Chapter 138: The Archmage!

Chapter 138: The Archmage!

Absolute Rationality!

No terror, no fear, and certainly no trepidation—only rational analysis and control.

Karl slowly propped himself up, gazing at the shattered remains of Addison's soul fragments, his eyes devoid of any emotional turmoil.

Addison was indeed powerful, but the entity in the Divine Realm fragment was merely a part of his original soul.

His strength had been weakened to the level of a First Rank Wizard, and throughout, he hadn't cast a single Second Rank Spell.

Without his staff, potions, enchanted items, or heritage arcane artifacts, his spirit power was slightly diminished.

The Divine Realm fragment was also Karl's home turf, and under the barrage of various means, even a Greyrobed Wizard would have been forced to kneel.

If it had been any other novice wizard apprentice entering the Wizard Realm, they would have undoubtedly been powerless to resist Addison's invasion.

It could only be said that he had chosen the wrong person!

"A complete mess!"

He surveyed his surroundings.

The entire Divine Realm fragment resembled a chaotic ruin, with all sorts of items scattered on the ground.

Shattered glassware, broken enchanted items, opened arcane potions...

Addison's final suicidal counterattack hadn't truly inflicted severe damage on Karl, but it had destroyed his setup within the Divine Realm fragment.

Moreover, it had consumed many enchanted items accumulated over the years.

The loss—

At least a thousand magic stones!

"Compared to these losses, the memories of a Second Circle Wizard are undoubtedly more valuable."

Karl muttered, and tendrils emerged from his body, reaching out to grasp the soul fragments in the arena.

Innate Spell—Devour! Unlike before, when he could only devour life force, he could now even consume the memories within soul fragments.

After advancing to a First Rank Wizard, as the Abyssal Bloodline Fusion Rate reached a certain level, his innate ability gradually awakened.

Abyssal Bloodline:

Devour (Unlocked)



Terror Aura (Unlocked)



Lesser Psychic Resistance (Unlocked)



Dream Walk (Locked)



Abyssal Whisper (Locked)



Contrary to Karl's speculation, the Abyssal Giant Squid wasn't a Second Rank Creature but a Third Rank Abyssal Creature.

This was quite normal.

As a juvenile, it was a Second Rank Creature, and upon reaching maturity, its strength would naturally increase, advancing it to the next rank.

However, Karl had only obtained the juvenile's corpse, and currently, with the bloodline, he could only advance to the Second Rank.

To reach the Third Rank, a certain opportunity was required.

"A pleasant surprise!"

"Although I can't directly advance to the Third Rank, having the foundation of a Third Rank Creature, my advancement will still be far superior to ordinary individuals, and the Third Rank is still far from my current state, so there's no need to worry about it for now."

"Hmm!"

The influx of a vast amount of memories into his Mind Sea caused Karl to feel as if his head had been struck by a heavy hammer, prompting an involuntary grunt.

After a long while...

"Phew..."

Exhaling a breath of turbid air, Karl's eyes gradually regained their calm.

Being able to withstand the consciousness impact so quickly was due to the absolute rationality of the Divine Realm fragment and the powerful adaptability of the Abyssal Bloodline.

"No wonder Marianne wanted to take me to the Magic Forest instead of the Calim Continent; it was Addison's idea."

"He placed his heritage arcane artifacts and treasures in the Kingdom of Gando, intending to retrieve them after occupying my body, thus quickly regaining his original strength."

"If we had gone to the Calim Continent, returning would have been troublesome."

"Hmph!"

"What a well-calculated plan!"

"In that case, Addison didn't truly trust Marianne, even hiding his heritage arcane artifacts himself."

"It seems that regardless of gender, the fate of a lapdog remains the same; they never exchange it for a genuine heart!"

Rubbing his forehead, Karl slowly walked to the center of the Divine Realm fragment and sat down on the enormous stone chair.

With a wave of his hand, the data panel appeared before him.

Name: Karl

Constitution: 5.8

Spirit Power: 6.5

Essence: 0

Level: 1

Abyssal Bloodline Fusion Rate: 30%

Both his constitution and spirit power had slightly increased, and the bloodline fusion rate had crossed the 30% threshold.

Based on the data, the improvement wasn't significant.

But Karl was well aware that his current self was far superior to who he had been a few hours ago, perhaps even worlds apart.

As the Meditation of the Source Sea operated, strands of Astral Plane energy flowed into his Spirit Sea through the Divine Realm fragment.

Although the data remained unchanged, he could sense the increase in spirit power.

This amplification was incredibly exaggerated! When casting the same spell, his current self could double the power of his previous attempts.

His spell resistance, physical immunity, and mental response had all noticeably strengthened.

The current Karl could effortlessly defeat several of his past selves.

Additionally...

"Ordinary wizards find it extremely challenging to sense the Astral Plane, and drawing upon its energy to enhance themselves is an incredibly slow process."

"I'm different!"

Karl's eyes glinted:

"The Divine Realm fragment, located deep within the Astral Plane, can easily draw upon the plane's energy, rapidly increasing spirit power."

"If we were to compare..."

"Other wizards are akin to third or fourth-level wizard apprentices, while I possess the abilities of a second or even first-level apprentice."

"In other words, I've become a genius in my cultivation."

Closing his eyes, the knowledge about First Rank Wizards from Addison's memories as a Greyrobed Wizard floated one by one into his mind.

"The cultivation of a First Rank Wizard involves utilizing the energy of the Astral Plane to enhance their spirit power and gradually transform their bodies, allowing them to adapt to the environment of the Astral Plane."

"Hmm?"

Karl's eyebrows twitched:

"In that case, the cultivation of wizards is a process of adapting to the Astral Plane. First Rank Wizards connect with the Astral Plane, Second Rank Wizards adapt to it, and Third Rank Wizards can survive within it to some extent."

"The Astral Plane?"

"What exactly is the Astral Plane?"

Karl had realized that the Astral Plane and Mana, these two things seemed to hold the world's most fundamental secrets.

However...

Before that, there was still one matter that needed addressing.

Or rather,

A person!

Karl opened his eyes, his gaze icy cold.

...

Cloudwood Hill.

A dark cloud drifted across the sky, settling on the empty slopes of the hill, revealing Marianne's figure.

The wizard's body had evolved towards a non-human trend, and the higher their cultivation, the more apparent this transformation became.

When flying at extreme speeds in the air, one would inevitably feel the air resistance, affecting their velocity.

But wizards were different.

Their bodies, bathed in the energy of the Astral Plane, had, to some extent, become semi-energy beings.

In a way, they could ignore air resistance and the pull of gravity.

Similarly, their bodies, infused with Astral energy, had significantly increased resistance to wizardry, making it almost impossible for lower-tier spells to affect them.

The cold wind swept the ground, and falling leaves swirled in its wake.

Marianne reached out and caught a withered leaf, her eyes glimmering with emotion. She looked up at the summit of the hill.

"The melting snow reveals the leaves beneath, and it's been so long... Has Karl not broken through yet?"

It had been three months.

The breakthrough process was brief, and even accounting for preparation time and stabilization, it usually took no more than a month or two.

Three months...

It's not impossible, but it's rare.

Every few days, Marianne would come by, and her frequent visits and concern have drawn laughter from others.

But she didn't care.

'I'm not only concerned about Karl; I'm going to marry him in the future,' she thought, 'so what's a little laughter?'

'But the Karl back then wasn't the 'Karl' you know; he was my mentor!'

She squinted at the stone gate for a moment, seeing no movement as usual, and turned to leave.

"I'll come back in two days!"

"Crack!"

Hmm? The sound from behind made Marianne subconsciously raise an eyebrow, and then she heard the sound of the stone gate opening.

"Buzz..."

The sound wasn't loud, but it filled Marianne with joy. She turned and stepped into the stone gate, entering the meditation chamber within.

The hundred-square-foot chamber was empty, except for the strange patterns on the floor and the figure seated in the center.

Karl slowly stood up, stretching his limbs. He remained unmoved by Marianne's approach.

His movements were slow, like an elderly person who rarely moved.

"Master..." Marianne opened her mouth, her expression complex, but a hint of confusion still flickered in her eyes.

She changed her tone, testing:

"Karl, have you..."

"Yes." Karl slowly nodded, a smile on his face. He waved at Marianne, his demeanor gentle.

"Wendy, you've worked hard."

Wendy was Marianne's nickname, known to no more than three people.

Marianne clasped her hands, tears welling in her eyes. She wobbled on her feet as she approached Karl, her voice choked with emotion.

"Master!"

"Is it really you?"

"Has the snow outside melted?" Karl paid no heed to Marianne's question, instead looking outside.

"I remember when I found you; it was this season."

"In the icy season, the earth is covered in a silver-white cloak. The gentle spring breeze stirs, and the snow spirits sense the warmth. The melting snow drips, like musical notes, tapping the strings of the earth, awakening the slumbering life. You were wrapped in animal skins, thrown into a haystack, barely alive but with wide-open eyes."

"I looked into those eyes and suddenly felt a deep affection, so I took you back to my home and raised you."

Karl turned to look at her, gently stroking her hair.

"Master!" Marianne's tears flowed freely, her knees buckling as she knelt before Karl.

"Without you, Master, I wouldn't be here. You've finally come back to life, and I..."

"Pfft!"

A tentacle shot out from Karl's finger, like a rapidly firing drill, instantly piercing Marianne's skull.

"Swish!"

The tentacle slashed downward.

The sharp force instantly split Marianne's body in two, creating two halves of a corpse.

Karl took a step back, his expression turning cold and murderous. His wrists trembled uncontrollably.

Unlike the Divine Realm fragment, Karl wasn't under the influence of absolute rationality. Instead, he had to act out the deep emotions of the Greyrobed Wizard Addison.

Fortunately, Marianne was too moved to notice Karl's stiff acting. Without any guard, she had offered her head.

"Phew..."

Karl exhaled heavily.

"That was close!"

Marianne wasn't a soul fragment of Addison from the Divine Realm fragment; she was a genuine Archmage.

With artifacts, spells, and various means at her disposal, Karl had no chance in a direct confrontation.

Fortunately,

This woman was foolish!

"Lord of Mana!"

"King of the Universe!"

"Lord of Fear!"

"Lord of the Taiwei Constellation!"

Karl closed his eyes tightly, silently reciting his titles:

"I offer this fresh corpse as a sacrifice to you, expressing the highest reverence from your believer."

As he finished speaking, the patterns on the floor lit up, enveloping Marianne and transporting her to the Divine Realm fragment.

He could have taken the body directly, but that would not include the soul.

As for the sacrifice, it included the soul!

When a person dies, their soul doesn't immediately dissipate; there's a certain amount of time and a process to it.

The methods of wizards are mysterious and unpredictable. If someone were to discover through the soul that it was you who killed Marianne, it would be troublesome.

By handling it this way, transferring the soul to the Divine Realm fragment and destroying the body, it's safer to cover their tracks.

Moreover,

A wizard's memory is also a precious legacy.

Nancy exited the room, carefully scanning the surroundings. Once she confirmed no one was around, she quickly rushed out.

Chapter 6, Section 9

Due to the Beastfield, no one had been assigned to cut down the trees recently, leaving the mountain's dense forest empty.

There was one more person.

"Nancy!"

Hodgson, with a disheveled appearance, hid behind the bushes and waved to her gently.

"Over here!"

Nancy quickly approached Hodgson, her eyes filled with complexity as she looked at her former lover.

"How did you end up here?"

"Do you know how many people are looking for you out there? If they find you...you're as good as dead!"

"I..." Hodgson's face showed struggle.

"I really have nowhere else to go, and even if I went somewhere else, what could I do in this state?"

"Still a dead end?"

"..." Nancy opened her mouth, her eyes filled with panic. She bit her lip, took out the staff she had with her, and handed it over.

"This staff was given to me by the Master. It's made from a Second Rank Magical Tree, and although it's not a high-grade enchanted item, it's still worth quite a few magic stones. You can take it and exchange it for some."

This was the only valuable thing she had on her.

To gather magic stones for Hodgson's shop, Nancy had also taken out a large loan. To repay it, she had almost exhausted all her belongings, leaving only the staff for self-preservation, which she had now taken out.

"Nancy!" Hodgson's face was filled with emotion.

"I knew you cared for me the most. The failure of this business wasn't my fault; it was just bad luck."

"Just give me one more chance. I...I'll definitely succeed!"

"I believe in you." Nancy looked at him, her eyes struggling, filled with a mix of nameless sorrow and affection.

"But now you've lost. There are so many magic stones owed outside, and you...you can't possibly repay them all!"

"Repay?" Hodgson's eyes flickered.

"I don't need to repay!"

He grabbed Nancy's arm and spoke in a low voice.

"I took out a loan with the shop as collateral, and I also transferred the shares to others. I didn't take out a personal loan."

"It's not entirely without collateral, but...since it's not guaranteed by the Divine Realm, there's no problem if I don't repay."

"What?!" Nancy's mouth hung open.

"That's right!" Hodgson nodded firmly.

"Nancy, you should know me. I'm always cautious and never leave any handles for others."

"The failure of this business was due to my bad luck. Just give me one more chance, and I'll definitely succeed!"

"But...but you're already broke?" Nancy frowned.

"If you're found by them, they'll capture you. You can't repay all those magic stones in your lifetime."

"That's why I can't be found." Hodgson grabbed her shoulders and shook her vigorously, gritting his teeth.

"Nancy, give me some magic stones. I'll go somewhere else to start over. Once I make money, I'll repay them, and we can still be together."

"Magic stones?" Nancy's face turned bitter.

"Where would I get magic stones?"

To repay the loan of several thousand magic stones, she had signed a long-term agreement with Marianne twenty years ago.

Now, she only had enough money for meals, and even lacked many necessary items for her cultivation.

"You do!"

Hodgson narrowed his eyes.

"I do?"

"How would I have any?" Nancy furrowed her brows, perplexed.

"You forgot." Hodgson lowered his voice.

"The wizard tower on the mountaintop..."

"You're crazy!" Nancy's face changed drastically, struggling to free herself from Hodgson's grasp and backing away repeatedly.

"That's the Master's place!"

"It is." Hodgson's eyes narrowed.

"But can't you go in?"

"Marianne has accumulated a lot of magic stones and good things. If you help me get a few of them, it'll be enough for me to do business."

"I can't help you take the Master's things!" Nancy shook her head frantically.

"Nancy, if these things were yours, would you give them to me?" Hodgson asked, grabbing her.

"Would you give them to me?"

"..." Nancy looked at her lover, his bloodshot eyes, his tortured body. She opened her mouth, "I would."

"Then...if Marianne were to die, wouldn't her things become yours?" Hodgson continued. "Since these things will eventually belong to you, if I take a few now, isn't it as if you're giving them to me?"

"That..." Nancy shook her head, as she wasn't foolish.

"Where's the difference? Where?" Hodgson growled.

"Are you refusing to give them to me? Are you going to watch me die? I just need one chance."

"And that chance..."

"Is in your hands!"

"Nancy, my love, only you can help me now!"

Nancy's body stiffened, her expression filled with struggle.

Two figures walked along the deserted mountain path towards the summit.

"Be careful."

Nancy's voice was subdued as she spoke. "This wizard tower was rebuilt by the mentor using the methods left behind by the Greyrobed Wizard, Addison."

"It's just the foundation for now, and there are many spell traps around. If you fall into one, it's the end."

"I know," Hodgson nodded repeatedly.

"We don't know when Marianne will return. Let's hurry and not get caught by her."

"Yeah..." Nancy nodded, then added, "Remember, just take two unimportant items, and don't touch anything else. Absolutely don't touch anything else."

"Or the mentor will never let me off the hook."

"I know, I know," Hodgson whispered, urging her on.

"Hurry up and move!"

After a short while, they came across a low, shabby two-story wizard tower, clearly under construction.

"Shh!"

Hodgson, unable to contain his eagerness, darted forward but slowed his pace as he approached the tower.

"Nancy, are there any spell traps here?"

"No more," Nancy replied.

Nancy shook her head. "The wizard tower is still under construction. Setting up traps at this time will affect..."

"Huh?"

Before she could finish, Hodgson rushed into the tower, and a series of clattering noises followed.

"Stop!"

Nancy's face paled, and she rushed in, panic-stricken. "Don't touch the mentor's things!"

"This thing won't do..."

"Put it down!"

"Oh no!"

Nancy's voice was filled with anxiety, but she couldn't stop Hodgson, who was now wielding a rare storage device.

As she watched her beloved items disappear one by one, Nancy desperately tried to stop him, tugging and pulling.

"My dear," Hodgson said sincerely, "Just help me one last time, okay? If I succeed this time, I'll never forget you."

"Nancy, my love," Hodgson whispered, his forehead glistening with sweat and his face etched with fear.

Nancy froze, seeing the tenderness in Hodgson's eyes as he sensed her loosening grip. Overjoyed, he continued to stuff items into the storage pendant.

"Wait!"

"What's wrong?" Hodgson tightened his grip, a hint of impatience and a glint of murder in his eyes.

"Someone's coming."

Nancy's face showed panic.

"Quick, find a place to hide."

"Ah!" Hodgson broke into a cold sweat, still searching for a hiding spot when a familiar voice called from outside.

"Nancy, are you in there?"

"Hmm?" Hodgson narrowed his eyes, his murderous intent intensifying.

It was him!

"It's Karl!" Nancy exclaimed, puzzled. "Why is he here?"

"Nancy," Karl smiled, approaching the wizard tower. "I have some good news to tell Marianne."

"She's... not here," Nancy hurriedly stepped out of the tower, wiping the sweat from her brow. "I was just cleaning, see how sweaty I am?"

"No wonder Marianne entrusted the wizard tower to you, Nancy. You're so dedicated," Karl praised, then casually asked, "Is the mentor not around?"

"I thought I heard voices from inside earlier?"

"That was me... talking to myself." Nancy's expression shifted slightly, waving her hands. "I like to talk to myself when I'm bored, it helps pass the time."

"I see." Karl nodded, his eyes glinting. "Since Marianne isn't here, I'll come back another time."

As he turned to leave, several spell radiances shot out from the wizard tower, aiming straight for Karl's back.

"Die!"

Hodgson's face twisted with malice, and he charged forward, unleashing a series of high-damage spells.

There was no particular grudge between Hodgson and Karl.

But Hodgson simply couldn't stand the sight of him.

Now, as he was trying to escape the Leipzig Market, Karl had conveniently appeared, offering an opportunity to kill him and gain some enchanted items.

Hodgson launched a surprise attack from behind, aided by the enchanted items. Even a high-level apprentice wizard wouldn't stand a chance.

As the spell radiance was about to tear the figure in front of him to shreds, Hodgson couldn't help but grin with a cruel satisfaction.

"No!" Nancy screamed, "Karl, watch out!"

"Hmm?"

Karl raised an eyebrow, and a zero-circle spell, a lesser force field, instantly activated, causing a vast energy to ripple in the void.

The incoming spell radiance suddenly intensified.

Karl turned, casually waving his arm.

Zero-Circle Spell - Multiwater Arrow!

Dozens of three-foot-long water arrows appeared out of thin air, shooting out with a flash, turning Hodgson into a human porcupine.

Hodgson,

Dead!

As a full-fledged wizard, even his ordinary spells packed a punch far stronger than those of an apprentice.

Karl's expression was calm.

He had searched Marianne's Divine Realm Fragment and learned that she kept her best items in the wizard tower. So, he rushed over, intending to take advantage of the situation and grab some loot.

Unexpectedly, there were two people inside the wizard tower.

Hodgson didn't mind; he could easily deal with them. Nancy's relationship with him wasn't bad, not to the point of killing and looting.

After some thought, Karl had planned to leave temporarily and deal with Hodgson later. But he didn't expect Hodgson to be so impatient.

"Is that him?"

Realizing that Hodgson was the one who tried to assassinate him, Karl was taken aback, then shook his head lightly.

"Inform the high tower!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end