“A Centaur transformed into a human form?”
“No, she was originally a pure human being, a descendant of the former royal lineage of the Tidal Empire, just that after a series of irreversible changes, she can no longer return to a human appearance.”
“Then—”
“First, give her some clothes.”
“Oh, of course.”
After Helen put on a dress, aside from her skin being so pale it was almost unnatural, she looked no different from any other person, appearing like a noble young lady around fifteen or sixteen years old.
In the sorcerer world, there were plenty of individuals with peculiar appearances, this wouldn’t affect her daily life.
“Mentor.” Helen approached with grace, her expression returning to the usual coolness.
“No other major issues?”
“I’m fine.”
“Good, let me check you out.” Ivan looked her over without any reservation, plainly stating his request, a check that obviously meant a thorough examination to the marrow and soul.
Helen did not refuse.
The changes inside her were undoubtedly greater, her originally nearly solidified black and dead blood now flowed smoothly again, infused with a different kind of vitality, and her royal blood had been activated as a result, no wonder she could revert to a human form.
Ivan fetched the Tidal Treasure Tome, ordering her to try and unlock the final pages, but to no avail.
There was no disappointment in Ivan over this.
He had managed to capture some of the essence of her bloodline, which would be enough. Once they reached the underworld, he could use that essence to possibly find traces of the Centaur race.
“How is it, Helen? Is your situation after advancement better than mine was?” Justine couldn’t help but ask after he finished his investigation.
“Yes, that power just now must have contributed to it.” Ivan understood what she meant—Helen had also advanced with external help, which should have severely damaged her potential, but the situation was different from what he had expected.
Helen’s loss of potential was moderate, much better than Justine’s had been.
“I knew it, it must also be thanks to you, Ivan. The runes sorcery array was clearly different from before.” Justine murmured.
“Hehe, I was a Level 2 Sorcerer before, now I am a Level 3 Sorcerer, I have been making progress in other areas as well.” Ivan chuckled.
Of course, the methods included in the Rebirth Cocoon Array were conducive to a sorcerer’s advancement, but he hadn’t systematically experimented to determine the specific effects, which were something that needed time for contemplation and validation.
“Alright, everyone go and rest.”
Seeing that she still wanted to ask something, Ivan didn’t give her the chance.
Justine’s questions were undoubtedly about the advancement to a Level 2 Sorcerer. Ivan himself did not know, let alone clarify for her. When capable, he would surely plan for her, but she couldn’t be unduly rushed.
Returning from the test field to the laboratory, Ivan reviewed his gains.
[Witchcraft Civilization Skill: lv3 (190/300)]
The Academic Prodigy panel now had an additional subject, with the new skill jumping straight to Level 3, bypassing levels 0, 1, and 2, which was equivalent to an increase of five hundred Experience Points.
This subject was born out of the dissemination of the sorcerer system, and the method of enhancement was nothing more than teaching Meditation Methods to other Alien Races, or even to creatures from an alien world, thereby spreading the civilization of sorcery cultivation.
This was indeed not a simple task, especially on a large scale, as it could possibly break the upper echelons’ rules.
“Can’t rush this.”
Ivan shook his head lightly; he would never act recklessly just because someone high-up valued him.
Advancement of the new subject was bound to be difficult.
He looked at the other subjects, with Biology Expertise, Meditation Skill, and Energy Particle Skill’s experience points rising significantly in recent months, with Energy Particle Skill reaching Level 10, yielding a Light of Great Wisdom.
Besides the changes on the panel, he could feel that the fatigue period of his spiritual power was more than halved, and in a few months, it would be completely eliminated.
These counted as unexpected joys.
Time hurried by.
A week later, after Helen had completed her bloodline experiments, Ivan sent her to stay at the Black Ant Tower with Justine, as he had no interest in playing the ‘nanny’.
Another twenty-something days passed, and under the witnesses of Ivan and the swamp ant, the Flame Demon Scorpion was about to hatch.
The egg originally over a meter tall had grown to nearly three meters under Ivan’s series of cultivations, and a searing heat continually emanated from it, causing the temperature inside the laboratory to become exceptionally unusual.
“Crack, crack, crack—“
At this moment, cracks began to appear on the shell, accompanied by the crisp sounds of breaking, spreading continuously until they covered the entire egg.
“Sorcerer Ivan, be careful.”
“No harm.”
The fire energy on the egg surged dramatically, and just when it seemed about to burst open, Ivan waved his hand casually and summoned a protective force from the sorcerer tower, enveloping the egg.
With a thundering explosion, flames surged, flooding every inch of space within the protection layer.
As the fire slowly abated, the silhouette of a creature with a long tail began to emerge from the flames, slowly becoming clearer until it revealed itself as a massive, red scorpion.
The scorpion’s tail had striking black patterns that seemed to morph from the “Flame Demon” designs.
“Born as a Level 3 creature, that’s pretty exaggerated,” blurted the swamp ant in amazement.
“The Ancient Tree Spine has put the effort of the school into cultivating it for nearly twenty years and fused it with so many rare structural materials; having such a level of power is not surprising,” said Ivan.
It wasn’t that these creatures grew more easily, but rather through the nurturing and adjustments by sorcerers, they were spared a great deal of unnecessary complications. Otherwise, who knows how long it would take them to grow on their own.
After the flames had completely extinguished, the Flame Demon Scorpion, wielding its two pincers and swaying its tail, crawled over.
“Boss.” It shouted excitedly at the swamp ant.
“Why are you calling me that? Hurry up and pay your respects to Sorcerer Ivan,” the swamp ant was startled and quickly instructed it on who the real boss was here.
The Flame Demon Scorpion did as told and paid its respects.
“Swamp ant, why don’t you name it?” Ivan didn’t mind; after all, he had already established a contract, and since the swamp ant had incubated it for so long, it was natural for the Flame Demon Scorpion to be affectionate towards it.
“That wouldn’t be right.”
“As you wish, then call it ‘Flame Scorpion.'”
Seeing the swamp ant decline, Ivan casually coined a simple name.
One could sense from the unstable aura that Flame Scorpion was a restless, active creature; with the swamp ant watching over it, it was more reassuring.
Upon testing, Flame Scorpion possessed four innate abilities: Golden Flame Scissors, Flame Demon Poison Spike, Molten Lava Body, and Molten Lava Boat.
Through this hatching transformation, the art of half-biological construction had cultivated a talent that could transform into a boat composed of molten lava from beneath the ground, which was precisely what Ivan needed.
Now, his preparations were almost complete.
However, the Flame Scorpion had just hatched, its aura was still unstable, and it was not yet proficient in controlling its power; it needed some time to consolidate.
…
Days went by, one after another.
That day, two figures arrived at Rapid Wood Tower in a state of dishevelment, specifically requesting to see Ivan, one of them claiming to be an old friend of Ivan’s.
The two were taken to the meeting hall on the fifth floor of the sorcerer tower.
Shortly after, Ivan entered the hall, and the two hurriedly came forward to pay their respects.
“Carmel, Heidi, what brings you two to the East Capital?” Ivan was somewhat surprised to see the sibling pair before him.
“Sorcerer Ivan, Elder of Great Wisdom, I plead with you to remember our apprentice days and help save the Lidia family,” said Carmel with a grave expression.
“What’s happened? Has someone attacked Thousand Lights City in the Blood Plains?” Ivan asked, puzzled.
“It’s not an attack by others but the evil deeds of Monde Watkin. He has rallied people from three families to set up a special formation, claiming to have found a suitable path for everyone, with a great chance of helping people advance to Level 2 Sorcerers.
The outcome was the exact opposite. He was only seeking advancement in his own witchcraft path, using the formation as a blood refinery, using people to refine blood, causing a human tragedy,” explained Carmel.
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“Lidia, Steele, Watkin, the three families began intermarrying a long time ago, and their bloodlines have long been intermingled,” added Heidi from the side to support her brother.
Upon hearing all this, Ivan was momentarily stunned; had bloodline alteration gone this far?
“As a man is dying, his words grow kind,” they say, but there’s no such saying in the sorcerer world. Once a sorcerer becomes twisted, they can shatter others’ baselines of understanding.
If even the blood of their own human families could be exploited for personal use, considering Dean Watkin’s looming end of life, he might actually commit such a deranged act in pursuit of a sliver of life, a higher level of power.