Chapter 139: Choosing Spells

Chapter 139: Choosing Spells



"When did you find out that Hodgson was hiding nearby?"

"What was his purpose?"

"Did you lead him to Marianne's Wizard Tower?"

"..."

Second Floor of the Tower

Under the glow of the First Rank Spell, 'Pact of Vow', Nancy knelt on the floor, her forehead beaded with sweat, answering Daniel's interrogation truthfully.

The spell's influence prevented her from lying; each question elicited an immediate response.

This soul-searching spell could inflict severe psychological trauma on a wizard apprentice.

Once used, it almost guarantees the apprentice's dream of becoming a wizard is shattered.

First Floor

"Congratulations!" Bella the Wizard smiled and nodded at Karl. "I never expected that you'd be the second apprentice to successfully advance from among those who came from the Black Swamp."

"No!"

"You should be one of the only two."

The others had been abandoned by the Tower, including Nancy, who had been highly regarded for her Second Rank Wizard Talent.

Helping a fugitive wanted by the Tower to steal from a mentor's possessions was an unforgivable act.

"The second one..." Karl's eyes flickered with emotion. "Oma, she..."

"Indeed," Bella nodded, her expression filled with pride. "With my guidance, Oma advanced to a wizard two months ago and is now in seclusion to solidify her progress."

"If you had broken through earlier, you might have met her here."

"Congratulations!" Karl's tone was sincere. "Not only has Bella advanced her own cultivation, but her ability to teach apprentices is also among the best."

"Oma found an excellent master!"

"Haha..." Bella, despite her delicate figure and appearance, had a boisterous personality. She laughed heartily, looking pleased with herself, but remained humble.

"Oma is a good child. Even with my excellent teaching, her progress is her own achievement!"

As she spoke, she glanced at the second floor with a cold gaze.

"Actually..." Karl frowned at the sight. "The man who ambushed me is already dead by my hand. There's no need to interrogate Nancy with the secret society's torture."

"At most, she was deceived by someone, and it's not right to ruin her future over this."

"Hmpf!"

Bella responded with a cold huff.

"Karl, you might not know this, but Marianne is dead."

"What?!" Karl's expression was one of panic and surprise.

"How is that possible?"

"No mistake," Bella spoke up. "As a wizard of the Tower, one's essence lingers on a heritage arcane artifact within the Tower."

"Upon death, the artifact will resonate and pinpoint the location of demise."

Karl's face paled.

He was genuinely startled, unaware of this Tower function. Instinctively, he asked, "Where did Senior Marianne meet her end?"

"Cloudwood Hill!" Bella's expression turned solemn. "The exact spot is uncertain, but it's certain that the murder occurred near Cloudwood Hill."

"Sigh..."

She let out a sigh.

"If it were the Tower of Calim Continent, their heritage artifacts could even replay the scene from a fixed time before death, pinpointing the culprit. That's one of the guarantees for Tower disciples' safety outside."

Fortunately!

Karl breathed a sigh of relief and asked, "Does that mean, Senior Bella, that Nancy might be related to Senior Marianne's death? That's why she's being tortured?"

"Indeed!"

Bella nodded firmly.

"She's not involved." At that moment, Daniel, in his white robe, descended from the second floor, his eyes showing fatigue. "I asked thoroughly, and Nancy didn't know that Marianne the Wizard had been murdered. That Hodgson was the suspicious one."

"Suspicious?"

"Yes!" Daniel nodded and pulled a chair to sit. "Hodgson dared to raid the Wizard Tower for loot because he knew Marianne the Wizard was absent for a period."

"He even talked about Marianne's post-death inheritance..."

"Although it seemed like he was deceiving Nancy at the time, how could he be so sure Marianne wasn't in the Wizard Tower then?"

"Exactly!" Bella's eyes lit up. "Unless he knew Marianne was dead, but he's dead too, killed by Karl. Otherwise, we could've asked him."

Karl's cheeks twitched.

Both their imaginations saved him a lot of trouble, and he didn't need to worry about other clues.

The destruction of the Divine Realm Fragment would require a Third Circle Wizard or higher to discover.

"Karl."

After a moment of mental recovery, Daniel smiled and turned to Karl. "Congratulations on advancing to a wizard."

"From now on, don't call me 'Senior.' Just my name or 'Daniel the Wizard' will do."

Advancing from an apprentice to a wizard was like a student becoming a professor; the former teacher was now a colleague.

"Yes." Karl nodded. "Daniel... Wizard."

"Go." Daniel waved his hand. "Senior Volgan is waiting for you on the fourth floor."

...

Volgan.

A natural school earth-type Second Circle Wizard!

Known as the Earth Controller!

Unlike Addison the Greyrobed Wizard, who advanced with external aid, Volgan was a Second Circle Wizard on his own merits and among the top in his rank.

In the barren lands of the Magic Forest, he was even capable of challenging the Third Circle Wizards of this realm.

"My mother is from the royal family of the Slo Kingdom, so technically, I'm also considered a native of the Eastern Continent."

Volgan snapped his fingers, and the room instantly lit up with a soft glow. He looked up from behind his desk, piled high with books:

"When I was young, I once accompanied my mother back to the Slo Kingdom for a funeral. It's been a long time since I've seen anyone from there..."

"The Slo royalty?" Karl asked.

"Do you have the bloodline of a Grand Duke?"

"Yes." Volgan stood up, his massive frame making the already spacious room feel a bit cramped.

"My mother had excellent wizard talent, so she was sent to the Tower. Not long after, I was born."

"You probably don't know this."

"The upper echelons of both places do interact, just not very frequently."

Karl nodded in understanding.

For ordinary people and even wizard apprentices, the two continents were interconnected, but in the eyes of some, they were not.

The vast distance couldn't completely sever the exchange of people.

"Come!"

Volgan picked up a piece of paper and handed it over:

"Do this test."

A test?

Karl looked at the paper, filled with dense text and patterns, and a familiar sense of fear crept up on him.

No way!

Transported to this world, and now I have to take an exam?)



"There's no other way. It's the rule of the Tower."

Sensing the complex emotions in Karl's eyes, Volgan shrugged and explained:

"I need to grade this and register you so that the people in the Tower can get to know you a bit."

"This test is from Sir Ofnir, the Wise, fifty years ago. If we were in the Calim Continent, I'd be worried that you might have seen it before."

"Although it's an old test from fifty years ago, it covers a wide range of knowledge points and is quite classic. I think it's suitable."

"Senior Volgan." Karl asked, "Did Oma take this test too?"

"Of course." Volgan shrugged.

"She also took this same test. You two haven't met, so there's no need to worry about cheating."

"What score did she get?"

"I'll tell you after you finish."

"..."

Karl sighed helplessly, "Alright then!"

He took the paper, sat down at the desk, summoned a quill, and began to look at the test.

First were ten multiple-choice questions.

The magic creature, the Howling Elk, possesses both water and fire attributes. Which category does its bloodline construction belong to?

a) Exceptional

b) Symmetrical

c) Mystical

d) Aberrant

Which of the following does not belong to the ancient magic empire?

a) Meshket

b) Silvanus

c) Hol

d) Gale Duchy

Ravendi's Flame Hell and Storm Lord's Roar are both Second Circle Spells. What is the difference between them?

Karl's throat rolled, and the hovering quill trembled slightly as beads of sweat formed on his forehead.

I don't understand!

I don't know!

A sense of bewilderment, like a primary school student facing a university exam, overwhelmed him.

...

After the multiple-choice questions were twenty open-ended questions.

Please list at least three methods to solve the labyrinth of Thanos (without using knowledge beyond First Circle Spells).

Please elaborate on the advantages and disadvantages of the Soul Hiding Technique.

Invasion of the mind, weaving memories, and practical applications in nightmare-related spells...

...

Karl's forehead glistened with sweat as he thought for a long time before the hovering quill slowly marked an option.

Three hours later.

Karl stood in front of the desk, his head bowed, like a student awaiting a scolding as Volgan graded the test.

Volgan was clearly not satisfied, his expression somewhat gloomy, or perhaps resigned.

"Seventeen points!"

He tossed the paper back, rubbing his forehead, "I suspect you guessed on one of the multiple-choice questions. Your fundamental knowledge..."

"This is a hundred-point test, and the passing score is sixty. Many junior wizard apprentices in the Tower probably scored better than you."

"..." Karl forced a smile, "I'll work hard."

"It's not surprising that your fundamental knowledge is lacking." Volgan shook his head, "After all, you come from the Eastern Continent, where wizardry knowledge is scarce. But still..."

He waved his hand in resignation, "Fortunately, you have some talent in application. It seems you're not suited for theoretical research but rather for practical exploration, especially in bloodline wizardry and potion brewing. You managed to guess a few points."

"Speaking of which..."

"Oma scored thirty-two points."

Thirty-two points?

Karl breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Both of them failed, making them kindred spirits in this situation. His score of seventeen didn't seem too bad in comparison.

His exposure to the wizarding world had been too brief, and his knowledge base was insufficient, which was understandable.

"Never mind."

Volgan sat up straight and spoke seriously, "As a disciple of the Sixth Circle Tower, after becoming a full-fledged wizard, you can freely choose two First Circle Spells to study."

"Here's the list. Take a look and choose two."

He waved his arm, and several pieces of paper with lists of spells bounced in front of Karl.

One of them seemed particularly eager to be chosen.

Karl looked down at the list.

Frost Ray!

Human Charm!

Terror Spell!

...

"Senior Volgan."

"He pondered for a moment and asked, 'Is that all?'

Volgan chuckled, 'Isn't this enough?'

'There are over two hundred first-rank spells, covering various schools and branches, and they're all refined masterpieces. Even across the entire Calim Continent, there are only a handful of places that can offer such a collection.'

Karl listened intently, his curiosity piqued.

'It's not that,' Karl shook his head. 'I just feel that as the top-tier force in the Calim Continent, the Sixth Circle Tower should have some more unique spells.'

Volgan smiled, 'You're quite perceptive.' With a wave of his hand, the dancing magical papers on the desk immediately stilled.

'Aside from these common first-rank spells, there are indeed some special ones. However, they require a certain amount of magic stones to choose.'

'You?' Karl noticed their choice of words.

So, Oma had also inquired about this.

If it's available, why not just offer it? If he hadn't asked, wouldn't he have missed out?

He wasn't aware that this was also a test, gauging whether a newcomer would delve deeper into the catalog.

A spirit of inquiry is always an essential trait for a wizard.

'Go ahead and choose,' Volgan waved his hand again. A yellowed piece of paper flew out of the drawer and landed in front of Karl. 'These are two spells. I hope you have enough magic stones to purchase them. Each Sixth Circle Tower wizard only gets this opportunity once in their lifetime.'

Karl took a deep breath and looked down at the paper.)



Lightning Sphere: Hybrid Spell, 100 Magic Stones.

Advanced Invisibility: Cultivation Spell, 100 Magic Stones.

Purify Curse: Mystery Spell, 100 Magic Stones.

...

Karl's eyes lit up.

As expected!

The spells on this paper were far superior to the first-rank spells in the catalog, each one unique and powerful.

Karl was no stranger to spells. With the knowledge gained from the dozen or so inheritances collected in the Black Swamp and the memories of the Greyrobed Wizard Addison, he could easily discern the strength of a spell.

Starlight Cloak: Flight Spell, 100 Magic Stones.

Ivan's Frost Ray: Altered Water Spell, 100 Magic Stones.

...

Karl's gaze paused at the Starlight Cloak. This spell was far more powerful than ordinary flight spells.

Under a starry night sky, the flight speed would increase, and it also provided a degree of stealth.

Karl pursed his lips, his eyes moving down the list to the very last entry, and his eyes narrowed.

Hill Resonance: Earth Spell, 1000 Magic Stones.

One thousand magic stones?

For a moment, Karl wondered if he had misread the price, if there was an extra zero by mistake.

He confirmed that he hadn't misread it.

'One thousand magic stones?' Karl's expression was peculiar. 'Can I purchase a complete second-rank inheritance with that?'

'Yes,' Volgan knew what he meant and smiled. 'Hill Resonance is a rather special spell. It enhances the cultivator's resonance with the earth and strengthens earth spells. Even second and third-rank wizards can benefit from it.'

'Of course, the requirements are quite strict.'

Karl's eyes shifted, taking in Volgan's towering frame, which stood at two meters and fifty-six centimeters, far surpassing the average person's height. 'Do you have the bloodline of a Hill Giant?'

'Indeed,' Volgan nodded. 'You can also cultivate bloodline spells without the bloodline, but Hill Giants are quite rare.'

'Currently, there are a few in a semi-plane, and their capture is prohibited.'

Karl shook his head. He didn't have the bloodline of a Hill Giant, nor was he an earth-attuned wizard, so this spell was not for him.

There was only one spell for one thousand magic stones, but there were many for eight hundred and five hundred.

Wrath of the Thunder God: Soul Spell, 800 Magic Stones.

Karl frowned, pointing at this spell, 'Eight hundred magic stones?'

Not expensive,

but a bargain!

Wrath of the Thunder God: A soul spell that gathers the power of thunder within the soul, destroying all external evil thoughts.

Immunity to curse and sudden death.

Greatly increases spirit power resistance.

Greatly increases affinity with thunder.

This spell offers immense benefits to cultivators, far surpassing Hill Resonance, and with no strict cultivation requirements, it was priced at only eight hundred magic stones.

'Wrath of the Thunder God?'

Volgan stroked his chin and nodded. 'This spell is indeed of a higher rank than Hill Resonance, but unfortunately, it's almost impossible to cultivate.'

'Thunder God!'

'Involving the existence of gods often comes with great challenges.'

He paused, then continued, 'This spell originates from a great wizard who lived two thousand years ago. He captured an angel who controlled the power of thunder and extracted this spell from the angel's body, successfully cultivating it.

'Unfortunately, very few have managed to cultivate Wrath of the Thunder God since then, and the majority of them are third-rank or higher.'

'Some speculate that to cultivate Wrath of the Thunder God, it's best to receive a blessing from a deity with authority over thunder. Otherwise, one must wait until the third rank, when they can control the power of thunder, before attempting to cultivate it.'

"What's the matter?" Karl asked, his curiosity piqued.

Volgan shook his head, a gesture that piqued Karl's interest further. "It's just... I was wondering if you've heard of a spell called 'Thunder God's Wrath'?"

Karl's eyes widened in surprise. "You mean the one that captures angels?"

"Exactly," Volgan nodded. "It's a powerful spell that even subdues angels, who are typically non-combatants. But the ones with combat abilities are incredibly strong."

"A divine blessing, perhaps?" Karl mused.

Volgan chuckled. "Wizards don't believe in divine blessings. Without faith, it's impossible to receive such blessings, and thus, impossible to master this spell."

"Wait!" Karl's eyes lit up with realization.

"I am a 'god' myself!" he exclaimed.

"If all I need is a divine blessing, I can bless myself. Does that mean I have a chance to master this spell?"

Volgan nodded. "There are spells that increase affinity with thunder, but what makes 'Thunder God's Wrath' truly challenging is its immunity to sudden death."

Unaware of Karl's inner turmoil, Volgan continued, "You see, some spells can instantly kill, like 'Death Wither' or 'Life's Lament'."

"If you succumb to such spells, it's all about resistance and determination. Even a Second Circle Wizard might perish on the spot!"

Volgan sighed, recalling a memory. "I had a friend who was mentally exhausted due to certain circumstances. He was struck by a First Circle spell, and due to a failed determination roll, he died instantly. It became quite the joke at the time."

"There are also spells that directly reduce lifespan, like 'Shadow Hand', a favorite among those guys. If you master this spell, you won't have to fear them..."

"You're getting off-topic!" Karl interrupted.

"This spell is challenging to master, which is why it's priced so low. Why don't you look at other spells instead?"

"No!" Karl insisted, raising his head. "I want to give it a try."

Volgan raised an eyebrow, feeling a sense of helplessness as he realized his words had fallen on deaf ears. "Hmm..."

With a light chuckle, Volgan didn't refuse. "As you wish. I wanted to try it too, but I didn't succeed. You can try, but this spell requires guidance."

"No problem," Karl nodded. "Aside from 'Thunder God's Wrath', I also want 'Thunder's Wing', a flight spell of the thunder attribute."

"Tsk, tsk..." Volgan clicked his tongue. "You're quite the planner."

"Eight hundred magic stones for 'Thunder God's Wrath' and five hundred for 'Thunder's Wing', that's a total of one thousand three hundred magic stones."

"Pay up!"

Karl's expression froze.

He had underestimated the situation! Due to Wizard Addison's involvement, it seemed he didn't have enough magic stones.

"Can I pay with other items?" Karl asked, his voice hopeful.

"Sure, but I'll set the price," Volgan agreed, knowing Karl wouldn't be able to produce that many magic stones.

Thirty different potions, a pile of soul powder, over ten enchanted items, and various magical materials were presented.

One by one, these items were taken out of a storage pendant.

As for the pendant...

"This is from Hodgson," Volgan explained. "I've taken out all of Marianne's belongings, but as war spoils, it belongs to you now, Karl. It has two layers of space, capable of holding quite a lot."

"I heard you gained quite a lot during the market disturbance," Volgan remarked, a thoughtful look on his face.

"Seems so," Karl agreed, a hint of pride in his voice.

"But I'm still short by over a hundred magic stones," he added, his expression turning grim.

"Senior," Karl said, his mind racing. He looked at the empty storage space and took out a crystal that recorded a spell. "I have a rather unique spell here. How much can it offset in magic stones?"

Volgan took the crystal with a casual gesture. "The tower doesn't lack spells. If it's a spell the tower already has, I won't accept it. But if you leave the pendant, it's worth..."

"Hmm?" Volgan's voice trailed off as his expression froze, his eyes narrowing in concentration.

"Earth Sunder!" he exclaimed, his eyes lighting up with interest.

"A spell that requires low mental strength but demands physical prowess from the practitioner. Most wizards are unsuitable, but it's perfect for you, Senior."

Volgan, with his Hillblood lineage, possessed physical strength far beyond that of a Legendary Knight, and his mental strength as a Second Circle Wizard made him an ideal candidate for 'Earth Sunder'.

"Alright!" Volgan shrugged, putting away the crystal. "I'll take this spell to offset the remaining magic stones."

"Additionally," Volgan continued, "technically, a newly promoted wizard should have a few years of rest. But given the current market situation, it's a waste for a formal wizard to rest. You should still manage the shop."

"I'll rest for three months and then get to work!" Karl said, a hint of resignation in his voice.

"Fine," Volgan agreed, knowing Karl had anticipated this. As Karl turned to leave, he asked casually, "What will the tower do with Nancy?"

"That ignorant girl down there?" Volgan shook his head. "She's already lost the right to inherit Marianne's legacy due to her mistakes. As for the rest... let's put it aside for now!"

A wizard apprentice subjected to 'Soul Search' and unable to inherit their mentor's legacy meant Nancy's chances of becoming a wizard were dashed.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end