Mongna Ant Land Cottage, Ivan and a group of people entered from the entrance of the ant land barrier, and the familiar architecture of the academy came into view, evoking a sense of closeness.
“Finally back, it still feels comfortable here.”
“Sorcerer Ivan, we will take our leave now.”
The apprentices uttered a sentiment and asked Ivan for leave before dispersing.
Ivan deliberately retained Conley for a while, bringing up the matter of the runes bundle array, the promise he had made to the Aromatic Wheat Grand Duke, which he of course would not break.
“Sorcerer Ivan, I’m actually not ready yet, can I come to you after I’m prepared?” Conley just learned of the formula he provided, which enhances the success rate of sorcerers’ promotion in the array. He could only admire that it deservedly belonged to someone from the Enchantment Group.
Actually, Conley was still some distance away from the 3rd Class limit, but he had just seen the opportunity and pleaded with his father, the Aromatic Wheat Grand Duke, to help him secure it, and fortunately, he succeeded.
“Certainly, but I hope I won’t have to wait too long.”
“Then I shall take my leave as well.”
Ivan reminded him to keep it a secret, and Conley hurried off.
Afterward, Ivan didn’t rush back to the Twin Towers. Instead, he specially took Justine for a tour around to prevent her from being clueless about the academy.
With several months before enrollment, Justine couldn’t be considered an academy’s apprentice before then and was not suitable to move around within the academy, so she had to stay temporarily within the Twin Towers.
Arriving at the teaching area, Ivan spotted a familiar person from afar. Had it not been for the matching aura, he almost wouldn’t have recognized him. Wayne Steele, the man had appeared again and had, like him, become an official sorcerer.
“Sorcerer Ivan, not even a greeting when we meet?” Wayne now looked drastically different compared to before; his body had swollen significantly, his face gained several folds of fat, and his ears had scale-like spots.
“Sorcerer Wayne, congratulations on your successful promotion,” Ivan said with a light smile.
“Are you mocking me?”
“Tell me, what about you is worthy of my mockery?”
Wayne’s gaze turned somewhat cold, and after sweeping a glance at Justine, the Scented Butterfly, and the Wind Moth, he walked away without a word.
Body Alteration?
Watching the departing figure, Ivan was struck with a hint of confusion.
This guy, possessing 5th Class talent, first failed in becoming a sorcerer, and now it seemed he had undergone a biological bloodline alteration. His aura was filled with wildness and coldness, truly incomprehensible.
“Who is this person?” Justine, startled by his previous gaze, asked.
“Someone who joined the academy with me, now an official sorcerer. He’s from the Talent Nurturing Team, I am from the Enchantment Group.” Ivan didn’t elaborate further as he wasn’t very familiar with Wayne.
After a tour, they and their group returned to the Twin Towers.
The Scented Butterfly and the Wind Moth, carrying the insect nest, flew back to the silkworm house in a flash. Earlier, the two small creatures had planned to transform the silkworm house, but had been taken back to Tidal Island by the sorcerer. Now, they hurried to complete their original plan.
“How does it feel?”
“It feels like I’m in a dream.”
“Haha, this will be your home from now on, let me show you around some more.”
Ivan knew she had just arrived at the academy, her heart certainly filled with trepidation and unease. He took her to look around inside and outside of the Twin Towers.
Days passed, and Justine gradually adapted to life in the Twin Towers. Actually, her personality was always quite homebody, so not having to leave the Twin Towers allowed her to adapt even faster.
Ivan received a piece of news; just about ten days ago, Wolban was promoted to a Level 1 Sorcerer. As for other people he knew, like Heidi and Cody, there was no news yet.
…
Lake Nichols.
A blood-colored figure flashed across the lake’s surface; Ivan had once again come here. This time, he brought the Wind Moth and other rapid wood silkworms, while the Scented Butterfly was left in the Twin Towers.
“Not this side.”
Hearing the words of the Wind Moth, Ivan ordered the blood-colored pigeon to continue flying.
The blood-colored pigeon vigorously flapped its wings, causing the grass below to collapse and fall to the sides, stirring up waves on the lake’s surface.
“Wait, it seems to be here, I’ll go down and take a look.”
“Go ahead.”
After receiving the instruction, the Wind Moth descended into the lake and headed deeper underwater, quickly disappearing from sight.
Soon, it emerged from the water surface.
“I remembered it wrong, it’s not here.”
“No rush, take your time to search.”
Ivan wasn’t disappointed. If one merely flies over it, Lake Nichols indeed appears small, but a meticulous search reveals its considerable size.
The Wind Moth only had scattered memory images, and in a place with no distinct features, it was quite normal to look in the wrong place.
Ivan couldn’t view the Wind Moth’s memories and could only rely on it to recognize them bit by bit.
More than an hour later, the Wind Moth spotted the location in its memory, and upon hearing Ivan’s advice, it didn’t charge in impulsively.
“Lead the way.”
Just like the last time in the cave, this time they needed to enter from underwater, passing through a narrow underwater tunnel, until there was no path ahead.
“Move the stone above and you will get there,” said the Wind Moth, about to proceed.
“Wait.”
Ivan stopped its reckless action.
Ivan’s expression turned grave, knowing Toyennes was not to be underestimated. His lair couldn’t possibly be without any arrangements. A creature like Wind Moth wouldn’t even know how it died.
He took the Wind Moth a long distance back, waved his hand, and a vine flew across forty to fifty meters, hitting the rocks. Sparks burst from the rocks, instantly covering the narrow passage with crackling electric light, spreading outward.
“That was close!”
Retreating a distance further, the Wind Moth couldn’t help but click its tongue in amazement at how insidious that man was.
With electric light blocking the path, Ivan wasn’t worried at all. The energy would eventually run out, and Toyennes was no longer likely to come back.
Two minutes later, the stone burst into several pieces, rolling around, and a faint light came from inside.
Ivan took the Wind Moth and emerged from the tunnel back onto the surface of the water, revealing an underground cavern. Toyennes, maintaining human habits, had excavated several rooms, each neatly arranged.
“Just like what I saw, that green horn is in this room,” the Wind Moth pointed and said.
Ivan checked around. The cavern had no other arrangements. Following where the Wind Moth pointed, he found a conspicuously placed deer antler. Except for its unusual color, the antler seemed plain, giving an impression of a divine item hiding its presence.
‘Ode to Spring and Summer’
Indeed, it was a meditation method—lacking a basic section, just the first ‘Ode to Spring’ and the second ‘Ode to Summer’. Unlike the academy’s traditional meditation methods, each layer contained only one spell, neither of which was a defensive spell.
He glanced briefly and collected the antler.
After searching all the rooms in the cavern, the outcome disappointed him greatly. Besides some materials, he found nothing else valuable. Toyennes was poorer than he had imagined.
Your next read is at empire
What he didn’t know was that Toyennes, having been through the ordeal on Lahr Island and traveled thousands of miles here, had exhausted his resources between stabilizing his body and researching and arranging the runes sorcery array; otherwise, he wouldn’t have collaborated with some people of unknown origins.
A moment later, Ivan and the Wind Moth returned to the surface of the lake.
He summoned a blood-colored pigeon and headed back to Mongna Ant Land Cottage. Coincidentally, a robust middle-aged sorcerer, also riding a flying creature, passed by in a different direction.
“Sorcerer Ivan Marichardon, I am pleased we meet again,” greeted the middle-aged sorcerer from a distance, his eyes lighting up.
“And you are?” Ivan looked surprised at the overly familiar man, certain he had never seen this sorcerer before.
“It seems it really is you, Sorcerer Ivan. Are you interested in having a chat? I can introduce you to an organization, one that can bring you abundant resources, including the Level 1 Mental Power Potion, vaporization resources, and elementalized resources you need.”
“Not interested.”
Ivan declined, not accustomed to trusting a stranger in a few words.
“You will be interested. Remember, my name is ‘Jeeson Sawyer.’ I am a close business partner to your mentor. I pride myself on my commitment to credibility and cooperation, looking forward to partnering with you,” Jeeson called out from afar.
Instinctively, Ivan waved his hand and urged the blood-colored pigeon to speed away.
He noted the name, planning to ask Randall about it when he returned.
“Quite polite. He’s indeed the person I want to attract,” Jeeson laughed, more convinced that he could persuade him. Able people shouldn’t stay in such a decaying academy. Coming out to accomplish something significant was the right path.