Descending Clouds City, the eye-catching Red Cloud Realm had brought its curtain down.
Given that the name of the Cloud Realm was something of a misnomer, many sorcerers grumbled and left, while others tried to start trouble with those selling fake insect aura potions, resulting in utter chaos.
Ivan and his group reaped the greatest rewards; nobody dared to trouble them, and they subsequently returned to their residence in the valley.
This trip to the Cloud Realm was fruitful not only for Ivan himself. The Silkworm Queen, accompanying Locke, had obtained “King’s Power,” a spatial force crystal, and a blood pearl, one of each, allowing its strength to slowly increase with the potential to advance to the peak of Level 3.
The Scented Butterfly, after consuming the blood pearl personally bestowed by the Black Scythe Lord, went through a transformation soon after leaving the Cloud Realm. Once the transformation was successful, it was expected to break the boundary of a Level 3 life form.
In fact, the swamp ant also ventured into the Cloud Realm.
Because it was unable to shrink its body, it went in alone. However, its strength was already at the peak of Level 3, with no room for advancement, so its gains were meager.
After returning to the valley, Ivan specifically checked the swamp ant’s body. Based on the experience of transformation he obtained from the Black Scythe Lord, the swamp ant was still far from meeting the requirements for a Level 4 transformation.
“Solomon and Doug are right; Level 4 is a major transformation in life. This transformation requires a combination of lineage, talent, accumulation, perception, opportunities, and luck. Without any one of these, there’s only a slim chance of transforming into a Level 4 being.
To advance to Level 4, the swamp ant must first break away from being a puppet; otherwise, there is no chance of success.”
Ivan looked at the swamp ant with a gentle gaze. Given its hard work and loyalty in the past, he didn’t mind releasing it from its puppet status.
However, the high-level puppet’s heart came from the “String Control Sacred Heart,” and he currently had no means to lift it.
Even if they removed the puppet status, based on his experience, the swamp ant had less than a ten percent chance of success, which was not as good as the Black Scythe Lord’s first Level 4 transformation.
“Sorcerer Ivan, is there a problem?” asked the swamp ant, feeling somewhat uneasy under his gaze.
“There’s no problem, just go out and call Lorna here for me,” Ivan did not elaborate, as he tended not to dwell on uncertainties.
Soon, Lorna entered the room.
“How have you considered the matter?” asked Ivan.
“Lorna had already made up her mind, deciding to advance directly to official sorcerer status. I was afraid of disturbing you and had not come to report. I hope the mentor can understand,” Lorna took a deep breath and expressed her decision.
“That’s fine, then. Let’s schedule it for tomorrow; remember to inform Mieyan,” Ivan did not say much else.
There’s a vast difference between an apprentice and a sorcerer, and only an apprentice enduring hardship knows their desires. He didn’t quite understand but respected his disciple’s choice.
Outside the door, Lorna stepped out of the room, letting out a sigh of relief.
She signaled to her sister Nora from a distance, indicating that everything went smoothly.
“Won’t you reconsider?”
“No need, only by becoming an official sorcerer can I have a broader future.”
Seeing that her sister Lorna was resolute, Nora opened her mouth to object, wishing to persuade her to follow the mentor’s suggestion but ultimately held back.
She had already said all she could.
Her sister had a point. For an apprentice from the peninsula a month ago, becoming an official sorcerer was a stroke of luck. They had to seize every opportunity; other matters could wait until they became sorcerers.
The new day.
Within the valley, Ivan set up a simple Black Magic Wind Fire Array on the open ground, with a large quantity of magic stones neatly scattered around, making onlookers’ eyelids twitch.
“Lorna, you come first.”
Under his guidance, Lorna stepped upon the array dais and sat down at its center.
Soon, the runes sorcery array was activated.
Assisted by the Black Magic Wind Fire Pearl, Ivan ensured a smooth advancement, and a few hours later, amidst the unpredictable Elemental Phenomenon, a fresh new official sorcerer was minted.
“It’s done, come down now, it’s Mieyan’s turn.”
In a daze, Lorna heard the mentor’s indifferent voice, awakening her as if from a dream.
Everything was real!
She really had advanced from apprentice to official sorcerer, it was not a dream. She never imagined she would so effortlessly overcome a threshold that seemed insurmountable.
Of course, she was overjoyed, but with her joy, there was a hint of regret.
Lorna expressed her complex feelings with a word of thanks to her tutor, and gave up her spot to the long-awaiting Mieyan.
Soon after, Mieyan also became a Level 1 Sorcerer, the process as smooth as the flow of water.
“Alas! How hasty.”
Watching the grateful Mieyan, Lorna truly regretted her decision.
Had she known the tutor’s methods were so powerful, she should have listened to his advice. Now it was too late, and the joy of her promotion instantly felt less intense.
For Ivan, assisting the two in their advancement was merely a matter of convenience, hardly worth mentioning.
…
Two days later, Ivan appeared in Gangster Rift Valley with Jennie and the swamp ant, since the Scented Butterfly was still undergoing metamorphosis and the Silkworm Queen needed to adjust to her increase in strength, leaving the others behind in the valley.
“That is the Ancient Tree Ridge Academy.”
Flying over the steep cliffs, Ivan looked down at the landscape within the Gangster Rift Valley and pointed to a low mountain resembling a tree stump.
This was his second visit there; the previous time he had heeded Solomon’s advice to seek a breakthrough opportunity for the Earth Knight, a trip that hadn’t disappointed him.
“Why don’t I just sneak in? It would save us from dealing with those people and their restrictions,” Jennie proposed.
Rather than a formal visit, she preferred to act again as the ‘East Capital Phantom Thief,’ confident in her ability to operate undetected.
“That won’t do, that won’t do; one must never underestimate any ancient Sorcerers Academy,” Ivan, being educated, would only resort to theft if absolutely necessary.
After all, one should offer courtesy before force.
Besides, any problem that could be solved with magic stones was hardly a big problem.
Jennie had no choice but to acquiesce to his opinion.
The swamp ant spread its wings and landed nimbly in front of ‘Ancient Tree Mountain’.
It was clear the material of Ancient Tree Mountain was neither wood nor stone, with the density of Plant-type particles far surpassing that of the surrounding areas. However, the area was bare, without any plant growth, which undeniably contradicted common sense.
Like most Sorcerers Academies, Ancient Tree Spine was shrouded within a thick protective array.
“Halt, traveller.”
Along with a series of soft sounds from the ground, green shoots burst through the soil, spurting upwards, and in moments, transformed into a series of over three-meter-tall green magicalized plants, each topped with a golden flower, and petals like soft swords, the flower’s features distinct.
Personface Sword Chrysanthemum.
A name sprang to Ivan’s mind; this was a type of mutated magicalized plant, also one of the rare intelligent species of plants.
A whole squad of them, all at Level 2, served as the academy’s guardians, which sufficiently demonstrated the extraordinary nature of Ancient Tree Spine, fitting for its reputation as the foremost academy under the Moon Clamp.
“This here is Ancient Tree Spine, and you can go no further.”
“I am Ivan Marichardon from Mongna Ant Land Cottage, here today on a visitation matter.” Ivan casually tossed some magic stones to the Guardians as a tip and stated his purpose.
“Dean Marichardon, please wait a moment; we will go and announce your arrival,” replied the Guardian, not daring to neglect someone of Ivan’s status.
Within the Ancient Tree Ridge Academy, news of his arrival caused quite a stir.
The Academy wasn’t fond of outsiders, a well-known fact.
Given the visitor’s noteworthy identity, the deans could not afford to treat the matter casually; both deans then went out to greet him, and they even summoned one more person for inquiry.
Behind the passage, Tim hurried over after hearing from the deans.
“Tim, we heard you’ve had dealings with Sorcerer Ivan Marichardon; tell us what you think,” Dean Lai Te quickly inquired.
“He once helped our fleet in the Blood Plains at the city of Sweeping Light. Nowadays, this gentleman is quite remarkable; his Black Magic Wind Fire Array made a sensational debut in East Capital, which shook the entire Chanay Continent. He has also become an influential elder in the East Capital Enchantment Guild; I reckon other elders could hardly stand shoulder to shoulder with him.”
In response to the inquiry, Tim answered honestly, though he knew not much.
“So it’s him. A character like that probably has a ranking even at the highest levels,” mused the other dean, Adolf, with an expression of realization, his silver-white beard quivering on his aged face. Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire
“Regardless, we can’t just reject him outright.”
“Then let’s meet him; let’s hope he doesn’t make things difficult for us.”
Lai Te nodded reluctantly, asked Tim a few more questions, and then activated Ancient Tree Mountain’s entrance pathway.