogged over, close to tears.


    Boom!


    Suddenly, a muffled explosion sounded from behind, accompanied by a familiar scent...


    "Mother''s scent¡­" Nasi murmured to herself. She looked at the stone wall behind her, then at Colin, seeming to think of something, and quickly flew back to Colin.


    "Ugh!" She grabbed Colin''s collar, flapping her wings with all her might.


    She somehow mustered the strength to lift Colin and, with shaky movements, carried him across the illusion beneath the wall and back into the cave.


    "Hiss¡­ Where is this?"


    A few breaths later, Colin regained consciousness.


    "You''re awake, great giant!" Nasi called out joyfully.


    Colin looked at her and understood everything,


    "Thank you, Nasi." He felt somewhat moved and sincerely expressed his gratitude.


    However, the next second, Colin suddenly sensed something unusual.


    Feeling the almost nonexistent polluted wind and observing the familiar surroundings, he was somewhat astonished.


    ''What happened? There isn''t any polluted wind inside the cave?''


    And not only that, not only was there no polluted wind in the cave, but it was also inexplicably filled with a gentle, warm power.


    This power continuously warmed him, calmed the heat in his heart, and accelerated his injuries'' healing.


    Almost subconsciously, Colin turned his head toward where the giant tree used to be.


    There, the giant tree was no longer present.


    Instead, there was a huge, grass and flower-covered circular shallow pit.


    And in the middle of the shallow pit was a huge¡­ golden broken branch!

 Chapter 352 - 260: The Vanishing Golden Mark

    The golden branch was about four to five meters long, with a diameter of over one meter.


    Its shape was similar to the light that Colin had seen through the dark red tree burls, a slightly curved branch, thick at one end and thin at the other, with two knots.


    But it was noticeably smaller...


    At the moment, without the blinding light, every detail was clearly visible.


    The pale golden bark was covered with shallow, odd patterns, and the thinner end even had a barely perceptible dusting of golden powder... It seemed to be nurturing buds.


    The thicker end, however, had a smooth, neat break, as if it had been chopped off with a very sharp knife, without any roughness, almost mirror-like.


    Colin realized that this strange broken branch was obviously left by the Ancient Tree of Life.


    At that moment, he turned to look at Nasi, only to suddenly realize that the little elf wasn''t looking too optimistic.


    Her face was pale as Golden Paper, and her four wings were badly damaged, with the two smaller red wings at the bottom being almost half gone.


    "Are you okay, Nasi?" Colin couldn''t help but ask.


    "I''m okay," Nasi replied, sounding confused, yet her voice clearly conveyed weakness.


    She looked down at herself and then cradled her wings in front of her, only showing shock when she saw her damaged wings, and then her expression turned aggrieved.


    "Good giant, Nasi''s wings are broken..."


    At the same time, Colin also felt something unusual, and he quickly lifted his wrist.


    As Colin moved, specks of golden light emerged from his wrist, falling like golden powder, scattering in the air.


    Simultaneously, with the vanishing of the golden powder, he also felt a drain of Blood Energy and Magic Power from within, a wave of emptiness and weakness overwhelming him.


    ''Is this¡­ a side effect of the Golden Seal disappearing after defeating the huge face?''


    Colin''s complexion turned slightly pale, and the next moment, he quickly took out an Ancient Tree Heart Crystal and handed it to Nasi.


    "Nasi, eat this candy gem!"


    Then he lifted his right hand, his mind shifting.


    A pale green Spiritual Light lit up from his chest, part of it spreading from his chest to his limbs.


    Another part gathered at the tips of his right fingers, condensing into a deep green drop of liquid that resembled a gemstone.


    "Nasi, drink this," he spoke again, levitating the liquid drop with his spiritual power and bringing it to Nasi.


    This was a Healing Liquid Drop condensed from the Ancient Tree Spring Necklace, primarily effective in healing physical and spiritual injuries, focusing mainly on the physical aspects while also soothing the mind and dispelling impurities.


    Nasi seemed to realize something and obediently drank the Ancient Tree Spring, then continued licking the candy gem.


    As the Ancient Tree Spring settled in her stomach, the candy gem gradually shrank, and Nasi''s condition visibly improved.


    As for Colin... his condition was much better than Nasi''s, the feeling of weakness on his body only briefly appeared, quickly dispelled by the combined force of Strong Life Talent and the Ancient Tree Spring Necklace on his chest.


    Colin lifted his wrist, and specks of golden powder still steadily fell off it.


    At this rate, this process would likely continue for at least two more days.


    After observing for a while and finding his condition stabilizing, he relaxed slightly.


    He had been concerned about the Golden Seal on his wrist before dealing with the giant tree.


    But now, only losing some replenishable Knight Blood Energy and Magic Power was the best outcome¡­ it was no serious harm.


    "Good giant, do you have any more candy gems?" At this moment, Nasi suddenly asked.


    Colin was taken aback, turned his head, and was surprised to find that Nasi had already licked clean the Ancient Tree Heart he had just given her.


    At that moment, she had already taken out a new Ancient Tree Heart from her little storage and was licking it...


    And it also looked like there was only a small piece left, about to be licked clean.


    ''It''s being consumed so fast...''


    First surprised, Colin then realized the grave issue.


    He took out another Ancient Tree Heart Crystal and handed it to Nasi, while carefully observing the specks of golden light emanating from Nasi''s left hand.


    ''Approximately, it will take about four to five more days to deplete¡­''


    During the disappearance of the Golden Seal, the energy inside would continuously drain, and if the energy was completely depleted, it might start to consume Life Force.


    The energy inside the little elf was naturally not as abundant as his, and she did not have the Strong Life Talent, so Ancient Tree Hearts were needed to replenish her.


    ''However¡­ I only have eight Ancient Tree Hearts left, and given Nasi''s current rate of consumption, they might not last very long.''


    Colin''s heart sank slightly¡­ He had barely managed to save Nasi, only to encounter such a tricky problem now.


    ''Where could I get new Ancient Tree Hearts... On the way here, it seemed that there were also a few small forests on the mountain, which might also produce Ancient Tree Hearts.''


    Although thinking this way, unconsciously, Colin''s gaze shifted to the golden broken branch not far away.


    Perhaps...


    He glanced at Nasi and walked straight towards the broken branch.


    Nasi was licking the Ancient Tree Heart as she caught up to him.


    Perhaps because it was just starting to make up for the deficit, the consumption was initially quite significant. Although the Ancient Tree Heart in Nasi''s hands was still being consumed rapidly, its rate had noticeably decreased by several levels and had become more stable.


    Standing beside the golden broken branch of the Ancient Tree of Life, Colin observed it carefully.


    After confirming that there were no remnants of consciousness left on the broken branch, only some instincts, he extended his right hand.


    His spiritual power outlined the Magic Model of the Ancient Tree Heart, and Magic Power surged immediately!


    The brilliance of the witchcraft started shining from the palm of his hand.


    With the assistance of the Ancient Tree Heart, Colin could feel the extremely high level of energy contained within the broken branch.


    However, moments later, he frowned and withdrew his hand.


    Though the Ancient Tree Heart allowed him to clearly sense the energy contained within the broken branch, he had not succeeded in crystallizing the Ancient Tree Heart Crystal...


    "Big giant, what are you doing?"


    Little Nasi''s condition had significantly improved due to the energy from the Ancient Tree Heart Crystal, even her damaged wings behind were gradually recovering.


    She looked at Colin''s actions, quite curious.


    As for the broken branch, the little elf didn''t react much.


    On one hand, because the True Spirit contained memories about the Elf Clan, to the current Nasi, it felt more like a vivid story, so she didn''t possess the common reverence for the Ancient Tree of Life that typical elves had.


    On the other hand, the golden broken branch in front of her was, after all, just a broken branch¡ªa part not worth mentioning compared to the immense size of the Ancient Tree of Life.


    "I''m trying to create some new candy gems for you," Colin answered frankly.


    Meanwhile... an idea suddenly struck him¡ª


    Since acquiring the Ancient Tree Heart, he hadn''t found a suitable tree to plant the Ancient Tree Heart for himself...


    But soon, Colin shook his head.


    His recent attempt to apply the Ancient Tree Heart Witchcraft on the golden broken branch in front of him had been unsuccessful... It was a pity, as if successful, the broken branch would have been the best material he could find for utilizing the Ancient Tree Heart.


    Sighing softly, Colin then tried storing the golden broken branch in the Storage Ring... but as expected, it couldn''t be taken inside.


    Materials of such high inherent status required specialized storage tools.


    The treasure was right in front of him, yet remained elusive.


    Even Colin, who was not attached to material possessions, couldn''t help feeling somewhat regretful at that moment.


    "Big giant, the candy gems are all gone¡­" At that moment, Nasi suddenly spoke, sounding a bit embarrassed. She patted her stomach, "Little Nasi has become quite a big eater."


    Colin hurriedly handed over another Ancient Tree Heart Crystal.


    Nasi had now almost fully recovered, and even the two pairs of wings on her back had nearly completely regenerated.


    After handing over the Ancient Tree Heart Crystal, he also gave her a drop of the Ancient Tree Spring.


    The peeling of the Golden Seal essentially involved energy dissipation, so the Ancient Tree Spring wasn''t as effective in replenishing energy as the Ancient Tree Heart Crystal.


    But the Ancient Tree Spring could help Nasi quickly recover from her injuries.


    ''Time is running out.''


    Watching the Ancient Tree Heart Crystal being rapidly consumed in Nasi''s hands, Colin sighed inwardly, glanced at the broken branch on the ground, averted his gaze, and walked toward the stone wall illusion. 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 wasn''t planning to leave the Elf Kingdom, instead, he was heading to the forest he had seen previously on the mountain, to crystallize more Ancient Tree Heart Crystals for Nasi.


    Although Nasi''s condition was stable now, it was only temporary; she constantly needed the supplement of Ancient Tree Heart Crystals.


    And if he chose to leave the Elf Kingdom now, it might be difficult to find as many suitable ancient trees...


    ''However, staying in the Elf Kingdom for the time being is also a good choice. Now that the huge face is dead, the Elf Kingdom is desolate but safe... just right for getting through these days of the Golden Seal''s passing.''


    Colin thought silently to himself, harboring a faint expectation¡ª


    With a thought, he opened the Golden Paper.


    Pale gold particles gathered, and Colin''s gaze was unwavering, directly focusing on the Ancient Tree Heart section.


    Following the Magic, the progress of the Ancient Tree Heart had reached 57/100!


    With the assistance of the Crown of Spiritual Light, perhaps after these days, he might be able to break its limit... and at that time, he might be able to successfully apply the Limit-Breaking Ancient Tree Heart on the golden broken branch!


    With this in mind, Colin was about to put away the Golden Paper, but out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly noticed a character different from memory¡ª


    In the Talent section, where the progress of a Limit Breaking Strong Life Talent was originally only 6/100, the progress had abruptly changed to 78/100, a significant increase of 72 points!!


    ''No wonder the influence of the Golden Seal''s passing is so slight on me... Strong Life Talent, has it really enhanced so much?'' Colin''s steps momentarily slowed.


    But why exactly? Could it be...


    Almost subconsciously, he recalled the sensation he had felt while lying in the pit¡ªthe energy bestowed by the huge tree.


    Now, as Colin felt his body again, the energy that had once been so abundant as to almost burst through him had unknowingly disappeared.


    He had thought it vanished with the death of the giant tree''s consciousness, but now it seemed more likely that it was a remarkable reaction with the Strong Life Talent in a near-death state...


    A pleasant surprise... Colin curved his lips into a smile and continued stepping forward.

 Chapter 353 - 261: Leaving the Elf Kingdom

    Half a day later.


    In a forest atop a high mountain.


    Under the strange purple-red sky, Colin, accompanied by the little elf Nasi, weaved through the dark green woods speckled with dark red patches.


    "This ancient tree seems suitable."


    Suddenly, Colin stopped and looked up at the tall ancient tree in front of him, with its brown bark and lush branches, the trunk as thick as five men hugging it together.


    He nodded in satisfaction, stepped forward, and placed his palm on it.


    Moments later, a slightly dark red tinged emerald Ancient Tree Heart Crystal gradually emerged in the palm of his hand.


    "Nasi, here."


    As soon as the crystal formed, Colin quickly handed it to Nasi, who was in the hood.


    Originally planned to leave the cave immediately, he didn''t expect the outside pollution wind to remain unabated, which continued for most of the day until just now when it finally dissipated.


    Therefore, it was only now that Colin had finally come to the forest, and this Ancient Tree Heart Crystal was just freshly extracted.


    Although it had only been a short half-day, the remaining seven Ancient Tree Heart Crystals had all been completely used up, only the one obtained from the Sacrificial Ancient Tree lasted a bit longer.


    "Fortunately, there are plenty of ancient trees around to last these days." Colin turned his head and looked around, feeling relieved.


    The purple-red sky was cloudless, and the ground was an unchanging dark red.


    After the pollution wind ceased, the entire Elf Kingdom was as silent as an abandoned land.


    It seemed that the Ancient Tree of Life and the Divine had long since abandoned this place, leaving only half a broken branch and a repetitive mechanism constantly resisting...


    "No matter what, this is at least a good thing for me." Colin continued to walk forward.


    ...


    Time passed, and in the blink of an eye, three days went by.


    After Colin had almost extracted the Ancient Tree Heart Crystals from half of the suitable ancient trees on the high mountain, the golden seal on little elf Nasi completely faded.


    And unsurprisingly, the Ancient Tree Heart Witchcraft on the Golden Paper had reached its limit.


    As for himself, he had recovered to normal a day earlier, the Golden Seal completely disappeared, and his injuries were mostly healed.


    At this moment, inside the cave.


    Colin once again summoned the Golden Paper, and the Magic Stone was also ready at his side, just waiting for Limit Breaking!


    The process was already well-practiced, and soon, Colin slowly opened his eyes, the Limit Breaking was complete.


    He focused, deeply perceiving the changes in the Ancient Tree Heart after the breakthrough.


    Compared to the original Ancient Tree Heart, the biggest difference after Limit Breaking was its increased flexibility.


    This witchcraft was fundamentally about plundering the unique Life Spirit from ancient trees, then weaving it into a special structure to absorb within oneself, thereby enhancing one''s lifespan and improving talent.


    After the Limit Breaking, the Ancient Tree Heart was no longer limited to "ancient trees;" the targets of the spell need not only be ancient trees, any tree containing Life Spirit could be used.


    Of course, ordinarily, common trees were not worth extracting the Ancient Tree Heart from.


    On the other hand, there was no longer any limit on the amount of Life Spirit extracted from the Ancient Tree Heart; if he wanted, he could even entirely plunder all the Life Spirit from the treated trees!


    However... these changes were not of much use to him at the moment.


    Whether the recent Limit Breaking Point was worth it still remained to be seen.


    Colin stood up and walked to the golden broken branch, reaching out his palm.


    A beautiful and complex Magic Model was established in his Spirit Sea, accompanied by the surge of Magic Power, and the glow of witchcraft also lit up from his palm.


    The surging Energy contained in the broken branch was felt clearly again... Colin took a breath and continued the next step of the witchcraft.


    He attempted to engage the very Advanced Life Spirit within the branch.


    If interacting with other ancient trees felt like directing flowing water, then on this broken branch, it was like touching a heavy iron block, almost immovable.


    But at least it was slightly less daunting than a mountainous feel before... Colin reassured himself, not giving up and continued to channel his Magic Power.


    But after a while, the "iron block" perceived was still unshakably stable, astonishingly solid!


    "Am I destined not to connect with it?" Colin felt somewhat disheartened, his palm loosened slightly, and the Ancient Tree Heart Witchcraft also stuttered.


    Nevertheless, it was just a pause; he took a breath and once again pressed his palm firmly against the broken branch.


    "I''ve only tried for a few minutes, there''s still time, I cannot give up so easily!"


    Nasi watched him with a serious expression, quietly staying aside without disturbing him, and quietly waiting.


    As time ticked by, at a certain moment, a flash of confusion crossed Nasi''s eyes. She suddenly sniffed the air; a familiar scent had appeared out of nowhere.


    Nasi glanced at Colin, paused, and followed the scent to its source. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A moment later, she arrived not far to the left, at the thinner end of the golden broken branch.


    "Wow! So¡­" As Nasi recognized the source of the scent, her eyes widened, and she instinctively wanted to call out to Colin to share the discovery.


    At the thinner end of the branch, a half-open bud had surprisingly sprouted!


    But remembering that Colin seemed to be doing some important work, Nasi quickly covered her own mouth.


    Hesitating for a moment, she carefully approached the gold-dust-colored flower by the tip of the branch and took a sniff.


    "It smells so good¡­" she muttered, memories of eating flowers flashing through her mind.


    So, Nasi swallowed, frowned in thought for a while, and eventually couldn''t resist the temptation. She reached out her small hand and plucked the gold-dust-colored flower.


    If an ordinary person, even a Knight Level like Colin, were to pick it, even with the use of witchcraft, it would likely be difficult to pluck the gold-dust flower.


    However, for a Flower Elf, picking flowers was an innate Talent¡­ With just a stretch of her hand, the gold-dust-colored flowers were neatly and even willingly plucked.


    "Hmm?"


    Meanwhile, Colin, who had been standing at the middle of the broken branch with his eyes tightly closed, suddenly sensed something different¡ª


    Inside the broken branch, the Life Spirit, which had been as robust as a block of iron, now seemed to have been chiseled open at a small spot. Initially a trickling stream, it soon gushed out like a dam burst, and the Life Spirit surged out.


    Then, under the effect of the Ancient Tree Heart, it gathered in his palm.


    This time, Colin did not choose to condense it into the air but instead absorbed it directly into his body.


    Simultaneously, facing the lifeless broken branch, he did not hold back and driven by the Ancient Tree Heart Witchcraft, absorbed as much as possible!


    Guided by the Ancient Tree Heart Witchcraft, the Life Spirit gradually moved into his body.


    A faint golden glow began from his right palm, gradually lighting up, and after a moment, extended to the middle of his chest, where it then gathered into a mass.


    Colin vaguely sensed some unique structure gradually forming in the middle of his chest.


    Munch, munch.


    Nasi, eating the gold-dust flower beside him, looked at Colin with a slight surprise.


    "Colin is glowing¡­"


    She was absorbed in watching Colin and hadn''t noticed her own body gradually changing as she ate the gold-dust flower.


    Her originally dark red wings, hair, and eyes seemed to lighten as if bleached.


    The most noticeable change was her originally dark red eyes, which had clearly lightened by more than a degree and had turned into a bright pink.


    Compared to this, the changes in her wings and red hair were less significant ¡ª they simply looked a bit lighter, a bit brighter, and more lustrous than dark red.


    Munch, munch.


    Unaware, Nasi continued to eat the gold-dust flowers.


    After a moment, when she had consumed the flower, Colin put down his arm on the other side and opened his eyes.


    Meanwhile, the broken branch had also lost its glow, leaving only a decaying residue like tofu dregs.


    "There is no pain, no discomfort or strangeness¡­ The crystal formed by the Ancient Tree Heart is gently changing the Caster every moment." He silently felt it, unable to contain his joy!


    He had not expected that he could actually use the broken branch of the Ancient Tree of Life to construct the Ancient Tree Heart!


    And it had gone so smoothly!


    Invisibly, Colin realized that perhaps it was because he was in this contaminated space, and because the branch had just used its last autonomous consciousness to clear the contamination attacking it, that his casting went so smoothly this time!


    After a moment, Colin shook his head and collected his thoughts.


    "Let''s go, Nasi," he said.


    Now that everything that needed to be done in the Elf Kingdom was complete, it was time to leave.


    After all, the remaining food wouldn''t last much longer.


    Additionally, the specific location in the outside world connected by the Golden Pattern Stone Hammer, the actual situation, whether food could be found immediately¡­ all these were still unknown.


    To save some food for emergencies, they now had to leave.


    "Nasi, how did you turn out like this?"


    But as he raised his head and looked at Nasi flying towards him, he suddenly paused, and instinctively asked.

 Chapter 354 - 262 Deserted Island

    Halfway up the mountain,


    Colin continued descending the steps made by the Liya''ers.


    "So you transformed into this form by eating the golden pollen flowers that bloomed on the withered branches?" he asked as they walked.


    The little elf, Nasi, flying beside him nodded, her appearance greatly changed from before.


    Not only had her pupils turned pink, but the red of her wings, somewhat paler than before, now bore golden patterns like the veins in leaves.


    "It''s quite strange," Colin thought.


    He shifted his gaze and continued on.


    He had examined Nasi''s condition closely in the cave before, and there was nothing unusual.


    However, under his supersensitive vision, he could distinctly perceive that Nasi''s spiritual light had become stronger, almost dazzlingly so.


    Yet... Colin looked back at Nasi again.


    Now that Nasi had transformed, her appearance was even more distinct from that of a typical flower elf, making it harder to discern her exact type. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Flower elves usually had golden eyes and pink hair, with two pairs of pink wings, but Nasi now possessed wings with golden patterns and pink pupils with red hair...


    "However, this could be a good thing... Elves come in many varieties, and being slightly distinctive in appearance is better than being recognized as a particularly notable flower elf."


    After a few more steps, Colin''s train of thoughts paused as he was suddenly drawn to a strange sensation coming from the area around his chest.


    It was from where the Ancient Tree Heart was located.


    Initially, after using the Ancient Tree Heart Witchcraft to implant the Ancient Tree Heart into his chest, he hadn''t felt much.


    The heavy, lead-like quality energy was tightly contained within the unique structure brought about by the Ancient Tree Heart, with hardly any leakage.


    But now, a faint warmth suddenly radiated from his chest, slowly spreading to all his limbs.


    This warmth wasn''t intense, but the sense of comfort it brought was very long-lasting, as if his whole body was submerged in a hot spring.


    ...This phenomenon was never documented in the records of Ancient Tree Heart Witchcraft.


    When Lillian had first taught him the Ancient Tree Heart Witchcraft on behalf of the Mentor Atbolde, she had detailed the specific sensations and effects after its application.


    Typically, from the moment the Ancient Tree Heart was formed inside the body, one would feel a surge of heat, like water, starting from the chest and washing over the body.


    Depending on the quality of the Ancient Tree Heart constructed, this process could last from a week to half a month; the higher the quality, the longer the duration.


    During this process, since the location of the Ancient Tree Heart was right beside the heart, above the Magic Sea, the first change in the recipient would start from the Magic Sea.


    The magic affinity, incorporating the wizard''s First Class and Second Class qualifications, would see a slight improvement.


    Following that, as the warmth slowly washed over the body, all aspects of the physical body, especially the Life Force, would significantly strengthen...


    Yet now, that so-called intense heat had only just started to manifest.


    As Colin pondered this, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.


    He lifted his foot, shook his hand, and gave a slight jump on the spot.


    "Nasi, wait a moment," he said to Nasi, then took out the Demon Release Ring and sat down exactly where he was standing.


    Inhale... Exhale...


    Soon, Colin entered a state of meditation. Under the influence of his spiritual power, magic was drawn out from the Demon Release Ring and absorbed into his body.


    After a moment, having finished testing, Colin slowly stood up.


    The warm sensation in his limbs continued.


    Colin realized that this was a sign that each inch of his flesh and every cell was being enhanced.


    The bodily reactions were minor, but the enhancement upon close inspection was significant!


    The most noticeable improvement was in his magic qualifications, which he could feel had increased by about one percent...


    It might not seem like much, but it was enough for him, formerly at the peak of Second-Class Talent, to take the crucial step to truly reaching First-Class Talent!


    Moreover, this was merely the first surge of warmth. What would happen once his body fully adapted to the Ancient Tree Heart and his innate Magic Power Affinity Talent?


    Colin couldn''t help but feel anticipation.


    As for his body''s enhancement, he subconsciously opened the Golden Paper.


    His gaze landed on the Strong Life Talent section, where a slowly emerging upward arrow symbol appeared behind it.


    The essence of Strong Life Talent was robust Life Force, but it wasn''t something that could enhance Life Force and in turn, upgrade the Strong Life Talent. This involved some aspects that had not yet been thoroughly explored¡ªa fact already known beforehand.


    In previous attempts, only the Knight Breathing Method had shown a certain ability to enhance the Strong Life Talent.


    But now, it appeared that the Ancient Tree Heart, created from a branch of the Ancient Tree of Life, also possessed the ability to enhance the Strong Life Talent!


    After composing himself, Colin slowly stood up, his face involuntarily breaking into a smile.


    Somewhere deep down, he had a premonition that the enhancements brought by the Ancient Tree Heart might exceed his expectations!


    The only question was... how could he accelerate the occurrence of the warmth.


    Colin felt the Ancient Tree Heart in his chest once again and suddenly thought,


    "Let''s go, Nasi." After a moment, he gathered his thoughts and continued forwards.


    The Ancient Tree Heart was inside his body¡ªit wouldn''t be lost or disappear. Once they left the Elf Kingdom and returned to Neustadt City, there would be plenty of time to study it!


    Following the intricate path, making several turns and passing through some withering vegetation, Colin led Nasi to the base of the mountain.


    He took out the Golden Pattern Small Hammer.


    "Good giant, are we leaving this place?" Nasi seemed to realize something and suddenly asked.


    Hearing this, Colin looked at Nasi and was momentarily stunned.


    He realized he had not seriously asked Nasi if she wished to leave with him; he had just assumed so.


    He paused, then looked earnestly at Nasi and asked,


    "Nasi, do you want to go with me? To leave the Elf Kingdom and venture outside?"


    Nasi originally wanted to agree immediately, but seeing Colin''s serious expression and possibly thinking of something, she suddenly furrowed her brows.


    After a while, she hesitantly asked,


    "Good giant, does this mean Nasi won''t be able to eat sugar gems anymore?"


    Colin was slightly taken aback, paused, then shook his head and said,


    "Why would you think that... as long as little Nasi wants sugar gems¡ªwell, and behaves well, she can have sugar gems."


    Nasi''s eyes lit up, and she nodded repeatedly, "Then Nasi has no problem! Good giant, let''s go!"


    After speaking, she murmured, "Nasi was worried because the good giant was so serious, she thought she might not be able to eat sugar gems anymore¡­"


    Colin smiled and did not respond.


    Nasi''s choice was not beyond his expectations¡­


    Picking up the Golden Pattern Small Hammer, he prepared to open the door and leave.


    The next second, Colin suddenly remembered something else and turned to Nasi, saying,


    "Nasi, it seems I have never formally told you my name¡ªI am Colin Leonard. You can call me Colin."


    "Colin... good Colin!" Little Nasi nodded, indicating she remembered.


    Colin smiled, withdrew his gaze, no longer hesitating, and took a deep breath. Grasping Nasi, he activated the Golden Hammer.


    The golden light slowly brightened, illuminating the surroundings.


    Then at a certain moment, Colin felt the view before his eyes suddenly turn dark, then bright again quickly.


    The salty sea breeze blew gently.


    He was still holding onto Nasi, but their surroundings had shifted entirely.


    They had teleported from the Elf Kingdom to a strange and desolate small island!

 Chapter 355 - 263 Invisible Shadow

    Beneath his feet was a deep-colored, muddy, and sticky beach, and by his side, a cluster of twisted and low-lying trees, with some murky seawater not far away.


    Slightly murmuring waves surged murkily, blurring the coastline.


    Clearly, this place was a mangrove forest at the edge of a small island.


    At this moment, it was dusk, the sky was faintly illuminated, the night sky darkened, but his powerful vision allowed Colin to clearly see everything around him.


    He turned his head to look out over the sea, past the sheltering trees, where a rudimentary brown wooden boat caught his eye, currently floating not far away, bobbing with the waves.


    ''Maybe it''s the vessel that the Tree Elf hybrid and Liya''er used to come to this small island...'' he conjectured to himself, before once again vigilantly observing his surroundings.


    The moist mangrove forest was utterly silent, the only conspicuous living creatures within the range of his sight were the fiddler crabs on the left side of the trees, their dark aqua shells blending in with the environment, hard to spot if they weren''t moving.


    ''This small island, who knows where it is.'' Colin retracted his gaze and sighed softly.


    After using witchcraft to inspect his surroundings once more, he approached the brown boat, stowing it into his Storage Ring, and then cautiously flew towards the sky.


    Although it was getting dark, to be on the safe side, Colin flew at a low altitude, just high enough to scout around a little.


    This small island was not safe; no one knew if anyone else besides the Tree Elf hybrid and Liya''er was aware of this island that could lead to the Elf Kingdom.


    Moreover, he didn''t know if the Tree Elf hybrid and Liya''er had other accomplices who knew they had come here.


    So, the first thing to do right now was to leave this place as soon as possible.


    As he gradually increased his altitude, the whole view of the island unfolded before Colin.


    The island was a teardrop-shaped mini isle, not large in size. From one end to the other, it was no more than two kilometers across.


    Therefore, the specific details could be easily discerned at a glance.


    Sparse vegetation and bare rocks, this deserted island was the most common type found at sea; the only special feature was the mangrove forest he was standing in just moments ago.


    Colin retracted his gaze and continued to look into the distance around him.


    It didn''t take long before he spotted an island lush with vegetation, which seemed more suitable for a temporary refuge to regroup.


    "Nasi, hold on tight," Colin said to Nasi behind him, then reduced his altitude and flew towards the nicely spotted island.


    At the point where the sea met the sky, the dark red sunset was continually sinking, spreading golden light igniting the surrounding clouds, with the golden embers shining on the sea below, casting gleaming ripples.


    As a First Rank Wizard, he was propelling himself with the Light Flame Soaring Skill in a cruising state, and with his current level of Magic Power, he could fly continuously for about half a day.


    If he used the Soaring and Flying Technique, which was of a lower First Rank, he could cruise for a full day, meaning he could fly a greater distance.


    Both had their advantages and disadvantages, but here Colin chose the Light Flame Soaring Skill.


    For no other reason¡ªit was simply faster.


    It wasn''t suitable to travel far over the sea at night, and even for him, now a First Rank Wizard, it was an extremely dangerous move.


    Dimming the bright light of the Light Flame Soaring Skill, Colin then fortified himself with the Swift Skill.


    However, admiring mountains from afar can leave one dead from exhaustion, and islands viewed from sea proved similar.


    The island that didn''t seem very far away took quite some time for Colin to reach, and by the time he arrived, only a sliver of the sunset remained on the horizon.


    After surveying the island and ascertaining there was no apparent fresh water on the surface, no large beasts, and no man-made traces¡ªmerely a deserted island with relatively lush vegetation¡ªColin''s tense nerves slightly relaxed.


    He and Nasi disappeared into the woods.


    As the last streak of orange-yellow sunset slowly sank into the sea, night quickly fell.


    Colin ascended to the top of a tree, a metal Cone Bullet hovering in his hand. He looked up at the starry sky and then at the Cone Bullet in his hand, making a rough judgment.


    ''This place still belongs to the Southern Sea Domain.''


    Colin breathed a sigh of relief, hopped down from the treetop, and returned to the temporary perch on a sturdy tree.


    Now that he had determined his location, and luckily was still within the Southern Sea Domain, the next plan became simple¡ª


    That was to keep heading north!


    But... Colin couldn''t quiet the nagging worry in his heart.


    Through the stars above and a rudimentary compass made of Cone Bullets, Colin could only narrow the search to the Southern Sea Domain.


    But the Southern Sea Domain was by no means a small area.


    Moreover... this was the very place where the Wizards waged war with the Divine.


    He thought again of the two outsiders he and Lillian had slain within the Elf Kingdom.


    One was a hybrid Tree Elf Wizard, the other Liya''er.


    Liya''er... S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To know that the Tree Elves had fallen to the Divine meant that Liya''er, who had cooperated with them to overthrow the High Level Elves, was likely also tied to the Divine.


    An invisible gloom settled over Colin''s heart, and he anticipated that the journey back to the Siya Continent might not be entirely peaceful.


    ''If only I had a Concealing Witchcraft like Lillian''s Concealing Moon Cloth to hide my form...'' Colin unconsciously couldn''t help thinking.


    And the next second, he suddenly recalled that he might indeed possess such witchcraft!


    ......


    The next day.


    The sky was faintly lit, and a thin white mist drifted above the sea.


    Standing atop the highest tree on the island, Colin scanned the surrounding sea to confirm there were no suspicious vessels before returning to his temporary dwelling.


    Upon realizing the night before that he might be in a dangerous area, he finally decided not to rush off and instead made some preparations before setting out.


    As for these preparations, the most important was to practice a Concealing Witchcraft named Invisible Shadow that he had discovered in a hybrid Tree Elf''s Storage Ring.


    This must have been the Concealing Witchcraft used by the hybrid Tree Elf and Liya''er in their ambush.


    Unfortunately... he had thought that this witchcraft must be at least First Rank Lower, but he hadn''t expected its quality to be low, being merely Zeroth Rank Upper.


    Furthermore, it had a fatal flaw¡ª


    That was, it couldn''t hide moving objects; a subject''s outline would become discernible while in motion.


    However, the corresponding strength was that Invisible Shadow''s static concealing ability was extremely strong. As long as one chose the right angle and position, it could almost match some First Rank Lower level Concealing Witchcrafts.


    ''Better than nothing...'' Colin continued flipping through the Invisible Shadow Witchcraft, which he had not yet finished reading.


    Even though the witchcraft couldn''t hide moving objects, on the sea, being somewhat translucent was very different from having no disguise at all.


    On the vast and boundless sea, without any disguise, one could be clearly spotted from islands miles away.


    But being just a translucent outline, and with some tricks to make it less human-like, the chances of being discovered would be greatly reduced.


    In addition, Colin was currently wearing the Crown of Insight, so it was the perfect opportunity to test his improvement in learning witchcraft.


    "...So, the essence of Invisible Shadow is to use Magic Power to condense the surrounding air, making the light deflect at a specific angle, causing the light that falls on objects behind to bypass oneself and reach the observer, thereby achieving invisibility on a visual level."


    After reading the last sentence, Colin discovered another drawback of Invisible Shadow¡ª


    If the subject touched an object, those shadows left by the blocked light would be difficult for Invisible Shadow to conceal.


    As is well known, we see objects because they reflect light, and since there''s no light shining on those contact surfaces, Invisible Shadow naturally can do nothing.


    However... compared to moving, this was just a minor flaw; you just needed to fly or hover without touching the surrounding environment to resolve it.


    Having read the last section of the witchcraft book, Colin exhaled deeply, ready to begin practicing.


    He first rapidly reviewed the entire knowledge and key points of Invisible Shadow in his mind.


    Under the effect of Superbrain, the content he had just read emerged clearly¡­ The only difference now was that as Colin recalled the knowledge of Invisible Shadow Witchcraft in his mind, a sudden inspiration inexplicably sprang up¡ª


    "The ability of Invisible Shadow to interfere with light rays might alter the real images played in the Image Capturing Crystals¡­"


    This inspiration was unexpected and seemingly unrelated... It should be noted that Image Capturing Crystal Making, due to lack of energy, had already been set aside by him and he had not continued to advance it for a long time.


    "Perhaps the Light Brightness Skill can be used to supplement the weakness of Invisible Shadow in concealing the areas where it comes in contact with objects."


    Immediately after, another abrupt idea surfaced in his mind.


    And at that moment, Colin finally realized, his lips quivered silently as he murmured speculatively:


    "Perhaps... this is the greatest use of the Crown of Insight?"

 Chapter 356 - 264: Chance Encounter (4k)

    The more carefully Colin thought, the more convinced he became of his own speculation.


    His face lit up with surprise.


    At first glance, such ability seemed to have little use for studying witchcraft.


    After all, the Superbrain had endowed him with formidable memory and analytical capabilities. With these greatly enhanced abilities, plus his own adequate understanding and the Golden Paper, learning witchcraft was not too challenging for him.


    But studying witchcraft could not succeed on memory and analytical skills alone.


    What was needed was exactly this kind of Spiritual Light!


    Colin reined in his smile, returning his expression to calm.


    He always knew in his heart.


    Although learning existing knowledge was easy, it was also restrictive; following the paths of predecessors was only temporary.


    Moreover, one could never become a top Wizard just by learning existing witchcraft.


    In reality, in any field, the top echelons were always those with the greatest Talent.


    This was even more evident in traditional academic subjects from his previous life and the traditional academic subjects in the study of wizardry in this world... such as mathematics.


    In the realm of academic research, effort will never surpass Talent... this was an indisputable truth.


    Pioneering new knowledge could not be achieved just by amassing time!


    If there were an Eternal, then they might become proficient in a variety of arts over the long years.


    But if their Talent remained unchanged, they would never become a top mathematician nor achieve top academic honors.


    If they did, it would mostly be due to their inherent Talent, not time.


    This was also true in the cultivation of witchcraft. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And Talent¡ªwhat he now lacked the least¡ªwas Talent!


    If the Superbrain was a super talent for learning witchcraft, then the crown that brought about Spiritual Light was a super talent for researching witchcraft.


    Of course¡­ Colin''s mind shifted.


    Faint golden particles congregated before him, and a sheet of ancient Golden Paper that hovered between reality and illusion slowly materialized.


    Glancing over the Golden Paper, Colin was clear in his heart.


    Whether it was the Superbrain or the crown that brought about Spiritual Light, these were mere aids.


    On the path of a wizard, his deepest and most powerful "Talent"¡­ was still this sheet of Golden Paper that hovered between reality and illusion, yet could always be perceived clearly!


    To this day, Colin already understood the significance represented by the Golden Paper.


    Whether it was guaranteed progress in cultivation or Limit Breaking, it was a Talent that could be called a bug.


    Perhaps it was the relaxing sensation brought by the moist freshness of the thin sea fog, but Colin''s thoughts began to wander.


    ''If I calculate carefully, from being merely a Basic Level Apprentice, I have grown all the way to the point of nearly reaching a First Rank Intermediate Wizard, and all this in just about two years...''


    ''Guard against arrogance and impetuosity! How to continue to advance calmly and how to reasonably display my Talent requires extra caution in the future...


    As for Limit Breaking... speaking of it, having used the Golden Paper for Limit Breaking for so long, I still have not fully grasped the patterns that follow.''


    ''The main change between the basic Ignition Technique and the Limit Breaking Ignition Technique was in precision.


    Ignition Technique could only appear on fingertips or other body parts, but after Limit Breaking, the Ignition Technique could materialize out of thin air within a one-meter radius.''


    ''For instance, with Steel Armor, the main enhancement was in strength.


    Before Limit Breaking, it was regular steel, but after Limit Breaking, it became specialized steel.''


    ''As for other spells, or Skills after Limit Breaking, there are various differences... like with Bright Crystal Making, after Limit Breaking, the main improvement was in the efficiency of making and a certain chance of producing top-quality Bright Crystals.''


    Colin''s wandering thoughts gradually reconverged, and he looked up at the sky, made grayish-white by the thin mist, and asked himself¡ª


    "What exactly is the basis or direction for Golden Paper Limit Breaking?"


    Then, he slowly lowered his head to look at the Golden Paper before him and silently asked:


    "After Limit Breaking, can the direction still be controlled by oneself?"


    These two questions, of course, could not be answered by mere speculation.


    Colin didn''t delve deeper, just as he had not probed into the Ancient Tree Heart inside him that so far had released its heat only once.


    He was not anxious; his own progress was sufficiently rapid. Besides, there were priorities to consider.


    The development of the Ancient Tree Heart could wait.


    What was most urgent now was to return to the Siya Continent as soon as possible.


    So he collected his thoughts and continued to attempt the practice of Invisible Shadow.


    Calculations of light refraction angles, shaping the air''s volume and form, constructing the Magic Model... each concept flashed through his mind in succession, as he broke through each one.


    About half an hour later.


    Colin opened his eyes and began to murmur the Spell with moving lips while his fingers fluttered, making complex yet regular hand gestures.


    With the assistance of the Spell and gestures, his spiritual power constructed the Magic Model of Invisible Shadow, and Magic Power began to flow.


    A moment later, as a subtle wizardry light flashed, Colin''s figure gradually vanished from the tree branch where he was seated.


    "Wow, go Colin, little Nasi can''t see you anymore, you''re so amazing!" Nasi''s eyes widened in astonishment as she tentatively stepped on Colin''s shoulder with her foot.

 Chapter 357 - 264: Chance Encounter (4k)_2

    Colin smiled slightly as his thoughts shifted. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The shape of the small elf, Nasi, also began to disappear from the air starting from her arm.


    This gave Nasi quite a fright.


    "Good Colin!" she cried out instinctively for help.


    "Relax, little Nasi, you''re invisible just like me." Colin comforted her before instructing,


    "I''m going to take you to a place called Siya Continent, which is still a long way away. On the way there, we might encounter bad guys, and then you will hide with me like this.


    Remember, Nasi, when you''re invisible, you must stay quietly in your little bed unless I instruct otherwise, and don''t move."


    "Yes, I understand, good Colin!"


    Although Nasi''s shape was no longer visible, Colin could still imagine her nodding repeatedly.


    Colin smiled faintly and removed the Invisible Shadow.


    The next second, tirelessly, he cast the Invisible Shadow again.


    Thus, Colin continuously repeated the practice.


    The sea mist gradually diminished as the sun rose from the sea, turning the dark water to a gold-dusted azure with shimmering waves, turning the gray sky to a deep blue.


    Around noon, Colin stopped practicing.


    He slowly exhaled the Golden Paper.


    [Name: Colin Leonard]


    [Rank: First Rank Junior Wizard (88/100); Ultimate Knight (100/100)]


    [Meditation Method: Holy Ring Meditation Method (43/100)]


    [Breathing Skill: Yi Guang Breathing Method I (34/100)]


    [Witchcraft: Zero Level Tricks: Minor; Zero Rank Magic: ... Zero Rank Upper Magic: Deep Red Marking Technique (62/100); Ancient Tree Heart I (9/100); Invisible Shadow (61/100);


    Lower First Rank Magic: Detecting Three Abilities (16/100); Soaring and Flying Technique (79/100); Silent (77/100); Summon Fire Element (72/100);


    Middle First Rank Magic: Trace Erasure (36/100); Swift Skill III (5/100); Light Flame Soaring Skill (16/100); Mechanical Mind I (2/100);


    Upper First Rank Magic: Steel Temperature Resistance Field II (7/100); Fireball Skill IV (3/100); ]


    [Exotic Skill: Anando''s Dice (9/100)]


    [Skill: Minor.]


    [Talent: Strong Life I (79/100)]


    [True Talent: Superbrain (0/100)]


    [Limit Breaking Point: 0]


    His gaze directly went to the progress of Invisible Shadow, and upon seeing it clearly, Colin couldn''t help but show a satisfied smile.


    In just one morning, with the combined blessing of the Crown of Spiritual Awakening and Superbrain, the upper zeroth rank Invisible Shadow magic was successfully mastered by him to proficiency.


    To master it to proficiency meant he could cast it instantaneously, making it truly practical for combat.


    Additionally, the progress of his wizard rank was now at 88/100 First Rank Junior Wizard, and it probably wouldn''t take long before he reached a breakthrough.


    At that time, the magic power stored in his Magic Sea would increase further... Colin couldn''t help but look forward to it.


    Now that he had mastered so many magics that were relatively higher than his rank, his most pressing issue was the problem of the amount of magic power.


    Usually, it was fine, but during prolonged battles, large-scale encounters... or like now, when he needed to travel long distances.


    The insufficiency of his magic power was immediately apparent.


    The Light Flame Soaring Skill, being a middle first rank magic, could sustain cruising flight for about half a day with his current amount of magic power.


    But if he were to also support himself with lower first rank Silent, middle first rank Swift Skill, and higher first rank Steel Temperature Resistance Field, ah, and the upper zero level Shadow of Darkness...


    The flight endurance would further decrease, and he might only last two or three hours before his magic power was completely exhausted!


    Once his thoughts had run through... Colin''s magic power was also completely restored inside him.


    He didn''t delay any further; he applied all the witchcraft to himself and Nasi, then pulled out the Cone Bullet and flew rapidly in the northern direction.


    Invisible Shadow, although mastered in half a day, taking it to the Limit Breaking Point would require more than just half a day.


    The progress in learning witchcraft is not linear, it grows increasingly difficult later on.


    Moreover, now that Invisible Shadow can be cast instantly, it can be practiced while advancing¡ªif he were to stay put, he would only be wasting time¡­


    The sea breeze was gentle.


    White-feathered, yellow-beaked seabirds circled over the azure sea, the soft waves seemed to carry diamonds that sparkled intermittently. As they rolled and surged onto the golden sand, those diamond sparkles transformed one by one into pale foam.


    Screech!


    A seabird suddenly cried out in alarm, flapping its wings frantically to soar into the sky.


    Swoosh!


    A gust of wind swept past where it had just been.


    The bird, still panic-stricken, looked down, only to see a bizarre, semi-transparent spindle shape flitting by silently like a phantom, about ten meters above the sea surface.


    That was none other than Colin, who had just emerged from the island''s forest.


    The spindle shape was, of course, intentional, so that even if someone saw his fast-moving figure from afar, they wouldn''t be able to immediately identify him as a wizard¡­


    The semi-transparent spindle maintained a steady pace forward.


    The sea was majestic but also somewhat monotonous to some extent.


    More than two hours passed, and although he had flown a great distance, all he saw was the vast blue water, not even a single island.


    "What a pity¡­ if I had encountered a large island, I could have compared it with the sea map found in Margaret''s Storage Ring to determine my exact location."


    With diminishing magic power, Colin sighed inwardly and gradually stopped his flight.


    Maintaining a straight-line flight like this, if luck was not on his side, he might not encounter any islands for a long time.


    Yet, he couldn''t just change direction at random¡­ because he couldn''t be sure whether the new direction would lead to an island marked on the sea map.


    Taking a small wooden boat picked up next to the Deserted Island from the Storage Ring, which might have belonged to the two mixed-blood Tree Elves, Colin placed it on the sea and bestowed Invisible Shadow on it before climbing aboard to take a break.


    The boat wasn''t big, only three to four meters long... clearly, it was not suitable for ocean voyages.


    "Perhaps the two mixed-blood Tree Elves, like myself, flew here and rested on the boat to recover," Colin speculated as he replenished his magic power.


    Mainly because after mastering Invisible Shadow, every half-hour, to avoid missing any nearby large islands, Colin would fly as high as possible to scan the surroundings.


    And previously, near that mangrove Deserted Island, he hadn''t seen any inhabited islands.


    As he pondered, his internal magic power gradually recovered.


    Click.


    Colin opened his pocket watch¡­ after expanding the range of Invisible Shadow, the things inside the envelope were visible.


    After all, the principle of Invisible Shadow was akin to wearing a layer of an invisibility shield that could bend light, within which one could see normally.


    Click, Colin closed the pocket watch and slowly stood up.


    "Half an hour has passed since I last checked my surroundings; it''s time to go higher and have another look."


    He waved his hand to store the small wooden boat and ascended very slowly.


    At the same time, his mind constantly adjusted and calculated the bending angle of light for the layer of Invisible Shadow around him, maintaining the cloaking effect of Invisible Shadow.


    Combining the two, the typically conspicuous, semi-transparent outline was now almost 80% concealed; if one were a bit further away, it would be nearly imperceptible.


    As he ascended, the wind grew stronger and Colin''s range of vision also expanded.


    After reaching a sufficient height, he slowly turned his head clockwise, carefully observing.


    "Water¡­ water¡­ still more water¡­" he murmured inwardly.


    But the next second, his gaze suddenly sharpened and his brow furrowed.


    "Is that¡­ a large fishing boat?"

 Chapter 358 - 265: Clues (4k)

    In the direction slightly north of the east, there was a peanut-sized brown dot on the azure sea.


    With his keen vision, Colin discerned that it was a brown triangular-sailed boat.


    From the appearance of the deck, it was also not difficult to tell that this was a coastal fishing vessel.


    Without much hesitation, he slowly lowered his altitude and decisively flew towards the fishing boat.


    In this world, such fishing boats were not suitable for ocean voyages¡­


    It appearing here at this moment meant that there must be an island nearby for it to dock!


    Before long, when the fishing boat was about a nautical mile away,


    Colin stopped midair, dispelled the Light Flame Soaring Skill, and let gravity pull him down.


    Near the sea surface, he imbued himself with the Flying and Diving Skill and dove into the water.


    The entire process stirred up only a small splash, like a fish entering the water.


    As for Nasi¡­


    Once the Flying and Diving Skill reached the water, it spontaneously formed a bubble of air around him, sufficiently enveloping tiny Nasi within it.


    In this manner, Colin concealed his body and stealthily approached the fishing boat.


    The waves rolled heavily, and he silently clung to the side of the boat, cautiously controlling his field of vision to envelop only the fishing boat, then entered a supersensitive state.


    On the vast sea, Supersensitive Vision could not be entered so easily.


    However, during the day it was relatively manageable, as long as one didn''t continually stare at the vast sea, and as long as one wasn''t particularly unlucky to encounter some unknown entities, one generally wouldn''t encounter trouble.


    "It''s time to learn some non-scanning detection witchcraft¡­ like visual or olfactory ones," Colin thought subconsciously.


    His Detecting Three Abilities witchcraft, derived from synthetic materials, whether it be Detect Magic Power or Detect Life, worked on the principle of emitting a special "wave" and then judging the detection based on the received feedback.


    Thus, the principle of Detecting Three Abilities was the same, only that the emitted waves were more complex, having a more comprehensive detection ability without increasing the consumption of Magic Power excessively.


    However, such detection witchcraft had one clear disadvantage¡ªthese emitted "waves" could possibly be perceived.


    So, although the triangular-sailed boat currently under observation was merely a fishing vessel with crew members most likely being ordinary people, possessing at most some Knight Cultivation,


    to be cautious, he still chose to use Supersensitive Vision for less detectable observation.


    As Colin''s thoughts moved, the originally azure sky in his view suddenly turned gray-white, and countless, varying-sized, black flocculent particles filled every place.


    Whether it was the sky, the deck, or right in front of him, these "Tainted babbles" composed of twisting insect-like black dots were everywhere.


    Already accustomed to such a sight under Supersensitive Vision, Colin''s bright human nature and knowledge as Spiritual Light resolutely repelled the black dots from coming closer.


    He calmly turned his head, carefully observing the deck in front of him.


    ''Indeed¡­ This is most likely just an ordinary fishing boat.''


    Moments later, Colin exited the supersensitive state and silently assessed in his mind.


    Typically, under Supersensitive Vision, in addition to observing the drifting Tainted babblings of the world, one could also see Spirit Fog inherent in any life form or the Body Surface Light.


    For wizards, because those below Advanced Wizard Apprentices had not yet dispelled their Spirit Fog, their bodies showed Spirit Fog as well.


    In other words, if there was no use of disguise Witch Tools and Spirit Fog was still present on the body surface, then the strength was definitely below the level of an Advanced Wizard Apprentice.


    At the moment, he swept across the deck, and his eyes saw only pale white Spirit Fog, with no presence of any Body Surface Light.


    Of course¡­ observing the deck was not enough.


    Thus, Colin easily boarded the fishing boat using blind spots in the line of sight.


    With his current strength, even without the Invisible Shadow''s concealment, relying solely on his swift speed, ultra-fast responses, and Superbrain, he could calculate the blind spots and choose the right moment like an invisible person, moving around the boat as if it were uninhabited.


    Not to mention that he now had the help of the Invisible Shadow.


    The observation abilities of untrained ordinary people were worse than they imagined.


    Approximately five minutes later, Colin had thoroughly inspected the entire fishing boat.


    There were eighteen people on board, all below the level of higher apprentices, none of whom posed a threat to him.


    Having completed this, Colin walked onto the deck and went into the captain''s room.


    Standing next to the empty sea-chart table by the cabin window were two figures.


    Colin found a corner where the surrounding environment wouldn''t change and quietly stood there waiting.


    The reason Invisible Shadow couldn''t hide a moving target was not because the target was moving, but mainly because the surroundings of the target were changing.


    As the environment changed, the corresponding angles of light bending needed adjustment, which the Invisible Shadow simply couldn''t adjust quickly enough, thus giving itself away.


    ''So¡­ if the ability of the Invisible Shadow to swiftly change the bending angle of light could be enhanced, perhaps its shortcomings could be remedied?'' Colin thought subconsciously.


    Whether it was a psychological effect or not, but ever since wearing the Crown of Enlightenment, such insights occasionally sparked in his mind...


    Slightly shaking his head, Colin composed his thoughts and focused his attention on the two individuals who seemed to be looking at the scenery through the cabin window. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 359 - 265: Clues (4k)_2

    He had boarded this fishing boat and expended such considerable effort to inspect it not to squander his energy.


    His only true purpose was to ascertain which island this vessel hailed from, thereby deducing his own location.


    ''What a pity... Had the table that should hold the sea charts not been utterly empty, I could have determined my position earlier.'' Colin shifted his gaze to the nearby table.


    The next second, he suddenly looked up.


    Because the two figures had begun to speak.


    "Jack, how much longer until we reach the fishing grounds?"


    The red-haired youth on the left suddenly asked the old man beside him, not turning his head and continually watching the sea with a slight trace of worry on his face.


    "About ten minutes," the old Jack standing beside him replied.


    His tone was as meticulous as his neatly combed white hair, and his strong muscles bulged beneath his worn linen shortsleeve.


    He appeared to be a Great Knight.


    "Mhm," the red-haired youth murmured softly through his nose, and then silence fell between them once again.


    Colin patiently waited.


    If he was indeed in a Sea Domain controlled by the Divine, then as a Wizard in opposition, the most crucial factor to ensure his own survival was to hide himself, to become like a ghost, leaving no trace whatsoever.


    Unwilling to expose himself, he also was not willing to directly overpower the two individuals to ask for directions, choosing instead to quietly wait... After all, it was already afternoon, and after a few more hours at the latest, the fishing boat would have to return, and he could determine the island''s location by the direction of the boat.


    ''It''s just a pity that flying too high above the sea is too dangerous, otherwise I could have directly seen the island where this fishing boat belongs... After all, this boat isn''t moving fast, so the island should be nearby,'' Colin thought disinterestedly.


    At this moment, the two figures spoke again.


    "Jack..." It was an unconscious murmur from the youth, seemingly wanting to ask something but ultimately remained silent.


    "Master Ante, everything will pass. I heard the Priests lament¡ªthe frontlines of the battlefield, the Wizards have advanced again.


    As long as we keep persevering, liberation of the Pahama Islands will surely come!"


    "By then, relying on the renown left behind by Master Basar and the contributions made to the Pahama Islands during the Divine invasion, the Supreme Council will definitely help you restore the glory of the Basa family," the old man beside him solemnly comforted.


    "Sigh... It''s easier said than done. The vast Basa family is now left with only my sister, you, and myself as survivors. My sister possesses no Wizard Talent, and even with our father''s assistance, my own aptitude in the Wizard path is mediocre...


    Even if the Wizards manage to reclaim the Pahama Islands, with my meager strength, even with the help of the Supreme Council, it''s still uncertain whether I could restore the family to its former glory when my father, who held Second Rank power, presided over it," the youth sighed, maintaining a very clear view of the entire situation.


    "Moreover, given the current circumstances, whether we can hold out until then remains unknown... Recently, sister Anna accidentally revealed her true form and now has attracted the pestering of that beast Lian; we still don''t know how to deal with him, and behind him stands a Priest..."


    The youth continued his dialogue, but Colin had already lost interest in listening further.


    "Pahama Islands... liberation from Divine hands..."


    The most critical pieces of information had been obtained, and he was now able to deduce his current whereabouts.


    "Could it actually be within a region occupied by the Divine faction..."


    Colin couldn''t help but feel a sinking feeling in his heart. He took a deep breath, recalled the sea charts etched in his mind, and began to carefully search for the Pahama Islands.


    A moment later, he found several candidates.


    The reason there were several was because these islands were all within territories occupied by the Divine, each known as Pahama...


    The vastness of the ocean meant that having several islands with the same name was perfectly normal.


    Colin was unsurprised, but thought he might need to examine the contours of the Pahama Islands more closely to pinpoint exactly which one it was.


    However, with this thought came hesitation.


    Now that he knew he was within a Divine-controlled Sea Domain, and the Pahama Islands were also under their control... it would be unwise to venture forth further.


    As he contemplated this, Colin glanced at the seacharts again.


    Fortunately, the islands named Pahama were mostly clustered to the left.


    After a moment''s consideration, Colin finally decided on a rough direction¡ªnortheast. He would embark immediately, avoiding all islands, and escape from the Divine-controlled Sea Domain as soon as possible!


    The plan was simple, but he knew in his heart... the journey ahead would not be easy.


    The place where they were at the moment was deep within the Divine Sea Domain, and their journey up to this point had been relatively calm.


    However, when they reached the latter part, especially the areas near the frontline, it went without saying¡ªthere would be a substantial number of Divine Believers patrolling the Sea Domain!


    Getting through such a blockade and returning to the Wizard''s side would likely be as difficult as ascending to heaven!


    Ding¡ª!


    Just then, a grand bell tolled suddenly from the center of the deck.


    Inside the captain''s quarters, old Jack and the young Ante immediately halted their conversation.


    "It''s time for the afternoon prayer again... that was quick," Ante sighed softly, composed himself along with old Jack, and then subconsciously straightened his clothes at the chest before slowly making his way to the deck.


    "Prayer to the Divine..." Colin''s heart jolted unexpectedly.


    Only then did he suddenly realize the true nature of being in a Sea Domain controlled by the Divine.


    It wasn''t his fault, mainly because the behavior of old Jack and young Ante was too normal, lacking the peculiar devotion displayed by ordinary Divine Believers.


    Hm... not even a hint of the appearance of a Divine Believer?


    At this thought, Colin''s mind stirred, and he faintly sensed something.


    He hesitated for a moment, then quietly followed behind the two, planning to observe them more closely.


    At this moment, having left the captain''s quarters, Ante and old Jack seemed to have passed not just the door but through some kind of "transformation" portal¡ªappearing to have changed into completely different people! sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Old Jack''s normally stiff back suddenly bent slightly, and the skin on his face sagged, wrinkles piling up like continuous trenches of land.


    The essence of a Great Knight and the apparently noble servant''s elegant demeanor had vanished without a trace.


    On the other hand, young Ante''s troubled look also dissipated, leaving behind only a silent and solemn expression¡ªthat of devotion.


    With his not particularly outstanding features, he now resembled a true, ordinary fisherboy.


    ''But... this alone is not enough to make a judgment,'' Colin continued to watch.


    Ante stepped towards the strange statue in the center of the deck with light and slow steps, taking small strides.


    The surrounding sailors also gathered towards the statue in the same manner, their pace and devout expressions as uniform as the others.


    Then, a tall young girl also emerged from below the deck, her head wrapped in a deep gray scarf, her red hair almost entirely hidden, revealing only traces around the temples.


    A voluminous gray-white linen robe enveloped her entire figure, hiding her shape and highlighting her height, which was much taller than that of an average woman.


    Her complexion was as devout as the people around her.


    Thud.


    Thud-thud-thud¡ª


    Suddenly, a series of dull thuds reached Colin, who instinctively turned to look.


    As the devoted crowd neared the statue, about five meters away, as if following a ritual, they suddenly knelt down.


    The dull thuds were the sound of their knees hitting the deck.


    But it didn''t end there.


    These kneeling believers continued to inch forward on their knees until they were close to the statue before stopping.


    Then, as everyone had knelt and moved in front of the statue, the prayer started.


    Colin''s attention was almost entirely on young Ante.


    Upon looking, he indeed found a clue!


    Young Ante, though he bowed his head and muttered as the ordinary sailor believers beside him, and his expression showed equal devotion,


    The shoulders hidden under his linen short sleeves did not escape Superbrain''s meticulous observation.


    Colin noticed that Ante was tensing up, as if he was enduring something...


    Seeing this, the slight idea in his mind gradually became clear¡ª


    This young man, who appeared to come from a Wizard Family, might possess a method or an instrument to disguise himself as a Divine Believer!

 Chapter 360 - 266: News (4K)

    Swoosh~swoosh¡ª¡ª


    The azure ocean waters ceaselessly battered the hull of the triangular-sailed fishing boat.


    From a distance, these azure waters appeared beautiful, but as they drew near, they lost their allure, turning into the clear and ordinary sight you''d expect.


    At the moment, the fishing boat was completely stationary because there was nobody steering it, and the sails had been lowered, leaving it to drift with the waves.


    The brown deck was filled with solemn-faced crew members prostrate on the ground, murmuring archaic phrases that Colin had never heard before.


    ''Wait a bit longer... The prayers are still ongoing, and it''s not the right time to act,'' Colin exhaled deeply, suppressing the urge to intervene that his conjectures had stirred within him.


    If the young Ante indeed possessed some means or device to disguise himself as a Divine Believer and helped him cross the Divine defense line,


    then without a doubt, there was no reason for him to pass up such a thing!


    In the middle of the deck, what Ante and the others were worshipping was a strange goddess statue with indistinct facial features.


    Even though it was a statue of a goddess, she bore no trace of beauty. The blood that covered her full figure flowed like some thick, viscous liquid, starting from the top of her head and gliding down through her spread hair, covering every inch of her body like a melty wax shell, completely obscuring her naked form and masking even the graceful curves beneath.


    Upon this dark red shell, barely recognizable as human, dozens of lifelike pitch-black bat figurines crouched greedily on various parts of the goddess, lapping up the blood.


    From a distance, one could barely make out the human shape.


    "Swoosh¡ª¡ªswoosh¡ª¡ª, plop."


    As the prayers continued, the murmurs of the believers on board coalesced and reached Colin''s ears, eerily resembling the sound of a liquid constantly churning and then dripping down onto solid ground.


    Colin was startled in his heart, and without another glance or listening further to the believers'' prayers, he found a corner where the environment was stable and waited quietly for the right moment.


    About ten minutes later, the afternoon prayers came to an end.


    But the solemn atmosphere left on the ship hadn''t yet dissipated, and there was no conversation amongst the crew. They moved like meticulous machinery, each returning to their positions and resuming their duties.


    The young Ante was already accustomed to this scene and discreetly glanced at Anna and old Jack to his side.


    Together, the three of them headed towards the captain''s cabin.


    Located at the middle-rear of the fishing boat, the captain''s cabin was an isolated small room, hidden from the surrounding view. The brainwashed sailors, mostly gathered at the front deck of the fishing boat, usually didn''t come to this part unless there was a special situation.


    This was why Ante and old Jack had felt comfortable having secret conversations before.


    "Heaven helps me..." Colin watched their direction with the corners of his lips slightly raised, and followed them with a leisurely pace.


    Hence when old Jack, who was last in line, shut the door of the captain''s cabin and turned around, he was shocked to find that within the narrow captain''s quarters, an unfamiliar person, not of the Basa family, had appeared out of nowhere.


    Swish!


    His aged body burst forth with unmatched power and speed, his right foot taking a step forward, passing between Ante and Anna in the blink of an eye.


    Then, with a clank, his right hand drew a rust-covered short dagger from who-knows-where, holding it across his chest, with his left hand protecting the Anna siblings behind him.


    "May I inquire who you are?"


    But the next second, upon seeing the attire of the unexpected guest, he hesitated for a moment, sheathed his dagger, and a glimmer of imperceptible hope shone in his weary eyes.


    Ante was also taken aback, his heart pounding uncontrollably.


    He hadn''t expected that in just a blink of an eye, a Wizard would appear before him!


    "Respected Wizard sir, good afternoon, please forgive old Jack''s rudeness."


    Next to him, the young lady Anna reacted even faster. With her hands holding up her voluminous robes, she respectfully greeted with a slight curtsy. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Good afternoon," Colin replied indifferently. He didn''t mind old Jack, who was reverently bowing to one side, and went straight to the point:


    "Members of the Basa family, do you have a means of disguising yourselves as Divine Believers?"


    "Sir... do you know us?" Ante asked reflexively, upon hearing Colin reveal their identities.


    Anna discreetly nudged him with her foot.


    Her own brother was just not mature enough; this Wizard mentioning such a thing obviously meant he could have been here for quite some time...


    She turned her head, taking over the conversation with Colin:


    "Respected Wizard sir, indeed we possess the means to disguise ourselves as Divine Believers. Our father holds a unique device of disguise¡ªthe Sigh Blood Crystal, which can mimic almost any essence, as long as it''s been truly observed."


    "Anna sis..." Ante''s face changed slightly. He had not expected that Anna would so readily disclose all this information to Colin.


    He subconsciously looked towards old Jack.


    The Great Knight old Jack turned back in time, his gaze conveying to Ante to stay calm, and then, like Anna, he waited quietly for Colin''s response.


    He understood in his heart that what Miss Anna did was correct.


    This Wizard who had managed to penetrate this Sea Domain controlled by the Divine was not someone easy to deal with!


    They simply didn''t stand on equal ground to converse with him, let alone the qualifications to haggle or retain bargaining chips.


    Cooperating transparently was their only option.


    Colin was somewhat surprised by the girl''s clarity in the face of desperation... it''s worth noting that not everyone can remain so lucid in the face of hope when trapped in a dire situation.

 Chapter 361 - 266: News (4k)_2

    He had thought that the people before him would make some demands or negotiate with him...


    But cooperating seemed to be all benefits and no harm to him... Colin''s expression remained unchanged as he continued to ask:


    "So, what is the cost of using this magical artifact?"


    "Chest pain, varying in intensity depending on the strength of the target," Anna did not hide anything, she just paused and then added,


    "The Sigh Blood Crystal can also disguise multiple targets at once, but the downside is that all targets will suffer the same chest pain, while the user will endure approximately 1.5 times the pain.


    Moreover, for every ten targets as a threshold, the pain for the targets other than the user will increase fivefold, and for the user, it increases tenfold."


    Colin nodded slightly.


    Magical artifact... He clearly remembered the near-death agony he endured while escaping from the Foolishness Scepter in the Elf Kingdom.


    These things, similar to bugs, had the costs of bugs.


    In the depths of his senses, he realized that the chest pain from the Sigh Blood Crystal... seemed to be a trivial price to pay, but perhaps it was not so simple behind the scenes!


    However, there was no alternative now, you had to choose the lesser of two evils.


    What was most important at the moment was breaking through the Divine side''s front line and returning to the Wizards'' side.


    If the Sigh Blood Crystal could help with this, then even if there were hidden dangers, he would have no choice but to use it...


    After all, it''s far better than losing one''s life!


    "I''ll speak frankly, I need the Sigh Blood Crystal, and in exchange, I can fulfill one request within my power for you," he continued in a grave tone, with no expression on his face.


    As his voice fell, the captain''s cabin suddenly plunged into silence.


    Ante''s face revealed a trace of panic; from the moment Anna mentioned the Sigh Blood Crystal... no, even when Colin asked his first question, he had anticipated the current situation.


    The Sigh Blood Crystal..., was clearly not going to be kept.


    His lips moved slightly, wanting to ask Colin to take them along to escape from here. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But he was afraid that such a request was too much and would end up fruitless, so he could only purse his lips and remain silent.


    "My lord, are you here to carry out a mission in the Sea Domain?" After a moment of silence, Anna suddenly mustered the courage to ask; she wanted to confirm some information.


    Colin shook his head.


    After taking the Sigh Blood Crystal, he would handle the memories of the three ordinary people before him¡ªthis was but a minor trick of spiritual power for a First Rank Wizard.


    So at this moment, there was no need to hide anything.


    "If you''re planning to infiltrate Pahama Island with the help of the Sigh Blood Crystal, then I have to tell you, that''s going to be very difficult to achieve."


    It seemed that Anna thought Colin wasn''t telling the truth, she paused for a moment and continued to say:


    "This is partly because of the special defense mechanisms of Pahama Island... or rather, all the islands controlled by the Divine.


    You may not know that over the past few months, we have often seen wizards attempting to infiltrate Pahama Island."


    At this, Anna paused slightly as if recalling something, her face still showing remnants of fear, she continued:


    "Yet those wizards, whether they transformed into birds or disguised themselves as believers taking boats, were all precisely filtered out by a certain mechanism, and the moment they set foot on the island, they were hung up by invisible threads, then turned into a burst of blood-red ''fireworks'' in mid-air."


    After saying this, she looked at Colin, paused slightly and then continued:


    "On the other hand, it is also because of the defects of the Sigh Blood Crystal."


    "Defects?" Colin furrowed his brow.


    "Yes, defects."


    "I don''t know how strong you are, my lord, but my father once told us that typically, the user of the Sigh Blood Crystal can be at most an Advanced Wizard Apprentice... Otherwise, the unbearable chest pain will cause the user to lose consciousness or even fall into an eternal coma."


    As Anna spoke, she gestured for her brother Ante to take out the Sigh Blood Crystal worn on his chest.


    Ante hesitated but eventually succumbed to his sister''s guidance and handed the Sigh Blood Crystal to Colin standing before him.


    "Sir," she continued, "if you do not trust, you may try it yourself."


    Colin cautiously received the bright red crystal, the sensation in his palm immediately clarifying that this was indeed the oddity.


    However, he did not rashly attempt to use it, but instead secured the Blood Crystal and gazed at the young girl before him, asking further:


    "Do you have anything else you want to say?"


    This girl named Anna, having said so much, clearly wasn''t merely explaining; he had already formed a suspicion in his heart.


    Seeing Colin give nothing away, Anna subconsciously bit her red lip, finally revealing a hint of vulnerability.


    She paused, glanced at Ante beside her, and decided not to be coy any longer, she spoke up:


    "Sir, you intend to cross the battle lines and return to the region controlled by the wizards, correct?"


    Without waiting for Colin''s response, Anna continued:


    "The level of pain caused by the Sigh Blood Crystal largely depends on the user''s assessment. If you let my brother use the Sigh Blood Crystal by your side, the pain you endure will be reduced to at least a fifth... It will no longer cause unconsciousness."


    "So¡ª" she looked at Colin intently, pleading word by word:


    "Perhaps, sir, you might consider taking my brother with you. He has the strength of an Intermediate Knight and is also a Basic Level Wizard Apprentice. He may not be able to help you much, but at least he won''t be too much of a burden."


    "Anna, sister!" Ante was first taken aback, then realizing what was happening, he instinctively called out in a low voice.


    But Anna didn''t answer, merely bowing her head, silently waiting for Colin''s reply, as did Old Jack beside her.


    Ante was the Basa family''s only hope now.


    And now that they finally encountered a wizard, they must seize this opportunity, daring only to request the departure of Ante alone.


    Colin fell silent upon hearing these words.


    Anna''s request was clear; she wished for the young boy before her to be able to leave this place.


    "I cannot guarantee that I can successfully take him across the battle lines," he said softly.


    "It doesn''t matter, sir." Anna smiled, the slight curl of her lips briefly revealing her exceptional beauty, despite the deliberate smudges on her face... like a lotus rising from the mud, pure and charming.


    She went on: "Besides, even if we remain here, we might not always be able to hide... our cover will eventually be blown."


    "Let Ante follow you. At least... With the disguise of the Sigh Blood Crystal, you will have a greater chance of crossing the defense line. The usual detection mechanisms generally cannot see through the disguise of the Sigh Blood Crystal.


    And the disappearance of Ante won''t draw any attention... This is the sea, and we are merely fishermen now, going out and coming back with a few less is nothing out of the ordinary."


    Colin remained silent, carefully weighing the options in his mind.


    Ante, unable to accept the choice of fleeing alone, seemed panicked and blurted out:


    "Anna, sister... The wizards at the front, with the help of the Elf Clan, have already gained the advantage! I heard they are about to take back the Southern Seven Islands!


    Once they reclaim the strategic islands of the Seven Islands, it won''t be long before they can advance to our location..."


    Ante''s words struck like a bolt of lightning, abruptly interrupting Colin''s thoughts.


    "Help from the Elf Clan?" he suppressed the sudden turmoil within him and asked sharply, word by word.


    Ante, clearly frightened by his tone, stammered:


    "Yes, sir, didn''t you know?"


    "The fabled Elf Clan that disappeared long ago, not long ago re-emerged. Just as a thousand years ago, they formed an alliance with the wizards, coming to the front line to jointly resist the Divine Disaster sweeping across the world once again..."


    "With their help, especially that of the Tree Elves, the wizard''s side finally reversed the downturn, pushing the battle line significantly forward, and I heard they''ve retaken dozens of islands!"


    "And their next target is the crucial hub of the Southern Sea Domain, the Southern Seven Islands!"

 Chapter 362 - 267 Possible Shortcut

    In the captain''s quarters, as Ante finished his words, an eerie silence unexpectedly fell.


    Ante cautiously glanced at Colin, sensing the mysterious wizard''s expression dark as the deep-sea night.


    ...This abrupt demeanor left them so intimidated that they dared not even breathe out loud, only silently waiting for Colin''s instructions.


    ''The Elf Clan... Tree Elves...''


    At this moment, Colin felt a shiver running down his spine, an inexplicable sour sensation... His fair little arm tensed unconsciously, the hand hidden beneath the loose Wizard Robe already clenched into a fist.


    ''The Tree Elf Clan has sided with the Divine...


    Although I don''t know exactly which Divine it is, any Divine, after all, is a wizard''s enemy!''


    ''And the enemy''s dogs, would they actually fight shoulder to shoulder with a wizard?!''


    Thinking this, a heavy boulder seemed to weigh down on Colin''s heart.


    Though many doubts remained unanswered, one thing was certain¡ª


    This suddenly appearing Elf Clan was clearly not any ally, but spies!


    ''...No, that''s not necessarily true, perhaps some elves haven''t succumbed to the Divine.''


    He consoled himself subconsciously, but the anxiety within him crinkled like folded paper... and was always difficult to soothe.


    "I promise you."


    Giving himself no more time for wild thoughts, Colin took a deep breath, his gaze fixed sternly on the three people before him.


    He had never felt too personally involved in the wars between wizards and the Divine.


    If he had to say, the most memorable impression of the Divine was still from his encounter on Blackstone Island when he was weak and young with that golden Divine.


    But with the nest turned over, not an egg remains intact¡ªthis war concerned the life and death of the wizard community!


    And now, being a wizard himself, the success or failure of the wizards was also his own¡­


    ''I must get this message out...''


    His heart growing more anxious, Colin''s expression became even more serene, awaiting the reply from the three before him.


    Anna, hearing Colin''s answer, felt a rush of relief, though her face then turned somewhat forlorn. She paused, turning her head to look at Ante, about to instruct him.


    But Ante kept shaking his head, "Anna, I won''t leave alone."


    He then turned to Old Jack, "Jack, you know, once I leave, Anna definitely won''t escape Lian''s clutches..."


    Colin inwardly sighed, then steeled his resolve, preparing to interrupt Ante.


    There wasn''t much time to delay, and they couldn''t afford any unnecessary complications.


    He understood the importance of the news he held¡ªit might be the key piece of information that could influence the current war''s outcome!


    By all logic and sentiment, what he needed to do most was pass this message to the Supreme Council!


    "Wizard sir!"


    But just as he was about to speak, Ante suddenly turned around and thudded onto his knees.


    "Ante?!" Anna exclaimed softly, her face changing slightly. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Old Jack glanced at Anna¡ªthis young girl he had watched grow up, his face flickering indecisively, remaining silent and motionless in place.


    As for Ante, he naturally ignored Anna''s shout.


    He raised his head, his lips tightly pursed as he gazed at Colin, then said:


    "Sir, I implore you to take all three of us away, to escape this Sea Domain, back to the wizards'' realm!"


    Colin, silent, might have softened and agreed if he had not learned of the Elf Clan''s situation.


    But now... with such news in his possession, felt like carrying an invisible mountain, making him wary of taking any unnecessary risks.


    Ante bit his lower lip, continuing to speak.


    "Sir, although Anna lacks the Talent of a wizard, she is a peak Knight, and old Jack is a Great Knight..."


    "I''m sorry..." Colin slowly shook his head.


    Ante''s complexion immediately turned pale, and his expression sank.


    At that moment, he even thought about threatening the wizard in front of him by not using the Sigh Blood Crystal seriously when the time came.


    Unfortunately... he knew this was the worst of the worst ideas.


    His brain was rapidly spinning.


    The next second, a spark of Spiritual Light appeared in Ante''s heart. Thinking of something, he persevered and continued,


    "Wizard Sir, I also know of a method that can allow you to reach Quinte Island without having to cross the battlefield lines!"


    ''Without having to cross the battlefield lines... Quinte Island?''


    Upon hearing this, Colin, who was about to outright refuse, suddenly swallowed his words, instinctively searching for the location of Quinte Island in his mind''s sea map.


    The name Quinte seemed quite rare.


    A moment later, he found an island called Quinte southeast of Gubier Island.


    Not too excited... In such circumstances, people are most likely to tell lies or speak without certainty.


    Colin''s expression didn''t change. He paused and with an intentionally more stern tone, he looked straight into young Ante''s eyes and asked word by word firmly,


    "Are you sure... that everything you have said is true?"


    Ante swallowed nervously, his body trembling slightly, but he still nodded hesitantly, stammering, "I''m sure, Sir."


    He paused and then added, "But to be precise, it leads to a concealed island next to Quinte Island."


    ''Not Quinte Island, but a concealed island... That doesn''t matter as long as it reaches the sea domain controlled by the wizards'' side.''


    However... Colin''s eyebrows knitted together.


    At least for now, Ante''s demeanor didn''t seem to be lying.


    "Ante, what are you doing?"


    Beside him, Anna couldn''t help but ask quietly. She had no idea about the method Ante mentioned...


    Moreover, if there really were a way to directly reach Quinte Island behind the wizards'' lines without crossing the frontlines, they would have escaped long ago and wouldn''t still be struggling here relying on the Sigh Blood Crystal.


    "Anna, I''m not lying. I only learned about this when I was once following my father..." Ante quickly explained.


    Old Jack beside him seemed to have thought of something too, his brows slightly furrowed, lost in thought.


    "So, is what you know about some nearby transmission array or some special transmission gates? Tell me everything in detail."


    Colin relaxed his brows, calmly looked at the young man in front of him, and continued to press.


    "Alright, Sir." Ante nodded, his lips barely moving as he was about to elaborate further.


    But Colin suddenly raised his hand to stop Ante.


    "Someone is coming." He looked up, pointed towards the outside of the captain''s cabin, and then waved his hand to dismiss the ''Silent.''


    Stepping into the corner, like a wisp of green smoke, he abruptly disappeared into the shadows...


    Young Ante, watching Colin vanish, finally realized why Colin could identify their identities...


    He thought about his conversation with old Jack earlier; the mysterious wizard might have been nearby all along, which was still somewhat eerie.


    Anna and old Jack felt the same, with old Jack making more efforts to observe, trying to find traces of Colin.


    However, the visitor approaching the captain''s cabin didn''t give them more time for that.


    "Knock, knock, knock."


    Just two or three seconds later, a rapid knocking sound resumed, accompanied by a deep voice.


    "Captain Jack, I''m very sorry to disturb you, but we... I''m afraid we''ve encountered some trouble."

 Chapter 363 - 268 Complex Conditions

    "Come in, Keg."


    Old Jack, at this moment, unhesitatingly stepped forward and seated himself in the captain''s chair, while Anna and Ante respectively stood by his side.


    Creak¡ª


    The brown wooden door to the captain''s cabin was hurriedly pushed open.


    A middle-aged man with a beard swiftly entered, gave a respectful bow to Old Jack, and then quickly said,


    "Captain Jack, Monk Lian is here."


    "Lian..." Old Jack''s somewhat frosty brows furrowed together, a sense of foreboding instantly arose in his heart.


    Why would he come at a time like this, just when the three of them, just when Miss Anna had come to this vast, unclaimed sea?


    ...It was clearly no good intention!


    "I understand. You go outside and handle it for now; we''ll be right there."


    But now, Lian clearly wasn''t the most important issue at hand, as he dismissed the Sailor Chief Keg.


    "Yes." Keg didn''t sense anything unusual, nodded, and turned to leave.


    He even closed the cabin''s wooden door behind him with polite consideration.


    After waiting a few seconds, Anna was the first to speak up from the corner, "Wizard sir, are you still there?"


    "Mhm." Colin responded indifferently, revealing his form from the corner of the room.


    At the same time, he reinforced the captain''s cabin with a Silent Spell.


    Anna, clearly startled by the voice coming from behind her, turned to look at Colin and hesitated before asking,


    "So what do we do now...?"


    "Continue on, but keep it brief," Colin instructed Ante, who was beside him.


    Ante, gathering his interrupted thoughts, began to explain,


    "As you suspected, it''s a Transmission Array, specially built by our father before his death¡ªAnna, you should know about it too, it''s the place we often went to as children, it''s just that I once accidentally saw the Transmission Array appear... Well, after much pestering, father told me it was a Transmission Array..."


    "Cut to the chase. Where is the Transmission Array, and what are the conditions for its use?" Colin interrupted Ante''s reminiscence with a frown. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Sorry." Ante hurriedly shut his mouth, paused for a brief moment, and then continued succinctly,


    "It''s on a Deserted Island near the Pahama Islands."


    "And the conditions for use are a bit complicated... but they have something to do with Monk Lian, who has just arrived."


    Complicated conditions... Colin''s brows knitted together, and then he looked up, seemingly at the door.


    "Let''s deal with him first."


    He ordered softly, dispelled the Silent Spell, and then once again vanished into the corner.


    The next second.


    Bang, the door to the captain''s cabin was suddenly pushed open.


    "Long time no see, Captain Jack... and my dearest Miss Anna."


    A lean man strode in, followed by a resigned-looking Sailor Chief Keg.


    Jack calmly seated himself in the chair of honor and looked at the entering Lian with a frown.


    This monk''s appearance... was rather unattractive.


    A long, horse-like face, high cheekbones prominently jutting out, nostrils flared outward, and during his speech, his crooked, yellowish teeth flashed briefly, causing a turn of the stomach.


    Yet, Lian himself seemed oblivious to this, believing he had gracefully executed a poor imitation of a noble''s salute, while waiting for Jack''s response.


    It''s worth mentioning that this etiquette was something he had just learned in the past few months.


    Like all those who suddenly rose in the aftermath of disaster, he never saw the arrival of the Divine as a bad thing.


    On the contrary, he even believed it to be a genuine boon!


    Before, he was merely a loathed lowlife, but now, he had transformed into a respected monk!


    "Do you need something, Lian? If you delay the fishing task set by the boss, you won''t be able to bear the consequences..." Jack finally spoke coldly.


    Looking at Jack''s unfriendly and ungracious attitude, Lian wasn''t annoyed but merely smiled faintly.


    A great man doesn''t dwell on petty slights; the increase in status and power had made his once narrow mind more open.


    Still, he paused, then couldn''t help but remind,


    "Please address me as Monk Lian, Captain Jack, as that is the basic etiquette... Although you are not a monk, you are a captain now, no longer the mud-covered peasant of the past. Mind your speech and behavior."


    As Lian said this, he also glanced at Anna beside him, with a desire in his eyes that he couldn''t quite conceal.


    "For example, your beautiful daughter here, why not dress her up nicely? I swear, Captain Jack, as long as Anna dresses up, she wouldn''t be inferior to the misses of noble families from the past!"


    "You don''t need to bother yourself with that, Lian," Jack said calmly and then continued urging, "If you''ve just come to exchange pleasantries, then please leave soon. It''s getting late, and our fishing task isn''t finished yet."


    While speaking, he was also quietly searching for Colin''s location, wondering if his Great Knight''s abilities would allow him to observe.


    Hearing that Jack still hadn''t addressed him as Brother Lian, Lian involuntarily frowned, but thinking of his subsequent plans, he relaxed his brow again, putting on a smile that he thought was benevolent as he said:


    "With the mighty power of the Lord, mere darkness is insignificant, and besides, you weren''t planning to return until tomorrow evening. There''s plenty of time to complete the fishing task."


    "Alright, Captain Jack, I''m here this time to ask for your permission to court Anna," he finally said.


    As soon as Lian finished speaking, Anna''s expression turned cold.


    Ante, who was beside her, seemed to vent his roller-coaster emotions and didn''t hide his anger, speaking coldly:


    "Lian, don''t think I''m unaware of your schemes. In these past few months, who knows how many girls you''ve harmed, and now you have the audacity to set your sights on Sister Anna!


    Courtship... huh! Have you even looked at yourself in the mirror to see if you''re worthy?!"


    "Are you saying I''m ugly?!" Lian suddenly burst into rage as if his scales had been touched, roaring in a low voice.


    "Ante!"


    At just the right moment, Jack turned and feigned anger to scold Ante, then calmly continued speaking to Lian:


    "Anna is still young, it''s not yet the right time, and it''s too soon to discuss such things."


    Lian took a few deep breaths to suppress his anger and then continued, "Her young age doesn''t matter, feelings need to be nurtured from an early age."


    Jack, of course, firmly shook his head.


    "Please go back, Lian... Brother," he said.


    It wasn''t that he didn''t want to pretend to comply, but if he agreed, given Lian''s current status, the next moment he might very well directly take Anna back to his home!


    The same had happened to those girls in the past.


    ...This was the bottom line, there could be no further concessions.


    "So...what you mean is that you do not agree, Captain Jack?" Lian''s expression turned cold, a glint of icy light flashing in his turbid eyes.


    Jack remained silent, continuing to shake his head, but he felt somewhat puzzled about where the mysterious wizard was, as he truly sensed nothing!


    "It''s your choice, Captain Jack," Lian said, curling up the corners of his mouth to reveal his crisscrossed, yellow-brown teeth.


    There were no women Lian wanted that he couldn''t have!


    Before coming here, he had already made all preparations, specifically choosing this deserted ocean precisely for this second contingency!


    "Keg," he called out the name without disguising it.


    As the words fell, the Sailor Chief who had been standing behind him slowly stepped out, looking at the three of them with some embarrassment, waving his hand and muttering,


    "Captain Jack, don''t blame me, one has to aim higher in life, even if it means changing masters from a wizard to the Divine... it''s the same."


    Jack''s expression remained unchanged; he did not speak, seemingly unconcerned.


    Seeing that Jack did not reveal the dismayed expression he had expected, Lian suddenly felt somewhat empty and couldn''t help but emphasize, lowering his voice and saying coldly:


    "We are on the vast sea, and you''re just a bunch of fishermen who die off from time to time! Don''t you get my meaning? Today in this room, aside from Anna, both of you must die!"


    Saying this, it seemed as if explaining so bluntly made him feel slightly less imposing, so Lian paused and deliberately lowered his voice even further, speaking coldly:


    "Captain Jack, the confidence you have is all because of your Great Knight''s strength! But do you know? Today I did not come alone!"


    Lian sneered, unaware that suddenly a new voice sounded from behind.


    "Oh, do you mean¡ªthese two companions of yours?"


    Thump, thump.


    Colin released his grasp, allowing the two thoroughly knocked-out Great Knights to fall to the floor of the captain''s cabin, and then smoothly closed the door behind him.


    In that short time, he had not wasted any minute inside the captain''s cabin, instead thoroughly checking around the fishing boat and conveniently bringing these two only suspicious individuals over after knocking them out.


    "Who are you?!" Lian asked, his voice filled with shock and uncertainty, raising his arm, instinctively conjuring up his half-baked Divine Arts.


    Colin, unwilling to waste words, simply waved his hand and effortlessly knocked Lian and the Sailor Chief Keg unconcious with a force field.


    After doing this, he turned to look at Ang and continued,


    "You can continue now. What exactly are those complicated conditions?"


    Ante swallowed subconsciously.


    The Pahama Islands had been overrun for nearly half a year, and he had almost forgotten the mighty power of wizards... his father was likewise powerful back then.


    A wave of bitterness surged in Ante''s heart.


    But it was only a moment before he shook his head, dispelling the distractions, and began to speak:


    "The first requirement is the blood of the Basa family, the second is a large number of Magic Stones, the third is at least the strength of a First Rank Intermediate Wizard, and the fourth is a broken lightning-shaped pendant that my father always kept on him."

 Chapter 364 - 269: Reaching an Agreement

    "So, where is the broken Lightning Pendant?"


    After Ante finished speaking, Colin paused before counter-questioning.


    Although activating the Transmission Array required four conditions, the first two should have already been met by himself.


    And the third condition, the strength of a First Rank Intermediate Wizard... although he was slightly short of advancing, it was still within the realm of his self-control.


    Only the fourth condition, the Lightning-shaped Pendant... it sounded rather troublesome.


    The young Ante didn''t beat around the bush. He pointed at Lian, who lay on the ground, and began to speak:


    "The whereabouts of the Lightning Pendant, this Monk named Lian should be aware."


    Colin frowned slightly, channeling his spiritual power into a needle, and woke Lian up.


    ...


    Ten minutes later, as Monk Lian''s screams gradually subsided, the entire sequence of events became clear in front of Colin.


    About half a year ago, the Pahama Islands were attacked by deities; the attack was sudden and highly deceptive. As a result, Wizard Basar and the other Wizards who went to respond fell into the trap.


    And that broken Lightning Pendant, it appeared to be an extremely crucial item, which in the last moments, Wizard Basar had sent to Ante via a mechanical insect.


    Regrettably, though the mechanical insect managed to escape the aftermath of the battle, it was badly damaged and collapsed in front of Ante who was leaning against a window. Lian, who happened to be passing by on the street, picked it up by chance.


    At that time, Divine Believers were patrolling the street, and owing to the need for Ante to disguise himself and hide his identity, he ultimately missed the Lightning Pendant as it passed right by him.


    Afterward, Ante did think of retrieving the Lightning Pendant.


    Yet, under the harsh rule of the divine powers, even though the old Jack, relying on the Great Knight''s strength, had become a fishing boat captain, he still had no way to deal with Lian, a Monk. He even inadvertently exposed Anna''s appearance, stirring Lian''s covetousness...


    As for where the pendant was now...


    Colin gazed at the bloodied Lian, repeating in a deep voice:


    "So, since becoming a Monk, you felt the pendant was no longer worthy of your status, yet you couldn''t bear to discard it¡­ and so you''ve been keeping it in a drawer in your home''s bedroom?"


    "Yes... yes, my lord..." Lian nodded vigorously, gasping in pain, "I beg you, please spare... ah!"


    Bang, old Jack, who stood nearby, delivered another forceful punch directly into Lian''s abdomen. Lian curled up like a cooked shrimp, only knowing to groan and gasp in pain.


    In this confusion of consciousness, Colin asked in a deep voice once more:


    "Who else knows that you several people have come here?"


    At the same time, his spiritual power once again enveloped Lian, closely monitoring his physical and even spiritual reactions.


    "My... my lord, what I''ve said... it''s all true, no... nobody knows... Even the two Great Knights that were found, I specifically instructed them not to disclose this trip... I beg you, let me go."


    Lian murmured incessantly, his sweat mingling with blood and mixed with tears streamed down from his pained face, forming turbid liquids that dripped to the floor.


    Colin''s expression remained unchanged. After pondering for a moment, he asked the final question.


    "That broken Lightning Pendant, aside from you, who else has seen it? What kind of people are they?"


    "Lord... Wizard Lord... please let me go! After I obtained the pendant, I always wore it on myself. Even after becoming a Monk, I wore it for at least a month before switching to another pendant.


    I always wore it outside my clothes. During that time, those who have seen it... including passersby on the street, there have been at least a few hundred. And at least dozens mentioned it to me during conversations... how could I possibly remember exactly!"


    Lian murmured in desperation.


    The status of a Monk sounded prestigious, but apart from those responsible for combat, most were just ordinary individuals providing higher-quality faith.


    He coughed a few times, and continued:


    "That pendant... apart from being made of Gold, it had no other special characteristics, the craftsmanship was average, and it was still damaged. If you hadn''t told me now, I wouldn''t even know that it''s supposed to be a broken lightning bolt!"


    Colin remained silent. He looked at Lian, feeling somewhat reassured.


    He had asked these questions many times over, varying the approach and timing of the questioning.


    But whether it was Lian''s answers or the information observed through the spiritual power, there was no abnormality to be found...


    "The pendant is in Lian''s residence on the Pahama Islands..." Colin silently pondered. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Now that there was a Transmission Array, it was clear that choosing to go back to the Wizard''s rear via the Transmission Array was the best choice, both from the perspective of safety and time.


    But how to get the pendant, and whether he himself could successfully advance to a First Rank Intermediate Wizard in these two days?


    While Colin was lost in thought.


    On the other side, Lian, who finally had some time to catch his breath, endured the pain in his body, slightly lifted his head, and stealthily glanced at the expressionless Colin and then at Ante and the other two, who weren''t giving him the slightest attention.


    Only then did he realize what he had just blurted out... A tidal wave of despair suddenly surged in his heart.


    In fact, he hadn''t intended to answer so thoroughly, but his willpower had collapsed in the face of intense pain.


    It was just too painful...


    Honestly, even back when he was a street thug, he had never experienced such intense pain, and his later life as a Monk had greatly weakened his willpower.


    ...He had thought he could hold on for a while longer.


    But now...


    Looking around, Lian felt as though he was suspended above an abyss, his heart filled with panic and fear.


    Colin''s silence, the indifference of Ante and the others beside him, all seemed to foretell some terrible outcome...


    A sudden urge to urinate overwhelmed him, and Lian internally gritted his teeth, quickly taking the initiative to say:


    "Wizard sir, I know you want that pendant. I can go and get it for you and I absolutely won''t reveal your presence..."


    "Oh? What are your conditions then?" Colin asked with a faint smile, interrupting him.


    Lian was overjoyed, thinking he had caught a lifeline, and he hurriedly continued:


    "Wizard sir, I just need you to let me go! Um... and perhaps to hide, you could help me heal the injuries on my body."


    Colin said nothing and turned to look at Anna, his spiritual power stretching out.


    Anna paused for a brief moment, then nodded almost imperceptibly.


    Lian, of course, did not notice this.


    "You can trust me, I will never divulge your presence! If you are still worried, you can... you can cast that terrible witchcraft on me that will kill me if I break the promise..."


    It was clear that Lian desperately wanted to live.


    He truly hadn''t expected a routine operation to result in an encounter with an Official Wizard he was utterly powerless against!


    It was a certain death situation, but fortunately, there was still...


    "Uh?"


    At this moment, Lian suddenly clutched his chest, his eyes widening in disbelief.


    He could feel a weak but deadly force that strangely caused his heart to stop!


    As the feeling of suffocation and dizziness came over him, Lian instantly lost his strength and collapsed to the ground.


    If no one intervened, he would lose all signs of life within ten to fifteen minutes.


    Colin retracted his spiritual power... An ordinary person''s body was fragile like a bubble ready to pop in front of him, who was now a First Rank Wizard.


    As for Lian... His fate had been sealed long ago.


    Divine Believers were not to be trusted, no matter what kind of constraints were used, none were reliable, that was the lesson learned from past experiences... Colin naturally would not make that mistake.


    He turned to look at Anna and spoke:


    "So, you''re confident you can get the pendant from Lian''s house, right?"


    "I''m sure," Anna nodded, just like she had after Colin posed the question using his spiritual power, she gave an affirmative answer.


    Colin nodded slightly, surveyed Ante and the other two, and slowly said:


    "I will grant your request, and what you need to do is return to the Pahama Island, go to the place where Lian resides, and bring the Lightning Pendant back."

 Chapter 365 - 270: Return Voyage

    It was already the afternoon, and the setting sun gradually slanted westward, casting an increasingly orange-yellow glow that seemed heavy, as if the flames were burning out.


    On the vast expanse of azure sea, a fishing boat with triangular sails moved forward at a steady pace, its hull bombarded by the clear oncoming waves making a rustling noise.


    Inside the captain''s cabin, upon hearing Colin''s words, Ante''s face immediately showed an uncontrollable delight.


    Beside him, Old Jack and Anna felt the same¡­ They had thought they were doomed to remain here, with the hope of the Basa family''s continuation resting solely on Ante.


    But they had never expected the situation to take such an unexpected turn...


    "Ante, so the reason you''ve always wanted to retrieve the pendant from Lian, besides it being our father''s legacy, is also because it''s the token for activating the transmission array?"


    Anna gazed at her brother, couldn''t help but ask with a hint of complaint in her voice.


    "Sister Anna, I was worried that the more people who knew, the easier it would leak¡­ Well, the main reason is that we simply couldn''t meet the conditions to activate the transmission array. Plus, father always regretted mentioning it to me in the first place, so he continuously instructed me not to talk about it with anyone. Over time, I just got used to burying it in my heart¡­"


    Ante hastily explained.


    After listening to the explanation, Anna''s resentment gradually faded. She glanced at Colin and then continued to ask:


    "And that deserted island, is it the Stone Island we used to visit together when we were kids?"


    Colin sat in the captain''s seat, silent, letting Anna continue to question.


    Whether Anna truly had doubts or was deliberately asking for his benefit... In any case, Colin needed to understand more clearly about the transmission gate.


    "Yes, exactly, that bare island that''s often struck by lightning." Ante nodded vigorously.


    Feeling like he''d perhaps neglected Colin, Ante turned his head to address him:


    "Wizard, although I have never seen my father use that transmission array, I did accidentally witness it appear once. And after much pestering, my father told me nearly all the requirements for the transmission array and precautions¡­ In fact, if it weren''t for my lack of personal strength and not having the Lightning Pendant, I would have already tried the transmission array myself."


    Colin nodded imperceptibly.


    Feeling that his persuasive power might still be insufficient, Ante added:


    "Wizard, I can assure you that as long as we get the Lightning Pendant and meet the other three requirements, we will definitely be able to teleport to where the Wizard is! There''s no exceeding the maximum number of people that the array can transport¡­ The transmission array is maintained every two years. Father had just maintained it half a year ago. It also has its own concealment; it should still be in perfect condition..."


    "Alright¡­ I understand." Colin nodded noncommittally, looking around and saying:


    "Since the transmission array is definitely feasible, then we should not waste any more time. Now you need to devise a perfect plan to get the Lightning Pendant."


    His words fell, and the captain''s cabin fell silent for a moment.


    The next second.


    "Yes."


    The three of them answered in unison.


    Standing rigidly behind Anna, Old Jack paused before taking the lead to speak:


    "The Yellow Potato fishing boat''s trips out to sea typically last at least three days, and occasionally, when weather conditions are poor, we might even wait until the morning of the fourth day to return."


    "But sometimes when the weather is really bad, we may return on the second day," the young man Ante added. "So, if we want to get the pendant as soon as possible, we could return to the island right now."


    His heart was filled with anticipation, wishing he could immediately go back to the Pahama Islands and get the pendant in hand, returning to the familiar deserted island and the Wizard''s civilized world!


    But Anna''s words quickly negated his suggestion.


    "Everything is normal now, and returning too abruptly would be suspicious; we wouldn''t have a way to explain it to the other sailors."


    "But the longer we delay, the more likely it is that something unexpected will happen¡­" Ante argued.


    Old Jack frowned, turning his head subconsciously to look at the Colin seated behind the captain''s desk.


    Colin folded his hands, resting his chin on them and spoke calmly after a pause:


    "The sailors all know that Monk Lian boarded this ship. It''s impossible for us to let them off now, so there''s no need to worry about them anymore."


    "Yes¡­" Ante replied in silence.


    Among the three of them, he had the most contact with the sailors. Although they were all Divine Believers, like ordinary people, outside of their prayer times, they acted no different from anyone else.


    Old Jack''s brow furrowed slightly as he asked with confusion:


    "But if these sailors can''t return to shore, or if they even need to be disposed of, how should we explain that? Going out fishing is indeed very dangerous, but if all the sailors died... without encountering any natural disasters¡­"


    "You encountered a natural disaster, or rather¡ªan accident." Colin''s expression remained unchanged as he gravely interjected,


    "On your way back home, you encountered a danger that nearly resulted in the destruction of the ship and loss of lives."


    "Only you¡ª" he pointed at Old Jack and then at Anna, "Only you were fortunate enough to survive."


    "And once back on the island, Old Jack, unwilling to accept the death of his own son, will set out to sea again with Anna the day after... or rather, the day he gets the pendant."


    Old Jack and Anna exchanged glances upon hearing this and nodded.


    Fishing was always a high-risk job; every couple of months, there would be a boat that wouldn''t return... This was why Lian dared to make such a bold move.


    So although Colin''s plan was simple, it was also quite reasonable.


    "Why am I the one staying behind..." Ante couldn''t help but ask from the side, although no one paid him any attention.


    "So, Sir, are you planning to deal with the sailors now?" Anna paused before asking. She added,


    "We''ve just set sail for half a day now. If we return using the fishing boat''s lifeboat, it will be much faster and with the wind in our favor, we should make it back to the Pahama Islands by midnight tonight." S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So, if we follow this plan, an ''accident'' happening at this distance would be most suitable.


    If it happened any farther, the lifeboat would be more difficult to maneuver, and as mere mortals without the protection of the divine idol, it would be hard to explain how we crossed such a vast distance."


    "If we wait until the return journey, we''ll be wasting time..."


    "You''re right, bring all those sailors over here."


    Colin nodded and commanded gravely.


    About two minutes later, all the sailors had been gathered outside the captain''s cabin.


    The next second, just as the sailors were bewildered, a deep red glow suddenly appeared above their heads.


    The glow was not intense but remained firmly suspended above.


    Colin, hidden in the shadows, swept his gaze over them, made sure all the sailors before him were Divine Believers and that all the Divine Believers on the ship were gathered here, and then he channeled his spiritual power.


    A shallow mental shockwave formed instantly and fanned out towards the noisy sailors.


    Thud.


    Thud, thud, thud.


    Like wind through wheat, the sailors collapsed to the floor one by one.


    Meanwhile, Colin also left the window side of the captain''s cabin and stepped out.


    During the entire process, the divine idol located in the center of the deck showed no abnormalities¡ªjust as Anna and the others had said.


    This so-called divine idol had only two functions: to collect faith and to provide some protection at night. Beyond that, it held no further divine aspects and was simply a standard instrument.


    "Clean up the bodies... hmm, let me do it."


    Colin retracted his gaze and spoke.


    The next second, as if he had thought of something, he suddenly commanded,


    "Ante, use the Sigh Blood Crystal to disguise as a believer."


    He wanted to test if the Deep Red Marking Technique could detect the deception of the Sigh Blood Crystal.


    After a moment, the test was over.


    Colin continued with the plan¡ªhandling the corpses of the crew and the sloop.


    He sighed slightly; the result was as expected, the Deep Red Marking Technique could not identify the disguise of the Sigh Blood Crystal.


    His heart felt somewhat heavy¡­


    In fact, even now, he still harbored a sliver of hope... hoping that the Wizard side had already seen through the deception of the Tree Elf Clan and were simply biding their time and playing along.


    Although the test with the Deep Red Marking Technique didn''t prove anything, it couldn''t help but make him think of the Tree Elves...


    ''It seems the Deep Red Marking Technique needs to be prioritized for improvement... otherwise, not being able to distinguish friend from foe is far too dangerous.''


    Colin thought to himself while watching the sloop behind him slowly sink.


    By his side followed the young Ante.


    At that moment, the youth was gazing worriedly at a spot not far ahead on the left.


    There, a small sailboat was cutting through the waves, heading forward... They estimated that in half a day, when the sky turned completely dark, they would arrive¡ªat the Pahama Islands.

 Chapter 366 - 271: The Foundation of Strengthening the Body

    Waves rose and fell, the small boat rocked, and all that met the eye was the unchanging blue sea water; time seemed to slow in such repetition, yet also seemed to hasten.


    Before he realized it, night had stealthily arrived.


    On a black reef about ten sea miles from the Pahama Islands, roughly only a dozen meters in length and width, Colin gazed toward Pahama Island and waited quietly.


    For his own safety, he didn''t venture to follow Anna and company to Pahama Island, nor did he choose to get close¡­ Ten sea miles was already the closest distance in his heart.


    Moreover, he could offer no help to Anna and the other, and there was no need to be too close¡­ All he could do was silently wait.


    In this sea domain ruled by the divine, being a wizard was like cheese in a heap of mice; once a hint of scent was detected, he would be swarmed and attacked.


    "Sir, which island are you from?"


    At this moment, young Ante, seemingly to ease the silent atmosphere, suddenly initiated conversation.


    "...Siya Continent." Colin paused briefly before replying succinctly.


    The memories of Blackstone Island¡­ had become very distant before he knew it.


    "Siya Continent... that''s quite far away. Should I address you as..."


    "Leonard. Now, stay quiet, I''m about to start meditating."


    Colin''s reply was brief and stern, ending the conversation as he sat cross-legged on the ground, ready to begin meditation.


    Ante hesitated, straightened his collar, and sat down following Colin.


    Colin paid little attention to Ante, focusing his attention on himself.


    Activating the Transmission Array required the strength of a First Rank Intermediate Wizard; he hadn''t forgotten¡­ Time was of the essence!


    The ancient Golden Paper slowly emerged in front of him, and he looked at the Wizard Level section.


    [First Rank Junior Wizard (90/100)]. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''90?''


    The black characters caught his eye, and Colin was momentarily taken aback; if he remembered correctly, the last time he checked, his Wizard Level''s progress was only at 88.


    ...During this period, he hadn''t meditated once, yet his level''s progress had still increased by two points?!


    This was certainly not normal; Colin frowned inwardly.


    All along, the Golden Paper was like the most precise detection instrument, marking out all his data clearly.


    There were no errors, and there couldn''t be any... Colin''s gaze flickered.


    If so, there must be some reason for the abrupt increase in his level progress!


    ''Could it be... the Ancient Tree Heart?''


    At this thought, Colin almost instantly encountered the biggest and only difference related to wizard cultivation that distinguished his current state from the past.


    Only... he had no way to verify it.


    Since the Ancient Tree Heart had last, and also first, released a surge of warmth, there had not been a second release till now.


    Colin hesitated for a moment but chose to meditate first.


    Since his talent had been enhanced by the Ancient Tree Heart, he hadn''t had a serious, complete meditation session... he didn''t know what the efficiency of meditation would be like now.


    ''Perhaps... it will exceed my expectations?


    Previously, with the benefit of the Superbrain, the gains from each meditation session were already frightening.


    And now, not only with the transformation by the Ancient Tree Heart, but also with the enhancement from the Crown of Enlightenment...''


    Colin couldn''t help but feel some anticipation.


    The tide surged, the night was pitch black, with only the faint stars twinkling.


    In the blink of an eye, four and a half hours had passed.


    He had completed a full meditation session.


    Colin opened his eyes and slowly unfolded the Golden Paper.


    The next second, he slightly startled, somewhat in disbelief.


    ''It actually increased by four points!''


    The pale gold particles slowly dispersed, and Colin slowly stood up, looking at the vast dark sea before him, unable to hide his excitement!


    ''Perhaps a quantitative change has led to a qualitative change? Could it be the effect of stepping into First Class Talent after the transformation by the Ancient Tree Heart?''


    ''The Ancient Tree Heart...''


    At this thought, Colin was struck by an idea and suddenly opened the Golden Paper again.


    "Lord Leonard, are you also worried about Sister Anna and the others?"


    Upon seeing him suddenly stand up, Ante asked subconsciously... Generally speaking, even for a First Rank Wizard, the time spent in meditation would be over six hours.


    So he thought that Colin, like himself, hadn''t fully entered into meditation.


    In the past four hours, because of his agitation, and the fact that he hadn''t meditated for a long time, he hadn''t truly been meditating, but merely resting with closed eyes.


    "Worry would only be useful if it worked," Colin responded offhandedly as he put away the Golden Paper, a faint idea forming in his mind. He opened his Storage Ring and took out a crystal.


    This was a Knowledge Crystal that Lillian had given him before entering the Treasury Arch, which contained knowledge about the base of strengthening the body for a First Rank Wizard.


    ''The transformation by the Ancient Tree Heart is mainly a physical fortification, which also affects the Talent Strong Life of physical constitution... So, by extension, maybe the knowledge of body fortification could influence the progress of the Ancient Tree Heart''s transformation?''


    While reading the knowledge of body fortification, Colin speculated silently.


    Now, undoubtedly, the most important thing before him was to improve his Wizard Level!


    And since the time for daily meditation had already reached its limit, it was time to see if there was a way to get the Ancient Tree Heart to release its warm stream sooner.


    If it was possible, and the transformation by the Ancient Tree Heart really could help increase the amount of Magic Power and thus speed up the progress of the Wizard Level,


    He might be able to advance to a First Rank Intermediate Wizard with just one more meditation session!


    After all, for him now with First Class Talent, there was no bottleneck between the First Rank Junior Wizard and a First Rank Intermediate Wizard, the only thing needed was the accumulation of Magic Power.


    Thinking this, Colin suddenly drew a connection¡ª


    ''Perhaps the reason the Ancient Tree Heart can accelerate the progress of Wizard Level improvement is that it transforms the Magic Sea, enabling it to hold a larger amount of Magic Power?''


    Shaking his head, Colin dispelled all distracting thoughts, ready to attempt his first physical base strengthening.


    Before starting, he glanced over at Ante.


    The young Ante, for some reason, had seated himself again and seemed to be trying to continue meditating.


    Turning his gaze away, Colin recalled the knowledge of the physical base strengthening.


    The so-called physical base strengthening mainly focused on the word ''strengthening''... Strictly speaking, any method that could enhance the body belonged to the category of base strengthening.


    Of course, there were many things to be aware of¡ª


    Such as the lower limit of strengthening, key points, etc.


    As for what to use for strengthening and how exactly to strengthen, it depended on each individual''s circumstances.


    In the Knowledge Crystal that Lillian had given him, half was about the overall approach and considerations for strengthening the base of the body.


    The latter half provided three categories and six or seven specific methods of strengthening the physical base.


    ''Plant Life Energy Transformation... three types of Magic Plants bloodline transformation... High Level Elf bloodline mining...''


    Colin furrowed his brows and put the crystal back into the Storage Ring.


    With Superbrain, he only needed to read the knowledge of base body strengthening once to remember it, no need for a second look.


    However... even after finishing the crystal and understanding it quite thoroughly, he had to stop¡ª


    In the Knowledge Crystal about base body strengthening that Lillian had given... there was no suitable method for him.


    Or rather, no method that he could implement right now.

 Chapter 367 - 272 Absorbing the Ancient Tree Heart

    On the rocky outcrop, Colin pondered for a moment before refocusing his attention on the first major method of strengthening the foundation of the body presented in the crystal¡ª


    ''Plant Life Energy Transformation...''


    Initially, he had only seen the name and thought that Plant Life Energy Transformation might be possible through the Ancient Tree Heart within his body.


    But the reality was not so simple.


    The main purpose of strengthening the foundation of the body was to prepare for advancement to the Second Rank Wizard¡ª


    Only a body strong enough could bear the powerful soul of a Second Rank Wizard, and only then could the impressive force of a powerful soul be fully unleashed.


    As for the extent to which the body needed to be strengthened, there were detailed guidelines in the crystal¡ª


    Life Energy had to be at least six times greater than the average level of a Great Knight!


    As for the average level of Life Energy, which is also the level of Blood Energy, of a Great Knight... Colin internally compared it to the Blood Energy within his body.


    He was approximately 1.7 to 1.8 times the average level.


    However, in reality, Life Energy varied depending on the method used to strengthen the foundation of the body.


    And among all methods of strengthening the foundation of the body, there was not one that retained the most original and purest form of Blood Energy.


    ...After Bloodline Transformation, it would become Bloodline Power, whereas Element Transformation was linked to Energy levels.


    So strictly speaking, Blood Energy did not belong to any type of Life Energy.


    This was a consensus among all wizards.


    There was a limit to how much the human body could be enhanced, and this limit was the level of the Great Knight.


    ''Six times the average level of a Great Knight is the minimum, ten times the level of a Great Knight is the recommended level...''


    The sea breeze was gentle, and Colin raised his arm, making a slight fist, as surging power flowed beneath his skin, and a furnace-like heat radiated from his body...


    Yet even such power was still far from the minimum standard required for the body''s foundation for advancing to the Second Rank.


    This was even after he had broken through the limits of the Knight Breathing Method many times and had also gone through one synthesis...


    Colin''s expression was silent as he carefully reviewed the Plant Life Energy Transformation again... confirming once more that with his current conditions, it was indeed impossible to immediately begin strengthening the foundation of his body.


    Wizards, in their quest to raise their Life Energy to such high levels, had developed extremely complex transformation plans.


    ''Perhaps, with the transformation from the Golden Paper later on, it might be possible to adapt the transformation plans recorded on the crystal to use the energy of the Ancient Tree Heart as a substitute for specific plant energies...''


    ''However, that is a matter for the future; at least it''s not feasible right now.''


    However... Colin''s gaze shifted, he parted his legs to shoulder width, and began practicing the Knight Breathing Method.


    Since higher-order body-related strengthening of the foundation was temporarily unattainable,


    the only method related to the body that might, at the moment, accelerate the release of the warm flow from the Ancient Tree Heart, was the long-unpracticed Knight Breathing Method.


    In the concealed domain formed by Silent and the Invisible Shadow, Colin practiced tirelessly, following the movements and breathing of the Yi Guang Breathing Method.


    Under the effect of the Breathing Skill, his Blood Energy was slowly mobilized, moving rhythmically like the tide towards his limbs and all throughout his body... but it did not grow stronger.


    His body had reached its limit.


    The young Ante beside him seemed to have successfully entered a state of meditation and was completely oblivious to Colin''s actions, simply sitting with his eyes closed.


    Thus, about an hour passed, and a full set of the Yi Guang Breathing Method was completed.


    Colin wrapped up and stood still, his heart slightly heavy.


    Throughout the entire process, the Ancient Tree Heart had not reacted at all; he could only faintly feel the warmth emanating from his chest...


    "The problem with the Knight Breathing Method? Or is it that the Ancient Tree Heart simply cannot be stimulated to release through external force¡­"


    Just as Colin was inwardly pondering, a flash of Spiritual Light suddenly appeared in his mind¡ª


    "The Yi Guang Breathing Method combined with the foundational knowledge of strengthening the body might yield unexpected results." sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This sudden stroke of inspiration was obviously from the Lingqi Crown... Mm, the Lingqi Crown was only an assistive tool and did not possess the capacity to think; the idea itself was still his own creation.


    Colin shook his head, not dwelling on it, but followed the guidance of his own intuition, attempting to combine the Yi Guang Breathing Method with the foundational knowledge of strengthening the body contained within the crystal.


    The so-called foundation of strengthening the body, regardless of the method used, and despite the differences in energy, ultimately aimed to reinforce the body itself.


    Or rather, to reinforce the foundation of the body.


    And this so-called foundation of the body... in Colin''s view, seemed somewhat similar to the concept of essence and energy that he often heard about in his previous life, that is, vitality and energy.


    "I wonder how Anna and the other are doing..."


    Colin took a deep breath, his mind gradually calming, carefully researching the integration of breathing skills with the foundation of strengthening the body...


    Time quietly slipped away, and before he realized it, the light of dawn had already brightened slightly in the distance, the darkness of night fading a bit.


    And Colin, too, had finally made some breakthroughs.


    In the faint light of dawn, he practiced the Yi Guang Breathing Method once again.


    Only this time, he intentionally caused the Blood Energy in his body, which was no longer increasing, to vibrate in specific areas within himself during the practice of the Yi Guang Breathing Method, such as before the Magic Sea in his chest, and the space between his eyebrows... and so on.


    Then, after the consumption of Blood Energy had reached a certain level,


    The Ancient Tree Heart in his chest finally showed signs of activity.


    A warm current began flowing from his chest, spreading towards his limbs and bones.


    Colin''s heart leapt for joy as he quickly summoned the Golden Paper.


    Light golden particles converged before him, and a sheet of ancient Golden Paper, straddling the line between fantasy and reality, slowly materialized in front of him.


    He waited quietly for a moment.


    After about two minutes, behind the Wizard Level progress column, a faint "¡ü" symbol indeed appeared!


    "Every transformation by the Ancient Tree Heart does seem to slightly enhance the progress of Wizard cultivation!"


    Colin''s mouth curved upwards slightly, and he put away the Golden Paper and began practicing the Yi Guang Breathing Method integrated with the knowledge of strengthening the body once more.


    "The Lingqi Crown is indeed a more useful treasure than the Foolishness Scepter!"


    His arm cut through the air, feeling a clear improvement in each movement, and Colin''s heart felt increasingly exhilarated.


    Compared to external objects, he still preferred the tangible enhancement of himself!


    Now that he had found a method to accelerate the absorption of the Ancient Tree Heart, his earlier concerns about not having a high enough level to activate the Transmission Array were swept away at once.


    Another half hour passed, and the orange sun slowly rose from the distant sea''s horizon; Colin once again ended his practice and stood still.


    As if sensing something, he subconsciously opened the Golden Paper and was startled to find that the progress behind the Wizard Level had already quietly increased a bit!


    Feeling the warm flow in his body, which had nearly been absorbed by half,


    "Indeed, the Yi Guang Breathing Method, combined with the specific energy vibration frequency recorded in the foundation of strengthening the body, not only can speed up the release of the warm flow from the Ancient Tree Heart but also accelerate its absorption!"


    "But... to think the Wizard Level progress has increased so quickly again."


    Putting away the Golden Paper, Colin faintly realized that if the progress of the level was due to the enhancement of his own talents, then such an enhancement most likely had an upper limit... Once the improvement of talent reached its limit, absorbing the Ancient Tree Heart would no longer result in an increase in Wizard Level.

 Chapter 368 - 273: Tail (4k)

    The orange-yellow dawn was gradually breaking over the sea.


    Night had completely passed, and a new day had already arrived.


    Colin''s attention also gradually shifted from himself to the sea in the direction of the Pahama Islands.


    "I wonder how Anna and her companion are doing."


    As the sun rose higher, a faint worry began to emerge in Colin''s heart.


    The Pahama Islands worshipped the Night and Blood Goddess.


    At the darkest moment before dawn every day, all the believers on the island would go to the church to start the day''s first prayer.


    And the plan for Anna and her accomplice was to head directly to Lian''s residence after the prayer to obtain the broken Lightning Pendant.


    By that calculation, now was about the time for action.


    "The day has already broken..."


    Young Ante suddenly stood up.


    He looked in the direction of the Pahama Islands with a worried expression.


    Colin didn''t respond but paused before resuming practicing the Yi Guang Breathing Method.


    "Lian''s residence is on White Mist Street, and he has a maid,


    but she knows Anna and her companion too, so things should go very smoothly as long as they''re careful..." Ante muttered to himself.


    Swish.


    His right hand slowly swept through the air, and his left foot stepped forward, as Colin meticulously practiced the Yi Guang Breathing Method.


    The warm current inside his body was gradually transformed and absorbed, while the Magic Sea at his chest slowly but continuously grew in quality, and his Blood Energy was replenished to its limit.


    However, the Blood Energy could not grow further and was unable to break the limit.


    "Perhaps, I need to wait until the Yi Guang Breathing Method breaks the limit again?"


    Colin speculated internally and did not engage with Ante''s words.


    In fact, ever since he learned exactly what it meant to strengthen one''s body, he had a nagging suspicion¡ª


    The Knight Breathing Method... perhaps after a few more Limit Breakings, or after the next one, it could serve as a method uniquely his to strengthen his body!


    The end of the knight''s path... perhaps it wasn''t just the Great Knight!


    Meanwhile, seeing that Colin didn''t stop him, Ante continued to speak.


    "Just like Sister Anna said, she only needs to pretend she was summoned by Lian, and she''ll probably be able to enter Lian''s room easily.


    Once inside, just need to deal with that maid, then there''ll be no more obstacles."


    He looked up at the sky.


    "After the prayer before dawn, the next one would be at noon, when the sunlight is at its strongest...


    And for ordinary believers like that maid, a lack of meditation for at least three days would trigger a warning."


    Colin suddenly frowned and asked in a heavy voice,


    "Is there an alert for all believers who missed their meditation?"


    Ante was startled and quickly added,


    "That''s only for the believers who are fixed on the island and cannot leave!


    Like monks like Lian, and us fishermen, generally speaking, nobody will govern us...


    After all, on the vast sea, if we don''t meditate on time, the divine statue will no longer provide us with protection."


    "So, Lord Leonard, you don''t have to worry about us being exposed by missing meditation¡­ um, nor do you need to worry about being exposed due to Lian''s death.


    Because only the believers at the Priest Level would be noticed by the Goddess."


    Colin nodded slightly, then turned his head to glance in the direction of the Pahama Islands and said lightly,


    "We''ll wait at most until 11:30 a.m... If Anna and her companion still haven''t returned by then, we won''t wait any longer, and I''ll continue forward with you, trying to directly pass through the divine forces'' frontline, and return to the Wizard''s domain."


    "...Lord Leonard!"


    Ante was initially taken aback and then called out instinctively.


    "I can''t take such a risk, and neither can you, Ante."


    Colin glanced at him and spoke lightly.


    Ante''s lips quivered, seemingly wanting to say more, but ultimately, he returned to silence.


    ''You are the only hope of the Basa family.''


    He looked out over the empty blue sea and suddenly regretted mentioning the Transmission Array, leading to Anna and Old Jack having to take such a risk.


    Otherwise, Anna and Old Jack were just ordinary people, not Wizards; even in the divine-ruled region, they couldn''t say their life was particularly free or good.


    But if nothing unexpected happened, they would at least still be alive...


    Ante''s mood couldn''t help but sink, and the heavy pressure nearly made him link his own choices and the potential deaths of Anna and her companion firmly together.


    ''Am I... the murderer responsible for the deaths of Sister Anna and Old Jack?''


    His complexion grew paler, and his body started to tremble slightly.


    "Calm your spirit!"


    At that moment, Colin, noticing Ante''s abnormal state, shouted in a deep voice.


    "Lord Leonard..."


    As if suddenly awakened, Ante shuddered, coming to his senses. He took a deep breath and muttered to himself.


    "Just now... was I on the verge of mutation and corruption?" S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You haven''t meditated for a while and were particularly sensitive after last night''s meditation; you need to be more careful."


    Now as a First Rank Wizard, Colin immediately saw Ante''s specific condition and warned.


    Out at sea, especially in the divine-controlled Sea Domain, the air is filled with more Tainted babbling than other areas, and one must be extra cautious of the risk of mutation and corruption.


    "Right." Ante nodded, still with a scared look in his eyes.


    The next second, the corner of his eye seemed to catch a glimpse of something. He turned his head to look at the distant sea and suddenly exclaimed joyfully,


    "Lord Leonard, Sister Anna and her companion have returned!"


    Colin''s movements instantly halted, and he quickly turned his head to follow Ante''s gaze.

 Chapter 369 - 273: Tail (4k)_2

    In the distance of his view, indeed appeared a familiar single-masted sailboat. With his powerful vision, he could clearly see the two familiar figures on board the sailboat¡ª


    It was Anna and Old Jack!


    "Follow me."


    Colin felt a slight relief in his heart, turned his head to Ante and instructed.


    Employing the Soaring and Flying Technique, he leaped down with Ante from the edge of the reef, delved into the sea, and started closing in on the single-masted sailboat carrying Anna and the other.


    He hadn''t told Anna and the other their exact meeting point, only a general direction, so he needed to go and proactively meet them.


    Of course, before meeting up, he needed to check whether Anna and the other had any tails following them.


    Under the combination of Invisible Shadow and the Soaring and Flying Technique, he was like a mysterious fish, with only an almost imperceptible outline visible.


    Over the course of using it, the Invisible Shadow, an Apprentice Level spell, was about to be pushed to its limit by him.


    The effectiveness of its use also became somewhat enhanced.


    Meanwhile, on the single-masted sailboat.


    As they moved away from the Pahama Islands, the sorrowful expressions that Anna and Old Jack had feigned gradually disappeared, replaced by an uncontrollable sense of surprise.


    The process of acquiring the Lightning Pendant went smoother than they had imagined.


    That servant of Lian was just a frail common woman; before Old Jack, who was a Great Knight, dealing with her was as easy as dusting off a speck of dirt.


    The whole process took less than a second, and without creating any extra disturbance, Old Jack tidily sent her into eternal slumber.


    Afterward, while Old Jack was dealing with the body, Anna easily found the Lightning Pendant that their father had worn in life, in the drawer of a desk in Lian''s bedroom...


    All in all, everything went very smoothly, without a single hitch!


    "I wonder where the Wizard would be waiting for us..." Old Jack suddenly mumbled in a low voice.


    Anna glanced around and responded in a hushed tone,


    "Perhaps he''s already nearby, just making sure there are no tails following us... without showing himself."


    Old Jack nodded.


    Though he didn''t believe they were being pursued, Colin didn''t know their exact circumstances on the island, so it was natural to need to be sure.


    They waited in silence, sailing in the direction they had previously agreed upon.


    But time flew swiftly, and in the blink of an eye, over two hours had passed.


    Anna and her companion had sailed to the location where the fishing boat had sunk the previous day, yet Colin''s figure still hadn''t appeared.


    "Miss Anna, what shall we do now...?" Old Jack asked in a low voice, looking at Anna beneath the grey-white sail.


    "Sail according to the plan," Anna replied after a moment of silence.


    If they sailed to the location of the fishing boat''s wreck and Colin hadn''t met them, then they were to alter course towards the island with the Transmission Array.


    "Yes." Old Jack nodded in agreement, standing up to adjust the sail behind him.


    Whoosh.


    The sea breeze blew, billowing the grey-white sail and gradually veering the small boat off to the left a bit.


    The boat continued sailing, but the atmosphere on board had noticeably lost its earlier joy.


    A shadow hung over the hearts of Anna and Old Jack.


    "Anna sis!"


    But just then, from a piece of brown driftwood not too far away, came a voice they hadn''t expected.


    "Ante?!"


    Anna looked in the direction of the voice, murmuring in shock.


    On that piece of driftwood was none other than her brother Ante!


    They adjusted the sails and quickly sailed towards Ante, who was floating on the sea''s surface.


    "Get on board quickly." Old Jack pulled Ante onto the boat.


    "Ante, how did you end up here? And that..." Anna instinctively started to ask.


    "Anna sis, the fishing boat sank, and I was lucky to grab onto a piece of the deck, which allowed me to survive."


    But Ante, who was beside her, abruptly interrupted her, his expression a bit agitated as he hugged her.


    Then in a whisper like a mosquito''s hum into Anna''s ear:


    "Wizard Leonard has noticed something unusual; you might have someone tailing you."


    Anna''s pupils suddenly shrank, and then quickly she switched to an excited demeanor, loudly patting Ante''s back as she exclaimed:


    "Thank goodness you''re alive, thank goodness you''re alive..."


    Old Jack, standing by, watched the scene unfold. Although he was puzzled, he guessed a bit of what was happening and used the Great Knight''s ability to control his body to force a few tears, then he raised his arm to wipe them away and patted Ante''s shoulder.


    Thus, the three of them had an emotional reunion for a moment before sitting down together.


    "Daddy, where are we going now?" Anna asked loudly, ruffling her hair, seemingly still caught up in the excitement, her voice was somewhat loud.


    "We''ll keep moving forward; I''ve stored many Divine Coins on a certain island, that''s the capital we''ll need for our comeback!" Old Jack also declared loudly.


    This was the instruction that Ante had shared with them during their recent embrace.


    Although they didn''t understand why, the Official Wizard must have had his reasons. Right now, the best thing to do was to follow orders and not overthink it.


    So the three of them continued to steer the small boat forward.


    "Sister Anna, did everything go smoothly on the island? Why did you end up with someone on your tail?"


    During the continuous conversation, Ante suddenly interjected in a barely audible whisper.


    His expression didn''t change at all. To an outsider, it looked like he was just casually chatting with Anna.


    "Everything went smoothly, and we didn''t encounter anyone. Old Jack didn''t make a sound when dealing with the maid," Anna nodded with a smile, "And to be cautious, we didn''t leave the maid alive, her body has also been dealt with."


    "As for the Lightning Pendant... it was placed in the most noticeable drawer of Lian''s bedroom, even left slightly open, not fully closed, so it was pretty easy to find."


    "It''s fair to say that aside from the Lightning Pendant, there wasn''t a single thing missing from Lian''s house, nor any sign that anything else had been tampered with."


    Ante was slightly startled by how smoothly things had gone.


    Smoothly...


    A flash of Spiritual Light struck him, and a chill ran down his spine as he considered a possibility¡ª


    The ease of acquiring the Lightning Pendant...


    Could it be that someone had deliberately made the process smooth and easy?


    Was someone using the Lightning Pendant as bait?


    Once this line of thinking opened up, his mind was suddenly flooded with more thoughts and information.


    Lian... this ordinary scoundrel who had become a Monk was because he unexpectedly became associated with a Priest named Hanfley.


    Could it be that Hanfley was the one behind this fishing scheme?


    Although this speculation came without basis, Ante''s intuition told him that it was likely the correct answer.


    He restrained the urge to convey this information to Colin and managed his expression as he first shared his suspicions with Anna and the others.


    Meanwhile,


    below the nearby sea surface, Colin was quietly following the small boat.


    His peripheral vision occasionally swept across the space about a hundred meters directly behind the small boat.


    There, under his Supersensitive Vision, a figure emitting a faint glow was quietly following Anna and the others.


    Undoubtedly¡ª


    That glowing figure was definitely a Divine Believer, and it seemed that the figure hadn''t expected an Official Wizard to be spying in secret; the disguise was quite crude. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, judging by the strength of the glow on their body, they must be at least a Priest.


    Retracting his gaze, Colin continued on his voyage, waiting for the right moment.


    This was the judgment he made after comprehensive consideration.


    If the Priest was indeed coming for Anna and the others, combat was unavoidable.


    What he needed to do was, after dealing with the Priest, to make a quick escape.


    After all, in the Divine-controlled Sea Domain, the death of a Priest would definitely be noticed by the Divine.


    Therefore, he also needed to approach the Deserted Island that might have a Transmission Array and even wait for the Priest to show himself, confirming no other believers were nearby... only then would it make sense for him to act.


    As for the worst-case scenario¡ªif the Priest behind them had already informed other believers, and more believers were hidden in the shadows...


    ''Then I might have to abandon Anna and the others¡­''


    Colin pursed his lips.

 Chapter 370 - 274: Light (4k)

    "We''ll arrive at Stone Island in at most half an hour," Anna whispered softly on the single-masted sailboat.


    That Deserted Island, although their father often took them there as children, he never gave it a proper name, only referring to it by descriptors like the island full of stones, Black Stone Island, and the like.


    She looked around. All she could see were the azure waves, as if their little boat was the only one sailing on the vast expanse of the sea.


    "What are we supposed to do when we get to Stone Island?" Ante muttered. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Following his gaze, a black silhouette was faintly emerging in the distance.


    That was the barren Stone Island they frequently visited as children.


    Anna fell silent for a moment, then suddenly asked,


    "Did Wizard Leonard give any instructions?"


    "Instructions... He just told me to carry out everything according to the original plan, whether he shows up or not,"


    Ante thoughtfully responded, his tone gradually deepening as if he realized something.


    Around fifteen minutes later, the sailboat approached the black Stone Island.


    Whoosh~ Whoosh~


    As they neared the island, the sound of the surging tide became clear, and the blue waves rolled toward the black reef, before shattering into transparent, frothy bubbles.


    They anchored on the left side of Stone Island, at a pebbly shore.


    Stone Island could hardly be called an island; it was more like a massive, black, somewhat reddish stone that had risen above the water''s surface.


    It had no golden beaches or green vegetation.


    However, Stone Island did have a distinct feature¡ªits surface was covered with pits and holes of various sizes, reminiscent of war-torn battlefields from a former world.


    Some pits were small, no thicker than a thumb and shallow, but the large ones were generally at least the size of a basketball court, with depths of tens of meters, and could even be considered sky pits.


    "Be careful, there are reefs to the left," Anna cautioned Old Jack carefully, comparing the landscape to her memory.


    Approaching such a rocky beach was no simple matter.


    Before getting close to the visible reefs, the seemingly harmless waves concealed countless unseen dangers...


    After a while, they reached their chosen anchorage.


    Thump.


    Old Jack heaved the heavy anchor overboard, and the sailboat creaked to a halt.


    "We''re here."


    He exhaled a turbid breath softly,


    "Mmhmm."


    The three exchanged glances, paused for a moment, and then stepped onto Stone Island, making their way to a small circular pit near the center.


    This circular pit appeared to be an ordinary, roughly two-meter-deep depression.


    But in reality, this pit wasn''t like the others on the island with perpendicular sides; it was somewhat curved, and at its bottom was a natural tunnel.


    At the end of the tunnel was the expansive bottom of a huge cavern, shaped like a bottleneck.


    There, lay the location of the Transmission Array.


    In fact, the entire island had many similar tunnels leading to that cavern in the middle of the island.


    Had it not been for the fact that not all the pits connected to that cavern, the pits scattered across Stone Island would have resembled the extended, slender tentacles of some gigantic, odd, spherical creature.


    ''Carry on with the original plan¡­''


    Standing at the bottom of the familiar cavern, observing the dim surroundings, Anna felt a slight sinking in her heart.


    The wizard called Leonard had yet to appear.


    Those little tails following behind them hadn''t shown up either.


    As they passed through the narrow tunnel, Anna, Ante, and Old Jack all subtly watched their rear, trying to spot any potential traces of Wizard Leonard or tails that might have followed from Pahama Island.


    But in the end, they found nothing.


    Being a First Rank Wizard was a watershed, a cruel divide that separated the ordinary from the supernatural.


    In such a situation, they, the common folk, were like leaves whipped up in a violent wind, with no power over their own fates.


    "Anna..." Ante gazed at her, speaking softly and hesitantly.


    He looked up.


    Above, in the dark dome ceiling, like an inverted funnel, there was a hole as round as the full moon, from which bright light streamed down like water, bringing the only illumination to the bottom of the cavern.


    And where that light fell on the cave floor at the bottom, at first glance, seemed nothing out of the ordinary¡ªjust the regular ground.


    But Ante knew that was precisely where the Transmission Array was concealed.


    "Let''s go," Anna said quietly, her face set with determination.


    Regardless, at this moment, they could only choose to follow the orders of Colin, at least someone on their side, and continue with the plan.


    Approaching the patch of light, Anna took out the broken Lightning Pendant from her bosom; its golden chain extended, creating a faint sound as it rubbed together.


    Then, Anna''s movements suddenly halted. She did not continue but simply stood there, quietly caressing the broken, more L-shaped Lightning Pendant in her hand.


    "Sis..." Ante began uncertainly, only to be stopped by Old Jack next to him.


    Without much thought, he complied and closed his mouth, standing quietly, waiting for instructions from his sister Anna in front of him.


    The three of them fell into a standstill.


    They neither advanced nor retreated, simply standing in place, silent and wordless.


    No one knew how long had passed; young Ante had already lost count of how many times he hesitated to speak up.

 Chapter 371 - 274: Light (4K)_2

    "Why have you stopped?"


    Just then, a deep voice finally burst forth, unable to contain itself any longer, resonating through the air!


    Father Hanfley''s figure appeared in mid-air.


    He looked at Anna and her companions in bewilderment, repeatedly asking,


    "Did you detect my tracking? Could it be that Old Jack is not merely a Great Knight?"


    "Hanfley, it is you!" Ante growled softly, his feet unconsciously retreating backwards.


    "Father Hanfley..." Anna fixed her gaze on Hanfley, and although she had anticipated this moment, her pupils still involuntarily contracted.


    Meanwhile, Old Jack unsheathed the sword at his waist and resolutely stepped in front of siblings Ante and Anna, protecting them behind him.


    "Hmph," Hanfley sneered, "You, the most ordinary of faithful, why do you not kneel before the Priest?"


    His gaze turned to Old Jack and he added, "The physique of a Great Knight ought to provide me with pleasure for a bit longer... It''s only a pity that you''re not a woman, or it would have been even more enjoyable."


    Old Jack''s expression remained unchanged, silently confronting him.


    He understood what Hanfley was referring to¡ªa variety of cruel tortures.


    These priests who worshiped the Night and Blood Goddess were all madmen with a common penchant for sadistic pleasure.


    On the Pahama Islands, ruled by the Night and Blood Goddess, the hierarchy was strict.


    Once you reached the rank of Priest, your status was completely different from that of the ordinary believers.


    Provided there was a reasonable justification, a Priest had the authority to deal with any common believer by any means necessary.


    Under such power, their desires naturally inflated unchecked, and under the guidance of the Night and Blood Goddess, they became deviant and cruel.


    Whipping, cutting, tearing asunder... as long as it didn''t result in mass death among the believers, any torture that drew blood was considered by them nothing more than ordinary entertainment.


    Moreover, they euphemistically called it¡ªpleasing the Goddess.


    Of course, whether the Night and Blood Goddess actually derived pleasure from this was unknown, as She seemed not to care and even somewhat indifferent.


    In endless pain and despair, people become weak, pray to the divine... and in turn, their faith becomes even more resolute.


    However, once accustomed to praying in despair, they lose the courage to fight back, the desire to change, and the most precious spirit of humanity... leaving nothing but a weak shell, kneeling in prayer.


    In fact, one of the main reasons Old Jack had chosen to become the captain of a fishing boat was to avoid these deranged and zealous believers as much as possible.


    "That reminds me, I have another question¡ª" Father Hanfley shifted his gaze and continued,


    "What is your relationship with the Basa family?"


    "Let me guess¡ª" he sneered, scanning the three people before him and said tauntingly, "You wouldn''t happen to be remnants of the Basa family, would you?"


    As soon as he finished speaking, the expressions of Anna and her companion changed slightly.


    ''Why hasn''t Wizard Leonard appeared yet?!'' Ante looked around discreetly, feeling somewhat anxious.


    Anna felt the same way, although her expression was noticeably more despairing than Ante''s.


    "Father Hanfley is an experienced Priest, with the strength at the peak of a First Rank Intermediate Wizard at the very least," she whispered softly, barely parting her red lips.


    Although she stopped there, Ante vaguely understood something.


    Although the true strength of the Wizard named Leonard was unknown, Ante had previously mentioned that the minimum strength required to use the Transmission Array was that of a First Rank Intermediate Wizard.


    Leonard''s strength should at least be that of a First Rank Intermediate... right?


    Ante then suddenly recalled the subtle change in expression when Colin heard the four requirements for using the Transmission Array.


    In reality, Colin didn''t have much of an expression, but to Ante in this moment, these "expressionless" faces all became concrete evidence¡ª


    Could it be that the Wizard named Leonard was nothing more than a First Rank Junior Wizard?!!


    A sense of despair surged like a tide in his heart and then spread out through his pores, making Ante feel as though the surrounding air was gradually thickening, making it hard to breathe.


    "Not talking?" Hanfley continued, looking around as if searching for something.


    His gaze then paused on a certain point in the void.


    Swoosh!


    The next second, he suddenly transformed into a scarlet blur, instantly bypassing Old Jack and appearing next to Anna.


    Ugh! S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He grabbed Anna''s tied-up hair and yanked her up.


    A sudden burst of intense pain made Anna let out an involuntary cry.


    If one could see through the thick black hair, they would notice specks of blood-red spreading.


    "Anna!"


    Hanfley''s speed was so fast that Ante could only shout out in shock.


    Swoosh!


    Old Jack had already slashed with his sword.


    Unfortunately, it was easily dodged by the ever-prepared Hanfley.


    He glanced around, holding Anna in one hand and tossing the Lightning Pendant to Ante with the other, and said indifferently,


    "Continue, I know there must be some secret hidden here."


    Ante hastily caught the thrown Lightning Pendant, his face unable to conceal his rage.


    But Hanfley had already returned to mid-air, far beyond reach, rendering Ante''s anger useless.


    And Anna, dangling in mid-air, clenched her teeth and grabbed the middle of her hair, pulling hard to alleviate the pressure at the roots of her scalp.


    However, the initial tugging had already damaged her scalp, and a few trickles of blood ran down, leaving crimson, winding trails across her cheeks and neck.


    Ante bit his lip and gave up hope on Colin''s appearance.


    He paused, glanced at Old Jack, then at Anna, who suffered in silence, and finally approached the circular spotlight.


    Ding-a-ling.


    He held the chain of the Lightning Pendant in his right hand, allowing it to dangle and sway.


    His spiritual power spread up the pendant via his fingers, followed by his Magic Power.


    ''Magic Power?!'' Hanfley raised his eyebrows incredulously as he looked at Ante.


    Such pure and orderly Magic Power could only signify a Wizard.


    He had never considered the possibility that Ante was a hidden Wizard, although he seemed to be an insignificant Apprentice.


    How could there be a Wizard on the Pahama Islands?!


    But what he saw before him did not lie... Hanfley suddenly felt matters become more significant.


    Buzz¡ª


    At that moment, the incomplete, golden Lightning Pendant suddenly lit up.


    Subsequently, as if in response, the circular spot of light in front of Ante also began to glow faintly¡ª


    as if something was being nurtured within.


    Hanfley couldn''t help but show joy.


    ''Just a Wizard Apprentice... I had already prepared a contingency plan; nothing unexpected should happen.''


    He temporarily pushed aside the doubts in his heart.


    ''This discovery will surely propel me even further!''


    Back when the island was invaded by the Divine, that was how he became a Priest.


    It was a pity that the remains of the Basa Wizard found by accident could have provided him with more benefits if not for his lowly position at the time...


    But this time, his position as a Priest was more than sufficient to reap the benefits!


    "Indeed, there are discoveries, Hanfley, you didn''t deceive me."


    But just then, another figure appeared.


    It was another Priest, with a hawk-beak nose and white, frosty hair.


    "Prit..." Hanfley looked at him and immediately felt a sense of regret.


    He almost forgot that he had called for this assistant!


    What a pity, had he known this trip would go so smoothly, he would never have chosen another assistant!


    Hanfley watched Priest Prit closely, his gaze flickering.


    Meanwhile, Prit keenly caught Hanfley''s expression and felt a jolt in his heart.


    He paused, restrained his joy, and showed a proper smile as he took the initiative to say,


    "The success of this operation, the discovery of the remains left by the Basa Family, and these possible remnants of the Basa family, are mainly thanks to Father Hanfley. I, Priest Prit, only provided assistance."


    "Well, well..."


    His words just finished when Hanfley''s expression immediately softened, and after a pause, he continued,


    "We must not delay, let''s both see what the Basa Wizard has left behind?"


    As he spoke, he flew toward the light with Priest Prit.


    Looking at the two Priests approaching, at Anna still suspended by her hair in mid-air, Ante''s heart was filled with despair...


    "So, there''s just the two of you; there aren''t any other faithful?"


    But just then, Colin''s voice suddenly came from behind Hanfley and the other!


    At the same time, two orange fireballs and a spinning Cone Bullet, flickering with a cold light, struck.

 Chapter 372 - 275 Conditions Met

    Two fireballs launched, one of which turned into Fire Element mid-flight, while the other headed straight for Hanfley!


    As for the cone bullet spinning horizontally, it was the first to slice through the strands of hair that Hanfley was clutching in his hand, holding Anna.


    Bang.


    Anna fell, only to be swiftly caught by old Jack, who had been tensing his body the entire time.


    "Anna sis!" Ante exclaimed joyously.


    About two meters in front of him, a light spot with that diameter flickered, revealing a large silver, round platform device crackling with azure electric arcs.


    Anna was quickly swept away from the battle by old Jack and brought to Ante, who stood beside the glowing spot.


    "Wizard Leonard..."


    She frowned and held her head, muttering to Colin through her blood-red field of vision.


    "Wizard Leonard is that strong?!" Ante also snapped back to reality, murmuring incredulously under his breath.


    He had thought Colin saw the dire situation and had already left them behind!


    "Anna sis, we''ve got to help Lord Leonard..." Drawing his gaze back, Ante whispered, looking at the silver platform before him, flashing with electrical arcs.


    Meanwhile.


    "Not good!"


    At this moment, Hanfley had no attention to spare for the fleeing Anna; his eyes widened as he strained to fend off the enormous fireball attacking him!


    "There''s another Official Wizard?!"


    At the same time, Priest Prit''s expression was one of sheer terror and disbelief.


    He had never imagined that just half a day''s voyage from the Pahama Islands, they would encounter an Official Wizard!


    And judging by the witchcraft cast, the wizard''s strength appeared to be at least First Rank Advanced!!


    Boom!!


    The next moment, the exploding fireball hurled Hanfley high into the air, and Priest Prit found himself entwined in battle with the Fire Element.


    "Cough cough... we cannot overpower, Prit! We must escape quickly, and report this to the Goddess immediately!" Hanfley struggled to his feet from the ground, coughing and speaking to Prit.


    He looked up at Colin, a trace of darkness crossing his face.


    Colin made a slight gesture with his hand, and a flood of attacks rolled toward Hanfley and his companion once more.


    He wasn''t worried about attacking Hanfley and his companion revealing his identity and bringing troubles.


    Not all Divine Believers could easily contact the Divine; usually, only Bishops could pray directly, without any ritual, to pass messages to the Divine.


    And Priests, apart from a few special cases, generally required specific rituals, devices, or locations to communicate.


    So, as long as these two Priests were restrained, there shouldn''t be any immediate exposure.


    Swoosh!


    The fireball''s assault was relentless like a fierce storm, continuously shooting towards Hanfley and his allies!


    The Fireball Technique might seem simple, but after several Limit Breakings and fully grasping it, Colin had developed many variations.


    An explosive fireball, a rapid series of small fireballs, a super-heated fireball, a sticky fireball that could cling and burn on the target...


    It was plain but highly effective.


    However... Colin, watching Hanfley and his companion persevere under his fierce attacks, still felt somewhat unsatisfied.


    Although he was suppressing two Priests equivalent to First Rank Intermediate Wizards with the power of a First Rank Junior Wizard, victory was near.


    Yet, if he could advance to First Rank Intermediate, the frequency and power of his Casting would have further increased, and the battle would probably have ended much sooner.


    However, at this moment, without the power of the Foolishness Scepter or Rank enhancement, even though he was casting Upper First Rank witchcraft, the power was at best the weakest within the Upper First Rank category.


    ''But still, the weakest of the Upper First Rank, is Upper First Rank, and it''s sufficient to dominate over two ordinary Priests on par with a First Rank Intermediate Wizard.'' Colin thought to himself, refocusing his spirit to continue the fight.


    Boom!


    And just at that moment, the Fire Element was suddenly annihilated by the combined efforts of Hanfley and Priest Prit!


    Then, two streaks of dark light shot out with the speed of lightning, so fast it made covering one''s ears useless.


    One streak headed towards the spot where Anna and her companions were, while the other dashed towards the opening above their heads!


    Colin''s eyebrows knitted together as he decisively followed the dark light heading upward, and then casually cast a Fire Element in the direction of where Anna and her companions were.


    "Now is the time!" Hanfley whispered urgently.


    He then swiftly flew towards the tunnel in the distant left rear from where they had come!


    As for Priest Prit, who was a beat too slow, his expression changed slightly with hesitation, then he chose another tunnel and raced into it!


    The dark light was merely a feint; their true intention was to escape into the ant-like maze of tunnels in the cave walls!


    "Seeking death!" Colin noticed the anomaly and let out a cold, contemptuous snort.


    The fusion of Mechanical Mind and Superbrain allowed him to make the best decision in an instant.


    However, the next second brought about a change that made him immediately alter his plans!


    Whoosh! A semi-transparent Spiritual Light quickly spread from where Anna and her companions were, blinking across Colin, the dark light, and also over Hanfley and his companion!


    In the end, this semi-transparent Spiritual Light attached itself to the walls of the cave, sealing it off with a firm and airtight membrane.


    Bang!!


    The dark light that was flying towards the hole above the cave came into contact with the membrane and was also halted.


    "No!!" Hanfley and Priest Prit felt the Spiritual Light sweep over them, forming an invisible Protective Shield in front of them.


    Then they saw the dark light easily blocked by the shield, and desperation instantly filled their hearts, as they let out cries of despair in unison.


    The two instantly stopped in their tracks, no longer trying to escape, but instead instinctively converged together.


    At this moment, Colin had already arrived in front of the two of them.


    "Esteemed Wizard," Hanfley tried to squeeze out a smile and hurriedly said, "As Priests, we know many valuable pieces of information¡­"


    But Colin had no interest in wasting words with them.


    "Boom!!"


    A Fireball was hurled directly at Hanfley and his companion!


    Startled, Hanfley hastily defended against it.


    Meanwhile, Priest Prit looked around and felt as if he was trapped in a cage with no escape.


    Thinking that he was about to face death, and that in the hands of a Wizard, not even his soul might return to the Divine Country of the Night Goddess,


    he sank deeper into despair and muttered to himself:


    "Great Night and Blood Goddess, please rescue your most devout believer!"


    Unfortunately¡­ he was neither a Bishop nor a higher-ranking follower, nor did he possess Divine Bloodline.


    The Night and Blood Goddess gave no response.


    His prayers were in vain.


    The next moment, he was engulfed in flames.


    Seeing this, Hanfley also completely lost the will to fight.


    Caught in such dire straits, seeing no hope for life did not inspire him to fight to the death; instead, it completely sapped him of his will to fight.


    Thus, it was only a moment before Colin easily dealt with Hanfley as well.


    However, Colin did not kill the two outright, but simply dissipated their Divine Power, broke their limbs, and left them unconscious.


    ''This way, as long as the two Priests don''t suddenly die, they will not be discovered by the Divine for a while.''


    Looking at his handiwork, Colin smiled with satisfaction. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As long as he was not discovered by the Divine, he would have more leisurely time for meditation, to advance to a First Rank Intermediate Wizard.


    And once he became a First Rank Wizard, all the conditions for activating the Transmission Array would be fully prepared, and he could leave this place as soon as it was activated¡­


    While thinking, he picked up the unconscious bodies of Hanfley and his companion, and approached where Anna and her companions were, next to the light spot.

 Chapter 373 - 276: Teleportation

    "Lord Leonard."


    Everything had settled, and Anna and her two companions greeted him with respect.


    "Is this Defensive Witch Array the masterpiece of a Basar Wizard?"


    Colin looked up at the Protective Shield that had now become invisible above and then turned to Anna and the other two, who were unscathed under the protection of the Fire Element, and inquired.


    "Yes," Ante nodded, "This is a concealed Array that comes with the Transmission Array. Its main purpose is to prevent energy from scattering and causing unnecessary disturbances¡­ Hmm, it also has a certain sound-nullifying effect."


    "So¡­ these shields can''t actually prevent objects from entering or leaving?"


    Colin''s expression was a bit odd as he glanced involuntarily at the two priests who had lost consciousness at his feet.


    Even if the two priests had chosen to proceed through the shield rather than stopping in front of it, he was confident that he would have been able to subdue them.


    But it would still have caused him some trouble, and now¡­


    Withdrawing his gaze, Colin checked on the two priests again, ensuring they would not wake up any time soon, and that their vital signs were stable enough to not suddenly die.


    "Alright, I need to meditate for a few hours, and after advancing to a First Rank Intermediate Wizard, I will activate the Transmission Array and leave this place."


    He stood up and said to Anna and the others.


    The changes in Magic Power during advancement were quite apparent, so there was no need to conceal it.


    "Lord Leonard, you''re not even a First Rank Intermediate Wizard yet?!"


    As soon as Colin had finished speaking, Ante''s eyes widened in disbelief and he exclaimed in a low voice.


    Could it be that Colin, who could cast such powerful witchcraft, had not yet achieved the level of a First Rank Intermediate Wizard?!


    "Could it be that you hail from one of the top Schools of the Siya Continent... hmmm, like the Yista School or something¡­"


    As he spoke, Ante also thought of another, even greater possibility. He swallowed and looked at Colin, murmuring, "Could you be a genius Wizard directly under the Supreme Council?!"


    Beside him, Anna and Old Jack also showed shock. First Rank Wizards were not uncommon, nor were those who could cast spells beyond their Rank.


    But those who could cast spells two Ranks above and sustain a complete battle were exceedingly rare!!


    These Wizards, without exception, were the pride of their respective Schools, and as long as they did not die prematurely, becoming a High Rank Wizard was a foregone conclusion for them!


    However, contrary to their expectations, Colin on the other side shook his head.


    "I come from an affiliated School under the Yista School¡­" he said softly, glancing over the three people.


    Anna, at that moment, was disheveled, with fresh blood seeping from her scalp.


    Colin paused slightly, then unobtrusively conjured a drop of emerald Ancient Tree Spring on the tip of his finger and passed it to her.


    "Healing Magic."


    "Alright, keep an eye on these two priests and inform me of any changes immediately."


    After speaking, Colin sat down regardless of anything else and quickly entered into meditation.


    On the other side, Anna hesitated for a moment, then gently opened her red lips and drank the drop brimming with Life Force.


    As the Ancient Tree Spring was ingested, a tingling sensation immediately spread from her scalp.


    A flash of surprise crossed Anna''s eyes; she resisted the itch without scratching, knowing it was the sensation of the wound healing rapidly.


    "Another First Rank Advanced Healing Magic!" Ante, observing carefully, exclaimed again in shock.


    Ordinarily, a Wizard capable of casting a spell two minor Ranks above their own could already be considered a genius!


    Yet the Wizard Leonard before them had cast, just from what he had seen, at least three spells!


    One spell somewhat resembled the Fireball Technique, one was a Healing Magic, and another was a Summon Fire Element with great power, almost of First Rank Upper level.


    No, not just these¡­ There was also an unknown Defensive Witchcraft on him; Father Hanfley and the other priest''s attacks couldn''t break through that modest-looking defense!


    "This Wizard Leonard, he must be someone remarkable," Anna said softly.


    The reason for her whispering was merely to avoid disturbing Colin, and as for what she said, Anna had no intention of being discreet.


    After all, for Colin, a First Rank Wizard, even if she went to the farthest corner of the cave to whisper, he would probably be able to hear it.


    And if not, it would adversely affect the trust that had taken time to build between them.


    The Healing Magic that Colin placed near her mouth just now was probably also a way of testing trust¡­


    Compared to Anna''s complex thoughts, Ante was much simpler in his belief that Colin had not lied to him, so he said with some confusion,


    "Indeed, an affiliated School under the Yista School is not low in status, but Lord Leonard, you should be a buried genius there!"


    Anna did not speak, only carefully watching over Father Hanfley and the other priest with Old Jack.


    And so, four hours passed in the blink of an eye.


    Accompanied by a surge of Magical Power, Colin successfully advanced to a First Rank Intermediate Wizard.


    With his current Talent, such a minor level advancement was all smooth sailing.


    "Congratulations, Lord Leonard, on successfully advancing to a First Rank Intermediate Wizard!" Anna led the congratulatory remark.


    Colin nodded slightly, carrying both Hanfleys to the side of the Transmission Array.


    Five minutes later, after figuring out how to activate the array,


    Colin stood at the right corner of the Transmission Array, gently exhaled a breath of stale air, and began infusing it with Magic Power with his hand.


    Beside him, Ante gently pricked his fingertip and pressed it onto the protruding device in front of them.


    The next moment, accompanied by a buzzing sound, the silver Transmission Array suddenly lit up with numerous azure arcs tinged with gold.


    "Hisss!" Ante instinctively released his hand, taking in a sharp breath.


    Colin also felt a tingling sensation, but fortunately, it was bearable.


    After patiently inputting Magic Power for a while until all the azure arcs turned golden, Colin slowly withdrew his hand.


    Normally, a Transmission Array, especially a reliable and sturdy long-distance one, would require at least a Third Rank Wizard to construct.


    However, Wizard Basar was only a Second Rank Wizard. Plus, given the current sensations of the array''s use, Colin couldn''t help but speculate,


    "The scattered arcs also attack the user... This Transmission Array must be a flawed piece."


    "I fear it''s for one-time use..."


    Feeling that the structure of the Transmission Array wasn''t very stable, Colin grew a bit worried.


    But looking down at the still unconscious Hanfleys at his feet, he took a deep breath and began filling the Transmission Array with Magic Stones.


    At this point, there was no other choice but to continue forward.


    After placing the Magic Stones, Colin, Anna, and Ante took their positions at the center of the Transmission Array. He turned and asked,


    "Ready?"


    "Yes," the three of them replied in unison.


    Colin nodded slightly, turned his gaze away, and flung two Fireballs towards the Hanfleys.


    Once the Fireballs were accurately suspended above the Hanfleys'' heads,


    Colin nodded slightly again, looked down at the Transmission Array, took a gentle breath, and willed his thought.


    Crackle and pop!


    Countless dazzling golden arcs, like frenzied dancing serpents, burst forth from around the silver Transmission Array, emitting blinding light.


    Some arcs even reached the top of the cave.


    Fortunately, the Transmission Array''s inherent concealment array kept all the noise within the cave, preventing any sound from reaching the outside.


    This spectacle only lasted for a moment.


    The next second, silence returned to the cave, which plunged back into darkness.


    At the same time, the two Fireballs hovering above the Hanfleys began to sink gradually.


    In just an instant, they cleanly eliminated both the Hanfleys'' life force along with their souls.


    However, just as the Hanfleys died, a grand and chilling consciousness suddenly descended upon the place.


    With the arrival of the consciousness, the entire cave seemed to fall into night, becoming pitch dark, and a sticky aura spread out, with dark liquid flowing down the stone walls.


    After a brief moment, the consciousness abruptly left, leaving behind only a few dark red mottles in the cave.


    Then, two Divine Believers clad in black and red unexpectedly appeared within the cave.


    "Bishop Ella."


    "Bishop Valentine."


    After exchanging greetings, they went straight to the point.


    "Following the goddess''s oracle, in this cave, two priests lost their lives and souls... and it was the work of Wizards!"


    "Yes, they left through the Transmission Array," Ella deduced, approaching the remains of the silver Transmission Array.


    "The spatial fluctuations are still present. The current situation is critical. I request the goddess''s assistance to reopen the transmission channel and go after that Wizard," Valentine suggested with his eyes closed, feeling the space.


    "No need," Ella shook her head and lowered her voice after scanning the surrounding area: "Those two priests did not know the key information, the matters concerning the Elf Clan are currently known only to those above Bishops."


    "Moreover, this Transmission Array, I find it somewhat familiar.


    It seems to be the handiwork of that Second Rank Wizard called Basar, who I encountered on the Pahama Islands a long time ago." S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Speaking to this point, Ella organized her thoughts for a moment and continued:


    "The goddess said there is also the presence of a First Rank Intermediate Wizard here.


    If I''m not mistaken, this incident should be the doing of the remnants of the Basa Family.


    We were never able to find Basar''s son and daughter; it is likely that they were rescued by Basar''s old acquaintance through this unnoticed Transmission Array."


    "¡­ That''s likely. Recently, the Sea Domain''s defenses on the front line have been tight, not even letting a fly through, let alone a First Rank Intermediate Wizard!"


    Valentine nodded in agreement.


    Then the two conducted another search of the area before leaving together.

 Chapter 374 - 277: Request (4.2k)

    "Hiss, that Transmission Array was indeed incomplete..."


    Colin gently covered his head with his palm.


    The Transmission Array''s ability to protect against spatial flux should have been weak; the sudden spatial transfer caused some discomfort to his spirit.


    After a moment, he steadied his spirit and lowered his hand.


    "Where is this..." Ante murmured in confusion beside him.


    The discomfort from the transmission was mainly due to the soul''s shock; the level of pain depended on the Transmission Array and one''s own spirit''s strength among other factors¡ªit wasn''t the same for everyone.


    Beside him, the Great Knight, Old Jack, and the ordinary person, Anna, were both pale and looked like they were about to vomit.


    Yet at this moment, Ante seemed to manage as well as Colin, with just a slight dizziness¡ªhe was the one among them who suffered the least.


    ...Perhaps it was because he often used that strange item that disguised himself¡ªthe Sigh Blood Crystal?


    Colin silently thought to himself, then lifted his head, rotating his neck to look around.


    Rough walls constructed from an unknown grey-black material immediately came into view.


    This place looked like a sealed chamber with the door shut tight, apart from the silver Transmission device under their feet, there was nothing else.


    "Ante, what information do you have about this place?" withdrawing his gaze, he stepped off the now defunct Transmission Array and asked.


    "Sorry, Lord Leonard, my father didn''t tell me much about the information on the other side of the Transmission Array...umm, to be precise, I asked, but he basically didn''t say anything."


    "I only know this place is on an island next to Quinte Island...perhaps this place was built by my father to protect the Transmission Array?"


    Ante said, supporting Anna as he followed in Colin''s footsteps, with Old Jack closely behind.


    Colin gave a slight nod, then approached the stone door right in front of the Transmission Array.


    He had just thought of trying to open the stone door when it suddenly opened automatically, revealing the smooth and tidy passageway behind it.


    "..." Colin withdrew his arm, a faint suspicion arising in his heart.


    "Basar, I never would have thought you''d use a Transmission Array!" sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just then, a mature woman''s voice suddenly chuckled.


    Following that, an odd silhouette suddenly walked out from around the corner of the passageway.


    As she emerged, both parties looked at each other, falling into a standstill.


    "Who are you, and where is that guy Basar?" the odd silhouette suddenly asked.


    The odd silhouette was composed entirely of a dull unknown silver metal, resembling a female Wizard; the Wizard Robe, the hood, were all faithfully simulated... but the face was blurry and unclear.


    If one looked closely, they could see faint traces of a gold color erupting with terrifying turbulence upon the dull silver.


    "At least a Third Rank Wizard..." Colin''s heart tightened, and he made a respectful bow.


    As he was about to explain everything, he suddenly heard Anna hesitantly calling out from behind him:


    "Zehtti?"


    As her words fell, silence once again enveloped the scene.


    The silver Witch slowly turned her gaze towards Anna, and though her face was unseen, her displeasure was evident.


    The next moment, she asked in a deep voice:


    "What''s your relationship with Basar?! How do you know my name?!"


    Crackle, crackle!


    Pale gold electric light that seemed almost tangible suddenly erupted from Zehtti''s body, striking the nearby grey-black walls and the ground, making her appear like a violent electric ball exploding!


    Colin''s expression changed abruptly.


    "I am the Wizard Basar''s daughter!" Anna quickly shouted.


    "..." Zehtti''s momentum suddenly weakened, and those gold lights vanished like phantoms in an instant.


    The next moment, she used a type of witchcraft that Colin had never seen before to lightly scan all four of them, as if confirming something.


    "Anna..." After a moment, Zehtti lowered her arms, hesitating.


    Though her face hidden under the hood was blurry, it clearly showed a sense of embarrassment.


    Then she turned to look at Ante beside her, hesitantly saying:


    "You''re Ante?"


    The two nodded.


    Ante looked puzzled at his sister.


    "You may not remember, but when we were very young, the name our father most often whispered in our ears was this one," Anna explained.


    "So, she is..." Ante suddenly gasped in astonishment, stammering.


    "That damned Basar, he only had you two come? Where is he?" Zehtti suddenly clamored, her tone somewhat irate. Listening closely, it seemed somewhat unnatural, as if she was trying to change the subject.


    Upon hearing this, Anna and Ante fell silent, their expressions turning mournful.


    Zehtti seemed to realize something, her expression turning hesitant, solemn, disbelieving.


    Moments later, a sentence that she might have expected, but definitely did not want to hear, softly came from Anna in front of her.


    "Our father...he passed away a long time ago."


    Crack!


    Like thunder from a clear sky, a bolt of gold lightning as thick as a bucket burst forth from Zehtti''s side.


    The intense energy caused everyone in the distance, including Colin, to feel a numbing sensation, and their hair involuntarily stood on end.


    However, the building seemed specially made, and the walls were only slightly shattered under such lightning.


    "Come with me," after a while, Zehtti finally calmed down and softly said, looking at Anna and the rest.

 Chapter 375 - 277: Request (4.2k)_2

    After a brief pause, she seemed somewhat unnaturally to turn her head away and softly said,


    "Perhaps... you can call me ¡ª Mother."


    Though they had somewhat expected it, upon hearing Zehtti''s words, the expressions of Anna and her brother still changed repeatedly.


    ''If the powerful witch before them was truly their mother, why had she never visited them, and why had their father never mentioned her?


    Moreover, why hadn''t Zehtti, so powerful, come to rescue their father on Pahama Island?''


    The siblings'' lips moved, but they still couldn''t bring themselves to utter that title.


    Zehtti didn''t press them and continued speaking as she turned around,


    "Let''s go, I have many things I want to ask you..."


    "Your Excellency, Zehtti." At this moment, Colin suddenly spoke, quickly explaining,


    "Sorry to disturb you at this time, but I am not a member of the Basa family. I happened to come here via the transmission array and have some urgent matters to attend to. May I be allowed to leave?"


    After saying this, Colin looked at Zehtti, hesitating whether to tell her the news he held.


    Zehtti turned back and looked at this First Rank Wizard whom she had overlooked.


    "Mo... Mother, Pahama Islands have been occupied by the divine beings. He is the one who rescued Ante and me. Without him, we might still be trapped on Pahama Island, or perhaps... we might have already perished."


    Anna suddenly explained solemnly from the side.


    "Divine beings¡­" Zehtti murmured with a frown, then impatiently waved her hand slightly.


    "You may go."


    Click, click, click.


    A large gap suddenly opened behind Colin in the secret room, and the rich light of the setting sun flowed in.


    "Thank you, Your Excellency, Zehtti."


    Seeing this, Colin, gradually dismissing his thoughts, respectfully took his leave and prepared to depart.


    "Wizard Leonard!"


    But Ante suddenly called out to him from behind, then took off the Sigh Blood Crystal he wore on his chest and gently tossed it to him.


    Colin instinctively reached out to catch the Sigh Blood Crystal.


    But from afar, Zehtti lightly hooked her finger and suddenly intercepted the pendant.


    "Sigh Blood Crystal... this is not a good thing." Holding the Sigh Blood Crystal in her hand, she turned to look at Ante, suddenly furrowing her eyebrows.


    Crackle, crackle!


    Like thin snakes, golden lightning instantly enveloped Ante.


    "Ah!"


    Ante cried out instinctively, but the next moment he surprisingly felt no pain, instead experiencing a comfortable tingling sensation.


    The tingling in his chest was the strongest, and amidst this tingling, Ante suddenly felt that his chest, which had always somewhat hurt from long-term use of the Sigh Blood Crystal, suddenly stopped hurting.


    Or rather, the pain had at least mostly dissipated.


    "Let''s go."


    Zehtti spoke to Anna and the others once again.


    "Wizard Leonard, thank you. Ante and I will forever remember this life-saving grace," Anna suddenly turned and solemnly said to him.


    "Thank you, Wizard Leonard." Ante also came to his senses and thanked him together with Anna.


    Regarding Colin, Ante inexplicably felt some fondness... perhaps because of his silent, calm demeanor, strong abilities?


    Ante didn''t know, but he instinctively added another line,


    "Wizard Leonard, if I have the opportunity in the future, I will come to visit you." S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No need to worry, it was simply quid pro quo..." Colin didn''t mind, and softly spoke as he looked at them.


    Then, after bowing towards Zehtti in the distance, he turned and walked into the secret chamber, soaring towards the sky.


    "How could you be so weak, Anna, and still not a witch? Basar, that dog, is this how he took care of you? Ruining my bloodline¡­"


    Amidst the howling wind, Colin faintly heard Zehtti apparently complaining about something.


    ''Isn''t Anna devoid of witch''s talent¡­?''


    Shaking his head, he gathered his thoughts.


    Regardless of what Anna and the others were going through or what secrets they hid, those were now matters for Zehtti''s family...


    He now had more important and urgent matters to attend to.


    Swoosh!


    But just then, a silver light suddenly shot out from the gap that had not yet fully closed beneath his feet, heading straight towards him!


    At this moment, it was the evening, and the setting sun slowly sank at the distant horizon where the sea met the sky, the red waters shimmering.


    The silver light, dotted with golden spots, moved as swiftly as lightning, stopping in front of him without any trace of fireworks before he could react.


    "What is this?!" A shaken Colin hesitantly accepted the silver light.


    After coming out, he found himself on a small, dark brown deserted island, not very large ¡ª merely about the size of a football field from his previous life, showing no signs that it concealed a witch of at least the Third Rank.


    So, for a moment, he thought Zehtti intended to eliminate him for knowing the location of her secluded residence.


    However... fortunately, it was just a false alarm.


    The silver light, now seen up close, was actually a silver ball covered with web-like golden cracks.


    Strong energy emanated from it... it should be some kind of Witch Tool.


    ''Perhaps it was to compensate for not receiving the Sigh Blood Crystal, or simply to thank him for rescuing Anna and her brother?''


    But regardless, the behavior of Witch Zehtti unexpectedly made Colin reconsider his decision.

 Chapter 376 - 277: Request (4.2k)_3

    He hesitated for a moment, then slowly descended, returning to the inconspicuous, protruding, rocky slope he had left earlier.


    "Zehtti, Your Excellency," he called out loud.


    After a brief wait, the rocky ground beneath his feet split open once more.


    Colin re-entered the secret chamber.


    "Do you have something else to discuss?"


    Zehtti was watching him with a puzzled look, accompanied by Anna and two others.


    "That''s right, Zehtti, Your Excellency," Colin took a breath, no longer hesitating, and told the Third Rank Witch before him all he knew about the Elf Clan.


    As a First Rank Wizard, his words carried little weight, and with Mentor Atbolde gravely injured and far away in the Siya Continent, and with his colleague Lillian also missing, his connection to Zehtti, who could be considered the highest-ranking Wizard he knew, was tenuous at best.


    If he could persuade Zehtti, this powerful Witch, it might add some assurance to his mission. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Are you saying the High Level Elves have perished and the remaining Elves have all fallen to the Divine side? That the Tree Elves who have reappeared are spies hidden among the Wizards?"


    After listening to Colin''s narration, Zehtti instinctively sought confirmation.


    She found it hard to believe...


    What Colin described sounded more like a bizarre tale!


    "Everything I''ve told you is true, Your Excellency," Colin said gravely.


    Perhaps alerted by the mention of the Elf Kingdom, Nasi, who had been hiding in the hood, suddenly peeked out curiously from behind his neck to glance at Zehtti.


    Then, seemingly startled, she quickly retreated back into hiding.


    "Is this a sprite?" Zehtti asked, "Does it come from the legendary Elf Kingdom you mentioned?"


    Colin paused, then shook his head.


    "Nearly all life has faded from the Elf Kingdom, only a few sturdy trees are still clinging on."


    For personal reasons, and to avoid unnecessary complications, he concealed the details about the sprite and the Ancient Tree of Life.


    He simply claimed he had learned about the changes in the Elf Clan from the traces left within the Elf Kingdom.


    He wasn''t afraid that his story would be discredited.


    After all, the remnants of the Ancient Tree of Life were now utterly lifeless, the mountain''s protections had lost their energy source, and those spontaneously operating, unending pollution mechanisms would soon bury any trace that remained.


    By then, the Elf Kingdom would indeed appear desolate, just as he had described.


    It was just a pity that the Golden Hammer Token had turned to ash when he left the Elf Kingdom; otherwise, it could have served as evidence... Colin thought to himself.


    Zehtti scrutinized him carefully for a moment before slowly withdrawing her gaze.


    Then, after pondering in place for a short while, she slowly said:


    "The Divine is the eternal enemy of Wizards, and every Witch has the duty to resist them, even if only for themselves."


    "So, if what you say is true, then this news is of great importance, and I will accompany you on this journey... However, if what you say is a lie¡ª"


    Zehtti looked steadily at him and said in a calm voice, "you will learn the cost of deceiving a Third Rank Witch."


    Colin''s expression became stern, and he nodded earnestly, but he couldn''t help the look of joy that emerged on his face.


    Seeing this, Zehtti discreetly nodded, her belief in him slightly reinforced.


    She then turned to Anna and the others and said:


    "As for you, stay here obediently and wait for my return..."

 Chapter 377 - 278: Delivering a Message (5.2k)

    Zehtti''s words fell, and Ante''s previously joyful expression again turned to despair.


    He had thought he could stay with Colin a bit longer.


    After all, honestly speaking, compared to Zehtti, who suddenly became their dual mother, they were more familiar with Colin.


    Their short time together during the escape on Pahama Islands had allowed them basic understanding and trust in each other.


    However, once Zehtti had made a decision, naturally she would not change it due to their wishes.


    She gently pinched the front of her Wizard Robe and then yanked it forcefully.


    Chirp.


    No change occurred to the robe on Zehtti, but a flow of silver metal was suddenly pulled out and instantly transformed into an identical Zehtti!


    "Leonard... right?"


    Before Colin and the others could be shocked, the new Zehtti looked at Colin and said, "There''s no time to delay, we should set off now."


    After speaking, she nodded towards the original Zehtti and glanced at Ante and the other two, then turned and led the way towards the secret chamber.


    "Goodbye."


    Colin nodded slightly to Ante''s group and turned to follow Zehtti without any hesitation.


    The original Zehtti then took Ante and the others deeper into the corridor, moving with a normalcy that made it difficult to distinguish between them.


    "Grab me," Zehtti said blandly once they reached the secret chamber.


    Colin snapped out of it, momentarily startled.


    It was not because of any tender feelings, since Zehtti, compared to human females, looked more like a huge Wizard dressed in a voluminous Wizard Robe.


    It was just that Zehtti hadn''t stretched out her arms or given any direction, so he was unsure where to grab.


    But in the next moment, a soft silver ribbon sprang from Zehtti''s right shoulder and stretched out toward him.


    Colin realized what to do and compliantly grabbed the silver ribbon.


    The ribbon, like a serpent, wrapped around his arm and then spread to his other arm, circling around his chest and back, securing itself.


    ''One wonders what kind of modifications Zehtti has undergone... This liquid silver substance, it somewhat resembles metallic silver yet it also has properties of Elemental Energy.''


    Colin couldn''t help but think.


    His knowledge of Third Rank Wizards was still very limited.


    However... If Second Rank Wizards mostly had extensive body modifications, then logically, by the time one became a Third Rank Wizard, the degree of body modifications would be even deeper.


    ''In these times filled with Tainted babbling, the soul and body must maintain equilibrium... The School of Wizards that specialized solely in the soul, treating the body merely as a container, has long since vanished.''


    Colin had not forgotten Lillian''s words.


    ''Just... The more body modifications there are, the harder it may be to maintain one''s humanity...'' Colin''s eyes flickered. ''After delivering the message, I need to quickly assimilate the Ancient Tree Heart to strengthen my physical foundation as soon as possible.''


    "Hold tight."


    At that moment, Zehtti softly reminded him again, interrupting his thoughts.


    The next second.


    Crackle!


    As if lightning struck across the sky, Colin''s vision blurred, and he suddenly found himself at least a kilometer high in the air!


    Such speed was beyond his imagination.


    Moreover, throughout the whole process, he didn''t feel much discomfort; the silver ribbon wrapped around his arms and chest took on most of the pressure.


    "We''ll first head to Quinte Island to gather some frontline information," Zehtti said after determining the direction in the high sky.


    "Um," Colin nodded.


    Neither Zehtti nor he had any understanding of the current war situation for wizards... Ante and the others had only heard some bits and pieces on Pahama Islands.


    Crackle!


    Zehtti continued to carry him at a speed far exceeding the speed of sound towards the giant island visible at the horizon.


    Before long.


    In a city on Quinte Island, he and Zehtti each held a newspaper issued today by the Supreme Council, reading carefully.


    "Continuous victories reported... Tree Elves'' powerful modified war ent... Liya''er aids in rebuilding homes..." Colin murmured silently, his expression somewhat grim. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zehtti, looking at the newspaper, suddenly read aloud softly:


    "Two days ago, Hawuli, the last of the three Parra Islands, was also successfully taken.


    Since then, Parra, Hawuli, Zan, the three islands form a line, each supporting and watching over the others, establishing a stable frontline foundation."


    After reading, she looked somewhat relaxed.


    "Only two days ago did the wizards launch an attack; it''s unlikely they will launch a new one so soon... We still have some time."


    Colin nodded noncommittally, still feeling some urgency, then asked:


    "Ms. Zehtti, the Parra Islands... which island shall we go to?"


    "Do you know any Wizards... or rather, Schools you know?" Zehtti asked.


    She had been living in seclusion on a Deserted Island for over a decade, rarely going out, and had few friends for various reasons.


    Thus, like Colin, she had no direct way to contact any prominent figures who could influence the course of the war.


    Colin paused for a moment, then said thoughtfully, "Let''s go to Parra Island. The Yista School is there, and I am from its affiliated School¡ªTin Saint.


    The Council members of the Supreme Council are always elusive; relaying the message through the high ranks of the Yista School, or getting an audience with the decisive councilmen, would be a more reliable choice."

 Chapter 378 - 278: Delivering a Message (5.2k)_2

    "Hmm," Zehtti nodded.


    Sizzle!


    About forty minutes later, Zehtti had brought him to Parra Island. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was now deep into the night, and the bright moon quietly emerged from the edge of the sky.


    If it were just him traveling alone, the distance between Quinte Island and Parra Island would probably take at least half a day...


    By then, it wouldn''t be this moon he''d see, but the sunrise...


    Colin let out a murky breath, slightly easing the anxiety in his heart.


    Zehtti continued to lead him forward.


    When they reached a point about five nautical miles from Parra Island, she suddenly stopped.


    "There are Wizards below, likely the guard Wizards of Parra Island''s perimeter. Just wait a moment, there should be some inspection."


    "Hmm," Colin nodded.


    The closer they got to the Parra Islands, the more stringent the defenses.


    Although, with Zehtti''s strength, she could easily break through here without any need for inspection.


    But Third Rank Wizards are not invincible. Acting like this would surely bring about many unnecessary troubles, and it would delay time instead.


    An approaching First Rank Wizard respectfully said:


    "Honorable sirs, a routine check, please forgive any offense."


    After finishing his words, he cast the Deep Red Marking Technique on Colin and himself.


    Once confirmed that there were no deep red marks on the heads of the two, the First Rank Wizard continued to ask:


    "Do you two have a pass?"


    Zehtti looked towards Colin.


    Colin''s heart sank slightly, and he shook his head.


    "If you have no pass, Parra Island is currently on the war front, and unrelated Wizards are not allowed to approach. Please return, both of your Excellencies," the First Rank Wizard said politely.


    "We have very important intelligence that needs to be conveyed to the Supreme Council," Colin emphasized sternly.


    The Wizard opposite, naturally unmoved, shook his head calmly, looking sharply at Colin.


    Crackle! Snap!


    But at that moment, Zehtti suddenly spoke up, her powerful aura intensifying as she added firmly,


    "His words are true. We need to enter the island."


    Under Zehtti''s formidable presence, the normally-complexioned First Rank Wizard''s expression suddenly changed.


    Immediately after, a red-haired Wizard of First Rank Advanced level approached swiftly from the sea below.


    "What''s happening?" the red-haired Wizard asked in haste.


    His aura was somewhat stronger than the ordinary-looking First Rank Wizard, most likely at the level of First Rank Advanced.


    But compared to Zehtti, he was just a firefly to the bright moon.


    "I''m a member of the Tin Saint School." It looked as if he remembered something, and Colin abruptly took out the School Badge he had not worn for a long time.


    "Tin Saint School..." The red-haired Wizard picked up the badge from Colin''s hands, perhaps in an effort to diffuse the tension.


    "Yes, it''s undoubtedly the Tin Saint School badge..." After checking it carefully, the red-haired Wizard handed the badge back to Colin, then politely asked, "May I know why your Excellencies are coming to Parra Island?"


    "I need to seek an audience with a member of the Supreme Council, hmm, or the higher-ups of the Yista School," Colin said concisely, "I have very important news to convey."


    "Alright."


    This time, the red-haired Wizard didn''t dawdle like the First Rank Wizard... A Third Rank Wizard''s endorsement could open many exceptions.


    He nodded solemnly, turned, and spoke a few words to the original First Rank Wizard, then came forward again to Colin and Zehtti, and said,


    "Your Excellencies, please follow me. I''ll lead you to the Yista School establishment."


    "As for the members of the Supreme Council, they may be on this island, or they may not be. You might need to contact them yourself, Your Excellencies... Perhaps the higher-ups of the Yista School should know the whereabouts of the Councilmen."


    The minimum requirement for a member of the Supreme Council is a Third Rank Wizard, but in reality, those who become Supreme Council Members are mostly Fourth Rank Wizards.


    Only a few Third Rank Wizards who have made outstanding contributions or possess astounding talent can have the status of a Councilman during their time as a Third Rank.


    And Fourth Rank Wizards are basically as elusive as dragons.


    So initially, Colin did not hope to find a Councilman to pass the message directly.


    Not that he didn''t want to, but rather, he couldn''t... Even with Zehtti beside him, it was the same.


    After all, they didn''t know where the Council Members were, nor which of them were making decisions about this war... So they could only first seek to meet Wizards who might know such information.


    And for him, if he wanted to convey the news he held to the decision-making Council Members as quickly as possible, certainly the best choice was to go through the higher-ups of the Yista School.


    Following that, under the red-haired Wizard''s guidance, they proceeded unimpeded, quickly passing through several obstacles after just the necessary checks.


    In just a brief ten minutes or so, the red-haired Wizard had brought them both to the outside of the Yista School establishment.


    "Your Excellencies, this is where I leave you," said the red-haired Wizard before turning and departing.


    Colin and his companion stepped towards the entrance before them.


    At the entrance, two First Rank Wizards were on duty.


    The older First Rank Wizard on the left approached from the doorway and asked:


    "May I know the purpose of your visit to the Yista School?"


    "I am a member of the Tin Saint School¡ªColin Leonard, and this is the Third Rank Wizard Zehtti. We have urgent matters that require contacting Lord Kregi."


    Colin spoke sternly, presenting the School Badge in his hand.

 Chapter 379 - 278 Message Delivering (5.2k)_3

    Kregi was indeed the head wizard of the Yista School in the frontline war, and he was almost a Fourth Rank Wizard.


    "Third Rank Wizard?!"


    Seeing Colin''s serious expression and glancing at the extraordinary Zehtti beside him, the countenance of the First Rank Wizard on duty suddenly grew stern. After confirming the authenticity of the School Badge that Colin handed over, he nodded forcefully.


    "I will now go inform Lord Kregi. Please wait here for a moment, both of you."


    After saying that, he returned the badge to Colin and exchanged a few words with his remaining companion, before turning and dashing towards the School.


    Colin watched his figure disappearing into the distance and slightly relaxed inside.


    What followed was simply to inform Wizard Kregi of everything, and his mission would be complete.


    ''After I finish all this with Zehtti, she should be returning to Quinte Island. At that time, I can take a ride with her and then rush back to the Siya Continent¡­ I wonder how Atbolde''s injury is doing,'' Colin thought as he gazed at the resplendent night sky overhead.


    "Both sirs, please take a seat for a moment. With Chad''s speed, he will return shortly."


    The remaining wizard politely offered, stepping down from his position on the high platform.


    "There''s no need," Zehtti shook her head.


    Colin also dismissed the idea of sitting down and waited with Zehtti in place.


    ''Everything is not yet over, I can''t relax too soon... At least, if Lord Kregi does not believe later, I will still have to find a way to convince him.''


    Seeing that Zehtti had no intention of sitting down, the remaining wizard did not sit back either and chose to stand with them.


    ''A Third Rank Wizard... is not to be taken lightly.''


    Colin felt somewhat fortunate that he had called upon Zehtti in the end, otherwise, he might still be on the road at this moment.


    Even having arrived at Parra Islands, given the strict defenses outside, it was uncertain if they could have gained entry.


    ''In this world, power truly is the foundation upon which one stands¡­ Whether it be status or respect, it all comes from this.''


    His mind was a whirl of thoughts when, in a blink of an eye, a while had passed.


    Anxiety, which Colin thought had almost dissipated, suddenly bubbled up again in his heart.


    The gauzy moonlight draped over him like falling snow but did little to soothe the restlessness in his heart.


    He couldn''t help but stretch onto his tiptoes to peer into the school through the unlatched main gate, but all he could see was emptiness within his field of vision.


    Perhaps influenced by Colin''s emotions, the remaining wizard atop the platform also could not help but look back inside.


    Of course, he saw not a single silhouette either.


    "Maybe there was some delay, please wait a little longer, both sirs," he turned around and forced a comforting smile.


    However for some reason, Colin felt an inexplicable unease in his heart.


    The bright moon had risen to its zenith in the night sky, and the stars nearby grew dim under its brilliant light.


    The night sky too seemed to grow darker because of the moon''s dazzling white glow.


    "Huh¡ª"


    Colin let out a soft breath.


    Logically speaking, there was no real need to rush things so desperately -- there were not a few wizards who could contact members of the Supreme Council.


    It would have been completely possible to understand the situation first, then ask someone for an introduction.


    Given Zehtti''s status as a Third Rank Wizard, she would likely have the opportunity to meet with a Supreme Council Member directly very soon.


    By then, the entire journey would not be so hasty and awkward...


    ''But it would certainly take much more time!'' Colin pursed his lips, "And it''s easy to expose too much information¡­ Who knows among these wizards, if there would be traitors seduced and corrupted by the Divine."


    At that moment, he once again felt the insufficiency of his own status... Or rather, the insufficiency of his power.


    Had his status been higher, he wouldn''t have needed to go through so much trouble to convey the message.


    Colin sighed. Time had passed once again.


    "Anna... The wizards at the frontline, with the help of the Elf Clan, were clearly gaining the upper hand! I heard they are almost ready to reclaim the Southern Seven Islands!" sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''The next step is to reclaim the Southern Seven Islands...''


    Ante''s words echoed in his mind suddenly.


    The following unease made Colin feel as though there was a guillotine hanging over his head, and he shivered.


    He finally could not bear to wait any longer and turned his head to Zehtti, speaking in a deep voice:


    "Lord Zehtti, we cannot continue to wait, let''s go inside ourselves!"


    "Both sirs?!" The remaining wizard on duty was startled by the words and instinctively wanted to stop Colin and the other.


    But the sharp gaze that followed from Zehtti petrified him in place.


    The duty-bound wizard stammered, struggling to get words out for a moment, yet he persisted with his final sentence,


    "Both sirs, the paths within the camp are complex, please allow me to lead the way for you."


    Rather than let them crash around the School camp, it would be better for him to lead them in.


    After all, since the two of them were allowed on Parra Island, they naturally wouldn''t be Divine Believers, and with that wizard''s Third Rank power, he had enough to explain to his superiors...


    Whoosh.


    Zehtti withdrew her intimidating presence from the duty-bound wizard and nodded slightly.


    The duty-bound wizard let out a sigh of relief and hurriedly moved to the front despite his still shaky legs, cursing to himself inwardly:


    "Damn it, Chad, how could you take so long for such a short distance?!"


    As the idiom goes, speak of the devil, and he shall appear; just as he stepped through the doorway, he bumped into a familiar figure.


    "What''s going on?" Chad asked in bewilderment as he saw the three of them; his companion''s somewhat reproachful expression seemed to clue him into something.


    ''Such urgency... The Third Rank Wizard as well, it must indeed be very important information,'' Chad''s heart tightened.


    Without waiting for an answer, he respectfully turned to Zehtti and said:


    "Lord Kregi is not in his study; I searched throughout the camp and finally learned he left for the Council Hall in the island''s center about an hour ago, reportedly attending a meeting."


    After saying that, he paused, then continued:


    "But I found Lord Yeats, he''s reading in the study, both sirs please come with me."


    Yeats was also a Third Rank Wizard, and among the Yista School members at the frontline, his status was second only to Kregi.


    However, Colin felt little joy.


    What resonated in his mind was a word from Chad''s recent statement ¡ª "meeting."


    "Hopefully it''s not what I am thinking... that they are conducting a pre-war council meeting."


    Colin''s heart sank slightly.


    But then he thought, "If it''s a pre-war council meeting, that at least means there is still time."


    Following Chad, they quickly arrived outside an elegant building.


    Through the window, they could faintly glimpse a male Wizard with a somewhat sullen expression, leafing through a black book in his hands.

 Chapter 380 - 279: Fool (6.6k)

    Chad led Colin and his companion into the study and then left.


    The gloomy-faced Yeats, sitting in a chair holding a book, did not rise, calmly watching them as he quietly asked,


    "Speak then, what ''important'' news do you have in your hands?" sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Colin stepped forward, somewhat displeased with Yeats''s manner of questioning.


    But realizing the gravity of the situation, he didn''t dwell on it and quickly informed Yeats of everything in a concise manner.


    As his words unfolded, Yeats''s lips began to curl into a smirk.


    Before Colin had finished speaking, Yeats set down his book, chuckled lightly with a somewhat playful interruption,


    "So what you''re suggesting is¡ªthe Tree Elf Clan are traitors?"


    A slight heaviness settled in Colin''s heart as he paused before adding in a more somber tone,


    "What I mean is that there''s a possibility. What I can be certain of is¡ªthe Elf Clan, especially the Tree Elves, must have already sided with the Divine!"


    He had anticipated that Yeats wouldn''t easily believe what he said; after all, his influence was minor, and the news too outlandish...


    However, he was prepared, and continued,


    "Councilman Yeats, when I was in the Elf Kingdom, I once..."


    "If the Tree Elf Clan are indeed traitors, then I also have reason to suspect that you are a spy sent by the Divine to incite discord between the Wizards and the Elf Clan!"


    Yeats interrupted him again.


    Regardless of how Colin had entered the Elf Kingdom and how he had safely left the so-called corrupted realm,


    from his own perspective,


    instead of believing the bizarre message delivered by an unexpected visit from a First Rank Wizard, he was more inclined to trust the judgment of the High Rank Wizard council members.


    Zehtti, standing aside, couldn''t help but frown at this point.


    But she did not know the information about the Elf Kingdom as Colin did, and... Yeats''s doubts at the moment were not unfounded.


    Thus, Zehtti chose not to speak, silently standing by, waiting for Colin''s response like Yeats.


    ''For the greater good...''


    Colin took a deep breath and silently pulled several fresh sheets of manuscript paper from his Storage Ring on his right hand.


    These were remnants he had kept from when he had studied the odd facial memories in the Treasure Vault palace, turning them into books.


    The writing on them was hasty and twisted, yet retained a bit of the mysterious charm of those original inscriptions.


    ''If only I had avoided risk at the time... whether it was the war treants I encountered on the road, or the corrupted trees and flowers everywhere, I didn''t retain a shred.


    The same goes for the powdery residue from the branches of the Ancient Tree of Life...''


    Colin felt a twinge of regret.


    At that time, he didn''t know that the Tree Elf Clan had reappeared and even formed an alliance with the Wizards... otherwise, he would have surely brought back some compelling evidence!


    But now, the only thing he had that could be considered connected to the Elf Kingdom was these manuscript papers with strange inscriptions.


    The Storage Ring of that half-blood Tree Elf held no useful information either...


    Perhaps Liya''er''s Storage Ring might have had something, but that ring was currently in the hands of Senior Lillian.


    As for anything else, he couldn''t think of anything else that could be connected to the Elf Kingdom.


    Even Nasi.


    If Nasi appeared as a Flower Elf now, she might have been convincing, but she currently just looked like a little Elf with unique features.


    To use her to prove the Tree Elf Clan''s betrayal to the Divine would be even less reliable than the manuscript papers, not to mention it would bring a multitude of risks.


    While musing over this, Colin began to wonder why Yeats in front of him didn''t take the manuscript papers he was offering.


    "Which School do you belong to... ah, let me think, it''s the Tin Saint, right?" Yeats suddenly asked in an indifferent tone.


    "Hmm," Colin responded with a nearly imperceptible sound through his nose, and silently held out the manuscript papers to Yeats again with both hands.


    "Without a Family background... you are not a Pureblood Wizard? Who is your mentor?" Yeats finally took the manuscript papers, but carelessly placed them on a small table nearby, continuing to ask casually.


    It seemed he was more curious about this minor Wizard standing in front of him and what madness had driven him to speak such far-fetched words than about Colin''s bizarre story.


    Zehtti, who had been standing aside, gradually showed signs of displeasure. Although she couldn''t completely believe Colin''s words,


    based on her past impression, she already believed at least eighty percent of what Colin had said.


    She had intended to use Yeats''s queries to see how Colin would respond, but the somber-faced Wizard had suddenly changed the subject...


    Whoosh!


    Zehtti took a light step forward.


    The previously seated Yeats sat up straight away, his brow furrowed slightly, and became more alert.


    However, Zehtti was not aiming for him, but rather for the manuscript papers on the small table.


    "My mentor is Atbolde Rudolph," Colin continued in a soft voice.


    Yeats withdrew his gaze, no longer paying attention to Zehtti, who was examining the manuscript papers closely.


    "Atbolde." He pondered with a frown.


    Nonetheless, Colin, at that moment, was unwilling to continue entangling in these trifling issues and couldn''t help but insist in a more forceful tone,


    "Councilman Yeats, I assure you on my honor and knowledge that every word I speak is true!


    There is no small matter in war. If you do not believe me, then at the very least, please pass this information on to the council members."


    As his words fell, Yeats''s expression suddenly turned grave.

 Chapter 381 - 279: Idiot (6.6k)_2

    "What is it that gives you, a half-blood wizard, the audacity to order me around?"


    Colin remained silent, already hopeless that Yeats in front of him would listen to his words.


    Although he did not know why Yeats acted this way, arrogance and prejudice had taken deep root...


    Yet Yeats, standing beside him, kept on speaking.


    Perhaps he took Colin''s silence as acquiescence, or perhaps he was wary of Zehtti, who was also a Third Rank wizard. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yeats''s tone suddenly softened, he light-heartedly continued,


    "Atbolde... I remember now, that filthy mixed-blood among the lowly half-breeds¡ªI''ve heard about it from the Hidosh Family.


    If I''m not mistaken, he seemed to be on the verge of death after losing to Yasi Hidosh''s challenge?"


    "How so? Not dead yet?" he abruptly added coldly.


    "?!"


    A surge of anger suddenly flared up from Colin''s chest; Atbolde was the kindest elder he had encountered in this world, truly a mentor!


    But Zehtti, standing beside him, reacted even more strongly!


    Zi la!!!


    It was as if divine lightning descended upon the mortal realm, Colin only heard a thunderous boom, a blinding flash erupted, and all he could see was a white expanse like snow.


    Then, the agonized scream of Yeats rang out!


    Afterward, the light gradually faded, and Colin''s vision began to return.


    The elegant study had been reduced to ruins; broken walls and remnants were all that met his eyes, and the wooden eaves above flickered with flames.


    And there was Yeats, blackened and bruised all over, now bound by silver ribbons, kneeling before Zehtti.


    "First, I don''t like your talk of ''lowly half-breeds.''"


    "Second, I like even less your mention of ''filthy mixed blood of an alien race.''"


    Zehtti looked down from above with an expressionless face, her tone was calm and measured, coldly whispering,


    "And third, I want to make it clear to you that what this young wizard behind me said¡ªis all true!"


    Snap!


    As she finished speaking, she tossed the pages that Colin had just pulled out onto Yeats''s charred and dull face.


    ''All true?!''


    Yeats endured the numb pain throughout his body and instinctively looked down at those scattered pages.


    The lightning that had struck so suddenly was nearly Fourth Rank in power, leaving him too powerless to resist and too shaken to muster any anger, only fear remained.


    But what was so special about the pages before him?


    Yeats couldn''t see it, but Zehtti''s sure attitude had him partially convinced.


    Colin watched this scene, shocked and bewildered!


    Yeats, a Third Rank wizard of the Yista School, would naturally be no small force... but at this moment, he was effortlessly subdued by Zehtti.


    ''The disparity between Third Rank wizards is this great... to think this is but a mere avatar of Zehtti!''


    ''And moreover... could Miss Zehtti be half of an alien race too?''


    "Why has no High Rank wizard come forth?"


    At this moment, Zehtti suddenly spoke.


    She had assumed that with such commotion, another High Rank wizard from the city should have come to investigate immediately.


    But instead, the vicinity only had a few wizards at most of Second Rank, who had gathered around and were hesitantly keeping their distance.


    Colin suddenly felt a pang of anxiety; he gazed into the night sky, trying to spot any High Rank wizard.


    But it was in vain, all was silent; he could only hear the crackling of flames licking at the wooden eaves above.


    The night was silent, draping everything with a black veil that symbolized closure.


    The drama had ended... no, or perhaps it had yet to take the stage.


    The black curtain before his eyes might not signify an ending, but rather the preparation for the beginning...


    Shua¡ª¡ª!!


    Rumble¡ª¡ª!!


    Just then, upheaval came from afar...


    First came the brightness, followed by the noise.


    Dazzling light and deafening noise mixed together, coming from the direction of the Southern Seven Islands in the distance.


    Amid this sudden change, Yeats, who had already begun to believe some of Colin''s words, suddenly turned pale... as if realizing the grave implications behind it.


    ''No, it can''t be!'' His throat swelled with denial, ''The witch in front of me must have been deceived!''


    "The war has started up ahead, hasn''t it?" Colin''s face turned pale as he muttered unconsciously, instinctively turning to look at Yeats.


    Yeats saw Colin''s pallor and hesitated slightly...


    A part of him was relieved that he had chosen to stay on the Parra Islands... No, it couldn''t be! How could such an incredible event be true?!


    He instinctively tried not to think too much about it and stated coldly:


    "To catch the divine side off guard, two days ago, after completely seizing the Parra Islands, the wizards'' elite troops, under the guise of regrouping, quietly continued towards the Southern Seven Islands."


    "And four hours ago, all wizards of Third Rank and above, except those like me... ahem, who remained on the Parra Islands for defense, had quietly proceeded to the battlefield of the Southern Seven Islands under various pretexts..."


    In fact, Yeats had lied; the operation required all wizards above Second Rank to move out... Yeats staying behind was not due to orders but due to fear.


    It was after much pleading to Kregi that he was permitted, not commanded, to stay and guard.


    Although Yeats never realized this, always having a reason... like the generosity of Pureblood Families not wishing to compete too fiercely for glory.


    But in truth, he was never a brave man... Just as upon starting to believe the Elf Clan were traitors, his first thought wasn''t about the frontlines but rather a sense of relief.

 Chapter 382 - 279 Fool (6.6k)_3

    Yeats slowly raised his head, seemingly to lighten his spirit, he stressed:


    "The key point is, to ensure that the operation isn''t leaked, no other wizards know of their whereabouts, nor can any wizard contact them!


    Even I lost complete contact with Lord Kregi half an hour ago."


    "So, if you think you can shake the alliance between the Wizard Clan and the Elf Clan before the war, you are merely dreaming!"


    Yeats emphasized solemnly, appearing certain that Colin and his companion were merely spies here to sow discord.


    But inwardly, he couldn''t help but think¡ª


    ''If what the wizard in front of me is saying is true, that the Elf Clan has truly betrayed us for the Divine...''


    Yeats''s throat moved, and he shook his head secretly.


    The pressure of potentially causing the wizards to lose the war, driving them into decline or even defeat, and plunging the entire Wizard Clan into a desperate situation was too much for him to believe Colin''s words were true...


    He struggled to rise.


    Snap!


    But the silver ribbon around him suddenly tightened, binding him and making him fall to the ground again.


    "Ignorant fool."


    Zehtti gently beckoned, not saying much, only gesturing with a wave of his hand.


    Swish!


    A Plasma Ball swiftly shot towards Yeats.


    Yeats instinctively tried to dodge, but the silver ribbon bound him tightly.


    Sizzle!


    The Plasma Ball formed a circular helmet around Yeats''s head, tiny lightning crackling within it.


    Although his screams couldn''t be heard, watching Yeats''s twisted expression and shaking body, Colin understood this must be an excruciating torture.


    It was fortunate Yeats was a Third Rank Wizard, or he might have already died.


    Yet, watching this scene, Zehtti only felt it was dull.


    In a war concerning the survival of the Wizard Clan, pureblood, half-blood¡­


    These words and struggles suddenly seemed insignificant, like the common pebbles on the roadside.


    However, the fool before him... truly infuriating!


    Zehtti gently waved his hand again, intending to place another special Plasma helmet on Yeats.


    "What are you doing?!"


    Just then, a voice suddenly came from the air.


    Zehtti didn''t stop.


    The new Plasma Ball continued to descend on Yeats, restoring the brightness of the original "helmet" that was almost gone.


    Yeats''s body continued to tremble.


    In the air, the aging Witch Windsor watched Zehtti with a serious expression.


    Yeats''s strength was well known to her; although he was only a Third Rank supported by his family''s resources...


    His temperament was not acceptable either.


    But Third Rank was still Third Rank, and now he was treated like a dead dog under Zehtti''s control, completely manipulated.


    This mysterious witch... her strength was probably close to that of the Yista School Councilman, Kregi.


    While thinking this, Windsor slowly descended, casting a Healing Magic on Yeats in passing.


    "My Lord, can you contact the wizards at the front line now?" sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ignoring the confrontation between Windsor and Zehtti, Colin looked at the newly arrived Third Rank Wizard and quickly asked in silence.


    He took a deep breath inwardly, trying to calm his emotions.


    Dwelling on the past was the most foolish act; at this moment, figuring out a remedy was the most valuable and crucial choice!


    After all... the war had just begun, there was still a chance for redemption!


    Windsor paused, though the flashes of battle had already been arriving, she was still somewhat surprised by Colin''s firm belief in the ongoing fighting at the front... and also curious about why he would ask such a question.


    Then she subconsciously waved her hand and created a Soundproof Barrier.


    Colin did not pause, briefly explaining everything to the aging witch before him.


    Zehtti also temporarily ceased her attack on Yeats.


    Although she was hot-tempered, she could prioritize matters; clearly, the battlefront situation was undecided... there was still hope!


    "The Elf Clan are hidden traitors?!"


    Moments after hearing Colin''s words, Windsor muttered in disbelief, then swiftly hooked her hand and gathered the papers before Yeats.


    The next moment, after scrutinizing the contents, Windsor''s expression drastically changed, she couldn''t help but scold Yeats:


    "Fool!"


    Then she waved her hand, removing the Healing Magic from Yeats.


    "Hiss¡­" The damage from the electric shock Yeats suffered hadn''t fully healed, and the removal of the Healing Magic returned him to a state of agony...


    Even the healing of the destroyed nerves made the pain more acute, causing him to moan involuntarily.


    But the physical pain was secondary; what frightened him more was the attitude of Witch Windsor before him.


    ''Witch Windsor... Is what that wizard said true?!''


    Yeats swallowed, his voice trembling as he asked:


    Windsor sighed and nodded.


    Her gesture struck Yeats like thunder on a clear day, plunging him into a daze, his mind incessantly contemplating:


    If he had believed Colin initially and contacted the leader of the school, Kregi, half an hour ago, it just might have been timely.


    But now, even at the speed of a Third Rank Wizard, it would take at least four hours to reach the Southern Seven Islands, not to mention approaching the commanding Wizard Team on the chaotic battlefield.


    Four hours... This was originally a surprise attack; not to mention four hours, even ten minutes could completely change the situation on the battlefield!

 Chapter 383 - 279: Fool (6.6k)_4

    Endless regret overwhelmed Yeats like a tide, making him ramble on helplessly, as if crying out for help:


    "In the aid of those Tree Elves, the Wizards have already taken back more than a dozen islands... Perhaps, perhaps this is not the best time; those Elves will continue to hide..."


    Windsor''s face was solemn, ignoring Yeats. She turned and said quickly to Colin and his companion:


    "There is another way to immediately contact the Wizards on the front lines, follow me!"


    With that, she leaped into action. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Whoosh.


    Before Colin could react, a silver ribbon wrapped around his body, then pulled him along swiftly after Windsor.


    As for the seriously injured Yeats, he was not given such courtesy; he was simply hung carelessly below by a ribbon.


    Moments later, they arrived outside a marble building in the center of the island.


    Windsor led them flying quickly inside.


    "I am a member of the Supreme Council. The responsibility I bear here on the Parra Islands is to activate¡ªthis distress device in front of us when an unstoppable crisis arrives," she said.


    As soon as she finished speaking, their group had entered a secret chamber.


    In the center of the secret chamber stood a circular Witch Array, with a large crystal set atop it.


    "Windsor," the guarding Male Wizard rose to greet her.


    "These people are..." he asked with some confusion.


    "Terry, there''s no time to explain, help me activate the distress device quickly!" Windsor urged, swiftly moving toward the crystal device, placing her hand on a protrusion inlaid with small crystals on the right side.


    Terry''s expression turned serious; after confirming that Windsor''s Spirit was stable, he immediately approached the crystal device.


    Strictly speaking, Windsor was his senior, and he trusted her judgment.


    Hum¡ª


    The crystal device gradually lit up, the light shining on the five people in the secret chamber, reflecting two distinctly different expressions.


    Colin and his companions naturally did not need to be mentioned; all were intently focused on the crystal, their faces tense.


    However, besides tension, a trace of panic could also be seen in Yeats. He reassured himself:


    ''Maybe it''s not so bad, even if the attack on the Southern Seven Islands fails this time, the Wizards still possess enough living forces. At worst, we just retreat the defensive line a bit more; Siya Continent won''t be reached in a short time...''


    ''But I probably can''t avoid punishment...'' Perhaps unwilling to admit to his own stupidity, a voice like that of a seducing Demon suddenly emerged in Yeats''s heart.


    ''If I manage to deal with these people and keep the news under wraps... then if the front lines fail, I won''t be punished.


    And if the Tree Elves continue to choose to hide and the Southern Seven Islands are taken, I can still take credit for this news later...''


    Thinking this, Yeats''s gaze gradually turned towards the weakest Colin on the field.


    He realized that the crystal device in front of him required Windsor and another''s full effort and must not be interrupted, or they would end up severely injured or dead.


    Thus, these two were not a concern... As for dealing with Zehtti beside him, his plan was to start with Colin.


    Yeats schemed thus, completely unaware that Colin had already noticed his gaze.


    He knew that people often make irrational choices in dire situations, and the more one practiced, the more one must maintain humanity; Wizards are naturally the same.


    So he had been keeping some attention on Yeats.


    However, Colin''s heart stirred, yet he did not act rashly, quietly sending a mental message to Zehtti through spiritual power.


    Zehtti, upon receiving the message, appeared slightly startled.


    "I understand," she whispered back, her vague features showing no emotion.


    Yet penetrating through that indistinct facade to her inner self, one would discover she was sneering coldly.


    Zehtti was not someone with a wide heart.


    To be frank, if it were not for certain concerns, Yeats should have been a dead man the moment he spouted off about the despicable mixed blood of an Alien Race.


    And now, Yeats was still making foolish moves, nearly putting the knife into her hands. Why would she have any reason not to take it?


    They did not have to wait long.


    Snap.


    Yeats leapt towards Colin, the silver ribbon previously wrapped around him unraveling completely.


    ''So easily?'' Startled, he did not overthink it, and quickly looked towards Colin.


    But he found Colin reacting even quicker than he imagined... as if he had been anticipating it.


    "Yeats, what are you trying to do?!" Windsor, at the crystal device, noticed the disturbance and shouted sharply.


    But her hands were tied with the device, leaving her no room to intervene.


    Yeats did not answer, gathering his thoughts and seizing the moment when Zehtti was still not reacting, continuing his charge at Colin!


    Both Windsor and Terry realized Yeats''s intention at this moment, they were enraged and rebuked in unison.


    Windsor even called out desperately:


    "Have you gone mad? Yeats! This is a critical moment, the lives of countless Wizard brethren on the front lines are in our hands!"


    "I only care about myself," Yeats muttered indifferently.


    The battle for the Southern Seven Islands, even if lost, would at most only cause the Sea Domain''s defensive line to fall back considerably.


    But no matter how far it fell back, it could not possibly reach Siya Continent, affect his own Family!


    Moreover, who knew whether the Elf Clan was revealing its betrayal in this battle? It could easily be the next one!


    As soon as he said these words, Colin suddenly stopped his retreat, turned, and stared at Yeats as if looking at a dead man.


    The next second.


    Crackle!!!


    Lightning, which only existed high in the skies, suddenly appeared on earth.


    With not even a chance to scream out, Yeats was instantly turned into charcoal, devoid of life, and fell to the ground.


    Simultaneously, with a hum.


    Above the crystal, a tall projection suddenly appeared.


    "Parra Islands, why do you call for help?"


    The tall and mysterious figure asked with a slow voice.

 Chapter 384 - 280 October 11

    The voice of the tall figure had just ceased when Colin''s heart suddenly stirred.


    That voice... It was mysteriously familiar.


    He subconsciously turned his head to look.


    A curly-haired man with a refined and tranquil appearance caught his eye.


    ''Nois City Lord?''


    Although he had never seen this face before, the familiar voice made the name suddenly emerge in Colin''s heart.


    "Nois Councilman."


    And the greetings from Windsor and Terry beside him also confirmed his thought.


    "Windsor, Terry." Nois''s expression was calm as he greeted the two, showing no pretense.


    He glanced around the secret chamber, pausing for a moment on the charred corpse of Yeats, then at Zehtti, with not much expression on his face.


    He seemed not to care much. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Nois Councilman, the Parra Islands are safe, and we have extremely important information to report!"


    Windsor didn''t bring up Yeats''s death either, staring at Nois''s projection above the crystal, and quickly spoke in a grave tone.


    She felt somewhat relieved... They hadn''t known in advance which Councilman of the Supreme Council would be contacted by activating the Rescue Crystal.


    But Councilman Nois was undoubtedly one of the best options.


    "Oh... What kind of important information? To the extent that you would not hesitate to activate the Rescue Crystal." Nois raised his eyebrows slightly.


    He looked around, his gaze seeming to fall inside the chamber and elsewhere, before he muttered to himself, "Could it be related to the current war?"


    Through the projection in the crystal, one could vaguely see that he seemed to be standing alone in the night sky... perhaps on one of the Southern Seven Islands.


    "The Tree Elf Clan has fallen to the Divine.


    Windsor didn''t beat around the bush, she lifted the papers she had collected in her hand, showed them to Nois, and spoke briefly.


    Upon hearing this, Nois''s brows furrowed slightly.


    He was the creator of the Deep Red Marking Technique, and thus his research on the Divine''s deception was naturally profound.


    When the Elf Clan suddenly appeared, the Wizard side naturally had suspicions and conducted many checks. Only after confirming there were no abnormalities did they recommence embracing the Elf Clan...


    ''The Elf Clan... has betrayed us for the Divine?''


    Nois looked at the papers in Windsor''s hand.


    And Windsor continued to recount:


    "This news comes from the little Wizard behind me, who during the battle of ancient Gubiel, mistakenly entered the abandoned Elf Kingdom corrupted by the Divine and discovered this secret."


    Windsor said and cast her gaze towards Colin.


    Colin paused, intuitively organizing his thoughts, and added in a serious voice:


    "In the Elf Kingdom, I learned that after the war a thousand years ago, the Tree Elves became obsessed with pursuing knowledge and were seduced by an unknown Divine, eventually leading to their downfall.


    After that, the fallen Tree Elves, along with the High Level Elf''s family member Liya''er, betrayed the High Level Elves and the Ancient Tree of Life, even going so far as to completely eradicate the High Level Elf Clan."


    "Nois City Lord, I cannot be sure if the Tree Elf Clan are hidden spies.


    But if they are from the Elf Kingdom, then they must have already been seduced and corrupted by the Divine!"


    "Amis, the Wind''s Painter..."


    At that moment, having glanced at the papers, Nois suddenly murmured and stretched out his hand to draw Windsor''s papers towards him.


    He was evidently a mere projection, yet as the papers approached him, they seemed to traverse space to reach the real him.


    "Ah, it''s the exquisitely skilled painter... No wonder she could evade my Deep Red Marking Technique." After receiving the papers, Nois''s calm expression gradually began to ripple.


    He could see that neither Windsor nor Colin were lying, and the text on the paper was clearly influenced by the Divine, hence its oddity.


    "I am now aware of this matter." Nois was already convinced to a great extent, and he looked around at everyone slowly.


    His calm demeanor allowed Colin''s anxious heart to gradually relax.


    ''Everything that I could have done has been done; what happens next is not for me to intervene in.''


    On the other hand, after Nois had finished speaking, his figure began to gradually fade, apparently not as unhurried as he seemed.


    But it seemed he remembered something else, and before his figure disappeared, he quickly added another line:


    "If the information is confirmed to be true and accurate, the Supreme Council will remember the contributions each of you deserves... Ah, and tell me your names, both of you Wizards."


    Nois''s gaze fell on Colin and Zehtti.


    "Colin Leonard." Colin promptly responded.


    He did not dwell carefully on the so-called contributions that Nois mentioned... It wasn''t that he didn''t look forward to it, but such matters should not be overly anticipated; what was due would naturally come.


    Besides, his initial motive wasn''t for the sake of personal gain.


    "Zehtti... Shanyin."


    Zehtti hesitated but eventually spoke her full name.


    Upon hearing Zehtti''s name, Nois visibly paused.


    He looked at Zehtti, but in the end, he said nothing more and gradually disappeared.


    The light from the Rescue Crystal slowly extinguished, and the Bright Crystals on the walls of the secret chamber began to light up again.


    In the interplay of light and shadow, the secret chamber was nearly silent.


    "Phew¡ª"


    It was a while before Colin let out a long sigh of relief, feeling the pressure on his shoulders suddenly vanish, as if a heavy stone in his heart had clunked to the ground.


    Inside the secret chamber, he couldn''t hear any noise from the outside world; he had no way of knowing the current state of the battle for the Southern Seven Islands...


    Perhaps... he didn''t need to know.


    Colin pulled up the corners of his mouth, silently laughing at himself with a hint of self-deprecation.


    Being just a First Rank Wizard, this was as far as he could go...


    "What do you two plan to do next?" asked Windsor, who suddenly spoke up from beside the Rescue Crystal.


    Beside her, the Male Wizard Terry had just managed to process the unexpected news and came back to his senses.


    But his face still held traces of bewilderment...


    He seemed to have unwittingly become involved in a shocking and astonishing incident that was not only closely related to him!


    "If everything goes as expected, I intend to continue holding my position, guarding the Rescue Crystal for Parra Islands, just in case," Windsor said before they could answer, her expression far from optimistic.


    Were there traitors among the Wizards? How could Councilman Nois avoid detection by the Elves and get the message out?


    And once the message was out, how were the Wizards commanding the battlefield supposed to relay orders to the Low Rank Wizards without the Elf Clan noticing?


    Moreover, the battlefield was so dispersed¡ªthe Southern Seven Islands consisted of seven large islands, all spread out. The distances between them were not small; they were referred to as the Southern Seven Islands only because drawn together, they roughly formed a straight line.


    Time... Windsor sighed.


    Time was the greatest difficulty.


    The operation in the south was originally supposed to be a surprise attack, ideally concluding within an hour. But by now, almost half an hour had passed since the start of the war...


    If the Elf Clan really had something up their sleeve this time, then those hidden thorns had likely already sunk deep into the flesh... The situation was truly grim.


    Fortunately, at least she had managed to get the message out before the dust could settle...


    Thinking of this, Windsor suddenly said with gravity, "Thank you both for conveying such important information."


    After speaking, she pulled Terry toward the charred corpse of Yeats nearby and continued, "We all witnessed Yeats''s attempt to disrupt the Rescue Crystal and attack you both. We will report his actions to the Supreme Council truthfully, and you need not worry about his Family behind him."


    Both of them were members of the Supreme Council, and they were right in this matter, naturally having no need to fear the Family behind Yeats.


    Furthermore... given Yeats''s actions, his Family wouldn''t be left unscathed, and they were bound to suffer for it.


    "Thank you both," Zehtti nodded slightly and then said calmly, "As my mission here is completed, I intend to leave Parra Islands now."


    "Oh right¡ª" She looked at Colin as if she remembered something, then quickly added, "That Silver Ball, I made it by chance. It might help strengthen the foundations of your body."


    ''Golden Pattern Silver Ball?''


    Colin''s heart stirred.


    But at that moment, Zehtti nodded to Windsor and the other behind her, apparently ready to leave.


    Therefore, he didn''t rush to examine the Silver Ball but quickly made his request,


    "Ms. Zehtti, I also plan to leave Parra Islands and return to the Siya Continent.


    If possible, could you please take me along on your way back?"


    Colin felt the Ancient Tree Spring on his chest, his thoughts turning to his mentor back in Neustadt City.


    "I wonder how Master Atbolde is doing right now."


    The words Yeats had said earlier brought an inexplicable worry to his heart.


    On the other hand, Zehtti saw no reason to refuse his request.


    After bidding farewell to Windsor and the other, she took Colin and strode out.


    Exiting the building, the moonlight was clear, and the night sky was pure.


    In the silence, only the distant south still faintly carried on with intense clamor...


    But by the time these originally deafening sounds reached Parra Islands, they had also grown weak.


    "Let''s go," Zehtti said softly.


    The familiar ribbon suddenly wound up around their bodies.


    Then,


    Zzzt!


    A streak of light flashed across the pitch-black night sky, then returned to darkness.


    At such speed, the sounds of battle from the Southern Seven Islands could no longer reach Colin''s ears.


    He looked down at the vast, dark sea beneath him.


    Clear moonlight scattered like silver dust, spreading resplendent and shimmering waves, hiding the tumultuous and enigmatic depths beneath.


    "Today is the original owner''s birthday, it seems¡ª" Colin suddenly thought and murmured inaudibly,


    "Yanan Calendar 3585, October 11th¡­"

 Chapter 385 - 281: Return to Siya Continent

    Yanan Calendar 3585, October 12, early morning.


    Quinte Island.


    "Thank you, Lord Zehtti," Colin expressed his gratitude to Zehtti.


    "Mm," Zehtti nodded faintly and turned to leave.


    Zzzz!


    A bright light streaked across the night sky, and Colin watched her figure gradually fade away, leaving no trace behind.


    He withdrew his gaze and instinctively looked southward.


    The pitch-black night sky was a heavy curtain, which completely concealed everything and revealed nothing.


    After standing still for a moment, Colin turned and headed back towards Sisoa City behind him.


    October 12, noon.


    Quinte Island, Sisoa Port.


    A giant three-tiered steel steamship named "Grey Whale" was moored there.


    Its destination was the distant Siya Continent.


    Above the grayish-white deck, the sea breeze blew gently.


    Colin stood in front of the second-floor railing, gazing far south and gathering his disheveled hair.


    Perhaps for Zehtti, it would only take two or three hours to reach Quinte Island from the Southern Seven Islands.


    But the news of the war would take much longer to arrive here...


    However, he could no longer wait.


    Whoo!


    The steam whistle roared, and thin smoke drifted from the round, grayish-white chimney of the "Grey Whale."


    The vigorous power of the steam engine was fully released through the interaction of pistons and gears!


    The body of the "Grey Whale" vibrated slightly, and this colossal figure at the port began to move slowly.


    The sea breeze on the deck grew stronger because of this.


    The hair he had previously gathered flared up again.


    Colin did no longer care. He took a gentle breath and turned towards his own cabin.


    Bang.


    With the cabin door closed, he slightly raised his hand.


    Click.


    The silver sphere with golden patterns shattered into tens of irregular pieces like an eggshell, uniformly distributed around his whole body following some rule.


    Standing with his feet slightly apart, he began to practice the Yi Guang Breathing Method, strengthening the foundation of his body.


    With Zehtti''s gifted silver sphere and the Ancient Tree Heart''s assistance, Colin''s aura visibly grew stronger at an observable pace.


    Yanan Calendar 3585, October 13, early morning.


    Zeroth Rank Upper Magic, "Invisible Shadow," successfully broke its limit, becoming First Rank Lower Magic. It enhanced the speed of light refraction and could now conceal slowly moving objects.


    The progress of the Yi Guang Breathing Method reached 48/100, and his Wizard rank reached First Rank Intermediate Wizard 3/100, while his Strong Life Talent also improved to 86/100... The progress was remarkable.


    Yet... the news from the front lines had yet to arrive.


    Or rather, it had yet to reach this ship sailing on the vast ocean¡ªthe "Grey Whale."


    October 14, evening.


    As the sun set in the west,


    the somber sky seemed aflame, with fiery embers falling into the sea, forming reddish rippling islets.


    In the third-floor dining room of the "Grey Whale," accessible only to Official Wizards, musicians reluctantly quit playing as a message arrived like a tsunami, overturning the once calm atmosphere.


    The uproar it prompted among the Wizards completely drowned out their performance... the noisy sounds even seemed to lift off the steel ceiling of the dining room!


    "The war in the Southern Seven Islands suffers a setback, the Elf Clan has been proven to have already fallen and betrayed the Divine¡­ How could this be?"


    An old wizard wearing a tall hat tremulously muttered while holding a silver dinner knife.


    "Don''t be disheartened! In my view, this is actually a good thing, like cutting away rotten flesh from a wound in advance.


    At least Councilman Nois was aware of this news during the war, eradicated enough enemies, and preserved sufficient living forces!"


    A young wizard in a white shirt and of a tall stature raised his voice, clenching his fist, his bulging arm muscles rising like mountains.


    "Enough living forces?" A thin wizard in a black robe sneered from a distance, his gloomy face looking out of the window, "In the Southern Seven Islands, at most, only wizards from three islands survived!"


    "You?!"


    This news already made the Wizards present restless, and the young wizard was known for his fiery temper.


    Thus, under the black-robed wizard''s mockery, he suddenly stood up, glaring at him by the window, ready to lash out at any moment.


    The sharp noise of wooden chairs and tables scraping against the floor suddenly quieted the noisy dining room, as all eyes turned towards them.


    "It is already the best scenario."


    The middle-aged wizard sitting between the two was shocked and quickly tried to smooth things over.


    "Everyone knows how strong the Elf Clan''s war treants are. If they rebel, it''s already a tough situation,


    but the scene was not just this; the giant dragons that disappeared along with the elves also reappeared!"


    "Under such circumstances, being able to preserve half of the wizards is already no small feat.


    After all, Nois City Lord also didn''t unexpectedly learn that the Elf Clan were traitors until well into the war..."


    The middle-aged wizard had clearly read over the information received multiple times and was familiar with the battlefield conditions, analyzing the situation logically.


    The Wizards listened and nodded slightly.


    The young wizard snorted, his temper somewhat cooled, followed the steps provided by the middle-aged wizard and sat down, heavily drinking from the glass in his hand.


    The thin wizard in the black robe also timely withdrew his gaze, quietly looking out the window.


    The conflict ended, but the Wizards in the dining hall had already lost the mood for conversation.


    The clinking of cutlery against porcelain plates occasionally sounded, further emphasizing the somber atmosphere.


    The failure to take the Southern Seven Islands was not the focus; the focus was on the losses of the wizards'' side...


    Ding.


    At that moment, the musician in front of the restaurant pressed the black and white piano keys, and the clear and pleasant sound of the piano immediately filled the room, while the violinist beside him timely placed the bow on the string.


    The ensemble began to play again.


    The light, cheerful music dispelled some of the somber atmosphere.


    "Who was the Wizard that brought the news of the Elf Clan''s betrayal and conveyed it to the Nois Councilman?"


    A Wizard suddenly asked, curious.


    Breaking the silent atmosphere of the restaurant, he revived the discussion.


    The Wizards'' conversation had been merely suppressed by the somber atmosphere, not enjoyed to the fullest.


    Now, with this new start, it erupted again.


    Immediately, the restaurant buzzed with overlapping voices.


    "Who knows, but I''d bet that both the Elf Clan and the Divine despise him to the bone right now!" a Wizard stated assertively, placing his cup on the wooden table.


    "He is considered a hero," another Wizard commented lightly.


    "Indeed, he played a critical role, otherwise the casualties in the war of the Southern Seven Islands would have been far worse," his companion nodded in agreement.


    "It''s just a shame... If only this message could have been delivered to the Nois Councilman a bit sooner."


    "...Perhaps he encountered some difficulties." S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Maybe so..."


    In the corner of the restaurant by the window, Colin sat alone at a square wooden table, silently enjoying the juicy steak before him.


    He did not join the conversation or show any emotion.


    He turned to look outside, where only a sliver of sunset remained.


    The waves, resembling molten rock, had cooled, leaving ashes that stained the vast sea like ink, giving it a deep and mysterious look.


    ''Half a month...''


    According to the speed of the Grey Whale, after tonight, it would take half a month to reach the port of Siya Continent.


    ...


    October 16, afternoon.


    Parra Tri-Island was declared overrun.


    Giants, Elves, along with existing Divine Believers, demolished Parra Tri-Island''s frail defense and pushed the battlefront further.


    Fortunately, no Supreme Council Member perished in this battle, preserving the high-end forces intact.


    Meanwhile, Colin''s accumulated Blood Energy from his Knight training finally began to increase again, reaching 1.9 times the standard of a Great Knight.


    His Strong Life Talent reached 92/100, Yi Guang Breathing Method progressed to 56/100, and his Wizard Rank climbed to First Rank Intermediate Wizard 12/100... The progress was rocketing.


    ...


    October 21, early morning.


    The white mist above the sea had not yet cleared, yet at the entrance of the dining room on the third level of the Grey Whale, near the recently added blackboard, Wizards already crowded.


    "Mabapo Island has fallen, Councilmen Ernest Benson and Sarah Longfellow perished.


    The Wizard side voluntarily abandoned a large amount of islands upfront, contracting their defense line to the back of Soah Islands."


    A Wizard murmured as he read the notice board.


    ''The position of Soah Islands is beyond Gubier Island, nearing Quinte Islands... Have we retreated this far?''


    Colin withdrew his gaze and silently went back to his room.


    His Strong Life Talent reached 99/100 but seemed to have stalled, with no advancement for a whole day.


    Yi Guang Breathing Method was at 67/100, with his Blood Energy nearing twice the level of a Great Knight.


    As for his Wizard Rank, it also reached First Rank Intermediate Wizard 28/100... The progress was slower, but still impressive.


    ...


    October 25, early morning.


    A partial victory was reported.


    Although the Wizards had willingly conceded numerous islands, they had set countless ambushes within them.


    The ambush at Gokaga Islands was massively successful, dealing a heavy blow to the Divine side.


    Simultaneously, Colin managed to break the limit on the Deep Red Marking Technique.


    The Breakthrough of the Deep Red Marking Technique enhanced its detection capabilities and allowed control over the red mark''s visibility or its color changes.


    Yet, his Strong Life Talent remained at 99/100, confirmed to have stagnated.


    Yi Guang Breathing Method reached 78/100, with Blood Energy nearing twice the level of a Great Knight.


    As for his Wizard Rank, it had reached First Rank Intermediate Wizard 39/100... Slightly slower, but still fast.


    ...


    October 28, late at night.


    Living on the top floor of the Grey Whale, the Second Rank Wizard and captain¡ªBensham, received exhilarating news.


    Regardless of the late hour, he waved his hand lightly.


    Ding-ding-ding¡ª!


    The bell, signaling an update on the contents of the notice board outside the restaurant, immediately rang at the door of every First Rank Wizard who had opted for this service.


    Colin abruptly opened his eyes, emerging from meditation.


    Before long, mingling with the flow of Wizards, he arrived in front of the dining room notice board.


    "Yanan Calendar 3585, the evening of October 27th, Divine side launched a night raid on Soah Islands."


    "The Wizards on the island fought ferociously and ultimately repelled them!"


    As usual, there was always a Wizard who volunteered to read aloud from the notice board.


    Except this time the tone was different from before, less heavy and morose, and a bit more joyful.


    "A rare piece of good news!" a nearby Wizard exclaimed excitedly.


    "If we can hold them off once, we can do it a second time!" another Wizard added.


    Soon, the Wizards around the notice board engaged in enthusiastic conversation.


    In a way, this was one reason Wizards always came here to keep updated about the war.


    ''The frontlines have finally seen a turning point.''


    Colin exhaled deeply, his heart settling a bit as he gazed at the pitch-black night sky.


    Then, something crossed his mind, and he abruptly turned northward.


    His line of sight crossed the vast sea, and he could faintly make out a continuous line of black rising.


    ''Siya Continent!''


    In almost an instant, Colin recognized the true identity of the rising black line.


    A surge of complex feelings welled up within him.


    He silently watched the black line for a while, then quietly turned and returned to his room.


    "In half a day, we will reach Siya Continent."

 Chapter 386 - 282: Arrival at Neustadt (4.8k)

    Whoo¡ª¡ª!


    The Grey Whale''s horn bellowed as it slowly sailed into the Tamanwei Harbor.


    This was the largest harbor belonging to the Jiage Kingdom.


    And the Jiage Kingdom was a Wizard Kingdom under the rule of Merredith City.


    The Siya Continent was vast, and although half of its territories were not rich in magical power, hosting only some mundane kingdoms, the remaining areas mostly fell under the dominion of the Wizard Alliance.


    Nine cities known as the Miracle Cities were evenly distributed across this region.


    Of these, only the region governed by Merredith City in the southeast was closest to the Southern Sea Domain.


    Therefore, ships coming from the Southern Sea Domain mostly chose to dock at ports under the jurisdiction of Merredith City.


    Most of the passengers would switch to land transportation at this point and continue towards their destinations.


    Colin was no exception.


    At the moment, he stood in his room, looking around to make sure he hadn''t left anything behind.


    Having checked everything and confirmed that all was packed, Colin sat on his meditation mat, exhaled a breath of stale air, and summoned Golden Paper.


    Pale golden particles converged in front of him, and an ancient sheet of golden paper that hovered between reality and illusion slowly materialized.


    [Name: Colin Leonard]


    [Rank: First Rank Intermediate Wizard (48/100); Ultimate Knight (100/100)]


    [Meditation Method: Holy Ring Meditation Method (45/100)]


    [Breathing Skill: Yi Guang Breathing Method I (86/100)]


    [Witchcraft: Zero Level Tricks: Skipped; Zeroth Rank Magic: ...Zeroth Rank Upper Magic; Ancient Tree Heart ¢ñ (9/100);


    First Rank Lower Magic: Detecting Three Abilities (23/100); Soaring and Flying Skill (90/100); Silent (87/100); Summon Fire Element (75/100); Invisible Shadow I (4/100); Deep Red Marking Skill I (3/100)


    First Rank Middle Magic: Trace Erasure (38/100); Swift Skill III (5/100); Light Flame Soaring Skill (33/100); Mechanical Mind I (3/100);


    First Rank Upper Magic: Steel Temperature Resistance Field II (8/100); Fireball Skill IV (4/100);]


    [Exotic Skill: Anando''s Dice (11/100)]


    [Skill: Skipped.]


    [Talent: Strong Life I (99/100)]


    [True Talent: Superbrain (0/100)]


    [Limit Breaking Point: 0]


    ''At most another week, and the Yi Guang Breathing Method will reach its Limit Breaking again,'' Colin thought to himself after quickly scanning the Golden Paper in front of him.


    His progress as a wizard had already reached First Rank Intermediate Wizard 48/100, in just under twenty days, almost halfway there.


    If he could maintain this pace and continue to strengthen his foundation, in another month, he might likely attempt to break through to the Second Rank Wizard!


    Of course, that was an ideal scenario.


    In reality, the higher the wizard''s rank, the slower the progress tends to be, especially as he hadn''t yet acquired the knowledge to advance to the Second Rank Wizard.


    The path to advancement might require some more time...


    The bustling Tamanwei Harbor was both a trade and transport hub.


    Having disembarked from the Grey Whale, Colin soon boarded a grey-blue Flying Airship bound for Merredith City.


    Half a day later.


    Merredith City. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Colin stepped off the grey-blue Flying Airship.


    Here was a vast square space reserved for the docking of the Flying Airships, surrounded by a ring of low walls.


    Walking down the gangway of the Flying Airship, one could easily see the layered variety of buildings outside, over the walls.


    There were single-story buildings, towers, and castles.


    ''It seems, this is my second visit to Merredith City...'' Colin thought as he walked out to the unfamiliar surroundings and felt a surge of emotion.


    His first arrival at the Wizard Alliance was nothing if not fraught with difficulty.


    But in search of rejoining a School and finding methods to advance as a First Rank Wizard, he hadn''t even taken the time to linger here, heading directly for the Transmission Array.


    "Of course... there''s no spare time for sightseeing now either," Colin said, with a hint of a smile on his lips.


    Whether it was to gain the knowledge to advance to the Second Rank Wizard or to save Instructor Atbolde, he needed to return to Neustadt City, back to the Tin Saint School, as soon as possible.


    Nevertheless, he had grown more experienced.


    Walking along, Colin could clearly tell that despite both being among the nine great Wizard Cities, Merredith City and Neustadt City had distinct differences.


    Whether it was the architectural style, the clothing, or even the street food, the differences were significant... and it seemed even more prosperous.


    The buildings here were more brightly colored, the styles more diverse, the attire as well; meanwhile, the street food seemed to focus more on seafood.


    "I wonder how Erica''s family is doing now..."


    Looking at all this, Colin suddenly pondered.


    "Colin... sir?"


    As luck would have it, just then, a hesitant voice came from the side.


    Colin turned his head to look, and a familiar face appeared before him¡ªit was indeed Eliel!


    "Lord Colin."


    The tall Knight Burns was also by her side, and at that moment, he respectfully bowed and greeted.


    "Eliel..." Colin first paused, then a look of pleasant surprise spread across his face, "Long time no see."


    He looked Eliel over from top to toe.


    More than a year had passed, and this petite girl had changed significantly from how he remembered her.


    She had become... more like her sister, Erica.


    Her shoulder-length hair had been cut to short tresses that barely covered her ears, just like Erica''s, the emerald eyes less vulnerable, more resolute.


    She wore a white Wizard Robe threaded with gold, bearing the badge of the Viting School.

 Chapter 387 - 282: Arrival at Neustadt (4.8k)_2

    She had indeed become a Wizard Apprentice Girl!


    Hmm... judging by the badge she wore, she seemed to have become an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice.


    Colin paused with his gaze fixed on her, feeling somewhat surprised in his heart.


    Although for him now, an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice was nothing significant.


    But one must know that a year ago, Eliel was just a thoroughly ordinary person, yet now she had already become an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice!


    Previously on Blackstone Island, from what he recalled, the fastest among the children who started with them took three years to become an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice.


    Colin then shifted his gaze to the Knight Burns beside her and nodded at him.


    This tall knight was still as silent and resolute as before.


    "It''s been a long time, Sir Colin, I didn''t expect it to really be you," Eliel said as she straightened a lock of hair, sounding somewhat surprised.


    Colin smiled. Encountering an old acquaintance in the unfamiliar Merredith City was indeed an unexpected pleasure.


    The road of life was bound to be lonely, for many people would part ways and never be seen again...


    That was the same for Wizards.


    The Wizard''s journey... was ultimately a lonely one.


    "If I''m not mistaken about the badge, you have become an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice? That''s quite a Talent," Colin praised, smiling.


    Eliel pursed her lips and smiled, touching her hair by her ear and hesitated for a moment before she said softly,


    "It''s really thanks to my sister''s shadow."


    "Erica''s shadow?" Colin was suddenly startled and quickly asked,


    "Erica has passed away, what about this shadow?"


    Eliel shook her head and hurriedly explained,


    "Sir Colin, do you remember the shadow Talent that manifested because of my sister''s ashes?"


    "That shadow, perhaps influenced by Sister Erica''s ashes, has grown to look more and more like my sister over time. So I have come to call it my sister''s shadow."


    "So, it''s just a shadow that looks similar?"


    "Yes."


    Colin nodded, feeling a strange hint of disappointment in his heart.


    Whether it was Erica or the spectral Erica, both had been left forever on that island.


    Blackstone Island... a place even deeper into the Divine-controlled domain than the Southern Seven Islands.


    "Sir Colin, are you here in Merredith City for sightseeing?" Eliel suddenly asked tentatively, "If it''s okay, may I invite you..."


    "Sorry, I''ve just come back from the Southern Sea Domain and am preparing to return to Neustadt City via the Transmission Array," Colin shook his head,


    "There''s some urgent business I need to take care of, I''m afraid I can''t stay too long in Merredith City... well, in fact, I haven''t even planned any time to stay here."


    While he was happy to have run into an old friend, Colin had not forgotten that he was, at the moment, still on a journey.


    "I see..." Eliel''s expression clearly showed some disappointment.


    "It''s about time, I need to head to the Transmission Array," Colin said, looking at his pocket watch.


    Eliel nodded, hesitated for a moment, and then said,


    "Sir Colin, let me walk you part of the way."


    Colin saw no objection.


    The three of them walked together toward the nearby Transmission Array.


    "Sir Colin seems to have successfully joined the Tin Saint School as well?" Eliel speculated, looking at his well-crafted Wizard Robe.


    "Yes, I was lucky to pass the examination," Colin nodded.


    He did not wear a School Badge, but the Wizard Robe he wore was indeed a standard issue of the Tin Saint School.


    It seemed he thought of something, as he suddenly turned to Eliel and advised,


    "Your Talent is quite special, it''s better to reveal as little as possible on a regular basis."


    He was never much of a talker.


    But perhaps because Eliel was a friend of Erica''s, and because he had benefited from the spectral Erica''s favor, he felt a strange sense of being an elder towards her.


    Seeing her now innocently sharing with him why her training progress was so rapid, he couldn''t help but say an extra word of caution.


    "Alright, I know," Eliel nodded, somewhat surprised by the reminder.


    But she also felt that Colin seemed somehow closer to her.


    Having lived in the Palace, as a Princess who was ostracized, she deeply understood the reason to hide oneself.


    Whether it was skills or the benefits received, even joy, it was best to bury them all.


    But in the beginning, no one had reminded her; she was met only with the cold stares as she stumbled and fell.


    "In fact, apart from you, Sir Colin, only my mentor Selena knows of my Talent," Eliel added, feeling warmed by the thought.


    "Alright," Colin nodded, his demeanor relaxed.


    Seeing Eliel''s current state, she seemed to be doing quite well; it seemed that her mentor named Selena was probably also good to her.


    As a Wizard who wasn''t dark-hearted, he felt genuine joy for the current situation of his old friend''s sister.


    Since his arrival in this world, Colin had also undergone no small change in his mentality.


    Perhaps it was the continuous growth in strength that had added to his confidence; he was now less indifferent and more amiable toward those around him than before.


    The walls of indifference built from the unease of coming to an unfamiliar place and the tension of being weak were no longer needed.


    He continued to make small talk with Eliel for a while.


    As he had surmised, Eliel was doing well; although her mentor Selena was only a First Rank Advanced Wizard, she had very few Apprentices, only three.


    Resources were not lacking, so naturally, the relationship between the Apprentices was quite good. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "By the way, Sir Colin, you just said you came back from the Southern Sea Domain... Were you on a mission assigned by the School?"

 Chapter 388 - 282: Arrival at Neustadt (4.8k)_3

    Chatting idly, Eliel suddenly asked out of curiosity.


    "Almost," Colin nodded affirmatively.


    Carefully counting the days, the Alus Association should have concluded by now.


    "Then, having just returned from the Southern Sea Domain, have you heard any news about the frontline war?" Eliel pressed on with her inquiry.


    These past few days, the hottest topic in Merredith City had undoubtedly been about the war at the forefront.


    Whether it was the common folk on the streets or the apprentices like themselves, discussions invariably touched upon it.


    "I''ve heard some," Colin answered.


    "Is it true that we''re going to continue withdrawing from the Soah Islands?" she asked.


    "Continue to withdraw?" Colin''s steps faltered slightly, "I haven''t heard that news."


    "They say although the Soah Islands were defended, several councilmen died... Councilman Nois seemed to be targeted deliberately, sustaining severe injuries," Eliel relayed.


    She wasn''t surprised that Colin was unaware of the details.


    After all, in her mind, Colin was supposed to be a peak Wizard Apprentice who may have journeyed to the Southern Sea Domain on a mission, but not to the battlefield.


    As for where she heard such news¡ª


    In reality, rumors of this nature were rampant throughout Merredith City.


    She merely relayed the most widespread and credible one.


    "... It will always be held," Colin paused before continuing, "Wizards are not so easily defeated."


    "I hope so..." Eliel sighed, "My mentor said it''s all because those lunatics from the Nolan Continent didn''t come to support us; otherwise, the situation in the Southern Sea Domain wouldn''t have turned out like this."


    ''Nolan Continent...'' Colin fell silent, then lifted his head, and with a slight shock, spoke softly, "We''re here."


    The joy of reuniting with an old acquaintance was undeniable, but partings were inevitable; they had now arrived at the Transmission Array.


    "Let me take you in," Eliel proposed.


    Her initial perception of Colin, the wizard who had brought her family from the distant Holy Flame Kingdom to Merredith City, was not one of closeness but rather of fear.


    But with time and her growing understanding of wizardry, the mysterious aura and the formidable presence surrounding Colin gradually faded.


    And along with it, her fear slowly shifted to respect and gratitude.


    "Master Colin, come this way¡ªas a member of the Viting School, I can use the Transmission Array at an eighty percent discount!"


    Entering the waiting room, Eliel led him toward the payment counter.


    Colin smiled.


    Although Eliel and Erica looked remarkably similar, they were still notably different.


    "Please show your pass," the apprentice at the counter requested.


    Reaching into his Storage Ring, Colin produced the Tin Saint School Badge and handed it over to the apprentice.


    Within the Wizard Alliance, the badges of the major schools of the nine cities could all serve as passes.


    "Master Colin, do you not usually wear your School Badge?" Eliel asked curiously.


    "It''s not that... It can just be inconvenient at times," Colin shook his head.


    "This esteemed wizard, everything is registered now. May I ask your destination? ... Ah, here''s your badge, please keep it safe."


    "Neustadt," Colin replied softly as he took back his badge.


    "Alright, the total fee is 960 Magic Stones, please pay."


    "Why is it so expensive?" Eliel asked subconsciously, "Isn''t it only 600 Magic Stones to Neustadt? With the Viting School Badge, it should only be 480 Magic Stones."


    The apprentice at the counter was slightly startled, glanced between Colin and Eliel, then explained reflexively:


    "That''s the price for apprentice teleportation. A First Rank Wizard has a greater consumption, so the cost is twice that of a regular apprentice."


    "I see," Colin nodded... no wonder it was different from what he remembered.


    He handed over the Magic Stones to the wizard apprentice at the counter but didn''t notice that Eliel was already in a state of shock beside him.


    It had never crossed her mind that Colin could be a First Rank Wizard!


    If she wasn''t mistaken, Colin should be about the same age as her sister... and yet he was already an Official Wizard!!


    "I happen to be the last one for this batch of transmission; I must be going," Colin turned and spoke kindly to Eliel, "If there is another opportunity, I''ll visit Merredith City again."


    Click.


    The sound of gears turning suddenly started.


    The wall at the front of the waiting room slowly rose, revealing a passage about three meters wide.


    It led to the Transmission Array.


    "Goodbye," Colin glanced at Eliel and Burns, smiling.


    There were no drawn-out farewells; as soon as he finished speaking, he turned to walk towards the passage.


    "Goodbye, Master Colin!" Eliel, having regained her composure, quickly responded.


    Beside her, Burns performed a knight''s salute.


    If not for Colin, he, too, would likely have perished long ago.


    Colin waved his hand, continuing along with the crowd.


    Turning a corner, a massive Witch Array emitting a faint glow emerged before him.


    After a short while, as the wizards took their places on the Transmission Array, a mechanical countdown broadcast began.


    "Three... two... one!"


    The Transmission Array flared brilliantly!


    Colin felt his vision suddenly darken.


    In the next instant, his sight once again became clear.


    He was facing the same Transmission Array, seemingly still in Merredith.


    But gazing at the different ceiling, different walls...


    Colin understood that he had finally arrived at his true destination¡ª


    Neustadt! S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 389 - 283: Sunshine

    Hua Pei District, Lier Holy Street.


    "Phew¡ª"


    A public carriage hurried along and finally stopped in front of an inconspicuous little courtyard.


    "I wonder how the Renee sisters are doing... and also Nado in the yard, I wonder how much she has grown?"


    After all, so much time had passed, and he had disappeared on the battlefield; anything could have happened.


    Colin stepped down from the carriage and paused slightly as he looked at the building in front of him.


    This was his long-absent home...


    He had intended to go directly to find Mentor Atbolde.


    However, on his way from the Neustadt City Transmission Array to the Tin Saint School, he happened to pass by here, so he decided to stop for a moment to have a look.


    But as soon as he got off the carriage, he noticed something was wrong.


    His residence on Lier Holy Street was the most common style of courtyard in Neustadt City, with a European-style three-story building with a triangular roof and a front and rear yard surrounded by high walls.


    At the entrance was a black iron fence gate.


    However, at the moment, the gate stood wide open, which might not mean anything.


    But as he looked beyond the fence, Colin clearly saw a young Wizard Apprentice standing in front of the hedge formed by Nado, shouting inside:


    "The Alus Association has long ended, and your master Colin has fallen at Gubier Island. This residence is to be reclaimed, and it has already been two days; stop being so stubborn!


    Otherwise, I will report to Lord Oliver. Once he takes action personally, not to mention these broken plants, even if your master were still here, it would be of no use!"


    The yard was silent, with no response at all. The plants controlled by Nado grew lush and dense, shielding any prying eyes.


    ''Ungrateful! Just two mere mortals!''


    A trace of anger surfaced in the heart of the young Wizard Apprentice as he continued to threaten darkly:


    "When that time comes, your fate will not be as simple as just moving out of here..."


    Colin remained silent, quietly walking inside, his expression slightly cold.


    At this moment, Renee''s response finally came from the yard.


    "Sir, no matter that Master Colin is just missing, even if the master is unfortunately fallen... but this residence was clearly paid a year''s rent in advance before he left. Now not even two months have passed, which makes reclaiming it now seem quite unreasonable.


    And if it truly must be taken back, then may we have the remaining rent refunded? Why have you been evasively refusing to address this?"


    Behind the green shelter extended by Nado, Renee, dressed as a maid, had a pale complexion, and her eyes were slightly reddened.


    She subconsciously clenched her fists tightly, her knuckles starkly visible.


    Thanks to Colin''s transformations, she had already achieved the level of a Peak Knight, an unimaginably powerful force unlike anything she had known before...


    Yet to a Wizard, she still remained nothing more than an ordinary, insignificant mortal.


    ''The rent... I''m afraid we won''t get that back.''


    Renee took a breath and weighed whether she should agree to the young Wizard Apprentice.


    Then she could sell some unnecessary items from the yard and move somewhere else with Nado, her sister Demi, and the savings left by Colin.


    Yes, it would be best to find a place close to here so she could check anytime to see if the master had returned...


    "When will the master return?"


    At this moment, Demi, who had been quietly looking at the green vegetation in front of her, suddenly raised her head and asked in a low voice.


    Demi sounded downcast.


    Although she was young, she knew that being blocked at home by this bad person was not because they did something wrong, but because Master Colin was not there.


    And they... were too weak.


    Renee''s nose tingled, her eyes reddening even more.


    Disappearing on the frontline, of course, she understood the implications...she just didn''t want to believe it.


    The young Wizard Apprentice stuttered at Renee''s words, growing more impatient, and in a frigid tone, he snapped:


    "Take that Magic Stone, I dare you to, but do you dare to accept it?


    Ha! Just two mere mortals..."


    Renee instinctively tightened her grip on Demi''s hand.


    "Oh, really?"


    However, just then, Colin had already walked up behind the young Wizard Apprentice, and his smile, upon hearing Renee''s familiar voice, instantly turned cold as he spoke abruptly.


    "Master?!"


    His voice was like sunshine dispersing the storm for the Renee sisters, instantly clearing all the chill and fear from their hearts.


    But for the young Wizard Apprentice, it was more like a ghostly whisper, frightening him out of his wits!


    "Who are you?!"


    He whipped around and roared in a low voice.


    Colin offered no reply but merely raised his right hand and slapped him across the face.


    Slap!


    A crisp crackling sound carried immense force, easily shattering the young apprentice''s developing defense, sending him tumbling to the ground, thrown aside.


    "Ah!"


    For a moment, the young wizard only felt a buzzing in his head, with a searing pain on his face.


    However, there was not a trace of anger in his heart, only fear.


    "Master!"


    The foliage in front moved rustlingly aside, and the Renee sisters looked at the familiar figure before them with joy and surprise, their eyes immediately reddening with tears shimmering within.


    Meanwhile, the young apprentice shakily raised his head, staring at the handsome wizard before him, disbelieving.


    ''Their master, Colin Leonard, was actually still alive?!''


    "Get lost," Colin said coolly, his face indifferent.


    The young apprentice''s eyes flickered; he dared not say another word and quickly escaped in silence.


    Colin didn''t pay much attention to this; it was merely a minor incident¡­


    As long as there was profit to be had, such dirty things would always emerge.


    But now¡­ he had returned, so everything like this would collapse on its own, just as ice and snow melted beneath the blazing sun.


    Looking at the Renee sisters hidden behind the branches, a smile slowly appeared on his face, and after a pause, he said softly,


    "I''m back."


    The four words seemed to switch something on, and the glint of tears in Renee''s eyes immediately turned into crystal drops that streamed down her cheeks.


    She moved slightly, taking small, quick steps with Demi to Colin''s side, struggling to contain her excitement.


    To Colin, the young apprentice was nothing but inconsequential dust, but to them, without Colin''s protection, it was quite the opposite¡­ They were the dust.


    Colin smiled and patted Renee on the shoulder, then bent down to touch the head of Demi, who was hugging his thigh, and said gently,


    "Me coming back is a happy thing, isn''t it?"


    Renee wiped her tears with her hand and nodded vigorously.


    "Is there anything in particular Master would like to eat? I''ll go make it now¡­ How about double-cooked pork?"


    Colin stood up straight, swallowing his saliva, somewhat tempted.


    The Wizard World had no concept of delicacies, and after two months on the front lines, he had a personal understanding of this, longing for Renee''s cooking.


    Alas... now was not the time, he shook his head.


    "I need to see my mentor first; I just happened to pass by here, so I came to check in first."


    "Now that you two are fine, I''ll continue on to see my mentor and then come back later."


    Renee''s face showed some disappointment, but with Colin''s return, joy ultimately filled her heart.


    "Then I''ll get the meal ready for when you come back!" she nodded firmly.


    "Mm... in addition to the double-cooked pork, make one of your improved braised chicken with soy sauce, and hmm, make a fish dish too, whatever you feel like."


    After reporting his meal requests with a smile, Colin turned and left.


    He didn''t enter the courtyard, nor did he need to.


    The building itself had no meaning; it was people who held significance.


    Since he had confirmed that the two Renees were safe, there was no need to linger any further.


    ...


    About ten minutes later.


    "Hoo¡ª¡ª!"


    The speeding carriage stopped at the entrance of the Tin Saint School''s residence.


    Wearing the School Badge, Colin smoothly passed the inspection of Right Ao and Zuo Ao at the entrance and arrived at the courtyard of his mentor.


    As before, the place was wrapped in numerous vines and trees, leaving only a small path through the shrubs.


    It was mid-morning, the sky was a clear azure, the brilliant sunlight casting down, falling on the lush plants, creating speckles of golden light and large areas of dappled shadow.


    The faint chirping of insects and birds made the quiet and remoteness of this place even more pronounced... as if forgotten by the world.


    Colin stood quietly, feeling the ambiance for a while; Nado at the doorway was somewhat weak, but otherwise things were normal.


    He stepped forward, approaching the white villa of Atbolde, arriving outside the study on the second floor, and gently knocked on the door.


    "Knock knock knock¡ª¡ª"


    The dull sound of knocking spread far in the quiet corridor.


    After a while, an elderly voice slowly said, S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Come in."


    Creak, Colin pushed the door open and entered.


    Atbolde was "sitting" in front of his desk, looking at him with some surprise, behind him stood the large transparent French window made from a special force field that compressed air.


    The brilliant sunlight converged through it, falling precisely in front of the desk, onto... Atbolde''s strange body.

 Chapter 390 - 284 Sincerity

    "Mentor..." Colin''s smile froze on his face.


    He looked at Atbolde in the sunlight, his expression turning silent.


    "I didn''t expect you''d still be alive," Atbolde said softly, smiling as he caressed his own body. After a pause, he added, "And I never thought you''d come back to see me, Colin."


    "Mentor, your injury..."


    Colin''s lips moved as he hesitated to ask.


    He watched Atbolde intently, watched how, under the sunlight, the lower half of his body appeared diseased and tree-like in a brownish hue.


    Atbolde wasn''t sitting at his desk... he was growing.


    His elderly upper body was bare, and from his lower abdomen downward, it had transformed into gnarled, thick tree roots.


    A faint smell of blood wafted from the dark red junction of root and flesh, spreading throughout the study.


    Atbolde lowered his gaze and didn''t answer, only saying calmly, Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I''m about to die."


    He looked up at Colin with a somber expression and smiled, "Tell me what brings you here, let''s see if I can still assist you one last time."


    Atbolde''s demeanor was calm, his tone gentle, just as it had always been when answering various questions in the past.


    But his voice was inevitably weaker, his white temples disheveled. If one could overlook the abnormality of his body, he looked like an ordinary, wise old man approaching the end of his life.


    Hearing this, Colin''s heart was filled with even greater sorrow.


    He had thought that he was prepared for Atbolde''s condition, but seeing it with his own eyes was still painful.


    Such an injury, probably more of a metamorphosis... Could the Ancient Tree Spring, which focused more on life and healing, truly cure him?


    "What is it? If you want to change mentors, don''t feel embarrassed, Colin," Atbolde asked again, his tone candid, "Your talent shouldn''t end here."


    Colin steadied himself and without further thought, activated the power of the Ancient Tree Spring, and with all his might, formed a fist-sized light green sphere of water in his hands.


    "Mentor, this might help you!" His face slightly pale, he took a breath and spoke earnestly.


    "Is this... an Elf creation?" Atbolde asked, surprised.


    "Yes, it is called the Ancient Tree Spring," Colin explained.


    Next, Colin briefly shared with Atbolde his accidental journey into the Elf Kingdom.


    As Colin spoke, Atbolde''s calm expression rippled like a breeze upon the surface of a lake.


    He had not expected that this new student of his, who had ventured to the Southern Sea Domain, would encounter such a tumultuous adventure.


    But what surprised him even more was the news about Lillian.


    "Lillian entered the Treasure Vault and has not come back out? And her little elf went in with her?"


    Atbolde fell silent for a moment and then asked softly.


    "Yes," Colin nodded and said,


    "After I obtained the Ancient Tree Spring from the Treasure Vault and came out, I waited several more days, but still, there was no sign of senior Lillian... so I left with a keepsake."


    All of this was the truth, except he omitted the part about the Ancient Tree of Life.


    "Octavia... what exactly did you leave behind?" Atbolde murmured, his head bowed, barely audible.


    Octavia was the name of Lillian''s mother.


    In fact, before Colin mentioned this, Atbolde had no idea that Lillian''s journey involved a visit to the Elf Kingdom.


    And the purpose had been to find something to heal him.


    He had thought it was merely a routine mission assigned by the School...


    However, this was much better than the news of her disappearance on the battlefield that had reached him a few days ago...


    Atbolde thought so.


    His heart, which had grown numb and vacant upon learning of Lillian''s disappearance, suddenly felt a warm surge of hope emerge from nothing.


    He raised his head, looking at Colin with somewhat cloudy eyes.


    He was old, slow, and now injured, even on the verge of death.


    But the more he was like this, the clearer and more lucid his mind seemed to become, and the cloudy look that radiated from his eyes held a penetrating power, as though seeing through everything.


    He just calmly watched Colin until he made Colin feel somewhat uncomfortable, then slowly withdrew his gaze.


    "Thank you, my student," he revealed a slow smile on his aged face, his gaze turning even softer.


    As the smile lifted, the creases in his skin, deep as the grooves in tree bark, unfolded too, greatly dispersing the heavy sense of impending doom.


    Atbolde''s heart was filled with joy.


    He could tell that the Colin in front of him had not spoken a single false word.


    There might be omissions... but no lies, only a sincere and genuine heart.


    Therefore, Atbolde gently raised his hand, and with a gesture, the globe of water from the Ancient Tree Spring was drawn to his chest, slowly merging into it.


    Colin watched attentively and silently as everything unfolded.


    With the globe from the Ancient Tree Spring completely absorbed into Atbolde''s chest,


    Colin could distinctly feel a powerful healing energy, spreading from his mentor''s chest to the limbs and body like a tide.


    Under the influence of this energy, the injuries at Atbolde''s lower abdomen, where the gnarled roots connected, visibly began to close and heal.


    The dark red scars shrunk, their color slowly fading.


    Seeing this, Colin''s expression brightened with joy.


    However, the wounds continued to not heal completely; at most, they shrank to a thin red line at the connection point, let alone his lower body, which was bloated and monstrous like the knotted roots.


    The Ancient Tree Spring was incapable of eradicating these abnormalities...


    Long after, Atbolde opened his eyes, his face displaying both disappointment and joy.


    "What''s wrong?" Seeing Colin''s distressed face, he chuckled softly, "Don''t feel sorry for me. I am much better now... Although I can''t be completely cured, at least I won''t die so soon, and I can hold on for a significant amount of time..."


    Atbolde''s words were not meant to comfort; he clearly looked much better, and his expression was much more relaxed.


    At least if one ignored the abnormalities of his lower body, he appeared just like an ordinary old wizard.


    Colin examined Atbolde closely, his heart relieving some tension.


    As if thinking of something, he hesitated before removing the Ancient Tree Spring from his chest, then said in a grave voice:


    "Mentor, the corruption in your body is not yet gone. The globe from the Ancient Tree Spring was only a temporary remedy, not a cure. Please accept this Ancient Tree Spring Necklace."


    To Colin, his talent of Strong Life, with the strengthening of his body''s foundation, would continue to improve, which was entirely sufficient for his needs. The benefits of the Ancient Tree Spring were actually not as great as he had imagined.


    It was better to give it to his mentor Atbolde, a Second Rank Wizard, to stabilize his condition.


    Out of sentiment and reason... even if it were out of self-interest, in the relatively peaceful environment of Neustadt City, having mentor Atbolde in a stable state would allow him to avoid many troubles and focus on his training.


    On the other hand, hearing these words, Atbolde was surprised again, his heart filled with mixed emotions.


    Regardless of the reasoning, such a choice was not something just anyone could make.


    "I am touched, Colin," he paused, then continued gently, "But the Ancient Tree Spring would be more useful on you than with me.


    "The root of the injuries on my body lies in the previous enhancement of my physical foundation. Due to certain reasons at that time, I was injured and a latent disease took hold...


    Now it''s deep in my bones, and even wearing the Ancient Tree Spring Necklace won''t make me any better."


    "Moreover, I do not need a constant supply of the Ancient Tree Spring... Hmm, if it''s convenient for you, it is enough to come and replenish the Ancient Tree Spring for me once a week."


    While speaking, as if to prove that his condition had indeed much improved, Atbolde stretched out his hands, forcefully leveraging himself to "stand" up using the desk in front of him.


    With this movement, his originally bared body gradually donned a large wizard robe, and the gnarled roots that once entwined around his lower body seemed to take the shape of legs, hiding beneath the fabric of the robe.


    Colin tried to persuade him several more times.


    Indeed, he felt that he didn''t really need the Ancient Tree Spring in Neustadt City and that it would be most prudent for Atbolde to have it.


    However, Atbolde clearly had made up his mind, unswayed by Colin''s arguments.


    Colin could only give up.


    Nevertheless, the good news was that Atbolde''s physical condition was indeed rapidly improving.


    He was now able to walk slowly, stepping over to the grand floor-to-ceiling window.


    Colin silently joined him at the window.


    He looked out at the huge, lush ancient tree that seemed to be a host to the main body of Nado and suddenly asked again:


    "Mentor, what exactly is going on with the Hidosh Family?"


    The Hidosh Family... This was the very perpetrator that Lillian had mentioned during their time in the Elf Kingdom, the direct cause of Atbolde''s current condition.

 Chapter 391 - 285: The Conclusion

    "Lillian, have I told you about them..."


    Colin was momentarily taken aback, somewhat surprised.


    However, he was also about to remind Colin of this matter.


    "The Hidosh Family is a typical Pureblood Wizard Family."


    Atbolde paused before speaking.


    His tone was complex, as if filled with anger and yet also disdain.


    "Whether it was the injuries I sustained in my early years while strengthening my body, or the recent injuries¡ª


    they were all courtesy of the Majeri lineage within their family!"


    He spoke briefly, yet did not mention the reasons behind it.


    Colin nodded, aware of the disdainful hierarchy that existed among wizards.


    "Recently, since you''ve returned, if the Majeri lineage finds out, they may take the initiative to come to you."


    Atbolde turned to look at him.


    After a moment of silence, he spoke softly,


    "If they extend an offer to recruit you, don''t consider my feelings, Colin."


    "I am merely clinging to life; with my current physical condition, I can no longer exert the strength of a Second Rank.


    Even if you don''t wish to join the Majeri family, for the sake of better development, it would be best to change to another mentor..."


    Atbolde looked at Colin calmly, his gaze sincere.


    "With your talent, this won''t be difficult, Colin."


    If before he had advised Colin to change mentors mostly out of pride, now it was more out of genuine consideration for Colin.


    Of course, Colin shook his head.


    With the Golden Paper, he was not in urgent need of resources...


    What he needed more was a stable environment and time.


    Atbolde''s place was quite suitable, with a lack of resources meaning there would likely be no significant internal faction struggles.


    Moreover, if he were to leave, what would have been the point of coming to treat Atbolde today?


    He was not one to forget favors and betray friendships... Gratitude must be repaid, as must grudges!


    "Mentor, I have advanced to a First Rank Intermediate Wizard," Colin suddenly said after a pause.


    Atbolde wanted to continue persuading him.


    But upon hearing Colin''s words, the words he intended to say were suddenly stuck in his throat.


    "You''ve advanced to a First Rank Intermediate Wizard? If I remember correctly, just two months ago, you had just advanced to a First Rank Wizard..."


    After a moment, he managed to recompose himself and asked in surprise.


    He had lost count of the number of times this student before him had amazed him.


    "Yes." Colin nodded honestly.


    He still needed to obtain knowledge to advance to a Second Rank Wizard from Atbolde, and his progress in cultivation would inevitably be revealed sooner or later.


    So there was no need to hide it.


    After all, he hadn''t done something as sensational as advancing from a First Rank Wizard to a Second Rank Wizard in two months.


    It was just a slight promotion from Basic Level to Intermediate of First Rank within a little more than two months.


    A minor rank advancement, with a speed still within the realms of normalcy, was merely a sign of genius, not monstrosity.


    Keep in mind, those geniuses from Pureblood Families with both resources and talent have been carefully nurtured from a young age, with many of them reaching Third Rank Wizard before their fiftieth birthdays!


    Hearing his frank confirmation, Atbolde fell silent, his heart filled with regret.


    With Colin''s aptitude, he could have received the best nurturing from the Tin Saint School.


    Those Wizards would meticulously break down and explain the Meditation Method to him.


    He would surely have secured a place with the Alus Association.


    Before advancing to a First Rank Wizard, they would have strived to ensure Colin thoroughly understood all of his knowledge.


    Thus, with the help of Alus, they would have minimized the tainting of the talent gained after advancement.


    But now, Colin had almost entirely relied on himself to reach his current level.


    The help Atbolde had offered was merely providing knowledge about advancement ahead of time, bestowing a piece of Elf Armor, and occasionally answering some questions during cultivation...


    "Do you lack any witchcraft now? Have you started strengthening the foundation of your body?"


    Atbolde, feeling inexplicably guilty, asked without bringing up the matter of changing mentors again.


    Colin was unaware of Atbolde''s inner thoughts; otherwise, he would have shaken his head.


    He didn''t need those meticulous explanations and arrangements at all; he could forge his own path!


    "As for witchcraft I lack... I have not yet learned any Healing Magic. Regarding the foundation of my body, I haven''t started strengthening it officially.


    However, during my time in the Elf Kingdom, my senior Lillian gave me a book on knowledge related to body strengthening, which I am currently studying carefully."


    Colin answered.


    With the Ancient Tree Heart and the Golden Paper, his intentions for body strengthening were not to follow the beaten path.


    Instead, he planned to blaze his own trail.


    Atbolde nodded and then pulled out a Knowledge Crystal, handing it to him.


    "Natural Healing Skill, a Middle First Rank Healing Magic."


    "This witchcraft can accelerate the body''s natural healing process.


    However, it''s worth noting that it does not supplement Life Energy.


    So, excessive use may result in a temporary deficit in the body."


    "Thank you, Mentor."


    Colin paused, then took the crystal. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Suddenly, he thought¡ª


    With the right Healing Magic, and using the Golden Paper Limit Breaking''s ability, could he heal Atbolde using the magic enhanced after several Limit Breakings?


    ''It should be possible, but it might not be quick...


    And first, I need to find a suitable Healing Magic.''


    ''This Natural Healing Skill that only accelerates one''s own recovery probably isn''t suitable for Atbolde''s current situation.''

 Chapter 392 - 285 Conclusion_2

    He shook his head inwardly and put away the crystal.


    On the other side, Atbolde continued speaking.


    "It''s a pity I was born into the School; many of the witchcrafts I know have been bound by contracts and cannot be disclosed.


    Otherwise, I would have better witchcraft to give you."


    "However, this Healing Magic, though not excellent, is at least better than nothing..."


    Atbolde sighed, paused, and then added,


    "Do you have a preferred plan for body enhancement?"


    "Is it Bloodline Transformation or Element Transformation? Hmm... I do not recommend you undergo Mechanical Transformation.


    Though Mechanical Transformation can yield the fastest results, it comes with great limitations.


    Good metal materials are even rarer and harder to find than good bloodlines."


    "Not to mention, both Bloodline and Element Transformations can be continuously purified and strengthened through one''s own efforts, but Mechanical Transformation is quite difficult."


    Colin pondered for a moment and then said,


    "I have not yet decided on a specific direction for the transformation; I am still getting familiar with this knowledge."


    "However, I do have some questions about the foundation of body strengthening."


    "Atbolde, in the process of strengthening the body''s foundation¡ª


    after reaching the required energy level, by adjusting the vibration frequency of internal energies such as Bloodline Power and Elemental Power to resonate with the soul to enhance physical adaptability until no further progress can be made, it signifies that the body''s foundation has been strengthened...


    I want to know if the process of resonating with the soul to enhance physical adaptability can be carried out even before the energy reaches its proper level?"


    As they delved into the knowledge of cultivation, Atbolde''s demeanor became serious, and he nodded, saying,


    "In theory, it is possible, but the efficiency is not as high as after reaching the energy level, nor is it as safe."


    He paused, and then continued,


    "What we call physical adaptability is actually the body''s capacity to withstand the pressure of the soul.


    Similar to physical exercise, energy resonating with the soul is like training the body''s capacity to endure.


    Therefore, the higher the energy, the higher the starting point, and the better the training effect will be."


    "I understand."


    Colin nodded, suddenly enlightened.


    Atbolde''s explanation was as vivid and clear as always.


    "I have some good plans here for strengthening the body''s foundation, mainly Bloodline Transformation.


    Once you have made your decision, if it''s Bloodline Transformation, you can come directly to me," Atbolde continued.


    "If it''s another direction for strengthening, you can also come to me, and I will help you apply to the School...


    I have the Ancient Tree Spring here; though I cannot really act, I can at least maintain normalcy on the surface, which is not a problem."


    "Okay, mentor... but I have just started trying to strengthen the body''s foundation, so there''s no rush," Colin quickly said in a deep voice.


    Using the Blood Energy of a Knight to strengthen one''s own body and improve adaptability to the soul is actually the simplest.


    After all, Blood Energy comes from oneself and is the purest energy, whereas grafted bloodlines and elements are foreign and come with their precautions to prevent rejection reactions.


    Thus, for him, the difficulty in strengthening the body''s foundation lies not in the strengthening itself but in the accumulation of Blood Energy.


    "Ah, it''s about time."


    Atbolde nodded, looking toward the brown wall clock on the left that resembled tree rings, and suddenly said.


    On the old tree-ring wall clock, the hands had reached eleven forty-five, nearly noon.


    Colin''s heart tightened, as the mentor''s rules had not changed.


    After twelve noon, one could no longer enter this study.


    And after midnight, one was not allowed to set foot in this residence,


    Until the first rays of sunlight the next day.


    His thoughts stirred, and he felt like asking about the reason behind this.


    But Atbolde had already slowly walked to the desk, seemingly intending to sit down.


    Colin hesitated for a moment but ultimately did not speak; he just re-conjured an Ancient Tree Spring and then said,


    "Then I''ll leave first, mentor, here is a new globe of Ancient Tree Spring water for you to keep."


    "Ah, thank you, Colin..." Atbolde took the Ancient Tree Spring, slowly speaking, his tone suddenly weary.


    Colin turned and walked toward the study door, preparing to leave.


    He was not a curious person by nature, nor did he intend to pry into others'' secrets.


    "By the way¡ª" Atbolde called out to him as he was opening the door, reminding him, "At the School, your information was that you went missing during the battle at Gubier Island.


    But now that you are back and have passed through Zuo Ao and Right Ao at the entrance, I guess someone will come to question you in the next few days to prevent the misuse of the School Badge."


    "When that time comes, there''s no need to be nervous, just answer truthfully... Of course, there''s no need to disclose everything, as long as you can prove your identity."


    "I understand, Mentor." Colin nodded, paused in his steps, and after a moment of silence, he suddenly asked:


    "Mentor, is there still any way to heal you?"


    Atbolde slowly raised his head, his aged face becoming serious, and pointing to the newly left sphere of water from the Ancient Tree Spring, he said gravely:


    "Don''t worry about this matter anymore, focus on practicing, focus on improving yourself! With the Ancient Tree Spring you brought, I can at least hold on for another three to five years!"


    "¡­Alright."


    Colin took one last look at Atbolde, then pushed the door open and left.


    He left the School and wandered aimlessly through the streets.


    It was noon and the streets were not very crowded, the autumn sun shining down was still somewhat scorching.


    ''Although Mentor Atbolde''s injuries are incurable, they are stable for now, and I have done all that needs to be done¡­''


    He exhaled a breath of turbid air, his tight heart gradually relaxing.


    "Everything has come to an end, it''s time to focus on cultivation."


    He intended to go straight home, but the next moment, Colin looked at the bookstore next to him, felt a sudden impulse, and stopped.


    The half-month journey on the Grey Whale had made him develop a habit of keeping up with frontline news.


    Colin walked up to the Supreme Council announcement pickup point outside the bookstore.


    The news of that Second Rank Wizard on the Grey Whale was also obtained from a Supreme Council announcement.


    However, it was not firsthand news, but came through a special method passed on by friends on land.


    At this moment, at the Supreme Council announcement pickup area.


    A few wizards gathered together, flipping through the announcements now expanded into newspaper style, talking in low voices.


    "Who knows how the Nois City Lord is doing, the announcements never mention it..."


    The one wearing a tall hat spoke.


    "Maybe everything is normal, healthy..."


    Another person said.


    "How could that be, everyone knows that although the Soah Islands were defended the day before yesterday, the wizards on the island suffered heavy casualties!


    Three Fourth Rank councilmen died in battle, and the Nois City Lord was targeted and is now severely injured and unconscious!"


    The third person shook his head, analytically stating.


    "Rumors cannot be believed."


    The last wizard shook his head, trusting the information on the Supreme Council announcement more than the rumors.


    "Although they are rumors, there must be a reason for these talks, and these statements are probably not unfounded..."


    The third person argued back, continuing:


    "Otherwise, those wizards bold enough to claim they exposed the Elf Clan and passed the message to the Nois councilman at such a time would have been dealt with long ago!"


    "To think¡­ someone is impersonating themselves?" Colin was a bit surprised.


    It only showed how much interests had clouded people''s minds¡­


    But immediately after, his heart felt a bit gloomy.


    If, as the wizard said, those impersonating "heroes" have not been punished,


    Then it''s very likely because the Law Enforcement Team doesn''t know the true messenger was actually himself, thus unable to discern the truth from the lies, leaving them no choice but to let it go.


    ''Could it be true, as the rumors say, that the Nois councilman is indeed severely injured and unconscious?


    No, it''s also possible that he simply hasn''t disclosed his information to the public yet.''


    Colin shook his head, didn''t linger, picked up a copy of the announcement, and quickly headed home.


    He was not interested in promoting that he was the wizard who had passed on the news of the Elf Clan''s rebellion.


    What he needed now was a stable environment to strengthen his foundations and to advance to a Second Rank Wizard as soon as possible.


    Reaching Second Rank Wizard would naturally open up a whole new realm.


    That was what mattered the most¡­


    The rest was just icing on the cake.


    sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 393 - 286 Inquiry

    Hua Pei District, Lieyo Saint Street.


    In the basement of Colin''s residence.


    Swish¡ª


    Swish swish swish!


    Colin kept swinging his fists and feet, stirring up billowing dust.


    The gentle bright light emitted from the Bright Crystals on the surrounding gray walls created paths of light through the swirling dust.


    This dust was not due to long-accumulated dirt in the basement.


    In fact, before Colin had begun his practice, he had swiftly cleaned the entire basement using the Golden Cleaning Technique, leaving no dust at all.


    The scene was primarily due to the hard gray stone slabs underfoot, which under the swings of his fists and feet, crumbled like loose gravel, each movement scraping off some powder and fragments.


    Bit by bit, these particles gathered, filling the entire basement with dust.


    After a while, Colin finished his practice and stood still.


    An invisible force field evenly covered his body with a thin layer, precisely isolating all the dust and causing it to slip off, preventing him from being covered in dirt.


    Colin exhaled softly and thought to himself.


    Pale golden particles converged, and an ancient piece of Golden Paper slowly emerged in front of him.


    He swiftly glanced over it, and the corners of his mouth slightly curled up.


    It was already the second morning since he had returned to Neustadt City.


    Perhaps because he had already done everything that needed to be done, his body and mind were relaxed, and his focus was enhanced.


    Thus, the speed of improvement in the Yi Guang Breathing Method increased a bit! S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In just one night, the progress had increased by four points, reaching 90/100.


    At this rate, in three days, the Yi Guang Breathing Method would reach its limit!


    As for yesterday''s meditation, the results were also quite good, gaining three points, and his Wizard Level had reached First Rank Intermediate Wizard at 51/100.


    He had officially passed the halfway mark.


    As he stepped out of the basement, Renee, who was sitting in the living room on the first floor, immediately came to greet him.


    "Master, breakfast is ready. There is your favorite seafood porridge and a crispy beef pizza."


    "What a lavish breakfast. Have you and Demi eaten yet?" Colin asked with a smile as he stepped toward the dining table.


    His keen sense of smell had already caught the fragrant aroma of the food, which quickened his steps slightly.


    ''Indeed, the food Renee makes is real food... Those rations on the battlefield are only good for filling the stomach.''


    "Not yet," Renee shook her head.


    "It''s getting late; you don''t have to wait for me next time," Colin pulled out his pocket watch and paused to instruct her.


    It was already nine in the morning, and although it seemed early, he had actually been up since four-thirty.


    Renee had gotten up around the same time, perhaps even earlier.


    So for them, having breakfast at this time was actually quite late.


    "...Alright, Master," Renee nodded.


    Colin said nothing more and sat down to eat.


    After Renee helped him sit, she turned and left, likely to find Demi so they could eat together in the side hall.


    In fact, a long time ago, the sisters Renee used to wait by his side while he ate.


    Adapting to local customs, he never planned to change anything.


    But he indeed wasn''t accustomed to having someone by his side while eating.


    So after mentioning it a few times, Renee changed this habit.


    Whenever he ate, she would either wait outside the door or eat with her sister Demi in the next room.


    Colin thought about this relaxedly and continued enjoying the delightful breakfast.


    Biting into a pizza slice¡­ mmm, crispy on the outside, soft inside, cooked just right¡­


    "Master."


    Just then, Renee unexpectedly returned to the dining room and said, "There''s someone outside looking for you, claiming to be from the Tin Saint School."


    ''The School looking for me¡­ what could it be about¡­''


    Colin slightly frowned, put down his spoon, stood up, and followed Renee outside.


    In the small courtyard, Demi was crouching next to the garden, her small body completely hidden by the various vibrant flowers.


    Not far off, the little elf Nasi, imitating her, also hid behind a white flower.


    Yesterday, Colin had introduced Nasi to the sisters Renee and his small courtyard.


    Since then, Nasi had been captivated by the colorful flower beds in the courtyard, staying there continuously.


    And Demi was very interested in this new little friend.


    Unfortunately, Nasi was still somewhat wary of other people and hadn''t let Demi get close.


    ''But now it seems, the two little ones are getting along quite well,'' Colin thought with a smile as he glanced at the garden.


    The two little ones were intently looking through the flowers at a wizard apprentice in a Tin Saint School official wizard robe standing just outside the fence gate.


    Their figures were one large, one small, but their actions were precisely the same, as if they were in competition.


    "Excuse me, are you Lord Colin Leonard?" The apprentice finally relaxed when he saw him come out.


    Whoever got stared at motionless by the two small beings of Nasi would feel slightly uncomfortable.


    ''Could those be live-dead puppet dolls¡­''


    The apprentice shook his head and collected his thoughts.


    He just wanted to finish delivering the message quickly and then leave in haste.


    "I am," Colin approached the apprentice and asked softly, "What is it?"


    The apprentice organized his words and said solemnly,


    "Lord Leonard, Lady Ocasie from Black Castle has sent me to inform you:


    You need to go to Black Castle for some registration checks¡­ the specific reason seems to be because you have just returned from the Southern Sea Domain, so your information needs updating."


    "I see. When?"


    "Lady Ocasie said the sooner the better."


    "Mhm."


    "Then I will take my leave now, Lord Leonard."


    After speaking, the apprentice quickly left.


    ''I wonder what questions they''ll ask¡­'' Colin withdrew his gaze, turned around, and headed back.


    He wasn''t surprised that the School had summoned him for inquiry.


    After all, as a member of the School, while he enjoyed certain benefits, he naturally had to accept governance as well.


    He was just slightly hesitant whether to reveal some actual facts¡­


    "Good Colin! Good Morning!"


    While passing the garden, Nasi suddenly chirped crisply, landed on his shoulder, and looked at him happily.


    "Good morning, Nasi." Colin smiled, temporarily casting aside the thoughts in his mind.


    Let the future worry about itself.


    "Good morning, Master!" Perhaps inspired by Nasi, Demi also greeted him cheerfully.


    "Good morning, Demi." Colin responded with a smile.


    He looked at Demi, who had run up to his side, and realized she had grown quite a bit, almost reaching his waist.


    The girl, once somewhat skinny, now resembled a sprightly little cat, well-proportioned.


    Her originally delicate and fair face seemed to have darkened slightly from frequent activities outdoors, turning into a healthy wheat color.


    But it made her look more vibrant.


    ''Demi''s talent in the Knight aspect seems not weak.'' Colin thought, then felt a tinge of regret:


    ''It''s just a pity that I was overzealous initially; although Demi now possesses the power of an Advanced Knight, advancing further seems very difficult.''


    ''Hmm¡­ speaking of which, when I initially learned the Blood Pattern Transformation Skill, it was also for the purpose of seeing if it could help enhance the Strong Life Talent after breaking limits.


    But too many tasks diverted my attention, and now it has already been set aside for quite a long time¡­''


    ¡­


    Around ten o''clock in the morning.


    Colin had arrived at the depths of Tin Saint School''s Black Castle.


    The last time he was here, and his first time here¡­ was when he had successfully advanced to become a First Rank Wizard.


    After asking the duty Wizard in the hall, he proceeded to an office in the middle of the second floor.


    "Colin Leonard?"


    The Witch sitting at the desk glanced up at Colin and then focused her eyes back on the crystal she held in her hands.


    "Yes," Colin nodded.


    The Witch in front of him was beautiful, unusually sporting a narrow, large brown-edged pair of glasses, giving her a somewhat old-fashioned appearance.


    ''No signs of elemental traces, and no visible marks of mechanical transformation, her physical body is frail¡­ she should be just a First Rank Wizard like myself.''


    Colin thought to himself.


    "Just stand to the side and wait for a moment," Ocasie instructed casually.


    After a while, Ocasie finally put down the crystal and looked at Colin with a scrutinizing gaze, and spoke deliberately,


    "You have just returned from the Sea Domain?"


    "Yes," Colin nodded again, his expression calm.


    "Take out your School Badge, place it here, and put your other hand on the other side."


    Ocasie picked up a scale-like device from the side and pointed to the extended base at both ends.


    Colin did as instructed.


    After a moment, she checked that both sides of the scale were level, with no deviation, and then she looked up with a serious expression.


    "You are indeed Colin Leonard."


    "So, can you tell me where you escaped to during the battle at Gubier Island?"

 Chapter 394 - 287 Trivial Matters (4.8k)

    Colin furrowed his brow upon hearing Ocasie''s blunt inquiry.


    Patiently, he explained in a low voice,


    "I didn''t flee; I followed orders and fully participated in the battle, but later..."


    "Your companions at the time included Mayer of the Magic Ring, Sovoc of the Silver Ring, and Margaret of the Yista School.


    Can you explain why all three of them died on the battlefield, yet you alone disappeared, only to return to the Siya Continent now, unscathed?"


    Ocasie stared at Colin, her tone aggressive.


    "What are you implying, Lady Ocasie?"


    He was interrupted before he could finish, displeasure growing in his heart as he responded coldly.


    Ocasie adjusted her glasses, her expression cooling as well, she said firmly,


    "You are merely a First Rank Junior Wizard who had just advanced, the weakest among the four of you at that time!"


    "And yet, you, the weakest, are the only one who survived?"


    "How can I not suspect you?" Ocasie said with a faint sneer continuing,


    "I know your original assignment was to attend the Alus Association, but you were suddenly called to fight in the war on Gubier Island, surely you were reluctant¡­


    Indeed, like you, there are several other wizards who did not join the fight."


    "I didn''t..." Colin barely moved his lips when Ocasie cut him off again.


    "My time is precious, admit the truth, Leonard," Ocasie picked up a crystal from the table and said indifferently,


    "This isn''t a big deal, the School won''t impose any severe punishment; at most, you will be asked to complete some trivial penance tasks."


    Growing more impatient, Colin''s expression, however, became even more restrained, turning calm as he questioned,


    "Why should I admit to something I never did?"


    "..."


    Seeing Colin''s demeanor, Ocasie put down the crystal and said with a hint of puzzlement and calm,


    "Then can you explain where exactly you were during your disappearance?"


    Initially, she didn''t want to waste time listening to Colin''s explanations.


    Wizards like Colin weren''t uncommon, but invariably, in every war, if supervision was lax, there would always be some who behaved like this.


    Colin was the third wizard she had encountered in this period who had disappeared only to suddenly return to the School unharmed.


    The previous two had promptly confessed their wrongdoing, all deserters with various reasons.


    Thus, she had preemptively assumed Colin was the same.


    Yet, seeing Colin''s appearance, it seemed there might be more to his story.


    Colin''s expression was stern; he didn''t want to explain too much, but now he felt compelled to speak.


    After all, whether it was Margaret, Mayer, or even Sovoc and Morin¡­ they had all died on the battlefield.


    It really wasn''t easy to prove his innocence in a moment.


    He exhaled deeply and began to recount gently,


    "In the Red Soil Forest on Gubier Island, due to an accident, I fell into a different space..."


    "A different space... There exists a different space on Gubier Island?"


    Ocasie frowned, beginning to doubt what Colin was saying.


    But this time, she finally didn''t interrupt him and continued to listen patiently.


    "After falling into the different space, I found myself again in a forest, but those forests were tainted..."


    Ocasie''s frown deepened.


    Realizing his explanation was dragging, Colin paused and briefly explained,


    "Later, I discovered that this different space was actually the legendary Elf Kingdom, and that forest was the territory of the Tree Elf Clan within the Elf Kingdom."


    Colin finished his explanation, thinking Ocasie would be surprised, but her reaction was much more severe.


    Her face turned dark as she asked coldly,


    "You mean to say, you accidentally entered the legendary Elf Kingdom?"


    Colin nodded affirmatively. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ocasie, observing his demeanor, felt increasingly like she was being mocked.


    So she retorted with a mocking laughter, "And why don''t you also say you''re the Heroic Wizard who passed critical information about the Elf Clan''s betrayal to Councilman Nois during the battle on the Southern Seven Islands?"


    Colin paused, taken aback.


    He looked at Ocasie in front of him and nodded again.


    The atmosphere in the office suddenly grew quiet.


    Ocasie stared at Colin.


    In her heart, she even found it somewhat amusing; Colin Leonard... Was he serious?


    How could he dare to spew such nonsense?!


    Feeling Ocasie''s gaze, Colin''s initial anger gradually dissipated, replaced by helplessness.


    He furrowed his brow, pondering how he might prove the truthfulness of his words.


    But quickly, he realized it was a dead-end situation.


    Relying solely on his own words, without witness corroboration or tangible evidence, no matter how detailed his account, it was difficult to prove his assertions.


    "Ocasie, has something troubled you?"


    However, at that moment, the office door was suddenly opened, and an older wizard asked in a calm voice.


    The incoming wizard had gray-white hair and wore round-frame glasses like Ocasie, only his were matte metallic silver.


    Looking closer, one could see that the glasses this wizard wore were firmly attached to his ears.


    "A Second Rank Wizard who has undergone mechanical transformation,"


    Colin deduced, observing the visible mechanical modifications on the exposed skin of the elder wizard.

 Chapter 395 - 287 Trivia (4.8k)_2

    "It''s nothing, Lord Jonah," Ocasie said respectfully to the newcomer.


    "Hmm, I remember there was a wizard coming today to update information, right?"


    Jonah''s tone was gentle, just like an ordinary amiable old man.


    He looked towards Colin, and kindly said, "This must be the wizard here to update his information."


    "Hmm, is it because of an advancement or perhaps there was a previous record of disappearance that needs updating¡­?"


    "Due to a record of disappearance, a record of disappearing on the battlefield."


    Ocasie adjusted her glasses and calmly explained:


    "Colin Leonard, First Rank Junior Wizard, went missing during the battle at Gubier Island, his body was not found, nor any personal belongings.


    "And then, just yesterday, he returned to the Tin Saint School, and today, came to Black Castle to undergo inquiry and update his information."


    "I see." Jonah nodded, silently guessing what might have happened.


    "First Rank Intermediate." However, Colin suddenly spoke up from the side.


    Ocasie and Jonah turned their heads, their expressions somewhat puzzled.


    "What I mean is, my wizard rank has already become First Rank Intermediate," Colin calmly pointed out Ocasie''s error.


    "That''s impossible! Only two months ago you had just advanced to First Rank Wizard¡­"


    Ocasie was naturally skeptical at first, but as she spoke, her voice gradually weakened.


    Rank¡­ If it were a lie, it would be exposed in an instant.


    Colin in front of them, although speaking falsehoods, did not seem foolish enough to do so¡­


    On the other hand, Jonah was initially calm, but upon hearing from Ocasie about the two months, his expression suddenly became serious.


    Across the lenses of his silver-framed circular glasses, streaks of white light swiftly passed.


    The next second, he gazed at Colin and asked slowly:


    "Did you really just advance to First Rank Wizard two months ago?"


    "Not a word of lie," Colin said calmly, his demeanor composed.


    He had no intention of revealing his prodigious identity¡­ after all, whether others knew or not had nothing to do with his own strength.


    But as long as it wasn''t beyond reason, he also saw no need to hide his prodigious status.


    Upon hearing this, Jonah''s expression immediately became even more genial, and he said with a smile:


    "Since you''ve advanced, then the badge must also be updated accordingly¡­ Ocasie." He turned his head towards Ocasie, who looked shocked next to him, "Let us congratulate the Tin Saint School for gaining another talented wizard!"


    Ocasie snapped back to reality, her face somewhat reluctant, and said somewhat frantically to Jonah:


    "Instructor Jonah, he disappeared during the Gubier Island war, and has now reappeared, unharmed.


    "Such a strange situation clearly points to him either being a deserter or having other issues!"


    Jonah''s expression turned serious as he corrected Ocasie:


    "Ocasie, within Black Castle, you must address me as Lord Jonah or Lord Jonah."


    "However, about that battle at Gubier Island.


    "I remember some time ago, when the news of the death of the witch named Margaret from the Yista School reached us, her family was enraged beyond measure, causing quite the stir." Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I didn''t expect Wizard Colin to have also participated in that battle¡­"


    Upon finishing, he looked towards Colin, sending an inquiring gaze.


    "I am not a deserter, and as for why I disappeared, I have already explained it to Lady Ocasie."


    Colin said in a deep voice, feeling somewhat helpless.


    The front-line war situation was so tense!


    Regardless of whether Councilman Nois was seriously injured, and regardless of wherever those two wizards who were guarding the Rescue Crystal and were privy to information¡­


    They likely had no time to specifically pass on the message that he was that wizard to the rear.


    Thus, with no evidence on his person, and no one else to corroborate his story, proving the truthfulness of his words was exceptionally difficult for Colin at this moment.


    Regarding the matter of Margaret.


    After leaving the Elf Kingdom, he had thrown all his belongings related to Margaret into the sea controlled by the divine, within that Sea Domain.


    He kept only a Magic Stone, which posed little risk of complications.


    In fact, even the Magic Stone was mainly intended for use in converting to Limit Breaking Points in the Golden Paper, so there was no need to worry about leaving traces.


    However, as the only surviving member of his squad at that time, his identity was inevitably a bit sensitive¡­


    At this thought, Colin couldn''t help but sigh.


    If only he could now be proven to be the wizard who transmitted the message of the Elf Clan''s rebellion, with such a halo of heroism upon him, he should have no worries about the family behind Margaret.


    After all, he could, at most, be considered an accomplice; the real killer who ended Margaret''s life was the mutated Mayer.


    Upon hearing this, Jonah shifted his gaze back to Ocasie.


    Ocasie''s attitude was not so pleasant, as she said with a seeming "calm":


    "This Lord Colin is precisely the hero who passed the message to Councilman Nois that the Elf Clan were traitors!


    "He claims that he accidentally entered a Different Space on Gubier Island, which just so happens to be the legendary Elf Kingdom¡­"


    At this, Ocasie paused, then sighed:


    "Who would have thought that the one who nearly thwarted the divine conspiracy was just a mere First Rank Junior¡­ no, First Rank Intermediate Wizard!"


    Amongst the many rumors, the Heroic Wizard''s actual Rank became the hottest topic, with guesses ranging from Wizard Apprentice to Fourth Rank Wizard, and even the legendary Fifth Rank Wizard.


    Of course, the most convincing for the majority of people was the theory that suggested Third Rank Wizard strength.

 Chapter 396 - 287: Trivial Matters (4.8k)_3

    First Rank...is really too low.


    However, upon hearing this, Jonah''s expression remained unchanged, and after a pause, he said in a deep voice,


    "Ocasie, I have always taught you¡ª


    never to judge solely based on your own assumptions without any evidence at all!"


    "Have you forgotten?!"


    "Alright¡­ mentor, I haven''t forgotten."


    Ocasie''s expression tightened under Jonah''s stern gaze; he adjusted his glasses and replied reluctantly.


    Jonah nodded slightly, then shifted his gaze to Colin, saying softly,


    "I believe your words, Wizard Colin."


    "It''s just that the councilmen of Nois are currently busy with the war at the front lines, and obviously, it''s inconvenient to bother them for such a trivial matter by sending a message."


    "So, I think it''s better to skip this matter for now! Let Ocasie replace the new School Badge for you first."


    Watching Jonah''s flawlessly sincere demeanor, Colin sighed inwardly, but outwardly he nodded in agreement, saying softly,


    "Thank you, Sir Jonah."


    He knew Jonah said so, but he mostly held the same attitude as Ocasie. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even if it wasn''t so, disbelief still dominated the majority.


    "But, let it be..."


    Colin then thought to himself,


    "It''s good to be misunderstood like this since no one believes I entered the Elf Kingdom on Gubier Island, and they all think I fled at the start of the fight."


    "The family behind Margaret will also have lesser suspicion towards me."


    Colin''s gloomy mood eased a bit; he was never one eager for fame.


    As long as he didn''t receive actual punishment, it didn''t matter.


    Besides, once the councilmen of Nois were free, or once his own power grew stronger, all misunderstandings would ultimately be cleared up!


    Next,


    upon Jonah''s instruction,


    Ocasie did not speak further, but silently and quickly updated his information and issued a new School Badge.


    Seeming unwilling to argue further...


    Colin was also pleased about this, taking the new School Badge and quickly leaving without any reluctance.


    He walked out of the office in two steps, but Jonah followed him and continued the conversation.


    Colin couldn''t disrespect Jonah, the Wizard.


    This wasn''t just because of his Second Rank Wizard status, but also because he had just facilitated an agreement, saving potentially a lot of time.


    "Wizard Colin, how is your mentor, Atbolde, doing recently?" Jonah asked inconspicuously.


    As Ocasie updated Colin''s information, he learned that the famous Atbolde was the mentor of the talent before him.


    "...Not optimistic." Colin paused before responding.


    The situation regarding his mentor, who had somewhat recovered... it was better to keep it confidential before he advanced to Second Rank, to avoid unnecessary troubles.


    "So, do you have any thoughts about joining another faction?" Jonah got straight to the point and continued asking, pausing briefly before adding,


    "The leader of my faction is a Third Rank Wizard, Godwin, with your talent, you could definitely receive the best treatment!"


    When updating the information earlier, he not only knew that Colin''s mentor was Atbolde.


    But also learned that this wizard standing before him had joined the School less than a year ago! And at that time, his Rank was just a mere Advanced Apprentice!


    It was not surprising for an Advanced Apprentice to advance to a First Rank Wizard in less than half a year.


    After all, who knew how many years Colin had been practicing before joining the School.


    But combined with what he learned this time, he had advanced a sub-rank in just two months...


    Jonah could now assert that Colin in front of him was definitely a talent comparable to the few wizard seeds intensively cultivated by the School!


    If such a talent could be recruited to his Faction, the benefits would be substantial!


    And even if not, forming a good relationship was also very desirable.


    "Not for now, thank you, Sir Jonah," Colin declined gracefully.


    Next, Jonah, not giving up, tried persuading him another few times.


    Finally seeing Colin''s firm attitude, he gave up the attempt.


    But before leaving, he said to Colin,


    "If after some time... well, if you think of switching factions, feel free to contact me.


    I guarantee that Wizard Godwin will give you the best treatment!"


    Colin responded perfunctorily and walked out of Black Castle.


    He understood that Jonah''s so-called "after some time" likely referred to after Atbolde''s death...


    Click.


    Standing at the entrance of Black Castle, Colin pulled out his pocket watch.


    Time had unknowingly reached noon, the sun blazing down fiercely.


    Colin sighed, feeling somewhat depressed,


    "Trivial matters consuming time... it''s being wasted just like this."


    He moved forward, then thought again,


    "Perhaps this is the price of joining a School... but now that my information has been updated, there shouldn''t be any more troublesome matters... hopefully."


    Colin shook his head, the only thing he was now somewhat worried about, as Jonah had mentioned earlier¡ªMargaret''s family behind her.


    Thinking of this, he quickened his stride.


    ''I still need to advance to Second Rank quickly; at that time, if any unexpected incident arises, at least I will have more ability to protect myself...''


    However, as he was leaving the School, crossing several intersections on his way home,


    he saw a somewhat familiar figure standing by his home''s black fence gate.


    ''That apprentice who yelled for Renee to move out yesterday... what is he doing here?''


    Colin''s eyebrows nearly met in the middle, sighing inwardly,


    "There shouldn''t be any more troubles, right..."


    He quickened his pace and approached.

 Chapter 397 - 288: Nameplate Silver Feather (4k)

    As he approached closer and could see more clearly, Colin''s heart settled a bit.


    The Apprentice didn''t seem to be here to cause trouble.


    At the moment, he was respectfully speaking to Renee inside the fence gate,


    "Master, you''ve returned!"


    Facing the gate, Renee was the first to see him and greeted him with joy.


    "Lord Colin." The young Apprentice''s body shook, and he quickly turned around and greeted respectfully.


    "I''ve returned," Colin said, smiling at Renee, not bothering with him.


    The young Apprentice''s face showed nervousness, and he firmly continued,


    "Lord Colin, I came here today especially to offer you an apology."


    As he spoke, he handed over a wooden box, opened it slightly, revealing several mid-grade Magic Stones inside.


    "No need." Colin raised his hand to block the wooden box and pushed it back.


    Then he pointed to Renee and said indifferently, "The person you should be apologizing to is her... um, and her sister."


    The young Apprentice gave a sheepish smile, quickly turned around, and bowed in apology to Renee standing behind him.


    Renee stepped back slightly uncomfortably, but her face visibly brightened a bit.


    In the past three to five days, while Colin had not returned, this young Apprentice had deeply aggrieved the sisters every day, feeling as if a heavy stone was pressing on their hearts, leaving them breathless.


    However, at this moment, the detestable Apprentice was standing in front of her, apologizing respectfully...


    It was as if the heavy stone weighing on her heart had been lifted, and Renee felt a sense of relief.


    She looked at Colin with admiration and reverence in her eyes.


    "Sir... what about these Magic Stones?" After apologizing to Renee, the young Apprentice turned around with a smile and continued to push the Magic Stones toward Colin. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He was feeling somewhat anxious and somewhat wronged in his heart.


    For Apprentices like him, benefits were not always guaranteed, but they were always the first to do the dirty, tiring work, and take the blame as well.


    Kicking out the Renee sisters to vacate the house for Colin, for his benefit, wasn''t his idea; he was just following orders from above.


    However, yesterday when Colin returned, and he went back to report to Lord Oliver, the lord just responded to him indifferently with a¡ª"I see."


    And nothing else was mentioned!


    So, after a restless night, he had no choice but to come over with a few hundred Magic Stones the next day to apologize.


    "You may leave."


    Colin didn''t know the thoughts in the Apprentice''s mind, nor did he care; he simply took the Magic Stones and threw them to Renee before stepping into the house.


    The Apprentice, seeing him accept the Magic Stones, felt a bit pained, but also felt greatly relieved and thanked him repeatedly before taking his leave.


    Upon reaching the dining room, Renee had already prepared a full table of sumptuous lunch for him.


    Colin stepped up to the dining table and sat down. The sight of the delicious dishes finally soothed his irritable mood.


    The environment in Neustadt City was indeed safer than the battlefield, but the troubles were also much more numerous.


    But that couldn''t be helped... where there are people, there are conflicts.


    Today, he was also inexplicably misunderstood by that Witch... he didn''t know which senseless Wizards dared to impersonate him!


    Um, he also needed to be wary of the Hidosh Family which had a vendetta with his mentor, as well as Margaret''s Family behind her...


    "All troublesome matters..."


    At this thought, Colin sighed inwardly, and the delicious food in his mouth suddenly lost its flavor.


    He simply sped up, quickly finishing his lunch, and headed to the basement to continue his Cultivation.


    Nois City Lord... he didn''t know why his news hadn''t been spread; otherwise, the situation wouldn''t have come to this.


    But that wasn''t something he could control. What he could control was to practice hard and break through to Second Rank as soon as possible.


    By then, even without the so-called honor of a hero, strength would bring respect.


    So passed another day.


    The next morning.


    The progress of the Yi Guang Breathing Method reached 94/100.


    Colin could feel that the amount of Blood Energy in his body was almost equivalent to twice that of a normal Great Knight, with just a trivial bit missing.


    He thought that when the Yi Guang Breathing Method reached its Limit, he should be able to just achieve double the level of Blood Energy of a normal Great Knight.


    ''I wonder what new changes will occur after the Limit Breaking of the Yi Guang Breathing Method¡­''


    Colin felt somewhat expectant.


    However, just as he was preparing to continue his Cultivation, an unexpected guest suddenly came for a visit.


    Approaching the door, he saw a familiar figure.


    It was the same young Apprentice.


    One day later, he was here again.


    But this time, he wasn''t alone; behind him stood a tall, dark-skinned, curly-haired Wizard.


    And his expression was entirely different from yesterday''s anxiety ¨C it was as sombre as ash.


    "Good morning, Wizard Colin. I am Oliver, responsible for managing the School''s property assets in the Li¨¨re Holy Street."


    The curly-haired Wizard smiled as Colin''s gaze moved to him, and started speaking.


    With his already white teeth shining against his black skin, they looked dazzling, as if glittering with light.


    "Good morning, is there something the matter?"


    Not wanting to hit a smiling face, and as a fellow School Wizard, Colin courteously returned the greeting.


    "Andrew."


    Oliver smiled and gently called out to the young Apprentice.


    The young Apprentice bowed his head, silent for a moment, then suddenly knelt down with a thud.


    "This Apprentice, blinded by profit, attempted to reclaim the house prematurely without my permission, to seek gain ¨C it is truly despicable!" Oliver spoke sternly and with a harsh tone.

 Chapter 398 - 288 Nameplate Silver Feather (4k)_2

    After finishing his statement, he turned to Colin and put on a smile, continuing,


    "Wizard Colin, I have already reported to the School, and now I leave him in your hands."


    Colin wore an expressionless face; he glanced at Oliver and then at the apprentice, feeling a bit irritable and disdainful towards Oliver''s approach.


    Although he did not know why Oliver specifically came today, he was genuinely uninterested in meddling in these trivial and sordid affairs.


    Bearing his patience, he responded indifferently,


    "There''s no need, I haven''t taken this matter to heart. If there''s nothing else, Sir Oliver, please leave; let us consider the matter closed."


    The young apprentice lying prostrate on the ground trembled slightly upon hearing this, and a glimmer of hope began to shine in his lifeless eyes.


    However, Oliver''s next words instantly shattered his hope.


    "Wizard Colin is generous! But rules are rules, and I will report to the School later to expel this man!"


    Oliver smiled subtly, his tone mild, yet his words were extremely harsh.


    Colin''s expression remained unchanged, but he frowned inwardly.


    He did not sympathize with the young apprentice; his compassion wasn''t that overflowing.


    After all, regardless of the young apprentice''s reasons, the terror and fear he had caused Renee and her sister were genuine.


    Moreover, if he hadn''t returned promptly, the young apprentice would not have spared the two Renees¡­


    What he couldn''t understand was¡ªwhy this unfamiliar First Rank Wizard, Oliver, was trying so hard to please him?


    Colin remained silent, not responding.


    Oliver did not seem embarrassed; he smiled and continued,


    "Actually, I have another purpose for my visit."


    Just then, a brown public carriage suddenly stopped by the roadside in front of the Colin Family''s house.


    Clack, an apprentice also clad in the Tin Saint School''s standard wizard robe got down.


    He looked toward Colin and the two others, his gaze lingering briefly on the kneeling Andrew, before hastily approaching.


    "He''s probably an apprentice sent by the School to deliver the token."


    As the new apprentice arrived, Oliver seemed to know something; looking at the freshly alighted apprentice, he said,


    "A token?" Colin raised an eyebrow.


    By then, the apprentice had approached and respectfully greeted, observing the school badges on Colin and Oliver''s chests,


    "Good day, gentlemen."


    Then, raising his head, he confirmed with Colin,


    "May I speak with Master Colin?"


    "I am," Colin replied gravely, feeling somewhat dejected.


    He had only been back two days, yet not a single day had been peaceful.


    If it were not for the knowledge needed to advance to Second Rank Wizard, he would have considered leaving the School to find a quieter place to practice in solitude!


    At this thought, his mind suddenly halted...


    ''Practice in a different place¡­''


    Yes! Why shouldn''t he find a more secluded place to temporarily hide during this critical time before his advancement?


    Once his physical foundation was fully strengthened, he could return here!


    As for mentor Atbolde, all he needed to do was persuade him a bit further to temporarily use his Ancient Tree Spring Pendant.


    Moreover, by acting more indifferent and leaving directly,


    the Hidosh Family would most likely not go to great lengths as before.


    Instead, they would silently wait for Atbolde to transform and die off completely just as before!


    The more Colin thought about it, the more feasible it seemed.


    He had been troubled yesterday about how to deal with the enemy of his mentor¡ªthe Hidosh Family.


    After all, being a First Rank Wizard and a student of Atbolde, he was a highly conspicuous target, undoubtedly a thorn in their side.


    Switching factions directly was the simplest and most effective method.


    But doing so would mean neglecting Atbolde, clearly defying the principles... He is certainly not one without compassion or loyalty!


    However, his current thoughts broadened his perspective¡ª


    Between changing schools or continue clashing with the Hidosh Family, there might be a compromise, a buffer strategy...


    Colin felt a surge of excitement.


    Yet, this plan was still far from perfect. Where to go and what reason to give required careful consideration.


    Though many thoughts filled his mind, in reality, only a moment had passed.


    The new apprentice continued to speak:


    "Master Colin, good morning, congratulations on successfully advancing to First Rank Intermediate Wizard!"


    With both hands, he handed over an oval-shaped silver plate with feather engravings, adding,


    "This is a special token called Silver Feather, issued by the school to certain outstanding members. Please accept it.


    With it, you can collect a thousand Magic Stones from the school each month and annually select one book from Black Castle''s library from the third level down that either matches or is below your strength in witchcraft knowledge and so forth..."


    Colin accepted the Silver Feather Token somewhat surprisedly. It had "Colin Leonard" clearly engraved on it.


    Perhaps it was because among his students, it had been ages since anyone obtained the Silver Feather Token that Atbolde hadn''t mentioned it to Colin.


    Yet in fact, not only in the Tin Saint School but almost in every large school, there is a system like this to distinguish the elites from ordinary members... just called differently.


    "Congratulations, Wizard Colin." Oliver, standing nearby, congratulated timely, his teeth sparkling and his expression exuberantly friendly, instinctively endearing him to others.


    But Colin hadn''t forgotten the fate of the apprentice at his feet, and he didn''t engage further.


    However, perhaps noticing the hint of surprise on Colin''s face from earlier, Oliver went on to explain:


    "The Silver Feather Token isn''t just about collecting Magic Stones and selecting books once a year... it''s also a symbol of status."


    "If I heard right¡ªright after you advanced to a first-rank wizard, you went to the far Southern Sea Domain." sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So perhaps you don''t have a strong concept of the status a first-rank wizard who can obtain a Silver Feather should have in the Tin Saint School,"


    At that moment, Oliver''s tone carried a hint of envy.


    "The Tin Saint School possesses three grades of tokens: Copper Feather, Silver Feather, and Golden Feather."


    "Though the Silver Feather is only the middle grade, for us ordinary wizards, having a Silver Feather Token is already the pinnacle!


    And they are exceedingly rare, with the vast Tin Saint School having no more than a hundred!"


    "Any wizard who obtains a Silver Feather Token will receive greater resource allocation from the School.


    At least half of them can eventually become Second Rank Wizards, and one-fifth could even reach Third Rank!"


    "As for those with Golden Feather, they mostly remain hidden deep within the school, and only come out after at least becoming Second Rank Wizards... so they are hardly seen."


    Listening to Oliver''s explanation, Colin gradually understood.


    He knew his skills had become exceptionally excellent after his sustained efforts, but he had never conceptualized it.


    But a Silver Feather Token, it seemed to be a partition.


    Wizard Jonah yesterday probably guessed that I''d likely receive the Silver Feather Token, which is why he proactively sought to favor me.


    And today Oliver personally brought Andrew to apologize... it''s probably for the same reason as well.


    ''Silver Feather Token...'' he fingered the token in his hand, murmuring inwardly.


    Now, it appears that choosing to display some of his talents brought much more impact than he had anticipated...


    "The Silver Feather Token is a milestone." Oliver watched him, then suddenly said,


    "I''m just the first, Mr. Colin, after a few days when news of your receiving a Silver Feather spreads, many more will come knocking at your door."


    Colin heard this with some resignation.


    It was a benefit but also a burden.


    At least for the next two days, he wanted to focus on breaking through the Yi Guang Breathing Method to see if he could further advance on the path of a Knight.


    "So, what you mean is,"


    He stopped dwelling on it, looking up at Oliver in front of him.


    Oliver still hadn''t revealed his true intentions.


    "I came on behalf of Lord Yasi," Oliver smiled, looking earnestly at Colin,


    "The Lord wants you to change factions, to join us, and leave Atbolde."

 Chapter 399 - 289: Past Events (4.2k)

    Beneath the Sacred Streets of Neustadt, at the doorstep of the Colin Family.


    The apprentice who had come to deliver the Silver Feather Token had already left, and Andrew was still kneeling on the ground.


    "Lord Yasi..." Colin did not hurry to continue speaking and instead slowly asked,


    "Is it Yasi Hidosh?"


    Oliver watched him and slowly nodded.


    Then, with an ambiguous meaning, he said,


    "Lord Colin has just received the Silver Feather Token, and your future is full of promise. You would not want to destroy your own future over a dying man..."


    Colin''s expression remained unchanged, rubbing the Silver Feather Token in his hand, seemingly shaken in his thoughts.


    Oliver smiled again, pursuing the matter further,


    "Lord Colin has just returned to the School, perhaps unaware.


    But the Faction you belong to now only has three members left, including the dying Atbolde... Those who understand the times have already switched Factions."


    "Only three left, including me?" Colin asked quietly, his heart sinking slightly.


    "Yes," Oliver nodded matter-of-factly, then furrowing his brow in thought,


    "... Apart from you, the only other student of Atbolde left is an apprentice named Marjorie, at the peak."


    ''Adversity reveals the true nature of people... The ancients did not deceive me,'' Colin sighed silently in his heart.


    Atbolde hadn''t mentioned this to him, nor had he anticipated it...


    But on reflection, this was an inevitable outcome.


    Severely wounded and on the verge of death, Atbolde couldn''t offer any protection anymore. Those apprentices couldn''t withstand the pressure from the Hidosh Family and chose to switch Schools, which is quite normal.


    After all, for him, a First Rank Wizard who had just received a Silver Feather Token, the Hidosh Family had taken such a tough stance; not to mention those apprentices...


    Although it was so, from Atbolde''s viewpoint, those few apprentices were undoubtedly heartless and disloyal.


    After all, not all apprentices were unable to withstand pressure from the Hidosh Family...


    Colin felt somewhat emotional.


    He hadn''t expected Senior Marjorie to stay.


    Marjorie was the first apprentice of the same Faction he had met when he came to Atbolde, the scene from back then vivid in his mind.


    ...Unexpectedly, he was also the last apprentice to stay with him.


    Beside him, Oliver watched Colin, quietly waiting, with the hint of a smile disappearing from his face, turning solemn.


    Though the Silver Feather Token was a great honor, compared to the mighty Hidosh Family behind him, it amounted to nothing.


    If the Colin standing before him knew how to adapt, well and good; if not, he shouldn''t blame him for being rude...


    Oliver, looking at the house Colin rented next to him, felt calm.


    For him, in charge of this area, with the help of the Hidosh Family, there were a thousand ways to make Colin move out today!


    Of course, this would be a last resort.


    Withdrawing his gaze, Oliver looked back at Colin, continuing to wait for his answer.


    "Sorry, Lord Oliver, I currently have no plans to change my Faction."


    At this moment, Colin spoke up as well, shaking his head with a neutral expression.


    At these words, Oliver''s expression grew deep, his signature white teeth hidden away, suddenly losing his friendly demeanor and becoming menacing.


    However, Colin beside him seemed unaware, continuing to speak,


    "Atbolde, my mentor, is severely wounded and close to death; his days are numbered! As his student, it''s absolutely impossible for me to switch Factions while he is still alive!"


    Oliver was about to burst out, but Colin, without revealing anything, suddenly glanced at him, his eyes carrying a vague meaning. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Oliver seemed to realize something, carefully chewing over Colin''s words.


    ''No plans yet... days are numbered... will never switch Factions while the mentor is still alive...''


    Colin, in his storytelling, emphasized these words with his tone.


    "The mentor has been kind to me, but it''s unfortunate that I''ve been recently overwhelmed with my studies, and the Magic Stones in my hands are not plentiful.


    I fear I must take on some School tasks, which means I''ll have to leave Neustadt City for a while..."


    Meanwhile, Colin was still "talking to himself," his expression faintly sad, watching the side street and murmuring,


    "I do not know if upon my return, I will still see my mentor..."


    Oliver, watching the poorly acting Colin, felt relaxed inside.


    He understood the subtext in Colin''s words.


    "Wizard Colin''s character is admirable; I will report back to Lord Yasi," Oliver said, sharing a meaningful smile with him.


    After finishing speaking, there was silence between them for a moment.


    Oliver then tentatively asked,


    "Lord Colin, how long do you plan to be away from Neustadt City on this trip?"


    Colin met his gaze with an imperceptible nod, smiling,


    "Who knows? When it''s time to return, I naturally will."


    Colin''s nod made Oliver finally set his mind at ease.


    ''Thought he was a tough nut to crack, but it turns out he''s just a hypocrite.'' His heart relaxed somewhat but also sneered slightly.


    Colin''s words clearly hinted that he would not support Atbolde against the Hidosh Family.


    But on the other hand, he also didn''t want to switch Factions at this time...


    In his view, he probably wanted to maintain his good reputation and avoid giving outsiders the impression of abandoning his mentor in dire times.

 Chapter 400 - 289: The Past (4200)_2

    But it didn''t matter anymore, Oliver gathered his thoughts.


    After all, as far as he knew, Yasi and his group had no intention of using violence against Atbolde again.


    There was no longer a suitable reason, and Atbolde had been holed up in his residence...


    It was like facing a wounded lion on the brink of death, the hunter''s best course of action was not to deliver the coup de grace but to quietly wait on the sidelines.


    In fact, Yasi''s order to him was simply to make sure there were no longer any apprentices... no longer any hope around Atbolde.


    Now that Colin had made such a choice, the purpose had indeed been fulfilled.


    Of course, as for the specifics, he needed to go back and ask Yasi...


    "I wish you smooth travels, and the Hidosh Family will always welcome the joining of a Silver Feather," Oliver flashed his signature smile once more, congratulated Colin, and then turned to leave.


    Colin watched Oliver''s figure gradually recede and prepared to turn back into the house.


    He turned around, his gaze swept over his despondent apprentice, Andrew, and imperceptibly paused.


    This was not out of sympathy for the apprentice before him, but because, in the corner of his eye, he faintly caught sight of two somewhat suspicious figures.


    The reason he felt suspicious was primarily because Superbrain prompted him that after he had completed the inquiry at Black Castle yesterday¡ª


    he had glimpsed the two people twice on the street, initially thinking it a coincidence.


    But now, inexplicably, he saw them again near his home... and their location provided a clear view of the house behind him.


    What''s more interesting is that he had lived on Liye Holy Street for more than half a year and had never seen these two before.


    ''Somewhat suspicious... but, it could also be a coincidence,'' Colin inconspicuously withdrew his gaze and closed the door to enter the house.


    Reason told him that he was at a critical stage of advancing and it was not suitable to stir up additional trouble.


    Thus, he didn''t plan to investigate further, after all, the suspicion surrounding the two was not very high.


    However... if he encountered them again afterward, he would probably need to be more cautious.


    ...


    "The target has gone in, the person who was talking with him just now was Oliver, a First Rank Wizard, relying on the Hidosh Family... I wonder what they discussed," Keith whispered to his companion at the street corner, his tone a bit perplexed.


    "Nothing suspicious, mostly still about Atbolde''s matter," Bulvo responded casually, his young companion by his side lacked experience and didn''t have a deep enough understanding of the complex factional struggles within the School.


    "Bulvo senior... What exactly is the issue between Atbolde and the Hidosh Family?"


    Keith suddenly became more curious and asked.


    "To be precise¡ªit''s the Yasi lineage within the Hidosh Family," Bulvo turned around, walked back along the street, and began to explain slowly:


    "For the whole Hidosh Family, although Atbolde was known far and wide as a talented prodigy in witchcraft during his youth, his talent for cultivation was average, and he was ultimately just a Second Rank Wizard, nothing worth fearing."


    "What''s more, Atbolde was merely a First Rank Peak Wizard when he had the conflict with the Hidosh Family.


    Later on, because of that conflict, he was cut off from the path to Third Rank, and to this day, can only stay at Second Rank... so he''s even less of a threat."


    "So what exactly happened between Atbolde and the Hidosh Family?" Keith asked impatiently.


    "That''s a long story..." Bulvo paused, organizing his words to continue: "To speak of their discord, we can''t neglect Atbolde''s son who was even more talented¡ªPlaun Rudolf!"


    "When Atbolde reached First Rank Advanced Wizard, his son Plaun had also achieved First Rank Advanced Wizard status, and at that time, he was only twenty-two years old."


    "Twenty-two years old!!" Keith murmured in disbelief. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes, twenty-two years old. Plaun was also a member of the Tin Saint School, and the School had issued him a Copper Feather Token at the age of ten, a Silver Feather Token at thirteen, and a Golden Feather Token at twenty-two."


    Bulvo felt somewhat melancholic; when compared to geniuses, the efforts and perseverance of ordinary people seem insignificant.


    Thinking this, Bulvo''s enthusiasm diminished a bit, and he concluded succinctly:


    "And then later, at twenty-four, Plaun died. At that time, he was already a Second Rank Wizard."


    Keith halted in his tracks, looking at Bulvo with a somewhat stunned expression.


    "I really don''t know how Pulan died," Bulvo shook his head,


    "That all happened nearly a hundred years ago, when I was just an ordinary apprentice, and everything I just mentioned was what I heard from others."


    "Could it have been the Hidosh Family''s doing?" Keith speculated.


    But Bulvo shook his head, stating confidently:


    "The death of a Golden Feather is no small matter... I don''t fully believe it was the work of the Hidosh Family, at least not an act instigated at the family level.


    Otherwise, even if the Hidosh Family didn''t perish, they would have likely suffered a great loss... Hmm, my guess is that it is more likely a personal vendetta between a family member and Atbolde."


    "At that time, I remember something related to Pulan''s wife¡ªa High Level Elf named Octavia."


    Bulvo furrowed his brow, pondering carefully:


    "I had no way of knowing exactly what happened, the only thing I remember is that an Elf Envoy suddenly arrived at the Tin Saint School with considerable fanfare.


    That''s right, and after that, perhaps due to the grief of losing his son, Wizard Atbolde also managed to advance to Second Rank."


    "And then I heard he went alone to confront the Hidosh Family and seemed to come back severely injured..." Bulvo sighed, he really couldn''t recall,


    "A hundred years is a long enough time for a wizard...


    But on the other hand, this long period of time is still not long enough... At least, it''s not enough to dissolve those entrenched enmities."


    He said reflectively, and then he stopped in his tracks.


    He and Bulvo had already returned to the Tin Saint School''s premises.


    The two entered the school and continued walking in silence for a while.


    Keith''s thoughts gradually detached from that distant past and returned to the matters at hand.


    "So, Lord Bulvo, do you think the target Colin has a significant likelihood of being related to the Divine?" he suddenly asked in a low voice.


    "...Medium," Bulvo pondered for a moment before giving his answer.


    "He mysteriously disappeared in the battle at Gubier Island and returned unscathed two months later... and at the same time, he claimed he had accidentally entered the Elf Kingdom and was the Heroic Wizard."


    "I think so too."


    Keith nodded in agreement.


    "On Lite Street, there is also a suspicious wizard who calls himself the Heroic Wizard. I wonder how Gors and the others are getting on with their investigation," Bulvo mused, his expression somewhat somber.


    He exhaled a breath and bolstered his spirits, encouraging himself:


    "The Elf Clan is capable of evading the Deep Red Marking Technique; our rear guard is no longer safe... But it''s alright, these suspicious elements will eventually reveal themselves."


    The Deep Red Marking Technique was likely compromised, but Nois had already set up a backup plan beforehand.


    By collecting information bit by bit and conducting artificial surveillance, though less efficient, it was better than nothing.


    The only regret was that, until now, they had yet to discover any confirmed Divine Believers.


    "Lord Bulvo, do you think... that Colin could indeed be the legendary Heroic Wizard?" Keith suddenly asked again.


    "How could that be possible." Bulvo laughed.


    "The Nois City Lord hasn''t revealed a bit of information about the Heroic Wizard, and I guess that on one hand it is to protect this Heroic Wizard and on the other hand it might be a lure."


    "After all, the Divine side hates that wizard to the bone!"


    With that said, Bulvo leaned in a bit closer, whispering:


    "I guess, that wizard is either being safely protected by Councilman Nois, or perhaps, he simply doesn''t exist at all!"


    "The true hero might actually be the Nois City Lord, only it was to once again lure out the Divine Believers... Hmm, my guess is they released such news as a way to study and update the Deep Red Marking Technique."


    Keith was taken aback by Bulvo''s speculation and nodded with some effort.


    He hadn''t thought that much, but at least one thing he agreed upon¡ª


    Colin was probably not the Heroic Wizard... more like someone related to the Divine.


    The two continued on their way, disappearing at the end of the road.

 Chapter 401 - 290: Temporary Leave

    In the living room.


    Colin sat calmly on the brown sofa by the window.


    Outside, Nasi and Demi were playfully frolicking, their laughter penetrating the colored glass.


    ''Could Oliver and Yasi Hidosh behind him have been deceived by me...'' He gazed at the garden outside, deep in thought.


    The grudges between the Hidosh Family and their mentors were beyond tracing.


    In fact, those past events no longer mattered...


    Colin sighed lightly. He had thought Neustadt City would be a more peaceful place where he could cultivate properly.


    Yet, he had not anticipated the complexities here to be as undulating and unpredictable as a battlefield.


    ''In the end, I am still too weak.''


    "If only I were a Second Rank Wizard, or had a Golden Feather..."


    He withdrew his gaze and slowly stood up, preparing to go out.


    ''No time to delay, I must visit the School and meet with my mentor first, then find a tranquil place to break through the Yi Guang Breathing Method.''


    He had another hidden worry in his heart.


    The crystal of the Ancient Tree Heart, formed from a branch of the legendary Ancient Tree of Life, was undeniably extraordinary!


    The energy within, given the current pace, had barely absorbed one percent and was far from fully assimilated.


    If any mishaps occurred during this period causing it to be exposed, the consequences would be unimaginable.


    Not long after.


    He said a word to Renee, then stepped out the door, halted a public carriage, and headed towards the School.


    However, before reaching the School, Colin suddenly had the carriage stop.


    He swung open the door and stepped down slowly, looking at the ordinary setup of the small courtyard in front of him.


    If he recalled correctly, this was Marjorie''s residence.


    After a moment''s reflection, he stepped forward and knocked on the door.


    "May I ask who it is?"


    Moments later, accompanied by the sound of footsteps, a maid came and asked through the black grill door.


    "Is Marjorie home? I am Colin, Colin Leonard," said Colin succinctly.


    The maid furrowed her brow in confusion.


    "Sir, my master is named Thompson, and I have never heard the name Marjorie..."


    Colin''s heart sank a bit and he persisted in asking:


    "When did you move here? Do you know where the previous owner moved to?"


    The maid''s expression faltered slightly, her gaze becoming somewhat wary but she remained silent.


    Colin frowned slightly, paused, and then continued, "Is your master home? I need to speak with him." Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    About an hour later.


    On Amfer Street, ten minutes away from Lier Holy Street, inside a Magic Crystal Store.


    Colin sat quietly on the sofa reserved for guests.


    "Sir, please have some tea," the apprentice store manager respectfully offered freshly brewed red tea in a white porcelain cup to Colin.


    "No need," Colin waved his hand and looked towards the small door behind the counter, asking, "How much longer?"


    The apprentice store manager placed the tea on the table and smiled, "It should be soon, possibly energizing crystals. It can''t be interrupted... But it should only be a little longer now."


    His words had just ended when suddenly a creak was heard as the brown door behind the wooden counter was pushed open.


    "Colin ¡ª" Marjorie exclaimed in surprise, "Is it really you? When did you come back?"


    "Senior Marjorie."


    Colin slowly stood up, silently looking at Marjorie... at his right arm.


    "Haha, what''s wrong?"


    Marjorie felt his gaze and subconsciously hid his right hand behind him, then, as if realizing his reaction was unnatural, quickly stretched it out again, patting it with a hearty voice:


    "This hand, from an accident during a Demon Beast subjugation mission, has been replaced with a mechanical prosthetic arm, crafted from silver alloy containing 0.5 grams of Mithril. The magic conductivity is very smooth, nearly undistinguishable from before."


    Colin didn''t continue the conversation, just smiled and said:


    "Have time to go out for a walk?"


    Marjorie instinctively nodded, then seemed to realize something, turning his gaze towards the apprentice store manager on the side.


    "Of course, no problem, Sir Marjorie. You may reminisce with this gentleman as long as you like; I''ll have Eddie handle your work for today."


    The store manager hurriedly addressed him gently, though he couldn''t help but complain internally.


    He had no idea that Marjorie was a member of the Tin Saint School, nor did he know that he knew a First Rank Intermediate Official Wizard with a Silver Feather Token!


    And that this same First Rank Intermediate Silver Feather Wizard would even call him senior!!


    What was such a wizard doing working in his small store... Really!


    He watched as Marjorie and Colin walked out of the store, breathing a slight sigh of relief.


    On the street.


    Colin and Marjorie walked side by side in silence for a moment before Colin abruptly asked:


    "Was your injury caused by the Hidosh Family?"


    Marjorie''s steps halted, and the joy on his face gradually diminished.


    "You can''t hide it from me, Colin," he said with a wry smile.


    ''Such words, who could hide...''


    Colin shook his head inwardly,


    Marjorie, with his head lowered, looked at his arm and continued to mutter,


    "Although I have no proof, that Red Ridge Brown Bear we were assigned to subdue clearly had been enhanced by some mysterious power.


    And just before that, Yasi Hidosh had sent someone to warn me."


    "Does the mentor know about this?" Colin paused, then continued asking.


    "Not yet," Marjorie shook his head, suddenly furrowing his brow, his left hand forcefully rubbing his right arm.

 Chapter 402 - 290 Temporary Leave_2

    It had been less than twenty days since he had lost his entire right hand, and the phantom limb pain from the amputation still troubled him.


    Colin carefully watched Marjorie''s right arm, feeling a bitter taste in his heart, as if blocked by a large stone... Below that, a simmering anger was brewing.


    Marjorie was the first classmate he met when he came to Atbolde.


    He still remembered that it was outside the mentor''s residence.


    Marjorie had shown him how to bypass the defenses of the mentor''s residence, set up by Nado, and taught him a small witchcraft trick...


    Later on, his current residence was actually found with Marjorie''s help.


    Back then, Marjorie was in a robust and healthy state.


    But now, he had sustained such serious injuries...


    Losing a limb was not as trivial as Marjorie had described.


    For a Wizard Apprentice, the integrity of the body could even affect the success rate of advancing to an Official Wizard!


    And even if one advanced later, during the phase when a First Rank Wizard strengthened their body, there would still be some adverse effects.


    After all, during the Apprentice Rank, the Spirit Sea had not yet opened, and the soul was not strong enough.


    The soul, most of the time, was intertwined with the body... Losing a limb would also damage part of the soul.


    If the limb replacement or reattachment was delayed indefinitely, then that part of the soul, which lost the support of the physique, might eventually be permanently lost...


    When the pain eased slightly, Marjorie lowered his right arm and continued,


    "I''m worried that the mentor, seeing me in this condition, will disregard the injuries and go seek trouble with the Hidosh Family... So since then, I haven''t visited the mentor either."


    "I don''t even know how bad the mentor''s injuries are now¡­"


    Thinking of this, his eyes darkened, and he sighed,


    "Colin, do you know... Sister Lillian also went missing on the battlefield."


    "I wonder how distressed the mentor will be when he hears this news... I really hope Sister Lillian, like you, just encountered some accidents and will eventually come back safely!"


    Colin''s lips moved, about to explain, but what came out was¡ª


    "Let''s hope so..." S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He did not explain to Marjorie that the mentor''s injuries had been temporarily managed with the help of Ancient Tree Spring, nor did he explain Lillian''s whereabouts...


    After all, he also had no way of knowing what the current situation of Lillian really was, and for Marjorie, knowing too much wasn''t a good thing as a mere Apprentice.


    After a moment of silence.


    Colin asked again:


    "Senior Marjorie, why are you working in that ordinary Magic Crystal Store?"


    He had asked an apprentice named Thompson for a long time, gathered some clues, and then followed them to find this place.


    "Prosthetics are too expensive, the stores under the School do not accept me, and going out on missions... my injury still affects me a bit," Marjorie replied briefly.


    He chuckled and continued, "I am somewhat grateful to the Hidosh Family for driving me out of my original residence. The place I live now is not as spacious as before, but it is much cheaper!"


    Colin silently sighed, letting Marjorie lead the way home, planning to go to a relatively safe environment to see if there was anything he could help with.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, elsewhere.


    In a luxurious study, Oliver was reporting back.


    "Lord Yasi, this is the situation, the bond between Colin, who received the Silver Feather Token, and Atbolde is not as deep as we imagined.


    After I finished speaking, I hinted that I was planning to leave and would return after Atbolde''s death."


    "Hmm."


    On the soft solo leather sofa, a male wizard with teal hair responded softly, his gaze wandering, and it was unclear what he was thinking.


    Oliver stood respectfully to the side, head bowed, seeming to think of something, he continued,


    "Colin Leonard only joined the School a little more than six months ago.


    According to investigations, he was initially misidentified as less talented at the time of joining, and was passively assigned to the Atbolde Faction, not by his own choice. Shortly after joining, he also secluded himself for several months¡­"


    Oliver looked up, speculating,


    "So, it''s also possible because of this, he actually doesn''t care about Atbolde''s current situation!


    He is only reluctant to leave at this time out of concern for his reputation... He poses no threat to us."


    "Oh?"


    Yasi chuckled lightly, lowered his arm from his chin, and looked at Oliver as he softly asked back,


    "Are you teaching me that I need not worry about him?"


    The light words, when they landed in Oliver''s heart, felt as heavy as Mount Tai, causing his face to instantly turn pale as he hurriedly explained,


    "Lord Yasi, I spoke out of turn."


    "Don''t be nervous." Yasi smiled, leaning back slightly, letting his body sink into the back of the sofa, and lightly instructed,


    "Repeat what you just said."


    Oliver, as if pardoned, hurriedly recounted his conversation with Colin.


    This time, he almost did not add any extra opinions or words, racking his brains to repeat almost every sentence completely.


    It was only at the end that he respectfully asked,


    "Lord Yasi, what should we do then?"


    Yasi Hidosh, what he disliked most was others telling him what to do... Oliver silently recited in his mind.


    Even though the Faction he belonged to had always been affiliated with the Hidosh Family.

 Chapter 403 - 290 Temporary Departure_3

    But the Yasi standing before him, until recent days, he had only just gotten to know him, not familiar enough beyond the infamous reputation that preceded him...


    Oliver bowed his head, silently waiting, without any further conversation.


    After a moment.


    Snap. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A green crystal pendant was thrown by Yasi onto the table.


    Following that, there came a slight rustling from the couch, as if Yasi was slowly standing up.


    Tap¡ªTap¡ª


    The sound of his hard leather boots echoed crisply on the floor as he gradually headed out of the study.


    Only a flat utterance followed through the air to Oliver''s ears.


    "Since he wants to take on a mission and leave for a while, then give him a mission...


    I think... supporting the Soah Islands is a good choice."


    Oliver was startled inside and promptly nodded,


    "Yes, Lord Yasi!"


    For a long time, until he heard no more footsteps, Oliver slowly raised his head.


    ''Supporting the Soah Islands...''


    A chill rose from the depths of Oliver''s heart.


    With such arrangements, it was clear that Yasi had no intention of letting Colin off...


    Everyone knew that the most dangerous place at the moment was the Soah Islands on the war front line.


    Getting there was easy, coming back... was not guaranteed.


    What''s more, the journey was so long, there were ample opportunities for some mischief...


    Just as it had been done to other students from Atbolde before.


    Shaking his head, Oliver stood up indifferently, picked up the pendant from the marble table, and walked out briskly.


    Towards an enemy, not an ounce of mercy could be spared; once determined, one must act swiftly, accurately, ruthlessly, to eradicate the problem without leaving any future trouble.


    He had to pass on Lord Yasi''s directive immediately to his comrades at the mission center before Colin even received the mission!


    ...


    "I understand."


    About half an hour later, a member of the same faction carefully inspected the pendant handed over by Oliver and then nodded.


    "Please be sure to pay close attention. The wizard is named Colin Leonard, who has just recently acquired the Silver Feather Token, with blond hair and blue eyes, handsome enough to be compared to an elf."


    Oliver couldn''t help but emphasize again.


    "Understood," the member nodded solemnly, with a serious expression.


    Although Yasi was only a Second Rank Wizard, he was born as the legitimate descendant of the Hidosh Family, noble in status, almost equal to a mixed-blood Third Rank Wizard from within the faction.


    Furthermore, he was notoriously cold and tyrannical; his orders deserved to be taken seriously.


    Seeing this, Oliver finally felt a bit relieved and quickly headed outside.


    Now, recalling his own behavior in front of Yasi earlier, he couldn''t help but feel a chill down his spine.


    Exiting the School, it was already the afternoon.


    The autumn sunlight seemed warmer and more golden than at other times, falling upon the bustling crowd.


    Looking at the lively street ahead, Oliver felt persistently unsettled.


    After pondering for a moment, he made a decision, instructing his coachman to turn towards the direction of Colin''s residence.


    Lord Yasi''s plan could not afford any mistakes; he wanted to go and check on Colin''s situation once more.


    Ten minutes later, he stepped down from the carriage at the corner of Li¨¨ Holy Street and climbed to the top floor of a three-story building with an open view.


    Afterward, he cautiously peered towards Colin''s residence, shielded by the cover of a nearby low wall.


    However, the next second, upon seeing the scene inside Colin''s courtyard, Oliver''s complexion abruptly changed.


    ''What''s going on?!''


    ''Colin Leonard... could he have moved away?!''

 Chapter 404 - 291 Shadow

    At this moment, within Colin''s courtyard, there was no longer any trace of the lush scene that had been seen that morning.


    The plants all seemed as if their life force had been drained, wilting and some even beginning to wither and decay.


    Looking around, the courtyard was nothing but a picture of desolation.


    Then looking at the white mansion in the middle, all the doors and windows were tightly shut, eerily still without the slightest noise.


    Cold sweat suddenly broke out across Oliver''s black forehead.


    He then realized he had overlooked a very important point¡ª


    Although Colin said he was temporarily leaving Neustadt City to complete a School task that wasn''t part of the original plan,


    in reality, he didn''t need to accept a task at all, he just needed to report to the School, and he could have left temporarily.


    Oliver wiped the sweat from his forehead.


    It wasn''t that he was worried about what would happen to Colin... after all, Colin seemed to just want to preserve his own reputation.


    What troubled him was not completing the task assigned by Lord Yasi.


    Oliver gritted his teeth and hastened his steps downstairs.


    Although he was frightened, he was not a foolish man.


    This kind of news had to be reported to Lord Yasi immediately, otherwise, the consequences would be even more severe later on.


    ...


    "Demi, come over here a bit," Renee whispered to her younger sister on the bustling streets of Merredith City.


    Demi nodded vigorously and clutched Renee''s hand tightly.


    "Don''t be nervous, you''ve been here before," Colin comforted them.


    After talking with Marjorie, he tried using the Ancient Tree Spring to help her recover her limbs, but the results were not as good as he had imagined.


    Marjorie''s injuries were not merely simple flesh wounds.


    However, the Ancient Tree Spring still helped her heal many hidden ailments, so it was not entirely in vain.


    Later, he left some Magic Stones for Marjorie and went to find Atbolde to inform him of his departure for a while.


    The reason was to visit friends in Merredith City.


    Atbolde had no objections to his departure, but stubbornly refused to accept his offer to leave the Ancient Tree Spring behind.


    "I''ll just stay here, where I won''t encounter any danger. Even Yasi Hidosh wouldn''t dare come here at this time!" Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unable to persuade him, Colin had no choice but to leave for now, but he quietly left the Ancient Tree Spring Necklace at the villa''s entrance.


    His mentor, Nado, would pass the necklace on for him.


    Having done this, he returned home, quickly packed his luggage, and with the Renee sisters, Nasi, and even Nado from the courtyard, traveled to Merredith City via the Transmission Array.


    When he left, his mood was generally calm with a hint of anticipation.


    Atbolde''s words also dispersed the last bit of worry in his heart.


    This time, he planned to wait until he had broken through the limits with the Yi Guang Breathing Method and advanced to a First Rank Advanced Wizard before returning to Neustadt City to acquire the knowledge necessary for advancing to a Second Rank Wizard.


    According to his current pace, he should be able to achieve this goal within a month at the latest, or even as soon as half a month.


    A month''s time was neither long nor short.


    The only concern he had was whether the Hidosh Family would make another move against the mentor during this time.


    But now it seemed unlikely.


    After all, Atbolde had been injured for over two months, and Yasi Hidosh had not made any further moves, just silently waiting on the sidelines.


    But... he hadn''t expected that after just a few days, he would be back in Merredith City.


    Colin observed his surroundings and was filled with emotion.


    But in fact, he didn''t plan to stay here at all.


    His destination lay beyond Merredith City... well, it should be said beyond the Meredith Kingdom itself in a remote minor country¡ªFabados Kingdom.


    The distance there wouldn''t be too far, and although the concentration of Magic Power wouldn''t be as high as in the Wizard City, at least he wouldn''t need to spend a large amount of Magic Stones to ensure his training.


    As a temporary residence, it was quite suitable.


    "We''ve arrived."


    Colin stopped at a tall grey archway.


    This was the airship transportation office in the center of Merredith City. There was one such transportation hub in each of the four cardinal directions of the city.


    He didn''t hesitate, leading Renee and others inside.


    As for Eliel and others living in Merredith City, he didn''t plan to visit them this time.


    There would be plenty of time to catch up in the future; it was now essential to get to Fabados Kingdom as soon as possible.


    A couple of hours later.


    In the border city of Sadi of Meredith Kingdom.


    A small grey-blue airship gracefully landed.


    Then, Colin and his party, disguised in appearance, took the opportunity of the evening twilight to leave the city quietly.


    Eventually, they arrived in Fabados Kingdom just as the last traces of the sunset''s afterglow extinguished.


    Meanwhile.


    In Neustadt City.


    Yasi stood by the window, his back to Oliver, quietly watching the sun sink.


    The evening breeze lifted his emerald green hair, like the greenery climbing and sprawling against a white wall.


    "You mean, he used the Transmission Array to head to Merredith City?"


    After a long while, as night fell and the dim sky turned opaque black, Yasi finally spoke softly.


    "Yes, Lord Yasi."


    Oliver knelt on the ground, revealing fresh red scars on his exposed neck. He took a breath and answered, his voice shaking.


    "Merredith City..." Yasi murmured indiscernibly.


    He turned around, giving a light command, "For now, we don''t need to concern ourselves with him anymore."


    "Yes." Oliver nodded, then rose and slowly retreated.


    His footsteps gradually faded, and the study regained its silence.


    Yasi stood quietly by the window, half of his body merging with the darkness.


    Moments later.


    The dark shadows on the carpet of the study seemed to flow like water towards the center, and slowly formed a gaunt figure.


    This figure was enshrouded in grey-black mist, its features indiscernible, and without any sound... even a heartbeat was completely undetectable.


    "How are things with Atbolde?"


    Yasi showed no sign of surprise, asking softly with his back to it.


    The black shadow didn''t speak... or rather, it was incapable of making a sound.


    However, the gray-black mist that enveloped it began to pulsate rhythmically, accurately transmitting information to Yasi.


    Yasi nodded slowly, leaning on the wooden frame of the window and sighed softly:


    "Where on earth has that old man hidden it..."


    He looked out at the increasingly bright moon, his heart filled with irritation...


    ''Time has already passed too long, I can''t wait any longer...


    Otherwise, when Atbolde dies, everything will be buried with him, and all our efforts wasted.''


    Yasi thought silently, making a decision in his heart.


    He turned around, looking at the black shadow, and commanded coldly:


    "Continue the surveillance. Any changes from Atbolde must be transmitted to me immediately!"

 Chapter 405 - 292 Will

    In the early morning, the fog was thin and the weak sunlight pierced through the mist, appearing even more gentle.


    Fabados Kingdom, the capital Nanao.


    By the Leibo River, women were already carrying dirty clothes to wash.


    The sailors who had spent the night on the small boats had mostly risen, now flirting with the women by the river.


    Crude words, vulgar jokes... this was a commonplace morning for the commoners in Nanao City.


    On the west side of the Leibo River, Renee, carrying fresh ingredients she had bought from the morning market, walked past with a sense of curiosity.


    She had never seen such scenes on Blackstone Island before, nor had she seen them in Neustadt City.


    In this city where most people were ordinary, the breath of life seemed... even more intense.


    Renee shifted her gaze forward and hurried on her way, coming upon a riverside villa after passing through a small alley. She pushed the door open and entered.


    "Master."


    In the yard, Colin was practicing the Yi Guang Breathing Method.


    As he breathed and moved, the white mist in the courtyard constantly pulsated, the sight was astounding.


    Fortunately, the standalone villas by the Leibo River were at least fifty meters apart from one another.


    Moreover, with some witchcraft tricks to conceal the noise in the yard, there was no worry about these disturbances being noticed.


    Colin finished his exercise with a long exhale of stale air.


    He looked toward Renee and greeted her.


    "Looks like we''ll have another delicious meal at noon today," he said with a smile, eyeing the river shrimp in Renee''s hand.


    Today marked their third day in the Fabados Kingdom, having moved here from the inn yesterday morning.


    Since then, life had finally started to get back on track.


    In Nanao City, no one knew him, so there were no disturbances or surprises, and he could devote all his energy to training.


    And so since yesterday morning to present, Colin had been practicing the Yi Guang Breathing Method, which was close to reaching its limit.


    Now, the progress had reached 99/100, just a hair''s breadth away from the limit!


    Colin steadied himself and eased his fatigue for a moment before continuing to train.


    Within him, the Ancient Tree Heart Crystal, catalyzed by the Yi Guang Breathing Method, continually nourished his weary body, mending minute injuries, allowing him to maintain such intense training.


    Thus, time slowly passed.


    When the fog had fully dissipated and the splendid sunlight streamed through the clouds, Colin slowly summoned the Golden Paper.


    Pale golden particles gathered.


    On the ancient Golden Paper, the progress of the Yi Guang Breathing Method suddenly changed to 100/100¡ü


    Colin''s expression remained calm, all this was just a natural progression.


    The real key was to see if the Limit Breaking version of the Yi Guang Breathing Method would give him a satisfying boost!


    Thinking of this, Colin''s heart began to beat just a little faster.


    Was there a path forward for a knight? What lay beyond the Ultimate Knight?


    He exhaled slowly but didn''t hurry to break the limit.


    Instead, he first went to the washroom to wash off the sweat, changed into a clean Wizard Robe, and then leisurely walked down to the basement, sitting cross-legged, ready to break the limit.


    The ancient Golden Paper, hovering between illusion and reality, floated in front of Colin.


    He pulled out the Magic Stone.


    At this moment, the tension in his heart gradually settled.


    The Magic Stone in his hand continuously turned to gravel, and as the ¡ü symbol behind the Yi Guang Breathing Method lit up.


    Colin didn''t overthink it; he concentrated his spirit and gave it a firm press.


    Boom¡ª¡ª


    It was as if an actual collision reverberated in his mind.


    The characters of the Breathing Skill on the Golden Paper twisted and blurred, and then gradually became clear, eventually changing into¡ª


    "Yi Guang Breathing Method II (0/100)."


    However, Limit Breaking was not as simple as just the characters on the Golden Paper changing.


    Colin tightly closed his eyes, reducing visual interference, allowing his brain to focus all its energy on processing the exploding information in his mind at the moment.


    ''The Knight Life Seed, in essence, is the condensation of willpower and Blood Energy.


    And so-called Blood Energy is the inherent energy of a person, it is the comprehensive embodiment of constitution, strength, speed, endurance... and so on.''


    ''Only a strong will combined with a strong physique can give birth to a true Knight Life Seed!''


    ''However, willpower is even more ethereal than spiritual power; it is part of the soul and is also mixed in with spiritual power.''


    ''Advanced Knights ignite Blood Energy, with willpower condensing into a core, but that is all.


    The Life Seed can only serve as a powerful inner energy source, bringing greater strength, agility, recovery power... but lacking other marvelous uses.''


    ''Not until the Great Knight stage, when willpower is enhanced, is the power of the Life Seed further developed.


    Only then do Knights possess truly extraordinary means such as Blood Qi Armor...''


    Countless pieces of information continuously flashed through Colin''s mind.


    The effect accompanying the Golden Paper Limit Breaking made his thoughts exceptionally clear at this moment...


    It was as if under the Talent of Superbrain, another Superbrain was stacked on top.


    ''What exactly is the barrier faced on the path of knighthood?


    Why can''t Great Knights continue to improve?''


    Such questions repeatedly echoed in his mind and were gradually answered. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Energy density, willpower.''


    These were the two words provided by the Limit Breaking Yi Guang Breathing Method.


    Energy density is the direction of breakthrough for knights, and willpower is the method.


    Why energy density is the direction of breakthrough


    is because the human body ultimately has its limits.


    Once Blood Energy accumulates to a certain degree, it will reach its peak, unable to accommodate even a whisper more...


    Only by enhancing the quality of Blood Energy, i.e., the energy density, can more strength be accumulated within the finite space of the body.


    As for willpower...


    If Blood Energy is the broadsword, then willpower is strength, only with sufficient willpower can Blood Energy be controlled like directing one''s arm, not to be lost in control...


    Only willpower can restrain Blood Energy.


    And only willpower can truly change the energy density of Blood Energy!


    This is the most crucial point of this Limit Breaking.


    It is also the biggest difference from the attempts of Wizards past to purely increase physical strength in order to forcibly enhance the energy density of Blood Energy and the capacity for Blood Energy...


    The frenzy of thought that came with Limit Breaking gradually began to subside, and some more specific content of the Breathing Method slowly emerged in Colin''s mind.


    Now, upon careful consideration, although this was the Limit Breaking of the Yi Guang Breathing Method, the knowledge derived from the Limit Breaking still faintly carried the shadow of the fundamentals related to physical enhancement.


    ''To advance to a Second Rank Wizard, the premise is to strengthen the body.


    Yet to enhance the body and break through the Great Knight, it relies on the spirit...''


    ''Indeed, the body and soul complement each other, they are like the sun and the moon that together constitute a complete day, together forming¡ªa complete person.''


    After a long time, having fully digested the information, Colin slowly opened his eyes.


    In his pale blue eyes, a few traces of irrepressible joy could be detected.


    He slowly stood up, and forcefully swung his fist.


    The path of a Knight is not a dead end, and a Great Knight is certainly not the final stop!

 Chapter 406 - 293 Traction Technique

    "November 4, Yanan Calendar."


    "Evening."


    "The Divine side launched another attack on the Soah Islands, the avatars of Night and Hunting Goddess descended, and they were surrounded and defeated by the well-prepared Wizards on Jina Island."


    "The pollution caused by the divine avatar engulfed almost the entire Jina Island, forcing the defending wizards to abandon the island and retreat fully..."


    Tin Saint School, dawn.


    The room was dim.


    Atbolde was sitting on a recliner in the study.


    He was holding a newspaper distributed by the School to members of the Second Rank and above during wartime, reading it aloud.


    The weak daylight that penetrated the enormous force field window fell on the old man''s decayed body, outlining the grotesque silhouette of roots on his lower half.


    If one looked closely, they would realize that what Atbolde was sitting on was not a real recliner, but part of his own transformed body.


    "...The situation is still critical."


    Closing the newspaper, despite it being good news, Atbolde sighed.


    At that moment, a rustling sound suddenly came from behind him.


    Atbolde did not get up; a brown vine with an Ancient Tree Spring Necklace swung in from outside the window.


    He took the Ancient Tree Spring Pendant and caressed it, a smile appearing on his weathered face.


    Then he muttered,


    "I''ve ultimately grown weak, this necklace, only discovering it today...


    In the past, nothing within the entire manor, even underground, could have escaped my notice."


    Atbolde fell silent for a moment and put away the necklace.


    His lower half, which had large roots like octopus tentacles, moved, carrying him to the vast window.


    Atbolde gazed out the window.


    It was dawn, the sky was bright but not fully clear, and it was dark around like a moonlit night.


    The lush plants in the yard were a dark, terrifying sight, raising a naturally desolate atmosphere.


    However, Atbolde was unfazed.


    Over the years, he had grown accustomed to everything in this small estate, familiar with every plant.


    He just calmly watched the scene in front of him, those places where sunlight could not reach, and sneered in his heart.


    "Since you''ve come... don''t leave."


    He turned around and whispered silently toward the yard.


    Rustle¡ª


    It was as if the sound of snakes and insects crawling suddenly arose.


    The next moment, from the shadows beneath him, it seemed that something invisible was spreading outwards...


    Creak¡ª


    Nanao, early morning.


    Colin opened the bedroom door; Renee was waiting outside.


    "Master, good morning," Renee greeted respectfully and then asked, "What would you like for lunch?"


    "Good morning... Hmm, how about some braised prawns, and you can decide on the rest."


    Colin smiled and walked down the right-hand staircase.


    The Leibo River outside was rich in seafood, cheap and plentiful, which had truly satisfied his appetite these days.


    However, this was just the smallest benefit of living here.


    What truly delighted him every day was the uninterrupted rapid improvement of his own strength...


    Today was only the second day after the breakthrough of the Yi Guang Breathing Method.


    But the amount of Blood Energy inside him had already doubled compared to yesterday, before the breakthrough!


    It was four times more than the average level of a Great Knight!


    Even according to the normal standards of the Enhancement Base, it had reached forty percent, almost halfway there.


    Of course, ten times the Blood Energy of a normal Great Knight was just a standard... It was still uncertain what Colin could ultimately achieve.


    However, the only regret was that in terms of Wizard Level, whether the Yi Guang Breathing Method had broken through or not did not greatly affect it.


    Over the past two days, the pace of wizard cultivation was similar to before, now reaching 55/100.


    The morning glow was brilliant, and birds were chirping loudly.


    Carrying a joyful mood, Colin went to the yard to continue practicing the post-breakthrough Yi Guang Breathing Method, striving to soon complete the enhancement of his body''s foundation.


    On the flat ground in the yard, Renee had already laid out a dry, gray-patterned floral cloth, measuring roughly two meters square, with a large sponge underneath.


    Colin stepped onto it.


    The Yi Guang Breathing Method after the second breakthrough didn''t differ much in practice from before, just some minor adjustments.


    What really changed was the addition of a Traction Technique segment before and after the main practice... which he was now preparing to practice.


    This added part of the Traction Technique, in his view, was somewhat similar to the yoga of his previous life.


    The movements mainly included some stretching and pulling, along with many lying-down positions, thus requiring the support of a mat.


    At the same time, spiritual power would also regularly participate.


    This was the greatest difference from the ordinary Knight Breathing Method.


    The difficulty of these movements was not high, but their effects were extraordinary!


    The two key factors in breaking through the path of the knight¡ªcompressing Blood Energy and enhancing will¡ªwere both achieved by this Traction Technique!


    Swoosh.


    With his legs apart, he slowly lifted his right foot...


    As Colin began to move, invisible spiritual power also spread out from between his eyebrows, carrying a specific frequency and rhythmically passing through his limbs and bones.


    The Blood Energy within his body also started to tremble, then quickly began to rotate around the Life Seed under the effect of the will carried by the spiritual power, and gradually began to compress.


    Unlike Magic Power, pure spiritual power could be freely manipulated.


    For pure spiritual power, Blood Energy was like existing in two separate dimensions, making interference between the two difficult.


    However, generally speaking, the spiritual power wielded by a wizard is not purely spiritual power.


    Or rather, only inanimate objects can generate pure spiritual power.


    As long as there is life and consciousness, the spiritual power will inevitably be mixed with personal will.


    And will, to Blood Energy, is like wheels to a vehicle, precisely the key for Blood Energy to be obediently manipulated.


    The rationale of the Traction Technique added after breaking limits in the Yi Guang Breathing Method was exactly because of this.


    However, it was not limited to this.


    While thinking, the speed of the rotation of the Blood Energy cyclone inside Colin gradually slowed down.


    He began to feel the Blood Energy Group in his lower abdomen becoming as heavy as lead and mercury.


    After a while, when the Blood Energy Group inside his body had completely stopped and his will could no longer make it budge even slightly,


    Colin slowly got up, continuing to invest his spiritual power and began practicing the regular part of the Yi Guang Breathing Method.


    Underneath the movements of the Breathing Method, the energy in the flesh of his body was gradually mobilized and gathered, nourishing the gradually increasing Blood Energy.


    Colin''s eyebrows gradually knotted, his teeth clenched, and large beads of sweat began to emerge continuously from his forehead.


    If practicing the Yi Guang Breathing Method previously was merely physical torment, now after Limit Breaking, it added a torment of the spirit as well!


    The Blood Energy continued to increase, and the Blood Energy Group began to expand.


    Then, as if passing a critical threshold, the Blood Energy Group suddenly began to rotate on its own!


    Only this time, unlike before when the will drove the rotation of the Blood Energy, it was the Blood Energy that was driving the rotation embedded with will in the spiritual power!


    "Hiss¡ª" Colin pressed his lips tightly together.


    Initially, it felt tingling, as if countless tiny people were gently massaging inside his brain.


    But soon, that sensation abruptly intensified.


    Those tiny people vanished, replaced by a sensation as if his brain was being thrown into a constantly rotating grindstone, creating a crushing pain.


    Colin gritted his teeth and continued practicing the Yi Guang Breathing Method.


    These pains were not endured in vain...


    Only through such a process could his profound and mystical will be effectively and continuously strengthened!


    After a while, when the stockpiled energy of flesh and Blood inside his body was nearly depleted, Colin gradually stopped practicing.


    Although this all seemed long to speak of, from beginning to then, it had only been an hour.


    The Blood Energy Group that had revolved around the Life Seed, after being compressed, was like installing a specialized magnet inside the body, greatly accelerating the accumulation of Blood Energy.


    As the energy release from the Ancient Tree Heart was relatively slow, Colin had to stop and rest for a while after practicing for some time, waiting for the Ancient Tree Heart Crystal in his chest to release energy.


    Colin stood still, the sweat generated by the physical activity evaporating quickly due to the huge amount of heat, forming a misty vapor.


    He gently closed his eyes, feeling the Ancient Tree Heart in his chest.


    A stream of heat, still weak but stronger than before, slowly spread out and began to extend towards his limbs and bones.


    This flow of heat was like a refreshing spring, and where it flowed, the dry and tired flesh immediately recovered its full vitality.


    However, Colin''s attention was not there, but rather on the body of the Ancient Tree Heart Crystal itself.


    This crystal, which originated from a branch of the Ancient Tree of Life, had originally looked like a golden, hard gem.


    However, after continuous absorption during this period, one could now peer through its hard shell and see a molten, golden liquid moving inside.


    Compared to the strange liquid inside, the outer light golden hard shell seemed as insignificant as a firefly compared to the bright moon.


    ''It''s close...'' Colin retracted his attention.


    Based on the current progress, it wouldn''t be long before the hard shell of the Ancient Tree Heart Crystal completely disintegrated! sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Feeling his limbs and bones replete with energy again, he slowly opened his eyes, ready to continue practicing.


    However, the next second, Colin paused, his gaze suddenly shifting to the door not far away.


    A moment later,


    Knock knock knock¡ª


    A regular knocking sound rang out.

 Chapter 407 - 294: The Wind Rises

    The knocking persisted.


    But Colin didn''t hurry to the door; instead, he turned his gaze toward Renee, who was not far away.


    Renee nodded and, understanding intuitively, walked toward the entrance.


    Meanwhile, Colin slowly made his way to the pavilion in the garden.


    Creak, Renee opened the door.


    A middle-aged man dressed as a gentleman appeared behind it.


    His features were ordinary, but his attire was exquisite, even the two black moustaches above his lips were groomed perfectly.


    He exuded an aura of wealth and looked like he came from a notable background.


    "Good morning, madame," the man took off his black hat and greeted Renee.


    As for Colin, he was out of sight from the man''s perspective.


    "Good morning, Mr. Hosone," Renee replied politely.


    This was the owner of the villa and their landlord, a major real estate developer.


    The man smiled, put his hat back on, and said, "I happened to be passing by this morning and remembered that since you moved in, I haven''t yet come by for a visit.


    So I decided to drop in spontaneously, hoping I''m not causing any disturbance."


    While saying this, Hosone naturally stepped forward, trying to walk past Renee into the yard.


    But the next moment, Renee smoothly moved to block Hosone, and apologetically said:


    "The master is unwell due to the strains of travel... he''s not in a condition to receive visitors."


    Hosone paused, his pupils subtly constricted.


    This seemingly ordinary maid had moved so quickly he hadn''t even realized!


    And he was an Advanced Knight!


    "Unwell...?"


    After a moment, Hosone "surprisingly" looked up, speaking slowly and impeccably.


    "I am deeply sorry to hear this and hope that your master recovers soon."


    He looked at Renee, forced a smile back on his face, and took his leave:


    "Pardon my abrupt visit today, I shall come in person another time when I''m free."


    Renee watched as Hosone walked away and closed the door.


    On the other hand, once outside, Hosone''s expression turned complex.


    His blue eyes reflected surprise, as well as excitement.


    "Lord Hosone."


    As he reached the river, a tall figure appeared beside Hosone.


    "The tenant of Villa No. 5, mark them for special attention," Hosone instructed in a low voice as they walked slowly.


    "Yes!" the tall figure responded somberly.


    "But remember, do not attempt to disturb or spy on them."


    Hosone''s steps faltered slightly, then he spoke solemnly again.


    He gazed at the Leibo River beside him, his mind somewhat hazy.


    Deep inside, Hosone had a strong premonition¡ª


    Since he decisively gave up most benefits two years ago and stopped expanding his influence, waiting for the right opportunity¡ª


    This time, it might truly have arrived.


    "Wizard¡­" he murmured, lightly clenching his fist.


    As a prominent real estate developer in Nanao, his proudest achievement was his self-made background.


    Climbing from a common civilian family to his current status, he had exerted unimaginable effort, a time of glory.


    However, his greatest regret... was the same.


    Or more precisely¡ªhis origins.


    The essence of this world was the supremacy of power.


    The influence he possessed, in the face of real violence, was no more than a fragile sand tower built by children by the sea, ready to disappear without a trace under the waves...


    Hosone fell silent for a moment, then turned and left.


    Behind him, the waters of the Leibo River swirled, with blue fish leaping out of the surface, splashing water everywhere.


    Under the influence of gravity, it slowly fell down.


    Plop¡ª


    Somewhere in the sea domain. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In mid-air, a light aqua fish monster let out a wail, clutching its chest pierced by a stabbing vine, and fell into the sea, losing all sounds.


    Light red blood slowly dispersed in the azure seawater, attracting a few bloodthirsty sharks that silently swam near the small boat.


    On the boat, the beautiful young girl retracted the vines, and her slender figure gradually shrank, transforming into a delicate twelve or thirteen-year-old girl in moments.


    Splash splash¡ª


    The group of sharks tore at the fish monster, stirring up the seawater, which crashed against the side of the boat and shattered into spray.


    Lillian withdrew her gaze, indifferent to the sharks, and crossed the deck littered with the bodies of sailors brutally killed by the fish monster to reach the bow.


    "How much time has passed since I entered that space...?"


    She gazed at the vast ocean ahead, a worrisome thought crossing her mind.


    Extending her arm, a pale golden light emerged from Lillian''s palm.


    A strange and immense pressure instantly spread out.


    Wherever the pressure enveloped, the seawater seemed to become solemn.


    Swish swish swish!¡ª


    The acutely sensitive sharks quickly flicked their powerful tails and dived deep into the water, heading far away.


    "Mom..." Lillian whispered softly.


    In the Elf Kingdom, after crossing the Treasury Arch, she arrived not at a normal treasure vault but at a¡ª Secret Archive!


    A place exclusively reserved for the High Level Elves.


    The full name of this place was called¡ª Bloodline and Treasure Secret Archive.


    This was a place where only elves with High Level Elf bloodlines and who had made exceptional contributions could visit.


    And, true to its name, those High Level Elves who visited the Secret Archive could not only enhance their bloodlines but the most distinguished among them could obtain a highly precious treasure.


    Lillian retracted her hand.


    The pale golden light immediately extinguished, and the sounds around her again became vibrant.


    The sea breeze blew over, lifting her golden hair...


    It also revealed her somewhat different, tender pink ears ¨C the distinct pointed ears of a High Level Elf.


    "Bobi!"


    The little sprite Bobi stood on her shoulder, curiously inspecting the pointed ears very similar to its own.


    Lillian fidgeted a bit with her hair, perfectly hiding her pointed ears.


    She turned around and walked toward the captain''s cabin.


    After emerging from the Secret Archive, she hadn''t returned to the Elf Kingdom, to that grand hall.


    Instead, she landed directly in this sea domain.


    The fishing boat was adrift not far ahead at that time.


    So, almost inadvertently, she flew over to it.


    Unfortunately... the scene on board was akin to purgatorial hell.


    The sailors had encountered demons and had been massacred; the fish-shaped demons were holding a feast, enjoying the spoils on the deck¡­


    As she walked, Lillian nonchalantly cleaned the bloodstains and bodies... Unless something unexpected happened, this fishing boat would accompany her for a while.


    Upon reaching the captain''s cabin, Lillian took a quick look around, and briskly walked over to the sea maps on the captain''s desk.


    "Teg Cape¡­ Feveradi Fishing Port..."


    After a moment, Lillian breathed a sigh of relief.


    This place wasn''t far from the Siya Continent.


    If all went well, she could soon successfully return to the Siya Continent... back to Neustadt City.


    "I wonder how Grandfather is doing..."


    Lillian looked at the glittering sea through the cabin window, her face showing concern.

 Chapter 408 - 295: The Surge

    In the early morning, on the banks of the Leibo River.


    Fishermen, awake early, began to fish with bleary eyes, while the housewives, as usual, either fetched water or washed clothes by the riverbank.


    This was an ordinary morning.


    Knock knock knock¡ª


    However, a regular knocking suddenly rose at the door of Villa No. 5.


    "Renee, go see who it is."


    "Yes, Master."


    In the dining room, Renee nodded in response and quickly walked towards the yard.


    Colin picked up the white napkin in front of him and wiped the corner of his mouth, curious.


    These past few days had been lively, just yesterday morning that landlord named Hosone had come for a visit.


    And this morning, someone had come to visit again...


    However, the dining room didn''t have a window facing the yard, so he couldn''t see the specific situation.


    I''ll wait for Renee to come back...


    Shaking his head, he continued eating the lavish breakfast in front of him.


    He didn''t have to wait long. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Renee quickly returned, but she was holding a not-so-large square leather paper bag in her hand.


    "Master, for you."


    "What is this?"


    Colin reached out to take the paper bag and opened it, revealing several folded...newspapers?


    "The person who knocked a moment ago was a tall Knight... his strength should be that of a Great Knight." Renee explained, "He claimed to be under the orders of Landlord Hosone, bringing some things... Ah, then before I could react, he left the paper bag behind and departed."


    Colin nodded slightly and unfolded one of the "newspapers" in his hands.


    After seeing it clearly, an expression of surprise appeared on his face.


    It was actually several copies of daily announcements issued by the Supreme Council.


    Looking at the dates, they were indeed from the past few days.


    "He''s quite considerate..." he murmured softly to himself.


    During Hosone''s visit yesterday, he hadn''t taken it too seriously.


    The Fabados Kingdom was just a small country, and with his own strength, perhaps only the backing of the Royal Family could possess the power to contend.


    A mere real estate businessman, naturally, did not warrant too much attention.


    After all...he was cautious, not paranoid.


    "However, that Hosone is indeed a smart man."


    Colin caressed the announcement in his hand, smiling.


    This announcement from the Supreme Council was exactly what he desired.


    In the Wizard City, such announcements were easily obtainable.


    But outside of Wizard City, getting a hold of them was not so easy.


    "Next time that Knight comes again, give him...hm, five Magic Stones for each announcement."


    He lifted his head and instructed Renee.


    Having said that, he lowered his head and sorted through the Supreme Council''s announcements in chronological order.


    First was the announcement from the Yanan Calendar, November 5th¡ª


    "On November 4th of the Yanan Calendar, the Divine side launched another attack on the Soah Islands, but it was thwarted by the Wizard side..."


    After reading it through once, Colin quickly summarized in his mind.


    ''Good news.''


    A smile emerged on his face.


    It seemed that the Wizard side had indeed managed to secure a foothold on the Soah Islands.


    Next was the Yanan Calendar, November 6th.


    That day was calm at the frontlines, with no wars breaking out.


    However, the Supreme Council made a groundbreaking decision¡ªthat was to encourage all Wizards to research new types of witchcraft, new knowledge!


    This was an unusual decision.


    As far as he knew, at least for several hundred years,


    The Supreme Council had explicitly suggested that Wizards should not blindly explore new knowledge, new witchcraft,


    To lower the death rate of Wizards as they relentlessly pursued new knowledge and researched new witchcraft.


    Yet, unexpectedly, the attitude of the Supreme Council had taken a one hundred and eighty-degree turn...


    "Probably because of the war..."


    Colin reflected with a sigh and continued reading.


    In the second half of the announcement on November 6, many names of witchcraft were included.


    These were the first batch of recommended witchcraft for research particularly listed by the Supreme Council.


    As long as one achieved effective research results in these witchcraft and passed the assessment of the Supreme Council,


    then depending on the quality, one could exchange them for corresponding contribution points from the Supreme Council!


    "Water Armor Technique... Naga Transformation Skill... Odor Removal... Eh, there''s also the Deep Red Transformation Technique."


    Colin quickly skimmed through them, feeling somewhat eager to try.


    Not to mention anything else, just the Deep Red Transformation Technique, he already had effective research results at hand!


    ''Contribution points from the Supreme Council... those are valuable things.''


    He closed the November 6 announcement and took out the last one, dated November 7, also from the day before, and slowly unfolded it, ready to continue reading.


    However, the next second, as Colin saw the large headline in the first line of the announcement, his pupils couldn''t help but constrict.


    "Wizards have retreated to the Teiya Strait... How could this be?"


    He sat up straight, spread the paper out carefully, and read each word with a furrowed brow.


    Before long, after he had carefully read through it once, Colin''s heart felt somewhat relieved.


    The reason the Wizards'' front line had fallen back was not because of what he had imagined¡ªthe Soah Islands had been lost, leading to a retreat.


    Instead, it was a strategic move.


    The Supreme Council used almost an entire page to explain why the Wizards had chosen to proactively fall back.


    However, in Colin''s eyes, all that was said boiled down to one thing¡ª


    Terrain reasons.


    The original Soah Islands were scattered and not conducive to defense, whereas the Teiya Strait was the exact opposite and extremely suitable for defense.


    Therefore, the Wizards had chosen to strategically withdraw, gathering strength and waiting for the time to counterattack.


    ''The situation doesn''t look good...''


    Closing the announcement, Colin couldn''t help but sigh.


    Even if it was a strategic retreat, it was still a retreat.


    Those lost islands would not be so easy to reclaim later on...


    And regardless of the situation, such a withdrawal of the defensive line inevitably hid another reason¡ª


    The Wizards... were running low on war power.


    At the very least, they were no longer able to hold the Soah Islands...


    All must rely on a retreat to gain time to recuperate and rebuild their strength.


    Exhaling a turbid breath, Colin put away the announcement.


    ''The war between Wizards and the Divine is like a dark cloud, always looming overhead, leaving no moment of peace...''


    He stood up and quickly walked toward the courtyard.


    Although the Siya Continent could be considered calm for now, according to the current war situation, turmoil would inevitably spread.


    When that time came, in this world where power is supreme, everything will become more naked and exposed...


    ''Only personal strength is the only thing that can be relied upon.''


    Stepping onto the courtyard, Colin stood on the mat that Renee had laid out and began practicing the Traction Technique.


    Everything about this villa was good, except that it lacked a suitable basement, having only two narrow cellars and a low underground shelter next to them, not even as big as a bedroom.


    ''Perhaps because it''s close to the river, and the underground is prone to water seepage...''


    For this reason, he could only practice the Breathing Skill in the open space of the courtyard on ordinary days.


    However, there was a Meditation Room built in the master bedroom, which was rare in a normal mortal kingdom.


    He didn''t know for what reason...


    But it was precisely because of this Meditation Room that he eventually decided to live here.


    Shaking his head, Colin continued his practice.


    He focused his attention on his chest; the golden Ancient Tree Heart Crystal had changed a bit more compared to two days ago.


    Its outer hard, pale golden shell had been mostly absorbed, leaving only a thin layer.


    ''If all goes well... perhaps today, it can be completely absorbed.''


    Colin exhaled gently and stepped off the mat, starting to practice the main part of the Yi Guang Breathing Method.

 Chapter 409 - 296: Mission Accomplished

    Accompanied by the motions of the Yi Guang Breathing Method,


    Colin''s muscular energy was efficiently extracted, forming a trickle of a stream that continuously nourished the Blood Qi Group in his lower abdomen, slowly growing in size.


    During this process, the shell of the Ancient Tree Heart Crystal in his chest also began to dissolve slightly, releasing a weak heat flow.


    After a short time, having completed the Yi Guang Breathing Method twice, the energy in his flesh was nearly depleted.


    Colin ceased his movements, waiting for the heat flow released by the Ancient Tree Heart Crystal to recover his physical energy.


    At the same time, he closed his eyes and focused on the crystal in his chest.


    "If the thickness of the crystal shell was comparable to an eggshell just now, then now it''s at most similar to the thickness of a few sheets of paper stacked together... Progress is good."


    Observing for a moment, Colin came to a conclusion.


    By now, the energy within his flesh had been replenished; he opened his eyes and continued to practice the Yi Guang Breathing Method.


    However, after completing the method twice this time,


    Colin was surprised to find that the changes in the crystal shell of the Ancient Tree Heart in his chest were minuscule compared to before¡ª


    about only a fifth of the absorption from last time.


    At the same time, perhaps for the same reason, the released heat flow was also less, resulting in a slower recovery of his muscular energy than before.


    "The deeper I go, the harder the absorption becomes..." Colin pondered.


    He took a breath, his expression unchanged, quietly waiting for the recovery of the energy in his flesh.


    Many things are like this, increasing in difficulty as one progresses... He had long been mentally prepared for this.


    At least with the Golden Paper present, as long as he continued to practice without ceasing, he would never stop progressing before reaching his limit.


    Absorbing the Ancient Tree Heart Crystal was the same.


    Even if the absorption rate had slowed down, the moment of completely assimilating the shell and contacting its core essence was estimated to be within the next few days.


    About half an hour passed, and his muscular energy was restored.


    He began practicing the Yi Guang Breathing Method once again.


    And so, he continued back and forth until dusk fell.


    In the dimly lit front yard of the villa,


    Crack.


    A faint sound arose within Colin''s heart.


    He exhaled a breath of murky air and slowly ceased his movements.


    The glow of the setting sun outlined his tall figure.


    If one observed closely, they would also notice the soil under his feet was darker than the surrounding ground¡ª


    marks of sweat-soaked land.


    Colin turned his attention to the crystal in his chest.


    An imperceptible crack had appeared on the left side of the crystal!


    "It''s a pity... it cracked from the inside and did not penetrate the entire outer shell."


    Colin opened his eyes, sighed, and went inside to prepare for meditation.


    Yanan Calendar, November 11th.


    In the dining room of Villa No. 5,


    Colin was looking over the Supreme Council bulletin that had arrived today.


    Since Hosone sent a bulletin three days ago, this seemed to have become a daily routine.


    Each morning, a bulletin was promptly delivered, and these days it was accompanied by some other newspapers, such as the Merredith City daily.


    As for the Magic Stone that Renee had paid, the delivering Great Knight did not stubbornly refuse as he had expected, but rather calmly accepted it.


    This, in turn, had increased his favorable impression of the shrewd real estate agent.


    There was nothing significant on the Supreme Council bulletin for November 10th. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, the Merredith City daily had an interesting piece of news¡ª


    The trade in Elf slaves, which had been banned for a thousand years, was once again legal in the market, and the prices of Elf Clan goods had all dropped sharply... It seemed to be the impact of the war.


    After all, traitors are always more despised.


    Closing the newspaper, Colin stood up and went to the yard to start a new day of cultivation.


    Eyes closed, spirits concentrated.


    The surface of the Ancient Tree Heart Crystal in his chest was now covered with cracks, dense like a spider''s web.


    It appeared fragile, as if it would shatter upon touch.


    "Perhaps today?"


    Colin''s expression was unchanged, meticulously continuing with the Traction Technique.


    The rising sun slowly painted glimmers of light over the Leibo River.


    The sound of the distant bustle reached him, but when it arrived at the villa, it became faint, accentuating the quiet here.


    On this stretch of river belonging to the villa area, fishermen usually did not come, nor did women come here to wash clothes.


    Even passersby mostly hurried past without lingering,


    Afraid of disturbing the nobles residing here.


    In the silence, the gurgling of the river, the rustling of the wind, the chirping of insects, and the calling of birds... sounds that might not usually be noticed now became the main melody.


    Until¡ª


    A crisp, substantial crack sounded!


    "?"


    Renee, as usual, was sitting in the gazebo in the yard, reading her book, occasionally glancing at the diligent master of the house.


    But this crisp crack interrupted her thoughts, causing her to look up involuntarily.


    "Take Demi and the little Elf Nasi to the basement for a while."


    Before Renee could react, she saw Colin, his face both solemn and joyful, issue the command in a deep voice.


    "Yes, Master." Renee didn''t hesitate, nodded quickly in response, and then called Demi and the little Elf Nasi to the basement.


    Colin took a breath, waved his hand, and set up witchcraft in the yard to prevent sound and light from escaping.


    After doing this, as if he could no longer contain himself, he eagerly continued to practice the Yi Guang Breathing Method.


    Swoosh¡ª!


    With each of his movements,


    The crystal of the Ancient Tree Heart on his chest seemed to trigger a chain reaction; the outer shell, covered in fissures, began to shatter from the position where a small piece had just flaked off.

 Chapter 410 - 296 Success_2

    In the blink of an eye, the Ancient Tree Heart Crystal Shell completely shattered!


    Golden...


    An indescribable, noble gold.


    The gilded liquid, no longer restrained by its original tough shell, could not maintain its gem-like shape and began to spread evenly in all directions.


    "Ugh!"


    Colin''s pupils contracted, and he involuntarily let out a muffled grunt.


    The moment his flesh touched the molten-rock-like liquid material, it was as if he actually came into contact with scorching hot lava, feeling an intense burning pain!


    This overwhelmingly domineering energy seemed to be something his body could not bear at its current state.


    Upon contact, his cells were not strengthened but instead instantly eroded and destroyed, presenting a burnt appearance.


    At this moment, the Strong Life Talent was stimulated and began to operate spontaneously.


    Under its powerful effect, the burnt flesh cells were continuously healed and then destroyed, temporarily maintaining a balance.


    But the heat could not disappear into thin air; an invisible heat wave radiated outwards from Colin at the center.


    The extremely high temperature even instantly evaporated the moisture from the grass on the ground, turning the lawn yellow.


    Fortunately, Renee had already taken Demi and Nasi down to the basement, and there was no one else in the yard.


    He clenched his teeth and subconsciously continued the movements of the Yi Guang Breathing Method.


    The Blood Qi Group in his lower abdomen slowly began to rotate, absorbing energy from the flesh.


    Gradually, it also began to absorb the far stronger "heat current" from his chest than ever before.


    A trace of relief flashed across Colin''s pained face.


    His instinct was not wrong; such an action indeed alleviated the pain.


    Colin emptied his mind, allowing his subconscious to take over, mechanically repeating the exercises of the Yi Guang Breathing Method.


    And in this way, he had no idea how much time had passed.


    The liquid material at his chest had reduced a bit, and the pain had significantly decreased; he was finally able to divert some energy to check on himself.


    Upon inspecting, Colin was taken aback.


    Under the vision of his spiritual power, the Blood Qi Group inside his body had almost completely changed.


    Originally, the Blood Qi Group was nearly colorless, or with a slight touch of red energy.


    However, at this moment, the Blood Qi Group was completely dyed a cyan-gold color, and not only had the color changed, but its state also appeared denser and thicker than before.


    If the original Blood Qi Group was like thin mist, then the current energy group was like solid cotton.


    Unlike Magic Power, which mainly stays within the Magic Sea, Blood Energy constantly travels through the limbs and core with the flow of blood.


    So when Colin discovered the anomaly in the Blood Qi Group at his lower abdomen, it also meant that the altered Blood Qi had already spread throughout his entire body with the flow of his blood.


    As he realized this, a somewhat familiar, yet slightly different sensation gradually became clearer¡ª


    It was as if... the physical enhancement from Advancing to Great Knight?


    Slowly, a tingling feeling overtook the pain.


    Colin concentrated his attention, and his consciousness followed the Blood Qi flowing throughout his body. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In this process, he could clearly see that every piece of tissue where the Blood Qi passed seemed to receive invisible nourishment, with a gleaming light flowing within.


    A strong and abundant sense of power emerged spontaneously.


    But before he could observe more,


    A sudden sense of swelling pain came from his lower abdomen.


    Colin''s heart tightened, realizing that it was because the Blood Qi capacity had reached its limit.


    So he stopped the movements of the Yi Guang Breathing Method and switched to the Traction Technique instead.


    Under the effect of the Traction Technique, the Blood Qi Group kept rotating and compressing, its color growing deeper and deeper.


    Gradually, from its original light cyan with some gold, it turned into a dense and thick cyan-gold color, like that of ancient, solid copper.


    Having stopped the Yi Guang Breathing Method, the efficiency of absorbing the liquid at his chest decreased, and the pain began to increase.


    However, fortunately, the Traction Technique also had the ability to strengthen the Blood Qi, promoting the absorption of the liquid material, so the pain was bearable for the time being.


    For nearly the entire morning, Colin repeated this process.


    Continuously switching back and forth between the Traction Technique and the Yi Guang Breathing Method.


    Of course, the results were quite remarkable.


    He could feel his strength growing, and his speed had also significantly increased.


    And not to mention the Blood Qi Group within his body, it was even smaller than before in volume.


    But in terms of quality, it was almost more than ten times greater!


    Even if the enhancement process were to stop right now, he would have already achieved his original goal of foundational body enhancement!


    And far exceeded the average standard of more than ten times a Great Knight''s level!


    However, Colin still did not stop, or rather, could not stop.


    The liquid material from the chest''s Ancient Tree Heart Crystal was not yet fully absorbed and continued to cause damage.


    Were it not for the Strong Life Talent, he might have already been eroded and destroyed by this energy.


    But like its shell, the liquid material inside the Ancient Tree Heart Crystal was increasingly difficult to absorb towards the end.


    Of course, the quality of energy was also higher, which would have been a good thing... if the resulting pain was not becoming stronger as well.


    And so, until dusk fell, Colin finally absorbed most of the liquid from the Ancient Tree Heart Crystal in his chest.


    Only the last drop remained...


    "Anilasa¡ª!"


    In the dim twilight, a strange whisper sounded by Colin''s ear.


    He suddenly opened his eyes.


    The burning sensation in his chest had disappeared without him knowing when.

 Chapter 411 - 296 Successful Completion_3

    Colin understood that the Ancient Tree Heart in his chest had not been fully absorbed yet.


    Only the last drop remained... or rather, one seed.


    A peculiar golden substance in the shape of a seed.


    An ominous feeling surged within Colin''s heart.


    "Anilasa¡ª" The strange whispers continued by his ear.


    Colin looked around at the silent surroundings, and cold sweat began to bead on his forehead.


    Under the influence of such whispering, a bizarre urge to find a suitable place to bury himself in the ground emerged in his heart!


    As if he thought he was a seed.


    ''There really are no benefits that come for free in this world!''


    Colin forced a smile, his expression bitter.


    But waiting idly for death was not his style!


    He composed himself and began practicing the Yi Guang Breathing Method without hesitation!


    That seed, hidden within the core of the Ancient Tree Heart Crystal, no matter how peculiar in appearance, was ultimately part of the Ancient Tree Heart.


    And as long as it was part of the Ancient Tree Heart, then it should be able to be absorbed with the help of the Limit Breaking-optimized Yi Guang Breathing Method!


    Hum¡ª


    As he moved, the golden seed trembled slightly, and a faint golden mist spread from its surface.


    But in the next moment, as if sensing danger, the seed glowed faintly.


    The golden mist seemed to be influenced by some suction force and contracted back in the blink of an eye.


    Colin steeled his heart, not overthinking it, and continued to practice the Yi Guang Breathing Method meticulously.


    And so, some time passed.


    When he had completed a round of the Yi Guang Breathing Method practice.


    An extraordinary change occurred.


    Pale golden particles converged.


    On the Golden Paper that lay between illusion and reality.


    As usual during practice, ¡ü a symbol flashed behind the Yi Guang Breathing Method, indicating improvement.


    At the same time, the golden seed in his chest shrank slightly, with a thin mist of golden fog dispersing from its surface.


    Hum¡ª


    The golden seed shone brightly.


    Yet it was ineffective.


    The golden mist, unaffected, flowed toward Colin''s lower abdomen just like the previous liquid substance, unwavering in its course.


    Seeing this, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    Progress was inevitable in cultivation.


    This was the fundamental principle of the Golden Paper.


    Even when faced with the remnants of the Ancient Tree of Life, it was the same.


    He closed his eyes again and continued the practice of the Yi Guang Breathing Method.


    "Hmm?"


    But in the next moment, he suddenly noticed something different.


    The golden mist, upon reaching the lower abdomen, did not fuse into the Blood Qi Group to nourish and expand it as he had expected.


    Instead, it penetrated the outer layers of Blood Energy, which had become almost liquid, and went straight to the center¡ª


    Right where the Life Seed was located.


    Then, it slowly merged into the Life Seed.


    Initially, Colin thought that there had been another mishap.


    But that scattering golden mist was fundamentally only Energy, just somewhat special. And under the influence of the Golden Paper, it had been completely tamed. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Neither his body nor his intuition conveyed any sense of anomaly.


    So, he didn''t overthink it and continued practicing the Yi Guang Breathing Method.


    As the golden seed continued to diminish in size, the whispers by his ear grew weaker and sporadic.


    About two hours passed.


    With continuous absorption, the golden seed in Colin''s chest was finally thoroughly exhausted.


    At the moment when the golden seed was worn away,


    In an immeasurably vast black expanse of the starry sky.


    An indescribably enormous tree seemed to tremble lightly, its body comparable to a planet, unimaginably huge and majestic.


    However, the slight movement was fleeting, and it returned to tranquility as if nothing mattered.


    Elsewhere, in the yard.


    Colin had not yet opened his eyes.


    The Life Seed in his lower abdomen seemed to have accumulated a certain amount and undergone a significant transformation.


    Crack, at a certain moment... his Life Seed... split open.


    Or rather, it sprouted and grew.


    Like a silkworm spinning silk, delicate gold filaments like leaf veins surged from the Life Seed, enveloping the now completely liquefied azure-gold Blood Energy.


    In the blink of an eye, a complexly structured, elliptical organ formed.


    The entire process was swift, and by the time Colin realized, everything had already settled.


    ''Is this... a new organ?''


    ''An Extraordinary Organ?''

 Chapter 412 - 297 Invitation

    The extraordinary organ, shaped like an oval, continuously inhaled and exhaled Green Gold Blood Energy resembling a swimming dragon.


    Much like a heart, the Green Gold Blood Energy circulated continuously and stably through the extraordinary organ and into the limbs and bones.


    With each cycle of inhalation and exhalation, the Green Gold Blood Energy underwent bizarre transformations.


    Its color became purer, resembling molten gems¡ªclear yet substantial, and the density of the energy was enhanced.


    In this manner, after several cycles, the blood energy inside the body underwent a renewal once again.


    The current blood energy could hardly be called blood energy anymore.


    Yet it was still genuinely energy derived from the pure human body!


    Only its level was higher than that of regular blood energy!


    The body did not feel the slightest rejection nor did the spirit suffer any impact.


    It did not acquire any habits like those from Bloodline Transformation, nor did it become indifferent to emotions and desires like Element Transformation¡­


    Colin retained his complete humanity!


    "Wizard training isn''t about becoming an indifferent god.


    The true path of a wizard, the more you practice, the clearer your original heart becomes, the more sincerely... your true self emerges."


    Colin curled his lips into a smile, reaching out to swipe at his now bare chest.


    The gray-white dead skin instantly flaked off, revealing newborn-like delicate skin underneath, as smooth as luminous jade.


    There was hardly a pore or flaw to be seen.


    Although the Green Gold Energy inside his body had stabilized, the transformation of his body was not yet complete.


    The change in the skin was merely the most trivial aspect.


    The muscle fibers, organs, cell vitality¡­ and even vision and hearing were significantly enhanced.


    And the transformation continued.


    "About¡­ ten more days?"


    Colin controlled a pulse of Green Gold Energy, shaking off all the dead skin from his naked body.


    The standard wizard robe he had worn had a certain temperature resistance, but had already turned to ashes due to intense heat earlier.


    Now, he was naked, with only the more heat-resistant storage ring and witch tools remaining¡­ somewhat eye-catching.


    However, there were no people in the courtyard at the moment, and it was shielded by witchcraft, so there was nothing to fear.


    Yet in fact, although Colin was unaware,


    the faint silver-white moonlight that fell, combined with his incomparably handsome appearance and nearly perfect physique,


    presented a scene that was pleasing to the eye for most people.


    Buzz¡ª


    After shaking off the dead skin, Colin did not immediately withdraw the Green Gold Energy.


    Instead, he controlled it to carefully circulate through his limbs and bones, feeling the strength enhancement the Green Gold Energy provided him.


    "Approximately a five to ten times increase in physical strength?"


    Colin waved his hand lightly, estimating roughly.


    "But now, what exactly is my pure physical strength?"


    He thought for a moment and subconsciously prepared to jump on the spot to simply test it.


    But in the next moment, Colin quickly stopped his motion, waving his hand to take out a new set of wizard robes from his storage ring to put on.


    Then, he cast Invisible Shadow and Silent Spell on himself.


    Although the Invisible Shadow of a limit break could now only hide some slowly moving objects, it offered some cover.


    Moreover, if he jumped too high, people looking up from below against the unchanged black night sky.


    In the situation where the illuminated light does not change much, even if he moved quickly, the background would remain essentially unchanged.


    In such a case, according to the principle of the Invisible Shadow, it should perfectly hide his figure¡­


    Colin bent his knees slightly, expectancy gleaming in his eyes.


    He could feel his body, like a dormant volcano, harboring surging power.


    But one''s own sensation, at many times, was somewhat deceptive¡­


    His knees gradually bent to ninety degrees, and the muscles of his calves and thighs suddenly tensed!


    Immediately after, an unrivaled force started from his soles, traveling upward along the bones and muscles of his legs to the dragon-like spine and through his entire body.


    Leap!


    Under the effect of the Silent Spell, no sound was emitted, but the ground of the villa''s front yard suddenly exploded into a huge crater.


    Mud and dust splattered everywhere.


    Amidst the smoke and dust, Colin''s figure had already vanished.


    Looking up into the night sky, it was empty.


    But if one could see through the Invisible Shadow, they would clearly notice a blond figure beside the enormous moon in the night sky.


    Whoosh¡ªwhoosh¡ª


    The sound of the wind continuously brushed past his ears, the momentum of his ascent still ongoing.


    Colin looked down at the gradually shrinking villa, his heart surging with excitement.


    He was not unfamiliar with heights.


    Even then, the height he reached with the sheer leap of his body wasn''t very high, approximately just over ten meters. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In his past life, this was merely the equivalent of the height of six or seven floors.


    And using Flying Witchcraft, he could reach heights of thousands of meters.


    The two were entirely incomparable.


    But the feeling of leaping to such a height purely with physical strength felt starkly different from using witchcraft.


    Overall, it was somewhat like¡­ a superhero from a movie in his previous life?


    Colin''s upward momentum gradually slowed, finally pausing briefly at the peak.


    Then, under the force of gravity, he began to fall, the wind flipping his wizard robe upward, the gray hems noisily flapping.


    Colin made no move, simply letting gravity pull him downward.


    He fell straight down, only slightly bending his knees just before reaching the ground.


    Boom!


    The Silent Spell was still in effect, so the fall was also silent.

 Chapter 413 - 297: Invitation_2

    But the trembling earth and the fluttering dust were more than enough to fill the onlookers'' minds with the sound of the collision.


    ''My own weight now¡­ seems to be no longer that of an ordinary person.''


    Rising to his feet, Colin smiled.


    With his current physical control ability, some techniques for dissipating force felt as natural as innate talents, effortlessly executed.


    Throughout the process, he had not sustained a single injury, just like a normal person making an ordinary jump.


    Moreover, whether leaping or falling, he had not used any Green Gold Energy or Magic Power to assist him; everything relied on his own body.


    ''Such a powerful body¡­ and the transformation isn''t even fully complete.


    If I add the amplification of Green Gold Energy¡­ I could already be considered extraordinary!''


    ''However, this Green Gold Energy¡­ perhaps is no longer suitable to be called Blood Energy.''


    Colin furrowed his brows and pondered:


    "Call it Blood Power? Green Energy?"


    "Hmm... Bronze Fighting Aura, perhaps that''s more appropriate."


    "Right now, I would consider myself a Bronze Knight, or perhaps¡­ a First Rank Knight."


    Eventually, Colin settled on the naming.


    If the path of a Knight could break through to a Great Knight, then this meant that the current Bronze Knight was not the end either.


    There would certainly be increases in the future.


    ''Have I now created a new system of the extraordinary?''


    But soon enough, Colin shook his head and strode toward the basement to call out Renee and the others who were in hiding.


    The experience that had allowed him to become a Bronze Knight was quite convoluted, and he didn''t know if it could be replicated.


    Even if it could be replicated, without the Ancient Tree Heart Crystal formed from the remnants of the Ancient Tree of Life, it would likely be difficult to reach his current level of strength¡­


    As he walked, Colin thought randomly.


    Advancing to a First Rank Knight brought comprehensive changes, not only to his strong physique but there were also many subtle aspects waiting to be discovered.


    Especially since his advancement was so unique.


    ''No need to rush¡­ The body transformation isn''t even fully complete.''


    ''At least what can be discovered now is that the Strong Life Talent has also advanced to Strong Life (Golden).


    And the Limit Breaking Points have yet to be used.''


    Golden Paper gradually disappeared.


    In the moonlight, Colin moved with a light step.


    Nothing could be more pleasing than an improvement in strength.


    ...


    The next day.


    It was still early morning.


    Colin slept in for a change.


    Around nine in the morning, he pushed open the door to his bedroom.


    Renee was standing outside, apparently having been waiting there for some time.


    "Master, good morning," Renee greeted, then continued, "A visitor is looking for you, it''s the landlord Hosone¡­ He has been here since sunrise and has been waiting for three hours."


    "Hosone, huh... I know," Colin smiled, "After I finish breakfast, bring him to the study."


    Yesterday''s advancement had left him in a rather good mood, whereas previously, if he had been busy cultivating, he would certainly not have agreed to meet this property dealer.


    But now, he was suddenly interested.


    ...


    "Sir, the maid has come."


    Outside Villa Number Five, on the banks of the Leibo River.


    The tall Knight spoke in a low voice to the middle-aged man beside him who was dressed meticulously and was watching the river scene with his hands behind his back.


    "Hmm," Hosone withdrew his gaze, nodded slightly, and quickly walked to the gate.


    Although he had been standing here for three hours, his expression remained calm, his stature upright.


    Creak¡ª


    The tall black iron gate opened.


    There stood the beautiful and serene young maid before the two men, her expression polite as she spoke:


    "The master has agreed to see you, Mr. Hosone."


    "Very well, Miss."


    Hosone revealed a genuine smile and instructed the towering figure beside him with a few words before he alone stepped into the courtyard.


    Renee led Hosone toward the study.


    Colin had given instructions earlier that without his consent, all visitors must be turned away from the door and not allowed to step even halfway into the courtyard.


    This morning when Hosone came to visit, Colin was not yet awake, so of course, he was turned away from the door.


    Renee had thought Hosone would leave, but he had unexpectedly waited until now.


    The two walked one after the other through the courtyard.


    Around them lay a scene of complete disarray.


    The withered vegetation, like a lawn that had been bombed... The traces of Colin''s advancement from the day before had not yet been cleaned up.


    After all, with the landlord just behind her, Renee wanted to say something, but eventually she closed her mouth and silently led the way in front.


    However, although Hosone''s expression remained calm as he followed behind, his mind was anything but tranquil.


    It wasn''t that he felt distressed, but the destruction in the courtyard unequivocally confirmed his suspicions.


    "Perhaps he''s practicing witchcraft?" he thought to himself, feeling somewhat disheartened yet also hopeful:


    "Such power... indeed, only a Wizard could be considered extraordinary!


    Knights... in the end, are merely mortals."


    Knock knock knock¡ª


    "Please come in."


    Hosone stepped into the study.


    He was naturally familiar with this villa study, having designed and built it himself.


    Even the study in his usual residence was arranged in the same way.


    Except that the furniture and decorations used there were even more expensive, there was not a single difference...


    So on days when he would visit these villas, especially the study, he often felt an illusion of returning home.


    However, this time, as he stepped inside,


    The usual illusion disappeared in an instant like grains of sand slipping through his fingertips.


    He just felt that the room was incredibly unfamiliar.


    The reason was nothing else¡ª


    But the blond and handsome man sitting at the main seat behind the desk, and the barely perceptible pressure of a superior life form that he was unintentionally radiating.


    "What''s the matter?"


    Noticing Hosone''s changed demeanor, Colin frowned and spoke out.


    His voice was like the last straw to clutch at when drowning.


    When it fell, the overwhelming and rigid pressure, like the tide, receded away.


    Hosone, caring not for his composure, gasped for air.


    On the other side, Colin examined himself thoughtfully.


    "A superior creature''s pressure, similar to Dragon Power... Clearly, this is not a power that comes from the path of the Knight; it must be related to the Ancient Tree Heart Crystal."


    "No wonder Renee looked somewhat strange when I saw her earlier."


    This pressure, when he was unaware, was like his breathing, passively continuous.


    And once he became aware of it, the passivity, just like an instinct, could be freely controlled.


    It was now that Colin actively retracted this pressure.


    "Good morning, esteemed Lord Nade."


    Having recovered his senses, Hosone took out a handkerchief to wipe the fine sweat from his forehead and quickly greeted Colin.


    He was uncertain whether the pressure just now had been deliberate by Colin, so he added with a smile: S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Please forgive my rudeness."


    But the pressure had truly been too terrifying; Hosone hadn''t yet fully recovered, and his expression was still somewhat stiff, lacking its usual composure.


    "It doesn''t matter; it was my oversight," Colin responded casually, with a slight hint of apology in his tone.


    He was a reasonable person, not averse to acknowledging his own mistakes.


    As for Nade, that was the alias he used while here.


    "Mr. Hosone, may I ask what brings you to me this time?"


    Having said that, Colin continued to inquire.


    After this incident, he realized his body still had many strange aspects, and subconsciously he wanted to study it thoroughly.


    Thus, his interest in continuing the conversation with Hosone slightly waned.


    However, he had a good impression of Hosone before him.


    The ability to exert pressure that he had obtained after advancing came to light because of Hosone''s discovery.


    Overall, he still had the patience to continue the conversation with Hosone, not in any particular rush.


    "I''ve come to extend an invitation to Lord Nade."


    Hosone paused, then cut straight to the chase.


    He had planned to exchange pleasantries before getting to the point, but the unexpected pressure had disrupted his plans.


    However, this might be for the best, as he keenly noticed Colin seemed to want to finish the conversation quickly.


    "Perhaps he has other urgent matters to attend to?"


    Not daring to speculate further, Hosone carefully chose his words and continued:


    "In the near future, the Royal Family will host a gathering at the Jade Hall in Nanao.


    I happen to have two invitations, so I wanted to ask if you might be interested?"

 Chapter 414 - 298 Lies

    "The gathering of the Merredith Royal Family?" Colin asked aloud.


    "Uh..." Hosone''s face flickered with a scarcely detectable embarrassment before he paused and explained:


    "It''s more accurate to say it''s a gathering amongst merchants, hosted by the royal family, primarily inviting major merchants from throughout the nation of Fabados.


    However, since it''s hosted by a member of the Royal Family¡­ usually it''s either a Prince or a Princess."


    Colin''s attitude was more temperate than he had imagined.


    But the calmer he was, the harder it became for Hosone to handle him like those business associates, fluidly and with ease.


    Controlling the rhythm of the conversation became a task he couldn''t master.


    Colin nodded slightly, listening patiently as Hosone spoke, then shook his head, declining politely:


    "Sorry, I''m not particularly interested in gatherings."


    "Lord Nade, along with every gathering there is also a small auction," Hosone, as if having anticipated this, said promptly:


    "I''ve learned that amongst the items at this auction, there is a token from the Ranti School in Meredith City.


    Possessing it allows one to join a genuine Wizard School."


    ''So that''s how it is.''


    At that moment, Colin suddenly realized.


    No wonder Hosone was confident enough to invite him to some gathering.


    He had taken him for a Wandering Wizard.


    For a Wandering Wizard, a token that enables joining a Wizard School is naturally an enormous temptation.


    However, for him, who had already joined the second-tier School in Neustadt City¡ªthe Tin Saint School¡ªthe so-called Ranti School token seemed rather insignificant.


    But Hosone''s purpose¡­ Colin''s thoughts spun, speculating¡ª


    Perhaps¡­ he wanted to use this as leverage, or, maybe, to form a good connection?


    After all, if he were to attend the auction, it would certainly be through Hosone''s channel.


    He would naturally bear the mark of Hosone''s influence.


    Beyond that, there should be no other intentions.


    The gathering itself shouldn''t pose any risks¡­ Hosone did not strike him as a fool.


    Colin pondered quietly, not feeling particularly concerned.


    If he were a Wandering Wizard, this might have been a win-win opportunity.


    Unfortunately¡­ he was not a Wandering Wizard, with no such necessity.


    "Sorry, but I have no intentions of joining a School."


    Colin looked at Hosone and declined again, then after pausing he added:


    "Is there anything else, Mr. Hosone? If not, I have some matters to attend to soon..."


    Upon hearing his words, Hosone''s expression visibly stiffened.


    He had not expected that Colin in front of him had no interest in a token for joining a School...


    Could it be that he already had a token?


    "The Ranti School is ranked among the top hundred Schools in Meredith City, and it''s known for its relaxed admission conditions," Hosone emphasized again somewhat unwillingly.


    As for Colin already being a member of a School¡­ he''d considered the possibility, but ultimately felt it was unlikely.


    Whether it was the way Colin conducted himself or his performance since arriving in Nanao, he seemed more like a Wandering Wizard.


    Those School Wizards always carried themselves with an air of superiority.


    Even the most amiable among them could only convey their arrogance through their genteel demeanor.


    They would never be as unassuming as Colin.


    He surmised that the greater likelihood was either that Colin already had a token to join a School or that he truly didn''t intend to join one.


    "Sorry."


    After listening to Hosone, Colin''s smile disappeared, and he shook his head calmly again.


    His refusal was made abundantly clear.


    Seeing this, Hosone tensed internally, sighed quietly, then decided to take his leave:


    "Since Lord Colin has no such inclinations, I will not trouble you further."


    "Mmhmm."


    After Hosone''s departure, Colin rose and went over to the study window, silently watching Hosone walk out of the villa entrance, pass through the courtyard, and leave.


    Hosone had the sense to know when to advance and when to retreat, not lingering unnecessarily.


    If this trip had been purely for leisure, he might have had the free time to accompany Hosone to see what a Royal gathering in this world actually entailed.


    To gain some knowledge, to experience the culture and customs.


    However, time was now too precious for him.


    The war was still ongoing; he couldn''t afford to waste time elsewhere.


    Withdrawing his gaze, Colin silently made his way towards the Meditation Room.


    The Knight had already successfully advanced, and there was no need to spend as much time on the Yi Guang Breathing Method for now.


    Even without waiting for his bodily transformation to be complete after some time, he already more than met the requirements for strengthening his body.


    What he needed to do now was to strengthen the connection between his body and soul...


    This was also the final step in strengthening the foundation of his body.


    Of course, he also needed to meditate to improve his Wizard Level.


    Once all this was done, it would be time for him to return to Neustadt City.


    By the Leibo River. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hosone walked out of Villa No. 5, his face as calm as still water, though his step lacked its previous lightness.


    "My lord?"


    The Great Knight, his close bodyguard, stepped forward and asked in a low voice.


    Beside him stood a young man and woman, a pair of siblings.


    "Dad! What did you call me here for? I had an appointment with Carl to go hunting today!" complained the younger of the two, clearly discontent.


    "Father." The girl, about fifteen or sixteen years old, greeted softly, her demeanor serene.

 Chapter 415 - 298: Lies_2

    Hosone glanced at his son and didn''t say much more.


    Instead, he turned his head towards his daughter and gently responded.


    The youth on the other side, after receiving Hosone''s glance, immediately calmed down, hastened to close his mouth, and dared not say anything more.


    Based on his experience, his father was probably in a bad mood now, so it was best not to get in the way!


    Hosone led the way forward.


    He had originally called his son and daughter here, hoping to introduce them to the Wizard Nade... perhaps, even secure apprenticeships.


    For a land developer like him, although he occasionally heard about School Tokens, that was all it amounted to ¨C hearsay.


    Acquiring one was a Herculean task.


    Or rather, even if one could be obtained by spending a fortune, it likely couldn''t be kept.


    Therefore, taking a Wandering Wizard as a teacher was also a good option in his eyes.


    Sadly, he had observed Colin''s demeanor, which clearly had reached a tipping point.


    Proposing an excessive demand now could backfire and any goodwill built so far might turn to dust.


    So in the end, he did not bring up the matter again.


    "What a pity¡­"


    "It seems I must look elsewhere for hope at this gathering, or else¡­"


    Hosone turned to gaze at the Leibo River, feeling a sense of loss, and sighed softly.


    Wealth was merely an embellishment to power.


    But power to wealth was as branches are to leaves, indispensable.


    Without it, one was bound to wither and fade.


    ...


    At the same time, in Neustadt City.


    Someone else was sighing.


    It was Yasi from the Hidosh Family.


    However, unlike Hosone''s sigh, Yasi''s sigh was cold and deadly.


    "Are you saying that all the ''Shadows'' except for you have been completely eradicated by Atbolde?"


    Yasi sighed in the study, then slowly asked.


    The black figure before him vibrated the black mist on its surface rhythmically for a moment, conveying affirmative information.


    "If that''s the case, then why did you come back?"


    Yasi''s face curved into a smile, but his words were frigid.


    Having said that, he turned and walked to the window.


    At the same time, the black mist around the black figure behind him contracted violently as if coming to life, squeezing the Shadow until it crackled.


    The Shadow desperately tried to control this mist, which it once commanded so effortlessly, but to no avail.


    Soon after, dark red blood gushed from the gaps in the mist, shooting out in several streams.


    It looked as though someone had fiercely squashed a juicy fruit, with its juice spraying everywhere.


    "What a disgusting sight."


    Yasi had turned back at some point, leaning casually against the window, with the sun behind him casting his face into shadows, indistinct.


    Thud.


    A moment later, as the host of the black mist died, it gradually dissipated, and the now macerated Shadow fell heavily to the ground.


    Using the sunlight shining through the window, one could faintly make out the lump on the carpet resembling the form of a naked human female.


    Some intact skin bore subtle black traces of modification.


    Of course, the most attention-grabbing feature was the mouth and nose on the woman''s head, which were sown shut with dense black stitches, looking both horrifying and revolting.


    Yet Yasi remained completely indifferent, unbothered by the dark red blood splattered everywhere.


    "Where exactly did you hide that item?"


    He simply leaned quietly against the window, muttering silently to himself.


    It seemed as though he was talking to himself or perhaps to someone else. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After a while, Yasi stood up, his face fierce with resolve.


    He didn''t plan to wait any longer; he was going to deal with Atbolde himself and find that thing!


    Knock, knock, knock¡ª


    Just then, someone knocked on the door.


    "Master, your uncle is here," said the modified maid in a low voice outside the door.


    A flicker of impatience crossed Yasi''s face. He stood straight up from the window, stepped over the lump of flesh on the floor, and walked out the door.


    Descending the spiral staircase, Yasi''s face had regained its calm composure.


    "Uncle Joyce, how did you get here?" A smile appeared on his face as he greeted the portly middle-aged man in the living room with surprise.


    However, Joyce at his side did not hurry to respond. He stared at the blood-stained soles of Colin''s shoes and said coldly,


    "Are you still studying those witchcraft?"


    "Merely some small tricks," Colin said, his smile fading as he calmly walked over and sat down opposite Joyce on the sofa.


    Joyce looked at him, and his severe expression suddenly turned wistful.


    "It''s been over sixty years, Colin," he said softly. "Plaun Rudolf is dead, and the events of that time are over."


    "Not yet," Colin said calmly, shaking his head as he leaned back fully against the couch.


    Joyce fell silent for a moment before saying again,


    "The Family hopes you''ll stop targeting Atbolde and focus on your own cultivation, and not waste time on meaningless witchcraft¡­ or perhaps take on some of the necessary duties as well."


    Colin sneered, continuing,


    "The Family''s hopes? Atbolde is just a dying invalid. Would the Family even take him seriously?


    It''s you who wishes so, Uncle Joyce!"


    "It''s for your own good. One Atbolde might not amount to much.


    But this is, after all, fratricide amongst School members. If discovered, it''s a grave taboo," Joyce continued.


    He looked at Colin intently, his voice deep and serious,


    "It''s time for you to move forward. In over sixty years, your cultivation has barely progressed. Do you know how many juniors have already surpassed you?"


    "Uncle Joyce, you''re twenty years older than me, and yet you''re still of the same rank as I am," Colin retorted sharply.


    "¡­"


    Joyce''s expression froze, losing his lecturing momentum, and after a pause, he said gravely,


    "Anyway, you need to understand, Colin, rank is everything to a Wizard."


    "If you really want to deal with Atbolde, go ahead, but remember to be fully prepared. Steward Field might be able to help you."


    Colin watched Joyce leave, not getting up to see him out, just sitting quietly on the sofa.


    He didn''t like Joyce, not just for his overbearing attitude.


    But more so, because of his own deceased father¡­


    However.


    Joyce had always been mistaken about one thing.


    Colin sank deep into the leather sofa, staring at the ceiling as if in a trance.


    It wasn''t that he didn''t want to improve his strength over the years.


    It was that he simply couldn''t improve his strength any further.


    "Plaun... back then, I gained the Transformation Secret Technique, and you said your searched room held no rewards.


    I believed you, I shared the secret technique with you, and you said you were disgusted and unwilling to learn it."


    "But why, after that, did you suddenly become a Golden Feather?"


    Colin''s eyes were vacant as he silently mouthed the words.


    Resentment and scorn spread from every corner of his face.


    "People later thought you were a natural talent from birth, but I was the only one who knew that wasn''t true, these were merely false rumors, and you were nothing more than an ordinary Wizard like me."


    "Ironically, the secret technique I got was missing the most crucial carrier.


    If I had it, I wouldn''t be stuck regressing in talent, still pacing in Second Rank to this day."


    "If I had it, according to the secret technique, I''d have long possessed a Talent above First Class!"


    "Just like you, right? Plaun!"


    Thinking of this, Colin clenched his teeth, his face distorted with anguish.


    After a moment, he regained his composure, and slowly rose from the sofa, ascending the stairs.


    As he passed the stairway''s turn, he paused slightly.


    On the deep green wall here hung a portrait of a beautiful High Level Elf.


    The artist''s skill was notable, bringing the subject to life.


    Blonde hair soft and flowing, delicate features, the temperament as tranquil as water.


    "Octavia¡­" Colin murmured, meaning unclear.


    He turned his head and continued upstairs.


    Just as Joyce had said, if he wanted to confront Atbolde, he couldn''t be reckless; he needed to do some preparation.


    Joyce''s suggestion flashed through his mind:


    "Steward Field, huh¡­"

 Chapter 416 - 299 Attack

    The sun set in the west.


    Nanao.


    The sky gradually darkened, tonight there was no moon nor stars.


    However, the ground was illuminated with moon and stars.


    This was the National Chamber of Commerce Headquarters under the Royal Family, located in the center of Nanao.


    Countless uniquely shaped lights brightened the area, most of them internally equipped with luxurious Bright Crystals.


    The Chamber had a special device that converted Magic Stones into pure Magic Power to supply energy.


    At this moment, a grand gathering was being held in the banquet hall of the Chamber headquarters.


    Outside at the grand entrance.


    Hosone, dressed in a black suit, alighted from a classically elegant deep brown carriage.


    Given his wealth, he could actually afford a steam locomotive, but he preferred to keep a low profile and was not fond of the noisy sound of steam locomotives.


    "Have you remembered my instructions?" Hosone straightened his collar and asked the tall figure beside him in a low voice.


    "I have remembered," replied the tall Knight, his face stern.


    However, when he saw the brightly lit Chamber headquarters, his sternness turned into a hint of concern.


    He paused, then said with care, "Sir, be careful with everything."


    "Uh, I know."


    Hosone nodded, his face expressionless as he walked alone toward the steps ahead.


    Ascending the steps.


    After the guards at the door checked the invitation, they stepped aside.


    Hosone stepped through the doorway, as if entering another world.


    Although the lights were bright, his figure was indistinct, quickly disappearing from the Knight''s view.


    ¡­


    "How does it feel now?"


    "Uh, it feels a bit weaker than before; I can hardly detect it now, just feels like the air is a bit heavy, like a heavy rain is coming soon."


    Renee stood at the other end of the yard, carefully feeling for a while, then replied to Colin in the distance.


    "The lower limit of power and range... I think I understand now," Colin murmured as he looked down, then raised his head and smiled at Renee, "It''s over, you can go take care of other things now."


    He retracted the faint aura of authority that had spread from his body.


    "Good Colin! Little Nasi feels like you are somewhat different?"


    A small Elf hiding in the bushes excitedly flew out.


    Regarding the aura of authority, although it was somewhat frightening to her, the feeling it evoked was more of awe and closeness.


    Colin smiled at her, allowing her to land on his shoulder.


    After realizing the unexplained presence of an aura of authority on him, he had asked Renee and the Nasi sisters to test it.


    Now he had gained some new insights about it.


    Overall, this presence was not much different from the aura of authority found on Giant Dragons and some creatures used for transportation, though it was slightly weaker in power.


    However, for Nasi, an Elf, it seemed to not only induce the ordinary fearful paralysis but also a peculiar attraction.


    ''This is probably because of the influence of the Ancient Tree Heart Crystal branches.''


    Colin felt an inexplicable worry, but thinking of Golden Paper, he was somewhat reassured.


    This situation was probably a normal change... not likely to be a risk.


    It was like using different raw materials for sculpture.


    Even if the sculpting techniques and shapes were exactly the same, the final results would still present different appearances.


    The energy released by the Ancient Tree Heart Crystal, which was transformed from the Ancient Tree of Life, indeed had its unique characteristics. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, if he wanted to fully understand the nature of the aura, especially the upper limits of its power and the reactions at high intensity.


    He would need to test it on more people...


    After all, he couldn''t bear to experiment on Nasi and the others.


    Regrettably, finding such people... he still didn''t know where to get them from.


    Perhaps, he would need to return to Neustadt City and plan carefully.


    ¡­


    Yanan Calendar November 16th.


    Early morning.


    Colin, unusually, walked out of the villa and went to Leibo River.


    Perhaps due to the season, every morning, a misty fog covered Leibo River.


    Fishermen dressed in linen shirts slowly moved through the fog, presenting a rather poetic sight.


    "Five more days at most." Colin gazed at the beautiful scene in front of him, thinking silently.


    Light golden particles in front of him converged into an ancient piece of Golden Paper.


    On it, the Wizard Level progress startlingly reached 88/100!


    After completely absorbing the Ancient Tree Heart Crystal, the enhancement brought by the Ancient Tree Heart had also come to an end.


    In the past few days, Colin had tested himself with the Crystal Ball, and his talent had indeed stepped into the First Class.


    And without a doubt, he was among the best in the First Class.


    However, due to the precision limits of the Crystal Ball in his hand, he wasn''t clear on the specific value.


    But such clarity, or the lack thereof, wouldn''t change his real talent now, nor would it alter the actual speed of his cultivation, so it was not a concern.


    After lingering at Leibo River for a while, Colin was ready to head back to the villa.


    However, just then, at the adjacent Villa No. 6, a group of people suddenly arrived.


    These people were mainly dressed as workers, led by a steward wearing a gray beret.


    The butler of Villa No. 6 noticed the commotion and came out, an elderly gentleman with white hair.


    "Good morning, sir," the steward with the gray beret said politely.


    The greater hearing provided by the First Rank Knight allowed Colin to easily hear the conversation occurring tens of meters away.


    "And you are?" the butler asked perplexedly.


    The steward in the beret smiled, "We are from Nate Commerce, here to inform your master that this villa has been transferred from Thorne Commerce to our Nate Commerce.


    Therefore, a representative will come to collect the future rents, uh...as I understand it, there should be a twenty percent increase compared to before."

 Chapter 417 - 299 Attack_2

    The bereted steward took a few contracts and property deeds from the workers behind him and handed them to the butler in front of him.


    "Here are some relevant documents. Please, go in and inform your master."


    "Please wait a moment. I will report to the master."


    The elderly butler took the documents and hurriedly walked inside.


    The bereted steward seemed to sense something and suddenly glanced toward the nearby Leibo River.


    However, his field of vision yielded nothing but emptiness.


    Villa Number Five.


    Colin walked slowly along the garden path, his expression somewhat puzzled.


    This stretch of villas by the Leibo River should all belong to Hosone''s properties, if he remembered correctly.


    He didn''t expect that in such a short time, they had already changed ownership...


    "Somewhat troublesome..."


    He slightly furrowed his brows; the leader of the workers, though polite, had come with an aggressive approach.


    It seemed that besides coming to notify of a rent increase, there were other plans.


    In this world, houses, especially villas, were mostly bought and sold, with rental properties like those under Hosone being rather uncommon.


    So, could it be they were coming to try to reclaim the villa?


    Colin paused briefly, then continued into the villa.


    Let soldiers come, and they will be blocked; let water come, and it will be covered with earth.


    What could he, a First Rank Wizard, be afraid of?


    Besides, in no more than five days, he was due to start his return journey.


    If there was trouble, he could simply check into a hotel for a few days.


    As time flowed like water, the mist over the Leibo River had already dissipated.


    The sun was brilliant, now at midday.


    Colin stepped out of the Meditation Room, ready for lunch.


    As he descended the stairs, he seemed to remember something, paused, and asked Renee who was beside him:


    "Did anyone come to visit this morning?"


    "No," Renee shook her head, "The knight who normally delivers the newspaper didn''t come today either."


    She thought for a moment and then added:


    "However, early this morning, a group dressed like workers passed by when I went out to buy groceries."


    "They didn''t come to Villa Number Five¡­" Colin muttered, shaking his head without further thought, and proceeded to the dining room.


    Around five in the afternoon.


    The sun gradually set, and a knocking sounded at Villa Number Five.


    Renee went to answer the door.


    Colin also emerged from the villa.


    ''Could it be those workers, why are they coming so late?'' he wondered.


    However, when Renee opened the door, it wasn''t the bereted steward she saw.


    Instead, it was a girl with a gentle demeanor.


    Her tired, ovular face was gentle, and she held a brown leather paper bag.


    "Hello, here is today''s newspaper."


    Seeing Renee open the door, Wensy squeezed out an uneasy smile and handed over the paper bag.


    Renee glanced at it, recognizing the same type of bag the tall knight used to carry the newspapers daily.


    She reached out to take the bag, checked it briefly, then pulled out a few Magic Stones, handed them to the girl while curiously asking:


    "Why didn''t the tall knight come today?"


    Wensy forced a smile and did not answer, only saying, "I will be the one coming over for the next while."


    Renee nodded, preparing to close the door and bid goodbye.


    Wensy watched the slowly closing door, her lips quivered as if she wanted to say something.


    But recalling her father''s admonishments, she hesitated briefly.


    And in that moment of hesitation, the black door had already fully closed.


    Wensy stood at the doorstep for a moment, ultimately turning away in silence.


    The annual merchants'' gathering in the Kingdom, apart from fostering exchanges, also carried the intent of redistributing interests.


    Originally, everything was normal.


    However, Hosone''s old rival had played a dirty trick, causing his loyal Great Knight to be gravely wounded on the brink of death.


    Since then, everything had changed.


    Business was like a battlefield.


    But Wensy felt that business was more like a wilderness surrounded by wild beasts.


    Father''s Thorne Commerce was immediately exposed to the covetous gaze of many scavengers when it inadvertently showed signs of decline at the gathering.


    Lately, my father had been truly exhausted from running around.


    She knew that a major figure, who could even be the legendary wizard mentioned in tales, resided in villa number five.


    Thus, she had volunteered to come and deliver the newspapers this time.


    She had hoped that this might give her a chance to seek help.


    Yet in the end, due to her own hesitation, she couldn''t even express it.


    ''Wensy, Wensy, you are truly useless!''


    Wensy silently walked along the Leibo River, feeling somewhat frustrated.


    Two knights, her personal bodyguards, followed closely by her side.


    As the sun gradually set, the world around them darkened.


    The young girl couldn''t help but quicken her pace, though she had guards by her side, her heart still harbored some fear.


    However, this was a famous villa area by the Leibo River.


    Although it was deserted, the security here was much better than in the bustling alleys in the city at night.


    There was no need to worry too much about ruffians showing up.


    However, in the next moment, Wensy suddenly stopped.


    She stared suspiciously at a group of men who suddenly emerged from the darkness ahead, her face showing alertness.


    Initially, Wensy wondered if those men dressed like workers were just passing by, but the two knights by her side immediately sensed danger.


    The two stepped forward, one to the left and the other to the right, positioning Wensy safely between them.


    Clang¡ªClang¡ª


    At that moment, three knights clad in full armor pushed aside the workers who disguised as thugs and stepped forward, standing next to the leader who wore a beret.


    The middle-aged knight on the left, with a goatee, abruptly narrowed his eyes and pulled out his silver Knight Sword as he spoke in a deep voice.


    "Miss, the enemy is too strong for us. Vincent and I will hold them off. Your only chance of escape is to jump into the Leibo River and make it to the other side!"


    He had watched Wensy grow up since she was little, and almost instantly, he made the best decision.


    "Uncle Bruno," Wendy whispered softly, her face showing a hint of panic as she realized the gravity of her situation.


    "Miss Wensy, make it to the other side and run towards where there are more people," Vincent on the right also drew his Knight Sword and suggested in a low voice.


    "What a beautiful young lady."


    At that moment, the steward in the beret spoke up.


    He slowly bowed, his white gloves starkly visible under the moonlight.


    "Now!"


    Bruno shouted in a low voice, moving in sync with Vincent, not even giving the steward a chance to speak.


    "Impolite rascal!"


    The steward frowned, suddenly flashing a sinister smile at the approaching Bruno and his companion:


    "Let them see what exactly is on the other side of the river."


    With those words, the workers behind him lifted torches and began moving rhythmically.


    Seeing this, Bruno and Vincent were suddenly alarmed and instinctively stopped.


    "Be alert," Bruno hissed to Vincent before turning to look toward the opposite bank.


    Indeed, across the other side of the Leibo River, they could see faint flickers of light responding, and even in the middle of the river were two small fishing boats illuminated by fire.


    Bruno could clearly see the fishermen dressed as workers on the fishing boat which was slightly closer.


    As the fishermen noticed his gaze, they smirked, lifting their torches in a cold smile.


    A feeling of hopelessness settled in Bruno''s heart.


    "How about it?" Vincent, who was on guard duty, asked.


    "Not good," Bruno responded calmly, gripping his Knight Sword, ready to meet his end here.


    "?"


    Vincent couldn''t help but turn his head, and as he saw clearly, his pupils slightly contracted.


    The next moment, the two quietly retreated, returning to Wensy''s side.


    And at that moment, Wensy was still standing there.


    Seeing this, Bruno felt a mix of relief and helplessness.


    Miss Wensy''s courage was still too small, and her nature too soft.


    If there had been no ambush on the opposite bank and in the river, then the best opportunity to cross had just been missed based on Miss Wensy''s reaction.


    However, it now seemed that such a missed opportunity was a blessing in disguise.


    Bruno took a breath, ready to face battle.


    "Uncle Bruno, we should go back to villa number five!"


    However, at that moment, Wensy suddenly spoke.


    S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 418 - 300 Deliver to the Door

    Clang!


    The silvery Knight Sword, like a cold moon, swept across a chilly arc, deflecting the incoming handaxe.


    Bruno held his sword in his right hand, heaving great breaths.


    He looked back at the crowd dressed in work clothes and chuckled bitterly to himself.


    He hadn''t expected the short few hundred meters to Villa No. 5 to become so difficult to travel one day.


    After Miss Wensy decided to return to the Number Five Villa, he and Vincent almost immediately reacted, covering her as they retreated.


    However, the ambush ahead was not so easy to break through.


    Before they had taken many steps, another group of enemies appeared from behind.


    Although there were no Knights among them, this momentary stall was enough to completely encircle the three of them.


    Bruno turned around.


    The first batch of enemies they encountered was slowly closing in.


    They, along with the new enemies behind, sandwiched the three of them in the middle, like a sandwich.


    He stepped forward, with Vincent in front and behind, protecting Miss Wensy in the middle.


    Swoosh!


    A handaxe suddenly flew again from behind.


    Clang!


    Vincent swung his sword and blocked the attack.


    Bruno seized the opportunity to spin around and thrust his sword.


    However, another handaxe from a concealed spot forced a sigh from him as he had to block this new attack instead.


    By the time he had the strength to spare, the worker who should have been a Basic Level Knight and had swung the handaxe had already retreated back into the crowd.


    Bruno slowly raised his head, his gaze piercing through the crowd. He looked at the three Knights hidden behind the people and felt a sinking feeling.


    It seemed the other side didn''t just want to capture Miss Wensy; they probably also wanted to take him and Vincent alive!


    "We cannot go on like this," Vincent whispered, his blue eyes reflecting the flames.


    Although the two of them were Advanced Knights, facing so many Basic Level Knights and three Advanced Knights, the only outcome would be a dead end. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bruno glanced at him, then calmly uttered two words,


    "I''ll go."


    Vincent looked at Bruno, his lips quivered but eventually, he remained silent.


    In times like this, there was no room for hesitation.


    "Three... two..." Bruno whispered, his muscles tensing up gradually.


    Vincent, with a somber expression, shifted his feet imperceptibly.


    "Give up your resistance, the three of you."


    Then, the steward in the beret suddenly spoke from behind the crowd.


    The encirclement had just been formed in the reality of spoken words, but in reality, the beret-wearing steward had just walked over.


    "Lord Hosone is now but a toothless tiger with his claws lost, his life hanging by a thread. Why continue to stay on a sinking ship?"


    The steward in the beret continued speaking.


    Their original purpose tonight was to capture these two Advanced Knights; as for Hosone''s daughter, Wensy, she was an unexpected bonus.


    Of course, if they could capture Wensy as a bargaining chip, the effect would naturally be much better than two Advanced Knights.


    Since he was here tonight, naturally, he aimed to maximize the benefits.


    Bargaining chips... no one would say no to more.


    "Thorne Commerce can give you... Nate Commerce can offer the same..."


    The steward in the beret smiled and continued his persuasion.


    However, his words were abruptly interrupted by a low roar.


    "Now!" Bruno roared and stepped forward, his sword slashing at the nearest enemy.


    On the other side, Vincent, without saying a word, brandished his cold, gleaming long sword as he swiftly made his move to break through in the rear!


    And Wensy, who had been panicking in her heart, suddenly calmed down at this moment.


    She bit her lip tightly, following Vincent''s instructions and closely followed behind him.


    Swoosh!


    Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!


    Countless handaxes flew at them like meteors.


    Vincent''s expression unchanged, his steps suddenly paused.


    The handaxes passed by, missing him by a hair''s breadth, not harming him at all.


    He stepped forward, thrusting his sword directly into the heart of the first enemy ahead.


    Spurt!


    Blood spilled from the enemy''s mouth, his eyes dimming instantly as the massive blood loss took its toll.


    Vincent lifted his right leg and kicked hard!


    However, the axe-wielding workers around them weren''t going to let him make his move so easily.


    Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!


    Several sharp axes came chopping at him.


    "Ugh."


    Vincent grunted.


    Fighting alone against multiple attackers, even though he quickly adjusted his stance for defense after kicking, his left shoulder was still grazed by a sharp axe, leaving a long gash.


    However, the powerful kick, full of the force of an Advanced Knight, momentarily broke open a gap in the defensive circle.


    "Miss, keep up with me!" Vincent took a breath and charged forward with all his might.


    As an Advanced Knight, if it weren''t for this terrain, those dozen or so axe-wielding Basic Level Knights wouldn''t dream of touching a hair on his head!


    But to break out in such circumstances, some price had to be paid.


    Especially since he only wore chainmail as armor.


    Clang!!


    The intense clash of weapons suddenly came from behind; Vincent didn''t look back.


    He knew it was Bruno engaging the three Advanced Knights.


    He also knew that Bruno alone couldn''t hold them off for long.


    He couldn''t waste this precious time!


    "Ah!"


    Vincent roared, kicking away the Basic Level Knights in front of him again!


    "Stop him!"


    The steward in the beret yelled angrily from behind.


    There was nothing he hated more than being interrupted while he was speaking.

 Chapter 419 - 300 Deliver to the Door_2

    However, the two knights in front of him had managed to do it twice in a row!


    Unfortunately, his orders were in vain.


    Previously, Vincent and his companion hadn''t immediately broken through the encirclement, not because they couldn''t, but because they knew that even if they did break through, the three Advanced Knights following them would easily catch up.


    By then, having risked injury in a rash breakout, they would obviously be even less able to cope with three Advanced Knights!


    Now, however, with Bruno''s delay, Vincent decisively abandoned most of his defense, focused solely on breaking through.


    Thus, within a mere thirty seconds, he had successfully broken through with Wensy in tow!


    The night was deep.


    The sounds of fighting woke many sleeping fishermen on the boats, and naturally, the residents in the nearby villas as well.


    Yet the darkness remained profound; aside from the fishermen''s torches, no other lights came on.


    "Hold on a little longer, Miss Wensy!"


    Vincent, gripping Wensy''s arm with his left hand, desperately fled forward.


    Pursuers relentlessly followed behind them.


    Wensy gasped for air; her legs felt as though they no longer belonged to her, mechanically taking steps.


    Vincent was pale, his shirt soaked with blood.


    On his upper body were seven or eight wounds, long or short, deep or shallow.


    This was the price of breaking through.


    Fortunately, he''d deliberately protected his legs, so his mobility wasn''t too severely affected.


    ''Almost there, almost there!'' He looked ahead at Villa No.5, now less than a hundred meters away, with a surge of joy in his heart.


    Whoosh!


    But then, the sound of rushing wind suddenly came from behind.


    Vincent''s heart tightened, and he quickly pulled Wensy aside and dove to the ground.


    Thud!


    A spinning axe buried itself where they had just stood.


    Vincent looked back, his pupils shrinking slightly.


    Three knights were quickly approaching them.


    Wensy also lifted her head, a tinge of despair welling up inside her.


    Thinking of the terrible ordeals she might suffer if caught, she looked at the nearby Leibo River and almost wanted to leap into it immediately.


    However, before she could muster enough courage, the three knights had already surrounded her and Vincent in a triangular formation.


    Immediately afterward, the Basic Level knights also closed in.


    "Run? I''d like to know where you could possibly run to!"


    The Steward''s voice came with a hint of frustration.


    He pushed through the crowd to the front, slightly out of breath.


    After straightening his gray beret and coughing twice to regain a gentlemanly demeanor, he prepared to speak again.


    "You know..."


    However, the next second, the Steward''s throat seemed blocked by some foreign object, cutting his speech abruptly short.


    His face turned fearful and contorted; a shuddering, choking sound came from his clenched teeth.


    "Gurgle."


    "Gurgle gurgle¡ª"


    Not just him, almost everyone present, including the three Advanced Knights, rigidly froze in place, their faces twisted with fear.


    As if...


    As if they had been targeted by some unknown monster, their bodies going rigid in a self-protective freeze!


    "This is..."


    Wensy''s eyes widened, unable to comprehend the scene unfolding before her.


    Everyone present had fallen into an inexplicable state, yet she alone was unaffected.


    Even Vincent beside her seemed unable to withstand the fear and had passed out. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To her, this scene resembled a legend where ghosts descend suddenly, seizing control of her enemies in an instant.


    Wensy swallowed hard.


    Thump!


    Suddenly, one of the weaker enemies to the left fell stiffly to the ground.


    His face turned blue, his eyes hollow; he had clearly lost his life!


    A cold wind swept by.


    Wensy''s teeth chattered; she couldn''t stop trembling.


    "It''s okay now."


    That''s when a gentle female voice reached her ear.


    "Ah."


    Wensy let out an involuntary cry.


    After a moment, she mustered the courage to carefully turn her head back, somewhat afraid of seeing some horrifying thing.


    However, what appeared in her vision was not a terrifying ghost but a beautiful blonde maid holding a lantern.


    And beside the maid was a handsome young man.


    "Lady Renee..." Wensy murmured subconsciously.


    She recognized the newcomer, the maid from Villa No.5 she had seen not long ago.


    So that meant, the handsome young man beside her... was that Mr. Nade?!


    Wensy was suddenly startled, turning to Colin who was muttering to himself.


    "The control is still a bit imprecise..."


    Colin looked at Vincent, who had collapsed on the ground, and then sighed at the sight of the body that had fallen beside him.


    He had only intended to cover the surrounding enemies with his oppressive aura, not realizing he had accidentally affected Vincent for a few seconds, causing the already exhausted man to faint.


    Sensing something, Colin suddenly turned his gaze to Wensy.


    As if electrocuted, Wensy quickly lowered her head, her heart beating uncontrollably.


    Feeling Colin''s gaze, she felt somewhat flustered.


    Her father had never described Mr. Nade''s appearance to her.


    She had always imagined he would be a wizard, perhaps an old man with a black hood, hmm... maybe a hooked nose too.


    To her surprise, it was such a handsome young man.


    ''Seems he''s not much older than me...'' Wensy thought to herself, holding back her curiosity and continuing to stay silent.


    The experience of this night had been too thrilling; as Hosone''s cherished daughter, she had always lived a life of comfort for over a decade.

 Chapter 420 - 300 Deliver to the Door_3

    The greatest of daily troubles was just the sudden appearance of a pimple on the face, and the most common activity was reading by the window in the afternoon sunlight...


    Wensy secretly raised her head to glance at Colin, still finding it hard to believe.


    How could she see Mr. Nade as anything but a youth of nearly her own age?


    Only... he was somewhat handsome.


    Like¡ªan Elf!


    The word suddenly popped into Wensy''s mind.


    Perhaps only the word "Elf" could describe the beauty of the youth before her.


    Realizing the strange feelings in her heart, Wensy somewhat bashfully blushed, even though the situation was so dire...


    On the other hand, Colin, observing the girl''s reaction, paid it no mind.


    Perhaps it was due to that special Ancient Tree Heart Crystal that he, now an Advanced First Rank Knight, had grown even more handsome than before.


    If he was once a mere good-looking human, now his appearance could compete with that of Elves!


    "These people, I am keeping them," he said thoughtfully after a moment, "Hmm... can the newspaper still be delivered tomorrow?"


    He had yet to retract the awe-inspiring power he exuded.


    Then an unexpected change occurred.


    Thump!


    Another worker suddenly collapsed.


    His complexion turned green, expression twisted in horror, his body rigid.


    To those engulfed in his imposing field, his ordinary words sounded like roars from Hell!


    Seeing this, Colin nodded thoughtfully and slightly lessened the pressure.


    These were rare experimental subjects delivered right to his door; they couldn''t be wasted.


    "Yes!" Wensy quickly responded.


    Colin did not continue the conversation; instead, with a thought, he sent a simple spirit shock accurately towards the stiff figures around them.


    Thump thump¡ª


    Like reaping wheat, the figures around them fell to the ground one by one.


    Wensy''s pupils shrank, fearing they were all dead.


    "Don''t worry, they are just unconscious," Colin said with a smile and silently added in his mind, "Of course, for now."


    The Supreme Council had explicitly forbidden wizards from murdering mortals without cause, and even more so from using humans as experimental subjects. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, these mortals, who could be considered to have offended him, were not within the restricted scope.


    ''Hmm... offending the newsboy responsible for delivering my newspapers daily counts as offending me,'' Colin thought.


    "Let''s go back to the villa," he said to Renee, then turned to Wensy, "You two, come along for now."


    Saying so, he casually cast a Natural Healing Skill on the unconscious Vincent.


    This was a gift of witchcraft from Atbolde, designed to accelerate wound healing, albeit at the cost of one''s energy stores.


    Under the pale green light, Vincent''s wounds rapidly closed until only a faint scar remained.


    Gurgle gurgle¡ª


    The next moment, the sensation of hunger awakened Vincent, his face still bearing traces of fright.


    What was that?


    Was it some demon from the legends that had descended?


    "Let''s go."


    Colin said succinctly, without explanation, and with a force field, lifted the unconscious spoils of battle, leading the way forward.


    To go the extra mile, since he had already saved Wensy and her companion, it wouldn''t do to let them risk the dark night again.


    As for escorting them home, he didn''t have the time for that.


    So it was better to bring them temporarily back to the villa and decide the next step in the daylight.


    "Let''s go, Vincent," Wensy whispered.


    "¡­ Okay," Vincent paused, then replied quietly.


    Wensy, puzzled, followed his gaze, but she too froze.


    The body of Bruno, who had covered their retreat earlier, lay not far from them.


    It must have been brought there by those men after being killed.


    Vincent silently moved forward and picked up Bruno''s scarred body.


    Wensy''s lips parted, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she remained silent.


    She turned to look at Colin''s retreating figure, standing near the maid.


    Clean and elegant, it was as if he had just taken a stroll, casually dealing with a weed.


    Yet for her...


    It had just been an experience of life and death escape.


    ''Is this what a wizard is...''

 Chapter 421 - 421: 301

    November in Nanao is early autumn, when a hint of chill just begins to set in.


    Mists rise more frequently over the Leibo River at the break of dawn each day.


    This vast and hazy scenery always reminds Colin of scenes from his time on Blackstone Island.


    Withdrawing his gaze, he stepped back into his room from the balcony on the second floor.


    "Good morning, master."


    Renee, as always, waited at the door. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Good morning," Colin replied, smiling.


    After a pause, Renee continued, "Lord Hosone has come for a visit, he is currently waiting outside."


    "Hosone?" Colin expressed some surprise.


    "The young lady from last evening is Mr. Hosone''s daughter," Renee explained, sensing Colin''s confusion.


    "I see," Colin nodded with sudden understanding, then added, "He''s come quite late."


    "In fact, Lord Hosone must have arrived very early but only knocked on the door at dawn," Renee supplemented.


    This morning when she had gone to open the door, she noticed that Hosone''s shoulders and hair were damp with dew and mist, undoubtedly standing outside for a long time.


    "Is it because he was afraid of disturbing us?"


    "It seems so."


    "Hmm," Colin nodded noncommitally.


    He was somewhat surprised in his heart.


    He hadn''t expected that the girl who had delivered the newspaper yesterday would turn out to be Hosone''s daughter...


    After rescuing the girl and the knight and returning to the villa last night, he had instructed Renee to make some basic inquiries about them.


    Meanwhile, he had eagerly seized the opportunity to test the intimidating influence with the materials that had been delivered to his doorstep in the cover of night.


    It had to be said, the only downside of these experimental materials was the absence of a Wizard.


    Other than that, commoners, Basic Level Knights, Intermediate Knights, Advanced Knights were all represented.


    A night of testing had proved very beneficial to him.


    Because of this, he was busy until around four in the morning before returning to his bedroom for meditation, and the rescued Wensy and her companion had long been pushed to the back of his mind.


    He had also forgotten to listen to the information Renee had gathered.


    Now, on reflection, the knight last night was clearly responsible for protecting the young lady¡­ which already underscored the special nature of her identity.


    Colin smiled, not dwelling on it further.


    For him, as a First Rank Wizard, the so-called "battle" of the previous night was more like picking up a package that was conveniently delivered while he was out.


    "Let Hosone come in directly," Colin decided after a moment''s thought.


    Normally, he would have planned to eat breakfast before meeting Hosone.


    However, given that Hosone had already been waiting outside for half the night, Colin was also curious about what had transpired last evening, so he decided to meet Hosone first.


    "Very well," Renee nodded in acknowledgment and turned to walk downstairs.


    A few minutes later.


    Renee brought Hosone to the outside of the study.


    Hosone stood in front of the study door, straightening his collar, his weary expression now somewhat composed.


    This morning when Renee opened the door, in fact, he had already been reassured from her that his daughter was unharmed, so his anxious heart had been temporarily put at ease.


    His coming here now was mostly to express gratitude towards Colin.


    Creak, Hosone took a deep breath and entered the study.


    The warm rays of the early autumn morning sun slanted through the glass window.


    Behind an elegant dark brown desk, a strikingly handsome youth, resembling an Elf, sat calmly in a large leather chair, watching him attentively.


    The warm yellow sunlight that fell upon him seemed to frame a vivid oil painting.


    Hosone was momentarily entranced.


    Logically, he had seen Colin before and had prepared himself, so he should not have been thrown off balance.


    And even if Colin was exceptionally handsome, he was just an attractive young man.


    Apart from some men with particular predilections, Hosone, a middle-aged man, should not have been affected.


    Yet, from Hosone''s perspective, the impression he got from this meeting with Colin was entirely different from the last.


    It was an indescribable feeling.


    Indeed, Hosone felt that it was not exclusively due to Colin''s handsome appearance.


    It was more like¡­ a sort of mysterious charm that had suddenly manifested itself.


    He felt as though seeing Colin was like meeting the reverent parish priest from his home village, dating back to when he himself was a little boy.


    He hardly dared to look directly at him!


    "Lord Nade,"


    Hosone was stunned for a long while before he finally snapped back to reality.


    He paused, trying to shake off the inexplicable feeling within and continued:


    "Thank you for your help last evening; I can hardly imagine the despair of losing my beloved Wensy."


    Though Hosone was striving to overcome the strange feeling within him,


    he failed to notice that his words had unconsciously become more respectful, and some of the emotions he normally kept in check were more noticeably expressed.


    "It was nothing," Colin smiled.


    He was not at all surprised by Hosone''s current demeanor.


    This was another effect of the intimidating aura he had discovered yesterday.


    When applied at a lower intensity, it filled those subjected to it with a mix of awe and a strange sense of kinship.


    According to the description from last night''s experimental subjects, it was like facing someone they held in the highest regard.


    Of course, this was just one of the clever uses discovered last night.


    ''Hmm¡­ perhaps this intimidation could also be called a Knight Aura,'' Colin mused on a whim.


    Although it wasn''t necessarily something that all Advanced First Rank Knights would develop, it was, after all, something that manifested in the process of becoming an Advanced Knight.


    So such a nomenclature seemed to have nothing wrong with it.

 Chapter 422 - 301 Unintentional Success_2

    "Lord Nade," Hosone paused, then suddenly took out a leather document bag and continued,


    "This is the property deed to the villa you currently reside in."


    "Although I know this is trivial to you, I still want to give it to you as a token of gratitude."


    After speaking, Hosone hesitated, then suddenly continued,


    "Besides that, there is this¡ª"


    "This is a School Token of the Lantee School from Merredith City."


    He took out a black coin from his pocket and handed it to Colin without changing his expression.


    This token came into his possession through some fortuitous coincidences.


    Hosone understood it was a significant opportunity.


    However, he understood even more that his children might not necessarily have the Talent of a Wizard.


    And even with Wizard Talent, one might not necessarily succeed in joining a Wizard School just with the help of a School Token.


    Of course, these did not diminish the value of the token.


    Just that at the moment, since Colin had saved his most precious daughter, he was willing to give this valuable token to Colin.


    After all, besides the token, he could not think of anything else he owned that would catch Colin''s eye.


    "Oh," Colin became interested.


    He remembered that Hosone had previously told him about a School Token auction at the merchants'' gathering...


    It seemed it was indeed the Lantee School.


    Noticing Colin''s curiosity, Hosone took the initiative to explain,


    "Due to some fortuitous coincidences, this token has now come into my possession."


    Colin nodded slightly, guessing that behind Hosone''s words lay a bloody storm.


    "Are you willing to give it to me?" he asked with a smile.


    Hosone nodded emphatically and solemnly said,


    "I am willing!"


    "An eye for an eye, that is the creed I have adhered to from being a commoner to now."


    Colin thought for a moment and then took the black coin.


    Although the School Token was of no use to him now, it could still be worth some Magic Stones.


    All in all, it was better than nothing.


    As for the potential risks it might bring, he did not care.


    The Lantee School was not considered a major School, and those vying for it were not likely to be too formidable.


    At least, they would not be more powerful than him, a formal member of the Tin Saint School¡ªHosone having obtained the token proved just that.


    Holding the coin in his hand, Colin tested it slightly with his Magic Power.


    A faint ethereal glow immediately appeared on the coin.


    He flipped the coin into his pocket, thinking to himself,


    ''It is indeed a Lantee School Token.


    But the requirements are somewhat harsh... not only must one be under sixteen years old and never have practiced the Meditation Method, but their aptitude must also be above Second Class.''


    Seeing Colin accept the token, Hosone breathed a sigh of relief.


    He continued to elaborate,


    "The people who attacked Wensy last night were from Nate Commerce, but the attack was not because of this token, merely due to business rivalry."


    "So, you can rest assured, no one knows that I have obtained this Lantee School Token."


    Colin raised an eyebrow¡ªthis was unexpected.


    He had thought that besides expressing gratitude, Hosone was also looking to part with a hot potato.


    But he didn''t mind, so he hadn''t mentioned it.


    But now, it appeared not to be the case.


    Hosone was truly giving him a precious token that he had obtained with difficulty.


    Rubbing the coin in his hand, Colin thought for a moment and then asked,


    "What specifically is the conflict between Nate Commerce and you?"


    Hosone was startled, not expecting Colin to inquire about this¡ªperhaps he wanted...


    "Don''t overthink it; I just want to understand more about Nate Commerce." Colin added, his tone betraying no other implications.


    He did indeed have the intention to casually help Hosone, but he first needed to understand the situation before deciding.


    Hosone gathered his thoughts and began,


    "Nate Commerce, like my Thorne Commerce, primarily deals in real estate.


    However, they traditionally operated in areas on the east bank of the Leibo River, while I cover the west bank of the Leibo River and some suburbs of Nanao."


    "Previously, our two companies had reached a mutual understanding, so generally, we did not encroach on each other''s turf.


    But a few days ago, Nate Commerce somehow acquired three Great Knights and then began an unreasonable and aggressive expansion."


    "Being right next to them on the west bank of the Leibo River, we naturally bore the brunt... and that''s how the conflict erupted."


    Hosone''s face showed bitterness... Three Great Knights normally wouldn''t have gone this far.


    He had also voluntarily sacrificed much, choosing to concede.


    Although the market is a battlefield, it is also a place of sworn brotherhood.


    Having demonstrated such behavior, by the rules, Nate Commerce should have known when to stop.


    Especially since he had announced his willingness to sell most of the properties on the west coast to Nate Commerce at a low price.


    Taking a step back, even if they were unwilling to stop on their own, they should at least not resort to underhanded tactics.


    However, Nate Commerce did the exact opposite, seemingly because of the arrival of those three Great Knights; their methods not only became extremely harsh but also completely disregarded the rules.


    "I understand."


    It was just three Great Knights, Colin nodded, preparing to speak.


    But looking at the coin in his hand, he suddenly had a new idea.


    On the other side, Hosone carefully looked at him, saw his silence, and a slight disappointment in his eyes, then continued,


    "Thank you very much, Mr. Nade. I won''t disturb you any further."


    "Wait, please call Wensy here," Colin suddenly lifted his head and said, the black coin flipping at his fingertips.


    "Yes¡­"


    Hosone clearly paused, then hurriedly got up to leave.


    Soon, the door to the study was knocked again.


    "Come in," Colin said indifferently.


    A quiet girl cautiously pushed the door open.


    After looking at him, she immediately lowered her head.


    Colin''s expression was calm as he watched Wensy enter and softly said, "Come here, place your hand on the crystal."


    After that, he continued to Hosone at the door,


    "Come in as well."


    "Okay¡­ okay." Hosone gave an awkward smile and followed inside.


    He had pondered for a long time as he was going downstairs, ultimately deciding to let Wensy enter the study alone.


    However, after Wensy really went in alone, he regretted it somewhat.


    He knew nothing about Colin.


    But a businessman''s experience always made him tend to think the worst.


    Wensy obediently walked up to Colin, extending her palm to rest it on the transparent Crystal Ball.


    However, she seemed a bit nervous, her fair hand visibly trembling.


    "Relax," Colin said gently.


    Under the assistance of the Knight Aura, his words seemed to possess some kind of magic power.


    Wensy felt her heart suddenly steady, and she subconsciously closed her eyes, sincerely feeling it.


    Hosone watched this scene nervously from the side, seemingly realizing something.


    A moment later.


    A misty fog gradually drifted within the transparent Crystal Ball. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Not bad, talent slightly above Second Class,"


    After careful observation, Colin smiled and spoke.


    Then he suddenly handed the black coin he had on him to Hosone.


    "Keep the token safe. Your daughter has a Wizard''s Talent and meets the conditions for the token."


    "This¡­"


    Although he had some guesses, Hosone still found it somewhat unbelievable.


    Colin didn''t think too much about it; he just felt that a token from the Tin Saint School was not too precious of an item.


    He preferred to do things he was more willing to do.


    Saving Wensy last night, in his eyes, was just a small effort.


    He was already pleased with those experimental materials that were provided, taking an extra token was unnecessary.


    After all, he didn''t lack such things, and taking it would make him feel indebted.


    It was better to return it to its rightful owner and, at the same time, contribute to the strengthening of the Wizards'' community.


    "By the way," Colin suddenly thought of something and said, "That Nate Commerce, they are unscrupulous in their actions. I believe the owner of Villa No. 6 next door has already been murdered."


    "They should be punished. Go convey this message to the authorities in Nanao¡­ um, in my name as a Wizard."


    This wasn''t just talk.


    Last night during the testing of the Knight Aura, he inadvertently learned that villa No. 6 was a death trap.


    The residents were apparently a foreign merchant.


    He, along with the butler, maid, and mistress, had all been tortured to death.


    Those knights from Nate Commerce were not good people.


    "¡­Yes!"


    Hosone quickly responded, his face showing excitement.


    With Colin''s words, Nate Commerce had, beyond doubt, been sentenced to death!

 Chapter 423 - 302: Embarking on the Return Journey (4.6k)

    "Grab him!"


    In a narrow alley on the east bank of the Leibo River, a law enforcement team dressed in black uniforms was chasing a frantic knight who had taken the wrong path.


    "What''s going on?"


    A woman who was about to go to the Leibo River to wash clothes watched the group disappear fiercely at the end of the alley, then cautiously stuck her head out. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I heard that Nate Commerce did something bad," her companion replied.


    "Something bad¡­ Those people, even if they do something bad, they wouldn''t be caught. Why this time?" the woman continued to ask.


    "¡­" Her companion fell silent and shook her head, "I don''t know."


    "Let''s not talk about that. Have you noticed the chicken prices at the market have gone up again recently?"


    "Ah¡­ I noticed a while ago, it''s not just chicken, fish has gotten a lot more expensive too!"


    "I don''t know what''s happening, everything''s going up in price¡­"


    The two women sighed and continued to carry their dirty laundry baskets to the Leibo River.


    The chase they had just seen was already a distant memory.


    The cost of firewood, rice, oil, and salt was far more important to them.


    "Ah!"


    "Run? I''d like to see where you can run to!"


    In a dead-end alley, the middle-aged law enforcement team captain took the lead, pressing the knight who had an arrow in his right foot forcefully to the ground.


    Bang!


    The knight''s head made a dull collision with the hard ground, making him groan again, feeling dizzy and disoriented.


    Click, clack!


    Taking this opportunity, a teammate expertly took out shackles and handcuffs to tightly bind the knight.


    Seeing this, the middle-aged captain''s tense body slightly relaxed, wiped the sweat bead from his forehead, and slowly stood up.


    Such chases had been happening nearly every day for the past few days. It was truly exhausting.


    "Captain, this should be the last one, right?" asked a young team member, panting heavily.


    He was just a basic-level knight. After a chase like this, he was quite tired.


    "That should be it. He''s the last target our team is responsible for capturing. The progress of the other teams should not be much different from ours," the captain answered.


    "Mmm! Mmm!" The bound knight suddenly struggled for some reason.


    "Quiet!"


    The captain frowned and kicked without hesitation.


    Bam!


    The sound alone made it clear that it was a very forceful kick.


    The young team member flinched.


    "For these scum, mercy is unnecessary. Don''t forget the scenes we witnessed during the previous search," the captain said, looking at him with a grave tone.


    "Yes!" the young team member quickly responded seriously.


    He couldn''t forget the cruel scenes they had seen inside Nate Commerce.


    Nate Commerce had the shadow of a cult!


    In this world filled with tainted babbling, even ordinary people blessed by spirit fog were not entirely safe.


    The influence of those indescribable existences spread silently.


    Perhaps you just looked in the mirror once at midnight, or maybe you caught a glimpse of a rotting corpse...


    Either way, the change simply appeared.


    This was the beginning of alteration and decadence, and it was also the start of the cult.


    "Let''s go," the captain said, taking a breath to give the order.


    The early autumn breeze softly met them head-on, lifting the corners of the law enforcement team''s clothing as their figures gradually disappeared at the corner of the alley.


    ...


    "It''s officially autumn now."


    On the second-floor balcony of Villa No. 5, Colin felt the autumn breeze carrying its characteristic coolness and tightened his clothes.


    With his current physical strength, he naturally did not fear this bit of cold.


    But this did not mean he could not feel the cold; on the contrary, he was far more sensitive to changes in ambient temperature and even humidity than ordinary people.


    Knock, knock, knock.


    A regular knocking sound arose, followed by Renee''s gentle voice:


    "Master, your luggage is all packed."


    Colin turned his gaze back and walked inside.


    Today was already the 20th of November in the Yanan calendar.


    Just last night, he had successfully advanced to First Rank Advanced Wizard.


    For his entire First Rank Wizard phase, the biggest difference between the basic, middle, and advanced levels for him now, with his first-class aptitude, was the amount of magic power.


    There was no such thing as a bottleneck; when the time came, everything else naturally fell into place.


    Strengthening the fundamentals of his physique had also reached the necessary level.


    So, to this end, his purpose for this trip was essentially complete.


    It was time to start the journey home.


    "The Royal Family came to visit again this morning. This time it was a princess," Renee greeted as he opened the door, then continued.


    "Hmm," Colin nodded to indicate he knew.


    Ever since he had instructed Hosone to deal with Nate Commerce a few days ago, the Royal Family quickly learned of his status as a wizard and someone came to visit the next day.


    At first, it was just regular officials.


    Later, perhaps realizing his strength as a First Rank Wizard, members of the Royal Family themselves came to visit.


    "Still refuse?" Renee went on to ask.


    "Yes, time is precious. After I finish meditation, we''ll set off to return to Neustadt. There''s no need to delay further."


    "Alright, Master." Renee nodded in understanding. As if she remembered something, she went on, "Earlier today, Mr. Hosone also came with Wensy to visit."


    "Are they still waiting outside?" Colin asked.


    "They are. Shall I let them in?" Renee asked as she smoothed her hair behind her ear.


    Colin thought for a moment, then finally shook his head.


    "There''s no need."


    "Very well, Master." Renee nodded. "Then I''ll inform them."

 Chapter 424 - 302: Embarking on the Return Journey (4.6k)_2

    "Mmm."


    Watching Renee turn and walk down the stairs, Colin paused, and returned to the bedroom, preparing to start his meditation.


    Normally, his daily meditation was mainly scheduled for the evening.


    But today, after a while, he would have to hit the road, where there''d be no time for meditation.


    So, to not waste a single moment, he planned to meditate ahead of time right now.


    A wizard''s daily meditative time is limited; after each meditation, a certain amount of rest was needed before he could continue.


    But how long that rest needed to be wasn''t fixed.


    It''s like doing sports.


    Originally, you might need a day''s gap between each training session to fully recover, but occasionally, after only half a day of rest, you could force yourself to continue training.


    Of course, meditation was even more extreme.


    "Sister, are we leaving today?"


    As soon as Renee walked down the stairs, Demi approached and asked, her little elf Nasi by her side.


    These past few days, despite Nasi''s outward show of resistance to Demi''s unyielding approaches,


    it was an undeniable fact that the two little ones had become close playmates.


    "Yes," Renee smiled and patted Demi''s head.


    "Renee, where''s Colin? Why hasn''t he come down?" Nasi looked up at the stairs and inquired.


    "The master is meditating. We will leave after his meditation is over."


    "Oh..." The little elf nodded sadly.


    But soon, she lifted her head and continued to ask Renee, "Renee, can we make flower cakes at noon today?"


    "We can," Renee gently replied.


    At first, the little elf Nasi was also unresponsive to her, but later she couldn''t resist the temptation of her delicious food.


    "Oh! Then I''ll go pick some flowers for you!" Nasi said excitedly upon receiving Renee''s affirmative response, then turned to Demi and urged, "Let''s go, Demi, let''s go pick flowers!" Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The two little ones ran off in a flurry after speaking.


    Renee chuckled softly and walked leisurely behind them.


    Exiting the villa and passing through the rejuvenated flower gardens and lawns, she came to the front door and opened it.


    "Good morning, madam."


    A meticulously dressed young girl curtsied elegantly, a fragrant scent emanating from her unknown perfume.


    Beside her stood two Guard Knights in Royal Steel Armor, the agate decorations on their shoulders lending a noble flair to the standard armor.


    "Good morning, Princess Tawel," Renee courteously curtsied in return.


    "Would Mr. Nade care to see me?" Tawel, the princess, asked eagerly.


    "I''m sorry," Renee shook her head, "The master is busy with his practice and really has no spare time to receive visitors."


    At these words, a clear look of disappointment flashed across Tawel''s face.


    As an ordinary princess of the Royal Family, she knew that if she wanted to change her fate of ultimately becoming a tool for a political marriage, she had to seize opportunities like meeting a real First Rank Wizard today.


    Moreover, according to what she had heard, that Mr. Nade was also said to be a rare handsome young man.


    But she had never expected that she would not even be able to meet Mr. Nade in person.


    Thus, her skills would naturally remain unDISPLAYed.


    ''There will be more opportunities...'' Tawel pursed her lips, put on a smile, and politely said,


    "If that''s the case, then I shall take my leave for now and will visit again in a few days."


    With that, Tawel was ready to lead her Guard Knights back to her residence.


    Yet upon seeing Hosone and his daughter standing behind her, an idea flickered in her mind.


    She was naturally familiar with the lucky land merchant Hosone and even remembered him quite vividly.


    After all, with the Royal Family''s consent, the majority of the assets left by Nate Commerce had voluntarily been delivered into his hands these last few days.


    However, Hosone did not accept them wholly as others had thought; he largely refused most of them, only reclaiming what once belonged to him.


    This was quite memorable for Tawel.


    "Your Highness, the princess," Hosone stopped and pulled Wensy beside him to give a respectful curtsy when he saw her pause.


    "No need for formality," Tawel smiled and scrutinized Wensy beside Hosone carefully.


    The serene-looking girl seemed to have no habit of wearing makeup; her face fresh as morning, she wore a plain white pleated dress.


    Nonetheless, this did not make her appear dull or shabby; on the contrary, it further accentuated her tranquil quality, like a daisy in the summer.


    ''A rival.''


    Tawel discreetly withdrew her gaze and added, "You''re also here to visit Mr. Nade, quickly go in, otherwise the maid will be gone again."


    Hosone did not decline, and after another bow to her, he quickly led Wensy forward.


    "Good morning, madam," Hosone greeted as usual.


    "Good morning," Renee nodded and then straightforwardly said, "Please return, Mr. Hosone, Miss Wensy. The master does not plan to receive guests."


    Hosone was taken aback and glanced at Tawel behind him nonchalantly, as if understanding something, and said,


    "Then I will come to visit tomorrow."


    If Mr. Nade refused to see the princess but chose to see him, it might not look good.


    "You are mistaken," Renee saw Hosone''s reaction and shook her head, "We are leaving later today."


    "Leaving?!" The girl Wensy lost her composure and asked somewhat anxiously, "Are you leaving Nanao?"


    Renee shook her head.


    But before Wensy could breathe a sigh of relief, she heard Renee continue to say:

 Chapter 425 - 302: Embarking on the Return Journey (4.6k)_3

    "More precisely, it''s leaving the Fabados Kingdom."


    Hosone was slightly startled, though he had anticipated this all along.


    After all, he had noticed recently that Colin, unlike any other Wandering Wizards he had met or heard of,


    especially in his familiar handling of the School Token, had led him to a covert conjecture.


    Wizards Nad, perhaps was a genuine School Wizard.


    Only it was unknown why he chose to reside temporarily in Nanao.


    Therefore, Hosone surmised that such temporary stays by Nad could not last long; thus, when managing the legacy of Nate Commerce, he prudently chose to restrain his greed.


    Now it seemed that he indeed had made the most correct decision.


    Still, Hosone couldn''t help but feel a bit emotional¡ª


    He hadn''t expected the day of departure to come this soon.


    "Lady Renee, may I ask where you are planning to go?" Wensy spoke up again.


    Hosone glanced at her and sighed inexplicably.


    "I regret I cannot divulge that information," Renee shook her head and said, "Farewell to you both."


    The black iron gate slowly closed.


    Hosone''s expression grew thoughtful as he contemplated his next plans.


    The departure of Wizard Nad signaled again the disappearance of his backup.


    Fortunately, since Ford had recovered from his injuries, having a Great Knight like him at least ensured the protection of his current assets¡­


    After all, even though Mr. Nad had departed, his reputation would linger for a while¡­


    ''Once I sort through the current tasks and everything is on track, I''ll send Wensy off to Merredith City.''


    A moment later, Hosone had organized his plan and his heart calmed once again.


    He silently bowed in gratitude towards the door once more, then turned to Wensy and said:


    "Let''s go."


    Yet, Wensy still stood there, stunned.


    "Come on, Wensy," Hosone sighed again and called out.


    Although he was grateful for Colin, seeing his beloved daughter like this still irked him a bit.


    "Oh...okay, Father."


    Wensy finally snapped out of it and hurriedly controlled her emotions to respond.


    Hosone silently shook his head inwardly and continued walking forward.


    Wensy thought for a moment and then suddenly called out to Hosone:


    "Dad, Lady Renee said Mr. Nad is leaving shortly, maybe we should wait outside and see him off."


    Hosone paused in his steps, and after a moment, he slowly nodded. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Wensy''s reminder was undoubtedly correct, and he found no reason to refute it.


    However, as a father, his daughter''s demeanor did give him some heartache.


    Although that was said, Wensy''s reaction didn''t surprise him.


    After all, whether it was Wizard Nad''s appearance or his gentle demeanor, neither could he fault.


    Especially that handsome face¡­ if he had also been a young girl, he probably would have been captured by it too.


    Still¡­ Wizard Nad was a First Rank Wizard, and possibly, he hailed from a traditional School.


    Hosone looked at his daughter who became buoyant again because he nodded and couldn''t help but sigh once more.


    "Let''s go, wait by the river," he softly called out, then turned toward the riverside.


    As for the Royal Princess.


    After being denied entry just like Hosone and his daughter, she left with her guards.


    The chill of early autumn was not something she, clad in thin clothes, could tolerate for long.


    Churning sounds of water¡ª


    The Leibo River flowed gently, its waves surging from time to time.


    Soon the time reached noon.


    Click.


    The gate of Villa Five slowly opened.


    Colin took the lead and walked out.


    He immediately saw Hosone and his daughter by the riverbank, slightly surprised.


    "Lord Nad," Hosone walked up with a smile and willingly explained, "We are here to bid you farewell."


    "Mr. Nad," Wensy softly greeted by the side.


    "Thank you," Colin smiled, paused, and said,


    "It''s a long journey ahead, so let''s not linger in pleasantries, goodbye."


    Hosone, thank you for the newspapers provided, they were a great help."


    Having said that, Colin nodded towards Hosone and Wensy, then strode off with Renee.


    Wensy watched Colin''s retreating figure, her lips quivering.


    However, it was only for a moment before she noticed that Colin and his companions had instantly disappeared around the street corner.


    The warm autumn sunlight fell, causing Wensy to unconsciously blink hard.


    "What a mysteriously unfathomable wizard," Hosone remarked, watching the scene and couldn''t help but express.


    Wensy unconsciously pursed her lips, then strained her eyes, searching around.


    But the young man was nowhere to be seen in her field of vision, just an empty expanse.


    That handsome young man, just like a fantastical bubble,


    vanished in the blink of an eye.


    "Father," Wensy, after a long silence, suddenly spoke, "When will you send me to Merredith City?"


    "Probably in half a month, why do you ask?"


    "Nothing."


    The two of them walked along, their figures gradually disappearing along the Leibo River.

 Chapter 426 - 303 Almost

    Yanan Calendar, November 20th, night.


    Merredith City.


    Colin and his group gradually became visible on the outskirts of the city.


    If Wensy and Hosone were here, they would definitely find it unbelievable.


    Because in just over half a day, Colin and his group had already reached the distant Merredith City.


    In fact, Colin was somewhat surprised himself.


    After breaking through to become a First Rank Knight, he had redirected his focus back to meditation and witchcraft practice.


    In the last few days, he had successfully broken the limit of the Soaring and Flying Technique, a witchcraft technique that was approaching its limit.


    And a Limit Breaking of the Soaring and Flying Technique had also directly advanced to become the third First Rank Upper witchcraft technique he mastered!


    Usually, if he was traveling long distance, he would use Flying Witchcraft only if there was no choice like airships or transmission arrays.


    After all, the Soaring and Flying Technique, before its Limit Breaking, was still slower than a powerful Wizard Airship.


    Even though he had mastered the Light Flame Soaring Skill, which was slightly faster, its speed was only slightly faster than the Wizard Airship.


    Taking into account the time to recover Magic Power and the burden of bringing Renee and others along, the efficiency of traveling was obviously less than that of airships.


    However, now that the Soaring and Flying Technique had broken its limit, the situation had changed.


    A Limit Breaking of the Soaring and Flying Technique allowed him to fly at about 1.5 times the speed of an ordinary Wizard Airship.


    Under such circumstances, for a relatively short journey like from Nanao to Merredith City, which only required half a day, using Flying Witchcraft had become the superior choice.


    Of course, speed was just one of the enhancements after the Limit Breaking of the Soaring and Flying Technique.


    If the Light Flame Soaring Skill primarily focused on speed and also had an effect that allowed a short burst of speed,


    then the Soaring and Flying Technique, fused from both Flying and Diving Skill and Soaring Technique after their Limit Breaking, was characterized by its amphibious nature and flexible flying.


    And these two aspects had greatly improved in this Limit Breaking.


    Especially the latter, improved flying flexibility''s importance to Wizards goes without saying.


    Collecting his thoughts, Colin headed towards the gate of Merredith City with Renee and others.


    However, soon he saw the large billboard hanging in front of the city gate¡ª


    "Curfew hours: 9 PM¡ª6 AM the following day."


    "Halt."


    Colin stopped in his tracks, not expecting Merredith City to have a curfew.


    With a snap, he pulled out his pocket watch to check, and it was just a few minutes past 9 PM.


    ''A bit unlucky¡­ just missed it by a little.'' Colin sighed as he looked at the closed city gate.


    "When did Merredith City impose a curfew?"


    A voice suddenly sounded not far away.


    Colin listened without any expression.


    "It hasn''t been implemented for long, and it''s only a curfew on entering and exiting. If you could have come earlier and entered the city, it would be no different from usual."


    "No curfew within the city?"


    "Of course not, Merredith City is such a bustling large city, if you couldn''t go out at night, it would delay so many affairs!


    In my view, this curfew is just for show."


    "How could there suddenly be a curfew¡­"


    "War, you see. Let''s go. Except for those from the major Schools, don''t think about getting in now.


    You should find an inn to stay overnight, just don''t pick one close to the city gate, those innkeepers are greedier than each other, raising prices because of the curfew!"


    ''Major Schools?''


    A thought flashed through Colin''s mind, and after the people nearby had left, he took out his own School Badge and continued forward with Renee and others.


    "Halt!" The guarding Wizard first stopped him, then took out a schematic and carefully compared the badge.


    Only then did he cautiously step forward, took out a balance-style Witch Tool, and continued:


    "This distinguished member of the Tin Saint School, please place your badge down and input your Magic Power."


    ''It really does work.''


    Colin''s heart relaxed as he did as instructed.


    In Neustadt City, there were at least thousands of Wizard Schools, and as the Tin Saint School was a direct subsidiary of one of the Nine Major Schools, it ranked at least in the top thirty-six.


    It seemed to meet the criteria of the ''major Schools'' mentioned by the passerby.


    After checking the badge, the gate-guarding Wizard conducted several more checks on him, such as the Deep Red Marking Technique.


    All in all, the process was cumbersome, but everything went smoothly.


    Ten minutes later, he walked into Merredith City through a small gate under the city gate.


    Without any delay, Colin headed straight for the Transmission Array.


    Although Merredith City was still somewhat unfamiliar to him,


    having been there several times already, as he approached the location of the Transmission Array, the sights became increasingly familiar.


    ''Soon I''ll be back in Neustadt¡­'' Colin''s emotions became somewhat complex.


    Lillian had disappeared, and Mentor Atbolde was critically injured in his old age, while Marjorie''s situation was worrisome... The Hidosh Family was watching eagerly from the shadows.


    He had once chosen to temporarily avoid this whirlwind and went to the Leibo River in Nanao.


    It was the best choice under the circumstances for his interests.


    But during this time, he had been pondering whether his decision to leave Neustadt had been somewhat rash.


    Especially under the circumstances of his mentor''s condition, he had rashly said that he needed to leave for a while to visit friends.


    Looking back now, it might have seemed to others more like desertion in the face of battle.


    However, Atbolde had not shown any signs of concern at the time and, as always, as a generous elder, he had agreed to his request without hesitation and wished him a smooth journey.


    So, he hadn''t thought about it then.


    But now, it seemed...


    He shook his head, dismissing these pointless thoughts.


    Whatever the case, he just needed to wait less than half a day, and he would be back at the Tin Saint School.


    Any slight misunderstandings would be quickly resolved.


    But after so many days, he wondered how Atbolde''s health was now...


    Thinking this, Colin subconsciously summoned the Golden Paper.


    A new item was added to the witchcraft section¡ª[Natural Healing Skill (25/100)]


    After breaking through as a First Rank Knight, he had shifted his focus back to meditation and practicing witchcraft on a regular basis.


    The Healing Magic that Atbolde had given him before he left was the foremost skill to practice, and he had already successfully mastered the basics.


    In his heart, there lingered a thought that maybe, someday, he could resolve Atbolde''s issues with the advanced Healing Magic he gained through breaking limits with the Golden Paper. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That day might take a long time, or it might be too late.


    But he moved the Healing Magic to a more prominent position again.


    Having the Strong Life Talent, he himself rarely needed Healing Magic.


    But for those around him, perhaps Renee, perhaps Nasi, it was uncertain when they might need it.


    With these boundless thoughts, he soon arrived at the Transmission Array.


    Colin stepped forward.


    But at that moment,


    Outside the gates of Merredith City, the guarding wizard muttered,


    "Another wizard from the Tin Saint School..."


    "She''s really cute," his companion suddenly said, looking back subconsciously.


    However, the petite blonde witch had already passed through the gate, and the thick city doors blocked his view, making it impossible to see her.


    "Buck, my old friend, you''re something else; if I''m not mistaken, your daughter must be older than that witch..."


    "Ah, it''s just looks... Hey, what''s that witch''s name again?"


    Buck chuckled, as gate guarding was dull, especially at night, and they needed such diversions.


    "That''s true, from the badge, that witch is at least a First Rank Wizard.


    But the balance doesn''t show names, have you forgotten that, Buck old pal?"


    The young wizard joked:


    "If you want to know the name of a pretty girl, you''ve got to ask her yourself, you''re not too old to remember that, are you?"


    "You¡ª!" Buck''s mustache bristled with indignation.


    In the Transmission Array hall.


    Click, click, click¡ª


    The gray-black wall gates opened, and Colin took a deep breath and stepped onto the Transmission Array.


    Each transmission required a complete set of people before it could initiate, and nighttime travelers were sparse, making him wait quite a while.


    However, the moment his foot touched the Transmission Array, it essentially meant that he was already halfway to Neustadt City.


    His face showed a look of anticipation.


    The next moment, as the voice announcement concluded, the Transmission Array flared with light,


    And Colin and the others instantly disappeared from their original position.


    At the same time, the Transmission Array waiting hall welcomed new travelers.


    "May I ask where you are headed?" The ticket-selling apprentice asked respectfully.


    "Neustadt City."


    "Alright, could I have your identification badge, please?"


    "Yes."


    The ticket-selling apprentice took the feather-shaped badge, identified it, and continued:


    "So, you are an esteemed member of the Tin Saint School, may I ask your name for registration?"


    The blonde witch paused for a moment, then calmly answered:


    "Lillian."

 Chapter 427 - 304 Mist

    Yanan Calendar, November 20th, late night.


    Neustadt City.


    As usual, even deep into the night, the city remained bustling.


    "However, if you look closely, it''s probably a bit more desolate than usual," Colin thought to himself as he slowly walked out of the Transmission General Bureau.


    When he paid for the Transmission Array in Merredith City, he had already learned that Neustadt City, like Merredith City, was also enforcing a curfew.


    And similar to the other city, the main emphasis was on strict inspections for those entering the city; the rest was relatively lax.


    For someone like him, using the Transmission Array to enter the city also required inspection, albeit slightly more relaxed, with registrations required only twice.


    Once before taking the Transmission Array in Merredith City, and the other right after arriving in Neustadt City.


    The night breeze carried a hint of cold.


    What had been merely an early autumn chill in Nanao had become the biting cold wind of early winter upon arriving in Neustadt City.


    The sisters Renee had already dressed in thick clothing in anticipation, and Nasi was no exception.


    Standing on a street corner, Colin felt the cold wind brushing against his face, causing the loose strands of hair on his forehead to flutter.


    He silently pondered where to go first.


    Directly to his mentor''s?


    He looked up at the sky, then shook his head.


    His mentor did not receive visitors after noon, as was the longstanding rule.


    "It seems I''ve come back too early," Colin said with a light chuckle.


    From the moment he left Nanao in the morning to start his return journey, he felt an inexplicable sense of urgency for no apparent reason.


    It was this nameless urgency that drove him not to choose the more comfortable airship, but rather the more strenuous witchcraft flight, which saved only an hour or two.


    Likewise, it was this feeling that prevented him from leaving immediately after seeing the curfew notice in Merredith City...


    But now it appeared that he had overlooked the rule against entering Atbolde''s estate after noon.


    So, head home now?


    Yet Colin shook his head again, silently hailing a public coach.


    "Where may I take you?" asked the coachman politely.


    "Wahpe District, Amforte Street."


    ...


    "Are you sure it''s Colin Leonard, the suspect target from the Tin Saint School?" asked Bulvo, frowning in his office at his partner.


    "I''m certain," Keith nodded, adding, "We received word from the Transmission General Bureau. They''ve registered Colin Leonard''s information ¡ª he returned from Merredith City via the Transmission Array about half an hour ago."


    Bulvo paused, then asked, "Where is he now?"


    "Not sure," Keith shook his head, "I''ve just learned this news myself."


    Bulvo pressed his wrinkled forehead, speaking in a deliberate, methodical tone,


    "Colin Leonard left Neustadt City more than half a month ago, allegedly to visit a friend in Merredith City. However, the authorities in Merredith City reported he didn''t stay in the city.


    As soon as he left the Transmission Array he hurriedly boarded an airship for the remote town of Sadi."


    "And then, he disappeared without a trace."


    At this point, he paused before adding dispassionately,


    "Note that Sadi is the city in Meredith Kingdom closest to the Southern Sea Domain."


    Keith nodded gravely, concluding, "He''s a suspect of high interest."


    "I think so too," muttered Bulvo, suddenly standing up and leading the way out.


    ...


    Amforte Street.


    A deep brown public coach came to a halt in front of a run-down three-story building.


    "You guys go ahead... um, stay at the Blue Swan Inn."


    Colin stepped off the coach and, after some thought, said to Renee who was still on board.


    "Yes, Master," Renee nodded with some concern on her face.


    "Don''t worry, I''m just going to see Senior Marjorie. I''ll come find you shortly," Colin reassured her with a smile.


    This building, reminiscent of an inn, was where Marjorie stayed.


    Of course, he only occupied one of the rooms, tucked away on the second floor.


    Since he couldn''t see Atbolde right now, visiting Senior Marjorie wasn''t a bad idea.


    Having been away from Neustadt City for a while, he now returned knowing nothing.


    Perhaps the inexplicable sense of urgency in his heart was for this very reason.


    He was eager to understand the current situation in Neustadt City.


    "Giddy up!"


    The coachman snapped the reins and the carriage moved away.


    Colin exhaled a cloud of breath and quickly entered the building.


    Without the illumination of a Bright Crystal, it was pitch black inside¡ªa typical example of Neustadt''s cheap housing.


    Without using the Light Brightness Skill, relying on the faint light and the keen vision that came with being a First Rank Knight, Colin climbed the narrow staircase, walked through the dim corridor, and at last arrived at a corner room on the second floor.


    "Knock, knock, knock."


    He raised his hand and tapped lightly on the door.


    The sound of his knuckles against the wooden door echoed far down the hallway.


    Perhaps someone was startled awake; he could faintly hear other rooms rustling with the sound of bedding being moved.


    However, there was not a stir of movement from the room in front of Colin¡ªit was quiet... as if it were a graveyard.


    His expression grew somber as he raised his hand to knock again.


    "Knock, knock, knock¡ª"


    The dull sounds repeated rhythmically.


    The large three-story building remained dead silent; this time, even the rustling of bedding from the other rooms had gone.


    All that could be vaguely heard was a few tense breaths.


    Colin''s brows furrowed, he hesitated for a moment before his unease prompted him to wave his hand lightly.


    The Detecting Three Abilities witchcraft penetrated the door like flowing water, surging forward.


    Moments later, the feedback came¡ª


    Nothing.


    There was no sign of life in the room, no Magic Power, no evil presence; it was just empty.


    Colin glanced around, no longer hesitant, he grabbed the doorknob and gave it a gentle push.


    Click.


    Under the force of a First Rank Knight, the door, albeit equipped with basic witchcraft protection, was as fragile as foam and easily opened.


    There was no sense of drama in the entire process.


    But if one were to observe carefully, the faintly trembling wall beside it unreservedly demonstrated what kind of terrifying power belongs to a First Rank Knight.


    Colin quickly swept his gaze inside.


    No one was there.


    He breathed a slight sigh of relief... at least it wasn''t the terrible outcome he had imagined.


    ''But this late, where on earth could Senior Marjorie have gone?''


    He frowned and slowly turned to walk back downstairs.


    However, just then.


    Tap, tap, tap¡ª


    Two rapid footsteps suddenly came from behind. Quick to flank him, one on each side, they trapped Colin in the middle.


    "What is your relationship with the occupant of that room?" the hooded Wizard on the right asked in a low voice.


    Perhaps feeling that they had Colin under control, his tone was slightly relaxed.


    Colin did not rush to retaliate.


    At this distance, it was precisely where he, as a First Rank Knight, was strongest, and before he had pushed the door open, he had already cast a Steel Temperature Resistance Field upon himself.


    He first looked the Wizards up and down.


    Both Wizards were clad in black Wizard Robes, with hoods covering their heads so that their faces couldn''t be seen, but the crests they bore made it clear to Colin who they were.


    "Who are you."


    But he still asked calmly.


    "Don''t play dumb. Don''t you recognize the crest of the Hidosh Family?" the Wizard on the left, with a raspy voice, said sharply.


    "Looks like he needs to be taught a lesson," hissed the Wizard on the right. He nodded at his companion, seemingly about to extend his hand to subdue Colin.


    Whoosh!


    Both men reached out their arms, a pale yellow glow twining around their forearms.


    From their stance, it appeared to be a witchcraft with paralyzing and strengthening effects.


    However, in the next moment, the two Wizards felt as if they had grabbed onto a mountain; despite their witchcraft-augmented strength, they could not budge him in the slightest. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Not good!" Finally realizing they had met their match, the Wizards quickly released their grip and retreated.


    But it was too late.


    Colin made no movements, not even turning around.


    Yet the two Wizards stood frozen in place as if struck by lightning, their faces plastered with fear, as if they had come across some unknown, mysterious creature!


    The Knight Aura can be as a punishing thorn that commands respect or as a violent thunderstorm that incites terror!


    On the other hand, it was only now that Colin calmly turned around and watched them, calmly asking:


    "Tell me, why are you lurking here?"

 Chapter 428 - 305: Critical Situation

    Colin''s voice was not loud, it could be considered soft.


    Even the residents who were eavesdropping through a door found it somewhat hard to hear clearly.


    However, to the two wizards shrouded by the Knight Aura, Colin''s voice seemed so grand and mysterious that it almost immediately shattered their psychological defenses.


    "Spare... spare our lives!"


    The wizard with the hoarse voice was the first to speak out, but it was just some frightened, rambling plea.


    The remnants of reason told him that he had clearly fallen prey to some sort of witchcraft.


    This awareness did not make him feel any better; instead, it frightened him even more¡ªthis youth, who did not look very old, was actually an Official Wizard!


    As he looked at them, Colin slightly frowned and reduced the intensity of the Knight Aura, while also casting Silent to muffle their voices.


    "Were you sent by Yasi Hidosh?" After doing this, he continued to ask.


    It was only upon closer inspection that these two wizards seemed less like pureblood wizards from the Hidosh Family and more like ordinary wizards.


    Aside from the mismatched crests representing the Hidosh Family on their clothing, they lacked any air of being from a great Family.


    Nor did they seem like specially trained subordinates; their manners and knowledge were too poor, they didn''t even recognize the Tin Saint crest on his chest indicating a First Rank Wizard.


    As for strength, from the hyper-aware state, they were nothing more than two Advanced Wizard Apprentices...


    As the intensity of the Knight Aura weakened, the two wizards simultaneously shivered, then gasped for air violently for a moment.


    The hoarse-voiced wizard hurriedly exclaimed:


    "My lord, we are just hired hands, we don''t know any Yasi Hidosh!"


    The wizard next to him finally came to his senses and hastily echoed:


    "We had no ill intentions, we were simply following the client''s instructions to interrogate every person who had been to this room."


    His body was still trembling slightly, filled with intense regret!


    If he had known that an apprentice living in such cheap housing knew an Official Wizard, he would never have taken this job!


    Curse the Hidosh Family for being so domineering, and for offering so many Magic Stones!


    ''Hired wizards?''


    "Tell me everything you know in detail," Colin asked again.


    "My lord, we truly do not know anything. We only know that the wizard who contacted us was indeed from the Hidosh Family, he proved his identity with his crest. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But he did not reveal his name, and even his face was hidden."


    "Our task was to capture Marjorie Alist."


    "However, he only gave us this location and told us to stake it out.


    If Marjorie returned, we were to capture him, and if anyone else came by, we were also to stop and interrogate them."


    Saying up to here, the apprentice with the hoarse voice said with grievance, "My lord, as you know, Pureblood Families are the nobles among wizards.


    They offered many Magic Stones and even gave us two crests of the Hidosh Family especially, and the task was just to deal with an ordinary Advanced Wizard Apprentice."


    "Think about it¡ªwith the prestige of a Pureblood Wizard Family, it''s just about catching an ordinary Wizard Apprentice, what''s the difference between that and giving us Magic Stones, so..."


    Both apprentices tried to force out a smile and laughed sheepishly.


    For these past few days, they had not been shy about bullying the residents of this floor with the prestige of the Hidosh Family.


    The strange atmosphere in the building now was due to this¡ªthe residents were all waiting to see which unlucky one would provoke these two.


    Would it be the newspaper boy delivering papers, or some unlucky person who walked into the wrong room?


    Unfortunately, this time the two apprentices had kicked an especially hard iron plate.


    Colin listened but did not respond for the moment.


    The identities of the two apprentices in front of him were now very clear¡ªboth of them were foolish individuals who were pressured by the reputation of the Hidosh Family and could not resist their own greed.


    If a lavish reward corresponded to a simple task, then there certainly was a hidden price to pay.


    Colin wondered why Yasi had chosen these two apprentices to come after Marjorie Senior.


    Could it be... there was no suitable person available?


    Colin pondered silently.


    He didn''t know much about the feud between Atbolde and the Hidosh Family.


    On one hand, he hadn''t inquired carefully; on the other, it was because those grudges were all old matters now.


    Who was right and who was wrong didn''t matter; he only needed to know that the Hidosh Family, or rather Yasi Hidosh, was now the enemy.


    That said, he still learned some things after exchanging information with Marjorie before leaving Neustadt.


    Marjorie had told him¡ª


    The grudge between the Hidosh Family and Atbolde had, in fact, been settled decades ago following the fall of Pulan, the Golden Feather.


    The Tin Saint School had specifically intervened to mediate the conflict between the two.


    Though he said he wasn''t very clear on the specifics, after that event, the hostility between them had essentially dissipated.


    With the exception of one person¡ªYasi Hidosh.


    While the rest of the Hidosh Family had largely forgotten about Atbolde, and forgotten about the mere Second Rank Wizard who was confined to the estate due to injuries.


    Yasi Hidosh never let go of his grudge.


    In the first decade or two decades, it was still calm; Atbolde stayed in his estate, living a retired life.


    However, afterwards, it seemed that Yasi did something.


    At that time Marjorie had not yet joined the master''s Faction, the only thing he knew was that the Faction led by Atbolde had rapidly shrunk in size, with membership numbers dropping quickly.

 Chapter 429 - 305 Peril_2

    Yasi''s purpose needed no further elaboration¡ªhe naturally wanted to coerce Atbolde into taking action.


    Indeed, the mentor seemed to have actually made a move.


    However, the final outcome was obviously not satisfactory, by the time Marjorie joined in, only Atbolde and Lillian remained.


    Marjorie also mentioned something¡ª


    Originally, Mentor Atbolde didn''t have a rule about not being seen after noon, but after that incident, such a rule came into existence... Perhaps the old ailments he suffered were also left from that time.


    Colin shook his head, his thoughts straying somewhat.


    But regardless, if the Hidosh family already had no support for Yasi Hidosh to deal with the mentor, then couldn''t his lack of available subordinates also be explained?


    Colin still harbored some doubts in his heart, and he turned to observe the two apprentices in front of him, pondering how to deal with them.


    Tap, tap, tap¡ª


    Just at that moment, a series of light footsteps suddenly came from the direction of the staircase.


    Someone was coming upstairs.


    Colin''s heart tightened, and he turned around.


    However, in the next moment, a somewhat hesitant familiar voice came through:


    "Colin Junior, is it you?"


    "Marjorie Senior?" Colin raised an eyebrow, exclaiming with surprise.


    Marjorie looked pale, with a weary expression. He barely managed a smile before continuing:


    "Actually, I''ve been around, saw you going in earlier and thought I was seeing things, didn''t expect it to really... Watch out!"


    Before he could finish, Marjorie''s expression suddenly turned to one of shock and horror.


    Colin''s heart skipped a beat, and he quickly turned his head following Marjorie''s gaze.


    The two apprentices suddenly fell into some kind of bizarre state.


    Their expressions were ferocious, their mouths open wide as they howled as if in extreme pain.


    But no matter how hard they tried, no sound came out.


    Clouds of pale black mist quickly spread from the Hidosh family crest on their wizard robes, pouring ceaselessly into their gaping mouths and nostrils!


    In an instant, while cutting off any sound, the mist transformed the two apprentices into pitch-black monsters!


    Swish!


    Once the black mist had completely covered their bodies, the two monsters turned into merciless, cold killing machines, swiftly and silently lunging at Colin.


    Just by their strength and speed, they had nearly surpassed the usual scope of an apprentice!


    Marjorie, on the side, widened his eyes, nervously watching all of this unfold.


    In his mind, Junior Colin had only just advanced to first-rank wizard and probably had hardly had the chance to learn a few spells.


    By comparison, the two monsters in front of him, though not quite reaching first-rank level, evidently specialized in close combat.


    And at this very moment, the distance between Junior Colin and them was so close, the contrast put Colin at a distinct disadvantage!


    "No, this won''t do!"


    Driven by inner urgency, Marjorie didn''t hesitate to step forward, ready to lend a hand.


    However, in the next moment, before he could even take a step, a shocking scene suddenly unfolded.


    Colin made no discernible move.


    Yet the two dark, terrifying monsters that rushed towards him, as if struck by lightning, ceased their charge and stood frozen in their tracks.


    If one observed carefully, one could see their bodies, shrouded in black mist, trembling uncontrollably.


    "Colin... Junior..." Marjorie muttered in shock, taking a few slow steps forward.


    "This is a first-rank control witchcraft I''ve recently learned," Colin explained, his expression unchanged.


    ''First-rank witchcraft... and it seems to be instantaneous casting.'' Marjorie''s expression was still filled with surprise.


    He felt some admiration and sincerely said, "To ensure you learn witchcraft at such a fast advancement pace... Junior Colin, you are truly a genius."


    "The school awarding you the Silver Feather Token is well-deserved."


    Colin smiled but did not respond.


    In fact, according to his current advancement speed, if he were to register at Black Castle, he would likely be eligible for a Golden Feather Token.


    But in the end, honors bestowed by others are illusory¡ªso long as one''s own essence is solid, recognition will naturally follow.


    No need to be overly concerned.


    He turned his gaze back to the two wizards who had transformed into monsters. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this moment, he had already maximized the intensity of the Knight Aura.


    The result was that the two pitch-black creatures, caught between the Apprentice Rank and the First Rank, were firmly rooted to the spot, unable to move, and at his mercy to slaughter.


    Using the Knight Aura to its limit was largely it.


    Simply relying on the Knight Aura to cause the pitch-black creatures to die in terror like the previous knights was still beyond his power.


    However, the true purpose of the Knight Aura was to assist.


    These two creatures, surpassing the Apprentice Rank, were utterly immobilized under the Knight Aura, like fish on a chopping board.


    Thus, stronger entities such as First Rank Wizards or even Second Rank Wizards, even if not completely immobilized when faced with the Knight Aura, would still be somewhat affected.


    This was akin to applying a persistent negative status to the enemy, and it hardly drained his own energy at all!


    The pitch-black creatures continued trembling.


    "They''re probably already dead," suddenly said Marjorie from the side.


    Colin nodded.


    It was obvious that the ''they'' Marjorie referred to were the two apprentices from earlier.


    The two Hidosh Family badges clearly contained extremely evil witchcraft, instantly taking the lives of the two apprentices and transforming them into two terrible monsters.


    He could feel the declining souls within the pitch-black creatures that had been corrupted.


    How should he deal with these two monsters?


    ''Should I turn them over to the Law Enforcement Team?'' he hesitated inwardly.


    At that moment, Marjorie, finally coming back to her senses from the sudden event, remembered why she had taken the risk to return here.


    His complexion became somewhat panicked and agitated, and he quickly turned his head and said solemnly to Colin,


    "Colin, Mentor Atbolde could be in danger right now!"


    Colin had no time to consider the two monsters and looked at him, puzzled.


    Marjorie continued to explain:


    "You have been away from Neustadt City for some time and might not be aware, but after the day you came to see me, I have been trying to visit Mentor Atbolde at the School every morning.


    However, Nado always blocked me, not allowing me to enter. I guess it might be because the mentor didn''t want to get me involved anymore."


    As he spoke, Marjorie''s voice became somewhat low, and his eyes were slightly red. He took a breath and continued,


    "But this morning, Nado, contrary to usual, did not stop me. At first, I was happy, thinking the mentor had changed his mind, and I nearly exposed my whereabouts."


    Marjorie paused, then suddenly took out a very familiar necklace¡ªthe Ancient Tree Spring¡ªand passed it to him, continuing somewhat despondently,


    "But I couldn''t make it into the study. The mentor handed me this necklace through the door.


    He ordered me to change Schools and return the necklace to you if there was a chance in the future, and then he drove me out of the manor again."


    Taking the Ancient Tree Spring and caressing the necklace that seemed both golden and wooden, Colin''s heart slowly sank.


    Marjorie''s words still continued.


    "I couldn''t enter the mentor''s courtyard again, but I know where Yasi Hidosh lives."


    "I sensed that something might happen, so I waited outside Yasi''s villa."


    Marjorie paused and lowered his head, the voice of this nearly two-meter-tall strong man sounding somewhat choked up:


    "Not long ago, I saw Yasi''s carriage leaving, and I followed it all the way to find that his destination was the Tin Saint School!"


    "Moreover, at the same time, the area where the mentor''s courtyard is located was temporarily sealed off by the School''s steward Field under the pretext of changing the Witch Array restrictions."


    Although Marjorie didn''t spell it out, everything seemed imminent.


    Colin spoke in a grave voice, "Are you suggesting that Yasi is preparing to deal with the mentor personally?"


    "Yes," Marjorie paused before answering.


    He gazed at Colin, his lips trembling.


    He wanted to urge Colin to go and rescue Mentor Atbolde, but how could that be possible?


    After all, Colin was but a First Rank Wizard. Reason told him he should preserve his life and plan for the long term...


    Despair was written all over Marjorie''s face.


    However, in the next moment, the despair on his face turned to bewilderment.


    Crack.


    Colin calmly took a step forward, extending his arm and effortlessly snapping the necks of the two pitch-black creatures as if they were rotten wood.


    He then turned back to him without hesitation and said,


    "Let''s go, the mentor needs us."

 Chapter 430 - 306 Snow

    Marjorie looked up blankly, thinking she must have been hallucinating.


    But seeing Colin''s earnest expression, she knew it wasn''t an illusion and murmured with emotion,


    "Junior Brother Colin¡­"


    "We mustn''t delay, Senior Brother Marjorie," Colin urged in a serious tone.


    He held the Ancient Tree Heart Necklace in his palm, a glint of cold light flashing in his deep blue eyes.


    Seemingly reminded of something, Colin turned around again, ready to collect the corpses of the two pitch-black creatures they had just dealt with.


    Neustadt City maintained order; actions such as wantonly taking the lives of Apprentices, transforming them, and attacking a Wizard Apprentice couldn''t be done openly.


    Of course, for the lofty Schools and Pureblood Families, even if such deeds were exposed, they were inconsequential.


    This was also why Marjorie, after deducing that Yasi intended to harm Atbolde, had not even considered reporting it to the School.


    Those Pureblood Families held most of the power within the Schools, deeply interconnected. A mere Apprentice reporting such things would most likely result in a quiet disappearance.


    But in the vast Neustadt City, who else could they, unsupported and alone, rely on other than themselves?


    Therefore, even if it only added a little bargaining chip, it was crucial to hold onto it tightly.


    However, before Colin could extend his hand,


    Sssss.


    The two pitch-black creature bodies on the ground turned abruptly into fine dust and then, at an astonishingly rapid pace, dissipated into black mist in the air.


    "Truly ruthless," Marjorie was startled inwardly.


    They didn''t just turn people into half-dead monsters; even after death, not even a corpse was left, pulverizing to ashes completely!


    "Let''s go," Colin paused, his extended arm hesitating before he withdrew his gaze, ready to head downstairs.


    "Wait, Junior Brother Colin!" However, at this moment, Marjorie grabbed hold of him.


    "What''s the matter?" Colin turned back and asked, puzzled.


    He scanned the surroundings.


    Thanks to the Silent Spell cast earlier, all commotion had been concealed; the hallway was now utterly silent, with no one coming out to investigate.


    "We can''t go," Marjorie said, taking a deep breath, sadness still evident in his face but now with a changed mind.


    "Yasi Hidosh is a Second Rank Wizard, even though only at the Basic Level, but with our strength, trying to confront him is like throwing an egg against a rock¡ªeven with the mentor, it''s no use; you should be clearer than I am about the mentor''s condition."


    "Junior Brother Colin¡ª" Marjorie looked at him with reddening eyes, trying to keep his tone steady, "With your Talent, you have a bright future ahead, and you shouldn''t perish tonight." Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "If... if you''re willing to remember the mentor''s hatred, then as long as you''re alive, there will come a day in the future when you''ll surpass Second Rank!


    One day, you''ll avenge the mentor and wash away the hate!"


    He clenched his teeth, his voice seeming to burst from the gaps between them.


    "But the mentor is not coming back to life, is he?" Colin said.


    Marjorie''s face of hatred froze, his brows and eyes lowering, his complexion gradually turning somber.


    "Senior Brother Marjorie¡ª" Colin looked at him and paused before continuing calmly,


    "Mentor Atbolde will not die."


    "At least, not tonight."


    Marjorie lifted his head again.


    He looked at Colin.


    The young man spoke with a calmness as if discussing the most mundane matter,


    Yet it brought tremendous comfort.


    A glimmer called hope, which had almost been extinguished in Marjorie''s heart, began to shine once more, his eyes gradually brightening.


    Colin spoke no further and turned, striding quickly downstairs.


    Hearing Marjorie''s following footsteps, Colin had a thought.


    But the next moment, he dismissed the idea that had just surfaced.


    He wanted to tell Marjorie to stay here and wait for news, since he was just an ordinary Advanced Wizard Apprentice.


    It was clear, however, that this was as meaningless as Marjorie''s words urging him to stay¡ªit made no sense.


    Not all decisions in this world could be persuaded logically, no matter how much more sensible they may seem...


    Stepping out of the rental building, Colin took a deep breath of the cool air.


    Neustadt City had its streetlights, too, but they weren''t powered by electricity; rather, they were plants that had undergone special modifications.


    They absorbed sunlight during the day and emitted light at night.


    Now, under their dim yellow radiance, he keenly perceived tiny, sparkling flecks drifting down from the sky.


    Colin paused slightly.


    "It''s snowing," Marjorie said softly, looking up from behind.


    "...Yes."


    Withdrawing his gaze, he took off with Marjorie towards the direction of the School.


    The cold wind whistled through the streets as the snowflakes swirled in the dim light.


    If he remembered correctly, this was the first snow he had encountered since arriving in this world.


    The crystalline snowflakes kept colliding with the invisible Protective Shield, not unlike snowflakes hitting a car windshield in his former life.


    Colin glanced up at the dark sky.


    In his previous life, he wasn''t an indifferent person, at least... not a bad one.


    Although he wasn''t keen on socializing, he still harbored the most basic kindness.


    Yet since arriving in this dangerous world, everything around him pressured him to remain indifferent, to keep his distance.


    This approach was indeed correct, and precisely because of it, he had been able to escape from Blackstone Island and survive in McIntosh''s experiments.


    Even so, there were still some lines that couldn''t be crossed.


    Vengeance must be taken.

 Chapter 431 - 306 Snow_2

    This was his bottom line.


    Just as he had once carried Erica''s bones across thousands of miles of ocean, tonight he would not stand idly by and watch Atbolde die.


    Colin silently clenched his fist.


    Emerald-golden Fighting Aura surged in his lower abdomen.


    After advancing to a First Rank Wizard and undergoing a complete bodily transformation, he could no longer estimate how many times stronger the current Bronze Fighting Aura was compared to his old Great Knight days.


    All he knew was that he was much stronger than before.


    His Blood Qi Armor, which had previously not even matched a Zeroth Rank Defensive Witchcraft, now almost possessed half the strength of a Steel Temperature Resistance Field.


    His Strong Life Talent had broken limits once again, with the Knight Aura imposing powerful debuffs on enemies without any expenditure...


    Of course, he still wasn''t completely sure in his heart.


    After all, that was a Second Rank Wizard, even if it was only a Basic Level Second Rank Wizard, it was still a Second Rank Wizard!


    Between each rank of Wizards, there was a profound chasm.


    Colin exhaled a breath of turbid air lightly.


    The Tin Saint School was now within reach.


    He thought for a moment, took out the Silver Feather Token, and hung it around his neck.


    Five minutes later, he arrived near Atbolde''s residence with Marjorie.


    A hundred meters from Atbolde''s residence, they came upon a hazy, grey Protective Shield, its top flickering with pale golden characters¡ª


    "Witch Array Maintenance in Progress, Please Do Not Enter."


    "This is a temporary Protective Shield that was only there in the evening; that Field Steward responsible is a member of the Hidosh Family," Marjorie spoke, almost forgetting this detail.


    Field was evidently also a Second Rank Wizard, though it was unknown whether he was lurking nearby at this moment.


    Perhaps the flight over had allowed reason to take control once again.


    When Marjorie thought of the existence of Steward Field, his mouth opened slightly, wanting to persuade Colin again.


    However, before he could speak, he heard Colin whisper, "Stick close!"


    The next moment, all he saw was Colin stepping forward and throwing a right punch, emerald-golden light shining mysteriously from his arm.


    Boom!


    The misty grey Protective Shield was immediately blasted open with a large hole, and Colin did not stop, charging straight through.


    Marjorie hurriedly followed, but in his mind, he marveled, wondering what kind of witchcraft this was, as he had not felt the slightest fluctuation of Magic Power.


    He racked his brains and speculated in secret,


    "Could it be Bloodline Power?"


    Whoosh!


    Just then, as Colin was about to reach the entrance to Atbolde''s residence, a powerful figure suddenly soared into the sky and appeared before them.


    "Steward Field," Marjorie exclaimed.


    Field was a lean middle-aged man with a small mustache on his upper lip and slightly small eyes.


    Dressed in a gray Wizard Robe with golden embroidery, his face holding anger, he questioned loudly,


    "Why have you trespassed into the Witch Array maintenance area?!"


    Colin squinted at Field.


    The Steward''s expression was genuine, his brows were furrowed, an image of someone who knew nothing and was just doing his job.


    Next to him, Marjorie, intimidated by the other''s presence, looked somewhat pale.


    He was, after all, only an Advanced Wizard Apprentice.


    Colin shifted his gaze away, not responding, and continued forward in silence with Marjorie as if he saw nothing.


    Watching his actions, Field''s expression of anger did not deepen; instead, it dissipated like smoke, as if performing a face-changing act in Sichuan opera.


    He squinted carefully at Colin. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His gaze particularly lingered on the Silver Feather Token hanging on Colin''s chest.


    By now, Colin had walked past Field without the slightest pause, continuing forward without a sideward glance.


    As they drew near to Field, Marjorie felt his heart suspended in midair, almost breathless.


    However, this feeling was fleeting, and before he could react, Colin brushed past Field, arriving at the entrance to Atbolde''s residence.


    Swoosh!


    A faint glow of witchcraft shone forth.


    This was a minor trick for opening the door.


    However, there was no slight response from Nado standing in front of the door.


    Colin took a step forward, the repelling force that should have been there had disappeared.


    His heart sank, knowing that the battle inside must have reached an intense stage.


    "Let''s go," he said in a low voice, ready to quicken his pace.


    It seemed he thought of something, and before stepping forward, he unconsciously looked back.


    Field, the steward who had been behind him, had also vanished without a trace.


    "Junior Colin, how did you know Field would let us through directly?" Marjorie asked as she followed his gaze, murmuring with surprise.


    "I didn''t know," Colin shook his head and quickly walked forward.


    He was telling the truth.


    Although he had speculated that Field, the steward, was very likely not to stop them, he was not certain.


    From the attitude Field had shown upon leaving, and the stance of the Hidosh Family, it was easy to guess that Field might have been asked by Yasi, through his own connections, to help.


    And this help was probably just to create an undisturbed environment for dealing with their mentor.


    As for other matters, such as helping to deal with Atbolde, Field would most likely be unwilling.


    Similarly, when facing the two students of Atbolde, Field might use the pretext of repairing the Witch Array to hinder them but was very unlikely to personally deal with them.


    After all, the current situation was just a dispute between Yasi Hidosh and Atbolde, not between the Hidosh Family and Atbolde.


    If he rashly intervened, he could easily get himself into unnecessary trouble.


    Conversely, if he just followed the rules to check the Witch Array, should any problems arise later, he could absolve himself completely.


    However, no matter how much he speculated, it was still just speculation.


    The exact nature of the relationship between Field and Yasi, whether the Hidosh Family would help Yasi deal with an old and severely injured Atbolde, these were still unknown.


    Of course, he could not be entirely sure Field wouldn''t stop them.


    He just felt that whether Field intervened or not, he had to go over; getting closer would be more advantageous for him.


    Thus, there was no need for further thought, he just silently prepared for combat and continued forward.


    The mentor''s estate wasn''t small, surrounded by a ring of tall trees, with dense shrubs underneath that completely blocked the outside view.


    Passing through this "wall" of the front gate was a huge botanical garden, filled with flowers and other shrubby plants, and even a few fruit trees.


    To reach the central villa, one had to cross a path stretching across the botanical garden.


    Of course, for Colin, he could have flown directly there¡ªbut he had tried earlier, and flying was prohibited by some force.


    However, it didn''t matter, the running speed of a First Rank Knight wasn''t bad either.


    Stepping onto the path inside the garden, the dense vegetation made everything around seem quieter.


    The snow was still falling, seemingly heavier now, slowly draping a layer of white veil over the entire botanical garden.


    As they delved deeper, the dim light from the street lamps outside was gradually completely obscured by the dense vegetation behind them.


    The silent night enveloped the surroundings.


    Colin and Marjorie exchanged a glance, both harboring some doubts¡ª


    The mentor''s estate was too quiet, without any sound of battle.


    Colin pursed his lips, suddenly recalling the slight cold smile he had glimpsed when he brushed past Field.


    A faint unease pervaded the surroundings.


    He once again quickened his pace.


    Moments later, they passed through the garden path and emerged from the dense vegetation.


    It was then that they both noticed something amiss.


    A black hemispherical mist barrier came into view.


    It wasn''t very large, just barely covering Atbolde''s villa and some of the surrounding area.


    ''And the area with a huge ancient tree in the backyard,'' Colin observed carefully.


    The gray-black mist on the surface of the shield, which resembled the outer body of the dark monster they had seen before, was churning and trembling.


    Faint energy fluctuations were emanating from it.

 Chapter 432 - 307: Another Person

    Colin took a gentle breath, and before him, the black mist churned as if it were a demon''s den choosing its next victim.


    The cold air sank into his lungs with his breath, the chilly sensation invigorating his body instead.


    It was like a volcano, most tranquil before an eruption. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Let''s go."


    He waved his hand to bestow a Steel Temperature Resistance Field upon Marjorie, gave a low shout, and then walked directly into the black mist barrier.


    This black mist barrier wasn''t a Protective Shield, lacking any obstructive function.


    It must have been specifically for concealing the commotion of battle.


    Thus, with the witchcraft inspection Protective Shield set up by Phil outside, even a Third Level Great Wizard would unlikely detect the battle inside the Magister''s Academy unless they approached closely.


    Yasi had clearly made thorough preparations for this operation.


    The black mist barrier wasn''t merely a thin layer but spanned several meters in distance.


    As he moved through, the black mist rushed towards him, making Colin feel as if he had returned to the fog-enshrouded banks of the Leibo River.


    Only now the pure white mist had been stained a filthy black.


    Moments later, they completely passed through the barrier, and their vision suddenly cleared.


    The snow fell gently like feathers all around.


    Atbolde''s lavish villa had already become a pile of grey-black ruins.


    Beyond these broken walls and ruins, one could see a towering, twisted tree on the right.


    The tree was in poor condition, with withered branches and leaves, and a stout trunk marred with gaping wounds and odd brown galls from attacks.


    At that moment, a horde of pitch-black creatures surrounded it, attacking.


    Black mist spread from these shadow-like creatures, intermingling with the dancing tree whips, creating a ghastly image.


    And opposite the twisted tree stood Yasi Hidosh, clad in a blood-red Wizard Robe.


    His expression was stern, his posture relaxed, looking calm and collected as if he was sure of his victory.


    As Colin and Marjorie''s gaze fell upon Yasi, he returned the look.


    In fact, Yasi had noticed their presence the instant these uninvited guests broke in.


    He had thought there was some accident outside, but now, it seemed, a pleasant surprise had come his way!


    With a shift in thought, he understood the situation and turned elegantly to gesture towards the outside, performing a graceful bow.


    "Thank you, Phil, for bringing me such a splendid gift."


    After these gestures, he looked leisurely toward Colin and Marjorie, inquiring in a small-talk manner,


    "Colin Leonard... didn''t you go to Merredith City to visit friends? How come you''re back so suddenly?


    As I suspected, you haven''t given up on Atbolde, as Oliver suggested."


    "And Marjorie Alist, aren''t you dead yet? Those two wastes truly lived up to their name, failing to kill even with the Black Mist Transformation.


    Could it be that Colin saved you?"


    Yasi smiled, not waiting for an answer, and continued,


    "However, your timing couldn''t be better; I was quite vexed."


    At this point, Marjorie became more composed. Ignoring Yasi''s pretense, he looked around cautiously and wondered,


    "Where is Master Atbolde?"


    Boom¡ª!


    Just then, a muffled sound like a drum beat suddenly erupted.


    A deep green ring of light burst from the center of the twisted tree''s trunk, instantly cleansing the surrounding black shadows and even momentarily pausing the snowfall.


    However, Yasi, upon witnessing the scene, actually lifted an eyebrow and laughed,


    "Atbolde, you just couldn''t contain yourself, could you?"


    He then addressed Colin and Marjorie once more, "I appreciate your involvement, otherwise if old Atbolde died in silence... all my efforts would have been in vain."


    "That twisted tree, is Master Atbolde?!" Marjorie murmured in shock.


    Colin remained silent, observing Yasi intently, his superbrain whirring at high speed as the patterns of the Crown of Insight slowly emerged on his forehead.


    The situation was still stable, and gathering more information was the right choice; he had no intention of acting rashly.


    After all, Yasi before him was a Second Rank Wizard.


    "Atbolde, hand over the Black Mist Token, I am sure you don''t wish to see two of your students die before you," Yasi said, already turned, addressing the entwined giant tree with a commanding tone.


    In his words, there were no considerations for them, treating them as though they were fish ready for the chopping block.


    "I don''t have any Black Mist Token." A heavy sigh arose, a crack opened in the bulk of the twisted tree, and the figure of Atbolde emerged from within.


    However, only his upper body was visible; from the waist down, his form was completely wooden, merged with the twisted ancient tree.


    "Master!" Marjorie called out instinctively, a tinge of sorrow surfacing on his face at the sight of Atbolde''s state.


    "You should not have come." Atbolde looked at them, sighing once more, "I''m but a dying man... You shouldn''t have thrown your lives away over a person''s grudges and wrongs."


    His face was old and covered with tree-like veins, his expression stiff; even his voice was somewhat dull.


    "My life was given by the Master anyway..."


    Marjorie couldn''t finish his sentence as Yasi coldly interrupted.

 Chapter 433 - 307: Another Person_2

    "Now is not the time for reminiscing!"


    Swoosh!


    As his words fell, dark ghostly figures suddenly appeared beside him, rushing toward Colin and Marjorie.


    At the same time, Atbolde lifted his fingers.


    Swoosh!


    Swoosh, Swoosh, Swoosh!


    Countless twisted roots, like thousands of swords being fired simultaneously, shot through the fluttering snowflakes toward the charging dark monsters!


    Colin''s expression turned solemn, readying himself for battle.


    Unfortunately... it was somewhat rushed, with not much information gathered.


    However, just then, Yasi suddenly frowned and looked behind them.


    Tap, tap, tap¡ª


    A series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from behind, very close.


    Colin instinctively turned around.


    A dazzling golden light was the first to catch his eye, followed by a beautiful blonde Witch.


    "Lillian, senior?" Colin exclaimed, pausing even in his movements.


    But the dazzling golden light did not pause; it bypassed them and fanned out towards the dark monsters behind them.


    Lillian, seeing him, also expressed some surprise.


    "Colin, you''re not dead?!"


    "I came out of the Treasure Vault smoothly and, after not seeing you for several days, I left the Elf Kingdom and only just returned here recently," Colin replied succinctly.


    Now was not the time for catching up, and Lillian didn''t ask further. She greeted Marjorie at her side and then focused her attention on the battle.


    Colin likewise continued to gather information about the battle.


    The fluttering snowflakes were unaffected by the impact of the golden light; however, the dark creatures shrouded in black fog seemed as if they had encountered a fierce wind, their speed suddenly slowing, and the black fog on their bodies continuously dissipating.


    Lillian watched this scene, her brow slightly furrowed.


    This golden light was the talent ability she had acquired after enhancing her Elf Bloodline in the secret vault. Currently, it dispersed onto each of the dark creatures, its power barely equating to First Rank Upper Attack Witchcraft.


    However, the effect obtained was not as good as she had imagined.


    These dark creatures, each probably possessed strength at least equivalent to the peak of First Rank Intermediate!


    A heaviness sank in Lillian''s heart as she looked up at Yasi Hidosh in the distance.


    Having raced back from the far-off Sea Domain, her greatest worry was encountering the situation before her.


    As a Second Rank Wizard, even though she herself, after enhancing her Elf Bloodline, was nearly at the peak of a First Rank Wizard, she still had no confidence in dealing with it.


    Swoosh!


    Swoosh, Swoosh, Swoosh!


    At that moment, the vines shot by Atbolde finally arrived belatedly, and in conjunction with the golden light, they successfully eliminated those dark creatures. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lillian watched this scene and let out a light breath.


    Her grandfather''s condition was poor, but better than she had expected; there might still be hope¡ª


    As long as... she took something out from her Storage Ring, her mind made up.


    "I didn''t expect you to have survived, Lillian."


    Yasi, not minding that his painstakingly created monsters had all perished, just gazed at Lillian and spoke softly, his tone carrying an inexplicable significance.


    He smiled, the curvature of his lips broad enough to expose all his neat white teeth, seemingly laughing, yet his speaking tone was as indifferent as drifting snow, devoid of any warmth:


    "You are really ugly, nowhere near as much like your mother.


    It''s a pity... if you resembled Octavia more, perhaps I would have spared your life."


    "And yet, you just had to inherit the look of your phony nobleman father!"


    "I like the way I look now," Lillian calmly responded, then added, "My mother liked it too."


    Meanwhile, she moved discreetly toward the twisted gigantic tree where Atbolde resided.


    Yasi''s smile faded, a cold light flashing in his eyes.


    He gazed at Lillian, who bore a striking resemblance to Pulan, and flames of anger burned within him.


    But soon, he chuckled softly.


    After all, tonight, all these grievances would be settled once and for all!


    Whoosh!


    Several dark shadows suddenly appeared and blocked Lillian''s path.


    At the same time, more dark shadows surrounded the twisted tree where Atbolde was.


    Their bodies were shrouded in a black fog that was evidently denser than the monsters before, and their aura was much stronger!


    "I know what you are trying to do," Yasi looked at Lillian and sneered,


    "Two months ago, you went to the Southern Sea Domain under the pretext of reinforcing the battle line, but I know your real purpose was to find a cure for Atbolde."


    "I thought you had died, as all Elf Clan members are traitors, and that so-called Elf Kingdom has become a land of pollution."


    Yasi paused briefly, then continued,


    "But you have come back safely... so I guess you must have something in your hands that can cure Atbolde, right?"


    "You plan to heal Atbolde while I am unprepared," he spread his arms and shook his head. "But how could I let that happen?"


    Lillian''s expression slowly turned grim.


    She gazed at the twisted tree, less than a hundred meters away, watching her grandfather struggling against the dark monsters, and pursed her lips tightly.


    Only Second Rank could combat Second Rank.


    She had never planned to confront Yasi directly; instead, she intended to heal Atbolde and let her grandfather deal with Yasi, gaining a sliver of hope.


    At the very least, under her somewhat recovered grandfather''s lead, they could manage to escape the manor and the barrier.


    Once outside, Yasi wouldn''t dare to lay hands on them anymore.


    Members of the same school secretly murdering each other were strictly forbidden.


    They just needed to hold on for a moment, and the noise of the battle would attract the Third Rank enforcement members.


    ''Sadly, Yasi has already seen through my plan...''


    ''There''s only one way left!''


    Lillian took a deep breath and transmitted her message to Colin.


    "Junior Colin, I will hold off Yasi. You take the opportunity to hand the crystal bottle to teacher Atbolde.


    It contains the Ancient Life Tree Dew I obtained from the Elf Kingdom, capable of healing the teacher."


    "Only Second Rank can fight Second Rank; this is our only hope!"


    Having said this, without waiting for Colin''s response, she released a dazzling golden light at the surrounding dark monsters.


    The intense light blinded their vision, and she seized the opportunity to pass the crystal bottle to Colin.


    They had once fought side by side in the Elf Kingdom, and she knew Colin possessed strength comparable to a First Rank Advanced Wizard...


    But what Lillian didn''t know was that during this short period, Colin''s strength had undergone earth-shifting changes!


    Taking the crystal bottle, Superbrain''s thoughts flashed rapidly.


    Weighing for a moment, Colin cast Silent and Invisible Shadow on himself and raced towards the twisted ancient tree with the crystal bottle.


    He had initially been prepared to fight Yasi head-on together with Lillian.


    But now that Lillian had successfully obtained an item from the Elf Kingdom capable of healing Atbolde, just as Lillian had planned, there was now a better option!


    After all, although he held the dual status of a First Rank Advanced Wizard and a First Rank Knight.


    But as for how far he had progressed in strength, and whether he could combat a Second Rank''s Wizard, he was not really sure.


    Partly because he had only recently advanced and had no suitable targets to test his current strength.


    Also, he was unclear about the actual strength level of a Second Rank Wizard.


    Observing for a long time, Yasi, the Second Rank Wizard, had not yet made a single move.


    He just kept commanding those modified dark monsters to fight, so their specific strength was still difficult to assess.


    Consequently, a direct confrontation was clearly the last resort.


    Before that, he would try out the plan proposed by Lillian first!

 Chapter 434 - 308: Helpless to Get What I Want

    The power of a First Rank Knight allowed Colin''s figure to appear ghostly.


    Especially since he had also enhanced himself with Swift Skill at the end, his speed increased even further.


    Thus, by the time Lillian''s golden light had dissipated, he had silently passed through the blockade of dark monsters and arrived above the villa ruins.


    On the other side, Lillian launched an attack on Yasi.


    As for Marjorie, seeing Colin suddenly disappear and Lillian actively attacking Yasi, he immediately understood everything.


    He didn''t blame Lillian and Colin for not consulting him; after all, he was just a Wizard Apprentice, and the situation was so dire.


    They were originally in a situation where they were likely to die.


    Marjorie suddenly regretted having come along.


    Not because he was afraid of death, but because he was afraid that he would not only be unable to help but might also hinder them.


    He took a deep breath, suddenly clenched his right hand as if holding something, and dashed towards where Atbolde was!


    Although he couldn''t help in the fight, at least he could still actively serve as a decoy to confuse Yasi.


    Lillian''s plan was crude.


    As soon as one of them disappeared, Yasi would surely notice.


    And if Yasi wasn''t stupid, he would also surely realize that the one who disappeared was bringing healing items to Atbolde, who was currently being besieged.


    They had to bet that Yasi wouldn''t react immediately.


    After all, they were less than a hundred meters from Atbolde''s location, only needing a few seconds to reach him.


    Of course, after reaching there, they still needed to pass through the dark monsters surrounding the twisted trees.


    But Lillian believed in Colin''s strength, and Marjorie did the same.


    He knew he might not be able to deceive Yasi, but even causing him to hesitate for just a second was yet another sliver of hope!


    A brilliant golden light spread out, resembling a sky filled with falling golden rain.


    Yasi looked at this scene, and his lips curled.


    Lillian''s attack was close at hand, Marjorie was already nearing the villa ruins.


    And then there was Colin; he had almost reached the group of dark monsters around the twisted trees.


    Yet, he still appeared unhurried.


    This was the composure of a Second Rank Wizard.


    Yasi lifted his right hand and pressed his palm against his chest.


    Whoosh!


    Inky fog suddenly burst forth from his palm, instantly forming a set of black armor over his body.


    His pupils lit up with a blood-red glow that began to spread from the corners, and then, like a spider''s web, red lines covered the entire set of black armor.


    Although this armor was made of fog, at this moment, it didn''t look misty at all, with distinct edges, shining with a hard luster, clearly not an ordinary thing.


    Decades ago, he and Atbolde''s son, Pulan, explored relics left by a Second Rank Wizard together.


    After eliminating the dangers, they acted separately. In one secret room, he discovered this set of witchcraft named Black Mist Net.


    It was a rare complete set of Combined Witchcraft.


    The effects were also very simple and crude¡ª


    First, through Black Mist Transformation, he could easily obtain a group of ''Silent Shadows'' of the highest level up to the peak of First Rank.


    Second, with himself as the center of the black mist, he could get a certain enhancement in strength, externally displayed as this set of Black Mist Armor.


    Yasi clenched his fist, looked up at the sky full of golden rain, and smirked coldly.


    Swoosh!


    In the next instant, his figure disappeared from the spot, leaving only a faint afterimage.


    Lillian''s expression changed, and she quickly turned her head.


    Yasi, at this moment, had already arrived in front of Marjorie.


    He lifted his right foot and lightly stomped it.


    Boom!


    The brown ground beneath his foot suddenly collapsed, creating a huge round pit, and the leftover force pushed the dirt around, raising a ring of dirt mounds. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The accompanying shockwave enveloped the sky in dust as if a huge whale was spouting water, forming a grey-brown fountain of dust.


    Like snow being rolled up under the impact, Marjorie was tossed up like a rag doll, utterly powerless to resist, and then he heavily fell to the side.


    Puh!


    Blood uncontrollably spilled from his mouth, Marjorie''s eyes losing focus.


    "You should be thankful that I''m keeping your little life useful." Yasi laughed, the serrated cracks on his black faceplate creating a vivid arc, almost reaching his ears.


    If it weren''t for the mysterious Black Mist Armor and the serrated teeth flashing coldly, just looking at the smile, one might think it resembled an exaggerated clown in a circus.


    With a smile still on his face, Yasi turned his head towards Lillian, his movements unhurried, as if he was still prepared to say something.


    He wasn''t worried about Colin in hiding.


    The six dark monsters besieging Atbolde were his most elite Silent Shadows, each with strength equivalent to a peak First Rank Wizard.


    And that Colin, nothing more than a First Rank Intermediate Wizard, who had only recently advanced to Intermediate First Rank.


    He didn''t need to go intercept him.


    Even stopping Marjorie now was just to make Lillian think he might temporarily be unable to locate Colin.


    Yasi imperceptibly tugged the corner of his mouth.


    Giving hope before completely crushing it was the best means to break the spirit.


    By the time Lillian and the others realized they couldn''t get close to Atbolde surrounded by Silent Shadows, unable to pass the healing items to him,


    That would be his real time to strike!


    Over sixty years had passed; the once heart-searing hatred, to be honest, had at least dissipated by half.

 Chapter 435 - 308: Unable to Achieve_2

    His thoughts now were still to regain the Black Mist Token that should have been his from Atbolde and thus recover his own damaged aptitude!


    There is nothing eternal but power!


    Just then,


    Yasi''s always placid face suddenly changed.


    He had wanted to continue to shake Lillian with his words, but he suddenly stopped and quickly turned around.


    He saw a scene he could not believe!


    The six formidable Silent Shadows, for some reason, were moving stiffly and slowly, like sheep weakened by a wolf''s capture, and were being quickly eliminated by Colin, whom he had thought to be merely a First Rank Intermediate.


    Swoosh!


    Yasi could no longer maintain his composed demeanor, and he suddenly rushed toward the twisted trees.


    If Atbolde recovered, this battle, meant to have no variables, would spiral out of his control.


    Lillian watched Colin, who was slaughtering his enemies under the twisted trees, slightly widened her eyes.


    But quickly, she reacted, chasing swiftly after Yasi, attempting to create more time.


    Elsewhere.


    Swoosh!


    Colin threw out his right fist, wrapped in teal golden Fighting Aura that glimmered like flowing fire.


    Bolstered by the Swift Skill, this punch was faster than he had imagined.


    The double protection of the Steel Temperature Resistance Force Field and the Fighting Aura Armor greatly strengthened the hardness of his fist!


    Boom!


    The Silent Shadow before him, already slow underneath the Knight Aura, upon seeing this formidable punch, stiffened in fear.


    Colin easily hit its head, and a mighty force poured out, causing the Black Mist wrapped around the head to explode violently.


    Following that was a crack, the Silent Shadow''s skull shattered, its neck breaking like a snapped chopstick.


    This was the second Silent Shadow he had dealt with, and he had now torn through the encirclement.


    Colin appeared calm, but he was quite startled inside.


    He hadn''t expected himself to be so much stronger than he had imagined after advancing.


    These Silent Shadows, equivalent to normal First Rank Peak Wizards, could not even last a single round against him!


    Swoosh!


    The sound of wind from behind grew closer; Colin knew Yasi had caught up.


    Without further entangling with the remaining Silent Shadows, he crossed through the gap he had torn, like an arrow beyond the Silent Shadow''s encirclement, racing toward the twisted trees!


    Swoosh!


    However, the sound of wind was already close at hand!


    ''Too late!'' Colin''s expression slightly changed; he threw the Crystal Bottle toward Atbolde.


    "Mentor, catch this!"


    He then quickly turned around, confronting Yasi head-on!


    Yasi frowned, attempting to bypass Colin to intercept the thrown Crystal Bottle. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, Colin''s speed was far beyond his expectations, even... almost equaling his own.


    With no way to avoid, he snorted coldly, and his Black Mist Armor bristled with dense spikes, charging directly at Colin!


    The Black Mist Net granted him enhanced close combat skills, and this Spiky Impact had resolved many enemies.


    A mere First Rank Intermediate Wizard would be shattered like tofu upon impact!


    Meanwhile, Atbolde caught the Crystal Bottle with the vines.


    ''Is this... Ancient Life Tree Dew?'' A hint of joy suddenly appeared on his stiff, aged face.


    But soon, Atbolde put away his smile and hurriedly extended the vines to help Colin block Yasi!


    Boom!


    The pitch-black shadow, like shredding paper, tore through the interwoven vine defenses and collided head-on with the teal-golden figure, erupting in a tremendous noise!


    After a stalemate, Colin was blown backward like a cannonball, slamming into the ground to create a huge crater.


    Dust mixed with debris flew up high, making much more noise than his previous stomping!


    Yasi looked somewhat displeased as he stood there; the dull feeling in his chest made his gaze flicker continuously.


    ''This can''t be a First Rank Intermediate Wizard... Could it be that old man Atbolde gave the Black Mist Token to Colin?''


    But now was clearly not the time to ponder such things. Taking a breath, Yasi continued toward Atbolde, who had just received the Crystal Bottle.


    Atbolde, observing Colin submerged in dust and smoke, showed a sorrowful look and glared hatefully at Yasi before slowly retreating into the twisted trees, preparing to consume the dew.


    However, the next moment.


    That teal-golden figure rose again from the ground, blocking Yasi''s path.


    Atbolde''s retreating actions paused slightly, extremely surprised.


    "Get out of the way!"


    On the other side, Yasi anxiously yelled, not caring to think why Colin appeared completely unharmed.


    He swung his right arm vigorously, the Black Mist quickly swirling to form a giant Black Mist claw lunging at Colin!


    Colin''s expression remained unchanged, calm, even slightly puzzled as he casually spoke.


    "You seem... weaker than I had imagined?"


    "?" Yasi was momentarily taken aback by his words, his anger intensified, and the Black Mist claw moved even faster!


    Buzz¡ª


    However, at that moment, a mysterious and massive aura descended, enveloping Yasi like a mountain crushing down.


    Caught off guard, the swinging Black Mist claw suddenly paused, and Colin, who was prepared, easily avoided it.


    "You''re not a First Rank Wizard?!" Yasi''s expression turned grave, looking at Colin, he felt he wasn''t facing a mere First Rank Wizard but a Wizard of the same rank or even stronger!

 Chapter 436 - 308: Helpless_3

    His presence was deep and vast like an abyss, causing a bone-chilling fear that one dared not underestimate.


    Even... even Yasi felt inexplicably that fear was starting to creep into his heart.


    So much so that the flow of Magic Power within him became sluggish!


    Swoosh!


    Suddenly, a dazzling golden light shot from behind.


    Yasi instinctively dodged to the side, but his body hadn''t adjusted to the unfamiliar oppressive aura yet, making his movement slow by a beat.


    Consequently, the golden light hit his left shoulder!


    Hiss!


    The dazzling light eroded the Black Mist Armor, penetrating deeper, but ultimately it couldn''t break through the armor''s defense and prematurely dissipated.


    This was when Lillian arrived.


    She stood beside Colin, shoulder to shoulder, facing Yasi.


    At this moment, Lillian had transformed into a young girl. She glanced unconsciously at the unharmed Colin next to her, her beautiful eyes filled with an expression of amazement.


    She had just seen Colin being flung away and thought she was about to lose a junior fellow.


    However, Colin looked unharmed except for some tears in his Wizard Robe.


    On the other side, Colin changed his strategy after witnessing this scene and stopped his hand that was preparing to strike opportunistically.


    The intensity of that solid golden light attack had almost surpassed the level of First Rank Witchcraft.


    The strongest witchcraft he now mastered¡ªthe Four Times Limit Breaking Fireball Skill¡ªwas at best only on par with it.


    "You aren''t Second Rank, what witchcraft is this?"


    Beside them, Yasi finally reacted; ignoring Lillian''s attack, he still looked gravely at Colin.


    Although he realized that the unknown formidable prowess could just be a rare witchcraft, he still couldn''t relax.


    That negative impact was still ongoing¡ªthough weak, it indeed genuinely affected various aspects of him: the speed of Magic Power mobilization, the accuracy of Casting, and so on.


    It wasn''t any illusion.


    However, no matter what, Colin was not Second Rank!


    Yasi took a deep breath, his eyes flickering before suddenly turning to Atbolde and saying,


    "You might as well take the healing substance from the Crystal Bottle, but I assure you, before you recover, I will kill all your beloved students, including your granddaughter!"


    Perhaps influenced by the Knight Aura, his tone was somewhat urgent, but no one present doubted the truth of his words.


    Atbolde, who just opened the Crystal Bottle on the twisted tree, stopped.


    He stared at Yasi, his aged, rigid face showing no emotion.


    "You know I''m serious," Yasi continued coldly.


    "So what?" Atbolde smirked, fully opened the Crystal Bottle, and drank the Ancient Life Tree Dew!


    "Hoping for mercy from the enemy is the most foolish act," Atbolde coldly threw the Crystal Bottle on the ground and said,


    "If anything happens to my students, you won''t get the Black Mist Token!"


    ''Although, the Black Mist Token doesn''t really exist.'' He silently added in his mind as his body gradually sunk into the twisted tree.


    Before disappearing, Atbolde cast a deep look at Colin and Lillian.


    If he hadn''t drunk the dew and heeded Yasi''s words, once he died, Colin and the others would hardly escape death...


    "Mentor, rest assured."


    At this moment, Colin suddenly spoke.


    "Yasi can''t do anything to me."


    Atbolde and Lillian showed surprise on their faces.


    "Arrogant!" Yasi cursed angrily on the other side.


    His body flickered, but instead of flying towards Colin, he headed straight for the twisted tree.


    ''It seems it''s not that easy to taunt after all.''


    Colin sighed.


    He had intended to divert Yasi''s hatred onto himself to buy time for Mentor Atbolde, but it seemed not as easy as he thought.


    Swoosh!


    Colin caught up with Yasi and blocked his path again.


    Yasi ignored him, intending to bypass him from the side.


    Yet, Colin, like a relentless annoyance, always blocked his way.


    "Seeking death!"


    Yasi stopped and stared coldly at Colin, knowing that he would have to deal with Colin first to reach Atbolde.


    This First Rank Wizard, not only possessed strange suppressive witchcraft, his speed was astounding!


    But no matter what, he was just a First Rank Wizard.


    Yasi coldly curled his lips, intending to show Colin the insurmountable gap between First Rank and Second Rank!


    Boom!!


    Black mist shot towards Colin, like snakes emerging from their holes or like lances striking together.


    He could already imagine the scene of Colin being pierced through!


    However, the next moment, the black mist didn''t bring the sensation of hitting the target.


    Yasi frowned and looked.


    Colin stood quietly nearby, shrouded in a faint cyan-golden glow, with a golden crown pattern revealed on his forehead.


    His eyes, due to the Mechanical Mind, appeared indifferent, yet animated due to the rapid operation of the Superbrain.


    Yasi felt like Colin had seen through everything about him.


    "What exactly are you?"


    Influenced by the Knight Aura, he murmured. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 437 - 309: Shielding with Ones Body (4.4k)

    Colin did not respond to Yasi''s question.


    He was completely immersed in his unique current state.


    A First Rank Knight combined with a First Rank Wizard, resulting in a synergistic effect far greater than the sum of their parts!


    With Superbrain''s analytical ability, the reactive speed brought by the First Rank Knight, and the rationality granted by the Mechanical Mind¡ª


    Yasi in front of him posed no threat whatsoever!


    The black mist that attempted to pierce him could not even touch a corner of his garment because of his mobility!


    Even though he had collided with Yasi earlier to stop him,


    the damage he sustained was significantly reduced by the Steel Temperature Resistance Field and the Fighting Aura Armor, and it was not enough to cause a serious injury.


    Any wounds he received were healed in an instant under the effects of the Strong Life Talent and the Ancient Tree Spring!


    It''s just a pity... that his current means of attack seemed somewhat inadequate.


    Colin waved his hand slightly, and a large orange-yellow fireball suddenly appeared before him, transforming into a towering figure made of flames the next moment!


    This was the Lower Magic witchcraft "Summon Fire Element," cast using four Limit Breaking Fireball Techniques as materials!


    Under the influence of the First Rank Upper Limit Breaking Fireball Techniques, the summoned Fire Element had reached the level of First Rank Intermediate and was even close to First Rank Advanced.


    The next moment, the Fire Element charged towards Yasi with overwhelming momentum!


    "Summon Fire Element?" Yasi slightly furrowed his brows.


    Due to Colin''s bizarre performance and the Knight Aura that he could sense but not evade, he subconsciously heightened his vigilance.


    This time, instead of taking the initiative to confront it as before, he opted to temporarily step aside to observe for a moment.


    Atbolde had already consumed the healing substance, although it was unclear what exactly was in the Crystal Bottle. Still, considering Atbolde''s level of contamination, restoring back to Second Rank power would be no easy task!


    If he could deal with or control Colin and the others before Atbolde recovered, he could completely disrupt Atbolde''s recovery while he wasn''t fully restored!


    By that time, the situation would once again be under his control!


    On the other side, seeing Yasi stepping back, Colin did not pursue. Instead, he summoned another Fire Element.


    Normally, at the stage of a First Rank Junior Wizard using this Lower Magic witchcraft, one could only maintain the presence of one Fire Element at a time.


    But now, at the stage of a First Rank Advanced Wizard, he could summon up to three!


    With that thought, Colin summoned another Fire Element.


    He then took out a Demon Release Ring and replenished his Magic Power on the spot.


    Maintaining Mechanical Mind, Steel Temperature Resistance Field, Swift Skill while casting Attack Witchcraft was indeed consuming a lot of energy.


    Although his Magic Power was still considered ample, this was bound to be a prolonged battle, so seizing any opportunity to replenish Magic Power was necessary.


    Meanwhile, Yasi was still observing the three Fire Elements warily.


    ''Their heads flame in orange-yellow, the figures approximately two meters tall¡­ These are indeed just ordinary First Rank Fire Elements.


    Their aura is a bit stronger than usual summoned Fire Elements, but still only limitedly so, probably because the Fireball used as material had higher energy.''


    Gradually, Yasi''s doubts dissipated, and his evasive actions also gradually ceased.


    Whoosh!


    Finally, he couldn''t help but throw a punch at the nearest Fire Element.


    Black mist spiraled out like a dragon, striking directly at the flaming orange-yellow head of the Fire Element!


    Hiss!


    Like ice water dousing kindling, the formidable Fire Element immediately went still, its arms slowly falling.


    Following that, a headless, burning Fire Element corpse fell.


    At the moment it fell, the corporeally nonexistent body of the Fire Element "exploded into pieces"!


    Black mist rose from the cracks in the Fire Element''s body like smoke from a night fire, returning to Yasi''s black armor. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Looking at the so-called corpse of the Fire Element, only some dark red glows flickering out in the snow remained.


    The spiral black mist dragon, in the process of eroding away the Fire Element''s head, had completely destroyed its insides!


    Seeing this, Colin sighed softly.


    The power of a Second Rank Wizard was indeed not to be underestimated!


    The Fire Element''s head was not a weakness; its true vulnerability lay in its Elemental Tuberculosis located inside, which in summoned Fire Elements was the Magic Power control hub.


    Though different, both were unpredictably positioned within the Fire Element''s body, making elemental lifeforms notoriously difficult to handle!


    But under the hands of Yasi, the Second Rank Wizard, it couldn''t last even a round!


    Colin waved his hand lightly.


    Teng!


    An orange-yellow fireball appeared again, instantly transforming into a Fire Element!


    He added another Fire Element to the field.


    Yasi frowned and coldly said,


    "Do you really think these minor First Rank fellows can stop me?"


    After the recent probing, he had realized¡ª


    This wizard in front of him was indeed a bit peculiar, but could not conceal his intrinsic nature of a First Rank Wizard!


    Whoosh!


    Just then, Yasi suddenly had a change of expression.


    A golden light shot from behind him!


    But he paid it no heed, merely tugging at the corner of his mouth.


    Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!


    Three serpent-like spiral black mists streaked out, and in a flash, all three Fire Elements were annihilated!

 Chapter 438 - 309: Using Ones Body as a Shield (4.4k)_2

    And that beam of golden light did indeed hit his back.


    However, it was completely dissipated by the prepared Black Mist, so much so that even the Black Mist Armor on Yasi remained untouched by Lillian''s attack!


    The Black Mist Net series of witchcraft is more focused on mid-close range combat, and the defense provided by the Black Mist Armor is considered excellent at the Basic Level of Second Rank.


    Teng! S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seizing the opportunity, Colin once again waved his hand, summoning a brand new Fire Element before him.


    "Foolish act, you''re merely wasting Magic Power!"


    Yasi paid no attention to Lillian behind him, but coldly advanced, his form as swift as a ghost, immediately launching another surprise attack right in front of Colin!


    Yet the instantly cast witchcraft was even quicker; Colin used this time to summon another Fire Element.


    Swoosh swoosh!


    The Black Mist extended like ferocious tentacles from behind Yasi, who, without even glancing at the Fire Elements blocking his path, charged straight towards Colin.


    The two Fire Elements tried to intercept, but were impaled by the extending Black Mist tentacles in an instant, and then slowly dissipated.


    "I told you, you''re only wasting Magic Power!"


    Colin offered no explanation, his face calm, his gaze intently fixed on Yasi.


    Swish swish!


    Two dark tentacles, one after the other, streaked through the air towards him, their piercing shrieks leaving no doubt of their destructive power.


    And the spreading black mist from the Black Mist tentacles even turned the white falling snow along its path into lifeless black.


    Swish!


    However, such a fierce attack was yet again narrowly evaded by Colin!


    He slightly twisted his body, the first tentacle brushing past his chest, then nimbly side flipped to the left, the second tentacle grazing past his side by a hair''s breadth.


    The surging black mist on the tentacles made the Steel Temperature Resistance Field on his body''s surface shake, but the mere aftermath was not enough to break through the Force Field''s defense.


    Yasi''s brow furrowed, and in an instant, the tentacles on his back multiplied and spread out.


    Swoosh!


    Swoosh swoosh swoosh!


    Dozens of Black Mist tentacles swept towards Colin like a net cast from heaven and earth!


    However, at the moment of encirclement, Colin once again narrowly dodged!


    Amid the snowflakes drifting through the air, Colin, cloaked in cyan-golden light, was like a phantom from another dimension.


    Clearly right in front of the eyes, but always out of reach!


    Yasi finally understood¡ª


    This peculiar Wizard in front of him, though only of First Rank power, had already faintly touched the threshold of Second Rank in speed.


    Of course, what was even more staggering was his monstrous observation ability, along with his control over his body!


    It was precisely such abilities that made each of his attacks seem as if they were hitting cotton, utterly incapable of achieving any effect!


    Teng!


    Another Fire Element was summoned, its orange-yellow flame dissolving the snow and ice, also reflecting the changing expressions on Yasi''s face.


    Rustle rustle¡ª


    However, at that moment, there was a sudden disturbance near the twisted trees.


    A faint green light emerged from the trunk, the withered branches of the twisted trees shaking as if alive, and the bizarre knots covering the branches began to show signs of receding.


    The effects of the Ancient Life Tree Dew were starting to reveal themselves!


    Yasi felt a slight sinking of heart, but in the next moment, his eyes flashed with a thought.


    He coldly glanced at Colin, not bothering to trouble Colin further, but instead turned and rapidly charged towards the twisted tree where Atbolde was hiding.


    A bright golden light shot towards Yasi, but like before, it was in vain.


    Lillian bit her lip, again casting out a beam of golden light.


    The result was no different.


    She felt somewhat desperate, as this was the strongest attack she had mastered.


    Lillian subconsciously looked in Colin''s direction.


    However, in her field of vision, Colin''s figure was gone, leaving only the thick falling snow.


    Boom!


    Immediately after, a loud collision sounded again.


    Shockwaves spread outwards, with the air continuously trembling, and snowflakes chaotically dancing in the sky.


    "Cough cough!"


    The dust settled on the ground, and Colin coughed, looking up at Yasi.


    His face was as calm as always, but his heart sighed.


    Yasi had thought of it after all.


    If he attacked Atbolde, who was in the midst of recovery, then Colin would have no choice but to intercept.


    And with all forms of attack unable to break through the defense, the only way to intercept Yasi was with himself¡ª


    His own body, reinforced by the Steel Temperature Resistance Field, Knight Armor, Talent Strong Life, and the Ancient Tree Spring Necklace!


    Yasi, towering aloft, looked down at Colin with a slight chuckle.


    He said no more, launching another attack on the twisted tree. Time was of the essence for him now.


    The inky black mist enveloped his entire person, slowly forming a huge cone.


    Yasi himself was like a spiraling bullet, shooting irresistibly towards the core of the twisted tree where Atbolde was hiding.


    It was an outright scheme, and also the most advantageous choice for him.


    Swoosh!


    The cyan-golden figure surged upwards!


    Yasi''s mouth curved in a smirk, his pearly white teeth flashing with a chilling light.


    "Bringing trouble upon yourself!"


    He accelerated even more, rocketing towards the cyan-golden figure now blocking his path!


    But at that moment!


    Yasi suddenly felt an inexplicable pressure that had been weighing on him suddenly lift, and caught off guard, his forward momentum halted slightly.


    Colin''s eyes sparkled, and a ferocious kick like a meteor shot towards Yasi''s side waist.


    Upon contact with the spiraling black mist, a fiery red glow suddenly burst forth from the tip of Colin''s foot!

 Chapter 439 - 309: Using Ones Body as a Shield (4.4k)_3

    Boom!


    A burst of orange-yellow light suddenly exploded!


    The Fireball Technique, cast four times with Limit Breaking, shot out from his toes, and the resulting explosion sent Yasi''s body flying like a fallen kite, crashing obliquely into the snow not far away.


    Colin tensed his body slightly adjusting his position, preparing to deal with the next attack.


    At the same time, he did not forget to summon another Fire Element.


    "I must say, I underestimated you," Yasi dismissed the Black Mist shrouding his body, revealing his form clad in black armor and coldly stared at Colin with his crimson eyes.


    "But... how many times more can you use such tricks?"


    Swish!


    Before he finished speaking, Yasi charged again toward the twisted ancient tree!


    Colin met him head-on once more.


    He knew Yasi was right; relying on changing the intensity of the Knight Aura to affect Yasi''s attacks was always only temporary.


    Sooner or later, Yasi would adapt.


    But it didn''t matter; whether it was Yasi or themselves, they were actually all scrambling for time.


    Boom!


    Colin''s figure was sent flying once again. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The goose feather-like snow continued to fall, densely packed, outdoing even a downpour.


    This early winter snow was extraordinarily harsh.


    Lillian watched Colin continuously being thrown back, emotions surging uncontrollably within her, futilely shooting another beam of golden light toward Yasi.


    However, the chasm between First Rank and Second Rank was thoroughly exemplified at this moment.


    The pitch-black figure didn''t care about any of her attacks, be they golden light or entwining vines.


    Everything, to Yasi clad in Black Mist Armor, was as trivial as a child''s punches, not even scratching him.


    Beneath the entire Black Mist barrier, the only one who could resist Yasi at this moment was that aqua-gold figure.


    However, as time passed, Lillian clearly noticed Colin''s resistance growing weaker with each encounter.


    Initially, he could still use the special Fireball Witchcraft to disrupt Yasi''s offense by detonating it close to his body.


    Now, he could only use his own flesh to take the hits directly.


    "Colin... junior," Lillian whispered, her voice as delicate as snowflakes.


    "Colin... junior..." Marjorie got up from the snowy ground, murmuring with lips turned purple from cold.


    He was always a man of deep emotions, and watching this scene, the tip of his nose unexpectedly stung, and his eyes quickly reddened.


    A feeling of helplessness enveloped him.


    If Lillian, his senior, couldn''t help at all in such a battle, what could he hope to do?


    Boom!


    Dust flew up, the freshly fallen snow blasted by the shock wave returned again to the air.


    "How much longer can you hold out, Colin Leonard?"


    In midair, Yasi looked down at Colin in the crater on the ground, his tone was calm, seemingly with a hint of regret.


    He watched Colin struggling to his feet, looking at those calm eyes which remained unchanged; against the backdrop of the night, those eyes seemed to grow even deeper, like the dark blue of the midnight sky.


    Yasi felt an inexplicable regret as he continued,


    "You should have accepted my offer to join me back then, Colin."


    Colin did not respond, instead he raised his hand to summon another Fire Element.


    But this action seemed to infuriate Yasi; his eyes flashed coldly, and the Black Mist churned.


    Whoosh!


    Yasi charged once again toward the twisted tree!


    Colin took a light breath and flashed in front of Yasi.


    The aqua-gold Fighting Aura burned like flames on his skin, but it had clearly dimmed compared to before.


    A tingling sensation occasionally came from his abdomen.


    Colin knew it was the wound that had been pierced earlier, now rapidly healing.


    The black light shot towards him like a shooting star.


    Colin silently glanced at the twisted tree.


    The faint green light was still on, and those originally gnarled branches had mostly relaxed.


    Taking a deep breath, Colin withdrew his gaze and tensed his body.


    His physical condition was worse than it seemed...


    The chasm between a Second Rank Wizard and a First Rank was indeed hard to cross.


    This time, he wasn''t sure he could withstand Yasi''s attack.


    The Black Mist rolled in, but just then, a golden figure suddenly intervened.


    ''Lillian, senior?!''


    Colin''s expression changed abruptly.

 Chapter 440 - 310: Third-Party Visitor (5.4k)

    Time seemed to stand still at this moment.


    Lillian was enveloped in a translucent golden protective shield, her medium-length golden hair fluttered, revealing jade-like tender pointed ears and a delicate neck.


    Black fog surged and converged, like a sharp sword, stabbing straight towards her.


    Both Colin and Yasi''s faces showed a look of surprise.


    Whoosh!


    At the critical moment, Colin instinctively pulled Lillian to dodge to one side.


    However, everything was too sudden, and the sword-like black fog still hit Lillian''s abdomen.


    Swish!


    The Ancient Tree Spring Necklace flashed a pale green light, and a drop of clear spring water was fed into Lillian''s mouth by Colin.


    After doing this, Colin suddenly realized that Lillian''s injuries were far less severe than he had imagined.


    Although it could be considered a severe injury, her body had not split open, she had not died instantly, there was just a penetrating wound.


    "Octavia..."


    The black fog dissipated, and Yasi, clad in pitch-black armor, did not pursue his advantage. Instead, he stared at Lillian, murmuring.


    "What''s with your pointed ears?" he questioned.


    Lillian, pale-faced, did not respond.


    Only then did Colin notice that her appearance had undergone another transformation,


    perhaps fully activating her bloodline; Lillian now looked indistinguishable from a High-Level Elf.


    Her beautiful pointed ears, pale yet delicate skin, and refined features which could be considered top-notch even among the Elf clan.


    If he remembered correctly, this youthful appearance of Lillian he had seen only a handful of times, and now was the first time he had scrutinized her so closely.


    ''Lillian Senpai... seems to have become even more beautiful?''


    The external change was just superficial; the transformation in her bloodline was the essence. Colin knew that Lillian''s Elf bloodline had once again been elevated.


    On the other side, Yasi had also come to this realization.


    Seeing that Lillian did not respond, he suddenly became disinterested in speaking.


    He turned to glance at Colin but chose not to take the opportunity to attack Colin, who seemed to be at the end of his strength.


    Instead, he attacked the twisted trees again.


    He had not forgotten his purpose; as long as he could interrupt Atbolde''s recovery, he would have all the time he needed to deal with Colin and the others.


    By this time, the eerie green glow of the twisted trees had almost completely enveloped the tree.


    Yasi couldn''t help feeling a bit more anxious.


    Whoosh!


    The next moment, Colin, after putting down Lillian, once again blocked his path.


    "Get out of the way!" Yasi shouted irritably.


    Boom!


    The black fog, sharp as a cone, shot furiously towards Colin!


    The Steel Temperature Resistance Field held momentarily before shattering once again, as did the Knight Armor.


    As Colin was sent flying, the black fog cone drove straight in, striking another penetrating wound in his abdomen.


    Fortunately, thanks to his Superbrain Talent and powerful body control ability, Colin managed to survive, without sustaining fatal injuries.


    Strong Life Talent functioned as usual, desperately healing his bodily injuries.


    However, the injuries caused by the black fog often left corrosive energy, slowing down the healing process more with each instance where the wounds did not fully recover.


    Yet Yasi had once again headed towards the twisted trees.


    Colin took a breath.


    The chilly air of the snowy night was piercing to the heart, and his heart pounded violently from the battle, his blood still boiling.


    He watched Yasi''s rushing figure and met him once more!


    Boom!


    The next second, Colin was sent flying back even faster.


    At this point, the ground cloaked by the black fog barrier resembled land plowed by a cannon, pockmarked with one hole after another.


    These were all impressions made by his body.


    The falling snow drifted calmly, treating everything equally, covering all but the latest holes with traces of white.


    "Cough¡­ cough, cough!"


    Colin, shaking, stood up, coughing softly a few times. Through the wound in his abdomen, the falling white snow behind him was clearly visible.


    "Give up, you can''t take any more of my hits," Yasi said calmly. "As long as you cooperate, once I get the Black Mist Token from Atbolde and sign a contract with me, I''m willing to spare your life."


    Yasi was not without depletion; his Black Mist Armor had visibly thinned a bit, and his voice was slightly breathless.


    Though the Black Mist Armor was formidable, the strength of his own body was somewhat lagging.


    Colin covered his mouth and coughed softly a few more times.


    Yasi waited patiently.


    However, after a few seconds, Colin continued to cough softly.


    "I''ll give you three seconds to think!" Yasi, his eyes cold, counted down. "Three... two... one!"


    But the response he received was a flickering light of fire.


    The orange-yellow Fireball stretched out, quickly forming a figure of the Fire Element.


    "Ungrateful!" Yasi snorted coldly.


    The black luminescence rushed towards the twisted trees.


    Colin instinctively wanted to intercept again, while not forgetting to summon another Fire Element.


    However, this time, Yasi waved his hand and threw a clump of black fog towards him.


    Colin agilely dodged, but the black fog, as if sentient, caught up with him again.


    Had it not been for his heavy injuries, the black fog wouldn''t have been able to interfere with him at all.


    But now, Colin could clearly feel his movement slowing due to the black fog. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yasi was drawing nearer to the twisted tree.


    Colin also felt his heart being squeezed tighter by an invisible hand, making it nearly impossible to breathe.

 Chapter 441 - 310: Third-Party Visitor (5.4k)_2

    He was ultimately just a First Rank, and although his exceptional strength allowed him to tangle with Yasi, a Second Rank, it was only a matter of time before he fell to a direct confrontation. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Damn it!" He gritted his teeth, chasing with all his might while summoning another Fire Element.


    Under his control, the two Fire Elements jointly went to counter the mass of black mist.


    He finally gained some relief, but it was already too late.


    The black figure had nearly reached the twisted trees.


    Yasi stopped not far from the twisted trees, his right hand open in a gesture.


    The black mist condensed into a bundle, ultimately taking the shape of a javelin-like lightning bolt.


    He raised his right hand, mimicking the throw of a javelin.


    Whoosh!


    The black javelin traced a deadly curve!


    "It''s too late¡­" Colin looked ghastly and decisively stopped in his tracks.


    He looked at the Golden Paper which had reached 99/100 in Summon Fire Element, and waved his hand to willingly dissipate the Fire Element he had just summoned.


    Pfft!


    Just as Colin was preparing to summon a new Fire Element, he suddenly froze.


    The black javelin traced another deadly arc, but its final landing spot was not on the twisted trees where Atbolde was.


    Instead, it struck Marjorie.


    Or to put it another way¡ª


    Marjorie had at some point quietly approached the twisted trees, stepping forward at the critical moment to take the brunt of Yasi''s strike.


    Thump!


    A new Fire Element formed in front of Colin.


    The orange-yellow flames instantly melted the surrounding snowfall, creating a misty fog.


    The evaporated water created a hazy white fog that obscured Colin''s expression and half-concealed his figure.


    Whoosh!


    The Fire Element shot towards Yasi, who was troubled and regathering his attack.


    "You''re the weakest Second Rank Wizard I''ve ever seen," Colin said hoarsely from within the fog, "You can''t even kill me, a First Rank Wizard, can you?"


    "Why don''t you try to come and kill me?"


    "Your infuriating words are useless," Yasi said coldly, "Once I''m done with Atbolde, I have all the time in the world to deal with you!"


    "Now, don''t think of wasting any more time!"


    Colin smiled; Yasi''s mere response meant he had already been delayed.


    It wasn''t much, but it was already enough for him...


    Feeling the snow-like knowledge falling in his mind, the curve of Colin''s lips grew bigger.


    But soon, he looked at Marjorie lying next to the twisted trees.


    The joy from Limit Breaking in Summon Fire Element gradually faded, and a deep anger quietly surfaced.


    Thump!


    An almost man-high orange-yellow Fireball suddenly appeared before him.


    "All these Fire Elements... they are simply useless against me," Yasi glanced back with scorn.


    Then he turned around, right hand outstretched again, preparing to launch another attack on the twisted trees.


    However, the next moment.


    An intense, scorching breath swept over like a volcanic eruption,


    "What''s this?!" Yasi''s expression changed, and he hurriedly turned back.


    A vast Fire Element nearly three meters tall charged towards him with large strides!


    As its astonishing heat affected the black mist barrier, the snowflakes within it melted, transforming the snowfall abruptly into a light winter drizzle!


    "Almost white flame for a head, a body more than three meters tall, this is... a Second Rank Fire Element?!"


    Yasi watched the scene in disbelief.


    Through the rain curtain formed by the melted snow, a Flame Giant enveloped in steaming fog charged forward.


    Colin timely amplified the intensity of his Knight Aura, elevating it to the highest.


    "No, no, how is this possible?!"


    "How can you, a First Rank Wizard, cast a spell across a major Rank difference?"


    Under such influences, Yasi''s panic-stricken face was clearly visible, even behind the dark visor.


    Spellcasting across a major Rank was not something any Wizard could do!


    Bang!


    The Second Rank Fire Element threw a punch.


    The billowing white fog burst as if in a fairytale; Yasi instinctively crossed his arms, holding for a moment but ultimately unable to withstand the scorch of the flames, and was sent flying backwards.


    The roles of attack and defense were reversed in an instant!


    The originally lower First Rank Summon Fire Element had turned into a Second Rank Lower Magic after Limit Breaking, and the summoned Fire Element had stepped into Second Rank strength!


    Even though it was only a novice at Second Rank, Yasi''s condition was far from as strong as it had been at the start, after a prolonged battle.


    Moreover, with the presence of the Knight Aura''s shadow-like effect, the Second Rank Fire Element was sufficient to trouble Yasi.


    And even... with Colin''s meticulous control, Yasi now found himself in a perilous situation!


    Boom!


    The vast body of the Fire Element, with the help of Colin''s Superbrain, became especially agile.


    Fireballs, fire waves, punches, kicks... Unwittingly, Yasi found himself only able to defend passively!


    Crack!


    Suddenly, after a punch from the Second Rank Fire Element, a corner of Yasi''s Black Mist Armor actually shattered!


    Yasi''s expression changed, and he hurriedly controlled the black mist to flow and repair the damage on his shoulder.


    However, the price of such an action was the further thinning of the overall thickness of his Black Mist Armor.


    "A mere First Rank Wizard, I want to see how much Magic Power you have to maintain a Second Rank spell!" Yasi said fiercely.


    But the viciousness of his words could not change the embarrassment of the situation.


    Under the assault of the Second Rank Fire Element, he could only struggle to defend, maintaining a fragile balance, hoping that Colin would soon run out of Magic Power.

 Chapter 442 - 310: The Third-Party Visitor (5.4k)_3

    Swish!


    Just then, a dazzling golden light suddenly shot forth.


    Yasi, as before, subconsciously ignored it.


    However, the next moment, he abruptly realized that the Black Mist Armor on his body was no longer as solid as before.


    But by that time, it was already too late to react.


    The fragile balance of the battle changed in an instant.


    The Fire Element Giant seized the opportunity and threw its arms around Yasi in an embrace as if hugging the most intimate of lovers, firmly binding him in its grasp.


    "No!" Yasi struggled in horror, but in vain, as the Fire Element held him tightly in its embrace.


    The black fog and the whitening flames canceled each other out, and even through the Black Mist Armor, Yasi could feel the Fire Element''s extreme heat.


    The battle seemed to have reached its conclusion.


    Lillian, clutching her abdomen, sat up with a complex expression on her face, one of joy, sorrow, and disbelief.


    Colin did not relax; he controlled the Fire Element to press the attack, determined to thoroughly annihilate Yasi.


    "Field!"


    At that moment, the hemispherical dark fog barrier that had always enveloped them suddenly disappeared, and Yasi cried out in horror.


    Immediately after, a figure emanating a powerful aura appeared in midair.


    "What''s going on?"


    After seeing the situation clearly, Field showed a moment of astonishment.


    But soon, he reacted, intending to come to Yasi''s rescue.


    Upon seeing Field''s figure, Yasi''s face lit up with surprise, while Colin and Lillian''s expressions turned drastically.


    A favorable situation disappeared in the blink of an eye as if it were but a fleeting dream.


    Colin kept silent, mobilizing the Fire Element''s energy with all his might.


    The previously orderly energy gradually became violent, like a powder keg about to explode.


    "I advise you against doing that," Field said coldly, rapidly closing in on Colin.


    To catch a thief, first catch the king; by dealing with Colin, the summoned Fire Element would naturally dissipate!


    He was like a ferocious great white shark, mouth agape, speeding towards his prey.


    Colin glanced up at Field, and his Superbrain instantly assessed his chances of escape¡ªzero.


    To maintain the presence of the Second Rank Fire Element, he had canceled almost all witchcraft blessings on himself, not even leaving the Steel Temperature Resistance Field.


    Without the support of Swift Skill or the Soaring and Flying Technique, relying solely on the strength of a First Rank Knight, he had no way to contend with a Second Rank Wizard as he had just done!


    Field''s expression was solemn; he hadn''t wanted to involve himself in this matter, but Yasi''s uncle owed him a favor. If Yasi died here tonight, he would be unable to explain himself.


    "I only intend to save Yasi. We can pretend nothing else happened," he said once more.


    However, Colin had already made up his mind.


    He did not speak, did not utter any harsh words, just looked indifferently at Field.


    Then, he poured all his Magic Power into the Fire Element.


    If tonight was destined to be an end in defeat, then before his death, he would take someone down with him!


    Gradually, a heart-palpitating sensation crept up on everyone¡ªthis was the aura of an unstable Fire Element.


    "No! You can''t do this!" Yasi, being the closest, felt it most acutely.


    He felt as though he was standing on the brink of an erupting volcano, his heart seized by fear! S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Brave boy!" A flash of anger passed through Field''s eyes, and he decisively turned and flew towards the Fire Element.


    Previously, he had planned to resolve the source directly, ending the entire incident, but he had underestimated Colin''s mettle.


    He would actually choose mutual destruction!


    But it didn''t matter. It only required one extra step. As a Second Rank Advanced Wizard, he was confident in saving Yasi.


    Seeing this, Colin''s face changed. If Field managed to rescue Yasi, then everything would be over. Under the joint hands of two Second Rank Wizards, they would all die!


    Magic Power surged out, with even the Magic Sea in his chest transmitting a painful sense of dryness.


    The Fire Element now stood still, its enormous body pulsating with surging flames.


    Phil gave a cold snort, and the snowflakes drifting around him, as if obeying a command, flew towards the Fire Element with a crystal-blue glow.


    These ice crystals, filled with chill, were the best material to calm the Fire Element.


    As long as they hit their mark, it wouldn''t matter how Colin tried to control it; it would be in vain!


    Whir¡ª


    However, just when the ice crystals were about to touch the Fire Element,


    a sheet of emerald light suddenly intercepted them.


    Phil''s face changed.


    The next second.


    The over three-meter-tall body of the Fire Element suddenly ballooned, then violently collapsed inward.


    "No¡ª!" Yasi let out a piercing scream.


    But he was instantly devoured by the merciless orange-white flames.


    The extreme heat and pressure gave him no chance to survive.


    Hiss¡ª


    Under the influence of the intense heat, billowing white vapor rose.


    Colin suddenly realized that the first snow of early winter had quietly stopped at some point.


    The emerald glow, however, gradually brightened from the twisted ancient tree.


    This light, filled with a thin lifeforce, even caused some emerald grass buds to sprout from the surrounding muddy ground.


    A moment later, a figure emerged from within the light.


    It was he who had just blocked Phil''s ice crystals.


    "Atbolde, your injuries have healed?!" Phil''s expression fluctuated between light and dark, but he already harbored thoughts of retreat.


    After all, Yasi was already dead; lingering further would be meaningless.


    Moreover, from Atbolde''s appearance, he had completely returned to normal, and even appeared to have improved.


    However, Atbolde did not respond. He simply walked over to the twisted ancient tree with an icy expression and gently bent down to pick up the towering bald figure.


    Colin was silent; it was Marjorie''s figure.


    The mentor''s current reaction... he understood everything.


    Apprentice Rank, how could it possibly withstand the attack of a Second Rank Wizard?


    Marjorie... was already dead, his blood staining the white snow red.


    Now, under the influence of the mysterious power emanating from the mentor, that patch of grassland even started to show signs of greenery, as if a vibrant spring was taking hold.


    Lillian struggled to her feet, leaning against the broken wall with grief etched across her face.


    Phil gradually backed away, intending to leave.


    "Phil, you cannot absolve yourself of tonight''s events... Did you think to leave without asking me?" Atbolde held Marjorie''s body and turned, his voice calm.


    Rustle rustle.


    Starting from his feet, grass sprouted from beneath the snow, spreading rapidly in all directions like a tide.


    At the same time, the outer circle of tall trees in the nearby flower bed now unfurled their branches, with flowers swaying as they bloomed, and the branches once again grew lush with green leaves.


    In almost an instant, the entire courtyard of Atbolde''s seemed to transform into a scene of spring, with no trace of winter to be seen.


    For Phil, however, this spring-like scenery was nothing but a terrifying cage!


    The grass was sharp, the flowers emitted an intoxicating fragrance, and the outer tall trees stood like silent guardians, watching with predatory eyes.


    "What in the world is happening here?"


    Just as the atmosphere became fraught with tension, a voice came from above.


    Bulvo, along with his partner Keith, hovered cautiously mid-air.


    They looked at their target¡ªColin, now pale-faced¡ªthen down at the messy scene below, their minds filled with confusion.

 Chapter 443 - 311 Heroic Wizard

    The tense standoff that dominated the field, like a volcano on the verge of erupting, was suddenly doused with a bucket of ice water by the arrival of the two Bulvos, temporarily causing flags to be furled and drums to cease.


    Flowers closed, the grass stopped swaying, and the tall trees regained their silence, as the plants temporarily retracted their sharpness.


    Field Hidosh, who had kept his hands behind his back, lowered them; the surge of Magic Power he had been marshalling slowly dissipated.


    Yasi''s hatred was not his hatred; he never even liked Yasi as a person.


    While he felt regret over Yasi''s death, it was not enough to support fighting a Wizard of nearly equal rank.


    Thus, at this moment, he was slightly relieved that the battle could be avoided.


    Only the sudden appearance of these two...


    Field Hidosh looked up to give Bulvo and his colleague a glance, somewhat uncertain of their origins. Deciding to take the initiative, he asked,


    "May I know who you two are?"


    Meanwhile, Colin and the other two gathered together.


    "You''ve had a rough time, Colin," Atbolde said gently, unable to believe that a student assigned from the School had ended up being the one to save him.


    Colin merely smiled, his face somewhat pale.


    Casting a Second Rank Lower Summon Fire Element had completely drained his Magic Power, and controlling the Fire Element to detonate had even taken its toll on his Spirit.


    As for the physical injuries, they were too numerous to count.


    Fortunately, the battle was now over.


    With the intervention of a third party, further fighting within the Tin Saint School was no longer possible.


    All they needed to do was wait for the upcoming investigation.


    Given the obvious signs at the scene, as long as the Black Castle Inspector who came was not from the Hidosh Family¡ªand it seemed they were not¡ªthere was no further cause for worry.


    Thinking back, Yasi''s plan was probably borne of necessity due to Atbolde never leaving his dwelling.


    To commit an assassination within the School against a member of the same School was too constrained by rules.


    Of course, the power of the Pureblood Family was sufficient for Yasi to have a decent chance of success; it was only such an unforeseen third-party intervention that constituted a true unforeseen factor.


    Under normal circumstances, the black mist barrier would not be breached, the noise of combat would not spread, and no third party would arrive.


    Even if someone did come, Field Hidosh, who was ostensibly inspecting the Witch Array outside but actually keeping watch for Yasi, would have properly dissuaded them¡ªand it would be all within regulations.


    In summary, if he and Marjorie had hoped to use outside forces to stop Yasi''s actions, their chances were not much better than going directly, plus they wouldn''t have tolerated the delay.


    "Grandfather," Lillian, clutching her abdomen, also walked over, greeting Atbolde first.


    Then she turned her head to look at Colin, her gaze mixed with complexity.


    "Thank you, Colin," she said sincerely after a moment, feeling an unreal sensation in her heart.


    She had seen geniuses, even her own father was a genius¡ªher mother, a High Level Elf, had not spared her the brilliant stories of her father''s past.


    Yet none of the geniuses had ever shocked her quite like Colin had...


    "Black Castle Inspector, Bulvo."


    "Black Castle Inspector, Keith."


    At that point, the two Bulvos nearby pondered for a short while before slowly landing on the ground, speaking to them with a solemn voice:


    "We will conduct questioning in accordance with our duty as Black Castle Inspectors. Please provide accurate descriptions."


    "So, you are two Black Castle Inspectors. I am Field Hidosh, responsible for managing the Witch Array in the East District of the School."


    Field Hidosh smiled and showed his identity plaque, continuing unnoticeably:


    "I arrived here a step ahead of you two. As it happens, today this Witch Array in the East District required some maintenance, and I was nearby."


    The Black Castle Inspectors were the Tin Saint School''s enforcers, managing the entire institution¡ªarguably the most powerful body in the School.


    Even as someone backed by the Hidosh Family, he had to tread carefully. After all, he did not recognize the two Black Castle Inspectors before him, and they likely did not belong to the Hidosh Family lineage.


    ''People of the Hidosh Family?''


    Bulvo frowned, suddenly speaking firmly, "Get to the point. What exactly happened here?"


    "I don''t know either," Field Hidosh spread his hands, shaking his head, "I just suddenly sensed the noises of a battle over here, so I came to have a look."


    "The only thing I know is that when I arrived, I saw Yasi being blown to bits by a Second Rank Fire Element controlled by that Wizard."


    He paused a moment to add, "Yasi was a Second Rank Wizard I knew; we both have the name Hidosh."


    Now that matters had come to this point, the most important thing for Field Hidosh was to extricate himself from the incident.


    To murder a School member within the School was a violation of the deepest taboo. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If discovered, bearing the name Hidosh would be of no help.


    However, he had already prepared for such an eventuality in his mind.


    As long as there was no solid evidence and he had a reasonable justification, he, a Pureblood Wizard, was not worried about being punished by the School.


    "Nothing but lies!" Atbolde said in a cold voice. "Inspectors, the truth is that Yasi Hidosh came here tonight attempting to assassinate me, and Field here was using his position to cover for him!"


    Bulvo''s expression remained unchanged as he glanced at Atbolde, then turned his head to examine Field Hidosh, who appeared calm and composed.


    He had no evidence to refute what Field Hidosh had said.


    But to say that the deceased Yasi Hidosh under the Fire Element had no connection to Field Hidosh present was something he absolutely did not believe.

 Chapter 444 - 311 Heroic Wizard_2

    Of course, he didn''t believe what Atbolde had said either; he only believed in concrete evidence.


    Bulvo glanced at Colin imperceptibly, somewhat surprised that they had encountered such a complex situation when they had only come to surveil their target.


    Fortunately, even if the situation was complex, it didn''t have much to do with them.


    Inspectors of Black Castle didn''t all operate in the same way.


    He always kept his mission in mind.


    There was one point in the words that Field had just spoken that he paid close attention to.


    Following Field''s indication, Bulvo paused and confirmed:


    "Are you saying this First Rank Intermediate Wizard killed Yasi Field, a Second Rank Wizard?"


    ''First Rank Intermediate¡­?''


    Colin blinked slightly, gazing at the Inspector from Black Castle with a trace of confusion.


    These two Inspectors from Black Castle seemed somewhat familiar.


    His Superbrain began to churn subconsciously.


    A moment later, he recalled a relevant memory¡ª


    On the day he left Neustadt City, when Yasi had Oliver come to his door, these two figures had also appeared not far from the street corner near his home.


    He had noted these two unfamiliar faces then... and now discovered they were Inspectors from Black Castle.


    In other words¡ª


    The Inspectors from Black Castle were secretly investigating and monitoring him?!


    "Yes, I saw it with my own eyes... I presume that is why you two have come here," Field continued.


    "How could that be?!" Before Bulvo could reply, his partner Keith exclaimed in their telepathic communication,


    "Colin Leonard is just a First Rank Intermediate Wizard, and he only registered as one less than a month ago!"


    "How could a First Rank Intermediate Wizard possibly summon a Second Rank Fire Element... Even if he could summon it, how could he have slain a Second Rank Wizard?!"


    However, before he could finish his astonishment, he heard Field add with some confusion:


    "However, that wizard... is not a First Rank Intermediate Wizard, but a First Rank Advanced Wizard."


    Bulvo and his colleague suddenly fell silent.


    Keith subconsciously looked towards Colin, and after meeting Colin''s calm gaze, averted his eyes reflexively.


    However, he quickly recovered, tried to look again, but Colin was no longer making eye contact, instead looking at Bulvo.


    Bulvo knew he had misspoken, possibly arousing Colin''s suspicion, but he kept a steady exterior and explained to Field calmly:


    "He''s actually First Rank Advanced. His aura was a little weak, and I did not use any Reconnaissance Magic."


    Bulvo inwardly raised his guard... such a rapid rate of advancement was indeed unreasonable!


    Field nodded as if suddenly understanding, but a few doubts began to take root in his heart.


    He scrutinized Bulvo and his partner once more without revealing his thoughts and was startled to realize¡ª


    These two Black Castle Inspectors might not be the regular patrolling Inspectors for the night!


    Typically, Black Castle Inspectors who come because of battle commotion are members of the Patrol Team.


    They would be wearing a special patrol emblem on their chest, which serves as both an identification of status and a pass for certain restricted zones within the School.


    However, the two Black Castle Inspectors currently had no patrol emblems.


    ''These two Inspectors from Black Castle have either come across this place by chance, or they have another purpose.''


    He turned to look at Colin, thinking silently:


    ''And their purpose... likely has something to do with Colin.'' S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After Bulvo finished speaking, the scene suddenly fell silent.


    A moment later.


    With a serious expression, Bulvo took Keith and walked slowly towards Colin and the others, then asked in an ostensibly calm but actually cautious tone:


    "Regarding the incident that just occurred, do you have anything else to add?"


    "An...Elf?!" Keith, looking at Lillian''s pointed ears, suddenly exclaimed without realizing.


    Bulvo''s expression shifted slightly, and he quickly moved his gaze over.


    Lillian''s fingers, stroking the hair beside her ears, paused, and then they gently dropped down, allowing her silky golden hair to fall and once again cover those beautiful pointed ears.


    "I''m just a Half-Elf mix," she said, her eyebrows furrowing slightly as she spoke calmly.


    Having crossed the Sea Domain on her way back, she naturally had learned of the news about the Elf Clan''s betrayal of the Wizards, which was why she understood Bulvo''s reaction.


    At the same time, she also knew that her junior, Colin, was actually the heroic Wizard.


    Lillian turned her head slightly to look at Colin beside her,


    There was much she wanted to say and ask, whether to Colin or to Atbolde.


    Unfortunately... now was not the time.


    Bulvo''s expression was somber, his body tensing slightly.


    Such pointed ears were the unique trait of High Level Elves.


    Only true High Level Elves and Mixed Bloods with particularly pure bloodlines exhibited such features.


    If the Tin Saint School had such a Half-Elf with outstanding lineage, he would certainly have known.


    Not far away.


    Field watched this scene and suddenly linked it to the recent rumors he had heard in his Family about the purging of Divine Undercover operatives.


    A vague suspicion began to form in his heart¡ª


    Could the real mission of these two Black Castle Inspectors be to monitor and identify Divine Believers?


    And their subject of surveillance, was it Colin?


    The more Field pondered, the more convinced he became that his speculation was accurate.


    That would explain why the two Black Castle Inspectors had arrived so timely and so fortuitously!

 Chapter 445 - 311 Heroic Wizard_3

    They had clearly followed Colin here, and then, upon detecting the commotion of the Fire Element explosion, had quickly made their way over.


    At this thought, Field''s heart lurched with panic.


    ''If they had been following Colin all along, wouldn''t the scene where I let the two of them into the barrier have been seen?''


    But he quickly shook his head; the two Black Castle Inspectors likely had not seen that moment.


    Otherwise, it would not be this kind of performance... He was overthinking it; the barrier inspection also had a certain function to obstruct vision.


    Field breathed a sigh of relief; he just needed to insist that he hadn''t noticed Colin''s intrusion. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After all, the barrier set up for this routine inspection was just the most common standard barrier, which, if damaged, would not alert him.


    Indeed, even though Bulvo and his companion had arrived very quickly, by the time they came over according to the intelligence, Colin had already entered the grey barrier of the Witch Array inspection.


    And, to avoid startling the enemy, they chose to stake out outside until the Fire Element exploded, at which point they felt something was wrong and broke through the barrier to enter.


    "Gentlemen, I would think that although the Rudolph Family has fallen into decline, as Black Castle Inspectors, you should know that we have been a High Level Elf mixed-blood family since a millennium ago," Atbolde said slowly, understanding the wariness of the two Bulvos before him.


    After all, everyone now knew that the former Elf allies had betrayed the Wizards.


    Of course, there was also that Heroic Wizard who discovered this fact.


    Even after a month had passed, the topic was still topping the charts in heated discussions.


    Upon hearing this, the two Bulvos relaxed a bit.


    They were aware of the Rudolph Family, which was a very powerful mixed-Elf Family a millennium ago. On another note, it occurred to them that the Divine would unlikely send an Elf with such an apparent appearance to work undercover.


    "The High Level Elf Clan has already been wiped out; mainly the Tree Elves and other Elves betrayed the Wizards."


    Colin, another First Rank Wizard, emphasized and added, "Lillian is a High Level Elf mix-blood."


    He paused, wanting to say that he was that Heroic Wizard.


    But thinking back to his previous encounters, he hesitated and decided not to disclose it.


    After all, without a way to prove it himself and without another authority to vouch for him, such words wouldn''t be trusted by anyone.


    A puzzled look appeared on the faces of the two Bulvos.


    "The High Level Elf Clan has been wiped out?" Field suddenly spoke up, asking in confusion, "How come I have never heard this news?"


    Then pausing momentarily, his eyes flickered before he added in a deep voice:


    "If this is true, how did you, a First Rank Wizard, come to know of this?"


    Field spoke the suspicions of the two Bulvos.


    The detailed circumstances of the Elf Clan''s betrayal were not widely known.


    Most ordinary Wizards only knew that the Elf Clan, lured by the Divine, had betrayed the Wizards and defected to the Divine''s faction.


    As for which Elves betrayed, the detailed reasons for their betrayal, and what happened to the Ancient Tree of Life...


    This information, like the identity of the Heroic Wizard, was currently only known among a select few Wizards.


    At least Field and even the two Bulvos present didn''t understand it very well.


    The Bulvos looked at Colin, the earnest doubt apparent in their eyes.


    Colin glanced at Field, not far off, paused, and then spoke frankly:


    "The news is true, as for how I came to know it¡ªindeed, I am the one who provided the information about the Elves'' betrayal to the Nois City Lord, so of course I am aware of these details."


    He hadn''t planned to reveal this... but since Field had asked, he naturally wouldn''t hide it.


    Colin''s words plunged the scene into silence once again.


    Field''s mouth hung open as he felt his thoughts turn to chaos by the suddenness of the claim.


    He had intended to steer the Bulvos to suspect Colin even more, so as to divert their attention from himself and extricate himself from this affair.


    Especially after realizing the two Bulvos might be responsible for surveilling potential Divine Undercovers.


    Looking at Colin again, he too felt something was amiss.


    Such a beautiful and refined appearance, and those markings on his head and chest vaguely revealing an Elven aura¡ªthis was clearly the use of an exceptionally powerful and special bloodline during body enhancement.


    Such a potent bloodline, seemingly related to the Elves, must be extremely rare; how could Colin, a common Half-blood Wizard, have access to such an indomitable bloodline?


    But if Colin were to be a Divine Undercover, everything could be explained since the Elf Clan had already defected to the Divine.


    With the help of the Divine, it would not be strange for him to use such a rare bloodline to enhance his body''s foundation.


    The more he thought about it, the more it seemed to make Colin''s absurd ability to perform magic beyond his rank seem plausible.


    Could it be that Colin was saying he''s the Heroic Wizard?


    Field came back to his senses and said, "I acknowledge that among First Rank Wizards, you are exceptionally talented, but to say that you are that Heroic Wizard..."


    Shaking his head, disbelief clear in his tone, he paused, then fanned the flames further:


    "Inspectors, this Wizard here is indeed suspicious; the bloodline he used to strengthen his body''s foundation seems to be related to Elves.


    You know, Elves have all betrayed Wizards; at this time, finding such high-quality bloodline is no easy task!"

 Chapter 446 - 312: Surrendering Without a Fight

    Field''s words left his lips, but they failed to achieve the effect he had imagined.


    Among the two Black Castle Inspectors, Keith nodded although.


    However, Bulvo fell into deep thought alongside; he examined Colin carefully, harboring some doubts in his heart.


    Swoosh!


    At this moment, another Wizard arrived, wearing a gold Patrol Team insignia at his waist, revealing his identity.


    ¡ª¡ªThis was a patrolling Black Castle Inspector!


    "What''s happening here?" the new Black Castle Inspector asked the same question.


    Field, looking up from below and recognizing his face, suddenly showed a look of surprise.


    This new Black Castle Inspector was a Wizard he knew, and a member of the Hidosh Family just like him!


    The influence of the Pureblood Families was deeply rooted among the Schools, with the Hidosh Family being one of the most powerful factions; their members, like those of a few other families, were spread throughout every institution of the Tin Saint School. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Black Castle was naturally no exception.


    That new Black Castle Inspector, Mo''er, now also spotted Field below.


    His stern demeanor softened imperceptibly, but quickly, he pretended to notice nothing, turning his head to look at the others present.


    Upon seeing Bulvo and the other, his expression shifted slightly as he said with some surprise, "Lord Bulvo and Keith... What brings you here?"


    "It''s a long story," Bulvo shook his head. He moved closer to Mo''er and transmitted to him telepathically,


    "There has been a battle here, with members of the School perishing. That handsome young Wizard is our recent surveillance target; we followed him here."


    Bulvo''s brief words contained a wealth of information, but Mo''er captured the most critical point¡ªSchool members perishing?


    This was no small matter...


    Mo''er''s expression grew solemn.


    Next, with a stern face and a businesslike manner, he carefully questioned Bulvo, as well as Field and Colin who were present below.


    He finally understood the specifics of the situation.


    ''Yasi, that waste, dead¡ªand by a First Rank Wizard no less...''


    Mo''er felt somewhat of a headache.


    Yasi''s death might have been a relief, but it had left a mess for the Family... And then there was Colin, the suspected Divine Undercover.


    The situation was a bit complicated.


    Mo''er looked up and calmly surveyed the crowd, his eyes flashing an imperceptible hint of anger when meeting Field''s gaze.


    Field''s heart trembled slightly, knowing that Mo''er blamed him for assisting Yasi in such a matter.


    ''But it''s all Joyce''s fault for doting on his nephew Yasi so much! Had he not pleaded with me, I wouldn''t have acted...''


    Field felt somewhat panicked, fearing punishment from the Family.


    He looked at Mo''er, wanting to speak, but ultimately remained silent, cooperating with Mo''er, maintaining a professional demeanor as if they were strangers.


    Although both were Second Rank Wizards, he as a Steward responsible for Witch Array maintenance could not compare with Mo''er, an Inspector of the Black Castle, in status within the Family.


    Given the current situation, he chose to fully cooperate with Mo''er.


    Mo''er''s gaze finally settled on Colin and the others, and with an emotionless voice, he addressed them sternly,


    "The death of a Second Rank Wizard is no small matter, you will need to accompany me to Black Castle for further investigation."


    Having said this, Mo''er signaled to Bulvo and planned to take Colin and the others back to Black Castle for investigation.


    Bulvo nodded slightly in response.


    It was the tacit understanding between the Black Castle Inspectors.


    Mo''er was aware they were monitoring for suspected Divine Believers in Neustadt City.


    Indeed, nearly the entire Black Castle Inspector manpower was involved in the operation codenamed Crimson, commanded by the Supreme Council and proposed by Councilman Nois.


    Operation Crimson began with the Nine Major Schools, each screening within themselves, then guiding their affiliated Schools to commence the operation.


    After the affiliated Schools completed initial screening and surveillance, they would continue to direct orders to their subordinate Schools for screening.


    So Operation Crimson cascaded down through the levels, now encompassing Wizard Schools within the top five hundred in terms of comprehensive strength and size in Neustadt, all cooperating in this operation.


    All Wizards suspected of being Divine Undercovers were included in the Inspector''s surveillance.


    Criteria for judgment were simple, such as discussing the benefits offered to Wizards siding with the Divine, proclaiming oneself as a Heroic Wizard, and so forth.


    But there were also more profound indicators, like having traveled to the Southern Sea Domain in the past two years, unusual progress in Wizarding Levels, or a keen interest in gathering sensitive intelligence.


    Therefore, understanding Colin was Bulvo''s target, Mo''er chose to cooperate timely with Bulvo and take Colin to Black Castle for further investigation.


    It should be noted that the entire content of Operation Crimson was only to surveil without further actions, seemingly with the sole objective of identifying Wizards in Neustadt suspected of being Divine Undercovers.


    However, what Bulvo didn''t expect was, apart from Mo''er''s cooperation which conveniently brought Colin back to Black Castle, there were other intentions behind his actions.


    Mo''er slowly levitated, waving his hand for Colin and the others to follow.


    "Then I shall take my leave, Lord Mo''er."


    Field, seeing this, tentatively addressed Mo''er.


    "Hmm," Mo''er nodded lightly.


    Hearing this, Field felt a huge weight lift from his shoulders, finally relaxing.

 Chapter 447 - 312: Surrender_2

    He exhaled softly, glancing at Colin and his companions almost imperceptibly, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes.


    Mo''er took only Colin and his companions to Black Castle, and obviously, it wasn''t without reason!


    On one hand, he portrayed himself as an innocent outsider; on the other, once at Black Castle, under Mo''er''s scrutiny, the fate of Colin and his companions was uncertain.


    After all, a genuine Second Rank Wizard had died in this incident!


    If they could pin this disaster on Colin and his companions, making Yasi appear the victim, the family''s reputation would not only remain intact but they could also seize the opportunity to avenge Yasi!


    It was no wonder he was a clansman serving at Black Castle; while he himself was still thinking about how to extricate himself and mitigate the impact on the family, Mo''er was already planning to turn this negative situation into a positive!


    Field felt a subtle sense of joy, a thrill of vengeance tingling his heart.


    "Why doesn''t he join us to Black Castle for the investigation?" At this moment, Atbolde looked at him and asked in a deep voice.


    Field stopped in his tracks, turned to look at Mo''er, but remained silent.


    "During the recent inquiry, I have established clearly¡ªField is indeed the steward in charge of the Witch Array in the East District, and today is indeed the scheduled maintenance day.


    Like the other two Black Castle Inspectors, he was merely a passerby drawn by the commotion of the fight."


    Mo''er slowly turned and calmly explained, "According to regulations, personnel not directly involved in the incident may leave after routine questioning and await further summons."


    "Do you have any more questions?"


    He anticipated that by letting Field leave, Colin and others would inevitably become discontented and ask such questions.


    However, Field had performed excellently; there was nothing to pick at in terms of regulations, and naturally, he was willing to lend a helping hand.


    Every Pureblood Wizard Family is a united family; this is the very foundation of their status.


    Under such circumstances, unless dealing with a "unique" wizard like Yasi, clansmen would not hesitate to help as much as they could.


    Atbolde frowned deeply, sensing something ominous.


    Beside him, Bulvo and his companion remained quiet; their target was Colin.


    The incident here, by regulation, was under Mo''er, who happened to be patrolling; they could at most assist.


    Colin glanced at the silent Bulvo and his companion, then at Field, who seemed calm but had a trace of mockery in his eye, feeling like he was sinking deeper into a dark tale.


    On this cold snowy night, he truly realized the power of the Pureblood Families for the first time.


    The newly arrived Black Castle Inspector, Mo''er, was clearly acquainted with Field, which he had noticed when Mo''er arrived and exchanged looks with Field.


    If he wasn''t mistaken, this new inspector was probably also a Hidosh.


    "Mr. Mo''er," Colin thought and decided to make one last attempt.


    He calmly stated: sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The situation at the scene is clear¡ªthis is the residence of Instructor Atbolde, Yasi was the outsider coming in, it is obvious who the intruder is, we were merely defending ourselves in response."


    "Moreover, what Field claimed is clearly a lie, which the gentlemen, Bulvo, can testify to."


    Colin suddenly turned his head towards Bulvo and Keith.


    Doubt surfaced on the faces of Bulvo and Keith.


    Colin continued, "You gentlemen were probably following me all along, right?"


    Before the surprised Bulvo could respond, he added:


    "Then, you might also be aware that when I arrived, the Witch Array maintenance barrier was already set up. I had to use force to break through it to enter.


    Surely Field must have noticed something during this process, didn''t he?"


    "Indeed, Field did appear."


    He then shifted his gaze back to Field.


    "However, upon your arrival, you did not stop us; instead, you let us continue into the instructor''s home.


    At the same time, Yasi Hidosh was surrounding and attacking my instructor in the courtyard¡­ I think, this should at least prove that Field was aware, right?"


    Listening to Colin, Bulvo and Keith were gradually persuaded.


    As a Second Rank Wizard, it was implausible for Field to not notice that the barrier was broken, and someone had intruded.


    Nevertheless, before Bulvo could speak, Mo''er slowly began to speak.


    "Is that so?" He turned to look at Field.


    "All lies." Field said calmly, shaking his head: "Their entry into the barrier was just an oversight on my part¡ªthe standard maintenance witchcraft barrier has no alert function."


    Mo''er nodded and looked back at Colin, continuing to inquire:


    "Any more questions?"


    Colin fell silent, looking towards Bulvo and his companion; however, these two Black Castle Inspectors chose to remain silent at this moment.


    "The Pureblood Families, truly impressive," said the instructor beside him in a calm, mocking tone.


    Lillian pursed her lips and clenched her fists.


    Turning his gaze away, Colin no longer harbored any hope for Bulvo and his companion, and began to carefully consider the situation in front of him.


    Mo''er''s attitude seemed officially neutral, but without a doubt, his intentions were not benign.


    Little did he anticipate that after successfully retaliating against Yasi, he would face a new crisis so soon.


    Pureblood Families¡­ Colin quietly mused.


    For some reason, at that moment, he envisioned bloodthirsty plants named Pureblood Families, greedily rooting themselves in the soil called Witch School!

 Chapter 448 - 312: Surrendering Without a Fight_3

    Stilling his mind, he began to hurriedly ponder, seeking a strategy to break the impasse.


    Firstly, what could be known was that Yasi''s actions this time were very likely self-initiated.


    For the Hidosh Family''s operation, if Yasi had succeeded, then all would have been well.


    The death of an aging Second Rank Wizard and his student would hardly cause any ripples within the School.


    But now, the final result was that Senior Marjorie was dead, and Yasi, a Second Rank Wizard, was also dead.


    Moreover, he died in Atbolde''s courtyard, in such an unclear and dubious place.


    No one could overtly accuse someone of killing a fellow School Wizard member, not even the Hidosh Family.


    Therefore, the worst the Hidosh Family could do was to completely disassociate themselves from this matter and blame it solely on Yasi''s personal grudge¡ªalthough that indeed was the case.


    On the other hand, if one were to stand in the shoes of the Hidosh Family, they had another, better option.


    That was to turn the truth on its head and place the blame of the murderer on them, or rather, on oneself¡ªif possible.


    Colin glanced at Mo''er, who was hovering in mid-air.


    If they now followed Mo''er back to Black Castle without solid evidence to prove their innocence, the outcome didn''t even need to be thought about!


    Contemplating to this point, a new doubt suddenly emerged in Colin''s mind.


    Aside from the two from the Hidosh Family and themselves.


    There were two more people on the scene¡ªBulvo and Keith.


    These two black-robed Inspectors, who were surveilling him, what exactly was their purpose?


    Under the influence of the Superbrain, all the memories of just now were replayed in his mind, and every detail was clear.


    The snow accumulating on the tree branches, the expressions of the two black-robed Inspectors, the words spoken by everyone...


    Gradually, the image in Colin''s brain froze on the reaction of Bulvo and his companion when they saw Lillian''s pointed ears.


    The astonished look, the defensive movements... and later, the emphasized words of Field, Field must know something.


    "What''s wrong, any more questions? If not, let''s head to Black Castle now," Mo''er urged, a barely discernible cold gleam flashing in his eyes.


    If Colin and the others continued to refuse to cooperate, he would have a reason to use force, and by dealing with them directly, he would spare himself some effort!


    Thinking this, he couldn''t help but feel some annoyance towards Yasi, the incompetent one, for having such a hard time dealing with an old and decayed Second Rank Wizard and for executing such a crude plan, which really made one doubt his status as a Pureblood Wizard! S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was at this moment that a flash of Spiritual Light crossed his mind, and Colin finally pieced everything together.


    He understood the purpose of the two Black Castle Inspectors¡ª


    They had come for the undercover Divine being, and he himself was their suspect!


    But what use was it to understand this?


    Colin watched as Mo''er''s expression gradually turned colder, and then glanced back at Bulvo and Keith, who had unknowingly surrounded them...


    He knew that if they didn''t opt to stay put, they would likely face the siege of four Second Rank Wizards.


    Colin sighed, there was still one option, though hardly a solution.


    He silently communicated to Atbolde and Lillian.


    The next second, the three of them nodded to Mo''er above as if resigned, and complied by following behind.


    Withdrawing his gaze, Mo''er thought nothing of it.


    After all, once at Black Castle, no matter what schemes Colin and the others had, they wouldn''t think of turning the tables!


    However, Field, who was watching this scene, still felt somewhat suspicious in his heart.


    That wizard called Colin, although their interactions were brief, had made a very deep impression on him¡ª


    All in all, he did not seem like the kind of person who would quietly surrender without a fight!


    Once the group took to the sky, Bulvo approached Mo''er, saying:


    "Upon arrival at Black Castle, Colin will need to be questioned separately by us."


    "No problem," Mo''er smiled.


    "Hmm," Bulvo nodded, slowed down to Colin''s side, and calmly informed Colin of the upcoming arrangements for him.


    Colin nodded without any sign of surprise.


    Accepting a separate interrogation, without the interference of the Hidosh Family, was his chance to prove himself as a Heroic Wizard.


    This was the "not really an option" option he thought of.


    As long as he could prove that he was a Heroic Wizard, he could, to some extent, solve the false accusations the Hidosh Family might pin on him from another angle!

 Chapter 449 - 313: Honor

    Black Castle is situated deep within the Tin Saint School.


    It is a hemisphere-shaped black building that occupies a vast area, resembling a small hill rising from the ground from afar.


    However, only those who understand Black Castle know that compared to its aboveground part, its underground section is the real core.


    This place is one of the most central locations of the Tin Saint School, not only managing the information of all School Wizards but also overseeing the order within the School.


    Mo''er and Bulvo parted ways on the first underground level.


    He led Atbolde and Lillian to the interrogation room on the first level, while Bulvo and his companion took Colin deeper underground.


    Mo''er walked at a steady pace.


    The Tin Saint School had a comprehensive restraint system for monitoring Black Castle. To achieve the results he anticipated, he would probably need to seek help from several of his kin.


    However, it was still deep into the night, so he planned to have Atbolde and Lillian spend the night in the temporary prison next to the interrogation room and decide on the next steps in the morning.


    On the other side,


    Bulvo continued downward with Colin, eventually arriving at the sixth underground level.


    A silvery-white corridor with a high-tech feel greeted them, its silver-white walls not metal but rather giving off a rubber-like feel.


    Their footsteps were almost silent as they forcefully stepped on it.


    Bulvo, not saying much, flanked Colin left and right with Keith as they walked slowly forward.


    This area, deep within Black Castle, was not accessible under normal circumstances, even to inspectors.


    But now was an exceptional circumstance; this was part of a contingency plan for surveillance exposure or cases like Colin''s.


    Bulvo did not know the detailed content of the contingency plan, but his part in its execution involved bringing the suspect to this location in Black Castle.


    The three of them walked quietly along the corridor.


    After handing over Colin, Bulvo and his companion could leave.


    Meanwhile, Colin would remain here to undergo a series of complex examinations and interrogations.


    The following afternoon.


    Temporary prison next to the interrogation room, first underground level of Black Castle.


    Atbolde and Lillian calmly observed the arriving inspectors.


    "Let me introduce myself, I''m Rice, one of the two individuals appointed by the School to be in charge of this incident," the Inspection Captain said.


    He had a gentle expression with a slight smile, his eyes squinting slightly, giving him the air of a smiling tiger.


    "I''m Ralph, the other person in charge," the other Inspection Captain, quite different from Rice, appeared stern, his thin lips slightly pursed, giving him a somewhat harsh look.


    Rice pointed to several wizards beside him and continued, "These wizards here are assisting with the investigation as inspectors, according to regulations, not on the same team as us."


    Mo''er stood among them, expression calm.


    "Next, we will begin the questioning, hmm, let''s start with this beautiful lady," Rice said with a smile.


    Lily slightly furrowed her brows, not quite liking the frivolous attitude of Rice before her.


    But due to rules, she stood up and followed Rice and Ralph to the nearby interrogation room.


    Atbolde watched Lillian leave with a faint look of worry.


    But he quickly composed himself, now only trusting Colin, ever believing in that student who had already performed many miracles. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    About half an hour later, Lillian returned to the temporary prison, and it was his turn to be questioned.


    Atbolde got up and walked out of the temporary prison''s iron bars to the interrogation room.


    Rice and Ralph sat in front of a cold metal long table, ordinary inspectors behind them.


    "Please sit," Rice said cheerfully.


    Atbolde pulled out a chair and sat down calmly.


    "Name?"


    "Atbolde Rudolph."


    The questioning began with routine questions, all procedures and methods conducted according to regulations.


    The entire process unfolded without other disturbances.


    About half an hour later, Atbolde returned to the temporary prison.


    Soon after, Lillian was summoned again for questioning.


    Once Lillian''s interrogation was complete, it was Atbolde''s turn again.


    This back and forth continued nearly the entire afternoon, with the inspectors repeatedly interrogating them.


    The questions asked varied widely, with tests like heart rate monitoring and other auxiliary witchcraft used in rotation, but further use of spirit witchcraft was strictly regulated in Black Castle, and this incident did not meet the threshold for its use.


    If it were ordinary people, they would probably have been exhausted by the ordeal.


    However, for them, even Lillian, having mostly completed her basic physical strengthening, was at the peak of First Rank.


    Although Atbolde was not fully agile yet, he had recovered the strength of a Second Rank Wizard.


    Thus, neither of them felt tired, just a bit weary.


    After about five or six rounds of questioning per person, night fell, and the inspectors temporarily left, leaving them to continue waiting in the temporary prison.


    As the night deepened, the piercing cold winds swept over Neustadt City.


    In the cramped temporary prison, Atbolde and Lillian sat cross-legged facing each other, patiently waiting.


    According to School rules, as long as the investigation results were not concluded, the Black Castle inspectors had the right to request their cooperation here for up to ten days.


    During this period, they were not allowed to leave the temporary prison.

 Chapter 450 - 313: Honor_2

    "At the look of things, they do not seem to be planning to bring dinner," Atopulde said lightly, casting a glance at the bars that had fallen into silence since nightfall.


    "Mm," Lillian nodded without saying much.


    From last night until now, not to mention food, the inspectors hadn''t even given her and Atbolde a drop of water.


    Although, for a Second Rank Wizard like Atbolde, going without food or water for ten days was not a big issue, and even as a First Rank Wizard, she could manage.


    But this was undoubtedly a veiled threat, a show of dominance.


    Atbolde looked at Lillian, having many questions in mind, yet he slowly closed his eyes to conserve energy.


    Under the effect of the temporary prison, they were unable to use the magic power within their bodies or release their spiritual power.


    At the same time, multiple memory crystals continuously recorded their every move.


    Such an environment was obviously not suitable for conversation.


    The first day passed like this, relatively easy on the whole.


    However, both Atbolde and Lillian knew very well that this was just the beginning, just a brief calm before the storm.


    The deep darkness of night swiftly faded away at dawn as if meeting its natural predator, leaving only a vast mist and transparent icicles hanging from the eaves.


    The second day arrived, and there was still no news from Colin.


    Meanwhile, the inspectors did not come all morning.


    Nor in the afternoon or the evening¡­


    After leaving them to hang for two full days, on the morning of the fourth day, Rice and Ralph came to the temporary prison again with a group of inspectors.


    But this time, Rice suddenly put away his usual smiley demeanor and turned serious.


    He started off aggressively as soon as he arrived outside the temporary prison:


    "Atbolde, we have found conclusive evidence that you and your students lured Yasi Hidosh into a premeditated ambush and then killed him; do you admit your guilt?!"


    Atbolde''s heart sank¡ªwhat had to come would always come.


    He slowly got up and shook his head at Rice.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, in a massive Wizard Tower.


    Colin slowly walked into the huge research lab located on the second floor.


    After a series of difficult efforts, he finally got an opportunity¡ªto come here, to meet someone.


    Entering the large research lab, a tall curly-haired man stood with his back to him, writing something on a silver-white alloy high desk.


    The pen, glowing with Spiritual Light, and the coarse paper made a rustling sound as they rubbed against each other.


    In front of the man, several naked figures floated, both male and female, all bearing marks of dissection.


    Upon seeing this figure, the anxiety lingering on Colin''s brow eased somewhat.


    He thought about it, decided not to speak yet, and patiently waited.


    After a while, the tall curly-haired man finally stopped writing. He rubbed his brow and his face was filled with deep fatigue.


    Slowly raising his head, he put on a smile and said to Colin, "Colin Leonard, I understand this period has been tough for you."


    "Good morning, Nois City Lord," Colin greeted respectfully.


    Nois chuckled and continued, saying, "I''ve been informed about your situation. It seems I was a bit negligent; I hope you won''t blame me for deliberately hiding your ''Heroic Wizard'' status."


    Colin pondered and did not answer whether he blamed him or not, instead he calmly responded, "The City Lord must have had greater considerations to make such a choice."


    Nois scrutinized him briefly, then let go of his hand, and the feather pen instantly transformed into points of light that disappeared into the air. He walked out from behind the high desk toward Colin. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I remember when we last met you were a First Rank Intermediate Wizard, but now you''ve advanced to First Rank Advanced, and your body''s foundation has also been strengthened¡ªseems like you''ve reaped quite a bounty in the Elf Kingdom."


    Without waiting for a reply, Nois started making small talk, which, complemented by his scholarly curly hair, made him seem quite amiable.


    Colin looked unsure about Nois''s intentions and just nodded slightly.


    He wasn''t worried about Nois discerning his identity as a First Rank Knight, since, strictly speaking, Fighting Aura and Blood Energy were two different types of energy.


    Moreover, from his entry till now, he had never felt Nois''s prying eyes.


    Perhaps he couldn''t feel it, but Colin preferred to believe that Nois was adhering to his own principles, unwilling to engage in such impolite behavior.


    "Also, that Second Rank Summon Fire Element, truly impressive. I remember at First Rank Advanced I could barely stutter through two Second Rank witchcrafts," Nois continued, smiling pleasantly at Colin''s slightly stunned expression and adding, "Of course, I was nearly thirty then, not as young as you."


    Colin was unsure how to continue the conversation; he had thought that despite Nois''s scholarly appearance, his character would likely be profoundly stern and the conversation between them would be brief and straightforward, ending quickly.


    But now the situation was different.


    "Did you create and improve that witchcraft to Summon Second Rank Fire Element yourself?" Nois further asked.


    "¡­Yes," Colin paused, then nodded in response.


    "Impressive," praised Nois. "Can you tell me about the underlying principles of your improvements?"


    "Mainly changes in the magic power control center¡ªI increased its number," Colin briefly explained, then added, "Nois City Lord, my mentor and senior sister¡­"

 Chapter 451 - 313 Honor_3

    "Increasing the control center of Magic Power, huh..." Nois stroked his shallow beard and interrupted.


    After pondering for a moment, he exclaimed, "A genius idea."


    "Alright, go save your mentor now, those Pureblood Families are nothing but hyenas!" Nois continued, "Turn right after leaving the door, Theodore will arrange everything for you."


    Upon hearing this, the weight in Colin''s heart finally plummeted, and he hurriedly said with respect,


    "Thank you, Nois City Lord."


    Nois hummed affirmatively, then continued,


    "After dealing with your mentor''s matter, come back here."


    "Yes." Colin was somewhat puzzled, but he did not continue to inquire.


    "Colin¡ª" However, as he turned to leave, Nois called out to him again.


    Colin turned his head to look, and Nois had already returned to the high desk. A faint light converged in his hands into a feather pen, and beneath his calm expression was an undeniable weariness:


    "The situation for Wizards is not optimistic," Nois said calmly while writing, "In the battle at the Southern Seven Islands, we lost too much strength."


    "However, the visible losses are secondary, the invisible threats are the real danger."


    "If Divine can allow the Elf Clan to perfect their disguise, deceiving all the methods of Wizards, then naturally, they can also allow ordinary Divine Believers to perfectly disguise themselves.


    In Neustadt City today, any Wizard who has recently arrived in the past two years or has been to the Southern Sea Domain recently has been thoroughly screened."


    "But this does not enable us to find all the believers. The Elf Clan has been fallen for a long time. No one knows if Divine had planted believers in Neustadt City a hundred years ago."


    "We can no longer distinguish."


    Nois''s words were calm, but Colin felt a tangible chill creeping towards him.


    The battle he encountered while the Alus Association traveled to the Southern Sea Domain by Airship was still vivid in his mind.


    That betrayal forced the Wizards'' side to pay a bloody price, which then led to the successful development of the counteracting Deep Red Marking Technique.


    But now it seemed that Divine had another, even more sophisticated means of disguise.


    This might have been a specific improvement Divine made after the appearance of the Deep Red Marking Technique.


    Or perhaps such disguise methods had always existed, only deployed in critical locations for reasons such as high costs.


    But regardless, in this war, if one could not ensure the reliability of those fighting beside them,


    The Wizards would soon be lost in a dark forest of suspicion.


    Of course, this was the worst-case scenario.


    But even if only a few traitors were among the Wizards, the damage they could cause might be catastrophic.


    Nois continued to speak:


    "So, in order to deter the Divine side, when exposing the elf traitor, I did not reveal that you had obtained the information from the Elf Kingdom. Instead, I claimed to the public¡ª


    that you are a witchcraft prodigy who modified the Deep Red Marking Technique and then, by means of the modified witchcraft, accidentally discovered the message that the Elf Clan were traitors."


    "Of course, now it seems you truly are a talented individual in the realm of witchcraft, you just haven''t modified the Deep Red Marking Technique," Nois said, smiling at him.


    Colin suddenly realized why Nois chose to completely conceal his information, not revealing it to the outside world at all. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So, Colin, I hope you won''t resent me for keeping your identity as a Heroic Wizard secret," Nois said with a smile, lifting his head, "Along with the honor comes the thorns."


    Colin nodded his understanding. Keeping his identity secret was, in fact, for his protection.


    "However, once you reach Second Rank and I have truly modified the Deep Red Marking Technique, all the honors you deserve will come to you."


    Nois looked at the manuscript in his hands, then at the Divine Undercover''s body hanging beside him, and said,


    "Until then, let''s keep this secret for now, hmm... as well as the purpose of the Deep Red operation. I believe you''ve guessed it by now, keep it secret as well."


    "Understood, Nois City Lord," Colin replied gravely.


    The so-called purpose of the Deep Red operation was not only to screen for potential Divine Believers but also to collect materials for Nois to research and modify the Deep Red Marking Technique.


    It was for this reason that he underwent stringent interrogation on the sixth floor of the Black Castle.


    The interrogators, unable to judge the veracity of his testimony, reported upwards with uncertainty and trepidation, and only then was he allowed to meet with Nois.


    "But... to modify the Deep Red Marking Technique?"


    Colin turned and walked towards the laboratory''s exit.


    Pale golden particles congregated in front of him.


    He watched the nearly Limit Breaking Deep Red Marking Technique, his gaze flickering.


    Yet his footsteps didn''t falter.


    The current priority was to rescue his mentor, and according to Nois''s instructions, he would return here afterward.

 Chapter 452 - 314: Registration and the Law of the Second Rank

    Inside the Black Castle, in the interrogation room.


    Atbolde Rudolph remained silent, his face furrowed like tree bark, heavy with solemnity.


    Next to him, Lillian Rudolph looked at the grinning Rice across from her, her brows almost knitting together, and said coldly with anger in her voice, "These so-called ''evidence'' you have are all forged!"


    "Oh¡ª" Rice chuckled, glancing at the two of them, and countered, "So, the two of you still refuse to admit it?"


    Lillian kept her face stern and didn''t respond, just watched Rice with a cold gaze.


    She knew that saying more would do no good.


    "Is this how the Black Castle''s inspectors gather evidence?" Atbolde asked in a deep voice.


    "Do you doubt the authenticity of the evidence?" Rice asked with a smile.


    Seeing Lillian and Atbolde maintain their silence, he slowly stood up.


    "Unfortunately, the evidence is irrefutable. We found these items through searches in several dwellings, and all the inspectors present can testify to that¡ªright?"


    He looked over at another official, Ralph, then at the inspectors behind him.


    As his eyes swept over them, everyone nodded in unanimous agreement.


    Rice''s face bore an even greater smile of pleasure as he turned back to Lillian and Atbolde, and continued, "Thus, even if you do not admit it, you cannot change this fact. I am only informing you according to the regulations."


    After finishing, he turned his head and gestured with his eyes toward Mo''er among the inspectors behind him.


    Mo''er immediately got the hint, stepped forward, and presented a brown piece of parchment with both hands.


    "Come, take a look at this investigative report. If there are any other objections, feel free to present them."


    Rice took the parchment from Mo''er with a squint and handed it over to Atbolde with one hand.


    "However, if it''s still about questioning the authenticity of the discovered evidence, there''s no need to mention it again," he added.


    The brown parchment quietly hovered in the air, and Rice, not showing any signs of fatigue, maintained his outstretched hand.


    His eyes gleamed with mirth as he looked at Lillian and Atbolde, as if he was certain they would obediently take the parchment and admit their guilt.


    There was no breeze in the room, and the brown parchment naturally curled upon itself.


    Lillian looked at it, her face growing even colder. This was not an investigative report, but a death sentence.


    She clenched her fist slightly, but the usual surging feeling was absent¡ªdue to the magic-suppressing environment, her Magic Power was now as stagnant as dead water.


    She had thought that after a significant increase in her bloodline strength in the Elf Secret Vault, having reached the peak of a First Rank Wizard, and finding the Ancient Life Tree Dew as a treatment for her grandfather...


    The return to Neustadt City should have been straightforward, but she had not expected to find herself in such dire straits, facing one peril after another.


    A sense of powerlessness crawled over her heart, and Lillian''s fists tightened, her fingertips nearly piercing her palms.


    Facing the Pureblood Family, she was still too weak.


    In fact, if it hadn''t been for her junior, Colin, they would probably have been buried on a cold snowy night a few days ago...


    At this thought, an inexplicable sense of anticipation rose in Lillian''s heart. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "If the two of you continue to refuse to read it, then that will be taken as a willful abandonment of this..." Rice looked at Lillian''s clenched fist and her pale face, delightfully urging.


    However, he had not yet finished speaking.


    A snap echoed as the door to the interrogation room was suddenly pushed open.


    A Witch, clad in a dark-black Wizard Robe with golden patterns, entered the room.


    Rice swiftly turned around, but his original indignation faded upon seeing the Witch''s face and the three Golden Feather insignia on her chest; he quickly bowed with respect, greeting her,


    "Madam Nancy."


    Witch Nancy didn''t respond. She moved slightly to reveal Colin standing behind her.


    The golden-haired young man was dressed in a simple standard Wizard Robe, but his posture was upright and his features handsome, exuding an aura that was no less formidable than that of the Third Rank Wizards nearby!


    Lillian''s lovely golden-green eyes widened slightly, and Atbolde was also momentarily stunned, a smile showing on his face.


    This student had already brought him many surprises.


    "Tutor, senior sister,"


    Colin smiled, greeting Lillian and Atbolde, then turned his head respectfully to the Witch beside him,


    "Madam Nancy, thank you for your trouble."


    "Mhm," Nancy replied with a gentle smile.


    Then she turned to Rice, who looked baffled, and her expression suddenly turned serious as she ordered in a cold voice,


    "By order of the School¡ªthe deaths of Yasi Hidosh and Marjorie Alist shall no longer be investigated as of this moment. The matter has been concluded.Now, immediately release Atbolde Rudolph and Lillian Rudolph!"


    "No longer under investigation..." Rice was inwardly startled, but he didn''t show any signs on his face; his eyes were only slightly narrowed.


    Mo''er, in the rank of the inspectors behind him, frowned. He couldn''t understand why Colin would appear here.


    Everything had been going according to the Family''s plan... yet at this time, everything changed.


    Yet, Ralph, standing next to them, promptly nodded in agreement, "Understood, Madam Nancy."


    By the rules of the Black Castle, he was not a member of the Hidosh Family.


    Though the Faction he backed was in good standing with the Hidosh Family, Nancy was one of their superiors among the inspectors. Obeying her now could not be mistaken, and even the Hidosh Family could find no fault.


    Therefore, he nodded without hesitating.


    Seeing his reaction, Rice paused for a moment, his thoughts spinning rapidly, then he also smiled and nodded, turning briskly to open the door to the temporary cell.

 Chapter 453 - 314: Registration and the Law of the Second Rank_2

    Taking advantage of the time when Colin and the others were exchanging pleasantries, he quietly stepped to Nancy''s side and asked in a low voice,


    "Your Excellency Nancy, what exactly is going on?"


    Nancy glanced at him, her expression a mix of pity and mockery, and said faintly,


    "You''ll find out soon."


    The smile on Rice''s face gradually disappeared, as he realized that something unknown to him was happening.


    Subconsciously, he stepped over to Mo''er and asked in a deep voice,


    "Are you and Field keeping something from me?"


    Mo''er was clearly stunned, instinctively wondering if Field had kept anything hidden.


    "Lord Rice, I was just on patrol that night and was not aware of Field''s plans," he quickly communicated telepathically to clear his relationship,


    "I have already told you everything I know."


    Watching Mo''er''s seemingly genuine expression, Rice''s brows gradually furrowed.


    Once that signature smile of his disappeared, even his eyes seemed to grow larger, unable to hide the sharpness in them anymore.


    After pondering for a moment, Rice continued to ask,


    "Colin Leonard, did you thoroughly investigate this before, are you sure it is just an ordinary half-blood wizard, the only special thing being a Silver Feather?"


    "Absolutely," Mo''er affirmed with a nod, "This wizard named Colin just arrived in Neustadt City last year, at that time he was an apprentice, joining through the School''s token.


    In the test for joining the School, his performance was not particularly outstanding; eventually, he was assigned to Atbolde due to issues with his aptitude."


    "Aptitude issue?" Rice was astonished¡ªhow could a wizard rated with a Silver Feather be considered to have an aptitude issue back then?


    Mo''er understood Rice''s astonishment and after a pause, he continued, "The wizard responsible for the examination was expelled from his Faction after Colin received the Silver Feather Token."


    Rice nodded slightly, realizing that letting go of a genius wizard, of course, warranted some punishment.


    However... He turned his gaze to Colin, who had almost finished exchanging pleasantries, and was completely baffled.


    How did this ordinary wizard, albeit somewhat talented, manage to get a Third Rank Wizard from the Black Castle, and one not related to him, to take up his cause?


    And this was a direct order from the School¡ªwas there no reaction from the Family side?


    Nevertheless, right now Nancy was only there to announce the release of Atbolde; he wasn''t too worried about himself.


    After all, he was a member of the Hidosh Family, and ordinary troubles could not affect him; at most, he would face some minor punishment.


    "Your Excellency Nancy, then we will take our leave now," Colin concluded his pleasantries with his tutors and turned to speak to Nancy.


    "Mm," Nancy smiled and nodded, then said seriously, "In regards to this incident, we will give you a final resolution in as short as today or within three days at the latest."


    Actually, her words were quite conservative.


    After all, the order to release Atbolde came from the very top of the Black Castle!


    "Thank you, Your Excellency Nancy."


    Colin nodded respectfully, not saying much else, and left with Lillian, not even glancing back at Mo''er, the Inspector who had escorted them back.


    He believed the School would give him a proper resolution in the end, so there was no need to be overly conspicuous at the moment.


    After they were escorted away by the guards outside.


    In the room, Nancy put away her smile, walked up to the iron table, and picked up the sheepskin parchment to read.


    With every word, her face darkened bit by bit.


    The person at the top of the Black Castle had not only issued the order to release Atbolde but also briefly explained the true situation of the incident.


    These were words spoken by the esteemed person at the top; naturally, Nancy wouldn''t doubt their veracity.


    So, after seeing the so-called truths unearthed by the Inspectors, her inner fury was like an erupting volcano, impossible to contain.


    She took a breath, gazing at the group of Inspectors before her with an expressionless face, and asked slowly, Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Tell me, how did you come to obtain this so-called evidence?"


    "Furthermore, who is Mo''er? Describe the events of that night once again!"


    Nancy''s voice was as piercing as the bitter cold wind.


    Seeing her summon such a forceful presence made Rice and Mo''er realize something, and their faces suddenly turned ashen.


    They had thought that letting Atbolde and the other two leave would put an end to the matter, but it seemed that wasn''t the case.


    It looked like the fire was about to reach them!


    ...


    Black Castle''s grand hall.


    Lillian stood on the smooth marble floor, looking at the pale sunlight streaming through the stained glass windows, still feeling somewhat unreal inside.


    Had the problem that tortured her and her grandfather for so long been completely resolved?


    "Teacher, where do you plan to go next? Are you heading back immediately?" At that moment, Colin suddenly asked.


    "If nothing unexpected occurs, yes," said Atbolde, speaking lightly while pressing on his chest and taking a slight breath. "I''ve not entirely recovered yet."


    During the interrogation, Colin had told them about his successful meeting with the Neustadt City Lord, so he now felt very relaxed.


    After all, they hadn''t done anything wrong; it was merely self-defense. Now with the help of the Neustadt City Lord, what was there to worry about?


    Colin smiled. Atbolde and Lillian were already privy to the meeting with the Neustadt City Lord, so naturally, there was no need to hide anything from them; they just needed to be cautioned to keep it confidential.


    Of course, he still kept some information about the Crimson Operation to himself.


    The winter sun warmed him, and Colin subconsciously let out a light breath.


    At last, a series of events had come to a close.


    It was like a heavy stone had been lifted from his heart; he suddenly felt much lighter, and even basking in the sun now, he felt so languid that he didn''t wish to move.


    But soon, Colin shook his head internally.


    ''The war is still ongoing. Given the current situation, I can''t relax too much.


    Next, I need to focus more on improving my strength.''


    "Teacher Atbolde, then you go back first. I plan to take this opportunity to register my advancement at Black Castle," Colin said, turning his head.


    Since he was there, he might as well take care of it and save some precious time.


    Moreover, to gain knowledge about advancing to a Second Rank Wizard from the School, it was necessary for the School to be aware that he had reached First Rank Advanced.


    "Alright, remember to come back early after you register. Hmm... although the villa has turned into ruins, tonight''s gathering won''t be affected by such a trivial matter."


    Atbolde spoke with a smile, but then he seemed to recall something, fell silent for a moment, and added, "Of course, tonight is also the time to say farewell to Marjorie...


    Time flies so quickly; I still remember him as a skinny child."


    Atbolde''s voice lowered gradually.


    A weight pressed on Colin''s heart, and he paused before saying slowly and clearly, "The Hidosh Family will pay for this."


    "They''re already paying," Atbolde lifted his head and smiled, "If you don''t mind listening to this old man reminisce about the past, prepare to come back home late tonight."


    He pointed at Lillian and added, "My granddaughter here makes a fine wine, a secret recipe unique to High Level Elves."


    "Of course I don''t mind," Colin smiled back, "Then I''ll go ahead now."


    "Go ahead."


    But just as he was about to turn away, Colin suddenly thought of something and turned back, "By the way, Teacher, how can I acquire the knowledge necessary to advance to a Second Rank Wizard?"


    "Knowledge for advancing to a Second Rank Wizard¡ª" Atbolde paused, then said, "I''ll apply to the School on your behalf. Typically, it requires a certain number of contribution points to exchange.


    If you don''t have enough contribution points, you might have to undertake some tasks for the School."


    "I understand," Colin nodded.


    "Still need contribution points... I wonder if I can get the relevant knowledge from the Neustadt City Lord."


    "Clearly, tasks are undoubtfully synonymous with trouble."

 Chapter 454 - 315: Faction within the School

    Black Castle''s second floor, Colin walked through the lengthy corridor and arrived at the registration office.


    Knock, knock, knock¡ª


    He knocked lightly on the door, and soon a crisp female voice came from inside:


    "Please come in." S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The registration office looked the same as when he had visited last time, still a small room with no significant changes.


    Sunlight streamed through the glass window on the right, casting its glow on the only brown desk and further on the gray-haired old wizard sitting behind it.


    Apart from this lone desk and chair and the old wizard, there was nothing else in the entire room.


    Although the Tin Saint School had thousands of wizards, big and small, just one person was enough to handle the advancement registration work.


    This job was probably one of the most leisurely within Black Castle.


    Of course, if he remembered correctly, the wizard in charge of registration last time was not this elder, but a witch with brown, thick-framed glasses.


    "Registering strength enhancement, please first present your school badge for identity verification..." Jonah adjusted his silver glasses and slowly lifted his head.


    But the next second, when he saw Colin''s features clearly, his expression showed a hint of confusion.


    This wizard seemed somewhat familiar.


    With the presence of a Superbrain, Colin recalled the man''s identity first¡ª


    This wizard seemed to be the boss of the witch who handled the registration previously, and he seemed to be a mentor too.


    Without much concern, Colin stepped forward and confidently placed his school badge on the witch tool fashioned like a balance scale on the desk, and at the same time rested his hand on the other side.


    Jonah, perhaps because Colin had changed in both aura and appearance after advancing to a First Rank Knight, took a moment to recall where he had seen Colin.


    However, Jonah didn''t dwell on it and went ahead with the verification, updating Colin''s strength as per procedure.


    Even though he was only filling in temporarily for his favorite student, he was well-versed with the relevant procedures.


    When he was still a First Rank Wizard, he had been doing this very job.


    Moments later, the balance scale emitted a misty white light, and Jonah scrutinized the midpoint indicator before removing the badge.


    "From a First Rank Intermediate Wizard to a First Rank Advanced... Colin Leonard?" he murmured, looking at the name. Slowly, he lifted his head, his eyes full of surprise beneath the silver glasses.


    "Colin Leonard?" Jonah repeated unconsciously.


    "It''s me, Sir Jonah," Colin calmly nodded.


    Although there had been some unpleasantness with Jonah''s female student last time, that obviously had nothing to do with Jonah, and Colin held no ill will towards the elder wizard.


    Of course, neither could he say he felt particularly fond of him.


    Seeing Colin''s confirmation, Jonah, almost instinctively, adjusted his glasses, his expression a bit disorganized.


    He took several looks at Colin, then finally said dryly, "You''ve become quite a bit more handsome since the last time."


    Colin chose not to respond.


    Jonah chuckled, finally coming back to his senses, and his tone became smoother and more enthusiastic.


    "Have you already started strengthening the foundation of your physique?" he continued.


    Before him, this wizard had been First Rank Intermediate just a month ago, and now he was already First Rank Advanced. It hadn''t taken him long to progress from First Rank Basic to First Rank Intermediate either.


    Such a rapid advancement speed... Colin could now be considered one of the Tin Saint School''s top-tier genius wizards!


    After this registration, he would surely receive a Golden Feather Token, his future prospects looking bright!


    Should he not fall along the way, at the very least, he would reach the Third Rank Wizard!


    "Yes, I am in the process," Colin smiled, giving a noncommittal reply.


    But in reality, he was just waiting for his Wizard Level progress to advance further and to acquire the knowledge for the Second Rank Wizard before he could start working on advancing.


    "It''s truly astounding!" Jonah exclaimed, "People often say that the gap between mere mortals and wizards is vast, but in my opinion, the gap between wizards themselves is perhaps just as insurmountable."


    "I wonder if Sir Colin has considered changing factions? With your talent, advancing to the Second Rank is just a matter of time.


    If the faction you are currently in isn''t strong enough, perhaps it''s time to start planning for the future."


    "The path of a wizard is arduous and difficult to navigate. Having a guide to block the incoming winds and falling rocks can make it much easier."


    It seemed Jonah had mentally elevated the genius First Rank Wizard before him to the same status as himself.


    His words were sincere, far more genuine than the superficial courtesies of the past.


    "Thank you for the advice," Colin nodded slightly; he was always willing to return goodwill for goodwill.


    However, Jonah''s words, although a heartfelt admonition from someone experienced, didn''t quite apply to Colin''s unusual situation.


    His specific plans for the future would require further careful consideration.


    As Jonah set Colin''s badge into a specially made witch tool, he continued to add:


    "You needn''t feel any burden over leaving your original faction. If all goes as expected, the new faction you join will generally compensate your original faction with a large amount of resources¡ªthis is an unwritten rule that has always existed in the schools."


    Jonah paused, adjusted his glasses, and seeing that the badge wasn''t yet modified, continued to speak:


    "In fact, the entire Tin Saint School is filled with such kinds of interest exchanges, no matter whether there is enmity between two factions or not, it is always so."

 Chapter 455 - 315 Faction within the School_2

    "Wizards'' most solid relationship has always been the exchange of interests, which is also the essence of the enduring prosperity of Schools,"


    Colin nodded without saying much, as he wasn''t very familiar with Joe and it didn''t seem appropriate to engage in a deep conversation.


    He silently warned himself in his heart:


    "It''s precisely because the mainstream is like this, that those relationships that can completely disregard interest are all the more rare and precious."


    For him, on the path of a wizard''s cultivation, he perhaps hadn''t encountered too much difficulty.


    But the easier his journey, the more vigilant he became about changes to his own mind.


    Only by sticking to his true self could he travel farther.


    If cultivation made him become more like a cold-blooded machine, then this would fundamentally contradict the essence of a wizard''s cultivation.


    However, although he didn''t completely agree with Joe''s words, the old wizard''s speech did reveal another layer of the School to him.


    The complexity of the various powers within these Schools, some of which had been established for a thousand years, probably exceeded his imagination.


    ''It''s best to quietly develop and try not to get involved,'' Colin thought to himself.


    "Alright, Mr. Colin," Joe took out the badge that had been remodeled and handed it to Colin.


    The new badge, starting from the end, had three silver feathers, followed by a completely gilded Golden Feather, which, at First Rank Intermediate, was only mostly golden.


    "Thank you." Colin took the badge and was ready to leave.


    "Wait a moment, Mr. Colin." However, seeming to remember something, Joe called out to him again.


    "Based on past cases, with your current rate of advancement, you are sure to be awarded a Golden Feather Token.


    If you''re not busy, why not take advantage of this moment and go collect the token?"


    "Otherwise, you might have to make another trip next time¡ªthe awarding of the Golden Feather Token is a bit more complicated than the silver, with many procedures to go through."


    Colin stopped in his tracks and thought for a moment before asking, "How long will it take approximately?"


    "About a little over three hours, and to be frank, I happen to be in charge of this."


    "Three hours..." Colin looked at the skies outside the window, which had unconsciously turned dim.


    The days in winter were not as long as before, and even the sunset was no longer as dazzling, showing a faint red semblance and revealing its full round shape.


    Night was about to fall.


    After pondering for a moment, Colin ultimately shook his head and declined, "Let''s not, I still have some things to take care of later."


    Not only was tonight the gathering with his mentor and senior sister, but it was also a farewell memorial service for senior Marjorie; it wasn''t suitable to delay here too long.


    "If you have things to do, then indeed there''s no helping it."


    Joe didn''t insist further but paused before adding,


    "Mr. Colin, if you ever consider changing Factions, you can contact me. The Faction I belong to will definitely offer you terms that will satisfy you."


    "I will consider it."


    "Mr. Colin, you should be cautious in choosing a Faction. For a golden-feathered Talent like you, unless the Faction you belong to is indeed too weak, they will certainly bind you with a contract."


    For some reason, Joe paused and then suddenly continued,


    "In other words, when the time comes, you should carefully compare the differences between various Factions, and don''t hastily sign a contract before the news of obtaining the Golden Feather Token has spread."


    "Also, with the Golden Feather Token, if you receive it, each year you''ll have the opportunity to select two witchcraft and corresponding knowledge at your level for free, twice a year.


    This is a precious privilege, but there''s still one thing to be mindful of¡ª


    That is to choose witchcraft or knowledge that does not overlap with that of the Faction you belong to, otherwise, it would be a waste of an opportunity."


    "Factions have their own witchcraft and knowledge?" Colin asked in confusion.


    "In the Tin Saint School, aside from some Wizards'' proprietary witchcraft, most other witchcraft can be found in the library, but this does not mean that all witchcraft or knowledge must be exchanged with School Contribution Points," Joe explained:


    "Each Faction possesses certain witchcraft or knowledge that can be passed on without needing Contribution Points, mostly because they were unexpectedly obtained or developed by Faction members. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So while being submitted to the School, they retained the right to pass it on. With your Talent, as long as you find a good Faction and mentor, you can learn plenty of witchcraft without Contribution Points."


    "While it is likely not entirely free within a Faction, your Talent is probably enough for all Factions to open backdoors for you.


    And even if that''s not possible, it''s still far easier than exchanging with Contribution Points."


    "I see," Colin nodded.


    "Additionally, one of the major benefits of the Golden Feather Token is that you can refuse one mandatory School-assigned mission each year," Joe thought for a moment and continued,


    "This benefit wasn''t much in the past since the compulsory missions were not difficult, and most carried no threat to life.


    But now with the ongoing war, the yearly compulsory missions from the School are increasingly perilous."


    Colin nodded in agreement, this benefit was undoubtedly the best for someone like him who wished to remain in seclusion.


    "Thank you for the reminder," Colin expressed his sincere gratitude.


    Atbolde, perhaps due to being constantly afflicted with illness over the years and having few apprentices, had almost no presence in the Tin Saint School.

 Chapter 456 - 315: Faction within the School_3

    After he joined Atbolde''s apprenticeship, what he did most was to seclude himself.


    Thus, he indeed didn''t have much understanding of the unspoken rules about factions and schools and some other information.


    Right now, Jonah''s reminder was like timely rain.


    "No need to mind," Jonah chuckled, then hesitated slightly, adding,


    "Lord Colin, when you registered earlier, there was some conflict between you and my student, Ocasie..."


    "I''ve never taken it to heart."


    Colin, hearing this, smiled and shook his head, interrupting Jonah.


    He finally understood why Jonah was talking so much to him... but indeed, he was not a person of narrow mind.


    "Then I am relieved," Jonah released a light breath.


    Making an enemy of such a dazzling Golden Feather talent was truly an unwise choice.


    "I''ll be taking my leave then," Colin nodded toward Jonah and turned to stride towards the exit.


    Creak. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just then, the office door was suddenly opened.


    A witch wearing brown glasses walked in.


    "Ocasie! You should knock before entering, it''s basic etiquette, have you forgotten?!"


    Seeing this, Jonah''s expression slightly darkened as he sternly reprimanded.


    His gaze subconsciously glanced at Colin, and seeing his calm demeanor, his heart gradually settled.


    Ocasie sheepishly grinned, coquettishly saying, "Teacher, I thought it was only you in the office."


    Jonah, with a stern face, looked at his most cherished student, feeling utterly helpless.


    Colin didn''t pay much attention, merely giving Jonah a nod before quickly turning and leaving the office.


    Ocasie probably, like Jonah, didn''t recognize him at a glance.


    It was better this way; otherwise, recognizing him might have caused more trouble.


    Click.


    The wooden door gently closed, and Colin''s footsteps gradually faded.


    "Teacher, don''t be mad, I will remember next time."


    Ocasie, looking at Jonah still with a stern face, gently touched her large brown glasses and hastily smiled as she came behind Jonah, pounding on his back with her fist.


    "Ah, you," with Colin gone, Jonah completely relaxed and shook his head, somewhat resignedly.


    "Hehe," Ocasie giggled, her eyes squinted into crescents under her large brown frames, she suddenly asked, "Who was that wizard just now? He looks kind of familiar."


    "Colin Leonard, here to register as a First Rank Advanced Wizard."


    "Colin Leonard..." Ocasie slightly furrowed her brow, struggling to recall this somewhat familiar name.


    As the memory in her mind became clearer, her eyes gradually widened, and her mouth opened slightly in surprise,


    "That liar?!"


    "He advanced to a First Rank Advanced Wizard?!"


    "What liar, without evidence, such judgments should not be made hastily!" Jonah scolded.


    Yet inside, he began to feel gradually uncertain¡ª


    For such a talented wizard, it made no sense for him to lie like that... Could it be that what Colin said was all true?!


    Was he really the Heroic Wizard who saved the Southern Seven Islands battle?!


    Jonah looked at Ocasie still in shock next to him, hesitated, but chose not to voice his speculations.


    Perhaps Colin was not that heroic wizard, but since Lord Nois seemed to have intentionally concealed information about Colin.


    Then if there was even the slightest possibility of wrongdoing, it was best not to spread such information.

 Chapter 457 - 316: The Past

    The night was profound.


    Colin strode quickly along the Academy''s road as the chill breeze softly blew.


    In such cold weather, the faintest warmth of breath would instantly turn into mist.


    Glancing around, he found the broad road unexpectedly barren, with only himself walking alone.


    Indeed, he seldom visited the Academy at such a late hour.


    Continuing down the road for a while, he arrived at the residence of Atbolde.


    As always, it was shrouded by a circle of tall trees, although, upon closer inspection, some signs of damage could still be discerned on them.


    Colin tried to take a step forward and felt the familiar resistance... It seemed that Nado had already been restored.


    He smiled faintly, used a witchcraft trick, dispelled the barrier, and stepped inside.


    Passing through the trees, he entered the garden, which remained a desolate scene.


    Looking ahead along the winding path, Colin saw beside the ruins of the original villa, a huge ancient tree stretching out amidst the icy snow.


    If not for the stark white snow piled upon it, the lush branches alone would give the illusion that it was still the height of summer.


    Atbolde and Lillian stood under the tree, one figure exceptionally tall, the other particularly petite¡ªa stark contrast.


    "Master, senior," Colin greeted as he approached.


    "Ah, have you finished your tasks?" Atbolde turned and asked with a smile, while Lillian gently nodded her head at him.


    "Yes, the School Badge has been altered," Colin replied, his gaze sweeping past Atbolde''s towering figure to the colossal ancient tree.


    Beneath the tree lay a still and pallid corpse.


    It was Marjorie''s body, which Atbolde had carefully stored in a Storage Ring during this time.


    According to the rules of Black Castle, unless fully convicted, one''s personal Storage Ring would not be removed, after all, the Magic Power was confined and the ring could not be used.


    Looking upon this person, who had conversed with him not long ago, now reduced to a damaged corpse.


    Colin''s expression slowly turned somber, and his back involuntarily straightened even more.


    No one spoke, and the three of them fell into a solemn silence.


    The circle of large trees around the courtyard isolated the outside world and made sounds muted; beyond the falling snowflakes, there was no other noise, utterly quiet.


    Emotionally, he didn''t have a profound connection with Marjorie, but this farewell¡ªor rather, funeral¡ªwas nevertheless the first of its kind he''d attended in this world.


    In his heart, there was a curiosity about funeral ceremonies, but even more so, there was sorrow.


    In the Wizard World, death came all too easily.


    From Blackstone Island to now, one by one, the people around him had died.


    Some he knew well, like Erica, but most were just acquaintances, their names even fading in memory.


    He had nearly forgotten the concept of a funeral; in his past life, for the majority, when you died, there would still be those to mourn you...


    But death was never a trivial word.


    Colin''s thoughts couldn''t help but return to Blackstone Island, and if there was one death that had imprinted itself upon his mind the most, undoubtedly, it was Erica''s.


    Though he had not witnessed her demise.


    ¡ªWhen he encountered Erica in the Wizard Tower''s control room, she had already passed away, leaving behind only a ghost born from her remains.


    But he had seen her in death.


    In that winding cave, Erica''s body had long been disfigured; the significant passage of time had not left her corpse to become a "clean" skeleton but a sight too ghastly to describe.


    The appearance of decay and the stench, even today he remembered.


    Time passed, and eventually, Atbolde spoke slowly:


    "Alright since everyone is here, let us begin tonight''s first procedure¡ªfarewell to Marjorie."


    Having said that, Atbolde walked straight over to the side of Marjorie''s body and slowly extended his hand.


    A faint magical radiance surged within his palm.


    The funeral began thus, perhaps lacking the ceremony of an opening, but filled with genuine sentiment.


    Lillian silently strode to a spot not far from Marjorie''s body, solemnly observing the proceedings.


    Seeing this, Colin also moved closer, his solemn expression mixed with a hint of curiosity.


    Sussuration¡ª


    In the next moment, a faint sound echoed, and the snow and ice within half a meter of Marjorie rapidly melted under an invisible force, revealing the brownish-yellow earth.


    The grass seeds dormant in the soil slowly awoke, stretching out one after another, piercing the ground and sprouting tender green shoots.


    In an instant, the spot where Marjorie lay was transformed back into a lush green field.


    Fresh grass enveloped him and also penetrated his body.


    Gradually, as the grass grew longer and longer, a faint pop marked the moment when the first radiant blade of grass grew from Marjorie''s body, gently swaying in the wind.


    And that blade was merely the overture; soon after, with a swishing sound, more blades of grass, each glowing faintly, emerged one after another.


    In the blink of an eye, the body of Marjorie before them sprouted numerous glimmering grass stalks.


    Yet this scene, far from being horrifying, bore a certain unconventional beauty. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From a distance, Marjorie seemed to become ethereal, lying amidst the dense grass, as blade after blade overlapped with him, unobstructed.


    Even though they sprouted from a corpse, the grass was unsoiled, untainted by any trace of blood.

 Chapter 458 - 316: The Past_2

    In the midst of the snowfield, they swayed neatly with the wind, their luminescence converging like a sea of stars.


    During this process, Marjorie''s pale complexion gradually became rosy, and the conspicuous bloodstains on her body also began to disappear.


    If one did not look at the severed parts of her body, she now looked as if she were peacefully asleep.


    "This is a funeral rite originating from the Elf Clan," Lillian said. "In the Rudolph Family, we call it the Star Burial."


    "Indeed, it is like a dreamy starry sky," Colin murmured, his azure eyes reflecting the magnificent "sea of stars" before him.


    "Next, my grandfather will recite the eulogy," Lillian said, then stood side by side with him, quietly observing the ceremony.


    Atbolde''s eulogy was not long, of course, nor could it be considered short.


    It was while listening to the eulogy that Colin finally understood why Marjorie had never chosen to leave Atbolde.


    Many years ago, on one night, an accident took the lives of all of Marjorie''s family members, and only she was saved by Atbolde''s chance rescue.


    Atbolde might not have taken this matter to heart, but Marjorie remembered it dearly.


    Thus, after some strenuous efforts later, she arrived at the Tin Saint School and became a student of Atbolde.


    That was nearly fifty years ago; by this year, Marjorie would have been almost seventy years old.


    However, for a Wizard Apprentice, this is only considered middle age.


    Had it not been for this accident, Marjorie could have lived at least another fifty years.


    Amidst the shifting emotions, Atbolde''s eulogy reached its conclusion,


    "...wishing you well, my dear Marjorie."


    Shortly after Atbolde finished these words, he announced that the funeral had reached its final step.


    He turned and walked over to Colin and stood quietly beside them.


    A little while passed.


    The swaying green grass gradually ceased, and the light suddenly dimmed.


    But in the next moment, the shimmering green light abruptly brightened, then spread out like flowing water in all directions.


    Then, the lights ignited the surrounding plants like sparks to a flame.


    First, the huge ancient tree in front of them, a pale green luminance spreading from the roots upward, swiftly engulfing each leaf, transforming it into a mystical ancient tree radiating with luminescence.


    Next, the surrounding bushes, short trees, and all the plants within a nearly twenty-meter radius started to glow as well, stretching and gently swaying.


    As if mourning for Marjorie, the center of the light.


    This was a spectacularly lavish scene; Colin surveyed the surroundings, gaining a deeper understanding of the meaning of the Star Burial.


    However, splendor is always fleeting; just seconds later, the brilliance vanished in an instant.


    The light retreated along the path it had come, enveloping Marjorie''s body, and formed a pale cocoon of light.


    Then, the light cocoon disappeared, and flowers bloomed.


    Marjorie''s body had vanished without notice.


    But in this cold snowy night, one dazzling flower after another blossomed in the place where the body had been.


    A sea of flowers twinkling with faint light thus formed, creating a bizarre and magnificent scene with a captivating allure.


    And so, the group stood in silence for a while, until the last traces of light on the flowers completely disappeared.


    Atbolde waved a hand and summoned several tree chairs and a wooden table, gesturing for them to sit.


    Although the villa had not yet been completed, setting up a makeshift gathering place was not a challenge for a Second Rank Wizard.


    As the three sat down, Atbolde waved his hand again, and a circle of twisted vines quickly rose around them.


    A moment later, a temporary vine dome was formed, enveloping them and the sea of flowers that Marjorie had transformed into.


    Whoosh.


    Atbolde then kindled a bonfire, its orange-yellow glow bringing warmth, also causing the drooping flowers that had lost their faint glow to the cold to stretch out a little.


    Perhaps with the enhancement of witchcraft, the vine dome had good insulation, and the burning area of the bonfire was well-ventilated.


    The inside of the dome quickly became comfortable.


    "The conditions are simple, so it can only be this way," Atbolde said, looking around.


    Seeming to feel that something was missing, he patted his forehead and continued to take out a robust cast-iron grilling rack and placed it over the fire.


    Then he took out some ingredients, cooked food, and some meats that appeared to be destined for grilling, such as steaks.


    "Speaking of which, it''s been a long time since I''ve grilled outdoors. Back when I was adventuring outside, this was one of the most common things to do," Atbolde reminisced.


    The small vine dome, the burning bonfire, the cast-iron grill, and the ingredients and seasonings now laid out on the table,


    This setting made Colin feel somewhat relaxed, the heaviness from Marjorie''s funeral gradually fading away.


    The silent sea of flowers beside them swayed, and Colin paused before saying:


    "Master, actually, I also brought some food."


    He took out a roast duck and a roast chicken that he had instructed Renee to prepare from his Storage Ring. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That night, fearing that his residence was under ambush, he had ordered Renee and others to rent a room at an inn for a temporary stay.


    But he had never imagined that his departure would last for several days.


    Fortunately, Renee had enough Magic Stone on her and had always heeded his instructions to stay at the inn, so all was well.


    Atbolde raised an eyebrow at the roast meats Colin had taken out, not saying much, but Lillian was quite interested in these two fresh foods she had never seen before.


    However, the focus of the evening was still on the grandfather and Colin; she quietly took out her homemade flower dew wine and a set of cups, pouring two cups for Colin and herself.

 Chapter 459 - 316 Past Events_3

    "Let me think where to start..." Atbolde reached out to feel the temperature of the griddle and placed a steak on it, pausing before continuing,


    "Yasi used to call me Uncle Rudolph a long time ago."


    Colin nodded slightly, he already knew about Atbolde''s talented son from years ago¡ªPulan, who had been good friends with Yasi.


    So it made sense for him to be called uncle.


    The fat from the steak sizzled on the hot iron, filling the air with its aroma.


    "Well... I''ll keep it short. These are all old stories from the past, you probably already know most of it." Atbolde smiled, flipped the steak, paused, and continued,


    "My son Pulan and Yasi were very close friends back in the day... a Half-Elf and a Pureblood Wizard. Even now, I find their friendship somewhat incredible."


    "But they indeed became true friends and could even venture together into the dangerous yet opportunity-filled ruins of the Secret Realm.


    You should know that in such places, unreliable companions could be more dangerous than the ruins themselves!"


    "Regrettably, that relationship soon changed," Atbolde sighed, uttering an Elf''s name in a low voice,


    "Octavia¡­ This High Level Elf appeared."


    "She captured Pulan''s heart, as well as Yasi''s."


    Colin nodded slightly, remembering the name¡ªit was the name of Lillian''s High Level Elf mother.


    "But given the relationship between Yasi and Pulan, they wouldn''t have taken up arms against each other," continued Atbolde. "However, something later changed Yasi¡ªthat was Pulan''s rapidly improving abilities."


    "Yasi thought Pulan had gained some advantages in the ruins that he hadn''t shared, but in fact, I know Pulan was just working harder to pursue that Second Rank High Level Elf.


    He was a genius, the School had already issued him a Silver Feather Token early on, of course, Yasi was also a Silver Feather... but even between Silver Feathers, there''s a vast chasm."


    "After all, after the School issued the Silver Feather Token to him, Pulan relaxed his efforts, claiming he preferred being one of the many in the middle rather than being the first. A Silver Feather was enough for him.


    But in reality, if he had tried, he would have gotten the Golden Feather Token much sooner, not having to wait a full eight years."


    "Perhaps it was exactly for this reason that Yasi couldn''t accept the reality, which led him to firmly believe Pulan had hoarded some kind of advantage, compounded by the fact that Pulan ultimately won Octavia''s affections, slowly fermenting jealousy into hatred."


    "This hatred drove Yasi to make an irrational decision, using Pulan''s trust, he set a trap...


    As for what happened next, you probably know... In that incident, the Hidosh Family lost two Second Rank Wizards, Pulan died untreated, and Yasi became marginalized within the Hidosh Family." Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Atbolde let out a gentle sigh, Octavia was just a catalyst, what truly changed Yasi... was his jealousy.


    "Alright, the story is done. Now I should give you your spoils of victory."


    Regaining his composure, Atbolde smiled and took out some crystals, continuing,


    "Yasi''s Storage Ring was returned to the Hidosh Family during the interrogation, but I still managed to retain some spoils for you, mainly witchcraft and knowledge."


    "Knowledge, for a Wizard, is the most precious thing. Take these and see."


    Colin nodded slightly, unhesitatingly taking the crystals, yet feeling a bit of regret that Atbolde hadn''t managed to keep some Magic Stones.


    For him, in a way, Magic Stones were equivalent to knowledge.


    He could guess from his perspective that Yasi, coming from a Pureblood Family, likely had a considerable fortune.


    But no matter, he wasn''t in urgent need of Magic Stones at the moment.


    Regathering his thoughts, Colin began to examine the crystals he had received.

 Chapter 460 - 317: The Party Ends

    Since it was a party, Colin didn''t look too closely, only skimming over the Knowledge Crystal before putting it away.


    The knowledge contained in the crystal wasn''t vast, after all, not all knowledge could be freely duplicated; the Wizard World held a strict sense of confidentiality regarding their knowledge.


    Usually, the witchcraft duplicates bought from bookstores and other places would be equipped with various protective measures.


    Although they weren''t indecipherable.


    But Atbolde certainly didn''t have the time at that moment, so he only copied what he could in haste.


    However, there wasn''t a strong correlation between the protective measures and the value of the knowledge.


    So, even though the knowledge Atbolde copied wasn''t extensive, the quality was generally superior.


    Especially during the quick glance just now, he saw a complete set of witchcraft named Black Mist Net.


    If he wasn''t mistaken, this witchcraft must be the same series of witchcraft that Yasi used on that snowy night!


    Yasi''s ability to enhance her own armor and control the black mist creatures had left a deep impression on him!


    "Finished looking?" Atbolde asked, seeing him open his eyes.


    "Mhm," Colin nodded.


    Atbolde thought for a moment and then warned solemnly, "Witchcraft is not inherently good or evil, but the practice method of Black Mist Net within the crystal is inhumane, and you must be cautious, to avoid losing your humanity."


    "I understand, Tutor," Colin paused, nodding earnestly.


    Not having yet checked the Black Mist Net in detail, he did not know the specific methods and principles, but Atbolde''s specific emphasis clearly had a target.


    It seemed that if he wanted to learn this witchcraft in the future, he would have to be even more careful. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Who knew if, when using Golden Paper Limit Breaking in the future, he could avoid its inhumane practice methods?


    "Come, try this flower dew wine, a rare delicacy, only a little bottle can be brewed every five years," Atbolde said, lifting his glass and pointing at the slender bottle on the table no larger than a palm.


    Colin did as instructed and picked up the glass; the clear liquid had a faint cherry blossom pink tint and a distinctive delicate fragrance that subtly filled the air and reached his nose.


    This was indeed different from any wine he had encountered in his past life.


    Of course, in his past life, he didn''t like drinking much, and during social gatherings, he often used the excuse of alcohol allergy to decline, so he hadn''t tried many kinds of wine.


    Speaking of which, he had only ever been curious about a few in his teenage years; words like "sauce-fragranced" or "strong-fragranced" were just something he had heard, and he couldn''t tell them apart.


    But this glass of flower dew wine had genuinely piqued his interest.


    Colin took a small sip, and the wine slowly blossomed on his tongue, consistent with the fragrance that had wafted to his nostrils, but a more complex flavor suddenly spread throughout his mouth, making one feel as though they were in the midst of a fragrant sea of spring flowers.


    "How is it?" Atbolde asked, setting down his glass and cutting a slice of roast duck leg, asking as he placed it in his mouth.


    Colin gently smacked his lips and sincerely said, "This is the most delicious wine I''ve ever drunk."


    At the side, the quietly sitting Lillian''s lips formed a slight curve.


    "Ha-ha, you have good taste," Atbolde laughed. "If you like it, later, let Lillian give you a bottle."


    Since recovering from his injuries, his appearance was no longer as old and decrepit as before; he seemed quite spirited.


    It''s just a shame that the coarse wrinkles on his face like tree bark still showed some signs of his age.


    "Then I thank the Tutor and Senior in advance," Colin said, smiling towards them.


    In fact, if a Wizard Apprentice drank flower dew wine, it could enhance both their physique and spirit to a certain extent, but for them, as Official Wizards, it wasn''t much of a use.


    However, for flower dew wine, its deliciousness was memorable enough on its own.


    The three of them went on to chat about a variety of topics without any particular direction.


    Mainly, Atbolde shared some stories from his younger days adventuring around the world.


    "...If one keeps walking west, crossing the Nolan Continent and then proceeding for tens of thousands of sea miles, upon encountering a clear, thin, and sturdy boundary, it signifies that you''ve reached the end of the world."


    "Legend has it that there are many mysterious treasures buried there, as well as countless pieces of knowledge.


    But when I actually got there, I discovered there was nothing."


    "All that was there was a vast sea and a solitary huge reef... Well, the reef did have many traces left by others, as bored as me."


    "In any case, that was one of my most disappointing adventures..."


    Lillian also shared some unknown stories about herself and the Rudolph Family.


    "... I was born after my father died, so I never really saw him. As for my mother, she quietly left when I was about twelve, and I was mostly raised by my grandfather."


    "Atbolde is a very mysterious High Level Elf," Atbolde interjected. He lifted his head slightly, his gaze full of reminiscence,


    "Nobody knows where she came from or why she came to Neustadt City alone. Even less is known about why she suddenly left or how¡ªjust after one night, she left Lillian behind and vanished like a ghost."


    As for Colin, he simply talked about his past.


    From everything the original Colin had experienced in the Holy Flame Kingdom to Blackstone Island, to what he himself experienced from Blackstone Island to returning to the Holy Flame Kingdom, and then to Neustadt City... he covered it all in summary, as there wasn''t anything particular to keep secret.

 Chapter 461 - 317 Gathering Ends_2

    Atbolde and the other person listened, both somewhat moved.


    "I didn''t expect you to be from a mortal kingdom in the south of Siya Continent."


    If it were not for a certain wizard who wanted to carry out the so-called "McIntosh Experiment" quietly to avoid attracting attention, choosing an apprentice from a small country with no wizard background, the Divine side would probably have already attacked Siya Continent!


    After some conversation, their relationship clearly grew closer and their interactions more relaxed. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Atbolde thought for a moment and then asked, "Based on your current progress, how long do you think it will take for you to advance to the Second Rank Wizard?"


    "Maybe a month or two?" Colin said uncertainly.


    Atbolde was astonished and then humorously said, "I''m wondering if the School should consider issuing you a token of a higher grade than Golden Feather."


    "Maybe they should," Colin laughed.


    Of course, Atbolde was exaggerating. Although Colin''s advancement speed was indeed very fast, throughout wizard history, there were not a few geniuses more exaggerated than this.


    "What about you, Lillian? How is your progress so far?" Atbolde then asked.


    Lillian thought for a moment and said, "I probably also need a month or two."


    Atbolde nodded without surprise.


    Lillian had been a First Rank Wizard for almost fifty years and had stayed at the First Rank Advanced Wizard stage for about twenty years. This time, she had purified her bloodline in the secret vault of the Elf Kingdom, filling the last gap.


    Wizards with Elf Bloodline naturally start higher than others, but the bloodline is both a boon and a shackle.


    "Then tomorrow, I''ll explain your situation to the School and apply for the qualification of Second Rank advancement."


    "Does Lillian have enough contribution points?" Atbolde asked.


    "Still a bit short," Lillian shook her head.


    The contribution points needed to exchange for Second Rank Wizard advancement knowledge was ten thousand.


    Generally, a First Rank Advanced Wizard performing tasks matched to their ability can earn about one hundred to several hundred contribution points, depending on difficulty.


    Only a few high-difficulty tasks can yield thousands of points.


    Of course, in addition to tasks, contributing new types of witchcraft and treasures to the School can also earn varying amounts of points.


    "Mhmm," Atbolde nodded slightly.


    He didn''t ask Colin, as this wizard, who had just joined the School, obviously didn''t have enough points either.


    He raised his hand to his forehead, unlike the knowledge for advancement to First Rank which could even be purchased at external auctions, he also had the right to teach directly.


    The knowledge for Second Rank advancement was tightly held by the School.


    The only way to obtain it was through exchanging contribution points, an unavoidable path.


    So, in the end, Atbolde could only say:


    "It looks like in the coming time, you both need to take on more tasks... especially you, Colin, since the contribution points of each School member cannot be transferred to others."


    "However, if I remember correctly, when exchanging advancement knowledge, the Golden Feather Token does have a discount, either half off or maybe sixty percent," Atbolde added.


    "I understand, mentor," Colin nodded.


    Around one in the morning, the gathering ended, and Colin and Lillian stood up.


    "Mentor, then I''ll head back now," Colin said with a smile, holding the flower dew liquor Lillian had given him.


    "Mhmm, focus on your training. It''s not too late to seek contribution points when you truly reach the limit, apart from Rank, remember witchcraft as well¡­"


    At this point, Atbolde remembered the Second Rank witchcraft Colin had used that night, paused, and shook his head, "Almost forgot that not only is your Rank progressing very quickly, but your mastery of witchcraft is also not lacking."


    "Alright, if you have any questions, whether about training or something else, feel free to come to me.


    The morning dew Lillian brought back has already restored most of my vitality. Although there are still some permanent damages that cannot be removed, at least now, whether there''s sunlight or not does not affect me anymore."


    "Okay, mentor."


    Colin listened seriously and nodded, leaving the vine house together with Lillian.


    As he closed the door, he saw Atbolde turn his body and step toward the small sea of flowers transformed by Marjorie.


    The door shut, and the orange-yellow light was replaced by darkness, with only a faint light leaking through the weak vines.


    He walked side by side with Lillian, the surroundings silent except for the rustling sound of their feet in the snow.


    Tonight there was no moon, and overhead was a leaden layer of heavy clouds with tiny snowflakes falling.


    The two walked quietly for a while.


    Suddenly, Lillian said, "Thank you, Colin."


    Colin paused slightly and shook his head, "No need to thank me, senior sister, too many thanks can make things awkward."


    Lillian nodded slightly, pursing her lips.


    She turned her head slightly to glance at Colin beside her; the darkness couldn''t obscure her vision as a High-Level Elf.


    The young man''s profile was clear, his features handsome, and his expression as always, calm.


    In her memory, she seldom saw him show intense emotions, even on that cold snowy night a few days ago faced with such an extreme predicament, he had remained silent and calm.


    Yet beneath this seemingly indifferent facade lay deep kindness and bravery.


    Lillian felt some emotion; although she was several times older than Colin, walking beside him now, she felt as if he was the more mature one.


    Her usual calm and even icy demeanor was nothing but a habit developed from childhood.


    After all, when she was young, she often overheard the filthy words spoken behind her back¡ª


    Dirty Elf hybrid, half-breed... They were jealous that she became a First-Rank Wizard in her teens, yet they despised her mixed blood.


    Since she learned of their words, she minimized unnecessary social interactions, and for nearly fifty years, she lived mostly in solitude.


    But such iciness was never true indifference; her Elf hybrid body, along with minimal social interactions, meant that Lillian''s mind had not matured as her nearly seventy years might suggest.


    Thus, in the Elf Kingdom, or when faced with significant events, she often showed her emotions, unable to maintain her usually calm and icy facade...


    "Apprentice Colin, did you make the roast duck tonight?" Lillian suddenly asked.


    "No, it was made by my maid Renee." Colin shook his head, somewhat surprised Lillian was interested in the roast duck,


    "Actually, today was a bit rushed, we couldn''t find a suitable fat goose, otherwise, the roast goose would have been tastier than the roast duck."


    "So... was the floral liqueur tasty?" Lillian continued.


    "Tasty, indeed the best I''ve ever had," Colin smacked his lips, still savoring the taste.


    "Then, can I exchange the method for making floral liqueur for the recipes for roast goose and duck?" Lillian pursed her lips, casually asking Colin.


    Colin paused slightly, surprised, then turned his head and said, "Of course, it''s just a recipe for a dish, senior sister, you don''t need to exchange something as valuable as the method for making floral liqueur."


    Lillian smiled, straightening a stray lock of hair by her ear, not responding but changing the subject, "The contribution points for Advancing, what do you plan to do? Do you want to work on tasks together?"


    "I''m open to anything, but I want to ask Nois City Lord first, after all, accumulating enough contribution points through tasks would probably take at least half a year... I can''t wait that long."


    "That makes sense, Nois City Lord might be able to help you. After all, you are a Heroic Wizard!" Lillian nodded earnestly.


    "Haha..." Colin laughed uncomfortably.


    "When do you plan to see Councilman Nois?"


    "Probably tomorrow morning."


    "Then I''ll come find you tomorrow afternoon!"


    "Hm?"


    "To learn how to make roast duck and goose!"


    "Oh..."


    The cold wind gradually drowned out their voices as they continued walking side by side into the distance.

 Chapter 462 - 318 Hidosh Family Visitors

    After bidding farewell to Lillian, Colin walked toward his home.


    He glanced back at Lillian''s white residence and touched his chin.


    "I don''t know if it''s just my imagination, but it seems like the senior sister has become livelier."


    Shaking his head, Colin didn''t dwell on it.


    Perhaps it was because their relationship had improved.


    However, Lillian''s demeanor made him feel more at ease in her company.


    After all, the senior sister usually looked no older than thirteen or fourteen, petite, and standing next to him barely reached his chest.


    Though she usually maintained a cold demeanor, based solely on appearance, she seemed more like a child pretending to be serious.


    Even her other form appeared to be only around sixteen or seventeen.


    So, many times, he found it hard to believe that the petite girl before him was actually many times his age.


    Collecting his thoughts, Colin walked briskly.


    Although tonight''s gathering had ended, his schedule had not.


    About ten minutes later, he was home.


    The residence had largely retained the appearance it had when he left.


    Of course, if one observed closely, they could detect some subtle signs of unauthorized entry.


    Colin even speculated that perhaps recently, just like previously at Marjorie''s place, there were wizards in ambush here.


    Nevertheless, at least today when he returned, no one was here, and objects inside remained largely intact, undamaged.


    It was uncertain whether the Hidosh family had withdrawn their people voluntarily or whether the wizards guarding the place had left on their own after Yasi''s death.


    After briefly greeting Renee and Nasi who were waiting for him, he quickly walked into the Meditation Room.


    As for Demi, the young girl had succumbed to sleep due to her tiredness.


    Closing the Meditation Room''s door, the noise was shut outside, and the Bright Crystals on the walls slowly emitted a soft white light.


    Colin didn''t stop; he immediately took out the Demon Release Ring, and then began practicing the Deep Red Marking Technique in the empty space.


    He planned to master the Deep Red Marking Technique by limit-breaking it tonight as tomorrow he had a meeting with Councilman Nois.


    Time passed quickly in his deep practice, and before he knew it, dawn was breaking.


    The soft yellow morning light pierced through the mist, dispelling the deep darkness.


    In the Meditation Room, Colin, who had not slept all night, still looked energetic.


    He kept practicing.


    About an hour later, along with a sudden drop in the number of Magic Stones on him, an additional symbol ''I'' appeared after the character representing the Deep Red Marking Technique on the Golden Paper.


    Unexpectedly, after the improvement, the Deep Red Marking Technique remained a ''Zeroth Rank Upper'' witchcraft and did not advance in rank.


    This was somewhat similar to the Ancient Tree Heart Witchcraft¡ªafter limit breaking, it too was not classified as First Rank Witchcraft by the Golden Paper.


    However, the rank of a witchcraft isn''t entirely determined by the quality of its effects.


    Especially for support witchcraft¡ªit''s not like attack witchcraft, which can be observed for clear-cut damage done and categorized by the precise data issued by the Supreme Council.


    Support witchcraft is more often classified by the limitation in casting¡ªthat is, the minimum wizard capability required for a successful casting in general situations.


    The annotations on the Golden Paper are based on his own knowledge, so the method of determining the rank of witchcraft is roughly similar to the outer world''s assessment.


    That is to say, the limit-broken Deep Red Marking Technique remains a witchcraft that an Advanced Apprentice can use.


    Stowing away the Golden Paper, Colin walked out of the Meditation Room.


    The mist outside had almost completely dissipated, only the icicles on the eaves showed traces left by the mist.


    He planned to have a quick breakfast and then go to meet Nois.


    However, before Colin finished his breakfast, people from the Hidosh family had already come knocking.


    Three people in total, led by an attractive, shapely and intellectual woman witch.


    As for their purpose, there was no doubt¡ªit was to make amends... or rather, to ease the relationship.


    These Pureblood Families, most having histories spanning over a thousand years, thus were each more cautious than the last.


    Without absolute certainty, they generally preferred to resolve conflicts rather than let situations escalate.


    After learning of Colin''s situation yesterday, the Hidosh family''s senior members immediately started further investigations.


    Upon discovering the one from Black Castle unwilling to say much, as well as Colin Golden Feather''s identity, they decisively chose to send people over today.


    In the study, Colin sat back in his large chair, extended his hand to accept the wooden box that the woman witch handed over, and placed it on the desk beside him.


    Seeing Colin''s genial expression as he accepted their apology, the woman witch, feeling that the beginning was smooth, softly smiled, smoothed her hair, and revealed her pale, delicate cheeks as she spoke:


    "Yasi Hidosh''s plan was unknown to the family; otherwise, they would have definitely stopped such blatant violation of School rules! S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But now that Yasi has passed away, all grievances have vanished into thin air, and we hope you would not let these matters affect your mood."


    "Hmm," Colin responded noncommittally.


    If only hatred could be so easily resolved¡ªthat would be great; although Yasi had died, Marjorie could never come back to life again.


    Moreover, by now, for him, this was not merely about Yasi.


    "What about the Steward who inspected the Witch Array?" Colin continued in a low voice.

 Chapter 463 - 318 Guests from the Hidosh Family_2

    He gazed at the beautiful Witch before him, his heart devoid of ripples.


    This time, the incident was entirely in their favor from beginning to end.


    Yet, rules clearly could not restrain a behemoth like the Hidosh Family.


    Thus, previously, even though they had done nothing wrong, they were still taken to the Black Castle and nearly became the guilty party.


    But now, with a stronger force backing him to judge fairness, he who had the right side reclaimed the upper hand.


    The beautiful Witch smiled subtly, with a touch of apt doubt in her response,


    "Are you referring to Field the Steward? He had no knowledge of Yasi''s plan. Yasi had gone to see your mentor before he went to check the Witch Array. He was just a bit unfortunate to blunder into providing Yasi with a cover.


    Furthermore, those Inspectors from the Black Castle, according to the investigation, were misled by one among them, who had previously received Yasi''s favor. Out of his own volition and a desire to avenge Yasi, he acted in such a manner."


    The Witch''s tone was sincere, and her words seemed logical and substantiated, as if the truth was indeed as she described.


    Colin''s expression remained composed. He straightened slightly, moving away from the soft back of the chair, propping his elbows onto the desk.


    Silence fell in the study, the atmosphere gradually becoming solemn.


    The Witch, seemingly unaware of the tension, simply smiled at him, graceful and intelligent.


    The just-right whiteness of her exposed neck and collarbones was alluring.


    Colin, without averting his gaze, watched the Witch for a good while before saying, devoid of emotion,


    "Is this the attitude of the Hidosh Family?"


    It seemed as if there was a prearranged plan prior to her coming.


    Seeing his demeanor, the Witch let out a slight sigh internally, and gradually her smile faded as she answered seriously,


    "I understand, Sir."


    "You will see the sincerity of the Hidosh Family."


    With a wave of her hand, the Wizard behind her to the right immediately took out a sheet of white paper and began to declare, S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Field Hidosh, in cooperation with Yasi Hidosh, attempted to murder a member of the same School, with a heinous nature. He will be executed by the Black Castle today.


    Mo''er the Inspector, Rice the Inspection Captain, Ralph the Inspection Captain...Char the Inspector, these Inspectors, too, will receive corresponding punishment according to the rules of the Black Castle for their respective crimes, with the least severe being the revocation of their Inspector status."


    The beautiful Witch received the white paper from the Wizard behind her and handed it to Colin, then quietly awaited Colin''s response.


    Her face still maintained a smile, albeit slightly less curved.


    This was the baseline set by the Family upon leaving; if Colin continued to be unyielding, seeking further investigation into who was behind Inspector Rice making false evidence¡ª


    ¡ªthen this moment of retreat would turn into backlash.


    Colin, supporting himself with his hands, set the white paper aside, pausing for a few seconds before speaking slowly,


    "I have received the stance of the Hidosh Family."


    Despite loathing these noble Wizards and clearly remembering the injustice of being taken to the Black Castle despite being a victim,


    At this moment, he still did not possess the strength to upset the table.


    The beautiful Witch smiled, signaling to the accompanying Wizard standing beside her to step forward.


    Understanding her gesture, the Wizard reached out again and took out a wooden box, passing it to the Witch.


    "Almost forgot, the Family also instructed me to congratulate you on receiving the Golden Feather Token," said the Witch as she received the wooden box and handed it to Colin.


    Colin raised an eyebrow internally, thinking that if it weren''t for the temporary consensus, perhaps this congratulatory gift would not have been so readily given.


    But, thoughts aside, he still smiled and reached out to accept the wooden box.


    One cannot refuse gifts, especially when not affluent, particularly after spending a considerable amount of Magic Stones on the Limit Breaking Deep Red Marking Technique the previous night.


    "If I''m not mistaken, Sir Colin, you must be planning to Advance to the Second Rank now," the beautiful Witch continued, starting another topic. "I wonder if you have exchanged for the knowledge related to Advancing to Second Rank?"


    This was the Hidosh Family''s second strategy.


    "Not yet," Colin simply replied.


    After a brief interaction, the beautiful Witch determined that Colin was not the type of Wizard to beat around the bush, so she cut to the chase and asked,


    "Then, I wonder if you have considered changing factions. The Hidosh Family is always welcoming the addition of a Golden Feather.


    Should you choose to join the Hidosh Family, obtaining the method to Advance to the Second Rank will be a breeze, without the need to expend energy on completing a great number of School tasks."


    "Oh, the Hidosh Family can directly teach me the method to Advance to the Second Rank?" Colin''s interest was piqued as he inquired.


    During this time, he had gained a deeper understanding of the Tin Saint School and knew that aside from a few solitary Wizards, most of its upper echelons were members of powerful factions and Pureblood Families.


    And it was mainly the members of the Pureblood Families who held the majority.


    To ensure the continuity of such dominance, Pureblood Families obviously needed to continuously incorporate exceptionally talented Wizards from the outside world through means such as marriage and recruitment.


    They believed that all Wizards with exceptional talent were scattered Purebloods.


    And marrying or recruiting these Wizards, or allowing them to join the Family directly, would not taint the noble Pureblood lineage, but merely bring them back to their roots.


    To them, all Pureblood Wizards shared the same origin.


    Therefore, he had already anticipated that the Hidosh Family would extend an invitation to him, especially since they had sent a smart and beautiful Witch this time.


    What truly puzzled him was how the Hidosh Family could provide him with the method for the Second Rank Advancement.


    In the Tin Saint School, essential knowledge like the Meditation Method for a Wizard''s Advancement was only imparted by the family that truly controlled the School''s core, the Tin Saint¡ªin other words, only they had the authority to teach it.


    The Hidosh Family... did not have this authority.


    Understanding his confusion, the beautiful Witch said with meaningful depth,


    "Contribution points may not be transferable, but sometimes, completing tasks for the School doesn''t necessarily require one''s own efforts.


    As far as the School is concerned, all they need is for the tasks to be completed, regardless of how they are done."


    "I see." Colin had a moment of realization and then shook his head politely,


    "But I''ve just Advanced to a First Rank Advanced Wizard, what I need now is to consolidate my own strength, and I''m not in a hurry to seek the method for the Second Rank Advancement.


    So I am not considering changing factions for the time being."


    The beautiful Witch nodded, not pressing the issue further, knowing that once someone like Colin had made a decision, it would be hard to change his mind.


    It was better to leave a good impression now and make plans for the future.


    However, based on her observations of the maid and combining it with previous intelligence, it seemed that Colin had a particular fondness for younger girls.


    Next time, it appeared that the Family would need to send someone else to contact him.


    Golden Feathers within the School were always prime candidates for matrimonial alliances in the eyes of their Pureblood Families!


    The beautiful Witch smoothed her hair and said with a smile as she took her leave,


    "Then, I won''t disturb you any further."


    After the Hidosh Family''s visitor had gone, Colin glanced at the sky. Not in a rush to open the gift sent to him, he stored it in his Storage Ring and hurried towards the center of Neustadt City.


    Walking through familiar corridors, he entered Nois''s laboratory once again.


    Just like the last time, Nois stood with his back to him, incessantly writing and sketching at a silver-white high table.


    The only difference was the neat stacks of tall manuscript paper beside him.


    "City Lord Nois," Colin greeted respectfully as he entered the laboratory.


    "Wait a moment for me, you''re free to look around, but don''t touch anything," Nois instructed without raising his head, his gaze fixated on the manuscript in his hands.


    As if he remembered something, he paused in his writing and added, "Um... aside from the manuscripts next to me, you can take a look at the other manuscripts if you''re bored¡ªassuming you can understand them.


    Also, don''t share the contents with anyone else, and remember to put them back in order neatly after you''ve finished, remember, neatly!"


    "Of course, City Lord Nois."


    "Just call me Lord Nois."


    "Of course." Colin nodded and stepped forward.

 Chapter 464 - 319: Meeting with Nois (Part 1)

    Nois''s lab was well soundproofed, and aside from the rustling sound of a quill against paper, there were no other sounds.


    In such a quiet environment, it was easier for a person to focus.


    Colin stood to the left of Nois, carefully reading the manuscript he had picked up.


    This was the first sheet from the stack on the far left, and after reviewing it for a moment, he put it back.


    Nois had apparently arranged these papers in order, and what Colin had just picked up was a fragment from the middle of a reasoning process, which was difficult to understand without the context of the earlier content.


    Colin flipped through the sheets in front of him, and a moment later, he picked up the one from the very middle, which was indeed the beginning part.


    Nois paused slightly in his writing, glanced at him, and then continued to concentrate on verifying calculations.


    Being able to spot the first sheet¡­ it seemed that Colin had also done some research in secret, at least on the Deep Red Marking Technique.


    In fact, that was exactly the case, as after using Golden Paper to achieve Limit Breaking on the Deep Red Marking Technique, Colin reached a new level of understanding of it.


    Otherwise, if it had been yesterday before the Limit Breaking, he would probably only be baffled by the sheets in front of him.


    But even now, the complex content on the manuscript still seemed rather obtuse, with some knowledge extending beyond his current grasp.


    Colin watched intently, reading very slowly and, one could even say, arduously.


    However, he was like a snail carrying a heavy shell, slow but at least still making sluggish progress.


    During this process, the complex knowledge continuously interchanged in Colin''s mind.


    For the parts he could not understand, by combining context and mental analysis and calculations, a careful review a few times also led to successful deductions.


    Moreover, with the function of Superbrain, he did not need to use paper and pen to organize, especially for calculation-involved content, as he could obtain the answers just by glancing.


    Thus, after a while, feeling something, Colin''s thoughts suddenly stirred, and he summoned the Golden Paper.


    Without making any noticeable movement, he glanced from the corner of his eye, and his expression slightly froze.


    Behind a Deep Red Marking Technique Limit Breaking incident, an ascending ¡ü symbol faintly flashed.


    This symbol indicated that the Deep Red Marking Technique was being enhanced.


    But soon, Colin came to his senses¡ª


    This was a perfectly normal occurrence, as the progress represented on the Golden Paper exactly depicted the level of understanding of witchcraft.


    And to enhance the understanding of witchcraft,


    For common wizards, the most orthodox approach would likely involve first studying the theory behind it on paper, supplemented by suitable practice as practical case references.


    Once the knowledge behind the witchcraft was fully clarified, further practice would be added to improve casting proficiency.


    For important witchcraft of the First Rank and above, a Magic Model would also be engraved in the Spirit Sea.


    But for Colin, a more direct and efficient way was simply practice.


    If witchcraft was a flashlight, its function was to emit light.


    Ordinary wizards who wanted to fully master the "flashlight" to proficiently emit light had to disassemble it to understand each component''s principles and structure thoroughly. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For him, however, it was only necessary to keep turning the flashlight on and off, and he would naturally comprehend its structure and principle.


    This was a Talent that could directly reach the essence from the surface.


    Colin put down the manuscript in his hand and neatly arranged it aside for easy restoration later, then continued to pick up and read the next sheet.


    On the Golden Paper, the number behind the Deep Red Marking Technique slightly vibrated and locked at¡ª(1/100).


    Colin smiled subtly in his mind and continued to read with focused attention.


    After all, opportunities to see such detailed witchcraft manuscripts, not to mention ones that came from the renowned Nois, were not always available.


    Every chance to enhance one''s strength had to be grasped firmly!


    Additionally, apart from the direct progress, learning more different relevant knowledge could also enhance the upper limit of the Golden Paper Limit Breaking Deep Red Marking Technique.


    In some ways, this was an even more precious benefit.


    The only pity was that some of the content on the manuscripts written by Nois was too advanced; even with careful reading, it remained incomprehensible.


    When faced with such content, Colin''s only choice was to skip it, doing his best to understand as much as possible.


    It must be said, though, that even after performing Golden Paper Limit Breaking, his understanding of the Deep Red Marking Technique was still far from matching Nois''s.


    In fact, the initial Deep Red Marking Technique he had mastered was actually a reduced version optimized by Nois.


    The purpose of creating this reduced version was clearly to popularize the witchcraft as much as possible, allowing every wizard apprentice of higher levels to use it.


    From this, it was evident that before finalizing this version of the Deep Red Marking Technique, Nois might have developed countless versions.


    The Heart Power and Talent required were simply astonishing to consider!


    Of course, the benefits the finalized Deep Red Marking Technique brought to the wizard community did not betray the effort invested.


    In this way, not knowing how long had passed, and when the characters on the Golden Paper had jumped to 12/100, Nois finally paused, temporarily ending a stage of reasoning.


    "How is the reading? Can you understand it?" Nois raised his head and asked, his face, like that of an ordinary middle-aged man, bearing deep fatigue.

 Chapter 465 - 319: Meeting with Nois (Part 1)_2

    To speed up the development of new witchcraft capable of identifying Divine Believers, he had barely slept these past few days.


    Of course, this fatigue was not due to lack of sleep, but rather a manifestation of Heart Power exhaustion.


    "I can understand some of it," Colin said as he put down the manuscript and restored it to its original form.


    "To understand what I have written, even partially, in terms of the Deep Red Marking Technique, you are far ahead of others," Nois said with satisfaction as he nodded his head after seeing how neatly Colin had arranged the manuscript. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Colin smiled but did not respond.


    Seeing his demeanor, Nois became intrigued and paused before asking,


    "Since you''ve understood some of it, do you grasp the problem I am currently facing?"


    "The disappearance of certain traces of faith," Colin replied briefly after a moment of contemplation.


    Nois gave him a look, a fleeting hint of surprise flashing in his deep eyes:


    "You''re not boasting then."


    "I am always honest," Colin replied resolutely.


    During his recent reading, his greatest revelation was understanding the essence of the Deep Red Marking Technique.


    Or rather, the basis on which the Deep Red Marking Technique could differentiate Divine Believers.


    This basis was a trace unique to Divine Believers.


    Specifically, it was a trace of the Power of Faith that Divine Believers transmitted to the Divine after prayer.


    Such an essence, if merely studying the basic Deep Red Marking Technique, would be unknown; it was cleverly concealed by Nois, with the aim of preventing it from being decrypted.


    Unfortunately, it seemed that the Divine side had now developed countermeasures.


    "Faith Line," Nois suddenly spoke again, "I call this trace the Faith Line.


    It is an extremely hard to detect trace, not observable through normal photic vision, and not even by extrasensory perception."


    "After trying countless methods, I happened to use the Douglas Shuttling Technique, and during observation in the Spirit Realm, I detected this trace.


    Because it manifests in the Spirit Realm like threads of silk, I also named it the Faith Line."


    Colin nodded, Nois'' words giving him a deeper understanding of the Deep Red Marking Technique.


    "Unfortunately, it now seems that the Divine side may have discovered this and used some method to hide this trace," Nois sighed, his hand pressing his furrowed brow.


    "There''s also the possibility that the current Divine spies have never prayed to the Divine, so they don''t leave such traces," Colin stated.


    From the portion of the manuscript he had just read, it was clear that Nois'' current research direction was primarily focused on deciphering the camouflage the Divine had placed on the Faith Line.


    But evidently, there was another possibility why the Deep Red Marking Technique was no longer effective.


    "I have considered that point too," Nois nodded, "but I chose to first confirm whether the Divine had laid a disguise on the Faith Line."


    "Besides, I am also searching for new criteria to identify Divine Believers, but so far, I have found nothing."


    Rather than the disappearance of the Faith Line, he believed more that the Faith Line was being obscured by some method.


    Colin, unsurprised, nodded; his own thoughts being considered by Nois was quite normal.


    He had thought of it initially, but still voiced the reminder.


    After all, one should not hold back a reminder just for that reason.


    What if Nois had not thought of it?


    The new witchcraft to identify Divine Believers was crucial for the Wizards, directly impacting him as a Wizard and every other Wizard.


    "Any other thoughts?" Nois continued, his tone gentle, as if encouraging his own student.


    "Indeed, I have some thoughts," Colin hesitated.


    This morning, he had just passed through the Golden Paper Limit Breaking with the Deep Red Marking Technique, which mainly enhanced the scope and effect of detection, but the essential basis had not changed; it was still through the Faith Line.


    So the difficulties faced weren''t much of a help.


    But after reading through the manuscript, he had some thoughts he wanted to share.


    Colin organized his words and continued, "Lord Nois, if you want to detect whether the target is a Divine Believer, then you need to find characteristics unique to Divine Believers, such as the ''Faith Line.''


    Conversely, if you can identify the Faith Line, you can determine whether one is a Divine Believer."


    "In that case, it also means that by identifying the unique traces that could be caused by the Faith Line, one can indirectly determine whether there is a presence of the Faith Line and thus whether the target is a Divine Believer."


    Colin paused and then added:


    "Of course, this is all based on the premise that the Divine has only concealed the Faith Line, not erased it."


    "Not a bad idea," Nois smiled, "Although it''s just one more step of reasoning, it already far surpasses wizards of your age who rarely exhibit such clear logic and comprehensive thinking."


    Nois''s face bore a smile, but his gaze was calm, obviously having considered this aspect beforehand.


    "However, we currently don''t have sufficient research on the Faith Line, nor it is easy to identify its potential distinctive traces."


    Nois further explained with a tone of regret.


    However, looking at Colin, he felt slightly better.


    The words he just spoke weren''t meant as mere flattery for Colin.


    Among the younger generation of wizards, it was indeed rare to find such clear logical thinking and analytical research capabilities.


    If they were asked to learn a witchcraft, perhaps it wouldn''t pose any problem.


    But if they were asked to research something like¡ªa witchcraft for identifying Divine Believers.


    Upon receiving such a request, most of them would often not know where to start.


    But Colin directly grasped the essence¡ªto accurately distinguish a Divine Believer, one must naturally identify the unique characteristics that set Divine Believers apart from ordinary people and even other wizards.


    After capturing this essence, his thinking continued to progress logically.


    Such a mode of thinking was scarce among many School Wizards.


    The reason for this scarcity was that, as the risks of researching witchcraft continued to grow over the past millennium, fewer and fewer wizards chose to engage in research, preferring instead to learn existing, low-risk witchcraft.


    Thus, most gradually lost the ability needed to research new witchcraft, becoming wizards who could only rely on the wisdom of their predecessors without understanding innovation.


    "Perhaps the Spirit Realm could be a breakthrough?"


    At that moment, Colin thought for a second and suddenly spoke again.


    ''Spirit Realm¡­''


    Nois paused momentarily and unconsciously furrowed his brow in thought.


    "If the Faith Line can be observed in the Spirit Realm, it is very probable that it could also affect the Spirit Realm.


    The so-called observation, whether it be visual or auditory, essentially occurs because the observed object has some impact on its surroundings, which then allows it to be perceived by the observer¡ª


    An entity that does not interact with the outside world or cause any impact is likewise unable to be observed."


    Colin continued speaking, his words vaguely catching some inspiration for Nois.


    But those inspirations were very elusive, like clouds at the edge of the sky that could dissipate at any moment.


    Not having time to ponder further, Nois instinctively summoned his feather pen, pulled out a brand-new sheet of paper, and began writing rapidly.


    Meanwhile, he didn''t forget to compliment Colin.


    "A deep and accurate realization¡ªlet me retract my earlier words, you are not only far beyond your fellow wizards, but even many in the True Knowledge Society cannot match your logical thinking."


    Colin smiled faintly, surprised by Nois''s unpretentious demeanor and openness about being inspired, but he didn''t take the praise too seriously.


    Praise from others was merely the gem-studded crown atop the king''s head, but what made a king was not the crown.


    In this violent world, everything ultimately came down to the genuine power.

 Chapter 466 - 320: Meeting with Nois (Part 2)

    About half an hour later,


    Nois finally stopped writing and drawing at the silver-white high table.


    Seeing this, Colin also slowly put down the manuscript in his hand, neatly placed it, and then cast an inquiring look at Nois.


    "I have some inspiration," Nois slowly raised his head, his brows gradually relaxed, and he smiled at Colin, "but whether it can lead to a substantial breakthrough still needs further research."


    The manuscript had mainly sorted out the theory, and to turn the inspiration into something practical, further experiments were necessary.


    Thinking of this, Nois was eager to walk toward the other side''s experimental table.


    But seeing Colin in front of him, he halted his steps, finally remembering the main reason he had called Colin over today.


    "I almost forgot the main reason for calling you here today." With a slight pat on his forehead, Nois sighed:


    "It''s embarrassing to say, you being a Heroic Wizard, yet I haven''t given you a reward."


    "I was always thinking, once I successfully improved the Deep Red Marking Technique, then you could appear openly as a Heroic Wizard and the improver of the Deep Red Marking Technique, gaining the honor and reward you deserve."


    "But now, although I still can''t bestow honor, at least I can give you your reward in advance."


    At this point, Nois smiled and said with a touch of teasing and some emotion:


    "I had originally planned to grant you the honor of improving the Deep Red Marking Technique, but I was a bit worried that the image of a witchcraft genius might not withstand scrutiny. Now it seems I might have been overly concerned."


    "Now, I''m rather reluctant to completely expose your identity."


    He paused for a few seconds, assessing Colin before continuing somberly.


    Colin thought for a moment and asked, "Is it because of the potential ''thorns'' that might come?"


    "Yes," Nois looked at him and nodded, "Deadly thorns always accompany honor.


    Once your identity as a Heroic Wizard and as the persona associated with the Deep Red Marking Technique is exposed, it will mean that you have become one of the most conspicuous thorns in the eyes of the Divine."


    Colin nodded slightly, indicating that he understood.


    Regarding the so-called Heroic Wizard and the nominal title of improver of the Deep Red Marking Technique, he genuinely did not care; obtaining tangible benefits was all that mattered to him.


    If this would surround him with looming dangers, then it would not be worth it.


    Colin paused, organizing his thoughts, preparing to decline as he did not want to be thrust into the limelight nor did he need such honor.


    But Nois spoke first: "I will inform some knowledgeable wizards at the Supreme Council of your situation.


    However, whether or not to reveal your identity publicly will still depend on the decision of the Supreme Council at the time."


    Colin looked at the calm-faced councilman and fell silent, understanding the implication of Nois''s words.


    In the matter of revealing his identity, he actually had no choice.


    Whether or not he would be publicly revealed depended on whether the Supreme Council needed him to step forward.


    If the Council felt that the dwindling side of wizards needed a hero with the identity of a witchcraft genius,


    Then he would be pushed to the forefront.


    Otherwise, he would not.


    This powerless situation gradually weighed down Colin''s mood, and a dark thought even crossed his mind¡ª


    If he were to be targeted and killed due to stepping forward, the Supreme Council might take this opportunity to stir up hatred, to boost the morale of the wizards. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Arousing a beaten army to victory was quite typical.


    "Don''t worry too much, every wizard is a precious resource to the current community of wizards, let alone a talented wizard like you."


    Seemingly sensing something, Nois patted his shoulder, smiling as he spoke.


    This assurance wasn''t just empty comfort; if Colin had been a mediocre wizard with no potential, there might be a possibility of being abandoned.


    But based on the talent Colin had displayed, he was undoubtedly a valuable talent.


    Colin took a deep breath, as if waking from a trance.


    As Nois said, things would likely not be as bad as he feared.


    In fact, whether publicly revealing his identity was more beneficial or detrimental was hard to say.


    It was just that this sense of powerlessness about not being able to control his destiny was disheartening, leading him to overthink.


    ''After all, I am not strong enough,'' Colin couldn''t help but mock himself internally.


    "Alright, do you have any specific reward in mind?" Nois continued.


    "The Second Rank Tin Saint Meditation Method," Colin stated without hesitation.


    This was what he urgently needed.


    "Meditation Method¡­" Nois''s face showed a rare expression of difficulty, and noting Colin''s puzzled look, he explained:


    "If it was general witchcraft knowledge, there would be no issue, but not the Meditation Method; it is the core knowledge of each School, only teachable by those qualified within each School."


    "To obtain it, one must follow the rules and exchange it within the School."


    At this, Nois paused for a moment, adding meaningfully:


    "This is the most basic rule of the Wizard Alliance, the foundation of order. No one can blatantly circumvent it or ignore it."


    "Especially someone like me, a councillor. Do you understand, Colin?"

 Chapter 467 - 320: Meeting with Nois (Part 2)_2

    When mentioning "rules" and "foundations," Nois''s tone slightly intensified, seeming indifferent and yet disdainful, but also somewhat helpless.


    Colin''s surprised expression gradually faded; he was not a foolish man and had understood the implications hidden in Nois''s words.


    In this Wizard World, so-called rules and order were actually means to uphold the interests of the upper class.


    The more solid the rules, the more stable the upper-class hierarchy.


    Under such circumstances, some core rules simply could not be broken, as doing so would be tantamount to offending the common interests of all the upper class and would lead to collective retaliation.


    Of course, this did not mean that one couldn''t use certain methods to circumvent the rules.


    As the visitor from the Hidosh Family had said, as long as he joined their family, they could find someone else to do the School task for him in exchange for contribution points.


    These were some unspoken rules that had become customary. They did not explicitly break the rules, so naturally, there would be no problem.


    However, for Nois, being highly placed and influential, he was obviously more sensitive than an ordinary Wizard and could not afford to openly disregard such rules.


    Therefore, given that Colin''s identity still needed to be kept secret, what seemed like a simple request had indeed put him in a difficult position.


    "The most straightforward method is to exchange for the Meditation Method through the School. If you don''t want to waste time on School tasks, you can usually exchange witchcraft for contribution points," suggested Nois, after some thought.


    "Or, you could directly choose a Faction to join. With your talent, it should not be an issue to obtain subsequent Meditation Methods after joining."


    At this point, Nois looked at Colin, pausing briefly to remind him,


    "However, I would recommend you exchange witchcraft for contribution points. If you choose to join a Pureblood Family or Faction, make sure to read the contract carefully."


    While making these comments, his voice subtly hesitated over "Pureblood Family."


    "I understand," Colin nodded solemnly and, after thinking it over, further inquired, "Aside from exchanging through the School, is there really no other way to acquire the Second Rank stage of the Tin Saint Meditation Method? Not even in the Supreme Council?"


    "The Supreme Council mainly archives witchcraft. While it also includes some Meditation Methods, they don''t involve the significant Wizard Schools'' Meditation Methods, which are the core of each millennium-old Wizard School," Nois answered.


    He stroked his chin and added, "However, there indeed is one place where you can exchange for the Second Rank stage of the Tin Saint Meditation Method."


    Colin looked up, somewhat surprised.


    He continued to inquire, which was merely to confirm, but he hadn''t held much hope.


    After all, from today''s conversation, he had come to understand that the rigid stratification between different layers in this Wizard World was far more severe than he had imagined.


    The stringent monopoly on Meditation Methods also meant that despite their exceptional talents, ordinary Wizards would always be subject to exploitation by the Families or Factions holding the Meditation Methods, as their advancement depended on obtaining subsequent Meditation Methods.


    Moreover, listening to Nois''s tone, choosing to passively join a Pureblood Family or certain Factions might also not be a favorable choice¡­ It would most likely cost them their freedom.


    Perhaps, after all, working through individual tasks to accumulate contribution points for Meditation Methods might be a better route.


    It might be more exhausting, but it would at least assure freedom.


    Of course, that applied to an ordinary Wizard. As for himself, having Golden Paper meant that he wasn''t strictly bound to the Tin Saint Meditation Method.


    As long as conditions permitted, he could always switch to another Meditation Method.


    Colin felt somewhat relieved knowing this; at least he wouldn''t have to worry about being throttled by the Tin Saint School because of the Meditation Method.


    Though his thoughts were many, only a moment had passed in reality. Colin continued to ask Nois:


    "And this place is¡­?"


    "The True Knowledge Society," Nois replied, his pale brown eyes filled with reminiscence, "Speaking of which, it was once one of the most famous organizations within the Wizard Alliance, though it has declined quite a bit now."


    "If you really want to save some time getting the Second Rank Tin Saint Meditation Method, you might try joining the True Knowledge Society."


    "At least within the True Knowledge Society, for the same amount of witchcraft knowledge contributed, you can exchange for more things, a better value for money."


    "Moreover, joining the True Knowledge Society will not affect your membership in your School, just like being able to teach some of the School''s meditation methods¡ªthis is one of the many privileges it had obtained before."


    "Right, how many contribution points do you have in the Tin Saint School now?" Nois paused, then curiously asked.


    "None," Colin shook his head, "I don''t have any contribution points."


    This time, it was Nois''s turn to be taken aback, he paused, then asked, "Have you never done any tasks after joining the School?"


    "Yes." Colin nodded, paused, and added, "I haven''t been in the Tin Saint School for long."


    The Faction of Atbolde was totally leisurely; when he was a Magic Apprentice, he didn''t even need to do any work.


    You should know that in other Factions, Magic Apprentices have mandatory tasks to complete every month.


    Perhaps the only task he ever did was to accompany the Alus Association.


    Realizing this, Colin paused slightly ¡ª it dawned on him that he had never settled the contribution points from accompanying the Alus Association!


    "There might be some," he said, adding, "I did do a task once¡ªas an accompanying wizard with the Alus Association to the Southern Sea Domain.


    I might be able to get some contribution points."


    Nois shook his head and smiled, "Then if you want to quickly exchange for the Second Rank phase of the Tin Saint Meditation Method, you''ll probably have to rely on submitting witchcraft."


    "After all, given your current situation, even if you join some forces, unless you can send out dozens of First Rank Wizards, logically speaking, it would take at least a month or two to gather enough contribution points for you."


    Colin nodded in agreement, feeling somewhat vexed.


    If not necessary, he did not want to do School tasks; devoting his time to focusing on his meditation was the true path!


    "Besides the Meditation Methods, is there any other reward you want?" Nois looked at the time and continued to ask, then added after a thought, "I suggest you choose knowledge wherever possible, as for a wizard, knowledge is the most precious commodity."


    Colin nodded, that was precisely what he thought.


    Witch Tools were merely external forces, and besides, with Golden Paper, knowledge was of higher value to him. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Second Rank witchcraft and complete Meditation Methods that can reach Second Rank or higher." Colin pondered for a moment, then answered.


    "That''s possible." Nois nodded; he didn''t ask why Colin wanted Meditation Methods.


    But he guessed, perhaps it was to get an early exposure to the Second Rank phase of other Meditation Methods, preparing in advance to learn the Second Rank phase of the Tin Saint Meditation Method.


    Nois then said, "It''ll take some time for the rewards to reach you; I still have to report to the Council, and after the discussions are concluded, they will be given to you. Right now, the main thing is to gather your preferences."


    "But rest assured, with your merit, the mere demand for some Second Rank witchcraft and ordinary Meditation Methods will definitely be met."


    After speaking, Nois glanced at his watch and then initiated the end of their discussion.


    "Let''s call it a day for now; once the Council''s decisions are out, I''ll have someone notify you."


    After saying this, he nodded to Colin, then hastily walked toward the experiment table nearby.


    Time was extremely precious to him, and he had already been delayed quite a bit.


    "Very well, Lord Nois."


    Colin raised his hand in a salute, then understandingly and silently turned and left.

 Chapter 468 - 321: An Ordinary Afternoon

    After Colin had left, the silvery laboratory returned to its silence... and emptiness.


    Nois''s figure had disappeared without a trace at some point!


    No one knew how much time had passed.


    Suddenly, the space in front of the silvery experimental table distorted, and Nois''s tall figure reemerged.


    His expression was somber, his brows and eyes clouded with darkness.


    He rubbed the manuscript paper in his hands and, after a long while, let out a deep sigh.


    Colin''s words, although somewhat inspiring, were just that¡ªmerely a bit of inspiration. The task of seeing through the Divine''s disguise of the Faith Line was still not a simple matter.


    "Perhaps I could seek help from the people of the True Knowledge Society?" he murmured to himself,


    But soon after, Nois shook his head, muttering quietly,


    "The short-sighted old fools in the Family wouldn''t agree."


    A hint of mockery gradually appeared on his refined face, but if one looked closely, they could glimpse a faint helplessness through the disdain at the corners of his mouth.


    ''Nois... Tate.''


    Nois whispered to himself, this was the name of the Wizard City beneath his feet, and it was also his name.


    Similarly... it was also the name of that greatest ancestor of the Tate Wizard Family.


    Only the most outstanding Wizard of each generation was entitled to inherit this name.


    It was not only an honor but also a responsibility... or perhaps, a burden.


    Regaining his composure, Nois exhaled a breath of foul air and continued his research at the desk.


    ...


    "Master, what would you like for lunch today?"


    In his study, Renee knocked and entered to ask.


    "Anything, see to it as you will," Colin replied, sitting at the desk and putting away his quill after writing the last word.


    Although it seemed like he had spent a long time at Nois''s place, in reality, he had returned around ten in the morning.


    It was probably about half-past ten now; he had just finished silently writing down a spell of Golden Paper Limit Breaking.


    As Nois had said, currently, the quickest way for him to gain contribution points was evidently through the exchange of knowledge or other treasures.


    For an ordinary Wizard, it was usually done with treasures.


    After all, the School would not record duplicate witchcraft; only those that had innovative changes or new Wizard knowledge could be exchanged for contribution points.


    However, in the current environment, innovation was an extremely difficult task, let alone uncovering new Wizard knowledge.


    The vast majority of Wizards were still using the old spells that had been researched by their predecessors, which might still be powerful but indeed were no longer new.


    Of course, for Colin, it was naturally more cost-effective to exchange knowledge.


    The spell he had just written down was Steel Temperature Resistance Field I, a version he had already phased out¡ª


    To avoid being targeted, he did not intend to teach the spell he was currently using.


    "Very well, master."


    After asking, Renee was about to turn around to prepare lunch.


    But Colin seemed to think of something and spoke again, "Go buy a few geese this afternoon, Lillian, your senior, will come over. She wants to learn how to make roast goose from you."


    Renee paused at his words, inexplicably flustered.


    She knew Lillian, that was the master''s senior!


    Such a powerful Wizard wanting to learn how to make roast goose from her...


    With unease stirring in her heart, Renee instinctively said, "But master, it was you who taught me how to roast goose..."


    "I merely gave a few pointers at the beginning," Colin interrupted.


    "The success of really making the roast goose was all due to your own effort, I couldn''t do it as well as you." Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It had to be said, Renee''s culinary Talent was extraordinary.


    At least, in the Wizard World where cookery techniques were not well developed, he had not seen anyone better at cooking than Renee.


    "Lillian is kind in nature and won''t make things difficult for you. I''ll be there as well," Colin paused, then continued with a smile.


    Although Renee had been following him for some time, the concept of hierarchy hadn''t changed that easily,


    In her heart, she always felt some fear towards those of higher rank among Wizards.


    "...Alright, master."


    Reassured by Colin''s comforting words, Renee finally felt at ease and left.


    Watching the door gently close behind Renee, Colin thought for a moment and put away the quill, then took out the two gifts the Hidosh Family had sent over that morning.


    He didn''t know yet how much the School would pay for a recorded spell; he would write this one to test the waters first. If the price was right, he could always write down another one on the spot.


    He hadn''t forgotten the words Nois had said¡ª"True Knowledge Society records spells at a better value."


    These words, spoken by Nois, were evidently not without basis.


    However, the exact prices at which the School would record spells, he would have to see for himself... hmm, it would be best to inquire about the True Knowledge Society''s prices at the same time.


    If the difference between the two wasn''t significant, he would naturally choose the School. If the gap was wide, he might have to consider exchanging for the Second Rank part of the Tin Saint Meditation Method through the True Knowledge Society''s channels.


    ''I wonder just what kind of power the True Knowledge Society really holds...'' Colin pondered as he opened the wooden box.


    Opening the first wooden box, which the Hidosh Family had delivered upon their arrival as an apology,


    A black soft armor lay quietly inside, judging by the fluctuation of Magic Power, it should be approximately a First Rank Advanced Witch Tool.


    ''Not bad,'' Colin nodded, putting the armor away.


    Although for him, who was almost at the Advanced Second Rank, this soft armor was getting to be a bit behind, just like the Elf Armor.

 Chapter 469 - 321 Daily Afternoon_2

    But what can one expect from something that comes for free?


    Witch Tools are already rare, especially High Rank Witch Tools. For a First Rank Wizard of ordinary background, possessing two or three Witch Tools that match their power level is already quite good.


    As for the Spirit Awakening Crown on his head and the Ancient Tree Spring Necklace he carried, these two were auxiliary treasures made by the Elf Clan, and strictly speaking, they were not Witch Tools and had no specific Rank.


    He then opened the second wooden box.


    Inside was another Witch Tool.


    But this time, it had transformed from armor into a mini boat-shaped shuttle.


    The shuttle was overall matte white, small in the front and large in the tail, and from its structure, it should be able to seat four people.


    As for the energy intensity, it was stronger than the previous soft armor but still within the First Rank, thus considered top-tier for First Rank.


    Colin raised his eyebrows and reached out to pick up the shuttle.


    It seemed that the Hidosh Family had spent a lot on this second congratulatory gift for obtaining the Golden Feather Token.


    Spiritual power spread over the shuttle and he slowly infused "Magic Power".


    Some simple information emerged in Colin''s mind.


    He was right in his assessment; it was indeed a top-tier First Rank shuttle that could change size for easy carrying and also maintained a constant camouflaging Witch Array.


    As for the camouflage effect, it was probably better than the Invisible Shadow he currently possessed, but its defense was not as good as the Steel Temperature Resistance Field.


    The speed was acceptable, roughly similar to the Soaring and Flying Technique after Limit Breaking, but it was much less agile.


    At first glance, the shuttle didn''t seem very practical.


    But its greatest advantage was actually its energy efficiency.


    It could be powered by "Magic Power" or by Magic Stones.


    According to the instructions, using "Magic Power" should be a bit more energy-efficient than using his own Flying Witchcraft, and it could also be powered by Magic Stones.


    Without a doubt, this shuttle was an excellent tool for long journeys.


    By switching between Magic Stone and "Magic Power" for its energy supply, he could travel non-stop.


    Unfortunately... once he Advanced to a Second Rank Wizard, the scene might change and it was uncertain whether this shuttle would still be useful.


    But after all, since it was gotten for free, at the very least it could still be used in exchange for Magic Stones.


    Colin smiled and packed away these two unexpected gains.


    Lunch was steamed pumpkin with some seasonal vegetables and a steak. Not long after he finished eating, Lillian visited as promised.


    Renee first led her to the parlor.


    "Good afternoon, senior."


    Soon, Colin entered, pushing the door and greeting with a smile.


    "Good afternoon," Lillian sat on a soft sofa, her slender legs swinging in the air. The already somewhat large brown leather sofa seemed even larger with her on it.


    "Bobi!" Surprisingly, Bobi also greeted him this time.


    "Good afternoon, Bobi," Colin paused slightly, then smiled back.


    "Did the Hidosh Family bring you a compensation gift?" Lillian started the conversation.


    There was still plenty of time; there was no need to rush to learn how to cook goose.


    "They did," Colin nodded, sitting on the sofa opposite Lillian, "It was two Witch Tools. One was as compensation, and the other was to congratulate me on earning the Golden Feather Token."


    "You have already earned the Golden Feather Token?" Lillian expressed her surprise, she knew according to you


    "Not yet, I need to go to Black Castle to handle some formalities, I plan to stop by tomorrow," Colin shook his head, picked up the cup of black tea Renee had prepared on the coffee table and took a gentle sip.


    "How are the contribution points?" Lillian continued.


    "I plan to try exchanging some contribution points with Witchcraft that I''ve modified myself or obtained by chance; otherwise, relying solely on performing tasks would take at least a year to accumulate enough."


    Setting the teacup down, Colin continued, a hint of anxiety between his brows.


    The School''s monopoly on the Meditation Method was truly disheartening, and he didn''t know how many contribution points his Limit Breaking Witchcraft would be worth.


    If it wasn''t enough, that would be troublesome.


    Thinking this, Colin even wanted to go to the School and the True Knowledge Society right now to see the situation, and also to find out how to join...


    "So, the School has very strict standards for including witchcraft and emphasizes practicality in evaluating its value," Lillian explained. "That means only witchcraft that is both practical and significantly innovative can earn more contribution points."


    "Ah, I see," Colin nodded slightly.


    It seems that the School mainly includes witchcraft to enrich its witchcraft library.


    The witchcraft needed is distinct and well-developed.


    Witchcraft that does not undergo a complete transformation after Limit Breaking or does not differentiate itself from similar witchcraft probably won''t earn many contribution points.


    "I plan to do a task soon..." Lillian continued.


    "Bobi!" At that moment, Bobi on her shoulder suddenly pointed at the window to the right and shouted.


    Following Bobi''s gaze, Nasi was seen chasing Demi playfully in the snow outside the window.


    Both were smiling, and with the attention now diverted, their laughter could faintly be heard through the window.


    Clearly having lots of fun.


    "Do you want to go play too?" Lillian turned and asked Bobi.


    "Bobi!" Bobi nodded vigorously, his golden hair swaying.


    Lillian instinctively shifted her gaze to Colin, looking at him inquiringly.


    "Bobi!" Bobi also looked at him, eyes wide open, his little face full of anticipation.


    Colin smiled faintly and nodded, advising, "I have no objections, but you can''t fight, okay?"


    "Get along well with Nasi and the others," Lillian also chimed in timely.


    "Bobi!" Bobi''s eyes brightened, and he nodded earnestly.


    Colin stood up and walked toward the window.


    With a click, the living room window was just opened by him, the cold air had not even entered yet.


    Bobi couldn''t wait and rushed out.


    "I have never seen Bobi this excited before," Lillian walked over and spoke with some emotion. "It''s grown so much without ever playing with others."


    Elves used to be common a thousand years ago, but now they are rare.


    Bobi was left to her by her mother, initially just a golden sphere, which then one day turned into the golden elf Bobi.


    Since then, Bobi had always stayed by her side, rarely contacting the outside world, and without playmates.


    "Nasi and Demi were the same before, without any playmates either," Colin said, watching the distant scene, his face revealing a knowing smile.


    When Bobi had just arrived, Nasi and Demi were surprised, but only for a moment, now the three were playing harmoniously in the snow.


    It''s no surprise, as Demi is undoubtedly a child, and Bobi and Nasi are also of a child''s age among elves. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Children always tend to play well together.


    The three joyfully chased each other around the snowfield, their carefree demeanor gradually easing Colin''s anxiety.


    After chatting with Lillian for a while, and when it was about time, they went together to the kitchen to learn how to roast a goose with Renee.


    Handling the goose, preparing the crisp-skin water, controlling the heat during roasting... it must be said, all of it was quite interesting.


    As the aroma spread during roasting, Nasi and Bobi followed Demi into the kitchen, curiously squatting on one side to watch.


    Both little elves do not eat meat and, of course, don''t cook.


    So, Demi, who often watched her sister cook, proudly explained to the two little elves.


    With rich gestures and an engaging tone, she left Nasi and Bobi nodding blankly, even making them want to try this food they had never tasted before.


    Renee was initially a bit nervous when teaching, but gradually she relaxed more and more, and in the end, she and Lillian were laughing together at Colin''s mishaps in cooking...


    Among the three, indeed, his cooking talent was the worst.


    And so, Colin spent a rare leisurely afternoon in this world.


    But leisurely times are always short-lived.


    The next day, Colin got up early, prepared to try exchanging contribution points at the School and to receive the Golden Feather Token.

 Chapter 470 - 332 Formal Member

    The School''s task hall might be conveniently located for traffic, unlike the depths of Black Castle.


    Stepping through the vast doorway guarded by Left Ao and Right Ao, then walking straight down a broad road for a bit, one could catch a glimpse of a black, three-tiered spire castle structure.


    That was the place where the Tin Saint School managed contribution points ¡ª General Affairs Castle. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The first floor of the castle was a huge hall, the floor laid with neatly arranged grey slabs. Passing through the crowd, one could catch sight of three black screens suspended high on the front wall to the left and right.


    "Solve the Cilia Kingdom''s moonlight pollution (Danger Level: First Rank Intermediate; Contribution Points: 160), transport cold crystal (Danger Level: Zeroth Rank Advanced; Contribution Points: 5)..."


    The screens, as dark as ink, were crammed with dense clusters of white text.


    The danger levels noted in the brackets seemed to be directly benchmarked against a Wizard''s strength... which was rather intuitive and straightforward, easy to understand at a glance.


    Colin gave the three screens a quick scan and had a rough idea in his heart.


    Overall, most of the missions on the screens were of the First Rank and Apprentice Rank, Second Rank were a few, and it seemed there were just over ten of the Third Rank.


    The gap in contribution points between different difficulties was also quite significant.


    According to the information he had gathered yesterday from Senior Lillian, Colin stepped up to a white pillar embedded with a white crystal ball at its top and slightly extended his spirit.


    The next moment, the screens on the wall slowly materialized before his eyes.


    Thinking it over, he focused his spirit a bit more¡ª


    "Solve the Cilia Kingdom''s moonlight pollution (Danger Level: First Rank Intermediate; Contribution Points: 160)"


    The white text expanded to display:


    "Yanan Calendar, November 21st, the night of the full moon."


    "In Vifta, the capital of Cilia Kingdom, hundreds died under mysterious circumstances, their bodies mostly mangled, showing signs of savage beast bites, suspected to be the doing of the ''Werewolf'' Polluter that has been frequently appearing in recent years.


    Danger Level: First Rank Intermediate, not recommended for newly promoted First Rank or Wizards below that to take on the mission."


    After quickly scanning it, Colin closed the screens, as his purpose today was not to take on a mission.


    After stating his purpose to the duty Wizard and showing his Silver Feather Token, he followed up to the second floor.


    Unlike the busy first floor, the second floor was relatively quiet.


    Heading up the stairs, a brown counter faced him, currently unattended. The duty Wizard asked him to wait for a bit, then turned and walked down the corridor behind the counter, soon disappearing from sight.


    It wasn''t clear how long passed before two figures reappeared in front of him.


    "Are you here to exchange witchcraft for contribution points, Mr. Colin?"


    The person who came with the duty Wizard was an affable old man with salt-and-pepper hair, awkwardly wearing a peaked Wizard Hat that was uncommon nowadays, and like his Wizard Robe, grey.


    "Indeed," Colin nodded.


    "Very well, very well... Please come this way, call me Bartley," the old Wizard adjusted the hat on his head.


    Although he had already been briefed on Colin''s purpose by the duty Wizard, he still paused for a moment, reacting before beckoning Colin towards the counter.


    Centuries ago, because new Wizard relics were frequently discovered, the crowd going back and forth at this counter was bustling.


    Back then, there were twelve professional Wizards taking turns in charge of identifying witchcraft.


    But later, as the war remnants'' relics were gradually excavated and due to additional reasons, the Tin Saint School hadn''t seen a Wizard come to submit new witchcraft or knowledge for a long time.


    This place had been left with only this old man enjoying his twilight years.


    "Then I shall take my leave," the duty Wizard said.


    "Right," Colin nodded.


    The duty Wizard respectfully turned and left the area.


    As a bearer of the Silver Feather privileges, he had various privileges within the Tin Saint School, provided he didn''t touch upon the interests of those truly privileged classes.


    "Mr. Bartley, I''d like to first understand how many contribution points can be exchanged for a typical piece of witchcraft?" Colin sat in front of the counter and asked.


    "It''s not certain; it depends on the specific effects of the witchcraft," Bartley pondered as he procured a thick pair of glasses from nowhere, "Generally speaking, Zeroth Rank Attack Witchcraft can exchange for no more than a hundred points, First Rank for no more than a thousand points, and Second Rank for five thousand points, and so on."


    "But we need to see the actual witchcraft for judgment. Sometimes certain First Rank witchcraft might only fetch a single-digit number of contribution points."


    "I understand," Colin nodded, presenting the manually written Limit Breaking Resist Temperature Force Field, "Please take a look at this, a First Rank Defensive Witchcraft."


    Bartley accepted the neatly bound booklet, but he was in no rush to read it. Instead, he rummaged under the counter and found an old, yellowing contract.


    The gist of it was that he could read the Defensive Witchcraft brought by Colin but could not divulge it to anyone else.


    Colin took the contract, checked it carefully, and then imprinted it with his Spiritual Imprint.


    Respect for knowledge property rights in this world was ingrained in its marrow, and he wasn''t surprised.


    But from a development perspective, this sometimes wasn''t conducive to knowledge innovation and could easily lead to a knowledge monopoly.


    After all, the number of those with selfish intentions far outnumbered the selfless, and over time, centralized and monopolistic organizations were bound to emerge.


    In fact, it seemed that this had already happened.


    Colin silently observed Bartley poring over the witchcraft booklet carefully.


    The old Wizard read through it while also consulting something with a white crystal ball.

 Chapter 471 - 332 Official Member_2

    About half an hour later, he slowly raised his head and said succinctly, "If the data inside isn''t falsified... incorrect, this witchcraft could be exchanged for... well, 300 contribution points."


    Colin nodded calmly. Three hundred contribution points, it seemed reasonable, especially since it was only a First Rank Lower witchcraft.


    Bartley, reading his expression, mistook it for dissatisfaction and hurriedly explained, "Lord Colin, the School has strict regulations for accepting witchcraft, mainly evaluating them based on their real combat effectiveness.


    "Your witchcraft has both a Force Field Defense and temperature resistance effect, but as for the primary defensive effect, it is no different from some other witchcraft that combine Force Field Defense.


    "Some of them also have a brief temperature resistance effect, though not as good as this one, but the simple temperature resistance does not have a significant impact in real combat. In addition, this witchcraft does not have any particular advantages in terms of Magic Power consumption."


    "So, according to the School''s requirements, this is already the highest number of contribution points I can offer."


    The old wizard wore a wry smile; he wasn''t the one who decided on which witchcraft to catalogue, and he could only follow the regulations.


    However, Colin, who listened to the explanation, frowned inwardly.


    The old wizard in front of him hadn''t truly understood the Steel Temperature Resistance Field from a single instance of Limit Breaking, or rather, he had only glanced at the effects superficially.


    Colin knew that certain Force Field Defense witchcraft could possess insulating abilities like the Steel Temperature Resistance Field.


    But that kind of insulation came more from inherent properties of certain Force Fields and was different from his method of combining specialized temperature resistance with Force Field Defense.


    Still, he said nothing, after all, Bartley had made it clear that the School currently values practical combat applications when cataloguing witchcraft.


    And regarding practical combat, he had to admit, the old wizard was correct.


    He was not so naive as to believe that a single instance of Limit Breaking in the Steel Temperature Resistance Field could outperform all other First Rank Lower Defensive Witchcraft.


    "I understand," Colin nodded.


    "Do you want to exchange anything else?" Bartley asked.


    "Not for now," Colin shook his head.


    Three hundred contribution points had already met the expectations he had in his mind.


    But yesterday''s conversation with Lillian made it clear to him that submitting his witchcraft meant selling it off completely to the School, not just the witchcraft itself but also his rights to disseminate it.


    He intended to reconsider it... well, mainly to see how much the so-called True Knowledge Society could offer in exchange.


    Only by comparing offers could he avoid a loss.


    ...


    Leaving the mission hall, Colin quickly made his way to the Black Castle.


    He intended to go to the front desk to inquire about how to obtain the Golden Feather Token, but as soon as he entered, he caught sight of two familiar figures¡ª


    Jonah, responsible for Golden Feather Token registration, and his student Ocasie, in charge of Rank updates, walking side by side.


    "You understand what I said, Ocasie? When you go to inquire about when Colin is appropriate to come for the Golden Feather Token today, make sure to have a good attitude," Jonah instructed in a low voice.


    After that day, he had kept Colin, the young Golden Feather, in mind.


    Then the news spread from the Black Castle Inspection Office that two Inspection Captains and several Inspectors had been dismissed or punished because of Colin, which made Jonah wary.


    It was said that this was indirectly related to the Hidosh Family, and what''s more, it was the Hidosh Family that had come off worse!


    This made Jonah quite certain that Colin was likely favored by someone powerful.


    After much consideration, he decided to instruct Ocasie to seek out Colin today, to inquire about the Golden Feather Token while also personally offering an apology.


    After all, last time it was only him who had sought forgiveness on Ocasie''s behalf, but out of politeness or otherwise, Ocasie still needed to apologize herself.


    "I understand," Ocasie replied softly, her expression complex.


    She was not a fool; although Jonah did not tell her everything, she had gradually realized... what Colin said during his first Rank update might not have been a lie.


    That meant Colin might truly be that Heroic Wizard!


    At that thought, Ocasie couldn''t help but adjust her glasses, feeling a bit feverish on her face.


    "Good morning, Inspector Jonah."


    Just then, a voice suddenly came from behind. Ocasie stiffened, turning her head subconsciously, her expression somewhat panicked.


    "...Good morning, Wizard Colin," Jonah turned around, a bit surprised, "Are you here to collect the Golden Feather Token? I was just thinking of asking Ocasie today when you''d be available."


    "Yes," Colin nodded, glancing at the slightly tense Ocasie, feeling a bit curious.


    But he didn''t dwell on it and continued, "I happened to have things to do at the School today, so I took the opportunity to come to Black Castle to collect the Golden Feather Token."


    "I see, what a coincidence. Then let me take you there now," Jonah said with a smile, casting an imperceptible glance at Ocasie beside him, and couldn''t help but frown slightly in his mind.


    What is she standing there stunned for, not even offering a greeting!


    With a silent sigh, Jonah put on a smile again and said, "Ocasie, explain to Wizard Colin about the Golden Feather Token, the precautions during collection, and its functions." S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "...Yes!" Ocasie faltered for a moment, then hurriedly nodded.


    She glanced at Colin, their eyes met for an instant before she subconsciously looked away.


    ''Ocasie, Ocasie, don''t panic now, if your initial prejudice was wrong, then you should bravely apologize. Why act so flustered!


    Hurry, apologize now and it''s all over!''


    Pausing for a moment, Ocasie adjusted her large brown round-framed glasses and said:


    "The Golden Feather Token collection process is quite complex. What you need to do is to input your soul waves into the core component of the token before the production starts, and after the Golden Feather Token is formed, use it to leave a mark within the School''s Golden Feather Tower."


    "Furthermore, the Golden Feather Token itself maintains a constant Witch Array for calling for help, which can be activated if you encounter a powerful enemy.


    Within a hundred miles, the signal can be sent to the Golden Feather Tower at the first instant¡­ Even if that''s not possible, it can also leave a special mark on the enemy, facilitating the School''s pursuit for revenge."


    Colin nodded slightly. A reach within a hundred miles seemed short, but in this world filled with tainted babbling interference, such a communication range was already quite far.


    You should know that previously in the Southern Sea Domain, the distance was only a few hundred miles, but to contact a big shot like Nois, the effort he spent was not slight.


    "At the same time, the Golden Feather Token can also detect your life signs, and if your soul waves disappear, the Golden Feather Tower will know immediately."


    "I understand," Colin nodded. If the privileges brought by the Golden Feather Token were invisible, then what Ocasie had just described was the most tangible safeguard.


    If he encountered a life-threatening danger later, even a hundred miles away, as long as the coming person lived on the Wizard Continent, they would have to weigh whether they could withstand the vengeance of a School that has stood unyielding for a thousand years!


    After Ocasie finished speaking, she fell into silence again.


    She looked at Colin, her lips moved several times, but the words of apology always surged to her throat and then quickly retreated.


    Maybe the atmosphere wasn''t right, apologizing directly felt a bit abrupt.


    Jonah glanced at Ocasie with a sort of regretful frustration.


    He had protected Ocasie too well.


    Her personality was that of a typical academic Witch, seemingly dull but actually sharp.


    Only, she didn''t like socializing and wasn''t good at it.


    "I heard you had other matters at the School today; may I inquire what they were?" Jonah prompted the conversation again.


    "I went to General Affairs Castle..." Colin started to reply briefly, but suddenly had a thought and paused to ask, "Do you know of the True Knowledge Society, Inspector Jonah?"


    Since Jonah, a Second Rank Wizard, worked at Black Castle, if Colin could get information from him about how to join the True Knowledge Society, it would save him another trip to find his mentor.


    "The True Knowledge Society?" Jonah blinked, then his expression turned somewhat strange as he replied, "Let Ocasie tell you about that; she knows more about the True Knowledge Society than I do."


    He paused for a moment, adjusted his glasses, then added, "She is actually a formal member of the True Knowledge Society."

 Chapter 472 - 333 True Knowledge Society

    "The official member of the True Knowledge Society?"


    Colin was slightly startled and turned to look at Ocasie.


    The beautiful Witch with brown-framed glasses noticed his gaze and awkwardly stroked her hair beside her ear, revealing a tender, fair face.


    "Colin... Your Excellency, what do you want to know about the True Knowledge Society?"


    Colin paused, then said, "I''ve heard that the True Knowledge Society collects a vast amount of witchcraft knowledge, and, like Schools, you can exchange it for contribution points of the True Knowledge Society. Is that right? What are the specific requirements? Uh... and how are contribution points obtained?"


    "Yes," Ocasie nodded, organizing her thoughts before replying, "Let me briefly introduce you to the True Knowledge Society."


    Colin nodded slightly. Under Neustadt''s description, he had a vague impression of the True Knowledge Society, but its specific appearance was still unclear.


    "The True Knowledge Society actually exists in every Wizard City. The True Knowledge Society of Neustadt City is commonly referred to as the Neustadt branch. The same goes for other cities ¡ª the city name followed by the word ''branch.''


    There is no headquarters for the True Knowledge Society. Branches are in contact with one another... Overall, the True Knowledge Society is a loosely organized group of Wizards researching knowledge."


    Ocasie continued, her eyes slightly brightening. Although her words were modest, her tone clearly revealed pride.


    "Unlike Schools, the True Knowledge Society doesn''t have a direct hierarchy. In it, Wizards only differ in their research levels. From Zero Level to Fifth Level, there are corresponding standards, but no examinations.


    To exchange witchcraft knowledge within the True Knowledge Society, the premise is to be a member of the Society, and at the same time, different knowledge requires different research levels."


    "As for how to obtain contribution points, it''s roughly the same as with Schools, except that in the type of tasks, the True Knowledge Society focuses more on supporting research."


    Ocasie''s fragmented words gradually built up an impression of a large yet unexpectedly simple organization in Colin''s mind.


    "I understand," he nodded, then asked, "What should I look out for if I want to join the True Knowledge Society? And what would I need to do after joining?"


    ''Join the True Knowledge Society?'' Jonah subconsciously glanced back at Colin, somewhat surprised.


    Ocasie next to him was taken aback, but quickly answered:


    "The management of the True Knowledge Society is very loose and doesn''t have mandatory tasks every year like Schools do.


    Unless you remain at the Zero Level researcher stage for more than two years, as long as you join, you can retain your membership indefinitely."


    "Moreover, joining the True Knowledge Society won''t affect your status as a member of a School," Ocasie thought for a moment and added.


    "Mm," Colin nodded, continuing to look at Ocasie with an inquisitive gaze, signaling her to keep talking.


    Ocasie paused, her expression hesitantly continuing:


    "However, even though the management is loose after joining the True Knowledge Society, the threshold to join is very high."


    She knew Colin was a genius in his training, possessing exceptional Talent for Wizard Level advancement, but that didn''t necessarily mean he excelled at witchcraft research. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Moreover, every Wizard''s time is limited; rapid advancement in Wizard Level often means that one is not proficient in witchcraft research.


    "So, what is the specific threshold?" Colin continued to inquire.


    In a world monopolized by knowledge, an organization like the True Knowledge Society that could provide him with an additional avenue to acquire knowledge had already made him determined to join upon learning about it.


    Previously, he was only debating whether to exchange for the Second Rank stage of the Tin Saint Meditation Method within his School or within the True Knowledge Society.


    "The threshold is to have at least successfully created a new form of witchcraft; the quality doesn''t matter, but it can''t be too simple," Ocasie replied.


    She watched Colin''s calm expression and, for some reason, hesitated before adding, "Of course, if Your Excellency wishes to join, perhaps I can help with some things... as long as the witchcraft is more than thirty percent different from existing ones, it can be considered new witchcraft."


    Colin was taken aback, somewhat surprised by Ocasie''s words. He shook his head and said, "Thank you for your kindness, but it''s not necessary, I''ve researched and invented a few forms of witchcraft in my spare time."


    "How many?" Ocasie''s face clearly froze for a moment.


    By her side, Jonah exhibited the same reaction, unable to suppress a look of astonishment.


    Colin, while maintaining such a rapid pace of advancement, had actually found time to research new witchcraft!


    However, Jonah, who was responsible for registering the Golden Feather Token, was experienced and well-informed and soon composed himself.


    On the contrary, it was Ocasie who almost stood petrified.


    "What''s the matter?" Colin calmly asked.


    "Nothing... nothing." Ocasie shook her head, her eyes fixed on the handsome Colin before her, and couldn''t help but adjust her brown, large-framed glasses.


    By now, she had ceased doubting the truth in Colin''s words and was silently reflecting in her heart.


    When Colin inquired about the True Knowledge Society, pride had indeed lingered in her heart, considering even a Golden Feather did not necessarily guarantee entry into the True Knowledge Society.


    A Golden Feather was more about assessing one''s cultivation speed, while the True Knowledge Society, on the contrary, hardly valued personal strength¡ªit solely prized the ability to research knowledge.


    Yet Colin''s Talent had far exceeded her expectations... Truly a monster of nature.


    Ocasie pursed her lips, a sense of defeat welling inside her. She looked at Colin, paused, and then suddenly said:


    "Sir Colin, I apologize for my previous foolish prejudice. If you wish, after collecting the Golden Feather Token, I may take you to the True Knowledge Society."


    Upon hearing Ocasie''s words, Jonah finally breathed a sigh of relief, somewhat comforted.


    "Then I thank you in advance, Lady Ocasie," Colin replied, pausing briefly before adding, "As for the previous matter, I truly never took it to heart."


    Listening to Colin''s words, Ocasie inexplicably felt a touch of annoyance.


    Never took it to heart... That might well be the truth, but why did it sound so irksome!


    Although many thoughts swirled in her mind, Ocasie''s expression revealed little change, as she simply replied in a muffled tone:


    "No need to thank me."


    Meanwhile, Colin hadn''t noticed the change in Ocasie''s mood.


    He glanced at Jonah beside him. In the moment their gazes met, he understood intuitively¡ª


    Jonah and Ocasie probably guessed his identity as a Heroic Wizard.


    After all, he hadn''t deliberately concealed this identity before, and Neustadt hadn''t reminded him of it either.


    Of course, even when he had spoken of it numerous times before, nobody had believed him.


    But now, as a Golden Feather genius seen with favor by influential figures in Jonah''s eyes, connecting his previous statements made it easy to deduce his to the role of a Heroic Wizard.


    Withdrawing his gaze, Colin continued on his way, his expression serene, appearing completely unaware.


    The rewards from the Supreme Council were to be distributed soon; the benefits were already in hand. At this juncture, clamoring for the hollow title of a hero was not only useless but could also potentially bring unnecessary trouble.


    Particularly considering Neustadt City might still harbor spies of the Divine!


    Thus, unless Jonah asked him, naturally, he wouldn''t, and couldn''t, say more.


    Of course, even if Jonah did ask, he certainly wouldn''t admit it now.


    And so, the three of them ascended the staircase, eventually arriving at the secluded third-floor chamber where the Golden Feather Tokens were distributed.

 Chapter 473 - 324: Stationed

    The process of receiving the Golden Feather Token went smoothly.


    After leaving an imprint in the depths of Golden Feather Tower at Black Castle, the entire process of receiving the Golden Feather Token was declared complete.


    Colin was consulting Jonah about some details regarding the Golden Feather Token.


    "Mr. Jonah, the Golden Feather Token allows us to receive two First Rank Witchcrafts corresponding to our own strength for free each year, how is this ''each year'' calculated?"


    "It is calculated as more than a year between the last time you received and this time," Jonah replied.


    "Is the annual exemption from the mandatory School tasks also calculated in the same way?"


    "That''s not the case," Jonah shook his head, "the annual mandatory tasks of the School are calculated according to the Yanan Calendar, so the exemption is also based on the Yanan Calendar."


    "A First Rank Wizard needs to perform four mandatory tasks annually, which means one task every three months," Jonah looked at Colin and added,


    "Since you Advanced at the end of the year, you should only need to perform one mandatory task, and if you haven''t done it yet, you can now go to the General Affairs Castle and use the privilege of the Golden Feather Token to offset it."


    "I''ve already done it." Colin nodded, having previously gone to the Southern Sea Domain as an accompanying wizard for the Alus Association, which counted as a mandatory task.


    This also meant that, for the remaining month of the year, he temporarily didn''t need to worry about any mandatory tasks.


    "Do you have any other questions?" Jonah asked.


    Colin thought for a moment, then asked his final question: "After obtaining the Golden Feather Token, what exactly is the monthly Magic Stone subsidy from the School?"


    "If I remember correctly... um, it''s a thousand Magic Stones," Jonah hesitated, then answered after a moment of thought.


    "And is it the same for the Apprentice subsidy, picked up at the first floor of Black Castle?"


    "...Yes," Jonah nodded, his expression still somewhat strange.


    Compared to the other benefits that the Golden Feather Token could bring, the monthly subsidy of a thousand Magic Stones was hardly worth mentioning.


    But Colin didn''t see it that way.


    He had recalculated his Magic Stones yesterday, and they had fallen below five digits to just over four thousand.


    For a First Rank Wizard, such a fortune was clearly considered poor.


    Especially since there was a spell on the Golden Paper¡ªSilent¡ªa First Rank Witchcraft nearing its Limit Breaking.


    So although it seemed like he still had enough Magic Stones, this was undoubtedly only temporary.


    ''Maybe later I can consider selling the Limit Breaking Witchcraft to earn Magic Stones?'' Colin pondered silently but soon shook his head internally, ''This matter requires careful study.''


    Long ago, he had discovered that the market circulation of Zeroth Rank and above witchcraft or Meditation Methods, even scattered pieces of knowledge, was extremely limited.


    There was clearly a reason behind this; trying to sell First Rank Witchcraft directly through an auction house obviously wasn''t feasible.


    Of course, this didn''t mean that one couldn''t earn Magic Stones by selling witchcraft, but it required prior investigation and research.


    After all, if selling Zeroth Rank and above witchcraft wasn''t allowed, selling Zeroth Rank witchcraft might still be feasible, though less profitable.


    Thinking about this, Colin couldn''t help but sigh about the severe restrictions on witchcraft knowledge in this world.


    Having bid farewell to Jonah, he and Ocasie left Black Castle together, and while passing through the first floor of Black Castle, he conveniently picked up this month''s Magic Stone subsidy.


    At the Tin Saint School, each Apprentice receives a varying amount of Magic Stone subsidy each month depending on their Rank.


    This was a specific benefit for Wizard Apprentices, which ceased upon Advancing to First Rank.


    Thus, the monthly subsidy of a thousand Magic Stones from the Golden Feather Token was an unexpected pleasant surprise for Colin.


    Gentle sunlight poured generously, bringing a touch of warmth to this cold winter noon.


    Neustadt City was already covered in a layer of snow, only the streets remained dry due to the effects of witchcraft; carriages bustled along the road, unimpeded by the harsh weather, just like any other day.


    Colin and Ocasie walked side by side on the pedestrian pathway along the streets, next to them were bare trees with branches laden with some white snow.


    After Jonah''s departure, the atmosphere between the two had become somewhat gloomy and awkward.


    Colin, however, did not mind too much; after all, both in his past life and now, he was not fond of socializing¡ªwalking quietly like this suited him quite well.


    Both the warm winter sun and the white snow on the nearby rooftops and eaves made him feel very comfortable.


    Winter in Neustadt City had its own unique charm.


    But Ocasie didn''t feel the same way; she disliked the oppressive atmosphere and always felt uneasy.


    "Master Colin, are you in need of Magic Stones?" she asked after a moment of thought but immediately felt it might not be the best question to ask, so she awkwardly added, "What I mean is, since you are already a Golden Feather, Magic Stones should be the least of your worries..."


    Colin shook his head, "I do indeed lack Magic Stones."


    Seeing the confused look on Ocasie''s face, he added, "I do not wish to be bound by anything, so I have no plans to join any Faction, nor a Pureblood Family."


    "Not planning to join any Faction?" Astonishment appeared clearly on Ocasie''s delicate face.


    She was a typical School Wizard, having grown up in Neustadt City.


    Her late father and Wizard Jonah were close friends, so even though her father died early, her path to growth had been smooth.


    In her understanding, if wizards wanted to climb the ranks, they inevitably had to join a Faction.


    It was conventional wisdom... However, thinking of Colin''s status as a Golden Feather and possibly a Heroic Wizard, Ocasie felt less surprised.


    After all, among the high rank wizards of the School, there were indeed a few who were loners.


    Looking at Colin''s sharply outlined profile, a sense of admiration inexplicably arose in her heart.


    If ivy wants to reach a high place, it needs to cling to a tall tree, but if it is itself a tall tree, it need not do so and can very well stand alone.


    After walking for a moment, Ocasie turned into an alley and stopped a few steps later, turning back to say:


    "We''re here, Master Colin."


    Colin looked up.


    It was a courtyard surrounded by tall gray walls, with a black iron gate concealing an ancient castle, appearing somewhat time-worn.


    The castle was not large, only three stories high, with a narrow front yard except for a cobblestone path for walking, the only other feature was a white circular fountain with a diameter of one meter in the center, where a sculpture of books was broken at the corner, and the water that once flowed was now frozen into ice.


    Colin slightly raised an eyebrow, feeling somewhat let down; the scene before him was drastically different from what he had imagined the residence of the True Knowledge Society to be.


    In his imagination, the mysterious and powerful True Knowledge Society''s headquarters should, if not luxurious and imposing, at least rival the Tin Saint School...


    But now, it rather resembled the rundown Blackstone Castles of the Lap School on Blackstone Island.


    "Let''s go, Master Colin, I''ll take you inside," Ocasie said, noticing Colin''s expression and added after a moment of thought:


    "Normally, if there''s no other business, members of the True Knowledge Society don''t come here; this place is more for storing knowledge and archives, and although it may seem inconspicuous, it is one of the most defensively strong places in Neustadt City.


    However, these are all secondary; the True Knowledge Society pursues truth, not power." S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Truth, huh...'' Colin nodded slightly and followed Ocasie inside.


    No matter what the True Knowledge Society was actually like, as long as it could provide him with the resources he imagined, that would be enough.

 Chapter 474 - 325 Sincerity Does Not Deceive Me

    As Ocasie had said, the headquarters of the True Knowledge Society was very quiet.


    With Ocasie''s identification, they walked into the ancient castle unobstructed, and didn''t even encounter any other wizards along the way.


    It was not until Ocasie brought him to a study on the top floor that he saw the first wizard besides them.


    "Shelley, I didn''t expect you to be on duty today," Ocasie exclaimed in surprise. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The pale sunlight streamed through the round window and into the room, where a petite witch sat in front of a brown desk.


    The witch had short snow-white hair that just reached her chin, shiny and smooth like satin, appearing strikingly different from the white hair of the elderly, more like fluffy snow.


    Underneath the white hair was also a young face that complemented it, with fair skin and delicate features, looking at most sixteen or seventeen years old.


    She seemed to have been reading, still holding a thick book with a black cover in her hands.


    "Ocasie." Shelley lifted her head subconsciously to greet them as they entered, her eyes slightly vacant, then she quickly buried her head back into the hefty book.


    The large, thick black book almost completely shielded her face, only revealing a pair of focused blue eyes, seemingly unconcerned about why they had come here.


    Ocasie was accustomed to this and sat down across the desk from Shelley, bringing Colin with her, then knocked on the desk.


    "Shelley, I''m sorry to disturb you, but I''ve brought a wizard who wants to join the True Knowledge Society, and he needs you to conduct the membership assessment."


    "A new person is joining?" Shelley slowly closed the book, murmuring to herself as if a machine were switching modes.


    A moment later, she placed the hefty book to her right and with a clear gaze repeated to Ocasie,


    "A new wizard wants to join the True Knowledge Society?"


    "Yes," Ocasie said, her expression slightly flustered.


    Shelley glanced at her and, after thinking for a moment, turned to look at Colin with a calm voice,


    "Wizard Sir, are you sure you want to join the True Knowledge Society?"


    "Shelley!" Ocasie quickly interrupted.


    Shelley didn''t pay attention to her and continued to stare at Colin with clear blue eyes,


    "I don''t know what Ocasie has told you, but the True Knowledge Society of Neustadt City has not had a new member join for about ten years."


    As her words fell, Ocasie wilted like a frost-stricken eggplant, hastening to defend,


    "It''s not that exaggerated; it''s just because the Pureblood Families have established their own research associations, siphoning away some wizards who research knowledge."


    "No, it''s not just that," Shelley shook her head, "The addition of new wizards to the True Knowledge Society has been declining since a few hundred years ago. Those research associations established by the Pureblood Families have only accelerated this process."


    "The fundamental reason behind it is that¡ªstudying witchcraft, is too dangerous."


    Ocasie opened her mouth but ultimately didn''t say anything.


    The notion that studying witchcraft, or knowledge in general, is a dangerous endeavor, is now a consensus among all wizards.


    Shelley paused briefly before continuing,


    "Therefore, there are some things I need to make clear to you in advance."


    "First, although there are indeed no constraints after joining the True Knowledge Society, if there is no new witchcraft or knowledge produced within the first two years, membership will be forcibly revoked.


    This means that after joining the True Knowledge Society, regardless of the purpose, one must continue to study witchcraft for at least the first two years, considering the risks involved."


    "Second, the fact that the True Knowledge Society has virtually no constraints also means that it has virtually no benefits.


    All knowledge must be exchanged for points in the True Knowledge Society, and each researcher is only allowed to exchange knowledge one level higher than their own strength."


    Shelley spoke calmly, her gaze steady on Colin, her face expressionless.


    "So, how does one advance their research rank?" Colin asked, meeting her tranquil gaze.


    "Create more than ten new spells of equivalent rank, discover five new pieces of equivalent knowledge, or create three new spells higher than one''s own research rank."


    Shelley answered calmly, as such conditions were challenging even a thousand years ago before the Tainted babbling, and now could be considered harsh.


    "As long as there is a thirty percent difference, it counts as a new spell, and moreover, with talent dwindling in recent years, even if one hasn''t advanced after two years, there are methods to delay expulsion from the society¡­" Ocasie added impulsively to Colin.


    Colin smiled without concern and turned to the white-haired witch, formally saying, "Thank you for your explanation. I understand the risks involved, but I still intend to join the True Knowledge Society."


    After all, the risks of joining the True Knowledge Society are nothing more than the risks of studying knowledge.


    And studying knowledge, for him, has always been an ongoing experience.


    As his Wizard Level increased and his spirit refined, his understanding of the nature of Golden Paper became increasingly clear.


    At first, he thought the knowledge brought by Golden Paper Limit Breaking emerged out of nowhere, but that was only because his spirit had been too weak at the time.

 Chapter 475 - 325 Sincerity Does Not Deceive Me_2

    Now it seemed that the process of "Golden Paper Limit Breaking" was more akin to constantly researching with existing knowledge, then a flash of "Spiritual Light," leading to the successful creation of new witchcraft.


    It was just that Golden Paper compressed this process into an instant and, like an enforced rule, ensured its inevitable success, guaranteeing that the witchcraft after Limit Breaking was bound to be superior to the previous one.


    Colin was not yet able to control or interfere with such a process but could barely perceive it.


    However, no matter what, the witchcraft that emerged from Limit Breaking in Colin''s mind was indistinguishable from witchcraft he had personally researched.


    This also meant that as long as he used Golden Paper to "research" witchcraft, he would not be affected by "Tainted babbling" like other people doing witchcraft research.


    As Colin''s words fell, a look of pleasant surprise appeared on Ocasie''s face.


    Perhaps due to guilt over her initial prejudice, or maybe for some other reason, she hoped from her heart that Colin could become a member of the True Knowledge Society, just like her.


    "Let''s conduct the assessment, Shelley," urged Ocasie, impatiently adjusting her glasses, then paused and added, "Oh, I almost forgot to mention, Mr. Colin is also our School''s ''Golden Feather'' talent!"


    "Right." Shelley showed little reaction, just giving a slight nod before extending her hand to Colin, "Please give me your created witchcraft for the membership assessment."


    "Of course." Colin handed over the neatly bound booklet.


    The following procedure was much like it had been at the General Affairs Castle; Shelley also signed a confidentiality contract and then began to read through the "Steel Temperature Resistance Field" detailing a single Limit Breaking carefully.


    Colin waited patiently.


    Before long, Shelley put down the Crystal Ball and the witchcraft booklet, "It''s indeed a brand-new witchcraft that has not been recorded by the True Knowledge Society." S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just when Colin thought it was all over, Shelley picked up the booklet again and asked:


    "May I ask what was the original research direction you took and why did you choose the form of a composite Force Field?"


    Colin was startled, but quickly recovered and calmly responded:


    "The ''Steel Temperature Resistance Field'' was actually inspired by ''Steel Armor,'' the ''Hope Defense Field,'' and sub-level ''High Temperature Tolerance.'' I wanted to create a witchcraft that combines the advantages of each. A single Force Field obviously couldn''t meet my requirements, so I chose to use the form of a composite Force Field in the end."


    "Hmm." Shelley nodded slightly, her satin-like white hair slightly shaking, the tips brushing her smooth, youthful cheek. After thinking for a moment, she asked, "The temperature resistance structure is not a Force Field; how did it integrate with the protective Force Field?"


    Ocasie looked at Shelley with an admiring expression.


    Not just anyone could be on duty in this library... At least, she couldn''t.


    If Colin was a genius in Wizard cultivation, Shelley was a genius in witchcraft research.


    In fact, if compared, her Talent in witchcraft research was even more exaggerated than Colin''s Talent in cultivation!


    "In fact, the temperature resistance structure is not integrated, but more like an overlay, like wrapping a wooden shield with a layer of iron. Of course, it can also be said to wrap an iron shield with a wooden overlay."


    Colin continued to answer, but he was somewhat astonished in his mind.


    Unlike the previous witch at the General Affairs Castle who had not understood his witchcraft at all, this very young Witch before him understood his witchcraft in such a short time.


    And quite profoundly!


    "Can you be more specific? How were they combined so tightly?" Shelley continued to ask, her expression serious and her pale blue eyes intently fixed on him, filled with curiosity and inquiry.


    Touching his nose, Colin pressed down the slight discomfort of being scrutinized and answered:


    "The Force Field is not dense and smooth..."


    By this time, Ocasie had started to lose track of their conversation.


    Shelley and Colin were back and forth, getting closer as they talked; eventually, she even took out two pens and a stack of manuscript paper and begun sketching and writing with Colin on the spot.


    "The ''Steel Force Field'' shows properties similar to steel because of its unique structure..."


    "The ''Hope Defense Field'' has some resistance to spirit attacks because..."


    Watching this scene, Ocasie felt out of place, becoming an outsider in the library.


    A feeling of defeat crept into her heart while she looked at Colin and Shelley sitting together, and a subtle wave of irritation crossed her mind.


    Thankfully, this irritation did not last long.


    After half an hour, the assessment was over.


    Shelley handed back the booklet to Colin, pausing to say earnestly, "This ''Steel Temperature Resistance Field'' is of a quality that can be considered excellent among the Lower First Rank witchcraft."


    ''A Lower First Rank?'' Ocasie was somewhat surprised; she had thought the witchcraft Colin mentioned he created was just some Zero Level spells.


    After all, she knew Colin had only Advanced to First Rank Wizard a few months ago...


    But then again, it had already been a few months, and creating a single Lower First Rank witchcraft did not seem so extraordinary, maybe he had been researching it since his Apprentice days.


    Just like Shelley beside her, she too had created First Rank Witchcraft during her Apprentice period.


    "So, have I passed the assessment?" Colin said with a smile, not in a hurry to take back the witchcraft booklet.


    "You have," Shelley nodded vigorously, her chin-length white hair swinging, and she continued pushing the booklet forward with her delicate hand, signaling Colin to take it back.

 Chapter 476 - 325 Sincerity Does Not Deceive Me_3

    Colin shook his head, held down one corner of the booklet and pushed it back, "Can this witchcraft be considered one that enhances research level?"


    Shelley shook her head.


    "Then can it be used to exchange for True Knowledge Society points?"


    "Yes."


    "If I can produce three First Rank Witchcrafts that I created myself right now, can I advance from a Zeroth Rank researcher to a First Rank researcher?"


    "Yes."


    Hearing the response he was satisfied with, Colin hesitated no longer. He picked up the paper and pen that Shelley had provided moments before and began to write at a rapid pace.


    His speed as a First Rank Knight made his writing as fast as a printer, with vast swaths of text swiftly spreading across the white manuscript paper.


    Shelley''s previously calm expression gradually showed ripples of emotion, and Ocasie had adjusted her glasses several times, yet she still couldn''t hide the shock on her face!


    Three more First Rank Witchcrafts?


    Colin had only advanced to First Rank Wizard a few months ago¡ªhow had he managed to create three... no! Four First Rank Witchcrafts?!


    But it wasn''t long before Colin had recited the remaining three witchcrafts from memory, and the facts were laid plain before them.


    Ocasie had no choice but to accept the reality, grudgingly cursing in her mind that he was a freak.


    Thinking back, her hope that Colin would join the True Knowledge Society might also have contained a desire to regain some face in her own field of expertise?


    Ocasie felt slightly relieved that she hadn''t prematurely offered Colin any help in researching witchcraft, with weird offers like having an idea for witchcraft that she could share with him...


    Otherwise, she would have undoubtedly wanted to crawl into a hole.


    ...She had to admit, though she was a First Rank researcher in the True Knowledge Society and that represented her excellent talent in witchcraft,


    Compared to the two freaks before her, the gap was just too wide.


    The procedure that followed was the same as before. After Shelley finalized the contract, she began to carefully inspect and inquire. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After a while, she concluded the discussion with Colin, looking at him calmly and said,


    "Congratulations on your promotion to First Rank researcher."


    As she spoke, she seemed ready to hand the witchcraft booklet back to Colin.


    Advancing in research rank didn''t mean that one had to submit the newly created witchcraft to the True Knowledge Society. Like the entry examination, it only had to be confirmed as new witchcraft and created by the person themselves.


    But Colin waved his hand again, asking, "I''d like to know how many points these several witchcrafts can be exchanged for."


    Shelley pondered for a moment before responding, "About eight hundred, though that would need further valuation."


    Colin nodded, then asked, "I want to know how many points are generally needed to exchange knowledge within the True Knowledge Society, such as a First Rank Witchcraft or the Meditation Method."


    Shelley paused, then drew a crystal from the desk drawer and handed it to Colin, "As a First Rank researcher, you can use this crystal to check the exchange prices for all knowledge up to Second Rank."


    Taking the crystal without further conversation, Colin quickly sank his mind into it and within moments, using the search function, he found the information for the Tin Saint Meditation Method Second Rank stage in the vast repository of knowledge.


    He focused his thoughts on the characters following Tin Saint Meditation Method (Second Rank stage) ¡ª


    [1000 points.]


    After seeing this, a surge of delight washed over Colin!


    Councilman Nois did not deceive me!


    Exchanging for the Tin Saint Meditation Method (Second Rank) within the True Knowledge Society was indeed much more cost-effective!


    Merely four witchcrafts had already been able to exchange for over eight hundred points, barely short of the Tin Saint Meditation Method (Second Rank)!


    Before, the old Wizard at the General Affairs Castle had only offered three hundred contribution points for the Steel Temperature Resistance Field, while the School required a full ten thousand contribution points to exchange for the Tin Saint Meditation Method!


    The disparity between the two was so vast it seemed somewhat unreasonable.


    However, considering the difficulty of joining the True Knowledge Society, after careful thought, it didn''t seem unacceptable.


    In fact, what puzzled him even more was¡ª


    How exactly had this so-called True Knowledge Society wrested such significant power away from those Schools?


    With his current understanding, it was a question without an answer.


    So, Colin set it aside; after all, his curiosity was not that strong... Some things were better not known too much about.


    "How should I exchange knowledge?" he continued to inquire.


    "You have to go to the large crystal on the underground floor!" Ocasie finally found an opportunity to interject and eagerly said so.


    Shelley nodded and stood up, holding a thick black book.


    If not for the black Wizard Robe she wore, her appearance cradling the book would be like that of a high school girl from a former life, exuding a tranquil academic charm.


    Shelley walked towards the door while speaking, "Follow me; you still need to pick up the badge for a First Rank researcher first, so you can record and use points."


    "Alright." Colin nodded and followed Shelley out the door, with Ocasie in tow.

 Chapter 477 - 326: Consideration

    Under her guidance, the three of them arrived at the top floor of the ancient castle.


    Ascending the stairs, they were met by a small reception area, flanked by deep corridors connecting approximately seven or eight rooms.


    "Wait here for me for a moment," Shelley said softly before turning and walking into a room at the far end of the corridor.


    Colin watched her receding figure and suddenly thought of something, turning his head to ask Ocasie behind him,


    "Ocasie, am I part of the True Knowledge Society just like that? Isn''t there any evaluation by other members?"


    "No need," Ocasie shook her head, "If it were any other researcher on duty today, perhaps another person''s evaluation might be needed, but as a Third Level researcher, Shelley has such authority."


    Colin slightly raised his eyebrows, then nodded.


    If Shelley''s actual age was close to what her appearance suggested, then she was undoubtedly a prodigy, especially in the field of witchcraft.


    But he wondered about her strength... would it be First or Second Rank?


    Certainly, it couldn''t be Third Rank.


    Third Rank was a significant threshold; anyone who reached it could be called a High Rank Wizard, and if they weren''t intentionally concealing it, it could be directly discerned from their appearance.


    Whereas between a First and Second Rank Wizard, without releasing spiritual power or using detection methods, it was not easy to tell them apart.


    They didn''t have to wait long; Shelley returned carrying a brass badge in the shape of a book. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Here, bind it simultaneously with spirit and Magic Power."


    Colin took the badge and did as told.


    Like the School Badges, the binding process for this brass badge of the True Knowledge Society was essentially the same.


    Though simple, it was extremely reliable.


    Each person''s spirit has a unique fluctuation, and so does Magic Power; combining the two as a basis for verification was very difficult to counterfeit.


    After binding the True Knowledge Society badge, Shelley led him to the nearby reception.


    "Sir, are you sure you want to exchange these spells for True Knowledge Society points?" Shelley confirmed.


    "Yes," Colin nodded, and after a thought, added, "Colin Leonard, just call me Colin."


    "Shelley Anastasi," Shelley simply replied, then bowed her head to carefully estimate the specific point values of the four First Rank witchcrafts in her hand.


    The process took quite a while, about three hours, only concluding after Shelley had compared them with a series of regulations.


    Of course, the reason this took so long was that Colin had brought out a new First Rank witchcraft midway through.


    Ocasie was already numb to this, her expression unchanged as she found a chair to sit down, carefully adjusted her glasses, and took out the topic she was recently researching to read.


    Out of respect and following the instructions of Professor Jonah, she didn''t plan on leaving first.


    Though she very much wished she could.


    In the end, the five witchcrafts together exchanged for 1040 points.


    Watching Shelley record it into the True Knowledge Society badge, Colin exhaled softly, a tide of anticipation rising within him.


    The method for Second Rank training was finally resolved!


    The official name for the large crystal in the basement was actually True Knowledge Library.


    However, calling it the large crystal wasn''t wrong either because from the outside, the True Knowledge Library appeared as a shuttle-shaped Purple Crystal set in the ground amidst a special apparatus.


    Under the misty purple light, Colin, much like previously in his study, quickly located the Tin Saint Meditation Method (Second Rank phase), and after signing the contract, he did not hesitate to choose to exchange!


    As Shelley had directed, he released his spirit, and the purple lights surged like flowing water into the center of his forehead, condensing into an ethereal crystal there.


    This was the Tin Saint Meditation for the Second Rank stage; he could access it with spiritual power until the crystal completely disappeared.


    After exchanging the meditation method, Colin did not rush to leave but continued to check what the remaining 40 points could exchange for.


    However, after a look around, essentially everything exchangeable was either knowledge below First Rank or quite common First Rank witchcraft, like the Burst Fireball.


    True Knowledge Society points were precious, and using them to exchange for such knowledge was naturally not cost-effective.


    This exchange seemed easy, but it was backed by at least half a year of constant effort in the past.


    Colin pondered for a moment, disconnected the spiritual link, and turned to walk outside.


    At the doorway, Shelley, seeing him come out, waved her hand to close the secret chamber door.


    "Any other requirements, Colin¡­ sir?" Shelley hesitated for a moment, not quite used to calling him by his name.


    "No more, thank you," Colin replied politely.


    Shelley didn''t say anything more, nodded, and clutching the thick black book, she went upstairs on her own.


    Colin didn''t mind; he could tell Shelley was indeed not the type who liked socializing.


    "I also thank you, Ocasie, for bringing me into the True Knowledge Society," he turned his head back and continued to thank Ocasie.


    This was a sincere thank you; by now, he no longer cared much about the Witch''s previous bias against him.


    "No... there''s no need for thanks," Ocasie was taken aback for a moment, then straightened her hair by her ear and spoke softly.


    "Are you planning to go anywhere else next, Mr. Colin?" Ocasie asked as the two of them walked side by side to the ground floor.


    "Hmm¡­ I plan to visit my mentor," Colin paused then answered.


    "Does your mentor reside at the School?"


    "Yes."


    Ocasie nodded; she was also heading back to the School, which was on the way.

 Chapter 478 - 326 Consideration_2

    The two walked out of the True Knowledge Society''s residence, and Colin glanced back subconsciously.


    The ancient, grey-black castle, the rough footpath, the broken and dry fountain¡­ Although the True Knowledge Society was indeed powerful in terms of experience, its appearance was truly not up to standard.


    If not for the intact doors and windows, and the lack of significant filth and damage, he would have surely thought it an abandoned building had he come here alone.


    Um¡­ there was also a white-haired witch inside.


    "Is there normally only one person on duty at the True Knowledge Society?" Colin thought about it and asked aloud.


    "Not necessarily," Ocasie shook her head. "It mainly depends on whether someone is conducting experiments here."


    "It seems likely that there is no one today."


    "There are laboratories here?" Colin asked, puzzled.


    "In fact, the two secondary towers on the left and right are laboratories that one can rent based on the relevant research level."


    "The laboratories increase in level from the top down, with a total of twelve First Rank laboratories, six Second Rank, and two Third Rank¡­ and underground there is even a Fourth Rank standard laboratory."


    Colin was rather startled¡ªthe First Rank and Second Rank laboratories weren''t much of a concern, but a Fourth Rank standard laboratory!


    What did a Fourth Rank standard laboratory imply?


    Not to mention what kinds of precious auxiliary research tools should be equipped, just the defenses alone, at the very least, had to be able to withstand Fourth Rank attacks!


    True Knowledge Society truly cannot be judged by its cover!


    However, the words Ocasie said the next second quickly shattered the excitement in his heart.


    "It''s just that most of these laboratories have fallen into disrepair over the years and have largely lost their intended functions; the higher the rank, the more so this is the case."


    "The tools in the Third and Fourth Rank laboratories are almost unusable now, and only two Second Rank laboratories remain intact. For the First Rank laboratories, only half are still in good condition."


    No wonder few wizards come¡­ it turns out they are mostly practically in ruins.


    Colin was somewhat speechless, but to him, whether the laboratories were good or bad didn''t make much difference.


    His method of studying witchcraft was different from ordinary people. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But soon, as if something had occurred to him, Colin asked again:


    "What are the specific prices to rent a laboratory? Is it with points?"


    If renting required points, it wouldn''t be cost-effective, but if one could rent using Magic Stones and the price was reasonable, then it could be highly beneficial to him!


    With Golden Paper, he didn''t need to exhaust a large amount of energy to understand and verify principles like a normal wizard in order to advance his magic power level or create new spells.


    All he needed to do was practice, practice with all his might.


    Other witchcraft might be manageable, but when it came to practicing Attack Witchcraft, it had to be full-force practice.


    As his strength improved, the requirements for his practice environment also grew more demanding.


    Although he had already fortified the basement of his dwelling, each time he casted spells, he was extremely cautious to focus the power on the target as much as possible.


    However, with his current strength, even just the residual effects were beginning to be too much for the basement to handle.


    If he didn''t want to waste a great deal of time every day leaving the city to find a secluded wasteland for practice, then finding a reliable training ground within Neustadt City was becoming increasingly urgent.


    After all, the outskirts of Neustadt were part of the Neustadt Kingdom, and to find a secluded, uninhabited wasteland would take at least a half-day''s flight.


    Now, it seemed the True Knowledge Society''s laboratories might be a good choice¡ªclose to home... and quiet with good privacy.


    The schools of wizardry or other such places established outside were bound to have more wizards than here.


    "Points and Magic Stones are both fine," Ocasie replied. "The price is very cheap, generally it''s a monthly rent. For a First Rank laboratory, the best one is a hundred and fifty Magic Stones a month, the worst one a hundred Magic Stones.


    Those decommissioned laboratories can also be rented, good for experimenting with the power of witchcraft and such, which is quite nice. You can rent per use, 2 Magic Stones each time, or fifty Magic Stones a month."


    The price was not bad; Colin nodded lightly.


    If he wanted more secrecy, maybe he could stagger the rentals, with the decommissioned ones rented for a few days occasionally. This way, he could even reduce some expenses.


    It was already past four in the afternoon.


    The weather had turned a bit gloomy, the warm sunlight from noon had vanished after these few hours, and thick clouds had obscured the blue sky, as if even the heavens had accumulated snow.


    Ocasie and Colin walked side by side, though they maintained at least a meter''s distance between them¡ªthey were, after all, not very familiar with each other.


    Once their previous conversation ended, the atmosphere once again became somewhat awkward. Ocasie adjusted her glasses and thought for a moment before asking:


    "Mr. Colin, do you hail from Neustadt City?"


    "No, I come from a small island in the Southern Sea Domain¡­ cough, from a small kingdom on the south side of the Siya Continent. I was taken to a small island by a wizard from the Southern Sea Domain when I was a child, and became a Wizard Apprentice.


    Later, the island was destroyed by the Divine, so I ended up coming to the Siya Continent¡­"


    Ocasie was momentarily taken aback¡ªshe thought there was nothing about Colin that could surprise her anymore.


    But Colin had such a fantastical personal history; he actually came from a small kingdom without wizards?


    "¡­That must have been very hard," she murmured after a long silence.


    "It was alright."


    "?!" Ocasie pursed her lips and decided to remain silent, no longer attempting to break the awkwardness of the silence.


    But it''s quite mysterious how social interactions between people work.

 Chapter 479 - 326: Consideration_3

    When she no longer tried to alleviate the awkward atmosphere, Ocasie realized that there wasn''t really any awkwardness.


    The two walked the remaining distance in silence, parting ways at the entrance of the School.


    Ocasie returned to Black Castle, while Colin made his way to Atbolde''s residence.


    A building had risen from the ruins of the original villa.


    However, compared to the previous villa, this new structure seemed somewhat rudimentary.


    It was just a single-story wooden house, not covering a large area.


    But when Colin stepped inside, he realized that the interior space was larger than he had imagined.


    There was at least a living room and a study, along with several other rooms.


    Atbolde was aware of his entrance.


    Following Nado''s directions, Colin crossed the living room to the study.


    Pushing open the thick wooden door, he was greeted by the same furnishings as before:


    The hefty brown desk, the massive Force Field floor-to-ceiling window, and the tall bookshelf on the left.


    Everything seemed no different from the second-floor study of the original villa¡­ except for the view outside the window. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Through the transparent Force Field floor-to-ceiling, a swaying field of flowers caught his eye amidst the vast snow.


    Protected by a specialized Protective Shield, they escaped the fate of withering, still blooming brilliantly amidst the icy snowscape.


    "Good afternoon, Mentor," Colin said, turning his attention away from the window to Atbolde seated behind the desk.


    "Good afternoon, Colin, is there something you needed to see me about?" Atbolde asked with a warm smile.


    "Yes," Colin nodded. "I wanted to ask Mentor some questions about advancing to Second Rank."


    Atbolde''s expression remained unchanged as he patiently answered Colin''s inquiries in detail.


    He hadn''t thought that Colin was close to advancing to Second Rank and considered it a routine inquiry.


    After all, Colin had not been an Official Wizard for long and his understanding of Second Rank Wizards was evidently limited.


    About an hour later, the sun began to set and the sky gradually darkened.


    Their conversation was nearly at an end.


    Sitting in the chair, Colin appeared contemplative. He had gained much from their discussion.


    As a Second Rank Wizard, Atbolde could demonstrate many things practically, which was more vivid than any knowledge from books.


    "Have you received the Golden Feather Token?" Atbolde suddenly asked.


    "Yes, I just got it today," Colin snapped back to reality, pulling out his Golden Feather Token and starting to hand it to Atbolde.


    Atbolde waved his hand and looked at the Golden Feather Token, his eyes filled with reminiscence.


    He looked at Colin, whose figure in front of him started to blur, seemingly merging with that of his late son.


    "Mentor Atbolde, it''s getting late, shall I head back now?" Colin asked.


    Atbolde came back to his senses, paused, and nodded,


    "Yes, you should head back. If you have any more doubts, feel free to come find me anytime."


    "Alright, goodbye Mentor."


    Colin slowly stood up and walked towards the door.


    "Colin,"


    Just as he reached the door, Atbolde suddenly called out to him again.


    "After obtaining the Golden Feather Token, numerous Factions within the School will extend their olive branches to you. If there''s one you fancy¡­ I hope you won''t mind me, don''t mind Lillian.


    With your talent, you might advance to Second Rank Wizard in just a few years, and at that point, I won''t be able to assist you much in your wizardly pursuits."


    "Moreover, major Factions have many more benefits, at least... you won''t have to worry about facing another Hidosh Family."


    "However fierce the struggles within the School may be, they are all internal. As long as you''re not backed by a small power, the Golden Feather will be your amulet. You need not worry too much..."


    Perhaps attempting to make up for past regret, Atbolde rambled on for quite a while.


    Colin didn''t say much, just listening quietly. After a long while, he nodded and said in a soft voice:


    "I''ll consider it, Mentor Atbolde."


    The wooden door slowly closed, and Colin stepped out of Atbolde''s place into the deep, dark night.

 Chapter 480 - 327 Curiosity

    The cold wind howled.


    After nightfall, Neustadt City began to experience snowfall once again.


    Before the snow intensified, Colin strode through the gate and into his own courtyard.


    In utter darkness, only the warm yellow light shining through the windows of the mansion was visible, like two lanterns, illuminating the flurry of goose feather-like snow.


    Colin exhaled gently and felt some relaxation wash over him.


    As he moved towards the house, he contemplated in silence.


    The words of Mentor Atbolde did hold some truth.


    When one''s personal ability couldn''t contend with the entire wizardry establishment, adaptation was indeed the better choice.


    Perhaps it was worth considering joining a faction?


    Arriving in the bathroom, and submerging his body in the hot water Renee had just drawn, Colin shook his head inwardly again.


    For him, the problem wasn''t about joining a faction or not.


    It was whether a faction was worth joining.


    What were the benefits of joining? And the drawbacks?


    ...To weigh whether it was worth it or not, one would probably have to wait for the factions to recruit and state their specific terms before deciding.


    It was no use thinking too much about it now.


    Putting the matter aside for the moment, Colin closed his eyes and then remembered another issue¡ª


    That was the matter of advancing to Second Rank.


    With his experiences in the Elf Kingdom and the performances of some predecessors who were geniuses as a guide,


    his rapid advancement from First Rank Junior Wizard to First Rank Advanced Wizard in just a few months, though conspicuous, wasn''t abnormal.


    However, if he were to advance to Second Rank soon thereafter... that would indeed be shocking and defy common norms.


    While there were Second Rank Wizards at the age of twenty, and even younger ones existed,


    these prodigies were not only once-in-a-century occurrences, but almost all of them came from large pureblood families or had the support of powerful High Rank Wizards as relatives, with clear and visible growth trajectories.


    The only exception was one kind¡ªwizards who were extremely lucky to encounter rare adventures.


    Since Wizard Levels were difficult to augment with external aid, such cases were extremely rare, but that precisely highlighted their preciousness.


    Adventures capture the heart...


    Besides, surpassing others by a step is the mark of genius, bringing far greater benefits than drawbacks.


    But if one were to take yet another step forward, the accompanying drawbacks and dangers would rise exponentially...


    Slowly opening his eyes amidst the swirling steam, Colin stood up, revealing a well-defined physique.


    After advancing to First Rank Knight, his build could be described as perfect, with every inch sculpted to perfection.


    The origin of Green Gold Fighting Aura was the sublimation of Blood Energy, free from any interference of Alien Bloodlines, his physique was less a transformation, and more an elevation of the human form.


    Even those wizards who used Bloodline Transformation with Elf Bloodline, which most closely matched human aesthetics, were slightly inferior.


    Clasping his fist, the surging strength emerged as ever, giving Colin a profound sense of reassurance.


    Waving his hand, he used his spiritual power to dry himself off, and donned a soft grey bathrobe, determined.


    Advancing was inevitable, one must not forsake eating for fear of choking.


    He could not, however, disregard the risks entirely¡ªhe needed some concealment.


    Perhaps... acquiring some witchcraft that could disguise his own level was a good choice?


    With Golden Paper at hand, witchcraft was obviously his first option.


    And the Golden Feather Token just happened to bestow upon him the right to select witchcraft suited to his power twice a year.


    ''It seems I will have to visit the School tomorrow.'' Colin mused to himself.


    He had intended to wait until his breakthrough to Second Rank before choosing two Second Rank witchcrafts, but now it appeared that making use of it in advance was the better choice.


    The wind whistled¡ª


    The cold wind outside was still howling incessantly, as if the winter''s night was deeper than in any other season. Many had already laid down early to rest.


    However, for Colin, tonight was yet another sleepless one.


    He stepped into the Meditation Room and sat cross-legged on the warm cushion, slowly closing his eyes.


    It was not for meditation that he concentrated his spiritual power at the center of his brows.


    In an instant, the contents of the Second Rank Stage of the Tin Saint Meditation Method gushed forth like a tide.


    Before visiting Mentor Atbolde, he had already skimmed through it at the door.


    Now, combining the mentor''s answers from the afternoon, he could read fluently; he had also formed a clear concept of the Second Rank Wizard in his mind.


    If becoming a First Rank Wizard was like a Talent Seed breaking through the soil to sprout, opening up a Spirit Sea, and acquiring a True Talent,


    then the Second Rank was about expanding the Spirit Sea on this foundation to gain a second True Talent.


    At the same time, the spirit would undergo a strengthening.


    This enhancement would cause the originally diffuse spirit to consolidate and firm up, making the soul''s form clear and visible.


    If it were an ordinary person without training, their soul would be more like a thin mist, shapeless, and relying on the body to stabilize and endure.


    "The essence of a wizard''s advancement is the continuous growth and sublimation of the spirit..." Colin suddenly thought.


    This was what the instructor from the Lap School had said during a lesson when he had just arrived in this world.


    Any wizard who had received orthodox basic education was aware of this phrase.


    Colin chewed over it carefully; it was a widely circulated phrase that also pointed directly to the essence.


    The so-called spirit is, in fact, the soul, and spiritual power is the soul''s strength.


    Looking back now,


    the essence of True Talent should actually be the strange change that naturally occurs when the soul is strengthened to a certain extent.


    Wizards use Talent Seeds to make this change more controllable and powerful, while also enhancing the soul by opening up the Spirit Sea.


    At this thought, Colin suddenly developed an interest in the Meditation Method¡ª


    How did the wizards of the past come up with the idea to use Talent Seeds to open up the Spirit Sea and furthermore enhance the soul?


    Without Talent Seeds, could one still advance to a First Rank Wizard by continuously strengthening meditation?


    Previously, at the Lap School, even though he received orthodox School Wizard education, it was evidently still lacking compared to Neustadt City.


    The history of wizards, the origins of Meditation Methods, and so forth, all of these were unfamiliar to him.


    However... the pressing matter at hand was still to prepare for advancing to the Second Rank; these curiosities could be satisfied later.


    Colin reined in his thoughts and continued to familiarize himself with the Second Rank Stage of the Tin Saint Meditation Method, preparing for his upcoming breakthrough.


    In his view, advancing to the Second Rank actually seemed simpler than breaking through to be a First Rank Wizard.


    The First Rank was the official beginning of a wizard''s journey; the entire process was like planting a seed in the ground and successfully allowing it to break through the soil and grow into a sapling.


    The Second Rank, on the other hand, was about nurturing the sapling to flourish with branching leaves.


    By comparison, the former appeared to be more challenging.


    However, this did not mean that breaking through to the Second Rank was an easy task.


    Generally speaking, the probability of a First Rank Wizard with ordinary talents successfully breaking through to the Second Rank was only about thirty to forty percent.


    The main difficulty lay in expanding the Spirit Sea.


    The so-called Spirit Sea was, in fact, an extraordinary fictitious structure deep within the soul.


    At this thought, Colin unconsciously touched his lower abdomen.


    There, too, resided an extraordinary organ that carried the Green Gold Fighting Aura.


    "The unknown frightens people... but it also inspires curiosity, even fascination," he murmured to himself while caressing his abdomen, illuminated by the Bright Crystal.


    Removing his hand, once more he familiarized himself with the Second Rank Stage of the Tin Saint Meditation Method. Colin then rose to practice his witchcraft.


    Mainly, he practiced witchcraft like the Steel Temperature Resistance Field and the Deep Red Marking Technique, which were quieter in nature. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Speaking of which, he hadn''t even gotten the chance to examine the Black Mist Net Witchcraft that Atbolde had given him two days earlier, let alone learn it.


    Time... was currently the scarcest and most precious thing.

 Chapter 481 - 328: Rules

    Yanan Calendar, November 28th, morning.


    The howling cold wind that had ravaged all night gradually subsided with the first rays of sunlight in the early morning, leaving the once intact clouds torn to shreds, scattered across rooftops and streets.


    As a result, the sky revealed its true, transparent self, vast and azure, akin to a distant and profound gemstone.


    The weather was cold, and the streets were even more deserted than usual.


    The war to the south persisted, and some of its effects began to gradually reach the far-off Neustadt City.


    Renee had mentioned the rising prices of ingredients several times lately.


    Collecting his thoughts, Colin, in the first-floor reception room, put on a smile to continue entertaining the witch before him.


    The witch had soft golden hair and a youthful face. She introduced herself as a First Rank Junior Wizard from the Dominica family.


    "I already know the intentions of the Dominica family, but I still need to consider it carefully..."


    "That''s alright, Lord Colin, please take your time." The witch said with a demure smile, pushing the gift for her visit towards Colin, her gaze tender, "The Dominica family promises that as long as you are willing to join our family, all terms can still be negotiated."


    The witch wore a white dress, with a loose collar. She had taken off her grey coat and fur collar after entering the house and placed them aside.


    At this moment, as she leaned forward slightly, part of her fair mountainous skin was exposed, a silver necklace swaying in the deep valley, somewhat dazzling.


    "I understand." Colin nodded, his eyes unwavering as he accepted the gift box.


    "In that case, I shall not impose any further, Lord Colin. The Dominica family awaits your good news."


    The witch didn''t seem disheartened, smilingly straightened up, and bid farewell neatly.


    Watching the witch leave, Colin rubbed his brow, his mind not even on checking what the gift from the Dominica family was.


    Just as he treated the earlier visits, he handed it off to Renee to put aside.


    He silently picked up the white paper on the oak coffee table in front of him and examined it carefully.


    After a short while, Colin shook his head and tossed it aside as well.


    The offers from these Pureblood Families varied beyond the basic knowledge of Magic Stones, yet their demands were remarkably similar.


    Contracts starting from at least a hundred years and even two hundred years... although for an Official Wizard with an average lifespan of three hundred years, a century was not too substantial.


    But he had only turned twenty this year! S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then there were demands for marriage and offspring; marrying one womam was the bare minimum. The last Suitor from the Vilongka Family even insisted on having at least three wives.


    Although the idea was to encourage free love and not force any arrangements, the family merely played the role of matchmaker.


    Moreover, the timeframe could be extended to fifty or even seventy to eighty years.


    But this truly was not what he desired.


    More so, even though such a claim was made, who knew how free one could really be once joined with a Pureblood Family; like a lamb in a wolf''s den?


    Colin sighed lightly and leaned back, sinking into the soft sofa.


    In fact, spreading his progeny was not a major concern; he needn''t worry about raising children. What was most unpalatable was the length of the contracts.


    Servitude to the family for at least a century.


    From being a Basic Level Apprentice to where he stood now, on the cusp of advancing to the Second Rank, had only taken him two or three years...


    Knock knock knock¡ª


    "Master, a member of the Rodrick Faction has come to visit."


    Renee''s voice came from outside the door, and Colin exhaled softly, sitting up straight.


    "Let him in."


    In no time, the door to the reception room was gently pushed open, and a mild-tempered middle-aged Wizard walked in. He appeared to be in his thirties, dressed in a black coat, donning a black wide-brimmed hat.


    ''Finally, it''s not a witch.''


    Colin felt a sense of relief without knowing why. Those Pureblood Families, having received some news or other, all sent quite attractive young First Rank witches.


    Regardless of their true age, they all appeared to be girls of no more than seventeen or eighteen years of age...


    "Good day, Lord Colin," the middle-aged Wizard greeted as he took off his hat. "I am Audis from the Rodrick Faction, and I am here to congratulate you on receiving the Golden Feather Token on behalf of our faction."


    Factions within the School were divided into two types, one being the Pureblood Families, and the other was like the Rodrick Faction, established around one or more Half-blood High Rank Wizards.


    Most members of these factions were Half-blood Wizards, clearly weaker than most Pureblood Families.


    Therefore, the benefits offered by the middle-aged Wizard were visibly a notch below those of the previous three Pureblood Families.


    At the same time, the corresponding obligations were fewer, and the minimum contract tenure could be as short as seventy years.


    Unfortunately... seventy years was still too long.


    After seeing off the middle-aged Wizard, Colin gradually made his decision.


    These so-called factions, whether Pureblood or Half-blood, were not a good destination for him.


    The disadvantages far outweighed the benefits... so why tie himself down unnecessarily? It was better not to join at all.


    After all, with the Golden Paper to his name, he believed he could carve out a path even on his own!


    That said, Colin still stayed at home for the rest of the morning, continuing to receive the visitors who came upon hearing the news.


    After all, one should not waste the constant stream of congratulatory gifts.


    And so, from the early morning until the afternoon, more than thirty Wizards had visited in succession!


    It seemed they had agreed among themselves beforehand, as there were few instances of them arriving at the same time, and even if they did, they courteously and quickly determined the order of their visits.

 Chapter 482 - 328 Rules_2

    Throughout the day, Colin''s buttocks had scarcely left the sofa in the reception room.


    He finally gained an intuitive understanding of the complex power relations within the Tin Saint School.


    It was noteworthy that among these thirty-plus wizards, some were from the same faction but supported by different backers.


    "Thank you for the Ausmon family''s congratulations. I will consider it seriously."


    As he stood up to see off the slim Witch from the Ausmon family, the sunset was nearing outside, with the orange sun hanging low in the west, soon to sink below the horizon.


    Colin couldn''t help but rub his face.


    After a day of forced smiles, it felt as though there were even more wrinkles on his face.


    If it weren''t for the recent shortage of Magic Stones...


    Shaking his head, Colin turned, planning to go to the study to check the gifts received that day. However, Renee informed him that another visitor was waiting outside.


    ¡ª A visitor from the Hidosh family.


    "Let her in," Colin struggled for a moment but ultimately couldn''t resist the temptation of the gifts and settled back onto the sofa.


    Soon, the door to the reception room was pushed open, and Colin slightly raised his eyebrows.


    This time from the Hidosh family was not the gentle and mature witch as before but a young Witch with a golden ponytail and a broad chest.


    The Witch''s appearance was lovely, her slim waist accentuated by her broad chest, making her look even more delicate.


    However, after a day of continuous temptations by the beauty of the Pureblood families, Colin, who was already of modest desires, didn''t even have the interest to look twice. He just wanted to end the meeting swiftly and accept the gifts.


    As usual, there were pleasantries, and although he was weary inside, his outward demeanor remained flawless.


    After a moment, the Witch initiated the main topic.


    "Lord Colin, my family sent me to not only congratulate you on officially obtaining the Golden Feather Token but also to inquire about your thoughts on the previous invitation from our family?"


    The Witch''s smile was sweet, and her disposition inviting, but Colin had no interest in appreciating it and, after a moment of silent deliberation, he cautiously said, Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The conditions offered by the Hidosh family are truly tempting, perhaps one of the most generous among my school''s factions." Colin''s tone was sincere, but then he shook his head as he continued,


    "But I''ve always enjoyed freedom since I was young and do not plan to join a faction. I only intend to remain stable within the school and cultivate slowly."


    The smile on the Witch''s face paused briefly, then she asked, puzzled, "Does this mean, Lord Colin, that you do not intend to join any faction?"


    The Witch was somewhat incredulous, recalling Colin''s previous conflicts with her family, she suspected this might be an excuse.


    "Yes," Colin nodded, noticing her skepticism and added, "I do not decline to join the Hidosh family because of those conflicts, but rather because I truly dislike being constrained."


    This statement was half-true¡ªafter the Hidosh family had severely punished those wizards, his resentments had largely dissipated.


    But if he had to join a faction, he would never consider the Hidosh family.


    He was not so forgiving.


    The sea of flowers created by Marjorie, his senior, still bloomed next to the windows of his mentor''s study.


    Although those involved in the attempted assassination of his mentor and later the Black Castle Inspectors had received their due punishments,


    he still had a gut feeling that there might have been another collaborator behind Yasi.


    Considering Yasi''s unfavorable position within the Hidosh family, it was highly unlikely he could persuade a manager with real power over the Witch Array to assist him in assassinating Atbolde.


    This suspicion had always been in his mind, but Colin knew it was no small concession for the Hidosh family to make such an offer.


    And even if spoken out loud, there was a greater likelihood that nothing would come of it without evidence.


    The surprised witch confirmed several times before leaving with a shocked demeanor, her steps hurried, probably planning to report back as soon as possible.


    Colin stood by the window facing the courtyard, watching as the Witch swayed away until she faded from view, then he turned to glance toward the horizon.


    The orange sunset had mostly sunk, and the night''s black-blue hues descended visibly.


    A subtle worry flickered in Colin''s eyes, but it was fleeting and soon vanished, leaving behind calmness.


    Refusing to join a faction was an inevitable choice, and he would not regret it.


    After all, the prospect of a decades-long binding contract was unbearable; had he signed in a moment of folly, his regret would have been even greater.


    There were precedents within the school¡ªthough few, wizards who never joined a faction had always existed.


    In the Tin Saint School, apprentices'' mentors were usually First Rank Wizards, so once they advanced to Official Wizards, they were no longer under their original mentors.


    At that point, they usually had two choices.


    The first was to remain within their original faction and possibly be taken on by an Advanced Wizard as a student if their Talent and luck were good.


    The second was to choose to leave the faction, becoming an independent Wizard within the school, only bound by the school''s annual mandatory tasks and some enforced conscriptions.


    The drawback was that they had to earn all of their resources independently.


    ''But freedom is more precious.''


    Night had fully fallen. Colin smiled, turned, and went back inside to tally the gifts he received that day.


    ¡­


    Deep within the Tin Saint School.


    In the area belonging to the Hidosh family, inside a study.

 Chapter 483 - 328: Rules_3

    "You''re saying this new Golden Feather talent doesn''t want to join any Faction?" the tall middle-aged man asked calmly from behind the desk.


    "Yes," the Witch nodded.


    "Are you sure it''s not an excuse? Yasi did have a conflict with him before."


    "It shouldn''t be, Colin emphasized that he no longer cares," the Witch pondered.


    "Is that so..." the middle-aged man replied in an indecipherable tone, then laughed and said, "Hatred isn''t so easily let go."


    The Witch''s expression changed slightly, but then she heard the middle-aged man continue,


    "However, it doesn''t matter, just a First Rank Golden Feather talent who hasn''t grown yet.


    Who knows how many years it will take him to advance to the Second Rank, let alone cross the threshold of Third Rank¡ªit''s unthinkable without decades!"


    The Witch nodded in agreement, but felt somewhat disappointed inside.


    Colin, as Sister Shaman had said, was indeed handsome. If it weren''t for the lack of pointed ears, she would have suspected Colin was a hidden High-Level Elf.


    Despite that, she even thought Colin was more pleasing to the eye than those High-Level Elves, less delicate and with a perfectly adequate masculine air.


    So handsome, and a Golden Feather talent... it really made her heart flutter, even though the Family wouldn''t allow her to have him to herself, she was still willing.


    It''s a pity he was unmoved by her hints and not planning to join any Faction, it seemed there was no chance.


    "Yulaya, continue to keep in touch with Colin, just don''t rush it, and don''t do it too frequently, handle it like making a friend,"


    The middle-aged man suddenly spoke again, he slowly stood up, looking out the window with a distant, profound gaze:


    "This Golden Feather talent will sooner or later realize that only by joining a Faction can he stop worrying about resources and free himself from trivial matters, so as not to waste the talent bestowed upon him by heaven!"


    "Of course, when the Family provides conditions for him to practice, it is only right for him to serve the Family in return, those are also more meaningful actions."


    "This is a win-win choice, he will understand..."


    "Yes."


    Yulaya nodded in agreement, not finding anything wrong with the middle-aged man''s words. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But these words actually depend on the actual situation.


    For some wizards who find it hard to gather resources on their own, or for whom gathering resources takes up most of their effort, this indeed is a win-win.


    But for most Golden Feather talents, this is actually a loss.


    After all, being in a School does not mean there are no channels; gathering resources is not that difficult, like the Second Rank Meditation Method Colin wanted to obtain before.


    As long as he persisted in doing School tasks, he could gather enough points in two to three years, and trade even faster with Witchcraft.


    This was obviously a far cry from the century-long contracts typically offered by Pureblood Families.


    Of course, the Second Rank Meditation Room is just part of the resources, but Pureblood Families could only support up to Third Rank for free; beyond that, even Golden Feather talents must divide resources according to the rules.


    It is impossible to gain eternally; these gifts had their prices secretly marked.


    After Yulaya left, the middle-aged man pondered for a moment, then also stepped out.


    He intended to ask familiar Families whether this Golden Feather talent had also rejected their olive branches.


    If so, then they would have to proceed by the rules...

 Chapter 484 - 329: Follow the Procedure

    Time flowed like water, and a week quietly passed by.


    After expressing his refusal to the Hidosh family that day, Colin successively turned down the other factions that came to him.


    Many factions thought it was an excuse and continued to send people several times, only to accept his reasoning in astonishment after Colin''s firm rejections.


    Those who went against the mainstream always attracted attention, a fact well-known to Colin.


    Therefore, he wasn''t surprised by the factions'' reactions; he simply kept to himself, proceeding methodically with his usual affairs... responding unchangingly to the myriad of changes.


    However, to his surprise, there were no unusual movements from the factions; it seemed that this small tempest had blown over.


    December 6th, the weather was clear.


    Inside a first-level laboratory of the True Knowledge Society.


    Rustling noises akin to the slithering of snakes and insects echoed, yet were securely isolated by the thick, windowless walls.


    A faint black light glowed within, where a figure flickered in and out of visibility.


    After a long while, the dark light shattered, the rustling noise suddenly dissipated, replaced by a sigh.


    "It seems that to ascertain the real effect of Black Mist Net Witchcraft, one must use actual materials," Colin murmured softly.


    The so-called actual materials were indeed living people. Knights were a priority, followed by wizards, with those dual-trained as both being the best.


    Merely from this aspect, the Black Mist Net was indeed sinister.


    But witchcraft knew no good or bad; a cleaver too could be a tool for saving lives.


    Thus, Colin wasn''t overly concerned, just slightly troubled about how to find suitable casting materials when the time came.


    Fortunately, although sinister, the Black Mist Net was still a standard flesh-and-blood witchcraft, not the chaotic Black Witchcraft, containing chapters specifically discussing the substitution of animals for practice.


    Although eventually, humans would still be needed as materials to truly unleash its potential, his current progress did not necessitate too much worry.


    Lately, Colin''s main focus had still been on two witchcraft techniques for disguising presences, obtained via the Golden Feather Token a few days ago.


    One was called Spirit Fog and the other Hayden''s Pseudo Ability, both top-tier first-rank techniques for hiding one''s presence, just with different emphases.


    Spirit Fog leaned towards concealing mental presence, while Hayden''s Pseudo Ability mainly revolved around disguising the fluctuations of different Magic Power strengths.


    Combining these two to offset their weaknesses, Colin felt that deceiving the detection of an ordinary second-rank wizard was surely a done deal.


    As for eluding a third-rank wizard''s inspection, he was confident, but it still remained to be seen until the time of Limit Breaking came.


    If he could trick a third-rank wizard by then, that would suffice for most situations.


    After all, he had seen only a handful of high-rank wizards by now.


    Moreover, a high-rank wizard wouldn''t casually deploy Detection Magic on him, a mere openly first-rank novice wizard...


    Thinking this, Colin felt a surge of motivation, beginning to earnestly practice Spirit Fog and Hayden''s Pseudo Ability alternately.


    When these two witchcraft techniques broke the limit, it would be his time to advance to a second-rank wizard!


    And so, when the pocket watch in his pocket pointed to 11:30, lunchtime, Colin finally stopped.


    Taking out the lunch Renee had prepared from his Storage Ring, he slightly warmed it in his palm before setting it on the experimental table beside him, and began to eat heartily.


    Logically, as a first-rank wizard, he could go without food for five to seven days without any issues¡ªindeed, he had done so before.


    But after advancing to a first-rank knight, things became somewhat different.


    Although technically, after reaching a first-rank knight, his endurance to hunger was actually stronger than that of a typical first-rank wizard.


    If he didn''t engage in intense activities, going without food or drink for a month was not problematic.


    After all, Fighting Aura was a sublimation of Blood Energy, Life Energy, more capable of sustaining the vitality of the body than Magic Power.


    But this was under the condition of not undergoing intense training.


    In reality, the daily intense knight training forced Colin to eat at least two meals a day to maintain the efficiency of his practice.


    Just like building muscle in his previous life; without enough energy intake, strictly speaking, the growth of his Fighting Aura was impossible.


    Although with Golden Paper, as long as he practiced, he could unreasonably increase his limit.


    But Golden Paper only ensured a baseline.


    To enhance quickly, he still had to adhere to natural laws.


    After all, unlike Magic Power, which could be transformed from the omnipresent Magic Energy in the environment,


    Fighting Aura was Life Energy, needed to be extracted from the body, and the way human bodies acquired energy was through eating.


    This perhaps was also a major limiting factor in the development of knights.


    While eating the roast chicken in his bowl, Colin subconsciously glanced at the door, silently counting down in his mind.


    ''Three, two, one.''


    Hiss. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The red crystal above the door, indicating a visitor, suddenly and quietly lit up¡ªthis was a special design to avoid disturbing the wizards in the lab.


    Colin, unsurprised, waved his hand and opened the wide door of the laboratory.


    A calm witch with snow-white hair, clad in a black robe, entered.


    She was not tall, but her proportions were extremely harmonious and natural, and the loose black robe could not conceal her graceful figure.


    "Good afternoon, Shelley," Colin called out, not getting up from behind the experimental table.


    "Good afternoon," Shelley replied softly.


    Her face wasn''t very expressive, but her naturally exquisite beauty was undeniable, delicate like a doll.


    "Yesterday, we were discussing the unique fluctuating properties of spirit particles," Shelley said as soon as she sat down, cutting straight to the chase without any small talk or pleasantries.

 Chapter 485 - 329 Methodical Progress_2

    Colin had become accustomed to Shelley''s style; he swallowed the chicken in his mouth and began to reply.


    A week ago, after dealing with visitors from the Faction, he visited the True Knowledge Society again and chose to rent a laboratory for practice.


    Shelley was on duty that day as well; she asked some questions about a Limit Breaking Steel Temperature Resistance Force Field.


    Colin answered truthfully without concealment, but due to time constraints, they couldn''t discuss thoroughly, so they agreed to continue the next day at noon.


    At first, their discussions were only about the spells Colin had previously exchanged for points, but gradually, their scope expanded.


    Now, without realizing it, they were discussing the knowledge of Spirit Particles related to the recent practice of the Spirit Fog.


    Colin bit into a chicken leg and continued exchanging ideas with Shelley.


    Initially, he hadn''t been accustomed to this, but later, to save time, he didn''t mind it.


    He had even invited Shelley to join him for a meal, but it seemed she had undergone some special body Transformation Technique and didn''t need to eat as often as he did.


    So now, each day Shelley watched him eat while discussing issues related to witchcraft.


    Over these days, Colin had been astounded by Shelley''s accomplishments in the field of witchcraft.


    Take the Limit Breaking Steel Temperature Resistance Force Field, for example. After several exchanges of ideas, he often needed to think for a long time before he could continue the discussion with her.


    He had already mastered the second Limit Breaking of the Steel Temperature Resistance Force Field.


    The first Limit Breaking of the Steel Temperature Resistance Force Field was now fully within his grasp, even including its higher-level extensions.


    Still, Shelley could discuss it back and forth with him, sometimes even providing subtle insights that led to profound revelations.


    This was reflected in the Golden Paper and was similar to when he first watched her manuscripts in the Neustadt laboratory. Not only had his witchcraft progressed, but the upper limit of his Limit Breaking seemed to have slightly increased as well.


    This was one of the reasons why he was willing to spend an hour each day exchanging ideas with Shelley.


    Click-clack.


    The clock hands spun rapidly, and soon it was 12:30.


    "...so, to me, the nature of Spirit Particles seems somewhat similar to the Spirit Fog."


    After finishing that sentence, Shelley stopped abruptly, ready to stand up and leave, planning to return the next day.


    "Indeed, it does resemble the Spirit Fog... The Wizard who created this spell named it Spirit Fog; perhaps that''s part of the reason," Colin pondered silently.


    Shelley had gotten halfway up, as if she thought of something, and sat back down to continue:


    "I''ve checked in the True Knowledge Library for you, and there isn''t a Third Rank Tin Saint Meditation Method."


    Colin looked up, slightly startled and sighed somewhat disappointedly,


    "That''s... unfortunate."


    "There used to be one, but about three hundred years ago, the True Knowledge Society was targeted in an attack.


    The attackers were powerful, deeply familiar with the True Knowledge Society, and had a clear objective; they headed straight for the True Knowledge Library, causing heavy losses to its contents, almost half was lost."


    "Were the attackers caught?" Colin instinctively asked.


    "No, they were like ghosts; nobody knew their real identities, and in the end, the matter was left unresolved."


    Shelley''s expression was calm, showing no emotion.


    Colin fell silent, his mind filled with suspicions, but he ultimately refrained from speaking.


    After watching Shelley leave, he continued practicing witchcraft.


    He practiced until the night deepened, around 11 p.m., before leaving the laboratory and heading home.


    As he passed by the First Rank laboratory next door, its indicator crystal was still lit.


    "Such diligence..." Colin silently noted with admiration.


    Shelley was the user of the neighboring laboratory. Since her shift ended five days ago, she was almost always in the laboratory.


    Every morning when he arrived, the crystal outside that laboratory was lit, and the same was true when he left.


    After returning home and finishing the second meal that Renee had carefully prepared, Colin continued to the Meditation Room to begin his nightly meditation.


    According to the current progress, after tonight, he would reach the limit of the First Rank Wizard Level. Then, only waiting for the breakthrough in Disguise Magic would he be ready to advance.


    The following day, as the sky turned a dim gray, Colin rose from the soft expanse of his grand bed.


    Now he required only about three to four hours of sleep each night to fully replenish his energy.


    He pushed open the door and stepped out onto the balcony, where a thick mist blanketed everything in sight.


    "The weather isn''t very good..." Colin silently thought, before turning around to head downstairs.


    "Good morning, Colin! Will Bobi come today?" Nasi immediately hollered as soon as she saw him descending the stairs. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She perched on Colin''s shoulder and affectionately nestled against his neck.


    The Flower Elf needed sleep too, and with Colin leaving early and returning late these days, Nasi could only see him in the morning.


    "I''m not sure, but the weather isn''t very good today," Colin said with a smile.


    Speaking of which, it was quite interesting how Nasi and Lillian''s little elf, Bobi, didn''t get along when they first met.


    Now, they seemed to have become very good friends.


    At least, ever since Sister Lillian''s last visit, she often came by, saying that Bobi wanted to play with Nasi.


    "I see..." Nasi sounded a bit disappointed, then turned her head and called out to Demi not far away, "Master says the weather''s bad today, so Bobi probably won''t come!"


    Colin couldn''t help but laugh. "I only said the weather was bad, I''m not sure if Bobi will come or not."


    "Good morning, Master." Demi trotted over, stopping in front of him to quietly greet him with a morning wish.


    "Good morning," Colin reached out to pat Demi''s head and then asked, "Have you been practicing the Breathing Skill I taught you properly?"


    "Yes, I practice it every day," Demi nodded vigorously, then added, "Sister does it too, she practices with me every day."


    "Mhm," Colin smiled. By this time, he had reached the doorway of his study, so he said to Nasi, "Off you go, have fun."


    Nasi nodded and flew onto Demi''s back.


    "If Bobi doesn''t come today, we''ll build a snowman first, and have a snowball fight tomorrow..."


    Demi walked away with Nasi, moving as gracefully as a young fallow deer.


    Colin nodded in satisfaction.


    Previously, the Renee sisters had been forcibly elevated to just above Advanced Knights and just below Great Knights through the Blood Pattern Transformation Skill.


    Their strength was quite decent among mortals.


    However, aside from being unable to further improve their Knight capabilities through their own effort, their lifespan also suffered when compared to normally trained Knights.


    Forget about the 150 years of a Great Knight, even reaching the typical lifespan of 90 for most Advanced Knights was somewhat out of reach for them.


    Colin had actually been concerned about this for a long time.


    He had intended, when he had some free time, to attempt the Limit Breaking Blood Pattern Transformation Skill to break this limitation.


    But after advancing to First Rank Knight, Colin was surprised to find he could activate the semi-formed Life Seed within the Renee sisters induced by the Blood Pattern Transformation Skill, allowing them to regain the ability to improve through training.


    In the past few days, he found the time to do this, and taught the sisters the Yi Guang Breathing Skill for Limit Breaking, hoping they could break through to become Great Knights.


    Colin walked into the study and began to handle miscellaneous matters.


    From getting up in the morning until about nine o''clock was his fixed time at home to deal with such things.


    Even though he had a narrow social circle, aside from training, there were still some things that had to be done.


    Such as¡ªreading the daily announcements from the Supreme Council, along with some newspapers from Neustadt City.


    Recently, the war situation by the Sea Domain seemed to have entered a relatively calm phase, with constant minor conflicts occurring, but a major clash hadn''t happened for quite some time.


    Knock, knock, knock¡ª


    Not long after, as was routine, Renee knocked on the study door and entered with a steaming cup of tea.


    Colin now ate only two meals a day and didn''t have breakfast, but Renee would still make him a cup of tea.


    If there were some matters at home requiring Colin''s decision, she would typically report them at this time, like now:


    "Master, I have something to report to you," Renee said respectfully after putting down the tea:


    "Our rent has gone up, it was someone from your School who came by yesterday to notify us."


    "Also, Lady Lillian has come to visit today, she just arrived and is currently in the living room."

 Chapter 486 - 330: Nonstop

    Behind the brown desk, Colin slowly put down the newspaper in his hands, his brows slightly furrowed as he looked at Renee and asked,


    "The rent has increased... How much?"


    "It''s gone from seven hundred Magic Stones to two thousand," Renee replied, her face also showing distress, "They said it''s because you, master, Advanced to First Rank, and are no longer a Wizard Apprentice, so you can no longer enjoy the exclusive discount for apprentice housing."


    Colin''s brow remained furrowed, it''s curious how the rent didn''t increase sooner, but chose to do so several months after he had Advanced to a First Rank Wizard¡­


    After pondering for a moment, Colin sighed, put the matter aside, and got up to go downstairs to the living room.


    "Good morning," Lillian greeted him with a smile.


    Today she was wearing a white pleated dress, with black tights that shaped her slender calves and black leather shoes on her feet.


    Her fur coat was hanging on the coat rack beside her.


    Due to her petite stature, she sat on the sofa with her feet off the ground, looking like an exquisite doll.


    "Good morning," Colin hid his troubled expression and asked with a smile as he sat down on the sofa opposite Lillian, "Did Bobi go to play with Nasi and the others?"


    Lillian nodded and stroked her hair, her little feet swinging as she explained, "Bobi insisted on coming early in the morning and made quite a fuss."


    "That''s okay, the older apprentice can come over whenever she wants," Colin chuckled, having grown accustomed to Lillian coming over most mornings.


    Before he left at nine, the two usually chatted for a while.


    Just like his daily exchange of knowledge with Shelley at noon, it had become part of his routine.


    ''However... Lillian as an older apprentice sure does spoil Bobi, accompanying her each time she comes over.''


    Colin paused then added, "If the older apprentice doesn''t have time during the weekdays to bring Bobi over, you could let Renee go pick her up. With the School''s badge, it should be safe."


    Lillian was different from him; her family did not have any servants, so he asked her this additional question.


    Lillian''s swinging feet momentarily stilled, but she did not reply. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She just looked up at Colin and continued, "I will have to leave Neustadt City for a while in a few days, so I won''t be able to bring Bobi over to play for some time."


    Colin put down his cup of tea and asked, "Are you going out to do a School mission?"


    Lillian nodded, "After this mission, I''ll have enough School Contribution Points."


    She glanced at Colin, hesitated, then asked,


    "How are you doing on your end? Once I finish this mission, if I successfully Advance to Second Rank, I could join you in taking on Second Rank School missions. Within three to five months at most, I could help you gather enough contribution points to exchange for the Meditation Method."


    With Colin''s abilities, he could easily be considered a Wizard that had just entered Second Rank.


    Once she Advanced to a Second Rank Wizard, solving some of the School''s Second Rank missions should not be a problem.


    A warmth filled Colin''s heart, but he shook his head, "I''ve joined the True Knowledge Society, they also offer the exchange for the Second Rank Tin Saint Meditation Method.


    Moreover, compared to the School, they offer higher prices for witchcraft. Hmm... I created several spells in the past, and after exchanging them, I''m just a few points away from earning the Second Rank Tin Saint Meditation Method."


    Lillian seemed surprised, but she quickly regained her composure.


    The entrance exams for the True Knowledge Society were difficult, but for the prodigious junior sitting in front of her, such challenges were likely a piece of cake.


    She looked at Colin, swung her feet, and felt a touch of regret.


    Colin was advancing too rapidly, and now it seemed she had little left to offer him.


    "How have you been lately?" Lillian shifted the topic and made small talk.


    "Just following the routine," Colin replied. After a pause, he added, "The School just raised my rent yesterday, which is somewhat troubling."


    Lillian was stunned for a moment, and after a moment''s realization, she finally understood, "Did they raise your rent because you Advanced to a First Rank Wizard?"


    "That''s what the School is saying."


    Lillian slightly nodded, a hint of understanding flashing in her eyes as she softly asked, "So you still haven''t chosen to join another Faction?"


    "Mm-hmm," Colin nodded and explained, "Mainly because I can''t accept the long contract duration."


    "The contract duration is that lengthy?" Lillian asked with some confusion, raising her head.


    "Generally around a hundred years."


    Colin thought and added, "I''m not even twenty years old yet; a century is too long for me right now, and I wouldn''t like to be bound like that."


    Lillian fell silent for a moment before she suddenly said, "Do you know why your rent suddenly went up now?"


    "I''ve figured it out," Colin''s expression became collected as he calmly said, "It''s because I declined all of the Factions."


    He had realized it while descending the stairs: the rent increase was undoubtedly connected to that decision.


    "That''s correct," Lillian affirmed and continued, "But all of this is in accordance with rules."


    "The School''s rules definitely specify that housing subsidies can only be applied for by Wizard Apprentices, just like the monthly Magic Stone allowance.


    However, most of these properties are actually controlled by the various large Factions and Families."


    Lillian stopped there, but Colin understood.


    This so-called rent increase, though it followed the School''s regulations, the actual execution in fact depended on the Factions and Families managing the properties.


    They could choose to be strict or choose to overlook it.


    Colin was at peace with himself.


    Since he had chosen this path, such trivial hardships were not enough to shake his resolve.

 Chapter 487 - 330 Relentless Progress_2

    Lillian saw his silence, and after pondering for a moment, she sincerely advised,


    "If you can integrate into a Pureblood Family, a hundred years of effort is actually not too much for you... A Wandering Wizard within the School doesn''t have an easy life, and it''s not much different from those Wandering Wizards outside."


    These were the heartfelt words of Lillian. As a mixed-blood of an Alien Race, which was the least welcome among Wizards, the ordeal she faced was far beyond what a mere increase in rent could compare to.


    Colin gripped the teacup in his hand and didn''t know what to say for a moment.


    With Golden Paper in his possession, he firmly believed that choosing this path was the faster and better option.


    If there were any difficulties or dangers, he would simply flatten them one after another.


    However, it was clear that Golden Paper was not something to be revealed easily.


    "How much is the monthly rent for Senior Lillian''s residence?" he thought and shifted the topic of conversation.


    Lillian stroked her hair and shook her head, "My house is the remaining property of the Rudolph Family, so there''s no rent to pay."


    "I see¡­" Colin was slightly startled and had a wry smile in his heart.


    A lean camel is still bigger than a horse, and although the Rudolph Family was down on its luck, it was still a family with a thousand-year heritage, which was indeed a bit better than him.


    "Are you in great need of Magic Stones?" Lillian asked, "I remember putting you in contact with Betty before. Are you still selling Magic Potions to her?"


    "Not anymore." Colin shook his head and then smiled again, adding, "But I''m not in need of Magic Stones at the moment."


    Selling Magic Potions during his Apprentice period accounted for a considerable income, but now it was just a drop in the bucket for him.


    "Got it." Lillian nodded, then looked at him earnestly and said, "If you need help, feel free to come to me and my mentor."


    Colin gazed at her earnest little face and nodded slowly, "I will."


    The two then chatted idly for a while.


    At nine o''clock in the morning, Colin promptly left his home.


    But this time he didn''t head straight to the True Knowledge Society, instead, he first went to the School.


    An hour later, in the General Affairs Castle on the third floor.


    "So the recent supply of human materials has all been reserved, is that right?" Colin calmly asked the Wizard in front of the counter.


    "Yes." The Wizard nodded, his face was gentle with a hint of helplessness as he replied, "The Supreme Council has always been strict with the review of human materials, and they are reserved early on every time... Would you like to come back in a month or two to check again?"


    "Thank you." Colin shook his head inwardly and left briskly.


    After he had left, the genteel expression on the Wizard''s face at the counter immediately retracted, and he mocked to himself as he shook his head,


    "I don''t know where this newly Advanced Wizard came from, not even understanding the rules and not joining any Faction, coming here directly to apply for materials. Does he really think he can get an approval that easily?"


    The resources provided by the School seemed to be available for everyone to apply for fairly, but in reality, most of them were already divided in the shadows, especially for sought-after items like human materials, which were out of reach for ordinary Wizards!


    However, having said that, he had still greeted Colin with a smile earlier.


    There was no other reason¡ªfollowing the rules was always the safest bet.


    Moreover, there was no benefit in making an enemy of Colin, so why bother?


    Leaving the General Affairs Castle, Colin took a deep breath, and the cold winter air filled his lungs, lifting the slight gloominess in his spirits.


    He knew the excuse given by the Wizard at the counter was just a pretext, but he couldn''t refute it openly.


    These were the rules, rules set by Pureblood Families and Factions working together.


    But that was just the extent of the impact on him... There were still broad paths for him to tread.


    Colin''s face remained calm as he stepped out of the School and walked purposefully.


    ...


    Half an hour later, in Merredith City.


    With the light from the Transmission Array flickering, Colin''s figure slowly emerged amidst the crowd.


    Another half hour passed, and he arrived at the entrance of an auction house.


    The large sign above the door read "Thundercloud Auction House."


    Colin stepped inside.


    Most of the gifts previously given to him by the Factions had been consigned here for auction.


    Now that a week had passed, most of the auction items should have been sold, and today was a good day to collect the Magic Stones.


    After all, the items being sold were gifts from the Factions; selling them directly in Neustadt City might cause unnecessary trouble if recognized.


    Being in a phase of keeping a low profile and developing, it was better to be cautious.


    "Sir, please check, after deducting the commission, a total of 46,750 Magic Stones," the plump Steward respectfully offered the Magic Stones to him.


    "Do you have a detailed list of the auction prices?" Colin took the Magic Stones and asked.


    "Yes, of course." Facing a First Rank Wizard, the Steward dared not neglect his duty and quickly had someone copy a record to bring over.


    Colin carefully examined the bill and felt some relief in his heart.


    Over forty thousand Magic Stones in income, almost exactly what he had previously estimated.


    Even if there was a discrepancy, it was at most a hundred Magic Stones, not worth fussing over.


    ''Those damned Pureblood Wizard Families and Factions really are filthy rich.''


    Without saying anything more, Colin tallied up the Magic Stones, turned on his heel, and left swiftly.


    He traveled non-stop and arrived back at Neustadt City just shy of one o''clock in the afternoon.


    He did not rush home, instead heading straight to the School to pay his rent.


    A total of eight thousand six hundred Magic Stones were spent.


    The rent for the School was paid quarterly, requiring a payment of three months'' worth, totaling six thousand.


    The remaining two thousand six hundred was to cover the overdue difference since his Advancement to First Rank.


    In fact, it had been over three months since he Advanced to First Rank, but the Wizard in charge had ''generously'' only billed him for two months. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With this, adding to the Magic Stones he previously had on hand, his current assets were just over forty thousand Magic Stones.


    ... Not a very auspicious number.


    Colin sighed softly, but soon perked up again.


    If there was something in this world that made a lot of money and was a perfect fit for him, it was undoubtedly selling witchcraft knowledge.


    But selling witchcraft knowledge was not that easy.


    Zeroth Rank witchcraft was too low in value, and he did not have the ability, or rather, the qualifications to sell it on a large scale ¨C the bookshops were backed by Schools, or at the very least, by powerful Pureblood Families.


    Therefore, unless something unexpected occurred, his only option would be to sell his witchcraft knowledge in an exclusive deal.


    This was a one-time transaction, not very profitable, but still doable.


    To earn Magic Stones efficiently, he had to look at witchcraft beyond Zeroth Rank.


    However, once witchcraft reached First Rank, in order to sell it widely, one had to apply to the Supreme Council, along with a variety of other restrictions.


    And witchcraft of even higher levels was not permitted to circulate in the market.


    Therefore, regular shops simply did not buy higher-level witchcraft; after all, they could not sell them.


    When it came to selling formal witchcraft, finding a buyer was the tricky part.


    However, Colin now had some leads.


    Yanan Calendar December 7th, the weather was severe.


    Yesterday''s winter fog had turned into a howling blizzard today.


    Lillian did not come this morning, perhaps due to the atrocious weather or maybe because she was preparing for a School mission.


    Nine o''clock in the morning.


    Colin braved the storm with a Steel Temperature Resistance Force Field, undeterred on his way to the True Knowledge Society laboratory.


    In his previous life, with weather like this, it would have been impossible to venture outside, but in this world of self-commanded powers, it was clearly not the case.


    Passing by Shelley''s laboratory, the crystal outside was still glowing.


    He hesitated for a moment but suppressed the urge to knock and entered his rented laboratory instead.


    No rush for the time being...


    The morning passed, and the Spirit Fog on the Golden Paper and the behind-the-scenes progress of Hayden''s Pseudo Ability each advanced a bit more.


    Colin smiled slightly; judging by the current progress, in at most two months, these two First Rank Advanced witchcrafts could be practiced to their limits by him.


    Hisss.


    The red crystal at the door suddenly lit up.


    Colin subdued his emotions, took out his lunch, and waved to open the door.


    "Good afternoon, Shelley."


    "Good afternoon."


    The same exchange as always, but Shelley paused for a few seconds, and, out of character, added, "Why didn''t you come yesterday?"


    "...I had some matters to deal with," Colin paused before replying.


    "Hmm." Shelley nodded slightly, not probing any deeper, ready to continue the topic from the day before yesterday.


    But Colin was one step ahead, asking:


    "Miss Shelley, any progress with the matter I asked you about before?"


    "Yes." Shelley nodded lightly, "There has indeed been a request for a commissioned spellwork recently."

 Chapter 488 - 331: Investigation

    Custom witchcraft was indeed one of the means to make money in Colin''s plans.


    This idea came from Shelley who was standing in front of him.


    "It''s a requirement from Darren''s Commission," Shelley continued.


    Darren''s Commission was an underground trading market with a membership system, and Shelley was one of its members.


    With such a membership status, Shelley had many others; she revealed that she should have at least ten.


    Aside from occasionally trading witch tools and magic potions, the main focus of such underground trading meetings was still knowledge exchange.


    Although it sounded very grand, based on recent understanding¡ª


    The highest knowledge traded within these underground organizations was usually only Second Rank, and perhaps only Third Rank knowledge could appear at best.


    There was no help for it; the Supreme Council''s control over knowledge was just too stringent.


    Strictly speaking, even Second Rank knowledge, let alone First Rank, was rare to see openly on the market.


    Normally, if a School Wizard had First Rank witchcraft, they would usually exchange it for other resources by submitting it to the School or their Faction within, in exchange for points, and then for resources.


    Then, different Factions within the School and between Schools would engage in larger-scale knowledge trading to ensure the flow of knowledge.


    At the same time, this would also ensure a monopoly over knowledge.


    However, there would always be a need for knowledge trading among ordinary wizards.


    And as long as there was demand, there would be a solution.


    These kinds of trading meetings were special organizations born for the circulation of First Rank and higher witchcraft.


    Initially, it was mainly friends trading knowledge with friends, and then as friends introduced friends, and friends of friends introduced more friends... the embryo of the trading meetings was born in this way.


    Of course, now, knowledge trading meetings similar to Darren''s Commission have developed and been reformed over a long time into mature entities.


    They exist in a gray area; the Supreme Council recognizes their existence but also restricts them from circulating higher levels of knowledge.


    ''It is indeed a suppressive world,'' Colin silently lamented, ''not only because of the ubiquitous tainted babbling but also because of this powerless social system... It prevents one from seeing more possibilities for advancement.''


    He gathered his thoughts and continued to smile at Shelley, asking, "So what exactly is the custom witchcraft?"


    Custom witchcraft, just as the name implies, involves creating witchcraft that satisfies the commissioning party''s needs.


    As the membership of the trading meetings increased, simply buying and selling witchcraft of course could not satisfy everyone''s unique needs.


    Thus, this type of trading format also came into being.


    Darren''s Commission was a trading meeting that focused more on issuing commissions for custom witchcraft, and its scale was among the top in Neustadt City.


    It''s worth mentioning that if one happened to have witchcraft that met the requirements, one could directly trade it, just like normal buying and selling of witchcraft.


    Shelley continued to respond:


    "Force Field Magic, the requirement is that it must at least defend against Second Rank basic Spirit attacks and must be usable in conjunction with a Spirit Illusion Shield, the commission price is two hundred thousand Magic Stones."


    "The detailed requirements are here." Shelley handed over a sheet of white paper, seemingly well-prepared.


    Perhaps even if Colin didn''t ask, she would have told him about this after they finished exchanging information.


    Colin took the white paper and after looking at it for a while, his brows slightly furrowed.


    When he first heard Force Field Magic, he had some expectations, as the defense witchcraft he possessed¡ªa Steel Temperature Resistance Field, was also in the category of Force Field Magic.


    Therefore, he was somewhat confident about customizing Force Field Defensive Witchcraft.


    But now, upon a closer look, it seemed somewhat challenging.


    This custom commission needed Force Field properties primarily focused on defending against Spirit attacks, while his own specialty was more in physical defenses.


    This might not be a big deal, as having Golden Paper, he could certainly find and break the limits of Force Field Magic focused on defending against Spirit attacks to finally meet the requirements.


    But there was another requirement¡ªit had to be usable in conjunction with a Spirit Illusion Shield. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This witchcraft, Spirit Illusion Shield, he had never heard of before, but looking at the description on the white paper Shelley handed over, Spirit Illusion Shield was also a Force Field Magic of spirit defense.


    This made the task rather difficult.


    As is well known, two witchcraft spells that are too similar in principle cannot be used at the same time; this could cause abnormalities in the witchcraft or the second witchcraft might fail to be cast.


    It''s like having your hands full with one stick; you wouldn''t be able to grab another weapon.


    However, it might not affect you if instead of grabbing another weapon, you were to wear something like an arm guard.


    But a Spirit Illusion Shield and the requested Force Field Magic were clearly not in this category.


    They both focused on defending against Spirit attacks.


    Therefore, to avoid too much similarity leading to conflicts, he first needed to have an in-depth understanding of Spirit Illusion Shield before creating this custom witchcraft.


    This requirement alone was enough to exclude him.


    "Did the commissioner provide the Spirit Illusion Shield witchcraft?" Colin put down the white paper and asked, unwilling to give up.


    "No," Shelley shook her head, pausing to speculate:


    "Spirit Illusion Shield is a common defensive witchcraft among members of the ''Dule'' School. If the commissioner is a member of the ''Dule'' School, they probably can''t teach it to others without permission."


    Colin nodded and sighed, "Looks like the two hundred thousand Magic Stones are not related to me."


    Seemingly thinking of something, he then asked, "Is there an exchange for Spirit Illusion Shield witchcraft in the True Knowledge Library?"

 Chapter 489 - 331 Investigation_2

    "No, it was one of the ''lost knowledge'' back then."


    Seeing Shelley respond like that, Colin finally dismissed the idea of accepting the mission.


    "Is your excellency Shelley a member of the Yista School?" he suddenly asked, curious.


    "No," Shelley shook her head, then added, "I am not a School Wizard now."


    Colin was slightly startled, and his eating motion also paused.


    He had thought that Shelley knew the Spirit Illusion Shield, perhaps because she was a member of the Yista School.


    But he never expected that Shelley was not a School Wizard?!


    No, what Shelley said was that she is not one now.


    "Not a member of a School now?" Colin asked, puzzled.


    "I used to be a member of the Yista School, but I left," Shelley explained, without holding back any details.


    Colin was a bit taken aback, somewhat surprised.


    The Yista School was one of the most powerful Schools in Neustadt city, and it was also the superior School to the Tin Saint School.


    Shelley''s expression was as calm as usual; she just reached up to stroke her snow-white hair by her ear and said:


    "What were we chatting about the day before yesterday?"


    Seeing Shelley like this, Colin also reined in his curiosity and followed her lead, starting to exchange knowledge. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thus, an hour quickly passed.


    As they were leaving, Shelley seemed to remember something and mentioned:


    "Darren''s Commission has approved my recommendation; you should receive your membership certificate within a week."


    "Thank you, Shelley," Colin said with a joyful expression, smiling.


    "No need," Shelley shook her head, her delicate face serious, "You spent time exchanging knowledge with me, and I helped you obtain these trade memberships. It is a fair exchange; there is nothing to thank me for."


    "It''s two different things; exchanging knowledge with you is also beneficial for me," Colin disagreed, shaking his head.


    Although he had initially spent time exchanging knowledge with Shelley with some ulterior motives, hoping to learn more about the True Knowledge Society through her and perhaps secure some resources,


    But when Shelley truly helped him, he indeed felt genuine gratitude towards her, and that gratitude wasn''t diminished by their exchange.


    To repay kindness and revenge wrongs is Colin''s most basic principle; it''s his beacon in this bizarre world.


    Shelley paused for a moment, didn''t say much, just nodded slightly and then turned to leave.


    "I live at 67 Lier Holy Street in the Huapei district; if you have time, your excellency is welcome to visit. The cooking skills of our maid are second to none," Colin said after a moment''s thought.


    Shelley''s personality was somewhat aloof, not one for pleasantries, and most of their conversations involved knowledge with no flattery or deceit involved.


    This seemed like a conversation with a robot who didn''t understand human emotions.


    But for Colin, Shelley''s straightforward manner was quite to his liking.


    Whether in his previous life or now, he did not like superficial compliments; he preferred clear and straightforward social interactions.


    Shelley stopped, looking at him, a rare hesitation on her face.


    Realizing his forthrightness might have been too blunt, Colin quickly explained with a frank smile:


    "It''s alright; this is just an invitation. Whether you come or not is up to you, no need to worry about it."


    "Mhm." Shelley looked at him earnestly, nodded, and then turned and left.


    The thick laboratory door closed, Colin touched his chin, shook his head, and eventually threw those thoughts aside, starting to practice witchcraft.


    Social interactions are indeed a troublesome affair...


    Around three in the afternoon, Colin left the True Knowledge Society early and arrived at Copper Rose Street in the center of Neustadt city.


    As previously mentioned, custom witchcraft was only one of the planned money-making methods.


    He came here today to research the market, to see what popular categories existed in Zeroth Rank witchcraft, and to inquire if the shops had plans to purchase witchcraft.


    Additionally, if suitable, he might also buy a few Zeroth Rank witchcraft spells.


    After all, earning Magic Stones is a long-term routine, and high-end custom witchcraft spells were not something he could handle at the moment, so he might as well start with breaking through in the Zeroth Rank witchcraft area.


    Copper Rose Street was the most bustling commercial street in the entire Neustadt city.


    Almost every Wandering Wizard who came to Neustadt City made this their first stop.


    Colin decided to first take a general walk around, although it was not his first time here.


    But in the past, he had always been busy, and this was the first time he was carefully observing.


    Bookstores, Witch Tool Stores, Magic Pharmacies, auction houses... You could find almost any kind of shop here on Copper Rose Street, truly living up to its bustling reputation.


    If one had enough Magic Stones, it was possible to gather all the resources needed to transition from an ordinary person to a First Rank Wizard right here.


    Of course, almost no Wandering Wizard would do that, as they saved their Magic Stones for essential expenses like food and accommodation, and for improving their strength.


    Not for anything else, but to be able to buy an entry certificate from the black market that originated from a School.


    Only when they acquired that certificate or gathered enough money to pay the entry fee for a School would they spend the remaining money elsewhere.


    Typically, in preparation for the School examination, the expenses were mostly on acquiring knowledge.


    Walking along the street, Colin did not inquire about many Witchcraft techniques; instead, he gained a deeper understanding of the conditions facing Wandering Wizards.


    It had to be said, he was lucky.


    By a stroke of luck, he had obtained an entry certificate to the Tin Saint School in the Holy Flame Kingdom.


    Otherwise, even with Golden Paper, it might have taken him several years to join a School.


    For a truly lonely and unaided wandering wizard, they usually survived by taking on tasks that School Wizards were unwilling to do,


    Dangerous and time-consuming, in the end, at most only one in a thousand could successfully save enough Magic Stones to join a School, a miraculous leap like a carp transforming into a dragon.


    In fact, the Wandering Wizards that Schools mainly recruited usually had substantial family assets, with wizard parents or had already received School education, just from less-known small Schools.


    Truly, like him, only a minority could join a School through their own effort from humble beginnings.


    Most often, it took the effort of several generations to cross the class divide.


    Reaching the end of Copper Rose Street, Colin passed a commission guild named Rumba.


    The hall was filled with Wandering Wizards, each looking different yet all equally hurried.


    Colin watched this scene, feeling a connection to his former self.


    But those were bygone days; he now deeply understood just how rigid the class system in this world was.


    He was still struggling within it, now he could only manage to take care of himself when impoverished.


    Taking a few more steps, he came to a bookstore.


    This place was nearly outside the boundary of Copper Rose Street, somewhat remote, but business seemed good, with a few Wizard Apprentices selecting books.


    Colin looked up at the sign.


    The emblem behind it was unfamiliar, indicating it probably belonged to a lesser-known small School.


    After pondering for a moment, Colin stepped in, intending to start his inquiry from this shop.


    Leveraging his First Rank Wizard abilities, it wasn''t long before the shop owner was alerted and came over.


    "What can I do for you?" the owner asked amiably.


    "Do you buy Witchcraft here? Zeroth Rank Witchcraft," Colin asked gently.


    "What kind of Zeroth Rank Witchcraft? Apart from the high-risk Witchcraft regulated by the Supreme Council, we can accept others," the shop owner replied adeptly, his mind at ease.


    "However, depending on the category and effect, the buy-back price varies."


    "Can you be more specific?" Colin pressed as his purpose here was to investigate which type of Witchcraft fetched a higher purchasing price.


    He hadn''t expected the shop owner to be so cooperative, saving him quite a bit of effort.


    "Under the same circumstances, Attack Witchcraft fetches the highest price, followed by Defensive Witchcraft, while the price for other supportive Witchcraft depends on the specifics," the owner answered.


    Colin nodded slightly, this was close to what he had anticipated.


    He then continued to inquire about the details.


    These were key for his visit.


    Ten minutes later, he left the bookstore, greatly satisfied.


    Over the next hour or so, Colin visited several more bookstores to inquire.


    Finally, in the evening, he returned to the True Knowledge Society''s laboratory, armed with carefully selected four doors of Zeroth Rank Lower Magic.

 Chapter 490 - 332 Farewell and Rewards

    December 8th.


    The weather was still dreadful, with the cold wind howling and snowflakes blowing in one''s face, making one feel the cruelty of ice blades.


    It was just dawn when Colin arrived at Lillian''s residence.


    Atbolde, the mentor, was also there.


    Today was the day Sister Lillian was setting off, and they had come to see her off.


    This time, Lillian had chosen a difficult task located far away, in hopes of gathering enough School Contribution Points to exchange for the Meditation Method.


    The round trip, plus the time needed for the task, would probably take at least three months.


    It was quite a long time.


    The three were very familiar with each other, so there were no formalities.


    They just chatted briefly, had a cup of tea, and waited for Lillian to pack her bags and get ready to leave.


    After closing all the doors, the three of them went to the main entrance.


    Standing outside the black fence gate, with no walls to block it, the harsh wind and snow came whistling, making one feel as if they were in the midst of a vast fog, isolated from the world.


    Having a Storage Ring on, Lillian''s attire wasn''t much different from usual, dressed in a gray robe, only carrying some Witch Tools with her.


    Without those large and small bags, the farewell seemed less sorrowful.


    "Have a smooth journey," Atbolde said first, his face kind.


    Colin always felt that after that night, the mentor seemed to become more and more peaceful, like a lazy, noncompetitive old tree basking in the sunlight.


    Although the strange transformation on his body had mostly dissipated and he was able to move freely, Atbolde still stayed in his residence almost every moment, just as before.


    Colin knew the reason.


    "The road ahead is exhausted."


    This was what he had learned from his mentor the last time he visited.


    The mentor''s internal changes from the transformation had diminished, but they had ultimately caused irreversible changes. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    According to what he had said, there seemed to be no more possibilities for advancement.


    Fortunately, as a Second Rank Wizard, Atbolde generally had a lifespan of five hundred years, and having an Elf Bloodline meant his lifespan would only be longer. If he could accept it, his current state could indeed be considered content.


    Not good, but not bad either.


    Despite many thoughts in his heart, in reality, only a moment had passed.


    After Atbolde finished his farewell, Colin also said to Lillian:


    "Have a smooth journey, Sister, and may your task go well."


    "Mhm."


    Lillian looked at her grandfather, nodded slightly, then turned to Colin, thought for a moment, and with a smile, gently said:


    "Hopefully, by the next time we meet, both of us will have exchanged for the Second Rank stage of the Meditation Method."


    Colin was slightly taken aback.


    But after Lillian spoke, she didn''t wait for his reply and promptly turned and walked into the wind and snow.


    The weather was severe today, and public carriages had stopped operating, so she had to walk to the Transmission Array.


    Her journey was long; first, she needed to teleport to another Wizard City¡ªGraham, and then continue from Graham City to the destination of her task.


    Colin watched as Lillian''s petite figure, glowing with the light of Defensive Witchcraft, gradually disappeared into the vast wind and snow, his emotions complex.


    The path of cultivation is rugged and full of obstacles, who could take it lightly?


    The once powerful Sister Lillian, when he reached the same level as her, only then realized that her situation wasn''t much different from his past self.


    Of course, he was still struggling upwards, just as during his Apprentice period...


    Feeling the omnipresent wind and snow, Colin scoffed at himself in his mind, then felt a bit of regret.


    It''s a pity that whether it''s the True Knowledge Society or the School, neither allows exchanging knowledge for someone else or transferring points.


    After silently wishing his sister a smooth journey in his heart.


    Colin collected his thoughts, bid farewell to his mentor, and rushed to the True Knowledge Society laboratory.


    As long as one keeps rising, one day, sunlight will rush to cast itself upon one, and all the mud and shadows will dissipate.


    Upon arriving at the True Knowledge Society, there were no surprises.


    Even though he arrived just at seven o''clock this time, the crystal outside Shelley''s laboratory was still lit.


    This diligence was unmatched among those he knew.


    Although he didn''t know too many people¡­


    After closing the heavy laboratory door and performing a routine check of the room, Colin took out the Zeroth Rank Witchcraft he had purchased the day before and began to delve deeply into it.


    There were four Zeroth Rank Witchcrafts, all Lower Zeroth Rank Attack Witchcraft.


    The Water Jet Skill, Lesser Acid Splash, Air Bomb, and Thorns Technique.


    If there were no accidents, based on past experience, these Witchcrafts could attain Upper Zeroth Rank within three Limit Breaking sessions at most.


    As for the consumption of Limit Breaking Points, it wasn''t certain, but it wouldn''t exceed a few hundred Magic Stones.


    The buyback price of Upper Zeroth Rank Attack Witchcraft in bookstores was generally between ten thousand and twenty thousand Magic Stones.


    This was far more profitable than selling Magic Potions or Witch Tools!


    If he sold Magic Potions or Witch Tools, he had to deal with raw materials and market outlets; moreover, if he focused on mass-producing mid to low-end Magic Potions or Witch Tools, it would take a considerable amount of time to produce.


    If he chose the premium route, then he needed to be prepared for a long initial period with investment but no returns.


    Perhaps taking the premium route could earn more Magic Stones in the later stage than selling Zeroth Rank Witchcraft.


    But with that effort, why didn''t he just sell First Rank Witchcraft?


    One must know, usually, the more something is prohibited, the more profitable it becomes.


    Like Magic Potions and Witch Tools, the restrictions from the Supreme Council aren''t too strict.

 Chapter 491 - 332 Farewells and Rewards_2

    This also meant that there were more wizards practicing this trade, which in turn meant greater competition and lower profits.


    Why chase crowds on these busier tracks?


    With Golden Paper in hand, practicing Limit Breaking Witchcraft and trading knowledge was the fastest path to earning Magic Stones. Moreover, it also enriched oneself¡ªkilling two birds with one stone.


    After a moment of reflection, Colin picked up the Water Jet Skill and began to study it.


    By noon, Colin waved his hand gently, and a clear water jet swiftly formed in his grasp, shooting out and shattering on a nearby target into a spray of droplets.


    The Zeroth Rank Water Jet Skill, not only had he mastered the basics, but he had also achieved instant casting, touching the threshold of proficiency!


    Colin smiled slightly and did not practice further, instead, as usual, he took out his lunch and began to eat.


    Practicing Limit Breaking Witchcraft to earn Magic Stones was a long-term plan and not something to rush.


    He planned to allocate three to five hours a day, or at most half a day, to practice these Zeroth Rank spells.


    The rest of the time, he would spend practicing those two Disguise Magics.


    At the rate he was currently mastering Lower Zeroth Rank spells, breaking through to Upper Zeroth Rank would not take too long.


    After a while, Shelley arrived on time.


    After exchanging knowledge for a while, Colin suddenly became curious and asked,


    "Lady Shelley, I see you in the lab every time you come over. I''m curious, how early do you usually arrive here in the mornings?"


    "I don''t need to come over," Shelley shook her head calmly. "I live here all the time, not leaving the lab."


    "Living here... you don''t go home?"


    Colin was slightly stunned. He thought that sleeping just over three hours a day already showed his diligence, but he never expected Shelley to be the true workaholic, not even going home?!


    "In fact, I don''t have a home in Neustadt City," Shelley shook her head again and continued, "Renting a lab here is much more economical than renting a house outside."


    "...That does make sense," Colin agreed as he took a bite of his meal.


    The best lab of the True Knowledge Society only cost 150 Magic Stones to rent for a month.


    Compared to his current monthly rent of 2000 Magic Stones, it was indeed much cheaper.


    However, for him to live like Shelley was clearly not feasible, not to mention how to accommodate Renee and the others, just to speak of living conditions¡ª


    The labs of the True Knowledge Society had no conditions for living; there were no kitchens, beds, or even toilets!


    The entire castle of the True Knowledge Society lacked these facilities.


    Colin knew that this was probably to save space since at least First Rank Wizards would be using the labs of the True Knowledge Society.


    And for a First Rank Wizard, it was perfectly fine not to eat, drink, or use the toilet for several days.


    Looking at Shelley''s physique, which appeared to be strengthened by either a Bloodline Transformation or an Element Transformation, if it was an Element Transformation, it would be no issue to forego eating, drinking, or using the toilet for a month or two.


    So, living here was tough, but not impossible.


    As for bathing, if one wasn''t chasing the luxury of soaking in a tub, a simple Cleaning Technique could solve the problem. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Colin unconsciously took a closer look at Shelley.


    The Witch before him was dressed in a black Wizard Robe, with snow-white hair that fell smoothly to her chin like expensive satin. The skin that was exposed was equally pale, radiating a healthy luster like warm, exquisite jade, which clearly felt smooth without even touching.


    He wondered what materials Shelley used to enhance her physique as, just based on appearance alone, it was comparable to his own, now that he was a First Rank Knight.


    Many wizards that used Elf Bloodline to enhance themselves might not possess such aesthetic appeal.


    Perhaps only his senior, Lillian, who carried the High Level Elf Bloodline, could compare in terms of looks.


    Of course, that was when Lillian was in her young lady form.


    Her usual childlike appearance was more doll-like and adorable, not quite the same for comparison.


    But returning to the matter at hand, as a First Rank Knight Colin needed to ensure his food intake due to his daily exercises.


    Even though he could now absorb most of his food, there would still be plenty of waste to be expelled...


    Therefore, a kitchen and a toilet were essential for him, and he indeed could not live in the lab directly like Shelley.


    However, Colin did not envy her too much, for whether it was Element Transformation or any other type of enhancement, they usually had some drawbacks.


    Some of them did indeed have very low-frequency eating habits, but that did not mean they did not need to replenish energy; it was just not in the form of food.


    The replenishment of such energy was, for the most part, usually more expensive than the food he needed.


    ...


    The day after Lillian left, the blizzard showed no signs of stopping.


    The entire Neustadt City was shrouded in boundless snow.


    Even Renee, going out to buy vegetables, had to pick times when the wind and snow were less severe, rushing to and fro quickly.


    But Colin still made his way to the True Knowledge Society every day, unswayed by the storm.


    With the ''Wizard Level'' column reaching its limit and no need for meditation, he spent almost eighty percent of his time practicing witchcraft, leaving only twenty percent for practicing the Knight Breathing Method.


    Of that eighty percent, more than half of the time was spent on two First Rank Upper Disguise Magics, dividing the remaining time in half again, one for delving into Limit Breaking Zeroth Rank Magic and the other for reviewing previously mastered witchcraft.


    Life was as regular as a machine.


    This prolonged blizzard lasted an entire week.


    In his previous life, this would have been considered a natural disaster, but the wizards of Neustadt had long since grown accustomed to it.


    No significant incidents occurred.


    Save for the freezing to death of a dozen or so new and disregarded wandering Wizard Apprentices.


    Well, in truth, someone did care...


    On the way to the True Knowledge Society for an experiment one day, Colin clearly saw several members wearing the Tin Saint School Badge carefully transporting these wizard corpses.


    They were probably being collected for materials.


    He didn''t approach to ask, but he heard those School Wizards chatting and laughing about it; their voices reached his ears.


    They said their School was lucky that these wandering wizards had died right in the Tin Saint School''s jurisdiction, although they had to share some with the Yista School.


    Even though the Yista School might not even consider a few apprentice corpses worth their attention, this was the rule.


    And the benefit for themselves was only calculated from the remaining wandering wizard corpses they were left with after delivering the share, which felt somewhat frustrating.


    Colin made no comment and did not linger, quickly proceeding to the True Knowledge Society''s laboratory.


    He continued to practice his witchcraft according to his plan, without being hasty or slack, same as always.


    On December 15th, the blizzard finally ceased.


    At dawn, the light of day was faint.


    Colin had just woken up from his sleep and had not yet gotten out of bed when he saw a white orb, as if made of snow, suddenly shoot into his bedroom.


    Whoosh!


    He instinctively cast a Steel Temperature Resistance Field while retreating.


    Simultaneously, as the white orb broke apart like gravel, two crystals fell onto the bed, followed by a familiar voice.


    "Colin, the Supreme Council has issued your reward. I hope it didn''t startle you; this was for the sake of protecting your identity."


    Listening to Nois''s words, Colin slightly relaxed his tense body, wiping the sweat beads off his forehead and feeling somewhat amused and bewildered.


    After all, anyone would be startled awake to see an eerie white orb flying at them.


    But as his tense body gradually relaxed, an irresistible anticipation began to surface in Colin''s mind.


    This was a reward from the Supreme Council!


    Although a bit impatient, he still retained some caution, checking the crystals to ensure there were no issues before he slowly picked them up and began to inspect them.


    Moments later, Colin''s eyes opened with barely suppressed joy!


    When Nois had previously asked what reward he desired, at that time, still not having interacted with the True Knowledge Society, he had mentioned either Second Rank witchcraft or at least a meditation method that could reach Second Rank.


    He had thought the Supreme Council would only give him one of the two.


    But unexpectedly, the Supreme Council had straightforwardly given him a set of three Second Rank witchcrafts, and a complete Meditation Method capable of reaching Third Rank!


    Truly generous.


    The only pity... he had forgotten to ask for some Magic Stone rewards as well.


    Colin curled his lips into a smile, thinking somewhat greedily.


    After steadying his spirits, he began to carefully examine the witchcraft and Meditation Method in his hands.

 Chapter 492 - 333: Unwilling to be Throttled

    The complete set of witchcraft is known as Temple Ring Binding, with a quality of Second Rank Lower.


    In comparison, the Black Mist Net series of witchcraft that Colin had previously obtained from Yasi were also Second Rank Lower.


    However, Black Mist Net emphasizes synergy and interlocking effects, and it includes aspects of human transformation, mental control, and self-enhancement.


    These three parts are interconnected and indispensable.


    Temple Ring Binding, on the other hand, is somewhat simpler. The three types of witchcraft within it do not have a strong connection but represent three different directions¡ª


    Blood and Flesh Binding, Spiritual Body Binding, and Elemental Binding.


    This essentially encompasses most of the potential target types.


    Colin could hardly conceal his excitement. If he were to practice all three types of witchcraft to mastery, then he could essentially declare that he no longer lacked controlling witchcraft.


    Among the witchcraft he currently mastered, he just so happened to lack this type of controlling witchcraft.


    Without rushing to examine the details of Temple Ring Binding, Colin set it aside and continued to look through the remaining major attraction¡ªthe crystal recording the Meditation Method.


    As seen previously, it was a complete Meditation Method capable of reaching the Third Rank, fully named as the Hodgia Meditation Method.


    The crystal did not contain the origins or a brief introduction to the Meditation Method, so Colin had no knowledge of its background.


    But just by looking at its content, one could tell that it was a fairly decent Meditation Method.


    At least considering the content for the Apprentice stage, it seemed better than the Circulation Meditation he initially practiced at the Lap School.


    Even compared to the Tin Saint Meditation Method from the Tin Saint School, it wasn''t much worse.


    But compared to the Holy Ring Meditation Method he now mastered, which had undergone Limit Breaking multiple times, the gap between them was still considerable.


    The difference between various Meditation Methods, other than the speed of cultivation, also manifests in the spirit and Magic Power cultivated.


    The spiritual power and Magic Power cultivated by different Meditation Methods have different attribute inclinations. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Some are as sharp as a knife, suitable for the intricate casting of witchcraft, while others are like flowing water, more enduring in terms of Magic Power and spirit.


    The initial Circulation Meditation was rather balanced, not outstanding in any one aspect, without a particular inclination.


    However, the Tin Saint Meditation was different. Besides ensuring basic strength in all aspects, it also allowed cultivators to have more Magic Power compared to other Wizards.


    This was also one of the reasons that supported Colin''s ability to cast spells cross-class.


    During the Apprentice stage, this inclination was not obvious.


    But as the degree of cultivation in the Meditation Method deepened and the level of the Wizard increased, such an inclination would gradually become pronounced.


    By the Second Rank, Wizards practicing Tin Saint Meditation usually had a total Magic Power that could exceed Wizards of the same rank by a full 15 percent!


    And the Holy Ring Meditation also inherited this aspect and even improved due to the integration of Limit Breaking, reaching an increase of 18 to 19 percent, close to 20 percent!


    An increase of four to five percent might not seem much, but considering that Meditation Methods are supposed to be balanced, Tin Saint Meditation is already among the top tier in Meditation Methods.


    If it were not for the fact that Golden Paper Limit Breaking was tailored for Colin, perhaps it would not have achieved such significant further improvement.


    Moreover, having 18 to 19 percent more Magic Power than an ordinary Wizard may not seem like a lot, but in actual combat, this often translates into an overwhelming advantage!


    After all, if a regular Second Rank Wizard could release five Killing Spells, then one who has practiced Limit Breaking with Holy Ring Meditation could release one additional Killing Spell!


    In a stalemate battle, that is undoubtedly a deciding factor!


    The inclination of Hodgia Meditation Method is the opposite of Tin Saint Meditation.


    It is a Meditation Method with skewed strengths and, in terms of the increase in total Magic Power, isn''t even as good as Circulation Meditation.


    And though the Spirit Burst aspect is barely stronger than Circulation Meditation, it still falls short compared to Tin Saint Meditation.


    This also means that for a Wizard practicing this Meditation Method, aspiring to cast spells cross-class is likely just a wishful thought.


    ¡ªTheir Magic Power and spirit do not permit it.


    However, correspondingly, the Hodgia Meditation Method excels in the precision control of spiritual power and Magic Power, and it could be said to leave both Circulation Meditation and Tin Saint Meditation far behind.


    Even the Holy Ring Meditation Method, which had undergone several Limit Breaking integrations, was still significantly lacking.


    But as he caressed the crystal in his hand, Colin hesitated.


    If he could use the Golden Paper to Limit Break the Hodgia Meditation Method and integrate it with the Holy Ring Meditation, it might take it a step further!


    Now that he possessed the Second Rank Tin Saint Meditation Method, the day of his Advancement was just around the corner.


    If he chose to spend time now to Limit Break and integrate the Hodgia Meditation Method, the day of Advancement would likely be delayed by at least two months.


    But if he waited until after Advancing to Limit Break and integrate... then he would miss out on the substantial enhancements to spiritual and magic power precision control that the Hodgia Meditation Method could bring during a Second Rank breakthrough.


    The directional changes brought by meditation methods are mostly imprinted during Advancement.


    Though daily meditation practice accumulates changes over time, these changes can at most account for thirty to forty percent compared to those during Advancement.


    That is to say, if he could Limit Break and integrate the Hodgia Meditation Method before Advancing,


    and then Advance,


    the improvement in magic spirit fine control would be at least sixty percent greater than if he waited to integrate and jointly practice the Hodgia Meditation Method after reaching Second Rank.


    The gap between these two scenarios was not small.


    Colin pondered long in his bedroom until Renee, with curiosity, came knocking on his door, and finally, he made his decision.


    He must learn this Hodgia Meditation Method.


    Not for the sake of pursuing the fine control enhancements in spirit and magic power that the Hodgia Meditation Method offers.


    But to give himself more options for the future.


    The Hodgia Meditation Method is complete, with content stretching to the Third Rank phase.


    As for the Third Rank content of the Tin Saint Meditation Method¡ª


    he was almost entirely ignorant of it.


    Even whether it could be exchanged using contribution points, or how many contribution points would be needed for the exchange remained unclear.


    Colin did not have the authority; the most he could access was the Second Rank part of the Tin Saint Meditation Method, which needed one hundred thousand contribution points.


    Previously in the True Knowledge Society, he had asked, and the True Knowledge Library hadn''t included the Third Rank stage of the Tin Saint Meditation Method.


    If he wished to obtain the Third Rank stage of the Tin Saint Meditation Method, it seemed he would have to go through the School.


    Having only one path did not provide a sense of safety.


    Therefore, no matter what, he was determined to learn the Hodgia Meditation Method.


    After all, a meditation method post-integration is compatible with practicing the original meditation.


    This, he knew from the moment of integrating the Holy Ring Meditation Method with Limit Breaking.


    Theoretically, if he had the Second Rank stage content of the Circulation Meditation now, he, a practitioner of Holy Ring Meditation, could also use it to Advance as a Second Rank Wizard.


    If acquiring the Tin Saint Meditation Method turned out to be too demanding, then he could opt to use the Hodgia Meditation Method to Limit Break to Third Rank.


    No need to worry about being completely throttled by the School or Pureblood Families.


    Storing the two crystals carefully in his Storage Ring, Colin stepped out of the bedroom.


    The weather was clear outside, as if the week-long blizzard had swept all the clouds from the sky.


    Arriving early at the True Knowledge Society, he stopped his practice at nine o''clock in the morning, pushed open the laboratory door, and walked out into the corridor.


    Click.


    From the nearby laboratory, there also came a soft sound, and a figure with snowy hair slowly emerged from behind the door.


    Shelley walked out of the laboratory right on time, as per their arrangement.


    Colin smiled slightly and walked over; he appreciated punctual people like Shelley.

 Chapter 493 - 334: The Hidden Rich Lady

    "Good morning," Colin greeted her as he stood in the corridor.


    "Good morning," Shelley nodded briskly and added, "Let''s go."


    As she looked at Colin, she thought for a moment and then said, "You had better disguise yourself."


    Colin nodded slightly, and with a thought, the bones and skin of his face subtly shifted, instantly transforming him into an unremarkable, ordinary young man.


    Shelley looked at him closely and suddenly asked, "What kind of witchcraft is this?"


    Seeing the inquiry in her eyes, Colin explained simply.


    Sometimes, in the Wizard World, such true physical changes are harder to detect and more useful than disguises made by witchcraft.


    Shelley led him out through a small door, about one person tall, at the back of True Knowledge Society Castle.


    The door opened onto a secluded alley, at this point they were both fully disguised.


    About half an hour later, the two walked side by side to a common shopping street.


    Turning in and winding their way through, they arrived at an old Magic Pharmacy located deep in a secluded alley.


    Inside, the room was dimly lit, with a peculiar smell of potions lingering; on a recliner behind the peeling brown counter laid a shrunken old crone in a black robe.


    Upon seeing Colin and his companion arrive, she made an effort to open her eyes for a glance, then slowly closed them again, gently swaying on the recliner.


    Shelley, without saying much, skirted around the old crone and walked to a decrepit wall in the corner of the shop. She then took out a thorny black badge from her person.


    Without much fanfare, accompanied by a nearly imperceptible clicking sound, the old grey wall in front of them suddenly opened up, revealing a deep stone staircase leading downward.


    Seeing this, Colin instinctively lowered his breathing.


    It wasn''t until he got here that he finally felt a sense of excitement and tension about heading to the underground organization.


    He subconsciously glanced at Shelley, suddenly puzzled as to why she had so readily told him about the existence of this underground market, and later, was willing to help him get a membership.


    "Let''s go, below is one of Darren''s Commission''s closest outposts to True Knowledge Society Castle," Shelley said in a low voice, breaking into his thoughts.


    Looking up, Shelley had already started forward.


    Colin didn''t think much longer, following closely behind, both wearing black hoods and masks.


    But Shelley''s disguise was more than that; she had changed her entire appearance.


    If previously she was like a beautifully delicate, indifferent doll, now she looked like a sharp young female scholar.


    Her hair, a grey-brown color, eyes turned green beneath thick spectacles, and her skin, though not as smooth as before, still could be considered good quality.


    Her features were also subtly adjusted, not as delicate as before, but with a bit of sharpness to them.


    Descending the cold grey stairs step by step, Colin kept silent.


    Perhaps due to the previous days'' blizzard delays, the membership badge from Darren''s Commission that was supposed to be quick to receive only came through yesterday.


    The Commission''s membership badge, protecting privacy, had no substantial binding with the Wizard''s personal attributes, such as Magic Power or Spirit.


    Hence one could choose to have the badge delivered directly to their doorstep.


    Colin had originally planned to do just that and have the badge delivered to True Knowledge Society Castle.


    But since Shelley was coming today to look for suitable quests, he changed his mind and chose to come to this outpost to personally retrieve his membership badge. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He also took the opportunity, under Shelley''s guidance, to see what Darren''s Commission was like, to facilitate coming on his own in the future.


    After walking down the grey stone staircase for a few minutes, faint sounds started to reach them.


    Then, the Bright Crystals embedded at regular intervals on both sides of the stairs suddenly became more frequent, illuminating the path ahead.


    At the end of the grey staircase stood a black iron door, not particularly large, with no decorations. It looked as if a piece of iron was directly melted into a door shape and installed as such.


    To the left of the door was a wrought iron thorn sculpture about half the height of a person, just as simplistic in style.


    Shelley walked past it, familiar with the way, and pushed the door open without paying any attention to the thorn sculpture.


    Colin, however, took a few more glances.


    Perhaps it was just his imagination, but the placement of this wrought iron thorn sculpture likely served some other purpose.


    Beyond the door lay a circular hall, not particularly large, its walls apparently solidified with witchcraft ¨C smooth and exceedingly firm.


    There were only a few Wizards inside, most of them wearing black robes and hoods, along with masks.


    At the upper part of the hall''s wall was a ring of light screens similar to those in the School''s General Affairs Castle, only they were a light brown color and much smaller in size.


    They too displayed many white characters that changed constantly, mostly advertising the sale and purchase of witchcraft. Among the purchases, some with black outlines were for commissioned witchcraft.


    Feeling his excitement gradually waning, Colin took a careful look around, feeling that aside from being a bit quieter and more mysterious, this place didn''t seem much different from the School''s General Affairs Castle.


    Continuing on after Shelley, he finally received his badge in an office tucked away in the back.


    Not in a hurry to return, he and Shelley examined the quests in the mission hall.


    About ten minutes later, Colin had looked over all the purchase and commissioned witchcraft requests in the hall.


    Unfortunately, he didn''t see any suitable for his own purchasing or commissioning of witchcraft.


    Not rushing to leave, Colin then inquired about the general market prices for First Rank Witchcraft.

 Chapter 494 - 334 Hidden Wealthy Woman_2

    After all, aside from creating custom witchcraft, he could also sell First Rank Witchcraft here.


    It''s worth mentioning that the witchcraft obtained after Golden Paper Limit Breaking is considered a new witchcraft, so it was no longer bound by confidentiality agreements.


    In other words, after he had a Zeroth Rank Lower Magic bought out by other shops, all he needed to do was to break the limit once more, and he could sell it here again.


    It could only be said that selling knowledge was an extremely suitable way for him to make money, especially since he had the Golden Paper.


    He took a quick look around Darren''s Commission, where the value of First Rank Witchcraft ranged from ten thousand to four hundred thousand Magic Stones, a huge variance.


    The reason for such a big gap is that here, too, the selling of witchcraft was divided into exclusive buyouts and ordinary purchases.


    If we talk about ordinary sales alone, the price of First Rank Witchcraft was usually between ten thousand and twenty thousand Magic Stones.


    This mode of transaction required the buyer to sign a non-disclosure agreement.


    As for buyouts, the price was obviously much higher, generally around twenty times the ordinary selling price.


    Frequently, selling time after time in ordinary sales would definitely be more profitable in the long run than a buyout.


    After all, based on the price difference, selling it about twenty times could earn you the same amount of Magic Stones as a buyout.


    However, in practice, this was not always the case.


    Many witchcraft spells were not as popular as one might imagine.


    Sometimes, a spell might hang unsold for many years, with the number of times sold possibly in the single digits.


    So while ordinary sales are generally better, whether to choose an exclusive buyout or ordinary sale still required judgment based on the actual situation.


    His consciousness withdrew from the inquiry crystal.


    Colin turned his head to look at Shelley beside him.


    Shelley happened to finish her inquiry as well. She pushed up her thick glasses and said softly, "Wait a moment, I''ve accepted a few custom commissions and need to deal with them at the counter."


    ''A few¡­?'' Colin was somewhat astonished.


    Each custom witchcraft commission had a reward starting at least at one hundred thousand Magic Stones, and many were not without millions!


    He accompanied Shelley to the counter.


    The only wizard behind the counter wore a happy expression as he saw Shelley approach, smilingly saying:


    "Ice Maiden, you''ve come to take commissions again."


    "Hmm." Shelley nodded calmly and then told the wizard the names of the commissions she wanted to take.


    "Alright, please wait a moment," the wizard said respectfully, secretly delighted that he had the good fortune to encounter the Ice Maiden during his duty shift¡ªthis could mean a commission of at least a thousand Magic Stones for him!


    "Here you are!" After some operations, the wizard respectfully handed over four crystals to Shelley.


    Shelley skillfully stowed away the crystals.


    Colin took another look at the plainly dressed Shelley.


    The Witch who resided in the laboratory was actually a hidden wealthy woman!


    Those who dealt in knowledge in this world were indeed never poor!


    But it was not apparent in her day-to-day appearance at all, Colin thought as he stroked his chin. Shelley was delicate and beautiful, but it was all thanks to her natural features.


    In terms of dress and appearance, she was quite simple. The black robe she wore daily was just an ordinary Wizard Robe.


    There were no traces of witchcraft, not even a stain-repellent effect, with some corners even becoming somewhat faded from constant exposure to the Cleaning Technique.


    Strictly speaking, even Renee''s daily attire was of a higher class than Shelley''s, as at least her maid outfit had a constant stain-repellent effect.


    ''Maybe she is investing all the Magic Stones into research,'' Colin thought.


    Colin did not delve deeper, as it was neither here nor there.


    After acquiring his membership at Darren''s Commission, Colin went back to his routine life.


    Traveling daily between the True Knowledge Society and home, leading a particularly regular lifestyle.


    Only now, he rescheduled the meditation time that he had previously canceled and allocated it for practicing the Hodgia Meditation Method.


    Moreover, after weighing his options, he temporarily paused his regular Knight training and reassigned that time for practicing other witchcraft. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With these adjustments, he found that aside from his Knight abilities stalling, his progress in other areas hadn''t slowed down too much!


    The time he needed for the Hodgia Meditation Method was even less than he had anticipated.


    This was mainly because he was now a First Rank Wizard and no longer needed to use Magic Erasure Potion to rid his body of magic power before practicing another meditation method.


    To avoid magic contamination causing bodily mutations and leading to a decline in talent, all he had to do was carefully separate his Spirit into two Magic Seas during practice¡ªthus greatly improving his efficiency.


    Additionally, since the Hodgia Meditation Method was the third meditation method he had learned, he was well-versed in all aspects, and his practice efficiency was astonishing.


    In this manner, another week passed within his regular life.


    December 22nd, bright sunshine.


    Accompanying the clear weather was a piece of good news.


    After two weeks of tireless effort, Colin had finally broken the limit of the Water Jet Skill and another Zeroth Rank Lower Magic, Air Bomb, to Zeroth Rank Upper!


    Around two in the afternoon, he finished his practice, preparing to head out to Copper Rose Street to sell them.


    ''Well, I could also stop by Darren''s Commission on the way to see if there are any commissions suited for myself,'' Colin thought as he locked the laboratory door.


    In fact, not all of those custom commissions had that many restrictions.

 Chapter 495 - 334 Hidden Rich Lady_3

    If he wanted to, he could have slowly perfected the Golden Paper method from scratch.


    But doing so would have consumed too much time, and the cost-effectiveness was even worse than simply selling Zeroth Rank witchcraft.


    After all, if it was on the offensive and defensive side and someone was willing to pay for exclusive rights, bookstores backed by Schools would generally not refuse.


    Basically, there were no worries about sales channels, and there wasn''t a need to spend effort on customizing witchcraft like breaking limits to adjust effects.


    Thus, although he had joined the Darren Committee for some time, he was still in a state of not having opened for business.


    Riding in a carriage, it wasn''t long before he arrived at Copper Rose Street.


    Because he had previously visited for investigation, this time Colin went straight to the first bookshop that he had already chosen.


    This bookshop was of a medium size, located at a reasonable distance from the second shop he had selected.


    Colin carefully disguised himself and prepared the enhanced witchcraft¡ªWater Arrow Skill from the breaking limit of Water Jet Skill, and entered the shop.


    Half an hour later, Colin walked out of the bookstore with a smile on his face.


    On average, with three uses of Golden Paper Limit Breaking in a week and a total expenditure of two hundred and twenty-two Magic Stones, he had ultimately exchanged it for a full fifteen thousand Magic Stones! S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What a tremendous profit!


    He was not in a hurry to sell the other newly enhanced Zeroth Rank Upper witchcraft, which he named Air Cone, created from the breaking limit of Air Bomb.


    First, Colin took a carriage and left Copper Rose Street.


    It was foreseeable that the trade of witchcraft would certainly become his primary means of earning Magic Stones in the future¡ªa long-term financial pathway requiring careful management and attention to detail.


    He planned to first visit Darren''s Commission and then come back in a different disguise to sell the second Air Cone witchcraft.


    Arriving at the headquarters of Darren''s Commission, it was still that Magic Pharmacy.


    The old woman was still half-sitting on a recliner, her shriveled face filled with creases.


    If it wasn''t for the slight trembling of the chair under her movements, she would almost pass for a dead person.


    Ignoring what the old woman was doing specifically, Colin directly walked towards the wall in a corner and, familiar with the place, entered the commission hall.


    There were not too many wizards in the hall, but it was slightly better than the first time he visited in the morning.


    Even so, the atmosphere was still bleak.


    Each wizard wore a disguise and usually would not easily speak with others.


    Accustomed to the environment, Colin walked on his own to an idle crystal column and began checking the commissions.


    After a simple selection, the densely populated commissions on the light screen in front of him dissipated significantly, leaving only about a dozen.


    These were the witchcraft commissions for purchase and customization posted in the last three days; since his last visit here was three days ago, checking these was enough.


    Since there were not many commissions, Colin quickly browsed through them.


    A moment later, his gaze landed on the third last commission, and a hint of joy slowly emerged in his heart.


    It was a commission for customizing witchcraft.


    [Difficulty: Second Rank Lower.]


    [Description: Assistive witchcraft to enhance the energy strength of elemental summonings and improve control over them.]


    [Reward: Two hundred and fifty thousand Magic Stones.]


    [Brief requirement (click to expand).]


    [Note: Please retrieve more detailed requirements from the counter after accepting the commission.]


    After checking the brief requirements, Colin took out his badge and without hesitation, accepted the task.


    This was the most suitable customized witchcraft commission he had encountered in days!


    He knew that his strongest witchcraft currently was Summon Fire Element.


    His expertise just happened to be in the knowledge regarding Elemental Creatures and control over summonings.


    Although he hadn''t yet looked at the specific detailed requirements, as long as they weren''t too outrageous, Colin was confident that he could complete this commission within a month!


    "Good day, as this is your first time accepting a commission, how should I address you?"


    The counter in the hall had a new attendant wizard, a long-haired Witch.


    She was currently asking Colin.


    "A codename will do, mainly needed for registration," she added.


    Colin pondered for a moment, inexplicably thought of Shelley''s codename¡ª"Ice Princess," then hesitated a moment before saying, "Call me Forest Spirit."


    In this world, the name sounded a bit like "forest" from his previous life, and when broken down, "forest" consists of "wood."


    It was quite a good name, Colin smiled inwardly, but then felt a twinge of melancholy.


    ''Unfortunately, in this world, there probably won''t be another person who can discern the connection between the two¡­''


    "Very well, Forest Spirit, your name has been registered.


    You will also need to pay a deposit of twenty thousand. If you give up the commission within a month, the deposit will be fully refunded to you. If between one to six months, it will decrementally deduct 10% to 50% of the fees as compensation."


    "Okay."


    Colin, who had already learned of the procedures from Shelley, wasn''t surprised and handed twenty thousand Magic Stones to the Witch, also signing a simple confidentiality contract.


    The Magic Stones he had just received hadn''t even warmed up before they were spent again. Sighing, Colin took the crystal that recorded the detailed content of the commission and quickly went back to Copper Rose Street to sell the Air Cone witchcraft.


    The Air Cone, slightly less powerful than the Water Arrow Skill, ultimately sold for twelve thousand Magic Stones.


    That is to say, after deducting the deposit, he only had seven thousand Magic Stones on hand.


    It was fortunate that he was still in a savings enhancement phase and didn''t need to spend a large amount of Magic Stones quickly.


    If he waited until the two Upper First Rank Disguise Witchcraft and the Hodgia Meditation Method reached their limits, the Magic Stones required would certainly not be a small amount!


    But it seemed that that day was not far off¡­ as Colin looked at the Golden Paper with over half of its progress completed, he couldn''t help but feel anticipation.

 Chapter 496 - 335 Volume

    When he left Copper Rose Street, it was already sunset.


    The bare landscape trees by the roadside, the white snow on the eaves of buildings, and the orange-red sunset on the distant horizon together created a uniquely cold atmosphere of winter.


    Under the dim sky, exhaled breaths appeared hazy.


    The broad street was chilly and deserted, with few pedestrians, as it was now time to return home.


    A gust of cold wind carrying the scent of food made Colin unconsciously smack his lips.


    A warm fireplace, a delicious dinner, a warm and relaxing bath... all these comforts awaited him at home.


    But he took a deep breath and turned towards the True Knowledge Society Castle instead.


    It was because every time he thought of Shelley, that wealthy lady who was probably still in the laboratory at this moment, he no longer felt any laxity in his spirit, only a desire to keep striving.


    To rank among the best, one must strive!


    However, when he removed his disguise and reverted to his usual appearance, returning to True Knowledge Society headquarters outside the gate,


    he discovered a striking witch waiting by the door, who, upon seeing him, brightened up and hurriedly greeted him with a smile.


    "Good evening, Sir Colin!" the witch greeted cheerfully, her tone somewhat melancholic, "At last, I see you again. I visited your home several times but never saw you, and the maids always said you were busy¡­"


    She raised an eyebrow at Colin and continued with a sense of grievance, "Sir, you truly are a busy man."


    "Indeed, I am," Colin took a subtle half step back, and responded imperceptibly.


    His bluntness caught the witch off guard.


    Colin smiled perfunctorily and asked, "Good evening, Lady Yulaya. What do you need from me?"


    Yulaya was the witch dispatched by the Hidosh Family to congratulate him when he had officially received the Golden Feather Token.


    He remembered that a week or a few days later, this witch had visited again, expressing her desire to learn some knowledge about witchcraft.


    But since receiving the Golden Feather Token, Colin had been mostly spending his days in the True Knowledge Society laboratory, so naturally Yulaya had not managed to see him.


    It was only when he returned home late at night that he learned about it from Renee.


    After that, Yulaya had come to visit Colin a few more times, but obviously, he was not at home, and even if there were invitations, he had instructed Renee to manage by saying he was too busy.


    Actually, aside from Yulaya, there were several other Pureblood Family witches who visited him, but they all ended up the same way as Yulaya.


    Colin had never really concerned himself with this since time, such an invaluable commodity, obviously needed to be applied where it was most needed.


    These witches from Yulaya and others were merely trying to persuade him to join the Pureblood Family.


    But he had already made his decision, and he was not inclined to change it easily.


    Hesitancy and indecision only weakened one''s courage!


    But he hadn''t expected that this time Yulaya would come looking for him at the True Knowledge Society Castle.


    Moreover, coincidentally, he had left the True Knowledge Society at noon to go to Copper Rose Street... he didn''t know how long Yulaya had been waiting here.


    Yulaya caught on and managed a flirtatious roll of her eyes, continuing sweetly, "Can''t I see you, this busy person, if there''s nothing important?"


    "If there really is nothing, then indeed so," he replied.


    Yulaya''s expression faltered again, her smile freezing as she involuntarily began to doubt her own charm.


    But indeed, as a witch chosen by the Hidosh Family to interact with Colin, a Golden Feather prodigy, she was first-rate in appearance.


    Especially her curvy figure, which not even the loose Wizard Robes could entirely conceal. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, Colin was not one to consider appearances; moreover, for a wizard, acquiring a good appearance was all too easy.


    Besides, although Yulaya was beautiful, there was still a significant gap between her and the ethereal beauty of seniors like Lillian and Shelley.


    "Lady Yulaya, if there isn''t something you need from me, I must be going, I have some urgent matters to attend to," Colin said politely, preparing to leave.


    The custom witchcraft commission he had just accepted today still hadn''t been thoroughly reviewed, and he did not have free time to indulge in empty pleasantries with a witch from the Hidosh Family.


    "Wait!" Yulaya stopped him, "This time I came to invite you to a dance."


    "A dance?" Colin paused, "Sorry, I cannot dance and I do not enjoy socializing."


    "A dance does not necessarily require dancing, and with your capabilities, such simple dances can be learned at a glance," Yulaya moved closer,


    "Dancing is just a formality, the essence is networking. This dance''s threshold is very high, attended by powerful wizards, even including Second Rank seniors¡­"


    "Sorry," Colin shook his head, interrupting her.


    Yulaya gave him a serious look, paused for a moment, and continued, "Sir Colin, as long as we live, we always need to network. Meeting other wizards is only beneficial for you, not harmful."


    Colin still shook his head.


    Yulaya''s words seemed rational, but she was from the Hidosh Family, and her motives were not as pure as she stated.


    Even if he wanted to network and expand his connections, it would not be in this manner led by others.


    Moreover, many times he did not need to spend time on socializing.


    Great warriors walk alone, and he had that confidence!


    Yulaya watched Colin shaking his head, paused again, and spoke somewhat imploringly, "I''ve come to visit you several times recently only to return empty-handed; could you tell me when you will be resting at home during the day?"

 Chapter 497 - 335 Volume 2

    "I don''t rest during the day," Colin shook his head.


    "Don''t you have any days off?" Yulaya found it hard to comprehend.


    She considered herself an extremely diligent wizard, yet still set aside time for rest every day and dedicated one or two days each week solely to basic meditation practice.


    This was to relax her body and mind, alleviate the mental stress brought on by the pursuit of knowledge, and thus avoid contamination and mutation.


    "No," Colin stated seriously.


    "¡­Your Excellency is truly diligent," Yulaya''s lips quivered, and it was only after a moment that she murmured.


    Colin unconsciously glanced at the True Knowledge Society Castle nearby, his gaze seemingly piercing through the thick walls to where the lights were still on in Shelley''s laboratory outside.


    "It''s alright," he shook his head, feeling an inexplicable sense of urgency in his heart, and quickly ended the conversation, "That will do, Lady Yulaya. It''s getting late, and I need to continue my studies."


    Yulaya nodded slightly, watching as Colin''s figure receded into the distance.


    The cold wind was bleak, and Yulaya''s gaze followed Colin until he entered the castle of the True Knowledge Society, only then she finally retracted her gaze.


    "Truly a Golden Feather genius¡­" she whispered lowly, her tone somewhat admiring.


    But soon, Yulaya felt a bit despondent.


    Clearly, Colin''s behavior indicated he had no interest in her¡­


    Anxiety inevitably crept onto her face.


    The task from the family to connect with Colin had been ongoing for half a month, and she had made no progress.


    With a sigh, Yulaya stepped into a carriage waiting in the shadows nearby.


    About thirty minutes later.


    Yulaya arrived at an office and began to report her situation.


    "So, there''s still no progress?" The middle-aged wizard behind the desk asked calmly after listening. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes," Yulaya lowered her head and said softly.


    "What a pity, I didn''t expect Colin Leonard to join the True Knowledge Society," the middle-aged wizard sighed, his face showing displeasure. "Doesn''t he know that place is only filled with a bunch of knowledge-chasing lunatics?"


    Yulaya remained silent, thinking to herself that compared to those wizards at the True Knowledge Society, Colin seemed even more extreme, almost always immersed in the laboratory.


    The middle-aged wizard thought for a moment, then said:


    "Yulaya, there''s no need to contact Colin for now. The New Year is coming soon, wait for further instructions after the holidays."


    "¡­Yes," Yulaya paused, hesitantly nodding her head.


    She had been thinking of visiting the True Knowledge Society tomorrow to seek out Colin again, such a high-quality male wizard, she couldn''t bear to give up.


    But the order from her family was even harder to resist, and Yulaya could only sigh inwardly and leave silently.


    After she left, the middle-aged wizard rubbed his brow, feeling somewhat troubled.


    For Pureblood Families, every Golden Feather wizard born from the School was an extremely precious resource.


    Especially someone like Colin, an outsider Golden Feather prodigy, integrating him into the family was akin to injecting fresh vitality, benefiting in many ways.


    Unexpectedly, this time it was his turn to absorb a Golden Feather, and not only was there the issue with Yasi affecting it beforehand, he encountered someone obsessed with cultivation.


    Yasi''s situation was simple, it just required sufficient benefits.


    And a cultivation fanatic wasn''t really a problem; after all, the wizards who obtained the Golden Feather Token were more diligent in their practice, a matter the family had experienced before.


    Once he truly joined the family, there naturally were ways to make him contribute to the family''s proliferation.


    In fact, for a large Pureblood Family like Hidosh, missing one Golden Feather genius wasn''t a big deal, as genius only represented potential.


    And whether potential could be realized as expected was uncertain.


    Thus, rather than obtaining a potentially powerful wizard in the future, the family really wanted new blood to be infused.


    Stagnant water couldn''t survive; only by maintaining the influx of fresh elements like Colin could the longevity be sustained.


    Of course, to ensure the purity of the family lineage, once those "fresh elements" completed their task of proliferation.


    These ''outsiders'' would naturally be marginalized justifiably.


    Whether it was Golden Feather or anything else, as long as one was within the family, they had to abide by the rules; once they truly realized this, they were already deep in the mire, ultimately unable to stir up any waves.


    The absorbed Golden Feather was, after all, an outsider.


    Of course, that was a matter for later; what troubled the middle-aged wizard the most for now was¡ª


    Colin had no desire whatsoever to join any Faction.


    This was a true headache for him.


    He had thought it was merely a temporary obstinacy and that he would change his mind after recognizing the current state of the School.


    However, before he knew it, half a month had passed...


    The middle-aged Wizard sighed and slowly stood up, disregarding the night as he hurried outside.


    The cold wind caused his Wizard Robe to flutter and further hardened his expression.


    Only fools who cannot grasp reality would delude themselves thinking they could climb from insignificance to the Peak.


    Little did they know that the paths leading to the Peak had already been secretly named and their destinies marked.


    Colin Leonard would soon realize that joining the Pureblood Family was his only way out!


    "Enhance the energy intensity of the Elemental Summoning... this is a bit too vague."


    In the True Knowledge Society laboratory, the ceiling was embedded with Bright Crystals illuminating the room.


    Standing in front of the experimental table, Colin looked at the detailed requirements for custom witchcraft and murmured with a frown.


    The client''s detailed requirements... were not that detailed.


    For example, this Elemental Summoning wasn''t specified whether it was the Fire Element or Wind Element, just that the energy intensity needed to reach Second Rank and involve Elemental Creatures.


    It seemed that it was meant to cover mainstream Elemental Summonings, implying that the witchcraft created needed to be universally applicable to Elemental Creatures.


    This posed some difficulty, especially since it was Second Rank Lower witchcraft.


    But for 250,000 Magic Stones... Colin took a deep breath and began to contemplate meticulously.


    Normally, when a Wizard wanted to create witchcraft, the process involved deducing the principle and building the basic model first.


    This was the first and most difficult step.


    The difficulty wasn''t in deducing the principles.


    After all, they weren''t exploring new knowledge, but creating new witchcraft.


    Especially with custom witchcraft commissions like these, most of the time existing knowledge was used to meet requirements.


    This difference was like that between scientific research and designing a product.


    Colin had not hesitated to take on this custom witchcraft commission precisely because of this.


    He possessed relevant knowledge about Fire Element Summonings.


    Had it been a different custom witchcraft commission, he might have needed to familiarize himself with related knowledge first, but not this time.


    Thus, the real challenge in creating witchcraft was how to transform dry principles into practical framework models.


    Once past the hardest beginning and a rough structural framework was set, the next step involved practical testing, and finally, specific revisions based on the test results.


    Whenever the practical test''s effectiveness and stability met the requirements, the creation of the witchcraft could be declared a success!


    Colin exhaled, rolled up his sleeves, and prepared to get to work with a piece of white paper.


    Strictly speaking, this was his first actual attempt at creating witchcraft.


    But he was no stranger to the process of creating witchcraft.


    Golden Paper Limit Breaking, essentially, was about creating new witchcraft.


    Back in his Apprentice days during Limit Breaking, he couldn''t feel the process at all, assuming that the knowledge acquired post-Limit Breaking appeared out of nowhere.


    But now, at First Rank Advanced, during Limit Breaking, he could faintly perceive those scattered research fragments.


    So, in strict sense, he already was an experienced witchcraft creator!


    Although those memories from Golden Paper Limit Breaking weren''t clear, they were deeply embedded in his very bones.


    This instilled Colin with constant streams of inspiration and ingenious ideas as he held the white paper!


    He was focused yet filled with joy.


    With his current state and the solid theoretical foundation from Golden Paper Limit Breaking,


    those 250,000 Magic Stones were as good as his!

 Chapter 498 - 336 Battle

    On a common noon in the True Knowledge Society''s laboratory.


    Colin took a sip of Renee''s mixed fish soup, then suddenly looked up at Shelley in front of him and said,


    "Speaking of which, New Year''s is almost upon us."


    In this world, there was also the concept of New Year.


    Legend had it that Yifu engraved the earliest script on this day, from which civilization began to be passed down.


    There wasn''t anything particularly special about the wizards'' world''s New Year customs; people would celebrate on that day, eat a sumptuous dinner, and those who were a bit more particular might draw a calendar for the coming year on paper, symbolizing a new beginning and a better tomorrow.


    It seems that for festivals like the New Year, which bid farewell to the old and welcome the new, people''s wishes in every world are quite similar.


    This might be because to some extent, as long as there is a tomorrow, there is hope and a new beginning...


    "Hmm," Shelley, with both hands cradling a small white bowl filled with milky white fish soup, also gently sipped.


    Although Shelley seldom ate, she occasionally took an interest in soups like fish soup, and Colin naturally wasn''t stingy in sharing. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In fact, Colin would almost always ask Shelley if she wanted something to eat before each meal.


    Though he was already accustomed to eating while conversing with Shelley, he never skipped this step.


    Putting down the white bowl, Shelley did not continue the topic of the New Year, but instead followed up with,


    "As we mentioned before, although elemental creatures are different from one another, they also share many commonalities..."


    Colin listened intently to Shelley''s words, nodding from time to time.


    Usually, his conversations with her were mostly about knowledge.


    An occasional casual comment would quickly be steered back to the main subject by Shelley, and it was always done quite abruptly...


    But he was already used to such abrupt transitions.


    Sometimes, Colin even wondered if Shelley was really human, how she could be so diligent, almost without any unnecessary rest or entertainment.


    The afternoon time quickly passed, and after a good chat with Shelley, Colin''s heart was full of gains.


    Now, a week had gone by since he took on that commission for custom witchcraft, and the progress of the research was even smoother than he had imagined!


    In at most another ten days, he feared he would be able to complete the initial model design and start actual testing.


    However, before the 250,000 Magic Stones were deposited, there was something else worth celebrating.


    In a way, this even made him happier than completing the custom witchcraft commission!


    Waving his hand to cast a Cleaning Technique, he tidied up the spotless cutlery and Colin slowly summoned Golden Paper.


    Pale golden particles converged, and an ancient piece of Golden Paper gradually appeared before him.


    On it, there were four rows of characters, each flashing an alluring ¡ü symbol behind them!


    The first was a Limit Broken secondary Acid Liquid splash, now a Zeroth Rank Middle witchcraft. Breaking the limit one or two more times would elevate it to Zeroth Rank Upper witchcraft.


    As for the remaining three witchcrafts, two of them needed no further mention; they were First Rank Upper Disguise Magic¡ªSpirit Fog and Hayden''s Pseudo Ability.


    This was the real reason Colin was more pleased than earning Magic Stones.


    Because the Limit Breaking of these two witchcraft undoubtedly meant he had taken a huge step closer to the day he would be promoted to a Second Rank Wizard!


    As for the remaining witchcraft that had reached its limit, it was the First Rank Lower witchcraft, Silent.


    This witchcraft had reached more than 80 percent progress quite some time ago.


    It was only because Colin had been spending most of his time practicing the Meditation Method and on more important witchcraft like Hayden''s Pseudo Ability lately.


    The rest of the witchcrafts he practiced at most once or twice a day, so Silent finally reached its limit just now.


    The process of Limit Breaking wasn''t anything special; Colin had long since become adept at it.


    He first Limit Broke the secondary Acid Liquid splash, spending 60 Magic Stones.


    Then came the two Disguise witchcrafts.


    Limit Breaking Spirit Fog cost 25,000 Magic Stones, while Limit Breaking Hayden''s Pseudo Ability cost 20,000 Magic Stones.


    A total expenditure of 45,000, which instantly emptied the savings he had accumulated over the past few days, leaving him with just over a thousand Magic Stones.


    Colin couldn''t help but give a wry smile; he hadn''t expected the Magic Stones he had saved for so long to be spent in an instant.


    Actually, he still had 20,000 Magic Stones as a deposit at Darren''s Commission, but he couldn''t take those out.


    However, he had taken a glance when converting the Limit Breaking Points just now¡ª


    When the value of the Limit Breaking Points reached five thousand, the ¡ü symbol behind Silent lit up.


    This signified that the amount of Magic Stones needed to Limit Break this First Rank Lower witchcraft, Silent, was five thousand.


    Without delay, Colin slowly got up, prepared to sell the newly Limit Broken secondary Acid Liquid splash right now.


    Actually, his plan was to sell it today as well.


    A Zeroth Rank Upper Attack Witchcraft, according to Colin''s current arrangement, could be produced in as fast as five days or at most ten days.


    So after some thought, he decided that each time he reached Zeroth Rank Upper after Limit Breaking, he would go sell it at Copper Rose Street, timing his sales at irregular intervals to reduce the possibility of arousing suspicion.


    Walking along, Colin suddenly paused, a thought struck him, and he cast the freshly Limit Broken Spirit Fog on himself.


    This First Rank Upper witchcraft had, after Limit Breaking, become Second Rank Lower; whether in power or otherwise, it had greatly improved.


    Since it was witchcraft that he had Limit Broken himself, Colin knew it like the back of his hand, and at this moment, with a thought, he smoothly cast it.


    That was something one could not achieve by simply purchasing a Second Rank witchcraft.

 Chapter 499 - 336: Battle_2

    Moreover, a mere twenty-five thousand Magic Stones simply couldn''t buy any Second Rank witchcraft.


    The market price for Second Rank Lower Magic in Darren''s Commission generally starts at eighty thousand, and at the very minimum, it would still cost fifty thousand Magic Stones.


    And often, they''re just not available on the market.


    After all, in this world, the primary way to acquire High Rank witchcraft is through exchange within a School.


    The Spirit Fog is a witchcraft meant for continuous use, designed to optimize long-term consumption.


    Thus, maintaining its existence doesn''t require much Magic Power.


    But that doesn''t mean its consumption will be low during casting.


    At the very least, for Colin, who is currently a First Rank Advanced Wizard, it isn''t a small amount.


    Due to practicing witchcraft all morning, Colin''s Magic Power is not at a full state.


    At this moment, after casting Spirit Fog, his complexion unavoidably paled, and a sense of emptiness immediately emanated from the Magic Sea in his chest.


    ''Probably only about ten percent of Magic Power left¡­''


    Colin slightly paused in his step, assessed the situation, then quickly turned around, retrieved his Demon Release Ring, and began recovering his Magic Power sitting behind the experiment table.


    Out of caution, he habitually kept at least half of his body''s Magic Power in reserve.


    Half an hour later, with the aid of Magic Stones, Magic Power had fully replenished within him.


    With a thought from Colin, he cast Hayden''s Pseudo Ability.


    Almost half of the Magic Power in front of his chest vanished instantly, like water bursting through a gate.


    It seems that, with the Magic Power of a First Rank Advanced Wizard like him, he must be at his fullest Magic Power state to cast these two pieces of witchcraft simultaneously.


    That was the case for him; for other Wizards, being able to cast one of the spells would be considered quite good.


    After all, the characteristic of the Holy Ring Meditation Method is to increase the total amount of Magic Power, and the Golden Paper Limit Breaking witchcraft was custom-made for Colin, making it smoother for him to use and relatively reducing Magic Power consumption.


    Colin sat quietly on an iron stool, feeling carefully.


    Whether it was Spirit Fog or Hayden''s Pseudo Ability, neither spell caused any significant commotion when cast.


    After casting Spirit Fog, a nearly imperceptible white brilliance flickered over him, which quickly converged and vanished into his body.


    Indicating the successful enhancement from Spirit Fog.


    Hayden''s Pseudo Ability was much the same, only the light of energy pulled was darker.


    But after the casting, at least to the naked eye of a First Rank Knight, he appeared no different on the surface than before.


    Colin seriously felt for a while, and his body did not experience any significant discomfort.


    His spiritual power usage remained smooth, likewise with his Magic Power.


    After considering, he raised his arm and activated his Supersensitive Vision.


    Determining the specific level of a wizard is not an easy task.


    At least it cannot be accurately determined simply by eyesight or sensing the aura.


    Supersensitive Vision can help to some extent, but not significantly.


    At least at this moment Colin could only see the human and knowledge brilliance on his body''s surface had dimmed.


    Indeed, it had become similar to when he was an Advanced Apprentice.


    Theoretically, the higher a Wizard''s level, the stronger the Spiritual Light on their body''s surface would be.


    Thus, it can serve as a partial basis for judging a Wizard''s Level.


    However, the brilliance of humanity and knowledge on the body''s surface changes with the Wizard''s specific condition, so it is neither accurate nor easily faked.


    Typically, the witchcraft used specifically to distinguish a Wizard''s Level falls into two types: one that judges based on the quality of spirit, and another based on the level of Magic Power.


    Unfortunately, Colin had not learned either type of these witchcraft.


    So for now, he could not test the specific effects of these two pieces of Disguise Magic after Limit Breaking.


    However, Colin believed in the Golden Paper; theoretically, these two Second Rank Lower Magic, which had undergone Golden Paper Limit Breaking, should at least be able to deceive Wizards below Third Rank.


    Witchcraft after Golden Paper Limit Breaking, usually are of the highest quality in their respective classes.


    But whether it could deceive Wizards of Third Rank and above remains unknown.


    Colin thought for a moment, then stood up and quickly left the True Knowledge Society.


    Half an hour later, the disguised Colin arrived outside a large bookstore on Copper Rose Street.


    The bookstore behind this establishment was affiliated with the Yista School, making it one of the most upscale bookshops on Copper Rose Street.


    In line with its status, apart from the rich knowledge it offered for sale, it also had some special features, such as the constant monitoring Witch Array set up at the entrance.


    According to previous information, as soon as any Wizard of First Rank or above entered, the monitoring witchcraft would alert, and the shopkeeper would then come out to receive the guest personally.


    It was said that the monitoring Witch Array was probably not very powerful.


    But as it happened, Colin had come to sell witchcraft and took the opportunity to simply test the newly Limit Breaking Disguise Magic.


    It was better than nothing.


    Colin let out a breath quietly, no longer hesitant, and entered the bookstore.


    Though it was a casual decision, he had still made thorough preparations.


    Colin had deliberately upgraded the Wizard Robe he wore while in disguise, making it look slightly higher in class.


    It was the kind that a somewhat wealthy Advanced Wizard Apprentice might wear, or a down-and-out First Rank Basic Level Wandering Wizard might also wear.


    So as to avoid it seeming odd were he detected as a First Rank Wizard later on.


    Entering the doorway went smoothly, and his First Rank Advanced Wizard''s ability allowed him to sense the subtle fluctuations emitted by the monitoring Witch Array at the entrance.


    Without changing his expression, Colin continued to walk forward.


    The layout of wizard world bookstores was very similar to that of jewelry stores in his previous life, the difference being that the tempered glass was replaced by Magic Shields.


    At this moment, about a dozen Wizards were browsing and selecting items; most of them were Wandering Wizards, with a small half being School Wizards.


    Colin glanced with the corner of his eye at the shopkeeper in a white robe behind the counter not far away.


    The shopkeeper was sitting bored behind the counter, holding a book and reading it.


    Seeing the shopkeeper looking like that, Colin slightly relaxed inside.


    Then, he found it a little funny that he had been overly anxious.


    Such a result was only to be expected.


    If the two Limit Breaking Disguise Magic spells could not even fool a bookstore''s monitoring Witch Array, then what good were they?


    Shaking his head, Colin strode towards the shopkeeper, and half an hour later, sold the twice Limit Breaking inferior Acid Liquid Splash for 14,500 Magic Stones.


    Upon exiting the bookstore, the sky was still bright.


    But the winter sky always seemed a bit more dim than in other seasons.


    Hisss!


    Just as Colin was about to divert his gaze, a piercing bright light suddenly appeared from the corner of his eye.


    He instinctively turned his head to look.


    Whoosh!


    It was from the direction of the southern district of the city far away, where a fiery bright light unexpectedly appeared, rapidly expanding into a huge sphere of light within mere moments, and then, with a vivid red trail, shot up into the sky!


    The air vibrated, the mighty presence of the flame light was thrilling, and the passersby around him immediately let out a series of astonished cries.


    But the next moment, several figures appeared, soaring into the sky along with the blaze.


    Each figure''s presence was no less than that of the fiery figure.


    The group of people quickly disappeared into the clouds, and immediately thunderous, muffled sounds mingled with bright flashes like lightning appeared incessantly.


    However, merely moments later, all became quiet again.


    Leaving only a light drizzle of localized hail over that region.


    "What''s going on?"


    "Those are at least Third Rank Wizards¡­" S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I''ve seen one of them, that''s one of the big shots from the Law Enforcement Team!"


    The crowd around him started discussing in surprised and uncertain tones, like boiling water bursting from a pot.


    Colin''s gaze flickered.


    ...On that first fiery figure, he had sensed a Divine presence.


    ''Could it be the Scarlet Action has caught a big fish?''


    With speculation stirring within him, he steadied his mind and quickly walked towards the True Knowledge Society.

 Chapter 500 - 337: Assiduous

    The evening sunlight filtered through the glass, cascading onto the brown desk and creating stripes of bright yellow light.


    The study was tranquil, the only sounds being the occasional, subtle whistling of the cold wind outside and the rustling of paper pages being turned.


    Moments later, Colin sighed as he set down today''s Council announcements and the newspaper, slowly standing up.


    "Still no information about the battle the day before yesterday."


    The vivid red figure suspected to be a Divine Believer, the battle intense and swift as lightning... had cast an inexplicable gloom over Colin''s heart as he stepped out of the bookstore.


    In the following two days, Colin had been paying close attention to any follow-up news.


    However, apart from the rumors amongst the townsfolk, it was as if nothing had happened at all¡ªno further movements.


    Just yesterday, he even made a trip to the School, attempting to inquire with his mentor, but Atbolde didn''t even know about that battle...


    But Colin was certain that this had absolutely something to do with the Deep Red action Nois had mentioned to him previously.


    He wondered how Nois''s improvements on the Deep Red Marking Technique were coming along...


    All along, he had been continuously practicing the Deep Red Marking Technique, and now the progress was over eighty percent; before long, he''d be able to break the limit again.


    Yet, Colin didn''t believe that even a second Limit Breaking of the Deep Red Marking Technique would be able to see through the Divine disguise that even Nois was at a loss to penetrate.


    After all, the version of the Deep Red Marking Technique he was learning was just a simplified one. Nois''s original creation was probably at least a Third Rank witchcraft.


    Nevertheless, Golden Paper was no ordinary object, maybe after breaking the limit, it would bring some new inspiration.


    If he could gain valuable insights, then he would go find Nois again... and maybe also ask about today''s battle.


    As for seeking out Nois right now... He didn''t want to waste the Councilman''s precious patience over mere curiosity.


    Gathering his thoughts, Colin went downstairs.


    The aroma of food wafted faintly from below, where Renee was busily bustling about the kitchen.


    Today was December 31st, 3585 of the Yanan Calendar, New Year''s Eve.


    Renee had been busy since early morning preparing for tonight''s dinner.


    The fireplace in the hall was blazing fiercely, the firewood occasionally crackling, and a warm atmosphere filled the entire space. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Colin let out a light breath and quickly walked to the kitchen.


    The other three people in the house were all here.


    Renee was tending to a pot of seafood porridge on the stove, with Demi standing on a step stool next to her helping chop vegetables.


    And Nasi was happily flying about, carrying a potato to Demi one moment, and then dragging a bottle of spices to Renee the next, her little face flushed with activity.


    "Master, you''ve come," Renee noticed his arrival, put down her ladle, and turned around.


    "Carry on with your work," Colin gestured with his hand, then asked, "Has anyone come by this afternoon?"


    "No, Master," Renee shook her head, then added, "Speaking of which, those Witch mentors who used to visit frequently haven''t been here for quite a long time."


    Demi and Nasi also greeted him.


    "They haven''t arrived yet," Colin nodded slightly.


    As for Yulaya and those Witches not coming, he didn''t care.


    His asking Renee was because he had invited Shelley, the top-ranked student, for today''s New Year''s dinner.


    It seemed, however, that she was timing her arrival just right.


    As for his mentor, he had also invited him yesterday, only to be politely refused.


    Mentor Atbolde was increasingly unwilling to leave his own residence.


    Stepping out of the kitchen, the distant orange sunset was now barely a sliver, and the sky had grown dim.


    Ding ding ding¡ª


    The doorbell that Nado controlled in the living room suddenly rang; the vines tugged at the pull cord, shaking it continuously to remind Colin that someone was visiting at the door.


    Renee hurried out of the kitchen.


    "I''ll go," Colin said, then walked towards the door with a smile on his face.


    He had asked several times before he finally managed to persuade Shelley to come.


    In a sense, getting such a top student to take the night off from studying to come over for dinner was quite an accomplishment.


    "Welcome," Colin said, smiling as he opened the door.


    "...Good evening," Shelley paused, then straightened her hair by her ear and spoke.


    Today, she still wore a clean, tidy but old and slightly faded black robe, her face bare, yet her beauty couldn''t be hidden, with her right hand carrying a delicate brown wooden box.


    "For you," Shelley continued, somewhat awkwardly handing the gift in her hand to Colin.


    It wasn''t her first time interacting with others, but coming over just for dinner like this was still a first for her.


    "Too kind," Colin raised his eyebrows slightly with a smile, but he didn''t refuse and accepted it.


    There was no need to decline gifts from a wealthy woman.


    The two of them entered the house together.


    As the last trace of orange was swallowed by the distant horizon, Renee and the others finished preparing dinner.


    At Colin''s insistence, four people and one small Elf sat together at the dining room''s square table to begin the dinner.


    The atmosphere was more convivial than Colin had expected.


    Shelley showed no particular reaction to eating with Renee and her sisters, and even engaged in a serious discussion about cooking with Renee.


    "If you want the fish soup to be white, you should add hot water after frying it, and you can also add extra oil," Renee explained.


    "Doesn''t cold water work?"


    "It''s more difficult," Renee continued.


    Shelley nodded thoughtfully.


    Colin took a bite of his dish.


    In a world where social class was etched into the bone, Shelley''s behavior was somewhat surprising to him.

 Chapter 501 - 337 Arduous_2

    But Shelley''s past remained a mystery to Colin.


    He had asked before, but Shelley was reluctant to talk more about it, so he did not pry further; he only knew that she was now alone in Neustadt City.


    She had no family, nor a mentor. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    During the latter half of dinner, he was the only one still eating.


    Renee was already full and waiting on the side.


    Demi was also full, and with Colin''s nod, she and Nasi had already run outside to play.


    "Soon after the New Year, I might be away from the True Knowledge Society for a while."


    Shelley suddenly said, still not stopping her meal, sipping the creamy fish soup.


    There were three soups tonight, and she had consumed most of them.


    Colin swallowed his food, paused, and asked, "When specifically?"


    "Maybe the end of January, or the beginning of February, on the coldest day."


    Colin nodded slightly, thought for a moment, and then said, "I wish you success."


    According to the saying from his previous life, persisting for twenty-one days could establish a habit.


    His daily noon communications with Shelley had long surpassed twenty-one days and had become a habit.


    Previously, if Colin couldn''t make it to the True Knowledge Society one afternoon due to other commitments, he would generally inform Shelley in advance if convenient.


    This was their tacit understanding.


    With the Golden Paper in hand, Colin had never before encountered a Wizard who could discuss witchcraft knowledge with him as competently.


    With that effort, he might as well practice witchcraft a few more times.


    However, Shelley was different; she was a true genius.


    Conversing with her was very beneficial for Colin, much like reading Neustadt''s manuscripts at the beginning.


    Yet, Neustadt''s manuscripts were a bit too advanced and cryptic for him, while Shelley was just right.


    The more they talked, the more they seemed to appreciate each other''s genius.


    "Your membership application for the Glen Trade Meet has been approved," Shelley put down the fish soup and said.


    "Thank you for your trouble," Colin replied gratefully, his face showing a trace of happiness.


    The Glen Trade Meet, like Darren''s Commission, was an underground trading platform.


    However, the Glen Trade Meet was more focused on witchcraft trading, while Darren''s Commission was more about custom witchcraft commissions.


    Both were among the largest organizations in their respective fields.


    When Colin first learned about these organizations, he had asked Shelley which ones were better to join.


    Shelley had only recommended these two.


    However, it seemed obtaining membership at the Glen Trade Meet was a bit tougher than at Darren''s Commission.


    He had applied for both at the same time, but it had taken until now to hear any news from them.


    The next day.


    Yanan Calendar 3586, January 1.


    A new year had arrived.


    Having rested the previous afternoon, Colin stepped out of the house at nine in the morning, on time, ready to head to the True Knowledge Society and continue striving.


    A new year, a new day, starting off on the right note!


    According to his current progress, if nothing unexpected happened, he should be able to successfully merge the Hodgia Meditation Method with the Tin Saint Meditation in about three to five weeks.


    However, before Colin could leave his house, the badge he was carrying lit up.


    Colin paused his steps, squeezed the badge, and injected Magical Power into it.


    Moments later, as a flash of White Light blinked past, a short message was projected above the badge.


    ''Please Colin Leonard, come to the School to receive the first mandatory mission of the year.''


    Colin furrowed his brow and quickly made his way to the School.


    Although he was a First Rank Wizard and was indeed required to complete four mandatory missions each year, this year''s mission seemed to have arrived too soon.


    Half an hour later, he reached the administrative building.


    "Your mandatory mission is to escort an important item to the frontline in the Southern Sea Domain," the responsible Wizard told him.


    "Why has the School chosen me?" Colin asked.


    "I''m not quite sure, but the mandatory missions for each quarter are allocated based on abilities, and this mission should be within your capabilities,"


    "And escort missions are generally easy; it''s just about delivery to the frontline, the entire route is at the rear, and with your strength as a First Rank Advanced Wizard, there won''t be much danger.


    The only part that might not be as pleasant is that you can''t use the Transmission Array, so it might take a bit longer."


    "I''m sorry, but I refuse this mission," Colin shook his head, took out the Golden Feather Token, and handed it to the astonished Wizard before him.


    "So, you are a Golden Feather," the duty Wizard recognized the Golden Feather Token, snapped back to reality, and hastily took it, "I''ll cancel this mandatory mission for you right away."


    "But are you sure you want to use your once-a-year chance on such a simple task?"


    "Yes," Colin nodded slightly.


    Not being able to use the Transmission Array meant the mission would take much longer, easily three to five months for a round trip.


    The long journey and extended time meant unexpected issues could arise.


    Moreover, being away from Neustadt City would mean his major earnings from Magic Stones would have to be put on hold.


    Given that the deadline for the custom witchcraft commission he accepted had to have at least a preliminary version within three months, he couldn''t leave now.


    Additionally, the urgency of this task was somewhat strange.


    Colin frowned and pondered for a moment, then suddenly thought of the Pureblood Family Witches who had recently stopped bothering him.


    ''Could it be a task specifically arranged for me by the Pureblood Families?''


    His expression calm, a sense of urgency inexplicably surged in his heart.

 Chapter 502 - 337 Perseverance_3

    I need to advance to Second Rank quickly.


    If this task truly came secretly arranged by the Pureblood Family, then after his refusal this time, there would definitely be a next.


    Being in the School, these are internal obligations that he cannot refuse.


    But once he advanced to Second Rank, he wouldn''t need to worry too much about these compulsory tasks assigned based on his overt First Rank strength.


    *


    *


    *


    Half a month swiftly passed.


    January 26th, early morning.


    A secluded district in Neustadt City.


    Colin''s figure slowly emerged from a rough brick and stone wall.


    A black-robed man guarding the end of the passage saw him come out, hunched over, and pulled open the iron gate.


    The piercing cold wind immediately swept in, mixed with snowflakes.


    "The weather''s getting colder."


    Colin silently held up his Defensive Witchcraft and stepped through the iron gate, arriving in a small alley.


    He had just walked out from the venue of the Gran Trading Assembly.


    The profit was two hundred and eighty thousand Magic Stones.


    Yesterday, the assembly informed him that the witchcraft he posted was purchased, so early this morning he came to complete the trade.


    The traded witchcraft was a First Rank Upper Steel Temperature Resistance Field.


    Due to its exceptional effect, the price at which this witchcraft was sold was almost catching up with some lower-end Second Rank witchcrafts.


    Colin was not reluctant to sell it.


    Besides the price, because he now had something better¡ª


    Under his prioritization, the First Rank Upper Steel Temperature Resistance Field had successfully completed Limit Breaking some time ago, becoming a Second Rank Lower witchcraft.


    At this point, the Steel Temperature Resistance Field had reached gold status, and to break limits again, he needed to find new witchcraft to merge with it.


    As for Limit Breaking cost, it reached an astounding forty-five thousand Magic Stones.


    If not for having previously completed a customized witchcraft trade that earned him two hundred and fifty thousand Magic Stones, it would have really strained his resources.


    There was also the Deep Red Marking Technique, which had also completed Limit Breaking recently, unfortunately, it didn''t bring any useful inspiration, so he had not gone to find Nois.


    And after that thunderous battle, although Neustadt City continued experiencing relentless blizzards, the situation was nevertheless calm.


    Colin also temporarily suppressed his worries.


    After all, worrying was useless, the only thing he could do was strive to enhance his own strength.


    On his way, he visited the True Knowledge Society.


    During this period, Colin''s life was extremely regulated, just like before.


    It could even be said to be even more rigorous.


    Leveraging his First Rank Knight''s physique, he once again compressed his sleep time, only allowing himself two hours of rest a day.


    He spent all remaining time on cultivation.


    Such rigor brought him substantial rewards.


    Not only those Limit Breaking witchcrafts, but just two days ago, the Hodgia Meditation Method and the Holy Ring Meditation Method had also successfully merged and achieved Limit Breaking.


    Theoretically, he could now advance to Second Rank Wizard, but to ensure the best results, Colin planned to push the progress of the new meditation methods to the limit before starting Limit Breaking.


    Finally reaching the door of Shelley''s laboratory, Colin pressed the bell.


    Going home from the Gran Trading Assembly, he would pass through the True Knowledge Society Castle.


    Tomorrow, he planned to leave Neustadt for a few days to take care of some matters, about three to five days.


    So, he made a detour to inform Shelley. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A moment later, the door to the laboratory opened, and Shelley''s figure appeared.


    Colin was about to speak when he heard Shelley, looking at him, speak first:


    "You''ve come at just the right time, I''ll be leaving Neustadt City for a while starting tomorrow."

 Chapter 503 - 338: The New Mission

    "Is it the matter that was mentioned on New Year''s Eve?" Colin heard Shelley''s words, raised his eyebrows, and asked aloud.


    "Yes." Shelley nodded.


    Colin hesitated, then asked with some curiosity, "May I ask what exactly you''re going to do?"


    Shelley watched him, her delicate face showing a rare difficulty.


    "If it''s inconvenient, you don''t have to force it; I was just asking casually," Colin said with a smile upon seeing her expression, "Speaking of which, I will also be leaving Neustadt City for a while tomorrow."


    Shelley glanced at him and unconsciously wanted to ask more, but quickly realized it was inappropriate and closed her mouth.


    "I''m planning to go to the small countries around to get some materials needed for witchcraft," Colin took the initiative to say without too much concealment.


    Shelley nodded slightly but did not continue to ask further.


    "Then, let''s leave it at that, Lady Shelley, I wish you a smooth journey," Colin paused, then continued with a smile.


    Having said that, he turned and walked away.


    "Colin¡ª" Shelley watched his retreating figure, her gaze flickered for a moment, and then she suddenly called out to him in a low voice, asking, "What is your view of the Pureblood Families?"


    Colin slowly turned around, showing some surprise on his face; he thought for a moment and calmly said, "I don''t like them very much."


    Although the Pureblood Families were currently abiding by the public order and had not caused him any substantial harm,


    That did not prevent Colin from disliking them.


    The compulsory task suddenly assigned to him at the beginning of the month, he later bribed an on-duty wizard and got a hint of information¡ª


    His task was assigned on the spot¡­ Although there wasn''t much information, it was enough for Colin to confirm his suspicions.


    The arrival of the compulsory task was clearly the Pureblood Families applying pressure on him.


    ...Those people were accustomed to nobility, always feeling that everything had to go according to their wishes.


    Shelley heard Colin''s answer, her face unchanged, she just nodded slightly.


    "I wish you a safe journey," she said seriously.


    "Mm," Colin nodded.


    After he left, Shelley did not return to her laboratory.


    As mentioned before, she too would be leaving Neustadt City for a while tomorrow, so naturally, she had to make some preparations today.


    She had planned to talk with Colin at noon and then start preparing in the afternoon, but now that Colin had gone, the noon meeting was naturally off.


    So Shelley had no reason to stay there any longer.


    Walking through the back door of True Knowledge Castle, Shelley put on her hood, concealing her conspicuous white hair, and made her way to a secluded alley.


    Then, after making a few turns, she entered an ordinary-looking grey bungalow.


    After that, Shelley went to an inconspicuous corner of the room and waved her hand lightly.


    The ground in front of her, along with the wall, suddenly cracked open, and moments later, a dark hole silently appeared before her.


    Shelley did not hesitate, bent over, and walked down the steps.


    The wall behind her closed up quickly without making any sound.


    ...


    The next day, as dawn broke,


    After instructing Renee that if anything happened, she could go to the School and seek the help of Instructor Atbolde, Colin stepped out of his home alone.


    His sole reason for going out this time was to search for a few materials needed for casting the Black Mist Net.


    After he had broken the limits of two Disguise Magic, he then had spare time.


    After all, the time for meditation each day was limited, the commissioned task of custom witchcraft had already been completed, and for the moment, he had enough Magic Stone and was not in a hurry to sell the Limit Breaking Witchcraft.


    Indeed, rather than earning Magic Stone, Colin preferred to prioritize enhancing his own strength.


    And to improve his strength, the Black Mist Net was naturally the first choice.


    This witchcraft, which Colin had already mastered, only needed some materials to bring out its desired effect.


    Unfortunately, in the vast Neustadt City, there was nowhere where he could obtain the materials.


    The Prisoners in Neustadt Kingdom were already booked by the city''s Schools.


    Otherwise, he would not have needed to travel.


    However, fortunately, such witchcraft was not mainstream, and prisoners were still more supplied than demanded. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Without traveling too far, just a bit further away, like the previously visited Fabados Kingdom, he could obtain materials, as the prisoners there were not yet reserved.


    Thinking along these lines, Colin stepped onto the Transmission Array.


    With a flash of light, his figure gradually disappeared.


    Moments later, a female wizard with grey-brown hair and green eyes, wearing thick glasses, also stepped into the hall of the Transmission General Bureau.


    She was dressed in a grey robe, and with her thick glasses, she looked like an unremarkable scholar.


    Next to the green-eyed witch were two other figures, one tall and one short.


    The taller one was female, seemingly ordinary in appearance, but upon closer examination, one could notice tiny orange lightning moving in her blazing white eyes, carrying an oppressive air.


    The shorter male wizard was of little note, appearing only as an ordinary elderly wizard with a wrinkled face.


    After paying the transmission fee, it wasn''t long before it was the green-eyed witch''s turn; she stepped towards the Transmission Array.


    "Have a safe trip, Lady Ice Mage," the elderly wizard spoke first, with a somewhat husky voice.


    "Lady Ice Mage, are you sure you don''t need someone to accompany you?" the other female wizard suddenly spoke up, her face showing an unmistakable concern.


    "No need," the green-eyed witch shook her head, "Only I can go there, and if there''s any danger, having more people is of no use."

 Chapter 504 - 338: New Task_2

    Two wizards fell silent, saying no more.


    ...


    Meanwhile, after several hours of trekking, Colin arrived at the capital of the Fabados Kingdom, Nanao, before noon.


    The familiar Leibo River was now frozen over. The many boats that usually dotted its surface were nowhere to be seen, leaving only a few fishermen who were ice fishing at the thin edges.


    He chose this place not only because it was nearby, but also because it was familiar.


    Familiarity could save a lot of unnecessary time.


    In just one hour, Colin contacted the Nanao Royal Family through the well-known local land merchant, Hosone, whom he knew.


    After that, other than the slightly annoying scent of cosmetics on the two accompanying princesses, there were no further incidents.


    Colin successfully exchanged a few magic stones for nine death row inmates.


    In fact, before coming here, he had considered other methods to obtain materials, such as attempting to find some in the outskirts of Neustadt in the Neustadt Kingdom.


    Although the Supreme Council does not permit the indiscriminate killing of ordinary people, as a First Rank Wizard, he had countless ways to bypass this restriction.


    The simplest would be to buy a few slaves at the Neustadt Kingdom''s slave market.


    But Colin had no desire to kill innocents without good reason, and it was not even a matter of good or evil.


    He simply did not want to, did not like to.


    However, as many philosophers have said, not wanting to, not wishing to, and not liking to... in themselves are the biggest reasons.


    Colin strongly agreed.


    But now, it seemed that coming to Fabados was not a bad decision, as the efficiency was not much worse than buying slaves directly, and they were all condemned prisoners. Moreover, he could take the opportunity to complete the Black Mist Transformation here.


    Colin refused the residence offered by the Royal Family and chose to stay in the villa he had used before.


    After he had left, Hosone had kept the villa unrented to others. Other than sending someone to clean regularly, nothing inside the villa had been changed... It showed consideration.


    "Lord Nade, may I know how long you plan to stay this time?" Hosone walked into the villa with him and asked.


    Colin glanced at him, his expression calm.


    Hosone''s heart skipped a beat, and he quickly added:


    "That is, I noticed you did not bring the maid you had before, so I wanted to ask if you needed some maids arranged to handle miscellaneous tasks."


    "There''s no need; just send over some food daily," Colin shook his head, then specified, "Send enough for fifteen people for the first three days, and for three people from then on."


    If the death row inmates went through the Black Mist Transformation, they would no longer need to eat.


    After all, they could hardly be considered human at that point, being able to survive solely by drawing on magic power, so they would not need to eat and excrete like humans.


    As for the extra portions he requested for the first few days, aside from what he needed himself, they were also prepared for the prisoners.


    Before the Black Mist Transformation, Colin planned to first enhance them into Great Knights.


    "Very well, Lord Nade," Hosone nodded gravely. He looked behind instinctively, feeling a chill inside.


    The death row inmates had come off the prisoner transport at the door and followed behind the two of them obediently, as if dead men walking.


    Although Hosone felt some fear, it did not strike him as unusual.


    Previous interactions had convinced Hosone that the wizard before him was not a man of evil, or at least... whether good or bad, he was a wizard with principles.


    "How is your daughter doing?" Colin suddenly asked.


    "Are you referring to Wensy? Thanks to you, she has gone to the Wizard City and successfully joined a School," Hosone said with a hint of pride.


    "That''s good," Colin nodded slightly, a bit surprised.


    After all, the girl''s talent had not seemed exceptional during the initial tests, and she was no longer young.


    He had thought that Wensy would not pass the School''s entrance examination...


    But who can truly predict the twists of fate?


    Colin shook his head and continued walking forward with the death row inmates.


    ...


    It was just a single day later.


    Those prisoners with varying levels of physical fitness had been catalyzed into Great Knights by Colin using the Limit Breaking Blood Pattern Transformation Technique.


    On the second day, he used his own First Rank Knight''s Fighting Aura to mitigate the negative effects of the Blood Pattern Transformation Technique as much as possible to prevent it from adversely affecting the Black Mist Transformation that would follow.


    Without considering future development or bodily harm, after a series of operations, these prisoners had actually increased in strength somewhat.


    Although they remained at the Great Knight stage, they had reached the pinnacle that mortals could achieve.


    At this point, the preparations were successfully completed.


    For the Black Mist Net, the best material is a Wizard who is also a Knight, followed by lone Wizards, then by lone Knights, and finally by ordinary people.


    But everything is relative.


    Materials like those Colin now had, which had reached the peak level of Great Knights, were naturally much better than Wizard Apprentices of only low to middle level.


    If he were to officially apply for human materials from the School, he would likely only be able to request materials of this quality at most.


    Of course, if one wanted to fully unleash the power of the Black Mist Net, the best Casting material would naturally be First Rank Wizards.


    If it were possible to use First Rank Advanced Wizards entirely as material, then the power that this witchcraft could display would be comparable to Middle Second Rank Wizardry, and it could even compete with some Upper Second Rank Wizardry.


    But obviously, for Colin at the moment, let alone using only First Rank Advanced Wizards as materials, he couldn''t even procure Wizard materials.


    The status of an Official Wizard is extremely high, and moreover, the materials needed for the Black Mist Net have to be alive.


    Normally, the number of materials needed for the Black Mist Net is six.


    It could be more or less, but there must be at least three and no more than eighteen.


    Six is the optimal choice, any more would only increase the number of Black Mist Puppets¡ªalso known as Silent Shadows, without increasing the strength of auxiliary enhancements like the Black Fog Armor.


    Six Official Wizards as materials... even the original Yasi had not managed to gather that many.


    Therefore, during the battle at that time, the Black Fog Armor that Yasi was supplemented with was only considered top-notch among the Lower Second Rank.


    And the Summon Fire Element resulting from the Golden Paper Limit Breaking was also at the top-notch level among the Lower Second Rank Wizardry, combined with Yasi''s exhaustion from the initial battle of attrition, that was why he was ultimately defeated by him.


    And this time, Colin bought nine prisoners, mainly considering the possibility of transformation failures, as after all, it was his first time practicing on living people.


    Aside from theoretically being able to achieve tremendous power, another benefit of the Black Mist Net is its extremely low Magic Power consumption.


    This consumption is so low that it''s almost on par with the Magic Power needed to maintain the Spirit Fog, or even lower.


    After all, the main part of the Black Mist Net¡ªthe transformation materials¡ª


    had already been completed before the battle. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    During the battle, the main expenditure for Colin was the Magic Power needed to summon the Black Fog Armor.


    As for the Magic Power needed to maintain the Black Fog Armor, it was mostly provided by each Silent Shadow.


    They were like individual Magic Power nodes, all linked together to form a large net, providing the host with defense, replenishing Magic Power, and so forth.


    If one had to compare, this witchcraft should be considered the strongest Colin currently mastered.


    Even the Temple Ring Binding¡ªa complete set of witchcraft rewarded by the Supreme Council¡ªcould not match it.


    It''s just a pity that excellent materials are hard to find.


    Simply using Great Knights as materials, at best, the Black Mist Net could reach the level of Yasi, and might even be slightly inferior.


    After all, Yasi must have used Wizard Apprentices as materials.


    But that doesn''t matter much, an increase in combat power is still an increase, after all, the consumption is low, and it can coexist with the Steel Temperature Resistance Field.


    Time flowed quietly, like water slipping away.


    The time required for transforming materials was faster than Colin had imagined.


    Merely on the sixth day of his arrival in Nanao, he embarked on the return journey.


    In fact, Colin had to embark on the return journey.


    Because on the morning of February 1st on the Yanan Calendar, the sixth day, his School Badge flickered for a moment, then the familiar words reappeared¡ª


    "Lord Colin Leonard, please proceed to the School to receive your second compulsory task of the year."

 Chapter 505 - 505: 339

    In the Tin Saint School, a First Rank Wizard is required to complete four compulsory tasks every year.


    On average, that''s one task per quarter.


    However, this does not mean that a Wizard needs to complete a compulsory task every quarter, but rather a total of four throughout the year.


    In practice, the School usually does assign a compulsory task every quarter, but this is only the norm...


    Wizards can apply to start early and finish the four compulsory tasks for the year ahead of time.


    But once assigned, except under special circumstances, they cannot be postponed.


    On the afternoon of February 1st, Colin returned to Neustadt City, covered in dust and dirt.


    He did not go home, but went straight to the General Affairs Castle of the School.


    "Lord Colin, we meet again." It was the duty wizard he had seen in January, his expression somewhat strange, a mix of confusion and sympathy.


    "Your compulsory task this time is to go to Ancient North Village and eliminate the First Rank Ice and Snow Monster that is attacking."


    "How long is the deadline?" Colin asked calmly.


    "Let me see... Hmm, it''s three months, but..." The duty wizard lifted an eyebrow slightly in surprise and continued, "However, there is a week of preparation time, you can leave after a week."


    This was quite an unusual case; normally, compulsory tasks do not give Wizards much time to prepare, at most a day or two before they must depart.


    If they need more preparation time due to special circumstances, the Wizard who accepts the task must apply for it themselves, rather than being given it at the start of the task.


    "Understood," Colin nodded without much expression, "Give me the details of the task."


    "Of course, Lord Colin." The duty wizard handed him a crystal, adding, "If there are no special circumstances, I would personally suggest that you complete this task as soon as possible. Otherwise, if you fail, not only will you lose School Points, but you will also have to accept two more compulsory tasks."


    "Mhm." Colin nodded and took the crystal.


    Half an hour later, Colin returned home.


    Sitting in his study chair, he did not hurry to look at the specifics of the compulsory task but went to the Meditation Room after resting for a bit.


    "Seven days... should be enough."


    A group of black Shadows closely followed him, almost perfectly blending into Colin''s own shadow.


    These were the Silent Shadows created by the Black Mist Net, a total of six.


    Each one, reformed by a Great Knight, possessed at least the strength of a Basic Level Demon Beast, with the leader of the Silent Shadows even comparable to a First Rank Intermediate. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But to the present-day Colin, the Silent Shadows'' capabilities were clearly insufficient, although fighting was not what the Silent Shadows excelled at.


    Bang.


    The door to the Meditation Room slowly closed, and the Bright Crystal shone casting deep shadows.


    Two days later in the morning.


    Yulaya, representing the Hidosh Family, came for a visit, accompanied by a Male Wizard named Andy from the Clifford Pureblood Family.


    Colin received them in his study.


    "Lord Colin, it''s been a while, I thought you were at the True Knowledge Society," Yulaya was the first to sit down, smiling as she spoke.


    She continued by turning her head to explain, "This is Lord Andy, we happened to meet on the way, so we came over together."


    "Good morning, Lord Colin," Andy also sat down opposite Colin, leaning next to Yulaya.


    He had represented the Clifford Family during the congratulations on Colin''s acquisition of the Golden Feather Token, so there was no need for further introductions.


    Indeed, the Clifford Family was the only Pureblood Family to send a Male Wizard, which made Colin all the more memorable.


    "Good morning to both of you," Colin greeted with a polite smile, saying little else, but ordered Renee to serve tea.


    The three of them chatted idly for a full half-hour, covering everything from the weather to School anecdotes, without ever touching on the main topic.


    Or rather, Yulaya and Andy did not mention the real reason for their visit, as if it were just a friendly call between friends.


    And Colin did not inquire, responding with polite conversation.


    After all, he didn''t need to spend energy on the Black Mist Net for the time being, and meditation only required four hours each day.


    He had plenty of time to go around in circles with the two guests.


    However, to Colin''s surprise, an hour later, when Andy suggested leaving, not a single useful piece of information had been revealed.


    As for Yulaya, although she stayed an extra hour, she simply steered the conversation towards trivial matters about him, such as his favorite foods.


    This left Colin somewhat puzzled, but that was all; he put it aside and did not think further about it... nor was there a need to.


    Colin preferred to focus his energies on breaking through with the Fireball Technique four times, to see if it was possible to reach a breakthrough and make it a Second Rank witchcraft before starting his task.


    After all, though unsure what the Pureblood Families were concocting, as long as he remained a member of the School, a member of Golden Feather,


    the likelihood was that these Pureblood Families would not dare to strike at him fatally... after all, there was no deep hatred.


    The Pureblood Families simply wanted to change his mind subtly, to have him join them.


    As long as they kept their tactics above board, the most they could do was be a nuisance to him.

 Chapter 506 - 339: Breakthrough to Second Rank_2

    ...


    The remaining five days quickly passed.


    During that time, Andy did not visit again, but Yulaya came twice more.


    Each time she visited, it was mostly small talk, and though she did occasionally ask about some witchcraft knowledge, her inquiries were superficial at best.


    At first, Colin had patiently explained once, but later he simply shook his head, claiming not to understand.


    Yanan Calendar 3586, February 7th.


    The morning was clear and sunny.


    Colin was taking a stroll in the small garden of his courtyard, with the tiny elf Nasi sitting on his left shoulder.


    Demi followed by his side.


    Today was the last day of preparation before the task.


    By tomorrow at the latest, Colin would have to leave Neustadt City.


    Otherwise, if he failed to arrive at the task location within the specified time, it would also be considered a mission failure.


    However, at this moment, Colin was not wasting time.


    He was relaxing his body and mind¡ªpreparing for the upcoming advancement.


    After this morning''s meditation had ended, the Hodgia Meditation Method had successfully merged with the Limit Breaking Holy Ring Meditation Method.


    The total consumption amounted to a whopping two hundred and fifty thousand Magic Stones.


    But all of this was worth it. Although he had not yet advanced to be a Second Rank Wizard, the mere fusion of the two meditation methods had already brought Colin benefits that were immediate and apparent.


    Simply put, after the Hodgia Meditation Method merged with the Holy Ring Meditation Method, he could now cast the Steel Temperature Resistance Field while summoning the Black Fog Armor.


    It should be known that this was not a simple operation.


    Perhaps previously, Colin could summon the Black Fog Armor within one second and then cast the Steel Temperature Resistance Field, but not at the same time.


    This slight improvement might not seem significant at times, and its utility might not be considered great.


    But for the other two witchcraft techniques Colin mastered, it was a qualitative change. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡ª¡ª Four instances of the Limit Breaking Fireball Skill and one instance of Limit Breaking Summon Fire Element.


    Summoning the Fire Element after one instance of Limit Breaking did not change its casting prerequisite¡ªit still needed a fire source as a casting material.


    The fire source influenced the strength of the summoned Fire Element, but not to a great extent, at most fluctuating by half a Rank up or down.


    Previously, when Colin used the Summon Fire Element spell, he usually used the Fireball from the Fireball Technique as the casting material.


    This led to an issue: the process of summoning the Fire Element included an extra step of creating a fire source, which slowed down the summoning time.


    Based on previous situations, even though Colin had already engraved the models of both spells in his Spirit Sea, summoning a Fire Element still took at least just over 1 second.


    However, after the fusion of meditation methods, Colin''s trials found that if he simultaneously cast the Fireball Technique and Summon Fire Element, the final time to summon the Fire Element would be greatly reduced, nearly instantaneous.


    At first, Colin thought it was the omission of creating a fire source that led to this result.


    But after more careful consideration, the reasons might be more complex.


    After all, the prerequisite for summoning the Fire Element is a fire source, meaning the Fireball Technique must create a Fireball for the Summon Fire Element to be cast.


    But when casting both spells simultaneously, Colin noticed they inexplicably overlapped, and this led to the final casting speed even surpassing that of casting Summon Fire Element alone.


    This made him think of the Combined Witchcraft spell Black Mist Net, within which there seemed to be similar overlaps.


    However, with departure imminent and Limit Breaking at hand, he did not have spare time to research in the School or the True Knowledge Society, so he could only set the matter aside for the time being.


    Around ten in the morning,


    Colin finished his walk.


    He left his residence and headed to the True Knowledge Society''s laboratory.


    According to the knowledge of Atbolde and meditation methods, the time needed for Second Rank Limit Breaking was unpredictable; it could be as short as two hours or as long as a day.


    During this period, the Wizard attempting to advance must avoid any external disturbances.


    So after much thought, Colin decided to come to the laboratory of the True Knowledge Society.


    This time, however, he chose the Second Rank laboratory.


    The True Knowledge Society''s location was remote, and it was common to see no visitors for a fortnight.


    Moreover, the laboratory was built strictly to the highest standards, and although some of the precision instruments inside were severely damaged,


    the defensive Witch Array and the walls built with special materials had largely retained their complete form.


    He opened the door to the Second Rank laboratory.


    At a glance, the overall area was a bigger circle than the First Rank laboratory and had some additional equipment.


    However, since Colin had rented the cheapest and most damaged laboratory, most of the equipment inside seemed no longer usable.


    Without delay, Colin took out a cushion from his Storage Ring, sat down cross-legged on the open space beside the experiment table, and prepared to begin Limit Breaking.


    The key to advancing to a First Rank Wizard lay in planting the Talent Seed and allowing it to break through the soil, sprout, and simultaneously open the Spirit Sea, while also yielding a precious fruit¡ªthe True Talent.


    And the key to advancing to a Second Rank, was to encourage this sapling, which bore only a single fruit, to grow stronger, expanding the Spirit Sea and acquiring a second True Talent.


    At the same time, the spirit would undergo a strengthening.


    This enhancement would condense the once loose spirit and make the soul''s form clear and visible.


    ''I wonder what my second True Talent will be...''


    Colin gathered his thoughts and slowly closed his eyes.


    Magic Power was as calm as a quiet chasm, yet his spirit was churning like a tsunami.


    The essence of a Wizard''s advancement lay in the continual sublimation of the spirit, which essentially did not require the involvement of Magic Power.


    Once the spirit was successfully strengthened, the capacity for Magic Power would naturally rise along with it.


    Beside him, the incense of concentration diffused heat in misty spirals, and in the well-insulated laboratory, only Colin''s faint but prolonged breathing could be heard.


    Time passed, unknown how long, when a faint white halo gradually appeared on Colin''s brow.


    Enveloping, flickering, it seemed mysterious and extraordinary.


    But this was just the beginning; the entire advancement process was likely to continue for a while.


    Time ticked away second by second, and the halo on Colin''s brow grew increasingly bright.


    Again, time passed, unknown how long.


    Then, in a moment, the white light on his brow abruptly contracted into a very bright pinpoint before quickly plunging into the Spirit Sea, heading straight for the Talent Tree and finally merging with it.


    Swoosh!


    It was as if a button had been pressed to speed up time; the Talent Tree in Colin''s Spirit Sea stretched out branches and sprouted rapidly, robustly growing.


    Then, it pressed against the outer wall of the Spirit Sea.


    Crack.


    What began as a slight crack,


    but in the blink of an eye, like dominos falling, tiny fissures instantly spread across the entire outer wall of the Spirit Sea.


    In the laboratory, Colin remained calm, without sorrow or joy, merely pushing a bit more silently.


    Crack. The entire outer wall of the Spirit Sea completely shattered, and the now larger Talent Tree finally stretched out.


    Misty halos radiated from the Talent Tree, and between those fragments, many semi-transparent strands emerged as if connected by delicate threads.


    Then, those strands rapidly wove and expanded to form a new outer wall for the Spirit Sea.


    The entire process was smooth and swift.


    The moment the outer wall was completely formed, an odd fruit also appeared on the tip of the Talent Tree''s branches, officially announcing Colin''s successful breakthrough to a Second Rank Wizard!


    ...


    Meanwhile, Yulaya had returned to the middle-aged Wizard''s office.


    "Has Colin not left yet today?" the middle-aged Wizard asked.


    "I visited him this morning, his maid said he wasn''t there, but people outside the True Knowledge Society mentioned they saw Colin''s figure," Yulaya answered respectfully.


    "Good, it''s good that he hasn''t left," the middle-aged Wizard stroked his chin, nodding in satisfaction.


    "Master Brey..." Yulaya couldn''t suppress her curiosity and hesitated before asking, "Why do you need to monitor Colin''s movements?"


    "Do you know he''s taken on a compulsory mission?" Brey chuckled, then suddenly countered.


    Yulaya shook her head, looking at Brey with puzzled eyes.


    She didn''t understand why Brey had suddenly brought this up.


    Yet Brey just smiled and didn''t solve Yulaya''s confusion, simply saying,


    "You''ll find out later."

 Chapter 507 - 340: Strange Changes

    True Knowledge Society Castle, in the Second Rank laboratory.


    All anomalies had vanished, leaving only Colin sitting quietly alone beside the silver experimental table.


    His face was calm, and he wasn''t in a hurry to get up, nor did he even check his new Talent; he just quietly felt his own being.


    Before his advancement, whether from the related knowledge or the words of Instructor Atbolde, what Colin had been looking forward to the most was the second Talent that came with reaching Second Rank.


    This was also commonly acknowledged as the greatest difference between a First Rank Wizard and a Second Rank Wizard.


    However, it wasn''t until Colin personally experienced it that he really felt the difference after truly advancing to Second Rank.


    Gaining a new True Talent was certainly the biggest change.


    But at this moment, freshly Limit Breaking, what Colin first felt was a change in his soul!


    During his Apprentice days, observing the soul was just like looking at a hazy mist, its shape indecipherable.


    Even after advancing to First Rank Wizard, it was merely a vague shape.


    But now, that vague shape was becoming increasingly clear, outlined by the specks of golden light spreading from the Spirit Sea.


    However, this was not what stunned Colin. After all, upon advancing to Second Rank Wizard, the soul''s outline would indeed become clear, forming a rough human shape.


    What surprised him the most was that the specks of golden light, which should have gradually disappeared after the outer walls of the Spirit Sea had stabilized, were showing no signs of vanishing!


    From no known source, a new burst of power surged just as it seemed to wane, vigorously injecting into it and constantly rejuvenating the almost unceasing golden light, continuously nourishing the soul.


    Shortly after, under the unending golden light.


    The soul, which should have had only slightly clearer contours, looked almost indistinguishable from a real person, save for a few blurry areas.


    And those few indistinct spots were rapidly becoming clearer.


    Colin concentrated his Spirit, taking advantage of the mysterious power that hadn''t yet dissipated, to probe the direction from which it came.


    Moments later, he opened his eyes in surprise!


    The source of that power stemmed from his lower abdomen, or to be more precise ¡ª from his body.


    Unknown to him, his Green Gold Fighting Aura had begun to operate spontaneously.


    It branched from the lower abdomen into innumerable streams of Green Gold, circulating rapidly within his body, and then converging at the brow.


    Next, a nebulous mist, different from Magic Power, Fighting Aura, Blood Energy, yet born from the body, veiled his soul, nourishing the golden light to grow, strengthening the soul.


    The whole process seemed lengthy to describe but in reality, lasted only a few minutes.


    When Colin''s soul became completely clear, with only a faint sense of ethereality left, the Fighting Aura also stopped circulating on its own.


    Colin sat quietly, his face showing surprise.


    This sudden change had truly messed with his thoughts.


    If it weren''t for the genuine improvement to his Spirit and Magic Power following the Limit Breaking, and had he not felt the slightest discomfort,


    He would have thought that he might have failed in his Limit Breaking.


    After feeling carefully once more, he was sure that there was indeed nothing wrong with his body, and his soul was certainly without issues.


    But Colin was still not at ease and subconsciously made a motion in his mind, summoning the Golden Paper.


    The Golden Paper, as usual, was summoned normally.


    At the very top, under the Wizard Level category, the black characters clearly read ¡ª[Wizard Rank: Second Rank Basic Level Wizard (0/100)]


    Seeing this, Colin finally relaxed.


    This was indeed an unexpected change, but at least it seemed like a positive anomaly for now.


    He could clearly sense that his soul, now completely clear, was much stronger than before when it was merely defined in outline.


    Nothing could please a Wizard more than the strengthening of the soul.


    As for that special Energy brought by the Fighting Aura, Colin had never seen anything similar in any Wizard books or within crystals.


    Not even a similar concept had appeared.


    The essence of a Wizard''s cultivation is the constant sublimation of the Spirit... This was a truth Colin had understood since arriving in this world.


    But the mysterious energy was clearly from the body and had nothing to do with the Spirit. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Colin didn''t know if he was the only First Rank Knight in the world.


    But at least, among those around him and the knowledge he had acquired, there had been no discovery of another First Rank or higher-ranked Knight.


    If indeed he were the only First Rank Knight in this world, then that mysterious energy might have appeared only within him.


    Colin''s brow suddenly furrowed, and he instinctively upgraded the importance of the Knight Breathing Method in his mind by several degrees.


    If it were solely to enhance physical strength, then the Knight Breathing Method would not be considered a precious thing.


    After all, this was a world ruled by Wizards.


    But now, that the power of a Knight could actually, conversely, strengthen the soul ¡ª the most important and core strength of a Wizard...


    With this thought, Colin suddenly had an idea and carefully felt the Fighting Aura around his lower abdomen.


    After a short while, he was surprised to find that not only his soul had been strengthened, but the Fighting Aura seemed to have greatly improved as well.


    Before, due to temporarily halting his Knight cultivation, his progress in the Knight category before advancing to Second Rank Wizard was only 3/100.


    But now, it had risen to 5/100, increasing by 2 points.


    In that instant, what flashed in Colin''s mind was neither the Wizard knowledge he had learned in this world, nor the knowledge of Knights.

 Chapter 508 - 340: Strange Transformation_2

    It wasn''t a concept alien to him from his previous life, "Dual Cultivation of Life and Spirit."


    "Life" referred to the spirit, while "life" meant the body.


    Of course, in this world where extraordinary powers truly exist, knowledge from his past life might not be correct.


    Yet the changes Colin was now feeling seemed to be accurately described by that term.


    The essence of a Wizard''s cultivation lay in the continuous sublimation of the spirit... but now it appeared that the improvement of the body could indeed assist in the advancement of the spirit, and vice versa.


    The spirit and the body seemed to complement and promote each other.


    And yet, this had not been apparent before advancing to a Second Rank Wizard and a First Rank Knight, nor was it mentioned in the books, nor had he noticed it.


    The silver-white laboratory was devoid of any excess noise, utterly silent.


    Colin gently exhaled a breath of stale air and looked down at the palm of his hand that he had lifted.


    In the depths of his mind, he sensed that he had stepped onto a path that slightly deviated from the conventional way of Wizards in this world... or perhaps onto an untrodden wilderness.


    The path ahead was unknown.


    It might be laden with thorns, or it might be a sheer cliff.


    Colin slowly stood up, but he did not plan to change his course.


    After all, at the moment, the cultivation of a Knight and that of a Wizard did not conflict; they could be completely integrated.


    Moreover, the effects of pursuing both simultaneously were turning out well.


    Colin had no reason to change, especially since... he still possessed the Golden Paper.


    He stood up, took out his pocket watch, and checked the time. Unbelievably, eight hours had already passed since he began his Limit Breaking!


    With a click, he closed the pocket watch and planned to leave the laboratory.


    However, before he had taken two steps, he patted his head¡ª


    He had nearly forgotten to pluck the new fruit of True Talent.


    Closing his eyes, Colin focused his spirit on the new fruit at the top of the Talent tree, planning to digest the Talent before leaving.


    What he didn''t expect was that this digestion took another two hours.


    Two hours later, Colin opened his eyes and summoned the Golden Paper.


    His gaze quickly dropped and finally rested on the newly added characters in the True Talent section.


    [True Talent: Strong Life (0/100)]


    Indeed, a Talent for the body that was originally ordinary had, after this advancement, leaped to become a True Talent, with its progress reset as well.


    As for the biggest difference from before, apart from the self-healing ability being enhanced again, it could now also recover damage to the soul.


    Colin had never truly suffered a spiritual wound since his arrival in this world.


    But the years-old injury that Professor Atbolde suffered was partly a spiritual wound.


    It was this injury that caused the wound to spiral out of control, getting only worse over time.


    And the magic potions, spells, and witch tools capable of treating spiritual wounds on the market were extremely rare.


    He put away the Golden Paper and nodded in satisfaction.


    At any time, one could never have too much that could save their life.


    Next, Colin took advantage of still being in the Second Rank laboratory to test all the spells he had mastered.


    The final results brought him immense joy.


    It could only be said that he had underestimated the enhancement a strengthened soul could bring to a Wizard.


    Although he had only just stepped into Second Rank and was only casting Second Rank Lower Summon Fire Element,


    The power he now displayed was almost touching the middle tier of Second Rank!


    It was as if he had a constant buff to increase the power of his magic!


    If, in time, his Fireball Technique were to break the Limit to become a Second Rank spell, and he used it as a casting material for Summon Fire Element, he might directly achieve Second Rank Intermediate power!


    Then there was the Steel Defense Field, a spell that had already broken the limit to become a Second Rank Lower spell, which he now cast... Colin could only say that most Second Rank Lower spells would struggle to breach his protection!


    After finishing these tasks, it was around ten o''clock at night when Colin left the True Knowledge Society and returned home.


    The next day.


    As dawn barely broke through the sparse clouds, one could tell that it was going to be another fine day.


    "Nasi, you stay home and behave. I''ll be back within three months at the latest, and who knows, maybe I might even return in a mere half a month."


    On Lio Street, Colin stood at his house''s front door, bidding a gentle farewell to the little elf with a reluctant face.


    "...Okay, good Colin, you must remember to come back early," Nasi flew to his left cheek and hugged him tightly before slowly speaking.


    "I will," Colin said seriously, nodding and turning to Renee to give her instructions:


    "If you encounter any problems, don''t hesitate to contact my mentor, Atbolde, through the crystal I left you. He will help you." S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I understand, Master," Renee nodded firmly, her eyes also filled with reluctance.


    She paused for a moment, then suddenly stepped forward and hugged Colin too, but it was a brief touch.


    "Have a safe journey, Master," Renee said softly, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush.


    Demi, standing by, also came over and hugged his leg, looking up and blessing him, "Master, have a safe journey."


    "Mhm," Colin smiled and ruffled Demi''s head.


    "Oh, and remember not to give too many sugar gems to Nasi at once."


    After whispering this last instruction to Renee, Colin took a breath, turned, and left.


    However, before leaving Neustadt City, Colin first went to Atbolde''s residence.


    In the study.


    "You are leaving today?" Atbolde asked.


    "Yes," Colin nodded, then after a pause he added, "Mentor, there is something I''ve always wanted to ask¡ªwhy don''t I see the Third Rank phase of the Tin Saint Meditation Method on the exchange list in the administrative building?"


    "Is it because I don''t have enough permissions, or is there another way to exchange for the Third Rank phase of the Tin Saint Meditation Method?"


    Now that he had reached the Second Rank, it was time to plan ahead for the Third Rank. Since he was here to bid farewell to his mentor, it was a good opportunity to ask.


    Atbolde shook his head and answered, "It''s just a matter of permissions. Once you advance to the Second Rank, you''ll be able to see the Third Rank phase of the Tin Saint Meditation Method on the exchange list.


    Um, if I remember correctly, it requires one million School Contribution Points."


    "Just contribution points?"


    "Yes, just contribution points," Atbolde replied.


    Colin was slightly relieved in his heart. Although one million contribution points were a lot, as long as there were no additional conditions, he knew that with time, he could eventually exchange for it.


    However... he was somewhat worried about those Pureblood Families.


    Atbolde watched Colin''s calm expression and seemed to sense something, pausing before continuing, "Since you haven''t joined a Faction, I guess you may have already felt the pressure imposed by the Pureblood Families."


    "But after all, the Tin Saint School is a School, so there is no need to worry about exchanging for witchcraft or meditation methods."


    Atbolde smiled, "Keep in mind, you are Golden Feather."


    Colin was silent for a moment and then slowly nodded, "I understand, Mentor."


    As if to completely dispel Colin''s concerns, Atbolde continued,


    "Since you have chosen not to join any Faction, it is natural for those Factions to put pressure on you... but that is all they can do. You are always a member of the School, you are Golden Feather.


    Unless those Pureblood Families are insane or have a personal vendetta against you, they won''t do anything more to you¡ªof course, except for these mandatory tasks, which are within the rules, and you just have to get used to them."


    Atbolde chuckled, "Perhaps this is the price of freedom."


    The Rudolph Family had been in the Tin Saint School for a thousand years. Although in decline in the last few centuries, he was well aware of the rules within the School.


    This also gave Colin a footing in his mind.


    "I understand, thank you, Mentor."


    "Mhm, go do the task. With your strength, solving a mandatory task for an ordinary First Rank Wizard should be a piece of cake, but still, be careful and return safely," Atbolde finally instructed.


    "I will," Colin nodded in acknowledgement and left after saying goodbye.

 Chapter 509 - 341 Extreme North

    Swish.


    A silver Transmission Array flashed with white light, and the figures of dozens of Wizards suddenly appeared.


    "Kararli City has arrived," Colin stepped down from the Transmission Array, walked out of the Transmission Bureau, and let out a breath, forming a visible white mist in the air.


    He looked around, and all he could see was a vast expanse of white.


    Thick snow covered the streets, and the rooftops rose and fell in white mounds.


    The people on the street were all wrapped in heavy coats, wearing various colored cotton hats and gloves, with barely any skin exposed.


    Many of them wore special snow boots with wide soles to prevent sinking into the snow and to quicken their pace.


    This place was considerably colder than Neustadt City.


    This city, named Kararli, like Neustadt City, is also a Wizard City located in the central Kingdom, but it''s not one of the nine major Wizard Cities.


    Its geographical location is far to the north of Neustadt City, and it''s much smaller, being only about one-twentieth the size of Neustadt City.


    This was also Colin''s first transfer station on his journey.


    "Head to Ancient North Village to eliminate the attacking First Rank Ice and Snow Monsters."


    The Ancient North Village mentioned in the School''s mandatory mission was almost at the northernmost point of Siya Continent, arguably the northernmost village in Siya Continent.


    The journey from Neustadt City was not short.


    Fortunately, with the Transmission Array, much time and effort had been saved.


    In fact, although only a few minutes had passed since Colin left Neustadt City, in terms of distance, he had already traveled two-thirds of the way.


    However, the journey ahead wouldn''t be so straightforward and pleasant.


    To reach Ancient North Village, Colin estimated, would take at least half a day.


    If Ancient North Village is the northernmost populated place on Siya Continent, then Kararli City is the northernmost Wizard City.


    Beyond this were only small concentrations of Wizards, typically affiliated with one or two Schools within the Kingdom.


    Those places couldn''t afford to maintain a Transmission Array.


    So, for the next part of the journey, Colin would have to find his own way.


    Due to the harsh climate, no fixed transport like Airships was available further north, just some trading caravans that traveled back and forth irregularly.


    An ordinary Wizard Apprentice might have had to wait for such caravans to move together.


    But for Colin, who was a Second Rank Wizard, such inconveniences were unnecessary.


    He found a street sign and quickly discerned the direction before heading non-stop towards the North City Gate, intending to fly directly to Ancient North Village in one go.


    The School mission required arrival within two days, meaning he had to reach Ancient North Village by tomorrow at the latest, or it would be considered a mission failure.


    This requirement wasn''t too harsh, as a nimble First Rank Wizard could reach Ancient North Village by this evening, let alone a Second Rank Wizard like Colin.


    Logically, Colin didn''t need to rush and could have taken the opportunity to explore Kararli City.


    But considering the long journey and the potential issues of this mission, he did not want to delay and figured it was better to get there sooner rather than later.


    Failing the mission would not only result in a deduction of School Contribution Points but also require completing two additional mandatory missions as compensation.


    However, if successful, he would gain two hundred School Contribution Points and a reward of eight thousand Magic Stones.


    Eight thousand Magic Stones was a trivial amount for Colin at the moment, but two hundred contribution points was significant for a mission at the First Rank Wizard level.


    Although it was nothing compared to the points needed for the Meditation Method of Third Rank, at least it wasn''t for nothing.


    As he walked, like the other pedestrians, Colin put on a full-covered black cotton hat and wrapped his cheeks with a scarf, leaving only his eyes exposed.


    Even after hearing the words of Instructor Atbolde, which offered some reassurance, his caution remained unabated.


    This mandatory mission, from start to finish, exuded an odd feeling, and Colin was somewhat concerned that the Pureblood Families might still try to trip him up.


    On his way, he quickly arrived at Kararli''s North City Gate. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The black city gate, crafted from refined iron, stood tall and majestic, but it was closed, as was the slightly smaller side gate beside it.


    Four Guards clad in special blue armor stood watch at the entrance.


    Colin''s heart sank slightly, and after pondering for a moment, he prepared to approach and inquire about the situation.


    "Sir, are you planning to leave the city?" the leading Guard approached and asked politely.


    Colin stood alone, striding confidently, and in this cold season, only a Wizard would be venturing out alone, so the Guard dared not be disrespectful.


    "Yes," Colin nodded slightly.


    "Very well, please present your passage certificate, and we will open the gate for you," the Guard continued respectfully.


    Colin''s tension eased slightly as he reached to pull out his School Badge.


    The badge from one of the leading Schools among the nine major Wizard Cities could essentially serve as a passage certificate in all Wizard Cities across the Siya Continent.


    The Tin Saint School was naturally one of these.


    Just then, however, Colin suddenly furrowed his brow and turned to look behind.


    But all that met his eyes were gray houses covered in white snow and a few ordinary pedestrians in coats.


    "What seems to be the matter, sir?" the Guard asked hastily.


    "Nothing..." Colin withdrew his gaze slowly, shook his head, and handed over his badge to the Guard.


    The Guard checked the badge quickly and then promptly waved to his companions to open the side door, and Colin stepped out with a composed expression.

 Chapter 510 - 341 Extreme North_2

    In the shadow behind a house.


    "Let''s go, keep up with the target, we''ve been watching for several days." Bale said to his companion, Genna, beside him, "Cause some trouble for this Golden Feather and make his mission fail, then let''s hurry back to Neustadt City. Kararli City really isn''t that interesting."


    "Okay." Genna nodded, getting ready to move forward.


    "I just don''t understand what this Golden Feather is thinking... not planning to join any faction."


    "I heard he has connections with Black Castle, right?" Genna suddenly asked curiously.


    "Who knows, anyway, our Family has instructed me to handle it as usual, just like before, without worrying too much. Didn''t the Hidosh Family ask the same of you?"


    Bale said indifferently, he just wanted to finish the mission quickly and then return to Neustadt City.


    "Yes... this young Golden Feather needs to suffer a bit to learn what the right path is." Genna nodded without giving it much further thought.


    After all, the unspoken rules within the Schools were always like this, an agreement universally acknowledged without exception.


    "It''s not necessarily so, if he stubbornly refuses to join, then there''s nothing we can do.


    After all, he''s a Golden Feather, and a Family might try such methods only a few times at most."


    Bale shook his head but didn''t feel it had to be that way, "You have to remember, it''s not like this hasn''t happened before."


    "That''s none of our business." Genna shook his head and continued walking forward.


    However, the next second, both men stopped in their tracks.


    "Joyce, what are you doing here?" Genna looked up in surprise at the Wizard who suddenly appeared in front of them.


    "...is this person also a member of your Hidosh Family?" Bale glanced at the blocking Joyce with some confusion, then urged,


    "Genna, we are on a mission, we don''t have time for a catch-up."


    Genna nodded and as he continued to walk forward, said to Joyce in front of him, "Sorry, Joyce, we''re a bit pressed for time, let''s talk another time."


    But the next moment, Joyce extended his hand to stop them.


    "Genna, what is our relationship?" he asked in an expressionless and calm voice.


    "...of course, we are friends." Genna hesitated, replied with a confused, polite smile.


    "Then stay here and do nothing, pretend you failed to intercept Colin."


    "What do you mean by this, sir?" The smile on Bale''s face gradually disappeared as he asked coldly. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Genna too started frowning, not curious about how Joyce knew the content of their mission.


    After all, Joyce was a Second Rank Wizard with connections in the Family; it would be easy for him to find out.


    But he and Joyce, though from the same Family, were at best acquaintances. That previous talk was just out of politeness.


    Why was Joyce being so impolite?


    As he thought this, a suspicion flashed across Genna''s mind¡ªhe recalled that not long ago, that Golden Feather seemed to have killed a stupid Second Rank of their Family with just the power of a First Rank...


    In fact, that was why two Second Rank Wizards were sent this time to intercept Colin.


    If he remembered correctly, that fool was called Yasi, and the Joyce in front of him... could he be his uncle?


    Genna had a hunch, but it seemed improbable, after all, it was a Golden Feather.


    So he stayed silent for a moment, then patiently said,


    "Joyce, if I don''t succeed in stopping Colin this time, making his mission fail, the Family will deduct my resources for two months."


    "My companion here from the Harold Family will probably face the same... I don''t think our relationship goes that far.


    Besides, even if I''m willing to do you this favor, what about my friend?"


    Joyce remained silent, giving no answer, but motioned Genna to come closer.


    Genna approached with confusion, and Joyce whispered in his ear.


    The latter''s gaze flickered non-stop with the words of Joyce, his face changing again and again... shock, hesitation, and greed.


    ...


    Kararli, outside the North City Gate.


    An expanse of white snow.


    The harsh weather deterred most from venturing outside, and all that met the eye was a desolate expanse of snow.


    Snowflakes drifted down silently, accentuating the desolation.


    Thus it had been for about two hours.


    Suddenly, the snowfield distorted, revealing the figure of a wizard.


    Colin lifted his head and frowned at the tall and majestic North City Gate of Kararli City not far away.


    That black gate had been tightly closed since he left and had not opened again.


    This meant that no one else had come out.


    But the gaze he had felt in the city... It was definitely not an illusion.


    Colin was silent for a moment, then heightened his alertness in his heart, concealed his figure again, and drove his witchcraft forward.


    He still had a task to attend to, and should he fail to reach the task''s location on time, it would be considered a failure.


    The rest of the journey went smoothly, without any further incidents.


    Along the way, he passed many kingdom and wizard gathering spots, but Colin did not stop. Instead, he avoided them from afar and pressed on straight to his destination.


    Finally, around four o''clock in the afternoon, Colin arrived at the Ancient North Camp.


    This was the reporting location given in the School task.


    The camp was built inside a low ice and snow hill, with the power of witchcraft hollowing out the entire interior of the hill, where the wizards were stationed.


    At the modest black iron gate, an Advanced Wizard Apprentice came out to receive him.


    The male apprentice looked to be about thirty years old, with some wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, a thick black cotton hat on his head, with a hint of brown hair visible at his temples, and a silent and wooden face.


    He looked like a middle-aged man who was not good with words.


    Colin sized him up, then suddenly paused his gaze on the man''s chest, looking at the familiar School Badge and asked in surprise,


    "You are a member of the Tin Saint School too?"


    ''Yes, sir, you can call me Dempsey,'' Dempsey nodded, his voice sounding a bit strained, as if he hadn''t spoken to anyone for a long time.


    He paused, then added, "I took on a task from the School and have been stationed here for half a year."


    "I''m Colin," Colin responded.


    He was somewhat surprised inside but paused before asking subconsciously, "Why does the School still have an outpost here?"


    He had been a bit startled to see such a wizard outpost upon arrival.


    Because in the last hour of the nearly six-hour flight journey, the concentration of Magic Power in the surrounding environment had fallen to a level that could only be described as sparse.


    Apprentices would have a tough time practicing here, let alone an Official Wizard like him. To practice, one would need the aid of Magic Stones.


    And once the Magic Power within was exhausted, recovery would require at least half a day, relying solely on absorbing the ambient Magic Power.


    In the last half-hour of the journey, the view hardly showed any human tracks, let alone the figures of wizards.


    A curiosity about this place suddenly rose in Colin''s heart.


    Nowhere in the details of the task given by the School were these mentioned, not even the description of the Ice and Snow Monsters, which were very vague, knowing only that they were at most First Rank in strength.


    "To be precise, this isn''t an outpost of our School, Mr. Colin," Dempsey explained, shaking his head to Colin''s question.


    Colin was slightly taken aback.


    Dempsey continued,


    "In truth, this location is under joint management by the Nine Major Schools of Neustadt City, but due to its truly remote location and the exceptionally harsh environment, the members of the Nine Major Schools hardly want to come here."


    "So, most of the time, the guarding tasks are subcontracted to affiliated Schools like ours, the Tin Saint School, and it is usually members from these affiliated Schools who come to stand guard."


    Colin nodded slightly, still harboring many doubts within.


    However, he paused and chose not to rush asking but said instead, "Take me in to report to the School first."


    Reporting was the priority... There would be time to talk about other matters later.


    "Certainly, Mr. Colin,"


    Dempsey respectfully led him into the cave camp inside the hill.

 Chapter 511 - 342 Ancient North Village

    Stepping through an iron gate covered with a layer of ice crystals.


    The first thing that Colin saw was a square hall about the size of a basketball court.


    Next was an enormous silver complex ring-shaped device, located in the middle of the hall within a semi-transparent Protective Shield of a Witch Array, taking up almost three-fifths of the entire hall.


    "This is the Communication Ring Tower, the only way Ancient North Camp can connect with Neustadt City," Dempsey explained upon noticing the direction of Colin''s gaze.


    "Please give me your School Badge, Lord Colin," Dempsey continued.


    Colin nodded, handed over the School Badge he was holding to Dempsey, and then curiously surveyed his surroundings.


    Behind the square hall was a wide but only about four to five meters wide gray corridor, ending in another heavy black iron door, tightly closed.


    On both walls of the corridor, there were also smaller iron doors,


    Hum¡ª


    The silver Communication Ring Tower on the side suddenly began to rotate, and moments later, a rhythmic pulse-like white light lit up on it.


    "It''s ready now, Lord Colin," Dempsey walked out from the Protective Shield and came toward him, respectfully returning the School Badge and saying, "In about ten minutes, Neustadt City will receive our message here."


    "Hmm," Colin nodded, then began to ask about what he was curious about.


    "Why would the Nine Major Schools establish such an outpost in this remote place?"


    Dempsey seemed to have never considered this question before, he paused briefly upon hearing it, and then after contemplating for a moment, he answered:


    "Perhaps it''s because of the Blue Cold Crystal."


    "Oh?" Colin became curious, searching his memory thoroughly.


    However, he found that he had never seen anything like the Blue Cold Crystal¡ªnot even heard of it.


    "What is this Blue Cold Crystal?" he asked out of instinct.


    "It''s a special kind of ore... It looks like an ice crystal on the outside, a deep blue in color," Dempsey described.


    Feeling that the verbal description was too vague, he paused, then said: "Please follow me, my lord,"


    Dempsey led Colin toward the corridor behind the hall, eventually arriving in front of that heavy black iron door.


    "This is where the Blue Cold Crystal is stored. Every six months, someone will come to collect it."


    As he spoke, Dempsey took out a unique black key and opened the heavy black iron door in front of him.


    A brilliant sapphire light instantly shot out from the gap as the iron door was opened.


    Blue Cold Crystals of varying sizes were neatly stacked together, forming a mountain about two to three meters high.


    Upon seeing such a sight, Colin couldn''t help but marvel.


    Although he didn''t know the specific use of the Blue Cold Crystal, based on appearance alone, it was indeed impressive.


    "What specific use do these Blue Cold Crystals have?" Colin continued to ask out of curiosity, "May I take a look inside?"


    "Of course, my lord, as long as you don''t take the Blue Cold Crystal away from the outpost, there''s no issue," Dempsey said, walking into the room with Colin, S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "As for the specific uses of the Blue Cold Crystal, I am not aware,"


    Dempsey shook his head, his face also showing curiosity.


    Colin approached the pile of Blue Cold Crystals, picked one up, and carefully examined it.


    These so-called Blue Cold Crystals looked somewhat like crystals on the surface, but did not transmit light like crystals, instead, emitting a blue glow.


    If it had been in his previous life, encountering minerals that could emit light on their own like this, the rule of thumb was to stay as far away as possible.


    Such substances were likely to be radioactive materials.


    But in this Wizard World, it was not necessarily the case. Magic Power made miracles possible.


    Moreover, having been inside for quite some time, Colin hadn''t felt any abnormalities. Aside from being luminescent, the minerals in front of him seemed to have no other peculiarities.


    Under the probing of Magic Power and spiritual power, they showed no reaction, just like ordinary stones.


    ''I''ll look it up when I get back to Neustadt City.


    For the Nine Major Schools to go to such lengths, establishing an outpost in the barren Extreme North... these Blue Cold Crystals must not be some useless item.''


    "Let''s discuss the mission. Tell me about those Ice and Snow Monsters... and about Ancient North Village," Colin said, placing the Blue Cold Crystal down and turning to face Dempsey.


    "Absolutely, my lord." Dempsey nodded, starting his story:


    "The Ice and Snow Monsters only started appearing last month. I remember it was January 24th, a Sunday, when I went as usual to Ancient North Village to collect Blue Cold Crystals, but I saw an Ice and Snow Monster just leaving the Ancient North Village..."


    The two of them walked outside together, and Dempsey locked the door while briefly sharing the events of that day with Colin,


    There wasn''t anything particularly remarkable about the process, merely the sudden arrival of an Ice and Snow Monster.


    According to Dempsey, in the Extreme North, it was almost every one to two years that such incidents of Ice and Snow Monster attacks occurred.


    After listening to Dempsey''s account, Colin took out his Pocket Watch to check the time.


    It was nearly five o''clock in the afternoon, and after some thought he said to Dempsey:


    "We still have time, why don''t we set off for Ancient North Village now?"


    "Now?" Dempsey hesitated and said, "According to the weather marker at the outpost, a blizzard is expected to start within half an hour."


    The Extreme North was currently experiencing the polar night, with the sun continuously below the horizon, the sky a dark expanse, lit only occasionally by dazzling auroras.

 Chapter 512 - 342 Ancient North Village_2

    Under such circumstances, if a blizzard were to occur again, even an Advanced Wizard Apprentice might lose their life.


    "Sir, you''ve traveled a long way and must be exhausted. Why not rest for the night and proceed tomorrow? I''ve prepared some snow rabbit for you; it has tender meat with a unique fragrance."


    Dempsey continued, simultaneously pushing open the iron door on the left side of the corridor, "This is your room; I live next door."


    Colin glanced inside the room.


    Perhaps to ensure the well-being of the guarding wizards, the room seemed quite spacious, apparently a two-bedroom, one-living-room layout with kitchen and bathroom.


    "No need, let''s go now. That Ice and Snow Monster could attack at any moment. If we don''t go today, we might miss the opportunity, not only causing more casualties in Ancient North Village but also wasting my time."


    Colin calmly explained.


    He wasn''t here for pleasure; his priority was to complete the mission quickly and return to the abundant magic and relatively safe Neustadt City.


    "But, the blizzard is coming soon... Sir Colin," Dempsey unconsciously looked up and spoke, "The blizzards here are fierce and even a First Rank Wizard could get lost." S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Don''t worry; I will keep you safe," Colin continued, his tone mild and serene.


    That was the confidence of a Second Rank Wizard.


    "Yes, Sir." Seeing Colin''s resolute demeanor, Dempsey naturally didn''t dare to say much but respectfully said, "Then please wait a moment, Sir, I need to gather some things."


    "Mm," Colin nodded slightly.


    Dempsey bowed his head and walked toward his own room across the way, feeling somewhat helpless.


    He didn''t believe Colin genuinely worried about the lives of the villagers of Ancient North Village; his supervisor insisted, so what could he do?


    Alas, the blizzards here really weren''t easy to overcome.


    This new wizard seemed a bit arrogant... Dempsey sighed almost imperceptibly, feeling anxious in his heart, and decided to bring extra provisions in case they got lost for a few days.


    Five minutes later, Dempsey finished organizing his belongings for the journey and set the Witch Array at their station to outdoor mode, then walked out the door with Colin.


    A pale green misty light enveloped the two, and Colin slightly raised his head.


    In the distant dark sky, elusive, brilliant auroras appeared, fluttering like ribbons in the air.


    Taking his eyes back, Colin placed his hand on Dempsey''s shoulder.


    Dempsey, slightly startled, instinctively looked at him.


    "I''ll fly us over," Colin simply explained, then immediately activated the Flying Witchcraft and soared into the air.


    Once high up, he applied the Steel Temperature Resistance Force Field to himself and Dempsey, asked for the direction, and then turned into a streak of light, shooting forth.


    Ancient North Village was still a considerable distance away, but for Colin flying, it was only about a five-minute trip.


    Feeling Colin''s flying speed, Dempsey felt a surge of joy and instinctively said, "Sir Colin, at your flying speed, we might arrive at Ancient North Village before the blizzard hits."


    "Mm," Colin calmly responded.


    However, Dempsey''s wish was dashed in the next second.


    Whoosh¡ª


    A colder gust of wind suddenly blew, stronger than the surrounding air.


    The auroras in the sky gradually disappeared.


    Snowflakes, like goose feathers, began cascading down from the dark sky... The blizzard rapidly formed within just a minute or two.


    Dempsey was slightly startled, a bitter expression appearing on his face.


    "Don''t worry; where to next?" Colin comforted him, then continued asking.


    The weather in Extreme North was indeed as unpredictable as the reports showed.


    However, the intensity of this blizzard was not yet enough to hinder him; it would only lengthen the journey a bit.


    "Dempsey," Colin urged in a low voice.


    "...I''m sorry, Sir Colin." Dempsey came back to his senses, speaking quickly as he pointed toward a rising glacier in the distance while the snowstorm still hadn''t completely obstructed their vision:


    "If you fly a bit further, across that glacier, you will see a large ice mountain standing alone on the ice field¡ªthe Ancient North Ice Mountain. At its base is the location of Ancient North Village."


    Colin nodded slightly, increasing his output of Magic Power before the blizzard intensified, crossing the ice slope before him.


    He turned his head around.


    Just as Dempsey had said, a peculiar ice mountain soon intruded into his vision.


    The ice mountain might have been a kilometer tall, standing solitary like a fierce spike on the ice plain, with nothing but flatness surrounding it, not even a slightly raised bump could be found.


    This scene made the Ancient North Ice Mountain appear exceptionally odd and majestic... and it also made Colin somewhat curious about how this ice mountain was formed, being so unique.


    The blizzard grew stronger.


    Before his vision was completely obscured by the white snow, Colin adjusted his direction of flight, heading straight for the Ancient North Ice Mountain.


    The snowstorm blocked the light and visibility, and in the pitch dark, Dempsey panicked, "Lord Colin, shouldn''t we slow down a bit? What if we crash..."


    Bang!


    A dull collision sound suddenly erupted in front of Dempsey, making him feel as though his throat was choked, and after uttering a short syllable, he fell silent.


    "It''s probably just a piece of floating ice caught up by the blizzard, don''t worry about it," Colin said calmly, his expression serene.


    In fact, he had already extended his spiritual power forward and there was no risk of hitting anything.


    The collision with that piece of floating ice was intentional.


    It seemed the effect was not bad... Colin watched Dempsey fall into silence with his spiritual power and smiled slightly.


    Dempsey, as the apprentice guarding this place, might still be useful for some aspects of this mission, and an attitude of hesitation towards orders like just now wouldn''t do; he needed to understand some of Colin''s strength and confidence.


    The two of them continued to fly rapidly.


    Dempsey clung to Colin, trembling, motionless, but his heart was inexplicably shocked.


    As a Wizard Apprentice, not particularly young, he had encountered First Rank Wizards in his life experiences and was very much aware of the ordinary capabilities of First Rank Wizards.


    The collision just now might have only been ordinary floating ice, but under the terrifying speed of flight and the velocity given to the floating ice by the storm, the collision''s force was not negligible.


    After all, those pieces of floating ice were not cotton, extremely hard, and ordinarily difficult to break intentionally.


    At least Dempsey thought he definitely could not have defended against such a rapid collision with floating ice.


    Without Colin''s protection, that piece of floating ice probably would have fractured his entire body on the spot.


    Dempsey silently changed his previous opinion of Colin¡ª


    The wizard who had come this time was not arrogant; perhaps it was just confidence in his own strength!


    Ten minutes later, the blizzard had not yet subsided.


    But the two of them had already reached the foot of the Ancient North Ice Mountain.


    It was just unfortunate that the snowstorm continued, blocking all light; otherwise, they could have observed the Ancient North Ice Mountain from a close distance.


    Now, Colin could only use his spiritual power to discern his surroundings, unable to see the full view of the ice mountain.


    Ancient North Village was also invisible.


    Colin circled the ice mountain, and after a few minutes, eventually found the secluded position of Ancient North Village.


    Ancient North Village was situated in a natural basin at the foot of the mountain, where the wind and snow were slightly less due to the surrounding ice mounds.


    But the view was still pitch black, and Colin extended his spiritual power.


    The houses of Ancient North Village seemed to be built of ice and snow, low and dome-shaped, and numerous.


    Under the perception of spiritual power, they seemed endless, with Colin estimating there were at least nearly a thousand dome-shaped ice houses.


    Rather than a village, it was more appropriate to say it was a small town.


    Colin was somewhat amazed, but the next moment, the scene transmitted through his spiritual power made his brow furrow.


    He swiftly descended toward Ancient North Village, and to help Dempsey see clearly, he waved his hand, casting the Light Brightness Skill.


    A soft white light gathered in his palm, illuminating a melancholy and dismal scene.

 Chapter 513 - 343: Missed

    "What''s this?" Dempsey''s face changed slightly, "Has that Ice and Snow Monster just been here?"


    Not far in front of him were over a dozen broken domed houses, and there were some scattered remnants that resembled chunks of bodies lying nearby.


    Colin''s expression was solemn as he released the Detecting Three Abilities, and then he quickly walked to the second broken dome house on the left, and with a wave of his hand, he unearthed a young man with a pale face.


    The boy appeared to be about fourteen or fifteen years old, with delicate features, and was wrapped in a thick gray-white shearling coat.


    At the moment, his eyes were tightly closed, his face an iron blue, and his body was stiff as iron, seemingly lifeless.


    However, the results returned from the Detecting Three Abilities indicated otherwise, and Colin put his palm on the boy''s chest.


    The light of Healing Magic shone from where they touched.


    Under the power of witchcraft, the bluish color on the boy''s face visibly and rapidly faded away, and his body regained its softness.


    Shortly after, the boy coughed twice and slowly opened his eyes.


    "Trilly¡­"


    Seemingly not yet aware of the situation, he murmured sorrowfully, his eyes brimming with tears.


    "Where did that monster go?" Colin asked in a deep voice.


    The boy was bewildered for a moment, and then, coming to his senses, looked up at Colin with a somewhat confused expression.


    Colin slightly knit his brows and repeated his question.


    "Answer Master Colin''s question quickly!" Dempsey urged him on from the side.


    "Master Dempsey¡­" The boy, now fully alert upon seeing Dempsey, quickly raised his hand and pointed to the right, saying:


    "The last I saw the Ice and Snow Monster, it flew off in that direction!"


    "Dempsey, take good care of him. I''m going to see if I can catch up with the Ice Monster."


    Without further delay, Colin issued a simple order to Dempsey and then took to the air, chasing in the direction the boy had pointed.


    The blizzard quickly swallowed up Colin''s figure.


    A flash of concern passed over Dempsey''s face as he turned to the boy, "Tell me exactly what happened?"


    Perhaps because the Ice Monster had left for a while, villagers were gradually coming out from the other domed houses nearby.


    They carried lanterns and some clubs as tools, gathering together and walking towards them, apparently to check the situation.


    "It was that monster¡­ That monster came again!" The boy said through gritted teeth, his tone filled with fear, but even more so with hatred and rage.


    "Just now?" Dempsey continued to inquire.


    "Yes, it came about half an hour ago, only leaving after the blizzard started," the boy replied while scanning the surroundings with his eyes.


    A sense of gloom filled Dempsey''s heart, not expecting such a coincidence that they had just missed the Ice Monster.


    "Master Dempsey¡­ Why are you here?"


    By now, the nearby villagers had approached, and the village chief, Hunter, using the pale blue light from the lantern in his hands, saw the figures in front of him and couldn''t help but ask in surprise.


    Dempsey briefly explained the situation.


    "So, a wizard here to help us arrived? But now he has gone into the storm to pursue the monster?"


    Hunter''s emotions roller-coastered with Dempsey''s words, and he voiced his concern subconsciously:


    "The monster has been away for a while now, and the blizzard is so fierce; the new wizard wouldn''t be in danger, would he?"


    "No need to worry." Dempsey was somewhat anxious as well, but remembering the strength Colin had shown while flying earlier, he felt a little relieved. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That wizard named Colin was extraordinarily powerful, perhaps the strongest First Rank Wizard he had ever seen!


    Even if he couldn''t catch up with the monster, at the very least, he could return safely.


    Hunter nodded slightly, his concern still lingering on his face as he looked into the raging blizzard in the distance.


    "Trilly¡­" A suppressed sob suddenly broke the silence.


    Neglected until now, the young man Robin kneeled on the snow, holding a severed finger in his hands, tears streaming down his face.


    Hunter, awakened from his trance by this scene, quickly turned around and motioned to the villagers:


    "Check the houses to see if there''s anyone alive!"


    Under the influence of the Ice Monster, the ice fragments from the collapse of the domed houses, along with the ground and remaining walls, had adhered back together as if they were one piece, making it extremely difficult to separate.


    The villagers could only use hammers and chisels to pound continuously, trying to carve a new path to life through the sealed dome house ruins.


    Dempsey intended to find shelter from the blizzard, but, moved by the sight and recalling Colin''s earlier words, he hesitated for a moment then actively stepped forward and began helping with witchcraft.


    With Dempsey''s aid, the ruins of the domed houses were quickly scoured one by one, and ultimately, three more survivors were rescued.


    "Thank you for your help, Master Dempsey." The village chief, Hunter, settled the three survivors, who were mostly unconscious, before turning to express his gratitude.


    Hunter wore a thick black woolen cap, and a wide gray scarf covered his nose and mouth, obscuring his appearance.


    But from the skin around his eyes, one could tell that Hunter was not old, probably in his thirties.


    "Thank you, Master Dempsey!" The villagers behind Hunter echoed their sincere gratitude.


    They knew all too well that during the last attack by the Ice Monster, none of the thirty or so affected households had survived, despite their best rescue efforts.


    "No need to thank me." Dempsey waved his hand, also feeling a bit melancholic.

 Chapter 514 - 343 Missed_2

    However, that''s just how the lives of ordinary people are. At least Ancient North Village had the protection of Neustadt City, and could get help when faced with these monsters.


    Some common kingdoms without wizards for offering never even have someone to call for help, let alone receive it.


    Overnight, blood would run in rivers, and entire kingdoms would be destroyed in an instant.


    The howling wind and snow continued as Hunter walked behind Robin, who was still kneeling in the snow crying. After a moment of silence, he curiously asked,


    "Who is Trilly?"


    Robin wiped his tears, "Trilly is my beloved wife."


    Whoosh!


    At that moment, a figure descended from the sky. Dempsey shivered and quickly turned around.


    Upon recognizing who it was, he breathed a sigh of relief and greeted, "Lord Colin."


    Robin reflexively looked up, his eyes filled with hope as he watched Colin.


    "Hmm," Colin nodded slightly and sighed, "I couldn''t find any trace of that monster."


    The raging blizzard covered everything, and as Colin followed the direction the young man had indicated, he found nothing but the vast, sweeping snow.


    Despite being a Second Rank Wizard and unleashing his full speed, Dempsey had found nothing.


    It could only be said that this weather was indeed the home field for the Ice and Snow Monster.


    As Colin''s words fell, the hope in Robin''s eyes immediately dimmed. He lowered his head, looking at the severed finger in his hand, and couldn''t help but feel on the verge of tears again.


    Many times, Robin thought he was strong, that even in death, he wouldn''t cry.


    But now... he realized he just hadn''t faced something truly saddening.


    The tear drops slowly fell from his nose, hitting the ground, and instantly turning into ice flowers.


    "Robin, get up, don''t trouble the two lords," Mayor Hunter approached and called to Robin, "Go stay at the Norman Family for now. After the storm ends, we''ll all help you repair your broken house."


    After saying this, Hunter turned and respectfully introduced himself to Colin,


    "This esteemed lord, thank you for coming to help. I am the mayor of Ancient North Village¡ªHunter Gubei."


    "Colin Leonard," Colin responded curtly.


    "The Ice and Snow Monster just left; it likely won''t return for a while. Why don''t you and Lord Dempsey come to my house to rest for a bit?" Hunter continued.


    Colin nodded slightly, paused, and pointed to Robin, saying, "Let him come too; I have some questions to ask him."


    "¡­Okay," Hunter nodded, looking towards Robin.


    At this moment, Robin had just stood up, his complexion pale and his steps unsteady.


    Hunter looked at the severed finger in his hand, sighed deeply, "Trilly... Alas, stay strong, Robin."


    "Trilly is your wife?" Colin suddenly remembered the words he heard when he landed and asked impulsively.


    "Yes, lord," Robin replied softly, putting the severed finger away.


    "They just had their wedding last month, lord," Hunter added quietly, a look of anger briefly crossing his face, but more of sadness and helplessness.


    Colin nodded silently, also sighing softly in his heart.


    But, looking at Robin, he was somewhat surprised by his youth.


    Dempsey, sensing Colin''s confusion, whispered,


    "People in Ancient North Village generally have a lifespan of only around thirty-five years, so they marry quite early."


    Colin looked at Mayor Hunter and was no longer surprised by his middle-aged appearance.


    However, the average lifespan in Ancient North Village was indeed too short.


    In this wizard world, although the standard of living wasn''t as developed as in his former life for most people,


    due to factors like Magic Power, the average lifespan in this world wasn''t too far off from his past life¡ªif accidental deaths were disregarded.


    ''Maybe it''s because of the harsh conditions in the Extreme North...'' Colin thought, not asking further, and continued walking with the mayor.


    Due to the harsh environment of the Extreme North, making a fire here was extremely difficult.


    Not only was it hard to maintain, but finding firewood was also very challenging.


    "Please forgive us, but due to the attack by the Ice and Snow Monster, all the lamps outside each household have been taken in, so it''s a bit dark on the roads," the village head said apologetically, leading the way with a round lantern emitting a blue glow in his hand.


    "No harm," Colin waved his hand, glancing at the lantern in the village head''s hand.


    Although Ancient North Village had few fire sources, the presence of Blue Cold Crystals meant they were not lacking in illumination.


    Proceeding together, the three of them reached the village head''s domed house.


    From the outside, the domed houses generally appeared to be no more than one and a half meters in height, quite low.


    However, as Colin bent down and entered, he discovered a whole different world inside.


    The domed house turned out to be a semi-underground, semi-aboveground building, and entering it led to a sunken hall.


    Moreover, the village head''s house even boasted a lavish second floor!


    The walls and ceiling were not just made of pure ice but also had a layer of gray-brown stone inner walls.


    All in all, the environment was much better than Colin had anticipated.


    In the living room on the first floor, the village head brought over a precious stove and placed it in the middle, inviting Colin and the others to sit down.


    Colin sat on a sofa wrapped in an unidentifiable white fur, beginning to ask Robin for more details.


    The young man had just taken off his scarf, revealing a somewhat immature face.


    Stimulated by hatred, he racked his brains, trying his utmost to accurately describe to the wizard in front of him the scene he had witnessed.


    "¡­When that Ice and Snow Monster arrived, it was about five meters tall, like a whirling ''blizzard,'' with ice and snow rapidly spinning inside it.


    Then, when it landed, its body shrank a bit, about three meters high, and its body became solid, like a block of ice."


    ''Capable of flying, two different forms¡­'' Colin nodded slightly, then asked,


    "How did it attack?"


    This question seemed to touch on the young man''s painful memories; his eyes quickly reddened, and he took a deep breath, chokingly said:


    "It would smash through houses and playfully chase after running people. When bored, it would freeze them into ice sculptures, then transform into a blizzard and grind them into icy fragments."


    Colin nodded silently, finally understanding why a girl named Trilly was left with only one finger.


    "That Ice and Snow Monster was just enjoying the slaughter, it doesn''t need to eat, and there''s nothing in Ancient North Village to attract it!"


    Robin continued, his tone angry.


    Hearing this, Colin was somewhat puzzled.


    However, considering creatures like spirit monsters and demon beasts, it indeed wasn''t rare to find those who took pleasure in killing; on reflection, there was nothing strange about it.


    "I understand," Colin nodded, his expression calm.


    He continued to stare at the young man in front of him, then added after a pause: sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It won''t live much longer."


    About half a day later, the blizzard finally ceased, and the distant skies once again showed a beautiful display of Northern Lights.


    Taking advantage of this moment, Colin went out again to look for any traces of the Ice and Snow Monster.


    But he still found nothing.


    The Extreme North was vast, and even with his flying speed, he couldn''t search it all in a short time.


    Moreover, the area was also extremely dangerous.


    The deeper he went, not only did the magic power become lower, but the tainted babblings in the air also gradually increased; even Colin felt an eerie whispering beside his ear.


    Thus, Colin ultimately decided to return home.


    The scarcity of magic power was no small matter for him, a Second Rank Wizard.


    Even on the way back, to save magic power, Colin chose to sacrifice some flying speed using a Flying Witch Tool.


    This particular tool, obtained earlier, could no longer keep up after his advancement to Second Rank.


    However, if speed was not the concern, it was still barely usable.


    Thus, an empty-handed Colin returned to Ancient North Village to stay temporarily.


    He planned to wait quietly, hoping the Ice and Snow Monster would trap itself and then decisively eliminate it.

 Chapter 515 - 344: Ambushed

    In the polar night, when the sun did not rise, it seemed as though the concept of time was lost.


    Colin could only determine the time by the pocket watch he carried on him... almost five days had passed.


    The crystal hourglass in Village Chief Hunter''s house had also completed five cycles.


    This noon.


    Colin walked out from the base of the Ancient North Ice Mountain.


    During the wait for the Ice and Snow Monsters to attack again, he hadn''t been idle, and his daily schedule was full.


    "Did you find anything, Lord Colin?" Dempsey, who was nearby, asked.


    They had just emerged from the Blue Cold Crystal Mine.


    "No," Colin shook his head.


    That morning, he and Dempsey had started from the spot of the attack, carefully investigating and searching, trying to find something that might exist¡ª sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    like the reason the Ice and Snow Monsters attacked Ancient North Village.


    However, at least for now, they had found nothing.


    That Ice and Snow Monster probably just enjoyed killing and did not come with a specific purpose.


    At this moment, Village Chief Hunter beside him sighed and added:


    "Ancient North Village almost always gets attacked by an Ice and Snow Monster every so often. The intervals can be as short as one or two years, or as long as two or three decades.


    If my memory serves me right, it''s been almost fifteen years since the last attack by an Ice and Snow Monster."


    "Didn''t the previous wizards manage to kill the Snow Monster once and for all?" Dempsey couldn''t help but ask.


    Hunter shook his head, "A Wizard once mentioned that those Ice and Snow Monsters are naturally formed entities of the Extreme North. As long as we can''t find and destroy their source, it''s impossible to eradicate them completely."


    Colin turned his head to glance at the icy plain disappearing into the darkness in the distance, his expression inscrutable.


    In the afternoon.


    Boom!


    On an empty plot next to Ancient North Village, Colin was practicing the Limit Breaking Fireball Skill for the fourth time.


    It had to be said that the Extreme North was quite suitable for practicing witchcraft.


    The sparse population and open terrain allowed one to act freely.


    The only drawback might be the scarcity of Magic Power, necessitating the use of some Magic Stones to help recover it.


    But that was not a problem. Compared to time, a few Magic Stones were not that important to him now.


    During the interval of recovering Magic Power, Colin summoned the Golden Paper.


    On the ancient pale golden parchment, the progress of the Limit Breaking Fireball Skill had reached 99/100, just one step away from breaking the limit.


    Colin''s spirit lifted, and after recovering his Magic Power, he started practicing again.


    He chose a location not far from Ancient North Village, behind a small slope, surrounded by an open field of view. If anyone was secretly watching, they would be easily spotted.


    But in reality, Colin didn''t make much effort to hide his whereabouts.


    Dempsey was on a lookout tower temporarily erected by Ancient North Village nearby, keeping watch all around. From his position, he could clearly see Colin practicing.


    However, the latter didn''t think much of it, only remaining vigilant, ready to call for Colin''s assistance as soon as the Ice and Snow Monsters approached.


    On one hand, Colin had previously told him that he wanted to practice some witchcraft, and on the other hand, the fourth Limit Breaking Fireball Skill was just a First Rank Advanced witchcraft, so it wouldn''t seem strange to use.


    As long as Dempsey didn''t see the exaggerated improvement that practicing witchcraft brought Colin, he wouldn''t think anything of it.


    Time passed, and about three hours later, Colin''s heart stirred and he opened the Golden Paper again.


    Sure enough, he had successfully pushed the Limit Breaking Fireball Skill to its limit.


    The progress had been stuck at 99 for several days, but today he had finally trained it to 100!


    Dispelling the building Magic Power in his hands, Colin tucked away the Golden Paper and let out a slight breath, preparing to find a secluded room to break the limit for the Fireball Skill.


    Village Chief White had placed the two of them in a domed ice house near his home.


    According to Dempsey, that domed ice house was built specifically to accommodate wizards like them.


    The interior was even more elaborate than the Village Chief''s home, and could be considered a "luxury house."


    Of course, that was relative, the real living experience was underwhelming.


    The conditions in the Extreme North were still too harsh.


    After greeting Dempsey at the lookout tower, Colin returned to his room in the domed ice house and sat down cross-legged, taking out a Magic Stone.


    As the characters behind the Limit Breaking Point on the Golden Paper kept flickering, the Magic Stone in his hand continuously turned to dust.


    When the ¡ü symbol behind the fourth Limit Breaking Fireball Skill lit up, Colin, without any hesitation, focused and pressed firmly.


    The black characters twisted and blurred.


    The Golden Paper began to break the limit!


    Just then, a shadow suddenly slipped in from under the door and took shape into a dark figure in front of Colin.


    This was Silent Shadow.


    The shrouding dark mist on its body vibrated continuously, as if reminding Colin of something.


    Colin furrowed his brows slightly and opened his eyes.


    At the same time.


    Swoosh!


    Suddenly, a screeching sound of a Magic Arrow shot from outside, followed by a bang, a red firework illuminated the sky above Ancient North Village.


    "Lord Colin, the Ice and Snow Monster has arrived!"


    From the lookout tower, as soon as Dempsey launched the signal arrow, he hurriedly flew towards the house where Colin was, calling out subconsciously.


    The red fireworks slowly spread across the pitch-black sky.


    The villagers of Ancient North Village, who had been active outside, looked up at the fireworks in the sky and remembered the words the Village Chief had recently instructed. They immediately showed signs of panic.


    And then, like rabbits startled by the approach of a hawk, they hesitated no longer, dropping what was in their hands and frantically diving into the nearest domed ice house!

 Chapter 516 - 344: Ambushed_2

    Hoo¡ª


    A pale blue fog abruptly appeared in the pitch-black night sky. It quickly fell toward the ground and, in the blink of an eye within mid-air, transformed into a human-shaped ice crystal monster.


    The monster''s head bore a vivid human face; at this moment, it was looking at the fleeing villagers, grinning with a sinister laugh!


    Bang!


    The ice and snow monster landed on the ground, and where its feet struck, countless ice flowers burst outward in a radial pattern, scattering in all directions.


    They struck the surrounding dome-shaped houses, causing cuts like those made by a knife.


    The two dome houses that were a bit closer were even shorn to reveal their gray inner walls.


    Dempsey looked from a distance and felt a slight shock at the scene.


    This ice and snow monster''s landing caused such a commotion; it was comparable to him casting with all his might!


    "This is bad!"


    At that moment, Dempsey''s complexion suddenly turned deathly pale.


    It seemed that the snow monster had sensed the gaze upon it¡ªor perhaps it was due to Dempsey''s wizard identity, different from the surrounding villagers.


    The snow monster actually turned its head, looking directly at Dempsey!


    It tilted its head, its mouth twisting into a smirk, and it shot forth toward Dempsey.


    Dempsey''s heart skipped a beat, and he quickly averted his gaze, running towards the dome house where Colin was.


    Bang!


    Dempsey hadn''t taken more than two steps before he collided with Colin, who was walking out.


    "Master Colin, the ice and snow monster is coming!" cried Dempsey with a look of joy, speaking hurriedly, his face somewhat panicked.


    "I know, don''t be afraid," Colin nodded slightly.


    He felt the snow monster rushing toward this place.


    Colin waved his hand lightly.


    Swoosh!


    A figure engulfed in flames suddenly appeared at the entrance of the dome-shaped snow house.


    The blazing white flames danced erratically, bringing with them an astonishing heat.


    The heatwave rolled in, and the surrounding ice and snow instantly melted into liquid, causing Dempsey to instinctively take a step back.


    The fire element in front of him, though not very tall, seemed no less powerful than the snow monster outside... No, it looked even stronger!


    Dempsey couldn''t help but swallow nervously, watching as Colin outfitted himself with a Steel Temperature Resistance Field and Black Fog Armor, charging menacingly toward the snow monster not far off.


    The snow monster, seeing Colin and the fire element heading towards it rather than fleeing, first paused¡ªsurprised, taking a slight step back, then suddenly let out an angry roar to the heavens and continued to charge at Colin with big strides.


    Bang, bang, bang!


    With each step the snow monster took, its figure grew against the wind, swelling up into a nearly five-meter-tall ice and snow monster in the blink of an eye!


    Through the translucent blue shell, one could see white snowflakes twirling endlessly inside its body.


    "Roar¡ª!"


    The snow monster opened its mouth wide, and a pale blue frosty glow brewed deep in its massive maw.


    However, before it could unleash its attack, a blazing white fireball followed by a fiery figure had already arrived in front of it!


    Panic flashed across the snow monster''s face. It sped up the preparation of its attack, and a deep blue Frost Freeze Beam shot out from its mouth.


    Bang!!


    The fire element agilely dodged the Frost Freeze Beam, clenched its fist, and stabbed into the chest of the ice and snow monster like a drill! S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Roar!"


    The five-meter-tall snow monster let out a hoarse cry of pain. Compared to its vast body, the relatively small fire element was like a spike, directly penetrating its chest and shooting out through its back.


    Then, right after, the blazing white fireball exploded right in front of the snow monster!


    Bang!!


    High-temperature flames scattered in all directions, contacting the cold ice and snow, and a vast amount of white mist immediately rose up, obscuring the view.


    Colin instinctively released Detecting Three Abilities; only the fluctuations of magic power remained in the scene before him, and no further signs of life could be sensed.


    "Was that monster dealt with just like that?" Dempsey, standing far away, gaped in astonishment at the scene.


    It was just two spells, and the snow monster hadn''t even managed to touch the hem of Colin''s clothing!


    Dempsey couldn''t help but wonder if Colin in front of him was really just a First Rank Wizard?


    But soon, he shook his head. Why would a Second Rank Wizard come to do such a task?


    After all, School Badges could not be faked.


    And indeed, the fire element summoned by Colin at the start definitely exceeded the power of First Rank, but the fireball that followed was still within the range of First Rank.


    Dempsey steadied himself, his heart still somewhat shocked.


    Regardless, the Colin before him was undoubtedly a powerful wizard standing at the pinnacle of the First Rank, and quite possibly, a witchcraft prodigy!


    On the other side.


    Colin didn''t take things lightly and controlled the Fire Element to investigate once more.


    Moments later, feedback from the Fire Element arrived¡ªthe mist no longer held any signs of life.


    Huh¡ª


    The cold wind around suddenly grew stronger, scattering the steamy mist before him.


    Looking down at the disjointed, clearly lifeless Ice and Snow Monster at his feet, Colin finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    This Ice and Snow Monster was only at First Rank Advanced.


    Facing him, a Second Rank Wizard, it had no chance of fighting back¡ªwhich was normal, even though he had not used his full strength.


    Colin lowered himself slowly, preparing to take a closer look at the Snow Monster.


    "Lord Colin, is the Snow Monster dead?" Dempsey approached slowly from not far away.


    He walked with some difficulty, with the biting cold wind whistling nonstop.


    "Yes," Colin turned and said.


    However, the next second, Dempsey''s pupils shrank slightly, and he hastily shouted, "Be careful!"


    Colin pushed his Defensive Witchcraft to its limit and swiftly turned, but all he saw was a pale blue ice crystal, suddenly emerging from the remains of the Snow Monster''s body on the ground, and speeding away into the distance.


    Whoosh!


    Colin''s expression shifted slightly, and he quickly dismissed the Fire Element, which was not as fast as him, and chased after the ice crystal.


    Whoosh¡ª!


    Just a few seconds after taking flight, the surrounding cold wind visibly intensified, and snowflakes like goose feathers fluttered down from the pitch-black sky.


    A snowstorm was coming!


    Colin frowned slightly, the timing of this snowstorm was too coincidental.


    No¡­ it was the arrival of the Snow Monster that was too coincidental.


    He couldn''t help but think back to the last Snow Monster attack, which also coincided with the advent of a blizzard¡­ the attacks of these Snow Monsters perhaps followed a certain pattern.


    At the same time, Colin cast Detecting Three Abilities again.


    However, the feedback from this Detection Magic, which could simultaneously detect life, Magic Power, and evil, yielded nothing.


    It was as if the flying blue ice crystal before them was nothing more than an ordinary stone.


    ''It seems I need to add some more Detection Magic when I get the chance,'' Colin thought instinctively.


    But that was a task for later; right now, he needed to catch up to the ice crystal before him!


    This blue ice crystal was quite possibly the Snow Monster Core.


    The Snow Monster in nature should also belong to Elemental Creatures, and unless its core was thoroughly destroyed, returning to its full strength would only be a matter of time.


    Cold snowflakes danced chaotically in the air, and Colin felt as though he was moving through a room filled with floating feathers; his vision quickly blurred.


    The blizzards of the Extreme North didn''t just come without a sign, they could blanket everything in mere tens of seconds.


    At that moment, the Snow Monster Core gradually dimmed its emitted light, attempting to hide in the snow-filled sky.


    Colin''s brows furrowed slightly.


    Although he flew faster than the Snow Monster Core,


    The visibility in the polar night was already poor, and with the snowfall and the ice crystal''s light fading, he could hardly see the ice crystal anymore.


    This couldn''t go on.


    Thump!


    With a thought from Colin, two blazing white fireballs instantly appeared at his side, like two suns dispelling darkness, and in turn, melting some of the annoying snowflakes in front of him.


    ''Found it!'' Colin quickly scanned the area, his gaze catching the Snow Monster Core in no time.


    Whoosh!


    However, just as he was about to catch up to the Snow Monster Core, a dark claw suddenly emerged from the side.


    Colin''s expression changed, and a ball of intense fire immediately collided with the claw, bursting forth in a loud explosion.


    Following the shockwave of the explosion, Colin rapidly retreated backwards, adjusting his stance as he fixed his gaze on the uninvited guest before him.


    "Colin Leonard, I''ve been waiting for you for quite some time."


    Joyce Hidosh watched Colin and said in a cold voice.


    The residual light of the fireball blast cast fluctuating shadows across his face.

 Chapter 517 - 345 Magic Potion Mercy

    The relentless blizzard swiftly extinguished the embers of the Fireball Technique, and darkness returned.


    Colin eyed the uninvited guest before him with some confusion.


    From the previous display of witchcraft, there was no doubt that this wizard was a powerful Second Rank Wizard...


    Why would a Second Rank Wizard suddenly attack him in this place?


    Without much thought, Colin summoned the Second Rank Fire Element with a wave of his hand.


    The dark view brightened instantly.


    Joyce watched Colin with an icy expression.


    "Do you know who I am?" he asked slowly, his voice barely concealing his hatred.


    However, the reply he received was a Blazing White Fireball, followed by the Fire Element that came after it.


    This was Colin''s first use of the Limit Breaking Fireball Skill five times as a material to summon the Fire Element.


    The final result spoke for itself.


    The might displayed by the Fire Element right in front had clearly reached the middle of the Second Rank!


    The Blazing White Fire scared onlookers, and the snowflakes drifting down turned instantly into a mist that rolled back upwards!


    It was as if a reverse white waterfall had appeared in the pitch-black night sky!


    It was just unfortunate that the blizzard environment ultimately affected the Fire Element.


    At this moment, the Fire Element''s strength could only be described as barely stepping into the middle of the Second Rank. In a normal environment, its power would have surely been greater!


    "An impolite Wild Wizard." Joyce watched the Blazing White Fireball approach, his brows furrowed and he cursed coldly.


    He waved his hand and released an Ice Ball to block the Blazing White Fireball.


    The Fire Element that followed did not stop; it charged ferociously towards Joyce!


    Joyce cursed irritably:


    "A mongrel is still a mongrel, even if you possess the Talent of the Golden Feather. It can never change what''s etched into your very bones!"


    Colin paid no attention to Joyce''s words, the attack from Joyce was clearly meant to be lethal.


    With such an enemy, there was nothing much to say.


    However, Colin still sharply caught a word in Joyce''s speech¡ªGolden Feather.


    "Are you a Wizard from the Tin Saint School?" Colin asked aloud.


    At this moment, Joyce was dodging the attack of the Fire Element rather awkwardly. It was apparent that his strength was not great.


    If anything, he was somewhat similar to Yasi, whom he had previously dealt with... Yasi?


    "Are you from the Hidosh Family? Do you know Yasi?" Colin suddenly thought of the wizard he had already killed.


    If there were any grudges in the Tin Saint School, it would probably only be with the Hidosh Family, or rather, Yasi.


    Boom!


    Joyce raised a huge ice shield with a wave of his hand, temporarily repelling the persistent Fire Element.


    "If only I had gone with Yasi that night and killed you and your mentor myself instead of just entrusting it to Field!" he said through gritted teeth, his face looking rather unsightly as he looked at Colin and the Fire Element beside him, eyeing them fiercely.


    ''Trusting it to Field?''


    Colin asked as if a sudden realization came to him, "Are you Yasi''s uncle?"


    Black Castle had later informed him of the people involved in the entire incident, the corresponding punishments, and the causes and consequences uncovered by the investigation.


    The reason why Steward Field agreed to help Yasi temporarily block off the area around the mentor''s residence was, according to Black Castle''s investigation¡ªdue to a forged letter from his close uncle, Joyce.


    Field had a good relationship with Joyce; hence, he agreed to help.


    Colin had always been doubtful about the results of Black Castle''s investigation.


    After all, forging letters seemed somewhat far-fetched.


    Now it seemed to be true.


    The investigation of the Black Castle was not reliable at all!


    The fact that Yasi''s uncle had chased him all the way to the Extreme North meant there was no need for Yasi to forge any letters.


    On Field''s side, it was clear that Joyce had actively offered his help!


    Although Colin''s suspicions were confirmed, there wasn''t the slightest ripple in his heart; he had long been prepared for this... One simply couldn''t have too high expectations of these Pureblood Families!


    Joyce didn''t answer Colin''s question, instead continuing to fend off the Fire Element that attacked again.


    He hadn''t expected that in such a short time, Colin''s strength had improved again. That recent Fireball Witchcraft was also clearly at the level of the Second Rank.


    And the Fire Element before him was even more formidable, already having nearly the strength of the middle of the Second Rank!


    Knowing this was not what Steward Field had described to him. That night, Colin''s ability to kill Yasi was more due to luck.


    After all, Colin could only summon a First Rank Advanced Fire Element.


    And a First Rank Advanced Fire Element would definitely not be able to handle a wizard of the same level!


    Yasi probably died unexpectedly due to underestimating his opponent, along with poor condition and other reasons.


    This time, he had come fully prepared.


    Joyce thought dealing with Colin would be an easy task.


    But now, Colin could not only release other Second Rank witchcraft, but the Fire Element he summoned had also suddenly turned into the middle of the Second Rank!


    Although it was just the beginning of the Second Rank middle, it was still somewhat difficult for Joyce, who was only at the First Rank Advanced level.


    Joyce subconsciously used Detection Magic.


    "You''re still First Rank Advanced?"


    Joyce relaxed a bit but still couldn''t hide his astonishment in his tone.


    Colin inwardly praised the Disguise Magic enchanted on him but didn''t answer Joyce''s question, launching another attack instead. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Joyce''s expression turned cold, and without hesitation, he pulled out something specially prepared for this trip¡ªa Magic Potion that could temporarily raise his strength by one level.

 Chapter 518 - 345 Magic Potion Mercy_2

    Colin''s brow slightly furrowed as a fireball, like a meteor, shot toward Joyce.


    Ignoring everything, Joyce pinched the magic potion and tilted his head back, the pale black liquid in the glass vial dropping into his throat.


    Boom!


    The fireball exploded immediately after, the shockwave creating a brief vacuum amidst the blizzard.


    Colin didn''t stop attacking, controlling the fire element to charge towards Joyce, and the subsequent fireballs covered the area in a relentless barrage, as if they cost nothing.


    For a moment, flames roared and explosions were incessant, almost completely obscuring Joyce''s figure.


    However, a moment later, a figure emitting a strange green glow suddenly shot out from the flames.


    Shoo!


    The fire element quickly advanced to intercept.


    Swoosh!


    Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!


    Several ice cones enveloped in green glows flew towards it, explosively bursting upon impact with the fire element''s body, creating clusters of ice flowers glowing with a bright green light. The fire element''s flying figure momentarily stalled, staying in place.


    ''What on earth is that magic potion?!'' Colin''s expression changed slightly.


    At this moment, the strength Joyce displayed had already reached the middle of the Second Rank, and was almost pushing towards the Second Rank Advanced!


    He had never heard of any magic potion that could provide such a significant enhancement to a wizard''s abilities. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I''ll make you pay for the life of my only son!" Feeling the surging power within him, Joyce''s face twisted grotesquely as he burst into a mad charge towards Colin!


    ''Son? Shouldn''t it be a nephew?'' Colin was slightly taken aback, sensing the complex story behind Joyce''s brief words.


    Joyce''s whole body radiated an astounding aura.


    For this revenge, he had nearly exhausted all his accumulated wealth over hundreds of years.


    And that mysterious bottle of potion had cost him nearly half his budget!


    The potion, named Mercy, was a recent creation by a magic pharmacist in the black market of Neustadt City.


    The effect, as seen, was to enhance the wizard''s power, boosting both spirit and magical power, the only cost being some murmurs and a subsequent weakness period of about ten days.


    Shoo!


    Joyce had already closed in on Colin, lunging fiercely at him.


    The inflated power from the magic potion made him want to deal with Colin in the most violent way possible, to soothe the hatred in his heart!


    "You may be celebrating too early."


    With a thought, Colin summoned the fire element beside him and conjured a new witchcraft ¨C Elemental Life Enhancement.


    This was a custom witchcraft that had earned him 250,000 magic stones!


    Having created it himself, the progress on the Golden Paper was at 70, allowing for immediate casting.


    Boom!


    The originally bright white fire element gradually took on a hint of blue, its already turbulent flames further growing by an inch!


    The intense heat hit him, and Colin felt as if the hair on his forehead was slightly curling.


    Boom!


    The fire element opened its mouth wide, shooting a beam of fire as thick as a washbowl towards Joyce!


    "What?!" Joyce''s face drastically changed.


    He hadn''t expected the already absurdly powerful fire element, now at the middle of the Second Rank, to be able to strengthen further!


    "You''re not a First Rank Advanced Wizard?!" Joyce blocked the attack from the fire element, his expression shifting uncertainly.


    After a moment, as if realizing something, Joyce glared at Colin and barked angrily:


    "You''re a spy planted in Neustadt by the Divines!"


    Colin''s expression remained calm as he slowly replied:


    "I''ll take that as a compliment from you.


    Unfortunately, you still have to die here."


    "Heh, you think a mere Second Rank Advanced fire element can turn defeat into victory?!" Joyce scoffed.


    He admitted the fire element was strong, but with the Mercy Potion, a fire element just stepping into the Second Rank Advanced was still no match for him!


    Joyce didn''t tangle with the fire element further. Adhering to the principle of capturing the king first, he charged straight at Colin.


    Colin didn''t dodge or move, his mouth rapidly chanting a spell and after a moment, the witchcraft took shape.


    "Temple Ring Binding¡¤For Flesh Binding!"


    A lightning-fast blue arc instantly shot out from his fingertips, forming a flashing ring of light that landed on Joyce.


    The latter''s charging form halted, stopping in place.


    Colin didn''t miss this opportunity, waving his hand to execute a five-time Limit Breaking Fireball Skill.


    Boom!!


    Despite being bound, the defensive witchcraft on Joyce''s body still functioned.


    With his current strength, a Second Rank Basic level Fireball Technique could only cause minor damage, at most depleting some of his magic power.


    But that was enough.


    Two seconds later, Joyce broke free from the binding, gritting his teeth.


    "Another Second Rank witchcraft, you''re definitely a spy for the Divines! No ordinary wizard could possess such prowess!"


    "Not just for Yasi, but for wizards, I''ll torment you to death!"


    Swoosh!


    Joyce shot towards Colin.


    However, the next second, the blue-tinged fire element again blocked his path.


    This same fire element, which Joyce had left behind when he was bound, had caught up to him!


    "Get out of the way!" Joyce finally realized Colin''s intentions.


    The Mercy Potion had a time limit, dependent on the intensity of the battle. Based on the current intensity, he could probably last another twenty to thirty minutes.


    If he waited until the effects of the Mercy Potion wore off, not to mention avenging Yasi, he might not even be able to save himself!

 Chapter 519 - 519: 345

    Alas, Colin''s plan was a completely overt scheme.


    If Colin was merely a First Rank Advanced Wizard capable of summoning a Second Rank Basic Level Fire Element,


    then even if Joyce did not take the Mercy Potion, his chances of winning would have been at least seventy percent,


    taking the Mercy Potion, it would be a hundred percent... the absolute gap in strength eradicated any possibility of a miracle occurring.


    However, Colin was a Second Rank Wizard.


    At least a Second Rank Basic Level Wizard.


    Otherwise, if he had cast so many cross-rank witchcraft spells, the magic power inside him should have been exhausted by now rather than him appearing so effortlessly as he did!


    Moreover, Colin could even summon a Fire Element almost at a Second Rank Advanced level.


    Thus, the gap in their powers was instantly reduced to almost negligible.


    So, even though Joyce had realized Colin''s plans by then, he had no power to resist.


    He tried his best to eliminate the Fire Element and indeed succeeded.


    But before he could attack Colin, the latter had already summoned a new Fire Element and fortified it.


    If Joyce briefly escaped the Fire Element, Colin would cast the control witchcraft again.


    Under the enhancement of the Mercy Potion, it would take just one or two seconds for Joyce to break free.


    But one or two seconds were also enough for the Fire Element to catch up and entangle him again.


    Thus, twenty minutes passed in a flash, and the effect of the Mercy Potion ended.


    The strange green glow on Joyce''s body extinguished like a candle in the wind.


    He stopped in despair at his spot and could only watch helplessly as the Fire Element turned its hand into a blade, chopping off his head.


    The residual flames, tinged with green, spread from the broken neck towards the head and body.


    Colin exhaled softly, landed on the ground, and slowly approached Joyce''s corpse.


    The blizzard disturbed by the battle quickly resumed its ferocity after the battle ended, and Colin summoned a Fireball to dispel the darkness and maintain visibility.


    Hiss.


    At that moment, a faint sound resembling a leak came from the direction of Joyce''s body.


    At the same time, the pale green flames burning on Joyce''s body either due to the blizzard or some other reason, gradually extinguished. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Colin stopped walking and cautiously approached Joyce''s body with the Fire Element.


    After some probing and finding no danger, Colin fortified himself with Defensive Witchcraft and moved forward to inspect.


    At first glance, in the light of the fire, there was nothing unusual about Joyce''s decapitated corpse.


    The residual flames from the Fire Element''s attack, before extinguishing, had spread to the chest of the corpse, almost charring it extensively.


    Such an injury would have been difficult to survive even for Colin despite his Strong Life Talent.


    After all, Joyce''s head was still lying elsewhere.


    Thinking this, Colin walked over to where Joyce''s head lay.


    Upon a clear view, his pupils involuntarily contracted slightly.


    A dead man''s head wasn''t usually shocking, but the expression on Joyce''s head was extremely eerie.


    Joyce''s eyes were open, lips slightly parted, his gaze calm yet conveying a trace of mercy.


    It was like those compassionate Buddha statues he had seen in temples in a former life!


    They, too, wore expressions of neither sadness nor joy, as if showing mercy to all beings.


    Colin''s brow furrowed deeply.


    This eerie expression was clearly not voluntarily made by Joyce, it must have been influenced by an external force.


    However, while Colin was deep in thought, a Silent Shadow suddenly appeared in front of him, reporting something.


    Colin''s eyebrows raised in confirmation as he said,


    "You''re saying that Ancient North Village is being attacked by Ice and Snow Monsters?!"


    After getting a confirming reply from the Silent Shadow, Colin didn''t think further.


    He quickly packed up anything valuable from Joyce''s body and hurriedly headed back to Ancient North Village!


    That Ice and Snow Monster dared to come back!

 Chapter 520 - 346 No Talent

    The blizzard was still raging on, the violent wind mixed with goose feather-like snow, enough to cause anyone trapped within to lose their direction.


    However, this did not include Colin.


    Before leaving Ancient North Village, he had deliberately left behind half of the Silent Shadows.


    On one hand, it was just in case, and on the other hand, it was for his own positioning convenience.


    Colin could sense the location of the Silent Shadows.


    With his permission, so could the Silent Shadows.


    It was precisely because of this that the Silent Shadows were able to traverse the raging blizzard and accurately find his position.


    Unfortunately, they could not contact the Silent Shadows remotely.


    Otherwise, the Silent Shadows wouldn''t have had to make this tiresome journey, and Colin would virtually have six "eyes" that could change position at any time.


    Flying swiftly, it wasn''t long before faint blue lights first entered Colin''s vision.


    Those were the lights of Ancient North Village''s street lamps.


    After Colin had stationed himself in Ancient North Village, the village had resumed its regular lighting without fear of Ice and Snow Monster attacks.


    A few moments later.


    Gazing through the snow and wind, Colin saw the Ice and Snow Monster that was wrecking the surrounding houses, and in front of it, three Silent Shadows striving to halt its actions.


    However, although the Silent Shadows had the advantage in numbers, there was a substantial gap in power.


    Together, they were barely managing to hold on.


    The snow-domed huts of Ancient North Village were being continuously destroyed, and villagers were being brutally killed by the Ice and Snow Monster as they were dragged out.


    Swish!


    Without further words, Colin waved his hand and summoned a Fireball, shooting it towards the Ice and Snow Monster.


    At the same time, a tall Fire Element followed closely behind the Fireball, coordinating with another three Silent Shadows that appeared beside Colin, encircling the Ice and Snow Monster.


    To settle the matter quickly, Colin hesitated for a moment before waving his hand again, casting Elemental Life Enhancement magic on the Fire Element!


    Boom!


    The white-hot flames rose violently, the temperature surged again, with hints of blue emerging from within.


    Having done all this, Colin continued flying towards Ancient North Village, meanwhile taking out the Demon Release Ring, and started to replenish his Magic Power in a hurry.


    The fight with Joyce, although overall uneventful, had consumed a significant amount of his Magic Power.


    After casting those spells just now, he was left with only about twenty to thirty percent, making him feel somewhat insecure.


    However, concerning the mere Ice and Snow Monster not yet reaching Second Rank, he should not need to cast much more magic.


    Merely the Second Rank Advanced Fire Element he had summoned was enough to handle it, not to mention the six Silent Shadows coordinating with it.


    "Roar¡ª!"


    Meanwhile, the Ice and Snow Monster that was destroying the snow-domed huts detected the attack from behind, and quickly exhaled a fan-shaped blue frost mist forward, temporarily pushing back the Silent Shadows.


    Then, it agilely dodged to the side and escaped the encirclement.


    But seeing the powerful Fire Element, it showed no signs of retreating or fleeing.


    Instead, it roared angrily, its face expressing vivid hatred and a hint of barely concealed delight.


    Witnessing this abnormal scene, Colin frowned and felt a slight stir inside.


    Invisible threads extended from the six Silent Shadows to his body, visibly strengthening the Black Fog Armor enveloping him.


    Colin hurried to replenish his Magic Power and vigilantly watched the Ice and Snow Monster, and ¡­ the surroundings.


    "Roar!"


    As expected, seeming to have spotted its main target, the Ice and Snow Monster roared again skywards.


    Whoosh!


    A sudden gust of wind abruptly swept in from the right.


    The ravaging snowflakes, as if manipulated by an even more fierce force, all changed direction, heading towards the nearby Fire Element.


    Hidden by the snowflakes, Colin''s pupils slightly contracted.


    Behind the swirling snowflakes, he glimpsed an extremely massive figure!


    Before Colin could get a clear look,


    the next second, that massive figure suddenly burst out of the blizzard, charging straight at the most imposing Fire Element on the battlefield!


    It was only then that Colin finally saw the detailed appearance of this massive figure.


    Light blue semi-transparent skin, constantly rotating snowflakes within¡­ this was undoubtedly another magnified version of the Ice and Snow Monster!


    The Ice and Snow Monster actually had another ally?!


    Colin couldn''t help but be taken aback.


    Bang!


    The Fire Element turned to collide violently with the newly-arrived Ice and Snow Monster, towering at least ten meters high.


    Two ring-shaped shockwaves emanated from their point of impact, one swirling with flames, the other shimmering with a crystal blue.


    Colin let out a slight sigh of relief.


    Fortunately, this new Ice and Snow Monster, though imposing, still belonged to the Second Rank, only slightly stronger than the Fire Element he had summoned and enhanced.


    They could still fight, but it would likely be a fierce battle!


    Colin glanced at the two Ice and Snow Monster now standing side by side, a plan suddenly formed in his mind.


    Second Rank Ice and Snow Monsters, like beloved children of the blizzard, every move assisted by wind and snow.


    Under such home advantage conditions, even with the help of the Silent Shadows to relieve the pressure, the Second Rank Advanced Fire Element quickly fell into a disadvantage.


    Colin quietly remained hidden beside the battlefield, minimizing his presence.


    Perhaps because the slightly smaller Ice and Snow Monster had mainly been handled by the Fire Element earlier, S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    currently, the two seemingly not highly intelligent Ice and Snow Monsters focused their attention on the Fire Element and the harassing Silent Shadows on the side, paying little attention to Colin.


    The two Disguise Magic spells constantly on Colin might also have played a certain role.

 Chapter 521 - 346 No Talent_2

    About three minutes later, the opportunity Colin had been waiting for had arrived.


    The two Ice and Snow Monsters, deliberately restrained by Silent Shadow and the Fire Element, gradually began to distance themselves from each other.


    Now each was fighting on its own.


    The Ice and Snow Monster restrained by the Fire Element, which was larger, was a bit farther from Colin, while the slightly smaller one was nearly in front of Colin.


    "Now!" Colin''s eyes flashed as he cast the long-prepared witchcraft¡ªTemple Ring Binding¡¤For Flesh Binding!


    A translucent white orb suddenly shot towards the slightly smaller Ice and Snow Monster and then transformed into a translucent white halo, firmly binding it.


    Colin burst forth, swinging his hand to cast the Second Rank Lower Fireball Technique!


    "Roar¡ª!"


    The larger Ice and Snow Monster, seeing this from a distance, changed its expression dramatically and roared angrily, trying to bypass the Fire Element in front of it to aid its companion!


    However, under Colin''s control, the Fire Element gave it no chance.


    The Fire Element also gave a silent roar and rushed towards the Ice and Snow Monster like a shooting star, flaring up like a fire explosion, and in an instant, it transformed into a Flame Giant, no smaller than the Ice and Snow Monster!


    Sizzling!!


    The Flame Giant tightly bound the Ice and Snow Monster.


    "Roar!!"


    The Ice and Snow Monster roared anxiously, its body radiating intensely and transforming into a blizzard mixed with faint blue crystals!


    If it were a conventional physical binding, the Ice and Snow Monster would have probably broken free now in its elemental state.


    However, the Fire Element''s embrace of death was not merely physical confinement.


    Fire clashed continuously with the snow, and the Fire Element, unconcerned about the losses, blocked as if on a suicide mission, causing its energy to visibly weaken quickly.


    However, the results were striking.


    The Ice and Snow Monster, still in its elemental state, was firmly bound in place, utterly unable to move.


    "Roar¡ª"


    Just then, a mournful roar suddenly erupted.


    Hearing the roar, the larger Ice and Snow Monster''s eyes, blue as water crystals, sparked with a deep ink blue.


    The swirling ice flowers inside it suddenly ceased, as if time had frozen, with only the deep ink blue slowly spreading in the Ice and Snow Monster''s crystalline blue eyes.


    The next second,


    Boom!!


    The larger Ice and Snow Monster exploded like a bomb, with a blue circular shockwave erupting from its center, shooting out endless icy blue snowflakes that turned into sharp blades.


    The surrounding snowscape, as if enduring shelling, was instantly pockmarked with countless craters!


    Fortunately, Colin had intentionally moved the two Ice and Snow Monsters toward a direction away from Ancient North Village while controlling both the Fire Element and Silent Shadow¡ªsplitting them apart.


    Thus, although the Ice and Snow Monster''s explosion was tremendous, it didn''t cause more casualties in Ancient North Village.


    As for the Fire Element, already at its last gasp, it had now completely dissipated without a trace under the powerful attack.


    After shaking off the binding, the larger Snow Monster immediately dashed towards Colin.


    Colin watched the Snow Monster, his expression unchanged, and opened his palm.


    Whoosh!


    A blazing white flame appeared in his hand.


    In his palm, the blue ice crystal left by the slightly smaller Ice and Snow Monster quickly turned to ash.


    Seeing this, the larger Snow Monster roared furiously a few times, and its flight speed involuntarily quickened.


    Colin waved his hand lightly, nonchalantly summoning a new Fire Element.


    Such less intelligent creatures were much easier to deal with than a wizard of the same strength.


    During the recent fight with Joyce, Colin was constantly tensed, with his Superbrain operating at full speed, carefully analyzing the witchcraft Joyce used and his intentions. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Despite that, he nearly lost several times¡ªthe accumulation of witchcraft and combat experience of an older wizard should not be underestimated.


    But the Ice and Snow Monsters in front of him, even with both of their strength combined surpassing Joyce, posed far less pressure than the latter.


    Now that one had been dealt with, the remaining battle likely held no suspense.


    Colin continued to wave his hand, enchancing the Fire Element with strengthening witchcraft.


    Whoosh!


    Heat waves scattered, instantly turning the falling snow into rain.


    The Ice and Snow Monster''s footsteps hesitated imperceptibly, then it continued rushing forward!


    Swish!


    The Fire Element spat out a scorching ray.


    However, the moment the orange-red ray touched the Ice and Snow Monster, it easily penetrated the creature.


    Then, the figure of the Ice and Snow Monster vanished like a phantom in the fierce blizzard.


    "Thinking of running... it won''t be that easy."


    Colin''s expression remained unchanged upon seeing this.


    Having been on guard since the Ice and Snow Monster''s first escape, he quickly caught sight of the monster, now reduced to a blue ice crystal, not far away.


    Swoosh!


    Waving his hand to dispel the Fire Element and activating Flying Witchcraft, Colin rose from the ground.


    This time, he didn''t believe anyone would interfere with his pursuit of the Ice and Snow Monster!


    The battle was temporarily over.


    Colin''s figure chased after the Snow Monster Core and quickly disappeared into the relentless storm outside.


    About fifteen minutes passed.


    Finally, there was some movement in the eerily silent Ancient North Village.


    The village chief, Hunter, cautiously led a group of villagers out from the dome-shaped snow houses.


    What met their eyes was a scene of devastation.


    Fragments of dome-shaped snow houses and mangled bodies were everywhere; if not for the snow restraining the flow of blood, the scene would have been even more bloody.


    This time, the returning Ice and Snow Monster showed no mercy and abandoned its usual playful behavior, going straight for destruction and slaughter.


    At a glance, at least a hundred dome-shaped snow houses had their roofs torn off, and most of the people inside were probably dead.


    A wave of sorrow enveloped the crowd that had emerged.


    Suppressed cries of grief rose continuously.


    In the face of this natural and human-made disaster, they had no power to resist.


    Young Robin clenched his lips tightly and his slender fists even tighter, his blue knuckles clearly visible.


    He thought for a moment, then turned and ran off.


    "Robin, where are you going?" Village chief Hunter called out instinctively.


    But Robin ignored him and just kept running.


    The village chief sighed and turned to say to the villagers behind him,


    "The monster should have been driven away by the wizard! Let''s take this time to dig out those collapsed snow houses and see if anyone is still alive!"


    The villagers scattered, searching for any possible survivors.


    Although they hid in windowless dome-shaped snow houses and couldn''t see the outside world,


    they had still heard the monster''s dreadful screams, so no one doubted Chief Hunter''s conclusion.


    Boom.


    Panting, young Robin was running when he suddenly collided with a figure around a corner.


    Robin, holding his head, looked up and a flicker of joy passed through his eyes.


    "Lord Dempsey!"


    "What are you in such a hurry for?" Dempsey looked at him a bit puzzled.


    Then, gazing into the distance, he asked nervously, "Has the Ice and Snow Monster come back?"


    He had always cherished his life and had hidden in a snow house the moment the Ice and Snow Monster came the second time, only slowly emerging after the villagers went out to check for danger.


    Robin shook his head vigorously. He looked at Dempsey, took a deep breath, and said loudly,


    "Respected Lord Dempsey, I want to learn witchcraft from you! I want to protect the village!"


    "Learn witchcraft?" Dempsey furrowed his brows almost imperceptibly and shook his head sternly, "You don''t have that Talent."


    Of course, that was just an excuse; he really didn''t have the time to teach a native witchcraft.


    The hope in Robin''s eyes instantly turned to disappointment, his head drooping and his back seemingly losing all strength as he slumped.


    Dempsey paid him no more mind and stepped past the young man to see what was happening.


    He had been hiding in the snow house all along, hearing only some roars and explosions, and knew nothing else.


    But from the sounds, it seemed like another Snow Monster had come?

 Chapter 522 - 347 White Shadow

    The blizzard raged, and in the perpetual darkness, not a sliver of light could be found.


    Colin followed closely behind the blue Snow Monster Core, whose faint blue glow from the ice crystal was the best guide.


    The only regret was that once Colin chased into the storm, those originally disorderly and bitter cold winds seemed to blow directly towards him.


    And yet, the Snow Monster Core ahead seemed to be unaffected at all...


    It could only be said that these strange creatures born in the Extreme North were truly extraordinary!


    Fortunately, he had advanced to a Second Rank Wizard, and after fortifying himself with the Swift Skill, he was able to keep up with the Snow Monster Core even against the wind.


    After chasing each other for a moment like this,


    The Snow Monster Core ahead, like the First Rank Snow Monster Core from the previous chase, realized its glow was too conspicuous and gradually dimmed it.


    But the same tactic didn''t work on Colin; he was just fifty meters from the Snow Monster Core.


    And the distance was slowly closing.


    Such a short distance was completely covered by the range of his spiritual power despite the oppression of the eerie blizzard, so even if he lost visual sight, he wouldn''t have to worry about losing direction.


    About ten minutes later, Colin keenly noticed that the surrounding blizzard suddenly intensified, marking a clear step up from before, as if it had ascended to a higher level.


    ''Could it be that I''ve come to a special area?'' Colin thought, startled.


    But watching the Snow Monster Core now only about ten meters away, he pondered for a moment and still followed.


    The pity was that when in the body of a Snow Monster, the core could be held by the Temple Ring Binding¡¤Elemental Binding, but now with just the core left, whether it was Elemental Binding, Blood and Flesh Binding, or Spiritual Body Binding, they all lost their effect.


    As if... the Snow Monster Core ahead was nothing more than an ordinary stone.


    Whoosh¡ª


    Just then, as if crossing some Barrier, Colin was surprised to find the environment around him instantly transformed.


    The endless blizzard stopped abruptly, replaced by a silent and deep night sky and a small glacier in front of him that rose like a spine.


    Tall walls of the storm surrounded this place in a ring, isolating it from the outside world.


    Directly in front of him on the small glacier was a deep cave entrance.


    ''This is the lair of the Ice and Snow Monster?''


    Without time to think further, the Snow Monster Core was about to dive into the glacier''s cave entrance, and Colin hesitated only a moment before following it inside.


    Arriving at the entrance of the cave, Colin took advantage of the favorable terrain to decisively cast the Fireball Technique.


    Boom!


    The next moment, the narrow cave entrance limited the Snow Monster Core''s ability to dodge; it couldn''t successfully evade as before during the chase and was hit squarely by the fireball Colin threw.


    Following that, a brilliant white Fire Element appeared out of thin air, gripping the Snow Monster Core tightly in both hands.


    Bang!


    Flames suddenly rose fiercely, and with a couple of crackling sounds, the Snow Monster Core was reduced to ashes amidst the light and heat.


    Colin let out a sigh of relief and finally took the time to look around.


    He was now inside a narrow ice and snow tunnel, and the translucent pale blue walls resembled deep crystals. The white flame of the Fire Element twisted and flickered on it, creating a spectacle of beauty.


    Colin continued to walk forward.


    It seemed likely that this was the lair of the Ice and Snow Monster, and since he had dealt with two of them already, it would be a pity not to explore further. He didn''t believe there would be a third Ice and Snow Monster appearing.


    Unexpectedly to Colin, the cave passage ahead was extremely winding, and he walked for a full five minutes without seeing an end, the view filled with semi-transparent icy blue walls.


    Part of this was because he intentionally slowed his pace for safety, but the depth of the cave also far exceeded Colin''s expectations.


    However, thinking about the length of the glacier outside, Colin felt it normal, given that by his estimation he had only just reached the middle part of the outside distance.


    After a while, the passage began to widen, and Colin''s spirit lifted. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Moments later, the end of the passage appeared before Colin.


    There seemed to be a drop-off from the outside world, and from Colin''s current perspective, he could only see the luminous blue light and a distant ice wall.


    Taking a few more steps, Colin was astounded to realize that the channel he was in connected to a small cavern.


    The end of the passage was positioned to one side, near the top of the cavern.


    And the luminous blue light was coming from the bottom of the cavern.


    Colin walked to the end of the passage, looked up slightly, and saw a pale blue ice wall above him, much like the passage itself, approximately two to three meters from the passage.


    The ice-blue dome of the cave was smooth and even, without the usual stalactites hanging from the ceiling of ordinary caves, as if it had been artificially polished.


    Glancing further down, Colin''s pupils contracted slightly, and he instinctively retreated back into the passage.


    He exhaled softly, confusion still evident in his eyes.


    The cave wasn''t large; the bottom was about six meters below where he stood in the passage.


    Like the dome of the cave, the floor was also smooth and polished, as if it had been refined.


    On the floor of the cave, which was roughly the size of a basketball court, stood a solitary and enormous rhomboid ice structure!


    The soft blue light he had seen before was coming from this gigantic rhomboid ice block.

 Chapter 523 - 523: 347 White Shadow_2

    Colin exhaled a breath of turbid air and took a slight step forward, bending over again to look toward the bottom of the cave.


    The light blue diamond-shaped ice crystals shone dazzlingly, as if polished by a master, each facet perfectly crafted like a piece of art.


    Colin observed carefully; he could feel a faint aura of power emanating from the ice crystals.


    The pale blue light emitted by the ice crystal was not constant but pulsed stronger and weaker like breathing.


    ''What exactly is this thing? Could it be that the Ice and Snow Monster was born from it?'' Colin wondered with confusion.


    He stood in place for a moment, then decided to first cast a Detection Magic spell.


    If the ice crystals below really were the cocoon forming the Ice and Snow Monster, then since he was there, he figured he should take the opportunity to eliminate it.


    Swoosh!


    The Detecting Three Abilities spell was cast towards the diamond-shaped ice crystal.


    However, this spell seemed to have triggered something like a switch.


    Crack¡ª


    Crack, crack, crack!


    The diamond-shaped ice crystal suddenly shattered.


    A petite vague White Shadow burst forth from it, heading straight for Colin. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Colin''s gaze sharpened, and he quickly summoned a Second Rank Fire Element!


    Whoosh!


    A nearly three-meter tall blazing white Fire Element charged towards the petite White Shadow.


    Boom!!


    Both moved very quickly, colliding almost in the blink of an eye!


    The violent explosion resonated, its shockwave shattering the ice on the dome above, which fell to the ground and smashed into pieces.


    ''Not good!''


    Just as Colin was about to cast Fireball Technique to support his summoned Fire Element, he suddenly realized that the Fire Element he had just summoned had already lost connection with him.


    This meant that the Fire Element might have lost its life at that moment!


    Colin gave up casting Fireball Technique and instead summoned Black Fog Armor, while also strengthening the Steel Temperature Resistance Field defense on his body!


    His choice proved to be correct.


    Bang!


    The next moment, Colin only saw a blur before him, and a tremendous force hit him in the chest, sending him flying backward.


    Even with the triple defense of Black Fog Armor, Steel Temperature Resistance Field, and Fighting Aura Armor, he felt a tightness in his chest.


    As he flew backward, Colin finally got a clear view of the true face of the White Shadow in front of him.


    Dazzlingly fiery short white hair, semi-transparent light blue skin, and enveloped in a white frosty aura... This White Shadow attacking him had the appearance of a human.


    Moreover, it was the appearance of a young girl, and more importantly, Colin felt like he vaguely recognized the facial features of this White Shadow monster!


    "Shelley?" Colin frowned, calling out almost instinctively.


    However, the only response was a direct punch.


    With the White Shadow swinging her fist, countless light blue ice flowers appeared out of nowhere, converging on her petite fist into a spinning cone, striking towards Colin.


    This process might sound long, but it all happened in an instant.


    Even less than an instant!


    The speed of the White Shadow monster was terrifying; even Colin, a First Rank Knight, couldn''t compare, and capturing her movement with his eyes was also very difficult.


    But this didn''t mean Colin could only take hits.


    Superbrain operating rapidly, Colin decisively abandoned defense and summoned a new Fire Element.


    Bang!


    The White Shadow''s cone struck Colin''s chest directly; the outermost Black Fog dispersed, the Steel Temperature Resistance Field flickered erratically, barely holding before being relentlessly penetrated; the innermost layer of cyan-gold Fighting Aura Armor was the same, managing to hold only briefly before being pierced by the cone as well.


    The White Shadow''s combat experience or perhaps instinct seemed extremely strong. Realizing Colin''s strong defense after the initial attack was ineffective, she switched to an obviously armor-piercing direct cone punch for her second attack!


    At the very moment the cone continued forward, about to pierce Colin''s chest skin, Colin abruptly recoiled backward from the impact, dissipating the attack.


    At the same time, another spell flew out of Colin''s hands; he enhanced the Elemental Life of the Fire Element beside him.


    "Roar!"


    The Fire Element stepped forward.


    Colin subconsciously touched his chest; under the influence of Strong Life Talent, the wound that had just been pierced by the cone had now vanished without a trace as if it were only an illusion.


    Swoosh!


    The White Shadow continued her attack.


    But now with the help of the Fire Element restraining her, Colin suddenly found himself much more at ease.


    It was then that he finally had the chance to closely observe the White Shadow monster in front of him, who bore a striking resemblance to Shelley.


    Under that glowing white bob of hair was a face similar to Shelley''s that Colin knew.


    The only difference was that the azure eyes were now pure white and somewhat lifeless; looking closely, it seemed that endless snowstorms were swirling within them.


    "Shelley," Colin called again, tentatively, "Shelley of the True Knowledge Society, a Third-Level Researcher."


    This face was just too similar to Shelley''s; even if the White Shadow in front of him wasn''t Shelley, there was likely a connection between the two.


    Moreover, Colin had an intuition that this White Shadow was indeed the Wizard he knew¡ªShelley.


    ... But he didn''t know why she had become like this.


    The White Shadow continued to attack.


    However, this did not mean Colin''s words had no effect.


    On the contrary, each time she heard them, there would be a slight pause in the snowstorm in her eyes, struggling to show a trace of clarity.


    Boom!


    The strength of the White Shadow was terrifyingly powerful. Although Colin thought that summoning the Fire Element and joining forces with it would suppress the White Shadow.

 Chapter 524 - 347 White Shadow_3

    But the reality was different.


    His relief lasted only a moment.


    At some instant, White Shadow suddenly stepped back, and then a surge of frost immensely enveloped her body like moss growing over it.


    Thereupon, White Shadow gently opened her mouth.


    Huh¡ª


    A tangible stream of icy blue cold air spread out.


    Colin''s heart skipped a beat, and he quickly stepped back.


    Bang.


    However, the next second, he was shocked to find that the snowy passage behind him, which had been clear before, had somehow turned into a dead end!


    An ice wall blocked Colin''s retreat.


    Boom!


    Colin instinctively threw a fireball behind him.


    Under the formidable power of the Blazing White Fireball, the ice wall behind him was pierced in an instant, creating a several meters long passage.


    But at the end of the passage, there was still solid ice.


    It was as if the entire passage behind was abruptly filled with ice blocks.


    Creak, creak, creak. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this moment, several hard Ice Spurs suddenly sprouted from the ice wall beside Colin, seemingly intent on binding him in place.


    Colin dodged and turned his head to look at White Shadow.


    It was as if a king had issued an order; though there was no visible movement from White Shadow, all the ice crystals within Colin''s sight seemed to come alive, changing with White Shadow''s thoughts.


    As if subjects responding to a king''s command.


    The fire elements in front, upon encountering that icy blue cold air, seemed like a tiny dying candle that extinguished in an instant.


    The cold continued its relentless advance.


    Trouble.


    As Colin dodged the sharp spikes continuously protruding from the ice walls, he realized the passage was getting narrower and his eyebrows furrowed.


    Cold air in front, an unknown depth of ice wall behind, the ice walls on both sides kept moving closer, compressing his space to move...


    Colin pondered for a moment and decided to make one last attempt.


    If it didn''t work, he would have to escape... Although thick, the ice wall behind him was still just ice and could not stop him.


    He took out a delicate ice sculpture from his Storage Ring.


    "Do you remember this, Shelley? This was the New Year''s gift you gave me."


    The ice sculpture was a crystal-clear, five-petaled flower with a base that looked like a miniature iceberg.


    According to Shelley at the time, she had carved a strange flower called Casarate that only blooms on the unlit summit of ice mountains, desolately radiating light to the outside world.


    "Casarate, do you still remember?" Colin continued, staring intently at White Shadow in front of him.


    The next moment, Colin''s anxious heart slightly relaxed.


    Upon seeing the ice sculpture, the ice walls around him suddenly stopped moving.


    The figure of White Shadow also suddenly paused; her eyes gradually cleared, the blizzard within them slowly dissipated, and the fluffy snow hair glowing with white light fell dimly.


    She looked more like the Shelley he knew.


    "Colin..." after a moment, White Shadow slowly spoke as if awakening from a dream, her eyes filled with disbelief.


    "Why are you here?"


    Shelley looked at Colin and seemed to remember something, then quickly looked down at herself.


    Upon seeing her own peculiar state, her face noticeably changed, and at the same time, a barely discernible blush passed over her pale cheeks, as she waved a hand to clothe herself in a Wizard Robe.


    Her near Elementalization just now made her practically invisible, but as she gradually regained her senses, her body also gradually returned to normal...


    The embarrassment in her heart quickly dissipated, replaced by complex feelings about Colin discovering her peculiar state.


    Shelley pursed her lips, gazing at Colin, and silently repeated the question:


    "Why are you here, Sir Colin?"

 Chapter 525 - 348 As Friends

    "I''m more interested in why you''re here, Lady Shelley?"


    Colin did not respond to her words, but instead asked with a serious expression.


    He had chased the Ice and Snow Monster all the way here, only to find Shelley in what appeared to be the monster''s lair.


    It was clearly impossible for there to be no connection between them.


    And if there was a connection... Colin still remembered the horrific attack that had befallen Ancient North Village.


    As Colin finished speaking,


    the atmosphere between the two suddenly became solemn.


    Only then did Colin realize how tranquil the cave currently was.


    The circular Blizzard Wall, surrounding like a spine of glacier, seemed to isolate everything from the outside, including noise.


    The semi-transparent blue cave walls shone brilliantly under the dim light emitted by Shelley''s hair, making the deep cave look like another unknown world.


    The light from Shelley''s white hair gradually faded, and the cave began to grow dark.


    Hiss.


    With a thought, Colin used the Light Brightness Skill to summon a white orb of light above them.


    The soft white light cast a hazy veil over the mysterious figure of Shelley in front of him.


    Her semi-transparent pale blue skin hadn''t fully returned to a normal human appearance, already milk-white but still somewhat translucent, like tender jade, possessing an ethereal beauty.


    Shelley remained silent, her expression as calm as when he saw her every day at noon at the True Knowledge Society.


    But upon closer inspection, one could discern a hint of hidden hesitation in her beautiful brows and eyes.


    This glacier-like back and the special state it was in were Shelley''s biggest secrets.


    For about ten years now, no one else on earth knew this secret.


    Or rather, those who knew of it had died.


    Some were killed by others, some were killed by Shelley herself.


    "Should I continue to bury this secret?"


    Shelley didn''t know, but one thing she was sure of, she didn''t want to kill Colin to keep him silent.


    It seemed a wildly arrogant thought, but it was true.


    In other places, Shelley might not be so "arrogant", but here, in Troimay, even a Fourth Rank Wizard couldn''t harm her, at most able to protect themselves.


    Just before, had Colin awakened Shelley a little later, what he would have faced was not just some moving ice walls and chilling cold.


    But Shelley didn''t want to, she didn''t want to kill the wizard in front of her.


    The wizard in front of her was one of her rare friends... somewhat.


    Of course, in reality, she really didn''t have many friends.


    Not to mention friends to share the lonely and tedious witchcraft knowledge with.


    The only one who could really be called a friend was probably Colin alone.


    During their time at the True Knowledge Society, their noon conversations were mostly about knowledge, but Colin always included some digressions.


    Though she often didn''t respond, she actually listened carefully... She still remembered that New Year''s celebration, the delicious fish soup, the novel experience of preparing gifts, and the splendid fireworks Colin set off enthusiastically in the courtyard.


    Having a conversation with someone whose values align with one''s own is a profound happiness, many people after growing up never again have a relaxed and pleasant conversation.


    But that''s exactly what they had every typical noon.


    Colin watched the silent Shelley, observing her white hair slowly extinguishing its glow and her tips fluffily falling down to her delicate chin.


    "I came chasing an Ice and Snow Monster."


    He paused for a moment, breaking the silence voluntarily.


    He believed that the Ice and Snow Monster wasn''t released by Shelley to slaughter the villagers of Ancient North Village.


    Perhaps they were Shelley''s pets, but due to some special reason she neglected to supervise them...


    Negligence... also seems to bear responsibility.


    Colin pursed his lips slightly; regardless, he believed that Shelley was not the type of wizard who would wantonly slaughter ordinary people.


    It could even be said that Shelley, aside from himself, was the wizard he had met who cared the least about the social hierarchy between ordinary people and wizards.


    During that New Year''s celebration, her behavior towards Renee was very natural, treating Renee and her sisters as equals even while dining with them.


    Her conversation with Renee was extremely egalitarian.


    It was evident and not intentional; it seemed that''s just how Shelley communicated with everyone.


    Not only was it egalitarian, but also very straightforward, without concern for conventional propriety.


    No polite small talk, and if not interested, not a word more was said.


    Compared to this, Lillian, who grew up in a Wizard Family, although also peaceful towards Renee and even tried to learn how to make roast goose from her.


    But Colin knew, that was more out of respect for him.


    "Ice and Snow Monster?"


    Shelley looked up at him with some confusion, the storm in her eyes completely gone, leaving only the clear, pale blue like the ice walls nearby. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Colin, watching the unfeigned confusion in her eyes, also couldn''t help but feel a bit puzzled and continued to say with his deep blue eyes:


    "It''s somewhat like an Ice Element that can transform into blizzards and ice giants. After shattering them, they can still move with an ice crystal-like core, and if left alone, they soon regain their full strength."


    Both had blue eyes, but Colin''s were like the deep azure sea, whereas Shelley''s were like light blue ice walls.

 Chapter 526 - 348 As Friends_2

    "I have not seen the Ice and Snow Monster you mentioned," Shelley shook her head, denying again, then she tilted her head, feeling the surroundings slightly before she spoke again, "Did it run in here? I didn''t feel the presence of any other living beings here."


    "It''s already dead, I killed it," Colin shook his head, feeling slightly relieved for unknown reasons, and then added:


    "I fought it in Ancient North Village until only its core was left, and then chased it all the way here... I thought this place was its lair."


    "This isn''t it, this place is spec..." Shelley began to reply but caught herself, closed her mouth, paused, and then affirmed, "In any case, this place absolutely cannot be some Ice and Snow Monster''s lair."


    "I believe you, Shelley... But what exactly is this place, and why are you here?"


    Shelley did not answer; she scrutinized Colin carefully and then suddenly said:


    "If I''m not mistaken, it seems you have advanced to a Second Rank Wizard, Mr. Colin?"


    Colin''s expression faltered slightly, and he fell silent.


    Seeing this, Shelley''s lips curled slightly, and while stroking the tips of her hair by her ear, she asked:


    "Where are the remains of that Ice and Snow Monster?"


    Colin glanced at her.


    Shelley''s expression had already returned to calm, allowing him to scrutinize without finding any flaw, just calmly observing him.


    Those beautiful blue eyes so clear that they reflected Colin''s figure.


    "At the cave entrance," Colin shifted his gaze and pointed behind him.


    Boom¡ª


    Without any visible action from Shelley, the ice wall behind them suddenly moved aside by itself, revealing the pathway they came through.


    "Let''s go, take a look," Shelley walked past Colin leading the way.


    Colin stood still for a few seconds, then finally stepped forward to follow.


    Tap tap tap¡ª


    The two of them walked side by side, a bright orb of light illuminating the path ahead and elongating their shadows amidst the silence of the corridor, accompanied only by the echo of their footsteps.


    After a moment, Shelley turned her head and asked, "Mr. Colin, so you indeed have advanced to a Second Rank Wizard, right? The Fireball and that Fire Element you cast earlier are not witchcrafts a First Rank Wizard could repeatedly cast."


    Colin turned his head to look at her, was silent for a moment, and then slowly nodded.


    There was no point in denying it; the ability to cast beyond one''s rank could be explained by Talent, but the intensity of the battle earlier definitely wasn''t something a First Rank Wizard''s Magic Power could sustain.


    "If I remember correctly, the day Ocasie brought Mr. Colin to join the True Knowledge Society, she said that you had just advanced to a First Rank Advanced Wizard.


    "And also, it seems that the time Mr. Colin advanced to an Official Wizard was also not long ago."


    "Such a rate of cultivation is undeniably fast, which is also why Mr. Colin you have become a new Golden Feather of the Tin Saint School."


    Shelley watched ahead, continued speaking to herself:


    "But today, it seems the Tin Saint School''s Golden Feathers hardly reflect your Talent, who could have thought Mr. Colin that you would advance again within such a short period, and now you are already a Second Rank Wizard!"


    There was genuine admiration mixed in Shelley''s tone, she indeed had not expected Colin''s rate of advancement to be so rapid.


    "What are you trying to say, Ms. Shelley?" Colin stopped, his body slightly tense, and his heart also sank slightly.


    This unusual speed of advancement pertained to his biggest secret¡ªGolden Paper.


    Even though his impressions of Shelley were positive, he still felt somewhat nervous in this moment.


    Shelley too stopped, turned around, slightly lifting her head to look at him, her snow-white hair cascading down her tender cheeks revealing her creamy neck.


    Shelley''s expression was serious; she fixed her beautiful light blue eyes on Colin and said word by word:


    "I think this should be your secret, Mr. Colin."


    Colin remained silent, likewise observing Shelley.


    Her expression was composed as she continued, "I will keep your secret¡ªas a friend."


    Colin was slightly startled, but by the time Shelley finished saying this, she was already turning to continue walking forward.


    He caught up with Shelley, remained silent for a moment, then also slowly said:


    "Today I saw nothing, and I was never here."


    He paused and continued, "Because we are friends, right, Shelley?"


    "Hmm." Shelley slowly nodded.


    The two of them exchanged a glance, both feeling a sense of relief.


    "I never thought you could talk so much about things other than knowledge," Colin said, pausing slightly, his mouth curling into a smile.


    "I just don''t like to, not that I can''t," Shelley retorted with a glare.


    Colin raised an eyebrow: "I thought you had a poker face."


    Although she had never heard the term before, Shelley quickly caught on and glared at Colin again.


    "This is a contract." Shelley thought for a moment and took out a brownish-yellow contract.


    She was the first to write the terms that she would not reveal Colin''s specific strengths, then handed it to him.


    Colin accepted the contract obligingly.


    It didn''t necessarily mean that Shelley didn''t trust him, rather, it might have been Shelley''s way of giving him more security.


    In fact, if Shelley hadn''t brought out the contract, he would have also suggested signing one.


    It wasn''t about distrust, but rather, about deepening trust.


    Watching the contract burn to ashes in the flames, feeling a faint mark settling onto their souls, the atmosphere between them grew even more harmonious. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Both tacitly avoided asking each other sensitive questions.


    Colin stopped obsessing about precisely where this place was, and Shelley no longer fixated on his power.


    So, they began discussing the ice and snow monsters.


    "So, there are totally two ice and snow monsters; you destroyed one on the spot in Ancient North Village, and only the core of the other was left, then you chased it here?"


    Shelley frowned: "The ice and snow monsters you speak of might be bizarre creatures born in the Extreme North, but they generally do not attack humans. If they do attack, it''s mostly in retaliation... otherwise, it might be due to divine contamination."


    Colin raised an eyebrow.


    "Divinity is the biggest cancer of this world."


    Shelley stated simply, then swiftly changed the topic, her gaze shifting ahead to the tunnel. She spoke quietly: "The Extreme North is vast and seldom tread by humans, seemingly lifeless on the surface, but secretly, like other parts of Siya Continent, it is home to many delightful creatures... well, if you pass through here, and go a bit further, you''ll see a kind of bird that doesn''t fly."


    "They flock together, small and round, clumsy on land but nimble in water like fish."


    Colin nodded slightly, finding Shelley''s description oddly familiar.


    `A bird that can''t fly but can swim¡­ Isn''t that a penguin!`


    This perhaps was common knowledge in the original world, but in this world, it was a rarity known by few.


    To avoid revealing more anomalies, Colin didn''t continue the conversation, but simply echoed a comment: "That is indeed peculiar."


    After a while, they arrived at the entrance of a cave.


    Before Colin could speak, Shelley walked to a corner, bent down, and scooped up a handful of light gray powder to examine closely.


    "I think I know what monster you''re talking about."


    Shelley clapped her hands, stood up, and turned around: "Do you want to see the real lair of this ice and snow monster?"


    "Can you find it?"


    "There''s nothing in this snow land that I don''t know about."


    Shelley gave a slight smile.


    She looked down at the ash left by the Snow Monster Core on the ground, feeling a bit annoyed.


    This damned ice and snow monster, not only did it come running here, but it also brought Colin along!


    Normally, she had a certain deterrent effect on these monsters.


    Now this particular ice and snow monster deliberately came here, clearly intending to deflect disaster elsewhere!


    Moreover, according to Colin, these monsters also enjoyed the slaughter of ordinary humans, likely already contaminated... Shelley''s nose wrinkled slightly in displeasure, not willing to let these pests saturate the snow land.

 Chapter 527 - 349: The New Talent

    Colin and another person walked out of the glacier cave together.


    From a distance, the white blizzard wall seemed motionless, giving off an unreal sensation.


    Shelley identified the direction and then, with a powerful leap, dove headfirst into the chaotic storm.


    "Stay close to me," Shelley said in a low voice. Her figure, like the Ice and Snow Monsters she had encountered before, was unaffected by the blizzard.


    The bitter, knife-like cold wind, upon reaching her, turned as gentle as a spring breeze, and the swirling snowflakes spontaneously verged away from her.


    Following behind, Colin couldn''t help but marvel at the sight.


    Shelley''s treatment seemed to be even more extraordinary than that of the Ice and Snow Monsters; it looked as if the monarch of ice and snow had arrived.


    When the Snow Monster Core had traversed through the blizzard, the snowflakes certainly didn''t change direction.


    About fifteen minutes passed.


    The pair made their way through the storm to a continuous mountain range of ice and snow.


    "We should be close to the lair of the Snow Monsters. I can sense a presence ahead similar to that on the Snow Monsters." Shelley spoke.


    "Are there more Snow Monsters?" Colin asked instinctively.


    "Not necessarily, but there is the same presence."


    Colin nodded slowly and continued to follow Shelley as they flew forward. Moments later, they arrived at the entrance of a cave.


    The oval-shaped entrance, approximately ten meters tall, was significantly larger than the caves on the spine-like glacier they had seen before. The tunnel inside was also very broad, looking more like a place that could accommodate huge Ice and Snow Monsters.


    But unlike the pure ice blocks of the previous glacier spine, this cave was wrapped in snow covering the rock walls.


    Shelley landed and walked inside with confident strides.


    Her expression relaxed, as if she were merely walking in her own backyard.


    Colin grew more curious about Shelley''s identity.


    Unfortunately... this was a secret that belonged solely to Shelley, and he couldn''t pry.


    The cave stretched wide but not deep, and after a few steps, they reached the end of the cave.


    Here was a circular cavern.


    Apart from a small pool in the middle, which still flowed despite the freezing cold, there was nothing else.


    "It looks like the two monsters you dealt with were the only ones bred here."


    Shelley approached the small pool, about two meters in diameter, and bent down for a closer inspection.


    "So, is this clear spring the source where those Ice and Snow Monsters originate?" Colin inquired, "I''ve heard villagers from Ancient North Village say that those monsters attack the village from time to time."


    "If nothing unusual happens, this place is indeed where Snow Monsters are bred." Shelley nodded and scooped up a blue ice crystal from the pool.


    Colin raised his eyebrows slightly.


    The blue ice crystal looked identical to the Snow Monster Core, just smaller in size, roughly the size of a broad bean.


    "Can we remove the source here for good, and solve the problem of Ice and Snow Monsters attacking Ancient North Village once and for all?" Colin asked while examining the ice crystal.


    Shelley was silent for a moment, then nodded: "Yes."


    She gazed at the pool, a look of regret in her eyes.


    "Do you know, Colin, in fact, those Ice and Snow Monsters would not attack humans."


    "The Extreme North is a place brimming with life; they are peaceful elves birthed from this land."


    Shelley glanced at Colin''s puzzled face and continued:


    "Divine Beings are the deadliest pollution in this world, filthy and hideous. They twist all that is beautiful and destroy everything precious..."


    "Are you saying those Ice and Snow Monsters attack humans because of the Divine Beings?" Colin stepped closer to the pool and asked in a gentle tone.


    "More precisely, because of Tainted babbling." Shelley tossed the blue ice crystal back into the pool and then dipped her index finger into the water.


    Crack¡ª


    White cold air spread from Shelley''s fingertip outward, forming ice flowers.


    "Compared to humans, these ice spirits are even more vulnerable to Tainted babbling, and the Extreme North has possibly the highest concentration of Tainted babbling on the Siya Continent.


    When combined, it''s easy for them to become twisted and mad."


    "Compared to falling into Divine Believers, this pollution is more chaotic and frenzied."


    Colin nodded, watching as the pool before him gradually solidified into a massive block of white ice.


    He knew that the concentration of Tainted babbling was higher in the Extreme North; like the low Magic Power concentration, as soon as he arrived here, he felt a clear difference from being in Neustadt City.


    The external sensation was that witchcraft became more difficult to cast, the range of his spiritual power noticeably shrank, and it was harder to concentrate during meditation.


    Crack, crack, crack¡ª


    As the edge of the pool was gradually covered in white, the entire pool declared its complete transformation into an ice block.


    "Is this enough?" Colin asked aloud.


    "If you talk about removing this source, then yes." Shelley slowly stood up, holding a white sphere in her hand. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "For you."


    "What is this?" Colin reached out to receive the thumb-sized snow-white sphere, his face showing confusion.


    "Ice Spring Essence, you can understand it as the essence of this cold spring¡ªthe true core that gives birth to those Ice and Snow Monsters."


    Colin held up his right hand, examining the Ice Spring Essence that was now emitting a faint cold mist.


    "It''s dissipating energy. If you don''t want to waste it, you should eat it quickly," Shelley continued.

 Chapter 528 - 349 New Talent_2

    "It can grant you the protection of snow and ice," Colin explained. "Basically, think of it as a Talent in the realm of snow and ice. For example, any Frost Magic you cast will be enhanced, and you won''t get lost in blizzards."


    Colin raised an eyebrow, looking at the Ice Spring Essence in his hand, and he unconsciously asked, "Don''t you need it?"


    But he quickly realized his question was silly. Considering Shelley''s demonstrated Talent for snow and ice, she clearly did not need this so-called Ice Spring Essence.


    After sensing it briefly with his spiritual power, Colin didn''t hesitate and swallowed the Ice Spring Essence.


    The white sphere went down his throat, giving a sensation not as cold as its appearance suggested, just a slight coolness, like drinking a glass of cold water.


    As the white sphere dissolved in his throat, a soothing coolness slowly spread to his limbs.


    Colin''s eyebrows began to frost over, and his already fair skin took on an even colder, frosty hue.


    Shelley quietly waited by his side, staring at the nearby frost pond that had merged with the surrounding ground; she couldn''t help but sigh again.


    These divine beings brought not only endless wars but also limitless corruption.


    About five minutes later, Colin slowly opened his eyes.


    "How do you feel?" Shelley asked.


    "Not bad," Colin slowly nodded, his gaze catching a piece of Golden Paper he had just summoned.


    He quickly skimmed through it.


    Moments later, he found new black characters in the Talent section¡ª


    "Talent: Frost (0/100)."


    "Thank you."


    Putting away the Golden Paper, Colin turned to thank Shelley.


    Perhaps for Shelley, it was just a casual act, but the Talent from the Ice Spring Essence wasn''t as trivial as she had mentioned.


    Right now, Colin''s most direct sensation was that the cold air around him seemed less chilling, and the surrounding snow and ice felt oddly more familiar.


    Colin even felt that he could now casually perform small tricks like creating Ice Cones and Ice Balls with his spiritual power, and they would probably be quite powerful.


    It made sense, after all¡ªhow could the frost pond continuously nurturing those ice sprites be anything ordinary?


    Keep in mind that the ice sprite he later encountered was comparable in strength to a Second Rank Advanced Wizard.


    "No need to thank me," Shelley said with a slight curve of her lips.


    Colin thought for a moment, then took several glowing blue crystals from his Storage Ring.


    "Perhaps you might find these useful."


    These were Blue Cold Crystals he had taken from a mine while he was stationed in Ancient North Village, originally intending to study them back in Neustadt City.


    Unlike in the Ancient North Stronghold, where the Blue Cold Crystals stored in the warehouse had a strictly counted quantity and were generally not allowed to be taken,


    it was different in Ancient North Village.


    Nearly every household in the village kept some Blue Cold Crystals for lighting.


    So when Hunter, the village head, asked him if he wanted to take a few back for research, he simply went with the flow and accepted.


    After all, the Blue Cold Crystals that led the Nine Major Schools of Neustadt City to expend such great effort to establish a stronghold here must be something special.


    Shelley looked at the Blue Cold Crystals in his hand, her snowy eyebrows slightly furrowed. She took the Blue Cold Crystals, examining them carefully, and asked with a puzzled tone:


    "What are these, and what are they used for?"


    Colin shook his head: "I don''t know either; I only know they are called Blue Cold Crystals."


    "But... I''m surprised even you don''t know what these are. Didn''t you say there''s nothing in this snowy land you don''t know about?"


    Colin teased with a smile.


    However, he also felt a bit puzzled, so he continued:


    "These Blue Cold Crystals were mined from a vein next to Ancient North Village, which I mentioned earlier."


    Shelley''s brows suddenly relaxed, and she tossed the Blue Cold Crystal back to Colin, saying,


    "I think I understand now, these are just some useless minerals."


    Colin caught the Blue Cold Crystal, slightly startled, and said,


    "Useless... but the Nine Major Schools have specifically set up a base not far from Ancient North Village for this, and there are always Wizards stationed there."


    "Not very useful, perhaps it could serve as material for some Frost Magic research. Of course, only for those below First Rank. If ranked, these Blue Cold Crystals could only be considered Zeroth Rank materials."


    Shelley shook her head, she looked at Colin, paused for a moment, and with a slightly mocking tone said,


    "As for why the Nine Major Schools have established a base here, it''s less about these Blue Cold Crystals and more about Ancient North Village."


    Watching the confused Colin, Shelley walked towards the cave''s entrance while calmly stating,


    "Do you know the only way to improve the concentration of Tainted babbling in an area?"


    Colin furrowed his brows and shook his head.


    He knew of Tainted babbling but had never deeply understood it. Could such a pervasive thing in the world actually be improved by external force?


    "Human habitation, mass human habitation," Shelley simply said,


    "The best thing to mitigate Tainted babbling is the Light of the Soul of humans. Laughter, communication... the breath of life and the establishment of order can significantly suppress Tainted babbling."


    "That''s why the cities of the Nine Major Schools are all built in the centers of human kingdoms," she added.


    Colin''s brows gradually knitted together, he paused and then said, "Are you saying that the purpose of Ancient North Village being here is to weaken the Tainted babbling of the Extreme North?"


    He had thought the villagers of Ancient North Village were indigenous natives born in the Extreme North, but according to Shelley, these people might have relocated later. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "But there are just a few thousand people in Ancient North Village..." Colin continued.


    "There are many such villages," Shelley interrupted Colin, her gaze distant and her pale blue eyes seemingly reflective, "The Extreme North is vast, and Ancient North Village is just one of them."


    "But what about the Blue Cold Crystals? The Nine Major Schools have always been purchasing these things."


    Shelley looked at him once, not directly answering, but said,


    "In the past, there were no humans in the Extreme North, whether it was Ancient North Village or other villages, they were all forced to move here later."


    "The environment here is harsh, there''s hardly any vegetation, and even cooking is very difficult. Even Wizards find it tough to live here, and ordinary people who live here usually die in their thirties, being in their forties is considered a long life.


    If not for external forces compelling them, no one would choose to settle here."


    Shelley spoke with certainty, as if she had witnessed it herself:


    "Apart from Blue Cold Crystal, I also know of a similar mineral called ''white stone''... They are found next to these human villages, they are the pillars these people rely on to survive and the cages that trap them to stay."


    "I think you should understand their significance."


    Colin fell silent, slowly realizing in his mind.


    The external forces Shelley spoke of, although not explicitly stated, when considering the Nine Major Schools'' purposefully established base...


    This so-called external force obviously implied Wizards.


    Perhaps even specifically the Wizards of the Nine Major Schools.


    Were these villages, like Ancient North Village, actually created by Wizards?


    Could the purpose be to reduce the Tainted babbling here?


    Colin shook his head, he couldn''t be certain, but at least a part of it was for that reason.


    As for the Blue Cold Crystal¡ªif merely relocating people from one place to another was not enough to make them settle permanently, let alone thrive,


    The Wizards who initiated this must have understood this, hence the existence of things like Blue Cold Crystal...


    With these resources for them to rely on for survival and trade, even if the villagers wanted to leave, they would likely have to weigh the pros and cons.


    After all, in this dangerous world, ordinary people often don''t have many choices; managing to survive is already challenging enough.

 Chapter 529 - 350 Truth Society

    "Do you not think it''s a bit too unfair?"


    Shelley suddenly asked as they both walked toward the cave entrance.


    They left the empty hall behind and were now in the tunnel.


    Though it was the middle of polar night, the brightness outside the cave was still a notch higher than the pitch-black inside, with a faint glimmer seeping through the entrance.


    Colin''s steps faltered slightly, but he did not pick up the conversation.


    Shelley looked out into the deep, dark night and continued,


    "Those from Pureblood Families are born noble, while the people of Ancient North Village are regarded as mere dust. Yet, essentially, their souls all carry the same weight."


    Standing behind Shelley, Colin could not see her expression, but he thought for a moment and said,


    "In a world where power returns to oneself, these things are bound to happen."


    Shelley turned to glance at Colin and, after pausing for a moment, said, "You''re right, perhaps without the Divine, without Wizards, without Demon Beasts and oddities... If everyone were ordinary, the world might be better."


    "Or perhaps not," Colin shook his head, his tone ethereal.


    Shelley did not argue but instead looked once more into the dark night. After standing still for a moment, she continued forward,


    "Let''s go, let''s see this Ancient North Village you spoke of."


    ..........


    Ancient North Village.


    The blizzard had subsided, but the villagers were still busy.


    "Quick! Put some more effort into it!"


    Next to a dome-shaped snow hut ruin, the village chief Hunter directed several villagers to lift a massive block of ice and shouted, "I can see him already!"


    "Hey!" With a grunt from the villagers, the large block of ice was suddenly lifted, and beside them, the vigilant Chief Hunter and Robin hurriedly pulled the man caught underneath out.


    A dark crimson trail instantly formed on the snow. Hunter took a closer look and realized the man''s lower leg was a gruesome, bloody mess.


    He sighed and handed the unconscious man to Robin by his side.


    Seeing the man''s mangled lower leg, Robin''s pupils shrank, and he couldn''t help but catch his breath.


    A moment later, Robin stretched a hand to the fingers hanging outside his clothes, bit his lip, and with effort, carried the man onto a nearby sleigh.


    After doing this, he watched as Chief Hunter continued with the villagers toward the next ruin.


    Robin took a deep breath, picked up the rope of the sleigh, and, dispersing his own breath''s white fog, hurried toward the round dome house.


    The village''s only doctor was there, trying to save several severely injured villagers found earlier. His task was to transport this newly rescued patient there to join the others, awaiting further treatment.


    Robin, still just a boy of only fourteen, had not yet fully grown. His strength was limited, and, running quickly for a while with held breath, he inevitably slowed down.


    He tried to control his breathing, not to inhale the outside air, which was too cold, too quickly, as it could damage his nasal passages.


    Robin adjusted the hat on his head and, looking up slightly, his gaze fell on the watchtower nearby. He could barely make out a person named Dempsey, the Wizard, observing the surroundings.


    Robin thought that if this person could come to help like before, they might have already finished searching through all the ruins.


    But Dempsey claimed he needed to be on the lookout, in case the Snow Monsters returned. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yet, when the Snow Monsters did appear again, nobody even saw Dempsey''s figure.


    Instead, just before entering the round snow house, Robin had seen a few shadow-like figures spring into action...


    Later, when he asked the chief, he learned that those might be mysterious helpers left by another Wizard.


    ''If only the other Wizard were here too, with two of them, perhaps one could spare the time to help us,'' he thought.


    Robin looked back at the man lying on the sleigh, barely alive, and realized his complexion had already turned deathly pale.


    His face abruptly changed color, and he stopped in his tracks, bending down to check the man''s breathing.


    After a moment, he straightened up and, with no time to pay attention to anything else, grabbed the pulling rope across his chest and ran forward with all his might.


    "Panting¡ªpanting¡ª"


    Robin ran so hard he could hardly catch his breath. The cold air, like a dagger, entered through his nostrils and stabbed down into his lungs. Before reaching his destination, he had also slipped and fallen twice.


    Fortunately, he eventually arrived. The villagers, guarding the entrance, seeing his hurried steps, came to meet him from afar.


    "Quick... save him," Robin, bent over with hands on his knees, gasping, pointed to the man on the sleigh.


    The two villagers who rushed to meet him didn''t say much; one took the rope for the sleigh from Robin and fastened it to himself, while the other followed behind the sleigh, pushing hard.


    Robin stood in place panting heavily, feeling as though his lungs were pierced by the cold, threatening to shatter, his heart pounding fiercely.


    He looked up as the sleigh moved away, coughed a few times, straightened up, and followed.


    Thump.


    The sleigh stopped at the door of the snow house.


    "Quick, help me get him inside," the ahead villager said urgently as he removed the rope from around his body and prepared to lift the man by his legs.


    But as he reached out, his companion slowly raised his head and said in astonishment, "Gus, I think he''s already dead."

 Chapter 530 - 350 Truth Society_2

    Goth paused, his gaze falling on the man''s ashen face, then glancing at his mangled calf. He lifted the edge of his hat slightly and bent down to place his exposed ear near the man''s mouth and nose.


    Long after, Goth silently stood up.


    The short, plump companion looked at the man''s bloodied and mangled leg, sighed, and said,


    "It''s better that he''s dead, otherwise he would have been suffering alive."


    As for Robin, he was standing lost in the snowy ground not far away, watching the scene unfold.


    A crystal-clear snowflake twirled down to his nose but didn''t immediately melt¡ªhis nose was almost as cold as the snowflake, on the verge of frostbite.


    Swoosh!


    "Lord Colin, you''ve returned!"


    At this moment, a voice tinged with joy and a hint of flattery reached Robin''s ears.


    He turned his head woodenly to see Dempsey leaping from the lookout tower nearby, quickly ascending to meet Colin in midair.


    "My task is also completed. The Ice and Snow Monster has been thoroughly dealt with," Colin said indifferently, his gaze sweeping over the ground, catching sight of the familiar youth.


    "It''s dealt with?!" Dempsey''s face lit up with surprise and relief as a weight seemed to lift from his chest.


    "Lord truly is powerful. I heard sounds; did another Ice and Snow Monster come later?"


    "Yes, there were two in total, and both have been dealt with," Colin replied without concealment. After all, Dempsey had been hiding in the round-top snow house the whole time. He knew that another Ice and Snow Monster had appeared but was unaware that it was a Second Rank one.


    "Truly commendable, my lord. But I didn''t expect that there would be two Ice and Snow Monsters..." Dempsey glanced anxiously at the distant night sky. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Don''t worry, there were only two Ice and Snow Monsters," Colin glanced at him and then descended to the ground.


    "What are you doing here?" Colin landed beside Robin and asked.


    Although asking the boy, Colin''s attention was on the periphery of his vision, where to the naked eye, there was just air.


    But Colin knew that Shelley was there, hiding her figure, standing right beside this boy.


    Robin seemed still somewhat in shock until Colin''s voice reached his ears, making him suddenly snap to attention, subconsciously clutching the fingers hanging in front of his chest, and pressing his lips together, he said,


    "Respected Wizard, I''ve just dragged a survivor we rescued from the ruins over here to receive treatment."


    "You haven''t finished the rescue operations?" Colin asked, noting the boy''s red nose and waving his hand slightly.


    On hearing Colin''s question, Dempsey stiffened slightly and cautiously glanced at Colin.


    However, Colin wasn''t paying attention to him, just looking at the boy.


    "Achoo!"


    Robin felt a warm surge suddenly spread from within, dispelling the chill in his lungs and spreading to the tip of his nose, making him sneeze uncontrollably.


    "Thank you, my lord!"


    A moment later, having recovered his senses, Robin touched his now-sensate nose and hastily thanked Colin.


    "No need to thank me," Colin waved his hand, dismissing the small gesture as nothing. He had never been stingy with such effortless help.


    In past times of "poverty," he could only take care of himself. Although he was far from being "wealthy" now, at least he had some strength.


    Robin collected himself and continued to reply, "There are too many collapsed snow houses. Even with the village chief leading all those who aren''t mining to the rescue, they''ve only completed one sweep.


    Now they are checking through the collapsed snow houses one by one to see if there are any survivors still buried."


    "People are still mining now?" Colin asked, catching a hint in the boy''s words.


    "Yes, my lord," Robin nodded, "There isn''t much food in the village, and many other things, like salt, need to be exchanged for at the outposts with Blue Cold Crystals. If we don''t mine enough Blue Cold Crystals before the cold night, it will be hard for the village to survive."


    After saying this, Robin glanced involuntarily at Dempsey next to him, hesitated for a moment, then suddenly knelt down to Colin, burying his forehead in the snow, and made a low request,


    "Respected Wizard, if you have the time, could you possibly help us with the search and rescue?"


    "I can," Colin said as he lifted the boy by the collar, a smile coming to his face as he added, "I''ve already sent them to help."


    The Shadow behind him twisted for a moment, and several Silent Shadows rose into the sky, identified the direction, and then flew toward where the village chiefs were.


    These Silent Shadows, though not powerful in combat, were after all transformed from humans and possessed good intelligence.


    Such tasks were definitely no problem for them.


    "You go and help too," Colin decided after a moment''s thought, turning his head to instruct Dempsey who was beside him.


    "Yes, my lord." Dempsey nodded, gladly accepting the command, and quickly turned to follow the departing Silent Shadows, feeling slightly relieved inside.


    "Thank you, my lord!" Robin finally caught up, his eyes following the departing Silent Shadows with excitement.


    Colin gestured dismissively and started walking, catching up with Shelley, who had somehow made her way to the front door of the snow house treating the wounded.


    Of course, to the outside world, he appeared to be walking alone to the snow house.


    Drawing his gaze back, Robin watched Colin''s retreating figure and felt the urge to kneel and kowtow in gratitude.


    But remembering how Colin had lifted him just before, he paused, then bowed deeply and afterwards, set off running after the Silent Shadows.

 Chapter 531 - 350 Truth Society_3

    Another side.


    Before stepping into the snow hut, Colin stopped at the entrance, suddenly frowning and making his way to the right of the snow hut.


    A row of bodies was neatly arranged here, the cold outside serving as the perfect place to store corpses.


    "Respected Wizard Sir." Goss straightened up from laying down the body of a man he was holding and, alongside his companion, greeted Colin.


    They were in the process of moving the body of the man Robin had brought over, arranging it neatly.


    "He''s not dead."


    Colin, looking at the men at their feet with pale faces, said and then waved his hand, casting Healing Magic.


    He could feel the man''s spirit was still within his body, not dissipated, nor showing signs of falling apart.


    "Not dead!?" Goss''s eyes widened, exchanging an incredulous look with his companion.


    But the coughing that came from beneath their feet a second later forced them to believe.


    Goss quickly bent down to help the man up, but to his surprise, the man beneath him quickly recovered from appearing dead to bursting with vigor!


    Even the wounds on his legs had mostly healed; he no longer needed Goss''s support and stood up on his own, instinctively shouting:


    "Where is Lisa? And my son? Have you seen them?"


    The man''s voice grew distant as Colin entered the snow hut.


    What he didn''t see was the man, upon understanding from Goss and his companion that he had just had his life spared, knelt in the snow, repeatedly kowtowing in his direction.


    "In fact, if those Pureblood Families were willing to station a few more Wizards here and set up some Greenhouse Witch Arrays, the lives of the villagers in Ancient North Village could be greatly improved."


    Shelley''s spiritual telepathy suddenly sounded in Colin''s mind.


    Colin looked in her direction, though his gaze penetrated the air and landed on the many injured lying across the snow hut floor.


    Some were unconscious, some missing arms, some missing feet...


    Withdrawing his gaze, he continued to shake his head, "There''s more than one Ancient North Village here, and there''s more than one Ancient North Village in this world."


    Moreover, getting those Pureblood Families to part with their interests without expecting anything in return was easier said than done.


    That said, looking at the injured on the ground, Colin still conjured a few drops of Ancient Tree Spring, scattering it into a mist over the wounded before him.


    Colin felt Shelley''s tangible calm gaze settle on him.


    Not until Colin couldn''t resist touching his own cheek, intending to ask if there was something wrong with him, did Shelley slowly speak up:


    "You''re right, it''s a difficult thing. We shouldn''t expect one person to consume what belongs to them to help another without compensation."


    Colin didn''t respond; he just felt that if he was now standing at the top of the world, he probably wouldn''t be as stingy as the Pureblood Families.


    "Poverty makes a person good to oneself, riches make him her him his his his his his his his are are are to China and and and," said the old English proverb.


    This was the precious treasure left to him from a past life, carved into the very marrow of someone born into that nation.


    Shelley continued to telepathically communicate:


    "A long time ago, someone told me a truth¡ª


    The reason ordinary people are beneath Wizards, the reason they can''t become Wizards, is that they lack Talent and are not diligent or smart enough."


    "And the reason Pureblood Families can enjoy those resources is that they have enough Talent and are born noble enough."


    "I used to think it was true."


    "But later, I discovered it was a complete lie."


    Shelley''s figure slowly emerged; she looked serene, but her clear pale blue eyes shimmered with an extraordinary light.


    "The efforts, struggles... even the Talent of most people, in this world as it currently stands, essentially can''t change anything."


    Colin remained silent.


    He was deeply aware of how severe the knowledge monopoly was in the Wizard World.


    If not for Golden Paper, he would never have been able to reach his current status.


    Shelley kept speaking.


    She must have cast some kind of witchcraft, for although she revealed her form, people around still seemed not to see her.


    "The people of Ancient North Village and those in Neustadt City are inherently no different at birth; their spirits are equally noble."


    "We might not have to expect a person to consume what belongs to them to unconditionally help another," Shelley said again, her gaze sweeping over the gradually recovering injured around her, her expression calm, her eyes like deep quiet pools,


    "But I believe, those Pureblood Family Wizards, when they become High Rank Wizards, when they achieve success, should at least understand¡ª


    Those who do not become High Rank Wizards, who do not achieve success like them, are often not less intelligent or less hardworking, but just lack the same conditions."


    "When they realize this, they should be grateful and should help the weak, making this world a better place¡ª


    Because part of what they possess is not necessarily deserved."


    Shelley finished speaking, turned her head to look at Colin, and then asked in a soft voice,


    "Do you know of the Truth Society, Colin?" S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 532 - 351 Rejection

    "Truth Society?" Within the snow hut, Colin was slightly taken aback.


    He knew of the True Knowledge Society but had never heard of a Truth Society with such a similar name...


    Yet seeing Shelley''s demeanor, Colin somewhat understood what this so-called Truth Society actually was.


    Shelley didn''t offer much in the way of explanation, only saying,


    "Pureblood Families should have helped these people but did not do so, which is wrong.


    One of the goals of the Truth Society is to rectify this mistake."


    Colin realized, although he had anticipated it, he still felt a hint of surprise in his heart.


    Shelley watched him quietly, waiting for Colin''s response.


    Neither of them was a fool; some things were better left unsaid.


    Feeling Shelley''s gaze, Colin''s heart wavered, which was when a middle-aged man with graying hair suddenly came over.


    Thump.


    He fell to his knees, "Thank you, respected Wizard, for healing these injured."


    "Stand up," Colin said to the middle-aged man, seizing the opportunity to change the subject.


    Looking at the man with graying hair prostrate on the ground, forehead pressed against the earth, Colin felt moved.


    Perhaps due to their isolation from the world, the people of Ancient North Village were especially sincere, their gratitude seemingly only expressed through this act of kowtowing.


    Moreover, from what he had learned earlier, they were also exceptionally united.


    The households of Ancient North Village were not independent; all clothing, food, and other supplies were distributed by the Village Chief according to need, and mining work was the same.


    They shared everything they had, making no distinctions between one another.


    Upon hearing this, the man with graying hair slowly got to his feet, his face showing deep exhaustion, his palms and clothing stained with mottled blood.


    "Are you the... healer here?" Colin asked curiously. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes, sir," the man with graying hair responded.


    His attire was no different from the rest of the villagers, all clad in leather coats, and his bloodstained hands and clothing looked somewhat unprofessional.


    But in Ancient North Village, the man with graying hair was already the best at healing.


    The effect of the Ancient Tree Spring was remarkable, and by now, all but the previously dying patients were practically restored to health.


    After standing up to thank Colin, some impatient villagers couldn''t wait to head outside.


    Although they had been saved, many of them still had family members buried under the rubble.


    "Sir, I won''t disturb you further, I will join them to see if I can be of any help," the man with graying hair said.


    Although Colin had healed all the injured, the sole healer of Ancient North Village couldn''t just stand by idly; he was still needed at the ruins.


    "Go on," Colin nodded.


    Soon, the snow hut was deserted, leaving just the two of them.


    Colin watched the healer''s retreating figure and thought for a moment before transmitting to Shelley, "Let''s go over and take a look together."


    "Okay." Shelley nodded slowly, without objection, not bringing up the previous topic again.


    Colin nodded slightly and turned to walk towards the door, but in his heart, he quietly mused,


    "The Truth Society, huh?"


    ...


    "Thank you for your help, Mr. Dempsey!"


    At the ruins, Colin hadn''t yet landed when he heard cheering voices rising from below.


    "There''s no need to worry," Dempsey stated, standing at the front of the crowd, waving his hand calmly.


    If it hadn''t been for Colin''s order, he certainly wouldn''t have cared about these people''s fate.


    But since Colin had instructed him, he would dutifully do the work.


    He let out a light breath, looking at the grateful crowd before him, feeling a sense of achievement in his heart.


    "Has everyone been rescued?" Colin asked as he touched the ground.


    "Yes, Wizard Colin!" Dempsey quickly turned around,


    After a moment''s thought, Dempsey complimented subtly without showing any trace:


    "Thanks to the Shadow helpers you sent, they could pass through all the narrow gaps, directly reaching the people buried underneath, then carving out a passage from the collapsed debris.


    If it were up to us to dig from the outside, it would have been impossible to save so many, and we might have even risked causing a secondary collapse, endangering the lives of those trapped inside."


    After saying this, Dempsey stepped aside slightly, loudly addressing the people in front of him, "Don''t you all hurry to thank Wizard Colin for sending the Shadow helpers!"


    "Thank you, respected Wizard Colin!"


    People who had escaped death cast their eyes on Colin, thanking him with an excited expression, and many seemed ready to kneel and bow in gratitude.


    Dempsey curled up the corners of his mouth in satisfaction, stepping aside to leave the spotlight solely for Colin.


    However, Colin just calmly waved his hand, "It''s a small effort, no need for thanks, and there''s no need to kneel before me."


    Dempsey was momentarily taken aback, glancing at Colin subconsciously, afraid that his flattery had turned into a faux pas.


    "Good job."


    Colin looked at the villagers who had been rescued, noting that their injuries seemed to have been treated, and offhandedly praised Dempsey.


    His thoughts were not on Dempsey, nor even on the villagers before him.


    Shelley, calm beside him, suddenly transmitted,


    "Have you heard of the Wall Building Skill?"


    "No," Colin transmitted back, watching as the villagers split into two groups.


    One group, with still-recovering injured, made their way toward the snow hut, while another group began repairing the ruins in front of them.


    At the thought, he commanded the Silent Shadow to go help.


    "If we had the Wall Building Skill, these dozen or so dome-shaped snow huts could be rebuilt entirely within half an hour."

 Chapter 533 - 351 Rejection_2

    "It''s very practical, an impressive form of witchcraft," said Colin, nodding slightly in praise.


    "Eighty percent of the buildings in Neustadt City were built by mortals."


    Colin was slightly stunned, and after thinking for a moment with a frown, he said, "Because it''s cheaper to have mortals build them? Or does the Wall Building Skill have some sort of flaw?"


    Shelley shook her head, looking at Colin, then suddenly curved her lips into a smile, "You really are different from ordinary wizards; I''m somewhat curious about your upbringing."


    Colin remained silent, just looking at her.


    Shelley didn''t continue to probe, but instead, her smile faded as she went on, "It''s a matter of habit. For tens of thousands of years, wizards have left the task of building houses to mortal slaves. Noble witchcraft would not be used for such things; it should be used in the pursuit of power."


    "The most valuable witchcraft on the market are always those related to attack, defense, or those that aid in attack and defense.


    The True Knowledge Society finally bought out the Wall Building Skill at the price of twenty Magic Stones. However, they still made a loss because no one ever exchanged points for that witchcraft skill again."


    A realization dawned on Colin, tinged with a hint of regret. His knowledge from a former life made it easy for him to see the value of this witchcraft skill.


    It''s just a pity that in this stagnant world, the phrase ''used to it'' could negate all new possibilities.


    Moreover, in this world, this really isn''t a very useful witchcraft skill.


    The logic was simple: without this pressing need, wizards really don''t need to build houses themselves!


    Even the most downtrodden wizard could easily have a place to live if they wanted.


    They truly had no reason to learn this witchcraft skill.


    What for, to go and build houses for ordinary people?


    As for building for wizards... aren''t cheap slaves good enough? Keep in mind that the cost of hiring a wizard could buy several strong-bodied slaves.


    It was the ordinary people who truly needed the Wall Building Skill, but ordinary people... they couldn''t cast witchcraft.


    Shelley tidied the stray hairs by her ear and continued, "The Truth Society has two main goals; I told you about one just now, and the Wall Building Skill is another. We hope to develop more witchcraft skills like the Wall Building Skill to make ordinary people wealthier and the world a wealthier place."


    Hearing this, Colin finally showed some surprise.


    He had thought the Truth Society was just a rebellious organization wanting to overthrow the Pureblood Family''s rule and break the knowledge blockade.


    But now, it seemed they were a far more noble liberation organization.


    Their goal was not merely to overthrow the Pureblood Families; it was far grander and more soul-stirring.


    This notion of making ordinary people and the world wealthier was clearly a plan to enlarge the entire world''s pie so much that, after dividing it, each person could live prosperously.


    In his past life, such an action had a more professional term¡ªliberating productive forces.


    "So, what are your thoughts, Lord Colin? Would you be willing to join the Truth Society?"


    Shelley watched Colin, then decided to be frank and asked him directly.


    The cold wind blew, and Silent Shadow beside him was moving the debris of the house effortlessly, as if carrying foam boards.


    Colin fell silent for a moment and ultimately shook his head.


    "I''m sorry, Shelley."


    A clear look of disappointment crossed Shelley''s face.


    Colin paused, intending to continue the mental transmission, but noticed Robin approaching him.


    After all, Shelley had maintained her invisibility, and their communication was through mental transmission.


    So to others, Colin appeared to be standing there silently by himself, which explained why someone came over to disturb him.


    "What''s the matter?" Colin asked the boy in front of him.


    Robin, with a solemn expression, glanced at Silent Shadow, then suddenly knelt down, and said earnestly:


    "Lord Colin, I wish to learn witchcraft from you!"


    Although he had already been mercilessly rejected by Dempsey once, Robin had not given up.


    He still remembered how the wizard before him easily vanquished the Ice and Snow Monster, and he remembered the fear of being utterly powerless against such creatures, forced into a panicked retreat.


    There were villagers with broken legs, who had already been declared dead, yet they were still saved by the Wizard before them¡­ and there were Shadows nearby, who could effortlessly lift blocks of ice larger than several people with just one hand¡­


    Robin thought to himself, if he could become a Wizard, then the village would never have to worry about anything again.


    And perhaps¡­ He felt the severed finger against his chest, his heart filled with longing.


    Perhaps¡­ perhaps after becoming a Wizard, he could even bring back his Trilly!


    "I''m sorry¡­" However, Colin paused for a moment, and then shook his head.


    Robin looked up in dismay. Although he had already experienced this feeling not long ago, it still hurt.


    The intense desire in his heart made it unbearably painful.


    "I¡­ I understand, thank you, my lord." Robin bowed his head, his expression wooden.


    But what Robin did not see was that, the moment he lowered his head, Colin suddenly turned his head slightly, a look of surprise in his eyes.


    Then, as if repeating someone else''s words, he continued:


    "If you can cross the snowy plains following the guidance after the cold night arrives, you might have a chance to become a Wizard."


    While echoing Shelley''s words, Colin passed a copper compass that Shelley had handed to him to Robin.


    "It will guide you in the right direction."


    Robin looked up, a bit lost, but soon, crystal tears gushed uncontrollably from his eyes, flowing down his somewhat rough cheeks, and falling to the ground, forming ice flowers.


    Robin took the small copper compass with both hands and clutched it tightly, unable to speak through his sobs, so he bowed deeply several times, knocking his forehead against the ground with loud thuds.


    Colin stepped aside.


    Not far away, at the ruins, Mayor Hunter was watching this scene, his expression complex.


    "I have to go, Colin," Shelley suddenly said.


    "I am leaving this place as well," Colin replied, looking at Shelley with a smile, "I wish you well on your journey."


    Shelley''s face also returned to calmness, and he smiled,


    "And I wish you smooth sailing. After the cold night ends, I should be back in Neustadt City.


    Don''t forget our fixed noon exchange."


    "Mmm," Colin smiled, watching as Shelley''s figure slowly disappeared, until he could no longer see him.


    Shelley''s dream was grand, and the Truth Society was also a great organization.


    But Colin deeply understood that the Wizard World was ultimately a fantasy world where mighty power belonged to the individual.


    Top-down reform was much more feasible than bottom-up change.


    If one day he could reach the Peak, everything he wanted would be realized.


    "I should leave this place too," Colin mumbled to himself, drawing back his gaze.


    He glanced around, and with the help of Silent Shadow, the ruins of the snow houses had been mostly cleared, leaving only rebuilding to be done.


    The young Robin had already put away the copper compass, placing it together with Trilly''s severed finger, and then returned to help rebuild the snow houses.


    Different from his prior wooden state, the young man''s steps were now particularly light, and his face was brimming with an irrepressible smile.


    "So amazing!"


    "Thank you, Wizard!" S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the midst of it all, Colin could still hear the villagers fixing the houses, softly exclaiming in surprise at Silent Shadow, who was significantly speeding up the entire rebuilding work with their assistance.


    "Such mighty power, all used for fighting and killing, can''t say it''s wasted, but it indeed can do so much more¡­"


    Suddenly, a misty aurora appeared in the sky above, its enchanting light spilling over Ancient North Village, making the domed snow houses seem like something out of a fairy tale world.


    Unfortunately, this was not a fairy tale.


    Colin stayed there for half a day longer, using his newly acquired Talent to help the villagers rebuild the snow houses, and then set out on his return journey.

 Chapter 534 - 352 Inspection

    The snowy wilderness stretched on, ethereal, with goose feather-like snow falling like curtains.


    Inside an icy cave, Colin raised his hand to examine his latest find¡ªa translucent flower sculpted from ice.


    He looked up at the Golden Paper that floated before him, where, in the section titled Exotic Skill, the progress behind Anando''s Dice had reached 36/100.


    Ever since he had acquired this Exotic Skill, Colin would cast it as soon as its cooldown period had ended each week, barring any unforeseen events.


    Most of the time before that, he had either been in Neustadt City or other inconvenient locations, and he hadn''t actively sought out treasures, so his gains had been meager.


    However, this time in the Extreme North, Colin had planned to try using Anando''s Dice after his mission ended to see if he could find some valuable items.


    After all, times had changed. He was indeed in need of Magic Stones, and if he could find treasures, even if he couldn''t use them himself, he could at least exchange them for some Magic Stones.


    Putting the ice flower temporarily back onto the stone platform where it had grown, Colin then took out a round bead emitting cold air, a treasure he had extracted from the belly of a strange transparent fish.


    The result of this throw of Anando''s Dice was very good, a four.


    Unfortunately, in the end, Colin only managed to obtain three of them. Besides the two he had just pulled out, there was also a tiny peculiar snowflake.


    Colin recognized that snowflake, known as the Extreme Cold Crystal, a top-notch spellcasting material that could sell for at least one hundred thousand Magic Stones in Neustadt City.


    As for the fourth, deeper in the Extreme North, as he flew a distance further, his Frost Talent subtly warned him of danger ahead.


    After weighing the options, Colin ultimately chose to give it up.


    After all, treasures were just icing on the cake for him at this stage; it wasn''t worth taking too great a risk for them.


    Picking up the round bead that emitted cold air to examine it, then putting it down again to pick up the ice flower beside it, Colin hesitated for a moment. Following the intuition that the new Frost Talent had brought him, he swallowed it.


    The ice flower melted in his mouth like cotton candy. A hint of blue flashed in Colin''s eyes, a sign of the spilling of Energy.


    About ten minutes later, Colin looked to the Golden Paper.


    In the Talent section, the progress behind Frost Talent had suddenly surged forward a full forty-five points!


    You see, the advancement of a Talent was not like witchcraft or Meditation Method, which could be improved just by practice.


    When he had Advanced to the First Rank Wizard, the progress behind Superbrain Talent had always been zero. It had only increased by fifty points once he had Advanced to the Second Rank Wizard, because of the increase in Rank.


    As for Strong Life Talent, it too had to be improved indirectly by raising the Knight Breathing Skill and Knight Level.


    After unexpectedly acquiring Frost Talent, Colin had been pondering how to improve this Talent, never expecting the surprise to come so suddenly...


    To verify whether this was a one-time event, Colin followed his heart and immediately swallowed the round bead he had obtained from inside of the transparent fish.


    Like ice cream melting, a whoosh of cold air spread out in Colin''s stomach, and he kept his eyes fixated on the Golden Paper.


    After a moment, a small ¡ü symbol flashed imperceptibly after the Talent: Frost.


    Joy flashed in Colin''s eyes.


    As the energy of the fish-belly round bead was gradually absorbed, the progress behind Frost Talent also continued to jump.


    Then, approximately five minutes later, as the energy of the round bead was completely absorbed, the progress behind Frost Talent finally settled at 69/100.


    Swoosh!


    A thick, transparent Ice Spur suddenly burst from the ground, its sharp tip emitting cold light, and in the blink of an eye, it stabbed into the ceiling of the icy cave with a loud thud.


    Ice shards scattered all around, and the dome of the cave began to shake.


    Colin looked at the commotion and nodded satisfactorily to himself.


    The progress of 69 might not seem like much, but compared to the initial performance when he had just received the Frost Talent, it was still much stronger.


    The power of this spike was about the threshold of a First Rank Witchcraft, and moreover, it required no Magic Power consumption, and the spirit exertion was minimal. It had some practicality.


    Of course, that was in this cold land. Should he leave the Extreme North, or come the hot summer, conjuring an Ice Spur with such power wouldn''t be so easy.


    After a slight recovery of the Magic Power within his body, Colin stepped out of the icy cave. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The cold wind whistled, carrying with it fine ice particles.


    He looked back in the direction of Ancient North Village, only to see a thick ink-like darkness.


    ''The freezing night has arrived,'' Colin realized internally.


    In the several months-long polar night of the Extreme North, there were also about half a month of special days known as¡ªthe freezing night.


    Even the stars would completely disappear during this time, and the Extreme North would become so cold it was unlike any place on earth.


    Colin silently withdrew his gaze; he thought of that young man who had lost his wife. He wondered how he would follow the compass across the snowy plains during such days, to that Land of Hope which could give him one more chance...


    Swoosh!


    Colin took off from the ground, protected by the Steel Temperature Resistance Field, so that even the cold wind failed to disturb his clothes.


    For a Second Rank Wizard like him, the freezing night was just another ordinary night.


    Half a day later.


    Colin arrived at Kararli City.


    Looking at the familiar city gate, Colin suddenly remembered the scrutinizing gaze he had felt here initially.


    ''Could that have been Joyce?''


    But soon he shook his head, ''Joyce is but one person, the sense of surveillance I detected back then should have come from two...''


    Such a thought made Colin frown slightly.


    He didn''t know whether Joyce''s visit this time was on his own accord or at the behest of the Hidosh Family... after all, no matter how useless Joyce was, he was still a member of the Pureblood Family.

 Chapter 535 - 352 Inspection_2

    If the Hidosh Family had instructed it, and he had personally killed him, there might still be some trouble...


    However, since he had completely destroyed Joyce''s corpse, and it was in a place like the Extreme North, the hope of finding evidence that he had killed Joyce was slim...


    Colin walked towards the Transmission Array while pondering.


    After some deliberation, he ruled out the possibility that Joyce might have been instructed by the Hidosh Family.


    Although he didn''t feel it strongly, he was now a Golden Feather, and the Hidosh Family''s ostensible attitude was mainly to foster good relations... It was improbable that they would be two-faced.


    Furthermore, if it indeed had been the Hidosh doing, the people sent to attack him would likely not have been just Joyce.


    His tangled thoughts gradually dissipated. Colin''s heart settled slightly as he walked into the transmission site.


    "May I ask your destination, sir?"


    "Neustadt."


    After paying with the Magic Stone, Colin calmly stepped onto the Transmission Array.


    Swoosh!


    Accompanied by a dazzling white light, a feeling of falling instantly came over him, his vision suddenly darkened, and then brightened just as suddenly.


    Colin felt his feet on solid ground again, but the scene before him had changed from Kararli City.


    It was still morning, and the streets were bustling, presenting a lively sight.


    There was no ceaseless cold wind, no knife-like snowflakes... Even the snow piled beside the road seemed somewhat warmer than in Ancient North Village.


    Standing in the hall of the Transmission General Bureau and looking outside, Colin''s body involuntarily relaxed slightly, but his heart soon grew heavy again.


    "Don''t you think this is a little too unfair?" Shelley''s words seemed to still echo in his ears.


    Colin stood still for a moment, slightly shook his head, and took strides towards the bureau''s entrance.


    The transport hub was as bustling as always. Wizards continuously entered the door, preparing to go elsewhere.


    As Colin was reaching the door, he suddenly heard a slightly tense, clear female voice from the amplifying crystal behind him:


    "Good morning to all wizards. We have an emergency announcement: the Transmission Array has experienced a technical malfunction. All transmission services are temporarily suspended. Our responsible wizards are urgently repairing it. Please wait patiently or return tomorrow."


    Colin''s pace faltered slightly, and he looked back in surprise.


    "Huh?!"


    "A malfunction...?"


    "Alas, what''s happening to this city lately? Not a day goes by without a fight, and now the Transmission Array is broken."


    The hall was noisy, but since the Transmission Array was the property of the Supreme Council, no one dared to say much.


    He withdrew his gaze and continued to walk out.


    He hadn''t expected such a coincidence. If he had delayed any longer, he would likely have had to wait for the Transmission Array to be repaired before he could return to Neustadt.


    An inadvertent stroke of luck diluted the mysterious heaviness in Colin''s heart. He did not go home but went to the School along the way to confirm that his mission was complete. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, as he passed Zuo Ao and Right Ao and entered the Tin Saint School''s residence, Colin suddenly sniffed a hint of something amiss.


    The wizards passing on the School''s road all hastened their steps, and most headed in the same direction.


    While Colin''s confusion grew, his School Badge belatedly lit up, conveying a message:


    "Colin Leonard, upon receiving this notice, please proceed immediately to the front lawn of the General Affairs Castle for assembly."


    "I don''t know what the School is calling us together for this time," said a male wizard with sideburns who had noticed Colin''s badge light up, speaking unabashedly.


    "Sir, you received this notice as well?" Colin suppressed his surprise and asked.


    "Yes, and not just me, I think most of the wizards on this road have," the sideburned wizard shook his head, quickening his pace. "We should hurry over, with such an urgent summons, being late might mean punishment."


    Colin nodded, said nothing, and followed the crowd silently towards the lawn of the General Affairs Castle.


    Yet, his mind kept returning to the sudden suspension of transmission services at the Transmission General Bureau...


    It seemed that during his time away from Neustadt City, something he didn''t know about had happened.


    Arriving at the Great Building''s lawn,


    The place was already crowded. Scanning the crowd, Colin noted from their badges that apart from First Rank Wizards like himself, there were quite a few Second Rank Wizards and some Advanced Wizard Apprentices.


    In front of the crowd, a white-haired, white-bearded old man hovered in mid-air, his face calm, dressed in a white robe, holding a branch-like brown Magic Wand.


    He didn''t speak much, but all the wizards who arrived dutifully shut their mouths, standing in orderly rows on the lawn.


    ''Lord Eggerberg...'' the sideburned wizard looked at the elder reverently and swiftly took his place in the crowd, mouth shut.


    Colin did the same, his body slightly tense.


    He wondered if his Limit Breaking Spirit Fog and Hayden''s Pseudo Ability could escape the scrutiny of the Third Rank Wizard before him...


    Perhaps after advancing to Second Rank, with a stronger and more sensitive soul, Colin felt a profound energy emanating from the Third Rank Eggerberg before him, like a vast ocean, awe-inspiring.


    No wonder whether it was Mentor Atbolde or the knowledge he had come across, they all said reaching Third Rank was a watershed for a wizard. Only upon reaching Third Rank could one barely earn the title of a High Rank Wizard.


    "Colin? Have you completed your mission?"


    Just then, another familiar voice came from behind.

 Chapter 536 - 352 Inspection_3

    "Tutor." Colin said, turning his head in surprise, as the tall figure of Atbolde appeared behind him.


    Even the tutor has come?


    Colin was momentarily stunned and continued, "I just completed the task and returned to the city, preparing to go to the administration building to confirm the completion of the task, but then I received a summons from the School."


    "That''s good," Atbolde nodded, smiling, "As long as the task was completed smoothly."


    "Tutor... do you know why the School has summoned us?" Colin hesitated and then asked.


    "I''m not sure," Atbolde shook his head, his aged face also showing some confusion.


    Colin was full of doubts, but could not find an answer.


    After all, Atbolde was just a mixed-blood Second Rank Wizard in the School, and there was indeed a limit to what he could know.


    "Now that everyone is here, I''ll begin." In mid-air, Eggerberg suddenly spoke softly.


    As his voice fell, a few equally powerful Third Rank Wizards also appeared.


    Before Colin and the others could react,


    Whoosh!


    A transparent barrier instantly unfolded, enveloping the wizards on the lawn within it and isolating them from the outside world.


    A flicker of panic passed across the faces of the wizards present.


    "There''s no need to be afraid."


    Watching as the binding barrier fully formed, Eggerberg began to explain more calmly,


    "Relax, everyone. You have been summoned here by the command of the Supreme Council to inspect the members of the School.


    Before you, we wizards of Third Rank and above have already undergone the same inspection."


    ''Inspection... what kind of inspection?''


    Colin was slightly startled, a bit of panic creeping into his heart like a shadow.


    "Silence." Eggerberg said lightly, "I only have one request¡ªplease relax your bodies and do not resist; otherwise, anyone who does will be considered a Divine Undercover, and then do not blame us for being ruthless!" S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''An inspection for Divine Undercovers?!'' Colin was stunned for a moment, feeling slightly relaxed and yet also somewhat surprised, ''Could it be that Nois has already successfully modified the Deep Red Marking Technique?''


    Answering his question was a deep, blood-red light that spread from Eggerberg''s hand.


    The light rippled out like waves, sweeping over the wizards below, over Colin, confirming his guess.


    Although these blood-colored ripples differed greatly from the original Deep Red Marking Technique¡ªnot only in the way they were cast but also in appearing to be at least Third Rank witchcraft¡ª


    to Colin, who had mastered the second Limit Breaking Deep Red Marking Technique, the traces of the original Deep Red Marking Technique were still discernible.


    ''Nois really has successfully modified the Deep Red Marking Technique!''


    A wave of joy surged in Colin''s heart, whether from going on enforced missions or during the days he had spent training with the True Knowledge Society.


    He had never forgotten to practice the Deep Red Marking Technique. The aim had been to see if it could help Nois modify the technique sooner, to deal with the Divine beings among the Elf Clan and any potential undercovers with new disguises.


    In a nest overturned, how could there be perfect eggs; as a Wizard, the Divine beings are the greatest enemy.


    Don''t you see even Shelley from the Truth Society, in dealing with Divine beings, stands on the same front as the Pureblood Family?


    Now that Nois has succeeded in modifying the Deep Red Marking Technique, this, for every Wizard, is a joyous matter, and of course, Colin is no exception.


    The blood-colored ripples swiftly swept over all the wizards present.


    In mid-air, Eggerberg observed carefully.


    After a moment, as he found no one turning red, he slightly relaxed, smiled, and loud said,


    "Wizards below Second Rank may disperse on their own, but must not leave the School''s premises within a day."


    "As for Wizards of Second Rank and above..." Eggerberg raised his staff towards the distance, "follow us, let''s root out and crush the hidden scum in the city, one by one!"

 Chapter 537 - 353: All but Ants

    As Eggerberg''s words fell, the surrounding barrier also dissipated in response.


    Second Rank Wizards didn''t hesitate too much and swiftly soared into the air.


    Atbolde said a word to Colin, then turned and flew behind Eggerberg.


    Swish swish!


    Like swallows leaving their nests, a mighty stream of wizards, led by Eggerberg, powerfully flew out of the School.


    Only Colin and the others remained, standing still, startled.


    This was clearly a secret operation, coming in silence and departing as swiftly as lightning!


    Colin turned his head, watching the figures of Eggerberg and the others grow distant. Neustadt City remained tranquil at the moment.


    The morning sun was warm and comforting, making one reluctant to move. The melting ice on eaves and branches as white and silent as cotton. 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 surrounding wizards were whispering to each other, their hushed voices somehow making the quiet more profound... as if the eve of a storm was approaching.


    Colin stood still for a while, exhaled gently, and walked towards the General Affairs Castle.


    He had to wait until tomorrow to leave the School premises; there was nothing he could do about outside matters, and worrying was fruitless, so he decided to stick to the plan and complete the confirmation of his mission.


    ...


    Swish!


    At a certain moment, in the Wape district.


    The figures of Eggerberg and his team suddenly appeared at the top of the central tower.


    Without any superfluous movements, he waved his brown cane.


    Assisted by the other Third Rank Wizards beside him, a deep blood-red light suddenly exploded from the tip of the cane, spreading rapidly in circles, swiftly enveloping the entire Wape district.


    Moments later, Eggerberg''s eyes, sharp as a hawk''s, clearly reflected several suspicious red lights.


    "Crush them!"


    Swish!


    Swish, swish, swish!


    The wizards descended mercilessly like raindrops, tacitly dispersing and swooping toward the red lights!


    And this scene was also happening in other places within Neustadt City.


    Even... it was occurring in the other nine Wizard Cities!


    In Merredith City.


    Within a grey-black spire of the Viting School.


    Eliel gazed out the window, her expression somewhat anxious, as the sounds of witchcraft explosions, human screams, and cries of pain came flooding in like tides.


    "Don''t worry," the mature-looking senior Perry touched her head, calmly comforting, "As a Third Rank Wizard, our mentor will certainly be safe in this operation."


    "I''m not worried about our mentor," Eliel glanced at Perry and said softly, "I''m just thinking, after tonight, how many more people will perish..."


    Perry fell silent for a moment, then said, "War is always like this."


    ...


    "I see him! He''s right ahead!"


    "Catch him!"


    "No, is he a red-robed Bishop Level follower?!"


    Boom!!


    The explosion occurred suddenly, a blinding light and heat engulfed the surroundings.


    "Not good, quickly request High Rank Wizard support!" A nearby Wizard exclaimed in horror, urgently shouting.


    "...May the gods bless us!" In the center of the explosion, a middle-aged man with the look of a peddler stood up straight, took a deep breath, and loudly proclaimed.


    His voice, like a stone causing ripples in water, rippled outwards.


    "May the gods bless us!!" Various echoes came from Neustadt City, spreading slowly like a chilling tide, unsettling to the soul.


    "Hmph!"


    However, the next instant, a powerful, chilling snort sounded like a bell ringing, instantly suppressing all the fervent shouts of the followers.


    "In Neustadt City, you still dare to dream of revolt?"


    Boom!!


    Inside the General Affairs Castle, Colin steadied himself, the black iron chandelier with the Bright Crystal embedded in the ceiling creaked and swayed, and the pen holder on the desk before him toppled over with a bang.


    "What a commotion," the duty Wizard fixed the pen holder absentmindedly, murmuring as he gazed in the direction outside.


    Colin didn''t respond. He turned to look out the window, his curiosity piqued like a cat''s scratch,


    But alas, they, the Wizards below Second Rank, were not allowed to leave the Tin Saint School at this moment.


    "Master Colin, your mission has been confirmed as complete.


    The Magic Stone and School Points have been recorded in your badge, a total of eight thousand Magic Stones, two hundred School Points, you may check at the lobby on the first floor for confirmation."


    The duty Wizard pulled back his gaze, composed himself, and handed back the School Badge to Colin.


    "Okay, thank you," Colin nodded slightly.


    Boom!


    A sense of shaking came again, Colin gripped the School Badge firmly, stood up, and quickly walked to a window facing outside the School premises.


    The duty Wizard also stepped out from behind the counter and joined him at the window.


    The vast blue sky, the sunlight casting a thin veil of gold over the white snow-covered ground, with grey-black houses densely packed, and a few spots emitting plumes of black smoke, others sparking with blinding lights...


    The Wizards'' search and battle were continuing.


    From the looks of it, Neustadt City was set to sweep through all places thoroughly this time.


    Colin''s guess was not wrong.


    Until the orange hue of sunset dipped below the horizon, the sounds of battle within Neustadt City finally began to fade, gradually returning to tranquility.


    A few hours into the late night, a Wizard finally came to inform Colin and the others that they could leave the School.


    Stepping out from the School, the night sky was dark and empty streets stretched out below.


    Under the shrouded night, flames'' red glows were faintly visible in places within the city, while some Wizards'' figures flew back and forth in mid-air, likely taking care of aftermath tasks.


    This battle, like a sudden summer downpour, arrived hastily and left just as quickly.


    Eyes drawn back in, Colin quickened his pace toward home.

 Chapter 538 - 353: All Are Ants_2

    Inconveniences were many within the School, and today''s "daily meditation" had yet to be completed.


    ...


    "Councilman Nois, this is indeed a great victory, and you deserve the main credit!"


    Within the grand White Stone Hall, the location of which was unknown, a brief celebration banquet was taking place.


    Nois smiled and raised his crystal goblet, self-assuredly taking a sip.


    The Wizards around him sent praises his way, but Nois''s expression became ever more serene, a faint smile hanging on his lips as he accepted the wine from the hands of those who came to congratulate him.


    He was a true genius, worthy of these praises and capable of bearing them.


    At the very front of the hall, six Wizards sat in the seats of honor, surrounded by a mystical aura that obscured their faces. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    One of the Wizards, ensconced in white light, slowly spoke, "For this operation, indeed Nois should be credited with the main honor, recording a hundred thousand Council Points and an additional reward."


    As his voice sounded, the hall fell silent, the previously chattering guests closing their mouths and listening intently.


    Even Nois grew serious and set down his goblet.


    The Wizard surrounded by white light looked towards Nois and then continued to ask, "Have you decided what reward you desire?"


    "I want the complete version of that manuscript and its author; I also wish to know who wrote it," Nois replied without hesitation.


    The six luminous Wizards fell silent for a moment before slowly responding,


    "Granted."


    "After the banquet is over, stay behind and come to us to collect your reward."


    "Very well," Nois responded, placing his hand over his chest in a bow, "Thank you, Supreme Council members."


    "Congratulations, Sir, on earning another hundred thousand points, typical of the Tate Family''s Nois!"


    The banquet continued with Nois, in the midst of the crowd, maintaining a proper smile, elegantly dealing with the throng around him.


    Every move he made was both free and noble; being born into the Tate Family, he was more than adept at such social gatherings.


    But more than these dull social interactions,


    Nois was far more eager to know about the complete version of the manuscript that had inspired his successful modification of the Deep Red Marking Technique; and who was the author?


    As the cups and plates were exchanged, with the banquet progressing, Nois looked at the jovial Wizards around him. His face wore a perfect courtesy, yet he always felt an inner sense of irritation.


    ''Perhaps I''m just too anxious to see the continuation of that manuscript...'' he mused.


    But he could not fool himself; he simply disliked gatherings of this sort.


    Just mere hollow courtesies and compliments... Wizards may live long lives, but not for squandering them thus!


    And honestly, it was just a minor victory, yet the Council was celebrating so grandiosely... Nois did not appreciate it in his heart.


    It was unfortunate... Nois glanced at the six Supreme Council members on the stage and took another sip of his wine.


    But unfortunately, these were not matters he could decide.


    The moon reached its zenith, a cool silver light spilling into the hall, and finally, the banquet ended.


    These noble-born Wizards politely bid each other farewell, leaving the palace high above the sky, their silhouettes disappearing into the clouds.


    In the magnificent hall, only Nois and the six mysterious figures seated in the place of honor remained.


    Nois lifted his head and walked towards them.


    The six Wizards radiated mysterious light, and from within it, could be discerned even more layered figures.


    In fact, even Nois himself did not know, within the Supreme Council, whether there were only these six visible Supreme Councilmen or even more beyond them.


    Hum¡ª¡ª


    A glimmer of starlight flashed, and thereafter, a Memory Crystal emerged before Nois.


    "This is the complete version of the manuscript," said the Wizard wrapped in white light indifferently, "As for the identity of the one who wrote the manuscript, you will know once you see it."


    A flicker of joy crossed Nois''s face as he bowed his chest towards the Supreme Council member and then closed his eyes to begin reading the crystal''s contents.


    The six Supreme Council members sat in six parallel chairs, motionless, like statues of gods or Buddhas.


    Before long, Nois finished reading the crystal, his expression stunned.


    He looked a bit disconcerted as he raised his head to regard the Supreme Council members, taking a moment before speaking hoarsely,


    "The credit for today''s success is not mine alone. Since the manuscript is written by Silvester, why not invite him here? He deserves this honor."


    The six Supreme Councilmen remained silent as if they had not heard Nois''s question.


    "Is it because... he''s a Half-blood Wizard of the True Knowledge Society?" Nois''s tone grew increasingly icy.


    "Watch your tone, Nois," came a calm voice.


    Nois looked up slightly, his gaze filled with profound disappointment.


    The aura behind the Supreme Council members flickered.


    For a moment, a new figure suddenly emerged, revealing a face somewhat similar to Nois''s.


    "Nois!"


    "Grandfather..." Nois was astounded.


    The figures of the six Supreme Council members gradually faded.


    In the grand hall, only the grandfather and grandson remained.


    The grandfather frowned at Nois, his expression angry, then after a moment, sighed and consoled him,


    "You''re no less capable than Silvester; what he can do, you can do as well. It''s just inspiration you''re lacking, why be dejected?"


    Nois bowed his head, seemingly obedient, but within his heart, he only felt that this consolation was extremely distasteful, nauseating him.


    Of course, Nois was confident he was no less than Silvester.

 Chapter 539 - 353 All Are Mere Ants_3

    Not only in witchcraft, but even in the practice of wizardry, he considered himself to be superior to Silvester!


    It was just that Silvester''s manuscript, which sparked the improvement of the Deep Red Marking Technique, was so close to success that it only needed one more push.


    Although he had only seen part of the first half, with several key points selected by the Supreme Councilman, most of the work in improving the Deep Red Marking Technique was independently done.


    But this did not deny the help Silvester''s manuscript had given to him.


    Without Silvester''s manuscript, he didn''t know how long he would have to wait for inspiration to strike! S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Nois looked upset, he could accept others improving the Deep Red Marking Technique before him, he could accept studying the Deep Red Marking Technique with others, as long as they were capable enough, like Silvester.


    ¡ªAlthough the Council did not allow him to interact too much with this mixed-blood who did not join their Family.


    But he could not accept this situation... How was this different from plagiarism?


    Emotions churned within Nois, he knew that Silvester would take on some witchcraft research commissions from the outside world.


    Silvester might not even know that this was related to the Deep Red Marking Technique...


    After all, although it was about improving the Deep Red Marking Technique, it did not mean to completely overhaul it and start anew.


    From the manuscript, what was given to Silvester to tackle was only the most core issue, much like improving a cell phone, but only giving him the chip.


    Silvester probably didn''t know what type of cell phone this "chip" would end up in, it might not even be in a cell phone...


    And the final version improved by Nois also had some differences from Silvester''s manuscript idea, maybe Silvester wouldn''t suspect plagiarism after learning about the new Deep Red Marking Technique...


    Pride made it increasingly difficult for Nois, the praise from the previous banquet now seemed like mockery.


    "No one will know, Nois. You will carry the praise and uphold the prestige of our Pureblood Family."


    His grandfather raised his hand to pat Nois on the head, comforting him again.


    Listening to the man who was once also called Nois, he felt only alienation.


    "Why?" he murmured, lowering his head.


    "Are you asking why we chose Silvester?" Grandfather Nois countered, then answered:


    "Of course, it''s to speed up the process and save time!"


    "In fact, apart from Silvester, in our Pureblood Family''s witchcraft research society and the higher echelons of the School, there are wizards working with you to tackle the challenges of the Deep Red Marking Technique... A single tree makes no forest, you cannot achieve anything by shutting yourself away."


    Nois fell silent for a moment and then said:


    "With a divine enemy ahead, why still differentiate between mixed-blood and pure-blood? By opening up the dissemination of knowledge, wizards can become stronger."


    Grandfather Nois''s expression gradually calmed, and after a while, he softly said:


    "You are still too young, Nois."


    "Resources are limited, and the only consequence of opening up the dissemination of knowledge is the dispersal of resources, while each top wizard needs a great deal of resources."


    "The outcome of the war with the Divine has never been something that ordinary people, low-rank wizards, or even you can influence."


    Nois slowly raised his head, another slightly older Nois looking at him indifferently, and continued:


    "Whether it is Divine spies or the war in the Southern Sea Domain, they are all insignificant."


    "Ten thousand ordinary people do not compare to one Official Wizard... Whether it''s you, me, or those ordinary people, ordinary wizards, no matter how numerous they are, in front of the real Divine, they are but ants."


    "Ants might kill an elephant, but they cannot contend with the Divine."


    Nois looked shocked.


    His grandfather smiled, turned away, looked at the six lavish chairs in front of him, and continued:


    "Rest assured, it has been so for tens of thousands of years."


    "Wizards will ultimately achieve victory in the war with the Divine, and the Pureblood Family will continue to stand at the pinnacle of all beings, receiving resources from the multitude to train more Supreme Councilmen."


    "Only in this way, indeed only this way, can we ensure the perpetual prosperity of wizard civilization!"

 Chapter 540 - 354 Overlapping Effects

    Nois left the palace in a daze, not bothering to erect a protective shield, allowing the biting cold of the high-altitude Gang Wind to assault his face.


    "Only a Supreme Councilman can contend with a true Divine..."


    He understood his grandfather''s meaning.


    Indeed, the true core battleground of this war with the Divine was never within Neustadt City, nor was it located in the mind games he played with the Divine spies... it was solely between the Supreme Councilmen and the Divine.


    To the Supreme Councilmen who had lived for thousands of years, ordinary people and low-rank wizards were nothing more than weeds that would grow back the next year after being burned.


    Drifting through the clouds for a moment, Nois quickly returned to Neustadt City.


    He hovered in mid-air, quietly staring at the city shrouded in the night below.


    Perhaps it was the cold wind that stiffened his features, but the bewilderment on Nois''s face slowly turned into a stone-like hardness.


    He said nothing, just let out a sigh, re-erected the protective shield, and prepared to return to his castle.


    It was then that, out of the corner of his eye, Nois caught a glimpse of a familiar figure on the street below, and, moved by curiosity, he abruptly descended.


    Swoosh!


    "Lord Nois?"


    A shadow suddenly appeared, and Colin was slightly startled, his body tensing instinctively.


    Recognizing the face before him, he relaxed a bit and hurriedly greeted him, though inside he felt puzzled.


    It was deep into the night; he had just been allowed to leave his School and was about to return home... Why had Nois suddenly appeared before him at this time?


    "May I ask if you are looking for me, my lord?" Colin continued, instinctively.


    Stunned for a moment upon hearing the question, Nois casually asked,


    "How have you been lately?"


    "?" Colin looked puzzled.


    Feeling a bit embarrassed, Nois took a careful look at Colin, then raised his eyebrows and asked,


    "You''ve advanced to a Second Rank Wizard?"


    Colin''s heart sank, unsure of how to respond.


    The two Lower Second Rank Disguise Magics, derived from breaking the limits of First Rank Upper witchcraft, could completely fool a Second Rank Wizard, and even a Third Rank Wizard would be deceived unless they probed intentionally.


    However, he wasn''t sure of Nois''s precise Rank, but it seemed probable that Nois was at least a Fourth Rank Wizard.


    Before Nois, if he didn''t probe, it would be fine, but upon inspection, his Lower Second Rank Disguise Magic would hardly escape detection.


    "Yes." After weighing his options for a moment, Colin could only nod.


    "It seems that I have underestimated the rewards you reaped in the Elf Kingdom," Nois remarked as he scrutinized Colin, a gleam in his eyes. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Such a rate of cultivation was truly astonishing!


    Yet quickly, a chill wind blew, and the image of the Supreme Councilman emerged unbidden in Nois''s mind, dampening his spirit.


    "Don''t be nervous. Your fortune is your own¡ªas long as you are not tainted by the Divine, I shall not interfere with you."


    Nois offered a soft smile.


    ''Second Rank, what of it? There has never been a shortage of geniuses among wizards. History has seen those of remarkable talent rise to Second Rank in just ten years, and it''s not an isolated case.


    Not even Third Rank yet!


    The path of a Wizard becomes increasingly difficult the further one goes. The pace of accumulating cultivation as a Second Rank is far slower than before, and the breakthrough to Third Rank is an even greater challenge than an Apprentice becoming an Official Wizard, not to mention the still more difficult Fourth Rank...''


    Nois eyed Colin, who was looking down, and silently reflected,


    ''This Half-blood Wizard before me is destined never to reach the pinnacle, or rather, he might not even advance to Third Rank.''


    Nois paused, then inquired further, "Have you joined the True Knowledge Society?"


    "I have."


    "Not bad; the True Knowledge Society is a good place," Nois said softly, then asked, "Have you now joined the Tin Saint Family?"


    "No," Colin shook his head, "I have not joined any Faction."


    Nois was taken aback for a moment, intending to warn Colin that a path without Faction support would be fraught with hardship and obstacles.


    But as the words reached his lips, Nois suddenly fell silent and, after a long pause, he eventually said in a gentle tone,


    "That''s good; you won''t be bound by Factional ties."


    "Hmm," Colin nodded slightly, surprised by Nois''s response.


    "Something else," Nois finally remembered a matter of substance,


    "Although the Deep Red Marking Technique has been successfully modified, the Supreme Council has ultimately decided to continue concealing your identity,


    to confuse the Divine side, making them uncertain if such a Wizard really exists or if it''s merely a smokescreen we''ve released."


    Pausing briefly, Nois added, "At the same time, it''s for your safety as well."


    Despite his words, Nois knew that the Heroic Wizard identity of Colin might never be revealed.


    The Council needed to sow doubt in the minds of the Divine, and equally, they did not wish to bestow the honor of modifying the Deep Red Marking Technique on a Half-blood Wizard.


    In fact, many High Rank Wizards still believed that the so-called Heroic Wizard was actually Nois... Fabricating a Heroic Wizard was merely to bewilder the Divine side.


    "I understand," Colin nodded calmly, letting out a slight sigh of relief.


    The so-called Heroic Wizard was but an empty title, a magnet for danger he''d rather be without.


    After all, although he had discovered the Elf Kingdom, it wasn''t he who modified the Deep Red Marking Technique.

 Chapter 541 - 354 Overlapping Effects_2

    Colin felt somewhat uncomfortable receiving this honor that he didn''t truly deserve.


    However, when Nois on the other side looked at Colin''s calm face, he inexplicably felt some guilt.


    In his view, Colin''s expression was calm, but it seemed to reveal a sense of loss of honor between his brows.


    Unfortunately, this was indeed an order issued by the Supreme Council, and he had no power to change it. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "This is for you," Nois thought for a moment, suddenly took out the Memory Crystal he had just obtained, engraved the improved Deep Red Marking Technique on it, and handed it to Colin, "Don''t tell anyone."


    Colin reached out and took it.


    "Work hard in your practice," Nois smiled, his figure disappearing in an instant.


    In the pitch-black night, he looked back at the blond young man and silently sighed,


    "At the mountain''s peak, a pole''s footprint... Only a few Wizards can reach the top."


    ...


    Time flew by.


    A week had passed since Colin returned to Neustadt City.


    The city was initially a bit bleak, but after a day or two, it had recovered to seventy or eighty percent, and by today, both the buildings and the populace were no different from before.


    Inside the True Knowledge Society Second Rank research lab


    Colin stood relaxed, his gaze focused, a sudden point of red light appearing in the air in front of him.


    As time passed, the red light expanded bit by bit, a burning sensation rushing towards him.


    Then, at a certain moment, the red light in front turned into a human figure burning with flames!


    Colin sighed lightly and waved his hand to disperse the Summoned Fire Element.


    Even though he had reduced his casting speed as much as possible, he still couldn''t figure out the overlapping occurrence that happened when casting the Limit Breaking Fireball Skill and Summoning Fire Element at the same time.


    After resting momentarily, Colin exhaled stale air and suddenly summoned Silent Shadow.


    Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh.


    Six Silent Shadows silently stood before him, and with a thought from Colin, he summoned Black Mist Armor.


    Faint black mist appeared suddenly, covering his body completely in an instant as if he had turned into a dark, fierce Knight.


    Two seconds later, Colin dispelled the Black Fog Armor again.


    Under his control, the Black Fog Armor started to dissipate bit by bit, starting with the helmet, beginning from the eyebrows. The hard-as-steel Black Fog Armor crumbled into wisps of black mist and dissipated into the air in the blink of an eye.


    But Colin knew, just like when summoning Black Fog Armor, most of that mist actually went back to the Silent Shadows.


    About two minutes later, the Black Fog Armor on Colin''s body had completely vanished.


    He closed his eyes slightly, frowning thoughtfully.


    When he had advanced to a Second Rank Wizard and could use dual casting of two witchcrafts, he discovered the strange overlapping effect when casting Fireball and Summoning Fire Element simultaneously.


    This effect not only significantly increased the speed of casting but also reduced the consumption of Magic Power.


    Similarly, in the Black Mist Net Witchcraft, there was a similar overlapping effect.


    Summoning Black Mist Armor seemed like a single witchcraft, but it wasn''t really so in reality.


    In fact, Black Mist Net Witchcraft was the first combined witchcraft Colin encountered, probably the only one.


    Like the Temple Ring Binding he got later, strictly speaking, it was only a group of witchcraft, not a combined witchcraft.


    Now comparing Black Mist Net Witchcraft with simultaneously casting Fireball and Summoning Fire Element,


    Colin realized that perhaps the current Fireball and Summoning Fire Element were indeed the prototype of a combined witchcraft.


    And what he was currently contemplating deeply was how to further develop them and how to use the power of Golden Paper to aid them.


    As his strength developed, Colin clearly realized that in the combat of High Rank Wizards, as the attacks got more powerful, the witchcraft they used was usually not just single witchcraft.


    In other words, after Second Rank, Wizards mostly used combined witchcraft.


    The reason was simple, in most cases, the power of combined witchcraft formed from stacking more single witchcraft was greater.


    And because of the overlapping effect, in most cases, the Magic Power needed for combined witchcraft temporarily was also less.


    Take the previously summoned Black Mist Armor, for instance, its defensive capability was comparable to the single witchcraft Steel Temperature Resistance Force Field, but the Magic Power needed for summoning it was not even a tenth of that required for the Steel Temperature Resistance Force Field.


    Of course, Black Mist Armor was an exception.


    Aside from the overlapping effect, this was mainly because the Black Mist Armor was the core of Black Mist Net combined witchcraft.


    The Magic Power it needed was mostly provided beforehand during the transformation of Silent Shadow.


    So during the battle, the Magic Power needed was naturally much less.


    All in all, recently, Colin had been trying to integrate Fireball and Summon Fire Element into a unique combined witchcraft.


    Although simultaneously casting Fireball and Summoning Fire Element was equivalent to a primitive combined witchcraft.


    But this was because of the special change in the soul of an advanced Second Rank Wizard.


    If it were any other Wizard, they would still have to honestly cast Fireball first, then use Fireball as a material to cast Summon Fire Element.


    Boom!


    Flames ignited, and Colin continued to practice and research Fireball and Summon Fire Element.


    In his heart, he felt that if he could figure out the specific conditions behind the overlapping effects of Fireball and Summoning Fire Element, with Golden Paper''s help, he might integrate it with Black Mist Net Witchcraft and develop a new, powerful witchcraft!

 Chapter 542 - 354 Overlapping Effects_3

    Thinking of this, Colin felt a renewed sense of vigor.


    After all, once he advanced to the Second Rank, as the difficulty of cultivation increased, the gains brought by his Superbrain and the Crown of Spirit Awakening significantly decreased.


    Though he was still faster than the average wizard, like lightning, the prospect of repeating his previous rapid successions of advancement within just a few short months seemed difficult.


    To enhance his combat power, he would have to start with witchcraft!


    Time flew by quickly.


    At noon, Colin stopped practicing and sat at his experimental table for lunch.


    Nobody came to disturb his meal, and Shelley hadn''t returned yet¡­ It was unclear how much longer it would be.


    After lunch, Colin didn''t continue practicing, instead heading to Copper Rose Street.


    Wate Auction House.


    Despite its ordinary name, this auction house was one of the top-ranked in Neustadt City.


    Six days prior, he had entrusted them with the auctioning of the Extreme Cold Crystal.


    Colin stepped inside and, after showing his credentials and the Tin Saint School Badge, a waiter quickly led him to a private room.


    "Sir, please wait here momentarily. The auction will begin in about thirty minutes."


    "Mhm," Colin nodded, still feeling some anticipation.


    Without any suitable witchcraft commissions to take, he could only earn forty to sixty thousand Magic Stones at most per month by selling Zeroth Rank Upper witchcraft, without affecting his daily cultivation.


    That piece of Extreme Cold Crystal could sell for at least one hundred thousand Magic Stones, and if a suitable buyer was found, perhaps even more. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Compared to selling practiced Limit Breaking Zeroth Rank Upper witchcraft, this was truly like picking up Magic Stones for nothing!


    Colin even thought that, if he ever found himself short on Magic Stones, he could consider taking a trip to places like the Extreme North¡ªusing Anando''s Dice to pick up some treasures to sell.


    But this was just a thought. If really in need of Magic Stones and with spare time, he might give it a try, but doing so every week wouldn''t be feasible.


    After all, the Extreme North was a far-off journey that would take at least a day and a night, and the cost of the Transmission Array couldn''t be reimbursed... Exotic treasures were often found in distant and dangerous places, and even if it weren''t the Extreme North, other locations wouldn''t be much different.


    Moreover, the main thing was that no one could be sure what kind of treasures one might find with Anando''s Dice...


    Time passed silently amidst the clutter of thoughts.


    Suddenly, the Bright Crystal above the auction stage lit up, and a wizard in a neat white robe slowly walked to the front of the stage, gently tapped the gavel, and officially announced the start of the auction.


    "The first item up for auction, Mermaid''s Tears, starting price five hundred Magic Stones, with each bid increment no less than ten Magic Stones..."


    Colin watched the items on the stage with interest. He was here as a spectator and had no intention of purchasing anything¡ªsimply to broaden his knowledge.


    "The fifty-ninth item up for auction, the Extreme Cold Crystal, has a starting bid of eighty thousand Magic Stones, with each increment no less than one thousand Magic Stones."


    Colin straightened up a little, as it was finally the turn for his Extreme Cold Crystal.


    "Ninety thousand Magic Stones!"


    As soon as the auctioneer spoke, a mechanical bidding voice followed, raising the price by a hefty ten thousand Magic Stones!


    Colin felt a surge of joy, this undoubtedly meant that someone in the room had taken a fancy to this Extreme Cold Crystal!


    "Ninety-five thousand Magic Stones."


    The Extreme Cold Crystals were quite rare, and a mere bid of ninety thousand Magic Stones was not enough to scare off other wizards.


    "Ninety-six thousand Magic Stones!"


    "Ninety-seven thousand Magic Stones!"


    "One hundred thousand Magic Stones¡­"


    "..."


    After a fierce bidding war, the final hammer price for the Extreme Cold Crystal settled at one hundred sixty thousand Magic Stones.


    This price was nine thousand higher than the previous bid of one hundred fifty-one thousand!


    It was precisely this bid that finally deterred the remaining competitors.


    Although all the bidding voices were the same mechanical tone, indistinguishable from each other.


    Yet Colin felt that the buyer who spent one hundred sixty thousand Magic Stones for the Extreme Cold Crystal probably was the same wizard who had eagerly bid ninety thousand at the start.


    One hundred sixty thousand Magic Stones... Not bad, a satisfied smile appeared on Colin''s face.


    But the next second, a strange and unexpected fragrance wafted in, interrupting his thoughts. He instinctively followed the unfamiliar, yet somehow familiar scent towards the auction stage.


    There, he saw a dragon eye-sized white fruit displayed in the open box, causing him to swallow his saliva unintentionally.


    The auctioneer struck the golden gavel in his hand and announced loudly:


    "The sixtieth item for auction, Snow Fruit, starting bid eighty thousand Magic Stones, with each increment no less than one thousand Magic Stones."

 Chapter 543 - 355 Temporary Peace

    The Frost Snowfruit was entirely white, resembling a grape in appearance.


    However, it was a single piece, not a cluster like grapes, and was shrouded in misty frost air, appearing quite extraordinary.


    It was after clearly seeing the Frost Snowfruit that Colin finally understood that strange feeling¡ªit was clearly a reminder from his Frost Talent!


    This grape-like Frost Snowfruit should be like the ice flower beads obtained earlier through Anando''s Dice in the Extreme North, a treasure that could enhance Frost Talent!


    "Eighty-one thousand Magic Stones!" After the auction hammer fell, the mechanical bidding sound followed.


    Colin paused for a moment and then pressed the button next to his seat.


    "Eighty-five thousand Magic Stones!"


    He had no reason to miss out on this fruit that could enhance his Frost Talent!


    "Eighty-six thousand Magic Stones!"


    Just like the previous Extreme Cold Crystal, the market value of the Frost Snowfruit wasn''t just eighty thousand Magic Stones; its auction order came later than the Extreme Cold Crystal, so its market price should also be slightly higher than the one hundred thousand Magic Stones of the Extreme Cold Crystal.


    Perhaps around one hundred and ten to one hundred and twenty thousand Magic Stones?


    But such items are usually priceless, and the transaction prices vary, the market value is just a rough estimate.


    "Ninety thousand Magic Stones," Colin continued to bid without hesitation.


    Since the Talent column appeared on the Golden Paper, enhancing Talent had always been an issue.


    It wasn''t like witchcraft or Meditation Method, which could be directly improved through practice.


    The way each Talent progresses also differs, usually quite troublesome, and even some still temporarily have no way to be enhanced.


    Like the True Talent¡ªSuperbrain.


    But Frost Talent was an exception, at least for now, the method to improve Frost Talent was straightforward.


    No need for roundabout, costly methods through other means; simply consuming similar Frost treasures could lead to enhancement...


    Could it be because Frost Talent was originally obtained by consuming Ice Spring Essence, so the same Magic Plants or Element treasures could also enhance this Talent?


    But regardless, just spending some affordable Magic Stones could enhance his own Talent; this deal couldn''t be more worthwhile!


    The auction continued, with bids rising and falling, and the price kept climbing.


    "One hundred twenty thousand Magic Stones!" Colin raised his hand and pressed the bidding button, his brow unwavering.


    He was determined to get this Frost Snowfruit!


    Elsewhere in another private box.


    A plainly-dressed wizard with white brows, Isidore, furrowed his brows slightly and pressed the black bidding button beside him.


    "One hundred twenty-one thousand Magic Stones!"


    Isidore held a small wooden box in his left hand, inside which lay a strange snowflake continuously emitting cold air.


    ''Surely worth the one hundred sixty thousand Magic Stones spent on the Extreme Cold Crystal!'',


    Isidore lightly sniffed the Extreme Cold Crystal, his brow slightly relaxed, a pleased expression appearing on his face.


    "One hundred twenty-two thousand Magic Stones!"


    At that moment, the mechanical bidding sound resonated again.


    Isidore''s brows pinched together, he reached out and pressed the white bidding button:


    "One hundred twenty-three thousand Magic Stones!"


    Extreme Cold Crystal was valuable, Frost Snowfruit was valuable too; he wanted both.


    In another nearby private box, Colin heard the mechanical bidding sound, his brows involuntarily knitting together.


    He paused, then reached out to press the bidding button.


    "One hundred thirty thousand Magic Stones!"


    However, right after a moment, the mechanical bidding sound continued.


    "One hundred thirty-one thousand Magic Stones!"


    Colin sighed slightly, it seemed the other bidders hadn''t been deterred by the raised price by seven thousand Magic Stones as he had hoped.


    He hesitated for a moment, then reached out and pressed the bidding button again.


    "One hundred forty thousand Magic Stones!"


    The sudden increase of ten thousand Magic Stones in the bidding price caused a short silence in the entire auction house.


    Just when the auctioneer was getting ready to strike the auction hammer to start the timer, the mechanical bidding voice suddenly rose again.


    "One hundred forty-nine thousand Magic Stones!"


    Isidore''s brows tightened.


    He truly hadn''t expected that besides the Extreme Cold Crystal, another equally valuable Frost element material, the Frost Snowfruit, would appear in this auction!


    Unfortunately, after acquiring the Extreme Cold Crystal, he didn''t have many Magic Stones left; one hundred forty-nine thousand Magic Stones was the maximum he could offer now.


    "One hundred fifty thousand Magic Stones!"


    The mechanical bidding voice continued unabated.


    Isidore sighed and put down his hand.


    It seemed he could only watch as the Frost Snowfruit slipped through his fingers.


    "One hundred fifty thousand Magic Stones once... one hundred fifty thousand Magic Stones twice¡­ one hundred fifty thousand Magic Stones three times!"


    Dang!


    The golden auction hammer struck down heavily.


    Inside the private box, Colin breathed a sigh of relief.


    Fortunately, it was just one hundred fifty thousand Magic Stones; if it had been more, his Magic Stones might not have sufficed. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Actually, it was only because he had just sold the Extreme Cold Crystal; otherwise, he wouldn''t have been able to come up with one hundred fifty thousand Magic Stones now...


    It was fairly lucky, after all, if he missed the Frost Snowfruit this time, he had no idea how long he would have to wait to encounter another treasure that could enhance Frost Talent.


    The Frost Snowfruit, like other small auction items, would be transported to the corresponding bidder via a special device once auctioned.


    So a moment later, after the next auction item was brought onto the stage, Colin had already picked up the Frost Snowfruit, contained in a brown wooden box, from the tray next to his seat in the private box.


    He opened the wooden box, took out the fruit, and held its somewhat cold texture in his hand, its misty frost air pervading, refreshing one''s spirits. After examining it for a while, Colin carefully stored it away.

 Chapter 544 - 355 Temporary Peace_2

    In the time that followed, with no Magic Stones left in his pocket, he fully assumed the role of a spectator, eagerly awaiting the end of the auction to consume the Frost Snowfruit while gaining insight by observing the auctioned items.


    An hour later, Colin returned to the True Knowledge Society research lab.


    The Watt Auction House''s commission was five percent, and after deducting it, the sale of the Extreme Cold Crystal had brought him an income of 150,200 Magic Stones, but after purchasing the Frost Snowfruit, only 2,000 remained.


    ''I hope those 150,000 Magic Stones weren''t spent in vain.''


    Colin took a deep breath and placed the Frost Snowfruit into his mouth.


    Minutes later, after absorbing the energy, Colin summoned the Golden Paper.


    In the Talent column, the progress indicator behind Frost clearly moved forward by a large margin, increasing by 26 points to reach 95/100!


    It was a pity that he was still 5 points short of Limit Breaking!


    Colin sighed softly, otherwise, this Frost Talent might have become the fastest Limit Breaking Talent he had ever achieved!


    Looking at the black characters on the Golden Paper, Colin even felt an impulse to head again to the Extreme North and try his luck with Anando''s Dice to find some witchcraft that might promote the growth of his Frost Talent!


    But after pondering for a moment, he still dismissed the idea.


    The same reason as before: the outcomes of Anando''s Dice were simply unpredictable. Moreover, the potential enhancement gained from Limit Breaking his Frost Talent was still an unknown.


    It was better to proceed as usual, focusing on the practice of witchcraft and wizard training¡ªthat was the true path.


    However, this Frost Snowfruit, in terms of sensation alone, did not seem inferior to the transparent ice flower he had consumed for the first time, yet the progress it offered was only slightly more than half as much.


    ''Indeed, as one''s progress increases and the number of consumptions goes up, the effects of these treasures gradually weaken.'' S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Colin understood this clearly and put away the Golden Paper.


    Time quickly passed, and several days went by in a blink.


    After the major operation in the city that day, as if after a long commotion must come tranquility, life in the city suddenly became extraordinarily calm.


    Even the situation of the war had reached a strange standstill.


    "Neustadt City Daily (March 1st Edition)"


    "¡ªThere has been no battle on the front lines for five consecutive days."


    "It is reported that since the Deep Red Initiative on February 17th of the Yanan Calendar, the Divine side has been actively contracting its battle lines. The frequency of conflicts at the front has decreased day by day, and as of today, there has been no battle for five consecutive days..."


    In the study, Colin put down the newspaper and picked up an announcement from the Supreme Council¡ª


    "Supreme Council Announcement (March 1st Edition)"


    "¡­The Supreme Council gives the latest directive: the current front line situation is stable; it is necessary to continue to strengthen the defenses, maintain the existing advantages, and build up strength..."


    Colin frowned slightly, flipping through the drawer for the Supreme Council''s announcement from the previous day.


    On the brown paper, it stated clearly¡ª


    "The impact of the Deep Red Initiative is still ongoing, Divine battle lines are continually shrinking, possibly on the brink of a counter-offensive!"


    Shaking his head, Colin found the Council''s decisions somewhat incomprehensible.


    Just yesterday they had just talked about starting a counter-offensive, and yet today, they had suddenly changed their tune¡ªit seemed they no longer planned to pursue a victory further.


    The war¡­ had it temporarily entered a strange period of peace?


    Colin put down the announcement and didn''t dwell on it further.


    The reasons behind the resolutions made by the upper echelons of wizards were not for a mere Second Rank Wizard like him to understand.


    Glancing at his pocket watch, seeing it was no longer early, Colin gathered the newspapers, stood up, and prepared to practice witchcraft at the True Knowledge Society as usual.


    In these days of focused practice, he vaguely felt some progress in the Fireball Technique and Summoning the Fire Element.


    At least now he could actively control whether the overlay effect occurred while casting these two spells simultaneously.


    However, Colin hadn''t even stepped out of the door when he was met by an unexpected visitor.


    "Good morning, Colin," greeted Lillian, dressed in a gray and white Wizard Robe, smiling at Colin as he was pushing the door open.


    "Lillian senior, have you returned from completing your task?"


    Colin was surprised to see the lovely golden-haired girl standing before him, in a tailor-made miniaturized Wizard Robe, making the petite Lillian look like an exquisite doll.


    Colin, who was about to step out, immediately drew back his leg and turned to wave Lillian in instead.


    "Was the task successful, senior?"


    The two walked through the front yard and into the living room, where Colin called to Renee, not far away, "Renee, go prepare some tea and snacks."


    "Quite smooth," Lillian stroked her hair and smiled with pursed lips, "Just the process was a bit thrilling. If you''d like, we can sit down later, and I can go through it with you slowly."


    "Right," Lillian turned her head back to Colin and asked, "I heard from grandpa that you also went to do a compulsory task for the School recently? Did everything go well?"


    There was concern in Lillian''s eyes. As a half-Elf, she was aware of the treatment that Wizards who had not joined a Faction faced within the School.


    From the timing, it was easy to tell that Colin''s second compulsory task was not quite normal.


    Even though Lillian already knew from Atbolde that Colin had returned safely, she couldn''t help but ask again, a bit worried.


    "Everything went well," Colin looked at Lillian, smiled, and nodded, then after a pause, added, "Just that the process was a bit convoluted."


    Colin''s thoughts then drifted to Joyce and the inexplicable sense of being watched he had felt in Kararli City.


    However, now that he had been back in Neustadt City for half a month, there had been no new moves from the Hidosh Family, suggesting that Joyce probably hadn''t left any contingencies.


    That matter should be over for now.


    "Convoluted? That I am quite curious to hear," Lillian said, seeing Colin''s calm smile, she also relaxed and replied with a smile.


    "... No problem," Colin paused for a moment before nodding.


    Although he couldn''t tell Lillian about Joyce or Shelley''s matter,


    the original task had involved only one Snow Monster, but in the end, there were two, plus what was seen and heard in Ancient North Village, those special domed snow houses, and that young man who had lost his wife¡ªthose were fascinating enough.


    At least Lillian seemed enthralled, her expression turning somewhat grave after hearing about Robin.


    "There are many things in this world that are determined the moment we are born," Lillian said after a while.


    "Indeed so," Colin nodded in agreement, thought for a moment, and then said, "The only thing we can do is to push upward. Climbing may not allow us to escape a poor start, or break the chains we''re born with.


    But most of the time, we can climb a bit higher, and that bit of ascent truly raises us, the real peace of mind lies precisely in this seemingly arduous climb."


    "You are right," Lillian said with a smile, pausing before continuing, "I just exchanged for the Second Rank Tin Saint Meditation Method at the School yesterday, and within half a month, I should attempt to advance."


    "Wishing senior a smooth success on your first try," Colin raised his tea cup from the table, toasting Lillian.


    "Mm, wish me luck," Lillian pursed her lips, also lifted her tea cup, and took a light sip.


    The two set down their tea cups, the white porcelain clinking dully against the tablecloth covered wooden table.


    Lillian stared out the window, then suddenly sighed,


    "But having just advanced to Second Rank, one starts worrying about the knowledge for Third Rank... The wizard''s path is truly endless."


    Colin followed her gaze outside.


    Unknowingly, snow had begun to fall; large, feather-like flakes adding to the quiet cold of the world.


    Colin didn''t join the conversation, staying silent, but his eyes held anticipation.


    The Peak of Wizard, one day he would see it for himself.


    The two withdrew their gazes, exchanging glances, and Lillian stroked her hair once more before starting to recount her own experiences on this task.


    Colin sat opposite her on the couch, listening quietly.


    The logs in the nearby fireplace were crackling as they burned.

 Chapter 545 - 356: Exclusive Commission

    "Best of luck with your advancement, senior," Colin wished Lillian sincerely as their conversation continued until noon, after which Colin bid her farewell after lunch.


    "Okay," Lillian exhaled softly, nodding her head with a mix of nervous anticipation.


    Breaking through to Second Rank might have been a natural progression for Colin, but for Lillian, it was an unpredictable challenge.


    For decades, she lingered at this threshold until an accidental venture into the Elf Kingdom and the purification of her lineage finally gave her a glimmer of hope to move forward.


    The morning snow had not stopped but had lessened, fluttering down like catkins.


    Colin watched Lillian''s petite figure as she walked away, then he too started walking toward the True Knowledge Society.


    The war between Wizards and the Divine had come to a temporary peace, and the turbulence within the city seemed to have subsided for a while, ushering in an unusually calm period.


    However, Colin had no intention of relaxing. The calmer it was, the more one should gather strength.


    Perhaps due to the snowy weather, Colin walked for a while and hadn''t seen any public carriages, which made him somewhat nostalgic for the days he had a Coachman on Blackstone Island.


    ''Maybe I should consider buying a carriage?''


    In Neustadt, only Third Rank Wizards and some Second Rank Wizards were normally allowed to fly freely.


    Of course, since there were no mandatory Witch Arrays or restrictions, flying low over the streets generally wasn''t a problem, and sometimes Colin would fly directly home from the True Knowledge Society Castle at night when there were no public carriages.


    However, when riding in a carriage, he could use the travel time to study witchcraft in the carriage compartment, something he couldn''t do while flying himself.


    Therefore, Colin often preferred to take public carriages.


    As he learned more about witchcraft, time became more precious and scarce for Colin.


    Often, it became impossible to allocate enough practice time to all the techniques of witchcraft.


    Making choices had become a necessity.


    Colin sat cross-legged in the laboratory of the True Knowledge Society, focusing his spirit and summoning the Golden Paper.


    After carefully reviewing the progress of various knowledge areas, Colin planned his schedule for the afternoon.


    The Golden Paper ensured he progressed with each practice, but often, depending on his condition, the amount of progress per practice could vary.


    The stages of witchcraft progression also affected this, as the boost from each practice session was not mechanically fixed.


    Hence, Colin often needed to adjust his plans in real time.


    The True Knowledge Society Castle was as quiet as usual.


    In recent days, Colin even noticed that there were no Wizards on duty in the castle.


    Luckily, some basic functions, such as renting the laboratory, were controlled by the True Knowledge Central Control, making it no different whether someone was there or not.


    Regardless, the True Knowledge Society was the loosest organization Colin had ever joined.


    As evening approached,


    The sun set in a blaze of orange, fusing with the white snow to turn it golden.


    Colin sat cross-legged in the laboratory and gently exhaled a breath of turbid air.


    That afternoon, with acumulated efforts, he had managed to break the limits of three witchcraft techniques: the Deep Red Marking Technique, the Light Flame Soaring Skill, and the Natural Healing Skill. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Perhaps influenced by the crystal given by Nois, the Deep Red Marking Technique had leaped to become a Middle Second Rank, the highest level of witchcraft Colin currently mastered.


    Generally, complicated witchcraft didn''t necessarily mean powerful effects, but powerful witchcraft were usually complex.


    The limit-broken Deep Red Marking Technique now offered a qualitative leap in effects compared to its old version, which couldn''t detect the latest disguises of Divine Believers.


    With his current mastery over the updated core mechanisms of the Deep Red Marking Technique, without any unforeseen circumstances, it should be able to identify the latest disguises of a Divine Undercover, similar to the new Third Rank technique Colin witnessed in a School the other day.


    As for how it compared to the refined Third Rank version improved by Nois, honestly, Colin wasn''t entirely sure.


    ''This time, has the Council decided not to popularize the Deep Red Marking Technique?'' Colin suddenly thought.


    But upon further consideration, it seemed normal, probably because it''s too difficult to simplify and could only be used by Third Rank Wizards at minimum, so it couldn''t be popularized.


    After all, though Nois had given him a crystal that contained not only the complete improved Deep Red Marking Technique but also another manuscript,


    many of the knowledge pieces were still out of his current scope; without the Golden Paper, he likely wouldn''t be able to use the improved Deep Red Marking Technique until he reached Third Rank.


    Colin sighed softly.


    Advancing too quickly had its disadvantages; time was fair to everyone.


    As he spent most of his time practicing witchcraft and advancing as a Wizard, he naturally had less accumulation of related Wizard knowledge.


    But for a Wizard, accumulating a foundation of knowledge was crucial.


    Colin shifted his attention to the newly limit-broken Light Flame Soaring Skill.


    The flying witchcraft technique he obtained from Margaret, after its first limit breaking, had advanced from Middle First Rank to Second Rank Lower, aligning with most of the other witchcraft techniques he currently held.

 Chapter 546 - 356 Exclusive Commission_2

    But to his surprise, golden characters emerged within the parentheses that followed.


    Colin speculated that this was probably closely connected to the insufficient foundational knowledge he had accumulated so far.


    These days, he had been planning to go to the School''s Teaching Castle to enroll in some witchcraft knowledge courses¡ªprimarily recognized Second Rank foundational knowledge, as well as knowledge on the Fire Element, to make up for this deficiency.


    After all, he had earned some points from carrying out the mandatory tasks, which he could use to pay for the courses.


    As for the outcome of the Natural Healing Skill Limit Breaking, it was less than satisfactory; it only went from Middle First Rank to Upper First Rank.


    Fortunately, Colin didn''t have a great need for Healing Magic since he already had a strong defense and the Strong Life Talent to rely on, so it didn''t really matter.


    After breaking the limits of three witchcraft spells, Colin did not continue to practice. Instead, he turned around and left the True Knowledge Society.


    Colin walked past the broken fountain outside the gates of the True Knowledge Society Castle, where a thick layer of snow had accumulated,


    and the orange sunset sank into the distant horizon.


    He glanced left and right... he was in luck this time, as there happened to be a public carriage by the roadside.


    Colin stepped up into the carriage, and as the sound of the whip cracked, the carriage slowly began to move.


    At the same time, around the corner and out of his line of sight,


    a common Wizard wearing a hood subtly withdrew his gaze.


    He then quickly walked along the street for a long time, crossed intersections, turned down alleys, and eventually arrived before two extravagantly dressed Pureblood Wizards.


    Bale and Garna listened intently to the report from the Wizard before them, their expressions filled with a mix of shock and skepticism.


    "You''ve done well. You can go; no need to continue monitoring," Garna said, gesturing for the common Wizard to leave before firmly closing the door. He seemed to feel that wasn''t enough, so he cast a Silence Barrier with a wave of his hand.


    "Colin Leonard really came back?" Garna inhaled sharply, disbelief evident in his gaze toward Bale.


    Shock was apparent on Bale''s face, too. After a pause, he asked, "Are you Hidosh Family certain that Joyce has disappeared?"


    "Regardless, Joyce hasn''t returned up to now, and it''s been almost a month since he left. No one knows of his whereabouts..." Garna paused, then added, "except for us."


    "Joyce went to the Extreme North to deal with Colin... but now this First Rank Wizard has returned, and Second Rank Joyce has disappeared?"


    Bale sat back down, resting his chin in his hands, with a thoughtful frown.


    "Colin is no ordinary First Rank Wizard..." Garna hesitated for a moment before continuing, "Moreover, before this, he had already successfully killed a Second Rank Wizard named Yasi."


    "Are you suggesting Joyce went to take care of Colin but ended up being killed by him instead?" Bale raised his eyebrows, his voice rising slightly.


    A Second Rank Wizard, fully prepared, going after a First Rank Wizard but ending up killed instead?


    What a preposterous notion!


    "I don''t know," Garna said with a shrug, sharing the disbelief.


    "However, if Joyce didn''t accidentally lose his way or was unlucky to encounter some danger in the Extreme North...


    Then, the only possibility seems to be that the Golden Feather killed Joyce..."


    Bale''s brow furrowed deeply, and after a long silence, he looked up at Garna and said in a low voice, "Regardless, Joyce''s disappearance is undoubtedly connected to the Golden Feather." S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Garna nodded in agreement.


    Bale continued, "Have you heard if your Hidosh Family has plans to continue dealing with this Golden Feather?"


    "Not sure. Does your Bunier family have any news?" Garna shook his head.


    "No concrete news, but I heard some rumors... probably there will be new actions," Bale responded.


    Garna fell silent for a moment, his expression troubled, "The Magic Stone that Joyce promised us... we still haven''t received it."


    "Forget about it! This failed interception mission cost my family three months'' worth of resources, one more month than previously estimated," Babu added resentfully, "What a losing deal!"


    The room fell briefly into silence as the two men exchanged glances, their eyes flickering.


    "We can''t afford to make losing deals!" Babu eventually said, slapping the table and standing up.


    Garna nodded in agreement, "You''re right!"


    They sat down again, conversing in hushed tones.


    The translucent Silence Barrier isolated them from the outside world, blocking sound and blurring the figures of the two individuals.


    ...


    On the other hand, the carriage traveled along and soon stopped at the side of the road.


    Colin stepped out of the carriage, turned into an alleyway and after a short walk, arrived at the familiar Darren''s Commission.


    After returning to Neustadt City, he would visit this place every other day to check for updates on custom witchcraft commissions or requests to purchase magical services.


    After all, to earn Magic Stones, one had to look at the commissions for custom witchcraft.


    Walking up to a column in the hall, he placed his hand on a crystal, and a screen of light unfurled before him like water.


    Colin quickly went through the commission tasks updated in the past two days.


    ''There''s still nothing suitable.''


    With a sigh in his heart, Colin was about to leave Darren''s Commission and head home.


    However, at that moment, a witch from the commission firm suddenly approached and called out to him.


    "Lord Colin, you have an exclusive commission. Please follow me."


    Colin raised an eyebrow and followed the witch to a room behind the commission counter.


    "That''s the thing, Lord Colin," the witch began as soon as she sat down, sensing his confusion. "While Darren''s Commission normally operates with anonymous transactions,


    if needed, the wizard who posts a commission can specify a particular wizard through us, such as the one who completed their last custom witchcraft."


    "And your exclusive commission is just like that. The wizard who posted it is the same one who posted the commission for Elemental Life Enhancement that you completed last time."


    Colin nodded, understanding what was going on.


    ''... It seems that the Elemental Life Enhancement witchcraft I crafted last time must have satisfied the client.''


    "So, what exactly is the request for this exclusive commission?" Colin asked.


    However, the witch before him shook her head and said,


    "The wizard didn''t specify the exact content of the exclusive commission. They just said it''s still a custom witchcraft, within the difficulty of Second Rank, and there''s more¡ª" she paused and continued, "The reward is five hundred thousand Magic Stones."


    Colin arched his eyebrows; this amount of Magic Stones was something he couldn''t refuse.


    "How should I find out the exact requirements of the commission?" he continued.


    "The client said they need to discuss it in person."


    Colin frowned slightly.


    "If you''re worried about privacy," the witch smiled, "there''s no need. Darren''s Commission provides Hidden Witch Tools especially for wizards who don''t wish to reveal their identities, crafted by a Third Rank Wizard. Theoretically, wizards below the middle level of Third Rank cannot possibly see through it.


    Of course, there''s a fee for using it, but it''s necessary."


    "However, the commissioning wizard has already mentioned that if you agree, he will pay for the use of the Hidden Witch Tool, and you won''t have to spend a single Magic Stone."


    "I understand," Colin said with a slight nod.


    The commissioning wizard had indeed been very thoughtful.


    After pondering for a moment, he said, "I am willing to learn more, please arrange a time for me."


    "Very well, Lord Colin," the witch nodded. "Is tomorrow morning suitable for you?"


    "I have no issue. Does the commissioner have time then?"


    The witch smiled, "That lord emphasized that if you were willing to learn more, to arrange a meeting as soon as possible. He''s available at any time."


    Colin nodded, curiosity unwittingly arising within him.


    This commissioning wizard was in such a hurry; it made him wonder what kind of custom witchcraft they wanted... But at the very least, he was certain that the difficulty would be high.


    However, it didn''t matter. He hadn''t accepted the commission yet. Tomorrow was simply for understanding more, and if it wasn''t suitable, he could still refuse.

 Chapter 547 - 357 Witchcraft Miracle

    The next morning, the sun was bright.


    Around nine in the morning, Colin arrived at Darren''s Commission.


    He wore a simple white mask that covered only his eyes and nose; an invisible force enveloped his entire body, preventing others from discerning his true appearance and aura.


    The witch at the commission led him outside to a black carriage.


    The meeting location wasn''t at this base but somewhere else.


    It wasn''t particularly for secrecy, as Colin, sitting in the carriage, could still clearly sense the direction and distance it traveled.


    It was merely a change of meeting place.


    About ten minutes later, the carriage slowly stopped, and Colin stepped down to see an ordinary residence... perhaps temporarily rented?


    The witch from Darren''s Commission did not enter with him; under the guidance of a maid, Colin walked through the front yard and finally met the client of this exclusive mission in the living room.


    "Mr. Sylvan," greeted the commissioner, who wore no mask and appeared as a middle-aged man whose eyebrows and hair were both white.


    This white resembled that of Shelley but was far less smooth and glossy, much duller.


    "Just call me Isidore," the white-haired wizard continued, then cut straight to the point:


    "This invitation was ostensibly for a custom witchcraft, but the actual situation is somewhat different."


    As he spoke, he took out a confidential contract.


    "Please sign this contract, and then I''ll explain in detail."


    Colin behind the mask couldn''t help but frown slightly.


    "Rest assured, the contract only requires you to keep our following conversation confidential, nothing else."


    Isidore explained, noting Colin''s hesitant expression, and continued:


    "Don''t overthink it; it''s not anything dangerous, just involves my personal privacy."


    Colin relaxed his furrowed brows slightly and took the contract from Isidore to examine carefully.


    If it was for personal confidentiality, he could understand; some people indeed value their privacy.


    Of course, if it were just a typical commission paying around a hundred thousand Magic Stones, Colin would have left already, but since it was five hundred thousand Magic Stones, he was willing to exercise a bit more patience.


    After thoroughly checking that there were no issues with the contract, Colin nodded slightly and signed.


    "Now you can tell me what exactly this task involves."


    Isidore nodded but didn''t answer directly, instead asking, "I wonder, Mr. Sylvan, are you familiar with the Ice Element?"


    "I know a bit," Colin replied.


    "You''re being modest," Isidore smiled, "The Elemental Life Enhancement witchcraft you submitted last time was a marvel!"


    Colin smiled and thoughtfully said, "According to Darren''s Commission, this commission should also relate to Elemental Life, and you mentioned the Ice Element¡­?"


    "It is indeed related to the Ice Element, but the specific situation is a bit complicated," Isidore smiled again, then slowly stood up, "Please follow me, you''ll understand once you see."


    Together, they walked along the corridor towards the deeper part of the residence.


    Before long, they arrived at a black iron door; Isidore pushed open the door in front of him.


    A passage leading underground was revealed.


    Isidore led the way downstairs, and one by one, Bright Crystals on the walls lit up, illuminating the gray-white stone staircase descending.


    The light was not strong, and the basement remained somewhat dim.


    Colin watched Isidore''s figure ahead, his mind alert, continuously speculating,


    "Related to the Ice Element¡­"


    However, before Colin could figure anything out, he had already descended the stairs. His footsteps paused slightly, his azure eyes filled with surprise.


    In the spacious basement illuminated by the Bright Crystal, a huge blue ice pillar approximately four meters tall stood alone. Its top almost touched the ceiling, and white frost approached, a thin layer adhering to the grayish-white floor.


    Isidore slowly turned around, and as he waved his hand to disperse the white frost, the surprise in Colin''s eyes instantly turned to disbelief.


    Within the huge ice pillar was a small human figure!


    A little girl of about three or four, with her eyes slightly closed as if in a deep sleep, her small frame, semi-translucent skin akin to a layer of white frost covering it, and aside from her facial features, the rest of the body was just a rough human shape without details.


    At this moment, she was clearly inside the solid ice pillar, yet she seemed to be in water, her tiny body gently swaying as if she could freely navigate through the ice.


    "This is... some kind of special Ice Element?" Colin hesitated for a moment before speaking, his gaze still fixed on the ice pillar. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes, but also no," Isidore walked beside the ice pillar, lightly caressing it for a moment and murmured in a low voice, "I prefer to call her a miracle, a miracle that witchcraft brought to me."


    Colin was puzzled and looked at Isidore, whose next words made his jaw drop.


    "She is alive, a truly independent life," Isidore said as he gazed at the ice pillar, where the ''miracle'' inside seemed about to awaken.


    Isidore quickly moved his palm away and gently waved his hand.


    Whoo¡ª


    Suddenly, the corners of the basement lit up with the faint glow of a Witch Array, a burst of frost injected into the ice pillar in front of them, allowing the miracle within to subside once more.


    Isidore sighed in relief and turned to Colin, saying,


    "I know what you''re wondering. Indeed, thousands of years ago, wizards lost the ability to summon true life, and today''s witchcraft used to summon elements should really be called Puppetry Technique.


    We are creating elements, not summoning them from somewhere."


    "But the ''miracle'' is indeed a truly independent life, born from an ordinary experiment of Summoning Ice Element. I was studying the witchcraft of summoning the Ice Element, using hard-earned Blue Cold Crystal, and the witchcraft was just the most common Ricker''s Summoning Ice Element¡­cough, in any case, it was unexpected, and no matter how I replicated it later, I could never recreate it¡­


    But regardless, I am absolutely certain that ''miracle'' is an independent life! When I created her, she showed amazing learning ability and self-awareness, yes, she possesses self-awareness! True self-awareness, and not just a pre-set Element Core!"


    Isidore''s tone became somewhat fervent, his white hair fluttering with his head''s shaking.


    "Do you mean to say, she has a soul?" Colin paused, asking half in belief and half in doubt.


    It was truly astonishing; creating life had always been more of a sensational idea than a substantial reality.


    Wizards had long since realized that, although they could create life that could move freely and even think, they could not truly create a soul.


    To create a life with true self-awareness, the materials must necessarily include a soul, just like those Silent Shadows, which are, in the strictest sense, each a separate life with a soul.


    "I don''t know." Isidore heard his question, subdued his expression, and after a long pause, shook his head honestly, "I can''t observe her soul, it''s like a fog, uncertain whether it exists or not."


    "So, she having a soul is just your conjecture?" Colin felt slightly relieved.


    Compared to creating a real life, it was easier to accept accidentally creating a more special Ice Element.


    Isidore looked at Colin, opened his mouth, a hint of annoyance flashing in his eyes, but ultimately, he did not argue.


    Colin was not the first wizard he had sought, nor the first to question whether the miracle had a soul... He did not want to waste more energy arguing.


    Isidore looked at the ice pillar beside him, believing no matter what, that miracle was indeed a true life, definitely possessing a soul!


    The basement fell silent for a moment.


    "As you can see, Sir Wood Sprite," Isidore continued,


    "Although the miracle is an independent life, she cannot sustain her existence. I have been seeking ways, but still can''t prevent her dissipation, only managing to slow her disappearance through the Witch Array coupled with some rare Frost treasures."


    "But this is merely a temporary measure," Isidore turned back, "In fact, if it weren''t for the Elemental Life Enhancement witchcraft you performed, she might have already dissipated."


    "It is precisely because the effects of the Elemental Life Enhancement witchcraft were remarkable that I entertained the idea of whether it was possible to thoroughly solve the problem of the miracle''s dissipation through witchcraft."


    "So, Sir Wood Sprite, the commission''s request is to solve the problem of the miracle''s dissipation...by any means necessary."

 Chapter 548 - 358: A New Approach

    In the basement,


    Isidore looked at Colin with eyes full of hope.


    After seeking many people and trying various methods, most of what he tried was futile, and the few effective measures were merely treating the symptoms, not the root cause.


    Only after attempting the witchcraft delivered by Colin did he suddenly realize that perhaps he could completely solve the Miracle''s problem from the perspective of witchcraft.


    Although he was reluctant to admit it, Colin''s specific witchcraft for Elemental Summonings turned out to be the most effective of all the methods he had tried.


    Both the Witch Array he set up to supplement the Energy and the precious treasures he purchased were nothing more than small comforts.


    Under the white mask, Colin furrowed his brows deeply and after a long moment, shook his head,


    "Sorry, Lord Isidore, I don''t have the confidence to make... the Miracle capable of existing independently over the long term."


    Most Elemental Lives summoned through the numerous witchcraft available in the market are not able to exist for a long time; they''re just Elemental puppets used for temporary combat.


    According to what Isidore had said earlier, the summoning witchcraft he used was called... Ricker''s Summoning Ice Element, which now appears to be like his Summon Fire Element¡ªthe summoned Elements had not been considered for long-term existence.


    They had no structures within their bodies to absorb energy, so the energy inside them was destined to be depleted continuously from the moment of their birth and was unable to replenish autonomously.


    Even without engaging in combat, once the energy level inside them dropped to a certain point, they would naturally disintegrate and dissipate.


    Changing this, to enable an Elemental Life to exist for a long time, was not an easy task, and indeed he had no certainty about it.


    As his words ended, Isidore''s complexion gradually darkened, and his gaze flickered.


    Colin subtly shifted his position, just in case the Wizard in front of him lost his reason.


    In truth, another reason he was hesitant to take on this commission was because of Isidore''s attitude toward this special Elemental Life¡ªthere was no doubt that the Miracle was Isidore''s treasure!


    If the commission failed in the end, not earning Magic Stones would be a minor issue, but accruing an enemy for no good reason would not be favorable.


    However, to Colin''s surprise, Isidore looked at the ice columns behind him, took a couple of breaths, and then turned back with a squeezed-out smile, continuing to say,


    "It''s normal not to have confidence; I understand the difficulty, and I''m not asking you to definitely accomplish anything.


    If you are not able to complete the commission successfully in the end, I won''t trouble you for it."


    Isidore paused and took out a blank contract, saying, "We can agree on this beforehand... Lord Woodspirit, how about I pay you a 20 percent deposit up front, and the remainder upon successful completion, whether we succeed or fail, I won''t ask for the deposit back."


    Isidore''s attitude took Colin aback, but he was still somewhat hesitant.


    However, if it was just an attempt without guaranteeing ultimate success, perhaps it was worth a try?


    After all, although he was not certain, he actually had some ideas. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unlike Summoning Fire Element, his Black Mist Net Witchcraft, strictly speaking, was a kind of witchcraft that allowed witchcraft creations to exist for a long period of time.


    In the modifications of Silent Shadow, there was involvement in the design of a complete Energy cycle framework.


    Although Silent Shadow differed significantly from Elemental Lives, there were also many similarities between the two.


    Weighing the options repeatedly in his mind, Colin nodded,


    "Lord Isidore, if it''s merely an attempt, I am willing to accept this commission."


    Joy appeared on Isidore''s face as he stepped forward.


    The two discussed and signed a simple contract, each keeping a copy.


    Isidore put away the signed contract and after hesitating, asked,


    "Lord Woodspirit, I''d like to ask, how confident are you in saving the Miracle?"


    Isidore''s white eyebrows were somewhat disheveled, and there was fatigue in his eyes; these past few months, he had been unable to eat or sleep well, and his previously ample fortune was now on the brink of bankruptcy.


    Turning to Colin was truly a desperate measure; he was only a Second Rank Wizard, and he did not wish for a Wizard beyond his control to approach the Miracle.


    Of course, on the other hand, he could not afford the fee for a Third Rank Wizard¡ª the gap between Second and Third Rank Wizards was like that between Wizard Apprentices and Official Wizards.


    If you were to drop a brick in Neustadt City, out of ten people hit, perhaps nine would be Wizards, six of those would be Apprentices, the other half Official Wizards, but most likely, Second Rank Wizards at best.


    Third Rank Wizards were the mainstay among Wizards, not so easy to encounter.


    On the other hand, for Isidore, fear always lingered in his heart¡ªthe fear of losing Miracle.


    It was odd, though, since the Elemental Life summoned should be under the complete control of the summoning Wizard. Yet, Isidore felt only a tenuous connection to Miracle.


    In fact, the custom witchcraft request Isidore had placed at Darren''s Commission, aside from enhancing the power of the Elemental Life itself, also demanded an increase in the ability to control it.


    After the witchcraft had been performed, it was indeed effective, but the connection was still only slightly stronger than non-existent.


    Regardless, for Isidore, if Miracle were cured but didn''t belong to him¡ª


    He would rather let Miracle fade away.


    "I can only say I have some ideas, but whether they will succeed, I truly am not certain," Colin said, watching Isidore, then pausing before speaking.


    Isidore''s expression dimmed for a moment, before he mustered a forced smile, "Is there anything I need to do to assist you, sir?"


    Having some ideas was better than none. He had tried to find Wizards before, who either bragged or simply shook their heads.


    Furthermore, he had used witchcraft from Colin which had wildly exceeded his expectations, so despite Colin''s lack of confidence, Isidore still harbored some hope.


    "I need to understand the complete process of how you summoned Miracle, and I also need to know the witchcraft for Summoning Ice Element," Colin pondered and then carefully spoke.


    Isidore had no objections, but before leaving, he turned his head to check the Ice Cone and the surrounding Witch Array, then turned back to Colin with an apology.


    "Please wait a moment, Elemental Puppet sir, I need to replenish some energy for the Witch Array."


    As he spoke, Isidore walked behind the Ice Cone, where there stood a silver metal column half the height of a man.


    Isidore took out an exquisite wooden box from his Storage Ring, then opened the Protective Shield on the column and placed the strange snowflakes from the box inside.


    Colin watched this scene, slightly startled.


    He recognized that snowflake¡ªit was the Extreme Cold Crystal he had sold just a few days ago, wasn''t it?


    "What is it, Sir Colin?" Isidore asked, noticing his slight bewilderment.


    "¡­It''s nothing," Colin shook his head.


    "This snowflake is called an Extreme Cold Crystal, which I won at an auction recently," Isidore thought for a moment and then began to explain, "Miracle requires a constant replenishment of Energy to sustain her existence, which is quite costly."


    Colin made no remark, simply nodding faintly.


    Next, the two left the basement, and Isidore told Colin everything he knew. When leaving, he also gave Colin the complete Ricker''s Summoning Ice Element witchcraft and one hundred thousand Magic Stones.


    Finally, Isidore continued to speak to Colin, "Based on my current savings, Miracle can last at most three months, please hurry, sir."


    "I will," Colin affirmed with a serious nod.


    After all, from what Isidore had done so far, he indeed showed sincerity, not just paying a deposit upfront, but also providing a Second Rank Lower Summoning witchcraft¡ªif one were to buy it outright, it would cost at least eighty thousand Magic Stones.


    Handling business for money, he naturally would not slack off.


    Moreover, this attempt might also be beneficial to the idea he was currently researching¡ªcombining Summon Fire Element with Black Mist Net.


    Ever since he''d discovered the overlapping effect, his research progress had stagnated, hoping only that Golden Paper Limit Breaking might induce new changes.


    Yet Second Rank witchcraft wasn''t so easy to advance. To practice Fireball Technique or Summon Fire Element to the level of Limit Breaking, given the current rate, would take at least half a year.


    Isidore''s commission provided a chance to shift the approach and see if there were ways to derive the same principles.


    Thinking along these lines, Colin''s thoughts grew broader.


    If Summon Fire Element caused an overlapping effect when cast simultaneously with Fireball Technique.


    Then might Summoning Ice Element, when combined with Ice Cone Skill or Water Ball Skill, also experience an overlapping effect?


    If that were possible, might it also be worth trying to combine them with Black Mist Net?


    Possessing Frost Talent, perhaps the obstacles he encountered when summoning the Fire Element might be more easily overcome with the Ice Element?


    The more Colin thought about it, the more feasible it seemed.


    His current research was mainly focused on creating a more perfected Combined Witchcraft based on Black Mist Net, to which he could add the nascent form of Combined Witchcraft¡ªan overlapping effect between Summon Fire Element and Fireball Technique¡ªto create a stronger Combined Witchcraft.


    But if Summoning Ice Element also produced an overlapping effect, then switching to the Ice Element wouldn''t be a problem?


    After all, what he wanted was simply a more powerful witchcraft to enhance his combat abilities.

 Chapter 549 - 359 Successfully Advanced

    After leaving Isidore''s residence, Colin plunged headfirst into the laboratory.


    The problem with Miracle was simple¡ªit required adding a structure that could independently extract energy from the outside world to sustain itself.


    However, the actual operation was extremely complex, requiring attention to numerous details.


    Such elemental puppets were equivalent to humans without the ability to eat, lacking esophagi, stomachs, or intestines.


    ¡ªAnd they did not exist at the genetic level.


    It was no easy feat to add a self-consistent and stable energy extraction structure to them afterward.


    Colin sat behind the silvery-white laboratory table, closing his eyes to inspect the Summoning Ice Element crystal.


    Somehow, he felt he was growing fonder of studying witchcraft.


    Challenging commissions like Miracle''s didn''t deter him; they instead stimulated his interest.


    A smooth, uneventful life and a life that could be seen from beginning to end were equally dull.


    Some challenges were more exciting!


    However, Colin soon encountered his first problem.


    The next day, at Isidore''s residence.


    Colin frowned at Isidore, paused, then spoke gravely,


    "If I cannot access Miracle, I cannot proceed with my research."


    Isidore appeared normal at all other times, except when dealing with matters related to Miracle¡ªhe was particularly...pathological.


    He actually didn''t want him to access Miracle?!


    Without access to the target in need of aid, how could he possibly provide help?


    Isidore gave a smile, but didn''t relent, simply saying,


    "Lord Elf, Miracle''s physical structure is no different from a normal Ice Element.


    Any method effective on a normal Ice Element should work on Miracle; the witchcraft you have previously delivered has already proven this."


    "If you need actual research materials, I have given you the Summoning Witchcraft; you can summon the Ice Element yourself for study.


    Of course, if you need my help with the summoning, that''s fine too, it just needs to be scheduled."


    Colin scrutinized Isidore and asked again,


    "There isn''t much time left for Miracle; this approach might work, but it will inevitably waste more time."


    "Moreover, as you say, even if Miracle''s body is like that of a regular Ice Element, its spirit is fundamentally different.


    With this difference, there might be effects, and eventually, even if experiments succeed on an Ice Element, no one can ensure they will succeed on Miracle. If they do not succeed, then we still have to..."


    "I understand, Lord Elf," Isidore interrupted him.


    He glanced back at the ice column, his pale gray eyes beneath white eyebrows filled with a pathological love and indifference.


    "But let it be; if everything works on an Ice Element but fails on Miracle, then it must be fate."


    Colin relaxed his brow, not saying anything further.


    If the client was willing to accept such risks, he as a paid Wizard, what could he say?


    Colin finally cast a deep look at Miracle within the pale blue ice column and turned to leave.


    The figure of the young girl, Miracle, with her eyes tightly closed, floated within the ice column, her crystal blue hair spreading like seaweed...


    *


    *


    *


    In the subsequent time, Colin temporarily paused his research, prioritizing learning Summoning Ice Element.


    Having Isidore help summon Ice Elements for research was not a long-term solution; he ultimately decided to learn to summon Ice Elements himself.


    Only by summoning Ice Elements could he have the materials needed to conduct research.


    With the Golden Paper, about ten days later, Colin was able to recite the Spell and summon Ice Elements, finally starting his research properly.


    But on this day, another piece of good news arrived¡ª


    Lillian had successfully advanced to a Second Rank Wizard!


    March 11 of the Yanan Calendar, at Atbolde''s residence.


    Time swiftly reached March; the chill of deep winter gradually receded, replaced by the breath of spring, and the trees in Neustadt City started to sprout.


    Of course, the same was true at Atbolde''s residence.


    The originally snow-covered, yellow-brown grassland revealed its dark brown nature again, dotted with tiny new greens that were vibrant, bringing joy to anyone who saw them.


    Outside the wooden house, Atbolde set up a simple grill, next to which stood a long wooden table that seemed to have grown from the ground itself, filled with various ingredients.


    Colin couldn''t help but think back to the monthly gatherings of the Rudolph Faction.


    Back then, the mornings were just as sunny, and they, the apprentices, would gather on the third floor of the villa, eating some food, chatting, asking the mentor questions, and occasionally gazing up at their senior, the Official Wizard Lillian.


    Now, only the sunshine remained the same.


    "Good morning, mentor, senior."


    Colin took a deep breath, a smile forming as he greeted them.


    "Good morning." Atbolde smiled and turned around, behind him, a field of flowers swayed in the breeze.


    Lillian also turned and smiled back at him.


    Colin always felt that somehow, Senior Sister Lillian seemed to look a bit older now.


    Before, she usually only appeared to be twelve or thirteen years old at most, but now she seemed to be about thirteen or fourteen.


    "Congratulations, Senior Sister, on your successful advancement to a Second Rank Wizard!"


    Colin continued to congratulate her, walking over to the table to help with the food preparation.


    "Thank you." Lillian pursed her lips into a smile, then looked at Colin and asked, "How are you doing with your points accumulation, Junior Brother? Do you need any help?"


    Colin paused slightly in his task, smiling and shaking his head, "I am gradually accumulating points. I just advanced to First Rank not long ago; there''s no rush. During this period, I plan to focus on learning and consider advancing when the time is right."


    "That''s good, the realm is not the real foundation of a wizard, knowledge is," Lillian nodded, then playfully added with a smile:


    "If you need help, feel free to ask me... after all, maybe it won''t be too long before you surpass me again."


    Though she said this, Lillian believed that even if it wouldn''t take too long, it would still take Colin a year or two to surpass her again in strength...


    She looked up at Colin.


    At least for the next year or two, she could still maintain the dignity of being a Senior Sister and help Colin a bit.


    The celebration was simple, just everyone sitting together, barbecuing, and chatting casually.


    Sometimes, fewer people can make it warmer, more people can make it lonelier.


    Now, only the three of them and a field of flowers remained in the Rudolph Faction, yet the atmosphere of the gathering was livelier.


    As the charcoal heated and the aroma of the food wafted around, halfway through the event, Atbolde suddenly paused and said:


    "There are people from Black Castle coming."


    Colin frowned slightly; he didn''t have a good impression of Black Castle.


    However, this time the guests from Black Castle brought good news.


    "Lady Lillian," the visitor was an apprentice, bowing his head respectfully as he handed a Silver Feather Token to Lillian, "Please keep this Silver Feather Token safe."


    Lillian took the Silver Feather, and the apprentice took his leave.


    "But I took quite a bit of time to advance to Second Rank Wizard, why did I still receive a Silver Feather Token?" Lillian looked at the Silver Feather Token, puzzled.


    Atbolde laughed and seemed unfazed, "Because you are of Elf descent, your lifespan is many times that of a regular wizard. If we convert it to human ages, the time it took you to advance to Second Rank isn''t considered long."


    Atbolde''s eyes held a hint of remembrance, "I never told you before, but in the earlier days, members of the Rudolph Family, were at least Copper Feather.


    "Congratulations, Senior Sister," Colin timely offered his blessings.


    Lillian revealed a smile and put away the token.


    Regardless, the benefits brought by the Silver Feather were tangible¡ªan unexpected joy!


    The trio returned to the barbecue grill.


    "Lillian, if you want to go further, you might consider joining a faction next," Atbolde suddenly said.


    Colin paused slightly, Atbolde had mentioned something similar to him before.


    He turned his head to look towardsLillian. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She also paused, setting down the forked meat, and after thinking for a moment, she said, "That depends on whether I can find a suitable faction."


    "You are already a Silver Feather, you have much more choice than before," Atbolde added.


    Lillian looked somewhat disheartened.


    Atbolde did not avoid Colin and continued, "The Rudolph Family is a thing of the past, but you need to keep moving forward, Lillian."


    Then Atbolde turned his head towards Colin and continued, "Colin, the same goes for you."


    "As you climb higher, you will find resources are scarce and the journey challenging..."


    The charcoal in the grill burned, Atbolde''s voice lingering.


    After a while, Lillian remained silent for a moment and then nodded, "I understand, Grandfather."


    Was the glory of the Family possibly irrecoverable?


    Lillian didn''t know, but she cherished the memories of when her parents were around, during which the Rudolph Family, even at its weakest, was greater than others; moreover, with her father being a Golden Feather, there seemed to be signs of a resurgence...


    But all vanished like a fleeting dream, disappearing without a trace.


    For the subsequent decades, Lillian lived under the discrimination against mixed blood, with occasional kindness often tainted with malicious intents.


    "The Rudolph Family will not disappear," she silently affirmed to herself, the joy of advancing to Second Rank Wizard suddenly transforming into a heavy responsibility.


    Perhaps Grandfather Atbolde no longer yearned for the family to regain its former glory, and she might also not be able to restore the Rudolph Family''s past honors.


    But at the very least... at the very least, she wanted to prove to those people that she could still become a High Rank Wizard, that being of mixed blood didn''t inherently make her inferior!


    Lillian''s complex psychological turmoil was, of course, unknown to Colin.


    He merely sensed Atbolde''s gaze and nodded in agreement.


    After all, Atbolde had no other intentions but to hope that they could continue moving forward, living better and climbing higher.


    However, only Colin knew his own situation.


    He had not changed his mind.


    Compared to the path of joining a faction, which for most meant an easier route, the path he was currently on was the better one for him.

 Chapter 550 - 360 Questions

    Spring in Neustadt City, like a sudden night rain, had unexpectedly arrived.


    Almost overnight, on his way to the True Knowledge Society, Colin suddenly noticed that the snow in the city has disappeared, revealing grey-brown roofs and streets, and various kinds of plants had sprouted new leaves.


    Great patches of tender green and yellow replaced the white, becoming the new predominant color.


    In the True Knowledge Society''s laboratory, a pale blue figure stood before Colin.


    This was the Summoned Ice Element he was trying to formally experiment with for the first time.


    It had been a month since Lily advanced to a Second Rank Wizard.


    During this month, Colin, using the Summoned Ice Element as a basis, pondered for days and nights until he finally came up with a preliminary theoretical plan. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Now was the time for the first practical attempt.


    It''s worth mentioning that, similar to Summoning the Fire Element, when cast in conjunction with witchcraft spells such as the Ice Cone Skill or Water Ball Skill, an overlapping effect occurs¡ªnot only can the casting material for Summoning Ice Element be water, but it can also be ice.


    Moreover, benefiting from Colin''s Frost Talent, he could create ice cones without using the Ice Cone Skill.


    However, to test whether Summoning Ice Element would also exhibit an overlapping effect, he learned the Ice Cone Skill.


    The only pity was that even with the assistance of his Frost Talent, there was still no significant progress in the integration of the Black Mist Net with Summoning Ice Element.


    The progression with these two Second Rank witchcraft spells was also slow; Black Mist Net barely reached 20, now at 22/100, and perhaps due to talent, the Summoning Ice Element spell, only a month into learning, was already at 18/100, just two points shy of reaching 20.


    The progress of other skills such as Summoning Fire Element, five Limit Breaking Fireball Skills, and Steel Temperature Resistance Field were similarly paced.


    One can only say that the difficulty of cultivating Second Rank witchcraft far exceeds that of the past.


    In fact, the cultivation of a Wizard is the same. Even though Colin meditated daily, he had only reached Second Rank Basic Level Wizard (8/100).


    ''Perhaps, while researching new Combined Witchcraft, I should also try to find ways to enhance my Superbrain Talent.''


    The Superbrain Talent''s bonus to cultivation speed is something Colin experienced deeply in the First Rank period.


    Even now, his cultivation speed compared to other ordinary Wizards could already be described as lightning-fast!


    However, in contrast to the slow progress with witchcraft, his Knight progress seemed rapid, reaching First Rank Knight (82/100).


    From the current perspective, the path of knighthood doesn''t appear to be as intricately divided as that of wizardry, lacking a designation of First Rank Basic Level Knight.


    But this wasn''t certain. Colin did not know what scene would unfold upon reaching the limit ¨C it might be a breakthrough past First Rank, it might encounter a bottleneck like before, or perhaps it might be an advancement to First Rank Intermediate Knight.


    All these were possible; the path of the knight was a road untrodden, veiled in mystery.


    Exhaling a breath of stale air, Colin collected his scattered thoughts, raised his palm, and began the first attempt.


    The fluctuation of Magic Power wafted through the laboratory, interspersed with flickering ghostly lights.


    Four hours later, after destroying two Ice Elements and replenishing his Magic Power once, Colin finally "installed" a new Life Cycle Architecture in the third Ice Element.


    On the outside, the Ice Element seemed unchanged, but inside, beside the original Element control center, there was now an additional spherical structure, which Colin named Life Cycle Central.


    The spherical Life Cycle Central extended numerous filament-like webs from the surface, almost covering the inside of the Ice Element''s body, with tips reaching the skin.


    This was Colin''s creation, modeled after the Silent Shadow''s internal Energy circulation core, with further adjustments tailored for the Ice Element.


    Through it, the Ice Element could extract Magic Power from its surroundings like the Silent Shadow, converting it into its own Energy to replenish consumption and maintain stability.


    Colin withdrew his hand and took a step back to carefully observe the Ice Element that had just been modified.


    Five minutes passed quickly, and the newly modified Ice Element hadn''t shown any problems.


    The shape was very stable, the control center''s connection to him was also firm, and the energy condition was tranquil¡ªa normal display during "standby."


    Colin''s heart was slightly pleased as he began the next step of testing.


    "Release a full-force attack!" he commanded in his mind.


    Crack!


    Huge ice spurs erupted from two meters in front of the Ice Element, almost covering the space in front.


    "Cast a standard Ice Spur attack," Colin tested again.


    Whoosh!


    An ice spur as thick as a thigh materialized in front of the Ice Element and shot forward, finally slamming into the laboratory''s sturdy wall and shattering into a pile of icy debris.


    Following that, Colin continued to have the Ice Element launch several attacks.


    During this process, the Ice Element performed normally, but there seemed to be some delay in receiving commands?


    The delay wasn''t significant, about a tenth of a second, imperceptible to the average person.


    Colin did not pay much attention for the time being, simply recording it before continuing to the next and most important test.


    "Restore energy," he instructed, watching the Ice Element in front of him.


    The Ice Element stood still, its body gradually lighting up with traces of Magic Power converging.


    Colin''s mouth slowly curled into a smile, but before the smile could fully form, he heard a faint crackling sound.


    Colin''s expression stiffened as he quickly reinforced himself with a Steel Temperature Resistance Field.


    Boom!


    The next second, the whole Ice Element exploded from its center, scattering shards all over the place.


    Colin looked at the scene with an ugly expression, took a deep breath, and while chanting a spell, summoned another Ice Element and transformed it.


    Not long after, the same scene replayed.


    Boom!


    The Ice Element shattered again, and Colin stepped forward, squatting down to inspect the remains closely.


    The new Ice Element, like the previous one, had no issues with attacking or autonomous actions, but when it began restoring magic power, it would break apart into pieces after approximately five seconds.


    It was as if it absorbed not Magic Power but some explosive energy.


    Colin frowned and stood up, ready to summon another Ice Element, trying to identify the problem.


    But he glanced at his pocket watch, and seeing that time was getting late, he hesitated for a moment before suppressing his urge to continue experimenting.


    After cleaning up the laboratory, he rushed to the School.


    In half an hour, class would begin¡ªthe classes that cost him precious academic points to attend. Being late was a crime!


    As he passed by the laboratory Shelley usually used, Colin''s steps faltered slightly.


    The laboratory''s gray-black door was tightly shut, the crystal indicator above it extinguished, meaning no one was inside.


    Though it was already spring, Shelley still hadn''t returned.


    Shaking his head, Colin withdrew his gaze and continued on to the School.

 Chapter 551 - 361: Do It Effortlessly

    Tin Saint School, as a notable Wizard School in Neustadt City, had a very expansive headquarters.


    From the entrance to the Teaching Castle in the middle, it would take at least twenty minutes for an ordinary person to walk, requiring Apprentices living outside the School to allocate enough time for each class.


    Fortunately, Colin was a fast walker, and the True Knowledge Society Castle wasn''t exactly far from Tin Saint School; he arrived in the classroom scheduled for today''s lesson with two minutes to spare.


    The classroom was located on the third floor of Block F in the Teaching Castle. The space inside was not very large, with a few rows of wooden chairs sparsely arranged that, at full capacity, could accommodate at most about forty people.


    At this moment, only half of the classroom seats were occupied. The Wizards gathered in small groups, and Colin found an isolated corner to sit down.


    His arrival did not cause much of a stir, only a few Wizards looked up at him, and seeing an unfamiliar face, they turned their gazes away.


    Soon after Colin entered, the Wizards began to arrive one after another.


    Most of the Wizards were punctual, arriving mostly in the three minutes before class.


    Moments later, when the clock struck two in the afternoon, a figure in a white robe abruptly appeared behind the lectern.


    This was an old man with white hair and a long beard, his body slightly ethereal, indicating that it was not his true physical form.


    Without much pleasantries, the old Wizard glanced around and started speaking,


    "This lesson, let us discuss the strong connection between soul differences and the distribution of the Spirit Sea, and how it affects the efficiency of casting witchcraft and the efficacy of Magic Power¡­"


    The Wizards below sat upright, their expressions focused.


    Colin did the same. This was a six-hour-long lesson, worth 20 School Contribution Points, which was not cheap considering the contribution points he currently had!


    Of course, the content discussed was worth the price.


    The strong connection between soul differences and the distribution of the Spirit Sea was a challenging topic in advanced knowledge.


    This knowledge was mainly divided into two phases in the formal School education.


    One phase was during the Apprentice period, where essentially all Wizards received similar basic educational content.


    Mostly, it included universally acknowledged truths about elements, souls, bloodlines, etc.


    There might be slight variations between different Schools, but overall, there wasn''t much difference.


    By analogy, the educational knowledge during the School Apprentice period was somewhat akin to compulsory education in a past life.


    Once Apprentices luckily became Official Wizards, the knowledge that followed no longer had a universal standard.


    It was like a large tree branching out at a certain point; afterward, there was no longer any foundational knowledge, only advanced knowledge in various areas!


    For Wizards progressing to become Official Wizards, that was the point.


    From becoming an Official Wizard, each Wizard would embark on different paths, each specializing in different directions of witchcraft according to their own strengths.


    After all, humans'' energy is limited, even for Wizards, who would only delve deeper into areas they excelled in.


    As for Colin, because he advanced so quickly, he hardly learned any other knowledge during the entire First Rank Wizard phase, apart from the Meditation Method and a few witchcraft types.


    However, due to the uniqueness of the Golden Paper, the lack of knowledge wasn''t as severe as he had initially expected.


    In fact, in some areas, such as Summon Fire Element or the Tin Saint Meditation Method''s Second Rank phase, Colin''s depth of knowledge was on par with other Wizards of the same rank.


    He could just continue training like this without any issue.


    But Colin himself was not satisfied with the breadth of his own knowledge and the lack of some classical knowledge, like the knowledge about souls and the Spirit Sea discussed in this lesson.


    Thinking this, Colin couldn''t help but sigh softly to himself.


    He had roughly calculated that to expand his knowledge to the breadth he desired, it would cost at least three to four thousand, based on School Contribution Points.


    Of course, the sources of knowledge didn''t necessarily have to be limited to the School.


    Places like the True Knowledge Society or Darren''s Commission were also sources of knowledge.


    Moreover, compared to contribution points, Magic Stones were easier for Colin to obtain, and he was primarily using Magic Stones to acquire knowledge.


    Unfortunately, there were still many types of knowledge that could only be obtained from the True Knowledge Society or the School.


    Especially for some knowledge that required explanation and demonstration for understanding, he had no choice but to spend contribution points to learn at the School, as the True Knowledge Society was not an option.


    Colin slightly raised his head, his Superbrain rapidly processing, with every word spoken by the old Wizard deeply engraved in his mind and swiftly understood.


    Actually, if he had been willing to settle for the same specialization as the other Wizards,


    then the contribution points required would have been greatly reduced.


    But that was unnecessary.


    When Colin began to learn knowledge on such a large scale, he once again personally experienced the power of his Superbrain Talent.


    He had anticipated this from the start and thought he was prepared, but the actual experience still surprised him.


    It even led him to change his method of learning, choosing to self-study most of the knowledge in the Tin Saint Library, only enrolling in classes for knowledge that was extremely inefficient or impossible to self-study.


    After all, exchanging relevant knowledge books from the library and attending relevant knowledge courses involved a difference in required academic points of at least a double.


    But Colin only had 200 School Contribution Points in his hand, even being so frugal, it was far from enough for his learning plans...


    "As everyone knows, the soul possesses uniqueness, and every individual''s soul is unique¡­"


    The old Wizard''s explanations were not particularly lively, but they were very succinct and efficient.


    Six hours passed quickly amidst his non-stop lectures.


    It was fortunate that the wizards present were at least First Rank Wizards, otherwise, even if they could mentally endure, their bladders definitely could not.


    The last half-hour of the class was for queries, with each person having an equal opportunity to ask one question.


    However, each person could only hear the answers to their own questions¡ªperhaps to save time, the lecturing wizard used telepathy to answer multiple people''s questions at once.


    This meant they could hear other wizards'' questions, but not the answers provided by the old wizard.


    "I''m planning to ask how the location of the Spirit Sea affects the mental exhaustion from Elemental Magic."


    Suddenly, there came whispering nearby.


    "Then I''ll ask about the impact on Force Field Magic consumption."


    "But I still want to ask a question about the soul... I didn''t quite understand the differences, the factors that affect the essence of the soul..."


    "I do too... but that doesn''t have a huge impact on casting spells, and we only have two opportunities to ask, so we must choose the more important ones."


    "Ah... it''s a pity. We should have brought another companion to the class, twenty contribution points are quite expensive."


    "There''s nothing we can do... after class, we''ll see if anyone else has asked about it, and we can exchange information."


    "That''s all we can do."


    Colin''s ears twitched, aware that this was a discussion between two wizards seated not far behind him.


    It was common practice in most courses, so those wizards from different factions, during the final query session, often negotiated questions to diversify the topics and later shared answers for mutual benefit.


    "I can ask about the differences and then we can exchange?"


    Colin whispered to those behind him.


    The two wizards were startled momentarily before looking up at each other and replying,


    "Sure."


    "Okay." Colin also nodded slightly at them.


    Normally he would not do this, but the factors affecting soul differences were exactly the questions he wanted to ask¡ª


    ¡ªafter advancing to a Second Rank Wizard, the changes in his soul were not the same as other wizards.


    Besides, there was another reason.


    However... it was just an impulsive act, whether it would work still remained to be seen.


    Half an hour passed and as the old wizard''s figure gradually disappeared from the lecture desk, the course worth 20 School contribution points also officially ended.


    Colin sighed slightly; his School contribution points had fallen to double digits after taking this course, leaving him with only 90 points.


    He slowly stood up, turned and made eye contact with the two wizards, then walked together into the corridor outside.


    The classroom would be used again soon, so people generally did not linger inside. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Five minutes later, the three concluded their knowledge exchange in the corridor.


    "Sir, you seem somewhat unfamiliar, may I ask which instructor''s student you are? My name is Hogan, I am a student of Wizard Vite. If appropriate, we might take a class together next time." A somewhat corpulent, brown-haired wizard said with a smile.


    Colin not only fully relayed the old wizard''s answers, but he also explained some of the more obscure parts especially for those two...


    Initially, they were somewhat skeptical, but eventually, they realized that the wizard in front of them truly understood the old wizard''s answers, and his explanations often brought them sudden clarity.


    Such a talented wizard was certainly worth getting to know!


    "My name is Bernie, my instructor is also Lord Vite," the other companion also said, smiling.


    "Colin Leonard." Colin simply stated his name.


    The other two wizards were not offended, simply assuming Colin preferred not to disclose his faction.


    Colin did not engage in further small talk, took a deep breath, and following his original plan, took out his Golden Feather Token and addressed the wizards in the corridor:


    "Knowledge for knowledge, I''ve pretty much grasped most of the points the teacher mentioned in the last class, I can answer questions for a fee."


    In truth, this statement was modest; the old wizard had explained well, and Colin had a thorough understanding of the challenging concepts.


    However, the other wizards in the corridor did not know this, and upon hearing his words, they all turned to look, some hot-tempered ones even wanted to blurt out a rebuke about his arrogance.


    But upon seeing his Golden Feather Token, they swallowed what they were about to mock and exchanged skeptical looks with their companions.


    Hogan and Bernie by Colin''s side were slightly stunned, their eyes widened.


    Goodness, no wonder his explanations were so comprehensive, so the wizard before them was a Golden Feather!?


    The Tin Saint School had many wizards, but the number of Golden Feathers could be counted on two hands and were very rare.


    Moreover, given the privileges Golden Feathers received, they normally did not need to attend these classes as they had one-on-one guidance from High Rank Wizards.


    For a moment, the corridor fell silent. After a while, wizards resumed their conversations, ignoring Colin for the time.


    Colin didn''t mind; after all, this move was just a casual attempt.


    If it could exchange some knowledge to save some School contribution points, great; if not, no matter.


    He stood quietly, planning to wait another five minutes before leaving.

 Chapter 552 - 362: Truly Worthy of Golden Feather

    At that moment, Hogan glanced at Bernie beside him and hesitated before suddenly asking Colin,


    "...What exactly do you mean by ''exchange knowledge''?"


    His recent interaction with Colin had familiarized him somewhat with the man, and he was now willing to be the first to take the plunge.


    After all, for him, whose talent was only average, a six-hour lesson on the complex subject of the soul and the Spirit Sea allowed him only to grasp a rough outline; there were many areas he did not understand.


    Colin smiled inwardly, pleased that his efforts in explaining were not in vain.


    "Exchange knowledge is quite literal, you pose a question, I provide an answer, and then you provide me with knowledge in return."


    Colin took out a piece of paper he had prepared beforehand and handed it over, "The knowledge listed here can be exchanged, and their respective values are marked."


    Hogan took the paper, pondered for a moment, and then posed a question to Colin.


    "I didn''t quite understand the answer the old wizard gave earlier to my question about ''how different positions of the Spirit Sea affect the mental consumption of Elemental Magic''. Can you explain it in detail? How much knowledge do I need to offer?"


    "Certainly," Colin nodded slightly and asked, "Which knowledge can you offer?"


    Hogan picked up the paper and pointed, "This one... and this one..."


    The two quickly agreed on the knowledge to be exchanged.


    Colin began to explain through mental transmission.


    Some wizards in the corridor had already left, but overall, more stayed than Colin had anticipated; at least half of the wizards remained.


    No wonder, as most wizards had talent similar to Hogan''s, and it was likely that after a six-hour class, they wouldn''t have fully understood such challenging concepts, inevitably leaving them with doubts and confusion.


    In the past, they would either seek advice from a mentor or spend contribution points to attend the lesson again.


    Of course, neither option was free.


    But this time, a wizard stepped forward claiming he could answer most questions, and despite a cost, some were willing to try.


    Moreover, the Golden Feather Token played a role in their willingness to stay; otherwise, the corridor would have been deserted by now.


    After a while, Colin finished explaining. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With the attention of the other wizards, Hogan, showing an expression of sudden enlightenment, thanked Colin:


    "Thank you, Mr. Colin, for your thorough explanation; I understood it immediately!"


    Colin''s smile broadened slightly, and if he did not know the wizard before him, he might have thought Hogan was a plant!


    After expressing his thanks, and seemingly not satisfied with just that, Hogan exclaimed, "No wonder you''re a Golden Feather, we truly cannot compare when it comes to learning knowledge."


    The wizards nearby felt a bit resentful upon hearing this, but the brilliant Golden Feather Token at Colin''s waist left them holding their tongues.


    Hogan, on the other hand, seemed unaffected.


    After all, the gap between individuals was too great, leaving no room for envy to arise.


    "Anyone else interested in knowledge exchange?" Colin continued to inquire.


    "Me," a gaunt wizard stepped forward, his expression composed, eager to see what this Golden Feather was all about!


    About five minutes later.


    The skepticism in the gaunt wizard''s eyes turned into sincere admiration, "Indeed, a Golden Feather, thank you for your detailed explanation."


    After providing his knowledge, the gaunt wizard left, remarking how truly different the Golden Feathers were.


    Colin chuckled and asked again:


    "Anyone else?"


    "Me!"


    Once the first came forward, there was a second, and a third...


    One after another, the wizards stepped up to exchange knowledge, and Colin''s smile grew ever more radiant.


    Strictly speaking, the Tin Saint School had not witnessed such behavior before.


    Indeed, those with great talent only needed to join a faction, where they would naturally be guided by High Rank Wizards, often without the need to take classes at the Teaching Castle.


    Even for those few who slipped through the net, they likely wouldn''t have considered an approach like Colin''s.


    Only a wizard like Colin, embarrassed by his lack of funds and unwilling to spend too much time on school tasks, would think of such an unorthodox method.


    After the knowledge exchange in the hallway had ended, a whole hour had passed.


    Outside, the sky was completely dark, like a supple curtain, dotted with tiny scattered stars.


    Watching Colin''s departing figure, Hogan couldn''t help but lament,


    "He really is a Golden Feather, everyone listens to the same lesson, so why does he understand so much? He not only understood everything but can also infer other principles from it! Could this be why he''s a Golden Feather, and I''m just an ordinary wizard?"


    Beside him, Bernie glanced at him, his mouth slightly ajar, but he eventually closed it again.


    "Hogan, do you know this Golden Feather? Which faction does he belong to?" a fellow wizard asked.


    "I don''t know, he didn''t say," Hogan shook his head.


    "His name is Colin Leonard, has anyone heard of him?" Bernie asked, his heart stirring slightly.


    "Sounds unfamiliar..."


    "Not very familiar..."


    Bernie was somewhat disappointed, but not overly surprised.


    The wizards present were all First Rank Wizards, with mostly average talent, all of them fringe figures, not very well-informed.


    "Colin Leonard... Colin..." A wizard suddenly brightened up and said, "I think I''ve heard it once, he is that newly risen Golden Feather!"


    "Which school is he from?" someone asked eagerly.


    "It seems he hasn''t joined any school¡­" the wizard replied, with a strange look on his face, "I overheard this a couple of days ago from some wizards from Pureblood Families; they mentioned Colin has declined several invitations from Pureblood Families and seeming like they''re planning to pressure him further."


    "..." The hallway fell silent for a moment, with a wizard murmuring,


    "Why would he not plan to join any faction?"


    "Who knows, maybe he''ll join soon, let''s not talk about this; it''s all too far removed from us!"


    "Yes, yes, let''s rather share about that Golden Feather''s explanation just now, the question I asked was..."


    Bernie glanced at the pitch-dark night outside the hallway, shook his head, and joined in on the sharing.


    ...¡­


    Elsewhere on the school''s road.


    As Colin walked toward the Tin Saint Library, he checked off the knowledge he had acquired on a sheet of paper.


    He had initially thought that such knowledge-for-knowledge exchanges would be of little benefit, merely a way to save some contribution points.


    But having actually gone through with it tonight, he found the gains were far greater than he had imagined!


    There were still about seventeen or eighteen wizards left in the hallway, with each wizard posing two questions on average, totaling over thirty questions.


    And each question required an exchange of equivalent knowledge...


    Colin calculated carefully and was surprised to find that if he were to learn the same amount of knowledge using contribution points himself, he would need at least 40 School Contribution Points!


    ''Maybe I don''t need to take on more tasks; I could essentially fill the gaps in my knowledge?'' Colin couldn''t help but think.


    But he quickly shook his head, realizing this was probably due to the high difficulty of today''s lesson. It might not be the same with other lessons.


    Besides, he shouldn''t appear too extraordinary... Indeed, he might still need to undertake a few missions in the end to earn the needed contribution points.


    Colin sighed and entered the Tin Saint Library, ready to borrow the day''s knowledge and return to the True Knowledge Society''s laboratory to continue his research on the problems he encountered during this morning''s Element Transformation.


    While flipping through the knowledge in the library''s crystal, he thought to himself again.


    ''However, it might not be bad to venture out occasionally, at least it spares me the worry of having to constantly watch out for the Pureblood Families making another move.''


    For some reason, Colin found himself thinking of the misty banks of the Leibo River, which, although not as rich in Magic Power as Neustadt City, was especially tranquil.


    Recalling the time spent in seclusion there, it still felt very fulfilling to think about it.


    Speaking of which, it was also on the banks of Leibo River where he had broken through to become a First Rank Knight; it caused quite a stir, but there was no need to worry about being discovered there.


    After all, it was just a regular area within the boundaries of a Kingdom of mortals, with few Wizard Apprentices, and even if noticed, it would not cause much trouble...


    Thinking this over, Colin exchanged for the knowledge and quickly walked towards the True Knowledge Society.


    Regardless, the most pressing thing now was to understand why the altered Ice Element would collapse.

 Chapter 553 - 363: Understanding

    The moon reached its zenith, casting a bright glow.


    It was late at night, and Neustadt City lay in silence, its streets deserted, with the occasional hurried figure passing by after a long interval.


    In the laboratory of the True Knowledge Society Castle.


    Before Colin, the body of the summoned Ice Element had crumbled away substantially, leaving only the upper torso and a fragmented right arm.


    A chill hit him, yet beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.


    Colin was exhausting all his efforts to maintain the integrity of the Ice Element before him, observing to pinpoint what caused its disintegration.


    Crack.


    However, the energy within the Ice Element, akin to boiling water, overpowered Colin''s magic, and in a moment, the recently modified Ice Element shattered completely, its remnants scattering on the floor.


    Colin withdrew his right hand from the Ice Element, and as he exhaled lightly, he meticulously reviewed everything he had just experienced in his mind.


    "The energy fluctuations are strange, although the Life Cycle Core has already transformed all Magic Power into Ice Elemental Energy. There shouldn''t be any conflict... Could it be that the transformed Ice Elemental Energy still differs slightly from the Ice Element''s inherent energy?


    But that''s not right either. The energy transformed by the Life Cycle Core is identical to the ''Ricker Summoning Ice Element Magic''¡ªthe standard for Ice Elemental Energy. I have verified it myself; there is no difference..."


    Moments later, unable to find the answer, Colin recited another incantation and summoned another Ice Element, swiftly modifying it to prepare for another test.


    The moon gradually descended from the black treetops, and time moved on.


    Woosh.


    As the Ice Element broke down into pieces again, Colin pulled out his pocket watch for a glance.


    It was already past two in the morning.


    He would usually have left the True Knowledge Society by this time at the latest to go home and rest.


    Colin looked at the gradually dissolving pieces of the Ice Element on the ground, furrowed his brows, snapped his pocket watch shut, took a breath, and then channeled his Magic Power to summon another new Ice Element.


    With each inspection, the problem within the Ice Element became clearer. He felt he was on the verge of discovering the cause of its disintegration, and he chose to continue his research rather than going home where he knew he would not sleep well.


    The Elemental Puppet made by Ricker''s Summoning Ice Element Magic represented the standard among those created by wizards to imitate Ice Elements. It shared no particular bias and was standard and popular, much like Colin''s current mastery of Summon Fire Element.


    Thanks to its popular nature, Colin had a wealth of resources for reference.


    Generally speaking, Ricker''s Ice Elemental Puppet, a wizard''s synthetic standard form of an Ice Element, consisted mainly of an energetic state of Frost, also possessing various icy attack abilities of an Ice Element and immunity to most physical attacks.


    The main difference lay in the core. The core of a natural Ice Element not only housed a spirit but was also structurally much more complex than a wizard''s crafted Ricker Ice Elemental Core.


    The wizard-crafted Ice Elemental Core, which was the control center, after all, was an artificial creation, its functions limited to only the essentials, such as combat and spirit linkage.


    "I wonder if there will be any structural changes to the body of a Miracle," Colin suddenly thought.


    Although Isidore always maintained that there was no structural difference between a Miracle and an ordinary Ice Element.


    Clearly, this was a fallacy. As Isidore had said, if a Miracle possessed self-awareness and potentially a soul, it would naturally manifest in its physical form.


    Especially after these days of study concerning the soul, Colin understood that it could not exist independently.


    The soul could not exist on its own; it needed something to depend on.


    Things like ghosts and specters had nothing to do with souls; they were soulless beings that in the strict sense were merely residual thoughts from before death combined with post-mortem influences.


    Therefore, in actuality, the soul and its host influence each other, these influences inevitably reflected in the material world.


    For humans, that is reflected in the physical body, and for the Ice Element, it naturally also lies in the body structure.


    Even if we step back and assume that a Miracle doesn''t truly have a soul, but merely intelligence, that still signifies that it is different from a common Ice Element.


    After all, a common Ice Element doesn''t possess intelligence... it''s just that this difference may not be as significant as the presence of a soul would be.


    In fact, during these days, Colin also attempted to persuade Isidore to let him have contact with Miracle.


    But unfortunately, it was to no avail.


    Colin found it hard to describe Isidore''s attitude towards Miracle, but his attempts weren''t completely futile.


    Isidore gave him some test data, like energy composition and structure¡ªclaiming it was Miracle''s.


    Upon careful examination, Colin found that it indeed didn''t differ from a common Ice Element¡ªif the data Isidore provided wasn''t falsified.


    This only made Colin even more curious about Miracle.


    How did Miracle''s self-awareness come about?


    Does she truly have a soul?


    Even though Colin didn''t believe that Miracle really had a soul, what if she did? That area was, after all, related to the domain of the right to life, a realm yet unconquered by Wizards.


    If Isidore spoke the truth, then no Wizard would be able to curb their curiosity!


    Colin''s hands paused slightly, moving away from his current task.


    The Ice Element in front of him had been reformed once again, and he silently thought as he gazed at the blue figure. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Once I figure out a method for treatment, and the time comes for me to make modifications, Isidore surely won''t keep me from contacting Miracle again...''


    With this thought, Colin renewed his vigor. Before it was for five hundred thousand Magic Stones, but now a part of it was also to satisfy his own curiosity.


    And so, the moon gradually dimmed, and the pitch-black night sky first turned deep blue, then was suddenly pierced by a streak of orange from the far horizon. Those deep blues swiftly lost their color, revealing the azure Sky.


    Inside the True Knowledge Society laboratory, Colin was busily scribbling on a table covered in papers, with remnants of Ice Element debris scattered at his feet yet to dissipate.


    After who knows how long, Colin suddenly stopped his writing, raised his head, and muttered,


    "The control center of the Ice Element and the newly added Life Cycle Central are experiencing a compatibility issue..."


    After relentless effort, he had finally pinpointed the reason behind the disintegration of the Ice Elements.


    Within the body of an Ice Element, whenever the Life Cycle Core began to function and absorb external Magic Power to transform Energy, it would cause the Ice Element''s original core to produce a strange "resonance".


    This peculiar effect was the direct cause of the Element Core''s instability and subsequent collapse, which naturally also led to the demise of the Ice Element.


    It is worth mentioning that both occurrences almost happened simultaneously, making Colin initially unaware that it was the Ice Element Core that collapsed first.


    Gathering up the analysis data scribbled on his draft paper, Colin waved his hand to clear the debris of the Ice Element at his feet, twisted his neck, and without further study, turned and left the laboratory.


    ''Perhaps, I could attempt to combine the Ice Element Core with the existing Life Cycle Core? Although the presence of the Life Cycle Core alone negatively impacts the Ice Element Core.


    Its function is sound, indeed capable of replenishing Energy for the Ice Element. The peculiar "resonance" now seems more like a design flaw in the original structure of the Elemental Puppet¡ªif there is another structure coexisting with the core within the body of the Ice Element, it''s likely to trigger the collapse.''


    "To avoid this kind of collapse, I probably need to integrate the added Life Cycle structure with the Ice Element''s original core."


    Colin walked towards his home, his mind flooding with thoughts,


    ''Perhaps, the original Ice Element Core could also be upgraded? I could add a structure for the Life Cycle function to its existing structural basis, modeling it after the core of a true Ice Element, since a true Ice Element''s core possesses the function of a Life Cycle...''


    After identifying the cause, the subsequent work became clear and straightforward.


    Colin had a premonition that the day he would successfully complete his commission wasn''t too far off.

 Chapter 554 - 364 The Unsolved Mystery

    Soon afterward, Colin returned home.


    On the front lawn sprouting with young shoots, aside from the Renee sisters and little Nasi, there were two familiar figures.


    Colin greeted them with a smile, "Good morning, Senior Lillian."


    "Good morning." Lillian sat on a wooden rocking chair, a replica made by Colin based on designs from his past life. Her petite frame was fully sunk into it as she leisurely read a book.


    Nearby, Bobi was frolicking with Nasi, and Demi was helping Renee trim the plants.


    Due to Bobi, Lillian had become a regular visitor here. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, after that gathering, it seemed that she had been busy joining a faction and hadn''t visited for a long time.


    Now that she had the time to visit, had she successfully joined a faction?


    A thought struck Colin, and he was about to inquire.


    But Lillian put down her book and asked first, "Did you spend all of last night at the True Knowledge Society?"


    "Yes, I was studying a piece of witchcraft," Colin nodded.


    "Is it easy to join the True Knowledge Society? Are there any restrictions?"


    "It''s relatively simple; one just needs a few of their own original pieces of witchcraft," Colin paused before further elaborating on some information about the True Knowledge Society to Lillian.


    After a while, Lillian nodded thoughtfully.


    Colin walked over and half-reclined in the rocking chair opposite her, asking, "Senior, do you have time to visit because you''ve successfully joined a faction?"


    Lillian shook her head, her lips parted as if she wanted to say something, but she paused and then asked instead,


    "What about you, junior, have you decided on which faction to join?"


    Colin''s rocking motion briefly halted, and he shook his head.


    Lillian sat up straight and asked him, "Aren''t you in a rush at all?"


    "Why rush? I''m just over twenty this year, with centuries more to live," Colin replied, sitting up straight and taking a sip from the cup of tea that Renee had just poured.


    Although this was not his main reason for not wanting to join a faction, it did count as a secondary reason.


    Even including his previous life, Colin had lived in this world for only fifty years, which was merely a brief beginning compared to the generally minimum lifespan of five hundred years for a Second Rank Wizard.


    Lillian was taken aback by Colin''s casual words, as if struck by a revelation, and after a long pause, she slowly said,


    "That''s true. I still have a thousand years to live. Why the rush?"


    As someone with an Elf Bloodline, Lillian''s lifespan far exceeded that of wizards of a similar rank, although this advantage would diminish as she progressed in ranks.


    But at least in the Second Rank Wizard stage, her lifespan could reach a thousand years, double that of an ordinary Second Rank Wizard.


    After saying this, Lillian seemed to have lifted a heavy burden; a smile appeared on her delicate face, and she switched to discussing other topics with Colin.


    The conditions the factions offered her were far from lenient. The Pureblood Family was not willing to take in a half-elf, and other factions, leveraging her half-elf status, proposed contracts lasting at least seven to eight hundred years¡ªa commitment Lillian naturally disliked.


    Around ten in the morning, Lillian bid farewell and left.


    And Colin went back to his bedroom and fell straight to sleep.


    A sleepless night was nothing new for him now; although his body wasn''t tired, the mental exhaustion was somewhat draining.


    He needed a good sleep to reset himself to dive deeper into his magical studies and research.


    At noon, Colin got up for lunch, and as he was about to cut into a piece of beef, his movement paused. He put down his knife and fork and took out a thin crystal slice from his pocket.


    The dark black crystal was now flashing bright blue colors at a rapid pace.


    This meant Isidore wanted to meet him as soon as possible.


    ''Three days remain until our weekly meeting. Why now¡­''


    Colin frowned slightly, hurriedly finished his meal, and after picking up a Hidden Witch Tool from Darren''s Commission, he headed to Isidore''s residence.


    The first time he had come to this ordinary courtyard, he had thought that it was just a place temporarily rented by Isidore for their meeting, only to learn later that this was actually Isidore''s current residence.


    His original home had been much more luxurious, but Isidore could no longer afford it¡ª in a sense, the current Miracle was a gold-devouring beast.


    The two met in the basement, and Colin glanced at the Miracle situated in the center.


    Within a pale blue ice column about three to four meters tall, the Miracle still appeared as he had seen it before, with its eyes tightly shut and its slightly glowing body floating up and down within the ice column.


    "What''s the matter, why did you call me over ahead of time?" Colin asked, his voice muffled and mechanical under the effect of the Hidden Witch Tool, making it indistinguishable between male and female.


    "Mr. Wood Elf, how has the recent progress been?" Isidore''s eyes and eyebrows showed impatience, but he still maintained a calm appearance as he asked, adjusting something behind the ice column at the moment.


    "It''s manageable," Colin replied.


    Isidore paused briefly in his movements, looked at Colin, and asked for confirmation, "Manageable, as in?"


    "There has been some progress," Colin continued.


    Isidore''s face brightened slightly. After painfully replacing the Witch Array''s power source with new Frost materials, he quickly walked up to Colin''s side and started asking several more questions about the research.


    Colin answered each one, without any concealment.


    After listening to the answers, Isidore breathed a slight sigh of relief and looked back at the Miracle, sighing:


    "Mr. Wood Elf, I previously told you the Miracle could last another three months, but now it seems that estimate is far too optimistic."


    Colin was stunned, and subconsciously looked towards the Miracle.


    He didn''t know if it was a psychological effect, but now as he examined the Miracle closely, he noticed that she seemed a bit smaller than the first time he saw her?


    This reduction did not seem like a physical one, but rather in age.


    Before, the Miracle appeared to be about three or four years old, but now seemed at most three.


    Meanwhile, Isidore continued:


    "Starting last week, the Miracle''s demand for energy suddenly increased. The Frost materials that could normally last at least half a month now only last a maximum of ten days."


    Colin remained silent. This increase in demand might not seem high, but to note, each of these Frost materials cost at least a hundred thousand Magic Stones.


    Ordinary Ice Elemental Energy would not suffice to sustain the Miracle; it had to be the precious Frost materials.


    This was a very strange point. Isidore had researched it for a while but had not been able to determine the reason.


    Otherwise, if Magic Power could be converted into Ice Elemental Energy to sustain the Miracle, a hundred thousand Magic Stones could suffice for several months.


    Upon learning this, Colin was surprised.


    Because if the Witch Array couldn''t convert Magic Power into Ice Elemental Energy to supply the Miracle.


    Then his own modifications, essentially converting external Magic Power into Ice Elemental Energy, how could he ensure that it would definitely save the Miracle?


    Isidore''s answer was that there was none.


    He was making a final attempt, a solution when there was no solution.


    And just because the Witch Array didn''t work, didn''t mean witchcraft wouldn''t work.


    The custom witchcraft received from Colin proved this point, even though there wasn''t much fundamental difference between the two.


    But just like not knowing why the Miracle could only use the precious Frost materials to sustain itself.


    Isidore also didn''t know¡ªwhy an external Witch Array was useless, yet direct witchcraft targeting the Miracle itself was effective.


    This was an unsolved mystery within the Miracle.


    "Mr. Wood Elf, the Miracle has at most a month and a half left, I hope you can speed up the progress,"


    Isidore withdrew his gaze, turned his head to look at Colin, and earnestly pleaded.


    Colin keenly noticed that many of the Witch Tools that Isidore used to wear were now missing, such as the Witch Wand he often held.


    Perhaps they had all been sold to buy the Frost materials needed to sustain the Miracle...


    Colin looked back at the Miracle once more; she quietly floated within the ice column, her expression serene,


    In response, he slowly and solemnly addressed Isidore:


    "I will, Mr. Isidore."

 Chapter 555 - 365 Teach Me

    The murky sky above twinkled with sparse morning stars, the dawn still submerged below the horizon.


    Colin had left early and was already in the lab of the True Knowledge Society.


    The wondrous transformation compelled him to increase his time spent on Ice Element Transformation.


    From the dim morning to the pitch-dark night, often, excluding meditation and sleep, he spent his days researching a remedy for the Miracle.


    He didn''t want his past efforts to have been in vain, nor did he wish to miss out on the remaining readily accessible 400,000 Magic Stones.


    ...


    Isidore tightly shut the thick black iron door of the basement, activated the double-protection Witch Array, and after carefully checking that it was functioning properly, he turned and prepared to head out.


    Stepping outside, he looked around cautiously.


    Isidore''s courtyard was in a secluded location, deep within the neighborhood, not directly facing the streets and seldom visited.


    Yet, at this moment, in the corner of Isidore''s eyes, he distinctly saw several figures faintly visible in garb typical of Wizards at the end of the alley.


    He smoothed his collar and didn''t bother further.


    Isidore knew those people probably had their own agendas, but he didn''t feel it was directed at him


    ¡ªsuch situations had persisted for a long time.


    After the lightning-like Crimson Operation, the nine Wizard Cities did not experience the anticipated peace.


    Even while staying in the basement, Isidore could still sense the movements of the Law Enforcement Team Wizards occasionally flying overhead.


    The effects of losing vast areas of the Sea Domain had only started to trickle into Wizard City today.


    The hybrid Wandering Wizards felt it first, as they were the first to notice a rise in the city''s prices.


    Initially, the increase was slight, but even so, it plunged Wizards barely sustaining their finances into bankruptcy.


    Not to mention that the prices continued to climb.


    Many Wizards felt as if overnight, they had become unable to afford the costs of living in Neustadt City anymore.


    For the unsupported Wandering Wizards, they had the choice to either leave Neustadt City or create new sources of revenue to increase their income.


    However, only a few Wizards could diversify their income... and even fewer could do so through legitimate means...


    Isidore quickly walked out of the alley and then hailed a public coach that sped off towards Copper Rose Street.


    Sitting wasn''t exactly comfortable, but with the somewhat familiar cushioning, Isidore felt a moment of nostalgia, as it had been many years since he had last ridden a public coach.


    Was it after advancing to First Rank? Maybe precisely after reaching First Rank Intermediate?


    Isidore shook his head... he was now a Second Rank Wizard.


    Approaching Copper Rose Street, an idea flickered in Isidore''s mind, and he retrieved several ordinary-looking Witch Tools from his Storage Ring.


    Their energy fluctuations were weak, with the most powerful being merely at First Rank level, their designs among the most common in the market.


    These were undesirable but extra income for him brought by shortsighted thieves.


    After stowing these ordinary items, Isidore then fondly touched a silver necklace that had slipped from his chest, shaped like a swan with eyes of black, costly crystal.


    Rubbing the swan necklace, a clear pained expression crossed Isidore''s face.


    "Sigh¡ª!"


    The public coach slowed to a stop.


    "Sir, Copper Rose Street is here."


    Isidore stowed the necklace away and slowly stepped down from the coach, eventually entering a modest-looking shop.


    Half an hour later, Isidore emerged from the shop and briskly made his way to a hidden house in the adjacent street.


    "Has the merchandise I wanted arrived?" Isidore, in disguise, entered and spoke to the Wizard in front.


    "It has," the portly Wizard replied with a smile, producing a frost-emitting Ice Ball from his hand.


    "Hmm," Isidore nodded, extending one hand to pass over the Magic Stones and the other prepared to receive the Ice Ball.


    "Please wait, sir." The portly Wizard didn''t take the Magic Stones but instead pulled back the hand holding the Ice Ball and paused to say, "This time, the price has increased."


    "What do you mean by that?" Isidore''s brows furrowed tightly.


    This portly Wizard was a merchant he found who could supply frost materials consistently, and this was his third time here purchasing frost materials.


    The previous two times, the price had been stable, but this time...


    "Your Excellency may not be aware," the hefty wizard sighed, his voice tinged with anxiety, "but everything is rising in price, including my stock, and if I sell it to you at the original price, then I can only operate at a loss. I hope you understand."


    Isidore furrowed his brows and after a long pause, he asked morosely, "How much more?"


    The hefty wizard grinned, "Not much, just ten thousand Magic Stones."


    The room fell silent, and after a long pause, Isidore finally spoke quietly,


    "Okay."


    When Isidore left the secluded cabin, the Magic Stones he had obtained in exchange for his swan necklace and those ordinary Witch Tools had completely vanished. In their place was a Frost material that could still sustain the miracle for ten days.


    ''Who knows how the situation is on the wood sprite''s side.'' Isidore touched his empty neck, his expression solemn.


    This was the last of the Magic Stones he could gather, meaning this was the last Frost material. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    By the day after tomorrow, the Witch Array would need a new material.


    Including today, the miracle had only twelve days left.


    Isidore didn''t take the public carriage this time; instead, he donned a hood and flew low back to his home.


    This was partly to save Magic Stones, and partly to save time.


    After a hectic morning, it was nearly noon, and according to their arrangement, the wood sprite would typically come over to discuss things in the afternoon.


    Hovering just a few inches above the ground, Isidore moved forward as if he were a ghost.


    Although flying was banned in Neustadt City, such skimming was generally unpunishable unless directly caught by the Law Enforcement Team.


    Of course, not many would do this¡ªAdvanced Wizard Apprentices wouldn''t dare, and Official Wizards would not stoop to such an undignified mode of travel unless pressed for time.


    Feeling somewhat vexed by the occasional astonished glances from passersby, Isidore was relieved when he finally turned into a familiar alleyway.


    After a few turns, Isidore arrived at his front door and paused, surprised at the figure in front,


    "The wood sprite, Your Excellency?"


    He glanced at the time unconsciously; it was just after half-past ten, early for their usually scheduled meeting at two in the afternoon...


    Startled, Isidore quickly contemplated a possibility and hurriedly approached with urgency,


    "Your Excellency, the wood sprite, have you come so early because you have already..."


    Colin nodded, his expression hidden behind the white mask, but his mechanical voice carried a trace of amusement:


    "Yes, just as you thought, Mr. Isidore, I have successfully completed the commission."


    Isidore''s eyes brightened instantly, excitement surging as his lips faltered, seemingly trying to articulate something, but he eventually just said emphatically, "That''s great!"


    Taking several deep breaths, Isidore pushed open the door and said to Colin,


    "Come, Your Excellency, the wood sprite, let us go inside and discuss this in detail."


    Both descended to the basement.


    Colin looked at the ice pillar beside him and started, "Mr. Isidore, first, I will demonstrate on regular Ice Element, and then I will modify the miracle."


    "Modify?" Isidore waved his hand, "Your Excellency, the wood sprite, you only need to demonstrate on the Ice Element and teach me. As for the modification of the miracle, I will do that personally."


    Colin paused briefly, "Are you sure, Mr. Isidore? Mastering the modification will take at least half a month, and even just learning the basics could take a week¡­"


    "I have made up my mind." Isidore merely waved his hand again.


    Seeing this, Colin regretfully glanced at the miracle nearby and nodded.


    "Alright, Mr. Isidore...if you insist."


    Some regret lingered, but that was all.


    For Colin, whether he could touch the miracle was secondary. What mattered was securing the remaining four hundred thousand Magic Stones.


    As for whether Isidore could save the miracle, that was beyond his control.


    Colin conjured an Ice Element and began to demonstrate while explaining.


    His chosen approach involved using the original core of the Ice Element as the basis for the upgrade instead of merging it with the Life Cycle Core. This plan was more difficult than simply combining two cores but because it kept the structural integrity of the original Ice Element core relatively intact, the final outcome was more stable and had fewer potential adverse effects.


    Colin spoke with focus, and Isidore listened intently.


    However, what neither noticed was that the pillar of ice behind them, which had initially been slightly turned away, had at some point turned to face them directly...

 Chapter 556 - 366: Opportunity

    By the time Colin Church''s Isidore had mastered the complete "healing" process, five days had passed.


    In this period, Isidore displayed an immense zeal, going almost without sleep for five days, and after Colin left each night, he would still be alone, diligently studying the transformation.


    Owing to this, Isidore managed to learn the healing transformation two days earlier than the week Colin had anticipated.


    After Isidore''s transformation at the church, according to the contract, Colin received the remaining four hundred thousand Magic Stones. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From that point on, the commission relationship between him and Isidore was declared finished.


    "Pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Isidore."


    In the basement, Colin spoke to the wizard in front of him for the last time.


    "Pleasure doing business." Isidore''s weary face was filled with eager joy, and he unconsciously moved towards the Miracle, but as if remembering something, he quickly turned back to Colin and added, "Remember our original contract, Mr. Dryad."


    "I will," Colin answered evenly, casting one last glance at the Miracle within the ice pillar.


    Their original contract was a confidentiality agreement concerning everything in this basement.


    The basement''s iron door closed slowly, and Colin''s footsteps receded at the same speed.


    Within the dim basement, only Isidore and the Miracle were left.


    With Colin gone, Isidore relaxed a bit. After some thought, he went to the door and turned on the defensive Witch Array.


    As an invisible barrier enveloped the entire basement, Isidore''s expression became increasingly relaxed, and the weariness from five days and nights of non-stop learning began to emerge.


    ''Rest first, sleep a little, and after waking up, start the transformation.'' Isidore exhaustedly sighed to himself.


    ''But first, I need to perform a routine check on the Witch Array that sustains the Miracle.''


    Gathering his remaining strength, he walked towards the back of the ice pillar.


    "Crack."


    Isidore suddenly stopped, his gaze somewhat vacant.


    ''Did I... hear some kind of shattering sound?''


    Fatigue made his brain sluggish, yet the next moment, the cracking sound became as if tangible.


    Isidore jolted into alertness, his head snapping up, his eyes, full of bloodshot veins, stared in shock at the scene before him.


    The deep blue ice pillar emitted a faint blue glow, and spiderweb-like cracks were spreading outward from the center under the influence of some strange force.


    And within it... the Miracle was growing rapidly!


    Her physique swelled continuously, arms and legs becoming progressively more slender... The Frost materials behind the ice pillar, which should have lasted for a while, seemed to have their energy prematurely drained and shattered suddenly, leaving only dim remnants.


    "No... this can''t be..." Feeling the connection with the Miracle in his mind rapidly severing, Isidore''s face turned deathly pale, sweat beaded on his forehead.


    Instinctively, he stepped forward, but as a Second Rank Wizard, his foot faltered, and he almost fell to the ground.


    Taking a deep breath, he finally calmed down and waved his hand, prompting the contingency measures he had prepared to bind the Miracle.


    Bang!


    However, before witchcraft could take shape, he was struck to the ground by a beam of blue light.


    Isidore coughed a few times, and blood seeped from his pallid lips, his eyebrows and hair coated with a fine layer of Frost.


    Shivering, he lifted his head; the ice pillar had already shattered, and the Miracle, once only the size of a three-year-old child, had vanished.


    A figure about one meter fifty-six in height, with long hair, emitting a dazzling frost blue glow, its details indiscernible, was slowly walking towards him.


    ...


    "If miracles truly had souls,"


    "Then, is this soul really just, as Isidore says, an accident of a casting? A miracle?"


    Colin strolled along the streets, his thoughts wandering limitlessly.


    "Souls cannot be created out of thin air, that''s common knowledge... at least wizards haven''t found any effective method to create souls yet."


    Colin shook his head, eventually feeling that this possibility was unlikely, and stopped dwelling on it.


    "Perhaps it was just a fluke that a bit of a soul got mixed in during the casting, and the Ice Element that Isidore created likely only possesses intelligence similar to a ghost, without a true soul."


    "But as a Second Rank Wizard... Isidore shouldn''t make such a basic mistake, nor overlook this possibility, at the very least he should have conducted some tests."


    Colin couldn''t help but frown slightly.


    Yet soon, he realized his thoughts were loosening up again, and he smiled wryly.


    Indeed, it was because he hadn''t witnessed the miracle firsthand that it still lingered in his mind.


    It''s human nature to covet what we cannot have.


    "Plenty of time lies ahead, and we''ve exchanged contact information. There will be chances to visit again... I wonder if Isidore will be able to successfully transform the miracle.


    What would that special Ice Element become then?"


    Colin shook his head again, completely emptied his mind of these unanswered questions, and stopped pondering them.


    The morning was still young, with bright and cheerful sunlight.


    A gentle spring breeze that was neither warm nor cold blew by tenderly, like the caress of a lover.


    Colin squinted his eyes slightly, exhaling a relaxed breath.


    During this period, not only had Isidore been on edge, but he too had been nearly devoting all his energy to this commission.


    Now that the commission was officially concluded, he could finally relax a bit and shift his attention elsewhere.


    Such as¡ª


    The study of wizard knowledge and the research of Combined Witchcraft.


    With this in mind, Colin''s spirits, which had been somewhat lifted by earning four hundred thousand Magic Stones, quickly waned.


    Although he could acquire some knowledge from teaching other wizards after class, acquiring more knowledge still required School Contribution Points.


    A month had passed, and Colin''s School Contribution Points had long been depleted.


    If it weren''t for being busy with the miracle commission, he would have started preparing to take on missions to earn School Contribution Points.


    Moreover, the progress on the research of fusing Summoning Ice Element with Black Mist Net Witchcraft was anything but optimistic.


    Completing the commission to rescue the miracle and attempting to upgrade the Element Core had indeed brought Colin plenty of new ideas and experience.


    But to truly combine Black Mist Net with the summoning of Ice and Fire Elements, he always felt like he was missing some sort of catalyst.


    It was like looking at flowers through fog, always feeling there was a thin veil separating him, not quite real.


    Colin quickened his pace, habitually unfolding the Golden Paper.


    Due to being occupied with the commission, aside from daily meditation, his progress in other areas had basically stalled, not changing much over the last month.


    He scrolled down quickly from the top, and his gaze eventually stopped at the Talent section.


    Looking at the Frost Talent that was just 5 points short of reaching the limit, Colin couldn''t help but think:


    "If the summoning of the Ice Element and Black Mist Net are constrained by time and cannot break limits immediately, maybe trying to break the limits of my Frost Talent could also aid in the research of Combined Witchcraft?"

 Chapter 557 - 367 Missed Opportunity

    Copper Rose Street, Wate Auction House.


    The auction was nearing its end.


    "1.2 million Magic Stones once!" the white-robed auctioneer shouted, "1.2 million Magic Stones twice, three times!"


    Dang!


    The auction gavel struck down heavily.


    "Congratulations to the esteemed bidder who successfully won the Turbulent Flow Crystal for 1.2 million Magic Stones."


    The white-robed auctioneer continued with a smile, "The Turbulent Flow Crystal is the last auction item, and with this, our auction comes to an end. I kindly ask all wizards to exit the hall in an orderly manner."


    Colin sighed softly and stood up from an inconspicuous corner of the hall, following the crowd out of the auction room.


    ''I didn''t expect this auction to be without any Frost treasures.''


    On average, the Wate Auction House holds two to three large auctions and seven regular auctions per week.


    The regular auctions are scheduled for every afternoon in a small hall next door, while the timing of the large auctions is not fixed, typically occurring on Sundays and one or two other unspecified days depending on the items being auctioned.


    Today happened to be Sunday, and since it was only morning when he left Isidore, Colin had a meal and then hurried to the Wate Auction House, hoping to acquire a Frost treasure to enhance his Frost Talent.


    Unfortunately, the auction did not have the Frost treasure he desired.


    Generally speaking, to maintain a sense of mystery, only up to eighty percent of the auction items are announced before the auction begins.


    The remaining twenty percent remains unknown.


    Colin had come for that unknown twenty percent, but alas, he did not get what he wished for.


    Fortunately, thanks to the Tin Saint School Badge, he received a ten percent discount on the admission fee, spending only ten Magic Stones, so it wasn''t a total loss.


    Leaving the hall, Colin didn''t depart but instead approached a counter at the auction house for information.


    "Is the auction list for next week available?"


    "May I ask if you are inquiring about the large auctions or the regular ones?" the receptionist, a witch, asked with a sweet smile.


    "Both."


    "The regular ones are only from Monday to Friday, here you go," the witch efficiently pulled out a stack of brown flyers,


    "The large auction dates have been announced for two days now, one on Friday, another on Sunday.


    Friday''s auction has fifty percent of the items listed, and the other has thirty percent published, with more expected to follow."


    "If you wish, sir, you can come and collect a more complete flyer in a few days, which we update every two days. On the day before the auction, we publish an additional update with the latest version."


    Colin nodded in understanding, took the flyers.


    The Wate Auction House, a prime auction house on Copper Rose Street, provides quality services in all aspects. It was here where he last sold his Extreme Cold Crystal.


    And since it is backed by the Yista School, possessing a Tin Saint School Badge affords him many discounts here¡­ It''s just unfortunate that luck wasn''t on his side this time, and he had to return empty-handed.


    As Colin walked towards the exit of the auction house, he examined the flyers in his hand.


    He had not gone far when he paused slightly, his eyes brightening as he looked at the flyer for the second large auction.


    "Coldthorn Flower, a second-rank Frost material that grows in the cold caves of the Extreme North..."


    While he had not heard of the Coldthorn Flower before, the annotations suggested that it was at least a Frost material and came from the Extreme North... Perhaps, it was exactly what he needed.


    Colin shifted his gaze to the top of the flyer, where this second auction with thirty percent published items was listed, including the detailed time at the top of the flyer¡ª


    "May 7, Yanan Calendar, Sunday, 2 PM."


    Seven days left¡­ Colin smiled and quickly flipped through the remaining flyers before hailing a carriage to return home.


    ...


    Yanan Calendar, May 1, Morning.


    A street corner.


    Colin, wearing a gray Wizard Robe, hid in the shadows, his brow furrowed.


    A short distance in front of him, at the mouth of an alley, two first-rank wizards from the Law Enforcement Team guarded the entrance, their figures shadowing the view into the alley where more members of the Law Enforcement Team were bustling in and out of a plain residential house.


    Colin recognized this house; he had visited countless times over the past two months.


    ¡ªThis was Isidore''s residence. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had intended to visit today to inquire if Isidore had successfully reformed the Miracle yesterday, but unexpectedly, he witnessed this scene instead.


    Swoosh!


    Suddenly, a figure in Law Enforcement Team attire soared above him in the sky, its aura indicating at least a Third Rank.


    Colin was slightly startled.


    The figure landed at the alley''s entrance, and the guarding wizards greeted respectfully, "Lord Faber."


    Colin looked around and moved closer to a small crowd nearby.


    Using his First Rank Knight''s keen hearing, he could faintly hear the conversation taking place in the alley.


    "Explain the situation here, Yureya," a somewhat gruff voice, that of the newly arrived Wizard Faber.


    "Of course, my lord." Yureya, the person in charge here, organized his words before explaining, "Simply put, it involves a mad Second Rank Wizard named Isidore, who furiously attacked his neighbors."


    "A Second Rank Wizard, living in such a place?" Faber wondered.


    "Yes," Yureya nodded, conjecturing, "In the basement, we discovered a damaged Witch Array with expensive materials, which perhaps explains why he lived in such a place."

 Chapter 558 - 558: 367

    "To save Magic Stones, or to avoid detection?"


    "If I''m not mistaken, yes."


    "Another fool blindly researching knowledge. The Council should establish specific research laws to bring all acts of knowledge research under surveillance and control."


    Faber furrowed his brows and headed towards his residence as he continued,


    "What about that mad Second Rank Wizard?"


    Yureya paused before replying, "He''s dead."


    "Dead?" Faber''s steps faltered slightly as he turned to ask, "What happened?"


    "Last night, two Second Rank Wizards happened to be here, they were attacked, and in self-defense, they struck back and killed the mad Isidore."


    "There were two other Second Rank Wizards here? Why were they here?" Faber curled his lips, not too surprised by Isidore''s death.


    After all, witchcraft does not discriminate, and not all wizards master Confinement Magic.


    Yureya had a strange expression as he paused before saying, "With them, there were four First Rank male wizards who had undergone some special physical transformations."


    Faber''s face darkened, and after a moment of thought, he asked, "This sounds like an ordinary incident where a Second Rank Wizard went mad from researching knowledge and was accidentally killed. Why request High Rank assistance?"


    Upon hearing this question, Yureya turned serious:


    "We found traces of high energy in the basement. Although it had faded, it still retained the intensity of the Third Rank... The object that left these traces had reached the Third Rank, and moreover, from the aura, it likely was not a wizard."


    "Take me there." Faber''s expression turned serious.


    "Of course, please follow me, Lord Faber..."


    As Faber and his companion delved deeper into the residence, their voices grew fainter.


    Colin, amid the crowd, suppressed his shock, his expression blank as he quickly turned and left.


    "Isidore is dead! And there are Third Rank traces left in the basement... could it be a miracle?"


    This thought sent chills down Colin''s spine.


    What on earth had happened in the basement of Isidore''s residence after he left last night? How did it come to this?


    And the miracle... Where had that unique Ice Element gone?


    Colin instinctively wanted to look around, but then he caught himself, slowed his pace, and started observing his surroundings in a more natural manner.


    Nothing seemed out of place... Colin paused and hailed a passing public carriage.


    Sitting in the carriage, feeling its slight vibrations, he suddenly found himself smiling wryly.


    He had communicated with Isidore, all the while wearing concealment Witch Tools, and the only ones knowing his identity were Darren''s Commission.


    But in reality, not everyone at Darren''s Commission knew his true identity; at least the witch that received him only knew his alias "Wood Spirit," and the face she remembered was disguised.


    Colin relaxed a bit, considering that even if Miracle, due to some circumstances, had mutated to possess the power of Third Rank, it was still fundamentally Ice Element and should not know his real identity... There was no need for undue worry about it seeking him out.


    Thinking about it, perhaps his reaction had been overly sensitive.


    But after all, he had just visited that basement yesterday morning, and today, another Second Rank Wizard there had met a mysterious death¡ªalthough according to the wizard from the Law Enforcement Team, Isidore had died at the hands of the other two wizards.


    But still, the process was somewhat bizarre.


    Colin took a deep breath and lifted the cloth curtain on the left side of the carriage.


    The view of gray-black buildings and crowds continually passing by helped to focus his mind and mellow his emotions.


    ''I''ll leave the city for a trip tomorrow.''


    Colin opened the Golden Paper, staring at the Knight segment that now read 99/100 and silently thought.


    If nothing unexpected happens, by the end of today''s practice, he should reach the boundaries of Knight Rank. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To avoid making too much noise during the advancement, which could attract unnecessary trouble, he needed to find a suitable place.


    Originally, according to the plan, he actually intended to wait a few days until he had bought the Coldthorn Flower to enhance his Frost Talent before seeking a secluded place.


    But now, with the sudden appearance of a miracle, it was better to temporarily leave for a few days to avoid attention.


    The next day.


    Around noon, Colin had already arrived at a desolate mortal city.


    He chose a quiet mountain forest, delved deep into the dense woods, and eventually settled down in a spacious cave.


    A roaring bonfire was lit, and inside the cave, a simple gray stone house had been constructed, complete with stone beds and tables, everything included.


    All of this only took Colin a few minutes, using the Witchcraft that Shelley had mentioned to him back in Ancient North Village, the Wall Building Skill.


    As Shelley had said, this was indeed a very useful piece of Witchcraft, and it didn''t require high conditions to use, even Advanced Apprentices could use it...


    Speaking of which, Shelley had clearly said she would return after the chilly nights ended, but now nearly three months had passed... and yet there was still no sign of her.


    The burning firewood crackled, and Colin, looking at the bear paw in his hands that was roasted shiny by the flames, gathered his thoughts.


    ...


    In Neustadt City, within a study.


    Bale was frowning, questioning the recently arrived Gerna, "Why didn''t you send someone to surveil Colin yesterday?"


    "Yesterday... something happened." Gerna, remembering the interrogation by the Law Enforcement Team and reflecting on the beautiful night that was spoiled the day before last, also had a gloomy look in his eyes.


    He paused, then looked at Bale and asked, "What about that Golden Feather? What happened to him?"


    Bale said irritably, "He suddenly left Neustadt City yesterday, and we missed such a great opportunity!"


    Gerna was stunned, and his face also turned grim.


    For the past few months, they had been watching Colin almost every day¡ªmainly to see if he left Neustadt City.


    To avoid being discovered, they didn''t surveil Colin directly, but instead stationed people at several city gates and locations like the Transmission General Bureau and Airship Traffic Bureau.


    The purpose of this was mainly to find a suitable opportunity.


    After all, trying to attack a member of the School like Golden Feather in Neustadt City could only be described as a fool''s errand.


    "It''s my fault this time," Gerna said gloomily, inwardly cursing the crazy Wizard from the night before.


    But no matter how much he hated, there was nothing he could do, as he had already killed the man... Thinking about this, Gerna grew even more irritated.


    Indeed, they had killed Isidore in self-defense, but a Second Rank Wizard had died, and the Law Enforcement Team had many troublesome procedures to handle.


    Of course, what irritated Gerna the most was the disrupted gathering; although only the wizards from the Law Enforcement Team knew now, who''s to say the news wouldn''t spread to the Family... It was truly embarrassing!


    "Don''t worry, that Golden Feather won''t be hopping around for much longer," Gerna gathered his thoughts and continued to the still angry Bale.


    Bale was taken aback, "Did you hear some news?"


    Gerna nodded slightly, saying in a low voice, "I''m not too clear on the specifics, but our Hidosh Family seems to have given up on recruiting Colin... Your Bunier Family should be the same."


    "So does the Family plan to take action against him again?" Bale furrowed his brows.


    "I''m afraid so, these past few months, our family has again tried extending the olive branch several times, but was rejected every time," Gerna added, thinking of Colin soon facing the Family''s hostility, his mood slightly improved.


    "But our goal is to pry out the location of the Magic Stone that Joyce promised us... Even if the Family continues to act against him, what does it have to do with us?"


    "This good opportunity was still missed by us,"


    Gerna''s expression froze, his face immediately turned ugly, and he could only say gloomily:


    "We will wait for another opportunity later."


    "Let''s hope," Bale looked at him disappointedly and sighed.

 Chapter 559 - 368: Limit Breaking

    The forest was dense, with sunlight pouring down in streams.


    In the large clearing outside the cave, Colin was practicing the Breathing Skill, his Green Gold Fighting Aura circulating; the sound of the wind whistled with every movement he made.


    Fortunately, he had solidified the ground with witchcraft, making it flat and firm; otherwise, it would surely have been a scene of sand and dust swirling around.


    Moreover, a concealed Witch Array had been set up around the clearing, hiding all the noise and commotion of Colin''s practice.


    This forest was remote, rarely visited by people.


    As of today, Colin had been living here for six days, feeling somewhat isolated from the world... mainly because he couldn''t enjoy the delicious meals prepared by Renee as he had before.


    However, he would be returning in the next day or two.


    At this moment, Colin''s movements paused slightly, and the Green Gold Fighting Aura on his body shimmered, seeming to slightly expand.


    Realizing something, Colin completed his current movement, and with a thought, summoned the Golden Paper.


    Sure enough, the progress bar in the Knight Level section had finally hit 100/100, indicating he was ready to attempt a breakthrough.


    A faint smile appeared on Colin''s face, but he didn''t hurry to make the breakthrough.


    At noon, when his condition was at its best, he began the formal process of Limit Breaking.


    The oval-shaped Extraordinary Organ in his lower abdomen pumped rapidly, and Green Gold Fighting Aura coursed through his limbs and body like a wild horse breaking free, emitting sounds as if substantial waves were crashing.


    Invisible fluctuations spread out in all directions like a breeze, causing the leaves of the nearby trees to rustle.


    ...


    In Neustadt City, inside an ordinary study.


    "Another wizard attacked?"


    Behind the brown desk, Faber deeply furrowed his brow.


    "Yes, sir, this is the third such attack lately. The victim was a First Rank Wizard," reported a Wizard wearing the robe of the Law Enforcement Team, his head bowed, "Although there are some differences in the injuries of the victims in all three attacks, they are very much alike overall, with their bodies covered in frost that doesn''t melt easily."


    "Hmm," Faber nodded slowly, indicating he understood.


    ''A time of trouble,'' he sighed to himself.


    After the Deep Crimson operation, the city was calm for a while, but as time passed, many demons and spirits started to emerge.


    It wasn''t just the recent series of suspected monster attacks on wizards, but also many bizarre cases, such as a Witch Apprentice killing her mentor, a First Rank Wizard who often bullied her... An Apprentice killing a First Rank Wizard, how extraordinary!


    Moreover, after doing this, the female Apprentice inexplicably disintegrated into a pile of bloody flesh, her soul seemingly completely vanished, without a trace to be found.


    Additionally, the number of wizards who went mad and fell from grace had suddenly increased, each for different reasons.


    Past incidents of wizard derangement were mostly related to witchcraft research.


    But in recent events, some wizards showed little interest in researching, yet still inexplicably transformed and degraded.


    Faber faintly realized that within Neustadt City, it seemed that a new undercurrent was gradually brewing.


    "Did the detailed analysis report on the Witch Array in the basement of the wizard named Isidore come out?" Faber thought for a moment and asked.


    "It''s out," the reporting wizard answered, conveniently taking out the bound report from his Storage Ring and handing it over.


    Previously, that is, on the day of the incident, they had conducted a preliminary investigation of the Witch Array in Isidore''s basement, determining that the array was specifically used to extract energy from Frost Elements and power something or some creature.


    However, the preliminary investigation could only go so far¡ªeverything about the basement in Isidore''s possession, even his body, had been actively destroyed.


    The more detailed investigation, which was the further analysis of the Witch Array, had only just been completed today. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Faber took the report and read it carefully.


    Interestingly, it was after that day that the mysterious attacks on wizards in the city began to emerge.


    Such a coincidence left Faber no choice but to connect the two, but due to insufficient evidence, it had remained a mere hypothesis¡ªuntil just now.


    Faber put down the detailed analysis report, a glint of clarity in his eyes.


    ''Some sort of creature akin to an Ice Element, a Frost Monster...''


    The recent string of attacks was indeed related to the case involving Isidore!


    Or rather, the creature that had been attacking around the city lately was the unknown Frost Monster that Isidore had been cultivating in his basement.


    Thinking this, Faber''s brow furrowed tightly once more.


    It was about time for the Supreme Council to enact regulations to bring all wizard research under unified management to prevent such accidents.


    Or at the very least require registration.


    Faber dismissed the wizard who had reported to him, then remained alone in the study, lost in thought for a long time. Finally, he wrote down his suggestions, then hurried out the door, taking off swiftly, his figure rapidly shrinking, his destination unknown.


    .........


    "What a pity..."


    In the thick woods, Colin gazed at the Golden Paper before him, sighing to himself.


    The ground below him, which he had reinforced with witchcraft, was now a complete mess, with trenches and upturned earth everywhere.


    Without a doubt, this damage to the ground was caused by the effects of advancing through the Knight Rank.


    Yes, Colin had successfully broken through his current Knight Level.

 Chapter 560 - 368 Limit Breaking_2

    But it didn''t turn out as he had hoped, no breakthrough to become a Second Rank Knight¡ªalthough being a Second Rank Knight would be nice, even a First Rank Knight would do, these were merely titles Colin had given to himself.


    If he wanted, as the one who had opened a new path for Knights, he could have called the realm he reached after his breakthrough a Second Rank Knight.


    But Colin didn''t want to, at least not this time. The degree of improvement he felt did not reach a qualitative change.


    If it had to be said, it would be more appropriate to say that he had gone from a Basic Level First Rank Knight to a First Rank Intermediate Knight.


    Colin put away the Golden Paper and carefully felt the changes within himself.


    The strength of his Knight Aura had increased by about thirty to forty percent, and the Fighting Aura Vortex within his body had become much larger.


    The ''Fighting Aura Core,'' the Extraordinary Organ located in the lower abdomen, had also undergone some special changes¡ªit had become more spherical and its volume had slightly expanded.


    Compared to the path of the Wizard, a clear and wide avenue trodden by countless people, the path of a Knight was still an unknown small trail hidden in a dark, dense forest.


    On this road, no one could help him, nor could he refer to any existing material or records.


    ''Maybe I should find a few more Breathing Skills for Knights to learn?'' Colin thought to himself.


    Previously, after the Limit Breaking breakthrough of the Yi Guang Breathing Method, a special Guiding Skill had appeared, which was why he had successfully progressed as a First Rank Knight, although that time he had also been influenced by the special Ancient Tree Heart.


    This time, his Limit Breaking breakthrough was achieved, as before, by continually compressing and increasing the Energy within his body¡ªor in other words, the Fighting Aura.


    This method had been very effective so far, but it was foreseeable that in the not-too-distant future, perhaps the next time he tried to advance his Knight Level, he would encounter a situation like the former Great Knight''s limitation, where he could no longer progress.


    When that time came, to make further progress on the path of a Knight, he would still need to rely on Golden Paper Limit Breaking.


    And for Golden Paper Limit Breaking, it naturally followed that the more Breathing Skills he had, the better, so as not to turn the Breathing Skills golden and temporarily be unable to break through after one or two attempts.


    ''Let''s head back to the city,'' Colin thought as he scanned his surroundings and collected his thoughts.


    After erasing any traces of his presence, he began his journey home.


    It was now the sixth of May. He would get accustomed to the newly enhanced strength of a Knight, and then he could attend the auction tomorrow.


    About two hours later.


    Colin arrived at a slightly smaller Wizard City¡ªAlfred.


    This time he didn''t choose to seclude himself far away from Neustadt City as he had previously.


    Certainly, Alfred wasn''t exactly close to Neustadt City, but compared to other Wizard Cities with Transmission Arrays, it was still much closer and required significantly less in terms of transmission fees. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Colin paid the fee and stepped onto the Transmission Array.


    Whoosh!


    The light from the Transmission Array flashed, and in the next second, Colin was back in the familiar Neustadt City.


    It was now only early evening, the clouds on the distant horizon were resplendent, and the sunset was like fire.


    However, seeing this beautiful sight, Colin, who had just stepped out of the Transmission General Bureau, furrowed his brows and took out his constantly flickering School Badge.


    "Colin Leonard, upon receiving this message, please proceed to the General Affairs Castle immediately to receive your new mandatory task."


    ''Another new mandatory task?'' Colin was slightly startled, but he no longer resisted as he had at the beginning.


    After all, even if the School hadn''t issued a mandatory task, in some time, at most until the research on Combined Witchcraft was complete, he would need to undertake some School tasks to earn contribution points.


    As for any possible stumbling blocks laid secretly by the Pureblood Families... As a Wizard who was officially a Second Rank Basic Level but whose actual combat strength was at Second Rank Advanced, Colin wasn''t overly concerned.


    Putting away the School Badge, Colin made his way to the Tin Saint School''s General Affairs Castle without delay.


    The Wizard on duty took the School Badge and placed it into a Witch Tools for inquiry:


    "Respected Mr. Leonard, your mandatory task this time... um, there seems to be an error in the crystal''s feedback. Let me check again, please wait."


    Colin raised his eyebrows.


    The duty Wizard fiddled for a good while, then scratched his head and said, "The crystal indicates that your task was to transport a batch of goods to the front lines, but it has now been canceled."


    "Canceled? What does that mean?" Colin asked in confusion.


    "Did you just receive the School Badge notification today?" asked the duty Wizard, as he stroked the Witch Tools crystal and continued, "The crystal shows that the School issued you this mandatory task four days ago."


    "A few days ago, I had some business that took me away from Neustadt City," Colin replied.


    "No wonder, that might have been why the compulsory task was so urgent, and after you didn''t respond, it was assigned to someone else," the duty Wizard explained. "Such cases are rare, but they have happened before."


    "Do I still need to do a compulsory task now?" Colin thought for a moment before asking.


    "Yes, you still need to, just not that one," the duty Wizard nodded, then suggested,


    "You''d best stay in Neustadt City for the time being. Based on past experience, the School will assign you a new compulsory task within at most half a month."


    Colin was somewhat speechless, nodding his head emotionlessly.


    "...I understand."


    ...


    Yanan Calendar, May 7th, afternoon.


    Wate Auction House.


    Colin walked out of the auction house''s main entrance without showing any emotion, his handsome face expressionless.


    But if one observed carefully, they could still see the surprise hidden deep within his blue eyes.


    Perhaps the law of conservation of luck had come into play, the bad news of the compulsory task from the School yesterday, but the success of today''s auction.


    Indeed, the Coldthorn Flower turned out to be a treasure that could trigger a response from his Frost Talent.


    And there weren''t many people in this auction competing with him for that treasure; in the end, he successfully won it with a bid of 100,000 Magic Stones.


    Without going home, he hurried to the True Knowledge Society laboratory, and Colin swallowed the Coldthorn Flower with his eyes closed.


    Traces of cold air seeped out from his mouth and nose, causing his eyebrows and temples to involuntarily frost over.


    About ten minutes later, Colin''s mind willed it, and he summoned the Golden Paper.


    His gaze immediately found the Frost Talent column ¨C as expected, the progress behind it had reached 100 out of 100!


    Without hesitation, Colin took out Magic Stones and began the Limit Breaking process.


    One hundred thousand... Two hundred thousand... Three hundred thousand... The numbers behind the Limit Breaking Point soared, right up until it reached three hundred thousand when the ¡ü symbol finally lit up behind his Frost Talent.


    Colin winced somewhat at the loss of the remaining Magic Stones.


    Magic Power is earned quickly but spent even faster.


    But on second thought, such an expenditure is normal.


    After all, his current Frost Talent is one that allows him to effortlessly unleash an attack comparable to a First Rank Wizard''s standard assault; it would be strange if Limit Breaking were cheap.


    Moreover, the more Magic Stones consumed in Limit Breaking, the more powerful the Frost Talent indicated... with that in mind, Colin felt much better.


    The Magic Stones were not really gone; they had merely remained with him in a different way!


    Taking a deep breath, Colin focused his spirit and pressed firmly on the ¡ü symbol.


    Bang!


    A ripple of pale blue cold air suddenly spread out from Colin, who was sitting cross-legged, like a tide washing outwards.


    At the same time, his temples and eyebrows, which had only just melted not long ago, were once again covered with fresh frost.


    It was unclear how much time had passed when Colin opened his eyes, a flash of frosty white and joy passing through the deep blue pupils.


    Frost Talent, successfully Limit Broken!


    Colin slowly stood up, the frost on his eyebrows and temples disappearing as if upon command. He waved his hand lightly, and a deep blue chill swept forward...


    ''Not bad.'' After feeling the effects of his Talent post-Limit Breaking, Colin allowed himself a slight smile.


    As if thinking of something, he rested for a moment before waving his hand again, calling forth an Ice Element.


    Now that his Frost Talent had been successfully Limit Broken, it was time to continue his prior research and see if, as he suspected, he could make new advancements in Combined Witchcraft studies!

 Chapter 561 - 369: Within Five Days

    "I am aware of the situation within the city."


    In the empty hall, Neustadt sat lazily in the black, luxurious City Lord''s chair, casually waving his hand at Faber standing in front of him.


    Faber stood respectfully, glanced up at him briefly, hesitated, then lowered his head and continued to emphasize,


    "Lord Neustadt, recently, the number of wizard control incidents caused by the research of witchcraft has multiplied several times over, causing significant damage..."


    "I will convey your suggestion to them," Neustadt replied indifferently, cutting off Faber.


    ''Of course, just conveying...'' Neustadt slightly raised his brows, looking at the earnest Faber in front of him, but he couldn''t muster any enthusiasm.


    Had it been before, he might have personally conducted an on-site investigation in the city.


    If he had verified that Faber''s information was true and useful, he might have even taken the initiative to help.


    However, now... Neustadt simply continued indifferently,


    "If there''s nothing else, you may leave."


    Just a few uncontrollable wizards.


    "Very well, Lord Neustadt."


    Faber looked up at Neustadt once more, nodded silently after a pause, and then turned to leave.


    Behind him, Neustadt quietly watched his departing figure, his eyes as calm as an ancient well.


    ...


    May 12th in the Yanan Calendar, early morning.


    It had been five days since the purchase of the Coldthorn Flower.


    Colin came to the study and was reading today''s Supreme Council bulletin and the city''s newspapers.


    "Wizard Research Management Regulations... A new decree issued by the Supreme Council?" Colin raised his eyebrows as he picked up the bulletin.


    Ever since the stalemate in the frontline battles, the bulletins from the Supreme Council had mainly been about trivial matters, sometimes they weren''t even issued.


    He hadn''t expected such a significant bulletin today... Though he hadn''t yet read the details, any decree was undoubtedly important to the whole society.


    Colin glanced again at the other newspapers on the desk, and, sure enough, half of the headlines were related to this new decree issued by the Supreme Council.


    From the looks of the titles, the Supreme Council seemed to want to bring all wizard research under control.


    ''That won''t be an easy feat,'' Colin thought first.


    In the Wizard World, privacy is much more sensitive compared to his previous world; many places like auction houses, the Transmission General Bureau, still haven''t implemented real-name systems.


    Now, to bring the even more private wizard research under management, the difficulty of that could be imagined.


    However, there were no such things as human rights in the Wizard World, and a societal structure maintained through coercion, in some respect, was particularly stable.


    If the Supreme Council wanted to enforce something, as long as they were determined, there was nothing they couldn''t do.


    Colin shook his head, picked up the bulletin, and began to read carefully.


    "Effective immediately, wizards in Neustadt who conduct research must voluntarily report..."


    After a moment, having read the Supreme Council''s bulletin and several related newspapers, he had come to an understanding.


    Although the Supreme Council had issued a research management regulation, the regulation itself wasn''t strict; it merely required basic reporting of information.


    At the same time, for the knowledge research that was reported, wizards could apply for some Magic Stones or knowledge subsidies after passing some reviews and signing usage contracts, if they wished.


    Moreover, this management regulation mainly targeted wizards below the Third Rank; those above weren''t required to comply.


    And for School Wizards, they did not need to report to the Supreme Council but to their respective Schools, which would then possibly report to the Supreme Council collectively¡ªColin guessed, but it wasn''t specified in the bulletin.


    As for Wandering Wizards, they were required to report to the Law Enforcement Team.


    If a Wandering Wizard refused to comply and was discovered, the penalties could be as light as a fine or as severe as expulsion from Neustadt, and they might even face imprisonment.


    The punishments for School Wizards were to be determined by their respective Schools.


    And one more thing, arguably the most important¡ªdetermining the location of the research.


    From now on, if wizards wanted to conduct knowledge research, it must be done at a designated research location.


    Research conducted in other places would be considered illegal.


    Although it was a specific location, this place could also be one''s own home or another experimental site, but an application to the School or Law Enforcement Team was needed in advance.


    If the previous requirement to report the basic information about the research¡ªessentially just the Ability Level, things like First Rank or Second Rank, along with an estimated danger level¡ªare just minor regulations,


    then this rule about determining the research location is what genuinely ensures that the Council can bring witchcraft research under some control without causing too much dissent among wizards.


    Colin put down the newspaper and deeply furrowed his brows.


    This new decree, to some extent, had made his research more inconvenient Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ... He also didn''t know what information the Supreme Council had obtained to make such a decision.


    Colin sighed softly.


    Unlike other wizards, many times, even if he wasn''t researching witchcraft, he needed to go to the True Knowledge Society''s laboratory to practice witchcraft.


    Ordinary wizards didn''t need such extensive practice, and if people knew, it would be easy to spot abnormalities, not to mention that he had now advanced to the Second Rank.

 Chapter 562 - 369 Within Five Days_2

    At least within the School, he was still Second Rank; Neustadt had indeed seen through his disguise before, but it seemed as if he had no interest in informing others.


    Colin behaved as if nothing had happened, since revealing his Second Rank status at the moment would undoubtedly do more harm than good.


    The traps set by those Pureblood Families could be easily resolved time and again precisely because of such informational discrepancies.


    As the saying goes, prudence is the key to success!


    At this thought, Colin somewhat missed the secluded forest he had stayed in a few days ago.


    It was sparsely populated, mainly due to the dangers of the dense woods, but in fact, it wasn''t far from the city and didn''t have much Tainted babbling.


    Although the Magic Power wasn''t as abundant as in Neustadt City, it could still support the cultivation of a Second Rank wizard, and with his powerful Talent, the difference between here and there was at most ten to twenty percent, which could also be compensated for with Magic Stones.


    Furthermore, with the new laws enacted, there was an added benefit¡ªno need to report research.


    "Perhaps... it really might be a good idea to find a secluded place outside the city and seclude myself for study, like before."


    Colin silently thought to himself as he stood up and prepared to head toward the True Knowledge Society.


    How does that saying go again? Life is like a siege, some people want in, some people want out... Hmm, that''s not quite what the original saying was about.


    But there are indeed moments in life when one might feel this way, and at least for Colin at the moment, this was the case.


    The war had come to a stalemate for the time being, and the continent welcomed a brief period of peace, but the currents within this Wizard City seemed to be stirring once again.


    As for reporting to the School right now... No hurry, Colin still planned to weigh his options.


    Moreover, he was quite curious about how the Law Enforcement Team would monitor those wizards who were unwilling to report.


    After all, if one were to shut the door and hide in a basement to study, who would know?


    He flagged down a brown public carriage.


    Half a quarter hour later.


    "Whoa!" Following the coachman''s command,


    The black horse pulling the carriage gradually came to a stop, snorting, as Colin stepped down slowly.


    However, as he took in the scene before him, he paused in surprise.


    The True Knowledge Society Castle, which was once desolate and could have been said to be deserted, now had its stone-paved entrance filled with wizards surrounding the damaged fountain.


    Of course, it didn''t take long to recognize from the insignia on them that these people were not wizards from the True Knowledge Society, but from the Law Enforcement Team.


    Thinking about it, Colin realized that he had almost been a member for half a year, yet he had never seen so many wizards here before.


    He could even say that, during his half-year with the True Knowledge Society, he had only gotten to know Shelley, with the rare encounter with other members when they occasionally emerged from their labs.


    But they all maintained a mutual distance, without much conversation.


    At this point, Colin looked up at the castle not too far away.


    "It''s nearly June, and Shelley still hasn''t returned to Neustadt City; I wonder what the reason is."


    He felt inexplicably annoyed, but soon dispelled that feeling, donning his School Badge and Golden Feather Token and continued forward.


    Although Shelley had said she would return to Neustadt City after the end of the frosty nights, it was not really a formal promise...


    "Are you a member of the True Knowledge Society?" A Law Enforcement Team Wizard asked him as he approached.


    "Yes," Colin replied calmly, and curiously inquired, "What brings the Law Enforcement Team here... Has something happened?"


    Seeing Colin''s Tin Saint School Badge on his chest and the Golden Feather Token at his waist, the Law Enforcement Team member''s stern expression softened somewhat and continued,


    "Have you seen today''s decree from the Supreme Council?"


    "I am aware, the magical research management regulations."


    "That''s what we are here for," the Law Enforcement Team Wizard nodded solemnly and continued earnestly,


    "According to the regulations, the True Knowledge Society, as an organization specializing in the study of knowledge, is one of the entities that requires special attention."


    Colin''s expression faltered slightly; if he had not remembered incorrectly, he had read nothing about this in today''s proclamation.


    Despite maintaining his composure in the face of Colin''s puzzled look, Colin already perceived a hint of something amiss in the eyes of the Law Enforcement Team Wizard.


    His thoughts whirling rapidly, Colin had an epiphany.


    It seemed... this so-called focussed attention might hide ulterior motives.


    It was said to be according to the regulatory statutes, but at this moment, it appeared more like someone was using this decree to target the True Knowledge Society.


    The Law Enforcement Team Wizard intentionally coughed and continued to speak to him,


    "Your Excellency, are you here to research witchcraft? If so, you may need to report to us, the Law Enforcement Team... Given the special nature of this place, the reporting might be stricter, and we might need to ask some additional questions."


    "Don''t worry, Excellency. The extra questions are all quite straightforward and nothing too sensitive," the Law Enforcement Team Wizard added.


    At this point, glancing at the Golden Feather Token on Colin''s person, the Wizard hinted, "Of course, if the location of your research isn''t here in the True Knowledge Society Castle, you can also report to your associated School, as per the rules."


    Colin nodded slowly; he understood what the Law Enforcement Team Wizard meant.


    If he reported to a School, many things could be negotiable and wouldn''t be as strict as reporting to the True Knowledge Society.


    The Law Enforcement Wizard was implying that if he wasn''t keen on revealing too much information, he could change his research location.


    However, after pondering for a moment, Colin still spoke up, "My research is indeed being conducted here."


    Rather than worrying about a few inconsequential additional questions that the True Knowledge Society might ask, he was more concerned about the Pureblood Families using the School reporting as an opportunity to cause trouble.


    The Law Enforcement Team Wizard froze for a moment, then without further words, took out a special Witch Tool and proceeded in a businesslike manner, asking, S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "In that case, please provide valid identification for registration."


    "Alright," Colin handed over the School Badge.


    "Firstly, what is the Ability Level of the research?" Taking the badge, the Law Enforcement Team Wizard placed it into a slot of the Witch Tool and began to inquire.


    "Second Rank Lower," Colin replied calmly.


    If judged only by the strength of the summoned Element, that was indeed the case.


    The Law Enforcement Team Wizard looked up at Colin, whom he saw as merely a First Rank Wizard, and felt a trace of surprise.


    However, upon seeing the Golden Feather Token at Colin''s waist, that flicker of surprise soon dissipated.


    "What is the level of danger? From extremely dangerous, majorly dangerous, average, mildly, to safe?"


    "Mildly dangerous."


    "The research location is the True Knowledge Society Castle, correct?"


    "Yes, it is."


    The Law Enforcement Team Wizard nodded and continued to say,


    "Next, we have some additional questions that are required for conducting research in the True Knowledge Society Castle."


    "Please describe the general direction of your research."


    "Elemental."


    The actions of the Law Enforcement Team Wizard paused momentarily, but he said nothing.


    The decree had only just been handed down, so the questions being asked were extra and outside the stipulation of the decree; therefore, the answers were naturally not required to be detailed.


    In fact, their arrival here was not due to any statutory requirements.


    The Law Enforcement Team Wizard continued to ask mainly inconsequential questions, not scrutinizing their truthfulness, though they were indeed somewhat troublesome.


    After about five minutes, the questioning finally neared its end, and the Law Enforcement Team Wizard asked his last question,


    "How much longer do you anticipate your research will take to complete, Your Excellency?"


    Colin thought for a moment and calmly replied, "Within five days."


    Yes, although only five days had passed since he had purchased the Coldthorn Flower, his research into Combined Witchcraft had experienced a breakthrough!


    As he had hoped, the enhancement of his Frost Talent indeed brought a crucial opportunity, allowing him to break through an issue in his research on Combined Witchcraft that had troubled him for so long.


    Therefore, if nothing unexpected happened, within five days, he should at least achieve some interim results!

 Chapter 563 - 370 Magic Potion Gift

    Yanan Calendar, fifteenth of May, early morning.


    Colin, as usual, went to the True Knowledge Society''s laboratory.


    Today, the sky was gloomy¡ªheavy gray-black lead clouds obscured all sunlight, and the slight chill of spring turned into a fine drizzle, which felt somewhat bleak.


    Just a few steps out of the door, he didn''t see a single public carriage; the hurried steps of wizards were visible everywhere on the streets.


    Most of the wizards didn''t carry umbrellas, or rather, they used protective witchcraft against the rain.


    Boom!


    Suddenly, a dull sound came from not far away.


    A burst of loud noises and shouting faintly reached him.


    Colin paused in his steps, vaguely hearing words like "Law Enforcement Team," "violation of management regulations."


    He shook his head, took a few fast steps forward, and stopped a public carriage that just came by.


    "Giddy up!" S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The carriage sped away and soon arrived at the True Knowledge Society.


    Colin stepped down from the carriage and looked toward a residence not far away, where in the gloomy sky, wizards from the Law Enforcement Team were suspended in midair.


    Apart from the sounds he heard before stopping the carriage and now seeing the Law Enforcement Team, on his way here in the carriage, Colin had also seen two similar scenes.


    This was the Law Enforcement Team conducting searches according to the decree issued on the twelfth¡ªtargeting Wandering Wizards.


    The wizards in the Law Enforcement Team used specially made Witch Tools that could detect Magic Power fluctuations and Ability Levels¡ªafter all, even if wizards concealed their aura perfectly during research, unless they used Magic Stones for power throughout, it was inevitable that they would need to consume Magic Power.


    And as long as there was a consumption of Magic Power, it would be detected.


    Even though a small number of wizards could avoid such detection by using Magic Stones throughout, it didn''t matter much, firstly because only a few wizards had the conditions to do so, and secondly, as per Colin''s observation, the Law Enforcement Team wasn''t enforcing this regulation too strictly; what they needed seemed to be more about overall control.


    In fact, such search operations had started yesterday. If a Wandering Wizard was found not to have reported, or to have reported false information, they would be sternly warned by the Law Enforcement Team.


    Although there was no substantial punishment, Colin felt that such search operations were somewhat unreasonable.


    After all, the decree had just been issued two days ago; logically, there should be at least a week''s time to report.


    Considering the peculiarities of wizards, it was normal for them to not go out or see anyone for a week sometimes, due to studying or learning new witchcraft.


    Unfortunately, no one would consider the opinions of Wandering Wizards.


    Converging his thoughts, Colin quickly walked into True Knowledge Castle and went to the laboratory to continue his research for the day.


    After Limit Breaking his Frost Talent, the enhancement he received was tremendous, even transforming in nature.


    This transformation was not only evident in the far stronger Frost attacks that Colin could now casually execute, which were almost at the Middle Ability Level of First Rank witchcraft, but also in his finer control over Frost powers.


    It was somewhat like learning art in a previous life, where some people just use colors more accurately and beautifully.


    Since the Limit Breaking of his Frost Talent, Colin suddenly felt an enlightenment in his witchcraft research.


    The originally unstable Ice Elements suddenly became stable, and some barriers that interfered with the formation of Combined Witchcraft were naturally resolved without him deliberately overcoming them.


    But in reality, nothing else had changed.


    It could only be said that some things indeed didn''t benefit from mere effort, which was true for many aspects of life; talent might be more important.


    All in all, he had now overcome the most critical issue in combining the Black Mist Net with Summoning Ice Elements¡ªthe combination of Silent Shadow and Ice Elements.


    Next, he just needed to methodically perfect the remaining parts to successfully create a new witchcraft that initially combined the two!


    And now it was already the fifteenth of May, and actually, most of the remaining parts had already been resolved. Colin estimated that, barring any accidents, by this evening, he might just successfully construct a preliminary version!


    In this way, time flew by in focus, the rain gradually stopped, and the clouds slowly dispersed, but what was revealed was an already pitch-black night sky.


    Inside the True Knowledge Society''s laboratory.


    Colin let out a deep exhale, straightening up from the laboratory table.


    He twisted his neck, then slowly closed his eyes, carefully reconstructing in his mind the new Magic Model he had just designed.


    "It seems¡­ it''s complete?"


    Moments later, Colin opened his eyes, still feeling a bit surreal.


    This time, the model seemed to have no flaws, and the simulation ran without any bugs¡­


    After thinking it over, he prompted with his mind and summoned the Golden Paper.


    Pale golden particles slowly gathered in front of him.


    On the Golden Paper, the black characters of Black Mist Net and Summoning Ice Elements were already blurring together, seeing this.


    Finally, Colin truly felt a genuine sensation, a surge of uncontrollable joy bursting in his heart!


    Indeed, it was often like this.


    When you crossed a hill, reaching a destination, at the moment of completion, there wasn''t an overwhelming passion but rather a tranquility that everything was falling into place. Often, looking back later, when those trickling streams merged into a tumultuous rush in the heart, a deeper feeling emerged.


    Joy that could not be concealed climbed onto Colin''s face, and he continued with another prompt in his mind.


    The blurred characters on the Golden Paper, formed from the combination of Black Mist Net and Summoning Ice Elements, gradually became clear, finally setting into¡ª Elemental Net!

 Chapter 564 - 370: Magic Potion Gift_2

    And this magic spell had also directly opened a new column on the Golden Paper¡ªSecond Rank Upper-Level Witchcraft, becoming the strongest witchcraft Colin held in his hands at present!


    The only pity was that, as a type of Combined Witchcraft, Colin temporarily couldn''t grasp its entirety.


    Just as when he had first executed the Black Mist Net, which required the collection of suitable materials to transform it into the Silent Shadow, the current Elemental Net Witchcraft likewise needed the Ice Element to be transformed first before it could be readily cast.


    Furthermore... Colin continued to look at the Golden Paper.


    In a strict sense, this Elemental Net Witchcraft could be considered the first new magic that he had developed not by using the Golden Paper Limit Breaking but through his own research and fusion.


    This undoubtedly paved the way for future developments because on the Golden Paper, to merge two witchcrafts, each had to be broken to the golden limit first to succeed.


    And breaking any witchcraft to the golden limit was by no means an easy feat, requiring a considerable amount of time.


    ''If only the Golden Paper could control the fusion of magics by itself...'' Colin suddenly thought.


    If the Golden Paper could initiate a fusion without waiting for the magic to break to the golden limit, it would undoubtedly greatly reduce the workload.


    But that was just an impractical fantasy... Colin shook his head and, with a *snap*, he opened his copper pocket watch, which showed that it was now ten o''clock in the evening.


    These days, his time returning home was basically around 11 p.m., and he still had an hour to go.


    Colin thought it over and ultimately decided not to continue, tidying up the lab and preparing to head home early.


    After all, one hour wasn''t enough time to transform the Ice Element.


    Stepping outside the laboratory, Colin didn''t need to feel it to know that he was the only person left in the True Knowledge Society Castle.


    Since the implementation of the Wizard Research Regulation, the True Knowledge Castle had been designated by someone as an area of particular concern and was almost visited daily by the Law Enforcement Team.


    Although they never crossed the boundaries, just checking the fluctuation of Magic Power outside the labs and occasionally asking a few questions to the wizards as they came out.


    But this undoubtedly greatly dampened the enthusiasm of those wizards who originally conducted research at the True Knowledge Society.


    As of today, aside from Colin, there were no wizards continuing their studies in the True Knowledge Castle; they likely had all moved elsewhere.


    After all, apart from the location, without any scrutiny through information reports, most wizards probably held back in their responses.


    It was fine in other places that weren''t searched much, but in the case of the True Knowledge Society, being checked almost daily... almost no wizard could tolerate it.


    Now that the new Elemental Net Witchcraft was successfully researched, Colin was also considering where to relocate for his magical research and daily practice.


    Especially these past few days, while pushing the final research content of the Elemental Net, it was more theoretical, hardly causing any unusual Magic Power fluctuations.


    Even if he did summon, at most it was a Second Rank Lower Ice Element, matching the information he had reported, so he didn''t need to pay too much attention to the inspections by the Law Enforcement Team.


    Moreover, whether it was just his impression, or because of his Golden Feather identity¡ª


    Colin always felt that the Law Enforcement Team was a bit more amicable towards him, rarely catching him to ask questions.


    Whereas the other members of the True Knowledge Society conducting research here were practically interrogated daily.


    So these past days had gone quite well for him.


    But if he was going to undertake new research and daily magical practice, he would likely need to find another place.


    Stepping out of the True Knowledge Castle, it was pitch black outside; tonight was exceptionally dark, with neither moon nor stars.


    Colin felt a tinge of melancholy; rents in Neustadt City were not cheap, and places that could withstand Second Rank Wizardry practice were already rare.


    If he left the True Knowledge Society, finding another location as affordable as this would likely not be an easy task.


    Past ten at night, public carriages were quite scarce, and Colin didn''t attempt to find one, but as usual, he activated the Flying Witchcraft, slightly lifted off the ground, and hovered towards his home.


    In this dangerous world, nightlife was always scarce.


    Perhaps in some big cities of past lives, the streets at 10 PM were no different from those during the day, and some were even busier¡ªafter all, for many workers, regardless of interest, it was indeed only free time in the evening to stroll the streets.


    But in Neustadt City, at 10 PM, barely anyone was around, and the familiar wide avenues were practically deserted, with only the chirping of insects breaking the silence.


    Colin had gotten used to such quietness.


    So much so that when he suddenly heard some whispers while passing a certain district, he didn''t immediately react and unconsciously slowed down his flying speed.


    "Did you bring the Magic Potion?" a somewhat sharp and anxious voice asked.


    "You can rest assured, I, Night Owl, have always been reliable! When have I ever failed?!"


    "About you, did you bring the Magic Stone? Magic Potion ''Gift'' is not cheap, you know."


    Colin shook his head, seeing it as just an ordinary shady deal, and was about to speed up and leave.


    But the next moment, the words from the sharp voice made him frown and stop again.


    "Of course, I brought Magic Stone, enough for sure. I also want the Magic Potion ''Mercy''; can you get it?"


    ''Magic Potion Mercy...'' Colin felt a stir in his heart.


    He knew of this potion; it was why Joyce, his assaulter from the Extreme North, could burst forth with the strength of a Second Rank Advanced Wizard, despite being just a Basic Level Second Rank Wizard, all thanks to the so-called Mercy potion.


    Of course, at that time, Colin was unaware that the potion Joyce had consumed was Mercy; he got the name when he inspected Joyce''s almost empty Storage Ring.


    Colin subconsciously concealed his own aura and fortified himself with Concealing Witchcraft as he hid by the wall on the street.


    The conversation between Night Owl and the sharp voice continued.


    "Mercy... It''s a bit tricky. What does a First Rank Wizard like you want with it? Mercy can elevate a Second Rank Wizard to Second Rank Advanced, but at best it can only lift a First Rank Wizard to First Rank Advanced. It''s a low cost-benefit for a First Rank Wizard."


    The sharp voice fell silent, seeming to realize that its question was somewhat sensitive, and Night Owl took the initiative to change the subject.


    "If you insist on it, prepare at least five hundred thousand Magic Stones. I can get it for you."


    "Five hundred thousand Magic Stones?!" the sharp voice exclaimed in shock.


    "Keep your voice down!" Night Owl scolded, "What else then? Mercy isn''t like Gift, which only enhances thought speed and fosters inspiration."


    "Gift may just be good for the study of witchcraft, while Mercy is genuinely capable of significantly increasing strength.


    You know how important that is, don''t you?"


    The sharp voice was silent for a long time and didn''t continue the topic, only saying to Night Owl: sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Here, this is the Magic Stone, count it."


    "Alright." Night Owl could hardly contain his pleasure as he checked and then smoothly handed over the Magic Potions to the sharp voice: "Pleasure doing business with you. Take good care of the Magic Potions; there are three bottles, each lasting about half a day, and there should be at least twelve hours between each dose..."


    "That''s enough, I know, pleasure doing business." The sharp voice spoke impatiently, followed by the sound of footsteps fading into the distance.


    "If you need more Magic Potions, just come find me at the usual place!" Night Owl wasn''t fazed and just continued with another sentence.


    He pocketed the Magic Stones and turned to walk out of the alley.


    Whoosh!


    However, in the next instant, Night Owl felt a surge of energy rapidly approaching the back of his neck, causing him to shiver uncontrollably and instinctively attempt to resist.


    But the witchcraft he was conjuring in his hands dissipated before it was finished, disrupted by another force, and at the same time, a soundproofing witchcraft quickly enveloped him.


    Underneath the Night Owl mask, his face turned pale as he immediately realized the gap between himself and the Wizard behind him and hesitated for a moment before giving up resistance.

 Chapter 565 - 371: Special Compulsory Task

    "Talk to me about the Magic Potion Gift."


    A voice, indistinguishable between male and female, came from behind. Night Owl subconsciously twisted his neck slightly.


    "Don''t turn around, or I can''t guarantee what will happen to you," the voice continued.


    Night Owl''s heart skipped a beat, and he froze on the spot.


    "Answer my question," Colin continued.


    "Okay... okay, sir," Night Owl finally reacted, hurriedly responding, then paused and with a trembling voice asked, "Sir, what did you just ask? I didn''t hear it clearly."


    "Talk to me about the Magic Potion Gift, and... Mercy."


    "Oh... okay, okay," Night Owl organized his language, and spoke like spilling beans:


    "Gift and Mercy... Well, originally, there was only the Magic Potion Mercy, which suddenly appeared in the Merci black market about six months ago, while Magic Potion Gift is a new product that appeared just two months ago."


    "What else?"


    "Also... also, they are both said to be from the hands of a foreign Second Rank Magic Pharmacist known as Harbinger of Death, who has a very mysterious background. Initially, there were even Pureblood Families who wanted to move against him because of the potions, but it all came to nothing in the end."


    "Continue."


    "And... and...," Night Owl''s mind was racing, his face frantic, but he just kept muttering.


    Colin slightly furrowed his brow.


    "There''s... there''s no more I know, sir..." Feeling the brewing strong energy fluctuation behind him, Night Owl felt as though an invisible hand was tightly clutching his heart. He yelled in panic:


    "I''m just an outer member of the network, sir... Right! I get my supply from Old Bolton, who is in the Merci black market... That''s all I really know, please don''t kill me!


    If... if you want more information, I can take you to Old Bolton..."


    Night Owl tensed up, his tone frantic, but the next moment, he suddenly realized that the Silence Magic beside him had dissipated without his knowing.


    Feeling more carefully, the terrifying energy fluctuation that had been like a thorn in his back was also gone. Night Owl secretly swallowed and hesitated for a moment before slowly turning his head back.


    All he saw was an empty alley, with the night wind rustling the fallen leaves on the ground.


    Everything just now seemed like an illusion¡­ Night Owl exhaled softly, pulled up his mask, wiped the sweat on his forehead, and quickly left the place.


    On the other side, Colin continued on his way home. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had no intention of looking for this Old Bolton, nor was he interested in further investigating the matter.


    The night''s event was just a spontaneous act.


    ''Harbinger of Death... a foreign wizard,'' Colin shook his head.


    He didn''t believe a foreign wizard, alone and possessing such precious potions as Mercy and Gift, could firmly establish himself in the cutthroat environment of Neustadt City solely on his own.


    Clearly, there was something fishy behind this, and it was likely that a Pureblood Wizard Family was involved, though peripheral wizards like Night Owl wouldn''t possibly know.


    ''Mercy... Gift...'' Colin pondered the names of the two potions.


    The strange reaction Joyce had when she took the Mercy Potion was still vivid in his memory, and now this new Gift, which supposedly enhanced thinking speed and assisted wizards in research, was probably not a good thing either.


    ''The city seems to be getting more chaotic,'' Colin sighed inwardly, the cold wind hitting his face, his eyes gradually hardening.


    ''No matter what the outside world is like, what I should do, and the only thing I can do, is to improve myself.''


    Thinking this, Colin felt somewhat relieved; after all, he had never been slack.


    His life had never failed to reward his diligence; the Elemental Net Witchcraft he successfully developed today was proof of that...


    The night breeze was gentle, and Colin''s figure gradually faded into the distance.


    ...


    "Are you saying there might be a new opportunity coming up?"


    In a finely decorated study, Gerna looked at Bale, who was sitting opposite him with a raised eyebrow.


    "Yes, we can''t afford to miss this one," Bale clamored unceremoniously, plopping down right across from Gerna.


    "What kind of opportunity?" Gerna asked without concern.


    "What else could it be, remember why we were sent to block Colin last time?"


    "You mean... a compulsory task?" Gerna asked.


    "Exactly, that Golden Feather is about to be assigned a new compulsory task, I got this information by spending a lot of effort in our Family!" Bale said.


    "A while ago, that Golden Feather left Neustadt City, didn''t he? He was away for about a week. During that time, the School assigned him a new compulsory task, but since he wasn''t there, the task was eventually given to another wizard."


    Hearing this, Gerna understood, his eyes brightening, "So you mean Colin will be reassigned a compulsory task soon... and this is our chance?"


    "...Yes!" Bale paused then nodded, "We can''t afford to miss it again this time."


    He pondered for a moment then added, "I also heard that this compulsory task assigned to Golden Feather this time might be a bit special."


    "Special... How special?" Gerna wondered.


    "I don''t know," Bale shook his head, pausing before adding,


    "But I know that our Family has decided not to recruit this Golden Feather in the short term. Those witches who were originally responsible for maintaining a good relationship with Golden Feather have recently received a stop order."

 Chapter 566 - 371 Special Compulsory Task_2

    "I''ve also heard that the situation in the city has been complicated lately. I guess our family probably doesn''t have the spare energy to pay attention to a Golden Feather anymore." Bale nodded slowly, then added, "It just makes it easier for us to make a move."


    "Indeed it does," Bale said with a nod.


    The less attention the Golden Feather received, the safer their actions naturally became.


    "What''s been happening recently in this city anyway? That regulatory ordinance appeared so abruptly and inexplicably," Bale mused, then asked with some worry.


    "I don''t know," replied Bale, shaking his head, "but I do know that about a month before the ordinance was introduced, the number of accidents caused by wizards'' research in the city had increased sharply, one after another non-stop¡­ Perhaps that''s why the ordinance was suddenly implemented."


    "¡­Perhaps," Bale nodded noncommittally, though he felt that the reasons behind the issuance of the regulatory ordinance were not that simple.


    But he didn''t say much more, just stated seriously, "We must be careful in this operation and make thorough preparations."


    "Although that Golden Feather is only a First Rank Advanced Wizard, if Joyce really died at his hands¡­ then I think we at least need to treat him like a Second Rank Middle Wizard!"


    "You''re right," Bale agreed, nodding his head, then thought for a moment before adding, "Just to be safe, let''s prepare as if he were a Second Rank Advanced Wizard. We need to ready the auxiliary magic crystals, traps, magic potions, and so on!"


    "Alright, it''s best to be cautious," Bale nodded, paused, then added, "Although it''s unlikely, I''ll leave a backup plan before we depart. Should anything unexpected happen, at least the family will know who killed me and it won''t be like Joyce¡ªthat no one knows what really happened."


    After thinking for a moment, Bale nodded, "You''re right, I will also leave a backup plan."


    He thought for a moment then asked, "But what if Colin really is just a First Rank Advanced Wizard?"


    "If he''s just a First Rank Advanced Wizard, that means Joyce definitely couldn''t have been killed by him, and we''ll just leave when the time comes," Bale said nonchalantly.


    "Mm," Bale nodded slowly.


    If Colin was merely a First Rank Advanced Wizard, then in front of the two of them, who were fully prepared Second Rank Wizards, he could hardly stir up any trouble!


    ...¡­


    The next day, the sun was bright.


    Before dawn had even pierced the early morning darkness, Colin had risen early from bed.


    Today''s task was still heavy; he planned to at least create a new Ice Element, or it could also be called a Frost Shadow.


    The problem, however, was that the first step he needed to take was to find a new place where he could transform the Ice Element.


    The Elemental Net was already a Second Rank Upper Wizard technique, and transforming the Ice Element would inevitably generate stronger magic power fluctuations than he had previously reported for a Second Rank Lower.


    With the current environment of the True Knowledge Society, continuing to transform the Ice Element there was clearly not possible.


    The best approach was actually to leave the city, where the Law Enforcement Team only managed the inside. Outside Neustadt City, there were plenty of places he could perform the Ice Element transformation.


    ''Should I go to the wilderness forest like last time?''


    Just as Colin was planning where to go today in his study, the school badge on his body suddenly lit up.


    Colin picked it up and raised an eyebrow.


    It was a notification from the school, instructing him to head to General Affairs Castle as soon as possible to receive a compulsory mission.


    With a slight sigh, Colin put away the newspaper he was reading and headed toward the school.


    Plans always seem to fall behind changes; for now, he just had to go and receive the compulsory mission.


    This couldn''t be delayed; previously it was because he was outside the city, a force beyond control.


    But now, receiving notification from the school also meant the school was aware he was inside Neustadt City. If he didn''t go to the school to receive the compulsory mission within twenty-four hours, he would face corresponding penalties.


    Passing through the gates guarded by Left Ao and Right Ao, Colin arrived at the familiar General Affairs Castle and made his way easily to a counter on the second floor.


    The wizard on duty today was unexpectedly a familiar face; if he wasn''t mistaken, it was the same wizard on duty the last time he had come to receive a mission to the Extreme North. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Good morning, Mr. Colin," the duty wizard clearly recognized Colin the Golden Feather.


    Having begun teaching at the Tin Saint School in recent months, Colin had become far more famous than before.


    Most of the First and Second Rank Wizards at the school had heard of this up-and-coming Golden Feather, of course, they also knew about this Golden Feather who offered paid tutoring after classes and had not yet joined any faction.


    Some were puzzled, others secretly sneered, but most maintained a superficial respect for the Golden Feather.


    Because everyone knew that as soon as Colin nodded to a Pureblood Family, he could rise to a level that required their respect.


    The duty wizard Bobby was no exception; he smiled broadly and gestured for Colin to take a seat.


    "If I''m not mistaken, you''re here to receive a compulsory mission," he said.


    Colin nodded slightly while handing over the school badge.


    Bobby took the badge with a smile, slightly toned down his smile, and said earnestly, "Please wait while I check for you."


    A moment later, he appeared startled, then looked up at Colin and said, "Sir, your mission this time is a garrison duty."


    ''Garrison duty¡­'' A puzzled expression appeared on Colin''s face.