After being promoted to an official sorcerer, Ivan returned to the academy with Justine.
Cody did not come back for the time being. According to Ivan’s request, he needed to delay his return to avoid causing a big sensation.
Since ancient times, countless people have been stopped dead at the threshold from apprentice to sorcerer, including many with exceptional talent. Ivan managed to train two apprentices who almost had no chance of promotion into sorcerers. Once the word got out, it would definitely attract attention.
He was not afraid of trouble, but he did not want to invite unnecessary complications. If it was possible to keep it a secret, he would do so.
“Justine, have you become an official sorcerer?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“That’s terrific, now our sect has four sorcerers. The mentor will be delighted when he hears this. Wait for us, we’ll come right over.”
After becoming an official sorcerer, Justine naturally wanted to share and celebrate with others. She thought for a while and could only think of Gina. Hearing Gina’s somewhat confused voice, she silently giggled.
Hehe, bet you didn’t expect that I’ve also become a Level 1 Sorcerer.
Justine was well aware that there was some difference between herself and a normal sorcerer.
According to Ivan, they had used some shortcuts during their promotion, so their spiritual power was fundamentally impure. Later on, whether in terms of increasing their strength or advancing to a Level 2 Sorcerer, it would be much more difficult than for average sorcerers.
She was not particularly concerned about this situation. Being able to become an official sorcerer was satisfying enough; why long for more?
“Ivan, could I ask you for a favor?” Justine asked hesitantly.
“You’re not going to ask me to accompany you back to Tidal Island, are you?” Seeing her like this, Ivan guessed.
“Is that not okay? Actually, it’s about something else.”
“Tell me, what else would you like to ask of me?”
“Could you contact that woman, inform her that I’ve become an official sorcerer, and also ask on my behalf whether she would like to return to Tidal Island for a while?”
Justine blinked her eyes, her face full of eager anticipation, like a fox plotting to steal chickens.
One of her main motivations to become an official sorcerer was to secure Mrs. Marichadon’s position. Now that she had achieved it, she couldn’t wait to declare it to someone.
“Contact her yourself.” Ivan gave her an unamused look and casually waved his hand toward the side. A Secret Method Crystal Ball slowly floated over.
“Don’t worry, I will definitely get along well with her and won’t cause you any trouble.” Justine’s eyes lit up, and after taking the Secret Method Crystal Ball, she quickly ran off.
Ivan did not know how the two communicated, but when the Crystal Ball was returned, he saw Justine brimming with joy, giving off the feeling that a great vengeance had been avenged.
Soon, Randall arrived with Gina and Mieyan. The twins, Nora and Lorna, also hurried over to celebrate the addition of a new official sorcerer to their group.
It was clear from the academy records that Justine was a 2nd Class talent. Although everyone had their doubts, they wisely did not inquire.
Three days later, Pearney arrived at Mongna Ant Land Cottage. After hanging around Twin Towers for a few days, she and Justine embarked on the journey back to Tidal Island. By the time they left, their relationship had already become harmonious, likely because they had reached some agreement.
Ivan had no intention of returning to Tidal Island. Ordinary people would feel uncomfortable around sorcerers, a chasm they could not cross. Returning there was pointless.
…
At the Twin Towers testing ground.
In the empty field, a few gray roots suddenly protruded, sharp as spears. With a few swift sounds, they pierced through the ground and air, and in the blink of an eye retracted back into the soil, thrusting out again from the other side.
“Boom.”
Before long, the ground collapsed with a thunderous crash, throwing up clouds of dust.
A ball of roots, forming a magic plant, popped out. The relentlessly wriggling roots, tangled like long snakes, were daunting to behold.
“Hehe, still a bit unskilled.”
With that comment, the ball of roots transformed back into the appearance of the Silkworm Queen.
After returning to the academy, research on the Silkworm Queen’s ‘Plant Transformation Skill’ was scheduled. By consuming different types of wood, it could transform into various magicalized plants, and even magic plants.
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Its forms were not limited to trees but could also be vines, roots, flowers, and so forth.
Whatever it could transform into, provided it consumed enough materials, a sapling would condense in the Silkworm Nest Space, seeming to act as a transformation sample. The exterior was indistinguishable from real plants.
This also added a touch of green to the Silkworm Nest Space.
It is worth mentioning that after the Silkworm Queen advanced to a Level 3 creature, the Silkworm Nest Space expanded by half, now reaching three thousand cubic meters.
“Ground escape is a very good life-saving ability, practicing it more will naturally make you proficient.” Ivan walked up to check if there were any changes in its body.
The more Ivan studied its Plant Transformation Skill, the more satisfied he felt.
By consuming different plant materials, the Silkworm Queen could transform into an increasing variety of things. Given the world of sorcerers contained all sorts of magical plants and mutated plants, it also gained more and more bizarre abilities.
For instance, by transforming into the ‘Ground Creeping Vine’ in front of them, the Silkworm Queen could easily burrow underground.
In fact, the swamp ant could also move beneath the ground, although the two insects did so in distinct ways—the swamp ant used Earth-type abilities, while the Silkworm Queen used Plant-type abilities, each with its own characteristics.
The only regret for Ivan was that the plants transformed by the Silkworm Queen and truly magicalized plants had an essential difference, so they couldn’t be used as raw materials for apothecary or enchantment. Otherwise, the Silkworm Queen would essentially be a movable treasury of medicinal herbs, taking the role of ‘logistics’ to the extreme.
[Biology Expertise Experience Point+50]
[Biology Expertise: lv6(2/2000)]
Feeling a change, Ivan opened the Academic Prodigy panel and saw that Biology Expertise had indeed risen to level 6, earning him another Small Light of Wisdom and a Light of Wisdom.
These days, he had been studying both the Silkworm Queen and the swamp ants, including the Insect Breathing Method, as well as delving into the promotion of human apprentices, accumulating quite a few Biology Experience Points.
Besides, he had been intentionally addressing his weaknesses, learning more languages, which had brought his Linguistics Skill to level 5.
Everything was progressing in an orderly fashion.
“Why is he here?”
Soon after, Ivan left the Silkworm Queen to continue practicing and went to the reception room himself.
“Respected Dean Marichadon, someone asked me to deliver a Secret Method Seal to you.” Upon seeing him, Wayne presented a triangular crystal respectfully.
“Is it Sorcerer Tess Bielby?” Ivan asked offhand.
“No, master, it’s another person, you know whom.” Wayne’s face grew especially solemn when mentioning Tess, but he shook his head nonetheless.
“Alright, I understand.” Seeing Wayne’s restrained demeanor, showing none of the former rebelliousness, Ivan felt quite bored.
“Dean, I shall take my leave now.” Wayne exited the Twin Towers, bowing respectfully.
Not too far outside the door, Wayne let out a long sigh of relief. As a high-level puppet, although he possessed his independent consciousness, in all aspects he was still constrained and influenced by his master.
If even the master didn’t dare to provoke that person, how could he presume to do so, let alone show any rebelliousness.
Wayne regarded past recklessness as youthful folly, not worth mentioning.
On the other side, Ivan activated the triangular Secret Method Crystal Ball, and a shadowy figure emerged, appearing to be a robust man in his thirties.
“Sorcerer Ivan, I am Doug Boyton.”
“I’ve long heard of you, Sorcerer Doug.”
Unlike their previous indirect conversation, now both were Level 2 Sorcerers, putting them on a more equal footing.
However, with little other intersection between them, Ivan truly couldn’t fathom why the other party was seeking him out.
“Please watch, Sorcerer Ivan. This is my Book of Enlightenment, sufficient to confirm my identity.” Doug, to show his sincerity, displayed the token representing membership in Third Leaf.
It indeed looked genuine.
“If I remember correctly, Sorcerer Doug is still in the uncharted seas. Is there something you need my help with?” Ivan shone his own Book of Enlightenment briefly, then got straight to the point with his inquiry.
“That’s correct. I hope you can lend me a hand.” Doug got straight to the point as well.
“Please elaborate.”
“Good. First, I must introduce to you the uncharted land. It is, in fact, sealed with an experimental body containing the bloodline of the Child of Shadow. I have used the organization’s secret technique to turn it into a special avatar. But I’ve discovered an unrecorded situation—”
Considering even Doug, the leader of the Star Moon Alliance, needed to seek additional help, Ivan’s first thought was that the matter must be far from trivial. After hearing his statement, Ivan felt his scalp tingle.
According to Doug’s original assumption, the reason why the experimental body was sealed was due to its contamination and instability.
The reality was different. There existed a space rift, so profound it couldn’t be bridged, through which the power of the Shadow World constantly seeped, and the experimental body was sealed there precisely to block the rift and suppress the alien force.
After Doug had turned the experimental body into an avatar, only then did he learn this truth.
Now, he found himself in a difficult position: if he didn’t block the rift by some other means, the avatar could only continue to be trapped there, making all his efforts moot.
“Sorcerer Ivan, your ability to join the organization backed by your Enchantment prowess alone is proof enough of your unparalleled mastery in Enchantment. I can only hope you will extend to me your assistance.” Doug extended his invitation with a sincere tone.
“You think too highly of me,” Ivan replied with a bitter smile.
“Sorcerer Ivan, upon success, I, on behalf of the Mother of Earth Core, guarantee that I owe you a favor.” Doug spoke with utter seriousness.
The attitude of Solomon alone indicated the substantial worth of favors among members of Third Leaf.
“To be honest, you’re laughing at my dilemma as it falls within my area of ignorance. I’m sorry, but I’m powerless to help.” Ivan still did not agree. The problem Doug faced involved knowledge of the Study of Planes, and Ivan had yet to even enter the threshold of this study.
The Academic Prodigy panel clearly displayed that his Study of Planes was still at Level 0. How could he possibly seal a rift with that?
“You might as well seek Solomon.”
“A favor from Solomon is no small debt to owe.”
“Well, I have nothing to say then. Sorcerer Doug should understand my background. To this day, I haven’t stepped beyond Moon Pincer Peninsula. My horizon and scope of knowledge are not as vast as yours, and some issues are beyond my reach.” Ivan spoke frankly, and upon hearing such straightforward words, Doug also remembered Ivan’s approximate life experiences. He realized that perhaps he had asked too much and decided to let it go, thus concluding their conversation.