When the people of the Moon Pincer Peninsula were panicking, under Doug’s command, the Star Moon Alliance took action, successfully attacking one of the Black Reef Sanctuary belonging to the Flash Vortex Alliance and capturing a number of sorcerers with Sea Race bloodlines, as well as a few pure-blooded Sea Race sorcerers.
For a time, this caused an uproar among the other sorcerers on the Moon Pincer Peninsula.
The Star Moon Alliance then announced the establishment of the “Star Moon Academy,” replacing the Black Reef Sanctuary to guard the Flash Vortex Bay and protect the coastline from Sea Race invasions.
In light of the terrifying strength displayed by the Star Moon Alliance, and the numerous sorcerers from the Black Reef Sanctuary who defected to become part of the Star Moon Alliance, no one came forward to criticize the Star Moon Alliance, and even the other three academies of the Flash Vortex Alliance maintained their silence.
Thus, the new composition of the Flash Vortex Alliance was formed.
As for the families of Level 2 Sorcerers who were killed, some were driven out, some left voluntarily, and in any case, they slunk away from the Moon Pincer Peninsula, including the Trollope family.
Experience new stories on My Virtual Library Empire
In the Half Moon Alliance, two deans of the “Kadan Ruins” academy died, and for a time the academy was under attack by sorcerers with concealed identities. Luckily, other Level 2 Sorcerers rushed back in time from outside, announced they would take over as the new deans, and managed to save the academy from extinction.
After that, the entire Moon Pincer Peninsula gradually returned to peace.
“Sorcerer Ivan, goodbye to the Chanay continent.”
In a space they named ‘Shadow Lake,’ Solomon said he wouldn’t mind having more resources, but in reality, he didn’t care much for the Power of Shadow Pure Birth and Space Energy Crystal Shards. He stayed for less than two months before announcing his departure.
Having finished his business here, he prepared to leave the Moon Pincer Peninsula in advance and head to the heartland of human territory—the Chanay continent.
“Farewell, Sorcerer Solomon.”
“Remember to come early. A place like the Moon Pincer Peninsula, with its scarcity of resources, will never be able to cultivate a Level 3 Sorcerer. Staying here is just a waste of time.”
“I will.”
As Ivan watched, Solomon’s figure disappeared into the sky.
Two months later, Doug finished up his business on the Moon Pincer Peninsula and made a special trip to Shadow Lake. He took some resources with him and said his goodbyes.
A few days later, Justine and Pearney returned from Tidal Island.
This time, the trip back was a glorious one for both of them, and they experienced the huge gulf between sorcerers and ordinary people. Even the closest family members can become estranged due to the differences in life hierarchy—something kinship alone cannot bridge.
Justine told Ivan that her mother, Madam Selina, had just given birth to new daughters, twins, and was living happily with Leider.
All was well with the Marichadon family.
Earl Leider managed his territory in impeccable order, and he was a frequent honored guest of the Aromatic Wheat Grand Duke.
Ivan’s siblings, like Beaman and the others who were married, were living smoothly and prosperously, and the third generation of the Marichadon family had also been born.
Justine’s own father, Baron Glatton, used his daughter’s status as an official sorcerer to fulfill his desire to become an ennobled Earl.
Overall, everything was developing favorably on Tidal Island.
…
Time flew by, and two years had passed since Ivan became a Level 2 Sorcerer.
Mongna Ant Land Cottage, Ivan’s residence known as Twin Towers, had completed its expansion, covering nearly two thousand square meters. The two-story Twin Towers had been expanded to three stories, with an additional six two-story square towers surrounding it.
Between the Twin Towers and the square towers, a dome barrier was built over the central courtyard, shorter than the Twin Towers, resembling a miniature Ant Being barrier.
The entire structure looked like a fortress from a fairy tale, which Ivan named ‘Shadow Ant Fortress.’
It is worth mentioning that, after such a long time of handling, all of the original Shadow Ant servants had been reclaimed by Ivan and had truly become the swamp ant sentinels, forming a guard corps.
Under the nurturing of the Power of Shadow Pure Birth produced by Shadow Lake, the swamp ants had become as powerful as the Shadow Tigons, reaching the pinnacle of Level 3 creatures.
Their corps numbered a full thousand, of which, over a hundred guards had evolved into Level 2 creatures, while the rest were mostly at the peak of Level 1 creatures.
The Ant Guards had a unique feature, they could attach to the bodies of the swamp ants and follow their king in the manner of ‘body-haunting.’
However, the swamp ants’ bodies had limited capacity and could barely carry 100 Level 2 Ant Guards.
Correspondingly, the rapid wood silkworm clan had also developed and grown significantly.
With the support of Space Energy Crystal Shards, the Silkworm Queen was progressing toward the pinnacle of Level 3 creatures, and the space worm nest inside it was visibly expanding.
After consuming enough Power of Shadow Pure Birth, the Wind Moths and Scented Butterflies underwent a critical metamorphosis, successfully advancing to Level 2 creatures.
There were a fair number of rapid wood silkworms that shared the same fate, but the potential of the rapid wood silkworm species fell short of that of the Ant Guards; only about thirty transformed into Level 2 creatures, while the majority remained at the peak of Level 1 creatures.
During the transformation process, the deaths among the rapid wood silkworm clan were not few, and this was after Ivan had bestowed upon them the ‘Intermediate Insect Breathing Method.’
Indeed, after long-term research, he had finally advanced the Insect Breathing Method to an intermediate version, bringing blessings to the rapid wood silkworm clan, with the swamp ants benefiting just as much.
“The period of spiritual power exhaustion is finally over,”
In a study within the Shadow Ant Fortress, Ivan sensed a slight tremor in his mental ocean, feeling as if shackles had been lifted, and his expression involuntarily brightened.
Perhaps because he had advanced his strength too rapidly while at Level 1, this period of spiritual power exhaustion had lasted two full years, not a day less.
However, he had not relaxed in his pursuit of strength during these two years.
Besides researching spells, runes sorcery arrays, and potions, he focused on Knight training and exploration. Thus, he discovered the Intermediate Insect Breathing Method, which was beneficial to the insect swarm.
Not long ago, he also grasped the breathing of the sky, connecting the Life Seed with the rhythm of the sky, thus becoming a bona fide Flying Knight.
Strength: 15.5, Agility: 15.8, Body Constitution: 16.0, Spirit: 104.9
After becoming a Flying Knight, Ivan’s physical stats broke through the previous threshold and improved further, and his spiritual power also experienced a slight increase.
In terms of physical attributes alone, he was equivalent to a Level 3 creature, and both his physical defense and elemental resistance had been notably strengthened.
Looking at the entire Legendary Knight phase, the rhythm of the earth brought him the solidity of the land, while the sky gave him the lightness of the heavens, allowing him to jump higher.
As a Flying Knight, he could also condense a pair of wings out of Combat Energy, achieving brief low-altitude flight, making him more agile.
Thanks to his achievements on the Knight’s Path, [Knight Breathing Skill] advanced, becoming the first Level 9 subject and overtaking the other subjects.
In the past while, he also studied the languages beyond Moon Pincer Peninsula, advancing [Linguistics Skill] to Level 6; next was [Biology Expertise], raised to a Level 7 subject.
This brought him considerable gains in both the Small Light of Wisdom and the Light of Wisdom.
“Gains aside, there’s a problem I still need to face, whether fortune or misfortune, I can’t avoid it,” Ivan put away his Academic Prodigy panel, contemplating a matter that was causing him some distress.
The second five-year period of the Curse of Demon’s Resentment was approaching, a problem he and his two wives could not avoid.