Chapter 141: The Secret of the Painted Lady

Chapter 141: The Secret of the Painted Lady



Li Babala stood before the table, her fingers fiddling with her skirt, her body tense and her face filled with apprehension.

"The matter is..."

She was well aware of who her patron was.

When Charlie was around, he had entrusted Karl to take care of her, and now it was only natural to cling tightly to this opportunity.

Previously, Karl was merely a wizard apprentice, but now he was a full-fledged wizard and the official owner of the apothecary.

As a dependent, it was only right to report everything and demonstrate her loyalty.

"Lance."

Karl pondered for a moment and waved his hand at her:

"I understand. You may leave now, don't worry about this matter, just continue with your work as usual."

"Yes." Li Babala heaved a sigh of relief and bowed before leaving.

After seeing Li Babala close the door, Karl thought for a moment and took out a magical paper, writing a line of text on it.

This paper was made from a special material that could communicate through the Astral Plane within a certain distance.

Of course,

To use this function, one needed the ability to communicate with the Astral Plane, which meant being a full-fledged wizard.

Similar items included communication stones and other such objects.

In any case, only by becoming a full-fledged wizard would the doors to the wizarding world truly open.

"Lance?"

The ink on the paper floated, revealing a series of characters one by one.

"His family has a lot of influence in the Six-Ring High Tower. This time, he was punished to come to the Magic Forest because he made a mistake."

Oma's reply came quickly:

"I heard his mistake was very serious. If it were anyone else, they would definitely be expelled from the High Tower or even have their soul erased. But he's only here for ten years."

"After ten years, he will definitely return, so it's best not to provoke him."

Karl raised an eyebrow.

Those who come here must stay for thirty years unless they advance to the rank of wizard, but Lance is only staying for ten years?

It's known that the number of spots to return is limited, and if he returns after ten years, it means someone else won't be able to go back.

"Golder is a close blood relative of Lance's family." Just as Karl thought the conversation was over, Oma added:

"The mentor said that this person is quite protective of his family."

Golder!

The wizard who came from the Calim Continent this year, with intermediate wizardry and specializing in astral magic.

Karl shook his head and wrote:

"How is your cultivation progress?"

"Very slow!" Oma seemed to like this method of communication, speaking more than usual:

"Leaving the range of the Wizard Tower, it becomes extremely difficult to sense the Astral Plane, and the knowledge of First-Rank Spells is also quite complex. At my current cultivation speed, I fear I won't be able to reach the later stages of wizardry in this lifetime."

"Oh, right!"

"I'll send you a copy of the High Tower wizard's teaching catalog, which also includes Senior Volgan's courses."

As she spoke, a document was sent over.

It contained the teaching times, fees, and magic courses offered by the High Tower wizards each week.

The pursuit of knowledge and power is a complex and lengthy process, and it's not possible to rely solely on one's own contemplation.

Learning from others' experiences can also help one grasp the corresponding knowledge faster and better.

Karl didn't plan to be unique in this regard; there were some classes he needed to attend, otherwise, it would be difficult to explain his growing strength.

Most wizards in the High Tower offered classes, partly to earn magic stones and partly as a mandatory requirement.

Ordinary wizards received one magic stone for three classes.

Senior Volgan's classes cost one magic stone per class, and he would only teach if there were at least five students.

There are seven days in a week, and Senior Volgan only teaches on two of those days, while the others teach a bit more.

"Besides the mentor's courses, I plan to attend Wizard Daniel's lectures on Wizard Tower theory."

Oma wrote:

"With a Wizard Tower, cultivation can be faster."

Wizard Tower?

Karl nodded:

"I'll attend as well. Additionally, Wizard June's classes on potions and minerals are also very helpful to me."

"I'm envious. The magic stones given here are too few, and I don't have other income, so I don't plan to take other classes for now." Oma replied:

"Perhaps..."

"I should consider finding someone to cooperate in building a Wizard Tower."

Building a basic Wizard Tower costs tens of thousands of magic stones, which is obviously too much for her to bear alone.

Finding a partner is undoubtedly a shortcut.

Of course,

It requires someone he can trust absolutely.

"It's too early."

Karl didn't continue this topic and wrote:

"After ten years, I need to go to the Calim Continent. Even if I want to build a Wizard Tower, I'll consider it after going there."

"I heard that there's a business of renting Wizard Towers over there."

Oma didn't respond.

Karl smiled and put away the magical paper.

He does plan to build a Wizard Tower, not for sensing the Astral Plane, but for the convenience of casting spells and increasing his own strength.

However...

Co-building is definitely not an option. He has too many secrets and cannot share his private space with others.

Moreover, he doesn't plan to go to the Calim Continent in the near future, so there's no need to have a more complicated relationship with Oma.

"It's time to open the blind box."

Mumbling softly, Karl touched the spatial pendant hanging around his neck, and a rectangular object covered in black cloth appeared out of thin air in front of him.

The Painted Lady—Gina!

This advanced enchanted item came from Adolf's inheritance, and 'she' seemed to hold some secret within.

Lifting the black cloth, the painted lady, as if just waking up, rubbed her sore eyes and stretched lazily.

"I feel like I've slept for a very long time and had a beautiful dream about love."

"Wake up."

Karl spoke up:

"You are not a complete life form, so it's impossible for you to dream. Don't deceive yourself.

"Master..." Gina's face was filled with disappointment.

"Don't be a killjoy."

"Alright." Karl waved his hand.

"Now that I'm an official wizard, I should be able to uncover the secret you've been hiding, right?"

"Oh!" Gina's expression turned serious.

"I never thought that after so many generations of masters, you would be the one to uncover this secret."

"Please place your hand on the frame."

Karl examined the woman in the painting and confirmed it with a spell before slowly placing his hand on the frame.

Hmm?

His eyes flickered with curiosity.

He had held the frame before, but this time, as a wizard, he instantly sensed something unusual.

"A storage space?"

A slight movement of his spirit power revealed the woman in the painting, Gina, who smiled gently and performed an ancient courtesy.

Her figure then transformed into nothingness, and the painting became a spatial passage leading to an unknown place.

Karl narrowed his eyes.

After a brief moment of contemplation, he didn't rush in but instead put away the frame and headed towards the market outside.

A while later...

He reopened the frame and took out a clay puppet, controlling it to enter the passage.

His spirit power attached to the puppet, allowing him to see everything inside.

The spider-like puppet was agile, crawling through the short passage and arriving at a space of several dozen square feet.

Got it!

Karl's eyes lit up slightly.

Objects with storage spaces were already rare, and this space of several dozen square feet could be considered a decent heritage arcane artifact.

Not to mention the contents inside, just these storage spaces alone were already worth a fortune.

"The woman in the painting has been passed down in the Eastern Continent for hundreds of years, and I don't know how many masters she's had. To have such a large space hidden within, I hope the true secret doesn't disappoint me!"

In theory, the real treasure should be the items stored within the space.

"Crackle..."

The spider legs continued to crawl and stopped in the center of the space.

Here, there were two pedestals, each displaying an object.

On one pedestal was a book as thick as seven fingers, and on the other was a black bead.

"Tap tap..."

The spider climbed up the pedestal and struggled to flip open the book cover, revealing a strange painting.

"Hmm?"

Karl's eyebrows rose slightly.

Wizards often used complex patterns and designs, especially for illusion and astral magic.

This was normal.

But this painting was different.

"Deity!"

Other wizards might not have noticed, but Karl, as the bearer of the Divine Realm Fragment, immediately recognized the complex patterns as the symbol of a deity. If one stared at it for too long, they might be converted into a believer of 'Him', and their soul and body could be occupied by the deity at any time.

"Tap tap..."

The spider paused briefly and did not continue reading the book but instead crawled towards the other pedestal.

In the instant the spider's leg touched the black bead, a faint light flashed from within the bead.

"The chosen heir, after countless years, you have finally arrived here under the guidance of fate."

In the void, a chanting voice echoed:

"I will be your follower, mentor, and companion, guiding you to the ultimate path of the wizard..."

"Pfft!"

The spider's abdomen opened, spraying out a web that wrapped around the black bead, interrupting its chant.

"No!"

The voice within the bead immediately became chaotic:

"Don't do this! I am Webster, a Third Circle Wizard, possessing a complete Fourth Rank Bloodline Wizard heritage. I can help you become a Second Circle, Third Circle, or even a Fourth Circle Wizard. I also know many ancient secrets, an interdimensional coordinate, and the locations of two and a half planes. Please..."

"Pfft!"

"Pfft pfft!"

The spider continued to spray silk, wrapping the black bead tightly until it became a silk sac the size of an infant's fist.

And the voice...

Could no longer be heard.

"If it weren't for the experience with Greyrobed Wizard Addison, I might have believed you."

Karl muttered to himself.

This bead was an item that stored a fragment of a soul, and to prevent the ravages of time, numerous sealing spells had been cast upon it.

In Addison's memory, there was a similar method.

However, this wizard, who called himself Webster, was obviously more powerful than Addison and might indeed be a Third Circle Wizard.

Or even stronger!

But so what?

The patterns in the book were filled with hidden intentions, and this person's words were also seductive, likely harboring malicious intentions.

To be safe, it was better to seal it permanently.

After discovering the deity symbol in the book, Karl had already made up his mind not to interact with it further.

Soon...

The puppet spider, carrying a book and a silk sac, returned to Karl, who then collapsed on the ground.

"Clay puppets are not durable; it broke so quickly."

Shaking his head, Karl picked up the two items from the ground, thought for a moment, and then entered the Divine Realm Fragment.

From there, he traveled to another world.

Control Earth!

Petrification!

He summoned a few pieces of dirt and turned them into a makeshift small stone coffin, placing the silk sac inside.

Then, he summoned a magic carpet and headed towards the Endless Sea.

Two hours later...

Above the vast sea, Karl took out the stone coffin, shrugged, and casually tossed it into the water.

"Plop!"

The stone coffin sank into the sea and disappeared from sight.

"The seawater will erode the rock, and I believe it won't take more than a few million years for it to break. I hope you're still there when that happens."

"Or..." Karl muttered under his breath. "Once I truly master the secrets of the deities, I might remember this and come back to check. But who knows if I'll even remember the location by then?"

The magic carpet made a turn in mid-air and headed towards Swift City.

...

"Gina!"

Karl stared at the woman in the painting, his eyes darkening. "Should I trust you?"

"My life belongs to you, master," the woman in the painting replied with a smile, seemingly unaware of what had just transpired. She bowed and said, "Including my life."

"..." Karl shook his head. "Forget it!"

Gina did not possess true life; she was merely a soul imprisoned within this magical item.

Moreover, her consciousness had been erased, and she was unaware of the secrets hidden within the depths of the painting. Without a way to replace the soul fragment, destroying her would be equivalent to destroying this magical item.

Karl entered his study and took out a thick book.

The patterns on the book were problematic, but the book itself was not, and it did not carry any evil divine aura. Otherwise, the Divine Realm Fragment would have reacted.

"Webster?"

"This guy is indeed a high-ranking bloodline wizard."

Karl stroked his chin, and for a fleeting moment, he felt regret, but it quickly vanished.

...

"He's a bloodline wizard, but he's also a believer in the deities. This meditation technique directly points to the existence of a deity."

The meditation technique of the Ten Thousand Beasts!

The meditation technique recorded in the book seemed normal, but it secretly contained the mark of an extra-dimensional deity.

Mother of Ten Thousand Spirits!

Lord of Ten Thousand Things!

...

These were the titles of that deity.

"The patterns are problematic, the meditation technique is problematic, and even some of the spells are not normal. This book is almost entirely problematic. If one doesn't have a sufficient understanding of the deities, even a Tier 3 Wizard is likely to fall into its trap."

Karl pondered, "Using wizardry as a cover, he's developing his own followers... here they're called apostles."

"This deity's title, 'Mother of Ten Thousand Spirits,'..."

The meditation technique couldn't be cultivated, but some of the spells and auxiliary cultivation items within it were genuine.

For example,

The Blood Pill!

"The Blood Pill can increase bloodline fusion, Beast Speech allows communication with certain beasts, and the Soul Stamp can control creatures..."

"These are all good things!"

"If it weren't related to the deities, this inheritance directly points to the fourth rank. It's definitely a priceless treasure."

"What a pity!" Karl muttered, then sighed helplessly. "The Blood Pill's refinement process is too complex. With my current skills, it's impossible to refine it. It seems I can't give up on alchemy."

"I must at least become a First-Rank Alchemist."

One month later.

"Karl, Senior!"

"Karl, Wizard!"

"..."

Karl, dressed in formal attire, stepped out of the backyard. Several busy individuals in the shop paused their work and bowed.

"Hmm."

Karl nodded and glanced at the crowd.

"Where's Lance?"

"Isn't today his day off?"

"Senior," Sasson spoke up. "Lance said he had some matters to attend to and left for a while. He'll be back soon."

Soon? He probably won't return today.

Karl nodded, not intending to pursue the matter further, as he himself, as the shop's manager, often kept a low profile.

"I understand."

As Karl exited the shop, he ran into his neighbor.

"Karl!"

"Bern, you're also going to the ceremony?"

"Indeed."

Bern laughed, "Let's go together!"

Today was the official opening day of the Leipzig Market. Various families and wizards would attend.

The ceremony was held at the former Cape Family's estate.

Magical spells adorned the venue with various flowers and greenery, and wizards and wizard apprentices gathered.

At first glance, it resembled a noble gathering, except for the presence of unusual beings like the fairy with elven blood, the dwarf, and the singing plants...

"Last time, Bern mentioned that with a solid foundation and understanding, even a First-Rank Wizard might be able to refine a Second-Rank Engraved Charm?"

"Yes."

Bern nodded, "Refining Engraved Charms is different from sketching spell models in the spiritual sea. It can be done gradually."

"If one can understand Second-Circle Spells, they can refine Second-Rank Charms, but it's not very cost-effective."

"Why?" Karl was puzzled. "Shouldn't refining Engraved Charms help in understanding Second-Circle Spells?"

"That's correct," Bern explained. "But there's a success rate issue."

"To refine a Second-Rank Charm, the materials are very expensive, and it takes a long time. If one spends a year or two on precious materials and fails, isn't that a waste?"

"Yes," Karl smiled bitterly. "It's not just a waste; it's like wasting life. The materials for refining Second-Rank Charms seem to have a bonus for First-Rank Spells."

"Yes." Ber the Wizard nodded. "Just like my specialty, the first-grade engraved charm 'Bone Breath', if crafted with second-grade materials, its power can rival that of a mid-to-late stage Wizard. The power of an ordinary charm, on the other hand, would be much weaker."

"It's not just that!"

As he walked, he continued, "Using second-grade materials can also increase the success rate of charm crafting, but it's still not cost-effective."

Karl nodded silently.

Indeed.

Crafting a second-grade charm with second-grade materials was the right approach; crafting a first-grade charm with such materials would be wasteful.

"Oh, right." Ber the Wizard turned to look at Karl. "I have news about the matter you entrusted me with. Enid the Wizard from the Nelson family is willing to help."

"Oh!" Karl's eyes lit up. "Thank you!"

"We're neighbors; it's only natural to help each other," Ber the Wizard said with a solemn smile. "Enid the Wizard is best at crafting weaving-type magical items, especially those related to flight and transformation."

"She's over there. I'll take you to her."

Karl's magic carpet, crafted during his apprenticeship, was made with decent materials, but the spell attached to it was only a zero-circle spell.

It couldn't fly high or fast.

It was usable during his apprenticeship, but now that he was a full-fledged Wizard, the magic carpet would be a sitting duck.

However, he currently lacked the ability to recraft it, so he had to rely on others.

Enid the Wizard had a gentle demeanor, like a friendly noblewoman next door, and she was very polite regarding Karl's request.

"This is a very special material," she said, stroking the magic carpet. "It's similar to the feathers of a second-grade phoenix, but it's not quite the same. I... I've never seen anything like it."

"I obtained it by chance," Karl explained. "Can you craft it?"

"Yes, I can," Enid replied after some thought, smiling. "One hundred magic stones."

Hmm? This price was ridiculously low! If the magic carpet were recrafted to meet Karl's requirements, it would essentially be a hereditary magical artifact.

One hundred magic stones? Too low!

Karl glanced at Ber the Wizard, who slowly nodded with a meaningful look in his eyes.

"In that case, I'll trouble Enid the Wizard," Karl said. "I don't have enough magic stones on hand, but I can offer other items in exchange. I hope you don't mind."

"It's no trouble at all," Enid said with a light laugh. "I trust the reputation of the Tower."

The Tower!

The reason she was offering such a low price wasn't because of Ber the Wizard's introduction, but because of the Sixth Circle Tower.

It seemed that having a background had its perks.

"Ding..."

Accompanied by the gentle sound of a harp, an invisible and gentle spiritual force rippled through the hall, capturing everyone's attention.

A second-circle spell!

The crowd fell silent, their gazes turning towards the center of the ceremony.

There, Krakh, the second-circle wizard from the Andrew Clan, and Volgan, the master of the earth from the Tower, stood side by his side.

Additionally, the clan leaders or representatives of the Nelson, Beck, and Andrew Clans stood on the stage.

"At the brink of winter, the beast tide approaches," Volgan said in a soft voice that carried throughout the hall. "The reason the city is able to resist this disaster is because of our unity."

"Disasters test humanity, but they also unite us. The Leipzig Market, with its population of several hundred thousand, needs our help," he continued.

"Today, the four great clans gather here to form an alliance and make a vow, not only for the market but also for ourselves..."

"Hmm?"

His voice paused as he looked up at the sky, as if noticing something.

Karl's gaze lingered on the faces of those on stage, his brows furrowing unconsciously. He turned to glance at Enid, who wore an expression of fear.

'Something's not right!'

'The four clans are joining forces to manage the market, but they're going from being managed to becoming the managers. They should be happy.'

'But looking at their expressions, aside from the Andrew Clan, none of them seem particularly excited. Enid even seems to be trying to please me. Could becoming a manager be a bad thing?'

Tsk...

It was hard to say.

"Caw!"

Accompanied by a caw, an eagle descended from the sky, its body shrinking in mid-air as it transformed into a human form.

Bloodline magic? Karl's eyes flickered.

No! It was a transformation spell infused with bloodline magic.

"Master."

The newcomer, a member of the Andrew Clan, bowed before Krakh. "We found several corpses on the outskirts of the market, and they seem to be from the Beck Clan."

Hush...

As soon as the words were spoken, a buzz filled the hall.

The clan leader of the Beck Clan turned pale, his body swaying as a gust of wind swept him away towards the outskirts of the market.

"Daniel," Volgan said, his brows furrowing even more. He glanced at Krakh before speaking softly. "Go and take a look."

"Yes," Daniel replied, waving his staff lightly. His entire body instantly transformed into a streak of light that shot towards the distance.

His speed far exceeded that of the Beck Clan leader.

"That's a bit too hasty, isn't it?"

"Yes, the ceremony hasn't even officially started yet."

"It's the Andrew Clan..."

"Shh!"

Amidst the various noises, Karl shook his head lightly and withdrew his gaze.

'Doing business together is generally considered a taboo, and it seems managing the market is no different. How can a market have four masters? Especially when it's like three sheep and a wolf working together?'

He turned to look at Enid from the Nelson Clan.

Sure enough, her face was filled with fear.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end